IN an humble and thankful Sense O Lord of Heaven and Earth of our entire dependence on Thee and of the Duty we owe Thee and the many Promises and Vows wherein we stand engaged to Thee we fall down before Thee this Evening and with all Reverence worship thy Divine Majesty Giving Thee the Glory that is due to thy Name and acknowledging thy multiplied Mercies to us particularly those of this Day to the Conclusion of which thou hast now safely brought us with new Resolutions in our Hearts to continue forever in thy Faith and Fear and Love and Obedience It is but just and reasonable and we feel likewise by daily Experience that it is our Happiness to keep thy Commandments and to maintain chearful Thoughts of Thee and an hearty Friendship with Thee by complying in all things with thy Holy Will O pardon our Folly most Gracious God in forsaking at any time that Perfect Rule to follow our own unruly Desires Pardon us we beseech Thee for we know not how to pardon our selves such Ingratitude to Thee and Cruelty to our selves It is the Grief of our Hearts that we have in the least offended Thee and our most earnest unfeigned Desires to to be preserved hereafter in an exact Conformity to the Rule in every thing Yea we wou'd delight to do thy Will O God and take such a Pleasure in all the Acts of Righteousness Mercy Meekness and Gentleness to our Neighbours and in praising and acknowledging Thee the God of all Grace and in living in an humble sense of thy Bounty and our own Vndeservings and in a temperate and thankful Vse of all thy Blessings that we may have the continual Feast of a good Conscience and the constant Comfort and Satisfaction of having Thee always for our Friend and our Gracious Father in Christ Jesus O thou who art the Inspirer of such holy Counsels Desires and Purposes keep them for ever in our Hearts encourage strengthen and increase them that after the Refreshment of a quiet Sleep this Night we may feel them lively and powerful in the Morning and with renew'd Joy we may still devote our selves to thy faithful Service O that our Friends and all thy People in every Place may partake of the same Mercies we desire for our selves And however we are severed one from another in this World grant us an happy Meeting at the Day of our Lord In whose Words we pray Thee to hear us Our Father c. AN Office for YOUTH Texts of Scripture proper for a Mornning Meditation Eph. 5.14 AWake thou that sleepest and arise from the Dead and Christ shall give thee Light Rom. 13. Ver. 11. Knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed Ver. 12. The Night is far spent the Day is at hand let us therefore cast off the Works of Darkness and let us put on the Armour of Light Ver. 13. Let us walk honestly as in the Day and put on the Lord Jesus Christ Matth. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven Eccles 2.13 Wisdom excelleth Folly as far as Light excelleth Darkness I. Psal 3.5 I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me II. Psal 90.14 O satisfy me early with thy Mercy that I may rejoice and be glad all my Days III. Psal 59.16 17. I will sing of thy Power yea I will sing aloud of thy Mercy in the Morning for thou hast been my Defence and Refuge in the day of my Trouble IV. Ver. 17. Unto thee O my Strength will I sing for God is my Defence and the God of my Mercy V. Psal 71.5 Thou art my Hope O Lord God thou art my Trust from my Youth VI. Ver. 6. By thee have I been holden up from the Womb thou art he that took me out of my Mothers Bowels my Praises shall be continually of thee VII Psâ—l 148.12 Young Men and Maidens Old Men and Children VIII Ver. 13. Let them praise the Name of the Lord for his Name alone is excellent his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven IX Psal 113.1 Praise ye the Lord praise him O ye Servants of the Lord. X. Ver. 2. Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore XI Ver. 3. From the rising up of the Sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's Name is to be praised XII Psal 119.124 Deal with thy Servant according to thy Mercies O teach me thy Statutes XIII Ver. 125. I am thy Servant give me Understanding that I may know thy Testimonies XIV Psal 143.8 Cause me to learn thy loving kindness for in thee do I trust cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my Soul unto thee A Morning Prayer O God the Father of Heaven I render unto Thee all possible Praise and Thanksgiving who hast preserved me safe from the Danger of the Night past I do humbly beseech thee that thou wouldst take me under the Protection of thy Good Providence this Day and for evermore And as thou hast dispell'd the Darkness of the Night and fill'd the World with the Light of the Sun and hast awaken'd me from Sleep so do thou vouchsafe O Lord to expel the Darkness of Ignorance from my Mind enlightning it with the Beams of thy most Holy Spirit and with the Knowledge of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ our Saviour that true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World that so declining from the Works of Darkness and directing my Steps according to the Truth of thy most Holy Word I may always walk as in open day Soberly Righteously and Godly subduing all Youthful Lusts and avoiding all Evil Company and at length may arrive to the Habitations of Light under the Conduct of the same thy Son to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit one God of most Adorable Majesty be all Honour and Glory both now and evermore Amen Scripture Texts for Evening Meditation John 11.9 ARE there not twelve Hours in the Day If any Man walk in the Day he stumbleth not because he seeth Light of of this World Ver. 10. But if a Man walk in the Night he stumbleth because there is no Light in him John 3.19 And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds were Evil. John 1.9 Now Jesus Christ is that true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World John 12.35 Let us therefore walk whilst we have Light lest Darkness come upon us for he that walketh in Darkness knoweth not whither he goeth 1 John 2.9 He that saith he is in the Light and hateth his Brother is in Darkness even until now Ver. 10. He that loveth his Brother abideth in the Light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him Psa
AN APPENDIX TO THE DISCOURSE Upon the Doctrine of our Baptismal Covenant BEING A METHOD OF FAMILY-RELIGION By THOMAS BRAY D.D. LONDON Printed for Will. Hawes at the Rose in Ludgate-street 1699. The PREFACE THE Design of the foregoing Discourse being to Principle the Minds of our Youth with a true Notion of Christianity by a course of Reading upon the Nature of their Baptismal Covenant And few of our Youth being serious enough to Relish such Employment to that degree as to betake themselves to Reading if not encourag'd and oblig'd thereunto by their Parents and Masters so that it is very rare to find where there is no performance of Family Religion that the Children and Servants belonging to it are not notoriously Ignorant and Immoral for these Reasons I have been much solicited to annex the following Method of Family Religion as that without which the precding Discourse will not have its End in the Edification of our Youth who if they neither read it themselves nor hear it read by others cannot be suppos'd to receive benefit by it Nor will it I hope be thought strange that in the following Method of Family Religion the first thing I propose is the Singing of Psalms I believe indeed it will be found if we should look back into the Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety in Families that the neglect of Family Religion has its date from the disuse of Singing Psalms therein This is a part of Devotion not more noble in it self than it is pleasant and inviting to others and therefore it will be the likeliest means to draw the whole Family together to begin with a Psalm And that it may be the more taking I have not only set the following Psalms to the choicest Tunes but given them out of the New Version of Mr. Brady and Mr. Tate being perswaded that the Contempt into which Singing of Psalms is grown amongst us is owing to the very ill and ridiculous Metre of Hopkins and Sternhold and the equally bad Singing of them in our Country Churches And now all that I shall add upon this point is this that the best way to have them sung in Families is to have the Youth practice it at their Catechetical Conferences and the likeliest Method to bring 'em into Common Use in Churches is first to have Families accustomed to the singing of them The next thing to be accounted for is the Course of Reading I propose in the following Method And as it is a Course of Reading upon the several Subjects of our Church-Catechism so I hope it will be thought the best I cou'd pitch upon This best of Catechisms does administer Instructions in the most accurate Method possible It teaches us nothing superfluous and unnecessary to be known but gives us to understand the whole Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and that in an excellent Method treating first of the General Nature thereof in the Preliminary Questions and Answers and descending afterwards particularly to instruct its Disciples in the several Articles and ends with those Means of performing our Covenant Prayer and the Sacraments And therefore according to this Method I would have the Reading order'd in Families according to which if it should be manag'd I cannot doubt but that Christian Knowledge would grow upon us a-pace and Heresy and Error would more difficultly find Entertainment than it does And now as to the Morning and Evening Prayer I propose in the Families of Persons of Quality where there is more leisure for longer Devotions it is incomparably the best way to use the Common Prayer But in meaner Families where so much time cannot be allow'd next to the Common Prayer I thought a better cou'd not be compos'd for that Purpose than a Prayer form'd out of our Catechism wherein all the Mercies of God's Part in the Covenant are recounted with Thanksgiving and all the Conditions on ours are enumerated together with Petitions for God's Grace to assist us in the Performance of them And now I have only this to add to you who are Parents and Masters of Families that you wou'd unanimously and universally set up a Course of Family Religion in your respective Houses There seems to be a general Apostacy from Christianity now growing upon the Nation And one great Reason that Atheism and Irreligion has so prevail'd is that the present Generation of Men have seen no more of Religion than what they hear in our Churches the Instructions from whence cannot be sufficient to reform the World if the Application be not made by Parents and Masters at home much less if they take not care so much as to send their Youth to Church to be Catechis'd and Instructed And indeed it does infinitely deserve your most serious Consideration how far you will be answerable for the Souls of those who are within your Houses and under your Paternal Care The Fate of old Ely and his Family for not honouring God by taking Care to the Piety of his Children wou'd be very awakening to those who consider it And the extraordinary Regard God bore to Abraham meerly because he knew he would command his Children and his Houshold after him that they should keep the way of the Lord is equally encouraging to you to take care of Religion in your Families Wherefore let that Resolution of Joshua be the Resolution of every one of you As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. And that no Assistance may be wanting to you for your Childrens Devotion as well as Instruction I have added the following Office for Youth It was for the most part compiled by Dr. Alexander Noel once Dean of St. Paul's for the Vse of Schools and to make it more generally Vseful thereunto I have not only translated it but added some few Prayers more for the Youth and Servants of a Family And if due Care shall be taken both in Schools and Families that all the Youth belonging to each shall to Knowledge add Piety and Devotion it will turn no doubt to a comfortable Account one Day as to those Pastors who shall thus faithfully inspect their tender Flock so to those Masters of Schools and Families who shall take Care thus to train up the Youth belonging to their Charges respectively in the Knowledge and Fear of God A Method of FAMILY-DEVOTION THE foregoing short discourse upon the Doctrine of our Baptismal Covenant is design'd to lay the Foundation of Christian Knowledge in Youth And this short Method of Family-Devotion is form'd in order to revive the most principal part of Christian Practice in Families And for want of both which the Youth that happen therein are undone throughout the Nation Now there were never greater variety of better Helps to Families in this kind than have been given us of late Years by several pious Divines of our own Church And to bring them more into use I shall venture to propose this following Method In the first place the whole Family being call'd together
any kind Dominion have o're me On me devoted to thy Fear Lord make thy Face to shine Thy Statutes both to know and keep My Heart with Zeal incline PSALM CXIX To be Sung after Sermon Psalm 119. London New Tune SAfe in my Heart and closely hid thy Word my Treasure lies To succour me with timely Aid when sinful Thoughts arise Secur'd by that my grateful Soul Shall ever bless thy Name O teach me then by thy just Laws My future Life to frame My Lips unlock'd with pious Zeal To others have declar'd How well the Judgments of thy Mouth Deserve our best regard Whilst in the way of thy Commands More solid Joy is found Than had I been with vast increase Of envy'd Riches crown'd Therefore thy Just and Righteous Laws Shall always fill my Mind And those sound Rules which thou prescrib'st all due Respect shall find To keep thy Statutes undefac'd Shall be my constant joy The strict remembrance of thy Word Shall all my Thoughts employ PSALM XXIV To be Sung before Evening Service begins Psalm 24. St. James's Tune THis spacious Earth is all the Lord's the Earth her fulness is The World and they that dwell therein by sovereign right are his He fram'd and fix'd it on the Seas And his Almighty Hand Upon inconstant Floods has made The stable Fabrick stand But for himself this Lord of all One chosen Seat design'd O who shall to the Sacred Hill Desir'd Admittance find The Man whose Hands and Heart are pure Whose Thoughts from Pride are free Who honest Poverty prefers To gainful Perjury This this is he on whom the Lord Shall show'r his Blessings down Whom God his Saviour shall vouchsafe With Righteousness to crown Such is the Race of Saints by whom The Sacred Courts are trod And such the Proselytes that seek The Face of Jacob's God PSALM XXIV To be Sung after the Second Lesson Evening Service To be Sung as the foregoing part ERect your Heads Eternal Gates Unfold to entertain The King of Glory see he comes with his Celestial Train Who is this King of Glory Who The Lord for Strength renown'd In Battle mighty o're his Foes Eternal Victor crown'd Erect your Heads ye Gates unfold In State to entertain The King of Glory for he comes With all his shining Train Who is this King of Glory Who The Lord of Hosts renown'd Of Glory he alone is King Who is with Glory crown'd To Father c. PSALM LXXXIV Proper to be Sung in a Family on a Sunday Evening or in Church after Evening Service is over Psalm 84. Manchester Tune O Lord of Hosts my King O God how highly blest are they Who in thy Temple always dwell and there thy Praise display For in thy Courts one single Day 'T is better to attend Than Lord in any place besides A Thousand Days to spend For God who is our Sun and Shield Will Grace and Glory give And no good thing will he with-hold From them that justly live O thou whom Heavenly Hosts obey How highly blest is he Whose Hope and Trust securely plac'd Are still repos'd on thee To Father Son and Holy Ghost The God whom we adore Be Glory as it was is now And shall be evermore PSALM CXVII Proper to be Sung in a Family before Morning Prayer Psalm 117. Exeter Tune WIth cheerful Notes let all the Earth to Heav'n their Voices raise Let all inspir'd with godly Mirth sing solemn Hymns of Praise God's tender Mercy knows no bound His Truth shall ne'er decay Then let the willing Nations round This grateful Tribute pay To Father Son c. PSALM CXXXIX To be Sung as the 100 Psalm Proper also to be Sung in a Family at Morning Prayer THou Lord by strictest search hast known My rising up and lying down My secret Thoughts are known to thee Known long before conceiv'd by me Thine Eye my Bed and Paths surveys My publick Haunts and private Ways Thou know'st what 't is my Lips would vent My yet unutter'd words intent The veil of Night is no disguise No screen from thine All-seeing Eyes Through midnight shades thou find'st thy way As in the blazing Noon of Day Thou know'st the Secrets of my Heart If mischief lurk in any part Correct me where I go astray And guide me in thy perfect way To Father Son c. PSALM VIII Proper to be Sung in a Family at Evening Prayer Psalm 8. Winchester Tune O Thou to whom all Creatures bow within this earthly Frame Thro' all the World how great art Thou how glorious is thy Name When Heaven the Beauteous Work on high Employs my wandring sight The Moon that nightly guilds the Sky With Stars of feebler Light What 's Man said I that Lord thou lov'st To keep him in thy Mind Or what his Off-spring that thou prov'st To them so wondrous kind Him next in Pow'r thou didst create To thy Celestial Train Ordain'd with Dignity and State O're all thy Works to Reign They joyntly own his potent sway The Beasts that Prey or Graze The Birds that wing their Airy way The Fish that cuts the Seas O thou to whom all Creatures bow Within this Earthly Frame Thro' all the World how great art thou How Glorious is thy Name To Father c. PSALM CXLVIII Psalm 148. Proper Tune YE boundless Realms of Joy exâ•Œalt your Maker's Fame his praise your song employ above the starry frame your voices raise ye Cheâ•Œruâ•Œbims and Seâ•Œraâ•Œphims to sing his Praise Let all of Royal Birth With those of humbler Frame And Judges of the Earth His matchless Praise proclaim In this Design Let Youths and Maids And Hoary Heads With Children joyn United Zeal be shown His wondrous Fame to raise Whose Glorious Name alone Deserves our endless praise Earths utmost ends His Power obey His Glorious sway The Sky transcends His chosen Saints to Grace He raises them on high And favours Israel's Race Who still to him are nigh O therefore raise Your grateful Voice And still rejoyce The Lord to praise PSALM CIII To be Sung as the 100 Psalm THe Lord the Universal King In Heaven has fix'd his lofty Throne To him the Angels Praises sing In whose great Strength his Pow'r is shown Ye that his just Commands obey And hear and do his Sacred Will The Hosts of his this Tribute pay Who still what he ordains fulfill Let every Creature jointly bless The mighty Lord And thou my Heart With grateful Joy thy Thanks express And in this Consort bear thy part Yea Lord to celebrate thy Fame My grateful Voice to Heaven I 'll raise And Nations strangers to thy Name Shall thus be taught to sing thy Praise For God abounds with tender Love And unexampl'd Acts of Grace His waken'd Wrath does slowly move His willing Mercy flows apace God will not always harshly chide But with his anger quickly part And loves his Punishments to guide More by his Love than our Desert Secondly Next after the Psalm may succeed a Course of Reading And
and Holy Ghost we beseech thee that thou would'st keep us stedfast in this Faith and that we may ever continue to Believe in God the Father who hath made us and all the World in God the Son who hath Redeem'd us and all Mankind and in God the Holy Ghost who hath Sanctified us and all the Elect People of God And enable us as to Believe in thee so to Obey thy holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the Days of our Life Particularly enable us to Love thee with all our Heart with all our Mind with all our Soul and with all our Strength to Worship thee to give thee Thanks to put our whole Trust in thee to Call upon thee to Honour thy holy Name and thy Word and to Serve thee truly all the Days of our Life Enable us also Conscientiously to discharge our Duties towards our Neighbour to love him as our selves and to do unto all Men as we would they should do unto us To Love Honour and Succour our Relations to Honour and Obey the King and all that are put in Authority under Him to Submit our selves to all our Governors Teachers Spiritual Pastors and Masters To order our selves Lowly and Reverently to all our Betters to hurt no Body by Word or Deed to be true and just in all our Dealings to bear no Malice nor Hatred in our Hearts to keep our Hands from Picking and Stealing and our Tongues from Evil-speaking Lying and Slandering to keep our Bodies in Temperance Soberness and Chastity not to covet nor desire other Mens Goods but to learn and labour truly to get our own Living and to do our Duty in that state of Life unto which it shall please our God at any time to dispose of us We know O God that we are not able to do these Things of our selves nor to walk in thy Commandments and to serve thee without thy special Grace And therefore we desire of thee O Lord God our heavenly Father who art the Giver of all Goodness to send thy Grace unto us and to all People that we may Worship thee Serve thee and Obey thee as we ought to do And we pray unto thee that thou wilt send us all Things that be needful both for our Souls and Bodies and that thou wilt be merciful unto us and forgive us our Sins und that it will please thee to save and defend us in all Dangers Ghostly and Bodily and that thou wilt keep us from all Sin and Wickedness and from our Ghostly Enemy and from everlasting Death And this we trust thou wilt do of thy Mercy and Goodness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Neither pray we for our selves alone but for all States and Conditions of Men amongst us And O merciful God who hath made all Men and hatest nothing that thou hast made nor would the Death of a Sinner but rather that he should be Converted and Live have Mercy upon all Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks and take from them all Ignorance and Hardness of Heart and Contempt of thy Word and Commandments And so fetch them home blessed Lord to thy Flock that they may be saved amongst the Remnant of the true Israelites and he made one Fold under one Shepherd Jesus Christ our Lord. More especially we beseech thee to receive our Supplications and Prayers which we offer before thee for all Estates of Men in thy Holy Church that every Member of the same in his Vocation and Ministry may Truly and Godly serve thee Amongst whom principally we beseech thee to save and defend all Christian Kings Princes and Governors and especially thy Servant William our King that under Him we may be godly and quietly Governed And grant unto his whole Council and to all that are put in Authority under Him that they may truly and indifferently minister Justice to the Punishment of Wickedness and Vice and the Maintenance of thy true Religion and Vertue And we most humbly beseech thee of thy Goodness O Lord to comfort and succour them who in this transitory Life are in Trouble Sorrow Need Sickness or any other Adversity More especially we beseech thee Graciously to behold us of this Fâ—mily And as thou hast safely brought us to the beginning of this Day This to be added in the Morning so defend us in the same by thy mighty Power and grant that this Day we fall into no Sin neither run into any kind of Dangers but that all our Doings may be order'd by thy Governance to do always that is righteous in thy thy Sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. And enlighten our Darkness we beseech thee O Lord This to close up Evening Prayer and by thy great Mercy defend us from all Perils and Dangers of this Night for the Love of thy only Son Jesus Christ our Lord. In whose most blessed Name and Words we conclude our imperfect Prayers saying Our Father c. A Morning Prayer for a Family O Blessed God be thou acknowledged Praised and Loved by us and all the Childâ—en of Men on whom thou pourest continually thy Benefits They are great and many we know not the Summ nor understand the Value of ' em The Angels themselves admired thy Love to us in Christ Jesus and are become Ministring Spirits to them who are Heirs of Salvation We enjoy the continual Fruits of thy watchful Providence by which we have been kept in Peace and Safety the last Night and are raised this Morning in Health and Strength both in Body and Mind beholding all things belonging to us just as we left 'em with thee when we went to sleep Accept we most humbly beseech thee of this poor Tribute of Praise and Thanks together with the hearty Oblation of our Souls and Bodies which we here dedicate again to thy Service Vouchsafe us the continual Assistance of the Grace of thy Holy Spirit to enable us to make good those Vows that are upon us of Obediently keeping thy Holy Will and Commandments and walking in the same all the days of our Life Pardon O Lord all our Breaches of this Sacred Covenant Deal not with us according to our Sins neither reward us after our Iniquities but in the multitude of thy Tender Mercies pity our Errors and Wandrings and heâ—p us against our Infirmities Give us leave this Day to put our selves into thy powerful Protection and to depend on thee for thy merciful Guidance and Assistance that we may be more faithful to Thee in the discharge of our Duties and never swerve from the Rules of Sobriety and Righteousness Charity and Goodness So shall we return with joyful Hearts to praise thee in the Evening and teach those who shall come after us to continue thy Praises in the next Generation Amen For thy Mercies sake in Christ Jesus in whose words we present the earnest desires of our Souls and Hearts both for our selves and our Brethren saying Our Father c. An Evening Prayer for a Family
58.10 If thou draw out thy Soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted Soul then shall thy Light rise in obscurity and thy Darkness shall be as the Noon-day Psalm 92.1 IT is a good thing to give thanks unto thee O Lord and to sing Praises unto thy Name O most High Ver. 2. To shew forth thy Loving-kindness in the Morning and thy Faithfulness every Night Psal 43.3 O send out thy Light and thy Trutâ— let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacle Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Paths Psal 119 133. Order my Steps in thy Word and let not any Iniquity have dominion over me Psal 36.9 With thee is the Fountain of Life in thy Light shall we see Light Psal 13.3 Consider and hear me O Lord my God lighten mine Eyes that I sleep not in Death Psal 4.8 I will lay me down in Peace and Sleep for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety An Evening Prayer O Lord God the Father of Merâ—ies and the God of all Comfort how infinitely am I abash'd to appear before thee who cannot pass one Day without offending thee both by Sins of Omission and Commission both by leaving undone those things which I ought to have done and by doing those things which I ought not to have done And in both these kinds have I offended thee this Day and that both in Thought Word and in Deed particularly Here mention any Sin of either of the foregoing kinds you have been guilty of But I fly into the Arms of thy Fatherly Compassion Lord for thy Mercies sake forgive me cleanse me from my Wickedness and strengthen my Weakness that I may overcome all the Temptatioas which daily surround me and may henceforward continue stedfast in my Covenant with thee Accept of my humblest Praise and Thanksgiving O Lord for all the Goodness thou hast this Day shewed me for all the helps of preventing or restraining Grace thou hast vouchsafed me for whatever I have done this Day which is in any measure acceptable to thee for whatever progress I have made in my Study or Success thou hast given to my honest Labours as also for thy Preservation of me from all the Miseries and Dangers which frail Mortality is every Moment exposed to This if a Servant particularly for Hâ—re name any particular Blessing or Deliverance God has sent you And now O Lord God in whose Protection consists the safety of Man and of all Creatures I commit my self wholly to thy Protection thiâ— Night beseeching thee that thou wouldst graciously preserve me from the Power of the Prince of Darkness who to deceive Mankind can transform himself into an Angel of Light and that thou wouldst likewise preserve me from all Dangers both of Soul and Body And let me not be so overwhelm'd with slumber as wholly to forget thee but when my Body is overtaken with sleep let my Mind continually watch and be intent upon thee both Day and Night And when Rest shall have refresh'd both Body and Mind as much as shall suffice Nature let the Morning find me more apt and propense to serve thee to the Salvation of my own Soul the Good of my Neighbour and the Glory of thy most Holy Name And all this I beg for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all Honour and Glory by me and by all Mankind throughout all Ages World without end Amen The three following Prayers are to be added to the foregoing Morning and Evening Prayer by the Persons respectively concern'd in them A Prayer for a Youth at School O God the Father of Lights and the Giver of every good and perfect Gift I do render thee all possible Praise and Thansgiving that thou hast put it into the Hearts of my Parents Guardians to deliver me up to be instructed in good Literature at an Age which is most flexible and apt to learn I do humbly intreat thee that I may not th ough sloth or negligence fail their expectations of me And because no Vigilance Industry nor Study will avail any thing without thy aid vouchsafe I beseech thee to enlighten my Mind with a Ray from above and inspire me with that desire and love of Learning Wisdom and Vertue with such a Readiness to apprehend and Memory to retain that which is good that I may become Learned and Pious and thereby serviceable to Church and State and to the Honour of thy most Holy Name These things O God I do most earnestly beg of thee for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all Honour and Praise both now and for evermore Amen A Prayer to be used by Children under the Government of their Parents O Eternal God and Heavenly Father thou that art the kind Author of my Being be thou the Gracious Guide of my Life My Age is simple and unexperienc'd and be thou pleas'd to inspire me with truth from above I am come into a World of Snares and Temptations O do thou fill me with the Knowledge and Love of thy Truth that it may keep me from the Path of the Destroyer O possess my Heart with the fear of thee and dependance upon thee that I may walk before thee the Almighty God and be perfect that I knowing that thou art my exceeding great Reward may neither be discontented in my present State nor distrustful of a Provision for the future Possess also my Heart O my God with that natural tenderness for my Parents and with that Christian sense of my Duty towards 'em that my Language may be respectful my Actions dutiful and my whole Behaviour such that I may not encrease the Burden and Care of their Life but prove a Comfort and Support to ' em O my God possess me lastly with a Spirit of Meekness Justice Truth and Industry that by Reverence to my Betters by Courteousness Truth and Faithfulness towards all and by Diligence in whatsoever I am employ'd I may grow like a Tree planted by the Rivers of Water my Leaf may not wither whatsoever I do may prosper and I may bring forth my Fruit in due season increasing daily in Wisdom and Stature and in favour with God and Man Hear O hear the Voice of my Petition for in thee only is my trust through Jâ—sus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for a Servant O Holy and Just God I know that without Holiness it is impossible for me to please thee here or to enjoy thee hereafter I beseech thee therefore that my Vnderstanding may be so enlightened my Conscience convinc'd and my whole Heart enflamed with the love of Holiness that I may be Holy in all manner of Conversation Beget in me a most tender and lively Sense of the great Duties of Obedience Justice and Charity which I owe to my Master that I governing my self by these in all my Actions I may in my Station advance the Honour of God the Contentment and Interest of my Master the Peace and Vertue of the Family and my own both Temporal and Eternal Happiness I know O Lord that no Acts of Injustice or Vnfaithfulness between Man and Man shall go unpunished I know that for these things sake the Wrath of God is reveal'd from Heaven O what then must be my Punishment if I heap upon the guilt of Injustice and Vncharitableness many others namely the Guilt of Ingratitude Vnfaithfulness Lying Perjury O preserve me therefore O my God from all falshood and wrong suffer me not to forfeit thy Favour and destroy my Soul for the sake of those things which perish O let me be fully convinc'd that the ways of Righteousness are ways of Pleasantness and that all her Paths are Prosperity and Peace that so I may delight my self in the Law of my God and may find Comfort and a Blessing in the discharge of my Duty Teach me O Lord Humility and Obedience Faith and Truth Care and Industry Charity and Meekness that I may adorn the Doctrine of God my Saviour win others over to a Love of Vertue and after an humble and contented though laborious Life here may enter into Rest and Glory hereafter through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen Our Father c. A Grace before Meat BLess O Lord these thy Creatures to our Vse and us unto thy Service through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Grace after Meat WE give thee Thanks O Lord for these and all other thy Benefits Good God preserve the Church and save the King and all the Royal Family And bless us with Vnity Truth and Peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS