are divers young ones that are not such After all this I shall say and may truly say with the Apostle I write not these things to shame you or as if I thought there were not the like or greater cause of complaint in other places but I write them as to my beloved Sons and Daughters to warn you and to stir up both my self and you that it may be yet better by our making the best use we can of the little and uncertain remainder of time of our being together as Pastor and People I gladly pass from this which is displeasing to me but I thought needful for you to affect you with your estate that you might never rest till you be in a good estate And come now to the third and more comfortable thing which is matter of Praising God whereof there is much and that Not only because I hope and know that the great God without whom Ministers can do nothing are nothing hath been pleas'd to make my Ministry profitable to divers neighbouring Parishes at my first coming hither less provided for but especially for the good effect of it among you of this Congregation The same Lord of the Harvest that hath brought I may say laborious preaching into this place where there was so little so long time before hath blessed it here also so far as that I doubt not divers are gone to Heaven that have enjoyed it and are going thither who now enjoy it Not so many God knows as were to be wished but so many as that it sufficiently appeareth that God had a gracious work to do when he sent his Word hither upon the souls of poor people in this place I shall not here forget that which may confirm what I have said and be a sign of the hearty entertainment of the Gospel which is That you did so generally lovingly and earnestly desire my return unto you after I had been for some longer time absent and when I was much desired otherwhere This new Invitation I took as a second Call and a new encouragement to settle with you and therefore forsaking all other I have kept my self or rather God hath kept me only unto you to spend and be spent for you Here also I do with comfort remember your greater respect to the Lords-day more knowledge of and preparation for the Lords-Supper then is to be found in every place where the Word hath been together with some more reverence of the presence and service of God in the publike Assembly you do not use to over-run the blessing as divers that make it a common but it is a very profane custom to go away before the Blessing be pronounced but abide the whole time of divine Service Jacob said I will not let thee go from me They do well that say and resolve Lord I will not go from thee before thou blesse me But amongst and above divers other things there is great cause of blessing God for your constancy in attending Gods Word and Ordinances in the late Erroneous and Congregation-scattering times wherein so many Christians have lamentably and fearfully faln from the truth and wayes of God from whom I know you have not wanted tentations to depart with them upon the pretence of greater light and more holiness from that written Word of God which they that leave or cross and contemn have no morning-light in them and with a reverend and unfained respect whereunto the greatest godliness and holiness is ever-joyned for it is a doctrine according to godliness that is which requires true godliness and stirs up and brings men thereunto But by such tentations many have departed To that God be glory who is able to keep you and hath kept you from so falling Jude v. 24 25. I have little more to say O that I could take off some of that which I have said that is all former Complaints by seeing that done at last which hath not been done at first I mean by seeing those that have lien in ignorance become at length knowing Christians those that have been wordly minded spiritual Christians those that have been loose and given to drinking sober Christians and those who have been only sober truly godly Christians O that they that are old too like Nicodemus that dreamed of entring into his Mothers womb again might be so far awakened and enlightened as to enter as it were into the womb of the Church and know experimentally what the great mystery of Regeneration means by having Christ through the travail of the Ministery formed in them to the glory of God the sealing of the Ministry and the salvation of their pretious Souls in the day of Jesus Christ unto which they do so much hasten and for which they must prepare now or perish then And to speak yet again O that you that are younger would make conscience of remembring your Creator in the dayes of your youth and make it your business to grow in grace as you grow in years not being ever the elder the lower but the taller Christian It 's a miserable thing when a young man grows in nothing but in height or in hair O how that grows in these dissolute dayes or in strength or in wit without having the wit to grow in the knowledge and fear of God I say this is a miserable and most dangerous thing for young men may die as well as old if the Tower of Siloe fall it kills the youngest on whom it falls as well as the oldest In those lead-mines wherein many of you labour how many younger and stronger men have perished on a sudden Now if they that dye whether they be old or young do not live in Jesus while they live how shall they die in Jesus when they die and then how shall they live with him when they are dead And Is it your mind that the Lord Jesus should be in one place and you when you are dead and may die to morrow in another and that a contrary place He in glory and you in torment and that for evermore Beloved I am perswaded better things of you and pray for better things in you even things that accompany Salvation though because I would have you to hear I thus speak I shall speak but once more and I hope they that hear worst will hear me Are you sure there is an Heaven Do you believe there is an Hell Do you know the Soul is Immortal and never dieth as the Body doth And are you further perswaded that where this never-dying Soul lodgeth and lyeth the first night after your death whether it be in Heaven or in Hell there it and you must lodge for ever I say Do you think all these things to be true Let me then beseech you to shew your selves Christians or to shew your selves Men and live not securely in that loose course walk not stubbornly in that wide way which will certainly bring
PRACTICAL PIETY OR THE PASTOR'S Last Legacy TO HIS BELOVED PEOPLE Directing how to Walk with GOD in these Apostatizing Times WITH Two most Serious Exhortatory Epistles to Satisfie the Christian Readers concerning the Whole WORK To which is Added Morning and Evening PRAYERS for Private Families By that Reverend Divine Mr. William Thomas late Rector of the Church of Ubley in the County of Somerset after his 44 years Labours in the Ministry in that Place Acts 2. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in Breaking of Bread and in Prayer London Printed for Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain 1681. To my dearly beloved the Church and Congregation belonging to my Charge inhabiting within the Parish of Ubley in the County of Somerset Grace and Peace Dearly beloved in the Lord IT was for your sakes that I first set my thoughts on this ensuing Treatise For having lived and laboured so many years amongst you already I cannot look to abide long with you and therefore have thought it meet to do my endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have those things alwayes in remembrance which you have been formerly and continually taught Divers of which you will meet with in the reading of this Book whereof because I am willing to give you a taste I shall reckon them up unto you in that order wherein you shall find them hereafter handled First You know I have laboured much with you for the reading of Scripture and to train up your children to be able to read it Let me now leave it with you not only to set your Eyes upon this Word of God but to set your Hearts unto it and as much as in you lies to draw and win the hearts of those belonging to you to it for it is your life and their life Secondly I have taken much pains both publikely and from house to house to teach you admonish you and perswade you to a reverent receiving of the Lords Supper And now shall desire you to keep in mind that which you often have been minded of which is that they who come to that Sacrament should be before God twice the first time preparing the second time receiving Neglect not to prepare for Sermons especially on the Lords-Day but double your preparation at Sacraments because there is a double work to be done in regard of the meeting of two distinct Ordinances that is the Word and Sacrament to be partaked in together Wash your hearts as you do your Vessels every day but scour them and make them bright for the Lords use on Sabbath and Sacrament-dayes Thirdly You have heard especially in late times wherein the shameful and shameless misusing of Ministers hath enforced them to plead for their Calling I say you have heard many things to move you to a due estimation of the Ministry concerning which I shall say no more here but only this Take heed of esteeming too much of such Teachers as are not lawfully called or too little of such as are If painful teaching be not continued unto you remember you had it If it be do not despise it If you cannot have it at home be not content to be without it look not one upon another but where you see there is Corn repair thither Better stir then starve Fourthly Of our Lords Sabbath-day very much hath been spoken to you the holy observation thereof being the Seed-plot and support of all Piety It is not a day of idleness but of spiritual action And you that have need to work for your Bodies and Families all the six dayes have the more need to lay all other work aside on the Sabbath-day and to look after your souls making it your great and even your only work then to labour not after the food that perisheth but the meat that endureth to everlasting life To be very diligent all the Week dayes and to idle out the Lords-day is to be good Husbands and bad Christians and such bad Christians are never good Husbands for they will be undone at last Fifthly You have still seen that I have made Catechising your Children and Servants one part of my work of which I shall say but a word now namely that it is so hard a thing to get any knowledge and sense of Religion into the heads and hearts of ancient people that therein all may see and you that are Parents and Housholders should take notice of it what a necessary thing it is to begin betimes with those that are young and to instruct them in that knowledge and fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom Sixthly Family-Prayer hath been often taught and sought amongst you for How can Housholders expect the protection and success of their persons and labours in the day or the safe keeping of themselves their children servants and substance in the night yea comfort and welfare day or night without God or How can they look to enjoy God without Prayer for He will be sought by the House of Israel and we may say by every house in Israel Zech. 12. 12. Seventhly Repetition of Sermons amongst you hath been my continual custom that the things publikely delivered might be better understood better remembred better settled in your hearts and that the power thereof might be more and better expressed in your lives which you know hath been the usual Prayer before Repetition Lastly I have encouraged and excited you to the duty of Singing of Psalms And of late it hath been my manner in publike to give you a short Exposition of every Psalm before the singing of it that you might better understand and mind the matter contained in it Now all these things I do here recommend unto you and again set before you because spiritual things though delivered often to weak hearers are not quickly understood are hardly committed to memory are soon forgotten or mistaken when a printed Paper may easily be looked upon seriously thought upon and by often recourse to it a fruitful and more full use may be made of it And whatsoever the things I here communicate and do as it were bequeath to you as my dear children in the Lord shall be found in themselves yet the relation of Pastor and People under which we stand and which is now of forty and four years standing hath I trust such an endearment in it as to render what I have written more profitable to you by being more acceptable more helpful by being more grateful and by your looking upon it with an Eye of Love Having mentioned the time of my abode among you It shall not be tedious to me nor wil it I hope be grievous to you to review and run over in a generality what hath passed in it And therein will be found something to be observed and marked something to be humbled for and something to praise God for That
read Scripture in regard of their many and pressing imployments Answ 1. They who frame this Objection had need to take heed that it be not made a protection for omitting Prayer also and so letting pass some dayes without having any thing to do with God such may know that it is to be but peny-wise to be so thrifty of time for worldly business as to have no leisure to look up to God If they did read Scripture well they would find such good Husbandry put under the head of Vanity for Except the Lord build the House keep the City and so carry on and prosper mens affairs it is in vain to rise early to sit up late or to bestow a mans labour in them A man had better gain some time from his sleep then to have no time for the service of God and to leave some business undone then to have all ill-done or to be undone because he prospers so well without God Prov. 1. 32. 2. I answer That although Christians will find it both profitable and needful to set apart certain times and that ordinarily every day for reading Scripture lest there be a loss of the duty for want of an appointed time to do it in yet I shall not prescribe any particular time nor how much of Scripture any should read at that time the division of the Scriptures into Chapters will help that way but that which I press as necessary is the thing it self and that every Christian be a serious Reader of Scripture I deny not but some are so hurryed with the necessary occasions of their Calling that it is not easie for them to have a time perhaps in a whole day to read a Chapter I mean to have a time at times and on some days but yet at other times they may and by enjoying a freer opportunity make themselves and their souls some recompence in regard of former omissions which I advise them to do and withal wish them to remember that it is as hath been said the mark of a blessed man to meditate in Gods Word day and night and that David that was still taken up with the persecutions of a King that is of Saul or with the imployments of a King when he was King himself and a man of War also yet was very much in the meditation of the Law of God yea it was his meditation all the day that is he took all occasions to exercise his thoughts in it reading it no doubt as Kings were commanded to do Deut. 17. 19. and then reading it in his heart in his recurrent meditations according to all opportunities There is but one thing that hinders Davids imitation and the following of so good an example and that is the want of Davids affection which breathes and breaks out in this holy exclamation O how I love thy Law and thence follows his meditation all the day Love desires union and longs to be much with the thing loved Gods great complaint is I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing Divers now a dayes look strangely upon Scripture their countenance as it is said of Laban in regard of Jacob is not towards it as it was yesterday and the day before but would they claim kindred of it and say unto Wisdom thou art my Sister and to Vnderstanding thou art my Kinswoman and so grow into an holy familiarity with it then as neer kinred love to look much one upon another so would they look often and with delight into the Book of God and by the frequent reading of it supply themselves with the matter of that heavenly meditation which the Scripture marks in and makes the marks of the choisest servants of God I come now to the Objections of the other sort and which ordinary people use to make to whom I do especially direct this discourse Object 2. We hear the Scriptures read in the Congregation and may not that suffice for us who must of necessity follow our Callings that we may live in the world Answ 1. We cannot but think that the Eunuch coming to Jerusalem to worship Act. 7. 27. heard the Scriptures read there that being one part of the service performed at their Feasts as is expresly declared at the Feast of the Passover when it is said that Hezekiah spake comfortably to the Levites that taught the good knowledge of God In which teaching reading is presupposed for we find it express'd otherwhere and namely that in the Feast of Trumpets the Law was brought before the Congregation and was read from the morning until the mid-day And it is more like it was read at the Feast of Pentecost to which the Eunuch came because in that Feast they remembred the singular benefits of the Lords giving of the Law in Mount Sinai unto them at that very time and their freedom from the cruel Laws of the Egyptians under which they had lived before But though the Law were thus read and heard read in publick yet a good man though a great man is not content to sit and hear the Word read in the Congregation which is I grant a great duty Neh. 8. 3. but he reads also in private yea the Eunuch returning from the Feast and the Reading there reads also sitting in his Charet and Philip is sent to joyn himself to the reading-Charet Answ 2. As for those that say They are imployed all the week in worldly business they ought to know that they have so much the more need to read Scripture that in the crowd of earthly cares and concernments they may not lose their God and their Souls It 's true that ruder people are ready to resolve that it is to be left to Ministers and Monks as Chrysostom relates their words to read Scripture I have wife and children and houshold care sayes one and another why do you press me to read it Now it 's true that it doth most and very highly concern Ministers to read Scripture And that not only for guarding themselves against those Errors which men of better parts then hearts ensnare novices in by abusing their own Reason and Gods Word but also that they be throughly furnished for every good work belonging to them as they are men of God for which though they may be competently enabled and so as to make a good shift by searching the Scripture as they have occasion for their business yet they will never be so compleatly habituated for it unless the ordinary reading and study of Scripture be made their business Ministers therefore are in special bound to give themselves to reading and meditating Scripture that their profiting may appear to all yea that 's in a manner their whole work But this will not excuse People for not reading Scripture unless their mind be that Ministers should be wise to Salvation and not themselves
in preaching and withal a just and holy man and of known integrity in his life But notwithstanding all his high esteem of him he had so little love to him that he cut off his head at last for he could not abide him as an Admonisher Luk. 3. 19. Honour on such grounds as these as that which is given out of fear rather then love and good will may as Ambrose saith be beneficial for the present to him that receives the honour he may be encouraged by it and it may be some advantage to him in his work but it will never be profitable for the future to him that gives it All done out of by-ends is like Hypocrites alms all the reward is here a man loseth his end if he think to have it rewarded at that last and great day 2 Tim. 1. 18. True estimation is like that of Jonathan who had not only high thoughts of David but loved him also as he loved his own soul Now they who esteem out of love will do it heartily fully and constantly 1. Heartily for If I can say one loves me truly I can say also his heart is with me 2. Fully Love gives good measure and saith Whatsoever thy soul desireth I will even do it for thee 3. Constantly for love cannot leave off Ruth 1. 16. Cant. 8. 6 7. Is not the doctrine of the Gospel an amiable doctrine let the Teachers therefore be amiable and account their feet beautiful They never loved God that do not love his Word Nor his Word that do not love his Work Nor his Work that do not love his Workmen All this appears in Ahab who being a man that did not love the Lords true Prophets nor their Work nor Gods Word is therefore declared by God himself ungodly and one that hated the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. 3. The reason and ground of the Estimation which is for their works sake This is the great and the good reason of respecting Ministers Hence Paul speaking of Timothy saith He worketh the work of the Lord as I also do let no man therefore despise him This is the more considerable because divers seem to esteem good Ministers much when as it is not from love so neither is it for their works sake For It may be 1. For fear and to comply with them when the times and present Powers favour them or when it is some other way dangerous to disdain them so Haman did Mordecai the greatest honour for he durst do no other so the Devils give Christ fair words for fear of torment before the time And that great testimony of the unclean spirit mentioned before might be given either to make their doctrine the more suspected because they had the Devils testimonial or else to flatter with the Apostles for fear they should marr his market as they quickly did Thus that third Captain fell upon his knees before the Prophet Elijah for fear of losing his own life and the lives of the fifty with him 2. For their better grace because some good Ministers of great parts have a general fame and are had in honour with the people so that if they favour them also they shall be the better thought of No marvel if many of the Pharisees came to John's baptism for Jerusalem and all Judea went out to him Mat. 3. 5 7. 3. Out of civility and courtesie so men use to invite the Preacher to dinner which is an argument of respect and thus Simon the Pharisee none of the worst it seems nor of the best desired Christ to eat with him Luk. 7. 36. 4. Out of zeal to this or that Opinion which makes men extol that Minister that maintains it There 's much estimation in a way of faction Thus when there arose a distension between the Pharisees and the Sadduces Paul having declared himself to be a Pharisee the Scribes that were of the Pharisees part arose and took Pauls part and present him as a man to whom haply a Spirit or an Angel had spoken and consequently such a person as to whom if any offer violence he shall be found to fight against God Thus they that hated Paul to the death plead for him because he stood for that which they held and contended with the other side about 5. Out of malitious subtilty to draw something from a good Minister by flaâ—tery and fair words that will hurt or undo him Thus the Pharisees speak highly of Christ Thou art true teachest the way of God in truth carest not for any man not because they meant to commend him but to catch him for if he say Tribute is to be paid he shall be looked upon as a berrayer of the liberty of his Countrey and be hated of the people If he deny the payment then they have him in Caesars trap 6. Out of a private grudge against some zealous Minister or faithful Pastor who desires the good of his hearers rather then their good will and therefore deals plainly and roundly with them that they may be reformed and saved In this case hypocrites pay in full to Paul in their honour that they may rob Peter that is they commend the Minister of some Parish near them or one eminent in the County that they may the better rebel against and debase their own Pastor or some other that preaches among them and cometh closer to them then they are willing of Thus the Jews magnified Abraham Jacob Moses but the use of it was to cast a slur upon Christ himself And some speak highly of dead Ministers to lay low the living In brief carnal men as one observes can never esteem Ministers in love as they should because their work that should procure them honour works with corrupt men to their dishonour But to speak now on the other part The Lords Labourers are to be honoured for their work sake and that because it is work and such a work and their work First it is a work And in any good work men diligent and laborious have been still esteemed Hence Pharoah enquires whether Josephs Brethren be men of activity for then he will make them rulers over his Cattel And Jeroboam being observed by Solomon to be industrious or one that did work he was therefore made Ruler over the charge of Joseph Secondly It 's a worthy work fair honourable not a vulgar but an eminent work This appeareth three wayes 1. By the Author and end of it It is from God and for God From God as the Author It 's he that brings men nea to himself to do Tabernacle-work And the Commission of Gospel-Ministers is issued forth out of Christs own Charter unto whom all power is given both in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28. 18 19. And it is also for God as the end of it when David would set out the work of the Temple and
upon our ever too-hard-hearts as that we may remember our former evil wayes and doings that have not been good and lothe our selves in our own sight for all our iniquities Nor let us lothe our sins only and our selves for them but leave them also and settle it in our hearts after thou hast spoken peace to us not to turn again to folly And because our own resolutions are soon altered and by our own strength we cannot prevail therefore we beg of thee our God to whom power belongeth so much strength as that though sin while we are here dwell within us yet it may not have dominion over us especially let us be strong in the Lord and the power of his might for the subduing of our special sins and those Goliahs that seem to set at defiance the whole Army of the Graces of God in us Neither let it suffice us to depart from evil unless also we do good and live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And that this may be better done Good Lord make us mindful of the use of all good means of a godly life such as are the hearing of thy Word heedfully the receiving of thy holy Sacrament preparedly the keeping of thy Sabbath conscionably praying to thy Majesty often and earnestly together with conversing with good company as there shall be liberty and occasion and a gaining of time to commune with our own hearts and so to think on our wayes as that we may turn our feet to Gods testimonies Thus and every other good way O our God lead us by thy good Spirit into the land of uprightness and into a state of blessedness And because it is our duty to pray for thy Church whereof we are members as well as for our selves yea and our honour also who art but dust and ashes to be admitted so to do therefore we beseech thee Do well in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the wals of Jerusalem Make it the study of those that are thy people to be an holy people as thou their God art an holy God Where thy Church hath rest make them careful to walk before thee in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost that so their peace may be continued or they prepared for trouble if their quiet state be altered Where thy Church is in trouble make them mindful of and able for that truly penitent humbling themselves before thee and faithful seeking unto thee whereby their peace and prosperity may be restored Strengthen in all parts their hearts and hands that stand in the just defence of Religion and Right In special manner we beseech thee to have a gracious respect to this sinful Nation with the adjoyned Dominions Enable with all eminent gifts and especially sanctifie more and more with saving grace the Kings most Excellent Majesty our Supreme and most gracious Governour and so pour forth thy Spirit upon all in higher Authority that they may with all wisdom diligence faithfulness and good success manage the great affairs of State Be pleas'd to establish and ever to preserve and stand by the two great Ordinances of Magistracy and Ministry that by the preaching of the one the power of the other and thy blessing on both Errour and Ungodliness may be restrained truth and holiness may be promoted and in that way all outward good things may be ministred Bless we humbly pray thee outwardly as thou seest meet but especially spiritually all that fear thy Name yea have mercy on them call them and put thy fear into them that yet fear thee not In special we desire thy favour in behalf of those to whom we have any relation and whom we are desired or ought to pray for more particularly this Family In singular mercy vouchsafe thy grace to any in it that yet want it and encrease thy grace in those that have it Extend thy compassion O thou that art the Father of mercy to those that be any way afflicted with sickness pain poverty injustice reproach restraint And more especially to those that suffer either in Conscience or for Conscience Give them all wisdom to see what thou intendest grace to give thee what thou expectest strength to bear what thou inflictest and in thine own way and time make them glorious by deliverance And now O Lord we return humble thanks unto thy Majesty for the mercies of this day in regard of our souls and bodies and businesses desiring that we may still make a good use of all our crosses And so craving pardon in Jesus Christ for the sins of this day for which we are here before thee to judge our selves we resign up our persons and all we have into thy gracious hands beseeching thee so to watch over us this night as that our souls may be kept from sin our bodies from sickness our goods from loss and those decreasings that we deserve And withal so to bless our Rest unto us that we may awake with cheerfulness in the morning well enabled for thy Service and the duties of our Callings the day following And all this for Jesus Christs sake in whom we beseech thee to accept these our poor and weak Prayers which we conclude with his absolutely perfect Prayer saying as he hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven c. A shorter Prayer for the Morning Most gracious God we do here humbly present our selves before thee to offer unto thee the Sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of our lips and to give thanks unto thy Name for the rest of the night past and the mercies of this morning We confess thou mightest justly have awakened us out of our sleep at mid-night as thou didst the Egyptians with a great cry or else have made our sleep as when thou smotest their first-born the sleep of death but we have lien down in peace and slept because thou Lord only makest us dwell in safety Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is to the eyes to behold the Sun but How excellent is thy loving kindness in causing the Sun of Righteousness to arise unto us with healing in his wings d Blessed be thy Name for giving the Lord Jesus to be a light to lighten us Gentiles as well as to be the glory of thy people Israel And that we have together with him and not without him all things also We praise thee for the health of our bodies the peace of our mindes for our understanding and all the powers of our Souls for our sight and hearing and all the parts of our bodies for the liberty of our Persons the blessings of our Estate and all the comfort we enjoy in our Friends and Relations Yea for all those fatherly Corrections whereby thou hast sought to drive our foolishness far from us and to make us mend our pace in the wayes of
thee our Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work Give us we beseech thee that Knowledge which is the Light of the Soul that Faith which is the Life of the Soul that Love which is the Heat and holy Fire of the Soul that Holiness and Meekness which is the Beauty and Ornament of the Soul and that Hope which is the Anchor of the Soul And thus prepare us for that glorious place whither our Fore-runner is for us entred and who hath given us assurance that where He is there shall also his servant be Nor do we pray for our selves only but as in duty we are bound for thy whole Church Thy Church is thy Treasure Lord where thy peculiar treasure is there let thine heart and peculiar favour be also Cast thine Eye of compassion on those therein that are under any special affliction Yea Look O thou All-seeing and All-pitying God into all corners of the World and shew thy self the God that comforteth those that are cast down In special manner Let the Eyes of the Lord our God be alwayes on this Land and the adjoyning Kingdoms from the beginning of the year even to the end of the year Make our gracious King a glorious Defender of the Faith Worship Wayes and Servants of Jesus Christ Let the Spirit of wisdom and the fear of the Lord rest on those Eminent Persons of his Majesties Privy Council ennoble with grace the whole Nobility Give a Spirit of Government and of Godliness to all in Authority that under his Majesty and his Magistracy we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Let thy Ministers O Lord be clothed with righteousness and so let thy Saints shout for joy As for our selves and others that live under the light Give us grace we beseech thee to live as lights in the world holding forth the Word of Life in our life that so thy faithful Labourers may rejoyce in the day of Christ that they have not run in vain nor laboured in vain Bless we pray thee all our Friends and all we ought to pray for whether Friends or Enemies especially bless those belonging to us with spiritual blessings in heavenly things yea minister to them and us and all thine all those good things of any kind which we have or should have asked either for our selves or them And now O Lord with humble thanks for the mercies of this day we commend our selves and all we have into thy gracious hands intreating thee to preserve us from the sins and sorrows of the night and to grant us that safe and quiet rest whereby our bodies may be restored and our spirits revived for the service of the day following And that for Christs sake thine only Son and our alone Mediator and Advocate In whose Name therefore and in the confidence of whose Intercession we come unto thee and to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost three Persons and one God we render as is most due all Honour Obedience and Thanksgiving now and evermore Amen I shall only add two short Prayers for Children whereby they may be trained up to this necessary duty that so they may get much acquaintance with God by beginning betimes if they live longer and may not be without all acquaintance with God and Godliness if they die sooner A Prayer for Children for the Morning MOst high and holy God who hast set thy glory above the Heavens and yet out of the mouths of little Children yea of Sucklings hast ordained strong and powerful praise I bless and magnifie thy Name which is so excellent for that out of thine unspeakable love thou hast given to thy children and to their children Jesus Christ and together with him all things that I am born in thy Church that thou hast so provided for my bringing up that I may know of a child the holy Scriptures which are able to make me wise unto Salvation that by thee I have been holden up from the womb who have been no way able to look to my self And in particular for that thou hast kept me in safety this last night and raised me up comfortably this morning O Lord I confess I am a transgressor from the womb for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one And though I have lived but a while in the world yet I have sinned much so that it were just with thee suddenly to seize upon me and to take me out of this world before I am prepared for a better But Lord look upon me not as I am in my self but in Jesus Christ and in and through him pardon me who am so sinful Teach me who am so ignorant Sanctifie me who am so corrupt Make me to remember thee my Creator in the dayes of my youth Help me to hide thy Word in mine heart that I may not sin against thee but may thereby even while I am young clense and amend my wayes Order my steps in thy Word that no iniquity may have dominion over me And that I may not be wanting in any duty that thou requirest of me Grant me thy grace O God that I may be subject and obedient to my Parents and Governours tractable to my Teachers diligent in my business humble and gentle in my behaviour fearful to learn of any that which is evil and careful to learn of all that which is good Be pleased O Lord to strengthen and perfect my natural parts but especially vouchsafe that as I grow in years so I may grow in grace Protect and bless me I beseech thee this day throughout that in the evening I may praise thee for thy great goodness in Christ Jesus To whom with thee O Father and God the Holy Ghost be rendred all Glory Dominion and Service now and evermore Amen A Prayer for Children for the Evening O Most wise and gracious God I acknowledge my self a simple and sinful Creature I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me That foolishness which is bound in the heart of a child is fast bound in mine and that corruption which abides in all abounds in me which sadly shews it self in my backwardness and unwillingness in better things and my self-will and earnestness to walk in the wayes of mine heart and in the sight of mine eyes though for all such things thou wilt bring me to judgement Notwithstanding all this Be pleas'd O blessed Father to look upon me in thy Christ as thy child Unto me and into me let every good and saving gift come down from the Father of lights Give me so much understanding as to know my sin and judge my self for it so much repentance as to feel my sin and abhor my self for it and so much faith as to flie to Christ for pardon and power against