to walk as becomes the Gospel having a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards Men that as he who hath called me is holy so I may be holy in all manner of conversation Take off my affections from earthly things which are vain and perishing and set them on the things above in which alone my true happiness doth consist fit me by suitable grace for every dispensation of thy Providence that I may know how to want and how to abound how to mourn or rejoyce how to be in sickness or in health and in every condition to be therewith content let thy Fatherly wisdom cause all things to work together for good unto me and that the several occurrences of the present life may help me forward in my Christian course towards the attainment of eternal Salvation And because my nature is frail my life uncertain and I know not how soon I shall be taken from the land of the living help me seriously to consider my latter end to be still preparing for death and by numbring my dayes to apply mine heart to sound wisdom that when I shall put off this earthly Tabernacle I may be admitted into an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens O God who art the Creatour of mankind and didst send thine own Son that the World through him might be saved extend thy goodness to all the kindreds of the earth causing the light of thy glorious Gospel to shine upon them that their feet may be guided into the way of peace and everlasting happiness let all Nations become subject to the Kingdom of thy Christ and the number of thine Elect be filled up that the glory of thy Salvation may be revealed Accept O Lord my evening oblation of Praise and Thanksgiving for all thy rich Mercies vouchsafed to me I bless thee for my being since by thee I have been fearfully and wonderfully made for thy preservation of me to this moment and for all the accommodations and comforts of the present life But above all I magnifie and adore thine inestimable goodness in making known unto me the way of salvation and happiness by Jesus Christ in continuing to me the seasons of Grace and of waiting upon thee in thine holy Ordinances help me to make such a good and pious use of all thy benefits as may be for thy glory and for mine own eternal welfare And since thy wise Providence hath ordain'd that the Night should succeed the Day as a time of rest and refreshment I pray thee that this Night may be so to me thy Servant grant me to be safe and secure under thy protection from all the terrours and perils of darkness and to awake the next morning in health and safety O Lord hear my Prayer and let thy presence and loving-kindness alwaies be with me to the end of my life for the sake of thine only begotten Son my alone Saviour to whom with thy divine Majesty and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory World without End Amen Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with me henceforth and for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer to be us'd by a Person who is under Sickness O Lord rebuke me not in thy In sickness wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed My soul is also sore vexed but thou Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me throughly from mine inquity and cleanse me from my sin Why art thou cast down ô my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Yea though I walk thorow the Valley of the shadow of death yet will I fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff comfort me O Lord my times are in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies Let my soul live and it shall praise thee and let thy judgments help me Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever ALmighty God and most merciful Father thou art the Author of my being and as my life my health and strength are from thee so they are and ought to be at thy dispose and I do humbly confess that because of my sinfulness and disobedience 't is just with thee to afflict me with sickness and pain yea and to cut me off from the Land of the Living O Lord I bear about me a body of Sin and Death and am liable to the penalties of that first transgression for by one man Sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Likewise the practice of my life hath been very evil and my sins still repeated from day to day I have not made it my chief business to serve and glorifie thee which is the end of my Creation nor hath the time of my life and health been employ'd as it ought in doing and receiving good The faculties of my Soul and Members of my Body have been made the instruments of Sin I have not been duly thankful for thy manifold Mercies nor made a right use of them and I have too much despis'd thy goodness and forbearance which should have lead me to repentance I do therefore acknowledg the justice of thy dealings for why should a man complain of the punishment of his sins But O thou Father of Mercies who delightest not in the death of a sinner be favourable unto me Enter not into judgment with thy servant neither let thine anger wax hot against me but forgive my Sin and deliver me for in thee do I trust I know O Lord that afflictions rise not from the Dust but are of thy sending and I do desire to hear the voice of thy Rod and to turn to him that smiteth I do with hearty repentance humble my self at thy footstool lamenting all the errours of my former life and I do give up my Soul and Body to thy Will and Governance resolving and promising by thy Grace to live and act hereafter in all holy obedience to thee and thy righteous commands O deal not with me after mine iniquities nor punish me as I have deserved but remember the sufferings of thy Son who himself bore our sicknesses and the punishment due to us in his own death I believe in him as my alone Saviour my trust is in his Merits and I do humbly beg for his sake that thou wouldst be reconcil'd unto me that thou wouldest heal my Body and comfort my Soul O God who art the preserver of men who hast declared in thy word that thou art nigh unto such as pray unto thee and hast promised to deliver when call'd upon in the day of trouble be thou pleas'd to bow down thine ear and extend thy compassion in removing the distemper under which I now labour do thou who art the great Physitian prescribe and bless the means that may be for my recovery and restore me again if it be thy blessed Will to a state of health and strength then will I praise thee with a thankful heart and will serve thee faithfully all my daies But I do humbly submit my self to thy good pleasure and not my will but thine be done Though thou visit with thy Rod yet take not thy loving kindness from me and while my body shall be afflicted be thou pleas'd to strengthen and support my Soul with thy Grace and inward consolation help me with chearfulness and Christian patience to bear thy chastisement with a firm and constant faith to trust in thee and thy pretious promises Grant that this present visitation may be sanctifi'd to my spiritual benefit and through thy wise ordering in the issue turn to my real advantage and that I may by experience know that in very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me Let this thy fatherly correction teach me to be more dutiful and obedient and grant that by considering the vanity and uncertainty of health of life and worldly enjoyments I may be the more careful to set my affections on things above and to breath after that immortal life of perfect bliss which thy Gospel hath promis'd And grant O Lord that whether in health or sickness in prosperity or affliction I may still honour and serve thee that whether I live I may live unto thee and whether I die I may die unto thee that whether I live or die I may be thine And so an entrance may be ministred to me into the everlasting Kingdom of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ In whose Name and Merits I do earnestly recommend unto thee my present condition and all my Concern both of Soul and Body praying further in his Words Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ my Redeemer thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Consolation O blessed Spirit of Grace be with me and all thy People henceforth and for evermore Amen FINIS
Refuge in the day of Trouble Vnto thee have I cry'd O Lord in the Morning shall my Prayer prevent thee The Lord is thy Keeper the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand The Sun shall not smile by day nor the Moon by night The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and for ever Blessed is the man whose Delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth Meditate day and night And he shall be like a Tree planted by the Rivers of Waters that bringeth forth his fruit in his Season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doth shall prosper Lead me O Lord in thy righteousness because of mine Enemies make thy way straight before me O hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not O Almighty God who art infinitely great and glorious the Creatour and Governour of the whole World thou deservest to be feared and Worshipp'd we desire therefore with humble Reverence to Adore thy Divine Majesty presenting our Souls and Bodies as a Morning Sacrifice and earnestly imploring thy favour and blessing without which we cannot be in safety for one day or moment of our Life O lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us which is much more desireable than that of the Sun and of greater value than all the Riches this World can afford We confess O Lord that we are guilty Sinners and so justly obnoxious to the frowns of thy displeasure and the severity of thy Justice In Sin we were conceived and brought forth in iniquity there are corrupt inclinations within us to Rebellion and Disobedience against thee and thy holy Commands and these have very much prevailed in the whole course of our Lives for from our Nativity to this present hour we have been still offending the pure Eyes of thy holiness by evil thoughts and inordinate desires by vain Words and irregular Actions We have neglected the Duties by thee enjoined and committed the sins which thou hast strictly forbidden But thou art a God gracious and merciful who delighteth not in the death of a sinner and thy Son is a Mediatour of Atonement and Reconciliation for all who come unto thee through him we do beseech thee therefore for his sake in whom thou art well pleased to pardon all our offences and justifie our persons and to receive us into thy love and favour as thine adopted Children That we may be capable of these great benefits be thou pleased to work in us an unfeigned repentance of all our sins past a lively Faith in the merits of thy Son and serious resolutions of leading a sober righteous and godly life let the power of thy Grace subdue and mortifie all corrupt lusts and the Principles of sin and do thou endue us with all the Vertues of Christian holiness that being sanctified throughout all the Faculties of our Souls and Members of our Bodies may become instruments of righteousness unto holiness in thy Service and for thy Honour Accept O Lord our humble thanks for all thy manifold Mercies both spiritual and temporal for thy care and protection of us the Night past that thou hast refreshed us with sleep and preserved us to the beginning of another day as thou dost lengthen out our life so continue to us thy loving kindness which is better than life it self let thy kind providence Watch over us this day to secure us from those many dangers and evil accidents to which we are always expos'd and grant us thy blessing and furtherance in our lawful Imployments But above all we beg the presence and assistance of thy special Grace to preserve us from sin and all the temptations to it that neither inbred corruption nor the snares of the World nor the suggestions of Satan may draw us aside from the way of righteousness but let a pious fear of thy great and holy name always possess our Souls And that we may be the more careful and circumspect in all our doings help us to bear in mind that we are still under thine all-seeing Eye to which all things are naked and open and that we must one day appear before thy just Tribunal to receive according to the things done in the Body whether good or evil let the consideration of the future punishments which thou hast threatned deter us from sin and the prospect of that glorious happiness which the Gospel doth promise encourage our obedience that having a fixed eye on the eternal recompence of reward we may despise the pleasures of sin which are but for a season O Lord bless thy Church purge it from all corruptions and cause thy Gosple to be known and embraced by all the Nations of the Earth more especially be favourable to thy Church and People of this Kingdome pardon our many and great provocations withold the Judgments we have deserved guide and protect our Soveraign Lord the King and prosper his Government that it may be happy both to himself and his Subjects Comfort and relieve all that labour under any affliction of body and mind give them patient submission to thy good pleasure and an happy deliverance out of all their troubles We implore thy special love and kindness to all who are our friends or more nearly related to us bless them in all their concernments both of body and soul make them good and prosperous here and eternally happy hereafter O Lord pardon the infirmities of this our devotion and grant thy favourable acceptance through the Merits and Intercession of thy blessed Son our alone Saviour Jesus Christ who hath taught us thus further to pray unto thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Comunion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us and remain with us this day thenceforth and for ever Another Psalm and Prayer for the Morning MY heart is fixed O God my heart is fix'd I will sing and give praise Awake up my glory awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake right early I will praise thee O Lord among the people I will sing unto thee among the Nations For thy Mercy is great unto the Heavens and thy truth unto the Clouds The Lord is good unto all and his tender Mercies are over all his Works He holdeth our soul in life and suffereth not our foot to be moved I will extol thee my God O my King I will bless thy name for ever and ever Every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy name for ever and ever The day is thine the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the Sun Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice O Lord thou art my God early will I seek thee There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord Lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us
and all other perfections and thy Works have been wonderful and gracious towards the Sons of Men. But what is Man that thou art mindful of him and what am I vile Creature that I should be admitted to thy Throne of Grace O Lord I am but Dust and Ashes and therefore unworthy thou shouldst have any regard unto me I am a polluted Sinner and therefore unfit for thy presence or any testimony of thy favour the frame and disposition of my heart is to sin and folly and the practice of my life have been always disobedient and provoking to this very day I desire therefore with shame and hearty repentance to humble my self begging thy merciful pardon of all my sins past through the Merits of Christ and the assistance of thy special Grace for the future whereby I may be enabled to lead a sober righteous and godly life Since I am thy Creature who hast made all things for thy self and thine own glory let it be my chief care to serve thee and whether I eat or drink or whatever I do to do all in thy fear and to the honour of thy great Name as I have been bought with a price even the precious blood of thy dear Son so grant I may glorifie thee both in my body and soul which are thine and whatever power or opportunities thou dost vouchsafe unto me help me to employ the same in doing good and discharging my Duty both toward thee and toward men that I may not be barren or unfruitful but always abounding in the Work of the Lord and for the greater usefulness and comfort of my life be thou pleas'd to continue to me my understanding and senses together with health and soundness of body and let my Members and Faculties be always instruments of righteousness unto holiness O stablish my heart by thy Grace that I may be constant in thy Faith and Fear in sincere obedience to thy holy commands and so after a patient continuance in well-doing may receive the promis'd reward of eternal life O Lord I do thankfully acknowledge the continual Mercies of thy good Providence by which I have been preserv'd and cherish'd hitherto I bless thee for the protection and refreshment of the night past and that thou hast prolonged my life to another day be thou pleas'd to guide and defend me throughout the same bless and prosper my endeavours in every lawful undertaking and suffer me not to fall into any danger or unhappy accident Above all do thou preserve me from sin and the temptations to it and let neither the World the Flesh nor the Devil draw me aside from thee into any wicked practice but grant that I may still walk on in the way of righteousness without turning from it into those sinful paths that lead down to the Chambers of death Bless thy people throughout the World and send thy comfort and deliverance to all who are in any distress or affliction of body or mind Preserve this Church and Kingdom to which I belong and make us happy in Truth Righteousness and Peace do good to all my friends and if I have any Enemies forgive them and turn their hearts O Lord pardon the defects of this my devotion accept my person and hear my Prayer through the Righteousness and Intercession of thy blessed Son my alone Saviour In whose own Words I further call upon thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this day and for evermore Amer. Another Prayer for the Morning CAuse me O Lord to hear thy loving kindness in the Morning for in thee do I trust Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee Order my steps in thy Word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me O Lord my God who art the Author of my being and the giver of all the good things which I have at any time receiv'd I do here offer up my bounden Duty of Worship and Praise and I do present my Soul and Body to be consecreated unto thee and thy Service despise not I pray thee the Work of thine own hands but though I am vile and unworthy by reason of Sin yet according to thy rich Mercy and for the worthiness of thy beloved Son be thou pleas'd to overlook whatever is amiss in me and to receive me graciously as one of thine adopted Children That I may be qualify'd for thy love and favour make me conformable to thy divine Image in righteousness and true holiness do thou govern my will and affections that I may chuse the good and refuse the evil that I may love what thou doest command and hate whatever thou hast forbidden O Lord who knowest my ignorance and folly instruct me how to demean my self in all the affairs and passages of my life thou who seest my weakness strengthen me by thy Grace that I may be able to resist all evil motions and temptations to Sin and to perform all the Duties of my Christian obedience suffer me not to err from thy Commandements but let the direction of thy Word and Spirit be as a voice behind me shewing the way wherein I should walk when I am turning to the right hand or to the left confirm my Soul in thy true Religion and the holy fear of thy great Name make me steadfast and immoveable in thy Service that being faithful unto the death I may at length receive that Crown of everlasting Life which thou hast promis'd Be thou pleas'd to bless me in my body with health and strength in my Soul with encrease of divine Knowledg of true Piety and all saving Vertues and give me such a measure of temporal good things as may best contribute to my real happiness I yield thee humble thanks that I have been preserv'd and refresh'd the Night past that I am kept alive to this Morning as thou hast brought me out of the shades of Night so help me to cast off the sinful works of darkness and to walk as becometh a Child of Light let thy presence be with me and thy blessing upon me in the day following give thine Angels charge to keep me in all my ways that I fall not into any disaster and let thy Grace be sufficient for me that I be not exercis'd in any evil work but grant me to abide in perfect safety and to be still holy and upright before thee to the end of this day and of my whole life through my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in whose holy Name and Words I continue to pray unto thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this Day and for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer for the Morning on the Lords day I Laid me down and slept I awaked Sunday Morning for the Lord sustained me O God thou art my God early