Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A26068
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A method of daily devotion fitted to the meanest capacities / by W. Assheton.
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Assheton, William, 1641-1711.
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1697
(1697)
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Wing A4035; ESTC R27663
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8,884
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48
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Imprimatur Libellus cui Titulus The Plain-Man's Devotion Part I. Jan. 5. 1687. H. Maurice A METHOD OF Daily Devotion Fitted to the meanest Capacities By W. ASSHETON D. D. Rector of Beckenham in Kent and Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of ORMOND LONDON Printed for B. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhill against the Royal Exchange 1697. Price 2 d. To the Inhabitants of the Parish of Beckenham in Kent HAving been instrumental through God's Blessing to fix your Belief I shall now proceed by the same gracious assistance to direct your Practice And do very chearfully comply with an invitation to so useful a Task as being fully convinced That it is much more profitable both for me and my Parish to spend my time in Devotion and practical Discourses than in these unpleasing Disputes Now the more effectually to perswade you to a Holy and Religious Life pray seriously consider this short Admonition You must not always be in this World but in a very little time perhaps before to Morrow-Morning you may be removed into the next And then you will unalterably be fixt in an Eternal State either of Happiness or Misery Now as in all other Cases prudence doth direct you to Provide for the worst so chiefly it ought in the concern of your Souls Wherein if you do miscarry the mistake will be very fatal you are utterly ruined Let me therefore beg of you and I do it in Christ's stead immediately to break off your Sins by repentance And resolve without delay to make your Peace with God before you go hence and be no more seen To assist you in this necessary work is the charitable Design of these little Papers Wherein I shall in the most familiar manner even lead you by the hand and shall shew you step by step what I would have you to do And if with an honest and sincere heart you will observe these following Directions I trust we shall comfortably meet at the Day of the Lord Jesus William Assheton A METHOD OF Daily Devotion IN the Morning when you first awake offer up your first Thoughts and Words to God saying Glory be to God the Father who hath made me and all the world Glory be to God the Son who hath redeemed me and all Mankind Glory be to God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the elect people of God O holy blessed and glorious Trinity Three Persons and One God have mercy upon me a miserable Sinner As you are rising say I laid me down and slept and rose up again for the Lord sustained me Psalm 3. 5. Whilst you are putting on your Cloaths consider what you are to do that Day And if any Company or Business which you are to be engaged in shall be likely to tempt or to draw you to any Sin As to Intemperance in Meats or Drinks to Lust Anger c. then Arm your self with Resolutions against it and say Lord lead me not into Temptation but deliver me from Evil. I do renounce the Devil and all his works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh I believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And I will keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the Days of my Life All this O my God I am bound by the vare of my Baptism to believe and do and by thy help so I will As soon as you are drest kneel down by your Bed-side and with great Reverence and Devotion as in God's Presence say your Prayers thus or in the like manner Morning Prayer for a Private Person I Bless and Praise thy Holy Name most gracious God for all thy mercies bestowed upon me from the time of my Birth to this present moment I thank thee for the Preservation of the last Night and for the sweet Sleep and refreshment which I have enjoyed O pardon and forgive me my manifold Sins particularly here mention the greatest of thy Sins I am truly sorry that I have offended thee and fully do resolve to do so no more Assist me this day in the Works of my Calling and prosper all my lawful Undertakings Give me Grace to be true and just in all my Dealings and to do unto all men as I would they should do unto me Help me to be contented with my present Condition To be diligent in all my Duties Watchful against all Temptations So humble and modest chast and temperate and so moderate in my most lawful Enjoyments that they never become a Snare to me Lord I live here in a troublesome sinful World But do thou take me into thy Protection and then I am safe Guide me by thy Counsel here and at last bring me to thy Glory And this I humbly beg for the sake of Jesus Christ my dear Lord and only Saviour who hath taught me thus to pray Our Father c. After Break-fast at which the greatest part of the Houshold are supposed to be present let the Master of the Family or some other by his appointment distinctly and devoutly read this or the like following Prayer Morning Prayer for a Family O Holy Lord God Almighty before whom all Knees do bend and to whom all Creatures in Heaven and Earth do bow and obey Behold here poor impotent guilty Creatures humbly prostrate before thy Throne Adoring thy Greatness and admiring thy Goodness and desiring nothing more than faithfully to serve thee all the days of our Lives For thou only art Holy Thou only art the Lord And Glory be to thee O Lord most High Praised be thy Name O Lord from the rising up of the Sun to the going down of the same Thou art our God and we will thank thee Thou art our God and we will praise thee We laid us down and slept and rose up again for the Lord sustained us Thou hast lightned our Eyes that we slept not in Death Thou hast delivered us from the Terrors of the Night and from the Evil that walketh in Darkness From Fire and Robbery and all other sad Accidents Thou renewest thy Mercies to us every Morning and has given us one Day more to serve thee and call upon thy Name O Lord our heavenly Father Almighty and Everlasting God who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this Day 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 Danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy Governance to do always that is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. And we beg thy Blessing for all Mankind More particularly for these Kingdoms in which we live Bless save and defend the King and all the Royal Family with all Orders of Men amongst us both in Church and State Bless all our Friends and kind Relations Those that have done us any Good Lord reward them Those that have done or wish'd us any Evil Father
uprightly and zealously do their Duty to the maintenance of thy true Religion and the peace and welfare of these Nations Comfort all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed in Mind Body or Estate especially those who suffer for the Testimony of a good Conscience give them patience under their Sufferings and an happy issue out of all their Afflictions Let thy Blessings rest upon this Family and all that are near and dear to us Grant both to them and us whatsoever thou seest necessary either for our Bodies or our Souls And we desire to return our thankful Acknowledgments for all thy mercies both Spiritual and Temporal Particularly for thy Preservation of us all this Day past Let the same good Providence watch over us this night Keep us by thy Grace from all works of Darkness and defend us by thy Power from all Dangers From Fire and Robbery and all other sad Accidents Grant us moderate refreshing sleep such as may fit us for thy Service the Day following That after the few Days and Nights we have to pass in this world we may come to thy eternal rest together with Christ Jesus In whose blessed Name and Words we further Pray saying Our Father c. After Prayers the whole family doth betake themselves to their rest And being come into your Chamber sit down a little and consider how you have spent the Day past Glance over in your Thoughts what you have said and done Observe likewise what particular Blessings and Deliverance you have received If your Behaviour hath been regular Bless God for it If sinful and extravagant in any instance do not dare to go into your Bed till you have beg'd his Pardon Many as healthful as your self have been found dead the next Morning Kneel down therefore and distinctly say this or the like Prayer Evening Prayer for a private person I Bless and praise thy holy Name most Gracious God for all thy mercies bestowed upon me from the time of my Birth to this present moment I thank thee for the Preservation of the day past Blessed be thy Name for my continued health and food and raiment Blessed be thy Name that my Bones are not broken That I am not now groaning under the sorest 〈◊〉 but that I live at ease and dwell in safety Night and Daye O Pardon and forgive me my manifold Sins particularly here mention the sins of the day past I am truly sorry that I have thus offended thee and do fully purpose to do so no more Assist me by thy Grace and holy Spirit to make good these pious Resolutions and with an honest sincerity to continue in my Duty both towards thee my God and towards my Neighbour I beg thy Blessing for 〈◊〉 Wife and Children my Husband and Children Father and Mother Brethren and Sisters Master Mistress You must name these Relations according as you stand related O that all my friends may be thine And if I have any Enemies Father forgive them Relieve and comfort all those that are in any Distress Make the Earth to bring forth its increase in due season and let all honest and industrious People be succeeded in their Labours Take me into thy care and protection this Night And when I shall awaken again in the Morning help me to employ all my renewed strength to thy Honour and Glory through Jesus Christ in whose Blessed name and words I commend my self to thy infinite mercies saying Our Father c. This Prayer may be likewise said in the Family when there is not time by reason of some extraordinary occasions for the other But then you must change the number saying all along we for I and us for me and our for my c. At your going to Bed say I will lay me down in peace and take my rest for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety Psal 4. 9. Having composed your self to sleep close your Eyes with the last words of your Blessed Saviour saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23. 46. I have given you no Directions about Children since your own prudence will best suggest such Instructions as are most suitable to their different Capacities But let me beg of you both as to Children and Servants to take up Joshua's resolution As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. FINIS