evermore let no appalements disturb me keep me from Fire Storms Tempests Thieves sudden Death and Danger cause thine Angels to pitch their Tents round about me my House and Habitation and preserve all that is near and dear unto me Here name your particular Friends REMEMBER thy Church and every Member of it have pity on the poor afflicted Protestants in all parts beyond the Seas who suffer for the Testimony of their Faith and a good Conscience send them help from thy Holy place and evermore mightily defend them be unto them a Sun and a Shield a Sun to Comfort and a Shield to defend them to all Dangers and Tribulations put a period unto all their afflictions and in â—hy good time vouchsafe them a happy Deliverance Lord receive them and me and all that appertain unto me this Night and for ever into thy Gracious protection through the Mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Meditations for Saturday THE great Creator this day rested from all his Work which he had made and blessed it O Lord grant that after this painful life is ended I may enjoy a comfortable rest with thee in Heaven where I may keep an eternal Sabbath and hold a perpetual Feast there will be rest without Labour tranquillity without Molestation and joys without End There my Soul wilt thou behold a Glorious City the Streets of Gold the Gates of Pearl and the Foundations garnished with all sorts of precious Stones I SHALL behold thee the Father in thy Majesty Christ thy Son in his Glory the Spirit in his Sanctity the Arch-Angels and Angels in their Exceilency and the Saints in their Felicity then shall I no more hunger labour nor travel I shall no more fear grieve nor desire I shall want no more an earthly House for the Heaven of Heavens shall be my Habitation God will be my Temple and the Lamb that shineth for ever shall enlighten me LORD let the hope and expectation of this eternal rest and felicity sweeten all my labours and ease my torments let it mitigate my afflictions and comfort my spirits that I faint not in my Journey nor be depressed under my burden but hold on cheerfully and valiantly till I arrive at the Land of Promise and there receive the Lot of mine Inheritance with the Saints in light for evermore Amen A Prayer for Saturday Morning MOST Gracious God sanctifie I humbly beseech thee this day unto me and my self now and ever unto thy service thy Mercies O Lord they are new every Morning and therefore my Thanks ought every day to be a new repeated I praise thy holy Name for keeping me this Night past unto this present hour and moment and hast now brought me unto the last day of the Week grant that I may spend the same soberly righteously and holily BRING me to the knowledge of thy Blessed Will in all things that I may endeavour to perform the same to thy Glory the peace of my Conscience and the preservation of my own Soul purge and cleanse my Heart and Conscience from all dead Works that I may serve thee the living God for evermore Be thou my Guide in all my ways my stay and support in all my necessities put an end to the motions of the Flesh enlarge my Heart for all pious Duties and habitual Graces of thy Spirit that I may bring forth the Fruits of them in my Life and Conversation BLESS the Kingdom wherein I inhabit and thy holy Catholick Church whereof I am an unworthy Member bless thy Servants and our dear Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary as thou hast Crowned them with a Temporal Crown here so in thy due time give them a Crown of Glory hereafter Bless Katherine the Queen Dowager her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark with the rest of the Royal Family Bless all persons whether dignified or distinguished from the swayer of the Scepter to the drawer of Water have mercy upon all sick persons Women travelling with Child and those who are troubled in Body Mind or Estate O Lord speak peace unto their Consciences and as thou hast laid laid them down with the one hand so raise them up with the other if not to this life to life eternal for the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer for Saturday Evening O GOD the maker and preserver of all things look down with thy eye of pity and compassion upon me a miserable sinner I here prostrate my self Soul and Body before thy Divine Majesty beseeching thee in much mercy to pardon my sins to Sanctifie me with thy grace and to bring me to thy glory That so my Soul may be refreshed with such things as Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard nor hath it entered into the heart of Man to conceive ENTER not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no Flesh living be justified Examine not my wayes this Week past by the strickt rule of thy Law neither reward me in the severity of thy Justice But have Mercy upon me a miserable offender that have deserved the sharpest of thy Judgments but as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so is thy Mert cy over all thy Works of and great exten to poor Sinners SATISFIE my Soul with thy Mercy and that right soon so shall I rejoyce and be-glad in thee and learn to praise thee Evermore And now O Lord as this Week is ended so let my Sins be ended and never be repeated again any more Be pleased to be my merciful protector and preserver from all perils and dangers this Night Refresh my Body with quiet rest that my mind may be chearful and be fit to serve thee in Sanctifying thy Sabbath and keeping it as a glorious day unto thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Meditations on the Lords Supper HOW can I approach so divine a banquet and not by an humble confession wash my hands in innocency holy things must not be given to Dogs nor Pearls cast before Swine What is so holy as the Body and blood of Christ and what Pearl so precious as this Sacrament There is no Dog so filthy or Sow so unclean as I am by Nature but with great detestation of my Rebellious Corruptions I confess that never Dog so often returned to his Vomit nor Sow to her wallowing in the mire as I have to the sink of Sin and mire of sensual filthiness O WASH my hands in purity cleanse my Mouth and purge my Heart that I may take with a pure Hand eat with an undefileth mouth and keep in a faithfull heart this bread of life and food of Angels give me grace throughly and sincerely to examine my self and grant that after Examination I may find my desire fervent my knowledge Competent my Sorrow for Sin unfeigned my purpose of amendment sled fait my love sincere and my Faith lively AND finding my self thus apparelled in a wedding garment let me be found of thee
sight and do unto others as I would they should do unto me Let no Sin inordinate Lust or unruly Passion have dominion over me but help me to lead Captivity Captive to kill and crucifie my Lusts and sinful Affections and wage War with my Corruptions until through Christ which strengthens me I shall prove more than Conqueror Grant this unto me for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Monday Night O GOD the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I do in all humility prostrate my self before thy Divine Majesty to offer up unto thee this my Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving who didst offer up thy Son upon the Cross to be a Propitiation and meritorious Sacrifice for the Sins of the World Lord hear me and help me and be merciful unto me my Sins are great but thy Mercies are greater my Trespasses Finite but thy Compassions Infinite and never fail LORD hear my Prayers and let my Praises be acceptable in thy sight for unto thee O Lord upon the Altar of my Heart do I offer up all possible Praise and Thanksgiving for all thy Blessings both Spiritual and Temporal which thou hast in a great measure bestowed upon me but above all for Jesus Christ the Fountain of them all by whom I have Redemption through his Blood and Access through his Life I also thank thee for thy Sacred Word and for the Confirmation and Strengthning of my Faith by those Sacred Signs and Pledges of thy Love which thou Exhibitest to me and unto every Believing Soul in the Sacraments I RENDER all thanks unto thee for my Life Liberty Food and Raiment Health Wealth Peace and Plenty which thou in much mercy hast afforded unto me from time to time and I beseech thee to continue this thy providence over me and as thou hast hitherto been a Sun to comfort me so be thou now a shield to protect me Keep me in Soul and Body goods and good name Vouchsafe me this Night Peace unto my Soul and rest and quietness to my Body that so being refreshed I may Praise thy name for evermore Amen Tuesdays Meditations O LORD who on this day madest dry Land and firm ground to appear dry up my Tears with the beams of thy Mercy and give me firm ground of Comfort in thy Word Thou who on this day Createdst all kind of Seeds Sow in my heart the incorruptible Seed of thy Sacred writ that I may thereby be regenerated to a lively hope And as on this day Createdst all kind of fruitful Trees make me like a good Tree bring forth good Fruit here that I may hereafter eat of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God LORD let me enter into a serious Contemplation of the vanity of the World and the deceitfulness of Riches the shame of Pleasures and folly of sports the in constancy of honours and danger of greatness with the strickt account which one day must be given for all perswade me by thy Spirit that I have here no abiding City but ought to seek for one hereafter and that I am but a stranger and Pilgrim on this side Heaven LET me desire Temporal blessings only for Spiritual ends Wealth that I may be Rich in good works preferment to advance the honour of the Gospel Health and Strength the better to enable me to do thee service and length of dayes that I may Praise thee in the Land of the Living O Lord this day thy Life was sought to be destroyed seek thou mine I beseech thee to save it This day thou wast anointed to thy death and burial anoint me with thy Spirit to eternal Life Save me from the hands of all mine Enemies that I may serve thee without fear in holiness and Righteousness all the dayes of my Life Amen A Prayer for Tuesday Morning O LORD what am I but Dust and Ashes and confess I am utterly lost having walked after the vanity of my mind and lived in all manner of Wickedness but O if thou shouldst be extream to mark what is done amiss O Lord who were able to abide it Enter not therefore into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no Flesh living be justified Though my Sins have magnified themselves in infinite length breadth depth and height yet let thy Mercy which passeth all understanding far exceed them AND howsoever by reason of my Sins I have justly deserved to be not only deprived of thy blessings but for ever deserted and forsaken yet for his sake in whom thou art well pleased cast me not away from thy presence of Grace here or glory hereafter but by the one lead me to the other by Holiness bring me to Happiness Behold O Lord how I am thy Servant and the Son of thy Hand-maid O grant me Grace that I may live with thee for ever THOU hast redeemed me O let me not fall into Captivity and Bondage unto Sin and Satan but so confirm and strengthen me that both in life and death I may continue thine and never draw back unto Perdition or forsake thee the ever-living God or renounce my Saviour who hath the Words of Eternal Life and who is the Way the Truth and the Life but that both in Prosperity and Adversity I may live in thy Fear die in thy Favour rest in thy Peace and reign with thee in thy Glory Amen A Prayer for Tuesday Night O LORD how often mightest thou cut me off in the midst of my Sins but thine Eye hath spared me thou hast given me space of amendment and Grace to return unto thee to seek thee whilst thou maist be found and call upon thee whilst thou art near O Lord be not far from me but draw near unto my Soul make haste to deliver me and help me Thou hast promised to such as call upon thee to be a present help in Trouble to be their Shield and Buckler their Castle and Fortress and the Horn also of their Salvation AND now seeing thou hast brought the Night upon me wherein thou hast ordained Man to take his rest keep me O Lord as the Apple of thine Eye save and defend me from Delusions cause thine Angels to pitch their Tents round about me and watch over my Soul and Body that I may not commit any Sin either in Word or Deed but persevere in Grace until the appearing of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ unto Judgment DELIVER me I beseech thee from sudden Death Fears and Affrightments Casualties by Fire Water or Tempestuous Weather Disturbance by Thieves or any other DÃ nger whatsoever vouchsafe me peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost guide me here by thy Councel and after that receive me to Glory let my lying down in the Bed put me in mind of my resting in the Grave and my rising from thence of my Resurrection that both in Life and Death I may continue thine through Jesus Christ. Amen Meditations for Wednesday WOnderful are thy Works O Lord to
thee by the holy incarnation and blessed Nativity of thy Son Jesus Christ the thrice happy day Star that appeared to the World let thy Mercy this day rest upon me and the bright beames of thy heavenly light shine forth in the dark corners of my heart that I may not be transported either through the Corruption of my Nature or the power of darkness to spend this day after my own perverse will and pleasure but carefully perform thy holy will willingly speedily and constantly INCREASE in me O Lord the gift of faith and hope that I may believe thee and relie on thy merciful promises made unto me in Christ Jesus bless my Body and Soul that no evil happen to them and preserve my memory and senses that they pass not the limits of reason and understanding Enlighten my mind O Lord to look upon good things inflame my heart with the love of them and conduct me with thy Grace that as thou hast raised my Body from sleep so my Soul may daily be raised from Sin and Soul and Body and Spirit may be renewed in Righteousness to serve thee the Living God for evermore Amen A Prayer for Thursday Night O Lord God great in Mercy and constant in truth I acknowledge and do here in all humility offer unto thy Divine Majesty my duty of praise and thanksgiving for all thy manifold Graces and benefits bestowed upon me and though I am unable to recount them and much unworthy to be a partaker of them yet in full assurance of thine unspeakable love I presume to come unto thee and now again commit to thy almighty protection this night my Soul and Body with all its Faculties beseeching thee to keep them day and night blameless and undefiled against the day of thy coming LORD pardon and forgive whatever Sins I have wretchedly effected or wickedly imagined against thee or my Neighbour O lay not the faults and frailties of my Youth unto my charge but forget O Lord and forgive and cancel the hand writing that is upon the wall which will be ready to witness against me strike my Heart with an awe of thy fear that I may labour to escape thy threatnings and give me the comfort once more of thy Salvation GRANT O Lord that I may this night quietly rest under the shadow of thy Wings free from fears dangers and Spiritual darkness and when the dark end of this mortal life is approached grant me O Lord a vigilant Heart freely disposed to abandon all transitory things and depart hence in the Peace of a good Conscience into thine everlasting rest through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen Meditations for Friday THIS day the first Man Adam was made a living Soul and Christ the second Adam was made a quickening Spirit this day he Sinned in a garden and this day the Saviour of the World sorrowed in a Garden he took upon this day the fruit of the forbidden Tree and thou O Blessed redeemer wert hung upon the accursed Tree this day Adam was cast into a deep sleep and his Wife Eve was formed of his rib flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone likewise was the Son of God cast into a deadly sleep and his Side was pierced with a Spear from whence sprung out two blessed Sacraments the water of regeneration and the blood of Expiation and Sanctification THIS day our first parent borught the curse upon himself and all his posterity but thou O God hast provided an everlasting Blessing for thy self and all thy Members thy Law O God is just holy and pure but I am wicked profane and impure That Medicine is for the most part the best which the Patient least approves of because it exasperates the pain for a time Have I the less affection for the most holy Faith because it restraineth my carnal Liberty and abridgeth me of Worldly Contentments Have not I a Law in my mind which opposeth the Law of my members And is it not much better to Sow unto the Spirit thereunto the flesh which produces only Corruption IS it not as easie for thee to raise me out of ashes as at the first to raise me out of the dust To send back my Spirit into my Body as at the first to breath it in I behold the Seed in the Earth the plants in the Garden dye before they spring forth I see Wormes and insects that spend the Winter season in a kind of death yet revive in the Spring I know I am my self dead in sleep every Night but alive in the Morning Why then should I call in question any one Article of my Belief but humbly say Lord I believe help thou my unbelief A Prayer for Friday Morning O LORD God maker and governour of all things both in Heaven and Earth I come unto thee with a broken and a contrite Heart lamenting my Sins and seeking to find Comfort at thy merciful hands Lord thou knowest my grief my anxity and care Oh let me feel thy comforts to refresh my Soul Be with me this day in all my worldly affairs and let thy holy Spirit evermore defend me and preserve my integrity that I may be acknowledged thine at the last day I YEILD thee all laud and praise for thy preservation of me this night past and for safely bringing me to behold the glorious light of this day Lord excite my heart that I may express my thankfulness by my serviceable obedience preserve and keep me from Sin and all irregularities both of Soul and Body Mortifie all my Corruptions and sensual Appetites and purge me throughly from filthiness both of flesh and Spirit that I may perfect holiness in thy fear STRENGTHEN me against all the vanities of the world the lusts of the Flesh the lusts of the Eyes and the Pride of life and give me Grace to employ this day and the remainder of my Life in all peace and purity sanctity and sobriety to thy Glory the good Example of others and finally the Salvation of my own Soul This and whatsoever for want of memory I have omitted I humbly beg in the Name of thy dear Son and my alone Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer for Friday Night O GOD thou camest into the World to save Sinners behold me I beseech thee the vileâ— of them but wash oh wash away all my sins in the Blood of thy Son sanctifie my Nature abolish my Corruptions guide me here by thy Councel and after that receive me into Glory Keep me now and ever send me a quiet repose and grant that lying down to rest I may rise again in thy peace and walk in thy fear that so the succeeding day may learn me to grow Wise and for ever Glorifie thy Holy Name INSPIRE me O Lord with the Spirit of sweet Consolation and though sleep is the Image of Death and my Bed as the Grave yet suffer me not to perish suddenly or unprepared but watch over me for good guide me now and
to keep our Faith and a good Conscience void of offence we may now and in the hour of death be and remain alwayes thine Defend us from all evil and sence us against the assaluts of Satan watch over us by the Eye of thy good providence and cause thy Angels to pitch their tents about us for our safety and continual preservation INTO thy hands we now commit our Souls and Bodies guide our thoughts words and actions and if we forget thee our God at any time O! do thou in mercy remember us and forgive us our trespasses make us to see our Sins in the glass of thy Law to mourn for them in the Closet of our hearts and Confess them in the bitterness of our Souls teach us to cast off the rags of iniquity and by Faith put on the Robes of Righteousness Help us to manage the Sword of the Spirit and the Helmet of Salvation that we may be able to fight against the Wiles of the Devil the vanitics of the World the Lusts of the flesh and the pride of Life BE favourable to Sion build up the walls of Ierusalem more particularly preserve and enlarge these Churches of great Britain and Ireland feed them as thy flock and Family Dress them as thy Vineyard and adorn them as thy Spouse Defend our Soveraign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary from all Enemies at home and abroad preserve their Bodies in Health the Hearts and Souls in soundness and truth their lives in honour and their honour from underminers Bless Katherine the Queen Dowager her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark with the rest of the Royal Family Bless those which rule in Church and State all Schools of good Education and sound Learning all thy Ministers and Magistrates with all our Relations in the Flesh and Friends in the Spirit to whom thou hast any ways made us bounden O Lord enable us to requite them or lay it on thine own account to restore it unto them and their Posterities And here we yield thee all laud and praise for Creating us when we were nothing for Predestinating us unto the Adoption and choosing us in Christ before the Foundation of the World We thank thee for our Preservation this Night past and for bringing of us this day to behold thy glorious light Lord awake our Souls from Sin and Carnal Security that we may be prepared like wise Virgins with Oyl in our Lamps to meet the sweet Bridegroom of our Souls whether at the hour of Death or the Day of Judgment These and all other Graces which for blindness we cannot and for our unworthiness we dare not ask we beseech thee to give us for the worthiness of thy dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord in whose most holy Name and Words we conclude these our imperfect Prayers in that most perfect Form of Prayer which he himself hath further taught us in his holy Gospel saying Our Father c. A Collect for the Day LORD bless us and make thy Face to shine upon us keep us from Sin and Satan sickness and sorrow shame and servitude loss of Goods and good Names or of any thing more near and dear unto us if it be thy good pleasure preserve us evermore in thy Faith and holy Fear guide us constantly by thy Councel and after that receive us to Glory Amen An Evening Prayer for a Family O GOD the God of the Spirits of all Flesh the high and lofty one that Inhabitest Eternity who hast made the Earth by thy power Establish'd the World by thy Wisdom and stretched out the Heavens by thy discretion the Father of Eternity and Fountain of Mercy the giver of all good things the forgiver of all sins and the comforter of all such as fly unto thee Lord we are here present before thee be thou present with us and President amongst us we appeal from the Seat of thy Justice to the Throne of thy Mercy beseeching thee to give us a sense of our own Miseries and an assurance of thy Mercies let us not be possess'd with over much fear but that with a holy confidence of thy goodness we may with joy appear in thy presence in an humble acknowledgment of our sins TO this end we confess that we have sinned against Heaven and before thee and are no more worthy to be called thy Children we have transgressed thy holy Laws and Commandments not only by our Thoughts and Words but by our Deeds and Actions our Iniquities are more in number than the hairs of our Head and make us seem vile in our own Eyes but much more in thy sight Lord unto thee we confess our sins O grant us Pardon and Absolution for them open unto us Penitents that ever streaming Fountain of thy Sons Blood that our sins being Bathed therein we may appear without blemish in thy sight by his Death mortifie our sinful Corruptions hide them in his Wounds and bury them in his Grave that they may neither rise in this life to shame us nor in the World to come to condemn us GIVE us thy holy Spirit let him purge our Consciences heal our Corruptions illuminate our Understandings confirm our Memories and consecrate our Souls and Bodies that they may be fit Temples for thy holy Ghost to dwell in Be merciful to thy Church and enlarge her borders shower down the choicest of thy blessings upon the heads and hearts of thy Servants our Soveraign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary bless them with length of days here and with a Crown of Glory hereafter bless Katherine the Queen Dowager her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark with all the rest of the Royal Family Bless the Nobility Gentry Ministry Magistracy and Commonalty our Relations in the Flesh and Friends in the Spirit protect all that stand up for thy Truth but as for thy Foes let them be ashamed and confounded AND now seeing thou hast brought the Night upon us wherein thou hast ordained man to rest in we humbly beseech thee who art the Keeper of Israel who never slumberest nor sleepest to watch over us by thy Providence cause thy holy Angels to pitch their Tents round about us that being freed from the terrors of the Night and refreshed with moderate rest and sleep we may the better be enabled to praise thy Name and to walk before thee in all good Works and holiness of Conversation all the days of our lives Let our Bed O Lord put us in mind of our Grave and our rising from thence of our Resurrection that whether we wake or sleep we may be always thine AND knowing that thy Name O Lord is a strong To ver of Defence we here commend our selves this Night to thy most holy protection if it be thy Divine Will to call any of us hence in our sleep O Lord for thy Sons sake have mercy upon us and receive our Souls into thy most blessed Kingdom but if it be thy heavenly pleasure
to add more days unto our lives add more amendment unto our days that living we may live in thy Fear and dying we may dye in thy Favour and in the end Reign with thee in Glory Amen A Collect for the Night INTO thy hands O Father we commend our Spirits for thou hast redeemed us O thou God of Truth into thy most merciful Tuition and gracious Preservation do we commend our selves our Souls and Bodies our Relations our Goods and good Names all ours and all that call upon thy Name Lord be thou present with them and us and about our Beds unto our lives end let not our fantasies be troubled with vain Imaginations nor the Dreams and Visions of our heads like Nebuchadnezzar's make us affraid but give us quiet and comfortable rest that our Souls and Bodies being refreshed we may when we awake laud and praise thee and joyfully perform the business of the next day in our particular Callings LET our whole life be a serving and glorifying of thee that we may live in thy Fear dye in thy Favour and rest from all our Labours and be blest with thy glorious Vision enjoying the presence of our blessed Saviour the comfort of thy holy Spirit and the Communion of thy most holy Saints and Angels that we together with them may ascribe unto thee the Glory of our Redemption from Sin Satan Hell and Death World without end Amen Prayers for several Persons The Husbands Prayer MOST gracious God have mercy upon me and upon all those which appertain unto me in the beginning thou didst Institute Marriage for the propagation of Mankind a remedy to avoid unlawful Lust and for the mutual Comfort and Consolation of thy Children give me O heavenly Father I humbly beseech thee the assistance of thy Grace that I may according to thy Commandments love and cherish her whom thou hast allotted for my help and comfort in this life MORTIFIE in me all fleshly Lusts and let not the heat of unlawful Concupiscence take possession of me but grant that we may live in Peace and Unity and equally praise thy holy Name If any Children Bless O Lord those Children thou hast bestowed upon us give us understanding hearts and minds to bring them up in thy Faith and Fear and give them obedient hearts to thee and to all thy Commandments grant that they may not prove a Curse but a Blessing to us and thereby attain that reward which thou hast promised to those which honour and obey their Parents TEACH me O Lord to Govern and Instruct my Family whereby they may walk in thy Fear and grant that I may according to my ability provide what is necessary as well for their Bodies as their Souls And do thou O Lord endue them with thy Grace that they may perform their Duties in Fear and Obedience not with Eye-service but in singleness of Heart as in thy presence Give me O Lord I beseech thee a competency to maintain that which thou hast committed to my Charge and grant that we may in all humility rely upon thy blessed Will who knowest what is fitter for us then we do for our selves To whom be all Honour and Glory Amen The Wives Prayer O LORD I give thee humble thanks for calling me to the Honourable State of Matrimony give me O Lord thy heavenly Grace that I may fear thee and love reverence and obey him whom thou hast appointed to be my head in all good things to live peaceably and quietly with him suffer me not to be puft up with the Vanities of the World but grant that I may frame my mind and habit suitable to the Estate of my Husband and adorn my self with that which may become a modest Woman to wear Assist me O Lord that I may with his Consent prudently and with discretion Govern his Family and carefully mind that nothing be wasted norpermit any evil to be committed in his House FURNISH me O Lord with those Gifts and Graces which the Royal Preacher described in a good Woman and endue me with such a Care in the Education of my Children as belongeth unto my part to perform that I may live and rejoyce to see the prosperity of them in this life and after this life is ended grant that we all may be received to thy eternal Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Childs Prayer MOST gracious God to whom the Childs obedience to the Parents is always acceptable but their disobedience most displeasing I humbly beseech thee to remove far from me the horrid sin of Disobedience and Rebellion against my Parents O give me Grace to observe them with all diligence in Duty obey them in all lawful Commands and aid and assist them in all their Necessities give me Grace to receive all their reproofs patiently and not to perplex them by Stubbornness and bad Courses SUFFER me not to scoff or deride at their Age or Infirmity but rather supply their Wants and cover their Weaknesses Forgive O Lord the many offences I have committed against them increase their days and preserve them sound in Body and Mind let them see their Childrens Children to their Comfort and thy Glory let them Govern me and the rest of their Family with Prudence and good Example that when this life is ended they may depart hence in peace and come to thy Kingdom unspotted through Jesus Christ. Amen The Widows Prayer O ALMIGHTY God who hast promised to be a Father to the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow let thy tender Eye of Compassion look down upon me and my Children preserve me and them from all Oppression and Wrong and relieve us we beseech thee in all our Necessities BLESS O Lord that small portion thou hast lent me for a competent maintenance of me and mine O let it be like the Widows Barrel of Meal never to waste and like the Cruse of Oyl never to fail Dispose our hearts to all Obedience and give us Grace to walk worthy of thee and thy Mercies which we daily and hourly receive And lastly in all our Afflictions let me put my whole trust and confidence in thee and praise thy Name for evermore Amen The Orphans Prayer O ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father thou hast promised that when my Father and my Mother forsaketh me thou O God wilt take me up O Lord I am now by thy appointment deprived of my Parents who under thee were the only stay I had in this World Be thou O Lord my God my Father and my Deliverer teach me to seek thee early and endue me with thy Grace that I may be obedient to those whom thou art pleased to place over me MAKE me to remember thee my Creator in the days of my Youth that I may lead my life according to the rule of true Godliness Govern and Guide I beseech thee all my Actions preserve my Body in health and my Soul â—â—om all evil thoughts which may molest it add unto me length of
Lord I knock at the Door of thy Mercy and tender Compassion with all the Faculties of my Soul and Body for all these Graces and particular favours beseeching thee to continue unto me the right use of them that thy Spirit may witness unto my Spirit that I am thy Son and shall be Heir of thy Kingdom of Glory and that I may be partaker of the inheritance of thy Saints in light where are Pleasures that last for Evermore Grant this O Father for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Sunday Noon O God thou art great in Majesty and infinite in Mercy wonderful in thy goodness unto thy Church and Children Thou hast Commanded me to offer up my Prayer and supplications for those that shall enter into the Ministry and stand before thee to wait at thine alter the heaviest O Lord is very great and the painful and Conscionable Labourers but few I beseech thee be pleased to send able Ministers into thy Church and place such over particular Congregations as like Iohn the Baptist may be burning lights burning as being zealous in fervency and lights also as being conspicuous and eminent for Charity Sanctity of life and all holy Graces of thy Spirit LET thy Urim and thy Thummim be upon them as upon thy Holy one let them be sound for Doctrine and holy for Life and Conversation Preaching let them practice and by practice let them preach and teach the things which concern thy Kingdom Open wide unto them the Door of utterance that they may deliver thy Word freely and boldly Take away all differences and animosities from amongst them make them examples to those that believe in soundness of Doctrine and integrity of Conversation bless them with all Graces befitting so high a Calling that I may give thanks unto thee for them finding the benefit of thy blessing upon me through their Labours and may praise thy Name for evermore Amen A Prayer for Sunday Evening O Lord look down from Heaven thine holy Habitation and behold with the Eye of thy Love and tender Compassion a wretched Creature who now calls upon thee in the Words of the poor Publican O God be merciful unto me a Sinner Write not bitter things against me neither suffer me to possess the Sins of my Youth O forgive and forget all my Transgressions and cast mine Iniquities as far from thy presence in distance as the East is from the West LORD pardon I humbly beseech thee the faults and frailties which I have escaped this day in the sanctifying of thy Sabbath whether they be Sins of Omission or Commission wash them all away in the Blood of thy Son sanctifie me by the Word thy Word of Truth that this day hath sounded in my Ears Grant that like good Seed sown in good Ground it may take root downward and bring forth Fruit upwards to the Glory and Praise of thy great Name and the Salvation of my Immortal Soul O LET thy Word be ever in my Mind to meditate of it in my Mouth to speak of it and in my Life and Conversation to practice it By it Work in my Heart Faith Hope Charity and all other supernatural Graces which accompany Salvation open mine Eyes that I may see thy Law and incline my Heart that I may love the Truth and loving the same may yield Obedience to it doing thy Will on Earth or at least endeavouring to do it as the Angels in Heaven willingly without murmuring speedily without delaying constantly without ceasing and universally without omitting what thou commandest and commendest in thy Word so shall I not be distracted with Foolish fears nor dispair of thy Mercy but ever Hope and Trust in thee and find Grace to help me in time of need to whom be ascribed all Honour Power and Glory World without end Amen Mondays Meditations O GOD the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth who Created the Evening and the Morning continue I beseech thee unto me as well the Comfortable rest of the Evening to refresh my weariness as the most necessary Light of the Morning to manage my affairs and business make my Conscience serene and clear and let the pure Light of thy Gospel guide my Feet in the way of peace This Light of thine O Lord sheweth what I was in my Birth Slime and Filthiness what I am in my Life Vanity and Folly and what I shall be in the Grave Stench and Corruption LET these ponderous Considerations Lord humble me that Christ may raise me wound me that Christ may heal me load me that Christ may ease me and make me most vile in my own Eyes that I may be most dear and precious in his sight O thou which as upon this day createdst the Clouds to Rain upon the Earth shower down thy Graces plentifully into my hardned heart to mollifie it whereby I may be fruitful in all good Works LORD who this day didst separate the Waters separate I beseech thee and distinguish betwixt the Water of Tears which I shed for my Sins and those which I shed for Worldly crosses and afflictions cast away the one and put the other into thy Bottle This day thou madest the Heavens and the Air without which I cannot breath naturally no not one moment Infuse into my Soul thy blessed Spirit of Grace without which Spiritually I cannot breath forth my Prayers nor sigh nor so much as move any Faculty of Soul and Body unto thee But Lord as oft as I take in or let out the Air which I breath let me receive in Grace from thee and breath out Praise unto thee Amen A Prayer for Monday Morning O GOD as thou hast now rais'd up my Body from Sleep the Image of Death so I beseech thee deliver my mind and affections from the Sleep of Sin and from the Darkness of this World and as thou hast brought me to the beginning of this day be thou present with me and president in me Let thy holy Spirit be my Counsellor and Instructor my God and my Guide to lead me into all Truth help me by assistance of the same Spirit to watch over my Thoughts Words and Works that I may neither think speak nor do any thing which is not agreeable to thy holy Word LET me in all reverence and humility of Soul submit my self unto thy holy Will so that ordering my Conversation aright and walking according to thy Golden Rule peace may be upon me as upon the Israel of God Suffer me not to oppress or defraud my Brother in Bargaining Buying and Selling by using false Weights and Ballances or any other unlawful means but Guide me so by thy Grace that my Conscience may ever cheer me up through a delightful apprehension of thy blessed Favour TO this end order thou my Paths and establish my goings in the way of Peace Grace and Salvation cause thou me to walk upright before thee make me to provide things honest before thee and Men behave my self as in thy