THE Devout Companion Containing PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS FOR Every Day in the Week AND FOR Several Occasions Ordinary and Extraordinary Psal 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my Voice The Twelfth Edition LONDON 〈…〉 Henry Rhodes at the 〈…〉 he corner of Brile 〈…〉 1699. TO THE Truly Honoured The LADY J. C. MADAM AT Your Request these ensuing Prayers and Meditations were composed which I here present to Your view not that You want my weak Instructions for You are known to be so good a Proficient in God's School and have more of this Heavenly Language by Heart than I can instruct you by Precept The Meditations I have taken from the Psalms of that sweet singer of Israel the Royal Prophet and this Key opens not only the Kingdom of Grace but the Kingdom of Heaven too it being an exact Composure of all Christian Vertues No Worshipping can be more true or more spiritual than the Psalter said with a pure Mind and a hearty Devotion For David was God's Instrumeâ—t to the Church teaching and admonishing as our Duty is to each other in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs making melody to the Lord. In your Voyage to the Almighty You might have I doubt not a better Card or Compass to sail by than this Form of Prayer which I prescribe yet I beseech You encourage others by Your pious Example to feed upon this Milk for Babes those which are weak by tasting of it your Self So recommending it to Your Pious Acceptation wishing You all Happiness that this Earthly Paradise can afford whist You remain upon Earth and at the last a Crown of Immorral Glory in the highest Heavens is the earnest desire of Madam Your humble and faithful Servant in Christ Jesus E. S. THE Devout Companion Containing MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS For every Day in the Week c. A Preparatory Prayer against wandring Thoughts and vain Imaginations Thrice Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Three Persons and One God have mercy upon me a miserable Sinner O Almighty God the only Giver and Bestower of all good things and without whose special Favour and Grace no Man hath Power to perform any spiritual Duty as he ought to do O Lord I know not what to pray for as I ought O let thy Spirit help my Infirmities and enable me to offer up a spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to thee by Jesus Christ II. Make me to remember into whose Presence I am come and with whom I have to do even with a God of infinâ—te Majesty before whom the Cherubims veil their Faces as being astonished at the Presence of so great a God as thou art How dare I then a moâ—t vile and sinful Creature who am but Dust and Ashes presume to appear at this time before thee who have drunk Iniquity like Water breaking so often thy holy Laws and Commandments by committing those things thou forbiddest and leaving undone those good things thou commandest III. But I come unto thee O Lord in the name of thy dear Son Jesus Christ the Righteous who hath redeemed me with his most precious Blood O then look upon me in him and for the merits of his Sufferings pardon all my Sins and blot out my Offences Strike an awful reverence in my Soul that I may continually keep a watch over my Thoughts Words and Actions least my Presumption and want of due Reverence unto thy Deity should turn my Prayers into Sin IV. Give me a lively apprehension of all my wants and necessities and a right Understanding both of those Blessings which I have received from thee and of those great Mercies which thou hast promised to bestow on them that ask thee that so I may be endued with Expressions both for Prayer and Thankfulness and may become able by the assistance of thy Grace to pour out my Soul continually before thee Support me with Faith that I may come with a good assurance to thy Throne of Grace to offer up my earnest Supplications unto thee and let me not go away from thy presence without a Blessing V. Grant Lord that this holy Exercise of Prayer may prove a delight to me O make me constant and diligent in the use of it remembring the speedy access the Prayers of the Faithful have in thy Presence and what a great Privilege it is for poor Mortals to unfold their Wants and lay open their Desires and Griefs before thee VI. Ever O Lord let the end of my Prayers be to thy Glory always exercising a Conscience void of Offence by offering up my Thanksgivings for Mercies received as I shall be earnest in suing for those Gifts and Graces I stand in need of Grant this O heavenly Father for the sake of thy dear Son my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen Meditations for Sunday THis is the Day which the Lord hath made a Day of Rest to our Bodies and for the Benefit of our Souls O let us rejoice and be glad in it all the Days of our L 〈…〉 leaving off our worldly Thoughts and Employments and be â—eeking after our future Happiness II. Great iâ— the Lord and great is the Honour of this day above all others The Jews kept Holy the Seventh Day and we Christians the Sunday or Lord's Day They in their Sabbath were especially to remember the Creation of the World but we in ours the Resurrection of Christ who hath made a way for us into that better worâ—d which we expect hereafter III. This convinceth the Folly of the Jews who are so superstitious in observing the Ceremony of Rest as that they think they ought not to prepare any Food for their bodily sustenance on the Sabbath-Day neither do any work tho' it be for the Resection of Life it self But God in the Institution of the Sâ—bbath so rested whose Example we ought to imitate as that he ce 〈…〉 not in â—â—sting from doing good but in câ—â—sing to Create he continued to Preserve of which our Saviour saith My Father worketh hitherto and I work IV. This Day is set apart to be employed in the Worship and Service of God First more solemnly and publickly in the House of God from whence none ought to absent himself unless sickness or some extraordinary occasion prevent him Secondly at home privately praying with your Family or in your Closet exercising those other Duties of Reading and Meditation V. O Praise the Lord then O my Soul and enter into Contemplation with thy self upon all his Mercies Consider what a great Benefit it is to thee that there is such a set time weekly for thy spiritual Relief and Comfort cast off all worldly Business then and freely embrace this joyful Day of harvest whereby we may lay up in store for the whole Week nay even for our whole Lives VI. This day furnishes us with that Golden Rule by which we may square all our Actions and at last attain to the perfection of him whom the Royal Psalmist makes
the Grave I praise thee O Lord from the very bottom of my heart for all thy love and boundless mercy and kindness for thy holy Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascention into Heaven and sitting at the right hand of God the Father where thou makest Intercession for me II. In thy merits I beseech thee to look upon me thou art that living Sacrifice that was offered up for me and in thy Name do I offer up unto thee this my morning Sacrifice evermore praising thee and magnifying thy holy Name Mortifie in me all fleshly Corruptions quicken me in the inner Man By the power of thy death let me die unto Sin and by the power of thy Resurrection let me rise to Righteousness and newness of Life Let the one as an antidote expel the poison of Ungodlyness and the other as a restorative excite me to Holiness III. Enlighten my Understanding that I may know thy Will reform my Life that I may do all things aright and to discern Good and Evil. Teach me to fear thy Name to neglect all things in regard of thee to be grieved at my own and others Sins but rejoyce exceedingly whensoever I can please thee Let me this Day labour that whatsoever I do may be pleasing in thy sight as I am thy Servant let me depend upon thee and as I am a Christian walk worthy of my Vocation and Calling IV. Be gracious and favourable unto the whole Church and bless every particular Member thereof be good to the light of our Eyes the breath of our Nostrils thy Solomon our gracious King bless thine own Tribe the Tribe of Levi the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty and let thy Peace rest upon those that pray for our Peace wheresoever dispersed over the Face of the whole Earth Lord keep me the remaining part of this Day in thy Truth and give me Peace and true Faith in thee now and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Thursday Noon For God's Blessing on our Endeavours O Eternal and most gracious God who though thou art ever infinite yet enlargest thy self by the number of our Prayers and takest our often Petitions to thee to be an addition to thy Glory so great is thy Humility toward poor Mortals I most humbly beseech thee O Lord that thine Eyes may continually attend upon me and thy Grace daily defend me from all danger succour cherish and comfort me in my Necessities and govern all my counsels Studies and Labours so that I may spend this Day according to thy blessed Will and the discharge of my own Conscience that warily avoiding all things that may displease thee and setting always before my Eyes thy Fear I may by the assistance of thy heavenly Grace and the guidance of thy holy Spirit work that which is acceptable and pleasing unto thee unto thy Praise and Glory for ever Amen A Prayer for Thursday Night For Deliverance from Sudden Death O Lord most holy the giver of all good things and the protector of all those that love thee I give thee most humble and hearty thanks nor only for thy preservation of me this day but all my life O Lord forgive me the Offences I have committed against thee this Day blot out all my sins with the blood of thy dear Son â—esus Christ and I beseech thee for his sake remember them no more II. Vouchsafe O Lord to extend thine accustomed goodness and protection over me this Night that I may peaceably and quietly take my rest which thou hast appointed for the refreshing of my wearied and weak body and I beseech thee to defend me that nothing hurt me keep me also good Lord from sudden and unprovided Death and preserve me by the guard of thy holy Angels that I may enjoy my rest this Night in thee until the Morning and then give my self to the fulfilling of my Duty the discharge of my Employment and the working of thy will unto my life's end III. In whose Name I referr my self wholly to the Almighty Protection even in the Name of thy blessed Son Jesus Christ the Righteous beseeching thee that when this Life shall have an end and my last sleep being come I may take my everlasting Rest with thee in thy heavenly Kingdom for the which Kingdom I do heartily beseech thee of thine inestimable goodness to fit and prepare me and all other thy Servants to the attainment of the same for the glory of thy holy Name and the everlasting comfort of our own Souls Amen Meditations for Friday THe Lord even the most mighty God hath spoken and called the world from the rising up of the Sun unto the going down thereof Out of Sâ—on hath God appeared in perfect beauty Our God shall comâ— and shall not keep silence there shâ—ll go before him a consuming firâ— and a mighty tempest shall be stirred up round about him He shall call the Heaven from above and the Earth that he mâ—y judge his People Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me with Sacrifice And the Heavens shâ—ll declare his Righteousness for God is Judge himself Hear O my People and I will speak I my self will testifie against thee O Israel for I am God even thy God I will not reprove thee because of thy Sacrifices or for thy Burnt-offerings because they were not always before me I will take no Bullock out of thine house nor He-goats out of thy fold For all the Beasts of the Forest are mine and so are the Cattle upon a thousand hills I know all the Fowls upon the mountains and the wild Beasts of the field are in my sight If I be hungry I will not tell thee for the whole world is mine and all that is therein Thinkest thou that I will eat Bulls flesh and drink the blood of Goats Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most highest And call upon me in the time of trouble so will I hear thee and thou shalt praise me But unto the ungodly said God why dost thou preach my Laws and takest my Covenant in thy mouth Whereas thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my Words behind thee When thou sawest a thief thou consentedst unto him and hâ—st been partaker with the Adulterers Thou hast let thy mouth speak wickedness and with thy tongue thou hast set forth deceit Thou satest and spakest against thy Brother yea and hast slandered thine own Mother's Son These things hast thou done and I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I am even such a one as they self but I will reprove thee and set before thee the things that thou hast done O consider this ye that forgâ—t God lest I pluck you away and there be none to deliver you Whoso offereth me thanks and praise he honoureth me and to him that ordereth his conversatition aright will I shew the salvation of God Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer for
when I go down to the Pit Shall the dust give thanks unto thee or shall it declare thy truth Hear O Lord and have mercy upon me Lord be thou my helper Shew thy Servant the light of thy Countenance and save me for thy mercies sake Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer in time of Sickness O Almighty and ever-living God in whose hands consists the life of all Mankind and who correctest every Son whom thou receivest mercifully I humble beseech thee to hear my voice and despise not the Prayer I make now unto thee in the time of trouble In the vexation of my Spirit and in the very anguish of my Soul I cry unto thee for mercy II. O thou that hast created and made me of nothing and hast redeemed me from the slavery of Sin Death and Hell by the most precious Blood of thy dear Son Jesus Christ which was spilt upon the Cross for my Sins Have mercy upon me Bow down thine all-hearing Ear unto my complaint and cast me not away in thy fierce anger III. My Sins cry aloud to Heaven for Vengeance and I have deserved thy wrath and heavy displeasure against me Thou hast cast me down upon the Bed of Sickness and I begin to fall as leaves beaten with a vehement wind yet thy Chastisments are less than my deservings but of thy mercy and goodness O Lord correct me not to death but to amendment of Life for thine own sake for thy holy Name 's sake for thy Son Christ Jesus sâ—ke be merciful unto my Sins for they are great IV. Spare thy Servant good Lord which confesseth his Sins unto thee pour the Oil of thy sanctifying Grace into my Heart and work thereby in me a true and immediate Repentance and restore me again to thy favour according to thy gracious Promise to humble Penitents let thy merciful Providence so guide and govern me in this affliction thou hast been pleased to lay upon me that I may never fall into utter darkness ignorance of thee or inconsideration of my self V. Let the faintness of my Spirit and the Condemnation of my self be overcome by thy irresistable Light thou that art the God of all consolation grant that I may be mindful of the great account I have to make at the day of Judgment and that I may bear in mind the reward which is due to the faithful the end of misery and the beginning of all happiness but to the secure and careless the beginning of eternal punishment VI. Strengthen my Faith accept my penitential Tears speak peace to my Soul and Conscience and say Thou art my Salvation then let thy holy Spirit descend into my Heart with this express My Grace is sufficient for thee then shall my Heart leap for joy and my Soul shall be exceeding glad desiring to be dissolved and be at peace that after this frail mortal Life is ended I may enjoy the eternal fruition of they heavenly Presence VII Suffer me not O Lord in this my trial to be possess'd with a fear of Condemnation or to despond of thy Promises but in sure considence of heart apply to my self the remission of all my Sins that at the last hour by Faith in Jesus Christ I may enjoy a tast of eternal Salvation Let not Death if thou art pleased to send it be terrible or bitter unto me but when it cometh I may rejoicingly receive the fame and having escaped the storm of Temptation and the dangers of Satan I may triumph like a Conqueror and behold the Power and Presence of thy holy Spirit VIII Let my last words be the same which thy Son did utter upon the Cross saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and when my Speech is departed from me hear the groanings and sighs of my Heart and the desire of my Soul that at the last thy Servant may depart in Peace and reach those heavenly Mansions prepared for him My Soul O Lord heartily desireth to attain to that supernatural City whereof such glorious things are spoken IX Breathe inward Comforts to my Heart tho' my Body be going the way of all Flesh yet let my Soul go the way of all Saints Lord hear me and help me stand by me and save me and if thou hast determined to lay my Body into the Grave receive my Soul into thy Kingdom to rest in joy and peace for evermore through Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer to be said by those that visit the Sick O Most gracious God who hast Compassion upon all Men and hatest nothing that thou hast made mercifully we beseech thee to have Compassion on this thy Servant who by thy Visitation hath been sorely afflicted and by the same even brought to the end of his Days and period of his Life be pleased therefore good Lord to have Mercy upon him accept of him as the work of thine own Hands a Lamb of thy Fold thy Servant redeemed by Jesus Christ who is willing by thy appointment to leave this miserable World in full assurance of thy Mercy in Jesus Christ for the remission of his Sins II. Guide him good Lord in this his last Journey that he being quit of all the troubles of this transitory Life he may be safely conducted by thy power to the Heaven of Eternal Happiness into the Arms of boundless Mercy to everlasting Peace and perpetual Joys there to reign with all the Company of blessed Saints and Angels with thee in continual Bliss for evermore III. And gracious God we beseech thee by thy abundant Goodness by the multitude of thy tender Mercies and Compassions by the Merits of thy bitter Death and bloody Passion by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the Coming of thy holy blessed Spirit have mercy upon him deliver him from the burthen and guilt of his Sins from the fears and terrors of Death and from the fury and power of Hell IV. Lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon him that in all the pains of his Body in all the agonies of his Spirit let thy Comforts refresh his Soul and enable him patiently to wait till his Change shall come And grant O Lord that when this earthly House and Tabernacle of his Body shall be dissolv'd he may have a Building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens and that for his sake who by his most precious Blood hath purchased Salvation for all those who truly believe in him even Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen Meditations after Recovery Psal 116. 1. I Am well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice of my Prayer 2. That he hath enclined his Ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live 3. The Snares of Death compassed me round about and the Pains of Hell got hold upon me 4. I shall find trouble and heaviness and I shall call upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I
beseech thee deliver my Soul 5. Gracious is the Lord Righteous yea our God is merciful 6. The Lord preserveth the Simple I was in misery and he helped me 7. Turn again then unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath rewarded thee 8. And why thou hast delivered my Soul from Death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling 9. I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living 10. I believed and therefore will I speak but I was sore troubled I said in my hast all Men are Lyars 11. What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the Benefits that he hath done unto me 12. I will receive the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. 13. I will pay my Vows now in the presence of all his People right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints 14. Behold O Lord how that I am thy Servant I am thy Servant and the Son of thine Handmaid thou hast broken my Bonds in sunder 15. I will offer to thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. 16. I will pay my Vows unto the Lord in the sight of all his People in the Courts of the Lord's House even in the midst of thee O Jerusalem Praise the Lord. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Thanksgiving after Recovery O Holy and immortal God I Laud and Praise thy holy Name that thou hast been pleased to deliver me from the Jaws of Death and the Pit of Corruption and in some measure restored me again to my former Health crowning me with thy mercy and loving kindness my Soul and all that is within me shall magnifie thee I will praise thee O Lord with my whole Heart and will extol thee O thou that dwellest in the Heavens II. It is thou alone that hast preserved my life from destruction thou didst cast me down upon my Bed of Sickness and hast raised me up again by thy Almighty Power thou hast chastened and corrected me but not given me over unto Death My time is in thy hand O God thou art the God of the Spirits of all Flesh grant that this remnant of Life that thou hast thus graciously spared may be wholly dedicated to thy Service that I may walk before thee in newness and amendment of Life III. O thou that art the only Physician of Soul and Body thou hast once more permitted me to take up my Bed and walk O make me strictly careful as the watches of the Night to be vigilant over all my Thoughts Words and Actions that I may sin no more lest a worse thing happen unto me Let not this great mercy thou hast now given me make me supine and negligent and entertain those Thoughts that my Lord delayeth his coming but grant I beseech thee that I may make a right use of this thy Fatherly Chastisement and employ the remainder of my Life to thy Glory IV. I have found by experience of thine afflicting hand what a dreadful thing it is to be snatched away by the hands of Death without our accompts and unprepared O let it be a perpetual admonition to me to stand upon my Guard and to watch for my Master 's coming and whenever the Pleasures of Sin which endure but for a Season shall present themselves to entice and allure me make me to remember the bitterness of them at last Lord hear me and grant me grace to work out my own Salvation for thy dear Son's sake Amen A Prayer fit to be said at any time O Most glorious and powerful Lord God who createdst all things out of nothing and support'st the whole Universe by thy Providence I confess O Lord I was conceived in Original Sin now full of actual transgressions I was in the Womb a loathsome Substance I am in the World a Lump of Corruption and I shall be in the Grave a prey for Vermin II. But I know blessed Jesus thy Grace is sufficient for me thy Mercy can express it self in my Misery I know and confess O Lord that my Sins are exceeding many mighty and heinous yet thy Mercy is far greater for thou art infinite in mercy but I cannot be infinite in sinning and the Righteousness of Christ Jesus the Righteous is more prevalent for me than my own Unrighteousness can be against my self III. The Fountain of thy Mercy O God hath quenched the fire of thy Justice and graceless Man falling from Goodness is by thee repossessed of Greatness Wherefore I humbly beseech thee O Lord give me the Grace of continual Thankfulness strengthen my Weakness correct my Sinfulness direct my future Frailty and protect me against the Adversary kindle my Zeal enlighten my Understanding soften my stony Heart and save for ever my immortal Soul IV. And though my whole Life O Lord hath been impure and undefiled in thy sight yet through thy precious Blood and Passion by thine all-sufficient Sacrifice Obligation and Satisfaction revert my deserved Punishment and convert my passed Evils to present good and future joys in thine eternal and most glorious Kingdom V. Pardon good Lord my loss of Time my abuse of thy good Creatures my negligence in my lawful Employment my unthankfulness for thy Loving-kindness and whatsoever is wanting in my Person Practice Prayer or Thanksgiving make a supply of it in the Merits of thy Son Christ Jesus to whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit be all Praise and Glory now and evermore Amen Prayers for all Persons and Occasions A Prayer for the Church ALmighty and everlasting God who hast revealed thy Glory both to Jews and Gentiles in our Lord Jesus Christ extend thy hand of Providence and Mercy over all the World that thy Church may spread like a flourishing Vine and enlarge her Borders to the uttermost Parts of the Earth that all Nations partaking of the sweet refreshments of thy Gospel thy Name may be glorified the honour of our Lord Jesus advanced his Prophecies fulfilled and his Coming hastned II. Bless O Lord thy holy Catholick and Apostolick Church with all Blessings of Comfort Assistance and Preservation extirpate Heresies unite her Divisions give her Patience and Perseverance in the Faith and Confession of thy Name in despite of all Enmities Temptations and Disadvantages destroy all wicked Counsels intended or levied against her or any of her Children by the Devil or any of his accursed Instruments let the hands of thy Grace and Mercy lead her from this Vale of Misery to the triumphant Throne of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for the King WE beseech thee O Lord to bless and preserve thy Servant William our most gracious King and Governour with the richest Blessings of thy Grace and Favour make him valiant and prosperous as King David wise and rich like Solomon be unto him a Helmet of Salvation against the Face of his Enemies and a strong Tower