week past and grant that they may not interrupt the benefit of thy day to come if it shall please thee to bring me to the opportunity of it Qualifie me and prepare me for such a work as thy Sabbath expects from me according to the preparation of thy Sanctuary and being prepared I may meet with thy Self let thy Word be sweet to my Soul let it descend as rain upon the new-mown Grass let it water my dry and parched Soul and let the influences of thy Spirit accompany it that it may be effectual to the saving of my Soul Pardon the sins of this day of this present duty and all my life and accept my imperfection in the perfection of Christ Amen Of the SABBATH 1. WHat the Sabbath is and how many-fold it is 2. Of what use it is to us Christians 3. Why it was appointed 4. What are the Works to be done or omitted 1. As to the first What the Sabbath is The Sabbath amongst the Hebrews is called Schabbat Schebbet or Schabbathon that is a Cessation vacation from labour or rest Moreover it is called a Day by God devoted for his Worship and that for four Reasons 1. Because God on that day rested from his work of Creation although not from his Work of Providence 2. Because that the Sabbath is the Image or Representative of that spiritual and future Rest from sin 3. Because on this day we ought to rest from our Oeconomicks from our Houshold Affairs that God might imploy us in his Work 4. Because that our Servants and labouring Beasts might rest on that Day 2. Duplex enim est Sabbathum the Sabbath is two-fold 1. Moral and Internal or 2. Ceremonial or External First Moral and Internal or Spiritual and that is the desire of the knowledge of God and his Works to the end that we may avoid sin and serve God both in word and deed In a word It is an abstaining from sin and exercising the Works of God and worshipping him Isai 66.23 Secondly Ceremonial or External and that is an appointed and set time separate in the Church for the ministration of the Sacraments and dispensing the Word and other things appointed of God himself and this is either Mediately or Immediately from God himself appointed and laid down to the Church in the Old Testament which also is divers 1. A Sabbath of days which is every Seventh day of the Week peculiarly so called because of God's resting from his Creation work and for his people to rest on Thence by the Hebrews by a Synecdoche the whole week was called Sabbathum or Sabbatha c. 2. A Sabbath of Months Neomeniae viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nova Luna the time of the New Moon 3. A Sabbath of Years viz. every Seventh year in which the Jewish people were not to sow their ground Lev. 2.3 4 26 35. Lev. 25.8 2. More Mediate or external which God appointed by his Church in the New Testament which is the first day of the week namely the Lords Day which was observed by the Christian Church from the time of the Apostles instead of the seventh day and that in respect of the Resurrection of Christ 2. As to the second viz. of what use the Sabbath is to Christians The Sabbath from the beginning was appointed by God to the end that Man by God's Example might rest from all his Works especially from sin and afterward was renewed in the Mosaical Law to the end God might shew that yet he would honour the Sabbath more in sanctifying it to his Church namely that he would forgive their sins and receive them into his favour by the Messiah promised to their Fathers and that to be exhibited or held forth in his time and this may serve for a Reason why the Ceremonial Sabbath viz. the Seventh day is abolished wherein is represented the bounty of the Messiah and also puts us in mind of his Offices upon which acccount all the rest of the Sacraments Sacrifices and Ceremonies instituted before and after the Law were abolished by the coming of Christ notwithstanding this Sabbath's abrogation in the New Testament yet the Moral Sabbath is permanent and is of great use to us namely that we might have a certain time appointed for the work and service of God it being no less necessary that a certain day be instituted now in the Christian as well as formerly in the Jewish Church for the dispensing of the Word and administring publickly the Sacraments of God Moreover we are not limited to any day of the week strictly as some will have it as the third fourth or fifth or any other and therefore the Apostolical Church being free by the gift of or if you will by that liberty freely bestowed by Christ for distinction sake to wit between them and the Jewish Synagogue they used the First day for the Seventh for this probable Reason that on that day of Christ's Resurrection our spiritual and internal Sabbath was begun in us In a word we are bound to a Ceremonial Sabbath in genere sed non in specie that is that we ought to have a day wherein the Church may be taught and the Sacraments administred yet limited to no certain day Obj. 1. The Decalogue is a perpetual Law may some say The Command concerning the Sabbath is of the Decalogue therefore the Law is perpetual Resp. True The Decalogue is perpetual as it is Moral but the Appendices or Determinations of Moral Commands in respect of signification were only to be kept till the coming of Christ Obj. 2. The Precepts of the Decalogue belong to all This is a Precept of the Decalogue therefore this belongs to all Resp. Granted as touching its Morality but it is also Ceremonial in part and so it doth not belong to us nisi quo ad genus The Reasons are evident 1. Sr. Paul saith Col. 2.16 Let none judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the New Moon or of the Sabhath 2. The Apostles themselves changed the Seventh-days Sabbath 3. From the end of the Law it was a Type of things to be fulfilled by Christ to wit of Sanctification c. the Type must needs be abrogated the thing typified being produced Obj. 3. The Lord saith of the Sabbath That it is a sign for ever between him and the children of Israel Therefore the Sabbath is not to be abolished Resp. The Ceremonial Sabbath is perpetual until Christ which is the end of Ceremonies 2. The Sabbath is eternal quo ad rem significatam which is a cessation from sin and rest in God and so of all other Types in the Old Testament yea the Kingdom of David which was destroyed at the coming of the Messiah Obj. 4. The Laws given before Moses 's time were immutable The Seventh-days Sabbath was instituted before Moses 's Therefore the Sevenths-days Sabbath is immutable provided that we assent that Moses 's Laws were mutable Resp. 'T is
only true in the Moral Law 't is denied in the Ceremonial These Types before Moses shewing the bounty of the Messiah were abolisht at his comming as Circumcision given to Abraham In like manner the Sacrifices either commanded to our first Parents or practised by them Object 5. The Laws given by God before the Fall were not Types of the Bounties of Christ all grant the promise of the Messiah being not as then given although the condition of the whole humane race was one and the same The Seventh days Sabbath was instituted before the Fall of Mankind therefore it is universal and perpetual Resp Per distinctionem materiis which is true concerning the Moral Law whose natural knowledge was imprinted in the mind of man in the Creation but not concerning the Seventh day Sabbaths Ceremony which after the fall in the Mosaical Law is made a type of the benefits of the Messiah And besides all this other Ceremonies whether instituted before or after by the Messias were made obnoctious to change for God will not let them remain under the shaddows the things themselves being exhibited 3. What are the causes of the institution of the Sabbath 1. For the Publick Worship of God in his Church 2. For the preservation of the Ecclesiastical Ministry which teacheth what we are to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of us 3. That the type in the Old might denote or represent the spiritual in the New Testament Ezek. 20.12 4. That there might be an ordinary exercise of Prayer of Confession and of Obedience toward God 5. By reason of the Seventh days circumstance to wit that it might put us in mind both of our great Creation and Redemption Work 6. That on that day the greatest Works of Liberality and Benignity might be exercised toward our Neighbour 7. Because of that Corporal Rest of both Man and Beast of Bruits indeed because of Man 8. That the Israelites might be known by this mark from other Countries 4. What are the Works of the Sabbath commanded or forbidden Or how the Sabbath is kept or violated 1. The Sabbath is sanctified when Works are done and holily observed which God has commanded 2. The Sabbath is profaned when Works are either neglected or abused in the use of them or hindred by a profane violence The Works whereby the Sabbath is either sanctified or profaned are these 1. First Rightly to instruct the Church concerning God viz. What he is and What his Will is viz. What Duties either Negative or Affirmative he requires of man On the contrary 1. Neglect of Publick or Private Instruction Isa 56.10 2. Depravation or Diminution of the Doctrine that ought to be taught Ezek. 34.2 2 Cor. 2.17 3. Secondly Administring the Sacraments according to Divine Institution Unto which we ought to come being lawfully called by the Ministers of the Church as the Vice-gerents of God and that especially on the Lords Day On the contrary Omitting or neglecting instructing the Church to use the Sacraments and an illegal Administration of the same viz. By a detracting from or adding to the Essentials of Worship appointed of God or any thing in them or excluding any that ought to come to receive or pertake or to encourage those that ought not or not to teach the lawful use of them 3. Thirdly Diligently to learn the True Doctrine That is to attend on and hear the Doctrine of God 1 Tim. 4.16 and daily to meditate in the same The Contraries 1. Contempt or neglect of the Doctrine by either being absent at Assemblies or not regarding the Ministers or not meditating on or inquiring into the Doctrine of Christ 2. Neglect of knowing the Doctrine either by Ministers or people 3. Curiosities either by prying into Gods secrets or unnecessary things or novelties Luke 12 48. Prov. 25.27 1 Tim. 4.7 2 Tim. 4.3 Tit. 3.9 4. Fourthly To use the Sacraments according to Divine instruction Acts 20.7 Repugnants to this 1. The omission or contempt of the Sacraments 2. Profanation of the Sacraments when they are either used not after the same way or not by them whom God hath instituted 3. Asuperstitious use of them 5. Fifthly Invocation of God publickly Wherein we adjoyn confession or giving of thanks and our desires with the Church Repugnants 1. Neglect of Prayers of the Church 2. Hypocrisie in Prayers of the Church without attention or affection 3. A recitation of Prayers that edifie not 1 Cor. 14.17 6. Sixthly Charity and Bounty towards the Poor that is giving Alms or doing works of Mercy towards the Needy with delight and singleness of heart Repugnants 1. Neglect or contempt of the Poor 2. Ostentation and shew in giving which Christ condemns 7. Seventhly Honour of the Ecclesiastical Ministry which comprehends 1. Reverence 2. Love 3. Obediencee 4. Gratitude 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Equity in bearing with the infirmities of Ministers Family Prayers For every day in the WEEK A Prayer for the Sabbath Omost holy great and glorious God thou that art the rest of thy poor Creatures the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ whom thou hast instituted Lord of the Sabbath in whose strength we desire to approach thy holy presence this thy holy sabbath-Sabbath-day a day of thy own appointment wherein thou wilt be found in an especial manner and as it is to be a day of rest for all flesh after thine own institution Lord help us not only to rest from our ordinary Labours and Imployments but from any thing that may be disconsonant to thy Will and Word not doing our own actions nor speaking our own words nor thinking our own thoughts that thereby we being prepared according to the preparation of thy Sanctuary may be in the Spirit on the Lords Day to meet with thee and by meeting with thee we may hear thee communicate some sweet truth to us whereby we may be drawn nigher to thy self by the blood of Christ And seeing thou wast pleased Lord to honour this day by the Resurrection of our blessed Redeemer let us have more evidence from thy self this day that we are risen with him having conquered by him Death Grave Hell and Sin O let us see him whom our sins have pierced that we by faith may mortifie that that crucified him and let us have a glimpse of our beloved in his glory and let us this day hearken to his voice that we may know to love what he loves and hate what he hates to be in love with sanctity and holiness and to be at enmity with every similitude of sin which will hinder our services this day in his name to be as a sweet smell in Gods Nostrils Help us to hold fast our hope and confidence in God unto the end and let that considence be a perfect assurance that we have an interest in Jesus Let the word preached be mixed with saith let it be quick and powerful and piercing that it may accomplish that end for which it was sent Let not
Eternity on which felicity or eternal misery attends O Lord increase our Faith and settle us in that Faith that is precious and pure that by it we may be able to resist the Devil and overcome and conquer the World and the Flesh that it may be the substance of things not seen and that thereby we may be like Noah to prepare an Ark against a Deluge condemning the World O give us the trying Faith of Abraham the living Faith of dying Jacob and the living Faith of Moses to chuse affliction rather than sin that we may esteem the reproach of Christ the greatest riches that we may by that Faith obtain Promises work Righteousness Now the God of Peace that brought again our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepherd through the everlasting Covenant keep us Amen A Prayer for Fryday Evening GReat and glorious Lord in Jesus Christ a tender Father to humble and penitent sinners let conscience of duty and not custom attend our approaches unto thee the Lord of Life and Glory thy mercies of this day are more than we can conceive but the requitals we have made how inequivolent are they How seldom did we look up to thee that always seest us at what a low ebb are our thoughts of thee O lay our hearts as low and much lower in reference to our selves Let us not O our God find our return of mercies according to our miscarriages let us not thereby be disappointed of our rest and refreshment this approaching night Blessed be thy Name that thou hast laid help on one that is able to save O save us by him let his Blood plead and his Person satisfie and let him prevail for us and his offering up of himself clear us Lord we believe help our unbelief O that our hearts were more heavenly and more removed from this drossie earth that we might in nothing be careful O help us to be good and do good in our Generation Help us to chuse affliction rather than sin that we may follow the great high Priest of our Profession by the Cross to the Crown and by the Grave to Glory Mind us of our end and give us wisdom to consider in this day of ours the things that belong to our peace before they be hid from our eyes and seeing our time is but short let our zeal be the greater Let the blessing pronounced in the Mount be our portion Let us both be pure and poor in spirit Give us to mourn for sin that we may be comforted Let us be armed with meekness and hungering and thirsting after righteousness and satisfie us Let mercifulness peace and sufferings for righteousness sake comfort us here and hereafter in and through Jesus Christ in whose Name we farther call on thee in his own words Our Father c. A Prayer for Saturday Morning MOst holy most glorious Lord the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for whose sake alone we beg pardon for all our sins secret and known of ignorance or knowledge of youth or riper years against thy Law or Gospel Deliver thy poor Creatures from all those curses denounced against sin and sinners None ever confessed and forsook sin but found mercy O sanctifie us throughout with thy holy Spirit that we may live the life of faith and not of sin being assured that it shall go well with the righteous they shall eat the fruit of their doings Blessed Lord give us grace to walk worthy the mercies of the last nights refreshments Let thy good providence be over us this day preserve us in our concerns Deliver us both Souls and Bodies that desire to fear thy holy Name that we may be praising the riches of thy free grace Let us be blessed in our goings out and comings in Let thy glory be our greatest design in whatsoever we undertake Prepare us for our later end and our great account and let Eternity be always eyed by us Let our thoughts words and actions be considered and poised Let every day put us in mind of the great day that in every day we may be drawn a step nigher unto Christ our Redeemer in whom and for whom we bless thee for ever Amen A Prayer for Saturday Evening O Most blessed Lord thou art acquainted with our down-lying and uprising and art near to all them that call on thee in truth and sincerity Let not iniquity prevail over us Let thy grace be sufficient for us against sin and Sathans wiles and help us to be thankful both in heart and life for what thou art pleased to bestow upon us by way of providence Help us in time of health to prepare for sickness and death in time of plenty to prepare for want and to lay up a store of never sading treasure Sanctifie both days labour and nights rest and pardon the sins of the whole week past and help us in thy day following to be so sitted and qualified that we may be as diligent for thee as we have been for our selves that it may be a day of rejoycing Let it be such a Sabbath as that it may be an earnest of an eternal Sabbath where we shall rejoyce and praise thee for ever Grant that by practising holiness we may enjoy happiness seeing that it must and shall go well with the Godly their great evils shall be removed and sin pardoned the mercy of mercies he cannot be miserable who has a God so merciful as to pardon his sin O grant us this mercy what ever else thou deny thy will be done for outward comforts so that we by the riches of this thy free grace have such pardon of sin as we be not disturbed in inward comforts Grant that by living to thee here we may enjoy thee hereafter Let us be content with tossings so that we may enjoy the desired Haven nay though our Ship viz. this Body breaks let us that is our Souls be secured in the Lord Châ—â—â—â— Let our crosses end in comforts our miseries in matchless joyes our tears in true tunes for Heaven and let our conquest over all end in the praise of our great Captain All these and what thou knowest may better fit us for thy self grant for thy promise and for thy Sons sake to whom be Eternal Glory Amen A Prayer for a Woman with-child before her time of Delivery MOst Holy Lord Blessed be thy great Name for thy mercy shewed to thine Hand-maid thou hast given her good hopes through grace to become a joyful Mother thou art Righteous in all thy ways thy threat for sin is just that in sorrow the Woman should bring forth yet thou of thy great mercy hast taken off from me the reproach of Woman and hast given me strength to conceive and to nourish it hitherto O preserve both me and it at the time of Travel Let me bring forth and let the work be compleated by thee by whom Creatures are wonderfully made Prepare thy poor Creature by Faith and Prayer for that hour that
thee more to have blessed me in all my Enterprizes Lord help me to redeem time because the days are evil I thank thee for thy care and preserving providence this day As touching those things that have been done amiss in any way or manner this day by me let them not prevent night mercies O deal in Mercy and not in Judgement with me let thy love conceal all my offences As touching this night Let my rest in it be sweet unto me Let every night be as it were a memento of the silent night in the Grave a remembrance of death to put me in mind of my later end Make my rest sweet unto me that being refreshed with moderate rest I may the next morning bless thy name and be ingaged to a more lively activity for God the next day and that for Christs sake Amen A Prayer for Fryday Morning GLorious Lord 't is thy great condescension that thou dost after such a manner afford the priviledge of the means of Grace unto me and that thou doest give me fresh occasions every morning to praise thee and to pray unto thee to thank thee for Mercies received and to beg further supplies of future Mercies O Lord let not my unthankfulness prevent what further blessings thou mayest design for me O I have been very ungrateful unthankful and unkind in that I have expressed my thankfulness no more by an holy humble and a regular walking before thee Pardon that black sin of ingratitude of which I have been too too much guilty by walking contrary to thy Prescriptions and contrary to the Canons and Constitutions of Heaven Pardon that I have done so little for God that I have loved so little whereas God has loved me so much evidenced by his gracious dealings to me-wards O help me to believe and that strongly hope for Heaven more confidently and love thee more servently and bear the Cross more patiently and submissively that thereby I might steer my course more evenly to the New Jerusalem Lord thou hast been very kind unto me thou hast dealt with me in love this night in my preservation and protection in Soul and Body from Spiritual and Corporal Enemies thou hast guarded me by thy special Providence Accept of my thankfulness and grant that my humility and thankfulness may ingage thee to extend more of thy benignity prosperity and ability in the affairs of this life Sanctifie my heart that this day I may act for God as in the presence of God Direct me in the courses not only of this day but all my days that all may be to thy Glory and the comfort of my Soul through Christ Amen A Prayer for Fryday Evening BLessed God it is the great comfort of thy People that at any time thou art pleased in such a condescending manner to let them spread their cases before thee O Lord sure I am Thou never saidst to the Seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain for so thy word manifests unto us Whereas Lord I dust and clay have rebelled against thee from time to time yet thou art pleased to admit me to come into thy presence and to tell what my wants are and blessed be thy Name thou hast granted a supply and hast encouraged me to come again and hast not dealt with me after the manner of men but hast been pleased many times to grant me the same Mercies that I formerly abused How many days have I spent vainly and yet thou hast given me the enjoyment of more I pray thee pass by my many miscarriages in this very days course O how little have I done for thee how little honour have I brought to thy Name How selfish have I been How unmindful of God have I been How little have I done in order to the making of my Calling and Election sure Lord how shall I escape in the neglecting so many precious opportunities Instead of doing thy will I have followed the dictates of mine own carnal heart and corruption Instead of doing thy will I have done mine own Pardon what is amiss this day and sanctifie this nights Mercy unto me Let thy good Angels keep me let thy Spirit preserve me let my very thoughts be towards thee keep me from vanity from sin that foul destructive enemy and keep me from the Paw of that roaring Lyon Let me acquiesce and rest in thee through thy Son Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for Saturday Morning LOrd God Merciful and Gracious and abundant in Goodness and Truth thou hast been pleased to preserve me with thy special Providence from time to time from day to day and night to night and to keep me under and in all straits in and amidst the vicissitudes of this World of Incumbrances O thou hast dealt bountifully with me Grant that I may not be barren under all that thy Providences may not be silent to me Thou hast said Day unto Day uttereth Wisdom and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge O teach me by all Let every Mornings Mercy and every Evenings Mercy and every Days Mercy be of much use unto me yea let all Seasons be advantagious to me Let time be improved by me for God for which end all Time was given to Man Lord direct me in all my Affairs this day counsel me in all my Concerns prosper me in all my Designs strengthen me in all my undertakings and grant that as thou renewest my strength by rest and sleep thou also may'st renew me in the spirit of my mind let not my heart be set upon the world as to draw my assections from thee nor let the cares of the world prevent me in the care for my Soul Mortifie all my corruptions in me for me rectifie my Judgment mortifie my Will change my Nature illuminate my Understanding and transform me to the Image of God Grant these and what thou in thy wisdom know'st necessary for me through Christ Jesus Amen A Prayer for Saturday Evening HOly Lord what great cause have I to bless thee that thou hast pleased to preserve me all this week and keep me in the midst of all the vicissitudes of this sickle and unconstant world and admittest me yet again to come before thee by way of duty Grant that I may not look upon it as a Duty only but as a Priviledg and that a great one a Priviledge that many enjoy not And what am I more than they I have been guilty of sins both for quantity and quality it may be that they were never guilty of Opardon me that I can be no more thankful for nor profitable in the enjoyment of the same Work in me Lord a more active frame of spirit that I may bring more honour to thy Name let the fruits of Grace spring more apparently in my life Let thy Word teach me thy Spirit guide and sanctifie me thy Son redeem me thy Power preserve me and thy Providence sustain me Yea let all work together for the best for me Pardon the sins of this
Satan come and catch away the Seed but O that it may be as seed sown in good and honest hearts bringing forth fruit with patience meet for repentance and let it be for the weakning of sin but for the strengthening of faith and grace Let thy Word be as Manna for our poor Souls to feed upon for the week to come that thereby we may grow up in grace as we grow in years Let thy word be a sutable word unto every one of our conditions and come thou into our Souls with it with the freest influence of thy Spirit that we may of a truth meet with God communicating of himself unto us by his Word and Spirit And as the Soul is separated from the Body by Death so let sin be separated from our Souls by thy Word and Spirit O let it be separate from our Souls or else it will separate the Souls of us poor Creatures from God Let thy Minister who is thy Messenger be strengthened and touch his tongue with a coal from thine Altar that he may preach experimental truth to the hearts of us poor Creatures that desire to attend on thine Ordinances O let us taste and see how gracious the Lord is and let us have cause to say It is good to draw nigh to God in his own Ordinances on his own Day And let this day of rest be a certain pledge of an eternal rest purchased by our great high Priest who is preparing a place for his select ones O that this thy day may be spent in the performances of holy duties in praise and thanksgiving the work of thine appointment Unvail some secret this day let us be drawn nigher every day unto thy self Let us be so enlightened that sin may decay and grace may be renewed in us Let us come hungering and thursting after Spiritual Food for our Souls so that in the close of this day we by a grounded experience may say that God has satisfied our hungring Souls with refreshing influences from Heaven thorow the Blood of Jesus Christ in whose words we conclude our imperfect requests as he himself has taught us saying Our Father c. An Evening Prayer for the Sabbath MOst Holy and ever Blessed Lord God who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence fill the Souls of thy poor empty Creatures with the presence of thy Grace and let thy good Spirit bring to our remembrance the truths that we by thy providence have heard this thy day that we may lay it up in our hearts and practice it in our lives that we may be of those blessed ones that hear thy word and keep it and bring forth fruit in abundance and let it take root in our hearts downward and bring forth fruit upward Establish our Souls in the practice of Holiness without which we can never come to see thy self and let the power of sin be weakened but let Grace be strengthened every day Pardon that unpreparedness that we have intruded into thy presence with and that irreverence whilst under thy Ordinances and that carelesness after that we all have been guilty of Pardon our forgetfulness and pardon our imperfection in the perfection of Christ our weakness in the strength of Christ that thereby we may find acceptance with thee who art all fulness and in whose hands is all perfection Fill our Souls with the fulness of God and let the bedewings of thy Spirit and Word cause us to grow in our spiritual stature Help us to prize the priviledge of the Gospel at an inestimable rate and give us repentance from dead works that we may be changed from darkness unto light and from the power of sin unto God And help us to manifest in our lives and conversation what is the hope of our calling that we may be in Heaven whilst on Earth Pardon the sins of our holy things sins of omission and commission sins against thy Law and sins against thy Gospel Give us Wisdom to direct and teach us Righteousness to establish us Redemption to deliver us from the jaws of Sin and Hell Strengthen our weak Faith enlarge our shallow Capacities quiet our disturbed Consciences tread down Satan under our feet and subjugate our Necks under thy Yoak and help us to resign our selves to thy Will and fit us for Eternity at last that after these Sabbaths be ended here we may begin an everlasting Sabbath with the God of Sabbaths where we shall admire thy self in Christ in whose Name we conclude our imperfect requests in his own words as he hath taught us saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Monday Morning BLessed Lord thou renewest thy mercies every Morning it is of thy mercy that one day more is added to us poor Creatures Thou art he on whom depends our being rest life and all thou has been pleased to cause us to acquiesce in and under thy protection for our refreshment O Lord preserve us this day under the shadow of thy wing and keep us in thy ways and let thy watchful providence be an instigation to an holy walking and to redeem the time seeing the days are evil and to live as ever before the Eye of thy All-seeing Providence Keep us from sin and enable us to live with thankful hearts bearing in mind the acts of thy Spirit and the daily Mercies we enjoy help us to shew a thankfulness for Mercies received and humility for and under Afflictions Let the bitterness of Sin and the loveliness of Holiness make deep impression on the hearts of thy poor Creatures Let the great work of Salvation be much meditated upon that that work daily may be propagated by us with fear and trembling Let union and communion with Christ be our great design Let our Natures be changed Deliver us from a dark understanding and hardness of heart stupid consciences together with unmortisied wills Help us to be wise for the future wherein we have done foolishly and help us wisely to improve our Talents in every opportunity Let thy mercies constrain us to love fear and obey thee Subdue us wholly to thy self that our affections may be elevated from the Earth and transplanted into Heaven Help us in every transaction in our lives to consider that with thee every action is poised and thoughts words and works reviewed and taken notice of O that the affairs of this day and all the week to come may be no obstruction to the work of our immortal Souls And grant that every day that passes over our heads we may be a step nearer to thy self Preserve us by thy Grace and Spirit until it shall be thy will to translate us into that Glory that is prepared for them that wait for the coming of Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for Monday Evening MOst Holy Eternal and ever Blessed Lord God in whom all our springs are it is good to draw nigh to thy self Thou that never slumberest nor sleepest suffer us not to sleep the sleep of Death The Day thou hast
Righteous that we may die the Death of the Righteous Deliver us from a vain and darkned Understanding and from working Uncleanness with greediness Enable us to put off as touching our Conversation the Old man and put on the New Man being renewed in the spirit of our Minds that we may be created after the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness Prepare us for another Life and let not one day pass over our heads without some serious meditations of Eternity how soon it may be we cannot tell ere we may launch into its Ocean that bankless Sea and then woe unto us if our Ship be unsound Let these thoughts make us careful about our Souls Help us to use the things of this transitory World but as journey necessaries to a permanent and lasting World but let us be truly desirous of the permanent Riches with an insatiable desire Make us wise Merchants for that durable riches that none can rob us of Now Lord pardon our sins and accept our services in Chrst to whom with thee and thy Eternal Spirit be praises Amen A Prayer for Wednesday Evening GLorious and most Righteous Lord for ever to be admired of all thy Saints thy ways are ways of love and mercy thy daily care to thy people do attest it we are wonderfully engaged to offer thee praise both with hearts and voices Accept of our thanks and praises as well as prayers for an Evening Sacrifice and take charge of us we beseech thee Let us not be disappointed of our hopes Let not Sin nor Sathan molest us in the comforts of this night Let not the sins of the day past provoke thee or prevent us in thy favours to us-ward Let us rest in the assurance of thy favour sealed by thy good Spirit upon our hearts that we be not left comfortless and grant that though our Bodily Eyes be closed with sleep yet let our Spiritual Eyes to wit the Eyes of Faith continually watch Let thy work of Grace begun in us be daily strengthened Let the power of sin decay but the power of Grace revive Enable us to rise with Christ and to seek those things that are above that we may glorifie thee here by finishing the race that is set before us Keep us from abusing or slighting thy Mercies and Judgemnts and watch over us for good Let not our self-flattery prove to us soul-mockery Make us faithful rather than formal in all our duties towards thee Deliver us from worldly mindedness the great enemy to real holiness Give us the grace of humiliation for sin and the spirit of reformation from sin O suffer us not to sin against Mercy lest we lose our best friend O let the service of God which is perfect freedom free us from the service of sin Now unto him that is able to keep us be Glory for ever Amen A Prayer for Thursday Morning HOly and Eternal Glorious Lord God infinite are thy Mercies to us ward thy patience and long suffering are exceeding great in regard of our continued provocations even in our thoughts which are only evil and that continually our words also have been stout against thee nothing but infinite mercy could forbear such wretches blessed be our God that hath laid help yea our help upon one that is mighty to save all those that come unto God by him O whither should such sinners go but to him that hath the Keys of Heli and Death that calls to the weary and heavy laden to come to him and accept of ease and rest O Lord draw us that we may run after thee that we may run the way everlasting the way of thy commands and be followers of that which is good hating the Garments spotted by the Flesh building up our selves in the most holy faith Enable us O our God with all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure adding to our Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Charity O let these Graces shine and abound in us that we may neither be barren nor unfruitful Give us precious faith in our Lord Jesus who hath washed and quickned us Make us the compleat Workman-ship of Christ Jesus created unto good works Sanctifie us through thy Truth thy Word is Truth and give us that Spirit that may guid us into all Truth Lead us this day and all the rest of our lives by thy Grace and at last bring us to Glory through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen A Prayer for Thursday Evening MOst gracious Lord thou art the great preserver of those that trust in thy Promises and observe thy Precepts Blessed be thy holy Name for this day past that thou hast kept us from the dangers of this day incident to us Blessed be thou Lord for all thy Providence and Provision for Health and Strength Food and Rayment for the present Comforts of this Life and the hopes of a future Let all our sins be pardoned for the sake of our Lord who only is worthy O vouchsafe to continue thy goodness this night that we may receive that refreshment that is for tryed ones Watch over us for good and let a quiet and peaceable rest fit us for our Calling according to thy will Help us to live by Faith and to walk by Faith that we may have that Peace that none can take away Let us die daily to sin and be strengthened daily with all might in the inward man Help us to consider the effects of sin is shame and the wages of sin is death Give us the comforts of our being in Christ that we may beassured that we are freed from condemnation by our christian conversation who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit O let thy Spirit so lead us that it may be our testimony that we are thine Let all that we suffer here be an evidence of that Glory to be revealed in us Let all things work together for the best Let neither tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword be able to prevail against us so as to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ for whom we bless thee and to whom be praises for ever Amen A Prayer for Fryday Morning MOst Holy and most gracious Lord thou art near unto all that call upon thee in truth and fulfillest the desires of those that fear thee Thou art good and dost good thy mercies are over all thy works Blessed be the Lord for his refreshing mercies of the last night Day unto day and night unto night shew forth thy tenderness over us by thy providences and provision O deliver us from all sins and evil for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory Help us to live blameless with those with whom we have to deal O give us wisdom to remember our later end Let us remember the approaching of
appointed for Man to Labour in and the Night for Man to Rest into thy hands we commit our selves and desire to acquiesce in thee Let us be put in mind of the everlasting rest by every nights rest we enjoy Help us to make it our business to do our great work we have to do before the night of Death and the Grave overtake us O let not opportunities neglected and mispent be hindrances of the present and future enjoyments and opportunities Let not the abuse of time extinguish diminish or shorten our time Let not sin prevent our mercies neither let the guilt of sin nor punishment for the same overtake us at the same time Let not the sins of the day past mercies prevent us in night mercies but let them all be pardoned in the Blood of Jesus Preserve us this night and let the mercies of the night fit us for an humble walking with thee the day following that nights mercies and days mercies may be of such use unto us that we by both may be fitted for an enjoyment of thy self both here and hereafter Keep us from the vanity of our minds Keep us from all our Enemies Spiritual and Corporal let the roaring Lion be chained up that goes about seeking whom he may devour and let us acquiesce under the shadow of thy wings that we may both lie down and rise again in peace knowing the Lord sustains us for the sake of him that procures us all our happiness our mercies and blessings Amen A Prayer for Tuesday Morning HOly God it is not the least of thy mercies that thou commandest us to seek thee let us not think it a burden but a priviledge that we are admited in way of duty to call on thee not only to beg mercies of thee but to give thee thanks for mercies received We thank thee that thou out of thy Benignity hast been pleased to afford us thy providential protection this night past wherein we are brought to a farther experience of thy love Let every mercy be farther engagements to praise thee Thou our Lord hast made us to sleep in safety and hast made us to experience that unless thou keep the City the Watch-men watch in vain and that it is the blessing of thee our God that has preserved us this night past O Lord Let us in all our undertakings this day know that it is not rising up early and sitting up late and eating the Bread of carefulness that will do only the Lord that blesses what we undertake O Lord Act for us this day and help us in all that we do that it may be to thy praise O that our hearts and lives might speak forth thy praise for the renovation of mercies every morning and that our eyes may be towards thy self for all our strength in all our affairs this day that whatsoever we do all may be to the praise of our God Let our work prosper in our hands and let us find that God acts for us Help us to observe all the passages of thy providences that every day we may experience more of thy power that thereby we may be drawn out to fear thee and say surely the Lord is God and that he has made us and not we our selves and that he makes all work together for the best to them that love him O bless us in the beginning and in the close of this day bless us in our goings out and comings in bless us in our labours Let our pains and diligence put us in mind of our great work our industry for terrestrial put us in mind of celestial gain and help us with all our gettings to get understanding that we may be wise for our selves Deliver us from the infection of sin and enable us to keep our selves spotless from covetousness or any thing that is disconsonant to thy will in Christ Amen A Prayer for Tuesday Evening MOst gracious Lord thou art he and there is none else Thou hearest the Prayers of poor Creatures at all times and upon all occasions thou art near and ready to incline thine ear and to have mercy and forgive all the sinful miscarriages of thy poor Creatures Truly thou art good and dost good our Souls experience it every day thou art slow to anger and of great kindness and repentest thee of the evil O that we could walk so closely with thee as never to offend thee To whom Lord belongs praises but to thine own self who hast in all our concerts been our Agent for us O Lord let our Souls delight in thy self Let it be our recreation to do thy will And now O Lord we would commit our selves into thy hand desiring thy Providence to keep us thy Spirit to bless us that whether sleeping or waking we may be thine Refresh these frail Bodies of ours with quiet rest that our Bodies being refreshed we may both with Soul and Body which are thine sing forth thy praises Help us to meditate upon thy truths even on our Beds that we may spend many watchful hours about the great concerns of our everlasting Souls And help us laying our Heads to our Pillows to sanctifie thee in our hearts and when we awake the next morning we may awake in the same manner knowing that Sathan is ready to suggest some temptation and thereby steal away our hearts making the World or the Flesh our objects Help us always to study most to please God and displease Sathan and to give Sathan no ground knowing that so long as we resist him he thou Lord hast said shall slie from us Let us rest in thy self seeing thy Name is a strong Tower and they that flee into it are safe from sins dominion keep us from Sathans temptations defend us from our evil hearts secure us and sanctifie our hearts and send a bedewing of thy holy Spirit upon us to sweeten our troubles and sanctifie our mercies in Christ Jesus Amen A Prayer for Wednesday Morning HEavenly Father by whom and from whom all our strong consolations through Grace are enjoyed by us worthless Creatures sleeping and waking we are secured from the terrors of the night and those amazements wherewith thou sometimes hast amazed them that were better than our selves are O save us by thy Grace and prepare us for Glory deliver us from the sinners cursed questions What is the Almighty that we should serve him Or What profit shall we have if we pray unto him How oft are their Candles put out Give us grace to live to thee shewing the truth of Grace by dealing righteously towards all men that so keeping the faith in purity of conscience having our hope and heart fixed on thy self we may rejoyce in and call upon thy Name who only art a present help in time of trouble Preserve us in this wilderness the World until we shall attain to the Heavenly Canaan O let our Souls be more and more in love with Holiness to live the Life of Christ and the Life of the