Morning on the Week-Days you may pray by your self thus O Most gracious God and mercifull Father I thine unworthy servant do here acknowledge that as I was born in sin so I have lived in iniquity and broken thy Righteous Laws in thought word and deed following too much the desires of my own Will and not caring as I ought to be governed by thy holy Word and Spirit and am therefore liable to all shame and misery both in this Life and that which is to come But O Heavenly Father I beseech Thee for the Merits of thy dear Son to forgive me all my sins and not to inflict that punishment which is due unto me for them And send thy Holy Spirit into my heart which may assure me that thou art my reconciled Father and that thou lovest me with an unchangeable Love And let the same thy good Spirit lead me in the ways of Truth and Righteousness and crucifie in me more and more all worldly and carnall lusts And here O Lord from the bottom of my heart I thank Thee for all thy Blessings bestowed upon my Soul or Body Particularly for any measure of Refreshment given unto me the Night past and that thou hast brought me safe to the light of another Day O Lord I pray Thee continue to be gracious unto me let thy Fear be always before my eyes and thy Grace so rule in my heart that whatever I shall think speak or do may tend to thy Glory the Good of others and the peace of my own Conscience I now recommend my self and all my concerns together with all near Relations and those that belong unto me to thy mercifull Direction and Protection intreating Thee to keep us from all evil and to give a Blessing to all our honest and lawfull Endeavours and to make all thy Providences towards us to work together for our good Bless O Lord the Kings Majesty and all the Royal Family with all inferiour Magistrates under Him Bless the Bishops and Pastors of the Church Comfort all that are sick and comfortless And O Lord keep me in a continual readiness by Faith and Repentance for my last end that whether I live or die I may be thine accepted of Thee through Christ Jesus my only Saviour in whose prevailing Name I sue for these and all other needfull Graces and Mercies continue to pray unto Thee as he himself hath taught me saying Our Father c. Praying alone unless removed out of the hearing of others speak with a whispering rather then a loud Voice as Hannah did 1 Sam. 1. 13. She spake in her heart onely her lips moved but her voice was not heard Thus not being heard of others they cannot suspect you to affect any vain glory in what you do Yet you will find this way usefull both to stir up your Affections and to help your Attention of Mind by keeping you from many wandring and distracting thoughts which you would otherwise be liable unto Note further that when alone in Secret you may sometimes makeless use of a set Form of Prayer and take more freedom in opening your Heart and particular Condition unto God as he shall enable you He knows and will graciously answer your humble and sincere desires Greater heed is to be taken for Method and Expression when we pray with others that they may joyn with us to their Edification At Evening on the Week-Days when the Family is come together at the fittest time before they go to their Rest let the Governours themselves or some Child or Servant whom they shall appoint reading first some portion of Scripture if they have time distinctly and leasurely read one of the two following Prayers A Family-Prayer for the Evening on the Week-Days O Lord the Creator of the World and the Redeemer of Mankind who knowest all things and canst do what thou pleasest and hast done us very much Good already and promised to do more for us if we be obedient then we can ask or think we here fall down before Thee in the lowest manner to express our fear and reverence to thy Almighty Power our admiration of and submission to thy unsearchable Wisdom our hearty love and thankfull acknowledgment of thy wondrous Goodness our trust and confidence in thy Faithfull Promises with our ready and sincere purposes to perform all Obedience to thy holy Commands There is nothing O Lord so afflictive to us as the remembrance that we have at any time offended thy Sovereign Authority We are heartily sorry for the breaking any of thy Righteous and Good Laws and therefore beseech Thee for the sake of Christ to pardon the same unto us and that we may abhor the thoughts of doing so again ever resolving by thy Assistance to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live Righteously Soberly and Godly in this present World and to strive to be like our Saviour Christ in meekness and lowliness of Spirit in Purity and Zeal for thy Worship and Glory and in being ready as we have opportunity to take the more pains that we may do the more good in the World Oh do thou we pray thee strengthen in us these resolutions which thou hast inspired us withall and ever further them by thy continued Grace that no sudden desires ineffectual purposes or partial performances may deceive or lead us into a false Opinion of our selves but that we may bring forth actually and with a constant Spirit all the fruits of Righteousness which are by Christ Jesus to the Praise and Glory of thee our God O let us be so sensible of thy great kindness to us of our many engagements unto Thee that we may love thee our God and Saviour with all our heart soul and strength that we may strive to credit our Religion and glorifie thy Name all the ways we are able with all that we are have or can do that not only by the special Duties of thy Worship but also by the right management of our outward Affairs and our moderate use of the good things of this Life we may serve Thee and be brought nearer unto Thee Thus we pray Thee let Religion be the very business of our lives and let our greatest pleasure be to please Thee in every thing and our highest design to attain that Blessed Immortality which Christ Jesus hath promised Lift up our affections we intreat Thee more and more to those things above where He is that Heaven may have our hearts while this World hath our bodies and we may have perfect Contentment of mind in Well-doing and patient suffering and the good hope we have of being eternally beloved of Thee the Lord of Heaven and Earth may make us rejoyce evermore Free us O Lord from all inordinate cares for the things of this Life from all distrust of thy good Providence from all repining at any thing that befalls us and enable us in every thing to give Thanks believing that all things
of our Purposes of better Obedience with inward Fervency and Devotion in some such manner as may be pleasing unto Thee honourable unto Christ and comfortable to our selves Let us so shew forth the precious Death of our dearest Redeemer that in remembring the same we may be unfeignedly thankfull and sincerely praise Thee the blessed Trinity in Unity unto whom be ascribed and given all Honour and Obedience now and for ever Amen Another Prayer which may be used in secret some time before the Sacrament O Eternal and blessed God I prostrate my self with humble Reverence before Thee the Searcher of hearts not to excuse but aggravate my faults for I confess I have not given Thee that Honour Worship and Service which I owe to my Almighty Creator Nor laid to heart as I ought thine infinite Love in Christ my Redeemer Nor duly followed the godly Motions of thy Holy Spirit which thou hast sent to renew and sanctifie my Affections and draw me to thine Obedience I have not lived up to the Faith which I profess but behaved my self too often as if I neither dreaded the threatned Punishments nor duly valued the promised glorious rewards of my Lord Christ who will judge the World in Righteousness and render to every one according to their Works O Lord I have done so much Evil and so little Good been so eager in the pursuit of the things of this World and so cold and unconcerned many times about those of Eternity so unmindfull of my promises unthankfull for thy Benefits and unfruitfull in the Knowledge of Christ that it is a wonder of thy Patience and Goodness that I am still alive and not cut down like a barren Tree that cumbers the ground that I am not lamenting these follies in weeping and gnashing of teeth which I now mention with so little sorrow and bitterness of Spirit For ever adored be thy forbearing Mercy which hath so long spared me an unprofitable servant who have so many ways in thought word and deed offended thy Divine Majesty Oh continue I beseech thee to be gracious unto me and for Jesus his sake give me a truly penitent and believing Heart and by the vertue of that Sacrifice of himself which he offered once for the sins of the World let all my sins be done away and remembred no more And for this and all other thy great Mercies I resolve to offer unto Thee by Christ the Sacrifice of continual Praise and Thanksgiving and I present my body a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto Thee which is my reasonable Service And I dedicate my self absolutely to thy Obedience Oh therefore give me Grace ever to fear Thee and to walk humbly with Thee and to preserve a tender sense of my Duty towards Thee O Lord I purpose by thy Assistance that hereafter I will never willingly depart from thy Precepts oh do thou strengthen me to perform what I have purposed that I may never be so unreasonable as to return to those sins which are the burden of my Heart and grieve thy Holy Spirit which rent the Flesh and shed the Blood of the Lord Jesus and which I have so often and so solemnly protested against And now that I am going to thy Holy Table to commemorate the Sacrifice of my Saviour to remember his love in Dying for me to give thee further testimonies of my love to Thee and receive new tokens of thy Love to me O Lord vouchsafe to make thy self powerfully present to my Mind Represent thy self and thy Son Jesus so lively to my thoughts in all Wisdom Power Goodness Holiness and Truth that I may never forget Thee any more but more seriously reverence thee and love thee and rejoyce in thee and trust thee and obey thee all the days of my life Imprint the very image of thy Son upon me that I may carry him ever in my Heart and have his life and death continually before mine Eyes and in all things conform my self to his Will and fashion my self after his Holy Example Come Lord Jesus and possess thy self of my whole Man Purifie me from all remaining filthiness either of the Flesh or Spirit Bring in all thy Heavenly Graces along with thee into my Soul And be my perpetual Defence by giving me a fuller communication of thy Holy Spirit and more mighty aides to do my duty towards Thee and towards all Men. And for that end compose my unsetled thoughts before I approach to receive the holy Mysteries that I may attend Thee with a full and clear conception of their meaning with an actual Belief of thy whole Gospel with most sensible love to thee and desire to be more like thee with thy high Praises in my mouth and joy unspeakable in my heart May I presume most gracious Father to ask such tasts and relishes of thy wondrous Love in Christ Jesus that I may never be able to delight in any thing so much as in the remembrance of it But mine eyes may be ever towards the Lord and I may hunger and thirst perpetually after thy Righteousness 'till I am rendred meet to be translated to that High and Holy place where I shall see Thee not as now in mysterious Representations but openly and as it were Face to Face Amen Lord Jesus who art able to save to the uttermost all them that come to God by Thee In thy most blessed name and words I continue my humble Prayers Our Father c. I would intreat those who have never yet received or but seldom to read at their leasure and with good Deliberation the Doctrine of the Sacrament in the Church Catechism as also the whole Order of the Administration thereof set down in the Book of Common Prayer by which together with what is contained in the two foregoing Prayers may be learnt in good measure what is needfull both in our Preparing for and Partaking of that Holy Ordinance And yet to further your more profitable and comfortable Receivimg you may use these following Helps Some brief helps to Meditation in Receiving the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper FIrst When the Sermon is ended and thou art adressing thy self to the Banquet of the Lords Supper meditate how lovingly thou art invited to be a guest at this Holy Table Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters Come buy Wine and Milk without money and without price Eat ye that which is Good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness Take Eat this is my Body which is broken for you Drink ye all of this for this is my Blood which was shed for the Remission of Sins Secondly As Abraham when he went up to the Mount to sacrifice Isaac his Son left his servants beneath in the Valley So when thou comest to the spiritual commemorative Sacrifice of the Lords-Supper lay aside all earthly thoughts and cogitations that thou mayest wholly contemplate of Christ and offer up thy Soul to him who Sacrificed both his Soul and Body for
without many vain repetitions and broken impertinent expressions have quite left off the Duty it self T is true some few may attain an habit of uttering their Desires freely and becomingly upon any occasion yet the most though well-minded People are so defective both in their Conceptions and Utterance that they greatly need the Assistance which is here offered them and ought by no means to be discouraged from performing thus safely and piously their known Duty towards God especially considering that when we pray for such things as are contained in the Scriptures which are from the Spirit of God and when by the same Blessed Spirit helping our infirmities we are enabled to Pray for those things fervently and sincerely we do truly pray by the Gift or Assistance of the Spirit whether the Prayer we use be written in a Book or imprinted in the Memory or suddenly uttered and such a Prayer is acceptable unto God who looks not at the outward varied expressions of the Tongue but the inward holy Affections of the Heart And so our Saviour pray'd in or by the Spirit when he repeated the same requests at several times and so still do all plain and honest-hearted People when they devoutly use that form of Prayer which he hath taught us or any other after that manner judiciously composed The Prayers Directions and Catechisms of the following Book I have for the most part collected out of several approved Authours of great Judgement Learning Piety and Christian experience only fitting them with needfull Alterations and Additions for your easier use and benefit And in the whole you have comprehended those things which make for your greater Holiness here and Happiness hereafter which are often more fully explained by the publick Ministry of the Word and which agree with the sense of the most and best Christians in the truly Catholick or universall Church beginning at Jerusalem and dispersed throughout the whole Christian World Yet I doubt not but many deceivers and deceived who have cast off the Ordinances of Christ and lately taken up a new Religion of their own devising building their Altars of false Worship besides the Altar of the Lord these will be ready to revile me for my pains to call me Deceiver as some did the Apostles themselves to prate maliciously against me and to oppose and gainsay what I am doing that they may hinder your being benefited thereby But I beseech you do you hold fast the form of sound Words or Christian Doctrine which you have received in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus adhere to the Spirit Ministry and Ordinances of Christ keep in the Communion of his Saints and People and as you have the true Religion so be true unto your Religion by living accordingly and my Soul for yours by the Grace of God you shall not miscarry Be not offended at the bad lives of some there will be tares among the good Wheat 'till the Harvest Be not offended at the errours and heresies of others of your own selves says the Apostle shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them And again There must be Heresies among you that they which be approved may be made manifest among you There will be unstable and unlearned People who will boldly wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction But remember how God hath given Pastours and Teachers for the Work of the Ministry c. That we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive Therefore be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart be established with Grace Hold fast the Profession of your Faith without wavering Mark them that cause Divisions and avoid them Let not your soul come into their secret out of Curiosity least when you forsake his ways God justly forsake your Understandings and leave you to your selves and so you be led by your corrupt Natures to close sooner with that which is evil then with that which is good And if at any time you cannot fully answer such objections as cunning Deceivers may make against any thing contained in this Book or in our holy Religion do not as some have done therefore presently turn to them without any more ado do not think that because you cannot answer them that no body else can do not suffer your selves and your Religion to be so soon so sadly and shamefully parted but in the name of God I most humbly and most earnestly beseech you take the pains to acquaint me with them or with my consent and assistance to consult such faithfull and able Ministers of Christ as will help you most clearly to see the weakness and falshood of those arguments which so much puzled you before Remember I beseech you that this is the advice of one whom God by his gracious Providence and Holy Spirit hath made your Overseer and the Guide of your Souls of one who hath the same care for your Salvation that he hath for his own Who can as truly rejoyce to see the fruit of his labours in your Holy Walking as you can to reap a plentifull Harvest after your Labours or to see your Children do well according to your care and trouble about them Of one concerning whom with others Christ hath said He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Remember that this is the advice of one who is always near you and is in some measure acquainted with your Condition and is ever ready to direct and assist you as your Necessities shall require Remember that this is the advice of one who is devoted to the Work of the Ministry and the Service of your Souls and so may more reasonably then others that are not so set apart expect as it is his daily Prayer to be led of God in the ways of Truth and Holiness that he may lead you in them to and to be blessed of God that he may be made a Comfort and a Blessing unto you Remember further that this is the Advice of one who having lived long among you sincerely loves you and hath no other design upon you but by all Good means to promote your Happiness and to prevent your utter Undoing of one lastly who is ready to spare neither Cost nor Pains for your real Good as in other things so in helping you to practice what is contained in this Book which I intreat you to accept of and to use as a testimony of my Unfeigned Desires of your Eternal welfare recommending both it and you to the Blessing and Protection of Almighty God and ever remaining Your Servant for Christs sake J. A. Eph. 6. 18 19. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and Watching thereunto with all Perseverance and Supplication for all Saints And for
be meditate on Christs Hanging and Bleeding upon the Cross giving him hearly thanks for his love in Dying for us And having poured the Sacramental Wine into thy stomach say with thy self As verily as I have received this Wine so certainly Christs Blood was shed for the sins of the World and if I sincerely believe in him as I now desire to do unfeignedly devoting my self unto Him relying upon Gods Mercies and his Merits and being willing to be guided by his Laws and sanctified by his Spirit and resolving to continue in his Love and Service to the end so certainly are my sins forgiven by the vertue of his Obedience and Bloodshed And now having received the Sacrament of Christs blessed Body and Blood out of a conscientious respect to his Command with a desire thankfully to remember his precious Death consider that he who hath given thee his Son will with him give thee all things else so far as will be for thy true Good Therefore now thou mayest here further represent unto God through Christ all thy needs and the needs of thy Relations signifie to him the condition of thy Soul complain of thy infirmities Pray for help against the enemies of thy Salvation tell him of thy griefs represent thy fears thy hopes and thy Desires look up to God to make the Blood of Christ unto thee a quickening comforting strengthening justifying sanctifying Blood And as thou feelest the Sacramental Wine which thou hast drunk warming thy cold stomach so endeavour to feel the Holy Ghost cherishing thy Soul with the joyfull assurance of thy being reconciled to God and accepted unto eternal Life Furthermore because it is said 1 Cor. 16. 17. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread It must be remembred by thee that though all the faithfull are many yet they are all but one Mystical Body whereof Christ is Head And therefore thou must love every Christian especially those Receiving with thee as thy self and a member of that Body When the Minister hath given the Bread and Wine to all the Communicants be ready to joyn with him again in the remaining Prayers and Praises And after you have given Thanks and finished your private and publick Devotions go home but do not presently forget what you have been doing in this solemn Ordinance They that as soon as the Office is performed part with Christ and carry their mind away presently to worldly Interests or to sensual Merriments these may be suspected to be too indifferent as to the things of God They have as one says brought their Lord into the house and themselves slip out at the back-door Otherwise doth the Spouse entertain her beloved Lord. Cant. 3. 4. I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go Spend therefore the remaining part of the Day partly in the entertainment of thy Lord with acts of love and delight with thanks and praise unto Him for his Favours partly in after-examination in reflecting upon thy Behaviour when thou wert before the Lord and partly in strengthening of thy purposes and confirming thy Resolutions of better Obedience that so there may be some fruit seen of this day in many other days that follow till the Solemnity shall return again Remember thy promises renewed unto God bind thee to watch against sin and unto Holiness all thy life as much as upon the Sacrament Day Moses coming from the Mount where he had been conversing with God his face did shine Exod. 34. 30. When thou goest from the Table where thou hast had sweet Communion with thy God the face of thy conversation must shine so with holiness that others may take notice of it It is said of the High Priest and Elders that observing the language and carriage of the Apostles Peter and John they marvelled and took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Acts 4. 13. So thy words should be so gracious and thy works so exemplary after a Sacrament that all those who behold thee may take knowledge that thou hast been with Jesus that at his Table thou didst sup with Christ and Christ with thee A Prayer after the Sacrament BLess the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his Holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities and satisfieth thy Soul with good things Who redeemeth thy life from Destruction who crowneth thee with loving Kindness and tender Mercies O mercifull Lord I humbly thank thee for Christ the Fountain and Foundation of all thy Mercies vouchsafed unto me from day to day O gracious Redeemer I yield thee all possible Thanks that thou hast this day refreshed my Soul with the Sacrament of thy precious Body and Blood Seeing O God that thou hast so loved me as to give thy Son and that thou O Saviour hast so loved me as to give thy self to die for me help me I pray thee to pledge thy Love with love henceforth hating and forbearing what thou forbiddest loving and practising what thou commandest Oh that my prevailing love to Thee may quench and kill in me all inordinate love of the World and the Vanities thereof Oh that walking in the strength of that Heavenly Food which I have now received I may overcome the difficulties of this Life and perform better the Duties of my Place and Calling and withstand more constantly the temptations which I am most liable unto O God seeing thou hast not withholden thy only Son how shalt thou not with him as I humbly desire freely give all needfull Blessings to me and all that I am especially bound to pray for And whereas I have this day renewed my Covenant with thee and my purposes of better Obedience strengthen me I beseech thee that I may pay the Vows which I have made and do as I have purposed Oh that whatever is in me vicious and contrary to thy Holy Will may by vertue of this Sacrament be rooted out of me so that my Heart may become thereby a fit habitation for thy Spirit Let it be to me a seal of the Pardon of my sins the confirmation of my Faith the provision of my Pilgrimage and the joy of my Soul let it be my peace and support in the time of Affliction and my comfort and strength in the day of my Dissolution Let me hereafter walk more evenly and closely with Thee in the performance of my Duty with a contented Mind whatever trials or troubles befal me before another Sacrament come about Grant that I may still hunger and thirst after this Bread of Life and Cup of Salvation and that I may with a pure mind and chaste affection receive it often so as to grow in Grace
and thy Spirit my guide in all that I do Possess I beseech thee and ravish my mind continually with thy Love and let my delight always be to be embraced in the Arms of thy protection Be thou O holy God light unto mine eyes musick to mine ears sweetness to my tast and a full contentment to my heart Be thou my Sunshine in the day my food at the table my repose in the night my Cloathing in nakedness and my succour in all necessities O Lord Jesus I give thee my body my Soul my substance my fame my friends my liberty and my life Dispose of me and all that is mine as it seemeth best to Thee and to the glory of thy blessed Name I am not now mine but thine therefore claim me as thy right and love me as thy Child and keep me as thy charge and defend me against those that would deal injuriously with me My Lord my God I beseech thee to give me patience in troubles humility in comforts constancy in temptation and Victory over all my ghostly enemies Grant me sorrow for my Sins thankfulness for thy Benefits fear of thy Judgements love of thy Mercies and mindfulness of thy Presence for evermore Make me observant of my Superiours courteous to my Inferiours friendly to my Equals loving to my Friends and charitable to my Enemies Make me ready to pleasure all and loth to offend any Give me Chastness in my Affections modesty in my countenance gravity in my behaviour deliberation in my speech Holiness in my thoughts and Righteousness in all my ways Let thy Mercy through Christ cleanse me from the guilt of my transgressions and let thy Grace bring forth in me the fruits of Everlasting Life Lord let me be obedient without arguing humble without feigning patient without grudging pure without corruption merry without lightness sad without mistrust sober without dulness true without doubleness fearing Thee without desperation and trusting in Thee without presumption Let me be joyfull for nothing but that which pleaseth Thee nor sorrowfull for any thing but that which doth displease Thee Let my labour be my delight which is for Thee and let all rest weary me which is not in Thee Give me an awaking Spirit and a diligent Soul that I may seek to know thy Will and when I know it truly may perform it faithfully to the honour and glory of thy ever Blessed Name for these and for all other needfull Mercies which thou O God wouldst have me to pray or to praise Thee I continue to say as Christ our Lord hath taught us Our Father which art c. The Blessing LEt thy Peace O God which passeth all understanding let the Blessing of the holy undivided Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost let the vertue of Christs blessed Cross and Passion be with me and remain with me and mine now and at the hour of Death and to eternall Ages Amen Amen They that have more Leasure may oftner use the foregoing devotions alone Morning or Evening or at any time of the Day when they best can Such also may make use of this following Morning Prayer for a Family on the Week-days as many as can well be spared being present A Family-Prayer for the Morning on Work-days O Most holy and ever blessed Lord God we thine unworthy Servants do here acknowledge that as we were born in sin so we have lived in iniquity and broken thy righteous Laws in thought word and deed following too much the desires of our own will and not caring as we ought to be governed by thy Holy Word and Spirit but O gracious Father we beseech thee for the merits of thy Dear Son to forgive us all our sins and not to inflict upon us those Punishments which are due unto us for them And do thou we pray Thee sanctifie us throughout in Body Soul and Spirit and lead us in the ways of Truth and Holiness and make us in every respect such as thou wouldest have us to be And here O Lord from the bottom of our hearts we praise thy Name for all thy Blessings bestowed upon us concerning this or a better Life Particularly we praise Thee for the Mercies of the last Night and this Morning that thou hast preserved us from such dangers as might have fallen upon any of us and for our Refreshment by moderate rest and sleep Oh that this Day we may be kept from the evil of Sin and so if it may be thy Will from the evil of Punishment Enable us to watch over our Thoughts that good Meditations only may enter into our minds and Holy desires and purposes into our Hearts Help us to set a watch before our Mouths and to keep the door of our Lips that we offend not with our Tongues Help us also to watch over all our Actions that we may do hurt to none but all the good we can to all as we would have others deal with us That in all we do thy Word may be our Rule thy Spirit our Guide our Saviour our pattern and thy Glory our end That we may be wise and modest in our Carriage temperate and sober in our Diet diligent and chearfull in our Business that we may abide with Thee in our particular Places and Callings by a conscientious performance of the Duties thereof that we may undertake nothing upon which we may not desire thy Blessing and wherein we may not expect thy Direction and Assistance That we may be crucified to the World and the World unto us by the Cross of Christ that we may be content with such things as we have and not use any unlawfull means for our own relief knowing Thou hast promised never to leave us nor forsake us That we may so pass through the things of this Life that finally we loose not Everlasting Life and Happiness in the enjoyment of thy Self And all we beg upon the account of Christ in whose Name we continue to pray unto Thee saying Our Father c. But because the busie Countrey Life usually on the Week-Days calls and disperses most in Families early in the Morning to their several Works and Imployments it is very needfull especially when Morning Family-Prayers cannot be had conveniently that each one grown to years of Understanding before they go out of their Chambers or before they begin their Work should kneel down by themselves and in short beg Gods Blessing and Presence with them the following Day which they may do by the Collect for the Morning It is set down gotten by Heart saying after it the page the 6. the Lords-Prayer understandingly devoutly and deliberately Or this PRevent us O Lord in all our Doings by thy most gracious Favour and further us with thy continual Help that in all our works begun continued and ended in Thee we may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy mercy obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father which art in Heaven c. Or in the
us think we have done nothing in Hearing Reading Praying Receiving Singing of Psalms Confering Meditating till in all we have glorified Thee our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier till our Souls be brought something nearer unto Heaven unto thy Self And all we beg upon the account of Christ saying further as he hath taught us Our Father c. A Family Prayer for the Evening on the Lords-Day OEternal God and most Gracious Father we thine unworthy servants do here cast down our selves at the Footstool of thy Grace acknowledging that we were conceived in sin and have actually in thought word and deed transgressed thy Holy and Righteous Precepts so that if thou shouldest look upon us as in our selves we could not expect any thing but thy Wrath and our own Condemnation But O holy Father for Jesus Christ thy dear Sons sake for the Merits of his Obedience and Bloodshed we beseech Thee to have Mercy upon us pardoning to us all our sins and freeing us from the Shame and Confusion which is due unto us for them And we pray Thee inspire thy Holy Spirit into our Hearts that by his Illumination and effectual Working we may have the inward sight and feeling of our sins and natural corruptions and not through Custom be blinded or hardened in them That we may more and more loath them and be heartily grieved for them endeavouring by the use of all good means to overcome and to get out of them Oh let us feel the Power of Christs death killing sin in our mortal Bodies and the vertue of his Resurrection raising up our Souls unto Newness of Life that living in thy Fear unto thy Glory we may die in thy Favour and in thine Appointed time attain unto the Blessed Resurrection of the Just unto Eternal Life In the mean while O Lord increase our Faith in the sweet promises of the Gospel and our Repentance from dead works the assurance of our hope and our love unto thy self and thy children especially those whom we shall see to stand in need of our help and comfort that so by the fruits of Piety and a Righteous Life we may be assured that thy holy Spirit doth dwell in us and that we are thy Children by Grace and Adoption And grant us Good Father the continuance of Health Peace Maintenance and all other outward things so far forth as thy Divine Wisdome shall think meet and necessary for us And we beseech thee O Lord to be mercifull likewise to thy whole Church and particularly to these Kingdoms wherein we live vouchsafing to us those Mercies we stand in need of and turning from us those Judgements which our sins may cry for Preserve the Kings Majesty bless all the Royal Family bless our Magistrates and Ministers this place those that are near unto us by Kindred or Neighbourhood be graciously present with all our Christian Brethren that suffer sickness or any other affliction or misery grant them patience to bear thy Cross and Deliverance when and which way it shall seem best unto Thee And O Lord let us not forget our last End and those accounts which then we must render unto Thee In Health and Prosperity make us mindfull of Sickness and the evil Day that is behind that these things may not overtake us as a snare but that we may in good measure like wise Virgins be found prepared for the Coming of Christ to call us by Death unto Judgement And here O Lord we do from our very Souls render unto Thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy Blessings bestowed upon us concerning this Life and that which is to come We praise Thee especially for Christ the Fountain and Foundation of all thy Mercies we ever yet received or hope hereafter to receive from Thee In him we praise Thee for the Mercies thou hast this day bestowed upon us or given us occasion to remember whether concerning the Creation of the World or the Redemption of Mankind We praise thee for thy holy Word and Sacraments and seasons of Grace yet vouchsafed unto us We praise Thee that by thy good Providence we have been preserved and provided for to this very moment intreating Thee likewise to continue thy Mercifull Protection over us this night And O Lord we beseech Thee let those saving Truths which have been delivered unto us sink down into our Hearts and spring up in our Conversations Let us keep up such holy Purposes and heavenly Affections as may have been wrought in any of us whilst attending upon Thee Let our lives be in some measure answerable to the means we enjoy Let the fruit of this Day appear in us the Week following and all the days of our Lives following Henceforth let our resolution of pleasing Thee and doing good in our Generation be more confirmed let the felicities of Heaven be more esteemed let our desires of Earthly things be more abated let the Breathings of our Souls after a fuller enjoyment of thy Self be more enlarged Let our sins those of our holy things be pardodoned our persons and performances accepted and our Souls eternally saved And al upon the alone account of Jesus Christ it whose prevailing Name we continue to pray unto Thee saying Our Father c. As for those who are furnished with Bibles and the Book of Common Prayer I shall direct them if they desire it how to use part of the Morning and Evening Service according to the Liturgy by themselves or with their Families But because many Pious Divines are of opinion that the Reverence due to the Book of Common Prayer is best preserved by imploying it only in the Publick Divine Service or in Private where there is one in Holy Orders to officiate And because we should always strive to be present at the Publick Service of the Church on any Holy Day especially on the Lords-Day and such Festivals as are in Remembrance of our Saviour Christ You have to the former here added one Prayer more which you may use on any such Festival in Remembrance of our Blessed Saviour that is to say On the Days of his Incarnation Birth Circumcision Epiphanie Presenting in the Temple Passion Resurrection Ascension and Mission of the Holy Ghost A Prayer upon any of the foresaid Festivals in Remembrance of our Blessed Lord and Saviour O Most glorious God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect Gift it is our bounden Duty and our great Priviledge constantly to acknowledge Thee with joy and exaltation of Spirit in remembrance of thy infinite Bounty to us and to all the World Every day tells us how good Thou art and every one of thy Creatures calls upon us to magnifie love and serve Thee who hast made so many of them to serve us But this Day gives us occasion to remember thy more special and extraordinary kindness to us the Children of Men which calls for our highest Praises to be joyned with those of the
me c. S. Mat. 26. 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that have not known thee and upon the Families that call not on thy Name S. Mat. 6. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly 1 Cor. 11. 26 27 28. For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But let a Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. S. Luke 22. 19 20. And he took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying this is my Body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me Likewise also the Cup after Supper saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you We may sometime begin our Closet Prayers admiring with S. Augustine Gods glorious Perfections WHAT art thou O my God what art thou I beseech thee but the Lord my God for who is Lord besides our Lord or who is God besides our God O thou Supreme most powerfull most mercifull most just most secret most present most beautifull most incomprehensible most constant and yet changing all things immutable never new and never old and yet renewing all things ever in Action yet ever at rest heaping up yet needing nothing creating upholding filling protecting nourishing and perfecting all things Thou lovest and yet thou art not transported thou art angry yet never art unquiet thou art jealous yet void of fear thou dost repent yet art thou free from sorrow Thou requirest profit at our hands yet who hath any thing but of thy Gift Thou payest debts when thou owest nothing Thou forgivest debts and yet thou loosest nothing And what shall I say O my God my life my joy my holy dear delight or what can any Man say when he speaketh of Thee and wo be to them that speak not of Thee but are silent in thy Praise for even they who speak most of Thee may be accounted to be but dumb Have mercy upon me O Lord that I may speak unto thee and praise thy Name Amen A Prayer for all Conditions of Men. Note that one alone may say We and Our and Us as usually in the Lords Prayer because of the Communion of Saints O God the Creator and Preserver of all Mankind we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of Men that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them thy Saving Health unto all Nations More especially we pray for the good estate of the Catholick Church that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of Truth and hold the Faith in unity of Spirit in the bond of Peace and in Righteousness of life And we also commend unto thy Fatherly Goodness all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed in Mind Body or Estate that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them according to their severall necessities giving them Patience under their Sufferings and an happy Issue out of all their Afflictions and this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for the King and Kingdom ANd that in one Blessing we may all of us be blest I beseech thee O thou who art the Maker and Saviour of all Kings and Nations of the earth to bless our dread Soveraign Lord King CHARLES with the richest Blessings of thy Grace Strengthen him with the faith of Abraham endue him with the mildness of Moses arm him with the magnanimity of Joshua exalt him with the humility of David assist him with the counsel of Hushai beautifie him with the wisdom of Solomon and replenish him with the Goodness and Holiness of them all that so he may be a powerfull Protector of his People a religious Defender of thy sacred Faith a bountifull comforter of thy Holy Church a glorious Triumpher over all his enemies a gracious Governour of all his Subjects and a happy Father of children to rule this Nation by Succession in all ages O let his Reign be prosperous and his Days many let Peace and Plenty Love and Piety Justice and Truth and all Christian vertues flourish in his time Let his People serve him with honour and obedience and let him so love and serve Thee here on Earth that he may hereafter everlastingly reign with Thee in Heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord. Here may be added the Prayers or Thanks-givings in the Book of Common Prayer upon their severall Occasions Sometimes also the Creed may be repeated with that pithy Ejaculation said before it Lord I believe help my unbelief And the Ten Commandments with that short Prayer after them Lord have mercy upon us and write all these thy Laws in our Hearts we beseech thee Here also may be said the Morning or Evening Collect respectively on our own and the behalf of those that belong to us O Lord our Heavenly Father Almighty and Everlasting God who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this Day defend us in the same with thy Mighty Power and grant that this Day we fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy Governance to do alwaies that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord and by thy great Mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this Night for the love of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen A general Thanksgiving O Most gracious God I give thee humble and hearty Thanks for all thy Goodness and Loving kindness to me and to all men I bless thee for my Creation Preservation and all the Blessings of this life but above all for thine inestimable love in the Redemption of the World by our Lord Jesus Christ for the means of Grace and for the hope of Glory And I beseech thee give me that due sense of all thy Mercies that my heart may be unfeignedly thankfull and that I may set forth thy Praise not only with my lips but in my life by giving up my self to thy Service and by walking before thee in Holiness and Righteousness all my days through Jesus Christ my Lord to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen A devout Prayer which may be used at any time by one alone GRant me O gracious Lord in what lawfull undertaking soever a pure intention of Heart and a stedfast regard of thy Glory let Christ be my pattern thy Word my rule