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
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
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
are ordered by the greatest Wisdom and shall work together for the good of those that love Thee We doubt not of thy Fatherly Affection to those that study in all sincerity to approve themselves unto Thee and therefore still resolve to leave our selves entirely to thy wise Counsels that thou mayst dispose us into such a condition as thou seest best in this World Oh remember us but of our Duty quicken and excite us to it strengthen us in the doing of it support us under all discouragements advise us in all difficult cases and comfort us with a stedfast Belief of thy holy Word and we shall ever be giving thanks and praise unto Thee who dealest so bountifully with us Moreover with our selves we desire O Lord the good of all Mankind especially that thou wouldest be mercifull to thy whole Church and particularly that thou wouldest bless that part of it which is planted in these Nations wherein we live inclining the hearts of all Ranks and Degrees of Men amongst us to follow after things which make for Peace Unity and Godliness But O gracious God as we are in duty bound in a more peculiar manner we do most earnestly beseech Thee on the behalf of this place of our Abode that our Minister being directed and assisted by Thee may be made a Blessing and a Comfort unto us and that we likewise having our Conversation as becomes the Gospel of Christ may be a Blessing and an Encouragement unto him Give we pray Thee repentance unto Sinners and increase of Grace and Strength to all thy faithfull Servants Reduce those among us that wander out of the way raise up those that are fallen confirm and settle those that stand and grant them a stedfast Resolution to persevere in Faith Love and Obedience Relieve and comfort all those that are in any Distress make the Earth to bring forth her increase in due season and let all honest and industrious People be succeeded and blessed in their Labours Remember all those who are nearly related to us or to whom we are indebted for our Birth Education Instruction or Promotion Thou who art rich in Mercy reward and recompence their care and love Grant Forgiveness and Charity to all our Enemies Continue good will among all our kind Neighbours Assist those that are Dying and leaving this World and fit their Souls for a better Place and let us also with them after our own last sickness in due time through Christ obtain a glorious Resurrection and Eternal Life And here O Lord we do from our very Souls render unto Thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy Blessings and Benefits bestowed upon us concerning this Life and that which is to come but more especially we praise Thee for the mercies of this day for any measure of success thou hast given us in our lawfull Endeavours that thou hast defended us from such dangers as might have fallen upon us We beseech Thee likewise of thine infinite Goodness and Mercy to defend and protect us and all that belong unto us this Night and let us be refreshed with moderate rest and sleep and so raised the next Day more able and willing to set forth thy Glory in the conscionable Duties of our Places and Callings These and all other needfull Mercies we ask of Thee for the alone merits of Jesus Christ in whose Name we continue to pray unto Thee as he himself hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven give us this day our daily Bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy love O Heavenly Father thy comfort and consolation O holy and blessed Spirit be with us and remain with us this night and for evermore Amen Another Family-Prayer for the Evening on the Week-Days Saturday especially O Most blessed and eternall God thou alone art the fountain of our Happiness and the rest and satisfaction of our Souls Thou art infinitely more great and glorious in thy Wisdom Power and Goodness then either our words can declare or our hearts can conceive We therefore thine unworthy Servants do here most humbly adore and worship thine incomprehensible Majesty acknowledging that we were not only born in sin but in the course of our Lives have violated thy Sacred Laws and many ways transgressed our Duty as to Thee our Neighbours and our Selves so that if Thou shouldest deal with us according to the strictness of thy Justice and our own deservings we could expect nothing but shame and misery both in this life and that which is to come But O God we beseech Thee do thou help us penitently and believingly to cast our selves upon thy Mercy and the Merits of Jesus Christ and for his sake graciously forgive unto us the sinfulness of all our thoughts words and ways and let thy Spirit witness with ours the comfortable assurance of that Forgiveness And for the future let us not be tempted by the allurements or discouragements of the World wilfully to allow our selves in the omission of any the least known Duty or in the Commission of any the least known Sin And because this is thy Will even our sanctification we beseech Thee O Lord that thou wouldest sanctifie our Understandings that being renewed in the Spirit of our Minds we may have a Spiritual Discerning of the things of Thee our God that we may know what it is that Thou requirest of us in those several Places Conditions and Relations Thou art pleased to set us in That Thou wouldest likewise enable us to submit our wills to thy Blessed Will in all things and to make it our daily care and exercise to keep our Consciences clear and unreproveable in thy sight That Thou wouldest help us to set our Affections upon things above that we may love thee the Lord our God with all our Heart and with all our Soul and with all our Strength and that Christ may be the Chiefest of ten thousands unto us Him whom our Soul loves That we may present our Bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto Thee which is but our reasonable Service That so being sanctified throughout we may be whatsoever Thou wouldest have us to be that we may leave whatsoever thou wouldest have us to forsake that we may patiently suffer whatsoever Thou layest upon us to endure that we may freely cheerfully and readily do whatsoever thy Command obligeth us to do And because Thou requirest that we should grow in Grace by all those means of Grace and Salvation which Thou art pleased so plentifully to vouchsafe unto us Oh that Thou wouldest help us to walk yet more holily in respect of Thee our God then ever that we may be more fearfull
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
thee Thirdly Set thy self as in the Presence of God with awfull and reverent thoughts of thy crucified Lord. If the blessed Apostle S. Peter seeing but a glimpse of Christs Almighty Power thought himself unworthy to stand in the same Boat with him how unworthy art thou to sit with Christ at the same Table where thou mayest behold so much of his infinite Grace and Mercy displayed Yet if thou comest humbly in Faith Repentance and Charity abhorring thy sins past and purposing unfeignedly to amend thy life henceforth let not thy former sins affright thee for they shall never be laid to thy Charge and this Sacrament shall seal to thy Soul that all thy sins are fully pardoned and clean washed away by the Blood of Christ For this Sacrament was not ordained for them who are perfect but to help penitent sinners towards Perfection Christ came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance And he saith That the whole need not the Physician but they that are sick Bathe thou therefore thy Soul in this fountain of Christs Blood and doubtless according to the Promise Zech. 13. 1. Thou shalt be healed of all thy sins and uncleannesses Not sinners but they who are unwilling to repent of their sins are debarred this Holy Ordinance Fourthly When the Minister begins to read the sentences of Scripture before the Offertory let them be considered by thee to stirr up thy Charity to the Poor Let Gods bounty to thee in Spirituals provoke thy Mercy to others in Temporals Hoping to be refreshed with the saving benefits of Christs Death be willing to thy Power to refresh the bowels of his poor Members What we do to them we do to Christ and who would not thus relieve Christ who made himself Poor to make us Rich in the best things And now the Sacrament being begun to be administred apply thy self with diligent Attention and fervent Devotion to go along with the Minister in all Actions Rites Prayers Confessions Readings Exhortations or Thanksgivings which are used in and about the Holy Sacrament When therefore thou seest the Minister putting apart Bread and Wine on the Lords Table and consecrating them by Prayers and rehearsal of the words of Christs Institution to be an holy Sacrament of the blessed Body and Blood of Christ then meditate how God the Father of his meer love to Mankind did set apart and seal his only begotten Son to be the All-sufficient means and only Mediator to redeem us from sin and to reconcile us to Himself and to bring us to Glory When thou seest him break the Bread meditate how Jesus Christ was put to death as to his humane Nature and his blessed Body wounded and pierced and both Soul and Body as we may say broken asunder for our sins and withall call to mind the hainousness of them and the greatness of Gods hatred against them seeing his Justice could not be satisfied but by such a Sacrifice When he is drawing towards Thee with the consecrated Bread and offering it unto thee then meditate that Christ himself cometh unto thee and both offereth and giveth indeed unto thy Faith Himself and all the merits of his Death and Passion to feed thy Soul unto Eternal life The bread of the Lord is given by the Minister but the Bread which is the Lord is given by Christ himself Ejaculations and Meditations which we may use while the Minister is giving the Bread and Wine to others 1. O Holy Jesus I behold thee stretched upon the Cross with thy arms spread ready to embrace and receive all Mankind into thy Bosom 2. I see the Symbols the Holy Bread and the blessed Cup but I also think of thy Authority ordaining these Rites of thy voice blessing these Symbols of thy Mercy reaching out my pardon thy Holy Spirit sanctifying my Spirit thy blessed Self making intercession for me at the eternall Altar in Heaven 3. Thy infinite Arms of Mercy are reached unto us and our Arm of Faith reacheth unto thee blessed be Jesus who will be joyned unto Servants 4. I am helped by these outward signs blessed Saviour to remember thy Body and thy Blood but by these I do not feel thy Wounds My Lord had the smart but we the ease his were the Sufferings but ours the Mercy and after he had paid the Price we got the Purchase Oh that my heart therefore by love and desire might reach out after him and by joy and delight ever rest in Him 5. I desire to know nothing but Jesus and him crucified O let the power of thy Cross prevail against all the powers of Darkness Let the Peace of thy Cross give me Peace with God and in my own Conscience Let the Victory of thy Cross mortifie all my evil and corrupt affections Let the Triumph of thy Cross lead me on to a state of Holiness And let the Wisdom of thy Cross make me wise unto Salvation 6. Thou wilt not dwell in a polluted House make my Soul clean and do thou consecrate it into a Temple O theu great Bishop of our Souls by the indwelling of thy holy Spirit and let the Members of Christ never become the instruments of Unrighteousness 7. O God my God assist me now and ever greatly and graciously Grant that I may not receive Bread onely nor Wine onely for man cannot live by that but that I may eat Christ not by Papal Transubstantiation but by Sacramental Participation 8. I am nothing I have nothing I desire nothing but Jesus my Saviour make haste O Lord behold my heart is ready thou hast opened my heart to receive Thee into the seat of Love Come Lord Jesus come quickly As thou eatest the Bread thankfully praise God for the saving benefits of Christs Death And further think with thy self As verily as I now cat this Bread so verily was Christs Body broken 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 Mercy in and through him being willing to be guided by his Word and sanctified by his Spirit so verily are my sins pardoned for the merits of his precious Death Here before the Cup be brought to thee thou mayest use one or more of the foregoing Ejaculations Thou mayest also have time to bless God for the Death of Christ to meditate upon his Sufferings to admire the greatness of his Love in dying for thee resolving to take the Cup of Salvation and to pledge his love with love to renew thy Covenants with God to reinforce thy purposes of better Obedience to beg of God strength to performe such Duties as thou hast formerly neglected against such sins and temptations as have too easily prevailed against thee to pray also for all Patience under such troubles and afflictions as may befall thee before another Sacrament Day come about Having received the Cup at the Ministers hand in the instant of Drinking and as soon after it as may