The Devout Christian Instructed How to Pray and Give Thanks, church · Prayers 8
A Thanksgiving to be uſed by the perſon her ſelf, when ſhe is able.
UNto thee, O God, do I give thanks, unto thee do I give thanks: for that thou art near, thy wondrous works declare. Pſal. 75.1.In my diſtreſs I called upon thee and my cry came unto thee. 18.6.34.4.I ſought thee, O Lord, 138.3.and thou heardeſt me, 30.3.and deliveredſt me from all my fears. 66.20.56.12.In the day when I cryed, 104.33,34.thou anſweredſt me, and ſtrengthenedſt me with ſtrength in my ſoul. Thou haſt brought up my ſoul from the grave: thou haſt kept me alive, that I ſhould not go down to the pit. Bleſſed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Bleſſed be God who hath preſerved the fruit of my womb, and made me the joyful mother of a child. Thy vows are upon me, O God, I will render praiſe unto thee. I will ſing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will ſing praiſes unto my God, while I have my being. My meditation of him ſhall be ſweet, I will be glad in the Lord.
Accept, O moſt merciful Father, of theſe thankful acknowledgements;Pſal. 17.2. 57.2. which go not forth out of fained lips. And be pleaſed graciouſly to preſerve ſuch a laſting and freſh remembrance of thy great mercies in my heart; that I may always be joyful in thee, and ſpeak good of thy name, and truſt in thee at all times, and ſtill cry unto thee, O God moſt high, who performeſt all things for me. Make me ſtudious likewiſe and forward to bring forth all the fruits of righteouſneſs, throughout the whole courſe o… my life; which may witneſs the truth and ſincerity of my thankfulneſs to thee. O that I may never be leſs earneſt and fervent in the return of obedience, than I have been in deſires and prayers to receive thy bleſſings! Diſpoſe me to have a kind and tender care of this infant, which thou haſt committed to my charge. Make me willing to undergo, to the utmoſt of my power, the pains that accompany its education. Let not the love of eaſe and pleaſure breed in me an averſneſs to any duty, to which both Nature and Religion incline me: or give me grace, by ſober thoughts, and a thankful remembrance of the late pain from which thou haſt delivered me, to overcome it. Eſpecially indue me with the greateſt love, to its precious and immortal ſoul. And help me ſo to grow and encreaſe in Chriſtian wiſdom and goodneſs, that I may be able to inſtruct it, when it is capable, in the fear of our Lord; and by meek and gentle admonitions, together with a good example in all things, to win it to the love of true godlineſs. Or if thou art pleaſed to take it from me, who deſerve not the leaſt of thy mercies; Lord, ſo moderate my affections, and bring them in ſubjection to thee, that I may not undutifully repine at thy providence: but in an humble adoration of thy unſearchable wiſdom, and a ſtedfaſt confidence of thy good will towards me, reſign it unto thee from whom I received it.
And I alſo beſeech thy Divine goodneſs, when thou ſhalt reſtore me to the publick aſſemblies of thy people again, to give me grace to receive that mercy with exceeding joy. Prepare my heart, with enlarged affection to offer unto thee not only the ſacrifice of praiſe, giving thanks unto thy name; but all other oblations which ought to accompany ſuch addreſſes to thy glorious Majeſty. That they may be but an earneſt of my future diligence and zeal in thy Divine Service, and o… my readineſs to do good, and communicate unto others: whereby I may lay up in ſtore for my ſelf a good foundation againſt the time to come, 1 Tim. 6.19.that I may lay hold on eternal life, through Chriſt Jeſus. Amen.
A Prayer for good ſucceſs in ſome extraordinary buſineſs.
ALmighty and moſt merciful father, the ſupreme Governour of the whole world: who diſpoſeſt and ordereſt all things in heaven and earth with admirable judgement; and canſt not poſſibly err in what thou doeſt, nor fail of what thou deſigneſt. I adore, in the humbleſt reverence of my ſoul, thy moſt glorious Majeſty; thy eternal Power, Holineſs, Goodneſs and Truth, which are all beyond my comprehenſion. And more particularly I adore thy unſpotted Juſtice, and all-ſeeing Wiſdom, which penetrates into the deepeſt ſecrets, and ſpies out all the ways of the ſons of men, and renders to every one of them according to their doings.
Jer. 10.23.I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himſelf: Prov. 16.9. 19.21.it is not in man that walketh to direct his ſteps. Tob. 4.19.The ſucceſs of all our counſels and actions depends on thy pleaſure; and when we have deviſed the way we intend to go, thou giveſt it what iſſue ſeems good in thine eyes. There are many devices in a mans heart; nevertheleſs thy counſel, O Lord, that ſhall ſtand. I will therefore bleſs thee, O Lord my God, alway, and deſire of thee that my ways may be directed, and that all my paths and counſels may proſper: for thou thy ſelf giveſt all good things, and thou humbleſt whom thou wilt, and as thou wilt.
Accordingly I now moſt earneſtly recommend my ſelf, and all my concerns to thee; who haſt bid me in all my wayes acknowledge thee, Prov. 3.5,6.and thou wilt direct my paths. I truſt in thy wiſe and good providence with all my heart, and lean not unto mine own underſtanding. I hope in thy mercy that thou wilt ſo direct, aſſiſt and proſper all my thoughts, deſigns and endeavours, that they may attain their deſired end. And above all things I deſire that I may have grace, to deſign and ſeek for nothing, but what is juſt and honeſt, pious and charitable, praiſe worthy and of good report. Bleſs me, good Lord, with that integrity of heart, in which thou ſo much delighteſt: and then bleſs me with wiſdom and good underſtanding in all my affairs, that I may guide them with diſcretion. Wiſd. 7.15,16.For it is thou that leadeſt into wiſdom, 9.10.and directeſt the wiſe. Ecclus. 23.1,5.In thy hand are both we and our words: all wiſdom alſo and knowledge of workmanſhip. Leave me not therefore; O Lord, Father and Governour of all my whole life, leave me not to my ſelf alone: but ſend out thy wiſdom from the throne of thy glory, that being preſent, ſhe may labour with me. And turn away from me vain hopes. Indue me alſo with a patient, contented, and untroubled ſpirit, that I may wait on thee as long as thou pleaſeſt: And whatſoever the event ſhall be, enable me to rejoyce in thee as my portion, and to reſt perfectly ſatisfied in thy love, and in the aſſured hope of good things in the other world.
I humbly recommend likewiſe to thy merciful guidance, all thoſe with whom I have intruſted any of my concerns; that they may manage all their undertakings with skill and prudence, juſtice and fidelity; and do for me, as they would that I or others ſhould do for them. Make us all ever mindful, that all our works are as the Sun before thee, Ecclus. 17.19.Epheſ. 3.20.and thy eyes are continually upon our ways; Rom. 16.25,27.that we may never dare to do any thing but what thou approveſt, and of which we may give a comfortable account, at the great day of judgement.
Now unto him that is of power to do for me exceeding abundantly above all that I ask or think, to God only wiſe, be glory through Jeſus Chriſt for ever. Amen.
A Prayer when one intends to live Vnmarried.
O Lord, the lover of ſouls; for whom they were made, and in whom alone they can be happy. There is none I have in heaven but thee, Pſal. 73.25.nor on earth that I deſire beſides thee. Who art the perfection of wiſdom, power and goodneſs; and the fountain of all the good that is in us. Thou art able to raiſe us, to what degree of wiſdom, ſtrength and goodneſs thou pleaſeſt: and haſt promiſed us thine aſſiſtance to make us like unto thee; and aſſured us we ſhall be immortally bleſſed, by a glorious participation of thee. Thou draweſt us ſo mightily, that we have no power to reſiſt thee; when our minds turn themſelves towards thee, and reflect upon thy moſt excellent Nature, which diſcovers it ſelf, in all thy bounty to us, and the reſt of thy creatures. We cannot but love thee, when we think of thee; and when we love thee, we cannot but again think of thee, that we may have the pleaſure ſtill of loving thee more. O fix my mind, I beſeech thee, in a more ſtedfaſt contemplation of thee, and of all thy gracious communications to me, that I may ſpend my days delightfully in a perpetual meditation of thy mercies, which I have received in ſuch abundance from thee!
There is nothing I know more natural and more eaſie, than to think of the kindneſſes of thoſe that love us; eſpecially theirs to whom we bear a mutual love. O how great, how free and undeſerved is thy love to us! What infinite reaſon is there that we ſhould love thee, with all our heart, and with all our ſoul, and with all our ſtrength? Inſpire me, O God, with ſuch a lively ſenſe of thy goodneſs in my creation and ever ſince, both to my ſoul and to my body, that I may ever preſerve a ſweet and grateful remembrance of it; and may feel it provoking me daily to commemorate thy loving kindneſs, with the moſt ardent love of thee, my moſt bountiful benefactor. O that I could love thee, in every thing that I ſee and enjoy! being led by it to the thoughs of thy admirable wiſdom, which aſtoniſhes us in the leaſt of thy creatures; and of thy matchleſs goodneſs, which hath provided ſuch variety of pleaſures for all our ſenſes.
Poſſeſs me with a great and ſtrong admiration of the excellency of wiſdom; that I may be a lover of her beauty, Wiſd. 8.2,3,9.and ſeek her out from my youth; deſiring to marry her to my ſelf. For thou the Lord of all things thy ſelf loveſt her: And therefore I purpoſe to take her to live with me; knowing that ſhe will be a counſeller of good things, and a comfort in cares and grief. But eſpecially over-power my heart with a ſtrong and laſting ſenſe of thy exceeding abundant kindneſs in Chriſt Jeſus; in whom thou haſt choſe… me, Epheſ. 1.4,8.that I ſhould be holy and without blame before thee in love. Let me never think of that, bu… with ſuch great tranſports of love▪ and joy, and thankfulneſs unto thee▪ as may make me then forget all other things. And make me to underſtand more and more how thy love in him hath abounded towards us in all wiſdom and prudence. That ſo I may be the more moved to admire it, and delight to meditate upon it, and be ſtill ſearching into thoſe treaſures of thy Wiſdom, and unſearchable riches of thy Grace; till I come to be filled with all the fulneſs of thee, my God.Epheſ. 3.19.
Tranſlate all my affections from theſe lower objects, to him that is fairer than the children of men: Pſal. 45.2.who loved me ſo much as to dye for me; who is riſen again, and ſits at thy right-hand in incomparable Majeſty and Glory. Raiſe up my thoughts as high as that heavenly place where he is, and where I hope one day to be; equal to the Angels, Luk. 20.36.who neither marry, nor are given in marriage. Help me to begin that happy ſtate in ſeparating my ſelf frequently from all this world, and joyning with that bleſſed company above, in praiſing thee, and giving thanks unto thee, whoſe mercies are great and endure for ever. And when I am about any other imployment; help me chearfully to attend it; and with a willing mind to perform the duties belonging to it. Poſſeſs me with ſuch an hatred of idleneſs and ſloth, that I may always be buſied about ſome good or innocent thing. Eſpecially diſpoſe me to exerciſe my ſelf in works of mercy and charity; and to take all opportunites of doing good, to the bodies or ſouls of my Neighbours.
Indue me with prudence and diſcretion in the choice of my company and friends: and give me wiſdom to improve their ſociety to the beſt purpoſes. Make my mind more heavenly: and when any thoughts contrary to my inclinations and reſolutions ariſe in me, turn them immediately to thy ſelf, and my bleſſed Saviour. Open my eyes to behold the things that are not ſeen: And put out the ſplendor of all thoſe things that dazzle our eyes here, by the appearance of a brighter and more glorious good. Which may raiſe my deſigns higher than this world; and make all my paſſions and affections more equal and moderate; my diſcourſe more profitable; my behaviour more humble, modeſt, and ſuch as becometh Saints; and all my actions more conformable to thy will, and more exemplary to thoſe whom I converſe withal. The very God of peace ſanctifie me wholly; 1 Theſſ. 5.23.and preſerve my whole ſpirit, and ſoul, and body blameleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt!
O that my love to any thing here may not turn into wantonneſs and folly; nor my joy and chearfulneſs, into lightneſs and vanity; nor my ſeriouſneſs or ſorrow, into melancholy and diſcontent; nor my juſt anger, into hatred and contention; nor induſtry in my buſineſs into carefulneſs, diſtruſt and earthlineſs of mind; nor my diſcretion and prudence, into craft, diſſembling and deceit! Diſpoſe my heart that I may ſo mind heavenly things, as to be very humble and lowly in my own eyes; and be ſo humble and ſenſible of my own unworthineſs and weakneſs, as to make my addreſſes to thee continually, with the greater earneſtneſs, for thy merciful help and ſupply. Teach me ſo to pray and call upon thee, as to labour and ſtrive my ſelf; and ſo to labour and run, that I may obtain. Let faith in thy good providence and precious promiſes be my comfort; and hope of thy glory make me rejoyce; and a great love to thee make me unwearied, and fill me with the conſolations of the holy Ghoſt. O that my Religion may become my Nature; ſo that it may not be my burden or trouble: and help me ſo to look upon it as my duty, as withal to account it my honour, priviledge and happineſs.
O that I may never deſire any thing but to be ſo pure as thou wouldſt have me; and to enjoy thoſe rewards of holineſs, which thou canſt and wilt beſtow upon me. This is the ſumme of my deſires; that whatſoever I do may pleaſe thee, and whatſoever thou doſt may be pleaſing to me. Lord, hear me and anſwer me graciouſly. And if I ſhall ſee any cauſe hereafter to change my condition, preſerve in me …n unchangeable love to thee above …ll things. That ſtill I may pleaſe …hee▪ and be acceptable in thy ſight: delighting my ſelf in wiſdom, and …epoſing my ſelf with her; Wiſd. 8.16.…or her converſation hath …o bitterneſs, and to live with her hath …o ſorrow, but mirth and joy. In which happineſs, the Lord vouchſafe …o keep me, whatever my condition …e, for Jeſus his ſake. To whom with thee, O Father, and thy bleſſed …pirit, be everlaſting praiſes. Amen.
A Prayer when there are any thoughts of changing that condition, and deliberations about Marriage.
O Lord, my moſt gracious and merciful Father; of whoſe tender care and good providence I have had ſo long and abundant experience, that I ſhould be extreamly ungrateful if I ſhould not acknowledge thee, and love thee, and truſt in thee, and upon all occaſions call upon thee, and ſeek thy favour for ever. There hath no day paſſed ſince I came into the world, but it hath brought along with it many tokens of thy love which thou art ſtill renewing in every moment of my life. By thee I have been carried through all the dangers of infancy and child-hood, unto this age of underſtanding and reaſon. And thou haſt bleſſed me many ways ſince that time; eſpecially with ſome remembrance and ſenſe of thy ſelf, from whom I came and on whom I depend; which I account the greateſt benefit of all. Bleſſed be thy goodneſs that I am not a perfect ſtranger to thee: but that thou haſt made me to know ſomething of thee, and of thy infinite goodneſs; who alone art able to make me happy, both here and eternally.
I hope in thee, O my God, that thou wilt never forſake me: but be my guide even unto death. Pardon, I beſeech thee, all the ſins and negligences, of which I have been at any time guilty: and let them not hinder the continuance of thy mercy and favour towards me, on which all the comfort of my life depends. Leave me not to my ſelf and the weakneſs of my own counſels; eſpecially now, in the greateſt turn and change of my life: but vouchſafe to direct my thoughts, and all the motions of my heart aright, to that which will be moſt profitable for me, and conduce every way to my future comfort and ſatisfaction. Lead me in the way wherein I ſhall go; and guide me for thy names ſake. Indue me with ſuch a ſerious, conſiderate and diſcerning ſpirit, that I may not follow the inticements of any fading and periſhing good: but cleave to that wich is unchangeable and never dies. Favour thou haſt taught me, is deceitful, Prov. 31.30.and beauty is vain: but one that feareth the Lord ſhall be praiſed. O poſſeſs my heart with an holy fear of thee; that nothing may appear ſo amaible in mine eyes, as true Religion, Piety and Vertue! Make me in love with the beauties of Wiſdom, (for thou loveſt none, but him that dwelleth with wiſdom, Wiſd. 7.28.to be allied unto which is immortality; 8.17,18.and great pleaſure, I know, it is, to have her friendſhip) and with the beauties of ſobriety, meekneſs, mercifulneſs, humility, and all thoſe things which are the image of thy goodneſs. That being inclined by theſe in my choice, I may find a fit perſon to be the guide of my youth [or an help meet for me] the delight of mine eyes; in whoſe ſociety I may enjoy a conſtant relief, eaſe and pleaſure, and be ſet forward thereby in the way to heaven.
Aſſiſt me, I beſeech thee, in all my deliberations about this change; that I may ſoberly weigh every thing which is offered to my thoughts. And after all the dangers which, by thy goodneſs, I have eſcaped, I may not be ſo unhappy now, as to fall into the ſaddeſt of all; by the ſtrength of fancy, by raſhneſs and unadviſedneſs of mind, or the violence and unrulineſs of any paſſion: but may diſpoſe of my affections to a perſon worthy of them. Help me, bleſſed Lord, to make ſo wiſe a choice, that I may never repent of it afterward. Direct and govern likewiſe the minds and hearts of all thoſe [Parents or Friends] that tranſact any thing on my behalf. That they may have a reſpect chiefly to thoſe things which endure for ever: and ſettle me there, where I may moſt glorifie thee, and do moſt good, and increaſe in wiſdom and vertue, and live in peace, chearfulneſs and contentment to the end of my days. Which mercies, and all others, that thou ſeeſt requiſite for me, I moſt humbly beg of thee, for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, the Lord of peace; to whom, with thy ſelf, and good Spirit, I deſire to give, as is moſt due, eternal praiſes. Amen.
A Prayer when a perſon is about to enter into the ſtate of Marriage; [and may ſerve for any other new condition of life.]
O Lord, the Guide and Director, the helper and comforter of all thoſe that ſeek thee, and depend upon thee with their whole heart. In a ſerious ſenſe that nothing can make me happy without thy love, favour and bleſſing, I humbly caſt down my ſelf before thy divine Majeſty; imploring thy gracious preſence with me, to inſtruct, govern and aſſiſt me in that condition, into which, under the conduct and protection of thy good providence, I am about to enter. Great and many have been thy mercies towards me hitherto, ever ſince I was taken by thee out of my mothers womb. Thou haſt nouriſhed and clothed me: thou haſt brought me up to ſome knowledge of thee and of the duty I owe thee: thou haſt ſhown me the path of life, and prevented me early with thy Grace, to diſpoſe my heart to walk in it. And, though I have not made, I moſt ſorrowfully confeſs, ſuch returns unto thee as I ought to have done yet, it is ſome comfort to me, to feel my heart inclined and reſolved to be more thankful and and dutiful hereafter; and to paſs the remaining part of my ſojourning here in thy fear and love, and ſtedfaſt obedience.
Pardon me therefore, O moſt merciful Father, according to thy promiſes made in Chriſt Jeſus, to penitent ſinners. And vouchſafe me the grace of thy holy Spirit, to lead me to a clear and full underſtanding of all the duties that belong to the ſtate and relations in which I have now choſen to ſerve thee. Indue me with a ſincere and hearty affection to them; and inable me carefully to perform them with a willing mind, and a chearful unwearied ſpirit, as long as thou thinkeſt fit to continue me in that condition of life. Bleſs me with a wiſe and obſervant heart, to diſcern and mark the nature and diſpoſitions of thoſe, to whom I ſhall be joyned, in any bonds of love o… duty: That I may delight to pleaſe them to the utmoſt of my power; and ſtudy their content and ſatisfaction; and bear with their infirmities; and chuſe the fitteſt opportunities to do them good, and amend what is amiſs in them. Free us all, who ſhall ſtand related to each other, from all peeviſhneſs and unreaſonable paſſions: let no miſtake or cauſleſs jealouſie ſpoil the entireneſs of our affection: indue us with great purity of heart, and a chaſte converſation: And beſtow upon us ſuch meek, ſweet and compliant diſpoſitions, that this may not prove a ſtate of temptation and ſorrow, but of godlineſs and holineſs, to our mutual joy and happineſs.
Make us ever mindful of the Covenant wherein we ſtand ingaged to each other; eſpecially of that ſacred Vow wherein we ſtand bound to thee, by our being baptized into the Name of Jeſus Chriſt; that we may faithfully keep and perform it. Tye us ſo faſt together in unity of ſpirit, that we may have the ſame common cares; and bear one anothers burdens; and endeavour to increaſe each others joys, and lighten each others ſorrows; and in all the changes and alterations of our condition we may religiouſly preſerve an immutable love unto and delight in each other, to the end of our days. Eſpecially help us to ſtir up one another to the love of thee, and our bleſſed Saviour; and to do all good offices to our neighbours: that after we have enjoyed the comfort of a ſweet ſociety, and been a bleſſing to all that are near unto us; we may finally part in peace, and reſt in a good hope to dwell together for ever, in happy friendſhip with thee, and with our Lord, and all the holy ones. Amen, Amen.