The Devout Christian Instructed How to Pray and Give Thanks, family · Prayers 1
On the LORDS DAY In the MORNING.
ALmighty and Eternal God, the Lord of heaven and earth: we thy creatures are here proſtrate before thee, to expreſs our humble and grateful ſenſe of our dependence on thee; to honour thee with our Praiſes, and Thankſgivings, and an hearty oblation of our ſelves, our ſouls and bodies, to thy ſervice. We are unworthy, we confeſs, to be admitted to ſpeak unto thy Majeſty, nor can our thoughts or words add any thing to thy greatneſs, happineſs and glory: but ſince thou art pleaſed in thy infinite goodneſs to do us the honour, not only to admit, but to invite our addreſſes unto thee, that our ſpirits may be bettered by lifting up themſelves to thee from whom we come, by meditating thy praiſes, by exciting our love, and praying our acknowledgements to thee; we moſt humbly and thankfully receive this thy great grace and favour towards us. Remembring withal, that it is but juſt and reaſonable we ſhould pay thee our vows which we made the laſt night, being ſo graciouſly raiſed up in ſoundneſs of body and mind, to ſee the light of this day, which our Saviour hath made, that we may be glad and rejoyce therein.
We laud and magnifie therefore thy moſt holy Name, thy infinite Power, Wiſdom and Bounty; which all the world proclaims with the higheſt praiſes. We bleſs thee in behalf of all thy creatures, as well as of our ſelves (to whom thou haſt given dominion over the works of thy hands) for Pſal. 145.15,16.the eyes of all look unto thee, and thou giveſt them their meat in due ſeaſon. Thou openeſt thy hand, and ſatisfieſt the deſire of every living thing. But above all we acknowledge thy ineſtimable benefits beſtowed upon mankind in Chriſt Jeſus, the Son of thy Love, whom thou waſt pleaſed, in thy infinite mercy, to ſend among us in our own likeneſs, to aſſure us of thy good will towards us, and to inſtruct us in our duty towards thee, and to give us hope of no leſs than immortal life, by patient continuance in well doing.
We remember with all thankfulneſs his miraculous Birth, at which the Angels rejoyced; his moſt holy Life; his bitter Agony, and bloudy Death; his glorious Reſurrection upon this day from the grave; his Aſcenſion into the heavens, to fit on the right hand of the Majeſty on high; his Triumph over all the powers of darkneſs; and his Sovereign Dominion over all Angels, Authorities and Powers, whom thou haſt made ſubject to him.1 Pet. 3. ult. O God, how great was thy love to the ſinful ſons of men! which moved thee to paſs by ſuch innumerable offences, whereby they had provoked thy ſevereſt diſpleaſure. How great was that love! which hath honoured our mortal nature with ſo high a glory; and committed the care of our immortal ſouls to one ſo mighty to ſave, and ſo full of kindneſs, and moſt tender charity toward us. O the greatneſs of thy love! which hath choſen us to be thy ſons and heirs, together with Chriſt Jeſus; and ſet ſuch an high Prieſt over thy houſe and family, to make interceſſion for us, to diſpenſe all divine bleſſings to us, and ſend forth Angels themſelves to be Heb. 1. ult.miniſtring ſpirits for them who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation. Who can underſtand the exceeding riches of thy grace in ſending the holy Ghoſt to be a witneſs of our Saviours Reſurrection and Exaltation; and to make us abound in hope, Rom. 15.13.that we ſhall be one day raiſed from the dead, and carried to heaven, and keep a perpetual reſt, after our ſhort labours here, with our bleſſed Lord and Maſter, in his eternal glory?
O that we could begin it this day, in devout Meditations of theſe things, in unſpeakable joy and ſatisfaction of heart in the aſſured hope and expectation of them, and in bleſſing and praiſing thee, who haſt given us ſuch good hope, and everlaſting conſolation. Lift up our minds, we pray thee, this morning, above all theſe little things here below, which are apt to diſtract our thoughts, and turn away our eyes from that heavenly bliſs. And keep them above in the ſerious contemplation of it; till we be in love with it, and our hearts be fully bent and reſolved to ſeek it every day in thoſe ways wherein Jeſus hath gone before us, though it ſhould be with the loſs of all that we here poſſeſs. It is but meet and fit that we ſhould wholly quit our own will, and devote our ſelves to follow thine; eſpecially ſince thou haſt ſhown ſuch unuſual kindneſs towards us, as, if we had been innocent, we durſt not have preſumed to expect from thee.
We are aſham'd, O Lord, to think that ever we have diſobeyed thee, to whom we ſtand ſo deeply indebted, both as we are thy creatures, and as we are redeemed by the precious bloud of thy Son Jeſus. It grieves us, that we have tranſgreſſed any of thy righteous and good Laws, by which it is our happineſs as well as our duty to be govern'd. We abhorr the thoughts of ever breaking them any more: beſeeching not only thy gracious pardon, but thy acceptance of our intire reſolution to agree with thy Will in all things, for the time to come. We here again moſt ſolemnly dedicate all the powers of our ſouls and bodies to thy ſervice: deſiring unfeignedly that all the thoughts and deſigns of our minds, all the affections and paſſions of our hearts, and all the actions of our life and converſation may be pure, holy and unreproveable in thy ſight.
For which end we moſt humbly implore the aſſiſtance of thy good ſpirit, which our Lord hath incouraged us to hope thou wilt give to thoſe, that ask and ſeek it with their whole heart. O let thy mercy be upon us according to thy word, according as our hope is in thee, and our hearts ſincerely and ſtedfaſtly ſet to keep thy Commandments. Pſal. 139.23,24.Search us, O God, and know our hearts: try us, and know our thoughts. And ſee if there be any way of wickedneſs in us, and lead us in the way everlaſting. Fill our minds with awful and reverend thoughts of thee, as our Sovereign Lord and Judge. Settle in us an immutable love to thee; and the higheſt eſteem of thy favour and grace, as better than life it ſelf. That ſo we may ſtudy above all things to approve our very hearts, and all our actions to thee; and feel the ſenſe of thy acceptance of us, giving us greater pleaſure, than all the world can afford us. Make it our delight to praiſe thee, to call to mind thy loving kindneſs, to offer to thee the ſacrifice of thankſgiving, and to meditate on thy pretious promiſes. Help us to Luk. 21.34.take heed to ourſelves, leſt our hearts be at any time overcharged with ſurfeiting and drunkenneſs, and the inordinate cares of this life: Heb. 13.5.To have our converſation without covetouſneſs, and to be content with ſuch things as we have: 1 Theſſ. 4.4.To poſſeſs our bodies in ſanctification and honour: Rom 13.9.To love our neighbours as our ſelves; Matth. 7.12.And as we would that others ſhould do to us, to do even ſo to them: Rom. 12.18.To live peaceably, as much as in us lyeth, with all men: 1 Pet. 3.4.To put on the ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit: Jam. 5.12.To take thoſe who have ſpoken in the name of our Lord, for an example of ſuffering affliction, and of patience: 1 Pet. 4.16.And when we ſuffer as Chriſtians, not to be aſhamed, but to glorifie thee our God on this behalf.
And accept, good Lord, of all the praiſes and acknowledgements of all thy people met this day together, according to thy Will: and aſſiſt us to render thee ſtill more hearty and affectionate praiſes, in that holy Aſſembly, to which we are going to joyn our ſelves. O that all people on the face of the earth were united together, likewiſe, in one body to ſhew forth thy praiſe. O that thy way were known upon earth; thy ſaving health among all Nations. And that all Chriſtian Kings eſpecially, may be filled with thy holy Spirit; and think it their Crown and their Glory, to be the devout worſhippers and faithful ſubjects of the Lord Jeſus, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. Pſal. 132.9.O that thy prieſts may be cloathed with righteouſneſs, and thy Saints ſhout aloud for joy. That all who are in diſtreſs and miſery may rejoyce alſo, in hope that all afflictions ſhall turn to their good, and Heb. 12.11.afterwards yield the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſs. O Lord, hear us; and make thy face to ſhine upon thy ſervants: that we may enter into thy gates with thanksgiving, and into thy courts with praiſe: that we may be thankful unto thee, and bleſs thy Name. 100.4,5.For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlaſting: and his truth endureth to all generations.
Our Father, &c.
At Night.
O Lord moſt high; the Holy One, who inhabiteſt Eternity, who only haſt immortality, and art moſt bleſſed in thy own incomprehenſible perfections. Thou art to be feared and loved, and worſhipped and praiſed, by us and all reaſonable creatures, who have any knowledge; how great, how mighty, how wiſe and merciful thou art. All thy works praiſe thee, O Lord, and we more eſpecially ought to bleſs thee; whom thou haſt made to underſtand thy moſt adorable excellencies, which are far beyond the higheſt of all our thoughts. And we have yet a more particular obligation to thee, for thy marvailous love in Chriſt Jeſus, whom thou haſt ſent in great humility to viſit us, who are but duſt and aſhes; to make his abode among us; to teſtifie thy great love to us; and aſſure us of thy good will, notwithſtanding our many offences; and to make us exceeding great and precious promiſes, to invite us to approach thee, and to incourage our obedience to thee. We thank thee that he hath ſealed them with his bloud; and thou haſt confirmed them by his Reſurrection, and Aſcenſion, and the coming of the holy Ghoſt; & that thou haſt given us ſo many happy opportunities to acquaint our ſelves with the truth and purity of the Chriſtian Religion: which comforts us in this ſtate of mortality and miſery, with the bleſſed hope of eternal life.
Bleſſed be thy goodneſs for that great conſolation; and that thou haſt ſhown us the way to it by his doctrine and example; and aſſured us of the aſſiſtance of thy holy Spirit to inable us to follow after him, to that glory which he poſſeſſes. Bleſſed be thy goodneſs, that we have felt it ſo often in our minds and hearts; inſpiring us with holy thoughts, exciting in us devout affections and godly reſolutions, filling us with Divine Joys, and with comfortable expectations of the glory that ſhall be revealed. We thank thee, that thou haſt permitted us this day to attend upon thee, together with our Chriſtian Brethren, in the publick Duties of thy Worſhip and Service. And that there we have received any good inſtructions, any holy exhortations, and Chriſtian incouragements, to proceed and go forward in the courſe of well doing: and have begun in any meaſure that eternal reſt, which we wait for with all the faithful, when we ſhall praiſe, and thank, and love thee our heavenly Father, better than we can do now, whilſt we are in theſe frail bodies, and abſent from the Lord.
We can do no leſs than offer up again our ſouls and bodies to thee, to be order'd and govern'd by thy bleſſed Will, and not our own: that ſo we may be every day more prepared for that happy ſtate, and draw nearer and nearer in the diſpoſition and temper of our ſpirits, to that immortal bleſſedneſs. It is our ſatisfaction, our ſecurity, the eaſe and joy of our hearts, to be under the conduct of thy unerring wiſdom; to follow thy counſels, and to be determined in all things by thy holy Will: who art ſo good, and haſt given us ſuch large demonſtrations of thy abundant kindneſs and good will to us, as will not let us diſtruſt thy tender care of us; whatſoever it is thou wouldeſt have us do or ſuffer in this world. O God, purifie our minds and thoughts more perfectly, that we may never conceive amiſs of thee; but have right apprehenſions in all things: and all our paſſions and affections likewiſe, that we may intirely love thee; and rejoyce in being beloved of thee; and humbly confide in thee; and abſolutely reſign our ſelves to thee; and be filled with conſtant devotion towards thee, our Almighty Creator, and moſt merciful Redeemer. Poſſeſs our hearts with ſuch a lively ſenſe of our relation to thee in both reſpects, and of the honour thou haſt done us in preferring us ſo much above the reſt of our fellow creatures; that we may ever behave our ſelves ſuitably to the dignity of our Nature, and of our Religion.
O that we may never degenerate into a baſe and unworthy love of any thing here below: nor be oppreſſed with the burden of the cares of this life: nor ſink under the weight of any affliction: nor be vainly puffed up with the greateſt fulneſs of earthly goods, if thou art pleaſed to beſtow them on us. But aſſiſt us with thy grace, to Rom. 12.9.abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good. Diſpoſe us to a diſcreet and temperate uſe of all the pleaſures of this world. Indue us with true modeſty and humility of ſpirit, that we may Rom. 12.3,10,16.not think of our ſelves more highly than we ought to think; but think ſoberly, according to the meaſure which thou haſt dealt unto us. Keep us from being wiſe in our own conceits: and inable us ſo to order our ſelves, that Phil. 4.5.our moderation may be known to all men. Make us kindly affectioned one to another in brotherly love: To delight in doing good; Tit. 3.2.to ſhew all meekneſs to all men: Rom. 13.7,8.To render to all their dues: Tribute to whom tribute is due, cuſtom to whom cuſtom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour: and to owe no man anything, but to love one another. Make us ſo happy, that we may be able to Matth. 5.44.love our enemies, to bleſs thoſe that curſe us, to do good to them that hate us, Rom. 12.15.to rejoyce with them that do rejoyce, and weep with them that weep. Compoſe our ſpirits to a quiet and ſteady dependence on thy good providence; that we may not Matth. 6.25.take too much thought for our life, nor be careful for any thing: Phil. 4.6.but by prayer and ſupplication with thanksgiving, ſtill make known our requeſts to thee our God. And help us Luk. 18.1.to pray alway, and not faint: 1 Theſſ. 5.18.In every thing to give thanks, Heb. 13.15.and offer up the ſacrifice of praiſe continually: 1 Pet. 1.17.To paſs the time of our ſojourning here in fear: Rom. 5.2.To believe thoſe things which we do not ſee, and to rejoyce in hope of thy glory: Luk. 21.19.To poſſeſs our ſouls in patience: Phil. 4.11,12.And to learn in whatſoever ſtate we are, therewith to be content: Make us know both how to be abaſed, and how to abound: every where, and in all things inſtruct us, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to ſuffer need: being inabled to do all things through Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth us. That we feeling the joys of uprightneſs and integrity of heart; our Religion may be the greateſt comfort and pleaſure to us, and we our ſelves an ornament to our Religion.
O that we could alway by an innocent, good and uſeful life, commend the Doctrine of God, our Saviour, to thoſe who converſe with us: And that the light of all Chriſtians did ſo ſhine before men, that others beholding their good works, might be moved to glorifie thee, and heartily to believe on the Lord Jeſus. Send forth thy Light and thy Truth into all the dark corners of the Earth: That Pſal. 72.11,12,13,14.all kings may fall down before him, and all nations ſerve him. And indue them whom thou haſt placed in ſuch high Authority over others with that divine Spirit which was in him: that they may deliver the needy when he cryeth; the poor alſo, and him that hath no helper. That they may ſpare the poor and needy, and ſave and redeem their ſoul from deceit and violence: and their bloud may be precious in their ſight.
Bleſs theſe Kingdoms wherein we live; and as thou haſt long continued to us the knowledge of thy Truth: ſo give us grace to bring forth fruit becoming the Goſpel; that thou mayſt not cut us down as barren trees, which cumber the ground. Lord, ſave the King, and eſtabliſh his Throne in righteouſneſs, that we may ſee many happy days under his government: and be Pſal. 90.15.comforted now after the time that thou haſt plagued us; and for the years wherein we have ſuffered adverſity. Proſper the pious endeavours of all thoſe, that faithfully feed and inſtruct thy people; and increaſe the number of them. O that the ſeed which hath been ſown this day, may take deep root in all our hearts, and bring forth fruit abundantly: that being not Jam. 1.25,26.forgetful hearers, but doers of the work, we may be all bleſſed in our deed. Help us in all the week following, to Pſal. 141.3,4.ſet a watch before our mouth; and to keep the door of our lips. Preſerve us that our heart incline not to any evil thing, to practiſe wicked works, with men that work iniquity: but we may be always 1 Pet. 3.13.followers of that which is good; 1 Theſſ. 4.1.and as we have received how we ought to walk and pleaſe thee our God, ſo we may abound more and more.
Protect us, we beſeech thee, and all our friends every where, this night. Grant us quiet and undiſturbed reſt and ſleep: and awaken in the morning theſe good thoughts and deſires again in our hearts; Joh. 15.7.that the words of our Saviour may abide in us, and we in him; till we come to endleſs life together with him; by whom we are incouraged thus to addreſs our ſelves unto thee, and to continue to pray, as he hath taught us in his holy Goſpel, ſaying,
Our Father, &c.
A ſhorter form of Prayer for the Lords day Morning.
O Moſt holy & eternally Bleſſed. Deut. 10.14.The heaven, and the heaven of heavens is thine, the earth alſo with all that therein is. Thou art every where, and canſt not be excluded from any place: but art preſent to the greateſt ſecrets of our ſouls, and ſeeſt the cloſeſt and moſt retired thoughts of our hearts. Thou knoweſt very well with what deſigns and affections we now bow our ſelves before thee, and canſt not be deceived by any words that we are able to ſpeak in thy praiſe, whilſt our hearts are far from thy fear and love.
Behold, O Lord, our hearts are full with deſires to be poſſeſſed with a mighty reverend ſenſe of thee, and all the benefits thou haſt beſtowed on us: and to be lifted up to heaven in love to thee, and joy in thee, whilſt we bleſs and praiſe thee, and ſpeak good of thy Name. We here remember with all humility and thankfulneſs, that thou art our Creator. And acknowledge thy care and providence over thy ancient people in bleſſing and ſanctifying a day, wherein thou thy ſelf reſtedſt from thy works, that they might ceaſe from all other imployments; and admire thy wonderful works, extol thy power, bleſs thy goodneſs, and be aſtoniſhed at thy wiſdom, in making, preſerving, adorning and governing this excellent frame of the world. The heavens declare thy glory, O God, and the firmament ſheweth thy handy-work. The Sun, the Moon, and all the hoſt of Heaven proclaim the greatneſs and ſplendor of thy Majeſty. The Pſal. 104.24.whole earth is full of thy rich goodneſs: ſo is the great and wide ſea, wherein are things moving innumerable, both ſmall and great living creatures. There is nothing but what ſpeaks of thee; and above all, the children of men, whom thou haſt wonderfully made, and curiouſly wrought, and impreſſed with thine own Image; that they might underſtand thee, and love thee, in all and above all things.
The variety, the order, the ſtedfaſtneſs of all thy works in this great world, abundantly utter thy adorable perfections. But thou, O Lord, by thy goodneſs in giving thy Son for us, and then raiſing him up from the dead, and ſetting him at thy right hand, haſt given us new matter of wonder and praiſe; and conſecrated a better reſt and holy-day of rejoycing; wherein we ſhould behold the glories of another world, and have before our eyes the happineſs thou intendeſt for us there, together with all the excellent means which lead unto it. Thou giveſt us occaſion not only to reflect upon all the good things thou haſt provided for our bodies; (which we can never acknowledge enough; the very health and eaſe of one day deſerving the thankfulneſs of many) but we muſt alſo remember, that we are thy redeemed ones, and that thou haſt done great things for our ſouls in thy Son Jeſus, who is entred into the heavens for us, and gone to prepare a reſting place for all thoſe that follow him. This exceeding riches of thy grace infinitely ſurpaſſes all our acknowledgements; ſince all the praiſes we are able to render thee, are leſs than is due for thy temporal bleſſings. To this love we …owe the knowledge of thee, the true and only God; our freedom from Idolatry, and a vain converſation; the true principles of holy living; the benefit of repentance; the promiſe of a pardon; the aſſiſtance of thy holy Spirit; the miniſtry of thy Angels; the hope of immortal life; and the pledges our Lord hath left us of his endleſs love. To this we owe thy forbearance in the days of our ignorance; thy unwearied patience towards us in a continued rebellion; and thy earneſt intreaties of us, when we were paſſionately bent upon our own deſtruction. Thou haſt ſent us, in much love, many holy Inſtructors and guides to bleſſedneſs. We have had the benefit of ſundry pious Sermons, good Examples, wholeſome admonitions, and ſerious counſels, of the power of the Holy Ghoſt, and divers reſtraints of fear, and ſhame, and love: and thou ſtill purſueſt us with thy merciful kindneſs, and beſeecheſt us to attend to thy call, and receive thy bleſſings, and make thee our choice, and be eternally happy in thy Divine favour and likeneſs. What ſhall we render to the Lord for all his benefits towards us?
O help us to manifeſt our real and unfeigned deſires to make ſome worthy returns to thee, by our careful improvement of the holy opportunity which thou this day putteſt into our hands. O that our minds may be more inlightned to underſtand the truth, as it is in Jeſus; that our wills may be more ſteadfaſtly reſolved to cleave unto it; that our affections may be excited to a ſtronger and more ardent love to thee, and to a greater delight in thee; and all the powers of our ſouls diſpoſed to ſerve thee at all other times, more cheerfully and readily, in all the Duties of Piety, Soberneſs, Righteouſneſs and Mercy. So that every day may become an holy reſt to the Lord, by ceaſing to do evil, …nd conſtantly doing well: and we …ay glorifie thee throughout our whole life; in all our actions 1 Pet. 2.9.ſhow…ng forth thy praiſes, who …aſt called us out of darkneſs into thy marvailous light, accord…ng to thy abundant mercy in Chriſt Jeſus. By whom thou haſt given us a good hope in thee, that thou wilt hear our prayers, and do for us above all that we can ask or …hink; which we humbly beg in …hoſe holy words, which he hath …aught us, ſaying,
Our Father, &c.
Another at Night.
O Moſt bleſſed for evermore; the Father of Mercies, and the God of all Comfort. How precious are thy thoughts to us ward? how great is the ſum of them? Thou reneweſt thy favours continually, and art ſtill pouring upon us innumerable benefits: of which this is not the leaſt, that thou giveſt us leave to come into thy preſence, to call thee Father, and to make known our requeſts to thee, by prayer and ſupplication with thankſgiving. We accept, O Lord, with all thankfulneſs this thy great grace and loving kindneſs to us: and are here again proſtrate before thee this evening, to acknowledge thy goodneſs in making us ſuch excellent creatures; capable to know thee, and acknowledge thee, and love thee, and by being made like thee, to be eternally happy with thee.
Bleſſed be thy name, that we are now alive; and that we have lived ſo long in health, and ſtrength, and peace, and plenty of all good things: whereas our eyes might have been conſumed with grief, our bones ſore vexed, and we might have mingled our drink with continual weeping. We are bound unto thee for the free uſe of our underſtand…ngs; for the good inclinations we find in our wills; for any devout …ffections which are ſtirring in our hearts; for all the advantages we have had by our education, good company, and holy examples: And more eſpecially for the illuminations of the holy Ghoſt by thy bleſſed Goſpel; the breathings of it frequently into our ſpirits; the importunities thou haſt uſed to draw us to thee; and the great and precious promiſes whereby thy love in Chriſt Jeſus conſtrains us to reſign our ſelves intirely to the obedience of thy Precepts.
We ought likewiſe to admire and praiſe thee, for thy goodneſs to all thy creatures, who live daily upon thy bounteous allowance. Pſal. 145.The eyes of all wait on thee, and thou giveſt them their food in due ſeaſon. Thou diffuſeſt thy bleſſings in ſeveral ſtreams to every one of them, according to their needs. 104.28.That thou giveſt them, they gather: thou openeſt thy hand, they are filled with good. We give thee the glory of the plentiful proviſion thou haſt made for them: and more particularly admire thy great liberality to the children of men; under whoſe feet thou haſt put in ſubjection, all ſheep and oxen, yea and the beaſts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fiſh of the ſea, and whatſoever paſſeth through the paths of the waters. O Lord, we praiſe thee for thy goodneſs to thoſe who praiſe thee not themſelves. Be thou adored and acknowledged in thy bounty, which beſtows ſo many bleſſings unasked and unſought; and continues them notwithſtanding abundance of provocations, and moſt high offence that they have given to thy merciful kindneſs.
And let thy goodneſs to thy Church be never forgotten by us, which thou haſt in all ages protected and defended: in a marvailous manner propagating the Goſpel of our Saviour, confounding its oppoſers, and ſpreading it by the power of the holy Ghoſt over the face of the earth. We thank thee for thy ſingular favour to theſe Countries wherein we live. To whom theſe glad tydings of Salvation have reached; and who have long enjoyed a more glorious light than many other places; and been delivered from the darkneſs of Popiſh ſuperſtition, and from ſundry attemps that have heen made to bereave us of this happineſs; and are again ſettled after many confuſions in a peaceable enjoyment of thy true Religion: which thou haſt alſo continued to us, though we have not brought forth fruit worthy of the Goſpel of thy Grace.
O that all thy undeſerved goodneſs may have this effect upon us; to make us heartily love thee, and devoutly worſhip thee, and zealouſly obey thee, and ſteadfaſtly truſt and hope in thee for ever. That by a careful improvement of the knowledge of thee our God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom thou haſt given us all things that pertain unto life and godlineſs; we may ſtill enjoy this ineſtimable treaſure, and all thy love to us may at laſt be finiſhed in thoſe eternal joys, which he hath promiſed to the faithful. And as we have been taught, exhorted and incouraged this day out of thy holy word; and have likewiſe publickly acknowledged our obligations to thee, and made profeſſion of love, and gratitude, and dutifulneſs to thy Divine Majeſty: So help us all the week following openly to teſtifie the truth and honeſty of our hearts, in all this, by a blameleſs converſation; in all humility, meekneſs, temperance, righteouſneſs, charity and peace, with all them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Bleſs our Soveraign, the Defender of the Faith we profeſs; and all imployed under him, in their ſeveral offices: that they may be inſtruments of continuing to us theſe holy opportunities; with all other good things that may make theſe Kingdoms happy. O that all our Friends may be thine: and if we have any enemies, Father, forgive them. Comfort and ſupport the ſick, the needy, and all other diſtreſſed perſons, with an immoveable belief of thy wiſe and good providence: to which give them grace patiently and obediently to reſign themſelves. And when all our ſenſes this night ſhall be bound up with ſleep, be thou, O Lord, our keeper: and after the refreſhment of that repoſe, and this holy reſt from our labours, raiſe us in the morning to return unto them with cheerful minds, and ready wills; praiſing ſtill and magnifying thy multiplyed mercies to us in Chriſt Jeſus, by whom we preſent our ſelves and petitions to thee: ſaying further, as he hath taught us.
Our Father, &c.
Another for the Afternoon, or any other time of that day.
O Moſt Holy, Glorious and Bleſſed. Thy Name is excellent in all the earth; and thou art for ever praiſed by all the hoſt of heaven, who are never weary of thy ſervice. We thy creatures, ſinful duſt and aſhes, have many times profeſſed it is our happineſs, to joyn with thoſe heavenly inhabitants in admiring, worſhipping, bleſſing and loving thee, the great Lord of all; with pure hearts, in unity of ſpirit, ſincere friendſhip, and brotherly accord one with another. We have often ſpoken great things of thee; and declared thy ſervice to be the ſweeteſt pleaſure, and one hour ſpent in holy meditations, devout affections, and cheerful thankſgivings, to be far better than all the time we ſpend in other imployments. How much then, if we mean ſincerely, and according to our words, ſhould our hearts rejoyce that we may ſpend a day in thy Courts, & are invited to a longer attendance on thy divine Majeſty, in the duties of thy worſhip and ſervice. We are aſhamed that any wearineſs ſhould ſeize on our ſpirits; and that it ſhould be irkſome to us, to renew our thoughts and acknowledgements of thy infinite goodneſs. Behold, O Lord, we are reſolved again to addreſs our ſelves unto thee with praiſe and thankſgiving, for giving us ſuch opportunities to look back to thee, the Author of our being; to lift up our ſouls towards our heavenly Country; and unite them to the firſt and chiefeſt good; from whence we derive whatſoever we have, or hope to enjoy. Beſeeching thee to help us to draw near unto thee, with hearts full of wonder at thy incomprehenſible Majeſty; full of love to thy moſt wiſe and Almighty goodneſs; full of thankfulneſs for thy benefits; full of deſires to be what thou wouldſt have us; and full of joy that thou wouldſt have us be ſo happy, in being made thy children, partakers of a Divine Nature, and heirs of immortal life.
We admire thy glory, O great Lord of heaven and earth, which ſhines in the whole Creation; thy greater glory in the work of our redemption, by the miraculous Birth, Life, Death, and Reſurrection of Chriſt Jeſus; and the greateſt of all, which we hope and wait for at his appearing, when he ſhall come to be admired in his Saints, and glorified in all them that believe. Thou haſt done great things for us already: thou haſt promiſed to do greater: and thou art daily performing thy promiſes, and preparing us for the accompliſhment of them all, in the higheſt bleſſedneſs. O God of all grace, make us wiſer Stewards, than we have been, of thy manifold gifts and graces, which we are intruſted withal. Help us carefully to huſband this ſacred opportunity which thou continueſt to us, to the beſt advantage of our immortal ſouls. Gather in our thoughts from our ordinary buſineſs. Fix them on thy ſelf; and hold them in the contemplation of thy infinite mercies, and of thoſe divine Truths which repreſent our duty, and thy exceeding love and kindneſs towards us. Chaſe away all worldly affections, and over-awe our ſpirits with a ſenſe of thy divine preſence; that by ſerving thee with a religious reverence this day, we may be diſpoſed to walk in thy fear all the reſt of our lives: Having a grateful remembrance of thy benefits; a deep and ſerious reflection upon our own reſolutions, and thy gracious promiſes; an holy jealouſie over our ſelves, leſt we ſhould be unfaithful to them; and a pious care in all things to approve our ſelves the conſtant and diligent ſervants of the Lord Jeſus.
O that our thankfulneſs, and good affections, and zealous deſires, may not end with our prayers, nor conclude with this day: But we may be poſſeſſed with ſuch a ſtrong and habitual ſenſe of thee, and of our obligations to thee; that we may every day earneſtly and heartily ſerve thee in all the actions of Chriſtian piety, and be unwearied in well doing unto the concluſion of our lives.
Another.
O Moſt holy, great and glorious Majeſty of heaven and earth. To whom all the bleſſed company above do, with the higheſt admiration and love, give continual praiſe, and thanks, and honour, and worſhip, and obedience; acknowledging thou art above all that they are able to ſpeak of thee, or aſcribe and render to thee. Much more art thou exalted above the thoughts of ſuch poor mortals as we, who are clothed with fleſh, and live far remote from the throne of thy glory. And yet, ſuch is thy goodneſs, thou condeſcendeſt to admit, nay, to draw us to a fellowſhip with thoſe holy ſpirits; that we may thereby be made happy, and called thy ſervants, though, when we have done the beſt we can, very unprofitable.
What is man that thou art mindful of him? what are the ſons of men that thou doſt at all conſider them? Thou haſt crowned us with glory and honour here below, and raiſed us to a Dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou haſt indued us with underſtandings to know thee, and with wills to love thee; whoſe moſt excellent wiſdom, Almighty power, and ſurpaſſing goodneſs, we diſcover in all thy works of wonder. But what is ſinful man, that thou ſhouldeſt ſo much regard him, as to ſend after him, to ſeek and ſave him, when he was loſt? Lord! what grace was this, that thou ſhouldeſt vouchſafe to ſpeak with us, and communicate any thing of thy mind to ſuch forgetful and ungrateful wretches? But that thou ſhouldſt ſpeak to us by thy Son, and declare thy mind in ſuch words of grace and favour, and publiſh ſuch kind intentions towards us, and recover us with ſo much coſt, and purchaſe us to thy ſelf with the precious bloud of thy Son Jeſus, and ſend thy holy Spirit to purifie us; that we might have thy Image renewed in us, and be made fit ſociety for thy ſelf again, and reſtored to immortal life: Lord! how much doth it exceed all belief, hadſt thou not given us, in tender mercy, ſuch abundance aſſurance of it? We have thoſe reaſons to bleſs thee, which the Angels have not. We muſt admire thee, not only as the great Creator and Preſerver of all things; which we heartily do, and give thee the glory of all thy marvailous works: but alſo as the Redeemer of mankind out of a forlorn condition, by the manifeſtation of thy ſelf in our fleſh, by the bloud of thy Son, the conſtant breathings of the holy Ghoſt, the light of thy Goſpel, and an unwearied patience, which hath waited on us, and propounded to us no leſs happineſs, than to ſit together in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus; who is advanced far above all principalities and powers, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that alſo which is to come.
We praiſe thee, O God; we magnifie thy moſt holy Name; we confeſs our ſelves bound to thee, above all other creatures, that we have any knowledge of: for we are twice thy creatures; and thou haſt a double title to all we have. O ſtir up all that is within us to bleſs thee, and love thee, and offer up the ſacrifice of thankſgiving to thee. Fill our hearts with joy and gladneſs, that we have another opportunity, wherein to recount thy mercies to us; to be further inſtructed in thy mind and will declared by our Saviour; and to be under the comfortable influences of heaven, to cheriſh thoſe holy thoughts, affections, and reſolutions which are begun in us, and to promote our growth and increaſe in all wiſdom, goodneſs and vertue. Poſſeſs us with ſuch a ſtrong ſenſe of thy continued love towards us; that we may teſtifie our true and hearty thankfulneſs for it, by attentive conſideration of all that we hear out of thy holy Word; and by laying it up in our hearts; and eſteeming it more than the greateſt treaſures of this World; and endeavouring every day to have our converſation as becometh the Goſpel of Chriſt. That ſo our praiſes being not meerly words, but real deeds, and all the fruits of righteouſneſs; we may be bleſſed in our deed, and at laſt hear our Lord ſpeaking to us in thoſe gracious words, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Amen.
A Prayer for the Morning when there is a Communion.
O Moſt holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty; the Father of mercies, the God of peace and comfort: by whoſe power we, and all things elſe, were created, and by whoſe good providence we are all preſerved and maintain'd. Be thou eternally bleſſed and praiſed, worſhipped and ſerved, with the moſt ardent love, who haſt made mankind ſo like to thy ſelf, and ordered ſo many of thy creatures to ſerve us, and choſen rather to make us anew, and create us again Epheſ. 2.10.in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, than let us be undone by our ſhameful diſobedience to thee. For thou Joh. 3.16.haſt ſent thy only begotten Son into the world (adored be thy inconceiveable love) that whoſoever believeth in him might not periſh, but have everlaſting life. And he hath laid down his life for that end, and redeemed us by his bloud from the hands of our enemies; and triumphed over them all moſt gloriouſly; and in token thereof aſcended into heaven; and poſſeſſed the Crown of immortal Life, and ſat down at thy right hand, and obtained dominion over Angels, and Men and all Creatures.
We have felt the bleſſed fruits of his Death, and Reſurrection, and Royal Power, whereby Heb. 7.25.he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt all them that come to thee by him. Thy holy Spirit hath breathed often into our hearts: we have been inſtructed in the Goſpel of thy grace: and thy Servants, the Miniſters of thy Word, have not ceaſed to call upon us, yea, to importune us, to follow after our Saviour, to that heavenly bliſs in which he lives. And now again thou vouchſafeſt to us an happy opportunity to improve our ſelves in Chriſtian Wiſdom, Devotion and holineſs; and we have received thy kind invitations to the neareſt approaches to thy divine Majeſty.
O fill us, we pray thee, with a lively and ſtrong ſenſe of thy bounteous goodneſs, which hath been ſo many ways expreſſed towards us. Fill us with pious diſpoſitions to receive more of it, according to thy precious promiſes in Chriſt Jeſus. Stirr up in us ſuch thankful acknowledgements to thee, ſuch hearty reſolutions to obey thee, ſuch earneſt deſires and longings to partake more and more of thy divine Nature, ſuch love, delight, and joy in well doing; that our ſouls may be lifted up above, to that glorious place where our dear Saviour is; and we may comfortably expect, and be truly prepared for, a bleſſed tranſlation thither at the great day of his appearing.
Our great unfruitfulneſs, we confeſs, in the knowledge of Chriſt, may juſtly make thee deny thy gratious influences from heaven upon us. But, O God of all grace, who multiplyeſt mercy, and delighteſt in doing good, pardon us and make us better, both at once. Quicken our ſouls to hear thy holy Word with greater fear and reverence; to ſing thy praiſes with greater cheerfulneſs and gladneſs; to pray to thee with more earneſt affection and ſteadineſs of mind; to approach to thy holy Table, with the deepeſt humility and devotion of ſpirit; and to receive the renewed pledges of thy love, to our very great increaſe in Faith, and Hope, and Love to thee, and to all the world: That ſo this may be a good day to our ſouls, and we may be diſpoſed and enabled to ſpend the reſt of our days better, as becomes the redeemed of the Lord, who have taſted how gracious he is, and who have received the earneſt of eternal life. O that our converſation may be in heaven, by the conſtant love and exerciſe of purity, righteouſneſs, mercy and godlineſs: That we ever ſtudying to glorifie thee, our heavenly Father, by bearing much of this good fruit, may have the more aſſured hope, that thou wilt glorifie us with thy ſelf.
And inſpire, we beſeech thee, the hearts of all others that meet together this day, to magnifie thy great and glorious Name, with the like religious affections towards thee: That we may all Rom. 12.1.preſent our ſelves a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable unto thee, which is our reaſonable ſervice.
Help us all to Coloſſ. 3.10,11, &c.put on (as thy elect children holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindneſs, humbleneſs of mind, meekneſs, long-ſuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel againſt any; even as Chriſt forgave us, ſo incline us alſo to do. And above all theſe things to put on charity, which is the …ond of perfectneſs. And let the peace …f thee our God rule in our hearts, …o which we are called in one body; and …ake us ever truly thankful. Hear …s, we beſeech thee, O moſt merci…ul Father; and after we have per…ected holineſs here in thy fear, bring …s all to compleat our praiſes and …hankſgivings to thee, in the great …ſſembly of Saints and Angels, through Chriſt Jeſus our bleſſed Lord and Saviour: 2 Pet. 3. ult.To whom be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Our Father, &c.
A Prayer at Night when there hath been a Communion.
O Eternally bleſſed Lord God; the Creator of the world, the Father of Angels and men, the King of infinite Majeſty and Power, who canſt do what thou pleaſeſt every where. 2 Chron. 6.18.Th… heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; who art inthroned only in thy own greatneſs, and crowned with the glory of thy own uncommunicated perfections. There is nothing can be added to thee, by us or any other creatures; of whoſe ſervices thou haſt no need; ſeeing thou art abſolutely happy in thy ſelf, Act. 17.25.and giveſt to all life, and breath, and all things. But it is our perfection and happineſs to admire and praiſe thee whom we cannot comprehend; to love thee as much as we know thee; and to obey thee as much as we love thee, 1 Chron. 28.9.with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the Lord ſearcheth all hearts, and underſtandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts.
We praiſe thee therefore, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. We give thee the glory that is due unto thy name: and with hearty …ove offer up our ſelves again intire…y unto thee, whoſe we are, and for whom we were made. Juſtice and gratitude, fear and love, hope and intereſt, whatſoever hath any power to move our hearts, do all preſs, and mightily urge us conſtantly to devote and conſecreate our ſouls and bodies to thy faithful ſervice. We cannot neglect thee, unleſs we will caſt away our ſelves; nor ſin againſt thee, unleſs we will be our own accuſers, judges and tormentors; and throw our ſelves into the greateſt miſeries. Thou haſt been ſo good to us, that if we ſhould not become good likewiſe, we muſt hate and abhorr our ſelves; who cannot but love and delight in thoſe who ſhow us any kindneſs, and beſtow any benefits upon us: though they are but thy Miniſters and Servants, that have nothing, and can do nothing, but what thou haſt given them, and inclineſt them to do.
By thee we were formed and brought out of our Mothers Womb. And by a greater mercy were early born again, and made thy children in Chriſt Jeſus. We have been thy care ever ſince; and been inſtructed in that Covenant of Grace (into which at our Baptiſm we were received) by the knowledge thou haſt given us of thy bleſſed Goſpel. Wherein we read the great love of our Saviour in dying for us; and have the promiſe of his Spirit to ſanctifie and govern us, his holy Precepts for the rule of our actions, his glorious Example to excite and quicken us, and the hope of eternal bliſs, by his Reſurrection from the dead, to incourage and comfort us in well doing. And in the mean time we injoy the ſociety of thy Saints, the miniſtry of thy Angels, and the direction and aſſiſtance of thy faithful ſervants, the Embaſſadors of peace and reconciliation with thee. All which fruits of thy wonderful love we have long enjoyed; and thou haſt this day entertained us at thy Table: where thou haſt refreſhed us with the Communion of the body and bloud of Chriſt Jeſus; the earneſt of a bleſſed reſurrection, and the pledge of immortality. Beſides innumerable good things, which thy moſt tender mercy hath been pleaſed to beſtow upon our bodies, to make our paſſage to that bleſſedneſs, through all the troubles and dangers of this life, the more eaſie and delightful to us. And all this thou haſt done for thoſe who have been too idle and uſeleſs, cold and dull, inconſtant, and ſoon weary of their duty, forgetful of benefits, and unfaithful to their own promiſes. But thy infinite goodneſs ſtill continues to do it; to make us more diligent, more zealous, more ſteadfaſt and immoveable, more mindful of thee, and of our own holy purpoſes, that we may be abundant, as there is reaſon, in the work of our Lord, knowing that our labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord.
And that is the moſt ſincere and fervent deſire of our ſouls likewiſe, who here moſt humbly beſeech thee, by the power of thy holy Spirit to preſerve in us a perpetual and affectionate remembrance of all thy undeſerved kindneſs to us. Stir up all that is within us every morning to bleſs and praiſe thy holy Name: That by a renewed, ſerious acknowledgement of thy benefits, we may be more and more ſtirred up to love and to all good works. O that the Lord Jeſus may be always in our thoughts, and in our hearts; that we may make him our pattern, as he is our hope! O that nothing may be ſo dear unto us in this world, as his holineſs, his humility, his goodneſs and charity, his meekneſs and patience, his intire truſt in thee, and reſignation to thee, his delight to do thy will, O God, in hope of that Tit. 1.1.eternal life, which thou who canſt not lye haſt promiſed to us. Fix our minds and affections more ſteadfaſtly on that glory wherewith he is crowned, by his obedient ſuffering of death, that we may never be weary nor faint in our minds under any ſufferings for well doing: but continuing faithful to the death, may alſo receive the Crown of Life.
Accept, we pray thee, of this our bounden duty and ſervice; pitty our great weakneſſes; pardon all our ſins and negligences; and deny us not the grace of thy holy Spirit, which we have implored, to inable us to amend our lives according to thy holy Word: But after thou haſt refreſhed us with quiet ſleep this night, let us feel it moving our hearts to the ſame holy thoughts, acknowledgements, deſires and reſolutions which it now works in us; through thy mercy declared to us in Chriſt Jeſus. In whoſe words we conclude our Prayers, ſaying, as he hath taught us.
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, &c.
PRAYERS FOR FAMILIES.
MVNDAY MORNING.
WE humble our ſelves, O Lord of heaven and earth, before thy glorious Majeſty; we heartily acknowledge thy Sovereign Dominion over us & all creatures; we praiſe and magnifie thy eternal Power, Wiſdom, Goodneſs and Truth; and we render thee our moſt unfeigned thanks for the innumerable benefits which thou in thy bounty haſt loaded us withal: Above all for the gracious declaration thou haſt made of thy good will to us in Chriſt Jeſus; by whom thou haſt invited and incouraged ſinners to return to thee, and directed them in the way to everlaſting bliſs.
We bluſh to think of our ſhameful forgetfulneſs of thee, and ingratitude to thee; to whom we owe all that we have in this world, and all our hopes in the next. We moſt humbly implore thy tender mercies in the forgiveneſs of all our ſins, whereby we have offended, either in thought, word, or deed, againſt thy juſt and holy Laws. For we are truly ſorry for all our miſ-doings: we utterly renounce whatſoever is contrary to thy will: and here devote our ſelves intirely to the obedience thereof. Accept, O moſt merciful Father, of this renewed Dedication, which we make of our whole man, body, ſoul and ſpirit to thee. And as thou doſt inſpire us with holy reſolutions, ſo accompany them always with the aſſiſtance of thy grace; that we may be able every day to offer up our ſelves more ſincerely, and more cheerfully to thee: with more pure affection, and hearty devotion, and ready diſpoſition to thy ſervice.
We adore thy great grace which hath brought ſalvation to us, and Tit. 2.11,12.teaches us that denying all ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent world. We will indeavour, O Lord, to preſerve a grateful ſenſe of thy mighty love in our mind, and to follow the doctrine and example of thy Son Chriſt Jeſus; as becomes thoſe who have ſuch a bleſſed hope, and look for ſo great Salvation at the day of his glorious appearing. We deſire above all things to be ſo pure and undefiled, ſo meek and gentle, ſo humble and lowly, ſo juſt and merciful, ſo peaceable and patient, contented and thankful as our bleſſed Lord and Maſter was: And we hope that thou wilt fulfil all the gracious promiſes he hath made to us, which we eſteem far greater treaſure than thouſands of gold and ſilver. They are the ſupport, the comfort, the ſatisfaction of our hearts. We ask nothing, but that it may be to thy ſervants according to his Word.
Thou haſt mercifully kept us the laſt night, bleſſed be thy continued goodneſs, and raiſed us again to ſee the light of this morning: Receive us likewiſe all this day into thy protection, to which we moſt humbly commit our ſelves. We truſt our ſelves and all belonging to us with thee our Creator and Redeemer. We ſubmit to thy orders, and are willing to do and ſuffer what thou pleaſeſt: Jude 21.Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Chriſt Jeſus unto eternal life.
And we deſire, thou knoweſt, the good of all mankind, as well as our own; eſpecially of all Chriſtian people: that they may all walk worthy of the Goſpel, and live together in unity and godly love. For which end, we pray that all Chriſtian Kings, Princes and Governours, may be wiſe, pious, juſt and merciciful; indeavouring that all their ſubjects may lead peaceable lives under them, in all godlineſs and honeſty. And more particularly that our Soveraign may be bleſſed with a religious, quiet, long and proſperous Reign: and that all his Miniſters of State, and Officers of Juſtice may conſcientiouſly diſcharge the truſt that is repoſed in them; ſeeking in their ſeveral places how to right the oppreſſed, to comfort the afflicted, to provide for the poor and needy, and to relieve all thoſe that are in any miſery. Bleſs all our ſpiritual Paſtors and Inſtructors: ſucceed their labours; and give us grace to follow their godly admonitions, 1 Theſſ. 5.13.to eſteem them very highly in love for their works ſake; and to be at peace among our ſelves. The ſame bleſſings we crave for all our friends, relations and acquaintance; that we may all live in perfect love and peace together: doing our duties to thee, to each other, and to all men ſo faithfully, that we may give a comfortable account of our ſelves, and rejoyce together at the great day of the Lord Jeſus. In whoſe holy words we beſeech thee to help us ſtill more heartily to offer up our deſires to thee.
Our Father, &c.
At Night.
ALmighty and moſt merciful Father; by whom we were made, and in whom we live, move, and have our being: to whoſe tender compaſſions we owe our ſafety the day paſt, together with all the comforts of this preſent life, and the hopes of that which is to come. We praiſe and laud thee, O Lord, the Creator and Governor of the world. We aſcribe all Greatneſs, Might, Majeſty, Wiſdom, Riches and Bounty to thee; whom all the hoſt of heaven continually admires and acknowledges with the moſt joyful reverence. We bow our ſelves likewiſe before thee, and worſhip thee, in an humble ſenſe that we are nothing in compare with thee, and have nothing but what we receive from thee. Pſal. 75.1. Pſal. 43.4. 68.19.Ʋnto thee do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks, O God, our exceeding joy, who daily poureſt thy benefits upon us. Bleſſed be thy great goodneſs, for our continued health, for our food and raiment, our peace and ſafety, the ſociety of our friends, the love of our neighbours, and the ſucceſs of our honeſt labours: But above all things, for ſending Jeſus Chriſt into the world to dwell among us, to dye for us, and to direct us in the way to immortal life. We thank thee that we feel in our hearts any motion towards thee, and that we have made the leaſt progreſs in thoſe paths of life. O Lord, we preſent our ſelves here before thee to be inſpired with ſuch a vigorous and full ſenſe of thy love, as may move us more powerfully towards thee; and put us forward with a greater earneſtneſs, zeal and diligence in all our duty. There is nothing in heaven or earth that we can deſire, but to be beloved of thee; who poſſeſſeſt both, and art able to make thy friends as great and happy as thou pleaſeſt. Aſſiſt us therefore ſtill by thy grace to the recovery of ſuch a lively Image of thee in all righteouſneſs, purity, mercy, faithfulneſs and truth; that we may know thou loveſt us. O that Jeſus, the hope of glory, may be formed in us, in all humility, meekneſs, patience, contentedneſs, peaceableneſs, and abſolute ſurrender of our ſouls and bodies to thy holy will and pleaſure: That Gal. 2.20.we may no longer live, but Chriſt may live in us, and the life we lead in the fleſh may be by the faith of thy Son, O God, who loved us, and gave himſelf for us. The remembrance of that love is moſt dear and precious to us. We cannot often enough make mention of ſo great kindneſs, as his making himſelf freely an offering for our ſins. It moves us, again to offer up our ſelves ſincerely to thee, to do thy will, O God, as our bleſſed Lord and Maſter did. We repoſe alſo an intire confidence in thee, and ſtill truſt our ſelves with thee, who haſt Rom. 8.32.not ſpared thine own Son, but given him up for us all. We will humbly and reverently accept of whatſoever thou ſendeſt us; and 1 Theſſ. 5.18.in every thing give thanks, which is thy will concerning us in Chriſt Jeſus. We hope thou wilt never leave us, nor forſake us: but conduct us ſafe through all varieties and changes of our condition here, in an unchangeable love to thee, and an holy compoſure and tranquillity of mind in thy love to us, till we come to live with thee, and enjoy thee for ever.
And now that we are going to lay our ſelves down to ſleep, take us into thy gracious protection; and ſettle our ſpirits in ſuch quiet and delightful thoughts of Jeſus, that we may be willing to leave this world and go to him: 1 Theſſ. 5.10.Who dyed for us, that whether we wake or ſleep, we ſhould live together with him.
To his bleſſing we commend all mankind, of whatſoever rank and condition they be; high and low, rich and poor: that they may all be ſo happy as to do their ſeveral duties carefully, and to enjoy contentedly whatſoever is needful for them. We leave all we have with thee, eſpecially our friends and thoſe who are dear unto us; deſiring that when we are dead and gone, they may lift up their ſouls in this manner unto thee, and teach thoſe that come after to praiſe, love and obey thee: and that, if we awake again in the morning, our mouths may likewiſe praiſe thee again with joyful lips, and we may ſtill offer our ſelves, a more acceptable ſacrifice to thee through Chriſt Jeſus. In whoſe words we beſeech thee to hear us, according to the fulleſt ſence and intention of them.
Our Father, &c.
PRAYERS FOR FAMILIES.
TVESDAY MORNING.
ALL honour, glory and praiſe be given to thee, O Lord, our Creator, Redeemer and Comforter, by us, and by all the world. Thou art worthy of all our love, ſervice and obedience, being moſt excellent in thine own nature, and of ſo abundant kindneſs to us thy creatures. Who moſt humbly therefore proſtrate our ſelves before thee this Morning, to make thee our thankful acknowledgements for all thy benefits, and tender thee our moſt hearty and affectionate ſervice, and wait upon thy bounty for the continuance of thy grace and mercy to us. Though we are not worthy, we confeſs, of the leaſt regard from thee, whom we have ſo much neglected, and whoſe love and clemency we have too often abuſed; yet we hope thou wilt accept of this ſmall oblation which we make of our ſelves, our ſouls and bodies, with unfeigned devotion to thee. Pardon and forgive us, we moſt humbly beſeech thee, all our paſt offences; the remembrance of which is grievous and bitter to us: and vouchſafe us the grace of thy holy Spirit to enable us to do thy will with greater care and diligence for the time to come. Let it ever accompany and aſſiſt us, according as thou ſeeſt us ſincerely deſirous and ſtudious to pleaſe thee, in all the actions of an holy life, in chaſtity and temperance, juſtice and fidelity, mercy and charity, meekneſs and humility, patience and contentedneſs, …nnocency and peace; and in conti…ual prayers, praiſes and thankſgi…ings to thee, the Father of mercies in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.
We ſee how frail and weak our bodies and all their enjoyments are; and therefore we the more earneſtly deſire to have our ſouls inriched with thoſe immortal treaſures of thy Divine Grace. O that we may never ceaſe moſt zealouſly to ſeek and purſue them; and that we may think our ſelves happy enough in the poſſeſſion of them; and may rejoyce in nothing ſo much, as in Rom. 6.22.having our fruit unto holineſs, that in the end we may attain eternal life. Suffer not our ſpirits to ſink too deep into the love of any, the deareſt, good that we have in this world: But rather by all theſe earthly things, which thy goodneſs affords to us for our ſupport, eaſe and delight, raiſe our minds and hearts to thoſe Celeſtial enjoyments which will yield us eternal pleaſure and ſatisfaction. Set our affections principally on things above. Make us ſo wiſe as to provide our ſelves friends that never dye; and to be ſtill preparing our ſelves by all divine qualities for their company and ſociety: that ſo they may Luk. 16.9.receivs us, when we remove hence, into their everlaſting habitations.
Thus now we commend our ſelves this day to thy moſt gracious protection, guidance and bleſſing: hoping that the ſame good providence which preſerved us and our habitations the laſt night, from fire, and innumerable other dangers (for which we thank thee) will guard us this day from all evil and miſchief, and bring us in ſafety of ſoul and body to praiſe thee in the Evening. Help us thankfully to receive, and ſoberly to uſe all thy mercies; quietly to do our own buſineſs, and bear our ſeveral burdens; to be juſt in our dealings; innocent and harmleſs …n our converſation; well pleaſed …ith the proſperity of our neigh…ours; deſirous of the good of all …he world: eſpecially that they may all love, and honour, and joyn …ogether in magnifying and praiſing …hee, our Lord and Governour, whoſe name is excellent in all the earth.
More particularly, we implore thy mercies towards theſe Kingdoms wherein we live. Remember not againſt us our high provocations. Spare us, good Lord, and have patience with us; if perhaps we may bring forth better fruit, becoming thy holy Goſpel, and all the care thou haſt taken about us. Indue our Soveraign with much Wiſdom from above, that he may always diſcern what is moſt profitable for us, and earneſtly purſue it to the utmoſt of his power. Bleſs him in his Relations; in his Councellors; in his Judges, and all other Officers; in all the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry, and Commonal y of the Realm: that every one of them may uprightly and zealouſly do their duty, to the maintenance of thy true Religion, and the increaſe of Piety, Honeſty and Brotherly love among us. Comfort and relieve all thoſe that are in any diſtreſs, trouble or anguiſh, either of body or of mind. And give us tender and pitiful hearts towards them, ready to help and eaſe them according to our abilities: That we following the example of our merciful and compaſſionate High-Prieſt Chriſt Jeſus, may have now the benefit of his interceſſion for us, and at laſt be admitted into the high and holy place where he is. In whoſe bleſſed Name and words, we conclude our Prayers.
Our Father, &c.
At Night.
WE fall down before thee, O Lord of heaven and earth, and worſhip thee in the deepeſt humility of our ſouls: acknowledging …hat we are thy creatures, who ſtand infinitely bound unto thee, by innumerable bleſſings and favours which thou haſt conferred upon us, out of thy mere bounty and goodneſs. We owe our lives to that alone, and all the comforts of them; together with all the hopes we have hereafter either in this world or the other. And bleſſed, for ever bleſſed be thy merciful kindneſs, for giving ſuch glorious hopes by the Lord Jeſus: By his Death, and Reſurrection; by his Aſcenſion, and being inthroned at thy right hand; and by the coming of the Holy Ghoſt to be a witneſs of his Majeſty and Glory. We rejoyce, O Lord, in that great ſalvation which thou haſt ſent unto us; and cannot but be ſtill praiſing thee, whoſe love hath ſo abounded towards us, beyond all our thoughts and deſires. Pardon, we moſt humbly beſeech thee, out of the ſame grace and mercy, all our paſt neglects of thee, our inſenſibleneſs of thy benefits, our careleſneſs, or inconſtancy in our obedience, and particularly whatſoever we have done or omitted this day, contrary to thoſe holy purpoſes and reſolutions wherein we ſtand ingaged to thee.
And vouchſafe us the aſſiſtance of thy holy Spirit to inable us to perform thoſe vows better, which here we renew of greater gratitude, and more chearful and ſteadfaſt obedience to thy divine Majeſty for the time to come. Awaken our minds to frequent and ſerious reflections upon thy undeſerved and moſt bountiful mercies towards us. Touch our hearts with ſuch an ingenuous and dutiful ſenſe of them, that our wills may be overcome to yield themſelves wholly and abſolutely to thee. And that we may feel them conſtantly provoked to love and good works, help us ever to ſet our Lord and Maſter, by whoſe name we are called, before our eyes; and to admire his unſpotted purity, his condeſcending humility, his tender-hearted charity, his meekneſs of wiſdom, his hearty truſt in thee, and reſignation to thee, his forgiveneſs of injuries, his patience under reproaches and cruel torments, his peaceable and contented ſpirit, his acknowledging thee in all things, and ever ſeeking thy Honour and Glory: That being in love with all theſe, and valuing them more than life it ſelf, we may never ceaſe our indeavours till this Image of our dear Lord and Maſter be formed in our hearts.
O Lord Jeſus favourably behold theſe holy deſires, wherewith our ſouls aſpire towards thee. Preſerve and maintain them; incourage and increaſe them; make them reſtleſs and unwearied till they be accompliſhed in the injoyment of this great bleſſedneſs.
Thou who haſt begun a good work in us, finiſh and compleat it, we moſt humbly and earneſtly beſeech thee. Give us thy grace continually for our ſeaſonable relief and ſuccour: that we perſevering in well doing, may have a ſolid and lively hope in our death, of coming to ſee thee in that high and holy place where thou liveſt and reigneſt for evermore.
As for all the things of this life, we moſt heartily refer our ſelves to thy Fatherly Wiſdom and Goodneſs, O Lord God Almighty: truſting thou wilt order for us that which is moſt convenient, and bleſs our honeſt diligence with ſuch a competent portion of them, that we may have the more leiſure to give continual praiſe, honour, bleſſing and thankſgiving to thee whoſe mercies endure for ever.
Accept, we pray thee, of our thankful acknowledgements at this time, for thoſe which this day hath added to the reſt of thy benefits, which thou haſt been continually heaping upon us ever ſince we were born. And let all the people of the earth praiſe the name of the Lord, which is highly exalted above all bleſſing and praiſe. O that all the Kingdoms of the World would become the Kingdoms of our Saviour Chriſt: and that all they who acknowledge his authority would religiouſly obey his holy Laws; that all wars, oppreſſion and cruelty may ceaſe among Chriſtian people, and they may live together in brotherly love and unity. Make our Soveraign and all his Realms happy by a great increaſe of true knowledge, godlineſs and vertue every where. Bleſs all our friends; forgive our enemies; requite all the kindneſs of our benefactors; comfort every one of thy deſolate and afflicted ſervants; and turn their mourning and heavineſs, into joy and gladneſs at the laſt.
And now that we are going to repoſe our ſelves; keep us, we beſeech thee, and all belonging to us, in ſafety. Refreſh our wearied ſpirits with comfortable reſt and ſleep; and when we awaken again in the morning, direct our thoughts immediately to thee, our merciful preſerver; and help us to imploy all our renewed ſtrength to thy honour and glory, according to thy will declared by Chriſt Jeſus; in whoſe bleſſed Name and Words we commend our ſelves to thy infinite Mercies.
Our Father, &c.
PRAYERS FOR FAMILIES.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
O Moſt great and mighty Lord; the Poſſeſſor of heaven and earth. All the Angels worſhip and adore thy incomprehenſible Majeſty with the humbleſt reverence; and rejoyce in rendring praiſe, bleſſing, and thankſgiving to thee, the Father of ſpirits: For thou haſt created all things, and in wiſdom haſt thou made them all, and ſpread thy tender mercies over all thy works. It is no leſs our happineſs than our duty to joyn our hearts and voices with that heavenly hoſt, moſt gratefully to acknowledge thy bounty to us among the reſt of thy creatures, and thy particular grace and favour in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, our moſt merciful Saviour and Redeemer. We can never ſufficiently admire that love which gave him to dye for us, and hath made him the Lord of life and glory; that he may be the Author of eternal Salvation to all thoſe that obey him. All the love we have is too little to give thee, to whom all our ſervices are due by a former title. Our higheſt praiſes fall infinitely ſhort of thy moſt excellent Majeſty; and we are aſhamed of the moſt affectionate thanks we can render to thee for thoſe ineſtimable benefits which thou haſt conferred on us, and ſo long continued to us.
How much greater reaſon then have we to be abaſhed at our ſhameful ingratitude and diſobedience to thy divine Majeſty; for which we are heartily ſorry, and do now moſt earneſtly repent our ſelves of it: unfeignedly reſolving, and proteſting to be more faithful to thee for the time to come. Pardon us therefore, Good Lord, and receive us unto thy mercy. Accept of our renewed vows to ſtudy and do our duties conſcientiouſly, towards thee, and towards all men. And as thou haſt excited theſe holy deſires and purpoſes in our hearts, ſo inable us to perform them conſtantly in the whole courſe of our life.
Our bleſſed Saviour hath told us, thou wilt as readily give thy holy Spirit to them that ask it, as a Parent will give bread to his hungry children. O Father of mercies, let it be unto us according to his Word. Cheriſh theſe little beginnings of goodneſs which thou ſeeſt in our ſouls; and proſper all our endeavours to attain a greater meaſure of it. And ſince at the beſt we are but unprofitable ſervants, and can do no more than was our duty to do: inable us to do every thing, which thou haſt commanded us, heartily, with good will, and true love to thy ſervice. We know this is all that can, in the leaſt, commend us to thy free grace and favour: and therefore we moſt humbly again dovote our ſelves to do thy Will, with a cordial affection to it. We would ever approach unto thee with delight and pleaſure: and feel it the joy of our hearts to think of thee, to praiſe thee, to give thee thanks, and to offer our ſelves with abſolute reſignation to thee. O that Mercy may always pleaſe us as it pleaſeth thee! that we may be ſtrictly juſt and righteous; may chearfully paſs by injuries; freely deny all deſires of ſinful pleaſures; willingly ſubmit to thy fatherly corrections; and perform the duties of our ſeveral relations, with ſingleneſs of heart. Render us ſo mindful of the great love of our Lord and Maſter Chriſt, that we may be zealouſly concerned for his glory, and uſe our utmoſt diligence to do Him and his Religion ſome honour in the world: delighting to commemorate his Death and Paſſion, making a joyful ſacrifice of our ſouls and bodies to him, and deſiring moſt earneſtly that his kingdom may come, and all mankind ſubmit themſelves to his Government.
Fulfil, moſt merciful Lord, all our petitions; and as thou haſt mightily protected us, and our dwellings this laſt night from fire and thieves, and whatſoever might diſturb our repoſe (bleſſed be thy goodneſs) ſo accompany us all this day with thy bleſſing: that we may pleaſe thee in body and ſoul, and be ſafe under thy defence; who art nigh to all thoſe that call upon thee, that call upon thee in truth. And O that all thoſe who are forgetful of their duty to thee, may be awakened to a lively ſenſe of all thy benefits, and fill the whole world with thy praiſes. Stir up eſpecially the minds of all Chriſtian people, to inquire after and follow the Truth, as it is in Jeſus: abandoning all vice and wickedneſs, and exerciſing themſelves to have conſciences void of offence, towards thee, and towards all men. And diſpoſe the hearts of all their Kings and Princes, to make themſelves the greateſt examples of Chriſtian Piety to all others. Bleſs theſe Kingdoms, and indue our Soveraign with ſuch excellent Wiſdom, and holy Zeal for thy honour and glory; that we may ſee many good days under his Government. O that true Religion, Juſtice, Mercy, Brotherly kindneſs, and all things elſe that are praiſe-worthy may ſo flouriſh among us, that we may enjoy the bleſſings of peace and plenty, and there may be no complaining in our ſtreets.
We recommend to thee all our friends and neighbours; all the poor, the ſick, and other afflicted perſons: deſiring thoſe mercies for them which we ſhould ask for our ſelves, were we in their condition; incouraged hereto by the large declarations which thou haſt made of thy abundant goodneſs to mankind in our Lord Jeſus. In whoſe words we conclude our humble ſupplications unto thee; ſaying,
Our Father, &c.
At Night.
ALmighty and everlaſting God; the Soveraign Lord of all creatures in heaven and earth, and our moſt merciful and gracious Father in thy Son Chriſt Jeſus. We moſt heartily acknowledge that our beings, and all the comforts of them depend on thee, the Fountain of all good. We have nothing but what we have received thence: and is owing intirely to thy free and bounteous love, O moſt bleſſed Creator; and to the unſearchable riches of thy grace, O moſt bleſſed Redeemer. To thee therefore be given by us and all creatures, whom thou haſt made to know how great and how good thou art, all honour, glory and praiſe; all love, ſervice and obedience, as long as we have any being. It is but meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we ſhould at all times, and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord; and devoutly reſign both ſoul and body to thee, to be abſolutely governed and ruled according to thy holy will and pleaſure. We are heartily ſorry that we have not done it, from the very beginning of our lives till this time. We are aſhamed to think of our injuſtice and ingratitude, in following our own deſires ſo long, and rendring our ſelves, no ſooner, moſt humbly obedient in all things to thee. Our hopes are only in thoſe infinite mercies, which have ſpared us notwithſtanding, and opened our eyes to ſee our errors, and touched our hearts with ſome ſenſe of our duty.
And we hope in them not only for a pardon, which we earneſtly implore according to thy gracious promiſes made in Chriſt Jeſus, but for the power of thy holy Spirit, to further and promote thoſe godly reſolutions, which we feel already in our hearts, to live as becomes thy creatures; and as becomes the Diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt, who were early dedicated to thee, and have often ſince vowed themſelves to thy ſervice. As thou haſt made us to underſtand the reaſonableneſs and goodneſs of all thy Laws: ſo make us more and more in love with them; that they may be writ upon our hearts, and our wills may cleave unto them, as our very life. Keep alive ſuch a powerful ſenſe of thee, and of the love of our Lord and Saviour in our mind; that we may naturally fear and reverence thee, and ſtudy to be approved of thee, and beloved by thee, and account it our higheſt perfection and happineſs to be like thee.
O that it may ever be the joy of our hearts to be Righteous as thou art Righteous; to be Merciful, as thou our heavenly Father art Merciful; to be Holy, as thou who haſt called us art Holy, in all manner of converſation; to be indued with thy divine Wiſdom, and to reſemble thee in Faithfulneſs and Truth. O that the memory of our bleſſed Saviour, and his admirable example may be always dear unto us: that we may chearfully follow him in his Humility, Meekneſs, Patience, Contentedneſs, Peaceableneſs, and Delight to do thy Will, O God, in every thing as he did. Accept, we moſt humbly beſeech thee, of theſe deſires of our ſouls after thee; and graciouſly aſſiſt and ſtrengthen them, according as we unfeignedly offer them up unto thee. Accept likewiſe of our thanks for thy merciful preſervation of us all this day; by which we are come in ſafety to the concluſion of it, and are here before thee with a new load of thy benefits upon us, added to other innumerable bleſſings which thou haſt formerly beſtowed. We are bold again likewiſe to commit our ſelves unto thee this night; and to truſt in thy merciful protection and care over us, when we can take no care of our ſelves, or any thing elſe belonging to us. Defend us from all the powers of darkneſs, from evil men, from fire and all ſuch ſad accidents: and raiſe up our ſpirits, together with our bodies, in the morning, to ſuch a vigorous ſenſe of thy continued goodneſs, as may provoke us all the day long to an unwearied diligence in well doing.
And the ſame Mercies that we beg for our ſelves, we deſire for the reſt of mankind: eſpecially for all thoſe who are called by the name of Chriſt. O that every member of that body, of which He is the head, may do their duties with all fidelity, according to the ſeveral offices to which thou haſt aſſigned them. That Kings may be tender-hearted, as the Fathers of their Countries; and all their ſubjects may be dutiful and obedient to them as their children: That the Paſtors of the Church may feed thy flock with Wiſdom and Underſtanding; and the people may all ſubmit unto them, and follow their godly counſels: That the rich and mighty may have compaſſion on the poor and miſerable; and all ſuch diſtreſſed people may bleſs the rich, and rejoyce in the proſperity of thoſe that are above them. Give husbands and wives, parents and chidren, maſters and ſervants, the grace to behave themſelves ſo in their ſeveral Relations, that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; and being an honour to his Religion here, may receive immortal honour and glory hereafter from the hands of Chriſt Jeſus; in whoſe holy name and words, we continue to beſeech thy grace and mercy towards us, and all thy people every where: 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, &c.
PRAYERS FOR FAMILIES.
THVRSDAY MORNING.
O Lord, the high and holy One, whoſe Pſal. 148.13.glory is above the earth and heaven. We thy creatures proſtrate our ſelves in the humbleſt adorations of thee: aſcribing to thee all Power, Wiſdom, Riches, Might, Majeſty, and Dominion; and acknowledging that to thee of right belongs all Worſhip, Bleſſing, Thankſgiving and Praiſe; together with all Honour, Love, Service and Obedience for evermore. Bleſſed be thine Omnipotent goodneſs, which hath advanced us to ſuch a degree of being, that we are capable to look back to thee from whom we come; to know thee, to love thee, to acknowledge thy great bounty towards us, and to reſemble thee in Wiſdom and Goodneſs. All that is within us bleſſes thy Holy Name, for breathing into us immortal ſpirits, that we may eternally admire thee, praiſe thee, love thee, and joyfully render thoſe grateful acknowledgements which we owe unto thee. We can never ſufficiently magnifie thy mercies towards us; eſpecially thoſe in the Lord Jeſus, in whom thy Grace hath ſo exceedingly abounded, as to ſurpaſs not only our deſerts, but the largeſt of our deſires. Bleſſed, bleſſed, for ever bleſſed be thy fatherly goodneſs, who haſt ſent him from heaven ſo unexpectedly to viſit us vile wretches, who dwell in houſes of clay, whoſe foundation is in the duſt. Lord! what is man, that thou art mindful of him; or the ſon of man, that thou didſt thus viſit him? We thank thee, according to our poor ability, from the very bottom of our hearts, for his manifeſtation in our fleſh; for the charitable teſtimonies he gave of his love to mankind in the courſe of his life; for that aſtoniſhing grace in ſubmitting himſelf to dye for us; for his glorious Reſurrection and Aſcenſion to heaven; for the Soveraign Power and Authority which thou haſt given him at thy right hand; for his compaſſionate interceſſion for us; and the aſſurances we have received of his being the King of glory, and of his continued kindneſs to us, by the coming of the Holy Ghoſt. We will never ceaſe to bleſs thee for that great ſalvation, Heb. 2.3,4.which was firſt preached by the Lord, & was confirmed by them that heard him; and for the witneſs which thou bareſt to them, both with ſigns and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghoſt, according to thy own will. We rejoyce in the Light of thy holy Goſpel; that we ſee the way to be happy both by the Doctrine, and example of thy Son Jeſus; that we have the incouragement of his precious promiſes; and ſuch good hope of remiſſion of ſin, and eternal life, in the day when he ſhall judge the world in righteouſneſs. O how much are we bound unto thee, for that comfortable hope which thou haſt given us, of ſeeing our dear Saviour in all his glory, and being there where he is, and reigning with him for ever! We again render thee our moſt hearty thanks, for that everlaſting conſolation and good hope through grace, which thou haſt given us: and for all thoſe benefits likewiſe, which thou art pleaſed to beſtow upon us, to make our ſtay here on earth the more convenient and delightful to us. We are every way obliged to thee, beyond all that we are able to expreſs or conceive. Thou feedeſt us, and clotheſt us; thou preſerveſt our health, and our ſtrength; thou haſt delivered us from innumerable dangers; and when thou haſt chaſtiſed us, it hath been in great mercy and clemency, and not according to our deſerving.
O that all the world would ſhew forth thy praiſe, and devote themſelves to the ſervice of our Lord. Let all Kings of the earth ſubmit themſelves unto him, and glory in the name of his obedient ſubjects. High and low, rich and poor, let them praiſe the name of the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore.
Accept, moſt gracious God, of theſe unfeigned deſires of us thy ſervants; who, for our parts, intirely dedicate our ſelves, both ſouls and bodies, unto thee: Reſolving in all things to walk worthy of thee, who haſt called us to thy Kingdom and Glory, and bleſſed us alſo with many other good things which make this life to be a more eaſie paſſage to a better. We will never forget how much we are indebted to thee: but ſtudy to expreſs our grateful remembrance of thy mercies, by living Tit. 2.12,13.ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent world; looking for that bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Favour, we pray thee, theſe holy purpoſes with the conſtant aſſiſtance of thy good ſpirit; that we may be able to accompliſh what we have begun, and to perfect holineſs in thy fear. Help us to 2 Pet. 1.5,6,7,8.add to our faith, vertue; and to vertue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godlineſs; and to godlineſs, brotherly kindneſs; and to brotherly kindneſs, charity. That theſe things being in us and abounding, they may make us to be neither barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Preſerve us this day eſpecially; that we ſwerve not preſently from theſe pious reſolutions: But may give ſuch a proof of their ſincerity, by our being ſteadfaſt and immoveable in all well doing, notwithſtanding any temptation to the contrary; that we may have the better hope we ſhall perſevere to the very end, through thy continued grace in Chriſt Jeſus; in whoſe words we deſire all that thou ſeeſt needful, either for our ſouls or bodies, ſaying,
Our Father, &c.
At Night.
WE are here again proſtrate before thee, O Lord of heaven and earth, to joyn our ſelves with all that holy company, Revel. 4.8,11.who reſt not day and night, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honour, and power: for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are and were created. Bleſſed be thy divine goodneſs, which hath made the children of men but little lower than the Angels; and crowned us with ſuch glory and honour, that we are capable to accompany that heavenly hoſt in giving continual thanks and praiſe unto thee. Praiſed be thy name that we are now alive; and that we have the uſe of our reaſon and underſtanding; and enjoy ſo many of the comforts and conveniences of this preſent life; and have attained a good hope through Chriſt Jeſus of being immortally happy. O how great was thy love which ſent him into the world to direct us in the way to that happineſs by his holy doctrine and life; and to be a propitiation for our ſins by his death; and to Act. 26.23.be the firſt that ſhould riſe from the dead, and ſhould ſhew light unto the world. We rejoyce in that light of life: We moſt chearfully devote our ſelves to be the faithful Diſciples of him, the Prince of peace, the Lord of life and glory. It is our happineſs as well as our duty to be governed by him, and obey his commands. We are ſenſible that they are all equal, juſt and good: and that thou haſt done us an infinite kindneſs, in teaching us to deny ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, and to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world.
And therefore we here again moſt heartily ſurrender our wills to thine: deſiring that we may unchangeably cleave unto it, with the greateſt and moſt intire love and affection to all its commands. O that there may abide for ever in us ſuch a ſtrong and powerful ſenſe of thy mighty love towards us in Chriſt Jeſus, as may conſtrain us freely and willingly to pleaſe thee in the conſtant exerciſe of piety and devotion; righteouſneſs and mercy; temperance and chaſtity; meekneſs and patience; truth and fidelity; together with ſuch an humble, contented and peaceable ſpirit, as may adorn the Religion of our Lord and Maſter. O God, that theſe holy deſires and inclinations may never dye, nor languiſh in our hearts: but be kept alive in their vigour and force, by the perpetual inſpirations of the holy Ghoſt.
We wait upon thee for that promiſe of our Saviour, to aſſiſt and promote our ſincere indeavours, to preſerve our ſouls unblameable in the love of thee our God, and of all mankind. We heartily deſire the proſperity and welfare of every one of them, as well as our own. O that they were all ſo wiſe and happy as to acknowledge and ſubmit themſelves to thee, by obeying thy holy Laws. Eſpecially we deſire that all Kings and Princes may become our Saviours Subjects; and conforming themſelves to his will, may be rendred thereby moſt excellent examples to all other men. Indue our Soveraign with abundance of the Spirit of counſel, and judgement, and the fear of our Lord. Make him happy in wiſe and faithful Miniſters; in loyal and peaceable Subjects; and in the good ſucceſs of all his enterpriſes, for the honour of Religion, and his peoples tranquillity. We commend to thy mercies all our friends, relations, and benefactors: deſiring that all who have done us good, may be requited an hundred fold here, and obtain at laſt eternal life. And all that have done evil to us, as we heartily forgive them, ſo we earneſtly deſire they may obtain thy gracious pardon. Together with theſe we remember likewiſe all that are in affliction, whatſoever it be either of ſoul or body: to whom we wiſh eaſe, and▪ comfort, and ſeaſonable relief▪ that they may rejoyce in the end for the days wherein they have ſeen adverſity.
In theſe holy thoughts and deſires we now are bold to commend our ſelves to thy protection this night; who haſt preſerved and bleſſed us (we moſt thankfully acknowledge) all the day paſt. We repoſe our ſelves in the belief of thy good providence; with which we intruſt our ſelves, and all belonging to us. We would lay down our ſelves to ſleep, with hearts full of love to thee, and humble faith and hope in thee: Deſiring we may awake again in the ſame manner, and find that we are ſtill with thee. Diſpoſe us, good Lord, by the reſt thou giveſt us always to ſerve thee more zealouſly with our renewed ſpirits: that after the few days and nights we have to paſs in this world, we may come to thy eternal reſt together with Chriſt Jeſus. In whoſe bleſſed name and words, we ſtill recommend our ſelves to thy mercies.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name: Thy kingdom …ome; Thy will be done in earth, as it …s in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread: And forgive us our …reſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſs againſt us: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from …vil, &c.
PRAYERS FOR FAMILIES.
FRIDAY MORNING.
O God, moſt bleſſed for ever: whoſe the world is, and the fulneſs thereof; who needeſt not any thing that we can give thee, for thou giveſt us whatſoever we injoy. We proſtrate our ſelves before thee to make ſuch poor expreſſions as we are able, of the ſenſe we have of thine infinite bounty to us. It is but fit and meet that we ſhould acknowledge and praiſe thee, though we can thereby add nothing unto thee. It is our happineſs to have a grateful remembrance of thy goodneſs to us: and to be knit unto thee in hearty love, and dutiful affection all the days of our life.
We thank thee therefore, O Lord of heaven and earth, who haſt loaded us continually with thy benefits. They are great, and many more than we can number; both towards our bodies, and towards our ſouls; for the comfort of this life, and our everlaſting Salvation in the Life to come. For ever adored be thy love in Chriſt Jeſus, who hath given us an undoubted teſtimony of thy fatherly care and providence over us: and incouraged us, though we have offended thee, to addreſs our ſelves to thee, with good hope of thy gracious acceptance of us into friendſhip with thee again. We love thee, O Lord, above all things. We freely offer our ſpirits, ſouls, and bodies to thee, with moſt ſincere devotion, and the heartieſt affection to thy ſervice. There is nothing we deſire and long for ſo much, as to have a lively ſenſe of thy marvailous love always poſſeſſing our hearts; that may ſtill conſtrain us to love thee, to obey thee, to truſt in thee, to be content with the portion thy love allots unto us, and to rejoyce even in the midſt of all the troubles of this life.
We cannot chuſe, O Lord, when we ſeriouſly think of what thou haſt done for us; but abſolutely commit our ſelves to thee, & intirely confide in thee for the time to come. Since thou haſt Rom. 8.32.not ſpared thy own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how ſhalt thou not with him alſo freely give us all things? We depend upon thee eſpecially for the grace of thy holy Spirit; for the power of which in our hearts, exciting theſe holy deſires and godly reſolutions, we moſt humbly thank thy divine Majeſty. O that we may feel it perpetually bearing us up by the ſtrength of our moſt holy faith, and by the power of love and hope, above all the temptations, which at any time aſſault us. That we may keep our ſelves unſpotted from the world; and no appetite of pleaſure, of glory, or of riches may ever carry us from our duty: but we may ſtill cleave to thee in Righteouſneſs, Purity, Humility, Charity, and all other divine vertues, of which our Lord hath given us ſo great an example.
For his ſake we hope for a favourable acceptance of theſe our praiſes, acknowledgements and prayers. For we muſt be ſtill beholden to thine infinite goodneſs, for the leaſt regard to any thing that we can do, who are but unprofitable ſervants. And we wait upon the ſame goodneſs for thy bleſſing to accompany us all this day; that we may do nothing, but what we know is pleaſing to thee, and may be ſo proſpered, protected and aſſiſted by thine Almighty power, that we may return with our hearts full of love and thankfulneſs to thee in the evening, again to praiſe and magnifie thy continued kindneſs to us. Unto which we commend moſt heartily the reſt of mankind: deſiring that they may all know thee, the true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent: whom to know is eternal life. And O that all Chriſtians would walk worthy of thy high and heavenly Calling; that others ſeeing their good works, may be invited thereby to acknowledge and glorifie thee our heavenly Father. More particularly we deſire the increaſe of wiſdom and goodneſs, to all Chriſtian Kings and Princes; and a plentiful portion of the Spirit of thy Grace to all Chriſtian Biſhops, Prieſts, and Deacons: that they may be eminent inſtruments of thy honour, and their peoples good, by the authority of their Doctrine and godly Example. Make our Soveraign and us all happy in each other; by the faithful diſcharge of our ſeveral duties, in the places wherein thy moſt high wiſdom hath ſet us. And we deſire the comfort of thoſe that mourn, the eaſe of thoſe who are in pain, the health of the ſick, the releaſe of poor priſoners and captives, the quiet and ſatisfaction of thoſe who are in trouble and anguiſh of mind, and the true content of all men in whatſoever condition they are: that we may be all continually giving thanks to thee, the Father of mercies, for the joy thou haſt ſet before us, and the hope we have, by running our Chriſtian race with patience, to come to that bleſſed place into which Jeſus our fore-runner is already entred for us. By whom we continue to deſire, in his own words, that thou mayſt be glorified every where, in our well doing; ſaying as he hath taught us,
Our Father, &c.
At Night.
O Lord, the Almighty Creator and Governour of the world. Pſal. 104.24.How great and manifold are thy works! in wiſdom haſt thou made them all. 74.16.The day is thine, the night alſo is thine: thou haſt prepared the light and the Sun. We thy creatures, a ſmall part of mankind, proſtrate our ſelves before thee this evening, in the humbleſt adoration of thy divine Majeſty: praiſing thy incomprehenſible perfections, and rendring thee our thanks for all the benefits thou haſt beſtowed on the whole world, eſpecially on us whom thou haſt called to the knowledge of thy grace in Chriſt Jeſus. It is a marvailous love wherewith thou haſt loved us. Thou haſt not dealt ſo with all people; and as for thy great and precious promiſes they have not known them.
We are bound therefore more particularly to offer up unto thee continually ſpiritual ſacrifices by Chriſt Jeſus; and to laud and bleſs thy great and glorious Name in the behalf of our ſelves, and the reſt of mankind: among whom thou haſt left innumerable teſtimonies of thy careful providence, in that Act. 14.17.thou doſt them good, and giveſt them rain from heaven, and fruitful ſeaſons, filling their hearts with food and gladneſs. We praiſe thee, we bleſs thee, we magnifie and extol thy wiſe and powerful goodneſs, we thank thee for thy never ceaſing bounty towards us; eſpecially that thou haſt vouchſafed to ſend Jeſus Chriſt to reſtore us by his appearing among us, and his humbling himſelf to the death for us, and his glorious Reſurrection from the grave and Aſcenſion on high, to a bleſſed hope of thy mercy unto eternal life.
We can do no leſs than devote our ſelves, ſouls and bodies, eternally to thee: returning, what we have received from thee, back again with the greateſt love, and moſt grateful acknowledgements. Accept, we pray thee, O moſt gracious and merciful Father, of this ſmall oblation we make thee, of our moſt hearty and unfeigned reſolutions to worſhip and ſerve thee; in the conſtant exerciſe of righteouſneſs, mercy, meekneſs, patience, humility, and purity, with whatſoever is lovely and of good report. And we humbly beg thy holy Spirit may conſtantly accompany us; inabling us to think of theſe things, to cleave unto them, to delight in them, and to perſevere in a free and willing performance of all our duty towards thee and all men to our lives end.
And we moſt heartily deſire the reſt of mankind may at laſt be ſo happy as to come acquainted with the exceeding riches of thy grace in Chriſt. O that Pſal. 67.2.thy way may be known upon earth, and thy ſaving health among all nations: Rom. 15.10.6.that all the Gentiles may rejoyce with thy people, and we may with one mind and one mouth glorifie thee our God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. O that all Idolatry and ungodlineſs, all cruelty and filthineſs, all rapine and violence, may be aboliſhed and rooted out of the earth; and true piety, righteouſneſs, holineſs, and brotherly kindneſs may flouriſh in the room thereof. For which end we beſeech thee indue all Kings and Princes, eſpecially thoſe that are Chriſtian, with a great ſenſe of thy Soveraign Authority over all; that they may humbly obey thee, as they deſire others ſhould obey them; and govern all their people with great wiſdom, uprightneſs, and a tender compaſſionate care of their welfare. O that no covetouſneſs, ambition, or revenge may rule in any hearts, provoking them to war and bloudſhed: but there may be great peace in all Lands, by obſerving the holy Laws of the Prince of peace, Chriſt Jeſus.
More particularly we recommend unto thy bleſſing, theſe Kingdoms wherein we live: beſeeching thee to be merciful to our ſins, in giving us grace to repent of them, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance and amendment of life. Bleſs our Soveraign, and all that are imployed under him, either in Spiritual or Civil affairs, with all thoſe graces which are neceſſary for the right diſcharge of their duties in ſuch high places. Proſper all their pious indeavours for the good either of mens ſouls, or outward eſtates; that true Religion and Vertue increaſing, and all ungodlineſs and vice being put to ſhame, we may become a renowned Nation, and a praiſe in the earth. We commend to thee alſo, O Father of mercies, all thoſe who are in a diſtreſſed and ſorrowful condition: moſt earneſtly deſiring their ſeaſonable relief and comfort; with their releaſe from thoſe troubles, when thou pleaſeſt. And now that we are going to lay down our ſelves to ſleep, we put our ſelves and our habitations, with all that belong unto us, into thy moſt gracious protection: hoping thou wilt take care of us, when we cannot ſo much as think how to ſecure our ſelves from any danger that may approach us. Thou haſt been our helper, keeper, and defender, therefore under the ſhadow of thy wings will we ſtill rejoyce. When we cloſe our eyes, let theſe holy thoughts of thee, and affections towards thee, ſtill remain in us, and poſſeſs our hearts; that they may awake again with us in the morning, and ſend up our ſouls in renewed love, and thanks, and praiſe to thy divine Majeſty by our bleſſed Saviour and Redeemer Chriſt Jeſus. In whoſe words we continue to implore thy mercies towards us.
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, &c.
PRAYERS FOR FAMILIES.
SATVRDAY MORNING.
O Lord; all thy works praiſe thee, and declare the greatneſs of thy Majeſty, Power, Wiſdom and Bounty which ſurpaſs all underſtanding. Thou art good unto all, and thy tender mercies are over all thy works. Thou art holy in all thy wayes, and righteous in all thy doings: and keepeſt truth for ever. Thy Kingdom is an everlaſting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. We all decay and periſh; the heavens themſelves wax old like a garment: but thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall have no end.
We adore thee, O Lord moſt high, and moſt willingly joyn our hearts and voices this Morning together with all the hoſt of heaven and earth, to laud and praiſe thy glorious Name; and give thanks unto thee, whoſe mercy endureth for ever. We think our ſelves happy that we know thee; and that we live under the care and providence of thine Almighty and moſt wiſe goodneſs; and that we have a good hope, not only of thy bleſſing and favour here, but of life for evermore. Bleſſed be thy Name for ſending thy Son Jeſus, to give us theſe hopes, by his Death, and Reſurrection, and Aſcenſion to heaven, and the coming of the holy Ghoſt. Bleſſed be thy Name who haſt trained us up in his Religion, and given us the means and opportunities to know that love of thine which paſſes knowledge. We thank thee for all the bleſſed operations and motions of thy holy Spirit in our hearts: and that thou haſt ſo early inclined us to fear thee, and love thee, and place our contentment and ſatisfaction in thy love and favour, which is better than life it ſelf. And that thou haſt alſo added a number of other mercies, for our comfortable ſubſiſtence in this world: having granted us ſo long health, peace and plenty; a great many friends, loving relations and acquaintance; and continued the enjoyment of them to this day, though we be ſo unworthy of the leaſt of thy favours. We thank thee, O God, that now thou haſt graciouſly renewed thy kindneſs unto us, in protecting us the laſt night from all the powers of darkneſs, and every evil accident; and raiſing us up this morning in health and ſafety to praiſe thy goodneſs.
More eſpecially we praiſe thee for any ſenſe we have of theſe thy mercies: humbly waiting on thee for the increaſe of it, and for thy gracious pardon of all our unthankfulneſs and undutiful behaviour towards thee; which we moſt heartily bewail, and deſire, and will endeavour to amend.
And for that end we implore the help of thy holy Spirit, which our Lord hath incouraged us to ask of thee; and told us thou wilt not deny to thoſe that earneſtly ſeek it, and continue to knock importunately at the gate of Mercy for it. We believe all his promiſes to be faithful and true; and therefore humbly depend on thy mighty Power to ſtrengthen and inable us to do our duty towards thee, and towards all men; with care, and diligence, and zeal, and perſeverance to the end. Indue us, good Lord, with a ſpirit of true and ſervent devotion, to thee our Creator and Redeemer: with upright, juſt, and charitable hearts to all our Neighbours: and with temperate, contented and humble minds, in every condition and ſtate of life, unto which thou ſhalt pleaſe to call us.
Help us to be meek and gentle in our converſation; prudent and diſcreet in ordering all our affairs; good and uſeful in every relation; obſervant of thy fatherly providence in every thing that befals us; grateful for thy benefits; patient under thy chaſtiſements; and readily diſpoſed to every good word and work. Preſerve in us a conſtant remembrance of thine all-ſeeing eye; of the many promiſes and vows we have made of fidelity to thee; of thine ineſtimable love in Chriſt Jeſus, whereof thou haſt given us ſo many pledges; and of the great account we muſt give to him, the Judge of all, at the day of his appearing: That ſo we may continue ſteadfaſt and unmoveable, and be abundant in the work of the Lord; knowing that our labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord. Deliver us, we beſeech thee, from all inordinate cares and deſires; from vain hopes and cauſeleſs fears; and ſo diſpoſe our hearts that death it ſelf may not be dreadful to us: but we may welcome it with a chearful countenance, when and howſoever it ſhall approach.
O that our hearts may be ſo firmly ſettled and eſtabliſhed in the true Religion, and our minds kept ſo free from all deluſions; that nothing may afright us, or ſhake our conſtancie: But we may rather chuſe to dye, than diſhonour our Saviour, who dyed for us. We reſign our ſelves to thy wiſdom and goodneſs, who knoweſt what is beſt for us: hoping thou wilt 1 Corinth. 10.13.never ſuffer us to be tempted above what we are able, and wilt with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that we may be able to bear it.
We commend unto thee, likewiſe, all mankind, eſpecially thy Church and choſen people: theſe Kingdoms more particularly, of which we are members; that we may be all faithful to our Lord Chriſt, and zealous of good works. Bleſs our Soveraign, his Councellors, his Miniſters, and all imployed in publick buſineſs, whether Spiritual or Civil; that they may be conſcientiouſly induſtrious, and whatſoever they do may proſper, for the good of all thoſe who are committed to their charge. Be gracious to all our friends, and thoſe who are dear unto us. Keep us all in thy fear, and love, and obedience while we live; and make us willing to dye, and to be with Chriſt which is beſt of all. Guide us, good Lord, and govern us by the ſame ſpirit of wiſdom and goodneſs, that we may be ſo united to thee here, as not to be eternally ſeparated, when thou art pleaſed to order our departure hence: But that we all at laſt may have an happy meeting in the other and better world; to dwell with thee in love and joy, that ſhall never dye, through Chriſt Jeſus our bleſſed Lord and Saviour, in whoſe words we ſtill beſeech thee to hear us.
Our Father, &c.
At Night.
ALL honour and glory, thanks and praiſe, love and ſervice be rendred by us, and all other reaſonable creatures to thy great and glorious Majeſty, O Lord; who haſt brought us into the world; and preſerved our life moſt tenderly to this moment; and made it eaſie and comfortable to us by more mercies than we can number. And to all the former haſt added thoſe of this day, which we have paſſed in peace, and health, and ſafety; bleſſed be thy never-ceaſing goodneſs. Above all we acknowledge thy unconceiveable love in Chriſt Jeſus, by whom thou haſt made a gracious proviſion for our ſouls, and their everlaſting happineſs in the other world: Having ſent him to us with the promiſes of eternal life; and to be the Way and Director to it; and given him to dye, that he might ſeal his promiſes with his bloud; and raiſed him again from the dead, that our faith and hope might be in thee, O God.
1 Cor. 2.9.Eye had not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither did enter into the heart of man the things which thou haſt prepared for them that love thee. We love thee, O Lord, and give our ſelves, both ſouls and bodies to thee: moſt earneſtly deſiring to be inſpired with ſuch a ſenſe of thy infinite goodneſs, that we may love thee more, and ſerve thee better; with all our heart, and with all our ſoul, and with all our ſtrength.
We confeſs we have not walked worthy of the great benefits we have received; and therefore may juſtly fear thou ſhouldeſt withhold thy tender mercies, and ſhut up thy loving kindneſs in diſpleaſure. But the deſires and holy reſolutions thou haſt wrought and continueſt in our ſouls, to amend and become ſtill more fruitful in all good works, incourage us to hope in thee for pardon through the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt; and for the aſſiſtance of thy holy Spirit, to inable us to accompliſh that which we intend and purpoſe, to grow more and more in wiſdom and knowledge, and in righteouſneſs and true holineſs. O that this Image of thine may appear every day fairer and more beautiful before thee, and in the ſight of all men! That ſo we may adorn the Religion we profeſs; and be a good Example unto others; and have a ſolid foundation of peace and comfort in our own hearts; and be able to hope in thee for thy future mercy in Chriſt Jeſus, even unto eternal life.
We commend our ſelves to thy wonted grace; and in a ſenſe of what thou haſt done already for us, and what thou haſt promiſed to do, depend on thy goodneſs for what thou ſeeſt profitable and conducing to our chiefeſt good: referring our ſelves wholly to thy wiſe will and pleaſure; and reſolved contentedly to ſubmit to thy appointments, thankfully to receive thy mercies, and to reſt ſatisfied with our portion, whatſoever it be that thou ordereſt for us. Make us but ſteadfaſt in thy faith and love, unwearied in well doing, patient and conſtant under all ſufferings, full of a lively hope in thy mercy, and willing to dye when and as thou pleaſeſt; and we have enough.
In confidence that thou heareſt us, and art every where, and never ſlumbereſt nor ſleepeſt; we commit our ſelves to the cuſtody of thy watchful providence this night: to be ſecured and protected by thee, when we cannot at all attend to our own preſervation. May it pleaſe thy goodneſs to give this whole family a comfortable reſt and repoſe; to defend this habitation, and all about us from fire and ſuch like ſad accidents; to deliver us from the power of evil ſpirits, and of evil men; and to raiſe us in health and chearfulneſs to praiſe thee, and to glorifie thee, both in ſoul and body the next day. Pſal. 59.16,17.Then will we ſing of thy power; yea, we will ſing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: becauſe thou haſt been our defence, and our refuge at all times. Ʋnto thee, O our ſtrength, will we ſing: for God is our defence, and the God of our mercy. 111.1.We will praiſe the Lord with our whole heart, in the aſſembly of the upright, and in the congregation. 92.1,2.For it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to ſing praiſes unto thy name, O moſt High: to ſhew forth thy loving kindneſs in the morning, and thy faithfulneſs every night.
24.1.The earth is thine, and the fulneſs thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 22.27,28.Let all the people praiſe thee, O God; let all the people praiſe thee. O that all the ends of the world would remember and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the Nations worſhip before him. For the kingdom is the Lords; and he is the governour among the Nations. Bleſs eſpecially all Chriſtian Kings and Princes; that it may Prov. 16.12.be an abomination to them to commit wickedneſs; and their thrones may be eſtabliſhed by righteouſneſs. And incline the hearts of all thoſe who have any authority in theſe Kingdoms to love and hold faſt thy true Religion, and to live according to to it; that 20.28.by mercy and truth the king may be preſerved: and his throne be upholden by mercy.
We heartily deſire the eaſe, peace and ſatisfaction of all thoſe who are in pain, trouble, and perplexity: and that all poor miſerable people may find ſupply of their wants from thy bounty, and the charity of thoſe on whom thou haſt beſtowed plenty and abundance. We humbly alſo wait for thy bleſſing upon all our Relations and Friends: truſting in thee for ſuch a meaſure of health, and all other good things, as thou judgeſt uſeful for us; and eſpecially that the Lord Jeſus 1 Tim. 4.8.will deliver us from every evil work, and preſerve us to his heavenly kingdom: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Our Father, &c.