The Devout Christian Instructed How to Pray and Give Thanks, family · Prayers 3
PRAYERS For particular PERSONS.
A Prayer for the Morning to be ſaid by any Perſon alone.
O Moſt holy, bleſſed and glorious Majeſty of heaven and earth. Who art before all things, becauſe they all received their being from thee; and who art of thy ſelf, infinite in all perfections. Before thee, who art ſo great and incomprehenſible, I moſt humbly proſtrate my ſelf this Morning; rejoycing in this happy liberty which thou vouchſafeſt me, of retiring my thoughts a little from this world, to look up unto thee, the Father of my being. I adore and praiſe thy eternal Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs. I heartily acknowledge the duty which I owe thee, both as I am thy creature, and as I am a Chriſtian. I bewail all my neglects of it, my backwardneſs unto it, or coldneſs in it. I intreat thy gracious pardon, and ingage my ſelf, for the time to come, more heartily and firmly to thy obedience: beſeeching the grace of thy holy Spirit to inable me to perform all thoſe ingagements which are upon me. And bleſſed be thy Fatherly goodneſs, which hath ſo often prevented me with that grace. I owe to it all the good thoughts and inclinations that are in my heart; all thoſe motions that I feel in my ſoul towards thee, as my chiefeſt good; with all the effects and fruits of them in my life and actions: which incourage me to hope in thee for the conſtant help of it, to further me in well doing unto the end.
O thou who haſt ſent thy Son from heaven to dwell among us, who haſt not ſpared his life, but given him up for us all, who haſt raiſed him from the dead, and made him heir of all things, who haſt given him all power in heaven and earth, that he may bleſs us and do us good; deny not the deſires of a ſoul, that offers up it ſelf intirely in ſincere affection to thy ſervice. But aſſiſt me ſo mightily from above, that I may make thee my conſtant acknowledgements likewiſe, for the ſenſible fruits of his Life, Death, Reſurrection, and Exaltation produced in my heart: growing more and more in all Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Purity, Humility, Goodneſs, and every other divine Vertue. For which end preſerve me alway in ſuch a ſerious temper of mind, that the ſenſe of my duty to thee, may make me always ready and forward to it; and the ſenſe of my weakneſs, may make me watchful and diligent; and the ſenſe of my former negligence, make me fervent in ſpirit; and the goodneſs of thy commands may render me more fruitful and abundant in the work of our Lord; and the great danger I have eſcaped, and the bleſſedneſs before me, may make me perſevere moſt patiently in all well doing, with joy and thankfulneſs. So that I may be like to Chriſt Jeſus my gracious Lord and Maſter, and do him honour here in this world, and walk worthy of the great priviledges he hath beſtowed on me, and make grateful returns for all the vaſt receipts I have had from thy moſt bounteous mercy. O that all my acknowledgements, and pious affections may be turned into actions of holineſs and piety; and all my actions may be ſpirited with zeal; and all my zeal be regulated with prudence; and my prudence be void of all guile, and joyned with perfect integrity of heart: that adorning my moſt holy faith and profeſſion by a religious, upright, charitable, and diſcreet converſation whilſt I am here, I may receive approbation and praiſe, at the day of the Lord Jeſus; and be numbered among thy Saints in glory everlaſting.
This, O Lord, is the ſum of all my deſires. Diſpoſe me, by every thing that befals me, for eternal life, and it ſufficeth. I wholly leave my concerns in this life to the wiſdom of thy goodneſs; that thou mayſt order what thou judgeſt to be fitteſt for me. I truſt thee with my ſelf, and all I have: hoping thou wilt preſerve me from all things hurtful, and lead me to all things profitable for my ſalvation.
The like I wiſh to all the world; that unbelievers may be tranſlated out of the kingdom of darkneſs; into the Kingdom of thy dear Son; and they who are called by the name of Chriſt, may depart from all iniquity. Inſpire all Kings and Princes of the earth, with great wiſdom and charity; and make them like to thee, the Lord of all: who art good unto all, and pleaſed in mercy. Indue all our Paſtors and Guides with true knowledge, piety and zeal; and give me, and all Chriſtian people grace to receive their inſtructions with a meek, humble and obedient heart. Thou knoweſt the ſorrows, troubles and perplexities of all afflicted perſons; for whom I implore thy compaſſionate relief. Support them with a lively faith and hope in thy precious promiſes; diſpoſe them thereby to a more ſtrict obſervance of thy holy Commands; and convert their preſent ſufferings into endleſs joys; when they have brought forth the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſs. And whilſt thou art pleaſed to continue to me that eaſe, plenty and proſperity which I enjoy; fill me with ſuch a ſenſe of thy undeſerved goodneſs, that I may be the more ready to do good to thoſe, who are in miſery; and by a ſober and moderate uſe of thy bleſſings, be prepared to endure patiently whatſoever change, thou ſhalt be pleaſed to order for me, into a worſe condition. Preſerve me all this day in innocence, and in love to thee, and to all men. And ſince in all my ways I acknowledge thee; do thou direct my paths, and teach me to guide my affairs with diſcretion.Prov. 3.6. Pſal. 112.5. Thou art my hope and my confidence; my ſatisfaction and my peace; my glory and my joy; therefore never leave me not forſake me, but conduct me ſafely by thy counſel through all the buſineſſes and enjoyments, through all the temptations and troubles of this life, to that bleſſed place where our Lord Jeſus liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the ſame ſpirit, world without end. Amen.
Our Father, &c.
A Prayer for the Evening.
O Lord, the Creator of the world, and the Redeemer of mankind. Who knoweſt all things; and canſt do what thou pleaſeſt; and wilt do that which is beſt for thy children; and haſt done us a world of good already; and promiſed to do more for us, if we be obedient, than we can ask or think; and haſt given us the greateſt aſſurance of the truth of thoſe promiſes by thy Son Jeſus; who dyed for us, and whom thou haſt raiſed from the dead, and given him the promiſe of the holy Ghoſt, which he hath poured forth abundantly, to ſhed abroad thy love in our hearts. I fall down before thee in the lowlieſt manner, to expreſs my fear and reverence of thy Almighty Power; my admiration of and ſubmiſſion to thy unſearchable wiſdom; my hearty love, and thankful acknowledgement of thy wondrous goodneſs; my truſt and confidence in thy faithful Promiſes; with my readineſs, and ſincere purpoſes to perform all obedience to thy holy Commands.
There is nothing, O Lord, ſo afflictive to me, as the remembrance that I have any time offended thy Soveraign Authority. I am heartily ſorry for the breaking of any of thy ſacred, righteous and good Laws. I abhorr the thoughts of doing ſo again. And proteſt eternal enmity to all that is contrary to thy bleſſed Will: addicting my ſelf with moſt hearty affection to thy true and faithful ſervice. Pardon me therefore, moſt gracious and merciful Father, and accept theſe holy reſolutions which thou haſt inſpired me withal. Strengthen, I beſeech thee, and further them with thy continued grace, that no ſudden deſires, vehement inclinations, ineffectual purpoſes, no nor partial performances, may deceive and lead me into a falſe opinion of my ſelf: but I may bring forth actually, and with a conſtant ſpirit, all the fruits of righteouſneſs, which are by Chriſt Jeſus to the praiſe and glory of thee, my God. Poſſeſs me with ſuch a deep and ſtrong ſenſe of thy ſupreme Authority over all, of the obligations I have to thee, and the great kindneſs thou haſt done me in ingaging me to be thy ſervant; that Religion may be the very buſineſs of my life, and my greateſt pleaſure may be to pleaſe thee in every thing, and my higheſt deſign to attain that bleſſed immortality, which Chriſt Jeſus hath promiſed.
O lift up my affections more and more to thoſe things above, where he is: That heaven may have my heart, while this world hath my body; and I may have perfect contentment of mind in well doing and patient ſuffering; and the good hope I have of being eternally beloved of thee, the Lord of heaven and earth, may make me rejoyce evermore. Free me from all inordinate cares for the things of this life; from all diſtruſt of thy good providence; from all repining at any thing that befals me: and inable me in every thing to give thanks; believing that all things are ordered by the greateſt reaſon, and ſhall work together for good to thoſe that love thee. I doubt not of thy Fatherly affection to thoſe that ſtudy, in all ſincerity, to approve themſelves unto thee: and therefore ſtill reſolve to leave my ſelf intirely to thy wiſe Counſels, that thou mayſt diſpoſe me into ſuch a condition as thou ſeeſt beſt in this world. Remember me but of my duty; quicken and excite me to it; ſtrengthen me in the doing of it; ſupport me under all diſcouragements; adviſe me in all difficult caſes; and comfort me with a ſteadfaſt belief of thy holy Word; and I ſhall ever be giving thanks and praiſe unto thee, who dealeſt ſo bountifully with me.
Into thy hands I commend this night, both ſoul and body, which have been mercifully preſerved in ſafety all this day. I repoſe my ſelf in the belief of thy watchful providence; and that thou giveſt thy Angels charge of us, and art about our beds, and about our paths, and ſpieſt out all our thoughts. O continue theſe holy thoughts and deſires in me till I fall aſleep: that thou mayſt have a ſoul full of love to thee in thy cuſtody; and I may receive the light of the Morning, if thou prolongeſt my life, with new joy in thee, and thankful affection to thee.
I moſt heartily deſire likewiſe, O merciful God, the good of the whole world. Pitty the follies of mankind: deliver them from their ſins, and from their miſeries. Hear the groans of every part of the creature, that is yet ſubject to the bondage of corruption, and bring them all into the glorious liberty of thy children. Hear the daily prayers of the Catholick Church. Free her from all foul and dividing errors: Let the Truth, as it is in Jeſus, prevail, and peace be in all her borders. O that all Chriſtian Kings and Governours, may follow after peace and inſue it. Make thy Miniſters the Meſſengers of peace: and diſpoſe the hearts of all Chriſtians to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Inlighten the minds of all Jews, Turks and Infidels with the knowledge of thy Truth. Give repentance unto ſinners; and increaſe of grace and ſtrength to all thy faithful ſervants. Reduce thoſe that wander out of the way: raiſe up thoſe who are faln: confirm and ſettle thoſe that ſtand; and grant them a ſteadfaſt reſolution to perſevere in faith, love and obedience. Relieve and comfort all thoſe that are in any diſtreſs. Make the earth to bring forth her increaſe in due ſeaſon. And let all honeſt and induſtrious people be ſucceeded and bleſſed in their labours. Remember all thoſe to whom I am indebted for my birth, education, inſtruction or promotion: Thou who art rich in mercy, reward and recompence their care and love. Grant forgiveneſs and charity to all my enemies. Continue good will among all my kind Neighbours. Aſſiſt thoſe who are dying and leaving this world. Fit them for a better place; receive the ſouls which thou haſt redeemed with thy Sons moſt precious bloud, and ſanctified by the holy Ghoſt; and give us all a glorious reſurrection and eternal life. Amen, Amen.
Our Father, &c.
A ſhorter Prayer to be uſed by any one alone in the Morning.
I Adore thee, O Lord, the poſſeſſor of heaven and earth; who ſurpaſſeſt all our thoughts, and doſt us good beyond all our deſires. There is all reaſon, that I ſhould acknowledge thee continually; that I ſhould worſhip, and praiſe, and love, and obey thee, whilſt I have my being. I cannot but witneſs againſt my ſelf, whenſoever I neglect thee; much more when I oppoſe thy moſt high Authority, by doing contrary to thy Laws. For thy Almighty Goodneſs gave me my being; and by that alone have I been maintained and liberally provided for: yea, it hath born with me very patiently in my rebellion, and uſed extraordinary means to make us friends, and ceaſes not its intreaties after many unkind denials; but continues to importune me, till my heart conſent to yield it ſelf intirely to thee.
I cannot withhold my ſelf, O Lord, from thee, when I conſider what thou art, and what thou haſt been to me: ſuch a tender, gracious and compaſſionate Father, as my greateſt affections cannot find words to expreſs. I muſt again ſurrender ſoul and body into thy hands, which have been ſo long, ſo lovingly ſtretched out towards me: reſolving to ſtay with thee, and never to depart away from thee. For the more I know of thee, the more I find that I muſt needs love thee: and the more I love thee, the more I deſire to love thee, and to reſemble thee, and to be beloved of thee. O that I may feel the power of thy love ſo great in my heart, that it may govern the reſt of my paſſions and affections: and nothing in the world may tempt me to diſpleaſe thee, but every thing provoke me more to love thee, and delight in thee, and obey thee. For whom is there in heaven that I can deſire but thee, or on earth beſides thee? who art the bleſſed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords; who only haſt immortality: and deſigneſt by thy Son Jeſus to raiſe us ſinful duſt and aſhes, to a kingdom, glory, honour, and immortality in the heavens. I moſt earneſtly beſeech thee that this ſenſe of thee, may accompany me whereſoever I go, and in whatſoever I do this day. That approving my ſelf to thee in ſuch a godly, ſober, righteous, charitable and prudent behaviour, as may adorn the Goſpel of my Lord and Maſter Chriſt Jeſus; I may have a greater aſſurance of thy good will towards me, and an undoubted hope of thy mercy in him to eternal life. In whoſe moſt bleſſed name and words I humbly recommend my ſelf, my friends, and all thy ſervants to thy infinite charity; ſaying as he hath taught us.
Our Father, &c.
Another for the Evening.
BLeſſing, Glory, Honour and Praiſe be again returned to thee, O Father of mercy, from a moſt thankful heart; which offers up it ſelf alſo in holy devotion to thee. Who art my Soveraign Lord, my moſt loving Saviour, my Deliverer and Benefactor; the Fountain of all the good things I enjoy at preſent, and the hope of my ſoul for ever and ever. Bleſſed be thy renewed kindneſs to me this day paſt; both to my ſelf and my relations, to my ſoul and my body, in my tranſactions with men, and in the liberty thou alloweſt me of addreſſes to thy ſelf. Pardon, good Lord, whatſoever hath eſcaped me in thought, word or deed, contrary to my duty: And accept of thoſe ſincere intentions, and unfeigned purpoſes, which were, and I hope ſhall always be, in my heart, to ſtudy to approve my ſelf to thee in all well doing.
It is but juſt and reaſonable that I ſhould follow thy will, and not my own: and in a grateful ſenſe of what I have received from thee, I ought to be moved to imploy all the powers of my ſoul and body for thee. But ſuch is the goodneſs of thy will, that it is for my eaſe and pleaſure, and greateſt happineſs, to be abſolutely led and governed by it. I am ſenſible, O Lord, how much I am indebted to thee for teaching me by Chriſt Jeſus, and alſo ſtrongly obliging me, to exerciſe my ſelf to all godlineſs, purity, righteouſneſs, humility, goodneſs and truth. And accordingly I thank thee, above all things, for his holy inſtructions and example; for the hope thou haſt given us by his bloud that thou wilt be ſo merciful to our ſins, as not to deny us the power of thy holy Spirit to inable us to follow him, and obey his commands; and for that exceeding great and precious promiſe which he hath given us of immortal life, to incourage us to follow him willingly and chearfully, even to the death. O that I may feel a lively and ſteadfaſt faith in his Word, continually working with great power in my heart; exciting me to an unwearied diligence, and zeal, and love, and patient continuance in my duty towards thee, and towards all men: That ſo my hope in thee may grow and increaſe, and I may joyfully expect that hour which ſhall tranſlate me hence to the eternal happineſs of the other world. And during my ſtay here, I commend my ſelf to thy good providence, which hath hitherto been ſo tender of me. I truſt thee wholly with my ſelf, and all belonging to me: and am willing in every thing to be diſpoſed of, as thou ſeeſt good. This night … fly unto thy Almighty protection; hoping thou wilt keep me ſafely, and whether I awake in this or the other life, I ſhall ſtill be praiſing thee; whoſe Mercy endureth for ever. Amen; for Chriſt Jeſus his ſake; by whom thou haſt incouraged me to hope in thee, and taught me to call thee father; 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.
THat time which is wont to be ſpent in the Church, in talking or looking about, before Divine Service begin; may be better imployed in private Prayer, to diſpoſe us to joyn with greater ſeriouſneſs in the Publick. And indeed our buſineſs being there with God alone, and that place being ſeparated to his ſervice only; the cuſtom, which now univerſally prevails, of entertaing diſcourſe one with another, is very undecent (to ſay no worſe) and ought to be reformed. We have other times and places enow to confer with our neighbours; and therefore have no temptation to pervert the uſe of this: which is ſet apart for devout intercourſe with God, and none elſe, by ſpeaking to him in Prayer and Praiſes, and hearing him ſpeak to us in his holy Word. It is fit to ſilence all other ſpeech; and therefore here follow ſome helps for that purpoſe: which I hope all good Chriſtians will indeavour to uſe, or imitate; and not deſpiſe this loving admonition.