The Devout Christian Instructed How to Pray and Give Thanks, church · Ejaculations
THe better to preſerve a constant ſenſe of God in the mind, and pious diſpoſitions in the heart: Here follow certain ſhort Ejaculations (as we are wont to call them) in which, upon ſeveral occaſions, any man may lift up his ſoul to God: And if he do it fervently, may find it of great effect.
EJACƲLATIONS.
When he awakes in the morning, he may ſay, I Laid me down and ſlept; I awaked, for the Lord ſuſtained me, Pſal. 3.5. How precious alſo are thy thoughts unto me, O God? how great is the ſum of them? If I would count them; they are more in number than the ſand: when I awake, I am ſtill with thee, Pſal. 139.17,18.
When he is dreſſing himſelf. O how bountiful is the ornament of a pure, humble, meek, patient and charitable ſpirit! Help me, O God, to put on the Lord Jeſus, in theſe and all other vertues.
When he goes into the Church, or his Cloſet. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will ſing and give praiſe, Pſal. 57.7.
When he begins any buſineſs. My help cometh from the Lord, which …ade heaven and earth, Pſal. 121.2. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with my ſpirit, 2. Tim. 4.22.
When he goes forth of his doors. Hold thou up my goings in thy paths, that my foot-ſteps ſlip not, Pſal. 17.5. Order my ſteps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me, 119.133. Give thy angels charge over me, to keep me in all my ways, 91.11.
When he walks abroad and beholds all things round about him, he may ſay as it is Pſal. 104.24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wiſdom haſt thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches, &c.
At Meals. O taſte and ſee that the Lord is good. He filleth our hearts with food and gladneſs, Pſal. 24.8. Act. 14.17. Bleſſed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with his benefits, Pſal. 68.19.
At Candle-light. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, Pſal. 4.6. Or, God be merciful unto us and bleſs us, and cauſe his face to ſhine upon us, 67.1.
When he goes to bed. I will both lay me down in peace, and ſleep: for thou, Lord, only makeſt me dwell in ſafety, Pſal. 4.8. He that keepeth me doth not ſlumber. The Lord is my keeper: the Lord is my defence, who neither ſlumbers, nor ſleeps, Pſal. 121.4,5.
In the Night ſeaſon. O happy ſouls, that reſt not day nor night, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, which is, and is to come! Rev. 4.8. O great God! the darkneſs hideth not from thee; but the night ſhineth as the day: the darkneſs and the light are both alike to thee, Pſal. 139.12. My ſoul ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs; and my mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joyful lips: when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Becauſe thou haſt been my help; therefore in the ſhadow of thy wings will I rejoyce, Pſal. 63.5,6,7.
On a ſick-bed, or in other affliction. It is the Lord: let him do what ſeemeth him good, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord, Lam. 3.26. Bleſſed be the Lord for my long continued health and all his other benefits. Let the remembrance of thy former mercies refreſh my ſoul, and incourage my hope, and ſtrengthen my patience, with quiet reſignation of my ſelf to thy good pleaſure.
At the point of Death. I have waited for thy ſalvation, O Lord, Gen. 49.18. Into thy hand, O Father, I commend my ſelf, who breathedſt into me the breath of Life. Lord Jeſus receive my ſpirit, which thou haſt redeemed by thy precious bloud, and ſanctified by the holy Ghoſt.
When he hears a Paſſing-bell. Verily, every man at his beſt ſtate is altogether vanity, Pſal. 39.5. O teach me ſo to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto wiſdom, 90.12.
In a time of Plague. O Lord, correct us, but with judgement; not in thine anger, leſt thou bring us to nothing, Jer. 10.24.
In a time of War. O Lord, ariſe, help us and deliver us for thy names ſake. From our enemies defend us, O Chriſt. Graciouſly look upon our affliction.
King Aſa cryed unto God in this manner when he was going to give battle to a million of enemies. Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power. Help us, O Lord our God, for we reſt on thee, and in thy name go againſt this multitude, 2 Chron. 14.11.
In any other publick Calamity. Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thy heritage to reproach, Joel 2.17.
A great Offender may often ſay with the Prodigal, Father, I have ſinned againſt thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy ſon. And with the Publican, God be merciful to me a ſinner.
After any mercy received. What ſhall I render unto the Lord, for all the benefits that he hath done unto me? Pſal. 116.12. Every day will I give thanks unto thee, and praiſe thy name for ever and ever, 145.1.
I ſhall mention no more, becauſe I would not invite the Reader to make this ſort of Prayer too common. For by that means, it will be in danger to grow cold, and loſe its force and efficacie, by growing faſhionable. To that purpoſe I remember a devout Prelate of our own (Biſhop Hall) ſomewhere delivers his judgement about this matter. But if any one find that he can with profit turn his thoughts this way, upon all occaſions; he may eaſily invent more Ejaculations. The meaſure of them is, (as that forenamed perſon ſpeaks) to preſerve our hearts in a conſtant tender and godly diſpoſition; which ſhall be further actuated upon all opportunites, by the exerciſe of our more inlarged and fixed devotions.