Private Devotions for Ordinary and Extraordinary Occasions, Directions 1
PRIVATE DEVOTIONS For ſeveral OCCASIONS, ORDINARY And EXTRAORDINARY.
LONDON, Printed for T. Garthwait, at the little North Door of St. Pauls Church, 1660.
CHRISTIAN READER.
I Have, for the help of thy Devotions, ſet down ſome FORMS of PRIVATE PRAYER, upon ſeveral occaſions: If it be thought an omiſſion that there are none for Families, I muſt anſwer for my ſelf, that it was not from any opinion that God is not as well to be worſhipp'd in the Family as the Cloſet; but becauſe the Providence of God and the Church hath already furniſh'd thee for that purpoſe, infinitely beyond what my utmoſt care could do. I mean the PUBLICK LITURGY or COMMON PRAYER, which for all publick addreſſes to God (and ſuch are Family prayers) are ſo excellent and uſeful, that we may ſay of it as David did of Goliah's ſword, 1 Sam. 21. 9. There is none like it.
DIRECTIONS for the MORNING.
As ſoon as ever thou awakeſt in the morning, lift up thy heart to God in this or the like ſhort Prayer.
LORD, as thou haſt awaked my Body from ſleep, ſo by thy grace awaken my Soul from ſin, and make me ſo to walk before thee this day and all the reſt of my life, that when the laſt trumpet ſhall awake me out of my grave, I may riſe to the life immortal, through Jeſus Chriſt.
WHen thou haſt thus begun, ſuffer not (without ſome urgent neceſſity) any worldly thoughts to fil thy mind, till thou haſt alſo paid thy more ſolemn Devorions to Almighty God, and therefore during the time thou art dreſſing thy ſelf (which ſhould be no longer then common decency requires) exerciſe thy mind in ſome ſpiritual thoughts: as for example, conſider to what Temptations thy buſineſs or company that day are moſt like to lay thee open, and arm thy ſelf with Reſolutions againſt them; or again, conſider what Occaſions of doing ſervice to God, or good to thy neighbour are that day moſt likely to preſent themſelves, and reſolve to embrace them; and alſo contrive how thou mayſt improve them to the uttermoſt. But eſpecially it will be fit for thee to Examine whether there have any ſin eſcaped thee ſince thy laſt nights examination. If after theſe conſiderations any further leiſure remain, thou mayſt profitably imploy it in meditating on the general Reſurrection (whereof our riſing from our beds is a Repreſentation) and of that dreadful Judgement which ſhall follow it, and then think with thy ſelf in what preparation thou art for it, and reſolve to husband carefully every minute of thy time towards the fitting thee for that great account. As ſoon as thou art ready, retire to ſome private place, and there offer up to God thy Morning Sacrifice of Praiſe and Prayer.
Prayers for the Morning. At thy firſt kneeling down, ſay,
O Holy, Bleſſed and Glorious Trinity, three perſons and one God, have mercy upon me a miſerable ſinner.
LORD, I know not what to pray for as I ought, O let thy Spirit help my infirmities, and enable me to offer up a ſpiritual Sacrifice acceptable to thee by Jeſus Chriſt.
A Thanksgiving.
O Gracious Lord, whoſe mercies endure for ever, I thy unworthy ſervant who have ſo deeply taſted of them, deſire to render thee the tribute of my humbleſt praiſes for them: In thee, O Lord, I live & move and have my being, thou firſt madeſt me to be, and then that I might not be miſerable but happy, thou ſendeſt thy Son out of thy boſome to Redeem me from the power of my ſins by his Grace, and from the puniſhment of them by his Blood, and by both to bring me to his glory. Thou haſt by thy mercy cauſed me to be born within thy peculiar fold, the Chriſtian Church, where I was early conſecrated to thee in Baptiſme, and have been partaker of all thoſe ſpiritual helps which might aid me to performe that Vow I there made to thee; and when by my own wilfulneſs or negligence I have failed to do it, yet thou in thy manifold mercies haſt not forſaken me, but haſt graciouſly invited me to repentance, afforded me all means both outward and inward for it, and with much patience haſt attended and not cut me off in the acts of thoſe many damning ſins I have committed, as I have moſt juſtly deſerved. It is, O Lord, thy Reſtraining grace alone by which I have been keept back from any the greateſt ſins, and it is thy Inciting and Aſſiſting grace alone, by which I have been enabled to do any the leaſt good, therefore not unto me, not unto me, but unto thy name be the praiſes. For theſe and all other thy ſpiritual bleſſings, my ſoul doth magnifie the Lord, and all that is within me praiſe his holy Name. I likewiſe Praiſe thee for thoſe many outward Bleſſings I enjoy, as health, friends, food and raiment, the comforts as well as the neceſſaries of this life, for thoſe continual Protections of thy hand, by which I and mine are kept from dangers, and thoſe gracious Deliverances thou haſt often afforded out of ſuch as have befallen me; and for that mercy of thine whereby thou haſt ſweetned and allayed thoſe Troubles thou haſt not ſeen fit wholly to remove: for thy particular Preſervation of me this night, and all other thy goodneſs towards me; Lord, grant that I may render thee not only the fruit of my lips, but the obedience of my life, that ſo theſe bleſſings here may be an earneſt of thoſe richer bleſſings thou haſt prepared for thoſe that love thee, and that for his ſake whom thou haſt made the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him, even Jeſus Chriſt.
A Confeſſion.
O Righteous Lord, who hateſt iniquitie, I thy ſinful creature caſt my ſelf at thy feet, acknowledging that I moſt juſtly deſerve to be utterly abhorred and forſaken by thee; for I have drunk iniquitie like water, gone on in a continued courſe of ſin and rebellion againſt thee, daily committing thoſe things thou forbiddeſt, and leaving undone thoſe things thou commandeſt; mine heart, which ſhould be an habitation for thy ſpirit, is become a cage of unclean birds, of foul and diſordered affections; and out of this abundance of the heart my mouth ſpeaketh, my hands act, ſo that in thought, word and deed I continually tranſgreſs againſt thee. [Here mention the greateſt of thy ſins.] Nay, O Lord, I have deſpiſed that goodneſs of thine which ſhould lead me to Repentance, hardning my heart againſt all thoſe means thou haſt uſed for my amendment. And now, Lord, what can I expect from thee but judgement and fierie indignation, that is indeed the due reward of my ſins? But, O Lord, there is merciemercy with thee that thou mayeſt be feared, O fit me for that merciemercy by giving me a deep and heartie Repentance, and then according to thy goodneſs let thy anger and thy wrath be turned away from me; look upon me in thy Son, my bleſſed Saviour, and for the merit of his ſufferings pardon all my ſins: And, Lord, I beſeech thee by the power of thy grace ſo to renew and purifie my heart, that I may become a new creature, utterly forſaking everie evil way, and living in conſtant, ſincere, univerſal obedience to thee all the reſt of my dayes, that behaving my ſelf as a good and faithful ſervant, I may by thy merciemercy at the laſt be received into the joy of my Lord: Grant this for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake.
A Prayer for Grace.
O Moſt gracious God, from whom everie good and perfect gift cometh, I wretched creature that am not able of my ſelf ſo much as to think a good thought, beſeech thee to work in me both to Will and Do according to thy good pleaſure. Inlighten my minde that I may know thee, and let me not be barren or unfruitful in that knowledge; Lord, work in my heart a true Faith, a purifying Hope, and an unfeigned Love towards thee, give me a full Truſt on thee, Zeal for thee, Reverence of all things that relate to thee; make me Fearful to offend thee, Thankful for thy mercies, Humble under thy corrections, Devout in thy Service, Sorrowful for my ſins; and grant that in all things I may behave my ſelf ſo as befits a creature to his Creatour, a ſervant to his Lord; enable me likewiſe to perform that Dutie I owe to my ſelf, give me that Meekneſs, Humilitie, and Contentedneſs whereby I may alwayes poſſeſs my ſoul in Patience and Thankfulneſs; make me Diligent in all my duties, Watchful againſt all temptations, perfectly pure and Temperate, and ſo moderate in my moſt lawful enjoyments, that they never become a ſnare to me; make me alſo, O Lord, to be ſo affected towards my Neighbour, that I never tranſgreſs that royal Law of thine, of loving him as my ſelf; grant me exactly to perform all parts of Juſtice, yielding to all whatſoever by any kinde of Right becomes their due; and give me ſuch bowels of MercieMercy and compaſſion that I may never fail to do all acts of Charitie to all men, whether friends or enemies, according to thy command and example. Finally, I beſeech thee, O Lord, to ſanctifie me throughout, that my whole ſpirit and ſoul and bodie may be preſerved blameleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghoſt be all honour and glorie for ever.
Amen.
Interceſſion.
O Bleſſed Lord, whoſe merciemercy is over all thy works, I beſeech thee to have merciemercy upon all men, and grant that the precious ranſom which was paid by thy Son for all, may be effectual to the ſaving of all. Give thy inlightning Grace to thoſe that are in darkneſs, and thy converting grace to thoſe that are in ſin; look with thy tendereſt compaſſions upon the Univerſal Church, O be favourable and gracious unto Sion, build thou the walls of Jeruſalem, unite all thoſe that profeſs thy Name to thee, by Puritie, and Holineſs; and to each other by Brotherly love. Have merciemercy on This deſolate Church, and ſinful Nation, thou haſt moved the Land and divided it, heal the ſores thereof for it ſhaketh; make us ſo truly to repent of thoſe ſins, which have provoked thy Judgements, that thou alſo may'ſt turn, and repent, and leave a bleſſing behinde thee. Bleſs thoſe whom thou haſt appointed our governours, whether in Church or State, ſo rule their hearts, and ſtrengthen their hands, that they may neither want will nor power to puniſh wickedneſs and vice, and to maintain Gods true Religion and Vertue. Have pitie, O Lord, on all that are in affliction; be a Father to the fatherleſs, and plead the cauſe of the Widow, comfort the feeble-minded, ſupport the weak, heal the ſick, relieve the needie, defend the Oppreſſed, & adminiſter to everie one according to their ſeveral neceſſities; let thy bleſſings reſt upon all that are near and dear to me, and grant them whatſoever thou ſeeſt neceſſarie either to their bodies or their ſouls. [Here name thy neareſt Relations] Reward all thoſe that have done me good, and pardon all thoſe that have done, or wiſht me evil, and work in them and me all that good which may make us acceptable in thy ſight, through Jeſus Chriſt.
For Preſervation.
O Merciful God, by whoſe bountie alone it is, that I have this day added to my life, I beſeech thee ſo to guide me in it by thy grace, that I may do nothing which may diſhonour thee, or wound my own ſoul, but that I may diligently apply my ſelf to do all ſuch good works, as thou haſt prepared for me to walk in; and Lord I beſeech thee, give thy Angels charge over me, to keep me in all my wayes, that no evil happen unto me nor any plague come nigh my dwelling, but that I and mine may be ſafe under thy gracious protection, through Jeſus Chriſt.
O Lord, pardon the wandrings and coldneſs of theſe petitions, and deal with me, not according either to my prayers or deſerts, but according to my needs and thine own rich mercies in Jeſus Chriſt, in whoſe bleſſed Name and Words, I conclude theſe my imperfect Prayers; ſaying, Our Father, &c.