keep them in these troublesom times defend their Bodies from Death and danger and their Souls from Error and Vice preserve the King's Majesty and all the Royal Family in Health and happiness And send to all this Nation a continuance of Peace and Prosperity with a real Reformation of their Lives Grant these and all other Mercies necessary for them and thy whole Church through and by the Mediation and glorious intercession of my Blessed Saviour who hath thus taught me to sum up all my imperfect Prayers 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 all Evil. For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Let thy merciful kindness O Lord be upon me like as I do put my trust in thee Psal 33.21 A Morning Prayer for a younger Person O Almighty God who hast saved me alive till this time preserved me from my Mothers Womb and guarded me from the dangers of the last Night thy Holy Name be praised for this and all other expressions of thy Mercy and Goodness to me give me grace to employ this Life which thou sparest me to thy Honour and Glory keep me from Sin and Temptations and whatsoever might prejudice my Soul or my Body I recommend my self into thy hands and protection save me from the Dangers and inconveniencies of this Life grant me thy Wisdom and thy Fear increase in my Soul all knowledge give me a right understanding of thy Will and Grace to practise it Preserve me from the Vices of the Age from the Allurements of Sin and the Corruptions of the Times Season my tender Soul with a Love for thee my God and a sincere dread of thy Power and Divine Majesty Protect me in the Profession of thy true Religion and Bless me with Spiritual and Temporal Blessings and grant me that holy Resolution and Temper that I may so live in this Life and so spend my days that I may attain at last to Everlasting Life Preserve my Parents Relations and those whom thou hast placed over me in Health and Prosperity send them an increase of all thy Blessings save the King's Majesty from all his Enemies grant him Health and Prosperity and the whole Nation peace and happiness for Jesus Christ his sake 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 all Evil. For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Lord preserve my going out and my Coming in from this time forth and for evermore Amen Psal 121.8 A Morning Prayer for a Child UNto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Psal 123.1 Thy Holy Name be praised for the last Nights Rest and Preservation protect me also this day from all dangers Bodily and Spiritual keep me from sin teach me thy Ways grant me thy true Wisdom increase my abilities to serve thee bless me in my endeavours and actions sanctifie my Soul and Body give me the understanding of thy Word and Laws and a Heart to practise them keep me in the Profession of thy true Religion and from the Wicked designs of Schism and Idolatry imprint thy fear in my tender Soul and a sense of thine infinite Presence that I may glorifie thee here on Earth O my Creator and Heavenly Father and at last attain to that Glory which thou hast promised to those that shall obey thy sacred Commands Bless and preserve my Parents Kindred and Relations save the King's Majesty and grant him Health and Prosperity All this I beg from thine infinite goodness for Jesus Christ his sake my only Saviour and Mediator who hath taught me thus to Pray 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 all Evil. For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Blessed be the Lord God of our Israel from everlasting and World without End Amen An Evening Prayer for a private Family according to the Book of Common-Prayer with some Collects for the Times O Lord correct us but with judgment not in thine Anger lest thou bring us to nothing Hide thy Face from our Sins and blot out all our Iniquities Jer. 10.24 Psal 51.9 ALmighty and most Merciful Father we have erred and strayed from thy Ways like lost Sheep We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own Hearts We have offended against thy Holy Laws We have left undone those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done and there is no Health in us But thou O Lord have mercy upon us miserable Offenders Spare thou them O God which confess their faults Restore thou them that are penitent according to thy Promises declared unto Mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant O most merciful Father for his sake That we may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life to the glory of thy holy Name Amen Lord Let this be repeated by all the Family have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us And forgive us all our Sins 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 all Evil. For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord shew thy mercy upon us And grant us thy Salvation O Lord save the King and Queen And mereifully hear us when we call upon thee Endue thy Ministers with Righteousness And make thy chosen People joyful O Lord save thy People And bless thine Inheritance Give peace in our time O Lord. Because there is none other that fighteth for us but only thou O God O God make clean our Hearts within us And take not thy Holy Spirit from us ALmighty and everlasting God who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent create and make in us new and contrite Hearts that we worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness may obtain of thee the God of all Mercy perfect remission
and forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O God from whom all Holy Desires all good Counsels and all just Works do proceed give unto thy Servants that peace which the World cannot give that both our Hearts may be set to obey thy Commandments and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our Enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen LIghten our Darkness we beseech thee O Lord and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night for the Love of thy only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen ALmighty God who seest that we have no power of our Selves to help our selves keep us both outwardly in our Bodies and inwardly in our Souls that we may be desended from all Adversities which may happen to the Body and from all evil Thoughts which may assault and hurt the Soul through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Almighty God who alone canst order the unruly Wills and Affections of sinful Men grant to thy People that they may love the thing which thou commandest and desire that which thou dost promise so that among all the sundry and manifold changes of the World our Hearts may surely there be sixed where true Joys are to be found through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord who never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast Fear and Love keep us we beseech thee under the protection of thy good Providence and make us to have a perpetual Fear and Love of thy Holy Name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O God whose never failing Providence ordereth all things both in Heaven and Earth we humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things and to give us those things which be profitable for us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen BE merciful O Lord to this Church and Nation punish us not accord-to our deservings but let thy Mercy protect and save us from the Evil hands of all our restless Enemies continue thy Word and Gospel amongst us remit our senseless Divisions open the Eyes and Hearts of all our Dissenting and disaffected Brethren that they may embrace thy Truth set aside all Prejudice and joyn with us thy Servants in the sincere Worship of thee the true God All this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake Amen O God for as much as without thee we are not able to please thee mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our Hearts through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Almighty God who art a strong Tower of defence unto thy Servants against the face of their Enemies We yield thee Praise and Thanksgiving for our Deliverance from those great and apparent Dangers wherewith we have been compassed We acknowledge it thy goodness that we are not delivered over as a Pray unto them beseeching thee still to continue such thy Mercies towards us to discover all hellish Plots contrived against our King Religion and Country and to disappoint all the black Designs of our Bloody Enemies that all the World may know that thou art our Saviour and mighty Deliverer through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord our God who upholdest and governest all things in Heaven and Earth Receive our Humble Prayers for our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen set over us by thy Grace and Providence And so together with them Bless the whole Royal Family with the Dew of thy Heavenly Spirit that they ever trusting in thy goodness protected by thy Power and Crowned with thy gracious and endless Favours may continue before thee in Health Peace Joy and Honour a long and happy life upon Earth and after Death obtain everlasting life and glory in the Kingdom of Heaven by the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen BLess we beseech thee O Lord our Bishops Priests and Deacons with true Knowledge and understanding of thy Word and that both by their Preaching and living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly enable them all to be faithful in their great trust in the maintetenance of thy true Religion against the Incroachings of Popery Heresie Schism and Prophaneness Bless the Lords of the Council and all the Nobility Magistrates and Gentry with Grace Wisdom and Understanding of thy Will and Word Give to all Nations Quietness and Peace and to this thy People give Unity and Happiness help the weak-hearted raise up them that fall subdue Satan under our Feet Comfort all that are in Tribulation preserve all that are in danger shew thy pity to Prisoners and Captives Provide for the Fatherless the Widows and all that are Oppressed Have mercy upon all Men. Forgive our Enemies and turn their Hearts Preserve for our Use the kindly Fruits of the Earth And endue us with the Grace of thy Holy Spirit and amend our Lives according to thy Holy Word All this we beseech thee to grant us for Jesus Christ his sake Amen From our Enemies defend us O Christ Graciously look upon our Afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of our Hearts Mercifully forgive the Sins of thy People Favourably with mercy hear our Prayers O Son of David have mercy upon us Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us O Christ Graciously hear us O Christ graciously hear us O Lord Christ O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon us As we do put our Trust in thee WE humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the Glory of thy Name turn from us all those Evils that we most righteously have deserved and grant that in all our Troubles we may put our whole Trust and Confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve thee in Holiness and pureness of Living to thy Honour and Glory through our only Mediator and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen PRevent us O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious Favour and further us with thy continual help that in all our Works begun continued and ended in thee we may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy mercy obtain eversasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God who hast given us Grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their Requests Fulfil now O Lord the desires and Petitions of thy Servants as may be most expedient for them granting us in this World knowledge of thy Truth and in the World to come life everlasting Amen THe Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen An Evening Prayer for a whole Family sutable to the times O Merciful God here we thine unworthy Servants are prostrate before thee at the close of this day loaden with thy manifold Mercies to acknowledge the Weaknesses
the Times make me truly constant and faithful in the Professionof that Holy Religion unto which I am called Give me a right Understanding of its divine Precepts and grace to practise them in my Life Let thy Word be my Rule thy Truth my guide thy Spirit my Comforter and thy Glory my Reward Preserve me I beseech thee my good God from the Evils unto which I am subject and let my Soul and Body be precious in thy Sight especially this Night into which I am entring let the Merciful Eye of thy Providence preserve me during its mournful shadows from all Spiritual and Temporal Enemies Let thy Holy Angels guard and protect me and bring me safe to the next day to behold and admire the Wonders of thy Creation and Providence in the World Make me useful in my Generation bless all my undertakings and endeavours in my Calling that I may by it advance thy Glory and do good both to my self and others And because our natural Poverty is such that without thee and a continual supply from thy Bounty we cannot possibly subsist gracious God send me all things needful for my Soul and Body let me not depend too much upon the plentiful Provision of these earthly things already made for me but as thou art the Life and Soul of all thy Creatures and without thy Blessing our greatest plenty of good things is altogether unprofitable let the expectation of this Blessing incourage me to depend wholly upon thy favour and stir up my industry in the duties of my Calling and in the service of my Country Bless all my Relations and Parents more especially here name such as are in Affliction grant them long life health and happiness preserve the King's Majesty all my Governours and Teachers inable them all in their places to glorifie thee their God and do good to this Nation and People Defend us all from our Enemies at home and abroad and suffer them not to triumph over us but continue in our days Peace Truth Justice Plenty and Prosperity These and all other Mercies I humbly Beg for Christ Jesus his sake my only Saviour and Mediator who taught us thus to pray OUR Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome 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 all Evil For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen LEt thy grace thy Truth and Goodness be with me preserve and keep me now and for evermore Amen Prayers before Meal SEnd down thy Blessing good God upon these thy Creatures that we are now to be partakers of inable them to feed our Bodies and recruit our weakness and strengthen us to serve and glorifie thee on Earth that we may receive from thee the Rewards of thy Servants in Heaven This we beg for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Another Prayer before meat GRacious God we see by these fresh Expressions of thy Bounty that thou art never weary to load us with thy good things Sanctifie them unto us at this present time and us to thy Service through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Profitable Meditation at the sight of a Table spread or covered with Food for our Bodies HOw often have I tasted and felt the goodness of my God! He is that full Ocean of Mercy and Sweetness from whence these Streams proceed by various dispensations and Methods He is that bottomless Fountain that never will be exhausted Here here are tokens of his Love to us and care of our preservation before our Eyes These Creatures are sent to mend the daily breaches of this outward Tabernacle to recruit our Mortal Weaknesses with a fresh supply to corroborate the decaying strength of Nature with new Spirits We see by experience that these Bodies that God hath made he is careful to maintain and by the Influence of the Heavens and the Fruitfulness of the Earth to furnish with all their Wants O wonderful Providence How full and plentiful are thy Stores that so great a share is appointed for me How rich is that Bounty that when all my Fellow Creatures so many Millions in Number are provided vouchsafes me so great a Lot and large Portion He can never want that entertains a good Correspondency with the great Purveyor of Mankind whilst the Avenues and Conveyances are open O shut not up thy mercy from us for let my Estate be never so great and the Provision for my Body be never so large alas these poor senseless Creatures cannot benefit me without thy Blessing accompanies them these morsels may as soon choak as feed me without that invisible Vertue which thou alone canst send along with them I humbly crave it at thy good hands my good God let not my Sins sower or poison these thy Mercies let me not trust too much upon these outward assistances of Life and Health but as by thy daily proceedings thou hast taught me to depend chiefly upon thy Liberality let me look up to and expect from thee daily food and nourishment grant me a thankful Heart never to forget so great a goodness But the sweetness that I am going to relish minds me of the sweetness of that Bounty from whence it proceeds and of the greatness of thy Divine Wisdom that hath baited all necessary actions of our Life with a natural delight and pleasure How ravishing must the Fountain of Goodness be seeing these drops conveyed unto us at such a distance are so pleasing to our Palats God that now entertains my Being so far from his immediate presence intends one day to draw me nearer to himself to live with him for ever then the Divine Goodness shall refresh and comfort me without the cold assistance of inferior things then the smiles of God's Countenance shall be conveyed to us not by Reflections and at second hands but more immediately we shall then see as we are seen and solace our selves during the numberless Ages of an Eternity in the presence of this good God where we shall want neither Food nor Raiment but these corrupt Bodies shall be freed from all the slavery of the Elements and dependency upon them for we shall depend upon our God alone and him only shall we serve For this Corruption must put on Incorruption and this Mortal must put on Immortality O that I might have always in mind that final end of Mankind and use these thy Comforts but not abuse them by excess and gluttony These Bodies which thou hast so wonderfully made and preserves with such care are of that Excellency and designed for those Noble and Divine purposes that they must not be disgrac'd nor polluted with Vice These Creatures thou hast appointed for our Refreshment not for the dishonour or ruine of our Bodies If our Tables overflow how many of our poor
never expect any gracious returns from a Just and Wise God who would not admit neither the Blind nor the Lame to draw near to his Holy Altar to offer Sacrifice tho' of the Priestly Race Levit. 21.18 If under the Law the want of these Members excluded Men from God's Service how much the rather under the Gospel when the noblest Member is wanting the Heart and its Affections A Gospel Worship must be an hearty Worship that only is sufficient to obtain acceptance It was God's Complaint of Israel that they honoured God with their Lips whilst their heart was far from him They are guilty of the same Formality who frequently attend at Prayers without causing their hearts to be concerned in the Devotion it should be therefore our care to stir up our affections with all the considerations of want necessity future advantage experience duty God's presence and whatever may have the greatest influence upon us Fifthly And that our Affections may be the more inflamed we must kindle them with an Holy Zeal which must burn not so much with the sense of want as with an earnest and unfeigned desire to Glorifie our Maker however both may very well contribute to inflame our Affections in the Divine Worship of our God in Prayer Now this Zeal needful in all our Addresses is that holy violence that strains our Affections in religious Duties and gives that perfection to the Action which otherwise they would want it is accompanied with a dissidence of our selves and a strong resolution to worship God with the utmost of our endeavours it is quickned by the fears and apprehensions of being guilty of that prophane sloathfulness which might displease our gracious God and stop the current of his Mercy it sills the Soul full of Jealousie which awakens all its faculties and powers to the performance of the present Duty And as our great Saviour when he expell'd the Merchants and Money-Changers out of his Temple at Jerusalem was animated by a Divine Zeal for God's Glory so a Christian that is govern'd by the same Spirit and Zealous Affection for his God drives out of his mind all worldly Business and considerations of Profit and Advantage that God may be worshipped in this Spiritual Temple the Soul without the interruption and clamours of our sensual and secular Interests where Sin and the Devil commonly insinuate themselves too much John 2.16 Sixthly As there is a care to be taken of our persons and manner of offering up our Prayers that they may be in some measure answerable to God's glorious Perfections and our own vile and mean Estate we must likewise mind the things that we petition for that they be not contrary to God's revealed or secret Will God's Will must regulate ours in all our actions for Christ our Saviour teacheth us by his Blessed Example to be instrumental in as well as desirous of the performance of God's will on Earth and Reason tells us that God being the supreme Agent the great Maker and Protector of the World the Lord and Redeemer of Mankin'd that all our Inclinations and Wills ought to yield homage to his Pleasure in which submission there is this advantage arising to our selves thereby we compass and attain unto the end of all our desires an infallible happiness for the best self-interest is a submission to that wise Agent who is engaged to promote our Felicity and his Glory together according to his promise Rom. 8.28 If in other actions of our life God's Will should be the Rule of our desires how much the rather in that weighty and religious action of Prayer where the Soul and the Body together are to summon all their Faculties and Members for the worshipping of their great Creator and Benefactor for the chief intent of this performance is the magnifying of God's glorious Attributes which we can never do if we suffer any of our desiers to oppose his Will or contradict his Wisdom or question his Alsufficiency and Goodness The want of his Mercy should cause thee O Man to yield to his Wisdom and Power if thou expectest a favourable return from his Bounty thou must learn to court it by a dutiful submission to his Wisdom and Governance both in the things that thou desirest and in the expectation of the time which he judges most seasonable to grant thee thy requests All impatiency in Prayer is guilty of indiscretion of prophane folly of disrespect and disesteem of God's Wisdom and Mercy In this and in all other acts of Devotion Men must learn to prefer his Glory whose goodness they want to the satiating of their own craving and importunate Appetites and to give a check to the furious desires of our corrupt Nature when we find them proceeding beyond the Bounds limited by God and his Will and our real happiness which commonly are unseparable But there is a difference to be observed according to the difference of the things that we desire from God For Spiritual Mercies for Faith Grace Regeneration Strength against Sin Truth Wisdom Knowledge and other Blessings relating to God's immediate Glory and our own Salvation a Petitioner can never be too earnest zealous and impatient Such advantages are to be wrested if I may so speak from our good God by our continual and fervent Prayers Violence condemned in other things is approved of by Christ himself in such as intend to be partakers of Heaven's Kingdom and an Holy importunity in Prayer never returns without a grant of the Request when we ask the divine Riches of God's Grace unless we have like Esau forfeited before all pretensions to it for God is as willing to bestow them as we to seek them and their excellency is such that Men can never have and desire them too much As David therefore whose Soul was insatiable on Earth for Grace and divine Mercies let us not give our selves any rest until we have obtained these Riches and Ornaments of the Soul and the assurances of God's favour But as Earthly prosperity and Blessings relating to our better conveniency on Earth are not of such a value and importance our Requests for these things must be qualified accordingly and because in some Rules they may be prejudicial to our everlasting Interest we are to beg them always with a condescention to the Will and Wisdom of our great God who knows what is best for us and most conducing to our real good To desire them too passionately or without any such condescention is to Idolize the Creature and to prefer it before the Creator it is to give to those Earthly and mean things that affection which is due to God alone and his divine Mercies Nature I confess will be always craving and the sense of our wants will cause us to cry aloud for a relief and remedy but a good Christian must give a check to those natural motions in imitation of Christ our Saviour whose Humanity was loth to taste of the bitter Cup that was prepared for him
Evening Prayer for a single Person O Being of Beings the great Creator of the World and preserver of Mankind by whose gracious goodness I am now alive and brought safe through the many dangers and inconveniencies of this mortal Life to the close of this day I humbly acknowledge thy Providence and merciful Protection Thou hast fed me with thy Creatures defended me by thy Power instructed me in thy Truth admitted me into thy Church for these and all other Mercies received from thy Bountiful hand I return thee my homage and Thanks and confess my self unworthy of the meanest of thy Favours by reason of the many Provocations that I am guilty of O Lord I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son my Transgressions are multiplyed every day and mine Iniquities are without number How easily have I yielded to the Power of Temptations how often have I broken thy sacred Laws Gracious God be merciful be merciful to me a Sinner blot out all mine Iniquities and forgive me for the sake of my dear and only Saviour who is dead and intercedes for me Accept his Sacrifice and Mediation for my poor Soul grieved with the sense of Sin Give me true Repentance and that Frame of Spirit and Holy Resolution unto which thou hast promised in thy Holy Word mercy and forgiveness As thou hast begun the Work of Reformation in me perfect it I beseech thee by the continual influences of thy Holy Spirit forsake me not good God nor leave me to my wretched self but let thy Truth and Wisdom direct my Understanding and thy grace govern my Will in the practice of Piety Suffer me not to be overcome by the mistakes and inticements of Sin and Satan defend my Soul from all wicked impressions and infections of the World As thou hast redeemed me for thy self let not Vice nor Error draw me from thee nor the dangerous Allurements of Earthly Vanities but as my dependency is upon thy Power let my expectation of Happiness be from thy Bounty and my delight be in fulfilling thy holy Will Strengthen and increase in me all goodness Let every day bring me nearer to thee and to that Purity and Holiness without which no Man shall see thy Face Time that carries me apace to my cold Tomb minds me of an Eternity of a Resurrection and the last Judgment Prepare me I beseech thee for this last Account and that terrible Day wherein every Man shall give up an account of his Actions before a Righteous and Impartial Judge Grant that I may find Mercy and Favour at the hands of my great Redeemer and be admitted into the Joys of his Paradise And as I am now going to lye me down to refresh my weary Body with rest blessed God be merciful to me this Night protect me from all dangers and Evils Suffer not the Malice of the Devils nor of Wicked Men to hurt this outward Tabernacle nor the precious Soul that is within keep from me all troublesom Dreams and Thoughts and whether sleeping or waking let my Soul be armed with a reliance upon thy Goodness and Power grant me a moderate Rest that I may be better enabled to serve thee in my Generation and proceed on in the Employment unto which thy Providence hath called me In which let my chief aim be to advance thy glory rather than my own fordid Interest and to mind the careful management of all the Talents which thou hast put into my hands that I may as a good Servant and Steward improve and increase them Look in mercy upon all my Relations wheresoever they be let thy Grace thy Truth and Goodness accompany and protect them during their abode here below Crown with the choicest of thy Blessings our Religious King and Queen shield them from the wicked attempts of all their Enemies and give them long Life Health and Prosperity now and at last receive them into everlasting happiness Bless all their Royal Relations give them all Grace to be instrumental in promoting the Interest of thy Truth Godliness and Virtue that they may answer the good ends for which thou hast put much into their Hands Bless all Governours and Magistrates give them Grace to prefer thine Honour and Glory to all other Corrupt purposes whatsoever Defend this Nation from all Plots and Conspiracies defeat the Designs of all our Enemies and disappoint all Combinations against it If thou wilt afflict us good God let it be for a time take not thy Truth and Gospel from us and our Posterity and sanctifie all thy Judgments and Mercies to us that they may effect and produce in us that Reformation and those Graces for which they are intended Spread thy Gospel and Truth all over the World pull down Antichrist let all Nations understand thy Will and readily submit unto it Be merciful unto all Sons and Daughters of Affliction comfort and succour all sick Persons and such as are grieved with the loss of Goods Friends or Relations Be thou their good God and Saviour in thy due time giving them grace to submit to thee to trust upon thee and to expect from thy mercy alone a seasonable and proper Remedy to all their pressures and troubles And now blessed Lord I recommend my self again into thy merciful hands and conclude these my imperfect Prayers with that most perfect Form recommended to us by my good Saviour in whose Name I beg aâ—â— for whose sake I intreat thee O merciful Father grant me these my Requests and all other Mercies which thou knowest needful for my Soul and Body 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 Tespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us And lead us not into Temptation But deliver us from Evil For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen An Evening Prayer for young Persons and Children O God who hast received me amongst thy Children instructed me in thy Truth and called me to be a Professor of thy Holy Religion Great and merciful Creator who hast been my Proteor and Defender from all dangers look down in mercy upon me and continue thy Favours to me the remaining part of my Life I see and experience every day the manifold expressions of thy goodness Thy Holy Name be praised for them all Give me more and more a Sense of thy mercifulness and a grateful heart that in these tender Years I may learn my great Duty to serve and glorifie thee on Earth and prepare my self for an Eternity for this purpose increase my knowledge and the graces thou hast been pleased to bestow upon me through a good Education of my Religious Parents Bless all my endeavours and theirs imprint thy holy Fear in my tender Soul preserve me from ill Company from the Vices and Errors of
Neighbours are in want Hast thou sent this plenty for me alone Is it not that I should praise thee in the use of so much as is needful for my self and Attendants and that I should distribute the rest to such as are in need I will imitate this thy Liberality my good God and be a faithful Steward of these inferior Mercies But this Food of my Body minds me of that of my Soul I have another more Spiritual and Divine Being that I must feed and cloath Gracious God forget not that Immortal and better part of my self but nourish it with Wisdom and Truth that I may grow in Grace and in the knowledge of thee my God Remove not the Candlestick of thy Gospel from us suffer not Schism and Idolatry to prevail and smother thy true Religion in their horrid Abominations but let Truth and Innocency overcome at last maugre the furious attempts of Men and Devils feed this precious Soul with that Bread which comes down from Heaven increase in me all Virtue and Goodness and preserve both my Soul and Body to thine Eternal Kingdom Amen Another Prayer before meat for a Child GOOD God bless me and these Creatures that we are to receive that in a moderate use of them we may be enabled to serve and glorifie thee on Earth through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Useful Meditations AND PRAYERS Upon GOD and his DIVINE ATTRIBUTES A Meditation and Prayer upon the Incomprehensible Being and Presence of God O Adorable Majesty Being of Beings Creator and Supporter of this Great World How wonderful must be the source of all these visible Wonders How glorious the chief Lord of so large an Empire and of so many differing sorts of Creatures that fill all the Elements and every Corner We are sensible of thine infinite Presence yet can conceive no shape nor being like thy Divine Majesty The Pictures of all thy Perfections are scattered and represented in every thing that is made and thou hast left an impression of thy Wisdom and Power in every part of this large World yet none can represent thee O great God as thou art We see fell and are perfectly sensible of thy Divine Footsteps left upon every Creature yet our weak apprehensions cannot entertain any Idea that may answer thy Greatness O Spirit of Spirits how is it possible that so weak a Creature as I am who can understand nothing but by the Ministry of these weak Senses should be able to comprehend the infinite and incomprehensible God whose glorious Presence dazles the Eyes and surpasses the Understandings of the perfectest and noblest Creatures that are above O my God fill my Soul with an holy dread of thy greatness and Power Suffer me not to receive any base impression or filly Imagination of thy Divine Being and as thou art Incomprehensible let me not presume to form in my mind any Image nor to have before mine Eyes any Picture with a design to represent thee Let thine Universal Presence be always present with me but in such a manner as I may not be guilty of Spiritual Idolatry or of harbouring any mean thought of thy Glory O merciful God thou requirest these Services from us poor Creatures and hast promised thine assistance to us in time of need put therefore my Soul into an Holy Temper fit for thine acceptance and let these Ejaculations and Emissions of my Heart and Mind proceed from an Humility and Fear of thy presence that they may not be unworthy of thy Grace and Favour And the nearer I approach unto thy Mercy-Seat vouchsafe to look upon the necessities of my Soul and Body and grant me those Requests that thou O my God in thine infinite Wisdom knowest most needful for me for the sake and by the mediation of my Great Saviour whose intercession for me I humbly implore Amen A Meditation and Prayer upon the Immutability of our Great God O Unchangeable Being the Author of all these changeable things that appear before our Eyes Thou art that immutable God upon whom we may safely depend Every thing that thou hast made directs our Eyes and Contemplations to thee as the surest foundation of all our hopes and expectations and the nearer the Creatures have the Honour to approach thy glorious Throne the more they are fixed and secured by their Rights of Creation from all Unconstancy and Mutability This wide World and all Sublunary things are unsetled and rowling from one State to another tumbled and tossed changed by many Accidents so that we cannot rest nor settle our expectations upon them But the Heavenly Globes continue since their first make unchangeable through so many Revolutions of Ages tho' they also for the sin of Man shall suffer an alteration by thine overruling Power But those Spiritual Beings that inhabit beyond and above our Prospect are yet less subject to mutation all their Perfections proceed from thine overflowing abundance Thou only O my God art the Creator and Benefactor of their Immortal Natures They are all subject to some weakness and are circumscribed and limited but thou alone art the unlimited and unchangeable God always enjoying an happiness never to be obscured or lessened by the most violent endeavours of all thine Enemies Thou art always continuing in that Glorious state that nothing can possibly Eclipse Thou art immutable in thy self immutable in thy Designs and Resolutions immutable in thy Promises and Truth and immutable in all thy Divine Perfections O my God give me grace that I may settle upon thee my Faith and hope and rest upon thee alone for all my present and future advantages I have no other Rock to build upon but thy Power and Mercy no other Truth to trust to but thy revealed Word O that I may embrace it with that immutable Resolution that may admit of nothing contrary to the same that my Soul may be fixed only upon thee my good God and look with contempt upon all other Objects Amen A Meditation and Prayer upon the Eternity of God O Eternal and Everlasting God before the Heavens and the Earth before the Sun and all the rest of the Luminaries that are above had a Being thou didst subsist of thy self in a full enjoyment of an unchangeable Felicity From all Eternity to all Eternity thou art the same glorious and Incomprehensible Being who never fails them that seek thee in Spirit and in Truth Let the World change and alter and the Generations of Creatures succeed one another in their appointed times Let all inferior things rowle and pass away Let them have their beginnings their growth perfections and decay thou art the same and Eternal God who never had any beginning nor never can have any end Thou alone art that independent Majesty upon whom all other things lean and from whom they expect the Supplies and Recruits to their decaying and failing Natures Thou art the first Source and Spring of all Motion and Power O my God thou hast granted to my Soul and Spirit
Triumph in impiety but certainly as thou art a wise God thou hast appointed a time for a retaliation and to render unto every one according to their deeds Shall men live and act in defiance of thine Almighty Power Shall they violate thy Sacred Laws and tread under foot thy Divine Authority and shall not thine All-seeing Eye take notice and thine affronted Majesty be sensible of such hainous Crimes I appeal to the Consciences of the most obdurate Wretch and vilest Contemner of a Deity whether the fears and disquietness of their inward Being which we call the Soul the Spirit or the Mind do not suffiently witness and tell them there is a Superior Justice to which they are answerable for their offences In Nature this Divine Wisdom and Justice shine together in the great Fabrick of the World in that excellent order of the several pieces in the disposition and tendencies of the Created Beings in the Laws Rules and Orders that preserve them from decay And thine Almighty Power O my God is seen in the preservation and support of all these things in the midst of so much and such violent Commotions as well as in their Creation and shall thy Divine Justice be wanting in this in suffering the Rational Beings to break thy Laws to contemn thy Power and spurn at thy Majesty without a check shall they disorder the humane World and overthrow thy Sacred Constitutions unpunished for ever Look back O my Soul into former Ages and see whether thou canst find in the Records of Antiquity any former footsteps of this Justice I see it appear visible in the overwhelming the first World and commanding the waters of the Seas and the Heavens to wash away the first Generations of Men. How terrible and impartial in drowning so many millions of all sorts of Creatures for the Sins of mankind How hot and dreadful was thy Justice when that delicions Paradise of Sodom and Gomorrha was by fire and brimstone from above turned into a stinking and noisom Lake that yet to the World's end shews the Signs and Tokens of a Divine Displeasure How grievous was thy Justice in punishing the Nation of the Jews and that rebellious City Jerusalem for the Crimes of its Inhabitants when hundreds of thousands were destroyed their Glory levelled in the dust and the rest scattered among all Nations But what need we search so far for the declarations of thy Justice Are not those Scourges of War Famine and Pestilence that sweep away thousands in a moment into their Graves without any regard of Crowns and Dignities sufficient and visible expressions of thy Divine Justice O my God! I see it in the punishment of many vile wretches in the destruction of States and Empires in the overthrowing of Towns and Cities in the Earthquakes and Hurricanes in the wonderful Alterations and Revolutions of the World I hear it denounce Death and Destruction to wickedness and iniquity in thy Holy word The light of the wicked shall be put out terror shall make him afraid on every side and shall drive him to his feet his strength shall be hunger-bitten and destruction shall be ready at his side his confidence shall be rooted out and it shall bring him to the King of terrors his remembrance shall perish from the Earth and he shall have no name in the street Job 18. The wicked man shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Ps 9.17 The Lord preserveth all them that love him but all the wicked will be destroyed Though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished Prov. 11.21 Hath thy Truth O my God pronounced these dreadful Threatnings and many more and shall not thy Power and Justice execute them All the World is at thy devotion thou can'st command the Heavens the Earth and all the Elements to accomplish thy Will O Divine Justice thou art a Consuming Fire and no respecter of Persons the Prince and the Subject the Rich and the Poor shall be treated all alike and thou art not to be deceived with the paint of Hypocrisie and Dissimulation nor to be cozened with the impudent pretences of deceitful men Thou seest O my God into the very heart and soul and canst not be imposed upon or deceived in the examination of our actions When therefore I consider the excellency of thy Sacred Laws and the aversion that thou hast declared against Sin and the severity of thy Justice O Holy and Dreadful Majesty I cannot but tremble to think upon my guilt and the number of mine offences to think that I must appear before thy last Tribunal before a Glorious and Impartial Judge when so many Creatures that I have abused shall all witness against me when my Conscience shall lay before me all my Crimes and the most secret Contrivances shall be disclosed with all the aggravations of thy mercies forbearance and goodnesses What shall I answer how shall I escape when the Executioner shall be there ready to drag me away into endless Torments from whence there can be no Reprieve How grievous will it be to lye under the heavy strokes of thy severe Vengeance for ever O my God that I may be now so sensible of thy Justice that I may never experience it Make me an eternal monument of thy mercy that I may never feel the severity of thy wrath and Justice Grant me that exemption which thou hast provided and promised to thy chosen an interest in my great Saviour in his Death and Passion for his sake spare me and forgive all my Crimes Accept of his Sacrifice I flye from the Terrors of thy Justice to thine unspeakable Mercy in Christ at his Death and at his Resurrection Thou hast proclaimed Pardon to all believing Sinners Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief I lay hold on thy favourable Promises and though I have deserved thy wrath provoked thine indignation stirred up thy vengeance I expect through the merits and mediation of my merciful Saviour who hath been a sufficient Propitiation for all our Sins to obtain forgiveness and thine Eternal favour with an admittance into thy Coelestial Paradise Amen A Meditation and Prayer upon Plenty and Riches O Heavenly Father how great is thy goodness to me in bestowing upon me these Possessions and Blessings of this Life in granting to me this Plenty and these Conveniencies my Lott and mine Inheritance declares what regard thou hast to me above all other thy Servants and Creatures this comes not to me by chance neither is it my Labour and Industry that have procured it but thy Divine Appointment and thy Liberal hand to thy holy Name be ascribed the praise and the glory of all these things I hold them with a relation to thee my great Lord unto whom they do really belong and to whom I must pay my Tribute as the acknowledgement of thy Propriety I look upon my self only as thy Steward bound to mannage and dispose of these Blessings according to thine Orders