a better life therefore we do here from our very souls render unto thee most humble and hearty thanks from our very souls for all thy blessings and benefits bestowed upon our souls and our bodies acknowledging thee to be that Father of Light from whom we have received all those good and perfect gifts and unto thee alone for them we ascribe to be due all glory honour might majesty and praise both now and for ever more But more especially we praise thy Divine Majesty for that thou hast defended us this day past from all perils and dangers so that none of those Judgments which our sins have deserved have fallen upon any one of us Good Lord forgive us the sins which this day we have committed against thy Divine Majesty or our Brethren and for Christ his sake be reconciled unto us for them and we humbly beseech thee likewise of thine infinite goodness to defend and protect us this night and all that belong unto us from all perils and dangers of fire robbery terrours of evil Angels or any other fear which for our sins might justly have fallen upon us and that we may be safe under the shadow of thy wings and to this end and purpose we here recommend our bodies and souls and all that we have unto thine Almighty Protection Lord bless and defend both us and them from all evil whilst we sleep do thou O Father who never slumberest nor sleepest watch over thy children and give a charge to thy holy Angels to pitch their tents round about our houses and dwellings this night to guard us from all dangers that sleeping with thee we may the next morning be awakened by thee and so being refreshed with moderate sleep we may be the fitter to set forth thy glory in the conscionable duties of our callings and we beseech thee O Lord to be merciful likewise to thy whole Church and to continue the tranquility of these Kingdoms wherein we live turning from us those plagues which the crying sins of this Nation do cry aloud for O Lord preserve the principal member thereof our most gracious King Charles endue his Royal heart with grace wisdom and understanding and grant that his daies may be many prosperous vertuous and happy cloath his enemies with shame but upon his head let his Crown flourish Bless our gracious Queen Katherine James Duke of York and the rest of the Royal Family endow them with thy grace and defend them from all evil Bless all our Magistrates and Ministers with all those graces and gifts necessary for their places govern thou them that they may govern us in peace godliness and true Religion Bless all that fear thee and call upon thy Name all our Christian Brethren and Sisters that suffer sickness or any other affliction or misery especially those who do any where suffer persecution for the testimony of thy holy Gospel grant them patience to bear thy Cross and deliverance when and which way it shall seem best to thy Divine Wisdom and Lord suffer us never to forget our last end and those reckonings which then we must render unto thee in health and prosperity make us mindful of sickness and of the evil day that is behind that these things may not overtake us as a snare but that we may in some good measure like wise Virgins be found prepared for the coming of Christ the sweet Bridegroom of our souls And now O Lord most holy and just we confess there is no cause why thou who art so much displeased with sin shouldest hear the prayers of sinners but for his sake who suffered for sin and sinned not in the only mediation therefore of thine eternal Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour we humbly beg these and all other graces which thou knowest to be needful for us and for thy whole Church shutting up these our imperfect requests in that most holy prayer which Christ himself hath taught us to say unto thee Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Morning Prayer for the Sabbath Day O Most High O Eternal God all whose works are glorious all whose thoughts are very deep there can be no better thing than to praise thy Name and declare thy loving kindness in the morning on thy holy and blessed Sabbath day for it is thy Will and Commandment that we should sanctifie this day in thy service and praise him and in the thankful remembrance of the Creation of the world by the power of thy Word so of the Redemption of mankind by the death of thy Son thine O Lord I confess is greatness and power and glory and victory and praise for all that is in Heaven and Earth is thine thine is the Kingdom O Lord and thou excellest as head over all both riches and honour come of thee and thou raignest over all and in thine hand is power and strength and in thine hand it is to make great and to give grace unto all now therefore O my God I praise thy glorious Name that whereas I wretched sinner having so many waies provoked thy Majesty to anger and displeasure thou notwithstanding of thy favour and goodness passing by prophaneness and infirmities hast vouchsafed O heavenly Father to add this Sabbath again to the number of my daies and vouchsafe O heavenly Father for the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son whose glorious Resurrection thy whole Church celebrateth this day to pardon and forgive me all my sins and misdeeds especially O Lord cleanse my soul from those filthy sins which my corrupt nature is most prone unto with the blood of thy most pure and undefiled Lamb and let thy Holy Spirit more and more subdue my corruptions that I may be renewed after thine own Image to serve thee in Righteousness and true Holiness all the daies of our life and as of thy mercy thou hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day so I beseech thee to make it a day of Reconciliation betwixt my sinful soul and thy Divine Majesty give me grace to make it a day of Repentance unto thee that thy goodness may seal it to be a day of pardon unto me and that I may remember that the keeping holy of this is a commandment which thine own finger hath written that on this day I might meditate on thy glorious works of our Creation and Redemption and learn how to keep all the rest of thy holy Laws and Commandments and when anon I shall with the rest of the holy Assembly appear before thy presence to offer unto thee our morning Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving and to hear what thy Spirit by the preaching of thy Word shall speak unto thy servant oh let not my sins stand as a cloud to stop my prayers from ascending unto thee or keep back thy grace from descending by thy Word into my heart I know O Lord and tremble to think that three parts of the good seed falls upon bad ground O let not my heart be
Name For I am weary of my groaning every night wash I my bed and water my Couch with my tears therefore haste thee to help me O Lord God of my salvation and they shall know how that this is thy hand and that thou Lord hast done it O Lord God my Helper and Redeemer have mercy upon me and all thy faithful people make haste and help us O God against all those that seek after our souls to do us mischief Make us to delight in thee to wait upon thy salvation to trust in thy mercies to rejoyce in thy excellencies and perfection that our feet being directed by thy guidance our weaknesses strengthened by thy power our sins pardoned by thy mercies and our souls justified by thy free grace we may alwaies give thee praise with the humble addresses of devotion and thanksgiving through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Collect. O God who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man's understanding pour into our hearts such love towards thee as pass man's understanding that we loving thee above all things may obtain thy promises which exceed all we can desire through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the continuance of God's Favour to me even to my old Age and longing for a happy departure O Lord God foolish men are plagued for their offences and because of their wickedness so when they cryed unto the Lord in their trouble he delivered them out of their dIstress O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men A fruitful Land maketh he barren for the wickedness of them that dwell therein yet he satisfies the empty soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death being fast bound in misery and Iron O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all The Earth is full of thy Riches O remember the marvellous works that he hath done his wonders and the judgments of his mouth O ye seed of Abraham his servant ye children of Jacob his chosen he hath been alway mindfull of his Covenant and Promise that he made to a thousand generations in the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart thy comforts have refreshâ—d my soul for the Lord is my Refuge and my God is the strength of my confidence The Lord is a great God and King above all Gods O ye that love the Lord see that ye hate the thing that is evil The Lord preserveth the souls of his Saints he delivereth them from the hand of the ungodly Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righteous and give thanks in remembrance of his holiness O let me have understanding in the waies of godliness A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Mine eyes look upon such as be faithful in the Land that they may dwell with me Whoso leadeth a godly life shall be my servant There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight I shall soon destroy all the ungodly that are in the Land that I may root out all wicked doers O Lord God deliver me from among the wicked and save me for thy mercy sake and let not my wicked sins prevail against me Hear my prayers O Lord and let my cry come unto thee O Lord God my house of defence and my Castle who by thy mercies and loving Spirit hast taught me in thy waies from my first years until now thou hast brought me to great honour even the honour of being a Christian the honour of Adoption to be thy child and heir of thy glorious promises co-heirs with thy Son Jesus Christ and hast comforted me on every side with a continual stream of thy mercies and refreshments Give me thy grace that I may love thee and long for thee above all the things in this world As thou hast holpen me up ever since I was born so let thy mercy go along with me all the daies of my life Cast me not off in the time of Age. Give me grace that I may never cast thee off or thy Laws from me Let not thy grace and the great strength I derive from thy thee forsake me when my natural strength fails me but let my spirit grow upon the advantages of the flesh and begin to receive the happiness of Eternity by an absolute conquest over the weak and decaying body that after I have by thine Aid passed through the great troubles and adversities thou shewest unto all thy children in the world I may lye down in thy Righteousness and with thy favour that when thou bringest me out of the deep of the earth again I may have a joyful resurrection to the society of Saints and Angels and the full fruition of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen The Collect. O God who hast prepared for all them that love thee such good things that pass man's understanding pour into my heart such love towards thee that I loving thee above all things may obtain the promises which exceed all that I can desire through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen A Prayer for obtaining of Christ's Kingdom HIde not thy face from me O Lord in the time of my trouble and encline thine ears unto me when I call O hear me and that right soon for thou art full of mercy and compassion long suffering and of great goodness thou art not alwaies chiding neither keepest thou thine anger for ever thou dost not deal with me after my sins nor rewardest thou me according to my wickedness for look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth so far hast thou set my sins from thee yea like as a Father pitieth his own Children even so the Lord is merciful to them that fear him for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth we are but dust and the merciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever to them that fear him and his Righteousness to his Childrens Children even upon such as keep his Covenant and think upon his Commandments to do them Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord he hath great delight in his Commandments his seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the faithful shall be blessed riches and plentiousness shall be in his house his Righteousness endureth for ever Unto the godly there riseth up light in the darkness he is merciful loving and righteous A good man is merciful and lendeth and will guide his words with discretion for he shall never be moved and the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance for he will not be afraid of any evil tydings for his heart standeth fast and is stablished in the Lord and will not shrink
happiness in thy heavenly Kingdom In the mean time O Lord whilst it is thy blessed will and pleasure that I may continue to spend and end that small number and remnant of my daies that I may apply my heart to wisdom and as thou dost add daies to my life so I beseech thee to add repentance and amendment to my sinful daies that as I grow in years I may grow in grace and favour with thee and all thy people and to this end give unto me a supply of all those graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me and necessary for me with an increase of all those good gifts wherewith thou hast already endowed me that so I may be the better enabled to lead such a godly life and an honest conversation as that thy Name may thereby be glorified others may take good example by me and my soul may cheerfully feed on the peace of a good conscience and be more replenished with the Joy of the Holy Ghost And here O Lord according to my bounden duty I give the most humble and hearty thanks for all those blessings which of thy goodness thou hast bestowed upon me and namely for that thou hast of thy free grace and love according to thine eternal purpose elected me before the foundation of the world was laid unto salvation in Jesus Christ For that thou hast created me in thine own Image and hast begun to restore that in me which was lost in our First Parents For that thou hast effectually called me by the working of thy Holy Spirit in the Preaching of the Gospel and the Receiving of thy Sacrament to the knowledge of thy saving grace and obedience to thy blessed Will For that thou hast bought and redeemed me with the blood of thy only begotten Son from the torment of Hell and thraldom of Satan For that thou hast by Faith in Christ freely justified me who am by nature the child of wrath For that thou hast in good measure justified me by thy Holy Spirit and given me so large a time to repent together with the means of Repentance I thank thee likewise good Lord for my life health wealth liberty food rayment peace prosperity and plenty and for that thou hast preserved me this night from all perils and dangers of soul and body and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day and as thou hast now awakened my body from sleep so I beseech thee to awaken my body from sin and carnal security and as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine in our bodily eyes so good Lord cause the light of thy Word and Holy Spirit to illuminate my understanding and give me grace as one of thy children of light to walk in all holy obedience before thy face this day and all the daies and time of my whole life and that I may endeavour to keep faith and a good conscience towards God and towards all men in all my thoughts words and dealings and so good Lord bless all studies and actions which I shall take in hand this day as that they may tend to thy glory the good of others and the comfort of my own soul and conscience in that day when I shall make my final request unto thee for them O my God keep thy servant that I do not evil unto any man this day and let it be thy blessed will not to suffer the Devil nor his wicked Angels nor any of his evil members or my malicious enemies to have any power to do me any hurt or harm this day but let the eyes of thy holy providence watch over me for good and not for evil and command thy holy Angels to pitch their tents round about me for my defence and safety in my going out and my coming in as thou hast promised they should do about them that fear thy Name for into thy hands O Father I do here commend my soul and body my actions and all that ever I have to be guided and protected by thee being assured that whatsoever thou takest into thy custody cannot suffer or take any hurt or harm and if I at any time this day shall through frailty forget thee yet Lord I beseech thee do thou in mercy remember me And I pray not alone for my self unto thee O Father but I beseech thee also be merciful unto thy whole Church and chosen people wheresoever they live upon the face of the whole Earth defend them from the rage and tyranny of the Devil the World and Antichrist give thy Gospel a free and a joyful passage through the world for the conversion of those who belong to thine Election and Kingdom Bless the Church and Kingdoms wherein we live with the continuance of peace and true Religion and Justice Defend our gracious King Charles from all his enemies and grant him a long life in health and all happiness to raign over us Bless our gracious Queen Katherine James Duke of York and all the rest of the Royal Family increase in them all heroical and spiritual graces which may make them fit for those places for which thou ordainedst them direct all the Nobility Bishops and Magistrates of this Kingdom and Commonwealth govern thou them that they may govern the Commons in true Religion Justice Obedience and Tranquility Be merciful unto all the people that fear thee and call upon thy Name and comfort as many among them as lie sick or are comfortless in body or mind especially be favourable to all such as suffer any trouble or persecution for the testimony of the Truth and holy Gospel and give them a gracious deliverance out of all their troubles which way it shall seem best to thy wisdom for the glory of thy Name the farther inlarging of the Truth and the more ample increase of their comfort and consolation Hasten thy coming O blessed Saviour and end these sinful daies and give me grace that like a wise Virgin I may be prepared with Oil in my Lamp to meet thee the sweetest Bridegroom of my soul at thy coming whether it be by the day of death or the day of judgment and then Lord Jesus come quickly even Lord Jesus come when thou wilt these and all other graces which thou knowest to be needful and necessary both for my soul and my body this day and for ever I humbly beg and crave at thy hands O Father giving thee thy praise and glory in that absolute form of prayer which Christ himself hath taught me to say unto thee Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name c. Another Shorter Morning Prayer O Most gracious God and merciful Father I thine unworthy servant do acknowledge that as I have been born in sin so I have lived in iniquity and broken every one of thy commandments in thought word and deed following the desires of my own will and lusts of my flesh not caring to be governed by thy holy Word and Spirit therefore I have