fhould prefume to fpeak unto thee, or to lift up my eyes to that place of purity, where thou dwelleft and art daily praifed by the host of heaven. 7 know that thou hateft iniquity with a perfect hatred, yet I am affured alfo, that thou delightest in the ways of mercy; that thou art a tender lover of fouls; and not only permitteft, but invitest us, miserable creatures, to come unto the throne of thy grace, to be protected under the shadow of thy wings. Therefore, O Lord! with humble confidence, lift up my foul unto thee, befeeching thee, in much mercy, to look upon me, and to ease me of the burthen of the corruptions of my flesh. Caft me not away from thy presence; but, for the fake of my dear Redeemer, receive me gracioufly to thy mercy, and let the merit of his bitter death and paffion atone for all my follies and mifcarriages. Pardon, meekly befeech thee, whatever have done amifs this day, and all my life paft, either against thee, my neighbour, or myself. Cleanfe me from all my fecret and unknown tranfgreffions, and grant that may seriously confider and reflect upon the foulness and deformity of fin, and what dreadful threatnings thou haft denounced against it; that may become a true and fincere mourner for my paft fins; and, as far as is poffible, redeem my mispent time, by employing the remainder of my days to thy fervice, and to thy glory for ever. Teach me so to number my days, that may become wise unto falvation, and give me that hatred and abhorrence of fin and iniquity, that may abstain from every kind and fort of evil, which is abominable in thy fight, and hurtful to my foul. Breathe into me, O Lord, a new heart, new affections, and new defires, that may love thee with more fincerity, and serve thee with greater faithfulness than 7 have ever done before. Open my eyes to behold the vanity and uncertainty of all things here below, and grant that may make thee my only joy and my delight, my stay and my truft, my guide and my counsellor; and be fo delighted with the ways of thy commandments, that one day in thy fervice may be dearer to me, than a thousand spent in the vanity and folly of this wicked world, and grant that in the days of health and profperity, f may confider my latter end, and remember and provide for that great account which 7muft one day give before the judg ment-feat ment-feat of Chrift; that when the hour of my departure shall come, 7 may meet death without fear or amazement, and with a well-grounded hope of thy mercy and goodness may chearfully refign my foul into thy hands; and may be willing, nay even defirous to leave this world, when thou my God, in thy great wisdom, fhall fee it fitting to call me to thy felf. Jmost humbly befeech thee, O Lord! who art thoroughly acquainted with all our wants, and knoweft what is best and most fitting both for our fouls and bodies, to be gracious to all my friends and relations, and more particularly to-- and fin the deepest sense of gratitude to thee my Lord and Maker, pray that thou will accept of my unfeigned praises for all thy bleffings, for my health and fafety, and all the comforts of my life, and the redemption of mankind, and the means and hopes of glory, which proceed from thy bounty and goodnefs. To thee therefore 7 afcribe all poffible praise and thanksgiving humbly befeeching thee to grant me the continuance of thy mercy and goodness, and to take me and and all that belong to me this night under thy care and protection, preferving us from all perils and dangers, and giving us fuch refreshing reft and fleep, as may fit us for the duties of the day following; and if thou art pleased to add another day to our lives, grant that we make a right ufe and improvement thereof to thy glory, and the benefit of our immortal fouls, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord, in whose name and words 7 farther pray, faying, I Our Father, &c. Ejaculations to be faid in bed. Will lay me down in peace and take my reft; for it is thou, Into thy hands I commend my Spirit; fweet Jefu receive my Soul! For thou haft redeemed me, O Lord thou God of truth. A An Evening Prayer for Sunday. Lmighty God! who keepest mercy for thousands, and forgiveft the offences of all truly penitent and returning finners; have been unmindful both of my duty and interest, have broken thy holy laws, dishonoured thy holy religion, and miferably neglected my great falvation; who have come without due preparation to thy holy worship, and been heedlefs and unattentive in hearing thy holy word, prefent myself this evening of thy holy-day before thee, acknowledging my manifold fins, by which have deferved thy juft difpleasure and indignation, and humbly praying thee for Jefus Chrift's fake, to forgive all that is paft; to guide me in the ways of thy truth and holiness; to help me to fet thee always before my eyes, that may always fear and dread to offend thee my God. And, that may be thoroughly reformed in my mind, enable me to follow strictly the example of Jefus Chrift, and manfully to fight under his banner against the world, the flesh, and the devil; fo that may vigorously oppofe and valiantly conquer all the enemies of my happiness: that as he died and rofeagain for me, fof may die daily unto fin, and rife to a life of holiness and obedience, which is the way to obtain the inheritance of a glorious and incorruptible crown. Therefore, O gracious Lord! humbly befeech thee, defend and protect me this night from all dangers and mischiefs; and grant that my body may be refreshed with quiet and moderate reft, that, in the morning, may rife again vigorously to ferve thee in a faithful discharge of the duties of a new day: in which and all other days enable me to live to thy honour and glory, that when day is past, and time is no more, 7 may live with thee in a happy eternity, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord, who has taught me when pray thus to say, Our Father, &c. Decafional PRAYERS. A Morning Prayer to be used by a young Perfon. A La my Lmighty God, who art the kind Author of my being, guide me all the days of my life; and fo inspire me with that wisdom which is from above, that I may conftantly walk in the ways of thy laws, and in the work of thy command commandments: and tho' fnares and temptations surround, furprise me daily, fo fill me with the knowledge and love of thy truth, that I may be preserved from the ways of the destroyer. Accept of my unfeigned thanks for all the bleffings I daily receive from thy providence, and for my last night's particular preservation and refreshment. Have mercy upon me, and forgive me all my fins; and give me grace to flee from all youthful foolish paffions and finful defires, and that I may always walk, as in thy prefence, ever mindful of my latter end, of the day that my body and foul must be parted afunder (of which time and hour knoweth no man) when I must render an account of all my works. Bend my heart with that awful tenderness for my parents, and for those that have the care of me, and with that chriftian fense of my duty towards them, that my language may be refpectful, my actions dutiful, and my whole behaviour such, that I may not increase the burden and care of their life, but prove a comfort and bleffing to them, who take so much care of me. Increase my knowledge in fuch things as I am taught, for the better promoting that end for which thy divine providence has placed me in this station; and deliver me from floth and idlenefs, bad company, and from all dangers both of body and foul; and give me thy grace to increase daily in the knowledge and love of thee my God, and of thy Son, Jefus Christ, my Lord. Accept of my humble petition for [my father, mother, brethren, fifters, &c.] all my friends and relations, all this family, and the whole race of mankind and grant unto us all thofe graces and bleffings, which thou knoweft to be most needful for the attainment of everlasting life. And now, my God and my Lord, I freely offer unto thee my foul and my body, befeeching thee to take them into thy care and protection, that they may be always employed in thy fervice and to thy glory; that having faithfully ferved thee in this life, I may at laft obtain life everlafting, through the merits and mediation of my bleffed Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, who has taught his difciples thus to pray, faying, Our Father, &c. ; An An Evening Prayer to be used by a young Perfon. Oft mighty Lord and everlafting God, whofe ears are always open unto the prayers of fuch as call upon thee faithfully; I most humbly befeech thee to pardon me in whatsoever I have offended thee this day, either in thought, word, or deed [bere mention fuch particulars as you can remember.] Enable me to refift and fubdue every evil inclination within, and every outward temptation. Affift me daily with thy Holy Spirit, to increase in the knowledge and love of thee my God, and of my Saviour Jefus Chrift, thy Son, our Lord. Teach me the paths of thy commandments whilst I am young, that I may never depart therefrom during the whole courfe of my abode here upon earth. Sanctify whatever good inftructions I have at any time received from the piety and care of my parents, guardians and teachers; help me carefully to remember them, and seriously to practise them, that I may ever be growing in knowledge of thy truth, and in the fincere practice of true virtue. I also praise thy holy name for all the bleffings thou haft this day, or at any time fhewn me; for all the helps of preventing or reftraining grace thou haft vouchsafed me; for whatever I have done, which may be in any measure acceptable to thee; for all the progress I have made in my learning, for thy prefervation of me from all the calamities and dangers, which frail mortality is every moment exposed unto; and particularly for [here mention any particular blefings you recollect God has bestowed upon you this day.] Take, I pray thee, my foul and body into thy care this night; blefs and protect me: and all the mercies which I beg for myself, I heartily defire for all my friends and relations, and for all men; that we may be all fo guided in this prefent life, as to arrive fafe in thy heavenly kingdom, through Jefus Chrift our Lord and Saviour; in whofe most holy name and words, I further call upon thee, faying, Our Father, &c. |