SUNDAY MORNING.
ALMIGHTY and eternal God, we desire to praise thy holy name for so graciously raising us up, in soundness of body and mind, to see the light of this day.
We bless thee in behalf of all thy creatures; for the eyes of all look unto thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. But above all we acknowledge thy inestimable benefits bestowed upon mankind in Christ Jesus. We thank thee for his miraculous birth, for his most holy life, his bitter agony and bloody death, for his glorious resurrection on this day, his ascension into heaven, his triumph over all the powers of darkness, and his sitting at thy right hand for ever more.
O God, how great was thy love to the sinful sons of men, to give thy only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him, might not perish, but have everlasting life! How great was that love which hath committed our souls to one so mighty to save! Which hath chosen us to be thy sons and heirs, together with Christ Jesus, and set such an high priest over thy house and family, to make intercession for us, to pour thy blessings upon us, and to send forth his angels to minister unto them who shall be heirs of salvation! O the riches of thy grace, in sending the Holy Ghost, to make us abound in hope, that we shall one day rise from the dead, and after our short labours here, rest with thee in thy eternal glory.
O that we could begin this day, in devout ♦meditations, in joy unspeakable, and in blessing and praising thee, who hast given us such good hope and everlasting consolation! Lift up our minds above all these little things below, which are apt to distract our thoughts; and keep them above, till our hearts are fully bent to seek thee every day, in the way wherein Jesus hath gone before us, tho’ it should be with the loss of all we here possess.
We are ashamed, O Lord, to think that ever we have disobey’d thee, who hast redeemed us by the precious blood of thine own Son. O that we may agree with thy will in all things for the time to come! and that all the powers of our souls and bodies may be wholly dedicated to thy service! We desire unfeignedly that all the thoughts and designs of our minds, all the affections and tempers of our hearts, and all the actions of our life, may be pure, holy, and unreproveable in thy sight.
Search us, O Lord, and prove us; try out our reins and our heart. Look well if there be any way of wickedness in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. Let thy favour be better to us than life itself; that so in all things we may approve our hearts before thee, and feel the sense of thy acceptance of us, giving us a joy which the world cannot give.
Make it our delight to praise thee, to call to mind thy loving-kindness, and to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Help us to take heed to ourselves, lest at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfeiting or drunkenness, or the cares of this life: to have our conversation without covetousness, and to be content with such things as we have: to possess our bodies in sanctification and honour: to love our neighbour as ourselves, and as we would that others should do to us, do even so to them. To live peaceably, as much as lieth in us, with all men: to put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit: and to take those who have spoken in the name of our Lord, for an example of suffering affliction and of patience; and when we suffer as Christians, not to be ashamed, but to glorify thee our God on this behalf.
And accept, good Lord, of all the praises of all thy people met together this day. O that thy ways were known upon all the earth, thy saving health among all nations! And that all Christian kings especially, may be filled with thy holy Spirit, and be faithful subjects of the Lord Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. O that thy priests may be cloathed with righteousness, and thy saints rejoice and sing; that all who are in distress may trust in thee, the help of their countenance and their God. O Lord, hear us, and make thy face to shine upon thy servants, that we may enter into thy gates with thanksgiving, and into thy courts with praise: that we may be thankful unto thee and bless thy name. Amen, for Jesus Christ’s sake, in whose words we conclude our imperfect prayers, saying, “Our Father, &c.”
SUNDAY EVENING.
O THOU high and holy one that inhabitest eternity. Thou art to be feared and loved by all thy servants. All thy works praise thee, O God; and we especially give thanks unto thee, for thy marvellous love in Christ Jesus, by whom thou hast reconciled the world to thyself. Thou hast given us exceeding great and precious promises. Thou hast sealed them with his blood, thou hast confirmed them by his resurrection and ascension, and the coming of the Holy Ghost. We thank thee that thou hast given us so many happy opportunities of knowing the truth as it is in Jesus, even the mystery which was hid from ages and generations, but is now revealed to them that believe.
Blessed be thy goodness for that great consolation, and for the assistance of thy holy Spirit. Blessed be thy goodness, that we have felt it so often in our hearts, inspiring us with holy thoughts, filling us with love and joy and comfortable expectations of the glory that shall be revealed. We thank thee, that thou hast suffered us this day, to attend on thee in thy public service: and that we have begun in any measure, to pursue after that eternal rest which remaineth for the people of God.
We offer up again our souls and bodies to thee to be governed, not by our will, but thine. O let it be ever the ease and joy of our hearts, to be under the conduct of thy unerring wisdom, to follow thy counsels, and to be ruled in all things by thy holy will. And let us never distrust thy abundant kindness and tender care over us; whatsoever it is thou wouldst have us to do, or to suffer in this world.
O God, purify our hearts, that we may intirely love thee, and rejoice in being beloved of thee; that we may confide in thee, and absolutely resign ourselves to thee, and be filled with constant devotion toward thee. O that we may never sink into a base love of any thing here below, nor be oppressed with the cares of this life; but assist us to abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good. Let us use this world as not abusing it. Give us true humility of spirit, that we may not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. Keep us from being wise in our own conceits. Let our moderation be known to all men. Make us kindly affectioned one to another; to delight in doing good; to shew all meekness to all men; to render to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour; and to owe no man any thing, but to love one another. Make us so happy, that we may be able to love our enemies, to bless those that curse us, to do good to them that hate us; to rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Compose our spirits to a quiet and steady dependance on thy good providence, that we may take no thought for our life, nor be careful for any thing, but by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, still make known our requests to thee our God. And help us to pray always and not faint; in every thing to give thanks, and offer up the sacrifice of praise continually; to rejoice in hope of thy glory; to possess our souls in patience; and to learn in whatsoever state we are, therewith to be content. Make us know both how to be abased, and how to abound: every where, and in all things, instruct us both to abound and to suffer want, being enabled to do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us.
O that the light of all Christians did so shine before men, that others might glorify thee, our Father which art in heaven! Send forth thy light and thy truth into all the dark corners of the earth; that all kings may fall down before thee, and all nations do thee service! Bless these kingdoms, and give us grace at length, to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. O Lord, save the king, and establish his throne in righteousness. Prosper the endeavours of all those who faithfully feed thy people, and increase the number of them. O that the seed which hath been sown this day, may take deep root in all our hearts; that being not forgetful hearers, but doers of the word, we may be blessed in our deeds. Help us in all the week following, to set a watch before our mouth, and keep the door of our lips. And let not our heart incline to any evil thing, or to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity. But as we have received how we ought to walk and to please thee, so may we abound more and more.
Protect us, we beseech thee, and all our friends every where this night, and awaken in the morning those good thoughts in our hearts, that the words of our Saviour may abide in us, and we in him; who hath taught us, when we pray to say, “Our Father, &c.”
MONDAY MORNING.
WE humble ourselves, O Lord of heaven and earth, before thy glorious Majesty. We acknowledge thy eternal power, wisdom, goodness, and truth; and desire to render thee most unfeigned thanks, for all the benefits which thou pourest upon us. But above all, for thine inestimable love, in the redemption of the world, by our Lord Jesus Christ.
We implore thy tender mercies, in the forgiveness of all our sins, whereby we have offended either in thought, word, or deed. We desire to be truly sorry for all our misdoings, and utterly to renounce whatsoever is contrary to thy will. We desire to devote our whole man, body, soul and spirit, to thee. And as thou dost inspire us with these desires, so accompany them always with thy grace, that we may every day, with our whole hearts, give ourselves up to thy service.
We desire to be so holy and undefiled as our blessed Master was. And we trust thou wilt fulfil all the gracious promises which he hath made to us. Let them be dearer to us than thousands of gold and silver; let them be the comfort and joy of our hearts. We ask nothing, but that it may be unto thy servants according to his word.
Thou hast mercifully kept us the last night: blessed be thy continued goodness. Receive us likewise into thy protection this day. Guide and assist us in all our thoughts, words, and actions. Make us willing to do and suffer what thou pleasest; waiting for the mercy of our Lord, Christ Jesus, unto eternal life.
Blessed be thy goodness which hath not suffered us to wander, without instruction, after the foolish desires of our own hearts; but hast clearly shewn us where our happiness lies. O may we receive with all thankfulness, those holy words which teach us the blessedness of poverty of spirit, of mourning after thee, of meekness and gentleness, of hungering and thirsting after righteousness, of mercifulness and purity of heart, of doing good unto all, and patiently suffering for doing the will of our Lord Christ.
O may we always be in the number of those blessed souls! May we ever feel ourselves happy in having the kingdom of God within us, in the comforts of the holy one, in being filled with all the fruits of righteousness, in being made the children of the highest, and above all, in seeing thee, our God. Let us abound in thy love more and more; and in continual prayers and praises to thee, the Father of mercies and God of all consolation, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
And we desire, thou knowest, the good of all mankind, especially of all Christian people; that they may all walk worthy of the gospel, and live together in unity and Christian love. For which end, we pray that all Christian kings, princes, and governors, may be wise, pious, just, and merciful, endeavouring that all their subjects may lead peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty: and more particularly, that our sovereign, king George, may be blest with a religious, quiet, long, and prosperous reign, and that all in authority under him may seek in their several stations to right the oppressed, to comfort the afflicted, to provide for the poor and needy, and to relieve all those that are in any misery. Bless all those that watch over our souls; succeed their labours, and give us grace to follow their godly admonitions, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. The same blessings we crave for our friends, relations, and acquaintance, that we may all live in perfect love and peace together, and rejoice together at the great day of the Lord Jesus; in whose holy words we sum up all our wants, “Our Father, &c.”
MONDAY EVENING.
ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father in whom we live, move, and have our being; to whose tender compassions we owe our safety the day past, together with all the comforts of this life, and the hopes of that which is to come: we praise thee, O Lord, we bow ourselves before thee, acknowledging we have nothing but what we receive from thee. Unto thee do we give thanks, O God, who daily pourest thy benefits upon us.
Blessed be thy goodness for our health, for our food and raiment, for our peace and safety, for the love of our friends, for all our blessings in this life; and our desire to attain that life which is immortal. Blessed be thy love, for that we feel in our hearts any motion toward thee. Behold, O Lord, we present ourselves before thee, to be inspired with such a vigorous sense of thy love, as may put us forward with a greater earnestness, zeal, and diligence in all our duty. Renew in us, we beseech, a lively image of thee, in all righteousness, purity, mercy, faithfulness and truth. O that Jesus, the hope of glory, may be formed in us, in all humility, meekness, patience, and an absolute surrender of our souls and bodies to thy holy will: that we may not live, but Christ may live in us; that every one of us may say, The life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Let the remembrance of his love, who made himself an offering for our sins, be ever dear and precious to us. Let it continually move us to offer up ourselves to thee, to do thy will, as our blessed Master did. May we place an entire confidence in thee, and still trust ourselves with thee, who hast not spared thine own Son, but freely given him up for us all. May we humbly accept of whatsoever thou sendest us, and in every thing give thanks. Surely thou wilt never leave us nor forsake us. O guide us safe through all the changes of this life, in an unchangeable love to thee, and a lively sense of thy love to us, till we come to live with thee and enjoy thee for ever.
And now that we are going to lay ourselves down to sleep take us into thy gracious protection, and settle our spirits in such quiet and delightful thoughts, of the glory where our Lord Jesus lives, that we may desire to be dissolved and to go to him who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we might live together with him.
To thy blessing we recommend all mankind, high and low, rich and poor, that they may all faithfully serve thee, and contentedly enjoy whatsoever is needful for them. And especially we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness. We leave all we have with thee, especially our friends, and those who are dear unto us; desiring that when we are dead and gone, they may lift up their souls in this manner unto thee; and teach those that come after, to praise, love, and obey thee. And if we awake again in the morning, may we praise thee again with joyful lips, and still offer ourselves a more acceptable sacrifice to thee, thro’ Jesus Christ, in whose words we beseech thee to hear us, according to the full sense and meaning thereof, “Our Father, &c.”
TUESDAY MORNING.
O MOST great and mighty Lord, the possessor of heaven and earth, all the angels rejoice in blessing and praising thee, the Father of spirits: for thou hast created all things, and in wisdom hast thou made them all, and spread thy tender mercies over all thy works. We desire thankfuly to acknowledge thy bounty to us, among the rest of thy creatures, and thy particular grace and favour to us, in Jesus Christ, our merciful Redeemer. O give us a deep sense of that love which gave him to die for us, that he might be the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him.
And hast thou not said, that thou wilt give thy holy Spirit to them that ask it? O Father of mercies, let it be unto us, according to thy word. Cherish whatever thou hast already given us, which is acceptable in thy sight. And since at the best we are unprofitable servants, and can do no more than it is our duty to do, enable us to do every thing which thou hast commanded us heartily, with good will, and true love to thy service.
O that we might ever approach thee with delight, and feel it the joy of our hearts, to think of thee, to praise thee, to give thee thanks, and to offer ourselves with absolute resignation to thee. O that mercy may always please us, as it pleaseth thee! That we may be strictly just and righteous! May chearfully pass by injuries, freely deny ourselves whatever is not for thy glory; willingly submit to thy fatherly corrections, and perform the duties of our several relations, with singleness of heart. Render us so mindful of the great love of our Lord, that we may be zealously concerned for his glory, and use our utmost diligence to promote his religion in the world; delighting to commemorate his death and passion, making a joyful sacrifice of our souls and bodies to him, and ♦earnestly desiring that his kingdom may come over all the earth.
Fulfil, most merciful Lord all our petitions; and as thou hast graciously protected us this night, so accompany us all this day with thy blessing, that we may please thee in body and soul, and be safe under thy defence, who art ever nigh unto all those that call upon thee.
And O that all men may be awakened into a lively and thankful sense of all thy benefits. Stir up especially the minds of all Christian people, to follow the truth as it is in Jesus, and exercise themselves to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man. Bless these kingdoms, and endue our sovereign with such excellent wisdom and holy zeal, that we may see many good days under his government. O that true religion, justice, mercy, brotherly-kindness, and all things else that are praise-worthy, may so flourish among us, that we may enjoy the blessings of peace and plenty, and there may be no complaining in our streets.
We recommend to thee all our friends and neighbours, all the poor, the sick, and the afflicted, desiring those mercies for them, which we should ask for ourselves, were we in their condition. O God, whose never failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth, keep them and us, we beseech thee, from all hurtful things, and give us those things which are profitable for us, according to thine abundant mercy in our Lord Jesus; in whose words we conclude our supplication unto thee, saying, “Our Father, &c.”
TUESDAY EVENING.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, the sovereign Lord of all creatures in heaven and earth, we acknowledge that our beings, and all the comforts of them, depend on thee, the fountain of all good. We have nothing but what is owing entirely to thy free and bounteous love, O most blessed Creator, and to the riches of thy grace, O most blessed Redeemer.
To thee therefore be given by us, and by all creatures, whom thou hast made to know how great and good thou art, all honour and praise, all love and obedience, as long as we have any being. It is but meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, and devoutly resign both soul and body to thee, to be absolutely governed and ruled according to thy holy will.
Further, we pray thee, increase every good desire which we feel already in our hearts; let us always live as becomes thy creatures, as becomes the disciples of Jesus Christ. Incline us to be more and more in love with thy laws, till they are written upon our hearts. Stir up our wills, to love them exceedingly, and to cleave unto them as our very life.
O that we might heartily surrender our wills to thine! That we may unchangeably cleave unto it, with the greatest and most entire affection to all thy commands. O that there may abide for ever in us, such a strong and powerful sense of thy mighty love towards us in Christ Jesus, as may constrain us freely and willingly to please thee, in the constant exercise of righteousness and mercy, temperance and charity, meekness and patience, truth and fidelity; together with such an humble, contented and peaceable spirit, as may adorn the religion of our Lord and Master. Yea let it ever be the joy of our hearts to be righteous, as thou art righteous; to be merciful, as thou, our heavenly Father, art merciful; to be holy, as thou who hast called us art holy in all manner of conversation; to be endued with thy divine wisdom, and to resemble thee in faithfulness and truth. O that the example of our blessed Saviour may be always dear unto us, that we may chearfully follow him in every holy temper, and delight to do thy will, O God. Let these desires, which thou hast given us, never die or languish in our hearts, but be kept always alive, always in their vigour and force, by the perpetual inspirations of the Holy Ghost.
Accept likewise of our thanks for thy merciful preservation of us all this day. We are bold again to commit ourselves unto thee this night. Defend us from all the powers of darkness; and raise up our spirits, together with our bodies, in the morning, to such a vigorous sense of thy continued goodness, as may provoke us all the day long to an unwearied diligence in well-doing.
And the same mercies that we beg for ourselves, we desire for the rest of mankind; especially for those who are called by the name of Christ. O that every one of these may do his duty with all fidelity! that kings may be tender-hearted, as the fathers of their countries; and all their subjects may be dutiful and obedient to them, as their children; that the pastors of thy church may feed their flocks with true wisdom and understanding, and the people all may submit unto them, and follow their godly counsels: that the rich and mighty may have compassion on the poor and miserable; and all such distressed people may bless the rich, and rejoice in the prosperity of those that are above them. Give to husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, the grace to behave themselves so in their several relations, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, and may receive of him a crown of glory: in whose holy name and words, we continue to beseech thy grace and mercy towards us, and all thy people, every where saying, “Our Father, &c.”
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
O GOD, blessed for ever, we thank and praise thee for all thy benefits, for the comforts of this life, and our hope of everlasting salvation in the life to come. We desire to have a lively sense of thy love always possessing our hearts, that may still constrain us to love thee, to obey thee, to trust in thee, to be content with the portion thy love allots unto us, and to rejoice even in the midst of all the troubles of this life.
Thou hast delivered thine own Son for us all. How shalt thou not with him also freely give us all things? We depend upon thee especially for the grace of thy holy Spirit. O that we may feel it perpetually bearing us up, by the strength of our most holy faith, above all the temptations that may at any time assault us! That we may keep ourselves unspotted from the world, and may still cleave to thee in righteousness, in lowliness, purity of heart, yea, the whole mind that was in Christ.
Let thy mighty power enable us to do our duty towards thee, and towards all men, with care and diligence, and zeal, and perseverance unto the end. Help us to be meek and gentle in our conversation, prudent and discreet in ordering our affairs, observant of thy fatherly providence, in every thing that befalls us, thankful for thy benefits, patient under thy chastisements, and readily disposed for every good word and work. Preserve in us a constant remembrance of thy all-seeing eye; of thy inestimable love in Jesus Christ, whereof thou hast given us so many pledges, and of the great account we must give to him at the day of his appearing; that so we may continue stedfast and unmoveable, and be abundant in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.
Deliver us we beseech thee, from worldly cares and foolish desires; from vain hopes and causeless fears; and so dispose our hearts, that death itself may not be dreadful to us, but we may welcome it with a chearful countenance, when and howsoever it shall approach.
O that our hearts may be so firmly established in grace, that nothing may affright us, or shake our constancy, but we may rather chuse to die than to dishonour him who died for us! We resign ourselves to thy wisdom and goodness, who knowest what is best for us; believing thou wilt never suffer us to be tempted above what we are able, and wilt with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it.
We commend unto thee all mankind; especially thy church, and more particularly these kingdoms, that we may all believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, and be zealous of good works. Bless our sovereign, his counsellors, his ministers, and all employed in public business, whether spiritual or civil, that whatsoever they do may be for thy glory, and the public good. Be gracious to all that are near and dear to us, and keep us all in thy fear and love. Guide us, good Lord, and govern us by the same spirit, that we may be so united to thee here, as not to be divided when thou art pleased to call us hence, but together enter into thy glory, to dwell with thee in love and joy that shall never die, through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour, who hath taught us, when we pray, to say, “Our ♦Father, &c.”
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all. The day is thine, the night also is thine; thou hast prepared the light and the sun. We render thee thanks for all the benefits which thou hast bestowed on the whole world; especially on us, whom thou hast called to the knowledge of thy grace in Christ Jesus. It is a marvellous love wherewith thou hast loved us. Thou hast not dealt so with all people: and as for thy great and precious promises, they have not known them.
Accept, O merciful Father, the good resolutions which thou hast inspired us with by thy Spirit. Strengthen them, we beseech thee, with thy continued grace, that no sudden desires, vehement inclinations, ineffectual purposes, no, nor partial performances, may lead us into a false opinion of ourselves: but that we may bring forth actually, and with a constant spirit, all the fruits of righteousness, which are by Christ Jesus.
Deny not, O Lord, the desires of those souls, who would offer up themselves entirely to thy service. But preserve us always in seriousness of spirit. Let the sense of our weakness make us watchful and diligent, the sense of our former negligence, excite us to be fervent in spirit, and the goodness of thy commands render us fruitful and abundant in the work of the Lord. O that all our pious affections may be turned into actions of piety and holiness: and may all our actions be spirited with zeal, and all our zeal regulated with prudence, and our prudence void of all guile, and joined with perfect integrity of heart: that adorning our most holy faith here, by an upright, charitable and discreet conversation, we may receive praise in the day of the Lord, and be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting.
O lift up our affections to things above, that we may have perfect contentment in well-doing and patient suffering, and the good hope we have of being eternally beloved of thee, may make us rejoice evermore. Free us from the cares of the world, from all distrust of thy good providence, from repining at any thing that befals us, and enable us in every thing to give thanks, believing that all things are ordered wisely, and shall work together for good.
Into thy hands we commend both our souls and bodies, which thou hast mercifully preserved this day. We trust in thy watchful providence, who givest thy angels charge over us, who art about our beds, and about our paths, and spiest out all our thoughts. O continue these holy thoughts and desires in us till we fall asleep, that we may receive the light of the morning, if thou prolongest our lives, with a new joy in thee, and thankful affection to thee.
We desire likewise, O God, the good of the whole world. Pity the follies of mankind; deliver them from their miseries, and forgive thou all their sins. Hear the groans of every part of the creation, that is yet subject to bondage, and bring them all into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Hear the daily prayers of the Catholic church. Free her from all foul and dividing errors: let the truth as ♦is in Jesus, prevail, and peace be in all her borders. O that all Christian governors may seek peace and ensue it! Make thy ministers the messengers of peace, and dispose all who are called Christians, to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
Enlighten the minds of all Jews, Turks, and Infidels. Strengthen all thy faithful servants. Bring back them that wander out of the way; raise up those that are fallen; confirm those that stand, and grant them steadily to persevere in faith, love and obedience. Relieve and comfort all that are in distress. Let the earth bring forth her fruit in due season: and let all honest and industrious people be blest in their labours.
Remember all those who have done good unto us, and reward them sevenfold into their bosom. Grant forgiveness and charity to all our enemies; and continue good-will among all our neighbours. Support the sick with faith and patience; assist those who are leaving this world. Receive the souls which thou hast redeemed with thy Son’s precious blood, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. And give us all a glorious resurrection and eternal life. “Our Father, &c.”
THURSDAY MORNING.
O LORD, the God of our salvation, thou art the hope of all the ends of the earth. Upon thee the eyes of all do wait; for thou givest unto all life and breath and all things. Thou still watchest over us for good; thou daily renewest to us our lives and thy mercies: and thou hast given us the assurance of thy word, that if we commit our affairs to thee, if we acknowledge thee in all our ways, thou wilt direct our paths. We desire, O Lord, to be still under thy gracious conduct and fatherly protection. We beg the guidance and help of thy good Spirit, to chuse our inheritance for us, and to dispose of us, and all that concerns us, to the glory of thy name.
O Lord, withdraw not thy tender mercies from us, nor the comforts of thy presence! Never punish our past sins, by giving us over to the power of our sins: but pardon all our sins, and save us from all our iniquities. And grant us, O good God, the continual sense of thy gracious acceptance of us, in the Son of thy love, that our souls may bless thee, and all that is within us may praise thy holy name.
And O that we may find the joy of the Lord to be our strength; to defend us from all our sins, and to make us more zealous of every good work: that herein we may exercise ourselves, to have a conscience void of offence, both towards God and towards men. O help us to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, carefully redeeming the time, improving all those seasons and means of grace, which thou art pleased to put into our hands. Sanctify to us all our employments in the world; our crosses also and our comforts; all the estates we go through, and all the events that befal us, till through the merits of thy Son, and the multitude of thy mercies, we are conducted safe to be ever with the Lord.
Thou hast laid help for us upon one that is mighty; that is able to save unto the uttermost, all those who come unto God thro’ him. Through him thou hast encouraged us to come boldly, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Help us, we beseech thee, to demean ourselves as becomes the children of God, the redeemed of the Lord, the members of Christ. Put thy Spirit within us, causing us to walk in thy statutes, and to keep thy judgments, and do them. Yea let it be our meat and drink to do thy will, and to run the way of thy commandments.
O gracious Father, keep us we pray thee, this day in thy fear and favour, and teach us, in all our thoughts, words, and works, to live to thy glory. If thou guide us not we go astray; if thou uphold us not, we fall. O let thy good providence be our defence, and thy good Spirit our guide, and counsellor, and supporter in all our ways. And grant that we may do always what is acceptable in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord; in whose holy name and words we close these our imperfect prayers: “Our Father, &c.”
Let thy grace, O Lord Jesus, thy love, O heavenly Father, and thy comfortable fellowship, O blessed Spirit, be with us, and with all that desire our prayers, this day and for evermore.
THURSDAY EVENING.
O LORD our God, thy glory is above all our thoughts, and thy mercy is over all thy works. We are still living monuments of thy mercy. For thou hast not cut us off in our sins, but still givest us a good hope and strong consolation thro’ grace. Thou hast sent thy only Son into the world, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish in his sins, but have everlasting life. O Lord, we believe: help our unbelief; and give us the true repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be in the number of those, who do indeed repent and believe to the saving of the soul. Being justified by faith, let us have peace with God thro’ our Lord Jesus Christ, let us rejoice in him thro’ whom we have now redemption in his blood; and let the love of God be shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
And as we pray that thou wilt be to us a father of mercies and a God of consolation, so that thou wilt make us followers of God as dear children, ever jealous over our hearts, and watchful over our ways; continually fearing to offend, and endeavouring to please thee. Thou knowest, O Lord, all our temptations, and the sin that doth so easily beset us. Thou knowest the devices of the enemy, and the deceitfulness of our own hearts. We pray thee, good Lord, that thou wilt arm us with the whole armour of God. Uphold us with thy free spirit, and watch over us for good evermore.
Let our supplications also ascend before thee, for the whole race of mankind. Send thy word unto all the ends of the earth, and let it be the savour of life unto all that hear it. Be gracious to this our native land. O do thou rule all our rulers, counsel all our counsellors, teach all our teachers, and order all the public affairs to thy glory. Turn from us the judgments which we feel or fear; continue thy blessings to our souls and bodies, and notwithstanding all our provocations, be thou still our God, and let us be thy people. Have compassion on all the children of affliction, and sanctify thy fatherly corrections to them. Be gracious to all our friends and neighbours. Reward our benefactors. Bless our relations with the best of thy blessings, with thy fear and love. Preserve us from our enemies, and reconcile them both to us and to thyself. O that all the habitations of Christians may be houses of prayer! And be thou especially kind to the several families where thy blessed name is called upon. Let thy blessing rest upon us of this family. Bless all our present estates to us; and fit us all for whatsoever thou shall be pleased to call us to. O teach us how to want and how to abound. In every condition secure our hearts to thyself; and make us ever to approve ourselves sincere and faithful in thy service.
And now, O Father of mercies, be pleased to accept our evening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. O that thou wouldst imprint and preserve upon our hearts a lively sense of all thy kindness to us; that our souls may bless thee, and all that is within us may praise thy holy name. Yea, let us give thee thanks from the ground of the heart, and praise our God, while we have our being, for all thy patience with us, thy care over us, and thy continual mercy to us, blessed be thy name, O Lord God, our heavenly Father, and unto thee, with the Son of thy love, and Spirit of grace, be all thanks and praise, now and for evermore.
FRIDAY MORNING.
O LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth; thou keepest mercy for thousands; thou pardonest iniquity and transgression and sin. How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! The children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings! And therefore do we still look up to that bountiful hand, from whence we have received all our good things. O Lord our God, be favourable unto us; as thou usest to be unto those that love thy holy name! O look not upon the sin of our nature, nor the sins of our hearts and lives, which are more than we can remember, and greater than we can express. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because thy compassions fail not. But thou lookest upon the face of thine anointed, who was manifested to take away our sins: by whom it is that we have the access unto the Majesty on high.
O God, be merciful to us miserable sinners; for his sake whom thou hast exalted, to be a prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto thy people and forgiveness of sins. Be merciful O God, be merciful unto our souls which have greatly sinned against thee. O heal our backslidings: renew us to repentance: establish our hearts in thy fear and love; and establish our goings in thy way, that our footsteps slip not. Let us waver no more; let us never more be weary or faint in our minds. Let us not revolt from thee, or turn to folly again, after thou hast spoken peace to our souls: but may we go on conquering and to conquer all the enemies of our souls, and all the hindrances of our salvation, till thou hast bruised Satan under our feet.
Seeing there is in Christ Jesus an infinite fulness of all that we can want or wish, O that we may all receive of his fulness, grace upon grace! Grace to pardon our sins, and subdue our iniquities; to justify our persons, and to sanctify our souls: and to compleat that holy change, that renewal of our hearts, whereby we may be transformed into that blessed image wherein thou didst create us. O make us all meet to be partakers of the inheritance of thy saints in light.
And teach us, O God, to use this world without abusing it: and to receive the things needful for the body, without losing our part in thy love, which is better than life itself. Whatever we have of this world, O may we have the same with thy leave and love; sanctified to us by the word of God and by prayer; and by the right improvement thereof to thy glory. And whatever we want of worldly things, leave us not destitute of the things that accompany salvation; but adorn our souls with all such graces of thy holy Spirit, that we may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
And now, that thou hast renewed our lives and thy mercies to us this morning, help us to renew our desires and resolutions, and endeavours to live in obedience to thy holy will. O restrain us from the sins into which we are most prone to fall, and quicken us to the duties we are most averse to perform. And grant that we may think and speak, and will and do, the things becoming the children of our heavenly Father; and so find the strong consolation of thy gracious acceptance in Jesus Christ our Saviour: who, when we pray, hath taught us to say, “Our Father, &c.”
FRIDAY EVENING.
O LORD, thou wast before all, thou art above all, and thy years shall not fail. Thou art the searcher of our hearts. Thou knowest the dulness and hardness, the vanity and deceitfulness of them: we were born sinners, and so have we lived. We have added sin to sin. We have abused thy great and manifold mercies, tempted thy patience, and despised thy goodness. And justly mightest thou have cast us into outer darkness, where is wailing and gnashing of teeth.
But of thy loving kindnesses there is no number. Thou still callest us to return to thee: and whosoever cometh to thee, thou wilt in no wise cast out. O meet us with thy heavenly grace, that we may be able to come to thee. Be thou graciously pleased to stretch forth thy hand, and loose the chains wherewith our souls are entangled. O free us from every weight of sin, from every yoke of bondage. O help us to feel, and bewail, and forsake all our sins. And let us never want the comfortable assurance of thy forgiveness of them, thy acceptance of us, and thy love to us, in the blessed Son of thy eternal love.
Thou art never weary, O Lord, of doing us good. Let us never be weary of doing thee service. But as thou hast pleasure in the prosperity of thy servants, so let us take pleasure in the service of our Lord, and abound in thy work, and in thy love and praise evermore. O fill up all that is wanting, reform whatever is amiss in us, and perfect the thing that concerneth us. Let the witness of thy pardoning love ever abide in all our hearts. O speak into every one of our souls the peace which passeth all understanding: and let us always look upon thee as our Father, reconciled to us in Jesus Christ.
In his great name we cry unto thee in the behalf of the whole race of mankind. O that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God. Continue thy mercies to this sinful land; teach us at length to know thy will concerning us: and oh! turn thou all our hearts unto thee, as the heart of one man. Bless the king; O Lord prolong his days and prosper his government; make him always a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to them that do well. And grant unto all magistrates and ministers of thy word, a continual supply of all the needful gifts and graces of the holy Spirit. Be thou a father to the fatherless, a husband to the widow, a refuge to the oppressed, a physician to the sick, a helper of the friendless, a God of consolation to the sorrowful and distressed. Bless to us whatsoever thou art pleased to allot us, and every thing that befals us. Make all work for our good, to build us up in thy grace, and to help us on to thy glory.
Continue thy fatherly care over us this night. O preserve and defend, and bless and keep us, that no evil may befal us, nor any plague come nigh our dwelling. Give us comfortable sleep to strengthen us for thy service. And whenever thou callest us to the sleep of death, let us chearfully resign our spirits into thy hands, through the riches of thy grace, and the worthiness of thy Son, in whose merits and mediation alone we put our trust. And for all that he hath done and suffered for us, to thy name, O blessed God of our salvation, be the praise, and honour, and glory, given by us and all thy people, now and for evermore. “Our Father, &c.”
SATURDAY MORNING.
WE present ourselves before thee, O Lord our God, to pay our tribute of prayer and thanksgiving; desiring thee mercifully to accept us and our services, at the hands of Jesus Christ. In his great name we come to beg thy pardon and peace, the increase of thy grace, and the tokens of thy love. For we are not worthy of the least of thy mercies. But worthy is the Lamb that was slain to take away the sin of the world; for whose sake thou wilt give us all things. For he hath fulfilled those holy laws which we had broken, and perfectly satisfied for our offences. And in him thou art a God gracious and merciful to those who deserve nothing but punishment.
O merciful Father, regard not what we have done against thee: but what our blessed Saviour hath done for us. Regard not what we have made ourselves; but what he is made unto us of thee our God. O that Christ may be to every one of our souls, wisdom and righteousness, sanctification, and redemption! That his precious blood may cleanse us from all our sins; and that thy holy Spirit may renew and sanctify our souls. May he crucify our flesh with its affections and lusts, and mortify all our members which are upon earth. O let not sin reign in our mortal bodies, that we should obey it in the lusts thereof; but being made free from sin, let us be the servants of righteousness. Let us approve our hearts to thee, and let all our ways be pleasing in thy sight.
O teach us to know thee our God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent: and enable us to do thy will on earth, as it is done in heaven. Give us to fear thee and to love thee, to trust and delight in thee, and to cleave to thee with full purpose of heart, that no temptations may draw us or drive us from thee; but that all thy dispensations to us and thy dealings with us may be the messengers of thy love to our souls. Quicken us, O Lord, in our dulness, that we may not serve thee in a lifeless and listless manner: but may abound in thy work, and be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. And make us faithful in all our intercourse with our neighbour, that we may be ready to do good and bear evil, that we may be just and kind, merciful and meek, peaceable and patient, sober and temperate, humble and self-denying, inoffensive and useful in the world; that so glorifying thee here, we may be glorified with thee in thy heavenly kingdom.
Day by day we magnify thee, O Lord, who makest every day an addition to thy mercies. We bless thee for preserving us the night past, and for the rest thou gavest us therein. O cause us to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in thee do we trust. Cause us to know the way wherein we shall go, for we lift up our souls unto thee. O take not thy holy Spirit from us: but direct all our ways to please thee our God. Help us to see thy power, to own thy presence, to admire thy wisdom, and to love thy goodness in all thy creatures: and by all, draw our hearts still nearer to thee. Such thy mercy and grace we beg for ourselves, and all ours and thine every where, in our great Mediator’s blessed words.
“Our Father, &c.”
SATURDAY EVENING.
O LORD our God, thou art infinitely good, and thou hast shewed us what is good. Thou sendest out thy light and thy truth, that they may guide us, and makest plain thy way before our face. Thou givest us many opportunities and advantages, to quicken and further us in thy service. We have line upon line, and precept upon precept; thy messengers early and late, to open and apply thy word, to call and warn, to direct and exhort us with all long-suffering. But how little have we improved all the precious talents, which thou hast put into our hands! O Lord, thou mightest justly take away the gospel of thy kingdom from us, and give it unto another people, who would bring forth the fruits thereof. Because thou hast called and we refused, thou hast stretched forth thy hands, and we have not regarded, thou mightest leave us to our own perverseness and impenitence, till our iniquities became our ruin.
But, O Lord God, enter not thus into judgment with thy servants. Pardon all our contempt of thy word, and our not profiting thereby. And help us for the time to come, better to improve the blessed opportunities set before us. As the rain descends from heaven and returns not thither, but waters the earth and maketh it fruitful: so let not thy word return unto thee void, but prosper in the work whereunto thou sendest it. O make it effectual to build us all up, in the true fear and love of God, and in the right knowledge and faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.
O gracious God, may thy Spirit cause thy word to work thoroughly and successfully in all our hearts. And as we daily receive, how we ought to walk and to please thee our God; so help us to walk worthy of the Lord, unto all well-pleasing: increasing in the knowledge and love of thee, and abounding more and more in every good work, which is pleasing in thy sight, through Jesus Christ.
At his hands, O Lord our God, we beg thy gracious acceptance, of our humble praise and thanksgiving, for all thy blessings, spiritual and temporal, so freely conferred upon us. We praise thee for all the comforts and conveniencies of this life, and for all the means and hopes of a better: particularly for what we have received this day; the food of our souls set before us; the word of salvation sounding in our ears, and the Spirit of God striving with our hearts. O withdraw not thy tender mercies from us, but still continue thy accustomed goodness, and increase thy grace and heavenly blessings upon us, and rejoice over us to do us good.
In mercy pass by all which thy most pure and holy eyes have seen amiss in us this day. Forgive the iniquities of our holy things; overlook all our sins and failings, through our great Mediator and Redeemer, who ever lives at thy right-hand to make intercession for us. And for Jesus Christ, and all which thou art pleased to give us together with him; not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name be all the praise and honour and glory, humbly ascribed by us, and all thy church, now and for evermore!
“Our Father, &c.”