'^^^ '>S^' LIBRARY l*RI]V€ETO]¥, ]¥. J. Letter No. UO.\A'I'10\ 01' 8 A M Ij K I. A a N K W , O <^ ^ "!• HH It. i UKLHK 1 A. PA. _. 260 .C677 1832 Cotterill, Thomas, 1779 1823. Family prayers J FAMILY PRAYERN, COMPOSED PRINCIPALLY IN EXPRESSIONS TAKEN FROM THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, AND FROM THE ESTABLISHED SERVICES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. THE REV. THOMAS COTTERILL, A. M. Perpetual Curate of Lane-End, Staffordshire ; and late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. ... THIRD AMEIt ifCAN EDITION. h-^-^ ^LOQiQ •X. r^^-J NEW-YORK: rUBMSHED BY SWORDS, STANFORT*,, AND CO. No. 152 Broadway. 1832. NEW-YORK : PRINTED BY EDWARD J. SWORDS, No. 8 Thames-Street. CONTEl^T8. Page First Week 5 Second Week ....... 49 Third Week 93 FourUi Week 137 FOR PARTICULAR OCCASIONS. For Christmas-Day 183 The Close of a Year - - - - .- 19U A New Year 193 Good Friday 197 Easter- Sunday - - 205 Easter-Day - - 208 Ascension-Day, or the Sunday after - - - 211 Whit-Sunday 218 Trinity-Sunday 224 A Sacrament Sunday 231 A Fast-Day 238 A Thanksgiving-Day for a National Victory - 244 A Thanksgiving-Day for Peace - - - 248 Family Affliction 25i FAMILY PRAYERS. FZnSS WBS«. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name ; thy kingdom come ; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven ; give us this day our daily bread ; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who 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* The peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep our hearts and minds m the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord ; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst us, and remain with us always. Amen* FAMILY PRAYKRS FIRST WEEK. SUNDAY MORNING. O THOU Lord of the Sabbath, who hast set apart this day for thyself, and hast commanded us to keep it holy to thy name, look down upon a family of sinful creatures, who are assembled together to acknowledge thy goodness in bringing us to see it. We adore thee for thy patience and forbear- ance in not deahng with us according to our deserts, nor rewarding us according to our ini- quities. And we beseech thee to pour down upon us the abundance of thy grace, that we may rest this day according to thy commandment. Let not thy Sabbath be a weariness to us, but our delight. Let us honour thee, by not doing our own ways, nor finding our own pleasure, nor speaking our own words. Bless us, O Lord, with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus : bless us, we pray thee, in turning away every one of us from our iniquities. AVash us in the fountain of that blood which cleanseth from all sin. Clotlie us with the robe of that righteousness, which is, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe. Prepare us for the various duties tvhich arc now before -us. 8 FIRST WEEK. Sanctify unto us thy appointed means of grace. Send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead us ; let them bring us to thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacle. May we go with the multitude to thy house of prayer, with the voice of joy and praise, with the multitude that keep holy-day. There may we give thee the glory which is due unto thy name, and worship thee in the beauty of holiness. May we see thy power and tliy glory, so as thy servants see them in the sanctuary ; and be satis- fied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Grant, O Lord, that the Scriptures, which thou hast caused to be written for our learning, may be applied to our hearts in the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. May we in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, through a crucified Redeemer. Hear our prayers, O God, for all Christian ministers ; [especially for 1dm whom thou hast appointed over us;] and endue them with the grace of thy Holy Spirit. Give unto them the spirit of love, and of power, and of a sound mind. Make them able ministers of the New Testament, faithful stewards of thy mysteries. Help them to take heed to themselves and to the doctrine ; that so, according to thy promise, they may both save themselves and those who hear them. We beseech thee to inspire continually the Universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord; and grant that all they who do confess thy name, may agree in the truth of thy holy word, and live in unity and godly love. SUNDAY MORNING. 1/ May numbers be added to it, every Sabbath-day, of such as shall be saved. Look in mercy upon such as have hitherto neglected thy Sabbaths. Teach them to improve vthoso that remain ; and so to redeem the time which they have lost, that they may be numbered among tliy true people. Remember for good as many as, through sick- ness, or any other impediment, may be prevented from attending the ordinances of thy house, and the habitation which their soul loveth. Lot thy presence be with them in their private meditations, oven as with those who shall assemble together in the place where thy honour dwelleth. We pray thee, also, to have compassion upon those who as yet belong not to thy visible Church. O thou who art a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel, shine upon the nations which are sitting in darkness, and ia the shadow of death. Give, O Lord, the word, that great may be the company of the preachers, who shall go forth into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. Let nation after nation be converted to the Christian faith, till the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and the earth be filled with the know- ledge of thy glory, as the waters cover the sea. Hear, we beseech thee, O heavenly Father, these our imperfect petitions ; and answer them in the multitude of thy tender mercies, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Saviour; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Our Father y ^^c. Tkc peace cf God, S^c, 2* 10 FIRST WEEK. SUNDAY EVENING. O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubim, thou art God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; and beside thee there is none other. Thou art our God, and, we will praise thee ; thou art our God, and we will exalt thee. Thou hast permitted us this day to attend the ordinances of thy house, and to worship thee in the congregation of thy people, with the voice of joy and praise. And we are now, two or three, gathered together in the name of thy beloved Son, to ofter up, in the midst of our family, our humble thanks for the mercies which we have received. Fulfil, we pray thee, thy gracious promise. Be now in the midst of us, to hear and to bless us. We praise thee for every opportunity which hath been afforded us of becoming wise unto sal- vation. We bless thee for casting our lot in a land where the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. We glorify thy name for nourishing us, and bringing us up in a Church which is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Wq heartily thank thee, O heavenly Father, for giving us thy blessed Word, to direct us in tie way of life. Let it not be unto us a sealed Lock, and a dead letter ; but open our under- standings to understand the Scriptures, that we may believe and obey them to the saving of the soul. SUNDAY EVENING. 11 Above all, wc praise thee for the gilt of thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. And we entreat thee, Almighty God, to grant us perfectly to know him to be the way, the truth, and the life ; that, under the guidance of thy Holy Spirit, we may steadfastly walk in the path that leadeth unto life eternal. But, while we praise thee, most gracious Father, for these and all thy other mercies, we acknowledge and confess our own unworthiness, and manifold abuse of them. We humble our- selves before thee, beseeching thee, of thy great goodness, not only to accept our praise, but to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances. Pardon the iniquity of our most holy things^ and wash us in the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour. Hear us, O Lord, for his sake ; and grant that, however we have fallen short of our duty this day, we may not have attended thy ordinances altogether in vain. Though we are unprofitable servants, do not forsake us. Though we are dull of hearing, and slow of heart to believe, and are not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary, yet mercifully bear with our infirmities, and cast us not away from thy presence. Grant that every Sabbath may be the means of bringing us nearer to thyself, and of making us more meet for the enjoyment of thy glorious kingdom ; where we shall no longer see through a glass darkly, but face to face ; and shall know even as also we are known. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord, in our prayers and supplication for all men. Prosper the labours of thy faithful servants who 12 FIRST WEEK. have this day published the glad tidings of salva- tion. Give thy blessing to the seed which they have sown, that it may bring forth fruit abun- dantly. Grant that those who have waited on thee may renew their strength, and be prepared to run, with increased earnestness, the race that is set before them. Let grace and peace be multiplied to all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity. O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance. Hear the prayers which have been offered up for all estates of men in thy holy Church ; and answer them in the multitude of thy tender mercies. And, as thou hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, diat we may be made a holy temple, acceptable unto thee. Look, with an eye of pity and compassion, on such as have neglected thy ordinances, and pro- faned thy Sabbath. Turn them from the error of their ways, and give them repentance unto salvation. We desire now to commend our^^elves, and all who are dear unto us, to the protection of thy good providence. Bless, preserve, and keep us through the perils of the night. Mercifully hear the prayers and intercessions of thy servants; and grant us thy peace all the days of our life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, ^*c. The peace of God^ 6fc. MONDAY MORNING. 13 MONDAY MORNUNG. Most mighty and most merciful God, under llic shadow of whose wing we liave laid ourselves down in peace, and are risen from our beds in safety, we humbly approach thee, in the name of thy blessed Son, with the tribute of our morning oblations. O Lord our God, who is like unto thee, that liast thy dwelling so high, and yet humblest thyself to behold the things that are done, not only in heaven, but on earth; and visitest the sinful children of men with all temporal and spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus 1 Praised be thy name from the rising up of the snn to the going down of the same. Fill our hearts, O Lord, with a due sense of thy mercies towards us. Maintain in us, at this time, a special remembrance of what Ave owe to thee for the Sabbath which is past. We praise thee for the word of thy salvation ; for the ordin- ances of thy house ; and for all other advantages which thy day of rest afforded. And we beseech ihee, O Lord, to grant that we may diligently improve them. Give unto each of us the mani- festation of the Spirit, to profit withal; and, as we receive the gift, may we be enabled to minister the same, as good stewards of thy manifold grace. Cause thy power and thy glory, which we have seen in the sanctuary, to rest upon us throughout the week. Help us to show, by our life and conversation, that we are not trusting to a form of godliness, and denying the power thereof. 14 FIRST WEEK. Having a name to live, let us not be dead before thee. Make us real members of thy Church, children of adoption by faith in Christ Jesus, and heirs according to the promise of eternal life. We look up unto thee this morning for thy saving health. We feel and confess our own weakness. We know that the way of man is not in himself; that it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Be thou, therefore, our keeper and our defence upon our right hand. By thy special grace preventing us, put into our minds good desires; and, by thy continual help, enable us to bring the same to good effect. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. Deliver us from the snares and temptations of this evil world. Dispose us to make a covenant with our eyes, and to turn them away from beholding vanity. Incline us diligently to take heed to our ways, that we offend not in our tongue. Make us honest and faitliful in our several callings; and prosper, if it please thee, the works of our hands. But preserve us from being over- charged with the cares of this life ; and save us from a covetous and a worldly spirit. Teach us to set thee always before us; and to be in thy fear all the day long. Grant, that whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we may do all to the glory of thy great name, that thou in all things mayest be glorified through Jesus Christ. Be thou, O Lord, our portion and inheritance in the land of the living. Shov/ us thy marvellous loving-kindness, thou that art the Saviour of them that trust in thee. Show us the path of MONnAf IVTOHNING. 15 Ille ; make thy way plain before our face ; and bring us, at last, to thy presence, where there is the fulness of joy; and to thy right hand, where there are pleasures for evermore. Save and protect, we earnestly beseech thee, the Church which thou hast purchased with 4;hy blood, scattered throughout the world ; especially that part of it which thou hast planted in this favoured land. Send forth also, among all its members, a more abundant measure of thy grace. Keep them unspotted from the world ; and let their conversation in all things be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Restore to the way of righteousness those who have fallen from their steadfastness. Turn again and quicken them, that they may rejoice in thy salvation. Have mercy on those who as yet know not the day of their visitation ; particularly on such as may have slighted the advantages of the Sabbath which is past. Take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word- Remember, with thy most gracious favour, om' relations and friends; and give unto them, and unto all others, whatever may b6 profitable for life and godliness. Accept, we beseech thee, this our morning sacrifice of prayer and of praise, for the worthi- ness of thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Ottr Father, 4'c. The peace of God, ^c. 16 FIRST WEEK. MONDAY EVENING. O Lord God of our salvation, clay and night will we cry unto thee. Bow down thine ear, and hear us. Let our prayer come up before thee as incense; and let the lifting up of our hands be an acceptable evening sacrifice. We do not presume to draw nigh unto thee, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies in Christ Jesus. We are not worth}', in ourselves, to appear in tjjy presence, and implore the smallest blessing at thy hands. For though thou hast nourished and brought us up as children, yet have we sinned and rebelled against thee, O heavenly Father, from our youth up even until now. We have broken thy law, despised thy Gospel, and cast thy words behind us. But, blessed be thy name, there is forgiveness with thee, and plenteous redemption in thy be- loved Son. In him thou art a God of compassion, long-suffering, plenteous in goodness and in truth. For his sake, therefore, and for thy name's sake, pardon our iniquity; for it is great. Enter not into judgment with thy servants, O Lord ; for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified. But in the midst of judgment remember mercy. Look upon Jesus, thy Anointed, and save us from condemnation. In him let us obtain re- demption through his blood, even the remission of sins. May each of us retire to rest, delivered from the burden of guilt, and the bondage of corruption, and translated into tlie glorious liberty of thy children. MONDAY EVENING. 17 Grant us grace, O God, day by day, to ex- amine our hearts and lives, and so to search and try them, that we may know of what manner of spirit we are. Let not a deceived heart turn us aside. What we know not, do thou teach us. What we know, do thou enable us to practise. May we botli know thy will and do it. Give unto us an enlightened and a tender conscience. Suffer us not to grieve thy Spirit by trifling with sin, and resisting the convictions of our minds, lest we provoke thee to leave us to ourselves, and to swear in thy wrath tliat we shall never enter into thy rest. But grant, we beseech thee, O merciful Lord, from whom all good things do come, grant to us, thy humble servants, that, by thy holy inspiration, we may think those things that are good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same. Accept, O heavenly Father, our humble and hearty thanks for all thy blessings towards us. How great is the sum of them ! If we should count them, they are more in number than the sand. We praise thee for thy goodness, which cndureth yet daily. We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. Trusting to thy power, thy wisdom, and thy care, we cheerfully commend ourselves, and those v/hom we love, to thy heavenly protection. Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord ; and by thy great mercy defend us from all the perils and dangers of the night. Hear our prayers also in behalf of mankind in general. In thee let all the nations of the earth be blessed. 3 18 FIRST WEEK. Protect and save the land in which we rlvvell, and the Church to which we belong. Bless our rulers whom thy good providence hath set over us. And may we obey them, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake; alway remembering that there is no power but of thee ; that the powers which be are ordained of thee. Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wilh of thy faithful people ; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee b*e plenteously rewarded. Look upon those who are lying on the bed of affliction ; and make thou all their bed in their sickness. Arise, O Lord God, lift up thy hand; forget not the poor. May it please thee to defend and provide for the fatherless children and widows, and all that are desolate and oppressed. May it please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord, Graciously hear us, O Christ ; graciously hear us, O Lord Christ. Hear us, O thou Spirit of the Father, and of the Son ; hear us, we pray thee. Eternal Spirit. Hear us, O most blessed and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God, this night and for evermore. Our Father, Sfc. The jjcace of God, S^c TUESDAY MORNING. A9 TUESDAY MORNING. O God, wliose mercies are renewed to us day by day, we will sing of thy power and grace every morning. Let them give thanks whom thou hast preserved. But what shall we render unto thee for all the benefits which thou liast done unto US'? Thine we arc, and thee we ought to serve; and to lovo thee with all the heart, and sotd, and mind, and strength, is our r-easonable service, and our bounden duty. We humbly desire to offer up the sacrifice of praise continually in the name of that blessed Saviour, through whom alone thou permittest us lo approach thee even with the voice of thanks- giving. Our goodness extendeth not to thee. When we have done all, we are unprofitable servants. Our highest praises can add nothing to thy glory, and are altogether unworthy of thy notice; and thou greatly humblest thyself to accept them. Help us, O Lord, daily to think on thy con- descension and grace, in regarding the services of such unworthy creatures, and in continuing thy mercies to the unthankful and the evil. Teach us to know and to feel our exceeding sinfulness in thy sight, that we may be filled with a due sense of all thy mercies. We have, indeed, greatly sinned with our fathers : we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly. But, O Lord, we beseech thee, absolve us from our offences; that, through thy bountiful goodness, we may be de- livered from the bands of those sins which, by so FIRST WEEK. our frailty, we have committed. Grant that we may truly repent of them before thee, and turn ourselves from them, that so iniquity may not be our ruin. Save us, O Lord our God, and gather not our souls with the ungodly, but set us apart for thy- self. May we strive to enter in at the strait gate. May we not be of the number of those who seek to enter in, and are not able; but of those who believe, to the saving of the soul. We would magnify the exceeding riches of thy grace, and exalt the honour of thy name, by humble trust and confidence in the Son of thy love. And we pray thee, O Lord, that thy power may be great, both in pardoning our sins, and in enabling us to bring forth the fruits of righteous- ness, which are, by Jesus Christ, to thy praise and glory. As thou hast given him to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life, give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life. Our eyes are now directed unto thee, from whom Cometh all our help. Dispose us to enter upon the various duties of this day, with tlic spirit of those whom thy mercy hath spared, and thy grace bath quickened to newness of life. Deliver us from spiritual sloth and negligence. Make us active in the discharge of all that lieth before us. Help us to press forward in the way of life, and so to run, that we may obtain the prize of our high calling. Inchne and enable us TUESDAY MORNING. 531 to abound in those good works which thou hast prepared lor us to walk in ; to wait all the days of our appointed time, till our change come ; and, by patient continuance in well-doing, to seek for glory, and honour, and immortality ; that so, by thy mercy, we may, in the end, obtain eternal life. Grant also, we pray thee, O Lord, that all who are called Christians, may thus adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour. Bless thy whole Church, and order all things for its increase and prosperity. Sanctify and cleanse it, that it may be a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it may be holy, and without blemish. Pour down thy special blessing on the imme- diate neighbourhood in which we dwell. Grant that all who profess thy holy name may truly and faithfully serve thee in their various callings and relations. Lastly, v/e pray thee to regard with thy favour this family. Look down upon us in mercy. Refresh us abundantly with the dew of thy blessing. May we be followers of thee, as dear children, walking in love, as Christ also loved us,* and gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice unto thee for a sweet smelling savour. These prayers, for ourselves and others, we humbly ofier up to the throne of grace, in the name, and through the mediation of Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Saviour. Our Father, Sfc. The peace of God, Sfc. 3* 22 FIRST WEEK. TUESDAY EVENING. Almighty and everlasting God, be pleased to c^ispose tlie hearts of thy servants to close this day with serious reflection and fervent prayer ; and grant that we may be always ready to pe.- form this reasonable service. Thy name, O Lord, endureth for ever; and so doth thy memorial, O Lord, from one genera- tion to another. Thy merciful kindness is ever more and more towards us. Thou loadest us daily with thy benefits, and givest us richly all things to enjoy. We praise thee for continuing to us our life, with all its comforts ; for blessing us in our families, in our persons, and in our friends. Help us to see thy hand, and to own tliy providence, in all our concerns; and with all thankfulness of heart, to trace up every stream of earthly comfort to the fountain of eternal love. But chiefly, we bless thee for Jesus Christ, through whom these and all thy other mercies are vouchsafed. ^ We adore thee for having delivered him up for us all, that with him also thou mightest freely give us all things. Truly thy ways are not as our ways, nor ihy thoughts as our thoughts. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are thy ways higher than our ways, and thy thoughts than our thoughts. O Lord our God, who is like unto thee, that pardonest iniquity, and passest by the transgres- sion of thine heritage; that retainest not thine anger for ever, because thou delightest in mercy? TUESDAY EVENING. 23 And since thou hast promised that all things arc ours, if we are Christ's, mercifully grant that we may be made partakers of his great salvation. Justify us freely through the redemption that is in him. Though sin hath abounded in us, let thy grace abound much more. From all evil and mischief, from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil, from thy wrath, and from everlasting damnation, good Lord, deliver us. Grant that Christ may be formed in our hearts, the hope of glory ; and that, having this blessed hope, we may purify ourselves, even as he is pure. Show unto us all things, in our hearts and lives, which are displeasing in thy sight. And may we abstain from every practice, and mortify every desire, which would cause thee to withdraw thy presence from us. Make us holy in thought, and word, and deed ; abhorring that which is evil, and cleaving to that which is good. May we be daily established in grace, and find the joy of the Lord to be our strength. As in old time, thou didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit, so may we, by the same Spirit, have a right judgment in all things, and evermore rejoice in his holy comfort. May thy good providence vouchsafe unto us rest and protection this night. Thou, Lord, art our refuge, our fortress, and our merciful God, in whom we do trust. May we abide safely under thy almighty shadow. Let thy truth and faithfulness be our shield and buckler. May no evil befall us, nor any plague come nigh our dwelling. 24 FIRST WEEK. And grant, we pray thee, Almighty Father, that thy goodness and mercy may follow us all the days of our life. Be thou our continual ruler and guide ; and teach us so to pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. With these prayers for ourselves, we offer up our earnest intercessions for our friends, relations, and neighbours, and for all our fellow-creatures. O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all suits and conditions of men, that thou wouldest bo pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially, we pray for the good estate of the Universal Church, that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed in mind, body, or estate; that it may please thee to comfort and reheve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake, in whose blessed name and words we further pray — Our Father, t^c. The peace of God., ^"c. WEDNESDAY MORNING. WEDNESDAY MORNING. Almighty and everlasting God, who art always inoro ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve, pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we arc not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, ihy Son, our Lord. We glorify thy name, that through him thou hast opened a way of access to thyself, and hast set him forth as a propitiation tlirough faith in liis blood, that all who believe may be justified from all things. We flee for refuge to lay hold of this hope set before us. Our iniquities are, indeed, gone over our heads, as a heavy burden; they are too heavy for us to bear. But, O Lord, we beseech thee, cease from thine anger. Be not wroth very sore, neitlier remember our iniquity for ever, lest, if thou make as though thou hearest not, we become like them that go down into the pit. Look not for satisfaction unto us, who have so grievously sinned against thee, and have no help in ourselves, but look unto thy beloved Son, whom, of thy tender mercy, thou didst give to iiutfer death upon the cross for our redemption ; who made there, by his one oblation of himself, once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacri- fice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world. 36 FIRST WEEK. Remember thy own most gracious declaration, that thou hast no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, but hadst rather that he turn from his evil ways and live. Remember thine exceeding great and precious promise, that whosoever cometh to thee, shall in no wise be cast out. Behold^ we come unto thee, pleading this thy gracious assurance. Spare us, therefore, good Lord; spare us for thy name's sake, nor cause thy truth and faithfulness to fail ; and grant that we, whose consciences by sin are accused, by thy merciful pardon may be absolved, through Christ our Lord. O Lord^ our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day ; defend us in the same with thy mighty power, and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger ; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our liearts to keep thy laws. Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee. Regard us in the various conditions of life. Bless us as a family. Unite our hearts to fear thy name. Make us all of one mind, the mind which is in Christ Jesus. Teach us to love one another with a pure heart fervently ; to bear each other's burdens; and so to fulfill the law of Christ. Give us grace to be faithful in our several Qccupations, and to do our duty in that state of life into which it hath pleased thee to call us. WEDNESDAY MOKNING. 27 Bless us in our social connexions and employ- ments. Let our chief companions and friends be such as fear thee. Let all our delight be in the saints that are in the earth, and in such as excell in virtue. Bless us in our necessary dealings with the world. Make us honest in all our concernSif Deliver us from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue ; and let integrity and uprightness pre- serve us. Hold thou up our goings in thy path;?, that our footsteps slip not. Enable us to walk wisely towards them that are thine enemies, and to afford them no just occasion to blaspheme. Let the very words of our mouth, and the meditations of our heart, be always acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. We humbly pray thee to pour down these blessings upon all men, particularly on our fellow Christians, and on those to whom we are more immediately related ; and whom, without ceasing, we desire to remember in our prayers. Give unto them whatever thy infinite wisdom knoweth to be necessary or profitable, both for their temporal and eternal welfare. Hear us, we beseech thee, O Father of mer- cies, in these our supplications, for them, and for ourselves. And, together with these our prayers, be pleased also to accept our hearty thanks for all thy goodness towards us; more especially for the protection and refreshment of the past night. Mercifully spare us to meet together in the evening, to renew our prayers and praises, in 28 FIRST WEEK. the name of him, through whom we now ofier them at the throne of grace, in the words which he himself hath taught us to use : — Our Father^ 6fc. The peace of God^ S^c. WEDNESDAY EVENING. O Lord, thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the worlds were made, thou art God from everlasting, and world without end. Upon thy mercy-seat in the heavens thou wait- est to be gracious; and we, thy sinful creatures, draw nigh unto thee, as unto a God in Christ, re- conciling the world unto thyself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. We trust, O Lord, to the v/ord of thy promise, that though we have sinned, we have an Advocate with thee, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours onh^, but for the sins of the whole world. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive our- selves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess? our sjns, thou art faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse usfr om all unrighteousness. We pray thee, therefore, to create and make in us new and contrite hearts ; that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretch- edness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mere}'-, perfect remission and forgiveness. Regard us no longer as children of wrath, but as dear children ; heirs of the kingdom of heaven, and joint-heirs WEDNESDAY EVENING. 29 W\\.h Christ. Satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon, that we may rejoice and be glad in thee all our days. Grant us, according to the riches of thy glory, to be strengthened with might, by thy Spirit, in the inner man. Let Christ dwell in our hearts by faith, that, being rooted and grounded in love, we may be able to comprehend, with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fulness of thee our God. Thou hast brought and defended us, O hea- venly Father, through the dangers of another day; and hast blessed us with every needful bless- ing, in our going out and coming in. But, we beseech thee, O God, of the spirits of all flesh, in whom alone we live, and move, and have our beings to touch our hearts with the solemn and aflecting truth, that we know not what shall be on the morrow. Keep us constantly mindful, that in the midst of life we are in death. Of whom may we seek for succour but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee. Give ear, O Lord, to our prayers for our fel- low-creatures. Put the ungodly in fear, that they may know themselves to be but men. Incline them seriously to think on their ways, and turn their feet unto thy testimonies. Let all those who trust in thee rejoice; because 4 30 FIRST WEEK. their redemption draweth nigh; aYid their salva- tion is nearer than when they first believed. Be gracious unto such as, in this transitory world, are suffering, either for their sins or for righteousness sake ; and sanctify their sufferings to the good of their souls. Lastly, we pray thee. Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of just men made perfect^ after they are delivered from their earthly pri- sons, to look with compassion on all whom the sorrows of death are encompassing about. We commend their souls into thy hands, as into the hands of a faithful Creator and most merciful Saviour ; humbly beseeching thee, that they may be precious in thy sight. Wash them in the blood of that spotless Lamb that was slain to take away the sins of the world, that they may be presented pure and without spot before thee. And teach us who survive, in every daily spectacle of mortality, to remember how frail and uncertain our own condition is; and so to num- ber our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Grant that neither the splendour of any thing that is great, nor the conceit of any thing that is good in us, may w^ithdraw our eyes from looking upon ourselves as sinful dust and ashes : but that we may press forward to the prize of the high calling that is before us, in faith and patience, humility and meekness, mortification, and self-denial, charity and constant perseverance unto the end; and all this for thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ's sake: to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Our Father, 4*c. The peace of God, S^e. THURSDAY MOUNiiNw, 31 THURSDAY MORNING. Almighty, everlasting Lord, the faithful and tli-j true God, who keepest thy ap}Dointed covenant, that day and night shall not fail; grant that we may be reminded, by thy unchangeableness and truth, of the covenant which we have made with thee. Thou didst graciously admit us, by baptism, into thy holy Church ; and we have frequently renewed, in thy presence, the solemn vow and promise which was made in our name. AVe have acknowleged thee to be our God, and ourselves to be thy people. We have engaged to renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vani- ties of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; to believe all the articles of the Christian faith; to keep thy holy will and com- mandments, and to walk in the same all the days of our life. But, O God, we confess that we have been un- faithful to our vows, and unmindful of that co- venant which thou, for thy part, wilt most surely keep and perform. We have forfeited, by our manifold sins, all its great and glorious privileges ; and thou mightest justh' refuse to restore us to thy favour, or any more to be entreated of by us. But thou art God, and not man. Thou, Lord, art good, ready to forgive; plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee in the name of thy beloved Son. Yea, before we call, thou art willing to answer; and, while we are yet speak- ing, thou wilt hear. Have mercy upon us, therefore, Almighty 32 FIRST WEEK. Father; and, though we are unworthy, in our- selves, to be numbered with thy children, yet, for the worthiness of thy Son, we pray thee, admit us again into thy family. Heal our backslidings, receive us graciously, forgive us freely, and let thy righteous anger be turned away. Enable us now, in thy strength, to join our- selves to thee, in a perpetual covenant, that shall never be forgotten; remembering always, that baptism doth represent unto us our profession ; which is, to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that, as he died and rose again for us, so should we, who are baptized, die to sin, and rise again unto righte- ousness ; continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living. Thou knowest, Lord, how many there are who rise up against us. We wrestle not only against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers; against the rulers of the darkness of this world ; against spiritual wickedness in high places. To whom should we flee for help, but unto thee, O thou Captain of our salvation, who hast triumphed over them openly ! There is none other that fighteth for us but only thou, O God. We beseech thee, therefore, Almighty Lord, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do, mercifully to grant, that, by thy power, we may be defended against all adversity. Grant that the old Adam may be so buried, that the new man may be raised up in us. Grant that all carnal affections may die in us; and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in us. THURSDAY MOUMNU. 'SS Grant that we may have power and strengtli to have victory, and to triunipli against the dcvil^ the world, and the flesh. Grant that we ma}' be endued with all heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded through thy mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live and govern all things, world without end. Hear our prayers, O Lord of hosts, for all mankind ; more especially for the whole state of Christ's Church militant here on earth. Bless all who have been baptized into the same faith, and are engaged in the same spiritual con- test with ourselves. Enable them to war a good warfare, to fight manfully the fight of faith, and to endure hardness, as good soldiersof Christ Jesus. Clothe them with thy whole armour, O God. Gird them with strength unto the battle ; and let all their enemies flee before them. Keep them as the apple of thine eye: hide them under the shadow of thy wings, from the ungodly that trou- ble them, and from all those that compass ihem round about to take away their souls. May it please thee to strengthen such as do stand, and to comfort and help the weak-hearted : to raise up those that fall, and finally to beat down Satan under their feet. Grant these our requests, O merciful Father, for the honour of our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ; in whose name and words we are taught thus to call upon tliee : — On?' Father, Sfc. The jJcace of Gud, c^r. 34 FIRST WEEK. THURSDAY EVENING. Great and glorious Lord God, the alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, which is, and which was, and which was to come, the Almighty, who shall not fear thee, and glorify thy name] O Lord our God, thou art the dreadful and the jealous God, against whose divine Majesty all our sins have been committed, and the fury of whose indignation we have stirred up round about us. Against thee, thee only, have we sin- ned all our days, by oftences innumerable and without excuse. By evil thoughts and idle words, by leaving undone what we ought to do, and by doing what we ought not to do, we have failed continually in our duty to thee, to our neighbour, and to our- selves. Thy law is spiritual; but we are by nature carnal, sold unto sin. We often do that which we allow not; that which we would, we do BOt ; and that which we hate, we do. Even when we would most delight in thy law, after the inner man, we feel another law in our members, war- ing against the law of our minds, and striving to bring us into captivity to the law of sin, which is in our members. We confess, most righteous Lord, that our hearts are deceitful above all thino-s, and desperately wicked, and that in our flesh dwelleth no good thing. We are unclean. Lord, we are unclean, and thou mightest justly regard us with abhorrence. But, to whom should we go but unto thee, who alone givcst medicine to heal our gickness i THURSDAY EVENING. 35 Mercifully with thy favour look upon us, for the worthiness of thy only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, tlirough whom we are directed to seek all spiri- tual blessings at thy hands. Speak the word only, and thy servants shall be healed. From all our iilthiness, and from all our pollutions, do thou cleanse us in his most precious blood. Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew right spirits within us. Grant that we may find our corruptions weakened, and the power of thy grace increased in our souls. Grant that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus may make us free from the law of sin and death ; and may deliver us from the bondage of corruption into the glo- rious liberty of thy children. Grant that this vile body, which shall soon be committed to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to life eternal, may be changed, like unto Christ's glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue even all things to himself. Have mercy, O Lord, on all who partake of our sins and infirmities. Support and comfort those who see and lament the evil of their hearts and lives ; who feel the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and cannot do the things that they would. Be not thou far from them, O Lord. Thou art their succour, haste thee to held them. Enable them to crucify the old man, and to bring into subjection the whole body of sin ; and finally, give unto them the vic- tory through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Show also to them that be in error the light of thy truth. 36 FIRST WEEK. Open the eyes of such as see not the fault and corruption of their nature. Lead those wlio think that they are rich, and increased with goods, and that they have need of nothing, to confess them- selves wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. May they learn to renounce their own righteousness, and submit to the righte- ousness of God. Bring all nations to the obedience of faith. Be gracious to thy people Israel ; and turn away the captivity of Jacob. Let the fulness of the Gentiles be brought in. Have compassion on this sinful land. Accept, O heavenly Father, our thanks for the blessings which we have already received. Day by day we will magnify thee, and every night proclaim thy faithfulness and truth. To thee, and to the multitude of thy tender mercies, we commend ourselves, and all for whom we have prayed. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us. O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. O Christ, hear us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Our Father, S^c. The peace of God, Sfc. FRIDAY MORNING. O Tiiou God of the families of Israel, and the hope of all the ends of the earth, behold witJ? FRIDAY MORNING. 37 compassion thy weak and sinful creatures, waiting for tiiy blessing at the throne of grace. Let our prayer be now made to thee in an acceptable time, in which thou mayest be found. Hear us, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is great. Turn thee unto us, in the multitude of thy tender mercies, and draw nigh unto the souls which thou hast redeemed. We do not present our supplications for our righteousness, for we are before thee in the midst of trespasses and sins, and cannot stand in thy sight because of them. But we bow the knee before thee, in the name of him whom thou thy- self hast made the Lord our righteousness ; and through him we pray thee to show us thy mercy, and to grant us thy salvation. Pass by our in- numerable transgressions, as though thou hadst not seen them. Remember us with the favour which thou bearest unto thy people, and visit us with thy salvation, that we may see the good of thy chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of thy people, and give thanks with thine inheritance. May we now go forth to the discharge of our several duties, with thy love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Enable us to feel its constraining influence in all our ways, and to show forth thy praises, who callest us out of dark- ness into marvellous light. Teach us faithfully to improve our various talents, and continually to occupy with them till thou come. Preserve us from being led away with the error of the wicked. Keep us that we fall not from our steadfastness, nor make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. May we be strong m 38 FIRST WEEK. the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and in every temptation hold fast our integrity. Dispose us, day by day, to give all diligence to add to our faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity. Grant that these, and all other heavenly dispo- sitions, may be in us, and abound, that so we may be neither idle nor unfruitful in the know- ledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Bless us in that state of life in which thy good providence hath placed us. We are troubled, O Lord, about many things, and disquiet ourselves in vain. Give us faith to cast all our care upon thee, who carest for us ; believing that thou, who hast not spared thy only Son, but hast delivered him. up for us all, wilt, with him also, freely give us all things. Prepare us for the various changes of this mortal life; and lead us, in every visitation, to see thy hand, and submit to thy will. Teach us, in whatever state we are, therewith to be content. May we know how to be abased, and how to abound; every where, and in all things, do thou instruct us both to be full, and to be hungry; both to abound, and to suffer need; and in all the ways of thy good providence to laud and magnify thy hol}'^ name. Have pity, O God of mercy, on the whole world. Extend thy compassions on every side. Bring nigh unto thee, by the blood of the cross, those who are now afar off. Regard all sorts and conditions of men. Preserve those who are rich in this world's FRIDAY EVENING. 39 gooJs, that they trust not in uncertain riches, but in thee, tlie living God; and may make to them- selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness. Grant that the poor of this world may be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which thou hast promised to them that love thee. Save and defend all the faithful in Christ Jesus. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given him, that they all may be one, as thou. Father, art in him, and he in thee; that they also may be one, even as ye are one. Comfort the afflicted; succour the tempted; strengthen the weak; instruct the ignorant; and reclaim the wandering. Lastly, we beseech thee to give unto our dear friends, and to all others for whom we wish more especially to pray, that godliness which is profit- able unto all things: having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. These mercies, for them, for us, and for all mankind, we humbly beg in the name, and through the mediation, of Jesus Christ, our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Our Father^ ^c. The peace of God, Sfc. FRIDAY EVENING. O THOU Shepherd of Israel, who neither slum- berest nor sleepest, mercifully regard us who are now assembled together to commit ourselves to thy care and keeping through this night. The darkness is no darkness with thee; but 40 FIRST WEEK. the night is as clear as the clay: the darkness anrl the light to thee are both alike. We acknowledge ourselves unworthy of thy protection. Like sheep we have gone astray, and have turned every one to his own way ; and thou mightest justly leave us to eat of the fruit thereof, and to be filled with our own devices. But we flee unto thee, thou good Shepherd, who hast given thy life for the sheep. Surely thou hast borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. Thou wast wounded for our trans- gressions, and bruised for our iniquities; and the Lord hath laid upon thee the iniquity of us all.- For thine own sake, therefore, we beseech thee to have mercy upon us. Though we have been as sheep going astray, incline us to return unto* thee, the Shepherd and the Bishop of our souls. ^¥e look up unto thee for guidance, preserva- tion, and strength. Lead us in the paths of righteousness for thy truth's sake. Keep us in the way in which we should go ; and guide us with thine eye. Give unto us eternal life, and let us never perish; neither let any one pluck us out of thy hand. Be thou. Lord, our Shepherd, and we shall want nothing. Let thy loving-kindness and mercy follow us all the days of our life. When we pass through the valley of the shadow of death, be thou still with us. Let thy rod and staff comfort and support us. And graciously receive us at the last into thy heavenly fold ; there, with th}^ people and the sheep of thy pasture, to give thee thanks for ever. O thou, who feedest thy flock like a shepherd, guide and protect thy helpless sheep, scattered FRIDAY EVENING. 41 abroad through the wilderness of this world. Mercifully guard them from those who lie in wait to deceive: and jrarticularly from that roaring lion which goeth alDout seeking whom he may de- vour. Keep them by thy mighty power; and let nothing separate them from tliy everlasting love. Gather the lambs in tliy arms, and carry them in thy bosom ; and say unto them, Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. And grant, that, as one fold under one shep- herd, they may learn of thee, who art meek and lowly in heart, to dwell together in peace and love. O thou who didst come to seek and to save that which was lost, look with an eye of pity upon those who are still as sheep going astray; espe- cially on the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Bring them home, blessed Lord, to thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites. Impart wisdom and faithfulness unto those who are appointed to watch over thy fold. Let there be none among them who are hirelings, and care not for the sheep. But raise up pastors accord- ing to thy heart, who shall seek that which is lost, and bring again that which is driven away, and bind up that which is broken, and strengthen that which is weak. May they take heed to themselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he purchased with his blood; that when thou, the Chief Shepherd, shalt appear, the}' may receive, at thy hands, a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 42 FlftST WEEK. We bless thee, O Lord, for the peace and pFOt-ection which thou affordest us in this favoured land* Truly thou makest us to lie down in green pastures, and leadest us beside the still waters. Let not our wanderings provoke thee to withdraw thy mercies from us. Do thou always set over us one, like thy servant David, who will be a nursing father to thy Church, a faithful shepherd to the Israel of God. Hear us, we beseech thee, in these our prayers and praises, which we now conlcude in the words which we have been taught to u^e at the tlirone of grace. bur Father, S^c, The peace of God, Sfc. SATURDAY MORNING. Almighty God, our heavenly Father, by whose kind providence the darkness of night is turned to the light of day, look down upon us, thy humble servants, wha are assembled together to praise thee for thy goodness, and to implore the continuance of thy fatherly protection. Surely we are bound to love and serve thee ever more and more. Thy daily mercies are daily calls to gratitude and obedience. But we must acknowledge, most gracious God, that day testifieth unto day, and night unto night, that thou art good and kind to the unthankful and the evil. Pardon, O Lord, our unworthiness of thy favours, and the coldness of our hearts in proclaiming them. We bless thee for thy patience and forbearauccj SATURDAY MORNING. 43 "in bringing us, notwithstantling our sins and in- gratitude, to tlie beginning of another day. We come before thee in the name of Jesus, the friend of sinners, and our advocate with thee. Tiirough him we hravo received all our good things; and throtigh him, we beseech thee to continue them to us, unworthy as we are, and over sliall be, of the least of them. He is worthy that thou shouldest be entreated of by us. For his sake, therefore, O Lord, hear and answer.; look down and save. And for his sake, also, bestow upon us not only the bounties of thy providence, but the richer blessings of thy grace. Without these, what good will our life do us? We shall but walk in a vain sliadow, and disquiet ourselves in vain. Preserve «ot only our frail bodies from day to day; but, above all, have compassion on our guilty souls, and cheer them with the liglit of thy countenance. Blot out, as a cloud, our transgressions, and, as the thickness of the morning cloud, our sins. Grant unto us, we beseech thee, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind. O Lord, our only Mediator and Redeemer, vHio makest intercession for the traaisgressors, maintain thou our cause at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Intercede day and night for -US, miserable sinners. Plead the efficacy of thine own most precious blood, O thou beloved of the .Father, for with thee he is always well pleased. Eternal Spirit of the Father and of the Sor, the Author and Giver of life, lead us into all truth. .Convince us of sin. Take of the things of Christ, amd show them unto us. Let thy grace distil into 44 FIRST WEEK. our hearts as the early dew, to quicken us in the way of life. O blessed and glorious Trinity, enable us to go forth in thy strength to the duties of our various callings; Put thy fear within us, that we may be kept from offending thee. Give unto us the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Make us Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile. Keep us out of the way of temptation, or support us in the time of trial. Help us to look well to our ways, and to watch over our hearts with holy jealousy. May we be utterly purposed that our mouth shall not offend, showing out of a good conversa- tion our works with meekness of wisdom. Preserve ever in our minds a lively remem- brance of that day, when the throne shall be set, and the books shall be opened, and every one of us shall give account of himself to thee. And grant, O thou Judge of men, that, in all our thoughts, words, and works, we may so learn to judge ourselves, that we be not judged of thee, in that great and terrible day. Be pleased, O God of mercy, to prepare our fellow- creatures, as well as ourselves, to stand be- fore the Son of man. We pray for all to whom thou hast committed a dispensation of thy Gospel, and the message of reconciliation. O Lord Jesus Christ, who, at thy first coming, didst send thy m^essenger to prepare thy way before thee, grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that, at thy second comins^ to judge the world, we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight. SATURDAY EVENING. 45 We pray for our fellow-men.; particularly for our neighbours, our friends, and our relations. .Grant unto them such a measure of thy grace, that they, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises; and, together with us, may be made partakers of thy heavenly -treasures. We beseech thee. Almighty God, who hast promised to hear the petitions of them that ask in thy Son's name, mercifully to incline thine ear Jimto us, who have now made our prayers and supplications unto thee; and grant, that those things which we have faithfully asked accordiiv:^ to thy will, may effectually be obtained, to tl-^ j*elief of our necessity, and to the setting forth uf .thy glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father^ Sfc, The peace of God ^ S^^c, SATURDAY EVENING. AliMighty and merciful God, who, by thy power and goodness, hast preserved us to the evening of this day, accept our thanks for all the blessings of the same: humble us before thee for all our sins; and favourably receive thy unworthy servants, for the sake of Jesus Christ. We confess, O Lord, that we have not given unto thee that tribute of gratitude and love which is most justly due unto thy name.- We have ill requited thee for all thy goodness, as a foolish people and unwise; and have not rendered back unto thee according to the benefits whic'i 'thou Aast done unto us. Though thou art our Father, 5* 46 FIRST WEEK. who hast made us, and hought us, and established us, and blessed us all our days, yet have we not regarded the wonders which thy hand hath wrought, neither have we kept thy great goodness in remembrance. We have sinned against thee, as rebellious children. We have done amiss, and dealt wickedly; and have gone on frowardly in the way of our own heart. But we are encouraged to present ourselves before thee, laden as we are with the guilt of all the sins of this week, and of our past lives; for thou art long-suffering and of great pity, forgiv- ing iniquity, and transgression, and sin. Pardon us, therefore, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy mercies. Have regard unto him who knew no sin, and was made a sin-offering for us, that we might be made thy righteousness in him. Look upon Jesus, the Son of David, the Son of thy love. Lord, remember him, and all his troubles. Remember his offering, and accept his sacrifice. Turn not away the face of thine Anointed, who, by his own blood, is entered into heaven itself, and now appeareth in thy presence for us. Hear us, we pray thee, for his sake, and for the glory of thy name. Another week of our life is closing ; and our last week will soon come. Lord, make us to know our end, and the measure of our days, that we may know how frail we are. Behold, thou hast made our days as it were a span long; and our age is even as nothing in respect of thee. Verily every man living is altogether vanity. Ma}^ j(ie time that is past suffice us to have spent in sill and forgetfulness of thee; and may we leara to redeem the time that remains. SATURDAY EVENING. 47 O merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life ; in whom whosoever believeth shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in him, shall not die eternally: we meekly beseech thee, O Father, to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness ; that, when we shall de- part this life, we may rest in thee; and, at the general resurrection in the last day, may be found an acceptable people in thy sight; and receive that blessing which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee; sa3Mng, Come, ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church Universal in the right way. Keep it, we beseech thee, continually in thy true religion ; that they who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace, may ever- more be defended by thy mighty power. Four down thy blessing on the ministers of thy Gospel. May those who are appointed to teach others, be themselves taught of thee. Qualify them, in all things, for the work to which thou hast called them: that they may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers, and to promote the edification of thy believing people. We pray thee, especially, to be gracious unto the place in which we live; to the Church of which we are members; [to thy servant who ministcreth unto us in holy things;] and to all our beloved friends and neighbours. Keep them 48 FIRST WEEK. and us, by thy mighty power, through the hours of darkness; and fit us for the sacred cniploy- jnents of thy Sabbath. And when, at the last, it shall please thee to gather us to our fathers, raise up others in our room, who shall serve thee better than ourselves; that, from generation to generation, thy name may be glorified on the eartli, till days and weeks shall be no more for ever. These things we beg for Jesus Christ's sake; who, with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Our Father ^ S^c. The peace of God, Sfc. THE END OF THE FIRST WEEIv. FAMILY PRAYERS. SBCOITD WBBX. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name ; thy kingdom come ; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven ; give us this day our daily bread ; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who 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. The Lord bless us, and keep us ! The Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us! The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us, and give us peace, both now and evermore! Amen. FAMILY PRAYKRS. SECOND WEEK, SUNDAY MORNING. Almighty Lord^ in whom we live, and move, and have our being, we adore thee as the God of our life, and the length of our days. We bless thy name for preserving us to see another day of sacred rest. We rejoice in the return of this holy Sabbath, on which the Sun of Righteousness hath risen with healing in his wings, to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. O thou God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, let not this light shine in darkness, and the darkness comprehend it not ; but let it shine into our hearts, to give us the light df the knowledge of thy glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Enlighten the eyes of our understanding, that we may know what is the hope of our calling, and what the riches of the glory of thine inherit- ance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of thy power to those who believe. We look up unto thee, O Lord, from whom all good things do come, for thy blessing on this day, which thou hast set apaU for thyself* 52 SECOND WEEK. Grant that it may be a season of refreshing from thy presence; a day of visitation and mercy to our souls. Shut out from our minds all worldly cares and thoughts ; and fill us with all holy de- sires and meditations ; that we may sanctify thee, the Lord God, in our hearts. Go with us to the courts of thy sanctuary ; and make us joyful in thy house of prayer. Prepare our minds for the good word of thy grace. Dis- pose us to receive it widi meekness, not as the word of man, but, as it is in truth, thy ingrafted word, which is able to save our souls. Help us to pray with the spirit, and with the understanding also. May we not be of the num- ber of those who draw nigh unto thee with their mouths, and honour thee with their lips, while their heart is far from thee; but make us thy true and faithful worshippers, who worship thee in spirit and in truth; such as thou seekest to glorify thee on earth, and such as thou wilt mercifully receive to glorify thee hereafter, in thy temple above, in thy house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Let a double portion of thy Spirit rest on those whom thou hast appointed to preach the Gospel of thy grace ; [especially on him who is over us in the Lord.] May they study to show them- selves approved unto thee, workmen that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, and e;iving to every one his portion in due season. Make them wise to win souls; and, having turned many unto righteousness, may they themselves shine as the brightness of the firma- ment, and as the stars, for ever and ever. Shed abroad abundantly thy heavenly grace on SUNDAY MORNING. 5J all congregations of Christians; particularly on that which shall assemble with us in the same house of prayer. Awaken the careless: bind up the broken-hearted; strengthen the weak; and build up all thy servants in their most holy faith. We pray, also, ih the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the peace of Jerusalem. Grant that there may be no divisions among us. Tteach us to speak the same thing, and to be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment ; that it may be seen that thou art in the midst of us, the Author, not of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Be likewise pleased, O God of mercy, to give thy Sabbaths as a covenant between thee and all people. Pity and convert those who have them, but improve them not to their own advantage and the honour of thy name. And grant that every return of this hallowed day may be the means of furthering thy glorj^, and the everlasting salvation of the souls of men. We beseech thee, O Lord, of thy great good- ness, to give heed unto these our prayers for ourselves and others, and hide not thyself from our supplications. And mercifully hear us, while we further call upon thee, in the name and in the words of him who hath taught and commanded us thus to pray:— Our Fatliei\ S^^c. The Lord bless us, ^c» 54 SECOND weekI SUNDAY EVENING. Almighty God, our Creator and Preserver, look down, we beseech thee, on !*\\e work of thy hands, and regard with compassion thy sinful creatures, whom thy mercy hath brought in safety to the evening of this sacred day. We appear in the presence of thy glorious Majesty, desiring to renew the tribute of prayer and thanksgiving which thou hast permitted us to offer in thy holy temple among the congrega- tion of thy people. Be thou now in the midst of us, as in the as- sembly of thy saints, hearing us and answering us, in thy tender mercies, for the sake of thy Son, Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Saviour. Most holy and merciful God, we humble our- selves before thee with shame and sorrow, for the many offences which we have most grievouslj committed against thee. Remember them not, we beseech thee, O Lord; neither take thoia vengeance of our sins; but spare us, good Lord, spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed watih thy most precious blood, and be not angry with «s for ever. Especially we entreat thy fatherly forgiveness of all which thou hast seen amiss in us this d^ay. Pardon us, good Lord, that we have not wor- shipped thee, served thee, or obeyed thee, as we ought to do. Forgive the wanderings of our minds, the coldness of our hearts, and the un- profitableness of our best services. And grant, we beseech thee, that our sins, negligences, and ignorances, may not withhold SUNDAY EVENING. 5o good things from us, nor cause the purposes of thy mercy towards us to fail. Suffer not this Sabbath to pass away without awakening in us more earnest desires after heavenly things. Let the Eternal Spirit keep alive in our hearts the holy flame which may have been kindled in the courts of thy sanctuary. May the words which we have this day heard with our outward ears, through thy grace, be so inwardly ingrafted in all our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honour and praise of thy holy name. Keep us this night by thy power and goodness. Let the angel of the covenant watch over our beds, and protect us from all danger. Give unto us, as unto thy beloved, peaceful and refreshing sleep; and grant that we may awake in the morning, strengthened, both in body and soul, for the various duties of the week. Let our prayers also come up before thee in behalf of our fellow-creatures, and fellow-chris- tians. O merciful God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor wouldest the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live, have mercy on all Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Heretics: take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word ; and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites, and be made one fold under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord. Regard with thy favour and protection every church which thou hast planted in the eartli. Return, we beseech thee, O Lord of hosts, look 56 SECOND WEEK. down from heaven, behold and visit the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch which thou hast made so strong for thy- self. And give us grace, we earnestly beseech thee, O thou God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace, seriously to lament our unhappy divisions. Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us from godly union and concord ; that as there is but one body and one spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may hence- forth be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and love, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee on earth ; and, at length, through thy mercy, join in one eternal song of praise and thanksgiving, with the blessed company of saints and angels that are continually before thy throne. Finally, we beseech thee to receive our praises for the manifold mercies which we have received from thee this day: and grant these requests for ourselves, and for all whom thou hast taught us to love as ourselves, for the honour and praise of thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, ^"c. The Lord bless us, Sfc. MONDAY MORNUVG. O God, who makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to praise thee, accept our hearty thanksgivings for the blessings of the past night. MONDAV MORNING. 57 We have lain down and slept, and are now assembled together to acknowledge that it is thou only who makest us continually to dwell in safety* Thou art the God of our life: day by day will we direct our prayer unto thee, and look up. Hear us, we beseech thee, in the multitude of thy mercies, in the truth of thy salvation, for the sake of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. The holy rest of the Sabbath is gone by, and we are now entering on the duties of our various callings in which thy providence hath placed us. Grant, Lord, that the day which is past may slied its hallowed influence on this day, and on all the days of the week. Give us grace to engage in the cares and business of life with fear and trembling, as those who know the deceit- fulness of sin, and the weakness of our mortal nature. Keep us from the evil that is in the world. Give us that faith which will enable us to over- come its various temptations, to renounce its pomps and vanities, to withstand its allurements, and to disregard its frowns. And grant that we, being regenerate and made thy children by adop- tion and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit. Grant, that having been received into the congregation of Christ's flock, and pro- fessing ourselves his disciples, we may not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner, against sin, the world, and the devil, and to continue his faithful soldiers and servants unto our lives' end. We acknowledge, O God, that, after former Sabbaths, our vows and resolutions have too often 6* 58 SECOND WEEK. been forgotten, and have passed away like the morning cloud and the early dew. Strengthen, therefore, O Lord, we beseech thee, the holy thoughts and desires which may have been pro- duced in our minds. Enable us to show our sincere gratitude to thee for thy day of rest, by causing our profiting to appear unto all men. Make us of good understanding in the ways of godliness. Subdue the workings of our evil hearts. Preserve us from pride and envy, from hatred and malice, from murmurings and disput- ings, from covetousness and dishonesty, from selfishness and idleness, from unchristian tempers and impure desires, and from all hurtful lusts that war against the soul. Pardon and correct whatever is sinful in us; strengthen what is weak; confirm what is wa- vering; supply what is wanting; and make us thoroughly furnished unto every good word and work. But without thee we can do nothing. Direct us, therefore, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help, that in all our works begun, con- tinued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name ; and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life. Sanctify, we beseech thee, the means of grace to all those who attended them yesterday. Water the seed which was sown with the dew of thy blessing ; that, being received into an honest and good heart, it may bring forth fruit abundantly. Preserve such as are more especially dear to us, from being overcharged with the cares of this life. May they show by their conduct that they MONDAY EVENING. 59 have profited by the ordinances of thy house, and have not received thy grace in vain. Pity and convert those who profess to know thee, but in works deny thee ; and dispose them, in future, to walk worthy of the vocation where- with they are called. Give thy blessing unto all whom thou hast set over the congregations of thy people ; [especially to him whom thou hast set over us.] Strengthen their hands, and comfort their hearts. Keep them steadfast in the faith of Christ, and zealous in the cause of thee, their God : and may they, and we, and all their people, be accepted of thee at the last, through the full, perfect, and suflTicient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction of the same Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Redeemer. Our Father, Sfc. Tht Lord bless us, S^c. MONDAY EVENING. Most merciful God and Father, who hast safely preserved us through another day, and loaded us with thy benefits, we are assembled together to acknowledge thy over-ruling providence, which ordereth all things in heaven and earth; which appointeth the moon for certain seasons, and the sun to know his going down. Accept our united and hearty thanks for still holding our souls in life, and for turning away from us this day all those evils which we have most justly deserved. We confess that we have forfeited, by our manifold transgressions, every claim to thy fatherly protection in the present 60 SECOND WEEK. life, and have rendered ourselves altogether un- worthy of the blessings of the life that is to come. But, notwithstanding our guilt and unworthi- ness, we would still look up to thee in the name of that Mediator, through whose all-prevailing merits we may yet have boldness to come into thy presence, and to ask for every thing that is necessary, as well for the body as the soul. Though thou hearest not sinners for their own sake, yet him thou hearest always; and wilt favourably hear, for his sake, those who are un- worthy to be heard for their own. Now, therefore, O Lord our God, hearken to the prayers of thy humble servants. Mercifully regard us, while we draw nigh by that new and living way which is consecrated for us through his blood, not presenting ourselves before thee for our righteousness, but for thy manifold and great mercies in Christ Jesus. Enter not into judgment with thy servants for having so little profited by the many privileges of thy Sabbath, and for not having manifested more of the power of thy ordinances in the duties of the past day. Have mercy upon us, O God, have mercy upon us, according to thy loving- kindness; according to the multitude of thy ten- der mercies, blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly from our iniquity, and cleanse us from all our sin. Pardon our want of love to thee, and our un- due love of this present world. Truly our soul too much cleaveth to the dust. Quicken thou us, O Lord, according to thy word, and let the love of thee only rule and direct our hearts. Forgive, also, our many oflences against our MONDAY EVENING. 61 neighbour; and help us in future to do unto others as we would they should do unto us. O Lord, who hast taught us that all our doings, without charity, are nothing worth, send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gilt of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues; without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Let not the sun ever go down or rise upon our wrath, but give us more of that spirit which thinketh no evil, which beareth all things, be- iicveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, and disposeth us to cover a multitude of sins. Blot out, likewise, the offences which we daily commit against thee and against each other, as members of the same household : and do thou, O God of peace, deliver us from every practice which may prevent our dwelling together as brethren, and as heirs together of the grace of life. Enable us to watch over our hearts, that we be not easily provoked, except unto love and to good works. Remove wickedness utterly out of our dwelling, and from among us. Give us grace to come before thee with clean hands and a pure heart ; and let no secret or open abominations prevent our prayers from being accepted by thee. And now, O Lord, before we lie down and take our rest, suffer us to commend, not only ourselves, but all others, to thy covenanted mer- cies in Christ Jesus. Look in compassion on a fallen world. Turn sinners from the error of their ways. 62 SECOND WEEK. Look, also, upon thy Church and people. Pardon and heal our many divisions ; and teach Christians to love one another, even as they are loved of thee. Comfort all who mourn, particularly those who mourn for sin. Give unto them everlasting con- solation, and good hope through grace. Shed abundantly thy blessing on those among whom we dwell, and with whom we are more nearly connected. Take us and them under thy fatherly protection ; and bless and keep us this night and for evermore, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, 4*^. The Lord bless us, ^c. TUESDAY MORNING. O God, who causest the light to shine out of darkness, and renewest the face of the earth which thou hast made for man, the heavens de- clare thy glory, and the firmament showeth thy handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night teacheth the knovrledge of thy power, thy wisdom, and thy love. Thou, O Lord, art gracious; thy mercy is everlasting, and thy truth endureth from genera- tion to generation. We worship, and fall down, and kneel before thee ; for thou art the Lord our God; and we are the people of thy pasture, and the sheep of thy hand. Hear us, while we come into thy presence with thanksgiving, and with il^e voice of supplication; for we come in the TUESDAY MOUNIXG. 63 name of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, our Me- diator and Redeemer. We praise tliee, O Father Almighty, for the many and undeserved comforts which thou hast provided for us in this mortal life. But, chiefly, we laud and magnify thy name for the prospect of that better world which thou liast revealed to us, where the sun doth not shine for a light by day, nor the moon and stars for a light by night; but thou thyself art the light thereof, and the glory of the Lamb doth shine upon it. Prepare us, O Lord, for that world of honour and immortality. Teach us ever to remember, that it is a world wherein dwelleth righteousness, and into which nothing can in any wise enter that defileth. Create in us those heavenly desires and dis- positions, which will fit us for the society and enjoyments of thy holy angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. Put away from us all anger, wrath, mah'ce. pride, envy, uncleanness, inordinate affection, and evil concupiscence, which is idolatry. Clothe us with meekness, gentleness, humility, charity, kindness, purity. Grant that, as obedient chil- dren, we may not fashion ourselves according to the former lusts in our ignorance; but as thou who hast called us art holy, so may we be holy in all manner of conversation and godliness. We are greatly ashamed, O Lord, that we have not been more diligent in seeking our heavenly inheritance, and have made no better progress in the ways of godliness. We look up unto thee this morning for thy 64 SECOND WEEK. pardoning mercy and thy sanctifying grace. As thou hast raised our bodies from sleep, so raise our souls from their spiritual slumbers. Dispose us more earnestly to seek thy kingdom and righteousness. Stir us up to the great work that lieth before us, and quicken us daily in the way of thy commandments. Let not the pomps and vanities of this world draw us aside, and iDeguile us into lukewarmness of spirit. But make us sober and vigilant against all the enemies of our salvation ; es}>eciallj against our adversary, the devil. Enable us to resist him steadfast in the faith, nor ever suffer him to get advantage over us. Grant that we may become very members incorporate with the mystical body of Christ, which is the blessed company of all faithful people, and be made heirs through hope of thy everlasting kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death and passion of thy dear Son. And we most humbly beseecli thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us, from time to time, by thy grace, that we may continue in that holy fellow- ship, and do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in ; till, at length, we are joined to the general assembly of the faitliful, and behold thy face in righteousness. Bestow these blessings, we humbly beseecJ? thee, on all who partake of our common nature- Teach thy ways unto the wicked, and lead them to consider that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Bless thy faithful people, and make them daily more meet for the inheritance of the saints in lidit. TUESDAY EVENING. 65 Remember those who are in any kind of trouble. Make tlieni thereby partakers of thy holiness; and comfort their hearts with the sure and certain hope of that blessed world, in which thou wilt wipe away all tears from their eyes: where there shall be no more death, neither sor- row nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things shall have passed away; where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest. Fulfil now, O Lord, these our petitions, for the honour and glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. . Our Father^ Sfc, The Lord bless us, ^^c. TUESDAY EVENING. O God, who art nigh unto such as call upon thee, yea, all such as call upon thee faithfully ; we beseech thee favourably to receive the prayers of thy humble servants; that we, who justly de- serve to be punished for our offences, may be mercifully delivered by thy goodness, for the glory of thy name. Look down upon us, O Lord, in thy wonted compassion ; not in thy anger, lest thou bring us to nothing. We trust entirely to thy promises made to us in the Gospel of thy beloved Son. We depend alone on the loving-kindness of God our Saviour. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to thy mercy, do we hope to be saved, by the washing of re- generation, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; 7 66 SECOND WEEK. wliich we pray tlice to shed upon us abundantly^ through Jesus Clirist. Grant that, being justified by his gra«e, we may be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. And, as thou hast appointed us to obtain sal- vation through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, grant that our hearts may become the temples of the Holy Ghost, and that we may never defde them by having pleasure in un- righteousness. Teach us, day by day, to search and examine our consciences, (and that not lightl}^, and after the manner of dissemblers with thee;) yea, do thou, O Lord, who searchest the heart and triest vhe reins of the children of men, so prove and try us, that we may see whether there be any way of wickedness in us, and may be led in the way everlasting. We feel our proneness to turn aside continu- ally from the path of righteousness. We are wavering and unstable in all our ways, and our own strength is perfect weakness. Do thou, therefore, place underneath us thy everlasting arms, that in thy strength we may be strong. For as much as without thee we are not able to please thee, let thy Holy Spirit, in all things, direct and rule our hearts. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to receive the tribute of our thanks for the many and great mercies which thou hast hitherto poured out upon us ; especially for bringing life and immortality to light by the Gospel. We desire, above all things, to give thee most humble and hearty thanks for the redemption of the world by the death and passion ©four Saviour Christ, both God and man; who TUESDAY LVExMNG u7 liid humble liimself, even to the death of the cross, for us miserable sinners, who lay in dark- ness and the shadow of death, that he might make us the children of God, and exalt us unto everlasting life. May we always remember the exceeding great love of our Master and only 8aviour Jesus Christ, thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which, by his precious blood-shedding, he hath obtained to us. And may we give unto thee, as we are most bounden, continual thanks; submitting ourselves wholly to thy holy will and pleasure, and studying to serve thee, in true holiness and righteousness, all the daj-'s of our life. Mercifully hear us, in behalf of those for whom thou hast commanded us to pray. Let thy blessing rest upon thy people whom thou hast set apart for thyself. And if their names are cast out as evil, and they are re- proached for righteousness' sake, save them from those that persecute them, and deliver them. Hide them privily by thine own presence from the provoking of all men; keep them se- cretly in thy tabernacle from the strife of tongues. And let the lying lips be put to silence, which cruelly, disdainfuUv, and despitefully speak against the righteous. Remember thy mercy and truth towards the house of Israel ; and let all the ends of the world see thy salvation. Regard with compassion our favoured land ; and let not our many offences provoke thee to depart from us. Most heartily wo beseech thee with thy favour lo behold our rulers; and so replenish them with 68 SECOND WEEK. the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that they may alway incline to thy will, and walk in thy ways. Be gracious unto all men ; especially to our neighbours, friends, and kindred. Bless them in their persons, in their families, and in their substance. Above all, bless them in their souls; and grant them thy peace all the days of their life. O Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we to whom thou hast given a hearty desire to pray, may, by thy mighty aid, be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities, this night and for evermore, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, i^-c. The Lord bless us, ^^c. WEDNESDAY MORNING. O God, who givest to all men liberally, and upbraidest not, we, thy sinful and helpless crea- tures, draw nigh unto thee, humbly relying on thy grace and mercy in Christ Jesus. Thou hast taught us to believe, that, guilty and weak as we are in ourselves, in thee, the Lord Jehovah, we may have everlasting righteousness and strength. We bless thee for having found out a way of salvation for us, miserable sinners. We praise thee for adding to the number of our days, and for giving us fresh opportunities of imploring thy fatherly forgiveness. And we be- seech thee to grant that we may duly improve them. Teach us to consider this life as the onl}' sea- WEDNESDAY MORNING. 69 son of preparation for another. Suffer us not to waste it in unprofitableness and vanity, and gra- ciously continue it to us, till the work is finished which thou hast given us to do. Take away from us the spirit of slumber, and quicken us to greater diligence and activity. For as much as the night is far spent, and the day is at hand, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and to put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in wliich thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humi- lity; that, in the last day, when he shall conifi again, in his glorious Majesty, to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal. Make us to count all things but loss for tiit excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. And dispose us gladly to suffer the loss o-f all things, that we may win Christ, and be found in him, not having our own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, if by any means v/e may attain to the resurrection of the just. O Lord, raise uf), we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wicked- ness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us, through the satisfaction of thy Son, cur Lord. Enable us, from day to day, to forget the things that are behind, and to reach forth to those that are before, that so we may press toward the mark, for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus. 70 SECOND WEEK. Defend us, O Lord, from day to day, with thy heavenly grace, that we may continue thine for ever, and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and more, until we come unto thy everlasting kingdom. Strengthen us in every conflict with the ene- mies of our souls, and comfort our hearts with tlie full assurance of hope that they shall not finally prevail against us. Grant that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, may be able to separate us from thy love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Bless all who are travelling with us in the way of life. Direct their steps in all things, and make their paths as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Establish their hearts unblameable before thee in holiness, till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. Pitifu'ly behold the " -.fli-ows of those who are walking in darkness, and have no light. Bring them by a way that they know not; lead them in paths that they -^fe not 'known; make dark- ness light bpfor.r ,;]ienris.3nc ^-ccooked things straight. :'J'l»<>se hings daVL^^^^o? and do not forsake thcM. ^ •,i\'\'T[ Quicken, in the path ofrightfeottsrtf^ss, all such as are turning aside from it, andupbs .d them by thy free Spirh. • ; - v We pray thee, furthe*-, in behalf of those who are going forward in the broad road of destruc- tion. Turn their feet into the narrow way that WEDNESDAY EVENING. 71 Icadeth to eternal life, and give them grace to continue in the same. We beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty to be our defence against all our enemies, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father^ S^c. Tlie Lord bless us, ^c. WEDNESDAY EVENING. Great and glorious Lord God, whose eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good, help us to worship and serve thee acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. Thou art here and every where present, and knowest all things- Thou art about our path, and about our bed, and spiest out all our ways; and there is not a word of our mouth, or a thought and intent of our hearts, but thou, O God, knowest it altoget... . If we "say, liperad- venture the darkness shall cover us, then shall our night be turned into day. Our sins are all naked an oen unto thee, the sins of which our jwn hear^. >ndemn us ; and the sins wl " . 'v^^7»Efy have fr '-rot* n, ' at which tliou, who art greater tlian our heavts, and knowest all things, sf-est t)iat We have committed against thee. We :amiot deny or justify our transgres- sions, tlic^ are so ji. '^y and so great; and we might well tremble thro-gh fear of them, and be afraid to lift up our eyes to the throne of thy glory. 72 SECOND WEEK. But though we are thus guihy and evil in thy sight, yet, O Lord, we beseech tliee, have mercy upon us. We are sorry and ashamed ior all our misdoings, and bewail the exceeding sinfulness of our sins. For the sake of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Saviour, forgive us alj that is past. We plead the prevailing name of him who loved us, and gave himself for us, that all who believe in him might not perish, but have everlasting life. And we pray thee to keep us from adding to all our other sins the more heinous guilt of neglecting his great salvation. Let us not thus crucify thy beloved Son afresh, and put him to open shame; but grant that we may trust in his iiame, and receive him into our hearts by faith. Enable us to build on that foundation which thou hast laid in Zion, and to remember that other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. May we regard him as our Prophet, Priest, and King, by hearkening to his instructions, submitting to his righteous- ness, and obeying his commands. As he was manifested to take away our sins, lo make us thy children, and heirs of everlasting life; grant that, having this hope, we may puriiy ourselves, even as he is pure; that, when he shall appear again, with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom. O thou Redeemer of our souls, thou merciful High Priest of our profession, who art always touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and wast, in all points, tempted like as we are, yet without sin, suffer us not to be tempted above WEDNESDAY EVENING. 73 that we arc a])Ie; but, in every temptation, make a way for us to escape. Thou art the vine, and we arc the branches. Thou art the head, and we are the members; and without thee we can do nothing. Thou knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that, by reason of the frailty of our nature, we cannot always stand upright. Grant us, therefore, such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations. Defend us, O God, our preserver, through the night season. When we lie down on our beds, may we commune with our own hearts, and think of all thy goodness towards us. And may we awake in the morning, filled with a due sense of thy mercies, and with sincere purposes of living to thy glory. Vouchsafe these and all other spiritual mercies to the whole race of mankind. Put thy fear in the hearts of those who have no fear of thee before their eyes. May they tremble at the thought, that thou, O God, seest them, and wilt render unto every one according to his deeds. Keep thy household, the Church, in continual godliness; that, through thy protection, it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve thee, in good works, to the glory of thy name. Bless all Christian families, especially those of our relations and friends. Grant that husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters, may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and may live according to thy laws to their lives' end. 74 SECOND WEEK. O God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless them severally, as they stand in need ; and grant them, together with us, to in- herit thy everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father^ S^c. The Lord bless us, «^*c. THURSDAY MORNING. O God, thou art our God; early will we seek thee. The desire of our souls is to thee, and to the remembrance of thy name. We draw nigh unto thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, tliat true and living way, by which thou hast-^eclared that sinners may have access unto thee. For his sake, therefore, hear us, O God of our salvation ; for his sake, look down upon us, and hearken unto our prayer. We are encouraged, by thy exceeding great and precious promises, to pour out our hearts be- fore thee this morning. The Scripture moveth us in sundry places, to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before thy face, but confess them with a humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart, to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by thine infinite goodness and merc3% And although we ought, at all times, humbly to acknowledge our sins before thee, yet ought we most chiefly so to do, now we are assembled and met together, to render tlianks for the great benefits which we have received at thy hands, to set forth thy most THURSDAY MORNING. 75 worthy praise, to hear thy most holy word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul. And we beseech thee, that as many as are here pre- sent may approach, with a humble and penitent heart, unto the throne of thy heavenly grace. AVe have grievously sinned against thee in thought, and vv^ord, and deed. We bewail the fault and corruption of our nature, whereby we are very far gone from original righteousness, and are inclined only to evil continually. We bewail the actual transgressions of our lives, whereby we have broken thy holy law, and provoked thy wrath and indignation against us. But remember us, we beseech thee, in our low estate, for thy mercy endureth for ever. We plead in our behalf the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus. We fall down at the foot of his cross, and implore forgiveness through him alone. Justify us freely by his blood. Make us partakers of that righteousness which is by faith of Jesus Christ, the free gift of many offences unto justification. But preserve us, O Lord, from a dead faith. Not only forgive us our sins, but cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Keep it in our hearts to live, this day, as those who have been redeemed by thy merc3^ Turn us from the practice and love of all sin, to the practice and love of righte- ousness. Make us more obedient to thy word, more conformed to thy image, and more devoted to thy glory. Make us such as thou wouldest have us to be, in all holy conversation and god- liness, that we may stand perfect and complete In all thy will, O God. 76 SECOx\D WEEK. May we love thee with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength ; and also faithfully perform our duty to ourselves and to our fellow-creatures. Give us grace to love our neighbours as ourselves, and to do unto all men as we would they should do unto us ; to hurt nobody by word or deed ; to be true and just in all our dealings ; to bear no malice nor hatred in our hearts ; to keep our tongues from evil speaking, lying, and slandering; to keep our bodies in temperance, soberness, and chastity ; not to covet nor desire other men's goods ; but to learn and labour truly, to get our own Uving, and to do our duty in that state of life unto which it hath pleased thee to call us. And while we are dihgently employed in our several stations, deliver us from all sinful anxiety about the affairs of this present life. May we be careful for nothing; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make our requests known unto thee. And may thy peace, which passeth all understanding, continually keep our hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus. Be pleased, O Lord, to accept our thanks for all the bounties of thy providence and grace. Blessed be thy name for the sleep and refresh- ment for the past night, for the health with which we are favoured, and for all our personal and domestic comforts. But, chiefly, we adore thee for Jesus Christ, and for the hope of eternal salvation through him. Thanks be unto thee for thy unspeakable gift. Unto thee, who hast done, and art yet able to do for us, exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, unto thee be everlasting glory THURSDAY EVENING. HI by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world with- out end. Hear us, O heavenly Father, in those our prayers and thanksgivings, which we desire to conclude with fervent supplications for our fellow-creatures, and more especially for all our fellow-christians, through Jesus Christ our Lord ; in whose name and words we have been taught thus to sum up our own wants, and the wants of all mankind. Our Father, S^^c. The Lord bless W5, ^^c. THURSDAY EVENING. O THOU high and lofty One, that inhabitest eternity, whose name is holy, who dwellest in the high and holy place, we humble ourselves before thy glorious Majesty. Thou, even thou, art greatly to be feared; and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry? Teach us, at all times, to tremble at that wrath which thou hast revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteous- ness of men. Let not our portion be with the wicked, in that place where is weeping, and wailing, and gnash- ing of teeth. We do, indeed, justly deserve thy wrath and indignation ; and, if thou shouldest deal with us according to our iniquities, we could have no hope of escaping the severity of thy righteous judgment. But, blessed be thy name for the hope set before us in the Gospel ; for the gift of him who died for our sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us unto thee. 8 78 SECOND WEEK. Grant that, being justified by his bloou,^ wc may be saved from wrath through him. Give unto us true repentance towards thee, and liveh' feith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. We feel that we have no power to turn and prepare our own hearts to repentance, and calHng upon thee, except through thy grace preventing us, that we may have a good will, and wwking with us, when we have it. Turn thou us, therefore, O Lord, and so we shall be turned. Be favourable, O Lord, be favourable to thy people, who turn unto thee ; for thou art a God full of compassion, long-suffering, and of great pity. Thou sparest when we deserve Dunishment; and, in thy wrath, thou thinkest upon mercy. Spare thy people, good Lord, spare them; and let not thy heritage be brought to con- fusion. Hear us, O God, for thy mercy is great; and, after the multitude of thy mercies, look upon as, and blot out our offences. Deliver us, we beseech thee, O heavenly Father, not only from the wrath to come, but also from all the evils of this present life. Under the shadow of thy wing may we find shelter, till every calamity be overpast. Grant, if it be agreeable to thy will, that the voice of joy and health may be heard in our habitation ; and that no plague may come nigh us, or our dwelling. Or, shouldest thou think fit to correct us, may we find that it is good for us to be afflicted; and that thou, of very faithfulness, hast caused us to be in trouble. For thou, Lord, art good; a strong hold in the day of trouble; and thou knowest them that trust in thee. Rspecially preserve us, this night, from the THURSDAY EVENING. 70 perils of darkness. Guard us from the assaults of ungodly men, from the approach of evil spirits, and from the wicked imaginations cf our own hearts. Bless us in our lying down; and refresh our bodies with sleep. Bless us in our rising up ; and prepare us for the duties of another day, if we are permitted to see one. Grant that we may lie down on our beds with a good hope, through grace, that if our eyes should be closed this night in the sleep of death, we may rest in Jesus, and awake, at last, to a joyful resurrection. May it please thee to grant these and all other blessings unto our fellow-creatures. Be merciful unto all the nations of the earth. Make them nations fearing thee and working righteousness: and pour down upon them the spirit of unity and concord. Be especially merciful unto our own land. We beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon the Church, that it being enlightened by the doctrine of thy blessed word, may so walk in the light of thy truth, that it may at kngth attain to the light of everlasting life. Endue thy ministers with righteousness, and make thy chosen people joyful. Preserve the rich and prosperous from forget- ting thee, and make them partakers of thy heavenly treasures. Incline their hearts unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness. In all lime of their prosperity, good Lord, deliver them. Have mercy on the poor and afflicted, and be a very present help to them in their distress. In all time of their tribulation, good Lord, deliver ^hem. Be gracious uate thy dying servants: in tiie 80 SECOND WEEK. hour of death, and in the day of judgment, good Lord, deliver them. Both now and ever vouchsafe to us, for the sake of him who died for us, and rose again, and liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Our Father, Sfc. The Lord bless 7is, S^^c. FRIDAY MORNING. O God, our Creator, our Preserver, and our Re- deemer, our Refuge and Portion in the land of the living, our Light in darkness, our Life in death, hear us, we beseech thee, while we pour out before thee the voice of praise and thanksgiving. Thy word formed us out of the dust of the earth ; and thy Spirit breathed into our nostrils the breath of life, and we became living souls. Thou, O Lord, art our Father; and we are all the work of thy hand. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, O God, our Creator. In thee we still live, and move, and have our being. By thee we have been upholden ever since we were born. Thou hast protected us during the past night, and hast brought us to meet together in health and peace, the living menu- ments of thy sparing mercy and providential care. Thou dost graciously uphold us in being, O God, our Preserver. But thou hast done for us greater things than these, which call for our gratitude and praise. Thou hast sent thy only Son into the world to redeem us from sin and everlasting death. FRIDAY MOUMN«. 81 How great is thy goodness wliich thou hiist hiid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast pre- pared for them that trust in thee ! With thy own arm thou hast wrought out salvation for us, O God, our Redeemer. Our souls bless thee, O Lord ; and all that is within us doth bless thy holy name. Our souls bless thee, O Lord, and forget not all thy benefits:; who forgivest all our sins, and heaJest all our in- firmities ; who savest our life from destruction, and crownest us with loving-kindness and tender mercies. We will bless thee at all times. Thy praise shall be ever in our mouths. We will magnify thee with the voice of thanksgiving, and exalt thy name together^ But thou requirest us to glorify thee, not only with our lips, but in our lives. Help us thus to glorify thee this day. Put thy fear wiihin us, that we may not depart from thee. Make us to go in the path of thy commandments ; for tlierein is our desire. Give us understanding, that v.'<5 may keep thy law ; yea, that we may keep it with our whole heart. O that our ways were made so direct, that we might keep thy statutes always! May we hear a word behind us, saying. This is the way, walk ye in it, when we are inclined to turn aside, to the right hand, or to the left. Give us wisdom and grace to honour thee by uprightness and fidelity in all our ways. Preserve us from unchristian tempers and pursuits; from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the })ride of life. May we exercise ourselves to have always a conscience void of offence towards thee, and towards men. Teach us not to seek our happiiiess in the 8* 82 SECOND WEEK. things of tills vain world: but do liiou, O God, irom 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 com- mandments; and also, that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness. O God and Father of us, and of all mankind, mercifully regard the whole human race, whom the same hand hath formed with ourselves, the same providence preserves, and the same mercy hath redeemed. Look in compassion upon this our land-. Save and defend our rulers. Endue them plenteously with heavenly gifts; grant them, in health and prosperity, long to live; and that, finally, after this life, they may attain everlasting joy and felicity, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Bless the Congress of these United States. Direct and prosper all their consultations to the advancement of thy glory, the good of thy Church, the safetj', honour, and welfare of thy people; that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours, upon the best and surest founda- tions; that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all generations. May it please thee, also, to bless and keep dll civil magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth. Lastly, may it please thee to bless them that fear thee, both small and great, through Jesus Christ our Lord ; in whose name and words we pray: — Our Father, ^-c. The Lord bless us, ^c. FRIDAY EVENING. 83 FRIDAY EVENING. Almighty God, whose ears are ever open to the petitions of thy humble servants, and Avho hast promised, that whatsoever we ask of thee in prayer, believing, we shall receive, mercifully with thy favour look upon us. How great is thy goodness in permitting us to approach thy throne ! and how great is our abuse of it! Thou hast commanded us to pray without ceasing; and it is meet and right for us so to do. But we often account thy commandment griev- ous, and are unwilling to seek thy face. When we appear in thy presence, how little are our hearts aftected with the sense of thy majesty and glory, as though we thought thee altogether such a one as ourselves, and expected to be heard for our words only ! And even in our best estate, how small a measure do we feel of holy fervour, and earnest waiting upon thee ! We humble ourselves for our want of reverence and godly fear in drawing nigh unto thee. We confess and bewail the iniquity that cleaveth to our daily devotions. We are unprofitable ser- vants ; and all our services are nothing worth. But, we pray thee graciously to accept them, through the intercession of thy dear Son, whom thou hast appointed to offer the prayers of thy people. Grant that our supplications and thanks- givings may be sprinkled with his most precious blood, which cleanseth from all sin, and so may come up as a memorial before ihee, the odour of 84 SECOND WEEK.. a sweet smell, acceptable, and well pleasing in thy sight. Pour down upon us a more abundant measure of grace and supplication ; that we may hereafter approach thee with the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous, which availeth much; and so may worship thee in spirit and in truth. We confess also, O Lord, all our other offences, which we daily commit against thee. But thou knowest them : for they are not hid from thee. We are confounded and ashamed to lift up our faces before thee : for our iniquities are increased over our heads, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Remember not against us the oflences of our youth, nor our later transgressions ; but, accord- ing to thy mercy, remember thou us, for thy good- ness' sake, O Lord. We humbly beseech thee, O Father Almighty, to look upon our infirmities ; and, for the glory of thy name, turn from us all those evils that we have most righteously 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 glor3\ O thou who declarest thyself to be no respecter of persons, but freely acceptest all, in every nation, who fear thee, and work righteousness, pitifully behold the nations that have not known thee, and that call not upon thy name. Make them thy people who are not thy people ; and them beloved which are not beloved. But, for as much as they cannot call on him in whom they have not believed, nor believe in FRIDAY EVENING. 85 him of whom they have not heard, nor hear with- out a preacher, and none can preach except they be sent, we pray thee, O thou Lord of the harvest, to send forth labourers into the harvest. Shed abundantly thy blessing on all the means which are employed for bringing the Heathen to the knowledge of the truth. Especiall}' strengthen the hands of those in this land who are labouring to spread abroad the ever- lasting Gospel of thy Son. May they prosper and increase with the increase of thee, their God. Raise up among us able men, full of the Holy Ghost, of faith, and of wisdom, whom thou mayest appoint as the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. Fill them with tender com- passion for the souls of men, and with fervent zeal for thy glory ; that, following the example of thy Apostles and Evangelists, and being dead to all earthly things, they may burn with desire to make known among the Gentiles the unsearch- able riches of Christ. Let them not count their lives dear to them, so that they may finish their course with joy, and the ministry they have re- ceived of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of thy grace. And grant, O Lord, that thy salvation may run and be glorified, till the sound thereof is gone into all the earth, and its words unto the ends of the world ; till the fulness of the Gentiles be brought in, and all Israel be saved ; till Jew and Gentile, Greek and Barbarian, bond and free, become one fold under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, Sfc. The Lord bless us^ Sfc* 86 SECOND WEEK. SATURDAY MORNING. Almighty God, whose mercy is everlasting, and whose Irutli endureth from generation to genera- tion, favourably with mercy hear our prayers. Thou art willing to be entreated of by those who approach thee with a lowly and contrite spirit, and wilt fulfil the desires of them that seek thee. We bless thee, O Lord, for commending thy love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us : and we pray thee to make us to know, and to feel, that there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we may be saved, but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Dispose us, day by day, to flee unto him, as our only refuge from the storm of thy anger. May he be always to us as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. And as, of thy great mercy, thou didst save Noah and his family in the ark from perishing by water, and didst safely lead the children of Israel, thy people, through the Red Sea, so we beseech thee, for thine infinite mercies, to look upon us; that we, being delivered from thy wrath, and received into the ark of Christ's Church, and being steadfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass tho waves of this troublesome world, that, finally, we may come to the land of everlasting life, tliere to reign whh thee, world without end. SATURDAY MORNING. 87 Grant unto us, O Lord, all needful strength for the duties of this day. Out of the fulness which is in Christ Jesus, supply every want both of body and of soul. With thy mighty hand and stretched- out arm save and protect us from all evil. Show us thy ways, and teach us thy paths; and may they be to us ways of pleasantness and paths of peace. Remove the carnal mind, which is enmity against thee ; and give us the mind which was in Christ Jesus. Strengthen us by thy Holy Spirit, to mortify the deeds of the body, and to preserve our mind and conscience undefiled. Suffer us not to be conformed unto this world ; but transform us by the renewing of our minds, that we may know what is thy good, and accept- able, and perfect will. Preserve us from putting a stumbling-block, or an occasion of falling, in our brother's way. And grant that every one of us may strive to please his neighbour, for his good to edification, even as Christ pleased not himself; and may learn not to seek our own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. Above all, give us sincerity of heart before thee. Keep us from the hypocrisy of those who desire to appear righteous before men, but whose inward parts are full of wickedness. O thou who knowest our weakness, and art able to make all grace abound towards us, grant that we, having all sufiiciency in all things, may abound in every good work ; and, building up ourselves in our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, and watching thereunto with aM perseverance, may be kept continually in thy 88 SECOND WEEK. love, daily looking for the mercy in our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. But thou hast taught us, O Lord, to pray for others as well as for ourselves. Be pleased, therefore, to hear our intercessions for them. Let thine eye be upon such as fear thee, and hope in thy mercy : and to those who order their conversation aright, do thou show thy salvation, O God. Look on them who are in heaviness through manifold temptations. What time they are afraid, let them put their trust in thee. And may it please thee, O Lord, who hast thyself suffered, laeing tempted, to succour them also that are tempted. Have mercy, likewise, O heavenly Father, upon those who have hitherto trodden under foot thy beloved Son, and have counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and are doing despite to the Spirit of grace. Have compassion also on those who have fallen away from their steadfastness, and are sinning wilfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth ; and are in danger of being given over to a reprobate mind. Renew them again unto repentance ; for with thee all things are possible. And grant that they may not again crucify thy dear Son, and put him to open shame ; but, remembering from whence they are fallen, may be zealous and repent, and do their first works; and, hereafter, have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy name, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Our Father, Sfc. The Lord bless 2/5, ^^c. SATURDAY EVENING. 89 SATURDAY EVENING. IIoLY, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness 1 The heavens are not pure in thy sight ; and thou chargest thy angels with folly. How then shall we come into thy presence, who are a seed of evil-doers, transgressors from the womb, shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin 1 Our transgressions are muhiplied before thee, and testify against us. We humble ourselves in thy sight for all our iniquities, and particularly for those which we have committed during the past week. We are sorry and ashamed that we have had thy glory so httle before our eyes. We have sinned against thee, our neighbour, and ourselves. By leaving undone what thou hast commanded, and by doing that which thou hast forbidden, we have broken thy law, in thought, and word, and deed. If thou. Lord, art extreme to mark what we have done amiss, O Lord, who may abide 1 Lay not, we pray thee, our sins to our charge, but wash them away in the fountain which thou hast opened for sin and for uncleanness. O God, the Father of heaven, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners. O God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners. O God, the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, have mercy upon us, miser- able sinners. O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners. 9 90 SECOND WEEK. And while we pray thee to pardon the sins which we have most grievously committed against thy divine Majesty, be pleased, O thou God of holiness, to give us grace and strength to subdue; them. Righteous Father, renew us after thy like- ness, in righteousness and true holiness. Make us holy, as thou art holy; and pure, as thou art pure. O God, make clean our hearts within us, and take not thy Holy Spirit from us. And, seeing that life is short and uncertain, and that every week brings us nearer to the end of all things, enable us to lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us ; and to run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. O thou who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men, grant unto us that we may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise ; that so among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found. Keep us, we beseech thee, this night, under the protection of thy good providence. Prepare us, both in body and soul, for the holy duties of the approaching Sabbath. Grant that, as thou didst rest on the seventh day, after the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the hosts of them, and didst sanctify and bless it, so we may rest from the work of our hands, and from all our earthly cares, to keep the Sabbath of thee our God, both in thy house of prayer, and also in our dwelling. Almighty and everlasting God, send down upon SATURDAY EVENING. 91 all thy ministers, and the congregations committed to their charge, the healthful spirit of thy grace ; and, that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Preserve thy Church in the unity of the Spirit, and in the bond of peace; and overrule our un- happy divisions to the glory of thy name. As thou hast knit together thine elect in one com- munion and fellowship in the mystical body of thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow thy blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeak- able glories, which thou hast prepared for them that unfeignedly love thee. Remember, with the favour which thou bearest unto th\' people, our friends and relations; espe- cially those who remember us in their prayers, and those who desire our prayers for them. And be pleased to hear our petitions for each other. Lastl}', we beseech thee to give unto all men those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul. Favourably regard, O heavenly Father, this our evening sacrifice ; and answer us, we beseech thee, in these, and all our prayers, which we have made before thee during the week, pardon- ing what has been sinful in us, receiving the glory of all that has been pleasing in thy sight ; and graciously accepting us, and our imperfect service, at the hands of Jesus Christ ; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Our Father^ S^c, The Lord bless us, Sfc^ THE END OF THE SECOND WEEK. FAMILY PRAYERS. TSIRD WXSBtf. 9* Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name ; thy kingdom come ; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven ; give us this day our daily bread ; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who 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, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep us! The Lord mercifully with his favour look upon us! and so fill us with all spiritual benediction and grace, that we may so live together in this life, that, in the world to come, we may have life everlasting. Amen, FAMILY PHAYKRS. THIRD WEEK. SUNDAY MORNING. Most blessed and glorious God, the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and wonderful in opera- tion, plenteous in goodness and abundant in mercy, how excellent is thy name throughout all the world ! Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory. Yea, thou hast set up thyself above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth: and thou art exalted far above all blessing and praise. But though we cannot glorify thee as we ought, nor praise thee as thy holy angels, who excel in strength, or as the spirits of just men made per- fect, before thy throne, yet thou art pleased to receive the services of thy unworthy servants, and graciously declarest, that whoso offereth thee praise, he glorifieth thee. We therefore desire to exalt and laud thy name, according to the ability wherewith thou hast blessed us, and to pour out before thee, "this morning, the voice of joy and thanksgiving. Glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, that the day-spring from on high hath again visited us, and that the light of another Sabbath hath dawned upon our souls ! This is the day which thou hast made for man, no less than for thyself; we rejoice and are glad in it. 96 THIRD WEEK. How many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which we see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which we hear, and have not heard them ! Forgive, O Lord, we beseech thee, our past abuse of thy mercies, and teach us in future more diligently to improve them. Especially grant, O most merciful Father, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do come, that we may havo grace whereby we may serve thee acceptably this day, and may worship and obey thee as we ought to do. Give unto us that preparation of heart which cometh from thee, and without which all our services will be nothing worth. Dispose us to love the habitation of thy house, and the place where thy honour dwelleth ; to go into thy gates with thanksgiving, and into tliy courts with praise ; to give thanks unto thee, and speak good of thy name. Sow in our hearts the seed of eternal life; that whatsoever in thy holy word we shall profit- ably learn, we may indeed fulfil the same. Grant that we may improve not only the or- dinances of thy house, but every other advant-. age of this sacred day to the purpose for which thou hast vouchsafed it. Help us to examine our hearts, to consider our ways, to search thy Scriptures, to meditate on thy love, to talk of all thy wondrous works, to seek thy face, and to prepare ourselves for thy kingdom. We pray tliee, also, to pour down upon all who are called Christians, the abundance of thy mercy. SUNDAlf MORNlNtf. 97 Bless, especially, such as shall assemble with us in the courts of thy sanctuary. Do thou gra- ciously rehearse it, when thou writest up thy people, that many were born there, and trained up for their heavenly inheritance. To this end may it please thee to give unto them increase of grace, to hear meekly thy word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. And, since thou hast promised to be with thy ministering servants alway, even unto the end of the world, we beseech thee plenteously to endue with heavenly gifts such as shall stand up in thy name this day; [particularly him who is ap- pointed to declare thy counsel unto us.] May they preach with all earnestness, as those who stand between the living and the dead, and watch for souls, as they that must give account. And mercifully grant, that as the rain cometh clown, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, until it have watered the earth, and made it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; so thy word may be, which shall go forth out of their mouths: let it not return unto thee void; but accomplish that which thou pleasest, and ])rosper in the thing whereunto thou sendest it; that so neither they who preach, nor they who hear, may preach or hear in vain. We ask these things, O Lord, in the name, and for the sake, of Jesus Christ, our only Me- diator and Advocate; in whose comprehensive form of words we further pray : Our Father, 6^c, God the Father, Spc, 98 THIRD WEEK. SUNDAY EVENING. O Lord, our heavenly Father high and mighty. King of kings, Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth, most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to be- hold this thy family, whom tliy good providence hath preserved to the evening of this sacred day. Mercifully accept our humble thanks for all the blessings which thou hast bestowed upon us. We praise thee for that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace and faith in thee; and for continuing to bless us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us ever- more : and grant that we may improve our ma- nifold advantages to the good of our souls, and to the glory of thy name. Forgive, we beseech thee, whatever thou hast seen amiss in us and our services ; and deal with us, not according to mn deservings, but accord- ing to thy mercy, O Lord. Think on thy loving- kindnesses which have been ever of old. Look upon us, and be merciful unto us, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Through the blood of thy beloved Son, grant unto us pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed irom all our sins, and may serve thee with a quiet mind. May thy Holy Scriptures, which we have heard, or read, be applied to our hearts in the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. Thy word is pure, converting ihe soul. Enable us to take it, throughout the week, as a light unto SUNDAY EVENING. 99 our (eet^ and a lamp unto our paths. Quicken us according to its heavenly precepts. Grant that every Sabbath may be the means of increasing our hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and of making us more earnest in furthering our own salvation, and the salvation of our fellow-creatures. So assist us by thy grace, that we may come behind in no spiritual gift; but may follow after holiness, godliness, faith, charity, purity, and every good word and work. And do thou, the very God of peace, sanctify us wholly; and pre- serve our whole spirit, and soul, and body, blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hear our prayers for the Universal Church; for all who are sanctified in Christ Jesus; with all who have, in every place, this day, called upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, both theirs and ours. We pray, especially, for those with whom we have taken sweet counsel together, or gone to thy house in company. Favourably with mercy regard our country. Save and defend all in authority. Bless those who are endeavouring to promote among us that righteousness which exalteth a nation. And, when any of the excellent of the earth are removed, raise up others in their stead, en- dued with a double portion of their spirit. And that they may never be wanting a regular supply of fit and able persons to serve thee, both in the Church and in the State, we beg thy bless- ing on all schools and seminaries of sound learn- 100 THIRD WEEK. ing and religious education ; that useful knowledge and true religion may continue among us for all generations. We likewise pray thee in behalf of all the ministers of thy Gospel, especially those of our own Church. Prosper them in their work of faith and labour of love. And grant that many may appear as their hope, and joy, and crown of rejoicing, in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, at his coming. Comfort and support all those who are labour- ing among Heathen nations, and are endeavour- ing to bring them to the knowledge of the truth. For Zlon's sake, let them not hold their peace; and, for Jerusalem's sake, let them not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burnetii; till the Gentiles see thy righteousness, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord ; awake, as in the ancient days, as in the generations of old. Gather together thy elect out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation ; and bring them from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south. Embrace us, and all whom we love, tliis night, with the arms of thy mercy; and, as thou hast promised in thy holy word, give unto us the blessing of eternal life, and make us partakers of thy heavenly kingdom. Grant this, O merciful Father, for Jesus Christ's sake ; in whose name we offer up these and all our petitions to the throne of grace ; and in whose words we further call upon thee : Our Father^ ^^c. God the Father^ ^c. MONDAY MOR.MXG. 101 MONDAY MORNING. O God, who hast added to the number of our days, and hast opened our eyes to behold the light of another morning, we beseech thee still to look upon us, and to bless us; show us the light of thy countenance, and be merciful unto us. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name : deliver us, and take away our sins, for thy mercy's sake. Pardon and accept us in thy beloved Son : and in him let us find plenteous redemption. And not only may it please thee to blot out our offences, but also to vouchsafe us the aid of thy holy Spirit, that we may be sorry and ashamed on account of them, and be enabled to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. Dispose us this day to serve thee faithfully, in simplicity and godly sincerity. Grant that the good seed of divine truth, which was sown in our hearts, on thy holy day, may not be choked with the cares, or business, or pleasures of this life. But water it abundantly with the dew of thy blessing; and cause it to bring forth fruit to perfection. Let us not be forgetful hearers, but doers of thy word ; show- ing ourselves, in all things, a pattern of good works, O thou who hast thyself suffered for sin in the flesh, arm us likewise with the same mind ; that we may no longer live the rest of our time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. Constrain us, O merciful Father, to walk wor- thy of the vocation wherewith we are called, with 10 Wi THIRD WEEK. all lowliness and meekness, with long-suflering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Help us to love our neighbour as ourselves; and to do unto all men as wo would they should do unto us. May we be jealous over our own hearts, and daily keep them with all diligence, remembering that out of them are the issues of life. Be pleased also, O God, to set a watch about our mouths, and to keep the door of our lips, that no communication may proceed out of them, but that which is good for the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And may we always bear in mind, that every idle, as well as every profane word which we shall speak, we must give account thereof in the day of judgment. Finally, whatsoever things are honest, what- soever things are just, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, may we think on these things, and have grace to perform them. Bow down thine ear, O Lord, and hear us, in behalf of others. Do thou, who art the wholesome strength and saving health of thy anointed, pour down the dew of thy blessing on all the congregations of thy people ; particularly on that which worship- ped with us in thy holy temple, on the day that is past. May they hold fast the form of sound words, in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. By well-doing cause them to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men ; that they, who are of MONDAY MORNING. lO'"^ tlie contrary part, may be ashamed, having no <3vil thing to say of them. And grant, O most gracious God, who art the author of peace, and the lover of concord, that the miihitude of those who believe in our days, as in the days of old, may be all of one heart, and of one soul; and let there be no schism in the body of Christ. We pray thee, also, thou who art the portion and inheritance of such as wait at thy altar, to bless all the ministers and dispensers of tliy holy word and sacraments: [especially thy servant whom thou hast appointed to minister unto us.] May they not neglect the gift that is in them ; but take heed to the ministry which they have received of the Lord Jesus, that they fulfil it. Give them thy blessing in all their ways. Be with them in their intercourse with their people, in their private meditations, and in all their zealous endeavours to promote the glory of thy name. Let not their labour of love be in vain; but make the weapons of their warfare mighty to the pulling down of the strong holds of sin and Satan ; that the wicked may no longer triumjjh in their wickedness, but be converted from the error of their ways. And hasten, O Lord, the fulfilment of thy word, that, in every nation of the earth, all men shall know thee, from the greatest to the least. Now unto thee, who art able to keep us from falling, and to present us, faultless, before the presence of thy glory, with exceeding joy, even unto thee, the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, hence- forth and for evermore. Our Father^ S^c. God the Father, SfQ. 104 THIRD WEEK. MONDAY EVENING. Almighty God, who alone art able to help our infirmities, pour down upon us the spirit of grace and supplication. O Lord, teach us to pray. Enable us so to draw nigh unto thee, that we may not be denied the request of our lips; but may be heard and answered through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thy mercy is from everlasting to everlasting, and over all th}^ works. May it now be shed abundantly upon us, who are assembled together to confess our manifold sins and wickedness, and humbly to implore forgiveness at thy hands. Pardon the offences of thy servants, and cover all our iniquities. Take away thy displeasure, and turn thyself from thy wrathful indignation. We are, indeed, miserable sinners, and justly deserve to be punished according to the sentence of thy righteous law. But thou dost assure us, that there is no con?- demnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, and that he is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that beheveth. We beseech thee, therefore, to have mercy upon us, and account us righteous before thee only for his sake, by faith, and not for our own works and deservings. And, for as much as thou hast, of thy great good- ness, called us to thy kingdom and glory, enable us, O Lord, to obey thy call. May we be justi- fied freely, and become thy children by adoption and grace: may we be made like the image of thy only-begotten Son Jesqs Christ: ip^y we MONDAY EVENING. 105 walk religiously in all good works ; and at length, through thy mercy, attain unto the kingdom which thou hast promised through the same, thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Glory he unto thee, O heavenly Father, for the blessed hope of eternal life which is set be- fore us. How great is thy goodness which thou hast in store for them that love thee ! We give thanks unto thee, O Lord; and sing praises unto thy name, O thou Most Highest. Who shall not sing praises unto thy name, which is great, wonderful, and holy ! Help us to show forth thy loving- kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. And, that we may offer unto thee spiritual sacrifices, acceptable unto thee, through the Son of thy love, let not our praise proceed out of feigned lips, but from the ground of our bean". Grant that our souls, and all that is within us, may bless thy holy name. Grant that, at the close of every day, thy love may be more abun- dantly shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, and constrain us more perfectly to show forth thy praise, who callest us out of darkness into marvellous liglit. And, whenever it shall please thee to take us hence, prepare us to join the multitude before thy throne, who evermore praise thee, saying. Glory to God in the highest. To these praises and supplications for our- selves, we w^ould add our hearty intercessions for our fellow- creatures. Convince such as are ungodly among us, of all the iinjrodlv deeds which thev have unsrodly com- 10* "^ 106 THIRD WEEK. raitted against thee. Turn them from their evil ways, that they may live, and not die. Lead them to know and to feel that the wages of sin is death; and stir them up to seek the gift of eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Look especially on those whom sin has bowed down for many years, and whom the infirmities of age are encompassing round about. Give them grace to redeem the time that remains, and to spend the remnant of their days in thy faith and fear. Spare them a little before they depart hence, and are no more seen ; and let not their gray hairs be brought down with sorrow to the grave. We pray, also, for those who have borne, in thy vineyard, the heat and burden of the day of life. Forsake them not, O God, in their old acre, until they have shown thy strength to this generation, and thy power to those who are yet for to come. And when their flesh and their heart fail them, do thou, O God, who never failest them that trust in thee, become the strength of their heart, and their portion for ever. We beseech thee, O Lord, to accept this our evening sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving. Receive us, and all for whom we have prayed, and for whom we ought to pray, to thy fatherly protection, this night and for evermore, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who, in compassion to our infirmities, taught us thus to address thee : — Our Father., ^^c. God the Father, Sfc, TUESDAY MORNING. 107 TUESDAY MORNING. O God, our refuge and strength, who art the author of all godliness, be ready, we beseech thee, to hear the j^rayers of thy servants ; and grant that those things which wc ask faithfully, we may obtain effectually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. The eyes of all wait upon thee, O God, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thy hand, and fiUest all things living with plenteousness. AVe acknowledge our entire and continual de- pendence upon thy bountiful providence. Our wants are many and great ; and we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves. We desire thee, therefore, O Lord God, our heavenly Fa- tlier, who art the giver of all goodness, to send thy grace unto us, that we may worship thee, serve thee, and obey thee, as we ought to do; give us all things that are needful both for our bodies and our souls : be merciful unto us, and forgive us our sins: save and defend us in all dangers, ghostly and bodily ; keep us from all sin and wickedness, and from our spiritual enemy, and from everlasting death ; and this we trust thou wilt do, of thy mercy and goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. And since thou hast spared us through another night, and brought us together before thy foot- stool, dispose us to give up ourselves afresh to thee and to thy service, and to join ourselves to thee in a perpetual covenant, never to be for- gotten. 108 THIRD WEEK. Enable us to go forth to our several om))lG\- ments, remembering that thy vows are upon us^ and determined, in thy strength, faithfully to perform the same. Grant that every morning may find our hearts more enlarged to run the way of thy command- ments. May it become more and more the earnest desire of our souls, and the great business of our lives, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling; and do thou, Almighty God, continually work in us both to will and to do of thy good pleasure. Let our conversation be daily in heaven, and our whole behaviour such as becometh holiness. Let our moderation be known unto all men. Make us sober and temperate in our enjoyments.; and give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our llesh being subdued to the spirit, we may ever obey thy godly motions, in righteousness and true holiness, to thy honour and glory. Preserve us from being ensnared and over- come by the trials and temptations of a world that lieth in wickedness. Save us from that fear of man which bringeth a snare. While we are willing to become all things to all men, for their spiritual good, keep us from making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. Let us not glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by it may the world be cruci- fied unto us, and we unto the world. May we never be ashamed of thee, or of thy Gospel; but so faithfully confess thee before men, that thou mayest confess us before the angels which arc in heaven. TUESDAY MORNING. 109 While we implore these great blessings at thy himcis, help us to praise tliee sincerely for those wliich we have already received, and are con- tinually receiving from thee. Many, O Lord God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us ward. We cannot reckon them. If we would declare them, and speak of them, they are more than we are able to express. Praised be thy name daily ; even thine, O God, who helpest us, and pourest thy benefits upon us. Praised be thy name from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, and from this time forth for evermore. Hearken, O God, to the voice of our inter- cession for others. Open wide thy hand, and fill all things living with plenteousness. Encompass thy people with blessings on every side, and no good thing do thou withhold from such as walk uprightly. May it please thee to succour, help, and comfort all that are in danger, necessity, and tribulation ; especially our friends, benefactors, and relations. Let them not despise thy chas- tening, nor be weary of thy correction, nor faint when they are rebuked of thee; but let their ribulation work patience ; their patience, expe- dience; and their experience, hope; and their hope, let it not make ashamed; but let thy love )e shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost riven unto them. Grant this, O Father, for /esus Christ's sake. Our Father, l^^c. Gad the Father, S^c, 110 THIRD WEEK. TUESDAY EVENING. Almighty and everlasting God, througJi wliose merciful kindness we are preserved from da}'^ to day, we approach thy throne of grace this even- ing, in the name of thy beloved Son. Through him we are encouraged to trust in thee, not only for our preservation, and all the blessings of the present life, but for the pardon of our sins, and the blessings of the life that is to come. Look down upon us, therefore, in mercy, for his sake, who lived for us, and died, and rose again, and sitteth at thy right hand, ever living to make intercession for us. Deliver us from all our sins, for the glory of thy name. Redeem us from the curse of the law, through him who was made a curse for us. May we so believe on his name, that our faith may be counted for righteousness. Receive us gra- ciously — forgive us freely. Blot out from the book of thy remembrance all our transgressions, and let them not be brought forward against us. And grant, O Lord, that we may show our- selves partakers of thy grace, by holding the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end. May we not be of those who draw back unto perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. We look up unto thee, thou compassionate High Priest, who alone art able to keep us from falling. We beseech thee, by the mystery of thy holy incarnation ; by thy holy nativity and circumci- TUESDAY EVENING. Ill sion ; by thy baptism, fasting, and temptation ; by thine agony and bloody sweat; by thy cross and passion; by thy precious death and burial; by thy glorious resurrection and ascension ; and by the coming of the Holy Ghost; good Lord, deliver us. Be mercifully touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and remember whereof we are made. Carry on in our souls, from day to day, the work of faith with power. Fill us with the knowledge of thy will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Strengthen us with might, ac- cording to thy glorious power, that we may walk worthy of thee unto all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the know- ledge of God. We beseech thee to hear us, O Lord, in behalf of those for whom we ought to pray. Have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the w?iy. Open their eyes to see that destruction and misery are in all their paths; and graciously lead them in the way of peace, which they have not known. Remember those who mourn for sin. Be nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and save such as be of a contrite spirit. Though heaviness endure for a night, let joy come in the morning. Bring back to thy fold all who have wandered from the way of righteousness. Though thou visit their offences with the rod, and their iniquity with scourges, nevertheless thy loving-kindness do not utterly take from them, nor suffer thy truth to fail. O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage. May they continue in the faith, ground- ed and settled, and not be moved away from the 112 THIRD WEEK. hope of the Gospel. And as many as walk ac" cording to this rule, peace be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. We now desire, O heavenly Father, humbly to commend ourselves, and all who belong to us, unto the care of thy good providence. How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! Therefore do the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wing; and therefore do we, thy sinful and helpless creatures, implore thy protection through the hours of darkness. Watch over us with thy all-seeing eye, and vouch- safe unto us comfortable sleep. May we lie down in peace, and take our rest. May we dwell safely, and be quiet from fear of evil. And keep us mindful, O Lord, at the close of every day, that the end of all things is at hand ; that we may be sober, and watch unto prayer. Stir us up to work, while it is called to-day, as those who know that the night of death cometh, when we can work no longer. Grant this for Jesus Christ's sake, in whose words we conclude these our petitions. Our Father^ i^'c. God the Father^ ^c. WEDNESDAY MORNING. Almighty God, we beseech thee mercifully to behold this thy family of sinful creatures, for whom thy blessed Son was contented to be be- trayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross. Grant, that drawing nigh unto thee in his name, and WEDNESDAY MORNING. 113 pleading before thee his most precious blood- shedding, we may be made partakers of the benefits of his passion. Dispose us to receive into our hearts that faithful saying, which is worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Yea, let thy grace be exceeding abundant towards us, in faith and hope which is in him ; that, being rooted and grounded therein, we may grow up unto Chn'st in all things. And may the blood of him, who through the Eternal Spirit oftered himself without spot ibr our sins, purge our conscience from dead works to serve thee, the living God. We look up unto thee, O Lord, whose never- failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth, for thy special protection through this day. Put away from us, we beseech thee, all hurtful things, and give us those things which shall be profitable for us. May we go forth to our several duties with thy blessing upon us, until the evening. And, if it please thee, give us success in our worldly em- ployments. But save us, O Lord, from a worldly mind, from that covetousness which is idolatry in thy sight ; and from that undue anxiety as to the aflairs of the present life, against which thou hast mercifully warned us. Let us take heed to our- selves, and beware lest, at any time, our hearts be overcharged with the cares of this life, and we fall into temptation and a snare, and into those foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in de- struction and perdition. 11 114 THIRD TTEEK. Teach us to devise liberal things ; and freely to give of such things as we have. Endue us with a spirit of tenderness and com- passion for the distresses of all around us ; that we may not only rejoice with those that do rejoice, but weep with those that weep. Dispose us thankfully to take everj^ occasion of relieving the bodily and spiritual wants of our fellow-creatures, and of conforming ourselves to his image, who went about doing good, and left us an example that we should follow his steps. Make us steadfast and unmoveable; always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. And, when the days of our pilgrimage are drawing to a close, and the time of our departure is at hand, may we each be enabled to look up unto thee in humble confidence, and say. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,. for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. We beseech thee to hear us in behalf of our fellow-creatures. O God, who hast commanded us to pray one for another, regard all who are joined to us in the bonds of kindred, friendship, and society; and join them unto thee in the bonds of thy everlasting covenant. O God, who hast commanded us to pray for those who despitefully use us, and persecute us, be merciful to all our enemies, even as we wish thee to be merciful unto ourselves. Make them to be at peace with us and with thee : or else do thou teach us not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good ; and thus to show tmto them a more excellent way. WEDNESDAY EVENING. 115 O God, u'ho hast commanded us to make in- tercession for tlie prosperity of thy people, re- member the Church \v]iic4i thou hast purchased with thy precious blood ; and let not the gates of hell prevail against it. O God, who hast commanded us t6 make prayers and supplications for all men, we beseech thee, finally, to bless the whole human race ; giving them all things wliich are requisite aad necessary, as well for the body as the soul. Now unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisi- ble, tlie Only Wise God, even unto thee, be all honour, and glory, and praise, and thanksgiving, henceforth and for evermore, through Jesu;s Christ, our Lord. Our Father^ S^c, Ood the Father^ Sfc. WEDNESDAY EVENING, Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desirest not the death of a sinner, but hadst rather that he turn from his wickedness and live, and hast declared and pronounced to thy people, being penitent, the absolution and remis- sion of their sins; thou pardonest and absolvest all them that truly repent^ and unfeigned ly be- lieve thy holy Gospel. We, tlierefore, acknow- ledge our manifold oflences, whereby thou art justly displeased. In many things we have all oftended thee; in pride, in impenitence, in hard- ness of heart, in neglect of thy word and the means of grace, in forgetfulness of thee, and in disobedience to tlie commands of thy dear Son- 116 THIRD WEEK. We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and our ini- quities, as the wind, have carried us away; and we all do fade as the leaf. But we pray thee, O Lord, enter not into judgment with thy servants. We are humbled before thee. Remember that we are but dust and ashes. Let us fall into thy hand, for thy mercies are great, and thy compassions fail not. Pardon, we beseech thee, all our sins; and give unto us true repentance, and thy Holy Spirit, that those things may please thee which we do at this present, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy ; so that, at the last, we may come to thy eternal joy. But whereas vv-e cannot, by our best services, make any satisfaction for the sin that is past, we flee unto thy cross, O Lamb of God, who hast made there, by the one oblation of thyself, once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world. We look unto thee, who wast lifted up to draw all men unto thee; and we entreat thee to turn, and look upon us; that, after the example of thy penitent apostle, who went out and wept bitterl}^ we may mourn, in the bitterness of our souls, for all the evils which we have done ; and may feel that godly sorrow which workeih repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of. O Saviour of the world, who, by thy cross and precious blood, hast redeemed us, save us, and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord. These great mercies, which we have implored WEDNESDAY EVENJNO. 11 ?* for ourselves, be pleased, O God, to extend unto our fellow creatures. Let repentance and remission of sins be preach- ed unto all nations. Ca'n thy Spirit from on high ; that all the ends of the world may remember themselves, and be turned unto thee, O Lord ; and that all the kindreds of the nations may worship before thee. Hear us, especially, in behalf of thy ancient people, thy people Israel. Our heart's desire and prayer for them is, that they may be saved. Hear us, also, in behalf of these United States. Send forth throughout the land a universal spirit of repentance, that we may return every man from his evil ways, and may amend everj' man his doings. Increase among us that righte- ousness which exaltelh a nation; and save us from that sin which is the reproach of any ])eople. And may we never, in the pride of our hearts, forget that blessed only is the nation whose God is the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. We pray for thy faithful servants, scattered throughout the earth ; for all who are beloved of thee, called to be saints. We pray for our relations and friends. W^rite their names in the book of life ; and when it is opened in the last day, may the}^ all be found therein. SATURDAY EVENINCU 13G We pray for our enemies, and for those who aiay despitefully use us, and persecute us. O thou God of peace, reconcile tliem unto us, and unto tliee. Hear us, O Lord, in these our supplications and thanksgivings ; and do for us, and all for whom we have prayed, more than we are worthy to ask, or able to conceive, for the sake of Jesus Oiirist, our Lord and Saviour, who hath merci- fully taught us thus to pray: — bur Father, ^c. God the Father, S^C, SATURDAY EVENING. Almighty Lord God, the Father of mercies, the Giver and Preserver of all good things, we hum- bly beseech thee, of thy great goodness, to receive the thank-offerings which we desire now to pre- sent on thy altar. We would raise a memorial of thy abundant kindness, and tell out thy works with gladness. We acknowledge that thou hast hitherto wonderfully holpen us; and that it is only through thy tender mercies that we have been spared to the evening of this day. Thy ways towards us have been faithfulness and truth. Thou hast done for us more than we have either desired or deserved ; and far more than we are able to express. Who can utter thy mighty acts, O Lord, or show forth all thy praise ? But, though thou art exalted high above all blessing and praise, yet we beseech thee to accept eur thanks, sush as they are, for the tokens ei 134 THIRD WEEK. thy manifold kindness towards us; and help us, in future, to give unto thee more of the glory that is due unto thy name. Grant, Lord, that from the abundance of the heart we may speak thy praise; and that, at the close of every week, we may be found growing in grace, in thankfulness, and in every fruit of the spirit. Especially may a sense of thy won- derful love in the redemption of our souls ever abide upon our minds. O thou, who hast given thy Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification, grant tis so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth; and at his second <;oming to judge the world in righteousness, may foe found an acceptable people in thy sight. But who may abide the day of his coming? And who may stand when he appearethl We cannot stand, O Lord, before thee in our own righteousness. We humble ourselves at thy footstool, acknowledging the sins which we have committed against thee, particularly the sins of the week which is now closing. And, we pray thee, most merciful Father, to grant unto us forgiveness of all that is past, through him, who, by thy grace, tasted death for every man. For his sake, cleanse thou us from ail our offences, whereby we have offended thee; and pardon all our sins, whereby we have sinned, and all our transgressions, whereby we have transgressed against thee : and grant, that, being justified by his blood, we may be saved from wrath through him. To thy tender mercies in Christ Jesus wa now SATURDAY EVEMNO. 135 commit .ourselves, and all for whom we should pray. - Save and defend us through the night-season. Open our eyes to see the light of another Sab- bath ; and sanctify it to the good of our souls. Sanctify it, likewise, we humbly beseech thee, to the good of our fellow-creatures. Give unta them every blessing which we have asked for ourselves ; and every other of which they may stand in need. Bless all the ministers of thy word and ordin- ances, [especially hhn who is set over us in the Lord.] Prepare them for the work to which thou hast called them ; and particularly for the duties of thy holy day. Preserve us in the unity of the Spirit, and in the bond of peace. Put away from us strife, and division, and every evil work. Let brotherly love continue and increase. And do thou, the very God of peace, abide with us always. Bless all other members of the universal Church ; and grant that such as profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Shed abundantly thy grace and mercy on all who are near and dear to us ; and make them ta be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting. And as thou hast promised that of the increase and prosperity of thy kingdom there shall be no end, give thy blessing to the means which are employed for its extension throughout the world. Be thou exalted, Lord, in thy own strength! And let the time draw near, when the whole earth shall be filled with thy glory; and wheR 136 THIRD WEEK. every thing that hath breath shall praise thee. Bring to pass that which is written, that in the last days the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mounta-ins, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. Grant these things for the honour of our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father^ S^-c. God the Father^ ^"c. THE END OF THE THIRD AVEEtJ. FAMILY PRAYERS. FOURTH WBXSS. 13 Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name ; thy kingdom come ; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven ; give us this day our daily bread ; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who 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. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all, this day [night] and for evermore. Amen, IPAMELY PRAYKRS* FOURTH WEEK. SUNDAY MORNING. •O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, we bless thee for defending us through the perils and dangers of the night past, and for bringing us in safety to the beginning of this day. What thanks and praise are due unto thee for calling off our thoughts and pursuits from the things of this vain world; and for setting before us the things of a better! Our song shall be always of thy loving-kind- ness, O Lord; and with our mouth we will daily show forth thy praise. Thou art worthy to be praised, and had in honour : for gr^at and mar- vellous are the works which thou hast done. We confess, O God, that we have greatly pol- luted many of thy Sabbaths, by doing our own ways, by seeking our own pleasure, and by speaking our own words. And thou mightest justly visit us for our iniquity, by causing tliem altogether to cease among us. But thou art a merciful God, full of compas- sion, long-suffering, and of great pity; sparing tis when we deserve punishmentj and in the mid^t 140 FOURTH WEEK. of judgment remembering mercy. And we be- seech thee, O Lord, still to spare us, and to have mercy upon us. Let the voice of Jesus Christ thy Son, our Saviour, be heard in our behalf. For his sake, look down upon us, and grant us thy blessing. May we enter upon the duties of this day, as though we knew not but that it may be our last; remembering, that for this and every Sabbath we must render an account in the day of judgment; and that to whom much has been given, of them will much be required. Of thy bountiful goodness, therefore, keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things which thou wouldest have done. And, 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. O thou, who art greatly to be feared in the assembly of thy saints, and to be had in reve- rence of all them that are round about thee, prepare us, especially, for the solemnities of thy public worship. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts ! Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach thee in them. May we account a day in thy service better than a thou- sand passed in forgetfulness of thee ; and always be glad when it is said to us. Let us go to the house of the Lord. Thither may we go, this morning, with joyful feet, looking for thy loving-kindness in the midst SUNDAY MORNING. 141 of thy temple; joining lliy people in the praise that awaiteth thee there; praying unto thee in the spirit; hearing and receiving thy word, and faithfully performing our vows. So may we give unto thee the honour that is due unto thy name, and worship before thee with holy worship. And do thou, O Lord, hear the voice of our humble petitions, when we cry unto thee, and lift up our hands towards thy mercy-scat. Give grace, also, unto all who shall this day be gathered together in thy name; that they may worship thee, serve thee, and obey thee as tl>ey ■ought to do. Bless thy ministering servants, whom thou hast appointed to show unto men the way of salva- tion; [especially thy servant who ministcreth -unto us.] May they not keep back thy loving- kindness and truth from the congregation of thy people ; but faithfully declare the whole counsel of thee, their God. And, while they watcii for souls, as those that must give account, grant that their words may be so heard and received, tliai they may be able to give account of their people with joy, and not wit4i grief. Let the hearts of those rejoice v/ho seek thee faithfully in thy sacred ordinances. Appoint unto such as mourn in Zion. Give them beauty for ashes; the oil of joy for mourn- ing; and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Let those who are hungering aud thirsting after righteousness be filled. Let the poor and needy give thanks unto thy name. May thy blessed Gospel still be preached to them; and may they know the joyful sound 13* 142 FOURTH WEEK. thereof, and be glad ; esteeming it dearer to thera than all the treasures of this world. Grant unto those who are trusting to them- selves that they are righteous, that they may feel and lament the iniquity which cleaveth even to their most holy things. And may such as have hitherto drawn nigh unto thee with their mouths, while their heart is far from thee, be led to see, that, so long as they retain iniquity in their hearts, thou wilt not hear them ; but regardest their prayers as an abomi- nation. Thus may it please thee to satisfy all with the plenteousness of thy house, and to suffer none to go empty away. Grant these, and all our requests, for thy mercy's sake in Christ Jesus, our only Lord and {Saviour. Our Father, Sfc. The grace, Sfc. SUNDAY EVENING. O God, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy, and to forgive, receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us, for the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the w»rld, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that SUNDAY EVENING. 143 takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy : thou only art the Lord : thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. And as we beseech thee, O Lord, to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances, (par- ticularly those of the past day,) so may it please thee to give us true repentance; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according to thy holy word. O thou, from whom all good things do come, grant to us, thy humble servants, that, by thy holy inspiration, we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may per- form the same. Accept, we beseech thee, O Lord, our hearty thanks for the means of grace which have been vouchsafed us this day; and for every blessing which thou hast bestowed upon us. To thee be ascribed all the good which we have received ourselves, and all which has been wrought in others. We bless thee in behalf of those who may have been turned from their evil ways, or who have been comforted, instructed, and in any way edified, in thy house of prayer. For these and all thy other mercies, our souls do magnify thy glorious name, which is exalted above all jjlessing and praise. We further beseech thee, O Father Almighty, to open the ears of thy compassion to our suppli- cations for others. Mercifully look upon the universal Church, 144 FOURTH WEEK. which thou hast purchased to thyself with tht precious blood of thy dear Son. And to those that shall be ordained to any holy function, give thy grace and heavenly bene- diction; that, both by their life and doctrine, they may set forth thy glory, and set forward the salvation of all men. Bless the words which have been spoken in thy name this day; and let them not prove to any the savour of death unto death, but of life unto life, to all who have heard them. Be gracious unto thy servants who have met together with us in thy courts: and grant that as many as are planted in this house of the Lord, may flourish in the courts of the house of our God. Have mercy on those by whom the day of rest has been disregarded. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Be favourable, also, unto those who have been Jvopt by sickness, or any other necessit}-, from joining the public assemblies of thy Church. Do thou, Almighty Lord, who art a most strong tower unto them that put their trust in thee, to whom all things in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth, do bow and obey; be now and evermore their defence, and make them to know and to feel, that there is none other name under heaven given to man, in whom and through whom they may receive health and salvation, but only the Rame of our Lord Jesus Christ. We give thee hearty thanks, likewise, for such of thera as it may have pleased thee this day to deliver out of the miseries of this sinful world ; beseeching thee, that it may also please thee, of MONDAY MORNING. 145 thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of thy elect, and to hasten thy kingdom; that we, with all those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy name, may have our per- fect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ, our Lord ; in whose name we offer up these our prayers; and conclude them in the words which he himself has taught us to use: Our Father^ Sfc. The grace^ S^c, MONDAY MORNING. Almighty and most merciful God, the Father of all mercies, we humbly beseech thee to accept the praises and thanksgivings with which we be- gin this day. Unworthy as we are to offer them, and insufficient as they are to show forth all thy goodness, yet be graciously pleased to receive them, for the sake of him through whom alone they are offered; even for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord. Day by day will we give thanks unto thee, O God, and speak of all thy marvellous works. Our praise shall be always of thee. We adore and magnify thee for the daily bounties of thy good providence; for our preser- vation through the night past; and for all the blessings of the present life, by which we are encompassed on every side. But, chiefly, we beseech thee to fill our hearts with a due sense of thy unspeakable love in the redemption of our souls. 146 FOURTH WEEK. We bless thee for the many and great advant- ages which were afforded us on thy Sabbath which is past; for thy house of prayer; for thy appointed ministers; for thy holy word and sa- craments ; and for all other means of grace and salvation. Help us now to call to our remembrance, and earnestly to take heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. May thy Holy Scriptures, which thou hast given by inspiration, and caused to be written for our learning, be made profitable to us for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruc- tion in righteousness; that, being born of thy incorruptible word, which liveth and abideth for ever, we may be furnished unto all good works. Grant, O blessed Lord, that we may always ia such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and in- wardly digest them, that, by patience and com- fort of the same, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Especially grant, that the sacred influence of thy word and ordinances may be manifested in our lives this day. Knowing that thou canst not be deceived by outward appearances, and requirest the homage of our hearts, may we not trust to a form of god- liness, and deny the power thereof; but be faith- ful and sincere in thy service, keeping our hearts with all diligence, and labouring to bring every thought and intent thereof in captivity to the obedience of Christ. Vouchsafe to bless ujs in all our doings with MONDAY MORNI>ro. 147 thy most gracious favour. Bestow upon us what- ever thou mayest see necessary and convenient for the present life: but incline us to take heed of covetousness, and a too great minding of earthly things. May we have that godliness with con- tentment, which is great gain; and always re- member, that our life consisteth not in the abun- dance of the things which we possess. Give us grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God. Dispose us, also, faithfully to perform our duty towards our neighbour. Make us upright in our dealings, providing things honest in the sight of all men ; rendering unto all their dues; tribute unto whom tribute is due; custom unto whom custom; fear unto whom foar; honour unto whom honour. Put away from ns all malice, and guile, and hypocrisies, and all evil-speakings; and grant that, as thine elect, holy and beloved, we may put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any. As members of the same household, and heirs together of the grace of life, may we dwell in love one with another; in all things approving ourselves as thy servants ; that so, at the last, an entrance may be administered unto us abun- dantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. "We commend ourselves, O Lord, and all our concerns, into thy hands, as into the hands of a faithful Creator and most merciful Saviour; 148 rOIJRTH WEEK, knowing that thou art able to keep that which we commit unto thee against the great day. Thou, Lord, art our rock, and our fortress, wliereunto we will always resort; our deliverer, our God, our strength, in whom we do trust; the horn also of our salvation ; and our refuge. O Lord, have mercy upon us; have mercy upon us. O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee. O Lord, in thee have we trusted; let us never be confounded. We ask these great blessings for ourselves, and for all mankind, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Our Father^ S^^c. The grace^ S^c. MONDAY EVENING. O Almighty and everlasting God, the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who only hast immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen or can see, fill our minds with a deep sense of thy majesty and glory. O Lord our Governor, how excellent is thy name throughout all the earth, thou that hast set thy glory above the heavens ! Thy dominion is an everlasting dominion; and thy kingdom en- dureth from generation to generation. The day is thine ; the night also is thine : for all things serve thee. Lord, what is man, that thou art so mindful of him; or the son of man, that thou so visitest him ? We are all in thy sight as nothing, yea» MONDAY EVKNIXG. 149 less than nothing, and vanity: and we have rea- son each one to cry out, Wo is me, for I am undone; for I am of unclean lips. Thou knowcst, O Lord, the pride and the rebellion of our hearts. Heaven and earth both testify against us, and our own conscience also, that we are verily guilty before thee, and altoge- ther without excuse. Adored, however, be thy name, that our sins have not withholden from us the blessings of the past day; but that we are brought to the conclu- sion of it in health and peace. And, before we retire to the rest which thou hast provided for our bodies, we earnestly be- seech thee to make us partakers of that spiritual rest which thy richer bounty hath provided for our souls. Be merciful unto our unrighteousness; and our sins and iniquities do thou remember no more. Wash them away in the blood of him who was called Jesus, that he might save his people from their sins. Through him we pray thee to look down upon us, and cleanse us from our numerous transgressions whereby v/e have trans- gressed against thee; from our pride and obsti- nacy; from our hardness of heart, and contempt of thee ; from our vain thoughts and idle words ; from our unchristian tempers and pursuits; and from all our evil doings, whereby we have pro- voked thy wrath and indignation against us. And grant that we, who do justly deserve to be punished for our offences, may be mercifully de- livered, by thy goodness, for the glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. May it please thee, also, for his sake, to give unto us a heart to love and dread thee, and dili- 14 toO FOURTH V.EEK. gently to live after thy commandments; that we, being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit. Humble us under thy mighty hand, O God. Bring down every high look and lofty imagina- tion that exalteth itself against thee; and clothe us with the ornament of a meek and quiet spiriu, which is in thy sight of great price. Preserve us from thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think; and dispose us to walk before thee with all gentleness and lowliness of mind. Give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity ; and, that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou dost commando Grant that, on all occasions, we may both perceive and know what things we ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully ta fulfil the same. And do thou, O Lord, graciously look upon our infirmities; and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us. Extend, we beseech thee, the arms of thy com- passion beyond the bounds of our own habitation* Look on the sins and miseries of a fallen world. Teach thy ways unto the wicked; and let sinners be converted unto thee. Take all the Heathen unto thine inheritancOy and let them know, that thou, whose name is Je- hovah, art the Most Highest over all the earth. Have pity upon those who, under the light of thy Gospel, are living in heathen darkness. Regard the various kingdoms of the world j and TLESJ>AY MOKMXG. Idl l-et wars and fightings among them for ever cease. Give peace in our time, O Lord ; because there is Fione other that fightest for us, but only thou, O God. Let nation not lift up sword against nation ; neither let them learn war any more. Suffer none to hurt or destroy in all thy holy moun- tain ; but let the earth be filled with the know- ledge of thy glory, as the waters cover the sea. We beseech thee to hear us, in these our prayers, OLord God: and, of thy great goodness, take us, and all ours, every where, under thy fatherly protection, this night and evermore, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Our Father, S^c, The grace, 4'^° TUESDAY MORNING. O HOLY, blessed, and glorious God, who livest and abidest for ever, we adore thee as the Sove- reign Lord of heaven and earth, the Giver and Preserver of all good things. Our voice shalt tliou hear, O Lord, every morning; for every morning thy mercies towards us are renewed; great is thy faithfulness and truth. How many of our fellow-creatures, during the hours of the past night, have slept the sleep of death, and shall awake no more till the resurrec- tion in the last day! How many, like their Lord and Master, have not found where to lay their heads ! And how many have been watering their beds with tears, full of tossings to and fro, to the vlawuing of the day: whose cry has been, all the 152 FOURTH WEEK. night, " Would God it were morning!" and whose cry now is, " Would God it were evening!" Lord, what are we, that thou shouldest be so mindful of us, and so gracious unto us, in saving our life from destruction, and crowning us with loving-kindness and tender mercies! We confess that thou art the Lord by whom alone we have escaped death. And we beseech thee to grant, that, with our restored strength and capacities, we may give up ourselves afresh to thy service. Stir us up to self-examination and reflection; to watchfulness and pra3'er. Break through our habits of spiritual sloth and negligence ; and teach us the value of time, while yet we are able to improve it. And we earnestly pray thee, O heavenly Father, in v/hose hands are the issues of life and death, to spare our lives, till the work is finished which thou hast given us to do. O God, the strength of them that trust in thee, we implore thy special presence and protection through this day; not knowing what a day may bring forth; only that sufficient for each day is the evil thereof. Be with us in what immediately lies before us. Watch over us for good ; and keep us as the apple of thine eye. Make us active in the dis- charge of present duties. Cleanse us from our most secret faults, and keep us from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over us. Save us from the corruptions of our own hearts ; from the wiles and assaults of the prince of dark' ness; and from the wicked practices of the world around us. Give us grace to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, and to follow Christ, Preserve us, at home and abroad, in public and in private, from every tiling that might prove to us an occasion of falling. And since, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us, continually, the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee both in will and deed. Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things, graft in our hearts the love of thy name ; increase in us true religion ; nourish us with- all goodness; and, of thy great mercy, keep us in the same all the days of our life. Be pleased, O Lord, to hear our supplications and prayers for our fellow-creatures in general; and especially for such as are exposed to any of those evils from which we are mercifully delivered. Sanctify thy fatherly corrections unto theni ; and do thou, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, comfort them in all their tribula- tions, that they may not faint under thy afflicting hand. As their sufferings abound, let their con- solations abound also: and the more the outv/ard man decayeth, the more may they be renewed bv thy grace and holy Spirit in the inner man : that so their afflictions may be the means of working out for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Hear us, we humbly beseech thee. Almighty God: and as thou hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common sup- plications 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 th) servants, ai inav 11* 154 FOURTH ^VF-EK. be most expedient for them ; granting us, in this world, knowledge of thy truth, and, in the world to come, life everlastin?. Our Father, ^c. The grace, S^^c. •^^ TUESDAY EVENING. O God of the spirits of all flesh, it is meet and right that unto thee all flesh should come. It is very meet and right, and our bounden duty, that we should, at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, hol}^ Father, almight}^ everlasting God. Therefore, with angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee, and saying. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high. Thou hast brought us so far to the conclusion of another day: and we desire, in an especial manner, to praise thee for the many and unde- served blessings which we have received. It is of thy mercies, O Lord, that we are not consumed ; because thy compassions fail not; and because we have an all-prevailing Advocate, ever living to make intercession for us. Our misdeeds testify against us, and our tres- pass is grown unto the heavens; but thy mercy also reacheth to the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. Thou, even thou, art he, that blottest out our transgressions for thy name's sake, and for thv beloved Son's sake wilt not remember our TUESDAY EVEfJlNG. 155 sins. Through him thou declarest thyself to have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth; hut hadst rather that he be converted and live. And through him thou hast promised forgiveness unto all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto thee; showing mercy unto thou- sands in them that love thee and keep thy com- mandments. Be merciful, therefore, unto us, O God; be merciful unto us; for our soul trusteth in thee. Pardon and deliver us from all our sins; confirm and strengthen us in all goodness ; and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Trusting in the multitude of thy tender mercies, and in thy loving-kindnesses which have been ever of old, we flee unto thee for rest and safety this night. Thou seest that we have no ]?ower of ourselves to help ourselves. Take us, therefore, we be- seech thee, under the protection of thy good providence. Keep us, both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls, tliat we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul. Bless us in our lying down, and in our rising up. May we remember thee on our bed ; and think on thee in the night-watches; and when we awake, may we still be with thee. Furthermore, we entreat thee, O Lord, our God, to bless the whole race of mankind with all things needful for life and godliness. Prepare thy way before the face of all people ; and visit them with thy salvation. Vouchsafe thy blessing to this nation and 150 roUPwTH WEEK. its rulers, and lot thy glory still dwell in our land. To all thy people give thy grace, that they may learn to fear thee, and be subject to the higlior ])Owers, submitting themselves to every ordinance of man for thy sake. Keep us, O Lord, from all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion; and continue to stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies. Give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so as in due time we may enjoy them. Grant that the course of this world ma}' be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quiet- ness. Bless all who have done, or wished, us good; and reward them sevenfold into their bosoms. Do good to those who have done, or wished, us evil; and give them repentance and better minds. X^reserve the rich and prosperous from worldly pride; and the poor and needy from murmurings, cnvyings, and discontent. Finally, we beseech thee, Almighty God, the f4)untain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessi- ties before we ask, and our ignorance in asking, to have compassion on our infirmities; and those things which, for our unworthiness, we dare not, and, for our blindness, we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Our Father^ Sfc. The gracc^ ^c. WEDAESDAV MORMXCf. 167 AVEDNESDAY MORNING. Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and de- sires 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, righte- ous, and sober hfe, to the glory of thy holy name. Help us especially so to live through the day upon which we have entered. Bless us in all our ways; and, whatever we do, may we do it heartily as unto thee, with a single eye to thy glory, and a humble dependence on thy fatherly protection. Enlighten our understanding; control our wills; and sanctify our affections. Preserve us, that neither the pleasures, nor the cares, nor the honours of this life, turn away our thoughts from the life which is to come. May we learn and labour daily to live above the world ; and to follow all our occupations in it with a heavenly mind. Enable us faithfully to discharge our several duties to thee, and to our fellow-creatures ; that 158 FOURTH -VTEEK. we may be useful in our generation among men, and steadfast in our covenant with thee. Having had much forgiven of thee, may we love thee much, and strive to please thee in all our ways. And grant that nothing may ever separate be- tween us and thee, by causing us to grow weary of thy service. But may we keep thy covenant for ever ; and think upon thy commandments to do them, finding thy yoke easy, and thy burden light ; yea, accounting thy service perfect free- dom, and the very joy of our heart. Lord, we pray thee that thy grace may always .prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works. We desire to offer up our unfeigned thanks- givings for the good which thou mayest already iiave wrought in us, and for every mercy which thou hast vouchsafed to our bodies and our souls. Day by day we give thanks unto thee, and praise thy name. Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks unto thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenl}'^ Kingi C^od the Father Almighty. We beseech thee, O Lord, to embrace with the arms of thy mercy not only ourselves, but all who partake of our fallen nature. Pity and convert the wicked. May they no longer make a mock at sin, but learn to tremble at that wrath which thou hast revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, fearing thee, who art able to destroy both body and soul hi hell. Give them grace to stand in awe of thy judgments, and to sin no more. WEDNESDAY MORNING. 159 Bless thy faithful people with knowledge and good understanding in the ways of godliness : and let not the children of this world be wiser in their generation than the children of light. And since many are the afflictions of the righteous, Lord, remember them, and all their trou^jles ; yea, may they be had before thee in everlasting remembrance. Though troubled on every side, let them not be distressed ; though perplexed, let them not be in despair; though persecuted^ let tl>em not be forsaken; though cast down, let them not be destroyed. In all their afflictions be thou afflicted; and let the angel of thy presence save them. In thy love, and in thy pity, do thou redeem them ; and bear them, and carry them, as in the days of old. Grant that every affliction, though not for the present joyous, but grievous, may yield the peace- able fruit3 of righteousness to such as are exercised thereby. And do thou bring them, at the last, to that place of rest and peace, where thou wilt wipe away all tears from their faces; where there shall be no more sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain ; and the former things shall pass away. Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplicafions^ and prayers ; and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of ever- lasting salvation ; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, we may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help^ through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father^ ^"c. The grace^ ^c. I()0 FOURTH WEEK. WEDNESDAY EVENING. Almighty God, who makest liglit and Greatest darkness, the returns of the morning and evening praise thee. We have been defended by thy mighty power through the day; and we desire to conclude it by speaking good of thy name. The dead praise not thee, O Lord ; neither all they that go down to the silence of the grave. But let the living, let the living praise thee. Grant that we, while we have any being, may sing praises unto thee, our God. Put now into our mouths that glorious song of thanksgiving, which none can sing but the re- deemed of the Lord ; and, when this life is ended, may we be prepared to join that countless multi- tude before thy throne, who rest not, day and night, proclaiming the praises of him who loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood. And, that we may be so prepared, we pray thee, O Lord Jesus, to love us, as thou hast loved them ; and to wash us, as thou hast washed them. They were by nature children of wrath, even as we. We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works which thou didst in their days, and in the old time before them. And thy arm is not shortened, that it cannot save ; nor is thy ear heavy, that it cannot hear. Look therefore upon us, even upon us, also, O Lord, our Redeemer. Arise, help us, and deliver us, for thy name's sake. Arise, help us, and deliver us, for thine honour. wi:dnesdav evEi\i.\«. 161 Grant that we may be thine, and that all tilings may be ours; whether the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. And do thou, the God of all grace, who hast called us to thy kingdom and glory, make us perfect to do thy will. Stablish, strengthen, settle us. Be unto us a tower of strength against all our enemies. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after our souls to destroy them: let them be turned backward and put to confusion, as many as wish us evil. And, that they may not get advantage of us unawares, let us not be igno- rant of their devices: but grant that we may be always sober, and watchful unto prayer, putting on the breast-plate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. We look up to thee, O Lord Almighty, for thy blessing through the night. May we lie down, and not be afraid: may we lie down, and may our sleep be sweet unto us. And grant that, whether waking or sleeping, we may live toge- ther with thee. We desire, also, to commend our fellow-crea- tures to thy fatherly mercy. We humbly beseech thee, O thou Fountain of goodness, to bless our civil rulers. Endue them with thy Holy Spirit; enrich them with thy hea- venly grace; prosper them with all happiness; and bring them to thy everlasting kingdom. Remember for good the churches which thy right hand hath planted ; and water them abun- dantly with the dew of thy blessing. Clothe thy ministers with the armour of righ- teousness, on the right hand and on the left. Make thy chosen people joyful in thy salvation, 15 162 FOURTH WEEK. Bless all parents and heads of families. I>eli- ver them from that wrath which thou hast threat- ened to pour out upon those who know thee not, and upon the families that call not upon thy name. Give them grace to walk in thy ways, and to command their households after them, bringing up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And upon all children pour down the riches of thy grace; sanctify and bless them; and dispose their hearts to love, honour, and succour their fathers and mothers. Bless also all servants ; and teach them to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again j nor purloining; but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. We pray thee, finally, O merciful Lord, who never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy steadfast fear and love, to remember and to bless with thy choicest mercies such as, on any account, are peculiarly dear unto us. Keep them, we beseech thee, under the pro- tection of thy good providence, and make them to have a perpetual fear and love of th}^ name. Let thy fatherly hand be ever over them : let thy Holy Spirit be ever with them ; and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word, that, in the end, they may obtain everlasting sal- vation, through Jesus Christ our Lord ; whoj with thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Our Father J S^-'c. The grace, S^c. TUURSDAY MORNLNG. 163 THURSDAY MORNING, O ETERNAL God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life, enable us to draw nigh unto thee by faith, in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Saviour. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach thee. For in thy presence is the fulness of joy; and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Even here there is a joy in thy service with which a stranger inter- meddleth not, and a peace which passeth all un- derstanding. Grant, O most merciful Lord, that all of us who are now assembled together, may be made partakers of this blessedness. Cause us to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning, for in thee do we trust. Cause us to know the way wherein we should go, for we lift up our souls unto thee. Whom have we, O Lord, in heaven, but thee? And whom upon earth ought we to desire in com- parison of thee 1 Grant that we may ever have fellowship with thee, and with thy Son, Jesus Christ. May he dwell in us, and we in him. Show us thy glory, we beseech thee; and make all thy goodness pass before us, that we may taste and see how gracious thou art. We confess our own exceeding unworthiness to implore these great mercies at thy hands. For we grieve thy Holy Spirit from day to day, and provoke thee to leave us to ourselves. Instead of delighting ourselves in thee, we have followed after other gods. We have sought our happiness 164 roURTII WEEK. in the world, more than in thy favour and love ; and too often we have made our hearts the abode of uucleanness, rather than the habitation of thy blessed Spirit, How long, O Lord, shall our vain thoughts and sinful imaginations thus lodge with- in us ? O cast us not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from us. Unto thee do we lift up our eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hands of her mistress, even so our eyes wait upon thee, O Lord our God, until thou have mercy upon us. O most mighty God, and most merciful Father, who hast compassion upon all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made, who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his sin and be saved, mercifully forgive us our trespasses; receive and comfort us, who are grieved and wearied with the burden of our •sins. Thy property is always to have mercy. To thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins. Spare us, therefore, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed : enter not into judg- ment with thy servants, who are vile earth, and miserable sinners; but so turn thy anger from us, who desire meekly to acknowledge our vile- ness, and truly to repent us of our sins : and so make haste to help us in this world, that we may ever live with tliee in the world to come. Be pleased, O Lord, to receive our thanks- givings for thy goodness and loving-kindness which have followed us all our days; and parti- cularly for thy preservation of us during the nijrht-scason. THURSDAY MORNING. 165 Thy covenant of tlie day and night is not broken, though we have so often broken our covenant with thee. We commit ourselves afresh this morning to thy loving-kindness and tender mercies, which have been towards us ever of old. Give us this day our daily bread, both tempo* ral and spiritual. Bestow upon us such a measure of worldly goods as may be needful and profitable for us. May the glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us. Prosper thou the work of our hands upon us; O prosper thou our handy-work. Above all, feed us with the bread of life, which cometh down from heave;i ; and which thou givest for the life of the world. Lord, evermore givo unto us this bread; and nourish us with it, even unto life eternal. May we always have grace to seek first thy kingdom and righteousness; and to trust thy un- failing promise, that all other things shall be added unto us. Pour down, we beseech thee, these blessings on our fellow-creatures in general; and especially on such as we desire continually to remember before thy throne. Favourably receive, O heavenly Father, these our prayers for them, and for ourselves; and answer them, not according to our merits, but according to the merits of thy beloved Son, our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. Our Father^ S^^c. The grace, 4*^* 15* 106 FOLUTII WLEK. THURSDAY EVENING. Almighty and everlasting Lord God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, that faintest not, neither art weary, whose mercy endureth for ever, who is a God like unto thee, that pardonest iniquity, and passest by the transgression of th}^ heritage; that retainest not thy anger for ever, because thou delightest in mercy 1 When we call to remembrance the days tliat are gone, from our youth up even until now, and consider how many of them liave been spent in forgetfulness of thee, innumerable sorrows might well encompass us; and our sins take such hold upon us, that we should not be able to look up. Seeing they arc more in number than the hairs of our head, our hearts might well fail because of them, did we not know that thy compassions fail not. We have abundant cause, O Lord, to remem- ber, and to be confounded, and never to opesi our mouth any more because of our sliame, even though thou shouldest be pacified towards us for all that we have done. We therefore bless thee for Jesus, the Media- tor of the new covenant; through whom we hope to be justified from all things, from which we could not be justified by any righteousness of our own. We adore and magnify thy name, O Father of mercies and God of all consolation, for having called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to thy own purpose and grace, given us in Christ Jesus before the world THURSDAY EVENINQ. 167 began; whom having not seen, we love; and in whom, though now we see him not, yet believing, we may rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. O for a song of praise ! for a psalm of everlast- ing thanksgiving unto thee, the God of our salva- tion ! O Lamb of God, worthy art thou that wast slain; for ii\ou hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood ! Worthy art thou that wast slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Teach us, O Lord, to live, day by day, in humble dependence on thy promises, in cheerful obedience to thy laws, and in a sure and certain hope of a blessed immortality. Keep us, we beseech thee, with thy perpetual mercy: and, because the frailty of man, without tliee, cannot but fall, keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation. From all our enemies, temporal and spiritual, defend us, O Christ. In all time of our tribulation, in all time of our prosperity, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, good Lord, deliver us. Grant that, being received for thy own children by adoption, and being incorporated into thy holy Church, we may receive the fulness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful children; and finally, with the residue of thy people, may be made partakers of thy heavenly kingdom. Preserve us, especially, from all the evils to which we may be exposed this night. Graciously cive thy angels charge concerning us, to pitch 163 FOURTH WEEK. ikeir tents around our beds: and grant that our friends, our neighbours, and all who are dear to us, may be brought in safety to the beginning of another day. But, whereas we continually carry about us a body of death, give unto us all grace to consider our latter end. As often as wc are about to lie down on the bed of sleep, help us to look forward to that sloe]) in the dust of the earth, from which all shall awake at the last, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And may we be found meet in that day, to join in that glorious song which thou hast pre- pared for those who wait for thy appearing: '* Lo ! this is our God : we have waited for him, and he will save us. This is the Lord: we will rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth, mercifully hear these our supplications; and grant us thy peace; all the days of our life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father^ S^^c. The gracc^ ^"c. FRIDAY MORNIING. Almighty and everlasting God, who hast re- newed thy mercies towards us together with this morning light, thou art the God of our life, and the refuge of our souls. Day by djiy will wo, make our prayer unto thee. FRIDAY MORNING. 169 liOok down upon us, O Lord, from thy holj temple: from thy throne in the heaven gf hea- vens, indine thine ear, and hear us. Remember the everlasting covenant of grace which thou hast established in the blood of thy beloved Son; and, for the glory of thy name, vouchsafe unto us the pardon of our sins, and all other sjDiritual blessings. Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may be mercifully relieved, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And while many are inquiring. Who will show them any earthly good"? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Shov/ unto us more of the vanity of the world ; of the misery of sin; of the worth of our souls; of the excellency of Christ; and of the beauty of holiness. Teach us that one thing is needful ; and that one thing let us do; giving all diligence to make our calling and election sure; growing in grace and humility, and increasing in the knowledge of thy holy ways. Keep us this day with thy mighty power. May we be in thy fear all the day long, serving thee as dear children, in the spirit of adoption. Deliver us from all sin and wickedness, and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil. From all blindness of heart, from pride, vain- glory, and hypocrisy, from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness, good Lord, de- liver us. 1/0 TOURTll WEEK. Mdke us humble and lowly in spirit, cheerful and contented in our stations, true and just in our dealings, diligent and faithful in our callings, kind and tender-hearted towards our fellow-crea- tures, forgiving the offences of others, as we hope to be forgiven of thee ; bringing under the body, and keeping it in subjection; watching over] our thoughts, words, and actions, and letting our mo- deration be known unto all men. Thus, while we live, let Christ be om- life; and when we die, let death be our gain. And do thou, O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee, such good things as pass man's under- standing, pour into our hearts, from day to day, such love toward thee, tliat we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire. Graciously vouchsafe, O Lord, to let our in- tercessions come up before thee in behalf of thoso for whom we are commanded to pray. May it please thee to have mercy on all the nations of the earth. Look with an eye of pity and love upon this Bation in gejieral ; and especially upon such as are faithful in the land; upoE all who fear thee, itnd trust in thy mercy. Show unto them that are in error the light of thy trutli, and cause them to return into the way of righteousness : and grant unto all such as are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's reli- gion, that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the snme. Heal the distractions of thy Church; and pour down upon it the spirit of unity and godly love. FKIDAY EVENING. 171 Assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah. May it please thee, of thy great goodness, to provide for the poor and needy; to preserve all sick persons and young children; and to show thy pity upon all prisoners and captives. May it please thee to bless with thy most gra- cious favour, those whom we love, and those who love us; and to grant that we may all be loved of thee. Let our dwelling, our persons, our sub- stance, and all that we have, be blessed of thee, the God of all blessing, this day, and for ever- more. Finally, we beseech thee, Almighty God, who seest that we know not of ourselves how, or for what, to pray as we ought, mercifully pardon all that we have asked amiss; give unto us all that tve have been enabled to ask, agreeably to thy will; and plentifully bestow upon us all those good things which, through our ignorance, we have neglected to ask, and which we desire now to ask, in the comprehensive words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ : — Our Father, S^c. The grace, Sfc, FRIDAY EVENING. Let thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and that we may obtain our petitions, make us to ask such things, and in such a way, as shall please thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thou hast graciously assured us, that whoso 172 FOURTH WEEK. confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall find mercy. Help us, therefore, to confess our iniquity with that godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of; and to approach thee with the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart, which thou, O God, wilt not despise. Look down upon us, through the Son of thy love, in whom thou canst be just, and yet tlie justifier of all who truly believe in him. Lord, we believe; help thou our unbelief. Par- don our backwardness to receive the record which thou hast given of thy Son. Forgive our slowness of heart to believe all that thy prophets and apos- tles have spoken of thy great salvation. Upbraid us not for our want of faith in laying hold of tliy exceeding great and precious promises, when a sense of our unworthiness weigheth down our souls. And since thou art faithful who hast promised, and with thee is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, help us no longer to stagger at thy promises, through unbelief; but to be strong in faith, giving glory unto thee, and believing that what thou hast promised, thou wilt also faithfully perform. Grant, also, O God, that we may guard against every thing which might serve to weaken tlie ground of our confidence towards thee. May we never grieve thy Spirit, nor wound our own con- science, by doing what our heart condemneth: but may we always walk according to the light which we receive; and always be enabled with truth to say, Thou, O Lord, who knowest all things, knowest that we love thee. Seal us, we pray thee, with that holy Spirit TRIDAY EVENING. 173 of promise which is the earnest of our inhe- ritance. Vouchsafe, O Lord, we beseech thee, thou who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom, to defend us, thy humble servants, in all assaults of our ene- mies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. And grant that we, through thy help, may both faithfully live and walk according to thy will in this life present, and also may be partakers of everlasting glory in the life to come. Of thy bountiful goodness, O Lord, pour down thy blessings on the whole human race, that all nations whom thou hast made may come and worship before thee, and glorify thy name. Especially bless our own country. Save us from national judgments; from foreign oppression ; and from domestic tumults. From lightning and tempest; from plague, pes- tilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death; good Lord, deliver us. May it please thee to keep and strengthen in the true worshipping of thee, in righteousness and holiness of hfe, all who are invested with authority in our national and state governments. May It please thee to bless and keep all thy people. May it please thee, likewise, to regard with thy love and compassion, our beloved friends and neighbours. Keep them steadfast in thy faith and fear. Guide them by thy counsel here, and re- ceive them hereafter to the kingdom of thv fflorv 16 -^ ^ J' T74 FOURTH WEEK. Hear us, O Lord, we beseech thee, in these our prayers and intercessions: and accept our hearty thanks for the mercies of the past day. And further hear us, while we implore the continuance of thy blessings upon us, particularly through the night-season. Hide us under the shadow of thy s-lmighty wings, till the perils and dangers of darkness shall have passed away. Finally, may it please thee, O most merciful Father, with thy perpetual favour to look upon us, that, by thy great goodness, we may be go- verned and preserved evermore, both in body and soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, Sfc. The grace, 6fc. SATURDAY MORNING. Almighty God, who turnest the shadow of deatli into morning, and causest thy sun daily to rise on the evil and on the good, we humbly approach thee with the offering of our thanks and praise, for having preserved us once more to meet toge- ther in thy presence. We beseech thee to grant that thy manifold and great mercies pertaining to the present life, may be always remembered by us with gratitude and love. May we think of them when we lie down, and when we rise up ; when we sit in the house, and when we walk by the way. These mercies, we acknowledge, no righteous- ness of our own hath merited, nor hath our own prudence or strength procured them ; and there- SATURDAY MORNING. 175 fore, not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unta thy name be all the praise; to thy power, and wisdom, and goodness, by which alone we have been preserved; and to thy bountiful and gra- cious providence, by which our wants have been supplied. To thee, also, we are wholly indebted for all spiritual blessings. Thou didst make man up- right at first; but we sought out many inventions, and corrupted our way before thee. Yet when we had the sentence of death in ourselves, thou saidst unto us, Live. Thou hast delivered us from so great a death, and dost deliver; and we trust thou wilt yet deliver us; for thou hast not appointed thy people unto wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let not any of us, we pray thee, neglect so great salvation. But, since thou hast given thy only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life, give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life. Like him, may we learn to renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that we may not follow nor be led by them. Grant unto us, O Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and to do alway such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do auy thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will ; and so in the end may btaja everlastin": life 176 FOURTH WEEK. Be pleased, O Lord, to bestow on others tha blessings which we have implored for ourselves. Prosper all endeavours to spread abroad thy Gospel in the world. While many are running to and fro in the earth, let the knowledge of thy salvation be in- creased. Give unto thy beloved Son dominion and glory, and a kingdom; and let all people, nations, and languages, serve him: and let his dominion be an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. O thou who dividest to the nations their in- heritance, and settest the bounds of the people, thou upon whom the isles do wait, graciously behold this land. We beseech thee to save and defend all Chris- tian rulers; especially the President of the United States, the great council of the nation, and all that are put in authority under them, that they may truly and impartially administer justice, to the punishment of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of thy true religion and virtue. Give also unto those who are under authority a spirit of meekness and submission ; a spirit of contentment and obedience; a spirit of sure trust and confidence in thee, who makest poor and makest rich; who bringest low, and liftest up; who puttest down one, and raisest up an- other. Regard with peculiar favour those parts of the land which thou hast made the habitation of our dear friends and benefactors, of our relations and neighbours. And pour down upon us all a spirit of un- SATURDAY EVE MM;. 177 feigned thankfulness for the many and great blessings with which thou hast visited us, evea from of old, and beyond other nations, giving unto us such a sense of tJieni, as shall cause us to love and praise thee all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. Our Father^ ces, and raised again for our justification. For he is the very Paschal Lamb, which was offered for us, and hath taken away the sin of the world: who, by his death, hath destroyed death, and him that had the power of death ; and, by his rising to life again, hath restored to us ever- lasting life. Blessed be thou, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, of thy abundant mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively hope, by his resurrection from the dead, to an inheritance in- corruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for all who are kept by thy power, through faith, unto salvation. We confess that we are by nature dead in trespasses and sins, and cannot, by our own power, raise ourselves to newness of life. But thou, O Christ, art the Resurrection and the Life; and thou hast declared, that whosoever beheveth in thee shall live, though he die; and that whosoever liveth and believeth in thee, shall never die. We meekly beseech thee, therefore, to r^isQ us front) the death of sin unto the life ojf '305 FOR EASTER-SUNDAV. righteousness. Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou tSon of David. By thy glorious resurrection, good Lord, deliver us. To this end thou didst both die, and rise, and revive, that thou mightest be Lord both of the dead and of the living, and tliat, whether we wake or sleep, we might live together with thee. Perfect in us, we beseech thee, by thy mighty power, the glorious work which thou hast undertaken, in dying for our sins, and rising again for our justification. As thou hast loosened the pains of death, be- cause it was impossible that thou shouldest be holden of them ; so let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us, who are tied and bound with the chain of our sins. Grant unto us that perfect liberty wherewith thou makest thy people free. Do thou make us free, and we shall be free in- deed. May we know thee, and the power of thy resurrection; and so put away the leaven of ma- lice and wickedness, that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth. And may it please thee, O Lord God, the God of peace, thyself, who didst bring from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting cove- nant, to make us perfect in every good work, to do thy will, working in us that which is well pleasing in thy sight. Vouchsafe thy special blessing to us this morn- ing. Put into our minds good desires; and enable us to bring the same to good effect. May the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in us, and quicken us in ali the duties of this day. Raise our llioughts from the things of this world, and fix them upon those MORNING. 20'7 things which arc above, where Christ sitteth at thy right hand. Help us fervently to join the prayers and praises of thy people in the courts of thy sanctuary. [And since Christ our Passover has been sa- crificed for us, therefore let us keep the feast. And give us grace so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us.] Grant, also, unto those who shall assemble with us, that they may be plenteously endued with all heavenly graces, and be prepared, with meek heart and due reverence, to hear and receive thy holy word, [and to be meet partakers of thy holy mysteries.] Pour down thy spirit from on high on the ministers of thy blessed Gospel: and, while they preach Jesus and the resurrection, let thy word, in their mouth, be as life from the dead ; that so they who are sleeping in their sins, may awake, and arise from the dead, that Christ may give them life. And grant unto all, grace to consider that the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of man, and shall come forth; they that have done good, to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation. Grant these our requests, for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Our Father, 6^c. Grace, mercy, and peace, S^c. 20S FOR EASTEfe^DAY. FOR EASTER-DAY. EVENING. Most merciful God and Father, we, thy humble servants, beseech thee to receive our hearty thanks for thy great goodness vouchsafed unto us. We have been favoured with the advantages of another day of sacred rest. We have been permitted to assemble together in the courts of thy house, [and around thy holy table.] We have once more commemorated thy wonderful love to us, and to all mankind, in giving thy Son not only to die for our sins, but to rise again for our justification ; that, having overcome the sharpness of death, he might open the kingdo^m of heaven to all believers. We bless thee that thou hast not suffered us to follow a cunningly devised fable; but that all things which before thou hadst showed by the mouth of all thy prophets, thou hast so fulfilled. Our hearts rejoice, and our tongue is glad; be- cause thou hast not left his soul in hell, neither didst thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption ; but hast declared him to be the Son of God with power, by his resurrection from the dead, saying. This is my beloved Son; to-day have I begotten him. The Lord liveth, and blessed be our strong Helper ! And praised be the God of our salva- tion ! The Lord liveth; and is alive for ever- more; and hath the keys of hell and of death. Our souls do magnify the Lord, and our spirit doth rejoice in Christ our Saviour. EVENING. 209 Hosanna to the Son of David ! Hosanna to the Prince of Peace ! With his own rigiit hand, and with his holy arm, he hath gotten to himself the victory. By his glorious resurrection, good Lord, de- liver us. Deliver us, and take away our sins, for the honour of thy name. Justify us freely by thy grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. And grant, that, as he was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also may walk in newness of life, reckoning ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. May we follow his example, and be made like unto him ; and as he died and rose again for us, so may we, who are baptized unto his death, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness, continually morti- fying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living. Help us always to remember that our Re- deemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth ; and that, though after our skins worms shall destroy this body, yet in. our flesh we shall see God : whom our eyes shall behold, and not another. Grant, that whenever this vile body shall be committed to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, it may be in sure and certain hope of a joyful resurrection to eternal life, and may be changed like unto Christ's glo- rious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to him- self. Thus do thou ransom us from the power of 19 2i(X FOR EASTER-DAY. the grave: redeem us from the second deafli. Say unto death, I will be thy plagues; and to the grave, I will be thy destruction: that so we may rise from the dead, to die no more; being thy children, O God, and the children of the re- surrection. Hear us, O God of mercy, in behalf of our fellow-creatures. Grant that the Sun of Righteousness may arise' with healing in his wings upon all nations that are sitting in darkness and the shadow of death; and dispose them to come to the light of his beams, and to the brightness of his rising.. Have mercy, on the house of Israel; and let them know assuredly, that thou hast made that same Jesus, whom their forefathers crucified, both Lord and Christ. May those who are living in sin remember, that thou hast appointed a day, in the which thou wilt judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom thou hast ordained; whereof thou hast given assurance unto all men, in that thou liast raised him from the dead. Comfort those who are mourning for the loss of beloved friends and relations, departed this life in thy faith and fear. Teach them to sorrow not, even as others which have no hope, for them that sleep in thee; believing, that if Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Deliver those, likewise, who, through fear of death, are all their lifetime subject unto bondage. And take away from thy dying servants the bit- terness thereof, and enable them to say, O death, where is thy sting 1 O grave, where is thy victory? MORNING. 5ill 'Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hear us, O Lord, in these our petitions for ourselves and others, for the sake of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, in whose name and words we further call upon thee. Our Father, Sfc, Grace, mercy, and peace, Sfc. FOR ASCENSION-DAY, OR THE SUNDAY AFTER. MORNING. Almighty Father, by whose power we hav« been graciously preserved to meet together this iiiorning, we draw nigh unto thee, in the name -of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer; who, having purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. We bless thee, O Lord, for giving him not only to live and to die for us, and to rise again ; but chiefly, at this time, for causing him to ascend Aip on high, leading captivity captive, and receiv- ing gifts for men, yea, even for the rebellious also, that thou mightest dwell among them. We glorify thy name, for exalting him at thy own right hand in heavenly places, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgive- ness of sins. Having, therefore, such a High Priest as be- came us, who is holy, harmless, undellled, sg- yparate from sinners, and made higher tlian the 212 FOR ASCENSION-DAY. heavens; one who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and was in all points tempted like as we are, j'^et without sin ; we are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. By his glorious ascension, good Lord, de- liver us. We have indeed most grievously sinned against thee, and deserve only thy wrath and indignation. 15ut we have an Advocate with thee, Jesus Christ the righteous; whom thou hast appointed as the propitiation for our sins ; and who is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto thee by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hear, we beseech thee, the voice of his media- tion in our behalf; and when thou hearest, have mercy. May our sins, though many, be forgiven us, through the riches of thy grace; and, being justified by faith, may we have peace with thee, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For his sake, also, O most merciful Father, enable us to hate and mortify those sins which we humbly implore thee no more to remember against us. Create and make in us new and con- trite hearts; that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may ob- tain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remis^ sion and forgiveness. Let our repentance be unto salvation, not to be repented of. Give unto us that faith which worketh by love, purifieth the soul, overcometh the world, establishelh the law, and maketh us careful to maintain good works. Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that MORNING. 5J13 like as we do believe tliy only-begotten Son to have ascended into the heavens, so may we also, in heart and life, thither ascend, and with him continually dwell; that, when he cometh again, he may receive us unto himself; and that where he is, there we may be also. [Grant, especially, that our attendance 0n thy worship this day may be the means of quickening us in the way of thy commandments, and of making us more meet to be partakers of the in- heritance of thy saints in light.] [And may our souls be strengthened and re- freshed by the body and blood of Christ, which we may spiritually receive around thy table.] Look in compassion upon all mankind, whom thy beloved Son redeemed with his most precious blood. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given, fulfil thy promise, that he shall receive from thee the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his pos- session. Have mercy on those from whose forefathers, as concerning the flesh, Christ came. Let it no more be said, that he cometh to his own, and his own receive him not; but may they receive him at the last, as the Consolation of Israel, the De- sire of all nations, the Messiah that was to come into the world. Grant that such as have hitherto placed their afl'ections on this world, may hereafter seek those things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. And niav all who have set themselves against 19* 214 FOR ASCExNSIO\-DAV, the Lord, and against his Anointed, kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and they perish from the uay, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are they that put their trust in him. Holy Father, keep, through thine own name, those whom thou hast given him. We pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil of it. Grant that they may not be of the world, even as he was not of the world. Sanctify them through thy trutli. Thy word is truth. Neither pray we for these alone, but for those also who shall hereafter believe on his name ; that they all may be one, as thou. Father, art in him, and he in thee, that they may be one, even as ye are one. And may it please thee, of thy gracious good- ness, shortly to accomplish the number of thine (elect, and to hasten thy kingdom; that we, with all those who have departed this life in thy faith and fear, may have our perfect consummation and bliss in thy eternal and everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, S^c. Grace, mercy, and peace, FOR ASCENSION-DAY. OB THE SUNDAY AFTER. EVENING. O God, our heavenly Father, into whose pre- sence we have boldness to enter, through the precious blood of Christ, by that new and living EVENING. 215 way which is consecrated for us through his flesh ; and having a High l*riest passed into the heavens, even Jesus, thy beloved Son, we approach thee in his great and glorious name. And we beseech thee to grant that we may draw nigh unto thee with a true heart, in full assurance of faith. Accept our thanks, O Lord, for the marvellous works which thou hast wrought for the sinful children of men. Glory be unto thee, O Father of mercies, for sending thy only-begotten Son into the world, that whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but have everlasting life. Praised be thy name, that when he had finished the work which thou hadst given him to do, by pouring out his soul unto death, thou didst raise him from the grave, and set him at thy own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that whicli is to come; and hast put all things under his feet; and hast given him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. We rejoice that, as at this time, he ascended to his Father, and to our Father; to his God, and to our God; and that, as our Forerunner, he is gone to prepare a place for us. We give thanks to thee for the gracious pro^ mise, that none shall be able to lay any thing to the charge of thine elect, whom thou thyself hast pardoned and absolved: and that none shall con- demn them, because it is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at thy right hand, who makelh intercession for them. By his glorious ascension and all-prevailing 216 FOU ASCENSION-DAY. intercession, good Lord, deliver us. Receive ns into the number of thy faithful and elect chil- dren; and make us partakers of the heritage of thy chosen. We pray thee, O God, who art rich in mercy, for the great love wherewith thou hast loved us, to quicken us together with Christ, who are dead in trespasses and sins; and raise us up together, and make us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. May we he joined to the innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant. As thou hast exalted him with great triumph into thy kingdom in heaven, v/o beseech thee, leave us not comfortless, but send to us thy Holy Ghost to comfort us: and exalt us unto ihe same place, wliither our Saviour Christ is gone before; tliat we may be with him where he is, and may behold his glory, which thou hiist given him. We look up unto thee, our only Mediator and Advocate, who, by thy blood, hast obtained eter- nal redemption for us; and having ofi'ered one sacrifice for our sins, art for ever set down at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, angels, and authorities, and powers being made subject unto thee. Remember us, O Lord Jesus, now that thou art entered into thy kingdom. Thou, who art exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, grant unto us repentance and remission of sins. Thou, that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. EVENING. 217 Thou, who ever livest to make intercession for the transgressors, pray for us. Thou who hast all power given unto thee in heaven and in earth, stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us. Look down, O Lord, not only upon us, but upon all others, for whom thy beloved Son died and rose again, and ascended, and ever liveth to make intercession. Send them help from thy holy place, and evermore mightily defend them. [May every attendance on thy public worship be the means of preparing them for the place in the heavenly mansions, which Christ their Sa- viour hath provided for them.] [As often as they eat and drink around his table on earth, the better may they be fitted to sit down with his faithful people hereafter, at the marriage- supper of the Lamb.] And may we and they be daily looking forward to the time when he shall so come, in like manner as he ascended up into heaven, to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe. And grant, O Lord, that we may all find mercy of thee in that day. We ask these things through our all-prevailing Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Saviour. Our Father^ Sfc. Grace, mercy, and peace ^ 218 FOR \VHIT-SUNDAY» FOR WHIT-SUNDAY. MORNING. Almighy God, by whose good providence we are brought to see the light of another morning, mercifully accept our thanks for this thy goodness towards us. Thou art the hope of all the ends of the earth ; and upon thee the eyes of all do wait for their portion in due season. Unto thee, therefore, do we hft up our eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. We wait now, at thy footstool, for the promise of thy Spirit, wliich, as at this time, thou didst miraculously pour out upon the sons of men, en- duing them with divers powers from on high. And we praise thee for the gracious assurance that he shall remain with thy people always, even to the end of the world. Without his mighty aid we can do nothing that is rightful. We know not what to pray for as we ought, unless he help our infirmities, and make intercession for us, according to the will of God. We have need of his holy inspiration, to think those things that be good; and of his merciful guiding, to enable us to perform the same. Grant, therefore, we beseech thee, that he may con- tinually rest upon us, as a Spirit of wisdom and understanding; a Spirit of counsel and strength; a Spirit of knowledge and true godliness; a Spirit of holy fear and love; a Spirit of truth, unity, and concord; a Spirit of everlasting consolation and good hope. MORNING. 211) Especially vouchsafe unto us such a measure of his grace as may be needful for the due ob- servance of this day. May he guide us into all truth. May he open our understandings to un- derstand the Scriptures, and our hearts to receive them. May he prepare us to join in the solemn services of thy temple; [and] to pour out before thee the voice of prayer and praise in the congre- gation of thy people, [and to partake of the mysteries of thy table.] Let not our past abuse of thy Sabbaths, and of thy other mercies, provoke thee to cast us away from thy prq^ence, and to take thy holy Spirit from us. But rather, do thou give unto us true repentance, and a greater measure of strength from above; that we may stir up the gift of God that is in us, and be quickened to greater diligence in improving the means of grace and salvation. By the coming of the Holy Ghost, good Lord, deliver us. Grant that we, being regenerate, and new created in Christ Jesus unto all good works, may be made more meet for that glorious kingdom, into which thou hast declared. That none can enter who are not born again. Seal us, we pray thee, with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance. And may the blessed hope of dwelling with thee be shed abroad in our hearts., and abound through his almighty power. Enable us daily to rejoice in this hope of thy glory; that amidst all the trials and troubles of life, it may be to us the anchor of our souls, both sure and steadfast. Be pleased, O Lord, to hear the voice of our intercession in behalf of our fellow-creatures.. 'i:20 FOR W1!IT-SUNDA¥. Pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh. Arise, O Lord, in the greatness of thy strength, and awaken to a life of righteousness, those who are dead in trespasses and sins. Send out thy light and thy truth to the nations who know not thy name, and have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Have mercy on thy people Israel, and fulfil thy word of promise towards them. A new heart do thou give them ; and a new spirit put within them; and take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh. And put thy Spirit within them, and cause tjiem to walk in thy statutes; and to keep thy judgments, and to do them. Shed abroad all spiritual blessings on the churches of thy saints. May they be edified by the truth, as it is in Jesus; and, walking in thy fear, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, may they be multiplied exceedingly. Be especially present with those who shall meet together in thy house of prayer. Bless all Christian ministers. Endue them with thy holy Spirit, enrich them with thy heavenly grace ; and let the words which they shall speak this day, be applied to the hearts of men in the demonstration of the same Spirit, and of power. May he, the Spirit of all truth, convince the faithless; enlighten the blind; instruct the igno- rant ; direct the inquiring ; strengthen the weak ; convert the wicked; humble the proud; sanctify the faithful; reclaim the backsliding; comfort the afl3icted ; and grant unto all, the diversity of his gracious operations, severally as they stand in need. EVENING. 221 Hear us, O God, in these our prayers and supplications, for the sake of Jesus Christ ; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed equal adoration and praise, now and evermore. Our Father^ Sfc. Gracc^ mercy, and peace ^ Sfc, FOR WHIT-SUNDAY. EVENING. O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have access b}^ one Spirit unto thee, hear, we beseech thee, the voice of our unfeigned thanksgiving. Glory and honour be unto thee, O Father of mercies, for all the benefits which thou hast done unto us ; and, especially, for the spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, with which we are favoured. We praise thee for thy holy word; for thy appointed ministers ; for thy house of prayer; [for the sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ;] and for all the means of grace which have been vouchsafed unto us this day. We praise thee for the unspeakable gift of thy beloved Son ; for his wonderful love and humiha- tion ; for his holy incarnation and nativity; for his precious death and burial ; for his glorious resur- rection and ascension; but, chiefly, for the coming of the Holy Ghost, which he shed forth abundantly, as at this time, according to his word. We praise thee for saving us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. We bless thee for thy promise, that if we ask, 30 '^'riZ FOR WlilT-SUNDAr. wc shall have ; if we seek, we shall find ; if we knock, it shall be opened unto us. So give now therefore unto us that ask ; let us that seek, find ; open the gate unto us that knock, that we may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord. By the coming of the Holy Ghost, good Lord, deliver us. We acknowledge him as the Author and Giver of spiritual life to our souls. We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing of ourselves; but all our sufficiency is of him ; and we can do no- thing, except it be given us from above. Look upon us, therefore, who are b}^ nature dead in trespasses and sins. Say unto us, live; and thy word shall be as life from the dead. Grant that all carnal afiections may die in us; and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in us. Help us to put off, concern- ing the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts; and to put on the new man, which, after thy image, is created in righteousness and true holiness. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by th}' holy inspiration, and make them a habitation for thyself, the temples of the living God: and let us not defile them by taking pleasure in unrighteousness. By thy special grace preventing us, put into our minds good desires, and by thy continual help enable us to bring the same to good effect; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may b}' thee be enabled to live according to thy will. Grant, we beseech thee, that as thou didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people by sending to tVBMNG. 32a them the light of thy holy Spirit, so we, by the same Spirit, may have a right judgment in all things, and may evermore rejoice in his holy comfort. Look, O Lord, on a world of transgressors, who are enemies to thee by wicked works. As the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, let none receive his grace in vain. Have compassion on those who deny his eternal power and Godhead : and show unto them, who are thus in error, the light of thy truth, and cause them to return into the way of righteousness. Be merciful, also, unto such as profess to be- lieve in him, yet are doing despite to his grace, and are strangers to his sanctifying power. May they see that they only are thy children who are led by thy Spirit, and walk in the way of righte- ousness. Strengthen such as do stand. Let them not grieve that holy Spirit by which they are sealed unto the day of redemption ; but ever obey his godly motions in righteousness and true holiness. -Comfort and help the weak-hearted ; raise up them that fall; and finally beat down Satan under their feet. Be gracious unto those whom the Holy Ghost hath made overseers to feed the Church which thou liast purchased with thy blood, and may they be faithful dispensers of thy holy word and sacra- ments; in the name of the Father, and of the -Son, and of the Holy Ghost; to whom be ascribed equal glory, praise, and adoration, for ever and ■ever. Amen. Our Father, ^■'c. Grace, mercy, and peace ^ S24 TOR TRINITY-SUNDAY. FOR TRINITY-SUNDAY. MORNING. Holy, holy, hol}^ Lord God of hosts, unchange- able, eternal, and glorious, most mighty, just and true, infinitely wise and good, who art here and every where present, and knowest all things, the blessed and only Potentate, who only hast im- mortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen or can see, we draw nigh unto thee with reverence and godly fear. Thou art a God that hidest thyself; and we cannot by searching find thee out. But we bless thee for the revelation which thou hast been pleased to make of thyself to us, as One God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. We praise thee, O God the Father, for thy wonderful love in giving thy well-beloved Son to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption. We adore thee, the Father of an infinite majesty. We adore thee, O God the Son, the only- begotten of the Father, the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodil3\ Thou art the King of glory, O Christ. Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father ; the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending; which wast, and which art, and which art to come, the Almighty; God over all, blessed for evermore. Equal to the Father, as touching thy Godhead; inferior to the Father,, as touching thy manhood ; perfect God and perfect man, we praise thee MORNING. 225 br the great love wherewith thou hast loved us, n leaving the glory which thou hadst with the feather, before the world began; and for us men, md for our salvation, coming down from heaven. We adore thee, O God, the Holy Ghost, pro- ceeding from the Father and the Son, the Author and Giver of life; who, with the Father and the Son together, art worshipped and glorified ; who lidst speak by the prophets. We bless thee, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter; the eternal Spirit of wisdom and of truth, who searchest all things, even the deep things of God, and gii"iest«s into dl truth; the good Spirit, who helpest our in- irmities ; tlie Spirit of grace and supplications ; vho teachest us to pray, and makest intercession br us with groanings that cannot be uttered ; the Spirit of holiness, who sanctifiest us, and all the elect people of God ; the Spirit of glory, of whom, unless we are regenerate and born again, we can- not enter into the kingdom of heaven ; the holy Spirit of promise, vv^ho sealest us unto the day of redemption. Glory be unto thee, O Father; unto thee, O Son ; and unto thee, O Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us, thy servants, grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the divine Majesty to worship the Unity; we beseech thee that thou wouldst keep us steadfast in this faith. Let us not be as children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine ; but may we he established in the truth of tin- holy GospeL 226 FOR TIIINITV-SUNDAY, Dispose us this day to worship thee, serve thee, and obey thee, as we ought to do ; to come into thy presence with thanksgiving, and into thy courts with praise ; to be thankful unto thee, and to speak good of thy name. [And may we, and all who shall commemorate with us this morning the sacrifice which was made for our sins, experience abundantly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost.] O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, who art a jealous God, and wilt not give thy glory to an-^ other, look in compassion on all nations who know not thee, the only God, and are bowing down to the gods many, and the lords many, which they have made unto themselves. Spread abroad thy Gospel, and scatter the darkness from the face of the earth ; and let the true light now shine. Turn them from all their vanities unto thee, the living and the true God ; and let them be baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Have mercy also on those who have departed from the faith, and have brought into thy Church divers heresies, deceiving and being deceived; especially such as worship not One God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. Shed thy blessing on all who hold the Catholic faith ; and may they continue to keep it whole and undefiled. Bless the Church which thou hast established in this land ; and preserve it from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism. May it remain the ground and pillar of the truth ; and evermore be defended from every blast of vain doctrine which shall rage against it. EVENING. 2*27 Clothe all its ministers with righteousness ; and give them grace to contend earnestly for the faith delivered to them. Now unto One God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and unto One Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we in him; and unto One Spirit, by whom, through Christ, we have access unto the Father; even unto the holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, Three Persons and One God, be ascribed equal and endless praise, now and for evermore. A7nen. Our Pather, 6^c. Grace, meraj, and peace. FOR TRINITY-SUNDAY. EVENING. O God, the Father of heaven, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners. We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we have most grievously committed against thee. We have ill requited thee for thy wonderful love to us, and to all nian- kind, in giving thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross. We have not duly obeyed thy command to believe on his name ; but have re- sisted the purposes of thy grace towards us, and abused the riches of thy patience and forbearance. To us belong shame and confusion of face ; but to thee, the Lord our God, belong mercies and for- givenesses, though we have rebelled against thee: 236 FOR TRINITY- SUNDAY. tifitlier have we obeyed thy voice, to walk in thy laws, which thou hast set before us. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, O heavenly Father ; according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out our offences. O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners. Thou hast loved us, and given ihyself for us, and redeemed us unto God by thy blood; that we might not perish, but have everlasting life. But we have too much abused thy love, neglected thy salvation, and trampled under foot that precious blood. Forgive us, we beseech thee, all tbat h past. Though sin hath abounded in us, let thy pardoning grace abound much more. Bear with us, as thou didst v/ith thy disciples, in the daj's of thy sojourning among men. Be always touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and remember whereof we are made. Pitifully behold the sor- rows of our hearts; and mercifully forgive the sins of thy people- O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, have mercy upon us, miser- able sinners. Thou hast graciously striven with us from day to day ; convincing us of sin ; taking of the things of Christ and showing them unto us ; leading us into all truth; and putting into our minds good desires, and enabling us to bring the same to good effect. But we have greatly resisted thy godly motions, and done despite to thy grace, vexing thee and grieving thee by our evil doings, and provoking thee altogether to depart from us. But, we beseech thee, leave us not to ourselves. Still take up thy abode in our hearts, and make them EVENING. 229 a fitter habitation for thyself. And so cleanse the very thoughts and intents thereof by thy holy in- spiration, that we may both think those things that be good, and also, by thy merciful guiding, may hereafter more faithfully perform the same. O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, Three Persons and One God, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners. Enter not into judgment with us for the sins and infirmities of this day. Pardon the iniquity of our most holy things. When we have done all, we are unprofitable servants. Our goodness extendeth not to thee. Accept us, and our imper- fect services, for the sake of him who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot for our sins ; and let his blood purge our conscience from dead works to serve thee, the living God. May the advantages afforded us from Sabbath to Sabbath be the means of furthering our pro- gress in the ways of godliness. May the consideration of the great mystery set before us this day, lead us more entirely to live unto the Father, who created us; to the Son, who redeemed us ; and to the Holy Ghost, who sane- tifieth us. Enable us to hold fast the form of sound words as we have been taught; and grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may hereafter enjoy the everlasting fruition of thy glorious Godhead. May it please thee, O Lord, to have mercy upon all men. May it please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived; particu- larly those who believe not the record which thou hast given of thyself in thy holy word, and are 5^30 roR TRixiTr-sUNDASr. worshipping and serving gods of their own vaift imaginations, denying thee, the only true God. Teach them, that if they would be saved, before all things it is necessary that they hold the Catholic faith; and worship One God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. May they be brought with the heart to believe, that such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost; that in this Trinity none is afore or after other, none is greater or less than another; but that the whole Three Persons are co-eternal together, and co- equal. We pray for the universal Church, baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; elect, according to thy fore- knowledge, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus. Bless all the congregations of the faithful which have been gathered together in thy name this day, in the courts of thy sanctuary. We especially beseech thee, O thou Giver of all good gifts, who, of thy divine providence, hast appointed divers orders in thy Church, to give thy grace and heavenly benediction to all those who have been called to any office and adminis- tration in the same : and so replenish them with the truth of thy doctrine, and so endue them with all innocency of life, that they may faithfully serve before thee, to the glory of thy great name, and to the benefit of thy people. And, as thou hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, grant us so to b3 joined together in unity of spirit by MORNING. '2^1 ttieir doctrine, that we may be made a holy temple, acceptable unto thee ; and may serve thee in all godly quietness all the days of our life ; through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed equal praise and adoration, world without end. Our leather, 6fc. Grace, mercy, and peace, Sfc, FOR A SACRAMENT SUNDAY. MORNING. O HOLY and gracious Lord God, who wilt by no means clear the guilty, yet sparest those who confess their sins unto thee, look down with compassion upon us, thy servants, who are now humbled before thee, imploring thy fatherly for- giveness. Spare us, good Lord, spare us, for we are miserable sinners. AVe cannot set all our transgressions in order before thee, nor confess them so truly as we ought to do; yet we desire not to cloak and dissemble them before thy face, O heavenly Father, trusting to thy word, that if we confess our sins, thou art faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Be merciful unto us, we most humbly beseech thee; for we put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy, and not in any thing that we do. We have destroyed ourselves ; but in thee is our help. Save,^Lord, or we perish; for there is salvation in no other. To whom else should we go X Thou only hast the words of eternal life. Grant unto us, O Lord, we beseech 23:2 FOR A SACRAMENT SUNDAY. thee, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and may serve thee with a quiet mind. We praise thee, O God, for the multitude of thy blessings vouchsafed unto us, particularly for the many opportunities which thou affordest us of becoming wise unto salvation. What shall we render unto thee this day, for all the benefits which thou hast done unto us ? We will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. We will pay our vows in the courts of thy house, and in the pre- sence of all thy people. We give thee most humble and hearty thanks, O Almighty God, our heavenly Father, for that thou hast given thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but to be our spi- ritual food and sustenance in the holy sacrament of his body and blood. Dispose us religiously and devoutly to receive the same, in remem- brance of his meritorious cross and passion ; whereby alone we obtain the remission of our sins, and are made partakers of the kingdom of heaven. Teach us to consider the dignity of that holy mystery, and so to search and examine our own consciences, (and that not lightly, and after the manner of dissemblers with thee, but so,) that we may come holy and clean to such a hea- venly feast, in the marriage-garment required by thee in holy Scripture, and may be received as worthy partakers of that holy table. May we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood ! May we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us ! May we be one with Christ, and Christ with us ! And may his body, which was MORNING. 233 given for us, and his precious blood, which was shed upon tlie cross, preserve our bodies and souls unto everlasting life ! Mercifully vouchsafe, O Lord, to extend unto all our fellow-creatures the inestimable benefits of Christ's cross and passion. Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all thy mi- nistering servants, that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth thy true and lively word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy sacraments. And to all thy people give thy hea- venly grace; especially to such as shall assemble with us in thy holy temple, and shall mind to come to the holy communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ. Blay they dili- gently try and examine themsel^t€s, before they presume to eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, and so judge themselves, that they be not judged of thee. May they examine themselves, whether they repent them truly of their former sins, steadfastly purpose to lead a new life, have a lively faith in thy mercies through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of his death, and be in charity with all men. And may numbers be added to thy Church continually, of those who are will- ing to join themselves unto thee in an everlasting covenant, not to be forgotten. Pitifully behold the sorrows of those who are filled with groundless fears, lest they should eat and drink unworthily. May they hear and re- ceive the comfortable things which Christ our Saviour saith unto all who truly turn unto him. May they come unto him labouring and heavy laden with the burden of their sins, and so find rest unto their souls. 21 234 FOR A SACRAMENT SUNDAY. Finally, we beseech thee to have compassion upon those who shall most unthankfuUy refuse to come to thy table, though so graciously called and bidden. May they take heed, lest, by with- drawing themselves from this hol}'^ supper of their Lord, they provoke his just indignation against them. May they earnestly consider how little their excuses will avail before thee, and by thy grace be brought to a better mind ; seriously re- membering, that if they eat not the flesh of the Son of man, and drink not his blood, they have no life in them, and neither part nor lot in his salvation. Grant this, O God of mercy, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Saviour. Our Father, Sfc. Grace, mercy, and peace, Sfc, FOR A SACRAMENT SUNDAY. EVENING, Almighty God and Father, who, according to the multitude of thy mercies, dost so put away the sins of those who truly repent, that thou re- memberest them no more, open thine eye of mercy upon us, thy servants, who earnestly desire thy pardon and forgiveness. Renew in us, O heavenly Father, whatever hath been decayed by the fraud and malice of the devil, and by our own carnal will and frailty. And for as much as we put our full trust and confidence in thee, im- pute not unto us our manifold transgressions, but tVENING- 235 wash them away in the blood of thy beloved Son. Graciously vouchsafe to receive us to thy favour. Sanctify us and strengthen us by thy holy Spirit; and at length bring us unto the kingdom of hea- ven, and to everlasting life. We praise thee for thy promises of forgiveness to those who truly turn unto thee. We bless thee for another day of sacred rest which tliou hast vouchsafed unto us, and for all the blessings of the same. Above all things, we give thee most humble and hearty thanks for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May we always remember the ex- ceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ, thus dying for us, and the innumer- able benefits which, by his precious blood-shed- ding, he hath obtained unto us, and also his goodness and loving-kindness in instituting and ordaining holy mysteries as pledges of his love, to our great and endless comfort. Grant that we, who have eaten and drunk in thy presence, may receive the strengthening and refreshing of our souls b}^ the body and blood of Christ. Help us to remember the solemn vows which we have this day renewed in thy presence, and in the presence of all thy people; and enable us truly to perform them. May we go forth into the world bearing about us the marks of a cruci- fied Saviour. Having enlisted ourselves again under the banners of the Captain of our salva- tion, may we manfully fight the good fight of faith, and continue his faithful soldiers and ser- vants unto our lives' end. Grant that we may have power and strength to have victory, and to 236 FOR A SACRAMENT SUNDAY. triumph against the devil, and the world, and the flesh. May we be encouraged in our holy war- fare by the ensamples of the glorious company of the apostles, the goodly fellowship of the prophets, the noble army of martyrs, and of all the holy Church triumphant, who have been made more than conquerors through him who loved them, and bought them with his blood. As thou hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord ; grant us grace so to follow thy blessed saints in all virtu- ous and godly living, that we may enter into those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for them that unfeignedly love thee. And when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, may we sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all thy redeemed people, at the marriage-supper of the Lamb. Grant also, O Lord, we beseech thee, that those who have waited on thee this day in thy holy temple, and around thy table, may renew their spiritual strength. May all men see that they are thy disciples, by the love which they have one to another. 6 God, who hast taught us that all our doings with- out charity are nothing worth, send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excel- lent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Let there be no schism in the body of Christ; but let the mem- bers have the same care one of another, know- ing, that if any sin against their brother, and EVENING. -O/ wound his weak conscience, they sin against Christ. And since the oflence of the cross is not ceased, comfort and succour all those who may any ways suffer from love to thee and thy cause. Hide them under thy wing, from the gathering together of the froward,and from the insurrection of evil- doers. Enable them to witness a good confession, and to give no just occasion to their enemies to blaspheme. By well doing let them put to si- lence the ignorance of foolish men, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if per- adventure thou mayest give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. Convert the hearts of all those who are thrust- ing away from them thy great mercies; especially of such as have this day neglected thy ordinances, and turned aside from thy holy table. And, if any have there appeared before thee with unclean hands and unsanctified hearts, with- out the marriage-garment required by thee in holy Scripture, not discerning the Lord's body, may they search and examine their conscience, and repent them of their hypocrisy; lest, after the taking of this holy sacrament, Satan enter into them as he entered into Judas, and fill them full of all iniquity, and bring them to destruction both of body and of soul. We ask these blessings in the name of Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Saviour. Our Father, Sfc. Grace, mercy, and peace, ifC. 21* 238 FOR A FAST-DAY. FOR A FAST-DAY. MORNING. O God, who hast commanded us to submit to every ordinance of man for thy sake, give us grace to humble ourselves before thee, for the sins whereby we have justly provoked thee to bring down thy sore judgments upon us, and to afflict us with the scourge of war. We acknow- ledge and bewail our manifold and great offences. We are indeed a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters, a rebellious and perverse genera- tion, that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit cleaveth not steadfastly unto thee. Thou hast nourished and brought us up like ciiildren, and we have rebelled agains: thee. "^Ye have experienced thy goodness, but have not been led to repentance. We have seen thy judgments abroad in the earth, but have not learned righte- ousness. Above all, we have neglected thy great salvation, and have set at nought thy tender mercies in Christ Jesus. O Lord God, unto us belong sham.e and con- fusion of face, because we have sinned against thee; neither have we obeyed thy voice to walk in thy laws, which thou hast set before us. But to thee belong mercy and forgiveness. For thou art a merciful God, full of compassion, long suf- fering, and of great pity; who wouldest not the death of sinners, but hadst rather that they turn from their sins, and be saved. Many a time have we provoked thee to anger; but thou hast not MORNING. 239 suffered thy whole displeasure to arise. Be gra- cious unto us, therefore, even as thou art wont. Spare us, O Lord, though, for our evil deeds, we do worthily deserve to be punished. Spare us, God Lord, spare thy people; and let not thy heritage be brought to confusion. In the midst of judgments still remember mercy. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father: for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive us all* that is past; and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory of thy name. Pour down upon all orders of men the abun- dant influences of thy holy Spirit. We beseech thee to save and defend thy ser- vant the President of the United States; that, under him, we may be godly and quietly go- verned. And grant unto the great council of the nation, at this time assembled, and to all that are put in authority under them, that they may truly and impartially minister justice, to the punish- ment of wickedness and vice, and to the mainte- nance of thy true religion and virtue. Give grace, O Lord, to all the ministers of thy Gospel, that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth thy true and lively word^ May they especially this day lift up their voice in thy name. Let them cry aloud, and spare not; but show thy people their transgressions. And to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, especially unto such as shall humble themselves before thee this day. And grant unto the Avhole nation, a spirit of re- pentance and reformation. Make us to return every man from his evil way, and to amend every 240 FOR A FAST-DAY. man his doings, that we may become a people fearing thee, and working righteousness. And, while we truly repent us of our sins, may it please thee to repent of the evil which thou mayest have pronounced against us. Turn away from us the dreadful scourge wherewith thou hast justly visited us. O Lord God of hosts, to whom victory belong- eth, thou God, to whom victory belongeth, stir up th3'self, and come among us, and with great might succour us. Let thy mighty arm, and the right hand of thy majesty, be stretched forth to help and defend us; for vain is the help of man, and weak is the arm of flesh. Bless all who are actively engaged in our de- fence, both by sea and land. May they do violence to no man, and be content with their wages. In- spire them wit]] valour and patience; and enable them to show forth in their lives the united duties and graces of Christian soldiers. O God, who hast commanded us to love our enemies, and to pray for them that despitefully use us, and persecute us, have mercy upon our adversaries in this present v.ar. Deliver them from blood-guiltiness, O God ; and give unto them the spirit of unity and godly love. Subdue those lusts and evil passions from which wars and fight- ings do come; and let all mutual offences, and hatred, and ill will, be removed; and grant that, being reconciled to thee and to each other, the nations of the earth may strive together only for the faith of the Gospel. And do thou, the Lord of peace, give them peace abvays by all means. Finally, we beseech thee to grant, that, so long as we hear of wars and rumours of wars, and JKVENING. 241 distress of nations, with perplexity, thou wouldst cause the wrath of man to praise thee. Over- rule all changes in the kingdoms of the earth to the glory of thy name, and the success of thy Gospel, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be equal honour, adoration, and praise, now and evermore. Our Father y Sfc, Grace^ mercy ^ and peace ^ Spc, FOR A FAST-DAY. EVENING. O Almighty God, King of kings, and Lord of lords, the blessed and only Potentate, who dost what thou wilt in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, putting down one and setting up another, and to whom none may say. What doest thou 1 we acknowledge the justness of those visitations under which we have been called upon to humble ourselves before thee this day, and to turn unto thee in weeping, in fasting, and in prayer. Thou hast uphfted thy arm in anger, and, because of our iniquities, thou art wrathfully dis- pleased at us. We desire again, O Lord, as a family, to bow down before thee, and to confess the many and great offences whereby we have each contributed to increase the number of those national offences for which thou hast entered into judgment with us. In many things we have all offended thee ; in pride, in impenitence, in hardness of heart, in f342 FOR A FAST-DAY. contempt of tliy word and the means of grace, in forgetfulness of thee, and disobedience to the commands of thy dear Son. But though we have thus sinned against thee, yet we desire to fall into thy hands, for thy mer- cies are great; and let us not fall into the hands of men. Though thou hast been angry with us, let thy anger be turned away, and suffer not thy whole displeasure to arise. Comfort us again now for the time wherein thou hast plagued us, and for [the days] [years] wherein we have suf- fered adversity. Remove from us the judgments which we feel, or fear: and so sanctify to us the dispensations of thy providence, that we may profit by our present sufferings, and receive them as the wise corrections of thy fatherly hand, which chasteneth all whom thou lovest, and scourgeth all whom thou receivest. So search and try us, tiiat we may all learn by thy godly discipline to examine our ways, and to turn to thee by a lively repentance. Suffer us not to return to our for- mer sinfulness and disobedience; nor again to yield to those evil passions and desires which have brought down thy just judgments upon us: but save us, O God of our salvation; save us, not only from our worldly, but also from our spiritual enemies; and more especially, save us from ourselves. And grant, that, in every dis- pensation of thy providence, whether of prospe- rity or adversity, we may ever lift up our hearts above this lower world to thy heavenly kingdom; where pain, and sorrow, and war, and hatred, shall be no more, and where alone true joys are to be found. Be pleased, O Lord, to hear the prayers which EVENINU'. 243 have this day been offered up by thy assembled people; and let them come up as a memorial before thee. And, as thou wouldest have spared the cities of old, if ten righteous could have been found in them, so may it please thee to regard thy faithful servants who have this day stood in the breach, and made intercession for these na- tions. For their sakes, and for thy mercy's sake, spare us; and let not the righteous perish with the wicked. Be favourable, O Lord, unto those who are jeoparding their lives for us in (he high places of the field, and in the waters of the great deep. Teach their hands to war, and their fingers to fight. Give them for a helmet the hope of salva- tion, and holiness for an invincible shield. Arise, O Lord, and let our enemies be scat- tered: let them also that hate us, flee before us. Send from heaven, and save us from the rebuke of them that would swallow us up. Hide us under the shadow of thy wing, until this tyranny be overpast. O Lord, be gracious unto our land. Increase among us that righteousness which exalteth a na- tion; and save us from sin, which is the reproach of any people. So dispose and govern the heart of thy servant the President of the United States, that, in all his thoughts, words, and works, he may ever seek thy honour and glory, and study to preserve thy people committed to his charge, in wealth, peace, and godliness. Bless all who are in authority under him. In- struct his counsellors ; and teach his senators wisdom. Prosper all their consultations to the 244 FOR A THANKSGIVING-DAY, &C. advancement of thy glory, the good of thy Church, the safety, honour, and welfare of our country. Remember with thy favour all who are under authority; and teach them to be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. Put away from us all murmurings and discon- tent; all revilings and evil-speakings towards the rulers of thy people ; and teach us to bear with their infirmities, and to remember that they are but men. Forgive tlie sins of those among us who have not joined in the public humiliation of this day. May those also who may have regarded this day, but not unto thee, be brought to see that the form of godliness, without the power thereof, is in thy sight nothing worth. Finally, we beseech thee to have mercy upon our enemies, and to turn their hearts: and let wars and fightings for ever cease. These blessings, for ourselves, for our country, and for our enemies, we humbly beg in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ. Our Father^ S^c, Grace, inercy, and peace, S^c, FOR A THANKSGIVING-DAY, ON ACCOUNT OF A NATIONAL VICTORY. MORNING OR EVENING. Almighty God, who hast in all ages made known thy power and mercy in the gracious deliverance and protection of kings and states professing thy MORNING OR EVENINO. 245 holy and eternal truth, and liast visited us of old, and beyond other, nations, with many temporal and spiritual blessings, we yield unto thee our unfeigned thanks and praise, as well for thy many other great and public mercies, so especially for that signal and wonderful deliverance which has been lately wrought out for us. Thou hast dona marvellous things for us, whereof we are glad. We praise thee ; we bless thee ; we magnify thee: for thou hast triumphed gloriously. Thou art become our strength and our song, and the bora of our salvation. With th}' own right hand, and with thy mighty arm, thou hast gotten to thyself the victory. In the greatness of thy excellency thou hast overthrown those that rose up against us, and would have swallowed us up quick, so wrathfully were they displeased at us. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the majesty, and the victor^^ Thine is the kingdom, and thou art exalted as head over all. Thou doest what thou wilt in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none may stay thy hand, or say. What doest thou 1 O Lord of hosts and God of battles, who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Go on, we pray thee, to show thyself strong in our behalf; for there is none other tliat fighteth for us, but only thou, O God: and let all the world know that thou art our Saviour, and our Almighty Deliverer. Still plead our cause with them that strive with us ; and fight thou against them that fight against us. Lay hand upon the shield and buckler, and stand up to help us. Bring forth the spear; and stop the way against them that persecute us. Let them be 246 FOR A TIIAXKSGIVING-DAY, &C. confounded and put to shame that seek after our destruction. Let them be turned backward and put to confusion, as many as wish us evil. Be thou on our side, and we will not fear what man can do unto us. Though a host of enemies en- camp around us, yet shall not our hearts be afraid j and though there rise up war against us, yet will we put our trust in thee. We beseech thee, O Lord, to pour down upon the inhabitants of this land the spirit of unfeigned gratitude and love for all thy mercies towards us. May they come this day into thy gates with thanksgiving, and into thy courts with praise. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people pi-aise thee. Let them praise thy great and glorious name; for thy name only is excel- lent, and thy praise above heaven and e art Let thy saints give thanks unto thee, even thy children, even the people that serveth thee. And grant that they may show forth thy praise, not only with their lips, but in their lives. Pre- serve them from the unholy rejoicing of the sen- sual and the profane; lest they draw down upon us a curse, and not a blessing; and lest the things that should have been for our good, prove unta us an occasion of falling. Let not the tabret, and the viol, and the harp, be in our feasts, while we regard not the work of the Lord, nor consider the operation of his hands. But grant us, O Lord, we beseech thee, to use thy blessings as we ought, with devout gratitude to thee our God,, with zeal for thy glory, and submission to thy will, and a faithful adherence to the Gospel of thy Son ; with obedience to our rulers, for con- science' sake, as thy ministers for good; witb MORNING OR EVENING. 247 iiioderation and humility; with justice and purity; with charity, and forbearance, and brotherly love; that, amidst these and all thy blessings, we may seek thy glory and the increase of thy kingdom. And may the victory which thou hast vouch- safed unto us, prepare the way for the restoration of peace to this nation. Scatter the nations that delight in blood. Pardon our enemies, and turn their hearts; and teach them to learn war no more. Abate their pride, assuage their malice, and confound their devices. Strengthen the hands of our rulers, and further them with thy most gracious favour ; that we, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore from all perils to glorify thee, who art the only Giver of all victory. We desire, also, O Lord, not only to rejoice with those that do rejoice, but to weep with those that weep. Be merciful unto such as are mourn- ing, and refuse to be comforted, for the sufferings or death of those by whose blood this victory has been achieved. In the multitude of the sorrows which they have in their hearts, let thy comforts refresh their souls. May it please thee, finally, to have mercy upon all prisoners and captives. Let their sorrowful sighings come up before thee: and give them grace to feel the heavier chain of sin, by which they are tied and bound; that so the bondage of their bodies may, through thy blessing, be the means of leading to the deliverance of their souls, through Jl'sus Christ our Lord. Our Faihci\ &fc. Grace, mercy, and peace ^ 'Sec. 248 FOR A TIIANKSGIVING-DAY, &C. FOR A THANKSGIVING-DAY FOR PEACE. MORNING OR EVENING. Almighty God, Creator of the universe, the Maker and Disposer of the hearts of men, and sovereign Lord of all, we bless thy holy name for the innumerable benefits which, from time to time, thou hast bestowed upon us; and especially for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto us, in grant- ing us the blessing of peace. We would raise a memorial of thy abundant kindness, and tell out thy works with gladness. We acknowledge, O Lord, that no righteous- ness of our own hath merited this blessing; nei- ther hath our own strength or foresight procured it. For we are a people laden with iniquity; and it is of thy mercy that we have not been altogether consumed. Thou hast not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rew^arded us accord- ing to our iniquities. But as the heavens are higher than the earth, so great has been thy mercy towards us. Thy right hand and thy stretched- out arm have helped and delivered us, and con- founded all them that are enemies to peace. It is thou, the God of peace, who makest wars to cease In all the earth; who breakest the bow, and knappest the spear in sunder, and burnest the chariots in the fire ; who stillest the raglngs of the sea, and the noise of his waves, and the madness of the people ; who sayest unto the storm, "Peace, be still;" and there is a great MORNING OR EVENING. 249 provitio for the fatherless children and widows, and all that are desolate and oppressed. And, since many are the afflictions of the righteous, Lord, remember them, and all their troubles. Regard those who are in heaviness through manifold temptations. Graciously hear us, that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against them be brought to nought, and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed; that they, thy servants, being hurt b}'^ no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto thee, and glorify thy name. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed in mind, body, or estate. That it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities; giving them patience under their sufferings^ and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. [Hear us, especially, in behalf of thy servant, for whom we desire especially to pray. We look up unto thee, O thou compassionate Saviour, who wast thyself a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. O thou, who didst weep at the tomb of Lazarus, and art still touched with the feeling of our infirmities, pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts, and graciously look upon our afflic- tions. O thou, who, of old, didst cure all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people, be gracious unto us. Let not this sick- ness be unto death; but for the glory of thy name. Speak the word only, and thy servant shall be healed. Have mercy upon Aim, O Lord, have mercy upon him; and not on him only, but •^56 UNDER FAMILY AFFLICTION. on US also, lest we should have sorrow upon sor- row. If it be possible, let this cup pass away from us, without our drinking all its bitterness ; but, if not, thy will be done. Only be pleased to sanctify this thy fatherly correction to Aim, that the sense of his weakness may add strength to his faith, and efficacy to his repentance: that, if it should be tiiy good pleasure to restore him to his former health, he may lead the residue of his life in thy fear and to thy glory ; or else give him grace so to take thy visitation, that after this painful life ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting.] And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Our Father, ^c. Grace, mercy, and peace, SfC. THE END, III" 1 1( D1 Theological Semmary-Speer 2 01023 6653