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Take ye heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is.
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.
Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return thi∣ther.
Man lieth down, and riseth not; till the heavens be no more they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
I. AS you began, so end, the day with God, in thanks and praise, that he hath graci∣ously preserved you hitherto; and in prayer to him, that he will vouchsafe still to continue his mercy and protection to you.
II. Remember that your days are but a span long, that in the midst of life you are in death, and eve∣ry day brings you nearer to that long night.
III. Consider, that perhaps many others, no worse than you, have
this day been cut off in the midst of their days and sins, and cast into the place of darkness; yet the long-suffering of God hath spared you until now, to make up your accounts.
IV. Shew your self truly thankful for this inestimable favour, by making right use of it, spending the time which is given you in do∣ing some good, in working while it is called to day, before the night cometh, wherein no man can work.
V. The Evening of the day is now come upon you, and for ought you know the end of your life may be as nigh at hand, when you shall be called to account how you have spent your time here.
VI. Begin therefore with your self before-hand.
When you have done with the world, and all business and com∣pany,
and are retired to your pri∣vacy and quiet, sit down and call your self to a strict account how you have spent this day; what you have done, what you have left undone; what good you have neglected, what evil you have committed.
Where you perceive you have done well, give thanks to God, and ascribe it and all the Honour of it to him alone, who hath en∣abled you to perform it, working in you both to will and to do.
Where you have omitted your duty, or otherwise done ill, con∣fess and humble your self before him, and earnestly desire pardon and reconciliation.
If you have wronged or offen∣ded any one this day, desire God to forgive you, and resolve to make satisfaction. If any one have wronged or offended you, freely forgive them, and desire God to confirm your pardon by adding his.
How can he sleep at quiet that is not at peace with God, and in charity with the World?
And consider that if this be done constantly and sincerely eve∣ry night, whensoever it shall please God to call you to judg∣ment, you will have but one day to answer for.
VII. The Son of Man com∣eth as a thief in the night,* 1.1 at an hour when you are not aware: be careful that he may find you watching, and imployed about his Service.
Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing, Mat. 24. 46.
Evening Prayer.
IN the night I lift up my hands towards thy Sanctuary, and bless thy Name, Psal. 134. 2, 3.
The Lord hath granted his lo∣ving kindness in the day-time, and in the night-season also will I sing of him, and make my pray∣er unto the God of my life, Psal. 42. 10.
As long as I live will I magnifie thee in this manner, and lift up my hands in thy Name.
Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the Incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an Evening Sacrifice, Psal. 14. 1, 2.
OUR Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily Bread, and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
O Lord, open thou my lips,
And my mouth shall shew forth thy Praise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Psal. 91.WHoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High, shall abide under the sha∣dow of the Almighty.
I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my strong hold; my God, in him will I trust.
For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter, and from the noisom pestilence.
He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe un∣der his feathers. His Faithful∣ness and Truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day:
For the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.
A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Yea with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the ungodly.
For thou Lord, art my hope: thou hast set thine house of de∣fence very high.
There shall no evil happen un∣to thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For he shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall hear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt go upon the Lion
and Adder; the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.
Because he hath set his love up∣on me, therefore shall I deliver him; I shall set him up, because he hath known my Name.
He shall call upon me, and I will hear him: yea I am with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and bring him to Honour.
With long life will I satisfie him, and shew him my Salvation.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
Psal. 121.I Will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence com∣eth my help.
My help cometh from the Lord,
which hath made Heaven and Earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved, and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord himself is thy Keep∣er: the Lord is thy defence upon the right hand;
So that the Sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the Moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil, yea it is even he that shall keep thy Soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth for ever∣more.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
The Song of Simeon.
LOrd, now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace, ac∣cording to thy Word, Luke 2. 29.
For mine eyes have seen thy Salvation.
Which thou hast prepared be∣fore the face of all people,
To be a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the Glory of thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
BLessed be thy holy Name, O Lord my God, who hast shewed me the light of thy coun∣tenance,* 1.2 and caused me to see thy goodness in
the land of the living: who hast preserved me in all my ways, and delivered me from all the dangers and evils of this day, and brought me safe thus far of my life to the beginning of this night.
O Lord, I beseech thee forsake me not in the vanishing of my days, but still contiuue the pro∣tection of thy graci∣ous hand upon me:* 1.3 be thou my light and defence, my guide and guard, through the valley of misery and tears, and the shadow of death, to that Holy Hill, where thine Honour and our Rest dwelleth.
Give me grace to remember the many days of darkness,* 1.4 and prevent the long night of Death by a timely preparation for it; that being always ready and pro∣vided, whensoever thou shalt call me to judgment, I may give an acceptable account how I have spent my time here.
Lord, as we add days to our days, so we add sins to our sins.
Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, Luke 15. 21.
But I will confess my wicked∣ness, and be sorry for my sins, Psal. 30. 18.
THus have I wandred from the right way of thy Com∣mandments, walking after the foolish Imaginations of mine own corrupt heart, and wearying my self in the by-ways of vanity and wickedness all the day long.
But now, O Lord, I desire to turn from my evil ways; and
evening after even∣ing I return to thee with all my heart,* 1.5 and seek thy face: O hide not thou thy face from me, nor cast thy servant away in displeasure.
Out of the deep my soul crieth unto thee;* 1.6 O hear my voice,* 1.7 and have mercy upon me. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, after thy great goodness; accord∣ing to the multitude of thy mer∣cies do away mine offences. Wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin.
Forgive and put away all mine offences and abominations, for the merits and satisfaction of thy dear Son: in him be reconciled unto me, and restore me again to thy grace and favour, to the peace and comfort and communi∣on of thy holy Spirit, that mine eyes may see thy Salvation, and
thy Servant may depart in peace, Luke 2. 29, 30.
And now, O Lord, I go to my bed as to my grave, and know not but that I may awake in ano∣ther world: Live or die I com∣mend my self to thy mercy and goodness, beseeching thee to re∣ceive me under the wings of thy protection, where I may rest safe and secure from all evils.
And with my self I commend unto thee all whom any relation or occasion hath made near or dear unto me—
Thou Keeper of Is∣raei, who dost nei∣ther slumber nor sleep,* 1.8 receive us all into thy keeping, and preserve our Souls in perpe∣tual peace and safety.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep
our hearts and minds in the know∣ledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord:
And the blessing of God Al∣mighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be with us this night, the rest of our lives, and for evermore. Amen.
Mat. 24. 44.
Psal. 27. 23
Psal. 84. 28.
Eccl. 11. 8.
Psal. 27. 9, 10.
Psal. 130. 1.
Psal. 51. 1, 2.
Psal. 121. 4.