The devout Christian instructed how to pray and give thanks to God, or, A book of devotions for families and for particular persons in most of the concerns of humane life / by the author of the Christian sacrifice.

HEre follow Prayers and Thanksgivings on sundry other occasions, which we may meet withal in the course of our life. In which it will be fit parti∣cularly to acknowledge God, and implore his mercy towards us. And let it be remembred, as I said before, that it is a part of Christian Piety to take care that alms and acts of Charity to o∣thers accompany our addresses to God. They are then certainly most seasonable, when we desire special favours from him, or return thanks for them. And hereby (as old Tobias said, 4.9,11.) We lay up a good treasure for our

selves against the day of neces∣sity. For alms is a good gift unto all them that give it, in the sight of the most High.

A Prayer to be used by one that is going a long Iourney.

O God, who art alike present unto all places: who pre∣servest man and beast: for thou art good to all, and thy tender mercies are o∣ver all thy works. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord, and thy Saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and declare thy power.

Blessed be thy name for the know∣ledge thou hast given me, of thy wise and merciful providence incom∣passing all creatures. And more par∣ticularly

I rejoyce in the revelation which thou hast made, of thy Fa∣therly love and care over us the children of men, in Christ Jesus: Who makes his Angels Mi∣nistring Spirits for them, that are heirs of Salvati∣on. In an hearty belief of thy holy Gospel, and a sincere resolution to be obedient unto it in hope of that eternal life; I commit both my soul and body to thy most gracious protection: who art the de∣fender of all them, that put their trust in thee. I trust thee, O Lord, with my self and all belonging to me. I intirely depend on thy goodness, to be with me and prosper me, in the way that I go. Give thy good An∣gels charge of me: And especially ac∣company me with the presence of thy holy Spirit, to preserve my soul in safety, from all evil thoughts, de∣sires or passions, that may any way betray me in word or deed, to offend thy Divine Majesty. Deliver me

from the danger of any evil compa∣ny into which I may fall: that I may not frame my self to the humours of profane persons, but by a pious and discreet behaviour rather reprove them. And give me grace thank∣fully to embrace the company of those who are good, if I be blessed with it: that I may rejoyce in their society, and improve it to my in∣crease in wisdom or pious affections towards thee.

Bless this habitation also, which I leave, and all remaining in it: that at what distance soever we be one from another, we may all live and walk in the same spirit of Faith, and Love, and Holiness. Give us an happy meeting together again in this place, if it be thy good will and pleasure, to pay thee the vows which I make of greater care and di∣ligence in thy service, and greater charity towards all my neighbours. Howsoever, in the end of our pil∣grimage, bring us all together in that

blessed rest which thou hast prepared for thy people, after all their travels and labours, through thy mercy in Christ Jesus. To which I commend my self and all mine, both now and ever. Amen.

A short Prayer in ones Inne, or at the end of the Iourney.

BLessed be thy goodness, O Lord my Creator and continual Pre∣server, by which I have been led it safety to this place; and am not on∣ly alive, but sound and unmaimed▪ To thee, O God, will I sing and give praise, who hast dealt so bountiful¦ly with me. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I love the Lord because he hath heard my

voice, and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. I will walk also with a per∣fect heart before the Lord; who is my shield, and my exceeding great re∣ward.

Preserve in me, I beseech thee, a pious remembrance of all thy mer∣cies, and of all those holy resoluti∣ons, which they excite in me. Take me still into thy Almighty protecti∣on. Continue me in thy fear, and love, and faithful obedience. That, having finished this journey in peace, I may return to the place from whence I came, full of thankful affe∣ctions to thee, and zealously dispo∣sed to perform my vows, in a care∣ful discharge of all the duties, which my place and relations require of me. And inable me, good Lord, ever to perform them with uprightness of heart and good will, as becomes the servant of Christ Jesus.

To the same merciful providence

which hath watched over me all this day, I commend my self, and all my relations and friends every where, this night: Beseeching thee to awa∣ken in me in the morning, the same love, and thankfulness, and humble confidence, which I now find, and desire ever to have, in my heart to∣wards thee, my gracious Father, Sa∣viour and Deliverer. To whom be glory, honour and praise everlasting. Amen.

A Prayer in case of any hurt from Thieves, or otherwise.

O Most merciful Father, for so I ought ever to acknowledge thee, without whom one of the smallest creatures cannot fall to the ground, and to whom we are of more value than many of them; I humbly and meekly sub∣mit

my self to this cross in my way, which thou in thy wisdom hast suffe∣••ed to befal me. I know that thou ••rt able to make even this, with all ••ther things, work together for my ••ood. And therefore I beseech thee ••ut graciously to pardon my sins which deserve greater punishment, ••nd to preserve my soul still in safety •…•…om all murmuring and repining at ••y providence, by a stedfast faith ••nd trust in thee, and an absolute re∣••gnation to thy holy will and plea∣••ure; and I shall not cease to ••less thee, and to speak good of thy ••ame.

Help me to learn by this to live in constant sense of the uncertainty ••f all worldly hopes, to set my affe∣••ions more perfectly on unchangea∣••le enjoyments, and to place my ••appiness only in chearful obedience ••nd contented patience, in all estates ••nd conditions of life. I remember •…•…at we are all but pilgrims and stran∣••ers whilst we are here; subject to

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many other changes and chances i•• this mortal life. And therefor•• whatsoever I, or those I have left a•• home, may further suffer before m•• return, Lord, assist us all to take tha•• patiently also: And as we have re¦ceived so many good things fro•• thee, to receive likewise that whic•• is evil; giving thanks to thee th•• Father of mercies, who hast give us such a good hope of perfect sec••¦rity, peace and joy in our heave••¦ly Country, when we have do•• and endured all thy pleasure. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the expectation of which blesse•• state I will continually rejoyce praying thee to purifie me more a•• more, that I may be prepared f•…•… it, and at last by thy mercy ent•• into it, to give thee eternal praise Amen.

A Prayer to be said for a Friend in a Iourney.

O God, whose Almighty Power, and wise Providence, and Omnipresent Goodness, is the secu∣rity, support, and comfort of all those that know thee. It is the highest sa∣tisfaction of our souls to have a live∣ly hope in thee of eternal life in the other world. And to be perswaded that thou lovest us, and wilt take care of us, and bless us whilst we continue here, and that nothing can befal us without the knowledge and consent of thy infinite goodness, gives the most solid peace and re∣pose unto our spirits, in all the alte∣rations and changes of this life. I rejoyce in the belief, that I live in a world, which is full of thee; that I am always under thy eye, and have thee near unto me; as to ob∣serve

me, so to help, protect and de∣fend me.

And I beseech thee, fill the mind of him, who is now gone from me, with the same sense of thee; that he may carry along with him every where, this stedfast faith and hope in thee▪ as the stay, the rest and the refresh∣ment of his soul. How far soeve•• he be from me, O that he may be nigh to thee, in frequent, serious thoughts of thee, and hearty love to thee, and perfect trust in thee▪ and a constant disposition of mind and will to do and be what thou pleasest. That travelling under the shadow of the Almighty, no harm may come to him: but even those things which we account the great∣est mischiefs, if they shall betide him, may be humbly accepted by us all, with fear and reverence, and chear∣ful submission to thee; as becomes those who profess our selves thy friends, as well as thy servants.

No Thieves, Murderers, or other evil persons or things, can approach him, I know, without thy leave: who governest and over-rulest the motions of every creature at thy pleasure, to which we ever ought ••o submit our own. But if thou ••hinkest good to restore him hither ••gain untouched by any of them, Lord, help us to be so much the more thankful to thee; who deal∣est with us according to our own hearts desire. O that the sense of ••hy goodness then, may so power∣••ully affect our hearts; that we may ••e moved thereby to a greater zeal ••nd freedom of spirit in thy service, ••nd be the more forward to imitate ••hee in doing good, and showing mercy to all men! O that thy be∣nefits may never slip out of our minds! O that the medi∣••ation of them may be ••weet unto us! and we may learn thereby to ••rust in thee at all times,

and pour out our hearts before thee: for thou art a refuge for us.

Now the merciful God give him good success in all things! The God which dwelleth in heaven, prosper his journey, and the Ange•• of God keep him compa∣ny! Amen.

A Thanksgiving after a safe Retur•• home.

IN an humble joyful sense of th•• fatherly care and providence o¦ver me, ever since I went from thi•• place (to which thou hast brought m•• back in peace and safety) I cast dow•• my self at thy feet, O Lord God o•• heaven, praising thy Almighty good¦ness, with an heart full of love an•• devotion to thee. It is of th••

mercy alone that I am not consumed, ••nd because thy compassions fail not. That I am not groaning under sick∣••ess, or wounds and bruises in my body; nor sighing for the loss of my goods either at home or abroad, is ••o be ascribed to that tender mercy which spreads its self over all thy works; and hath been a covering to me night and day, in every place where I have been, from I know not how many dangers. I thank thee ••lso for letting me see the faces of my relations and friends again, and that no evil hath come nigh their dwellings: but especially for pre∣serving my soul in integrity and up∣rightness before thee; and for de∣livering me from the power of tem∣ptations, and from wounding my conscience, by any wilful offence a∣gainst thy Divine Majesty.

It is too little to render to thee my Praises and Thanksgivings; I will pay thee my Vows wherein I stand ingaged to thee; and here offer un∣to

thee my self, soul and body, t•• be made a more pure, perfect and ac¦ceptable sacrifice unto thee throug•• Christ Jesus. Maintain, I beseec•• thee, such a lively and lasting re¦membrance of thy kindness in m•• heart, as may both provoke me t•• love and to good works, and als•• strengthen my faith and hope i•• thee on all occasions for the time t•• come.

I ought not to forget, now that •• mention thy late deliverances, a•…•… the rest of thy mercies: which ar•• so many and so various, that, alas •• we take little notice of many o•• them. In the constant and undi¦sturbed course of them, we are ap•• to be less sensible how much w•• stand indebted to thee for them▪ Yea, they have been so long conti¦nued to us, and we are so far from the beginning of them, that we are too prone to forget the head and fountain from whence they spring▪ O how sad is it, that we should love

thee less, because thou lovest us so much! and that we should think the seldomer of thy bounty, because thou constantly rememberest us and dost us good! How much should we praise thee for our health and ••ease, if we were sick or in pain but a few days! And yet now we praise thee but a little, though we are well many years. How thankful should we be, if we were freed from the Devil, after he had affrighted and ••exed us but one night! and yet now, alas! we scarce mind thy good∣ness, which perpetually preserves us from his assaults. Endue me, O God of all grace, with a more serious spi∣rit, often reflecting and meditating upon thee, and upon thy benefits, both to my soul and body, for this ••ife and that which is to come. That I may not be taught the value and number of thy blessings, by being deprived of them; but in their con∣stant use and enjoyment may ever duly ponder them: extolling and

praising thy infinite goodness, with sensible love to thee, and delight in doing of thy Will. For which end, I beseech thee to indue me with power from above, that I may not deceive my own soul with some pas∣sionate desires, transports of joy, or sudden resolutions: but deliberately and with the full consent of my heart devoting my self to thy ser∣vice, I may conscientiously study to improve all thy mercies to the ho∣nour and glory of thy Name, the cre∣dit of my Religion, the good and profit of my Neighbours, and my own solid peace and comfort at pre∣sent, and eternal joy at the day o•• the Lord.

And bless all others, I beseech thee, that desire the same mercy, o•• which thou hast made me partaker▪ Receive them into thy protection 〈◊〉〈◊〉 conduct them safely to the end o•• their journies: Make them eve•• mindful of thy loving kindness▪ and careful to remember that every

new benefit is a new bond to better obedience. Unto which, good Lord, incline us all more and more, for thy mercies sake in Christ Jesus; by whom and for whom thy glorious Name be blessed and praised for ever. Amen.

A Prayer to be said by one going a Voyage on the Sea: Which may be used, with a little alte∣ration, by his Friends for him.

O Most mighty Lord, the God of our salvation; who art the con∣fidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the Sea: Under whose powerful protection we are a∣like secure in every place; and with∣out whose providence over us, we can no where be in safety. I am sensible of the tender care thou hast long taken of me, and that I have

been preserved by thee from innume∣rable dangers, both in my infancy and childhood and ever since; for which I have not thankt thee as I ought. I most humbly beseech thee graciously to pardon this and all other my of∣fences, which might justly weaken my confidence in thee; did I not feel thy grace in Christ Jesus, who dyed for us, to be so great, as to fill my heart not only with unfeigned sor∣row for them, but with holy resolu∣tions to be more grateful and dutiful in time to come.

This emboldens me, with an hum∣ble faith in thy Almighty goodness, to commend my self still to the con∣duct, guidance and blessing of thy merciful Providence. O God re∣ceive me, though a sinful creature, into thy favour and grace. Purge my heart from all affection to every thing that is evil; that I may not carry the sense of any guilt unrepent∣ed of, along with me in my voyage; but have my heart setled in such

an unmoveable love to all piety, righteousness and sobriety of mind and life, that no storm or tempest or other danger may dismay me and make me afraid. They are all, I know, in thy hands; to which I commit my self with an intire trust in thee, that nothing shall hurt me while I follow that which is good.

If thou art pleased to bring me to my desired haven, Lord, possess me then with these good thoughts and affections which I feel at present in my heart towards thee: That my chief joy may be in thee, and in the love I find in my heart to thee; and I may never forget thee by intempe∣rate mirth and pleasure in any other enjoyment. But if thou thinkest good otherwise to dispose of me, thy will, O Lord, be done. I com∣mend both my body and my spirit into thy hands; who art able to make the Sea give up her dead, by

thine Almighty Word. Help me al∣ways to hold fast that hope of eter∣nal life as an anchor of my soul both sure and sted∣fast; which may preserve me in un∣shaken comfort and joy at the hour of death it self. And looking up to that quiet place whither Jesus our fore-runner is entred for us, I may begin those Praises and Thanksgi∣vings which I hope shall have no end; but be continued for ever in the company of the blessed in the other world. Unto which I beseech thee of thine infinite mercies to bring me, through Christ Jesus; who is made an high priest for ever. Amen.

A Thanksgiving after it is finish∣ed, and the party returned home again.

O Blessed Lord; Thou art great and greatly to be praised; for by thy word the heavens were made: and all the host of them by the breath of thy mouth. Thou didst ga∣ther the waters of the Sea together, as an heap: and laidst them up in the store-houses of the deeps. They are all at thy command, and whatsoever thou pleasest, that dost thou in heaven and in earth, in the Seas and all deep places. I have seen thy works, O Lord, and thy wonders in the deep. For thou spakest the word, and the stormy wind arose, which lifted up the waves thereof. And again, when we cryed unto thee, thou madest the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof

were still. Blessed be thy Almighty Goodness, which carried me safe through such great and dreadful dangers. Blessed be thy goodness that the deep hath not swallowed me up, and that I am not gone down into silence. Blessed be thy good∣ness, that neither my body, nor my goods, became a prey to unreasona∣ble men; but that thou broughtest me to the haven where I would be, and hast now returned me home in safety.

O God, that I may never forget the vows, which I was forward to make when I was in trouble! Pre∣serve in me for ever an awful sense and apprehension of thy great power, who bringest the wind out of thy treasuries; and rulest the raging of the Sea, and stillest the noise of its waves. Who would not fear thee, O Lord, who would not tremble at thy presence? who hast placed the sand for the bound of the

Sea, by a perpetual decree that it can∣not pass it; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? O possess my heart with a greater reverence of thy divine Majesty, that I may ever serve thee with fear, and rejoyce be∣fore thee with trembling. Especially make me fearful of offending thee, who art so great and powerful; and hast done such great things for me; and canst do greater; and wilt do them, as thou hast promised, by Christ Jesus; who hath power to subdue all things to himself.

Blessed be thy infinite grace, which hath wrought such a marvel∣lous redemption for us by him. How shall I escape, if I neglect so great salvation? How miserable shall I be, if, after all the dangers from which I have now been rescued, I should for my ingratitude and disobedi∣ence be cast into the lake of fire and

brimstone? O God, that all thy mer∣cies and deliverances here may, by a thankful remembrance and careful improvement of them, only pre∣pare me for that glorious delive∣rance at the day of the Lord Jesus! And as by thy good providence thou hast saved me from the violence of storms and tempests, and other ha∣zards: so by thy grace deliver me from the power and violence of all temptations; and enable me stedfast∣ly to persist in well doing, and pa∣tient suffering unto the end.

Endue me with such a right sense of my Religion as may make it to be my delight; that so I may be out of all danger of being prevailed withal, to forsake that which is so sweet and pleasant to my soul. O that it may be my guide in prosperi∣ty, and my comfort in adversity; the rule of my life, and my great sa∣tisfaction in death! Sanctifie every condition unto me; that sickness or health, poverty or riches, honour

or disgrace, may prove real blessings to me, and make me profit in piety and vertue. And let a great sense of thee, and of Religion intermix it self with all my employments. Teach me so to behave my self that I may be acceptable in thy sight, not only when I make such addresses as these unto thee: But whether I eat or drink, or whatsoever I do else, I may abide in thy love, and be approved by thee for a good and faithful servant. All which I most humbly beg of thee, and whatsoever thou seest good for me, in the name of the Lord Jesus; by whom and with whom, in the uni∣ty of the holy Ghost, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Fa∣ther Almighty, world without end. Amen.

Notes

• Psal. 36.6.
• 145.9,10.
• Heb. 1. ult.
• Psal. 18.30.
• Psal. 116.1.
• 7.8,9.
• Gen. 15.1.
• 17.1.
• Matth. 10.29.
• Or her.
• Psal. 104.34.
• 62.8.
• Tob. 4.16.
• 7.12.
• These last words may serve for a short Ejacula∣tion in his be∣half at any time of the day.
• Psal. 65.5.
• Heb. 6.19,20.
• Psal. 48.1.
• 33.6,7.
• 135.6.
• 107.24, &c.
• Psal. 135.7. 89.9.
• Jer. 5.22.
• Psal. 120.11.
• Philip. 3.20.
• Heb. 2.3.