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.

A short Prayer before Divine Service begins.

BEhold, O Lord of heaven and earth, a Soul prostrate before thee; desirous to be filled with such an awful sense of thy divine Maje∣sty, that no other thing may inter∣pose it self, while I am in thy pre∣sence. Fix my inconstant thoughts in a steadfast attention to thy most holy Word. Inspire me with de∣vout affections, when I set forth thy praise, and render thanks for all thy benefits. And excite in me such fervent desires for all those things, which I ask of thee; that I may feel

my self better disposed by these ad∣dresses to thee, to every Christian duty the rest of this day; through Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Another.

IN an humble and thankful sense of thine infinite goodness, which honoureth us so much as to speak to us, and gives us leave to speak to thee; I bow down my self before thee, O most high and holy Lord, the Creator of the world, desiring my mind may be possessed with such great thoughts of thee, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, and who openest thy hand and fil∣lest all things with good, that I may most reverently worship thee; and affectionately acknowledge thy bounty; and set my heart open to receive thy holy Word; and my mouth may praise thee with joy∣ful

lips. Silence all other thoughts and desires in me, while I am here in thy presence. And lift up my heart so towards heaven, that I may feel it united to that glorious compa∣ny above; who perpetually praise thee, and rejoyce in thee, and do thy Commandments, hearkning to the voice of thy Word. Which I humbly beg in the name of Christ Jesus, which is ever dear unto thee; and by whom thou hast promised to hear us. Amen.

Or those words of the Prophet David (which you read, Psal. 5.7. 17.1. 118.28. 119.47,48, &c.) may be a little altered, in this manner:

IN the multitude of thy mercy I am come into thy house: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy place. Attend unto my cry, O Lord, and give ear unto my Prayer that goeth not out of feigned

lips. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee; thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. And I will de∣light my self in thy Commandments which I have loved. My hands al∣so will I lift up to thy command∣ments which I have loved: and I will meditate in thy statutes. Let thy tender mercies come also unto me, O Lord; even thy Salvation according to thy Word. Look up∣on me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do to those that love thy Name. Order my steps in thy Word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Amen.

A longer Prayer in the Church, when there is time for it, before the begin∣ing of divine Service.

I Cast down my self, O Lord, in an holy fear and humble adora∣tion of thine incomprehensible Ma∣jesty,

who fillest heaven and earth; but delightest to make thy self more peculiarly present to those that ac∣knowledge and praise thee, and are desirous to be filled with a constant sense of thee, and intire love to thee. Blessed be thy infinite goodness, which hath incouraged such wret∣ches, as I am, by the declaration of thy good will to us in Christ Jesus, by thy most gracious invitations and precious promises, and by the long experience I have had of thy kind∣ness, to approach unto thee, O Lord most High.

I accept most thankfully of this freedom and liberty of access with confidence by the faith of Jesus; and am here to joyn with the rest of thy servants, in extolling and magnifying thy eternal Power, Wisdom and Goodness; in giving thanks to thee for thy innumerable blessings; in hearing thy most holy Word; and making our humble supplications, for the continuance of thy unde∣served

grace and favour towards us. Compose mine and every one of our thoughts, to the most silent admira∣tion of thee: Strike our Spirits with a reverend apprehension of the sur∣passing greatness and glory of thy Majesty: Raise our affections to the highest pitch of love and gratitude to thee: bow our wills to the most chearful submission to all thy holy commands: and touch us with an unspeakable joy, when we read and hear thy exceeding great and precious promises.

Vouchsafe, most loving Father, the power of thy holy Spirit to at∣tend upon me; to draw my mind from all other things, and to give me such a lively taste of the plea∣sures of thy house, as may make me ever delight to attend upon thee here, and walk with thee, in every other place, with a perfect heart. That so my own heart not con∣demning me, I may have more and more confidence towards thee,

that whatsoever I ask I shall re∣ceive of thee; because I keep thy commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in thy sight. O my God, truly my soul waiteth upon thee; from thee cometh my salvation. Hear my cry, O God, and attend unto my pray∣er, for the honour of our Lord Je∣sus, and the love thou bearest to him; who hath bid us ask, and we shall receive; seek, and we shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto us. Let it be to thy servant, I most ardently beseech thee, accord∣ing to his Word. Amen.

Another more large.

O Lord of heaven and earth, who art infinite and incomprehensi∣ble in thy being, eternal in thy du∣ration,

and unchangeable in thy Na∣ture: who canst do what thou wilt; and delightest in doing us good. By thy Power I and all creatures were made; by thy Wisdom we are go∣vern'd; by thy Goodness and Boun∣ty we are provided for; under thy Soveraign Dominion we live; and unto thy Majesty we owe all reve∣rence, service and faithful obedience. I adore and humbly worship thee. I acknowledge my self bound by in∣numerable tyes to fear thee, to love thee, to praise thee, and to serve thee with all my heart, and soul, and strength. Blessed be thy Goodness that I have any hope, thou wilt ac∣cept of such a worthless thing as my love. Blessed be thy Goodness. I admire at the riches of thy Grace, that thou dost not reject all the ser∣vice that I can tender thee. Nay, it is to be ascribed to this alone, that I am alive to worship thee, and have the doors of thy house stand open to me; and that I have any heart

to enter into it, to offer up spiritu∣al Sacrifices by Christ Jesus.

O God, I offer thee here my whole self, which is all due to thee, be∣cause I received it all from thee: be∣seeching thee most earnestly to make me feel that I am not mine own any longer, but thine; by taking off my thoughts and affections from all o∣ther things at this present, and filling me with such a reverend apprehensi∣on of thee, such hearty devotion to thee, and heavenly joy in thee; that I may every day offer up my self to thee more holy and more pure, more meek and merciful, more hum∣ble and thankful, more chearfully disposed to every good work, and better prepared to bear a part in the praises and services of the glorious company above.

Thou knowest the weakness of our nature, how soon our thoughts are tyred and apt to start aside when we direct them towards heaven: Vouchsafe me therefore the assistance

of thy holy Spirit to compose my mind to the most serious, the most earnest, the most devout and chear∣ful attention, in all the parts of thy Divine Service. That I may have the liveliest sense of thy glorious perfections when I praise thee; and the most delightful remembrance of thy Mercies, when I give thee thanks; and the most thirsty desires to be conformed to thy Will, and to feel more and more the influences of thy Grace, when I hear thy holy Word, and present my prayers and supplica∣tions before thee.

Accept, O blessed God, of this good will and sincere affection that I have to thy service; though per∣formed with broken and distracted thoughts, and with too great listless∣ness and dulness of spirit. And help me continually to out-grow this weakness, and to present thee with an heart more quiet, calm and fit to receive thee; more perfect and intire in ardent love to thee; and

more setled and fixed in thee, as its chiefest joy and happiness. That so all the rest of the actions of my life may be a more constant and even performance of my duty, according to the command and example of my blessed Lord and Master Christ Jesus. In whose name it is that I am bold to approach into thy presence: be∣lieving the Power and Authority thou hast given him over all, to bless us, and to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. By him be glory unto thee, O Father Almighty, in the Church, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

At the conclusion of Divine Service af∣ter these words, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Say, Amen, with the heartiest and most earnest affection. And add some such words as these.

BLessed be thy name, O God, for the good hope which thy infi∣nite charity hath given us; by thy great grace in Christ Jesus, and the plentiful communication of the holy Ghost. O let thy mercy be upon me according as I hope in thee. Pre∣serve me alway in thy love, through that abundant grace in thy Son Christ, and the powerful presence of thy holy Spirit working in me mightily, this day and ever.

Or, after The peace of God which passeth all understanding, &c. you may say as the Apostle St. Paul, (2 Thess. 3.16.) and the Psalmist 115.12,13,18.

NOw the Lord of peace himself give me peace always, by all means. The Lord be with us all. The Lord hath been mindful of us, he will bless us. He will bless them that fear him, both small and great. And we will bless the Lord from this time forth, and for evermore. Amen.

A short Prayer for the Lords-day, or any other, to be used at home before Morning Ser∣vice.

O Lord, the Almighty Creator of the world, and the merci∣ful Saviour of mankind; who art

above all our thoughts, and excel∣lest the praises of the highest Angels. Thou art greatly to be feared in the as∣sembly of thy Saints, and to be had in reverence of all those, that are about thee. I most humbly desire leave to joyn my self with all those holy ones, to worship thy most glorious Maje∣sty, to express the due sense I have of all thy benefits (by paying thee my most thankful acknowledgements for them) to make thee the best o∣blation I am able, and devote my self intirely to thy obedience. Since thou hast graciously inclined me to go into thy house, and there to set forth thy praise, to declare thy lo∣ving kindness, to resign my self to thy Will, to recommend my self to thy Wisdom, to submit to thy Go∣vernment, to approve the justice and goodness of all thy Laws, to pro∣fess that I am thy servant, to re∣nounce all thy enemies, and to testi∣fie my continued purpose to follow thee against all the temptations of

the world, the flesh and the Devil: be pleased, good Lord, to pardon all my former failings, and at this present to accept my holy intenti∣ons, and to inspire me from above, that I may chearfully perform all these acts of devotion to thy Divine Majesty.

And vouchsafe more fully to in∣form me in my duty, to correct and amend what is amiss in me, to in∣courage and strengthen my good re∣solutions, and to assist me in all well doing. Fill me with a great love to thee, and to my blessed Saviour; to thy holy Word, and to all holy duties; to Christian people every where, and to all mankind. Per∣fect me in Wisdom, in Holiness, and in Goodness. By all thy instructi∣ons, by all thy mercies, by all thy chastisements, and by all my prayers, praises and thanksgivings to thee, the Father of mercies; make me such as thou canst love, and delight in, and reward at the great day of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

A short Prayer at home, after we are come from Church; before Dinner.

I Adore thee again, O Lord of Life and glory; I acknowledge my dependence on thee. I thank thee for thy mercies, which thou never ceasest to heap upon me. Accept, I beseech thee, of that dedication I have made of soul and body, with praises and thanksgivings, unto thee in the publick Congregation. Be merciful to all my sins: and indue me with the grace of thy holy Spi∣rit, to inable me to present my self, when I appear again before thee, a more holy and devout Sacrifice unto thee; steadfastly resolved, and chearfully disposed, in every thing to be ordered by thy Will. For which end be pleased to settle and root in my heart a stronger belief of thy holy Gospel, and to fix my thoughts and affections upon that unseen happiness and bliss where

our Saviour is: That nothing here below may either allure or affright me from my duty, nor ever make me remiss or negligent in it; but I may be zealous of good works, fer∣vent in spirit serving my Lord, from whom I expect the reward of an immortal inheritance.

Preserve in me always a Religi∣ous sense of thee. And make me now so thankful and sober a partaker of the refreshments of my body, that they may not damp the devo∣tion of my soul: But I may rather return to worship thee with greater chearfulness and gladness of heart, after thou hast added the good things of this world, to those of the other; according to thy abundant love in Christ Jesus. Amen.

A Prayer in private before the Evening Service.

O God who art rich in mercy to all that call upon thee, and hast bid us pray without ceasing, and rejoyce ever∣more. In obedience to thy com∣mand, and incouraged by the good∣ness of thy Nature, thy gracious in∣vitations, thy most precious pro∣mises, and the long experience that I and others have had of thy boun∣ty, I am bold again to approach into thy presence; to renew my requests unto thee, to bless thy holy name, to make profession of my love to thee, and readiness in all things to o∣bey thee. Quicken my thoughts and affections, O Lord, to a free and joyful attendance on thee in all holy duties: that no dulness nor weariness may seize upon my spirit; but such a fervent love to thee may possess my heart, as may render all

the imployments of Religion my de∣light, and the doing thy Will both now and alway my greatest plea∣sure.

And pass by, I most humbly be∣seech thee, all my unwilling indispo∣sitions. Accept of such service as I am able to render thee. And dispose me by all my addresses to thee, to be more circumspect and watchful, more diligent and industrious, more forward and zealous in the perfor∣mance of every part of my duty. That being led by thy Counsel, go∣verned by thy Spirit, and preserved by thy gracious Providence, I may at last be admitted into the com∣pany of the blessed; there to per∣fect my praises and acknowledge∣ments, and to receive the reward of patient continuance in well doing, through Christ Jesus. Whose grace be with my spirit. Amen.

Another after the Evening Service is done, as soon as there is opportuni∣ty to retire alone.

I Acknowledge thy manifold bles∣sings, O Lord, which are renew∣ed upon me every moment. I owe my life continually to thee, with all the comforts of it. If I had no more to thank thee for, but the mercies of this day, they are so many, so great, that I could never thank thee enough for them. Thou takest care of my bo∣dy, and of my soul. Thou feedest me at thy house, and at my own. Thou lettest me taste the bread of Life which came down from Heaven, besides the many supports and refresh∣ments which thou affordest for this natural life. Several of thy creatures lose their lives to preserve mine, and thy dear Son hath not thought it too much to lay down his precious Life for my sake. Thou speakest to me, and givest me leave to speak to thee.

Thou instructest me in my duty, and hast made those things my duty, which are really my happiness. Thou ingagest me to do my self good here, by promising a greater good hereafter.

I praise thee; I thank thee; and will be ever speaking good of thee. And it is a new favour that I may thus praise and bless thee, both in the assemblies of thy people, and in my own retirements. O give me an heart to delight in it, and in all other duties of a Christian life. That o∣beying thy holy Gospel in all things, and being never weary in well do∣ing, I may find thy unwearied good∣ness extending it self to immortal life and bliss through Christ Jesus.

O blessed Jesus that thy holy Laws may be more deeply ingraven on my heart! O that every truth I have learnt this day, may be so faithfully preserved and kept in mind; as to become the rule of my life, or the ground of my hope, and a powerful

motive to universal and uniform o∣bedience to the end of my days! O that the remainder of my days may be the better for this day: and the holy rest we observe here on earth may be a beginning of the eternal rest which we wait for at thy second coming. Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

Notes

• 1 Joh. 3.21,22.
• Psal. 62.1.
• 61.1.
• 1 Thess. 5.