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 PRAYER ON GOOD FRIDAY

In the MORNING.

O Most holy and eternally bles∣sed; the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom I am incouraged to come unto thee. And how shall I come, O Lord, but in the lowest prostrations of my soul and body; with mine eyes full of tears, and my heart full of grief and sorrow, because I have been so undu∣tiful to thee, whose grace and mercy hath so exceedingly abounded to∣wards us! When I cast mine eyes upon my Saviour, and upon my self, with the rest of the children of men,

I am astonished at the wonderful greatness of thy love, which sur∣passes the thoughts of men and Angels.

For what were we that thou shouldest make thy dear Son a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, for our sake? That he should become poor and mean, not having where to lay his head; and indure likewise cruel mockings and buffet∣tings; and be spit upon and abused; yea, sorely wounded and bruised; and drink that bitter cup, the vile and accursed death of the cross; where he shed his most precious bloud, and gave himself a ransome for us? O Lord, what was the whole race of mankind worth, that thou shouldest purchase them with so dear a price? and by the obedience of thy Son Christ Jesus unto the death, grant a pardon for their rebellion? and seal a new Covenant of Grace in his bloud? and by the same bloud consecrate him to be an high-Priest

with royal Power in the heavens, to give repentance and remission of sin? and all this, so freely, that we did not so much as desire it, nor did it enter into the heart of men to con∣ceive, that thou shouldest be so gra∣cious to them? O blessed God, how rich is thy goodness, that lets us withal injoy a great plenty of world∣ly good things; much of that ease and pleasure which was denyed our dear Saviour? and yet we are sinners, and he had no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: yea, we are ungrate∣ful sinners, so far from being sensible as we ought of such infinite loving kindness; that we may justly fear lest this goodness of thine which was designed to save us, should through our unthankfulness and negligence, prove the occasion of our greater ruine.

I most heartily bewail, O most merciful Father, my shameful forget∣fulness of so great benefits, or my cold and dull remembrance of them.

I lament all the errors and miscar∣riages of my life, which are the more heynous, I acknowledge, after such a plain declaration of thy displeasure against sin, and of thy marvellous love to us sinners. I am afflicted for the hardness and stupidity of my heart, which, alas! is oft-times little pierced and wounded, when I reflect upon his sorrow and pain, and an∣guish for the sake of sinners: and for the listlessness and backwardness of my will to give up my self absolute∣ly to him, who so willingly gave himself an offering for our sins. I blush to remember how weak and short my thoughts have been; how transient and ineffectual my passions, when I have meditated on his bloudy death and sufferings: And am confounded when I think how suddenly I have started from those holy purposes and resolutions, which the sense of his love hath sometimes begot in my heart.

I cannot but accuse and condemn

my self here in thy presence; but I likewise condemn every sinful desire that is still remaining in me, to dye and be crucified together with him. I would have nothing contrary to thy Will, to have any power, or live any longer in me: and therefore here yield up my self intirely in∣to thy hands, to be conformed in all things to Christ Jesus who dyed for me. Fix my thoughts so constantly upon his dying love, and affect my heart so mightily therewith, that I may chearfully undergo any pains to be made like unto him in his hu∣mility; in his obedience; in his re∣signation of himself to thy wise will and pleasure; in his patience; in his meekness, in his charity, and forgive∣ness of his enemies; in his willing∣ness to quit all things for thy names sake, and to trust both soul and body with thee, in well doing and content∣ed suffering, whatsoever it be that thou requirest of me.

I desire not to live, O Lord, but

that I may live to him that dyed for me. I refuse no reproaches, no po∣verty, no pain or trouble, if thy will cannot other ways be accomplished by me. Do what thou pleasest with me, so that I may but be perfected in holiness, and obtain thy gracious pardon through the redemption that is in Jesus.

I believe the vertue and power of his Sacrifice to be everlasting; and that when he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: And there∣fore I look for the constant assistance of thy good Spirit, which he hath bid me ask in his Name, to inable me to purifie my self, and to tread in the steps of his humble, meek and pati∣ent Charity; that so I may be pre∣sented unblameable and unprovea∣ble in thy sight at the day of his ap∣pearing. Great is the wisdom of thy love wherein thy grace hath abound∣ed towards us in Christ Jesus! Great are the incouragements which thou

hast given us, by his laying down his life for us, that he might take it a∣gain and live for evermore! Great is the boldness that we have to enter in∣to the holyest by the bloud of Jesus; by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through his flesh! Give me the grace, I beseech thee, wisely to consider and ponder the merciful design of thy Grace; to walk circumspectly and exactly, as the redeemed of the Lord, as an heir of his love, that hopes to see him in im∣mortal glory. O that the comfort and joy of this hope, to see Jesus who was so scorned and abused, sitting upon his throne, and triumphing o∣ver all his enemies, may so raise and inlarge my mind by the power of it, that I may overlook and despise all the petty temptations of this world: looking still steadfastly unto him, and following him with unmoveable resolution; till I come to possess that which I hope for, and rejoyce e∣ternally in his love.

Hear me, O Father of mercies, and deal graciously with me far be∣yond all my thoughts and desires, for his sake; who is the Author and the finisher of our faith, who dyed once for us, and now lives for ever to make intercession on our behalf: By whom all honour, praise, thanks∣giving, love and obedience be ren∣dered to thee by me and by all man∣kind both now and for ever. A∣men.

A Prayer on Good Friday in the E∣vening.

O Most holy, most gracious, the only wise God, most blessed for ever. We cannot conceive the great∣ness of thy perfections, nor is there any thing to which we can compare them. Thy holiness is more unspot∣ted than the light of the Sun: Thy goodness spreads it self more largely

than its beams: Thy Wisdom pierces into those secrets which are buried in darkness: and though all things alter and wax old, yet thou art the same unchangeable being, whose years have no end. How shall such a vile wretch as I am take the bold∣ness to look towards thee, and speak unto thee, who art so great, so glo∣rious, and dwellest in light not to be approached?

Adored be thy wonderful love, who hast incouraged our approaches to thee, by humbling thy self to look down upon us, and by appearing graciously to us in our own flesh. Blessing, Honour, Glory and Praise be eternally ascribed unto thee, who didst not abhor us, and utterly cast us out of thy sight, when we had turned our backs upon thee; but sent thy only begotten Son into the world, to call us again unto thee, yea, to beseech us, and oblige us, by lay∣ing down his own life for us, to return unto thee and live.

No thought can comprehend the unsearchable riches of thy Grace ma∣nifested unto us in the Lord Jesus, who was pleased to be vilely intreat∣ed, and shamefully used, to suffer the reproach of the Cross, and to shed his dearest bloud; that we might not suffer the pain of eternal death, but be restored to the dignity of thy children, and advanced to honour, glory and immortality together with him. Thou hast found out a way to manifest thy most tender love to us, without the least suspicion of ap∣proving and loving our sins; and to preserve thy Soveraign Authority, without destroying those who were in rebellion against it. Thou hast or∣dered such a chastisement of our ini∣quities, as might save and deliver us, who deserved to be punished: and so disposed the means of our redemp∣tion, as to pardon and amend us, both at once.

O the wisdom of thy Love, which hath made him to be sin for us, who

knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of thee our God in him! O the riches of thy Grace, which hath abounded to us in all wisdom and prudence! Healing us by his stripes; and condemning sin in the flesh by his sacrifice for sin; and making him a curse for us, that we might in∣herit a blessing, and re∣ceive the promise of the Spirit, through faith in him. I see, O Lord, how in∣finitely I am indebted to thee. I behold the design of thy wise good∣ness in giving him for us, that he might redeem us from all iniqui∣ty, and purifie us to him∣self a peculiar people zealous of good works. I thank thee with all my soul, for his bearing our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead unto sin, should live unto righteousness. There is nothing I can more desire than by doing righteousness, to be∣come

righteous even as he is righteous. Assist me, I beseech thee, to attain this end of his death and passion, by the power of that holy Spirit which he hath thereby purchased for us, and hath likewise promised to us, and is able to bless us withal.

I dread to think that his precious bloud should be lost and spilt in vain for me; that so great a price should be cast away, wherewith thou hast bought me, to glorifie thee with my body and spirit which are thine. O God preserve in me such a lively sense of his grief and sorrow, of his pain and anguish; that I may bitterly hate the cause of all his torments, and look on every sin, as the most fearful curse that can befal me. Pre∣serve in me a constant sense of the great value of my soul, for which he paid so dearly: and a great esteem of that purity, righteousness and good∣ness, for the restoring of which he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,

and was obedient to death, even the death of the Cross. And especially raise me to a great height of love and gratitude to thee, and of hope and confidence in thy infinite mercies; of which we have such strong assu∣rance, by his being delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification. Make me more and more in love with that lowliness of mind, that tender and compassionate charity, that meek∣ness, patience and forgiveness which shone in his sufferings. And sub∣due my will so perfectly; unto such an absolute, quiet and ready submission to thy holy Will in every thing; that my hope in thee may increase exceedingly: and not only so, but I may also joy in thee my God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now re∣ceived the atonement.

Hear, Good Lord, the prayers of the whole Church, which thou hast purchased with thine own bloud. O

that every member thereof may serve thee purely and orderly in the rank and condition wherein thou hast placed them, to their mutual benefit and comfort, and to the conviction of those who are ene∣mies or strangers to the Name of the Lord Jesus; that they seeing our good works may glorifie thee our heavenly Father, and acknowledge that thou art among us of a Truth. Bless all the Ministers of Religion or Justice: and endue them with a great love to the honour of our Sa∣viour, and with a great zeal to make his holy Laws understood and ob∣served. That as he gave himself for his Church, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of wa∣ter by the word, and present it to him∣self a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing: So all that name the name of Christ may de∣part from all iniquity, and indeavour to be holy and without blemish, and be

found of him in peace at the day of his appearing.

Now unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own bloud, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Rev. 1.5,6.

Notes

• 2 Cor. 5.21.
• 1 Pet. 2.24.
• Rom. 8.3.
• Gal. 3.14.
• Tit. 2.14.
• 1 Pet. 2.
• 1 Joh. 3.
• Rom. 4.25.
• Rom. 5.11.
• Ephes. 5.26,27.