PLAIN AND SHORT DIRECTIONS AND PRAYERS. PRAYERS FOR PARTICULAR PERSONS. CONSIDER the danger of going into an evil world without God's a blessing, and then you will not neglect to pray for His grace and protection every morning. MORNING PRAYER. O LORD, my Maker and Redeemer, I thank Thee for all Thy mercies, and especially that I am a Christian, and in the way of salvation: Lord, suffer me not to go astray, or bring me back by such means as to Thee shall seem meet. Let Thyd grace, which is sufficiente, secure me from the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; that I may not follow nor be led by them. Let my belief of Thy infinite power, and justice, and goodness, make me to fear, and to love, and to put my whole trust in Thee. Let the goodness of Thy commands incline me in all things to obey Thy blessed will, that I may love my neighbour as myself; and forgive, and live in charity with all the world. That I may obey such as have the rule over me; be just in all my dealings; true and faithful in my words and promises. That I may be temperate, sober, and chaste; lead an honest and a godly life; be content with my condition, and never desire to better it by unjust ways. The Lord preserve me from all 8 evil; from pride, and malice, and idleness, and uncleanness; from deceit, and worldlymindedness; and from lying and slandering. I beseechi God, that His grace may ever be with me, to keep me from all thoughts, words, and actions, that I should have cause to repent of1. Defend mem in all dangers, comfort me in all afflictions, direct me when I know not what to do, and bring me in His" good time to His heavenly kingdom, for Jesus Christ's sake. O Lord, hear me, not according to my weak understanding, but according to the full meaning of that form of words which Jesus Christ hath taught us : 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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen [Memoranda.] Give me an heart always open to receive the truth. Enable me to get the mastery of all my sinful passions and affections, of my corrupt nature, wch I find to be prone to evil continually. Possess my soul with a great desire of pleasing Thee, and with a fear of offending Thee. Imprint upon my heart the thought of what I shall be for ever when I dye. May I never render myself by any sin unworthy of Thy grace. May God who wa have all men to be sav'd and to come to the knowledge of the truth, bless these endeavours of mine for His glory and the salvation of souls. Give me the graces wch Thou knowest I most stand in need of. Matt. xviii. 3. "Except ye be converted, and become" &c. Vouchsafe me, gracious God, the grace of a true conversion. h k [Add "may."] [Add "sin and."] "from."] [" pray."] ["may."] [Add, "when I come to dye, or when I ly down to sleep."] m [Add, "I beseech Thee."] ["Prayer."] PRAYERS FOR PARTICULAR PERSONS. WHOEVER goeth to sleep without God's blessing, hath much reason to fear his own safety. And therefore every wise man will put himself under God's protection". EVENING PRAYER. BLESSED be God for all His favours from day to day bestowed upon me. Lord, make me sensible that I wholly depend upon Thee for life, and health, and prosperity, and comfort; that it may be my delight as well as my duty to serve Thee faithfully. Continue to me Thy blessings, I beseech Thee, and give me grace never to abuse them. O God, be merciful unto me, fors I have walked contrary to Thy holy laws; Lord, forgive me, and deliver me from those judgments which my sins deservet. Give me grace never to consent to any known wickedness", nor ever to grieve Thy Holy Spirit, by which I am sanctified. Let me see the danger of sin, that I may flee from it, that may strive against it, that it may never be my ruin. I Enlighten my soul with saving truth; correct me in mercy when I grow careless of my salvation. Make me ever mindful of my latter end. From sudden and from eternal death, good Lord, deliver me. Preserve me from the power and malice of the devil; grant me a quiet sleep, a happy death, and a joyful resurrection, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. O Lord, hear me, not according to my weak understanding, but according to the full meaning of that form of words! which Jesus Christ hath taught us: P [Add, "when he lyes down to sleep."] ["Mercys."] u ["Or to sin against my conscience. Let nothing ever prevail with me to sin against my conscience, that I may not [Add, "and for every good thing grieve Thy Holy Spirit, and force Him I desire or hope for."] to forsake and leave me to myself."] S Whereinsoever."] ["Understand the dreadful."] "The judgments my sins have y ["Prayer."] deserved."] 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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. [Memoranda.] Give me, O God, a great concern for my salvation. A man is never more in danger than when he thinks that he stands not in need of God's direction and help. Whoever thus begins and ends the day with God, will lye down with a comfortable sense of being secure under the protection of the Almighty, of one able to save him. What have I been doing this day, what favours have [I] received from God. What have I to thank God for? what have [I] to ask pardon for ? what fav to beg of God? Be merciful unto me, and forgive me, and give me grace and strength, that I may do so no more. Make me truly thankful for all Thy mercys and favours. May the promises and threatenings of Thy Gospel, and the account I must one day give, be in my mind continually. May I spend my life to Thy glory. May Thy fear keep me from all wilful and known sin. Fill my heart with an holy fear of Thy judgments. Give me the spirit of temperance and chastity, that I may never provoke Thy Holy Spirit to forsake me by any instance of uncleanness. Thanksgiving. I most heartily thank God for His care over me. For all His blessings of Nature and of Grace. Grant that I may live like one who hopes for heaven when he dyes-that I may fear Thy judgments-admire and adore Thy goodness. Give me the graces wch Thou knowest I most stand in need of. Morning. Raise me, O Lord, at the last day to life everlasting. After Prayer. Give us the graces and blessings we stand in need of, notwithstanding our unworthiness in asking them. May we ever resign our wills and desires to Thee. Give me grace to learn and to do my duty. Enable me to resist all the sinful desires of my corrupt nature. Deliver me from all blindness and hardness of heart. Family. Let no worldly business hinder us from taking care of our souls. Give me a purpose of pleasing Thee in all my actions. May I never grieve Thy Holy Spirit by wh—(sic). May we see and adore Thy providence in the government of the world. Give me knowledge to see, an heart and power to do Thy will. |