Sayfadaki görseller
PDF
ePub

our Lord; to Whom with Thee, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. Our Father, Which art in heaven &c. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ &c.

Another Prayer for the Evening.

MOST great and glorious Lord God, the Creator, preserver, and governor of the world, and our most merciful Father in Jesus Christ, I humbly beseech Thee for His sake, mercifully to assist me in the supplications and prayers which I am now about to offer up to Thine adorable Majesty; and grant that the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, may now and ever be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

I confess, O God, that by my innumerable transgressions of Thy holy laws I have rendered myself altogether unworthy of the least of Thy favours, and most justly liable to the severest of Thy judgments. But, O gracious Father, I most earnestly beseech Thy divine goodness, that Thou wouldest be pleased to deal with me, not according to my deserts, but according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies in Thy beloved Son Jesus Christ. For His sake, Who is the propitiation for our sins and our advocate with Thee, be merciful to me in the free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins: and let Thy Holy Spirit work in me such a sincere and hearty sorrow for them, as may engage me to depart from all iniquity, and to serve Thee henceforth in newness and holiness of life. And grant, O Lord, that the remembrance of my former miscarriages may make me more humble for the future, more sensible of my own weakness and dependence, more thankful to Thee for preventing me by Thy grace from running into those evils which I

have not committed, and more charitable to the failings of others.

Imprint on my soul, I most humbly beseech Thee, such a lively and lasting sense of the important transactions of that great and terrible day of the Lord, wherein all mankind must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, as may continually influence all my designs and actions, and make me careful always so to live that I may never be unprepared for the most sudden death, but may be in constant readiness to give up my accounts at what hour soever my soul shall be required of me; and when I appear at Thy tribunal, I may be able to lift up my head with joy before Thee, in full assurance of perfect reconciliation with Thee my God through the blood of the Cross, and that from thenceforth I shall be for ever with Thee in Thy blessed kingdom; where with angels, and arch-angels, and all the company of heaven I shall praise Thee incessantly, and rejoice in Thee everlastingly, with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Bless, I pray Thee, Thy holy catholic church dispersed over the face of the earth; and especially that part of it which Thou hast planted in these islands. Bless more particularly Thy servant William our king, and all who by Thy providence are put in authority over us in Church and State: grant that both they, and all other the inhabitants of this land may faithfully and painfully serve in their several stations to Thy glory, the maintenance and advancement of Thy true religion, and the good of this Thy church and people. Be favourable and gracious, I beseech Thee, to all my relations and friends, especially to those most near and dear unto me *;.... to all who have done me any good, and to those also who have done or wished me any evil: give to them and me, and to all christians, and particularly to those who are in any

* Here may be named any for whom you are more particularly

distress or trouble, whatsoever Thou knowest to be best for us, in reference to our spiritual, temporal, and eternal welfare.

And now, O Lord, I desire with the humblest prostration of soul to adore Thy Majesty, and to praise Thine incomprehensible goodness for all Thy great and manifold mercies vouchsafed to me, Thy most unworthy servant, and to all mankind. I bless Thee for Thy general mercies of creation, preservation, and providence; and more especially for Thine astonishing love in reconciling the world to Thyself by the death of Thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ. I bless Thee for our redemption by His blood; for our calling, illumination, and sanctification by His sacraments, word, and Spirit; for our hope of justification and eternal life by His resurrection, and ascension, and continual intercession for us. I bless Thee for those measures of Thy preventing, restraining, and assisting grace, which Thou hast been pleased to bestow upon any of us, whereby we have been enabled to do any thing that is good and acceptable unto Thee; and have been kept from those sins we should otherwise have committed. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name be the praise for whatever good Thou hast been pleased to work in us, or for us, or through, or by us, out of Thy great mercy and goodness. I bless Thee for my health and strength; my peace and safety; and for the competent provision Thou hast made for me and mine of all things necessary both to this life and a better.

Finally, I bless and praise Thy holy Name for Thy merciful preservation of me the day past: and I most humbly beseech Thee to continue Thy mercy and goodness towards me this night: defend me from all dangers, ghostly and bodily; grant me quiet and refreshing sleep; and if Thou art pleased to add another day to my life, give me grace to employ it in Thy service, and to Thy glory: all which I beg for Jesus Christ's sake; in Whose most blessed Name

and words I offer up, and conclude my imperfect prayers; saying,

Our Father, Which art in heaven &c.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ &c.

EVENING PRAYER TO BE USED WITH A FAMILY.

Prayer for Divine assistance in our devotions.

LET Thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of Thine unworthy servants; and that we may obtain our petitions, make us to ask such things as shall please Thee, and to offer up our supplications at the throne of Thy grace with humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient hearts; not trusting in our own righteousness, but in Thy manifold and great mercies, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for pardon and peace.

ALMIGHTY God, and most merciful Father, grant us, we beseech Thee, pardon and peace; that we who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of Thy grace may mercifully be relieved; and being cleansed from all our sins, may serve Thee with a quiet mind, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Divine grace and blessing.

DEFEND us, O Lord, evermore with Thy heavenly aid; and pour into our hearts the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness; and fill us, O Lord, with the spirit of Thy holy fear, that we may continue Thine for ever, and daily in

come to Thine everlasting kingdom and since Thou hast created all things for Thine own glory and service, give us grace to direct all our thoughts, words, and works to that one end; to use all Thy temporal blessings with such moderation and abstinence, that our flesh being subdued to the spirit, we may ever obey Thy godly motions in righteousness and true holiness, to Thy honour and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Intercessions.

O LORD, we beseech Thee, let Thy continual pity cleanse and defend Thy Church; that through Thy protection it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve Thee in all good works. Bless Thy servant the king, and all who by Thy providence are set in authority under him; and so direct and prosper all their counsels and endeavours that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable lives: and especially we beseech Thee, the giver of all good gifts, Who hast of Thy divine providence appointed divers orders in Thy holy Church, to give Thy grace to all those who are called to any office and administration in the same; and so replenish them with Thy truth that they may faithfully serve before Thee, to the glory of Thy great Name, and the good of Thy Church. We make our humble supplications unto Thee for all our benefactors, friends, and relations, especially for those most near and dear unto us; and for all those who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity; keep them under the protection of Thy good providence; increase and multiply upon them Thy mercy, that Thou being their ruler and guide they may pass through things temporal, that they finally lose not the things eternal: and particularly we pray Thee, let the hand of Thy blessing rest upon us of this family, that in the regular discharge of our several duties we may ever be at

« ÖncekiDevam »