profperous event, that all may Co-operate to, and actually produce thofe great mercies which we beg of thee; Honour and fafety to our Sovereign, defence of her just rights, peace to her people, establishment and promotion to Religion, advantages and encouragement to learning and holy living, deliverance to all the oppreffed, comfort to all thy faithful people, and from all thefe, glory to thy holy Name. Grant this OKING of Kings, for his fake by whom thou haft configned us to all thy mercies and promifes, and to whom thou haft given all power in Heaven and Earth, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chrift. Amen.

*

A Prayer to be faid by Kings or Magiftrates, for themfelves and their People.

These words to be added by a Deligate or inferiour.

My God and King, thou ruleft in the Kingdoms of men, by thee Kings reign and Princes decree juftice: thou haft appointed me under thy felf [* and under my Prince] to govern this portion of thy Church according to the Laws of Religion and the Commonwealth. O Lord, I am but an infirm man, and know not how to decree certain fentences without erring in judgment: but do thou give thy fervant an understanding heart to judge this people, that I may difcern between good and evil. Cause me to walk before thee and all the people in truth and righteoufnefs, and in fincerity of heart, that I may not regard the perfon of the mighty, nor be afraid of his terrour, nor defpife the perfon of the poor, and reject his petition; but that doing juftice to all men, I and my people may receive mercy of thee, peace and plenty in our days, and mutual love, dury and correfpondence, that there be no leading into captivity, no complaining in our ftreets; but we may fee the Church in profperity all our days, and Religion eftablished and encreafing. Do thou establish the houfe of thy Servant, and bring me to a participation of the glories of

thy

thy Kingdom, for his fake who is my Lord and King, the holy and ever bleffed Saviour of the World, our Redeemer Jesus. Amen.

A Prayer to be faid by Parents for their Children.

Almighty and moft merciful Father, who haft promised children as a reward to the righteous, and haft given them to me as a teftimony of thy mercy, and an engagement of my duty; be pleafed to be a Father unto them, and give them healthful bodies, understanding fouls, and fanctified fpirits, that they may be thy fervants and thy children all their days. Let a great mercy and providence lead them through the dangers and temptations and ignorances of their youth, that they may never run into folly, and the evils of an unbridled appetite. So order the accidents of their lives, that by good education, careful tutors, holy example, innocent company, prudent counsel, and thy reftraining grace, their duty to thee may be fecured in the midst of a crooked and untoward generation and if it feem good in thy eyes, let me be enabled to provide conveniently for the fupport of their perfons, that they may not be deftitute and miferable in my death; or if thou fhalt call me off from this World by a more timely fummons, let their portion be thy care, mercy, and providence over their bodies and fouls; and may they never live vitious lives, nor die violent or untimely deaths; but let them glo rifie thee here with a free obedience, and the duties of holy life; that when they have ferved thee in their generations, and have profited the Chriftian Common-wealth, they may be Co-heirs with Jefus in the glories of thy eternal Kingdom, through the fame our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer to faid by Mafters of Families, Curates, Tutors, or other obliged perfons, for their Charges,

Almighty God, merciful and gracious, have mercy upon my Family Cor pupils, or parishioners,

N

and

and all committed to my charge: fanctifie them with thy grace, preferve them with thy providence, guard them from all evil by the cuftody of Angels, direct them in the ways of Peace and holy Religion by my miniftry and the conduct of thy moft Holy Spirit, and confign them all with the participation of thy bleflings and graces in this World, with healthful bodies, with good understandings, and sanctifyed spirits, to a full fruition of thy Glories hereafter, through Fefus Christ our Lord.

A Prayer to be faid by Merchants, Tradesmen,
And Handicrafts men.

Eternal God, thou Fountain of Juftice, Mercy and Benediction, who by my Education and other effects of thy Providence haft called me to this profeffion, that by my industry I may in my fmall proportion work together for the good of my felf and others; I humbly beg thy grace to guide me in my intention, and in the tranfaction of my Affairs, that I may be diligent, juft and faithful: and give me thy favour, that this my labour may be accepted by thee as a part of my neceffary duty and give me thy bleffing to affift and profper me in my Calling, to fuch meatures as thou shalt in mercy chufe for me: and be pleated to let thy Holy Spirit be for ever prefent with me, that I may never be given to covetousness and fordid appetites, to lying and falfhood, or any other bafe, indirect and beggarly Arts; but give me prudence, honefty and Chriftian fincerity, that my Trade may be fanctified by my Religion, my labour by my intention and thy bleffing: that when I have done my portion of work thou haft allotted me, and improved the talent thou haft intrufted to me, and ferved the Common-wealth in my capacity, I may receive the mighty price of my high calling, which I expect and beg, in the portion and inheritance of the ever bleffed Saviour and Redeemer Jefus. Amen.

'A Prayer

A Prayer to be faid by Debtors, and all perfons obli ged, whether by crime or contract.

Almighty God, who art rich unto all, the treafury and fountain of all good, of all justice, and all mercy, and all bounty, to whom we owe all that we are, and all that we have, being thy Debtors by reafon of our fins, and by thy own gracious contract made with us in Jefus Chrift; teach me in the first place to perform all my Obligations to thee, both of duty and thankfulness; and next enable me to pay my duty to all my friends, and my debts to all my creditors, that none be made miferable or leflened in his estate by his kindness to me, or traffick with me. Forgive me all thofe fins and irregular actions, by which I entred into Debt farther than my neceffity required, or by which fuch neceflity was brought upon me: but let not them fuffer by the occafion of my fin. Lord, reward all their kindness into their bo foms, and make them recompence where I cannot, and make me very willing in all that I can, and able for all that I am obliged to: or if it feem good in thine eyes to afflict me by the continuance of this condition, yet make it up by fome means to them, that the prayer of thy fervant may obtain of thee at least to pay my debt in bleffings. Amen.

Lord,fanctifie and forgive all that I have tempted to evil by my difcourfe or my example: inftruct them in the right way whom I have led to errour, and let me never run farther on the fcore of fin; but do thou blot out all the evils I have done by the Sponge of thy Paffion, and the Blood of thy Crols; and give me a deep and an excellent repentance, and a free and a gracious pardon; that thou may'ft anfwer for me, Q Lord, and enable me to ftand upright in judgment for in thee, O Lord, have I trufted, let me never be confounded. Pity me, and inftruct me, guide me and fupport me, pardon me and fave me, for my fweet Saviour Fefus Chrift his fake. Amen.

A Prayer for Patrons and Benefactors.

Almighty God, thou Fountain of all good, of all excellency both to Men and Angels, extend thiné abundant favour and loving-kindness to my Patron, to all my Friends and Benefactors; reward them and make them plentiful récompence for all the good, which from thy merciful Providence they have conveyed unto ime. Let the Light of thy Countenance fhine upon them, and let them never come into any affliction or fadnefs, but fuch as may be an inftrument of thy glory and their eternal Comfort. Forgive them all their fins; let thy Divineft Spirit preferve them from all deeds of Darkness. Let thy miniftring Angels guard their perfons from the violence of the Spirits of Darkness. And thou who knowest every degree of their neceffity by thy infinite Wil dom, give supply to all their needs by thy glorious mercy, preferving their Perfons, fanctifying their hearts, and leading them in the ways of righteousness, by the waters of comfort, to the land of eternal reft and glory, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Jam. 1.27.

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CHAP. IV.

Of Chriftian Religion.

Eligion in a large fence doth fignifie the whole duty of a Man, comprehending in it Juftice, Charity and Sobriety: becaufe all thete being commanded by God, they become a part of that honour and worship which we are bound to pay to him. And thus the word is used in S. James; Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this,

To