1 affections to be so entangled or rooted in these earthly and corruptible things, but that we may always have our minds directed to thee on high continually watching for the coming of our Lord and Saviour Christ, what time He shall appear for our full redemption3. To whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, for ever and ever. So be it. ANOTHER PRAYER BEFORE MEALS. WHETHER ye eat or drink, saith St. Paul, or whatsoever ye do else, do all to the praise and glory of God". Eternal and everliving God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of thy most singular love, which thou bearest to mankind, hast appointed to his sustenance not only the fruits of the earth, but also the fowls of the air, and beasts of the earth, and fishes of the sea; and hast commanded thy benefits to be received as from thy hands with thanksgiving, assuring thy children by the mouth of thine apostle, that to the clean all things are clean, as the creatures which be sanctified by thy word and by prayer: grant unto us so moderately to use these thy gifts present, that our bodies being refreshed, our souls may be more able to proceed in all good works, to the praise of thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So be it. Our Father, which art, &c. 1 1 John ii. 41 Cor. x. 2 Tit. ii. 1 Cor. i. 3 Rom. viii. ANOTHER. ETERNAL God, the very God of peace and all consolation, which broughtest again from death our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make us fruitful in all good works to do thy will, and work in us that which is acceptable in thy sight: sanctify us throughout, and keep our whole spirit, soul, and body faultless unto the coming of thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Thou art faithful, O Father, who hast promised this, who also shalt bring it to pass to thee therefore be given everlasting praise, honour, and glory. Amen. ANOTHER THANKSGIVING AFTER MEALS. ETERNAL God, the preserver of our life, and giver of all good gifts, we render unto thee most humble thanks, for that of thy abundant goodness it hath pleased thee at this present to feed our bodies with these corporal meats and drinks; beseeching thee also to feed our souls. with the spiritual food of thy lively word, that in the heavenly brightness of thy knowledge we may truly serve, love, and obey thee, and lead a life worthy of this thy kindness; that thou, finding us not unthankful for these and all other thy good blessings, mayest go forward daily more and more to increase thy gifts in us, and at the last take us unto thee, and place us in thy joyful kingdom amongst thy holy angels and blessed saints, where thou, with thy dearly beloved Son and the Holy 5 Heb. xiii. Ghost, livest and reignest one true and everlasting God, in all honour and glory, worlds without end. Amen. ANOTHER THANKSGIVING AFTER MEALS. GL LORY, praise, and honour be unto thee, most merciful and omnipotent Father, who of thine infinite goodness hast created man to thine own image and similitude; who also hast fed and daily feedest of thy most bountiful hand all living creatures: grant unto us, that as thou hast nourished these our mortal bodies with corporal food, so thou wouldest replenish our souls with the perfect knowledge of the lively word of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ; to whom be praise, glory, and honour, for ever. So be it. ANOTHER. MOST bountiful and gracious God, which feed est all flesh, and hast promised that, asking of thee, we shall not lack, if we first seek thy kingdom and the righteousness thereof; we, feeling presently the benefit of this thy gracious promise in feeding our bodies with this corporal food, do render unto thee most hearty thanks for the same, beseeching thee likewise to feed our souls with that heavenly food which perisheth not, but abideth unto everlasting life': so that we, being nourished by thy goodness both in body and soul, may be apt and ready to do all good works which thou hast prepared for us to walk in, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 John vi. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood, and made us kings and priests unto God his Father, be all glory, power, and dominion for evermore2. Amen. THE ever. ANOTHER. HE God of glory and peace, who hath created, redeemed, and presently fed us, be blessed for So be it. The God of all power, who hath called from death that great Pastor of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, comfort and defend the flock which He redeemed by the blood of the eternal testament, increase the number of true preachers, repress the rage of obstinate tyrants, lighten the hearts of the igno- So be it. 21 Peter v. [Rev. i.] PRAYERS TO BE USED OF EVERY CHRISTIAN IN PARTICULAR. When you awake out of your sleep, pray thus: MOST dear Father of our Saviour Jesus Christ, whom none doth know but of thy gift, amongst other thy manifold and great benefits grant me this also, that like as thou hast awaked my body from sleep, so thou wouldst throughly awake, yea, deliver my soul from the sleep of sin and darkness of this world, and that which now is awaked out of sleep, thou wouldest after death restore to life; for that is but sleep to thee, which is death to us. Dear God, I most heartily beseech and humbly pray thy goodness to make my body such a companion, or rather a minister of godliness to my soul in this present life, that in the life to come it may be partaker with the same of everlasting happiness by Jesus Christ our Lord. Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shew light unto thee1. HER OCCASIONS TO MEDITATE. ERE call to mind the great mirth and blessedness of the everlasting resurrection. Also remember to muse upon that most clear light and bright morning, and new clearness of our bodies, after the long darkness they have been in all then shall be full of joy. 1 Ephes. v. |