[♦] “it” replaced with “is”
Enlighten the minds of all Jews, Turks, and Infidels. Strengthen all thy faithful servants. Bring back them that wander out of the way; raise up those that are fallen; confirm those that stand, and grant them steadily to persevere in faith, love and obedience. Relieve and comfort all that are in distress. Let the earth bring forth her fruit in due season: and let all honest and industrious people be blest in their labours.
Remember all those who have done good unto us, and reward them sevenfold into their bosom. Grant forgiveness and charity to all our enemies; and continue good-will among all our neighbours. Support the sick with faith and patience; assist those who are leaving this world. Receive the souls which thou hast redeemed with thy Son’s precious blood, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. And give us all a glorious resurrection and eternal life. “Our Father, &c.”
THURSDAY MORNING.
O LORD, the God of our salvation, thou art the hope of all the ends of the earth. Upon thee the eyes of all do wait; for thou givest unto all life and breath and all things. Thou still watchest over us for good; thou daily renewest to us our lives and thy mercies: and thou hast given us the assurance of thy word, that if we commit our affairs to thee, if we acknowledge thee in all our ways, thou wilt direct our paths. We desire, O Lord, to be still under thy gracious conduct and fatherly protection. We beg the guidance and help of thy good Spirit, to chuse our inheritance for us, and to dispose of us, and all that concerns us, to the glory of thy name.
O Lord, withdraw not thy tender mercies from us, nor the comforts of thy presence! Never punish our past sins, by giving us over to the power of our sins: but pardon all our sins, and save us from all our iniquities. And grant us, O good God, the continual sense of thy gracious acceptance of us, in the Son of thy love, that our souls may bless thee, and all that is within us may praise thy holy name.
And O that we may find the joy of the Lord to be our strength; to defend us from all our sins, and to make us more zealous of every good work: that herein we may exercise ourselves, to have a conscience void of offence, both towards God and towards men. O help us to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, carefully redeeming the time, improving all those seasons and means of grace, which thou art pleased to put into our hands. Sanctify to us all our employments in the world; our crosses also and our comforts; all the estates we go through, and all the events that befal us, till through the merits of thy Son, and the multitude of thy mercies, we are conducted safe to be ever with the Lord.
Thou hast laid help for us upon one that is mighty; that is able to save unto the uttermost, all those who come unto God thro’ him. Through him thou hast encouraged us to come boldly, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Help us, we beseech thee, to demean ourselves as becomes the children of God, the redeemed of the Lord, the members of Christ. Put thy Spirit within us, causing us to walk in thy statutes, and to keep thy judgments, and do them. Yea let it be our meat and drink to do thy will, and to run the way of thy commandments.
O gracious Father, keep us we pray thee, this day in thy fear and favour, and teach us, in all our thoughts, words, and works, to live to thy glory. If thou guide us not we go astray; if thou uphold us not, we fall. O let thy good providence be our defence, and thy good Spirit our guide, and counsellor, and supporter in all our ways. And grant that we may do always what is acceptable in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord; in whose holy name and words we close these our imperfect prayers: “Our Father, &c.”