PSALM CXXVII.

A Prayer for God's Blessings to go along with the temporal good Things he gives us.

O Lord our God, without whose blessing all our labours are vain and unprofitable, and our possessions are but bitter and unpleasant; let thy blessing be upon our labours and our substance, our children and our dwelling, that the good things of this life may be an heritage and gift from the issues of thy favour, and an earnest of a greater blessing: make our souls diligent in thy service, not importunate and greedy for the increase of riches: let our dwellings be safe and peaceable, and our families increase in thy blessings; that we, feeling the comforts of thy favour here, may be stirred up to great desires after the blessings of eternity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM CXXVIII.

A Prayer for the Fear of God, and the Blessings of the godly.

O Lord God, who hast promised to multiply thy blessings upon them that fear thee, teach us the fear of the Lord; and let thy Spirit so assist us, that we may walk in thy ways with great observation of all our actions, and much diligence to perform thy holy will; that we may receive the blessings of the righteous, blessings of the right hand and of the left hand, and may rejoice in the blessing and peace of thy church, waiting for the consummation of all blessing and peace in thy eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM CXXIX.

A Prayer against the Enemies of the Church.

O most blessed Jesu, who for our sins didst suffer the ploughers to plough upon thy back, and make long furrows, suffering shame and whipping for our sakes, and all the contradictions of sinners, and didst leave sorrows and afflictions entailed upon thy church, that by suffering with thee, she might at last reign with thee in glory: deliver us and all thy

holy church from all that fight against us; hew the snares of the ungodly in pieces; let the designs of them that have evil will at thy church, be like the grass growing upon the house-tops, withered and blasted before it comes to maturity; and make us to prosper under thy mercies, and in the good wishes and devout prayers of holy people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM CXXX.

A penitential Psalm, or a Prayer for Pardon and Redemption from Sins.

O Lord God, blessed Jesu, with whom is mercy and. plenteous redemption, who didst redeem thy people from all their sins, paying the ransom of thine own blood to purchase us freedom and salvation; let the height of thy mercy take us up from the deep abyss of sin and misery. O be not extreme to mark what we have done amiss, for it is impossible we should abide the extremity of thy severest judgments. And as thy mercy pardons what is past, so let the sweetness of it beget thy fear in our hearts, that we may not dare to offend so gracious, so merciful, a God; but that trusting in thy word, and flying unto thee for succour, we may wait for thee till our change cometh, looking for thee in holiness and righteousness all our days: grant this for thy mercies' and compassion' sake, O blessed Jesu, our only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

PSALM CXXXI.

A Prayer for the Graces of Humiliation and Mortification.

O Lord God, before whom the humble publican, who durst not lift up his eyes to heaven, but, with confusion of face, begged pardon,—was justified and acquitted; give unto us, thy servants, humility of soul, and modesty in our behaviour, that our looks be not proud, nor our thoughts arrogant, nor our designs ambitious: but that our souls being refrained from all vanity and pride, our affections weaned from great opinions and love of ourselves, we may trust in thee, follow the example of our blessed Master, and receive thy promises, which thou hast made unto us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer for the Church, for the Promotion of Religion, for the King, and for the Clergy.

O LORD GOD, who dwellest not in temples made with hands, and yet hast been pleased to manifest thy presence by special blessings and assistances in places set apart for thy worship, be pleased to hear our prayers, and accept our services whenever we make our addresses to thee in the house of prayer, and fall down low on our knees before thy footstool: let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy saints sing with joyfulness, and let all those that make their approaches unto thee, purify their hearts and hands, that they may offer to thee a pure sacrifice, even the sacrifice of obedience and holiness, and the expresses of true religion. Bless, O Lord, thy servant the king, whom thou hast made the patron and defender of the church; make his horn to flourish and be exalted above all his enemies, and let thy word be as a lantern for thine anointed, to show him thy holy will and pleasure; that, he seeking thy honour and glory, thy church may flourish under the covert of his shield and patronage, her victuals may be blessed with increase, her poor satisfied with bread, her priests decked with health, her saints with joy, and himself with honour and great renown and a flourishing diadem, while his enemies sit clothed in shame and misery. Grant this, O blessed God, for Jesus Christ's sake, our Lord and only Saviour. Amen.

A Prayer for Unity in the Church, in a Kingdom, or Family. O blessed Jesu, in whose garment was variety, but no rent or seam, have mercy upon thy holy catholic church and all Christian kingdoms and families; and so unite all our hearts and affections by the union of faith and charity, that we be not torn into factions and schisms, but being anointed

with the precious ointment, even the anointing of thy Spirit from above, we may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and grant that this holy ointment may so knit together the guides of thy church, the rulers of kingdoms, the princes of the nations, that the blessings of it may descend to the skirts of the people, and that thou mayest bless us with thy graces here and hereafter, give us life for evermore in the participation of thy glorious kingdom, where thou livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

PSALM CXXXIV.

An Invitation to the Clergy to be diligent in singing God's Praises publicly.

O Lord, Creator and Governor of all the world, thou that madest heaven and earth, that all should celebrate thy praise and the glory of thy name; give great religion and devout affections to thy ministers, that, by frequent elevation of their hands and hearts in thy sanctuary in behalf of themselves and all the people, thy honour may be exalted among all thy servants, religion may be advanced, and the love of thy name increased, and thy blessings may descend upon us in a plentiful proportion, to supply all our necessities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amén.

PSALM CXXXV.

A Prayer that God would avenge his People of their Enemies, and an Invitation of them to praise his Name.

O Lord God, in whose sight the death of all the saints is precious, and to whom the souls of the martyrs from under the altar call to avenge their blood, that is shed like water upon the earth; be gracious unto us thy servants; avenge all thy people of their enemies: that all that hate and persecute thy church, being either brought to repentance or confusion, thy name and thy memorial may be celebrated to all generations, thy kingdom and thy coming may be hastened; that the saints may receive the consummation of their glories, by resurrection of their bodies, and receiving the crown of righteousness which thou hast prepared for all that put their trust in thee; and that we all standing in the house

of the Lord, even in the courts of the house of our God, for

ever, may praise thy name, which is gracious and lovely, even for ever and ever. Amen.

Evening Prayer.

PSALM CXXXVI.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving to God for his eternal Mercies. O GOD of heaven and Lord of lords, who by thy excellent wisdom, hast made the heavens, and only doest great wonders in heaven and earth, making all thy creatures to be expresses of thy power and of thy loving mercy; let thy mighty hand and stretched-out arm lead us through the midst of this world and the throng of all our enemies, giving us food for the sustenance of our bodies, the light of the Sun of Righteousness to lead us in our goings, and great apprehensions of thy mercy to excite in us devotion and true religion; that we, praising thy mercies, and being relieved and sustained by thy loving-kindness, may at last come to the land of promise which thou givest for an heritage to thy people, and may receive the mercies of thy kingdom, which endure for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM CXXXVII.

A Prayer for the Redemption of the Church from Captivity and Persecution.

O Lord our God, thou hast placed us in this world like pilgrims and strangers far from our country, far from rest; give us souls and desires so abstract, so religious and contemplative, that all our hopes, our joys and longings, may be to enjoy thee and thy glories in the celestial Jerusalem: and let thy comforts refresh us in this our captivity and exile, that in our heaviness thou mayest be our joy, our songs and melody may be the songs of Sion, the praises of thy name: that when thou hast delivered us from the wrath and malice of our enemies, and dashed all their wickedness (which they have conceived, and would bring forth to our destruction)