A manual of prayers and A guide to the Christian life

Front matter

| LI BRARY O F COKGRKSS. \ J _s»^ J) 5 % I

A MANUAL OF PRAYERS

*7**?

Preface To The Fourth Edition

Ne^ rly eight years have passed away, since the first edition of this little Manual was published. An adaptation in the main, of an English work known as "Heygate's Manual," it was, like that, intended for a special class of persons, amongst whom, from the beginning of his ministry, the compiler had been happily and contentedly laboring. But the book passed to a wider use than had been antici* pated, gaining some circulation among persons who had no other poverty save poverty of spirit. Notwithstanding this, it may still be regarded as intended for Christ's Poor; since it is not merely those who are poor in this world's goods, but those who are poor in spirit, that the Lord accounts to be blessed, and thus marks for His own.

The new edition diners from preceding ones in this respect : that some matter which was in the first edition, and which was omitted in the second and third, is now replaced. But, substantially, there is no change.

Blessed be God, if we are able to do, or say, or publish aught which may advance the cause of His kingdom in bringing souls to their rest therein. It is with deep gratitude, that the author has received evidence of the usefulness of this little work. To the young, and particularly to those who had just taken upon themselves in confirmation their baptismal vows, it has been a guide ; to the ignorant

(iii)

IV PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION".

a teacher; and to many suffering folk a comfort. Those parts of it, especially, in which are recounted, in litanies and brief ejaculatory prayers, the adorable woes and sorrows of the Kedeemer of the world, have been used by divers men and women, when in extreme and prolonged illness and pain, with a sensible relief, which seemed to flow directly from the cross of Christ, as embraced by loving faith. We cannot be too earnest in the effort to bring and keep Jesus Christ and Him crucified before the gaze of the sinner; and many have been aided thereunto by meditating on the Passion as this Manual has taught them to meditate, and by praying, as they have learned from it to pray. They have seen Him before them ; with the hands pierced, and with the pointed thorns wounding the flesh, and with the slow blood dropping down. Thus also, in view of the price of its forgiveness, they have come to know more about the actual quality of sin.

And we must also come to know our own offences, one by one. Not merely that we are sinners ; but in what we are sinners. No general opinion respecting sin can avail, unless we have the special sense of our acts of transgression. As, therefore, we look outside of ourselves and away from ourselves, for the great redemption ; so must we look within ourselves to see why it was needed. And a mode of attaining such knowledge, and an outline of the discipline consequent upon it, is presented in the instructions as to the order of the Christian life.

This Manual is, therefore, again commended to the humble in heart, in the hope that it may aid in teaching those who will receive it in the same spirit of meekness in which it is offered, what to believe, and what to do, how to pray and how to die. Brief is the time. Too brief for controversy and contention j only long enough for the work be-

Preface To The Fourth Edition. V

fore us, nor long enough for that, since it is the work of growing unto the measure of the stature of the fulrjess of Christ. Who is sufficient for that thing? It is not to be done in an hour. It is not to be attained in a day. Habits are only formed by acts ; holy tempers and forms by holy living. While we relax our efforts, the period for work goeth away. All that now remains of life to any one of us, is not more than he needs to make ready for his awful change and for the life of the world to come.

Many hard words have been spoken of my labors, as to their scope and character. All such words are forgiven ; in the hope that they who spoke them, though mistaken, meant well. But they that are with us are more than they that are against us. The peaceful death-beds of many faithful spiritual children have disclosed to their pastor that his labor was not bestowed in vain. May the Lord still grant His compassionate acceptance and blessing; and may peace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

Trinity Rectory, New Yqex : Lent, 1864,

OFFICES

W.tt

DAILY PRAYER

"In the evening, and morning, ana at noon-day will I pray, and that U*- •tantly : and Hs shall hear my voice. "—PsaJm Iv. 18.

DEVOTIONS FOR DAILY USE.

On firsi opening the eyes, say either aloud or to yourself,

AWAKE, my soul, and give praise unto God, Glory be to Thee, O Lord, who hast saved me from the dangers of the night.

Lord, raise me up at the Last Day — in tha Eesurrection of the just.

PRIVATE MORNING PRAYER.

Kneel down as before your God. Stop awhile in silence, to think that His eye is upon you. Think that to pray without heed is to take God's name in vain Then begin to say as follows:

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

God, make speed to save us : O Lord, make haste to help us.

6 PRIVATE MORNING PRAYER.

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

O God, whose mercies fail not, but are new every morning, pardon the sins that I have committed against Thee, in thought, word, and deed ; make me to be sorry for them with the godly sorrow that worketh repentance unto salvation ; put far from me all evil ways and works ; save me from the enemy of my soul ; and grant me Thy peace all the days of my life ; through our only Saviour and Eedeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lord, I give thanks to Thee, for that Thou hast kept me in the past night from all evils, bodily and spiritual; and I beseech Thee for Thy mercies' sake, to raise me up at the Last Day to life everlasting. Give me grace, now in the time of this mortal life, to cast off the works of darkness, and to walk as a child of the light ; and do Thou preserve me this day from all sin, from all perils and dangers, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

1 commend to Thee, Lord, my soul and my

PRAYERS AT NOON. 7

body, my thoughts, words, and works, my life and my death : the Church and my pastor, my parents and relations, [here name them, and any for whom you wish to pray,] and all the world. Amen.

Then rise up and say, bowing the head,

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. Amen.

If you have time, read some verses of the Bible, or a Psalm from the Psalter, or a Hymn. But never omit to pray.

FBAYERS AT NOON,

Noon brings to all a short time to rest from toil. Give a little of that time to God; though it be but a minute or two, it will not fail to bring you a reward from your Father in Heaven.

In the evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I pray, and that instantly and He shall hear my voice.

8 PRATEKS AT NOON.

Pardon for the past, and strength for the future^ grant me, Lord. Amen.

Lord, have mercy on us ; Christ, have mercy on us ; Lord, have mercy on us.

If not at work, and alone, kneel down for a minut or two, and say,

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Our Father, &c.

Saviour of the world, who by Thy Cross and precious Blood hast redeemed us, save us and help us, we humbly beseech Thee, Lord.

Grant, we beseech Thee, merciful Lord, to Thy faithful people, pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve Thee with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord, we beseech Thee, grant Thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow Thee the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

EVENING PRAYER IN PRIVATE. 9

EVENING PRAYER IN PRIVATE.

Remember at even-tide, that your soul may that night be required of you. Therefore, do not dare to lie down and sleep, until you have taken account of your life, and passed sentence upon yourself as a sinner against Heaven and before Christ. So if He should call you before the dawn of the next day, His sentence will be milder from your having already declared its justice.

Ash yourself then, these questions, trying to feel as if you were at the Judgment Seat, and GrOD and his Angels were before you :

What sinful thing have I done to-day ? What evil word have I said ?

What bad thoughts or desires have I had in my heart ?

Have I done my work well ?

Am I letting the sun go down upon my wrath?

Having now made trial of your life, Jcneel and confess humbly to GrOD, saying,

Lord, have mercy upon me , Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee. 2

10 EVENING PRAYER IN PRIVATE.

O Almighty Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, I confess to Thee all the sins that I have done this day, in thought, word, or act, through my most grievous fault : {If there be any great sin> name it here) O pardon me, pity and absolve mo from all my sins, and bring me safe to everlasting life.

Our Father, &c.

Blessed be Thy Holy Name, Lord!

For the mercies of the past day.

Vouchsafe, we pray Thee,

To keep us this night without sin.

Lord, have mercy on us ;

Christ, have mercy on us ;

Lord, have mercy on us.

Then these prayers :

O God, who art without beginning and without end, the Maker and Governor of all things through Christ, who hast made the day for works of light, and the night to give rest to our weakness ; do Thou now, most kind ana gracious Lord, receive this my evening thanksgiving. Thou that hast led me through the length of the day, and brought me to the beginning of the night, keep and preserve me by Thy Christ. Grant that I may pass

EVENING PRAYER IN PRIVATE. 11

this evening in peace, and this night without sin ; and finally, that I may attain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ Thy Son, by whom be glory, honor and adoration unto Thee in the Holy Spirit, world without End. Amen.

God, merciful and faithful, the aid of all that trust in Thee, keep safely under the shadow of Thy wings my beloved relations and friends, and all believers, even thy whole Church ; that we may increase in Thy Holy Spirit more and more until we come to Thine everlasting kingdom. Amen.

Or these two prayers :

Lord, the Keeper of Israel, who neither slumberest nor sleepest, be pleased, in Thy mercy, to watch over me and mine this night, and make- us ever mindful of the time when we shall lie down in the dust. Preserve us while waking, and defend us while sleeping, that our souls may constantly watch with Christ, and rest in His peace forever. Amen.

Visit, I beseech Thee, Lord, this habitation and drive far from it all snares of the enemy. Let Thy holy angels dwell within it, and preserve us in peace ; and let Thy blessing be upon us evermore ; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

12 DIRECTIONS FOR FRIDAY.

Conclude thus,

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, be with me and mine now and in the hour of death.

LAST THOUGHTS OK CLOSING THE EYES TO SLEEP.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was crucified upon His cross, and laid into His grave for me, I lay me down to sleep. He bless me, keep me, and save me, raise me up again and bring me to life everlasting.

DIRECTIONS FOR FRIDAY.

The Lord of Glory was crucified on Friday The Church therefore bids us keep that day holy in remembrance of His Death. All the Fridays in the year are fast -days.

The rules for Friday are : to fast, to think of Christ on the cross, to grieve for your sins which helped to nail Him there, and to pray him to save you.

Eat no more than you need for health, and to

DIRECTIONS FOR FRIDAY. 13

get through your work. Do "not the things which you like to do. Try and find out ways to deny yourself. If the Devil would draw you off from these acts, saying that there is no use in them, give no heed to his voice. Think of your Saviour, Eis bleeding brows, His feet and hands stabbed through with the spikes, His body racked, His bones out of joint. This thought will drive the Devil from your heart and strengthen you to punish yourself for your sins.

Say at morning, noon, and evening,

Saviour of the world, who by Thy Cross and precious. Blood hast redeemed me, save me and help me, I humbly beseech Thee, Lord.

In the evening, or at any hour of the day when you are alone, and have time, pray thus:

Lord Jesus, remember now the hour in which Thou didst once commend Thy blessed spirit into the hands of Thy Heavenly Father ; when with a torn body and broken heart Thou didst show forth Thy mercy in dying for us. I beseech Thee, O Thou brightness and image of God, so to aid me by Thy most precious death, that being dead unto the world, I may live only unto Thee ; and at the

14 DIRECTIONS FOR FRIDAY.

hour of my departing from this mortal life, I may commend my soul into Thy hands, and that Thou may est receive me into immortal life, there to reign with Thee forever and ever Amen.

THE LORD'S DAY.

M Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy." — Fourth Commandment.

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the mere as ye see '.he I>»V approaching." — Htbrews x. 25.

Ct5)

HOW TO KEEP THE LORD'S DAY HOLY.

Almighty God has bidden us, in the Fourth Commandment, keep one day in the week holy to Him.

It used to be the Seventh Day, or Saturday.

But the Church of Christ, by His permission, has changed this use, and bids us keep the First Day, or Sunday, instead.

She made this change, because the Lord rose from the dead on the first day of the week. It is called the Lord's Day, to put us in mind of His Kesurrection.

Not to keep the Lord's Day holy, is an awful sin : it is as bad as to worship idols, or to take His Name m vain. That day is holy to Him throughout ; if we do not keep it so, we are destroying our own souls.

The Lord's Day is not a fast, like Friday. It is a feast. Therefore put away sadness, and lift up your hearts ; rejoice in the Lord ; and again I say, rejoice.' Take all the harmless pleasure you can. Sing merry hymns of joy. Be light of heart within yourself, and cheerful in your behaviour to alL Feel as if the sun should always be bright on the Lord's Day ; as if the birds should sing louder ; as if all the world were given up to praise Him, to make merry and be joyful.

Only remember that your joy be a holy one. Rejoice in the Lord : not in sin, vanity, or folly

GENERAL RULES.

To he kept most sacredly as long as you live.

1. Never work at your trade or business on the Lord's Day.

2. Never miss going to Church, at least once. Let nothing hinder you but violent sickness, sudden death of friends, or the like great cause.

3. Eead your Bible, your Prayer Book, and such other books as may help you to grow in holiness.

4. Give God thanks, again and again, for His mercies.

5. Do some good work, such as visiting any sick friend, or relieving some distress, or the like. Such acts of mercy befit this holy day, and bring great reward.

MORNING PRAYER.

Say your prayers as usual, and add this :

Into the hands of Thy blessed care and unspeakable mercy, O Lord, I commend this day my soul and my body, my thoughts, words, and deeds, all that I have, and all that I am ; praying Thee to be with me now and forever, and so to direct, sanctify, and govern me in the ways of Thy laws, and in the works of Thy commandments, that through Thy most mighty protection I may be preserved in body and soul, unto the day of Thy glorious appearing, who art one with the Father and the Holy Ghost, over all God blessed for evermore. Amen.

HOW TO CONDUCT YOURSELF IN CHURCH.

Always go to Church once, and, if possible, twice. Never go away to the places of worship of other denominations or sects, for any reason at all. There is no good reason to go. Go not through curiosity, nor to hear preaching, nor to oblige friends who ask you. Keep to the Church alone. There you hear the true Word of God, and th^e are they who are truly His priests.

When you enter Church, say to yourself

Lord, how awful is this place. This is no other tnan the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven.

When you come to your seat, kneel humbly 01 your knees and pray, saying to yourself,

O, how amiable are Thy dwellings, Thou Lord of Hosts ; one day in Thy Courts is better than a thousand.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight this day, Lord, my strength and my Eedeemer.

THE SERVICE.

Attend with great care to the holy service. It is the chief thing for which we come to Church. No one gains much by the sermon, who is cold and careless in the service. So, too, after joining with all the heart in the service, one is more fit to hear the word preached, and to receive it to the good of his soul.

Be not lazy and slothful ; kneel to pray ; stand up to praise ; sit down to hear the lessons and the sermon. Shame on those who loll on their seats, or sit at their ease, when they ought to be kneeling or standing up. The body and the soul always work together. Your soul cannot pray and confess its sins, while the body is taking its comfort.

Pray with all your heart. Ask God secretly for all that you have need of. Pour out your soul to Him. Tell Him every want, every fear, every care. Do this with the thought in your mind that prayers made in Church avail more than prayers made at home. If you have any great wish, any great resolution, mention it to God first in Church. His House is the House of Prayer for all people, and for all their needs.

THE SERMON.

Eemember the text.

Try and catch some short sentence, some brief remark, to take home, and lay up in your mind. Ask God to bless the word to your good. Eemember that the more sermons you hear, the greater is your danger if you are not made better by them.

Never listen to a sermon in the hope of being amused. Eemember that he who speaks is the minister of Divine things, and that he bears a mes- 3 sage to you from the Lord of Hosts. Therefore, listen with respect and with fear.

Before leaving Church, say:

Pardon, Lord, my wandering thoughts, and overlook, I pray Thee, my short comings; and when I quit Thy house, may I not quit Thy presence, but may I be ever near to Thee and Thou to me ; through Jesus Christ. .Amen.

Then go slowly out of Churchy as one who comeih from the presence of God, and He will look with favour upon you } and His blessing will rest on your head.

THE HOLY COMMUNION.

"The Cup of Blessing which we bless, is it not ?he communioi] of tbe Blood of Christ ?

u The Bread which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ?"—1 Cor. x. 16.

" Whoso eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath sternal life, and I Will raise him up at the last day." — St. John vi. 04.

The Holy Communion is the greatest blessing of the Christian's life on earth. To receive it is also the first and highest duty of all the Children of God.

No care can be too great in making ready for this holy feast. It rests wi&h us whether it shall be a savour of life unto life, or one of death unto death. For he that eateth and drinketh worthily, dwelleth in Christ; and Christ will raise him up at the Last Day unto life eternal. But he that partaketh unworthily receiveth condemnation, because he hath not discerned the Body and Blood of the Lord.

Prepare for the Holy Communion with the same love and fear with which, you would make ready to appear face to face before your God. Begin this work at the time when notice is given in the Church. Let it be in your thoughts, daily, to what a high and holy mystery you are called. Bethink you, ichat if you come, expecting to receive little, you will get little ; if much, you will get much.

Some people think that if they go to the Lord's

26 DIRECTIONS TOR THE HOLY COMMUNION.

Table two or three times a year, it is enough. This is all a mistake. We cannot go too often. The Church advises all to go once a month. This is the very least with which we ought to feel conent.

But never fail to go on Christmas, Easter, and Whitsunday ; and as often besides as possible.

It is best to have some little book to guide you in preparing. There are many very good ones. " Steps to the Altar," and Wilberforce's "Communicant's Manual/' are the best. Get ooe of these and use it. But if you have not time to gc through so long a form, you will find here following a mode by which you may prepare yourself. It is short. Eead it once or twice, so as to understand it ; and then always use it before coming to Communion.

WHAT THE HOLY COMMUNION IS.

It is a holy rite in which Christ draws near to His faithful people, and gives them His Body and Blood to be the food of their souls, and to keep jheir bodies also unto a glorious resurrection.

He instituted this in the night in which He was betrayed. He took bread and gave it to H's disciples, saying, "Take, eat, this is My Body." Then He took wine, and gave it to them in like manner, saying, " Drink ye all of this ; for this is My Blood." He had before toll them, " Whoso ever eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood hath everlasting life ; and I will raise him up at the Last Day."

So now, when you receive bread and wine in this blessed sacrament, believe and be sure that you receive also and at the same time the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

BENEFITS OF THE HOLY COMMUNION.

I. We are thereby made sure of God's favor and love to us, and that all our sins are forgiven. The Holy Communion is the means by which God forgives us, and a sure sign that He has done so.

II. We are thereby kept His true children. We were made His children in Baptism : we remain so by being faithful communicants. III. We know thereby that we shall go to Heaven after we die. For in Heaven we shall be always with Christ. But in the Holy Communion we draw near to Christ, and are with Him : so that we have in it a foretaste of

Heaven, and a pledge that we shall some day dwell there altogether.

IV. Our souls are fed thereby with that Bread which keeps them in health and strength, and without which they must starve and die. For the Body and Blood of Christ are the Food of the soul.

Think of these things, and see what great cause you have to love your Lord, and to go with joy to His table. If you stay away, you miss all these good things, and you show yourself to be heartless and unkind in not returning His love toward you.

Consider also :

1st. That the Hoiy Communion is to our souls what meat and drink are to our bodies. If one should leave off eating, how soon would he starve to death ! And if one who needed two or three good meals a day to keep up his strength, should try to do with only one, how soon would he get weak and good for nothing ! So it is with your soul. The Body and Blood of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament are its food. Will you starve your soul by never going to that Sacrament ? Will you keep it poor and weakly by only going once or twice a year?

2d. That the Holy Communion is for all, the sinners as well as the righteous. For Christ came to call, not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. That you are a sinner, is the more reason why you should come, if only you repent of youi sins, and try to break them off: for in that Sacrament you have the blessed knowledge that, if peni tent, your sins are forgiven.

HOW TO RECEIVE THE SACRAMENT WORTHILY.

Four things are needful.

L To repent you truly for your sins past. II. To have a lively and steadfast faith in Christ, your Saviour.

III. To be resolved to amend your life.

IV. To be in perfect Charity with all men.

THE WAY TO PREPARE YOURSELF.

To know whether yoi have those four things needful, you must first examine yourself by the rule of God's commandments.

I. Questions For Self-examination

Before you begin, think to yourself as follows :

1. If a sick man does not know his disease, how can he take care of his health ? I must know my old sins, in order to be watchful and sin no more.

2. If a man does not know his sins, how can he ask God's pardon. Confess thy sins, it is said, and He will forgive. (1 St. John i. 8, 9.) But how can I confess what I do not know ? Shall I hear of my sins for the first time at the Day of Judgment ? God forbid ! I will know them now, I will lay them open to Him. I will conceal nothing. God will cover what I confess ; but at the Last Day, He will lay open what I hide.

Then begin and question yourself as follows, and think that you stand before God, and that He sees whether you answer truly :

1. How have I sinned since my last communion ?

2. Have I desired any thing more than God ?

3. Have I taken God's name in vain?

4. Have I said my prayers every morning and evening ?

5. Have I kept the Lord's Day holy ?

6. Have I neglected to go to Church ?

7. Have I been kind to my parents, brothers, sisters &c. ?

DIRECTIONS FOR THE HOLY COMMUNION. SI

8. Have I been lowly and reverent to all my betters ?

9. Have I kept my body pure and in chastity ?

10. Have I taken any thing that was not my own?

11. Have I kept my tongue from lies and slandering ?

12. Have I lost my temper, or been fretful or peevish?

13. Have I worked at my lawful business steadily ?

14. Am I in peace and charity with all ?

15. Has my life been that which becomes one who is a member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven ?

When you have thus examined yourself, kneel down and say,

most gracious God, Father of Mercies, I con fess unto Thee, that I have sinned and done wickedly, before Heaven and in Thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy child. I have erred and strayed from Thy ways, and thus and thus {here mention your sins) have I done. Forgive me my sins, Lord ; forgive me the sins of my youth, and the sins of mine age, the sins of my soul, and the sins of my body, my secret and whispering sins, my open and crying sins, the sins that I have done to please myself, and the sins that I have done to please others. Forgive me my wanton and idle sins; forgive me my serious sins; forgive me those sins which I know, and those which I know not ; the sins which I so long have tried to hide from others, that now I have even hid them from my own memory. give me a broken and contrite heart, and wash me in the precious Blood of my Kedeemer, for His sake, who gave himself for me, the greatest of sinners. Amen