70. Communion Prayers

Prayer before Holy Communion.

O great God, who now callest me to thy holy table, I humbly beseech thee to make me a partaker of the divine vigor of the blood shed by my dearest Saviour for the forgiveness of my sins. Out of thy heavenly dwelling place send me thy light and truth to lead me to thy holy table, and give me the experience of thy peace, and the grace of the Holy Ghost. Purify my heart, so that I may offer it to him who gave himself for me. Fill my soul more and more with repentance, faith, love, fervor, joyfulness and gratitude. O God, my heart tells me for thy sake to seek thy face. I seek thy face, O Lord, save thy servant (handmaid) who hopes in thee. Amen. Prayer after Holy Communion.

All-sufficient God, thou sole chief good and greatest delight of all the pious! in thee alone does my heart find its rest, and in thy grace its COMMUNION PRAYERS.

highest joy. The world with all its glories, is like the apples of Sodom, which outside were fair, and inside full of ashes. Sin with its brief pleasure produces disgust, and draws after it hell and damnation. Let me consider all things well, and not love the world, nor that which is in the world; the world passeth away with the pleasure thereof, the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. Lord if I have but thee, I have enough, though I have nothing in the world beside. Happy is my soul, if I have in thee a gracious God, and in myself an uninjured conscience. The world knows nothing of this peace of conscience, which thy saints estimate more highly than all the treasures of the earth. Rest content, my soul, for the Lord is kind unto thee. He has fed thee at the table of his grace with the crucified lamb, and refreshed thee with the precious blood of his only begotten son. O infinite goodness! Therefore praise the Lord, O my soul, and what is in me praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Preserve, great God, this peace in my heart, and continue to do good unto my soul. Fortify me in all suffering by the comfort of thy holy spirit. Our adversity, which is temporal and easy to bear, nevertheless produces a surpassing glory for us, who regard not the visible but the invisible. For what is visible is temporal, what is invisible is eternal. A time will come when thou wilt bring me to the place of perfect rest. There I shall behold thy face in righteousness, and be satisfied when I awake in thy image. Amen. The True Believer praises God at the return of his Birthday. EXHORTATION.

"What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?"—Psalm cxvi. 12. Birthdays should be days of thanks and praise, to be spent in singing and prayer, and inward and external devotion. 1. True children of God, as often as their birthdays return, praise God's truth and goodness, in having permitted them to be born of Christian parents, who brought them to a knowledge of salvation in Christ Jesus. 2. They also thank him for having given them sound limbs and healthy minds. 3. For having preserved them from evil, and delivered them from peril 4. They humbly pray God to forgive their

ON HIS BIRTHDAY.

sins, and promise to spend the remaining years of their life in childlike obedience and piety. 5. They know that if they thus persist in faith and love, God will continue to overshadow them with the wings of his grace. 6. They remember that this may well be the last return of their birthday on earth. Eternal, good, and merciful God; by thy grace I once more behold the return of my natal day. It shall be my day of praise, prayer, and thanksgiving. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and what is in me praise his holy name; praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Praise the Lord with me, and let us together magnify his holy name. I will praise the Lord at all times; his praise shall be forever in my mouth. Should I not praise and adore thee, my God? Thou hast suffered me to be born, not only with sound limbs, but of Christian parents, who brought me to the knowledge of thee, O triune God, from my youth up. Brought up in thy arms, thou, in later years, hast led and guided me, given me food and clothing, and graciously preserved me to this day. I am unworthy of all the love and truth which thou hast manifested in me. Come and listen; I will tell the good which the Lord hath done me in body and in soul. Yet how can I tell all? It were easier to count the stars of heaven, than the gifts of grace which I have received at thy hands. From how many perils hast thou delivered me? How much misfortune hast thou averted? Thy spirit, has taught, guided, and led me, and when I would have sinned, chastised me inwardly, and drawn me back. As my years increase, and thy favors multiply, O Lord, I am also reminded of the sins I have committed. Forgive me them for the sake of Jesus, expunge them with thy holy blood, and let me find favor for his sake. Give me thy mercy, that I may spend the days still allotted to me upon thy book, in true godliness and piety, so that all my doings and omissions may be well pleasing unto thee. And as I know not how many days are assigned to me, but am certain that thou hast set me a goal, preserve me from shortening my life by anger, intemperance, sin, recklessness, or sacrilege, but let me reach the fulness of my time in health, under thy blessing and protection, until thou shalt exchange this temporal and transitory for the heavenly and eternal life. Till then I will celebrate every return of this day with praise and thanksgiving in thy honor. ON HIS BIRTHDAY.

BIRTHDAY HYMN OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING.

1. This is the precious day God hath to me awarded,

Wherein my life on earth is every year recorded;

On which my grateful heart recalls with thanks and praise,

The mercies of my God bestowed throughout my days.

2. Upon this day I was upon the earth admitted,

At the baptismal font for grace carefully fitted;

Where, by his precious blood, Jesus did make me whole,

And sent the spirit down to educate my soul.

3. A weak and helpless child, the sunlight first beheld me,

Naked, and very poor. Yet has the Lord upheld me

In body and in soul; I of myself am nought,

But all I have and am, was by his goodness brought.

4. Thou rich and loving God! How oft hast thou imparted

Blessings which without thee had soon again departed;

Health, happiness, and wealth, the Holy Spirit's light,

Gladden me every day, more than I can indite.

43*

5. More than I can indite, for words would ever fail me.

To tell what thou hast done to comfort and regale me,

Therefore unto the Lord give praise and thanks in fee,

Whose benefits are more than sands upon the sea.

INDEX.

PART FIRST.

Morning, Noon, and Evening Prayers for Persons in Health. The true believer prepares to worship God. ... 9

Morning prayer on Sunday... 15

The true believer spends the Sunday in devotion... 21

The true believer considers the threefold Sabbath... 27

Evening prayer on Sunday... 31

The true believer gives thanks, after having heard the word of God... 34

Morning prayer on Monday... 40

The true believer asks a blessing on the beginning of the week. 42 The true believer prays for temporal, spiritual and eternal blessings... 46

Evening prayer on Monday... 49

The true believer thanks God for the good gift of health... 53 Morning prayer on Tuesday ... 57

The true believer rejoices in his regeneration... 59

The true believer prays for a continuance of faith... 62

Evening prayer on Tuesday... 66

The true believer prays God to sanctify his heart... 68

Morning prayer on Wednesday... 71

The true believer withdraws his thoughts from the world... 73 The true believer prays God to direct and govern him... 76 Evening prayer on Wednesday... 80

The true believer prays for true love to God... 82

Morning prayer on Thursday... 86

The true believer prays for love to his Neighbor... 88

The true believer resolves to follow Christ... 92

Evening prayer on Thursday... 96

The true believer understands that God alone is the chief good ... 98

Morning prayer on Friday... 102

The true believer prays for humility ... 103

The true believer prays for meekness ... 108

Evening prayer on Friday... 113

INDEX.

The true believer prays for the Holy Ghost... 114

Morning prayer on Saturday... 119

The true believer acknowledges the everlasting goodness of God... 120

The true believer considers the glory to come... 124

Evening prayer on Saturday... 128

The true believer thanks God at the end of the week... 130 The true believer prays God to forgive his sins... 134

The true believer prays God to give him strength to withstand sin... 133

The true believer offers himself as a sacrifice to God... 142 The true believer prays in partaking of the Lord's Supper... 146 The true believer prays for piety... 150

Pious parents pray for their children... 154

Pious children pray for their Parents... 158

The true believer prays during a storm... 161

The true believer prays after a storm... 165

The true believer prays on a journey... 168

Prayer of one in a foreign country... 171

The true believer prays for an undefiled conscience... 173 PART SECOND.

For the Afflicted.

The afflicted one takes comfort at the thought of the omnipotence of God... 179

The afflicted one takes comfort in calling to mind the love of God... 182

The afflicted one is comforted by the assistance of God... 185 The afflicted one is comforted by the mercy of God... 189 The afflicted one considers the divine promises... 193

The afflicted one considers the design of God in affliction... 196 The afflicted one prays for patience and strength... 199

The afflicted one prays for alleviation... 203

The afflicted one considers the happy issue of his afflictions.. 207 Widows pour out their hearts to God... 211

Forsaken orphans complain to God... 216

The afflicted one complains of the weakness of faith... 223 The afflicted one complains of blasphemous thoughts... 225 INDEX.

PART THIRD.

For the Sick.

Morning prayer in illness... 235

Evening prayer in illness... 240

The patient prays to God for patience... 244

The patient prays for God's assistance... 248

The patient understands that he is human, and therefore mortal... 252

The patient resigns himself to the will of God, for life or death.. 255 The patient understands that affliction comes from God... 256 The patient understands the usefulness of disease... 263

The patient places his trust in the divine omnipotence... 268 The patient remembers his baptismal covenant... 272

The patient relies upon the benefits of the triune God... 276 The patient resolves to bear without a murmur... 280

The patient prepares to partake of the Lord's Supper... 284 The patient prays that his sins may be forgiven... 287

The patient prays before partaking of the Lord's Supper... 291 The patient prays after partaking of the Lord's Supper... 295 The patient prays when he takes medicine... 297

The patient prays for some remission... 301

The patient beseeches God not to forsake him... 305

The patient is mindful of death... 309

The patient considers his grave and resurrection... 313

The convalescent thanks God for his recovery... 317

PART FOURTH.

For the Dying.

The dying one appears before the judgment seat of God... 325 The dying one forgives and asks forgiveness... 330

The dying one takes leave, and gives his blessing... 334

The dying one commends himself to God... 338

The dying one considers the joys of Heaven... 342

The dying one considers the divine promises... 346

Thy dying one considers the joys and company of Heaven... 350 The dying one is comforted by the assistance of the triune God... 354

INDEX.

The dying one resolves to die in Christ... 358

The dying one prays for a blissful end.. ... 361

Prayer of the bystanders at a death-bed... 365

Hymns, texts and prayers to be spoken to the dying... 367 Sighs and prayers of a dying one... 395

The bystanders cry to the dying one... 411

Benediction over a dying one... 412

Prayer of the bystanders at the bedside of a departed one... 413 Festival Debutions.

The devout christian considers the advent of Christ... 414 The devout christian considers the birth of Christ... 418 The devout christian prays at the close of the year... 423 The devout christian prays at the beginning of the year... 429 The devout christian considers the passions of Christ... 434 The devout christian considers the death of Christ... 439 The devout christian considers the resurrection of Christ... 445 The devout christian considers the ascension of Christ... 450 The spiritual ascension... 454

The devout christian considers the pouring out of the Holy Ghost... 456

The devout christian considers the mystery of the Holy

Trinity ... 461

At Michaelmas the devout christian considers the protection of the holy angels... 466

Prayers on Special Occasions.

The devout christian thanks God after the harvest... 471

The true believer prays in time of war... 477

The true believer praises God after the return of peace... 482 The true believer prays in times of famine... 487

The true believer prays in times of pestilence... 491

The true believer prays in times of protracted rain... 496 The true believer prays in times of drought... 500

Prayer before communion... 504

Prayer after communion... 504

The true believer praises God at the return of his birthday. 506 DAILY PRAYER BOOK

FOR

WOMEN WITH CHILD, IN LABOR,

AND IN CONFINEMENT:

CONTAINING

MORNING AND EVENING PRAYERS, EXHORTATIONS,

AND HYMNS,

AS WELL AS

TEXTS, MAXIMS, SIGNS, PRAYERS, TO BE SPOKEN AND

PRONOUNCED IN THROES;

TOGETHER WITH

Prayers of Remembrance and Consolation for the Barren.

FOR THE

HONOR OF GOD AND EDIFICATION OF THE CHURCH.

PUBLISHED BY

JOHN FREDERICK STARK,

Formerly Evangelical Pastor at Frankfort on the Main.

DEVOTIONS

FOR