BY BENJAMIN JENKS, Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.-Luke viii. 1. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving-Cot. iv. 2. Philadelphia: PUBLISHED BY JUDAH DOBSON, AGENT, NO. 108 CHESNUT STREET. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, JOHN, LORD BISHOP OF CHICHESTER. My Lord, I WAITED with some impatience to see that de sign accomplished by your accurate pen, which is here attempted now by my weak hand. Ever since you were pleased to acquaint me with your intention to publish something of this nature, it raised my expectation of your obliging the world with your printed Prayers, as you have done with many of your learned and seasonable Sermons; but after you had let me know the reason of holding your hand, the same might have stopt mine too; and I should have desisted, had the good Doctor who prevented you, or any of those worthy Authors, that thus bestowed their pains, descended to such particulars, as I thought fit for the use of those whom I desire to serve. But now that I am engaged, my Lord, your fa vour showed to the well-meant performance here, has given me the boldness of this Dedication. And the advancement of such persons to high dignity in our church, as are so well known to deserve it, encourages me also to hope, that a gra ་ cious God hath yet a greater blessing for us than our own demerits give us reason to expect. I beg your fatherly benediction upon me, and my poor endeavours, who am, MY LORD, Your obliged Kinsman, In all humble observances, To my Neighbours and Acquaintance, particularly those in the Parishes committed to my Cure. MY DEAR FRIENDS, Ir is especially for your sakes, and primarily for your service, that I publish this Manual of Prayers, fitted to the capacities of your minds, to the necessities of your souls, and to the several conditions and occasions of your lives. Notwithstanding all the books of devotion already extant, many of which are very useful and excellent in their kinds, and such as I should recommend to you, without offering any other, did those with which I am best satisfied reach as far as I have designed here to go, and did not I think the strain of some too high for many of you, and the words and expressions of others that I have seen in your hands, too low and flat, or too obsolete and improper, and which will rather offend than edify such as have their senses better exercised in these matters: I have come to the resolution of adding my contribution to the common stock: yet, not taking upon me so to correct or censure them that have gone before me, as to discourage any from making use of those helps which they find agreeable to their case, and efficacious to quicken their devotion: But leaving every one to consult their own sense, and profit and comfort in choosing and taking what best likes their particular gust, and what most futhers their pious designs; and to make what alterations also they please, even in the ensuing offices, for their own service, if they shall think fit to use them at all. Nor have I such a conceit of any thing that is my own, as to suppose it free from the weakness and defects which I can espy elsewhere; I doubt not but others may find as many faults here: Nay, I cannot think any thing of this nature to be so complete, but that the author himself; in tract of time, may see reason to add or subtract, to alter or amend many particulars: Indeed, I shall as soon expect to see a shoe made to fit every foot, as a particular Form of Prayer exactly to suit all the circumstances of every soul. I cannot undertake that the following Prayers should answer all the occasions which any one may ever find for prayer: But they that have the spirit of supplication, can tell how to fill up what is wanting; and such as I help in most cases, may help themselves in the rest. I am rather apt to think, that so many as are here set down, will be censured for more than needful; but, it being easy to pare off, the censors may let alone what they count superfluous; leaving it to those that will not disdain its assistance; and I had rather be under an imputation from some of my neighbours, for busying myself more than I have need, in a work that might have been spared, than bear the recoilings of my own mind for neglecting to impart any thing that I thought might be of use and service to the rest. If any judge that I might better have left this behind me, not to be seen till I should myself have been no more seen: I was once of the same mind, and had so continued; but that I could not be sure, that many for whom A 2 |