A Short Catechism, Prayer 1 – Prayer 2
Morning Praier for a Familie.
O Eternall God, wee thy poore ſeruants acknowledge that from thee wee firſt receiued our being, and eueryevery good thing we inioy▪ and that by thee the ſame is continued and preſerued vntounto vsus, by thy good prouidence is this day renewed vntounto vsus, and wee kept ſafe vntounto it: wherefore, deſirous to performe our dutie vntounto thee, and to receiue a bleſſing from thee, (without which we cannot proſper in any thing that we take in hand) we doe humble our ſelues before the glorious throne of thy grace, to offer vp vntounto thee our morning ſacrifice of prayer. We know that our ſinnes hauehave made vsus odious in thy ſight, vnworthy of all thy bleſſings, and lyable to al the iudgements denounced in thy Word: they are for number innumerable, for wee hauehave committed more ſinnes then we hauehave liued moments; all our thoughts, words, and actions hauehave beene ſinfull, euen the beſt things which we doe are defiled with that ſinck of naturall corruption which is in vsus, and by our careleſſe manner of performing them. EueryEvery ſinne is in the nature of it infinitely heinous, becauſe it is committed againſt thee, a God of infinite Maieſtie: but our ſinnes are ſo much the more heinous, becauſe they hauehave been committed againſt our knowledge and conſcience, yea and againſt thoſe manifold meanes, which thou in merciemercy haſt affoorded to kéepe vsus from ſinne: we hauehave long inioied the Miniſtrie of thy Word, but hauehave little profited thereby: thou haſt accompanied the ſame with many ſweet bleſſings, all which wee hauehave abuſed: like a carefull Father thou haſt tenderly corrected vsus; yet wee hauehave not been bettered thereby, but carried our ſelues ſtubbornely againſt thee. We are very prone to yeeld to all the corrupt ſuggeſtions of our fleſh, and to the euill temptations of the Diuell: and wee are too much delighted with the wicked cuſtomes and faſhions of this world: but exceeding dull and vntoward wee are to all holie exerciſes, and to euerie good thing. When we enter into an examination of our ſpirituall eſtate, wee can finde in our ſelues nothing but matter of horror, and of deſpaire: wee doe therefore, as we hauehave iuſt cauſe, vtterly denie our ſelues, and renounce all confidence in our ſelues, we flie to thy merciemercy-ſeate for merciemercy and pardon, and that in the name of thy deare ſonne Chriſt Ieſus, who came to ſaue ſinners, and who by the ſacrifice of himſelfe hath made a perfect ſatiſfaction vntounto thine infinite iuſtice for all our ſins Enter not therefore into iudgement with thy ſeruants (O Lord) but accept of that alſufficiēt ſacrifice of Chriſt for vsus; and be pleaſed wee moſt humbly beſeech thee, to remoue the guilt and puniſhment of all our ſinnes, that they may neuer riſe vp in iudgement againſt vsus, to depriue vsus of thy fauour and bleſſing, or to prouoke thy wrath and vengeance againſt vsus in this world or in the world to come. And we doe alſo earneſtly intreat thee for Chriſts ſake to ſubdue in vsus all our corruptions, that they may not beare ſuch ſway in vsus as they hauehave done heretofore: make vsus wiſe and watchfull ouer our ſelues, that wee may auoide as all ſinnes, ſo all occaſions and prouocations, whereby we may be lead into euill: and make vsus conſcionable in practiſing all good duties which wee are bound to doe, and in vſing all good meanes whereby wee may be kept in compaſſe of our dutie. O Lord let thy good ſpirit alwaies abide in vsus, to aſſure vsus of thy louelove to vsus, and to renew vsus daily more and more according to thine owne moſt glorious image. Wee beſéech thee to inlighten our dark vnderſtandings, to rectifie our peruerſe wils, to mollifie our hard hearts, to quicken our dul affections, and to reform all our outward parts, ſo as wee may ſerue thee in true holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the daies of our life.
Make vsus iuſt, faithfull, and true in al our actious and words: make vsus pitifull and mercifull to ſuch as ſtand in need of our help, and that according to their neceſſitie & our abilitie: and grant that by our humble, modeſt, gentle carriage of our ſelues towards all men, wee may adorne out Chriſtian profeſſion.
And now, heauenly Father, we commend our ſelues, ſoules, and bodies to thy bleſſing. Bleſſe vsus we beſeech thée in our callings, direct thou the worke of our hands, and proſper them vntounto vsus. Sanctifie alſo all thy good creatures which thou affourdeſt vntounto our vſe.
We humbly beſeeth thee to bleſſe alſo thy whole Church: and particularly the whole Nation wherein we liue: continue in it the light of thy Goſpell, and giuegive a free paſſage thereunto. Vouchſafe vntounto it all needefull proſperity. Wee heartily pray thee to bleſſe our royall Soueraigne King Iames and his gouernement: long preſerue his life, & health, and raigne. Bleſſe all our Magiſtrates and Miniſters of thy holy word. Succour all the aflicted members of Chriſt Ieſus. Doe good to all our kindred, aliance, friends, acquaintance, neighbours. Linke all of vsus together by the bond of thy holy ſpirit, who are knit by any outward bond; that thus wee may hauehave iuſt cauſe to reioyce one in another, and to bleſſe thée one for another. Let thy bleſſing remaine on all Chriſtian families which call vponupon thy name, and particularly vponupon this our familie: grant that we may make our houſe to be thy Church by performing an holy worſhip vntounto thee, that ſo thy gratious preſence may bee euer among vsus: and becauſe thy promiſes do belong to vsus, and our children, we pray thée to bleſſe our iſſue with all néedefull bleſſings. Work in vsus a religious care wel to traine them vp, and giuegive thou a bleſſing to all the meanes that are vſed for their good education, that they being taught by vsus to feare thée, may teach their children alſo ſo to doe, and thus thy feare bee continued among our poſterity from generation to generation. O Lord our God, we know that the good things wee want, and the dangers whereunto we are ſubiect, are many more then wee can thinke of, yet are they all well knowne vntounto thee; wee doe therefore intreate thee to beſtow vponupon vsus what good things ſoeuer thou ſeeſt to bee needfull vntounto vsus, and to preſerue vsus from al thoſe euils which thou ſeeſt vsus ſubiect vntounto.
According to our bounden dutie we doe alſo offer vp our ſacrifice of praiſe vntounto thy diuine Maieſty, in the mediation of Chriſt: bleſſing thee firſt of all, and aboue all, for thoſe bleſſings which are proper to thine elect: as are our redemption by Chriſt, our reconciliation with thée, our adoption to be thy children, our iuſtification & ſanctification, and hope of eternall life, together with all the good graces which by thy good Spirit thou haſt wrought in vsus. We thank thée alſo for all the meanes of our ſaluation, and for all the meanes of preſeruing our temporall life. In particular, we thanke thee for the laſt nights quiet reſt, and for bringing vsus ſafely to the beginning of this day. Neither are we vnmindefull of thy generall bleſſings vponupon thy whole Church, vponupon this Land and Kingdome, vponupon our houſe and familie, and vponupon all that any way belong vntounto vsus. We acknowledge thée (O Lord) to bee the Author and giuer of all things; & accordingly we giuegive the praiſe of al vntounto thée.
Accept (we beſeech thee) this our bounden dutie, pardon all the defects & imperfections thereof, for thy Sonne, and our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſts ſake: in whoſe name we conclude our praiers with that perfect forme of praier which he hath taught vsus, ſaying▪ Our Father, &c.
Euening Prayer for a Familie.
MErcifull Father, Lord of heauen & earth, by thy good prouidence hauehave wee been ſafely kept this day, and all the daies of our life heretofore. Many are the bleſſings which thorowout the whole courſe of our life wee hauehave receiued from thée. It hath pleaſed thee to affoord vsus ſufficient meanes for the preſeruation of our life, health, and eſtate in this world, and alſo to bring vsus to eternall life: we praiſe thy holy name for them all: And now being about to goe to our reſt for this night, we cōmend ourſelues, ſoules, bodies, goods, and all that belong to vsus, to thy ſafe keeping. O Lord accept vsus in thy beloued ſonne, and be reconciled vntounto vsus, pardon we beſéech thée al the ſins which this day, or at any time heretofore wee hauehave committed againſt thée: grant that we may put off the old man with all the corrupt luſts therof, and that the néerer we approach vntounto our diſſolution, and the glorious appearing of Chriſt vntounto iudgement, the better we may bee prepared thereunto. For this end (we moſt humbly and earneſtly pray thee) our knowledge of thy holy will, ſtrengthen our faith in thy gratious promiſes, eſtabliſh our hope of eternall life, work in our harts ſuch a ſweete ſence of thy louelove to vsus, as thereby we may be prouoked to louelove thee againe; and in and for thée to louelove our brethren, yea euen our enemies. GiueGive vsus grace daily to renew our repentance, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. Continue in vsus a true feare of thy great name, which may kéepe vsus from ſinning againſt thee; and an holy zeale of thy glory, which may ſtir vsus vp to honour thee. Seaſon all other graces with honeſty, and ſincerity of heart, wherwith thou (O Lord, the ſearcher of hearts) art much delighted. So frame the diſpoſitiō of our minds and hearts, as wee may wholly reſigne our ſelues to thy guiding prouidence, and remaine contented in our ſeuerall places, patient vnderunder all croſſes, thankfull for al bleſſings, and conſtant in our Chriſtian courſe, till wee come to receiue the Crowne of glory, promiſed by thy diuine Maieſty to all that ouercome. In particular, we beſéech thée to bleſſe vsus this night, and to take vsus into thy ſafe protection. O our God, who neither ſlumbereſt, nor ſleepeſt, watch ouer vsus whether wee wake or ſleepe. Kéep vsus, and all that belong vntounto vsus ſafe from all dangers: eſpecially kéepe our perſons ſafe from all the aſſaults of Sathan, that hee get no aduantage againſt vsus. GiueGive vsus, we pray thee, ſuch quiet and moderate reſt, as our bodies may be refreſhed thereby, and we the better inabled to doe that worke which thou appointeſt vntounto vsus in our ſeuerall places. O Lord heare and grant vntounto vsus al néedfull good things for Chriſt Ieſus ſake. In whoſe name and words we further cal vponupon thée, ſaying, Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Gouge, A Short Catechism (1616)