The Pathway to Prayer and Piety, Prayer 3
AN EVENING PRAYER FOR PRIVATE families. O Lord prepare our hearts to praier.
MOſt High and Mightie God, father of eternitie, and fountaine of merciemercy; wee acknowledge and confeſſe this fauour of thine, that thou giueſt vntounto vsus theſe bleſſed opportunities, publikely in thy Temple to méete together, & priuately in our Families to méet together: eſpecially we acknowledge now this worke of thy grace, that we dare not commit our bodies to reſt, before we hauehave cōmended our ſelues to thée. Thou haſt not dealt ſo with eueryevery familie, neither hauehave the wicked a deſire to praiſe thée: wee are now preſent before thée O Lord, be thou preſident amongſt vsus; & grant vntounto vsus all ſuch a portion of thy Spirit, that in feare of thy Maieſty, reuerence of thy name, a ſenſe of our miſeries, and an aſſurance of thy merciemercy, we may come now before thée, as before that God, who ſéeſt our behauiour, ſearcheſt our hearts, knoweſt our wants, & art able to grant more then we can deſire. We acknowledge & confeſſe before thy great Maieſtie, that in the loynes of our firſt parents thou diddeſt make vsus to thine image, but in them we fell away from that bleſſed eſtate, and are plunged into a moſt wofull and deſperate condition, being able to doe nothing but diſpleaſe thée. Our forefathers hauehave eaten ſowre grapes, and their childrens téeth are ſet on edge. By the tranſgreſſion of one, wee all hauehave ſinned and are depriued of thy glorious image: and as an hereditarie diſeaſe it hath infected all the powers of our ſoules and bodies. Our vnderſtandings are filled with blindneſſe and darkneſſe, not ſauouring the things of ſaluation: our conſciences are wounded, ſeared & defiled, and neuer ſoundly at peace in themſelues: our memories are fit to retaine euill, and to forget eueryevery thing that is good: our willes run headlong to all iniquitie, but are auerſe to all goodneſſe: our affections are with violence carried after the ſway of our willes: our thoughts are vnſatiable, and infinite in euill: our beſt actions are great abominations: and our whole conuerſation is lothſome to God and man. By this meanes O Lord, we are odious to thy Maieſtie, execrable to thine Angels, deteſtable to thy Saints, ſlaues to Satan, & worthie to be accurſed in this life, and for euer. By this means our bodies are ſubiect in each member to diſeaſes; and our ſoules are ſubiect in each facultie to diſorder: we by this means hauehave loſt thy fauour, are caſt out of Paradiſe, hauehave ſold our birth-right, and exchanged heauen for the pit of hell. And héerein we are moſt miſerable, that we feele not our miſerie, feare not thy wrath, deſire not thy fauour, and conſider not what we loſt when we fell from thée. Yet thou art our Father, and wée thy children, thou art our God, and we thy people, thou art our ſhepheard, and we the ſheep of thy paſture. And when no creature in heauen or in earth, was able to reconcile vsus vntounto thy Maieſty, thou in thy louelove diddeſt ſend thy Son, to be the propitiation for our ſinnes. In him therefore we come vntounto thée, in whom alone thou art well pleaſed with vsus: and ſince hee is that Lambe that taketh away our ſinnes, in him we beſéech thée to looke vponupon vsus. Let the puritie of his nature anſwere the impuritie of ours; the perfection of his obedience ſatiſfie for our imperfection: and the ſufficiencie of his ſufferings frée vsus from all torments which wee deſerued to ſuffer for our ſins. He hath conquered Satan, by his glorious reſurrection from the dead, and by it hath triumphed ouer ſinne and death. And now we are reſtored into thy grace againe, grant that wee may feele the fruits of that grace, eſpecially ſuch faith in thy promiſes, peace of conſcience, ioy in the holy Ghoſt, zeale to good workes in this life preſent, and aſſurance of happineſſe in the life to come, that we neuer hereafter doe fall from thee.
But becauſe we cannot either ſtand, vnleſſe thou vphold vsus, nor walke, vnleſſe thou lead vsus, nor liue, vnleſſe thou quicken vsus, nor raigne vnleſſe thou crowne vsus: therefore we entreate thee, to vphold vsus by thy hand, that we fall not, direct vsus by thy word, that we erre not, quicken vsus by thy Spirit, that we die not, and crowne vsus with glorie, that we loſe not our inheritance. Sanctifie vsus al in thy truth, thy word is that truth: Sanctifie vsus by the Law, that by it we may ſee our miſerie, feele the want of Chriſt, bee ſorrowfull for our ſinnes, aduiſe what to do, deſire pardon, reſolue to come to thée, confeſſe our iniquities, and renounce al things in the world to get ſaluation in thy Sonne. Sanctifie vsus by thy Goſpell, that we may hauehave ſpirituall contentation in the poſſeſſion of Chriſt, extraordinary ſweetneſſe in the fruits of thy Spirit, an holy admiration of theſe workes of mercy, tenderneſſe of conſcience in allour actions, boldneſſe to approch to the throne of grace, a minde eſtranged from the louelove of this world, readineſſe and patience to endure the croſſe, and a deſire to be diſſolued, and to be with thée.
Wee muſt one day, O Lord, leaue this world: yet it is thy pleaſure that we ſhould ſerue thee in it, ſo long as we liue; and why ſhould we not ſerue thee all the daies of our life? thou requireſt it at our hands: wee hauehave thy Spirit to that purpoſe: it was the practiſe of thy Saints: we were redeemed to this end: and Chriſt prayeth that we may doe it. Doth Satan daily tempt vsus? wee muſt daily reſiſt him. Is our life vncertaine? we muſt euer be ready: are we ſtrangers in this world? we muſt each day ſet one foote forward towards our countrey. O therfore grant vntounto vsus thy grace, that we may know we hauehave no time allotted to ſin, but al muſt be ſpent in thy ſeruice: and this ſeruice of ours euer to bee harty without hypocriſie: generall without partiality: continuall, without vncertainty: conſcionable, without indifferency: cheerefull without diffic…ty: and ſpirituall without carnality: that by this way of obedience we may be aſſured of our ſaluation, get the maſtery of inconſtancy, performe holy duties more eaſily, hauehave ſweeter fellowſhip with thy Spirit, and preuent many noyſome luſts, which otherwiſe would faſten vponupon vsus. We confeſſe, O Lord, that vnleſſe we, as watchmen doe looke vntounto our ſelues, and ſéeke to pleaſe thée in all things; we cannot bee freed from many temporall iudgements: our ſcore wil be the greater in the day of account: our couerſation cannot be in heauen: we cannot be armed againſt temptation: nor weaned from the louelove of this wrethed world. We muſt euer be readie to meete our Sauiour; let vsus euer hauehave this oyle in our lamps: we muſt ſée our vnſufficiency to ſerue thee; let vsus labour to pleaſe thee, that wee may ſee it: wée muſt winne others, to the knowledge of thée; let our light of good life euer ſhine before them: we muſt grow forward toward perfection; leade vsus forward in a conſtant courſe, that we may obtaine the end of our faith, which is the ſaluation of our ſoules.
Now becauſe our beſt ſeruice muſt bee ſanctified by repentance; giuegive vsus true and vnfained repentance for all our ſins: make vsus to ſee them in the glaſſe of thy Law, to mourne for them in the cloſſets of our harts, and to confeſſe them in the bitterneſſe of our ſoules. We hauehave, O Lord, we hauehave ſinned againſt thée; yea, our forefathers did, our people hauehave, and wee all doe tranſgreſſe thy commandements. We hauehave omitted much good, and committed much euill, partly of ignorance, partly of infirmity, and partly of knowledge: and if we did but know our vnknowne ſinnes, wee would bee aſhamed of our ſelues. When we conſider the excellencie our ſelues. When wee conſider the excellencie of thy Maieſtie whom wee hauehave offended, the vileneſſe of our ſelues who durſt offend: the danger wee are in by reaſon of our offence: and the greatneſſe of the price which was paid for our offences: we begin, O Lord, to abhorre our ſelues, for our vnthankfulneſſe againſt the blood of thy couenant, that we hauehave grieued thy good Spirit, quenched thy graces, and done as much as we could, to make the blood of Chriſt of none effect.
GiueGive vsus, O Lord; what wilt thou giuegive vsus? giuegive vsus a true and a liuely faith, to apprehend and applie all the promiſes of ſaluation to our ſinfull ſoules: giuegive vsus hope of pardon by thy mercies in Chriſt: & an hungring and thirſting after him & his merits: let vsus priſe it aboue all treaſure: ioy in it aboue all other comfort: ſue for it, as our beſt acquittance: and take hold on it, againſt the curſe of the law.
And becauſe that liuely faith hath her life in the heart, giuegive vntounto vsus wee beſéech thée a pure heart, which is the delight of thy Maieſtie, and the fountaine of all actions. Awaken it, O Lord, that it ſléepe not in death: ſo that neither by ignorance of it ſelfe, neglect of the meanes, ceaſing of thy Spirit, committing of ſin, or ſecuritie in proſperitie, and ſin, or preſumption of thy mercies, or ſtupiditie after iudgements, or ſpirituall blindneſſe and hardneſſe therof, it be at any time in a dead fléepe. Make vsus euer to watch ouer it, that neither the terrors of conſcience, nor loathing of holy duties, nor louelove of any one ſin, nor vnwillingneſſe to depart this life, do caſt our hearts into a ſpirituall ſlumber.
We do know, good God, and often times by wofull experience doe know, that our hearts lie open to all temptations, and many are our enemies who doe aſſault vsus: teach vsus therfore to put on thine appointed armor. GiueGive vntounto vsus a rectified iudgemēt, to know ſoundly thy truth, not obſtinate in error, but deſirous to bee reformed in what it miſtaketh. Sanctifie our conſciences, that they may witnes our adoption; checke vsus for ſin, approue our vprightnes, procure our peace, make vsus euer content, cheerefull in ſeruice, couragious in the truth, victorious in troubles, and willing to die. Rectifie our willes that they may be cheerfull in well doing, reſiſting of all the occaſions of ſinne, yeelding to no ſinne without griefe, and riſing by repentance out of the ſame. Order in ſuch ſort eueryevery one of our affections, that by the benefit thereof, we may ſubdue our moſt vnruly thoughts, bee comforted and contented in our Chriſtian callings, more readie preſt to all good actions, deliuered from many noiſome temptations, and better enabled for the conuerſion of our brethren.
And becauſe thou haſt afforded vsus the benefit of ſpeech, which thou haſt denied to all other creatures, we deſire that we may euer ſpeake as in thy preſence; conſidering that wee hauehave no libertie giuen vsus for idle talke, but that all our ſpéech muſt be to edification: and that one day wee muſt giuegive an account of our words. Are we to take thy name into our mouthes? let it only be vponupon weightie occaſions, and in all reuerence, and louelove to thy Maieſtie. Are wee to ſpeake at any time of our neighbours good? make vsus to doe it, cheerefully without repining, wiſely without diſſembling, indifferently without part-taking, conſtantly without recalling, truly without deluding, and chartablie to the preſeruing of his good name. Is he fallen? let vsus reſtore him: doth hee ſtand? let vsus comfort him: & make thou our ſpéeches euer gracious to others. Wee deſire alſo to pleaſe thée in all our actions. O let them euer proceed from a good ground, bee performed in an holie manner, and aime at the beſt end, which is the glorie of thy great name. Principally let vsus ai… at the duties of the firſt table, & conſequently at the duties of the ſecond: let vsus hauehave a reſpect to all thy commandements, not ſo much in outward conformitie as in ſoundnes of heart. And when we hauehave done thée the beſt ſeruice wee can, teach vsus to ſay in humilitie, We are vnprofitable ſeruants.
And ſéeing it is not ſufficient to do good, but it is alſo our dutie to auoid euill, make vsus to abhorre al appearance of euill, knowing out of thy word, that it defileth the ſoule; may be committed in thought, is of omiſſion, as well as commiſſion: and if we commit but the leaſt ſinne, we offend the puritie of thine excellencie, and are guiltie of the whole law. Make vsus therefore euer to remember that ſin is filthie and lothſome, euen in the greateſt pleaſure and act thereof; that the end thereof is bitter and the inward parts moſt abominable. Teach vsus (O thou Maſter of Iſrael) to kéep a continual watch ouer our inner, and outward man: to feare our ſelues euen then, when thou art moſt mercifull to vsus: to walke alwaies as in thy preſence to meditate of thy iudgements inflicted vponupon thy deareſt children for ſin, and in faith, patience, diligence, and humilitie to be euer laboring in our vocation. Make vsus to mourne for our delight in ſinne: to know that we carrie this traytor about vsus: & that we can neuer ſubdue him, but by prayer to thée, and practiſing vertues contrary to his aſſaults. But becauſe all is in vaine without perſeuerance, wee intreate thée that wee may continue in the practiſe of all holy duties to thée, euen vntounto our liues end. Wee thanke thée O Lord for all thy benefits this day paſt, & in our whole life: thou haſt giuen thy Son for a ranſome, thy Spirit for a pledge, thy word for a guide, and reſerueſt a kingdome for our perpetuall inheritance. Thou mighteſt hauehave ſaid before we were formed, let them be monſters, let them be Infidels, or let them be beggers or cripples, or bondſlaues as long as they liue. But thou haſt made vsus in the beſt likeneſſe, and nurced vsus in the beſt religion, and placed vsus in the beſt land, ſo that thouſands would thinke themſelues happie, if they had but a piece of our happineſſe. We want nothing but thankfulneſſe to thée, make vsus more thankefull then euer we hauehave béene heretofore: and becauſe wee know not how long wee ſhall enioy theſe bleſſings of thine, by reaſon of our ſins, fit and prepare vsus for harder times, that wee may bee contented with whatſoeuer thou ſhalt ſend.
Bleſſe thy Church and children this night and for euer, according to their ſeueral neceſſities be merciful vntounto them. Bleſſe this Land wherein we doe liue, the gouernment and Gouernours of the ſame, from the higheſt to ye loweſt. And becauſe we are now to reſt in our beds, watch ouer vsus in this reſt of ours, giuegive vntounto vsus comfortable and ſwéet ſleepe, fit vsus for all ſeruices of the day following: make our ſoules to watch for the comming of Chriſt; let our beds put vsus in minde of our graues, and our riſing from thence, of the laſt reſurrection: ſo that whether we wake or ſléepe, we being thine may waite for thée. Forgiue vsus the ſinnes of this day paſt, this houre preſent, and our whole life before, not for our merits, but for Chriſts mercies, in whom alone thou art well pleaſed, and in whoſe name and whoſe words we further call vponupon thee, and thanke thée, ſaying: Our father which art, &c.
NOw the very God of peace ſanctifie vsus throughout, and hee grant that our whole ſpirit, and ſoule, and bodie, may bee kept blameleſſe vntounto the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: and the louelove of God the Father, the bleſſing of God the Sonne, and the comfort of God the holy Ghoſt be with vsus, and all the ſeruants of Chriſt Ieſus, to preſerue our bodies from ſickneſſe, our ſoules from ſin, and our eſtates from ruine, this night and for euer more. Amen.