Household Prayers, Prayer 22 – Prayer 25
The two and twentieth Prayer. Among the Family.
At noone, at night, & in the morning will I crie vntounto God, and the Eternal ſhall deliuer me. I wil make a noiſe, and hee ſhall heare my voyce (ſaide Dauid) and Daniel kneeled down three times a day in his houſe, prayed vntounto, and magnified his God.
Pſal. 55. & 18. Dan. 6.
Our help and beginning be in the name of God.
O LORD our GOD, and our Father, onelie great in glorie, & of infinit power. It hath pleaſed thee ſo far forth to honour men (poore Wormes of the Earth) that they may in ful confidence, in thy louelove and bountie, preſent themſelues before thy face, to magnifie thy name: to talke of thy beneficence, and to craue thy mercy. Wee humblie beſeech thee therfore by thy ſpirit to diſpoſe of our ſouls, our hearts, and our lips to glorifie thee, and ſo to call vppon thee, that our vowes may be acceptable vntounto thee, and our prayers heard, wee confeſſe our ſelues, in thy preſence, to bee ſo great ſinners, that our vnworthineſſe will not ſuffer vsus to look vp vntounto heauen, without feare that thou ſhouldeſt, in thy iuſt wrath thunder vponupon vsus: neither can wee caſt our eyes vponupon the earth, but we ſhall ſee as it were hel open for the reward of our wickedneſſe: for we are, not only as the children of Adam, conceiued and borne in ſinne, worthy of thy curſe, but alſo, by our owne faults, luſts, vncleaneneſſe, bad thoughtes, and wicked works, whereinto throgh our corruption and frailtie, wee doe daily fall, which alſo in our conſciences are ſo many witneſſes to condemne vsus, and as it were heraultes that doe denounce vntounto vsus death and hel: But (O Lord) thy mercies do infinitely exceede our malice, and thy eternall compaſſions, are vppon ſinners that conuert and turne vntounto thee. Thou art that pittifull Father, that gladly receiued his prodigall and vnthriftie Son. That louing ſhepheard that carefully ſeeketh the loſt ſheepe; that charitable phiſition, that freely commeth to the ſicke to cure them. Wee therefore the children of thy louelove, the ſheepe of thy folde, and the poore in ſpirit, doe moſt humbly beſeech thee in the name of thy welbeloued Sonne our mediator Ieſus Chriſt, to vouchſafe to take away all our calamities in pardoning our ſinnes, becauſe thou haſt giuen vsus this great Sauiour in the worlde, to the end, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhould not periſh, but hauehave life euerlaſting. We are baptized in his name, wee hauehave receiued his goſpell: and he giueth vsus his body in thy church for ſpirituall foode, that we may liue in him, and of him for euer bleſſed. GiueGive vsus grace therefore, O our God, with a true and liuely faith, vphelde by hope, and doing eueryevery good worke, to apprehend, to the glorie of thy name, and the peace of our ſoules, theſe great benefits that are purchaſed for vsus, in the death and paſſion of the ſame our redeemer, that wee may inceſſantly yeelde prayſings vntounto thee, and liue in holineſſe, according to thy worde. For the performance hereof vouchſafe to encreaſe the giftes of thy ſpirit in our hearts, whereby the deſires of the fleſh, and vanities of the worlde, may bee mortified, and the pure fire of thy louelove ſo kindled, that we may louelove, honour and ſerue thee, with all our ſoules, with all our ſtrengths, and with al our mindes, and louing our neighbours as our ſelues, to pleaſure them in all dueties of louelove to our power. Strengthen vsus likewiſe with thy vertue, O almightie God, againſt the temptations and aſſaults of Sathan, deliuering vsus victoriouſly, preſeruing vsus alſo from ſuch dangers and miſeries, as eueryevery where follow vsus at the heeles in this life: and aboue all, giuing vsus grace, in whatſoeuer eſtate wee be, ſtill to be content with thy will, which can neuer be other than good and iuſt, and to vsus profitable, becauſe wee are of the number of thy children. So let thy peace be in vsus, and vponupon all the workes of our handes, that wee may happily paſſe the reſt of our dayes, walkeing eueryevery of vsus in his familie, in the duty of our vocation, in a good conſcience, as before thy face, to whom nothing is hid: and meditating diligently, vponupon the ſhortneſſe and afflictions of this our life, that ſo wee may aduance thee, and finally end in the wiſedome of true chriſtians: whereby wee may principally learne to deſire heauen, and patiently to take all humane croſſes, and whatſoeuer may ſeeme to vsus moſt greeuous to the fleſh, knowing that all things ſhall turne to our good; alalwayes prouided, that conſtantly we perſeuere in thy ſeruice, for ſo ſhal wee liue and die with Chriſt, that we may enter into his ioyes in heauen, there to behold his glory. Furthermore, howſoeuer vnworthie ſinners wee are, yet O Lord, in as much as thou haſt commanded vsus to pray one for another, to the aduancement of thy Kingdome, wee pray to thee for all men, that it may pleaſe thee ſo to worke, that they who as yet hauehave not the knowledge of thy holy goſpel, may, by the preaching thereof, and the illumination of thy holy ſpirite, be brought to know thee the only and true GOD, and him whome thou haſt ſent, Ieſus Chriſt, to ſaue the Worlde. Alſo that they whom thou haſt already viſited with this grace, as our ſelues, may dayly encreaſe in thy ſpirituall bleſſings: So that altogether we may worſhip thee with hart & mouth in one ſpirite, one faith, and one baptiſme. And ſith thou haſt alſo ordained gouernements and callings, that all people may be gouerned in the feare of thy name, and to common commoditie. We beſeech thee to inſpire, guide and bleſſe our Queen, and all Princes, Magiſtrates and Superiours, that hauehave the gouernement of thy ſword vponupon earth, that eueryevery of them raigning in godlineſſe and righteouſneſſe, may employ their power which they hold from thee, to cauſe thee to be ſerued & honored, and to the tranquillitie, peace and reliefe of their ſubiects, wholy ſubmitting themſelues and their people, to thy holy word. Likewiſe for the publiſhing of thy word in al places, vouchſafe more & more with thy giftes to enrich the Paſtors and Doctors of thy Church, and daily to raiſe vp more to execute in a good conſcience their charge, to the edification and perfection of thy holy Temple, whereof, in generall (O Lorde) and of euerie faithfull, vouchſafe to ſhewe thy ſelfe the Almighty protector, to the confuſion of all the aduerſaries of the name of Chriſt, and of his holie Church.
We alſo pray thee for all thoſe whom thou viſiteſt with tribulation, whether it be ſickeneſſe of body, or anguiſh of ſoule, that thou, O mercifull Father, vouchſafe to giuegive them comfort & patience, to the bearing of their calamities, and deliueraunce from their afflictions. Asking all theſe things of thee in the name of thy Sonne our Mediatour, and as he hath taught vsus to pray Our Father which art in heauen, &c. We alſo beſech thee O Lord to encreaſe, and confirme vsus in the Catholike Faith of thy Church, to the end it may take liuely roote in our ſoules to fructifie, to all righteonſneſſe and good workes: and that euen to our laſt gaſpe, we may make like confeſſion thereof, as we doe now both with hart and mouth. (I beleeue in God the Father Almighty, &c.) And becauſe the faith of thy children, O Lord, is inſeperable from the obedience due to thy word, eſpecially in the tenne commaundements of the law, and that thou doeſt ordaine, that wee ſhould hauehave them perpetually in our hearts and mouthes, to keepe them, and to teach them to our families, giuegive vsus grace, to our powers, to conforme our ſelues to the ſame, euen as wee vnderſtand that they were deliuered from thy mouth, ſaying.
[Heare Iſrael] I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Aegypt, out of the houſe of bondage.
1 Thou ſhalt hauehave no other Gods before mee.
2 Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any grauen Image, or the likeneſſe of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or in the earth beneath, or in the water vnderunder the earth. Thou ſhalt not bow downe to them, nor worſhip them, for I am the Lord thy God, a iealous God, that viſiteth the ſins of the fathers vppon the children, to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, & ſhew mercy vntounto thouſands, of them that louelove me and keepe my commandements.
3 Thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine, for the Lord will not hold him guiltleſſe that taketh his name in vaine.
4 Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabaoth day, ſixe dayes ſhalt thou labor, and doe all that thou haſt to doe, but the ſeauenth day is the Sabaoth of the Lord: In it thou ſhalt do no manner of thing, thou and thy ſonne, and thy daughter, and thy man-ſeruant, and thy maide-ſeruant, and the ſtranger that is within thy gates: for in ſixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth, and the ſea, and all that therein is, and reſted the ſeauenth day, wherefore the Lord bleſſed the ſeuenth day, and hallowed it.
5 Honour thy father & mother, that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
6 Thou ſhalt do no murther.
7 Thou ſhalt not commit adulterie.
8 Thou ſhalt not ſteale.
9 Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe againſt thy neighbour.
10 Thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours houſe, thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours wife, nor his manſeruant, nor his maide-ſeruant, nor his oxe, nor his aſſe, nor any thing that is his.
And the ſumme of all theſe commandements is this: That wee louelove thee O Lord, with al our hearts, and with all our mindes, and our neighbours as our ſelues. Thy bleſſing therefore, O our GOD and Father, with the peace of our Lord Ieſus, and the comforte of the Holy-ghoſt, be thus giuen vntounto vsus by thy grace, and remaine with vsus for euer. Amen.
The three and twentieth Prayer, Before meate, among the Family.
The eyes of all creatures looke vp vntounto thee O Lord, thou giueſt them meate in due ſeaſon, thou openeſt thy hand, and filleſt with thy bleſsing eueryevery liuing thing, &c.
Pſal. 145.
O euerlaſting GOD and Father, we beſeeche thee to extend thy bleſſing vppon vsus thy poore children & ſeruants, and vppon the foode, which it pleaſeth thee, of thy goodnes, to giuegive vntounto vsus for the ſuſtenance of our life, that we may vſe the ſame ſoberly and with thankſgiuing, as thou haſt commanded. But aboue all things, giuegive vsus grace to deſire, and eſpecially to ſeeke the ſpirituall bread of thy word, wherewith our ſoules may be fed eternally in the name, & to the glory of the Father, Sonne, and Holyghoſt, one only and true God, who liueth and raigneth world without end. Amen.
The foure and twenieth Prayer. After meales among the Family.
Whether wee eate or drinke, or whatſoeuer wee doe, we muſt doe all to the glory of God.
1. Cor. 10.
O Eternall God, our Father, we yeeld thee thanks, for that it hath pleaſed thee to nouriſh and feede vsus, miniſtring vntounto vsus all that is needefull for this life, and making vsus to enioy ſo many temporall benefites as thou doeſt largely poure vppon vsus thy creatures: wee beſeech thee of thy goodneſſe, vouchſafe to continue them the reſt of our dayes. But aboue al, wee praiſe thee for the ſpiritual foode, that by thy word thou giueſt to our ſoules, to the ende they may for euer liue in bliſſe, through Ieſus Chriſt our redeemer: to whome with the Father, and the Holi-ghoſt one onelyonly and true God, be all honour and glory for euer. Amen.
The fiue and twentieth Prayer. Euening Prayer for the Houſhold.
It is a good thing to giuegive thanks vntounto the Lord, and to ſing praiſes vntounto thy name, O most high! to tell of thy trueth in the night ſeaſon. I will lay me downe in peace, and take my rest, for it is thou Lord onelie that makest mee dwell in ſafetie.
Pſal. 92. & 4.
O Lord our god and Father, as thy people of Iſrael offered vntounto thee their euening ſacrifice, ſo doe we offer vntounto thee, the oblation of our humble and contrite heartes, that wee may glorifie thy name, and obtaine remiſſion of our ſinnes. We praiſe thee therefore and yeeld thee thanks for thy benefites, namely for that it hath pleaſed thee to let vsus paſſe this day, vnderunder thy protection and ſafegard, without the which wee might hauehave incurred manie miſeries and dangers. But, becauſe by our corruption and frailetie we hauehave diuerſly offended thee, in thought, worde, and deed, and that thy merciemercy is vppon all thoſe to whom thou vouchſafeſt to be a Father, in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and that call vponupon thy name, wee beſeech thee to forgiue vsus our ſinnes, and to accept of his righteouſneſſe, in the merit of his death, in diſcharge of our debts: ſo that as eueryevery thing is nowe hidden from our eies by the night which thou giueſt vsus for the reſt of our bodies, ſo our offences may be buried out of thy ſight, in the ſepulchre of the ſame Chriſt, whereby our ſoules may hauehave in him their ſpirituall reſt. Alas, we know that Sathan the Prince of darkeneſſe, lieth alwaies in waite to hurt vsus, ſeeking principally to make a breach into our hearts when we ſtand leaſt vponupon our guarde: but (O Almightie God) in thy preſence alſo are the thouſands of Angels, to watch on thoſe whome thou haſt called to the inheritance of thy ſaluation, of which number wee doe beleeue our ſelues to be, through the merciemercy which it hath pleaſed thee to ſhewe vsus. GiueGive vsus grace therefore to be deliuered from the temptations of the diuel, from vncleaneneſſe, and troubleſome dreames, whereinto our infirmity doth leade vsus, and alſo from all other dangers, to the ende our bodies receiuing, through thy bleſſing, a peaceable and quiet ſleep for their eaſe, our mindes may watch more freely vntounto thee, (who art their reſt and their life) and in the meditation of thy louelove, that to morrowe wee may ariſe ſo much the readier, to glorifie & ſerue thee, eueryevery one in his vocation. Thus running our race, in the path of thy elect, we may with ioy expect the deſired hower for our fleſh to reſt in the earth, that our ſoules may be lodged in heauen, and at the laſt day be raiſed againe in glory, with al the Saints, to enioy the accompliſhment of our felicitie. Howbeit in the meane time, whilſt we comfort our ſelues in this hope, (O heauenlie Father) we doe recommend vntounto thee the peace & preſeruation of thy church, the eſtate of this Kingdome, and all ſuch as be afflicted with ſicknes or anie other tribulation: beſeeching thee to giuegive to thy children and ſeruants, whereof to take comfort, and alwayes to reioyce in thy goodnes. This is it that we doe beleeue in thy worde: Yea this is it, that wee doe craue of thee, in the name of our mediator Ieſus Chriſt, by that Prayer which hee hath taught vsus. [Our father which art in heauen, &c.] Thy bleſſing therefore O our God and Father, the peace of our Lorde Ieſus, with the comfort of the holy Ghoſt be giuen to vsus by thy grace, and remaine with vsus for euer. Amen.