Household Prayers, Prayer 7
The ſeuenth Prayer, To craue of God the light of his word.
God hauing at ſundrie times, and in diuers manners, ſpoken to our Fathers by the Prophets. In theſe last dayes hee hath ſpoken vntounto vsus by his Sonne. All Scripture is giuen from aboue by inſpiration, and is profitable to teach, to conuince, to correct, and to inſtruct in righteouſneſſe, that the man of God may be accompliſhed, and perfectly instructed to al good workes.
Heb. 1. Tim. 3.
LOrd GOD eternall, who knoweſt that euerie man is but fleſh, and that fleſh is but corruption, ſo that although thou haſt endued him with a reaſonable ſoule, which doth diſtinguiſh him, from other creatures, yet his light is notwithſtanding conuerted into darknes, when therby he ſeeketh to penetrate into the glorie of thy kingdome, and the myſteries of thy grace: who knowſt that this poore blind borne, deſtitute of thy ſupernaturall light, doeth in lieu of his God, forge to him ſelfe an idol, and inſtead of truth, taketh lies, for thy worde, his owne inuentions, for goodneſſe vanitie, and for the path to life, the way to death. And albeit thou haſt euen from the beginning made thy ſelfe as it were viſible to man, in the table of the Vniuerſall worlde, that thou haſt many times reuealed thy ſelfe vntounto him in a liuely voyce, by thy eternall worde in Heden, Horeb, in the burning buſh, and elſewhere, afterward by thy prophets inſinuating thy ſelfe by thy ſpirit into their harts & thoghts, to the end by their miniſtrie to inſtruct thy people: and finally that thou haſt alſo manifeſted thy ſelfe in greater light by thy owne worde made fleſh for our redemption, and ſpeaking vntounto vsus by his mouth: Yea which is more, that thou haſt ſo farre graced vsus, that this thy word of life hath beene, and ſtil remaineth among vsus, faithfully collected in the ſacred regiſters of the holy ſcripture, ſo to be vntounto vsus, the image of thy glory, the Lawe of thy Kingdome, the ladder to Heauen, the gate to paradice, the trumpet of ſaluation: to be briefe, the treaſury of piety, vertue, wiſdome, conſolation, and perfection: Yet the fleſh neuertheleſſe ignorant, raſh, and peruerſe, hath neither eyes to perceiue theſe ſpirituall riches, nor eares to heare the wholſome doctrine, but dooth rather diſdaine it, as it were ſome deuiſed diſcourſe, & vnprofitable voice: or howſoeuer it be, ſuffering it ſelf to be carried away with it owne & feeble imaginations, taketh in this verely, the thorne for the roſe, the leafe for the fruite, and the huske for the kernell. And thus are wee all borne in this error, in this calamitie, in this waie to mortall ruine, vntill that thou, O mercifull God, makeſt vsus to be borne againe, of the ſpirite, and in will to make our thoughts capaof the light of thy word; & through true faith, to apprehend the myſteries of thy kingdome, the couenant of life, the goſpel of thy peace, and the aſſured teſtimonies of thy mercies. VntoUnto this grace of ineſtimable valewe doth my timerous ſoule direct her vowes in ſearching thee (O great king of Heauen) throughout the courſe of thy faithfull teſtimonies, which miniſter wiſedome to the ignorant [the holie Scriptures] I beſeech thee therfore (my God) vouchſafe to direct and guide mee in the vnderſtanding of this eternall trueth, through the operation of thy ſpirit, (the true teacher of our ſoules) that being by him inſtructed, I may accompliſh and make my ſelfe perfect in theſe foure cheefe principles of the doctrine of Saluation, which are fullie taught at large. (The knowledge of thee the true God, and the God of thy people: the knowledge of faith, of pietie, and of righteouſneſſe.) Whereby I may obtaine the end of my being, and therein euen my Soueraigne felicitie, which is to know thee, to glorifie thee for my GOD, to beleeue thee, and in thee, Ieſus Chriſt, and in Ieſus Chriſt, to louelove, feare, and ſerue thee, according as thou doeſt commaund vsus, and in all things to obſerue equity towardes all men. For thus are thy children bound to learne, according to the meaſure of the gift of thy grace, thy fatherly louelove, in thy welbeloued ſonne, namelie by conioyning thereto the feare of thy name; that is to ſay, that reuerence, that cauſeth vsus in humilitie, and obedience, to ſhunne euil, and do good, and to embrace righteouſneſſe, and charity. Walking in this ſort, O Lord, vnderunder thy conduct, in the Communion of Saints, I ſhall want nothing to my comfort or perfection; & in good time, a depart (my life beeing ended) to receiue peace and perfect ioy, in the eternall habitation of the bleſſed ſoules. So be it.