Household Prayers, Prayer 14
The fourteenth Prayer, To obtaine the vertue of LoueLove.
God is louelove, and he that dwelleth in louelove, dwelleth in God, and God in him. The end of the Law is louelove out of a pure heart, and a good conſcience, and faith vnfained.
1. Ioh. 4. 1. Tim. 1.
O Eternall, who art al louelove, and who according to the infinite vertue thereof haſt loued vsus before we wer, as alſo ſince the time that wee were thy enemies, vnthankefull ſinners; adiudged to death, and to the paines of hell, thou haſt, I ſay, freely ſo loued vsus, that thou haſt giuen thy onelyonly ſonne to the world, to redeeme vsus, with the price of his blood, and for vsus to purchaſe righteouſneſſe, and a bleſſed life. This being ſo, O Lord, the original and fountaine of louelove, make it with efficacy & reflection to ſhine into al places, whither the knowledge of thy grace ſhall come; likewiſe, that where thou doeſt more neerely communicate thy ſelfe, by making the flames of thy louelove to bee more liuely felt, graunt alſo, that there by the effects of thy ſpirit, the greater louelove towardes thee may appeare. I beſeech thee make mee more and more to meditate and comprehend this thy admirable louelove, that I may accordingly frame my ſelfe, to that louelove thou requirſt of thy children, & truely faithfull, which is alſo the end of the whole law, and precepts of the goſpell: So that in pureneſſe of heart, with an vpright conſcience, and with a true and liuely faith, I may attaine to the knowledge of thy truth and will, to the end, in all, & through al, to obey thee with a quiet conſcience, the ſame being the chiefeſt, the higheſt, and the moſt perfect degree of louelove, that we can teſtifie vntounto thee (O our God) and that which leadeth vsus to the perfection of Chriſtian life, which of mortall men maketh vsus as it were Angels, which albeit wee liue vppon earth, maketh vsus Cittizens of heauen: to bee briefe, it is that which in the ſecret of our hearts, giueth vsus a ſweet feeling of thy peace, which ſurmounteth all the reaſon of our vnderſtanding. That alſo thereby I may learne, that there is none that can louelove thee perfectly, vntill he hath bin preuented by the ſweetneſſe of thy vnmeaſurable louelove, and kindled with the flame. That we louelove thee; becauſe thou firſt louedſt vsus, & like as alſo through thy grace thou makeſt thy ſelfe & thy benefites knowne vntounto vsus. The more therefore that wee finde our ſelues diſpoſed to louelove thee, the more ſhuld we beleeue that thou makeſt thy ſelfe to be felt in the inwarde partes of our ſoules, to bee our God and our Father, and that therefore wee hauehave the greater cauſe to confirme and comfort our ſelues in the louelove that thou beareſt vsus. O Lord make me alſo to vnderſtand, that as Chriſtian charitie doth eſpecially regard and looke vppon thy holy deitie (Father, Son, and Holy-ghoſt) one onelyonly God, that we may louelove thee with our whole hearts, mindes, and ſtrengths: ſo hath ſhee a like regard to her neighbour, that in thee, and for thy ſake, becauſe he beareth thy image, we may louelove him as our ſelues: for in theſe conioyned and reciprocall things alſo Chriſt teacheth vsus the bond of perfection, euen that wee ſhall indeede be his diſciples, if we louelove one another, becauſe he ſo ſhal fullfill his louelove in our hearts. But being, O Lord, very true, that the faith which thou giueſt vsus doth ſingularly vnite thy familie together, graunt me the ſpirite of louelove, which leading me to doe well to all men, doth teach me principally to louelove the houſhold of thy Church, that I may with a ready will, yeelde them all helpe in their neceſſities. In aſmuch alſo as our redeemer (the perfect pattern of charitie) hath loued his enemies, procuring them good for euill, and bleſſing for iniurie, I beſeech thee, my GOD, giuegive me grace, to extend my louelove to thoſe that hate mee, that without hypocriſie, or vaine glory, I may, to my power, help forward their good and ſaluation. And ſo that I may beare an vpright and lowly heart to all men, whereby all the faithfull may be edefied and comforted; and others, ſeeing my good works, rather thine than mine, may be conſtraind to glorifie thee, O our father which art in heauen. &c.