Prayers Upon Solemn Occasions, Prayer 2
A Morning Prayer for a Familie.
O LORD our GOD, we pray thee bee mercifull unto us, stirre up we beseech thee our dull hearts, out of a true sence of our sinnes and miseries, and a lively faith▪ in CHRIST JESVS, and his pretious deservings, to lift up our soules in prayers and praises unto thee.
O LORD how are we bound to magnifie thy great Name, for all the loving kindnesse and great mercies vouchsafed us; for preserving us this night past from the ills▪ and dangers, which no doubt have befallen many of our brethren, as good by nature as our selves; for refreshing our fraile bodies with quiet rest and sleepe, and bringing us in health, in strength, and vigour of body to see the light of this day; for that it hath pleased thee to reveale unto us the mysteries of godlinesse, and some measure of saving truth, which thou hast hid from many thousands of the greatest and wisest of the world; For that thou hast preserv'd us from many fearefull transgressions and excesses of iniquity, to which our corrupt nature would otherwise have led us. For giving us the being of reasonable creatures, and being borne in this blessed time and part of the world, when and where thy glorious Gospell is on foot, for the continuance of our health and strength of body, for the usefullnesse and vigour of the powers of our soules and sences, of which for abusing them, we have deserv'd ere this, to have beene fearefully deprived. For our ingenuous and godly education, for our Christian company and good counsell we have many times by thy mercies enjoyed. For thy Word and Sacraments, the glorious meanes of our conversion and continuance in grace. For many gracious mercies, by which thou hast laboured gently and fairely to draw us unto thee. For those judgements which thou hast sent to humble us, and to bring us to repentance. For the inlarging of our time for storing our selves with Grace, and comfort against the day of our visitation. For our freedome from many miseries, crosses and vexations which befall other our brethren better then our selves. For that it hath pleased thee by thine everlasting decree out of thine owne boundlesse goodnesse and blessed pleasure to save us from many thousand others which perish everlastingly, and to make us heires of endlesse happinesse, as we are verily perswaded, in the world to come. For preventing and following us with thy saving graces.
O LORD, we pray thee, to open our eyes daily more and more, to see and acknowledge these thy great and undeserved mercies upon us; and to enlarge our hearts sincerely and feelingly to magnifie thy great Name for the same. And as wee humbly intreate thee upon the knees of our soules for pardon and remission of all other sinnes, so especially for our monstrous and harefull ingratitude for thy great and many mercies towards us most wicked and sinfull creatures. We are ashamed and confounded that so much favour, and mercy, and long forbearance should bee extended to such rebellious and carnall wretches as we are. For besides that naturall pollution we drew from the loines of our sinnefull parents, wee have heapt up a great measure of actuall sinnes, since we had the use and exercise of reason, and power and ability to sinne. O LORD our GOD, wee humbly beseech thee to give us a full sight of them all, and a true sence of thy great wrath & indignation against them. Let us have remorse and compunction in our hearts and consciences for them all, in our affections a perfect hate and detestation of the least corruptions and infirmities. And bee thou pleas'd, gracious Father, thorowly to purge and wash our soules with the precious blood of thy deare Sonne, deliver us quite, wee beseech thee, from the guilt, horrour and damnation due unto them. And grant that hereafter wee may walke conscionably and carefully in all our waies, that we suffer no more our poore soules to bee stained with these foule pollutions we have formerly delighted in. Wee confesse and acknowledge to our shame and confusion, that wee have many times vowed betwixt thee and our owne soules, that wee would watch more carefully over our owne hearts, least they should breed and nourish profane, idle and wandering thoughts and imaginations; over ourtalke, least wee should offend with our tongue, that wee would be more zealous and faithfull in the duties of our calling, in sanctifying thy Sabbaths, receiving thy Sacraments, hearing thy Word, in Christian conference, company, meditation and all other holy duties: but alas, all these good purposes have beene but as the morning dew, we have even in short time broken our vowes, growne cold againe, dull and formall, to the much greefe of thy good Spirit, and discomfort of our owne soules. Now LORD wee pray thee deale mercifully with us in this point, forgive our many frailties and infirmities herein; and at length thorowly sanctifie us, draw our affections from the false glory and sinfull pleasures of this vaine world, and fasten them there, where true, sound and lasting comfort is to be enjoyed. Give us wise and understanding hearts, that we may see and perceive those things that belong to thy glory and the salvation of our own soules, and sanctified wills and holy affections to follow and pursue them with all earnestnesse, zeale and fervency of spirit. Let us even this day get some ground against Satan, and forwardnesse in the course of Sanctification. Let us store our selves with some new godly purposes and holy resolutions to doe thy will, and keepe thy righteous commandements. Fill our hearts daily more and more with all saving graces and the virtues of CHRIST JESVS. Cause us perpetually to keepe in minde, and consider that we are but as pilgrims and strangers here in this world, that wee must shortly depart hence, and never returne againe, but presently come to judgement, and receive an everlasting reward according to our workes. Weaken wee beseech thee daily more and more the power of sinne in us, let us feele it decay and loose its hold and haunt in us, and strengthen in us the power of grace, the new man, and all spirituall comforts.
Neither pray wee for our selves onelyonly, but for all thy deare children, fellow heires with us of everlasting happinesse in what part of the world soever they be. LORD we pray thee to be continually present with them with all thy comforts and mercies, let thy good Spirit leade them into all truth, let the wings of thy providence and protection stretch over them all. And such as yet lie in profanesse and under the shadow of death, hasten their conversion, reveale unto them the glorious comforts of grace, and let the powers of darknesse hold them no longer.
LORD be mercifull unto this sinnefull Kingdome wherein we live, and enter not into judgement with the horrible rebellions and fearefull abominations thereof. Stay the rage of prophanesse that fearefully overflowes in all places, to thy great dishonour and griefe of thy children. Stop the crying sinnes of the time, and recover thine owne glory out of the hands of thy creatures whosoever they be. Glorifie thine owne selfe, and refresh and cheere up thy children. Prosper thy Gospell amongst us, grant it a free and comfortable passage, send it where it is not, keepe and prosper it where it is, let thy blessings ever follow it, and thy mighty power uphold it. Oppose thy selfe against them that oppose against it, and let them know, that it is thine owne glory that is in hand, and that they set themselves against the mighty GOD of Heaven and Earth. Disburden thy Church wee pray thee of all ignorant, factious and scandalous Ministers, and plant in their roomes men of care and conscience, sensible of the great charge they have undertaken, truly fearing thee, and holding it their greatest comfort in this world to save the soules of men.
Blesse we pray thee our Prince and people, Magistrates and Ministers, all degrees and estates from the highest to the lowest. Sanctifie and furnish every one of them with all needfull graces fit both for the faithfull discharge of those particular places wherein thou hast set them, and that they may doe thee the best and utmost service they can possibly.
Direct and guide with the Spirit of wisedome all his Counsellors, that they may chiefly and principally advise those things, which may make for the advancement of thy glory, and comfort of thy children.
Be mercifull to all Christian Families, to this familie here present, continue thy grace and mercy upon it, and let thy loving kindnesse and comforts of salvation never depart from it.
Remember in mercy and love all mourners in Sion. Comfort all those that are any waies afflicted, binde up the broken and contrite heart with thy sweetest comforts. Give strength and life of grace to those that are babes in CHRIST, recover those that are fallen, preserve those that stand, uphold those that are declining, continue all in their first love, &c. and increase in every one of them daily more and more christian resolution, zeale and forwardnesse, that they may glorifie thee in all their courses farre more then ever they have done heretofore.
Lastly, we pray thee be mercifull to all those, whom thou hast made, in more speciall manner, the instruments of thy goodnesse and favour unto us, all that thou hast bound unto us with any bond of nature of friendship, or any way made deare unto us, Those who remember us in their prayers, or commend themselves to our most unworthy supplications; LORD we pray thee bee mercifull unto them, let the light of thy countenance shine upon them, put Religion, thy feare and love every day more and more into their hearts and soules, and let the comforts of godlinesse ever rest upon them. And grant that wee may all with one minde, heart and soule, love, feare, reverence and glorifie thy great Name; that so after a few daies, spent religiously in this vaine and wretched world, wee may live and raigne with thee everlastingly, in the glorious and endlesse pleasures of the life to come, Heare us, &c.