The Ambassador Between Heaven and Earth, Prayers · Prayer 4
An EueryEvery-dayes-Sacrifice, or a Morning prayer for any day in the weeke, or eueryevery day in the Weeke.
TO thee the God of Heauen and Earth, that by thy wiſdome …aſt ordained all things by thy power created all things; and by thy bounty and mercy, as the two breaſts of thy neuer dryed goodneſſe, preſerueſt and ſuſtaineſt all things, all the Creatures in the world, that thy hands hauehave faſhioned, both man and beaſt, both plant, and flower, whatſoeuer, and whereſoeuer. To thee alone, moſt mercifull Father, and into thy protection do I render my ſoule and body, and the whole gouernement thereof, as an vnworthy ſacrifice, beſeeching the… that it may bee acceptable vntounto thée: preſerue me, O Lord, this day without ſinne, this weeke following, and all the dayes of my life; and as thou haſt renued this day vntounto me, and brought me ſafely to the beginning therof, ſo giuegive me grace to renue my life from my former ſinnes, that I may now amend whatſoeuer heretofore hath beene amiſſe, that I may be more carefull to walke in thy wayes, then euer I was careleſſe to run out of them: I confeſſe, O Lord, that it is thy mercy that indureth for euer, and thy compaſſion, which neuer failes, that is the cauſe that I hauehave not bene long ago conſumed: for with thee, ô Lord, there is mercy, & plenteous redemption, Pſal. 130. 4. In the multitude therefore of thy mercyes, and confidence in thy merits, I intreat thee that thou wouldeſt not enter into iudgement with thy ſeruant; neither be extreme to marke what hitherto I hauehave done amiſſe: for if thou doeſt, then no fleſh can be iuſtified in thy ſight, I hauehave beene borne in ſinne, and in iniquity hath my mother conceiued me, and in thought, word, and deed I hauehave broken all thy Commaundements, and there remaines nothing for mee but ſhame and confuſion; I hauehave done more againſt thee this weeke, then I hauehave done for thee ſince I was borne, following the deſires of mine owne will, and the luſts, and concupiſcences of mine owne fleſh, not caring to be gouerned by thy holy word and Spirit: and which is worſe, yet hauehave I not reſolued to amend: what father but thou, would ſuffer this contempt, and bee neglected ſtill? O where is my feare? O where is my louelove? yet when I thinke vponupon thy Son, all my griefe is turned into ioy, becauſe his righteouſneſſe for me, is more then my vnrighteouſneſſe againſt my ſelfe: ſettle my faith in thy beloued, that I may truly meditate what hee hath done for me, that that ſin that launced his ſide, may alſo duplicate page duplicate page launce my ſoule, with ſuch effect, that I may neuer againe commit that with delight, that thou haſt ſuſtained with ſuch paſſion and heauineſſe. And here, O Lord, from the bottome of mine heart, I render vntounto thee thanks for all the bleſſings and benefites thou haſt beſtowed vponupon me, both in my ſoule and body; for my election, redemption, ſanctification and preſeruation from my youth, vntill this preſent day & howre, by thy moſt gratious louelove and prouidence: And ſo good Lord, I further beſeech thee, protect me this day, and all the dayes of my life, from all euill that may hurt me, and from falling into any groſſe ſinne that ſhould offend thee: be thou preſent and aſſiſtant to all my good indeuours, and bleſſe thou my purpoſes and intentions; and let thy good ſpirit ſo rule my heart, that all that I ſhall doe, thinke or ſpeake, may be to thy glory, and the good of others, and the peace of mine owne conſcience. And for ye better ſucceſſe therein, into thine hands I commend my ſelfe, my ſoule, and body, my wayes and actions, and all that appertaine vntounto me, to thy gratious protection, and direction; bee fauourable vntounto me therefore, O Lord, and vntounto all them that feare thee, be neere vntounto all ſuch as faithfully call vponupon thy name, and comfort all ſuch as be ſicke, or comfortleſſe, or by any croſſe or affliction that thou haſt layd vponupon them, either outwardly in body, or inwardly in minde, and by daily and howerly preſidences of death and mortality before mine eyes, teach me to be mindfull of mine owne end, to ſet it alwayes in my view, & to make my preparation by faith and repentance thereafter, that I may be ready whenſoeuer thou ſhalt call me out of this wretched life, and that whether I liue or dye, I may reſt in thée, to thy eternall glory & my euerlaſting ſaluation, through Ieſus Chriſt, my only Sauiour & Redeemer, in the mediation of whoſe bleſſed name I conclude this my vnperfect praier, in that forme & modell of prayer which he that muſt heare our prayers, & hauehave mercy vponupon vsus, or we periſh euerlaſtingly hath preſcribed in forme, & ſanctified wt his own lips, ſaying, Our father, &c.