The Ambassador Between Heaven and Earth, Prayers · Prayer 8
A morning Prayer for a priuate famely.
It is in vaine to riſe early and to lye downe late except the Lord be with vsus, ſo vaine a thing is man, therefore we will not attempt any thing before we hauehave taken counſell and ſtrength from the Lord that he may deliuer vsus from eueryevery euill worke, if we aske that thing which is euill deny our ignorance, if we aske that thing which is good Remember thy promiſe.
IN peace and ſafety we layed vsus downe and roſe againe for thy gratious eye watched ouer vsus, that we might take our reſt The heauens declare thy glory, and the earth is full of thy goodneſſe: yet thou haſt not ſo reſpected all nations, and thou haſt loued Syon thy little hill, a nooke and corner of the world far ſeperated from the ſerpent, and fenced from the wild beaſt yet who conſidereth, the euill we hauehave deſerued, is gone into other landes, becauſe their Gods be not like vntounto our God we hauehave had much experience of thy goodneſſe, & yet we trye thee ſtill, we proue thee ſtill, and yet we ſee thy workes, thou haſt ſeperated vsus from ſchiſme & hereſy, that we ſhould be ioyned vntounto thee euen a new creature come out of darkeneſſe to light, according to the working of knowledge in vsus. O bind our harts with thy feare, that we part not from thy louelove: for our ſelues and for our brethren, we here proſtrate our ſoules before▪ thee, O Prince moſt excellent, for the name of thy onelyonly Sonne, one drop of mercy to coole this …ire of ſinne, nothing, good Lord, …o change thy mercy: yet the whel…es doe eate the crummes that fall from their maiſters Table, firſt wee yeeld thee harty thankes▪ for all at once: next, wee humbly beſeech thee for the generall quittance which thy Sonne hath ſealed for our ſinnes: then for all graces we pray thee, let vsus not want the thing without which wee cannot ſerue thee, plant in our hearts true feare of thy name, obedience …o… our Prince, and louelove to our neighbour, giuegive power, good Father to our prayers, that they may be effectual ſollicitors for thy grace and fauour in all occaſions, and ſeaſons, grant vsus true humility in proſperity, perfect patience in aduerſity, peace in Chriſt, and ioy in the holy Ghoſt. This is our deſire to liue godly, righteouſly, and ſoberly; ſo bleſſe vsus and keepe vsus, good Father, to the end of our liues. Turne vsus O God of our ſaluation, grant that we may grow frō ſtrength to ſtrength, that thy Church militant may be like thy triumphant in heauenly charity, and al communion of Saints, write thy Lawes on the Table of our hearts, with the finger of thy good Spirit, that by vsus they may be often & euidently read & practiſed in our liues and conuerſations. Bleſſe them which bleſſe vsus, looke vponupon this realme in thy mercy, preſerue our King, let not the eye of Great Brittaine become dim, or looſe his ſight: be gratious and mercifull vntounto our friends and parents according to ye fleſh: comfort thy afflicted Saints and members, confound the power of Antichriſt, ſend thy feare amongſt them, make their time ſhort, and defend thine owne cauſe: and as thou art ſanctified in vsus before them, ſo bee thou magnified in them before vsus, y• all the world may conuert & ſay: En Deus Chriſtianorum, Great art thou O God of the Chriſtians, and there is none omnipotent beſides thee, iuſt, and mercifull, recompenſing righteouſneſſe, and reuenging iniquitie & tranſgreſſions, yeſterday and to day, and the ſame for euer, and eueryevery where. Grant theſe things, O heauenly Father, with thy bleſſing vponupon this family, O Lord leade them out, and bring them in, bee at the beginning, the middle, and end of all their buſineſſes, that thou maieſt ſee them accompliſhed to their beſt aduantage; and for becauſe the world is a forreſt of briers, & many dangers therein, that may intangle vsus, ſo that when wee part and go out▪ wee are not ſure to méet and come in againe, vnleſſe thou guide vsus by thy hand, and protect vsus vnderunder the wings of thy ſafe-guard. Therefore bee preſent and aſſiſtant vntounto vsus, and eueryevery one of vsus; then happy ſhall wee be, and all things ſhall proſper that wee take in hand, which Lord fulfill vntounto vsus, and whatſoeuer thy good pleaſure ſhall better foreſee for our good, euen for his ſake who died for ſinne, and ſinned not: in whoſe name we further pray vntounto thee, as he hath taught vsus, ſaying: Our Father, &c.
God the Father which hath made vsus, bleſſe vsus; God the Sonne which hath redeemed vsus, preſerue vsus; God the Holyghoſt which hath ſanctified vsus, confirme our faith, to the end, and in the end. Oh God, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, ſaue vsus.
AMEN.