The Guide Unto True Blessedness, Prayer 5
A ſhort Prayer for the Morning.
O Eternall and Almightie Lord God, who in vnſpeakeable wiſedome and goodneſſe haſt made all things for the good of man, and man with al, and aboue all things, for thine owne glorie; wee humbly acknowledge our ſelues to be vtterly vnworthy of the leaſt of all thy mercies, which wee either enioy, or deſire to enioy. For (O Lord) wee are not onelyonly weake creatures, vnable to giuegive vntounto thee firſt, that wee ſhould bee recompenced: but alſo ſinfull and vnthankefull wretches, not rendring vntounto thy Maieſtie, according to thy kinde and gracious dealing with vsus. Thou createdſt vsus, O Lord, in thine owne image, endued with wiſedome and true holineſſe, adorned with all bodily perfections, aduanced vntounto dominion ouer all thy workes of wonder: but wee all in Adam, by breaking thy Couenant, forfeited our birth-right, de…aced thine holy image, and made our ſelues more vile then the beaſts that periſh. Thus were wee borne into the world an increaſe of ſinfull men; full of ignorance and vanitie of minde, of rebellion and obſtinacie of heart, ſecure in conſcience, peruerſe in affections, vnbridled in appetite, vtter enemies vntounto thine holineſſe; careleſſe to know or ſeeke after thee, vnwilling either from thy bleſsings, or from thy iudgements, to take knowledge of thee. Yea, Lord, when thou cauſedſt the light of thy glorious Goſpell to ſhine vntounto vsus, our fooliſh hearts deſpiſed that light, and preferred darkneſſe before it, becauſe our deedes were euill; ſo that if thou hadſt not giuen vsus, as well ſight as light, and a minde, as well as meanes, to know thee who art true; euen to this day our eyes had beene ſtill blinded by Satan, the God and Prince of the darkneſſe of this world. But bleſſed for ouer be thy glorious Name, who for thine owne mercies ſake, not our merite, and by thine owne Almightie power, without any diſpoſition or concurrence on our part, haſt effectually called vsus vntounto the knowledge and obedience of thy Goſpell. But what can we plead for our ſelues, O Lord, that hauehave walked vnworthy of this thy great grace, and as much as in vsus lieth, againe defaced thine image in vsus, euen the new creature? For ſince the time that we gaue our names vntounto Chriſt, and profeſſed our ſelues to bee of his partie, wee hauehave many waies, and many times, treacherouſly ioined with Satan, with the world, and our owne corruption, to ſinne againſt the honour of our Sauiour, and againſt the light of knowledge, which ſhineth into our conſciences; ſo that by our diſobedience and rebellion we hauehave weakened the cauſe of thy Truth, and opened the mouth of the Aduerſarie to reproch the holy Goſpell of thy Sonne Ieſu… Chriſt, which we profeſſe. Finally, our whole courſe & conuerſation aboundeth with continuall breaches of all thy righteous lawes, and is ſhamefully barren of thoſe fruits of righteouſneſſe, which by Ieſus Chriſt ſhould redound vntounto thy praiſe and glorie. Wherefore, O Lord, wee freely confeſſe againſt our ſelues our great wickedneſſe: wee iudge our ſelues worthy …o be deſtroyed for all our iniquities: we abhorne our ſelues and repent before thee in duſt and aſhes: we fly only to thy rich merciemercy & grace in Chriſt Ieſus; beſeeching thee for his ſake to hauehave merciemercy on vsus, with his bloud to waſh & clenſe vsus from all our ſinnes, in his face and countenance to behold vsus, in his abſolute merite & mediation fauourably to accept vsus. So ſhall there be no condemnation for vsus, being in Chriſt Ieſus, who was made ſinne for vsus, that wee might be made the righteouſnes of God in him.
Further, O Lord, that wee may ſoundlie aſſure our ſelues that wee are in Chriſt, and withall be enabled to walke more worthie of thy grace, wee beſeech thee make vsus more and more partakers of the ſpirituall power, both of the death, and life of Chriſt. Let the power of his death mortifie in vsus all carnall and ſinfull luſts: let it crucifie the world vntounto vsus, and vsus vntounto the world: let it dull and dead our hearts vntounto the allurements of ſinne: let it make vsus ſenceleſſe, or careleſſe, of the diſcouragements that are, or may be, offered in the way of welldoing. Let it arme vsus with this mind, rather to ſuffer any trouble; and forbeare any pleaſure, then, by ſinning againſt thee, to hazard the peace of a good conſcience. On the other ſide, let the quickening power of the life of Chriſt reuiue our dead nature vntounto new obedience: let it in flame our hearts with the louelove of thy maieſtie: let it make thy word ſauourie vntounto vsus, and more deſirable then our appointed food: let it teach vsus reſolutely to ſhake of all impediments, carefullie to redeeme all occaſions, and gladlie to embrace all opportunities of doing good. Finally vntounto all theſe good purpoſes, worke in vsus, by thy holie word, & ſpirit, a dailie encreaſe of liuing and ſauing faith. O Lord, it is thine onelyonly vnſpeakeable gift; without whom it is no more poſſible to beleeue that which thou promiſeſt, then to performe whatſoeuer thy law requireth. Thou therefore, O Father, for Chriſt Ieſus ſake, by the powerfull operation of thy Spirit, worke and encreaſe in vsus this mother grace. Teach vsus ſo to lay hold on Chriſt, and lodge him in our hearts, that we may not onelyonly applie, and aſſure vntounto our ſelues, all the promiſes of life and merciemercy, but alſo cleanſe our ſelues from all filthineſſe of the fleſh and ſpirit, and grow vp vntounto full holineſſe in the feare of thy Maieſtie.
And now, Lord, for outward things wee ſubmit our ſelues to thy wiſe and fatherlie prouidence; onelyonly beſeeching thee, to giuegive vsus this day, what thou knoweſt needefull and behoofefull vntounto vsus for the day. Lord feede vsus with food conuenient for vsus: giuegive vsus ſuch a portion of health, maintenance, credit, and all outward comforts, as may make vsus thankefull and ſeruiceable vntounto thee. And aboue all, giuegive vsus grace to employ and improue all thy bleſſings, as thy talents, to the furtherance of the worke thou haſt giuen vsus to doe. Lord giuegive vsus euerie day (but eſpecially on thy Sabbath dayes) more then a naturall and common vſe of thy good creatures. Let vsus in all things taſt and ſee, how ſweet and gracious a God thou art, Let thy good bleſſings be, not as a wall, to ſtop our ſight, that we may not looke beyond them; but as a glaſſe, through which wee may the better diſcerne thy louelove and faithfulneſſe towards vsus concerning heauenly things. Let vsus ſerue thee with an vpright heart, in the duties and buſineſſes of this day; bringing the generall profeſſion of religion into particular practiſe, according to our ſeuerall callings. Lord let vsus neuer bee a burden vntounto humane ſocietie, nor a blemiſh vntounto the profeſſion of Chriſtianitie, by idleneſſe, or inordinate liuing. Make our labours and endeauours fruitfull and beneficiall, not onelyonly vntounto our ſelues, that wee may eat thereof, and reioice before thee, but alſo vntounto all others whom they concerne, that they may praiſe thee with vsus, and for vsus.
Bleſſe thy whole Church, O Lord, and build it vp more and more in perfect beautie. Take pittie on thoſe thine elect, that walke yet in darkeneſſe, and cauſe the light of thy Goſpell of grace to ſhine vntounto them. Confirme thy gracious worke in thoſe, who hauehave receiued the firſt fruits of thy ſpirit. Comfort ſuch as mourne for ſinne. Fulfill the deſires of all that trulie long and ſigh after thee. Support, and cure the infirmities of all that are humbled vnderunder thine hand, and that hauehave ſeene affliction in the rod of thy viſitation. Preſerue the good land wherein woe liue: make vsus more thankefull for all thy rich bleſsings, and our manifold mightie deliuerances. Saue thine Annointed ſeruant, our Soueraigne Lord King Iames; with our gracious Queene Anne, and the Royall progenie. Aſsiſt with thy ſpirit and grace, all that are in authoritie; ſanctifie all thoſe whom thou emploieſt in the worke of the miniſterie. Remember in ſpeciall merciemercy, thoſe, whom thou haſt knit vntounto vsus in the bands of conſanguinitie, affinitie, neighbourhood, or Chriſtian amitie. Finallie, vntounto all thine, and ours, vouchſafe Peace and mercy, through Ieſus Chriſt, thy deere Sonne, our alone Redeemer and Sauiour. To whom with thee, O Father, and thy holie Spirit, one God, and King euerlaſting, be rendred all honor, ſeruice, and thankeſgiuing, for euermore. Amen.