A Guide to Godliness, Paraphrase of the Lords Prayer · Prayer 6
Another Prayer for the Family in the Euening.
O Immortall, inuiſible, and onelyonly true God, moſt wiſe, mighty, iuſt, and mercifull, holy and infinite in all perfection, Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and in him our moſt gracious and louing Father: Thou haſt in thy Word inuited ſinners to come vntounto thee, promiſing that if wee confeſſe and forſake our ſinnes, wee ſhall finde mercy; if wee lay them open, thou wilt hide them; and if wee acknowledge and bewaile them, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe faithfull and righteous in forgiuing them: wee thy vnworthy ſeruants, being loaden with ſinne and miſery, doe heere humble our ſelues before thee, and in the mediation of Ieſus Chriſt, proſtrate our ſelues before the Throne of grace, ſuing vntounto thee for mercy and forgiueneſſe. We confeſſe vntounto thee, holy Father, that wee are by nature dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes, and the children of wrath as well as others, loaded with the guilt, both of that corruption in which wee were conceiued, and of innumerable actuall tranſgreſſions, whereby wee hauehave violated thy whole Law, and ſo made our ſelues ſubiect to the curſe thereof, and euerlaſting death of body and ſoule. The which our ſinne and miſery is much aggrauated, in that wee hauehave long liued without any ſenſe of it, or any deſire to be freed from it, but tooke all our delight in diſpleaſing thy Maieſty, and in performing cheerefull ſeruice vntounto ſinne and Satan. Yea, Lord, after that thou of thy free grace haſt giuen vsus a ſight of our miſery, and haſt pulled vsus out of this wretched thraldome, working in vsus ſome deſires, reſolutions, and indeuours to ſerue and pleaſe thee, wee confeſſe that the reliques of ſinne doe ſtill remaine in vsus in great ſtrength; and howſoeuer the old man and body of ſinne, hauehave by thy holy Spirit receiued their deadly wound, yet hauehave they in them ſuch life and ſtrength, and are ſo animated and reuiued with the ſuggeſtions of our old aduerſary the deuill, breathing (as it were) a new life into them, that they doe ſtill much vexe and trouble vsus, making continuall warre againſt our ſoules, and oftentimes leading them captiue vntounto ſinne. Much blindneſſe and vanitie doe ſtill remaine in our mindes, ſo that we hauehave but a dimme ſight of thee, and thy will and wayes. Our memories are weake and ſlippery, and, like riuen veſſels, let the precious liquor of the Word of life and grace runne out, as ſoone as it is put into them. Our conſciences are defiled and impure, loaded with the guilt of ſinne, and yet oftentimes ſenſleſſe of their burthen. Our iudgements are full of errour and ignorance, and very weake in ſpirituall diſcerning. Our wills peruerſe and obſtinate in euill, and very auerſe and awke to good things, and doe not incline to the doing of thy will with cheerefulneſſe and delight. Our hearts remaine ſtill hard and full of carnall ſecurity, vntractable and inflexible, and doe not relent and melt, either with thy mercies or iudgements. Wee are ſtill aſſaulted with much doubting and infidelity, and our faith is often ſhaken with dangerous tentations. Our repentance is weake, and full of wants; our ſorrow for ſinne ſlight, and ſoone ouer, and our reſolutions and indeuours to amend, ſubiect to much inconſtancie, and broken off with eueryevery ſmall impediment. There is much poyſon of corruption ſtill remayning in our affections, which draweth vsus from thee, when we ſell our ſelues to ſeeke and ſerue thee, vntounto the world, and earthly things. Wee are ſtill full of carnall ſelfe-louelove and louelove of the world, which quencheth and cooleth in vsus the louelove of thee, and of ſpirituall and heauenly things; our affiance in thee is weake, and after much experience of thy power and ſufficiencie, goodneſſe and truth, we can hardly truſt thee, vnleſſe wee hauehave inferiour meanes and helpes, as pawnes in our hands, and wee are too too prone to relie vponupon the creatures, and our owne policies and ſtrength; our hopes are faint and wauering, one while inclining towards preſumption, and ſoone after forſaking vsus, indanger vsus to deſpaire. Wee oftentimes feare men, and neglect thee, and hazzard thy louelove, to auoyd their diſpleaſure. Our zeale is lukewarme, in ſeeking thy glory, and our deuotion cold in holy duties. There ſtill remaineth in vsus, much pride, hypocriſie, impatiencie, vniuſt anger, couetouſneſſe, voluptuouſneſſe, and all other ſinnefull luſts, which continually fight and ſtriue againſt the good motions of thy holy Spirit, and oftentimes ouercome, and quench them. And notwithſtanding that the fleſh and the corrupt luſts thereof doe ſtill remaine ſo ſtrong in vsus, yet we acknowledge to our ſhame, that we are careleſſe and negligent in fighting againſt them, and in vſing thoſe good meanes whereby we might be enabled to ſubdue them, and to purge our hearts from theſe carnall corruptions: whereof it is, that reſiding in vsus in great vigour and ſtrength, they diſable vsus in doing the good wee would, and make vsus to doe the euill we would not, oftentimes wholy hinder vsus from the duties of thy ſeruice, and oftentimes ſo diſturbe and diſtract vsus in them, that we performe them with much weakenes & wearineſſe, with great dulneſſe and deadneſſe of heart and ſpirit; and whileſt wee are delighted in thy Law in the inner man, this Law of our members rebelling againſt the law of our mindes, leadeth vsus captiue to the law of ſinne. O wretched men that we are, who ſhall deliuer vsus from the body of this death! Gracious God, we beſeech thee, giuegive vsus more and more a liuely ſenſe and feeling of theſe our wants and imperfections, frailties and corruption, that we may wholy deny and diſclaime our ſelues and our owne righteouſneſſe in the worke of our iuſtification and ſaluation, to the end that we may intirely reſt vponupon thine infinite mercies and the all-ſufficient merits and perfect obedience of Ieſus Chriſt. For whoſe ſake we moſt humbly beſeech thee to pardon graciouſly all our wants and weakeneſſes, couering our imperfections with his moſt perfect righteouſnes, & waſhing away all our ſinfull corruptions in his moſt precious blood. Yea, Lord, forgiue and forget for his ſake not only our errours and infirmities, but alſo thoſe manifold and grieuous ſinnes, which we hauehave committed againſt thee in the whole courſe of our liues, whether in the dayes of our ignorance, or ſince wee attained the knowledge of thy truth: waſh them all away in the blood of Chriſt, and heale our ſoules with that ſoueraigne ſalue of ſinne, which is as ſufficient to cure deepe and deadly wounds, as ſmall ſores and ſlight ſcratches. Yea, Lord, not onelyonly remit and forgiue vsus all our ſinnes, but let vsus alſo hauehave comfort and peace in our conſciences in the aſſurance of our pardon, through the infallible teſtimony of thy holy Spirit; and thereby ſanctifie vsus thorowout, that wee may deuote and conſecrate both our ſoules and bodies wholy to thy worſhip and ſeruice. Mortifie our corrupt fleſh with the luſts thereof, and let them hauehave no longer dominion in vsus. Yea, holy Father, not onelyonly lop the branches of our corruptions, but pull them vp by the very roote, and not onelyonly wound and weaken the Old man and body of ſinne, but kill and crucifie, deſtroy and aboliſh it in thy good time, that no reliques of it may remaine in vsus, to diſturbe our peace, and diſtract vsus in thy ſeruice. Quicken vsus with the Spirituall life of grace, that being made ſtrong and vigorous, wee may couragiouſly ouercome all lets and difficulties, which oppoſe vsus in our Chriſtian courſe, and may performe vntounto thee all duties of piety, righteouſneſſe and ſobriety all the dayes of our liues, with all cheerefulneſſe and delight. Let thy Spirit dwelling in vsus, repleniſh our hearts and ſoules with all ſanctifying and ſauing graces. Inlighten our mindes with a ſound, ſauing and experimentall knowledge of thee and thy Truth, and let vsus draw whatſoeuer wee know into vſe and practice. Take away from vsus our naturall doubting and infidelity, and worke in vsus a true, liuely and iuſtifying faith, that wee may apply vntounto vsus all thy gracious promiſes made in Chriſt, and reſt onelyonly vponupon his merits and thy mercies, for our iuſtification and ſaluation. GiueGive vsus hearty and vnfained repentance for our ſinnes, that, wee may not onelyonly bewaile them with godly griefe, but alſo leaue and forſake them, and ſerue thee in holineſſe and newneſſe of life. Confirme our affiance in thee, and let vsus firmely reſolue, that though thou ſhouldeſt kill vsus, yet we will ſtill truſt in thee. Let vsus confidently expect the performance of all thy gracious promiſes with a liuely hope, and ſtill waite vponupon thee when thou ſeemeſt to defer thy helpe. Let vsus hauehave a ſenſible feeling of thy louelove, ſhed abroad in our hearts by thy holy Spirit, that being inflamed thereby, wee may louelove thee againe with all our ſoules and ſtrength, and all others in and for thee. Let this fire of holy louelove ſhew, and approue it ſelfe by the flame and heate of godly zeale, in ſeeking thy glory in and aboue all things, feruently, yet wiſely and diſcreetly, oppoſing whatſoeuer hindreth it, and furthering all the meanes whereby it is furthered. Worke thy feare in our hearts, and let vsus ſtand in awe of thee, not onelyonly for thy Iudgements, but alſo for thy mercies, abhorring nothing more then thy diſpleaſure, who haſt euer beene vntounto vsus ſo gracious and good a Father. GiueGive vsus grace to yeeld vntounto thee all ſonne-like and true obedience, both by doing that which thou enioyneſt, and ſuffring that which thou impoſeſt. Adorne vsus with meekeneſſe and humility, and let vsus be baſe in our owne eyes, that wee may be precious in thy ſight. Repleniſh our hearts with Spirituall ioy in the aſſurance of thy louelove and our ſaluation, that nothing may dant or dampe it; and ſtabliſh vsus with thy free Spirit, that we may neuer fall from thee, but may perſeuere in the profeſſion and practice of true godlineſſe, till death ſummoneth vsus to Iudgement. Let vsus be iuſt towards all, and mercifull towards the poore and afflicted, ſtill abounding in all good workes, and make vsus temperate, ſober and thankefull in the vſe of all thy bleſſings, that they may further, and not hinder vsus in all Chriſtian duties. And as we implore thy goodneſſe for thoſe things which we want, ſo with thankfull hearts and voyces, we prayſe & magnifie thy great and glorious Name for all thy mercies and fauours vouchſafed vntounto vsus, reſpecting either this life or the life to come. And namely, for preſeruing our liues, and bleſſing our labors; for releeuing our wants, and defending vsus from danger this day paſt. We beſeech thee vntounto the multitude of thy other graces, adde this with the reſt, that we may make right vſe of them, for the ſtirring vp of our thankfulnes, and inflaming of our hearts with thy louelove. O Lord, be ſtill gracious vntounto vsus, and now receiue our bodies and ſoules into thy hand this night, that they may be ſafe in thy keeping from all euill both of ſinne and puniſhment; and as we ceaſe from the workes of our callings, ſo much more let vsus reſt from all workes of darkeneſſe, with a full purpoſe neuer againe to vndertake them. GiueGive vsus comfortable and quiet ſleepe, that our ſpirits being thereby refreſhed, and our ſtrength renewed, wee may be the fitter to ſerue thee in the generall duties of Chriſtianity, and the ſpeciall duties of our callings. Let not our ſleepe breake off our ſpirituall watch, but let vsus ſtill be in readineſſe for the glorious appearing of Ieſus Chriſt. When we wake, let vsus wake with thee, lifting vp our hearts and ſoules in holy and heauenly Meditations, and prayſing thee for all thy goodneſſe. Together with vsus, bleſſe thy whole Church, this in which we liue, our ſoueraigne Lord and King, our Noble Prince, the Prince and Princeſſe Palatine, the Councell, Magiſtrates, and Miniſters, thoſe which are afflicted, and thy whole people, beſeeching thee in our ſeuerall places, to giuegive vsus whatſoeuer thou knoweſt needfull for vsus, for Ieſus Chriſts ſake: to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit, wee aſcribe all glory and prayſe both now and euermore. Amen.