A Guide to Godliness, Paraphrase of the Lords Prayer · Prayer 8
A Prayer for the Euening of the Lords Day.
O Eternall God, who art glorious in Maieſty and power, and of infinite goodneſſe and mercy vntounto all thoſe who are reconciled vntounto thee in thy Sonne; wee thine vnworthy ſeruants, hauing nothing elſe to returne vntounto thee for the innumerable teſtimonies of thy louelove, which with a bountifull hand thou haſt multiplyed vponupon vsus, doe here offer vntounto thee the ſacrifice of praiſe and thankſgiuing for all thy bleſſings and benefits, which either reſpect our ſoules or bodies; this life, or the life to come. More eſpecially, wee laud and magnifie thy great and glorious Name, for that thou haſt loued vsus from all eternity, and of thy meere grace, without any reſpect of our worthineſſe, haſt made vsus veſſels of grace by thy free election, created vsus according to thine owne Image, redeemed vsus out of the hands of all our ſpirituall enemies, by giuing thy dearely beloued Sonne to dye for vsus, when as we were ſtrangers and enemies; for calling vsus by thy Word and Spirit, to the ſauing knowledge, and effectuall participation of him and all his benefits; for our iuſtification by his obedience, our ſanctification by thy Spirit, and for that aſſurance which thou haſt giuen vsus of a better life in the world to come. For all temporall benefits, as health, wealth, peace, plenty, preſeruation from dangers, and protection from all our enemies, both worldly and ſpirituall. And eſpecially, wee praiſe and glorifie thee, for vouchſafing vntounto vsus, in ſuch a gracious manner, the meanes of our ſaluation; for our bleſſed opportunities and liberties, with peace and ſafety in ſanctifying thy Sabbaths, publikely and priuately, by hearing thy Word, and calling vponupon thy Name, and performing other duties of thy ſeruice, that thereby we may glorifie thee, and make our owne calling and election ſure; and for giuing vntounto vsus hearts, wherein, by thy Spirit, thou haſt wrought ſome poore deſires and indeuours, to make vſe of theſe thy benefits, for the inriching of our ſoules with all ſpirituall graces, as at other times heretofore, ſo namely, this day paſt. O that our ſoules could be rauiſhed with the ſweet apprehenſion of ſuch ineſtimable bleſſings! O that we could exceed all others in louelove and thankfulneſſe, as farre as wee exceed them in theſe high and holy priuiledges, and were able to expreſſe them in our carefull and conſcionable indeuours to glorifie and pleaſe thee in all things, who haſt been ſo gracious and good vntounto vsus! But alas, how vnworthy hauehave we made our ſelues of the leaſt of theſe thy benefits, by our manifold and grieuous ſinnes; both our originall corruption, which hauing ouer-ſpred all the powers and parts of our ſoules and bodies, hath vtterly diſabled them vntounto all duties of thy ſeruice; and our manifold actuall tranſgreſſions, which in number and waight exceed all things but thy mercies, which are aboue all thy workes, and the merits and ſatisfaction of thy Sonne, which are of infinite worth and value? More eſpecially, we humbly acknowledge our fearfull abuſe of thoſe great priuiledges and meanes of our ſaluation, which for a long time thou haſt graciouſly granted vntounto vsus. For not onelyonly hauehave we, in the dayes of our ignorance, vtterly neglected all duties of thy ſeruice, ſpending our whole ſtrength in the miſerable ſlauery of ſinne and Satan, and prophaned and miſ-ſpent thy Sabbaths, in pleaſing our carnall luſts, and performing the workes of darkneſſe, in greater meaſure, and worſe manner then any other dayes beſides; but euen ſince wee hauehave been called to the knowledge of thy truth, and hauehave conſecrated our ſelues to thy ſeruice, wee hauehave either vponupon ſlight occaſions neglected thoſe holy duties of thy publike and priuate worſhip, or performed them with many wants and weakneſſes, diſcouering vntounto thee who ſearcheſt the heart, many imperfections and great corruptions. For we hauehave not remembred thy Sabbaths, nor with feruent deſires longed after thine holy Day. We hauehave not delighted in them, nor conſecrated them vntounto thee as an holy Reſt; but though the ſpirit hath been willing, yet the fleſh hath been weake, and ſoone tyred with ſpirituall exerciſes. We hauehave been much defectiue in our zeale and deuotion, and hauehave been too too cold and formall in religious duties, and hauehave not performed them with that care and conſcience, nor hauehave ſerued thee with our hearts and ſoules, in ſpirit and truth, in that degree which thou requireſt; but externally and with the outward man, hauing in the meane while our minds and hearts carried away with many diſtractions and worldly imaginations. Our cogitations hauehave not bin takē wholly vp with ſpirituall and heauenly things, but we hauehave ſuffered them to roue & wander after earthly trifles. Our tongues hauehave not, in that meaſure as they ought, been exerciſed in ſetting forth thy praiſe, nor in ſuch holy and religious conferences as tend to the edification one of another: but we hauehave ſpoken our own words on thine holy Day, and many of our ſpeeches hauehave been idle and vaine, worldly and vnſauoury. We hauehave not, as we ought, priuately prepared and fitted our ſelues for thy publike ſeruice, by prayer and meditation, & by renewing our faith and repentance; but hauehave come into thy glorious preſence without due feare and reuerence, hauing our hearts clogged and choked with many corruptions, which hauehave diſabled them to the duties of thy ſeruice, and hauehave made them like vnfallowed and vnweeded grounds, vnfit to receiue the ſeed of thy Word. We hauehave not called vponupon thy Name with faith and feruency of ſpirit, nor giuen thankes vntounto thee for all thy benefits, with ſuch cheerfulnes as became vsus. We hauehave not, with due reuerence and attention, heard thy holy Word, nor laid it vp in our memories, nor applyed it to our hearts and conſciences, nor made an holy vſe of it, by putting it in practice in our liues and conuerſations. We hauehave not meditated, as we ought, on thy Word which we hauehave heard, nor on thy maruellous works of Creation, Preſeruation & Redemption, nor diligently read and ſtudied in thy holy Book, nor exerciſed our ſelues in the works of mercy and Chriſtian charity towards our brethren, in that manner and meaſure which thou requireſt, eſpecially in thoſe ſpirituall duties which tend to the mutuall edification of one another. In which, and many other kinds, as we hauehave often offended heretofore, ſo we cannot excuſe our ſelues of many imperfections and corruptions which wee hauehave ſhewed this day paſt, in all the duties of thy ſeruice which we hauehave performed vntounto thee. But ſeeing we doe acknowledge our wants and weakneſſes, and doe bewaile them with vnfained ſorrow, we beſeech thee (deare God) accept of vsus in Ieſus Chriſt, according to thy gracious promiſes, couering all our imperfections with his moſt perfect obedience, and waſhing away our corruptions in that pure Fountaine of his precious blood. In him accept of our poore deſires and indeuours to doe thee ſeruice; ſeeing what is wanting in vsus, is abundantly ſupplyed by his abſolute and all-ſufficient righteouſneſſe, which is made ours by faith. And that we may, for the time to come, performe ſeruice vntounto thee with more diligence and cheerfulneſſe, let thy Spirit witneſſe vntounto our ſpirit, that thou haſt forgiuen all our ſins paſt, paſſed by and couered all our infirmities and frailties, and doeſt graciouſly accept of vsus in thy Beſt-beloued. And with the ſame thine holy Spirit, proſper and perfect thine owne good worke of grace and ſanctification which thou haſt begun in vsus. Thou ſeeſt (Lord) how we are hampered and fettered in the chaines of our corruptions, which ſo diſtract and hinder vsus in all holy duties, that we performe them with much diſcouragement, and little ioy. Helpe vsus, O God of our ſaluation, and breake in ſunder theſe chaines of ſin, that being ſet at liberty, we may, with all alacrity and delight, run the way of thy Commandements, and eſteeme it our meate and drinke to doe thy will. To this end aſſiſt vsus (good Lord) by thine holy Spirit, & thereby ſanctifie vntounto vsus thine holy Ordinances and meanes of our ſaluation, that they may be effectuall for the effecting & perfecting of thine own good work of grace and ſanctification in vsus. Apply vntounto vsus powerfully thy Word, which either this day, or any other time we hauehave heard, that it may inlighten our minds with ſauing knowledge; ſanctifie our hearts and affections, that they may be more and more weaned from the louelove of the world & earthly vanities, and fixed vponupon ſpirituall & heauenly things, and may be effectuall for the reforming of our liues and conuerſations, and the ſtrengthening of vsus vntounto all duties of a godly life; that ſo being not only hearers of thy Word, but alſo doers of it, we may be aſſured of eternall bleſſedneſſe. Let vsus walke worthy our high and holy calling, and in all things adorne our Chriſtian profeſſion, that by our holy and vnblameable liues we may gaine others to thy Kingdome. Let vsus exceed all others as much in ſpirituall graces, and in bringing foorth the fruits of new obedience, as we are preferred before them, through thy free grace in outward priuiledges, and in the gracious meanes of our ſaluation; and as thou doeſt continually ſow in our hearts the ſeed of thy Word, and water it with the dew of thine holy Spirit, ſo let vsus anſwerably grow in grace from one meaſure to another, till we come to a perfect age in Ieſus Chriſt. Do not only pardon graciouſly all our wants and weakneſſes, which either this day or heretofore we hauehave ſhewed in the duties of thy worſhip & ſeruice, but inable vsus for the time to come to performe them daily with more & more perfection; and grant that we may ſo ſanctifie thy Sabbaths heere vponupon earth, as that we may be aſſured that we ſhal keep an eternall Sabbath with thee in thy glorious Kingdom. Finally, we beſeech thee for thy Chriſt his ſake, to take vsus this night & euer into thy gracious protection, & therby preſerue vsus from all perils, and from the malice of all our enemies ſpirituall and temporall. Leaue vsus not now vntounto our ſelues, but ſtill aſſiſt vsus with thy grace & holy Spirit, that we may performe the duties of thy Sabbaths, which yet remaine in ſome good & acceptable maner. Seaſon our hearts with thoſe holy inſtructions and comforts, which thou haſt imparted vntounto vsus this day paſt, & make them faithful treaſuries of theſe precious Iewels. Let our minds, whilſt we are waking, be ſo wholy taken vp with heauenly Meditations, that euen our dreames may ſauour of them, & in our deepeſt ſleep, let our minds and ſoules watch & waite vponupon thee. Thou haſt ſowne good ſeed in our hearts: O let not the enemy ſteale it away, nor whilſt we ſleepe, ſow in them the malicious tares of euill and vaine thoughts and imaginations, and ſo hinder the growth thereof. GiueGive vsus quiet & moderate reſt, for the better refreſhing of our bodies & minds, that ſo to morrow we may be inabled to perform ſuch faithful ſeruice vntounto thee in the generall duties of Chriſtianity, & the ſpeciall duties of our callings, as may tend to thy glory and the euerlaſting ſaluation of our owne ſoules. And together with vsus, bleſſe thy whole Church and eueryevery member thereof, &c. And vouchſafe both to them & vsus, theſe and all other bleſſings which in thy wiſdome thou knoweſt needful, euen for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake: to whom with thee & thy bleſſed Spirit, we acknowledge to be due, & frō our hearts deſire to giuegive all glory and praiſe, both now & euermore. Amen.