A Guide to Godliness, Paraphrase of the Lords Prayer · Prayer 1
A priuate Prayer for the Morning.
O Lord our God, moſt glorious in maieſty, and omnipotent in power, who filleſt heauen and earth with thy preſence, and yet in a more ſpeciall manner vouchſafeſt to dwell with thoſe who are of a broken heart and contrite ſpirit, to heare and helpe them in all their neceſſities; I thy poore humble ſeruant, in the mediation of Ieſus Chriſt, doe make bold to approch into thy glorious and dreadfull preſence, that I may lay open before thee my wretched eſtate and condition, by reaſon of my manifold and grieuous ſinnes, and thoſe fearefull puniſhments, both temporall and eternall, vntounto which by their guilt they hauehave moſt iuſtly obliged mee. For though thou diddeſt create me holy and righteous, according vntounto thine owne Image, yet I hauehave falne from that ſtate of innocency and bleſſedneſſe, in the loynes of my firſt father Adam, and by beeing guilty of his ſinne, am become alſo liable to his puniſhment. And as I am partaker of his ſinne by imputation, as being one of his taynted poſterity, ſo alſo of the corruption of his nature by propagation, the which like a fretting leproſie, or running canker, hath wholy ouerſpred all the powers and parts of my ſoule and body, vtterly diſabling them vntounto all duties of thy ſeruice, and making them the ready inſtruments of ſinne and Satan. And whereas in their creation they were fit habitations for thine owne Maieſty to dwell in by thy Spirit, through this naturall corruption they became cages of vncleane birds, yea, noyſome ſinkes, exhaling and breathing out the lothſome ſent, and poyſonous vapours of carnall concupiſcence and filthy luſts. Mine vnderſtanding is ſo darkened with ignorance, that it is naturally vnacquainted with thy will and waies, and though it bee wiſe to euill, yet vntounto that which is good, I hauehave no knowledge; my carnall reaſon and wiſedome is enmity againſt thee, and vnderſtandeth not the things of thy Spirit, but ſo fooliſh it is, that it iudgeth them fooliſhneſſe. My iudgement is ſo corrupted, that it hath no ſpirituall diſcerning, being ready to miſtake euill for good, falſhood for truth, and wrong for right. My conſcience is either ſeared or ſuperſtitious, either ſenſeleſſe of ſinne, or ſcared with ſhadowes; my minde and imaginations are onelyonly and continually euill, rouing wholy after earthly things, and neuer minding ſpirituall and heauenly. My memory is become a ſtorehouſe of iniquity, with which it is ſo fully fraughted, that there is no roome for good inſtructions and the rich treaſures of thy ſauing Truth. My will is ſo corrupted, that it ſtandeth in flat oppoſition to thine holy will, approuing and chuſing that which thou diſlikeſt and condemneſt, and refuſing and abhorring that which thou likeſt and commandeſt. My heart is wholy turned from thee, and cleaueth to world and earthly vanities, and is full of infidelity, ſecurity and impenitency, hardned in ſinne, and vnflexible to all good. Mine affections are wholy corrupted and diſordred, louing, fearing and truſting in the creature more then in the Creator; and all the members and parts of my body are ſluggiſh and ſlothfull vntounto all duties of thy ſeruice, but the apt and ready inſtruments of my ſinfull ſoule for the acting of all manner of wickedneſſe. From which curſed fountaine of originall corruption, hauehave plentifully flowed thoſe poiſonous ſtreams of actuall tranſgreſſions, whereby I hauehave violated & broken thy whole Law in thought, word and deede. For in ſtead of doing thy Law, I hauehave wholy tranſgreſſed it; in ſtead of obſeruing the duties commanded, I hauehave committed the vices forbidden; in ſtead of continuing in obedience, I hauehave continually diſobeyed it, from my tender infancy to this preſent day. A great part of my time I hauehave lien ſtarke dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes, not being able to thinke a good thought, or entertayne a good deſire, becauſe both my minde and will were enſlaued vntounto Satan in the chaynes of ſin. And all this while my eares were deafe, mine eyes blinded, and my heart without vnderſtanding, ſo as I could neyther heare, ſee, nor diſcerne the things which concerned thy glory and mine owne ſaluation, but vtterly neglected thy many and gracious calls inuiting me to thy ſeruice. Yea, Lord, ſince the time that thou haſt, through thy mighty power, and of thy mere grace, quickned and rayſed me from this death of ſinne, how hauehave I, like Lazarus, come out of the graue bound hand and foote, and ſtill ſo fettred and hampred with the relikes of my corruptions, that I walke ſlowly and lamely in the wayes of thy Commandements, oftentimes neglecting, vponupon eueryevery ſlight occaſion, the duties of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, and oftentimes performing them with ſuch weakeneſſe and imperfection, as it is hard to ſay whether they were not better vndon, then ſo done? O how often doe I forget euen the mayne end for which I liue, namely, that by glorifying thee I may liue eternally; and as though I were a citizen of the earth, how hauehave I my conuerſation here, ſpending my thoughts and ſtrength about worldly vanities which profit not, and not ſo much as minding ſpirituall and heauenly things! How ſlowly (alas) do I come to the duties of thy ſeruice, who art ſo infinitely bountifull in thy rewards! How coldly & careleſly, how dully & drowzily, how irreuerently and negligently do I performe them! How ſoone am I weary of theſe holy exerciſes, and deſire to returne to my worldly imployments! How little ſweetneſſe doth my aguiſh taſte feele in thy louelove, though it be better then wine, and in feeding vponupon thy ſpirituall delicacies in thy banqueting-houſe, thy Word and Sacraments? How little delight hauehave I had in thy Sanctuary and Sabbaths, and how hauehave I conſecrated the leaſt part of them as an holy Reſt vntounto thee, and miſſpent the greateſt part in thinking mine owne thoughts, in thinking mine owne words, and doing mine owne workes? How much and often hauehave I abuſed thine holy ordinances, through my worldlineſſe and prophaneneſſe, and after that I hauehave long inioyed them, how little hauehave I profited by them? Mine heart is ſtill full of groſſe infidelity, which is the cauſe that I am not much raiſed and comforted with thy ſweet promiſes, nor deiected and humbled with thy terrible threatnings. It is full of impenitency, being vnapt to mourne for ſinnes paſt, or to reſolue vponupon amendment for the time to come. It is full of carnall ſecurity, making mee to apprehend no danger, when as I walke in the middeſt of pernicious ſnares, which are in eueryevery place laid in my way by my ſpirituall enemies, and to put the euill day farre from me, when as pulling it on with my ſins, it approcheth neere, and is ready to ſeaze vponupon me. It is much hardened through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne, cuſtome in ſinning depriuing mee of the ſenſe of it. There is much ſpirituall pride that lyeth lurking in it, which maketh me ready to arrogate the good things I hauehave not, to ouerweene thoſe I hauehave, and to attribute the praiſe of both vntounto my ſelfe, and ſo to rob thee of the glory of thine owne gifts. Hypocriſie alſo ſtill hangeth vponupon me, being ready, like a ſlie thiefe, to ſteale in, when I open the doore of mine heart, to let in any grace or religious duty. I am ſtill tainted and poyſoned with carnall ſelfe-louelove, which maketh mee oftentimes to incurre ſpirituall hurt and damage, whileſt I labour ouer-eagerly after worldly good, and earthly aduantage. Yea as hereby I am made apt to neglect my ſoule, for the ſeeming and preſent good of my body, defrauding it of all dues that belong vntounto it; ſo likewiſe the duties of righteouſneſſe and louelove which I owe to my neighbours, when as they are in my partiall affection ouer-ballanced with ſome worldly profit, pleaſure or preferment. O that my head were a fountaine of teares, that I might waſh my defiled body and ſoule in the floods of vnfained ſorrow! O that I could mourne for my ſinnes, as a man mourneth for his onelyonly ſonne, and be ſorry for them, as a man is ſorry for the death of his firſt-borne! O that I could looke vponupon him whom I hauehave pierced with bitter griefe, and be thorowly diſpleaſed with my ſelfe, becauſe I hauehave by my ſinnes ſo much diſpleaſed thee, who haſt been euer vntounto me ſo gracious a God, and ſo louing a Father! O that thou wouldeſt come downe and ſtrike my rocky heart, that out of it might flow wholeſome ſtreames of repentance! But alas, the filthy ſtaines and deepe dye of my ſinnes cannot bee waſhed cleane with theſe waters. It is onelyonly that Fountaine which thou haſt opened to the houſe of Dauid, and the inhabitants of Ieruſalem for ſinne and for vncleanneſſe, that is ſufficient to purge me from my ingrained filthineſſe. It is thoſe bloody ſtreames alone which ſo plentifully flowed out of my crucified Sauiour, that can clenſe me from all my ſins. And therefore (O Lord) for thy mercies ſake, and for thy Chriſts ſake, waſh my leprous body and ſoule in the ſtreames of this thy Iordan. Yea (Lord) ſeeing they are ſo deepely ſtained with the double double dye of imputed and inherent, originall and actuall ſinnes, that no ſlight and ordinary waſhing can purifie and reſtore them to their created cleanneſſe, multiply thy waſhings; drench and diue me thorowly in the ſtreames of this liuing Fountaine, that being cleanſed from my Scarlet and Crimſon ſinnes, both in reſpect of their guilt and puniſhment, I may become as white as Snow, and that no ſpot remaining of ſpirituall defilement, I may be iuſtified when thou iudgeſt, and ſtand righteous in thy ſight. And together with the ſtaine of ſinne, take away alſo the ſting of conſcience, and worke in it ſound and ſecure peace, by perſwading me, by the infallible teſtimony of thy Spirit, that my ſinnes are remitted, I reconciled through the death and ſatisfaction of thy Sonne, and that, of the child of wrath, and heire of perdition, I am now become thine owne child by adoption and grace. And to this end let me finde and feele it in mee, not only the Spirit of Adoption perſwading me of thy fatherly louelove, and ſealing me vp vntounto the Day of my Redemption, but alſo the Spirit of Sanctification, mortifying in me all my ſinfull corruptions, by applying vntounto mee the vertue of Chriſts death, and quickening mee in the inner man, vntounto holineſſe and newneſſe of life, by the power and efficacy of his Reſurrection. Let me put off, concerning the former conuerſation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitfull luſts; and being renewed in the ſpirit of my minde, let me put on the new man, which, after thine owne glorious Image, is created in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe. Let me continually keepe a narrow watch ouer my ſelfe, that I bee not againe intangled in the ſnares of the diuell, nor circumuented and miſ-led through the deceitfulneſſe of my corrupt fleſh, but being freed from ſinne, let me now become the ſeruant of righteouſneſſe. Let mee make conſcience of all my wayes, and ſhunne not onelyonly open and notorious, but alſo ſecret ſinnes, yea, all the occaſions of euill, and hate euen the garment which is ſpotted of the fleſh. Let mee put on daily the whole armour of God, that being weake in my ſelfe, I may bee ſtrong in thee, and in the power of thy might, and bee inabled to withſtand the wiles of the diuell, and reſiſt all tentations in the euill Day; praying alwayes with all prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perſeuerance. Weane mine heart and affections more and more from the louelove of the world and earthly vanities, and being a pilgrim on earth, let my conuerſation be in heauen, from whence I expect a Sauiour and Redeemer. Begin, and worke in me all ſpirituall gifts and ſauing graces which yet are wanting, and daily increaſe and confirme thoſe that are begun; and let me daily bring foorth the fruits of them all, throughout my whole life and conuerſation in new obedience, labouring to performe vntounto thee faithfull ſeruice in all my thoughts, words and deeds. Let me delight in the wayes of thy Commandements, and performe all the duties of holineſſe, righteouſneſſe and ſobriety, with all cheerfulneſſe and inward ioy. Let me daily ſeeke thy face and fauour aboue all things, and reioyce in nothing ſo much, as in the aſſurance of thy louelove, and when the light of thy countenance ſhineth vponupon mee. Remooue out of my way, all lets and impediments, which might hinder me in my Chriſtian courſe, or ſo aſſiſt mee with thy grace, that I may ouercome them. Stabliſh me with thy free Spirit, that I may not onelyonly begin well, but alſo continue in all grace and goodneſſe vntounto the very end of my life, and let me be ſtedfaſt, vnmoueable, and alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord. And with theſe my prayers and ſupplications, I doe alſo ioyne my praiſes and thankeſgiuing, lauding and magnifying thy great and glorious Name, for thine ineſtimable louelove, and the fruits and teſtimonies thereof ſhewed vntounto me, euen from before all beginnings vntounto this preſent day. For that thou haſt, of thy free grace, choſen mee to life and ſaluation, created mee after thine owne ſimilitude and likeneſſe, in wiſedome, holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, redeemed me at ſo deare a price, out of the miſerable bondage of my ſpirituall enemies, effectually called mee, by the ſound of the Goſpell, to the knowledge of thy truth, vnited me vntounto Chriſt by thy Spirit and a liuely faith, and made me partaker of all his benefits; for my iuſtification by his righteouſneſſe and obedience, and for ſome degrees of ſanctification begun in mee, whereby thou haſt ſubdued the power of ſinne, that though it dwelleth, yet it doth not raigne in me, and haſt wrought in me ſome deſire, reſolution and indeuour to ſerue and pleaſe thee. For that thou haſt watched ouer me with thy prouidence, in the whole courſe of my life, and namely, this night paſt, and haſt thereby preſerued mee from all perils; from the terrours of the night, and the malice of mine enemies, and haſt refreſhed me with quiet reſt, and now raiſed me vp in the ſtrength thereof to doe thee ſeruice. O Lord, inlarge my heart, that I may duly conſider of thy manifold and rich mercies, and bee thorowly inflamed with the apprehenſion of thy louelove. What am I (my God) that thou ſhouldeſt be thus gracious vntounto mee, who am altogether leſſe then the leaſt of thy mercies, yea worthy of thy greateſt puniſhments! O that I could louelove and praiſe thee according to thy bounty and goodneſſe! And being ſo poore, that I hauehave nothing to repay; and thou ſo rich, that thou neither needeſt, nor requireſt any thing elſe; O that I could euer remaine a gratefull debter, hauing mine heart filled with thankfulneſſe, and my mouth with thankeſgiuing! And now (Lord) I further beſeech thee, to continue ſtill my God and guide, to direct, leade and vphold mee in all the wayes of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe. Take mee into thy gracious protection this day and euer, and watch ſo ouer mee with thy all-ruling prouidence, that I may be preſerued ſafe from all enemies, worldly and ſpirituall, and from thoſe manifold dangers which incompaſſe mee on eueryevery ſide. GiueGive mee grace ſo to ſpend this day, that ſome glory may redound vntounto thee by my ſeruice, ſome profit and benefit vntounto thoſe with whom I liue, and ſome further aſſurance vntounto my ſelfe (from the increaſe of ſauing graces diſcerned in mee, and ſpirituall ſtrength in all good duties) of my ſaluation and eternall happineſſe. Order and gouerne all my thoughts, that they may be religious and honeſt; my ſpeeches, that they may bee wiſe, and ſeaſoned with grace, and all my workes and actions for the well performing both of the generall duties of Chriſtianity, and the ſpeciall duties of my calling, bleſſing ſo all my labours, that I may be cheered and comforted in them by my proſperous ſucceſſe in all my good indeuours. Supply vntounto mee all temporall bleſſings, and the neceſſary comforts of this life, and let mee liue at thy finding, and receiue whatſoeuer I inioy, as the gifts of thine owne hand, and pledges of thy louelove, that I may returne the praiſe which is due vntounto thee for them, and vſe them as helpes to further mee in all duties of thy ſeruice. Finally, I beſeech thee, good Lord, to vouchſafe theſe and all other benefits, not onelyonly vntounto mee, but alſo to thy whole Church and eueryevery particular member thereof, eſpecially to this in which I liue. Multiply thy fauours vponupon our Soueraigne Lord the King, our noble Prince, the Prince Electour Palatine, and the Lady Elizabeth his wife, with their iſſue; vponupon the honourable Lords of the Priuie Councell, the Magiſtrates and Miniſters of thy Word and Sacraments, the afflicted members of Ieſus Chriſt, my friends and benefactours, kindred and acquaintance, and eſpecially vponupon this whole family; giuing vntounto vsus all grace, that wee may keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; and ſo ioyne together with our hearts and minds in all duties of thy ſeruice, as that we may ioyntly inherit that eternall happineſſe of thy Kingdome, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord; to whom with thee and thine holy Spirit, bee rendred all glory and praiſe, might, Maieſty, and Dominion, both now and euermore. Amen.