A Guide to Godliness, Paraphrase of the Lords Prayer · Prayer 11 – Prayer 12
A Prayer for the Sicke.
MOſt glorious and mighty God, who are righteous in all thy wayes, and holy in all thy workes; moſt iuſt in all thy Iudgements, and infinitely gracious, and mercifull towards thy children in Ieſus Chriſt, euen in thy chaſtizements and Fatherly corrections; who art the Author of health and ſickneſſe, and haſt in thy hand the iſſues of life & death. For as much as thou haſt commanded vsus to call vponupon thee, as at all times, ſo eſpecially in the time of trouble and affliction, and haſt encouraged vsus hereunto by thy moſt gracious promiſe, that thou wilt heare and helpe vsus, that being deliuered, we may glorifie thee. We thy poore humble ſeruants, in obedience vntounto this thy Commandement, and in confidence of this thy promiſe, doe here in the Name and mediation of Ieſus Chriſt, humbly proſtrate our ſelues before thee, acknowledging and bewayling our manifold and grieuous ſinnes. For we were not onelyonly conceiued and borne in ſinne, and thereby ſo defiled in all the powers and parts of our ſoules and bodies, that wee hauehave beene diſabled vntounto all good duties, and made prone to all wickedneſſe; but wee hauehave alſo from this bitter roote of originall corruption, brought forth continually thoſe curſed fruits of actuall tranſgreſſions, by breaking all and eueryevery of thy Commandements in thought, word and deede, from the beginning of our liues, vntounto this preſent houre: And that not onelyonly in the dayes of our ignorance, whileſt we continued the vaſſals of Satan, and when as ſinne raigned and ruled in vsus, and wee performed vntounto it voluntarie and cheerefull obedience, as vntounto our King and Soueraigne; but euen ſince thou haſt graciouſly called vsus out of the kingdome of darkeneſſe, and haſt wrought in our hearts ſome deſires to ſerue thee: we hauehave often rebelled againſt thee, and for the baſe hire of worldly trifles, hauehave beene allured to commit many ſinnes, not onelyonly through frailty and infirmity, but euen againſt our knowledge and conſciences; contrarie to our generall vow in Baptiſme, and many ſpeciall promiſes which wee hauehave made vntounto thee vponupon ſundry occaſions. And although thou haſt giuen vntounto vsus our Beeing, and preſerued vsus in it by thy ſpeciall and good prouidence, and haſt redeemed vsus by the death of thy deare Sonne, out of the hands of all our ſpirituall enemies, that wee might worſhip and ſerue thee, in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the dayes of our liues; yet, Lord, wee humbly confeſſe, that wee hauehave beene too too forgetfull of theſe ineſtimable mercies, neglected the duties of thy ſeruice, and ſpent the greateſt part of our liues in purſuing worldly vanities. Theſe, theſe (deare Father) hauehave beene for the moſt part the ſubiect of our thoughts, the obiect of our deſires, and the chiefe markes, at which we hauehave aymed in our moſt earneſt indeuours. And ſo hauehave wee in our vnderſtandings minded earthly things, in our hearts affected them with ſuch longing deſires, and with all our ſtrength purſued them in all our workes and actions, as though we had no better hopes, and had forgotten that we are pilgrims on earth, and Citizens of heauen. As for the duties of thy ſeruice, we hauehave often, through this eager purſuit of worldly vanities, forgotten and neglected them; and often hauehave performed them with much coldneſſe and formality, weakneſſe and wearineſſe, dulneſſe and drowzineſſe of heart and ſpirit, whileſt our minds and affections hauehave been diſtracted and carryed away, and our deuotion and zeale cooled and quenched, by our ouer-much minding and louing of earthly things. And though thou haſt allured vsus to performe vntounto thee more ſincere and cheerfull ſeruice, by promiſing to giuegive vsus the rich wages, and free reward of heauenly happineſſe; yea for the preſent haſt incouraged vsus hereunto, by multiplying vponupon vsus many temporall bleſſings; as health, ſtrength, peace, plenty, food, apparell, and ſuch like: yet wee hauehave abuſed theſe benefits, by taking occaſion thereby to goe on in our ſinnes with greater ſecurity, and hauehave been made by them more negligent in thy ſeruice. And therefore (O Lord) it were iuſt with thee, if thou ſhouldeſt depriue vsus of them all, turning our ſtrength into weakneſſe, our health into ſickneſſe, and all our peace and comfort into tortures of body, and troubles of mind. But (deare Father) deale with vsus, not according to our deſerts, but according to thy wonted mercies in Ieſus Chriſt. And ſeeing the end of thy chaſtiſements is not deſtruction, but ſaluation; not to puniſh our ſinnes, for which thy Sonne hath fully ſatisfied thy Iuſtice by his all-ſufficient ſufferings; but to bring vsus to repentance: we moſt humbly beſeech thee, to giuegive vntounto vsus a true ſight and ſenſe of them, vnfained ſorrow, and a perfect hatred of them, and a full reſolution to leaue and forſake them for the time to come, and to ſerue thee in the contrary duties of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the dayes of our liues. And thus returning vntounto thee by vnfained repentance (O Lord) we beſeech thee turne vntounto vsus, and be reconciled vntounto vsus in Ieſus Chriſt. Forget and forgiue our manifold and grieuous ſinnes, whether of omiſſion or commiſſion; of frailty and infirmity: or thoſe which wee hauehave wittingly and willingly falne into; and waſh them all away in the blood of thy Son, that they may neuer be imputed vntounto vsus, either in this world, or in the world to come. Seale alſo our pardon vntounto vsus in our hearts and conſciences, by the gracious teſtimony of thy holy Spirit, and thereby ſanctifie vsus thorow-out in our ſoules and bodies, that being freed from the guilt, puniſhment, and corruption of all our ſinnes, we may be found vnblameable and without ſpot in the Day of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Repleniſh our empty ſoules with all ſanctifying and ſauing graces, and ſtrengthen vsus vntounto the performance of all Chriſtian and holy duties, with all zeale, cheerfulneſſe and vprightneſſe of heart. More eſpecially, we humbly intreat thee to extend thy grace and fauour vntounto this thy ſicke ſeruant, and ſanctifie this thy fatherly chaſtiſement vntounto him, that it may be an effectuall meanes of increaſing his ſanctification, and furthering his eternall ſaluation. And ſeeing by ſickneſſe, thou putteſt vsus in mind of our approching end, and by death, ſummoneſt vsus to appeare before thee in Iudgement: O Lord, giuegive him grace, to prepare himſelfe againſt the day of death, that he may be ready to render vp his accounts, when thou ſhalt call him to giuegive vp his reckoning, and ſo with ioy and cheerfulneſſe may commend his ſoule and body vntounto thee, as into the hands of a faithfull Sauiour, who wilt crowne them both with ioy and glory. Let him continually indeuour to ſuppreſſe the power of death, and to take away the ſting of it, by mortifying the fleſh, and the luſts thereof. GiueGive him grace to renew his couenant with thee, by renewing the condition of it, which is, imbracing thy promiſes by a liuely faith, and bringing forth the fruits thereof by vnfained repentance. Let him confeſſe his ſinnes, bewaile and forſake them, reſoluing to amend his life, if thou ſhalt prolong his dayes. Comfort him with the comforts of thy Spirit, and as his bodily griefes abound, ſo let thy conſolations abound and exceed them. GiueGive him patience to indure what thou inflicteſt, and tempt him not aboue his power, but either leſſen his griefes, or increaſe his ſtrength. Moderate and mitigate his bodily paines, with the inward feelings of thy louelove, peace of conſcience, and ioy in the holy Ghoſt. If it will ſtand with thy glory, and his ſaluation, prolong his dayes, and reſtore his health, that he may yet againe praiſe thee, as for all thy mercies, ſo eſpecially for his recouery; and bleſſe vntounto him all meanes of phyſick and dyet, which are fit for this purpoſe. And being raiſed from his bed of ſickneſſe, giuegive vntounto him a right vſe both of thy fatherly chaſtiſements, and of thy gracious deliuerance; that by the one, he may be moued to feare thee, and to hate ſinne, hauing taſted the bitter fruits of it; and by the other, to louelove and glorifie thee, who haſt heard his prayer in the day of his tribulation, and by them both, to ſerue thee with greater zeale, and with more earneſt indeuour then euer heeretofore. Heare vsus, deare Father, and anſwere vsus graciouſly in theſe our ſuits, euen for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake; to whom with thee and the holy Spirit, wee acknowledge to be due, and deſire to giuegive all glory, praiſe and thankeſgiuing, both now and for euermore. Amen.
But if the ſicke party be a child, and ſo not capable of the outward and ordinary meanes of ſaluation, then pray for him after this manner:
MOre eſpecially, we humbly intreat thee, to extend thy grace and fauour vntounto this thy ſick ſeruant; and ſeeing thou art not onelyonly the God of the faithfull, but alſo of their ſeed, and loueſt and tendreſt not onelyonly the ſheepe of Chriſt, but euen the tender lambes; wee earneſtly beſeech thee, make good thy gracious Couenant with this thy weake and ſicke ſeruant. And becauſe hee is not capable of outward meanes, ſupply graciouſly the defect of them by thine holy Spirit. Vnite him thereby vntounto Ieſus Chriſt, that becomming a liuely member of his body, he may be made partaker of his righteouſneſſe, death and obedience, for his iuſtification, and ſo hee may ſtand righteous in thy ſight. Free him from the guilt and puniſhment of all his ſinnes, and ſanctifie him in his ſoule and body, that either he may bee fit to glorifie thee on earth, or to be glorified by thee in heauen. If it bee thy bleſſed will, reſtore him to his health and ſtrength againe, that he may liue to be a comfort vntounto his friends, and a profitable inſtrument to ſet foorth thy glory in the Church and Common-wealth; but if thou art purpoſed to put an end to his dayes, ſo fit and prepare him for thy Kingdome, as that he may liue with thee eternally in glory and immortality, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.
If the party be irrecouerably ſicke, or ready to depart out of this world, then we may, in ſtead of praying for his reſtoring to health, make, in his behalfe, theſe following petitions:
ANd ſeeing (O Lord) thou haſt ſmitten thy ſicke ſeruant (as wee conceiue) irrecouerably, and doeſt now purpoſe to put an end vntounto the dayes of his pilgrimage; we moſt humbly beſeech thee, to prepare him for thine owne Kingdome. Weane his mind and affections from the world and earthly vanities, where he is but a ſtranger, and fix them wholly vponupon ſpirituall and heauenly things, as it becommeth a Citizen of thy Kingdome. Let him earneſtly deſire to bee diſſolued and to be with Chriſt, ſeeing that is beſt of all, and let him long after the viſion and fruition of thee, in whoſe preſence is fulneſſe of ioy for euermore. To this end (O Lord) reueale thy ſelfe vntounto him more cleerly then euer heretofore, that ſeeing thy beauty, goodneſſe and excellency, his heart may be thorowly inflamed with thy louelove. GiueGive him, euen whileſt hee liueth, an entrance into thy Kingdome, not onelyonly by the aſſurance of faith and hope, but alſo by letting him hauehave a liuely taſte of thoſe heauenly ioyes, which thou haſt prepared for him. Moderate his griefes and paines, that they may not hinder his ſoule from mounting aloft in diuine contemplations; and ſecretly whiſper vntounto his heart ſweet comforts by thy Spirit, when as he is, through weakneſſe, inſenſible of outward conſolations. Inflame his heart with feruent louelove towards thee and his brethren; yea euen his enemies for thy ſake, that he may bee aſſured, that his ſinnes are forgiuen of thee; becauſe thou giueſt him grace to forgiue all men. Strengthen him againſt the tentations of all his ſpirituall enemies, and manifeſt thy power in his weakneſſe, by giuing vntounto him a full and finall victory ouer them. Fruſtrate the malice of Satan, defeat his policies, and confound his power, that he may not preuaile againſt him in this laſt conflict. Arme him againſt the feare of thy wrath and ſeuere iuſtice, by aſſuring him that Chriſt hath appeaſed the one, and ſatisfied the other. Comfort him againſt the feare of death, by perſwading him, that Chriſts death hath ſwallowed it in victory, pulled out the ſting thereof, and made it harmeleſſe; yea exceeding profitable, as ſeruing now for a paſſage to glory and happineſſe; and by ſtrengthening him, to apply vntounto himſelfe theſe conſolations, by a liuely faith. Weane his heart from worldly cares, that they may bee no diſtractions to hinder him in his heauenly iourney; and let the aſſurance, and taſte of immortall ioyes, take away all lothneſſe to leaue earthly comforts. Set a guard of thy bleſſed Angels about him, and let them ſerue as thy Meſſengers and Miniſters, to conuey his ſoule, as ſoone as it is ſeparated from his body, into thy Kingdome, that it may bee there crowned with glory and immortality. Finally, wee beſeech thee, giuegive vsus all heere preſent, an holy vſe of theſe examples of our mortality, that thereby our hearts being weaned from the world, wee may make it our chiefe buſineſſe to prepare our ſelues againſt the day of death and Iudgement, that ſo wee may with ioy and comfort appeare before thee, when thou ſhalt bee pleaſed to call vsus to giuegive vntounto thee an account of our Stewardſhip. Heare vsus, we beſeech thee, in theſe our ſuits and ſupplications, for thy Sonne, and our Sauiour, Ieſus Chriſt his ſake; to whom with thee, and thy holy Spirit, be aſcribed all glory and praiſe, power and dominion, both now and for euermore. Amen.
A Prayer for Children.
O Almighty God, and my moſt gracious Father in Ieſus Chriſt, I humbly confeſſe, that I am a moſt wretched ſinner, and altogether vnworthy to bee in the Couenant of grace and ſaluation: For I was not onelyonly conceiued and borne in ſinne and corruption, whereby thy glorious Image was defaced in me; but I hauehave added thereunto many actuall ſinnes, by breaking thy Commandements, in thought, word and deed; whereby I hauehave deſerued thy iuſt anger in this life, and eternall death in the world to come. But ſeeing thou haſt vouchſafed to receiue me into thy Couenant, of thy free mercy, giuing me the ſigne thereof, the Sacrament of Baptiſme; and haſt ſent thy Sonne Ieſus Chriſt to dye for, and by his death to redeeme the young as well as the old; I beſeech thee, for his ſake, to pardon all my ſinnes, and to waſh them all away in his moſt precious blood; to receiue me into thy louelove and fauour, and to make mee thine owne child by adoption and grace. GiueGive me thine holy Spirit to ſanctifie, rule and gouerne me; that according to my age and ſmall ability, I may labour to ſerue thee. Make me daily to increaſe in grace, as I increaſe in yeeres; inlighten my mind with the knowledge of thee, and my Sauiour Chriſt and his truth. Sow in me the ſeeds of faith, and let it ſhew it ſelfe aſſoone as I am capable thereof, in repentance and true obedience. Make mee louing, dutifull and awfull to my Parents and Gouernours, and let mee learne by obeying them in my tender youth, to obey thee in my riper age. GiueGive me grace to hearken to their good admonitions and inſtructions, and to profit and amend by their reproofes and chaſtiſements. Make me humble, courteous and meeke, modeſt and ſober, diligent to pleaſe in all good things, and vertuous in my whole courſe of life, that ſo I may increaſe in fauour with thee and all good men. And as I beg theſe benefits at thy hands, ſo I yeeld vntounto thee all humble and hearty thankes and praiſe, for all benefits, both ſpirituall and temporall vouchſafed vntounto me; and namely, for that it hath pleaſed thee to giuegive mee quiet reſt and ſleepe this night paſt, and haſt ſafely preſerued mee from all perils and dangers to which my fraile life is daily ſubiect. Continue (O Lord) thy louelove and fauour towards mee for euer; and eſpecially this day take mee into thy fatherly protection; preſerue mee from ſinne and perill, and grant, that being diligent and induſtrious in learning ſuch good things as are taught me, I may increaſe in knowledge, and profit by inſtruction, in ſuch vertues and good qualities, as are fit for me. O Lord, bleſſe and preſerue my father and mother, my brethren and ſiſters, with all other my kindred and friends, together with thy whole Church: and grant that we may liue in thy fauour, dye in thy faith, and after death inherit the ioyes of thine euerlaſting Kingdome, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord: to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit, be all honour and glory, both now, and for euermore.
Amen.
FINIS.