A Guide to Godliness, Paraphrase of the Lords Prayer · Prayer 9
A Prayer before receiuing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
O Lord our God, who art infinite in goodneſſe, grace, and mercy; moſt true in all thy promiſes, and moſt iuſt and powerfull in performance; thou haſt, when we were ſtrangers and enemies, ſubiect to the curſe of the Law, and liable to thy wrath, by reaſon of our manifold and grieuous ſinnes, and vtterly vnable to free our ſelues out of the ſtate of death and condemnation, giuen vntounto vsus thine onelyonly and deare Sonne, to worke the great worke of our Redemption, by his perfect ſatisfaction, death, and obedience. By whom, thy Iuſtice being fully ſatisfied, and thy wrath appeaſed, thou haſt made with vsus in him thy Couenant of grace, wherein thou haſt promiſed the free pardon of our ſinnes, and the ſaluation of our ſoules, grace in this life, and glory and happineſſe in the life to come, vponupon the alone condition of faith, laying hold vponupon Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe, and bringing forth the fruits thereof in hearty repentance and amendment of life. The which, though it be in it ſelfe of moſt infallible truth, yet hauing reſpect to our weakeneſſe, doubting, and infidelity, thou haſt beene graciouſly pleaſed to confirme it vntounto vsus, by adding thereunto thy Seales, the Sacraments. So that nothing hath beene wanting on thy part, either for the perfecting the great worke of our Redemption, or the effectuall applying of it vntounto vsus for our vſe and benefit. But (O Lord) wee humbly confeſſe, that as wee hauehave ſhamefully broken the Couenant of workes, by fayling in the condition of perfect obedience; and hauehave made voyd thy promiſes of life and happineſſe, by our grieuous and innumerable ſinnes, both originall and actuall; ſo alſo, as much as in vsus lyeth, wee hauehave depriued our ſelues of the benefits which thou offereſt vntounto vsus in the new Couenant of grace in Ieſus Chriſt, by our manifold faylings, wants, and imperfections in performing our promiſes made vntounto thee, if thou ſhouldeſt looke to the perfection of our graces and outward actions, and not vntounto the inward truth and ſincerity of our hearts. For wee hauehave not thorowly acquainted our ſelues with the knowledge of thy ſauing truth, concerning this great myſtery of our ſaluation, nor ſearched and examined theſe ſpirituall Euidences, for the cleere vnderſtanding of them; and much leſſe for the bringing of them home to our hearts and conſciences, that in them we might hauehave ſound peace and comfort in the aſſurance of thy louelove and our owne ſaluation. Our faith hath beene exceeding weake in apprehending and applying Chriſt and thy gracious promiſes made in him; and wee too too negligent in vſing thoſe bleſſed meanes which thou haſt graciouſly affoorded vsus, for the ſtrengthening of it. For we hauehave not onelyonly beene exceeding negligent in hearing, reading, and meditating in thy Word, the great Charter of our peace, which containeth in it all our ſpirituall and heauenly priuiledges; but alſo in making right vſe of thy Seales, the Sacraments, annexed vntounto it, eſpecially this of our Lords Supper, which thou haſt ordained for the ſpirituall food of our ſoules, to nouriſh them vntounto euerlaſting life. Wee hauehave not highly eſteemed of this holy banquet, but hauehave often pretended excuſes, and abſented our ſelues, when as thou haſt graciouſly inuited vsus vntounto it. Wee hauehave not hungred and thirſted after this heauenly Manna and waters of life; but with cloyed appetites hauehave careleſly neglected them, when as they hauehave been ſet before vsus. And when we hauehave preſented our ſelues at this holy feaſt, we hauehave come to thy Table, after a cold, careleſſe and formall manner, without all due preparation, and hauehave performed this holy action with prophane and vnwaſhen hands, more for cuſtome then for conſcience ſake. Wee hauehave come in much ignorance of thee and thy truth, thy gracious Couenant, and the Seales annexed vntounto it; and that little knowledge wee hauehave had, hath beene more in our heads, then in our hearts and affections, in idle ſpeculation, then in vſe and practice. Wee hauehave not rightly diſcerned the body of our Lord, nor put that difference which wee ought, betweene theſe elements conſecrated to this holy ſeruice, and thoſe which are for common vſe. We hauehave not duly conſidered, as became vsus, the relation betweene the ſignes and the things ſignified, but hauehave too much ſtucke in the outward elements and actions, not looking to the ſpirituall graces ſignified and ſealed by them. We hauehave not approoued our ſelues as worthy gheſts, by renewing carefully and conſcionably our faith and repentance, but hauehave preſented our ſelues before thee with much infidelity and great impenitencie; though, ſince our laſt comming to thine holy Table, we hauehave often renewed our ſinnes; neither hauehave we brought foorth ſuch plentifull fruits of charity towards our brethren for thy ſake, as thou requireſt, and as it becommeth the true members of Ieſus Chriſt, either by liberall giuing vntounto thoſe that want, or free forgiuing thoſe who hauehave offended vsus. Wee hauehave not ſhewed our Sauiours death in this holy action, nor thankefully remembred the great worke of our Redemption, by his precious death and blood-ſhed. And though wee hauehave profeſſed our ſelues thy ſeruants by wearing thy liuery, yet wee hauehave not indeuoured to walke worthy this high calling, by glorifying thee our Lord and Maſter. O Lord our God, ſhame and confuſion couereth our faces, not onelyonly in the ſight and ſenſe of our manifold and grieuous ſinnes, both originall and actuall, but alſo of our great imperfections and corruptions, which wee ſhew in the beſt duties of thy worſhip and ſeruice. Wee confeſſe, holy Father, that if thou ſhouldeſt enter into iudgement with vsus, and deale with vsus according to our deſerts, thou mighteſt iuſtly make voyd thy Couenant with vsus, depriue vsus of theſe meanes of our ſaluation, or elſe make them vneffectuall and of no vſe vntounto vsus whileſt wee inioy them. But ſeeing wee are heartily ſorry for our ſinnes, and not onelyonly vnfainedly bewaile our imperfections, but alſo deſire and labour after more perfection, promiſing for the time to come, that wee will more carefully vſe all good meanes, whereby wee may bee inabled to performe all duties of thy ſeruice in a more perfect manner; Good Lord, wee moſt humbly beſeech thee, for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake, to pardon graciouſly all our wants and weakeneſſes, to accept, according to thy gracious promiſes, our will, for the deed; our poore indeuours, for perfect performance, and to couer all our imperfections, vvith Chriſts perfect righteouſneſſe and obedience, and to waſh away all our corruptions in his moſt precious Blood. And ſeeing wee doe now againe intend to performe the holy duties of thy ſeruice, in hearing thy Word, Prayer, and receiuing of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: Good Lord, wee earneſtly beſeech thee, for thy Sonnes ſake, to aſſiſt vsus ſo with thy grace and holy Spirit, as that wee may performe theſe actions of thy ſeruice, in ſome good and acceptable manner, for the aduancement of thy glory, the comfort of our ſoules, and the furthering and aſſuring of our owne ſaluation. More eſpecially, wee-intreate thee to inable vsus with thy grace, that wee may bee duely prepared, and come as worthy gheſts to thy Table. GiueGive vsus a liuely ſight and ſenſe of our ſinnes and imperfections, wants and weakeneſſes, and let vsus hunger and thirſt after Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe; and after the ſpirituall food of his Body and Blood, for the nouriſhment of our ſoules vntounto eternall life. Let vsus not coldly and formally performe this high and holy dutie, but bend all the powers of our ſoules to the doing of it, in ſome ſuch manner as may bee acceptable in thy ſight. Inlighten our mindes more and more with the ſauing knowledge of thee and thy truth, and eſpecially of the great worke of our Redemption, and thine infinite louelove ſhining in it, of the Couenant of grace, and Seales annexed vntounto it; and let not this knowledge reſide onelyonly in our vnderſtandings, but let it alſo deſcend into our hearts, that it may bee profitable for their ſanctification. Inable vsus rightly to diſcerne our Lords Body, and feelingly to vnderſtand the relation betweene the Signes and the things ſignified, applying both vntounto our ſelues in their right vſe. To this end indue vsus with a true and liuely faith, that wee may not onelyonly receiue the outward Elements, but alſo may inwardly feed vponupon the precious Body and Blood of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, that thereby wee may be inriched with all ſauing graces, ſtrengthened vntounto all good duties, and nouriſhed vntounto euerlaſting life. Inable vsus alſo to bring foorth the fruits of this faith in vnfained repentance, bewayling our ſinnes paſt, hating thoſe corruptions which ſtill hang vponupon vsus, and reſoluing to leaue them for the time to come, and to ſerue thee in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the dayes of our liues. And as wee hauehave daily renewed our ſinnes, ſo giuegive vsus now grace, that wee may renew our faith and repentance, bathing our ſoules and bodies afreſh, euen in the Fountaine of Chriſts precious Blood, and in the teares of vnfained ſorrow, mourning with bitter griefe, becauſe wee hauehave pierced him with our ſinnes, and cauſed the Lord of life to bee put vntounto a ſhamefull death. Inflame our hearts with moſt feruent louelove towards thee and our neighbours, yea, euen our enemies for thy ſake, and lincke our hearts together in an holy Communion, as it becommeth the true members of Ieſus Chriſt. Let vsus alſo approoue our louelove to bee ſound and ſincere, by the fruits of it, and eſpecially, by forgiuing and forgetting all our wrongs and iniuries, as heartily as wee deſire to bee forgiuen of thee, and by performing all workes of mercy and Chriſtian charity, towards all thoſe who neede our helpe; not onelyonly by comforting and refreſhing their bodies, but alſo by performing all Chriſtian duties for the eternall ſaluation of their ſoules. And being thus prepared, let vsus, when we come to thy Table, performe that dutie of thy ſeruice in ſome good and acceptable manner, with all reuerence, faith and inward feruencie and deuotion. Let vsus with the outward ſignes receiue the things ſignified, Ieſus Chriſt and all his benefits; that being more and more vnited vntounto him, we may receiue from him the Spirituall life of Grace, and thoſe holy vertues of his diuine nature, that we may grow vp in him vntounto a perfect man. Let vsus bring with vsus the hand and mouth of faith; and let it be more and more ſtrengthened in the aſſurance of all thy gracious promiſes, by theſe ſeales of thy couenant communicated vntounto vsus. Make vsus partakers of Chriſts merits, by imputation of his nature and eſſence by coniunction, and of his power and efficacy by thy holy Spirit; and let vsus ſhew his death till he come, gratefully remembring this great worke of our Redemption by his bloud, that we may be thankfull, and prayſe thee the bleſſed Trinity in vnity, all the dayes of our liues. Finally, as we doe by theſe meanes profeſſe our ſelues thy ſeruants in taking vponupon vsus thy liuery and cognizance, ſo giuegive vsus grace, that we may conſtantly ſtriue and indeuour to walke worthy this high calling, and to glorifie thee in the duties of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, whileſt we hauehave any breath or beeing. Heare vsus and helpe vsus, O God of our ſaluation, and anſwer vsus graciuſly in theſe our ſuits and petitions, for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake; to whom with thee and thine holy Spirit, be rendred of vsus and thy whole Church, all glory and prayſe, power and dominion, both now and euermore. Amen.