The Exaltation of the Soul, Prayer 94
A Prayer for the Morning.
O Most mighty and gracious God, full of incomprehensible Power and Majesty, whose glory the very Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain; look down from Heaven upon me thy unworthy servant, who here prostrate my self at the footstool of thy Throne of grace, not as I am in my self, but look upon me, O Father, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, thy beloved Son, in whom thou art well pleased, for of my self I am not able to stand in thy presence, or to speak with my unclean lips to so holy a God as thou art; for thou knowest that in sin I was conceived and born, and that I have lived ever since in iniquity, so that I have broken all thy holy Laws and Commandments, by sinful motions, unclean thoughts, evil words, and wicked works, omitting many of those duties of piety which thou requirest for thy service, and committing many of those vices which thou under the penalty of thy displeasure hast forbidden; here thou mayest confess to God thy secret sins, which most burden thy conscience, with the circumstances of the time, place, person, and the manner how it is committed, saying, but more especially, I do here with grief of heart confess unto thee, for these my sins, O Lord, I stand guilty of thy curse, with all the miseries of this life, and the life to come, namely, everlasting torment in Hell fire, when this wretched life is ended. If thou shouldest deal with me according to my deserts; yea Lord, I confess thy goodness which endureth for ever is the cause I have not been long ago consumed and confounded, but with thee, O Lord, there is mercy and plenteous redemption; in the multitude therefore of thy mercies, and confidence in Christs merits, I intreat thy Divine Majesty, that thou wouldest not enter into judgment with thy servant, neither be extream to mark what I have hitherto done amiss; for if thou dost, then no flesh can be justified in thy sight, nor any living stand in thy presence; but be thou merciful unto me, and wash away all the uncleanness of my sins, in the merits of that precious blood which Jesus Christ hath shed for me; and seeing that he hath born the burden of that curse, which was due for my transgression, O Lord, deliver me from my sins, and from all those Judgments which hang over my head as due unto me for them, and separate them as far from thy presence, as the East is from the West; bury them in the burial of Christ, that they may never rise up in this world to shame me, nor in the world to come to condemn me. And I beseech thee, O Lord, not only to wash away my sins with the blood of thy Immaculate Lamb, but also to purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit from the dross of my natural corruptions, that I may feel thy Spirit more and more killing my sins in the power and practice thereof, so that I may with more freedom of mind, and liberty of will, serve thee the ever living God, in Righteousness and true Holiness this day, and give me grace, that by the direction and assistance of thy Holy Spirit, I may persevere to be thy faithful and unfeigned servant unto my lifes end, and when this mortal life is ended, I may be made partaker of immortality, and everlasting happiness in thy heavenly Kingdom. In the mean time, O Lord, whilst it is thy blessed will and pleasure, that I may continue to spend and end that small number and remnant of my daies, that I may apply my heart to wisdom; and as thou dost add daies to my life, so I beseech thee to add repentance and amendment to my sinful daies, that as I grow in years, I may grow in grace and favour with thee, and all thy people; and to this end, give unto me a supply of all those graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me, and necessary for me, with an increase of all those good gifts wherewith thou hast already endowed me, that so I may be the better enabled to lead such a godly life, and an honest conversation, as that thy Name may thereby be glorified, others may take good example by me, and my soul may cheerfully feed on the peace of a good conscience, and be more replenished with the Joy of the Holy Ghost: And here, O Lord, according to my bounden duty, I give the most humble and hearty thanks for all those blessings which of thy goodness thou hast bestowed upon me; and namely, for that thou hast of thy free grace and love, according to thine eternal purpose, elected me before the foundation of the world was laid, unto salvation, in Jesus Christ: For that thou hast created me in thine own Image, and hast begun to restore that in me which was lost in our First Parents: For that thou hast effectually called me by the working of thy Holy Spirit, in the Preaching of the Gospel, and the Receiving of thy Sacrament, to the knowledge of thy saving grace, and obedience to thy blessed Will: For that thou hast bought and redeemed me with the blood of thy only begotten Son, from the torment of Hell, and thraldom of Satan: For that thou hast by Faith in Christ, freely justified me, who am by nature the child of wrath: For that thou hast in good measure justified me by thy Holy Spirit, and given me so large a time to repent, together with the means of Repentance: I thank thee likewise, good Lord, for my life, health, wealth, liberty, food, rayment, peace, prosperity and plenty, and for that thou hast preserved me this night from all perils and dangers of soul and body, and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day; and as thou hast now awakened my body from sleep, so I beseech thee to awaken my body from sin, and carnal security; and as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine in our bodily eyes, so good Lord, cause the light of thy Word, and Holy Spirit, to illuminate my understanding, and give me grace, as one of thy children of light, to walk in all holy obedience before thy face this day, and all the daies and time of my whole life, and that I may endeavour to keep faith and a good conscience towards God, and towards all men, in all my thoughts, words and dealings; and so good Lord bless all studies and actions, which I shall take in hand this day, as that they may tend to thy glory, the good of others, and the comfort of my own soul and conscience in that day, when I shall make my final request unto thee for them. O my God, keep thy servant, that I do not evil unto any man this day, and let it be thy blessed will, not to suffer the Devil, nor his wicked Angels, nor any of his evil members, or my malicious enemies, to have any power to do me any hurt or harm this day, but let the eyes of thy holy providence watch over me for good and not for evil, and command thy holy Angels to pitch their tents round about me, for my defence and safety in my going out, and my coming in, as thou hast promised they should do about them that fear thy Name; for into thy hands, O Father, I do here commend my soul and body, my actions, and all that ever I have, to be guided and protected by thee, being assured that whatsoever thou takest into thy custody, cannot suffer or take any hurt or harm; and if I at any time, this day, shall through frailty, forget thee, yet Lord, I beseech thee, do thou in mercy remember me: And I pray not alone for my self unto thee, O Father, but I beseech thee also be merciful unto thy whole Church, and chosen people, wheresoever they live upon the face of the whole Earth, defend them from the rage and tyranny of the Devil, the World, and Antichrist; give thy Gospel a free and a joyful passage through the world, for the conversion of those who belong to thine Election and Kingdom: Bless the Church and Kingdoms wherein we live, with the continuance of peace and true Religion, and Justice: Defend our gracious King Charles from all his enemies, and grant him a long life in health and all happiness to raign over us▪ Bless our gracious Queen Katherine, James Duke of York, and all the rest of the Royal Family▪ increase in them all heroical and spiritual graces which may make them fit for those places for which thou ordainedst them; direct all the Nobility, Bishops, and Magistrates of this Kingdom and Commonwealth; govern thou them that they may govern the Commons in true Religion, Justice, Obedience, and Tranquility: Be merciful unto all the people that fear thee, and call upon thy Name; and comfort as many among them as lie sick, or are comfortless in body, or mind; especially be favourable to all such as suffer any trouble or persecution for the testimony of the Truth and holy Gospel, and give them a gracious deliverance out of all their troubles, which way it shall seem best to thy wisdom, for the glory of thy Name, the farther inlarging of the Truth, and the more ample increase of their comfort and consolation: Hasten thy coming, O blessed Saviour, and end these sinful daies, and give me grace, that like a wise Virgin, I may be prepared with Oil in my Lamp, to meet thee, the sweetest Bridegroom of my soul at thy coming, whether it be by the day of death, or the day of judgment, and then Lord Jesus, come quickly, even Lord Jesus come when thou wilt, these, and all other graces which thou knowest to be needful and necessary both for my soul and my body, this day and for ever, I humbly beg and crave at thy hands; O Father, giving thee thy praise and glory, in that absolute form of prayer, which Christ himself hath taught me, to say unto thee, Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name, &c.