A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints, Prayer 3 – Title page 2
A Prayer for a single Person.
O Eternal and ever-living Lord God, the fountain of all blessing, the Father of Mercy, and God of all Consolation. I thy poor creature altogether unworthy to appear in thy sight, to present my Prayer and supplication unto thee: do yet in the name and mediation of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ prostrate my self at the footstool of thy grace, looking for acceptance and assistance in and through him. For his sake look graciously upon me, pardon my sins, which are many and hainous. Lord, I cannot but acknowledge, that besides the guilt of Adam's sin, there is in me a fountain of corruption, which I brought with me into the World: from whence hath plentifully flowed many poisonous streams of actual transgressions, and that in evil thoughts, evil words, and evil actions; which I have committed through the whole course of my life, from my tender infancy to this present time. I have been alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in me. I have walked after the course of this World, fulfilling the desires of my flesh and of my mind, minding earthly things. I have broken thy Law, neglected thy Gospel, refused the offers of Christ, and am in great doubt that to this day there hath been no good work wrought upon me; but that I continue in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity. Lord, I cannot but acknowledge, I have shamefully abused the ric…es of thy goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, which should have led me to repentance; as also thy Fatherly corrections and chasti…ements, laid upon me in love, and for my good; oh how little have I been bettered thereby! How do I spend my time and strength for the getting of earthly riches; and satisfying my self with sensual pleasures, and in the mean time am careless of my precious and immortal soul? Lord, I have often for my profit and pleasure sake omitted, and put off the holy exercises of Religion, which ought to have been performed by me; and have been exceeding dead and dull, lifeless and heartless in performing those good duties I have taken in hand. I have been unfruitfull under a plentiful dispensation of the means of grace, unthankfull under those favours and mercies thou hast conferred on me, unfaithfull to those manifold vows and promises, I have made unto thee my God. Truth, Lord, my sins are many and hainous: but this is my comfort, that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners, and why not me? why not me? I acknowledge my self to be a great sinner: but yet again thy Word testifieth, That Jesus Christ came to save the chief of sinners. Therefore will I not despair of mercy, but am resolved to cast my self, and the burden of my sins into the arms, and upon the shoulders of Jesus Christ. Be pleased to accept of what Christ hath done and suffered for me, and to accept of me in him. Turn me, O Lord, unto thee, and through him let me be reconciled unto thee. Slay the enmity, and subdue the rebellion of mine heart against thee. Wash my polluted soul with his most precious blood; cloath my nakedness with the long white robe of his righteousness, fill my emptiness out of that fulness which is in Jesus Christ. Enrich my soul with all needfull saving, sanctifying graces. Let the faith of Gods Elect, let the love and fear of thy name be shed abroad in my heart. Oh that every grace may more and more flourish in me, and my lusts more and more wither and decay in me. Let my covetousness dye, let my pride, and envy, and passion, and sensuality dye; let the whole body of death be destroyed, that I may no longer serve sin. Oh give me grace in this my day to know the things that belong to my peace, to make a right use of this time of my visitation. As Christ is now frequently tendred in the Ministry of the Gospel as a Saviour to poor sinners: So Lord, give me grace fiducially to close with the offers and tenders of him, that Christ may be mine, and I his. And as thou hast been pleased to afford unto me the means of grace, so I pray thee, help me to carry my self in some measure suitable and answerable thereunto; that I may not be a shame, but rather a credit to Religion, and my profession thereof. To this end teach me to deny all ungodliness and Worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present World. Blessed Lord, seeing without thy blessing it will be in vain to put forth my own pains and endeavours, I beseech thee to help me to labour in the work of the Lord, and to crown my pains and endeavours with a blessing from Heaven. Make me more spiritual in Worldly businesses; and less wordly in spiritual businesses. Be pleased to put good meditations into my mind, and holy desires into my heart. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of my mouth, but such as may administer grace to the hearers. Help me to redeem time, let me not lose one day more, set me presently to work out my salvation with fear and trembling: let me choose the good part, and make sure for eternity: let me never venture my soul on false and deceitfull hopes, but let me make sure. Good Lord, let me not be deceived, and found an hypocrite at last: but let me be sound in the faith, that I may have rejoycing before thee in the great day.
Neither pray I for my self alone, but for thy whole Church wheresoever dispersed, or howsoever distressed upon the face of the whole earth. In special I pray thee, to bless this Land and Nation, with all blessings both temporal and spiritual. And herein our Soveraign Lord and King: make him an instrument of bringing much glory to thy nam…, and much good to thy Church and people. Bless him in his Relations, Counsels, and Forces. Bless the Magistrates and Ministers, with the whole people of this Land: the afflicted members of Jesus Christ; let thy mercies be suitable to their several needs and necessities. Vouchsafe to every one of us grace to live in thy fear, to dye in thy favour, and to raign with thee Eternally in Heaven.
And now, O Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, I bless and praise thy glorious Majesty, for all those manifold favours thou hast in a plentiful manner conferred on my soul and body; for my preservation as from manifold dangers whereunto I was subject, so from many sins wherinto the corruption of my flesh, and the perswasion of the Dev…l would have thrown me headlong. Blessed be thy name for thy good providence over me through the whole course of my life; thou hast been my God from my Mothers womb, supplyed me with all needfull good things. But above all, blessed be thy name for that foundation of all other mercies, thy dearly beloved Son; for those great things he hath done and suffered for me, and those many good things, whereof in and through him I have hope, or am made partaker. Lord, pardon the manifold weaknesses and imperfections, which have accompanied this holy service, in and through thy beloved Jesus Christ. To whom with thee, and thy blessed Spirit, I do from my heart render all praise and glory, both now and evermore. Amen.
FINIS.
THE PRINCIPLES OF Christian Religion Explained to the Capacity of the Meanest.
By T.G. Minister of the Gospel.
John 17.3.
This is life Eternal to know thee the only true God, and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Wright at the Globe in Little-Brittain. 1668.