Forms of Prayer for Every Day in the Week, Prayer 9
Thurſday Morning.
MOſt gracious God, and merciful Father in Jeſus Chriſt, the Author of our Being, and the Fountain of all thoſe good things that may make us happy in this World and that which is to come, we thy poor Creatures, vile and provoking Sinners, in the ſenſe of our own guilt fly to thy mercy to pardon us; in the ſenſe of our weakneſs fly to thy might to ſtrengthen us; in the ſenſe of our own ignorance and folly, fly to thy wiſdom to inſtruct and counſel us; in the ſenſe of our manifold wants and neceſſities, fly to thy fulneſs and all-ſufficiency to ſupply us.
We acknowledge, O Lord, that our nature is not only corrupt and ſinful, overſpread with a Leproſie and loathſome Diſeaſe, that might make us for ever abominable in thy pure Eyes; but our practiſes have been contrary to thy holy and righteous Laws, both in the doing what thou haſt forbidden us, and the leaving undone what thou haſt commanded us; we have followed after and fulfilled our own Luſts, and yielded to them a vile and ſlaviſh ſubjection, as to our Lords and Lawgivers, whilſt we have refuſed and been weary of thy Service, as a ſlavery, which is perfect freedom.
We have forgotten thee, our God, and turning aſide to lying vanities, have ſinned againſtthee in every ſtate and condition of our lives; in our health we have ſeldom thought how ſoon we might be caſt upon a ſick Bed, and in our ſickneſs have been unprepared for death, that might have been the iſſue of it; in our proſperity we have been ſecure and ſenſual, wanton, proud and unthankful, and in our adverſity we have repined and murmured with impatience and diſcontentment, and when our folly hath perverted our ways, our hearts Pro. 19. 3.have fretted againſt the Lord.
We have ſuffered our ſelves to be prevailed upon by the pleaſures and profits of this Life, thoſe deceitful baits of the Fleſh, that having for a while gratified our ſenſual inclination, have left the ſharp and woundinghook of fear and diſquiet in our conſciences: And though thou haſt graciouſly forewarned us, that our moſt pleaſant Luſts will be bitterneſs in the latter end, and the wages of Sin Rom. 6. 23.is nothing leſs then death, and eternal miſery, yet by our unbelief and carnal affections, and the preſent ſeeming advantages of Sin, we have been drawn into Sin; and not frighted from it by its future miſchiefs and puniſhments.
Thou haſt ſent thy Son into the World to redeem and ſave us from our Sins, to make known thy Will, and publiſh to us his holy and good Laws, that we ſhould govern our thoughts, our words and actions by them; but we have by our diſobedience, vilely caſt away hisScepter, and diſown'd the authority of his Laws; notwithſtanding our profeſſions to Tit. 1. 16.know and believe him, we have by wicked works denyed him, and naming the Name of Chriſt, 2 Tim. 2. 19.we have not departed from Iniquity.
We have ſo reſiſted and grieved thy holy Spirit, who hath earneſtly pleaded with us to caſt off our Sins, and return to our Duty, that he might in diſpleaſure withdraw from us, and forbearing his bleſſed motions, and leaving us deſtitute of his gracious aſſiſtance, might give us up to the blindneſs of our own minds, the unbelief and impenitent hardneſs of our hearts, and ſuffer us to go on in our own ways, till our condition were wholly hopeleſs, and without poſſibility of recovery, we had ſinn'd our ſelves into eternal miſery.
Awaken, O Lord, we pray thee, our ſleepy Conſciences, and ſo throughly convince us of the great evil of Sin, and thoſe fearful puniſhments that follow it, that we may in good earneſt and without the leaſt delay, flee from it, by a moſt ſerious and hearty repentance; and return unto the Lord our God, from Hoſ. 14. 1.whom we have fallen, and gone aſtray by our Iniquities.
Through the ſufferings and precious death of thy Son, be reconciled and ſpeak peace to us, though our offences are very foul and heinous, and our beſt righteouſneſs cannot encourage us to look up with confidence to thine offendedMajeſty, yet in the righteouſneſs of our bleſſed Mediator, we both pray and hope to be forgiven, being by thy ſelf aſſured, that thou haſt given him a great and all-ſufficient Redeemer for the Atonement of great Tranſgreſſors, and exalted him Acts 5. 31.to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remiſſion of Sins. For our ſakes, and in our ſtead, he endured the puniſhments that himſelf had not deſerved, he Iſa. 53. 5.was wounded for our Tranſgreſſions, and the chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, O let us through his Stripes be healed.
Help us, being delivered from wrath and condemnation, Matt. 22. 37, 39.to love thee the Lord our God, with all our heart, and ourNeighbour as our ſelves, and let's evidence our love to thee by keeping thy Commandments, 1 Joh. 5. 3.and our love to our Neighbour by forbearing and forgiving reproving and admoniſhing, counſelling, comforting and relieving him, and performing all acts of charity and kindneſs to him.
Let us herein exerciſe our Acts 24. 16.ſelves to have always a conſcience void of offence toward thee, and toward men: enlighten our underſtandings with the knowledge of thy Will, inflame our affections with a delightful love of it, and ſo conform our wills unto thine, that we may readily do what thou wouldſt have us do, and cheerfully ſuffer what thou wouldſt have us ſuffer. Give us that Jam. 3. 17.wiſdom which is from above, that is firſt pure, to fit us for the happineſs of another life, and then peaceable, to give a reliſh to the injoyments of this: and let us ſo imploy our ſelves in the affairs and buſineſſes of this World, as to make Religion our great buſineſs, and preſent Rom. 12. 1.our Bodies and Souls a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto thee, which is our reaſonable Service.
Help us to ſubdue our inordinate deſires, and all ſinful paſſions, and when at any time we are tempted to the breach of thy Laws, with courage to reſiſt the temptation, not daring to ſin againſt thee our gracious Father and righteous Judge; and whatever Talents thou intruſteſt to our management, health,ſtrength or credit, our time, Eſtates, the ſeaſons of Grace, and opportunities of doing good, let us husband and improve them with that wiſdom and faithfulneſs that become them, that muſt ere long give an account of their Stewardſhip.
And becauſe through the weakneſs of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy Grace, that in keeping thy Commandments, we may pleaſe thee both in will and deed, and in our ſeveral Callings, whether they be publick or private; our ſeveral Conditions, whether of proſperity or adverſity; our ſeveral Relations, whether of Huſbands or Wives, Parents or Children, Maſters or Servants, Neighbours and Friends, wemay perform the Duties that thoſe Callings, Conditions and Relations require of us: And Mat. 5. 16let our light ſo ſhine before Men, that they ſeeing our good Works, may glorifie thee, our Father which art in Heaven.
Whileſt we are in the way let us quickly agree with our Mat. 5. 25.Adverſary, and give diligence that by a ſincere repentance, and an upright univerſal obedience we may be found of thee in peace, and prepared to appear before the Judgment-Seat of Chriſt, when he ſhall ſit upon the Throne of his Glory, and weighing our thoughts, words and actions, in impartial Ballances, ſhall render to us according to our works: and let the conſideration of that account leave ſuch awful impreſſions inour hearts, as both to hinder the doing of whatever may make the thoughts of it terrible to us, and cauſe us to wait for our Lord with our Loyns Luk. 12. 35.girt, and our Lamps burning, that at his return we may enter with him into everlaſting habitations.
Let thy merciful hands be opened toward all the Sons of Men, whom thy hands have made; and with a more eſpecial kindneſs be gracious and favourable to Sion; keep thy Church and Houſhold, continually in thy true Religion, and leaning upon the hope of thy heavenly Grace, let them evermore be defended by thy mighty Power.
Bleſs this ſinful and unworthy Nation; pardon all our Sins that cry aloud in thine Ears for vengeance, purely purge away Iſa. 1. 25.our droſs, and take away all our Tin; deliver us from the deſtructions we have deſerved, and perpetuate thy Goſpel and true Religion among us, from generation to generation.
Let the Life and Health, the peace, honour and ſafety of our Soveraign Lord, be precious in thy ſight, and let all that govern under Him in Church and State, maintain and encourage Truth and Peace, Religion, Righteouſneſs and all goodneſs: and grant that all under their Authority may lead quiet and … Tim. 2. 2.peaceable lives in all godlineſs and honeſty.
Succour and relieve all in any ſuffering condition, recompence the kindneſſes of ourFriends and Benefactors ſevenfold into their Boſom; forgive and help us heartily to forgive all that may have offered injury and unkindneſs to us.
Look down upon us in mercy that are here lifting up our hands and hearts to thee; we bleſs thee for the peace, ſafety and refreſhment of the laſt night, beſeeching thee, ſo to guard us through the hazards, and guide us through the affairs of this day, that we may glorifie thee, grow in Grace, and go forward in the way that leads to everlaſting Life and happineſs, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, according to whoſe direction… and command we further pray;
OƲr Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done in Earth, As it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily Bread. And forgive us our Treſpaſſes, As we forgive them that Treſpaſs againſt us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from Evil: For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, And the Glory, For ever and ever. Amen.