The Devout Christian Instructed How to Pray and Give Thanks, church · Prayers 3
THat we may be ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, here follow particular Prayers for that grace; and, in caſe of any failing in our duty, for repentance, and pardon, and an heart ſenſible of the divine goodneſs, and more conſiderate and careful for the time to come.
A PRAYER FOR RESOLVTION IN WELL DOING.
O Moſt bleſſed God, the fountain of wiſdom, power, ſtrength, and all other perfections: from whoſe bounty I have formerly received, and at preſent enjoy innumerable bleſſings; and have no hope for the future, but what ariſes from the ſame everlaſting ſpring of all good, which is never weary of deriving its benefits unto us. I ought in a ſenſe of my intire dependance upon thee, to be very humble; very thankful; exceeding ſolicitous for thy favour, and deſirous of thy good will; ſorrowful for my neglects of thee; aſhamed of the pitiful returns I have made to thee; and moſt peremptorily reſolved, and zealouſly bent to approve my ſelf hereafter to thy Divine Majeſty, in all well doing.
Accordingly I am now proſtrate before thee, to implore the continued powerful preſence of that infinite grace, to which I owe theſe holy thoughts that are in my mind, and by which alone I can hope to perform and accompliſh them. Poſſeſs me, O God, with ſuch a full and lively ſenſe of thy undeſerved and unwearied love and kindneſs to me, in paſſing by ſo much ingratitude, and ſo many tranſgreſſions; in laying on me ſuch ſtrong and manifold obligations to be happy by obeying thee, and in affording me ſuch powerful aſſiſtances to attain that happineſs; that I may love thee proportinably with a more conſtant and ſteadfaſt affection, and feel an unalterable will ſettled in me, to do the duty thou requireſt of me; into whatſoever ſtate and condition of life, thou ſhalt be pleaſed to diſpoſe me.
When we have loved thee all that we can, I am ſenſible we have loved thee but a little; becauſe we, and all that we can do are ſo inconſiderable. How ſmall a thing then is it, how poor and contemptible, that we return unto thee; when we love thee not ſo much as we are able! O bleſſed God, cauſe ſuch a delightful ſenſe of thy goodneſs to fall upon my heart, and to abide with me, that all the powers of my ſoul may ſtrain themſelves to love thee, and unite themſelves unto thee, in an unalterable choice of thy Will, to be the ſole governour of all my deſigns, and deſires, and actions throughout the whole courſe of my life. I love my ſelf moſt, I ſee, when I love thee intirely: and ſerve my ſelf, by doing thee all faithful ſervice. In union with thee I am at reſt and peace; and in conſtant adherence to thee conſiſts my eternal ſafety and ſecurity. To thee therefore, with the deliberate and full conſent of my will, I devote my ſelf; reſolving to love and ſerve thee, with all my heart, and with all my ſoul, and with all my ſtrength. I vow unto thee, as I have done often, all ſincere obedience; and proteſt againſt every thing that is contrary to thy holy commands, as contrary alſo to my own ſenſe and judgement, to my moſt ſober and ſerious thoughts, and to my moſt adviſed counſels and reſolutions. They all acknowledge how juſt and reaſonable, how good and pleaſant, how profitable and beneficial, how honourable and glorious it is to be a doer of thy Will, which, beſides the preſent contentment and ſatisfaction of it, hath a great recompence of reward. O preſerve in my mind a conſtant remembrance, how dearly I am bought by the precious bloud of thy Son Chriſt; how early I was dedicated to thy ſervice; how often I have ſince found abundant cauſe to determine I would be thine; how I have condemned my ſelf for the breach of thoſe holy purpoſes, and what great ſatisfaction of mind I have had in the keeping of thy Commandments: That ſo I may never wilfully offend againſt ſo many forcible reaſons obliging me to my duty; but be ſwayed by them, notwithſtanding all the temptations of the world, the fleſh or the devil, to perſevere in a reſolved obedience to thee for ever. And by the power of thy holy Spirit, I beſeech thee to make them clearer, ſtronger and more effectual; that I may have the ſame thoughts, paſſions, inclinations and purpoſes now, which I ſhall be apt to have when I come to dye. For which end, help me often to place my ſelf before thy Judgement Seat, and to conſider that I muſt give an account for all that I have received; for thy holy Goſpel; for thy divine inſpirations, for the counſels and exhortations of thy Miniſters, for all the means and helps of growing better, and for all the incouragements I have even from the good things of this life, which thy bounty beſtows upon me. That by a careful preparation for ſuch a reckoning, I may be kept cloſe and ſtedfaſt to my duty; in hope of that exceeding glorious reward, which our Lord will beſtow upon all his faithful ſervants, at the day of his appearing. Amen.
Another to the ſame effect.
O Moſt great and glorious Majeſty of heaven and earth: who art of unſpotted purity, and in whom there is not the leaſt ſhadow of change. I know that all the reſolutions of thy Wiſdom are moſt juſt and equal; and I cannot chuſe, when I am in my right mind, to be guided by any thing elſe, but thy holy Will: who deſigneſt, I ſee, in all the revelations thou haſt made of thy ſelf to us, to make us like to thy own, moſt bleſſed, Nature. I do here own and acknowledge moſt heartily the righteouſneſs and goodneſs of all thy Laws; I admire the lovelineſs of thy Image, in wiſdom, righteouſneſs and true holineſs; I loath my own deformity whilſt I am unlike to thee; I implore thy renewing grace as the greateſt bleſſing I can receive from thee; and I bind my ſelf to the faithful improvement of it, as the weightieſt imployment of my life.
I am abundantly ſatisfied in the declaration thou haſt made of thy gracious purpoſes towards us. I renounce all thoughts and deſires that are contrary thereunto; and reſolve that holineſs and eternal life ſhall be my deſign and ſtudy. I expect no pardon, O my God, but in ways of ſobriety, righteouſneſs and godlineſs. I hope for a bleſſed immortality, only by patient continuance in well doing. I conſent to every part of thy holy Goſpel: and add my teſtimony to the truth of its words, that none of thy commandments are grievous; but thy yoke is eaſie, and thy burden light. I hope, O Lord, by thy grace I ſhall never contradict my ſelf, by diſowning in my practice, theſe free and ſerious profeſſions: But that I ſhall every day ſo call to mind my own proteſtations and reſolutions, as to continue with an unwearied diligence in ſtedfaſt obedience to thy commands, and to grow ſtill ſtronger in the grace of the Lord Jeſus.
O that every ſuch addreſs as this unto thy Divine Majeſty, may leave a greater ſenſe of thee, and of my duty, and of my happineſs, and of my manifold obligations, and repeated promiſes, upon my heart. That I may always go out of thy preſence with my mind more towards heaven; with lower thoughts of all the injoyments of this life; with a greater reliſh of piety and holineſs; and more paſſionate deſires to become every way ſuch as thou canſt approve, and love and delight in for ever. And aſſiſt me, I humbly beſeech thee, ſo conſtantly from above, that whatſoever good thoughts are at any time in my mind, they may grow to fixed principles: and all heavenly affections may become a new nature, and the conſtant temper of my ſpirit: and all my purpoſes and reſolutions may advance into a ſerious practice and exerciſe of godlineſs: and all the actions of an holy life may grow more free, chearful, vigorous, and full of delight, till they be compleated in everlaſting bliſs, through Chriſt Jeſus. Amen.
A PRAYER After RELAPSE Into any SIN.
I Caſt down my ſelf before thee, O moſt holy Lord of heaven and earth, with an humble ſorrowful and penitent heart, adoring thy infinite grace which ſuffers ſuch a vile and miſerable ſinner to approach into thy preſence. I am thine indeed, dedicated long ago to thy ſervice, which I have ſince choſen, as the moſt perfect freedom: But ſo much the greater reaſon I have to be abaſhed before thee, and to be aſtoniſhed at thy forbearing mercy; which prolongs the life of ſuch an one as I am, who have been ſo falſe to thee, and to my own reſolutions. I remember, in the bitterneſs of my ſoul, how many obligations thou haſt laid upon me to obſerve and obey thee; how often I have acknowledged the juſtice and goodneſs of thy Precepts; and how frequently I have promiſed and vowed to conform my ſelf unto them; and what great and precious promiſes thou haſt made to me of invaluable bleſſings: And yet, wretch that I am, I have been drawn aſide from thy ways by eaſie and ſlight temptations; and for a ſmall and momentary pleaſure or gain,*Here mention the particular ſin. have ventured the loſs of thy favour, which is better than life it ſelf.
O God, that thou ſhouldſt have patience with ſo perfidious, ſo ungrateful, ſo ſenſeleſs a creature as I am! That thou ſhouldſt permit me to ſee the light of the Sun, and haſt not condemned me to utter darkneſs, in weeping, wailing and gnaſhing of teeth! But that thou giveſt me leave to look towards heaven, and that I have any heart to ſpeak unto thee, and ſtill may call thee, Father, ſaying, Father, I have ſinned againſt thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy ſon; O the riches! O the unſearchable riches of thy grace! I can never ſufficiently admire thy exceeding great long-ſuffering towards me in Chriſt Jeſus. Nor ſufficiently abhorr and loath my ſelf for my foul revolt from thee, who art ſo kind & gracious: eſpecially if I ſhould ſtill continue to abuſe ſuch tender mercy and compaſſion towards me. Tribulation and anguiſh, indignation and wrath, I acknowledge is the due portion of thoſe that do evil: and if thou ſhouldſt abandon me, and caſt me out of thy ſight, I muſt confeſs that thou art righteous, and that I reap but the fruit of my own ways, and ſuffer the deſerved puniſhment of my late iniquity.
But thou, O God, delighteſt in mercy, and there is forgiveneſs with thee, that thou mayſt be …eared. Pſal. 130.4.Thou haſt ſworn …hat thou deſireſt not …he death of a ſinner;Ezek. 18.32. …ut rather that he ſhould return and …ve: And haſt ſent thy Son Jeſus, …ith the moſt indearing arguments …f the greateſt love, to perſwade us …o return unto our duty. Behold, O Lord, I return; with grief and …ffliction of ſpirit that I have offend…d thee: deteſting the thoughts of …oing the like again, and reſolving …o be more careful, and diligent, and …rcumſpect for the time to come. … let me live to the praiſe of thy …mnipotent Grace, inabling me to …erform theſe reſolutions in a more …rict and exact obedience to thy ho… commands, the reſt of my days. …ercy, mercy, I moſt earneſtly beg, … Father of mercies, for the ſake of him that dyed for me; not meerly for the pardon of my ſins, but for a Divine Power to enable me to ſubdue them. I deſire not thy infinite goodneſs to bear me out in rebellion againſt thy righteouſneſs, purity and truth; but that by thy goodneſs I may be partaker of them; that my repentance may be accepted; and that it may be hearty and ſtedfaſt, never to be repented of. I deſire no peace, quiet and eaſe in my heart, but in a conſtant and reſolute oppoſition of all the temptation of the world, the fleſh and the devil; and in the hope I have, tha… through thy gracious aſſiſtance i… ſhall be victorious.
O ſettle me, I beſeech thee, in thi… holy diſpoſition, that I may preſerv… an intire friendſhip with thee here… after, by an happy agreement wit… thy will and pleaſure in every thing▪ And for that end mak… me ſtrong in the Lord, Epheſ. 6.10.an… in the power of his might: That b… ing ſenſible of my own great weakneſs, I may more earneſtly depend upon thy aid from above, by an humble and vigorous faith in thy Almighty goodneſs. Maintain ſuch a clear light in my mind, that may keep me from being deceived with the vain ſhadows and empty appearances of ſatisfactory pleaſure in any thing of this world. Fortifie my will with the power of thy Divine love, that may overcome all ſenſual affections that ariſe in me at any time againſt thy ſacred commands. And poſſeſs me with ſuch a lively hope of thoſe good things which Chriſt hath promiſed in the other life, that may make me active …nd zealous, ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, …lways abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that my labour ſhall …ot be in vain in the Lord.
Thou knoweſt the ſecrets of all …earts; let thy mercy, O Lord, be …pon me, according as I deliberately and ſincerely chuſe to cleave unto thee with purpoſe of heart. Act. 11.23.Pſal. 51.9,10,11.O caſt me not away from thy preſence; and take not thy holy Spirit from me. But hide thy face from my ſins; Pſal. 119.80.and blot out all mine iniquities. Pſal. 19.13,14.Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a conſtant ſpirit in me. Make my heart to be ſound in thy Statutes, that I may never be aſhamed. Keep back thy ſervant alſo from preſumptuous ſins, let them not have dominion over me. Then ſhall I be upright, and I ſhall be innocent from the great tranſgreſſion: The words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart ſhall be accepted in thy ſight, O Lord my ſtrength, and my Redeemer. Amen, Amen.
A THANKSGIVING To the DIVINE GOODNESS For any hope of a PARDON After ſuch RELAPSE.
O Eternally moſt bleſſed God, the Fountain of all good; from whence all creatures derive whatſoever they injoy. They are all poor and indigent things, full of neceſſities and wants, which are continually ſupplied out of thy fulneſs. But the wants of our ſouls are the moſt lamentable: becauſe, beſides the poverty of creatures, we have made a great many needs to our ſelves by our wilful departure from thee, in whom we live, and move, and have our being. We ſtand in need of thy Pardon, of thy converting grace, and the greater ſupplies of thy holy Spirit: which we know not how with any confidence to expect, but that all theſe wants are not too big for thy infinite goodneſs to relieve; and that thou haſt been pleaſed moſt compaſſionately to conſider our miſerable condition, in ſending Chriſt Jeſus into the world, and filling him with all the treaſures of thy grace and mercy, that he might diſpenſe them to us, according to our ſeveral neceſſities.
O how excellent is thy loving kindneſs, O God! How ſurpaſſing is thy love! that will paſs by the inſolent offences of thy creatures againſt thy high authority, and Soveraign goodneſs; and not let them eternally periſh without a remedy in that forlorn condition into which they have brought themſelves … Bleſſed, for ever bleſſed be thy ſparing Mercy; which hath delivered Chriſt Jeſus for our offences; and teſtified thy acceptance of his Sacrifice of himſelf, by raiſing him again for our juſtification. Bleſſed by thy name, for the gracious declaration which thou haſt made, that if any man ſin, we have an advocate with thee, 1 Joh. 2.1,2.Chriſt Jeſus the righteous, who is the propitiation for our ſins. I moſt thankfully receive theſe glad tidings, which are worthy of all acceptation, 1 Tim. 1.15.that Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners. Thanks be to thy tender mercy, which hath reſtored us to a poſſibility of recovering thy grace and favour. The ſmalleſt hope of it, I acknowledge, is more valuable than the greateſt abundance of all the injoyments and pleaſures of this preſent life. What praiſe therefore, what love, what obedience am I bound to render unto thee, who haſt given me ſuch a good hope of peace and reconciliation with thee; and thereby delivered me from the horror of my own guilty mind, remembring that I have adventured to oppoſe my will to thine? I ought for ever, with the moſt zealous devotion of a grateful and obedient heart, to admire and ſtand amazed at thy inconceiveable Grace, which will not ſtrictly mark what is done amiſs; but accept of our repentance and amendment, in ſtead of an intire and conſtant performance of our duty to thee. O the heighth, the depth, the length and the breadth of thy love in Chriſt Jeſus! which is the ſatisfaction of our heart, and the joy of our lives; which would otherwiſe be intolerably grievous and burdenſome to us, whilſt we remember that we are ſinners.
Fill me, O Lord, with a moſt ardent love to thee, now that I here offer up my ſelf, in truth and ſincerity of heart, to be wholly diſpoſed by thee. Behold, O Lord, my will lies at thy feet: I would have no will of my own; but deſire only that thy will may be done. And fill me with an holy fear of thee, that thy indulgent mercy may not make me remiſs, and negligent, and preſumptous again to offend thee: But a perpetual ſenſe of my new obligations to thee, in reviving my hopes, which I had forfeited in thee, may render me more watchful, more diligent, more earneſt and ſolicitous, more humble and diſtruſtful of my ſelf, and more fervent to implore the powerful ſuccours of thy divine Grace. O that it may be as natural to me to pray to thee, as it is to breath. And thou who filleſt the hungry with good things, pour into me life, and ſtrength and vigor; in a conſtant dependance on thee, and an hearty indeavour to do thy will.Epheſ. 3.16. Strengthen me with might, by thy ſpirit in the …inner man: That notwithſtanding the ſtrongeſt temptations wherewith I may be aſſaulted, and notwithſtanding the weakneſs and feebleneſs of my own ſpirit to reſiſt them, I may perſevere couragiouſly in well doing unto the end; and finiſh my courſe with joy; and lay my ſelf down to reſt in an holy hope, that I ſhall enter into a ſtate of ſafety and ſecurity from all danger, and remain for ever in the joy of our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for the Divine Grace.
O Moſt bleſſed God, the high and mighty One, who inhabiteſt eternity; and art, what thou always waſt, and ever wilt be, the moſ… perfect power, wiſdom, goodneſ… and truth; the fountain of all th… perfections that are in us. We ough… to addreſs our ſelves to thee in the greateſt humility of ſpirit: having nothing to preſent thee withal which we can call our own; & being unable by all our righteouſneſs to profit thee, who ſtandeſt in need of none of thy creatures. But alas! O Lord, we have robbed thee of that which we have received from thee; and are ſo far from giving thee any thing of ours, that we have not returned to thee that which is thine. O the miſerable condition therefore into which we have brought our ſelves! who are not ſo much as fit to receive any more from thy divine bounty; and, which is worſe, have been too unwilling to partake of thy favours! O thy infinite love in Chriſt Jeſus, which hath beſtowed the richeſt grace upon us, whether we would or …o! Thou haſt honoured our na…ure with thy divine preſence, dwel…ing in it. Thou haſt delivered him …o dye for our ſins. Thou haſt given us … bleſſed hope in thee, by his Reſur…ection from the dead. Thou haſt …nt him to bleſs us, in turning every one of us from our iniquities: Act. 3.26.And given him all power in heaven and earth; that he may ſuccour and ſtrengthen us when we are tempted, and enable us to overcome.
I thank thee, with all my ſoul, for this abundant grace, ſo freely and undeſired, conferred upon us. Which incourages me to hope in thee, now that thou inclineſt my heart towards thee, and haſt given me a thankful ſenſe of thy love, and ſome will to obey thee, and holy reſolutions to cleave unto thee in well doing; that thou wilt not deny me the conſtant aſſiſtance of that good Spirit which our Saviour hath bid us ask of thee; to ſtrengthen, confirm and ſettle what thou haſt begun to do for me, in a perfect love and ſtedfaſt obedience to all thy holy commands. O God of all grace and might, the root of our life, and power and ſtrength; without whom all good deſires and purpoſes wither and die: withdraw not the ſweet influences of thy holy Spirit from thy unworthy ſervant, who intirely confides in thee, and hath no hope but in thy infinite Mercies. Remember not againſt me former iniquities; let not my late back-ſliding and return to folly, cut me off from the communication of thy grace: which is wont to preſs into thoſe ſouls that open themſelves to receive it, and ſeriouſly thirſt after it. My ſoul thirſteth for thee, O God; that I may be more firmly united to thee, and be made more exactly like thee, in unchangeable righteouſneſs, purity and goodneſs.
Cheriſh and increaſe the moſt faint but ſincere motions, which thou ſeeſt in me, towards a more compleat participation of thee. And eſpecially preſerve in me a full confidence in thy Almighty Love, as ready to accompliſh the deſires and indeavours of all thoſe, who yield up themſelves unto it, in hearty willingneſs to be governed by it. That being born up by this ſtrong hope in thee, my helper, and exceeding great reward, no temptation may be able to prevail over me: but I may walk ſtedfaſtly and evenly with thee, in all conditions and circumſtances of life. Make me feel ſo much of the comfort of this faith and love, and hope and obedience, reviving me to a delightful ſenſe of a bleſſed immortality; that whatſoever allurements or diſcouragements I meet withal in this world, they may only provoke me to give a greater proof of all theſe in a conſtant adherence to my duty; and occaſion the increaſe of my unſpeakable joy and ſatisfaction.
And inlarge my heart thereby to ſuch a meaſure of Chriſtian piety, that I may not only be innocent and harmleſs, but forward alſo to do good; and not only be contented with my portion, but rejoyce in our Lord alway: and rejoyce not only to do thy will, but to ſuffer alſo for righteouſneſs ſake; knowing that great ſhall be my reward in heaven. Bleſs my indeavours to add to faith, vertue; and to vertue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; 2 Pet. 1.5,6,7,10,11.and to patience, godlineſs; and to godlineſs, brotherly kindneſs; and to brotherly kindneſs, charity: That, doing theſe things, I may never fall; But an entrance may be miniſtred to me abundantly, into the everlaſting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Amen.
A ſhort Prayer when any man's occaſions call him to a place where he fears danger.
O Almighty God; who art every where, and more eſpecially preſent to thoſe ſouls that look up unto thee, with an high eſteem of thy favour and grace, and with hearty deſires to continue in thy love by patient continuance in well doing. In this humble faith in thy Divine goodneſs, and with a due fear and reverence of thy glorious Majeſty, I proſtrate my ſoul and body before thee; to put my ſelf into thy moſt gracious protection, and to beg the powerful aſſiſtance of thy holy Spirit, to preſerve me whereſoever I am, in a dutiful obſervance of all thy holy commands.
I am ſenſible, O Lord, that we live in a world of temptations, and that our nature is weak, and ready to yield to them; and that our affections are apt to wander after vanity, and that ſudden paſſions oftentimes tranſport us from our duty. But I know withal that a ſenſe of thy all-ſeeing eye, and of the life to come, and of the rewards and puniſhments which thou wilt render according to our works; will certainly overawe all ſinful motions in me, and break the force of the ſtrongeſt temptations that aſſault me. And therefore the greater the danger is, the more earneſtly I ſue unto thee, to be poſſeſſed with a piercing ſenſe, and lively remembrance of theſe things, which may abide with me alway; and eſpecially this day, in every place and company into which I ſhall come. O that I may not be ſo forgetful of thee, and of my own good, as for the ſmall and momentany pleaſures of this world, to hazard the loſs of thoſe great and eternal joys, which we expect in the other life. But enable me, O moſt gracious God, ſo to behave my ſelf, that when I have paſſed through all the imployments and occaſions of this day, I may bring my ſelf back again into thy preſence, ſo pure and undefiled; that I may begin thoſe joys which are to come, in chearful praiſes of thee; and in a comfortable ſenſe that thou dwelleſt in me, and art leading me by thy holy Spirit to immortal happineſs, through Chriſt Jeſus. Amen.
A Prayer for ſerious and effectual Conſideration; the better to eſtabliſh all good reſolutions.
O Moſt glorious Majeſty of heaven and earth: who art above the higheſt of all our thoughts, and much more beyond all our words. But that thou art great and mighty, we know by thy works of wonder which we behold. And the admirable diſpoſure and government of all things tell us, that thou art infinitely wiſe and knoweſt all things. We ſee how good thou art, by the large proviſion which thou haſt made for all thy creatures, every where. Thy Precepts teach us how juſt and holy thou art; and by thy Promiſes we know that thou art gracious and bountiful; and by thy Threatnings that thou hateſt iniquity; and by thy executing of both, that thou art faithful and true, and wilt ſave the godly and puniſh evil doers.
When we conſider all this, we may juſtly wonder at our ſelves, that we ſhould not fear thee, and reverence thee, and love thee, and ſeek thy love and favour above all things; by ſtudying to pleaſe thee in univerſal obedience to thy bleſſed will; which deſigns to imploy thy Almighty Power to make us ſo great, ſo happy, and ſo glorious. And there is no other reaſon, I ſee, why we are no better affected towards thee, but becauſe our thoughts are exceeding ſhort, and light and vain; and we ſo ſeldom conſider and deeply ponder, what, we confeſs, thou art, and in what relation we ſtand to thy Divine Majeſty. Vouchſafe therefore, O God of all grace, to awaken my mind to a more lively and ſtedfaſt remembrance of thee, my Creator, my Redeemer, my daily Benefactor, and my moſt loving and tender-hearted Father, in Chriſt Jeſus. O that no day may paſs without ſome ſerious and conſiderate thoughts of thoſe things, which ſo nearly concern my everlaſting welfare. And by thy powerful preſence with me, inlighten my mind to a clearer ſenſe of them. Quicken and inliven that ſenſe, I humbly beſeech thee, and make it ſo ſtrong and moving; that it may preſs upon my heart and affections, till it overcome me to ſurrender ſoul and body abſolutely unto thee.
Pardon all my former neglects of thee; and let them not hinder the influences of thy holy Spirit upon me, by which I may be changed into thy image and likeneſs. Sanctifie my underſtanding, that I may rightly conceive thy holy Truths, and fully apprehend them. Sanctifie my memory, that I may keep in mind all that I know of thee, and of thy bleſſed will revealed to us in Chriſt Jeſus. Sanctifie my will, that I may chearfully imbrace, and intirely conſent to thine, in all things. And ſanctifie all my affections, that I may love thee with all my heart, and ſoul, and ſtrength; and delight in thee more, than in all the contentments of this life; and hope more for thy glory, than all worldly preferments; and fear thee more than the greateſt potentate upon earth; and take more care for my ſoul and eternal things, than for this body and all its momentany pleaſures; and hate all ſin, more than my greateſt enemies: yea, help me to love mine enemies; to do good to them that do evil to me; to bleſs them that curſe me, and pray for them that deſpightfully uſe me. For which end, ſanctifie all my Paſſions; that I may be angry at nothing ſo much, as that I have diſpleaſed thee; and in an holy indignation at my ſelf, and in revenge of my former negligence and diſobedience, may be more ſtrict and ſevere in the performance of all my duty for the time to come. Sanctifie me throughout in body as well as ſpirit; that I may poſſeſs it in holineſs and honour: and all my ſenſes may adminiſter occaſions to my mind, to remember thee, to praiſe thee, and to bleſs thee, who every way ſo liberally provideſt for me. Sanctifie all my converſation with others, and all the imployments of this life; that I may ſtill be heavenly minded, and have a reſpect to my laſt end, and everlaſting good. Sanctifie all the bleſſings of health, and ſtrength, and peace, and plenty, and friends: yea, and all the croſſes and afflictions of this life; that they may make me more ſerious and conſiderate, and help more perfectly to purifie my ſpirit, and diſpoſe me for the happineſs of the other world.
Raiſe me, O Lord, to ſuch an exceeding great delight in theſe holy thoughts and meditations; and entertain me with ſuch a bliſsful ſenſe of thee, when I addreſs my ſelf unto thee: that I may rather be unwilling to depart from thy preſence, than weary of converſing with thee. And when I return to my other imployments again, O that my mind may be often looking back towards thee, my God, my exceeding joy; deſirous to be always with thee, and longing to enjoy thee in unchangeable love, and perfect likeneſs to thee: Unto which I moſt humbly beſeech thee to bring me, for thy mercies ſake declared in Chriſt Jeſus, who lives for ever to make interceſſion for us. Amen.