The Devout Christian Instructed How to Pray and Give Thanks, church · Prayer 2
A PRAYER ON ANY SAINTS DAY.
THou art to be praiſed, O Lord of heaven and earth, in all thy works of wonder, which declare the aſtoniſhing greatneſs of thy Majeſty, Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs, throughout the world. One generation praiſes thy works to another, and declares thy mighty acts; eſpecially the manifold wiſdom of thy incomprehenſible love in the ſalvation of mankind by Chriſt Jeſus; who hath brought us the glad tidings of peace and reconciliation with thee, and the promiſe of immortal life and glory, if we will be obedient to thee. An innumerable company of holy Souls have in all ages ſince moſt thankfully received and acknowledged this thy grace and tender mercy; being obedient to the very death, and leaving us an excellent example of pure love to thee, and conſtant affection, and hearty devotion, and ardent zeal for the honour of our Lord and Maſter Chriſt Jeſus. I add my poor tribute of praiſe and thankſgiving to all that hath been rendred unto thee, O God, who in the beginning commandedſt the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, and haſt now ſhone into the hearts of thy holy ones, to give the light of thy divine knowledge in the face of Jeſus Chriſt.
Thanks be to thy infinite goodneſs, as for that glorious manifeſtation of thy ſelf in our fleſh, and the eternal redemption that the Lord Jeſus obtained for us by his bloud, and the power and dominion which thou haſt given him at thy right hand after his Reſurrection from the dead, and his compaſſionate interceſſion on our behalf: So for all thoſe gifts which he gave unto men; whereby he made ſome Apoſtles, ſome Prophets, ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Paſtors and teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the miniſtry, and the edifying of his body. Bleſſing, honour, glory and praiſe be to thee, O Father of mercies, for all thoſe great inſtruments of the holy Ghoſt, the illuſtrious Miniſters of thy grace, the Embaſſadors for Chriſt, and the bleſſed Champions of his holy Truth, who have communicated the light of thy glorious Goſpel to the world, and overcome the kingdom of darkneſs, by the bloud of the Lamb, Rev. 12.11.and the word of their teſtimony, not loving their lives unto the death.
Adored be the mightineſs of that Grace,Pſal. 8.2. which out of the mouths of babes and ſucklings ordained ſtrength. Glory be to thee, O Chriſt,2 Cor. 2.9. whoſe ſtrength was made perfect in weakneſs. Glory be unto thee, who didſt commit this heavenly treaſure unto earthen veſſels; 2 Cor. 4.7.who approved themſelves the miniſters of God in much patience, 6.4,5.in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſes, in ſtripes, in impriſonments, in toſſings to and fro, in labours, in watchings, in faſtings, that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of men. I heartily ſubmit to the power of that Divine Truth, for which they ſuffered the loſs of all things, Phil. 3.8.and counted them but dung that they might win Chriſt, and be found in him. And I rejoyce that thou haſt had ſo many faithful ſervants who have loved thee, O Lord thou lover of ſouls, more than their own lives; moſt earneſtly deſiring to be inſpired with the very ſame ſpirit which was in them, that I may leave ſome example, though never ſo ſmall, of hearty and univerſal obedience, to thoſe that ſhall come after.
Accept, good Lord, of my ſincere reſolution to be a follower of them, even as they were of Chriſt, in pureneſs, in knowledge, in long-ſuffering, in kindneſs, 1 Cor. 11.1.in love unfeigned: That my rejoycing may be this, 2 Cor. 6.6,7.the testimony of my conſcience, 2 Cor. 1.12.that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, 8.21.not with fleſhly wiſdom, but by thy grace, I have had my converſation in the world; 1.5.providing for honeſt things, not only in the ſight of our Lord, but alſo in the ſight of all men. Make me conſtant and couragious in the profeſſion of thy holy Truth; and to be willing to paſs through honour or diſhonour, through good report, or evil report; for the Lords ſake, hoping that if the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in me, my conſolation alſo ſhall abound by Chriſt. Stir me up, I beſeech thee, and quicken me that I may ſhow the ſame diligence that thy Saints have done, to the full aſſurance of hope unto the end; that I may not be ſlothful, Heb. 6.11,12.but a follower of them who through faith and patience inherited the promiſes. 2.3,4,5.How ſhall I eſcape if I neglect ſo great ſalvation, which at firſt began to be ſpoken by the Lord, and was confirmed by them that heard him, God alſo bearing them witneſs with ſigns and wonders, and with divers miracles of the holy Ghoſt, according to his own will? O continue the mighty aſſiſtance of that divine power with me, that behaving my ſelf ſo holily, juſtly and unblameably as they did,1 Theſſ. 2.10. I may reſt at laſt together with them, 2.1,7,9.when our Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels, to be glorified in his Saints, and admired in all them that believe.
And now preſerve me this day from diſhonouring tha… worthy name, Jam. 2.7.whereby w… are called; knowing how we ought to follow them, 2 Theſſ. 3.7,13.who behaved not themſelves diſorderly among thoſe that believed. That by this reſt from my ordinary labours, I may not learn idleneſs, nor grow weary of well doing; but be better diſpoſed in my mind by all the refreſhments of my body, to do my duty in the place and relations wherein thou haſt ſet me, with greater chearfulneſs, fidelity and diligence to the end of my days. O that it may be my higheſt pleaſure to attend on thee and praiſe thee in the aſſemblies of thy Saints. Give me ſuch a ſenſible delight and joy in reading and meditating of thy holy Word, and in the remembrance of all thy mercies, that nothing in this world may make me forget the ſweetneſs of it: but every thing may excite me more to praiſe, extol and magnifie thy loving-kindneſs to me; and to expreſs my thankfulneſs in a free and ready obedience to thy commands; till I be made fit to be admitted into the company of the bleſſed, there to praiſe thee world without end. Amen.