The Devout Christian Instructed How to Pray and Give Thanks, church · Prayers 4
A Prayer for Submiſsion to God, in caſe of any great loſs in a mans Eſtate, Relations or Friends.
O Moſt Holy, holy, holy; the Supreme Lord and Governour of the world: who are unſearchable in thy Wiſdom, unſpot…ed in thy Juſtice, and irreſiſtable in …hy Power: whoſe goodneſs hath no …ounds, but what thy wiſe and holy Will gives unto it; and art immu…able in theſe and all other perfections, the great God, moſt bleſſed for ever. It is moſt reaſonable and agreeable to our nature, moſt profitable and convenient to our intereſt, moſt ſatisfactory and ſuitable to our wiſeſt choice, by an abſolute and …uiet ſubmiſſion in all things to thy …overaign Wiſdom, Juſtice and Goodneſs, to declare our fear and reverence of thee; our unfeigned love to thee, and deſires to pleaſe thee; our truſt and confidence in thee; and ready diſpoſition to obey thee.
Thou art too great, I know, to delight in grieving us thy poor creatures; and haſt other ways of procuring thy own pleaſure, than by our miſery, pain and torment. And therefore in a full perſwaſion of thy unerring providence over us, and infinite Charity towards us, I here moſt humbly and freely reſign all my thoughts and deſires unto thee: ſubmitting my ſelf intirely to thy Orders, and reſolving by thy gracious aſſiſtance to reſt contented with whatſoever thou appointeſt. The Lord gave, Job. 1.21.and the Lord hath taken away; bleſſed be the Name of the Lord. Bleſſed b… thy name, who haſt continued to me ſo long, the enjoyment of ſo many good things. Bleſſed be thy name… that I had any thing to part withal whereby I may teſtifie my faith in thee, and affection to thee. Bleſſed be thy name, that I have any of the comforts of this life ſtill remaining, and that they are not all taken away from me. I have nothing too great, or too dear to be reſigned to thee: from whoſe bounty I received all I have; and who art my beſt, and my eternal friend.
O that no repining thoughts may ariſe in my heart, to diſorder and diſcompoſe my duty towards thee, or towards my neighbour. But help me rather to think wherein I have offended thee, and carefully to amend it; to place my affections more ſtedfaſtly on thoſe unmoveable things which are above; to lay up my treaſure and hope in heaven; and to prepare my ſelf, by perfecting my purity, and thankfulneſs, and pa…ience, and all other vertues, to be tranſlated thither, where our life is …id in thee with Chriſt Jeſus. I …hank thee, O Father of Mercies, that thou haſt given us ſuch everlaſting conſolation, through thy Grace, in him. Every day will I bleſs thee, and I will praiſe thy name for ever and ever; for thoſe exceeding great and precious promiſes which thou haſt given us to ſupport and comfort us, in all the troubles of this life. Increaſe my faith; ſtrengthen and confirm my hope; lift up my ſpirit continually to that bleſſed place where Jeſus is: that I may rejoyce in hope of that immortal life, when all tears ſhall be wiped from our eyes, and there ſhall be no ſighing nor ſorrow any more; but we [*This clauſe to be uſed only in the loſs of Friends or Relations. who are now parted aſunder] ſhall meet together to acknowledge, with eternal praiſes, thy wiſe and merciful providence, which by ways moſt contrary to our deſires hath brought us to endleſs and undiſturbed bliſs.
Thou knoweſt; O Lord, the weakneſs and frailty of our nature, and therefore vouchſafe me the conſtant aſſiſtance of thy good Spirit, (for which I depend upon thee) to inable me to continue in this humble, quiet and dutiful ſubmiſſion to thee: waiting for that peaceable and joyful repoſe, in the eternal reſt which thou haſt prepared for thy people; through thy mercies in Chriſt Jeſus: By whom all glory, honour, love and obedience be rendred to thee, by me and all mankind, both now and for ever. Amen.
A Prayer which a pious ſoul may uſe, that is full of doubts, and much troubled in mind.
O Lord,2 Cor. 1.3. the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. I acknowledge and adore thy eternal Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs. I render thee my moſt hearty thanks for all the benefits thou haſt freely beſtowed on me, from my firſt coming into the world until this time. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou haſt done, and thy thoughts, which are to us ward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: Pſal. 40.5.if I would declare and ſpeak of them, they are more than can be numbred. Above all I bleſs thee for that great demonſtration of thy love and good will to mankind by Chriſt Jeſus, whom thou haſt ſent into the world to ſave ſinners: and for bringing me to the clear knowledge of him, faith in him, and ſome love, I hope, towards him, and unfeigned affection to thy holy will, declared to us in his bleſſed Goſpel.
O God, thou haſt taught me from my youth up, and hitherto been marvailouſly gracious to me. Hide not, I beſeech thee, thy face now from me; and put not thy ſervant away in diſpleaſure. Thou haſt been my help: leave me not, neither forſake me, O God of my ſalvation. But, for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, I humbly intreat thee to pardon and paſs by all my neglects of thee, and unthankfulneſs to thee, and offences againſt thee. And as I here ſincerely devote and dedicate my whole ſelf, ſoul and body, to thy ſervice; ſo help me, O my God, and further me in the performance of my duty, by the grace of thy holy Spirit. To thee all hearts are open, and from thee no ſecrets are hid: deal with me according to the earneſt deſire and full purpoſe of my ſoul, to conform my ſelf in all things to thy holy Will.
Settle in me an unmoveable faith in thy infinite Mercies, a conſtant love and chearful affection to my duty, and a readineſs of heart to obey thee, and to ſubmit to thy wiſe appointments in every condition. The whole earth is full of thy Mercy: thou openeſt thy hand and ſatisfieſt the deſire of every living thing: O refuſe not the humble deſires of my poor ſoul, which gaſpeth after thee, even as the thirſty land. Thou who giveſt to the Beaſts their food, and to the young Ravens when they cry; O ſatisfie me early with thy Mercies, that I may rejoyce and be glad all my days. Compoſe my broken and diſturbed thoughts: quiet my troubled and diſordered ſpirit; and appeaſe all the ragings and tumults there, by a ſweet ſenſe of thy moſt tender mercies, which have been ever of old, and endure continually. Baniſh from me all cauſleſs fears and jealouſies: deliver me from all unprofitable ſadneſs and dejection of ſpirit: keep me from raſh judging of my ſelf, and much more from charging thee fooliſhly. Beſtow upon me a chearful ſpirit, by an humble hope in thee; and by referring my ſelf wholly to thee. Endue me with ſuch wiſdom and uprightneſs, that I may neither neglect my duty, nor ſuſpect thy gracious acceptance of me. Give me an hearty zeal to do the beſt that I am able; and a ſetled perſwaſion that thou requireſt no more of me. Defend me, O my gracious God, from diſhonouring thee and my Religion; by diſtruſting thy goodneſs, and calling thy loving kindneſs in queſtion towards thoſe, that are ſincerely bent to pleaſe thee. Remove all troubleſome imaginations from me; and give me a clear underſtanding of thee, and of my ſelf. Or when I am in darkneſs and confuſion of thoughts, grant me ſo much light and judgement, as not to conclude my ſelf forſaken by thee, but to reflect upon thy long continued favours to me and many deliverances of me; that ſo I may reſolve ſtill to hope in thee, to bear my preſent trouble patiently, and to reſign my will abſolutely to thy good pleaſure. And, good Lord, enable me to look beyond theſe clouds, to that bleſſed ſtate whither my Saviour is gone; in which there is no darkneſs at all: and in an humble hope of coming to the ſame place where he is, to content my ſelf with any condition whilſt I am here, ſo far remote from that Region of light and glory.
Hear me, moſt loving and merciful Father, I moſt humbly beſeech thee. Pitty my great dulneſs and deadneſs of heart. Strengthen my weak and feeble endeavours. Support my fainting ſpirit; and cauſe it humbly to hope in thee for ever. Confirm and eſtabliſh every good thought, deſire and purpoſe which thou haſt wrought in me. Perfect that which thou haſt begun. Make me to grow in wiſdom, faith, love, and willing obedience. Conduct me hereafter ſo evenly and ſteadily, ſo peaceably and quietly, ſo chearfully and ſecurely in thy ways; that I may glorifie thee whilſt I live, by incouraging others to accompany me in thy ſervice. And when I come to dye, may reſign my ſoul unto thee with an undiſturbed mind; and in an holy hope alſo of a joyful reſurrection of the body, at the great day of the Lord Jeſus; to whom be glory and dominion for ever. Amen.
A Prayer to be ſaid by others for one that is troubled in mind.
O God, the only Hope, the Refuge, the Comfort and ſatisfaction of our ſouls: Of whoſe Goodneſs and tender mercy all the world hath ſo many teſtimonies, and we our ſelves have had ſuch long experience, that we are incouraged thereby, though moſt unworthy, to make this humble addreſs to thy Divine Majeſty.
Thou ſeeſt, we know, and pittieſt the miſery and torment of this afflicted ſpirit; none of his*Or her. ſighs or groanings are hid from thee: But to expreſs alſo our charity and compaſſionate concernment for him, we are bold to recommend him to thy favour, as a great object of the bowels of thy mercy, which are in Chriſt Jeſus.
We ought indeed, above all things, to admire thy moſt wiſe goodneſs, which hath ſet forth him to be a propitiation, Rom. 3.25.through faith in his bloud; and invited even the greateſt ſinners to return unto thee and live. Bleſſed, eternally bleſſed, be thy great and glorious grace, which hath ſent us ſuch glad tidings of peace and reconciliation, and aſſured hope; that if we obediently believe thy holy Goſpel, thou wilt be merciful to our ſins, and remember our iniquities no more. Heb. 8.12.O Father of mercies, who openeſt the eyes of the blind, Pſal. 146.8.and raiſeſt them that are bowed down; open the eyes of this thy ſervant, that he may ſee thy marvailous love revealed in Chriſt Jeſus. Touch his ſpirit with ſuch a powerful ſenſe of it, that he may both heartily and abſolutely conſent to be governed by thy Laws, and likewiſe be revived with a comfortable belief of the truth of all thy precious promiſes.
Free him from all confuſion of thoughts, and beſtow on him a clear and diſtinct apprehenſion of all things belonging to his peace. And as thou haſt wrought in him a fear of thy Divine Majeſty, and many holy deſires after thee; and perſwaded him, we hope, to be willing in all things to live godlily: So poſſeſs him with an humble belief that thou wilt always inable him to do accordingly; and never fail to ſtrengthen him againſt all the power of the enemy, till he hath got the victory, and triumphs in hope of thy ſalvation. Raiſe up his ſpirit, moſt mighty Lord, by the power of a moſt ſtrong faith in thine Omnipotent Goodneſs: which delights to cheriſh the leaſt gaſpings and pantings in us after true righteouſneſs. Bear him up by this above all the clouds wherein he is incompaſſed, into a clear heaven of light and joy. Quiet and appeaſe all his tumultuous paſſions, that he may ſilently liſten to thy voice in thy holy Goſpel, ſaying; Come unto me all ye that labour, Matth. 11.28.and are heavy laden, and I wil… give you reſt. Thou who ſearcheſ… the hearts, knoweſt that he unfeignedly ſubmits himſelf to the yoke o… thy Laws. It is the preſent grie… and affliction of his ſoul, that he is no… more perfectly ſubject to it. O refreſh him with the belief, that tho… art more deſirous than he that ther… ſhould be a perfect reconciliation o… his very nature and diſpoſition t… thee: and that therefore thou wilt n… deny him the aſſiſtance of thy might… grace to help him to fulfil thy whole good will and pleaſure.
O that he may take courage from this hope to begin to do thy will; and continuing in well doing, and growing more and more in ſtrength and power to perform his duty, he may be delivered from all ſlaviſh fears, and jealouſies, and diſtruſt of thy divine goodneſs. Eſpecially keep him from deſpair of thy mercy, as the greateſt diſhonour to thee, and to thy abundant grace in the Lord Jeſus.
O thou who didſt invite even thoſe great ſinners, who by wicked hands took and crucified thy dear Son, Act. 2.23,38.to repent and be baptized for the remiſſion of ſins: Lift up this dejected ſoul to an humble confidence in thee, that thou wilt not deny him the ſame mercy. And as thou haſt ſworn that thou haſt no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that he ſhould turn from his evil way and live: ſo be pleaſed, bleſſed God, to make him ſenſibly feel his ſoul is turning to thee; ſince he can find no comfort and ſatisfaction, but only in thy love and favour, which he eſteems better than life it ſelf. And that he may obtain thy pardon, help him from his heart to forgive every one that hath treſpaſſed againſt him. Matth. 18.35.And if he have taken any thing from any man wrongfully, Luk. 19.8.grant him grace to reſtore it to him:11.41. To give alms likewiſe of ſuch thing as he hath, Dan. 4.27.Job 33.26.and to break off his ſins by righteouſneſs, & his iniquities by ſhewing mercy to the poor; that thou, who art rich in mercy, mayſt be favourable unto him, and he may ſee thy face with joy.
Hear us, good Lord, and give every one of us grace to walk exactly, and to keep pure conſciences, void of offence towards thee and towards all men: that ſo we may live and die in peace; looking for thy mercy in Chriſt Jeſus unto eternal life. Amen.
Another for a perſon in the ſame condition.
O Lord, the Father of ſpirits, the Lover of our ſouls: who …rt pleaſed beſt in our love and hearty affection to thee; and wouldſt have us delight our ſelves in the …houghts of thee, and rejoyce con…inually in thy holy name. Give us …eave to render our humble thanks …o thy divine Majeſty, for this know…edge which thou haſt given us of …hy bleſſed Nature; and in imitation …f it, to recommend with moſt fer…ent charity, this deſolate and af…icted ſoul to thy tender Mercies. …e is filled with trembling thoughts …d frightful apprehenſions of thee. …he dread and terror of thy diſpleaſure hath overwhelmed his ſpirit. He is troubled, Pſal. 38.6.and bowed down greatly; he goeth mourning all the day long. O that thou wouldſt be pleaſed ſo to repreſent thy ſelf unto him, that he may be poſſeſſed with the ſame ſenſe which thou haſt wrought in our minds; that thou art Love, and deſireſt to be loved, and chearfully ſerved by all that worſhip thee.
Thou haſt graciouſly wrought in him already a ſenſe of his duty towards thee. Great ſorrow overflowes his ſoul for his neglects of thee, and offences againſt thee. And out of this depth he ſighs and groans and crys unto thee with earneſt deſires and purpoſes to live more holily for the time to come. Awaken his mind, good Lord, to very ſenſible and thankful reflections upon this grace which thou haſt begun to ſhow him. Bleſs all the pious counſels & inſtructions which thou likewiſe vouchſafeſ… unto him, to the encouraging of his hope in thee, that thou who haſt begun a good work in him wilt perfect it even until the day of Jeſus Chriſt. Philip. 1.6.Remember him that as thy Majeſty is, Eccluſ. 2.18.ſo is thy mercy: and that thy power delights to ſhow it ſelf in doing good unto thy creatures; eſpecially to the humble, the thankful, and the willing perſons, who are ready to ſubmit themſelves to thy bleſſed Will. O that this divine faith may baniſh all thoſe fears that drive him from thee: and that he may rather fear leſt he ſhould offend thy Divine Majeſty, by not confiding in thoſe promiſes of mercy, which thou haſt made in thy holy Goſpel to all returning ſinners. O that all his thoughts and care hereafter may only be to make his purpoſe of pleaſing thee in all things, ſerious, hearty and unfeigned: believing that thou wilt graciouſly accept ſuch holy reſolutions, and certainly further and ſucceed them as the effect of thine own inſpirations.
Suffer not his ſpirit to be oppreſſed under the ſenſe of his great weakneſs; or diſcouraged, though he fall ſhort of his preſent holy deſires, purpoſes and endeavours: But bear him up in a ſtrong perſwaſion, that by ſincere, conſtant and unwearied diligence in well doing, he ſhall at laſt obtain the victory; through the power of thy holy Spirit aſſiſting of him. Make him ſee how reaſonable it is moſt gratefully to acknowledge thy infinite Mercies, if after much pains, many conflicts and long patience, he may recover a ſtate of friendſhip with thee. That ſo he may not ſpend his time in dejected complaints, nor ever faint in his mind, or deſpond in the Chriſtian courſe: but ſtill purſue the compleat maſtery over himſelf, in aſſured hope that thou wilt be with him, and never leave him or forſake him.
We bleſs thee for that inſtance of thy exceeding grace to the chiefeſt of ſinners, which thou gaveſt in thy holy Apoſtle of us Gentiles: Who was a blaſphemer, and a perſecutor, and injurious; 1 Tim. 1.13,16.but for this cauſe obtained mercy, that in him Chriſt Jeſus might ſhow forth all long-ſuffering, for a pattern to them which ſhould hereafter believe on him to life everlaſting.
Above all we bleſs thee for our Lord Jeſus himſelf, whom thou ſenteſt in our fleſh, that he might ſave ſinners. We bleſs thee for all the miraculous cures which he wrought on miſerable creatures, whereby he demonſtrated his great charity towards us: For the gracious proclamation he hath made of thy pardoning mercy: and for the Univerſal invitation which he hath given to every one,Rev. 22.17. that is a thirſt to come and take the waters of life freely. 1 Joh. 2.2.We thank thee for his death upon the Croſs,Luk. 23.34. that he might make a propitiation for the ſins of the whole world:Act. 5.31. 2 Cor. 5.18.for his great love in praying then for his bittereſt enemies,Matth. 26.28. Heb. 7.25.that they might be forgiven:2.17. 4.15.for his reſurrection and exaltation at thy right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance, and forgiveneſs of ſins. And that he hath given to his Apoſtles, the Miniſtry of reconciliation; and admitted us into a Covenant of mercy and forgiveneſs by Baptiſm into his Name; and hat… left us the cup of bleſſing, whic… is the New Covenant in his blou… for the remiſſion of ſins; and given power and authority to his M… niſters to abſolve all thoſe who heartily repent, and unfeignedly believ… his holy Goſpel. We thank thee, O Lord, for the aſſurance we hav… that he lives for ever to make interce… ſion for us, and is able to ſave to th… uttermoſt all thoſe that come to th… by him: and that he is a merciful and faithful High-prieſt, to make reconciliation for the ſins of the people; being touched with a feeling of all our miſeries.
We cannot doubt, O bleſſed God, of thy gracious intentions and deſires to pardon us, and to make us better, when we ſeriouſly meditate on all theſe teſtimonies of thy Divine love; and on that eaſie and gentle yoke, which thou layeſt on us to love thee with all our heart, and our neighbour as our ſelves: and on the promiſed aſſiſtance which we have hopes of from above, to inſpire, inliven, and ſtrengthen us, to all well doing, and patient ſuffering. O that this languiſhing ſoul may likewiſe feel the comfortable influence of all theſe heavenly Truths reviving and chearing his ſpirit into a good hope in thee; that thou wilt mercifully accept the oblation which he is willing to make of himſelf to thee, and alſo conſtantly inable him to offer himſelf with greater affection and more pure devotion to thy ſervice. Scatter all the clouds that darken his mind, and lift upon him the light of thy countenance. O give him the comfort of thy help again, Pſal. 51.12.and ſtabliſh him with thy free ſpirit. 143.11.Quicken him, 4.7.O Lord, for thy names ſake: 85.6.for thy righteouſneſs ſake bring his ſoul out of trouble. 2 Theſſ. 1.11.Put gladneſs into his heart, 1 Tim. 1.14.and revive him again; that he and we may rejoyce in thee. Amen; Amen, O God of all grace; fulfill in him all the good pleaſure of thy goodneſs, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord may be glorified in him; according to that grace which was exceeding ahundant, with faith and love which is in Chriſt Jeſus; To whom be glory and praiſe for ever and ever. Amen.