A Help Unto Devotion, Prayer 2
2. An Euening Prayer for priuate Families.
O Lord our GOD, moſt mercifull and gratious in Ieſus chriſt, among other thy mercies, with which thou doeſt euen follow vsus thy moſt vnthankfull ſeruants, we acknowledge this to be none of the leaſt, that we hauehave this comfortable freedom of comming into thy preſence, there to poure out our ſoules before thee, and to laie open our neceſſities vntounto thee. We praie thee teach vsus to value this priuiledge according to the true worth thereof; that wee may come together to the performance of this duty with glad hearts, and cheerefull ſpirits, reioycing in it that wee hauehave opportunitie giuen vsus, to teſtifie ſome part of that great dutie, which in manie reſpects wee owe vntounto thy maieſtie. And now (Lorde) being come before thee, wee cannot but confeſſe the vileneſſe of our eſtate: wee were conceiued in ſinne, and in ſin wee hauehave continued all our dayes, wee hauehave euen drunke iniquitie like water, wee hauehave drawne it after vsus, and tyed it vntounto vsus as with cartropes, wickedneſſe hath beene ſwéet in our mouth, we hauehave fauoured it and would not forſake it: we hauehave euen made a mocke of ſinne, and it hath beene a paſtime to vsus to doe wickedly. Thou haſt often called vsus, but we hauehave ſtill refuſed: thou haſt againe and againe ſtretched out thine hand, but wee hauehave not regarded: thou haſt ſought to reclayme vsus, but wee hauehave hardned our neckes as it were yron ſinewes, and hauehave hated to be reformed. Thou haſt waited to hauehave merciemercy vppon vsus, thy ſpirit hath ſtriuen with vsus, thy verie bowels hauehave beene troubled for vsus; and how graciouſlie haſt thou called vponupon vsus by thy word? ſaying, Returne yee ſonnes of Adam: why will ye die? Come vntounto me and ye ſhall finde reſt for your ſoules: Yet we notwithſtanding hauehave deſpiſed thy patience, wee hauehave abuſed thy goodnes, we hauehave turned thy graces into wantonneſſe, and hauehave giuen thee cauſe to heape vppon vsus all thoſe fearefull plagues, and puniſhmentes, which in the extreamitie of thy law are belonging to the wicked. When we looke into our hearts, we ſee nothing but a confuſed heape of groſſe corruptions, vanitie, ignorance, frowardnes, vnteachablenes, dulnes, vnwillingnes and vnaptnes vntounto good, proneneſſe & readines to any manner of euill, ſecure, irreligious, profane, vncleane enuious, couetous and gréedy thoughts, peruerſe and diſordred affections, all theſe (as it were) marching together to rebell againſt thee, and leading vsus captiue vntounto ſinne. The verie wiſedome of our fleſh is death, and the ſpirits of our minds are defiled: when we look forth into our liues, wee behold ſinnes more in number then ye haires of our head: when wee take view of our ſelues in the glaſſe of thy Law, we can ſee in our bodies and ſoules, in our outward and inward man, nothing but vglines and deformitie. Yea the ſinnes of this one daie are ſufficient to bring downe vppon vsus the eternall weight of thy diſpleaſur. How negligent hauehave we béen in our callings! how hauehave we yeelded to our own vnbridled luſts in the vſe of thy creatures! how hauehave we cheriſhed in our ſelues worldlie, carnall and voluptuous thoughts! howe many bleſſings hauehave we vnthankefully enioyed, neuer thinking vponupon thee which didſt beſtow them! how hauehave wee miſſpent this pretious time which thou vouchſafeſt vsus! how manie good opportunities hauehave we let ſlip, by which wee might hauehave edified our ſelues, & done good to others! howe negligentlie hauehave wee kept our heartes, by meanes whereof ſathan hath got great vantage againſt vsus! how ſlenderlie hauehave wee bewailed the iniquities of the times! howe poorelie hauehave wee ſtriuen againſt our owne corruptions! O LORD, if thou ſhouldeſt ſtraightlie marke our iniquities, O Lord, how ſhall wee ſtand, where ſhall we appeare, what ſhal become of vsus? what anſwere ſhall wee bee able to make thée to one of a thouſand. And yet (moſt gratious God) which is worſt of all, cuſtome in euill, hath bred ſuch a hardneſſe in vsus, and hath brought ſuch a cruſt vponupon our conſciences, that wee cannot be perſwaded that thy wrath is ſo terrible, or our ſinne ſo greeuous, or our eſtate ſo wofull as indeede it is. Hence it commeth that we do not ſtand in ſuch awe of thy maieſtie, as we ſhould, we doe not ſo tremble at thy iuſtice, nor eſteeme thy promiſes and mercies as we ought to doe: wee beſeech thée therefore to take the ſtony hearts out of our bodies, and to put newe ſpirites into our bowels, that wee maie with feeling and with a liuelie and ſenſible apprehenſion, confeſſe our ſelues to bee, as we are; poore, and wretched, and miſerable, and blind, & naked, ſuch as in whom there is no goodnes, ſuch as to whom there is nothing due but ſhame and confuſion of face for euer. And héere (Lord) according to that meaſure of ſpirituall féeling which by thy grace wee hauehave attayned to, wée doe vtterlie renounce our ſelues, wee doe whollie diſclaime all hope of help by our ſelues, we account all that is in vsus but as droſſe and dung, and do moſt earneſtlie entreate thee to looke vponupon vsus in thy ſonne Ieſus Chriſt; accepting his death and his paſſiō as a ſufficient, abſolute and compleate diſcharge for all our ſinnes whatſoeuer. O Lord, let the chaſtiſement of our peace be vponupon him, and let vsus be healed with his ſtripes: we hauehave no other name vnderunder heauen in which we can be ſaued: and wee know that thou haſt ſealed him, and ſent him into the world, to ſaue thy people from their ſinnes: wee beſeech thée therefore for his ſake to bee at peace with vsus, put away our tranſgreſſions like a cloud, and our ſins as a miſt, forgiue our iniquities, and remember our offences nomore. And withall ſeale vppe to our ſoules and conſciences the feeling of this thy louelove by the gracious teſtimonie of thy ſpirit, that wee may know that there is peace in heauen for vsus, and that Chriſt is made of thee vntounto vsus Wiſedome, Righteouſneſſe, Sanctification, and Redemption, and that nothing ſhall euer bee able to ſeparate vsus from thy louelove in him. We doe begge this at thy hands, ſo much the rather, becauſe wée ſee the vanitie of all things in this world; all things in it are ſubiect to vncertaintie: they are all lighter then vanitie it ſelfe; But thy louelove in Chriſt is firme and perpetuall. For, with thee there is no ſhadow of change, thy calling and gifts are without repentance; and therefore wee pray thee, ſettle vsus in the aſſured perſwaſion of thy louelove, to ye end that we may hauehave ſome comfortable vnderſtanding, that whatſoeuer do be fall vsus here, howſoeuer wée be tryed, yet after all, we ſhall lay downe our heads in thy peace, and be made partakers of thy glory. In the meane ſpace, ſo long as thou ſhalt bée pleaſed to reſpite the dayes of pilgrimage vponupon this earth, we pray thee, doe not leaue vsus to our ſelues, neither forſake vsus; but giuegive vsus, as pledges of thy louelove, thoſe Spirituall bleſſings in heauēly things, wherwith thou art wont to furniſh thy choſen; that ſo wee may make our conuerſation ſuch as becommeth the Goſpel, wée may neuer diſcredit our profeſſion, or be a ſcandall and offence vntounto others, but rather by our holy cariage may prouoke and winne others vntounto thee. Helpe vsus to this ende, wée beſéech thee, againſt our manifold infirmities, againſt thoſe euils to which our natures doe moſt encline, enable vsus to ſhake off that ſinne that hangeth ſo faſt on: ſtrengthen vsus to eueryevery good & holy duety, make vsus perfit in good works, ſanctifie vsus throughout, and kéepe our whole ſpirits, ſoules and bodies blameleſſe vntounto the comming of Ieſus Chriſt.
Make vsus thankefull (as becommeth vsus) for thy many fauours, for that continuall preſeruation which thou affordeſt vsus, for the comforts of this day both to our ſoules and bodies, for thy enlarging our time and opportunitie to repent: grant, we pray thée, that our thankefulneſſe may not ſtand only in outward ſhowes, but that wée may be thankefull in déed and in trueth, labouring to be dutiful vntounto thee, which art ſo mercifull vntounto vsus.
And inaſmuch as, O Lord, wée doe profeſſe to beléeue the Communion of Saints, therefore it becommeth vsus to bée mindful of others in our Prayers beſides our ſelues: we are ſuters to thee on the behalfe of all thy people, ſparſed ouer the face of the earth: thou (O Lord) art priuy to their ſeuerall wants: thou art onelyonly able to make a gracious ſupply: we beſéech thée for them as for our owne ſoules. More particularly, wee powre out our ſoules before thee for thoſe Churches which amongſt vsus thou haſt planted and vnited vnderunder one gouernement. Our ſinnes (O Lorde) chiefly our contempt of thy glorious Goſpell, doe deſerue a curſe, euen that thou ſhouldſt remooue our candleſticke, and cleane put out the light of thy holy word, and withall make vsus a by word to the world by ſome extraordinarie iudgement; But, wée pray thee in Chriſt, vouchſafe to reuerſe thoſe plagues which wee hauehave deſerued, continue thoſe fauours which wee hauehave hitherto enioyed, continue and enlarge the fréedome of thy word, ſtabliſh the trueth of Religion amongſt vsus by a perpetuall decrée, both for vsus and for our poſteritie after vsus. To this end bleſſe all good means; aboue others, our Soueraigne and King, enable him eueryevery day more and more to the diſcharge of that great duety wherwith thou haſt entruſted him; lengthen his dayes, proſper his Raigne, defeate his enemies: giuegive him and vsus comfort in his Quéene, and ioy in his poſterity; Encreaſe wiſedome in his Councell, faythfulnes in his ſeruants, loyalty and true-heartedneſſe in his ſubiects. Stir vp Magiſtrates and men in Authoritie, to ſéeke the aduauncement of thy glorie and the wealth of thy people. Make thy Miniſters able and willing to publiſh the ſecret of the Goſpell, water their endeuours with the deaw of heauen, that daily ſuch as belong vntounto life eternall may be added to the Church. And ſeeing thou art pleaſed to exerciſe diuers of thy ſeruaunts with the croſſe, ſome with ſickneſſe of body, ſome with perplexitie of ſpirit, ſome with loſſe of goods, ſome with reſtraint of libertie, ſome in one kind, ſome in another, we pray thee to ſwéeten their afflictions and to ſeaſon their ſorrowes with the comfort of thy ſpirit; furniſh them with a meaſure of patience agréeing to the proportion of their trials, and put an ende to their grieuaunces when thou ſhalt ſee it fit.
And (O Lorde) make vsus ready for affliction: teach vsus to remember, that wée muſt through many tribulations enter into thy bleſſed kingdome.
In our health, make vsus mindefull of ſickeneſſe, of death, and of our laſt account; that theſe things may not come vponupon vsus as a ſnare, but that wée may bée prepared alwayes in ſome good meaſure, to ſubmit our ſelues vntounto thy moſt wiſe and holy appointments.
And now, O Lord our God, wée pray thée, to beare with the weakeneſſe and coldneſſe of our Prayers. Take vsus this night into thy bleſſed tuition: we know that thou doeſt neither ſlumber nor ſléepe, kéepe vsus from euill, kéepe vsus from the malice of Sathan, from ſecuritie and careleſneſſe, from dulneſſe and drowſines of ſpirit, that if it ſhall bee thy pleaſure to let vsus liue vntill the morning, we may become ſo much the fitter to ſerue thee in our ſeueral callings, ſo as may bee moſt for the glory of thy great Name, through Ieſus Chriſt: in whoſe Name wee commend our ſelues and our vnworthy Prayers vntounto thee, ſaying as he hath directed vsus in the Goſpel, Our Father, &c.