Twelve Sermons, Prayer 3
Math. 26. 41.
Watch and pray, least ye enter into temptation: the spirite is willing, bu… the flesh is weake.
Another zealous Prayer.
ETernall God, almightie, and all mercifull: we thy vnworthie seruants, prostrate before thy throne of grace, doe yeelde our selues bodie & soule vntounto thee for all thy benefits, which thou from our birth hast heaped vponupon vsus, as though we had alwayes done thy will although we be occupied about vaine things, neuer marked, neuer loued, neuer serued, neuer thanked thee so hartily for them, as wee esteeme a mortall friend for the least curtesie. Therefore wee come with shame & sorrow to confesse our sinnes, not smal, but grieuous; not a few, but infinite; not past, but present; not secret, but presumptuous; against thy expresse word and will: against our owne conscience, knowledge and liking, if any had done them but our selues. O Lord, if thou shouldest requite but the least of them at our hands, Satan would challenge vsus for his, & we should neuer see thy face againe, nor the Heauens, nor the earth, nor all the goodnesse which thou hast prepared for man. What shal we doe then, but appeale vntounto thy merciemercy, and humbly desire thy fatherly goodnesse, to extend that compassion towards vsus, which thy beloued sonne our louing Sauiour hath purchased, so mightily, so gratiously, and so deerely for vsus; wee beleeue and know, that one drop of his bloud is sufficient to heale our infirmities, pardon our iniquities, and supply our necessities, but without thy grace our light, our strength, our guide, we are able to doe nothing but sinne, as wofull experience hath taught vsus too long, and the example of them which are void thereof, whose life is nothing els but the seruice of the world, the flesh and the deuill. Therefore good father, as thou in speciall fauour hast appointed vsus to serue thee, like as thou hast ordained all other creatures to serue vsus; so may it please thee to send downe thy heauenly spirite into this earthlie mansion, to illuminate our mindes, mollifie our heartes, change our affections, subdue our reason, regenerate our willes, and purifie our nature to this duetie; so shall not thy benefites, nor thy chastisements, nor thy worde returne voide, but accomplish that for which they were sent, vntill wee be renued to the image of thy sonne. Good Lord we beseech thee, looke downe in the multitude of thy compassions vponupon thy militant Church, this sinfull realme, thy gratious handmaide our dread Soueraigne, her Honourable Counsell, the ciuill Magistrates, the painefull Ministers, the two Vniuersities, the people that sit in darknesse, and all that beare thy Crosse. Gather vsus into one communion of thy truth, and giuegive vntounto eueryevery man, a spirite to his calling, that wee being mindfull of the account, and that wee are called Christians, may firmely resolue, speedily begin, and continually perseuer in doing and suffering thy holy will. Good Lorde blesse and sanctifie our meeting, that no temptation hinder me in speaking, nor them in hearing, but that thy word may be heard and spoken as the word of God, which is able to saue our soules in that day, howsoeuer it pleaseth thee by weake and foolish things to magnifie thy self There is no cause, O God most iust, why thou shouldest heare sinners, which art displeased with sinne, but for his sake which suffered for sinne, and sinned not: in whose name we are bolde to lift vp our hearts, hands, and voyces vntounto thee, praying as he hath taught vsus: Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Smith, Twelve Sermons (1598)