Godly Private Prayers for Christian Families, Prayers · Prayer 32 – Prayer 34
A thankeſgiuing vponupon the bleſſing of their labour in the Deliuerance.
HOly Father, who haſt reuealed thy ſelfe in thy word to bee a God that heareſt prayer: and haſt now made good this promiſe vntounto vsus thine vnworthy ſeruants in hearing our prayers, in the behalfe of this diſtreſſed woman. GiueGive vsus hearts we humbly pray thee, to conceiue wiſely of this thy great kindneſſe: and open our mouths, we beſeech thee, that wee declare this thy goodneſſe for the comfort of others, that by this liuely example, we may beleeue in thy great Name.
What haſt thou not done heerein (O Lord) euen aboundantly aboue what wee could thinke or aske? And what can we repay vntounto thee worthy of ſo great ſaluation? Wee confeſſe our ſelues vnworthy to aske, much leſſe to obtain for our ſelues, & yet behold, thou haſt heard our cries, and releeued this thy deſolate ſeruant. It is not enough, that thou haſt giuen eaſe and deliuerance to the Mother, vnleſſe alſo thou didſt liue to her Babe, that ſo in it her life might bee againe receiued: yea, thou haſt made our cup to run ouer with ioy and gladneſſe; who were almoſt ouerwhelmed with ſorrow and diſpaire. Thine (O Lord) bee the onelyonly glorie and praiſe heereof: O fill our hearts with thankefulneſſe, that our reioycing may bee in trueth, and humble vsus vnfeignedly in the conſciences of our owne vnworthineſſe, that we may giuegive thee the onelyonly glory of all thy mercies. Let our humility appeare in ſeruing each other in louelove, and let our louelove bee manifeſt in prouoking each other to truſt in thee alone, for the time to come: let our confidence in this prepare vsus to this or the like occaſion, that ſo we may finde a gracious iſſue in our greateſt extremities. And let our experience of thy good hand heerein weane vsus from the louelove of the world, wherin wee are like continually to meet with what will oppoſe or enſnare vsus: and prouoke vsus to long for our diſſolution when all teares ſhall be wiped from our eyes. And let our deſire to bee with thee, make vsus alwaies ready for thee, in all ſobriety, modeſty, humility, patience, and perſeuerance, that ſo wee may bee found faithfull when our Maiſter commeth. And that wee may bee found in peace at his glorious appearance, O grant vsus daily to deny our ſelues, that ſtill wee may bee found of thee in the righteouſnes of our Sauiour, may by the power thereof be daily accepted of thee by the efficacie of the ſame, may bee more and more conformed to thine holy Image, and ſo may at length be fully ſatiſfied therewith.
And as thou haſt now added one vntounto the number of mankinde, ſhewing thy wiſedome and power in the framing of him in the wombe, & in bringing him forth into thy light; ſo in thy time adde him alſo to thy Church, and beget him againe vntounto a liuely hope, by the immortall ſeed of thine holy word, deliuering him from the power of darkenes (in which by nature we are all) into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God.
And if it ſhall ſeeme good vntounto thee, to lay any further triall, either of ſickeneſſe, or death vponupon this thy ſeruant, or the fruite of her wombe: prepare vsus all to a quiet and patient bearing of thine holy hand, and to a comfortable and contented reſting vponupon thy prouidence: aſſuring our ſelues, that all things ſhall turne to the good and benefite of thy choſen. And ſo into thine holy hands wee commend our ſelues, with thy ſeruant and her iſſue, together with hers and our Families, and that great Familie of thy choſen, whereſoeuer diſtreſſed and diſperſed, to be kept by thy mighty power through Faith vntounto ſaluation. Grant vsus theſe things (O God of our ſaluation) for the merite of thy beloued Sonne our Lord and Sauiour, Amen.
A Prayer for ſuch as in this world be very rich and wealthy.
ETernall GOD, and moſt mercifull Father, from whom all good things doe come and proceede, who in thy wiſedome diſtributeſt thy benefits, and beſtoweſt thy bleſſings manifoldwife, as ſeemeth good to thy heauenly will, to ſome more, to ſome leſſe, as thou (who knoweſt all things) ſeeſt it to be beſt for eueryevery one. I giuegive thee hearty thanks, in that it hath pleaſed thee to beſtow vponupon me, a moſt vnworthy ſinner, ſuch large bleſſings of earthly treaſures and riches in this life, moſt humbly beſeeching thee for thy great mercies ſake, to giuegive mee grace to vſe them to thy glory, and to the helpe and comfort of thoſe that hauehave neede, knowing that thou haſt giuen mee this aboundance, to the end that I ſhould be ayding and helpfull to others, vponupon whom it hath pleaſed thee to lay the croſſe of pouerty: and that I am but as a Steward from thee which muſt render account how I hauehave beſtowed them, I beſeech thee alſo good Lord, that while I liue and poſſeſſe plenty of all things from thee, I may bee carefull to doe good vntounto all men, but eſpecially vntounto them that be of the houſhold of Faith, according as thy holy word hath commanded me, laying vp therby a good ſtore of my ſelfe, againſt the day of wrath, and to make me friends of vnrighteous Mammon, that when I depart hence, they may receiue mee into euerlaſting habitations.
And as theſe thy good gifts, O heauenly Father, ſo I beſeech thee, that I abuſe them not, either by getting, retaining, or otherwiſe by miſpending of them. Let not my heart at any time be affected towards them, nor my minde drowned in the delight of them, but that alwaies I may eſteeme both them and all things elſe, as vile dung and filthy durt in reſpect of thee. And in the midſt of mine aboundance, keepe mee (O Lord) that I aduance not my ſelfe vaingloriouſly aboue my Brethren, that I be not puffed vp, nor high minded, & that I conſume not thy treaſure vponupon pride, whoredome, gluttonie, drunkenneſſe, or any other wickedneſſe elſe whatſoeuer, thereby purchaſing thy heauy iudgement againſt me for the ſame. But grant good Lord, that as thou haſt made me rich & wealthy in worldly ſubſtance, ſo thou wilt make me much richer in all goodneſſe, righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, and innocencie of life, thorough Ieſus Chriſt our only Mediatour and Aduocate: to whom with thee and the holy Ghoſt, be praiſe for euer, Amen.
A Prayer for ſuch as bee poore and needy.
O Eternall and euerliuing God, who appointed diuers & ſundry ſtates and conditions of men, ſome rich, ſome poore, ſome high, ſome low, and haſt notwithſtanding commanded eueryevery one to be content with his eſtate and calling, without repining or grudging againſt thee for the ſame. I poore wretch and miſerable caitiue, whom it hath pleaſed thee to place in the loweſt and meaneſt degree, moſt entirely beſeech thy Fatherly goodneſſe, to giuegive me grace to be well contented with the ſ…me, to ſubmit my will to thy will, to depend wholly vppon thy prouidence, to caſt all my care vppon thee (who haſt promiſed to care for mee) to repoſe all my affiance, truſt, and confidence in the…, and none elſe, and to looke for all good things from thy mercifull hands. And though I be poore and needy (O Lord) yet I beſeech thee, let mee not diſpaire of thy helpe, nor yet attempt any vnlawfull or vniuſt meanes to maintaine my eſtate withall, contrary to thy will. But grant that I hauing all things neceſſary in this life for body and ſoule, may neither bee ſwallowed vp, nor choaked with the cares of the world, nor yet remaine barren, and deſtitute of good workes, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, who liueth and raigneth with thee and the holy Ghoſt, world without end, Amen.