Godly Private Prayers for Christian Families, Prayers · Prayer 11 – Prayer 17
A Thankſ-giuing after the hearing or reading of the word of God.
O Eternall God, and moſt mercifull Father, I yeeld vntounto thee moſt heartie thankes, for all thy benefits beſtowed vppon mee, eſpecially that it hath pleaſed thy heauenly goodneſſe to ſhine into my heart through the light of thine holy Spirit, in the Myſteries of thy holy word, and that thou haſt framed my heart and mind to take ſuch vnſpeakeable ioy, and comfort in thy moſt bleſſed & holy word, and the embracing of my ſaluation therein offered vntounto mee. For theſe thine vnſpeakable mercies, I beſeech thee, O Lord, make mee thankfull, that I may acknowledge the great benefit thereof, and eſteeme of ſo ineſtimable a treaſure, aboue all earthly poſſeſſions or treaſures. And, O Lord my God, for ſo much as I wander in this preſent life, among many and infinite dangers, whereby I am eueryevery moment in perill of ſliding backe, and falling from this feruent zeale of thy euerlaſting truth, which thou haſt kindled in my breſt, if otherwiſe thou doe not ſtay mee by thy mercifull hand: and for ſo much as I learne out of thy moſt bleſſed and holy word, that it is not ſufficient to hauehave begunne well vnleſſe I continue to the end, not ſufficient to hold my hand to the plough, and looke backe: I craue at thy hands, in the name of thy beloued Sonne, my Lord and Sauiour Chriſt, that this thy worke which thou haſt begun in mee, thou wilt in mercy encreaſe in me, more and more, and continue it euen to the end of my life: that I doe not waxe cold, ſecure, dull, or faint, but continually encreaſing in true zeale, I may ſtill more and more be delighted with reading, hearing, and meditating of thy holy word: I may thereby alſo daily encreaſe in true knowledge of thy bleſſed will, from faith to faith, that I may euen from the bottome of my heart, ſo ſincerely profeſſe thy true Religion, that all hypocriſie, vaine-glory, and fained holineſſe, vtterly through thy holy Spirit rooted out of my heart: I may onelyonly hold my ſelfe contented, that I may hauehave the eyes of thy Maieſty, beholding my inward heart & minde, whereby I onelyonly ſtudying to be allowed before thy Maieſty, may vtterly reiect all the vaine praiſe of men, which might puffe mee vp; or the ſcoffing ieſts, taunts, or reproches of the vngodly, which might elſe driue me downe. To this end (O Lord my God) that I may encreaſe, and daily more and more be confirmed in thy mercies begun in mee. I beſeech thee ſtirre vp true & ſincere Preachers, and Meſſengers, who daily may ſtirre vp my minde and heart, otherwiſe by nature dull, to the ioyfull embracing of the glad tidings of peace. Leaue mee not deſtitute, O Lord my God, of the meanes which thou haſt appointed for the encreaſe of a liuely faith, & true zeale; which meane, is onelyonly the Miniſtery of thy bleſſed and holy word: but make mee alwaies carefull for the ſeeking of it: and ſo prouide, O Lord my God, that I may alwaies hauehave it, comfortably receiue it, and ſweetly digeſt it. Keepe mee by thy holy Spirit, O Lord, that I neuer be ſeduced by erronious doctrine, but that onelyonly I may giuegive eare vntounto thy voice, that cleauing onelyonly vntounto thee, I may in this preſent life which thou haſt giuen mee, ſo occupy my ſelfe, and vſe this good time which thou haſt appointed, that I may ſtill looke for the comming of thy deere Sonne, to receiue mee into the euerlaſting reſt, prepared for all the elect and choſen, whereby I ſhall for euer remaine together with my Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, to whom with thee & the holy Ghoſt, be all honor and glory, world without end, Amen.
A Prayer before the receiuing of the Sacrament.
O Lord Ieſus Chriſt, which art the ſweete comfort of all that call vponupon thee, and the ſure ſuccour of all ſuch as ſue vntounto thee; behold mee a moſt ſinfull creature, and foule offender, which bowing the knees of my heart with all humilitie before thee, confeſſe vnfainedly, that I am not worthy to entertaine and receiue thee into my ſinfull & vncleane houſe. Neuertheleſſe, moſt louing Lord, which haſt ſaid, that who ſo eateth thy fleſh, & drinketh thy blood, ſhall dwell in thee, and thou in him, hauehave mercy vppon mee, O hauehave mercy vponupon mee moſt mercifull Sauiour, and behold mee moſt miſerable ſinner, prepared at this preſent, not only to let thee in vnderunder the roofe of my mouth, but alſo to lodge thee in the houſe of my heart. O bountifull Ieſu, be my gracious Redeemer, and grant that I receiue not the Sacrament of thy body and blood vnworthily, purchaſing thereby vntounto my ſelfe death and damnation, but rather be made through faith in thee, a worthy receiuer, & a meete member of thy bleſſed body, and ſo by the ſtrength of this heauenly foode, may not onelyonly bee enabled to caſt away all my former ſinnes, and moſt beloued corruptions; but may alſo walke before thee, in all conſtant holines, to the making ſure of mine election. Grant this I beſeech thee, for thine owne mercy ſake, Amen.
A Prayer to be ſaid after the receiuing of the Sacrament.
O Sweete Sauiour, which with thy precious ſalue of compaſſion, cureſt the foule and filthy ſores of our ſinnes, and prouideſt for vsus all neceſſarie preſeruatiues againſt the poyſon of the ſoule-infecting maliciouſnes, heare I beſeech thee, the humble ſupplications of me thy poore ſeruant, which heere preſent my ſelfe before thee at this preſent, and grant that this my receiuing of the Sacrament of thy bleſſed body and blood, may be a true teſtimony vntounto my conſcience, that I hauehave through faith in thee, receiued full remiſſion of all my ſinnes and offences paſt: and am now become (as it were) a new Creature in thy ſight: I beſeech thee likewiſe grant, that caſting away all my former workes of wickedneſſe, I may henceforth walke in newneſſe of life, and godly conuerſation, bringing forth ſuch fruits of true conuerſion, as may mooue others by my example, to honor & praiſe thy holy name. And that running the whole race of my life in dutifull obedience toward thee, I may when it ſhall pleaſe thee to thinke meete, receiued among the number of thine elect, into that euerlaſting happineſſe where wee ſhall bee perfect in holineſſe, Amen.
A Prayer for Conſtant perſeuerance in praying, when wee are dull to prayer.
O Lord God, moſt mercifull Father, according to thy commandement, in mine afflictions, and neceſſities, I ſeeke to thee for ſuccor by continuall prayer & calling vppon thy Name. I call vppon thee in the day time, and in the night ſeaſon doe I poure out my prayers vntounto thee, and yet for all that I feele mee nothing releaſed, but oftentimes worſe and worſe, which maketh me many times deare Father almoſt to doubt of thy goodneſſe, that thou doſt reiect my Prayers, and giueſt no heed vntounto them, whereby I doe almoſt thinke that it is no boot for me to pray, ſeeing I feele no releaſe: but (O Lord) this is but weakneſſe in me, and the frailty of fleſh, which will not willingly bee ſubdued vntounto thy Spirit: which my frailty, I beſeech thee O Lord, forgiue me. For thou doſt O Lord God ſee my conflicts, and lookeſt vppon my continuall ſighes and petitions, but thou doſt deferre & prolong thy helpe the longer: & doſt not at firſt helpe me, to this end, that I may ſee fully mine owne weaknes, learne by little and little to ſubdue my rebellious will to thy good will, who knoweth better what is meet for mee then I my ſelfe. Therefore (O moſt deare Father) ſtrengthen mee by thy holy Spirit, that I may ſtill perſeuere and continue in prayer, and with longing deſires patiently waite for thee O Lord, being aſſured that although it appeare not, yet thou art alwaies preſent with mee, and heareſt my ſighes and complaints, and wilt when thou ſeeſt thy time declare thy ſelfe manifeſtly in the renewing my heart with ſpirituall ioy: ſtirre vp O Lord my dull & ſluggiſh nature, to call vponupon thee continually, appointing thee neyther time, nor the meanes of my deliuerance, but leauing all to thy good will and pleaſure: I may in the meane time, neuer ceaſe my continuall prayer, to call for thy mercifull helpe, vntill ſuch time as it ſhall pleaſe thy goodneſſe to ſend mee full deliuerance. I feele my ſelfe (O Lord) oftentimes very vnwilling to pray, for that I doe not fully perceiue my prayers to be heard, but doe go on ſtill languiſhing in my ſorrowes, as though thou hadſt no care of mee. But this my dulneſſe, I beſeech thee, O mercifull Father, pardon in me, and grant that I may be raiſed vppe to pray for aide and releefe of thee continually, although I ſhould ſee no ſigne of fauour: yet that I may continue ſtill, with the faithfull Woman of Canaan, and neuer ceaſe in heart, mind, and mouth, till thou grant my requeſts at thine appointed time, when thou knoweſt it ſhall be moſt for my behoofe, and for thy glory. And that when thou ſhalt mercifully looke vponupon mee to deliuer mee: I may then fully with my whole heart acknowledge thy goodneſſe toward me, and let it neuer ſtirre out of my heart, but continue thankfull for the ſame all the daies of my life, whereby thy glorie in mee may be declared, and my ſoule releeued thorough Chriſt my Lord and Sauiour, Amen.
A Prayer for all times.
O Lord God, Father of mercy, and God of all conſolation, without whom wee hauehave neither hope nor comfort, we poore wretched ſinners beſeech thee of thy Fatherly goodneſſe, to looke vponupon vsus, and to make vsus partakers of thy gracious goodneſſe, ſo that euermore wee may ſet foorth thy honor and glory: let our conuerſation bee ſuch, that a great many beholding our good workes, may glorifie thee our heauenly Father: and ſo direct our waies, that we may hold forth the profeſſion of thy Goſpell, as a Lanterne to lighten the ſteps of a great many, that they may turne to the, and prayſe thy name in their viſitation. Thus (O Lord) wee beſeech thee to deale with vsus, that in deed wee may be veſſels of honor vntounto thee, now to ſet forth the glory of thy name, and after this tranſitorie life, to behold thy glory, who haſt immortallitie alone, and dwelleſt in light, that no man hath approched vntounto: remoue farre from vsus our ſinnes and iniquities, that they may not ſeparate betweene vsus and thee: blotte out of vsus our offences, and make our prayers righteous, that thou mayeſt fauourably grant our requeſts: looke vppon vsus with thy fauourable mercy, that thou mayeſt hauehave pittie vppon vsus, and behold vsus in the righteouſneſſe of thy beloued Sonne Chriſt Ieſus; and that wee may be preſented faultleſſe in thy ſight: and thou accepting vsus as holy, we may hauehave the grace euermore to ſet forth thine honor and glory, and to ſpeake of thy praiſes in the midſt of all thy people.
Let vsus louelove (O Lord) the things that are good, and hate the things that are euil, let vsus delight in all things that may pleaſe thee, and let vsus be greiued with whatſoeuer is diſpleaſant in thy ſight. And to the intent we may hauehave true vnderſtanding, and be able to deſcerne betweene things, what is good or euill, wee beſeech thee, let thy word dwell in vsus plentifully, that it may guide our vnderſtandings ſo that wee may abound in all knowledge, and doe according to that which is righteous. And in this eſtate of true Chriſtianitie, being inſtructed in mind, and readie in body in all holy obedience, we beſeech thee make vsus to grow and encreaſe from grace to grace, from faith to faith, vntill we come vntounto the fulneſſe of age, to bee perfect members of the body of Chriſt, waiting for the bleſſed hope of thine elect, and ſighing in ſpirit vntill the time that thy Children be reuealed.
In the meane ſeaſon, let vsus ſigh with all thoſe that hauehave receiued the firſt fruits of thy ſpirit, that theſe daies of ſinne may ceaſe, that Sathan bee troden downe vnderunder feet, that Antichriſt may be reuealed▪ yet to many thouſands that bee in ignorance, that the number of thine elect may be full, the bodie of thy Saints made perfect, all teares wiped from their eies; euen then when thy Sonne ſhall appeare the ſecond time, to iudge the quicke and the dead: which time (O Lord) ſend quickly, according to thy good will, and teach vsus to pray with all thy Saints, Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly. Grant this, O moſt mercifull Father, for thy Sonnes ſake, in whoſe name wee pray vntounto thee. And although wee bee but earth and aſhes, yet wee are bold to ſay vntounto thee, (the God of all glorie) euen as hee hath taught vsus. Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
A Prayer for all eſtates.
O Lord God, Father of light, with whome is no change, neyther yet ſhadow of change, but haſt eſtabliſhed thine appointed counſels, which ſhall not be changed for euer: thou O God, haſt made among vsus this diuerſitie of eſtates and degrees, according as eueryevery Common-wealth needfully requiteth, keepe vsus all, wee beſeech thee, that wee may walke obediently in our calling, and follow the ſteps that thou haſt ſet before vsus, euen from the higheſt to the loweſt: let vsus accompliſh that dutie vntounto which thou haſt appointed vsus, and with a faithfull remembrance of thy promiſe made of old to our Father Abraham, that thou art his exceeding great reward, wee may likewiſe depend on thy prouidence, and ſeeke not any ſhamefull waies to get our liuing, wandring from the righteouſnes of our vocation, into the manifold errors of ſinne and iniquitie. Looke vppon vsus (O Lord) & inrich vsus with thy grace; make vsus obedient to our ſuperiours, meeke towards our enemies, faithfull to our friends, true and iuſt towards all men, that wee may dwell ſtedfaſtly rooted in the hope of thine …lect: vntill thou ſhalt make an end of all our labour: looke vppon our moſt excellent King, and Prince, with his Highnes honorable Counſell; as thou haſt called them to the higheſt roomes, ſo giuegive vntounto them the great…ſt meaſure of grace, that they faithfully diſpenſe the Talents commited vntounto them: Lead them with good King Dauid into the Sanctuarie, that they may ſee thy louing kindnes, which is better then life, and ſay with the Prophet, All fleſh is graſſe, and the glorie of man is as the flower of the field, & ſo conſecreate themſelues to do thy will, offer vp their bodies to be holy, liuing, and reaſonable ſacrifices vntounto thee, that they may bee nurſe-fathers vntounto thy Church: looke alſo wee beſeech thee, vppon the Miniſters, whom thou haſt appointed to the preaching of thy Goſpell, make them (O God) faithfull diſpencers of thy myſteries, without reſpect of perſons, to do the worke vntounto which thou haſt appointed them, that they may conuert ſinners, and hauehave their glorie perfect in the day of Chriſt: & knit vsus together in peace and louelove, that they may bee full of compaſſion one towards another, to reioyce with them that reioyce, and mourne with them that mourne, eſpecially to inſtruct one another in the way of righteouſneſſe, that by our mutuall helpe wee may the better withſtand our enemie, and dwell ſafe in hope of thine elect, till our daies ſhall bee full, and we ſhall walke in the waies of all the world: which time we beſeech thee bring vsus happily vntounto, euen for thy Sonnes ſake, we beſeech thee, to whom with thee, and the holy Ghoſt, three perſons and one God, be all honor and glorie, now for euer, & euermore, Amen.
A Prayer to bee confirmed in the knowledge of God.
O Moſt mightie, and eternall God, thou that by the creatiō of the world, the Sunne, the Moone, and Starres, the Earth, the Sea, and all that therein is, hath ſufficiently declared thy ſelfe to be the euerlaſting & Almightie God, for that theſe things doe farre paſſe the reach of mans wiſedome. And not herein onelyonly haſt thou declared thy ſelfe to bee a God: but in that alſo, that thou doſt continually guide and gouerne all things of thee created: It is thou therfore that thundereſt from heauen, that with lightnings and tempeſtes, and of waters & windes, ſheweſt thy terrible vengeance vponupon ſinfull fleſh. It is thou (O God) which letteſt vsus feele ſenſibly in our ſelues, thy mighty power and working, not only in that, that thou haſt made our bodies and ſoules: but eſpecially, that thou makeſt vsus euen of force to confeſſe thy eternall Spirit in vsus, who ſo mightily fighteth againſt the aſſaults of the enemie, that of force we are driuen to acknowledge that it is thy working in vsus, and not we our ſelues. Seeing therefore, O moſt mercifull Father, that wee hauehave both in thy creatures, and alſo in our ſelues ſo manifeſt teſtimonie, that thou onelyonly art the eternall and euer-liuing God, which raigneth in all thy creatures, guiding them by thy heauenly prouidence: grant we beſeech thee, that our hearts may be hereof fully aſſured, to acknowledge thee not onelyonly to bee God eternall. who hath created all things: but alſo that we may in heart be fully perſwaded, that thou O Lord God, doſt gouerne all things according to thy moſt bleſſed will, ſo that nothing can bee done in the world without thine appointment, and that thou haſt ſuch a ſinguler care ouer thine elected people, ſo that not ſo much as an hayre of their head ſhall fall without thy prouidence: that thou ſo guideſt all their doings, that all things ſhall turne to their commoditie, and thy glory. Grant O Lord God, that hereof we may be fully aſſured in our hearts and ſoules, that we may in all our doings ſet thee before our eyes: acknowledging thee to bee our onelyonly Lord and Father, and by the working of thy holy Spirit in vsus, may bee confirmed in Faith, and comforted in ſoule, and lightened in vnderſtanding, that alwaies here vppon earth, wee may glorifie thy holy name, and after the diſſolution of this body, wee may attaine to euerlaſting ioy, through our Lord & Sauiour Ieſu Chriſt, who liueth and raigneth world without end, Amen.