Godly Private Prayers for Christian Families, Prayers · Prayer 35 – Prayer 37
A Prayer to obtaine grace of God, againſt the aſſaults of the world, the Fleſh, and the Diuell.
O Lord God of eternall glory, and Father of endleſſe mercy, wee thy vnworthy Creatures, are bold in the name of thy beloued Sonne, to repreſent our ſelues before thee, humbly beſeeching thee for his ſake, that thou wilt vouchſafe to ſend downe thy holy Spirit into our hearts to guide and gouerne vsus in all our godly waies, and to defend vsus from all manner of temptations of this world, and the aſſaults thereof.
Lord God of thine vnſpeakable goodneſſe, grant that thy grace may continue with vsus alwaies, and that at no time we ſwerue nor fall from thee. Let thy truth euermore bee with vsus, and make vsus conſtant in the ſame, that wee neuer bee afraid of any thing which lieth in the power of man ouer our bodies, but alwaies confeſſing, that whomſoeuer thou pleaſeſt to defend, no Tyrant ſhall bee able to deſtroy. Strengthen and increaſe Faith, LoueLove, and Charity, in the hearts of all people. Make vsus able to reſiſt the vaine pleaſures of the world, let not the perillous allurements hauehave any power to conquer & ouercome vsus, nor the ſubtilties th…reof bee able to deceiue vsus. Defend vsus alſo (O Lord) from the many perils and temptations, which the diuell our aduerſarie practiſeth againſt vsus, leaſt wee fall into his ſna…es. Let neither his endeuours, nor the wanton inticements of our owne fleſh preuaile againſt vsus. Wee know (O Lord) that without thy ſufferance, hee of himſelfe can take no hold on vsus, nor bee able to diminiſh the leaſt haire of our head. GiueGive therefore vntounto vsus, ſuch grace from thee, that we may be willing to ſtriue againſt the world, the fleſh, and the diuell, and ſuch ſtrength, as we may be able to breake and beate downe the forc… and vehemencie of their ſtrong temptations. Grant vsus thy heauenly light, whereby wee may perfectly ſee and perceiue, thoſe malicious and cruell engines which they lay to entrap vsus, leaſt vnawares we fall into the fame. Euen now (O Lord) in theſe perillous daies, the diuell and his miniſters doe moſt buſily ſeeke to ſift vsus by all meanes and waies poſſible, namely, by pride, enuie, malice, couetouſneſſe, gluttonie, drunkenneſſe, fornication, and all other euill workes wherevnto hee doth moue vsus, and by him thruſt into our hearts, and whereby (without the aſſiſtance of thy grace) hee doth bring vsus within his baits and ſnares laid for our ſoules. And contrariwiſe wee of our ſelues hauehave no ability nor any meanes to preuaile againſt them, vnleſſe thou of thy mercy vouchſafe to be gracious vntounto vsus, to ſtrengthen vsus by thy power, and to defend vsus in all temptations which he worketh againſt vsus, that he may not triumph ouer vsus, to ou… deſtruction.
We beſeech thee from the bottome of our hearts, to vouchſafe to be our comfort in all our troubles, to defend vsus againſt all temptations, and that it would pleaſe thee to lead and gouerne vsus in all our thoughts, words, and deeds, ſo ſhall wee dwell in ſafety.
O Lord thou knoweſt that among all Creatures man is moſt rebellious againſt thee, and his offences and tranſgreſſions againſt thee moſt manifolde and contrariwiſe, eueryevery one creature in his kind, doth moſt worthily ſhew thy pow…r, might, and praiſe: and by them is thine omnipotency declared: but we in our liues do ſhew our ſelues moſt vnkind and vnnaturall children towards thee, daily offending thy diuine Maieſty, and eueryevery minute tranſgreſſing againſt thy Lawes and Commandements, nothing regarding thy iudgements, which might in a moment deſtroy vsus. But thou (O Lord) in thy mercy doſt vouchſafe notwithſtanding to ſpare vsus, admoniſhing vsus to repentance and newneſſe of life, that through our faithfull conuerſion wee may bee ſaued. Raiſe vsus vp therefore good Lord, from our drowſie ſluggiſhneſſe and careleſſe ſecurity. Suffer vsus not any longer to wallow and tumble our ſelues in our grieuous Iniquities. Let not ſinne hauehave ſo much power ouer vsus, or increaſe in vsus. Deſtroy and ouerthrow Satan and his wily policies. Roote out of our hearts, all workes of the world, wicked motions of the fleſh, and pernitious practiſes of the Diuell, that we may no longer offend thy goodneſſe. And plant in vsus ſuch good thoughts, good motions, and good endeuours, that we may diligently ſerue thee in all things according to thy will, and embrace with willingneſſe thy holy word, to the comfort of our Soules, and ſetting forth of thy glory.
Open thy bountifull hands O Lord, and bleſſe vsus with all good guifts, giuegive vsus obedient hearts and willing mindes, to ſearch and ſeeke out the trueth of thy holy word: ſtrengthen vsus with conſtancy in the ſame, that in all things wee may leade our liues accordingly, not as profeſſors alone, but as faithfull performers of the ſame, to the vtter diligence of our power. Confirme and eſtabliſh vsus in all good works, thar wee may as true Chriſtians, ſowe ſuch Seeds of thy knowne truth, that others from whom the brightneſſe of thy Goſpell hath beene concealed and kept vnknowne, may by our good example, take ſuch happy fruites thereof, that they may know thee, and bee brought home to thy Fold as loſt Sheepe. Be thou (O Lord) our Shepheard, and let vsus be then ſheepe of thy Fold, and remaine in thy protection, both now and alwaies to the end. Increaſe the number of the faithfull: diligent, and carefull Miniſters, Preachers, and diſtributers of thy holy word and Sacraments, and giuegive vntounto them a ſingle heart towards thee. Let them not be ſuch as do onelyonly preach and teach thy word with their lippes and tongues, and hauehave their hearts farre from thee, but that they inwardly with all their ſoule, in perfect faith cleaue vntounto thee and thy truth, and accordingly ſhew the ſame in their life and conuerſation. Driue alſo out of thy Church, all Buyers and Sellers, and ſuch as like rauening Wolues ſeeke to liue by the ſpoyle of thy ſheepe. Caſt out (O Lord) wee pray thee, ſuch idle Paſtors as are crept into thy Church, who more reſpecting gaine then grace, imploy their ſtudy for promotion, and leaue the flocke vnfed which is vnderunder their charge. Lord of thy vnſpeakable Mercy, deliuer vsus from ſuch careleſſe keepers, and blind guides, leaſt we alſo being made blinde by their negligence, may bee kept blind in ignorance, and ſo with them fall into the dangerous pit of thy deepe and heauy diſpleaſure.
Rehearſe and pardon vsus all our offences, teach vsus to ſerue thee as we ought, make ſtrong our faith and hope in thee, indue vsus with thy heauenly light, that wee may perfectly ſee our foule and manifold enormities, and examining our owne conſcices, and diſcerning our imperfections, wee may learne to amend our liues.
Make vsus willing Followers of thee, and diligent louers of thy Law. Make vsus penitent for our ſinnes paſt, and continue in vsus thy feare. Let vsus not fall inro any manner of temptations, but by thy mighty power deliuer vsus from all euill. To thee alone (O Lord) belongeth mercy and forgiueneſſe, and thou onelyonly art our louing Sauiour. Purge vsus and make vsus cleane, that wee may bee found choſen veſſels, fit to ſerue thee in this life, and after to obtaine perfect ſaluation at thy mercifull hands, & enioy euerlaſting reſt in thy Celeſtiall habitation, prepared for thy faithfull and elect people, and with thy holy and bleſſed Angels may ſing praiſe vntounto thy holy name for euer. Theſe bleſſings (O Father) wee beſeech thee to beſtow vponupon vsus for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake, in whoſe name we pray vntounto thee as hee himſelfe hath taught vsus, Our Father, &c.
A Thankſgiuing after bleſſings obtained, to acknowledge them a… from God.
BLeſſed Lord, I feele in my ſelfe how mercifully thou haſt dealt with me, greeuouſly I was troubled, and now by thy goodneſſe partly releaſ…d how dangerouſlie I was aſſaulted, and now by thy merciemercy partly deliuered: this releefe (although I muſt needs confeſſe by infallible arguments …o bee thy onelyonly worke in me yet ſuch is the pride of my rebellious fleſh, that it will not ſuffer me to aſ…e fully) the ſame to proceede of thee, and thine onelyonly goodneſſe but ſeeketh out other fained cauſes, according to the vaine deuiſes of my mind, therefore I beſeech thee moſt gracious Father, that thou wilt ſo frame my heart, that I may with my whole heart and mind, & with all the powers of my ſoule, acknowledge a… my comfort and ayde to be thy onelyonly worke, wrought in me by thy holy Spirit, and that I may bee thankfull for the ſame all the daies of my life (O Lord) thou haſt ſworne by thy holineſſe, that thou wilt not giuegive thine honor to any other. Seeing then deere Father, that thou haſt ſent mee this ſtrength: let mee bee perſwaded fully in my heart (deere Father) that it commeth from thee, that to thee I may render due honor, praiſe, & thankſgiuing for the ſame, and the reſt of my life, that I may be aſſured in heart of thy mercifull defence, in mine extreame dangers, as thou haſt many times wonderfully deliuered me, and thou wilt according to thy promiſe ſo continue thy mercifull ayde, whereby thy name in mee may be glorified, my ſoule in mercy preſerued, and thy whole Church edified, now & for euer, Amen.
A Prayer for patience in tribulation, and that God may bee glorified thereby.
GRacious and mercifull Father, who haſt from time to time, in all ages exerciſed euen thy moſt deere children with greeuous afflictions, and ſharpe corrections, to draw their minds from too much louelove of earthly pleaſures, to delight in heauenly ioyes, and ſpirituall comforts of the ſoule: graunt I beſeech thee, that I euen from my heart, may acknowledge this affliction, which doth nowe greeuouſly pierce my ſoule, to bee thy Fatherly correction, and ſcourge of thy meere mercy and louelove, layd vppon mee, to put mee in minde of my dutie towards thee, leaſt elſe, with too much quietneſſe, I ſhould hauehave beene drawne through the flattering pleaſures of this vaine world: from the remembrance and delight of my ſpirituall ioy in heauenly things, to hauehave had my ſinfull delight in this vaine world and ſo ſhould hauehave runne headlong to euerlaſting damnation with the wicked world. But that thou (O Father) haſt called me back by this thy Fatherly rod, whereby thou mindeſt to let me ſee, that of my ſelfe I hauehave no ſtrength vntounto goodneſſe, but that it was thou, who by thy aboundant mercy, hadſt before time repleniſhed my heart with ioy, that I tooke great pleaſure and comfort in reading and hearing thy holy word, and receiuing other benefits: which ſpirituall comfort and quietneſſe of mind, becauſe I did not fully acknowledge to bee thy good gift in mee, thou haſt now taken from mee (for a time) that I may effectually perceiue and learne by the lacke of it, that it was thy worke in me: and when thou reſtoreſt the ſame againe, I may more aboundantly glorifie thee in thy manifold mercies. But while it ſhall be thy good will & pleaſure, (O Lord) to exerciſe mee with this thy louing correction: giuegive me grace that I may patientiy abide, whatſoeuer it ſhall pleaſe thee to lay vponupon me for my amendment, ſtrengthen mee (O Lord) that I doe not faint vnderunder the burthen of affliction: but being vpholden by the ſtrength of thy holy Spirit in mee, I may neuer ceaſe calling vppon thy name, with full perſwaſion that thou wilt at thy time appointed, ſend mee full aſſurance, to my ſingular comfort, and thy eternall glory. And when it ſhall pleaſe thee (O Lord) fully to deliuer mee: I beſeech thee ſo worke in my heart, that I may acknowledge the ſame to come from thee, and to be thy onelyonly worke, that I may be thankfull for thy ſo great mercies in all the daies of my life, and I neuer forget thy louing and Fatherly dealings towards mee, but ſo to the end of my life I may liue in thy feare and louelove, that thy holy name in my life may be glorified, and after death, I may bee receiued to that full ioy, which thou haſt prepared for thine elect children, through our onelyonly Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, Amen.