Godly Private Prayers for Christian Families, Prayers · Prayer 5
Morning prayer for priuate Houſes and Families.
O Gracious God, and louing Father, according to thy commandement, wee doe here preſent our ſelues before the throne of thy mercy, acknowledging and confeſſing from the bottome of our hearts, that we be miſerable ſinners, daily breaking thy commandements, both in thought, word, and deed, wherein wee iuſtly deſerue euerlaſting damnation, and to bee vtterly throwne from thy preſence: yet O Lord, wee ſee thy goodneſſe againe toward vsus, who not ſuffering vsus thus to periſh in our ſins, haſt ſent thine owne deare Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, to take vppon him whatſoeuer is due, to reconcile and make vsus at one with thee againe. In him therfore good Lord, and through him, doe wee come vntounto thee, beſeeching thee for his ſake, that wee feeling the grieuouſneſſe of our ſinnes, and groaning vnderunder the burthen of them, may feele the releaſe & eaſe of them, in that we bee thorough thy holy Spirit aſſured, and ſtedfaſtly beleeue, that Chriſt hath borne the burthen of them euen for vsus. Grant likewiſe, O moſt mercifull Lord & heauenly Father, that wee being aſſured hereof in our conſciences, may through thy holy Spirit be renued in the inner man, to hate, deteſt, and abhorre ſinne, and to ſtudy to liue according to thy bleſſed will during our whole life.
Wee doe not onelyonly pray for our ſelues, but alſo for all thy whole Church, eſpecially ſuch as bee perſecuted for thy word: grant vntounto them, that whether it be by death or life, they may glorifie thy Name to their liues end. Be mercifull to this Church of England, Scotland, & Ireland, we beſeech thee good Lord, & preſerue eueryevery part and menber of the ſame, eſpecially thy ſeruant Iames our King: grant him all ſuch giftes as bee needfull for ſo high a calling, to the aduancement of thy glorie, and benefit of this Common wealth, to the eſtabliſhing of a perfect gouerment of thy Church, according to the preſcript rule of thy bleſſed word, to the rooting out of all ſuperſtition and reliques of Antichriſt, to the gouerning of his ſubiects in all peace and tranquilitie. Defend him, O Lord, from all conſpiracies, treaſons, & rebellions, and ſo worke in the hearts of all his ſubiects, that knowing his authoritie doth come from thy heauenly Maieſty, they may with obedient hearts humbly obey them in thee, and for thee. Preſerue the whole Councell and the Magiſtrates of the Realme, that being lightened through thy holy Spirit, they may defend the truth, ſuppreſſe wickedneſſe, and maintaine equitie. Behold all the Paſtours and Preachers of thy word, bleſſe their labours, increaſe the number of them, place ouer eueryevery Church a painefull watchman, remoue all idle lubbers, and confound the power of Antichriſt, and turne the hearts of the people that they may be obedient to thy truth. Bleſſe the two famous Vniuerſities, Cambridge and Oxford, & all the ſtudents of the ſame, with all Schooles of Learening. Behold all thoſe that bee afflicted with any kind of croſſe, that they may profit by thy correction in newneſſe of life.
Laſtly, for our ſelues here gathered, wee humbly (O Lord) craue at thy handes, that it would pleaſe thee to make vsus thankefull vntounto thy Maieſtie for all thy louing kindneſſe ſhewed vntounto vsus euen from our infancie: eſpecially, that thou haſt this preſent night deliuered vsus from all dangers both of body and ſoule, whereinto many hauehave fallen, as wee in the like manner ſhould hauehave done, if we had not beene ſtaied with thy mercifull hand: that thou haſt a…ſo granted vntounto vsus ſo ſweete & comfortable reſt, and haſt now preſently brought vsus to the beginning of this day. For theſe things, good Lord, wee yeeld thee moſt hearty thankes, beſeeching thee to make vsus more & more daily thankfull vntounto thy Maieſtie for them, and pardon our vnthankfulneſſe. And as thou haſt ſafely preſerued vsus vntounto this preſent houre from all the dangers of this life: ſo we beſeech thee continue thy fauour towardes vsus this day, and the whole courſe of our life. Defend vsus, O Lord, that we now entring into the affaires of this day, bee not drawne away with the vaine allurements of this world, to ſinne and wickedneſſe: that wee walke not in the ſhadow of death, that wee be not intangled in the ſnares of ſinne, that wee ſtumble not at the blockes of iniquitie, that we finally fall not into the pit of death and deſtruction: but beeing ſhadowed vnderunder thy wings, we may cheerefully & conſtantlie goe on forward to the end of our courſe. Grant vntounto vsus, O Lord our God, that this good time which thou granteſt vntounto vsus in this life, be not idlely, or vainly of vsus conſumed, but that eueryevery one of vsus may be diligently exerciſed in his calling this day, and all our life long, being aſſured that thou wilt once call vsus to yeeld an account of our Stewardſhip. Indue vsus, we beſeech thee, with thoſe gifts and graces which bee needfull for vsus in our calling, & that with a pure heart & ſincere conſcience, wee may vſe them to the benefit of our bretheren, and diſcharge of our owne conſcience before thy Maieſtie. We beſeech thee, O Lord, that in all our conſultations words and workes this day, and the whole courſe of our life, we may alwayes hauehave thee preſnet before our eyes, knowing that thou ſeeſt euen the very deepe thoughts of our hearts, which alwaies may bee as a bridle to pull vsus backe, that wee neither do, nor yet conſent to any ſinne or wickedneſſe, but that alwaies wee may bee ſo exerciſed in the affaires of this life, that wee looke ſtill to the end of our courſe, when it ſhall pleaſe thee to bring vsus through the pilgrimage of this life to our euerlaſting reſt with thy deere Sonne Ieſus Chriſt our Sauiour. In whoſe Name for theſe mercies and whatſoeuer thou knoweſt to bee needfull for vsus, & for thy whole Church wee pray vntounto thee, as hee himſelfe hath taught vsus in his holy word, ſaying. Our Father, &c. The Lord bleſſe vsus & ſaue vsus, the Lord make his face ſhine vppon vsus, and bee mercifull vntounto vsus, the Lord turne his fauorable countenance towards vsus, & grant vsus his peace. The grace of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the louelove of God the Father, and the moſt comfortable f…llowſhippe of the holy Ghoſt, bee with vsus, preſerue vsus this day and euermore, Amen.