Godly Private Prayers for Christian Families, Prayers · Prayer 6
Euening Prayer for priuate Houſes and Families.
O Gracious God and louing Father, according to thy Commandement we do heere preſent our ſelues againe before thy Maieſtie, humbly proſtrating our ſinfull ſelues before the Throne of thy mercy, acknowledging and confeſſing from the bottome of our hearts, that wee are miſerable ſinners, daylie breaking thy Commaundements, both in thoght, word, and deede; wherein we iuſtly deſerue euerlaſting damnation, and to bee vtterly throwne from thy preſence. Yet (O Lord) wee ſee thy goodneſſe againe towardes vsus, who not ſ…ffering vsus thus to periſh in our ſinnes, haſt ſet thine owne deere Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, to take vppon him whatſoeuer is due, …o reconcile and make vsus at one with thee againe. In him the…efore (good Lord) and through him, doe wee come vntounto thee, beſeeching thee for his ſake, that wee feeling the greeuouſneſſe of our ſins, and groaning vnderunder the burthen of them, may feele the releaſe and eaſe of them, in that we be through thy holie Spirit aſſured, and ſtedfaſtly beleeue, that Chriſt Ieſus our Lord, hath borne the burden of them, euen for vsus. Graunt O Lord, that wee being aſſured heereof in our Conſciences, may thorough thy moſt holy and bleſſed Spirit, be renewed in the inner man, to hate, deteſt, and vtterly abhorre all ſinne, and that wee may ſtudie to liue according to thy bleſſed will, during our whole life.
And now (O Lord God) we pray not onelyonly for our ſelues, but likewiſe for all thy whole Church, eſpeciallie for ſuch as be perſecuted for the teſtimony of a good conſcience: Grant vntounto them, O Lord, that whether it be by death or life, they may glorifie thy Name to their liues end. Bleſſe theſe Churches (good Father) wherein wee liue, and therein our gracious Soueraigne, and thy ſeruant Iames, King of Great-Britaine, France and Ireland. Keepe him, O Lord, from all Conſpiracies, Treaſons, and Rebellions. Preſerue the Noble and hopefull Prince Charles; the illuſtrious Prince Palatine, the Lady Elizabeth with their Princely Iſſue. Bleſſe the Lords of his Maieſties moſt honourable Priuie Counſell, the Magiſtrates & Miniſters of this Land. Shower downe thy bleſſings (O Lord) vponupon both the Vniuerſities) and all Schooles of Learning Comfort all thoſe that bee afflicted with any kind of croſſe, that they may profit by thy correction, to newneſſe of life.
And laſtly (gracious Lord God) we come vntounto thee for our ſelues heere gathered together, rendering vntounto thy glorious Maieſty, moſt hearty Thankes, which haſt hitherto from our infancy preſetued vsus by thy mercy from all perils and daungers both of ſoule and body, whereunto fraile man is ſubiect, that thou haſt ſent vntounto vsus euerie thing neceſſarie for this preſent life, as health, foode, apparrell, and ſuch like, which many of thy deere Children do want, being notwithſtanding, as preciouſlie bought with the precious bloud of thy deere Sonne, as we be, & yet be in miſery and calamity, oppreſſed with pouertie, nakedneſſe, impriſonment, and baniſhment; in vvhoſe caſe alſo (deare Father) thou mighteſt hauehave brought vsus; ſaue onelyonly that thou dealeſt herein more fauourably with vsus, then with them. For the which thy louing kindneſſe, we giuegive thee hearty thankes: deſiring thee, that as thou haſt hitherto thus fauorably in merciemercy preſerued vsus by thy protection, and euen preſently this day haſt brought vsus paſt all dangers therof, ſo we beſeech thee (good Lord) in like fauour to behold vsus this night, that we taking our naturall reſt and quietnes, may through thy protection, bee defended; that our Bodies reſting, our ſoules may bee occupied in beholding thy fauour and merciemercy towardes thy Children, ſtill looking for the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt for our full Redemption.
Graunt that our ſleepe bee not immoderate, according to the luſt of our fleſh, but as much as is ſufficient to refreſh our weake nature: that being thus refreſhed, both the body and the mind, may be more able to doe their ſeuerall office and Function, in that Vocation wherein thou haſt placed vsus.
Grant, that we laying our bodies downe to reſt, m…y be thereby put in minde o… our long reſt of death, that as we do now lay down our bodies in bed, ſo we may be therby admoniſhed, that heereafter they ſhall be layde downe in the Graue, to bee conſumed to duſt, earth, & aſhes; from whence they were taken: That we hauing this before our eyes, may be ſtirred vp in minde, warily to walke in this our Pilgrimage, not knowing when the time ſhall be of our departure, but alwaies to be found readie with ou… Lampes of pure faith clearly burning, that we may be accepted to meete the Bridegroome, when our mortall, earthly, and corruptible Bodies ſhall be made like to the glorious body of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, there to reigne with him, in perpetuall ioy and conſolation, together with all the Elect children of God; continually lauding with thy Heauenly multitude, the glorious Maieſty of thee our Lord God and heauenly Father, in our God and Sauiour, Ieſus Chriſt.
For theſe, and whatſoeuer elſe thou knowſt to be needfull for vsus, and thy whole Church, we pray vntounto thee, as he himſelfe hath taught vsus ſaying, Our Father, &c.
The Lord bleſſe vsus, & ſaue vsus, the Lord make his face to ſhine vponupon vsus, and be mercifull vntounto vsus: The Lord turne his fauourable countenance vntounto vsus, and graunt vsus his peace. The grace of our Lord Ieſu Chriſt, the louelove of God the Father, and the moſt comfortable Fellowſhip of God the holy Ghoſt, be with vsus, preſerue, and keepe vsus, this night forth, and for euermore, Amen.