Godly Private Prayers for Christian Families, Prayers · Prayer 8
A Speciall Morning Prayer for the Sabbath.
MOſt Mighty, and glorious Lord of Hoſts, & God of Sabbaths. Who though thou didſt reſt from all thy workes of Creation, yet daily workeſt in all the world, diſpoſing and preſeruing all things therein, by thy generall prouidence: and eſpecially ruleſt in thy Church and Children; doing all their workes for them, and daily preſeruing them from the euils of the time: encouraging them daily by the renuing of thy mercies to ſeeke thy face, & refreſhing thy Beloued (daily) from Sabbath to Sabbath with the fruits of thy houſe, that they may bee fitted to reſt for euer with thee in thine eternall Sabbath. It is thy ſingular mercy, & great patience (O Lord our God) that thy vnworthy & vnprofitable ſeruants, hauing ſo often prouoked thee, to call vsus to an account and take our Talents from vsus; are yet reſpited to a further vſe of thy bleſsings, and redeeming of the time in better husbanding thereof. But (O Lord our God) how wonderfully and (aboue all other) vnſpeakeable is this thy goodneſſe, that though wee hauehave no better then prophaned this thy holy day, generally heretofore by ſpeaking our owne words, and thinking our owne thoughts therein; ſo far from being bettered by thine ordinances, that wee ſtill remaine more hardened and inexcuſable thereby, more leauened with hypocriſie and worldlynes, more barren in vprightneſſe and holyneſſe of conuerſation, and ſo deſerue for euer to be plucked vp by the rootes, and caſt out of thy preſence. Yet haſt thou offered vsus once againe this gracious opportunity of thy bleſſed Preſence, and to drawe neere vntounto thee, his thy day in the vſe of thy holy ordinances. How iuſtly mighteſt thou long ſince, either fatted vp our hearts, and ſo giuen vsus vp to our owne luſt, and reprobate waies, that all good motions might bee vtterly quenched in vsus, all deſire of thy preſence wholly extinguiſhed. Or though wee had any deſire, yet thou mighteſt iuſtly hide thy face from vsus, and turne this day of our viſitation into a perpetuall night. Haſt thou not thus reckoned with our neighbours round about? And what mighteſt thou find in vsus (O bleſſed Lord) that any way could ſtay this fearefull reckoning? Is it, becauſe wee hauehave enioyed more fauours longer then they hauehave done? Lord, what may wee truly expect herefrom, then to be beaten with more ſtripes? And though thy patience bee more enlarged towards vsus, yet ſhall not the reckoning bee the more intollerable? Or is it not thy ſingular wiſdome, to warne vsus graciouſly by our Bretherens harmes, and humble vsus the more by the ſence of our vnprofitablenes, as if our caſe were bootleſſe, & deſperate? Or is it becauſe thou haſt giuen vsus ſome remorſe of Ioſephs affliction, and enlarged our hearts with ſome compaſſion towards them. Oh how doth this continue our cruelty towards them, that while wee ſeeke to eaſe them of their ſmart by our cold compaſſions, wee yet encorage them by our example in ſinne? How doth this challenge our want of mercy to our ſelues, while wee more harden our hearts hereby in wickedneſſe, as if we were more righteous then they, becauſe wee are ſpared, and they are puniſhed; and ſo heape vp more wrath againſt our ſelues by our impenitencie, while we labour to reclaime others from the fury thereof. Thus find wee nothing by our ſelues, why wee fare better then others; but that our beſt fare is like to proue our deadly bane. OnelyOnly in thee (O our God) there is abſolute power to doe with thine owne what thou wilt, with thee there is free mercy, to ſpare whome thou pleaſeſt; In thee, there is infinite wiſdome to draw thy Children vntounto thee, by contrary meanes; ſome by feare, plucking out of the fire; alluring others by thy tender compaſſions, that thou onelyonly mighteſt hauehave the glory of all thy workes; melting ſome by thy patience, which harden others, and hardning ſome by thy corrections, which ſoften others. Meditate (O my ſoule) on this Power, Wiſdome, and mercy of thy glorious God. Exalt him and ſay; who is like our God, that ſpareth and puniſheth whome hee pleaſeth; that puniſheth by ſparing, and ſpares by puniſhing? And ſolet thy heart beginne this day with ſuch deuoute Meditation and rauiſhment therewith, that it may truely caſt thee downe before his glorious preſence, and vtterly caſt thee out of all carnall confidence, and ſo wholy caſt out of thee all vaine and earthly thoughts, that may interrupt thy ſweete fellowſhip with thy glorious God, while thou laboureſt to power out thy ſoule before him in iudging thy ſelfe, & iuſtifying his free goodnes for thy former preſeruation, and crying for acceptance in thy Sauiour for the pardon of thy ſinnes, and to be cloathed with his righteouſneſſe, that thou mayeſt appeare all faire in the preſence of thy God, and ſo be ſafely carried by his Spirit, into the Chamber of thy Mother, there to ſucke and bee ſatisfied. O grant vsus (gracious God) thus to beginne this day in thee, and with thee. And that wee may bee better quickened and enabled hereunto, and ſet to the ſpending thereof wholy in thy feare. Perſwade our hearts, wee pray thee (Bleſſed Lord) of the moralitie and equitie of this thine owne ordin…nce: that what thou haſt for thine owne intire and ſolemme worſhip ſo vnchangeably ratified, wee may not eſteeme common and indifferent, as either to ſeeke my ſelfe any whit therein, or els not to ſeeke thee in all thy waies: as if either thou hadſt impoſed reſt from our worldly imployments, becauſe idlenes pleaſeth thee, and the eaſe of the fleſh were part of the worſhip; or els might excuſe vsus from ſpirituall imployments: or elſe, that herein alſo wee might take our eaſe, and ſerue our ſelues, refreſhing the labours of our ſoules, by ſatisfing the fleſh. But cauſe vsus (gracious God) to know, that therefore, in thine infinit wiſdome thou haſt now reſtrained vsus from bodyly labours, that wee might bee there by freed from all encombrances of care and worldly mindedneſſe, and ſo might wholy apply our ſelues both to the publicke and priuate meanes and practice of thy worſhip therein, euen all the day: and that wee may ſo doe, O grant vsus wee humbly pray thee, to call thy Sabbath a delight, to conſecrate it glorious vntounto thee; eſchewing our owne waies, and renouncing our owne will, forſaking all vaine and ordinary words, giuing no way to any looſe or worldly thoughts: but we may bind our ſelues to an entire and conſtant following thee, in all the wayes of thy worſhip, as may any way ſeeme to the ſāctifying of this day.
And becauſe I am like to meete with many hinderances herein, both within and without: mine owne heart within, repining hereat, as an heauy yoake, and pleading for vnſeaſonable and carnall liberty: The world without, alluring by cunning pretences and contrary example, and ſcorning my ſtrictnes and ſcrupulouſneſſe herein. O arme mee ſtrongly (gratious God) againſt all theſe enchantments, and fooliſh ſcarcrowes; That I may not leane to mine owne wiſdome, but to thy ſacred word, ſtudying the more carefully to pleaſe thee in all things, that I may ſtop the mouthes of gainſayers, or glo…ie herein the more, that they are ſtill opened againſt weldoing, & ſhall prouoake thee iuſtly to ſtoppe their mouthes in due time, with confuſion. O perſwade my heart (as thou haſt taught mee) that thy yoake is eaſie, thine ordinances not greeuous: and grant mee to try mine eaſe, by the diſeaſing of my fleſh; and to prepare for cōfort therin, by greefe for my fayllings, which may ſtill prouoake mee to continue therein: and the ſubduing of my fleſh may better fit mee to the cheerfull vndergoing thereof: and the more I feele mine owne wants and greeue therein, the more I may hunger after and value thy ſweete ordinance, whereby my wants may bee ſupplyed, and ſorrowes r…freſhed: that ſo in the deniall of my ſelfe, I may bee ſtill found of thee in Chriſt, and by his power may bee ſtill enabled to goe through the ſpirituall occaſions of the day, and noriſhed with hope of the acceptance of my weake endeauours therein.
So grant mee (louing Father) when I ſpeake vntounto thee, to ſpeake euen from thee. From the ſence of thy Maieſty, to abaſe mee humbly before thee: from the light of thy Truth, to diſcerne my ſpeciall wants by the light of faith, to apprehend thy ſpeciall fauour in Chriſt, to caſt me out of my ſelfe, and caſt mee boldly vppon thee, and by remembrance of thy former mercies and faithfull promiſes, to aſſure mee good ſucceſſe in preſence with thee, and ſo from the ſence of thy louelove, to offer a ſacrifice of praiſe vntounto thee, that I may ſtill receiue from thee by emptying my ſoule in compaſſion to others may bee more repleniſhed by thee.
O grant mee (Bleſſed Lord) that when thou ſpeakeſt to mee, I may heare thee onelyonly, and alone by thee. Let thy key open my heart that it may receiue thee inwardly: Let it ſhut my heart againe that by meditation, I may retaine thee conſtantly. Let it open my heart againe, by applying thine ordinance to my preſent and ſpeciall wants; and ſo breake the ſtony rocke againe, that the teares of hearty Repentance may guſh out plentifully. O then let it ſhut my heart faſt by confidence in thee, that I ſincke not in diſpaire; And then let it open and enlarge my heart againe, with ioy vnſpeakeable and glorious, in the ſence of thy rich mercies. And now let it ſhut vp my heart againe, againſt ſelfe louelove & ſpirituall pride, that ſo it may be opened by ſpeciall grace, to all gratious and conſtant duties to thee, my ſelfe, and my neighbour.
And when we are to meet thee together in that holie communion: O prepare the roome for thy ſelfe, that thou mayeſt delight to feaſt with me, and giuegive me an heauenly appetite, that I may deſire to feed on thee. Humble my ſoule before thee, that thou mayeſt ſtoope vntounto me; and eaſe my ſoule of its heauie burthen, that it may aſcend vntounto thee, and ſo knit my heart hereby vntounto thee in an euerlaſting fellowſhip.
When I obſerue thy church enlarged by the admiſſion of new members, the breach of mine owne Vow, to conſider my decay and backe-ſlydings from thee; and in the ſenſe thereof, to pray more earneſtly for thy Bleſſings vponupon thine owne Ordinance, reioycing for the encreaſe of thy Church heereby, and yet preparing vntounto the bloodie Baptiſme, and ſo hungering af…er the full conſummation of thy Choſen.
When I ioyne with the Congregation, either in giuing thee praiſe, or in prayer …o receiue from thee (O grant) me to ioyne of conſcience not cuſtome, to the ſatisfying of the fleſh, to humble each other, that we may hauehave mutuall comfort, to labour with one mind & end, that our paines may not be tedious or fruitleſſe.
GiueGive mee ſo to praiſe thee, that I bee more humbled in my ſelfe, ſo to giuegive thee thankes, that I part not ſtakes with thee: ſo to ſing vntounto thee, that I may ſorrow for my ſinnes, ſo to reioyce before thee, as that I may ſtill hunger after thee, and long for thy euerlaſting preſence.
So enlarge mee from thy bounty, to all occaſions for thy ſake, to fill the emptie, to emptie the gorged ſtomacke, to raiſe the humbled, recall the wandring; confirme the weak…, informe the ignorant, conuince the obſtinate, comfort the abiect, and reconcile the auerſe: & in all theſe, giuegive mee, good Lord a cheerfull heart, rather chooſing to preuent, then bee preuented. herein rather ſtriuing with the laſt, then giuing ouer with the firſt. And ſo what I hauehave found a broad, O grant me to communicate at home with my God in prayer, to bleſſe it vntounto mee; with my ſelfe in priuate application to be bettered therby, with my family in conference and inſtruction, to increaſe the kingdome of Chriſt, ſtill raiſing my ſoule higher from the world, by meditation of the wiſedome and goodnes of my God, in his wonderfull workes, & ſo ſtill more abaſing my fleſh, in the view and ſence of mine owne vnprofitableneſſe in the beſt I hauehave done: yet comforting my ſoule in the promiſe of my God, that hee will require no more then hee giues, and ſhew his power in my weakneſſe; that though I find no more in my rekconing, but a dearer and more deepe ſence of my corruption, as this day to diſcerne & deteſt the ſame: ſo this deepe ſenſe of corruption, may enable me to prepare more conſcionably againſt the more publike occaſions, and prouoke mee more earneſtly to hunger after the euerlaſting Sabbath.
And euen ſo grant mee (Gracious God) thus to end the day with thee, as I hauehave endeauoured to begin, and continue the ſame in thee. O pardon, I humbly pray thee, whaeſoeuer hath bene mine, and accept graciouſly, and crowne thine owne worke in mee, who am thy ſeruant and the Son of thy handmaide. And ſo do heartily commend my ſelfe, and all mine, into thy ſpeciall tuition, beſeeching thee to giuegive mee my full acquitance before I meete thee in publike, that I may approach thy preſence with comfort, and pertake thine owne ordinances as my appointed food, make ſuch benefite by them as may ſatisfie mee with thy fulneſſe, to the reioycing of my ſoule in the light of thy Countenance, and to prouoke mee to long for thine euerlaſting preſence, and fit mee daily to meete my Sauiour in the Clouds, in whoſe worthyneſſe, I humbly pray thee to accept thine vnworthy ſeruant, and his weake prayers, to whome with thine owne Maieſty, and God the bleſſed Spirit, three glorious Perſons, one God in vnitie, might, and Maieſty, be aſcribed as moſt due, all glory and Power, and Maieſty, & Dominion, with all feare & hearty obedience, of vsus and the whole Church of God now and for euer, Amen.