The Immortality of the Soul, Prayer
A PRAYER.
O Moſt high and ever-living and everlaſting God, beyond all thoughts moſt high and mighty Lord God, which dwelleſt in pure brightneſſe and excellent Majeſty, all glorious in thy ſelfe, and haſt no need of the glory of any of thy creatures, but they receive their glory and excellent parts from thee: What then are men or women in themſelves before thee or the ſons of men, that thou ſhouldſt regard them, for they are weak and ſinfull? but thou, ô Lord! art holy and mighty, righteous, juſt and mercifull, and giving unto mankind juſt and righteous laws which are good for themſelves: and thou, ô mercifull Lord God haſt made mercifull, temporall promiſes unto the ſons of men, and keepest them ſure and conſtant, in preſerving, the whole World, in keeping it from firing and drowning in reſtraining the rage and fury of wicked men, and evill ſpirits that would deſtroy it, thy mercy is ſeen, ô Lord! alſo mightily in ſending food and raiment ſufficient for the whole World, fit for their habitation: ſo that if there be any want, it is commonly the cruelty or fooliſhneſſe of man. In mercy, ô Lord! thou ſendest Summer and Winter, day and night, Seed-time and Harveſt, the ebbing flowing and of the Seas, the fiſh abiding and comming to ſeverall Countries in their ſeaſon! thy mercy is ſeen, ô Lord! in bleſsing the fowls of the aire, and the beaſts of the field unto mankind, the corn, flowers, graſſe, herbs, with the fruits of the trees: ſo in mercy, ô Lord! thou ſendest Gold, Silver, Braſſe, Iron, and all metals for the uſe and benefit of man: Silk from Wormes, Wooll from Sheep, Leather and Furs from beasts great and ſmall, Diamonds and all kind of Pearles from Sea and Land: for the ſeating of mankind in their ſeverall degrees, not to puff them up with pride, to abuſe their brethren, but rather to raiſe up their thoughts to praiſe their Creatour, and to deſire with humility the grace to ſerve God here in this world, that they may come to the glorious everlasting place, which God hath prepared for his people, ô Lord God! thou art our Creatour, there is no good to be had but from thee and thy providence: we were nothing, ô Lord God, and thou madeſt us men and women, we fell from thee, and became worſe then nothing: and thou ô holy and bleſſed Trinity tookſt pity on us: and thou, ô mercifull Jeſus, becammeſt a loving and mercifull Saviour unto us, thy mercy, ô glorious and excellent ſweet Jeſus is more greater in redeeming mankind, then any men are Abel: to expreſſe ô glorious heavenly Father, thou hast made us thy children, thy holy Son Jeſus will make us holy: ô holy and bleſſed ſpirit, thou ſanctifiest thy people, and teacheſt them the way and the truth: and thou ô bleſſed ſpirit makest them ſtrong and valiant to hold out in thy feare, and ſerves to the end of our lives, ô holy, holy, holy, and bleſſed Trinity, and Lord God, high and Almighty, to thee be all glory forever. All thy works praiſe thee, ô Lord God, and magnifie thy holy name for ever: and now, ô moſt holy and everliving God and moſt mercifull Father in Jeſus Chriſt, we humbly beſeech thee for Jeſus Chriſt ſake to give us grace to live godly, ſoberby, lovingly, and zealous of Gods true worſhip, and glory. And grant, ô Lord! for Jeſus Chriſt ſake that wee may bring forth godly and charitable fruit in Chriſt Jeſus; to the honour and glory of thy name: and make us, ô Lord, for Jeſus Chriſt truly thankfull unto thee, for the free and true preaching of thy word in all theſe North-weſt parts of the World. And wee beſeech thee, ô Lord God, for Jeſus Chriſt ſake, in thy goodtime, to ſend againe thy true, plain and lively word to be preached, to be believed and mayntained in the other parts of the World, that they and we may at the laſt through thy exceeding great and wonderfull mercy in Jeſus Chriſt, come to thy Kingdom to praiſe thy Name with joy for evermore: Amen. All glory, praiſe and thanks be given unto thee, ô eternall, and everliving Almighty Lord God, both now and for evermore, World without end. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Hooker, The Immortality of the Soul (1645)