Davids Blessed Man, Prayer 1
A Prayer for the Morning.
O LORD, and our good GOD, wee thy poore vnworthy ſeruants, according to our bounden duetie, are heere aſſembled together in thy Name: O LORD, it is thy owne Commandement that wee ſhould call vponupon thee in all our neceſſities, and it is likewiſe thy promiſe, that thou wilt heare vsus, in aſſurance whereof wee are bold now to come vntounto thee; acknowledging firſt of all, that wee are altogether vnworthy of our ſelues, as of our ſelues, to requeſt for any fauour or merciemercy at thy hands, for from our cradles vntounto this preſent there hath beene in vsus nothing elſe but Apoſtaſie and rebellion; yea Lord, we hauehave ſo added ſinne vntounto ſinne, as if there were no other end why wee were ſent into the world, but to prouoke thee to wrath, and to heap vp a great meaſure of iniquitie againſt our own ſoules, againſt the day of wrath. Our ſinnes of omiſſion, our ſinnes of commiſſion, ô Lord they are many and great, and if thou ſhouldeſt call vsus to a reckoning euen for the leaſt of them, we are not able to anſwere thy Maieſty for one of a thouſand; yea Lord wee confeſſe that it is thy merciemercy that endureth for euer, and that hath beene the cauſe that wee hauehave not long agoe taſted of thy iudgements. O Lord be thou mercifull vntounto vsus ſtill for thy Names ſake, ſeparate our ſinnes as farre from thy preſence as the Eaſt is from the Weſt: Bury them in the graue of thy Sonne Chriſt, that they may neuer riſe vp againe in this world to accuſe vsus, or in the world to come to condemne vsus. Teach vsus to conſider page missing good, much leſſe to performe it: open therefore the eyes of our minds, that we may ſee what is good, put thy good Spirit within vsus, giuegive vsus fleſhly hearts, and pliable affections; draw our minds from the louelove of this preſent world, teach vsus to vſe it, as if we vſed it not, that we hauehave heere no continuing Citie, but to ſeeke one to come, that ſo wee may ſeeke for that kingdome that cannot bee ſhaken, but eternall in the heauens. Lord teach vsus to do thy wil, knit our hearts vntounto thee, that we may feare thy name, ô Lord heare, ô Lord forgiue, ô Lord conſider the complaint that we make vntounto thee, and giuegive a gracious anſwere vntounto our prayers for the Lords ſake. And now ô Lord we thanke thee euen from the bottome of our hearts, for thy ineſtimable bleſſings wherwith in Chriſt Ieſus thou haſt bleſſed vsus; for our Election before the foundation of the world, for our Vocation, Iuſtification, Sanctification and Preſeruation; and for that thou haſt put in vsus a duplicate page duplicate page hope of Glorification in the life to come. We thank thee more eſpecially for that thou haſt defended vsus this night paſt from all perils & dangers, and haſt ſafely brought vsus to the beginning of this day. Now Lord wee humbly pray thee, keepe vsus, and all that belong vntounto vsus, this day from al euill that may hurt vsus; ſet thy feare before our eyes, and let thy ſpirit ſo rule our hearts, that we may not ſin againſt thee. As for outward things, we ſubmit our ſelues to thy wiſe and fatherly prouidence; only we beſeech thee to giuegive vsus this day whatſoeuer thou knoweſt needfull & behouefull vntounto vsus; let vsus not want thoſe things without which we cannot ſerue thee; bleſſe vsus in our going out, and our comming in, and grant that whatſoeuer we ſhall thinke, ſpeake, or doe, may tend to thy glory, the good of our brethren, and the comfort of our owne conſciences, when wee ſhall come to make before thee our laſt accounts. Bleſſe thy whole Church (O Lord) and build it vp more and more in perfect beautie, diſappoynt the hope of the Papiſts, let them periſh, as many as hauehave euil wil at Syon: comfort them that mourne; eſpecially ſuch as mourn for ſin: fulfil the deſires of all that truly long & ſigh after thee. Bleſſe this good land in which we liue, make thy glorious Goſpell to ſhine more & more vntil it be perfect day; Lord ſend it where it is not and bleſſe it where it is, that Babylon may fall, and neuer riſe vp again: and to this end ſtrenthen the hand of thine annoynted ſeruant, and our dread Soueraigne Iames, Lord make him to ſee and know eueryevery day more and more what belongs vntounto thy glory, what belongs vntounto his owne peace and ſafety; and Lord giuegive him a heart, that he may duly practiſe the ſame. Bleſſe likewiſe our gracious Queene Anne, Prince Charles, and rhe Count Palatine of Rhine, with the Lady Elizabeth his wife. Aſſiſt with thy ſpirit and grace, all that are in authority: ſanctifie all thoſe whom thou employeſt in the Miniſtery. Be mercifull vntounto all that wee are bound in duty to pray for, as if we had named them in particular vntounto thee. Haſten the comming of Ieſus Chriſt, make vsus euer mindfull of our laſt end, and of the reckoning that one day we are to make vntounto thee. And in the meane time, Lord make vsus carefull to follow Chriſt in the Regeneration, during this life, as that with Chriſt one day we may hauehave our portion in the reſurrection of the Iuſt, when this mortall life is ended. Theſe graces, and all other bleſſings which thou knoweſt to bee needfull for vsus, O Lord we humbly begge and craue at thy hand, in the name, and for the ſake alone of Ieſus Chriſt thy deere Sonne, and in that forme of prayer which hee himſelfe hath taught vsus, ſaying, Our Father which art in Heauen, &c.