Davids Blessed Man, Prayer 2
A Prayer for the Euening.
O Lord God, by whoſe gracious prouidence the night ſucceedeth the day, and the day the night, wee acknowledge thy wonderfull power therin: foraſmuch as day vntounto day vttereth thy goodnes, and night vntounto night teacheth knowledge: O Lord amongſt other thy mercies, with which thou doeſt euen follow vsus (moſt rebellious wretches) wee muſt needs acknowledge that this is not the leaſt, that we hauehave this libertie to come into thy preſence, O Lord wee come not now to excuſe our ſelues, but to accuſe our ſelues; yea and to acknowledge, that we are worthy of all thoſe iudgements which thy iuſtice might moſt iuſtly inflict vponupon vsus, our ſinnes they make vsus ſeeme vile in our eyes, how much more loathſome in thy ſight? O Lord we muſt needs confeſſe that we are ſo farre vnworthy to bee called thy ſonnes, as that we are not worthy to bee reckoned amongſt thy ſeruants; yea were it not that thou wert a God of mercy, and that thy mercy were ouer all thy workes, and doth extend it ſelfe euen to poore ſinners; we ſhould vtterly be diſcouraged in comming vntounto thee, conſidering that our whole life hath been but a life of ſinne, and that we hauehave drunke downe iniquity as it were water, euer powring in, but neuer powring out our filthineſſe. O Lord teach vsus to value this mercy of thine aright, that thou haſt ſpared vsus ſo long, and giuen vsus ſo large a time of repentance; that thou haſt not preuented vsus with death in the time of our ignorance, & hardneſſe of heart, as many hauehave beene before vsus: O Lord it is thy mercy not our worthineſſe. Thus haſt thou ſhewed thy ſelfe to be a God of mercy, one that delighteth in the proſperity of thy ſeruants. Now Lord we humbly entreat thee that thou wouldſt pardon and forgiue vsus all our ſins and offences, bathe them in the bloud of thy Sonne, naile them to his Croſſe, bind them in a bundle, and throw them downe into the bottome of the ſea, that they may neuer riſe vp againſt vsus, either in this world to accuſe vsus, or in the world to come to condemne vsus. O Lord wee are heartily ſorry that wee hauehave abuſed thy bleſſings, prophaned thy Saboths, deſpiſed thy word, and quenched thy Spirit: For theſe and the like (bleſſed father) we condemne our ſelues, do not thou therefore marke them; nor deale not with vsus as we hauehave deſerued, but teach vsus to riſe vp againſt our ſinnes, that our warre with them may aſſure vsus that wee hauehave peace with thee: O Lord we abhorre our ſelues, for to vsus belongs nothing but ſhame and confuſion of face for euer: and we do humbly entreat thee to looke vponupon vsus in thy Son Chriſt Ieſus, O let the chaſtiſement of our peace bee vponupon him, and heale vsus through his ſtripes: Lord let vsus euer remember our latter end, and the ſtraight reckoning that we muſt render vntounto thee one day: and in health and proſperity to thinke of a time of ſickneſſe and aduerſity; and eſpecially good Lord deliuer vsus in the houre of temptation, that when Sathan his aſſaults ſhall be greateſt, as his policy is when wee are weakeſt, and leaſt able to reſiſt him, that thy power may then appeare in our weakneſſe, that theſe things may not ouertake vsus as a ſnare, but that with the wiſe virgins wee may in ſome ſort bee prepared for the comming of Chriſt Ieſus the ſweete Bridegroome of our ſoules. And to that end we may hauehave comfort both now and at that time, goe forward wee humbly pray thee, with the worke of our new birth, that thou haſt begun in vsus, and neuer take away thy hand vntill ſuch time as thou haſt made an end of it. And now O Lord hauing in the firſt place ſought thy kingdome, and the righteouſneſſe thereof, giuegive vsus leaue in the next place to ſeek thy fauour in outward things: Firſt, according to our duty, we giuegive thee hearty thankes & praiſe for that thou haſt this day preſerued vsus from all euill and danger: wee humbly pray thee take care ouer vsus this night, and defend vsus from that roaring Lyon, who night and day goeth about ſeeking whom hee may deuoure: Take thou vsus this night into thy bleſſed tuition: we know that thou doſt neither ſlumber nor ſleepe, keepe vsus euen in our ſleepe from being vnmindfull of thee, that whenſoeuer thou ſhalt call for vsus by the generall Alarum of thy iudgement, whether at mid-night, at Cocke-crowing, or at the dawning of the day, we may bee found ready to accompany the Bridegroome into the Marriage-chamber. And to this end Lord ſanctifie our ſleep vntounto vsus, that by it wee may bee the better enabled to performe the duties of the next day; and night and day being guided by thee, they may fit vsus and prepare vsus for that day of thine, that ſhall neuer giuegive place to night. And we beſeech thee O Lord to be mercifull likewiſe to thy whole Church, heare the cries of thine elect; heare the mourning of all ſuch as mourne in Syon, let the cries of thy children cry downe the cries of the ſinnes of this land: and bee reconciled vntounto vsus O Lord our God in the multitude of thy mercies, that ſo thou maiſt continue ſtill a mercifull God vntounto this Land, the Vineyard which thy own right hand hath planted. Preſerue our gracious King, bleſſe and proſper the Queene, the hopefull Prince Charles, Princely Palſgraue of Rhene, with the Princeſſe Elizabeth his wife. And as thou haſt crowned them with worldly honour vponupon earth, ſo direct them vntounto that more glorious Crowne in heauen. Bleſſe the Nobility and Magiſtracy of this Land. Proſper the worke of thy Goſpell in the hands of thy Miniſters. And good Lord giuegive vsus all grace to bee one of thoſe wiſe virgines, that our hearts may bee prepared like a lamp furniſhed with Faith and good workes, like Oyle, to meete the Lord Ieſus Chriſt the Bridegroome of our ſoules, there to ſee the felicity of thy choſen, and to reioyce with the ioy of thy people; To whom with thee O Father, and thy bleſſed Spirit bee all Honour, Glory, Might, Maieſty, and Dominion, henceforth for euer. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Smith, Davids Blessed Man (1616)