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Fourme of prayer
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Genre
Prayer
Date
1570
Full Title
A Fourme of prayer to be vsed in priuate houses euery Mornyng and Euenyng.
Source
STC 20188.7
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Sample 1
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A Fourme of prayer to be vsed in priuate houses euery Mornyng and Euenyng.
ALmyghtie GOD and mostemercyfull father, we do not
present our selues here before
thy maiestie, trustyng in our
owne merites or worthynes:
but in thy manyfold mercies,
which hast promysed to grau~t
our requestes in hearyng our
prayers, which we shall make
to thee in the name of thy beloued
sonne Iesus Chryst our
Lord, who hath also co~maunded
vs to assemble our selues
together in his name, with full assuraunce that he wyll not
only be amongest vs: but also be our mediatour and aduocate
towardes thy maiestie, that we may obteyne all thynges
which shall seme expedient to thy blessed wyll, for our necessities.
Therfore we besech thee most mercifull father, to turne
thy louyng countenaunce towardes vs, and impute not vnto
vs our manyfolde synnes and offences, whereby we iustly deserue
thy wrath and sharpe punyshment: but rather receaue
vs to thy mercy for Iesus Chrystes sake, acceptyng his death
& passion as a iust recompence for all our offences, in whom
only thou art pleased, and through whom thou canst not be
offended with vs. And seyng that of thy great mercies we
haue quyetly passed this nyght, graunt O heauenly father
that we may bestowe this day wholly in thy seruyce, so that
all our thoughtes, wordes, and deedes, may redounde to the
glory of thy name, and good example to all men, who seyng
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our good workes, may gloryfye thee our heauenly father.And forsomuche as thou hast of thy meere fauour and loue,
not only created vs to thine owne similitude and lykenes, but
also haste chosen vs to be heyres with thy deare sonne Iesus
Chryst, of that immortall kyngdome which thou haddest prepared
for vs before the begynnyng of the worlde: we beseche
thee to increase our fayth and knowledge, and to lyghten our
hartes with thy holy spirite, that we may in the meane tyme
lyue in godly conuersation and integritie of lyfe, knowyng
that Idolaters, aduouterers , couetous men, contentious persons,
dronkardes, gluttons, and suche lyke shall not inherite
the kyngdome of God. And because thou hast commaunded
vs to praye one for another, we do not only make request O
Lorde for our selues, and them that thou hast alredye called
to the true vnderstandyng of thy heauenly wyll: but for all
people and nations of the worlde, who as they knowe by thy
wonderfull workes that thou art God ouer all: so they may
be instructed by thy holy spirite, to beleue in thee theyr onlye
sauiour and redeemer. But forasmuch as they can not beleue
except they heare, nor can not heare but by preachyng, and
none can preache except they be sent: therfore O Lord rayse
vp faythfull distributours of thy misteries, who settyng apart
all worldly respectes, may both in theyr lyfe and doctrine onlye
seeke thy glory. Contrarylye, confounde Sathan Antichrist,
with all hyerlynges, whom thou hast alredy cast of, into
a reprobate sence, that they maye not be sectes, scismes,
herresyes, and errours, disquiet thy lyttle flocke. And because
O Lord we be fallen into the latter dayes and daungerous
tymes, wherin ignoraunce hath gotten the vpper hande, and
Sathan by his ministers seeke by all meanes to quenche the
lyght of the Gospell: we besech thee to maynteyne thy cause
agaynst those rauenyng Wolues, and strenthen all thy seruauntes
whom they kepe in pryson and in bondage. Let not
thy long sufferyng be an occasion eyther to increase theyr tyranny,
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or to discourage thy chyldren, neyther yet let our sinnesand wickednes be a hynderaunce to thy mercies, but
with speede, O Lorde, consider these great miseryes. For thy
people of Israell many tymes prouoked thyne anger by theyr
synnes, and thou punyshedst them by thy iust iudgement, yet
though theyr synnes were neuer so greuous, yf they once returned
from theyr iniquitie, thou receiuedst them to mercye:
We therfore most wretched synners bewayle our manyfolde
synnes, and earnestly bewayle and repent vs for our former
wickednes and vngodly behauyour towardes thee. And
whereas we cannot of our selues purchase thy pardon: yet
we humbly beseche thee for Iesus Chrystes sake, to shewe
thy mercies vpon vs, and receaue vs agayne to thy fauour.
Graunt vs deare father these our requestes, and all other
thynges necessary for vs and the whole Church, accordyng to
thy promyse in Iesus Chryste our Lorde, in whose name we
besech thee, as he hath taught vs, saying: Our father which
art in heauen. &c.
Euenyng Prayer.
O Lord God, father euerlasting,and full of pitie, we acknowledge
and confesse that we be
not worthy to lift vp our eyes
to heauen, muche lesse to present
ourselues before thy heauenlye
maiestie, with confidence
that thou wylte heare
our prayers and graunt our
requestes, yf we consider our
owne deseruynges. For our
consciences do accuse vs, and
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our synnes witnes agaynst vs, and we knowe that thou artan vpryght iudge, which doest not iustifie the sinners & wicked
men, but punyshest the faultes of all such as transgresse
thy commaundementes: yet most mercyfull father, synce it
hath pleased thee to commaunde vs to call vpon thee in all
our troubles and aduersities, promysyng euen then to helpe
vs, when we feele our selues as it were swallowed vp of
death and desperation: we vtterly renounce all worldly confidence,
and flee to thy soueraigne bountie, as our only staye
and refuge, besechyng thee not to call to remembraunce our
manyfolde sinnes and wickednes whereby we continuallye
prouoke thy wrath and indignation agaynst vs, neyther our
negligence and vnkyndenes, which haue neyther worthelye
esteemed, nor in our lyues sufficiently expressed the sweete
comfort of thy Gospell reueyled vnto vs: but rather to accept
the obedience and death of thy sonne Iesus Chryste, who by
offryng vp his body once for all in sacrafice, hath made a sufficient
recompence for all our sinnes. Haue mercy therefore
vpon vs, O Lorde, and forgeue vs our offences, teach vs by
thy holy spirite that we may ryghtly way them, and earnestly
repent for the same, and so much the rather O Lorde because
that the reprobate and such as thou hast forsaken, can
not prayse thee nor call vppon thy name, but the repentyng
hart, the sorowfull mynde, the conscience opprest hungryng
and thyrstyng for thy grace, shall euer set foorth thy prayse
and glory. And albeit we be but wormes and dust, yet thou
art our creatour, and we be the workes of thy handes, yea,
thou art our father, and we thy chyldren, thou art our shephearde,
and we thy flocke, thou art the redeemer, and we thy
people whom thou hast bought, thou art our God, & we thine
inheritaunce: Correcte vs not therefore in thyne anger, O
Lorde, neyther accordyng to our desertes punyshe vs, but
mercifully chastyse vs with a fatherly affection, that all the
worlde may knowe, that at what tyme soeuer a synner doth
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repent hym of his synnes from the bottome of his hart, thouwylt put away from hym his wickednes out of thy remembraunce,
as thou hast promised by thy holy prophete.
Fynally, forasmuch as it hath pleased thee for to make the
nyght for man to rest in, as thou hast ordeyned hym the daye
to trauell: Graunt O deare father that we may so take our
bodyly rest, that our soules may continually watche for the
tyme that our Lorde Iesus Chryst shall appeare for our delyueraunce
out of this mortall lyfe, and in the meane season,
that we beyng not ouercome by any fantasyes, dreames, or
other temptations may fully set our myndes vpon thee, loue
thee, feare thee, and reste in thee. Furthermore, that our
slepe be not excessiue or ouermuch, after the vnsatiable desyres
of our fleshe, but only sufficient to content our weake
nature, that we may be better disposed to lyue in godly conuersation,
to the glory of thy holy name, and profyte of our
brethren. So be it.
A Godly prayer to be sayde at all tymes.
HOnor & prayse be geuen to thee O LordeGod almightie, most deare father of heauen,
for all thy mercies and louing kyndnes
shewed vnto vs, in that it hath pleased
thy gracious goodnes freely and of thy
own accorde, to elect and chose vs to saluation
before the beginning of the world,
and euen lyke continuall thankes be geuen to thee for creatyng
vs after thyne owne Image, for redeemyng vs with
the precious bloud of thy deare sonne when we were vtterly
lost, for sanctifiyng vs with thy holy spirite, in the relieuyng
and succouryng vs in all our needes & necessities, for sauyng
vs from all daungers of body and soule, for comfortyng vs
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so fatherly in all our tribulations and persecutions, for sparyngso long, and geuyng vs so large a tyme of repentaunce.
These benefites O most mercifull father lyke as we knowledge
to haue receiued them of thy only goodnes: euen so we
beseche thee for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake, that thou wilt
graunt vs alwayes thy holy spirite, whereby we may continually
growe in thankefulnes towardes thee, to be led in all
trueth, and comforted in all our aduersities. O Lord strengthen
our fayth, kyndle it more in feruentnes and loue towardes
thee and our neyghbours, for thy sake suffer vs not
most deare father to receiue thy worde any more in vayne:
but graunt vs alwayes the assistaunce of thy grace and holye
spirite, that in harte, worde, and deede, we may sanctifie and
do worshippe to thy name, helpe to amplyfie and increase
thy kyngdome, and whatsoeuer thou sendeste, we maye be
hartely well content with thy good pleasure and wyll. Let vs
not lacke the thyng O Father without the whiche we can
not serue thee: but blesse thou so al the workes of our handes
that we may haue sufficient, and not to be chargeable, but
rather helpefull vnto others. Be mercyfull O Lorde to our
offences, and seyng our debt is greate, whiche thou hast forgeuen
vs in Iesus Chryst, make vs to loue thee & our neighbours
so much the more. Be thou our Father, our Captaine
and defendour in all temptations, holde thou vs by thy mercifull
hande, that we may be delyuered from all inconueniences,
and ende our lyues in the sanctyfying and honour of
thy holy name, through Iesus Chryste our onlye Sauyour,
Amen.
Let thy myghtie hande and outstretched arme, O Lorde, be
styll our defence, thy mercye and louyng kyndnes, in Iesu
Chryst thy deare sonne our saluation, thy true and holy word
our instruction, thy grace and holy spirite our comfort and
consolation, vnto the ende, and in the ende.
So be it.
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Another prayer to be sayde at all tymes.
O Almyghtie, most mercifull father in heauen,we beseche thee for thy sonnes sake
our onlye Sauyour and redeemer Iesus
Chryst, graunt vnto vs and all mankynd
thy holy spirite, to leade, gouerne, & kepe
vs in thy wayes and commaundementes,
for we be wretched synners, full of synne,
deseruyng no goodnes, and vnprofitable seruauntes, that can
neyther thynke, saye, or do any thyng that is good without
thy helpe, for all goodnes commeth of thee. Notwithstanding
Lorde we be thy creatures, wherfore we besech thee to helpe
succour, and comfort vs in this vayle of misery, and increase
our fayth, so that in all our enterpryses we neyther do nor require
any thyng but that may be to thy honor and glory, and
to the profyte and commoditie of our neyghbours, and that
thy wyll maye bee alwayes our wyll, and that our wyll
may be alwayes thy wyll, and that we in all our troubles &
aduersities may alwayes require thy wyll to be done. And
we beseche thee geue vs grace mekelye to beare thy Crosse
with thee whensoeuer it shall please thee to laye it vppon vs.
Also we beseche thee to take from vs and to mortifie in vs all
maner of couetousnes, lasciuiousnes, vayneglory, euyll thoughtes,
Idlenes, lying, swearyng, stealyng, and all maner vntrueth,
and graunt vnto vs vertue, good thoughtes, and in
all our demeanour trueth, and a meke spirite, accordyng to
thy promyse, at thy wyll and pleasure. Moreouer, we beseche
thee to geue vs grace to amende this noughtie and sinnefull
lyuyng that we haue hytherto walked in, and neuer to returne
to the same agayne: but from henceforth to proceade,
increase, and continue in vertue, so that we may alway hereafter
serue thee in feare and loue, and also that we maye depart
out of this most miserable and wretched worlde, in the
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fayth of Chryst, at thy wyll and pleasure, to whom for thymost glorious creation, and vnto thy sonne our only sauiour
and redeemer Iesus Chryst, for his most precious redemption,
and to the holy ghost, for his most comfortable consolation,
be honour, thankes, glory and prayse for euer and euer.
Amen.
A thankes geuyng to God in the Mornyng, for our sleepe.
ALmyghtie and most gentle God, we thankethee for the sweete sleepe and comfortable
rest that thou hast geuen vs this night past,
and forasmuche as thou hast commaunded
by thy holy worde, that no man shoulde be
ydle, but all occupyed in vertuous exercyses,
euery man accordyng to his callyng:
we most humbly beseche thee, that thyne eyes maye attende
vpon vs, dayly defende vs in perylles, succour vs, cheryshe,
comfort, and gouerne all our counselles, studyes, & labours,
in such wyse, that we may so spende this day accordyng to
thy most blessed wyll, without the hurtyng of our neyghbours,
and that we may diligently and warely eschewe
and auoyde all thynges that should
displease thee, set thee alwayes before
our eyes, lyue in thy
feare, & euer worke
that, that may
be founde
acceptable before thy diuine
maiestie, through Iesus
Christ our Lorde.
Amen.