00A.05 A Godly Prayer to be read at all Times
A Godly Prayer to be read at all Times
Honour and praise be given to thee, O Lord God Almighty, most dear Father of heaven, for all thy mercies and loving kindness showed unto us, in that it has pleased thy gracious goodness freely and of thine own accord to elect and choose us to salvation before the beginning of the world. And the like continual thanks be given to thee for creating us after thine own image; for redeeming us with the precious blood of thy dear son, when we were utterly lost; for sanctifying us with thy Holy Spirit in the revelation and knowledge of thy holy word; for helping and succouring us in all our needs and necessities; for saving us from all dangers of body and soul; for comforting us so fatherly in all our tribulations and persecutions; for sparing us so long, and giving us so large a time for repentance. These benefits, O most merciful Father, like as we acknowledge to have received them of thy only goodness, even so we beseech thee, for thy dear Son Jesus Christ’s sake, to grant us always thy Holy Spirit, whereby we may continually grow in thankfulness towards thee, be led into all truth, and comforted in all our adversities. O Lord strengthen our faith, kindle it more in fervour and love towards thee, and our neighbours, for thy sake. Suffer us not, dearest Father, to receive thy word any more in vain; but grant us always the assistance of thy grace and Holy Spirit, that in heart, word, and deed we may sanctify and worship thy holy name. Help to amplify and increase thy kingdom, that whatsoever thou sends we may be heartily well content with thy good pleasure and will. Let us not lack that, O Father, without which we cannot serve thee, but bless thou so all the works of our hands, that we may have sufficient, and not be chargeable but rather helpful unto others. Be merciful, O Lord, to our offences, and, seeing our debt is great, which thou hast forgiven us in Jesus Christ, make us to love thee and our neighbours so much the more. Be thou our Father, our Captain, and Defender in all temptations; hold thou us by thy merciful hands, that we may be delivered from all inconveniences, and end our lives in the sanctifying and honour of thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour. Amen.
Let thy mighty hand and outstretched arm, O Lord, still be our defence; thy mercy and loving kindness in Jesus Christ thy dear Son our salvation; thy true and holy word our instruction; thy grace and Holy Spirit our comfort and consolation unto the end and in the end. Amen.
O Lord, increase our faith.