Godly priuate prayers for housholders to meditate vpon, and to say in their families

Morning prayer for priuate hou∣ses and Families.

O Gratious God, and louing Father, according to thy commaundement, wee do here presente our selues before thy Maiestie, humbly prostrating ourselues before y^e throne of mercy, acknowledging and confessing from the bottome of our hearts that wee be miserable sinners, daily breaking thy com∣maundements, both in thought, woord, and deede, wherein wee iustly deserue euerlasting damnation, and to bee vtterly throwne from thy presence: yet, O Lorde, wee see thy goodnesse againe to∣wardes vs, who not suffering vs thus to perishe in our sinnes, hast sent thine owne deere Sonne Iesus Christ, to take vpon him whatsoeuer is due, to re∣concile & make vs at one with thee againe: In him

therefore, good Lorde, and through him do wee come vnto thee, beseeching thee for his sake, that wee feeling the greeuousnesse of our sinnes, and groneing vnder the burden of them, may feele the release and ease of them, in that we be through thy holie Spirit assured, and stedfastly beleeue, that Christ hath borne the burden of them, euen for vs. Graunte, O Lorde, that we beeing assured hereof in our consciences, may through thy holy Spirite bee renued in the inner man, to hate, deteste and ab∣horre sinne, and to studie to liue according to thy blessed will during our whole life.

Wee do not onely pray for our selues, but al∣so for all thy whole Church, especially suche as bee persecuted for thy woorde: graunte vnto them, that whither it be by death or life, they may glorifie thy Name to their liues ende. Bee mercifull to this Churche of Englande and Irelande, wee beséeche thee good Lord, and preserue euery part and mem∣ber of the same, especially thy Seruaunte Elizabeth our Queene: graunt her all such giftes as bee neede∣ful for so high a calling, to the aduauncement of thy Glory, and benefite of this common wealth, to the establishing of a perfect gouernemēt of thy Church, according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word, to the rooting out of all superstition and reliques of antichriste, to the gouerning of her Subiectes in all peace and tranquillitie. Defende her, O Lord, from all conspiracies, treasons, and rebellions, and so woorke in the hearts of all her Subiects, that know∣ing her authoritie doth come from thy Heauenly

Maiestie, they may with obedient heartes humbly obey her in thee and for thee. Preserue the whole Counsell and the Magistrates of the Realme, that beeing lightened through thy holy Spirite, they may defende thy trueth, suppresse wickednesse, and maintaine equitie. Beholde all the Pastours and Preachers of the woorde, blesse their laboures, in∣crease y^e number of them, place ouer euery Churche a paineful watchman, remoue all idle Lubbers, and confounde the power of antichriste, and turne the heartes of the people that they may bee obedient to thy truth. Blesse the two Vniuersities, Cambridge and Oxforde, and all the Studients of the same, with all Schooles of learning. Beholde al those that bee afflicted with any kinde of crosse, that they may profite by thy correction in newnesse of life. ‡*‡

Lastly, for our selues here gathered together, we hartily craue at thy hands, that it would please thee to make vs thankfull vnto thy Maiestie, for all thy loueing kindnesse shewed vnto vs euen from our infancie: especially, that thou haste this present nighte deliuered vs from all daungers both of bo∣dy and soule, whereinto many haue fallen, as wee into like manner should haue done, if wee had not bene stayed with thy mercifull hande: that thou haste also graunted vnto vs so sweete and comfort∣able reste, and haste nowe presently broughte vs to the beginning of this day. For these thinges, good Lorde, wee yeelde vnto thee most hartie thankes, beseeching thee to make vs more and more daily

thankfull vnto thy Maiestie for them, and pardon our vnthankfulnesse. And as thou hast safely pre∣serued vs vnto this present houre from al the daun∣gers of this life: so we beseeche thee continue thy fauour towards vs this day, and the whole course of our life. Defend vs, O Lord, that we nowe en∣tring into the affaires of this day, be not drawen a∣way with the vaine allurementes of this world, to sinne and wickednesse: that wee walke not in the shadowe of death, that we be not intangled in the snares of sinne, that we stumble not at the blockes of iniquitie, that we finally fall not into the pitte of deathe, and destruction: but being shadowed vnder thy winges, we may cheerefully and constantly go on forward to the end of our course. Graunt vnto vs, O Lord our God, that this good time whiche thou grauntest vnto vs in this life, be not idely, or vainely of vs consumed, but that euery one of vs may be diligently exercised in his calling this day, and all our life long, being assured that thou wilt once call vs to yeelde an account of our steward∣shippe: indue vs we beseeche thee, with those gifts and graces which be needeful for vs in our calling, & that with a pure and sincere conscience we may vse them to the benefite of our brethren, and dis∣charge of our owne consciences, beefore thy Ma∣iesty. We beseech thee, O Lord, that in al our con∣sultations, woordes and workes this day, and the whole course of our life, we may always haue thee present before our eyes, knowing that thou seest e∣uen the very deepe thoughtes of our hartes, whiche

alwayes may be as a bridle to pull vs backe, that we neither do, nor yet consent vnto any sinne or wic∣kednesse: but that alwayes we may be so exercised in the affaires of this life, that we looke stil to the end of our course, whē it shal please thee to bring vs through y^e pilgrimage of this life to our euerlasting rest with thy deere Sonne Iesus Christe our Saui∣our. In whose name for these mercies and whatso∣euer thou knowest to be needful for vs, and for the whole Churche, we pray vnto thee, as he himselfe hath taught vs in his holy word, saying: Our Fa∣ther whiche art. &c.

The Lord blesse vs and saue vs, the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs, and be mercifull vnto vs, the Lorde turne his fauourable countenance to∣ward vs, and graunt vs his peace. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christe, the loue of God the Father, & the moste comfortable fellowshippe of the holy Ghost be with vs, preserue and keepe vs this day and euermore. Amen.