A Prayer to be Used at Any Time, by One in Private
A PRAYER TO BE USED AT ANY TIME,
BY ONE
IN PBIVATE.
Lord, my God, and heavenly Father!
I, thy most unworthy child, do here in thy sight freely confess that I am a most sinful creature, and damnable transgressor of all thy holy laws and commandments: that as I was born and bred in sin, and stained in the womb, so have I continually brought forth the corrupt and ugly fruits of that infection and contagion, wherein I was first conceived, both in thoughts, words, and works.
If I should go about to reckon up my particular offences, I know not where to begin, or where to make an end; for they are more than the hairs of my head, yea, far more than I can possibly feel or know; for who knoweth the height and depth of his corruption? who knoweth how oft he offendeth?
Thou only, O Lord, knowest my sins, who knowest my heart: nothing is hid from thee, thou knowest what I have been, and what I am; yea, my conscience doth accuse me of many and grievous evils, and I do daily feel by woful experience how frail I am, how prone to evil, and how untoward to all goodness.
My mind is full of vanity, my heart full of profaneness, mine affections full of deadness, dulness and drowsiness in matters of thy worship and service ; yea, my whole soul is fuU of spiritual blindness, hardness, unprofitableness, coldness, and security; and in very deed I am altogether a lump of sin, and a mass of all misery; and
PBITATE PBATEB.
therefore I have forfeited thy favour, and incurred thy high displeasure, and have given thee just cause to frown upon me, to give me over, and leave me to mine own corrupt will and affections..
But, O my dear Father, I have learned from thy mouth, that thou art a Grod of mercy, slow t» wrath, and of great compassion and kindness towards all such as groan under the hurden of their sins.
Therefore, extend thy great mercy towards me a poor sinner, and give me a general pardon for all mine offences whatsoever; seal it in the hlood of thy Son, and seal it to my conscience hy thy Spirit, assuring me more and more of thy love and favour towards me, and that thou art a reconciled Father unto me.
Grant that I may, in all time to come, love thee much because much is given, and of very love fear thee and obey thee.
O Lord, increase my faith, that I may steadfastly believe all the promises of the gospel made in thy Son Christ, and rest upon them altogether.
Enable me to bring forth the sound ftxdts of faith and repentance in all my particular actions.
Fill my soul full of joy and peace in beUeving.
Fill me full of inward comfort and spiritual strength against all temptations; give me yet a greater feeling of thy love and manifold mercies toward me; work in my soul a love of thy Majesty, a zeal of thy glory, an hatred of evil, and a desire of all good things.
Grive me victory over those sins which thou Imowest are strongest in me.
Let me once at last make a conquest of the world and the flesh.
Mortify in me whatsoever is carnal: sanctify me throughout by thy Spirit; knit my heart to thee for ever, that I may fear thy name.
Renew in me the image of thy Son Christ daily more and more.
Give me a
PBIVATE PEATEE.
delight in the reading and meditation of thy word.
Let me rejoice in the public ministry thereof.
Cause me to love and reverence all the faithful ministers of thy gospel.
Sanctify their doctrines to my conscience; seal them in my soul ; write them in my heart ; give me a soft and melting heart, that I may tremble at thy words, and be always much affected with godly sermons.
Let not my sins hold back thy mercies from me, nor mine unworthiness stop the passage of thy grace.
Open mine eyes to see the great wonders of thy law.
Reveal thy secrets unto me; be open-hearted towards me thy unworthy servant.
Hide nothing from me that may make for thy glory, and the good of my soul.
Bless all means unto me which thou usest for my good.
Bless all holy instructions unto my soul.
Bless me at all times, both in hearing and reading thy word.
Give me the right use of all thy mercies a»d corrections, that I may be the better for them.
Let me abound in love to all thy children.
Let my heart be very nearly knit unto them, that where thou lovest most there I may love most also.
Enable me to watch and pray, that I enter not into temptation; give me patience and contentment in all things.
Cause me to love thee more and more, and the world less and less.
So draw my mind upward, that I may despise all transitory things.
Let me be so enwrapt and ravished with the sight and feeling of heavenly things, that I may make a base reckoning of all earthly things.
Let me use this world as though I used it not.
Let me use it but for necessity, as meat and drink.
Let me not be carried away with the vain pleasures and fond delights thereof.
Good Father, work thy good
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work in me, and never leave me, nor forsake me, till thou hast brought me to true happiness.
O, dear Father, make me faithful in my calling, that I may serve thee in it, and be always careful to do what good I may in any thing.
Bless me in my outward estate.
Bless my soul, body, goods, and name.
Bless all that belongeth unto me.
Bless my goings out and comings in.
Let thy countenance be hfbed up upon me, now and always: cheer me up with the joys and comforts of thy Spirit; make me thankful for all thy mercies.
For 1 must needs confess that thou art very kind unto me in all things.
For in thee I live, move, and have my being ; of thee I have my welfare and good being; thou art a daily friend, and special good benefactor unto me.
I hve at thy cost and charges.
I hold all of thee in chief, and I find that thou art never weary of doing me good: thy goodness towards me is unstanchable.
Oh, I can never be thankful enough imto thee for all thy mercies, both spiritual and corporeal.
But in such measure as I am able, I praise thy name for all, beseeching thee to accept of my thanksgiving, in thy Son Christ, and to give me a profitable use of all thy favours, that thereby my heart may be fully drawn unto thee.
Give me, O Father, to be of such a good nature and disposition, that I may be won by gentleness and fair means, as much as if thou gavest me many lashes.
Pardon all mine unthankfulness, unkindness, and great abusing of thy mercies, and give me grace to use them more to thy glory in all time to come.
Strengthen me, dear Father, thus to continue praising and glorifying thy name here upon earth; that after this life, I may be crowned of thee for ever in thy king-
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dom.
Grant these petitions, most merciful God, not only to me, but to all thy dear children throughout the whole world, for Jesus Christ's sake ; in whose name I do further call upon thee,
" Our Father, which art in heaven," &c. saying, as he hath taught me, GLASGOW:
WALTEE
G. M'LAEEN, PKINTEB
237 ARGYLE STRKET.