5. Of Private Worship

A Form of Prayers to be Used in Private Houses, Every Morning and Evening

Morning Prayer

Almighty God and most merciful Father, we do not present ourselves here before Thy Majesty trusting in our own merits or worthiness, but in

Thy manifold mercies, (Daniel 9:18) which hast promised to hear our prayers, and grant our requests which we shall make to Thee in the name of Thy beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord: (John 16:23-24) who hath also commanded us to assemble ourselves together in His name, (Matthew 18:20) with full assurance that he will not only be amongst us, but also be our Mediator and Advocate towards thy Majesty, (1 Timothy 2:5) that we may obtain all things which shall seem expedient to Thy blessed will for our necessities. (1 John 3:22) Therefore we beseech Thee, most merciful Father, to turn Thy loving countenance towards us, and impute not unto us our manifold sins and offences, (Psalms 32:1-2) whereby we justly deserve thy wrath and sharp punishment, but rather receive us to Thy mercy for Jesus Christ’s sake, accepting his death and passion as a just recompence for all our offences, (1 John 2:1-2) in whom only Thou art pleased, and through whom Thou canst not be offended with us. And seeing that of Thy great mercies we have quietly passed this night, grant, O heavenly Father, that we may spend and bestow this day wholly in Thy service, so that all our thoughts, words, and deeds may redound to the glory of Thy name, (Colossians 3:17) and good example to all men, who seeing our good works may glorify Thee our heavenly Father. And forasmuch as of Thy mere benevolence and love Thou hast not only created us to Thine own similitude and likeness, (Genesis 1:27) but also hast chosen us to be heirs with Thy dear Son Jesus Christ of that immortal kingdom which Thou prepared for us before the beginning of world: we beseech Thee to increase our faith and knowledge, (Luke 17:5) and to lighten our hearts with Thy Holy Spirit, that we may in the meantime live in godly conversation and integrity of life; knowing that idolaters, adulterers, covetous men, contentious persons, drunkards, gluttons, and such like, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) And because Thou hast commanded us to pray one for another, we do not only make request, O Lord, for ourselves and them that Thou hast already called to the true understanding of Thy heavenly will, but for all people and nations of the world, (Acts 10:35) who as they know by Thy wonderful works that Thou art God over all, so they may be instructed by Thy Holy Spirit to believe in Thee their only Saviour and Redeemer. But forasmuch as they cannot believe except they hear, (Romans 10:14-15) nor cannot hear but by preaching, and none can preach except they be sent; therefore, O Lord, raise up faithful distributors of Thy mysteries, who setting apart all worldly respects, may both in their life and doctrine only seek Thy glory. Contrarily confound Satan, Antichrist, (Romans 16:20) with all hirelings and Papists, whom Thou hast already cast off into a reprobate sense, that they may not by sects, schisms, heresies, and errors, disquiet thy little flock. And because, O Lord, we have fallen into the latter days and dangerous times, wherein ignorance hath got the upper hand, (2 Timothy 3:1 ff.) and Satan with his ministers seek by all means to quench the light of Thy gospel, we beseech Thee to maintain Thy cause against those ravening wolves, (Matthew 7:15) and strengthen all Thy servants, whom they keep in prison and bondage. Let not Thy longsuffering be an occasion either to increase their tyranny or to discourage Thy children; neither yet let our sins and wickedness be a hindrance to Thy mercies, but with speed, O Lord, consider these great miseries; and chiefly the afflictions of our country, which once florished through Thy mercies, and now for contempt of Thy word is plagued according to Thy judgment. (Amos 8:1-14, Matthew 11:20 ff.[?])

Alas, Lord, mayest thou not be entreated? Shall we thus be left in despair? Shall all the world laugh at our shame for ever? (Psalms 77:7-9 [?]) Truth it is, Lord, that we were more than sufficiently warned of this thy vengeance to come, both by thy word and examples of others. For Thy people Israel many times by their sins provoked Thine anger, (Exodus 32:1 ff.) and Thou punished them by Thy just judgment; yet though their sins were never so grievous, if they once returned from their iniquity, Thou received them to mercy. (Isaiah 37:1 ff.)

We therefore, most wretched sinners, bewail our manifold sins, and earnestly repent us for our former wickedness and ungodly behaviour towards thee; and whereas we cannot of ourselves purchase thy pardon, (Romans 7:14 ff. [?], 2 Corinthians 3:5, Luke 18:13-14[?]) yet we humbly beseech Thee, for Jesus Christ’s sake, to show Thy mercies upon us, and restore us again to Thy favour. Grant us, dear Father, these our requests, and all other things necessary for us, and Thy whole church, according to Thy promise in Jesus Christ our Lord: in whose name we beseech Thee as He hath taught us saying: Our Father, etc. A Prayer to be Said Before Meals

All things depend upon Thy providence, O Lord, to receive at Thy hands due sustenance in time convenient. Thou givest to them, and they gather it; thou openest Thy hand, and they are satisfied with all good things. (Psalms 104:27-28) O heavenly Father, which art the fountain and full treasure of all goodness, we beseech Thee to show Thy mercies upon us Thy children, and sanctify these gifts which we receive of Thy merciful liberality, (1 Timothy 4:4-5) granting us grace to use them soberly and purely according to thy blessed will; (Titus 2:12) so that hereby we may acknowledge Thee to be the Author and Giver of all good things; and above all, that we may remember continually to seek the spiritual food of thy word, (John 6:27) wherewith our souls may be nourished everlastingly through our Saviour Christ; who is the true bread of life which came down from heaven, (John 6:50-51) of whom whosoever eateth shall live for ever, and reign with Him in glory, world without end. So be it. A Thanksgiving After Meals

Let all nations magnify the Lord; let all people rejoice in praising and extolling His great mercies. For His fatherly kindness is plentifully shewed forth upon us, and the truth of His promise endureth forever. (Psalms 117:1-2) We render thanks unto Thee, O Lord God, for the manifold benefits which we continually receive at Thy bountiful hand, (Colossians 3:17) not only for that it hath pleased Thee to feed us in this present life, giving unto us all things necessary for the same, but especially because Thou hast of Thy free mercies fashioned us anew into an assured hope of a far better life, (Romans 8:18 ff. [?], Titus 3:4-7) the which Thou hast declared unto us by Thy holy gospel. (2 Timothy 1:10) Therefore we humbly beseech thee, O heavenly Father, that Thou wilt not suffer our affections to be so entangled or rooted in these earthly and corruptible things, (1 John 2:15) but that we may always have our minds directed to Thee on high, (1 Timothy 2:1-15[?]) continually watching for the coming of our Lord and Saviour Christ, (1 Corinthians 1:7) what time he shall appear for our full redemption: (Romans 8:23) To whom, with Thee, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, for ever and ever. So be it.

Evening Prayer

O Lord God, Father everlasting and full of pity, we acknowledge and confess that we are not worthy to lift up our eyes to heaven, (Luke 15:18-19; Luke 18:13) much less to present ourselves before Thy Majesty with confidence that Thou wilt hear our prayers and grant our requests, if we consider our own deservings; for our consciences do accuse us, and our sins witness against us, and we know that Thou art an upright judge, who dost not justify the sinners and wicked men, but punishes the faults of all such as transgress thy commandments. (Exodus 23:7[?]) Yet most merciful Father, since it hath pleased Thee to command us to call on Thee in all our troubles and adversities, (Psalms 50:15) promising even then to help us, when we feel ourselves, as it were, swallowed up of death and desperation, (Psalms 18:4-6) we utterly renounce all worldly confidence, and flee to Thy sovereign bounty as our only stay and refuge; beseeching Thee not to call to remembrance our manifold sins and wickedness, (Psalms 79:8) whereby we continually provoke Thy wrath and indignation against us; neither our negligence and unkindness, which have neither worthily esteemed, nor in our lives sufficiently expressed the sweet comfort of thy gospel revealed unto us; but rather to accept the obedience and death of Thy Son Jesus Christ, who by offering up His body in sacrifice once for all, (Hebrews 9:1-28; Hebrews 10:1-39) hath made a sufficient recompence for all our sins. Have mercy therefore upon us, O Lord, and forgive us our offences. (Psalms 19:12[?])

Teach us by Thy Holy Spirit that we may rightly weigh them, and earnestly repent for the same. And so much the rather, O Lord, because that the reprobate, and such as Thou hast forsaken, (Psalms 58:3-5) cannot praise Thee, nor call upon Thy name; but the repenting heart, the sorrowful mind, the conscience oppressed, (Psalms 51:17 [?]) hungering and thirsting for Thy grace, shall ever set forth thy praise and glory. (Psalms 107:9) And albeit we are but worms and dust, (Psalms 22:6) yet Thou art our Creator, and we are the work of Thy hands; yea, Thou art our Father and we are Thy children; (2 Corinthians 6:18) Thou art our Shepherd and we Thy flock; Thou art our Redeemer and we the people whom Thou hast bought; Thou art our God and we Thine inheritance: Correct us not therefore in Thine anger, (Jeremiah 10:24, Psalms 6:1) O Lord; neither according to our deserts punish us. But mercifully chastise us with a fatherly affection, that all the world may know that at whatsoever time a sinner doth repent him of his sin from the bottom of his heart, (Ezekiel 18:21-22; Ezekiel 18:27-28) Thou wilt put away his wickedness out of Thy remembrance, as Thou hast promised by Thy holy prophet. (4. At this point, readers are directed "to that part of the Morning Prayer that is for the increase of the gospel, which may be said here as time serves." See the first new paragraph on page 96, beginning with the words, "And because thou hast com-manded us to pray. . . .")

Finally, forasmuch as it hath pleased Thee to make the night for man to rest in, as Thou hast ordained him the day to travel, grant, O dear Father, that we may so take our bodily rest, that our souls may continually watch for the time that our Lord Jesus Christ shall appear for our deliverance out of this mortal life; (Luke 12:35 ff.) and in the mean season, that we, not overcome by any temptations, fantasies, dreams, or illusions, (Matthew 6:13) may fully set our minds upon Thee, love Thee, fear Thee, and rest in Thee. Furthermore, that our sleep be not excessive or overmuch, after the insatiable desires of our flesh, (Luke 21:34-36[?]) but only sufficient to content our weak nature, that we may be better disposed to live in all godly conversation, to the glory of Thy holy name and profit of our brethren. So be it.