Occasional Prayers

O MERCIFULL God, I wretched sinner reknowledge myselfe bound to keepe thy holie commaundements, but yet unable to performe them, and to bee accepted for just without the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ thy onely Sonne, who hath perfectly fulfilled thy law, to justifie all men that beleeve and trust in him. Therefore graunt me grace, I beseech thee, to be occupied in doing of good workes, which thou commaundest in holie scripture, all the daies of my life, to thy glorie, and yet to trust onely in thy mercie, and in Christes merites, to bee pourged from my sinnes, and not in my good workes, be they never so many. Give me grace to love thy holie word fervently, to search the Scriptures diligently, to reade them humblie, to understand them truly, to live after them effectually. Order my life so, O Lord, that it be alwaye acceptable unto thee. Give me grace not to rejoyce in any thing that displeaseth thee, but evermore to delight in those things that please thee, be they never so contrary to my desires. Teach me so to pray, that my petitions may be graciously heard of the. Keepe me upright among diversities of opinions and judgements in the worldy that I never swarve from thy trueth taught in holie Scripture. In prosperitie, O Lord, save me, that I waxe not proude. In adversitie helpe me, that I never despaire nor blaspheme thy holie name, but taking it patiently, to give thee thankes, and trust to be delivered after thy pleasure. When I happen to falle into sinne through frailtie, I beseech thee to worke true repentance in my heart, that I may bee sorie without desperation, trust in thy mercie without presumption, that I may amend my life, and become truely religious without hypocrisie, lowly in heart without faining, faithfull and trustie without deceit, merie without lightnesse, sad without mistrust, sober without slouthfulnesse, content with mine owne without covetousnesse, to tell my neighbour his faults charitably without dissimulation, to instruct my household in thy lawes truely, to obey our Kyng and all governours under him unfainedly, to receive all lawes and common ordinances (which disagreeth not from thy holie word) obediently, to pay every man that which I owe unto him truely, to backbite no man, nor slander my neighbour secretly, and to abhorre all vice, loving all goodnesse earnestly. O Lord, graunt me thus to doe, for the glorie of thy holy name. Amen.