NExt to spiritual good things, we are permitted to pray for those matters which concerne our Temporal well-fare, answerable to that Petition in the Lords Prayer, Give us this day our daily bread; under the expression of daily bread, we are to understand all those particulars that are either necessary or convenient for our natural life in respect
Both of Provision for us in our Soules. Bodies. Callings. Names. Friends. Estates. Protection of us in our Soules. Bodies. Callings. Names. Friends. Estates.
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For our Souls; that God would be pleased to blesse and continue to us the use of our wits and memories, that he would give us power to enjoy these temporal blessings; filling us with gladnesse of heart, (Act. 14.17) with peace and serenity of mind, expelling from us all unnecessary cares, earthly sorrows, unprofitable dejections.
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For our Bodies; that he would continue to us our health and strength, the free use of our senses and limbs, supplying, directing, blessing us in the use of all such means as shall conduce to our preservation and well-being.
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For our Callings; that he would furnish us with wisdome and abilities suitable to our several vocations, making us diligent and industrious in them, whereby we may be enabled in our places to promote his glory,1 and to be instrumental for the good of others. Being just towards all men, and ready to serve one another in love; and because without his blessing it will be in vain for us to rise up early, (Ps 127.2) and to sit up late, and to eat the bread of carefulnesse; Therefore we should likewise pray that he would blesse our endeavours, and all that we set our hands unto:2 Prospering the work of our hands upon us.
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For our Names; that he would take care of our reputations, restraining others from reproaching and slandring of us, and restraining us from scandalous sinnes; and appearances of evil; that he would teach us to behave our selves so wisely and circumspectly, that we may bring credit to our persons and professions, growing in favour both with God and man. That he would deliver us from those, (Psal. 57.4) whose teeth are speares and arrowes, and their tongues a sharp sword.
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For our Friends; that he would raise up for us such as may be kindly affectioned to us, blessing us in all our neere relations, kindred, families, friends, neighbours, acquaintance, continuing to us the help and comfort that we have by them.
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For our Estates; in respect. 1. Of Liberty, that he would still preserve us in our wonted freedome, from bondage, captivity, imprisonment. 2. That he would be pleased to restore and continue that precious blessing of Peace, both in our Nations, Towns, Families, Conversations. 3. That he would make us Plenteous in the fruit of our ground, and in the increase of our cattel; (Deut. 28.4) Crowning the yeare with his goodnesse,3 opening to us his good treasures, the heavens; Putting a force and efficacy into their influences,4 and fruitfulnesse into the earth, that it may yeeld us the staffe of bread, to strengthen our hearts.5 That he would alwayes supply us with food convenient for us; so much as may with sobriety serve to conveigh us through this earthly Pilgrimage.
In brief, that he would be pleased to blesse unto us the things we have, and bestow upon us the things we want.
And as we should beseech God to provide for us, so likewise to protect us in all these respects; more especially according to those divers seasons wherein our prayers are to be framed, whether for the Day, or Night: For the Day is his, the Night also is his, (Psal. 74.16) he hath prepared the light, and the Sun; They continue still according to his Ordinances, for all things serve him. (Ps. 119.91) ‘Tis he that turneth darknesse into light, (Ps. 104.30) and renues the face of the earth.
- For our morning addresses, O God thou art my God, (Ps. 63.2) early will I seek thee, my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh also longeth after thee; we should herein petition for his protection of us the day following, that he would watch over us for good, by his fatherly providence; and defend us from all those sins and dangers to which we are exposed, that we may not be insnared by any of those temptations which we shall meet with: That he would give his Angels charge over us, to keep us in all our wayes. (Ps. 91.11)
That he would be pleased, so far to afford us his assistance and direction, that we may glorifie his name, both in our Thoughts, Words, & Actions; and to this end, that he would put good meditations into our mindes, and holy desires into our hearts, truth into our inward parts: That he would set a watch before our mouths, (Psal. 51.6) and keep the door of our lips, (Ps. 141.3·) that we offend not with our tongues: That no corrupt communication may proceed from us, (Eph. 4.29) but such as is good to the use of edifying, and may administer grace to the hearers: That amongst our other businesses and employments, we may not forget that one thing which is most necessary: But may be more especially careful about all such matters as may prepare us for our appearance before him, and farther us in that reckoning which we are to make at the great day of accounts.
That we may walk circumspectly, not as fools, (Eph. 5.15) but as wise. Considering that God is about our paths, and is acquainted with all our wayes;6 Every thing being naked and open unto the eyes of that dreadful Majesty, before whom all the world must be judged at the last day. That we may redeem the time, because the dayes are evill;7 improving the present opportunity of our health, peace and prosperity, unto the best advantage of our spiritual wel-being. In this our day considering the things that belong unto our peace.
That we may be wise and modest in our carriages, humble and moderate in our passions, temperate and sober in our diet, diligent and cheerful in our businesse.
That he would give us successe in all our honest undertakings, making us wise and prosperous […] them. That the glorious Majesty of the Lord our […] may be upon us, prospering the work of our hand,8 […] Abrahams servant, O Lord my God, I beseech […] send me good speed this day, and shew kindnes unto me, &c. It is he alone, that must work all our works […] us, and for us: The way of man being not in himself,9 neither is it in him that walketh to direct his steps; that he would therefore lead us in the way that we should go; teaching us to make straight paths to our feet, and the rather because we are now fallen under a crooked and perverse generation; that he would counsel and guide us in all our doubts and difficulties.
That he would enable us every day to poceed somewhat forward in our spiritual growth, to get the mastery over our own evil hearts and affections: To renue and practise all those holy purposes and resolutions which we have formerly made, that proceeding from grace to grace, we may at length come to be perfect in Christ Jesus.
- In our evening prayers we should likewise petition him for his particular protection over us the night following. Because he hath commanded his loving kindnesse in the day time, (Ps. 42.8) therefore in the night shall our song be with him, and our prayer unto the God of our life.
It is the frailty of our natures to need a continual reparation of our strength by sleep. But God is the Keeper of Israel, (Ps. 122.4) who neither slumbreth nor sleepeth, and therefore we should beseech him that he would wake for us, watch over us for good. Commanding his Angels to incamp round about us, that we may not be afraid of any terrors by night,10 but may lie down in peace, and sleep, and that he would make us to dwell in safety: That he who gives his beloved sleep, would refresh us with quiet rest: That we may hear of his loving kindness betimes in the morning, (Ps. 143.8) for in him is our trust
That in the time of our waking he would fill our souls with the meditations of himself, that he would teach us to commune with our own hearts upon our beds, and be still: To remember his all-seeing eyes, that the darknesse hideth not from him, but the night shineth as the day, (Ps. 139.12) the darknes and light to him are both alike.
That though perhaps we have foolishly wasted the day past amongst the many other dayes of our lives which he hath alotted for our repentance and amendment; yet that he would still be graciously pleased out of his free bouty to continue his former protection and care over us, to refresh us with sufficient rest, that therby we may be enabled to do him better service in the duties of the following day: (Psal. 31.5) Expressing our desires of commending our spirits and bodies into his hands who hath redeemed us, and is the Lord God of truth.
That by our sleep this night we may be put in mind of our last sleep by death, of the days of darkness, which shall be many; (Eccl. 11.8) of that time which will shortly come, when these our bodies shall be stretched on a bed of earth; That when a few days are come, (Job 16.2) we shall go into the place whence we shall not return: That many go well to bed and never rise again till the day of judgement: That every day which passeth over us does bring us neerer to our last day, our dissolution; and that dreadful judgement, when we must give a strict account of all our actions, and receive an eternal doom, according to the works which we have done: That these considerations may make us walk warily, as being in continual expectation of the time of our departure: That we may labour to grow better, as we grow older; that the neerer we come to our latter ends, the neerer we may approach to him and his glory.
That if he hath determined to take us out of the world, before we have another opportunity of approaching unto him in this holy duty, that then he would be pleased to pardon our sins, and save our souls.
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