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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:04:23 -0700 |
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diff --git a/35737-8.txt b/35737-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4733271 --- /dev/null +++ b/35737-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4110 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Treasure of Prayers, by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Little Treasure of Prayers + Being a Translation of the Epitome from the German Larger + 'Treasure of prayers' ['Gebets-Schatz'] + +Author: Anonymous + +Release Date: April 1, 2011 [EBook #35737] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LITTLE TREASURE OF PRAYERS *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, David Edwards, Peter Vachuska +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + THE + LITTLE TREASURE + OF PRAYERS, + + + BEING + A TRANSLATION + OF THE + Epitome from the German larger "Treasure + of Prayers" ["Gebets-Schatz"] of the Evangelical + Lutheran Church, published in + St. Louis, Mo., + + WITH + A NEW APPENDIX. + + _FOURTH EDITION._ + + COLUMBUS, OHIO: + THE LUTHERAN BOOK CONCERN. + J. L. TRAUGER, Agent. + 1888. + + + + + CONTENTS. + + + 1. Sunday Morning Prayer 7 + 2. Prayer before going to church 8 + 3. Sunday Evening Prayer 9 + 4. Another Sunday Evening Prayer 10 + 5. Monday Morning Prayer 12 + 6. Monday Evening Prayer 13 + 7. Tuesday Morning Prayer 14 + 8. Tuesday Evening Prayer 14 + 9. Wednesday Morning Prayer 16 + 10. Wednesday Evening Prayer 17 + 11. Thursday Morning Prayer 18 + 12. Thursday Evening Prayer 19 + 13. Friday Morning Prayer 20 + 14. Friday Evening Prayer 20 + 15. Saturday Morning Prayer 21 + 16. Saturday Evening Prayer 22 + 17. Prayer for daily renewal of the baptismal covenant 23 + 18. Prayer on a birth day 25 + 19. Prayer for children 29 + 20. Prayer for young persons 31 + 21. Prayer of a servant 32 + 22. Prayer of a husband 35 + 23. Prayer of a wife 37 + 24. Prayer of an aged person 39 + 25. Prayer for a proper performance of one's duties 40 + 26. Prayer before labor 41 + 27. Prayer for divine blessing upon the work of one's calling 42 + 28. Luther's prayer based on the scriptural passage: "Casting all + your care upon Him, for He careth for you" 44 + 29. Prayer before beginning any important work 44 + 30. Thanks returned after labor 46 + 31. Prayer during a journey 46 + 32. Prayer while beginning a journey at sea 47 + 33. Prayer of a seafarer during a storm 49 + _A brief instruction in confession and absolution_ 51 + 34. Complaint of a poor sinner concerning the impenitence of his + heart 56 + 35. Prayer for true conversion 57 + 36. Prayer for the forgiveness of sin 60 + 37. Prayer for reconciliation with our neighbor 64 + _Brief instruction concerning the Holy Supper_ 66 + 38. Morning Prayer of a communicant 72 + 39. Prayer for a worthy partaking of the Holy Supper 74 + 40. Thanksgiving after partaking of the Holy Supper 76 + 41. Prayer that God would hereafter keep us from sin, and if we sin + that he would not reckon it to our account 77 + 42. Prayer in view of the sufferings of Christ 79 + 43. Prayer in time of drought 81 + 44. Prayer for sunshine in a protracted season of wet and rain 83 + 45. Prayer for the precious fruits of the field 84 + 46. Prayer during a storm 85 + 47. Thanksgiving when the storm is over 87 + 48. Prayer in great weakness of faith 88 + 49. Prayer in great trouble and danger 89 + 50. Thanksgiving after a safe journey 90 + 51. Thanksgiving for deliverance out of tribulation 91 + 52. Morning prayer of a sick person 92 + 53. Another morning prayer in sickness 93 + 54. Evening prayer of a sick person 95 + 55. Another evening prayer of a sick person 95 + 56. Prayer in sickness 96 + 57. Prayer of a penitent in sickness 99 + 58. Short prayers in sickness for every hour of the day: + 1. At one o'clock 101 + 2. At two o'clock 102 + 3. At three o'clock 102 + 4. At four o'clock 103 + 5. At five o'clock 103 + 6. At six o'clock 104 + 7. At seven o'clock 104 + 8. At eight o'clock 105 + 9. At nine o'clock 106 + 10. At ten o'clock 107 + 11. At eleven o'clock 108 + 12. At twelve o'clock 108 + 59. Thanksgiving after recovery 109 + 60. Three prayers in the hour of death: + 1. To God the Father 110 + 2. To God the Son 111 + 3. To God the Holy Ghost 112 + 61. Prayer of the attendants upon a dying person 113 + 62. Another prayer 114 + 63. A short litany together with prayers for a dying person 114 + 64. Prayer when the sick person has departed in the Lord 117 + + + APPENDIX I. + FESTIVAL PRAYERS. + + 1. Prayer for the beginning of a new church year 118 + 2. Prayer for the Advent season 122 + 3. Christmas prayer 124 + 4. Prayer on New Year's day 127 + 5. Prayer on Epiphany 131 + 6. Prayer on the day of Purification 133 + 7. Prayer on the day of Annunciation 135 + 8. Prayer on Maundy-Thursday 137 + 9. Prayer on Good-Friday 139 + 10. Prayer on the festival of Easter 141 + 11. Prayer on Ascension day 142 + 12. Prayer on Whitsunday 144 + 13. Prayer on the festival of the Holy Trinity 147 + 14. Prayer on the day of John the Baptist 149 + 15. Prayer on the day of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary 151 + 16. Prayer on St. Michael's day 152 + 17. Prayer on the festival of the Reformation 155 + 18. Prayer on Church-Consecration day 157 + 19. Prayer on Harvest festival 158 + 20. Prayer on Mission festival 160 + 21. From Caspar Neuman's substance of all prayers 163 + + + APPENDIX II. + HYMNS. + + Morning hymn 172 + Evening hymn 174 + Hymns of cross and consolation 175 + Hymn of christian life 181 + Hymn of hope in death 182 + Hymn of glad eternity 183 + + + Prayers before and after meat 185 & 186 + + + + + 1. Sunday Morning Prayer. + + +Eternal, almighty God and Father! I most heartily praise and thank Thee, +that Thou hast graciously, by Thy holy angels, preserved me from all harm +and danger both of body and soul, during the past night and all previous +time; and I most heartily pray Thee, forgive me all my sins wherewith I +have offended Thee, and enlighten my heart with Thy Holy Spirit, that I +may daily grow and increase in Thy knowledge. Grant me grace also, that I +may, during this day, avoid all sin and shame, and be found in Thy divine +will, in order that I may so walk as to be preserved from all evil, may +always and constantly keep Thee in my heart and thoughts, and when the +time of my departure approaches, grant that I may fall asleep in the true +knowledge of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, unto a blessed and eternal life. +Amen. + + + + + 2. Before going to Church. + + +Merciful God and Father! Thou seest, that by reason of my depraved nature +I have no delight in Thy word, and that I so easily permit the devil, my +own flesh and blood, the children of the world, also false teachers and +preachers and other trivial causes keep me away from it, and that I am +too indolent and careless to hear and preserve Thy word. Therefore I now +pray Thee, O eternal God, forgive me this my inbred indolence, and do +Thou give me a heart willing and apt to hear and meditate upon Thy word. +Awake in me such an earnest longing that I may have a desire after the +sincere milk of the divine word, as new-born babes. Help me, that I may +find my chief delight in Thy word. May there be nothing in this world +dearer to me than Thy word; may I love it more than gold and all fine +gold, and always regard it as my best treasure. And as I, alas! have +lived to see the time which Thy dear Son Himself foretold, that false +Christs should arise and do wonders, so that, if it were possible, even +the elect should be deceived, I pray Thee that Thou wouldst graciously +defend and protect me from error and false doctrine. Keep me in Thy +truth, for Thy word is truth, that I may cling to the same as heavenly +truth, and remain steadfast in the same unto death. Grant this for the +sake of the honor of Thy most holy and blessed name. Amen. + + + + + 3. Sunday Evening Prayer. + + +Lord, almighty God and heavenly Father, I most heartily thank Thee for +all Thy goodness and benefits which Thou hast this day so kindly shown +unto me, in that Thou hast defended me from evil and preserved my health. +And I, Thy dear child, further pray Thee that Thou wouldst mercifully +keep me in Thy alone saving word to my last breath, and enlighten my +heart with Thy Holy Spirit, that I may know what is good or evil. And +wouldst graciously wipe out the remembrance of all the sins which I this +day have knowingly done, also of my secret sins, and grant me this night +a christian rest, that I may arise again refreshed and in health, to Thy +praise. Help also, dear Father, that I may begin a new life, well +pleasing in Thy sight, to the salvation of my soul, in Jesus Christ, Thy +dear Son, our only Helper. Amen. + + + + + 4. Another Sunday Evening Prayer. + + +We adore and praise Thee, Lord God, Father of heaven and earth, that Thou +hast so bountifully supplied us this day not only with our daily bread to +nourish the body, but also with the heavenly food of Thy word for our +souls. Grant, O faithful God, that it may remain in our hearts, and bring +forth much fruit to Thy honor and our salvation. We also pray Thy +fatherly goodness not to deprive us of Thy pure word and ministry; and +that Thou wouldst not visit upon us the sins wherewith we may have +desecrated this day, but forgive them according to Thy great goodness, +and for the sake of the bitter sufferings and death of Thy dear Son Jesus +Christ. And finally, let us this day, and all the remaining time of our +mortal life in this vale of tears, be commended to Thy fatherly blessing +and divine protection; and may Thy holy angels keep charge over us, that +the wicked one may have no power over us. + +But as the evening of this world is now approaching, and the day is far +spent, grant us the grace of Thy Spirit, that we may constantly watch, +and, in living faith, ardent love, firm hope and a holy walk and +demeanor, wait for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the +great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, when He shall come to judge the +quick and the dead, in order that we may then receive Him in a worthy +manner and with joy, enter with Him into eternal life, and celebrate with +all the elect the Sabbath without end. Have mercy, O Lord! upon Thy whole +Christian Church, and deliver Thy poor persecuted flock from all +oppression, mockery and tyranny, comfort all anxious and troubled +consciences by the true comforter, the Holy Spirit, and send us all Thy +peace through Jesus Christ, our Intercessor and only Mediator. Amen. + + + + + 5. Monday Morning Prayer. + + +Holy and faithful God, heavenly Father! I most heartily praise, honor and +adore Thee, that during the past night Thou hast permitted me to rest and +sleep in safety, and by Thy fatherly love hast awakened me again +refreshed and in the enjoyment of health. I most heartily pray Thee that +Thou wouldst this day also and always graciously preserve me together +with (my dear parents, brothers and sisters, and) all true Christians +from all danger and harm both of body and soul, in order that I may +always be found in Thy will. For I commend myself, my body and soul, +heart, sense, mind and thoughts, all my strivings and aspirations, all I +do and all I leave undone, my going in and coming out, my life and death, +and everything that I am and can do, to Thy divine protection. May Thy +holy angel be and remain with me, that no misfortune may befall me either +in body or soul. Grant this for the sake of Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son. +Amen. + + + + + 6. Monday Evening Prayer. + + +Merciful God, gracious Father! I heartily thank Thee that during the past +day and up to the present hour Thou hast graciously protected me from all +danger and harm of body and soul, and pray Thee, that, for the sake of +Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, Thou wouldst graciously forgive all the sins +which I have this day again committed against Thee in thoughts, words and +deeds, and let them be remembered against me no more. And as I am now +about to lie down to rest, I pray, Thou wouldst this night also protect +and defend me from all harm and danger of body and soul, so that, being +defended against the wiles and power of the devil, against evil, harmful +and wicked dreams, I may safely rest and sleep this night, and awake +again refreshed and in health to Thy honor. I now commend myself entirely +into Thy divine hand; Thou hast redeemed me, Thou faithful God. Amen. + + + + + 7. Tuesday Morning Prayer. + + +Lord Jesus Christ, Thou only Saviour of the world! to Thee I lift my +heart and mind, and thank Thee again, that Thou hast by Thy boundless +mercy and love kept me safe and secure this night from the wiles and +power of the wicked one. Lord Jesus Christ, Thou art the portion of my +inheritance, my salvation is in Thy hands, and besides Thee I know of no +Helper in heaven or on earth. Therefore I pray Thee for the sake of Thy +unutterable suffering and anguish, of Thy most painful and bitter death, +which in great love Thou didst suffer for me, that Thou wouldst be +gracious and merciful unto me, and this day and through my whole life +bless, spare, preserve and keep me from all sin and evil in this world of +sorrow, until Thou shalt take me to eternal joy and blessedness, for Thy +most holy name's sake. Amen. + + + + + 8. Tuesday Evening Prayer. + + +O eternal and merciful God, God of all riches, who art in heaven, I most +heartily thank Thee for Thy great mercy and paternal providence by which +Thou hast again permitted me to end this day in the enjoyment of health. +And since I, alas! have not spent this day to Thy praise and honor, and +the welfare of my neighbor, inasmuch as my depraved nature is always +inclined more to evil than to good, help, Thou faithful God, that I who +am conceived and born in sin, may recognize my infirmity and become a +partaker of Thy heavenly grace; and teach me to think much and often of +my end, that I may prepare myself for it in true repentance, and when it +approaches may depart from this world of trouble full of consolation and +blessedness, and with all believing Christians be translated into Thy +heavenly paradise. In the mean time, as long as I sojourn on earth, take +me into Thy almighty protection and mercifully keep and preserve me from +all harm and danger of body and soul, for the sake of Jesus Christ, Thy +dear Son. Amen. + + + + + 9. Wednesday Morning Prayer. + + +O almighty, merciful God, gracious Father in heaven, since Thou hast +again kept me safe this night by Thy ministering spirits, the holy +angels, and permitted me to see this new day refreshed and in the +enjoyment of health, I most heartily give Thee praise, honor and eternal +thanks therefore, and pray Thee again, dear heavenly Father, to whose +will I subject all that I do and leave undone, my beginning and end, that +Thou wouldst henceforth graciously have mercy upon me, and govern all my +thoughts and aspirations, my heart, sense, mind and thoughts, all my +words and deeds by Thy Holy Spirit, so that I may understand what is good +or evil, and that I may this day so walk and live in this evil and +perverse world, that I above all things, free from my sins, may have a +heartfelt desire for that eternal home which Christ, my Saviour, +purchased and secured for me, and may not lose it by reason of my wicked, +sinful life. To this end wilt Thou graciously help me with Thy divine +love and the power of Thy Holy Spirit, for the sake of Thy dear Son, +Jesus Christ. Amen. + + + + + 10. Wednesday Evening Prayer. + + +I thank Thee, O almighty God and kind Father, that Thou hast this day +again graciously kept me safe from harm both in body and soul. I pray +Thee, that Thou wouldst according to Thy great goodness blot out every +sin that I have this day committed against Thee and Thy holy commandments +with my heart, tongue, or in other ways, and not forsake me, Thy +creature, whom Thou hast redeemed with the precious blood of Thy dear Son +Jesus Christ, and protect me this night under Thy almighty wings, against +the wicked one, who goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour me, +so that under the shadow of Thy goodness I may rest and sleep securely, +and the wicked one may not be able to approach me or do me any harm. +Amen. + + + + + 11. Thursday Morning Prayer. + + +God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, Thou ever blessed +Trinity! to Thee I resign myself with body and soul both now and forever, +and heartily thank Thee that Thou didst not permit the wicked one to harm +me during the past night, but didst, by the protection of Thy holy +angels, keep me safe to this day. What shall I render unto Thee, +wherewith shall I worthily praise Thee? I will give Thee a contrite and +broken heart, full of sins like scarlet, but sorrowing and penitent; +graciously accept of it, and wash it white as snow in the precious blood +of Thy dear Son, my Redeemer, bury it in His holy innocent wounds, and +thus do Thou graciously impart to me the forgiveness of all my sins. And +help me to hold myself in Christian readiness every day, inasmuch as I do +not know, when Thou wilt come, how and where Thou wilt call me hence, so +that I may by Thy blessing be conducted to eternal joy. Grant me this, +gracious Father, for the sake of Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. + + + + + 12. Thursday Evening Prayer. + + +Gracious and most merciful God, eternal Father, what heartfelt love and +fatherly care Thou hast for me, a poor sinner, in that Thou hast so +graciously preserved me all the days and hours of my life, from my +earliest youth to the present time, against all the wiles of the devil, +and the danger and harm of the wicked world; and I humbly pray Thee, +that, according to Thy paternal love toward me, Thou wouldst to all +eternity not remember against me what I have done against Thee this day, +but mercifully forgive it, and be gracious unto me for the sake of Thy +dear Son, Jesus Christ, who became the Surety for all my sins, and keep +me and all who are near and dear to me safe this night from sudden death, +from danger by fire and water, pestilence and all harm. I therefore +commend myself, my body and soul and everything that I have to Thy +fatherly protection; may Thy holy angel be with me, that, I may fear no +danger. Amen. + + + + + 13. Friday Morning Prayer. + + +I, a poor sinner, have now arisen in Thy name, Thou crucified Lord Jesus +Christ, who, as the truly patient Lamb for the slaughter, didst suffer +for me the most ignominious death on the cross, and with Thy precious +blood redeemed me from all my sins, from death, the devil and hell: +govern my heart with Thy Holy Spirit, refresh it with the heavenly dew of +Thy grace, preserve me with Thy divine love, and hide me this day, both +body and soul, in Thy holy wounds; wash me clean from all my sins, keep +me in all good works, and lead me from this world of sorrow to eternal +joy and glory, Thou most faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ, my only Comfort, +Hope and Life. Amen. + + + + + 14. Friday Evening Prayer. + + +O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou patient Lamb for the slaughter and holy +sacrificial offering for all my sins, and not for mine alone, but for the +sins of the whole world! I most heartily thank Thee again that Thou hast +so graciously kept both my body and soul under Thy protecting care this +day, and pray Thee that Thou wouldst graciously pardon and forgive all my +sins which I have committed this day through the weakness of my depraved +nature and the enticement of the evil spirit, and which sorely trouble +and oppress my heart and conscience; and as I am now about to lie down to +rest and sleep, cover me with the wings of Thy grace, and help that I may +with my body sleep under them this night in peace and rest, but with my +soul may I always watch for Thee, wait for Thy glorious coming to +judgment, and with heartfelt longing keep myself in readiness to go with +Thee at last to Thy blessed kingdom. + +Unto this help me, O faithful God! blessed forevermore with Thy dear Son +and the Holy Spirit. Amen. + + + + + 15. Saturday Morning Prayer. + + +O thou faithful Father in heaven! Could I but sufficiently praise and +thank Thee for all the benefits Thou hast bestowed upon me during all the +days of my life! But this is beyond my power and ability. For I am flesh +and blood, which can do nothing but what is evil. But Thou doest daily +grant me blessings without number, and especially in the past night, if +Thou hadst not been my Shield and Defence, the devil would have injured +me greatly with his power, so that I could not have arisen in health. But +by Thy gracious protection I have been kept safe. I humbly pray Thee, +extend to me Thy grace this day, and mercifully keep me, who am Thine +through the blood of Christ, henceforth unto eternal life. Amen, Lord +Jesus, take my soul into Thy hands and let me be commended unto Thee. +Amen. + + + + + 16. Saturday Evening Prayer. + + +Merciful, gracious God and Father! Most heartily do I again give Thee +praise and thanks, that Thou hast during the whole period of my life +taken thought for me in such a fatherly manner, and hast so graciously +protected me from all harm and danger of soul and body during this day, +even during the whole week up to the present hour. And I further pray +Thee, that Thou wouldst through Thy grace, which all penitent sinners +have with Thee, blot out all my sins, which I have this day and through +the whole week committed knowingly or unknowingly against Thee and my +neighbor, and let them be remembered against me no more for ever. And +help me graciously that I may pass from the old week into a new Christian +life, well-pleasing to Thee, and to all the elect in heaven. May I be +commended to Thy gracious arms this night, that I may rest and sleep +safely, and arise again refreshed and in health further to praise Thee. +And when my last hour comes, take me to Thee, Lord Jesus Christ; for I am +Thine and Thou art mine, how gladly and willingly would I soon be with +Thee! Amen. + + + + + 17. Daily Renewal of the Baptismal Covenant. + + +I hereby renew the covenant of my holy baptism, and renounce, both now +and forever, the devil and all his works and all his ways, and this +ungodly and wicked world, together with my own sinful flesh and blood. +Into Thy hands, O Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I commend my body and soul. +Into Thy care I commend my temporal, spiritual and eternal welfare, and +the welfare of those dear and near to me. I commit myself entirely into +Thy care, mercy, love and faithfullness, O Thou my Father! I clothe +myself with Thy merits, with Thy precious blood and wounds and Thy +blessed communion, O Lord Jesus, my Redeemer! I commend myself entirely +to Thy merciful guidance, to Thy power, light and comfort, O Holy Spirit, +most blessed Comforter! O Triune God! Thou art mine, I am Thine; Thou art +my Father, I am Thy child; Thou art my shepherd, I am Thy lamb; Thou art +my Lord, I am Thine own. O my God! How can I sufficiently thank Thee! +Thou hast regarded me very highly and hast bestowed upon me, a poor +sinful being, salvation in Jesus Christ, through the blessed regeneration +in the sacrament of Holy Baptism. O do Thou preserve me in this Thy Grace +unto death. Grant, my God, that this my salvation may be my comfort at +all times against satan, sin and death, and that I may value it more +highly than all worldly honor and earthly fame, and diligently endeavor +to lead a holy and godly life in accordance with it until a happy death +in Christ Jesus. Do Thou, in mercy, grant this my prayer, O my Father, +for the sake of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy +Spirit. For all which, all honor, praise and thanksgiving be unto Thee, +the Triune God, forevermore. Amen. + + + + + 18. Prayer on a Birthday. + + +My Lord and my God, in Thee I live, and move, and have my being, Thou art +my stay in life and in death. I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and +wonderfully made, marvelous are Thy works, and that my soul knoweth right +well. Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb; my substance was not hid +from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest +parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect, +and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were +fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. To-day I will call to my +mind the day of my birth which is the beginning both of my temporal and +spiritual life, when I was brought unto Holy Baptism, and became +reconciled unto my God, and was cleansed by the Water in connection with +the Word, when my sins were taken away and the Holy Ghost bestowed upon +me; for all which I thank and praise Thee. I praise Thee, O God, my +Creator! that on this day Thou hast brought me forth from my mother's +womb, although in pain and sorrow. I thank Thee, that Thou hast brought +me to a place where Thy name is rightfully known, Thy holy Word taught in +all purity, and that I am thus enabled, under Thy guidance, to come unto +the true and living faith. I thank Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ! for all the +blessings, with which Thou in loving-kindness often hast remembered my +body and soul, from the hour of my birth until the present time, inasmuch +as Thou didst not only nourish and preserve my body, and in various ways +protect my temporal life through Thy holy angels, who always behold the +face of the Father in heaven, and daily provide me with abundant food and +raiment, but, above all things, Thou hast bestowed upon me through Thy +Word, spiritual and imperishable gifts, and hast assured me in Holy +Baptism, the bath of Regeneration, that I have been made a new creature +and have become the first-fruit of Christ Jesus; Thou hast pardoned all +my sins, and hast blessed me with the gift of the Holy Ghost and made me +heir of eternal Life; and though I have often, through the weakness of my +flesh, or wantonly, forsaken my God and forgotten His commandments, and +have even more than seventy times seven committed fearful sins against +God in Heaven and my fellow-men on earth, yet didst Thou not, O Lord +Jesus! enter into judgment with Thy servant, and visit him with immediate +and well-deserved punishment. O God, Holy Spirit! what a shameful life +have I thus far led! How often, and on how many occasions have I stumbled +in my Christian walk, and have become guilty of great and atrocious sins! +But Thou, O God, Holy Ghost! hast just as often sought the lost sheep, +and hast brought me again upon the path of rectitude, and hast +sanctified, comforted and guided me. Thou hast preserved me in my +station, and hast restrained the devil and averted a host of bodily and +spiritual dangers in which I should have perished long ago, if Thou hadst +not stood by me. O blessed Trinity! There is a time to be born; do Thou +graciously help all fruit of the womb and grant, a joyful birthday, +forgiveness of sins and life eternal. Grant that I may to-day spend my +birthday, as also all future days of my life, without committing mortal +sins, and that I may become conscious of my humble birth and wretchedness +by nature. Do Thou bestow upon me the blessings of health and life until +the goal is reached. Grant me patience to endure all afflictions and +sufferings. Comfort me in all misfortunes and distress. Forgive me daily +my sins and grant that I may thus continue firm unto my soul's salvation, +and that I may, in the true and saving faith and with a good conscience, +serve Thee even unto the end, through Jesus Christ. Amen. + + + + + 19. A Prayer for Children. + + +Almighty God, Heavenly Father! since Thou hast so earnestly enjoined upon +me, in the fourth commandment, to honor my father and my mother, and hast +also promised, graciously to reward such service with long life and +prosperity: I would pray Thee from the depth of my heart, that Thou +wouldst bestow upon me an obedient heart, which, with due submission, +obeys my dear parents in all things, and also those who are my superiors +in the place of my parents; that I may honor them in deed, word and with +patience, and that I may not grieve, disregard or despise them as long as +I live, in order that Thy blessing may rest upon me. Grant that I may +well remember and firmly keep to heart their words, rules and precepts, +yea, that I may at all times be mindful of them, and that I may not +forget their instructions, in order that my days may be long upon earth. +Do Thou govern me through Thy good Spirit, that I may hear the +instruction of my father and not forsake the law of my mother, in order +that I may be a cause of joy and comfort unto them. Grant that I may, in +all my actions, diligently follow the example of my Lord and Saviour, +who, being a true model for all pious children, was subject unto the +virgin Mary, His blessed mother, and unto Joseph, His foster-father. +Bestow also upon me a grateful and humble heart, that I may recompense my +dear parents and again serve them, especially that I may administer unto +them in old age and bear with them when they have become childish and +simple, and that I may never forget that they are my parents. Do Thou +also graciously forgive me whenever I have offended them through childish +weakness and rashness. Do Thou preserve me from evil society and +frivolous people, and when sinners entice me, that I may not consent nor +walk in their way with them, but that I may refrain my foot from their +path and not bring disgrace and crime upon myself. O Lord! Thou hast thus +far chastened me as a man chasteneth his son; grant that I may bow down +mine ear and hear the words of the wise, and learn while I am young, that +I may acquire knowledge and discretion. Grant that I may increase in +wisdom and stature, and in favour before Thee and my fellow-men, for the +sake of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen! + + + + + 20. Prayer for Young Persons. + + +O father of all Grace and Mercy, who art a God of Holiness, it is Thy +holy will that we also should be holy and lead a life without lust and +evil desires of our sinful flesh. I confess unto Thee my weakness and the +sinful infirmities of my nature; for, to will is present with me, but how +to perform that which, is good, I find not. The lust of the flesh, and +the lust of the eye, and the pride of life surround me like three +powerful enemies and threaten to entice me away from Thy Grace. +Therefore, O my Father, I pray Thee to create and preserve within me a +pure heart. Grant, that I may avoid, with all my heart, all places and +occasions where opportunity is given for impurities, and that I may be +afraid, lest I should take the members of Christ, and make them the +members of a harlot. Grant, that I may rather abide in fervent devotion +and at all times have a sincere desire and longing after true holiness, +that my body may, in truth, be the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that I +may not cease to love Jesus Christ, who was crucified and has given +Himself into death for my sake. Grant that I may love heavenly wisdom, in +order that I may never more enter upon the paths of deceivers. O Thou +just and holy God! who triest the hearts and reins, grant, that I may so +cling unto Thee in this world, as to remain unseparated from Thee in all +eternity. Amen! + + + + + 21. Prayer of a Servant. + + +Merciful God! Thou who hast redeemed and liberated me, through the +precious suffering and death of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, from +everlasting servitude, from the power of sin, from the power of darkness, +and from the cruel tyranny of the devil, and hast made me lord over death +and hell,--I pray Thou wouldst in mercy grant, that I may not conceive a +dislike to my calling of bodily service, into which Thou hast placed me +according to Thy will and good pleasure, and that I may not impatiently +rebel against Thy order, nor begrudge other people their higher station, +but that I may obey Thy will with a cheerful heart, and that I do not +regard it otherwise than that I were serving Thee, O God in Heaven, and +not men on earth. To this end, dear Father, do Thou assist me, that I +may, in true knowledge and fear, serve Thee, the highest Lord in Heaven +and on Earth; that I may love Thee above all things, placing in Thee all +my hope and salvation and walking unblamably according to Thy +commandments; and that I may also, in addition to this, be obedient in +all things which are not displeasing unto Thee, to my master and +mistress, according to the flesh, not only to them that are kind and +lenient, but also to them who are rude and froward, serving them with +patience, in all fear and simplicity of heart, just as I should serve +Christ, my Lord, not with mere visible works, as if to gain favor before +men, but with a sincere heart for the sake of Thy command and precept. +Grant in mercy, that I may be found faithful in every thing that is +enjoined upon and intrusted unto me, that I may neither neglect nor +destroy anything, nor cause any mishap or loss through my carelessness, +and that I may not defraud others, nor covet their property which is +entrusted to me and placed into my hands. Preserve unto me good health, +strengthen the members of my body and increase my powers; bestow upon me +knowledge and wisdom, that I may be able to perform the labor of my +master and mistress, to improve their property by Thy divine help, that +they may be blessed through my industry and increase abundantly, and +grant that all that I do may redound to Thy glory and be profitable unto +me to the blessed exercise unto godliness for the sake of Jesus Christ, +Thy dear Son who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, +world-without-end. Amen! + + + + + 22. Prayer of a Husband. + + +Almighty and Gracious God! Thou who Thyself hast instituted the holy +state of matrimony, and by the first miracle of Thy dear Son, Jesus +Christ, hast honored and adorned it as a state pleasing in Thy sight, in +which state also many sainted patriarchs and prophets have led a godly +life unto Thy good pleasure; and since Thou hast also helped me to enter +holy matrimony and hast placed me at the head of my household, and as +Thou art pleased with these three things, namely, when brethren dwell +together in unity, when neighbors love each other, and when husband and +wife dwell together in love and purity; I would therefore pray Thee with +all my heart, to grant unto me, that I may, in Christian love and harmony +and with reasonableness, live with my wife, giving honor unto her, as +unto the weaker vessel and as also being heir of the grace of life, and +that I may advise her, with the children and servants, into Thy knowledge +and Divine honor in all chastity and decency. Unto this end, do Thou +bestow Thy grace, that they may observe my instructions in that which is +good and which leads to all godliness, and that they may cheerfully abide +in them. Do Thou restrain satan, that he may not cause discord and strife +between us, and if we should, out of weakness, be at variance at any +time, do Thou help, that we may soon become reconciled again. Do Thou +give me grace, that I may not lust after another spouse or woman, or look +upon her with an evil eye to desire her. Protect me, my wife, my children +and servants against sickness, according to Thy divine will. Grant unto +me, Thy servant, that I may diligently attend to my calling, eating my +daily bread in the sweat of my brow, and that I may not grow impatient, +whenever my task becomes bitter, for thus Thou hast instituted it. Do +Thou prosper and bless my substance, that it may increase without injury +or disadvantage to others. Give me pious and faithful servants. Preserve +unto me my house and home, and all that Thou hast bestowed upon me. Help +us to bear the cross in our calling with patience, and after this life +gather us together with all Thy saints in Thy kingdom above. Amen. + + + + + 23. Prayer of a Wife. + + +Gracious God, faithful Father! Since Thou hast, through Thy mercy, called +me into the holy state of matrimony to be the mistress of a house, in +which state I can also serve and please Thee, my God, do Thou bestow +grace upon me, Thy servant, that I may at all times sincerely fear Thee, +and trust in Thee above all things, O my Creator and Redeemer; and that I +may, next to Thee, fear, love and honor my husband, and desire none other +besides him. Help, that according to Thy command, my will be in +subjection to my husband, to obey him with all readiness, and that I, in +the innermost of my heart, may ever be adorned with a meek and quiet +spirit and many virtues, like unto the holy women of olden times who +trusted in God, being in subjection to their own husbands. Grant that I +may lead a chaste and pure life in fear and humility, that I may in all +godliness and with kind and modest words restrain and subdue the anger +and ill-humor of my husband, and be enabled to meet him with indulgence; +that I may, in meekness, train my children and servants unto the praise +and honor of Thy holy name, and that they may, with willing hearts, obey +me in those things which are good and righteous before Thee. Help that I +may be a faithful helpmeet unto my husband, that I may with care guard +over the blessings which Thou hast graciously bestowed upon us and not +squander them, but that I may work and assist, as is becoming me in this +my calling, that I may be able to give unto the needy and extend a +helping hand unto the poor. Protect us against unfaithful and wicked +servants, who neglect and waste our property. Give me grace that I may +patiently bear the cross in married life, and not so soon become +discouraged or intimidated whenever afflictions come upon us; for our +faith must be tested through trials and adversities. O Lord God! Into Thy +almighty power I commend myself, my dear husband, all my children and +servants, do Thou preserve us from sin, disgrace and all afflictions, +through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. + + + + + 24. Prayer of an aged Person. + + +Lord God, Thou our refuge forevermore, our life and length of years by +whose hands our days are numbered, behold, I have reached the years, of +which I can say that they are not pleasing to me. Since my strength has +perceptibly decreased in this my old age, and many troubles and +weaknesses come upon me, I humbly beseech Thee who hast so graciously and +fatherly guided me from the beginning of my life, and hast been my hope +from the days of youth until now, Thou wouldst not forsake me in old age, +when I am gray-headed and weak, but continue to bear and deliver me unto +a happy end of my life. But especially do I pray Thee, O merciful Father, +to guide and direct me by Thy holy and good Spirit, that I may spend the +rest of my life in a Christian walk with praying and sighing in true +devotion to Thee, and that I may more and more prepare myself like a true +Christian for a happy death, so that, if to-day or to-morrow my time +should come, I may depart in peace like the aged Simeon, and leaving this +world, may enter upon the joys of eternal life. Amen. + + + + + 25. Prayer for a proper Performance of One's Duties. + + +Merciful and faithful God! Thou hast commanded, that every man should +pursue a certain calling and be faithful in the same. Thou seest and +knowest, therefore, omniscient Lord, what my duties are, and that I can +do nothing without Thy grace, power and blessing, but that I can err in +various ways; therefore I sincerely pray Thee, to strengthen my reasoning +faculties, to bestow upon me bold and undaunted courage, that I may act +reasonably and overcome all rising difficulties, and thus accomplish +through Thy paternal guidance a desirable and blessed object. O my God, I +trust in Thee, let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over +me, yea, let none that wait on Thee be ashamed. Show me Thy ways, O Lord, +teach me Thy paths; for Thou art the God of my salvation, on Thee do I +wait all the day. Preserve my soul, deliver me and sustain me in my +troubles. Let me not be ashamed, for I trust in Thee. O my God, be not +far from me, make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! Amen. Amen. +Amen. + + + + + 26. Prayer before Labor. + + +Eternal and Merciful God! I would now take up my work anew, and +cheerfully lay hold upon the task of my proper calling, into which Thou +hast placed me Thy servant, and thus labor according to my talents +received from Thee, that I might through them serve my neighbor and earn +my daily bread. I would therefore pray Thee with all my heart, to bestow +upon me knowledge, prudence, understanding and health for the performance +of my labor and work, according to Thy grace-abounding promise, and to +further and bless the same, that not only its beginning be well done, but +that I may also, through Thy paternal assistance and in Thy name, +profitably finish it, and at all times perform the duties of my calling +in Thy fear with a good conscience. Into Thy hands I commend my work; +grant that my undertakings be successful, and that I may accomplish the +work begun in Thy name, that the light may ever be shining upon my path, +unto Thy honor and praise and the welfare of myself and friends and +neighbors, through Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen. O Lord +Jesus, in Thy name and upon Thy Word I will let down my net. O Lord, +help, O Lord, let my work prosper. Amen. + + + + + 27. Prayer for Divine Blessing upon the Work of One's Calling. + + +Lord God! Thou hast assigned work to every man according to his +abilities, and it is Thy will, that we should eat our daily bread in the +sweat of our face, until we return again unto dust, and that we should +live by the work of our hands and prosper; behold, upon Thy word I will +begin anew the work of my calling, grant that my efforts and labors be +not in vain, but help that I may work with my hands the thing which is +good, that I may have to give to him that needeth. Bestow upon me Thy +favor and blessing at all times, for upon it depend all things, that I +may accomplish my work and do wrong to no one, so that I may honor the +Lord with my substance and provide for those near to me, especially for +my own household. Bless us more and more, bless our substance and all +that we have, for Thy blessing enriches us without the anxieties of the +busy hand. Lord, gladden my heart and make cheerful my countenance, give +me health, life and Thy blessing. All this, however, I ask of Thee in +submission to Thy holy will, Lord, hear my prayer. Into Thy hands I +commend my ways, in Thee I hope, Thou wilt do all things well. The Lord +be praised daily. Amen. + + + + + 28. Luther's Prayer based on the Scriptural Passage: Casting all + your care upon Him, for He careth for you. + + +Heavenly Father! Thou art indeed my Lord and God, who hast made me out of +nothing and redeemed me through Thy Son. Thou hast commanded and +appointed me to perform these my duties and labors, which I, however, +cannot accomplish as I desire, and many troubles there be that frighten +and oppress me, so that I am, as to my own power, without help and +consolation; therefore I commend all things into Thy hands, do Thou help +and console me, and be Thou all in all. Amen. + + + + + 29. Prayer before beginning any Important Work. + + +Lord, Thou doest great things, which are unconceivable, and wonders +innumerable, Thou whose strength is mighty in weakness; I call upon Thee, +the Most High, to prosper the work of my hands and graciously help me to +accomplish this work, which I have undertaken with entire confidence in +Thee. Lord God, strengthen me in this hour, and depart not from Thy +servant, whose hope is in Thee, and without Thee can do nothing. Prepare +me with strength from on high, and give me the wisdom which is +continually about Thy throne, that it may be with me and direct my +labors. All depends upon Thy divine blessing; wherefore remember me, O +Lord, and bless all I do and all I leave undone, in order that I may +begin and accomplish my work prudently and successfully. May my actions +be pleasing unto Thee, assist me by Thy advice, in order that I may be +able most profitably to begin, continue and finish my work. For unto Thee +do I commit the beginning and the accomplishment of my labors, and unto +Thee will I thankfully ascribe all praise for prospering the work of my +hands. Amen. In Jesus name, Amen, Amen! + + + + + 30. Thanks returned after Labor. + + +Almighty, eternal and gracious God! I praise and thank Thee for Thy most +holy presence and assistance, which Thou hast shown unto me this day, for +without Thee I certainly could have done nothing, hence Thou alone art +worthy to receive the praise. I beseech Thee, to permit these labors to +be pleasing unto Thee, and to redound to the well-being of myself and +neighbors, both bodily and spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord, +who with Thee and the Holy Ghost, true God, lives and reigns to all +eternity. Amen. + + + + + 31. Prayer during a Journey. + + +O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou ever-gracious Lord and Saviour! Thou who hast +become a guest and stranger for us upon earth, I come unto Thee humbled +in heart, and beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst permit my whole life and +walk to be acceptable unto Thee. Preserve me also upon this my journey by +the protection of Thy beloved angels upon all my ways graciously from all +evil and accident, misfortune and danger of soul and body, so that I may +successfully accomplish my work and return again to my beloved ones, in +health and in vigor. Unto Thee alone, O Lord, do I commit my body and +soul, all that I have and possess, during my journey. Do Thou direct my +course and way to my welfare and blessedness. In the mean time do Thou +faithfully protect my loved ones at home, that we may meet each other +again in health and happiness. And when I have finally accomplished my +journey of life here in this world, receive me unto Thyself, into Thy +glory, by a peaceful and a blessed death. Amen. + + + + + 32. Prayer while beginning a Journey at Sea. + + +Eternal God, behold, I now journey upon the deep, and commit myself to +the wild, rough sea; here on the waters I am tossed to and fro between +heaven and earth, how shall this little ship, small and weak in +structure, which cannot protect itself, protect me? On whom then shall I, +wretched man, put my trust? Alas, O God and Lord, alone upon Thee and Thy +fatherly power and care, for neither man nor any of Thy creatures can +save me. The wind bloweth whithersoever it will, the sea lifts up its +waves, beneath me I see neither ground nor foundation, and above the lone +heavens. The men who assist me are in like danger and care; wherefore, O +God, I lift my eyes alone unto Thee, from whom cometh my help, my help +cometh from the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth. To Thee do I commit +myself both body and soul, life and property. Unto Thee alone do I look, +in Thee alone do I put my trust, my hope is in Thee, there is no help in +man. Bear Thou this little ship on Thy wings, and preserve me within and +be with me in the ship, else, O Lord, we perish; but if I only have Thee, +I will ask nothing of heaven or earth! Yea, while I now depart from land +and leave the same behind me, help me, to forsake and deny all confidence +in worldly and human assistance, and to commit myself unto Thee alone. +Lord, behold, I have entirely submitted to Thy will, do unto me as may +seem good in Thy sight, that it may redound to the welfare and salvation +of my soul. I commit myself into Thy hands, for Thou hast drawn me into +Thy embrace, and no one shall pluck me out of Thy hand, because I am a +member of Christ's fold, and a sheep of his pastures, wherein I will +gladly live and die by the help of the Holy Spirit. Amen. + + + + + 33. Prayer of a Seafarer during a Storm. + + +Almighty God, Thou God of the righteous! Thou who hast made the sea and +the dry land, and upholdest all things by Thy hand, and raisest the +stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves, so that the ship is tossed now +to the heavens, and now down again to the depths, that a person is reeled +to and fro like a drunken man at his wit's end, as the Holy Spirit says. +We are now in great danger and distress in this our journey on the sea. +As Thou hast said: "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver +thee," we therefore in this our great need, from which no creature can +save us but Thou alone, hold out to Thee thy word with believing hearts, +and humbly ask Thee to manifest Thy power according to Thy great mercy, +and say unto the wind and the sea: Peace, be still! and graciously +protect us from shipwreck and danger, hold and preserve us by Thy +gracious hand, and redeem us graciously from this danger, and we will +praise Thy name as long as we live, never forget Thy deeds of mercy and +amend our lives so that henceforth they may conform to Thy holy Word. +Alas! Lord, be merciful unto us, and forgive us our sins for Jesus +Christ's sake. Alas! help us, lest we perish! Alas! Lord, redeem us for +Thy mercy's sake! But if it be Thy will here to end our lives, then give +unto us Christian patience, preserve us in the true faith and give us the +end of our faith, the salvation of our souls! Thou canst redeem from +death, Thou canst also redeem us out of this danger. Hear us, hear us, +hear us, Lord God Father, for Jesus Christ's sake! Lord Jesus, for the +sake of Thy five blessed wounds! Lord God, Holy Spirit for the sake of +Thy mercy and grace! Help us, Lord God, the Father! Help us, Lord God, +the Son! Help us, Lord God, the Holy Ghost, for Thy own sake, and for the +honor of Thy name, and for Thy infinite mercy's sake. Amen. + + + + + A brief Instruction concerning Confession and Absolution. + + +My dear Christian, when you come to confession, you must not be satisfied +in repeating with the mouth a prayer which you have committed to memory, +or to permit a prayer of confession to be repeated to you by your +confessor, but you must yourself bring with you a penitent heart, out of +which your confession will then freely flow, for to confess without a +penitent heart is mocking God, and without it no forgiveness of sins can +take place. + +To a penitent heart in the first place belongs, that you confess your +sins and experience sorrow and penitence on account of them. By nature no +man can know his sins, nor can he produce penitence in his heart +concerning them; this must above all be sought of God. We men are by +nature much too blind, too indifferent, too inconsiderate, too +selfrighteous, too much possessed with self-love and self-interest, than +to be inclined and capable penitently and uprightly to confess ourselves +guilty of all sins. Wherefore above all things bend your knees before God +and call upon him, that He might open your eyes that you may thoroughly +know the multitude and greatness of your sins. Pray with the blessed +David: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my +thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the +way everlasting." Hereupon take the holy ten commandments and make a +careful examination of your whole life in accordance with them. Then you +will know that you are a sinner. For as a man cannot see a spot on his +face without a glass, neither can he know his sins without beholding +himself in the glass of the holy ten commandments. For sin is every work, +every word, yea, every thought, which is against God's commandments; for +sin consists in the performance of that which God has forbidden, or in +the omission of that which He has commanded to be done. But you must not +only regard the gross external sins, but also the internal secret sins, +departures from God's commandments, which have taken place in the heart +through evil thoughts and desires. If you will examine yourself thus in +constant prayer, you will discover that you have not feared, loved and +trusted God as He requires, that you have not so heartily and confidently +called upon God, prayed, praised and given thanks, that you have not kept +His Word so holy, heard and learned it, as you should have done. You will +find that you have not honored and loved your parents and superiors, but +have been disobedient and murmured against them; you will find that you +have sinned against your neighbor in anger, hatred, revenge and +irreconcilableness, with unchaste thoughts and desires, envy, illwill, +avarice, an earthly mind or with slanderous words, in short, you will +find that you have not so uprightly and heartily loved your neighbor as +yourself, that much more selfishness, the seeking of your own interests +or your own honor has been the motive to all your actions. With these and +other sins you have surely deserved the wrath of God, temporal and +eternal punishment, if God would deal with you according to His stern +righteousness. From these sins which you perceive in yourself you can +draw the conclusion how impure and depraved your heart is, from which +these sins flow, for as the water, so the spring, and by the fruits we +know the tree. Hence you will come to the knowledge of original sin. + +If you now will perceive these and other sins in thyself, yea, if you +consider, that the sins you have committed in ignorance, are many more +than those you know and feel in your heart, which nevertheless the all +knowing God places in the light of His countenance, then you will tremble +in your conscience and experience sorrow and penitence on account of +them, that you have so grievously offended your God and have been so +unthankful for His blessings. + +The second part of confession is faith, and indeed faith in Jesus Christ, +who hath made satisfaction for all thy sins and has also obtained +forgiveness of the same. Faith is as a hand which appropriates the +forgiveness of sins and receives it as an unmerited gift of divine grace. +Without this faith all knowledge and sorrow for sin is only the +confession of a Cain or a Judas, which ends in despair. But by faith in +Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all sinners, the heart is comforted and made +quiet. But this faith you cannot produce in your own heart, but it is the +work and gift of God the Holy Spirit. And if you experience that you are +wanting in this faith, and that you cannot believe but desire to believe, +then call upon God for this faith, and he will give it thee. + +Thereupon the fruits of penitence must follow. These consist in this, +that you no more knowingly and intentionally will commit the sins which +have been forgiven you, but you much more will hate and forsake them, and +by the assistance of the Holy Spirit contend against them. + +If now you bring such a penitent heart with you to confession, then you +are able to receive the absolution which your confessor gives you, by +virtue of which your sins are really and certainly forgiven thee by God +in heaven. Forgiveness of sins Christ has obtained for all sinners by his +death and the shedding of His blood and sealed it by His resurrection and +commanded it to be preached and delivered to all the world through the +Gospel. Now when the confessor absolves thee, he does nothing else than +declare unto you the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins; and yet this is +not merely an empty declaration, but such a one through which forgiveness +of sins is really presented and offered to penitent sinners. As often as +you hear the words of absolution from his mouth, do not doubt, but firmly +believe that your sins are forgiven thee before God in heaven, as +certainly as if Christ would immediately speak from heaven: "Be of good +cheer, my son (my daughter), thy sins be forgiven thee," for He says: +"Whosoever heareth you, heareth me, and whosesoever sins ye remit, they +are remitted unto them." + + + + +34. Complaint of a poor Sinner concerning the Impenitence of his Heart. + + +I, miserable afflicted sinner, come unto Thee, my heavenly Father, and +bring nothing with me but sin only. I can therefore not lift up my eyes +to Thy exalted and most holy majesty, but I am ashamed, that I have so +oft offended Thee and not hearkened unto Thy voice. Alas! there is +nothing good in me, I am conceived and born in sins, my nature is so +perverted and depraved, that I cannot feel and experience in me either a +desire or love for virtue and the heavenly gifts, but only for transitory +honor and joys and the inclination to all evil. I have lived in sin from +my youth up, and yet I live in sin, as long as I have this sinful flesh +of Adam on me. But, dear Lord, I comfort myself by Thy unbounded, +unfathomable, infinite and unspeakable grace and mercy, which Thou hast +promised to all penitent sinners in Thy word and confirmed by a sacred +oath. I comfort myself by the precious merit of Thy only begotten Son, +who was delivered for the sake of my sins and raised for my +justification. O heavenly Father, hide Thy face from my sins and behold +the face of Thy Son, who in himself never did commit sin, nor ever knew +of sin, but through His most holy obedience, blood and death hath made +satisfaction for all my sins and the sins of the whole world. Receive me, +O Father, for the sake of this Saviour again into grace, and do not +permit his bitter sufferings and death and his perfect precious ransom, +which he has paid Thee for my sins to be lost by me, poor sinner, but +that it may strengthen me. And I will then praise and bless Thee, here in +time and there in eternity. Amen. + + + + + 35. Prayer for true Conversion. + + +Almighty God, merciful Father! Every day Thy voice calling me to +repentance and grace resounds in my ears, encouraging me and all sinful +souls unto conversion: Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, +and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, +saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge thine +iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord, thy God. But +alas! I am not sufficient of myself, as of myself to convert myself unto +Thee. As little as the Ethiopian can change his skin and as little as the +leopard can change its spots, so little can I cease to do evil and do +good by my natural powers, inasmuch as the thoughts and intents of my +heart are inclined to evil from my youth up continually. Has Thy grace +wrought so much in me that I have determined that I will arise and +reconcile myself with Thee on account of my sins, and offer unto Thee a +broken and contrite heart, yet, alas! satan, the accursed one, will cast +a thousandfold hinderances in the way. My own sinful flesh and blood +prevent me, that the good that I will I cannot accomplish, but remain in +sin and finally be destroyed therein. Wherefore, Abba, dear Father, I +bend and bow my knees in deep humility before Thee, and ask for the sake +of Thy infinite mercy: convert me, O Lord, and I shall be converted, help +me, and I shall be helped, let Thy grace, my God, not be in vain in me, +but as Thou hast given to will, so do Thou also give to accomplish it. +Destroy the wantonness of the infernal villain, prevent the suggestions +of my perverted heart, that my holy resolution may not be hindered or +entirely destroyed. Open my eyes that I may heartily know, painfully +lament, and bitterly bewail my sins. Give me a divine sorrow over my +transgressions, which will bring repentance unto salvation, which may +never be repented of. Do Thou not, O Lord, permit me to be destroyed +under the burden of sin, nor to despair with Cain and Judas, but do Thou +turn to me, and be merciful unto me, behold my misery and affliction, and +forgive all my sins. Show me Thy dear and merciful heart, Father, which +desireth not the death of a sinner, but that he may be converted and +live; speak gently to my soul, and say that mercy shall go for justice, +and that Thou wilt no more remember my transgressions. Show me with the +finger of Thy divine grace unto Jesus, the crucified one, how he died for +my sins and rose again for my justification. Open to me for a refuge his +bloody wounds, in which so many poor sinners have found comfort and +salvation. Create also a clean heart within me and renew a right spirit +within me; cast me not away from Thy countenance and take not Thy Holy +Spirit from me; comfort me again with Thy help, and the joyful Spirit +preserve me in a firm resolution to amend my sinful life, and as long as +I live to serve Thee in righteousness and holiness, as is pleasing in Thy +sight. O Lord, hear me, alas! Lord! be merciful, O Lord! hearken to +remember and do what I ask, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen! + + + + + 36. Prayer for the Forgiveness of Sin. + + +Eternal, merciful God, I, a poor miserable afflicted sinner, come before +Thy divine Majesty bringing unto Thee nothing but sin, and on account of +this sin I dare not raise my eyes unto Thee, but am cast down with shame, +that I have so often and with great and manifold sins offended Thee, my +God, my Creator and Father, so that if Thou wouldst deal with me +according to my just dues, I would forever remain a child of wrath and +eternal damnation. But dear Lord God and Father, I comfort myself with +Thy great mercy, with Thy unmeasurable, unfathomable, endless and +unspeakable grace, which Thou thyself hast vouchsafed unto me and which +Thou, with a precious oath and affirmation, hast confirmed and given me +ample assurance with Thy Words: "As true as I live, I have no pleasure in +the death of a sinner, but that he might turn from his wickedness and +live." I comfort myself with Thine only begotten Son, my dear Redeemer, +Justifier, Mediator and Saviour, that He has, by His perfect obedience, +sufferings and death, obtained for me again Thy favor, and has given unto +me, one that believes in Him, power to become Thy child and to remain an +heir of Thy boundless mercy now and in eternity. Therefore, I will not +despair, but will confess my sins, both internal and external, secret and +manifest, unto Thee, and I will present myself before Thee guilty as an +evil-doer and malefactor, and I know nothing more to do than to come upon +the promise of Thy Word with an humble heart and dauntless spirit in true +faith and sincere confidence in Thy promised mercy and the bitter +sufferings of Thy dear Son, to the throne of grace, and from the depths +of my heart exclaim: Abba, dear Father, Lord! have mercy upon me! O God, +be gracious unto me, a poor, miserable sinner; forgive all my original +and actual sins, and all that I have at any time thought, spoken or done +against Thee, consciously or unconsciously. Lord, there is nothing good +in me. In sin was I conceived and born, in sin have I lived, in sin do I +yet live, so long as I carry with me this sinful flesh and blood, and my +sins are continually before Thee. Thou seest in me a thousand times more, +yea, and a thousand times greater sin than I myself am able to see, know +and feel. O Lord, enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy +sight shall no man living be justified. Have mercy upon me for the sake +of Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, my Lord and Saviour, and through Thy great +mercy, which is greater than the sins of all men, blot out my +transgressions. Wash me clean with hysop and sprinkle me with the pure +blood of Thy Son, which was shed upon the cross. May I be and remain Thy +child and heir, a vessel of Thy mercy, a fountain and dwelling of the +Holy Spirit. O, Lord, redeem, comfort and quicken me! Grant unto me Thy +grace anew! Gladden my distressed spirit and my troubled and broken heart +with Thy holy, joyful and life-giving Spirit. The broken reed and smoking +flax Thou wilt not, O Lord, bruise and quench. Thou wilt not cast me away +from Thy countenance forever, this I know full well. Thou wilt not permit +me to despair, but wilt favor me with Thy true Spirit, who will enkindle +and confirm in me true faith and comfort. O, Lord! my God and Father, +Thou faithful God, hear my prayer, that I may continue to be and remain +Thy child and temple, now and eternally. Permit me not to fall into error +and vice against my conscience. Save me from blood guiltiness and from +all evil. May I ever rejoice in Thy Word, that I may willingly hear the +same, read and ponder over it and that I may therewith serve and benefit +others, that I may speak of it day and night, and proclaim Thy +righteousness and glory continually; and I will love, adore, praise, +thank and serve Thee, my God and Lord, and Thy dear Son, my Saviour Jesus +Christ, together with the Holy Ghost, now and in all eternity with all +angels and men. Amen. + + + + + 37. Prayer for Reconciliation with our Neighbor. + + +Gracious Jesus, through Thy grace I have prepared myself and am about to +seek the forgiveness of my sins in private confession; but I remember, +that Thou hast said and earnestly commanded: if thou bring thy gift +before the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught +against thee: leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way, first +be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift. Now I have +unfortunately fallen into misunderstanding and variance with my neighbor, +hence do Thou so bestow upon me Thy grace and so overrule my heart, that +I may be willing to be reconciled with him. I acknowledge the hardness of +my heart and confess that it is hard for me to subdue my flesh and blood +and to banish all anger and revenge. But it is my hope, yea, my prayer, +that Thou, Lord, wilt take away my stony heart and grant unto me a heart +of flesh, that is: a loving, reconciled heart, and cause me to love my +enemy, to bless him that curses me, to do good unto those, that hate me, +and to pray for those who despitefully abuse and persecute me. O! may I +meditate upon that judgment and that terrible account which I must give +unto Thee, that I may renounce that enmity which designs death and +destruction, and according to Thy commandment become reconciled with my +adversary whilst I am in the way with him, and never more permit the sun +to go down upon my wrath. And as I, in Thy name, pardon and forgive all +those, who have offended me, so let me find all those, whom I have +grieved and irritated, ready with a willing heart, to pardon and forgive +my offences against them. O, Jesus! forgive all our sins, and govern our +hearts, that we may live with each other in a christian and peaceful +manner and that we may praise Thy name here in time, until in heaven we +shall glorify Thee forever. Amen. + + + + + Brief Instruction concerning the Holy Supper. + + +Why do you desire to go to the Holy Supper? This question each one should +lay before his conscience before he approaches the Lord's table. For +there are not a few who are either altogether obtuse and thoughtless, or +they come to the Holy Supper with an entirely wrong intention. Some will +go from mere custom, others because they are admonished to do so by their +parents, others because they consider the partaking of the Lord's Supper +a work of merit, and still others because they wish to acquire and +preserve the appearance and name of pious Christians before men. It is no +wonder that such partakers of the Holy Supper receive no blessings from +it, and that they become the more wicked, the longer they so continue. + +A communicant who desires to receive the Holy Supper unto his salvation, +must, in the first place, clearly understand what the Holy Supper is and +for what Christ has instituted it, and, in the second place, he must have +a penitent heart. + +Such have an altogether false conception of the Holy Supper, who regard +it as a mere feast at which a person does but commemorate Christ's +sufferings and death. No, the Holy Supper is the exalted and holy +mystery, in which Christ with the consecrated bread gives us his body to +eat, and with the consecrated wine gives us his blood to drink, even the +same body which he took on himself from the virgin Mary and gave in death +for our sins, and the same blood which he shed upon the cross for the +remission of our sins. True, we cannot see this with our eyes, we cannot +taste it with our mouth, nor can we understand it with our reason, but +must believe it, for our Lord and Saviour says: "Take, eat, this _is_ my +body; take, drink, this _is_ my blood." Our Lord and Saviour is true, and +certainly he will fulfill what he says in the words of his testament; he +is of infinite wisdom, and knows of ways and means for the fulfillment of +his promises, even though it be beyond our comprehension; he is almighty, +with whom nothing is impossible, who can do infinitely more than we are +able to ask or think. If we believe with all earnestness, that it is not +mere bread and wine, but also the true body and blood of our Saviour, who +is God and man in one person, which we receive in the Holy Supper, then +we will not be thoughtless and indifferent, but we will approach the +table of the Lord with devotional and humble hearts and with the +centurion exclaim: Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my +roof! + +The benefits derived from the Holy Supper are threefold: first, by a +worthy partaking of the Holy Supper we receive the forgiveness of sin and +are assured of the same. Our gracious God has given many and manifold +means to assure the poor sinner of the forgiveness of his sins; such +means are, the preaching of the Gospel, Holy Baptism, Absolution and the +Holy Supper. We should not ask the impertinent question, why God has +given us _four_ means of grace, instead of _one_, but rather thank him, +that he has so richly blessed us in making us partakers of the +forgiveness of our sins, and that he, through these means, gives unto us +a joyful heart and a certain assurance that we are acceptable unto him. +Whoever knows from own experience, how important it is for one whose +heart is terrified on account of his sins, to believe in the forgiveness +of such sins, will readily conceive the greatness of divine mercy and +care, in not providing only one, but many means, through which we have +the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore, just as certain +as with your mouth you eat the body of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ +which was given for you in death for the forgiveness of your sins, and +drink that blood which was shed for the remission of your sins, just so +certain also should you be that such forgiveness is your portion and +inheritance. Second, the Holy Supper also confers life. This is not a +temporal, natural life, which we have received through birth and which is +nourished through the ordinary food and drink, but it is that new, +spiritual life, which has been regenerated through the new birth in Holy +Baptism, and which subsists by virtue of faith in the Lord Jesus and in +love to God and our neighbor. But inasmuch as this life is yet weak and +imperfect and constant growth is necessary, the Lord has instituted the +Holy Supper as a spiritual means of nourishment, in order to strengthen +the new spiritual life. Luther says concerning this: The Holy Supper is +rightly regarded as food for the soul which nourishes and strengthens the +new man; for through Baptism we are first born again, but there still +remains the old Adam in our flesh and blood; there are so many +temptations and impediments thrown in the way by the world and the devil, +that we often grow weary and languid and sometimes fall. Hence the Holy +Supper is given us as a daily nourishment and food that our faith may +grow and be strengthened, and that in such contest it may not fall back, +but ever grow stronger and stronger; for the new life must be such as +always to increase and progress; it has on the other hand, to suffer +much; for the devil is such a wrathful enemy, when he sees that one +opposes him and assails the old man, and he is unable to prevail with his +power, then he will sneak and creep around on all sides, making use of +all kinds of artifice and keeps on until he finally has made us weary, +that a person either falls from the faith altogether, or gives way to +disgust and impatience. Thereto then this comfort is given, that the +heart, when it feels the temptations too great to bear, receives new +strength and solace from the Holy Supper. But, thirdly, the Holy Supper +also confers eternal salvation. Just as sin, as long as it is not +forgiven, deprives us of salvation, so sin which is forgiven opens unto +us the door of eternal salvation. Where there is forgiveness of sin, +there is also life and salvation. + +But if we would obtain this threefold blessed benefit from the Holy +Supper, we must receive it worthily and well prepared. This is however +not a worthiness brought about by the law, but by the Gospel, and does +not consist in a perfect life and entire purity of the soul from sin; but +much more in this, that we are conscious of our unworthiness and +sinfulness; that we have a heart poor in spirit and mournful, and long +heartily after the forgiveness of sin, that we also comfort ourselves +with it or wish to comfort; that we regard our sins to be very great, but +that we rejoice in the help which is found in none other than the Lord +Jesus Christ. On the other hand, all those communicants are unworthy and +unfit, who in their self-righteous conceit think it unnecessary to have +the forgiveness of sin, as was the case with the Pharisee, who stood and +prayed thus with himself: God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men +are,--or who entirely doubt the forgiveness of sin, as did Cain, who said +unto the Lord: My punishment is greater than I can bear, and who will not +permit himself to be delivered from his despondent thoughts, or those who +continue in evil purpose and who knowingly go on and serve sin, or who +live in malicious hatred against their neighbor. When such unworthy +communicants receive the Holy Supper, it is true, they also receive the +body and blood of Christ, but they receive it unto judgment and unto the +increase of their own damnation. Hence, too, St. Paul gives the earnest +admonition: Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread +and drink of that cup, for whoso eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth +and drinketh damnation to himself. Now, whoever recognizes in himself the +above named characteristics of an unworthy communicant, should not dare +to approach the table of the Lord in this condition; not that he should +remain away, but in the meanwhile he should examine himself, and instead +of being an impenitent, become a penitent sinner. + +But are not also weak believers to be numbered among the unworthy +communicants? By no means. But much more those who are both weak in faith +and defective in godly life, and who are overtaken in this or that sin, +and who painfully feel their weakness and long to become stronger, are +Christ's right welcome guests at his table; such the Lord does not cast +away, but much more invites to come; for he instituted the Holy Supper +especially for the weak and infirm, that through this spiritual +nourishment they might become stronger. He extends unto all such the +gracious call: Come unto me all ye that are weary and are heavy laden, +and I will give you rest, and whosoever comes, I will in no wise cast +out. + + + + + 38. Morning Prayer of a Communicant. + + +Lord Jesus, I this morning rejoice that I, with other pious Christians, +am permitted to receive Thy body and blood in, with and under the +consecrated bread and wine. O! how my soul longs for the courts of the +Lord and for the holy altar. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, +so panteth my soul after Thee, O my God. For Thou art my Shepherd, I +shall not want. O, Lord Jesus, as Thou hast begun the good work in me a +poor miserable man, so also accomplish the same in mercy, through the +gracious power of the Holy Spirit unto Thy name's glory and unto my own +welfare and eternal salvation. Dear Redeemer, I am, it is true, not +worthy that I should come under Thy roof, but Thy grace, which is +all-sufficient, make me worthy and amply qualify me, that the precious +food and drink of Thy true body and blood may quicken my soul in this +heavenly feast of joy and love. Clothe me with the garment of salvation +and with the robe of Thy righteousness by a true faith, that I may not be +found among the pretending guests and would-be-Christians, but may be a +worthy partaker at Thy table and receive all Thy gracious treasures which +Thou hast acquired for me. O Lord Jesus, may Thy grace be and remain with +me, as I ever put my trust in Thee. May Thy visitation preserve my +spirit, my life and walk. And whatever else is needful, grant Thou, O +Lord, unto me in this life and in the life hereafter. Give me true +repentance, renew my heart, deliver my body and soul. O Lord! hear this +my desire, and do not permit my prayer to remain unanswered, that I may +be acceptable unto Thee in time and in eternity. Amen, in Jesus' name, +Amen. + + + + + 39. Prayer for a worthy Partaking of the Holy Supper. + + +Behold me, Dear Saviour, As I Come Relying on Thy Gracious Invitation. +May I find favor in Thine eyes, Thou Lover of Life. For who am I that +Thou shouldst so friendly call me? Were I even holier than the angels, +yet would I not be worthy of this repast; how then should I be worthy, +seeing that I am of impure lips, yea, an abomination and offensive, if +Thou doest not make me worthy? Therefore come Thou to my succor with Thy +grace, and prepare me. Thou hast said: Whosoever cometh to me, Thou wilt +in no wise cast out. Then take my soul into Thy favor, according to Thy +great mercies. Dear Jesus, remember that of myself I have indeed much +evil, but nothing good; so help me for Thy great goodness' sake. O see +how poor and miserable I am! Remember Thy faithfulness, O Saviour of the +world, and fill my heart with grace. O! how I long to appear at Thy table +with glowing devotion and becoming reverence in full faith, but where is +the power to do, if I do not receive it of Thee, thou Author and Finisher +of my faith? Therefore give Thou unto me whatsoever is pleasing to Thee. +Graciously take from me whatsoever displeases Thee, or cover it, at +least, I most humbly pray Thee, with the cloak of Thy righteousness. O! +blessed is the soul that finds favor with Thee! Open Thou mine eyes that +I may behold the wonders in Thy ordinances. Rouse my heart, and free me +of all strange thoughts, increase my hope, inflame my desire, make ardent +my devotion, purge me of all uncleanness, and sanctify me wholly, that I +may approach with joyful confidence, that I may receive with pure mouth +and holy heart, and with heartfelt desire eat and drink unto the life, +welfare and blessing of my soul. Amen. + + + + + 40. Thanksgiving after Partaking of the Holy Supper. + + +Lord Jesus Christ, I give Thee most hearty thanks and praise, that Thou +hast again washed me, a poor sinful being, of all my transgressions, and, +for the most certain assurance of such washing and forgiveness of all my +sins, hast permitted me to eat of Thy true body, and to drink of Thy true +blood, and, taking me as an impure child after such cleansing, hast again +received me into the fatherly arms of Thy grace and mercy, and doest thus +show and present me blameless, pure and without fault unto Thy heavenly +Father. + +I pray Thee most heartily and from my whole soul, that, after Thy great +benefit, Thou wouldst yet add this in abundance, and graciously grant me +Thy grace through the working of the Holy Ghost, that I may be truly +sensible of Thy great goodness, thankfully receive it, and from my heart +magnify and praise Thee during my whole life. And do Thou further work in +me through Thy Holy Ghost, and effect that I also may heartily forgive my +neighbor anything he may have done against me, as Thou, O Lord, hast +pardoned and forgiven all my great and numerous transgressions, yea, and +hast entirely wiped them out of Thy remembrance; that I may also love my +neighbor, and from my heart show him all manner of good, even as Thou, O +Lord, hast shown unto me more than I am able to thank for; in order that +Thou, O good and faithful God, in us mayest be magnified and praised +together with the Father and Holy Ghost throughout all ages. Amen. + + + + + 41. Prayer that God would hereafter keep us from sin, and if we sin, + that He would not reckon it to our account. + + +O thou kind and merciful God, Thou dear Father in heaven, Thou hast out +of grace and divine love, bestowed upon us Thy dear Son, and with Him all +grace, life and salvation. We pray Thee, dear Father, preserve unto us +this blessed treasure and heavenly gift, the gracious countenance of Thy +dear Son, Jesus Christ, that we may never lose Him through +unthankfulness, or otherwise be deprived of Him. We are indeed poor, +miserable and frail beings, who fall from one sin into another; we now +sin in thought, now in word and deed, and it is with difficulty that we +stand. Here we never find rest and peace; the devil watches our very +thoughts, stirs them up, and fans the passions into flame, the world +watches our words and deeds, walk and life, and gives us much offense and +occasion to sin, our own flesh also never rests, besides yet all the +occasional sins, vices and weaknesses which daily beset us, and which +terribly trouble our conscience, entirely destroy the joy of our heart +and turn it into sorrow and sadness. Therefore we pray Thee, Thou kind +and merciful God, that when, as it may happen, we have become negligent +and unthankful, and do not so walk as we should--O do Thou still remain +our gracious God; be Thou friendly towards us, comfort us in goodness and +mercy, do not hold us accountable or make us suffer for our manifold +sins, but purge our hearts and consciences by Thy word, in order that we +may serve Thee in sorrow and joy, magnify, honor and praise Thee in time +and in eternity. Amen. + + + + + 42. Prayer in view of the Sufferings of Christ. + + +Alas! my Lord Jesus Christ, when I behold Thee, as Thou wast in the +garden bowed down with heartfelt sorrow, and in great anguish didst sweat +drops of blood, as Thou wast afterwards taken prisoner, bound, and during +the whole night and hour of darkness mocked and insulted, in the morning +early as the innocent Lamb accused, whipped with scourges, and finally +sentenced to death, suspended on the cross, pierced in your hands and +feet with ruthless nails, and not a member of Thy most holy body +remaining without a wound:--Alas! when I see all this, I see nothing but +my sins, guilt and iniquities which brought Thee into this plight, and +for the sake of which Thou didst freely enter into such anguish and +distress, into such sadness, pain and suffering. Alas! my Lord, it is all +my guilt for which Thou didst suffer--I am the cause of it all. How +wonderful are the ways and purposes of God! The Innocent One must pay for +the guilt of the guilty, the Good One must suffer the punishments of the +wicked. The Lord must atone the guilt of the servant, and that which +sinful man has brought upon himself God must bear. O Thou Son of the +living God, how great is Thy love and favor towards us mortals! What hast +Thou not done and suffered to redeem me, a poor lost sinner, and to +deliver me from death and eternal damnation. I have done evil, and Thou +art punished; I have sinned, and Thou must atone. I have been +disobedient, and Thou must for my disobedience be overwhelmed with such +anguish and distress. Alas! Thou Lord of Glory, what can I give Thee in +return for this Thy great goodness and faithfulness which Thou hast shown +towards me! Wherewith shall I, poor needy mortal, requite such +unspeakable benefit? Alas! my Lord, it shall forever remain unrequited. +There is no service in heaven or on earth whereby to pay Thee +sufficiently for it. It is Thy pure grace and favor towards me, a poor +sinner, and that remains by me forever unrequited, forever unmerited. And +since I have nothing wherewithall to pay my debt, therefore my heart +shall evermore thank Thee for what Thou hast done to me, and I shall +magnify, glorify and praise Thy name now and forever. Amen. + + + + + 43. Prayer in time of Drought. + + +O Faithful God, Thou God of truth and righteousness, who unto the most +comforting assurance hast shown us in Thy word of truth, how that an +earnest, zealous, faithful and persevering prayer, powerfully penetrates +the clouds of heaven, and not only most certainly comes into Thy +presence, but also that it avails and effects a great deal, we, Thy poor +children, now come, upon Thy comforting promise, in this extraordinarily +protracted season of heat and drought, with our faithful, hearty and +earnest prayer before the face of Thy lofty and divine majesty, and +humbly beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst graciously hear us according to +Thy promise, turn Thy great wrath in mercy from us, give unto the parched +earth again its needed moisture, and cause a propitious shower to fall in +quickening drops upon the earth, in order that it may again bring forth +the ordained fruits so necessary for the support of our temporal life, +which Thou in Thy paternal providence hast already ordained in the first +creation. As of old Thou didst unlock the windows of heaven in answer to +the faithful prayer of Thy servant and prophet Elias, and didst cause it +to rain upon the thirsty earth, so we also confide the same to Thee now, +that Thou wilt let Thy grace reign over us in this season of heat and +drought, and out of Thy fatherly care for us, grant us our earnest +petition and prayer, unto Thy honor and our salvation, through Jesus +Christ, Thy dear Son, our only Redeemer and Saviour. Amen. + + + + + 44. Prayer for Sunshine in a protracted Season of Wet and Rain. + + +Lord God almighty, Thou who doest clothe the heaven with darkness, and +makest their covering as a sack; Thou didst in thy wrath punish the +impenitent old world for their wickedness and vice, with the overflowing +waters of the flood, and didst destroy all the creatures of the earth, +that live and have their being on dry land. We also at this time, +according to Thy strict righteousness, on account of our manifold sins +which we have committed against Thee, are visited with unusual rain, +continued and protracted wet weather by which the land and the fruits +thereof are greatly injured. Merciful Father, Thou who didst close the +fountains of the deep as well as the windows of heaven at the time of the +deluge, and didst command the rain from heaven to cease, take away from +us all our sins and transgressions, and turn away from us the just +punishment of our iniquities, the destructive rain and great waters. For +the earth is sad, and the heavens are mourning. Behold the pledge in the +clouds--the rainbow--and remember Thy promise, give good and fruitful +weather, that the fruits in field and garden may prosper, and not be +destroyed by the abundant and superfluous rain, and thus bring upon us +famine and scarcity. Lord God of truth, Thou who canst not lie, Thou hast +said: There shall henceforth be no more deluge to destroy the earth. +Therefore be merciful, O Lord! and do not out of wrath close up the +bowels of Thy compassion, O do not take Thy favor and mercy from us! Do +Thou not give unto us idle teeth, and lack of bread, bless our bread, +that we may always have something to eat, and praise Thy holy name; thus +shall we know that we are Thy children indeed, for whom Thou dost most +faithfully care, and praise Thee as our heavenly Father all the days of +our lives. Amen. + + + + + 45. Prayer for the precious Fruits of the Field. + + +Dear Lord, do Thou graciously keep the blessed fruits of the field, +purify the air, give fruitful rain and good weather, that the fruits of +the land may prosper; let them not be poisoned, so that by eating them we +together with the cattle be not taken with pestilence, fever or other +plagues; for such plagues come when evil spirits poison the air, and +afterwards the fruits, wine and corn, so that we by Thy infliction eat +and drink sickness and death with our own daily bread. Therefore, dear +Lord, bless Thy gifts that they may redound to our health and prosperity, +and that we also may not abuse them to the injury of our souls or to +greater sinfulness, intemperance and idleness, out of which unchastity, +adultery, profanity, swearing, murder, wars and all manner of evils flow; +but give us grace to use Thy gifts to our souls' salvation, and the +amendment of our lives, and that the fruits of the Land be the means of +furthering and keeping the health of our bodies and souls. Amen. + + + + + 46. Prayer during a Storm. + + +Great God of might and power in heaven and in earth, by Thy thunder and +lightening we are now reminded of Thy great wrath over us sinful mortals. +By such sound of Thy voice which makes all creatures to tremble and to +fear, Thou doest call us, as if it were with a bell of repentance, to the +knowledge of our sins and to true repentance, in order that we may not be +condemned with the wicked world. Thou art such a mighty and powerful +Lord, that if Thou wouldst deal with us according to Thy strict +righteousness, Thou couldst destroy the world with one clap of thunder +and lightening. But we bend our knees in prayer before Thee and humbly +beseech Thee, remit Thy great wrath enkindled against our sins. Have +mercy on us, spare us, lift up Thy gracious countenance upon us, and be +Thou merciful unto us. Preserve our bodies and lives, our homes and +property, our town and land, our goods and possessions, and all that we +have, also the fruits of the field from hail and sleet, from +conflagrations and floods, and from all danger. Guard us also against an +evil and sudden death, and mercifully grant that many sinners may by Thy +word, thunder and lightning, be roused out of their wicked walk and life, +and be truly and heartily converted to Thee. Let us every hour of our +lives think of Thy glorious appearing to judge the quick and the dead, +and be prepared to receive Thee with joy, and with Thee to enter into the +everlasting joys of Thy heavenly kingdom. Amen. O Lord, have mercy on us +poor sinners, our bodies and souls, here in this present life and in the +life to come. Amen. + + + + + 47. Thanksgiving when the Storm is over. + + +Almighty God, heavenly Father, Thou hast said: Call upon me in the day of +trouble, I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me: we praise and +thank Thee with our whole heart, that Thou hast, in mercy, heard our +prayer and caused the threatening storm to cease, without injury to body +or property. In this, Thou hast not dealt with us after our sins, nor +rewarded us according to our iniquities; but hast dealt with us as a +father with his children. Father of mercies, for the sake of Thine only +begotten Son, Jesus Christ, cause these Thy fearful warnings to move us +to constant amendment, that we may henceforth live in Thy fear and +prepare ourselves for the coming of Thy dear Son, that we may with joy go +forth to meet Him, and with shouts of joy enter heaven, in which dwelleth +righteousness, and possess it forever, even for ever and ever, through +Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. + + + + + 48. Prayer in great Weakness of Faith. + + +O Lord, I know it now of a truth that all men have not faith. I believe, +dear Lord, help my unbelief! Do not break the bruised reed, nor quench +the smoking flax; O Jesus, Thou who sittest at the right hand of God, +make intercession for me, that my faith may not cease. Be the author and +finisher of my faith, wherewith I shall be able to quench all the fiery +darts of the wicked one. Grant me that I believe, although I do not see, +and thus be saved. Amen. + + + + + 49. Prayer in great Trouble and Danger. + + +O almighty God and Father, who art ever ready to help, Thou seest the +great trouble and danger in which we are living; we know of no counsel or +help, and have no strength of ourselves to come out of trouble, therefore +our eyes look unto Thee, who alone art our consolation, refuge and +helper, and hast said: Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver +thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Our heart clings to Thy word of promise +and in childlike humility and confidence seeks Thy face. O Lord, hide not +Thy face, full of compassion, from us, and put not Thy children away in +anger. Leave us not, neither forsake us, O God of our salvation, who +workest salvation in the midst of the earth. Let Thy help also come unto +us and be merciful unto us. O Lord, our God, in Thee do we put our trust +and under the shadow of Thy wings do we make our refuge until these +calamities be overpast. Turn again unto us and satisfy us early with Thy +mercy and we will freely sacrifice unto Thee, we will praise Thy name, O +Lord, for it is good. Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou +hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Give us help +from trouble and we will praise Thee, and rejoice in Thy salvation all +the days of our life. Amen. + + + + + 50. Thanksgiving after a safe Journey. + + +Gracious God, heavenly Father, I thank Thee with my whole heart, that +Thou hast in safety brought me to my journey's end, and that to my joy, +Thy holy angels have led me back to my family. As a Father Thou hast also +kept me from all evil, prevented robbers and murderers from killing me, +wild beasts from tearing me to pieces, floods of water and other perils +from destroying or injuring me. Thou hast led me in safety as the angel +Raphael led the young Tobias. All this I owe to Thy paternal care and +almighty protection. In mercy keep me and mine, take us under Thy mighty +protection, and by Thy power preserve body and soul unto eternal life for +Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. + + + + + 51. Thanksgiving for Deliverance out of Tribulation. + + +I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify +Thy name forevermore. I will praise Thee for ever, because Thou canst do +all things well. Behold, instead of peace I had great bitterness, but +Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption. In +my distress I called unto Thee, and Thou hast heard my voice, and my cry +did enter into Thy ears, and Thou hast comforted me. Thou hast faithfully +helped me, in mercy upheld my soul, and finally delivered me out of my +great tribulation. My Lord and my God, what shall I render unto Thee for +all the benefits which Thou daily bestowest? I will praise Thy name all +the days of my life, I will magnify Thee among all Thy people, and Thy +glory shall continually be in my mouth. Thy Spirit, O faithful God, +enable me to pay my vows and never to forget the benefits Thou hast +bestowed upon my soul. Let me spread Thy praise in time, and also in +Eternity, together with the elect, sing everlasting Hallelujahs to the +honor of Thy name. Amen. + + + + + 52. Morning Prayer of a sick Person. + + +O Thou faithful God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! I will thank and +praise Thee that Thou hast so mercifully kept, protected and strengthened +me in my weakness. In Jesus' name, turn unto me to-day and the remaining +days of my life, cleanse me from my sin, comfort me by Thy grace, +strengthen me by Thy power, lead me by Thy Holy Spirit, that I may live +and suffer in accordance with Thy will. I commit my sick body and my soul +into Thy holy hands, let Thy holy angel have charge concerning me that +the wicked one may have no power or influence over me, through Jesus +Christ, our only comfort and Redeemer, in the power of the Holy Ghost. +Amen. + + + + + 53. Another Morning Prayer in Sickness. + + +I commit myself this morning and all the days of my life into Thy hands, +O God, the eternal Father who hast created me, O God, the eternal Son who +hast redeemed me, O God, the Holy Ghost who hast sanctified me in holy +baptism. O eternal Godhead, O perfect humanity, O holy Trinity, ever keep +me ready to enter into everlasting salvation. Amen. + +Good and merciful God, affectionate Father, by Thy grace I have passed +another night and again behold the cheering light. Thanks be unto Thee, +that Thou hast been my keeper and protector, comforter and helper, that +Thou hast as a Father kept my sick body, together with my distressed +soul, by Thy power hast kept me from sudden death and dangerous +temptations, and that Thy holy angel has defended me against the devil, +the prince of darkness. By Thy grace and mercy I still live. Watch over +me Thy poor creature to-day also, and so lead and guide me that I may +neither think, speak, nor do evil. Lead me, the poor one of Thy flock, to +Thy holy Word, and cause me to lie down in its green pastures, for this +is my comfort in my distress. Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my +trust, Thou, and Thou alone, art my strength, my God and my noblest +treasure. Fill my heart and mind with fear and love to Thee. Separate me +from all things not purely Thine. Hide me in Thyself, that in my trouble +and affliction I may submit to Thy will, and trust in Thee alone, for +besides Thee there is no other help in all the world. Thou art the true +physician of the sick, the true comforter in every distress, the true +helper in the hour of death. Beloved Father, heal me, comfort me, help +me. Keep me this day from sin and all evil, from the wiles of the devil, +from the temptations of the world and from the evil lusts of my own +sinful flesh. Give patience, hope and constancy. And when my life is at +an end give me an easy and blessed death through Jesus Christ, Thy dear +Son, my Redeemer. Amen. + + + + + 54. Evening Prayer of a sick Person. + + +Thanks be unto Thee, my God and Father, that Thou hast this day so +mercifully succored me. Thy grace, Thy power, Thy comfort and Thy Spirit +be with me in my sickness and help me through this night also. I commit +my body and soul into Thy hands, Thy holy angels have charge concerning +me, that the wicked one may have no power over me, through Jesus Christ, +Thy dear Son, our Lord. Amen. + + + + + 55. Another Evening Prayer of a sick Person. + + +Almighty and merciful God, affectionate Father, Thou hast said: Call upon +me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee; therefore I pray Thee, +have mercy on me and forgive all my sins with which I have offended Thee +this day. I commit myself this coming night into Thy keeping, and let my +soul be at rest, even if my body should be full of trouble. Let me not be +carried away by sudden death without knowing Thy dear Son. If it be Thy +gracious will, let me live till morning and pass this night without pain +of body or distress of soul. Should this be my last night on earth, and +Thou, in Thy unsearchable counsel, shouldst call me into Eternity, let me +awake in Heaven and make me the humblest servant in Thy kingdom. In Thy +name I fall asleep. Whether I shall awake on earth or in Heaven, I shall +love and praise Thee with my whole heart, my faithful God. Amen. In +Jesus' name. Amen. + + + + + 56. Prayer in Sickness. + + +Gracious God and Father, I acknowledge and confess unto Thee that I have +done evil all the days of my life and have not lived to Thy honor. I have +fulfilled the lusts of the flesh and have served myself and the world +more than Thee. O Lord, I am very sorry that I have passed the few days +of my life in doing evil. I acknowledge that Thou art only visiting my +iniquities upon me in sending this sickness. By this Thou wouldst call me +to repentance. O Lord, Thou judgest me righteously and chastenest me that +I may not perish with the ungodly world. By this sickness Thou puttest me +in mind of my mortality and teachest me to know mine end and the measure +of my days, what it is. Verily, every man at his best state is altogether +vanity, surely every man walketh in a vain show, he heapeth up riches and +knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? +Deliver me from my transgressions. I know, Lord, that my times are in Thy +hand, Thou hast written all my members in Thy book, which in continuance +were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. My substance was not +hid from Thee when I was curiously wrought in my mother's womb. Since it +is Thy will that I should be sick, may I cheerfully do this Thy will. O +Lord, Thine arrows stick fast in me, and Thy hand presseth me sore, there +is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine anger, neither is there any +rest in my bones because of my sins, as a heavy burden, they are too +heavy for me. O my God, preserve my soul in every temptation, let this +bodily sickness be a medicine for the healing of my soul. Keep Thou my +heart and mind, and through the peace of my Lord Jesus Christ protect me +with Thy shield and buckler against all the fiery darts of the devil. +Lord, Thou knowest it that I am the work of Thy hands, Thou hast formed +me out of the clay; we are the clay and Thou our potter. Alas! how I am +broken in pieces! Spare me, O Lord; Thou wilt surely not, in Thy wrath, +cast away nor break in pieces the work of Thy hands, Thou hast separated +me from my mother's womb, Thou didst make me hope, when I was upon my +mother's breasts. Thou art the Lord and giver of my life, and hast power +to take it again at Thine own appointed time. Should it be Thy will, deal +kindly with me, as Thou didst with king Hezekiah, to whose days Thou +didst add fifteen years. Behold, for peace I have great bitterness, in +love to my soul, deliver it from the pit of corruption and cast all my +sins behind Thy back. Should this sickness not be unto death, then, O +Lord, lift me up again and heal me, for I am very weak. O Lord Jesus, +Thou heavenly physician, take me under Thy treatment, alleviate my pains +and heal me by Thy wounds, and make Thy bitter sufferings and death my +medicine. Lord, let me touch the hem of Thy garment, that is, Thy Word +and sacraments, in which Thou art wrapped up, and make me whole by the +virtue which cometh out of Thee. Should it be Thy will however, that in +this sickness I shall go the way of all the earth, be it so, for I am no +better than my fathers, only let Thy servant depart in peace, according +to Thy Word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast +prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, +and the glory of Thy people Israel. Amen. + + + + + 57. Prayer of a penitent in Sickness. + + +Almighty God and Father, because of sin Thou appointest over men all +manner of diseases, but in particular bodily sickness, that they may not +perish with the world. I come unto Thee with my load of sins and confess +that on account of these I have deserved not only this sickness, but also +eternal damnation, being a child of wrath by nature and sold under sin, +besides having, all the days of my life, transgressed all Thy +commandments a countless number of times. I take my refuge in Thy +boundless mercy. Enter not into judgment with me, for in Thy sight shall +no man living be justified. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my +transgressions, but for Thy name's sake pardon mine iniquity, for it is +great. Remove Thy stroke away from me and hearken unto the voice of my +cry, hold not Thy peace at my tears. Spare me that I may recover +strength, before I go hence, and be no more. Affectionate Father, behold, +for peace I have great bitterness, in love deliver my soul from the pit +of corruption and cast all my sins behind Thy back. Consider also my +bodily affliction and take it away or alleviate it by Thy comfort. Give +me patience, help me to bear my cross, or save me under it. Thy will be +done. Do with me, O God, as it seemeth good unto Thee. I am Thine, in +Thee I would remain. Amen. + + + + + 58. Short Prayers in Sickness, for every Hour of the Day. + + + 1. At One O'clock. + +My Creator and Father, Thou true and only God, from whom cometh health +and sickness, prosperity and adversity, it being Thy will that I should +be afflicted so many days with this bodily sickness, give me Christian +patience and the full assurance of hope. In times of adversity as well as +in times of prosperity, Thou alone art my beloved Father. In this life, +it is but the common lot of every faithful member of the church to bear +the cross. Why should I make myself an exception? When even my Saviour, +Jesus Christ, the head of the church, had to suffer for me. Beloved God +and Father, who art upright in all Thy ways, keep me in Thy Word and let +it be my surest remedy and greatest delight. Amen. + + + 2. At Two O'clock. + +Beloved Lord Jesus, my faithful Advocate and Saviour, I well know that by +my sins I have deserved nothing less than this bodily infirmity, together +with every affliction. I am comforted, however, by Thine inexhaustable +grace and most precious atonement, through which Thou hast redeemed my +body and soul. Whatever may befall my body in this life, I am assured +that my body and soul are delivered from hell, and will eventually enter +into eternal life and be crowned with health and heavenly glory. To this +end help me, Lord Jesus. Amen. + + + 3. At Three O'clock. + +O Holy Ghost, most worthy and affectionate companion of my soul, and most +faithful witness of my heavenly birthright and happiness, continue to +abide in my heart during this protracted, bodily affliction, and quicken +me by Thy divine comfort and keep me steadfast in Thy pure Word and most +holy sacraments. Preserve in me faith, hope and charity, these three +pillars of my Christianity. Enable me rightly to understand God's +paternal will that I may in silence submit to it, live and die in +accordance with it. Amen. + + + 4. At Four O'clock. + +Beloved and faithful God, teach me to remember mine end, that I may not +sin. Give me a happy death; on the Judgment Day absolve me; keep me out +of hell; take me into Heaven. In the hour of death I will lay me down in +peace and sleep. On the Judgment Day let me escape hell and dwell safely +in Heaven. Let the seed of Thy word take root in my heart, abide in me +and quicken me, until Thou wilt come to take me to Thyself. Amen. + + + 5. At Five O'clock. + +In my affliction and pain, where, O dear Jesus, could I make my refuge, +but in Thy _five_ sacred wounds? In these I will be secure when I shall +have lost my mind and my senses. I will abide in Thee, abide Thou also in +me. Trim the lamp of my heart with the pure oil of faith, prepare me +thro' Christian penitence to go forth with joy to meet Thee at Thy second +coming, and in company with all the elect, forever to enjoy the wedding +feast. Amen. + + + 6. At Six O'clock. + +I thank Thee, dear Lord and Father, that Thou hast created me in Thine +image, with a human body and reasonable soul; and beseech Thee, that Thou +wouldst not forsake me, Thy creature, in my distress, but wouldst +exercise Thy paternal care over me, and powerfully deliver me. Many are +my afflictions, and every day hath its own evils; but I know that Thou +wilt finally deliver me from all afflictions and troubles; in Thee do I +put my trust; let me never be put to shame. Amen. + + + 7. At Seven O'clock. + +O God, heavenly Father, who didst rest on the seventh day of the +creation, do Thou also rest and keep Thy sabbath in my heart, Thou, who +art my soul's only rest and comfort. O Lord Jesus, let the seventh and +last word, that Thou didst utter upon the cross, also be my last word in +the hour of death, that I may commend my spirit into Thy hands. O God, +Holy Ghost, Thou heavenly teacher, Thou spirit of prayer, do Thou kindle +in me constant devotion to prayer, that in the Lord's prayer, in the +seven penitential Psalms, and other prayers and sighs, I may bring my +wants to God, and be graciously heard by Him. Amen. + + + 8. At Eight O'clock. + +Dearest Lord Jesus, who didst upon the eighth day begin to suffer pain +and to shed Thy blood: O, give me a willing spirit, patiently to bear my +bodily infirmities to Thy glory, and the hope, that Thou wouldst +graciously preserve me and my soul in the waters of tribulation, as Thou +didst preserve the eight souls in Noah's ark. Let me be among the eight +multitudes whom Thou callest blessed, that I may be poor in spirit, +patient in tribulation, meek toward my enemies, hunger and thirst after +righteousness, merciful toward suffering Christians, pure in heart, +peaceful toward my neighbor, steadfast in persecution. O, let me advance +in the school of patience through all its grades, until through +perseverance, I will be promoted to the joyful school of everlasting +life, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit, I will praise and love +Thee evermore. Amen. + + + 9. At Nine O'clock. + +O my dearest Lord Jesus, Thy great sufferings reached a desired end, in +that Thou wast delivered from them through a blessed death. O grant unto +me a blessed departure, and make an end to my wearisome afflictions.. For +this I will thank, praise, and glorify Thee with my whole heart. I know, +Thou wilt not forget me, and my hope will not be lost forever. Here upon +earth I am a member of Thy church militant, O let me be a member of Thy +church triumphant. Amen. + + + 10. At Ten O'clock. + +O righteous and gracious God, I heartily acknowledge, that I am not only +conceived and born in sin, but have on account of human weakness in +various ways transgressed Thy holy ten commandments in thoughts, words +and actions, so that I have not only deserved this my sickness and other +temporal affliction, but have also deserved everlasting punishment. But +since Thy dear Son, my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ, has made +satisfaction for all my sins, original and actual, with His precious +merits and holy blood; I beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst for His sake be +gracious unto me, and of Thy great mercy, forgive my temporal and eternal +punishment. Guide me by Thy Holy Spirit, that I may separate myself from +the great multitude of the ungodly, that I may strive after the true +faith showing itself in good works; but especially that I may be patient +under afflictions, fight a good fight, keep the faith and a good +conscience, and finally live in Thy tabernacle forever. Do Thou alleviate +my bodily pains according to Thy good will, and help me that I may bear +my afflictions, for Jesus' sake. Amen. + + + 11. At Eleven O'clock. + +O faithful Lord Jesus, who didst often and powerfully comfort Thy +disciples after Thy resurrection, and doest invite the weary and +heavy-laden to Thee, and doest promise to comfort them: O do Thou visit +me in my sickness, comfort and refresh me; Thou alone art my refuge, my +counsel and my help. I yearn for the evening time of a blessed death, and +long for the joyful resurrection of my body. O let me early experience +these my requests, then will I forever praise Thee with the Father and +the Holy Ghost. Amen. + + + 12. At Twelve O'clock. + +Dearest Lord Jesus, I heartily thank Thee, that Thou hast revealed +Thyself to me in the writings of the holy Prophets and Apostles, so that +I can believe in Thee, and through faith obtain everlasting life. I +beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst preserve me steadfast in true faith, that +I may attain the end thereof, everlasting salvation. Make me cheerful and +ready, so that when Thou, my dear bridegroom, doest come, that I may meet +Thee with joy; lead me to Thy heavenly wedding-feast, where I will love +and praise Thee. Amen. + + + + + 59. Thanksgiving after Recovery. + + +I thank Thee, Lord, almighty God, that Thou hast so paternally visited +and chastised me on account of my sins. Yea, Lord, I am glad that Thou +hast humiliated me, that I might learn Thy ways. O my God, how often have +I, like Hezekiah, thought: Mine age is departed, and is removed from me +as a shepherd's tent; I have cut off like a weaver my life; he will cut +me off with pining sickness; from day even to night wilt Thou make an end +of me. But, my God, I see that my sickness was not unto death, but unto +the glory of God, that Thou, my Lord Jesus Christ, mightest thereby be +glorified. For Thou hast had mercy upon me, and hast cast all my sins +behind Thee, and hast prolonged my life. I heartily thank Thee, my God, +that Thou hast revived and strengthened me, that I can behold Thy holy +temple, and attend to my duties. Thy goodness it is, Lord, else I should +long since have perished. O, how often will I think of Thy chastening +rod, and will fear Thee all my life and guard against Thy wrath. Help +now, O Lord my God, that with renewed health I may also begin a new life. +Grant, that I may always glorify Thy name, and Thy praise be continually +found in my mouth. Guide me by Thy Holy Spirit, that I may live to Thy +honor, and not yield my members as instruments of unrighteousness to +serve sin, but as instruments of righteousness to serve Thee my God, that +I may sing Thy hymns, and praise and glorify Thee in Thy church. Amen. + + + + + 60. Three Prayers in the Hour of Death. + + + The First to God the Father. + +Almighty God! Thou Father of mercies and God of all consolation! Have +mercy upon me, as a father hath mercy upon his children. Remember that +Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, became man for my sake. Remember that Thou +didst so love the world, that Thou gavest Thine only-begotten Son, that +whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. +In this faith my soul comes to Thee and brings with it Thy dear Son, +Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast given me; for His sake do Thou remember me +and receive me into Thy grace. To Thee I commend my soul. Let me, Thy +dear child, remain in Thy grace, and have mercy upon me while I live, and +when I die, for the sake of Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus. Amen. + + + The Second to God the Son. + +Lord Jesus Christ, my only consolation and help! Thou hast borne my +griefs and wast wounded for my transgressions. Thou Lamb of God that +takest away the sins of the world! be Thou my righteousness, my +sanctification and my salvation. Heal my pains through Thy wounds. Let +not Thy innocent blood be shed in vain for me; take not Thy Holy Spirit +from me. Forsake me not in my last agony, but help me on to life +everlasting. Remember that I am Thy poor sheep, and Thou art my faithful +Shepherd. Take me into Thy arms, and carry me into Thy blessed Paradise. +Let me behold Thy gracious countenance and Thy glory. Amen. + + + The Third to God the Holy Ghost. + +O God Holy Spirit, Thou only consolation for the distressed! Strengthen +and comfort my faint and sorrowful heart. Preserve my faith, which Thou +hast wrought in me, and quench not the smoking flax. Protect me from the +temptations of the wicked enemy. Let not my heart be terrified at death +nor despair; restrain all impatience, make me willing to obey the Lord my +God. Help me to close my life joyfully and happily. Keep my heart and +mind in the peace of my Lord Jesus Christ. When I can no more speak, keep +and seal the memory of the holy name of Jesus Christ in my heart, and +with the same let me peacefully fall asleep. Amen. + + + + + 61. Prayer of the Attendants upon a Dying Person. + + +Almighty, gracious God, who doest preserve our life in death, we beseech +Thee, that Thou wouldst turn the eyes of Thy mercy to this sick person; +comfort him in body and in soul, and in mercy forgive him all sins. +Receive the offering of the innocent death of Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, +for the payment of his transgressions, for he is baptized in His name, +and washed and purified by His blood. Deliver him from his bodily griefs, +preserve him against the accusations of conscience, and against all the +temptations of the wicked enemy, so that he may fight the good fight of +faith and obtain the victory. Grant him a blessed journey to everlasting +life, send Thy holy angels, that they may escort him to the assembly of +the elect, in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. + + + + + 62. Another. + + +Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy +word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared +before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the +glory of Thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and +to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, +world without end. Amen. + + + + + 63. A short Litany together with Prayers for a Dying Person. + + + Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy! + Lord have mercy upon this sick person! + + Lord God, the Father in heaven, } + Lord God Son, Redeemer of the world, } Have mercy + Lord God Holy Ghost, } upon him! + Holy Trinity, eternal God, } + + Lord, be merciful and save this dying person! + + Against the wicked spirit, } + Against the cunning and deception of the devil, } Protect him, + Against all evil, } dear Lord God! + Against the torments of hell, } + + Through Thy holy incarnation and birth, } + Through Thy death-struggle and bloody sweat, } + Through Thy cross and bitter death, } + Through Thy holy resurrection and ascension, } Help him, dear + Through the grace of the Holy Ghost, } Lord God! + At his last end, } + At the last day, } + At the final judgment, } + + We poor sinners pray, that Thou wouldst hear us, dear Lord God! + + And comfort this sick person, } Hear us, dear + Pardon all his sins, } Lord God! + And after this misery give him eternal life. } + + O Christ, hear us! + + O Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy + upon this dying person, and give him eternal peace! + + Lord, have mercy! + Christ, have mercy! + Lord, have mercy upon him! + +Our Father, who art in heaven; hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; +thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily +bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass +against us; and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil; +for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. +Amen! + + + Prayer. + +Almighty, eternal God, heavenly, faithful, dear Father! comfort and +strengthen this Thy poor creature, and spare it through Thy goodness; +help it out of all agony and distress, release it in Thy grace, and take +it to Thee, in Thy kingdom, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, our only +Lord, Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. + + + Another. + +Almighty, eternal God, have mercy upon the anxious sighings and +lamentations of this dying person; receive him into Thy kingdom, which +Thou hast in mercy prepared for him and all believers since the beginning +of the world. Release him graciously, O Lord, comfort him with the elect +eternally through Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. + + + + + 64. Prayer, when the sick Person has departed in the Lord. + + +To Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, and Prince of life, be praise and +thanks now and evermore, that He has so graciously helped and received +this blessed person into His holy hands. May He at the last day +graciously unite soul and body in heavenly brightness, and grant us all +together in His own appointed time a happy following and in the mean time +a godly walk; comfort all distressed persons with His sweet consolation, +and preserve us all in His eternal grace, according to His eternal +goodness and mercy. Amen, O thou holiest and most glorious Trinity. Amen! +Amen! + + + + + APPENDIX I. + FESTIVAL PRAYERS. + + + + + 1. Prayer for the Beginning of a new Church-Year. + + +O Eternal God! faithful Father, at the beginning of our Church-year, we, +in deepest humility, thank Thee, first of all, for all Thy special +spiritual benefits shown us during the past Church-year. Thou hast thus +far granted unto us Thy holy Word and its public preaching, also the use +of the holy sacraments, although on account of our unthankfulness we have +indeed deserved that Thou shouldst have withheld such goodness. We are +indeed no better and have not sinned against Thee less than so many of +our brethren in the faith elsewhere, from whom Thou, through Thy just +judgment, hast either entirely or measurably withheld the word of Thy +gospel and its public preaching; and it appears that Thou, through Thy +judgment, wouldst yet at many more places take away the light of Thy +Word. O Lord! we are indeed too insignificant for all Thy mercies, which +Thou hast hitherto shown us unworthy servants, and that Thou doest still +deal with us so sparingly. Forgive us in mercy all our sins by which we, +whether by the neglect and incomplete performance of good or the +committing of evil, have offended Thee during the past Church-year. Grant +this to be our first blessing in this Church-year, that Thou wilt with +the blood of Thy dear Son blot out all our sins of the past year, and in +order that we may be worthy of such grace, do Thou work true repentance +in all our hearts, so that we may not bear into the new Church-year any +of our old sins unforgiven and which we do not by Thy power mean entirely +to abandon. Preserve unto us still further Thy holy word and sacraments +and thus the kingdom of Thy Son among us, and do not bestow such power +upon the enemy, that will enable him to rob us of such gifts and that the +kingdom of darkness be extended among us. In this however, dear Father, +look not upon that what we are deserving, but that the honor of Thy Son +be not blasphemed by the enemies who may imagine to have destroyed His +kingdom among us. Preserve all our faithful teachers and ministers, whom +Thou hast given us, and bestow upon them, at this beginning of the +Church-year, new light and strength in Thy Holy Spirit, that they may +present unto us, by Thy power and presence, Thy Word in its purity and +simplicity without the admixture of human wisdom; also may they at all +times have the wisdom and light rightly to conceive the most needful +things to be treated of before their christian congregations. Permit them +therefore not to speak what they desire, but do Thou alone rule their +tongues and hearts, that they may always speak what is pleasing unto +Thee. Give such efficacy to Thy Word and Thy holy Sacraments, that we may +also in this Church-year experience that they are still the blessed means +of our salvation, that they will save our souls. Seal anew the good Thou +hast already wrought in the hearts of Thy children during the past year, +and the Word Thou hast made effectual among them; and let it still +further manifest its power in teaching the ignorant, in converting the +unregenerate, in convicting the malicious, in strengthening the souls +that already know Thee, whose number Thou wilt also in the ways known to +Thee largely increase during this year. Grant also unto all hearers, that +they not only receive the Word out of the mouth of their pastors with +attention and meekness, but also at all times, whilst hearing, present +their hearts unto Thee in such stillness and resignation, that Thy Holy +Spirit may complete the work of faith in them, and by whose influence +they may during this Church-year lead a more holy life before Thee than +heretofore. Especially grant Thy grace that we make Thy Word the firm +foundation of our knowledge of the truth among us, in order that it may +become a living knowledge, which in its fruits will praise Thee, and we +indeed experience that, to know, here by faith and there by sight, that +Thou Father art the only true God and whom Thou hast sent is Jesus +Christ, is everlasting life. Amen. + + + + + 2. Prayer for the Advent Season. + + +O Lord of glory and God over all, blessed forever! I heartily thank Thee +for all Thy great and inexpressible benefits, also that Thou out of +unspeakable love didst leave Thy throne of divine glory and condescend to +us poor creatures in this vale of tears, to release us lost and condemned +sinners from the prison of affliction. I praise Thee, Jesus! Thou King of +glory! with all my strength and powers, that Thou didst not appear upon +earth for any other purpose than to deliver us from the power of our +enemies, of sin, of death, hell and the devil; to effect by Thy precious +blood eternal reconciliation between us and Thy heavenly Father, and to +regain for us, through Thy precious merits, the lost righteousness. +Hosanna! Save now, I beseech Thee, O Lord, Lord, I beseech Thee, send now +prosperity! + +I cast myself in deepest humility before Thee and ask Thee with all my +heart to gladden at this time also by Thy gracious advent Thy church +which is everywhere oppressed; always dwell and abide with and among us +in this land and place at all times, and in our hearts, with Thy pure +Word and most holy Sacraments, and let goodness and mercy come upon us. +Be gracious unto us, most beloved Saviour! and bless us, bestow upon us +temporal and eternal peace. Our enemies however cast into the prison +which they have prepared for us, change their counsels directed against +us into foolishness, for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory +forever. Hosanna! Save now, I beseech Thee, O Lord, Lord, I beseech Thee, +send now prosperity! + +Dear Jesus! grant unto me and all christians Thy Spirit, that He may +cleanse and purify our hearts of all impurity and sin, in order that Thou +mayest desire to enter in and dwell among us. Help us to receive Thee +with true faith, heartily to rejoice with Thy spiritual Zion for Thy +benefits, to follow Thee constantly with christian patience and humility +and confidently await Thy second coming with constant repentance and +believing hope, also at the same time serve Thee here in the kingdom of +grace with a holy walk, and finally in the kingdom of glory we shall with +glorified tongues everlastingly sing our Hosannas to Thy honor, together +with the Father and the Holy Ghost. Hosanna! Save now, I beseech Thee, O +Lord, Lord, I beseech Thee, send now prosperity! Amen. + + + + + 3. Christmas Prayer. + + +Merciful and eternal God, heavenly Father! we Thy children thank Thee +from the depth of our hearts that Thou didst so faithfully keep Thy +promise and turn to us Thy kind and paternal heart, didst send unto us +Thine only-begotten Son, the highest Good, to be our Saviour, and to +assume our human nature, and thus didst render us acceptable through Thy +Beloved. O Lord Jesus! Thou eternal Son of God, we honor, praise and +glorify Thee, that Thou to-day didst become our brother and Emmanuel, +that is: God with us, didst out of unspeakable love befriend us and +clothe Thyself with our poor flesh and blood. Thou didst in nowise assume +the nature of angels, but didst honor the seed of Abraham, our human +nature, this poor earth, wretched ashes and worthless dust even so much +as to connect Thyself personally and inseparably with the same to all +eternity. Thou wast conceived holy and without sin, and born into this +world of a pure and chaste virgin; whereby Thou didst sanctify and +consecrate our Adamic, sinful and impure conception and birth, so that it +may not be harmful to us who by nature are children of wrath, conceived +in sin, and flesh born of flesh. Thou wast born in a stable, poor and +lowly; Thou in a manger didst lie, in poverty great, and of Thy crib, +though hard, no offence didst take, in order that Thou couldst enrich our +souls and make us lords in Thy heavenly mansion. Thou didst humble +Thyself, in order to exalt us; Thou didst appear upon earth, in order +that we in turn might come unto Thee in heaven. O God, Holy Spirit! our +most exalted teacher and comforter, we to-day offer unto Thee the +sacrifices of our lips and thank Thee with our hearts that Thou didst +reveal this exalted mystery of godliness; and as the angels proclaimed it +to the shepherds and chanted it on the plain, so let it still be preached +unto us through Thy Word and its servants. Glory be to Thee, O God the +Father, Son and Holy Ghost! in the highest, peace on earth and good will +towards men. Help, O faithful God and father! that we may be partakers of +the new birth of Thy dear Son, be relieved of our old sinful nature, and +be and remain new born children of Thy grace and heirs of Thy kingdom. My +Jesus, whom I count most dear, a clean soft bed prepare Thou here, to +take within my heart Thy rest, so shall I hold Thy memory best. Grant, O +God, Holy Spirit! that thus our Saviour be now and forevermore +spiritually born and developed within us. Help also, that by virtue of +this birth we may rejoice and be comforted amidst all temptations, +patiently endure and overcome all things, and with all the angels of God +praise, honor and glorify Thee, here in time and in heaven forever. Amen. + + + + + 4. Prayer on New-Year's Day. + + +O triune God, Thus have we again by Thy grace brought a year of our +wretched life and weary pilgrimage upon earth to a close, and to-day in +Thy name begin another. Lord! how unspeakably great is Thy goodness, how +innumerable are Thy benefits which Thou hast shown unto me and mine in +the past, though on account of our sins we have deserved nothing at Thy +hands but wrath and punishment! Thou hast graciously preserved Thy +precious Word and holy sacraments in Thy holy congregation, peace and +unity in the government, prosperity and blessing in material comforts, +and didst richly bestow for our enjoyment all manner of blessings for +body and soul. Thou with paternal care didst protect Thy church from +false doctrine and persecution on account of the true faith, our land +from hostile invasion and evil contagion, our houses and property from +fire and water, and didst by Thy care faithfully avert from us all dire +calamities. How shall I find words to express the inestimable value of +these blessings? How can I according to my obligations be sufficiently +thankful? Behold, Lord, I offer to Thee, at the close of the old year, +the fruits of my lips, and glorify Thy grace and mercy with all my +strength and powers. My soul must honor Thee, my spirit must praise Thee, +my mouth shall thank Thee, and all that is within me must proclaim Thy +glory. I prostrate myself in heartfelt sorrow before Thy feet and confess +unto Thee with a penitent heart all my sins in which I was conceived and +born, and with which I have offended Thee during the past year, as well +as during the whole of my past life. + +Most beloved Father! do not now reckon such past sins to my condemnation, +and do not remember in Thy wrath my past transgressions, but graciously +forgive and forget the same for the sake of the sufferings of Thy dearly +beloved Son. Jesus, my beloved Saviour, be merciful to me, a poor sinner, +blot out like a cloud and mist all my transgressions by Thy merit, cast +them into the sea of Thy innocent blood, that they may never more come to +light or before the judgment of God. O God, Holy Spirit! create within me +the new man, that I may not bring into the new year old sins and +impurities, but to-day begin a new life and partake anew of Thy grace. +Withhold from me, O Triune God! all long and well deserved punishment, +and continue to bless me and mine with all manner of bodily and +spiritual, temporal and eternal gifts. Let Thy grace rest upon us anew +every morning, and renew Thy good will to all who in this new year seek +their refuge with Thee and wait upon Thy goodness. Grant unto us still +further Thy precious Word, which is a joy and comfort to our hearts. +Enlighten our teachers and pastors, and grant unto their holy work the +blessing of heaven; strengthen our faithful rulers and prosper all their +good undertakings, which are pleasing to Thee. Bless our parents, and +prosper Thou the work of their hands. Fill our souls with true fear of +God, and our hearts with joy in the Holy Ghost. Bestow unto our bodies +health, and grant peace within our borders. Crown this year with Thy +goodness and grant unto us that which is necessary to the support of +life. Protect Thy church from error in the faith and from scandalous +living, our land from war, famine and pestilence, our homes from +consuming flames and all damage and danger, the products of the field +from hail and tempest. Curb the wrath and fury of satan, and send Thy +heavenly hosts that they may guard and protect us in all our ways. +Convert our enemies and check all our persecutors, help the oppressed, +provide for the poor, feed the hungry, give drink unto the thirsty, +clothe the naked, free the innocent captives, comfort the distressed, +gladden the sorrowing, strengthen the weak, care for the sick, be +merciful to the widows and orphans, deliver the oppressed, guide the +traveler and accompany the dying through death unto life. + +Lord! teach us to act according to Thy good pleasure, and Thy good Spirit +direct our footsteps, that we may walk before Thee in faith, patience and +hope, in godliness and honesty, in meekness, humility and chastity, and +all Christian virtues. But when we sin, then chastise us gently; when our +sins trouble us, comfort us with Thy grace, and Thy joyful Spirit uphold +us. When satan assails us, do Thou support us, when the world persecutes +us, then protect us; when our flesh and blood would overpower us, then +strengthen our spirit; when we err, set us aright again. When we fall, +lift us up by Thy hand. When we become weak and weary in our calling, +refresh us. When we are in necessity and danger, relieve us. When we are +sick and weak, then be our physician. Should we according to Thy will +during this year depart from hence, grant that our spirits be commended +into Thy hands. O Lord! hear; Lord! be merciful; Lord! take heed and +grant it for Jesus' sake. Amen. + + + + + 5. Prayer on Epiphany. + + +Most merciful Saviour! Thou didst indeed show Thyself to be the God of +the Jews and the Gentiles, and as the true light that desires to +enlighten all men who come into this world unto everlasting life, as Thou +didst not only by a bright and wonderful star lead unto Thyself the wise +men of the east, who were induced to honor and worship Thee as their +king, but didst also lead us poor heathen by the enlightening power of +Thy holy Word into Thy gracious kingdom and unto the saving knowledge of +Thee. O my Saviour! Thy faithfulness and mercy shown unto us are so +great, that we can never sufficiently praise Thee. We were without God +strangers and excluded from the commonwealth of Israel. But Thou hast +made us Thy people, fellow-citizens with the saints and a household of +God. On account of our blindness we were not enabled to know Thee and to +find the way to everlasting life; but Thou, Lord Jesus! didst enlighten +our minds and enrich us in all knowledge. We sat in darkness and in the +shadow of death; but Thou didst let Thy glory shine upon us, so that now +we walk in Thy light, and finally enter eternal blessedness in heaven. +For this we justly worship and praise Thee with thankful hearts and +tongues on this holy day, and will sing of Thy grace and goodness all the +days of our life. But we pray Thee, O most faithful Saviour! with our +whole soul, that Thou wouldst so multiply Thy grace unto us, as to +preserve us and our posterity to the end of time in a saving knowledge of +Thee, and by Thy Holy Spirit wouldst so lead and direct us as no more to +walk like the heathen in the vanity of our minds and our own fleshly +lusts, but rather live godly as children of light, and with humble +obedience serve Thee all our days as our King. As Thou, most beloved +Saviour, didst so gloriously deliver us from the kingdom of darkness and +mercifully received us into the kingdom of grace--into Thy Christian +church, grant us also to be blessed saints of heaven, and heirs of Thine +eternal glory, for the sake and honor of Thy great name. Amen. + + + + + 6. Prayer on the Day of Purification. + + +Lord Jesus! Thou highly exalted and beloved Son of God! I thank Thee with +all my heart, that for my good Thou didst not only become true man, but +also for my sake didst become subject to the law, and at Thy presentation +didst participate in the offering of purification, in order that Thou +mightest redeem me from the curse of the law, and cleanse my soul from +its abominable impurities. I acknowledge myself therefore under +obligations also to present myself unto Thee, and offer myself a living +and acceptable sacrifice to God. But whilst I cannot do so of my own +self, I ask Thee, beloved Saviour, to sanctify me by Thy innocent blood +and holy Spirit, in order that I may henceforth earnestly guard myself +against all sins, keep my body and soul unpolluted and serve Thee during +my life in holiness and righteousness. Most beloved Saviour! Grant, that, +following the example of the devout Simeon, I may amidst all distress and +misery of this life, in all fear and anguish of conscience, with the arms +of true faith, embrace and press Thee to my heart, yea, enclose Thee in +my heart and never permit Thee to depart therefrom. May my eyes ever be +directed toward Thee, O desirable Light of the world! and behold in Thee +their only delight. Infuse into my heart a knowledge of Thy holy will and +a heartfelt confidence in Thy precious merit, and grant, that I may +manifest the same through good works before men. Banish from my heart, O +Thou Brightness of glory! all innate darkness and evil propensities, and +may I with Simeon believe aright, live holy and die happy. When the end +of my life draws nigh, then, O beloved Redeemer, bear me up in Thy strong +arm and merciful hands, that satan may nevermore separate me from Thee. +Grant unto me with Simeon a joyous departure from this world and bestow +unto me, Thy servant, such grace that I may depart in peace, and with all +the elect behold Thee, face to face, in eternal bliss. Amen, dear Jesus! +Amen. + + + + + 7. Prayer on the Day of the Annunciation. + + +Awake, my soul, and rejoice in the Lord, thy Saviour, thank the Most +High, who so faithfully fulfilled his prophecy and sent his Son into the +world. Rejoice and be glad that God himself out of love to thee became +man and related to thee through blood. Who can sufficiently praise His +mercy and loving-kindness? O Lord! what is man that Thou art mindful of +him; and the son of man that Thou doest thus receive him unto Thyself? O +dear Jesus! I thank Thee with all my heart, that Thou in the blessed womb +of Thy mother Mary didst so intimately unite Thyself with our human +nature, and in the assumed humanity didst reconcile me with Thy heavenly +Father. Thou, my Saviour! didst humble Thyself so deeply in order that I +should be exalted; Thou didst become the son of man in order that I might +become a child of God, Thy brother (sister) and a beloved spouse. Thou +didst descend from Thy throne unto us, that Thou mightest render it +possible for me to partake of Thy great glory in heaven. How couldst Thou +indeed have shown greater love to me? Therefore, most beloved Saviour! do +I rejoice in my heart and know truly that I stand in Thy grace, for Thou +canst not despise nor be angry with Thy own flesh and blood. Though I am +sinful and unholy, yet do I comfort myself by Thy holiness and innocence. +Though I offended God with sins, yet I know that Thou art the Mediator +between God and me, and that Thou wilt appease His wrath and deliver me +from all evil, which I have to fear on account of my misdeeds. Jesus, my +brother, although I have deserved death and hell, Thou canst make me holy +and receive me unto eternal life. Where my flesh and blood reigns, there +I hope also to be and remain eternally. To this help me, most beloved +Saviour! for the sake of Thy blessed incarnation. Amen. + + + + + 8. Prayer on Maundy-Thursday. + + +Most beloved Jesus! I thank Thee with all my heart, in the council of the +pious and congregation of the Lord, that Thou, before Thy entrance into +death, hast been so mindful of us, Thy christian people, and didst +prepare such a glorious feast for our souls. I praise Thee, O most +merciful Saviour! with all my powers and abilities, that Thou didst not +only present Thyself as an offering, that Thou wast sacrificed upon the +cross for my sins and those of the whole world, but also doest feed us +poor creatures in Thy Holy Supper with Thy body and blood, through which +Thou doest appropriate unto us all Thy purchased gifts of grace and +benefits. Lord! the bread we break is indeed the communion of Thy body +that died for us upon the cross, and the cup we drink at the holy altar, +is the communion of the most precious blood, which Thou in all Thy +painful sufferings hast shed for us. In what respects indeed are we +worthy that Thou doest manifest such grace unto us? Who are we that Thou +doest draw so nigh unto us and unite with us in such a manner as to be +and dwell within us, and also we, as members of Thy body, shall remain +with Thee forever! How can we compensate Thee that Thou doest so heartily +receive our souls unto Thyself and freest them from all transgression and +threatening condemnation; on the other hand doest bestow upon them Thy +perfect obedience, merit and righteousness, yea, doest give Thy own Self +as a pledge for their salvation! Most beloved Jesus! as Thou hast +instituted by Thy Holy Supper a memorial of Thy wonderful gifts of grace, +so it shall be a lasting memorial in my heart of Thy love and mercy. As +oft as I shall eat of this bread and drink of this cup, will I proclaim +Thy death and with a thankful heart praise what Thou hast done for us. O +help! my Saviour and Redeemer, that I may be confirmed more and more in +my faith by this blessed food and glorious cup, that I be forever united +with Thee and strengthened to lead a holy life upon earth and be +positively assured of the eternal life of joy in heaven, for the sake of +Thy holy merit. Amen. + + + + + 9. Prayer on Good-Friday. + + +O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou innocent and spotless Lamb of God, who didst +suffer for us the ignominious death of the cross, which it is Thy will +that it never be forgotten by us. From the depth of our hearts we again +give Thee praise, honor and thanks for this Thy love and mercy, that Thou +didst so dearly purchase us poor sinners by Thy innocent sufferings and +death, and didst become obedient to Thy heavenly Father, unto death on +the cross. Thou didst also shed Thy precious blood to wash away and blot +out our sins, and didst lay down Thy life in order to rescue us from +eternal death. O faithful Saviour! how much didst Thou suffer in our +behalf; what unspeakable torture and pain didst Thou endure in body and +soul in order that we might be free from it forever. O Lord Jesus! Thou +patient Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, we confess, +that with our manifold and gross sins we have caused Thee such pains and +labors and brought about this Thy death. Be gracious and merciful unto us +and let this Thy bitter and painful suffering not be in vain for us. +Grant unto us Thy grace that daily we may think of Thy death, heartily +praise and thank Thee for the same, and by the contemplation of these Thy +sufferings and crucifixion we may crucify and mortify in us all lusts of +the flesh and evil passions of our corrupt nature, and since Thou didst +suffer for us, help therefore also, that we may obediently follow Thee +with the cross, which we daily deserve on account of our sins, and for +Thy sake, bear all things patiently, that, finally, we may, with all the +elect, be and forever remain with Thee in heavenly joy and bliss. Amen. + + + + + 10. Prayer on the Festival of Easter. + + +We thank Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, Thou blessed Prince of life, that Thou +out of divine love, didst give Thyself into death for us, and didst offer +Thyself as a propitiation for our sins unto Thy heavenly Father; whereby +Thou didst deliver us from the power of death, of the devil and of +everlasting damnation, and in proof whereof Thou, as the Prince of life +and as the Conqueror of death, didst lift up Thy head on the third day, +didst rise again, and didst bring forth righteousness, innocence and +eternal life. We beseech Thee, give us grace, and so operate in us +through Thy Holy Spirit, that we may heartily rejoice and find comfort in +Thy death and resurrection, and thereby quiet our consciences and +overcome all fear of death. Do Thou also permit Thy resurrection to be a +cause and an incitement to us to do good works and to bring forth fruits +of righteousness, so that we, as Thy people, may be willing to worship +Thee in the beauty of holiness. Help that we may daily die unto sin, +crucify and slay the old Adam with his evil lusts and desires, and, on +the other hand, spiritually arise, begin to live in righteousness, to +walk in newness of life, to purge out the old leaven, and to become a new +unleavened bread. Help also that we may await with comfort and joyful +hope the resurrection of our deceased bodies, which shall come forth in +virtue of Thy resurrection, on the last day, and that we may enter into +Thy presence with body and soul in the kingdom of Thy everlasting +heavenly glory and excellence. Amen. + + + + + 11. Prayer on Ascension Day. + + +Lord Jesus Christ, Thou eternal High Priest and King of all thrones, +after Thou hadst finished all things upon earth, which had been written +concerning Thee, Thou didst enter into the heaven of glory in and +according to Thy exalted humanity, and didst sit down at the right hand +of God upon the throne of majesty; yet Thou art everywhere and Thy +kingdom is over all. We, however, are still pilgrims here below, in the +valley of misery, in a world which lies in wickedness, and of which Thou +didst say, that Thou hast overcome it. Where now is the way which will +lead us safely through to Thee? O Lord, how shall we find the way, unless +Thou teachest us through Thy Spirit, and through Him leadest and +preservest us upon it? + +Lord, the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, and all its best +glory is as perishable as the day that was yesterday. Our stay in it, +moreover, is of few days that pass away swiftly indeed, more swiftly than +water. O, lead us on the way to heaven, into Thy glory, where we can +remain with Thee forever. Behold, we die, one after the other, and pass +away as a shadow. But we ourselves with difficulty take it to heart: each +one travels the road that seems to him to be right. Do Thou therefore +make our heart certain, that we may not walk upon any other road than the +one that leads us to Thee and to Thy imperishable glory. + +Lord, Thou sittest as our Redeemer and Mediator at the right hand of +Majesty in heaven, in order to save us eternally and to make us happy in +Thy kingdom. Be Thou therefore mindful of us even when we forget +ourselves, and save us mightily, and make us happy, not for our sake, but +for Thy sake. For the kingdom which we shall inherit, is Thine; Thine is +the power to lead us into it; and Thine shall be all the honor and glory +forever, when we, as Thy rescued children, shall be happy in Thy kingdom. +Amen. Hear us for the sake of Thy eternal love and mercy. Amen. + + + + + 12. Prayer on Whitsunday. + + +O God, who didst visit and endow the hearts of Thy saints so graciously +and richly with Thy Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, O pour out this +Thy Spirit and merciful shower also upon our barren and drooping hearts, +refresh Thy inheritance and comfort the miserable. Come, O Holy Spirit, +and adorn us with Thy manifold gifts, that we may truly perceive and +praise the great deeds of God, which were accomplished through Jesus +Christ, and that we may speak, glorify and spread Thy Word with new +tongues; enkindle us with the fire of Thy wholesome fervor, burn out all +internal malice, together with all other fleshly lusts and desires; light +the lamp of Thy truth, so that we may serve our God fervently in spirit +and in faith, and with true earnestness and zeal. + +O Thou God of peace, bind our hearts with the bonds of Thy peace, that we +may remain and live with each other in meekness and humility, in peace +and unity. O Thou God of patience, give us patience during the time of +our life, and firmness unto the end. O Thou Spirit of prayer, awaken our +hearts, that we may lift them together with holy hands up to God, and +call upon him in every time of need; and as we do not know what we should +pray for as we ought, O do Thou, as our faithful Interceder, make +intercession for us with groanings which can not be uttered. O Thou +gentle wind, cool and refresh our hearts in every fiery trial and +anguish, be our protection and shelter in time of need, our help in +affliction, our comfort in adversity. + +Come, Thou mighty God, and comfort the weak, teach the miserable Thy way, +help those also who have fallen, put those aright who err, hold them with +Thy right hand. Come, O Thou eternal Light, Salvation and Comfort, be our +Light in darkness, be our Salvation in life, be our Comfort in death, and +lead us upon the straight path unto life everlasting, in order that we +may praise, extol and glorify Thee, O Holy Ghost, together with our +heavenly Father and His beloved Son, our only Saviour, with truly new +tongues on the true day of Pentecost in heaven for ever and ever. Amen. + + + + + 13. Prayer on the Festival of the Holy Trinity. + + +O Thou incomprehensible, eternal God, Thou King of kings, and Lord of +lords, Thou, who only hast immortality and dwellest in the light which no +man can approach unto, we thank Thee in humility of heart, that Thou +didst come forth out of Thy light and reveal Thyself as one God in three +persons. But because this exalted mystery of the holy Trinity transcends +all our conception and understanding, do Thou Thyself bring our reason, +which thinks itself to be wise, into captivity to Thy obedience, and do +not permit its foolishness to set itself against Thy wisdom. But do Thou +impress upon our hearts the living and believing knowledge, that Thou art +Three and One, in order that we may steadfastly preserve this truth as a +precious treasure against all error, and with the deepest humility may +worship Thee, O Triune God, with equal honor, according to Thy +revelation. + +Give us, O holy Father, a knowledge of Thee, that Thou comest from no +one, but didst beget Thy Son from eternity and together with Him lettest +the Holy Spirit proceed from Thee; but also how Thou didst give Thyself +to us as our Father, in order that we might, in childlike obedience and +confidence, consecrate unto Thee every thing in us that is Thy work. +Eternal Son of God, Lord Jesus Christ, reveal Thyself unto us also; how +Thou wast begotten from eternity by Thy heavenly Father as the brightness +of His glory and as the image of His essence, Light of Light, very God of +very God; how Thou out of love to us didst become our brother and didst +redeem us with Thy obedience, suffering and death, that we might in Thee +learn to know the Father aright, and through Thee come to Him, and also +enjoy the fruits of Thy salvation, here in righteousness and holiness, +hereafter in the communion of Thy glory. Lord God Holy Ghost, put Thy +light into our souls, in order that we may know how Thou proceedest as +the essential Breath from the Father and the Son from eternity, as the +true God and as a true person, also how Thou laborest faithfully at the +work of our sanctification. O continue the same in power, to enlighten, +purify, comfort and keep us, and to urge us to do all that is good, in +order that we may through Thy operation at last appear altogether holy +and pure before the throne of Thy glory. + +To Thee, O Thou holy Trinity, be ascribed, by us and all creatures, +praise, honor, glory and thanks to all eternity, for Thy eternal majesty +and glory which Thou hast revealed unto us in Thy Word, and for all the +grace and benefits with which Thou hast blessed us. Amen. + + + + + 14. Prayer on the Day of John the Baptist. + + +Merciful God and Father in heaven, to Thee I give the humblest thanks +with heart and lips, that Thou didst so mercifully visit us poor human +beings through the giving of Thy dearest Son, and didst raise up our Lord +Jesus as a horn of salvation in Thy church, in order that we should lay +hold of the same in true faith, receive comfort, joy and salvation from +the same, and sustain ourselves by it in danger and in death. Equal +thanks do I owe Thee, Lord Jesus, Thou day-spring from on high, that Thou +didst so gloriously enlighten, through Thy appearing, us poor, blind +people who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, and didst direct +our feet upon the way of divine peace. No less do I thank Thee, O God +Holy Ghost, that Thou didst raise up John as a prophet of the Highest, +and didst give through him the knowledge of salvation which consists in +the forgiveness of sins. O holy Trinity, give me Thy grace, that I may +worthily acknowledge such great benefits, and be thankful to Thee always +for the same, not only in words, but also in a Christian life, and serve +Thee all the days of my life in holiness and righteousness, which are +pleasing to Thee, until in the land of eternity I shall behold Thee face +to face, and sing, with the assembly of the chosen, the never-ending +hymns of praise and thanks. Amen. + + + + + 15. Prayer on the Day of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. + + +Gracious God, heavenly Father, how great is Thy grace, how unsearchable +Thy mercy toward me, a poor sinner! Thou didst send Thy only Son and +permit Him to become a true man, in order that I might, through the +blessed fruit of the womb of a virgin, receive the divine blessing, and +be and remain one of the blessed of the Lord. For such Thy great kindness +I give Thee hearty thanks, and humbly beseech Thee at the same time, that +Thou wouldst be pleased to enkindle my heart with the fire of the Holy +Spirit, in order that my soul may also magnify Thee, and my spirit +rejoice at all times in my Saviour. O why should I not magnify Thee with +due praise, how could my spirit refrain from rejoicing? Thou, kind God, +hast done great things for me, not only in my creation and preservation, +but also in the salvation of my soul, which Thy dearest Son Jesus Christ +snatched from death, with which He united Himself, and which He has +promised to love eternally. O Lord, continue to look upon me with the +eyes of Thy mercy, as Thou didst look upon the Virgin Mary, and permit +Thy grace to be ever with me, and I shall glorify and praise Thee forever +and ever. Amen. + + + + + 16. Prayer on St. Michael's Day. + + +O thou faithful God! Lover, Protector and Preserver of the human race, +Thou Lord of Hosts, unto whom thousand thousands minister, and before +whom ten thousand times ten thousand stand, by whom all things were +created, both the visible and the invisible, the thrones and dominions; +how great is Thy love to men, that from their infancy Thou hast ordered +to be with them Thy holy angels, these constant, humble, friendly, +God-loving, obedient, true, good spirits, these beautifully resplendent, +heavenly flaming fires, these strong heroes, these holy watchmen, who +encamp round about us that fear Thy name, who always behold the face of +our Father in heaven, and stand before Thy throne; by means of whom Thou +dost protect the three estates which Thou Thyself hast ordained on earth. +O God, what is man, that Thou art thus mindful of him! We render unto +Thee everlasting praise and thanks for Thy goodness, that Thou hast sent +forth the ministering spirits, to minister for them who shall be heirs of +salvation. We pray Thee, give Thy angels charge over us, to keep us in +all our ways, to bear us up in their hands, lest we dash our foot against +a stone; that we may tread upon the lion and adder, and trample under our +feet the young lion and the dragon. Drive away from us all evil spirits, +which are murderers and liars from the beginning. Protect us against +their anger and rage, their lies and blasphemies, their cunning and +deceit, that they may not sow their tares among the wheat in our hearts. +Restrain the lying spirits in the mouth of all false prophets, the +murderous spirit in all tyrants, the spirit of pride and avarice in the +family. Let Thy holy angels always accompany us like Jacob, protect us +like the prophet Elisha, bring us bread and water and furnish us with +fiery horse and chariot like Elias, let them give unto us wholesome +counsel and comfort. Let them be with us in our tribulation, as they were +with the three men in the fiery furnace and with Daniel in the lion's +den; let them deliver us, and lead us out, from all our troubles, as they +led out Lot from burning Sodom, Peter from the prison, Paul from the +shipwreck. Let our house and land, our children and all that we possess, +be protected by Thy holy angels, as was the house of Job, that the enemy +may not molest us. Let us live in Thy fear, love Thy Word and Gospel, +into which the angels desire to look. Work true repentance in our hearts, +that the angels in heaven may rejoice over us. Kindle in us fervent +prayer and praise of Thy name, that we may perform an angel's office and +sing with them: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth. And finally let +also our souls be carried by angels into Abraham's bosom, and in the +resurrection on that day make us like unto the holy angels, that we may +be in their society. Amen. + + + + + 17. Prayer on the Festival of the Reformation. + + +Lord Jesus Christ, who didst come into the world to call sinners to +repentance and to enlighten all men unto life eternal, we praise Thee +with our whole heart, and extol Thy great goodness and mercy, that Thou +didst not only enter into this place and into this church and +congregation with Thy divine Word and holy Sacraments, and didst purge +out the leaven of papistic doctrine and idolatry, but that Thou hast also +redeemed us poor sinners from the kingdom of darkness, hast called us +into the light of Thy holy Gospel, and hast transplanted us into Thy +kingdom of grace. + +O Lord Jesus, we are not worthy of all Thy goodness and faithfulness, yet +we pray Thee with humble hearts, that Thou wouldst continue among us Thy +grace, with Thy divine Word and holy Sacraments, that Thy holy name may +be known by us, that it alone may be feared and honored by us, and we all +may live, and serve Thee, according to Thy divine pleasure. And what we +have done amiss against Thee and Thy holy Word, by not having been +obedient to the Gospel, do Thou, Lord Jesus Christ, graciously pardon, +and do not on account of our sin take from us this saving treasure, but +preserve it unadulterated unto us and unto our posterity. Yea, Lord +Jesus, preserve unto us Thy Word, for it is the joy and comfort of our +hearts. + +Guard and defend us and Thy whole Christian, especially Thy Evangelical +Lutheran, Church against all error, unbelief, and the pernicious doctrine +of others. Restrain all enemies, persecutors and blasphemers, and be Thou +our refuge, our strength, our shield and buckler, that the gates of hell +may not prevail against us. Especially do we beseech Thee, O Lord our +Saviour, that Thou wouldst enter into the house of our heart, that Thou +wouldst enlighten us by Thy Holy Spirit, purify our hearts and graciously +grant, that we may walk worthy of the Gospel, and remain steadfast in the +truth once known and confessed, unto our end. O Lord Jesus, let our souls +obtain Thy salvation, that we may be saved through Thee and in Thy +kingdom behold Thee and Thy great glory forever and ever. Amen, Lord +Jesus, Amen. + + + + + 18. Prayer on Church-Consecration Day. + + +Lord God, our heavenly Father, who dost through Thy Word and Thy Holy +Spirit gather for Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, a church and holy +congregation in our midst, and hast hitherto preserved pure doctrine and +the true worship of God against the devil and all enemies, yea, against +the gates of hell: do Thou, O good and faithful God, continue to preserve +unto us this dear and precious treasure, do Thou also make our +descendants partakers of the same, so that we, instructed in saving +knowledge, may grow and increase, until we shall receive an everlasting +habitation in the kingdom of Thy Son, and be saved through Thy dear Son, +Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be praise +and glory forever and ever. Amen. + + + + + 19. Prayer on Harvest Festival. + + +O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: because His mercy and truth +endure forever. Let Israel now say, that His mercy endureth forever. Let +the house of Aaron now say, that His mercy endureth forever. Let them now +that fear the Lord say, that His mercy endureth forever. O, how we feared +the destruction of the precious grain in the fields! O, how we took +thought and troubled ourselves, lest the bread which God has yet given us +in these hard times might be snatched away before our eyes and out of our +hands! But it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because +His compassions fail not; they are new every morning. Now all, to God +give thanks, who has everywhere done marvelous things, who has preserved +us alive from our birth, and has done countless favors. May He grant us a +joyful heart, and in these times continual peace in Israel, and that His +grace remain always with us, and uphold us, as long as we live. O God, +give peace to Thy land, prosperity and salvation to every estate. Lord +God, heavenly Father, who dost create holy courage, good counsel and good +works, give to Thy servants peace, which the world cannot give, so that +our hearts may cling to Thy commandment, and that we may, by Thy +protection, live through our days quietly and securely against our +enemies, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, our Lord. Amen. + +And now, O God, we know and confess with grateful hearts, that Thou hast +given us the early and the latter rain in due season, and hast faithfully +and annually protected our harvests. Thou hast watered our ridges +abundantly: Thou hast settled our furrows: Thou makest it soft with +showers: Thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou hast prospered our +grain, and tilled our land. Thanks, praise, glory and honor be unto God +the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and +ever shall be, world without end. Amen. + +We also pray Thee, O our God and Father, from the depth of our hearts, +that Thou wouldst give unto us all Thy Holy Spirit, so that we may +receive with thanksgiving what Thou bestowest upon us, and may sanctify +it with Thy Word and prayer, that it may be employed and used to Thy +glory and for our temporal support, for the benefit of churches and +schools, and of our needy neighbor, and that thereby the shameful and +hurtful worship of mammon may be most diligently avoided. Protect this +place and also the entire country against war and danger, against +dangerous and hostile invasion and destruction. Give to our government +the spirit of wisdom, of counsel, of power and strength. Confirm and +preserve peace among us. Let us pass the days of our earthly life in true +knowledge of Thy holy name and in Thy fear, also in health, peace and +union, and finally grant to us all everlasting salvation, for the sake of +Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen. + + + + + 20. Prayer on Mission Festival. + + +Almighty God, Thou who created the world and all that is therein, and +hast made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the +earth: Thou who art not far from every one of us; for in Thee we live and +move and have our being: Thou, who in times past didst suffer the +gentiles to walk in their own ways, but now commandest all men everywhere +to repent and with Thy grace doest visit their hearts. + +Lift up the light of Thy countenance upon us, that Thy salvation may +everywhere abound, and the glory of Thy name extend itself unto the ends +of the earth. Look down from Thy height upon the misery of so many +nations, who yet sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, who are +ignorant of their divine origin, and lie under the cruel tyranny of +satan. The Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, +hath not yet risen upon them. They walk in the vanity of their minds. +Their reason is clouded because of great darkness. They are estranged +from the life that is of God, through the ignorance that is in them and +through the blindness of their heart. The god of this world hath blinded +their understanding, and the common enemy of souls has taken them captive +according to his will. + +Grant, merciful God, that by the misfortune of others we may realize our +own blessedness, and bewail the lamentable state of blindness, with which +Thou hast smitten the gentiles, and worthily apply the greater light so +graciously presented unto us to so much the greater holiness. O do Thou +finally suffer the light of the Gospel to rise unto those, who are yet +far from Christ, the true Sun, and who have hitherto altogether groped in +thick darkness of idolatry. Through the loving voice of the Gospel, bring +back these scattered sheep into Thy spiritual fold. Grant such shepherds, +who will not rule vigorously and harshly over the sheep, nor devour their +substance and clothe themselves with their wool; but who, in the spirit +of love and gentliness will wait upon the weak, heal the sick, bind up +the wounded, bring back the erring, seek the lost, and in walk and life +present themselves a living example to the gentiles. And inasmuch as the +word of the Gospel, concerning the love of God as revealed in Christ, is +the only means to reconcile man with God, and to gather the erring sheep +into the fold of Christ, do Thou grant, that all who go forth to proclaim +the Gospel unto the heathen, may, with divine wisdom, make known the word +of reconciliation, with boldness overcome all hinderances, and +disregarding all selfish motives in the discharge of so holy an office, +may seek nought but the glory of Thy name, and the extension of the +kingdom of heaven. Grant, that they themselves may plainly know and +acknowledge the mystery of the cross, as the central point of Evangelical +doctrine, may not pretend to know anything among the gentiles, save +Christ Jesus and Him crucified, and worthily extol Him to others as the +only hope of glory and fountain of salvation, through our Lord Jesus +Christ, the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. Amen. + + + + + 21. From Caspar Neuman's Substance of all Prayers. + + + (Thanksgiving.) + +Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Thou art the almighty God of heaven +and earth, and in Thee we live, move, and have our being. Thou, however, +doest desire that man should live by bread, and therefore didst, in the +beginning of the world, make the earth fruitful through Thy almighty +Word, and after the days of the flood, didst declare that while the earth +remaineth seed-time and harvest shall not cease. Behold, Lord, this Thy +order, once established, continueth yet, and Thou still doest ever crown +the year with Thy goodness. Thou doest cause grass to grow for the cattle +and herb for the service of man. Thus Thou bringest bread out of the +earth and doest fill our hearts with joy and gladness. Most loving God, +how wisely indeed hast Thou ordered all things! How great is Thy goodness +toward us, who are not worthy of Thy bread. And how wonderfully infinite +Thy omnipotence, when Thou doest increase the little grain which moulders +in the earth, into a hundredfold! It is Thy unsearchable wisdom, this +Thine unutterable goodness, mercy and omnipotence, which hath again this +year visited our land. Men had sowed their seed in hope, but Thou hast +hitherto blessed the seed in the fields, and hast moreover permitted us +to live to the time, when men everywhere reap and gather into barns what +Thou hast given. O Lord, Thou God of riches, all that men harvest is +indeed Thine; for we of ourselves can bring forth nothing out of the +earth, and be it little or much, it is still more than we have merited. +Thanks be also unto Thy holy name for each and every gift, which Thou +hast bestowed on our fields during this year. Thou alone art the God, who +doest sustain us from the day of our birth, and shower Thy blessings upon +us. Wherefore unto Thee alone be all the praise, honor and thanksgiving +now and in eternity. + + + (Petition.) + +We beseech Thee, O kind Father, that Thou wouldst not again take from us +in Thy wrath, what Thou in Thy grace hast given. Thou Thyself hast said +in Thy Word, that rain is not seemly in harvest. So do Thou not permit +that the blessings of the fields, which Thou hast hitherto spread out +before our eyes, may perish by unfavorable weather. Do Thou also +henceforth guard that which has been gathered into barns and garners, +against danger by fire and water, against thieves and unfaithful +stewards, against usurers and unscrupulous grain-speculators, and against +all else that might rob us, or destroy Thy gifts. Moreover let us not +forget that all we receive comes from Thee and is Thine. Do Thou likewise +help that because of this we may never be discontented with what Thou +givest, never uselessly squander aught of it through luxury and +wantonness, never lock up any of Thy gifts unmercifully against our needy +neighbor through avarice or envy; nor in mistrust against Thee brood over +it with cares, as though that which Thou hast given be not sufficient for +our wants. Inasmuch as we in future will have need of Thy providing care, +do Thou not in Thy wrath let our land remain uncultivated, lest it lie +waste and become unfruitful when forsaken. Prevent every thing which +might hinder the tilling of the fields after harvest. And, that no years +may come, in which man sows but does not reap, do Thou provide that +neither frost nor heat, neither floods nor drought, nor destructive +insects destroy the seed in the earth by which we in future are to live. + + + (Prayer.) + +Be Thou with us, O gracious loving Father, and preserve unto us our daily +bread, which Thou during the present harvest doest everywhere distribute. +Above all grant favorable weather and constant sunshine, that the +ripening grain may all fully mature, so that which yet remains in the +fields may be stored away in good condition. Bless that which has been +gathered into barns, that it may be prepared for our daily use, increase +it while passing through our hands in preparing it, may it be blessed to +our nourishment; grant us life and health, peace and quietude, to enjoy +all that Thou hast given in such a manner, that it may not only give +strength to the body, but also be good and wholesome to the soul, so that +Thy temporal blessing may thus in manifold ways redound to our welfare. +When Thou hast heard these our petitions and prayers, then remind us also +of our obligations, and grant that we acknowledge all our substance to be +the gift of Thy goodness, that we heartily thank Thee for it, savingly +use it, serve our bodies with it, as is meet, willingly impart of it to +others, and finally devote and use all we have received of Thee alone +unto Thy honor. Do Thou continue in future to bless our land with Thy +gracious visitation, improve and enrich it with great fertility. Give +warmth to the dust of the earth. Refresh the fields with fruitful +showers, water their furrows, moisten the plowed ground, and do Thou +prosper the grain to be sown therein, that the land may continue to yield +forth its increase, the valleys be covered with corn, so that we may +shout for joy and sing Thy praise forevermore. + + + (Intercession.) + +Yea, Thou art God, Who Daily Openest Thy liberal hand and satisfiest the +desire of every living thing. Therefore do Thou during this season of +harvest provide for all people, and let every one receive his proportion +of food. Remind each one of his duties, that the indolent may not sleep +in time of harvest and neglect the necessary interests of himself and his +household. But do Thou likewise grant strength to those, who in the sweat +of their face gather their daily bread; refresh them when they are weary, +and permit each one with his household to enjoy in good health what his +fields have produced, that we all may be truly glad because of Thy +benefits. But do Thou also help that the rich may not depend upon their +barn bursting with plenty, and thereby forget that their souls may be +taken from them unawares, and another obtain possession of that which +they have gathered. Remember the poor, who have nothing to harvest. Grant +that others may help gather also for them, and do Thou thyself recompense +those who permit them to glean ears in their fields, or who impart unto +them of their abundance. In short, where there is but little, do Thou +bless the small supply, that it may be sufficient for the wants to whom +it is given, and where Thou hast given a large supply, do Thou so control +it, that it may not be abused unto evil. Preserve tranquility and peace +in all lands, that strangers come not unto us and devour our harvests. Do +Thou everywhere guard against failures, hard times and famine. And do +Thou also ward off from us everything which might render it difficult for +us to obtain the necessary things for the support of temporal life. On +the other hand, do Thou permit every one to enjoy what Thou hast allotted +to him, that rich and poor alike may acknowledge and praise Thee for +evermore. Finally, O Thou Saviour of all men, we ourselves are the +spiritual stewards in Thy church, and Thou art the Lord of the harvest; +we therefore pray Thee to send laborers into Thy harvest, and let Thy +harvest among men likewise become great in all places. Grant that good +seed may everywhere be sown, and pure doctrine be preached among all +christians. Protect the world against the tares, which the devil is busy +in scattering forth. Convert those who sow in unrighteousness and reap in +sorrow, or sow unto the flesh and of the flesh reap destruction. Sanctify +us all together, that we may be of one mind in Christ, and may sow unto +the spirit, and of the spirit once reap eternal life. Yea, when once the +entire world shall be sufficiently ripe for the last harvest, then grant +that we all, as pure wheat, may be bound into sheaves and gathered into +Thy garners, and be preserved in heaven unto eternal joys. There shall we +as those whom Thou hast promised, reap without ceasing what we have sown +here, and rejoice as they that rejoice in harvest, with unspeakable joy. +Hear us, O God, and grant us all what we ask, for the sake of Thy dear +Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. + + + + + APPENDIX II. + HYMNS. + + + Morning Hymn. + + + Gott des Himmels und der Erden + + God who madest earth and heaven, + Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, + Who the day and night hast given, + Sun and moon and starry host, + All things wake at thy command, + Held in being by thy hand. + + 2. God, I thank thee! In thy keeping + Safely have I slumbered here; + Thou hast guarded me while sleeping + From all danger, pain, and fear: + And the cunning of my foe + Hath not wrought my overthrow. + + 3. Let the night of sin that shrouded + All my life, with this depart; + Shine on me with beams unclouded, + Jesus! In thy loving heart + Is my help and hope alone, + For the evil I have done. + + 4. Help me as the morn is breaking, + In the spirit to arise, + So from careless sloth awaking, + That when o'er the aged skies + Shall the morn of Doom appear, + I may see it free from fear. + + 5. Lead me, and forsake me never, + Guide my wandrings by thy Word; + As thou hast been, be thou ever + My defence, my refuge, Lord. + Never safe except with thee, + Thou my faithful Guardian be. + + 6. O my God, I now commend me + Wholly to thy mighty hand; + All the powers that thou dost lend me + Let me use at thy command; + Thou my boast, my strength divine, + Keep me with thee, I am thine. + + 7. Thus afresh, with each new morning + Save me from the power of sin, + Hourly let me feel thy warning + Ruling, prompting me within, + Till my final rest be come, + And thine Angel bear me home. + + + Evening Hymn. + + + Nun sich der Tag geendet hat. + + Since now the day hath reached its close, + And sun-light shines no more, + In sleep the toil-worn find repose, + And all who wept before. + + 2. But thou, my God, no rest doth know, + No slumber locks thy sight, + Thou hatest darkness as thy foe, + Since thou, thyself, art Light. + + 3. O Lord, I pray, remember me + In this beclouded night, + And grant to me most graciously + The shield of thy great might. + + 4. And foil thou satan's purpose fell + Through thy swift angel-arm; + Then free from care I'll rest me well + And safe from every harm. + + 5. I feel indeed through guilt undone, + It cries aloud to thee; + But, yet, the mercy of thy Son + Hath full atoned for me. + + 6. Him I present thee as my Bail, + As suppliant at thy feet; + With such Assurance I'll not fail + Before thy Judgment-seat. + + 7. And hereupon my eyes I close, + And fall asleep heart-glad, + My God doth watch o'er my repose, + Why should my heart be sad? + + 8. Depart vain thoughts and fancies, flee! + Draw not my mind abroad, + My heart, as temple, shall now be + Devoted to my God. + + 9. And thus I live and die to thee, + Thou Sabaoth strong, indeed! + In life and death thou helpest me + From every fear and need! + + 10. Should this night prove the last for me + In this sad vale of tears, + Then lead me, Lord, in heaven to thee + And thy elect compeers. + + + Hymns of Cross and Consolation. + + + Wer nur den lieben Gott læsst walten. + + If thou but suffer God to guide thee, + And hope in Him through all thy ways, + He'll give thee strength whate'er betide thee, + And bear thee through the evil days. + Who trusts in God's unchanging love + Builds on the Rock that naught can move. + + 2. What can these anxious cares avail thee, + These never-ceasing moans and sighs? + What can it help, if thou bewail thee + O'er each dark moment as it flies? + Our cross and trials do but press + The heavier for our bitterness. + + 3. Only be still and wait His leisure + In cheerful hope, with heart content + To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure + And all-deserving love hath sent, + Nor doubt our inmost wants are known + To Him who chose us for His own. + + 4. He knows the time for joy, and truly + Will send it when He sees it meet, + When He has tried and purged thee throughly + And finds thee free from all deceit, + He comes to thee all unaware + And makes thee own His loving care. + + 5. Nor think amid the heat of trial + That God hath cast thee off unheard, + That he whose hopes meet no denial + Must surely be of God preferred; + Time passes and much change doth bring, + And sets a bound to everything. + + 6. All are alike before the Highest. + 'Tis easy to our God, we know, + To raise thee up though low thou liest, + To make the rich man poor and low; + True wonders still by Him are wrought + Who setteth up and brings to naught. + + 7. Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving, + So do thine own part faithfully, + And trust His Word, though undeserving, + Thou yet shalt find it true for thee; + God never yet forsook at need + The soul that trusted Him indeed. + + + Warum sollt ich mich denn græmen? + + Why should sorrow ever grieve me? + Christ is near, + What can here + E'er of Him deprive me? + Who can rob me of my heaven + That God's Son, + As mine own, + To my faith hath given? + + 2. Naked was I and unswathed + When on earth + At my birth + My first breath I breathed. + Naked hence shall I betake me, + When I go + From earth's woe, + And my breath forsake me. + + 3. Nought, not e'en the live I'm living, + Is mine own, + God alone + All to me is giving. + Must I then His own restore Him? + Though bereft + Of each gift, + Still shall I adore Him. + + 4. Though a heavy cross I'm bearing, + And my heart + Feels the smart, + Shall I be despairing? + God can help me, who doth send it, + He doth know + All my woe + And how best to end it. + + 5. God oft gives me days of gladness, + Shall I grieve + If He give + Seasons too of sadness? + God is good and tempers ever + Every hurt, + Me desert + Wholly can He never. + + 6. Though united world and devil + All their power + Can no more + Do than mock and cavil. + Let derision now employ them, + Christ e'en here + Will appear + And 'fore all destroy them. + + 7. True believers shrinking never, + Where they dwell + Should reveal + Their true colors ever. + When approaching death would scare them, + Still should they + Patient stay + And with courage bear them. + + 8. Death can never kill us even, + But relief + From all grief + To us then is given. + It doth close life's mournful story, + Make a way + That we may + Pass to heavenly glory. + + 9. There I'll reap enduring pleasure, + After woe + Here below + Suffer'd in large measure. + Lasting good we find here never, + All the earth + Deameth worth + Vanisheth forever. + + 10. What is all that life possesseth? + But a hand + Full of sand + That the heart distresseth. + Noble gifts that tire me never, + Christ so free + There gives me + To enjoy forever. + + 11. Shepherd! Lord! joy's fountain ever, + Thou art mine, + I am thine, + No one can us sever. + I am thine, because thou gavest + Life and blood + For my good, + By thy death me savest. + + 12. Thou'rt mine, for I love and own thee, + Ne'er shall I, + Light of joy, + From my heart dethrone thee. + Let me, let me soon behold thee + Face to face, + Thy embrace + May it soon enfold me. + + + Hilf, Helfer, hilf in Angst und Noth. + + Help, helper, help in fear and need, + Have mercy, faithful God, give heed! + I know thou lov'st me still as thine, + Though 'gainst me world and hell combine. + + 2. I trust in thee--whom I adore; + If I have thee, what need I more? + And, my Lord Jesus, this I laud: + That thou art mine, my Saviour-God. + + 3. This blest assurance cheers my heart, + To bide thy time--till clouds depart; + I'll rest the while me on thee, then, + Cry: Helper, help! and say: Amen! + + + Christian Life. + + + Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir. + + Lord, as thou wilt, be it with me, + No other wish I cherish, + I, living, dying, seek but thee, + O Lord, let me not perish; + Let but thy grace ne'er from me part, + Else as thou wilt, grant patient heart, + Thy will the best is ever. + + 2. Grant honor, truth, and self-control, + And love thy Word to ponder, + From errors false preserve my soul; + And grant, both here and yonder, + What will but tend to blessed days, + Keep far all wrong and crooked ways + From all my life and doings. + + 3. When once, according to thy will, + I pass the bourne of sadness, + Then let thy grace my bosom fill, + That I may go with gladness; + My body, soul, commend I thee, + O Lord, a blessed end grant me + Through Jesus Christ, yea, Amen. + + + Hope in Death. + + + Wenn mein Stuendlein vorhanden ist. + + When once in turn my hour is here, + And I shall hence betake me, + Then, O Lord Jesus, keep thou near, + With help do not forsake me; + My soul then at my final end + Into thy hand I do commend: + Thou wilt, Lord, safely guard it. + + 2. My sins will press my heart with care, + My conscience will accuse me, + For they are many, yet despair + With doubts shall not confuse me; + I will remember, Lord, thy death, + And wounds, and words of thy last breath: + Yea, these will then sustain me. + + 8. Lord, of thy body I am part: + This membership doth cheer me, + 'Mid woe and throes of death, my heart + Inseparate is near thee. + And though I die, I die to thee, + Eternal life hast thou for me, + Lord, by thy dying purchased. + + 4. Since thou art risen from the tomb, + I shall not therein languish; + Thy Ascent cheers me in the gloom, + Doth even death-fear vanquish; + For where thou art, there shall I be, + That I may ever live with thee: + Hence I depart rejoicing. + + 5. 'Tis well! I part, by Jesus blest; + To Him will I betake me: + Thus fall asleep and gently rest, + No mortal can awake me. + And Christ, the Lord, to whom I flee, + Will open heaven's door to me, + Lead me to life eternal. + + + Glad Eternity. + + + Wachet auf! ruft uns die Stimme. + + Wake, awake, for night is flying, + The watchmen on the heights are crying; + Awake, Jerusalem, at last! + Midnight hears the welcome voices, + And at the thrilling cry rejoices: + Come forth, ye virgins, night is past! + The bridegroom comes, awake, + Your lamps with gladness take; + Hallelujah! + And for His marriage feast prepare, + For you must go to meet Him there. + + 2. Zion hears the watchmen singing, + All her heart with joy is springing, + She wakes, she rises from her gloom; + For her Lord comes down all-glorious, + The strong in grace, in truth victorious, + Her star is risen, her light is come! + Ah come, thou blessed Lord, + O Jesus, Son of God, + Hallelujah! + We follow till the halls we see + Where thou hast bid us sup with thee. + + 3. Now let all the heavens adore thee, + And men and angels sing before thee, + With harp and cymbal's clearest tone; + Of one pearl each shining portal, + Where we are with the choir immortal + Of angels round thy dazzling throne; + Nor eye hath seen, nor ear + Hath yet attained to hear + What there is ours, + But we rejoice and sing to thee + Our hymn of joy eternally. + + + + + Prayers before Meat. + + +The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord: Thou givest them their meat in +due season, Thou openest Thy liberal hand, and satisfiest the desire of +every living thing. Amen. + + + Come, Lord Jesus, be Thou our guest, + And let all Thou giv'st us be blest. Amen. + + +We thank Thee, dear Son, that Thou hast again opened Thy bountiful hand +to supply our wants; grant that we may receive this food with +thanksgiving and gratitude and in Thy fear, and grant, O Lord! that +whatsoever we do, whether we eat or drink, all may be done to Thy name's +honor and glory, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen. + + +O Lord God, heavenly Father, bless unto us these Thy gifts, which of Thy +tender kindness Thou hast bestowed upon us, through Jesus Christ, our +Lord. Amen. + + + + + Prayers after Meat. + + +O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth +forever. He giveth food to all flesh. His mercies are new unto us every +morning, for his faithfulness eudureth unto all generations. Amen. + + +We give thanks to Thee, O God our Father, for all Thy benefits, through +Jesus Christ our Lord, who with Thee liveth and reigneth forever and +ever. Amen. + + +We return thanks unto Thee, O Lord! that Thou hast again vouchsafed to +feed these perishable bodies, and we beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst also +feed our souls with the bread of eternal life. Amen. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Little Treasure of Prayers, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LITTLE TREASURE OF PRAYERS *** + +***** This file should be named 35737-8.txt or 35737-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/7/3/35737/ + +Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, David Edwards, Peter Vachuska +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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