17th Century – Page 3 – A Collection of Prayers

Strength in the Storm

800px-johann_friedrich_stark

Rest on us,
O Spirit of Love,
and chase all anger, envy,
and bitter grudges from our souls.
Be our Comforter in trial,
when the storm goes over our heads;
be our Strength in the hour of weakness,
and help us to control the desires of the flesh.
Let us grow in faith and love,
in hope, patience, and humility.
See how many temptations surround us,
and preserve us from giving way to them;
show us the path where we should tread,
for if we trust our own impulses we will go astray;
but if you lead us we shall run in the way of your commandments.
Our hearts lie open before you; enter now with your rich gifts,
strengthen, establish, settle them.
Dwell in them and make them your temple,
so shall we have the pledge of the children of God,
and of our salvation.
Amen.

Source: Johann Friedrich Starck (1680-1756)

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers Ancient and Modern
by Mary Wilder Tileston, Boston, Little Brown, 1914, p. 76 #1

Open My Eyes

Open my eyes and I shall see,
incline my heart and I shall desire,
order my steps and I shall walk
in the path of your commandments.

O Lord God, be my God,
and beside you let there be no other,
none else, nothing else with you.

Let me adore and worship you
and serve you in truth of spirit,
in reverence of body,
in blessing of lips,
in private and in public.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes, Preces Privatae

Source of this version: https://ia801404.us.archive.org/0/items/theprecesprivata00andruoft/theprecesprivata00andruoft.pdf

Also found here: http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/john-rutter-lyrics/open-thou-mine-eyes-lyrics.html

Original in traditional English:

Open Thou mine eyes and I shall see :
incline my heart and I shall fervently desire :
straighten my steps and I shall walk
in the way of thy commandments

O Lord God, be Thou to me a God :
beside Thee let there not be to me another,
none else, nought else with Thee.

Grant unto me to adore Thee
and to worship Thee in truth of spirit,
in comeliness of body,
in blessing of the mouth,
in private and in public :

A Communion Prayer

Glory be to you O Jesus, my Lord, and my God,
for thus feeding my Soul,
with your most blessed body and blood,
O let your heavenly food transfuse new life,
and new vigor into my soul,
and into the souls of all that commune with me,
that our faith may daily increase,
that we may all grow more humble,
and contrite for our sins,
that we may all love you, and serve you,
and delight in you, and praise you,
more servantly, more unceasingly,
then ever we have done heretofore!
Amen, Amen.

Source: Thomas Ken

Source of this version: http://www.prayer-and-prayers.info/catholic-prayers/prayer-after-communion.htm

Also found here: http://forwardministryonline.com/prayerbookcontents/eucharisticdevotions/aftercommunionken.html

And here: http://anglicanhistory.org/ken/manual.html

Original in traditional English:

Glory be to thee O Jesus,
my Lord, and my God,
for thus feeding my soul,
with thy most blessed body and blood;
O let thy heavenly food transfuse new life,
and new vigour into my soul,
and into the souls of all that communicate with me,
that our faith may daily increase,
that we may all grow more humble,
and contrite for our sins,
that we may all love thee, and serve thee,
and delight in thee, and praise thee,
more servantly, more incessantly,
than ever we have done heretofore. Amen.

Variant:

…more fervently, more incessantly,

Enlighten Us with Your Truth

O Lord,
you bring forth the night
and create the morning,
you cause the sun to rise
on the good and on the evil.
Enlighten the blindness of our minds
with the knowledge of your truth.
Let the light of your face shine on us
that in your light we may see light
and at last, the light of grace in your glory.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes

Source of this version: Modified from http://newscriptorium.com/assets/docs/collects-and-prayers/prmanual.htm

Also found here: https://www.archive.org/stream/a676964500andruoft/a676964500andruoft_djvu.txt

“You cause the sun to rise on the good and on the evil” is a reference to Matthew 5:45

“Let the light of your face shine on us” is a reference to Numbers 6:23-26

Be with Me

Be, Lord, within me to strengthen me,
without me to preserve,
over me to shelter,
beneath me to support,
before me to direct,
behind me to bring back,
round about me to fortify.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes

Source of this version: http://newscriptorium.com/assets/docs/collects-and-prayers/prmanual.htm

Also found here: http://mariannedorman.homestead.com/Andrewes.html

A Doxology and Blessing

Blessing and honor and thanksgiving and praise,
more than we can utter,
more than we can conceive,
be to you, O holy and glorious Trinity,
Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit,
by all angels,
all people,
all creatures,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Thomas Ken

Source of this version: http://www.oremus.org/labarum/junkyard/timesseasons/tands8.rtf

Also found here: A Minister’s Prayer Book © 1986 Fortress Press, Philadelphia

Thomas Ken is also the author of the “Common Doxology,”

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The Full Armor of God

Give to us, O God,
the girdle,
the helmet,
the breastplate,
the shield,
the sandals,
the sword—
and above all things, prayer.
Grant to us the power and opportunity of well-doing,
that before the day of our departure comes,
our efforts may have produced good fruit.
Allow us to behold your presence in righteousness
and be fulfilled with your glory,
for Christ’s sake.
Amen.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes

Source of this version: https://prayerandverse.com/2016/05/26/give-to-us-o-god/

Prayer is based on Ephesians 6:13-18.

A Prayer for the Church

Gracious Father,
we humbly pray for your holy universal Church,
fill it with all truth; in all truth with all peace.
Where it is corrupt, purge it;
where it is in error, direct it;
where it is superstitious, rectify it;
where in anything it is amiss, reform it;
where it is right strengthen and confirm it,
where it is in want, furnish it;
where it is divided and rent asunder, make up the breaches of it,
O Holy One of Israel.

Source: William Laud

Source of this version: Modified from http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/church_prayer.html

Also found here: http://sbabbey.com/our-mission.html

Collect for the Word

Prayer Book Bible Reading Book Of Common Prayer

Blessed Lord,
you have given us your Holy Scriptures for our learning.
May we so hear them,
read, learn, and take them to heart,
that being strengthened and comforted by your holy Word,
we may cling to the blessed hope of everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

Source: Thomas Cranmer, The Book of Common Prayer, 1662, prayer for Advent

Original in traditional English:

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.