A Prayer For Christian Graces by Karl Bogatzky

I know, Lord, that thou canst do everything; power belongs to thee, and with thee nothing is impossible; what thou hast promised, thou art able also to perform. Thou art good, and doest good, good to all; and thy tender mercy is over all thy works, that thou wouldest cause thy goodness to pass before me, that I may taste and see that the Lord is good, and have his loving-kindness always before mine eyes.

A Prayer For Christian Graces

Holy, holy Lord God Almighty, who art, and wast, and art to come; who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders! Thou art blessed in thyself, and the gracious Author of all our blessings. Thou art the only sovereign Lord, who canst do what thou pleasest in heaven or earth. Thou alone hast everlasting life in thyself, and thou only canst bestow it upon others.; and thou dwellest in that light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, or can see. Thou art a God at hand and a God afar off; none can hide himself in secret places, where thou canst not see him, for thou fillest heaven and earth; thine eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good; thou searchest the heart, and triest the reins; even the thoughts and intents of the heart are naked and open before thee.

I know, Lord, that thou canst do everything; power belongs to thee, and with thee nothing is impossible; what thou hast promised, thou art able also to perform. Thou art good, and doest good, good to all; and thy tender mercy is over all thy works, that thou wouldest cause thy goodness to pass before me, that I may taste and see that the Lord is good, and have his loving-kindness always before mine eyes.

O my God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face before thee; for my iniquities are increased over my head, and my trespass is grown up into the heavens; behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth, and put my mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope, crying out, Unclean, unclean.

Lord, I come to thee as the poor publican, and I pray his prayer, God be merciful unto me a sinner. The God of infinite mercy be merciful to me. Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin; for I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me. Purge my conscience with the blood of Jesus, and I shall be clean; wash me in that purple fountain, and I shall be whiter than snow; hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Let me be justified freely by thy grace, through the redemption of Jesus. Take away all mine iniquities, and receive me graciously; heal my backslidings, and love me freely; and let thy anger be turned away from me, for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. I will say unto God, Do no condemn me, but deliver me from going down into the pit, for thou hast found a ransom. I have sinned Father, against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son; but I have an Advocate with thee, Jesus Christ the Righteous, and he is the Propitiation for my sin. Remember the covenant in his blood, and be merciful to mine unrighteousness, and my sins and my iniquities remember no more.

Let me be justified by faith, and have peace with God through Jesus Christ; and through him let me have access to that grace wherein believers stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Lord, give me a wise and understanding heart; that which I know not, teach thou me; let the Spirit of truth guide me into all truth, and make me to understand wherein I have erred. Make thy way plain before my face, because there are many that watch for my halting; and, by the teaching of thy word and Spirit, make me wise unto salvation.

Unite my heart to fear thy name, that I may keep thy commandments. Put thy fear into my heart, that I may never depart from thee, and let me be in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

Give me grace, I beseech thee, to love thee, the Lord my God, with all my heart, and soul, and mind, and strength; to delight myself always in thee, and therein shall I have the desire of my heart. Circumcise my heart to love thee, and shed abroad thy love abundantly in my heart by the Holy Ghost. May Jesus be very precious to me, as he is to all that believe. Let me delight in him, as the chief of ten thousand, and altogether lovely; and though I have not seen him, yet may I love him, and by believing in him, rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Let the love of Christ to me constrain me to live, not to myself, but to him that died for me and rose again.

Lord, put upon me that charity which is the bond of perfectness, that I may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and may live in love and peace, that the God of love and peace may be with me. Give me to love my neighbor as myself, with that love which is the fulfilling of the law; to love him with a pure heart fervently. Enable me to be kindly affectioned towards my Christian brethren; so shall I know that I am passed from death unto life, and all will know that I am thy disciple. Lord, teach me to love mine enemies; to bless them that curse me; to pray for them that despitefully use me; forbearing them, and forgiving them, as I trust thou, for Christ’s sake, hast forgiven me.

Lord, give me grace to deny myself, to take up my cross daily, and follow Christ! to keep under the body, and to bring it into subjection; let me learn of Christ to be meek and lowly in heart, that I may find rest to my soul; hide pride from me, and clothe me with humility; and put upon me the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in thy sight is of great price; let anger never rest in my bosom, nor the sun go down upon my wrath, but enable me to show all meekness towards all men; let me have bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering; that the same mind may be in me, which was in Christ Jesus my Lord.

Lord, teach me in every estate to be content: let my conversation be without covetousness; may I always be content with such things as I have; still saying, The will of the Lord be done. Lord, give me grace to weep as though I wept not, to rejoice as though I rejoiced not, to buy as though I possessed not, and to use this world as not abusing it; because the time is short, and the fashion of this world passeth away. May the very God of peace sanctify me wholly; and I pray God, my whole spirit, and soul, and body, may he preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life; when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, be thou with me, that I may fear no evil; let thy rod and thy staff comfort me. Redeem my soul from the power of the grave, and receive me; guide me by thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory, through Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Savior; to whom, with Thee and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, thanksgiving and praise, for ever and ever. Amen.