Prayers Used By King William
A Prayer That King William Used After Falling From His Horse
Almighty God, the Creator and Preserver of men, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. But time and chance happeneth to all that are under the sun, and in the midst of safety we are in danger. Yet, 0 Blessed God, it is still in Thee we live, move, and have our being, and our time and lives are in Thy hand. A sparrow fall not to the ground without Thy leave and direction, much less are the persons of Kings shut out from Thy rule and governance. I desire to adore Thee in the depth of thy over-ruling Providence, which I am not able to fathom. I believe that affliction spring not out of dust, I humbly submit to Thy Fatherly discipline, for Thou correctest in mercy, and for my profit Thou. 0 Lord, hast exercised me from my youth up until now with troubles and difficulties, and hast hitherto carried me safely through the manifold changes of this mortal life. 0 be Thou still my God and my Guide. Preserve in me always a due sense of the instability of all worldly things. Let my heart there be fixed where true and lasting joy are to be found, and grant that I never may be unprepared for death and judgment. Sanctify, I beseech Thee, in a particular manner this, my present affliction, give me patience under it, and a happy issue out of it. Let Thy Fatherly Hand ever be over me, and Thy Holy Spirit ever with me. Whilst I live, give me grace to serve thee faithfully in the high station in which Thou hast placed me; and when I have served my generation according to Thy will, vouchsafe me an easy passage to everlasting rest, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Another Prayer Used by King William
Most gracious and merciful God, who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, I desire to humble my soul before Thee, in a deep sense of my own vileness and unworthiness by reason of the many sins and provocations which I have been guilty of, against Thy Divine Majesty, by thought, word and deed. Forgive, O Lord, all the sins and follies of my life, which have been many and great; and which I do now with shame and sorrow confess and bewail before Thee, for They mercy's sake in Jesus Christ. Make me deeply sensible of the great evil of my sins, and work in me a hearty contrition for them; and let the sense of them be more grievous to me than any evil whatsoever. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, and according to Thy tender mercies forgive all my transgressions, for the sake of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.