“ We praise Thee, we sing hymns to Thee, we bless Thee, we glorify Thee, we worship Thee by Thy great High Priest; Thee who art the true God, who art the One Unbegotten, the only inaccessible Being. For Thy great glory, O Lord and heavenly King, O God the Father Almighty, O Lord God, the Father of Christ the immaculate Lamb, who taketh away the sin of the world, receive our prayer, Thou that sittest upon the cherubim. For Thou only art holy, Thou only art the Lord Jesus, the Christ of the God of all created nature, and our King, by whom glory, honour, and worship be to Thee. ”
Summary
Prayers of the Early Church, an anonymous compilation of devotional texts, offers insight into the spiritual practices of early Christianity through a series of prayers directed toward God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. These texts highlight themes of adoration, compassion, and the quest for sanctity, with frequent requests for pardon, direction in avoiding wrongdoing, and the nurturing of heavenly love.
Organized as supplications and songs, they reflect a theology focused on the majesty of God, the redemptive power of Christ’s offering, and the shared fellowship of the Church. The collection emphasizes the early Christian focus on inner development, solidarity, and the dynamic relationship between divine favor and human endeavor, ultimately envisioning eternal happiness and communion with the divine.
Quotes from Prayers of the Early Church ()
“ We pray and beseech Thee, merciful God, to grant in Thy goodness that we may spend this day, and all the time of our lives, without sin, in fullness of joy, holiness, and reverence of Thee. But drive away from us, O Lord, all envy, all fear, and all temptations. Bestow upon us what is good and meet. Whatever sin we commit in thought, word, or deed, do Thou in Thy goodness and mercy be pleased to pardon. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; through the grace, mercy, and love of Thine only begotten Son. ”
“ And if we cannot do these perfectly in this life, let us, at least, advance to higher degrees every day, till we can come to do them in perfection. Let the knowledge of Thee increase in us here, that it may be full hereafter. Let the love of Thee grow every day more and more here, that it may be perfect hereafter; that our joy may be great in itself and full in Thee. We know, O God, that Thou art a God of truth, O make good Thy gracious promises to us, that our joy may be full. To Thine honour and glory, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God, world without end. ”
