John Cosin

The English king Charles I married French Princess Henrietta Maria in 1625.  She was fifteen and he was twenty-four.  She was not Charles’ first choice, and their marriage was full of high drama, but that’s a story for another day.  When Henrietta became queen, she asked Charles on behalf of her court for a printed resource on the various hours of prayer. It was a common practice of Christians in those days, and still is in many Christian traditions, to engage in morning, noon, afternoon, and evening prayers. King Charles summoned John Cosin (1594-1672), a well-respected theologian and Anglican priest, to fulfill his wife’s request.  I’m trying to imagine an American president requesting a similar prayer guide for use by elected civil servants!  Given the political rancor, it’s not a bad idea, but I digress.
John devoted three months to writing his Collection of Private Devotions.  He included written prayers already in circulation as well as others composed from his own hand.  He chose various psalm readings as an aid to prayer, plus translated others from Latin into English. One such hymn, “Come, Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire” is still in circulation today.  A prayer from his Collection of Private Devotions follows here.  I marvel at his ability to express so much in so few words.  He offers everything to God in prayer.