imployments and not keeping the spiritual sabath unto thee in serving thee truly all the dayes of our life By not duely observing the times of Festivity or fasting appointed by just Authority according to the example of thy people in all ages we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousnes belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By not duely acknowledging thine Ordinance and Authority in the Persons of our Superiours by speaking evill of Dignities and reviling the Rulers of thy People by groundlesse jealousies and suspicions misjudging and censuring their Actions And at lâ—…st proceeding to that 〈◊〉 and most â—…rrid pitch of violation of that Image of thine imprinted on them by being as a People that strive with their Priests by our not obeying them that have the rule over us and not submitting our selves to them who by thy appointment watch over our souls by neglecting our care of those Committed to our Charge not Correcting those sins which have Cryed loud for exemplary Punishment we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousnesse belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By rash Anger Malice Hatred and Revenge and the bloody effects thereof by uncharitable Contentions and Divisions Factions and Animosities by Cruelty and Unmercifulnesse and communicating in the sinnes of Blood we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousnesse belongs unto thee but unto us confusâ—…on of face as at this day By the manifold sins of Uncleannesse by seeking or not avoiding the occasions thereof by Idlenesse Intemperance and Drunkennes by immodest words and gestures by our shamelesse boasting or not blushing at those sinnes we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousnesse belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By Thefts Rapines and Oppressions scandalizing thereby the Honour and Iustice of a good Cause by vexatious suites so much practised and countenanced by exactions by unjust gains in bargaining by defrauding the labourer of his hire by want of due care in expending what we have and a good Conscience in acquiring more We have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By lying detraction and contumely by endeavouring to advantage a good Cause by falshood and unjust means by censuring and rash judgments by false witness and perverting the course of Justice we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousnesse belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By desire of change and uncontentednesse in our Estates by giving our selves over to lustfull covetous and inordinate affections by desiring Peace not so much for thine honour or the publick good as the satisfaction of our own private lusts by neglecting acts of Charity and doing as we would be done to and not doing our duty in that state of life unto which it hath pleased thee to call us we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By our want and neglect of those necessary Christian duties of humiliation and godly sorrow for sins of due indignation and revenge upon ourselves for them of confessing and forsaking of restitution and satisfaction to others and by not bringing forth fruits worthy of repentance we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By impatience under thy correcting hand by not endeavouring our amendment by it in reflecting upon our own sins as the causes of it by despising thy chastisements in not rejoycing in â—…lations and not glorifying thee that hast counted us worthy to suffer for righteousness sake we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By fretting ourselves because of the ungodly and being envious against the evill doers by not loving our enemies not blessing them that curse us not doing good to them that hate us nor praying for those that despightfully use us and persecute us we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By presuming to do evill that good may come thereon by placing piety in opinions by straining at Gnats and swallowing of Camels in scrupling at indifferent things and making no conscience of known sins we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By running into open prophaneness under colour of avoiding superstition by guiding our conscience by humourâ—… and fancies and not by the certain rules of thy Law by having itching ears and heaping to our selves teachers and by having mens persons in admiration because of advantage we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou us from these and from our secret sins Try us O good God and search the ground of our hearts prove us and examine our thoughts and look well if there be any other way of wickedness in us and lead us in the way everlasting A Prayer for forgivenesse O Almighty and most mercifull Father who art the Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands and forgiving iniquity transgressions and sins Look down upon us with thy compassionate eyes who are here before thee in the bitterness of our soules and doe now with troubled spirits with broken and with contrite hearts most humbly beg pardon for these multitudes of our offences Look we humbly beseech thee upon the bloud of thy Sonne which speaks better things then that of Abelâ—… for his sake spare us Lord spare thy people that these sins rise not up against us for his passions sake expose us not for a prey to their cruell hands who would both devour and deride us R. Spare us O Lord spare thy people for the glory of thy name O deliver us and be mercifull to all these our sins through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The Absolution to be pronounced by the Priest onely ALmighty God our heavenly Father who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them which with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him Have mercy upon you pardon and deliver you from all your sins confirm and strengthen you in all goodneâ—… and bring you to everlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The Lords Prayer OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will â—…e done in earth as it is in heaâ—…en Give us this day our 〈◊〉 bread And forgive us 〈◊〉 â—…espasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And
confess and acknowledg thy patience and long-suffering that we have not been under the sharpest of thy displeasures and to adore thy goodness whatsoever becomes of us though it be in the shame and confusion and condemnation both of our bodies and soules Lord this is the mildest that we have reason to expect from thy Justice in retribution to our sinnes And whatever is lesse then this whatsoever the bitterness of our cup be in this life though thou shouldest cast us into the place of Dragons give us to drink of the Wine of astonishment the most stupifying deadly potion number us all to the sword pour out thy fire and brimstone upon us Yet if by thus chastizing of us here thou please to rescue us from that sadder doom of being condemned with the world this is a most inestimable mercy of thine beyond all that we have hitherto so unworthily enjoyed Lord we desire and profess to acquit thy Justice in thy proceedings to adore the bounty of thy Goodness and patience towards us that we have not long ago been as Admah and Zeboim as Sodom and Gomorrah that we have this day liberty to approach thâ—… Lord that it may yet be tâ—… good pleasure to come home 〈◊〉 every one of our soules to strike our hearts to break up these fallow grounds of ours that all thâ—… pretious seed be no longer 〈◊〉 cast away amongst thornes And by the power of thy mighty controuling convincing Spirit that thou wouldest once subdue all the resistances of our spirits against this most reasonable motion of humiliation within us Lord this is the one earneâ—… desire of our souls that hath caâ—… us low this day before thy fooâ—… stool with cries and tears earnest groans that thou wouldst have this mercy upon us that thou wouldest thus powerfully reveal thy self unto us who hast thus long smitten and importunately called unto us that being at last returnd unto thee in weeping fasting and mourning and renting of our hearts we might be capable of thy returns to us of the further impressions of thy grace and never more contradict or quench or grieve that spirit of thine which hath thus long contended and wrestled with us that so it may be seasonable with thee to give us the comfort of thy help again and the confidence to approach thy presence to praise that Majesty which hath not cast out our prayer nor turned his mercy from us to whom be all honour power glory and praise now and for ever Amen O LORD the great and dreadfull God keeping Covenant and mercy to them that love thee and to them that keep thy Commandments we have finned with our forefathers We our Kings our Priests our Nobles and all the People of this Land and have Rebelled evâ—… by departing from thy Precepts and thy judgements BY our impious and godlesse thoughts of thee our confidences in the Arm of Flesh by placing our affections too much upon earthly things by neglecting to love and delight in thee by presuming of thy mercies and yet continuing in our sinâ—… we have provoked and Rebelled against thee O Lord righteousnesse belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By our want of Reverence to thy Service not considering the awfulness of thy presence and that honour due to thee in thy house by our formall and hypocritical worship by open prophanation and sacriledge by shews and pretences of piety to cover our worldly and wicked designes we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousnesse belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By vain and rash Oaths blasphemies and perjuries especially our careless breaches of Oaths made to our Soveraign forgeting that such are the Oaths of God and that thou thy self in a more especiall manner art a strict avenger of them by our execrations of our selves our Brethren and our Enemies we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousnes belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By undervaluing thy publick Service and neglecting to beaâ—… a part in it by mispending oâ—… that time either there or elsewhere in wanton or worldly thoughts and imployments and not keeping the spiritual Sabboth unto thee in serving thâ—… truly all the dayes of our life by not duely observing the times of Festivity or Fasting appointed by just Authority according to the example of thy people in all ages we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousnesse belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By not duely acknowledging thine Ordinance and Authority in the persons of our Superiours by speaking evill of Dignities and reviling the Rulers of thy People by groundless jealousies and suspitions misjudging and censuring their actions and at last proceeding to that highest and horrid pitch of violation of that Image of thine imprinted on them By being as a People that strive with their Priests by not obeying them that have the rule over us and not submitting ourselves to them who by thy Appointment watch over our souls by neglecting the care of those committed to our charge not correcting those sins which have cryed loud for exemplary punishment We have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By rash anger malice hatred and revenge and the bloody effects thereof by uncharitable contentions and divisions factions and animosities by cruelty and unmercifulness and communicating in the sins of blood We have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By the manifold sins of uncleannesse by seeking or not avoiding the occasions thereof by idlenesse intemperance and drunkennesse by immodest words and gestures by our shamelesse boasting or not blushing at those sins We have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By Thefts Rapines and Oppressions scandalizing thereby the Honour and Justice of a good Cause by vexatious suites so much practised and countenanced by exactions by unjust gains in bargaining by defrauding the labourer of his hire by want of due care in expending what we have and a good conscience in acquiring more We have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By lying detraction and contumely by endeavouring to advantage a good Cause by falshood and unjust means by censuring and rash judgments by false Witnesse and perverting the course of Justice we have provoked and rebelled against thee O Lord righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By desire of change and uncontentednesse in our Estates by giving ourselves over to lustfull covetous and inordinate affections by desiring Peace not so much for thine honour or the publique good as the
and â—…bey him as thy Minister not â—…nly for wrath but for consciâ—…ce sake least contemning â—…ine ordinance we incur that damnation thou hast threatneâ—… to all those that resist the highâ—… powers Hear us O Lord fâ—… his sake who is the Prince 〈◊〉 the Kings of the Earth eveâ—… Jesus Christ our Lord Amen O Most gracious Lord God the Ruler of Princes wheâ—… they are in their thrones anâ—… their Protector when they aâ—… in perill look down mercifullâ—… from Heaven we most humbly pray thee upon the low estate 〈◊〉 thine anointed our King comfort him in his troubles defenâ—… him in his dangers strengthen him in his good resolutions and command thine Angels to pitcâ—… their tents round about hiâ—… that he may be defended froâ—… the hands of all those that desire his hurt and may be re-established in the just rights oâ—… his throne through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen O God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon him and deâ—…er him O God the Father c. O God the Son Redeemer of the world have mercy upon him â—…nd deliver him O God the Son c. O God the holy Ghost proâ—…eeding from the Father and the Son have mercy upon him â—…d deliver him O God the holy Ghost c. O holy blessed and glorious â—…rinity three Persons and one God have mercy upon him and deliver him O holy blessed and glorious c. Remember not Lord his offences nor the offences of his fore-Fathers neither take thou â—…engeance of his sins spare him good Lord spare thy servant â—…om thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood and â—…e not angry with him for ever Spare him good Lord. From all evill and mischief from the Insurrection of wicked doers from the frowardness and madnesse of the People Good Lord deliver him From mouths full of cursing and bitternesse from all thosâ—… that speak evill of dignities and from those that slander the foot steps of thine Anointed Good Lord deliver him From them that are confederates and speak so disdainfully against him and from all thosâ—… that hate him without a cause Good Lord deliver him We sinners do beseech thee tâ—… hear us O Lord God and thaâ—… it may please thee to look upoâ—… the face of thine Anointed and to visit him with thy salvation We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to plead his cause against them thaâ—… strive with him and to fighâ—… against those that fight againâ—… him We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to hear him in these dayes of his trouble and to send him help from thy Sanctuary We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to arise and maintain his cause and to remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to give him patience in this time of adversiâ—…y untill the pit be digged up for the ungodly We beseech thee c. That it may please thee in the multitude of the sorrows that he hath in his heart to let thy comforts refresh his soul. We beseech thee c. That it may please thee not to deliver him over to the will of his adversaries nor to false witnesses risen up against him or to such as speak wrong We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to defend him under thy wings and that thy faithfulnesse and truth may be his Shield and Buckler We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to satisfie him with thy mercy and that soon so that he and we may rejoyce all the dayes of our life We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. A Prayer For the Church LOrd who hast promised to thine Apostles to be with them alwayes unto the end of the world and for a supply of their mortality hast in thy gracious providence over thy Church continued a perpetuall succession of Bishops and Pastors to feed their severall Flocks whereof the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers Inspire them by thy grace that their lips may preserve knowledge and the people seek thy Law at their mouth Bless them O Lord with the blessings of Levi blesse their substance and accept the work of their hands smite through the loyns of them that rise up against them and of them that hate them that they rise not again that they may shine forth as lights before us holding forth the word of life till we all come in the unity of Faith and the knowledge of Jesus Christ unto that perfection and fulnesse of thine everlaâ—…ing Kingdome Amen ALmighty God and gracious Father we confess against our selves that we are most worthy of all the Judgements that thou hast threatned against us these Kingdomes and this Church which is now under the Crosse and neer to utter ruin and extirpation unless thy mercy step in between thy fierce wrath and our hainous sins And howsoever the voice of our crying sins hath ascended into thine ears and stirred up destroyers to root us out that we be no more a people and that thy name be no more called upon nor hallowed by us yet we most humbly beseech thee to hear the prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears which once our blessed Saviour offered for us upon the Crosse and in the garden and which he daily represents unto thee And for his all-sufficient merits which speak better things than the blood of Abel hear not the cry of our sins but the cry of his blood and therein wash all our sins Let our great miseries and dangers suffice for that which is past and let that Oratour in thy own bosome even thine own fatherly goodness perswade and prevail for us and purchase our deliverance and safety Hear us for our selves and others Look upon us with the eyes of pitty and compassion consider our enemies how many and how mighty they be and they bear a tyrannous hate against us Our goods our lands our lives will not suffice their boundlesse ambition our religion our souls and if it were possible our God is that they strike at curse thou their anger for it is fierce and their wrath for it is cruel Divide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel As for us deliver us out of their hands and unite us together in the bond of peace that being freed from our many and tyrannous enemies we may ever bless thy sacred and holy name and evermore serve thee without fear in all holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen WE beseech thee Almighty God look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty to our defence against all our enemies through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen GRant we beseech thee Almighty God that we which for our evill deeds are justly punished by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved through Christ our Lord Amen ALmighty and everlasting God mercifully
Afâ—…s he may constantly perform his Duty towards thee and live and dy thy faithful Servant in Jesus Christ Amen A Letany of Intercession O That thou wouldst hear me O God! that thou wouldst so prepare my Heart that thou maist hear me that thou wouldst hear me once more though I am but Dust and Ashes That thou wouldst hear me for all those whom by the Bonds of Duty and Charity or Affection I am bound to Pray for O Lord hear my Prayers And let my cry come unto thee The Letany THat it may please thee to Bless the whole Catholick Church of thy Son Christ as it hath been planted in his Death and watered in his Blood so it may be still nourished by his Sacraments and governed by his Word That the Uncharitablenesse of men may not make the Rents and Divisions of it wider and that howsoever we may differ in the superstructions the Foundations of Christian Faith may never be cast down O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to look compassionately on this persecuted part of thy Church now driven from the Publike Altars into Corners and secret Closets that thy Protection may be over us where ever we shall be scatteted and a Remnant prefervcd among us by whom thy Name may be Glorified thy Sacraments Administred and the souls of thy servants kept upright in the midst of a corrupting and of a corrupted Generation O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to be Gracious to Him who was once defigned by Thee to be the Nursing Father of this thy Church But for the sins of both Priests and People is now cast out as an unprofitable Branch And that in thy due time thou wouldst deal with him according to the Innocency of his Person the Justice of his Cause O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to comfort him in the sadnesse of his spirit and Guide him in the Perplexities of his Mind and support him in the straits and necessities of his Fortunes To raise him Friends abroad and to Convert or confound the hearts of his Enemies at Home To do some mighty thing for him which I in particular know not how to Pray for and by the secret Working of thy Providence to make the Stone which the foolish Builders among us have refused the Head-stone of the Corner O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to preserve him with an unspotted soul and an unshaken Faith and that no splendor of any Earthly Crown may so dazle him as to make him forget either himself or thee or do any unworthy thing to lose that Heavenly Crown which thou hast prepared for him and nothing but his own sins is able to keep from him O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to shew Mercy to the Queen his Mother the Dukes his Brethrenâ—… in Exile with him and the rest of that scattered and oppressed Family to guide them thy Counsels to defend with them with thy Power to provide for them in thy Mercy and to make them in their severall ways Instruments of thy Glory and our Happiness O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to deal Graciously with that Remnant left of the Loyall Nobility and all others of that ruined side who have chosen rather to suffer in thy Cause then to participate with the sins of a more successefull Party O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to spread the wings of thy Protection over all those whom thou hast made near and dear unto me to preserve them safe in body and soul from the snares of their enemies and the iniquity of the times that no sin may lay waste their Consciences nor no evill come neer their dwellings O hear me for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to recompence all those whom thou hast raised to be Instruments of any good unto me such as have taken care of my soul and instructed me in the way to heaven such as have counselled me when I have gone astray supplyed me in my wants comforted me in my heaviness and have had that high Charity for me as to Reprove me when I have sinned O hear me for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to let the day-spring from on high shine upon all those who sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death who either do not know thy Name or knowing it are carried by strong delusions into the wayes of Error and false Perswasions O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to confirm those who as yet stand fast on the foundations of thy Holy Truth that neither the persecution of the Church in which they were Baptized nor the temptations of the times nor the snares of cunning men who watch all advantages may make them fall from their first Faith and miserably wander after their own imaginations O hear me for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to comfort and raise up those weak and dejected spirits which are ready to sink under the burthen of a troubled or Afflicted Conscience that as thou hast shewed them their sins and the punishments due for them so thou wouldst shew them their Saviour and by directing them to lay hold on his Cross keep them from a Finall and Everlasting ship wrack O hear me for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to hear the groans and cries of all those that are Afflicted either outwardly or inwardly in body or soul Especially such who being oppressed for Conscience sake have no place to fly unto nor no man careth for their souls O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to listen Compassionately to the deep sighing of the Prisoners and by thy mighty Power to deliver such who for obeying thee and a good Conscience are or shall be designed to death or ruin O hear me for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to soften the hearts of all unrighteous Judges who now have the Power over us and to make them know with trembling that there is a Judge higher than they O hear us for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to forgive all who more particularly are Enemies to me mine all that way have any traduced or slandered me even to turn their hearts and to extend their Charity to them in all those degrees of mercy which I desire may be shewn to my own soul. O hear me for thy Son Iesus sake That it may please thee to hear all those servants of thine who either have the Charity to pray for me or desire my Prayers for them But above all that it may please thee to hear the Prayers of thy Son Jesus Christ who now fits gloriously on thy Right hand to intercede both for me and them O hear me
bring them back by the same way they came Let it appear that thou art in the midst of us and that we shall not be moved That thou wilâ—… help us and that very early Let there be no invasion no going out nor no crying in our streets But set thou Peace in our Borders Make strong the bars of our gates especially let the Gospel of thy Son sound yet lowder among us that by it many Souls may be gathered unto thee So we thy People and thâ—… sheep of thy Pasture shall praise thee for ever and from Generation to Generation we will set forth thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen A Prayer for a Souldier O Lord it is thy glory to be called The Lord of Hosts and it is thou alone from whom when men have made their most politick and puissant preparations the victory must be looked for Draw my heart I beseech thee from all relying upon my own valour or upon the strength of the battail in which I stand and teach me to look upward and to wait and trust only upon thee Thou givest conquest and thou givest courage thou deliverest from the perill of the Sword or else makest death a means of happinesse to thy servants Forgive my sins I pray thee and assure me of pardon by the witnesse of thy Spirit that the guilt thereof make not my heart to tremble within me and to behold death as a messenger to convey me into hell If thou O Lord bee on my side peace being made betwixt thee and my soul through Christ what can be against me what hazard can befall my soul Nothing shall be able to deprive me of thy love Let not spoil or blood or mine own advancement be the ends of mine attempts but make me to aim only at thy glory in the defence of thy truth and in the good and safety of the Kingdome wherein I live The issue of all things to thee O Lord is known but to man it is hidden Prepare me therefore indifferently to whatsoever shall befall me If I die give me comfort in my last breathing and take my soul into thy gracious hand If I be taken captive give me patience give me wisdom and godly courage to do nothing contrary to the honour of my Country or prejudicial to the profession of a faithfull Christian If I return with life and victory make me thankfull Keep me from taking from thee any part of thy glory Preserve me from those riotous lascivious and blaspheming courses which are the usuall fruits of good successe let me not think devotion to be an enemy to resolution or that a religious fear of thy Majesty doth abate the spirit that should be in a Souldier but settle me in this that the assurance of a lawfull cause the hope and confidence of a better life by the merits of Christ the care to please thee and to depend upon thy power are the only true grounds of valour which can give a man boldnesse and life in the day of battel Vouchsafe me these and all other needfull favours in and for Christ Jesus sake Amen A Prayer upon the strange revolution on the twenty first of February 1659. when the formerly secluded Members were readmitted into the House of Commons O Most mighty God who sittest upon the Cherubims be the people never so impatient and after thine own counsells governest all that is done among the children of Men. We most humbly confess that it is for our sins that thou hast so often changed thy rod and brought such variety of confusions upon us that all the world stands a gaze to see what will become of such a people that will not see the things that belong unto their peace But O gracious God though we forget our selves forget not thou thine own goodnesse for there is yet time for mercy and such an expedient left as may cure all our wounds and close up all our divisions by restoring him who was once designed by thee to be the common Father of us all though we like rebellious children have disdainfully cast him from us And as thou hast begun already to shew some glimmerings of our future happiness by unexpectedly dissolving the Assembly of those Achitophels who by their dark counsels have so long obstructed it so go on we most earnestly beg of thee and let not the sins of this wretched Nation hinder thee from compleating what thou hast for thine own glory so wonderfully begun Work powerfully upon the minds of all that are any wayes concerned in the redeeming of our peace Give them but as much honest courage to do right as they have formerly shewn in acting all those mischiefs that have been done among us O plead the cause of an oppressed KING strenghthen the hands and hearts of all that appear for him direct his counsels prosper his enterprizes make his very enemies to be at peace with him and when thou shalt vouchsafe to us our former happiness both in Church and State give us then thankfull hearts to imbrace it as a blessing from thy hands alone who hast wrought these great wonders for us for Iesus Christ's sake Amen A Prayer upon the Assembling of the present Parliament April 25. 1660. O Most great most wise and most powerfull Lord God in whose hands are the hearts of all men and turned them as thou doest the rivers of waters Shew thy power and come among us and be present at this great meeting when after so many years of confusion there 's once more a consultation had to settle this distracted Church and Nation and as there is nothing hid from thee who seest the very thoughts and ends and divided interests of them that meet together so there is nothing so impossible to thee but that thou canst by the hidden workings of thy Providence unite what thou findest divided and oversway every counsell and design and every imagination that shall set it self against thee Let there be no root of bitternesse among them which are intrusted in this great work no thoughts of revenge No Ambition of making themselves great no particular or separate interest of their own but instead of these give them bowels of compassion towards their bleeding and expiring Country strike a sense into them of the blood already shed and the desolation yet to come if they prevent it not And let thy fear run through all their consultations that remembring the sad account which in the last great day will be required of them they may unanimously set themselves to find out those blessed expedients as may restore the voice of joy and peace into our dwellings in such a way as may be most for the glory of thy great Name the righting of those that are opprest and the setling of the happinesse of this Church and Nation upon the right basis of that former government from which it hath stood so long so unhappily divided And â—…his as being neither impossible to thy