Persecution be overpassed Though this year be begun in bitterness yet O suffer it not to end so But cause it to be proclaimed the acceptable yeâ—… of the Lord to all that mouâ—… in Sion As thou hast given unto tâ—… Church an Head of gold so donâ—… let her stand like Nebuchadnezaâ—… Image upon feet of clay Thougâ—… she be made to lie among the poâ—… yet thou canst cover her again wiâ—… silver wings making her featherâ—… like gold Thou art Almighty and canâ—… do it yea thou art Almercifulâ—… and wilt do it O then shew heâ—… now especially some tokeâ—… for good that they which hate her may see it and be ashamed because thou O Lord haâ—… holpen her and comforted her Give her instead of a Rent a Girdle instead of vain Repetitions the Holy Spirit and Office of Prayerâ—… for the bread of Adversity the blessed Manna of thy Word and Sacraments and for the cup of trembling and astonishment the cup of salvation Suffer not Pharaoh's thin and â—…sted Ears of corn to deâ—… those full and good Ears which have sprung up here in Gods field Neither do thou punish our former slighted â—…nty with a succeeding famine of thy Word Give unto her beauty for ashes the 〈◊〉 of Ioy for mourning the garâ—… Prayer for the spirit of beaâ—…ss Give her the custody of Angels the Patronage of Kings and Princes the hearts and â—…ds of Nobles the prayers and tears of Priests and the deâ—…ce of the whole secular Arm. O thou that hast the Key of Daâ—… that openest and no man shutâ—… open thou the mouths of thy Miâ—…rs and suffer no more any man 〈◊〉 them Open thou the doors of 〈◊〉 own House for thy servants to 〈◊〉 in and let no one dare upon 〈◊〉 pâ—…ill of their souls to keep us out And since we have taken upon us to speak unto our Lord not for the sparing of a Sodom but of this thine own Sion leâ—… not our Lord be angry and wâ—… will speak unto him once more Preserve her and all her sons anâ—… daughters in all storms and againâ—… all temptations in this present stormâ—… and against the present and all future temptations that we may do nothing to scandall our holy Calling by sacrificing our Consciences to the purchase of our case Give us innocence mixt with prudence the Doves eye in the Serpents head And teach us to beware of the Dragons Poyson even when we are made to feel the Dragons sting And when the winds shall blow fiercest against thine Ark yet then we beseech thee to preserve the Vessel though thou shalt change the Pilots And however in thy secret wisdom thou mayst suffer many of the Lights to be blown out yet we pray thee Lord be not so severe upon our justly-deserving sins as to remove the Candlestick All this and whatsoever else thou â—…e more needfull for our bleeding Mother or for any of her persecuted Children we beg at thy mercifull hands for thy Sons sake who purchased this Church with his own blood Iesus Christ our Saviour To whom with thee O Father and the ever blessed Spirit be all Honour and Glory Submission and Adoration in all places at all times in all Estates and Conditions by all men and Angels World without End Amen Amen A Prayer for the Kings Birth-day May 29. O Lord God the great disposer of Kings and Kingdomes and who in thy Mercy didst design thy servant our persecuted Soveraign Lord King Charls to be the Heir of these Kingdomes though in thy secret Judgements towards this sinfull Nation thou hast suffered the sons of violence to keep him hitherto from inheriting his Fathers Throne We thy unworthy servants are here nâ—…et together upon the Anniversary Day of his Nativity to offer unto thee a gratefull commemoration our humble thansgivings for thy great Blessing in bestowing upon us at first so hopefull a Prince And withall to bewail our unworthiness of having so good and gratious a Prince as yet to exercise his Raign over us we bewail those many sins of ours whereby we have helped to cut off the Royall Father and whereby we still assist to the keeping our of his Royall Son However we beseech thee O Lord to grant that as thy hands did fashion him and as he was fearfully and wonderfully made in his Mothers womb so his heart may still be in those hands of thine to preserve him from all danger and to mould him to all Christian and Princely Graces Give him years of Happiness and Joy for those years of bitterness and sorrow wherewith thou hast afflicted his soul. Cause him to know that the end for which he was born was not so much to govern others as to submit himself to thee and to lay his Crown and Scepter at the Feet of the Lamb. And grant Holy Father that that as now he has finished twenty nine years of his life and most of those years under the severity of thy Discipline So he may spend the Remainder of his life and may have those years doubled and trebled to him in the successes of thy favour As thou dost add days to his years so let it be thy good pleasure to add happiness to his days exchanging his Banishment into restauration and his Crown of thorns into a Crown of Majesty here of Glory hereafter This day didst thou take him out of his Mothers womb to live here a little time O mayst thou at the last day take both him and us out of our Mothers womb again even the grave and the womb of the Earth to live with thee for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Amen The Ministers Prayer for the People O Most mercifull Lord God and Lover of souls who hast given Commandment to thy Priests to weep and to pray between the Porch and the Alâ—…n and to cry spare thy people O Lord spare them O most blessed Jesu who art â—…n everlasting Priest and the great Shepheard and Bishop of our souls O most holy Spirit who dost sanctifie and preserve us building us up into an holy Temple for thy self to dwell in O Father Son and Holy Ghost three Persons and one God who delightest in the Conversion of sinners and to see souls daily added unto thy Church Bless this whole Congregation and have mercy upon this Parish who are committed to my charge to take care over their souls Lord I am unworthy of so great an honour and too unfit for so great a Burthen yet in obedience to thy Call I have undertaken it and I trust by thy Assistance to be able to feed both thy sheep and thy Lambs Keep them always within thy Fold that they may never wander nor go astray preserve them from Wolves though they should be set in the very midst of them Teach them to know thy voice and to be obedient to thy Call And when any of them shall straggle into the Wildernesse yet then Lord do not thou leave
for the Clergy 332 A prayer to be said during these sad times of trouble 304 A prayer for preservation from the enemy 312 A Confession of sins and prayer for pardon 314 A Prayer for the King 318 A prayer for the preservation of the University and City of Oxford 330 A prayer drawn by his Majesties speciall directions and dictates for a blessing on the treaty at Uxbridge 323 A prayer for peace 325 A prayer for the ending of the present troubles 329 IX Collects I. 334 II. III. 335 IV. V. 336 VI. 337 VII VIII 338 IX 339 Certain additionall Prayers In the time of war 339 A Prayer for a Souldier 3â—… A Prayer upon the re-admission of the formerly Secluded Members Februaryâ—…1 â—…1 1659. 348 A Prayer upon the Assembling of the present Parliament April 25. 1660. 351 A Thanksgiving for his Majesties safe arrivall and return to his kingdome May 25. 1660. 354 Private Forms of Prayer fit for these sad Times Psalm 10. vers 1. WHy standest thou so far off O Lord and hidest thy face in the needfull time of trouble Psal. 3 v. 1 2 3. Lord how are they increased that trouble us many are they that rise up against us Many one there be that say of our soules there is no help for them in their God But thou O Lord art our desender thou art our worship and the lifâ—…r up of our heads Ier. 10. 24. Correct us O Lord and yet in thy judgement not in thy fury least we should be consumed and brought to nothing Psal. 130. 3. If thou Lord wilt be extream to mark what is done amiss O Lord who may abide it O come let us worship let us humble our selves let us fall low and kneel before the Lord our Maker Then this generall Confession to be said all kneeling O Thou Judge eternall we the finfullest of all the sons of Men that have abused thy Mercies provoked thy judgments unsheathed thy glittering sword forced all the Arrows and Darts out of thy Quiver and with our multiplied abominable crying sins brought down a desolation on a most pleasant land that former delight of thine the glory of all lands We that after thy wrath was poured out upon us have yet further encreased our sinns as thou hast encreased the weight and number of thy Judgments upon us walked most unprofitably and obdurately under all thy disciplines and visiâ—…ations suffered all thy pretious methods of reducing us thine admonitions and thy stripes to be utterly lost and frustrate among us brought down a blast and mildew upon all that hath been undertaken to repaire our breaches and reduce our Peace We do now at length in thâ—… remorse and bitterness of our soules desire to cast our selves down upon the ground before thee to confess and acknowledge thy patience and Long suffering that we have not been under the sharpest of thy displeasure and to adore thy goodness whatsoever becomes of us though it be in the shame and confusion and Condemnation both of our bodies and our soules Lord this is the mildest that we have reason to expect from thy Iustice in retribution to our sins and whatsoever is less then this whatsoever the bitternesse of our â—…up 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 poâ—…ion number us all to the sword poure out thy fire and brimstone upon us Yet if by thus chastizing of us here thou please to rescue us from that sadder doome 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 professe 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 thee Lord that it may yet be thy good pleasure to come home to every one of our soules to strike our hearts to break up these fallow grounds of ours that all thy pretious seed be no longer so cast away among thorns And by the power of thy mighty controwling convincing spirit that thou wouldest once subdue all the resistances of our spirits against this most holy most reasonable motion of humiliation within us Lord this is the one earnest desire of our soules that hath cast us low this day before thy footstoole with cryes and tears and earnest groans that thou wouldest have this mercy upon us that thou wouldest thus powerfully reveale thy self unto us who hast thus long smitten importunatly called unto us That being returned unto thee in fasting weeping and mourning and renting of our hearts we might be capable of thy returns unto 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 pâ—…ce to praise that Majesty 〈◊〉 hath not cast out our Prayer nor turned his mercy from us To whom be all honour and glory power 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 sinned with our fore-fathers We our Kings and our Priests our Nobles and all the People of this Land and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and thy judgements By our impious and godlesse thoughts of thee our confidences in the arme of flesh by placing our affections too much upon earthly things by neglecting to love aâ—…d delight in thee by presuming of thy meâ—… and yet continuing in 〈◊〉 we have provoked and râ—…ed 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 awfulnesse 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 righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By vain and rash Oaths Blasphemies and Perâ—…uries especially our carelesse breaches of Oathes made to our Soveraigns forgetting that such are the Oaths of God and that thou thy self in a more especial 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 righteousnesse belongs unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day By our undervaluing thy publique Service and neglecting to bear a part in it by mispending of that time either there or elsewhere in wanton or worldly thoughts and
advantages And though thou hast now violently removed thy Tabernacle yet O Lord let not one pin of it be lost But erect it again amongst us in the wonted order and beauty for thy goodnesse sake for thy merâ—… sake for thy Son Christ Iesus sake â—…ur onely Lord and Saviour Amen O Lord which dost teach us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth send thy holy Ghost poure into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity the very bond of peace and all virtues without whicâ—… whosoever liveth is counted deaâ—… before thee Grant this for thine onely Son Jesus Christ's sake The Conclusion THe Almighty Lord which is a most strong tower to allâ—… them that put their trust in him to whom all things in Heaven iâ—… earth and under the earth doâ—… bow and obey be now and evermore our defence The defence of this afflicted Church The defence of these diâ—…cted Realmes The defence of all â—…ch who do or suffer for the testimony â—…f a good Conscience The defence of â—…e blessed and holy offices of our Moâ—…r the â—…hurch The defence of this â—…nd all other congregations that meet â—…gether in thy holy fear The defence 〈◊〉 our dear relations both at home â—…nd abroad The defence of our â—…n persons The defence of our souls â—…dies and estates And make us all to know and â—…el that there is no other name â—…nder heaven given unto man 〈◊〉 whom and through whom we â—…ay receive re-establishment in our â—…eligion restauration of our Liâ—…rties reconciliation with thee â—…r God together with peace and â—…fety among men felicity here â—…d salvation hereafter but oneâ—… the name of our Lord Iesus â—…rist To whom with theâ—… O Father and the blessed spirit 〈◊〉 ascribed as iâ—… most due all Hâ—… nour and Glory Praise Might Majesty Dominioâ—… and Adoration of all Aâ—…gels of all Men and of 〈◊〉 Creatures now and for 〈◊〉 Amen Amen A FORME OF Prayer FOR the Thirtieth of Ianuary A form of Prayer for the 30th of January Preface to be read standing 1. RIghteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talke with thee of thy judgments whereâ—…ore doth the way of the wicked â—…rosper wherefore are all they â—…appy that deal very treacherâ—…usly 2. Thou bast planted them yea â—…ey grow and bring forth fruit â—…ou art neare in their lips and â—…rre from their reines whereâ—…re holdest thou thy tongue â—…ile the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous thâ—…â—…e 3. They have condemned anâ—… killed the Just and he doth noâ—… refist them 4. They make a man an offendâ—… for a word and lay snares for him that reproâ—…eth thâ—…m in the gate 〈◊〉 turn aside the Iust for a thing of nought 5. They say let us lay wâ—… for blood let us lurke privily foâ—… the Innocent blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cause we shall findâ—… 〈◊〉 substance we shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…es with spoile 6. Wherefore they 〈◊〉 their Net and burn Iucense 〈◊〉 their Drâ—…gg because by it theiâ—… pâ—…tion is fat and their â—…eat plenâ—…â—…s 7. Art not thou from everlasting my Lord my God my holy one O Lord thou hast 〈◊〉 them for Judgment 〈◊〉 mighty God thou hast establiâ—…ed them for Correction 8. But thougâ—… the righteous be prevented by death yet shall he be at rest 9. For his soule pleased the Lord therefore he hath hasted to take him from among the wicked 10. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die and their departure is taken for misery and their going from us for utter destruction but they are in peace 11. For though they be punished in the sight of men yet is their reward full of immortality 12. And after a little chastenlug they shall be greatly rewarded for God hath proved them and found them worthy for himself 13. As Gold in the fire hath he tried them and received them as a burnt offering 14. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them 15. For if we have been planted with him in the likenesse of his death we shall also be in the likenesse of his resurrection 16. O our God we are ashamed and blush to lift up our faces to thee for our iniquities are increased over our beads and our trespasse is gone up to Heaven since the dayes of our Fathers have we been in a great trespasse unto this day and for our Iniquities have we our Kings and our Priests been delivered to the sword to captivity to a spoil and to confusion of face as it is this day 17. What shall we say or how shall we clear our selves God hath found out the Iniquity of his Servants We have transgressed and rebelled thou hast not pardoned 18. Thou hast covered with anger and persecuted us thou hast slain and not pittied 19. The Lord hath kindled a fire in Zion and it hath devoured the foundations thereof 20. For the sins of her Prophets and her Priests that have shed the blood of the Iust in the midst of her 21. And now O Lord thou art most Just in all that is come upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly 22. Behold we are before thee in our trespasse for we cannot stand before thee because of this 23. O Lord though our iniquities testifie against us yet do thou it for thy names sake for we have sinned against thee 24. Be not wrath very sore neither remember iniquity for ever 25. Be mercifull O Lord to thy people whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood to the charge of thy people 26. Deliver us from bloud-guiltiness thou God of our health and our tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen O come let us worship let us bumble our selves let us fall low and kneel before the Lord our Maker Then this General Confession to be said All kneeling OThou Judge Eternall we the sinfullest of all the sons of men that have abused thy Mercies provoked thy Judgements unsheathed thy glittering Sword forced all the Arrows and Darts of thy Quiver and with our multiplied abominable crying sins brought down a desolation on a most pleasant Land that former delight of thine the glory of all Lands We that after thy wrath was poured out upon us have yet further encreased our sins as thou hast encreased the weight and number of thy Judgements upon us walked most unprofitably and obdurately under all thy disciplines and visitations suffered all thy pretious methods of reducing us thine admonitions and thy â—…ripes to be utterly lost and â—…ate amongst us brought down a blast mildew upon all that has been undertaken to repair our breaches reduce our peace We do now at length in the remorse and bitterness of our souls desire to cast our selves down upon the ground before thee to
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
successefull on these thy gasping forlorn patients that thy great work of recovery and change the cleansing of our polluted leprous souls may be effectually wrought upon us by this hand of thine Lord save us from these sad effects by a powerfull removall of the Cause or else we certainly perish To this end O Lord we resigne our selves up to thy divine Methods be they the sharpest that thou seest necessary to dispense to us we desire to embrace them cheerfully and not to interpose any thought of ours in contradiction to thy most safe most medicinable prescriptions It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good not ours but thy sacred will be done Be it unto us according to thy good pleasure In the mean time Lord permit us to intercede for others that are not worthy to pray for our selves O let the sorrowfull sighing of the poore of the oppressed and there is no Comforter let the black gloomy Calamities that are fallen upon him that is more worth then ten thousand of us come before thee Let thy Protection still continue unto him if it be thy sacred Will Thy Host of guardian Angels that once appeared in the Mount the Horses and Charriots round about Elisha environ and surround that sacred Head and by thine own wayes and means and in thine own season restore him with out the effusion of any more blood to his Fathers Crown Thron And Lord that it might yet be an acceptable time a season wherein thou mightest be accessible to our Prayers which we offer up in great Humility for thy poore wasted disconsolate Church amongst us That thou wouldest repair her breaches restore her dayes as of old that thou wouldest arise and have mercy upon Sion and Compassionate to see her in the Dust Lord where is thy Pitty And the sounding of the Bowels thy zeale to the place where thy rest dwelleth Will the Lord absent himself for ever And will he be no more entreated Are his mercies clean gone for ever and his promises come utterly to an end for evermore Lord remember thy old loving kindnesses which thou swarest unto David in thy truth Arise O Lord and come into thy Rest thou and the Ark of thy strength But if these Calamities and Desolations must still go on and advance to the height of an irremediable ruine yet O Lord intermix thy sweet and Comfortable Allays with this bitter Cup Take us into thine immediate hand of Protection and Guidance sanctifie all thy methods unto us and by the same omnipotent work whereby thou bringest a most glorious light out of the blackest darknesse be pleased to produce all thy Divinest good things out of the saddest evils and if it may yet be thy blessed will to work the same work by the return of thy Mercies which the continuance of thy punishments is wont to be assigned for And Lord receive us all under the safe guard of thy Divine Presence the pillar of fire and Cloud to cover and direct us That in every turn of thy hand we may see and admire thy glorious and gracious Disposals and by the happy experience that even this also is to us for good we may be for ever engaged to ascribe unto thee all Honour and Glory and render unto thee the uniform obedience of our hearts world without end Amen Amen VIII O Most gracious Lord God the Creator of all things but of men and all mankinde a tender Compassionate Father in Jesus Christ Thou that hast enlarged thy designes and purposes of Grace and mercy as the Bowels and blood-shedding of thy Son with an earnest desire that every weak or sinfull man should partake of that Abiss that infinite treasure of thy Bounty Thou that hast bequeathed unto us that Legacy and Example of a sacred inviolable Peace a large diffusive Charity we meekly beseech thee to overshadow with thy heavenly grace the souls of all men over all the world O Lord thou lover of soules to bring home to the acknowledgment and embraces of thy Son all that are yet strangers to that profession and in whatsoever any of us who have already received that mercy from thee may be any way usefull or instrumentall to that so glorious an end to direct and encline our hearts towards it to work in us all an holy zeale to thy Name and tender Bowels to all those whose eternity is concern'd in it O give us a true serious full comprehension and value of that one great Interest of others as well as of our selvâ—… shew us the meanest of us some way to contribute towards it if it be but our daily affectionate Prayers for the enlarging of thy Kingdome and the care of approving all our Actions so as may most effectually attract all others to this profession And for all those that have already that glorious name of thy Son called upon them blessed Lord that they may at length according to the many Engagements of their profession depart from iniquity That that holy City that new Ierusalem may at length according to thy promise descend from Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Christ That that Tabernacle of God with men may be illustriously visible among us that we may be a peculiar People and thou inhabiting in power among us That we which have so long professed thee may no longer be content with that form of knowledge which so often engenders strife contentions animosities separating from and condemning one another and that most unchristian detestable guilt of blood but endeavour and earnestly contend for the uniform effectuall practise of all the precepts of thy Son the Fruit and Power of Godlinesse That all the People and Princes of Christendom the Pastors and Sheep of thy fold may at length in some degree walk worthy of that light and warmth that knowledge of those graces that the Sun of righteousness with healing on his wings hath so long poured out upon us Lord purge and powerfully work out of all our hearts that prophanenesse and Atheisticalnesse those sacrilegious thirsts and enormous violations of all that is holy those Unpeaceable Rebellious Mutinous and withall Tyrannizing cruell spirits those prides and haughtinesses judgeing and condemning defaming and despising of others those unlimited ambitions and covetings joyned with the Invasion violation of others rights those most reproachfull excesses and abominable impurities which to the shame of our unreformed obdurate hearts do still remain unmortified unsubdued among us but above all those infamous Hypocrisies of stiborning Religion to be the Engine of advancing our secular designes or the disguise to conceale the foulest intentions of bringing down that most sacred name whereby we should be saved to be the vilest instrument of all Carnalities And by the power of thy controwling Spirit Lord humble and subdue all that exalts it self against the obedience of Christ And when thou hast cast out so many evill spirits be thou pleased thy self to possesse and enrich our souls to
them 〈◊〉 their own way But be thou gratiously pleased to look after â—…hem and when thou hast found them give them a ready willingness to accept of thy shoulders and to be carried â—…ome With thee there is Balm for their wounded consciences and in thy side there is oyl for for their broken hearts Let thy staff O Lord be a support to the weak and let thy rod instruct and correct the refractory And so bless them all in their bodies in their souls in their Estates both with thy temporall and spirituall mercies that here in this life they may live in Love Peace Plenty and all Godliness that so in the Life Eternall they may be made joynt Partakers of Glory and raign for ever with the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world To whom be all honour and glory power and praise from this time forth and for evermore Amen The Peoples Prayer for the Minister O Lord God who of thy mercy hast bestowed upon us Preachers of Righteousnesse and who for our benefit hast appointed the Priests lips to preserve knowledge O Lord Jesu Christ who hast sent labourers into thy Vineyard to dress and trim it and there to reach us fruit from the Tree of life O holy and blessed Spirit who satest in the likenesse of fiery tongues upon the Apostles to inspire thy Church and of whose gift it is that a succession of Ministers is continued among us even to this day O holy blessed and glorious Trinity let me never but be thankfull to thee for all these thy Gifts Preserve me by thy Grace that I may never be of the number of those who love to strive with the Priest And that I may at no time deserve to be struck blind with the dust from a Disciples feet Keep me from â—…surping upon the Ministers Office from defrauding him of his right from maligning his person from calumniating his Doctrine and from abhorring to be reproved by him But grant Lord that I may readily hear and embrace the Message that thou art pleased to send by him be it of mercy or of judgement alwayes saying with old Eli It is the Lord let him do what seemeth best in his own eyes And here among many other thy servants who wait upon thâ—… at thine Altar bless Lord more particularly that servant of thine to whom thou hast committed the charge of my soul. O never let him sooth and flatter it but as I give him occasion let him discipline and correct it Give him Grace and Courage to speak boldly in the name of Jesu And since thou art delighted with those that tremble at thy Word Lord make me one of their number that thou mayst delight in me Let me never stop mine ears nor withdraw my self from hearing thy servant who speaks home to my conscience But when he shall have wounded mine heart with the sword of thy Spirit O give him power and wisdom to pour as well oyle as vinegar into those happy wounds Lastly Grant Lord I beseech â—…e that he by whose prayers â—…nd instructions thou art graâ—…ously pleased to advance my spirituall good may by thy grace and favour be protected by thy Providence assisted by thy great mercies comforted and relieved in all his necessities bodily and ghostly And let me never but thus pray for him who in discharge of his duty both prays and weeps for me Lord grant him deliverance from unreasonable and wicked men who with so much danger to himself endeavours to preserve me from the power of the Devil That so at last both Priest and People the Minister and his Congregation the Shepheard and the whole Flock may walk hand in hand to heaven and be joyfully translated from the Church militant here to the Church triumphant above through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen Another O Most gracious Lord God who hast promised to heaâ—… the Prayers of others for us and our Prayers for others but both theirs and ours through the powerfull intercession of thy Son Grant I beseech thee that I may reap benefit by the Prayers of all such who are charitably mindfull of recommending me and my necessities to the Throne of Grace Particularly touch both the heart and tongue of thy Servant with a coal from thine Altar give him zeal and intention in all his Devotions And since we are taught by thy holy Spirit that the effectual servent Prayer of a Righteous man availeth much grant him Lord to be Righteous in all his ways Faithfull in his Calling and a sincere Example of holy life and godly Conversation That so those Prayers which he offers up for my self and others may be the more acceptable in thy sight and be the sooner graciously answered with thy Benediction and Blessing both upon our bodies and souls and all for the precious blood-sheddings sake of thy beloved Son and our blessed Mediator Jesus Christ Amen Psalms for pardon of sins Psalm 6. 25. 32. 38. 51. 10â—… 130. 143. For Protection from our Enemies and from the punishment of sins Psalm 3. 7. 9. 10. 11. 13. 17. 27. 31. 35. 54. 56. 57. 141. For the Church and all faithfull People Psal. 53. 74. 79. 80. 94. 137. For the King Psalm 21. 61. 89. 132. For Peace 46. 122. 133. In time of Persecution and publick Calamity Psalm 52. 64. 73. 61. 142. 120. In time of War 43. 144. Lessons IUdgments upon Rebellion 2 Sam. 18. Saint Iudea Numb 16. Epist. Idgements upâ—… Tyrants and â—…lse Prophets Mic. 3. Mat. 7. 23. Mar. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 3. The Iudgement of reâ—…ving the Candleâ—…ick and threats of it 1 Sam. 4. Mat. 21. Ezek. 3. Rev. 2. Threats against Disobedience and Promises to the Obedient Deut. 28. Luke 6. Joshua 23. sa 59. Jer. 5. Lamentation for Iudgeâ—…ent on a â—…nd Lam. 1 2 3 4 5. Mat. 20. Isa. 64. Luke 13. Jerem. 4. 9. Baruch 2. 3. 2 Esdras 3. 4. Exhortation to Repentance and Faith Deut. 4 6 8 11. Mat. 6. Isaiah 58. Hosea 4 6. Exhortaion to Fasting and Obedience Joel 2. Jonah 3. Jerem. 〈◊〉 3 7 6. Examples for patient sufferings and Exhortations thereto 2 Sam. 15. Heb. 12. 2 Mac. 6 7. 1 Pet. 〈◊〉 3 4. Jam. 4 5. Temporary Prosperity and Eternall Punishment of the wicked Job 21. Jer. 12. Act. 12. Habbac 1. Mal. 3. Wisdom 5. Persecution of the Church Exod. 5. Revel 12 13. Comforts to the Penitent and Holy Ezek. 9. Mat. 5. Revel 7. Some Prayers for the King and Church c. heretofore printed A Prayer for the King O Lord God who hast commanded us to pray for Kings and all that be in Authority that under them we â—…ay lead a quiet and peaceable â—…fe in all godliness and honesty â—…esse thy Servant our King â—…at he may use that Sword â—…ou hast put into his hands for â—…e protection and reward of â—…he good and the punishment â—…f them that do evill and give grace unto us and all other his Subjects to fear reverence
make him great put a stop at last to the madnesse of the people say to the destroying Sword it is now enough send us a seasonable and quiet calm visit us with the joy of thy Countenance and make us glad according to the dayes wherein thou hast afflicted us O restore to us our solemn Assemblies bring us back into thy Courts to praise thee and let us once more worship thee in the beauty of thy holinesse Save us O Lord from our Enemies and from the hands of all that hate us That so we may serve thee without fear living a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty looking for the blessed appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. To whom with thee and the holy Spirit be all honour and praise world without end AMEN A Prayer for preservation from the Enemy O Eternall God and most mercifull Father we humbly beseech thâ—… to be mercifull unto us and in the Riches of thy unspeakable mercies be near to help and succour us in all those extremities which our sins threaten to bring upon us The Rebellious are strengthned against us by our multiplied Rebellions against thee and we deserve to suffer what our Enemies threaten even suddain surprizall and destruction to desolation But there is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared and there is mercy with thee that they may not be fearâ—… Shew us therefore thy merâ—…y O Lord and let us so fear â—…ee that we may be never forâ—…d to feel or fear them And â—…hen thou wilt correct us for â—…ur sins O Lord in judgement â—…emember mercy and let us â—…all into thy hands and not into the hands of men let us fall â—…to thy hands and not into â—…he hands of ungracious and â—…godly men into thy hands â—…nd not into the hands of sacriâ—…gious and seditious men into thy mercifull hands and not into the cruell hands of thine and our enemies even for Jesus Christs sake our only Mediator and Redeemer AMEN A Confession of Sins and Prayer for Pardon O Lord of heaven and earth God of the spirits of all flesh we a most sinfull and therefore now a most miserable People do in the bitternesse of our afflicted Souls humbly fall down at the foot-stool of thy grace most sadly bewailing our many and most hainous sins We have multiplied our iniquities into a violation of thy whole Law having neither performed to thee our God nor to man the duties thou requirest of us so that by onr wicked works we have denied that most holy faith whereof our Mouths have for so long a time made profession These things O Lord have we done and because in goodnesse thou wert pleased to â—…eep silence how many of us have thought wickedly that thou â—…ert altogether such an one as â—…ur selves which either didst approve or at least wouldst not punish the Crimes that we doâ—…ed on And now in thy just judgments thou hast set our sins in order before our eyes in the continued scourge of this â—…sting Rebellion we may well perceive that the sins we have done have not been barely infirmities but Rebellions against thee In the Rapines acted upon the substance thou hast given 〈◊〉 we cannot but consider that by Oaths and Blasphemies we have robbed thee of thine Honour and have oft-times stollen much of that precious time which should have been spent in thy service Nay we have added sin to sin so that one Crime hath brought forth another Transgression and thou hast shewed us even this in thy Judgâ—… ments we now feel in that thâ—… present War hath brought forth an infectious disease and dotâ—… now threaten famine to us We confesse O Lord with all thankfulnesse of heart that thou hast been pleased to sweeten the bitterness of this Cup by many strange successes by frequent and unexpected Victories and yet thou hast so allayed each favour of thine hand with the mixture of some sudden crosse that herein thou hast set our Repentance too before the sight of our eyes and lets us see 't is mixt with so much coldnesse Hypocrisie that there may be as much guilt in such a kind of Repentance as before there was in our sins Yet return O God in great mercy return unto the many thousands of thy people do thou accept and increase in our hearts detestatioÌ„ of all wickedness that our sorrows for sin may be as compleatly perfect 〈◊〉 we desire thou shouldst make â—…ur Peace and that for times â—…ereafter our hearty observance of thy whole Law may still run along with such sorrows O let â—…ot thy scourge end in a desolation nor thine anger go on unto the height of an everlasting mine But hear us mercifull Father hasten the aversion of these thy sharp judgements from us and let not the noise of this accursed Rebellion be any longer heard in our streets Scatter thou the People that delight in War and let the blessing of Peace be upon the Heads of all those who strive and pray for this blessing and that for his sake by whose hand thou givest every blessing Jesus-Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer for the KING O Lord God infinite 〈◊〉 power by whom thâ—… thrones of Kings are established and their Persons made sacred Take we beseech thee into thy immediate and divine protection thine Anointed Servant the King that no Sacrilegious prophane hand come near to touch him in all his wayes let thy Spirit guide him and thy holy Angels pitch their Tâ—…s about him Comfort him in his troubles defend him in his dangers support him in his Cause blesse him in the confusion of all those that rise up against him shew some token on him even now O God when the Sons of Violence are in the highest of their Pride when they have joyned Nation â—…o Nation Covenant to Covenant and Army to Army to â—…ull down him whom thou â—…ast exalted and to Root out â—…hat Religion which thine own â—…ght hand hath planted Deâ—…t their purposes O thou preserver of men and let not their mischievous imaginations â—…ny longer prosper but blast â—…ll their Counsells wither away their Armies like grasse â—…orched by the Sun bow down a last their stiff necks and obdurate hearts to a desire of that Peace which hath so long been 〈◊〉 abomination to them That this miserable Nation may no further pursue their own Ruine â—…d take pleasure in shedding their own blood but being by so many bitter punishments made sensible of thy Anger for this unnaturall division may at last be reduced within their first obedience to the glory of thy Name the vindication of oâ—… defamed Religion the joy 〈◊〉 our afflicted King and the hapâ—… pinesse of this yet bleedinâ—… Kingdom And confirm all thâ—… to us O Lord by the merits and through the mediation oâ—… thine own dear Son Jesus Chrisâ—… our Lord Amen A Prayer for the preservation of the University and City of Oxford O Almighty God who are the only sure
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
government O let the wickednesse of the wicked come to an end but guide thou the just Give O Lord rest from our fears 〈◊〉 from our sorrows and from â—…he oppressions under which we â—…n Let thine hand O Lord 〈◊〉 â—…own towards thy servants â—…nd thine indignation towards â—…hine and the Kings Enemies 〈◊〉 down O Lord from heaâ—… and behold from the habiâ—…tion of thy holinesse and of thy glory restraine not we beâ—… thee thy zeale nor thy strength nor the soundings of thy Bowels and of thy Mercies â—…rds us Heare us O Lord 〈◊〉 King of Heaven when we câ—…l upon thee and grant our 〈◊〉 and that for Jesus Christ sake our onely Lord and Saviour Amen IV. BLessed Lord in whose fight the death of thy Saints 〈◊〉 most precious we magnifie thy name for those wonderfull 〈◊〉 â—…ions of thy Grace on our 〈◊〉 Martyred Soveraigne which enabled him so happily to transcribe the Copy of his blessed Master in a Constant Meek suffering of all barbarous indignitiâ—… and at last resisting even 〈◊〉 blood and even then pursuiâ—… that glorious Pattern and praâ—…ing for his Murtherers Let 〈◊〉 Memory O Lord be ever bleâ—… among us and his example efficacious upon us that we may follow him as he follow'd Christ And O Lord we beseech thee let not his blood out-cry hiâ—… Prayers but let those that spilt the one obtain benefit by the other that by their Conviction and Repentance his Innocency may receive the happiest attestation our Religion be vindicated from the scandall of so horrid a fact our Nation secured from the vengeance of that blood and thy mercy glorified in the Conversion of so great sinners and all for Jesus Christ his sake Amen V. O Just and Righteous Judge who didst once for the inquity of thy People Israel give up thy Ark into the hands of the Philistines We thy sinfull Creatures that are now under as great a degree both of guilt and punishment doe here cast our selves down before thee acknowledging that we are not worthy any longer to retain the honour of Christian Profession that have so long defamed it by enormous Practises and that we who loved darknesse more then light deserve to have our Candlestick removed and to be given up to that â—…undation of Atheism and Prophanenesse which now invades this gasping Church yet O Lord deale not with us after our sins but turn thee again thou Lord of Hosts look down from heaven behold and visite this Vine do not abhor us for thy names-sake do not disgrace the Throne of thy Glory Behold see we beseech thee we are all thy People though a rebellious and stiff-necked generation yet thy name is called upon us leave us not neither forsake us O Lord God of our salvation but though thou feed us with bread of Adversity and water of Affliction yet let not our Teachers be removed into a corner but let our eyes see our Teachers let not Sion complain that she hath none to lead her by the hand among all the Sons that she hath brought up but provide her such supports in this her declining Condition that she may have a seed and Remnant left And in what degree soever thou shalt permit this storm to encrease upon this poor Church be pleased proportionably to fortifie and confirm all those that are Members of it that no one may be shaken or moved with these Afflictions nor pervert that glorious advantage of suffering for thee into an occasion of Apostatizing from thee But that we may all run with patience the race that is set before us and cheerfully partake of the Afflictions of the Gospel that in suffering for Christ here we may reign with him for ever hereafter and all for Jesus Christ his sake our onely Lord and Saviour Amen O Lord guard the Person of thy Servant the King Who putteth his trust in thee Send him help from thy holy Place And evermore mightily defend him Confound the designes of all those that are risen up against him And let not their rebellious wickednesse approach near to hurt him Let the Curse of Saul light upon the endeavours of those men who contrive or Imagine mischief for him And let the blessings of David remaine upon his Head and upon his Seed for evermore O Lord hear our Prayer And let our Cry come unto thee VI. O Lord God of Hosts who didst deliver David thy servant from the perill of the Sword Hear us we beseech thee most miserable sinners who do here poure out our souls before thee intirely desiring the protection of thy hand upon thy Servant the King let him finde safety under the shadow of thy wings and preserve his Person as the Apple of thine own Eye Suffer not that Sword which thou hast put into his Hands to be wrested out by the hand of man but blesse his Counsels with successe and his enterprises with Victory that he may become a terrour to all those that oppose him and as the dew of the latter rain upon the hearts of all those that do still continue loyall to him And O thou that takest no delight in the misery of one single sinner spare mercifull Lord spare a great though most sinfull Nation pitty a despised Church and a distracted State heale those wounds which our sins have made so wide that none but thine own hands can close them and in the tendernesse of thine unspeakable compassion hasten to put so happy an end to these wasting Divisions that thy service may be more duly celebrated thine Anointed more conscienciously obeyed that the Church may be restored to a true Christian Unity and the Kingdome to its former Peace And that for his sake who is the Prince of peace and that shed his precious blood to purchase our peace even Jesus Christ the righteous to whom with theâ—… O Father and the blessed spirit be all Honour and Glory world without end Amen VI. O Thou most mighty Creator and wise Governour of all that hast for our sins and provocations given us to drink of a most bitter astonishing cup and demonstrated by thy late proceedings with us how inexorable thou art towards us who have been so obstinate and obdurate toward thee that would not hear in that our Day the things belonging to our peace and now they are hid from our eyes We those wretched Creatures of thine do yet desire to adore and prostrate our soules before thee to put our hands upon our mouthes and our mouths into the Dust and acknowledge all Honour and Glory to be due unto thee whatsoever becomes of us Though to these amazing Calamities thou shouldest yet super-add thy fire and Brimstone from Heaven and all the horrors of astonished hearts and the eternal Worm and Flames the due portion of the damned in Hell O Lord thou art most just in all thy judgments and infinitely merciful that we live to call upon thee this day O that these sharp last necessary methods of thine may at length prove
say with all Christian submission and cheerfulness It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And here O Lord we offer unto thee all possible praise and thanks for all the Glory of thy Grace that hath shined forth in thine Anointed our 〈◊〉 Soveraign and that thou wert pleased to own him this Day especially in the midst of his Enemies and in the hour of death and to endue him with such eminent Patience Meckness Humility Charity and all other Christian Virtues according to the example of thine own Son suffering the sury of his and thine Enemies for the preservation of thy Church and People We Praise thee also for the Courage and Comfort thou hast given unto us of his Party by that owning and assisting him or any that have suffered in that Righteous Cause And we beseech thee give us all grace to Remember and provide for our latter end by a Careful studious imitation of those blessed patterns of thy Saints and Martyrs that have gone before us that we may be made worthy to Receive benefit by their prayers which they in Communion with thy Church Catholick offer up unto thee for that part of it here Militant and yet in sight with and danger from the flesh that following the blessed stepps of their holy Lives and Deaths we may also shew forth the Light of a good example for the Glory of thy Name the Conversion of Enemies and the improvement of those Generations we shall shortly leave behind us and then with all those that have born the Heat and burthen of the day thy Servant whose Sufferings and Labours we this day commemorate receive the Reward of our Labours the Harvest of our Hopes even the Salvation of our own souls and that for the merits and through the mediation of thy Son our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ Amen An Aninversary Prayer for the Thirtieth of Ianuary O Most mightie God terrible in thy judgements and wonderfull in thy doings towards the Children of Men Who in thy heavie displeasure hast suffered this day that execrable thing to be done among Us which We cannot mention without horror nor remember without astonishment We thy poor afflicted Creatures 〈◊〉 dejected looks and bleeding hearts humblie confesse in the behalf of all the people of this wretched land that our crying sins have â—…en the Cause that the Crown is thâ—… fallen from our head and an innocent King given up to the rage of cruell and bloudie men But O Gracious God lay not the guilt of this bloud the shedding of which none but thy blood can expiâ—…e lay it not on the whole Nation for thou hast yet a remnant among Us who having neither hands nor â—…earts defiled with it do still mourn in secret and bewail the committing of that fact which heaven and earth â—…ors But if thy justice must be satisfied Let the thunder of it light upon their heads and theirs alone who â—…ot only contrived and acted so foul a murther but are as yet so far from being touched with any remorse or repentance for it that they justifie their sin and in an high blaspheâ—…ie pretend thy Name and Glorie for all that they have done Lord in thy good time consider â—…is Consider not only what they â—…ve done to that royall Martyr who 〈◊〉 raignes with thee in Glorie But with what eagernesse they have since pursued him To whom Thou hast given the Crown saying with those wicked Husbandmen This is the Heir let us kill him that the Inheritance may be Ours But O mercifull God let not this wicked imagination of theirs ever take effect but set thy watchfull Providence as a continual fence about him shew some token on him for good even now O Lord when they have swallowed him up in the pride of their strength and think they have made their hill so strong that thy can never be moved This is thine hour O Lord this is thy time Now shew thy self O Thâ—… who art the Iudge of the Wâ—… 〈◊〉 judge equally between hiâ—… and those sons of Belial Thou seest thy Church is laid waste thy People oppressed thine Anointed cast out as an unprofitable Branch his Armies overthrown 〈◊〉 Friends ruined his Enemies mighty his Hope 's vanished and all human remedies consumed But Thou art the same God that fittest between the Cherubims be the Earth never so unquiet Hear Us therefore in the midst of our confusions Restore to Us the light of our eyes the King whom thou hast given Us. Be from henceforth his Guide and his Counsel and his mighty Deliverer and never leave him till Thou hast made the Stone which those Builders have set at nought the head-stone of the Corner That We may evermore rejoyce in the felicitie of thy Chosen and falling down before thine Altars give thanks to Thee in the great Congregation Grant this O God for his sake that pleads for Us even Iesus Christ the righteous Amen Prayers OF Intercession FOR The use of such as Mourn in Secret for the Publike Calamities of these Nations London Printed by Tho. Mabb 1660. Lessons appointed to be read on this Occasion Psalm 80. 90. 102. Nehem. 9. 2 Chron. 13. Judges 9. Ezra 9. 2. Sam. 15. 16. 17. 18. 20. Ezek. 9. 22. Numb 16. Isaiah 22. Rom. 13. Amos 4. Iames 5. 1 Pet. 2. Joel 2. 1 Thes. 5. A Preparatory Prayer O Lord I find in that Book of thine which cannot deceive me That the oftner thy servant Abraham prayed the more he got ground upon Thee and came at last to that holy Confidence as not only to Pray to Thee for Himself but to be importunate and press thee in the behalf of others Lord I confess my Case is different For Abraham was the Father of the Faithfull But I am not worthy to be reckoned among his Children He had the Honour to be called thy Friend but My sins have been such that unless Thy Mercy intercede may make thee look upon me as thine Enemy He prayed to Thee for a People of whose sins he was not Partaker But my address is to Thee for them in whose iniquities I am involved have some way or other deeply contributed to the hastning and bringing down those terrible Judgements of Thine which now lie so heavie on us So that alas I am unworthy to appear before Thee for My self and how shall I then dare to supplicate Thee for Others O that there were a Moses to stand in the Gap to turn away thy wrathfull Indignation from us O that there were a David a Daniel a Ieremy to pour out their souls before Thee Yet hear Me O my God For though these Holy Saints have now no being upon Earth Yet their Prayers remain upon Record for every soul that mourns in Secret to make use of O Holy and Blessed Spirit kindle but the same Fervency in my Heart while I repeat their Words as was in Them And I know I shall be Heard I. King David's Prayer for the Church and People
for thy Son Iesus sake O Lord hear my Prayers and let my cry come unto thee O Lord pardon my prayers and let not my sins and mine unworthinesse interpose between thy Mercy-seat and me Amen A Prayer for the Church ALmighty and Everlasting God who only workest great marvells shew the express of thy Goodness to thy desolate and persecuted Church that now sits mourning in her dust and Ruines torn by Schism and stripped and spoiled by Sacriledge And thou which after a long Captivity didst bring back thy People to re-build their Temple Look upon us with the same eyes of Mercy restore to us once again the Publike Worship of thy Name the Reverend Administration of thy Sacraments Raise up the former Government of Church and State That we may no longer 〈◊〉 without King without I rieâ—… without God in the World But may once more enter thy Courts with Praise and serve thee with that Reverence that Unity and Order as may be acceptable in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer for the Queen Mother and the Royall Progeny ALmighty God the Fountain of all Goodnesse we humbly beseech thee to be gracious to the Queen Mother to comfort her in her Afflictions and to direct her wayes and Counsells as may most conduce to the setling of her Posterity here in Peace Enlarge thy Blessings upon all the Royall Family those that 〈◊〉 driven to fly for Refuge into â—…rraign Lands Take them 〈◊〉 into thy care cover them â—…der thy wings and in thy due time make them so many instruments of thy Glory and our Happiness through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer for the Afflicted O Lord God Mercifull gracious the only Sanctuary and Refuge of all that are in Misery and Trouble Hear I beseech thee the groans and cries of all that are Afflicted outwardly or inwardly either in body or Mind Especially such who suffer in a Righteous Cause whose loyalty hath been more dear to them then their Fortunes and a good Conscience more precious then their Lives consideâ—… them O God in their severaâ—… Extremities whether at homâ—… or abroad comfort them 〈◊〉 their Distresses supply them iâ—… their Wants Let the sorrowfull sighing oâ—… all that are oppressed come before thee and by the Greatnesse of thy Power preservâ—… thou them that are appointed to die Convert and soften the hard hearts of their implacable Enemies and asswage their thirst of blood which still cries more and more Or if thou otherwise hast decreed to bring any more of us through this Red Sea into the Land of Promise prepare us for this passage and guide us by thy blessed Spirit through the shadows of death Continue our Christian courage and constancy to the uttermost strengthen our Faith confirm our Hope and let our Charity â—…erflow even to the forgiving 〈◊〉 them by whose unjust Senâ—…e we perish That so dyâ—…g in thy Peace we may enter â—…to the Joyes prepared for us â—…rough the Mediation of our saviour who hath gone the same â—…y before us even Jesus Christ the Righteous Amen An humble and submissive 〈◊〉 postulation with God when 〈◊〉 Orthodox and loyall Clergy weâ—… so mercilâ—…y silenced by that blouâ—… Uâ—…rper who by Proclamatioâ—… forbid them either to preach or 〈◊〉 publickly in Churches or privaâ—… ly in Families not suffering thâ—… so much as to teach School O That thou wouldst heaâ—… me O God that thoâ—… wouldst hear me once more whâ—… am but Dust and Ashes while presume yet with all humblâ—… Rerence to expostulaâ—… with thee the great and Glorâ—… ous God in behalf of this peâ—… secuted and afflicted Church RIghteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgements wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit such as it is the Apples of Sodom and the Grapes of Gomorrah Thou art near in the mouth but far from their reins But wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this Land what meaneth the heat of this great anger O my Lord if thou the Lord art with us why then is all this befallen us and where be all thy Mercies and deliverances which our Fathers told us of saying Did not the Lord bring us out of Egypt did he not deliver us from superstition ignorance and prophanesse from persecutions of the right hand and separations on the left Did he not save us from our open and professed enemies and wilt thou now suffer us to be destroyed by our own selves Say Lord hast thou quite forsaken us and wilt thou deliver us over into the Midianitish hands of our own Mothers sons How long shall Iijm and Ziim the beast of the Island be let alone to leap upon thy Mercy-seat which was wont to be fenced with Cherubims Or art thou weary of our service that thou thus goest about to disgrace the Throne of thy Glory and seemest to abhr both the cry of our Prayers and the voice of weeping For behold Lord we have sown in tears when is it that we shall reap in Joy When wilt thou turn again the Captivity of Sion Is it not enough that she hath been so long as a Lilly among the Thorns but wilt thou now suffer the Thorns to overtop and to choak up this Lilly Or shall the envious mans tares â—…roy the wheat which hath been â—…en in thy field If there be a necessity that Heâ—…s should be yet is there any â—…ity that they should bear sway yea there is no necessity but that thy Truth should prevail O Lord God terrible in thy judgeâ—…s but yet most fatherly in thy â—…cies when shall we hear thee say in this Church of ours as thou didst sometimes to thy afflicted Israel Thus saith thy Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people Behold I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling even the â—…egs of the cup of my fury thou shalt no more drink it again But I will put it into the hands of them that afflict thee which have said to thy soul bow down that we may go over Arise O Lord and have mercy upon Sion for it is time that thou have mercy upon her yea the time is come And why thy servants think upon her stones and it pitieth them to see her in the dust It pittieth them to see that there is none to guide her among all the sons that she hath brought up It pittieth them to see the Priests of the Lord sâ—…lenced and those lips sealed up which preserve knowledge It pittieth them to have their Teachers removed into a corner and that their eyes cannot see their Teachers It pittieth them and yet doth it not pitty thee O Lord who art the God of pitty and compassion Art thou not