The Exaltation of the Soul, Prayer 86 – Prayer 90
A Prayer of Intercession to be used either before or after the Receiving of the Sacrament.
O Most gracious Lord, who so tenderly lovest all mankind, as to give thy Son out of thy bosom to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, grant that the effect of this Redemption may be as universal as the design of it; that it may be to the salvation of all. O let no person by impenitence, and wilful sin, forfeit his part in it, but by the power of thy grace bring all, even the most obstinate sinners to repentance, enlightning all in darkness, Hereticks, Jews, Turks and Infidels; take from them all blindness, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word, and so fetch them home. Blessed Lord, bring them into thy fold, that they may be saved among the number of the true Israel, and for all those, upon whom the Name of thy Son is called, grant, O Lord, that their conversion may be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ, that his Name be no longer blasphemed amongst the Heathens through us. O blessed Lord, how long shall Christendom continue the vilest part of the world, a sink of all abominable pollutions, which even Barbarians detest? O let not our profession and our practice be alwaies at so wide a distance; let not the Disciples of the holy Immaculate Jesus be of all others the most prophane and impure; let not the subjects of the Prince of Peace be of all others the most contentious and bloody, but make us Christians indeed, as well as in Name, that we may walk worthy of that holy Vocation wherewith we are called, and may all with one mind, and one mouth glorifie the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have mercy on this languishing Church; look down from Heaven the habitation of thy holiness, and of thy glory, where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy heart towards us? are they restrained? be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember our iniquities for ever; but though our backslidings are many, and we have grievously rebelled, yet according to all thy goodness, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away, and cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary, which is desolate, for the Lords sake, and so separate betwixt us and our sins, that they may no longer separate between us and our God. Save and defend all Christian Kings, Princes and Governours, specially to whom we owe subjection; plead thou their Cause, O Lord, against those that strive with them, and fight thou against those that fight against them; and so guide and assist them in the discharge of that Office whereunto thou hast appointed them, that under them we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. Bless them that wait at thine Altar; open thou their lips, that their mouth may set forth thy praise. O let not the Light of the World be put under bushels, but place them in their Candlesticks, that they may give light to all that are in the house. Let not Jeroboams Priests prophane thy service, but let the seed of Aarons Hill minister unto thee. And O thou Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, succour and relieve all that are in affliction; deliver the out-cast and poor, help them to right that suffer wrong; let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee, and according to thee greatness of thy power, preserve them that are appointed to die: Grant ease to those that are in pain, supplies to those that are in want: Give to all presumptuous sinners a sense of their sins, and to all despairing, a sight of thy mercies; and do thou, O Lord, for every one abundantly above what they can ask or or think: Forgive my enemies, persecutors and slanderers, and turn their hearts: Pour down thy blessings upon all my friends and benefactors, all who have commended themselves to my prayers; here thou mayest name particular persons; and grant, O most merciful Father, that through this blood of the Cross, we may be presented pure and unblameable, and unreprovable in thy sight, that so we may be admitted into that place of purity, where no unclean thing can enter, there to sing all eternal praises, to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, forever. Amen.
A Prayer in time of Affliction.
O Just and holy Lord, who with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, I desire unfeignedly to humble my self under thy mighty hand, which now lies heavy upon me: I heartily acknowledge, O Lord, that all I do, all I can suffer, is but the due reward of my deeds, therefore in thy severest inflictions I must still say, Righteous art thou, O Lord, righteous are thy Judgments, but, O Lord, I beseech thee in Judgment remember mercy; although my sins have enforced thee to strike, yet consider my weakness, and let not my stripes be more heavy, or more lasting, than thou seest proportionable for my soul: Correct me, but with the chastisement of a Father, not with the wounds of an enemy; and though thou take not off thy Rod, yet take away thine anger. Lord, do not abhor my soul, and cast not away thy servant in displeasure, but pardon my sins, I beseech thee: and if yet in thy fatherly wisdom thou seest fit to prolong thy corrections, thy blessed will be done. I cast my self, O Lord, at thy feet, do with me what thou pleasest, try my as silver is tryed, so that thou bring me out purified. And Lord, make me, even my flesh also to subscribe to this Resignation, that there be nothing in me that may rebel against thy hand, but that I may suppress all repining thoughts, and may cheerfully drink of this Cup, how bitter soever thou art pleased to make it. Lord, let it prove medicinal, and cure all the diseases of my soul, that it may bring forth in me the peaceable fruit of Righteousness, that so these light afflictions which are but for a moment, may work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Thanksgiving for Deliverance.
O Blessed Lord, who art gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest of the evil, I thankfully acknowledge before thee, that thou hast not dealt with me after my sins, nor rewarded me according to my iniquities; my Rebellions, O Lord, deserve to be scourged with Scorpions, and thou hast corrected them only with a fatherly Rod; neither hast thou suffered me to lye long under that, but hast given me a timely and gracious issue out of my late distresses. O Lord, I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble, and hast known my soul in adversity: Thou hast smitten, and thou hast healed me; O let these various methods have their proper effects upon my soul, that I who have felt the smart of thy chastisements, may stand in awe and sin not; and that I who have likewise tasted the sweet refreshings of thy mercy, may have my heart ravished with it, and knit to thee in the firmest bands of love, and that by both I may be preserved in a constant, entire obedience to thee all my daies, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Prayer for a Sick Person.
O Merciful and righteous Lord, the God of health, and of sickness, of life and of death, I most unfeignedly acknowledge that my great abuse of those many daies of strength and welfare, that thou hast afforded me, hath most justly deserved thy present visitation; I desire, O Lord, humbly to accept of the punishment of the Lord for my iniquity, and to bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. And O thou merciful Father, who designest not the ruine, but the amendment of those whom thou scourgest, I beseech thee by thy grace so to sanctifie this correction of thine to me, that this sickness of my body may be a means of health to my soul. Make me diligent to search my heart, and do thou, O Lord, discover every cursed thing, how close soever concealed there, that by the removal thereof, I may make way for the removal of this punishment. Heal my soul, O Lord, which hath sinned against thee, and then if it be thy blessed will, heal my body also. Restore the voice of joy and health into my dwelling, that I may live to praise thee, and to bring forth fruit of Repentance; but if in thy wisdom thou hast otherwise disposed, if thou hast determined that this sickness shall be unto death, I beseech thee to fit and prepare me for it: Give me that sincere and earnest Repentance, to which thou hast promised mercy and pardon. Wean my heart from the world and its fading vanities, and make me to gasp and pant after those more excellent and durable Joyes, which are at thy right hand, forever. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me, and in all the pains of my body, in all the agonies of my spirit, let thy comforts refresh my soul, and enable me patiently to wait till my change come; and grant, O Lord, that when my earthly Tabernacle is dissolved, I may have a building not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens; and that for his sake, who by his precious blood hath purchased it for me, even Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Thanksgiving for Recovery.
O Most gracious Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, in whose hand my time is, I praise and magnifie thee, that thou hast in love to my soul delivered me from the pit of destruction, and restored me to health again. It is of thy mercy alone, O Lord, that thou hast preserved my life from destruction; thou hast chastened and corrected me, but thou hast not given me over unto death: O let this life which thou hast thus graciously spared, be wholly consecrated unto thee. Behold, O Lord, I am by thy mercy made whole, O make me strictly careful to sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto me. Let not this reprieve thou hast now given me, make me secure, as thinking my Lord delayeth his coming; but grant me, I beseech thee, to make a right use of this long-suffering of thine, and so to imploy every minute of that time thou hast allowed me, that when thou shalt appear, I may have confidence, and not be ashamed before thee at thy coming. Lord, I have found by this approach towards death, how dreadful a thing it is to be taken unprepared. O let it be a perpetual admonition to me to watch for my Masters coming; and when the pleasures of sin shall present themselves to entice me, O make me to remember how bitter they will be at last. O Lord, hear me, and as thou hast in much mercy afforded me time, so grant me all grace to work out my salvation, to provide Oil in my Lamp, that when the Bridegroom cometh, I may go in with him to the marriage; grant this I beseech thee, for thy dear Sons sake. Amen.