A Petition for Peace with the Reformation of the Liturgy, Part 12 – Part 13
Of Prayer and Thankſgiving, for Particular Members of the Church
BEſides the Petitions that are put up for all in ſuch diſtreſſes, in the General Prayer, it is meet that Perſons in dangerous ſickneſs, or other great affliction of Body or minde; and Women that are neer the time of Childe-bearing, when they deſire it, ſhall bee particularly recommended to God in the Publick Prayers of the Church. Becauſe all the members conſtitute one body, and muſt have the ſame care one for another, as ſuffering all with one that ſuffereth, and rejoycing all with one that is honoured. And the effectual ſervent prayer of the righteous, eſpecially of the whole Congregation, availeth much with God. But becauſe diſeaſes, diſtreſſes, and greif of minde, are ſo various that no forms that are Particular can ſuit them all; And becauſe every Miniſter ſhould bee able to ſuit his Prayers to ſuch various Neceſſities of the people: Wee deſire, that it may bee left to his diſcretion to pray for ſuch according to their ſeveral Caſes, before or after Sermon. But wee deſire that except in caſe of ſudden neceſſity, they may ſend in their Bills of Requeſt to him, the night before, that hee may conſider of their caſes, and may publiſh only ſuch, & in ſuch Expreſſions, as in prudence hee ſhall judge meet for the Ears of the Aſſembly.
In the more ordinary Caſes of perſons in ſickneſs, danger, and diſtreſs, and that are delivered from them, theſe following Prayers may bee uſed, or ſuch like.
A Prayer for the Sick, that is in hopes of Recovery.
MOſt merciful Father, Though our Sin doth finde us out, Num. 32. 23. Luk. 23. 41. Lam. 3. 22. Ezra. 9. 13.and wée are juſtly afflicted for our Tranſgreſſions, yet are wée not conſumed in thy wrath, but thou puniſheſt us leſs than our Iniquities do deſerve, though thou cauſeſt Grief, yet wilt thou have compaſſion according to the multitude of thy mercies, Lam. 3. 32. 33.for thou doſt not willingly afflict and grieve the children of men; Thou reviveſt the ſpirit of the humble, and the heart of Iſa. 57. 15, 16, 17. Pſal. 25. 18.the Contrite ones, for thou wilt not contend for ever, neither wilt thou bee alwaies wroth, for the ſpirit would fail before thée, and the ſoul which thou haſt made. Look down in tender mercy on the affliction of this thy Servant; O Lord rebuke him not in thy & 6. 1. & 38. 9.wrath, neither chaſten him in thy hot diſpleaſure. All his deſire is before thée, and his groaning is not hid from thée; Have mercy upon him O Lord for hée is weak. O Lord heal him, whoſe &. 6. 2, 3, 5.boues and ſoul is vered. In death there is no remembrance of thée, In the grave who ſhall give thée thanks. Remember that & 78. 39.wée are but fleſh, a Wind that paſſeth away and cometh not Joh. 23. 25. Pſal. 25. 7, 18. & 116. 3. Iſa. 38. 16, 19. Pſal. 119. 175. Luke 4. 39. Iſa. 38. 21. Pſa. 50. 15. Job. 10. 2. Pſal. 139. 23. Lam. 3. 40. Pſa. 119. 71. 67.again, wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro, and wilt thou purſue the dry ſtubble? Remember not the Iniquities of his youth, or his tranſgreſſions: look upon his Afffiction, and his pain, and forgive all his ſins. Though the ſorrows of death do compaſs him about, yet if it bée for thy glory and his good recover him, and let him live and praiſe thy name. Rebuke his ſickneſs, direct unto ſuch means as thou wilt bleſs. In the time of his trouble wée call upon thée, do thou deliver him, and let him glorifie thée, however ſhew him the ſin that doth offend thée, let him ſearch and try his waies, and confeſs and turn from his Inquity, and let it bée good for him that hée was afflicted. Let this bée the fruit of it to Iſa. 27. 9. 1 Cor. 11. 32. Heb. 12. 11. Lam. 3. 24, 25, 26. 27, 31. Pſa. 30. 5. Heb. 12. 6, 7. Iſa. 38. 19, 20.purge and take away his ſin, That being chaſtened of the Lord, hée may not bée condemned with the world. And though chaſtiſement for the preſent ſéemeth not to bée joyous, but grievous, yet afterwards let it yéeld the peaceable fruit of Righteouſneſs to this thy Servant, that is exerciſed therein. In the mean time O Lord bée thou his Portion who art good to the Soul that ſéeketh thée, and waiteth for thée. Let him patiently and ſilently bear thy yoak, let him hope and quietly wait for thy ſalvation: Conſidering Pſa. 116. 9. 12. &c. Pſal. 30. 11. 12. 2 Cor. 1. 9.that thou wilt not caſt off for ever, that thy anger is but for a moment, but in thy favour is Life. Wéeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning: and that whom thou & 4. 16.loveſt, thou chaſteneſt, and ſcourgeſt every ſon whom thou receiveſt; & 5. 8.and that if hée indure Chaſtening thou dealeſt with him as a Son. If hée bée recovered, let him devote himſelf entirely to Heb. 10 38.thy glory: That when thou haſt put off his ſackcloath and mourning, and girded him with gladneſs, hee may ſpeak thy praiſe, and 2 Cor. 4. 14, 18give thée thanks. If hée receive the ſentence of death in himſelf, let it cauſe him to truſt in thée that raiſeſt the dead, knowing that as 17.thou didſt raiſe up the Lord Jeſus, thou wilt raiſe him up alſo by Jeſus: Therefore ſuffer not his hope to faint: but though his outward Phil. 3. 9.man periſh, yet let his inwardman bée renewed from day to day and 1 Cor. 10. 3.let him live by faith and look at the things which are not ſéen, even at the excéeding eternal weight of glory; Let him bée found in Chriſt, Heb. 2. 14.not having his own righteouſneſs, but that which is of God by faith. Reſtrain the tempter, and deliver thy ſervant from the ſinful fears 1 Cor. 15. 55.of death, by Chriſt, who through death, deſtroyed the Devil that had the power of death; That hée may finde that death hath loſt his ſting, and Triumph over it by Faith in him, through whom wée are made more than Conquerers. That by faith and Rom. 8. 37. Col. 3. 1. Ioh. 29 17. & 14. 13. & 17. 26.love, his ſoul may now aſcend with Chriſt, that aſcended unto his Father and our Father, and to his God and our God, and is gone to prepare a place for us, and hath promiſed, that where hée is, there his ſervants ſhall bée alſo; That they may behold the glory which thou haſt given him. Magnifie thy ſelf in his Body whether & 17. 24.by life or death, and ſafely bring him into thy glorious preſence Phil. 1. 2.where is fulneſs of Joy, and Everlaſting pleaſures, through Jeſus Chriſt our Life and Righteouſneſs.Pſal. 16. 11.
Amen.
A Prayer for Women drawing neer the time of Childe-bearing.
MOſt merciful Father, who haſt juſtly Sentenced Woman that was firſt in the Tranſgreſſion, to great and multiplyed 1 Tim. 2. 14. Gen. 3. 16. 1 Tim. 2. 15. Pſal. 46. 1. Pſa. 37. 3. Ioh. 16. 12 D… 28. 4. 2 Col. 1. 10, 11. 1 Sam. 2. & 1. …8.ſorrows, and particularly in ſorrow to bring forth Children; yet granteſt preſervation and reliefe, for the propagation of Mankinde. Bée merciful to this thy ſervant, bée néer her with thy preſent help, in the néedful time of trouble, and though in Travel ſhée hath ſorrow, give her ſtrength to bring forth. Being delivered, let her remember no more the Anguiſh, for ioy that a Childe is born into the World. Bleſs her in the fruit of her body and being ſafely delivered, let her return thée hearty thanks, and devote it and the reſt of her life to thy ſervice, through Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour.
Amen.
A Thankſgiving for thoſe that are reſtored, from Dangerous Sickneſs.
WEe thank thée O Moſt Gracious God, that thou haſt heard …. 2. & 3, 4. & 66. 10. & 30. 3. & 103. 3, 4. …ſa. 38. 10, 12. Jer. 26. 3. 13. Pſal. 103. 5. Iſa. 38. 11. …ſa. 27. 13. Pſa. 3…. 4, 5, & 106. 23. & 32. 6, 7. &, 73, 26. & 73. 1. & 34 19. & 73. 19, 23us when wée cryed unto thée, for thy ſervant in his weakneſs and diſtreſs, that thou haſt not turned away our Prayer; nor thy mercy from him, wée cryed to thée and thou haſt delivered and healed him, thou haſt brought him from the grave, thou haſt kept him alive, that hée ſhould not go down into the Pit, thou haſt forgiven his iniquity, and healed his diſeaſes thou haſt redéemed his life from deſtruction, and haſt crowned him with loving kindeneſs, and tender mercies, thou haſt not deprived him of the reſidue of his years, thou haſt repented thée of the Evil: His Age is nor departed; Thou haſt renewed his youth, and given him to ſée man, with the Inhabitants of the World; And to ſée the Goodneſs of the Lord, in the land of the living, day and night thy hand was heavy upon him, but thou haſt turned away thy Pſa. 60. 11. & 46 1. Pſa. 116. 1, 12, 18, 13, 14. Iſa. 38. 20. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Luke 2. 29. 1 Cor. 1. 30.wrath, and haſt forgiven the iniquity of his ſin, for this every one that is godly ſhall pray unto thée in a time of trouble; … Thou art a hiding place, thou preſerveſt us from trouble, when our Fleſh and our heart faileth us, thou art the ſtrength of our heart, and our Portion for ever; indéed Lord thou art good unto thine Iſrael; Even to ſuch as are clean of heart; many are the afflictions of the Righteous, but thou delivereſt them out of all; Though all the day long they bée afflicted, and chaſtened every morning, yet are they continually with thée; Thou holdeſt them by the right hand, thou art a preſent help in trouble; when all the help of man is vain. Let thy ſervant love thée, becauſe thou haſt heard his voice and ſupplication, Let him offer unto thée, the ſacrifice of thankſgiving; and pay his vowes to the moſt high; and take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon thée all his daies, let him bée wholly devoted to thy praiſe, and glorifie thée in Soul and Body, as being Thine, and ſeaſonably depart in peace unto thy glory? through Jeſus Chriſt our life, and righteouſneſs.
Amen.
A Thanksgiving, for the Deliverance of Women, in Childe-bearing.
WEE return thée thanks, Moſt Gracious God, That thou Pſa. 34. 3. 4. Rev. 1. 18. 1 Sam. 2. 6. Pſa. 113. 9. & 117 3. & 42. 4. & 100. 4. & 145. 9. 20, 14. 19. Deut. 28. 8. Pſa. 133. 3.haſt heard our Prayers for this thy hand-maid; and haſt béen her helpin the time of her neceſſity, and delivered her from her fears and ſorrows death and life are in thy power, thou killeſt and thou makeſt alive, thou bringeſt down to the grave, and thou bringeſt up; Thou makeſt the Barren to keep houſe, to bée a ioyful Mother of Children. Wée thank thée, that thou haſt given thy ſervant, to ſee the fruit of her Womb, and that thou haſt brought her again to thy Holy aſſembly, to go with the multitude to thy houſe, and worſhip thee with the voyce of ioy and praiſe, that ſhée may enter into thy gates with thankſgiving, and into thy Court with praiſe, and wée may all bée thankful to thée on her behalf, and ſpeak good of thy Name; Thou art good O Lord to all, and thy tender mercies are over all thy works, thou preſerveit them that love thée; thou raiſeſt up them that are vowed down; thou fulfilleſt the deſire of them that fear thée, thou alſo doſt hear Iſa. 44. 3. Deut. 8. 11. 14. Pſal. 116. Iſa. 33. 20. Mal. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Eph. 6. 4. Deut 6. 6. Prov. 3. 33. Joſh. 24. 15. Zech. 14. 20, 21 Pſa. 91. 4. 1 Joh. 2. 15. Phil. 3. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 7. 31, 29, 30. Pſa. 23. 3, 4, 6. Jude 24,their cry, and ſave them, command thy bleſſing yet upon thy ſervant and her off-ſpring; Let her not forget thée and thy mercies, but let her devote the life which thou haſt given her to thy ſervice, and educate her off-ſpring as a Holy ſéed, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and as thou haſt ſaid, that thy ſcurſe is in the houſe of the wicked, but thou bleſſeſt the habitation of the juſt; let her, and her houſe ſerve thée, and let holineſs to the Lord bée written upon all wherewith thou bleſſeſt her; Let her make thée her refuge and habitation; Give her the ornament of a méek and quiet ſpirit, which in thy ſight is of great price, let her not love the world, nor minde Earthly things, but uſe the world as not abuſing of it; Seeing the time is ſhort, and the faſhion of this world paſſeth away; Reſtore her Soul, and lead her in the paths of righteouſneſs; though ſhée muſt walk through the valley of the ſhaddow of death, let her fear no evil; Let thy goodneſs and mercy follow her all the daies of her life, and let her dwell for ever in thy Glorious preſence; Through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
If the Childe bee dead, thoſe paſſage which imply its living muſt be omitted, and if the Woman bee ſuch as the Church hath cauſe to judge ungodly, the Thankſgiving muſt bee in words more agreeable to her condition, if any bee uſed.