Private Devotions for Ordinary and Extraordinary Occasions, Prayers 4
PRAYERS for their uſe who Mourn in ſecret for the PUBLICK CALAMITIES, &c.
Pſalm 74.
O God, wherefore art thou abſent from us ſo long: why is thy wrath ſo hot againſt the ſheep of thy paſture? &c.
Pſal. 79.
O God, the Heathen are come into thine inheritance: thy holy temple have they defiled, and made Jeruſalem an heap of ſtones, &c.
Pſal. 80.
Hear, O thon ſhepherd of Iſrael, thou that leadeſt Joſeph like a ſheep: ſhew thy ſelf alſo, thou that ſitteſt upon the Cherubims, &c.
A Prayer to be uſed in theſe times of Calamity.
O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth, I deſire humbly to confeſs before thee, both on my own behalf, & that of this Nation, that theſe many years of calamitie we have groaned under, are but the juſt, (yea milde) returns of thoſe many more years of our provocations againſt thee, and that thy preſent wrath is but the due puniſhment of thy abuſed mercy. O Lord, thou haſt formerly abounded to us in bleſſings above all people of the earth. Thy candle ſhined upon our heads, and we delighted our ſelves in thy great goodneſs, Peace was within our walls, and plenteouſneſs within our palaces, there was no decay, no leading into Captivity and no complaining in our ſtreets: but we turned this Grace into wantonneſs, we abuſed our Peace to Security, our Plenty to riot & luxury, and made thoſe good things which ſhould have endeared our hearts to thee, the occaſion of enſtranging them from thee. Nay, O Lord, thou gaveſt us yet more precious mercies, thou wert pleaſed thy ſelf to pitch thy Tabernacle with us, to eſtabliſh a pure and glorious Church among us, and give us thy Word to be a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our paths; but O Lord, we have made no other uſe of that light, then to conduct us to the Chambers of death, we have dealt proudly, and not hearkned to thy Commandments, and by rebelling againſt the light, have purchaſed to our ſelves ſo much the heavier portion in the outer darkneſs. And now, O Lord, had the overflowings of thy vengeance been anſwerable to that of our ſin, we had long ſince been ſwept away with a ſwift deſtruction, and there had been none of us alive at this day to implore thy mercy. But thou art a Gracious God, ſlow to anger, and haſt proceeded with us with much patience and long-ſuffering, thou haſt ſent thy Judgements to awake us to repentance, and haſt alſo allowed us ſpace for it: But alas! we have perverted this mercy of thine beyond all the former, we return not to him that ſmiteth us, neither do we ſeek the Lord, we are ſliden back by a perpetual backſliding, no man repenteth him of his wickedneſs, or ſaith what have I done? 'Tis true indeed we fear the rod, (we dread everie ſuffering, ſo that we are ready to buy it off with the fouleſt ſin) but we fear not him that hath appointed it, but by a wretched obſtinacy harden our necks againſt thee, and refuſe to return▪ now, O God, what balm is there in Gilead that can cure us; who when thou wouldeſt heal us, will not be healed, we know thou haſt pronounced that there is no peace to the wicked, and how ſhall we then pray for peace, that ſtill retain our wickedneſs? This this, O Lord, is our ſoreſt diſeaſe, O give us Medicines to heal this ſickneſs, heal our ſouls, and then we know thou canſt ſoon heal our Land. Lord, thou haſt long ſpoken by thy Word to our ears, by thy Judgements even to all our ſenſes, but unleſs thou ſpeak by thy Spirit to our hearts, all other Calls will ſtill be uneffectual. O ſend out this voice, and that a mightie voice, ſuch as may awake us out of this Lechargie: Thou that didſt call Lazarus out of the grave, O be pleaſed to call us who are Dead, yea, putrified in treſpaſſes and ſins, and make us to awake to righteouſneſs. And though, O Lord, our frequent reſiſtences even of thoſe inward Calls, have juſtly provoked thee to give us up to the Luſts of our own heart; yet, O thou boundleſs Ocean of merciemercy, who art good not only beyond what we can deſerve, but what we can wiſh, do not withdraw the influence of thy grace, and take not thy holy ſpirit from us. Thou wert found of thoſe that ſought thee not, O let that act of merciemercy be repeated to us who are ſo deſperately, yet ſo inſenſibly Sick, that we cannot ſo much as look after the Phyſitian, and by how much our caſe is the more dangerous, ſo much the more ſoveraigne Remedies do thou apply; Lord help us, and conſider, not ſo much our unworthineſs of thy aid, as our irremediable ruine if we want it; ſave Lord, or we periſh eternally. To this end diſpenſe to us in our temporal Intereſt what thou ſeeſt may beſt ſecure our Spiritual; if a greater degree of outward Miſerie will tend to the curing our inward, Lord, ſpare not thy Rod, but ſtrike yet more ſharply. Caſt out this Devil, though with never ſo much Foaming & tearing. But if thou ſeeſt that ſome Return of merciemercy may be moſt likely to melt us, O be pleaſed ſo far to condeſcend to our wretchedneſs as to afford us that, and whether by thy ſharper or gentler methods, bring us home to thy ſelf. And then, O Lord, we know thy hand is not ſhortned, that it cannot ſave, when thou haſt delivered us from our ſins, thou canſt and wilt deliver us from our troubles: O ſhew us thy merciemercy and grant us thy ſalvation, that being redeemed both in our bodies and ſpirits, we may glorifie thee in both, in a chearful obedience, and praiſe the Name of our God, that hath dealt wonderfully with us, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
A Prayer for This Church.
O Thou great God of recompences, who turneſt a Fruitful land into Barrenneſs for the wickedneſs of them that dwell therein; thou haſt moſt juſtly executed that Fatal Sentence on this Church, which having once been the perfection of Beautie, the joy of the whole earth, is now become a Scorn and deriſion to all that are round about her. O Lord, what could have been done to thy Vineyard that thou haſt not done in it, and ſince it hath brought forth nothing but wilde Grapes, it is perfectly juſt with thee to take away the hedge thereof, and let it be eaten up. But O Lord, though our iniquities teſtifie againſt us, yet do thou it for thy Names ſake, for our backſlidings are many, we have ſinned againſt thee. O the hope of Iſrael, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why ſhouldſt thou be as a ſtranger in the land, as a wayfaring man that turneth aſide to tarrie for a night? Why ſhouldſt thou be as a man aſtonied, as a mightie man that cannot ſave? Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midſt of us, and we are called by thy name, leave us not; deprive us of what outward enjoyment thou pleaſeſt, take from us the opportunities of our luxurie and it may be a merciemercy, but O take not from us the means of our Reformation, for that is the moſt direful expreſſion of thy wrath. And though we have hated the Light becauſe our deeds were evil, yet, O Lord, do not by withdrawing it condemn us to walk on ſtill in darkneſs, but let it continue to ſhine till it have guided our feet into the way of peace. O Lord, ariſe, ſtir up thy ſtrength and come and help us, and deliver not the ſoul of thy Turtle Dove (this diſconſolate Church) unto the multitude of the Enemie, but help her, O God, and that right early. But if, O Lord, our rebellions have ſo provoked thee, that the Ark muſt wander in the Wilderneſs till all this murmuring Generation be conſumed, yet let not that periſh with us, but bring it at laſt into a Canaan, and let our more innocent Poſterity ſee that which in thy juſt judgement thou denieſt to us. In the mean time let us not ceaſe to bewail that Deſolation our ſins have wrought, to think upon the ſtones of Sion, and pitie to ſee her in the duſt, nor ever be aſhamed or afraid to own her in her loweſt and moſt perſecuted Condition, but eſteem the Reproach of Chriſt greater riches then the Treaſures of Aegypt, and ſo approve our conſtancie to this our afflicted Mother, that her bleſſed Lord and Head may own us with merciemercy when he ſhall come in the glory of thee his Father with the holy Angels. Grant this merciful Lord, for the ſame Jeſus Chriſt his ſake.
A Prayer for the Peace of the Church.
LORD Jeſus Chriſt, which of thine Almightineſs, madeſt all creatures both viſible and inviſible, which of thy godly wiſdome governeſt and ſetteſt all things in moſt goodly order, which of thine unſpeakable goodneſs keepeſt, defendeſt and furthereſt all things, which of thy deep mercy reſtoreſt the decayed, reneweſt the fallen, raiſeſt the dead; vouchſafe we pray thee at laſt, to caſt down thy countenance upon thy well beloved Spouſe the Church, but let it be that amiable and merciful countenance wherewith thou pacifieſt all things in Heaven, in earth, and whatſoever is above Heaven and under the earth: vonchſafe to caſt upon us thoſe tender and pitiful eyes with which thou didſt once behold Peter that great Shepherd of thy Church, and forthwith he remembred himſelf and repented; with which eyes thou once didſt view the ſcattered Multitude and wert moved with compaſſion, that for lack of a good Shepherd they wandred as ſheep diſperſed and ſtrayed aſunder. Thou ſeeſt (O good Shepherd) what ſundrie ſorts of Wolves have broken into thy ſheep-cotes: So that if it were poſſible the very perfect perſons ſhould be brought into error: Thou ſeeſt with what Windes, with what Waves, with what ſtorms thy ſilly ſhip is toſſed, thy ſhip wherein thy little flock is in peril to be drowned. And what is now left but that it utterly ſink and we all periſh? Of this tempeſt and ſtorm we may thank our own Wickedneſs and ſinful living, we diſcern it well and confeſs it, we diſcern thy Righteouſneſs, and we bewail our unrighteouſneſs: But we appeal to thy Mercy which ſurmounteth all thy works; we have now ſuffered much puniſhment, being ſcourged with ſo many Wars, conſumed with ſuch Loſſes of goods, ſhaken with ſo many floods, and yet appears there no where any Haven or Port unto us, being thus tired and forlorn among ſo ſtrange evils, but ſtill every day more grievous puniſhments and more ſeem to hang over our heads. We complain not of thy ſharpneſs, moſt tender Saviour, but we diſcern here alſo thy Mercy, foraſmuch as much grievouſer plagues we have deſerved. But O moſt merciful Jeſus, we beſeech thee that thou wilt not conſider nor weigh what is due for our deſervings, but rather what becometh thy Mercy, without which neither the Angels in Heaven can ſtand ſure before thee, much leſs we ſilly veſſels of clay. Have merciemercy on us, O Redeemer, which art eaſie to be intreated, not that we be worthy of thy merciemercy, but give thou this Glorie unto thine own Name. Suffer not thoſe which either have not known thee or do envie thy glorie, continually to triumph over us, and ſay, Where is their God, where is their Redeemer, where is their Saviour, where is their Bridegroom that they thus boaſt on? Theſe opprobrious words redound unto thee. O Lord, while by our evils men weigh and eſteem thy Goodneſs, they think we be Forſaken whom they ſee not amended. Once when thou ſleptſt in the Ship, and a Tempeſt ſuddenly ariſing threatned death to all in the Ship, thou awokeſt at the outcrie of a few Diſeiples and ſtraightway at thine Almightie word the Waters couched, the Winds fell, the Storm was ſuddenly turned into a great calm; the dum waters knew their makers voice. Now in this far greater Tempeſt, wherein not a few mens bodies be in danger, but innumerable Souls: we beſeech thee at the crie of thy holy Church, which is in danger of drowning, that thou wilt awake. So many thouſands of men do crie, Lord ſave us, we periſh, the Tempeſt is paſt Mans power; it is Thy word that muſt do the deed, Lord Jeſu, only ſay thou with a word of thy mouth, Ceaſe, O tempeſt, and forthwith ſhall the deſired calm appear. Thou wouldſt have ſpared ſo many thouſands of moſt wicked men, if in the City of Sodom had been found but ten good men. Now here be ſo many Thouſands of men which love the glorie of thy Name, which ſigh for the beautie of thy Houſe, and wilt thou not at theſe mens Prayers let goe thine Anger, and remember thine accuſtomed and old mercies? Shalt thou not with thy heavenly policie turn our folly into thy glory? Shalt thou not turn the wicked mens evils into thy Churches good? For thy merciemercy is wont then moſt of all to ſuccour, when the thing is with us paſt Remedie, and neither the Might nor Wiſdome of men can help it. Thou alone bringeſt things that be never ſo out of order into order again, which art the only Author and maintainer of Peace. Thou framedſt that old Confuſion wherein without order, without faſhion confuſedly lay the diſcordant ſeeds of things, and with a wonderful order the things that of nature fought together, Thou didſt ally and knit in a perpetual band. But how much greater Confuſion is this, where is no Charitie, no Fidelitie, no bonds of Love, no reverence neither of Laws nor yet of Rulers, no agreement of Opinions, but as it were in a miſordered Quire, every man ſingeth a contrary note! Among the Heavenly Planets is no deſſention, the Elements keep their place, every one do the office whereunto they be appointed: And wilt thou ſuffer thy Spouſe, for whoſe ſake all things were made, thus by continual diſcords to periſh? Shalt thou ſuffer the wicked Spirits, which be authors and workers of diſcord, to bear ſuch a ſwing in thy Kingdome unchecked? Shalt thou ſuffer the ſtrong Captain of miſchief, whom thou once overthreweſt, again to invade thy Tents, and to ſpoil thy Souldiers? When thou wert here a man converſant among men, at thy Voice fled the Divils. Send forth, we beſeech thee, O Lord, thy Spirit, which may drive away out of the breſts of all them that profeſs thy Name, the wicked Spirits, maſters of riot, of covetouſneſs, of vain-glory, of carnal luſt, of miſchief and diſcord. Create in us, O our God and King, a clean heart, and renew thy holy Spirit in our breſts, pluck not from us thy holy Ghoſt. Render unto us the joy of thy ſaving health, and with thy principal Spirit, ſtrengthen thy Spouſe and the Heardmen thereof. By this Spirit thou reconciledſt the earthly to the Heavenly: By this thou didſt frame and reduce ſo many Tongues, ſo many Nations, ſo many ſundry ſorts of men into one body of a Church, which body by the ſame Spirit is knit to thee their Head. This Spirit if thou wilt vouchſafe to renew in all mens hearts, then ſhall all theſe forreign miſeries ceaſe, or if they ceaſe not, they ſhall turn to the profit and avail of them which love thee. Stay this Confuſion, ſet in order this horrible Chaos (O Lord Jeſus) let thy Spirit ſtretch out it ſelf upon theſe Waters of evil wavering Opinions. And becauſe thy ſpirit, which according to thy Prophets ſaying, containeth all things, hath alſo the Science of ſpeaking; make, that like as unto all them which be of thy Houſe, is one Light, one Baptiſme, one God, one Hope, one Spirit; ſo they may alſo have one Voice, one Note, one Song, profeſſing one Catholick truth. When thou didſt mount up to Heaven triumphantly, thou threwſt out from above thy precious things, thou gaveſt Gifts amongſt men, thou dealteſt ſundry rewards of thy Spirit. Renew again from above thy old bountifulneſs, give that thing to thy Church, now fainting and growing downward, that thou gaveſt unto her ſhooting up, at her firſt beginning. Give unto Princes and Rulers the grace ſo to ſtand in awe of thee, that they ſo may guide the Common-weal, as they ſhould ſhortly render accompt unto thee that art the King of Kings. Give wiſdome to be alwayes aſſiſtant unto them, that whatſoever is beſt to be done, they may eſpy it in their minds, and purſue the ſame in their doings. Give to the Biſhops the gift of Propheſie, that they may declare and interpret holy Scripture, not of their own brain, but of thine inſpiring. Give them the threefold Charity which thou once demandeſt of Peter, what time thou didſt betake unto him the charge of thy ſheep. Give to the Prieſts the love of Soberneſs and of Chaſtity. Give to thy people a good will to follow thy Commandments, and a readineſs to obey ſuch perſons as thou haſt appointed over them. So ſhall it come to paſs; if through thy Gift thy Princes ſhall command that thou requireſt, if thy Paſtors and Herdmen ſhall teach the ſame, and thy People obey them both, that the old Dignity & Tranquillity of the Church ſhall return again with a goodly order unto the glory of thy Name. Thou ſparedſt the Ninivites appointed to be deſtroyed as ſoon as they converted to repentance; and wilt thou deſpiſe thy Houſe falling down at thy feet, which inſtead of ſackcloth hath ſighs, and in ſtead of aſhes tears? Thou promiſedſt Forgiveneſs to ſuch as turn unto thee, but this ſelf thing is thy Gift, a man to turn with his whole heart unto thee, to the intent all our goodneſs ſhould re…ound unto thy glory. Thou art the Maker, repair the work that thou haſt faſhioned. Thou art the Redeemer, ſave that thou haſt bought. Thou art the Saviour, ſuffer not them to periſh which do hang on thee. Thou art the Lord and owner, challenge thy poſſeſſion. Thou art the Head, help thy members. Thou art the King, give us a reverence of thy Laws. Thou art the Prince of Peace, breath upon us brotherly love. Thou art the God, have pity on thy humble beſeechers; be thou according to Pauls ſaying, all things in all men, to the intent the whole Quire of thy Church with agreeing minds and conſonant voices for mercy obtained at thy hands, may give thanks to the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, which after the moſt perfect example of concord be diſtinguiſhed in property of Perſons, and one in nature, to whom be praiſe and glory Eternally.
Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Allestree, Private Devotions for Ordinary and Extraordinary Occasions (1660)