Private Forms of Prayer, Form of prayer 1
Private Forms of Prayer, fit for these sad Times.
Psalm 10. verse 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 defender: thou art our worship, and the lifter up of our heads.
Jer. 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 sinfullest 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 visitations; 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 the 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 Justice in retribution to our sins: and whatsoever is less then this, whatsoever the bitternesse 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 po…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 en…oyed.
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 presence, to praise that Majesty, which 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 udgements.
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 a…d delight in thee, by presum…ng of thy mercies; and yet continuing in our sins, 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 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 Per…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 imployments, and not keeping the spiritual sabath unto thee, in serving thee truly, all the dayes of our life [By not duely observing the times of Festivity or fasting, appointed by just Authority, according to the example of thy people in all ages] we have provoked and rebelled against thee:
O Lord, righteousnes belongs unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day.
By not duely acknowledging thine Ordinance and Authority in the Persons of our Superiours, by speaking evill of Dignities, and reviling the Rulers of thy People, by groundlesse jealousies and suspicions, misjudging and censuring their Actions: [And at last proceeding to that highest and most horrid pitch of violation of that Image of thine imprinted on them;] by being as a People that strive with their Priests; by our not obeying them that have the rule over us, and not submitting our selves to them, who by thy appointment watch over our souls; by neglecting our care of those Committed to our Charge, not Correcting those sins which have Cryed loud for exemplary Punishment, we have provoked and rebelled against thee:
O Lord, righteousnesse belongs unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day.
By rash Anger, Malice, Hatred and Revenge, and the bloody effects thereof; by uncharitable Contentions and Divisions, Factions and Animosities, by Cruelty and Unmercifulnesse, and communicating in the sinnes of Blood, we have provoked and rebelled against thee:
O Lord, righteousnesse belongs unto thee, but unto us 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 Drunkennes, by imm…dest w…rds and gestures, by our shamelesse boasting, or not blushing at those sinnes, we have provoked and rebelled against thee.
O Lord, righteousnesse belongs unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day.
By Thefts, Rapines and Oppressions, scandalizing thereby the Honour and Justice of a good Cause; by vexatious suites so much practised and countenanced, by exactions, by un…u… gains in bargaining, by defrauding the labourer of his hire, by want of due care in expending what we have, and a good Conscience in acquiring more, We have provoked and rebelled against thee.
O Lord, righteousness belongs unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day.
By lying, detraction and contumely, by endeavouring to advantage a good Cause, by falshood and unjust means; by censuring and rash judgments; by false witness and perverting the course of Justice; we have provoked and rebelled against thee.
O Lord, righteousnesse belongs unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day.
By desire of change and uncontentednesse in our Estates; by giving our selves over to lustfull, covetous and inordinate affections; by desiring Peace not so much for thine honour or the publick good, as the satisfaction of our own private lusts; by neglecting acts of Charity, and doing as we would be done to; and not doing our duty in that state of life unto which it hath pleased thee to call us; we have provoked and rebelled against thee.
O Lord, righteousness belongs unto thee, but unto us, confusion of face, as at this day.
By our want and neglect of those necessary Christian duties, of humiliation and godly sorrow for sins, of due indignation, and revenge upon ourselves for them; of confessing and forsaking, of restitution and satisfaction to others, and by not bringing forth fruits worthy of repentance; we have provoked and rebelled against thee.
O Lord, righteousness belongs unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day.
By impatience under thy correcting hand, by not endeavouring our amendment by it, in reflecting upon our own sins as the causes of it, by despising thy chastisements, in not rejoycing in tribulations, and not glorifying thee, that hast counted us worthy to suffer for righteousness sake; we have provoked and rebelled against thee.
O Lord, righteousness belongs unto thee, but unto us, confusion of face, as at this day.
By fretting our selves because of the ungodly, and being envious against the evill doers; by not loving our enemies, not blessing them that curse us, not doing good to them that hate us, nor praying for those that despightfully use us, and persecute us; we have provoked and rebelled against thee.
O Lord, righteousness belongs unto thee, but unto us, confusion of face, as at this day.
By presuming to do evill that good may come thereon; by placing piety in opinions, by straining at Gnats and swallowing of Camels, in scrupling at indifferent things and making no conscience of known sins: we have provoked and rebelled against thee,
O Lord, righteousness belongs unto thee, but unto us, confusion of face, as at this day.
By running into open prophaneness, under colour of avoiding superstition; by guiding our conscience by humours and fancies, and not by the certain rules of thy Law; by having itching ears, and heaping to our selves teachers, and by having mens persons in admiration because of advantage: we have provoked and rebelled against thee.
O Lord, righteousness belongs unto thee, but unto us, confusion of face, as at this day.
Who can tell how oft he offendeth; O cleanse thou us from these, and from our secret sins.
Try us, O good God, and search the ground of our hearts, prove us, and examine our thoughts, and look well if there be any other way of wickedness in us, and lead us in the way everlasting.
A Prayer for forgivenesse
O Almighty and most mercifull Father, who art the Lord, the Lord God, mercifull and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodnesse and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, and forgiving iniquity, transgressions, and sins. Look down upon us with thy compassionate eyes, who are here before thee, in the bitterness of our soules, and doe now with troubled spirits, with broken and with contrite hearts, most humbly beg pardon for these multitudes of our offences. Look, we humbly beseech thee, upon the bloud of thy Sonne, which speaks better things then that of Abel; for his sake spare us, Lord, spare thy people, that these sins rise not up against us: for his passions sake expose us not for a prey to their cruell hands, who would both devour and deride us.
R. Spare us, O Lord, spare thy people for the glory of thy name: O deliver us, and be mercifull to all these our sins, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
The Absolution to be pronounced by the Priest onelyonly.
ALmighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them which with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him:
Have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodnes…, and bring you to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
The Lords Prayer.
OUr Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdome come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation: but deliver us from evill, Amen.
Priest.
O Lord open thou our lips,
Answer.
And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
Priest.
O God make speed to save us,
Answ.
O Lord make haste to help us.
Priest.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
Answ.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end Amen.
Priest.
Praise ye the Lord:
Answ.
The Lord's name be praised.
A Psalm instead of Venite exultemus.
O COME,Psal. 95. let us humble our selves, and fall down before the Lord with reverence and fear.
2. For he is the Lord our God, Psal. 100.and we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
3. If a man will not turn,Psal. 7. God will whet his sword, he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
4. Let us repent and turn from our wickedness, Acts 3.and our sins shall be forgiven us.
5. Let us turn,Jonah 3. and the Lord will turn from his heavy wrath, and will pardon us, and we shall not perish.
6.Psal. 51. For we acknowledge our faults, and our sins are ever before us.
7. We have provoked thine anger, O Lord,Lam. 4. and thy heavy displeasure is kindled against us.
Psal. 130.8. But there is mercy with thee, that thou mayst be feared, and thou art full of compassion
Isaiah 65.9 Thy hand is not shortned, that thou canst not help, neither is thy goodness abated, that thou wilt not hear.
10. Thou hast promised, O Lord, that before we cry thou wilt hear us, and whilst we yet speak, that thou wilt have mercy upon us.
11. They that trust in thee shall not be confounded, neither shall any that call upon thee be despised.
Tob. 3. Job 5. Osc. 6.12. For thou art the only Lord, who woundest, and dost heal again, who killest and revivest, bringest even to hell and bringest back again.
Psal. 22.13. Our fathers hoped in thee, they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them.
14 They called upon thee, and were helped, they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded.
15. O Lord, rebuke not us in thine indignation,Psal. 6. neither chasten us in thy heavy displeasure.
16. O remember not the sins and offences of our youth, Psal. 25.but according to thy mercy think thou upon us, O Lord, for thy goodness.
17. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, for we are weak: O Lord, heal us for our bones are vexed.
18. And now in the vexation of our spirits, Baruch 3. Jonah 2.and the anguish of our souls, we remember thee, and we cry unto thee, Hear, Lord, and have mercy.
19. For thine owne sake,Dan. 9. and for thy Holy Names sake, incline thine ear and hear, O mercifull Lord.
20. For we doe not pour out our prayers before thy face, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy great and manifold mercies.
21. Wash us thoroughly from our wickednesse,Psal. 51. and cleanse us from our sins.
22. Turn thy face from our sins, and put out all our misdeeds.
23. Make us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us.
24. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: O deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins, for thy name sake.
25. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
26. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
27. So we that be thy people, and sheep of thy pasture,Psal. 79. shall give thee thanks for ever: and will alwayes be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation.
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.
Psalmes for Morning Prayer. Psal. 6.31.38.39.
For Evening Prayer. Psal. 90.91.102.130 149.
For first Lesson read some one of these chapters.
Ezra 9. Nehem. 9. Isai. 58. Joel 2 Ezek. 33.
Or, Isai. 1. Jerem. 5. Jerem. 9. Ezek. 22. Micah 6.
Or, Amos 4. Ezek. 14.
I.
HEar our voice, O Lord, out of thy holy Temple, let our complaint come before thee, let it enter even into thy eares
Our heart is in heavinesse, O let us make our Prayer unto thee in an acceptable time.
Lord our iniquities are against us, our rebellions are many wherewith we have transgressed against thee: But we confess our wickednesses, and are sorry for our sins.
Our confusion is daily before us, fearfulness and trembling are come upon us, and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed us, and it is thy great mercy only that we are not consumed, for we have sinned, O Lord, we have transgressed and done wickedly, yea we have rebelled, and departed from thy precepts, and from thy Commandements.
Innumerable troubles are come about us, our sins have taken hold upon us, that we are not able to look up, yea they are more in number then the hairs of our heads, and our hearts have failed us. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, because of all the offences we have committed against thee.
Yet compassion and forgiveness is with thee, though we have rebelled against thee. O Lord, according to thy goodness we beseech thee, let thine anger and thy wrath be turned away from us, and cause thy face to shine upon thy servants. Incline thine ears and hear, open thine eyes and behold our afflictions, for we doe not present our supplications before thee, in our own righteousness, but for thy manifold and great mercies.
We have sinned against heaven and against thee, and are no more worthy to be called thy Sons.
Yet, O Lord, hear, O Lord forgive, consider and doe it, deferre not for thine own sake, O our God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Sonne, and to the holy Ghost:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
II.
HEar our prayers, O Lord, and hide not thy self from our Petitions, and hearken unto the words of our mouth, for strangers are risen up against us, and Tyrants, which have not God before their eyes, seek after our Souls.
Cast us not away in the time of our weakness: forsake us not when our strength faileth us.
O remember not our offences, but according to thy mercy think thou upon us for thy goodness.
O turn thee unto us, and have mercy upon us: for we are desolate and in misery.
The sorrows of our hearts are enlarged: O bring thou us out of all our troubles.
Turn us, O God our Saviour, and let thine anger cease from us: send down from on high and deliver us, take us out of these many waters.
Why art thou absent from us so long? why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our misery and trouble? for our soul is brought low unto the dust, our belly cleaveth to the ground.
Look upon our adversity and misery: and forgive us all our sins.
Arise, O Lord, and help us, and deliver us for thy mercy sake: so shall it be known that it is thy hand, and that thou Lord hast done it.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Sonne, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
III.
VVE will cry unto the Lord with our voyce, yea even unto God will we cry with our voyce, and he shall hearken unto us. For the Lord is gracious and long-suffering, and of great mercy to them that call upon him.
The Lord is nigh unto all them that be of a contrite heart, and will save such as are of an humble spirit.
And now, Lord, what is our hope? truly our hope is even in thee;
For our Fathers hoped in thee, they trusted in thee, and thou did'st deliver them; they called upon thee and were holpen, they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded.
The Lord will be a defence for the oppressed, even a refuge in due time of trouble: and they that know thy name will put their trust in thee, for thou Lord never failest them that seek thee.
The merciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever, upon them that fear him: and his righteousness upon Childrens Children; even upon such as keep his Covenant, and think upon his Commandments to doe them.
Thou therefore that art a Saviour to all that trust in thee, thou that upholdest all such as are falling, and liftest up such as be down, thou that healest the broken in heart, and givest medicine to heal their sickness, thou that art the Father of mercy and God of all consolation, that art comfort to the sad, and strength to the weak, hear thy servants, we beseech thee, look down from Heaven, behold and visit us with thy salvation.
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.
After the Second Lesson, Psal. 51. All kneeling.
1. HAve mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences.
2. Wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin.
3. For I acknowledg my faults, and my sin is ever before me.
4. Against thee onelyonly have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged.
5. Behold I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
6. But loe, thou requirest truth in the inward parts, and shalt make me to understand wisdome secretly.
7. Thou shalt purge me with Hysope, and I shall be cleane: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than Snow.
8. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladnesse, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce.
9. Turne thy face from my sins, and put out all my misdeeds
10. Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
12. O give me the comfort of thy help again; and stablish me with thy free spirit.
13. Then shall I teach thy wayes unto the wicked; and sinners shal be converted unto thee
14. Deliver me from bloodguiltinesse, O God, thou that art the God of my health; and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse.
15. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall shew thy praise.
16. For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee; but thou delightest not in burnt offerings.
17. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
18. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion; build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt offerings and oblations: Then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine Altar.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.
Lord have mercy upon us.
Christ have mercy upon us.
Lord have mercy upon us.
Our Father which art in heaven, &c.
Minister, O Lord, save thy servants.
Answer, Which put their trust in thee.
Min. Send unto them help from above.
Answ. And evermore mightily defend them.
Min Help us, O God, our Saviour.
Answ. And for the glory of thy names sake deliver us, be mercifull unto us sinners, for thy names sake.
Min. O Lord, hear our prayer.
Ans. And let our cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
O Lord, we beseech thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and spare all those which confess their sins unto thee; that they (whose consciences by sin are accused) by thy mercifull pardon may be absolved, thorough Christ our Lord, Amen.
O Most mighty God and mercifull Father, which hast compassion of all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made; which wouldest not the death of a sinner, but that he should rather turn from sin and be saved: Mercifully forgive us our trespasses; receive and comfort us which be grieved and wearied with the burthen of our sins. Thy property is to have mercy, to thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins. Spare us therefore, O Lord, spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed; Enter not into judgement with thy Servants, which be vile earth, and miserable sinners; but so turn thine ire from us, which meekly knowledge our vileness, and truly repent us of our faults; so make hast to help us in this world, that we may ever live with thee in the world to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Then shall the people say this that followeth, after the Minister.
TƲrn thou us, O good Lord, and so shall we be turned; be favourable, O Lord, be favourable to thy people, which turn to thee, in weeping, fasting and praying: For thou art a mercifull God, full of compassion, long suffering, and of great pity. Thou sparest when we deserve punishment, and in thy wrath thinkest upon mercy: Spare thy people, good Lord, spare them, and let not thine heritage be brought to confusion. Hear us, O Lord, for thy mercy is great, and after the multitude of thy mercies look upon us.
I.
O Most mercifull and gracious Lord, we wretched and miserable sinners, humbly beseech thee in mercy and compassion to behold our great afflictions; for thy wrath is gone out, and thine indignation is kindled against us: We confesse, O Lord, that thy judgements are just, for we have multiplied our transgressions like the sand of the Sea; and the cry of them hath been so great, that it hath pierced the heavens, and called for vengeance against us: But we beseech thee, O Lord, forget not thou to be gracious, and shut not up thy loving kindnesse in displeasure; turn thee again and be mercifull unto thy Servants. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; O deliver us, and be mercifull unto our sinnes for thy names sake. Take thy [sword] and all other judgements from us, that we be not consumed by the means of thy heavy hand upon our sins. O satisfie us with thy mercy, and that soon; so shall we that be thy people, and sheep of thy pasture, give thee thanks for ever, and will alwayes be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation. Grant this, O mercifull Father, we beseech thee, for Jesus Christ his sake, our onelyonly Saviour and Redeemer, Amen.
II.
O Eternal God and most gracious Father, we confesse that by our manifold transgressions, we have deserv'd whatsoever thy Law hath threatned against sinners: Our contempt of thy Divine Service is great, and we hear thy Word, but obey it not. Our charity to our Neighbour is cold, and our disobedience abounds. Religion is with many of us, as in too many places besides, made but a pretence for other ends, then thy service; and there hath been little or no care among us, to keep Truth and Peace together, for the preserving of both Church and State. Forgive us, O Lord, forgive us these, and all other our grievous sins. Send us light in our understandings, readiness and obedience in our wils, discretion in our words and actions, true, serious, and loyal endeavours for the peace and prosperity of our Jerusalem, the unity and glory of this Church and State; that we may love it, and prosper in it, that we may be guided by thy grace in this life, and received to thy glory in the life to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
III.
GRant we beseech thee. Almighty God, that we which for our evill deeds, and our great unthankfulness are worthily punished; by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
IV.
ALmighty and most mercifull Father, who for our many and grievous sins (those especially which we have committed since our last solemn Humiliation before thee) mightest most justly have cut us off, but in the multitude of thy mercies hast hitherto spared us: Accept we most heartily beseech thee, our unfeigned sorrow for all our former transgressions; and grant we may never so presume of thy mercy, as to despise the riches of thy goodnesse: But that thy forbearance and long suffering may lead us to repentance, and amendment of our sinfull lives, to thy honour and glory, and our eternal salvation at the last day, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
V.
ALmighty and everlasting God, which hatest nothing that thou hast made, and doest forgive the sins of them that be penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchednes, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ.
VI.
GRant Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness, through Jesus Christ, Amen.
VII.
ALmighty and Everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities and miseries, and in all our dangers and necessities, stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
VIII.
O Lord, we beseech thee, favourably to hear the prayers of thy people, that we, which are justly punished for our offences, may be mercifully delivered by thy goodness, for the glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who liveth, &c.
Let us pray for the whole state of Christs holy Catholick Church, particularly of our distressed Mother, the afflicted Church of England.
O Lord God of thine inheritance, who conveyest many blessings to the children of men, by the prayer and Ministery of thy Church, let our prayers obtain of thee mercies and deliverances for her.
O Lord, thou hast planted thy Church in the humility, and poverty, and death of thy Sonne; thou hast watered it with the blood of thy Apostles and Martyrs; thou hast made it flourish and spread forth its branches, by the warmth and heat, and graces of thy Holy Spirit; and hast according to thy promise, still preserved it in the midst of all enmities and disadvantages.
Thy Lawes and righteous Commandments have been a scorne and derision to Jews and Gentiles; the flesh of thy servants hath been meat for the beasts of the land; And still she wears the purple robe of mockery, and the crown of thorns, which at first she took from the head and side of her dearest Lord.
At last, O Lord, be gracious unto thine inheritance; hel us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; let not thine enemies devoure the Church, and lay wast her dwelling places: Be mercifull unto our sins, preserve all those that by malice of their enemies are appointed to death, or prison, or any other misery.
Let us still enjoy the freedome of thy Gospel, the food of thy Word, the sweet refreshings of thy Sacraments, publick Communions in thy Church, and all the benefits of the society of Saints; and let not our sins cause thee to remove the Candlestick from us. But make thy people and the sheep of thy pasture secure and glad in thy salvation; that we may shew forth thy praise in this world, and in the world to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
O Thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that sittest upon the Cherubims, stir up thy strength and come and help thy people that prayeth unto thee for mercy and Protection. Thou hast made Affliction the portion of thy children in this life, thou feedest them with the bread of tears, and givest them plenteousness of tears to drink; Yet be pleased to shew the light of thy countenance upon us, to lighten our darknesses, to relieve our miseries, to heale our sicknesses; and let not thy Church become a strife unto her Neighbours, but reunite her Divisions, and make her not a prey to them that would devoure her, and then laugh her to scorn. O Lord, hedge her about with thy mercies, with the custody of Angels, with the Patronage of Kings and Princes, with the hearts and hands of Nobles, and the defence of the whole secular Arm, least the wilde Beasts of the field pluck off her Grapes, destroy the Vintage, and root up the Vine it self: but let her so flourish under the beams of thy favour and providence, that it may take root, and spread and fill all lands; that the name of the man of thy right hand, the God and man Christ Jesus may be glorified, thy Church enlarged and defended, and we blessed with thy health and salvation: Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ his sake, our onelyonly Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.
O Saviour of the world, save us, which by thy Cross and precious blood hast redeemed us, Help us we beseech thee, help this bleeding Church, O thou God of our salvation.
Though thou hast now a long time given Satan and his instruments power over all that she hath, yet, O Lord, spare her life: Let there be still a remnant left to praise thee,
And when by these sharp trials thou hast vindicated her integrity, be pleased to blesse her, as thou didst Job's latter end, by giving her a double portion of all reall 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 mercies sake, for thy Son Christ Jesus sake, our onelyonly 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 which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this for thine onelyonly Son Jesus Christ's sake.
The Conclusion.
THe Almighty Lord, which is a most strong tower to all them that put their trust in him; to whom all things in Heaven, in earth, and under the earth, doe bow and obey, be now and evermore our defence.
The defence of this afflicted Church: The defence of these distracted Realmes: The defence of all such who do, or suffer for the testimony of a good Cons…ience: The defence of the blessed and holy offices of our Mother the Church: The defence of this and all other congregations that meet together in thy holy fear: The defence of our dear relations, both at home and abroad: The defence of our own persons: The defence of our souls, bodies and estates.
And make us all to know and feel, that there is no other name under heaven given unto man, in whom, and through whom, we may receive re-establishment in our Religion, restauration of our Liberties, reconciliation with thee our God, together with peace and safety among men, felicity here, and salvation hereafter, but onelyonly the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To whom with thee, O Father, and the blessed spirit, be ascribed, as is most due, all Honour, and Glory, Praise, Might, Majesty, Dominion, and Adoration of all Angels, of all Men, and of all Creatures, now and for ever, Amen, Amen.