Private Forms of Prayer, Prayer 7 – List of lessons 2
A Prayer for the Church of England.
O Lord, look down in mercy and compassion upon our dear Mother, the afflicted Church of England, to whose breasts thou hast applyed us: And grant, that we may draw from thence neither blood nor wind,1 Pet. 2.2. but the sincere milk of thy word of an holy Conversation.
Behold Lord, she is none of those Mothers, 1 King. 3.26.which are for the dividing of their children; O preserve thou her children, that they also may none of them be for the dividing of their Mother!
Make her yet once more happy in a Moses and an Aaron: Isa. 49.23.in nursing Fathers to go in and out before this People, and holy Ministers to stand before thee our God: and suffer not the sins of this Nation to be stronger, to pull down the walls of our Sion and Jerusalem, then is thy goodness and mercy to build them up again.
O that this Church of England may live in thy sight!Genes. 17.18.
For which end, behold her Priests, how they keep silence,Psol. 39.2- even from good words, which is pain and grief unto them; and are denied even a place between the Porch and the Altar, though only to weep there for the sparing of the Temple.Joel. 2.17.
Behold her Virgins,Prov. 29.18. how they mourn, least for want of a Vision, the People perish; and her Widdows, how they make Lamentation, to see Judgement begin so severely at the House of God.1 Pet. 4.17.
Behold, how she her self, Jer. 31.85. Mat. 2.11.like another Rachel, weeps for her children, because they are not; because they are not suffered to comfort their own Mother, and to defend her from all such who mock at her Sabbaths and solemn Feasts, and make her service and Devotions their derision and scorn.
Lam. 1.9.O Lord, behold her Afflictions, for the Enemy hath magnified himself against her.
See, O Lord, and consider, for she is become very vile:
But we trust, by how much she is become vile in the eyes of man, 2 Sam. 16.12.she shall be the more precious in the sight of thee her God. And, though others set light by her blood, yet thou hast promised not to despise her tears: especially, when thou thy self hast washed them in the blood of thy Son.
O therefore we beseech thee, put thou her Tears in thy bottle;Psal. 56.8. and let not her sighs and her groans seem little in thy sight. Accept of those Humiliations, and graciously answer the Prayers which are offered up in secret for her. Visit, O visit her in Mercy and Compassion, now after the time that thou hast afflicted her,Psal. 90.15. and for the many years wherein she hath suffered Adversity.
Let that purple Robe of mockery, wherewith first thy self wert clad, and now of late this Church of thine, be changed at length into garments of joy and gladnesse.
Let that Crown of thorns, which was taken from thy Temples and platted upon hers, be now taken from both: and crown her instead thereof, with Roses out of her own Sharon.Cant. 2.1.
Let the Print of the nails in thy hands and feet, be as the Balm of Gilead to heal and close up the wounds which are made in hers. And let the hole in thy precious side, be a safe hiding-place and Sanctuary, till this 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 year of the Lord to all that mourn in Sion.Isa. 62.1.
As thou hast given unto this Church an Head of gold, Dan. 2.13.so do not let her stand like Nebuchadnezars Image upon feet of clay Though she be made to lie among the pots, yet thou canst cover her again with silver wings, Psal. 68.13.making her feathers like gold.
Thou art Almighty, and canst do it:Psa. 86.17. yea thou art Almercifull and wilt do it: O then shew her (now especially) some token for good, that they which hate her may see it, and be ashamed, because thou, O Lord, hast holpen her and comforted her.
Give her instead of a Rent, a Girdle, instead of vain Repetitions, the Holy Spirit and Office of Prayer; 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 blasted Ears of corn to devour those full and good Ears,Gen. 41.24. which have sprung up here in Gods field. Neither do thou punish our former (slighted) plenty with a succeeding famine of thy Word.
Give unto her beauty for ashes, Isa. 61.3.the oyl of Joy for mourning, the garment of Prayer for the spirit of heaviness.
Give her the custody of Angels, the Patronage of Kings and Princes, the hearts and hands of Nobles, the prayers and tears of Priests, and the defence of the whole secular Arm.
O thou that hast the Key of David,Rev. 3.7. that openest and no man shutteth, open thou the mouths of thy Ministers, and suffer no more any man to shut them. Open thou the doors of thine own House for thy servants to enter in, and let no one dare upon the perill 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) let not our Lord be angry and we will speak unto him once more.Gen. 18.32. Judg. 6.39.
Preserve her, and all her sons and daughters in all storms, and against all temptations; in this present storm, 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 ease. Give us innocence mixt with prudence, the Doves eye in the Serpents head▪ And teach us to beware of the Dragons Poyson, Ne devoret Serpens Columbam. Mat. 10.16.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 knowest more needfull for our bleeding Mother, or for any of her pers…cuted Children, we beg at thy mercifull hands, for thy Sons sake who purchased this Church with his own blood, Jesus 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 Birthday, 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 met 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 gracious 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 out 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,Anno 1659 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 Altar, and to cry, spare thy people, O Lord, spare them.
O most blessed Jesu, who art an 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 them to their own way; But be thou graciously pleased to look after them; and when thou hast found them, give them a ready willingness to accept of thy shoulders, and to be carried home.
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 usurping 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 thee 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 thee; that he, by whose prayers and instructions, thou art graciously 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 hear 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 fervent 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 bloodsheddings sake of thy beloved Son, and our blessed Mediator Jesus Christ, Amen.
Psalms for pardon of sins.
Psalm. 6.25.32.38.51.102.130.143.
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.
IƲdgments upon Rebellion.
2 Sam. 18. Saint Judes Epist.
Numb. 16. Saint Judes Epist.
Judgements upon Tyrants and false Prophets.
Mic. 3. Mat. 7.23. Mar. 13.
Mic. 3. 2 Pet. 2.3. Mar. 13.
The Judgement of removing the Candlestick, and threats of it.
1 Sam. 4. Mat. 21. Rev. 2.
Ezek. 3. Mat. 21. Rev. 2.
Threats against Disobedience and Promises to the Obedient.
Deut. 28. Luke 6.
Joshua. 23. Luke 6.
Isa. 59. Luke 6.
Jer. 5. Luke 6.
Lamentation for Judgement on a Land.
Lam. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Mat. 20. Luke 13.
Isa. 64. Mat. 20. Luke 13.
Jerem. 4.9. Mat. 20. Luke 13.
Baruch. 2.3. Mat. 20. Luke 13.
2 Esdras 3.4. Mat. 20. Luke 13.
Exhortation to Repentance and Faith.
Deut. 4, 6, 8, 11. Mat. 6.
Isaiah 58. Mat. 6.
Hosea 4, 6. Mat. 6.
Exhortaion to Fasting and Obedience.
Joel 2.
Jonah 3.
Jerem. 2, 3, 7, 6.
Examples for patient sufferings, and Exhortations thereto.
2 Sam. 15. Heb. 12. 1 Pet. 2, 3, 4. Jam. 4, 5.
2 Mac. 6, 7. Heb. 12. 1 Pet. 2, 3, 4. Jam. 4, 5.
Temporary Prosperity and Eternall Punishment of the wicked.
Job. 21. Jer. 12. Act. 12.
Habbac. 1. Act. 12.
Mal. 3. Act. 12.
Wisdom 5. Act. 12.
Persecution of the Church.
Exod. 5. Revel. 12, 13.
Comforts to the Penitent and Holy.
Ezek. 9. Mat. 5. Revel. 7.