Private Forms of Prayer, Prayers 3 – Litany 1
Prayers for the King.
LOrd Remember our distressed King, and all his Troubles, Amen.
Let thine Hand hold him fast, and thine Arm strengthen him, Amen.
Let not the Enemy be able to do him violence, or the Son of Wickedness hurt him, Amen.
Let thy Truth and Mercy be ever with him; and in thy Name, let his Throne be exalted, Amen.
O be thou his Father, his God, and his strong Salvation, Amen.
And let him be as the First-born, and Glorious among the Kings of the Earth, Amen.
O God make speed to save him:
O Lord make haste to help him.
II.
O Most Powerful Lord God, the only disposer of all the Kings and Kingdomes of the Earth, who for the Punishment of the Crying sins of this Nation hast extinguished our Glory, and cast the Throne down to the Ground, Give us not over utterly to Ruine and Confusion; But bring back in thy good time the Heir of these Kingdomes, like the Sun with Healing in his Wings, to repair the Breaches already made, and prevent the Desolations that threaten us.
And however thou hast been pleased to cast a cloud upon him in the Morning of his Days, yet leave him not in this storm.
Forsake him not, Thou that art the God of his salvation; But look upon his Wrongs, and have Compassion on his Innocency.
O let it never be in the Power of men to barr him from the Throne, to which by his Birth thou hast designed him; But Guide him with those Counsels, and prosper him with that success, as may settle him in his Throne in Peace.
Or, if the Guilt and Wickedness of his Opposers shall still continue to hinder this, Do it after thine own way, O God, with thy mighty hand, and stretched out Arm; That they may both know and feel, that thou art the Protector of Kings, and the Re…uge of all them, who have no other Trust but Thee.
Grant this, O Lord, for the Glory of thy Name, and the Comfort of thy desolate Church and People, Amen.
O Most Mercifull God, the only Sanctuary of sad and distressed souls, Look down I beseech Thee upon thy servant, who here with bended Knees and a wounded spirit prostrate my self before Thee. For Wo unto us, we have lived to see the Crown fall from our Heads, and the Glory departed from our Israel, even the Anoynted of the Lord, driven to fly before wicked men, and they, who have divided his Inheritance triumphing over him.
But thou, O Lord, how long, how long shall Bloody Designs and Rebellious imaginations prosper? Shall not the Judge of the whole Earth do Right? Or hast thou forgotten to be Gracious, and shuttest up thy tender Mercy in displeasure?
O No: Thou art the same God, who in the midst of Judgment remembrest Mercy. Thine Arm is not shortned that thou canst not save, nor thine Ear heavy, that thou canst not hear. Arise then, O Lord, Arise, Let the World see, that thou art the Father of the Fatherless, and the Helper of them to Right that suffer Wrong. Shew it, O Lord, especially at this time, in multiplying all thy comforts upon our distressed King.
And, as thou hast strangely and Wonderfully delivered him from those who so eagerly hunted after his Life; So let it appear to the World that thou hast not done this to make him more miserable, or to continue him in the Condition of an Exile; But rather, that thou hast reserved him for Faithfull Hands, and fairer Opportunities and more prosperous successes.
And though that was not the Time, nor those the Means, by which thou hast designed to restore the Kingdom to him, Yet that thou hast not forsaken him, but that He is still in thy Care, still under the shadow of thy Wings, who alone art able to do more for him, then we can pray for; and Gloriously to bring him back again, by wayes we cannot think of. In the mean time, O Lord, whilst thou thinkest fit to keep him under the sharpnesse of this Discipline, Teach him to kisse the Hand that chastens him, and humbly to submit his Earthly Crown to thy Divine Will and Pleasure; knowing, that thou canst either Restore him That, when it seems good to thee, Or else give him … Crown infinitely more Glorious, which no man can take ftom him.
Lord, He is more Precious to thee, then he can possibly be to us. Dispose of Him therefore in the multitude of thy Mercies, And let thy Holy Spirit take so full Possession and Guidance of him, that among all the Difficulties of his most perplexed Affairs, he may constantly perform his Duty towards thee, and live and dy thy faithful Servant in Jesus Christ, Amen.
A Letany of Intercession.
O That thou wouldst hear me O God! that thou wouldst so prepare my Heart, that thou maist hear me! that thou wouldst hear me once more, though I am but Dust and Ashes! That thou wouldst hear me for all those, whom by the Bonds of Duty, and Charity, or Affection, I am bound to Pray for!
O Lord hear my Prayers.
And let my cry come unto thee.