Prayers and Thanksgivings,
Upon Several Occasions,
To be used before the two final Prayers of the Litany, or of Morning and Evening Prayer

Prayers

For Rain

O God, heavenly Father, who by your Son Jesus Christ has promised to all those who seek your kingdom, and the righteousness thereof, all things necessary to their bodily sustenance; Send us, we beseech you, in this our necessity, such moderate rain and showers, that we may receive the fruits of the earth to our comfort, and to your honour; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

For Fair Weather

O Almighty Lord God, who for the sin of man did once drown all the world, except eight persons, and afterward of your great mercy did promise never to destroy it so again; We humbly beseech you, that although we for our iniquities have worthily deserved a plague of rain and waters, yet upon our true repentance you will send us fair weather, so that we may receive the fruits of the earth in due season; and learn both by your punishment to amend our lives, and for your clemency to give you praise and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

In Time of Dearth and Famine

O God, heavenly Father, whose gift it is that the rain doth fall, the earth is fruitful, beasts do increase, and fishes do multiply; Behold, we beseech you, the afflictions of your people; and grant that the scarcity and dearth, which we do now most justly suffer for our iniquity, may, through your goodness be mercifully turned into cheapness and plenty; for the love of Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for ever.

Amen

Or this:

O God, merciful Father, who, in the time of Elisha the prophet, did suddenly in Samaria turn great scarcity and dearth into plenty and cheapness; Have mercy upon us, that we, who are now for our sins punished with like adversity, may likewise find a seasonable relief : Increase the fruits of the earth by your heavenly benediction; and grant that we, receiving your bountiful liberality, may use the same to your glory, the relief of those that are needy, and our own comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

In the time of War and Tumults

O Almighty God, King of all kings, and Governor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it belongs to punish sinners in justice, and to be merciful to those who truly repent; Save and deliver us, we humbly beseech you, from the hands of our enemies; abate their pride, assuage their malice, and confound their devices; that we, being armed with your defence, may be preserved evermore from all perils, to glorify you, who are the only giver of all victory; through the merits of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

In the time of any common Plague or Sickness

O Almighty God, who in your wrath did send a plague upon your own people in the wilderness, for their obstinate rebellion against Moses and Aaron; and also, in the time of king David, did slay with the plague of Pestilence seventy thousand, and yet remembering your mercy did save the rest; Have pity upon us miserable sinners, who now are visited with great sickness and mortality; that like as you did then accept of an atonement, and did command the destroying Angel to cease from punishing, so it may now please you to withdraw from us this plague and grievous sickness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

In the Ember Weeks, to be said every day, for those that are about to be admitted into Holy Orders

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who has purchased to yourself an universal Church by the precious blood of your dear Son; Mercifully look upon the same, and at this time so guide and govern the minds of your servants the Bishops and Pastors of your flock, that they may lay hands suddenly on no man, but faithfully and wisely make choice of fit persons, to serve in the sacred Ministry of your Church. And to those which shall be ordained to any holy function, give your grace and heavenly benediction; that both by their life and doctrine they may show forth your glory, and set forward the salvation of all men; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Or this:

Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, who of your divine providence has appointed diverse Orders in your Church; Give your grace, we humbly beseech you, to all those who are to be called to any office and administration in the same; and so replenish them with the truth of your doctrine, and endue them with innocency of life, that they may faithfully serve before you, to the glory of your great Name, and the benefit of your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

A Prayer that may be said after any of the former

O God, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive, receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of your great mercy set us loose; for the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate.

Amen

A Prayer for the High Court of Parliament, to be read during their Session

Most gracious God, we humbly beseech you, as for this Kingdom in general, so especially for the High Court of Parliament, currently assembled under our most religious and gracious King: That you will be pleased to direct and prosper all their consultations, to the advancement of your glory, the good of your Church, the safety, honour, and welfare of our Sovereign and her Dominions; that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours, upon the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all generations. These and all other necessaries, for them, for us, and your whole Church, we humbly beg in the Name and by the Mediation of Jesus Christ, our most blessed Lord and Saviour.

Amen

A Collect or Prayer for all Conditions of Men, to be used at such times when the Litany is not appointed to be said

* This to be said when any desire the Prayers of the Congregation.O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech you for all sorts and conditions of men: that you will be pleased to make your ways known unto them, your saving health unto all nations. More especially, we pray for the good estate of the Catholic Church; that it may be so guided and governed by your good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to your fatherly goodness all those, who are any ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; {*especially those for whom our prayers are desired;} that it may please you to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy outcome out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake.

Amen

Thanksgivings

A General Thanksgiving

* This to be said when any that have been prayed for desire to return praiseAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants do give you most humble and hearty thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men; {*particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for your late mercies vouchsafed unto them.} We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for your inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech you, give us that due sense of all your mercies, that our hearts may be truly thankful, and that we show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end.

Amen

For Rain

O God our heavenly Father, who by your gracious providence dost cause the former and the latter rain to descend upon the earth, that it may bring forth fruit for the use of man; We give you humble thanks that it has pleased you, in our great necessity, to send us at the last a joyful rain upon your inheritance, and to refresh it when it was dry, to the great comfort of us your unworthy servants, and to the glory of your holy Name; through your mercies in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

For Fair Weather

O Lord God, who has justly humbled us by your recent plague of immoderate rain and waters, and in your mercy has relieved and comforted our souls by this seasonable and blessed change of weather; We praise and glorify your holy Name for this your mercy, and will always declare your loving-kindness from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

For Plenty

O most merciful Father, who of your gracious goodness has heard the devout prayers of your Church, and turned our dearth and scarcity into cheapness and plenty; We give you humble thanks for this your special bounty; beseeching you to continue your loving-kindness unto us, that our land may yield us her fruits of increase, to your glory and our comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

For Peace, and Deliverance from our Enemies

O Almighty God, who is a strong tower of defence unto your servants against the face of their enemies; We yield you praise and thanksgiving for our deliverance from those great and apparent dangers wherewith we were surrounded. We acknowledge it is of your goodness that we were not delivered over as a prey to them; beseeching you still to continue such mercies towards us, that all the world may know that you are our Saviour and mighty Deliverer; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

For restoring Public Peace at Home

O Eternal God, our heavenly Father, Who alone makes men to be of one mind in a house, and stills the outrage of a violent and unruly people; We bless your holy Name, that it has pleased you to appease the seditious tumults which have been lately raised up amongst us; most humbly beseeching you to grant to all of us grace, that we may henceforth obediently walk in your holy commandments; and, leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, may continually offer unto you our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for these mercies of yours towards us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

For Deliverance from the Plague, or other common Sickness

O Lord God, who has wounded us for our sins, and consumed us for our transgressions, by your late heavy and dreadful visitation; and now, in the midst of judgment remembering mercy, has redeemed our souls from the jaws of death; We offer unto your fatherly goodness ourselves, our souls and bodies which you have delivered, to be a living sacrifice, always praising and magnifying your mercies in the midst of your Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Or this:

We humbly acknowledge before you, O most merciful Father, that all the punishments which are threatened in your law might justly have fallen upon us, by reason of our manifold transgressions and hardness of heart: Yet seeing it has pleased you, in your tender mercy and upon our weak and unworthy humiliation, to relieve us of the contagious sickness which lately sore afflicted us, and to restore the voice of joy and health into our dwellings; We offer unto your Divine Majesty the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, lauding and magnifying your preservation and providence over us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen