The practice of Christian graces, or, The whole duty of man laid down in a plaine and familiar way for the use of all, but especially the meanest reader : divided into XVII chapters, one whereof being read every Lords Day, the whole may be read over thrice in the year : with Private devotions for several occasions...

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 keep∣est, 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 mer∣ciful countenance wherewith thou pacifiest all things in heaven, in earth, and whatsoever is above heaven and un∣der the earth: vouchsafe 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 re∣membered himself, & repented, with which eyes thou once didst view the scattered multitude, and wert moved with compassion, that for lack of a good Shepherd, they wan∣dered as sheep dispersed and strayed a sunder. Thou seest (O good Shepherd) what sundry sorts of Wolvs have bro∣ken into thy sheep cotes, of whom every one cryeth: Here is Christ, here is Christ. So that if it were possible the very perfect persons should be brought into error. Thou seest with what winds, 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 ut∣terly sink, and we all perish? Of this tempest and storm, we may thank our own wickedness and sinful living; we espy it well and confesse it, we espy thy righteousness, and we bewail our unrighteousness: but we appeal to thy mercy which (according to the Psalm of thy Prophet) surmount∣eth all thy works; we have now suffered much punishment, being sousted with so many wars, consumed with such losses

of goods, scourged with so many sorts of diseases and pe∣stilences, shaken with so many flouds, feared with so ma∣ny strange sights from heaven, and yet appears there no where any Haven or Port unto us being thus-tired & for lorn among so strange evils, but still every day more grie∣vous punishments, and more seem to hang over our heads. We complain not of thy sharpness, most tender Saviour, but we espy here also thy mercy, forasmuch, as much grie∣vouse•• plagues we have deserved. But O most merciful Je∣su, we beseech thee, that thou wilt not consider not 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 filly vessels of clay. Have mercy on us, O redeemer, which art easie to be intreated, not that we be worthly of thy mercy, but give thou this glory unto thine own Name. Suffer not that the Jews, Turks, and the rest of the Panims, which either have not known thee, or do envy thy glory, should conti∣nually 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 oppro∣brious words and upbraidings 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 Tem∣pest suddenly arising threatned death to all in the Ship, thou awokest at the outcry of a few Disciples, and straight∣way at thine Almighty word the waters couched, the winds fell, the storm was suddenly turned into a great calm; the dumb waters know their makers voice. Now in this far greater tempest, wherein not a few mens bo∣dies be in danger, but innumerable souls: we beseech th••e at the cry of thy holy Church, which is in danger of drowning, that thou wilt awake. So many thousands of men do cry, Lord save us, we perish, the tempest is past mans power: yea we see that the endeavours of them that would help it, do turn clean a contrary way. 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 ••he desired calm appear. Thou wouldst have spa••ed so many thousands of most wicked men, if in the City of Sodo••

••ad been found but ten good men. Now here be so many thousands 〈◊〉〈◊〉 men, which love the glory of thy name, which sigh for the beauty 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thy house; and wilt thou not at these mens prayers let go thine an∣••r, and remember thine accustomed and old mercies? Shalt thou ••ot with thy heavenly policy turn our folly into thy glory? Shalt thou ••ot turn the wicked mens evils into thy Churches good? For thy mer∣••y is wont then most of all to succour, when the thing is with us past ••medy, and neither the might nor wisdom of men can help it. Thou ••one b••ingest things that be never so out of order, into order again: ••hich art the only Author and maintainer of peace. Thou framedst ••hat old confusion, which we call Chaos, wherein without order, with∣••ut fashion confusedly lay the discordant seeds of things, and with a ••onderful order the things that of nature fought together, thou didst ••ly and knit in a perpetual band. But how much greater confusion is ••is, where is no charity, no fidelity, no bonds of love, no reverence either of lawes, nor yet of rulers, no agreement of opinions, but as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were in a misordered quire, every man singeth a contrary note. A∣••ong the heavenly Planets is no dissention, all four Elements keep ••••eir place, every one do their office whereunto they be appointed. And wilt thou suffer thy Spouse, for whose sake all things were made ••hus bycontinual discords to perish, and go to wrack? Shalt thou ••••ffer the wicked spirits, which be authors and workers of discord, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bear such a swing in thy Kingdome unchecked? Shalt thou suffer ••e strong Captain of mischief, whom thou once overthrewest, again 〈◊〉〈◊〉 invade thy tents, and to spoil thy souldiers? When thou wert here man conversant among men, at thy voice fl••d the Devils. Send forth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beseech thee, O Lord, thy spirit which may drive away out of the ••ests of al them that profess thy name, the wicked spirits masters of ri∣••••, of covetousness, of vain-glory, of carnal lust, of mischief, and of dis∣••ord. Create in us, O our God and King, a clean heart, and renew thy holy ••pirit in our breasts pluck not from us thy holy Ghost. Render unto us ••e joy of thy saving health, and with thy principal spirit, strengthen ••y Spouse and the Herdmen thereof. By this Spirit thou reconciledst ••••e earthly to the heavenly: by this thou didst frame and reduce, so ••any tongues, so many nations, so many sundry sorts of men into 〈◊〉〈◊〉 body of a Church; which body by the same Spirit is knit to thee ••••eir Head. This Spirit if thou wilt vouchsafe to renew in all mens ••earts, then shall also these foreign miseries cease, or if they cease ••ot, at least they shall turn to the profit and avail of them which love ••ee. Stay this confusion, set in order this horrible Chaos (O Lord ••e us;) let thy spirit stretch out it self upon these waters of evil wa∣••ering opinions. And because thy spirit, which according to thy Pro∣••ets saying containeth all things hath also the sience of speaking▪

make that like as unto all them which be of thy house, is all one light, one Baptisme, one God, one Hope, one Spirit; so they may also have one voice, one note, and song, professing one Catholick truth. When thou didst mount up to heaven triumphantly, thou threwest out from above thy precious things, thou gavest gifts amongst men, thou dealt∣est sundry rewards of thy Spirit. Renew again from above thy old bountifulness, give that thing to thy Church, now faincing and grow∣ing 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 mind, and pursue the same in their doings. Give to the Bishops the gift of prophecy, 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 de∣mandest of Peter, what time thou didst be••ake 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 passe, if through thy gift thy Princes shall command that thou requirest, if thy Pastors and Her••men shall teach the same, and thy people obey them both: that the old dignity and tranquilli∣ty of the Church shall return again with a goodly order unto the glo∣ry of thy name. Thou sparedst the Ninevites appointed to be destroy∣ed, as soon as they converted to repentance; and wilt thou despise thy house falling down at thy feet, which in stead of sackcloth hath sighes, and instead of ashe•• 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 goodnesse should re∣dound 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 Savi••ur, suff••r not them to perish which do hang on thee. Thou art the Lord and owner; challenge thy possession. Thou art the head, help thy memb••rs. Thou art the King, give us a reverence of thy laws. Thou art the Prince of peace; breathe upon us brotherly love. Thou art the God, have p••ty on thy humble bes••ec••ers; be thou according to Pauls saying, all things in all men, to the intent, the whole quire of thy Church with agre••ing minds and consonant voyces for mercy ob∣tained at thy hands, may give thanks to the Father, Son & holy Ghost w^ch after the most perf••ct example of concord, b•• distincted in property of Persons, and one in nature, to whom be praise and glory eternally. Amen.

FINIS.