minds to such thankfulness and acknowledging of thy mercies as becometh us, and as may be acceptable unto thee. We do instantly beseech thee of thy gracious goodness to be merciful to thy Church militant here upon earth, many ways vexed and tormented by the malice of Satan and his members, and at this time, as it were, compassed about with strong and subtle adversaries. And especially, O Lord, let thine enemies know, and make them confess that thou hast received England (which they most of all for thy gospel sake do malign) into thine own protection. Set, we pray thee (O Lord), a wall about it, and evermore mightily defend it. Let it be a comfort to the afflicted, a help to the oppressed, a defence to thy Church and people persecuted abroad. And forasmuch as thy cause is now in hand, we beseech thee to direct and go before our Armies both by sea and land, bless and prosper them, and grant unto them, O Lord, so good and honourable success and victories, as thou didst to Abraham and his company against the four mighty kings, to Josua against the five kings and against Amalech, to David against the strong and mighty armed giant Goliah, and as thou usest to do to thy children, when they please thee. We acknowledge all power, strength, and victory to come from thee: some put their trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember thy name, O Lord our God. Thou bringest the counsel of the heathen to nought, and makest the devices of the people to be of none effect. There is no king that can be saved by the multitude of an host, neither is any mighty man delivered by much strength. A horse is but a vain thing to save a man: therefore we pray unto thee, O Lord, thou art our help and our shield. O Lord, give good and prosperous success to all those that fight thy battle against the enemies of thy Gospel, shew some token continually for our good, that they which hate us may see it and be confounded; and that we thy little and despised flock may say with good King David, Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord Jehovah, and blessed are the folk that he hath chosen to be his inheritance. These and all other graces necessary for us grant, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Redeemer. In the time of war. O ALMIGHTY God, King of all kings, and governor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners, and to be merciful to them that truly repent: save and deliver us (we humbly beseech thee) from the hands of our enemies: abate their pride, assuage their malice, and confound their devices, that we, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore from all perils, to glorify thee, which art the only giver of all victory, through the merits of thy only Son Jesus Christ our Lord. O MOST righteous GOD, and most merciful Father, who as well by the dreadful plagues and afflictions of nations round about us, as by long suffering and saving of us, and by manifold benefits bestowed upon us, hast shewed thy severity in punishing, or trying of them, and thy mercy in sparing and blessing of us: we most humbly and heartily beseech thee, in thy justice to remember thy mercy towards them, and to save them, and to grant unto us grace not to despise the riches of thy patience and goodness towards us, neither by hardness of heart and impenitency to heap upon ourselves vengeance in the day of vengeance; but that we, being taught by the example of their punishment to fear thy justice, and moved by thy long suffering and blessing of us to love thy goodness, may by true repentance for our sins, and with all our souls, hearts, and minds, unfeignedly turning unto thee in newness of life, both escape thy wrath and indignation, and enjoy the continuance and increase of thy favour, grace, and goodness, through our Saviour, Jesus Christ, thy only Son, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God of most glorious majesty, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. Another prayer for the same. [1572] O LORD our God and heavenly Father, look down, we beseech thee, with thy fatherly and merciful countenance upon us thy people, and poor humble servants, and upon all such Christians as are any where persecuted, and sore afflicted for the true acknowledging of thee to be our God, and thy Son Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent, to be the only Saviour of the world: save them, O merciful Lord, who are as sheep appointed to the slaughter, and by hearty prayer do call and cry unto thee for thy help and defence: hear their cry, O Lord, and our prayer for them, and for ourselves; deliver those that be oppressed, defend such as are in fear of cruelty, relieve them that be in misery, and comfort all that be in sorrow and heaviness, that by thy aid and strength they and we may obtain surety from our enemies, without shedding of Christian and innocent blood. And for that, O Lord, thou hast commanded us to pray for our enemies, we do beseech thee, not only to abate their pride, and to stay the fury and cruelty of such as either of malice or ignorance do persecute them which put their trust in thee, and hate us, but also to mollify their hard hearts, to open their blinded eyes, and to lighten their ignorant minds, that they may see and understand, and truly turn unto thee, and embrace thy holy word, and unfeignedly be converted unto thy Son Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of the world, and believe and love his Gospel, and so eternally to be saved. Finally, that all Christian Realms, and specially this Realm of England, may by thy defence and protection enjoy perfect peace, quietness, and security, and all that desire to be called and accounted Christians may answer in deed and life to so good and godly a name; and jointly all together in one godly concord and unity, and with one consonant heart and mind, may render unto thee all laud and praise, continually magnifying thy glorious name, who with thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, art one eternal, Almighty, and most merciful God, to whom be all laud and praise, world without end. Amen. A prayer. BE1 merciful (O Father of all mercies) to thy Church [1 There is considerable similarity, as to its tenor, between this prayer, and one of which Sancroft has preserved an early manuscript copy in his volume marked 3. 4. 30. What the archbishop deemed worth preserving, it has been thought right to reprint. The prayer, which is undated, commences somewhat abruptly. See p. 580. Increase owr fayth, O Lord, and strengthen yt: graunt that we never distrust in thy mercies, nor decline from thy truth, nor fear the power of universal, dispersed throughout the whole world: and grant that all they that confess thy holy name, may agree in the truth of thy holy word, and live in godly concord and unity. And specially be merciful to such as are under persecution for the testimony of their conscience, and profession of the gospel of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Repress (O Lord) the rage and tyranny of such as are bent to bloodshed, and mind nothing but murther and save and deliver those silly souls, which (as sheep) are appointed to the shambles and slaughter. And namely be merciful to thy Church and Realm of England: to thy servant our Sovereign and gracious Queen ELIZABETH, whose life (O Lord) long and long preserve from all the conspiracies and evils, which the craft and malice of the devil, Antichrist, or other wicked men hath or can devise against her (as hitherto most graciously thou hast done). anie adversarie, nether anie vaine feare: but that we put our whole trust and confidens in the, and depend vppon the wholie and onelie, not vppon man, nether anie kynde of creature. Mollifie owr hard hartes, work in vs true repentans: forgyve vs all owre synnes: clensse owr hartes and thowghtes frome all filthinesse, vanities, worldlinesse, and incline the same to thi lawes and testimonies. Continew, O Lord, thy most holie word and gospell in this realme of England, graunt that we may trulie and thankfullie embrace yt: Convert the ennemies of yt (yf yt be thy wyll) dissipate there cownsailles, confound there devices. Preaserve Eliz. owr Quene, gyve her long life, and manie yeares to rule over vs. Govern her, O Lorde, and her whole counsail wt thy holie Spirite, that thorow they may be directyd to thy glorie, and profyte and peace of this church and commonwealth. Gyve peace to thy church frome externall trobles and persecutions (yf yt be thy blessed wyll) and from domesticall discord and dissention: kepe yt from the spoyler, frome oppression and wrong, and vs that be the ministers of yt, deal not wt vs as we have deservyd: but graunte that we may more faythfullie and more diligentlie walk in owr vocations, and do our duties then heatherto we have done. Discomforte, O Lord, confownd, or ells convert, all such as maling [malign] owr state wch are the ministers of thy word, desyer owr spoyle and seke our discreadite all Simonites, wch bye and sell, or vnfytlie bestow livinges and offices ordeynyd for the ministers and preachers of thy word: all spoylers and oppressors of thy people, by what color and preatens soever they do yt: all vniust Judges and wickyd magistrates, wch take bribes and rewardes, and have respect of persons: and all such as hinder Justice and discorage those wch trulie and faythfulli execute the same: all papists and haters of thy word and gospell. Finallie, O Lord, we vmblie besech the to graunt that those wch professe thy word and gospell may have the same, as well in hart as in mouthe, in dede as in owtward apparens: for thy name sake and for thy Christes sake. Amen.] Be merciful (O Lord) to the Queen's most honourable Council, giving them grace to counsel and to execute that which may be to thy honour and glory, to the edifying of the Church of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, and to the benefit and safety of the realm. Be merciful also (O Lord) to the clergy, nobility, Judges, magistrates, people, and commonalty of this realm, granting to every one thy heavenly grace, that they may in their vocation do their duties, to the honour and glory of thy name, the benefit of this church and realm, and to the salvation of their own souls. Grant this (O Lord) to us most unworthy sinners for the worthiness of thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. A thanksgiving and prayer for the preservation of the Queen and the Realm. [1572] O GOD, most merciful Father, who in thy great mercies hast both given unto us a peaceable princess, and a gracious Queen, and also hast very often and miraculously saved her from sundry great perils and dangers, and by her government hast preserved us and the whole Realm from manifold mischiefs, and dreadful plagues, wherewith nations round about us have been and be most grievously afflicted: have mercy upon them, O Lord, and grant us grace, we beseech thee, for these thy great benefits, that we may be thankful and obedient unto thee, to fly from all things that may offend thee, and provoke thy wrath and indignation against us, and to order our lives in all things that may please thee; that thy servant our sovereign Lady, and we thy people committed to her charge, may by thy protection be continually preserved from all deceits and violences of enemies, and from all other dangers and evils both bodily and ghostly, and by thy goodness may be maintained in all peace and godliness: grant this, O merciful Father, for thy dear Son's sake our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God immortal, invisible, and only wise, be all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. |