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. And, that our prayers may be the more effectual and acceptable unto thee, grant unto us, we beseech thee, true repentance for our sins past, namely for our unthankfulness, contempt of thy word, lack of compassion towards the afflicted, envy, malice, strife and contention among our selves, and for all other our iniquities. Lord, deal not with us as we have deserved: but of thy great sweet Saviour, as thou didst for Abraham, when he overcame the four mighty Kings, which conquered the Kings of the five Cities, and destroyed the men of Sodom and Gomora: and grant that as Josua overcame Amalech, that sought to hinder the children of Israel, by the prayer of Moses, that our noble Counseller, valiant Soldier, and faithful servant to her Majesty, may prevail and vanquish thy enemies, which disturb thy peace, and afflict our poor neighbours of the Low Countries, and that through our earnest prayers and hearty tears, which we most humbly and with unfeigned hearts pour forth before thy divine Majesty, who, seeking not to climb by pride, lest he should fall, but as a faithful member of thy Church, laboureth to defend thy truth and thy glorious Gospel. We confess, O heavenly Father, all power to come from thy seat: neither the Trumpets of Rams' horns wherewith Jerico fell, nor Samson's jaw bone, nor David's stone, nor the Pitchers of Gedion have power or strength to prevail without thee. The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars, yea, thou, O Lord, breakest the Cedars of Lebana. Therefore, O Lord, take the wicked by the heel, disclose the juggling of that popish unholy league. Bruise them, O Lord, with a Sceptre of iron, and break them in pieces like a Potter's vessel; that all thy faithful Children may confess and say, The roaring of the Lion, the voice of the Lioness, and the teeth of the Lion's whelps are broken. Grant also (O Lord) that the soldiers and faithful followers of thy religious Captain may so behave themselves in thy fight, that thou mayest have a pleasure in them, because they fear thy name, and fight thy battle: send thy holy Angel to pitch his Tent amongst them, and ever mightily defend them. Let them, O Lord, love together like Brethren, fight together like Lions, and not fear to die together like men. We beseech thee unite and sanetify them to thee, that they may war like faithful soldiers on earth, and enjoy the peace thou hast provided for them in this world, and in the world to come, for ever and ever. Amen.] goodness and mercy do away our offences. 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. Amen. Hereunto may be added the Collect of the Litany appointed to be used in the time of war. And other prayers heretofore published upon the like occasions, according to the discretion of the Minister. And when there are no Sermons, then to read one of the Homilies of repentance, fasting, and alms-deeds, lately published'. Some of these Psalms may be said or sung at the days and times before mentioned, after the prayer. One of these Chapters may be read on Wednesdays and Fridays, at the dis It were very convenient, and to be wished, that every one should forbear one meal at the least every week, over and above the ordinary appointed fasting days: to the end they might be more able to relieve the poor, and be more apt to prayer, hearing of the word, and other godly exercises. [1 See p. 594.] XXVIII. A FORM OF PRAYER, necessary for the present time and state. Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, The Preface. WE be taught by many and sundry examples of holy Scriptures, that upon occasion of particular punishments, afflictions and perils, which God of his most just judgment hath sometimes sent among his people, to shew his wrath against sin, and to call his people to repentance, and to the redress of their lives, the godly have been provoked and stirred up to more fervency and diligence in prayer, fasting and alms-deeds, to a more deep consideration of their consciences, to ponder their unthankfulness and forgetfulness of God's merciful benefits towards them, with craving of pardon for the time past, and to ask his assistance for the time to come, to live more godly, and so to be defended and delivered from all further perils and dangers. So king David in the time of plague and pestilence, which ensued upon his vain numbering of the people, prayed unto God with wonderful fervency, confessing his fault, desiring God to spare the people, and rather to turn his ire to him-ward, who had chiefly offended in that transgression. The like was done by the virtuous kings Josaphat and Ezechias in their distress of wars and foreign invasions. So did Judith and Hester fall to humble prayers in like perils of their people. So did Daniel in his captivity, and many other mo in their troubles. Now therefore, calling to mind, that God hath been provoked by us many and sundry ways, and doth after a sort threaten us with wars and invasion: it behoveth us to pray earnestly and heartily to God, to turn away his deserved wrath from us, and as well to defend us from the fierceness and fury of our enemies, (which combine and conspire together against us,) as also from all other plagues and punishments, which our unthankfulness and contempt of his word hath justly deserved. And although it is every christian man's duty, of his own devotion to pray at all times: yet for that the corrupt nature of man is so slothful and negligent therein, he hath need by often and sundry means to be stirred up, and put in remembrance of the same. It is therefore meet and requisite: First, that all Curates and Pastors should exhort their Parishioners to endeavour themselves to come unto the Church, with so many of their families as may be spared from their necessary business, and they to resort not only on Sundays and Holidays, [This is copied almost entirely from the Form issued in 1563. See p. 479.] but also on Wednesdays and Fridays, and at other times likewise during the time of these imminent dangers, exhorting them there reverently and godly to behave themselves, and with penitent hearts to pray unto God to turn these plagues from us, which we through our unthankfulness and sinful life have deserved. Secondly, that the said Curates then distinctly and plainly read the general confession appointed in the book of Service, with the Litany and residue of the Morning prayer, using according to their discretions some of the Psalms and prayers hereafter following, and for the first lesson some of these Chapters: Exodus 14. Exodus 17. begin at the 8. verse. Josua 10. until the 28. verse. Judges 7. 1 Samuel 17. 2 Kings 7. 2 Kings 19. 2 Chron. 20. unto the verse 30. Finally, it is very requisite, that in their Sermons and exhortations they should move the people to abstinence and moderation in their diet, to the end they might be the more able to relieve the poor, to pray unto God, to hear his holy word, and to do other good and godly works. A prayer for the forgiveness of sins. [1572] O COME, let us humble ourselves and fall down before Psal. 95. the Lord our maker, with reverence and fear. Let us repent and turn from our wickedness, and turn again unto our Osee 6. Lord and our sins shall be forgiven us. [ In the summer of 1588, Christopher Stile Collected and gathered togither,' whilst John Wolfe printed, four 'Psalmes of Inuocation vpon God, To preserue her Maieftie and the people of this lande, from the power of our enemies.' They were followed by 'A Godly Prayer, Wherein is desired aide of God against his enimies, forgiuenesse of sinnes, and to turne his plagues, as well of the sword, as penurie, which be due for sinne, farre from this land.' The subjoined passage from a copy in archbishop Harsnet's library, will shew the spirit of the publication: "We the people of England, are thy people, O Lord, and thou art our God: we are thy flocke, and thou art our shepeheard: we are thy children, and thou art our Father. Be merciful vnto vs thy children: tender vs thy flocke, and defend vs thy English nation. Turne thy wrath vpon the nations that haue not knowne thee, and that doe not call vpon thy name: and turne it we pray thee vpon the Antechristians host, send forth thine angel stil to scatter them, as sometime thou didst in the host of Senacherib for Iudah and Hezechiah in his time. Let the blast of the trumpets blowne by our Gedeon stil strike a terror in the harts of the Antechristian Madianites, with their combined powers, and let be hard the sounding of thy host in the aire to the amasing of the Spanish Assyrians, that they and theirs may be a pray for our Elizabeth, and our English host: or sinke them in the sea, as thou didst Pharao and his host in pursuing thy Israel, to bring them into their seruitude, that so our Elizabeth and all her faithfull subiects may sing the songes of triumph to thy diuine maiestie, that giuest victorie to Kinges."] [LITURG. QU. ELIZ.] 39 Acts 3. Jonas 3. Psal. 5[1]. Lamen.51[5]. Psal. 6 Judith 8. Psal. 25. Psal. 10. Psal. 25. Baruc. 3. Dan. 9. Psal. 25. Psal. 79. Psal. 79. Psal. 5. Psal. 22. Let us turn, and the Lord will turn from his heavy wrath he hath smitten us, and he will heal us, he will pardon us, and we shall not perish. We acknowledge our faults, O Lord: and our sins are ever before our sight. We have sore provoked thine anger, O Lord: thy wrath is waxed hot, and thy heavy displeasure is sore kindled against us. But rebuke us not, O Lord, in thine indignation: neither chasten us in thy heavy displeasure. Indeed we acknowledge that all punishments are less than our deserving: but yet of thy mercy, Lord, correct us to amendment, and plague us not to our destruction. O remember not the sins and offences of our youth, and times past, but according to thy mercy think upon us, O Lord, for thy goodness. Stand not so far off, O Lord: neither hide thy face in the needful time of trouble. Turn thee unto us, and have mercy upon us: for we are desolate and in great misery. And now in the vexation of our spirits, and the anguish of our souls: we remember thee, and we cry unto thee; hear, Lord, and have mercy. For we do not pour out our prayers before thy face, trusting in our own righteousness: but in thy great and manifold mercies. For thine own sake, and for thy holy name's sake, incline thine ear and hear: and be merciful to our sins, for they are great. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: O deliver us, and save us for thy name's sake. So we that be thy people, and sheep of thy pasture, shall give thee thanks for ever: and will be always shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation. Glory be to the Father, &c. As it was in the, &c. A prayer to be delivered from our enemies. [1572.] O HEARKEN to the voice of our prayer, our King and our God: for unto thee do we make our complaint. O Lord, the counsel of the wicked conspireth against us: and our enemies are daily in hand to swallow us up. |