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 en es, without shedding of Christian and innocent blood. Anu 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 [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 name be merciful to thy Church and Realm of England: toy 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 w' 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 w 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. A PSALM AND COLLECT OF THANKSGIVING, not unmeet xxix. for this present time: to be said or sung in Churches. At London. Printed by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, Printer to the Queen's most excellent Majesty. 1588. A Psalm of thanksgiving. O COME hither, and hearken, all ye that fear God, and Psal.66.c.141. we will tell you what he hath done for our souls. For we may not hide his benefits from our children, and Psal. 78. a. 4. to the generation to come, and to all people we will shew the praises of the Lord, his power also, and his wonderful works, that he hath done for us. When the Kings and Rulers of the earth, and Nations Psal. 2. a. 1. round about us, furiously raged, and took counsel together against God, and against his anointed. Matt.10, d. 22. & 24. b 9. 10. Psal. 115. a.4. When2 men of another devotion than we be, (men bewitched Psal. 144. b.7. by the Romish Antichrist,) men drowned in idolatries and superstitions, hated us deadly, and were maliciously set against us, Psal. 55. a. 3. for our profession of the word of God, and the blessed Gospel of our Saviour Christ. They cast their heads together with one consent, took their common counsel, and were confederate, and gined mischief, against thy people, O Lord God. 5. they Psal. 83. a. 3. ima- The council of Trent, and the holy league. & 56. b. 6. & They secretly laid wait, they privily set snares and nets, Psal. 35. b. 7. they digged pits for our souls, thinking that no man should 64. a. 5. 6. & see them. 83. b. 3. cruel Psal. 12. a. 1. kept 2. 3. & 14. b.5.6. Psal. 59. b. 7. They communed of peace, and prepared for most war; for they think that no faith nor truth is to be with us, but that they may feign, dissemble, break promise, c. 12. & 120. swear, and forswear, so they may deceive us and take us un- a. 2. 3. b. 9. wares, and oppress us suddenly. [See p. 549, note 4.] [2 Dr Williams's MS. quotes the present passage to illustrate a remark on Christopher Stile's publication (p. 609, note 2): "In this, and most of these Forms they terme the Pope Antichrist, and acknowledge their desert to be plagued, persecuted, and troubled, by the sword of forren power stirred vp against vs by the Romish antechrist, the Pope.'"] a. 2. & 140. Psal. 3. a.1.2. Psul. 22. c.12. & 69. a. 4. And indeed innumerable multitudes of these most subtle 16. & 59. a. 3. and cruel enemies, and too mighty for us, came suddenly upon us, by sea and by land, when we looked not for them. Psal.17. b. 12. Psal. 22. c. 13. Psal. 27. a. 2. They came furiously upon us, as it were roaring and 1.2, ramping Lions, purposing to devour us, and to swallow us up: they approached near unto us, even to eat up our flesh. They said in their hearts, Let us make havoc of them altogether, let us root them out that they be no more a people, and that the name of England may be no more had in remembrance. Psal. 74. b. 8. & 83. a. 4. Israel. Psal. 27. c. 15. Psal. 55. a. 3. 1. 2. &c. And surely their coming was so sudden, their multitude, Psal. 124. a. power, and cruelty so great, that had we not believed verily Psal. 94. c. 17. to see the goodness of God, and put our trust in his de fence and protection, they might have utterly destroyed us. Psal. 56. a. 3. & 107. b. 6. & 108. c. 12. Psal. 60. c. 11. 12. & 108. c. 12. 13. Psal. 81. b. 7. & 18. d.34. 35. 37. But though we had great cause to be afraid, yet we put our whole trust in God: we cried unto the Lord in our trouble and distress; we said, Help us, O Lord our God, for vain is the help of man. We said, We commit ourselves wholly unto thee; according to the greatness of thy power, preserve us, O Lord, who are appointed to die. And the Lord inclined his ear and heard us, and gave Psal. 48.a.5.6. Courage to the hearts, and strength to the hands, of our captains and soldiers, and put the enemies in fear. Psal. 10. c. 12. 14. The Lord arose, and took the cause (which indeed was his own) Psal. 35. a. 1. into his own hands, and fought against them, that fought against us. Psal. 11. b. 6. Psal. 18. c. 11. 12. 13. Psal. 48. a. 6. & 83. c. 15. Exod. 15. a. The Lord scattered them with his winds, he confounded and disappointed their devices and purposes of joining their powers together against us. The Angel of the Lord persecuted them, brought them Psal.35.3.5.6 into dangerous, dark, and slippery places, where they wandering long to and fro, were consumed with hunger, thirst, cold, and sickness the sea swallowed the greatest part of them. 4.5. Psal.7.c.15.16. 16. 17. 18. And so the Lord repressed the rage and fury of our cruel Psal. 9. c. 15. enemies, intending nothing but bloodshed and murther, and Psal. 9. b. 9. turned the mischief which they purposed against us upon Psal. 44. b. 12. their own heads; and delivered and saved us, who were as sheep appointed to the shambles and slaughter. Psal. 18. d. 17. d. 22. Psal. 64. b. 9. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our 43. |