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 2prayer 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. Jonas 2. 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. They gape upon us with their mouths as it were ramp- Psal. 22. ing and roaring lions. But thou, O Lord, art our defender: thou art our health and our Psal. 3. salvation. We do put our trust in thee, O God: save us from all Psal. 7. them that persecute us, and deliver us. O take the matter into thy hand, thy people commit themselves unto Psal. 10. thee: for thou art their helper in their distress. Save us from the Lions' mouths, and from the horns of Psal. 7. & 22. the Unicorns lest they devour us, and tear us in pieces, while there is none to help. : O deliver not the soul of thy Turtle dove unto the multitude of the Psal. 74. enemies and forget not thy poor congregation for ever. Deliver us from our enemies, O God: defend and save Psal. 59. us from them that imagine mischief, and rise up against us. And we shall give thanks unto thee, O Lord, according to thy great Psal. 7. mercies and will praise the name of the Lord most high. : We will declare thy name unto our brethren in the Psal. 22. mids of the congregation will we praise thee, and magnify thy salvation world without end. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. A prayer for deliverance from enemies. [1572.] HEAR our prayer, O Lord, consider our desire: hearken Psal. 143. unto us for thy truth and mercy's sake. Lord, how are they increased that trouble us: many are they that Psal. 3. rise against us. The ungodly bend their bows, and make ready their Psal. 11. arrows within the quiver: that they may shoot at those that call upon the name of the Lord. They smite down thy people, O Lord and trouble thine heritage. Psal. 104. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be Psal. 79. meat unto the fowls of the air: and the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the land. Their blood have they shed like water on every side of Hierusalem: Psal. 79. and there was no man to bury them. And we that live are become an open shame to our Psal. 79. Psal. 74. & 79. Psal. 79. Psal. 79. Psal. 79. Psal. 74. Psal. 22. Psal. 22. enemies a very scorn and derision unto them that are round about us. O Lord, why is thy wrath such against the sheep of thy pasture? how long wilt thou be angry? shall thy jealousy burn like fire for ever? Wherefore should the ungodly say, Where is now their God? there is now no more help for them in their God. Oh remember not our old sins, but have mercy upon us, and that soon: for we are come to great misery. O let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee, according to the greatness of thy power: preserve thou those that are appointed to die. O Lord, think upon the congregation of thy people, whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old: O deliver us and save us, for the glory of thy name. And our praises shall be of thee in the great congregation: our vows will we perform in the sight of them that fear thee. And all the ends of the world shall remember themselves, and be turned unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him. Glory be to the Father, and to the, &c. As it was in the beginning, is now, &c. Prayers for true repentance and mercy. [1572] MOST merciful Father, who hast in thy holy word, the word of truth, promised mercy unto sinners that do repent and turn unto thee, and hast by thy terrible examples of thy just anger, being executed upon people and countries round about us, called us, and most mercifully moved us to repentance, and by thy patience and long suffering of us hitherto hast graciously granted us time and space to repent: grant also, we beseech thee, both to them and us, grace truly to repent, and unfeignedly to turn unto thee with amendment of life, and to trust in thy mercies, and safely to rest under thy continual protection from all enemies and evils, both bodily and ghostly, through our Saviour Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth- and reigneth one God, world without end. Amen. We have sinned, Lord, we have sinned grievously, we have done unjustly, we have lived wickedly; we are sorry therefore, O Lord, yea, we are most sorry, that we are no more sorry for our sins: but thou, Lord God, Father of all mercies, we humbly beseech thee, be not angry with us for ever for our great and manifold sins, neither deal with us according to our deserts, neither reward us according to our wickedness; but even for thyself, O Lord God, and for thy holy name's sake, for thy most gracious assured promises made unto penitent sinners in thy holy word, the word of truth, for thy infinite mercies which are in thy dearly beloved Son Jesu Christ our Saviour, for his sake, for his death and precious blood, be merciful unto us sinners; and so we, who have most grievously offended thy divine Majesty, shall continually magnify thy great and infinite mercy, through our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. Another prayer, to be delivered from our enemies. O1 LORD God of hosts, most loving and merciful Father, we thy humble servants prostrate ourselves before thy divine Majesty most heartily beseeching thee, to grant unto us 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 ourselves, and for all other our iniquities. Lord, deal not with us as we have deserved, but of thy great goodness and mercy do away our offences, and give us grace to confess and acknowledge, O Lord, with all humble and hearty thanks, the wonderful and great benefits which thou hast bestowed upon this thy Church and people of England, in giving unto us without all desert of our part, not only peace and quietness, but also in preserving our most gracious Queen thine handmaid so miraculously from so many conspiracies, perils, and dangers, and in granting her good success against the attempts of her adversaries: for the which so wonderful and great benefits we humbly beseech thee to stir up our dull [This Prayer varies very little from that on p. 604.] |