yet notwithstanding by mighty preparations at this present they seek our ruin still. That which armeth us, is neither desire1 of enlarging our own borders, nor thirst of blood, nor ravin of spoil, but only our own just defence, only to break the power of our enemies, and to turn away the battle from our own gates; for that, if we sit still, and suffer them to gather strength, they will suddenly make a breach upon us, and destroy the mother with the children. This they seek, O Lord, and as thou seest, that the heart of thine Anointed in all her actions is upright before thee, so maintain thou our right, and be enemy to our enemies. Great is their malice (as thou, Lord, seest), and great is the mischief they intend against us. Let not the wicked have their desire: O Lord, let not their mischievous imaginations prosper, lest they be too proud. And albeit our many and grievous iniquities may testify against us, and justly deserve that thou shouldest make the enemies' sword the avenger of thy covenant which we have broken; yet deal thou with us according to thy mercy, O Lord. We have sinned, Lord, do thou unto us what seemeth good in thine eyes: only at this time we pray thee to succour us, and not make us a scorn and derision to our oppressors. The rather, O Lord, for that we put not our trust in any strength of our own, but our eyes look only to thee. We know, Lord, the battle is thine, and that with thee it is nothing to save with many, or with few: For that, except thou command the winds, we can not stir, and except thou bless with counsel and courage, we shall not prevail, and all these are in thine hands to give or to withhold. Help us, 0 Lord God, for we rest on thee, and in thy Name go we forth against these mighty preparations. O Lord, thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee: let thine arm rise up, and put on strength to preserve us now as of old, even the same arm that was mighty for us and against them in their former pride and fury. Wherefore from thy holy Sanctuary, O Lord, open thine eyes and behold, incline thine ear and hear the prayer of thy Go forth, O Lord, with our Hosts, by Sea and by land. Send forth the winds out of thy treasures to bring servants. ['Here, as well as elsewhere, the writer seems to have copied the sentiments, and even the expressions, of the prayer written by Elizabeth in the preceding year. See p. 666.] them to the place appointed. Take all contagious sickness from the midst of them, O Lord, the strength of our salvation. Cover their heads in the day of battle. Send thy fear before thy servants, and make their enemies to flee and fall before them. Let thy faith (Lord) make them valiant in battle, and put to flight the Armies of Aliens. And by this shall we know, O Lord, that thou favourest us, in that our enemy doth not triumph over us, and shall always confess to the praise of thy Name, that it was thy hand, and that it was thou, Lord, the shield of our help and sword of our glory, that hast done these great things for us, and evermore say, Praised be the Lord, that hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants. Hear us, O Lord, for the glory of thy Name, for thy loving Mercy, and for thy truth sake, even for the merits and intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. O ETERNAL God, in power most mighty, in strength most glorious, without whom the Horse and Chariot is in vain prepared against the day of battle: vouchsafe (we beseech thee) from thy high throne of Majesty to hear and receive the hearty and humble prayers, which on bended knees we, the people of thy pasture, and sheep of thy hands, do in an unfeigned acknowledgment of thy might and our own weakness pour out before thee on the behalf of our gracious Sovereign, and on the behalf of her Armies, her Nobles, her Valiants, and men of war: who by thee inspired have put their lives in their hands, and at this time do oppose themselves against the malice and violence of such, as bear a mortal hate at thy Sion, and do daily conspire and rise up against it, even against the Church, thine Anointed, and the people of this her Land. Arise then (O Lord) and stand up, we pray thee, to help and defend them: be thou their Captain to go in and out before them, and to lead them in this journey: teach their fingers to fight, and their hands to make battle. The General and Chieftains bless with the spirit of wisdom, counsel, and direction; the Soldiers with minds ready to perform and execute, Gird them all with strength, and pour out upon them the spirit of courage: give them in the day of battle. hearts like the hearts of Lions, invincible and fearless against evil, but terrible to such as come out against them. Where the enemy doth rage, and danger approach, be thou (O Lord) a rock of salvation, and a tower of defence unto them. Break the enemies' weapons: As smoke vanisheth, so let their enemies be scattered, and such as hate them, fly before them. Thou seest (O Lord) the malice of our adversaries, how for thy Name, which is called on over us, and for the truth of thy Gospel wherein we rejoice, they bear a tyrannous hate against us, continually vexing and troubling us, that fain would live in peace. Stir up therefore (O Lord) thy strength, and avenge our just quarrel: turn the sword of our enemy upon his own head, and cause his delight in war to become his own destruction. As thou hast dealt with him heretofore, so now scatter his Forces, and spoil his mighty Ships, in which he trusteth; so shall we the people of thine inheritance, give praise unto thy Name, and for thy great mercy give thanks unto thee in the great Congregation: yea, the World shall know, and the Nations shall understand to the praise of thy glory, that thou alone defendest them that trust in thee, and givest victory unto Princes. Hear us (O Lord our strength) in these our prayers, for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen. O ALMIGHTY God, which only doest great wonders, shew forth (we pray thee) at this time the power of thy might, and the glory of thy strength, by preserving our Armies at Sea and Land, from death and sickness, and all perils on the Sea, and by helping them in the day of battle against the rage and violence of the Adversary. Thou seest (O Lord) that not for any worldly respects, but for the defence of this Realm, and the peace of thy Church in it, this journey is undertaken, to abate and withstand the pride, and to daunt the insolencies, of our enemies, who conspire and bandy themselves against us, breathing out wrath and utter subversion. Arise therefore, we pray thee, (O Lord of Hosts), unto our help, and let our enemies feel that thou still defendest our just cause, and in the day of battle dost fight for us. Not in our own sword, nor in the arm of our own flesh, do we put our trust; but our trust is in the multitude of thy mercies, and in the strength of thy mighty Arm, who art God alone. Bless therefore the Chieftains and Leaders of our bands with the spirit of wisdom, counsel, and magnanimity, and the Soldiers with courage and fortitude, to stand undaunted and without fear in the day of battle. But as for their enemies, and such as come out against them, cast a fear and astonishment upon them, that they may fall, and cover their faces with shame and confusion: that all the world may know, that thou (O God) resistest the proud and wicked men, and that thou avengest the cause of such as put their trust in thee. Hear us, O God of Hosts, even for Christ his sake our only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. : O GOD, most glorious, the shield of all that trust in thee, who alone dost send Peace to thy people, and causest War to cease in all the world, consider the daily troubles of thy servants, and behold the malice of our Adversaries, who for thy Name's sake, which is called on over us, and for the truth of thy Gospel wherein we rejoice, do conspire and band themselves against us, breathing out wrath and utter subversion. Many a time hath their wrath been kindled, so that they would have swallowed us up quick but by thy power their purpose hath been frustrated, their counsels prevented, their preparations overthrown, and we delivered. Yet, O Lord, their heart is set against us, still to vex and trouble us that fain would live in peace. But for the quiet of thy Church, and that thine enemies may know thee to be a God of mercy, cause them to return at last, and not any longer to hate those whom thou hast loved: Make them to see that their plots and designments are against thee, who for us fightest against them, drowning their ships, and casting down their strong-holds in which they do trust; that thy Name may be glorified in the day of their conversion. But if they shall still harden their hearts, and will not understand either our defence, or their own calamity to come of thee: make void their devices, disclose their counsels, discover their secret complots, that in the snare, which they have laid for us, their own feet may be taken. Finally, O Lord, whensoever they prepare themselves to battle, take the defence of our just cause into thine hand: Break their Navies, disperse their Armies, and cast upon them a fear and astonishment, that they may tremble at thy presence, and fly before they be pursued: Grant this, O Lord our strength, even for Christ his sake. Amen. O ETERNAL God, Lord of the whole World, and guide of Sea and Land, who by thy mighty power sortest to what effect thou wilt the Counsels and actions of all men: graciously vouchsafe to bless and order unto happy issue the late begun work of our gracious Sovereign, in the hand of her Nobles and men of war, now sent out by Seas, to withstand the Enemies of her life, her people, and thy Church. As Guide and General of the journey, let it please thee (mighty Lord of Hosts) to go in and out before them, with best fore-winds and straightest course to speed and prosper them in the way. And when thou hast brought them to the appointed place, in a pillar of fire give light to direct their steps, and in a pillar of a Cloud defend them. Put upon them thy spirit of counsel and fortitude, and under the banner of thy power and protection let the work be effected. Courage and embolden them in the day of conflict, to stand undaunted and without fear. Make way and opportunity for them to attempt with advantage, and for thy Name's sake grant (0 glorious God) to their puissant attempts happy success in battle, to their battle a joyful victory, and to their victory a safe and triumphant return. So will we the people of thine inheritance, which now pray for the blessing of thy grace upon them, praise thy Name for ever, and together with them ascribe both cause and glory of the work, not to our own strength, but unto thy power, who alone givest victory in the day of battle; and for thy great mercies will give thanks unto thee in the midst of the Congregation. Hear us, O Father, even for Christ his sake. Finis. Amen. |