A Godly Meditation, Part 24
¶ A mooſte frutfull Prayer for the diſperſed Church of Chriſt very neceſſary to be vſed of the godly in theſe dayes of affliction compiled by. R. P.
O Moſte omnipotent magnificēt and glorious god and father of al conſolation, we here aſſembled do not preſume to preſent and proſtrate our ſelfes before thy mercy ſeate in the reſpect of our owne worthines and rightouſnes, whych is all together poluted and defyled: but in the merites, rightouſnes and worthines of thy onlye ſonne Ieſus Chriſte, whome thou haſt gyuen vntounto vsus as a moſte pure and precious garment to couer oure polution and fylthynes wyth all, to thend we myghte appere holye and Iuſtified in thy ſighte throughe hym. Wherefore in the obedience of thy commandementes and in the confidence of thy promyſes contayned in thy holy worde that thow ſhalte accepte, and graunte oure prayers preſented vntounto the in the fauoure of thy only ſonne our ſauiour Ieſu Chriſte. Eyther for oure ſelfes, or for the neceſſitie of thy ſaynctes and congregation. We here congregated together do wyth one mouth and mynde moſt humblye beſeche the not onlye to pardon and forgyue vsus all oure ſynnes necligences, Ignorances and iniquites, whych we frō time to time inceſſantlye do commytte agaynſte thy diuine maieſtye in worde, dede, and thought, ſuch is the infirmitie of oure corrupted nature: But alſo that it wolde pleaſe thee (O benyng father) to be fauorable and mercyfull vntounto thy poore afflicted churche, & congregation diſperſed throughe out the whole worlde, whiche in theſe dayes of iniquitie are oppreſſed in iuried, diſpiced, perſecuted & afflicted for the teſtimonye of thy worde and for the obediēce of thy lawes.
And namely O Lorde and father we humbly beſeche the to extende thy mercye and fauourable countynance vponupon all thoſe that are impriſoned or condemned for the cauſe of thy Goſpell: whome thou haſt choſen forthe and made worthi to glorify thy name. That eyther it maye pleaſe the to gyue them ſuche conſtancye as thou haſt gyuen to thy ſainctes & matters in tyme paſte, willinglye to ſhede theyr bloud for the teſtimonie of thy worde: Or els mightlye deliuer them from the tyranny of theyr enimies as thou delyuereſt the condemned Daniell from the Lions, and the perſecuted Peter oute priſon, to thexeaultation of thy glory and the reioyſing of thy churche.
Further more moſte beneficiall father we humbly beſeche the to ſtretch forthe the myghty arme into the protection and defence of all thoſe that are exiled for the teſtimonye of thy veryte: & that bycauſe they wolde not bende theyr backes and incline theyre neckes vnderunder the youcke of Anthechriſt, and be poluted wyth the execrable Idolatries, and blaſphemus ſuperſtitions of ye vngodly. That it would pleaſe ye not onlye to fede them in ſtrange cōtreys, but alſo to prepare a reſting place for thē, as thou haſte done from tyme to tyme for thyne electe in all age is whereas they maye vnyte them ſelfes together in the ſyncere myniſtration of thy holye worde and Sacramentes to theyr ſynguler edificatiō. And in deu time reſtore them home agayne into their lād, to celebrate thy prayſes, promote thy goſpell, & edefye thy deſolate congregation.
Conſequently O lord thou that haſt ſayd that thou wilt not breke the bruſed reide, nor quenche the ſmokynge flaxe: Be mercyfull we beſeche thee vntounto all thoſe that through feare and wecknes hauehave denied the by diſſimulation and ypocreſie. That it may pleaſe the to ſtrenghten theyr wecke knees (thou that art the ſtrenght of thē that ſtandethe) and lyfte vp theyr feible handes, that theire lytell ſmoke maye increaſe into a great flame and their bruſed reid into a myghtye oke, able to abyde al the bolſtringe blaſtes & ſtormye tempeſtes of aduerſyte, to thend that the vngodly do no longer triūphe ouer theyre faight, which (as they thincke) they hauehave vtterly quenched & ſubdewed. Stirre vp thy ſtrenght in them O lorde and behold them with that merciful eye, where with thou beheldes Peter, that they riſynge by repentaunce, maye become the conſtant confeſſors of thy worde, and the ſanctified members of thy churche. To the end that when as by thy prouidence thou purpoſeſte to lay thy croſſe vponupon them, they do no more ſeke vnlawful meanes to auoyde the ſame, but moſt willingly to be contented with patience to take it vp & follow the, in what ſort ſo euer it ſhall pleaſe the to laye the ſame vpō their ſhoulders. Eyther by death, impriſonment or exile. And that it wil pleaſe thee, not to tempte thē aboute their powers, but gyue them grace vtterlye to diſpayer of theyr owne ſtrenght, and wholye to depende vponupon thy mercye.
On the other ſyde O lord god, thou ryghtouſe Iudge, Lette not the vngodlye the enimies of thy truth continually triumphe ouer vsus, as they do at this daye. Let not thyne heritage become a reproche & comon lawghing ſtocke vntounto the impudente and wycked Papiſtes, who by all poſſyble meanes ſeke the vtter diſtruction of thy lytell ſtocke in ſhedynge, the bloude of thy ſaynctes for the teſtimonye of thy worde, ſekynge by moſte deuelyſh and damnable practices to ſubuert thy truth. Cō found them O God and all theyr wicked counſelles: & in the ſame pyt they hauehave digged for other, let them be taken, that it maye be vniuerſally knowen, that there is no counſel nor force that can preuayle agaynſt the lorde our god. Breke O lord the hornes of thoſe blouddy bulles of baſan. Pull down thoſe high moūtaynes that eleuate them ſelfes agaynſt thee. And rote vp the rotten race of the vngodly, to thēde that they being conſumed in the fyre of thyne indignation, thyne exyled Churche may in there own land find place of habitation.
O Lorde delyuer oure lande whiche thou haſte geuen vsus for a porciō to poſceſſe in this lyfe from the inuaſion and ſubdewynge of ſtrangers. Truthe it is we cannot denye but yt our ſynnes hathe iuſtlye deſerued this greate plage now emynent and approchynge, euē to be gyuē ouer into ye hands and ſubiection of that proud and beaſtly nation, that neither know the, nor fere the: and to ſerue them in a bodyly captyuyte, that hauehave refuſed to ſerue the in a ſpirituall libertye. Yet lorde for as much as we are aſſuredlye perſwaded by thy holye worde that thyne anger dothe not laſte for euer towardes thoſe that erneſtly repente, but in the ſtede of vengance doeſt ſhowe mercye. We mooſte penitently beſeche the to remoue this thy great indignation bente towardes vsus, and gyue not ouer our lande, our Cytyes, Townes, and Caſtels our goodes, poceſſions & ryches, our wyfes, chyldren and our own lywes into the ſubiectiō of ſtrangers. But rather O Lorde expell them our land ſubuerte there coū ſelles, diſſipate their deuyces and delyuere vsus from theire tyranny, as thou delyuereſt. Samaria frō that cruell Benadab, Ieruſalem from that blaſphemus Senacherib, and Betulia from that proude Holifernus.
Gyue vsus O Lord ſuch princes & rulers, ſuche maieſtrates & gouernours as wil auaūce thy glory, erecte vp thy goſpell, ſuppreſe Idolatrye, baniſh all papiſtrye, & execute iuſtice & equite. Water agayn O lord thy vyne of england wt the moyſture of thi holy-word, leſte it vtterly peryſhe & wither away. Byld vp agayn the decayed walles of thy rewyned Ieruſalē thy congregation in this land, leſt ye vngodly do attribute oure confuſion not vntounto our ſinnes (as the truthe is) but vntounto our profeſſion in religion.
Remember (O Lord) that we ar a perſell of thy portion, thy flocke, the inheritors of thy kingdom, ye ſhepe of thy paſture, and the mē bers of thy ſon our ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt: deale with vsus therfore according to ye multitude of thy mercies, that al nations, kindredes, & toūges, may ſelebrate thy prayſes in the reſtoringe of thy rewyned church to perfection agayn, for it is thy worke (O lord) & not mās, & from the do we with paciēce attende the ſame, & not frō the fleſhly arme of mā, & therfore to the only is don all dominion, power and thākes geuing now in our dayes and euermore. Amen.