A Preparative to Contention, Prayer – Poem
A Chriſtian Confeſsion and Prayer, for Contentation.
O Lord God of hoaſts, Creator, protector and preſeruer of mankinde, which loueſt Righteouſneſſe, and hateſt iniquitie: we doo heere acknowledge and confeſſe before thee, and before the face of al thine holy Angels, that (notwithſtanding thy manifold bounties, benefites and bleſsings powred foorth on vsus) we hauehave greeuouſly ſinned againſt heauen and before thy Maieſtie: wherin we hauehave both declared our horrible ingratitude towards thee, and right worthily deſerued to be ſhut out from thy preſence, and to receiue and feele all thoſe troubles, vexations, plagues, and miſeries, wherewith for ſinne thou art wont in thy iuſtice to paine, vexe, and torment the children of men: and that were it not of thine owne good louelove and endleſſe mercies (in the merite of thy Sonne Ieſus our Sauiour) in could not the, but that (according to our deſerts (we ſhuld ſuddeinly periſh, & be caſt away for euer. For (alas) vntounto vsus, and vntounto eueryevery one of vsus belongeth nothing elſe, but wrath, ſhame, and deſtruction.
Howbeit, ſeeing that it belongeth not only to thy Iuſtice to puniſh ſinners: but alſo to thy merciemercy, to pardon them that repent and turne vntounto thee: and that thou art the ſame God which taketh no pleſure in the death of a ſinner, but rather wouldeſt that he ſhould conuert and liue, and to that ende haſt both called, excited and prouoked vsus, to beleeue in thee, to come vntounto thee, to pray vntounto thee, to repent, and to hope for pardon in thee. We be heartely ſorie (O Lord) for all our miſdeeds, and in all humilitie doo caſt our ſelues downe vnderunder thy footeſtoole, yet ſo, as in the name of thine holy Sonne Ieſus (in whom we beleeue, and on whom we depend) we hope to finde grace. Let it be thy good pleaſure therefore (moſt gratious God) to accept vsus cloathed in the white garment of his innocencie and righteouſnes, for we hauehave no cloathes of our owne to couer our naked bodies and ſinfull Soules, and to ſhrowde vsus from the ſtormes of thy fearce wrath, againſt the which, all the wiſedome, righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, power and pollicie of man, ſhall be but as thoſe fig leaues wherewith Adam couered himſelfe when he had ſinned. We beſeech thee to behold vsus in thy Sonne our Sauior, to conſider our miſeries, to think vponupon vsus for the beſt, to conuert vsus, that we may be conuerted: to forgiue vsus all our ſinnes, the cauſes of all our miſeries, and to receiue vsus gratiouſly. Then (as we be moſt bounden) we wil offer vp vntounto thee the Calues of our lippes we will take the Cup of Saluation, and cal vpō thy name: we wil yeeld thee the ſacrifice of Righteouſneſſe, and put our truſt in thy mercy: we will glorifie thee in thy Sonne. O moſt mercifull God, take away from amongeſt vsus, all thoſe vnhappie opinions, Sectes, Seditions, Sciſmes, vaine queſtions, idle diſputations, genealogies and ſtrifes about words: and all wicked Contentions and thriftleſſe Diſcontentations, which ſpringing vp of mans pride, ambition & malice, ſo much diſquiet the tranquilitie of the Church, and diſturbe the peace of thy people: and in ſteed thereof, confirme in our hearts the truth of thy Sonne, Chriſtian Faith, Humilitie, Charitie, and the peerleſſe Peace of his Goſpel: that therof we may take delight: that therein we may meditate continually: that thereby we may edifie & prouoke one another in thy feare, with good Contentation. O Lord, ſaue and deliuer vsus from that wofull and deadfull Woe, vntounto the which the inhabitors of the Earth and of the Sea, are (by a iuſt decree) ſubdued, through their wilful vngodlines and preſumptuous ſinnes, prouoked by the horrible rage of that diuell, which is come downe vntounto them with ſo much the greater furie, by how much the nearer he draweth in his diſsipation and end. Graunt alſo (O good Father) that though this laſt attempt of the enemie be fearcer then the former, by the which, he now aſſayeth to touch thine Annointed, to harme thy Prophets, to quench out the light of Iſrael, and to deface the glory of thy Sonne Ieſus: yet, that the fall and deſtruction of this deadly enemie, and of all his miſchieuous miſcreants, may ſoone and ſodeinly ouertake both him & them to their endleſſe woe and diſcontentation. But that (on the other ſide) thy Grace and Mercy may ſhine towards thy faithfull hand-mayden Elizabeth, our moſt excellent Princeſſe, and to all vsus her Graces obedient ſubiects, and thy deare children, that thereby both her Princely Maieſtie, which feareth thee, and alſo we which honor thee, and which to her Highneſſe be obedient, may ſo poſſeſſe our ſoules in the middeſt of the troubles of this wretched life, and ſo wholie dedicated to ſerue thee, in trembling and feare, that we may reſt vnderunder the ſhadow of thy wings, to the praiſe of thy moſt holy Name, to the ſweet comfort of our ſoules, and to our higheſt Contentation, in Ieſu Chriſt thy Sonne our Sauior, Amen.
A Chriſtian Memorandum for all perſons, that they order and content themſelues, in their ſenerall vocations and places.
YE Noble Princes which do raigne
as goddes, by Gods good grace:
Be wiſe: with Right and Equitie,
Adorne your Princely place.
Ye Magiſtrates, and Elders all,
be learn'd, vprightly deale.
Within your chage to benefit
the Church and Common-weale.
Ye Pastors, watch, feed wel your flocks,
and faint not for the paine:
In holy life, and doctrine true,
inſtruct them, to their gaine.
Ye Gentlemen, right vertues hold,
let land, and auncient rent
Mainteine your port, and families,
liue well, and be content.
Ye Lawiers, that mens rights defend,
deale truth in lites of lawe:
Let neither lucre, fauour, fee,
your hearts from Iuſtice drawe.
Ye practized Phiſitians, whom
the payned patients neede:
Regard mans life, before your gainer,
in conſcience, take good heede.
Your cunning hand Chierurgians,
aduiſe: and hauehave an eye:
That ſalues ye frame right to the ſores,
and ſoundly them apply.
Ye valiant Captaines with your bands,
direct them to the right:
Diſtribute them the law full pay,
encourage them to fight.
Ye common Souldiers, ſee to this,
oppreſſe none in your rage:
Accuſe not any wrongfully,
be pleaſed with your wage.
Ye Husbandmen, on huſbandry
your wit and power employ:
Ye Swaines, your wayns with Oxe direct
a right, without annoy.
Ye Merchants, vſe your Merchandize
and iuſtly buy and ſell:
Ye Saylers, rightly raunge the Seas,
and nought but truth dye tell.
Ye Crafts-men and Artificers,
your conſcience ſo entreat:
That to your Crafts and manuall Arts.
ye ioyne not vile deceat.
Ye Subiects all, obey your Prince,
ye brethren, liue in louelove:
Ye Neighbours eke, be brethren like,
in feare of him aboue.
Ye Husbands louelove your wiues, and them
their honour true afford:
Ye VViues be ſubiect, and obey
your husbands in the Lord.
Ye Fathers, nourtour well your ſonnes,
nor them to wrath conſtraine:
Ye Children, honour Parents well,
and that ſhall be your gaine.
Ye Maiſters, to your ſeruants yeeld
their iuſt and equall right
Ye Seruants, ſerue your maiſters with
all gladneſſe, to your might.
Ye Protestants, defend the faith,
by proweſſe of pietie:
Proteſt the Truth, and ſtriue t'attaine
through Chriſt the heauens hie.
Ye Christians all, learne ye of Chriſt
to ſerue the Lord: and frame
To vſe the creatures rightfully
in th'honour of his Name.
For God his Creatures at the firſt
with wiſedome did prouide
For man, the not t'abuſe, but t'vſe
in life, with godly guide.
And with the ſame, to eueryevery one,
he iuſtly doth commend
A due vocation in this world,
for good and perfect end.
And therein, verilie, content
he would, that men ſhould liue,
In Chriſtian peace, and thankfully,
all Glorie to him giuegive.
In ſumme, feare God, obſerue his lawes,
(O man) and gratefull bee:
For lo, this is that totall ſumme,
which God requires of thee.
And this thou maiſt (indeede) performe,
if onelyonly thou haſt faith.
Combin'd with hope, and Charitie,
in Chriſt: (as Scripture ſaith)
Which done, thou ſhall account in fine,
thy time not vainely ſpent:
When thou ſhalt find Eternall Ioies,
with Chriſt, thee to content.
O Father grant this of thy grace,
O Sonne, we pray ſupply
All our defects: O holy Spirit
keepe vsus continually.
Keepe well thy Church ſo deerely bought,
our noble Princeſſe ſaue:
Preſerue the Realme, and graunt (good Lord)
thy peace that we may hauehave, Amen.