The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods True Saints Part 1 and 2, Part 2 · Chapter 6 · Part 3
An Act for a publick Thanksgiving to Almighty God every year, on the fifth day of November.
FOrasmuch as Almightie God hath in all ages shewed his power and mercy, in the miraculous and gracious deliverance of his Church, and in the protection of religious Kings and States: And that no Nation of the earth hath been blessed with greater benefits than this Kingdom now enjoyeth, having the true and free profession of the Gospel under our most gracious Soveraign Lord King Iames, the most great, learned and religious King that ever reigned therein, enriched with a most hopefull and plentifull Progeny, proceeding out of his Royal loyns, promising continuance of this happinesse and profession to all posterity: the which many malignant and devillish Papists, Iesuites and Seminary Priests much envying and fearing, Conspired most horribly, when the Kings most Excellent Majesty, the Queen, the Prince, and all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons should have been assembled in the Upper House of Parliament upon the fifth day of November in the year of our Lord 1605. suddenlie to have blown up the said whole House with Gunpowder; An invention so inhuman, barbarous and cruel, as the like was never before heard of, and was (as some of the principal Conspirators thereof confesse) purposely devised and con…luded to be done in the said House, that where the sundry necessarie and Religious Laws for preservation of the Church aud State were made, which they falsly and slanderously term cruel Laws: enacted against them and their Religion, both place and persons should be all destroyed and blown up at once, which would have turned to the utter ruine of this whole Kingdom, had it not pleased Almighty God, by inspiring the Kings most Excellent Majestie with a Divine spirit, to interpret some dark ph…ses of a Letter shewed to his Majestie, above and beyond all ordinarie construction, thereby miraculously discovering this hidden Treason not many hours before the appointed time for the execution thereof: Therefore the Kings most Excellent Majestie, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and all his Majesties FaithfuIl and loving Subjects, do most justly acknowledge this great and infinite Blessing to have proceeded merely from God his Great Mercy. and to his most holy Name do ascribe all the Honour, … and Praise. And to the end this unfeigned Thankfulnesse may never be forgotten, but be had in perpetual Remembrance, that all Ages to come may yield praise to his Divine Majesty for the same, and have in memorie THIS IOYFULL DAY OF DELIUERANCE.
Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majestie, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authoritie of the same, That all and singular Ministers in everie Cathedral and Parish-church, or other usual place of Common prayer within this Realm of E…gland, and the Dominions of the same, shall alwaies upon the fifth day of November, say Morning Prayer, and give unto Almighty God thanks for this most happy Deliverance. And that all and everie person and persons inhabiting within this Realm of England, and the Dominions of the same, shall alwaies upon that day diligentlie and faithfullie resort to the Parish Church or Chapel accustomed, or to some usual Church or Chapel where the said Morning prayer, preaching, or other service of God shall be used, and then and there to abide orderlie and soberlie during the time of the said prayers, preaching, or other service of God there to be used and ministred.
And because all and everie person may be put in mind of this Dutie, and be the better prepared to the said …oly service, Be it enacted by Authoritie aforesaid, That every Minister shall give warning to his Parishioners publikelie in the Church at morning prayer, the Sunday before everie such fifth day of November, for the due observation of the said day. And that after morning Prayer or preaching upon the said fifth day of November, they read publicklie, distinctlie, and plainlie this present Act.
Upon this occasion there was a special Book of Prayers and Thanksgivings, complied by the Bishops and Clergy, prescribed by Authority to be annually read in all Churches and Chapels, on the 5th. of November, wherein (amongst others) there were four remarkable prayers and thanksgivings relating to the King, Queen, Prince, all the Royal posterity, Nobility, and Magistrates, which I shall here insert.
I.
ALmighty God, who hast in all Ages shewed thy power and mercy, in the miraculous and gracious deliverances of thy Church, and in the protection of righteous and religious Kings, and States, professing thy Holy and Eternal Truth, against the wicked conspi…acies, and malicious practises of all the enemies thereof: We yield unto thee from the very ground of our hearts all po…le praise and thanks for the wonderfull, and mighty Deliverance of our gracious Sovaraign King L…mes, the Queen, the Prince, and all the Royal branches, with the Nobility, Clergy, and Commons of this Realm assembled together in Parliament, by …opish treachery appointed as sheep to the slaughter, and that in most barbarous and savage manner, no age yielding example of the like cruelty intended toward… the Lords anointed, and his people. Can this thy goodness O Lord, be forgotten worthy to be written in a pillar of Marble, that we may ever remember to praise thee for the same, as the fact is worthy a lasting monument, that all posteritie may learn to detest it? From this unnatural conspiracy, not our merit, but thy mercy, not our foresight, but thy providence hath delivered us, not our love to thee, but thy love to thy anointed servant, and thy poor Church, with whom thou hast promised to be present to the end of the world. And therefore not unto us, not unto us, Lord, but to thy Name be ascribed all honour and glorie in all Churches of the Saints, throughout all generations: for thou Lord hast discovered the sn…s of death, thou hast broken them, and we are delivere d; be thou still our mighty Protector, and scatter our cruel Enemies, which delight in blood: infatuate their Counsel, and root out their Babylonish and Antichristian sect, which say of Ierusalem, down with it, even to the ground. And to that end strengthen the hands of our gracious King, the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land with Iudgement and Iustice, to cut off …hese Workers of Iniquity, (whose Religion is Rebellion, whose Faith is Faction, whose Practise is murthering of Souls and Bodies) and to root them out of the confines and limits of this Kingdom, that they may never prevail against us, and triumph in the ruine of thy Chu…h: and give us grace by true and serious repen…ance, to avert these and the like Judgements from us. This Lord we earnestlie crave at thy mercifull hands, togethe… with the countenance of thy powerfull protection over our bread Soveraign, the whole Church, and these Realms, and the speedie confusion of our implacable Enemies, and that for thy dear Sons sake, our onlie mediator and advocate.
II.
ALmighty God and heavenly Father, which of thy everlasting providence and tender mercy towards us, hast prevented the extreme malice and mischievous imagination of our ensmies, revealing and con…nding their horrible and devilish enterprise plotted against our Soveraign Lord the King, his Royal House, and the whole S…ate of this Realm, for the subversion thereof, together with the truth of thy Gospel and pure Religion amongst us, and for the reducing of Popish Superstition and tyranny into this Church and land: we most humbly prayse and magnifie thy glorious name, for thine infinite gracious goodnesse in this our marvellous Deliverance; we confesse it was and is thy mercy, thy mercy alone, (most mercifull Father) that we are not cons…med, that their snare is broken, and our Soul is escaped. For our sins cryed to Heaven against us, and our iniquities justly called for judgement upon us: but thy great mercy towards us hath exalted it self above judgement, not to deal with us after our sins, to give us over (as we deserved) to be a prey to our enemies, but taking our correction into thine own hands, to deliver us from their blood-thirsty malice, and preserve from death and destruction our King and Stat…, with thy Gospel and true Religion amongst us: Good Lord give us true repent…nce, and unfeigned conversion unto thee, to prevent further judgements: increase us more and more in lively Faith and fruitfull love in all obedience, that thou mayest continue thy loving favour with the light of thy Gospol, to us and our Posterity for evermore. Make us now and alwaies truely thankfull in heart, word and deed, for all thy gracious mercies, and this our special deliverance. Protect and defend our Soveraign Lord the King, with the Queen and all the Royal Progeny, from all treasons and conspiracies, preserve them in thy faith, fear and love, under the shadow of thy wings against all evil and wickednesse, prosper their reign with long happinesse on earth, and everlasting glory following in the Kingdom of Heaven. Bless the whole State and Realm with grace and peace, that with one heart and mouth we may praise thee in thy Church, and alwaies sing joyfully, that thy mercifull kindness is ever more and more towards us, and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever, through Jesus Christ o…r only Saviour and Redeemer, Amen.
III.
ETernal God, and our most mighty Protector, we thy people of this Land, confesse our selves, above all the Nations of the earth, infinitely bound unto thy heavenly Majesty for thy many unspeakable benefits conferred and hea…ed upon us, especially for planting thy Gospel among us, and placing over us a most gracious King, a faithfull Professor and Defendor of the same; both which exasperate the enemies of true Religion, and enrage their thoughts to the invention of most dreadfull designs: all which notwithstanding it hath pleased thee bitherto, either to prevent or overthrow: at this time principally thou hast most strangely discovered an horrible and cruel plot and device, for the massacring as well of thy d…ar Servant and our dread Soveraign, as of the chief States assembled in thy fear, for the continuance of thy truth and good of this Realm. We humbly present ourselves at thy feet, admiring thy might and wisedom, and acknowledging thy grace and favour, in preserving them and the whole Realm by their safety: beseeching thee for thy Son Iesus Christ his sake to continue still thy care over us, and to shield our gracious King under the shadow of thy wings, that no mischievous attempt may come near, nor the Sons of wickednesse may hurt him, but that under him we may still enioy this his peaceable Government, with the profession of the Gospel of thy Son Iesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, &c.
IV.
O God, infinit in power and of endless mercy, we give thee all possible thanks, since it hath pleased thee so miraculously to discover, and defeat the mischievous plots of thine and our Enemies: thou hast delivered our dread Soveraign from the snares of the Fowler, and his Nobles from the fire of the fury of the wicked: he shall rejoyce in thy Salvation, and we his People shall tryumph in this thy wonderfull Deliverance, thy Gospel shall prosper, and thine Adversaries shall be confounded. And multiply (good Lord) we beseech thee, thy great goodnesse towards our gracious King, and his Kingdoms, from this time forth, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
After this Deliverance from this horrid Powder-plot,See Devotio…s of the antient Church, &c printed 1…60. there were these 2. forms of Prayers used in the Commons House by the Speak…rs during the Parliaments session, very seasonable for our times, wherein they expressed their Loyalty and Devotion to the King and his Royal Progeny.