The Protestant School, Doctrinal instructions
A Method Compos'd for Children, for the well Grounding them in the True Protestant Religion: By the most Reverend and Learned Bishop Usher, Arch-Bishop of Armagh.
Ejaculations at Uprising.
I. O God the Father of Heaven, have mercy upon me a miserable Sinner: Thou Commandedst in the beginning, Let there be light and, there was light, Lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death, lest at any time my enemy say I have prevailed against him.
II. O God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy upon me a miserable Sinner, who art Light of Light, the great and truest light, from whence this light both of Sun and Day ariseth, thou Light shining in Darkness, and illuminating every one that cometh into this world, drive from me all darkness of Ignorance; and give me understanding, that in thee …nd by thee I may know the Father; to know whom is to live, and to serve whom is to Reign.
III. O God the Holy Ghost, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, have mercy upon me a miserable Sinner.
O thou holy Fire both Illuminating and Warming, kindle in me thy Light, that I may discern the deceitful Delights of this World, from the true Joyes of Heaven.
Grant that I may only see those things which are thine, and be blind to the rest, infuse also into my Mind the gift of thy Charity, that forsaking those transitory things, I may with a continual Desire endeavour to attain those things which are Eternal.
IV. O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God, have mercy upon me a miserable Sinner.
Defend me this day from all the Assaults of the Devil and the Malice of Men, keep me this day from all Sin, and preserve me from sudden and unexpected Death.
Be unto me a Comfort in Tribulation, Assistance in Temptation, and in Death a pleasant Refuge.
V. Thou hast raised my Body, O Lord, which was drowned in Sleep, I beseech thee that thou wilt deliver my Soul likewise from the Sleep of Sins, and the Darkness of this World, and that which thou hast recalled from Sleep unto Waking, may it please thee after Death to restore to the same Life: and to be with thee, who neither slumbrest nor sleepest.
To thee alone be Praise for evermore.
A Prayer for the Morning.
I. O Almighty Lord God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I praise …hee, I bless thee, I glorify thee, and with my whole Heart, give thee humble and hearty Thanks, that according to thy unmeasurable Goodness, thou hast by thy fatherly Providence, preserved me this Night. Thy tender Care watched over me, else had Satan Assaulted me, who goeth about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may Devour.
II. And O Father of Mercies, and God of all Consolation, I beseech thee to take me this Day into thy Protection, let thy Paternal Care watch over me, and behold me with thy all-Merciful Eyes, direct me in the ways of thy Holy Commandments, and endue me with the Gifts and Graces of thy Blessed Spirit, By which means I may begin, continue and end this day likewise to the Praise and Glory of thy Holy Name, and to the Profit and Salvation of my Soul.
III. Direct O Lord, this day my Heart, my Body and Senses, my Works and Actions, and grant that I always may Thirst and Hunger after Righteousness, and follow after those things which belong to my Peace, lest by any Neglect of mine they be hid from my Eyes; and I intreat thee O Father to walk along with me this day, guide my going out and my coming in, prosper whatsoever I shall take in hand, and alwayes furnish me with a thankful, a reverential, and obedient Heart, that I may praise thee, reverence thee, and be obedient to thy heavenly Will in all things, which I beg for thy Son Jesus Christ his Sake, my only Saviour and Redeemer, in whose Name I put up this imperfect Prayer, but conclude with the most perfect form of Prayer, which he hath taught in his holy Gospel.
The Lords Prayer.
Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name; thy Kingdom come; thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, give us this Day our daily Bread; and forgive us our Trespasses, as we forgive them that Trespass against us; and lead us not into Temptation; but deliver us from Evil, for thine is the Kingdom, Power and Glory, for ever and ever, amen.
O Lord open thou my Lips,
And my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise:
O God make speed to save me
O Lord make hast to help me.
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
Psalms appointed to be read in the Morning, Collected by him from several Psalms.
1st. Psalm.
Psal. 25. Unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my Soul.
Let the Words of my Mouth, and the Meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy Sight, O Lord my Strength, and my Redeemer.
Hearken unto the Voice of my Cry, my King and my God, for unto thee will I make my Prayer.
For thou art the God that hast no Pleasure in Wickedness: neither shall any Evil dwell with thee.
If thou Lord wilt be extreame to mark what is done amiss: O Lord who may abide it.
But there is forgiveness with thee, therefore thou shalt be feared.
For thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in Mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
O God thou knowest my Foolishness, and my Sins are not hid from thee.
I have gon astray like a lost Sheep, seek thy Servant, for I do not forget thy Commandments.
Against thee only have I sinned, and done this Evil in thy sight.
Cast me not away from thy Presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the Joy of thy Salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit.
2d. Psalm.
Hear me O Lord, for thy loving Kindness is good, turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies.
Be Merciful unto me O Lord, for I cry unto thee daily.
Shew me thy Ways O Lord, and teach me thy Paths.
Lead me in thy Truth and teach me, for thou art the God of my Salvation, on thee do I wait all the Day long.
Order my Steps in thy Word, and let not any Iniquity have Dominion.
O send out thy Light and thy Truth, let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy Hill, and thy Tabernacle.
Cause me to hear thy loving Kindness in the Morning, for in thee do I trust: Cause me to know the Way wherein I should Walk, for I lift up my Soul unto thee.
Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God, thy Spirit is good: lead me into the Land of Uprightness.
Withold not thy tender Mercies from me O Lord; let thy loving Kindness, and thy Truth continually preserve me.
Teach me thy Way O Lord, I will walk in thy Truth, unite my Heart to fear thy Name.
Lord make me to know my End, and the measure of my Days, that I may know how frail I am.
For in thee is the Well of Life: and in thy Light, shall we see Light.
3d. Psalm.
Let my Cry come before thee O Lord, give me understanding according to thy Word.
I have declared my Ways, and thou heardest me; teach me thy Statutes.
Make me to understand the way of thy Precepts, so shall I talk of thy wondrous Works.
Open thou my Eyes that I may behold the wondrous things out of thy Law.
Thy Hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandments.
Let thy Mercies come also unto me O Lord, even thy Salvation according unto thy Word.
Let thy tender Mercies come unto me, that I may live; for thy Law is my Delight.
Let my Soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy Judgments help me.
Great are thy tender Mercies O Lord, quicken me according to thy Judgments.
The Righteousness of thy Testimonies is everlasting; give me understanding and I shall live.
Thy Word is Truth from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous Judgments endureth for ever.
For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous, with Favour wilt thou compass him as with a Shield.
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.
The first Lesson taken out of several Places in the old Testament.
Ye shall make you no Idols, nor Graven Image, neither rear you up a standing Image, neither shall you set up any Image of Stone in your Land to bow down unto it, for I am the Lord your God.
Thou shalt not make thee any Graven Image, or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that i… in the Waters beneath the Earth.
Thou shalt not bow down thy self unto them, nor serve them.
To whom will you liken God? or what likeness will you compare unto him?
Ye saw no Similitude on the Day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the Fire.
Ye heard the Voice of the Words, but saw no Similitude, only ye heard a Voice.
And he declared unto you his Covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten Commandments; and he wrote them upon two Tables of Stone.
I am the Lord, that is my Name, and my Glory will I not give unto another, neither my Praise to Graven Images.
Every Founder is confounded by the Graven Image, for his Moulten Image is Falshood, and there is no Breath in them.
They are Vanity, and the Work of Errours, in the time of their Visitation they shall perish. The Stock is a Doctrine of Vanities, and their Molten Images are Wind and Confusion.
They that make a Graven Image are all of them Vanity, and their delectable things shall not Profit, and they are their own Witnesses, they see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed.
They shall be Ashamed and also Confounded all of them; they shall go to Confusion together that are makers of Idols.
Take heed unto your Selves, lest you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God which he made with you, and make you a Graven Image, or the likeness of any thing which the Lord thy God hath forbidde… thee.
Wo unto him that saith to the Wood awake; to the dumb Stone arise, it shall teach; behold it is laid over with Gold, and Silver, and there is no Breath at all in the midst of it.
Your Eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal Peor; for all the men that followed Baal Peor the Lord thy God bath destroyed them from among you.
Ye shall drive out all the Inhabitants of the Land from before you, and destroy all their Pictures, and destroy all their Moulten Images, and quite pluck down all their high Places.
Ye shall destroy their Altars, and break down their Images, and cut down their Groves, and burn their Graven Images with Fire.
If ye do return unto the Lord with all your Hearts; then put away the strange Gods, and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your Hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only.
The Children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.
The Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King; at his Wrath the Earth shall Tremble, and the Nations shall no… be able to abide his Indignation.
Thus endeth the first Lesson for this morning Prayer.
We praise thee (O God,) We acknowledge thee to be the Lord,
All the Earth doth worship thee: the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud, the Heavens and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim, and Seraphim, continually do cry,
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabboth.
Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory.
The glorious Company of the Apostles praise thee.
The goodly Fellowship of the Prophets praise thee,
The noble Army of Martyrs praise thee,
The Holy Church throughout all the World, doth acknowledge thee,
The Father of an Infinite Majesty,
Thine Honourable true and only Son,
Also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ!
Thou art the Everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver Man, thou didst not abhor the Virgins Womb.
When thou hadst overcome the Sharpness of Death, thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers.
Thou Sittest at the right Hand of God, in the Glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy Servants whom thou hast Redeemed with thy most precious Blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints in Glory everlasting.
O Lord Save thy People, and Bless thine Heritage.
Govern them, and lift them up for ever.
Day by day we magnifie thee.
And we worship thy Name, ever World without end.
Vouchsafe O Lord, to keep us this day without Sin.
O Lord, have Mercy upon us, have Mercy upon us.
O Lord let thy Mercy lighten upon us, as our Trust is in thee.
O Lord in thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded, Amen.
The second Lesson appointed for this morning Prayer, is the thirteenth Chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans.
1. Let every Soul be subject unto the Higher Powers: for there is no Power but of God, the Powers that be, are Ordained of God.
2. Whosoever therefore Resisteth the Power, Resisteth the Ordinance of God: and they that Resist, shall receive to themselves Damnation.
3. For Rulers are not a Terrour to good Works, but to the Evil, wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have Praise of the Same.
4. For he is the Minister of God to thee for Good: but if thou dost that which is Evil, be af…aid: for he beareth not the Sword in Vain: for he is the Minister of God, a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil.
5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for Wrath, but also for Conscience Sake.
6. For, for this Cause pay you Tribute also, for they are Gods Ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7. Render therefore to all their Dues, Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Custom to whom Custom, Fear to whom Fear, Honour to whom Honour.
8. Owe no man any thing but to Love one another: for he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the Law.
9. For this: thou shalt not commit Adultery, thou shalt not Kill, thou shalt not Steal, thou shalt not bear false Witness, thou shalt not Covet, and if there be any other Commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy Selfe.
10. Love worketh no ill to his Neighbour, therefore Love is the fulfilling of the Law.
11. And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of Sleep: for now is our Salvation, nearer then when we Believed.
12. The Night is far spent, the Day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the Works of Darkness, and let us put on the Armour of Light.
13. Let us walk honestly as in the Day, not in Rioting and Drunkenness, not in Chambering and Wantonness: not in Strife and Envying:
14. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not Provision for the Flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof.
Thus endeth the Second Lesson for this Morning Prayer, being the thirteenth Chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans.
Then say this.
O be Joyful in the Lord, all ye Lands: serve the Lord with gladness and come before his Presence with a Song.
Be ye sure that the Lord he is God, it is he that hath made us, and not we our selves, we are his People and the Sheep of his Pasture, O go your way into his Gates with Thanksgiving, and into his Courts with Praise: be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.
For the Lord is Gracious, his Mercy is everlasting: and his Truth endureth from Generation to Generation.
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.
O Lord Increase my Faith.
I Believe in God the Father Almighty; maker of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified Dead and Buried; he descended into Hell, the third Day he arose again from the Dead, he ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right Hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence he shall come to Judge both the Quick and the Dead; I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholick Church, the Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins, the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting, Amen.
Then Say the Collect for Grace.
O Lord our Heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, which hast safely brought me to the beginning of this Day, defend me in the same by thy mighty Power, and grant that this Day I fall into no Sin, neither run into any kind of Danger: but that all my Doings may be ordered by thy Governance, to do always that which is Righteous in thy Sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.
The ten Commandments.
The Preface:
And God spake all these Words and said, I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage.
1. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me.
Lord have Mercy upon me, and Incline my Heart to keep this Law.
II. Thou shalt not make to thy self any Graven Image, nor the likeness of any thing which is in Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath, or in the Water under the Earth, thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them: for I the Lord thy God am a Jealous God, and Visi… the Sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation, of them that hate me, and shew MercieMercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my Commandments.
Lord have Mercy upon me, &c.
III. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in Vain, for the Lord will not hold him Guiltless, that taketh his Name in Vain.
Lord have Mercy upon me &c.
IV. Remember that thou keep Holy the Sabbath Day, six Days shalt thou Labour and do all that thou hast to do: but the seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt do no manner of Work, thou and thy Son, and thy Daughter, thy Man-servant, and thy Maidservant, thy Cattle, and the Stranger that is within thy Gates, for in six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh Day: wherefore the Lord Blessed the seventh Day and Hollowed it.
Lord have Mercy upon me, &c.
V. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy Days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Lord, have Mercy upon me, &c.
VI. Thou shalt do no Murther.
Lord have Mercy upon me, &c.
VII. Thou shalt not commit Adultery.
Lord have Mercy upon me, &c.
VIII. Thou shalt not steal.
Lord have Mercy upon me, &c.
IX. Thou shalt not bear false Witness against thy Neighbour.
Lord have Mercy upon me, &c.
X. Thou shalt n…t covet thy Neighbours House, thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife, nor his Servant; nor his Maid, nor his Ox, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is his.
Lord have Mercy upon me, and Write all these thy Laws in my Heart, I beseech thee.
The Creed of Gregory Nazienzen, commonly called the Nicene Creed.
I Believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth, and of all things Visible and Invisible, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God, Begotten of his Father before all Worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, Begotten not Made, being of one Substance with the Father, by whom all things were made, who for us Men, and for our Salvation came down from Heaven, and was Incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made Man, and was Crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, he Suffered and was Buried, and the third Day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and Ascended into Heaven, and Sitteth on the right Hand of the Father, and he shall come again with Glory to Judge both the Quick and the Dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end: and I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is Worshipped and Glorified, who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the Remission of Sins, and I look for the Resurrection of the Dead, and the Life of the World to come, Amen.
A Brief Prayer upon the Lords Prayer.
Our Father.
By the Benefit of Creation, raising us from nothing, through thine Omnipotency; and assistance of Preservation, through thy Providence; Gift of Adoption, thy Grace and Communication of Eternity, through thy Christ who is sweet in Love, and rich in Mercy.
Which art in Heaven.
Over-reigning by thy Power; inlightning by thy Spirit; forgiving, by thy Mercy, and Ruling by thy Majesty; thou art the Glass of Eternity, the Crown of Jucundity, and the Treasure of Felicity, thou art all things both in Heaven and in Earth, by thy Essential Presence.
Hallowed be thy Name.
Of us, by an honest Conversation in us, by a clear Conscience from us, by an honest Report; above us, by the representation of Angels, that it may be Honey to the Mouth, Musick to the Ear, and a Fire to the Heart, for according to thy Name, so is thy Praise unto the Worlds End.
Thy Kingdom Come.
In thy Holy Church, by the Sanctification of the Spirit in thy Faithful Souls, by Justification of Faith, in thy Holy Scriptures by Instruction of Ministers, and in thy Celestial Paradice, by Assimulation to Angels; thy Kingdom is pleasant without Mixture, safe without Annoyance, and sure without Loss.
Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven.
In singleness of Heart, by Humility; Chastity of Body, by Abstinence; Holiness of Will, by Custom; and Truth of Action, by Discretion, Willingly without Murmuring, Speedily without Delaying, Constantly without Ceasing, and Universally without Omitting, that we may Fly that, thou Hatest, Love that, thou Lovest, and by thee, do what thou Commandest, Willingly, Readily, and Faithfully.
Give us this Day, our daily Bread.
For humane Necessity, to cover our Shame; future Prosperity to maintain our Calling; present Liberality to do good to others; and Eternal Glory to lay up in Heaven; give us O Lord, that which is necessary for this Life, not Superfluous for our Delights, nor wanting to our Necessities, but feed us with that Food which is Convenient for us.
Forgive us our Trespasses, as we forgive them that Trespass against us.
Of Omission in things Commanded, Commission in things forbidden; …f the first Table against thy self, and the second Table against my …eighbour, that we may forgive heartily in Purity, cheerfully in Cur…sie, continually in Christianity, and forgetful in not requiting Evil for …vil, against any who hath wronged us, either in our Body, Goods, or Name.
And Lead us not into Temptation:
Either Importunate, which Wearieth, or Sudden, which Discourageth, …rauduleut, which Deceiveth, or Violent, which Overcometh; and from …he World, the Flesh and the Devil; and wee beseech thee O Father As…ist us so by thy Divine Grace, that when we are led away with our own …usts, and Tempted, O leave us not then to our Destruction.
But Deliver us from Evil.
Of Mundane Adversity, which will disquiet us; Satans subtilty, which will destroy us; humane Cruelty, which will overthrow us; and eter…al Misery, which may torment us; from all Evil, past, present, to come; Spiritual, Temporal, and Eternal; and this we ask that what ever Evil …hall happen unto us, let us not sin against thee.
For thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, for ever and ever, Amen.
(Thy Kingdom,) is Powerful in itself, Comfortable to us, Terrible to thine Enemies, and Eternal in Heaven, for thou rulest and governest all: (thy Power,) great in our Creation, mighty in our Pres…rvation, merciful in our Justification, and wonderful in our Glorification; for …hou canst do all things (and Glory,) for which thou didest make all Things, to which we refer all Things: in which all Things do remain on Earth, and by which all thy Saints shall rejoyce in Heaven: (for ever and ever) in themselves by continuance, in thy Saints by Practice; in thy Creatures by Proof, and in the Wicked by Torment: (Amen.) so be it by Intention of the Mind, serious Invocation of thy Name, diligent Execution of thy Commandments, and continual Communication of all thy Mercies prayed for; thou sav…st Ame… by commanding our Amen, by performing we say Amen, by believing and hoping; say but the Word, and we shall be cured.
Ejaculations on several Occasions.
Going from Home.
O Lord I beseech thee favour the present harmeless Intent and Purpose of thy Servant, be unto me in my Journey a Comfort, in the heat a shadow, in stormes a shelter, and in adversity my protection that having finished my intended course, I may return in Peace, full o thy Praises and Mercies, who art near to all that call upon thee.
When the Clock Strikes.
Happy be the Hour in which my Saviour was Born, and the Ho… in which he died! O Lord Remember me at the Hour of Death.
Upon any disorderly Thoughts.
Make me a clean Heart O God, and renew a right Spirit within m…
When thou dost any good Work.
Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the Prais…
Upon any Deliverance.
The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want, he maketh me to ly down i… green Pastures, he leadeth me besides the still Waters, surely Goodne… and Mercy shall follow me all the Days of my Life, and I will Dwell i… the House of my God for ever.
when thou hearest the Bell toll.
Teach me O Lord to number my Days, that I may apply my Hear… to Wisdom.
Upon Thought of thy Sins.
Turn away thy Face from my Sins O Lord, and blot out all my Offences▪
Upon the weariness of the World.
O who will give me the Wings of a Dove, that I may fly away, and be at Rest!
Ejaculations for the Evening.
He will give his Angels charge over me, to keep me in all my Ways, and his Covenant he will not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of his Lips, for all the Promises of God in him are Yea, and in him Amen.
A Prayer for the Evening.
O Eternal and ever living Lord God, I the unworthiest of all thy Servants, do prostrate my self before the Face of thy Divine Majesty, imploring thy Pardon and Forgiveness, for the Offences against thee this da… Committed, and throughout the course of my whole Life, which hath been extream Vile and B…se in thy sight; keep me I most humbly beseech thee from the Hours, and Powers of Darkness; Watch over me this Night in thy almighty Providence, and scatter all the Rebellions and Devices of my Adversaries.
II.
Inlighten O Lord my Soul, sanctifie my Body, govern my Affections, and guide my Thoughts, that in the fastest closure of my Eye-lids, my Spirit may see thee, and in the depth of sleep may be conversant with thee; suffer me not to forget thee my great Creator, but to remember thee in the days of my Youth, before the evil day comes nigh unto me.
III.
Beget in me a godly sorrow which worketh to repentance never to be repented of, that I may be heartily grieved for my sins, not so much because of the danger of Hell-fire, as because I have offended thee, stretch out the wings of thy protection and mercy over me this night; though sleep seise upon the eyes of my body, yet let not security oppress my Soul: Keep me from idle Fancies, and from vain Dreams, give me a sober and sanctified use of all outward refreshing, that I may always in all things aim at this one thing, namely, how I may be the better fitted to serve thee faithfully in my place and Calling, and that for his sake, my only Lord and Saviour, Amen.
A Thanksgiving for the Deliverance from the Hellish Powder Plot, by Bishop Usher.
I.
Almighty Lord God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in him our most gracious and merciful Father, many are thy mercies towards us, and that our Souls know right well, and as we cannot be ignorant of them, unless we be senceless, so we cannot be forgetful unless we be thankless: by thee our Lot is faln into a good ground, yea we have a goodly Heritage, by thee are our Bodies delivered from sickness, and by thee our Souls are delivered from Sin, by thee our Names are not a reproach unto our Enemies, and by thee our Estates are not a prey unto the Idolatrous.
II.
Thou hast done great things in our Land, and thy right hand hath brought mighty things to pass; O Lord thou hast done great things unto this Vine of thy English Israel, and what couldest thou have done more for it than thou hast? thou hast planted it by thy hand, placed it in thy Vineyard, hedged it by thy Providence, guarded it by thine Angels, watered it by thy Spirit, pruned it by thy Rods, supported it by thy Power, committed it to thy Husbandmen, beautified it by thy mercies, and fructified it by thine abundance, not of sower but sweet Grapes, the wild Boar of the Wood can never root it up, the Beasts of the Forrest shall never devour it.
III.
What shall we render unto thee for all these Favours, or what can we render unto thee for all these Mercies? O our Souls praise the Lord, and all that is within us praise his Holy Name. O our Souls praise the Lord; and let us never forget his Benefits. We Lord had been blown up by the Powder of Rebellion, had not the Power of thy Providence watched over us. We therefore, our Princes, Nobles, Clergie, Commons, our Wives, Children, Servants and all, are here before thy Majesty this day, and now render unto thee, the Sacrifice of Praise, the Calves of our Lips, for this wonderful D…liverance shewed unto our most Gracious King and Country; Lord teach us thereby to be thankful unto thee, obedient to our Governours, frequent in Prayer, fervent in the Spirit, and zealous in good Works, lest a worse thing hereafter happen unto us.
IV.
Make us to detest Popery the Poyson of Authority, Jesuits the Bellows of Sedition, Papists the Plotters of Rebellion, and to esteem better, this not new but most ancient Religion of ours, by which we are taught Piety to God, Loyalty to Governours, P…ace to the Church, Reverence of Superiority, Charity to our Inferiours, Amity to our Equals, Love to our Enemies, Patience in Tribulation, Thankfulness in Prosperity, Faithfulness in our Calling, and Honesty to all, and seeing of late thou hast delivered our Backs from whipping, our Liberty from serving, our Souls from dying, our Country from consuming, and our King and State from a sudden blowing up; Lord we pray thee that the Meditation of this Mercy may never depart out of our Minds, but that we may be thankful unto thee for Mercies received, and fearful of thee for Judgments escaped.
V.
Teach us to Pray unto thee alone, who canst hear and grant our Requests, to keep our Country from Invasion, our Church from Dissention, our Houses from Inf…ction▪ our State from Alteration, and People from the cruel Mercies of the Italian Popedom, whose Faith is Fancy, whose Force is Fraud, whose Trust is Treason, whose Obedience is Hypocrisie, whose Laws are Traditions, whose Pardoners are Priests, whose Saviour is the Pope, whose God is an Idol, whose Service is Foppery, whose Glory is their Shame, and whose End is Damnation except they Repent; Thus we thy People and Sheep of thy Pasture, have just Occasion to praise thy great Name, for this and all thy wonderful Deliverances, and Blessed be the Lord God of our Salvation for ever and ever, and let all the People say, Amen, Amen.