A Necessary Admonition out of the Prophet Joel, Prayer
A praier of the ſame argument: and meete for the time that now we are in.
WE acknowledge (O Lord) before thy moſt glorious and aeternall maieſtie, That we have deſerved this and much more.that we moſt iuſtly have deſerved, not onelie the hardeſt eſtate that thy people have at anie time had, but utterlie to be cast of likewiſe from being thy people: much more this gentle and fatherly chastiſment, which at this praeſent thou hast caſt upon us. Nevertheleſſe, becauſe we knowe by thy holie worde, that thou delighteſt not in the death of a ſinner, but wouldest rather have him to live, and it is not thy pleaſure, that the rodde of thy chasticement ſhould ever lie upon thine inhaeritance, but coveteſt rather, that they ſhould ſoone remember them ſelves, and turn unto thee: wee are bold even now (and thou haſt enboldned us) to ſeeke unto thee, and to intreat thee, now to take from us this hand of thine, before that thou thereby haſt chasticed our former ſinnes anie thing neere to that meaſure (no, not by the thouſand part) that wee hauehave deſerued. For thy merciemercy ô Father (in thy Sonne our Lord) is verie great towards all that are his, and ſo ſpread foorth over all thy workes in ſo plentifull meaſure, that wee make no doubt, but that at anie time wee may be bold to ſeeke thy fauour, and to entreate thee to ſtaie thy hand, when yet thou hast ſcant begunne to ſtrike, notwithstanding that we have iustlie deſerved, that thou ſhouldest turn awaie from us thy face for ever. That he would graunt us true repentance.Howbeit, that no way it tend to the impechment of thy glorie, in the order and courſe that thou haſt ordeyned in all thy woorkes (laying out the meanes whereby thou doſt worke it, aſwell as the effect that is to enſue) wee humblie beſeech thee (and much more earnestly, for this, then the other) that by this ſmal portion of this thy chasticement that nów we have felt, our former ſecuritie maie be ſo quickened unto a diligent and ſound advicement of the corruption of our nature, and of the foule and loathſome fruits that out of the ſame have alreadie proceeded, and ſo truelie and earnestlie repent our ſelves thereof: that thou, having obteined that which thou ſoughteſt at our hands, maist the more eaſilie be induced to ſpare us, and to withdrawe thy hand from us. And, both deliver us from this our praeſent diſtreſſe.To this ende ô Lord we moſt humbly beſeech thee, to give us a ſound, an hartie, and a ſenſible feeling of our former and woonted coldnes in the advauncement of thy glorie, and of that whole courſe of our life, wherein by the immeſurable thirst that wee have to the things of this world, wee have beene, and yet are, ſo iniurious and hard unto manie: and even to thee alſo among the reſt: and not onelyonly to give us ſuch a feeling of thoſe things our ſelves, but alſo to vouchſafe us ſuch an inward deteſtatation thereof withall, & ſo reſolute a purpoſe to betake our ſelves to a better courſe in all ſuch matters, that, as now we make bold with thee to ſeeke thy favour, before that ever we have beene chasticed anie thing neere as wee have deſerved; ſo we maie hereafter likewiſe throughout our whole life, bee ſo carefull in all things to advaunce thy glorie, and in nothing to anoy our neighbour for the bettering of our ſelves in worldly matters, but in all things to uphold his good eſtate the beſt that we maie, that neither wee provoke thee again to ſtrike us for theſe offences, neither yet occaſion it to appeare, that now thou haſt withdrawne this thine hand from us over ſoone. And becauſe it pleaſeth thee to put us in hope of much greater mercies, And vouchſafe us thoſe other mercies alſo.then onelyonly ſuch relief of theſe our bodily neceſſities; and theſe are the daies whereunto thoſe mercies of …ine are promiſed: we likewiſe beſeech thee in moſt humble manner, to vouchſafe us that further manifeſtation of thy Truth, and that notable protection from our enemies alſo, that not onelyonly the likelier ſort of thy people, but the meaner likewiſe, may both knowe and glorifie thee; and that we all being ever preſerved from thoſe that hate us for thy names ſake, in that our ſafetie may imploy our ſelves the beſt that we can to the ſervice of thee, and ever praiſe thy holie name for theſe thy mercies. Our enemies ô Lord have ruled over us very long alreadie: and they of long have done unto ús, even as thoſe others did unto thém. They have taken away our ſilver and golde, and whatſoeuer Iewels we had beſides of ſpirituall graces in Ieſus Chriſt: and thoſe have they carried into the Temples of their owne proper idols, and wickednes aſcribed all unto them. Our ſelves alſo they have not ſpared, but have done with us whatſoever they would. Not onelyonly the boy, but the honourable alſo, and auncient of yeares have they given for an harlot: and not onelyonly the girle, but godlie matrons, and the chaſt ſoules of thy faithful people have they given for a cup of wine, and for their bellies. And, not ſo content, they have likewiſe in ſuch ſort ſolde us, as moſt might avail them to ſend us away far from our countrie, that afterwards we ſhould never be able for to returne thither again. But thou, ô Lord thee ſelf haſt ſeene it, and knoweſt well inough, that they have beene ſo greevous unto us, not ſo much for any thing that we had done (though in truth we be moſt wretched ſinners, and have deſerved much more then it) as in deſpight of thy holy Truth, and of an inward hatred to thee. Be it therefore thy gracious pleaſure, to undoe whatſoever they have done: and to gather us together again from all thoſe places, whereinto we were diſperſed by them. And as théy had ſold us a far óf, never to ſee our Countrie again: ſo we beſeech thee, that ſo manie of them, as (in thy ſecret election) belong unto thee, thou alſo would in like maner ſell over, not unto us, but to thy holie Truth, ever to have them in full poſſeſſion, and never to ſuffer them for to returne unto their woonted wandrings againe. And where as heretofore they have alreadie ſo much praevailed againſt thy people: now be it thy pleaſure, to bring them under, and daily more and more to enlarge the ſafetie of thy peculiar people againſt them all. We graunt, ô Lord, the things we deſire are very great: but it hehooveth thy people ſhould know thy aboundant merciemercy; and thine enemies alſo the inuincible power of thy mightie hand. Graunt us therefore theſe things we beſeech thee, through Ieſus Chriſt thy Sonne our Lord, to whom with thee and the holie Ghoſt, as of right apperteineth, be aſcribed all thankes, honor, and glorie for ever and ever. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Edmund Bunny, A Necessary Admonition out of the Prophet Joel (1588)