Meditations Concerning Prayers for the Safety of England, Meditations 2 – To the reader
MEDITATIONS concerning thankſgiuing to Almighty God, for deliuering England from the crueltie of the Spaniards, and for their meruailous confuſion and ouerthrow. 1588.
Pſal. 50.15O Lorde moſt mercifull father, thou dooeſt commaunde vsus to call vppon thée in the time of our trouble, thou promiſeſt to heare and to deliuer vsus, requiring that we ſhould then glorifie thée, and offer thée ſacrifice of praiſe. How true thou art in this thy promiſe, as wée hauehave manie examples in the Scriptures, ſo we of this land ought to know it in our owne experience. For wee were in great trouble and not without feare, when the Spaniards, a bloudie and cruell nation, in their rage came forth againſt vsus, with a purpoſe ſo to roote vsus out, that wee ſhould no more be a people. And indéede there was iuſt cauſe, why we ſhould hauehave béen much aſtonied. For, if we looke to our ſins, and the abhominations of our whole nation, what coulde wee elſe in thy iuſtice hauehave looked for,Hoſ. 9.7. but that the daie of viſitaon, and the time of recompence was come, wherein thy purpoſe was, to hauehave done execution vponupon vsus for our tranſgreſſions? And, if we looke vponupon our enemies, they were manie in number, and their forces great both by ſea and lande, ſo as they thought themſelues, as it were ſure of the victorie, as if they had béene able to hauehave ſwallowed vsus vp quick, and to hauehave runne ouer vsus, as the proude and ſwelling waters ouerflow the valleies of the fielde. In that our perplexitie, we did now and then ſigh vntounto thée for helpe, we powred forth praiers, though in great weakeneſſe. Thy faithfull ſeruaunts in the miniſterie, were more earneſt with thée in our behalfe, humbling themſelues in faſting, and calling the people thereunto, euen as it became them in a matter of ſo great waight. So as the cries of them were manie, which ſued vntounto thy maieſtie to ſpare this Nation, and not to giuegive ouer this part of thine inheritance, into the handes of the wicked. And now haſt thou moſt graciouſly fulfilled thy promiſe. For whatſoeuer want was in our praiers, yet haſt yu heard vsus in that for which we cried. For, notwithſtā ding the enimie approched verie néere, ſo as we might hauehave looked for an attempt of lāding in our coaſt: yet ſo miraculouſly and in diuerſe ſorts, diddeſt thou ſet thy ſelfe againſt them, bleſſing our meanes, & without meanes purſuing thē with thine owne hand, yt their ſnare is broken, & wée be eſcaped,Pſal. 124 euen as ye bird out of the grin of the fouler. The ſword, the ſea, & famine, hauehave deuoured a great parte of them, others he returned with ſuch diſhonor, as became them that would not learne to honor thée. Manie of their fathers hauehave thus loſt their children, many childrē are made fatherles, & manie of their wiues are become widowes. Thou haſt in thy iuſtice rendred into their boſome, a iuſt reward of their cruelty in other cuntries, and haſt ſerued them, as they meant to do to vsus thy people. And now (O Lord) was this for our worthines, or becauſe wée had deſerued any ſuch thing at thy hands? No verily, for we be a moſt ſinful people, al ſorts & ſtates had corrupted their waies, & hainouſly treſpaſſed. But for their vnworthines didſt thou deny them ye conqueſt ouer vsus, & for their innumerable abhominations, haſt thou brought vponupon them this deſerued deſtruction. For the glorie of thine own name, mainteining thine own cauſe, in defending ſuch as profeſſed thy true religion, although in that behalfe we are far ſhort of that we ought to be. Whatſoeuer we be, thou haſt performed thy promiſe, hearing vsus in our feare, & doing more for vsus, than we could almoſt hauehave hoped for. And now it remaineth, yt according to thy commandement we yéeld vntounto thy Maieſty, the dutie of continual thanks & obedience, which thou calleſt for at ye hands of ſuch, whom thou deliuereſt ſo wōderfully as we hauehave bin deliuered, O that we could therfore confes before thée, this thy louing kindnes, & ſpeake of al theſe thy wōderful works before the ſons of men, as it doeth become vsus. The leaſt benefite that we receiue from thée, deſerueth infinite thanks from vsus. For, what are wée of England, that thou ſhouldeſt conſider vsus, or who were our forefathers, that thou ſhouldeſt regard vsus? Surely we are excéedingly ſinfull,Gen. 32.10. and deſcended from ſuch as had highlie prouoked thy diſpleaſure. We are not worthie of the leaſt of thy mercies, yea, it is thy merciemercy that long ago we were not vtterlie confounded.Lame. 3.22. O then ſuch rare and ſingular mercies as this, wherein miraculouſlie thou haſt ſhewed thy ſelf for our ſafetie, and for the confuſion of our aduerſaries, how much ſhould they moue vsus to magnify thy name, and to ſound forth continuallie thy euerlaſting praiſes, which haſt vouchſafed ſuch fauour to thoſe that be ſo vnworthie? For the greater the vnworthineſſe of the Nation is, whereunto thou haſt done this great good, the more worthie art thou to be praiſed for euer. If ſuch a benefite as this had béene beſtowed vponupon the Churches of France, Geneua, Germanie, or of the low Countries, great had béene our ſinne, if wee had not offered to thée a bountifull ſacrifice of the calues of our lippes,Hoſ, 14.2 for ſuch a merciemercy ſhewed vntounto them. For as their miſeries ought to bée to vsus as our owne, and therefore wée ſhoulde wéepe with them when theyRom. 12.15. wéepe. So their deliuerance ſhoulde hauehave béene, as if we our ſelues had béene deliuered, in reſpect whereof, wee ouhht to hauehave reioiced with them in their ioy. The heauenlie ſpirites are carried with ſuch a zeale to thine honour,Apoc. 19.1.2.3. and inflamed with ſuch louelove to that part of thy Church which is héere vponupon the earth, that with a loud voice, they ſing praiſes to thée, for iudging the whoore of Roome, and reuenging the bloud of thy Saintes, although ſhée coulde not hauehave hurt them, or in anie ſort hauehave diminiſhed their glorie. Howe much more therefore by their example, are wée bounde to praiſe thée, becauſe in this our deliueraunce, and confuſion of our enemies, thou haſt not onelie ſhewed thy power, merciemercy, and iuſtice, ſo getting thy ſelfe a glorious name, in defending the vnworthie profeſſours of thy truth, and the ſtraungers here baniſhed for the ſame? But alſo by this meanes wée our ſelues be preſerued from great miſeries. and all the faithfull ſubiectes of the lande inioie their ſoueraigne Prince, to their ſingular comforte, and vnderunder hir gratious gouernement, we hauehave the vſe of the publike exerciſes of thy word and Sacraments, things that ſhuld be vntounto vsus more déere than our owne liues: Moreouer, we may each of vsus ſit peaceablie vnderunder our owne vines and figge trées, inioieng our wiues, our children, our friends, our libertie, & many other bleſſinges yéelded to vsus, in this moſt fruitfull and pleaſant lande: If we do compare theſe benefites, with the deſolation brought vponupon our enemies, and with the calamities that wee ſhoulde hauehave taſted of in our ſoules and bodies, if they had preuailed: (according as wee hauehave examples of their beaſtlie crueltie in the Indians, and others whome trecherouſlie they hauehave brought into their bondage.) O then our hearts muſt néeds be more hard than flint, and wee our ſelues altogether without féeling, except the conſideration of theſe things, fill our ſpirites with ioy, our mouths with laughter, and ſtirre vsus vp to ſing new ſongs of praiſes vntounto thée.
Exo. 15.Moſes, Miriam, and the children of Iſrael hauing paſſed through the red ſea, and ſéene the deſtruction of their enimies, preſentlie doe acknowledge thy merciemercy, and ſing to the honor of thy name.
Deborah and Barach doe the like,Iudg. 5 the ſelfe ſame day that thou gaueſt thy people that notable victorie ouer Siſera.
Iehoſhaphat ſéeing the confuſion,2. Cro. 20.26 which thou broughteſt vponupon the Moabites, the Ammonites, & them of mount Seir, whom before he feared, after that hee & his companie had purſued them & the ſpoile three daies, the fourth daie they giuegive thankes, with ſuch feruencie and zeale, that the place it ſelfe hath a name of their bleſſing God there, as it may appeare by the hiſtorie.
Heſter, Mordecay, & other of the Iewes, in token of thankfulneſſe and ioy,Heb. 9. kéepe a feaſt the next day, after the kings decrée was fruſtrated, which Haman had procured for their deſtruction. Yea, they take order to hauehave that their deliuerance ſolemnlie remembred euerie yéere.
Did their deliuerance from mighty and cruel enimies prouoke them to this? Did the eſcaping of preſent daungers, drawe frō them theſe praiſes of thy name? Did the ouerthrow of ſuch as roſe vp againſt them, moue them thus to honour thée? O then wee hauehave cauſe to doe the like. Our enemies which thus thought in their hearts: Wee will purſue, wee will diuide the ſpoile, our luſt ſhall be ſatiſfied vppon them, we will draw out our ſwordes, our hands ſhall deſtroie them (according as it is recorded that Pharao ſpake in his pride:Exo. 15.9.) euen theſe with him are ſunke in the déepe ſeas like lead.Iudg. 4.21. Iael a woman hath ſtriken a naile into Siſeraes head,Iudg. 5.28.29. euen then when his mother and hir wiſe Ladies perſuaded themſelues that he had gotten the victorie, and was diuiding the ſpoiles. The ſubiects of thy ſeruant Elizabeth, (a woman) by thy good bleſſing, hauehave ſtriken a terror into the harts of the mightie, yea, partlie by their meanes, as thine inſtruments, & partlie by thine own immediate power (ye ſtars in their courſe, & the ſeas in their order fighting againſt them) they hauehave then fearefully periſhed,Iudg. 5.20. when there was not onlie an aſſured perſuaſion in themſelues, not to be ouercome (as may appeare, in that they called their Nauie inuincible) but alſo a certaine expectation of the victorie, yea, reportes giuen & written, as if they had preuailed.
Thou turnedſt the ſwordes of ſuch as came foorth on their ſide as they thought,Jn one of their gallies. againſt themſelues:The ſhip fired by one of their Gonners. And the fire which was kindled, to ſend their ſhotte againſt vsus, was a mean of deliuering one of their ſhips, and ſome of their company into our hands: euen as thou armedſt Moab, 2. Cro. 20.22 23.Ammon, and them of mount Seir one againſt another in Iehoſhaphats time.
The curſed agréement ſo many yéeres agoe at the councell of Trent, for rooting out the profeſſors of thy trueth, (whereof this attempt of the Spaniardes may ſéeme to be intended as an execution in reſpect of vsus) is now turned to the deſtruction of theſe that fauoured it: ſo as we may not vnfitly ſay, that Haman and his be hanged vponupon the gallows, which he cauſed to be ſet vp for Mordecay the Iew. That is, thou haſt rewarded theſe proud men, that which they thought to hauehave done to others. Thou onelyonly indéede we muſt ſay. For notwithſtanding, thou wenteſt forth with our ſhips, proſpering them ſo long as they incountred, wherein ſenſiblie it appeared to bee thy worke, in the great loſſes of the aduerſaries both of men and Shippes, and ſo little of ours, as it may worthily be reckoned among thy merueilous workes: yet ſéeing ſo great wrackes followed them, when we had left them, how els can we thinke it but thine owne hand? Therefore, not withſtanding wée hauehave much cauſe to reioice in the wiſe care, foreſight, & prouiſion of our Prince, the honourable counſell and the ſtate: as alſo in the faithfulnes of our countrimen, ſo willingly & couragiouſly offring themſelues, to ſpend their goods, and to hazard their liues by ſea and land in this caſe:Jude. 5.2. ſo as we curſe ſuch, euen by the ſentence of thine owne Angell, which were not willing to helpe,Chap. 5.23. as it is in the Iudges: Yet (O Lord our God) foraſmuch as the one were giftes of thine, giuen to ſuch as gouerne vsus, and the other were but thy inſtruments to worke by: To thee, yea to thee alone, O Father, Sonne, and holie ſpirit, three perſons and one God, do we aſcribe all the glorie, honour, praiſe, and thankes for euer. For thou onelie haſt done this,Exod. 15.2. thou indeede haſt ſhewed thy ſelfe to be a man of war, that ſaluation is from thee, and that there is no truſt in horſes and chariots.Pro. 21.31. For, the horſe and the rider haſt thou ouerthrowen, the Spaniards ſhips haſt thou caſt into the ſeas,Exo. 15.21. his choſen captaines alſo bee drowned in the ſea, the depthes hauehave couered them,Exo. 15.6.7. they bée ſunke to the bottome as a ſtone. Thy right hād (O Lord) is glorious in power, thy right hand (O Lord) hath bruſed the enimie. And in thy great glorie, thou haſt ouerthrowne them, that roſe vp againſt thée, thou ſenteſt foorth thy wrath, which conſumed them as ſtubble. Who can expreſſe theſe thy noble actes? who can ſhew foorth all thy praiſe?Pſal. 106.… 2. If we had the tongs of al men and Angels, we could not ſufficiently doe it: ſuch praiſes as by thy grace we be able to offer, we pray thee in Chriſt to accept. O our ſoules praiſe ye ye Lord, & whatſoeuer is within vsus praiſe yee his holie name, & ſée that ye neuer forget this his benefit, praiſe the Lord ye his angels,Pſal. 103.12. that excel in ſtrength, that doe his cōmandement, in obeieng the voice of his word. Praiſe the Lord all ye his hoſtes,Pſal. 103.20.22.23 yée his ſeruants that doe his pleaſure, praiſe the Lord all ye his works in all places of his dominion.
Yea, we beſéech thée, that not onelyonly we, but the whole land alſo may giuegive thy maieſtie the whole glory of this, ſo as it may neuer come into any of our mindes, to thinke that by our worthineſſe, or by our own ſtrength this is come to paſſe. Grant that it be not onelie once euerie yéere, publikely and ſollemnlie remembred, after the worthie example, of that which was appointed to be done of the Iewes, for their deliuerance from the crueltie of Haman: Heſt. 9.But that alſo daylie and continuallie, wee may ſtirre vp our ſelues to thankfulneſſe, and to ſpeake of it to our children, and they to their childrens children, that ſo the memory of this thy glorious fact, may be continued from generation to generation euen for euer. But aboue all thinges be herein mercifull vntounto vsus, that this marueilous benefite powred vponupon this nation, added to the reſt of thy woonderful mercies towards vsus, may bée an occaſion to lead all ſorts and ſtates to true repentance, and to a through reformation of whatſoeuer is amiſſe: leaſt if we hold on in our euils, thou make a chaunge, and giuegive our enimies cauſe to reioyce ouer vsus, as we do now ouer them. For, notwithſtanding they bee marueilouſlie weakened, yet ſuch is thy power, that thou art able to arme wounded and famiſhed men to our deſtruction,Iere. 37.10 if wee continue to ſinne againſt thee, as thou didſt threaten the Iewes with the Chaldeans in Ieremies time. We were deliuered that we ſhould ſinne no more,Iohn. 5.14. as our Lord Ieſus ſaide to the man whom hee had made whole. Our faithfull miniſters, when they were moſt earneſt in ſuing for vsus with faſting and praiers, was it vponupon any other condition, but that being ſpared longer, wee ſhould yéelde better fruits, according as the dreſſer of the vinyard intreateth for the figtrée,Luk. 13.7.8. which the owner cōmanded to cut vp? Now if ſpéedilie euen this preſent yéere this bee not done by vsus, who ſhall hereafter intreat any more, or what is he that crieng for vsus is like to be heard? Nay, wee may feare that thou wilt ſay to our moſt faithfull prophets,Iere. 7.16. as ſometime thou ſaideſt to Ieremie: Praie no more for this people, neither lift vp crie or praier for them, neither intreat me, for I will not heare thée. Or as in another place thou ſayedſt: Though Moſes & Samuel ſtood before me, yet mine affection could not bee toward this people. Caſt them out of my ſight,Iere. 15.1. & let them depart, ſuch as are appointed to death to death, and ſuch as are for the ſword to the ſword, and ſuch as are for the famine to ye famine, & ſuch as are for captiuitie to captiuity. And I wil appoint ouer them foure kinds, ſaith the Lord: the ſword to ſlay, the dogs to teare in peeces, the foules of the heauen, and the beaſts of the earth to deuoure and deſtroy. Or as it is in Ezekiel: Ezek. 14.24though theſe thrée mē, Noah, Daniel, & Iob, were among them, they ſhold deliuer but their own ſoules. For although by thy ſingular goodnes we hauehave gotten this victorie, yet are we not paſt al danger, as if careleſly we might doe what we liſt. Nay we ſée, that Aſa the king of Iudah triumphing moſt gloriouſly, ouer the ten hundred thouſand Ethiopians that came foorth againſt him, is notwithſtanding met with by the Prophete Azariah, and by him certified from ye Lord, that he might no otherwiſe looke for the continuance of his fauor, to himſelfe, & to his people, but as they ſhould continue to do their duetie, and therfore ſaith vntounto them after this maner.2. Cr…. 15.2. O Aſa and all Iudah and Beniamin heare ye me. The Lord is with you while you be with him, & if you ſéeke him, hée will be found of you, but if you forſake him, he will forſake you. The ſame people of Iſrael, for whom thou wroughteſt ſo many great works in Egypt, and after leaddeſt through the red ſea, deſtroying their enimies which aſſaied to follow thē, were afterward fearfully deſtroied in ye wildernes for their ſins.Exo. 12.37 Nu. 14.30 So as of ſix hundred thouſand that were numbred, onelyonly two perſons Caleb & Ioſua entered into the promiſed Canaan. Thy ſeruant Iude putteth vsus in remembrāce of this in theſe words: For aſmuch (ſaith hee) as ye once knew this, Verſ. 5.how that the Lord after that he had deliuered the people out of Egypt, deſtroied them that beleeued not. And the ſame nation of the Iewes, though oftentimes thou diddeſt marueilouſly fight for them and deliuer them, ſo as among the heathen it might be iuſtly ſaid: God hath done great things for them, & they on the other ſide had iuſt cauſe to anſwer them, as with an eccho: He hath done great things for vsus, whereof we reioice, as it is in the Pſalme. Euen theſe notwithſtanding whē they neglected their dutie,Pſal. 126 2.3. were moſt ſharply puniſhed, and giuen ouer as a pray vntounto their enimies, as may appeare in the hiſtory of their Iudges and Kings. And at length when nothing woulde reclaime them, but that they continued in their diſobedience, mocking and il intreating the faithfull prophetes which called them to repentance: then thou broughteſt vponupon them ye Chaldeans, who waſted their land, tooke their chiefe city euen Hieruſalem and their king, put out his eies, ſlue his children & nobles before his face,Ier. 39.6.7. and diſhonorablie ledde him captiue vntounto Babylon, leauing that fruitful and populous countrie, as it were a deſolate & forſaken wildernes, and bringing ſcorne, reproch, confuſion & ſhame vponupon that citie & nation, which ſometimes were (as a Quéen aboue al others) admired for their proſperitie, as if they had bene the onelie praiſe of the world.
1. Cor. 10.6.7.8.Their example doſt thou ſet before our eies, as a glaſſe to looke into, whereby we may ſée, what remaineth for ſuch people, as be like them in thy bleſſings, and not vnlike them in their ſinnes. We therefore of this nation, whom thou haſt thus marueilouſlie preſerued, and defended in peace, proſperitie, plentie, and with the vſe of thy holie religion, vnderunder the reigne of our ſouereigne prince now theſe whole thirtie yeares, and for whom of late thou haſt done theſe great thinges: what elſe may we looke for but the like deſtruction with the Iewes, except with all ſpéed wée doe turne to thée, and reforme our ſelues according to thy woorde? Therefore (O Lord our God) we do moſt humbly craue of thée, pardon for all our ſinnes paſt, committed by vsus, & by our whole land, either before this our deliuerance, or ſince wee were deliuered: beſéeching thée in ye blood and obedience of Chriſt Ieſus and for the honor of thy name, not to bring vponupon vsus the deſtruction, which for our vnthankefulnes for this thy great merciemercy, and for other our tranſgreſſions wee hauehave moſt iuſtlie deſerued. And graunt, that for all the time to come, all ſortes and ſtates, ciuill and eccleſiaſticall, from the higheſt to the loweſt may be carefull in all thinges to ſéeke thy will, and to hauehave the ſame obeied, as wel in matters for the Church, as the common-weale, and each of them for the direction of their ſeueral families, and particular conuerſations. That they may all ioyne together in their callinges as one man, for the reformation of the miniſterie, that ſo the preaching of the Goſpell may bée eſtabliſhed, and ſetled in all the quarters of the lande, whereby all the ſubiects may be ſubdued vntounto thée, and taught holie obedience to her Maieieſtie, and the reſt that vnderunder her gouern the ſtate. That godlineſſe and godlie men, may more and more bee cheriſhed and maintained, and idolatrie, papiſtrie, blaſphemie, prophanation of the holie Saboths, and all other wickedneſſe and wicked men, may bee puniſhed and ſuppreſſed. O teach vsus to knowe and beléeue, that in theſe thinges ſtandeth the bleſſednes & ſafetie of our ſtate, and realme, that that nation is onelyonly happy,Pſa. 144.15 whoſe God is the Lord, and that thou art a God and ſauior to ſuch onlie as walke in thy waies, and with all their hearts, ſéeke to doe thy cōmandements. If this courſe be thought vponupon, & yéelded vntounto by vsus, then we may aſſure our ſelues of thy protection, for euer: Then we ſhall ſtill to our comfort inioy our gratious Prince, and her highnes the comfort of the dutifull ſeruice, and obedience of vsus her ſubiectes. Our wiſe counſailours ſhall bee able to giuegive aduiſe for our good, & our worthy valiāt countrimen with honour to execute that, which is appointed for our ſafetie. Thy Goſpell ſhal ſhine among vsus yet in more excellent beautie, we ſhall hauehave our peace and our plentie ſtill, wée ſhall proſper in our affaires by ſea and by land, wée ſhall ſée our deſire vponupon our bloodie enimies,Deut. 26.7. they ſhall come foorth againſt vsus one way, and ſhal flie ſeuen waies.Leuit. 26.8. One of vsus ſhal chaſe an hundred of them, and an hundred of vsus, ſhall put ten thouſand to flight.Pſal. 144.12.13 The voice of mirth and gladneſſe ſhal be heard in our ſtréetes, our ſonnes ſhall bée as plants growing vp in their youth, and our daughters as the corner ſtones, grauen after the ſimilitude of a pallace. Our corners ſhall be full and abounding with diuers ſortes, our ſhéepe ſhall bring foorth thouſandes, euen ten thouſandes in our ſtréetes. Our oxen ſhal be ſtrong to labor, there ſhall be no inuaſion or going out, nor crieng in our Cities: the murrain of beaſts and the peſtilence deuouring men ſhall not come néere vsus. Thus ſhall wee then bee bleſſed,Pſa. 144.15 for ſo is the people bleſſed, whoſe God is ye Lord. O Lord let our nation be thus bleſſed for euer, we do pray thée euen for ye honor of thine own name. So wee thy peeple and ſhéepe of thy paſture ſhall praiſe thée for euer,Pſal. 79.13. & from generation to generation we will ſet foorth thy praiſe. And, for as much as this work of thine is ſuch, that it ſhould not onelie mooue vsus, to whome the comfort thereof doth ſpeciallie appertaine, but euen they alſo ſhould be touched with it, that diſſent from vsus in religion, and deſired to hauehave ſéene our ruine (as well the Papiſtes of our owne nation, as thoſe that be in forraigne countries:) becauſe, beſides the other miracles recorded in thy woorde, wrought by thy ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, and his holy Apoſtles, for the confirmation of thy truth, thou haſt alſo by this our woonderfull deliuerance, and confuſion of our enimies, ſealed this to be thy truth, which wee hauehave learned from the ſame worde, and whereof wee make profeſſion. We beſéech thée euen for theſe, that ſo manie of them as belong to thée, may by this occaſion the rather bee brought to ſée, howe deteſtable a thing in thy ſight, Romiſh and ſuperſtitious religion is, & how thou ſetteſt thy ſelfe againſt ſuch as would vphold the ſame: that ſo they may not ſtand a farre off, gazing vponupon this thy greate worke,Apoc. 18.9.10.11. Apoc. 18, 4. & 19.20. and bewailing this fall of the whore, but that indéede they may come forth of Babylon, vtterly renouncing the worſhippe of the beaſt and his image, abhorring to carie the leaſt of his markes in their hands or forheads,Apoc, 17.2. and no longer to bee drunke, with the cup of her ſpirituall fornications. Yea, wee beſéech thée that hauing the miſtes and darkeneſſe of their minds chaſed away, they may at length, ſée the cleare light of thy goſpel, ſo to ioine with vsus in one holy profeſſion grounded vponupon thy word, that together we may be glad of this fall of Babylon, and ioyne all forces as it were into one, to giuegive her according as ſhee hath done to thy Saints.Apoc. 18.6. That in the end, the may hauehave the iudgement of an harlot executed vponupon her, euen to bee rooted out for euer. That to their further condemnation, they bee not ſubiect to the reproofe, which thy ſpirit giueth to ſuch as they be, that amended not by the vengeance powred vppon others, according as it is ſaide in the Apocalips, Apoc. 9.20.21.The remnant of the men which were not killed by theſe plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they ſhold not worſhip deuils, & Idols of golde and ſiluer, and of braſſe, and of ſtone, & of wood, which neither can ſée, neither can heare, nor goe. Alſo they repented not of their murthers and their ſorceries, neither of their fornication, nor of their theft. For their obſtinacie ſhall be greater, and their ſinne the more hainous in thy ſight, if ſo ſenſible a iudgement as this is, prouoke them not to giuegive thée glorie and to ſéeke after thy trueth. If there be anie of them ſo deſperatlie hardened, that in ſtéed of repenting, they ſhall preſume more & more, to ſet themſelues againſt thy holie ones, and to blaſpheme thy name,Apoc. 16.9. which haſt power ouer theſe plagues: We beſéech thée goe forwarde with this thy excellent worke perſecute them ſo continually, that they may know thēſelues to be but men, and the Idols whom they ſerue, not to be God. Turne all their deuiſes vponupon their owne heads, and bring them to ſuch miſeble confuſion, that they may for ſorrowe gnaſh their téeth, and at laſt be inforced to acknowledge thy power and iuſtice in their ruine, to whome they will not now ſtoope, to ſerue thée according to thy word, that they might be ſaued.
Yea, we beſéech thee, that all the nations of the heathen, to whom the reportes of theſe thy great acts ſhall come, may by this meanes bee mooued to inquire after thee, and to ſeeke to knowe thee, and thy good pleaſure in Chriſt Ieſus, whome thou haſt ſent to their ſaluation, if they beleeue. That ſo departing from their ſuperſtitions and Idolatries, wherein they doe diſhonour thee, they may honor thy name in the knowledge of thy trueth. That wee our ſelues beholding theſe thinges, and the vtter confuſion of all ſuch as riſe vp againſt thee, and thy Chriſt,Apoc. 20.10 may be aſſured that that time approcheth apace, when the deuill by whom they are led, the beaſt whome his fauourers hauehave worſhipped, and the falſe Prophetes, by whome they hauehave bene ſeduced, not being able to hurte anie more, becauſe their time is expired, ſhall be caſt into the lake of fire and brimſtone,Apoc. 10.10.15. where alſo they ſhall bee tormented day and night world without end, and with them euerie one not found in the booke of life. When likewiſe the Church being fréed from all their tyranny, ſhall come forth as a bride prepared for her huſband,Apoc. 21.2. to be ioined with ye lambe Ieſus Chriſt for euer: Where ſhee ſhall hunger, thirſt, nor ſorrow any more, but hauing all teares wiped from her eies,Apoc. 7.16. ſhee ſhall enioy perfect bleſſedneſſe, in that heauenlie citie whoſe gates be of pearle,Apoc. 21.2. Apoc. 21.18 whoſe walles bee precious ſtones, and the citie it ſelfe, with the ſtreat therof pure golde, like cleare or ſhining glaſſe.Apoc. 22.1.2 Wherein there is a riuer of water of life, cleare as chriſtall, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the lamb, hauing of either ſide the trée of life, bearing twelue maner of fruites, and giuing fruit euerie monethmonth,Apoc. 22.20 whoſe leaues are ſauing medicines for the heathen. O Lord Ieſus which ſo long ago ſaidſt I come quickly, euen ſo Lord Ieſus come, Amen. Amen.
TO THE READER.
THou haſt (Chriſtian Reader) which thou haddeſt not in the firſt impreſſion, a godlie hymne or ſonge of thankſgiuing, concerning our deliuerance, penned by my reuerende and good friende in Chriſt M. Doctor Turner, who vnderſtanding of my poore trauaile in this argument, wiſhed thou hadſt alſo beene partaker of that his labour with mine, and hath beene ſince content, that I ſhould publiſh it for thy profit. The benefite of our ſafetie is ſuch, and ſo wonderfull, that it deſerueth an often and moſt ſerious remembrance. If my meditations ſeeme too long or not ſuch as content thee, I pray thee, vſe the helpe of this ſong, ſhorter, and commended vntounto thee, in reſpect of the writer, and the ſweete manner of deliuering that taſte, the remembrance whereof ſhoulde eueryevery way be moſt pleaſant to thee. Forget not the goodnes of God helping thee ſo many waies, and offring thee one diſh of meate diuerſly dreſſed, that if it like thee not the one way, it may pleaſe thine appetite the other. If thou and thy familie learne to ſing it (which I pray thee may bee oftentimes done) I hope thou wilt find it comfortable to thy ſoule. And ſo I pray thee to giuegive God praiſe, and helpe ſuch with thy praiers, that deſire to helpe thee.