1WE being strictly holden in with great perils and distresses, cry unto thee (O almighty God) that thou aiding us with thy puissant help, we may at length have most large & pleasant passage out of the afflictions of this world. We acknowledge our selves to be unworthy of thy assistance, because we have very often & grievously declined from thee: but our humble petition and earnest request is, that thou wouldest vouchsafe not to regard every particular and several work of ours, but the worthiness of the cause. And forsomuch as (O God) thou thy self art accustomed to show and approve in every point the righteousness ⟨image 11⟩of thy blessed word, defend & uphold now mightily thy high renowned honour and Gospel, and us also, who, according to thy will and pleasure are corrected and chastised. This is it that we bewail and lament presently before thee, that the mighty & puissant of this world, being united together, go about by all the means they can, to defeat the glory of thy sacred gospel and pure religion, yea, and utterly to subvert it, by means of their foolish devises and vain hopes, which of themselves they have imagined. I would it were thy pleasure (O high and mighty God) openly to show and make manifest the beauty of thy true Church unto them, which thou hast picked out and chosen for thy self, and which also thou hearest so often as it prayeth & calleth faithfully upon thee. So they should peradventure understand, so should they be rather moved, & have a very great regard they offend it not. They would perhaps weigh with themselves, yea, even in their bed they would consider; what a regard they ought to have unto •t, and so peradventure they would be in quiet, and persuaded to offer, wish it the Sacrifices ⟨image 12⟩of true righteousness: where as now being altogether blind, they wish nothing more then to satisfy their madness & outrage against the same, and esteem it an high felicity to subvert and utterly overthrow the true church. But so many of us (O good God) as honour & worship thy divine majesty in spirit & truth, have very often prayed to thee for these our cruel enemies: yea when any good and prosperous things happened unto them, we did heartily rejoice. Grant therefore (for thy infinite mercies sake) that we may at the last live peaceably and in quiet by them:
1WE being streightly holdē in with great perilles and distresses, crie vnto thée (O almighty God) that thou ayding vs wyth thy puyssaunt helpe, wee may at length haue most large & pleasant passage out of the afflictions of this world. We acknowledge our selues to bée vnworthie of thy assistaunce, bycause we haue verie often & gréeuously declyned from thée: but our humble petition and earnest request is, yt thou wouldest vouchsafe not to regarde euerie particuler and seuerall worke of oures, but the worthinesse of the cause. And forsomuch as (O God) thou thy selfe art accustomed to shew and approue in euerie point the righteousnesse ⟨image 11⟩of thy blessed word, defend & vpholde nowe mightily thy high renowmed honor and Gospell, and vs also, who, according to thy will and pleasure are corrected and chastised. This is it that we bewaile and lament presently before thée, that ye mightie & puissaunt of this world, being vnited togither, go about by all the meanes they can, to defate the glory of thy sacred gospel and pure religion, yea, and vtterly to subuerf it, by meanes of their foolishe deuises and vayne hopes, which of themselues they haue imagined. I would it were thy pleasure (O high and mightie God) openly to shewe and make manifest the bewtie of thy true Church vnto them, which thou hast picked out and chosen for thy selfe, and which also thou hearest so often as it praieth & calleth faithfully vpon thée. So they should peraduenture vnderstand, so should they be rather moued, & haue a verie great regard they offēd it not. They would perhaps weigh with themselues, yea, euen in their bed they would consider; what a regarde they ought to haue vnto •t, and so peraduenture they would be in quiet, and perswaded to offer, wysh it the Sacrifices ⟨image 12⟩of true righteousnesse: where as now being altogither blinde, they wishe nothing more then to satisfie their madnesse & outrage against the same, and estéeme it an high felicitie to subuert and vtterly ouerthrow ye true church. But so many of vs (O good God) as honor & worship thy diuine maiesty in spirite & truth, haue verie often prayed to thee for these our cruel enimies: yea when any good and prosperous things happened vnto thē, we did hartily reioyce. Graunt therefore (for thy infinite mercies sake) yt we may at the last lyue peaceably and in quiet by them:
- 1• prayer for true faith.• prayer for true fayth.
