Church discipline

A most fruitful prayer for the dispersed Church of Christ, very necessary to be used by the godly in these days of affliction

O most omnipotent, magnificent, and glorious God and Father of all consolation; we here assembled do not presume to present and prostrate ourselves before thy mercy-seat in respect of our own worthiness and righteousness, which are altogether polluted and defiled; but in the merits, righteousness, and worthiness of thy only Son Jesus Christ; whom thou hast given unto us as a most pure and precious garment to cover our pollution and filthiness withal, that we might appear holy and justified in thy sight through him. Wherefore in obedience to thy commandments, and confiding in thy promises, contained in thy holy word, that thou wilt accept and grant our prayers presented unto thee in the favour of thy only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, either for ourselves or for the necessity of thy saints and congregation; we here, congregated together, do with one mouth and mind most humbly beseech thee, not only to pardon and forgive us all our sins, negligences, ignorances, and iniquities, which we, from time to time, incessantly do commit against thy divine majesty, in word, deed, and thoughtósuch is the infirmity of our corrupted nature; but also that it would please thee, O benign Father, to be favourable and merciful unto thy poor afflicted church and congregation, dispersed throughout the whole world, which in these days of iniquity are oppressed, injured, despised, persecuted, and afflicted for the testimony of thy word, and for obedience to thy laws.

And especially, O Lord and Father, we humbly beseech thee to extend thy mercy and favourable countenance upon all those that are imprisoned or condemned for the cause of thy gospel, whom thou hast chosen for thee, and made worthy to glorify thy name. That it may please thee to give them such constancy as thou hast given to thy saints and martyrs in time past, willingly to shed their blood for the testimony of thy word; or else mightily to deliver them from the tyranny of their enemies, as thou delivered the condemned Daniel from the lions, and the persecuted Peter out of prisons to the exaltation of thy glory, and the rejoicing of thy church.

Furthermore, most beneficent Father, we humbly beseech thee to stretch forth thy mighty arm unto the protection and defence of those that are exiled for the testimony of thy verity, because they would not bend their backs, and incline their necks under the yoke of antichrist, and be polluted with the execrable idolatries and blasphemous superstitions of the ungodly. That it would please thee not only to feed them in strange countries, but also to prepare a resting place for them, as thou hast done from time to time for thine elect in all ages; whereby they may unite themselves together in the sincere ministration of thy word and sacraments, to their singular edification. And in due time restore them home again to their land, to celebrate thy praises, promote thy gospel, and edify thy desolate congregation.

And also, O Lord, thou who hast said, thou wilt not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, be merciful, we beseech thee, unto all those who, through fear and weakness, have denied thee, by dissimulation and hypocrisy. That it may please thee to strengthen their weak knees, (thou who art the strength of them that stand,) and to lift up their feeble hands, that their little smoke may increase into a great flame, and their bruised reed into a mighty oak, able to abide all the blustering blasts and stormy tempests of adversity; that the ungodly may no longer triumph over their fate, which, as they think, they have utterly quenched and subduedóstir up thy strength in them, O Lord, and behold them with that merciful eye wherewith thou did behold Peter, that they, rising by repentance, may become the constant confessors of thy word, and the sanctified members of thy church to the end; that when as by thy providence thou purposes to lay thy cross upon them, they do no more seek unlawful means to avoid the same, but most willingly be contented with patience to take it up and follow thee, in what sort soever it shall please thee to lay the same upon their shoulders, either by death, imprisonment, or exile; and that it will please thee not to tempt them above their power, but to give them grace utterly to despair of their own strength, and wholly to depend upon thy mercy.

On the other side, O Lord God, thou righteous Judge, let not the ungodly, the enemies of thy truth, continually triumph over us, as they do at this day; let not thine heritage become a reproach and common laughing-stock unto the impudent and wicked papists, who, by all possible means, seek the utter destruction of thy little flock, by shedding the blood of thy saints for the testimony of the word; seeking by most devilish and damnable practices to subvert thy truth. Confound there, O God, and all their wicked counsels, and let them be taken in the same pit they have dug for others; that it may be universally known that there is no counsel nor force that can prevail against the Lord our God. Break, O Lord, the horns of those bloody bulls of Bashan; pull down those high mountains that elevate themselves against thee; and root up the rotten race of the ungodly, that they being consumed in the fire of thine indignation, thine exiled church may, in their own land, find place of habitation.

O Lord, deliver our land, which thou hast given us for a portion to possess in this life, from the invasion and subduing of strangers. Truth it is we cannot deny, but that our sins have justly deserved this great plague, now imminent (threatening; the nation had great cause at that time to fear lest it should be brought under the yoke of Spain, editor) and approaching, even to be given over into the hands and subjection of that proud and brutish nation, that neither know thee nor fear thee, and to serve them in bodily captivity who have refused to serve thee in a spiritual liberty. Yet, Lord, forasmuch as we are assuredly persuaded by thy holy word, that thine anger does not last for ever towards those that earnestly repent, but instead of vengeance thou dost show mercy, we most penitently beseech thee to remove this thy great indignation bent towards us, and give not over our land, our cities, towns and cattle, our goods, possessions and tithes, our wives, children, and our own lives, into the subjection of strangers. But rather, O Lord, expel them from our land, subvert their counsels, dissipate their devices, and deliver us from their tyranny, as thou delivered Samaria from cruel Benhadad, and Jerusalem from blasphemous Sennacherib.

Give us, O Lord, such princes and rulers, such magistrates and governors, as will advance thy glory, erect thy gospel, suppress idolatry, banish all papistry, and execute justice and equity. Water again, O Lord, the vine of England with the moisture of thy holy word, lest it utterly perish and wither away. Build up again the decayed walls of thy new Jerusalem; thy congregation in this land, lest the ungodly attribute our confusion, not unto our sins, as the truth is, but unto our profession in religion.

Remember, O Lord, that we are a parcel of thy portion, thy flock, the inheritors of thy kingdom, the sheep of thy pasture, and the members of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Deal with us therefore according to the multitude of thy mercies, that all nations, kindreds, and languages, may celebrate thy praises in the restoring of thy ruined church to perfection again. for it is thy work, O Lord, and not man's, and from thee do we with patience look for the same, and not from the fleshly arm of man, and therefore to thee only is due all dominion, power, and thanksgiving, now in our days and for evermore. Amen.