Omnipotent and everlasting God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who by thy eternal providence disposes kingdoms, as seemeth best
to thy wisdom: we acknowledge and confess thy judgments to be
righteous, in that thou hast taken from us, for our ingratitude,
and for abusing of thy most holy word, our native king and earthly
comforter. [King Edward VI (Knox was in London at this time]
Justly may thou pour forth upon us the uttermost of thy plagues;
for that we have not known the days and times of our merciful
visitation. We have contemned thy word, and despised thy mercies;
we have transgressed thy laws; for deceitfully have we wrought,
every man with our neighbours; oppression and violence we have not
abhorred: charity hath not appeared among us, as our profession
requireth. We have little regarded the voices of thy prophets. Thy
threatenings we have esteemed vanity and wind. So that in us, as
of ourselves, rests nothing worthy of thy mercies; for all are
found fruitless; even the princes with the prophets, as withered
trees apt and meet to be burnt in the fire of thy eternal
displeasure.
But, O Lord, behold thy own mercy and goodness, that thou may
purge and remove the most filthy burden of our most horrible
offences. Let thy love overcome the severity of thy judgments,
even as it did in giving to the world thy only Son, Jesus, when
all mankind was lost, and no obedience was left in Adam nor in his
seed. Regenerate our hearts, O Lord, by the strength of thy Holy
Ghost. Convert thou us, and we shall be converted. Work thou in us
unfeigned repentance, and move thou our hearts to obey thy holy
laws.
Behold our trouble and apparent destruction, and stay the sword
of thy vengeance before it devours us. Place above us, O Lord, for
thy great mercy's sake, such a head, with such rulers and
magistrates as feareth thy name, and willeth the glory of Christ
Jesus to spread. Take not from us the light of thy evangel. Illuminate the
heart of our sovereign lady Queen Mary, with pregnant gifts of thy
Holy Ghost; and inflame the hearts of her council with thy true
fear and love.
Repress thou the pride of those that would rebel;
and remove from all hearts the contempt of the word. Let not our
enemies rejoice at our destruction, but look thou to the honour of
thy own name, O Lord; and let thy gospel be preached with boldness
in this realm. If thy justice must punish, then punish our bodies
with the rod of thy mercy. But, O Lord, let us never revolt, nor
turn back to idolatry again. Mitigate the hearts of those that
persecute us; and let us not faint under the cross of our Saviour,
but assist us with the Holy Ghost, even to the end.
Read more at
http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/PrayerTr.htm
