and giue a blessing unto any thing that may any wayes advance the truth of our Religion and our Country in generall Looke favourably O heavenly Father upon all the Professors of the same true religion with us who being sorely at this present oppressed by the Papists suffer the losse both of their liues and fortunes Succour them Lord that they may bee delivered from these troubles Keepe us in health from the noysome pestilence from sudden and unhappie death from dearth famine scar-fires mutinyes disagreements amongst our selues and from hayle and tempest Infuse into our hearts concord faithfulnesse and mutuall charitie Comfort all those that are afflicted sicke in prison or calamitie Succour and comfort all widowes and fatherlesse women with childe and that giue sucke Be thou guide unto all those that travell eyther by land or by water that they walking in thy right paths and having prosperously dispatched their owne businesse may safely returne at length unto their owne families Deliver us Lord God from all evill and when our fatall houre of death shall come mercifully receiue us into thy Kingdome translate our soules out of this vale of misery into thy heavenly Paradise where we may laud and prayse thee for it world without end Amen II. A Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes O Lord God heavenly Father who delightest not in the death of a sinner nor wouldest that he should perish but that he should be converted and liue we humbly entreate of thee mercifully to turne from us those punishments which our sinnes haue deserved and that thou wouldst be pleased in plentifull manner to bestow thy mercy upon us thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Another Prayer to the same purpose O Wel-beloved Lord Iesus Christ haue mercy upon us miserable sinners and looke with the eyes of compassion upon us as thou somtimes diddest upō Mary Magdalene that penitent sinner when lying at thy feete shee from the bottome of her heart sincerely bewayled her owne transgressions and the Publican in the Temple when he smote upon his breast and implored thy favour and the Theefe upon the Crosse when he entreated and obteyned thy pardon Lord grant us to receiue the same this day from thee absolue thou us in Heaven forgiue us our sinnes O God thou author of all comfort Cast us not away from thy presence but cause us so to walke in thy feare that in faith and loue wee may serue and please thee thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen III. For Peace and Concord GIue peace in our time O Lord because there is no other that fighteth for us but onely thou O God Giue peace unto our King and all other Princes direct them rightly to govern the Cōmon-wealth and grant that under them wee may liue a quiet and a peaceable life in all pietie and honestie Amen Another O Lord God heavenly Father from whom all courage of minde good counsayle and just workes doe proceede giue unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot giue that both our hearts may depend vpon thy Commandements and also that being safe under thy protection wee may passe our time in rest and quietnesse thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Another O Almightie and eternall God King of glory and Lord of Heaven and Earth by whose Spirit all things are governed and by whose becke and providence all things are directed thou onely art the God of peace from whom all peace and concord doe proceede wee humbly beseech thee to forgiue us our sinnes and to giue us thy holy peace and true concord that in thy feare we may serue thee and for ever laud praise thee who together with the Sonne and Holy Ghost livest and reignest one true and eternall God Amen IV. For the King ALmightie God heavenly Father for Iesus Christ thy beloved Sonne we beseech thee favourably to looke downe upon our King guide him with thy holy Spirit keepe him with a guard of thine Angels against all dangers both of soule and body keepe him safely from all misfortunes so bring it to passe that by the expedition which he now makes we may be delivered from our enemies and that by his safe returne we being made joyfull may from thenceforth laud honour and prayse thee world without end Amen Another THe King shall rejoyce in thy strength O Lord Psal 21. exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation Thou hast given him his hearts desire and not denyed him the request of his lippes For thou hast filled him with the best of thy blessings and hast set a Crowne of pure gold upon his head He asked life of thee and thou gavest him a long life even for ever and ever His honour is great in thy salvation glory and great worship hast thou laid upon him For thou hast filled him with all kind of blessings for ever and thou shalt make him glad with the joy of thy countenance Heare him Lord Psal 20.1 in the time of trouble let thy Name set him in a safe place Send him helpe from the Sanctuary and strengthen him out of Sion Remember also all his offerings and accept his burnt Sacrifice Grant him his hearts desire and fulfill all his mind Helpe Lord thine Anointed and heare him from thy Sanctuary through Iesus Christ Amen Another GRant peace O God unto our King and all his Officers well to governe the Common-wealth that vnder them we may lead a Christian a quiet and a peaceable life in all devotion and in honestie Amen Another O Eternall and mercifull God heavenly Father that hast the hearts of all Kings in thy hands and bowest them which way thou pleasest so bring it to passe that by this troublesome warre the meanes of making a good agreement and of establishing a sure peace may be found out all heart-burning offences and dissention removed Thou from whom all helpe in earch commeth helpe us that so we may liue peaceably and quietly in all devotion and honestie We haue to confesse the truth plucked downe all thy plagues vpon our selues by our sinfulnesse faultinesse and transgressions But rebuke vs not in thine anger neyther chasten vs in thy heavie displeasure Correct vs to amend vs but not vtterly to destroy vs. Enlighten our eyes that we sleepe not in death Returne at length and be gracious vnto vs satisfie vs with thy goodnesse that we may rejoyce be glad all the dayes of our life Comfort vs according to the time thou hast afflicted vs and the yeares wherein we haue suffered adversitie Remember not our former iniquities Haue mercy vpon vs and that soone for wee are brought very low Helpe vs O God our helper for the honour of thy Name Deliver vs and forgiue vs our sinnes for thy Names sake because thou are the Lord the highest aboue all the world thou art long-suffering of great goodnesse and gratious nor art thou prone vnto anger and to vengeance seeing to those that repent thou hast promised remission of all their sinnes So
THE DEVOTIONS AND FORMES OF PRAYER DAILY VSED IN THE KING OF SVVEDENS ARMY Being the first part of our intended Booke concerning the SVVEDISH DISCIPLINE Religious Civill and Military The Reason for our publishing this by it selfe wee desire the Reader to looke for in the Epistle LONDON Printed for Nathanaell Butter and Nicholas Bourne 1632. ¶ The Stationer to the Reader Favourable and judicious THat having beene heretofore by promise engaged to giue you all the three parts of the Swedish Discipline wee are heere enforced to present you with the first onely and that dismembred from the other two We humbly desire you to accept of this fayre excuse for it T is done to prevent your being abused by another who ayming as may be suspected more at his owne profit than the benefit of his Reader vpon hope of venting his Booke vnder that most acceptable name of this victorious King is about to thrust these following Prayers vpon the world barely taken and perchance not so literally translated out of the Booke called Arma Suecica One thing or two besides the vselessenesse of the volume he is about to Print it in over-slipped in his Translation wee here thinke fit to tell you of which vpon sight of some of the printed sheetes the Copie having by himselfe beene before sold vnto vs we discovered First That his Translator hath no where observed how many sentences in these Prayers which are taken out of the Common Prayer Booke vsed in the Kingdome of Sweden are the same with those in our English Common Prayer Booke the reason of it being for that both our Common Prayer Booke and theirs were taken out of one and the same Treasury of Antiquitie The second omission of his Translater is this That he hath not beene diligent enough to turne vnto those places of holy Scripture out of which the most of these Prayers are gathered nor hath observed the allowed and best Translation of our Church but done it in his owne phrases And that our Booke hath beene carefull in this poynt wee appeale to the Scriptures quoted in the Margent which is a third thing in which his other Booke is also defectiue As for other differences in performance in the faithfulnesse and literallnesse of Translation that wee wholly referre vnto the Iudgement of the able Readers Thus having made you acquainted with our purpose wee also referre it vnto your discretions either to stay your hands from buying of eyther or those that buy ours to keepe it till next weeke that the other two Parts come out also at which time they may be bound together as was at first intended The second part of the Intelligencer is likewise now in hand which we hope ere long to furnish you with if it pleases God Vale. THE CHRISTIAN PART OF THE KING OF SVVEDENS DISCIPLINE The first Part. IT is not without a mystery I suppose that the old Israelites had an Armory in their Temple they would shew us That these two cannot well be parted And truely me-thinkes that a Temple in an Army is none of the weakest peices of fortification How prevalent an Orator the prayers of devout warriours haue beene with the Lord of Hosts the conquests and examples of the same old Israelites may abundantly informe us How often hath victory and that almost visibly too I am sure sensibly come ryding downe upon the triumphant wings of devout prayer The Tabernacle carried about by that most Christian Emperour Constantine where ever his Campe went and where in stead of a Temple hee celebrated his daily devotions conquered more perchance for him than ten of his heathen Legions If Moses prayes whilest Iosuah fights Exod. 17. Amalek must needes be dung downe This our most pious Conquerour now that he might as neerly as might be resemble that great Hebrew Generall that first of the nine Worthies and that ever-glorious Constantine that first of the Christian Emperours hath not courage enough it seemes to adventure himselfe into the field till he first be impregnably fortified with this holy Spell this whole armour of God Vpon the dayes of the Israelites March when their Camp in the Wildernesse removed and the Arke of God with it Moses had prayers then twice a day at the Rising namely and at the Setting downe of the Arke againe Num. 10.35 had Israel a set forme of prayer And that this religious King might not seeme to fight the Lords Battells without the Lords direction he hath taken order to haue it call'd for by most solemne and frequent prayers twice aday used throughout his whole Leaguer And that not onely when the Campe remoues but when it lyes still too not onely before a battell or a danger as if he were at Sea but even when no enemy is at hand even then he prayes too And not onely commands his Army twice a day but himselfe as I heare uses to set apart many whole dayes to his owne pious privacy and his closest devotions upon which may no man then speake to him because he then speakes with God Behold here are two swords Fighting and Praying and Praying Fighting thus hath the King of Sweden learn'd to conquer It is none of the unpolitikest parts of his Majesties new Discipline that I now present you with which the exemplary pietie of that religious Prince hath taught me to put in the first place of his Discipline seeing in the following Articles of his civill Discipline himselfe giues the first place unto those Articles which concerne God and his service To crosse that Proverbiall Verse therefore which sayes that Souldiers haue neyther Faith nor Religion in them I will here afford you some of those Formes of his daily prayer frequented in every Quarter of his Leaguer as I finde them in the Booke called Arma Suecica Pag 77. ¶ The Prayers In time of our Necessities and for the Christian Church O Almightie and eternall Lord God who delightest not in the death of a sinner but wouldest rather that all should liue and come to the knowledge of the truth we humbly intreate thee by thy Christ thine onely Sonne our Lord that thou wouldest please to bestow thy grace upon all faithfull Doctors and Teachers to the intent they may purely and clearely deliver thy Word and that all such as eyther hate it or with false doctrine corrupt it or by force persecute it thy teachers may be able manfully to resist and so enlighten them that they may bring them to the knowledge of thy selfe Grant mercifull Father thy Holy Spirit unto all Christian and lawfull Magistrates that they may well and peaceably rule their own Subjects and that under them we all leading a quiet and a blamelesse life may with a true faith celebrate the riches of thy grace and with a constant mind in all holinesse and righteousnesse as may be pleasing serue thee the true God and Lord of Lords thorough thy only beloved Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Another Prayer to the
shall we thy people and the sheepe of thy pasture giue thee thankes for ever and will speake of thy praise from generation to generation Amen V. Against all evill O Lord God heavenly Father that despisest not the sighing of the miserable nor the desire of such as be afflicted mercifully heare our prayers which we make before thee in these our necessities and grant that those evills which the Devill or man worketh against vs be brought to nought and that by the providence of thy goodnesse they may be dispersed that we being hurt by no persecution may giue thee thankes in thy holy Church and prayse thee evermore for the same thorough Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord. Amen Another Prayer O Lord God heavenly Father who well knowest that by reason of our humane frailtie we are not able of our selues to subsist in so many dangers graunt such strength vnto vs both of soule and body that whatsoever doth vexe or trouble vs by reason of our sinnes wee may by thine assistance be able to overcome through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Another ALmightie and eternall God which out of thine own meere mercy hast called vs miserable sinners vnto the knowledge of thy selfe in Iesus Christ we from the bottome of our hearts entreate thee to governe vs by thy Holy Spirit and to guard vs by thy holy Angels that neyther the Devill or naughtie people no nor the wickednesse of our own sinfull flesh may thrust vs headlong into securitie or to the leading of a wicked life to the offence of our brethren but that being by thee delivered out of all their snares we may haue thee alwayes before our eyes loue thee aboue all and our neighbour as our selues profiting thereby in faith charitie hope and patience vntill the comming of our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ to deliver vs out of all these evils with which we haue a daily conflict here in this world and to translate vs vnto joyes celestiall To whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen VI. Against our enemies O Lord Iesus Christ Sonne of the living God thou onely art the true Souldier and Captaine the Lord mightie in Battell Behold thine enemies rage mightily and those that hate thee rise vp against vs they take subtle counsell together against thy people and lay their heads together against thy secret ones Goe too say they let vs cut theÌ„ off that they be no more a people that the name of Israel may be blotted out For we put not our trust in our owne strength for we know that there is no King that can be saved by the multitude of an Host Psal 33.15 neyther is any mightie man delivered by much strength An horse is counted but a vaine thing to saue a man neyther shall he deliver any man by his great strength but our trust is in thee that art our refuge and a Tower of defence against our enemies Thou being our Captaine Psal 18.29 we shall discomfit an Host of men and with the helpe of our God wee shall leape over the wall Thou being our ayde we shall doe famous exployts thou art able to beate our enemies to dust they compasse vs about but in thy name we will destroy them they come about vs like Bees smoake against vs like fire among thornes but in thy Name wee will destroy them Thou overthrewest Pharaoh and his Host in the red Sea thou constreynedst Senacherib to turne againe into his owne Country thou overthrewest proud Haman and threwest owne the haughtie Holofernes So Lord deale with our enemies doe vnto them as thou diddest vnto the Madianites and as vnto Sisera and Iabin at the brooke Kison Make their Princes like Oreb and Zeb and their Leaders like vnto Zâ—ba and Salmana Let the mischiefe which they prepare for others fall vpon their owne heads and their wickednesse vpon their owne pates So shall wee sing of thy power and prayse thy goodnessâ— betimes in the morning For thou God art our Protector our refuge in all our necessities Amen A Prayer of King Asa 2 Chron. 14.11 c. AS A cryed vnto the Lord his God and said Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe whether with many or with them that haue no power Helpe vs O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy name we goe against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man prevaile against vs. A Prayer of Iudas Macchabaeus vnto his Souldiers 1 Macchab. 4.8 THen sayd Iudas to the men that were with him Feare yee not their multitude neyther be yee afraid of their assault Remember how our Fathers were delivered in the red Sea when Pharaoh pursued them with an Army Now therefore let vs cry vnto Heaven if peradventure the Lord will haue mercy vpon vs and remember the Covenant of our Fathers and destroy this Host before our face this day That so all the Heathen may know that there is one who delivereth and saveth Israel A Prayer of Luther for Souldiers found in the 3. Tome of the Edition at Iena fol. 330. HEavenly Father here am I by thy divine will in this externall calling under the Command of my Generall first to serue thee as is fitting and then for thee to obey my Captaine I giue due thanks unto thy goodnesse and mercy that thou hast called me unto this condition and set me about that worke which I assuredly know to be no sinne but a right action and a service acceptable unto thy will And for that I haue learned out of thy saving Word that our owne good workes doe not profit us for the meriting of salvation and that no man is saved for that he is a Souldier but for that he is a Christian I will not therefore put my confidence in this worke and service of mine but what ever I doe I will doe it with a good will as to doe thee a service and I out of the bottom of my heart beleeue that I am redeemed and saved onely by the innocent bloud of thy beloved Sonne my Lord Iesus Christ which according to thy will he shed for me vpon the Altar of the Crosse In this beliefe I resolue to stand in this will I liue and dye for this doe I now fight and take paines O Lord God heavenly Father preserue and encrease this faith in me through thy Holy Spirit Amen Against the Plague and other noysome Diseases A Almightie God Lord and Father of all grace and consolation haue mercy vpon vs and vpon thy Christian people Consume vs not in thy fury by this contagious pestilence but as in the time of David thou commaundedst the destroying Angell to hold his hand and giue over killing so cause O most gracious Lord this terrible rod of thine anger to cease from vs and not to destroy thine afflicted people Strengthen vs with the wholsome power of thy Word that we may be healthy both in soule