Great Britain's Prayers IN This dangerous time OF CONTAGION.  
Together with a Congratulatory for the Entertainment of his Majesty out of SCOTLAND.  
By John Cragge, Gent.  
Printed in the year, 1641.   

 
Great Britain prays in time of pestilence,  
To have God's mercy for its great offence.  
LOrd we have sinned, our sins we do confess,  
Forgive our sins and all our wickedness,  
Our sins for vengeance cry, if thou pursue,  
We for our sins our woeful state shall rue;  
We pardon crave for all our sins committed,  
Good Lord forgve them, let them be remitted,  
Draw back thy plaguing hand, Lord sheath thy sword  
Of vengeance drawn, and comfort us afford;  
Lord spare our kingdoms, draw thy plaguing hand  
From us, we pray be friendly to our land:  
Lord in thy mercy us behold we pray,  
Forgive our sins, Lord turn thy wrath away,  
Avert thy plagu●s, let mercy us embrace,  
In mercy Lord behold our wretched case,  
Pass by our sins, Lord let thy vengeance slack,  
Forbear thy plagues, let us our sins forsake;  
In mercy Lord behold great Britain's Land,  
To stay thy plagues Lord give thy sweet command,  
From fearful plagues and all diseases ill,  
For evermore defend and keep us still,  
And as thou mercies ever dost bestow,  
Lord in thy mercy save and help us now,  
Preserve gr●at Britain from thy plaguing hand,  
Each City, Town, and Country in this land;  
This City London Lord preserve in chief,  
Draw back thy plagues, Lord send us some relief,  
Our sins are great, thy mercies greater far,  
Let not our sins thy mercies sweet debar;  
Repentance give us of each sinful deed,  
That we repenting may of mercy speed,  
Mercy we crave, Lord let thy mercy fall,  
In mercy spare us else we perish all;  
From plague and pestilence, from famine, sword,  
Good Lord defend us by thy holy word;  
Thou hast been gracious, be thou gracious still,  
To be propitious let it be thy will,  
We have no merit to present to thee,  
We merit death except thou set us free,  
We have no merits of our own that's good,  
Our fearful sins infected have our blood;  
We are polluted, in our sins we die,  
Unless thou spare us we for mercy cry:  
Spare us good Lord, in mercy us forbear,  
Though in thy sight we foully do appear,  
Yet spare us Lord for Jesus Christ his sake,  
That of thy mercies we may still partake,  
So shall we render thanks and praise to thee,  
Who art one God alone, in persons three;  
One blessed Father, son, and holy Ghost,  
To whom all Glory be ascribed most.  

 
To welcome home our gracious King,  
With joyful hearts, which peace doth bring,  
Let us give thanks to God, and sing,  
True Protestants rejoicing.  
OUr Famous King concluded hath a peace  
twixt Scotch and English, to our joys increase,  
By God's assistance he hath done the deed,  
Which will for ever make us well to speed.  
Thanks be to God for that which he hath done,  
We give God praise the Father, and the son,  
And praises give to God the holy Spirit,  
Who ever doth eternity inherit.  
One ever blessed God in persons three,  
To whom all glory, thanks, and praises be.  
Let us with joyful hearts receive our King,  
Which in God's name doth such contentments bring.  
Let us with joy express our loving hearts  
To God for him, such comforts that imparts.  
England rejoice, and Scotland be thou glad,  
Let Ireland pleasant be, that was full sad.  
Let all to God sound glory, thanks, and praise,  
In heavenly songs, in spiritual hymns and lays.  
Let Dutch be glad, French Protestants rejoice,  
King Charles in Christ hath made the chiefest choice.  
He rules in Christ, in Christ he governs well●  
Obeying Christ he then shall s●f●ly dwell.  
Come let us all with hearts and minds addressed,  
To give God thanks and praise be ready pressed,  
Let Bells ring us out, let bonfires now be made  
Unto God's glory, and our kingdom's aid.  
Let Instruments of music now sound forth  
The praise of God, that is of greatest worth.  
But let our mirth be modest, not exceed  
Sweet moderation, lest Great Britain bleed.  
Let it be honest, mod●st, civil, sweet,  
Unto God's glory, honour, praises meet,  
So shall we then when we such mirth have done,  
Be blessed in Christ under great Britain's sun.  
If we our mirth in measure temper well,  
We by well doing free ourselves from hell,  
In Christ our head, in truth, faith, hope, and love,  
Such sacrifices God doth well approve.  
But in our mirth let us still mindful be  
Of friends enthralled, that they may be free.  
Let us not think that we can peace enjoy,  
If they in thraldom suffer great annoy.  
How can we mirth express, and be full glad,  
When God's dear Saints be sorrowful and sad?  
Come let our peace sweet comforts now afford  
To friends enthralled for God's holy word.  
Let us make haste and speed for their r●liefe,  
Let our sweet peace suppress and end their grief.  
So shall we then for ever peaceful be,  
When we this thing perform with courage free.  
Let not our hearts be filled with grudge, repine,  
Let us be mindful of sweet river Rhyne,  
Think that our souls and bodies are not sound,  
If faith and truth therein cannot be found.  
How can our peace continue, if our skin  
Be torn and rent, our pith and rind be thin?  
If we be well, and not our friends at ease,  
We must help them if we our God will please.  
What better deed by us can now be done,  
Then help a royal Mother, and her son?  
What better fruits may this our peace produce,  
Than Babel punish for her foul abuse?  
She hath been traitor to the Lord of life,  
To pull down her will make an end of strife.  
Christ and his members she hath torn and rent,  
She sins in pride, her heart cannot repent.  
Her downfall will the Jews conversion be,  
Christ and the Pope in truth cannot agree.  
Christ is the Truth, the Pope maintains a lie,  
Christ and the Pope cannot agree, say I.  
Pull down the Pope, and we shall ever reign  
In Christ, under command of Charlemagne.  
Whilst Pope and Turk on earth do bear the sway,  
These strive to cast whole kingdoms quite away.  
But when the Pope and Turk have had their doom,  
Then will our everlasting freedom come:  
Christ will appear to judge both quick and dead,  
he'll those advance that him advanced their head.  
he'll make an end of all our fear and grief,  
And be our comfort, joy, and sweet relief.  
Then will that Sabbath comme that lasts for aye,  
We shall have rest that never shall decay,  
We shall have joy and peace that shall not end,  
We then on Christ for ever shall attend,  
In heaven's bliss wherein there is delight,  
Where day shall be, where never shall be night;  
Unto which place of rest good Lord us bring,  
That we thy everlasting praise may sing;  
Grant this good God, for Jesus Christ his sake,  
That we thy heavenly joys may still partake,  
To whom with thee and blessed holy Ghost,  
Be glory, honour, power, praises most,  
Who hast been, art, and shall for ever be,  
Advanced one blessed God in persons three.   
FINIS.