Votivæ Angliæ, Englands complaint to their king:, or, The humble desires of all the zealous and true-hearted Protestants in this kingdome, for a speedy and happy reformation of abuses in church government, being the onely meanes to remove these distractions, and to avert the judgement of God from us. : As they were expressed in sundry petitions, remonstrances and letters, lately presented from them to the king, upon sundry occasions. / Collected by a wel-wisher to reformation.

A PRAYER which Master Spencer doth use ordinarily in his famil∣ly, Morning and Evening, which he doth earnestly desire might be zealously and de∣voutly performed in every family in this Kingdome, that are not provided of a better.

O Lord open our lipps, and teach us to pray, that wee may humble our soules and truely repent of all onr sins, for our Lord Iesus Christ his sake, in whose holy name onely wee presume to come unto thee to bege, and crave mercy in thy sight.

O Most Heavenly Father and gracious Lord God, the Father of our Lord Iesus, the God of mercy and salvation, wee poore creatures doe humbly prostrate our selves before the throne of mercy, confessing and ac∣knowledging that we are miserable sinners con∣ceived in sinne, and brought forth in iniquity; nay wee must acknowledge wee stand guilty of

that originall sinne of our first parents, for the transgressing thy holy holy Commandements, and eating of the forbidding fruit: plunged them∣selves, and their posteritie unto shame and confu∣sion, their Soules and bodyes to be tormented in hell fire, with the Devill and his Angels in utter darknesse, and in that miserable estate thou might have left us all to perish in our sinnes, but this is not that we have to answere for, But we have made our selves seventy times the Children of the Devill more by our actuall transgressions in violating all thy holy lawes and Commande∣ments, both with vile thoughts, wicked speeches, and abominable actions, which we have done in the sight of men, to the great dishonour of thy holy name, and the utter damnation of our own soules, and the greatly endangering of others, by our evill example; and that not onely in the time of Ignorance, and practise, we have desperatly, and Presumptiously, gone on in those wicked cour∣ses, which our Conscience have accused us, and thy sacred word condemned us, and therefore thou mightest have cast us off in thy heavy dis∣pleasure, never more shewed pitty upon us but exposed us to the heaviest judgement this world could afford of plung, pestilence, utter madnesse and despaire, and when we have passed all the mi∣series of this life, then to cast us downe in utter darknesse, with the Devill and his Angels, to be tormented in everlasting darkenesse: but good Lord, good Lord pitty us, and shew mercy upon us, and teach us to bewaile our sinnes, and truely to repent us of them before we goe hence, and be

no more seene: and that we may finde mercy, and favour in thy sight, remember us, oh remem∣ber us with that everlasting love of thine towards us, in sending thy eternall sonne Christ Iesus our blessed Saviour, and our everlasting Redeemer; to take upon him our humane nature in all thinges, sinne onely excepted, to become the sonne of the blessed Virgin Mary, and so both God and man in one person, to accomplish the glorious worke of our redemption, by leading a most pure and holy life, by fulfilling all thy holy Commande∣ments, in one absolute and perfect manner, that he might free us from that death and damnation, that our sinnes have justly deserved, and by his death and passion, and those bitter torments, and again which he suffred upon the crosse: which nei∣ther the tongue of man, aud Angels is able to ex∣presse, and shedde his precious blood, even unto death, which is of that iufinite value, to make sa∣tisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world, and of that infinite vertue, to purifie our soules and con∣sciences, and make them as pure, and undefiled, as if we never comitted any sinne, and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures, and is ascended into the highest heaven, and there sits in all glory at the right hand of God, and triumph∣eth, over all the enemies of our salvation, Hell, Death, & damnation, and shall come from thence to judge both the quicke, and the dead, and hath oppened the Kingdom of heaven to all beleivers: we doe beleive, Lord help our unbeleife, and give us grace to use all holy meanes, that we grow more in faith, then ever we have done: make us

more zealous for thy glory, more devout in pray∣er, and zealous in good workes, more carefull to keep holy the Sabboth, and come more reverent∣ly unto thy holy ordinances, and walke dilligent∣ly, and faithfully, in our calling, and worke in our hearts an everlasting hatred against all sinnes and the sins especially, that wee are most prone unto by nature, and those whereunto the Devill doth so eagerly tempt us, and allure us; and those sinnes which wicked and ungodly men, that run the headlong course to hell, and damnation do in∣force, perswade us, but Lord let them never prevaile with us and ours, to give any liking and allowance thereunto, but ever let us hate and ab∣horce them as cursed workes of darkenesse: and have nothing to doe with them, and grant us grace to serve thee in holinesse, and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life, and labour to keep our soules and bodies pure and undefiled, as the tem∣ples of the holy Ghost, and walk honestly and re∣ligiously in our calling, and deale justly, and cha∣ritably all the dayes of our life, that so it may be well wirh us at our last breathing, and in the dreadfull day of judgement, and in this confi∣dence we do not only pray for our selves, but also for all our christian brethren upon the face of the Earth, those especially that are wounded in their soules, and consciences, and those, that sufferd for the truth, sake, and those that are visited with mor∣tall disstresse and tormenting crosses, and weare new the point of death, and prepare them for thy glorious Kingdome; good Lord blesse our graci∣ous King Charles and his great Court of Parlia∣ment

worke graciously in the heart of the King, and all his Subjects, and in the heart of the Prince and all his people, godly sorrow for all our sinnes, and give us grace to weepe and mourne, night and day for the sinnes, and abominations of these sinfull times, aud cry mightily unto the Lord to turne away those heavie judgements we have justly deserved, and continue his great mercy to∣wards us, and inflame their hearts with all holy zeale, and devotion to advance the glory of God, and doe good unto thy faithfull ones, and on the other side, to raise up their hearts with an e∣verlasting hatred of all sinnes, and utterly to abo∣lish that, and to roote that out, and make them zealous to execute justice upon the malefactors, that have so dishonoured God, and labour to bring in Idolatry, Popery, and shed innocent blood, and persecute thy faithfull ones, that there may be that due execution of justice upon them, as may most tend to thy glory, the peace of the Church, and comfort of thy faithfull ones; and to the terrour of all wicked and prophane men, blesse our Royall Queen, & convert her heart more & more glorious to the love of the Gospell, & that shee may renounce all popery, and Idolatry, and wholly rest upon our Lord Iesus Christ, to be her onely Saviour, and her everlasting Redeemer, that so the Angels in Heaven might rejoyce to see her true conversion unto. Thee, and blesse all good meanes, that may effect the same in thy due aud appointed time, and make all faithfull Bi∣shops and ministers of thy sacred word, take all opportunities to effect the same as they will an∣swere

that in the dreadfull day of judgement, good Lord blesse the Prince and the Princesse, and all those of the Royall posterity, and the Prince of Orringe, and his Royall Consort, sanctifie their hearts now in their tender yeares, with the truth of thy holy religion, and work in their hearts an everlasting hatred against all Popery, Idola∣try and prophanesse.

Good Lord blesse the Prince Elector, worke graciously in his Royall heart, godly sorrow for all his sinnes, and let, oh let (wee humbly be∣seech thee) the precious blood of our Saviour Christ, cleanse him from all his sinnes, and make him as pure, both in soule, and body; as if he ne∣ver had sinned, but continued in the first state of in∣nocency, and cloath him with the holynesse, and righteousnesse of our Lord Iesus Christ; that hee may stand ever acceptable in thy fight, and ena∣bled to performe that great service unto thee, to burne the Whore of Babylon with fire, and re∣venge the blood of thy Saints, to that end put it into the hearts of all the Kinges, and Princes of the Earth, to fulfill thy will, to hate the Whore, make her desolate, and naked and burne her with fire.

Good Lord for the Lord Iesus sake, blesse the Queene of Bohemiah, and the Queene of Swedon, & those of that Royall issue, that hath pleased the a long time, to humble them with a dejected state and to suffer the enemies of thy truth, greatly to insult over them, to spoile their goodly Cities, to burne downe their houses with fire, and carry so many of our Christian brethren, and sisters, into a miserable

captivitie, and to shed so much innocent blood, but thou doest all things with infinite wisedome, thou knowest the fittest meanes to humble thy children, and thou knowest the fittest time to make them glorious in their deliverance, good Lord in thy blessed time revenge their cause, and setle them againe in the inheritance of their Fa∣thers, and set them up to sit with the Princes of thy people, in the meane time, give unto thy ser∣vants faith, and patience, a godly sorrow for all their sinnes, and holy zeale and wisedome, to make their inheritance sure in heaven, and lay up their treasure where that is not subject to these alterations, and changes, and confound the pow∣er of Ante-Christ, that man of sinne, and his ad∣herentes, that they may not to much insult ovet thy Children, nor to much disturbe the peace of thy faithfull ones, but in thy blessed time make it appeare how precious the blood of thy Saints, is in thy sight, and what a fearefull accompt they shall make for the same, at the day of judgement, before the great God of Heaven and Earth, that art no respector of persons.

Blesse the good Bishops, and faithfull Ministers of thy sacred word especially those that thou hast placed over us, give them wisedome and grace to preach thy heavenly word powerfully and profi∣tablely to our soule and consciences, and blesse them in their lives and conversations, that ye may be pure and peaceable, that so they may be a a blessed meanes to convert many soules unto thee.

Root out those that are so scandolous and ig∣nious,

and labour to bring in Idolatry and pro∣phanes, and make them evermore to finde by ex∣perience, that thou, that fittest in the heavens will laugh them to scorne, and have them in dirision. Be mercifull unto our Christian brethren in the Palatinate in Germany & other places of Chri∣stendom, which suffer for the truth and the pro∣fession of the glorious Gospell, and deliver them from blood thirstie men, and gratiously supply all their wants both soule and body in thy ap∣pointed time.

Blesse our Christian bretheren in Virgenia and new England & those remoted places of the world, keepe them from secret schismes, herisies and set their feete into the way of peace, and de∣liver them from theit enemies

Blesse our Nobles, Peares, Iudges of the land, and Councellers of state: blefle them and their councell, that tend to thy glory, the peace of the Church, and the good of the commonwealth, that their councels may evermore bee happely e∣stablished, to the confusion of the wicked devi∣ses of ungodly men and women, that labour to bring in Idollatry, popery, and prophannesse: oh blesse we beseech thee our afflicted brethren, & sisters, that are humbled with the sight of their sinnes, and the terror of thy judgements due un∣to them for the same & make clearely appeare unto them thy everlasting mercy towards them in our Lord Iesus Christ, their blessed Saviour, and Redeemer, and that his precious blood doth cleanse them from all their sins, and make them as pure in thy sight, as if they continued in their

happie estate of innocency, and let thy grace bee sufficient for them to support them in all their aflictions: And confound the power and ma∣lice of the Devill, and all his devilish devises, whereby hee labours to drive them to dispayre, and to lay violent hands upon themselves, and make him feare and tremble with the consider∣ation, that all these evill thoughts and wicked suggestions, which hee puts into our hearts shall be set upon his own score, and adde to his grea∣ter damnation in utter darkenesse and hell fire.

Blesse all our Christian brethren, that are visi∣ted with the Plague and other mortall diseases, comfort their soules and worke in their hearts godly sorrow for all their sinnes, and that they may cry mightily unto the Lord for mercy, be∣fore they go hence and be no more seen, and give them faith to beleeve in our Lord Iesus to bee their Saviour and everlasting Redeemer, and that his precious bloud, that cleanseth from all their sinnes, and that hee will vouchsofe to bee unto them advantage both in life and death. O blesse we beseech Thee, our distressed brethren that are in distraction, raging madnesse & fury, those that wee have taken the speciall care & custody of, whether present or absent, oh stay them from lay∣ing violent hands on themselves or others, & thou that art the God of infinite wisdome and power, that stillest the raging of the Seas, and the mad∣nesse of the people, stay those raging fits, and set their feet into the way of peace,

Blesse all our Christian friends, Father, Mo∣ther, sisters and brothers, those we have taken the

speciall care and custody of wife, children and servants, and other our neighbours and friends, amongst whom we live, grant that wee and they may labour to keepe our soules and bodies pure and undefiled, and make our houses the houses of prayer, & not a den of theeves, and keep us from all infection of Idolatry, popery and prophane∣nesse, and if it shall please thee to bring us to such an honorable triall, grant that wee may witnesse thy truth with our best bloud.

And now good Lord in the name of our Saviour Iesus Christ, we praise & magnifie thy holy name, for that everlasting love of thine towards us, in sending our Lord Iesus to be our Saviour, for all those blessed comforts revealed unto us in thy sa∣cred word, for comforting our soules when wee have been so neer the point of despaire, & raysing our weak bodies, when wee have been so neer the point of death, and set our feet in the way of peace when we have been running the headlong course to damnation, and blessed our labours and made us a meanes to yeeld comfort to any of our destressed brethren and sisters, and blessed bee thy holy name that hath enabled us to write this book unto our gratious King, good Lord blesse it that it may tend to thy glory, to the confounding of Antichrist and his friends, and the comfort of our afflicted brethren in their afflicted state. And blessed be thy holy name for blessing us with the good things of the land, thou hast given us the first and second raine, and caused the earth to bring forth hearbs for the use of man, and fod∣der for cattle, and caused our vallies to stand so

thicke with Corne and Wheate; that wee have cause to tell of thy goodnesse all the day long, and sent us peaceable dayes, that we might re∣ceive the fruit of the Earth in due season, not∣withstanding the feare and terrour of the Schot∣tish Armies, hast given such holy wisedome to our gracious King to compose those dangerous warres with honour and safety to both Nations, and blessed be thy holy name for continuing thy holy word unto us, thy holy sacrament, and thy holy ordinances unto us, and blessed be thy holy name, that continues our gracious King unto us, and our great Counsell of Parliament, and us with comfort and confidence, that thou wilt be graciously pleased to make a holy reformation on both in Church and Common wealth, and rise up with all holy indignation, to root out all I∣dolatry, popery and all prophannesse, and Pa∣peists, Atheists, and Anabaptistes, that doe so oppose thy truth, & authority, & government of our gracious King, oh convert their hearts, or else confound their devices, and bring them to their well deserved ends.

And blessed be thy holy name, that hast done such great thinges for us, in discovering those horrible treasons, and rebellious Idolatry, po∣pery and prophanesse, and so confounded them and brought many of them to their shamefull and well deserved ends.

And blessed be thy holy name, for thy graci∣ous providence over us this night, that we have not perished in workes of darknesse, that wee have not fallen into despaire, raging madnesse,

that thou hast not suffered our houses to be burnt downe with flames of fire, or our enemies to pos∣sesse our gates: and now good Lord, what shall we render unto thee for all thy mercies shewed towards us, still take up the cup of salvation, and still entreat thy mercies to be continued towards us this day, and for evermore, and that wee may be the better for thy service, and the workes of our calling, sanctifie all the faculties of our soules, and all the parts and members of our bodyes, make our will ever liable to thy will, onr under∣standing apt to conceive of those misteries of our salvation, and our memories apt to retaine all holy lessons, & good directions, that we may make use of them in our lives and conversations: sanctifie all the affections of our hearts, our love, that it may be setled upon thee, and thy sacred word, our feare, that it may make us feare, and tremble to commit the least sinne, or doe any thing, that might tend to thy dishonour, or the hurt of our neighbour, and sanctifie our anger that it make us zealous for thy glory, and boldly to reproove sinne, both in our selves and in o∣thers, and sanctifie our sorrow, that it may be ter∣med into a godly sorrow for our sinnes, and the abominations of this land.

And sanctifie all the partes and members of our bodyes, that our eares may be dilligent to heare the word of God and all good councell, that our eyes may be dilligent to see and observe thy glorious workes in the creatures, and to ad∣mire thy infinite wisedome, and power in the creating of them, and thy mercy and goodnesse

in preserving them for our use and comfort: our speeches, that they may be gracious and tend to thy glory, and the edifying of one another in our holy faith, and keepe us from lying and swearing, that whereunto by nature we are so prone: and sanctifie our tast and smelling, that wee may not abuse them to drunkennesse, and gluttony, and sanctifie our handes, that we may imploy them dilligently in our calling, and that they may be ready to defend the poore Fa∣therlesse, & Widows: sanctifie our feet, that they may be swift to heare thy word, to visit the poore in their afflicted state, and sanctifie our bodyes, that wee may keep them pure and undefiled all the dayes of our life, for these and other graces, which we stand in need of, Lord mercifully sup∣ply them for our Lord Iesus sake, in whose most holy name, in whose most holy wordes we pray unto Thee as our blessed Saviour hath taught us, saying; Our Father which art in Heaven &c.

FINIS.