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O God, how happy were we, when we enjoyed that great blessing of peace and tranquility? how were we both a mirror and a ter∣ror to all the eyes of the Christian world? how did our corne spring up with encrease of an hundred
fold, so that the people did rejoyce and sing? how fruit∣full was our Land with all manner of graine? how full of all creatures fit for the use of man? yea how did we abound in all things, so that we were able to live of our selves without the suc∣cours of any other Nation? what a sweet harmony and agreement was there among our selves, which made our enemies stand amazed at our felicity, when they themselves enjoyed none of these blessings? O God, how comes this change, and unexpected misery upon us that now we are in? Sure∣ly
we did not value that blessing of peace, as wee ought to have done; surely it is our sinne and ingrati∣tude that hath drawne thy vengeance upon us: what a sight is it to see the father shedding the bloud of the sonne, and the sonne the fa∣ther? brother against bro∣ther; kinsman against kins∣man; one neighbour cut∣ting the throat of another, and all the whole King∣dome divided and plunged into a world of miseries: how doe our fields lye bar∣ren for want of tillage, our p••stures trodden and spoy∣led with armies, our woods
cut downe, as if it were in∣tended no more should grow in our Land? How are our Cattle driven in flockes and heardes from place to place, and devou∣red by the enemy, so that a famine must needes ensue? How are the poore people driven from their habitati∣ons, for the preservation of their lives, being bereft of house, goods and land, as if they had no right to those possessions their Ancestors left them? How are whole Townes burned without ei∣ther pity or mercy? How many thousands suffer for want of their means, which
heeretofore they received at pleasure? O God! make us to prize that blessing of peace heereafter, at a higher rate, and give us thankefull hearts for all our enjoy∣ments. Cleanse the Land from sinne, and turne away thy wrath from us. Helpe us, O God of our salvation! for the glory of thy name: O deliver us and be merci∣full unto our sinnes▪ for thy names sake: so wee that are thy people, and sheepe of thy pasture, will give thee thankes for ever and ever.