the helpe of thy holye spirite which procéedeth from thée through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ A prayer out of the Cxliiij Psalme WE vnfeynedly confesse O moste good and mercifull God that all warlike force and pollicie procéedeth from thée onely â— prayer aâ—aynst wicâ—ed doctrine ydolatrous â—orshipping who bestowest the same at thy will and pleasure vpon such as thou wilt forsomuch as therefore we ascribe all power victorie to thy blessed name wée take thee onelye to bée our strong Castell inuincible Tower vnremoueable rocke and mightie shield For although we right well perceyue that man of his owne nature is a thing of naught in respect of that he should be acknowledged of thée and we to haue sinned so heynously as we are altogither vnworthye that thou shouldst make any accompt at all of vs but hauing neuerthelesse assured confidence in thy vnspeakable mercie we are bolde to direct our hartie praiers vnto thy diuine Maiesty in this our most difficult troublesome time requiring thee to shew forth thy mightie power from heauen for our deliuerance by scattering and dispersing of our cruell enimies Stretch out thy puyssaunt hande we humbly beseeche thée and rid vs from the layings awayte of vngodly persons It is thou which hast sent helpe vnto kinges and princes that put their whole confidence in thée by the deliuering not of Dauid only but also through the often setting at libertie of verie many of the auncient fathers from noysome mishappes and extréeme perils Forsomuch as therefore thou hast alwayes indued thy faythfull seruaunts with innumerable and most excellent benefites as well temporall as spirituall things that is to wit a plentifull issue flocks of shéepe riches and honour insomuch as all people might easily iudge the nation blessed which tooke thée for their God Reiect not now thy sacred Church for séeing that thou knowst the great afflictions wonderfull perils and marueylous distresse shée is in make spéede to helpe hir neyther permit the enimies of thy glorious name to lay the same waste and graunt that she being at length deliuered from these euils may sing new songs vnto thée and extol thy excellent name with perpetual praises through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An other prayer out of the same psalme THere is none other force O most good and mercifull God besides thine wherein thy faythfull people may haue their rock theyr fortresse shield and place of refuge in a readinesse But shoulde thy godlinesse make any accompt of vs who be vile dwarfish men For both we and all our doings shall fade away like a shadowe and meere vaine thing vnlesse thou of thy excellent mercy be present and deliuerest vs from the daungers that are without measure layde euery where for vs who then can otherwise escape the subtile crafts and wilie imaginations wherewith the enimies of mankind doth dayly assaile vs Our earnest desire is therefore to haue thée lay to thy helping hand whereby we may diuers times celebrate thy worthye prayses with newe songes and ditties Neyther doe we onely require this that those thinges may thriue with vs which apperteine to this life and a worldly prosperitie for although these coÌ„monlye bee of great waight yet doe we accompt it a greater blessednesse if thou verily wilt so shew thy selfe to be our god as in dede thou art through Iesus christ thy son who liueth and reigneth with thee euermore worlde without ende Amen ¶ A prayer out of the Cxlv. Psalme THy worthynesse is so noble and excellent O almightie God A prayer for the glorifyinâ— of gods workes in vs with the prâ—seruation of the Church and comfort of the faithfâ— as our searching bee it neuer so exactlye done can in no wise comprehende the same Yet we certainly vnderstand this by fayth that thou art excéeding mercifull and so aboundest therewith as it is verye long before thy heauie wrath be kindled For such is thy vnspeakable goodnesse that nothing can be founde eyther among the creatures which thou hast made or in the gouernment of the worlde but that thy singuler clemencie appeereth in the same Forsomuch as therfore we know assuredly that the sacred Churche which is thy glorious kingdome shal indure for euer we earnestly require thée to vpholde the same continually when as it is like to fall to rayse it vp when it seemeth most pressed downe by féeding all thy people in time conuenient with thy blessed worde and satisfying all suche with thy liberall grace as repose theyr whole trust in thée neyther suffer these mens prayers to be in vaine which with a pure and vnfeyned heart call vpon thy most holy name through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ A prayer out of the Cxlvj. Psalme A prayer for â—he acknowâ—edging of our â—utie in prayâ—ng God and â—rusting in â—im of our â—eaknesse â—f Gods proâ—ection ouer â—ll sortes of â—eople THou right well deseruest O most good and mercifull God that wée should continually extoll thy worthie prayses from the bottome of our heart and with a right pure minde neither can we practise any thing in this lyfe more noble or of greater profite In thée only ought we to repose our whole trust and not in men bée they neuer so famous and puissant for their bodie is easily dissolued their soule is soone breathed out and their ymaginations are of none effect But thou who hast created the whole worlde doest confirme thy faythfull promises with euerlasting truth in reuenging the oppressed satisfying the hungrie deliuering the fettered out of prison giuing sight to the blinde recomforting the heauie hearted fauouring the righteous defending the straungers fatherlesse children and widdowes and also in disappoynting the lewde wyles slie craftes and subtile disceyts of vngodly persons Seing that all these thinges bée thy wonderous works and are séene of vs continually they do marueylously establish our wauering fayth And therefore being styrred vp by them we do earnestly beseech thee both to gouerne and also preserue the Church which is thy blessed kingdome among the waues of this wretched worlde throughe Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ A prayer out of the Cxlvij Psalme WE are bounde to render excéeding great praise O most mightie god to thy glorious Maiestie A praier thâ— the worde 〈◊〉 God may bâ— of great forâ— in vs. who doe euidently perceyue that thou healest those which are broken in heart exaltest them that be méeke bringest the vngodly euen vnto hell There is no force able to incounter with thy puissaunce which rulest the starres and callest them forth by name for the accomplishing of thy blessed will as though they were thy sheepe or seruaunts Thou therfore that bringest forth clowdes raine and hay which doest féede cattell and yong Rauens and preseruest such as feare thée without the helpe eyther of footmen or horsemen looke vpon thy blessed Church we humbly beséeche thée fortifie it agaynst hir enimies and indue hir children wyth continuall peace Suffer it not to pine away
saluation to triumph and reioyce at our destruction forsomuch as it shal be manifested in this one poynt that thou doest make a verye great accompt of vs when as thou art our strong defender in such a noysome and troublesome tyme. Succour vs we humbly beséech thee and shew how thou doest mightily vpholde vs whereby we maye according to our bounden dutie Publishe and set forth the worthie prayses of thy most glorious name through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ A prayer out of the .lxij. Psalme A prayer in distresse for the comfort of the gospell THere is none O most mightye God that well rightly considereth thy inestimable goodnesse but with a ferueÌ„t mind doth like vnto a hart that is very thirstie breathe and feruently bray vnto thée both day and night for howe can it be that any man hauing a true fayth should not make earnest haste to come vnto the liuing God but wée haue bene hitherto greatly slacke in that harty desire neyther haue we vnfeynedly sought God as we ought to doe in the sacred and holy Congregations Therefore through much heauinesse and sorrow piteous teares haue béene oure meate and drinke in these marueylous troublesome times whyles the most cruell enimies of thy blessed Church doe dayly mocke and ieast at vs saying where is their God But as thou O good God art mercifull and most gentle so lay downe and turne away we humbly beséech thée thy heauie displeasure which thou hast rightly conceiued agaynst vs and remembring thy faythfull promises graunt vnto vs although we in no wise deserue it that our assured hope and constant fayth may be most firme and strong so as our soule be not cast downe lower then it ought to bee For although flouds tempestes and bottomlesse pittes of temptations séeme to be poured out vpon thy blessed Church yet so asswage and moderate them with the goodnesse of thy singuler mercye and excellent grace that our minde and conscience be not depriued of their perfect ioy Graunt that we being stirred vp with thy holy spirite maye alwayes incourage our selues to hope and trust in thy most stedfast helpe bicause we shall yet still celebrate and prayse thy glorious name for restoring vs health and perfect quietnes through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen An other prayer out of the same psalme WEe desire with our whole heart O most good and mercifull God to be knit annexed vnto thée dayly hungring and thirsting for the same bicause we can not without great sorrow and griefe heare the gyrds and scornings both of our owne minde and of our cruell aduersaries when thou séemest to haue forsaken vs wherewith they mocke at godlinesse and fayth conceyued namelye by casting vs in the téeth with the wofull cares piteous miseries and lamentable calamities that wee being sore opprest séeme in a maner to be cast downe with and that so much the more bicause our owne sinnes become euery day greater and greater We humbly beséech thee O good God for thy excellent mercies sake to pardon and forgiue vs the same whereby we maye be made able to confirme strengthen our selues being assuredly printed in our mindes by thee onely and séeing that our euill affections and greeuous terrors of punishments are very troublesome vnto vs graunt that we being mightily strengthned with thy louing promise maye comfort our owne afflicted soules perswading theÌ„ that as they trust onely in thee so shall they be in good hope chéerefully to celebrate thy moste glorious name bicause thou art both become their perfect saluation and also their true God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ A prayer out of the .xliij. Psalme TAke at length vpon thée O most good and mightie God throughe thy owne aucthoritie and inuincible power A prayer in necessitie the iudgement of our cause which although it indeuoureth to maintaine and vpholde the true worshipping of thée thy pure religion for which thinges sake the same is very good and yet neuerthelesse is it forsaken and disallowed of all men Wherefore we haue excéeding great néede that thou doest deliuer vs from deceypfull and wicked men Thou onely remainest the chiefe coÌ„fort assured strength and strong defence of thy blessed Church Notwithstanding we haue liued vnworthy of thy holye name profession and doctrine but such is thy vnspeakable mercye that it hydeth such mens iniquities as vnfeynedly repent and turne vnto thée it forgiueth heynous sinnes and will not lay to the charge of the faythfull whatsoeuer they haue most wickedly committed Therefore we heartily require thée to haue pitie vpon vs and make vs in such wise partakers of thy splendent light and glorious truth that we may both here worship thée purely in the holy congregations and at the last bée conducted to the most blessed habitations of eternall life Our soule truely is nowe heauy and vtterly dismaied we are oftentimes vexed with timerous imaginations and the bowelles within vs doe tremble and quake for feare Yet we humbly besech thée O excellent father to confirme such an assured hope in vs that we may hereafter set forth thy worthie prayses and be excéeding chearefull for the obteyning of our saluation when as thou shalt declare thy selfe to be our most famous God as in very déede thou art through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen An other prayer out of the same psalme WEe commit our cause to thy strong defence and puyssaunt gouernment O most mightie God being in marueylous great daunger and in so great perils of this sinfull life For although we haue no strength and power in our selues so long as we continue in this most miserable life wherevnto may we leane seing we be wretchedly ouerlayde with originall sinne and an infinite number of wickednesses adioyned thereto yet we humblye beséech thée let the cléere light of thy most louing countenaunce shine vpon vs that the darkenesse of our minde may be made bright thereby For if it happen vnto vs through thy vnspeakably mercie to be replenished with thy excéeding gladnesse and incredible ioy we will then bid our minde which otherwise would be abashed to be of good cheare This one thing we hartily require of thee to vouchsafe for to graunt vs that we maye repose our whole trust and affiaunce in thée alone bicause thou onely art become our saluation and verye true God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ A prayer out of the .xliiij. Psalme prayer in â—secution â—el against â—porall eniâ—es as spiâ—all THou hast of thy singuler goodnesse O most mightie God chosen thée a Church out of many nations planted with thy puyssaunt hand and not by mans force which beyng thorowe thy singuler fauour and blessed spirite clensed and pourged from hir heinous sinnes hath hitherto escaped the mischieuous assaultes of the cruell deuill through thy mightie ayde and strong defence thou hast alwayes preserued it from hir outragious aduersaryes and put them to vtter shame endlesse rebuke which bore deadly hate thereto We
of the sea doe so outragiously beate vppon the shore that all things may séeme incontinent to be destroyed and quite ouerflown with waters and on the other side they are indued with a great and notable assuraunce when as thou refreshest them in their grieuous distresses with the most pleasaunt riuers of thy heauenly consolations namelye in setting out the rare and wonderfull meanes of thy assistant helpe through thy fruitfull spirit Vpon which thy excellent goodnesse we also hauing assured confidence notwithstanding the innumerable sinnes which we confesse to be the chiefe cause why we haue offended thee most gréeuously require that thou wouldst shake and make feeble the Nations and Kingdomes which thou seest doe resist thy sacred Churche with great violence and most craftie deuices shew forth that voyce of thine wherewith the earth and euerye creature therin are woont to be shaken and vtterly brought to naught Be thou O our God as a most strong and vnuincible Tower vnto vs cause thou warres here to ceasse and make thou speares horse charets and all kinde of weapons blunt that they may finally leaue of their lewde enterprises who mightily fight agaynst vs and shewe thou thy selfe great and excellent aboue all things while thou doest manifest thy selfe to be better for our deliueraunce then all the armies and puyssance of the whole worlde through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An other prayer out of the same Psalme AFter what sort soeuer a very sodaine or horrible mishappe O most mightie God shall sore vex vs our hope shall not faile vs neyther will we be any thing dismaied or troubled séeing we are now fully resolued that thou art our onely helper and deliuerer although the whole worlde be moued the stormes of humaine flesh do swell and that all the Deuils of hell with their whole furniture shoulde séeme to shake all thinges of ours yet do we repose and settle our selues in thy vnspeakeable goodnesse and inuincible power Oure sinnes truely deserue all maner of trouble and enmitie but forgiue thou vs them according to thy accustomed goodnesse and pitiyng our present calamities graunt that such as vnfeynedly call vpon thee may enioy health peace and quietnesse of minde for thou canst very easily disappoynt and breake the swordes bow warlike ingines and all the craftie deceyptes and imaginations of the Deuill not onely through thy most mightie and inuincible worde but also euen with a becke and at thy onely will and pleasure our earnest request is O good God to applie our selues here vnto that wee maye attentiuely beholde those marueylous actes which thou doest for thy faithfull seruauntes whereby all Nations maye right well knowe and perceyue that thou takest our part and determinest to bée a continuall helper of thy blessed people throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ A prayer out of the .xlvij. Psalme A prayer for the good sucâ—esse and inâ—reasment of â—he Gospell THou hast vouchedfafe O moste mightie God to gather and collect a Churche vnto thy selfe on earth which thou hast not conueyed into stonie houses or Temples of Marble but into the liuely hearts of men whome thou deckest and garnishest with thy most wonderfull giftes and doest pollishe the same passing well with the holy Ghost and therefore séeing they be indued with so great a rewarde it behoueth all faythful people to make an excéeding pleasant mirth and ioyfull gladnesse But the most deadly and heynous sinnes which we haue committed doe greatly darken these thankes giuings and mery songs who are worthily verye sore oppressed with the afflictions of them and seing we heartily acknowledge and earnestly confesse that we haue hitherto gone astray and suffer none otherwise then we haue most iustly deserued thou that art very mercie it selfe forgiue thy faythfull people and thou also who art most highe and rulest farre and néere destroy vs not according to our merits Graunt O excellent father that our naughtie and lewd behauiours hinder not the propagation of thy glorious kingdom arise and go forwards by causing strauÌ„ge people to be in subiection to the fayth and make those Nations which haue béene hitherto Infidels obedient to thy sacred worde and thou who hast chosen thée a Church as a most notable and famous heritage magnifie thy selfe continually by al meanes and with most exquisite prayses therein in such wise as all men maye accompt preach and exalt thée for their king but as for thy faythfull seruants who now séeme to be aboue all others most cast awayes lighten them in such wise with thy blessed spirit and rule them so by thy holy worde as all men may perceyue that they be guyded and gouerned by thy mightye power And vouchsafe that the souereigne estates and what power soeuer is in the world may at length be annexed and knit vnto thée that thou be none otherwise their God then thou wert in olde time the God of faythfull Abraham Graunt that the kings and princes who ought of duetie to helpe and defende their subiectes may perfectly acknowledge thée whereby thy famous honour and renowmed glorie maye most brightly shine therein to the singuler benefite of thy sacred Church through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An other prayer out of the same Psalme IT behoueth all faithfull people O most good and gracious God to extoll and aduaunce the kingdome of Christ with an excéeding ioy wonderfull gladnesse and most hartie endeuour for so thy vnspeakeable goodnesse is both mightily declared and we also are come to the full attainement of our saluation Surely it is verye requisite that all people Nations should be in subiection to his gouernment and the worlde shall go best on our side who be his peculier heritage and especial flock We heartily require thée therefore O our most puyssaunt king who art exalted into the high heauens and vnto the right hand of thy father to vouchsafe for to acquire vs of the heynous faultes we haue gréeuously committed and whatsoeuer sorrowfull calamities and straunge mishaps be like to fall vpon vs put them of from our shoulders through thy inestimable mercie and mightie power whereby thou thy selfe alone mayest beare rule and reigne in our mindes And graunt that all kinges all princes and great states that haue aucthoritie vpon earth may vnseperably cleaue vnto thée being the rightfull and most true God throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ A prayer out of the .xlviij. Psalme THy excellent Maiestie and excéeding honour O moste good and mercifull God aboundeth greatly in the Church A prayer fâ—â— the christiaâ— Church aâ— congregatiâ—â— seeing that thou doest mightilye rule hir with thy sacred worde and holye spirite neyther art thou marueylously praysed there onely but what comlinesse or perfect ioy soeuer is in the whole worlde it issueth and procéedeth doubtlesse from thée And forsomuch as thou art farre better knowne there then any where else it commeth hereof that thou art in the same place a sure defence and moste strong fortresse to thy faythfull
Iesu it behoueth vs to leade a life amongest our selues not like straungers but as brethren and sisters ought to do neither haue the godly a greater desire or more pleasure in anye thing then to be in perfect vnitie peaceable agreement in the house of God Wherefore it is no small griefe vnto vs that this brotherly affinitie is euery where rent and broken asunder which we ought warely to chéerishe and haue in great estimation But we acknowledge oure selues to haue giuen an apparaunt cause of this gréeuous vexation and sorowfull calamitie for how can it be then that we who are not knit vnto thee with our whole heart and be nothing in such wise obedient to thy sacred commaundements as thou requirest should be well ioyned togither or be in loue with our neighbours We humbly beseech thée therefore O good God to pardon whatsoeuer we haue heretofore lewdly committed agaynst thee béeing aduersaries to thy diuine lawe and sacred commaundementes and to couple vs one to another with an excéeding stedfast charitie into the sacred bodie of thy holye Church so that our louing consent faythfull agreement may spread it selfe abroade most largely as a swéete smell of mutuall loue and through the pleasaunt dew of thy heauenly blessing become euery day more fruitfull then other in good and godly workes leading of thy singuler good will not onely a quiet and peaceable life frée from the present euils in this wretched worlde but finally obteyne such a one as is blessed and euerlasting through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An other prayer out of the same psalme SEing thou hast of thy louing kindnesse O most good and mercifull God chosen all faythfull people to be thy déere children graunt that we who are brethren by a blessed generation may be fastned togither in mutuall loue long peace and perpetuall charitie so that during this lfie wée maye take perfect pleasure of such kinde of tranquilitie and also become an excéeding delectable odor towardes the perpetuall saluation of all others which be as yet straungers to thée Thy blessed Church may bee O heauenly father through this especiall example greatly wondered at of all men For certainly we know by experience that thou hast vsed to poure out a moste ample blessing vpon so many as lead an agréeable and friendly lyfe in thy healthfull doctrine and pure religion and therefore doe wée nowe requyre this earnestlye at thy mercifull handes béefore all ritches and other earthly commodities through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ A prayer out of the Cxxxiiij Psalme A prayer for fayth in our dayly peticions IT ought to be a most pleasant and ioyfull thing vnto vs O almighty God to celebrate thy high prayses perpetually and shewe forth thy marueylous workes without ceassing for the performance whereof godlinesse would require that we shoulde not onely doe the same on the day tyme but also in the night season But yet notwithstanding our most heinous sinnes and continual backslidings compell vs rather to brust out into sorowfull teares piteous sobbinges and déepe sighes wherethrough we may say alwayes before thée we verily haue sinned O good God excéeding gréeuously whose offences are more in number then the sande of the sea and Starres of the skie but nowe wée lift vp our handes vnto our holy sanctuary which is Iesus Christ thy dearely beloued Sonne so that whatsoeuer we cannot obteyne through our owne worthinesse and desertes we indeuour to atchieue the same by his onely meanes and gracious fauour We heartily require this at thy mercifull handes O most excellent father that thou wouldest at one tyme or other out of Sion that is to say out of the hid treasure of thy clemencie be fauourable vnto the people which flie to thee for succor by deliuering them from present mishaps whereby thou who diddest make heauen and earth hast vouchedsafe to call vs vnto the knowledge of thy blessed name so that we maye lawfully render abundant thankes and shewe forth thy worthy prayses with a moste free and ioyfull heart through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An other prayer out of the same Psalme SEing thou hast bewtified all those with a notable promise O most mightie god which are knitte togither in the honouring of thy blessed name so that thou wilt not onely be present with them but also bestowest excellent benefites vpon these men whosoeuer they are that excell in sincere fayth and pure godlinesse and haue an exceeding desire to be in the blessed congregations insomuch as there is nothing which they more couet or desire then to appeare diuers tymes before thée in the sacred assemblies But bicause we see our selues greatly defiled with most heynous faultes ouerlading vs in such wise as we dare not celebrate and prayse thée as Christians ought to do our earnest request is therfore that thou wouldst of thy vnspeakable mercie infinite goodnesse and excellent clemencie deliuer vs from the Champions of Antichrist and his ministers who indeuour themselues so much as they can possible that thy faythfull seruaunts might no more assemble and meete togither for to honor thée sincerely and as they are willed to do Reserue those to thy selfe we humblye beseech thée who haue so great a desire to lift vp their handes vnto thée and to direct their prayers vnto thy mercies seate with a most holye intent shewe these men much pleasure from heauen cherishe them greatly and be their strong defence being a thing nothing impossible to thy wonderfull and inuincible power forsomuch as the whole worlde and all thinges conteyned therin were not only made by thy puissant might but also indure and bée preserued through thy omnipotencie by Iesus Christ our lord Amen An other prayer out of the same psalme THy vnspeakeable goodnesse is such O most merciful God as it ought alwaies to be greatly praised and highly magnified Wee will therefore lift vp pure handes in all places touching the publishing of thy glorious name render perpetuall thanks according to our bounden dutie for thy louing kindnesse extended towards vs. But seing that this ought to be done in the most sacred and holy assemblies our earnest desire is for to haue thée present there wyth vs to bestow thy plentifull blessing vpon thy beloued Israell through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ A prayer out of the Cxxxv. Psalme WHosoeuer they be that are moued by the holy ghost to assemble togither O almightie God for to celebrate thy glorious name A prayer against a 〈◊〉 and false confidence haue a wonderfull heape of benefites set out before them which thou hast most plentifully bestowed vpon vs. For looke what thinges thou hast by thy wonderfull wisdome created in heauen and earth all the same doest thou continuallye dispose according to the pleasure of thy good will causing the clowdes raine windes and other workes of nature to be in such wise obedient to thée as they serue excéeding commodiously for the vtilitie of mankinde But seeing that the