weaknes of my flesh bée not ouercome with the feare of death or any other temptation whatsoeuer Yea graunt me mercifull Sauiour I humbly beséech thee that when death hath shut vp the eyes of my bodie yet that the eyes of my soule may still beholde and looke vpon thée and may assuredly féele thée in my selfe for my selfe to bee the mightie conqueror of death and the deuil sinne and hell and all other enemies of mine whatsoeuer so that when death hath taken away the vse of my tongue and spéech yet that my heart may cry and say vnto thée O Lord into thy hands I giue and commend my spirit Lord Iesus receiue my soule vnto thée Amen The prayer of Salomon for to obtaine wisedome 1 King 2. THOU hast shewed Lord vnto thy seruant Dauid my Father great mercie when hee walked in thy sight in truth and iustice and in vprightnes of heart with thée Thou shewest vnto him thy great mercie and gauest him a sonne sitting vpon his throne as it is at this day And now Lord God thou hast made thy seruant to raigne in the roome of Dauid my Father I am a very babe and know not how to goe out and in And thy seruant is in the middest of an infinite number which thou hast chosen which cannot bee numbred nor counted for multitude Wherefore giue to thy seruant an heart apt to bee taught and full of vnderstanding to iudge thy people that I may discerne betwéene good and bad For who is able to iudge this thy mightie people A prayer for obtaining of wisdome Sapient 9. GOd of our fathers and Lord of mercie thou hast made all things with thy word and ordained man through thy wisedome that hee should haue dominion ouer the creatures which thou hast made that hee should order the world according vnto equitie and righteousnes and execute iudgement with a true heart giue mee wisedome which is euer among the children of Israel For I thy seruant and sonne of thy handmaide am a féeble person of a short time and too young to the vnderstanding of thy iudgements and though a man bee neuer so perfect among the children of men yet if thy wisedome be not with him he shall be nothing worth Oh send thy wisedome out of thy holy heauens and from the throne of thy Maiestie that she may be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sight for she knoweth and vnderstandeth all things and she shall conduct me right soberly in all my workes and preserue mee in her power so shall my workes bee acceptable Amen A prayer for a competent liuing Prouerb 30. TWo things Lord I demand that thou wilt not deny mee vntill I dye vanitie and words of leasings remoue farre from me pouertie or riches giue me not onely giue me that is necessarie for my liuing least being in full abundance I might be prouoked to denie thée and say Who is the Lord or being compelled by necessitie I might steale and forsweare the name of God Another Prayer GOod Lord God and swéete Sauiour Iesus Christ the sonne of the euerlasting God grant vnto me most fraile sinner and miserable wretch this grace and mercie that I may euer haue present before the eyes of my soule thy holy life thine example and behauiour and that according to any measure of mercie thou hast béen pleased or shalt be pleased to bestowe vpon me I may in liuing and manners follow the same And cause mee good Lord to profite grow and increase therein to such a notable measure as may be acceptable vnto thée being thine own grace and comfortable to my selfe as comming from thée for the saluation of my soule Lighten Lord and make cleere and bright my heart with the glorious light of thy grace that it euer may goe before mee and follow mee in all my acts so that by thy grace and power conducting and guiding I may accomplish and fulfill al that may please thy goodnes and vtterly eschue and auoide all that in any wise should displease the same Vouchsafe sweete Sauiour I beséech thée to direct and order all my cogitations and thoughts all my spéech and wordes all mine acts and déedes in thy law and commaundements in thy monitions and counsels and take me good Lord wholly so vnto thée that here in all things doing thy will I by grace may bee one of the soules that thou hast appointed to euerlasting saluation thorough Christ Iesus Amen A deuout prayer to our Lord God O LORD which hast vouchsafed of thy vnspeakeable goodnes to make me and ordaine me thy creature to liue in this transitorie life giuing me a reasonable soule by the which inlightned with the truth of thy word I know thée to be my Lord my God and my maker which also I may in some sort well perceiue by the visible sight of thy wonderfull workes as by heauen the earth and the creatures in them contained together with the commodities blessings that we daylie receiue by them at thy hand all which declare the great loue that thou hadest in our first creation and also doe expresse the singular care and prouidence that yet still thou hast for vs and further doe declare to vs thée to be the only God and Lord ouer all and that there is none aboue thée and that there is no wisdome knowledge power or strength of value besides thée and yet further also thou knowing our necessarie néede of thy holy of thy most louing fauour hast not disdained to say to me and to other thy people by thine owne most blessed word to the great comfort of all our consciences Aske and it shall bee giuen séeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened to you And yet for further declaration of thy great loue toward vs hast most familiarly sayde If we that be euill can giue vnto our children when they aske good things how much more then shall our heauenly Father giue his holy spirit to them that earnestly desire it What a swéete and comfortable saying is this In confidence of this truth O most blessed Lord I wretched sinner doe aske at thy hands mercie and grace confessing my selfe to bee a most wicked and abominable sinner in thy sight most weake of all other to stand to or in thy truth most fraile to fall and readie to breake all thy holy commandements by the kéeping of which we are knowne to bee thy true seruants O most mercifull Lord God I acknowledge my selfe daylie and hourely to breake the same but where I haue thus offended thy diuine Maiestie I humblie for Christ Iesus sake aske of thee mercie and forgiuenes minding by thy most mightie assistance neuer hereafter to offend in the same And Lord that I may bee the better perswaded of the assured performance of the same I humbly aske and desire thy strength continually to make me stand fast in faith thy knowledge and power from thée to worke thy blessed
patience in trouble HOw hast thou O Lord humbled and plucked me downe I dare now vnneath make my prayers vnto thée for thou art angrie with me but not without my deseruing Certainely I haue sinned Lord I will coÌ„fes it I wil not deny it But O god pardoÌ„ my trespasses relese my debts make me to féele again and the effectually continually also thy grace within me stop my wounds for I am all to plagued and beaten yet Lord this notwithstanding I do abide patiently and giue my attendaÌ„ce on thée coÌ„tinually waiting for helpe at thy hands that not without som knowledge beléefe of thy truth for I haue receiued a token of thy fauour and grace towardes mée I meane thy word of promise concerning Christ who for me was offered on the Crosse for a ransome sacrifice and price for my sins Wherfore according to that thy promise defend mee Lord by thy right hand and giue a gracious eare to my requestes bee thou my stay in perils for all mens stayes are but vaine Beate downe therefore my enemies thine own selfe with thy power which art mine onely ayd and protector O Lord God almighty Amen The humble confession of Iob in his most grieuous aduersitie and losse of goods children and all Iob. 1. NAked I came out of my Mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe the Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done now blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen In great trouble of conscience Psal 143. LOrd heare my prayer receiue my supplication hearken to my plaint for thy righteousnes Trie not the law with thy seruants for truly then shal no liuing man be found vnguiltie yea not one of the saints should escape quit at the bar vnlesse thou graunt him thy gracious pardon in so much as the very starres be not pure and faulties before thée in the Angels thou foundedst sin O Lord mine enemies grieuously hunt my soule they beate driue it downe they thrust it into darke dungeons where felloÌ„s conuict and condemned to death were wont to be kept my spirit is sorowfull my heart is heauy sad within my breast to thée I hold vp my hands requiring thee of mercie For like as the dry ground longeth for a shower of raine so my soule thinketh long til it hath thy help and succour heare mee therefore spéedily if thou do not I am in despaire my spirit is all weary of this bondage I haue bidden my life fare well Wherefore O God hyde not thy face that I bee not likened to those that be hurled into the pit of damnation after this night of miserie ouerpassed let the pleasant morning of comfort graciously shine vppon mee that betimes I may heare and féele thy goodnes for in thée is al my trust point me the way that I shall walke in for if thou bee not my guide I must néedes wander and stray out of the way To thée Lord I lift vp my soule and that with all mine heart I beséech thée take mee foorth of mine enemies handes Thou onely art my succour and sauegard teach me to worke whatsoeuer shall be thy pleasure for thou art my God let thy good spirite conduct mée into the land of the liuing raise vp my spirite within mee for thy names sake bring me foorth of all these troubles for thy righteousnes deliuer mee destroy mine enemies as thou art gracious fauourable towards me Those that wil worke me any sorrow or griefe pluck foorth of the way for I am thy seruaÌ„t for thy sake suffer I al this hurly burly As thou art God almighty and most mercifull so helpe thou me thy vnworthy seruant who stand in neede of al supportation from thee A prayer in aduersity O Lord God without whose will and pleasure a sparrow doth not fall on the ground seeing it is thy wil and blessed ordinaÌ„ce that I should be in this miserie and aduersitie seeing also thou dost punish mee with aduersitie not to destroy and cast me away but to call me to repentance and saue me for whom thou dost loue him dost thou chasten Furthermore séeing affliction aduersitie worketh patieÌ„ce who so patieÌ„tly heareth tribulatioÌ„ is made like vnto our Sauiour Christ our head Finally séeing that in all trubulation and aduersitie wee are in assurance of comfort at thy gracious hands for thou commandest mee to call vpon thée in the time of tribulation hast promised to heare and succour me graunt me therfore O almighty God and mercifull father in al trouble and aduersitie generally and euen in this particularlie to bee quiet without discouragement and patient without distrustfulnes that so I may haue grace to praise and magnifie thée and to put my whole trust and confidence in thee because thou neuer forsakest them that trust in thee-but workest all for the best to them that loue thee and seeke the glorie of thy name To thee be glorie for euer Amen A thanksgiuing and prayer also to be vsed in the time of prosperitie I Giue thankes vnto thee O God almighty which not onely hast endued mee with the giftes of nature as reason power and strength but also hast plenteously giuen me the substance of this worlde I acknowledge O Lord that these are thy giftes and confesse with the holy Apostle Saint Iames that there is no perfect nor good gift but it commeth froÌ„ thee O Father of light which giuest freely and castest no man in the téeth yea I further in particular acknowledge with the Prophet Aggeus that gold and siluer is thine and to whom it pleaseth thee thou giuest it to the godly that they may be thy disposers distributers thereof and to the vngodly to heape vp their damnation withall Wherefore sith I feele in mine owne heart an inclination to abuse these as other good things I cannot but humblie beseech and desire thée most mercifull God and louing father to frame in mee with thy holy spirite a faithfull heart and ready hand to distribute these thy gifts according to thy pleasure that so I may not lay vp treasure here where théeues may rob and moathes corrupt but may lay vp treasure in thy heauenly kingdome where neither théeues may steale nor moathes corrupt and that onely to mine owne comfort whom of thy mercie thou hast promised to rewarde therefore neither yet alone to the good example of the humble and meeke of thy congregation but also to the glorie of thy name to whom bee all honor and praise world without ende Amen The prayer of Manasses King of Iuda O Lord almightie God of our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of the iust seede of them which hast made heauen and earth with all the ornaments thereof which â—ast ordained the sea by the word of thy commaundement which hast shut vppe the déepe and hast sealed it for thy fearefull and laudable name dreaded of all men and honorable before the face of thy power the
will thy might to resist all errour and wicked imaginations thy wisedome to know the truth For I confesse and knowe O Lord that all worldly wit policie knowledge and strength is but foolishnes in thy sight Therefore I aske and continually craue good Lord that helpe and most humbly desire that thy holy spirit may guide all the imaginations thoughts and desires of my heart not onely altering in me my fleshly minde but also inabling me in body soule and spirit to serue thy blessed maiestie for this I know the most perfect amongst men lacking thy wisedome are nothing worth And great reason because the thoughts of mortall men are miserable and our forecastes are vncertaine And why Our nature surely is so vitiated and our will so depraued and our vnderstanding so corrupted that it museth most yea altogether on vaine things Therefore good Lord I beséech thée comfort my sicke soule that it may walke in thy lawes and wayes and worke thy will And Lord like as thou knowest the secrets of my heart and the desires of the same and séest indéede that I would verie earnestly walke in thy trueth and worke the workes of the same truth so Lord I beseech thee refresh my soule according to thy mercifull calling where thou saidst Come to me all that labour and are laden and lowly of heart and you shall finde rest to your soules and I shall refresh you O Lord I miserable sinner would gladly labour in acceptable wayes and haue some care that my good will and desire might not swarue from thée but bee wholy bent towardes thée and like as thou knowest the same to bee vnfained in mee because it is thine own worke So Lord refresh me with thy mercifull grace that now and for euer I may bée stedfast in the true faith and that I may be alwayes obedient vnto thy lawes and commaundements and that I may neuer swarue from the holy and blessed ordinances of thy true and catholike Church which is thy spouse and for the most part speaketh thy words of truth and life but that I may vse them receiue them and honour thée in them so farre forth as they concerne thy worship and are according vnto thy most holy will and pleasure as in things which thou hast left to declare thy loue vnto vs and by them to assure our hope and to exercise our faith that it should not bee idle nor wauering whereunto howsoeuer I bee proue thorough the corruption of my nature and Satans malice against me as I am on the other side vnwilling and vnable to doe that which is good yet O Lord sith all things are possible with thée though they séeme neuer so vnpossible to vs help and reach out thy most mightie and mercifull hand O most louing father I know that by my sins I am not worthie thy blessed comfort nay I am most worthie to be depriued of that and all other fauours but Lord sith thou hast said that in what houre soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sins thou wouldest no more remember them and also thou wouldest not despise the sighing of a contrite heart I am bold in confidence and trust of thy mercie méekly and with a lowly heart to call to thée for grace and helpe in this troublous time of temptation and trying of our faith I am as one laden yea ouer laden with ignorance not knowing the height of thy heauenly misteries nor the deceitfull déepnes of the craftie and subtill arguments and perswasions of my ghostly enemies which daylie doe assault my sinfull soule and so burden the same that it can finde no rest Therefore O Lord like as thou knowest my will and heartie desire is to serue thée notwithstanding these suggestions within me and without me and that I haue a desire to liue and dye in thy most holy faith so Lord I beséech thée neuer suffer the subtill perswasions contrarie to thy truth to take place or roote in my heart But like Lord as thou hast created my heart and giuen me in som measure a will to order the same according to thy blessed will so Lord I humbly yéeld the same againe into thy hands desiring thée by thy holy spirit so to direct my wayes words and workes that now and alwayes they may be accepcable in thy sight And good Lord suffer not my soule to perish which thou hast bought so dearely with thy most precious bloud for the which great mercie sake of thine heretofore shewed vnto mee haue mercie on me continually and mak mee poore in spirit and low of heart and content with my vocation submitting my selfe wholy into thy hands so that my desire may bee to thy will and that no desire remaine in me but onely to doe thy will and pleasure And grant I beséech thée that I may haue none other trust but only in thée which art onely to be trusted and all trust it selfe and none besides thée Graunt further O Lord that my poore soule may rest in thée yea in thée alone for thou hast sayd they shall neuer be confounded that put their trust in thée which trust Lord graunt me neuer to forsake for any vaine trust or temptation or tribulation that may any manner of way fal out to vexe my poore soule but graunt me thy holy spirit to comfort and defend mee from all things that should procure thy displeasure As thou art in Trinitie one God and Lord ouer all which liuest and raignest world without end To thée bee all honour glorie and praise for euer Amen A prayer that wee may haue the feare of God before our eyes in all our doings O Almightie and euerlasting God thy holy word teacheth vs that thou art not onely a father but also a Lord not onely a forgiuer but also a reuenger not onely a Sauiour but also a iudge and as thou being a father a forgiuer and a Sauiour doest pardon and shewe mercie so thou being a Lord a reuenger and a iudge punishest and condemnest Neither doth thy holy scripture onely set foorth vnto vs a Gospell which comforteth vs quickneth vs sheweth vs glad and ioyfull tidings forgiueth our sinnes and quieteth our consciences and bringeth vs vnto euerlasting life but also a law which reproueth accuseth condemneth vs woundeth and slayeth our conscience yea and throweth vs down headlong into the déepe dungeon of hell And as the holy Gospell lifteth vs vppe and maketh vs glad with the hope of remission and forgiuenes of our sinnes so doth the lawe plucke vs downe and almost driue vs vnto desperation for feare of thy plagues and euerlasting punishments so that we not onely loue thée as a father a forgiuer a Sauiour but also feare thée as a Lord a reuenger a iudge For asmuch therefore O most gracious God and merciful Sauiour and most righteous iudge as this doth so mightily put away sinne and make vs to walke in the way of thy commaundements namely reuerently to feare thée and to stand in awe
delighted in into a wildernes Wilt thou Lord be auenged of these things Wilt thou holde thy peace and scourge vs euer so grieuously Before the receiuing of the Sacrament say thus LOrd although I be not worthy to receiue thee into the house of my soule for mine innumerable offences and sinnes done against thy great goodnes yet trusting in thy great pity and infinite mercie I come to receiue thy blessed body not grossely and carnally as the blinde suppose but spiritually and by faith together with all the fruits and effects of thy sufferings yea as a sicke creature to thee that art the health of life vncleane to thée that art the well of mercie and holynes blinde by ignorance to thee that art the light euerlasting needy of grace and power yea of will to any good thing to thée that art the King of heauen and earth and workest therein whatsoeuer pleaseth thée naked of good works to thée that art the author of all grace I come as a wretch to thée my Lord and maker all desolate and comfortles to thee my refuge and succour for besides thée there is no consolation I come as a sinner to thée that art the mediator betwéene God and man I come as a caitife to thée my most mercifull Sauiour I come all sinfull to thee granter of remission and pardon I that am dead by sin come to thee the restorer of life euill to thee that art all goodnesse hard hearted to bée relieued by the infusion of thy superaboundant grace desiring thée to heale mine infirmitie and sicknes to wash away my sinne and filthines to lighten my blindnes to reduce me to the right way when I am out thereof to comfort me desolate of goodnesse Haue mercie on my wretchednesse pardon my sinfulnes giue me the light of grace thus buried in sin that I may receiue thee to be the spirituall foode and nourishment of my soule and that with such chastitie of body with such purenes and cleannes of soule with such contrition of heart and abundance of wéeping teares with such spirituall ioy and gladnes with such dread and reuerence with such strong faith stedfast hope and vnfeigned charitie with such obedience and humilitie with such loue deuotion faithfulnesse and thankefulnesse as it is beséeming for such a Lord to be entertained and receiued withall and that to the comfort of my conscience in this life and my endlesse saluation at the last And be not displeased good Lord that I a sinner with an vncleane heart and polluted minde or sure I am not so sanctified outwardly and inwardly as were fit come hither this day to receiue the blessed sacrament of thy precious body and bloud by a liuely faith but remember mercifull Lord that thou refusedst not the sinfull Magdalene being penitent from the kissing of thy most blessed féete And in likewise despise mee not ne put thou me away as vnworthie from this blessed Sacrament for my sinnes and vnkindnes though I confesse thou maist iustly doe so and doe me no iniurie but graunt thou mee godly sorrow of heart plentie of vnfaigned teares to testifie vnto my heart the washing away of my sinnes and wickednes so that with a pure heart and cleane conscience I may this day come to and be partaker of the holy Communion to thy glory and the comfort of my soule and conscience whilest I receiue therein an effectuall pledge of euerlasting life with all holy saints in heauens glory and of the fellowship of thy people in this present life these things being wrought in mee by thy holy spirit inwardly as well as offered vnto me by the outward and visible elements Grant mee blessed Iesu so reuerently and religiously to receiue the Sacrament of thy flesh and bloud that thereby I may assuredly feele my selfe incorporated into thy Church as a sound member of thy body here on earth and though as yet I be not méete or fit by reason of my filthinesse to bee numbred among the simplest and lowest of thy seruants but rather to be reiect for my sinfulnes yet good Lord of thine infinite power I knowe thou canst and of thy singular goodnesse I hope thou wilt and therefore am also the more bold humbly to intreate thee to make me equall and like to thine elect and chosen seruants Come thou father of the fatheries come comfort of the comfortles come I beséech thee and cleanse my soule from contagiousnes of sinne for it is not conuenient and according that there should bee any vncleannes where thou then the fountaine of all true holines yea holines it selfe shouldest come in and dwel Come therefore good Lord and apparell my soule and body both with such ornaments of vertue and grace that it may delight thee therein to abide And as thou disdainedst not to touch the sore Leapers with thy holy hands so good Lord vouchsafe to annoynt my sinfull soule with the oyntment of remission and pardon of sinnes and so to replenish it with strength and power against sinne and to fill it with abilitie to doe good duties that in this life by stedfast hope firme faith and vnfeigned charitie I may so encrease in vertue from day to day that I may attaine to the glorious fruition of thy Godhead in the kingdome of heauen where I may see thee face to face world without ende Amen After the receiuing of the Sacrament say thus I Thank thée good Lord of thine infinit goodnes for that this day thou hast vouchsafed to féed me with thy blessed body in this holy Sacrament of thine and that by a liuely faith thou hast made me a fruiteful partaker thereof humbly desiring thée further to graunt that this thy blessed Sacrament which I haue receiued may bee powerfull in mee to lessen in me and purge from mee the power of my particular iniquities and to fit mee to all good workes of blessed obedience yea make it in me a fortitude and a spirituall strength against my frailtie a sure defence against worldly troubles and aduersitie a sure seale of grace and pardon a medicine of life and a continuall remembrance in my minde and heart of thy blessed passion so that in the way it may conduct and guide me and when I am out of the way it may reduce mee when I stumble it may vpholde mee and when I am falling it may raise me so that by this and other gracious helpes that thou hast ordained and by good continuance and daily growth in the obedience of thy will I may be brought to euerlasting glorie And during my life vpon earth vouchsafe so to order the tallage and taste of my heart that I neuer féele other swéetenes but thee that I neuer seeke other but thee that I care not for any other delight but thee neither that I regard any other honor but thine And giue me such a sound loue towards thee and in thee and for thee towards my brethren that in it I may continually and comfortably féele that I
thée in ioy and the right vse of al thy gifts with the good seruant in the mid night of death which shall suddenly steale vpon me like a theefe ere I beware Be thou to me at that time of neede O Lord a tower of strength a place of refuge and a God to defend mee euery manner of way and namely against that face of the feend who like a roring lion will be then ready to deuoure me against desperation which then wil be ready to grieue assault me Let theÌ„ thy comfort cleaue fast vnto mee thy mercie kéepe mée and thy grace guide me Then especially recouer againe Lord God the Father that which thy puissant might hath shapen Fetch then againe Lord GOD the Sonne that which thou hast so wisely gouerned and bought with thy precious bloud Take againe thou Lord God holy Ghost that which thou hast kept preserued so louingly in this region of sinne and vale of miserie three persoÌ„s and one very GOD vnto whom be praise and honour for euer and euer Amen A Psalme wherein the sinner desireth ot bee heard of God HOwe long O Lord shall my mind be pressed downe with painefull sorrowes How long O God wilt thou reiect my prayers which daylie I powre out before thée wilt thou Lord heare me at no time or wilt thou now cease to shew mercie Hast thou O Lord cast me away for euer and wilt thou neuer hereafter bee pleased with me Thy hand is not weakned but it may helpe and thine eares are not stopped that they should refuse to heare I beséech thée O my God for Iesus Christes sake to regard the teares that fall let the sighings and inward desires of my heart mooue incline thée to heare mee I haue béen a stubborne froward childe to thée I haue not feared thée but haue béen euer disobedient stubborne against thee I am in prison and bound in fetters of sorrow and so shal be til thou with thy gracious presence shalt vouchsafe to visite mee and bring me againe to libertie ioy Keepe thy mercie therefore for me always O Lord and the couenant which thou hast made with mée oh let it be surely performed Keepe mee Lord from sinne and so shall I dread neither death nor hell and as thou hast béen alwayes mercifull to penitent sinners so now good Lord forgiue me my sinnes Keepe my heart to thee and then shall it reioyce in thy mercie because thou hast looked on mee and hast regarded my soule in my great distresse Let mee neuer hereafter goe away from thy waies and leaue me not now in the déepenes of my troubles Loe now be the daies of health and grace now is the accepted time for in death who remembreth thee O Lord or in hell who shall praise thee Lord beholde therefore my weaknesse and frailnesse best knowne vnto thee and looke downe from heauen vpon the sorrow and heauines of me thy poore creature Mollifie my heart O Lord GOD that I may returne to thee and walke in thy waies for I haue wandred too long in the way of sinners Make a perpetuall league with me that thou wilt put thy feare into my heart that I neuer swarue from thée againe O Lord my prayers be euer vnto thee let thy anger bee turned from mee that I may finde fauour in thy sight O Lord looke thou not vpon the hardnes of my hart but as thou art a mercifull God so now bee mercifull vnto me and forgiue me that wherein I haue offended thée A Prayer MOst righteous God and merifull father in Christ for thy great mercie sake hearken to these my humble prayers which I make before thée and consâ—der Lorde the desires and thoughts of my hart Let my loud cryings come vnto thée let mine vnfained prayers enter into thine eares Heare me O Lord for I am destitute of thy helpe Take care for my soule saue me thy seruant which wholly trusteth in thee Haue mercie O Lord haue mercie vpon me for I will neuer cease crying vnto thée for thy helpe and mercie In the day time â—ll I call on thee and in the night my crie shall not be hid from thee O thou God of the Heauens and maker of all creatures heare me a most wretched sinner calling on thee and take away from mee all my sinnes and make stedfast my faith and confidence in thée in thy merciful promises that I putting my trust in them may haue as thou hast promised euerlasting life thorough Christ Iesus thy Son our Lord. Amen A Psalme that may bee sayd For Euening Prayer COnsider and heare mee O Lord my God lighten the eies of my soule that I sléepe not in death for if I bee cast downe they that trouble me wil reioyce at it Defend mee therefore O God from the way of the vngodly and out of the hands of the vnrighteous and cruâ— man deliuer me Euen in thy feare doe I worship O Lord toward thy holy temple bee mercifull vnto me and heare the request of my heart For happy are they whom thou hearest and regardest in the needfull time of trouble Haue mercy vpon me O God haue merce vpon me euen as thou hast promised to them that loue thy name I will call on thée O Lord my strength I 〈◊〉 trust in thée O thou ground of my saluation Keepe thy seruant therefore O Lord from presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion ouer mee and so shall I be vndefiled innocent from the great offence Let I beséech thee O Lord the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart bee alwaies acceptable in thy sight O Lord God my strength and my redéemer â—â—t my prayers bee set forth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be an euening sacrifice O Lord graunt mee thy light that I being deliuered from the darknesse of sinne may come to the very light which is Christ Turne thee vnto mee O Lord and shew mee the light of thy countenance Yea Lord heare my praier also I beséech thée And let my crie come vnto thée O Lord God I beséech thée for Christ Iesus sake to lighten my darknes both outward and inward of thy great goodnesse to deliuer me from all the dangers of this night either bodily or spirituall that thou being my sauiour in watching and my kéeper in sleeping I may wake in Christ and rest in peace through thy sonne Iesu Christ who liueth and raigneth with thee in vnitie of the holy ghost world without end Amen O Lord into thy handes I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of truth A prayer of a sinner to be sayd dayly before hee goeth about any worldly busines O My celestiall Father be now mercifull vnto mée thy repentant sinfull seruant fled from mine enemies to thy helpe and succour Impute not vnto me my sinnes for Christs sake for I haue heard thy Fatherly voyce and yet
am translated out of darknes into light and be well assured that thou wilt gratiously deliuer mee from all tribulations of body and soule captiuitie anguish and perils together with all the elect and chosen Amen A deuout Prayer O My Lord Iesu with al my mind with all my might I do laude thee and praise thée for thine innumerable benefites which thou hast shewed vnto mee heretofore and shewest daily but alas good Lord sure I am of this that I cannot praise thée as I would and as my dutie requireth wherefore I méekely beséech thee both to accept this my bounden dutie and seruice and also to supplie and fulfill mine insufficiencie so that thy absolute righteousnesse and obedience may for mee be acceptable before thy father and may to mee and in me bee comfortable to my soule O swéete Iesu I loue thée as my God my maker and my redéemer what though I loue thee not so feruently as I ought to doe yet I humbly beséech thée to accept me according to that I haue and not according to that I haue not and the rather because that I haue is thine which I pray thée so to acknowledge and daylie more and more increase that my peace in hee and loue towards thée may more and more abound O sweete Sauiour heare me hereâ—â— euen so be it The complaint of a penitent sinner which is sore troubled and ouercome with sinnes O Lord God mercifull and patient and of much mercifulnesse and truth which of thy abundant charitie and according to thy great mercie hast taken vs out from the power of darknes and hast saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration and new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost whom thou hast shed vpon vs aboundantly by Iesus Christ our Sauiour If I haue found grace and fauour in thy sight suffer me to speake a word vnto thée and be not displeased with me Why dost thou euer forget me and leauest me in the midst of my troubles and evils Where is become thy zeale and strength where is the multitude of thy tender affections and of thy mercies O Lorde may not hee which is fallen rise vp againe Or may not hee which hath gone away from thee returne vnto thée againe Shall my sorrow â—â—er indure shall my â—ound be vncurable and neuer healed How commeth it to passe that I still turne away from thee surely Satans malice and mine owne corruption carie me violently But stay me O Lord and turne me yea cause me to turne for of my selfe I cannot returne In asmuch as it is not giuen to man to direct his 〈…〉 wayes neither to 〈◊〉 perfect his owne proceedings For in thy hand is the life of euery liuing thing and the spirit also of euery man Thou shewest thy mercy to whom thou wilt and thou art gracious to them whom thou fauourest Thou doest kill and thou doest quicken thou leadest downe to Hell gate and bringest vp againe Thy eyes beholde the wayes of euery man and thou searchest the hearts of men There is no place so secret or darke wherein sins may hide themselues from thee Nor any man may so lurke and hide themselfe in Caues but thou shalt sée him which doest fulfill both heauen and earth in euery paâ—t Why hast thou cast me away from thy presence and â—â—est me for thine enemie Why hast thou layd vpon my head the heauie weight of my sinnes séeing no man is able to beare thy displeasure What meaneth it that thou shewest thy power against a wretch why destroyest thou me for the sins of my youth If I haue sinned what shall I doe to thée and if my sins be encreased what shall I doe If I do iustly what shal I giue to thée or what shalt thou receiue aâ— my hand My wickednesse shall hurt my selfe and my righteousnesse shall not profit me The life of man is a temptation vpon the earth and if I haue sinned as all mâ—â— haâ—e what may I 〈◊〉 â—hall 〈◊〉 man be found 〈…〉 without sinne 〈…〉 or shall any man 〈◊〉 withouâ— fault in his deedes How may a mortall mâ—â— be pure of sinne in thy sight or how may hee which is borne of a woman be righteous Remember O Lord I beseech thee that thou hast made me of the earth and that thou shalt bring mee againe into the â—ust of death My dayes paâ—â— and vâ—nish away like 〈…〉 waste daily there is no taâ—ying My life flieth as the winde and considereth not that which is good I was but lately borne in this world and shortly I shall be taken away hence by death I neuer continue still in one state The dayes of my life bee few and short thou hast appoynted an end which I shall not passe Naked and bare I came out of my mothers wombe and naked and bare I shall returne againe truly all men liuing are but vanitie Haue pitie O Lord on them that are in miserie and despise not the workes of thy hands Though we sin yet are we vnder thée for we know thy power and strength and if we sinne not then are we sure that thou regardest vs. Cease thy indignation O Lord and turne it from mee and cast all my â—â—nes behind thy backe Take away thy plagues from mee for thy punishment hath made mee both feeble and faint For when thou chastisest a man for his sinnes thou causest him by and by to consume and pine away Whatsoeuer is delectable in him perisheth like vnto the cloth that is eaten with moaths Would God I had one 〈◊〉 defend me a while vntill thy anger were turned away or that thou wouldest remember me I am cleane cast away from thy presence shall I neuer hereafter see thy face againe Beholde I haue opened the griefs of my soule the day of my sorrowes haue taken me The flouds of tribulation compasse mee round about and the streames of thy fury run ouer me And I cry vnto thée O Lord God but thou hearest me not I aske mercie but thou reiectest my prayers Why thrustest thou downe a poore wretch from thy presence or why forsakest thou mee so longe time Why takest thou not away mine inâ—â—uitie and why puttest thâ—â— not away the wickednesse of my heart Arise and tary no longer O Lord arise and reiect me not for euer Haue mee in remembrance I beséech thée for I throughlie tremble and shake for feare Yet will I not holde my tongue but cry stil vnto thée with a mourning and an heauie hearâ— Turne away the stroke of thy veâ—â—eance from me and bring my 〈◊〉 out of troubles into rest I am here no long continuer but a pilgrime and a stranger as all other mortall men be And what is man that thou shouldest bee angrie with him or what is mankinde that thou shouldest bee so heauie Lord vnto vs What wilt thou bring sorrow vppon sorrow I pant for paine and finde no rest My sorrow grieueth me when I should eate and sodaine sighes ouerwhelme my heart I am as