that lost that royall stamp of a pure nature to the vtter disgracing of all his progenie Man this loste sheepe thou soughtest O Iesus thou foundest sweet Iesus by death thou foundest her by bleeding paines thou foundest her by nailed hands and bored feete thou foundest her by a sharpe thornie crowne which pear ced thy glorious head by sheding of thine owne bloud by drinking of veneger in thine extreme thirst by suffering the most violent death of y e crosse thou foundest her and so fo undest thy lost sheepe man loste man sinfull man the childe of wrath O Iesus O louing Iesus tender harted Samaritan that of a sicke hast salued of a sore sinner hast saued him of a wicked Creature washed him cleane in the streame of thine inestimable mercie O Iesu O gratious Iesu thou hast sought loste man and founde lost man by condemning sinne by breaking the bands of the diuel by conquering hell sinne death and diuel in the flesh Sith therefore thouhaste O louing Iesu pitiful Iesu of thy mercy shed thy bloud not onlie for my firste father Adam but also for mee euen for the whole worlde that as sinne ouerran al men to condemnation by one man so in thee al the nations of the worlde might bee blessed And sith thou hast not onelie made a ful purgation for my sinnes beeing the slaughtered Lambe that haste taken awaie the sinnes of the worlde but also soong a conquest ouer sinne which hath lost his sting death which was dead hel which had lost the victorie and the dragon which thou ouercammest in heauen by preaching libertie to Captiues and leading captiuitie captiue there is no cause whie I should faint and feare death Arme mee therfore O Lord with this faith that thou hast dashed Death in peeces with the rod of thy merits drowned the diuell in the riuers of thy pretious blood that no torment or biting paine of the fleshe sunder mee from thee most louing Iesu but imprint in my heart thy grace that in greatest anguishe I may be so farre from the feare of it as rather to crie with thy Sayntes Come Lord Iesu Come and desire to bee dissolued with Paule and to be with thee my louing husband than by anie panges of death to refuse thee O Lord doo thy good will Amen Another OVr Father which arte in heauen thou art life how shal I come vnto thee there is no waie O Lord but thy selfe no man commeth vnto thee but by thee There is no remedy but this vessel of earth must bee broken before I shall see thee face to face euen as thou art in fulnes of glorie Dust to duste ashes to ashes claie to claie earth muste returne to earth to pay this borrowed tabernacle to earth where of it came Grasse must wither the flower must fade the vapour vanish I must be dissolued before I shall be ioyned fullie to thee my head and onelie vine wherein I liue Thy purseuant sicknes must visit this body of sinne and death muste rowe me ouer the seas of this world vnto thee in the barke of faith by the anchor of thy couenāts made to the house of Dauid O Lord therefore giue me grace to welcome death by which I must passe to life that dieng in thee I may be blessed and liue in the storehouse of thy ioyes for euer Amen Another O Louing husbande mine onely Iesus sleepe not slumber not but awake my ioye awake my comfort and lose the bandes of my miserie Death death O Lord thou hast nailed to the tree by the pretious passion and drowned Satan the prince of darkenesse in the streamie floud of thy blessed bloud Sweet Iesus louing Lord and husband mine lock vp the faith of this thy merit in my heart and clip mee in the sweete armes of thy woonted comfort Kisse me kisse mee pitious Iesu pittie mee and be not angrie with mee Diuorce me not O mercifull Iesus but marrie me in mercie and call me in thy fauor to the mariage of grace that beeing thine by the testimonie of thy spirite I may singe with a brasen face sinne where is thy sting hel where is thy victorie Mercie O Lorde mercie loue louing God loue is thy nam 〈…〉 mercie is my sute O bottomlesse pitie thy loue I labor and crie for Lord Lord Iesus thou sonn of Dauid haue mercie vpon mee and spread foorth the banners of thy comfort that I may knowe that I am thine and knowing it may neuer distrust thine inestimable mercie Amen Another in forme of a confession IN thy name O Lord Amen I acknowledge to the publishing of God his glorie and the comfort of my soule that I am God his owne childe that he hath created me of nothing redeemed me being lost preserued me from the wombe till this time In him haue I onely trusted neuer shal be confounded Beloued friendes in the Lord for your comfort and mine owne duetie heare my confession which euery christian is boūd to make I acknowledge ther fore in the face of GOD Almightie before you all that whether I liue or die I am his He hath suffered death to saue mee from death he was crowned with thornes to crowne me with glorie he was bored and nailed to the tree to nayle and to crucifie the sinnes of the whole world He was content to be pearced and goared with a speare yea so pearsed that the blood gushed out and for nothing else but to washe me cleane from the sore of sin in the streames of his mercie For this with one consent lett vs crie Our soules doo magnifie the Lord and our spirits rcioise in God our Sauiour Sccondlie I confesse that though Christe in his pretious bloud hath clensed me from the filth of sinne that notwithstanding I doo nothing in this present life but heape sinne vppon sin and hourde vp trespasse vpon trespasse so that this daie is worse alwaies than yesterdaie by increasing as daies so sins and therefore the indignation of God against mee But yet those of hel shal not be able to preuaile against me For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus my Sauiour Thirdlie I confes that as my life is sinful so it is shorte like a smoke like a shaddowe like a warrefare like a flower that fadeth grasse that withereth a word that soon passeth it is like a bubble in the water a weauers shuttle it is a span long and no moe Againe it is not onelie short but also miserable For it is an exile a vale of miserie it is a wildernesse it is stuffed with sorrowes a cage of enimies a sea of myseries a dungeon of gronings greeuous sobbings it is a storme a tempest that wonderfullie trobleth the people of our heauenlie father beleeue me it is no better than a womans trauell and that is extremelie miserable and therefore as not onelie short but also wretched I am willing to forsake it Yea death welcome death sicknes sicknes of
vpon the seas of this worlde to hynder and keepe backe the propagation of the Gospel kiling by sword boyling in fire and choking by the darnel of his cocle gospell the babes of thy familie So that now thy Church O Lorde is harrowed little is the flock of thy beloued Steeuen we haue a great derth of preaching Ieremies and a verie small number of crieng Esayes to conduct thy children the tender sucklinges of thy Gospel from danger to safetie out of the rough wildernes of this wicked world O looke vpon thy little flocke let the Foxe no more fleece them but sende shepheards to feed them with the pure milk and sound meat of thy Gospell Send vs no woolues to teare but sende vs doggs to defende the sheepe of thy Pasture against our woluish Pharao that continuallie gapeth to deuoure thy beeloued Israel O Lorde haue mercie vppon vs and let the riuers of thy worde haue free course in euerie chanel let no puddle of filthy doctrine or quagmire of damnable heresie trouble thy little flock sweet babes least they tasting thereof drink their owne destruction But sende downe thine Angels to cleanse the poole of thy word mingled with the water of heresie that wee liyng sicke at the gate of thy mercie maye descend into it and so be healed Grant this for thine infinit mercies sake and for the glory of thine eternall Godhead Amen A praier for the Schoolmayster WHere shall I begin O Lorde to rip the vnseamed coate of thy benefites O that I were al hart to conceiue or al toong to vtter them For where we had not onelie loste the inheritance of paradise but also the integritie of Nature through father Adams follie thou hast set down precepts and elected gouernours ouer youth that being ruled by tutours and liuing well by precepts the childrē of Adam might recouer the disgraced puritie of nature and at length of thy meere fauour be exalted not to an earthly paradise but to an heuenly inheritance to enter and inherit the palace of an heauenlie Ierusalem And whereas O welspring of all goodnes thou hast appointed me to view and ouersee the naturall man not only to train him vp in learning but also in liuing giue me thy grace that I may first of a wilde oliue become a braunch of Iesus that awaking my selfe with the winges of thy mercie I maye crowe the better to stumbling Peter not onely in deliuering precepts but also examples of godlie life and honest conuersation Giue me y e true knowledge of thy word that by it as by a lanterne I may guide my selfe and them the better from wandering in vanitie into the waie of sanctitie Giue me also grace to doo my dutie faithfullie and imprint in my heart the last daie when I shall render an account of my calling so that alwaies remembring it I may the better fulfil it O Lord shew thy mercie Amen Another O Lorde giue me grace to bee faithful in my vocation to bee diligent in my calling to traine vppe youth but before al things to serue thee Schoole me ô gratious God in the waie of thy wil and teache me the waie of thy commandementes that I may not only liue by thee but in thee for euer Plant me like a branch of grace in the gardeyn of thy gratious pleasure that I maye growe in thee and not in the broad way of iniquitie or wide fielde of vanitie Order thou my waies with the rule of thy wil and guide my steps by this lanterne of life that neither for feare or flatterie I swarue from the lessons of thy holie spirite but euer may walke with the warrant of a good conscience in thy lawe and testimonies For this O Lord shal redounde to the profite of thy Churche whereof by Baptisme I am a member as also to the bettering of youth which is better schooled by examples of a godlie life than by precepts of learning Therefore O Lord that thy Church may bee vnspotted and without wrinkle I beseech thee in thy sonnes name to haue mercie vpon me and al my brethren which liue in faith and feare of thee that our good liues maye glorifie thee our father in heauen and spur the babes of thy familye to the perfourmance of their vow by the power of thy spirit Amen Apraier for Schollers O God we are a cursed progenie by nature lapt in the bands of sinne and fettered in the chaine of death the due rewarde of sinne and iniquitie but of thy meere mercie thou hast drawne vs vnto thee out of the iawes of our spirituall Pharao by the death of Christ thine onelye sonne that mightie lion of the tribe of Iudah that being deliuered from the handes of our enimies wee might serue thee in him al the daies of this our life But because we cannot of our selues and by our selues aspire to the end of our redemtion we giue thee thankes O Lord that it hath pleased thee to helpe vs by this meanes to wit by placing vs vnder tutors Thou hast throughlie sifted our nature thou knowest that there is continuall battell betweene the wanton fleshe and the spirit of sanctification and therefore to represse olde Adam and to crucifie the kingdom of the wanton flesh thou hast put this yoke vppon vs to bee vnder tutors and gouernours to crop the crooked boughes off and to mowe downe the ripe haruest of wicked nature that they might by precepts of life with the assistance of thy spirite graffe vs in the true vine Iesus and also printe the stampe of Christian knoweledge in the tables of our harts that beeing no base metal but pure and fine siluer we might and yet of grace be weighed in the balance of thy mercie as currant coyne to be placed in the storehouse of thy ioy for euer To thee as onlie good be al glorie Amen The mothers praier for the good education of hir youth O Gratious God in knowledge that thou louest all thinges which thou hast made of thy goodnes and that thing cannot perish which is committed to thy charge Now I come vnto thee with my ten der children committing them into thine hands and desiring thee to couer them vnder the winges of thy prouident mercie Hew and square the rough table of their hearts of stonie make them fleshie that being softened by the dewe of thy blessinges they may beare the seale of adoption in thy sonne Christ. O Lord guide them in this darke vale of vanitie with the light of thy fauour that escaping the dungeon of sinne they may walke in newnes of life and lodge alwaies in thine holie will Imprint in theyr harts faith hope humility and charitie that following thee they may be humble meeke as thou art In due them with the spirite of feare that they may kisse thee in faith and liue lie obedience thou beeing neuer angrie with them but louing them as the mother dooth her tender sucklings Amen The Fathers praier O Father of all Fathers haue
deere father the crie of his bloudie sweat his long fasting his great patience his bodie racked and crucified all crie vnto thee for mercie for mercie father O father fauour and pardon him This is the trumpetor of ioy this is he that bloweth the blast of comfort and soules solace heare him heare O Lord attend not my life mark not my steps for my life is vnsauorie and my steps are crooked let the crie of thy bleeding babe mooue thee to mercie and put thee in minde of thy couenant that in him all the nations of the world shuld be blessed Blesse me O Lord better me with the dew of thy blessings and let the drops of thy sonnes bloud by a liuelye faith distill into my heart and fructifie it with workes woorthy repentance I beseech thee Amen A praier for all times against the power of Satan THe Diuel O Lord like a roring Lion runneth aboute in euerie corner hee lurketh and euer he gapeth to deuoure the lambes of thy pasture He is an enimie not onelie readie to deuoure vs but also able to catch vs in the snare of iniquitie against thy diuine maiestie For dailie do we eat the sower grape of nature and sauor of vnseasoned rotten Adam in whose sinfull act we are wrapped by desert in condemnation and become bond slaues of Satan vnlesse thou O Lord do season our harts with the oile of thy grace and wash vs in the water of thy mercie that being clensed from sinne and made as white as snowe with the merits of thy sonne the diuel may lose his title and forget his obligation that hee had against vs wee be quitted from his tyrannie We beseech thee therfore ô gratious father of Heauen with thy power to bridle satan and in thy mercie to beare with vs with thy might to maister him and in thy grace to graffe vs in Iesus the liuelie vine of mercie that growing in him no storme may be able to tosse and ouerturne vs we besech thee Amen Another DAielie O Lorde doo wee passe the limittes of thy wil we sinne at the least seuen times a day and pledge mother Eue in the dregs of nature This is the frailetie of the fleshe and this is the weakenes of al Adams issue a miserable case ô Lord vnlesse in thy mercie thou wilt wrap vs couer the nakednes of nature with the white raiment of grace that we being thine maye neuer despaire for any brunt of storming Satan be it neuer so perillous LORDE saue vs in thy mercie saue vs haue pittie and compassion vpon vs and marke not our steps which are crooked but cast the eie of thy fauour vpon thy sonne Christ who was content to suffer the bleeding paines of the crosse to satisfie thy wrath to deliuer vs from the stinge of an hellie conscience We beseech thee therefore O louing Lord not to obserue our iniquities but to wash vs from the guiltines of sinne in the flood of thy mercies and so to saue vs that being dead in iniquitie and yet saued of thine infinite pittie we may giue all glory vnto thee and sing with our mother the Church that saluation only belongeth to thee Amen A praier for al afflicted Christians GReat are the troubles of the righteous O Lorde and many they be that arise against thee and thine an nointed like wolues to teare them and butchering Herods to behead and dispatch them Euen for thy sake O Lord are thy children brought to the slaughterhouse for the testimonie of thy truthe are they tied in bands and beaten with wandes daielie Vp Lord arise and strike thine enimies vppon the cheeke bone lifte vp thy rod of iron and dashe the vnsauourie and sower vessels of iniquitie in peeces with thy sanne scatter the chaffe and gather thou thy corne into the garner of ioy Let it bee beaten but let it not bee broozed with the thresholde of this tyrannous Wolfe that beeing freed from the chaffe of Nature and seuered from the cocle of euill and wicked liuers it may be found with the lost groat and laide vppe in thy treasure of eternal pleasure for euer Doo thy good wil O gratious God beat them beate them and buffet vs sharpelie O Lorde so thou saue vs of thy mercie and plucke vs out of Daunger by the hande of thy mightie power proppe vs with thy power that wee maye magnifie thee of thy mercy Amen Another THE mountains of this wicked worlde are manye and mightie O Lorde and little is the flocke of thy sheepe The mountaines are euen partched with furie against thy congregation to presse with the weight of their tyrannie the babes of thy familie Awake vp therefore O Lorde sleepe not slumber not but awake and defeate their ima gined mischiefe as thou hast promised that they that trust in thee shal be as mount Sion which cānot be remooued Suffer them to beat vs y ◠we might liue godlie in thee but so let them buffet vs that they neuer ouermaster vs that according to thy promise as mount Sion wee maie not be moued Giue vs grace to trust in thee whatsoeuer betide vs and neuer to start from thee whatsoeuer smart we suffer that continuing to the end wee may be blessed with thee for euer And for the mountains of this world either euen them with the vally and babes of thy familie or else pare and partch them with the beames of thy iudgement Thy wil bee don O Lord thy kingdome come and saue vs we beseech thee Amen A praier for the Queene O Louing God wee thanke thee for the great care which thouhast ouer thy Church She hath bene tossed with the waues of this worlde and the preaching of thy word did suffer shipwrack but now O Lord now of meere mercie thou hast repaired the broken hart of Ierusalem and gladdened our harts with the wine of comfort For thou haste appointed a mother ouer Sion to cherish and defend hir from al hir storming aduersaries so that by hir meanes we are freed from the slauerie of the Romish Pharao and salued from the sore of heresies wherewith thy deere espouse was most gree uouslie troubled O Lorde continue this weede-hooke in her hande that she may throughlie cleanse thy garden Let thy wil and gratious plesure be hir scepter and target against the frowning band of cloudie Saules Alwaies erect and pitch about her the tents of thy fauour that no euill betide hir or daunger annoy her Clippe her in thy sweete armes and kisse her in mercie be not thou angrie with hir but continue her a fauourable nursse to little Dauid that hee maye growe in all faith and holynesse vntill hee be a perfect manne in Christ Iesus Lorde saue her in thy mercie and deliuer her from al euil Amen A praier for all Magistrates CRooked is the way of al flesh O father of heauen and ouer plētious would the haruest of weedie nature be vnlesse it were lopped and minished by the weedhooke
of thy maiestrates whom thou hast appointed as gods vnder thee to keepe thy garden clene from all noisome and stinking hearbs Clense them O Lord and plant a new spirite within them that aboue all things fauouring thy Gospel they may bend al their endeuours to the dâ—erishing of thy holy Church and maintenance of the truth without the which no maÌ„ shal liue and see thee Giue them grace to labour diligentlye in thy vineyard to mowe downe the haruest of sinne nei 〈…〉 er for feare or flatterie to starte backe from their dutie but without all discouragement to vse thy will as an axe to cutte downe the roote that withereth and beareth nothing but a perished stocke and barrayn branches that the ded boughs of iniquitie beeing broken off the branches of thy sonne Iesus may without let or hinderance spread foorth the sweete leaues of thy sauourie grace and beare in hart the frutes of thankesgiuing which is pleasant acceptable in thy sight Amen A generall confession of sinnes FAther ADAM O Lorde gaue the first onset none of vs his children haue broken the arraie The serpent counselled Eue gaue the apple to Adam so both sinned against thy diuine maiestie As for vs the naturall branches of this rotten stocke one of the same stampe shall speak We are borne in sinne and conceiued in iniquitie so that wee be damned by merit before we be borne But yet ô Lorde wee conâ—eâ—â—e it to our comfort and thy glorie that thou hast concluded all vnder sinne that thou mightest haue mercie on all and al glorie be giuen to thee We confes our selues lost wee are lost grotes and lost sheepe but this is the sole ioy of our hearts that thy sonne came to seeke to saue that was loste So that though we be lost in our selues yet we are founde in thy sonne who came into this worlde to sâ—ue sinners This is thy vnde◠〈…〉 ued goodnes O Lord to loue thine enimies to saue vs that haue euen from the womb rebelled againste thy diuine Maiestie euen before we were borne to saue vs by the death of thine onelie begotten son and to prepare a ioyous kingdome for vs before the beginning of y e world Therefore O Lorde what shall we crie but shame shame vpon vs an axe to the roote and an axe to vs all the withered branches of rotten Adam by desert For glorie and power dominion and Maiestie saluation and mercie is onelie thine and of thee of the which mercie saue vs we beseeth thee Amen Another WE are all publicans O Lorde open the eares of thy fauour vnto our crie and haue mercie vppon vs haue mercie vppon vs. We sinne dailie but yet saue vs of thy pittie saue vs oh saue vs and shewe thy compassion vppon vs. Let vs not die a Iudas death let vs neuer tune the doleful song of Cain but ingraue in our hart a full liuely faith in thee that neuer doubting of thy bountious mercie wee may with a free conscience set Satan at defiance and all his hellyshe bande Pittifull Iesu heare this our crie and fense vs with thy grace against the gaping deuil who roreth of crueltie and lurketh in euerye Corner of malicious subtiltie to trap and to snare to take and to teare vs with the Clawes of his furie and mercilesse enuie Fence vs with faith againste him O Lord laie the plaister of comfort to our wounded consciences couer vs with the wings of thy fauour that we may liue and die in thee and so be blessed Amen A praier for humi 〈…〉 ie IT is thine owne Leslon O Sauiour Iesus Be humble and meek as I am it is thy worde also My sheep heare my voice But Lorde what shall I doo the fleshe is proude I dailie rebell against thy holie wil I enuie my superiours I loue not mine equals I despise mine inferiours This is the frute of the flesh O Lord Death death but thou art loue and life O louing Iesus And therefore I beseech thee of thy tender loue to pitie me to indue me with the spirit of humblenes that being poore in spirit I may with the little ones of thy kingdome be blessed liue for euer O Lorde for the auoidance of pride giue mee thy grace to consider that by it an Angell became a diuel and man was excommunicate from the paradise of pleasure Desire of souereigntie begate the diuell sinne death damnation so that out of it as a moste filthie puddle issued a whole sea of mischeefe and miserie Of this cup of pride father Adam dranke when by his disobedience hee loste thy fauour and by the taste of an apple thought to bee thy comate in knowing of good and euill Giue me thy grace not onlie to consider this but also fully to digest it that detesting it as a venemous viper I may in humblenes of hart serue thee holilie and soundelie without hypocrisie who art a patterne of lowlines and a mirrour of humilitie continuallie to bee looked vpon and trulie to be followed O life and louer of soules giue mee grace alwaies to heare hearing thy words to follow thee Amen Another for charitie O Infinite charitie thou sonne of God to whom the father hath surrendred all power in heauen and earth I haue offended thee most greeuously indaÌ„gered my selfe desperatlie For charitie O charity thou shalt iudge the world in equitie I haue not charity biding within me I loue for gaine I hate mine enimies I pray not for theÌ„ that cursse and speake euil of me I haue enough of thy benefites and yet haue I spared nothing for Lazarus and therein I haue sinned against thee ô eternall charitie incurred the perill of thy iust iudgmentes Is there no remedy O charity but must iudgment be giueÌ„ against me is al thy bloud spent are al thy teares drie hast thou none to wash mee Correct me not O charitie in thy iudgment or furie neither chastise me in thine anger but deale with me acor ding to thy wonted mercie In charity in thy loue vnmerited O blessed Charity haue mercy vpon me quit me from a repliyng conscience the court of the Deuil For else ô charity wil mine own life reclaime against me craue damnation for mine vncharitable conuersation Piteous God therefore I beseech thee for thy bloudie sweat in thy bottomles pittie drown my transgressions adopt me thy brother giue me thy holie spirits testimonie as a gage and earnest of mine adoption that being freed from sinne I may serue thee with a free conscience in hope and an vnwauering faith in thy mercies Amen A praier for the mortification of the flesh O Lorde the kingdome of the flesh is verie strong so strong that I am not able to withstand it For in me that is in my fleshe dwelleth no good thing and so infectious is the palsie of the fraile flesh that vnlesse thou O Lord doe season it there is no waie but to incur
the peril of a mortal plague I beseech thee therfore O father of heauen in the name of thy sonne Christe to deliuer mee of this terrible reward of sinne to qualifie with the salt of thy grace our vnsauourie fleshe and to sweeten our viperous and vile nature with the oile of thy spirit that fighting manfullie vnder our capteine Michaell against the Dragon wee may not onelie wage battell or subdue but also crucifie the old man hand foot head hart euen the whole kingdome of Satan the prince of vtter darkenes that the diuel being battered downe and the olde Adam driuen out of our hartes we may offer vppe our bodies as liuely sacrifices vnto thee without any sent of stinking nature For this O Lord is acceptable in thy sight that beeing transformed into thee in newnes of life wee may bee fit temples for thy holie spirit to dwel and abide in Mortifie therefore the flaming fleshe O Lorde and appease the waues of our wanton nature that we may be euen as thou willest holie as thou art holy Amen Another WHat shal I doo O gratious God for I am borne of flesh the very affection wherof is death Shal I die shal the frame of thy hands be destroied no Lorde For thy mercies sake remember thy promise Aske and haue I aske O Lord I aske mercy doo I aske I desire thee in the bow els of thy Son Christ to regenerate me a spiritual man that beeyng borne anewe not of flesh nor of bloud nor of the will of man but of thy spirite by the power of thy worde I may be consecrate a priest vnto thee O Lorde and louer of holines guide me in the waye of thy will that I wander not in vanitie which thou abhorrest and canst not abide Thou hatest sinn and all the workers of iniquitie and vnles wee repent as father Baptist saide we shal al for our sinnes suffer the rod of thy iustice Giue mee therefore the sword of thy spirite that I may cut off the eare of Malchus and then bee healed by the playster of Grace Apparel me with thy heauenlie truth and arme me with thy holie worde that in time of combate I may be able to cut off the desperate assaults of the sinfull flesh Amen O Lord Amen I saie vnto the wordes Aske and thou shalt haue In mercie performe thy promise O eternal veritie and giue me grace not to doubt thereof Amen A praier for the obteining of grace O LORD I am thy sheepe thy hands haue facioned me a lost sheepe I am that haue wandered past the pasture of thy will into the brode field of vanitie As thou hast framed mee therefore of thy goodnes so recall me from straieng by the voice of thy mercie Giue mee grace to heare thee hearing to come vnto thee comming to follow thee and following thee the waie to heauen and doore of glorie euer to beare about me the pearle of grace and neuer to decline from the rule of thy wil. Keepe me from the pit of sinne vnderprop me from falling into the ditche of iniquity by the hand of thy fauour and fense me with grace the buckler of thy mercie that I may defeate Satans wilinesse and repel the blowes of frowning sinne a cloudie conscience O Lord let grace through the pipe or chanell of thy mercie distil into the vessel of my barren hart that being moistened with the dewe of thy gratious blessinges and softened with the spirit of thy goodnes I may lodge thee the blessed Trinitie linked in an indissoluble knot of vnitie to the reparation of the image of grace recouerie of disgraced nature Amen Another IT is thy gratious wil O God of mercie that all men shuld be saued It is not thy wil ô pitious Iesu that any sheepe of thy pasture should bee deuouted or anie Creature perishe which thou of thy goodnes hast framed And therefore O louer of man and loue it selfe I a poore wretched sinner that haue a longe time pastured in the broade way of iniquity yet hearing thee continuallie and that of mercie calling Come vnto me doo come vnto thee for grace and mercie agaynst merited cōdemnation Grace Lord grace is almy sute For I am a plaine castawaie and by thousands more wretched than the crawling Worme of the earth vnlesse thou bedeck me with the garment of Grace and marrie me in thy mercies promised to the house of Dauid Lap me therefore O Father of Heauen in thy whyte rayment and apparel my nakednes with the wouen coate of thy grace that Satan finding no seame in my wedding garment may not be able in anie respect to rip vp my faults before thee at the daie of thy visitation This do O gratious Iesu clippe mee in thy sweete armes and bowe downe thy head to kisse mee in mercie and be not angrie for my sins but drowne them in thy pretious blood for thine owne sake I beseech thee Amen A praier for patience in affliction O Fountaine of comfort O streamie welspringe of vndeserued mercie beholde most gratious GOD and louing Father I beseech thee mee thy poore creature Behold Lorde I am a worme and no man the buls of Basan impale mee rounde about the diuell like an hungrie Lion ro reth and gapeth to dispatch mee and the flesh like a venemous viper seeketh to stinge me Good God behold behold mee and fortifie thy seruaunt thine owne handie worke against the stormie blasts of the enimie Patience patience O Lorde adorne me with patience and seale vp in my heart the remission of my sinnes by the testimonie of thy holie spirite that being holden vp by the anchor of a liuelie hope in thy sufficient merits I may be able to indure the ende of this my combat which vnder thy banners I presently do sustein Most mighty Mychael fence thy child against the traitorous rebels of this world which doo nothinge else but dismember the babes of thy familie pro phane thy pretious passion Be thou vpon my side that no enimie may preuaile againste me Lord in thee haue I trusted let me neuer be confounded I beseech thee for thine owne merits Amen Another THere is no victorie without fighting nor anye crowne without victorie giue mee therefore power O Lord that fighting valiantly I maie bee crowned gloriouslie in heauen with thee to liue for eeuer Minister strength vnto mee that I maye ouermayster mine enimies and giue mee the spirit of patience that continuing to the ende I may bee found and taken as a faithfull souldiour of thy sonne Iesus and so be blessed Let me not faint in feare but let mee fight in a liuely faith whych ouermatcheth the whole worlde Plant me a naturall branch by the power of thy worde in the vine Iesus and make me able to indure euerie cracke Let no canker of sinne eate me let no worme of a burnt conscience gnaw me let no blaste of the worlde ouerturne me but staie me vp with thy mightye hand and bee euer at
not swallowed vp in griefe and sorrowe Lorde sweete Lord thou sendest thy seruants to cal me to the marriage thy fatlinges and oxen are killed and Dinner is readie Lorde giue mee grace to come vnto thee that beeing freed from sinne and eased of sorrow the fruit of sinne I may mary thee in the couenant of thy mercie and banquet with thee face to face at the table of ioye in thy heauenlie Ierusalem Lord louing Lorde and gratious God blesse the fruite of my wombe and take it into thy famylie For I beleeue Lorde that thou becamest of God the sonne of man to make it and all other whome thy father hath giuen thee the Children of God thy heauenlie Father According to my faith therefore O Lord be it vnto me Open the doore of thy mercie and lodge my child in the vertue of thy couenant that being my God and the God of my seede I maie glorifie thee both now and euer and offer vp the sacrifice of praise the fruites of a ioyfull spirit vnto thee Lord and Father of heauen it is thy wil that al men should be saued thy wil be doone and saue mee by thy mercie I beseech thee Amen A praier for the prisoner O Liuing GOD and louinge Father of Heauen I haue stood in the waie of sinners and wasted my days in iniquitie for the which I am iustlie tied in bands and shall suffer the shippewrack of this fraile and fading life O Lorde comfort me with thy holy spirit against the terror of death and so roote in mee the hope of saluation that I may looke in stedfast saith after the night of my passion to suppe and to be with thee in heauenly paradise Euill hath beene my life euen from the wombe haue I warred with euill nature against thee and to my power sought to destroy my selfe and to crucify my Iesus again most villanouslie But yet O. Lorde and father of mercie I beleeue verilie that al thy sonnes bloud is not dried vppe I am persua ded that there are some drops of grace reserued for all laden and labouring publicans and therefore comming vnto thee I crie and cal Lorde haue mercie vpon me a sinner Lorde O Iesu thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me Remember thy bloo die passion and with the testimonie of most thy holy spirite seale vp in my heart my saluation that I may die in thee and so liue with thee for euer Amē A praier to be said at the houre of death FAther of heauen into thy handes I doo commend my soule Lorde increase my faith strengthen my weaknes fortifie my soule with the Testimonie of thy fauour against the feare of death which is dreadfull vnto me O gratious God looke not vppon my merits for they are none nor vpon my life for it hath been very naught and abhominable but looke vpon Christ thy deer sonne and my louinge Iesus who beeing slaughtered vpon the altar of the Crosse crieth vnto thee for me and my brethren Father forgiue thē Thy sonne O Lorde died to deliuer vs was bound to lose vs out of hellish Aegypt that being freed by him wee might alwaies and solie serue him But mercie Lorde mercie is all my sute for I haue prophaned his pretious passion by my euill conuersation and done what laie in my power to crucifie him againe but notwithstanding Lord thou art alwaies mercifull and of great pittie and I beleeue verely that thy sonnes mercie is not abated who cried for the butchering Iewes Father forgiue them Louing God therefore burie mine iniquities and accept thy sonnes crie as a satisfaction for my sinne Lord haue mercie vpon me a sinner Amen A praier for the truth HEresie O Lorde is the spurre of dunghil cocks and hirelinges which faint and will not fight in thy quarrell against the wolfe for the sheepe of thy pasture Let not this spur blind the eies of christians let it not shut vppe the windowe of thy will Thy truth defende O Gratious God and with the whippe of thy iudgement scourge al penie gospellers and scowre thy fathers house which must be a house of praier that thy worde may be truly preached which is thy power vnto saluation Grant vnto vs the pure bread of life let it not bee sowred with the leuen of vnseasoned Rabbins least thy truth being eclipsed with euill doctrine be vtterly buried and so thy Lambes for hunger starued The babes of thy familie do hunger gape for meat they dailie crie vnto thee Father of heauen deliuer vs from euil Come Lorde Iesus come for thou art truth and the onely teacher of truth Roote vppe out of thy garden the weedes of heresie and hinder the blaste of slaundering Trumpetters whoe dooe nothing else but barke againste thy truth and bite the good names of others and al to the defacing of thy Gospel Amen A praier for the ploughman IT is thy iuste reward O GOD to man for his trecherie and disobedience against thy maiestie that he should get his liuing by the sweat of his browes I confesse therefore O thou iust God and louing father that I haue merited this bondage that thou maiest be iustified when thou art iudged Giue me thy grace O Lord that I may be diligent and faithful in my vocation to doo my dutie not so much for feare as for conscience Giue me thy grace that I may serue with a willing minde and a free conscience that beeing subiect to a Christian in body yet I may beare rule ouer sinn and Satan in a stedfast fayth and feare of thee Gard defend mee with thy grace and fense me with thy fauour Vphold my feet frō slipping staie mee that I fall not and if I fal raise me vp that I may not lie in the mire of desperation when sinne shall assault mee Plow my hart with the threats of thy pearsing lawe and harrowe it with a greeuous memorial of my omitied duetie but so O Lord that thou in the end doo so we in it the seede of thy Gospell the bread of immortalitie that I may liue in thee and by thee now and for euer Amen A praier for the blessing of his labour SVch was the fall of Adam O gratious God so great was his rebelliō against thy diuine maiestie that of desert thou maiest forsake him and staie the hand of thy boun teous liberalitie Notwithstanding Lorde because that thou hast commanded all men to aske and allured them to craue things necessarie by thy promise that hee that asketh shal haue therefore O Lorde in hope of thy wonted and offered mercie I come vnto thee in the names of Christ thy beloued sonne and my louinge husband desiring thee in the streames of thy bloodie teares to wash me from my sinnes to burie them in the bottome of the sea and to scatter them as chaffe before the winde that I being taken into thy fauour reconciled to thee in the blood of the immaculate lambe may looke in assurance for thy
fatherlie prouidence Blesse O Lord the curssed earth so fructifie the barren earth with the deawe of heauen that we may haue great cause to glorifie thy name and sufficient for nature againste extremitie to releeue vs with thy store in time of necessity Amen A praier for peace AP pease O gratious God the surging waues of this present euill worlde cut downe the angrie make-bates and graunt vnto vs the peace of thy spirit that liuing in one minde and bearing about vs one wil grounded vpon thy gratious pleasure wee maye bee gathered into one sheepefolde and liue in brotherlie loue and vnfained vnitie O louing maker and God of peace it is a pitious thing to see the malice of the world it is a myserie to behold how thy members disioint themselues in ceremonies and beggerlie elements it is a hell to consider how mightie Saule rageth against little Dauid to see the beastlie crueltie and tiger like tyrannie of the Pharaos of this world who not tendring their owne case not regarding the end of thy passion or full and sole redemption do racke and rent the babes of thy Church thy beloued wife Redresse all this gratious God eyther cut off our enimies or else conuert them that wee may together wage battell against the diuell our archaduersarie Season the harts of our brethren that wil for a trifling ceremonie renounce thy veritie and breake the bandes of Christian vnity Continue the weake nouices of thy schoole in the libertie of thy Gospel that all offense being taken away we may serue thee the God of peace euen charitie it selfe in Charitie Amen A praier in time of Warre O Lorde and onelye peacemaker linke vs in vnitie that are deuided ioyne vs in loue that haue sundered our selues and so transgressed thy holie will If our cause bee euill good Lord amend vs and reconcile vs with the peace of thy spirit if it be good defende vs O Lorde and turne vnto vs or else confound our enimies Gratious Iesus thou knotte of peace which hast ioyned God thy father and man not onelie in fauour as friendes but also coupled vs in one brotherhood with thee as his children we beseech thee to sow the seede of concord in vs that we maie liue in thee as fruitful branches now and for euer O Lord giue vs thy grace that wee purchase no enuie nor be the fathers of sedition of warr or any insurrection but imprinte in our hearts thus much that thou art loue who shalt come to iudge the quicke and the dead Charitie shall iudge the world and confound al bruers of tumults Ingraue this lesson O Lord in the tables of our harts and for giue vs al that is past guide vs in that which is to come that we fall not but stande fast in the way of thy will Amen A praier for the Captaine DEfend the righteous cause of thy seruant assist mee with strength against mine enimies with the wisedome of thy spirit against the policie of man that beeing wholie guided by thee I may fight manfullie in thy quarrel to the building of thy Church and vtter rebuke of her aduersaries Without thee ô fountaine of goodnesse and God of mine estate I can doo nothing Arme mee therefore with thy grace with the buckler of thy word that I may bee able not onely to war with but also to ouermatch Satan my deadlye foe and al his hellish band setting themselues against thee and thine annointed Enriche me with thy mercie that I may bee able to put vpon mee the white raiment offaith and being clothed with it may stande sure against the foming minysters of the diuel that no storm may ouerturne or dismay me O Lord kepe me from al wrest ling affections from inordinate motions defende mee O Lord. Let al discord be remooued whereby thy pellican children may be disseuered But nourishe O God of loue thy babes with the spirite of patience that I and they beeing of one minde may doo our endeuoures and bende our whole strength to the reedifieng of mother Sion which traueleth with sorrowes and sinketh in the mist of heresies vnles thou pul hir out by the hande of thy mercie which doo O gratious God I beseech thee Amen A praier for the souldiour THis worlde is nothing else but a sea of trouble heere the diuel stormeth there the worlde frowneth on euerie side the flesh assaulteth vs so that our life may well be tearmed a warrefare and our daies a treasure of dangers O Lorde with the anchor of thy mercie vphold vs that we sink not in the sea of this troublous time but guide vs with thy holie spirit that our liues may please thee and wee in our death praise thee through Iesus Christ our Lord. Plant the tree of peace among vs lette it flourishe to the gladdening of our harts that al dissention cut off wee may be linked in one knot of Christian vnitie gathered into one sheepfold and guided by thee our onelie and one sheepheard Let nothing sunder the members of thy bodie but cherish and nourish them with a full persuasion of brotherhood in the vnitie of our Sauiour and thee our one and onlie father Amen A praier in time of dearth O Mightie God and maker of al things thou art iuste and in iustice hast thou scourged vs we confesse it O Lord. Our liues haue deserued thy whip the excessiue riot of sinne hath merited the famine and want of thy gratious benefites but not withstanding louing Lord burie our iniquities in the multitude of thy wonted goodnes and blesse vs with the store of thy mercie that as wee may nowe declare thy iustice reuealed agaynste sinne so likewise wee maye preach and blase abroad to the worlde the bottomlesse pit of thine infinit pittie O gratious Lord thou gauest thine onely sonne our Iesus to the death euen to the death of the crosse by his bitter passion to purchase our redemption As thou hast giuen him so good Lord giue vs all thy benefites with him that as thou hast by him redeemed vs so wee in him may bee sustained during this transitorie life with fulnesse of thy grace tyll the daie of his great visitation when meting him in the clouds we shall be set on his right hande to liue with him in sulnesse of ioye for euer Desend vs O Lord from extreme needines and correct vs not in thine anger but store vs with sufficient in thy mercie Foode and raiment good Lord wee aske no more Giue vs and grant vs this our petition and giue vs grace therwith to be content Amen A praier against the feare of death THy handes haue ramed me O lord And whereas to the ble 〈…〉 she of all his posteritie father Adam made himselfe thorough follie worse than nothing a curssed caitife euen thine vtter enimie it pleased thee of vnmerited goodnes to leaue the colledge of thy Saints the ninetie nine iust sheepe the bande of thy blessed angels to seeke the straieng sheepe the groate
their ouer-streaming tables But yet O Lord I beseech thee forgiue them and denye mee not the crums of thy grace but looke vppon me with the pitious eie of thy louing countenance Assist mee so O Lorde with thy holy spirit that being alwaies content with my calling I may seeke to serue thee in holinesse and purenes of liuing without feare al the daies of my life Beate me with pouertie beate me O Lord strike wound doo thy good will ô louing God so thou saue mee of thy mercie wherin lieth al the ioy of my soule Giue mee thy grace neuer to misdoubte thy prouidence that neuer doubting of thy fatherly care I may with a gladsome heart endure the end of my warrefare Giue me a contented minde let thy wil be my wil and my will alwaies answerable to thy will that I neuer offende thee but doo my dutie in louing thee wishing well to all the world Amen The Widowes praier O LORD I thanke thee that thou hast scourged me with the death of myne husband He was bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh hee by the couenant of matrimonie was made one bodie with me thou gauest him vnto mee and thou haste taken him from mee blessed be thy name for euer The bandes of death haue sundered mee from him but I hope O Lorde by the power of thy holye spirite that nothing shall bee able to separate mee from thee myne onelye Iesus the onely ioye of my soule put the axe of thy mercie to the roote of wanton nature and cut it off that I doo not marrie the vanitie of this wicked worlde but put vpon mee the garment of innocencie and tie about my hart the iewel of faith that I may onelie marry thee in the couenant of thy heauenlie father louing Iesus and haue nothing to doo with the adulterer the Dyuell the father of deadly fornication This is the only bed of ioy wherein I will sleep O Lord the onlie arke of cōfort where in I wil saile till I shal see thee face to face To whome bee praise and honour both nowe and euer Amen The Tenants praier I Thanke thee O father of Heauen that thou haste made me after thin owne image Thou mightest haue made me a frog a worm a tree but thou hast not doone it O Lorde And what was in cause surelie not my merit for I was not before thou madest me it was thy mercye good Lorde the true mother of all mankind Thou hast not made me a king a ruler a lorde no Lorde but I thanke thee for it thou hast made me a tenant of men but yet in thee that euer I might acknowledge thee i◠them my cheefe Lorde in heauē Giue me grace O Lord to thankefull for this thy wil and dutifullie to walke in my voca tion and giue mee thy grace that as I am a tenant to man so I may alwaies bee a tenant to thee to doo thee seruice to paye thee yeerelie my hourely rent which is a thankfull hart for all thy benefites If man would haue mee to do wrong against right Lorde giue mee of thy grace to consider that better it is to be thy Tennant than mans If the diuel and the worlde entising mee to walke wantonly seeke my destruction giue mee grace O God to consider that al things are sub iect to thine vniuersall power and shal not they obeie how then can they or dare they assault me to hurt me fastening the anchor of my faith vpon so sure and firme a rocke if the fleshe make warre against the spirit to make me seruiceable to sinne minister strength vnto me O Lorde that being thy tenant and a child of thy familie I may winne the field and fighting valiauntlye may bee crowned eternallie with thy sonne Iesus my blessed Sauior Amen The fatherlesse childes praier O Lorde so narrowe is the mouthe of charitie so consumed is the firebrand of Christian loue that although the foxes haue their holes birds their neastes yet haue wee no place to reste our heads on As Pilgrimes wee wander from place to place and are driuen with the winds of pinching pouertie vpon the seas of this worlde to seeke reliefe but alas and woe to the world for it The rich man deuoureth all superfluitie or else hourdeth vppe to fill hys Garners niggardlie so that Lazarus may not onely walke amid the streetes naked but also lie begging at the gates full sore and yet go without the crums which fall from the Table to ease the tune of his necessitie O Lord therfore do I flie vnto thee haue thou mercie vpon me for it is onely thou which fillest with thy blessing euerie liuing thing I am better than a farthing sparrowe O Lorde thou knowest it and I acknowledge it to my comfort Feede my soule with the fleshe of thy sonne and set me drinke of his bloud that seeking firste thy kingdome I may in the end be crowned with glorie and sit at the table of ioy in heauen with thee O Lord grant this I beseech thee Amen A Sword against the feare of death Wherein is liuelie declared with what weapons a Christian souldiour should fight to hold and keepe his own made by the said E. H. The first weapon Consider thy selfe MAN dooth consist of twoe partes an earthly bodie and soule spiritual Thy bodie what is it It is a case of thy soule such a case as is a prison and therefore Dauyd desirous of life eternall and the sight of his master Christ cried out Oh howe long shall I lie in this prison Yea this case of the soule is such a cage of filth as a man of God hath said that no Bocardo noe dungeon no sinke no puddle no pitte is in any respect so euil a prison for this bodie as the body is of the soule For it is suche a case as stinketh in the sight of God a bodye of sinne is this cage of the soule and therefore cried Paule out oh wretch that I am who shal deliuer me from this bodie of sinne Beholde deere Chrystians such an heauie burden was the bodie to the soule that Paule was willing to giue this world a farewel with father Simeon hee wished that hee might depart in peace Oh that we had this courage of Paule or were as godlie wise as Dauid to locke that vpp in the closet of our heartes which they had fullie digested For then wee shoulde haue a wished famine of mourning Christians on rather vnchristian Painims who dooe weepe and waile for the dissolution of this earthie and fraile tabernacle which Dauid longed for and Paule with father Simeon desired Dauid that father of the faith ful and mouth of the holie spirite he was a man after GOD his owne hart whom God had spiced with grace and made of his mercie a vessel of honor He was a piller of mother Sion he liued in the childhood of the Churche when the cloud of the lawe did yet ouershaddowe the
thereof it came without question that they did cursse not onlie the daie of birth but also him that brought the message to their father that a child was borne They had fullie considered the degrees of their miserie Their birth place was but a foule and filthie dungeon they themselues were but a substance of bloud and instruments of their mothers their nourishment little better than venom their birth not without extreme pains of the deere mother and violent offense of their tender bodies They knewe throughlie that they were conceiued in filth and vncleannes born in sinne and care and nourished with paine and labour They dyd knowe themselues to haue bin like cralling wormes and that at their entrie into this worlde they were apparelled with bloud And therefore considering their miserable condition they curssed the daye of their wretched birth Yea this made father Ieremie to wishe that his mothers wombe hadde serued for his tumbe and father Esaie to bewaile his birth and to murmur againste the knees that helde him vppe and also the breasts that gaue him suck They had fully conceiued that man was made of the slime of the earth conceiued in sinne borne in paine and at the laste made a prey for wormes This miserie of mans life had they fullie digested and therefore wished to haue died before they were borne Come hither nowe beloued Christians wee are manie an ace short of Iob Ieremie or Esay in life and in iudgement One after a through sifting of this miserable life wished that his mothers wombe had been his tumbe another murmured at the paps that gaue him suck the third curssed the daie of his birth and not onelie that but him also that firste declared it Did they soe lyttle sette by this myserable life as to cursse it and so little loue the pappes that norished them as to murmur against them yea the verie knees that helde them vp and by reason of this wretched pilgrimage to be so wearie of this life as to wishe they had beene buried in their mothers wombe and shall wee feare death They wished they had neuer liued and shal we for feare of death wishe euer or a longe time to liue they curssed the daie of their birth whoe were holie men and shal we weepe for the daie of death the verie ende of their wishe did they murmur against the paps that gaue them sucke and shall not we welcome death when the Lord sendeth him naye they murmured euen againste the knees that did beare them vp and shal not we bee willing to surrender heade feete handes heart knees and al to mother earth and to salute death in ioy of spirit Fie for shame and out vpon vs if we doo not willinglie and merrilie wishe and crye Thy kingdome come ô father of heauen Come Lord Iesus come Let vs denie the olde man cherish our hope that wee haue in the full merites of Christ that when the Lorde shall call we may come vnto him without anye rebellion And as for death account of it but as a moste blessed ende or period of this wretched life an axe that cutteth off al miseries and therefore feare it not The thirde weapon Consider the commodities of death WE are tossed turmoyled vppon the seas of this world with manie a dangerous tempest euen till wee be we arie or at least should be with holie Paule of our short vncerteine miserable liues and then dooth the Lorde euen of mercie call vs to reste and ioy with his Saints in heauen 〈◊〉 that resting from our labours wee may continuallie pray se him with the band of his holie Angels By death he deliuereth vs from danger and therefore to arme vs against the feare therof it pleased the holie spirit to cal death a sleepe by the which being dispatched of all aduersities wee are brought to our graues therein to lie as it were in a soft featherbed and in a sweet sleep abiding the comming of Christ our lord whe◠hee shall knocke at the bedd◠and cal vs vppe to liue for eue◠with him and his holye Aungels Death therfore doth not swalow vp our bodies thogh for a time they must lie in the bellie of mother earth For death is a sleepe and is vnpossible as it is that a whole man being in a sound sleepe should not wake vp againe euen so vnpossible is it that a Chrystian shoulde continue in Death for euer And as for this sleepe it is but a shorte sleepe for the daye is at hand and the time of iudgmente draweth neere when dead bodies shall arise and the earth shal render them vp that be in her that meeting and appearing together with our beloued friends and set vpon the right hand of his blessing wee may as liuely members be fully knit in our body Christ Iesus So that death is but a sleepe and a shorte sleepe out of the which we and al our brethren sisters and friends that are departed in the Lorde shall rise more fresh than euer we were to leaue this fraile and earthie bodie and to haue it made like to the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ. And who now would feare death or who should grudge at the Lorde for castinge vs asleepe Death is a sleepe the earth is the Christian mannes featherbed where he must lie◠till the trumpet shall sound to awake him and call him vnto iudgement Who wil murmur againste this necessitie or rather againste this mercie for mercie it is that we die but for a time or rather sleepe for a time where of merit we shuld die for euer And therefore vnles by your gronings and sighings you wil exclaime against the mercy of the Lord by the which you are saued doo not feare Death or murmur against him but bles him with father Iob and thank him hartily that he hath granted thee thy daielye petition wherein thou praiest sayeng Our Father which art in heauen thy wil bee doone deliuer vs from euil For as for the first his will is doone whensoeuer any man dieth The verie farthing sparrowe can not fall without his prouidence the heares of our head can not perishe without his will much lesse dieth anie man without his will whoe far surpasseth all farthinge Sparrowes So that to wishe them aliue that are departed in peac it is to wishe that God his wil were not doone and what is that but to wishe that GOD were no God For if God bee God his wil is iust and muste needs be doone But as for many they will acknowledge that the will of God is doone againe that hi◠wil was iust in calling for their children whome hee had but lent them for a time and yet will carrie a biting sorrowe in their hearts and so wil they go neere to bringe death vppon themselues But to such mourning mothers I saye Why doo you mourne this life is a warfare death is asleepe Why do you mourne this life is short by condition and ful of myseries
in the kingdome of glory Fourthly let all couetous persons looke vpon mee and amend their euill liues For as I came naked into this world so did they and as I carrye nothinge with mee but my winding sheete euen so shall they Their riches the pelfe of this world shall they leaue behind them which they haue gathered in paine and hourded vp with greedie minds Oh you hungrie lions you are alwaies gaping for y e prey you are euer hungrie and neuer satisfied get you neuer so much by hooke or by crook by violent iniurie or biting vsurie But looke you vpon me For an eln of earth now shall serue mee and so must it serue you whom nothing may suffice in this world Sorrowe therefore and amende in time For you were not borne to gather worldelye substance but to serue poore Iesus who of God made himselfe poore to enrich you You were not borne to continue in this world No you haue no continuing citie heere but you must looke for another euen Heauen whence you are nowe exiled and therefore you must seeke the things that be aboue Your conuersation must be in Heauen You must not tie your harts to the earth and hourd vp the pelfe of this world lest the verie moths and rust of your tresure cry for a plague vpon and against you in the daie of vengeance For die you muste one day and be as I am and so rest in the bellye of mother earth vntil the day of accoūts when God shal rewarde euerie man according to his deserts Fifthlie let all enuious persons and euil willers beholde my hart let all bloodshedders looke vpon my feete all backbiters slanderers and curssers marke my toong all robbers and Vsurers view my handes all couetous persons note my winding sheete all selfelouers and proud men gaze vpon my face and hollowe eies let all men looke vpon me amende their liues for as I am euen so shall they be Sixtly let al Christians look vpon me courtiers and countrey men highe and lowe rich and poore yoong and old noble and vnnoble all let them looke vpon mee and remember their end Die they shal al this 〈…〉 l remember that they may neuer sinne Let all swearing belly gods al selfelouers men or women that monstrously disguise chast nature and paint their bodies which are stinking toombes of their seelie soules with intollerable vanities let al that care for beawties hewe looke vpon mee and iudge of theyr owne vanitie and condemne themselues least they be iudged of the Lord. For their broydered hayre their faced and defaced apparell theyr superfluous lasings their sumptuous Veluetes and silks their golden caules their wrought clothes their ringed fingers and their costlie fare in this worlde which Lazarus wanteth they are all vanitie neither shal they redeem them but to earth they shall and vanish with the vapour They shal al sleepe with me and they shall be one daye no better than I am worms meat stinking carcases duste and ashes they shall be whatsoeuer they doo appeare to the foolish world Kinges and princes magistrates and subiects schollers and maisters rich and poore al may looke vpon me For I am able to teache them a lesson which they forget dailie That earth they are and vnto earth they must with mee one daie and noe man knoweth howe soone Disdaine not to learne this at me for I teach you the truth which one day you your selues shal approue to be very true Seuenthly let all mourning mothers sorrowing friends lette them giue ouer weeping and vnchrystian wailinge For that cannot helpe them because it grudgeth and complai neth againste the will of God but rather let them bee merrie and reioise For behold this life is a warfare euen a continual warfare as Iob calleth it and death is a sleepe a sweete sleepe so that by it I rest from my labours I am deliuered from daunger to safetye from labour to ioye from trauel to rest from paine to pleasure and lie in the earth as it were in a bed till I must rise to iudgement This is the lucky estate of them that are dead in the lord And therfore did father Simeon desire to departe in peace and Paule counted hymselfe a wretch because hee was not deliuered from this bodye of sinne So that you haue no cause to mourne for your friends whoe by deathe are passed beyonde death euen to life to liue with GOD and to see him face to face euen as hee is But rather you haue cause to reioyse because by death they are taken into ioye to be where Christe Iesus is The dead man is but a sleepe hee is not dead but for a time and at length he shall awake euen by the sounde of a trumpet and crie of an Archangell to see his redeemer in heauen where he with thee and thou with him and the Heauenlye armie of Angels saints mailiue for euer Looke vpon me and remember this al you that mourne for the death of your friendes For blessed am I and thrise blessed This worlde is an exile Heauen my naturall countrey and so by death I am deliuered frō exile and heerein I am verie happie This present worlde is euill in heauen are ioyes that passe sense and conceit And so by death in the Lorde I am freed from euil and placed in ioye and heerin I am happie This world is no continuing citie but another that is heauen which when I liued in faith I looked for so that by death I am set in a permanent place and heerein am I happy This life is a pilgrimage hea uen my home and so by death of a pilgrim I am made a citizen and heerein I am happy To conclude by death from earth to heauen from men to Angels from warre to peace from paine to pleasure from griefe to euerlasting gladnes from vanitie miserie to perpetuall felicitie I haue passed in peace herin I am happie So that death is not to bee feared nor yet to bee lamented but rather welcome in ioye of spirit whensoeuer it commeth And for this are al Christians bound to render hartie thanks vnto the Lorde that hath turned the cursse into a blessinge and by his pretious death vpon the crosse made death no deth but an entrie to life a passage to ioy a deliuery from miserie For this blessing blessed be the name of the Lorde and let al people say Amen Imprint these few lessons in your memoryes and engraue them in the tables of your harts And thus farwel A Lodge for Lazarus Wherein the poore and friendlesse are exceedinglie comforted in spirit against all kinde of calamities incident to this temporall and miserable life made by the sayd E. H. THere are two sorts of pilgrimes in the worlde some are rich and some are pore Though the earth be the Lordes and the riches thereof his owne possessions though al men be his subiects haue deserued the like condition of life yet to blase his
mercy and to open his iudgementes and iustice vnto the world it hath pleased him to blesse som with store of his goodnes and to punish others with the wante of his temporall blessings Thus with pouertie he beateth the poore to declare his iudgement against sinne and the ritch man hee storeth with aboundance to the manifestation of his vndeserued mercie By these his benefits vpon the ritche and these his scourges laid vpon the poore hee crieth out to them Sinne no more alluring the one partie by faire and gentle the other by sharp and bitter meanes vnto safe repentance The rich man he maketh his deputies on earth or rather the stewards of his familie or rather the paterns of his mercie to take pitie vpon the begger when he craueth reliefe euen as he hath taken cōpassion vpon them who neuer deserued it And that they may vse them selues as shewers of his mercy hee hath promised that they shal alwaies haue y e poore with them this we see at this daye What a band of beggers be in euery place the poore doo swarme in euerye corner the fatherles and widowes yoong and old of all ages infinite doo grone and crie for very neede Som want cloth to couer their naked bodies some haue not meate to mittigate their hunger some noe drinke to ease their thirst some lie vnder hed ges in steed of lodginges some are lame and cannot go some are blind and cannot see some are deafe and cannot heare some are dumbe and cannot speake some are sicke some are sore of all people to the iudgement of the worlde most miserable and therefore doo they seeme to make this complaint to God our Heauenlye father O Lorde thou hast created vs thou hast framed vs we are thy handiworke and thou the potter that madest our grandfather Adam of the moulde of the earth Was thy goodnesse such to make vs when we wer not gentle Lord and wilt thou beate vs nowe thou hast made vs O Lord where is thy mercie is the eie of thy pitty dim med are the eares of thy woon ted goodnesse sealed what Lord is the hand of thy fauor shortened is the riuer of thy goodnesse dried vp Shal we hunger nay shall wee hungerstarue for want of thy blessinges what now good Lord thy sonne taught vs to praie Our Father Are we thy children and thou our Father Oh! where is thy fatherlie prouidence for beholde O piteous Lord we are borne to nothing besides skin flesh and bones we haue nothing in this world We post from place to place run from towne to towne wee goe from house to house we cry for releefe in thy name we aske it for thy sake but alas good Lorde wee can get nothing If we be strong though wee haue charge of children we are whipped we are stocked wee are imprisoned and howe not abused if wee bee lame dum deafe sicke or sore we may cry but alas charity is frozen where one heareth hundreds doo stop their eares and are deafe at our sutes O Lord charitie is drowned the best friend which we shuld haue hard hearts doo reigne the stoutest enimy that we can haue with this enimie we are assaulted almost in euery place alas for pitty pitty sweet lord is our request haue mercy vpon vs. Looke vppon Lazarus our king and capteine behold Lord he commeth to the rich mans gate there he lieth there he crieth Crums crummes he craueth to ease his hunger but he cannot get them dogs haue them but Lazarus cānot haue them The dogs come to Lazarus and licke his sores but Diues hath no feete to carrie him no tongue to laie the playster of comfort to his earnest sute no hand to helpe him not a crum to feede him Beholde Lorde doggs are better vnto vs than Diues nay they are in better case than we are for they haue the crums that falles from their maisters table but alas Lazarus cannot come by them O Lorde now where is thy wonted mercie shall Lazarus want shal he want the crums of breade to ease his hunger what shal he crie for them shal hee not haue them shall he shout but shall hee not bee heard what good Lorde shal hee die for hunger and Diues walowe in pleasure What Lord hast thou loste thy name god which soundeth as much as good thou art called Deus quasi Dans and yet shall Lazarus wante bread to refresh him This complaint of the poore man dooth gnawe him nay sometimes it quyte deuoureth him But to lay a salue of comfort to this sore of Lazarus O Lazarus why doest thou weepe why doest thou crie out whie doest thou seeme to blame the Lorde he hath appointed Diues as a father to regard thee But what dooest thou come to his gate dooest thou craue charitie art thou denied it the Lord commanded it therefore is the Lord instified when he is iudged But Diues hath abused his benefits and therefore shal he answer for it Let this be thy cōmfort let this be thy lodge to reste in from all complaints that one daie God who is charitie shal iudge the worlde the greatest scourge that Diues shall haue Then shall hee say as accounting that not doone vnto him which was not doon vnto you when I was hungrye thou gauest me no meate noe not the crums that fell from thy table when I was thirstie thou gauest me no drink when I was naked thou didst not cloath me when I was in prison thou didst not comfort me when I was harbourles thou didst not lodge mee giue an accoumpt of thy stewardship Then shal he crie out that hee neuer saw him hungrie or thirstie or else he would haue refreshed him not imprisoned or else hee would haue visited him not lodgles or else he would haue harboured him But this is all lies and therefore will he say vnto him Nescio I know thee not Departe as cursed into euerlasting fire where shall bee weeping and gnashing ofteeth Come hither crieng Lazarus thou that criest and showtest out vppon the Lorde and vpon the tyrannie of worldelings art thou sicke art thou sore art thou deafe art thou dumbe art thou naked what hast thou no place to laie thy head in come hither for here are pallaces of pleasure to pastime in excellente turrets of ioy to banket in and lodgelesse of infinit comfort to harbor in For what haue you not hadd meate when you haue craued it or drinke when you haue asked it haue you beene in prison and not visited sicke not comforted sore not eased naked and not cloathed wanderers and not succored Behold in your behalf Christ will iudge the rich and mercilesse gluttons of this worlde and in the daye of reuelation you to your ioyous conquest and to their vtter shame shall testifie beare witnes against them This is the first lodge of comfort But yet there is another besides this enter into that Behold when you asked reliefe it was Christ that asked and
his outstretched arme to saue and defend vs from the myserable seruitude of so tyrannous a ruler Againe al the spirits in hell may cursse the filthie bondage of sinne by seruice whereof they are in torments and shall continue in paines vnspeakeable for euermore The saintes and holie ones of God are in blisse in ioy yea in such ioye as neyther eie hath seene nor eare heard nor hart euer conceiued And whie euen because they repented forsooke s 〈…〉 ne and did the will of God in heauen For they onlie haue entred and shall enter into the kingdome of heauen that doo the wil of our heauenly father Therefore sith his wil is our sanctification innocencie of life puritie in conuersation vprightnes of hart abstinence from the lustes of the fleshe if that wee hope to enioye the giue eare vnto his voice conforming of our selues vnto his steps as neere as we could Let not the loue of riches the desire of any worldly promotion or anye thinge vnder the sunne bee it neuer so glorious since the preacher cryeth out saith that al is vanitie blind the eies of your vnderstandings withdraw your affections or restraine and pul packe your harts from thinking vpon the torments in hell or the triumphes in heauen the one ap pointed as punishmente for wickednes and iniquitie the other assigned as rewardes for righteousnes and innocencie The Lord of his mercie so moisten our harts that al hardnes beeing taken awaie wee may with moste willinge consents ioyne handes with Iesus Christe our Capteine against Satan sinne the fleshe and the world which enimies doo bitterlie and also continuallye war against vs and far exceed our strength to resist them vnlesse that we forsake them and shrowd our selues vnder Iesus Christ to whom be al glorie both now and for euer Amen A praier vnto almightie God wherein we beseech his diuine maiestie so to blesse vs with his grace that the vse of the praiers conteined in this booke and the wholesome lessons comprised in the same may take Christian effect in vs to our great comfort euen at all assaies and espâ—icially in time of necessitie Made by A. F. O Father of endles mercy the fountayne and welspring of all perfect happines the giuer of grace the bestower of true blessednes felicity heere vs ô heare vs for thy bottomlesse compassion sake and grant vnto vs we hum bly beseech thee whatsoeuer wanteth in vs towardes the acomplishment of our calling and duty And because thy holye word the trumpet of truth treasure of great riches hathe in expresse speeche threatened manye stripes to that negligent seruaunt whiche knoweth thy will and yet doth it not vouchsafe vs and as manye of vs as are instructed taught and thereby perceiue and vnderstand thy heauenlye pleasure endeuouringe to walke thereafter maye auoid that penalty of negligence which is denounced against the idle seruant thy grace preuenting vs in all our actions and intents We can not denie but that the sayeng of thy welbeloued son the substance of truth and liuelye image of thine owne maiestie is vndoubted certaine and infallible namely that not euerye one whyche crieth Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he which fulfilleth thy wil forsaking the world and all worldly pompe betaketh himselfe wholy vnto the seruice of thee and submitteth himself a scholler in thy schoole where learning sounde substantial knowledge he may be the more in loue with the riches of thy kingedome and bid al earthlie vanityes auant Now most mercifull Father for that the helpes to holines of life are infinite some and those singular consisting in thy Gospell preached some and those notable in sinceritie of conuersation and examples of godlines expressed some and those speciall in exhortations tending vnto Christianitie declared some and those heauenlie in praiers and supplications conteyned maye it please thee of thine vnspeakable goodnes ô mercifull Father to gyue vs grace so to imprinte them in our memories and to haue them sealed in our heartes that the course of our whole life may testifie to the world that thy gifts in vs are not voyd and frustrate barren and fruiteles vaine and vnused Least being otherwise it chaunce vnto vs as vnto him that knitting vpp his talent in a napkin hiding the same in the ground had not onlye the same taken from him but was also cast into vtter darknesse for his ydle nes vnprofitable seruice Among al which helps ô eternal God and faithfull ouerseer of our soules for that this whych wee haue in hande is not of least account since thereout wee sucke the sweet sap of com forte the assistance of thy spirite beeyng present with vs wee beseech thee with al submission to direct our vnderstandings to increase our faith to confirme our hope to kindle our zeale to guide all our affections and to gouerne the whole course of our life that exercisinge our selues in this or anye other godlye volume published for the edification of thy Church wee may vse it and them with integritie vprightnes of iudgement with deuotion voyd of hypocrisie with faithfull inuocation with humilitie and submission that inâ—ring our selues to praier vnfainedlie wee may obteine that whiche we pray for effectualy and for the same ministred vnto vs in time of necessitye with hart and voice extoll thy most dreadful maiesty to whome bee all honour glorie power and dominion euerlastinglie To this let all people say Amen most ioyfullie Amen FINIS ¶ A Catalog conteyning the seueral titles of euery praier and treatise comprised in this booke easie to be found by the true number of the page 1 THe first Morning praier pag. 1 2 Second morning praier 3 3 Third morning praier 6 4 Fourth morning praier 8 5 First euening praier 10 6 Second euening praier 13 7 Third euening praier 15 8 Fourth euening praier 17 9 A praier for all times against the power of Satan 19 10 Another 21 11 A praier for all afflicted Christians 23 12 Another 25 13 A generall Confession of sinnes 31 14 Another 33 15 A praier for humilitie 35 16 Another for charitie 37 17 A praier for the mortification of the flesh 40 18 Another 42 19 A praier for the obteining of grace 44 20 Another 46 21 A praier for patience in affliction 48 22 Another 50 23 A praier in time of persecution 52 24 Another 55 25 A praier againste the enymies of the truth 57 26 Another 59 27 A praier for the sicke 61 28 Another 64 29 A Confession for the sicke pag. 66 30 Another 68 31 A praier against desperation 70 32 Another 75 33 Another 78 34 A Praier for the auoidance of Gods wrath 80 35 A praier for remission of sinnes 82 36 Another 85 37 Another 87 38 A praier for increase of faith 89 39 A praier to bee sayde at the houre of death 123 40 A prayer for the truth pag. 125 41 A praier for peace 131 42 A praier in time of warre pag. 133 43 A praier in time of dearth pag. 139 44 A praier againste the feare of death 141 45 Another 146 46 Another 147 47 Another in forme of a confession 149 Peculiar Praiers appliable to particular persons of sundrie states and degrees 1 A Praier for the Queene pag. 27 2 A praier for all Maiestrates pag. 29 3 A praier for preachers 94 4 A praier for the increase of preachers 96 5 A praier for the Schoolmaister 98 6 Another 101 7 A praier for Schollers 103 8 The mothers praier for the good education of her youth 105 9 The fathers praier 107 10 The childes praier 109 11 The Husbandmans praier pag. 111 12 The maydseruants praier pag. 113 13 A praier for a woman with child 116 14 A praier for a Woman in trauel 118 15 A praier for the Prysoners pag. 121 16 A praier for the Ploughman 127 17 A praier for the blessing of his labour 129 18 A praier for the Captaine pag. 135 19 A praier for the Souldiour pag. 137 20 A praier for the Rich man pag. 158 21 Another 160 22 The beggers praier 162 23 Another 164 24 The widowes praier 166 25 The Tenants praier 168 26 The fatherles childs praier pag. 170 ⧠Fiue notable treatises and one deuout praier orderlie placed as they follow in the leafe 1 A Sword against the feare of death deuided into three weapons 173 The first weapon ibid. The Second weapon â—84 The Third weapon 203 2 A battell betweene the Dyuell and the Conscience pag. 213 The cal of Conscience in conflict for succour againste present danger 223 3 The deade mans School 225 4 A lodge for Lazarus 243 5 A retrait from sinne 285 6 A praier vnto Almightie God that the vse of this booke may be for our edification made by A. F. pag. 329 Glorie to God AMEN FINIS 1593. Imprinted at London by Richard Yardley and Peter Short for the assignes of W. Seres Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis