as Iron cankreth so dooth his wickednesse though he humble him selfe greatlie yet locke vp thy minde and beware of him set him not by thee nor on thy right hande leaste he turne gette into thy place take thy roume and possesse thy Seate Prou. 16. The cheerefull countenaunce of the Kinge is life his louinge fauoure is as the Euening dew Duce Deo. HONI SOIT QV MAL Y PENSE E Encrese Knowledge L Let Vertue guide I In Praier perseuer Z Zelously aske A Acknowledge Sinne. B Beware of Presumption E Enuie no man. T Tender the helpelesse H Hope for Heauen R Remember thy Rule E Encline to Iustice G Graunte gyftes by Defert I In Mercy delight N No Flatterers preferre A Accepte the Wise ¶ Holy briefe and comfortable Meditations or Praiers disciferyng in Alphabet forme the Royal Name of our most Vertuous Soueraigne EXercise mercy set thy Bread and Drinke vpon the table of the poore and hungrie couer the Naked with thi Clothes and these shal deliuer thee from Sinne and Death not suffer thy Soule to com in Darkenesse Zechiel the prophet saith When the wicked tourneth from his vngodlynesse he hath donne he shall saue his Soule With thy Seruaunt Esaie therfore I say oh Lorde thou art a great and fearfull god Thou kepest couenaunt mercy with them which loue thee and keepe thy Commaundements And with thy Apostle Barnabie I acknowledge I haue sinned I haue offended I haue bin disobedient and gonne back yea I haue departed from all thy pathes and Iudgements Lorde to thee belongeth righteousnesse and Mercy to mee shame and destruction for mine Iniquity Yet Lord enter not into iudgment with thy Seruaunt for no fleash is righteous in thy sight neither correct me in thy wrath for then I shal not abide it Haue mercy vpon me oh Father from the deapth of thy mercie take pity vpon mee forgeue Lorde heare my Praier and blotte out mine offences Let thy louing face shine ouer the woorke of thy handes that lieth waste Lord for thine owne sake doo it Encline thine eare and heare me beholde how desolate I am stretch out thy hande and helpe me Lorde I desire to comme to thee and my weakenesse is such as without thy helpe I am not hable to raise my selfe vnto thee Therfore Lord remember thy swâ—â—â—e promises tarry not ouer long strengthen me with thy holie Spirite heare my Prayers wash me in thy righteousnes I cast not these peticions before thee hoping in mine owne Merites which are none but trusting in thy great mercy and sweet promises Wherefore Lorde heare mee and forgeue mee and I shall liue for euer LEt Enimitie passe which seketh Death and Destruction and before thou Praiest forgeue els thou heapest vengeaunce of thy selfe LOrde make thy wayes knowen vnto mee that I may walke so perfectly that no kinde of Sinne ouercome me Thou leadest straight in iudgement and geuest sight to the blinde Thou arte neare vnto them that call vpon thee with faithful harte haue mercie vpon mee heare me and geue me a Hart to praie vnto thee Lay not against me my sinnes past but for thine owne sake forget them I vnderstand not al mine errours my sinnes haue taken holde on mee and of my selfe I am not hable to retourne Sende me therfore thy holy helpe to strengthen mine infirmitie Keepe my mouth and lippes and let the thought of my harte be acceptable in thy sight Permit not the worde of Truthe to departe my breaste suffer not Malice to dwel in my harte Deliuer mee from false surmises and accusacions of men rule me after thine owne will and pleasure Remooue from mee vanities and let not the foote of Pride take holde on me so shall I be free from the greatest sinne Stay and kepe me from euery euill way for in thee I trust it is thou only that canst helpe Looke vnto mee with thy mercies and graunt me grace in thy sight Amen IN Equitie Loue and Truth gather all thy Ritches in the handes of the Poore lay vp thy Almes and these shal defende thy euill fight for the against thine Enemies better then the strength of mightie men preserue thy fauour as the apple of an Eie and rise with thee in the day of Iudgement to pay thy revvarde on thy head IN hope of thy Mercy and Forgeuenesse most mightie and dreadful God whose truthe is vnspotted I am bold to com before thee My truste is good I shal be heard for that thou hast euer bene the true head of all Iustice and delightest in Truthe Denie thy self thou canst not for thou hast promised In what â—â—â—e soeuer a Sinner doth with a broken harte repent his wickednesse at that instant thou wilt cansell the recordes of thy remembraunce and the fowlenesse of his faulte shall remaine no blemish to his Soule Heare mee now therfore oh Maker of Heauen and Earthe I acknowledge I haue sinned and donne vnpleasaunt thinges in thy sight I confesse the misdeedes which rebel against my Soule with Saule saying I haue sinned I haue played the Foole and haue erred exceedingly And with like humble lowley and faithfull harte as did King Dauid who vnfainedly cried out his Sinne and became thy seruaunt So moste Holy in hope of the same hire with contrite hart I sighe and say I haue broken thy Lavves and not walked in thy Commaundementes If I should now recite and number the mountaines of my misdeedes which ouerwhelme my body and that are eger enemies to my pining Soule the day were to short Lord I neede not thy blisfull Seate is aboue the starry Firmament and thou sittest on high beholding what is donne amisse in the Earth belowe My wickednesse that I most secretly haue committed to thy Celestiall eies hath bene manifest Forgeue me good Lorde that my tongue may iustifie thy euerlasting Truthe that others beholding in mee thy manifolde mercies may likewise with mee be ashamed of their euill and seke after thy mercy Woe am I that my hart hath been so long vnacquainted with the Welsprings of thy Truth that my handes haue wrought vnrighteousnesse and heaped sinne vpon sinne Turne away from the sight therof the fulnesse of thy fury Exchaunge the roughnesse of thy rage into meeke mildenesse before thou correct mee most louing Sauiour I am not able to abide thy heauy displeasure if thou chastice mee with thy rodde of Iustice I perish I haue not one good deede to preferre mine offences beare number with the flowers and blossomes of the Spring my truthe is no whit and with vnrighteousnesse all is defiled Forgeue mee oh Heauenly King Forget thou that art the sweete spring of my Soule Geue me thy holy Spirite that it may be with mee and labour with mee to attaine thy blessed fauoure for mine ignorance cannot desire that I ought neither can my feeble force without thine ayde raise me to thy presence Thy Spirite will helpe my debility and make right intercession for all my necessities Thy spirite wil
our prayers Finally vvee ought so to moderate our Faithe in Goddes promises that vvee assigne no end time or place to the Maiesty of the Highest but leaue all to his Will. Wisdome and Omnipotencie beinge sure it shall be donne Yeâ— although ther appeare neither place time nor reason hovv it shall bee brought to passe It is sure his deuine vvisdom farre better knovveth and forseeth then vvee Therefore beleeue GOD and referre all to his vvill and disposicion so shall hee bring to passe thy demaund by Miracle if no other vvay it may be As in the people Israell vvhiche beleeued God vvould deliuer them from their Enemies yet appeared there no meane hovv Suddainely he opened the Redde Sea and gaue them safe passage and the Enemies all he ouervvhelmed and drovvned Likevvise the holy Iudith vvhen shee hearde the Citie of Bethulya had taken Counsel and determined that vnlesse God vvithin fiue Dayes vvould send them help they vvould yeelde the Citie to the Enemie shee greatelye rebuked them sayinge Who are you which thus tempt the Lord This communication is not to prouoke mercie but rather to stirre anger and kindle wrath Haue you set a time for the Mercy of the Almighty and will you appoynt a Day in your owne Iudgement This Faith in the holy Woman vvas so vvel accepted of the God of all Victorye that vvith a maruailous meane he deliuered her that she cutte of the Head of Holifernes and preserued the Citie vvith bitter repulse to his vvhole Army Likevvise Paule saith Ephes 3. This is the manner of God that he will do all thinges by a farre other and more better way then we can pray him or vnderstand So vve perceiue our selues to be far inferiour then that vve may appoynt or prescribe in our prayer time or place manner or other circumstance Wherfore cease thou not gentle Reader to praye and refer all to his Diuine will stedfastly beleeuing that he vvill not faile to heare and helpe thee So shalt thou make his brightnesse shine vppon thee procure his tender kindenesse tovvard thee dravve his Rodde the Lot of thy vnbeleeuing from thee and be as Mounte Sion that can not be remooued but stand fast for euer and euer To the stately top of vvhiche blessed Mansion the rather shall thy vvillinge foote be able to ascende if vvith minde and memory thou obserue and imitate the Holy Ambrose who teacheth thus Sit oratio pura simplex dilucida atque manifesta plena grauitatis ponderis non affectata eligantia sed intermissa gratia For the true and acceptable prayer consisteth not in the rablemente of vvordes â—e yet in the vehemencie of voyce but in the stedfastnesse of thy beleife in the beavvty of thy desires and in the pure intentiue thoughtes of thy hart fixed on his Diuine mercies at such time as thou doost pray It auaileth not othervvise thou seke him vvith long laboure of lips thy minde distracte vvith vaniâ—â—es thy Harte in Pilgrymage vvith Worldly carefulnes vvherof if thou make scruple through insufficiencie of this vnlatened Writer let the saying of the Sage satisfie thee vvho telleth mans Prayer to be of perfect value vvhen he acknovvledgeth him selfe to be brickle Clay and Duste humblinge him selfe chalenginge no vvoorthynesse of Vertue to himself but confessing vvholy the good he doothe to proceede of the onely motion and mercie of his Heauenly Maker attributing to him only the due glorie and praise This Iohn vvorthely confirmeth Deus adoratur Spiritu Veritate I say then Non in magnificis amplosis verbis adoratur Whiche lette suffise thee gentle Reader from mee and be eased in farther trouble of my vnlearned stile yet knovv from me hovv hardlie I haue bin distressed in gathering the same to thy behoofe both anoied vvith anxiety of minde by condition of place and of taking my diet vvithout vse of any Tâ—encher beeinge estranged all other meanes theron vvith leathie Pensell of Leade to bringe to thy gratefull Hand this small Quantitie of Spiritual Foode vvhich I hope vvil moue thy humble Nature to allovve thee rather of this my good vvil and trauell In anie learned skill that I offer thee I confes I maie not vvel boast Neither doo I assure thee my selfe not to haue erred I can not chalenge singularitie Yet graunt mee gentle Reader thy pacient peruse and Freendlie correction vvhen my Faults present their number before thy learned vievve so shalte thou free thy selfe from foule Ingratitude and geue me equall paie of my paines Wherin I haue not fedde thee with Sugred sape distilling froÌ„ PERNASSO I hold it an vnpleasaunt discord in Heauenlie Hâ—rmonie not because MERCVRIE bathed him in ARGOS Bloudde do I refuse his ayde but because I am taught by the Apostle that Faithe is not grounded in the bewtie of Oratours Eloquence ne yet in Pride of wardes me vnworthy which do heare with contrite hart and bowed knees appeale to the height of thy mercy and louinge kindnesse to accept my vnequall thankes for the same humbly beseeching thy Fatherly goodnesse that thy holy hande maie still renewe in mee thy former giftes plentuously powred vpoÌ„ me from the Prime of my birth vnto this presente not remembring good Lorde my vnworthinesse of the same nor frailtie of my passed yeares that speaketh against mee but alteringe the ministers of thy wrath into milde mercie Graunt I beseech thee that through the assistauÌ„ce of thy holy Sprite I may be ledde to correct that is amisse and that I may now perseuer in setting ordering and perfourming all my trauelles counselles and studies as best may accord with thy blessed will and cancell the bands of my heauy charge wherin assist me most puisant Prince of all power with thy prudent skil and heauenly grace the I may be truly hable to auance Iustice and to hate wrong and so be found a faithfull Minister ouer thy people In whom plant I beseeche thee thy Heauenly grace and feare with obedience towards thy Minister and kindle in me the loue of thy holy Spirite that I may perseuer in the truthe of thy worde without doubt or wauering to the ende Graunt this oh mighty God of Hoastes for the Merites and Passion of thy deare Sonne my Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Eccl. 4. Deliuer him that suffreth wrong from the handes of the oppressour and be not faint harted when thou sittest in Iudgement decide Lawe with Equitie and Iustice with Mercie be fauourable to the Fatherlesse and be in steade of a Husband vnto their Mother so shalt thou be blessed in fight of the Highest and he shal loue thee more then doth thy Father and Moother Eccl. 12. Day and night let the broade Gates of thy bountie be open to the Discrete and Vertuous Set honour alwaies vpon the head of the Lowlie But to the prowde and ambitious keep thy self secret and strauÌ„ge geue not thy breade vnto him least he become mightier then thy selfe nor truste not thine Enemie at any time for like
make me pray with such humblenesse of harte and sorrowfull sighinges as no tongue can tell That guift most pretious will hold me vp where fleashe would fall and guide my feeble feete in the light of thy Law. Thy Spirite I say will purge mee from all earthly effects and lift me vp to heauenly thinges Therfore conioyne mee oh God of all mercy to thy holy Spirite to teache mee to treade the steady steppes of thy worthy will. So shall I leade my Life in the true Lawe of thy louinge kindenesse and with a stronge and stable minde perseuer in Prayer vnto the ende Graunt me therefore for thy Truthe and Sonnes sake that I may enioy this sweete possession of thy holy Spirite which may alwaies leade my laboures after thy liking and keepe my harte in thy feare Sweete Iesu make a couenaunt with me that I neuer become enimy with thee any more neither be found vnworthy of thy ritche mercy and bountifull benefites but that the remainder of my life imployed in thy Seruice may iustly mooue thee to forgeat the iniquitie of my tender yeares Continue thou God of all comfort with increase by the assistaunce of thy grace what I haue heare begunne So shall I liue to glorifie thy might and mercy for euer and euer Amen ZEale anger carefulnesse and sorovve cause celetitie of olde Age Iustice mercie equitie and truthe make glad the Holy Ghoste and to a merie harte is geuen long life and svveete taste ZAcharie spake from thee O Lorde saying Like as I deuised to punnishe you what time your Fathers prouoked me vnto wrath and spared not Euen so am I nowe minded to do wel vnto the house of Iuda and Hierusalem therefore feare it not Now the things you shall do saith the Lorde are these speake euery man the truthe to his neighbour execute Iudgement truly and peaceably within your Portes none of you imagine euill in his harte and loue no false othes O Lorde of my selfe I am so sinful and ignorant that I cannot speake or thincke a good thought much lesse to doo well in deede Assist mee therefore with thy grace that I may doo as thou hast commaunded And let mee comfort my selfe with thy sweete woordes by thy Prophete which are That as the house of Iuda and Israell were accurst emongest the Heathen so thou dooest promise to make them a blessing Am not I an Ofspringe of that seede O Lorde to whome thou diddest promise this blessinge Or were not these thinges written to putte mee in minde of thee and cause mee turne from my wickednesse and truste by thy mercy to obtaine fauoure againe Remember then O Lorde in thy Mercie Turne mee and I shal be turned saye to my Soule I am come vnto thee thy health and thy saluacion A Double tongued man is to be abhorred and he that beareth hatred can neither praie rightly nor speake truelie of whome beware for the malicious and double tongued hath ouerthrowen Highe Palaices laide waste stronge Cities who so harkeneth to them shall neuer finde reste nor dwell in safetie neare the Prince they are more perilous then a Fistula in the breste to the healthe of Man. AVenge not thy cause on me thou God of all iustice forgeue mee my contemptes of thy Commaundements and omission of Prayer If thou geue me equall pay of my Merites I perish Forgette my vnkindenesse I beseeche thee and clothe mee with comfort of thy compassion Purifie my Soule and Body wash away my wickednesse with the bloude breakinge from the woundes of my Sauioure Christe and I shall no more be vnkinde Geue me wisedome to knowe all thy preceptes and pleasure graunt thy mercy euer to keepe me and thy grace to guide me It yrketh mee that euer I did forsake so sweete a Lorde Sauioure my sorrow wasteth mee and my sighes ouerwhelme my harte Haue mee in remembraunce therfore for I tremble quake were not thy mercie knowen I should vtterlie despaire Turne away the stroke of thy vengeaunce from mee bringe my minde out of trouble into rest Fetch now againe thou most pretious Prince of all power that which thy puisaunt mighte hath shapen Restoare Sonne of the Father thee Almightie that which thou hast so well guided and bought with thy terrible torments Take againe into the Sacred seat of thy blessed custody Lord God Holy Ghoste my Body and Soule that haue wandred Thou haste pitifully preserued them long from the violence and vtter destruction of the wicked Serpente and throwes of worldly chaunce Moste mighty God sith thou haste aduaunced thy Glory by such compassion continue in me hartie Prayer put about mee the girdle of thy grace and linke my loue in the lore of thy lawes and my hart shal be thankfull Day and nighte will I say blessed is the Lorde And will praise thy Name and magnifie thy mercie for euer and euer BE ashamed of sinnes and vnrighteousnesse be ashamed to turne thy face away from thy friende in his neede be ashamed to obbrede thy friende with thy guiftes be ashamed to take and not to geue but be not ashamed of the truthe of God and his Couenaunte but do thy best to fulfil it and thou shalt liue BE my comforter in al coūselles and daungers oh God make cleare my vnderstanding and heape my sorte with newe effects and Spiritual motions Renew my Body and Spirite that all sinne flie from mee and graunt that I liue to rightuousnesse Power vpon mee the Spirite of thy grace loade me with the Trewe knowledge of thy woorde Holde my harte alwaies in thy feare builde a true faith and hope of thy promises and mercy in the Bowels of my breast The heauenly Father of our Lorde Iesu Christe hath promised it vnto mee for his Sons sake I seeke it for that thou maist ouercome when thou arte Iudged denie me not Though there belong nothing to mee but confusion and shame yet Lorde correcte mee not in thy dreadfull displeasure but with the louing fauoure of thy face looke vpon my festured woundes Heale them good Lorde from the bottome lette them be healed Mingle thy mercy and preceptes and sowe the seede of them so deepe in my Harte that no burninge blastes of persecution make asshes therof neither any thorny cares of this life doo choke it but that it may bringe foorth as thou hast appoynted like good ground thirtie sixe and an hundred folde The fruites of my haruest Lord shal be the flowers of thy glory My tongue shal alwaies speake of thy maruaylous workes and my hart shall keepe thy Lawes I wil not deny thee my God for the power of any wicked but will seeke thy grace hope of thy mercie and say The mightie God of Israell is to be loued feared and obeyed world without ende Amen EVill seedes see thou sovv not in the Furrowes of vnrighteousnesse so shalt thou not reape thee seuenfolde labour sue not vnto Man for any Lordship neither vnto the Kynge for the Seate of Honour
thy sighte oh Lorde whosoeuer thinke they are cleane and haue not sinned they deceiue themselues Therefore I confesse oh Lorde I haue not committed one sin but rather infinite sins and acknowledge if thou shouldest obserue mine iniquities I were not hable to abide it Enter not therfore into iudgemente with thy Seruaunte oh Heauenly Father for no fleashe is rightuous in thy sighte let the penssue harte from whence my praiers commes pearse thy Celestiall Throne Bow down thy mercie Lord and wash mee with the bloud of my Sauioure Christe cloathe mee with his humilitie and reuiue mee with his Resurrection Remember Lorde thou haste spoken by the mouthe of thy seruaunt Esaye That if my sinnes be as redde as Scarlette they shal be made as white as snowe And furthermore thou delightest not in the deathe of any sinner but that he rather liue and be conuerted Lord thy woordes neuer failed and thy compassions haue no end by vertu of the one and substance of the other purify me from all mine iniquitie I neede not to tel thee Lord if time woulde not faile mee the large examples of thy manifold mercies besides thi compassions shewed on thy Seruaunte Mary Magdeleyn Peter and Paule with whom Lorde let me be so cleansed purified and receiued as O may with them be Coheyres of thy euerlasting ioyes Amen AS the barraine and vnthanckefull soyle whiche after good vse diligence of the Tiller geueth forth Darnell for good seede so euer dooth the fainte harted and vngratefull freend in the Harueste of thy necessitie But if thou wouldest choose him by vertue of the Grape and suffer him to be olde as thou dost thy wine then shouldest thou drink him with pleasure AT midnight my tonge and lippes shall singe praise of thy holy name and my Spirite shall glorifie thee sittinge aboue the highest Cherubins Awake Lorde awake denie mee not for thy names sake â—â—â—gh otherwise vnwoorthy of â—â—y porcion in thy ritche guiftes to the worlde Lorde thou hast so loued the world that thou madest thy dere beloued sonne to clime the steps of death who bare the Image of thy substaunce and brightnes of thy glory to purge our mortalitie and sinne I beseeche thee therfore as thou haste so vouchsaued also saide by the mouthe of thy Seruauntes that thou haste geuen him to that most dreadfull death of the Crosse to put away al sin and to satisfie thy iustice Lorde and mercifull Father let me now for al be so deliueâ—â—â— and cleerely purged by this pitifull passion of thy deere sonne my Sauiour that I may say and singe with the blessed Cherubins and Seraphins Apostles Sainctes and Virgins Holy Holy Holy Lorde God on highe all Honour Power Dominion and Glory be dewe to thee for euer and euer Amen ¶ The Versicle FOr thy deare Sonnes sake O Lorde heare and receiue my Prayers The Answere ANd in thy truthe and mercy pardon mine offences and graunt mee thy grace ¶ The Collecte O Lorde Iesus Christ sonne of the pure Virgin Marie thou thou art not only the sweet spouse of my soule healthe but with God the Father a moste meke Mediatour full of Mercie Truthe wash away my sinnes with the most precious bloud of thy holy passion make me ritch in thy mercy and my Faithe so strong in thee that assisted with thy grace and holy Spirite to all duty and workes in this life towardes thee I may enioy afterwards the glory of thy blessed Kingdom with thy holy saincts and Virgins in euerlasting honoure and triumphe Amen ¶ The Prayer O Lord Iesus Christ whiche hast redeemed all mankinde from sinne Death Hell thou which hast saide I am the way truthe and life A way in Doctrine Commaundementes and examples Truth in promises Life in rewarde I pray thee by thine ineffamable loue wherwith thou hast vouchsafed wholie to bestowe thy selfe for our securitie that thou wilt not suffer mee euer to stray from thee bicause thou art the way nor at any time to distruste thy promises which art Truthe and perfourmest what so euer thou promisest neither let me rest in any other thing because thou arte eternal life without the whiche there is nothinge that ought to be desired neither in heauen nor in Earthe By thee we learne the sure and expediente passage vnto true healthe that wee wander no longer in the Labor in the of this world Thou haste exactly taught what to beleeue and what to doo what to hope for and in whome wee ought to rest By thee wee learne how wee were of that first Adam vnfortunately borne By thee wee are assured ther is no hope of helth but through Faith in thee that thou arte the onely brightnesse which geuest lighte to all men trauailing the darke Deserts of this worlde where is nothinge but a profound dimnes wherby we can neither see our calamity nor from whence wee oughte to seeke remedy of our euil Thou diddest vouchsafe to descende into the Earthe disdainedst not to take our nature vppon thee that by thy doctrine thou mightest shake of the dimnesse of our ignoraunce by thy commaundements mightest directe our feetâ— in the way of Truthe Peace By the exaÌ„ples of thy life thou hast shewed vs the way to immortalitie and by thy steppes hast restoared to vs a plaine easie and profitable way out of an vneuen and roughe way So thou arte made vnto vs a waye which knoweth no erroure in the whiche leaste wee should be wearie thou haste vouchsafed to vpholde vs in thy benignitie with greate and sure promises for who can be weary accoumpting him selfe ready through thy steppes to enter thy Heauenly Heritage Therfore whilest we be in this iorney thou wouldest be a sure hope vnto vs to be in steede of a staffe vnto vs wherewith we are susteined Neither was thy goodnesse content with this but knowing the weakenes of our fleash in the meane while with the comfort of thy Spirite doost so refreashe our strengthe whereby wee runne cheerefully And as thou being made vnto vs a way doost driue away al errour So being made Truthe doost take away all distrust Finally beinge made life vnto vs dooste reuiue the dead in sin to liue by thy Spirite releeuing all thinges vntill in the resurrection al mortalitie vtterly abolished we may alwaies liue with thee and in thee when Christe shall be to vs all in all For eternall life is to knowe the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste to be one true God whoÌ„ now through Faith wee beholde only in a Glasse and Ridell and then seeing more feloly the glory of the Lorde wee shal be transformed into the same Image Therfore I beseeche thee most mercifull Sauioure that thou wouldest nourishe Faithe in thy Seruaunte that I may neuer wauer in thy heauenly doctrine Encrease obedience that I neuer turne from thy Preceptes Fortifie constancie that entring into thy steppes it be not pulled backe nor through the terroure or intisements of Sathan ouerthrowne but maie