the couenant of life the gospel of thy peace and the assured testimonies of thy mercies Vnto this grace of inestimable valewe doth my timerous soule direct her vowes in searching thee O great king of Heauen throughout the course of thy faithfull testimonies which minister wisedome to the ignorant the holie Scriptures I beseech thee therfore my God vouchsafe to direct and guide mee in the vnderstanding of this eternall trueth through the operation of thy spirit the true teacher of our soules that being by him instructed I may accomplish and make my selfe perfect in these foure cheefe principles of the doctrine of Saluation which are fullie taught at large The knowledge of thee the true God and the God of thy people the knowledge of faith of pietie and of righteousnesse Whereby I may obtaine the end of my being and therein euen my Soueraigne felicitie which is to know thee to glorifie thee for my GOD to beleeue thee and in thee Iesus Christ and in Iesus Christ to loue feare and serue thee according as thou doest commaund vs and in all things to obserue equity towardes all men For thus are thy children bound to learne according to the measure of the gift of thy grace thy fatherly loue in thy welbeloued sonne namelie by conioyning thereto the feare of thy name that is to say that reuerence that causeth vs in humilitie and obedience to shunne euil and do good and to embrace righteousnesse and charity Walking in this sort O Lord vnder thy conduct in the Communion of Saints I shall want nothing to my comfort or perfection in good time a depart my life beeing ended to receiue peace and perfect ioy in the eternall habitation of the blessed soules So be it The eight Prayer That we may not depart from the Church Christ hath loued the Church and giuen himselfe for her to the end hee might sanctifie her after he hath purged hir by the washing of water through the word Shee is the house of God the prop and piller of truth the gates of hel shall not preuaile against her Eph. 5.1 Tim. 3. Ma. 16. ALmighty God righteous and mercifull who in thy iustice wrath for the iniquitie and disobedience of man diddest once smite the world with the ouerflowing of waters and in thy mercie and loue diddest extend thy singular fauour vppon the Arke of thy seruant Noah sauing him and his family from the generall inundation intending in that small flocke of the faithfull to preserue and keepe thy chosen people that they might for euer serue to thy glory I learn out of thy word that thou wilt no more destroy the earth in that maner and therefore thou hast left vs the rainbow to remaine for a signe Neuerthelesse what else is our poore life languishing in the infection of sinne but a deluge of euills and running streame of miseries that falleth vpon al men indifferently leadeth them vnto death In one onelie thing therefore must my soule take comfort that as Noah was preserued from the vniversall shipwracke in his wodden Mansion by the promise that he kept in his heart so that a thousand falling on his right hand and a thousand on his left hand hee remained sound and safe vnder thy wing euen so I hold my selfe assured against the assaults of sin and in the middest of the woefull rockes of this world yea euen in the straits of the graue that thou wilt alwayes preserue from all calamities and miseries those who stand fast in the Arke of thy Church grounded vppon thy word in the gospel of reconciliation to the Lord Iesus and depart in his faith For as likewise according to thy Iustice thou diddest euen from the beginning pronounce the sentence of death against our Fathers because of their transgressions euen so it pleased thee euen then also to comforte them in thy mercie with the promise of life in this great Redeemer to come to the end that embracing him by faith they and their children holding this foundation should erect vnto thee a temple of liuing stones holy and stedfast for euer for the sanctification of thy name and the blessednesse of thy elect And these are they O Lord who first in the time of the Patriarks then vnder the law and lastly vnder the gospel beleeued thy word worshipping thee according to the same in certaine mysteries of religion in all places whither it pleased thee to call gather and sanctifie them by the remission of their sinnes in the blood of thy sonne regenerating them to euery good worke by thy holy spirit of the same grace giuing them from age to age diuerse visible signes for sacraments in thy Church so indeede she is thy house and the pallace of thy glory where thy truth is lodged which shee vpholdeth and aduaunceth by her holy ministery preseruing it also that it should not fall into decay and that the remembrance thereof should not bee lost from among men Whereof likewise proceedeth the stabilitie of the Church which the endeuours of sathan cannot shake because the foundation of her faith doctrine is grounded vpon the true and immooueable rocke euen the pure confession of the name of Christ I do therefore beseech thee my God inasmuch as thy mercy and goodnes hath brought me in and hetherto held me vp in this mansion house of thy graces that thou wilt vouchsafe more more to illuminate my hart minde to make me see and meditate vpon the spirituall magnificence of this thy habitation to the end that the sacred porches thereof may bee all my loue and the only delight of my eyes her canticles the sole harmony of my eares and that I may so affectionate my selfe to her celestiall beauty and riches that I may hold one day in thy Church more deere then a thousand elsewhere That this so sweet company I say of thee O our Father of thy Sonne our redeemer of the holy-ghost our comforter of so many thousands of Angels of elect which liuedhere beneath in the visible kingdome of thy glory and by infinite wonders in the Communion of saints may be my whole desire and the sole subiect of my delights that I may neuer depart therfrom notwithstanding whatsoeuer assaults and temptations I am to endure according to the condition of the militant Church and vnder this her gallant poesie To beleeue to doe well and to suffer affliction sith that namely there is not any such mishap or so much to be feared as to be out of this holie Temple wherein onely abideth all light truth saluation and life and in all other places darkenesse lying shipwracke and death haue their dwelling For so through thy grace O my God praying and meditating I shall spend my dayes in ioy expecting in peace my last hower to participate in the triumph of the same Church aboue and to liue eternally in thy rest Amen The ninth Prayer For the obtaining of the efficacie of holy Baptisme Iesus comming to his
cannot be but holy for thy spirit dwelleth therein Thou hast redeemed vs with the price of his blood and that to the ende thou maist bee glorified both in our bodies and soules Thou hast freed vs from sinne euen to the ende we might be seruants to righteousnes Thou hast giuen vs the Sauiour of the World to be our iustification but to the end also that we possesse him in sanctification Thou wouldest that he should die for all men euen to make him liue in thy elect and they in him And this is the reason wherfore the institution of our faith together with the spirituall consolations that support the same is accompanied with the ten precepts of thy law the certaine and assured meanes to honor and serue thee in liuing religiously to thy glory vprightly to the profit of our neighbours For albeit in the Gospel wee be free from the rigor punishment of the Law yet neuertheles the rule of pietie and holie life contained in the Decalogue abideth with vs as a perpetuall patterne whereby to frame our temporall course of life And accordingly we do also consider of it in two partes according as it pleased thee O Lord to write it with thy finger and to deliuer it vnto Moses in two tables of stone for thy people whereof the first containeth foure Commandements of our duetie towardes thee and the second sixe of that which wee owe to our neighbors Also the summe fulfilling of all these holy precepts importeth that wee loue thee O onely true GOD with our whole heart soule and thought and then all other men especially the houshold of faith as our selues But O Lord such is the weakenesse of all flesh that there is no man able to attain to the perfection of thy Law and yet thou willest that here in thy children shoulde comfort themselues that there is left vnto them some measure to approach thervnto and so to bee acceptable vnto thee namely when with their whole strength preuented by thy grace they studie to attaine the end of thy word walking going forward by the steps thereof still with sighing for their infirmities For al the faithfull may so belieue that with thee their Father there is mercy for them in thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ I beseech thee therfore O my God to cast vpon me the eye of thy clemencie and goodnes therby throgh th' effects of thy spirit to restore in my soule the breaches of sinne to illuminate my vnderstanding and to possesse my hart with the loue of thy truth to the end that in all knowledge and obedience of faith I may constantly walke in the paths of thy lawe so that I may worship scare loue thee as the Lord to whome I wholy owe my selfe for thou hast created mee and which is more redeemed mee from eternall death whence I do also learne to loue all men in thee for thy sake because they beare thy image so that perseuering thus in the duty of my vocation I may so much the rather feele thy peace in my conscience and thy blessing vppon all the workes of my hands that filled with dayes I leaue my life to enioy rest eternally Amen The fourth praier To one only God in Trinitie of persons God in the beginning created Heauen and earth The word was with god and this word was God And the spirit of GOD mooued vpon the waters Gen. 1. Iohn 1. O Eternall true and only God in three persons coequall almightie of one sole and simple essence inuisible and infinite The Father the word and the holy Ghost who being the soueraign good sufficient to thy selfe needing no newe matter wouldest not for euer inioy thy glorie alone but according to thy vnmeasurable altogether incomprehensible goodnesse reueale thy selfe at thy good pleasure in foure workes altogether diuine singular The creation of the world of all nature the redemption of mankinde the building thy church thy graces the same O Lord who only art in trueth permanent and stable through whome euery thing is that is in respect of whome all is lesse then nothing who giuing by thy word beeing to that that was not at all hast out of a confused voyd and dark substance drawne light beauty and order stretching forth the heauen as a vault or tent vnder the same the earth and the inhabitants thereof who hast made al things in number weight and measure from whose prouidence doeth proceede the moderation and gouernement of all that is whether it liueth feeleth or vnderstandeth O holy thrice holy admirable and amiable who being righteous wouldest not suffer man made after thy image to go vnpunished when he had sinned and who beeing mercifull hast not left him without grace who being good hast not neglected the least of thy works euen to the haire of a beast the lightest fether of a fowl and the least flower or leafe of grasse in euery of these things grauing certaine tokens of thy glory and maiesty by the harmonie agreement of al these smal creatures with the greatest of the world O Father and moderator of all things I beseech thee let thy eternall wisedome reach to me euen through the light of thy spirit which seeth all things which soundeth all thinges which searcheth into all things and which with his presence of grace maketh his residence in al peaceable cogitations to lift them vp by the effects of his gifts vnto the fanctuarie of thy supercelestiall pallace there to make them see heare and worship in spirit truth the diuine maruels of thy Kingdome the mysteries of the adoption of thy elect So that being thus taught by the most sacred Oracles I belieue in hart and with vnderstanding meditate vpon the true eternall existence of thee O Father borne of none the first Soueraigne and Almighty cause of al things and especially of our saluation throgh thy loue Of thee O Sonne eternally begotten by the Father and by whom he hath made all his works who art the principall cause which giues vs life happines according to the fulnesse and perfection of thy loue and of thee O Holy Ghost from al eternitie proceeding from the Father the Son and by whome all creatures doe subsist and saluation is communicated vnto vs three persons of properties distinct yet not seperate in vnitie of essence and equalitie of glory in thee one and true God not created infinit and almighty the God of thy people And that through this healthfull knowledge I doe worship serue and call vpon thee only for euer without declining from thy word Wherupon likewise through a stedfast faith in thy promises depending vppon an assured hope and true loue I doe more and more draw vpon my self the sauour of thy holie blessings to the end that as the Angels aboue doe praise thee the powers of heauen do blesse thee all the spiritual armies do magnifie thee I likewise may heere belowe haue this
for our sinnes according to the scriptures and that hee was buried that he rose againe the third day O Lord God gouernour of the whol world immortall invisible and onely wise for whose glory al things are It hath pleased thee according to the decree of thy vnserchable counsel that man formed after thy image falling through mistrust and curiositie should by faith be restored to the excellency of his nature as he sought knowledge aboue thy commaundement and so strayed from thee and wandred out of thy kingdome so he should be revnited and reduced into the path of saluation by beleeuing thy onely word in the promised Messias bending the power of his soule to the knowledge of thee in embracing the preaching of the crosse which the world would accompt folly But because we al are borne blind corrupt in our vnderstanding and wil it therfore followeth that all the imaginations and thoughts of our hearts are at all times nothing but euill our knowledge but vanitie our learning but ignorance our iudgment but errour our virtue but pride our wisedome but folly the viuacitie of our spirit but the instrument of ruine our delight but filthinesse our faith but incredulitie our hope but fancie our charitie but coldnes to be briefe our pietie but hipocrisie or superstition and our righteousnesse but couetousnesse or ambition So O Lorde we of our selues are not capable somuch as of any good thought vntill thou that knowest how to drawe light out of darkenesse doest returne to recreate'vs and by thy spirit to shine in the firmament of our soules to the end to frame vs to euery faithfull disposition and obedience and so to make vs beleeue in the gospell of thy grace and in the mysteries of our saluation I doe therefore beseech thee my God according to the'fficacy of thy vertue to change in me all that I haue of my selfe euen my rockie and stony heart and to make it pliable and flexible vnto the voice of my Redeemer who is come according to thy promise to the end that with a ful and liuely faith I may cleaue to his eternall truth for to comprehend according to the measure of the gift of thy grace the summe and perfection of al spirituall wisedome which is taught vs in the articles of the true faith and sound principles of religion Surely my soule is ouermuch enclined to incredulity and mistrust neither is it any way able to pierce into these high and profound secrets of pietie where we haue a full declaration of all the figures and prophesies of the Lawe with a most pure and perfite doctrine of foure pointes which are the end of all religion and in regard whereof it is called Catholike For we find thee there thou only and true God the Father authour and gouernour of all things by thy almightie power goodnesse and prouidence Next is our Lord Iesus Christ thy word and eternall wisedome therein taught vnto vs together with the holy history of our redemption Thirdly wee there find the Holy-ghost the infinite vertue of thee the father and of the sonne three persons of one sole and simple essence and in equality of glory And finally therein is shewed vnto vs the Church with a description of these celestiall graces which thou pourest vpon her whereof the forgiuenesse of sins is the summe and life euerlasting the onely scope Giue therefore vnto me O merciful father of this thy spirit of reuelation of grace and of mercy to the end that the brightnesse and operation therof may make my soule capable of these great mysteries of thy Kingdome so farre forth as may be expedient for me to know for the seruice of thy glory and my owne saluation that I may obtaine the onely true and sound knowledge whose subiect and end is the onely true solide soueraign good both of men and angells namely to know thee to glorifie thee and him whome thou hast sent the Sauiour of the worlde So that with my hart I do belieue before thee and before al men I do with my words and workes confesse this acceptable message of the Messias come borne in the Cittie of DAVID which is CHRIST the lord God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of the Angelles preached to the Gentiles beleeued by the elect and exalted into glory for our righteousnesse holinesse and glorification And further also O Almightie Lord print in my heart the feeling knowlege of this thy vnspeakable goodnesse and loue extended vnto vs miserable sinners in that thou hast giuen vnto vs in sacrifice thy only Sonne sauing vs by the onely merits of his death to the end that as the efficacie of thy loue hath redounded vnto mee wretched creature so I may also sufficiently meditate vppon thy great mercie incessantly yeelde thankes vnto thee and feele thy eternall consolation vntil that I departing in peace towardes thee my Father which art in Heauen may obtaine full knowledge of those things that thou hast giuen me to belieue and in the perfect contemplation of the same the soueraigne good of Angells and Saints So be it The third Praier Vpon the Decalogue or ten Commaundements God spake all these words saying Heare O Israel I am the Lord thy god that hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other Gods before me c. Exod. 20. O Lord GOD Almightie the Author of all righteousnesse and perfection of life Yea euen thou that arte essentially Iustice perfection and life I doe truly know that man created righteous perfect and by cleauing to thee blessed but free and mutable hath through sin turned from thee plunging himselfe headlong into the sinke of vnrighteousnesse imperfection and death The which hath depriued him of all power to obey the Law and consequently beereaued him of the reward of eternall blessednesse And albeit of especiall grace thou doost call vs by the Gospel to the free righteousnes of Christ to the end that beleeuing in him wee might confesse him for the obtayning of saluation Yet are we neuerthelesse so much inclined to distrust corruption and disorder that hardly we are entred into the waie of his vocation but we retyre immediatly straying out of that course which might purchase vnto vs the prize and so through our workes denie our faith and our profession Now as the first principal manner of thy honour O onely true GOD consisteth in beleeuing reposing our whole confidence in thee alone so the second and inseperable from true faith resteth in obedience to thy holy and good will For we must be doers of that which thy holie worde teacheth vs and not hearers only deceiuing our selues Thou hast chosen and adopted vs to be thy Children but it is vpon this condition that wee should be reformed to the Image of Iesus Christ the first borne inheritour of all things Thou hast chosen vs to be his Temple now his habitation
of thy Sonne crucified and risen againe and in his bloud shed for the washing of our soules when at his holie Table the sacred signes are by his ordinance deliuered vnto vs and that we doe receiue them as hee hath commanded expecting that aboue in heauen without any exterior meanes we may eate this bread of life and drinke this sweete drinke in the company of the Angels of all the blessed then at the ful inioying of our vnion with thee O great God and the ioy of our beatitude accomplished O most desired daie wherein we shall be fed and satisfied with this celestiall bread that we may neuer die nor thirst againe in this newe life where thou O eternall God shalt bee wholy in vs. Oh happie are wee already who already in Christ in the communion of the faithfull do taste the sweetnes of this celestiall banquet wherin we shall see thee and face to face contemplate Father Word Spirit one only and true God beeing filled with thy glory in endlesse peace To the end therfore that according to thy Commaundement O Lord I may worthily present my self to this holy banquet of sacred foode which the Angelles doe admire and honour which also thou dost not communicate but to thy flesh I beseech thee giue mee grace well to discerne the bodie of my Sauiour in trying my selfe according to his word so as my hart may be cleansed from sinne and vncleanenesse and replenished with thy loue and with euery other spirituall vertue to the end that euen this day harbouring therein this great King of heauen I may encrease in the faith and hope of my saluation by his holines and righteousnesse I haue reposed al my confidence in thy mercy I neither seeke nor hope for any good or grace but from thee my God and in thy sonne and for his sake I doe desire in my place with simplicitie to celebrate the remembrance of his death in the holy church to the glory of thy name and the peace of my soule I renounce the deadworkes of the flesh and the lusts thereof I doe put off all enmitie and malice with a good intent to embrace the liuely workes of the spirit and to dwell in loue and charitie with my neighbours I do belieue in the promises that Christ the infallible truth hath pronounced with his owne mouth That at his holy table he will truely make me partaker of his body and blood to the end I may possesse him wholy and in such sorte that being made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone he may liue in mee aad I in him for euer Helpe O Lord the weakenesse of my faith support mee in my infirmity and in that desire which thou giuest me to profit in the sound knowledge of thy mysteries and in the practise of the pathes of thy kingdome conioyne vnto the same desire the performaunce of the deede For it is onely by the vertue of thy spirit in sinceritie of heart that I shall this day receiue from the same Iesus the effect of his word in participating truely in his new and eternall testament the couenant of grace so to perseuer in this blessed societie of his Bodie that from him I may incessantly gather strength and life and vnited with him I may also attaine to bee one with thee my Creator Grant mee therefore that in this maner I may with thy Church celebrate the most holy remembrance of our Lord and of the worke of our redemption to the end that so receuing this great sacrament of his body with a newe augmentation in all heauenlie grace with so much the greater confidence I may againe call vpon thee my God and my Father and more more glorifie my selfe in thy mercies So be it The eleuenth Prayer For thanksgiuing after the Communion And when they had sung a Psalme they went out vnto the Mount of Oliues Mat. 26. O Lorde my God my Father euen from the bottome of my heart and with all my soule I yeelde thee praise and thankes for that it hath pleased thee to enlarge so great a benefite to mee miserable sinner as to haue drawn and receiued mee into the sacred Communion of thy son Iesus Christ my sauiour The heauen of heauens are not able to comprehend him yet doth he so farre honour vs as to vouchsafe to communicate with vs yea euen to enter into vs poore wormes of the earth For such was thy good pleasure O Lord to deliuer him once to the death for the redemption of thy elect and as to euery one of them so doest thou this day giue him to mee to be my foode and spirituall sustenance that I may liue of him and in him blessed both in body soule eternally I beseech thee therefore O mercifull Father so to blesse in me this holy and mysticall action that my vnworthinesse make it not vnprofitable vnto me that the pretious bloud of thy sonne bee not in vaine shed for mee and offered me to drinke but that washed in the same and cleansed from my sinnes I may obtain that iustification and holines that beseemeth thy children who haue this most holy one to be their hoste and head thy spirit for their light Let me not be so wretched as to abuse these sacred meates which thou dost communicate to thy houshold of faith onely the prouision whereof cost thy welbeloued son Iesus so deere Rather my God grant that in true efficacie I may participate in this sacrament of his body to encrease in faith loue and all other thy gifts that I may neuer abandon thy holy couenant Alas whither should I go but to thee the fountaine of eternall life by Christ who is the fulnes thereof and by whom it runneth into vs Cast from me all carnall cogitations and delights and all these earthly baites which turne to gall and corruption because I haue in my bowels an incorruptible foode more sweeter then honny the bread of Angels the bread of heauen the bread of life which with out any sacrament wee shall feede on aboue without ende where Christ according to his promise shall with vs drinke the fruite of the new vine yeelding vppe vnto thee the kingdome O eternal God that thou maist be all in all I doe therefore resigne my self into thy hands and vnder thy conduct that I may runne my race in ioy and a good conscience before thy face and before men And that I may departe in peace when my houre is come because Christ is my life To thy name therefore O almighty Creator to thee Redeemer of the elect to thee Comforter of the faithfull who by thy secret vertue doest worke this vnspeakeable and miraculous coniunction of our soules with the body of the Lord. To thee Trinity Father Word Spirit one only and true God be all honour and glory Amen The twelfth Praier To obtaine the gift of Faith The law was our schoolmaister to bring vs to Christ that wee might bee
iustified by faith Abraham beleeued in God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Yee all are the children of God by the faith that is in Iesus Christ Galath 3. Rom. 4. ALmightie and eternal god it hath pleased thee in thy vnsearchable counsaile for a time to giue vnto men the Lawe to the end to guide them to IESVS Christ vnder a schoolehouse of figures and shadows euen those whom thou of thy grace hast called into the faith of this promised Sauior to obtaine in him their iustification and saluation And when in the fulnesse of time hee appeared vnto vs clothed in our nature for the accomplishing of thy great and precious promises this iustification of thy elect was fully reuealed made ours by beleefe in his Gospel But O Lord thou doost well know and euery man in himselfefeeleth the incredulitie and weaknes of man who being but earth and flesh cannot climbe vp into heauen and to the spirit of life so to confesse and apprehend these deepe mysteries of thy loue And indeed it is an ancient and common complaint of thy Prophets and Apostles who manie times haue said as much O Lord who hath belieued our preaching Also there be so many impostures in the worlde so many dreames so many inuentions yea which is more so many assaults so many snares and so ordinary miseries that shake the best To bee briefe so great is the vanitie ignorance and infirmitie of our nature that if thou O most mercifull God workest not that in vs which thou commaundest vs to doe if thou doost not teach vs that vvee may knowe if thou doost not conuert vs that wee may cleaue to thy worde if thou dost not giue vs to thy Sonne that hee may keepe vs thine if hee bring vs not cloathed in his righteousnesse to the throne of thy grace and if thy spirite leadeth vs not in the paths of thy Kingdome holding vs fast in the effects of his gifts vppon the way of thy trueth wee cannot harken to this voyce of the shepheard of our soules neither in our harts conceiue such and so liuely a Faith that all vncertainty might be banished and the same sealed with his owne efficacie much lesse can we feele the peace and ioy that true faith bringeth with it For that cause O Lord in thy loue hast thou promised to poure vpon thy children and seruants this spirite of thy strength light mercy and perfection to forme in their heartes this thy singular gift which vnto vs is a subsistance of the things that wee hope for and a demonstration of those that wee see not By this so holy and necessarie an ornament of the faithfull wee doe in all assurance crie vnto thee Abba Father and in our consciences feele that wee are at peace with thy maiesty throgh Christ beeing iustified in his blood that wee may liue religiously and holily according to his worde I doe therefore beseech thee my GOD to accomplish in my soule these great effects of thy loue newe cloathing me with the light and vertue of thy holie spirit that after the measure of the gift thereof I may be able with a true and liuely faith to penetrate into the secret of my calling and to that end vouchsafe so to augment in mee this faith that by the degrees of the perfection thereof it may appeare in all her fruites causing mee to worship inuocate and serue thee according as thou commandest that my vnderstanding may be withdrawne from the seduction of errour and my wil from carnal concupiscence also that my hart may infinitely bee comforted with the feeling of this that by christ I am reconciled to thee to holinesse of life and eternal beatitude so that dayly encreasing in this all spiritual vertue I may attaine to some portion of thy Soueraigne wisedome and perfect righteousnesse to the ende that when my soule shall forsake this fleshly habitation the same faith may be as wings to transport it into thy bosome to the celestial rest of the Angels and Saints there to possesse the fulnes of her peace and of all ioy So be it The thirteenth Prayer To demaund the vertue of hope God by his great mercy hath regenerated vs to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead To the end that being iustified by his grace we should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life which hope maketh vs not ashamed 1 Pet. 1. Tim. 3. Rom. 5. O GOD all good and wise it hath pleased thee by certaine meanes proceedings to work in thy elect regeneration necessary for their saluation whereby they do in themselues feele the old Adam to die with his lusts and the newe man to encrease in the desires of righteousnesse when the Holi-ghost euen this day plucketh out of their hearts vice and insteade thereof planteth vertue making it to bring forth fruite furthering therby daily the rooting out of sin and encrease of the gifts of thy grace I beseech thee O Lorde that as it hath pleased thee freely to iustifie me by the singular gift of faith in our Sauiour Iesus Christ granting me peace with thy Maiestie through his sacrifice so thou wouldst vouchsafe to illuminate the eyes of my soule as to make mee knowe to the sanctification of thy name what the hope of those is whome thou hast called to the incorruptible inheritance of thy glorie Graunt my God that my thoughts may be replenished and contented with this stedfast hope in thy loue which thou offerest vnto vs in the gospel with this holie desire I say supported with an assured expectation one day and for euer to obtaine the celestial riches which thou hast graunted mee to beleeue which no eie hath seen no eare hath heard nor no vnderstanding hath comprehended namely that I may be able to behold thy countenance and liue to participate without ende thy kingdome aboue to enioy there the societie of the angels to be there a fellow heire with the glorified spirits Finaly there to bee fully vnited vnto Christ by him to thee O Father the fountaine of eternal life and so to possesse the soueraigne good eternaly Let this holie meditation and the hope to enioy that full and perfect contentment so occupy my senses that it may be my thought my pleasure my labour my habitation and my most ordinary vacation Also that all the cares of the world and the affections of my flesh which might diuert mee from so christian a resolution may giue place to this spiritual vertue the anker wher of resteth in heauen that it may lodge wholy and for euer in the secret of my heart sith it is verie true that it will yeeld as certainely his solide and sole good in fulnesse of time as if already I did possesse it vniting mee vnto thee O Lord by the holy misteries of thy grace Also thou art the beginning and the ende of our hope of eternall life because thy loue is powred vpon vs by
strengths and with al our mindes and louing our neighbours as our selues to pleasure them in all dueties of loue to our power Strengthen vs likewise with thy vertue O almightie God against the temptations and assaults of Sathan deliuering vs victoriously preseruing vs also from such dangers and miseries as euery where follow vs at the heeles in this life and aboue all giuing vs grace in whatsoeuer estate wee be still to be content with thy will which can neuer be other than good and iust and to vs profitable because wee are of the number of thy children So let thy peace be in vs and vpon all the workes of our handes that wee may happily passe the rest of our dayes walkeing euery of vs in his familie in the duty of our vocation in a good conscience as before thy face to whom nothing is hid and meditating diligently vpon the shortnesse and afflictions of this our life that so wee may aduance thee and finally end in the wisedome of true christians whereby wee may principally learne to desire heauen and patiently to take all humane crosses and whatsoeuer may seeme to vs most greeuous to the flesh knowing that all things shall turne to our good alalwayes prouided that constantly we perseuere in thy seruice for so shal wee liue and die with Christ that we may enter into his ioyes in heauen there to behold his glory Furthermore howsoeuer vnworthie sinners wee are yet O Lord in as much as thou hast commanded vs to pray one for another to the aduancement of thy Kingdome wee pray to thee for all men that it may please thee so to worke that they who as yet haue not the knowledge of thy holy gospel may by the preaching thereof and the illumination of thy holy spirite be brought to know thee the only and true GOD and him whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ to saue the Worlde Also that they whom thou hast already visited with this grace as our selues may dayly encrease in thy spirituall blessings So that altogether we may worship thee with hart mouth in one spirite one faith and one baptisme And sith thou hast also ordained gouernements and callings that all people may be gouerned in the feare of thy name and to common commoditie We beseech thee to inspire guide and blesse our Queen and all Princes Magistrates and Superiours that haue the gouernement of thy sword vpon earth that euery of them raigning in godlinesse and righteousnesse may employ their power which they hold from thee to cause thee to be serued honored and to the tranquillitie peace and reliefe of their subiects wholy submitting themselues and their people to thy holy word Likewise for the publishing of thy word in al places vouchsafe more more with thy giftes to enrich the Pastors and Doctors of thy Church and daily to raise vp more to execute in a good conscience their charge to the edification and perfection of thy holy Temple whereof in generall O Lorde and of euerie faithfull vouchsafe to shewe thy selfe the Almighty protector to the confusion of all the aduersaries of the name of Christ and of his holie Church We also pray thee for all those whom thou visitest with tribulation whether it be sickenesse of body or anguish of soule that thou O mercifull Father vouchsafe to giue them comfort patience to the bearing of their calamities and deliueraunce from their afflictions Asking all these things of thee in the name of thy Sonne our Mediatour and as he hath taught vs to pray Our Father which art in heauen c. We also besech thee O Lord to encrease and confirme vs in the Catholike Faith of thy Church to the end it may take liuely roote in our soules to fructifie to all righteonsnesse and good workes and that euen to our last gaspe we may make like confession thereof as we doe now both with hart and mouth I beleeue in God the Father Almighty c. And because the faith of thy children O Lord is inseperable from the obedience due to thy word especially in the tenne commaundements of the law and that thou doest ordaine that wee should haue them perpetually in our hearts and mouthes to keepe them and to teach them to our families giue vs grace to our powers to conforme our selues to the same euen as wee vnderstand that they were deliuered from thy mouth saying Heare Israel I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage 1 Thou shalt haue no other Gods before mee 2 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image or the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them for I am the Lord thy God a iealous God that visiteth the sins of the fathers vppon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me shew mercy vnto thousands of them that loue me and keepe my commandements 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4 Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabaoth day sixe dayes shalt thou labor and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seauenth day is the Sabaoth of the Lord In it thou shalt do no manner of thing thou and thy sonne and thy daughter and thy man-seruant and thy maide-seruant and the stranger that is within thy gates for in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth and the sea and all that therein is and rested the seauenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it 5 Honour thy father mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee 6 Thou shalt do no murther 7 Thou shalt not commit adulterie 8 Thou shalt not steale 9 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 10 Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his man-seruant nor his maide-seruant nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is his And the summe of all these commandements is this That wee loue thee O Lord with al our hearts and with all our mindes and our neighbours as our selues Thy blessing therefore O our GOD and Father with the peace of our Lord Iesus and the comforte of the Holy-ghost be thus giuen vnto vs by thy grace and remaine with vs for euer Amen The three and twentieth Prayer Before meate among the Family The eyes of all creatures looke vp vnto thee O Lord thou giuest them meate in due season thou openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing euery liuing thing c. Psal 145. O euerlasting GOD and Father we beseeche thee to extend thy blessing vppon vs thy poore children seruants and vppon the foode which it pleaseth thee of thy goodnes to