haue not one office so likewyse we being many making one body whereof thy dearely beloued Sonne is the head haue not all one gifte neyther are we all called to one office but as it hath pleased y e to distribute so receyue we We therfore moste humbly pray thee to send the spirit of loue concord amōg vs that without any disorder or debate eueri one of vs may be content w e our calling quietly lyue in y e same study to doo good vnto all men by the true and diligēt exercise therof without to muche seking of our owne priuat gain so order our lyfe in all points according to thy godly will that by wel doing we mai stop y e mouthes of such foolish and ignoraunt people as report vs to be euill dooers cause thē through our good works to glorify thēe our Lord god in y t dai of visitacion Amen ¶ For the Grace fauour of God WHosoeuer liueth w t out thy grace fa uour O moste gracious and fauorable Lorde although for a time he waloweth in all kinde of fleshely pleasures and abound with to muche wordly ryches yet is he nothing els but y e wretched bond slaue of sathan the vile dūghil of syn Al his pleasure is extreme poison all his welth is nothing but plain beggeri For what felicitie can ther be where thy grace and fauour wanteth ▪ But where thi grace and fauour is present though the Deuel roar the world rage y e flesh swel ther is true blissednes vnfained pleasure cōtinual welth Pour down therfore thi heauēly grace fatherly fauour vpō vs that we beeynge assured of thy fauorable goodnes towards vs may reioyce and glory in thee and haue mery hartes when so euer we be most assailed with any kinde of aduersitie be it pouerty or sicknes losse of freends or persecution for thy names sake to whom be glorye for euer Amen ¶ For the gift of the holy Ghost SO frayl is our nature so vile is our flesh so lewd is our hart so corrupt are our affects so wicked are al our thoughts euen frō our child hod vpward y t of our selues we can nether thinck breath speak or doo any thing y t is praise worthy in thy sight O heauenly father yea except thou doost assist vs with thy mercifull goodnes all things are so far out of frame in vs that we se nothing present in our selues but thy heauy displeasure and eternal damnacion Uouche safe therfore O swete father to send thy holy spirite vnto vs whiche may make vs new creatures put away frō vs al fleshly lustes fil our harts w t new affects spiritual mociōs so altogether renew vs bothe in body soule through his godly in spiracion y twe may dye vnto olde Adam lyue vnto thee in newnes of lyfe seruynge thee our Lorde God in holines and righteousnes all y e daies of our lyfe Amen ¶ For the true knowledge of our selues IT is written in thy holye Gospel moste louing Sauiour y t thou cammest into this world not to call y e righteous that is such as iustifie thē selues but sinners vnto repentaunce Suffer me not therfore o lord to be in y e nūber of those iusticiaris which boasting their owne righteousnes theyr owne wurks and merits despise that righteousnes that commeth by faith whiche alone is alowable before thee Giue me grace to knowe to knowledge my selfe as I am euen y e sonne of wrath by nature a wretched synner and an vn profitable seruaunt wholy to depend on thy mercifull goodnes with strōg and vnshaken faith y t in this world thou mayest continually call me vnto true repentaunce seeyng I continually sinne and in y e worlde to come brīg me vnto euerlasting glorye Amen ¶ For a pure and clene Hart. THe hart of man naturalli is lewd and vnsearcheable through the multitude of sinns which as in a stinking dūghil lyeth buried in it in so much that no man is able to say mi hart is clene and I am cleane from syn Remoue from me therfore O heauēly Father my leud stony stuburn stincking and vnfaithfull hart Creat in me a clene hart free from al noisom and vngodly thoughts Breath into my hart by thy holy spirit godly and spirituall mocions that out of the good treasure of the hart I maye bring foorth good things vn to the praise and glory of thy name Amen ¶ For a quiet conscience THe wicked is like a ragīg sea whyche is neuer in quiet neither is ther ani peace to the vngodly but such as loue thy law O Lorde they haue plenty of peace they haue quiet mindes and contented consciences whiche is the greatest treasure vnder y e Sun geuē of thee to so mani as seek it at thy hand wyth true faith cōtinuall praier Gyue me O Lord that ioyfull Iewell euen a quyet mynde and a free mery conscience y tI beeing free from the damnable accusacions of Sathā from the crafty perswacions of the worlde from the subtil entysements of the flesh from the heauy curs of the law and fully perswaded of thy merciful goodnes toward me through faith in thy Sonne Christe Iesu may quietly serue thee both bodyly and ghostly in holines and rightuousnes al the dayes of my lyfe Amen ¶ For Faith FOrasmuche as nothīg pleaseth thee that is doon w t out faith appereit before the blinde world neuer so beautyful and commendable but is counted in thy sight sinfull and damnable yea the selfe syn and damnacion this is moste humbly to desyre thee O father for Christes sake to breathe into my hart bi thi Spirit this moste precious and singular gifte of faith which worketh by Charity whereby also we ar iustified and receiued into thy fauor y t I truly beleeuing in thee and fully perswaded of the trueth of thy holy word may be made thy sonne and inheritour of euerlasting glorye throughe Iesu Chryste our Lorde Amen ¶ For Charitie THy cognisaunce badge whereby thy Disciples are knowen O Lorde sauiour Iesu Christe is charitie or loue which cometh out of a pure hart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfayned I pray thee therfore gyue me this Christen loue and perfect charitie that I may loue thee my Lord God with all my hart with al my minde with all my soule and with all my strēgths dooing alway of very loue y t onely whiche is pleasaunte in thy sight again that I may loue my neighbour and Christen Brother as my self wishing as well to him as to my self redy at al tymes to doo for him what so euer lieth in my power that when we al shal stād before thy dreadful iudgyng place I beeing knowē by thy badge may be nūbred among thy disciples and so through thy mercye receyue the reward of eternall glory Amen ¶ For Pacience WHen thou liuedst in thys world O Lorde Christe thou shewedst thy self a mere mirrour
mine vngracious frowardnes and his meeknes against my ferse crueltie Let his humilitie recompence my pride his pacience mine impacience his gentlenes mine vnkinde churlishnes his obedience my disobedience his quyetnes mine vnquietnes his plesaūt towardnes my bitter frowardnes his sweet facilitie and gentlenes mine anger and freating fumes to cōclude let his charitie make amendes for my hemous and dedetestable crueltie Amen ¶ A deuout Prayer to the holy Ghost NOw O almighty and holy Ghost whiche art the loue of the deuine power the holy participator partner with the almighty father and his moste blessed sōne the moste mercifull comforter of the sorowful I beseeche thee to slide by thy mighty power into thinward partes of mine hart that thou dwelling there maist make glad and as it were lighten euery dark corner of the neglect and forletten cōtage w t the bright shining of thy lyght that in visiting y e same y u wouldest ornate deck with y e plenteousnes of thy dew y e lothsome places therof whiche be corrupted with filthines Kin del the preuy wounded partes of the inner man with thy holsom flames and with pearcing the in ward partes of my soul entrails with the dart of thy loue Feed all the inner partes bo the of my minde body by the illuminating and lightening with y e fire of thy holy feruent loue Geue me to drink of thy most pleasaūt riuer to thintent I may haue no lust to taste any worldly things whiche be mixed with poyson Geue sentēce with me o lorde and defend my cause against the vngodly nation Teache me to doo thy wil because thou art my God For I beleue that in whō so euer thou doost dwell thou buildest an hous in him for the Father also the Sonne Blessed is that man that getteth such a gest because that by thee y e father and the sōne also will dwel and abide with him Come now O moste louing cōforter of my sorowful soule whiche art a pro tector in all necessities and an help in troubles and aduersities Como purger of sinnes healer and curer of woūdes Come the strength of the fraill and feeble the releeuer and raiser vp of thē that slide Come the instructer reacher of the humble and meek the destroyer and plucker down of the proud and stubbern Com the good and kinde father of the fatherles the gētle iudge of widowes Come thou whiche art a gide vnto them that ar tossed in the waues of this tempestuous world like as a bright and notable star is to them that sail on the sea an hauen vnto thē that are afraid of shipwrak Com the wurship honor of all them that liue the only health of the dead Come most holi ghost come and haue mercy on me make me meete for thee and mercifully graunt vnto me according to y e multitud of thy great mercies y tmy basenes may please thy maiestie and my weaknes thy allmighty power for Iesu Christe my sauioures sake which with the fathers and thine vnitie liueth and reigneth worlde without end Amen ☞ A prayer to the holi Trinitie WIth all my hart and mouthe doo I confesse praise blesse thee O God the father vnbegot ten and thee O God the sonne only begotten also thee O holy ghost and comfortour to thee be glory in the world of worldes Amen An acknowledging of almighty God and his Maiesty O Most high Trinitie one only power and vndeuided Ma iesty our God God almighty I the abiect and hin moste of al thy seruaunts confes and acknowledge thee and beeing the least mēbre of thy church I wurship thee w t a due sacrifice of praise for as much as I am able can according to that whiche thou hast vouchsafed to endue me w tal And for as muche as I am destitute of outward gifts to offer vnto the. Those vowes of praise whiche I haue of the gift of thy mercy behold willingly gladly I offer them to thee which be an vnfained faith and a pure cōsciece I beleue therfore with all my hart O king of heauen and Lorde of the earth and with my mouthe doo I confes thee the father the sonne and holy ghost to bee three in persons and one in substaunce the true and very God almighty of one simple in corporal and inuinsible nature incomprehensible and of suche a nature as is not in a place as other natures bee and that thou hast nothing superiour or aboue thy selfe or lower or any thing bigger then thy self But in all maner of meanes perfect with out all spot of deformitie that thou art great without quantitie good without qualitie euer lasting without time life without death strong without infirmity or wekenes true without lying presēt in euery place with out any situatiō or being placed in any place to be al eueri where w tout place fulfilling all things without stretchīg forth thy hād going euery where without any contradiction or gaine saying passing ouer al thinges without mouing abiding win all things without ani kinde of proportiō making al thinges hauing need of nothing gouerning al things without labor geuing all thinges their beginning hauing no beginning thy selfe Making all thinges mutable and variable thy self being without all kinde of mutabilitie in greatnes with oute measure in power almighty in goodnes the cheef best in wisdome inestimable in counsels intentes purposes terrible and fearfull In iudgmentes most vpright iust in cogitations thoughtes most secret in wurdes true in wurkes holy in mercies abundant plentiful toward offenders most patiēt to ward the penitēt and those that be sory for their sinnes most gen tle louing Alwayes the same euerlasting and continually cōtinuing immortall and in commutable impossible to be chaūged or altered whom nether the amplitude or largenes of places doth make bigger nor the short nes or littlenes of places lesser nor any places or corners can cō teine or pres together neyther dooth thy will or intent vary or alter nor familiaritie or acquaītance corrupte thee nor sorowful things trouble or amase the nor glad thinges make thee plesaunt or frolike as a man wold say from thee can forgetfulnes take nothing nor mindfulnes or remembraunce geue any thing nether are things passed vnto vs passed also vnto thee nor things whiche to vs are to come come toward thee for nether beeginning dooth geue any beginning to thee nor time any increase nor yet chaunce geueth thee any end But before all worldes and in worldes and by worldes into euerlasting thou doost liue and thou hast continual praise perpetuall glory moste hie power singuler honor euerlasting king dom and rule and imperie without end thorow the infinit and vnwery and immortall world of worlds ¶ After what sorte God the father vouchedsafe to helpe mankind and of the incarnation of the wurd whiche is Christe and of the geuing of thanks HItherto O almighty God the beholder and sercher
thorow thy sōne to deserue and with due honor allway to wurship this great mistery of thy pitie whiche is manifest in our fleshe Iustified in the spirit did appeere vnto Angels was preched vnto nations was bele ued to be in the world was takē vp into heauen Amen ¶ Of the thankes whiche man ought to geue vnto God for the benefite of his redemption LOok how muche O Lorde our God we are in det vnto thee euē for so great a price wer we redeemed with suche a great gift were we saued and with so great abenefit helped How muche ought we wretches to loue dread bles praise honoure and glorify thee whiche hast so loued vs after suche facion saued vs after suche a sorte sanctified vs so set vs on high To the truly doo we owe are bound in as muche as we are able euē our life and all our study or endeuour But who hath ani thing that is not thine But doo thou O Lorde our God from whom all goodnes procedeth euen for thy holy names sake geue vs of thy goodnes that we may serue thee of thine owne goods and gifts that we may please thee in truthe repay vnto the daily due praises for so great benefites of thy mercy For by none other meanes can we serue or please thee but by thine owne gifts y tthou hast lent vs while we be in this world For euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue commeth down from the father of light with whō there is none alteration or variablenes neither yet is he changed vn to darknes O Lorde our God a pitifull God a good God and almighty God an vnspekeable God and incomprehensible of suche a nature that can not be cō teined as in a place o god which art the beginner of all things the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche diddest send the same thy beloued sōne our lorde foorth of thy bosome to oure cōmon profite to take vpon him our life to thintent he might geue vs his life that he might be perfect and very God of thee his father and very and perfect man of his mother a whole and a perfect God and a whole and perfect man and yet but one on ly Christe bothe euerlasting enduring but for a space bothe immortall and mortall bothe a creator and a creature strong weke an ouercommer and one ouercomed a nurs and one that was nurced him self a shepherd and a sheep dead for a time and liuing with the euerlasting pro mising to them that loued him the fredom of life Who said to his disciples what thing so euer ye ask the father in my name he will geue it vnto you For that hie Priestes sake whiche was al so a bishop in deed a god shepherd that offred him self in a sacrifice to thee putting his life in ieoperdi for his flock for his sake I say I beseche thee whiche sitteth on thy right hand maketh intercession for vs being our redemer our aduocate that thou woldest graunt vnto me that to gether with thy sonne the holy ghost I may in al things bles and glorify thee with muche cōtriciō of hart and a fountain of teares with muche reuerence fear For the gift of them that be all of one substaunce is all one But because abody that is corrupted doth aggrauate burden the soule stir vp and awake I be seche thee my sluggishnes with thy pricks and prouokings and make me boldly to perseuer and continue in thy commaundements and lawes day and night Graunt me that my hart may waxe warme within me and that in my meditation and praier I may be feruent And for as muche as thy only sonne said No man can come to me except my Father that sent me shall draw him again no man cometh to the father but by me I re quire and humbly beseche thee draw me alwaies vnto him that he at the lēgth may bring me to thee thether I mean wheras he is sitting on thyrighthand wher as is euerlastīg life and continu al blessednes whereas is perfect loue without all kinde of fear where as is one day euerlasting and one spirit of all men where as is moste sure securitie safty secure quietnes and quiet plesantnes pleasaunt felicitie and happines happy eternitie continuall and eternall seeing and praising of thee without ende where as thou with him and he with thee in the communiō and vnitie of the holy ghost euerlastingly and continually liuest reignest thorow out all worldes of worldes Amen ¶ A deuout prayer vnto Christe O Christe and God whiche art my hope and the true gentle louer of mankinde the light the way the life the health the honor and wurship of them that be thine I beseche thee call to thy remembraunce all things that thou willingly didst suffre for thē bothe bōds cros woūds death and sepulchre whiche after thre dayes death being ouer comed didst rise wast seen of thi Disciples reforming their harts and establishing them that were almoste enclining from thee the forty day after didst ascend vp to heauen which liuest euerlasting ly now and raignest thorow out worldes thou art my God bothe liuing and true my father my God bothe holy and pitifull my mighty king my good shepherd mine only Master my best helper one whō I am moste bound to loue my liuing bread mine euerlasting preest my guide vnto my conntrey my true light my holy sweetnes my right streight way Mine excellent wisdō my pure and vnfained simplicitie my peasible cōcorde my safe garrison my good portiō mine euerlasting helth my great mercy my strōgest patiēce mine vnspotted sacrifice my holy redēption my sure stedfast hope my perfit charitie my very and true resurrection mine euerlasting life my ioy and moste blessed vision continuall without ende I humbly beseche thee I desire and pray thee that I may walk by thee that I may come to the that I may rest in thee whiche art the way the truthe the life without the whiche no man can come vnto the father Thee doo I desire couet O good Lorde whiche art the brightnes of thy fathers glori which sittest aboue the Angell called Cherubin and doost beholde the lowe and deep places whiche art the true light the light y e lightneth all things the light that neuer faileth nor goeth out whiche the Angels haue desire to beholde Loe my hart is before thee in thy sight put away the darknes from it that it may fully be replenished with the clearnes of thy loue Geue vnto me Lorde thy self beholde I doo loue thee if that be but a thing of small valure make me to loue the more strōgly and earnestly I can not mesure to know how muche I lack of thy loue nether cā I tell how muche shoulde be sufficient for me that my life may fulfill his course in thy loue and not turn back vntil
it be hid in the secrets of thy coūtenance Neuertheles this I knowe that it were euell with me if it were not for thee O Lorde and that not only w e thoutward things that belong vnto me but also with the inward things For all my riches God except is but meere pouer tie but thou only art a tresure a parcell of riches that canst nether be chaūged into better nor wurs Thou art he to whom it is not one thing to liue and an other thing to liue happely because thou art thy blessednes thi happines and thou art all one But I whiche am thy creature to whom it is not one thing to liue and an other to liue blessedly and happily all bothe in that I liue and in that I liue happely I ought not to at tribute nor refer it to be receiued of any body but of thy fauour And therfore haue we need of thee but not y u of vs because if we were not at al yet shouldest thou lack nothing of thy goodnes Therfore O lorde it is necessary for vs to stick and cleaue vnto thee that by thy continuall help we may be able to liue holily vertuously and as we ought to liue For with y e waight of our frailnes we are drawn euer downward but by thy gift we are stir red caried vpward we feruent ly desire to ascend we make certain ascensions in our harts lifting thē vpward sing y e sōgs of stars w e y e fire of thy loue I say are we kindled moued to go w e thee Whether go we now vpward vnto y e peace of Ierusalē because I was glad did reioice in those things whice were spoken vnto me we wil go into the hous of our Lorde there hath he placed vs we will haue good things y twe may wil or dsire no thing els but to tari and remain ther for euer But for as much as whiles we be clad with this bo dy we do as it were go a stray are straungers vnto thee we haue not heer an abiding place for euer but we seek for one y t is to come Our abiding place is in heauen Therfore thy fauor and grace being my guide I enter in to the chamber of my hart and sing vnto thee songs of loue my king my God mourning with merueilous sighīgs in this place of my peregrinatiō wheras thy iustices are made my songs And when I remember Ierusalem I extend and stretch forth toward it the sences of my hart Ierusalem I say whiche is my coūtrey Ierusalem which is my mother and toward thee whiche art a king ouer her her light her father her defender her patrone her gouernour her keeper her chaste and strong delite her only and whole pleasure all her goodnes comes of thee because thou art y e cheef good the true good I will neuer turn back vntil thou bring me home from this Pilgrimage in whiche I am deformedlt scattered abrode vnto the peace of my deerely beloued mother wheras be y e first frutes of my spirite and vntill thou O God which art my mer cy fashiō me and confirm me for euer ¶ A prayer declaring with how great miseries this life is replenished I Am wunderfull wery O lord of this life and of this careful painfull pilgrimage This life is a wretched life a life that will soon fade awai an vncertain life a painfull life an vnclean life a life that wurthely may be called the maistres of all euils y e queen of pride full of miseries and errours whiche is not wurthy to be called a life but rather a death in the whiche euerihoure we die by diuers defects failings of nature by mutabilities alteratiōs diuers kindes of deaths How can we therfore call this that we liue in this world a life whiche is puffed vp and swollen often with humours made lene and feble with sorowes dried with angres and hot hasty furies of the minde the air filleth it full of diseases metes doo infect it fasting doo extenuat and make it lean pastimes maketh it to dissolute and rechles pensiuenes doth consume and waste it trouble and vexation dooth shorten and lessen it securitie and to much ease maketh it dul and nothing lusty riches setteth it a flote and puffeth it vp into pride pouertie dismayeth and discourageth it youth dooth extoll it age lameth it Infirmitie breaketh it sorow oppresseth it And immediatly after these euils as though it were by succession commeth death and maketh an end of all y e ioyes of this miserable life after suche a sorte that a man wold not think whē he leaueth this life to haue liued at all This liuing death dying life although it be sprinkled and mixt with these and other so rows miseries yet Oh good Lorde how many men dooth it catche and entangle with her en tising snares how many dothe she deceiue with her deceitfull fals promises And for all that she of her self is so fals bitter that her blinde louers can not be kept long secret nor close vnknown yet doth she daily cause an infinite numbre of fooles to drink of the golden cup whiche she beareth in her hand yea and maketh them vtterly drunken with the loue of her Happy are they but very few of them is there that refuse her acquaintance and familiaritie or that dispise to vse her ioyes or that neglect her frendship and felowship least when theyr deceiuer perisheth that they should perish also ¶ Of the blessednes of that life whiche God hath prepared for them that loue him BUt thou heauenly life thou art she whom God hath ordeined prepared for them that loue him thou art the heauenly life the blessed life the sure life the quyet life the fair life the clean life the chastelife the holy life the life that knowest no death knowest no sadnes or pen siuens a life without spot with out dolor without vexatiō with out corruption without trouble without varietie or mutabilitie a life moste full of plesure dignitie wher as is none aduersary to striue against a man no intice ments of sinnes where as is per fect loue without all maner of feare wher as is day continually an done spirit of all men Wheras God is seen face to face and the minde is fed with this meat of life without end I haue a very good minde and desire to mark and geue heed to thy clear nes with thy goods the desire and appetite of my hart is delited Look how muche I am able to considre with my self in musing and thinking of thy com modities euen somuche am I rauished and rapt with thy loue with the ardaunt desire of thee and with the sweet and comfortable remēbrace of thee am I wunderfully delited I haue a plesure therfore surely to lift vp the eyes of my hart vnto thee to erect the state of my minde and conform or fashion the affects of my
whatsoeuer offendeth y e eyes of thy pitie remoue it from me In thy sight is bothe my health and my disease The one I beseche thee to preserue the other to cure doo thou heale me O Lorde and I shal be healed doo thou make me safe I shal be saued Thou I meane which dost make hole them that be diseased dost preserue them that be cured which onely with a beck dost restore and repaire thinges that be decayed fallen into ruī For if thou wilt vouch safe to sow any good seed in the feld of my hart of necessitie thou must pluck vp first with the hād of thy pitie the thornes a fvices whiche be in it Put in my harte I beseche thee so great plentie of delectacion in the that I may desire no earthly or carnal thing nor yet thīk vpon them but that I may loue thee alone y t I may haue thee only in my hart and in my mouth Write with thy fingar in my brest the delectable re membraunce of thy sweet name soo that it may be blotted oute with no forgetfullnes Write thy wil in y e tables of mine hart and also thy iustifications that I may alwayes in euery place haue thee O Lorde before min eyes in my sight Enflame my mind with that fire which thou diddest send into the earth and willedst it to be kindled that I might offre vnto the daily with teares a sacrifice of a troubled spirit and a repentaunt hart O swete Christ O good Iesu euē according vnto my desire and euen as I hartely require thee with my whole minde geue me thy holy and chast loue whiche may replenish and kepe me also fully posses me Geue me an euident signe and token of thy loue a flowing well of teares whiche will cōtinually run that those teares may somwhat testifie thy loue in me y t they may shew forth that thei may declare how much my soule loueth thee whiles for the great delectacion it hath in y e swetnes of thy loue it may not refreine from teares I call to my remembraunce fom times good lorde that vertuous womā Ann which came to y e tabernacle to pray y e thou woldest send her a sonne of whō the scrip ture maketh mencion y ther coūtenaunce after her teares and prayers was not again chaunged or altered But whē I think apon so great vertue cōstance stedfastnes I am vexed with sorow and cōfounded with shame because I a wretchedoo perceiue my self to be fallen ouer muche from thee For if a woman did weep after suche a sorte and continued so in weeping which did serche for nothing els but a sonne how ought my soule to mourne and to persist and abide in weping that seeketh loueth God and hathe a desire to cum vnto him how ought suche a soule to mourne weep whiche seeketh God day night which will loue nothing but Christ My teares now truly should be made vnto me meat day night Looke vppō me therfore o lord and take pitie on me because the dolours and sorowes of my hart are many in numbre Geue me thy heauenly consolation doo not despise nor cast away a sinfull soule for the whiche thou didst die Geue me inward teares I beseche thee from the botome of min hart which may wash away the spottes of my sinnes Replenish my soule alwayes w t heauenli delectacion and heauely mirth y t I may obteine some litle porcion or part in thy kingdome although not emongst the perfect men whose stepes I cannot folow yet at the least wise emongst the inferiour sorie The marueilous deuotiō of an other woman cumeth now vnto my minde whiche with a vertuous loue did seek thee lying in the sepulchre whiche when thy discipies went away and departed from thee did remain with thee her self whiche sat there sad and sorowfull weping long and very muche and when she did arise she serched with a diligent eye and with many teares the corners of the sepulchre whiche was left emptie if the might espie thee out in any place whom she with a feruent desire sought Yea and more ouer she went again and again to the sepulchre but that was not ynough vnto her nether did it satisfie her desire For y e grace of a good wurk is to perseuer and continue in the same And because she did loue more then other and that in louing she wept and in weping she serched in searching she continued therfore was it thy pleasure that she should first finde thee see thee and talke with thee before all other And not only this but also she was a tidinges berer of thy glorious resurreccion vnto thy disciples when thou didst commaund her and bid her goo and tell my brethern that they goo vnto Galile there they shall see me c. Seyng therfore that a woman did weep after suche a sorte and continued in weeping whiche did seeke him that was aliue among the dead whiche touched thee w t the hand of her faith how ought a soule to mourne and to cōtinue in mourning which beleueth in the and with his mouth dooth acknowlege thee to be his redemer that sittest now in heauen reignest euery where How muche therfore ought such a soule to mourn wepe which loueth thee with all his hart and with his whole desire doth couet to see thee Oh onely refuge the only hope of wretches vnto whom no man nedeth at any time to pray with out hope of mercy graunt vnto me this grace for thy sake and for thy holy names sake that as oft as I think vpon thee as oft as I speake of thee write of the rede of thee cōfer of thee as oft as euer I remembre thee stand before thee offre vp prayses prayers and sacrifice vnto thee so oft I may wepe aboundauntly with teares in thy sight so y t my teares may be to me in stead of bread day and night Thou tru ly king of Glory and master of all vertu hast taught vs with thy wurd and with thin exsample to mourne and wepe wher as thou saist Blessed be they y tmourne for they shalbe conforted Thou didst weep for thy frende that was dead and didst let teares fall downe plenteously for the citie whiche shulde perish I beseche thee O good Iesu by those most precious teares and by all thy mercies and pieties wherwith thou didst vouch safe meruelously to helpe succour vs that were lost geue me the grace to weep and to be earnestli repentaunt for my sinnes whiche grace my soule desireth and coueteth very muche and except it cum of thy gift I can not haue it but by the holy ghost whiche dooth mollify the hard harts of sinners and prouoketh them to weping Geue me the grace of teares like as thou gauest to our forfathers whose exāples we ought to follow that I may bewayle my self in all my life like as thei did bewaile them selues day and night
Geue me the dew of thy grace from aboue and also a dew of teares benethe that my teares may be vnto me in stead of bread day and night and that I may be made in thy sight O Lorde my God by the fier of thy prouocation a fat and acceptable sacrifice Make me to be mor tified killed vpō thaltar of min hart that I may be receiued of thee as a fat and a swete smel ling sacrifice Geue vnto me O good Lorde a plentefull flowing and cleare well of teares in the whiche I may wash continu ally this foule and spotted sacrifice For although I haue offred vp my selfe wholy vnto thee by the help of thy grace Yet neuertheles in many thinges I offend thee dailly because of my great fragilitie and weaknesse Eeue me therfore the grace of teares O blessed God and most especially thorow the great swetnes of thy loue the remembraunce of thy mercies prepare this table for thy seruaunt in thy sight and geue me power that as oft as I list I may be satisfied of it Graunt vnto me for thy goodnes and pitie that this thy cup replenished and filled full may satisfie my thirst that my spirit may couet thee that my mind may burne in thy loue forgetting all vanitie and misery Heare my God heare thou that art the sturrer vp and quickner of my dull eares heare what I desire aske and geue me grace to ask that which thou hearest O pitifull Lorde which art wōt to be easyly entreated be not hard to be entreated of me because of my sinnes but for thy goodnes receiue the prayers of thy seruaunt and graunt me theffect of my peticion desire ¶ In this prayer mans minde is very muche and plenteously stirred moued if it be said in quietnes O Lord Iesu o gentle and louīg Iesu o good Iesu which didst vouchsafe to dye for oure sinnes didst rise again for our iustificacion I beseche thee by thy glorious resurrectiō to raise me vp oute of the sepulchre of vices and all my sinnes geue me dayly parte in thy first resurreccion to thintēt I may receiue some part in the latter resurreccion O most mighty king which didst ascend into heauē with the triumphe of thy glory and sittest on the right hand of thy father draw me vpward towards thee that I may run after thee in the swete sauour of thine anoyntments Let me run not faint when thou drawest me and leadest me running draw the mouth of the soule that thirsteth after thee vnto the high fluddes and streames of thine eternall a bundaunce sacietie yea draw me holly vnto thy self which art the liuing well to thintent I may according to my capacitie drinck of that wherupon I doo liue O my God my life thou didst say w t thy holy blessed mouth If any man thirst let him cum vnto me and drincke O well of life graūt vnto my thirstie soule alway to drink of thee that according to thy holy and true pro mise waters of life mai flow out of my belly O well of life replenish and fill my minde full of the riuer of thy pleasure Make my hart to be drunken as it were in thy loue that after the maner of the that be drunken with wine whiche forget all thinges saue y e cup so I may forget al vain and earthly things and continually haue nothing els in my remembraūce but the only according as it is written I remembred God and was delited Geue me the holy Ghost whom those waters did signifie whiche y u didst promise to geue to thē that thirsted after thee Graunt I beseche thee that I may assay to goo w t my hole desire and all my study toward y t place vnto the whiche we beleue thon didst ascend the forty day after thy resurreccion that in this presēt misery I may be onely in body but in thought and desire alwayes with thee y tmy hart may be there where as thou art whiche art my treasure wurthy to be coueted and much to be loued wherwith no treasure is wurthy to be compared In this greate flud of this life where as wee are tossed with stormes on euery side there is no stedfast standing or place high inough aboue the waters no not for the foote of a doue to rest vpon in this I say there is no safe or quiet peace nowhere any sure rest euery wher battail and strife euery where enemies and fightings without dores feare at home within dores And for asmuch as the one part of vs is heauenly and the other earthly our bodi whiche is corrupted doth loden and is burdenous vn to the soule Therfore my mind whiche is my felow and frend being weri with wādering forth of the way is sick and lieth all to torne andrent of those things whiche it hathe passed by It hongreth and thirsteth greatly after vanities I haue nothing to set afore it because I am poor and a begger Thou O Lorde my God art riche in all good thinges and the most plenteous geuer of the dainties of heauenly sacietie geue meat vnto the wery not suche as it lusteth after but suche as is conuenient for it gather together the disper sed renew and refresh the corne Loo he standeth at the dore and knocketh I beseche thee by the bowels of thy mercy wherwith thou being the day spring from an high hast visited vs open the hande of thy pitie to a wretche that knocketh vouchsafe mercifully to bid him entre in to the and that he may rest with thee be refreshed of thee whiche art the liuing and heanenly breade wherwith when he is once fed and that his strength is cummed to him again he may ascend vnto more high thinges And being lifted vp out of this vale of misery teares with the wings of his godly desire he may flye vnto the heauenly kingdome Let my spirit O Lord I beseche thee take winges as an Egle fly without fainting let it flye and come to beautifulnes of thy house and to the place where thy glory dwelleth wher as vpon y e meat tables of thy supernal citizens it may be fed of thy secrets in the place of thy pasture by the most plentifull riuers sides Let my hart rest in thee my God my hart I say whiche is as thoughe it were a great sea swellīg with waues Thou which didst rebuke the winds and the sea and there was made streight way a great calme cum and walke vpon the fluddes of min hart y t all things whiche belonge vnto me may be made calme clere that I may embrace thee whiche art mine onli God and that I may behold thee whiche art the swete light of mine eyes without any blind darknes of troublesom cogitacions thoughtes Let my minde flie O Lorde vndre the shadow of thy wings from heat that it being couered with the tamperatnes of thy pleasaunt colenes may sing
two edged sworde Thou O chosen dart most sharp sword whiche arte able by thy power to perce thorow the hard sheeld or buckler of mans hart fasten stick the shaft of thy loue in my hart that my soule may say vnto thee I am wounded with thy charitie so that forth of that same woūd of thy loue teares may flowe most plenteously bothe day and night Strike O Lord strike I beseech thee this most indurated and hardened mind of mine with the sharp dart of thy loue perce it deper deper into the inermost partes therof by thy mightie power so bring oute of my head abundaunce of water and out of mine eyes a very well of teares continually running thorow the great affect maruelous desire to see thy glory y tI may mourn day night without taking any comfort in this life vntill in thy heauenly wedding chambre I may se thee my welbeloued and beautifull spouse my god my Lord. And that there when I see thy glorious marueilous and beautifull face ful of all swetnes togither with them whiche thou haste chosen then I say I may wurship humbly thy maiesty there at the laste beeing replenished with heauenly and vnspeekable reioising of euerlasting gladnes I may euen cry out with them that loue thee saying Beholde that whiche I haue long desired now I haue obteined For I am ioyned in heauen vnto him whō when I was in earth I loued with all my strength with all my charitie I embrased him vnto whom with all my loue I did stick cleaue Him doo I praise blesse and wurship that liueth reigneth God worlde without ende Amen A prayer in time of tribulation HAue mercie on me o Lorde haue mercie on me a moste wretched sinner whiche doo cōmit wickedli and doo suffre ther fore worthely whiche doo sin cō tinualli suffre thy scourge ther fore daily If thou take my daily tribulacion as a recompence for the euils whiche I haue cōmitted then it is not somuch that I suffre For it is a great deale more greuous which I haue tres passed then y t whiche I doo suffer Thou art iust O Lord thy iudgemēt is according to right Yea all thy iudgmentes ar iust true and thou O lorde our god art iust and righteous for there is none iniquitie in thee Thou dost not vniustli nor yet cruelly scourge and punish sinners O all mighty and mercifull God whiche when we had no beyng at all didst mightily create and make vs. And when we were lost by oure owne faulte thou by thy pitie and goodnes marueilously didst recouer vs. I know and am very certayn sure that our life is not led by so den motions but it is disposed and gouerned of thee O Lorde our god Wherby I know thou takest care for all men and most chiefly for thy seruaunts whiche haue put theyr whole hope in thine oneli merci Therfore doo I beseche humbli require the that thou woldst not deale with me accordīg to my sinnes wherwith I haue deserued thine angre but according to thy great mercifulnes whiche exceadeth yeathe sinnes of the hole world Thou O Lorde which outward ly doost punish scourge graunt me in wardli a pacience that wil neuer faile so that thy praise ne uer depart away frō my mouth Haue merci on me o lorde haue mercy on me help me as thou thinkest best to be most necessary for my body and soule Thou knowest all thinges thou canst doo all thinges whiche liuest for euer and euer ¶ A very deuout prayer to the sonne O Lorde Iesu Christe sonne of the liuing God which being vpon the cros with thy handes spred abroade for the redemptiō of all mankinde didst drinke the most bitter cup of thy passion I beseche thee that thou woldest vouchsafe to geue me help this day euer Lo I a poore wretch cum vnto thee whiche art riche a sinner vnto thee that art mercifull Let me not retourn home contemned and dispised with no thing I begin a hungred let me not leaue of fasting I cum vnto thee as though I wer famished let me not go away vnfed Althoughe before I eate I sigh sorow yet after my sorow geue me somwhat to eate First of all good Iesu I acknowledg before thy maiestie mine vnrighteousnes towards thee Beholde O Lorde I was conceyued in sin borne in the same thou didst wash them of from me sanctified me but I afterward defiled my selfe with bigger and more greuous sinnes For I was born in sin of necessitie because I could be borne none otherwise But afterward I rolled my self willingly in sinnes Neuertheles thou O Lorde being mindful of thy pitie didst take me out of the house of my carnall father out of the tents of the vngodli and hast enspired me put me in mind to folow thee with the ge neration of them that seeke thy face of thē that walke in y e right pathe of them that abide continew emongst the lillies of chastitie of them that sit downe together w t the at supper of most scarcitie least exces But I an vnkinde person forgetting soo many great benefites after that I was entred into religion holines did cōmit many vnlawful things I did offend wunderfull vngraciously where I shuld of right haue amended min euill life and lest my sinnes I heaped sīns vpō sinnes these be the euils o Lorde wherwith I haue dishonored the haue spotted defiled my self whom thou didst creat after the similitude and lik nes of thine own self with pride vaine glory and other many euills wherwith mine vnlucky soule is vexed punished torne destroyed Beholde o lord mine vnrighteousnes is gon ouer my head and ar like a sore burden ouer heauy for me to beare And except thou whose propertie is euer to haue mercy to forgeue doo lay vnder me y e right hand of thy maiesty I shalbe cōstrained miserably to sink in to the deep and be drouned Geue heed o Lord god behold because thou art hooly Looke how mine enemie assaulteth me saying God hath forsaken him I will persecute him and catche him because there is no mā that will deliuer him But thou lord how long Turne again delyuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake Haue mercy vpon thy sōne whō thou hast brought forth with no small sorow and paine be not so ententife vnto mine euilnes that thou forget thine owne goodnes what father is there but he will deliuer his sonne yea what fathers is there that will not correcte his sonne and chasten him but with the rod of pity Therefore O father and Lorde although I be a sinner yet can I not chuse but be thy son because thou hast made me and made me again when I was mard with sinne Repaire amend me now o Lord but first of all I being mended chastised with thy scourge
oure trust in thee ¶ Let vs pray WE humbly beseeche chee O father mercifulli to loke vpō our infirmities and for the glory of thy names sake turn from vs all those euils y t we most righteously haue deserued And graunt that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy euermore serue thee in holines and purenes of liuing to thy honor glory through our oneli mediatour and aduocate Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen ¶ A prayer for the Queens Maiestie ▪ O Lorde our heauenly Father high mighty king of kings Lorde of Lordes the only ruler of Princes whiche doost from thy throne beholde all the dwellers vpon the earth moste hartely we beseeche thee with thy fauour to beholde our moste gratious souerain Lady Queen Elizabeth and so replenish her with the grace of thy holy spirit that she may alway incline to thy will and walke in thy way Indue her plentifully with heauenli gifts Graunt her in helth and welth long to liue strength her that she may vanquish and ouercome all her enemies And finalli after this life she may attain euerlasting ioi and felicitte Thorow Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ For rain if the time require O God heauenly father whiche by thy sonne Iesus Christe hast promised to all thē that seek thy kingdom and the righteousnes therof all things necessary to theyr bodely sustenaunce sed vs we beseeche thee in this oure necessitie suche moderat rain shoures that we may receiue the frutes of the earth to our cōfort and to thy honor through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ For faire wether O Lord God which for y e sinne of mā diddest once drowne all the world except eight persons and afterward of thy great mercy diddest promise neuer to destroy it so again we humbly besech thee that although we for our iniquities haue wurthely de serued this Plague of raine and waters yet vpon our true repētaunce thou wilt sende vs suche weather wherby we may receiue the fruites of the earth in due season and learne bothe by thy punishment to amend oure lyues and for thy clemency to geue the praise glory through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ A praier of Chrisostome ALl mighty God whiche hast geuen vs grace at this time with one accorde to make our cō mon supplicacions vnto thee doost promise that when ii or iii. be gathered in thy name thou wilt graunt their requests fulfil now O Lorde the desires and peticions of thy seruauntes as may be moste expedient for thē graūting vs in this world know ledge of thy truthe and in the world to come life euerlasting Amen ¶ In the time of dearth famin O God heauenly father whose gift it is y t the rain doth fal the earth is frutefull beastes increace and fishes doo multiply Beholde we beseche thee the afflictions of thy people graunt that the scarcitie dearth which we doo now most iustli suffer for oure iniquitie may through thy goodnes be mercifully tourned into cheapnes and plenti for the loue of Iesu Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the holy ghost c. ¶ Or thus O God mercifull father whiche in the time of Heliseus the Prophet didst sodēly turn in Samaria great scarcitie and dearth into plenty and cheapnes and extreme famine into aboundāce of victuall haue pitie vpon vs y tnow be punished for oure sins with like aduersitie encrease the frutes of the earth by thy heauēly Benedictiō And graunt that we receiuing thy bountifull liberalitie may vse the same to thy glory our confort and relief of our nedi neighbours through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ In the time of warre O Almighty God King of all kings and gouernour of all thinges whose power no creature is able to resist to whom it belōgeth iustli to punish sinners to be mercifull vnto them that truly repēt saue deliuer vs we humbly beseeche thee from the hāds of our enemies abate their Pride asswage theyr malice confound their deuises that we being armed with thy defence may be preserued euermore frō all perils to glorify thee whiche art the only geuer of all victory through the merites of thy only sōne Iesus Christe oure Lorde Amen ¶ In the time of any common plage or sicknes O Almighty God which in thy wrath in the time of king Da uid didst slea with the plage of pestilence thre score ten thousand yet remembring thy mercy diddest saue the rest haue pity vppon vs miserable sinners that now are visited with greate sicknes mortalitie that like as thou diddest then commaunde thine ▪ angell to cease from punishing So it may now please the to withdraw frō vs this plague and greuous sicknes throughe Iesu Christ oure Lorde Amen The ende of the letany A Table of the prayers cōtained in this boke A Prayer for the morning Folio 3 A prayer for the Euening Folio 4 A prayer for the forgeuenes of Folio 5 A prayer vnto God y e Father Folio 6 A prayer vnto God the sonne Folio 7 A prayer vnto God the holy Folio 8 A prayer tobe said of Magist ▪ Folio 10 A prayer of y e ministers of gods wurd Folio 11 Of Subiects or Eomons Folio 12 Of Fathers and Mothers Folio 13 Of the Children Folio 14 Of Maisters Folio 15 Of Seruaunts Folio 16 Of maids Folio 17 Of Single men Folio 19 Of Husbands ▪ Folio 20 Of Wyues Folio 21 Of housholders Folio 22 Of all Christians Folio 23 For the grace and fauour of God Folio 24 For the gift of the holi Ghost Folio 25 For the true knowledge of our selues Folio 26 For a pure and a clene hart Folio 27 For a quyet conscience Folio 28 For faith Folio 29 For Charitie Folio 30 For pacience Folio 31 For humilitie Folio 32 For Mercifulnes Folio 33 For true Godlines Folio 34 For the true vnderstanding of Gods wurd Folio 35 For a life agreable to our know ledge Folio 36 For the helth of the body Folio 37 For a good name Folio 38 For a compitent liuing Folio 39 For a pacient thankfull hart in sicknes Folio 40 For strength against the Deuel the world and the Flesh. Folio 41 For the help of Gods holy Angels Folio 42 A prayer to our lord Iesu Christ called Conditor celi terrae Folio 43 For the glory of heauen Folio 47 A thankes geuing vnto God for all his benefites Folio 48 A prayer to be said at the houre of death Folio 50 A prayer wherin throughe commemoratiō of Christes passion we desire pardō of oure sinnes and continuance in vertue and godlines Folio 53 A Prayer wherin Man cōfesseth him self to be the cause of Christes passion Folio 56 Heer doth mā declare vnto God the Father that the passion of his sonne was for his reconciliaciō attōment with God Folio 61 A deuout Prayer to the holy Ghost Folio 67 A Prayer to y e holy Trinitie Folio 69 An acknowledging of Allmighty God and his maiestie eodē After what sort God the Father vouched safe to help mākinde of thincarnatiō of the wurd whiche is Christe of the geuing of thankes Folio 72 Of the trust which a soule ought to haue in oure Lord Iesu and in his passion Folio 75 Of thexceding loue of theuerlasting Father toward mankinde Folio 77 Of the double nature of Christe whiche hath mercy vpon vs and maketh intercession for vs. Folio 81 Of the thankes whiche man ought to geue vnto God for the benefite of his redempcion Folio 84 A deuout prayer vnto Christ. Folio 88 A prayer declaring with howe great miseries this life is replenished Folio 92 Of the blessednes of that life whiche God hath prepared for them that loue him Folio 94 A complaint that we be not moued nor pricked in our contemplation and prayer like as the Angells be whiche tremble at the sight of God Folio 96 A very deuout prayer for the geuing of thankes Folio 99 A prayer wherin mannes minde is very muche and plentuously stirred and moued If it be said in quietnes Folio 107 A prayer in time of tribulation Folio 118 A very deuout prayer vnto the Sonne Folio 120 The Letany Folio 128 The ende of the. Table ¶ Imprinted at London ouer Aldersgate benethe S. Martins by Iohn Day 1561. ¶ Cum gratia priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis