pardoned my sinne through thee in the life to come eternally to be saued Amen Amen Another Prayer after the receiuing of the holy Communion O Iesus the Sonne of God my Lord and Sauiour with all humble and hearty thanks I praise thee for suffering death vpon the Crosse for my sinnes and admitting me a miserable sinner to the participation of this blessed Sacrament the memoriall of my Redemption Let mee O Lord finde and feele in my heart the inuisible power of thy heauenly grace effectually working the transformation of mee into thee the wonderfull vnion of me with thee and the spirituall habitation and aboade in me Apply all thy merits and good things vnto my soule let me neuer doubt the forgiuenesse of my sinnes but euer open the doore of this Sanctuarie vnto me that I may runne thither in my greatest neede and apprehend thy gracious pardon ratified by this scale of thy couenant Quicken me O Lord in this life râ—â—â—ue and renue mee that I may disclaime my olde conuersation and become a new man keepe mee that I slippe not cut of this building nor become as a branch cut off and good for nothing but as thou hast seuered mee from the wicked in calling mee to the knowledge of thee so keepe mee from all their corruptions giue me a perfect loue towards thee that I may not delight in any thing but in thee nor seeke any other honour but thine O Lord Iesus I meekely beseech thee let thy holy Spirit strengthen mee against my frailty thy power and strength defend me against worldly troubles and aduersities thy merits purchase my needefull pardon and thy blood be the medicine for all my sores euen for thy truth and for thy names sake Amen O Iesus Christ the Lambe of God which hast so loued mankinde that thou hast beene contented not on ly to become one with him but also meaâ—e vnto him and to dye for him vpon the Crâ—sse graunt I beseâ—ch thee that this my receiuing of this Sacrament may be a true testimony vnto my conscience that I hauâ— through faith in thee receiued full remission of all that is past and am become as it were a new creature in thy sight O sweet Iesus which hast vouchsafed mee such fauour and honour as to come to thy Table and feede vpon thee graunt mee grace I humbly entreâ—te thee so to performe and fulfill my duty as this honour which thou hast done mee requireth Linke mee vnto thee and giue mee power and strength to beleeue thy promises without distrust and to shew my religion by my good life and conuersation Assâ—st mee with thy grace that I may walke worthy this blessed Sacrament to loue thee and thy children vnfaiâ—â—dly and vtterly to forsake all vaâ—ity idolatry carnall desires and all the workes of the deuill O Lord God so moderate and ordâ—r all my affections that I may be ioyned with the brethren together in holy loue which is the bend of peace and truly fastned vnto thee my Head for euer Stirre vp my minde that I may alwayes consider the bitternesse of thy death the greatnesse of thy loue neuer forget to be thankfull vnto thee O blessed Lord preserue and maintaine this ordinance amongst vs that it may be alwayes a note and a badge of our publique profession and giue vs all one heart and one minde in the vnity of the Spirit for the reuerent and worthy receiuing of the same whensoeuer we shall come to thy holy Table againe Amen A Prayer for the Catholique Church and all the estates thereof O Most glorious euer liuing and euer louing Lord God the iust Master of the Vineyard and louing Head of the Church send thy holy Spirit into the hearts of all them that teach oâ— professe thy most holy truth alâ— men religious or secular Yea men and women Princes and subiects rich and poore euen all the people beleeuing in thy name and depending vpon thy grace and mercy Giue vnto them all O Lord one law one baptisme one hope one spirit that there may be but one voyce among all that professe the Catholique faith Keepe backe the famine of thy word and send such labourers into thy haruest as be sound in doctrine faithfull in their worke and godly in their conuersation that they may be in number many and in power wonderfull Open we beseech thee the hearts and eares of the people for the receiuing of thy Word that it may dwell in them plentifully in all wisedome and bring forth fruit against all the cares crosses and courses of this wrâ—tched world O Lord thou hast found iniquity in thy Saints and the heauens are not cleare in thy sight Oh then correct vs in thy iudgement not in thy fury lest wee should be consumed and brought to nothing Purge the garden of the Church and let no weedes ouergrowe the flowers suffer neither sinne nor superstition to choake the good growth of faith or manners in thy people buâ— keepe them from all heresies phanaticall opinions se â—ucing spirits deadly contentions Keepâ— our neckes from the grieuouâ— yoke of Antichristian bondageâ— whose Religion is rebelliâ—nâ— whose faith is faction and whosâ— practise is the murthering oâ— soules and bodies good Lord re presse the furâ—ousnesse of all Tyrants which labour nothing buâ— the spoile of the Church and thâ— abolishment of true doctrine prayer and true Religion O Lorâ— Iesus amend all that is amisse anâ— graunt vs thy grace all the dayeâ— of our life euen for thy truth anâ— for thy names sake Amen A Prayer for the Kings Maiestie O Almighty God King of all Kings the fountaine rule â—nd stay of all soueraignty wee most humbly thanke thee that â—hou hast not left vs vnto our â—elues to doe what seemeth best â—nto vs in our owne eyes but â—ast set ouer vs a noble wise and â—racious-King thy seruant Charles â—ame head next vnder â—hee Lord make all thy good to â—oe before him day and night â—phold his Crowne maintaine â—is estate giue him continuall â—eace long life and much happiâ—esse Endue him with such wisâ—ome and vnderstanding to doe â—ch things both in the Church â—d Câ—mmon-wealth as may be â—ceptable in thy sight profitable 〈◊〉 his Subiects and hurtfull to â—one that loue thy truth merciâ—ly heare him in all his petitions and effectually work for him in all dangers in the day of battell in his greatest consultations in the time of his recreations from all plots of Treason and in phe houre of death Make vs thankfull for all thy preseruations of him both â—t home and abroad in this Kingdome and else-where Blesse preserue and keepe his Royall Consort Queene Maryâ— Frederick the Prince Elector Paâ—atine the Lady Elizabeth his wife with all their Prinâ—… Let our noble King still embrace the truth and manfully maintaine it against all treacherous plotâ— and 〈◊〉 perswasions distastiâ—â— as he hath alwayes done both alteration of true Religion and to leration of any other Let thy po wer alwayes
soule and wounded heart Without to preseruation of my weake body in each part Therefore teach me the truth O Lord O sacred truth teach me thy wayes That I should walke led by thy Word and to thy glory spend my dayes Lord keepe from wicked thoughts mine heart mine hands that they commit none ill Mine eyes my tongue and euery part Lord graunt they may performe thy will My feete from falling still preserue as of my selfe regard me not Deale not with me as I deserue as are my sinnes reward me not Behold not my deformities but looke on me in Christ by loue My sinnes and all enormities as mists and cloudes from me remoue Thou righteous art and gracious reformest sinners sinnes forgiu'st O be to me propitious to liue in thee that euer liu'st Keepe thou my soule let me not perish nor vtterly to be confounded That trust in thee but my soule cherish and ioy mine heart which thou hast wounded Thou art my strength and sure defence in time of dangers imminent Though all helpe faile experience hath taught me thou art permanent I goe vnto thine Oracle and from thy word I counsaile take And finde a wonderous miracle thou neuer do'st thine owne forsake Thy seruants that in thee doe trust thy Tabernacle shall them shield In secret thou do'st hide the iust that are not with foule sinne defilde Hearken O Lord hearken and heare vnto my voyce that call and crie O let thy loue towards me appeare with streames and floods of thy mercie Thou sayest O Lord seeke yee my face what is it but in my distresse To crie for helpe and craue thy grace and ayde in time of heauinesse My soule by the pure priuiledge of thy free spirit which teacheth trueth My heart prepared with knowledge and faith and hope vnto thee sueth My tongue doth speake mine heart doth mutter and euery member in his place Doth striue to speake and these words vtter helpe me opprest hide not thy face Though father that did me beget my mother that from wombe me bare And all my friends forsake me yet thou Lord of me tak'st charge and care O Lord thou wilt me not forsake for so hast promis'd in thy Word In all distresse no feare I le take but forthwith flie to thee O Lord Thou giu'st not like our earthly Sires nor wants suppliest like carnall friends That would but cannot our desires performe in deedes as heart pretends Hopelesse I should downe faint and fall did I not in thee surely trust That holdeth no respect at all but vnto those whom Christ makes iust And thou acceptest not vaine glory as worldlings doe nor things externall Thou look'st not to things transitorie but to the things that are internall A lowly and obedient heart a trembling spirit thou doest elect Of poore opprest thou tookst the part and proud men downe thou doest deiect Frame thou therefore my inward zeale that outward businesse me deceiue not Of comforts which thou doest reueale to thine and me of ioyes bereaue not When at thy mercy gate I knocke doe not as rich men vse the poore That 'gainst them faest the gates doe locke but quickly Lord set ope the dore Let not my miseries depriue my heart of ioy or soules comfort Let not vaine things ill men deuise draw me to be of their consort Make strong my faith and hope Lord giue me and I le take hold of thy protection Be my defence and Paâ—…oplie and guide me safe to thy election Thou hast O Lord my troubles scene hast knowne my soule in bitternesse Thou hast mine helpe and succour been O helpe me now in my distresse In mercies thou hast mightily sau'd me from perils infinite My life consumes my heart doth die my yeares doe waste my day is night The day tells day the night the morrow the base reproach of my disaster Yea friends and foes adde griefe to sorrow and each base mate doth me o're-master I am now at the point to pine O let it be thy blessed pleasure To ease my griefe for I am thine my paines asswage Lord in some measure For thou my paines hast measured and all that 's good for those that feare Lord thou in store hast treasured to me Lord let the same appeare In sight of those that are my foes that thinke there is no period Of all my tortures paine and woes graunt this for Christ his sake O God A Prayer of an afflicted minde O Lambe of GOD which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon mee a most vile and wretched sinner wounded euen vnto death eternall if thou Lord in whom all fulnesse of mercy and compassion doth dwell doe not relieue and comfort mee O Lord how am I assaulted by the crafty and subtill temptations of Sathan that cunning serpent that seeth all my weaknesses both of soule and body and neuer ceaseth night nor day sleeping waking eating drinking hearing and reading mourning and laughing but alwayes followeth doggeth me with fearefull temptations telling mee that I am but an hypocrite and that all my repentance hath beene but in words and not in heart in outward shew but not in trueth and that my sinnes are greater then God can or will forgiue that I am none of his Elect that I haue no true faith saying That those that truely beleeue neuer doubt that I doe not vnderstand Gods word aright and that it doth nothing appertaine vnto mee no more than vnto Iudas who for all hee was an Apostle yet was reprobated and cast away and how knowest thou but that thy faith is presumption seeing neuer any man but St. Paul had such assurance of faith Yea thou doest not delight in Gods word nor so loue his Ministers as thou shouldest thou doest not abound in good workes all thy righteousnes is pharisaicall thou art a louer of the world more then of God doest thou not see how thou art continually punished plagued and smitten of God neuer without one crosse or other on thy selfe thy wife children and seruants on thy cattell goods and aduentures at home and abroad and in other businesses Yea in euery thing thou puttest thine hand vnto thou seest how God is against thee and cannot abide thee yea euen in thy Prayers thou mayest feele how the spirit of God hath left thee therefore deceiue not thy selfe thou art none of his if it were otherwise thou shouldest not be so afflicted in euery thing as thou art Deceiue not thy selfe God doth not loue thee if he did hee would neuer haue suffered thee to commit so many sinnes as thou hast done by lying by swearing by drunkennesse by whoring by fornication by adulterie by murther and the like and to haue liued so long in them as thou hast done Yea what a prophaner of the Sabbath day hast thou beene what filthy vncleane thoughts what scurrilous Songs and vnsauourie speeches haue issued out of thy heart and mouth and how hast thou beene swallowed vp in pleasure and pride
From head to foote so leprous be our staines That in our selues not one good thought remaines But if we doe or thinke ought that is good It is in vs the effect of Christ his blood Our bloody sinnes are numberlesse and daily call That thou in iudgement should condemne vs all But Lord our God be hold vs in thy Sonne Forgiue forget remit what wee haue done Corruption made vs sonnes of wrath and fire-brands of hell Thy grace in Christ made vs thy sonnes and heires to dwell In heauen where thy kingdome is most glorious be thy name Which hast in Christ elected vs before all worlds frame In glory thou in heauen art in mercy heere with vs below In iudgements with the damned crew the seas thy wonders know Yet sea nor earth nor heauens high thy essence can containe Thou art hast bin and euer shalt I AM of might remaine Seeing thou art to vs a Father deare of heauenly might Giue vs obedience to thy will and in thy lawes delight Humilitie with godly feare heauenly thoughts diuine And whatsoeuer graces else may signe and scale vs thine Most glorious sacred sanctified acknowledg'd be thy name Amongst vs all thy children deare that doe professe the same Although none hallowing we can adde vnto thy essence pure Grant that our liues our thoughts our words thy glory may procure Eâ—due vs with such godly zeale thy honour to maintaine With reuerence due to vse thy name and not in ieast or vaine Seeing that thy wisedome greatnesse cleare and piercing eye Beholds what 's done or thought both farre and nye From swearing lying and blaspheming thee Good Lord in mercy still deliuer me By all we thinke shall doe or act indeed Grant that some glory to thy name proceede Let not our sinnes nor Sathans strong temptation Nor our fraile flesh gaine sinfull approbation Come thou Lord Iesus quickly cleanse and garnish Our sinfull hearts and thine kingdome establish O Sonne of God ô Lambe pure vndefiled The ioy solace which all Saints desired Inflame our hearts let vs not quench thy Spirit Make good to vs what thy owne death did merit God hath ordain'd and thou hast dearely bought A glorious Kingdome by vs seldome sought Lest from that Kingdome we excluded be O work in vs such works as pleaseth thee Thy will is holy perfect right and iust Our wils peruerse possest with sinfull lust O grant vs willing hearts for to perfome Whatsoeuer thy good will shal vs informe Our will 's peruerse corrupted full of sin No good in act or thought we can begin If any thing we doe that please thee may It is thy grace that doth direct our way O Lord my God doe thou so rule my mind That to thy will my will be still inclin'd Let me not thinke nor will nor wish to doe But what thy wil doth wel conâ—ent thâ—rto Thy holy words to feed our soules and natures wants supply For all our base vnthankefull hearts good Lord doe not deny Thy blessings Lord continue still and prouidence diuine And when we daily call on thee ô Lord to vs incline It is not wealth nor ophire gold that can enrich our neede Nor pleasant dainties that wee take that can our bodies feede It is thy blessing mighty Lord thy strong protecting arme That feeds defends thy children dears from penury and harme No desert wild nor person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famine sore Shall long oppressâ— thy children deare or quite cosume theiâ—â—…re The Rock the Rauen. Asses jaw and eke the Lyon strong Shall comfort yeeld vnto all those that to thy grace belong The little birds the dainty flowers are fed and cloth'd most gay And euery creature in his kind feeles thee most kind alway But we for whom this vniuerse all things in 't were sign'd Doe take thy gracious benefits and proue to thee vnkind For sinfull debts to Iustice due no payment can we make Eternall death our payment is vnlesse thou mercy take Compassion Lord haue thou on vs be thou a Father kind And seal'd to vs in Christ his blood let vs thy mercie find The blind the lame the dumb and they possest with deuils The leaprous sinfull stained soules were cured of their euils They sinned had thy counsell was they should not sinne againe O soules sole cleanser Sauiour deare our hearts from sinne restraine Small is the wrong that 's done to vs in body goods or name By friends or foes we them forgiue good Lord doe thou the same If comfort any we can yeeld when they beâ— in distresse Grant we for thee our loue to them may willingly expresse Although our many grieuous sinnes deserue thy ragefull ire Repenting hearts with mournefull soules and mercy we desire O let that precious blood of thine to vs be of such force That nothing from the loue of thee may euer vs diuorce Withdraw not Lord thy grace from vs when strong temptations are Lest grosse notorious shamelesse sinnes how fraile we be declare Make vs strong pillars in thine house thy name on vs engraue That neither Sathan sinne nor hell of vs the conquest haue Though sometime Sathan suffered is to try thy children all Defend them Lord succour them when they on thee shall call So shall the glory be thine owne the conquest be their gaine And Sathan with his engins all shall know he wrought in vaine The more assaults the Dragon makes in conscience or in mind The more that man if constant bee the strength of God shâ—ll finde That soule that sacrificed is by sharpe afflictions knife By faithfull sufferance to the end doth gaine a Crowne of life Most mighty and victorious Lord that hast the conquest gain'd Of all the foes of thee and thine that in the world remaine Let no temptations though full strong a captiue make of me But by thy strength and powerfull grace good Lord deliuer me O holy sacred Trinitie that art of â—…ll might Instrust direct inspire our hearts to pray to thee aright And whatsoeuer may aduance or glorifie thy name By gracious will and powerfull might coâ—…erre on vs the same Eternall King immortall God all kingdomes are thine owne Thy power wisedome and thy might to vs doth make thee knowne All honour glory praise and laude be rendered by all men Vnto thy sacred Maiestie for euermore Amen A Morning Meditation ALmighty God which hast me brought in safety to this present day Keepe me from sinne in heart and thought and teach me what to dâ—â— and say Prosper me Lord in all my workes helpe me with thy continuall grace Kâ—… 〈◊〉 from Sathan vile that lurkes â—… soule in euery place Almighty Lord and God of loue dirâ—ct mine heart and guide my wayes Amend my misse my minde remooue from all that from thy glory strayes Thou that of wisedome art true spring and fountaine of felicitie Let mercy meere my prayers bring by Faith in Christ to sight of thee Thou which art authour of all peace and the true louer of concord
sting mee Because my conscience doth controule and saith to hell gates they will bring mee Because they doe besot my senses because they dull my Spirits quicknes Because they cause so great expenses because they cause my sad soules sicknes Because all vertue hindered is by this vile worlds accursed pleasure Because it will bereaue of blisse and of that blessed heauenly treasure And therefore earth and world farewell adue fond fancies flattering fauours Your ioyes are toyes your heauen is hell I hate your poyson'd tast and sauours And thou that art life of my life soule of my soule ô Iesus Christ Point downe the period of worlds strife thou art the Prophet Prince and Priest That wentest vp to prepare that place aboue Sunne Moone and Planets seauen O saue me by thy sauing grace and bring me to that highest heauen Where are such ioyes caelestiall as cannot be exprest by pen Bring me from things terrestriall to raigne with thee for aye Amen A Prayer vnto Almighty God to prepare and dispose our hearts rightly vnto Prayer O Louing God and Father deare I humbly thee beseech and pray For Iesus sake my prayers heare and harken what my soule shall say My heart and thoughts Lord sanctifie thine holy Spirit inspire within me Me from corruptions mundifie and let thy louing mercies win me O let me aske and haue of thee let me by Faith my suite obtaine Thy louing fauour shew to me all other fauour is but vaine Restraine my vaine imaginations preuent by Grace Sathans intrusions Let him not taint my cogitations nor â—â—â—nd mine eyes with vaine illusions Which are the enticements and the baites of that great ghostly enemy That still for worldlings seekes and waites within which rancke poore wretch am I But as my mouth and lippes haue sayd words of a faithfull seruant true So let my soule of Christ craue ayd with inward spirit to liue anewe For now my poore soule is afraid and time mispent alas I rue To thee I runne imploring aid within me doe thy Spirit renue O Lord I see the bloody wounds of thy sweete Sonne my Sauiour 〈◊〉 see thy mercies there abounds and promised by thy fauour And therefore I by sinfull deâ—…des that earst liu'd carelesse in despaire Doe flye vnto those wounds that bleedes and plucke downe grace by force of prayer Oh in that grace grant me to live and in that grace grant me to die And when I die Lord grace me giue to raigne with thee perpetuallie A Prayer for Christian vertues OH my Lord God grant that with a sincere heart I may desire thee and in desyring seeke thee and in seeking find thee and when I haue found thee grant that I may constantly loue thee and not returne to that filthinesse of sinne for which thou hatest me and I become odious loathsome in thy presence that thou art constrained to withdraw thy gracious countenance from beholding so great impuritie Giue me ô my Lord God a repentant heart a contrite Spirit eyes flowing with fountaines of penitent teares quench in me all the concupiscense of the flesh and kindle in me the fire of thy loue Oh my Redeemer take from me the Spirit of pride and most fâ—â—ourably enrich mee with the treasure oâ— thy humilitie remooue from me◠ô my Sauior the fury and distem perance of choller and graciously arme me with the shield of pati ence O my Creator roote out oâ— me all ranck or and malice and en due me with gentlenes and meekâ— nes bestow vpon mee a perfecâ— faith a right hope and constanâ— loue Preserue me ô Lord from aâ— vanitie inconstancy of minde waâ— uering of heart scossing and conâ— temptuous speaking reproches tauntes and slanders against mâ— neighbour busie curiositie hunâ— ger of riches extortion ambitiâ— on vaine-glory from the vice oâ— hypocrisie the poyson of flatte ry contempt of the weake op pression of the poore from gree dy auarice cankered enuy deadly blasphemy Deliuer me ô Lord from rasâ— boldnesse contumacy frowardnesse idlenesse negligence sloath dulnesse of wit blindnes of heart obstinacy of minde sauage conditions contempt of good things the abandoning of wholesome counsell offence of the tongue rapine of the poore malicious and false accusation against the innocent violence against the impotent neglect of inferiours cruelty towards my family impietie and infidelitie towards them that repose trust in me and from vniust and rigorous dealing with all men O my God my merciful God I beseech thee in thy beloued Sonne blesse me with the workes of mercy and zeale of godlinesse to suffer with the afflicted to minister to the needy to succour the miserable to counsell them that go astray to comfort the sorrowfull to releeue the oppressed to nourish the poore to cherish and comfort such as mourne to forgiue my debtors to pardon them that trepasse against mee to loue them that hate mee to render good for euill to despise none but to honour them to imitate the good to beware of euill things and euill vngodly societie to eschew vice and to embrace vertue in aduersitie patience humblenesse in prosperitie to guard the doore of my mouth to watch the enemies that compasse my lippes to despise worldly things and earnestly to thirst after the heauenly O Lord my God blessed be thy name for euer dispose my heart open my lippes and guide mee by thy holy Spirit to a true acknowledgement of all my sinnes and an eternall detestation renouncing and forsaking of them that my prayers may bee heard of thee in the name and for the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ. To whom with thee and the most holy Spirit three sacred persons one mighty and immortall God bee ascribed attributed and giuen all praise all thankes all honour and glory this day and for euermore Amen Amen A generall confession of sinnes OMnipotent and gracious Father I from thy wayes haue stray'd and err'd Like a lost sheepe and followed rather mine hearts deuises and prefer'd My foolish fancies fond desires and broke the lawes set downe by thee I haue not done what thou requires but done those things that should not be No health in mee but thou ô God haue mercy on me sinfull wretch Spare me oh spare me hold thy rod that to offenders thou doest stretch I doe confesse my faults restore mee I doe repent for Iesus sake That promise euer is before thee which thou in Christ to God didst make And grant for his sake liue I may a godly right and sober life To thy names glory still for aye possessing heauen where is no strife All laude and praise be to thy name for euer and euer now and then To whom all nations sing with fame sweete Psalmes of ioy Amen Amen A Morning Meditation I Laid me downe to rest and slept and in the moring rose againe God me sustain'd and safely kept and by his grace did me maintaine His Angels pitcht me round about sleeping and waking keeping me Both comming in and going out
scandalls and disgrace With thy protection Lord approach and let thy mercy me embrace Let not me come within the reach of their inuentions and deuice Whose facts are foule they faire in speech and by base flattery me entice Nor such as lye in wayte for me obtaine their wish who doe desire Fit time and opportunity to worke the euill they conspire O let me tread in the right path and walke from faith to faith in loue Obserue thy lawes and shunne thy wrath and forward to all vertue mone And let my conscience witnesse beare of my saith and integrity Let all men see the Christall cleare of my poore hearts sincerity Though I good Father cannot liue free from all sinne and all offence And some take cause though I none giue yet keepe thou cleare my conscience Shall I deserue still as I doe mens iust reproofes through indiscretion And that against my meaning too and suffer carnall mens oppression That breake forth into bitternesse against me that am weake and lame And vomite out their filthinesse What thou hast done they count my shame And take it as an argument that I am in deiection And thinke it is thy full intent to keepe me from protection Indeede O Lord I must confesse my sinnes deserue sharpe punishment Worthy of more and not of lâ—sse then all the plagues on me hast sent I more should taste then I can beare or able them for to endure Thy mercies yet they doe me spare and make me cleane that am impure But in my weakenesse of behauiour I this haue done which caus'd me fall But yet I trust in Christ my Sauiour his pâ—â—tious blood hath payd for all Depending on thy mighty power to saue keepe and deliuer me Lest miseries doe me deuoure and enemies my sorrowes see And take oâ—casion to pursue pretending to my soule no good Inâ—etered hatred they renue to eats my flesh and spill my blood Therefore consider my great groanes preuent the dangers comming nigh me My heart is rent with sighes and moanes J flye to thee O Lord stand by me Why standest thou a loose alas seem'st not my troubles to regard Why turn'st thou Lord away thy fâ—câ— mine heart doth hope for some reward Why hidest thou thy selfe me fro when troubles are so much abounding As though thou Lord dâ—dst me not know thy darts are alwayes mine heart wounding There is no helpe for mâ— in thee they say thou nothing doâ—st respect me I neuerthelesse will come to thee for Christ his sake thou wilt not reiect me The rather therefore me relieue that righteous men may well perceiâ—â— Thou ready art thine ayde to giue and their desires wilt not deceiue And not to faâ—nt when they are tride with like afflictions any wayes But shall with patient minde abide thy will and giue thy name the praise The dullest hearts thou doest prepare to call on thee and thou againe Doest heare their cries and them do'st spare and easest them of griefe and paine How long O Lord how long wilt thou forget me and how long shall I Seeke to be heard and know not how to make thee listen to my crie How long shall I thy counsell seeke yet ignorant what course to take I pray thee O Lord most meete with sighes and groanes which neuer slake My heart with griefe and heauinesse powres forth complaints continually Before thee in my great disâ—…sse yet inward light obtaine not I That lighten should my pensiue soule and comfort mine afflicted heart Thy wrath with rigour doth controle my forward hopes and causeth smart Thou threatn'st sorrowes to encrease to such as seeke to other gods Why should not then my torments cease that child-like feare thy awfull rods Sith I in thee my faith repone why should I then true wisedome want It being sought from thee alone why do'st thou then refuse to graunt Thou didst create all men at first and doest preserue and all maintaine Thy Sunne doth shine on best and worst the same to all thou do'st remaine But sith to thee alone I kneele and onely vnto thee doe call O let me Lord thy mercies feele and let thy drops of mercy fall With thee there is redemption and thou deliuerest all that trust In Christ for their saluation by whom the sinfull are made iust Thou keep'st them safe vnder thy wings of fauour from the mercilesse Thy fauour giueth all good things to thine Elect in their distresse O therefore be my rocke where on I may both safely build and rest Castle of refuge Arke alone in which I am in safety blest For thou hast promis'd in thy loue that they that put their trust in thee Like Syons mount which doth not moue shall safely stand eternally Breake thou the chaines which haue me tide remoue the sorrowes from my heart Wherewith Lord all my vaines are dried and I am parcht in euery part That I walking at liberty with a free spirâ—â— may salue my sore My hope may liue and crosses die and I sing praise to thee therefore And let my â—oes no more preuaile that Lyon-like doe me destroy And like to Wolues they me â—ssâ—ile that spoile the Sheepe the Shepheards ioy O carry me Lord in thine armes througâ— out these miseries cleane away And safâ—ly keâ—pe me from all harmes that now sticke fast in mire and clay Let no vntimely suddâ—ine Fate cut off my dayes ere fully spent Or raging floods sinke mine estate nor swallow me incontinent But rather Lord returne them backe these swelling waues that reare and rage On euery side to worke me wraâ—ke their gusts and tempests Lord asswage Let me passe on my mortall course and finish these my dayes of life Of thy meere loue and kinde remorse in peace and loue from hate and strife A thanksgiuing after the receiuing of the Lords Supper O Heauenly Father I thanke thee that thou hast made me this day to sit downe with thee at thy heauenly Table and hast giuen me the bread of God that came downe from heauen not as the Mannah which being eaten afterward did perish and the eaters too and hast made this Sacramentall body and bloud of thy Sonne to be meate indeede and drinke indeede farre surpassing the olde carnall Mannah which extended but vnto the body but this spirituall foode which thou hast giuen mee with thiâ—e owne hand hath in it a quickning life for the present and an assurance of an eternall life in the life to come Wherefore hauing fed on thee this day by faith in my heart let the sweet comfort thereof so cheare my soule that I may more and more thirst after thee and by godly liuing expresse my dwelling in thee and so be more and more assured that thou art that Christ and Sonne of the liuing God my Sauiour and Redeemer in life and death and for euermore after death for vnto this end O God the Father thou hast sealed thy Sonne to be my Sauiour in thee will I for euer trust in this life to be
my defiled wicked heart Prosper and blesse mine actions lighten my knowledge grosse and darke O Wash me from impiâ—tiâ— exhilerate my sicke soules sadnessâ—… In darknesse let me light espie in midst of sorrow graunt me gladnesse On fruitfull ground Lord doe me planâ— and build me vp on surest râ—cke Annoyes to ioyes to wealth turne wâ—… from future ills me keepe and locke As trees that grow by waters side whose leaues and blossomes freshly flourish For euer let my state abide thy loue reuiue thy grace me nourish Let thy spirit daily spring and bud with faiths pure branches from my heart Let dewes and drops of Christs deere blood feede vaines of hope from sinners darâ— My store is decayed thou canst renew it my basket's empty thou canst fill it Refresh my heart againe reuiue it reuiue it Lord for thou didst kill it Thou help'st the simple poore and needie thou seest my state thou canst all mâ—nd I know thou know'st when to be speedie and knowest thy time when to defend Helpe helpe O Lord else downe I fall hold me fast by thy strong hand And lift me vp against them all that by opposing me withstand Thy promise Lord thouâ—…o st performe thy words are deedes thou 〈◊〉 and do'st A happy end thou doest returne and graunt to those that on thee trust My safety Lord thou hast ordain'd by faith my hope doth mount and â—lie And by that hope I am sustain'd if that were lost my soule would die My faith hath fixt an obiect right my will doth farre my power exceede But Lord I know that in thy sight the will is taken for the deede Then Lord for deede my will doe take and I secured shall be then O graunt me this for Christ his sake to whom be praise for aye Amen A conuenient Prayer for all times either for a priuate person or a whole family MOst mighty God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ most louing Sauiour and Redeemer and most blessed Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Sonne the eternall most glorious Trinity which in the beginning didst create the heauen and the earth with all the hoasts of them and from time to time vnto this present moment of their being vpheld and preserued them and all creatures that thou diddest then make haue euer sithence obayed thy first institution man onely for whom thou madest all things excepted which when we doe consider O Lord we cannot but be much deiected in our selues to thinke that wee whom thou hast adorned with thine owne Image should bee fallen backe in our obedience and become worse then the worst of thy creatures thou gauest vs disposition to obay thee but wee haue despised thee and cast away from vs the yoke of obedience yet so great is thy mercy that though we haue reiected thee yet thou hast not reiected vs but hast continued all thy couenants in full force vnto vs as in the beginning vnto our fore-fathers O Lord from the wombe of our Parents are we risen a rebellious seede and like the prodigall sonne haue in the vaine imaginations of our hearts wandered from thee so that thou canst take no pleasure nor delight in vs or in any thing we doe but O Lord wee cast downe our selues in thy sight and presence earnestly beâ—eeching thee as on the poore Publican to haue mercy vpon vs and pardon all our sinnes which wee from time to time haue done against thee O Lord pardon our sinnes of ignorance of omission and commission in the duties commanded forbidden which wee haue neglected and not done O Lord pardon our sins of knowledge by which wee haue often grieued thy good spirit that would haue hindered and detained vs from them if wee out of the loue to them had not too much delighted in them stopped our eares against his holy motions and directions O Lord pardon our sinnes of presumption by which wee haue most mightily offended thee and so hardned our hearts as wee could take no delight in the exercise of thy worship or seruice as by the contempt of thy most holy Word and Sacraments in our owne conscience and in the sight of thy holy Church vnto whom we are knowne is most maniâ—est yet O our most good God doe away all our transgressions at what time or place so euer they haue beene committed or done O Lord seperate them as farre from thee as the East is from the West binde them in a bundle and drowne them from thy sight as thou diddest the sinnes of the old world O Lord drowne them in the huge sea of thy mercy so as they may be cleane forgotten for wee confesse that if thou shouldest call vs to a reckoning and account for them there is not the least of them but like mill-stones tyed about our neckes in the midst of the sea would drown vs in eternall death coÌ„demnation of body soule for euermore But O Lord we beseech thee to naile our sinnes vnto the Crosse of thy deare Sonne Iesus our Sauiour and Redeemer and for his sake we onely entreate thee to be at peace with vs and thy whole Church throughout the world Wash our sinnes away in his most holy bloud which he shed for his Churches sake in his agony on the mount before and in his death on the Crosse for hee is the Lord our righteousnesse who in thy secret counsell was slaine from the beginning of the world that wee which trust in him by his stripes and wounds might of our sinnes bee healed O Lord I beseech thee heare these our petitions which much like forlorne beggers wee put vp vnto thee in thy Sonnes name being imboldened and encouraged this to dee from that promise of thine which in thy holy Gospell thou hast giuen vs saying Aske and yee shall haue seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Yea thou hast encouraged vs heere vnto saying Can you that are euill giue good gifts to your children when they aske and shall not I giue the holy Ghost to my children when they aske of me And thou hast said that hauing giuen thy Sonne vnto vs that thou wilt with him giue vs all things else and for his sake deny vnto vs nothing in conscience of the truth of this thy holy word wee pray thee to heare vs and to settle our hearts mindes in the knowledge loue and obedience of thy word and commandements to the end and in the end of this our fraile and weake life O Lord considering our weakenesse and how vnable wee are to stand in temptation and considering how many and how great our temptations are both in things spirituall and things temporall and how the deuill as a wandring and raging Lyon raigneth throughout the world and in the Church especially seeking whom hee may deuoure and considering how subtilly hee vseth and offereth this world vnto vs as hee did vnto thee in the beginning of thy Ministerie which thy Father had appointed thee in his
amongst the deuills The world for disobedience didst punish and thou moughtest subuert But chiefely me for negligence mayest plague with all plagues 't is desert I am not worthy to breathe in ayre nor haue the vse of any creature Much lesse to thee to make my prayer cause 'gainst my God I am a traytour Thou worthily me do'st afflict at me thou takest iust offence All punishments thou doest inflict because thy wrath I did incense My trespasses doe more offend then I can please with my best zeale The worthinesse I best intend I not performe my soule Lord heale I shame at mine vnworthinesse yet faine would be at one with thee Thou art a ioy in heauinesse a succour in necessity To them that doe their liues reforme and rightly frame their penitence Sincerely follow and performe thy will without all negligence All this to doe I doe desire and what thou sayest I doe beleeue Thy pardon graunt me I require release and pardon Lord me giue O be with them that doe thee seeke and yeeld them helpe that hold by thee Instructing humble men and meeke that wisedome seeke by thy mercy Sith I so long to thee haue cried so long thee sought yet hope I will Though my sad soule in silence bide in constant Patience I wayte still Thou rightly hear'st my inward groanes my sorrowes fighes wants and desire And doest respect the outward moanes of men distrest that feare the fire Though in their lips they mute doe seeme and doe speake nothing with their tongues What they conspire thou doest it deeme and present art to right my wrongs But loe the time is not expir'd of mine ordained punishment Nor of that freedome I desir'd I le waite by hope in languishment My helpe my comfort and my life saluation mine depends on thee Within my conscience stint the striâ—e and giue me grace and liberty My life my comfort helpe and all saluation on Christ dependeth 'T is he doth raise me when I fall he all begins and he all endeth I will not murmure neither grudge nor seare nor faint but alwayes waite He is my Sauiour and my Judge his grace decreed who can retrait Is there not an appointed time for all things that by God be wrought Iob was brought low at last did clime to wealth and honour he was brought And Ioseph was afflicted long by brethren and by false accuse He was shut vp in prison strong didst all his cause and wrongs peruse At length brought'st him to honour great and Dauid was at fiâ—st cast downe And then inthroan'd in Princely seate and long enioyed the royall Crowne Poore widdowe of Sarepta shee and hers were ready for to pine Her barrell and her Cruse by thee were blest and that Prophet thine Her meale and oyle did neuer faile thou send'st that Saint euen to that end That they in dearth should neuer quaile so didst from famine her defend Wherefore a little while I le waite I know the appointed time will come I shall be freed from sinnes deâ—eite wilt mercies send in miseries roome Thou art my portion and my strength my defence and saluation Thou seest my troubles and at length wilt giue me consolation Thou sena'st them not as ignorant of them thou know'st thou didst me make Therefore what 's needfull God me graunt good Lord dâ—â— neuer me forsake I am brought to the very pit of all confusion men suppose Thou hast decreed the time most sit of my deliuery from my foes To me vnknowne that being seene I may attribute to thee then The praise who praised ere hast beene without the ayde of mortall men Which I haue sought so long in vaine yea while I called thee vpon Let me acknowledge helpe againe to come from thee or else from none And all that the world can afford be but the effects of thy deare Loue Thy power thy prouidence thy word doe send me comfort from aboue O blessed man whom thou doest chuse and callest by crosses vnto thee Whom thou by death seem'st to refuse by secret sweetnesse liues by thee With inward consolation fed with the Manna of thy loue Who dwells in thy protection with liuely hope can neuer moue He fainteth not at mightiest frowne so I O Lord assured rest Thou art my portion and my crowne to dignifie those loue thee best Thou tendrest me as a deare sonne though thou me visite with thy rod Yet suffâ—rest not me for to runne with sinners and to fall from God Although I seeme of hope depriâ—'d and that my wented comforts past Yet I O Lord shall be reuiu'd by thee and by thy grace at last For all my long and instant cries I will not shrinke though knowing this Thy wonderous power and great mercies most infinite thy mercy is If thou mad'st the rocke a water spring thy thirsty people to refresh From mine hard hearted foes canst wring some comfort for my woes reâ—resse If thou rain'dst Manna from aboue and Rauen sent thy Saint to feede Thousands of men didst feede with loue when there was little shew of bread If to thy people thou sendest Quailes in desert where all foode was scant And since thy goodnesse neuer failes should I suppose that I should want Confirme my faith for euermore that I most constantly beleeue Thou canst and wilt encrease my store and all good things thou wilt me giue All power belongeth vnto thee who can imagine or will say Thou canst not in my neede helpe me or that thy loue is tane away Sith thou hast done such mighty things so freely for men in distresse Should not I flye with swiftest wings to thee in time of heauinesse But loe O Lord all things are thine the heauens are thine the earth also The cattell fowles the shrubs the vines all things in heauen and earth belowe All things aboue all things beneath is thine who truly then can say Thou canst not giue or them bequeath to whom thou wilt who can say nay Thou mak'st the corne to spring and grow and waterst the earth with thy sweet showres Thou causest beasts with thanks to lowe with dewes thou water'st frâ—grant flowres Since then thou art the Lord of all sith thou command'st and doest forbid The rich and poore makest proud men fall that downe canst throwe and raise at neede Sith that thou try'st and wilt reward sith thou doest what shall please thy will And in what manner wilt regard and whom thou wilt canst saue or spill No liuing man commandeth thee not all the world can thee controle O Lord I still will pray to thee for health of body and of soule Let it be thus O Father deare for Christ his sake thy dearest Sonne That dy'd and rose my soule to cleare in all things Lord thy will be done All glory to the Trinity to Father Sonne and holy Ghost Combin'd in holy vnity of power and might and glory most A Prayer for loue and charity O Almighty God the Author and giuer of all things of
THE SACRIFICE OF A CONTRITE HEART In Teares Meditations and Prayers Penned by IOHN EVANS Minister of Gods Word IAMES 5. If any be afflicted let him pray If any be merry let him sing Psalmes LONDON Printed by A. M. for Richard Hamond and are to be sold at his Shop at the vpper end of Fleete lane 1630. The Contents A Consideration of mans miseries and Gods goodnesse pag. 1 A Meditation for the morning p. 10 A morning Prayer for one alone 14 The confession of a sorrowfull sinner 23 A Prayer vnto Almighty God 28 A Prayer for Christian vertues 30 A generall confession of our sinnes 34 Another morning Meditation 35 A prayer for the morning with company 40 Precepts of Christian duties 48 Another morning prayer 53 A Meditation for the Euening 56 An Euening prayer for a priuate person 60 Another for the Euening 64 An Euening prayer for a whole Family 74 Another for the Euening pag. 81 The repentant sheweth his vnfained griefe for offending so mercifull a God 85 An Euening meditation 90 A prayer for the encrease of Faith 93 A prayer for the remission of sinnes 96 A meditation vpon the miseries of man 101 A prayer for the forgiuenesse of sinnes 103 The Repentants complaint against sin 108 A prayer for sanctificatioÌ„ of the Sabbath 110 A prayer for godly zeale 116 A meditation to gaine fauour from God 119 A prayer for Faith Hope and Charity 122 The sighes and complaint of an afflicted conscience 124 A prayer for sanctification 128 A prayer in aduersity or affiiction 131 Meditations vpon the passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. 133 What to be learned by the passion 150 A prayer for patience vnder the Crosse. 164 A thanks giuing for Gods blessings 172 A meditation inciting vs to seeke God 180 A prayer before the Communion 187 A meditation before the Communion 192 Meditations vpon Gods mercies 197 Lachrim 1. Wherein the distressed prayeth for constancy and patience in his time of afflictions 205 A thanks giuing after the Communion 213 Another prayer after Communion 214 A prayer for the Catholicke Church of God 218 A prayer for the Kings Maiestie 221 Lachrim 2. Wherein the distressed expresseth his confidence in God 224 A prayer for the encrease of Christ his Kingdome 230 A prayer against Antichrist 238 Lachrim 3. Wherein the distressed prayeth that his faith and zeale may be encreased 246 The complaint of an afflicted minde 254 Lach. 4. Wherein the distressed prayeth against the dangereus sin of dispaire 264 The Merchant aduenturer his prayer 269 A prayer for the fruits of the earth 274 A thanksgiuing for benefits and Benefactors 276 Lach. 5. Wherein the distressed sheweth his desire to hold fast the promises of God 279 A generall thanksgiuing 283 Lach. 6. The distressed craueth pardon for his sinnes 295 A prayer to be vsed in the time of any contagious sicknesse 302 The prayer called O bountifull Iesu. 305 The sicke mans prayer 308 A prayer for the sicke 311 Lach. 7. The distressed detesteth the world and all worldly things 316 The young mans prayer for a vertuous wife 321 The mayds prayer for a godly husband 326 The prayer of a woman with childe 332 The 8. Lachrimae 337 A prayer for loue and charity 346 The 9. Lachrimae 351 Te Deum laudamus 352 TO AL THAT desire with faith and reuerence to call vpon the name of the Lord by the mediation of Iesus Christ Gods most holy Spirit be giuen for their inward consolation in this life and their eternall peace and glory in the life to come THe holy Prophet Dauid in a thankfull commemoration of the in numerable blessings hee had receiued from the hands of God said Quid retribuam domino what reward shall I giue vnto the Lord for all the benefits hee hath done vnto me and apprehending that God was not so well pleased with ceremoniall sacrifices as thousands of oblations or whole streames of the blood of young bullockes or goates or with riuers of oyle as with a troubled Spirit and a contrite and a broken heart resolueth therefore to humble his soule with fasting with weeping and with mourning to seeke the face and fauour of the Lord to pay his vowes to pray vnto the Lord to cal vpon his holy name to praise him for euermore assuring himselfe that the Lord would neither reiect nor despise such a sacrifice Good Christian Reader doe thou the like which art as farre indebted as euer Dauid was And seeing that Iesus Christ himselfe calleth vnto thee saying Come vnto mee all you that labour and are heauy laden with the burden of your sinnes and I will refresh you Oh â—et thy resolution be as ready as Dauids was when the Lord called seeke my face hee answered thy face O Lord will I seeke euen with my whole heart so let thy answere bee to the Sonne of God I come Lord Iesus I come I will pay my vowes promised to thee in the presence of thy people and confirmed vnder the Sacramentall Seale of Baptisme thy couenant of grace and mercy I will come and offer vnto thee my heart I will come and praise thee for all thy benefits I will come and hearken to thy voyce in thy most holy and blessed word I will abandon all secure licentious and voluptuous liuing and wholly delight in thy Testimonies and in thy Commandements which are not grieuous to thy children but more pleasing then honey or the honey combe and more inualuable then all earthly treasure I will come with reuerence repentance Charitie and Faith to receiue the cuppe of saluation at thy holy table in remembrance of thy most precious and for my sinnes sake ignominious death And forasmuch as the Spirit is willing but the flesh fraile and weake pray therefore for mortification of the flesh and that Sanctification and strengthening of thine owne inward Spirit oh pray for the presence and assistance of Gods most holy Spirit to helpe and strengthen thine infirmities whereby the diligent sighes inward groanes of thy heart may cheerefully ascend and pierce the heauens for a blessing oh stirre vp thy heart and soule to pray earnestly offer vp thyteares with watching with almes-deedes with abstinence and fasting as the repentant Niniuites as Dauid as Daniel oh breath out powerful sighes with Hannah oh streame out riuers of teares with penitent Mary Magdalen As some kinde of deuils could not bee cast out but by prayer and fasting so some sins are not eiected nor pardon for them procured without prayer and fasting and also bitter teares with repenting Peter Oh pray effectually and cheerefully and giue thy selfe continually to this diuine and holy exercise for this is the alone meanes to haue heauenly conference with thy gracious God oh pray without ceasing as the widow and as the importunate woman of Canaan pray euery where though it be in the vppenpart of thy house with Peter or in thy chamber alone with Eliseus
euen in the lowest degree and breed in me a perfecâ—… hatred of them not in respect of punishment temporall or eternall but in filiall feare and godly affection grant for thy Christ his sake that I may hate and detest them and my selfe in them and for them And to this end Lord open mine eyes that in the hearing and reading of thy word as the linely and most effectuall meanes I may obtaine the assurance of thy loue and fauour and let it be that to mee which it is in it selfe thy strong power and mighty arme to my saluation Let it be vnto mee the sweete sauour of life vnto life and not at any time through my vnworthinesse the sauour of death vnto death Good Lord hereby create in me a cleane heart and renew a right Spirit within mee that I may delight in thy word aboue gold aboue much fine gold yea aboue thousands of gold and siluer let thy word bee a continuall light vnto my patheâ— and a daily lanterne vnto my feet ôlet me not stand at a stay in grace nor in any measure of gift of grace much less decline or goe backe in any grace or gift of grace but grant that I may in the vse of all holy meanes goe on in grace till I come vnto a perfect man in Christ â—esus Lord keepe me this day that I may not like Lots wife looke back again or like the vnthankful Israelites esteeme the homely fare of Egypt of this world of things of this life aboue the heauenly Manna thy word the only true food of life But like Abraham the rich Marchant leaue sell all that this world can affoord to attaine the Kingdome of heauen vnto which thou hast called mee by faith in Christ at this day and for euer Hauing begd these graces I returne vnto thee humble thanks for all thy benefits that I haue receiued not onely before but since my being as for my election before time and for my vocation in time from whence haue followed my iustification and some measure of sanctification in this life and my assured hope of glorification in the life to come For these inestimable blessings which no minde can conceiue nor tongue expresse I returne vnto thee all such possible praise and hearty thankes as my vnderstanding can conceiue beseeching thee that I may this day all the dayes of my life walke worthy of all these thy mercies O Lord I thanke thee for these other inferiour testimonies of thy loue which thou hast made more common with the vniust then with the iust I thanke thee ô Father that thou hast shared mee out so great a portion euen beyond many of thy Saints seruants Lord grant that while thou continuest the trust of them in my hands for they are thy talents and not mine I may soberly vse them to thy glory and to mine owne comfort and the comfort of the Saints O Lord grant I may abound in charitie to all of all sorts that I shall behold to stand in neede of my helpe but especially to the houshold of Faith and grant that I may giue no reliefe in worldly ostentation or vaine glory to bee seene or talked of of men but in an vpright heart good conscience vnto thee And all this I beseech thee to grant for Iesus Christ his sake my onely Lord and Sauiour Last of all I beseech thee as a seeling member of thy holy Church militant howsoeuer or wheresoeuer dispersed scattered or afflicted for all thine that suffer any kinde of sorrow neede sicknesse or any other aduersitie in soule or body by sea or land but especially for all thine that suffer bonds chaines or imprisonments with Ioseph for righteousnesse sake mittigate all their paines and troubles and giue them Faith and patience in all their seueral distresses as may bee most for thine owne glory and their comforts through Christ our Mediator and Redeemer To thee ô Father Sonne and holy Ghost the eternall and most blessed Trinitie bee rendred all praise and glory not onely by all men in generall but by me in speciall with thy holy Church this day and for euermore Amen Amen A particular confession of a sorrowfull sinner MOst mighty and all-knowing Lord â—…true spring of consâ—…ion J doe confesse with heaâ—t and voyce thou art my preseruation I haue offended griâ—uously by my transgâ—…ssions donâ— against thee And haue drawne downe a weight on mee of thy great Iudgements willfully Vnder which burden cannot I but faint and fall in wofull sort Vnlesse thy hand and thy mercy through Iesus Christ doe me support Thou knowest good Father I am weake and cannot beare thy heauy Ire Not knowing what to doe or speake or how to escape my sinfull hire Vnlesse thou point 〈◊〉 oâ—t the way with thy wise Spirit me directing Vnto my foe I am made a pray were not thy power me protecting Not euery one that heares thy word can vnderstand thy wiâ—edome great Nor euery one that cries Lord Lord shall enter in at heauens gate Who is not led by better line then doth proâ—… from fleâ—â— and blood Erres from the trueth and doeth decline from right to wrong to ill from good Whose end is death though for a time seemes sweete to please the outward man That 's nothing else but durt and slyme or like a puffe in length a span As honour riches friends and health Preferment life and Worlds delight Esteeming these true happy wealth but the true blisse is out of sight They thinke that sicknes pouerty imprisonment and enemies fell And worldly crosses verely are gates and entrance into hell So foolish and so ignorant are those thou guid'st not in thy way Mong'st whom euen I through wisdomes want haue bin misled vntill this day But hauing found the truth by triall that earthly ioyes are transitory When they me tempt I make deniall and onely seeke the eternall glory Now I disclaime all confidence in honour health in wealth or feature In wit or worldly Sapience or yet in any earthly creature And Lord I here doe dedicate all thou hast giuen me to thine honour My selfe I wholly consecrate to march and fight vnder thy banner And now I bid these toyes adue that onely-please my flesh and sences Because they all are most vntrue and still doe cause so great offences Because their glorious bounty fades and leaues nought but deformities Because they are nought else but shades and bring forth grosse enormities Because they are most false and fickle because they are indeed hels fewell Because their rose hath many a prickle because their slauery is most cruell Because they are not firme and stable because they are profane not holy Because they are but as a fable because they are but sottish folly Because my soule they coll and kill because they giue me Iudas kisse Because my good they spot and spill and draw me from mine heauenly wish Because like swords they wound my soule because like Serpents they doe
they guard me with securitie Lord heare my voyce in morning bright when I my prayers doe direct And waite till thou the God of light doe heare and helpe me with effect O Father full of power and might mercy and loue How dare I cast Mine eyes vnto thy heauenly light if thou remember my sinnes past How can I thinke or hope for good on me below to come from highe Hauing so much thy lawes withstood and sinn'd against thy Maiestie Thou in thy power and knowledge deepe Lord sees the wicked wayes of mine Whether in sinne I wake or sleepe It is not hidden from thine eyne My vaine corrupt and euill deedes my imperfections more and more My daily sinnes by which it breedes thine anger worse then was before Thy iudgements I might iustly feare If thou shouldest note what 's done amisse Thou might'st in torture be seuere yet giu'st th ou rest and peace and blisse And hast raised me vp by thy hand for onely thou preseruest mee And me defendst by sea and land awake or sleepe I seruing thee Whether I walke worke eate or drinke or what ere else doe what I will Thou blessest all that I can thinke without thy blessings all were ill For I a creature weake and faint subiect to dangers that are rise And closely worke my soule to taint in this corrupt and euill life I lye alas in night and blindnes and haue no watch me to defend Yet am preserued by thy kindnes from them that ill to me intend Whose owlish eyes doe shunne the light who lay their traps and snares in darke But thou defend'st me with thy might and with bright eyes their worke dost marke Thou deare kinde Father full of loue regard'st thy weake and little ones Thy many mercies doe thee mooue to hearken to their sighes and mones O gracious God I giue thee thankes for all thy mercies manifold Saue me from all the plots and prankes of sinne and of that Serpent old Forgiue me mine offences Lord let true repentance make me right An humbled heart and life reform'd I know are pleasing in thy sight I am inclin'd to vanitie to fall into one sinne or other No day nor houre from sinne scape I since first conceiu'd in wombe of mother With cruell foes I am beset corruptions in me daily fight They labour sore thy grace to let and make me loathsome in thy fight Wresting my will and setled minde from true sinceritie to sinne From good desires to be inclin'de to deepe despaire and die therein To make me trust in blandishment of wicked world my soule deceiuing And in my soules sad languishment of comforts all my soule bereauing I flye vnto the sauctuary of thy deare care and prouidence Assured I shall not miscarry when I depend on thy defence Keepe me therefore ô King of Kings as precious apple of thiâ—e eye This day me shrowd vnder thy wings from sinne and Sathaus tirannie Teach me the truth me knowledge giue and wisedome with all humblenesse Obedience Zeale and Faith relieue my soule with hope in all distresse Change me from sinne to sanctitie from the nights darkenes vnto light Let my cold zeale most ardent bee to serue the Lord both day and night Teach me iustly to execute my outward calling giue successe And happy issue to my suitâ— aud all my lawfull labours blesse Giue meanes with trueth and â—quitie to me and mine with godly care In heart and minde true pietie and all things else that needfull are And let thy holy Spirit so nourish and gouerne me that more and more I may encrease beare fruite and flourish in godlinesse and goodnes store Vntill thou shalt cut off this life that is corrupt with deadly sinne And by Christs merits end the strife of mortall warres my soule liues in And draw me then with cordes of loue to thee and to thy kingdome The new Ierusalem aboue where thou alone bear'st ruledome And grant that I may reigne with thee with Christ and thine elect Sweete Father for thy mercies sake doe neuer me reiect Amen A Morning Prayer to be said with a whole Family MOst Mighty God the Creator and Father of euery liuing thing both in heauen and in earth the wonderfull preseruer and constant vpholder of all things visible and invisible not onely in the dayes of our forefathers but in these our times Wee thy poore sinfull seruants doe this morning prostrate and deiect our selues in soule and body sorrowfully confessing vnto thee against our selues that wee are so loden with daily transgressions that we know not but with infinite shame how to lift vp our heads and eyes towards thee or once to open our mouths to speake vnto thee for when wee remember how in the morning of this world in the first beginning of mankind thou didst make him after thine own Image a glorious creature and planted him in the Garden of Eden where hee wanted nothing but was filled with ioy and happy contentment But he despised thy holy Commandement aduenturing to doe that which thou hadst forbidden whereby thou wast so displeased with him that immediately didst banish him and our grandmother Eâ—ah with all vs their miserable pâ—steritie then in their loynes and vnto this day issuing and proceeding foorth into perpetuall blindnesse and ignorance of thee and should so for euer haue remained from generation to generation if wee did not beleeue in thy holy word and Gospell in which is contained the happy and ioyfull tydings of thy euerlasting loue renewed vnto vs as that in his seede all nations should bee blessed meaning by his seede the promised Messiah which our first parents then beleeued in for themselues and so instructed vs their following posteritie for euer to doe the like Wherefore ô Lord wee beleeuing in thyword our Messiah who in these latter dayes hath taken our flesh and in that nature by which thou wast most mightily offended hath againe reconciled vs vnto thee and thee vnto vs by paying that price of our Redemption euen his most precious death blood by vertue of which we first entreat thee to par donour originall sins and all other offences which in knowledge against the motions of thy holy Spirit and checkes of our owne consciences accusing vs for the least thing that wee haue at any time done amisse or haue daily from the beginning of our manhood vnto this present done against thee euen thisweeke this last day this night and this morning since wee arose yea euen now in this instant while we are speaking vnto thee O Lord for Christ his sake pardon all our offences of dishonesty against our neighbours with whom wee liue and conuerse in this life O keepe vs this day most sweete Sauiour from that odious and common sinne of lying directly or indirectly from swearing chasing rashly vainely or irreuerently in or against thy most holy name And keepe vs from all manner of dishonesty with our bodies with our tongues with our eyes with our hands and with
our feete vnto which wee are so exceeding prone And that because we are thy temples and members one of another and of thy Sonne Christ especially And for our helpe herein giue vs grace that we may euery one seriously apply and diligently minde the things thou hast this day appointed vs to doe in our seuerall rankes and callings as we are either fathers masters children or seruants that we may both gouerne and obey as becommeth thy children and seruants which feare thy holy name and giue vs grace that wee may this day and all the dayes of our life perseuere in the faith and feare of thee and of thy Sonne Iesus our most louing and blessed Sauiour And grant most louing Father that as we haue begunne in him so wheresoeuer we are at the last we may finish our mortall race in him and change this life vnto his glory and our owne eternall comforts Now hauing continued our accustomed suites for spirituall blessings and graces we returne vnto thee most humble and hearty thankes for all those fauours which as assurances of all thy loue thou hast giuen euery one of vs here present as in our births into this present world thou didst safely bring vs through the straight gates of nature which â—ike Herod in the act of birth â—hreatneth nothing but present â—eath in infancy childhood and â—outh considering our weakenes â—nd wildnes might haue befallen â—nto vs many mischances of deâ—… 〈◊〉 in our bodies so since â—e came to manhood thou hast â—ept vs from the same dangers a â—ousand manner of wayes for â—hich we thanke thee O Lord â—e thanke thee also for our daily â—ead and contiâ—…all cloathing that through thy blessing doeth daily comfort vs in this present life for thee and for a thousand more of which we haue continuall experience both in body and soule wee are bound to continue and conclude these our prayers thankesgiuing and morning sacrifice vnto thee for our selues and thy holy Church as thy Sonne our Sauiour hath taught vs saying Our Father which art in heaueÌ„ c. To thee the Father the Son and the holy Ghost bee giuen all honour and glory by vs and all thine this day and for euermore Amen Amen Be mercifull ô Father of all mercies to thy Church vniuersall dispersed throughout the whole world and grant thâ—… they that dâ—e confesse thy name may agree in the truth of thy holy word liue in godly concord and vnitie More especially good Lord bee mercifull to all such as bee vnder persecution for the testimony of a good conscience and the profession of the Gospell of thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Defend and saue ô Lord those silly soules which as sheepe are appointed to the shambles and slaughter and represse the rage and tyranny of such as are bent to blood-shed and minde nothing but murthering thy Saints and children be mercifull to this sinfull kingdome wherein wee liue and be good and gracious to thine annoynted Charles our most gracious King blesse the honourable Counsell the Reuerend â—lergie the Nobilitie and Cominalâ—ie of this Land and also blesse â—s a portion of thine inheritance the which our Lord Iesus Christ was contented to redeeme with his most precious blood the alone mediator of all mercies to whom â—ith thee and the holy Ghost beeâ—â—â—l honour and glory for and euer Amen Amen Precepts of duty HIgh mighty God of righteousnes in wrath a dread consuming fire Thou didst in perfect happinesse make man that did 'gainst thee conspire And breake thy lawes with all despight when thou hadst made him pure and holy Plac'd him in garden of delight so great and wicked was his folly That hauing leaue to take or leaue to chuse refuse or vse at pleasure He did himselfe by sinne deceiue of that diuine surpassing treasure And by his mutabilitie regardlesse of thy sacred lawes He brought in instabilitie lost his free-will by breach of lawes Thou God of Iustiâ—e must doe right man wanting grace with want of grace By grace substraction didst requite and banish him that blessed place By meanes of which we are inclin'd from thy behestes to run astray Our tongue our heart our soule our mind by sinne is carried cleane away Thou hast vs Lord by grace elected and thy free mercy to inherit Thy blisse if thy blisse be respected and seal'd vs with thy holy spirit Thou madest vs free by thy Sonnes blood to th' end thou mayest be glorifi'd In soules and bodies for our good his passion hath vs purifi'd Thou freedst vs to that end we might serue thee in holy righteousnes Thou gauest thy Sonne and he vs bought from thraldome of our sinfulnes Thou would'st he should for all men die to make him liue in thine elect And they in him to â—ructifie and with his graces hast them deckt By grace and holy inspiration rebellious nature seek'st to tame With precepts for instruction and leau'st vs lawes in thine owne name The ready way of seruing thee and profit to our neighbours bring And louing thee most zealously who art our Father Lord and King Though by thy Gospell we be free from lawes their sting and punishment Yet rules of life and pietie thou hast precrib'd and to vs lent Thereby to manage all our deeds and guide vs lest we step awrie Obseruing carefull as we needs how well to liue and well to die These lawes thou writ'st in Table two with the pure finger of thine hand Deliuering them Moses vnto that we thy will might vnderstand The first containeth precepts foure Of precepts due vnto thy feare The second sixe Commanrements more of loue we should to neighbours beare The summe and substance of them all and that fulfilleth euery part Is thee to loue on thee to call with all our soule might mind and heart To other men especially thine houshold that are firme in faith As to our selues to giue supply with all our helpe as Scripture saith But we are weake the case thus stands In this â—raile mortall life of ours No man can keepe these thy commands but breakes them at all times and houres Yet thou thy children oft doest will themstlues to comfort hopefully There is left for them some measure still to come to thee regardfully Namely when they doe bend their strength daily preuented by thy Spirit And stand in hope to attaine at length what now they want by Christ his merit Walking and daily going one by steppes thereof to Paradise Praising and lauding thee alone bewailing their infirmities The faithfull know all and beleeue with thee our father mercy is Thou with thy Sonne doest all things giue how can we then of mercy misse Therefore my God now giue to me all that thou giuest to thine elect Of thine eternall clemency good Lord doe not my soule reiect Illuminate my knowledge darke possesse my heart with perfect loue What 's done amisse Lord doe not marke the guilt of sinne from me remoue That I most constantly may walke the
steppes and pathes of thy iust lawes And of thy goodnesse daily talke with feare end loue and all applause To thee I wholly owe my selfe for thou hast Lord created mee And bought me not with worldly pâ—lfâ— but by thy Sonne hast made me free Whence I doe also learne to loue all men in thee and for thy sake Who beare thy Image from aboue and vnto thee themselues betake O let me thus thy fauours find and peace of conscience vnderstand Thy blessings and thy mercies kind protected still by thy right hand That fill'd my dayes I leaue this life to take a life eternally Where Angels sing continually all glory be to God on high Amen A Morning Prayer O Blessed Lord God great in power fearefull in iudgeâ—ent and rich in mercy which â—indest and no man looseth and â—ooâ—est no man bindeth I yeeld â—hee most humble and hearty â—hankes for that of thy fatherly goodnesse thou hast vouchsafed â—e this last nights sleepe in peace â—nd rest and againe loosing the â—onds wherewith I was tied hast â—iuen me power to see this morâ—ing light Now ô Lord I beâ—ech thee powre vpon mee this â—y the heauenly dew of thy comâ—rtable blessing that through the â—eration of thy gracious beames â—hat am a poore tree weake and â—rren in my selfe may bud forth â—d beare the fruits of true faith 〈◊〉 my life and conuâ—rsation Continue this goodnesse and mercy towards mee and by thy power raise me from the deepe sleepe of all vnrighteousnesse discharge me from the workes of darkenâ—sse and cloath me with the armour of light that I may walke honestly as in the day and liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Grant me ô Lord true vnderstanding and knowledge of thy word which is the glasse of thy will Increase in me all godly deâ— sires together with true contriâ— tion of heart that I may vnfainedâ— ly despise the pleasures of thiâ— world with hearty repentanâ— be conuerted vnto thee send thâ— holy Angel to guide me and keep me in all my wayes and prospâ— the worke of my hands that I nâ— uer faile in my vocation to dâ— some good to all men and escheâ— if it be possible all euill O Lord I beseech thee pâ— serue and keepe my senses â—aâ— and souÌ„d that I be neither corrup ted by prosperity nor deiected by aduersitie nor be too fearefull of thy iudgements or too bould on thy mercies But grant me grace ô mercifull Lord that I may apprehend all that comes from thee with a religious heart and contented minde O blessed Lord Iesus Christ blessed bee thy name for our redemption great was thy loue sore was thy passion print in our mindes we beseech thee the continuall memory thereof that wee may love thee which so louedst vs and euermore praise thee that hast bought vs at so deare a price Reiect not our prayers which we offer to bee presented to thy Faâ—her but mercifully helpe vs and heale all our infirmities encrease our Faith and teach vs obedience forgiue vs our offences and hide vs in thy wounds from thy faâ—hers iust wrath make good thy â—romises vnto vs for the world to come and enable vs with thy grace for the performance of all thy Commandements prosper ô Lord the workes of our hands and bring vs safe to the end of this day for thy truth and for thy names sake Amen Amen An Euening Meditation I Lay me downe to sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwell In safety with great quietnes and doest ill dreames from me expell My body to enormities is subiect without rest and sleepe Because of mine infirmities my life and health it cannot keepe Good Father all sufficient my louing God I yeeld thee praise For this dayes blessings to me sent and guiding me in all my wayes In that thou hast this day now past me strongly guarded with thy hands With loue refresht me first and last with mercies more then sea-shore sands That hast me brought to this dayes end blacke night and darkenes drawing neare Wherein all creatures rest attend and lay them downe till day appeare I finding my debility poore creature run to the diuine O strength mine imbecility and aide this soule and body mine Thou hast me made of matter grosse and brittle substance out of clay Which still is subiect to the crosse a tennis ball for worldlings play He wanting comfort cannot liue after much sorrow and great griefe Therefore I doe my body giue and soule to thee Lord grant reliefe O Lord I doe thee humbly pray as thou art fountaine of all rest Bee thou my succour helpe and stay let me by thee this night be blest Consider me in my weakenesse and let my carefull eyes behold My miseries and my distresse to cry for mercy make me bold And since 't is time that night now brings the bodies rest and quiet sleepe O shadow me vnder thy wings let thy protection safe me keepe Looke ouer me with watchfull eyes when this corrupted flesh of mine In slumbring sleepe and dulnesse lyes depriu'd of sense with closed eyne Vnable my poore selfe to saue from dangers of the darkesome night Keepe me my bed else is my graue and I shall neuer see the light Lord thou that onely mak'st me dwell and in sure safety to abide Thou watchest ouer Israel watch ouer me be by my side Thou art my Castle and my Fort my sword my buckler and defence My rocke my refuge and comfort saue me from force and violence Alas without thee what am I a beast that rightly nothing knowes A senseles blocke sillie flie that no good doe nor no good showes Thy louing fauour Lord extend ouer the house wherein I rest My bed with Angels Lord defend and soule and body by thee be blest Oh lay me downe in rest and peace in rest and peace ô let me rise In rest and peace ô giue some ease from torments troubles teares und cries Let not the sleights of sinne deceiue nor wicked practise ouertake me Let nothing me of hope bereaue oh doe not thou though all forsake me Lord I am poore oh make me rich with those great riches of thy blessing My soule my soule is blacke as pitch let pardon follow my confessing In hope of this I lay me downe depending on thy prouidence I care not if the world doe frowne for I am safe by thy defence Lord let it be for I am thine my rest make sweete and comfortable To thee I doe my selfe resigne Lord grant all this for thou art able An Euening Prayer for a priuate person O Most holy Father and my most gracious God which giuest vnto all men the cheerefull light of the day that in thine assistance they may follow their honest vocations and likewise sendest the silent nights that then they my rest their wearied limbs and busied mindes and so returne their due thankes for thy goodnesse I sinfull creature adore and praise thee for the totall
summe of all thy mercies whereof I haue beene this day partaker O Lord I am vile looke not vpon mine vnworthinesse folly and wickednesse but appease thy anger iustly conceiued against me and forgiue what hath beene amisse in me this day or at any other time euen for his sake who is thy well beloued Sonne and my deare Aduocate Roote vp ô Lord the thornes of mine euill inclination and affections and in their places make the fruits of vertue to spring inflame my heart with the desire of heauenly loue that I may loue obedience to thy Gommandements with zeale as hot as fire louing thee aboue all things and my neighbour as my selfe Giue me grace ô Lord to serue thee in true faith feare and holinesse all the dayes of my life and to ouercome my mortall enemies the desires of the world the pleasures of the flesh and the suggestious of the wicked Spirit remembring my promise made to thee in Baptisme for the performance whereof I depend onely vpon thy holy Spirit O God of glorious light let thine Angels pitch their tents round about this house for our defence now in the time of this darkenesse and grant that this nights sleepe may bee quiet vnto mee without griefe or trouble preserue me and mine both in body and soule from all dangers and offences which may come either by foolish dreames noysome spirits or vncleannesse of corrupt nature waken me againe ô Lord in due time and let me behold the light of the next day to my comfort prepare my heart and minde to thy seruice euery day in all trueth and sinceritie that when I haue runne the race of this life thou mayest please to call mee to be partaker of a better Comfort mee ô Lord in all those things wherein I haue beene any wayes dismayed this day take not thy holy spirit from me but continue the motions thereof in my heart that when as the tempter shalâ— come with his assaults I may bee furnished with the shield oâ— faith to quench his fiery darts Confirme my weakenesse and grant that this nights sleepe may be sweet and healthfull for my body and a profitable memoriall of that sleepe which at my last end in that great night shall make a separation betweene my body and soule Let alwayes thine vnspeakeable mercies preserue mee thy endlesse sweetnesse reioyce mee thy heauenly trueth strengthen mee thy knowledge embolden mee and thy goodnesse keepe me now and for euermore from mine enemies visible and inuisible that I may awake in the morning in perfect sense and good health and for the same bee thankefull vnto thee and carefully betake mee to my vocation and calling for Iesus Christs sake my onely Sauiour Amen Amen Another for the Euening MOst glorious and sacred Trinitie the most mighty God the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit which art the authour and originall of all things both in heauen and in earth and that hast appointed vnto euery thing his end and way in this life The eyes of all things are towards thee to finish in their courses that obedience they owe vnto thee The Sunne the Moone the Starres in most constant order extend their light heate to the comforting not onely of fowles and beasts but specially to the direction of man how to know thee and walke in thy wayes as being the bookes and characters wherein wee may reade thy power wisedome and incomprehensible glory for their sound and language as a Harold is gone foorth to proclaime vnto the Nations both Pagan Christian that thou art the Lord God Almighty and most worthy to be praised as in the Morning so in the Euening also Therefore knowing the great dependancy that all things caelestiall and terrestriall haue on thee I doe humbly intreate thee to take mee into thy custody this night knowing that if a Sparrow cannot with safetie fall to the ground but by thee that without thee so great refreshing of sleepe cannot be attained vnlesse I begge it of thee many are the visions of the night as idle dreames and fancies that would interrupt my sleepe if thou Lord by thy gracious power and presence of thy good Spirit driue them not away And Sathan would like Abiâ—hai â—nto Saul in his sleepe with fearefull darts of despaire strike 〈◊〉 dead at once as Jacl did Siseâ—… vnto eternall death in soule 〈◊〉 body Therefore vnto thee the keeper of Israel that neither slumberest nor sleepest by night nor by day doe I come beseeching thee that laying my selfe to rest in thee I may in the acustomed time which thou hast appointed wake again but if thou pleasest that this night shall bee my last and that this mortall shall bee swallowed vppe in immortallity O Lord grant though I die in body yet I may awake in soule and liue with thee for euermore and that my body so sleeping yet againe may awake at the resurrection of the iust and with those that shall not sleepe bee caught vp with soule vnited by the same power by which thou ô Sauiour didst at once rise from death to life euen as that life which thou hadst with the father before the world was And as thou art one with him so grant that after my last sleepe I may be one with thee in the presence of the Father and the holy Ghost for euermore But ô Lord if thou please to raise me vp againe to spend more dayes in this vale of teares grant that I may liue honestly in the workes of my vocation which thou hast ordained me to liue in or liue by Grant that I may set thee before mine eyes day and night and behold thee alwayes in my presence that when I am tempted to any eueill in the work of my calling or any other wayes I may not bee tickled with the profit or pleasures therein obiected and so prouoked to sinne against thee Keepe my tongue from lying lest thereby I become the child of Sathan for hee is a lyer and the Father of lyes from the beginning keepe my tongue from swearing and that I may not take thy name in vaine empty my heart of couetousnesse of pride of vaine-glory and let mee not respect worldly vanitie let me not be selfe-conceited but ô Lord giue mee to bee of humble gentle harmelesse and courteous disposition and behauiour both in my words and deeds to my superiours and inferiours O Lord giue me to be of a charitable nature and of a pittifull affection toward all men in generall but especially towards all those that are of the houshold of Faith of broken and contrite hearts which thou Lord hast promised that thou wilt not despise Grant ô heauenly Father that Christ both sleeping and waking in this life and after this life may be to me aduantage O let me not fall into a custome or habite of sinning lest therewith my heart become hardened that I cannot repent but giue mee such a conscience of sinne that I may neuer commit sin either great or
is a sweet sacrifice Repentant sinners him delight farre more then iust men in their eyes What I haue bene my God hath knowne What I now am the Lord doth see What I shall bee to him is showne from him no secret kept can be How I consum'd so many yeares mispent so many months and dayes Both houres and minutes all appeares to God who markes my life and wayes Time is the meane that all things tries Time worketh what mens wits deuise Time with his swiftnesse euer flyes And Time in time will make men wise Fly from me follies of my youth packe hence my sinnes that burd'ned me Welcome to me is Age and Truth now I by faith in Christ will be Whose sinnes doe make my heart to bleed let them examples take by me Whose wickednesse all mens exceeds come Lord in mercy pardon me Lord now let me depart in peace I â—â—ele thy rod I finde thy loue My paines doe grow my ioyes encrease this mercie comes from thee aboue My sicknesse is a present meane to heale and cure my wounds of sinne Lord purge all my corruptions cleane and let my death my life beginne A Prayer for the forgiuenesse of Sinnes ETernall God and louing Sauiour before thy Baptisme thou didst send Iohn the Baptist to preach remission of sins through repentance and faith in thy name And after thou wert Baptized and entered into thy Ministrie thou that didst exhort all that were weary and laden with their sinnes to come vnto thee saying that thou cammest to call sinners to repentance and that the whole had no need of the Phisitian but the sicke Wherefore o Lord being deadly sicke with the sence of my sinnes and with the Samaritane wounded vnto death I entreate thee in the teares of a sorrowfull heart to wash me not onely my hands feete and head but also my heart from sinne O Lord powre into my wounds the oyle of mercy that it may pacifie and quiet my minde in thee O Lord wash me with the bloud of thy Sonne as with Hysop for I haue with the Prodigall sonne and Lost sheepe erred in the vanitie of my minde But ô Lord as Philip found Nathaniel when hee looked not for him So by true repentance and hearty confession let me be found of thee and in thee now seeking after thee O Lord I thirst after thee and for thee wherefore send thy holy Spirit into mee to mollifie and comfort my hard and vnrepentant heart O Lord it cannot by nature enter into my minde that I am so wretched a sinner but by thy word as vnto Nichodemus thou hast made me to see that except by true repentance I be regenerat and so as it were borne againe I cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen that is possibly be saued But ô Lord thou hast made me to know sinne and how sinne became sinne by the reuerent vse of thy word for though there be sinne in vs before the knowledge of thy Law yet sinne without thy Law was not imputed but thou hast giuen vs Christians this thy law as a touchstone to know sin and that sinne is the transgression of the Law for if there were no Law there would be no transgression wherefore thy Law which was ordained vnto me vnto life by the search thereof hath slaine mee vnto death and made me immeasurably sinfull for by the Law thou hast made mee to know sinne which by no other meanes I could know or should euer haue found out for how should I haue knowne lust to be sinne if thou hadst not said I should not lust Wherefore O Lord seeing it is so with me that I doe the euill which I would not and leaue vndone the good that I would binde this strong man in mee that though Sinne dwell in mee yet hee may not raigne ouer or rule in mee yea mortifie the wicked deeds of my flesh by thy holy word and mighty operation of thy spirit O grant that by the dying of the Lord Iesus sinne in all his kindes and force may be subdued and dye in me lest that thereby I be made to come short of thy glory which thou hast promised to all repentant sinners Good God grant that I may not yeeld my members seruants vnto sinnes but reserue them seruants vnto thee in true righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes I haue to liue in this life O Lord as Ammon hated his sister Tamar after hee had abused her with himselfe and himselfe with her so that hee could not abide â—ere nor well might himselfe by reason of himselfe giue mee grace I may hate sinne not onely after but before it is committed with no lesse indignation then they did each other and thou them both O Lord let the old man that is in me be so crucified with Christ in the power of his death that I may henceforth be no more seruant vnto sinne for that thou hast said that a carnall man liuing in sinne cannot please thee O Lord giue me thy spirit that I may hate the things of the flesh which are nothing but san against thee and loue the things of thy spirit as ioy in the holy Ghost peace of conscience long-suffering patience in bearing and forbearing wrongs with faith and the like graces and fruits of thy most holy spirit O Lord seeing I haue to the subduing of sin desired the gift of thy holy spirit let mee be carefull by the vse of all holy meanes to walke in the spirit And seeing thou hast condemned sinne in him that knew no sinne for my sake O Lord condemne it not in me againe and as the first birth is nothing but sinfull Adam Lord graunt that by this my second birth I may be a continuall liuing spirituall man in Christ thus hauing confessed my sinnes with hearty sorrow I beseech thee for my Sauiour his sake to forgiue me my sinne and to strengthen mee all the dayes of my life to come that with the man in the Gospell I may follow thy heauenly counsell and sinne no more neither in action affection nor intention lest this my confession and contrition should be in vaine which O Lord forbid for thy Christ his sake Amen Amen The Repentant complaineth of the grieuousnesse of his sinnes and desireth mercie and pardon and to be deliuered from Sinne and the guilt and punishment thereof HIdden O Lord are my most horrid sinnes vnto the world though open plain to thee He neuer betters that no time begins corruption killeth all good thoughts in me What sinne doth dwell in this vild flesh of ours but doeth encrease like monsters huge in me Committing them both minuts dayes houres as swift as time so fast grow they in me Rent thine own flesh teare thy wretched haire scrape clean corruptions marrow froÌ„ thy bones Put out thine eyes cut off thy tongue stop eares lame all thy senses to kill sinne at once I faine would walk that know not how to creepe I am opprest with such most
hainous crimes When I should walk sin drowneth me with sleepe for one good thought I sinne a thousand times Sigh O my soule weepe sorrow and lament and seeke for helpe if any hope be left Pray vnto Christ for grace thou mayst repent before his merits from thee be bereft Though by his rod afflictions humble thee and for thy sinnes thou suffer grieuous paine Yet with his flesh he still vpholdeth thee frō deepe despaire in bliss with him to raigne All glory be to God on high and to his Son our Sauiour wise and iust To whom with ioy still pray and sing will I and to my Comforter the holy Ghost Whose being was from all eternity one Deitie distinct in persons three According to the blessed Trinity distinguisht to three yet one in vnitie Abba ben Ruach sacred trinitie one drop of Nectar Lord on me bestow That glorious blood to cure sinnes miserie that all mankinde thy loue to me may know Let not sinnes hire nor grieuous punishment be condemnation to my stained soule Be pleased with Christ his all-sufficient payment who ransom'd vs from sinnes eternall thralls A prayer to be said on a Sunday morning for the right sanctifying of the Sabbath O Lord of Sabbath that in the beginning after the finishing of the sixe dayes workes in which by thy most mightie word thou didst create the heauen and the earth and produce all this wonderfull variety of things which wee perceiue euery day most admirably to be made not onely in the sensible but also in all insensible liuing things of all which workes thou hast caused man chiefely to excell hauing in him most curiously epitomised all the glory of this earthly fabrick and for all this thy great goodnesse thou hast done vnto him hast onely required of him that he in the contemplation of these created things not only without but within himselfe might finde out thee a louing Father and Creatour and doe vnto thee that high homage that thou hast commanded on this day not as slaues and seruants but as sonnes filled with all duty obedience which that wee might doe thou hast charged vs on the seuenth day to remember our Creatour not onely by refraining our seruile labour which in the sixe dayes thou hast appointed vs but by leauing the wicked workes of darknesse vnto which we are by nature and wicked desires so much addicted O Lord graunt that I may sequester my selfe this day vnto thy praise not onely in thy holy Congregation but in the secret cogitations of my heart And graunt that euery word or thing that I shall this day heare with my eares or see with my eyes may be so digested in my soule as fit subiects out of which I may bee occasioned to magnifie thy praise and glory O heauenly Father graunt that all those Sabbath dayes which haue passed in my youth and manhood while I knew thee not may be now recalled by double diligence in the deuout hearing of thy Word receiuing of the Sacraments and calling vpon thy name which on this day thou hast for euer commanded to bee done vnto thee in thy Church and holy Congregation And O Lord let my heart depart edified in thy most holy feare not for the present while I am hearing but for euer while I shall liue and let some part of thy holy Word which I shall heare expounded this day abide in me that at all times when I shall haue occasion or be called thereunto I may bee fitted and furnished to giue a full account and reason of the hope I haue in thee O Lord thy Apostles haue called this day not now the seuenth day from the Creation but the first day and the Lords day putting vs in mind of that high and admirable benefit of our Redemption as on this day accomplished by his glorious resurrection for the which wee can neuer rēder too much thanks neither publick nor priuate O Lord make my heart like the good ground mentioned in the Parable that when it had receiued good seede it brought forth thirty sixty and an hundreth fold so most sweet Sauiour graunt that I may haue thy Word so deepely rooted by the power of thy holy spirit this day sent downe into my heart that I may bring it forth in an hundreth fold thy power in my saluation And let it abide this day and euer in my soule the most sweet sauour of life vnto life O Lord driue from mee all impediments arising from the thoughts of the world the flesh and the deuill by which Sathan laboureth to frustrate in me the sauing hearing of thy Word and make me to heare thy precious Word with all reuerence and humility not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God And seeing thou hast said not the hearers of the law but the doers of the law are iustified O Lord make me a doer of the law And as thou hast againe said Blessed are yee if ye doe these things Wherefore Lord that I may bee capable of thy blessing graunt that this day when I haue heard I may doe the things and as thy blessed Mother pondered all thy sayings and layd them vp in her heart to remember them O sweet Sauiour helpe me this day and other dayes and times so often as I shall heare thy word or reade the same that my memory may be so quicke and fresh that I may retaine and remember all that shal most especially concerne me and not to be filled with idle knowledge but with constant doing that I may be accepted among those builders that set their house vpon the rocke most blessed Lord let me not be so simple as to thinke my selfe blessed by bare looking into thy law by an outward conformity in comming to thy Church to heare lest in so doing I become as a forgetfull hearer that offers to thee a sacrifice of fooles and so in sanctifying this thy Sabaoth so idely thou cast mee out among the hypocrites the chiefe profaners of the Sabbath in the burning lake and vnquenchable fire O Lord let no wicked temptation of sathan or of my flesh enter into my minde in the hearing of thy Word to make it vnsauourie or bitter vnto my soule but let it be this day and euer more sweet vnto my soule then honey vnto my lips O Lord let it be in some measure my meate and drinke to doe thy will and graunt that I may this day learne so much thereof that I may become wiser then my Teachers or those that regard not to keepe thy law graunt all these my requests most louing Lord both to mee and all thine this day and for euermore Amen Amen A Prayer for godly zeale O Lord knowing that zeale doth sauour our knowledge sweeten our vnderstanding confirme our faith and make acceptable all our sacrifices and seruices vnto thee and being a most excellent and perfect gift that commeth from thee the Father of gifts and how all thy seruants Moses Iosuah
Phineas Sampson Dauid S. Paul and Stephen and all the rest of the Prophets and holy Martyrs both ancient and late haue abounded herein I doe prostrate and cast downe my selfe before thy most high Maiestie beseeching thee to giue mee this coale from thine Altar that I may delight my soule to be talking and singing thy continuall praise and inflame my spirit like the men that trauailed to Emmaus to be astonied in admiration and contemplation of thy exceeding loue O God my Sauiour let not my zeale be headie preposterous or ignorant zeale that there with I may neither offend thee disquiet thy Church or afflict my selfe as the Scribes and Pharisees in Ierusalem and the Israelites in the absence of Moses at mount Sinah or as Saul in his Pharisaicall deuotion giue me not knowledge without zeale nor zeale without knowledge and that all my vnderstanding in thy Word may euermore bee mixed with true zeale O let not my zeale be aboue knowledge lest while I thinke to serue thee in the breath of charity by the distemper thereof I bee inforced to dishonour and blaspheme thee as the blinde Heathen ignorant Papists or vndiscreete Protestants at this day doe Graunt this O Lord for the honour of my Aduocate and Mediatour Iesus Christ. Amen A feruent Prayer vnto God that the repentant may finde fauour in Christ. ATtend vnto my teares O Lord regard my wofull moane And seeke to saue me by thy Word or I am ouerthrowne For sinne doth so oppresse my minde that I am damn'd to hell Vnlesse by Christ I fauour finde whose wounds must make me well Cure thou my soule so sicke with sinne by merits of thy Sonne Marke not the estate that I liue in but marke what he hath done Most perfect hee though I be vilde to please when I offend He sits with thee though I exilde in glory to the end My nature is inclin'd to euill though his with good accord My sences seeke to serue the deuill his will to please the Lord. Wherefore O God that art most iust in him my debts to pay In his desert my soule doth trust thy wrath for to allay O Father full of knowledge deepe thou searchest secrets of each heart Beholdst desires wee priuate keepe with hidden silence in the darke But yet thou doest thus much require thy children should know and confesse Thee for to be their lightsome fire that iudgest their workes in righteousnesse As thou hast fram'd in man a heart wherewith his Maker to beleeue A tongue and lips and euery part wherewith he glory may thee giue And thou doest chalenge at his hands free sacrifice of prayers praise And honours due throughout all lands that all men canst deiect and raise Thy Children must not in their minde be dumbe nor in their tongues be mute When they should seeke thy helpe to finde and by petition shew their suite Thy Sonne doth bid me aske and haue and finde to seeke to knock to enter What they doe want that they may craue by faith in him they may aduenture Thou still art ready to be found and helpe thine owne in their distresse That in their faith are constant found and patient in their heauinesse Therefore deare Father I beset with many miseries distrest Come vnto thee thine ayde to get and after trouble to finde rest And haue thy Grace without within but I that am of sinners chiefe Because thou hat'st in me my sinne they doubt thou wilt not giue reliefe Alas poore wretch what shall I doe to aske I am so farre vnfit Vnapt my God to aske vnto vnworthy to haue benefit Of what I craue or doe desire and yet to cry I will not linne Till thou doest send refining fire and purifie me from my sinne A Prayer for the obtaining of Faith Hope and Charity and all Christian vertues O Lord and Father of lights from whom proceedeth euery good and perfect gift I beseech thee to blesse mee with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ. Increase the little graine of my weake and feeble Faith direct it to the true obiect the merits of Christ Iesus and let it not be bare and bad but effectually working by loue Make me strong therein and constant to giue credit to thy Word without doubting and protect mee among the diuers and manifold errors sects and heresies of this world that fight against the foundation Lord let me not be disappointed of my hope which I haue in thee but make good thy promises vnto mee and so worke in my heart that I may haue courage in conflict patience in trouble and comfort in all things Keepe mee from insolencie and pride and graunt mee true humility and lowlinesse of minde that I bee not puffed vp to contemne my brethren but giue mee that due consideration of my owne vilenesse and infirmities that as dust and ashes I may tremble and stand in awe of thy Iudgements and as a sinfull man esteeme better of others then my selfe O deare Father when Sathan shall accuse mee my owne conscience beare witnesse against mee the whole world forsake mee and all things set themselues against mee for my sinnes then strengthen mee in thy Faith that I fall not from thee inflame my cold heart with the vnfained affection of heauenly loue that I may loue thee O blessed Trinity withall that I haue aboue all my neighbour as my selfe Graunt me a compassionate and a charitable minde to helpe and succour others to my ability to forbeare and forgiue them though they bee mine enemies Inflame me with loue and charity towards all men to forgiue and forget to doe good to pray for them that I may follow the steps of my Sauiour open the eyes of my vnderstanding and helpe me to examine my selfe concerning my knowledge faith and repentance send me the hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and make mee verily and fully partaker of all the benefits of that bitter passion of my Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ To whom with thee and thy most holy Spirit be all honour and glory this day and for euermore Amen Amen The sighes and meditations of an afflicted conscience O Most mercifull God which by the sending of thy Sonne into the world hast brought to passe that where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more I forlorne wretch disquieted in minde and afflicted in conscience for feare of thy Iudgements vpon my sinne doe with bended knees and teares vnfained a most humble Suppliant begge and craue of thee some succour and reliefe open open the gates of thy mercies to the greatnesse of my miseries my abiect countenance witnesseth my distressed minde My spirit is sorrowfull my heart is heauie my words are stopt with sighes and my plants watered with teares to thee I hold vp my hands to thee I lift vp my heart to thee 〈◊〉 pray requiring thee of mercie O Lord what shall I desire of â—hee that deserue nothing at thy â—ands What can I hope for that â—m euen heartlesse
healed His was a death cause death was due in him di'd all he died for all Gods Iustice vs to death doth sue he pay'd it and repair'd the fall That we might sleepe he suffered paines that we might laugh he oft did weepe His was the losse ours was the gaines thus did he change death to a sleepe To Christ did Stephen yeeld vp his spirit for he 's the way the truth the life He purchast life by death and merit the husband's he the Church his wife He is that Noah his Church the Doue that holds his hand for to receiue vs He bids vs come to embrace his Loue we flye to him when all deceiues vs. The heauens the earth the Lord commands to him all creatures runne but wee None can vs take out of his hands in life and death to him we flee Pillar of faith Basis of blisse of true Religion true supporter The point of Resurrection is in death it is the chiefe Comforter If this doe fall all faith may faile what Article doth vs refresh When life and health and strength doth quaile the Resurrection of the flesh Our bones shall blossome as the grasse we shall be raised out of dust The body that before time was by Christ his power arise it must The first fruits Christ the head is rais'd the members shall the same likewise The Lord God for the same be prais'd we know that we shall also rise If he ad aboue the water be how can the body then be drowned We shall arise and Iesus see and with him shall be Kingly crowned Of life and death the true directour who in his life and in his dying Of our misdoing is Correctour and into all our actions prying Christ is afflicted for our sake left vs example that we should Follow his steps and his way take thy crosse to beare with courage bold Our Sauiour Iesus teacheth thee how can that be say'st thou behold Example if thou punish'd be with sicknesse hunger thirst and cold With thy selfe reckon and account how it cannot compared be With his thornes his nayles surmount the greatest paine that paineth thee Art thou restrain'd of thy desire and lusts that draw thou know'st not whither Thinke on Christs Crosse his wrath and ire and put his tortures all together If pride puffe vp thy minde with motions looke on Christ nayl'd on the Crosse And thinke as bound by due deuotions of our great gaine by his great losse If thou in filthy lust doest burne or any other ill desire Thinke but how Christ his flesh was torne to saue thy soule from flames of fire With stripes thrust through and all to broken his drinke was Eysell mixt with gall With his last gaspe the earth was shaken who suffered for the sinnes of all If enuie hate reuenge thee grieue thinke with thy selfe how Christ did pray O Father doe them all forgiue for them that tooke his life away God vs commanded to forgiue and sayeth then we shall be forgiuen Without offence no man can liue and God his ballance hangeth euen He â—hat doth not forgiue his brother will then the Lord his faults remit No as he deâ—…h with another another shall repay 't is sit And when you kneele to God and pray forgiue if you haue any thing Gainst any liuing man that day that Christ may you remission bring And when thy gift thou do'st present and on the Altar sacrifice First with thy brother make consent and him forgiue in any wise When thou to Christ wast enemie and strengthened in great extreames Yet then did he giue remedie and o're thee spread his mercy beames He gaue to thee his holy spirit to guide and leade thy soule aright And gaue thee heauen there to inherit all ioyes and blisse aye in his sight When thou from him was gone astray be sought thee out and did thee finde And finding thee brought thee away vnto his fold he thee resignde Thanke God therefore and render praise exalt and laude his holy name Vnto the heauens sing alwayes All men on earth doe yee the same Henceforth my soule walke in his path and erre not from him any more Lest thou prouoke his heauy wrath and then art worse then wert before Let not Gods gifts be giuen thee to worke thy condemnation With feare and trembling walke sincere confirming thy Saluation Shunne thou all wicked Company with doers ill associate not Lest thou from faith should'st fall and 〈◊〉 and soule and body soile and spot But blesse his name who called thee vnto the state of righteousnesse And thy sinnes vengeance tane hath he to giue thee heauens happinesse Blesse thou his blessed Holinesse his praise let heart and minde record And let thy tongue and voyce confesse the gracious goodnesse of the Lord Prostrate thy selfe downe at his feete offer thy seruice with free heart O yeeld God all for 't is most meete since he made sau'd and blest each part Who spared not his onely Sonne but let him dye thy soule to saue To pay and ransome thy faults done and to redeeme thee from the graue So in the Prayer of our Lord we doe forgiue what 's done against vs As God forgiuenesse shall afford our Sauiour Christ doth teach vs thus A Prayer to beare patiently the Crosse of Christ or any affliction And if God so please to call vs to that triall euen to reioyce in Martyrdome O Almighty God most mercifull and louing Father that hast decrced that through manifold tribulations and afflictions in this world we that trust in thee must enter into the Kingdome of heauen And those that will follow thee my Sauiour and be thy Disciples must take vpon them by the constraint of the world as Simon of Cyrene to beare thy Crosse and to follow thee and those that liue godly in thy Son must suffer reproach and affliction And that there is neuer a Son whom thou louest but must like Peter drinke of thy Cup and endure chastening And in so doing thou offerest thy selfe an assured louing Father and assurest vs that wee are thy sonnes because it is giuen vs not onely to beleeue in thee but also that wee should suffer for his names sake O Lord I am willing not onely to liue with thee but also to dye with thee My Spirit is willing though my flesh bee weake Wherefore if it bee possible let this bitter Cup passe from me or if thou please and hast appointed that I by death should glorifie thee and with my blood seale and confirme thy truth sweet Iesus giue mee strength comfort and patience blessed be thy name and thy most holy will be done O Lord manifest thy power in my weakenesse and strengthen me that I may by the same power whereby thou raisest thy selfe from death to life patiently beare and willingly suffer that for thy name sake which otherwise for flesh and blood seemeth fearefull to be endured O Lord when I consider the hazards that wee runne through for the obtaining of
these present profits and delights of this life and with what vnwearied paines wee prosecute the winning of this worlds vanities that in the end are nothing worth but to pamper the body and make it vpon euery slight occasion most willing to deny thee O Lord when I consider the pleasure of this world and the abundance of content I haue in this life wanting nothing for my bodie Oh what a Coward doth it make mee that with the young man that was most ready to follow thee yet when thou biddest him sell all his worldly riches and follow thee O simple man hee neuer came at thee more So me thinkes I feele Sathan to say vnto me What a foole art thou to leaue father or mâ—ther wife and children houses lands gooâ—s a certainty for an vncertainty to follow thee O Lord how am I tempted by the Papists the Enemies of the Gospell to think this way foolishnesse a Sect and heresie lately risen and seperated from the Church meaning themselues Oh how they doe tempt mee by the examples of my â—ore-fathers that for many genâ—rations time out of minde haue liued and died in the Romish Religion and why should I thinke my selfe wiser then they O heauenly Father see and behold these subtill instruments of Sathan and keepe me that these crafty baytes of Sathan arising from the flesh and the world preuaile not ouer me that like Peter in the water or the young man I let goe my true faith not to beleeue in lyes and errours and so finally forsake thee who hath so dearely loued me and bought me But O God my Sauiour strengthen my faith that I be not moued to let goe my first loue with which I haue been so much comforted in thee O strengthen me that neither Sathan by himselfe nor by his Antichristian Instruments which hee ruleth at his pleasure preuaile against me either to doubt of my faith much lesse to denie thee my Lord and Sauiour but as thou for my sake didst not contemne nor despise the reproach of the wicked nor yet the cursed death of the Cross but for the ioy that was set before thee and which thou hadst with the Father before the world was endured the same and though thou wert reuiled yet thou reuilest not againe but with infinite patience committed thy cause to thy Father So O Lord graunt that by my faith in thy power I may bee no lesse assured of patience in the greatest torment that shall be inflicted vpon my body For I know that although they kill my body yet they cannot touch my soule but that it shall liue with thee for euer And in despight of their malice while they thinke to destroy my soule with death they shall extract my spirit into glorious life with God the Father and his Christ for euermore Sweet Sauiour as Sampson in his death triumphed most gloriously ouer his enemies so graunt to me that they seeing my patience and beholding my vnmoueable hope may be so ashamed and in their conscience so affrighted that they may like Saul at the death of Stephen be conuerted and after their change of minde magnifie as most pretious the death of thy Saints and by preaching the truth strengthen the brethren and stand fast in the Faith vnto the end O Lord strengthen mee that I may not faint vnder the crosse because thou hast appointed vs thereunto that in thy crosse wee should be more then conquerours and by his example whose steps we should onely follow account our selues most happy that thou wilt call vs and grace vs to lay downe our liues for his name sake as thou hast layd downe thy life for our sakes O God if the righteous scarcely be saued as it seemeth vnto the world through these bitter torments with which wee are to be scourged and made cleane vessels to serue thee in thy Kingdome where shall the wicked and sinners which regard not thy crosse appeare O Lord being confident of thy mercy in the merits of thy Sonne doe I submit my selfe in soule and body to doe seruice and sacrifice vnto thee as vnto a faithfull Creatour knowing that a crowne of glory remaineth for mee Father into thy hands doe I commend my spirit Lord Jesus after death receiue my soule as thou hast all those braue champions that were slaine with the sword that wandered about in Sheepe-skins and Goat-skins and thought it better to liue with beasts in woods and dennes to enioy thee then to liue among men Gentiles and Antichristians and denie thee being destitute afflicted and tormented wandering in Desarts mountaines and dens and holes of the earth to auoyde the beastly and cruell enemies of thy word O Lord as thou hast made thy wrath smoke against the Heathens the Assirians the Egyptians the Moabites the Ammonites that first trampled vnder foote the blood of thy Saints by labouring an vtter consuming of them So O Lord either graunt the conuersion or else let thine indignation appeare in these our dayes against the Turkes Heretikes Athiests and all Antichristian enemies that like Herod and Iulian obstinately persecute and scorne thy name And this though a most vnworthy Suppliant I beseech thee to graunt and that for the honour of thy great name in which thy true Church doth onely trust Amen Amen A thanksgiuing for Gods temporall and spirituall blessings O Most bountifull and kinde Creatour vnto thee in Christ Iesus doe I come and returne most humble and heartie thankes not onely for the generall goodnesse which thou hast extended vnto all mankinde but for that especiall part which thou hadst diuided vnto mee in more speciall manner O Lord I giue thee most humble thankes and praise for that portion of thy blessings set forth vnto mee to my present vse and comfort in this life as for thy daily preseruations of mee not onely in the wombe of my parents but for my safety in my birth that I was not mishapen in breeding nor in comming forth into this world and that after my birth in the time of my swadling bands infancie childhood and youth no mishap nor mishape befell me to the defacing of that perfect shape in which at first thou broughtest me forth O Lord how many children and youth haue beene maymed at nurse and through the carelesnesse of those vnto whom they haue beene committed vnto trust how many haue fallen into the fire and beene burned noâ— onely in some part but in thâ— whole body vnto death and by other chances whereof thiâ— world is full as drowned bruised broken in the body armes backe legges thighes feet in the eyes nose and face O Lord how innumerable arâ— the perils and dangers of this life vnto which euery man is subiect and doth continually run througâ— in euery state and degree of thiâ— present age and life and yet re ceiue no dammage O Lord foâ— these deliuerances from dangers through which I haue passed anâ— receiued no hurt and for whicâ— I haue neuer giuen thee thanks 〈◊〉
euermore doest heare the cries of all that feare thy holy name And comfort'st them with thy mercies that trust in thee and begge the same Their soules thou doest from death defend and chear'st their hearts in time of neede To me therefore thy comforts send and giue thy helpe with louing speede Thy seruants cannot hold their tongue though oft they muse and cannot see Why their afflictions last so long and they for mercy cry to thee Till at the length the fire of zeale doth kindle then it out must breake Tongue cannot hold but must reueale their groanes griefes needs must speake To shew their hope which like to fire none can suppresse when they beleeue 'T will pierce the clouds to thee aspire yet thou doest seeme no helpe to giue At last thy goodnesse doth appeare and thou embracest him with ioy Time of deliuerance draweth neere and thou Lord freedst vs from annoy Good God how commeth this to passe that I so long haue sought to thee And thou still seem'dst to hide thy face and keep'st thy graces still from me How long haue I vnto thee pray'd and thou seem'st not to giue me eare This makes mine heart and thoughts afrai'd ready to faint with deepe despaire I ready was for to surcease the suit which I so long haue sought Made vnto thee for to appease thy wrath by Christ that hath me bought O Lord my God thy promises and louing kindnesse onely feede And comfort'st me in heauinesse with neuer dying hope in neede I know expected time will come when thou for getting all my sinne Wilt see my sorrowes all and some and free the bondage I am in Thou art my God thy helpe is at hand thou art a Father thou know'st when To giue the State doest vnderstand of richest Kings and poorest men The things most fit thou do'st be stowe and helpest when all helpe is missing Those could not creepe thou mak'st to goe and powrest downe on them thy blessing Therefore O God all sufficient repleate with merey full of loue I doe not presse to know the intent but pray thee doe what mercy moue To say come now or then doe this for the time where when what and how What thou doest ayme my marke may misse me to thy prouidence I bowe Yet be not ouer long away for thou doest know my feeblenesse Thou seest my troubles day by day bow'd downe to extreame wretchednesse Without hope of recouerie I fall alas what shall I doe There is no trust but trust in thee for helpe and ayde and succour to I know by proofe that thou art bent to heare poore sinfull wretched men When they are truly penitent and when they pray deliuer'st then From troubles strife and all debate from sicknesse death and deadly paine From enuie malice sinne and hate the contrite heart thou'lt not disdaine But who is righteous in thy sight or in thy Judgements cleane are seene Angels before thee are not bright much lesse we wretches righteous beene But all are sinners all transgresse our elder Fathers were impure All haue offended more or lesse yet was thy promise firme and sure And did obtaine mercy and grace reliefe hope strength saluation They sawe the brightnesse of thy face thou gauest them consolation Our Fathers Lord were comforted strengthened relieu'd and blest Onely by grace and iustified as righteous men in Iesus Christ. Impute not sinne vnto my charge not for my merit and desert But for thy Sonne my soule enlarge and giue to me a spotlesse heart Thou Lord full of compassion and in thy mercies infinite Beare with my imperfections and let me in thy lawes delight Couer my sinnes as righteous take me and righteous shall I euer be That righteous am not righteous make me in Christ O Lord consider me O Lord what can it profit thee me to for sake or leaue in thrall As though thou didst disualue me my daily cries and offerings all My troubles yet continue still I seeke thee and am yet denied Of earthly blessings doe thy will thy name be alwayes glorified Wretch that I am what end shall be I still complaine I sigh and crie I crie and call yet hear'st not me I still will seeke thee till I die Thou mayest be found be as thou wilt into thy hands I me commend Thou full of mercy I of guilt in faith and hope doe still attend A Prayer for the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper OMost louing Sauiour how great and wonderfull is thy loue to thy Church that before thou didst leaue this world in thy humanity didst not onely send vp loud cries and teares vnto thy Father for them which did and which after thy departure should beleeue in thee but didst also ordaine a perpetuall commemoration of thy death and passion through the institution of the Sacramentall signes of Bread and Wine at the last Supper of the Passeouer in the same night thou wast betrayed charging in thy Apostles thy whole Church vnto the worlds end to doe it in remembrance of thee assuring vs that as often as wee did eate that bread and drinke that wine according to thy appointment that thereby wee should shew thy death vntill thou didst come and so keepe a perpetuall remembrance of thee not onely in our hearts but in our eyes as if wee sawe thee crucified vpon the Crosse. O Lord examining my selfe of my faith my repentance and loue I finde that my faith is weake my repentance slacke and dull and my loue colde or but luke-warme so that of my selfe O most mercifull Lord I durst not presume to come vnto thy table but O Lord for this I iudge my selfe that I may not be iudged of thee the worst and vnworthiest of all those that come vnto thy table For vnto this present through the multitude of my sinnes with which I am laden I haue like Iudas done nothing but betrayed thee and pricke thy head and pierced thy side more cruelly then the thorns or speare wherewith thou wast crowned and pearced and so in as much as in mee lieth I am guilty of the blood shedding and death of my Lord. But most heauenly Father as the Israelites stung with the fiery Serpents looked vnto the Serpent Moses set vp so O Lord smarting in soule with the anguish of my sinnes by which I am continually guiltie of thy death and so againe like Iudas worthy of eternall death much more violently to be inflicted after the taking of the sop Yet doe I looke vnto thy Crosse on which thou sufferest for me humbly beseeching thee for that obedience by which thou hast satisfied Gods wrath and iustice to doe away my sinnes as Dauids after his adultery and murther that I may become a worthy partaker of the body blood of my Lord and the Sacramentall Bread and Wine after which I haue so earnestly thirsted may not like the Israelites Quailes sticking in their teeth become neither my bodily nor spirituall death nor like the vnworthy Corinthians for
my carelesse and negligent receiuing by the suddaine hand of sicknesse be struck vnto death but as the faithfull Iewes in their constant and conscionable celebration of their feast of Passeouer by them kept a perpetuall remembrance of their Egyptian deliuerrnce from Pharaohs bondage were exceedingly edified confirmed in the promises of thy loue that thou wouldest be their God and they should be thy people which they sawe fulfilled in their Fathers and still continued vnto themselues through the hope of the Messiah by whom they expected their greatest safety and deliuerance Graunt vnto mee O heauenly Father that as the Minister of thy Word and Sacraments setteth a part the Bread and Wine so I may remember the eternall loue by which in the beginning thou diddest set a part thy Sonne through faith in him to be my saluation promising that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And as I see the Wine powred out and the Bread broken so I may remember thy patient enduring the breaking of thy body and shedding of thy blood whereby thou hast payed the price and satisfied the punishment that was due vnto me and as the Bread Wine doe presently comfort and refresh my body so most sweet Sauiour let me feele my soule so comforted and edified this day and so often as I shall thinke of thee and thy mercies hereby promised and assured yea graunt that being made one with thee by spirituall vnion I may liue in thee and thou in me in the encrease of a godly life to the honour of thee my Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be giuen by me and all thine both present and eternall praise Amen Amen Another godly Meditation before the receiuing of the holy Communion O Almighty God and mercifull Father I am a secret sinner and my heart is a bottomlesse pit of all corruptions wilfully and foolishly ignorantly and obstinately haue I sinned against thee vnto whose eye all the secrets of my soule lye open but now I come vnto thee as the sick man vnto the Physitian as an vncleane man vnto the Well of mercy and grace offered in the pretious blood-shedding of Iesus Christ and represented to my soule in this blessed Sacrament Haue mercy vpon mee O Lord haue mercy vpon mee and forgiue mee all the euills that I am guilty of Giue mee grace that I may discerne the Lords body and so receiue it in this Sacrament with such chastity of body humblenesse of minde thankfulnesse of soule hearty contrition dread and reuerence as is meete for such a mysterie O Lord Iesus it is truly said of thee that thou didst receiue sinners and eate with them and I verily beleeue that thou art the same still full of goodnesse and mercy wherefore I beseech thee leaue me not to my selfe reiect me not from thy Table come into my heart and purge me from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit Enter into my soule seale and sanctifie me both within and without Inflame me with loue and charity towards all men to forgiue and forget to doe good to pray for them that I may follow the steps of my blessed Sauiour Open the eyes of my vnderstanding and helpe mee to examine my selfe concerning my knowledge faith and repentance Send mee the hunger and thirst after this righteousnesse satisfie me with this heauenly foode make mee verily partaker of all the benefits of his Passion Oh deare Lord Iesus since thou hast suffered so many things for my sake and hast commanded mee not to dispaire nor distrust thy goodnesse graunt me grace to eate of this bread and to drinke of this Cup worthily that I may continually remaine in thy grace and fauour O Lord God the Father giue mee the full consolation of this mysterie and commemoration that my faith may be encreased my hope confirmed my charity enflamed my weake conscience comforted all dangers repelled and my soule assured of her saluation in the blood of Christ let no profanenesse enter into my heart so long as I am about this holy action but giue mee grace to receiue with purity of heart and cleanenesse of soule with loue dread and stedfast faith haue mercy vpon me good Lord that by vnworthy receiuing I be not guilty of his pretious body and blood who came downe from heauen liued with men and swamme through a red sea of blood in his agony and passion to bee my Redeemer Haue mercy vpon the whole Church and to this purpose haue mercy vpon this place and this companie that they may serue and please thee in this holy seruice and all other actions of their life O Lord be not angry with mee a barren and dry tree a creature with a face of brasse and heart of flint I haue not so many teares as are sufficient to wash thy feete with Mary Magdalen but thou hast shed as much of thine owne blood as surficeth to wash away all the sinnes of mee and all the world then be not angry with mee O Lord but let thy grace supply my wants let thy mercy pardon my sinnes let thy holy spirit prepare my soule thy merits enrich my pouerty and thy most pretious blood wash away all the spots of my life that I may worthily receiue this heauenly Sacrament so that I may bee strengthened thereby throughly filled with the heauenly foode of thy body and blood for the mortification of the old man the confirmation of my faith and the finall saluation of my soule O Lord heare my prayers graunt my requests I beseech thee Amen Godly Meditations vpon the loue and mercy of God in bestowing together with his Sonne these holy Mysteries vpon vs the commemoration whereof may moue vs to an awefull reuerence in the participation of the same O Father of mercy and God of all consolation seeing all creatures doe confesse thee to bee their Gouernour and Lord it becommeth vs the workmanship of thine owne hands to reuerence and magnifie thy godly Maiestie First for that thou hast created vs to thine owne image and similitude but chiefely because thou â—ast deliuered vs from that euerlasting death and damnation into which Sathan drew mankinde by the meanes of sinne from the â—ondage whereof neither man nor Angell was able to make vs free But thou O Lord rich in mercy and infinite in goodnesse hast prouided our redemption to stand in thine onely and welbeleued Sonne whom of very loue thou didst giue to bee made man perfect in all things freely exempted and excepted from sinne that in his body he might receiue the punishment of our transgression by his death to make satisfaction to thy Iustice and by his resurrection to destroy him that was the Author of death and so bring againe life vnto the world from which the whole off-spring of Adam was most iustly exiled O Lord we acknowledge that no creature was able to comprehend the length and breadth the deepenesse and height of that
thy most excellent loue which moued thee to shew mercy where none was deserued to promise and giue life where death had gotten victory to receiue vs into thy grace when wee could doe not hing but rebell against thy maiestie O Lord the blinde dulnesse of our corrupt nature will not suffer vs sufficiently to weigh these thy most ample benefits Yet neuerthelesse at the commandement of Iesus Christ our Lord wee present our selues to this his Table which hee hath left to be vsed in remembrance of his death vntill his comming againe to declare and witnesse before the world that by him alone we haue receiued liberty and life â—hat by him alone thou doest acknowledge vs to be thy children and heires that by him alone we haue entrance to the Throne of thy grace that by him alone wee are possessed in our spirituall Kingdome to eate and drinke at his Table with whom wee haue our conuersation presently in heauen and by whom our bodies shall be raised vp agâ—ine from the dust and shall be placed with him in that endlesse ioy which thou O Father of mercy hast prepared for thine Elect before the foundation of the world was layd And these most inestimable benefits wee acknowledge and confesse to haue receiued of thy free mercy and grace by thine onely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ for thâ— which we therefore thy congregation mooued by thy holy Spirit render vnto thee all thanks praise and glory for euer What tongue or what heart can worthily giue thee thankes O Lord Iesu for thine vnspeakeâ— able loue towards vs who to thâ—â— intent to redeeme mankinde forlâ—rne didst vouchsafe to become man and to take all the miseries of our estates vpon thee insomuch that in the end thou being a pure and vnspotted Lambe wast contented to bee made a sacrifice for vs vpon the Altar of the Crosse and to abide the punishment due for our sinnes that thou mightest reconcile vs to thy Father yea and both in life and death thou didst spend giue and bestow thy selfe wholy vpon vs and for vs. And thy gracious goodnesse was not so contented but also lest we might at any time perchance forget so great a benefit or at least our trust in thee might at any time quaile euen now raigning in heauen thou refreshest our soules from time to time with the foode of thy body and chearest them vp with the holy Cup of thy blood Wherefore I beseech thee let thy spirit cleanse my heart that I may not come vnworthily to that heauenly feast and to the table whereat euen the very Angels doe tremble but that by thy shedding thy selfe into my bâ—wels I may growe manly in thee and become the liuelier by spirituall encreasements so as I may continue vnto the end in the blessed fellowship of thy mysticall body whom it is thy will to haue all one with thee in such wise as thou art all one with the Father by the knitting of the holy Ghost to whom be praise and thanks for euermore Amen I yeeld thee hearty thankes O Lord Iesus Christ for thine vnutterable loue in vouchsafing to redeeme mankinde by thine own death And I beseech thee suffer not thy most holy blood to haue beene shed in vaine for mee but that I growing vp in thee by continuall encrease of heauenly strength may become a fit member of thy mysticall body which is the Church and neuer swarne from that most holy couenant which thou madest with thy chosen Disciples in thy last Supper by distributing the bread vnto them and by reaching them the Cup and by them to all those that by a liuely faith apprehend the merits of thy most pretious death and passion My Lord Iesus Christ what am I that thou shouldest vouchsafe to come vnder my roofe Can a sinfull man deserue such grace O Lord my God I am certainly altogether vnworthy Am I better then all my Fathers were thou wouldest not shew thy selfe to Moses one twinkling of an eye and how happeneth it that thou humblest thy selfe so much as to come to a man that is both a Publican and a sinner And thou vouchsafest not onely to eate with him but also to giue thy selfe to be eaten of him Haile O bread of life which cammest downe from heauen and which giuest life to as many as receiue thee worthily Surely whosoeuer receiueth thee wâ—rthily although his soule be seuered from his body by temporall death yet shal he not die for euer because that the separation is not a death but a passing from death to life by reason whereof hee that eateth thee worthyly beginneth to liue with thee for euer when he dieth in this world thou art the bread of the Angels the very sight of thee doth solace and glorifie the Angels thou art the food of the soule the glory of heauen the solace of all Angels Saints O most holy food by the eating whereof by a liuely faith is set free from all euill is filled with all goodnesse and is vndoubtedly made immortall O sacred foode of our pilgrimage by the strength whereof wee passe out of this naughty world to the glorious company in heauen Goe on therfore O beleeuing and faithfull soule be merry and reioyce in God thy Sauiour take thy fill of this feast wherein the body of thy Sauiour is set before thee to feede on man fell from God by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree but by this foode hee is redeemed againe to endlesse glory These â—achrymae following containe godly and deâ—out Prayers for constancâ—e in affâ—ictions and to beare malicious slanders patiâ—â—tly O Lord how doe my woes encrease how many are my miseries My troubles rise and neuer cease men iudge thou wilt not heare my cries They say thou wilt me quite forsake that there 's no helpe for me in thee But Lord they are but such that make their censure with a carnall eye And doe not spiritually discerne thy secret purpose and intents Correcting them whom thou wouldst learne to know thy Law and Commandements Chastising them whom thou do'st loue and scourging them oft with thy rod That thou their hearts and mindes may'st moue to feare and serue thee mighty God The wicked outward meanes preferre and worldly helpes at neede they muster And not to God themselues referre nor comfort take from heauenly lustre Who workes by meanes his sacred will and without meanes brings to effect And against meanes can saue or kill for those him serue his true Elect Therefore let not their malice moue nor yet their taunts diâ—may my minde I will hold fast by God aboue whose promise iust and true I finde I striue thy statutes Lord to keepe what thou command'st I will performe Direct me right to thee I creepe O Lord doe thou my life reforme Defend me Lord from their despight that watch to catch me in their snare And to entrap me day and night with nets and ginnes ere I beware And scoffe me basely with reproach with shamefull
goe forth with hiâ— Armies and giue them gloriouâ— victories banish from his Couâ— all priuie foes forraigue and do mesticall graunt that hee maâ— with vprightnesse and true since rity both with heart and minde obserue and keepe thy lawes and that his Highnesse and all his subordinate Magistrates may indifferently and faithfully minister iudgement and iustice to all his people Wee beseâ—ch thee O Lord preserue his body in health his minde in quietnesse and both in â—ll sincerity and godlinesse that â—y his good example hee may both stop the mouthes of his adâ—ersaries and winne the hearts â—f all those that beleeue Make his â—ayes O Lord as the dayes of â—eauen that he may raigne many â—cares ouer vs and wee his Subâ—ts may long liue a peaceable â—nd quiâ—t life in all godlinesse and â—onesty vnder his happy gouernâ—â—nt Graunt vnto him wife and â—â—ithfull Counâ—ellours louing and â—bedient Subiects dutifull and â—ue seruants Deliuer him O â—ord from all conspiraciâ—s treaâ—s and other dangers graunt him alwayes a glorious victory ouer all his enemies pardon and forgiue him all his sinnes make him walke all the dayes of his life in the way of thy commandements that hee may liue in thy feare and dye in thy fauour and that in the resurrection of all flesh he may receiue a crowne of righteousnesse through the merits and mercy of Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen Amen LACHRIM 2. Herein the distressed expresseth his hope and confidence to be in God alone and not in man nor in any other externall meanes I Cannot Lord excuse my sinne most infinite before mine eyes And many more are me within I haue forget which secret lyes of life am weakened in beliefe Our Fathers pray'd with trust in thee in dangers out of troubles all Being deliuered and set free and were rais'd vp when they did fall Thou hearest them when they thee sought and didst them lend thy ayding hands When they almost to death were brought and them deliuered out of bands Great was thy fauour Lord to all them that tooke hold on thee by faith But what am I that am so small a worme no man as Dauid saith Yet I beleeue helpe vnbeliefe Lord I am couered with shame Be thou my glory ease my griefe that I may magnifie thy name The wicked worldlings me contemne because thou hid'st thy face from me Deriding grace and me condemne because of imbecility My neighbours that should me assist disdaine me my familiars all That should me comfort doe desist their helpe to raise me from my fall They say of me my hopes are vaine my kinsfolkes who should yeeld me ayde In my necessities refraine to come to me they are afraide And tauntingly they scoffe and say deseruedly he thus doth suffer Is iust he wrought his owne decay none other kindnesse they me offer I know 't is thou that sitt'st on hie doest send and suffer maladies And therefore I on thee relie to remedie my miseries My woes O Lord by such encrease as should in friendly wise relieue me They that should seeke to make my peace they are the men that most doe gritue me But I that taste the Cup will say 't is thou hast don 't and I will beare it When 't is thy will who can say nay 't is out of loue why should I feare it Relieue my soule with timely dewe and comfort me restore Restore my soule vnto those ioyes the which I felt to fore Now after stormes Lord send a calme and graunt me peace yet now at last And I will praise thee with a Psalme with thankes for all thy fauour past I le magnifie thy name for aye that bring'st such wonderous things to passe That worldlings neither thinke nor say nor know why 't is or how it was The iust shall heare and Saints be glad when wicked men shall faint and quaile To see what fauour I haue had and all their hope doth quench and quaile Whom they so long haue scorn'd and deem'd euen through afflictions cast away For thy name sake Lord me esteem'd their night is past they haue their day Respect my meditation helpe me in time conuenient Lord graunt my supplication thou know'st and tri'st my hearts intent Let not the righteous be dismaide nor wicked triumph in my fall Nor yet let sinners be afraide in time of neede to thee to call And let me put my confidence direct my faith erect my hope Vnto thy gracious prouidence this of my prayers is the scope A Prayer for the calling of the Iewes and the continuall encrease of Christs Kingdome among all Nations ALmighty euerliuing God who after the floud didst preserue Noah and our Fathers Sem Iapheth Terah Abraham Isaac and Iacob from the perishing waters and from the continued deluge of sinne which remained in the families of Ham and Canan his wicked posterity and of thy abundant mercies pittied the blind ignorance in which they had plunged themselues through Idolatrous superstition and didst seperate our Father Abraham and made of him a peculiar people a royall Nation and chosen generation that for euermore should serue thee And that they might neuer forget thy great goodnesse it pleased thee to bring them into Egypt that after the fauour of Pharaoh was expired they should suffer hard and cruell bondage the space of foure hundred yeeres and then in the power of God with a mighty hand and out-stretched arme in the sight of King Pharaoh thou wouldest bring them to their Fathers promised inheritance through the red Sea and waste Wildernesse to the mount Syon the hill of God where thou diddest appeare vnto them in a glorious manner to renue and continue the couenant made vnto their Father Abraham that thou wouldest be their God and the God of their seede for euermore Wherefore thou diddest out of the midst of the flames of fire so speake vnto them that they might liue and know that thou louedst them as thou hadst done their Fathers that first came into Egypt that thou wert the same Lord and that there was no other God besides thee in heauen or in earth Yet for all this great loue of which the like was neuer heard thou didst onely require them to keepe thy statutes thy lawes and thy commandements promising it should goe well with them for euermore but they started aside like a broken bowe and cast thy promises and law behind their backes and forsooke thee the guide of their youth and in their olde age euen when they were growne fat and full fed with the abundance of thy blessings they still spurned kicked against thee and though thou didst early and late in the time of the Iudges and Kings which they so much desired send them Prophets yet they cast thee off and forgot the Lord that made them and serued other gods of the Heathen whom their Fathers neuer knew Yet at last when they had killed thy Prophets and stoned thy seruants thou in infinite loue sent thy Sonne
Father and doest me foster What words or works can daunt my heart I am in thee become a boaster These men thy might and power disable or else thy loue to man diminish Or else they thinke thou art vnstable and doest begin and wilt not finish Or that the poore wilt not support nor helpe the needie in distresse But as thou knowest what they report so make them feele their wickednesse But I doe know thou failest neuer them that in thee their trust repose If they be constant and perseuer all things are for the best to those Thou art indeede a iealous God and first thy children thou doest monish Thou bear'st with loue and beat'st with rod if they mend not wilt further punish Yet call'st thy chosen children backe by gentle stroakes from running ryot And sufferest them to suffer lacke and doest prescribe to them their diet We may condignely then deride the iudgement of such foolish men That vnto thee Lord will prescribe the measure what and the time when Such fleshly men by wealth and woe censure thy loue or thy displeasure As Natures friend or Graces foe by humane reason all things measure They thinke thou lou'st whom thou feed'st fat with plenty pleasures worldly riches And that all others thou doest hate these world flesh and deuill bewitches And great is this temptation vnlesse our natures thou assist Infeebled with affliction whose helpe doth rest in Iesus Christ. When thou therefore do'st me correct with one hold hold me with the other Let fasth in thee make thee accept me for thy Sonne by Christ my brother Lay not vpon me greater loade then I poore wretch can well endure If I doe sinke stay my aboade and if I fall then keepe me sure Thou know'st Lord whereof I am made I am a silly simple man A worme a flea a puffe a shade that no good doe nor no good can Try by the Crosse true to the Crowne that we may proue by want and losses But to dispaire pull me not downe but vnto comforts turne my crosses I am not able to beare thy yoake vnlesse Christ thy Sonne doe with me draw I am not able to fend thy stroke vnlesse he O Lord doth ward the blow Lord with thy mercies compasse me protection draw out of despaire O let me thy saluation see and all things fit obtaine by Prayer Thou shewest mercy to the meeke that trust in thee in all mens sight There children shall finde what they seeke thou shalt to Sunne-shine turne their night A place whence worldlings are excluded and all the hellish rable out Though here on earth they haue intruded to roote Gods faithfull children out And such as haue with hate pursu'd and trusted in the arme of flesh And haue their hands in bloud imbru'd shall say in iudgement they were rash God's on my side who can ouerthrowe me Christ pleades my cause can God refuse me As iust in Christ the Lord doth know me he doth acquite who can accuse me We thought that this mans life was madnesse then shall the wicked worldlings say But see his words are turn'd to gladnesse whom we haue deem'd a cast-away His hand hath wrought what he would haue yea I my selfe shall say I err'd That thought thou wouldest me not saue because my ioyes were then deferr'd I thought my cries thou would'st not heare when I thee sought thy selfe did'st hide When I complain'd thou cam'st not neere as though thou could'st me not abide But now I knowledge and confesse thy wisedome great in humbling me Thy loue sustain'd me in distresse thy prouidence releeuing me This pass'd all iudgement and conceit of learnedst grauest wisest men Therefore deere Father I will waite take thine owne time how where and when I will not with thy will indent nor thee direct the manner how Thou should'st me helpe 't is mine intent vnto thy will to bend and bowe Hereafter I will hold my peace though men shall say yet still of me And though their tongues will neuer cease there is for me no helpe from thee 〈◊〉 Prayer for a Merchant that God would blesse his Sea aduentures O Almighty God the Creator of heauen and earth and that â—ath made the round world and 〈◊〉 that is therein that stretcheth â—t the North ouer the empty â—aces and hangeth the earth vpâ— nothing that hath set the Sea â—s bounds vntill night and day â—me to an end that diuideth â—e Sea and bindeth the floods â—om ouerflowing that looketh 〈◊〉 the ends of the earth and seeth â—e whole fabrick of heauen and â—e earth and all things therein â—t maketh the waight for the windes and knoweth the measures of the waters that hath since the dayes of Noah shut vp the Sea with barres and dores saying hitherto shalt thou come and no further and heere shall thy proud waues be stayed yet foâ— the families of Jacob at their departure from Egypt and Pharaoh Court thou didst once againe interrupt the boundes of the Seas and made them to stand on heaps that Israel might escape from their cruell and bloody pursuerâ— The waters saw thee O God thâ— waters saw thee were afraid aâ— the presence of the Lord God Aâ— mighty vnto thee most might Jehouah doe I come beseechinâ— thee to prosper my aduentures aâ— the Sea thou art the same Lorâ— that didst prosper the ancient aâ— uentures that thy seruant Salomo made to Opher in the land of Hauâ— lah toward the East O Lord beseech thee that when the wiâ— shall arise the Seas roare tâ— flouds raise them vp into heauen and cast them downe againe into the bottome of the deepe threatning nothing but death and destruction keepe them that they perish not in the proud waues thereof by falling into sands nor by running against the hard rock Keepe them safe in their persons â—nd goods as thou didst Salomons Marriners and the rich treasures 〈◊〉 their vessels O Lord let no â—obbers nor Pirates at Sea attach â—heir persons or goods but proâ—ect them safe out of their hands â—hat I and they being made well 〈◊〉 liue may returne thankes and â—â—sse thee all our dayes both priâ—ately and publiquely in thy holy â—ongregation for they that goe â—to the deepe see the wonders 〈◊〉 the Lord thereby are taught â—w to praise thee Sweet Sauiour as thy Disciâ—s with thee in the Shippe in â—eir extreamities called vpon â—ee to helpe them that they might not perish So O Lord Iâ— cail vpoÌ„ thee beseeching thee to heare me for them and them for themselues and say vnto the Seas peace and be still for they are at thy command to obay thee and therefore subiect at thy rebuke to be still O Lord as thou didst reach forth thy hand vnto thy Disciples and to Peter at midnight when they were in distresse in the raging waues and by calling vnto thee were comforted So O Lord put into their hearts such a reuerend feare of thee that in any danger or extreamity by sea or land they may call vpon
thee and be comforted O Lord though they bee compassed about with death on euery side yet there is assured safety in thee wherefore keepe firmâ— their tacklings that they deceiuâ— them not in the raging windes nor mountaine billowes that beaâ— against their sides that their Ship in which they are be not broken O Lord if thou force them to cast out their goods for safety yet will it not auaile vnlesse therewith they cast forth by vnfained repentance their loades of sinnes through which bodies and goods are made to sinke And let them be in safety as the Marriners that were trauailing from Ioppa to Tarsus when they had cast forth rebellious Ionas O Lord of hoasts and God of heauen send thy Angels with them to guide them forth and conduct them safe in their return be with them in their greatest necessities as thou wast with thine Apostle S. Paul in his dangerous voyage to Rome This temporall blessing and all others that are needfull and that thou knowest better to giue then I to aske though a chiefe of sinners and therefore most vnworthy yet I begge aske it if it be thy good pleasure for thy Sonne Iesus sake my only Lord and Sauiour Amen A Prayer for the fruits of the earth and other nourishments of this mortall life O Eternall God which feedest with thy blessing euery liuing thing and satisfiest the desires of thy seruants with thy bountifull goodnesse wee wretched sinners vnworthy of the least of thy blessings and benefits doe most humbly beseech thee to be pleased to blesse all the fruits of the earth that wee and all thy seruants may be partakers of thy comforts therein for the nourishment of this life Giue vs O Lord this day our daily bread prepare our ground and prosper our corne Blesse the seede time with the first and latter raine and meete temperature of ayre Keepe our fruits while they bee in the earth from haile and thunder from excessiue droughts and immoderate raines from mildewes and all noysome wormes Send vs a ioyfull Haruest and giue a blessing to that which wee shall reape that for our vnthankfulnes it waste not away without our reliefe Increase our cattell with all other our prouision which we shall carefully labour for Replenish our basket and blesse our store that wee may haue wherewith as to furnish our selues so to giue some reliefe vnto others Protect our seruants and workefolkes that they may be strong to labour wise to forecast and faithfull in their businesse Keepe our Garners Barnes and Store-houses from fire and boysterous windes Theeues and suddaine inundations Prosper our workes and trauels whether by sea or land and blesse and prosper all them that any way labour for any of those things that we shall haue occasion to vse Send remedy O Lord for all hardnesse and misery turne our dearth into cheapenesse and our scarcity into plenty Open the hearts of rich men to whom thou hast giuen much that they may haue a charitable respect of the poore at all times Helpe vs O Lord and giue vs such things as we stand in neede of and make vs to desire such things onely as may bee pleasing vnto thee to search them wisely and to finde them easily Oppresse vs not with too much pouerty neither puffe vs vp with too much plenty but giue vs a competent store of things necessary for this life and grace to vse them soberly to thy glory and our comfort through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A thanksgiuing for our Benefactours O Lord which hast said that hee that giueth vnto the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and looke what he layeth out it shall be payd him againe wee beseech thee to be gracious and mercifull to all those for whom wee are bound to pray by nature by desert or any other duty whatsoeuer Of thy especiall fauour remember all our Benefactours and friends aliue euen all those our Parents kinsfolkes and others which haue brought vs vp taught promoted or any way relieued vs. Blesse them with all blessings that haue done good either to our bodies with temporall benefits or our soules with profitable instructions Bless their estates that in their godly dispositions they may haue alwayes wherewith to relieue and comfort others in their discretion giue them the consolation of the holy Ghost to the keeping of faith and a good conscience And as they haue shewed mercy vnto vs and comforted vs so Lord helpe and comfort them in their greatest needes that both they and their families may both haue comfort in their estate and condition heere and finde mercy with thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus at the latter day Lord let all their almes-deedes and prayers be alwayes in thy sight as those of Cornelius that as they haue been vnto vs an odour that smelleth sweet whereby we haue receiued plenty and beene filled so they may bee as sacrifices acceptable and pleasant vnto thee Vouchsafe vs this grace O Lord that wee be not guilty of any ingratitude towards them but rather ready according to our abilities to recompence them if neede require Let not that which they haue bestowed vpon vs bee cast away but make it fruitfull vs worthy of it Graunt this O thou God which doest good both to the just and vniust for Iesus Christs sake our only Lord Sauiour Amen LACHRIM 5. Wherein the distressed sheweth his desire to hold more fast the promises of God O Lord thou art my hope and strength thou help'st in trouble doe not hide Thy selfe for euer but at length for men distrest doe thou prouide For I by thee will hold most fast I le trust in thee while I doe liue And till those stormes be ouer-past I le neither faint nor feare nor grieue Tremble thou earth rage sea and land winde tempest stormes and all about I see thee Lord hold out thy hand for my defence I le neuer doubt What though hills quake staggering stumble and fall into the midst of seas Though waters roare rage and tumble thou canst this change and all appease Should I then faint at troubles small which like small darts thou throw'st at me In loue but not to kill at all but make me leaue my vanity Forsake my follies euery deale reclayming errors to the truth T is thou didst hurt and thou canst heale thou hast preseru'd me from mine youth I must confesse I merited the death of death with paines of hell And to be disinherited of heauens high where iust doe dwell But Lord doe mittigate thine anger and turne thy heauie wrath to loue Deliuer me from all this danger let thy compassion mercy moue And with true comforts Christ all fountaine my dry and thirsty soule refresh And powre on me from holy mountaine sweet dewes to glad my soule and flesh Thy darts in me O Lord sticke fast O pull them out cast them away And cure my wounds to helpe make hast binde vp my sores soules sorrowes stay Cleanse the corrupt affections of
doe me teach In vnderstanding truth instruct me vouchsafe me perfect patiencâ— And to freedome Lord conduct me where is no loss nor paine of sence And from these dangers Lord me free which most I feare and soon'st possesse The comforts most desir'd by me and so enioy true happinesse O make not Lord thy absence long but hasten my deliuerance Against my foes Lord make me strong which doe themselues 'gainst me aduaâ—ce That ready are with onset new for to assault my silly soule Wearied with stormes that doe accrewe and plung'd with waues which o're me roule Wherefore hast thou left vnto vs by thy word a commandement To cast our care on thee which thus with weighty burthens vs torment With promise to vs helpe and ease thou seest and know'st Lord our desire Our secret hearts and all our wayes all 's plaine to thee as light as fire If therefore I should iustifie my selfe I should condemned be Thou find'st me out and do'st me trie my righteousnesse is nought to thee Disclayming my integrity I cast me downe Lord at thy feete And pray for pure sincerity that I doe all in all that 's meete Wherefore thou art most mercifull when wants and weakenesse we confesse Yea then thy gifts are plentifull vs to relieue in our distresse On thee my burthen Lord I lay for well I know thou câ—r'st for all That thee beleeue loue feare obay and for thy grace and mercy call My faith and hope is all in thee I am of imperfections full I aske why thou doest visite me should I that blockish am aâ—… dull Defil'd within and eke without plead duties done â—r else be mute It is in vaine to goe about with thee O Lord for to dispute Who euill am in my best way in purest thoughts yea most impure Pardon my weakenesse Lord I pray and giue me zeale and truth to endure With humblenesse and perfect loue which Lord thou doest of me require Instruct me God with wisedome moue me guide and leade to thy desire Shew me the way that tends to blisse after this my long straying hâ—â—re And bring me home where all peacâ—â—s let thy free fauour Lord appeare Wherein is life and liberty comfort ioy and societie With rest peace and tranquility for them that liue in piety O happy he whom thou protectest most happy he whom thou doest loue He is happy and sure whom thou respectest he is fed and clad from thee aboue In all good things he is rich indeede when he doth call thou doest him heare What he doth aske thou giu'st at neede he seekes and findes them euery where When he is sicke thou doest him â—ure when poore thou doest his wants supply When he is sad he shall be sure thy sauing helpe and health is niâ— When he is troubled doest defend him in danger doest securenesse giue him When men him hate thy loue wilt send him when almost dead life doth reuiue him And giu'st him then such ioyes for euer as no mans wit can apprehend Me fauour graunt Lord bring me thither to these thy blessings without end This fauour Lord vnto me shew and blesse my contemplation Onely in heauen and hee I know is perfect contentation My sorrowes shall be turn'd to ioy my wants vnto sufficiencie My teares to gladnesse from annoy mourning to mirth and melodie My soule keepe safe from death and hell my feete from sliding and from falling Let mâ— vprightly walke and dwell and on thee still O Lord be calling Who do'st performe thy promises and let'st none empty part away That with their hearts seeke thy mercies or doe for helpe or comfort pray Send helpe therefore and saue me from them that would me quite deâ—oâ—re And daily grieue me and depraue me my soule 's with Lyons euery houre I wads as through the raging sea I dwell amongst them set on fire Whose teeth are spears whose tongue beares sway like two-edg'd sword with wrath and ire Thy mercy therefore and thy truth let be my bucklen and strong sâ—…ld Hast beene mine hope euen from my youth let troubles cease new ioyes me yeeld Set me vpon thy rocke for 〈◊〉 of perfect loue and true reliefe Let rest and refuge faile me nâ—uer and thy protection saue from griese Bring thou to passe what 's fit for me what thou doest know expedient That righteous men thâ—â—nd may see and how my hope obâ—â—in'd conâ—â—nt That they may of thy glory talke and speake of thy eternall praise All men shall say that see me walke doubtlesse God will the righteoâ—s raise There is a God thâ—â—'s gracious goâ—d to them that be of perfect heart When he hath all their foes with stood heauens ioyes to them he will impart A Prayer in the time of plague or other extraordinarie sicknesse O Lord our GOD in whose name standeth our helpe and who amongst other euills hast promised vs to deliuer thy people from the 〈◊〉 of the Hunter and the noysome Pestilence wee beseech thee take this thy Plague away from vs And as the stench of our sinnès hath ascended vp into thy nosthrills to prouoke thy wrath against vs so let our humble supplications come before thee to procure our happy and speedie release from it Lord call backe thine Angell and cause him to sheath the sword againe We are thy children the worke of thy hand we are sorrie for our sinnes which are the cause of all this and wee purpose amendment wee are but men dust and ashes not able to beare long therefore Lord haue mercy vpon vs and that soone send vs comfort and suffer vs not to perish after so miserable a sort We thanke thee O Lord that thou hast not left vs altogether comfortlesse without hope but hast somewhat withdrawne thine hand and spared many hundred of vs in comparison of those whom thou slewest before and now wee reioyce at this abatement yet stand in awe we presume vpon this thy fauour but with feare and trembling wee trust it shall be euery day better yet we are carefull to winne it by pleasing thee Wherefore O Lord wee beseech thee blesse vs and all those that depend vpon vs set thy sauing marke vpon our houses as thou didst for the Israelites and giue or er to the destroyer that hee hurt vs not Put thy strength to our medicines guard our regard which wee haue of our selues let thy good blessings make the preseruatiues of the Physitians and our shifting places for more security profitable vnto vs and let vs not trust too much to outward means but chiesely in thy mercy and blessing vpon them Keepe vs downe-lying and vp-rising and protect vs walking in our vocations haue pittie vpon our distressed brethren comfort the desolate widowes prouide for all fatherlesse children Gather vs together againe that by these meanes are dispersed and continue thy mercifull worke in deminishing our dead numbers till wee may iustly say in confidence and thankes with the Prophet we shall not die but liue and declare the
thee I beseech thee if it be thy will let thy secret and hidden power in which there is more verâ—ue then in all mineralls plants be extended forth to his comfort reliefe that he again may come into thy house and magnifie thy mercy for his renewed strength O Lord as hee hath abounded with charity and compassion vnto others in their extreamities of sicknesse so likewise as thou hast promised let this thy mercifull seruant in his languishing paines obtaine mercy from thee that art most mercifull and as hee hath heard the lamenting cries of others so Lord doe thou heare his mournefull and lamenting sighes vnto thee for thou art very pittifull and of tender mercy O Lord he humbleth himselfe in thy sight wherefore I beseech thee to raise him vp againe if any man be sicke thou hast willed vs that be well to pray one for another assuring vs that the Prayer of the righteous if it be seruent auaileth much In confidence and full assurance that thou wilt make good thy word O Lord I earnestly beseech thee to restore my sicke and weake friend N vnto his perfect health if it may bee thy good pleasure and this I aske as one not without hope for I beleeue that as Iesus died and rose againe euen so by his power shall this my sicke friend doe at the last day Yet O Lord for the perfecting of that which is wanting in his faith repentance and good works I earnestly beseech thee to adde some more vnto the number of his dayes haue mercy vpon him and restore him againe to strength his former health But most mercifull Father if thou please through this his sicknesse to finish his dayes graunt that he may in quiet minde and stedfast faith commend to thee the care of all his worldly charge because thou hast promised to be a Father vnto the widdowe and the fatherlesse And it is thy wil that wee should cast our care on thee not onely in life but in death especially O Lord when death that cruell tyrant sinne the graue the deuill and all the fries of darknesse shall assault his body and affright his soule with distrust in thee and of his part in the glorious resurrection then strengthen him by the power of thy Sonne my Sauiour that hee may no lesse triumph ouer all the terrours and feares of the graue of hell and death as all the Saints in like case haue done and then I my selfe may doe in the same houre of my departure which I beseech thee to graunt through him that hath loued vs euen Iesus Christ my most absolute and perfect Sauiour Amen Amen LACHRIM 7. Wherein the distressed detesteth the world and wouldly things and desireth heauen and heauenly things MY soule doth long and shall depend on God for euer euerliuing God shall begin and make an end that hath giuen all yet euer giuing I sigh and groane for to appeare before his gracious mercy seate As thirsteth the Hart for water cleare so long I for thy mâ—rcy great I am quite tyred with my groanes I faint vnder mine heauie loade Of miseries breaking all my bones layd on me iustly by my God O God the rocke of my whole strength Lord of mercy behold mine anguish O graunt me helpe and ease at length I faint I fall I figh I languish Why doe I daily weepe and mourne and haue no comfort helpe nor ease Why do'st not heare but from me turne why doe my woes and foes encrease Sith I doe seeke thee vnfainedly defend me Oh defend me in This dangerous time of misery layd iustly on me for my sin Preserue me from men mercilesse hard hearted bloudy minded cruell Blesse me with thine hid blessednesse giue me thy fauour my soules iâ—well The man of earth layes load on loade as on an Anuile stroke on stroke Within without at home abroad mine head to the heele bowes with the yoke I am reproach to neighbours all I am ashamed men should see me They scorne and laugh to see my fall but this mine hope doth comfort me That thou from them wilt set me free And thee triumphant shall behold In shining Throne of Maiestie where 's neither hunger thirst nor cold No want nor sinne nor ignomie nor sicknesse death nor deadly paine But fulnesse mirth ioy victory with thee in glory I shall raigne And if it be thy will O Lord now after all this sturdy storme To my most troubled soule afford thy peace and pitty mee poore worme Free me from death that 's mors Gehennae giue peace ioy rest not transitorie I take it as an earnest pennie of perfect blisse and endlesse glory And I le here praise thee men among that they may see marke and consider T is thou canst onely right our wrong and from all troubles vs deliuer Thou canst and wilt vs saue and keepe though much we suffer in this life Thou art our Shepheard wee thy Sheepe saue me from hate enuie and strife So shall I also giue thee praise my mouth continually thee laude My soule and inward part alwayes thy wonderous workes shall still applaude I will be glad and ioy in thee reioyce yea and againe reioyce Abiect though I yet comfort me I le praise thee with minde heart and voyce Awake therefore in time awake preserue me that I perish not I am if thou do'st me forsake but as a dead man cleane forgot And censured a cast-away among such as see me depriu'd Of present helpe for these men say my soule can neuer be reuiu'd One sorrow doth encrease another all hope on earth turnes to distrust Of ayde from neighbour friend or brother hide not thy face my God most iust Forget not mine extreamities Lord free me from in fernall hells Of torments and of miseries which comes from thee and from none else My soule is beaten to pits brimme my heart doth faint my hands grow weeke My knees doe faile mine eyes growe dimme my tongue is dumbe and cannot speake And each part of my body vext I daily moane my miseries Looke on me Lord I am perplext O ease my griefe and heare my cries Though thou by Iustice made the wound and by correction grieu'd mine heart If thou wilt cure salue soone is found with spirituall comfort ease my smart Doe not withhold such things are good which for thy children are ordain'd Turne thou thy face with Christes blood cleanse all the spots my sinnes hath stain'd Rise vp O Lord rise vp I say with thee doth Loue and Bounty raigne I am throwne downe I thee obay therefore rise vp raise me againe Although my sinnes like swords doe cut me from thy fauour and thy grace Let righteousnesse of Christ be put to hide my sinnes before thy face Unite me vnto thee againe in such sort Lord make me so fast That I with thee may still remaine and ioy in ioyes that aye shall last The young mans Prayer for a vertuous wife O God the euerliuing and only wise the
beare children that my husband may be wise graue and sober and one that knoweth how to gouerne and rule his houshold children and seruants in faith and good conscience O Lord let him be one that is stedfast in the faith of Christ following righteousnesse loue faith patience and meekenesse and one delighted in good workes and hospitality courteous vnto all men O Lord make him a louer of good men and make him iust holy and in all things temperate euer walking in grace abounding in the fruits of the Spirit O good God send mee such a yoke-fellow that knoweth how to loue me not onely by the guide of carnall affection as for beauty comelinesse of person money goods which thou hast giuen me or for that I haue good friends and kindred whereby he hopeth of this worlds preferment and ability for if all these faile for the which he onely loueth then will his pretended loue be gone and I shall be exposed to the necessity of this world and for want of meanes be tempted to dishonest courses but most sweet Father as thou hast promised to be a Father vnto the fatherlesse vnto the Widdowes and Orphanes So be a Father vnto mee thy silly Handmayd whose trust is alwayes in thee And send mee such an one as knoweth how to loue mee in thee and for conscience sake yea that will striue to loue me as Christ hath doeth and euer will doe his Church to loue me as his owne body This fieâ—h yea as himselfe And keepe mee that I may doe nothing to hinder this his loue or to make him bitter vnto mee but that I may obay him â—care him and loue him in all things that are comely in the Lord and according as thou hast commanded mee in thy holy word and that for Christ Iesus sake to whom with thee and the holy Ghost bee giuen by mee all praise glory both now and for euermore Amen Amen The Prayer of a Woman with child that defireth safe deliuerance O Almighty God that after the floud didst command Noah and his posterity liuing in chast matrimony to replenish and fill the earth I thy poore and most weake seruant haue as thou didst ordaine by the will of my parents embraced the holy and honourable estate of married life and now by thy blessing am made a mother of the liuing through that hopefull â—ruit which after much sorrow and paine in breeding thou hast caused to spring in my wombe by which I am assured it is a liuing soule for which worke of thine I giue thee most hearty thanks still beseeching thee that as thou hast begun this good worke in mee that thou wilt goe on and finish it vnto a perfect birth in all right shape and comelinesse not onely in the outward feature of the body but in the inward parts of the minde that it may growe on vnto such a perfect man as may occasion honour and praise vnto thy great name so long as it shall please thee to giue it life and being And seeing O Lord thou hast for our first sinne in Paradise so wofully afflicted vs with many sorrowes in conception and with farre greater in bringing forth of our posterity in this life I beseech thee for Christ his sake to pardon my sinnes and to asswage those violent and raging paines that they neither deface deforme destroy mee nor yet that which is in my wombe O Lord let the power of the most high euen thy holy Spirit enter into me to strengthen and to vphold me that I faint not in my paines nor in my faith but that if I dye in this my child-bearing yet thy goodnesse supporting me in faith charity and sobriety I may as thou hast promised bee assured of my saluation O Lord if thou please to spare the tree and take the fruit which I beleeue by faith in Christ that thou hast made holy yet I will giue thee thankes because by reason of my sinnes thou mightest most iustly curse mee and my fruit as thou didst the figge tree to perpetual death But most high heauenly Father I thanke thee that thou hast made thy promise so stable that not onely we of ripe yeares that doe beleeue but euen our children as they are our seede are included in the couenant of grace that if they dye yet being borne of holy parents who are ingraffed through faith into the body of Christ they are saued not onely as being a part of vs in Christ but as true and reall members of Christ vnto whoÌ„ through faith into which they are baptized with vs made one with Christ that with his comming they may bee raised at the last day Yet O Lord notwithstanding this assurance I entreate thee to graunt me ioy and comfort of them that trayning them vp in their youth in thy feare they may bee as a staffe in olde age in this life to comfort me anâ— their Father as the children of Noah and Iacob did yea Lord if it be thy will I desire to liue to bee a fruitfull vine on thy house side thy Church to breede to beare and bring forth children to multiply and accomplish thy glorious Kingdome visible and inuisible in earth and in heauen for euermore O Lord hauing taken away from mee the reproach of a barren wombe so much lamented by holy women graunt that after my dissolution my children may continue like oliue plants and flourish a seede mighty on earth not as the Giants in the olde world strong in sinne but valiant and bold in the profession and confession and practise of righteousnesse and good conuersation yea let them be a generation of vpright men and women and such as may remaine an heritage of the Lord as Isaac to Rebecka a blessed fruit of my wombe O Lord thou art my God heare the voyce of thine handmayd in thee is my trust heare my supplications and let not my soule faile of these her desires and that for Iesus Christes sake which was borne of the virgine Mary for my saluation Amen Amen LACHRIM 8. The penitent acknowledgeth mans vildnesse and Gods mercies by faith and example of Gods prouidence relieth on his goodnes O Lord thy name 's most excellent in all the world thy glory is spread Through heauens and the firmament and by all creatures vttered In vniuersall harmonie extoll'd in heauen and in earth Exprest in song and melodie with all alacritie and mirth What thou bestowest what man can number vpon vs slaues and sonnes of men Who by our sinnes are put asunder from thy deare loue by acts vncleane Forgetfull and so capeable of sinne as powder is of fire In all our workes and words vnstable and know not what we should desire Aboue all creatures we forget thy grace are proue to disobay And if thy mercy did not let all Adams broode thou shouldst destroy And I for my part me confesse guilty of all sinnes and all euills And that I haue deseru'd no lesse then to be damn'd
grace especially vnto thee a most vile wretched sinner and chiefe of sinners doe I prostrate my selfe and confesse that my heart is so hardned in euill custome of sinne that when it commeth vpon me by the motion of thy spirit to desire to doe good I finde no meanes in my selfe to doe any thing that is good neither for the vertue it selfe nor as it is thy commandement so that thou mightest most worthily cast mee off as thou didst that vnmercifull seruant into bonds of death and imprisonment of hell for euermore But O Lord it is thy property alwayes to haue mercy Wherefore I beseech thee to bestowe this gift of loue on me that through thy acceptation it may couer in mee the multitude of my sinnes for vnto whom thou forgiuest much much is returned to thee againe wherefore O Lord let this gift of loue bee mighty and strong in me that I may loue thee againe as thou hast loued me and expresse my loue by being ready to forgiue all wrongs and offences of my brother and neighbour and not vnto seauen times but vnto seauenty times seauen O let mee loue thee and my neighbour out of a sincere faith and loue vnfained and at all times as thou hast forgiuen mee my debts offences and trespasses So O Lord make me ioyfull and willing to forgiue as I desire of thee to be forgiuen And seeing it is the end of thy Commandements and the fulfilling of the law O heauenly Father let this gift of loue through the operation of thy spirit bee neuer wanting or absent in this life nor in the life to come O Lord graunt that this marke of Adoption and stampe of Regeneration may encrease in mee not onely to my friends in affinity and consanguinity and acquaintance but vnto all men in generall as my owne flesh and thy image by which bonds thou hast commanded mee to doe good vnto all of all sorts that shall stand in neede of my helpe saying Be you mercifull as your heauenly Father is mercifull who doeth good vnto all in outward things of this world causing his raine to raine and his Sunne to shine vpon the vniust as vpon the iust And in the endeauour of doing this generall good O Lord let mee not forget to doe most good vnto the Saints and dye in loue to all men in thee and for thee and that through the loue of thee and my onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost for euermore Amen Amen LACHRIM 9. The poore and distressed soule being loaden with the burthen of his sinnes â—eruently prayeth vnto God for his remission thereof O Lord come pittie my distresse see how I sigh and groane With teares and floods of heauinesse my heart is ouerthrowne No hope I finde no helpe I feele no cure nor salue I see None can my sinnes corruptions heale sweet Iesus comfort me My wounding sorrowes neuer cease my griefes growe more and more What I should kill doth still encrease Lord saue my soule therefore I liuing dye yet dying liue in life yet daily dye I sigh and groane yet cannot grieue sinne makes this mysterie Lord let me liue yet hourely dye in loue yet daily hate Let me embrace yet still defie let peace breede all debate O let me liue yet neuer liue aliue yet euer dead O let me grieue yet neuer grieue fed with thy liuing bread Let passions passe let groanes be gone let mâ—anes be turn'd to mirth I liue and dye to Christ alone Let sorrowes sinke to earth An exhortation to praise God and to acknowledge our Thanksgiuing to him without ceasing VVE praise thee God we acknowledge thee our onely Lord and Christ to be The earth and world doe worship thee eternall Father heauenly King To whom aloud bright Angels sing the Thrones and powers thee magnifie The Cherubins and Seraphin to crie to thee doe neuer linne Holy holy most holy Lord of Sabbath God of maiestie Heau'ns full of thy glory all Nations laude thy name and word The glorious ' postles companie the goodly Prophets vnitie The holy Martyrs noble Armie the holy Church the world throughout Doth spread the Gospell all about the Father of true pietie Thy sacred true and onely Sonne the holy Ghost vs comfort wonne Thou art of glory King O Christ thou art the euerlasting Sonne Of God whose blessed will was done by thee all people to deliuer Thou didst not the 〈◊〉 the virgins wombe abhorre nor loath that sacred Toâ—…be Till thou wast borne from God sent hether when thou thâ— serpents head hadst broken The Heauens Kingdomes gate set open for true beleeuers to come thither Thou siâ—sâ— on Gods right holy hand thy Fathers will doest vnderstand Whence thou shalt come our Iudge to be we therefore thy poore seruants pray Thy succour helpe and ayde that day whose pretious blood redeem'd vs free Let them with Saints be numbered in endlesse glory comforted Thy people Lord keepe saue and stay blesse saue thine owne inheritage Lift vp their hearts from age to age we magnifie thee day by day We worship thee world without end This day from sinne Lord vs defend Haue mercy mercy on vs Lord. Lord let thy mercy on vs light Our trust is on thee day and night We trust in thee with one accord O Lord I put my trust in thee Let neuer me confounded be All glory to the Trinity to God the Father and the Sonne And holy Ghost all praise be done for euer and euer eternally FINIS Psal. 51. Math. 26 1. Cor. 14. Math. 5. Acts 10. Iona. 3. 1. Thess. 5 Actes 10. Daniel 6.
saying that they would honour him But O Lord how much more cruelly did they behaue themselues towards thee calling thee a sinner and friend of Publicans and sinners and the Prince of the deuils and would haue throwne thee the Lord of life as Sathan did the Heard of Swine from the Rock into the Sea And at last when nothing tooke effect according to their malicious minds they came out against thee as against a malefactour with clubbs and staues and tooke thee and carried their expected Messiah before Herod and Pontius Pilate and brought false witnesse against thee and preferred a murtherer before thee and though indeede thou wert their King yet in mockage they put vpon thee a purple roabe and in thy hand a Scepter of reede on thy head a crowne of thornes then buffetted they thee and spet vpon thy face contemning both thy princely priestly and propheticall offices in which thou wast their perfect Sauiour Then disroabed they thee and carried thee without the gates of the Citie and after an ignominious manner with two theeues vnto Golgotha the place of common execution and nayled thee to a woodden Crosse in the middest of them And after they had wounded thee in sundry places yet againe in their malicious and cowardly fury they pierced thy side with a speare euen when thou sighedst groanedst prayedst vnto thy Father to forgiue them their sinnes and to accept thy sacrifice Yea all this while they mocked thee and bid thee come downe from the Crosse to saue thy life as thou sauest others and wrote a title ouer thy head vnto all Nations in contempt of thee and when in the pangues of thy passion thou didst thirst for their pardon then they ranne and flapped in thy mouth not to comfort thee but to prolong thy sorrowes an hysope spunge dipt in vinegar and after thy death to make them sport they cast lots for thy garments O sweet Sauiour being thus abused by thy once peculiar people thou hast most righteously according to their wish brought vpon them and their children the reward of thy innocent blood and done iustly in forsaking the house of thine honour and put it into the possession of the Gentiles to bee battered downe that there might not bee left one stone vpon another and to scatter them into perpetuall captiuity as at this day we doe behold But O heauenly Father thou hast made knowne vnto vs Gentiles that beleeue in thee according to thy Word that they did no more then what they hand and counsell had determined long before to be done And had they knowne that they had crucified thy Sonne the Lord of glory no doubt they would not haue done it for in ignorance as did their Fathers they haue done it wherfore O God for the respect thou bearest to Abraham Isaac and Iacob and for thy seruant Dauids sake as thou hast promised that a remnant should be saued euen as many as thou wilt call and the first fruits being holy the branches descending thereof should be holy haue respect vnto them that with the fulnesse of vs Gentiles they may come againe into the folde of Christ. O Lord our Sauiour open their eyes that they may beleeue the Scriptures and so come againe and be grafted into their owne Oliue stocke for thou O God art able to graffe them in againe for thy gifts and calling are without repentance Wherefore take from them their vnbeliefe that wee both Iewes Gentiles may be saued through thy mercy O sweet Sauiour haue mercy on them call them home againe that wee and they may make one sheepe-fold and like good sheep know thy voice and follow thee our louing Shepheard in the sincere obedience of thy Gospell Heauenly Father blesse thy Church vniuersall that it may stand fast in the obedience and faith of Christ giue thy Gospell a free passage in it among all people that yet know not thee O thou which art the Lord of the haruest send forth diligent and painefull labourers into thy haruest Blesse all the reformed Churches in these westerne parts but especially this church of England that it bee an ensample of sound doctrine and godly life vnto all other Churches And graunt that the Kings Nobles and Senators may remaine and succeede nursing Fathers in it for euermore O Lord let not the wilde Boares of the Forrest the Turke nor Antichrist supplant the faith established among vs nor roote vp the vine that thine own right hand hath planted but continue the light among vs which now liue or hereafter shall liue euen as long as the Sun or the Moone shall endure O God as thou hast promised for thy Elect sake finish these dayes of sinne and hasten thy comming vnto glory And as by all thy workes in generall so by vs men in speciall yea by me with the residue of thy holy Church be especially giuen both now and for euermore all honour and glory world without end Amen Amen A Prayer for the discouerie and desolation of Antichrist O God of Hoasts the omnipotent inuisible and incomprehensible the Father the Son and the holy Ghost the eternall Creator and most mighty vpholder of all things in heauen and in earth and by whom Kings ruie and Princes raigne heare me a poore sinfull subiect of thy great dominions grieued and distressed in soule to behold how the enemies of thy trueth doe bandy themselues against thee and thy Christ the Annoynted of the Lord and the only King of Kings the wonderfull Counsellour the mighty God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace Looke downe and discouer the haters of thy Word those that haue cast thy lawes behinde their backes and scorne to be ruled by the sincere trueth of the same yet shame not to take thy lawes in their mouthes though they hate to be reformed thereby O God we haue heard with our eares and our Fathers haue tolde vs that in the last dayes shall bee perilous times in which men shall be louers of themselues couetous proud boasters blasphemers disobedient vnto superiours vnthankfull vnholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytours heady high minded louers of pleasure more then of thee hauing a forme of godlinesse a great shew of righteousnesse wanting the power thereof being in trueth nothing but scoffers and walkers after their lust forbidding meates drinkes marriages which with thanksgiuing thou hast made holy and honourable being indeede giuen to adulterie fornication lasciniousnesse Idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations strifes wrath seditions heresies murthers drunkennesse reuilings and infinite the like whereby it is come to passe that there is none righteous no not one none that vnderstandeth none that seeketh after GOD aright but haue stumbled at noone-day euen against that rocke of life thereby haue vsed their tongues to deceit and opened their mouthes full of cursing and bitternesse and haue runne as Caine with their feete to shed innocent blood yea