heigot of that most excessent loue which moued thee to shew mercie where none was deserued to promise and giue life where death had gotten the victorie to receiue vs into thy grace when we could do nothing but rebel against thy maiestie O Lord the blind dulnesse of our corrupt nature will nto suffer vs sufficiently to weigh these thy most ample benefites yet neuerthelesse at the commaundement of Iesus Christ our Lord we present our selues to this thy Table which hee hath left to bee vsed in remembrance of his death vntill his comming againe to declare and witnesse before the world that by him alone we haue receiued libertie and life that by him alone thou doest acknowledge vs to be thy children and heires that by him alone wee haue entraunce to the trone of thy grace that by him alone we are possessed in our Spiritual kingdome to eate and drinke at his Table with whom we haue our conuersation present in Heauen and by whom our bodies shall be raised vp againe from the dust and shall be placed with him in that endlesse ioy which thou O father of mercie hast prepared for thine elect before the foundation of the world was laid And these most inest imable benefits we acknowledge and confesse to haue receiued of thy free mercie and grace by chine onely beloued sonne Iesus Christ For the which therefore we thy congregation moued by the holy Spirice render to thee all thankes praise and glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ A thankes giuing after the receiuing of the holy Communion MOst mercifull father we render to thee all praise thankes honour and glorie for that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercy to graunt vs miserable sinners so excellent a gift and treasure as to receiue vs into the fellowship and companie of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord whom thou hast deliuered to death for vs and hast giuen him vnto vs as a necessarie foode and nourishmēt vnto euerlasting life And now we beséech thée also O heauenly father to graunt vs this request that thou neuer suffer vs to become so vnkind as to forget so worthie benefites but rather imprint and fasten them sure in our hearts that we may grow and inicrease dayly more and more in true faith which continually is exercised in all manner of good workes and so much the rather O Lord confirme vs in these perillous dayes and rages of Sathan that we may constantly stand and continue in the confession of the same to the aduauncement of thy glorie which art God ouer all things blessed for euer Amen A comfortable Prayer O Lord God almigbtie and Father most mercifull there is none like thee in heauen or in earth which workest all things for the glorie of thy name and the comfort of thine elect Thou diddest once make man ruler ouer all thy creatures and placed him in the garden of all pleasure but how soone alas did he in his felicitie forget thy goodnesse Thy people Israel also in their wealth did euermore run astray abusing thy manisld mercies like as all flesh contimually rageth when it hath gotten libertie and externall prosperitie But such is thy wisedome adioyned to thy mercies deare Father that thou seekest all meanes possible to bring thy children to the sure sence and liuely feeling of thy fatherly fauour And therefore when prosperitie will not serue then sendest thou aduersitie graciously correcting all thy Children whom thou receiuest into thy houshold Wherfore I wretched and miserable sinner render vnto thee most humble and heartie thankes that it hath pleased thee to call me home to thy folde by thy fatherly correction at this present whereas in presperlite and aduersitie I did neglect thy greace offered vnto me For the which negligence and many other grieuous sinnes where of I now accuse my selfe before thee thou mightest most iustly haue giuen me vp into a reprobate minde and induration of hart as thou hast done others But such is thy goodnesse O Lorod that thou séemest5 to forget al my offences and hast called me of thy good pleasure from all idolatrie to professe thy name and to suffer some Crosse amongst thy people for thy truth and Gospel sake and so to be thy witnesse with the Prophets and Aposties yea with thy dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christ our head to whom thou doest being heere fashion me like that in his glorie I may also be like him when he shall appeare O Lord God what am I vpon whom thou shouldest shewe this great mercie O most louing Lord forgiue me my vnthankefulnesse and all my sinnes for Iesus Christes sake O heauenly Father increase thy holy Spirit in me to teach my heart to crye Abba deare Father assure me of thy eternall election in Christ to reueale thy will more and more towards me to confirme mee so in thy trueth that I may liue and dye therein and that by the power of the same Spirite I may boldlie giue an account of my faith to all men with humblenesse and meekenesse to the glorie of thy most holy name Thorowe Iesus Christ our Lor and onely Sauiour So be it A meditation for a vvoman vvith childe and specially vvhen she entreth in to trauell O Almightie and mercifull Father which of thy bountifull goodnesse hast fructified my wombe and of thy gracious blessing hath created mee a reasonable creature I most heartily thanke thee not only for this thy gracious gift but also for that thou hast at all times since I conceiued preserued me from all perils both of soule and bodie and hast so moderated all my nips pinches throwes and pangs that I haue hetherto right well escaped them I acknowledge O Lord iustly for our sinfull transgression of thy commaundements thou saidst vnto the first woman and in her to vs all I will increase thy sorrowe when thou art with childe with paine shalt thou bring forth thy children And our paines therefore that we suffer in this behalfe are none other thing but a worthie Crosse layde vpon vs by thy godly ordinance to the which with heart and minde I humbly submit me trusting surely and being fully perswaded in my faith that thou callest none into perrill and daunger but both thou canit and wilt at conuenient season deliuer them Thou most gracious GOD hast commaunded vs in all our trouble to call vpon thee for ayde and helpe and not only hast commaunded vs but also of thy mercifull goodnesse hast promised to vs good deliuerance saying Call vpon mee in the time of trouble and I will deliuer thee O good Lord how greatly doe these words comfort my hart and sustaine my sillie soule Who would not greatly reioyce that knoweth certainely almighty God to be present with him in his trouble Saith not God thus Or euer they cal saith he I shall aunswere them while they are yet but thinking how to speake I shal beare them and in the Psalme I am with him saith God in his trouble out of which I
in all our troubles and aduersities promising euen then to helpe vs when we feele our selues as it were swal owed vp of death and desperation we vtterly renounce all worldly confidence and flee to thy soueraigne goodnesse as our onely stay and refuge beseeching thee not to cal to remeÌ„berance our mauifold sinnes and wickednes whereby we coÌ„tinually prouoke thy wrath and indignation against vs neither our negligence and wickednesse which haue neither worthely esteemed nor in our liues sufficiently expressed the sweete comfort of the Gospell reuealed vnto vs but rather to accept the obedience and death of thy Sonne Iesus Christ who by offering vp his body in sacrifiee once for all hath made a sufficient recompence for all our sins Haue mercie therefore vpon vs. O Lord forgiue vs our offences each vs by the â—oly spirit that we may rightly weigh them and earnestly repent for the same and so much the rather O Lord because that the reprobate and such as thou hast forsaken cannot praise thee nor call vpon thy name but the repenting heart the sorrowfull mind the conscience oppressed hungring and thirsting for thy grace shall euer set forth thy praise and glory And albeit we be but worms dust yet thou art our Creator and we be the workes of thy hands yea thou art our redeemer and we be the people whom thou hast bought thou art our God and we thine inheritance Correct vs not therefore in thine anger O Lord neither according to our desarts punish vs but mercifully chastise vs with a fatherly affection that all the world may knowe that at what time so euer a Sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his hart thou wilt put away all his wickednes out of thy remembrance as thou hast promised by thy holy Prophets Finally forasmuch as it hath pleased thée to make the night for man to rest in as thou hast ordeyned him the day to trauaile graunt O deare Father that we may so take our bodily rest that our soules may continuallie watch for the time that our Lord Iesus Christ shall appeare for our deliuerance out of this mortall life and in the me and season that we be not ouercome by any sautasies dreames or other temptations but fully set our mindes vpon thee loue thee seare thee and rest in thee in such sorte that our very sleepe also may be to the glorie of thy name Furthermore that our sleepe be not excesssiue or ouer much after the insatiable desire of the flesh but onely sufficient to content our weake nature that we may be better be disposed to liue in all godly conuersation to the glorie of thy holy name and profite of our Brethren thorow Iesus Christ our Lorde in whose name we make our humble petitions vnto thee as he hath taught vs saying Our father which art in Heauen c. Almighty and euerlasting God vouchsafe we beseech thee to grant vs perfect continuance in thy liuely faith augmenting and increasing the sâ—me in vs daylie vntill me grow to the full measure of our persectiotn in Christ whereof we make our confession saying I beleene in God the Father almightie c. The Lorde blesse vs and saue vs the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauourable countenance towards vs and grant vs his peace The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with vs and remaine with vs for euer So be it VVhen a man is bound to vvarde any iourney THis our life most mercifull Lord is nothing els but a pilgrimage through-fare for we haue here no abiding or dwelling place We are come from thee and we must returne againe vnto thee But amongst or betweene all the traps assaults pits and snares which the Diuell hath layde out and spread abroad for vs blinded in sinne Vouchsafe thou O Lord Iesus Christ to leade vs with thy right hand for thou art a true trustie and a sure friend Open our eyes to the intent that we misse not the way which thou thy selfe art but leade vs through and by thy selfe vnto thy Father to the intent that all we may be made one with thee and him euen like as hou art one with him O most mercifull Lorde like as thou doest send thine holy Angels to be defenders of as many as serue please thee with a simple innocent and pure heart by the which they be led like as young children oren are lead of them which are elder and stronger than they And like as thou diddest vouchsafe to send thine Angell Raphal to be a guide vnto the Sonne of that rouerent man Toby Vouchsafe euen so O Lord to send vs the same Angell although we are not so worthie as the same Toby was that he may encourage and leade vs thorow that way which is not pleasant vnto vs but vnto thee So be it A Prayer for a Christian life MOst mercifull mightie God take away from vs all euill counsell and then our sinnes suffer vs not to run into an vngodlie and wicked life and sinally kéepe our minds far from the contempt of godlinesse and scorning of vertue and in the stead of those euils graunt that we may continuallie be occupied in thy law and sacred Scriptures that we be not caried about like the wirked as light dust and fruitles chaffe with euery blast of affection and Docirine but rather that we as trees planted by the water brookes induâ—d with the life of the spirite and faith may also bring foorth the fruites of good workes and that whatsoeuer we take in hand may prosper and tende to thy praise and glorie of thy name and furtherance of our saluation and at the last when the wicked shall all away in thy iudgement we may stedfasily stand and be made perfect through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer in distresse SEeing that O almightie God our wretch eduesh and pouertie is right greattherefore haue we very much neede of thy saiuation for se long as we now flee vnto theâ— to the intent thou shouldst be our speedie succour and assured defence we call to rememberance our most grieuous sinnes corrupt life and leaud behauiour which neither we wil hide or yet if we were willing thereto could keep the same secret froÌ„ thee Thou right well perceiuest al our naughtines which we truly acknowledge and confesse vnto thy diuine maiestie we haue grieuouslie sinned we haue done greatly amisse we haue bin marueilous disobedient very stubborne and exceeding wilful against thee who deserue farre more heynous displeasures then these which we now feele and suffer But bowe thou downe thy fauourable looke O excellent father and giue care vnto our feruent Prayerse haue compassion vpon vs that crie out daily vnto thee and lift vp our sorrowfull eyes and heauie mindes towards thy most excellent mercies seate hauing this assured confidence that thou art ready to
forgiue rich in louing kindnes towards such as call vpon thee and exceeding mightie in thy works aboue all Gods wilt not despise vs in so great distresse and tribulation Thou art most puissat thou shewest wonderfull things thou art God alone Teach vs therfore thy perfect waies cause vs to walke in thy blessed truth cal backe our wandring hart vnto thee that it may stand greatly in feare of thy holy name Thou verely hast nobly made vs partakerse of thy excellent merey but for asmuch as we were very vngratefull the hostes of the vngodly are risen vp against vs and the forefrone of cursed mens battailes haue aâ—â—aulted vs who neither regarâ—e thee at all nor make any account oâ— thy most blessed name pure doctrine indeuoucing al only by their most lewd practises thorow the same meane to destroy at one push both the true worshinping of thee and our Soules also Seeing that therefore thou art a very mercifull God long suffering of great loue and truth to trust vnto haue an especiall regarde vnto the childreÌ„ of thy louing promise be fauorable strengthen and defende them aduaunce thy banner to our saluation so that the cruel aduersaries may be confouded and that all may right well see and euidently perceiue thee onely to be our most good and louing God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the prosperous successe of Christs kingdome against the enemies thereof OVR daily petition is O Almightie God that the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ may be augmented appeare at length to bee most perfect which thing we now also desire verie instantlie in our heartie praters and humble supplications Be alwaies mindfull thereof O good God of his fat and most pleasant obsation which he made for vs vpon the altar of the Crosse and graunt that by the triumph of his most perfect victorie and conquest we may take both Saluation and delightfull pleasure Although we deny not but that the same shal come to passe without our desarts who haue through our manifold wickednesse offended thee very many and infinite waies yet for thy tender louing mercies sake put them to shame and confusion that repose all their trust in Charets horse and worldly power but raise and lift vp to saluation such as are wholy bent to depend vppon thee and bowe downe thy mercifull and fauourable eares to heare the feruent prayers and petitions which we make vnto thy diuine maiestie for the mightie enlarging of our Lord Iesus Christs kingdome through the same Iesus Christ our Lord. So be it A Prayer for comfort in persecution WEe perceiue most mercifull mighty God that not onely Antichrist but also the power and strength of the whole world conspireth against thee and against thy Christ which thinke thy Gospell and the redification of thy Church to be an intollerable bondage and hard yoke Wherefore they labor by all meanes possible to breake asunder the societies and congregations of the faithful and cast away all discipline But for asmuch as thou sittest in heauen and art not ignorant what the diuell and wicked flesh goeth about laugh thou to scorne their vaine counsels bring their purposes to naught let them feele thine anger to be kindled against them and make them astonied at the fiercenesse of thine indignation so that they may not be able to destroy thy Church ouer whom thou hast appointed Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour that in it he might raigne by the word and Spirit with inuinsible might and power Wherfore grant vnto vs although vnworthie and shrinking children such faith and constancie that we may find him also confesse him to be our onely King and that we may nothing doubt but that wee bee his nation people and heritage being most assured of this that he is of such strength and power that with his word more strong then yron he is able to destroy whom he wil and breake them in peeces like earthen pots Therefore O God turne the Kings and Princes of the world vnto thee that they may be wise and vnderstand wherby they may vnfeinedly acknowledg imbrace and kisse the Sonne least when his anger shall once be kindled they perish and be destroied for euer And when it shall bee thy good pleasure make them blessed for euermore which commit theÌ„selues to thy gouernance 〈◊〉 protection So be it A Prayer for a true Subiect AS it is thy godly appointment O Lorde God that some should beare rule in this world to see thy glory set forth the common peace kept so it is thy pleasure againe that some should be subiects and inferiours to other in their vocation although before thée there is no respect of persons And forasmuch as it is thy godlie will and pleasure to appoint and set me in the number of subiects I beseech thee to giue me a faithfull boedient hart vnto the higher powers that there may be found in me no disobedience no vnfaith fulnesse no treasons no falsehood no dissimulation no insurrection no commotion nor conspiracie nor any kinde of rebellion in word or deed against the ciuil Magistrates but al faithful obedience quietnesse subiection humilitie and whatsoeuer else becommeth a subiect that I liuing here in all lowlines of mind may at the last day through thy fauor be lifted vp into euerlasting glory where thou most mermcifull Father with the Son and the holy Ghost liuest and raignest very God for euer and euer Amen For Fathers and Mothers THe fruite of the wombe and the multitude of children is thy gift and blessing O Lord God giuen to this end that they may liue to thy glorie and to the commoditie of their neighbours Forasmuch therefore as thou of thy goodues hast giuen me children I beseech thee giue me also grace to traiue them vp euen from their cradles in thy nurture and doctrine in thy holy lawes and blessed ordinances that froÌ„ their very young age they may know thee beleeue in thee feare loue and obey thee and dili\gently walke in thy commandements all the daies of their life vnto the praise of thy glorious name through Iesus Christ our Lord. So be it Of Children THou hast giuen a commandement in thy lawe O heauenly Father that Children should honor their Fatherse and Mothers I most humblie beseech thee therefore to breath thy holie spirit into my breast that I may reuerence and honor my Father and Mother not only with outward iestures of my bodie but also with the vnfeined affections of my heart loue them obey them map for them help them and doe for them both in word déed whatsoeuer lieth in my power that thou seeing my vnfeined hartygoodwil towards my parents maist become my louing heauenly Father and number me among those thy children whom from euerlasting thou hast appointed to be heires of thy glorious kingdome through thy welbeloued Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Of Householders TO haue children and seruants is thy blessing O Lord but
thing as thou requirest streightly that I should beléeue without doubting so wouldest thou that in all my deedes I should come vnto thee as to a father and make my mone without distrust of being heard in thy good time as most shall make to my comfort Loe therefore to thee déere father I come through thy Sonue our Lord Mediator aduocate Iesus Christ who sitteth on the right hand making intercession for me and pray thee of thy great goodnesse and mercy in Christ to be mercifull vnto me that I may feele in deed thy sweet mercie as thy Childe The time O deere father I appoynt not but I pray thee that I may with hope still expect and looke for thy help I hope that as for a little while thou hast left me thou wilt come and visite me and that in thy great mercie whereof I haue need by reason of my great misery Thou art wont for a little season in thine anger to hide thy face from them whom thou louest but surely oh redermer in eternall mercies thou wilt shew thy compassion For when thou leauest vs oh Lord thou doest not leane vs very long neither doest thou leaue vs to our owne losse but to our Iuere and aduantage Euen that for holy spirit with bigger portion of thy power and vertue may lighten and theere vs that the want of feeling to our sorrow may be recompensed plentifully with the linely since of hauing thee to our eternal ioy and therefore thou swearest that in thine euer lasting mercie thou wilt haue compassion on vs Or which thing to the ende we might be most assured thine oth is to be marked for thou saist as I haue sworne that I will neuer bring any more the Waters to drowne the world so haue I sworne that I will neuer more be angrie with thee nor reprooue thee The Mountaines shall remooue and the Hils shall fall downe but my louing kindnesse shall not mooue and the band of my peace shallnot faile thee Thou saiest thou the Lord our mercifull redeemer Déere Father therfore I pray thée remember euen for thine own truth and mercies sake this promise and euerlasting couenant which in thy god time I pray thee to write in my hart that I may know thee to be the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent that I may loue thee with all my heart for euer that I may loue thy people for thy sake that I may bee holy in thy sight through Christ that I may alwaies not only striue against sinne but also ouercome the same dailie more and more as thy children doe aboue all things desiring the sanctification of thy name the comming of thy Kingdome the doing of thy will here on earth as it is in heauen c. through Iesus Christ our redeemer Mediatour and Aduocate Amen A Prayer for delinerance from sinne and to be restored to Gods grace and fauour againe O Almightie and euerlasting Lord God which hast made heauen and earth and all things therein contained Ourcomprehensible vnitie O alwaies to be worshiped most buissed Trmitie I humbly beseeth thee and praye thee by the assumption and crucified humanâ—â—â—e of our I orde Irius Christ that thou wouldest inclide and howe downe the great depth of thy deitie to the bottomelesse priormy vriticie Driue from me all kinde of vice wlikeduesse and sinne and make in me a cleane heart and renew in me a right spirice for thy holy names sake O Lord Iesus I beseech thy goodnesse for that exceeding great loue which drew thee out of thy Fathers bosome into the wombe of the holy Virgine and for the assumption of mans nature wherein it hath pleased thee to saue me and to deliuer me from eternall death that thou wouldest draw me out of my selfe into thee my Lorde God and grant this my loue mya recouer again to me thy grace to increase and make perfect in me that which is wanting to raise vp in me that which is fallen to restore to me that which I haue lost and to quicken in me that which is dead and should liue that so I may become can ormable vnto thee in all my life and conuersation thou dwelling in mee and I in thee my heart being soupled with thy grae and setled in thy faith for euer O thou my God â—ooâ—e â—nd set at libertie my spirice from al inferiour things gouerne my soulâ— and so work that both in soule and bodie I may be haly and liue to thy glorite world without ende Amen A Prayer necessart to be sayd at all times O Bountifull Lord Iesuâ— O sweete Sauiour O Christ the soune of God haue vittie vpon me mercifullie heare mee and despise not my prayerse Thou hast created me of nothing thou hast redcemed me from the hondage of sinne death and hell neither with gold nor siâ—uâ—r but with thy most preâ—â—us â—oote once offâ—â—ed vpon the Crosse and thâ—â—â— owne blood shed once for all for my ransome therefore cast me not away wham thou by thy great wisdome hast made bespise mee not whome thou hast redeemed with such a precious treasure nor let my wickednesse destroy that which thy goodnesse hath builded now whilest I liue O Iesus haue mercie on me for if I dye out of thy fauour it will be too late afterward to call for thy mercie whilest I haue time to repent looke vpon me with thy mercifull eyes as thou diddest vouchsafe to looke vpon Peter thine Apostle that I may bewailmy sinfull life and obtaine thy fauour and dye therein I reknowledge that if thou shouldest deale with me according to very iustice I haue deserued euerlasting death Therefore I appeale to thy high throne of mercie trusting to obtaine Gods fauour not for my merttes but for thy merites O Iesu who hast giuen thy selfe an acceptable sacrifice to the Father to appease his wrath and to bring all sinners truly repenting and amending their euil life into his fauour againe Accept me O Lord among the number of them that shall be saued forgiue me my sinnes giue mee grace to leade a godlie and innocent life graunt me thy heauenly wisdome inspire my hart with faith hope and charitie giue me grace to be humble in prosperitie patient in â—duersitie obedient to my rulers faithfull vnto them thaâ— trust me dealing truelâ— with all men to liue chastâ—â—e in wedlocke to abhorre adulterie formcation and all vncleannesse to doe good after my poer to all men to hurt no man that thy name may be glorified in me during this present life and that I after ward may obtaine eneriusting life through the mercie and merites of thy passion So be it A Prayer for the vvrote congregation of Christ. SHew thy selfe goutle and gracious O Almightie God towards thy beloued Church for thy exceeding great glories sake and mercie most magnificent that we may be miraculously deliuered from the horrible fardle and cruell bondage of our deadly sinnes who haue hetherto been bondslaues to the flesh and wretched
riches so a man be content with that he hath For we brought nothing into the world and it is a plaine case that we carrie nothing out When we haue food and raiment let vs therewith be content They that will be rich fall into temptations and suares and into many foolish and noyseme lustes which drowne men in perdition and destrucion For Couetousnisse is the roote of all euil which while some lusted after they erred form the faith and tangled themselues with many sorrowes Deut. 6. These words which I commaunde thee this day shall be in thyne heart and thou shalt whet them in thy Children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and wheÌ„ thou liest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine head And they shall be papers of remembraunce betweene thine eyes and thou shalt write them vpon the posses of thy house and vpon thy gaies Deut. 3. Take heede and heare all these words which I commaund thee that it may go wel with thee and with thy Children after thee for euer when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God Deut. 6. See thou do that which is right and in the sight of the Lord that thou mayst prosper Deut. 12. He shal not de after al these things that we do here this day euery man what see moth him good in his owne eyes but whatsoeuer I commaund you take héeâ—â—e do and put nought thereto nor take ought thereiroÌ„ Deuter. 27. Curied bee he that maintaynech not all the words of the law to do them Galat. 3. Christ hath deliuered vs from the curse of the law in as much as he was made accursed for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on trée that the blessings of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receiue the promise of the Spirit through faith Ierem. 31. This is the Testament that that I wil make with the house of Israel After those dayes say the Lord I will put my Lawes in their minds and in their hearts I wil write them and their sinnes and iniquities I wil no more remember And I will be with my people The svveete and louing promises of almightie God in such as keepe his Commaundements Deut. xxviij IF thou hearken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to obserue and doe all his Commaundements Blessed shalt thou be in the towne and blessed in the fields Blessed shall be the fruite of thy bodie the fruite of the ground and the fruite of thy Cattell the fruite of thyne Oxen and the flockes of sheepe Blessed shall thy Barnes be and thy siore blessed shalt thou be both when thou goest out and blessed when thou commest in The Oration of Iob in his most grieuous aduersitie and losse of goodes Iob. 1. NAked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I turne againe and the Lord hath taken away as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done now blessed be the name of the Lord. A Prayer in prosperitie I Giue thee thankes O God Aloughtie which not onty hast indued me with the giftes of nature as reason power and strength but also hast plentifully giuen me the substance of this world I acknowledge O Lord that these are thy gifts and confesse with holy Saint Iames that there is no perfect nor good gift but it commeth from thee O Father of light which giuest freely castest no man in the teeth I acknowledge with the Prophet Agge that gold is thine and Siluer is thine and to whome it pleaseth thee thou giuest it to the godly that they may be the disposers and distributers thereof and to the vngodly to heape vp their damnation with all Wherefore my most mercifull God I humbly beseech and desire thee to frame in me with the holy Spirit a faithfull heart and readie hand to distribuce these thy good gifts accoding to thy will and pleasure that I treasure not vp heere where theeues may rob and moths corrupt but to treasure vp thy heauenly kingdome where neither Theefe may steale nor moth defile to myne owne comfort whom of thy mercie thou hast promised to reward therfore to the good example of the humble and meeke of the Congregation and to the glorie of thy name To whome with thy Sonne and holy Ghost be al honor and praise world without end Amen A godly prayer to be sayd in thy aduersitie and trouble O Lord GOD without whose will and pleasure a Sparrowe doth not fall on the ground saeing it is thy will and permission that I should be in this miserie and aduersitie and séeing also thou doest punish mee with aduersitie and trouble not to destroye mée and cast me away but to call me to repentaunce and saue mee for whom thou doest loue him doest thou chasten Furthermore seeing afflictions and aduersitie worketh patience and who so patiently beareth tribulation is made like vnto our Sauiour Christ the head Finally seeing that in all tribulation and aduersity I am in assurance of comfort at thy gracious hands for thou commaundest me to call vpo thee in time of tribulation and hast promised to heare and succour me grant me therefore O almightie God and mercifull Father in all trouble and aduersitie to be quiet without impatience and mururing without discouraging and desperation to praise and magnifie thee to put my whole trust and confidence in thee for thou neuer forsakest them that trust in thee but workest all for the best to them that loue thee and seeke the glorie of thy name Tot hee he glocie for euer So be it A prayer to be sayd before the receiuing of the Communion O Father of mercie and God of all consolation seeing all creatures doe knowledge and confesse thee to be their gouernour and Lord it becommeth vs the workemanship of thine owne handes at all times to reuerence and magnifie thy godly Maiesti e First for that thou hast created vs to thine owne Image and similitude but chiefly because thou hast deliuered vs from that euerlasting death and damnation into the which Sathan drewe mankinde by the meanes of sinne from the bondage whereof neither man nor Angell was able to make vs free but thou O Lord rich in mercie and infinite in goodnesse hast prouided our redemption to stand in thine onely and welbeloued sonne whom of very loue thou diddest giue to be made man like vnto vs in all things sine xcepted that in his bodie he might receiue the punishment of transgression by his death to make satisfaction to thy iustice and by his resurrection to destroy him that was the author of death so to bring againe life to the world from which the whole spring of Adam was most iustly exiled O Lord we acknowledge that no creature was ble to comprehend the length and the breadth the deepenesse and
prisoners of the Diuell and yet thou vouchsafest to release and forgiue vs the whole number of our deadly iniquities and couered all haynous offences Notwithstanding therefore we are now also very vngratefull and such as be not worthie of thy gracious benefits our earnest request is that thou wouldest withould thy selfe from thy wrathful indignation Surely thou art iustly angry with vs but for the glorie of thy name represse this furie which is stirred vp by reason of our grieuous sinnes and lead vs into the siraite way of perfice health for as much as it appertaineth not to thy louing kindnes to be alwaies offended with thy faithfull seruants or to contiuue thy heauie wrath and sierce indignation vnto many generations Deale with vs after thy olde accustomed maner not according to our leand deserts scatter abroade our cruell enemies and put them to flight whome thou being prouoked through our great default wouldest that wée should feele Thou which in thy great wrath dost kill and being pacified quickened again shew thy mercie and sauing health like as thou hast set destructioÌ„ before our eles to the intrut thou wouldest both terrifie and chastice vs. Graunt that we which haue heretofore been maruellous rebellions and very stubborne may euer hereafter giue obedient care to these â—â—â—ngs which thou â—pâ—akest and willest vs to doe Let thy â—nspeakeable louing mercie and famous truth be linked in vs together and vouchsafe that peace and righteousnesse may with an vndissoluble band sticke fast in our hearts that when as thou hast deliuered vs from the hands of the most outragious Antichrist and his cruell champions we may yeeld vnto thee the plentifull fruites of holinesse through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer vpo the xiij Psalme O Lord how long wilt thou forget me for euer O good God how long wilt thou hide thy gracious countenance from me How long shall I be carried and tossed about with heause and trouble some cogitations and thoughts How long shall my heart wither and drie vp with sorrowe But now O my Lord God consider me regarde me with the eyes of thy mercie he are mee O Lord lighten mine eyes and my vnderstanding O my God least I be blinded with the reprobate and superish in my sins I beseech thee most humbly let not my enemies glorie and triumph among themselues as though they had wonne the victorie let them not rise vp against me as if I were vanquished grant me Lord that my hart may â—â—â—orâ—â— to thy saluationâ— so that with own voyce I may sing praises and render thankes to thee for that through thy helpe A aut redeemed and brought againt into ioye after my gricuous transgressions and sorrows Amen A Prayer vpon the xiiij Psalme O Lord delier me from al impietie and vnrighteousness deliuer me from my blind ignorance that I may earnestly séeke thâ—â— for we be al generally borne in calamiâ—â—e and forgetfulnesse and there is not one man which can vnshackle or deliuer him selfe by his owne propper strength and vertue there is no help but only by thy grace and power O Lord graunt that I may call vpon thee with an vnfained hart whensoeuer I shall be tempted by these aduersaries Let stedfastnesse of faith alwaies goe before me let me not be troubled with feare of any thing saue only of thy iudgements let all my trust defence and fortresse be in thee O Lord Send O good God from thy celestiall Syon that only protector which shall deliuer thy people from the horrible captiuitie of a troublesome conscience so that we may reidyce in him without ceasing So be it A Prayer vpon the xv Psalme O Lord purge me againe and iustifie me through faith from mine offences that I may dwell in thy aberuacle and continue blessed in thy holy Mountaine Graunt me O Lord this benefit that I may confesse thy truth without hypocrisie with an vpright hart Grant me that I deceiue no person neither by wrong to circumuent any creature Keepe me from flattering the peruerle and wicked men that I may loue and obey those which loue God in renerence whatsoeuer occasion the wicked take thereby to slaunder me let me not be trouble some or burdenous to any man but that I may serue all with vnfained affection to edifie my brethren thorow faith in Iesus Christ Amen A moditarion vpon the Lords Prayer OVr Father which art in heauen We being gloriously formed vnto the image of thy diuine maiestie created by thy gracious goodnes to most high honor how beit through sin dissigured with vilenes deseruing damnatieÌ„ and yet by Christs death redeemed and restored vnto grace to be Citizens with saints of the samilie of God now altogether in Christian vnitie as members of one bodie we pray desire and trust to obtaine of thee our heauenlie father according vnto thy gracious goodnesse mightie power and faithfull promise vnto vs that aske abundance of thy grace That thy name may be halowed That thy diuine power and glorious maiesty may be certainly known and reuerently honoured That the hearts of vs men by thy word and praier may be sanctified from all sin and vanitie so that we with all that we haue seruing thee in holinesse and righteousnesse may so shine afore men vpon earth that they may thereby be occasioned to honour thee our Father which art in heauen Thy kingdome come That thy worde may be so fruitfullie preached amongst vs thy people that we may be throughly instructed and taught to bridel our sensuall appetites by natural reason and to submit our â—â—â—s and reasons vnto a godly spirite and to trie our spirits by the true Scriptures So that within vs may raigue the kingdome of God which is neither meate nor drinke which is neither supersticious ceremoutes voluptuons pleasures nor vaiur glorie but righteousnesse peace and comfort in the holy Ghost by the which we now tasting of thy heauenlie ioyes may be made from henceforth wearie of all worldlie vanities continuallie looking praying for the appearance and comming of thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen In Heauen the Angels of reuerent loue do thy will and commoundement with comfortable courage and ioyfull pleasure In hell the wicked Spirits thorowe malice and enuie repining and grudging doe torment and vexe themselues whatsoeuer they bee doing And vpon earth men being subiect vnto sinne doe thinke it is a labour and paine to be occupied in any thing that is good and godly Wherefore we pray thee that the grace of thy heauenly spirit may so worke in our earthly bodies that wee being deliuered from sinne and vanitie may freelie delight and take pleasure to doe thy will and commandement here on earth as thy glorious Angels doe in heauen Giue vs this day our dailie bread We hauing great néed and not able of our selues to deserue any thing beseech thee of thy fatherly goodnes to giue freely vnto vs all so that none be
in thee and in thy sonne Christ Iesu our Lord commend both our bodies and soules into thy mercifull hands and through thy goodnesse be placed in thy glorious kingdome among thy faithfull chosen people and so for euer and euer praise and magnifie thee our heauenly Father to whom with thy dearly beloued Sonne Iesu Christ our Lord and Sauiour and the holy Ghost that most sweete comforter bee all glorie and honour world without end Amen A Prayer of the comming of Christ to iudgement and of the reward both of the faithfull and vnfaithfull OH Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of the euerliuing God by whom all things were made are ruled and gouerned as of thy loue for our redemption thou diddest nto disdaine to be our mediacour and to take vpon thee our nature in the wombe of a Virgin purely and without sinne by the operation of the holy spirit that both thou mightest in thine owne person woonderfully beautifie and exalt our nature and worke the same in vs also first abolishing the giltinesse of sinne by remission then sinne it selfe by death and last of all death by raysing vp againe these our bodies that they may be like vnto thine owne glorious and immortall bodie according to the power wherewith thou art able to subiect all things vnto thee as I say of the loue for our redemption thou becamest man and that most poore and afflicted vpon earth by the space of three and thirtie yeeres at the least in most humilitie and paydest the brice of our ransome by thy most bitter death and passion for the which I most hartely giue thankes to thee so of the same by loue towardes vs in thy good time thou wilt come againe in the cloudes of Heauen with power and great glorie with flaming fire with thousands of Saints with Angelles of thy power with a mightie crie shoure of an Archangel and blast of a Trumpe suddenly as a lightning which shmeth from the East c. when men thinke least euen as a Theefe in the night when men be asleepe thou wilt so come I say thus suddenly in the twinekling of an eye all men that euer haue been be and shall be with women and Children appearing before thy tribunall iudgement seate to render account of all things which they haue thought spoken and done against thy lawe openly and before all Angels Saints and Deuils and so to receiue the iust reward of thy vengeance if that they haue not repented and obeyed thy Gospell and so depart from thee to the Deuill and his Angels and all the wicked which euer haue been or shall be into Hell fire which is vnquenchable and of paynes intolle rable easellesse endlesse hopelesse euen from the face of thy glorious and mightie power but if they haue repented and beleeued thy Gospell If they be found watching with their Lamps and Dyle in their hands if they be found readie apparelled with the wedding garment of innocencie if they haue not hardned their harts and hoorded vp the Treasure of thy vengrance in the day of wrath to be reuealed but haue vsed the time of grace the acceptable time the time of saluation that is the time of this life in the which thou stretchest out thy hand and spreadest thine armes calling and crying vnto vs to come vnto thee which art meeke in hart and lowly for thou wilt ease all that labour and are heauie ioden If they hane visited the sicke and prisoners comforted the comfortlesse fed the hungrie clothed the naked lodged the harbourlesse if they haue not laden their hearts with Gluttonie and surfetting and carefulnesse of this life If they haue not digged and hid their Talent in the ground doing no good therewith but haue been faithfull to occupie thy giftes to thy glorie and here washed their garments in thy blood by heartie repentance then shall the Angels gather them together not as the wicked which shall be collected as Faggoctes and cast into thy fire but as the good wheate that is gathered into thy Barne then shall they be caught vp to meete thee in the Cloudes then shal their corruptible bodie put on incorruption then shall they be indued with immortalitte and glorie then shall they be with thee and goe whither thou goest Then shall they heare Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning Then shall they be set on Seates of Maiestie iudging the whole world then shall they reigne with thee for euer then shall God be all in al with them and to them then shall they enter and inherite heauenly Ierusalem and the glorious restfull land of Canaan where it is alwayes day and neuer night where is no maner of weeping teares infirmitie hunger colde sickenesse enuie malice nor sinne but all wayes ioye without sorrow mirth without measure pleasure without paine heauenly harmonie most pleasant melodie saying and singing Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts c. Finally the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man that they shall then inherite and most surely inio although here they be tormented prisoned burned solicited of Sathan tempted of the flesh and intangled with the world where through they are inforced to crye Thy kingdome come Lord Iesus c. How amiable are thy Tabernacles Like as the Hart desireth the water brookes c. Now let thy Seruants departe in peace I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ we mourne to our selues wating for the deliuerance of our bodies c. O gracious Lord when shall I finde such mercie with thee that I may repent beleeue hope and looke for these things with the fruition of those he auenly ioyes which thou hast prepared for all them that feare thee and to rest with thee for euer more A prayer concerning life euerlasting the place vvhere it is and the incomparable ioyes thereof THat there is an euerlasting life none will denie but such as will denie God For if he be true and iust which he must needes be or els he is not God then can there not be but an eternall life That he hath both spoken it and promised it in Matth. 25.1 Cor. 16. Hebr. 4.11 and 13.1 Peter 1. it plainly appeareth and els where in very many places So that to deny an euerlasting life is to deny God to deny Christ and all that euer he did also to denie all duetie and religion to condemne of foolishnesse all good men Martyrs Confessours Euangelists Prophets Patriarkes Finally the denyal of eternal life is nothing els but a denyall of the immortalitie of the Soule and so a playne making of man nothing better then beasts If it so be let vs then cate and drinke for to morrowe we shall dye Lord preserue vs from the saduciall and Epicuriall impietie and graunt vs for thy mercies sake deare God that we may be assuredly perswaded that there is in deede an eternall life and blisse with