deare Father mortifie subdue and kill in our fleshe all subtile suggestions and sinnefull motions of satan that we yelde not our selues as slaues thervnto but continually fight against them and bring them into subiection of the spirite Graunt vnto vs deere Father that wee bee not drawne through the subtilitie and sliely tormentes of satan to haue our delight and pleasure in the vanities of this presente world but by thy Grace might and power may so in the prosperitie of this life be vppholden that our mindes with full ioy and comfort may be lifted vp to our perfecte consolation in our Lorde and Sauiour Christe and in him take our full and perfecte ioy consolation so that no vaine delight of this worlde put vs from the same neither any sharp adversitie as pouertie miserie or calamitie through the malice of the diuell driue vs to despaire of thy mercifull goodnesse towardes vs but alwayes beeing through thy grace and assistance defended wee may be fully and perfectly armed againste all the subtile intrappings of satan and reste wholy in thy merciful defence and ayde For thou haste O Lord and eternall God in thy gouernement all things in heauen and earth all power and dominion ouer all creatures Angels and diuels to rule them according to thy good pleasure and will to the profite and commoditie of thy churche and euery faithfull member thereof and to thine owne incomprehensible glorie in all thinges in all ages for euer and euer thy glorious name may bee exalted and thy faithfull flocke edified thorough Christ our lord Amen ¶ A confession of sinnes with faith and repentaunce O Mercifull and heauenly Father wee thy seruauntes do humbly prostrate our selues before thy Maiestie acknowledging here in thy sighte our haynous offences committed against thy Maiestie seing beholding thy heauie wrath against them wee feele our selues laden O Lord our God with a huge companie of horrible sinnes whereofeuen the very leaste beeing but conceiued in thoughte is sufficient in iudgement to throwe vs downe to the euerlasting burning lake Our owne consciences O Lorde do beare witnesse againste vs of our manifolde transgressions of thy blessed lawe of our securitie senselesse blindenesse running headelong to destruction committing sinne after sinne although not notorious to the woorlde yet horrible before thine eye The thoughtes of our heartes rise vp in iudgmente against vs the vanitie of our talke before thy maiestie condemneth vs the wickednesse of our deedes from thy sight reiecteth vs all our wicked thoughtes woordes and deedes with the inwarde corruption of our nature do altogether as it were a whole lumpe and lode of sinne lye heauy vppon vs and with their intollerable weight do euen presse vs downe to hell Wee do daily grone vnder the burthen of them inwardly lamenting our owne folly so greedily rūning into them In Heauen earth or hell wee see none able to sustaine the weight of them but euen thy deerely beloued Sonne Iesus Christe who in mercy infinite and compassion endlesse hath sustayned and ouercome that endlesse punishmente due vnto them in him therefore in him moste mercifull Father and through him wee come to thee beeing fully assured according to thy promise that thou wilt accept and take that ful recompence which he thy deere sonne hath made for vs as a iust raūsome for all the sinnes of all those whoe withe a true faithe take holde on him In him therefore wee see thine anger towardes vs appeased thy wrath satisfied our debts payde Increase in vs good Lorde wee beseeche thee this liuely and feeling faith for wee feele it often times in vs very weake and troubled with many doubtes increase it in vs O Lorde that wee may through thy holy spirit bee assured that the punishment of our sinnes is fully in thy sonne discharged Make vs O Lorde our God to feele this same in our soules and consciēces that Iesus Christ is ours and all that he hath done that wee are graffed into his body made one with him and therefore fellowe heires with him of euerlasting life Lette vs not onely haue these wordes in our mouthes good Lorde but through thy holy Spirite lette vs feele the comfort of them in our heartes fully sealed and settled in vs that wee feeling our selues inwardly before thy iudgemente seate discharged and our consciences towardes thee appeased may be swallowed vp with an vnfained loue towarde thy Heauenly Maiestie and towardes our brethren for thy sake Make sinne to die in vs daily more and more that wee may hate detest and vtterly abhorre all sinne and wickednesse in all men but especially in our selues that wee may strongly through thy holy Spirit set our selues in open warre and defiaunce againste all sinne and wickednesse that wee please not our selues in our sinnes but streightly examining sinne by the iuste rule of thy holy Lawes wee may vtterly from the bottome of our heartes condemne euen the least sinne in our selues hauing our whole ioy comforte and consolation vppon those thinges whiche bee agreeable to thy blessed will alwayes beeing afraid to do any thing contrary to the same that wee may euen from the bottome of our heartes examine and trie our thoughtes before thy presence that they bee vprighte and vnfained not hypocriticall in outwarde shewe onely and appearance but that euen all corners of our heartes being opened and disclosed beefore thee wee may euen as though it were openly before the face of the whole worlde bring them in shewe knowing that a double heart is detestable in thine eyes and that we may walke alwayes as before thine eyes not onely before the eyes of man being more carefull to walk circumspectly in this respecte that wee haue thee to be a viewer of our dooings a thousād fold more then the eyes of man that thus wee may walke as becommeth thy children not onely in outwarde shewe but also in sinceritie of heart abhorring euen the leaste sinne in our selues striuing resisting and fighting againste sinne not delighting our selues in sinne nor nourishing the same in our breste but earnestly embraceing and studiously seeking after those thinges whiche bee pleasante in thine eyes that neither the feare of man nor losse of goods life lāds possessions or friends drawe vs away frō thee to do any leaste thing contrarie to thy will and pleasure neither the fauour or friendshippe of man nor yet the flattering enticementes of this worlde nor the vaine promotions of the same do moue vs any whitte from the true and endlesse ioy delighte and pleasure whiche wee ought to haue in those things whiche bee agreeable to thy will and the constante performance of the same but that alwayes to the end of our life we may continue in thy pathes growing and increasing from faith to faith from strength to strength til at length wee shall come to thy euerlasting rest Amen A prayer for the estate of the whole Church O Lorde our God and Heauenly Father for asmuch as by thy
and to shewe vs those wayes whiche thou hast appointed vs to walke in And as thou renuest this morning so renue thy mercies and as thou causest the Sunne comfortably to shine to our bodily eyes so vouchesafe we pray thee to be Sun vnto our bodies and to our soules by the beames of thy holy Spirit and Starr of thy blessed Word shining into the middes of our hartes to driue away all the night and darkenesse of all prophanenesse to chace away all want of true feare of thy good Maiestie and in place thereof bring in loue towardes thy Glorie zeale of thy House loue also towardes our brethren especially those that thou aboue the rest commendest vnto vs that we may loue them with that loue wherewithall thou haste first loued vs whiche is pure vncorrupt vehement and euerlasting and therefore wee pray thee to ridde our hartes of al naughtie and corrupt loue and whatsoeuer is vnmeete to be in those vessels that are to serue such a mightie Prince as thou art and in those houses wherein it pleaseth thy Maiestie by thy holy Spirite to dwel and therefore on the other side good Lord chace away from vs all rancor and malice all pride enuiousnesse disdainefulnesse vncharitablenesse vnnaturalnesse vnkindnesse and whatsoeuer is contrarie to that loue whereof thou hast giuen vs a liuely example in our sauiour Iesus Christ vnto the which example graūt good Lorde that we may alwayes haue our eyes lifted vppe and therein holden and caused thereby to profite vntil suche time as we come to that perfection whereunto thou haste appointed we shall come Vouchsafe moreouer by the comming of the selfe same Spirite to scatter in vs al the night darkenesse of ignorance and forgetfulnesse and of all those thinges whiche perteine to the clearer and fuller knowledge of thy trueth Take from vs all negligence all want of iudgement and discretion and deliuer vs from all those thinges whiche thou knowest to be hinderaunces to vs either to walke in that greate calling of Christianitie whereunto thou hast called vs or in those seuerall and particular callinges wherein thou hast placed euery one of vs that we may walke so good Lorde bothe in the one and in the other that thy Name may bee glorified in bothe Amen Euening prayer O Lord prepare our hartes to praye bow downe thine eares deere Father and heare vs open thine eyes and looke vpon vs for thy deere Sonne Iesus Christes sake and receiue our humble confession that we make to the against our selues whiche haue broken al thy lawes and therefore deserue to haue thy heauie iudgements powred vppon our heades to our vtter destruction if thou shouldest enter into iudgement with the least of our sinnes whereof we haue so greate and infinite thousands notwithstanding we pray thee to turne away thy face from our sinnes and for Iesus Christes sake to forgiue vs all that is past and graunt that we may haue the assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinns sealed vp by thy Holy Spirite in our consciences wherby we knowing that we are at one with thee may haue our hartes kindled with thy loue so feruently as it may waste in vs all that is against thy holy Will. And for this cause we beseech thee Lord to goe forwarde with the worke of our new byrthe that thou hast begunne in vs and neuer take away thy hand vntill suche time as thou hast made an end of it and to this ende we beseeche thee to slay in vs euery day more and more the olde man with his concupiscences nailing them to the crosse of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ and causing vs to feele the power of his Passion in our bodies and in our soules that we beeing partakers thereof may come also to the felowshippe of his holy Resurrection not only in that we shal once appeare before thee hauing these our base bodies chaunged and made like vnto his Glorious bodie but also that we may in the meane time rise from the deathe of sinne to all newnesse of life and that our good workes may so shine before men that they seeing them may glorifie thee our Heauenly Father not onely they that are of the selfe same religion with vs but those also that are enimies vnto thy trueth may rather in the time of their calling by the voice of thy Gospel yeelde themselues to be one sheepefolde with vs And we most hūbly thanke thee O Heauenly Father for all thy louing kindenesses bestowed vppon vs from time to time and especially for that olde and auncient Loue wherewithall thou haste loued vs before the beginning of the worlde for that also that thou calling vs by the voice of thy holy Gospell in that good time that thou appointedst for vs hast giuen vs faith hope ▪ loue and all other graces which thou knowest to be needefull for vs whiche we beseeche thee to increase in vs with mightie increases according to that thou seest we haue neede of hauing regarde to our manifolde enimies that we haue to wrestle with and that we haue not to striue with flesh and bloud but against the diuels themselues And therfore considering their strength and our weaknesse their craft and our simplicitie their watchfulnesse and our sluggishnesse their long experience our rawnesse their preparation and our nakednesse that we haue not only nothing to helpe vs but also do carrie about vs our own cōcupiscences readie to betray vs into the handes of our enimies it may please thee to furnishe vs from aboue giuing vs the strength of thy holy Spirite in the inner man reaching vnto vs the compleate harnesse of thy Grace wherewith we being armed on bothe sides may be prepared at all assayes againste all assaultes of our enimies And for as muche as in this weakenesse we oftentimes giue backe and sometimes runne away we pray thee O Lorde that with the hande of Faith we may lay holde on the victorie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ that albeit wee be not able to ouercome in our owne persons yet notwithstanding we may ouercome in His who hathe ouercommed for vs all and so be partakers of those promises that thou hast knit vnto that glorious victorie And we moste humbly thanke thee also for those graces both of the bodie soule which perteine to this present life desiring thee to increase them vpon vs and in vs so farre forth as thou seest we haue neede of to thy Glorie the commoditie of others and our owne comfortes therefore we beseeche thee Lorde to teache vs with thy holy Spirite the lawful vse of them that thou wouldest not suffer our hartes to be rooted in them but that at all times we may be willing to parte from them And whensoeuer it shal please thee to cal for vs we may willingly goe vnto thee as children to their deere Fathers straungers vnto their owne Countrie and members of the bodie vnto their Heade and so muche the gladder by howe muche thou Lorde
thy fatherly beneuolence and goodnesse meete and conuenient I knowing moste assuredly that thou wilt pitie my weake imbecillitie and childishe infancie and cause the same to serue for thy glorie and my greate commoditie seeing that I erre as a childe before suche a Father which canst not put off thy fatherly pitie and compassion but rather as thou haste bought mee vnto thee to be an heire of the kingdome by the bloud of thy naturall sonne my Sauiour Iesus Christ so am I sure that thou wilt lighten me in the end with full fruition of the brighte lighte of thy countenaunce that I may see thee and know thee as this thy sonn knoweth thee yea see thee and knowe thee my Father face to face and knowe as I am knowen Thus reste I onely in thy handes O my God crauing of thee to increase my knowledge in thy holy woorde wherby I may know thy good wil and pleasure And knowing the same giue me O Lord thy holie Spirit to conduct leade me in the same al the dayes of my life that in sinceritie of faith and purenesse of liuing and conuersation thy glorious Maiestie may be magnified in me for euer Graunt this O Father for thy deerely beeloued Sonne our sauiour Iesus Christe to whome with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour glorie and prayse world without ende Amen Prayers and thankesgiuinges to bee saide before and after meate Prayer before meate O Lorde our God and Heauenlie Father in thy beeloued Sonne Iesus Christe woorke in our heartes true repentance with increase of a true and liuely faith make vs thankfull vnto thy Maiestie for all thy benefites whiche wee continually receiue at thy mercifull hand graunte vs the grace that wee may at this presente with thankfull hearts as from thy hands receiue meate and drink for the sustenance of our bodies with moderatiō vse them to thy Glorie and through thy blessing receiue by them perfect nourishment and aboue all we craue at thy handes good Lorde the heauenly foode of our soules which neuer perisheth that through thy gratious goodnes we may be nourished strēgthened both in soule and body to eternall life through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Amen Thankesgiuing after meate ETernall God and mercifull Father wee yeelde vnto thee moste heartie thankes for al thy benefites so plentifully bestowed vppon vs especially that thou haste at this presente fedde and nourished our mortall bodies with meate and drinke wee beseeche thee in like manner let our soules feele the sweete taste of thy heauenly foode that wee beeing fedde and nourished at thy hands both in soule and body may in this life walke as it becommeth thy children in the life to come be receiued to thine eternall Kingdome of glorie through Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour Amen A Prayer beefore meate O Mercifull and Heauenly Father who giuest foode to euery liueing creature and without whome nothing can liue blesse and sanctifie our meates and drinkes whiche we are nowe about to receiue that they may turne to the nourishmente of our bodies whereunto thou haste appointed them that we acknowledging thy gratious goodnesse in prouiding so liberally for our bodies may with cheereful heartes be lifted vp earnestly to long after the foode of our soules whereby wee may be fedde eternally through Iesus Christ our sauiour Amen A thankesgiuing after meate O Heauenly Father for these thy benefites wherwith thou haste now sufficiently fedde our bodies we beseech thee make vs thankfull And as we feele the sweetnesse of them pleasant to our bodies so wee beseeche thee good Lorde that the foode of our soules may be as pleasante and comfortable vnto our soules and that we may with as careful harts prouide for the nourishmēt of our soules as we are careful for our bodies til it shal please thy Maiestie to bring vs to the place where we shal neuer hunger nor thirste more but liue eternally through Christe our Sauiour Amen A Prayer before meate O Lord our God heauenly Father which haste prouided meate and drink for the nourishment of our bodies giue vs grace to vse them reuerently as from thy handes with thankfull heartes And as wee do greately hunger and thirste for this foode of our bodies so wee beseech thee good Lord that our soules may earnestly hunger after the like food and nourishment that with earnest minds we may seeke to haue our soules fedd and refreshed eternally through our only Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ. So be it A Thankesgiuing after meate WOonderfull is thy prouidence O Lorde in preseruing all liueing creatures Graunte vs grace wee beseech thee that with thankfull harts wee may acknowledge thy bountifull goodnesse so liberally giuing vnto vs al things needeful especially feeding vs so plentifully at this presente with thy manifolde blessings whereof a greate many of our brethren are destitute as in like māner we shuld be if thou diddest not deale more liberally with vs graunt vs therefore gratious Lord that we may be thankful for this thy goodnesse and to be mindeful of them whiche haue not suche aboundance to relieue them that being all members of one body we may at length reigne with our heade Christe to whome be al honour and glorie woorlde without ende Amen A thankesgiuing after the receiuing of our bodily sustenance reading of some part of Gods holy word our spiritual foode O Lord our God the onely giuer of al good gifts who of thy great mercies hast made vs partakers bothe of the Heauenly gyftes of thy holy worde to feede our mindes and of thine earthly creatures for the necessarie sustenance of our weake bodies graunt we beseeche thee that through thy grace these thy gifts may be madeperfect vnto vs giue strength vnto our meate that it may be our healthful nourishment not to breede in vs any carnall desire of our vaine life but to enable our bodies to all good workes during the time of this present pilgrimage that so thy good creatures may be our good reliefe so long as thou wilt and so muche as thou knowest to be expediēt for vs thy seruants to finishe our dayes which thou hast numbred in the edifying of thy saincts and glorifying of thy Holy Name And because O Lord we know nothing of our selues but our ignorant hartes are full of darknesse therfore we beseech thee that this thy Worde whiche is thine eternal wisedome that nowe we haue read wherein wee haue had our conference may be in our minds a shining light of thine onely trueth and in our heartes a fruitefull seede of our newe birth so that thine owne Image may be happily againe restaured in vs and we may be made before thee a holie and righteous people by the inward working of thy gratious spirite daily strengthening our heartes in earnest loue of thy trueth and carefull obedience of thy commandementes through Iesus Christe our only Mediatour who in the sacrifice of his owne bodie hathe purchased vnto vs all
beeing altogether goodnesse it selfe giue good thinges to them that aske in thy Sonnes name And that although a mother should forsake her children yet wilt thou not forsake vs thy children whome thou haste before the bginning of the worlde in thy deere Sonne Iesu Christe chosen to be thy children and heires with him of thine immortall Kingdome Whereof that we in our selues mighte be sure and certaine and out of all doubte that wee are the children and heires of euerlasting life thou haste giuen into our heartes thy holy Spirite as a true pledge and earneste of our inheritaunce whiche Spirite doth assure our spirites that we are thy children and therefore crieth in our harts Abba Father Wee therefore as thy deere children raunsomed and boughte by thy deere sonne flee to thee our moste louing and mercifull Father who in goodnesse art infinite in mercy aboundant in substance incomprehensible in immortalitie euerlasting who by thy mightie power and singular prouidence rulest all thinges according to thy heauenly wisedome beseeching thee for thy deere sone Christ Iesus his sake that as thou hast sufficieÌ„tly sette forth thy glorious Name in making the whole worlde heauen earth and al things therein contained so we may in beholding and viewing thy creatures the works of thine handes be lifted vp to thee our Lord God the Creatour and Maker and in them glorifie thy holy name acknowledgeing in them thy singular goodnesse and loue towardes man for whose vse thou haste created all thinges both in Heauen and earth and that we may for the same euen from the bottom of our harts yeeld due honour praise and thankesgiuing to thee deere Father all the dayes of our life Graunte moste mercifull Father that wee may in hart and minde be fully assured that thou by thy heauenly prouidence rulest and guidest all things in heauen and earth so that nothing in the whole world commeth to passe but according to thine appoyntmente that thou guidest and framest the affaires and doings of men that thou haste euen their harts and all their powers in thy mercifull hande to turne them whiche way soeuer it seemeth best to thy godly wisedome so that whither wee be in prosperitie or aduersitie we may acknowledge both of them to be thy woorke in vs and therefore be no lesse thankful for sicknesse then for health for sorrowe then for comforte for a troubled mind then for a quiet for imprisonment and banishmente then for libertie especially seeing we know that y turnest them all seeme they neuer so sharp to the comforte and coÌ„modity of thy children which feare thee and that in al things whiche shall befal vnto vs whither they be greuous or ioyous prosperitie or aduersitie life or death thy holy Name may be sanctified in vs by yeelding due and continuall praise and thankesgiuing to thy eternall Maiestie that wee neuer cease to put our ful truste and confidence in thy merâ—y who haste promised to be our defender buckler and shielde to keepe vs as the apple of thine eye to deliuer vs when we call vppon thee to open when we knock to giue when wee aske that we knowing our owne weakenesse that of our selues we haue no power or strength to do no not so muche as to will that whiche is good wee may acknowledge all our strength comforte ioy faith loue hope and confidence to be thine only gifte and woorke in vs And for the same and the increase of the same and for all thy benefites in vs whereof we feele our selues destitute we may constantly flee vnto thee by harty prayer requiring the same at thy mercifull hande And hauing felt thy mercifull dealing towardes vs we may alway to the end of our life continue thankfull to thy blessed Name that wee neuer speake or thinke of thee O Lord God without high reuerence and an obedieÌ„t feare vnto thy Glorious Name And that thy kingdome O Lorde may more gloriously shine amongest men subdue the hearts of the people to be obedient to thy woorde Lighten all nations with thy glorious Gospell raise vp faithful ministers of thy woord aboundantly in euery place who with pure and perfect zeale in true knowledge may feede the hungrie soules with the foode of life Lighten the harts of thy children whome yet thou haste not called to the feeling of thy mercies in thy sonne reuealed Beate downe the furie and rage of the kingdome of satan and antichrist with all tyrants who shewe their vtter malice and furie against thy deare and faithfull flock Confounde their deuises suppresse their pride and so strengthen all thy true and faithfull seruauntes againste their rage that they may haue true wisedome to confound their enimies and steadfast constancie to professe the truth of thy glorious gospell euen to the death And that euery one of vs may feele the force of this thy kingdome particularly in our selues wee beseeche thee kill in vs by thy holy spirite all wicked delightes of sinne and vanities of this worlde Mortifie in vs our earthly and carnall affections and graunte that wee may haue our full delighte and pleasure in thee our Heauenly Father and in thy sonne Christe Iesu our Lorde and Sauiour and reuerently embrace thy holy Woord that our soules may be comforted therein and our faith thereby confirmed Lighten our vnderstanding that we may in thy holy woord learne and in heart be fully assured that thou art our most merciful Father and thy deere Sonne our Lorde and Sauiour Beate downe in vs all sinnefull motions of the aduersarie whiche do rebell againste thy holy spirite and settle and frame our mindes by thy holy spirite in vs that all rebellion in our fleshe being killed wee may quietly with stayed mindes and consciences sette our full ioy comforte and consolation in heauenly thinges walking before thee in sinceritie of mind put our ful trust and confideÌ„ce in thee rest and quiet our selues wholy in thy mighty protection and prouidence And forasmuche O Lord God as of our selues wee be nothing but stubbernesse and rebellion wee beseeche thee deere Father that as thine Angels in heauen doe willingly obey thy Will without resistance so wee thy children in earth all stubbernesse and peruersnesse by thy holy spirite in vs being vtterly extinguished and quenched wee may willingly submit our selues resigne and yeelde our whole affections to thee O Lord to be gouerned after thy blessed and heauenly Will. That we may feele in our selues no other motion or desire then a meete consente to thy holy Will that whatsoeuer affections in vs fighte against thy holy Will thou wilt vtterly make them voyde That wee neuer will any thinge of our selues but that thy holy Spâ—rite in vs may gouerne our heartes by whome inwardly being taughte wee may learne to love embrace and take comforte in those thinges that please thee and to hate those thinges that displease thee That our heartes mindes and willes beeing wholy subdued to thy moste blessed Will wee may willingly bee
and all our life long being assured that thou wilt once call vs to yeelde an account of our stewardshippe indue vs we beseeche thee with those gifts and graces which be needeful for vs in our calling that with a pure and sincere conscience we may vse them to the benefite of our brethren and discharge of our owne consciences beefore thy Maiesty We beseech thee O Lord that in al our consultations woordes and workes this day and the whole course of our life we may always haue thee present before our eyes knowing that thou seest euen the very deepe thoughtes of our hartes whiche alwayes may be as a bridle to pull vs backe that we neither do nor yet consent vnto any sinne or wickednesse but that alwayes we may be so exercised in the affaires of this life that we looke stil to the end of our course whē it shal please thee to bring vs through the pilgrimage of this life to our euerlasting rest with thy deere Sonne Iesus Christe our Sauiour In whose name for these mercies and whatsoeuer thou knowest to be needful for vs and for the whole Churche we pray vnto thee as he himselfe hath taught vs in his holy word saying Our Father whiche art c. The Lord blesse vs and saue vs the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lorde turne his fauourable countenance toward vs and graunt vs his peace The grace of our Lord Iesus Christe the loue of God the Father the moste comfortable fellowshippe of the holy Ghost be with vs preserue and keepe vs this day and euermore Amen ¶ Euening prayer for priuate houses and Families O Gratious God louing Father c. As in the beginning of the morning prayer reding so forth til ye come to this marke ‡ * ‡ Then read this folowing for the Euening Lastly for our selues here gathered we render most hartie thanks to thy maiestie O Lord which hast hitherto from our infancie preserued vs by thy mercie from all perils and daungers bothe of soule bodie wherevnto fraile man is subiect that thou hast sent vnto vs al things necessarie for this present life as healthe foode apparel and such like whiche many of thy deere children doe want being notwithstanding as preciously bought with the precious bloud of thy deere sonne as we be and yet lie in miserie and calamitie oppressed with pouertie nakednesse imprisonement and bannishment in which case also deere Father thou mightest haue brought vs saue onely that thou dealest herein more fauourably with vs then with them For the which thy louing kindenesse wee giue thee hartie thankes desiring thee that as thou hast hitherto thus fauourably in mercie preserued vs by thy protection and euen presently this day hast brought vs past all the daungers thereof so we beseech thee good Lorde in like fauour beholde vs this night that we taking our natural rest and quietnesse may through thy protection be defended that our bodies resting our soules may be occupied in beholding thy fauour and mercie towarde thy children stil looking for the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ for our full redemption Graunt that our sleepe be not immoderate according to the lust of our fleshe but as muche as is sufficient to refreshe our weake nature that beeing thus refreshed bothe the bodie and the minde may be more able to doe their seuerall office and function in that vocation vvherein thou haste placed vs. Graunt that wee laying our bodies downe to reste may be thereby put in minde of our long rest of deathe that as we doe nowe lay downe our bodies in bedde so wee may be thereby admonished that hereafter they shal be laide downe in graue to bee consumed to duste earthe and ashes from whence they were taken That wee hauing this before our eyes may be stirred vppe in minde warely to walke in this our pilgrimage not knowing when the time shal be of our departure but alwayes to be founde readie with our lampes of pure faithe clearely burning that we may be accepted to meete the Bridegrome when our mortall earthly and corruptible bodies shal be made like to the glorious bodie of our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesu there to reigne with him in perpetuall ioy cōsolatiō together with al the elect children of God continually lauding with all the heauenly multitude the glorious Maiestie of thee our Lorde God and heauenly Father in our Lord and Sauiour Iesu christ For these and whatsoeuer else thou knowest to be needefull for vs and thy whole Churche we pray vnto thee as he himselfe hathe taught vs saying Our Father c. The Lorde blesse vs and saue vs the Lorde make his face to shine vppon vs and bee mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauourable countenance vnto vs and graunte vs his peace The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the moste comfortable fellowshippe of the Holy Ghost be with vs preserue and keepe vs this night and euermore Amen A prayer to bee saide before the studying or reading of holy Scripture O Heauenly Father what soeuer I am what so euer I haue whatsoeuer I know it is only by thy free grace For by nature I am the childe of wrath and I am not borne a newe of fleshe and bloude neither of the seede of man or of the will of man Fleshe and bloude cannot reueale the mysteries of thy Heauenly Kingdome vnto mee but by thy blessed will I am that I am and by the same knowe I that I knowe Therefore O Father do I commit into thy handes onely my saluation If my knowledge bee small yet I doubte nothing but that I am the childe of thy euerlasting kingdome and therefore by thy mightie power I shall growe when it shall bee thy good will and pleasure to a more full and riper knowledge as of a more perfecte age wherein my faith shal bee fully able to comprehend and perceiue the breadth deapth heigth and largenesse of thy greate mercies and gratious promises But seeing O Father this power of full knowledge and perfecte reuelation passeth all power naturall and remaineth onely in thy power and the light of thy spirite O Lord do thou whatsoeuer it shall please thee to open vnto me and all the rest of thine elect seruaunts and children depending vppon thee so muche of the lighte of thy countenaunce as may be moste for thy Glorie and our comforte yea and at suche time as shall seeme good to thy wisedome fatherly mercie In the meane while thus resting wholy vpō thee neither can I despaire neither wil I be to much careful althogh I cannot attaine to the knowledge of many of thy works neither to the vnderstanding of many places of thy scriptures But I will confesse vnto thee the weakenesse of my faith waiting alwais for the further reuealing of thy glorious light to be vttered vnto me thy poore seruant when thou shalt thinke of