consciences Oh saue vs for thy mercie sake for thy blessed Sonne Iesus hath dearelie bought vs. Wherefore Lord we thy faithfull creatures being through thy grace and the battell of thy sonne vpon the crosse restored to thy fauour and hauing the house of our hearts and soules swept and made cleane from all vices which were woont to inhabite in vs we most humblie praie thée to giue vs strength to kéepe our soules from the inuasion of the wilie serpent Dwell in vs still by thy continuall grace make vs to be of thy houshold that we may liue and praise thée in this world and after this life we may enioie the blessed presence of thine eternall maiestie one God in persons thrée and euerlasting in vnitie world without end Amen 9. A praier for humilitie and a confession of sinnes with a petition to haue the same remitted LOrd giue me humilitie being the beautifull flowre of vertue that groweth in the garden of mans soule one of the most pleasant most necessarie and most acceptable whose power was so great that it drue the sonne of GOD the second person in deitie from heauen into the wombe of the méeke virgine whom of all other he chose to be his mother for that she was so humble and vertuous Thou O Christ our Sauiour being Lord of all the world walkedst all the daies of thy life in humilitie and therein endedst humbling thy self vnto the vile death of the crosse The wise humilitie of Abigael pacified the furie of Dauid when he was minded to kill all the men of the house of hir husband The humble submission of wicked Ahab asswaged the wrath of GOD which was the cause that the almightie preserued him all the daies of his life The great goodnes of this vertue is made manifest by opening the heinousnes of the vice contrarie thereto which is pride which appeared in the proud Pharisie when he made boast in his praiers of his good déeds and despised his poore neighbour which caused his praier not to be hard when the poore Publican standing a farre off with humblenesse durst not lift vp his eies to heauen but with heartie repentance knocking his breast said Lord be mercifull to me a sinner which hartie confession of his sinne was cause of his iustification and that he was made righteous Wherefore most gratious Lord our heauenlie father considering the power of humilitie and the knowledge of our sinnes with hartie repentance to be of so great efficacie I thy poore creature vnworthie to appeare before thy maiestie doo powre downe here before thée my sacke that is full of sinne which I haue committed euen from my youth they are great and manie without number neuerthelesse trusting of thine accustomed nature and propertie which is to be mercifull to all sinners that be sorie for their offenses from the bottom of their hearts turning to thée knowing that thou diddest send thy louing sonne not to call those that séeme in their owne sight to be iust but to helpe those that confesse themselues to be sinners I therefore Lord willing by the helpe of thy grace vtterlie to forsake sinne and to fulfill thy holie will hereafter desire thée humblie of forgiuenesse and to admit me among the number of those that are blessed and their vnrighteousnes forgiuen I will not couer from thée my sinnes neither yet excuse them but I praie thée Lord hide them in the bloodie woonds of thy sonne Christ where they shall be put in perpetuall obliuion Blessed is the man vnto whom thou doost not impute sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile Wherfore from the bottome of my heart Lord I am sorie for all my sinnes and doo aske thée forgiuenesse I will acknowledge all mine offenses and accuse my selfe vnto thée Lord. So soone as I was determined no longer to hide mine euill waies thou Lord straite forgauest me Thine eare was in my heart before my voice was in my mouth Thy mercies washed awaie my sinnes or euer my confession was made Thou art as readie to heare and forgiue as we to aske Wherefore I will saie with the prophet Daniel It is I that haue offended and sinned against thy maiestie I humblie beséech thée cure my sicke soule for I haue highlie sinned against thée yet doubt I not but thou hast and wilt forgiue the wickednes of my sinne It is thou Lord that must helpe vs which thou wilt doo if we call vpon thée whilst we are in this life for after death no intreatie will be heard It is then too late Wherefore Lord kéepe vs in the right waie and suffer vs not to swarue on the right hand nor on the left Thy eies of protection and mercie are euer firmelie fixed vpon vs grant vs to set the eies of our minds vpon thée Lord call me plucke me Lord from mine vngodlines that I may knowe thée loue thée put my hope wholie in thée O glorious God my maker sauiour sanctifier dwell in me and giue me grace to dwell in thée Amen 10. A praier for patience in trouble and constant expectation of Gods goodnes O GOD almightie grant vs neuer to refuse thy chastening For though thou make a wound thou giuest a plaister though thou smite thy hand maketh whole againe Thou shalt deliuer vs in sixe troubles and in the seauenth there shall none euill come vnto vs. In hunger thou shalt saue vs from death and when it is war from the power of the sword thou shalt kéepe vs from the euill toong and when trouble commeth we shall not néed to feare In destruction and death we shall be merrie for the stones of the land shall be confederate with vs bicause the Lord of hosts is our defense refuge for euer Let vs therefore put our whole trust in him reioising with melodie of thanksgiuing vnto his maiestie who onelie is true and can helpe vs with deliuerance Let vs lift vp our eies vnto GOD who hath all power and therefore ought to be feared For whatsoeuer he be that feareth man more than God falleth into a snare and is destroied As for all our sinnes and transgressions thou requirest nothing of vs O Lord GOD but to turne vnto thée and to obeie thy holy word following thy precepts and commandements For thou saiest O Lord those that honour thée thou wilt exalt and whosoeuer despiseth thée shall be despised For thou preferrest to honour and puttest downe according to thy blessed will The wicked when they féele thy heauie hand grudge at the same but the godlie humble themselues and crie for mercie For thou O Lord wilt not heare hypocrits but those that praie vnto thée with an vnfained faith and true repentance For the praier of the faithfull is a barre to staie thine anger that thou consume not all Thy mercie is so great towards thine that thou wilt not destroie them for their sinnes but correct and chasten them till thou haue purged and pardoned them Thy fauour O God is cause of
for euer comfort thy small flocke to the confusion of thine enimies and make vs able through thy grace to kéepe thy lawes which are pure euen as the siluer which from the earth is tried and purified seuen times in the fire Thou art néere Lord vnto all that in this life call vpon thée faithfullie and thou kéepest them from all dangers for in the midst of this world we are in manie temptations and vices and in the companie of the proud and wicked people and in manie tribulations We sée the vanities of this world readie to mooue vs we suffer persecution yet thou kéepest vs from desperation and thy grace preserueth vs that they come not néere vs. Their entisements we estéeme not bicause we hope in thy mightie power who art our defense in trouble Thy sonne Christ is the strong rocke in the which all birds that build doo rest out of ieopardie to him all sinners maie slie for succour and comfort being holden by him they may be eased This rocke the diuell cannot vndermine nor scale no water of tribulation can drowne those that build on this rocke Pharao king of Aegypt with a great host pursued the children of Israel but he could not hurt them thou Lord wast their defense and diddest destroie all their aduersaries Euen so art thou our defense our hope and our comfort Thou wilt compasse vs about with ioifull deliuerance The house of our bodies is enuironed with enimies but thy prouidence will defend vs out of all dangers Thou wilt informe vs and shewe vs the waie wherin we shall go This life is a pilgrimage and a iorneie for vs to trauell in Thou art the end of our waie O God Thou art the marke that we shoote at when we come to our iornies end in thée Lord we hope to haue rest Thou giuest knowledge and instruction by faith that if we passe well through this world we shall haue ioie euerlastinglie to the which bring vs all thou Lord that diedst for vs all Amen 16. A praier that we may be heard of God THy hand is not shortened O Lord that it cannot help neither is thine eare stopped that it will not heare but our misdoings haue separated vs from thée our God and our sinnes haue caused thy face to be hidden from vs. Our hands are defiled with vnrighteousnesse our lippes speake leasings our toongs doo set out wickednesse No man regardeth righteousnes and none iudgeth truelie euerie one hopeth in vaine things and imagineth deceit conceiueth wearines bringeth foorth euill For our offenses are manie before thée and our sinnes doo testifie against vs and we acknowledge that we haue doone amisse transgressing and dissembling against thée Lord and fallen awaie from our God vsing presumptuous imaginations Neuerthelesse thou art our God and euerlasting father our nourisher and defender which wouldest not the death of a sinner but mercifullie receiuest all those that with repentant harts come vnto thée And now we set our eies and face towards thée lifting vp our hearts vnto thy mercie seat who hast promised to vnlode vs whensoeuer we come vnto thée Heare vs therefore and forgiue vs all our offenses which we haue committed from the time of our birth vntill this present houre O blesse vs and the works also of our hands that we may liue and praise thée world without end through Iesus Christ our Lord and sauiour Amen 17. A praier against the enimies of the church THe sure ships O Lord fléete in the sea vnder their sailes and passe through the stormie tempests without drowning so doo thine elect O God almightie passe through the fearefull perils of all their enimies in this world by the meanes of thy ship the church and the true faith thereof of which ship our Sauiour Christ is the sterneman the guide and the sure anchor to be cast in all necessities who so trusteth in him shal be brought to the faire hauen of perfect beatitude Who so kéepeth him within the boords of his faithfull ship néedeth not to feare the dreadfull dragon that sturdie strong Leuiathan to whose power no power on earth may be compared for he is so mad that he feareth nothing he is king ouer all the children of pride This is that Lucifer that fell downe from heauen he is the serpent that deceiued in paradise and brought death to all mankind Neuerthelesse when thy faithfull people are penitent for their offenses resist his temptations and followe thy lawes putting their whole trust in thée and thy blessed sonne then doo they mock and deceiue him as Christ did with his humanitie which when he thought to deuoure by tempting the Iewes to put Iesus to death he was tripped in his owne turne and taken into bondage by the vertue of Christs diuinitie And whensoeuer we that be his faithfull be caught as this our enimie thinketh in his danger we turne to our head Iesus Christ for refuge and by his helpe doo vanquish him Great good Lord is thy mercie and goodnes that suffereth not thy faithfull to be tempted aboue their strength but in the midst of their temptation makest a waie for them to escape out The enimie hath no power of himselfe but as thou sufferest him he with all other creatures hang vpon thy will commandements all wait on thée that thou maist giue them meate in due season when thou giuest it them they gather it Thy works Lord are mercie and forgiuenes thou art our iustice whereby thou makest vs iust which before were most wicked sinners thou makest vs thine humble creatures to tremble for feare of thy mightie power and iustice our pride thereby is abated We account the good déedes which we haue doone to be of thy gifts and goodnesse nothing presuming of our owne fraile power for we knowe that thy holie spirit resteth vpon those that haue a lowly troubled spirit and dooe stand in awe of thy word The proud and stifnecked people dooest thou touch with scorpions and punishments then they come to the knowledge of thy Maiestie then will they saie as Nabucadonosor said after his punishment Honour and praise be vnto thée O God of heauen whose power endureth alwais and thy kingdome from one generation to another Then shall they be driuen to praise thy mightie Maiestie as thou art worthie Cruell Saule was touched of thy hand and became Paule a welbeloued apostle through the helpe of thy grace and laboured more aboundantlie than all other of thine apostles such is the power of thy gratious influence This thy noble grace send me most mercifull God whereby I shall haue a louing desire to honour thée to praise thée my God and sauiour so long as I haue anie being I will not cease to confesse my sinnes to thée and to lament mine iniquities then shall my words be plesant and acceptable to thée And as I ioie wholie in thée that art my creator and in thy sonne which is my redéemer so shalt thou also delight in me that am
heart that I offend thée not through hypocrisie And though the wicked deale rigorouslie with me yet I beséech thée let me find comfort from thée for hitherto hast thou strengthened me against my outward and inward enimies so that all the world shall confesse that thou hast wonderfullie preserued me and performed thy promise For thou dooest euer guide me with thy hand that I can turne no waie but where thou appointest me Thy prouidence doth so fast hold me that I cannot by anie meanes escape from thée Thou hast made me in all parts and therfore must néeds know me Wherefore considering thy wonderfull worke in forming me I cannot but praise thée and feare thy mightie power who art the creator of all things the kéeper of iustice the louer of right the hater of malice beholding from the high throne of thy Maiestie the children of men Bow downe thine eare O mercifull Father I humblie beséech thée and heare me thy seruant whom thou hast hitherto brought vp frō my tender age and deliuered me vntill this daie from the hands of the wicked whose rage was furious vntill thou brakest their force I set my hope in thée O God and life euerlasting knowing that these earthlie things shall perish hauing a sure hope that both my soule and bodie shall inioy thy presence O God of my saluation in the last resurrection Then shall I féele thy mercies and answere when thou callest me Wherefore I set all my felicitie and ioie in that I am vnited with thée O God and shall inioie thy presence so that I reiect all other things saue that which furthereth me to attaine to thy heauenlie treasures which is sure and cannot be found in anie but in thée alone whose praise shall indure for euer world without end Amen 41. A praier wherein the sinner praieth for grace that he may make a godlie end BLessed Father of heauen fountaine of all grace and goodnes that art rich in mercie and plentifull in giuing the same to all that doo faithfullie call vpon thy holie name O good God thou hauing a sonne no lesse rich in power wisedome knowledge and mercy than thou art thine owne selfe diddest not spare to send him from thy heauenlie palace downe to the earth into the wombe of a virgine for the saluation of mankind to declare thine aboundant loue towards vs. Thou diddest for our sakes make him poore which before was rich to the intent that we which before were verie poore should by his pouertie be made rich that he which before was all one with thée in thy diuine substance might now be made one with vs that are members of the bodie whereof he is the head Hearken good Lord giue eare vnto my praier let my petition ascend vp before the sight of thy Maiestie The comming of thy mercifull son did make me thine but the vilenes of mine owne acts hath cast me downe and made me verie miserable The greatnes of mine offenses hath caused thée to turne awaie thy face from me withdrawing thy grace which was the cause of the good works I did Thou canst find no good thing in me worthie of thy fauour wherfore Lord behold the face of Christ thy deare Sonne my mediator for his sake giue me that which of my selfe I am much vnworthie to obteine of thée Looke on me with thy pitifull eie and in the time of my trouble incline thine eare and heare me My old enimie daily assalteth me and vexeth me Wherefore I will not cease to call vpon thée dailie but speciallie at the houre of my death Lord heare me defend me at which time my cruel enimie will most busilie inuade me At that instant Lord looke vpon me with the eie of thy mercie now whilest I am in this wretched world I craue not of thée aboundance of earthlie goods but as honest necessitie dooth require but the aboundance of thy grace in this life This hast thou of thy méere liberalitie promised to grant to all that in stedfast faith call vpon thée This hastie calling vpon thée dooest thou delight in for thou art as redie to answer me as I am to call vpon thée Wherefore make spéed in hearing as I am bold to call vpon thée for I confesse O Lord I haue left thy holie word and commandements which is as bread vnto the soule giuing nutriment and moisture by faith and charitie and haue eaten of the trée which thou forbadest me I haue with our father Adam followed the illusions of the serpent tasted of sin but thy blessed sonne my sauiour Iesus Christ hath shed his bloud for vs whereby we are restored vnto thy grace mercie and fauour through the sacrament of baptisme if we hartilie repent He quickneth vs which before were dead in sinne he slaieth and can raise againe he striketh and healeth as he did Paule in his persecution How much therefore are we bound to his grace that without anie deseruing on our parts willinglie offered himselfe to the death for our redemption and to thy maiestie also who didst not spare thine onelie begotten sonne but of thy pure pittie sentedst him downe to suffer the most vile death of the crosse for our sakes Wherefore I am much ashamed to lift vp my eies to heauen towards thy highnesse being so vnkind to thée againe so manie waies I haue loued the works of darkenes and therefore I fled from the light of the bright sunne of iustice for which cause doo I sigh sorrowe and bewaile my wretchednes in the bitternesse of such thoughts for feare of thine anger towards me knowing that at the time of thy comming to the dreadfull generall iudgement the storme of thine indignation shall go forth and fall downe vpon the heads of the vngodlie Thou liftest me vp of a great hight in that thou thou madest me like vnto thine image touching my reasonable soule and hast giuen me power by thy grace to inherit euerlasting ioies of heauen both bodie and soule if I liued here after thy rommandements What greater gift canst thou giue me Lord than to haue the fruition of thée But alas I beare so heauie and erthlie fraile bodie ioined to my noble soule that my heart and mind is drawne downe from the consideration of thy goodnes and from well dooing vnto all kind of vices Wherefore Lord grant me that in the shadow of this life I may haue grace to sée light and to know thée thy waies and thy holie word which giueth light and vnderstanding vnto babes for after this life there is no place nor time left of repentance And since my time is here but short continue thy grace towards me that I may liue in thy feare all the daies of my life and end my life in thy fauour who doost indure for euer and thy remembrance through all generations world without end Amen Amen 42. A praier against the offenses of this world MY hart shall praise thée O GOD for my soule is in loue with thy maiestie
our faith and teachest vs to forget the world and to depend on thée O father of al goodnes Thy promise neuer faileth thou gouernest by thy holie spirit as séemeth best to thy godlie wisedome for thou O God art rich in mercie and truth which féedest all things and none can iustlie complaine For as by thy presence all things haue life so if thou withdraw thy blessing we all perish Thou hast a little flocke féed them with thy spirituall foode and gouerne thy church séeing thou hast chosen them out of the world ioine it vnto thy selfe that thy faithfull may continue for euer For thou art euerlasting thou hast euer loued truth thou art veritie it selfe all thy promises are vnremooueable Thou diddest promise to Abraham to multiplie his séed as the stars of heauen and as the sands vpon the sea side which promise at the last he enioied euen so diddest thou promise Isaac and Iacob When Ezechias was sicke vnto the death thou diddest promise him life fiftéene yéeres more which thou didst performe for thy names sake Euen so Lord kéepe thy promise with vs that are thy poore shéepe so shall we praise thée and thy Sonne our sauiour Christ which is our good shéepeheard who suffered death for his flocks sake to make them triumph ouer their enimies And as he rose againe for our iustification so grant that we may rise in newnes of life and aspire vnto the same place whither our sauiour is gone before whose name be praised with thée O déere father and the holie Ghost now and foreuermore Amen 44. A praier wherein is shewed that the wisedome of God is to be praised as also how he trieth his seruants is declared THou O most mightie God art the creator maker of all things whose power is euerlasting which shal neuer be put down whose kingdome indureth incorrupt for euer and thy going out hath béene from euerlasting Great art thou high vnmeasureable thou onelie knowst the waies of wisdome none other is there that can find hir paths but thou the mightie God which hast found hir out with thy foreknowledge by the same thy godlie wisedome hast created all things according to thy noble will and pleasure This thine omnipotent power Lord I thy sinfull seruant and subiect doo honour and thy excéeding wisedome I haue in great reuerence By the one thou madest all things and by the other thou knewest what thou wouldest make long before they were made in both these hast thou declared thy selfe to be the liuing God And although our acts which be past present and to come be all open before thine eies and our thoughts manifest in the sight of thy diuine presence yet dooest thou dailie search and prooue thine elect people sometimes by aduersitie sometimes by prosperitie to cause vs thereby to be knowen to other After this sort diddest thou prooue Abraham in the oblation of his sonne to the intent his obedience might be an example to all that should come after him Thus also diddest thou prooue thy seruant Iob and he was found both faithfull constant and iust Thou knowest what men be before thou triest them But after the triall thou hearest them their praiers and allowest their good actes and intentions by such proofe Lord hast thou tried me both within and without And though through frailtie I haue erred wandering from thée yet at length haue I béene found to returne againe to thée that art the perfect waie and to beléeue faithfullie in thée as in my verie God to trust wholie in thée to loue thée as my mercifull father and all through the gift of thy grace not of mine owne strength or will For what were I sillie wretch if I were destitute of thy helpe I doo consider thy goodnes and thy godlie prouidence by which thou wast the cause of my first being and still am I much bound vnto thy Maiestie for the great loue thou barest vnto me First for my creation and also for thy meruellous protection assistance inspiration redemption and reconciliation which the eie of my soule dooth right well consider Wherefore I most humblie praie thée Lord to regard what shall redound to thy glorie for thine honour is more aduanced in sauing one poore miserable and sinfull creature through thy mercie than in the damnation of a thousand by the rigour of thy iustice For in hell none can praise thée but cursse waile moorne and lament their miserable estate Now O my GOD I most hartilie beséech thée to giue me grace to flie the companie of all such as speake vntruelie of thée and of thy holie will and word also of them that exalt themselues presumptuouslie least being conuersant in their wickednesse I might fall from that right way in the which it hath pleased thy gratious goodnes to direct me for whosoeuer is familiar with the proud shal be clothed with pride He that dooth euill is worthie of death so are all those that communicate with him that hath pleasure in euill As for such as decline from thée I will abhorre those that doo me anie wrong I cléerelie forgiue and forget whatsoeuer they doo vnto me yea I doo praie vnto thée my most mercifull father euen from the bottome of my hart to forgiue them But those Lord that maliciouslie resist thée and thy holie word I hate them euen as though they were mine enimies Neuerthelesse I doo praie thée for amendment of their liues and saluation of their soules Consider Lord the frailtie of our nature none can stand in the right waie but shall slide and fall vnlesse thou giue him the staffe of thy grace to staie himselfe thereby As for me I haue wandered from thée as a shéepe that is straied from the flocke but thy goodnes hath found me out again and brought me vnto the fold Lead me therfore out of mine owne wicked waie into thie blessed waie of truth through the merits of thy déer beloued Sonne Christ who is the very true perfect path to all beatitude by whose helpe I may so direct my steppes in the waie of this life that I may kéepe the waie vnto life euerlasting Amen 45. A praier wherin is shewed how stranglie preserued and how blessed they are that trust in God the mercie of God also toward sinners is declared O Lord almightie father of mercie God of all comfort which in the treasure of shine infinit mercies disposest all things not onlie among vs thy poore creatures vpon earth which is bountifullie replenished therewith but also among thy holy angels and blessed spirits in heauen who are all preserued by thy grace Lord God whose nature and propertie is to haue mercie vpon all those that loue thée and in faith call on thée thou saiest by thy prophet Esaie that the mountaines shall remooue and the hilles shall fall downe but thy louing kindnesse shall not mooue from those that trust in thée Thou Lord of thy mercie sauedst Noa frō the generall floud and Abraham
13. A praier wherein wee desire the life to come O Most high mightie prince of power Lorde of hosts GOD and Lord of the heauenly armie of angels that are thy ministers when I consider the greatnes of thy mightie Maiestie I am so rapt with the desire thereof that my hart and my flesh reioiceth in nothing but in thée alone that art the liuing God All earthlie tabernacles and worldlie goods I nothing estéeme when I behold thine euerlasting felicitie which although I sée now but darkelie as in a glasse I hope to sée thée face to face Grant me therfore O Lord whilest I am in this tabernacle to build vpon faith which is the altar of thée that art the Lord most mightie my King and my God vpon which we giue vnto thée sacrifice laud and praise in the vnitie of thy faithfull Church whereof thy Sonne Christ is the sure rock The faithfull build on this foundation Blessed are they Lord therefore that dwell in thy house who haue occasion to praise thée They are replenished with aboundance of all things that they desire they are made like vnto thée they sée thée euen as thou art of which sight they shall neuer be fullie satisfied such ioie and loue shall they conceiue of the sight of thy glorious maiestie But to this beatitude can we not atteine mercifull God of our owne strength and power but through the helpe of thy gratious assistance Thou must ingraue in our harts thy lawes and direct vs in thy waies and when we are brought to thée by the right waie we must be continuallie aided by thy grace that thou maiest staie and kéepe our féet from slipping Who so trusteth to his owne strength or power or to the helpe of man is much deceiued and leaneth to a rotten staffe contrariwise he that putteth his trust in thy gratious power wanteth neuer succour at néed Thou hast put vs into this present world to fight and to striue with our enimies who doo continuallie assault vs but thy grace maketh vs able to repell all their inuasions Thou sufferest vs not to be tempted aboue our strength and for our triumph thou rewardest vs with a crowne of glorie and immortalitie The vngodlie fall from thée descending downeward from one vice to an other but thy faithfull and elect increase dailie in godlines For of thée Lord commeth all our power and strength to doo good and of thy sonne Christ Iesus our maister our teacher and gouernour who promiseth that if we wéepe and morne heare in this vale of miserie for our sinnes we shall hereafter laugh and be ioifull in eternall glorie If we sowe with heauines we shall reape with gladnes if we perseuere good strong champions héere in batell we shall for our reward behold thy glorious face in thy heauenlie mansion we shall sée also thy sonne Christ who is thy wisedome and thy power which who so séeth enioieth all pleasures to sée that delectable sight our hearts doo much desire of thée that art the Lord of hosts For this we make humble petition to thée that art the GOD of Iacob who wrestled with thine angel and preuailed whose name thou diddest change and calledst him Israel that is the feare or beholder of God Euen so make me a strong wrestler against mine enimies in this world that I may after this life behold thy incomprehensible deitie to the full contentation both of my soule and bodie We are much vnworthie to obteine anie thing of thée considering our vnkindnes shewed vnto thée and our wretched estate wherein we remaine Neuerthelesse Lord we praie thée to be our defender and protector through thy grace not for our merits but for the merits of thy most entirelie beloued sonne Christ thine onelie annointed aboue all other with the oile of ioie and gladnes He is our head we are the members of his bodie he dwelleth in his faithfull and they in him Who so receiueth anie of his elect receiueth him He was incarnate for vs suffered death for vs bare our iniquities on his backe and rose againe for our iustification Wherefore we doubt not but that through the infusion of thy grace thou wilt looke vpon him in vs and shewe vs mercie for his sake that we may haue aboundance of grace through him and casting all the vanities of this world behind our backes we may enter into the court of thy bright heauenlie Ierusalem where one daies abiding is better than a thousand in this wretched world Iohn Baptist as witnesseth our Sauiour was the greatest and most perfect vpon earth yet said he the least in the kingdome of heauen is greater than he Wherefore most mightie Lord thy faithfull doubt not whilst they are here in this vale of miserie but that thou wilt euer assist them guide them and blesse them that put their whole trust in thée who art the liuing God and giuest to thine aboundantlie all things necessarie to this present life and afterwards the fruition of thy Godhead in heauen eternallie there to dwell with thée euerlastinglie Amen 14. A praier for comfort in trouble THe chiefest comfort that I receiue in this miserable wretched troublesome world O heauenlie Father and God almightie is when I call to mind the truth of thy great promises made to me in Iesus Christ for whose sake onelie I doo acknowledge and confesse that thou art my mercifull and louing Father and so carest for me through him that nothing is able to remooue thy grace and fauour from me Wherefore I come vnto thée in humblenes of hart crauing at thy bountifull hands the assistance of thy holie spirit to suppresse my wicked affections that I may with a stedfast faith obeie thy most diuine Maiestie in thought word and déed For thou disposest all things most wiselie and preseruest thy children in their greatest dangers Wherefore thy holie name be praised now and for euermore through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen 15. A praier for the prosperitie of the Church O Most holie glorious and blessed trinitie thrée persons in one Godhead by whose goodnesse all creatures haue their being whose eies behold althings as well that are past as that are to come and are accoumpted as present to thy mightie Maiestie we thy poore faithful subiects of the Church here militant vpon earth shew foorth our lamentable praiers beséeching thée pitifullie to behold the miserable estate thereof which neuer had more néed of thy godlie assistance than at this present it hath The nature of man is so corrupt and abhominable in wickednesse that none dooth good vpon the earth for many there be that despise God oppresse the poore Wherefore Lord we beséech thée to arise vp for the trouble sake of the oppressed and at the complaint of the poore helpe him and set him at rest Thy Sonne Christ is our sauing health in whom who so trusteth resteth in suertie and cannot be deceiued Arise vp we praie thée mercifull God and cast vs not away
in mans power to order his owne waies nor to rule his owne steps or goings therefore chasten thou vs O Lord but with fauor not in thy wrath Bring vs not vtterlie to naught for we haue none other sauiour neither can we helpe our selues for by our saluation thy name shall be praised Therefore Lord helpe vs séeing that of thy mercie thou hast made vs a most deare posession vnto thée and we through our sinnes are worthilie punished Declare againe thy loue and finish the worke that thou hast begunne in vs so shall we liue and praise thy holie name for euer euer through Iesus Christ our Lord and redéemer Amen 23. A praier wherein the hart poureth out it selfe before God with humble submission and christian lowlines in diuers considerations THe most pleasant thing that I can offer vnto thy maiestie O Lord is to giue thée a thankfull heart for all thy benefits and to be inwardlie sorie that euer I did anie thing which should offend thée then to mortifie the concupiscence of the flesh to put off the old Adam and put on Christ to leaue to be carnall and to become spirituall Wherefore I will call on thy holie name for thy gratious aid and assistance to helpe me and strengthen me in these my good purposes not doubting but thou wilt most gratiouslie heare me My heart and my whole bodie I offer willinglie vnto thy seruice which although it be of small value in déed yet I doo not mistrust but it shall be accepted in thy sight as was the offring of two mites which the poore woman threw into the treasurie at Ierusalem which small summe of hir pouertie thou diddest more estéeme and praise than all the great gifts of the rich men I humblie beséech thy highnesse to accept this gift of my poore soule bodie which is a declaration of my louing mind towards thée and vouchsafe Lord so to worke in them by thy grace that they may will and worke that which may be acceptable in thy sight so that I may truelie performe my vowes made vnto thée by kéeping thy lawes and commandements with my whole hart which I and euerie true christian professe to kéepe For whosoeuer he be that breaketh but one of them is guiltie of all It is not in mans power to turne to thée O God but thy worke onelie to conuert vs for we consider thy Maiestie and the weaknesse of our sinfull flesh Thy mercie worketh in vs sorrowe and repentance for our former life All things are gouerned by thy prouidence O God if thou blesse vs all creatures shall fauour vs. Let thy holie spirit counsell me how to come foorth of this carefull and troublesome life that I may hide my selfe vnder the shadowe of thy wings where I know I shall be defended by thy power which shall be a signe of thy fatherlie care towards me Wherefore I will resigne my selfe wholie vnto thée trusting in thy protection Thou O God art onelie the true felicitie to heale me thou art able and to raise me to life though I were dead long ago and turned to dust For I acknowledge thée to be almightie and that there is nothing done on earth without thy will and ordinance wherefore I will not trust to anie worldlie helpe In the daies of my trouble thou kéepest couenant and mercie with thy seruants that walke before thée with all their heart and though thou correctest from time to time yet thy helpe will not be farre off if we returne to thée Thy mercie is great to poore sinners for thou art more readie to pardon them with long suffering rather than to punish them Thou shewest fauor towards the fatherlesse which walke after thy commandements as thou art God and creator of the soule and body so wouldest thou haue vs serue thée with both and that thy people be continuallie subiect vnto thée For the greater gifts that we receiue at thy mercifull hands O Lord God and the higher that thou dooest preferre vs the more are we bound to praise thée for the same And though we be high or lowe in degrée yet can we not be exempted from dooing our duties Thou O God art the giuer of all good things wherfore I am readie to bestowe all that I haue at thy commandement Giue me grace O Lord God that I neuer prouoke thée to anger by my sinnes that thou maist mitigate thy punishments towards me strengthen me with thy holie spirit that I may leade an vpright life with true faith and repentance vnto the glorie of thy holie name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen 24. A praier wherein the afflicted person praieth against his enimies that God would turne vpon them his iudgements O Lord God of our fathers helpe me poore desolate creature I beséech thée for thou hast don al things from the beginning and looke what thine euerlasting counsell hath deuised it came euer to passe for all thy waies are prepared and thy iudgements are doone in thine euerlasting foreknowledge O looke thou now vpon mine enimies and bring to passe O Lord that the pride of them may be cut downe for thy power standeth not in the iudgement of men For there was neuer proud person that pleased thée but in the praier of the humble and méeke hath thy pleasure béene euermore O thou God of the heauens thou maker and Lord of all creatures heare and helpe me calling vpon thée and putting my trust in thy mercie for I haue none other helper but thée O Lord God Thinke vpon me and shew thy selfe vnto me in the time of my distresses and troubles strengthen me with patience in all aduersities Thou Lord of all power knowest all things O thou mightie God aboue all heare the voice of them that haue none other hope but onlie thée deliuer me out of the hands of mine enimies and make me not a scorne vnto the foolish Heare thou my God for I am despised turne their shame vpon their owne heads for they are puft vp with pride as the stomach that is choaked with fat O Lord of hosts thou righteous searcher which knowest the reines and the verie heart let me sée them punished if it be thy will for vnto thée doo I commit my cause For though they wickedlie prouoked me to doo euill for euill yet thy word kept me backe for I behaued my selfe vprightlie towards mine enimies Therefore I humblie beséech thée let them knowe that thou art the defender of my iust cause Let my persecutors be confounded but not me thou shalt bring vpon them the time of their plague and shalt destroie them right soone Wherefore O Lord my sauiour let the same shame and confusion light vpon them which they intended to haue brought vpon me and bicause thou hast all things in thy hands and power thou wilt spéedilie reward them after their deseruings for the deapth of thy prouidence gouerneth all things and disposeth them as it pleaseth thée Good Lord make me not a mocking
in his voiage Lot from sinking among the sinfull Sodomites Ioseph from the danger of his wicked ladie and mistres the Israelites from the bondage of Pharao Daniel from the lions Ionas from drowning being thrée daies thrée nights in the whales bellie the thrée yoong men from burning that were put into the flaming fornace with manie thousands more whom of thy naturall accustomed mercie and goodnesse thou dooest preserue and euer wilt doo all those that it pleaseth thée to drawe vnto thée thorough grace I most miserable and wretched sinner doo now call vpon thée for mercie and grace acknowledging my selfe gréeuouslie to haue offended the eies of thy deitie so manie waies that I am not worthie to beare the name of a christian the burthen of mine offenses is so great Wherefore discharge me of them Lord according to thine infinit mercie For small sinnes thy small mercie sufficeth but my great sinnes require thy great mercie And as my offenses are manie in number so is there of thy mercies a great multitude yea they cannot be numbred But of one thing I am sure that it lieth not in mans power so much to offend as it is in thy mercifull power to forgiue My woonds cannot be so great and noisome but thy medicines are most pretious and healthsome wherefore heale thou me and I shall be whole from my sinnes The children of Israell might not come into thy sight being once defiled with anie vncleannesse till they were sanctified and the priests also durst not come to thy presence till they were washed for feare least they should perish how much more néed I then to desire thée Lord to wash my vncleane soule For my soule hath néed of manie dews of thy grace and manie secret drawings to thée with spirituall violence or euer it can be made cleane The leprosie of Naaman of Syria could not be clensed till he had washed himselfe seauen times in the riuer of Iordan how manie waters haue I néed to be washed with or I be purged from my vncleannesse But thy mercie O Lord is as great as thy selfe Thy grace maketh a stonie heart to be a fleshie heart in a sturdie stomach it bréedeth an humble spirit of a fierse lion it maketh a méeke lambe Whie should I then despaire of thy goodnes considering that thy iustice willeth me to trust in thée Thy promise is to haue mercie on all those that be penitent for their offenses so that thou wilt no more remember them This promise no doubt shall stand fast and sure when both heauen and earth shall passe awaie Wherefore I offer now to thy maiesty a hart contrite being sorie for the wickednes by it conceiued with a bodie subiect to thée with all humilitie and sorowfull for all the sinnes by it committed I acknowledge my faults and my sinnes is euer before me I punish my selfe with contrition bicause thou Lord shouldst giue me grace and remission I haue it euer in remembrance and set it vp in my sight bicause thou shouldst forget it and put it out of thy sight Consider Lord I praie thée the fraile metall whereof I am made receiue me thy poore creature into thy fauour for before thée I accuse my selfe to the intent thou shouldest shew mercie as thou hast promised who hast euer béene found iust in all thy saiengs I haue long straied from thée yet now am returned to thée with all my whole heart Make me therefore vpright and so to aspire to heauenlie things that neither aduersitie nor worldlie pleasure plucke it downeward Cast awaie my sinnes behind thée but cast not me from thy mercifull countenance as thou diddest king Saule for disobedience For if I loose thy gratious presence I am then sure thou wilt also take from me thy holie spirit as thou diddest from Saule O how gratious and swéet is thy spirit in all things it passeth all other swéetenes it leadeth those that loue thée into the land of righteousnes This thy holie spirit I desire may remaine still with me to teach me all veritie to confirme me in goodnes to make intercession for me vnto thée in all my necessities and infirmities Giue me therefore againe the comfort of thy helpe and stablish me with thy principall spirit For thou onelie art mightie faithfull and constant and neuer failest them that call vpon thée in faith and truth Wherefore I offer vnto thée the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing for all thy mercies and benefits putting my whole trust in thée who hast neuer failed me for which cause I am bound to praise thée now and for euermore Amen 46. A praier of the maiestie of God and of his bountifull liberalitie towards mankind O Lord thou art my GOD and my King my hope and my comfort who hast by so great prouidence created and ordained all thy creatures that the beautie excellencie of them declare thy mightie magnificence to vs all which are thy reasonable creatures The power of thy maiestie to vs knowne before is by the contemplation of them made manifest causing vs to praise and magnifie thée with all our powers We acknowledge thy power thy wisedome thy honour also and thy great glorie wherewith thou art garnished Thou art the euerlasting light and thy wisedome is the brightnesse thereof which shall neuer be quenched Thou art compassed about with bright angels and with thy saints shining in clearenesse whose inheritance is to enioie light As for vs thy poore creatures on earth great cause haue we to praise thée world without end bicause thou hast so mercifullie declared thy great goodnes to mankind in this world to his most comfort that could be deuised giuing vnto vs all things to doo vs seruice All beasts thou madest subiect for his vse which to nourish and to féed thou causest the ground naturallie to bring foorth grasse and all kind of hearbes replenishing the earth with all kind of fruit to the comfort of mans heart But aboue all things Lord féed vs with thy holie word whereby our soules are made strong and comforted For in a miserable case doo they liue from whom thou takest awaie thy holie word which is the true bread which came downe from heauen which whosoeuer eateth of shall liue for euer Lord neuer take the same awaie from vs againe but euermore féed vs with this bread Thy word maketh our enimies afraid they haue no further power to hurt thy faithfull than thou permittest them Wherefore although the wicked swell neuer so high yet we feare them not they may inuade thy church and manie of the elect members of the same but they shall neuer haue power to destroie them For thou Lord hast promised to abide with thy faithfull vnto the end of the world thy grace will not leaue them that loue and serue thée Send vs good Lord this grace that we may feruentlie imbrace the spirituall food of our soules that it may cause vs to forget our wanton and idle liues that we haue hitherto