hir frute in due season O Lorde in our trobles we wil seeke thee earelie in the morning and returne vnto thee our GOD which art readie as the spring of the daie and wilt come vnto vs as the fructifieng raine and as the timelie and latter shoure which doth good to the earth be thou in like maner a refuge vnto the poore and a timelie helper in our troble We wil loue thee deerelie O Lorde our strength thou art our rock and our defence our Sauior our God and our might in whom we wil trust our buckler the horne of our saluation and our refuge Keepe vs Lord from the hands of the vngodlie preserue vs from wicked men which are purposed to ouerthrow our goings The proude haue laide a snare for vs and spred a net abroad with cordes yea and set traps in our waie But deliuer thou our soules from death and our feete from falling For thou art righteous O Lorde and dwellest in the middes of vs doing none iniquitie but earelie earelie euerie morning bringest thou forth thy iudgement into light and wilt not be drawen awaie from sauing vs that we be not hurt of bloodie felowes of theeues murtherers whose feete are swift to shed blood In thy Name O Christ King of eternal glorie we wil tread vpon the Serpents and Scorpions ouer the whole power of the enimie and he shal not hurt vs for thy worde shal saue vs which liuest and rulest with the Father in the vnitie of the holie Spirit a God for euermore Amen 2. A thankesgiuing for the passion of Christ. WE thanke thee O Lord Iesu Christ God and man for that of thine onlie and free mercie without any works or worthines at al of ours thou hast redeemed vs and damned men through thy most innocent and holie passion O sweete Iesu how bitter and great were thy paines how horrible and cruel thy punishment how greuous and lamentable thine affliction how bloodie thy wounds thy dolors how diuers and thy death how shameful which thou sufferedst for vs How inestimable was the loue that mooued thee to endure such and so great torments to reconcile vs to the Father In the mount of Oliues through our infinite sinnes lighting vpon thee and sense of the most heauie displeasure of thy Father against our wickednes that didst sweate contrarie to our common nature blood that the drops like blood trickled vpon the earth so after a maruelous maner blood came out of thee being expelled through the resolution of the spirits nature being broken and languishing by reason of thine intolerable sorrowes and torments And therefore thy Disciples being fled thou didst voluntarilie commit thy selfe into the handes of the cruel Iewes which brought thee most rigorouslie bounde without compassion from the presence of one corrupt Iustice vnto another more cruel where thou being falselie accused was vniustlie condemned contemptuouslie spit vpon opprobriouslie obraided and buffeted most iniuriouslie For our offences thou wast wounded and for our wickednes broozed for the offences of thy people thou wast beaten killed and with sharpe thornes crowned and contumeliouslie dealt withal For our sinnes thou wast cruellie handled a worme not a man a verie scorne of men and the outcast of the people Thy looke was odious and il fauoured a man thou wast ful of sorrowes without forme or beautie so that they had no lust vnto thee Besides some couered thine eies and laide vpon thy face with their fists exasperating thy torments with manie scoffes and mockes Thy blessed bodie was so mangled and cut with stripes that euen an Ethnike pittieng the same vttered these words Behold the man. Finallie for our enormous offences thou wast hanged like an accursed wretch betweene two theeues afflicted with a most odious kind of death pierced through the hands and the feete whereby thou didst encounter with most extreeme torments which were so great that for a space thou wast after a sort without al maner comfort and so constrained through thy great sorowe and greeuousnes of paine to drinke vineger so in the extremitie of paine thou didst giue vp thy Ghost cōmending the same vnto thy deere Father in wonderful patience like a sheepe lead to the slaughter and as a lambe quiet before the shearer thou didst not open thy mouth to raile yea that was so far from thee that thou praiedst for thine enimies that so by thy torments hauing quited vs from al guilt aswel of fault as of punishment we might be healed For to this ende didst thou be are the burden of our sinnes vpon the woode of the crosse that thou mightest recouer the peace of soules for such as are healed by thy stripes and obteine the true righteousnes for as manie as beleeue on thee that the wrath of thine eternal Father which is a consuming fire doe not deuour vs. O Iesu Christ sonne of the liuing God for these torments al other thy passions we wil honor praise and thanke thee for euermore beseeching thee most humblie that thy passions may worke and take effect in vs and be a present most wholesome medicine in al necessities and that alwaies being mindful of the same we may reioice therein make it a comfort for our selues against al the tentations of Satan and the force of sinne the Law that thy crosse may be an ensample to vs that walking in thy steps we render not rebuke for rebuke but may imitate thy long suffering and praie for such as curse vs and finallie may so thinke vpon and celebrate the cause of thy death that the consideration thereof may vtterlie both extinguish al the flames of vnlawful concupiscence and burie the enticements of the flesh and also raise vp the seede of godlines and nourish the loue of virtue within vs that so being wholie dead vnto sinne we may liue vnto righteousnes serue thee which barest our sinnes in thy bodie vpon the crosse but liuest now and raignest with the Father in the vnitie of the holie Spirit a God for euermore Amen 3. A praier for true repentance O Lord God which artful of compassion mercie long suffering and of great goodnes thou continuest thy mercie for thousands taking awaie iniquitie sinnes and offences thou callest vs after thy woonted mercie by thy worde to repentance and hartie conuersion For vnto al and euerie one is repentance and forgiuenes of sinnes preached in thy Name Moreouer we knowe the riches of thy lenitie patience and long suffering in this that thou dost not suddainelie at vnawares take awaie sinners from the earth neither ouerwhelme them by by through thy iustice in their wicked deedes doing but giuest them a space to repent which is a most notable argument that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted
thy seruant to rule and gouerne this thy people committed vnto my charge Now therefore gratious Lord fauor ablic beholde me that I may treade the path of truth righteousnes and synceritie of hart in thy sight Let me not abuse mine auctoritie but gouerne with lenitie gentlenes the people vnder me that liuing a godlie and honest life mankind may enioy their desired peace Giue therefore vnto thy seruant an hart desirous of instructions that I may iudge the people descerne betweene good and euil and neither declining to the right hand or to the left stoutlie and valiantlie maintaine the cause of the righteous Grant me counsel and assistance to doe such things as are grateful vnto thee good for thy Church and profitable for my people and Commonweale Giue me thy wisedome and reiect me not from thy children For I thy seruant and sonne of thine handmaide am a fraile man of a short time and ful weake in the vnderstanding of iudgement and the lawes Thou hast chosen me a gouernor of thy people and a iudge of thy sonnes and daughters sende me therefore wisedome from thy sacred heauens and from the seate of thy magnificence that it may be with me and labor with me whereby I may perceiue what is acceptable in thine eies and learne that I haue no power of my selfe but from thee which art almightie raignest ouer the kingdomes of men giuing them at thy pleasure Grant that I neuer conceaue proudlie of my selfe but may receiue in patience the discipline of thy Lawe Make mee wise and circumspect that I neither offer ▪ iniurie to anie man neither suffer anie to be iniuried that so equitie may be maintained and iustice among men preserued Let me at no time vnder the shewe and color of equitie vphold or countenance a wicked cause neither yet without sufficient examination and trial of both parties giue sentence against anie Allowe me such counselers gouernors and ouerseers as are of courage fearing God dealing vprightlie hating couetousnes that by them the burden charge and care which I sustaine may be somewhat lightened Endue both me and them with thine holie Spirit that with earnest studie and watchful minds we may discerne betwene matters that no man through our negligence haue the ouerthrow in a righteous cause but that sentence be rightlie pronounced betweene a man and his brother and a stranger without respect of anie person in iudgement Let vs heare aswel the litle as the great and feare no man Because the iudgement is thine which standest in the companie of iudges and among the Gods thou plaiest the iudge For the iudgement is not of man but of the Lord and whatsoeuer we shal iudge it wil come vpon vs. Wherefore let thy feare be with vs that we may doe al things with care and circumspection that we proue not children in vnderstanding neither giue our selues to dronkennes and bellicheere but to eate our meate in due season and that for strength not for dronkennes For thou wilt make earnest and diligent enquirie of al our workes and search al our cogitations because we are thy seruants and deputies to gouerne men of a very short life and he which is to daie a King to morow may be dead For we be al mortal and subiect to one and the same corruption Besides an horrible iudgement is nigh for such as walke not after the wil of thee our god For he that is most low shal finde mercie but the mightie shal be mightilie tormented For thou which art the Lord ouer al regardest not the person of anie neither doest thou feare the greatnes of the mightie Because aswel the great as the smal are the workemanship of thine handes thy care is equal ouer al and giuest to godlie Princes eternal happines which art the Iudge both of the quicke and dead liuing and raigning with thy Sonne in the vnitie of the Spirit a God for euermore Amen A praier of Subiects for their Prince O Almightie God King of Kings and Lord of Lords in thine hande is al power both in heauen and earth thou confirmest kingdomes and againe doest alter them according to thine heauenlie pleasure c. This praier you shal finde afore pag. 7. A praier for a married man. O GOD almightie auctor and institutor of matrimonie which in the copling together of male and female dost offer vnto vs a consideration of the sacred and great mysterie of the marriage of our Lord and Sauior Christ with his spouse the Church and with al expresse the most burning affection of thy sonne towards his beloued Spouse For he offered himselfe vpon the altar of the crosse to sanctifie and clense hir by the washing of water through the word and to make hir glorious for himselfe without spot or wrincle or any such thing For euen as the husband by an inseparable bande of good wil is bound to the wife so that both prosperitie and aduersitie is common to them both so is Christ copled to his Church through suffering vpon his owne flesh the punishmēt which was due vnto hir and by making vs with him felowe heires of eternal ioie by couering our offences So that now there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesu which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Whereby we gather that man should loue his wife euen as his owne bodie For no man euer yet hated his owne flesh howsoeuer crooked old weak leane or deformed it be but so much the more carefullie doth hide couer those faults by how much they appeere the more deformed Yea he doth nourish and cherish that weake part euen as Christ doth loue his Church though foule and deformed with sinne which casteth not hir of though she seeme il fauored but healeth hir griefes dissembleth much forgiueth and wypeth awaie hir offences I beseech thee O Father which art neither made nor begotten marrie mee for euer vnto thy Sonne marrie me vnto him in righteousnes iudgement in godlines and mercie marrie me vnto him in faith that I may truelie knowe thee my Lorde and God which wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and liue O thou onlie begotten Sonne of God ioine me I beseech thee vnto thy bodie that ingraffed in thee I may drawe from thee the iuice of life and of heauenlie wisedome Defende mee and thine whole Church against the rage of Satan the world and the flesh Loue cherish and comfort such as are ingraffed to thy flesh Purge and wash me fro my sinnes filthines and spots through thy great mercie and merits Deck me with thy gifts goodnes Wash me with water purge me with thy blood Annoint me with thine oile of gladnes put vpon me thy roabes of righteousnes and couer me with thy glorious purple
and heresies ouerflowe Wherefore wel may I say as did Nestor vnto his children Praie for vnles that God helpe vs we al perish Furthermore our couenant made with God at our Baptisme whereby we promised to forsake the Diuel al his workes c. to beleeue al the articles of the Christian faith and to keepe Gods holie wil and commandement c. shoulde driue vs therevnto For neither can Satan be resisted nor our faith manifested nor GOD duelie honored without praier Finallie omitting al other reasons which are infinite the shortnes of our life the suddaines of Christes comming his seuerenes in iudgement when he is come should make vs not slightlie to ouerpasse this noble exercise For what auaileth it though in this worlde we abounde in wealth excel in honor haue al thinges according to our harts desire and then when Christ shal returne we are founde vnreadie and so lose our soules Happie therefore is that seruant whome the Lorde at his comming shal find watchfull and happie are those Virgins which expect the bridegroome with oyle in their lamps But that euil seruant which shal saie in his hart my Lorde wil long be a comming and so begin to smite his fellowes yea and to eate and drinke with the dronken his Lord wil come in a daie when he looketh not for him and in an houre when he is not aware of and shal hew him in peeces and giue him his portion with hypocrites there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth and those virgins which are careles and secure accompanie not the bridegroome to his wedding but are excluded out of the gates and heare I knowe yee not The waightines of these reasons Honorable haue especialie mooued me through the earnest request of some which for their godlie zeale I loue vnfainedly and reuerence did greatlie prick me forwarde to bring these diuine Meditations I cal them diuine partlie because they are of diuine matters concerne the glorie of God partlie for that they procede from a diuine spirit but in this respect chiefly because they are wholy as fewe or no other praier Booke is that I knowe taken out of the pure fountaines of the diuine Scriptures of the right learned and vertuous of famous memorie Maister Iohn Auenar into our English tongue A booke certes most necessarie in respect of the extreeme securitie wherein we liue Gratefullie it hath bin accepted hetherto in the Latine and Germane tongues and now by the working of Gods holie spirit shal profite verie much if it be vsed as it should be that is if the vser thereof praie Religiouslie in faith charitablie being voide of rancor and malice zealouslie with an ardent affection of the minde and humbly without pride 1 Faith is necessarie For without faith it is impossible to please God. Therfore onely the faithful doe praie For how can men cal vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued It is sinne whatsoeuer is not done through faith Therefore the praier of infidels is no praier but hypocrisie and a damnable abuse of good words neither can it obtaine any thing at the handes of God according to that of Saint Iames He which wauereth let him not thinke that he can obtaine any thing from God. 2 Charitie is necessarie For we must praie one for another and for our enimies as our Sauior doth counsaile vs saieng When ye stande praieng forgiue if yee haue ought against any man that your Father also which is in Heauen may forgiue you your trespasses c Againe the spirite of God saith Forgiue thy neighbor the hurt that he hath done thee and so shal thy sinnes be forgiuen thee also when thou praiest A man that beareth hatred against another how dare he aske forgiuenes of god He that sheweth no mercie to a man which is like himselfe how dare he aske forgiuenes of his sinnes c. and for al men as may appeare in the first Epistle of Saint Paule vnto Timothie 3 Zeale is necessarie For what is praier without the same but a verie babling and vaine multiplication of words yea there is no praier where this affection is not For praier is a vehement desire of the hart to obtaine something at the hands of god God loketh not vpon the face as man doth but beholdeth the hart neither doth he listen to the sounde of the mouth but to the sighes of the minde After this manner doe Christians praie their affections are bent towardes God they alwaies hunger and thirst after righteousnes 4. Humilitie is necessarie For vpon whome shal my spirite abide saith the Lord but vpon him which is of a lowlie spirite The praier of him which humbleth himselfe goeth through the clowdes Much better is it for a sinner to be humble than for a righteous man to be arrogant as may appeare in the Pharisie Publicane It remaineth now that as the Auctor of this Booke choase for patrone thereof not for any defence that it needed but because others the more willinglie woulde reade and accept the same being dedicated vnto an honorable person gratious in the eies both of the Nobilitie and baser sort the mightie Prince Lorde Augustus Duke of Saxonie c. so mooued thervnto by the singular fame of your honors most virtuous inclination I present the same now translated for what other paines I haue taken I spare vpon good considerations to vtter vnto your honor beseeching you to accept this my doing in good part as my hope is you wil and then I doubt not being graciously receaued of so worthie a person but gratefullie it wil be vsed of the better sort for whose sake I haue published the same God almightie which is the father of lights mercy and consolation from whom euery good gift and euerie perfect gift doth proceede blesse your honor as with accesse of temporall benefits so especially and aboue all with encrease of his heauenlie blessings that long you may liue a godlie Counsailer to our virtuous Queene a profitable member to this Realme of Englande a speciall fauorer of the Church of Christ and a famous aduancer of his truth and glorie to your euerlasting comfort and felicitie Amen At London the tenth of October An. D. 1579. Your honors to commande Thomas Rogers ¶ A Preface of Maister Iohn Auenar Doctor of Diuinitie and Publike Professor of the Hebrue tongue in the Vniuersitie of Witeberge taken out of his Epistle before his Booke of daily Praiers dedicated to the most mightie Prince and Duke Augustus High marshal of the Romane Empire c. THe chosen vessel of God Saint Paule in his former Epistle vnto Timothie doth exhort that first of al deprecations supplications intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for al men For Kings and for al that are in auctoritie that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in al godlines
but that which may please thee and tend to the aduancement of thy glorie and health of our soules Gouerne thou our vnderstanding and wil and so direct al the cogitations of our hart that we may wholie be thine and sauor of nothing besides thee our God and Redeemer Teach vs the waie of thy Commandements O Lord and we wil keepe it vnto the ende Giue vs vnderstanding to keepe thy lawes and to loue thee our Lord God with al our hart with al our soule and with al our strength and let al thy restimonies be our delight and Counselers Comfort the soules of thy seruants for vnto thee O Lord haue we lifted vp our soules For thou Lorde art good and gentle and of great kindnes to as many as cal vpon thee Behold God earelie now this Morning we doe offer our selues a Morning sacrifice vnto thee a trobled spirit a broken and an humble hart O Lorde thou wilt not despise Make vs fit that we may likewise We see the workmanship of thine hands the Moone and Stars which thou hast ordained and we wil signifie thy glorie vnto al nations and among al people wil we declare thy wonderful things For thou art mightie O Lord and worthie to be praised great is thy virtue and thy power wonderful We thanke thee holie Father God of heauen because thou hast created by thy worde of power the vniuersal worlde with al the creatures and whatsoeuer is liueth or mooueth in the same By thy wisedome thou doest gouerne and by sending of thy Spirit as yet doest vpholde and cherish the same For al woods fruteful trees stones graine flowers herbes and al the grasse of the fielde hast thou ordained for the vse of man. We magnifie thee O God most wise for creating the sea springs of water by the power of thy worde and for giuing them virtue to bring forth fishes of al kinde to be eaten of man. We blesse thee O eternal God for making the superior and lower regions of the aier with al birdes and fethered foules of sondrie kindes for the foode of man. We glorifie thee for giuing the whole frame of this earth with al the creatures in the same vnto mankind and setting man ouer the works of thine hands hast subiected al things vnder his feete Al sheepe and oxen yea and al the beastes of the field The foules of the aire and the fish of the sea which walke through the paths of the sea Especially we praise thee our Lord and maker for making vs thy creatures reasonable men according to thine owne similitude for giuing vs reason and al the senses and for preseruing vs hitherto Thou didst nourish vs that wonderfully being within our mothers wombe and out thereof hast thou brought vs sound in al parts without imperfection and yet continuest thy fauor and dost keepe vs against al dangers and deliuerest vs from al euil and al these things dost thou of thy fatherlie and diuine goodnes without any merit or desert of ours for al which we are bound to thanke thee to praise thee to serue honor and obey thee We extol thy sacred Name O God most high for separating from the rest a Sabbaoth daie that so men cessing from their handie labor the better might serue and celebrate thine honor Who is he that can recite al the power of the Lorde or declare al his workes who can number out al his praises No man can vtter al his benefits Notwithstanding although we be miserable men and wretched sinners and therefore most vnmeete to extol thee according to thy deserts yet wil we not be stil we wil praise thee euermore to the vttermost of our power We wil declare thy iustice and mercie and while we liue wil we remember thy goodnes and at no time forget thy benefits O our soules praise the Lord we wil praise the Lord during our life we wil sing to the Lorde while we haue breath We wil be mindful of our maker euen from our youth and seeke him euermore yea euen vnto our old age and graie head O God forsake vs not vntil we haue declared thy power vnto al nations that are to come Praise the Lord al ye nations praise him al ye people For his louing kindnes is great toward vs and his truth endureth for euer Praise ye the Lord in his sanctuarie praise him in the firmament of his power Praise him in his mightie actes praise him according to his excellent greatnes Let euerie thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lorde 3. A praier for the remission of sinnes RIghteous and merciful God which art cleere from spot and sin al thy waies are mercie and truth We miserable folkes and wretched sinners acknowledge the horrible corruption of our nature and with humble and sorrowful harts bewaile our filthines whereby we haue polluted that image imprinted within vs at our first creation We openlie confesse that manie and great are our sinnes our offences wonderful our transgressions are infinite euen as the sand of the Sea which cannot be numbred For al the cogitations of mans hart are prone to euil euermore O Lord who knoweth his sinnes or who can recite al the transgressions of man Behold we confesse our offences and our sinne is alwaies before vs. Against thee onelie we haue sinned and done euil in thine eies that thou maiest be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest Behold we were borne in iniquitie and in sin did our mothers conceaue vs and those our sinnes haue we multiplied in our dailie transgressions and therefore haue deserued thy iust displeasure with paines eternal Notwithstanding we appeale vnto thy mercie O Lord beseeching thee not to enter into iudgement with thy seruants for no flesh is righteous in thy sight For if thou streitlie obseruest iniquities O Lorde who shal stand If thou wilt contend with mâ—n he shal not be able to answere thee one for a thousand For what is man that he shoul be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Behold thou foundest no stedfastnes in thy Saints yea the heauens are not cleare in thy sight How much more is man abominable and filthie which drinketh iniquitie like water Behold Lord we are al become vncleane and al our righteousnes is like a filthie cloute Wherfore we humbly beseech thee haue mercy vpon vs O God according to thy great mercy and according to the multitude of thy compassions doe away our iniquities Wash vs throughly from our iniquities and clense vs from our sinne For thy Name sake O Lord be merciful vnto our iniquitie for it is great Remember not the sinnes of our youth nor our rebellions but according to thy kindnes remember thou vs
affliction Wherefore we wil not for euer be forgetful of thy iustifications for they haue reuiued vs. Vnto thee Lord wil we list vp our eies on hie from whence our helpe shal come Betimes in the morning doe we cal vpon thee that thy mercie may preuent vs and thy goodnes ouertake vs quicklie Let thy fauor preuent vs as doth the Sunne which rising spreadeth his beames ouer al the partes of the earth and as the light of the morning when the Sunne appeareth earelie when it shineth without the cloudes After the same sort giue vs thy cleerenes and shew thy countenance ouer vs that lightened by thy word we may walke al this day long circumspectlie and warelie in the waies of thy commandements that being blinded in the daie time we runne not into darkenes neither grope at noone day as in the night wandering from the pathes of thy iudgements O God be merciful vnto vs and blesse vs shew vs the light of thy countenance and be gracious vnto vs That we may know thy way vpon earth and thy sauing health among al nations O most merciful GOD turne thine eies of compassion vpon vs and haue mercie on vs Looke vpon vs with thy fauorable coūtenance and turne not thy face from thy seruants Open our eies that we may consider the wonderful things in thy Lawe and make vs in the morning to behold thy glorie O God guider of our life forsake vs not neither giue vs a prowd looke and turne from vs the filthines of desire Remooue from our harts al concupiscence and take from thy seruants too ouerbolde a stomack suffer vs not to run headlong into riotousnes and bellichere let not vnlawful loue ouercome vs and giue not thy seruants ouer into impudent mindes Turne our eies that they behold no vanitie and strengthen vs in thy waie grant that the offences in this world ouerthrow vs not Beholde Lord our soules lust after thy saluation and we long for thy worde We beseech thee O Lord with a most ernest affection and humbly craue at thy merciful hands that this daie and euermore thou wilt keepe vs and al ours from the arrow flieng in the daie from the pestilence and plague that destroieth at noone tide Hide vs vnder thy wings and vnder thy feathers we wil haue hope Blinde the eies of our enimies that they see not and make their loines alwaie to tremble But open thine eies ouer vs and be thou vnto vs a mightie protector this daie a firmament of strength a couering against heate and parching a shadowe at noone tide a defence from offending an assister from falling a comforter of our soules a lightener of our minds and a giuer of health and happines in Christ our Lorde Amen 2. A thankesgiuing for our redemption O Iesu Christ Sonne of the liuing God which art the eternal word that was in the beginning the true substantial image of thine eternal Father the character and brightnes of his glory begotten of him before al worlds of one vndiuided essence of like maiestie and equal glorie We worship thee light of lights verie God of verie God begotten not made of one substance with the Father by whom al things were made We thanke thee for al thy benefits generallie speciallie for that at an appointed time according to the eternal counsaile and decree of the Father thou didst voluntarilie for vs men and for our saluatiō descend from heauen and was incarnate by the holie Ghost borne of the vnspotted and pure virgine Marie and truelie toke our flesh vpon thee and saued vs miserable wretched and damned sinners and deliuered vs from death and power of Satan not with golde and siluer but by thine holie and precious blood and by thine vndeserued passion and death and that of thine infinite goodnes and mercie without any merits or worthines of ours For al which we yeeld thee most hartie thanks as we are bounde For thou alone being iust hast satisfied by thine obedience the iudgement of the Father and on our behalfe offering the sacrifice of thy bodie hast deliuered vs from the tyrannie of death whereby we were held captiues For so great was the displeasure of thy Father against our sinnes that no creature could asswage the same but thou alone O onely begotten Sonne of God. O Christ most merciful God how inestimable is thy loue towards al mankind how infinite and vnspeakable thy goodnes how woonderful thine humilitie For thou being iust didst die suffer for the vniust A greater loue can no man haue than to giue his life for his friend but thou commendest thine abundant most burning affection toward vs in that being voide of al fault thou wouldest suffer death for our sakes being as yet strangers thine enimies and hast reconciled vs by thy death vnto thy Father and appeased his most heauie displeasure forgiuing al our sinnes and cancelling the hand writing which was against vs which was contrarie vnto vs hast taken it out of the way and fastened it vpon the crosse And hast spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openlie triumphing ouer them by thy selfe and by thy profitable arising againe from the dead hast repared our true righteousnes which consisteth in the forgiuing of our sins and hast made vs acceptable to thy Father whereby wee please him through our reconciliation thou dost comfort our harts by the preaching of thy Gospel which worketh in vs the beginning of eternal life and by thine holie Spirit thou kindlest in vs like motions vnto thy selfe whereby we please thy Father through thee and thine obedience O Lord Iesu Christ lambe of God which takest awaie the sins of the world haue mercie vpon vs thou which sauest vs through thine owne merit virtue grant vs thy grace that the fruit of thy most sacred passion may worke effectually and profitablie within vs let not the labor which thou hast taken the paine that thou hast suffered for our redemption be in vaine through our vnthankfulnes O thou eternal intercessor word of God and his wisedome which outwardlie speakest vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospel instruct inwardlie our troubled harts by thy liuely word and effectual consolation that being mindful of thy sacrifice and suffering for our sinnes we may feele true comfort and peace of the holie Spirit in our harts Kindle in our brests a liuelie faith depending vpon thy benefits that being deliuered from the feare of hel we may finde righteousnes in thee eternal life For thou didst suffer for our sinnes rise againe for our iustification that liuing we shold her after not liue to our selues but to thee which diedst and rosest againe for vs. Grant therefore that likewise being quickned we may rise againe from al our sinnes and liue in
thee and may be thine properlie abiding in thy kingdome serue thee with a willing minde in righteousnes and true holines so that at length in the latter daie we may rise againe with our bodies vnto a blessed life and so both in bodie soule being redeemed from al euils in perpetual blisse happines may triumph with al thine holie Angels Patriarches Prophets and al thine elect and endued with vnspeakable and euerlasting ioie may praise thee our Sauior which hast ascended aboue al the heauens sittest at the right hand of God the Father almightie with whom thou liuest and reignest for euermore Amen 3. A praier for Faith. O Eternal God and heauenlie Father which art Alpha Omega the beginning the ending thou art the cause and absolute perfection of our life and saluation the euerlasting and infinit good from whom proceedeth euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift to wit from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenes neither shadowing by turning We beseech thee in the Name of our Sauior Christ thy Sonne that through thine holie Spirit thou wilt plant in our harts a true knowledge of the same thy Sonne and keepe vs therein euermore make it plentiful and prosper euerie daie that replenished with the knowledge of thy wil in al wisedome and spiritual vnderstanding we may walke worthie the Lorde pleasing thee in al things being fruitful in al good works and encreasing in thy knowledge strengthened in al might through his glorious power vnto al patience and long suffering with ioiefulnes and may abounde in faith and word and knowledge and al diligence For this cause we bowe our knees vnto thee Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ of whom is named the whole family in heauen in earth that thou wilt grant vs according to the riches of thy glorie that we may be strengthened by thine holie Spirit into new men that Christ may dwel in our harts by faith being rooted and grounded in loue may be able with al Saints to comprehende the true knowledge of thine essence and wil according vnto thy word reuealed No man hath seene thee O God at anie time neither hath anie behelde the countenance of thy Maiestie For no man knoweth the Sonne which is of thy verie substance but thou the Father alone neither hath any knowen thee but the Sonne he to whom he doth reueale thee Wherefore we beseech thee of thine infinit goodnes and mercie draw vs vnto him let him bring vs vnto thee Giue the knowledge of saluation to thy people by the remission of their sinnes through thy tender mercie that in thy Sonne we may find righteousnes euen remission of sinnes reconciliation and newnes of our mindes through the holie Spirit whereby we may become heires of eternal life being iustified by the grace of Christ in whom we beleeue which was offered for our sinnes For he taking our punishment vpon himselfe did satisfie thy iustice fullie and washed vs by his pretious blood from al our iniquities and reconciled vs in the bodie of his flesh through death to make vs holie and blameles and without fault in thy sight Make vs therfore strong in faith and constant to resist al the ingins of Satan and proceeding from faith to faith to attaine that righteousnes which is auaileable before thee by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu whom thou hast appointed to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood that iustified by his grace we may haue peace of conscience and free accesse vnto the Father Holie and merciful God we humblie beseech thee which hast raised in vs the sparkles of true faith make perfect this good which thou hast begon in vs and bring it vntil the daie of our Lord Iesu Christ wherby abounding more and more in knowledge and in al iudgement we may allow the better and be pure without offence vntil that daie filled with the fruite of righteousnes which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God. Wherefore appoint thy strength establish O God which thou hast wrought in vs that fighting a good fight we may retaine faith a good conscience least vnder persecution and aduersities being tossed we make shipwrack of our faith Helpe our weake and feeble faith which is like the graine of mustard seede within vs that encreasing dailie more and more it may take deepe roote and remaine firme alwaies and immoueable and neuer vanish awaie among so many sectes and diuisions in this worlde Extinguish al the doubtings of thy wil sticking in our corrupt nature let vs not mistrust thy promises of eternal and temporal benefits but applieng thy promises vnto our selues alwaies giue credit vnto thy worde and so depending wholie therevpon contrarie to al sense of humane reason we shal obteine a crowne of immortal glorie Grant likewise heauenlie Father that our faith be not barren vaine or dead without good workes and fruites of the Spirit but effectual working by charitie that we may receiue the ende of our faith euen the saluation of our soules and behold thee whome we now see by faith as it were in a glasse darklie in another world looking vpon thy Maiestie face to face in Christ our Sauior our Lord and God Amen 4. A praier for the Kingdome of God. MErciful and gratious God which hast called vs vnto thy kingdome and glorie and of thy fatherlie and good pleasure enioined vs this care that first and afore al things we should seeke thy Kingdome and the righteousnes thereof We beseech thee through and for thy Sonne our Lorde and Sauior Christ his sake teach our weake minds gouerne our wil and harts that without inuerting this thine appointed order we may first seeke that thou maiest shine within vs apprehende thy righteousnes by a true and liuelie faith and be vnited vnto thee our eternal King. Grant therefore that thy worde may be preached euerie where plainelie and purelie without fraud and that we may cast downe al our imaginations and euerie hie thing that is exalted against thy knowledge and leade our vnderstanding captiue to the obedience of the worde which thou hast deliuered and obey thy Gospel in al simplicitie of faith according to the good plesure of thy wil to the praise of the glorie of thy grace Assist vs O our Father which art in heauen that both thy word may be purely and sincerely preached we thereby as becometh the sonnes of God reformed in our liues Giue vs thine holie Spirit that we may beleeue thy word through thy grace and so leade a godlie and virtuous life in this worlde and liue hereafter with thy sonne in eternal blisse Breake thou of and hinder al the consultations and deuises both of the diuel the worlde and the flesh which do neither sanctifie thine
infinite that it can neither be augmented nor diminished For looke how hie the Heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is thy mercie also towardes them which feare thee And as far as the East is from the West so far hast thou set our sinnes from vs. For as a Father pittieth his owne children euen so art thou merciful to al which feare thee Yea though a Mother doe forget hir infant and take no pittie on the sonne of hir wombe yet wilt not thou forget vs for we are written vpon thine hands The mercie of the Lord is vnchangeable infinite and neuer faileth but dailie ariseth newe and fresh vpon vs. The merciful goodnes of the Lord endureth for euer and euer vpon them which feare him his righteousnes vpon childers children such as keepe his couenants and thinke vpon his commandements to doe them Thy mercie is on such as feare thee from generation to generation The mercie that a man hath reacheth vnto his neighbor but the mercie of the Lorde is vpon al flesh chastening and teaching and nurturing yea euen as a shepheard turneth againe his flock so doth he al them which receiue chastening nurture and doctrine Merciful art thou vnto al them which receiue correction and diligentlie seeke after thy iudgements And although for a while thou forsakest vs yet afterward in much fauor wilt thou gather vs together In the time of thy wrath thou hidest thy face from vs for a little season but for al that thy mercie towarde vs is euerlasting Blessed be thy Name O God of our Fathers which when thou art angrie shewest mercie and in the time of troble forgiuest the sinnes of them which cal vpon thee This thy goodnes and ouerabounding mercie which hath bin from the beginning and for euer shal continue ouer al which vnfainedlie repent neuer languishing or failing but abiding perfect alwaies in the highest degree we wil praise and confesse from one generation to another For gratious and merciful is the Lord patient and long suffering bent to shew fauor and meruelouslie gentle towards al that cal vpon him Praise the Lord al ye heathen and glorifie him al nations For his merciful kindnes is euer more and more toward vs. We wil not keepe back thy louing mercie and truth from the great congregation withdraw not thou thy mercies from vs O Lorde let thy kindnes and truth alwaie preserue vs. O let thy merciful kindnes be our comfort according to thy worde vnto thy seruants O deale with thy seruants according to thy great mercie and teach vs thy statutes that in like maner we may be merciful toward al men without respect of persons or hope of gaine willinglie without morositie that in thy iudgement we may finde mercie through the passion and death of thy sonne Iesus Christ which liueth raigneth with thee in the vnitie of the holie Spirit a God worlds without ende Amen 3. A praier for an happie departure out of this worlde O Most gratious God thy yeares endure throughout al generations thy daies are without ende or beginning but the daies of man surelie are determined which he can not ouerpasse and the nomber of his moneths are knowen to thee thou hast appointed him his bounds which he cannot go beyonde Thou hast nombred our daies which vade awaie sodainelie like the grasse For we are soone dispatched and easelie consume Our daies are like a shadowe and wither awaie like grasse A man in this world is euen like a vapor that vanisheth awaie For al flesh is grasse and al the glorie thereof as the flower of the fielde which florisheth in the morning and afterwarde withereth and vadeth Behold our daies are to be measured they are as it were a spanne long and our age is nothing in respect of thee And verilie euerie man liuing is altogether vanitie Our age is folden together and taken awaie from vs like a shepherdes cotage our life is cut of by our sinnes like the thred of the weauer which is sodainlie broke of Wâ— are but strangers in this woâ—â—de and soiourners as were our fathers our daies on the earth also are but as a shadow and we are as nothing in respect of thee Our life speedilie goeth awaie like the weauers shuttle and it abideth not Wherefore Lord let vs know our end and the number of our daies that we may be certified how long we haue to liue and what is yet to come Instruct vs O Lord that being alwaies mindful of our mortalitie we neuer promise to our selues manie yeeres nor long liues in this pilgrimage of ours so shal we not liue securelie deferring our conuersion to thee from daie to daie nor yet put confidence in this fraile and vncertaine life as did that rich man saieng Soule thou hast much good laid vp in store for manie yeeres take thine ease eate drinke and be merie Whose soule notwithstanding was taken from him the same night But giue grace that in thy feare we may dailie prepare oâ— selues to depart out of this prison for nothing is more certaine than death though nothing more vncertaine than the houre thereof Therefore let vs haue alwaies before our eies an image and meditation of our departure the better to know the fleeting and vanitie of this combersome and vncertaine life that we may liue to thee our God being sounde in faith and strong in hope loking with cherefulnes for the daie of our departure the ioiful appearing of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Redeeemer and as long as we abide in this tabernacle of our bodies with al studie ministering to our faith virtue to virtue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience to patience godlines vntil this tabernacle being laid awaie we shal passe ouer to our dwelling place not made with hande but euerlasting in the heauens where we shal be clothed with eternal glorie immortalitie when this earthlie house is put of and destroied Grant also that trusting firmelie to thy promises we may be readie and glad to returne to our euerlasting and celestial country for while we are in this bodie we wander froÌ„ thee our God for now we walke in faith not in the enioieng and possession of eternal goodes wherfore whether we be at home or from home let vs endeuor our selues to be acceptable in thy sight Make vs faithful and wise seruants alwaies loking for the comming of our Lord for we know not when he wil come at the euening or at midnight whether at the cock crowing or in the dawning least by a suddaine houre of death being ouertaken and as it were caught in the foulers trap we be found vnreadie but contrariwise by prudent watching in true conuersion and repentance may continuallie couet to be dissolued and to be with
in supplications praiers night and daie being diligent in al good works not occupied in pleasures neither wanton idle wandering from house to house no tatlers nor busiebodies no speakers of things vncomelie nor giuers of occasion whereby thy worde may be blasphemed Keepe al parents that they being taken awaie either by war or vntimelie death their wiues be not widowes their sonnes orphanes running here and there a begging be thou their helper euen for Christ his sake our Lord and Sauior Amen 7. A praier against desperation O Most merciful God greatlie haue we sinned and alas are guiltie of manifolde crimes For this cause diuerslie is our conscience clogged so that we are wonderfullie agast beholding such bloodie wounds of our soules And albeit thy Gospel dailie doth offer vnto vs in good sooth forgiuenes of our sinnes through thy meere grace yet our faith is maruelouslie weake by reason of the infirmitie of our flesh and dailie batterings of Satan which by craft endeuoureth to plucke vs from al hope and consolation Therefore vnto thee doe we crie O most holie Father and eternal God keepe vs in thy Name that in tentations and extremities â–ª we neuer faint in courage Moderate and mitigate our vexations let them come to a ioieful ende that we fal not into the most heinous sinne of incredulitie and despaire Comfort vs that in the middes of death we may trust in thee the God of our life and righteousnes Let vs neuer despaire of thy mercie grace nor thinke with Cain that blasphemous cursed wretch that our sinnes are mo than may be forgiuen O staie vs Lord according to thy word and we shal be safe Let vs alwaies beleue that where sinne aboundeth grace doth more abounde and as sinne hath raigned vnto death so that grace doth raigne through righteousnes vnto eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord. O Christ Sauior of the world and most gratious God whose mercie commeth vpon vs like a streame art the eternal Orator which both outwardlie talkest to mankinde by thy Gospel and inwardlie in our harts inflamest thy light which is true confession faith and comfort in thee we beseech thee from the bottome of our harts encreâ—â— faith establish hope 〈…〉 then patience within vs. For this certainelie is tru 〈…〉 one little drop of thy most 〈…〉 blood shed for vs is of more power to saue vs than al our enormous manifold sinnes to condemne vs. Wherfore looke back vpon vs O Sauior with thine eies of mercie as thou lookedst back vpon Peter in the hal of the hie Priests house after he had both renounced thee and cursed himselfe least through diffidence we fal from thy grace as Iudas the traitor did which hoong himselfe and afterward brake in the middes whereby al his bowels gushed out and so commit the like offence and sinne against the holie Ghost O God the holie Ghost be thou present with vs at our extreeme neede when the Diuels wil accuse vs and our conscience beare witnes against vs when the cogitations of hel and death wil daunt vs when we shal be enuironed with horrible dangers and tentations when the whole world wil forsake vs and al 〈…〉 ings set themselues against vs 〈…〉 n our harts O comforta 〈…〉 at that time with the seale 〈…〉 stimonie that vndoubtedlie 〈…〉 n beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes the resurrection of the flesh and euerlasting life which shal be giuen without faile to vs and to al beleeuers O blessed Trinitie and eternal God of one essence giue grace that in euerie combate and especiallie at the point of death being mindful of thy couenant made with vs at our christening and of thy most comfortable promise annexed He which beleeueth and is baptised shal be saued we may neuer doubt either of thy merciful goodwil toward vs or of the free remission of our sinnes but by often remembring this signe and couenant may dailie more and more be confirmed in faith and hope of perpetual happines and applie thy benefits which certainelie thou hast promised faithfullie wilt performe vnto our selues For thy promises made to such as beleeue trust on thee be not vaine and to no purpose Likewise vpholde our soules by the Sacrament of thy Supper that strengthened with the seale of this newe testament wee may be the more certaine and confirmed touching our reconciliation and euerlasting righteousnes and alwaies beare it fixed in our minds For if the testament of a man which is proued after the death of the testator be not smal accounted of much more should the last testament and holie sacrament of our Sauior Christ remaine pure in continual force and remembrance O blessed Trinitie and eternal Vnitie lift vp our sorowful harts and poure vpon vs the wholesome comfort of heauenlie blisse at the point of death refresh vs with the sweete sight of thy cheereful countenance that with exceeding ioie we may desire to depart to come into thine heauenlie house where thou liuest and raignest a God for euermore Amen 8. Euening praier on Saturdaie WE wil coÌ„fesse thee O Lord King and praise thee O God our Sauior we giue thankes vnto thy Name For thou art our defender and helper and hast preserued our bodies from destruction and from the snares of the slanderous tongues and from the lips that are occupied with lies Thou hast bin our helper from such as stoode vp against vs and deliuered vs after the multitude of thy mercies and for thine holie Name sake from the roaring of theÌ„ which were readie to deuour vs out of the hands of such as sought after our liues and from the manifold afflictions which we had from the deepe of hel from an vncleane tong from lieng words from false accusations and from vnrighteous sentence Our soules shal praise the Lorde vnto the death For our liues drew nigh vnto hel downeward Euils enuironed vs on euerie side and there was no man to helpe vs We looked about if there were any man to succour vs but there was none Then thought we vpon thy mercie O Lorde and vpon thine actes that thou euer hast done of old For thou deliuerest al which put their trust in thee and riddest them out of the handes of their enimies Then wee lifted vp our praiers from the earth and praied for deliuerance from death We called vpon the Lord the father of our Lord that he would not leaue vs without helpe in the daie of our truble and in the time of the proude We wil praise thy Name continuallie yeelding honor and thanks vnto the same For our praiers were heard and thou hast saued vs from destruction and from al euil Therefore we wil acknowledge and praise thee we wil magnifie thy Name for keeping vs from our youth vntil this present weeke and for protecting vs alwaies of thy gratious mercie Righteous
of good letters maintaine peace and concorde in his Church and make vs al continually to addict our selues to aduance his glorie both in deede and worde and to benefite his Church to the vttermost of our power that liuing alwaies in his feare we may die in his fauor and rise againe to euerlasting blessednes Amen A Praier to be saide at the comming into the Temple O ALMIGHTIE God and heauenlie Father in the multitude of thy mercie we wil come into thine house and in thy feare wil we worship towardes thine holie Temple Direct our step◠in thy worde Bring vs into the path of thy commandements For thou art the God of our saluation Lorde we haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honor dwelleth O Lorde of hostes how amiable are thy Tabernacles Our soules long yea and pine away through the desire to come vnto thy court Wee wil acknowledge thee in a great Congregation we wil praise thee among much people Come let vs worship fal downe and kneele before the Lord our maker For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his hande Exalt the Lorde our God and fal downe before his footestoole for he is holie We wil go vnto the altar of God euen vnto the God which comforteth our soules and in an acceptable time doe we make our praier euen in the multitude of thy mercie O God heare vs in the truth of thy saluation Amen An earnest petition for the assistance of Gods holy Spirit that our praiers may be zealous and effectual O Almightie and merciful God Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ forasmuch as it is thy wil and plesure that in al our necessities we should cal vpon thee our God worship thee and with yeelding hartie thankes extol thine holie Name and therwithal hast promised to heare our petitions we are emboldened to direct our praiers vnto thy diuine Maiestie But considering the weakenes of our nature to be such that we knowe not how to aske as we should and thou alone both wiselie doest knowe and effectually canst grant not onely what we doe desire but a great deale more than we can thinke vpon our praier shal be vnto thee our God that according to thy promise thou wilt poure vpon vs the Spirit of grace and praier which may with vnspeakable groanings make intercession for vs that not with lips onely our harts being far from thee but with minde and mouth together we may vnfeinedlie as becometh true worshippers in spirit and truth with a burning affection of the hart cal vpon thee which art the true and eternal God and offer the grateful sacrifice of thankesgiuing Prepare thou our minds to praier make them zelous least otherwise we be like such as praieng tempt god Therefore in our praiers let vs not dissemble like Hypocrites neither boast of our wel doing like Pharisees to be seene of men but onely set forth thy glorie and aduance thine holie Name Turne our harts from beholding either images or strange Gods or else dead Saints but let vs worship 〈◊〉 onelie serue thee in our praiers which art our Lord God Creator of al things sercher of the hart rich towards al that cal vpon thee Instruct our minds that we desire not foolishlie vaine and transitorie things But let vs alwaie craue corporal things according to thy wil with this condition If they bring none hurt vnto our soules and euermore prefer celestial things which are to be asked without al exception before worldelie that our ioie may be perfect in the heauens Grant therefore almightie Father that we may certainely perswade our selues that whatsoeuer we shal aske at thine hands through faith we shal obteine the same and let vs neuer doubt of thy fatherlie affection towarde vs or bring thy willingnes to grant our petitions into question but through a liuely faith and firme confidence let vs constantly beleeue that our praiers shal effectually be hearde through and for thy Christs sake in whom al thy promises are yea and are in him Amen Furthermore if at any time our praiers be not granted speedilie according to our wish giue vs a strong faith that wee faint not but may through patience expect thine aide knowing that coming it wil come and thy truth wil not linger Gouerne therfore our harts by thine holie spirit that we appoint not a time manner or limits of helping vs but may in al thinges submit our selues to thy most heauenlie pleasure and commende our praiers vnto thee in hope silence for thou wilt not misse an houre but wilt come at a time conuenient Likewise illustrate our mindes with thy light that we cast not forth our praiers trusting in our owne righteousnes but in thy manifolde mercies through Christ by whome we haue boldnes by faith to approch vnto thy throne to cal thee Abba Father Couerne our harts and mindes that in praieng we neither presume nor trust vpon our owne worthines so through pride contemne others but let vs humblie and louinglie like brethren praie one for another that we al may be saued Take away from vs al babling and superfluitie of words that we be not as Ethnikes which for their long speach thinke to be hearde Assist vs also that the sight and remēbrance of our owne vnworthines doe not terrifie vs from praier and that we be not let by other causes from ernest crieng vnto thee night and daie that the wil of thy seruants and reuenge of thine elect may be fulfilled Now therefore heauenlie Father and eternal God giue grace that in al places we may praie lifting vp pure handes without wrath or doubting and saie Forgiue vs our trespasses and with deepe sighings sure confidence continuallie persist in making of supplications praiers intercessions and giuing of thankes for al men that according to thy promise we may receiue as wel temporal as heauenlie benefites For this is the confidence which we haue in thee that whatsoeuer we shal aske according to thy wil thou wilt grant vnto vs. And hearing al our petitions we doubt not but that our requestes which at this time we haue made vnto thee by Christ our Lorde shal in like manner be granted who liueth and raigneth with thee in the vnitie of the holie Spirit a God now and for euermore ▪ Amen A dailie praier for the perpetual happines of our sacred and most gratious Soueraigne and Queene Elizabeth OAlmightie GOD King of Kings and Lord of Lords in thine hands is al power both in heauen and earth thou confirmest kingdoms and againe dost alter them according to thine heauenlie pleasure We praise thee we magnifie thee we extol thine holie Name for that it hath
pleased thee to appoint ouer vs a good and gratious Queene which doth gouerne with counsaile and rule with wisedome Grant hir we beseech thee continual peace long life and much happines and deliuer not hir Maiestie into the hands of hir enimies Rule thou hir minde and wil that she may serue thee alwaies in feare and reioice in trembling Let hir maintaine and imbrace pure religion and defend hir people in the profession of Christes Gospel against al errors and superstition whatsoeuer Giue hir wisdome and vnderstanding to doe such things as are grateful in thy sight profitable for vs hir subiects and hurtful to none O God eternal Father heare the petitions of our Queene in al hir trobles the Name of Christ our Sauiour glorifie hir and the comfortable aide of the holie Spirit vpholde hir now and euermore Be mindeful of hir grace for hir good giue to hir according to hir harts desire and prosper al hir purposes that we may reioice in thy saluation and triumph in the Name of our God. Blesse hir Lorde euermore that we may know that hir protector is in the cloudes Harken vnto hir from thine holie heauens by thy mightie right hande which bringeth saluation For though some trust in horses and others in chariots yet wil we remember the Name of our God. They shal fal and be ouercome but we couragiouslie wil persist O Lord protect hir Maiestie heare vs when we cal vpon thee That in thy strength she may reioice and mightilie triumph in thy saluation Grant hir the desire of hir hart and denie not the petitions of hir lips For thou hast preuented hir with notable blessings put a crowne of pure gold vpon hir head She hath asked life of thee thou wilt giue hir a long life Great is hir glory in thy saluation honor and fame hast thou put vpon hir Thou hast ordeined hir for exceeding blessednes and dost comfort hir hart with thy cheereful countenance And why Because she delighteth in thy Christ and doubteth not of thine euerlasting mercie Let thine hand O Lord light vpon hir enimies and thy right hand finde out al such as hate thee and enuie hir prosperitie Put them into a burning furnace in the time of thy displeasure the Lord in his anger shal consume and fire shal deuour them Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth and their seede from the sonnes of men Because they intended euil against thee and imagined mischiefe against the innocent which they could not bring to passe Therfore wilt thou turne them into flight and bend thy bowes against their faces Triumph O Lorde in thy virtue and we wil sing out and commende thy power Saue our Queene O merciful God in despite of al hir enimies which either secretlie or openlie go about to bring hir life to the graue and hir glorie to the dust Giue thy iudgement O Lord vnto hir grace and thy righteousnes vnto hir Counsaile that they may iudge thy people with iustice thy poore with equitie Let the mountaines bring peace and the little hils righteousnes vnto thy people Let them iudge the afflicted among the people and saue the sonnes of the poore Make them to destroy the backbyter that he persist not to afflict the miserable and such as trust in thy mercie and protection So shal quietnes and peace abound among vs like the hillockes on the earth Lord shielde our Soueraigne exalt thine Annointed let thine hande assist and thine arme strengthen hir Neuer let hir foes preuaile against hir nor the child of wickednes bring hir to destruction Banish from hir Court al hir priuie enimies and preserue hir euermore from dissembling friendes Grant this O most merciful Father for thy deare Sonne our Sauiour Christ his sake Amen 1. Morning praier on the Lordes daie O Almightie and merciful God eternal Father Sonne and holy Ghost three in persons one in substance God in verie deede and from euerlasting We extol thy sacred Maiestie we praise thine vnspeakeable mercie thy diuine truth we exceedingly comend for that of thy fatherlie and wonderful goodnes thou hast protected vs this night vnder the shadow of thy wings yea thou also hast made vs quietlie to take our rest notwithstanding the dangerous snares of our deadlie enimie the diuel Thou art the God which exaltest vs from the gates of the shadowe of death and from the power of darknes thou deliuerest vs. Therefore we wil acknowledge thee for thy goodnes for the wonderful things which thou dost among the sonnes of men We wil magnifie thee in the great Congregation and among much people wil we praise thee Our harts be readie O our God our harts be readie We wil praise thee O Lord among the people sing to thee among the nations For thy mercie is great aboue the heauens and thy truth vnto the cloudes We wil not hide thy mercie and truth in the great Congregation Because it is a good thing to praise the Lorde and to sing to thee O thou most High To declare thy louing kindnes in the morning thy truth in the night Blesse the Lord O our soules and al that is within vs praise his holie Name Which forgiueth al our iniquities and healeth al our infirmities Which redeemeth our liues from destruction and crowneth vs with mercie and compassion Which satisfieth our longing with good things and protecteth vs from our youth Which also hath kept al our bones this night Not one of them is broken To thee King euerlasting immortal inuisible onely wise God be honor and glory for euer euer Amen Vnto thee O Lord doe we lift vp our soules O God earelie wil we seeke thee our soules thirst for thee our flesh lusteth after thee in a barren drie lande where no water is to see thy strength and glorie O eternal God which hast brought vs to the beginning of this daie defend vs with thy mightie power that this day we fal into no sinne but let al our cogitations wordes and workes tende to the setting forth of thy righteousnes Lighten our minds this morning with the shining and clearenes of thy wisedome that in our harts that true day star may rise shine as it were a candle burning in a darke place Giue vs thy Spirit of wisdome and reuelation in the knowledge of thee And lighten the eies of our vnderstanding that we may know what our hope is how great the glorie of our inheritance and what the excelent greatnes of thy power toward vs. Fil vs with thy mercy in the morning so shal we be glad and reioice al our life long Merciful God endue vs with thine holie Spirit that we may neither thinke speake or doe anie thing this day
euen for thy goodnes sake O Lord. Remember thy tender mercies and louing kindnes which haue bin for euer Remember also that we are flesh a wind that passeth and cometh not againe Therefore leaue thy displeasure against vs be not angrie for euer neither doe thou threaten vs perpetuallie Deale not with vs according to our sinnes neither reward vs after our iniquities but conuert vs O our God of saluation and turne away thy displeasure against vs. Shewe vs thy mercie O Lord and grant vs thy saluation for thy Name sake O most merciful God we confesse in deede that it lies not in our power to put away purge our sinnes and to purchase thy fauor but onelie it is the passion and most innocent death of thy Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ the immaculate lambe which is a sufficient recōciliation for our sins and yet not for ours alone but for the sinnes also of the whole world For his bloud which was shed for vs doth clense vs from al sinne And if we confesse our sins thou art faithful and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from al vnrighteousnes Wherefore through confidence of this thy mercie promised by thy Sonne we are bold with deepe sighes from hart to crie Lord forgiue our offences remit our iniquities couer our sinnes and impute not our faults vnto vs Purge vs O Lord from our secret faults Keepe thy seruants also from presumptuous sinnes let them not raigne ouer vs so shal we be vpright purged from our greatest wickednes that tasting the sweetnes of thy benignitie we may be secure and certaine of the remission of our sinnes Giue the knowledge of saluation to thy people by the remissiō of their sinnes through the bowels of thy mercie whereby the day spring from on high hath visited vs that we may perceiue in our minds both comfort peace and gladnes of the holy Spirit which may begin a new life in vs pleasing thee quench al the motions of our minds striuing with thy diuine pleasure and restore in vs the image of thy diuine light which was lost that being deliuered out of the hands of our enimies we may serue thee in feare in holines and righteousnes al the daies of our life through Christ in whom thou art wel pleased and for whose sake al our works howsoeuer vnperfect are acceptable in thine eies Amen 4. A praier for the preseruation of the Church OCelestial God and Father of infinite mercie and compassion which not onely gatherest to thy self an holy Church in this worlde out of mankinde through the operation of the holie Ghost and preaching of thy word but also preseruest the same being gathered and adornest it with al kind of temporal things and which more is with eternal blisse We humbly beseech thee gratious Lord that of thy goodnes thou wouldest vouchsafe euermore to maintaine this thy little flock embracing preaching and professing thy word through thine especial grace continue thy fauor toward the same keepe it in sound doctrine constant confessing in the lawful vse of thine holie Sacraments and in purenes of life that neither the gates of hel the rage of Satan nor yet the rigorousnes and tyrannie of this world oppresse the same Protect and keepe this thy boatē and little Bark tossed among manie perilous tempests and miserable surges in the raging Sea of this troblesome world that it perish not being ouerwhelmed Vphold thy Church which is builded vpon a sure rock and dependeth vpon Christ a sound and vnmooueable foundation O Lord of hosts returne looke downe from heauen and behold visit thy vine make it perfect which thy right hand hath planted thou hast chosen to thy selfe Hedge the same about with thy strong defence that the branches therof being spred out and pruned may bring forth abundance of frute Raise vp thy power Come God saue vs Conuert vs shew forth thy countenance and we shal be saued Enclose thy sheepe within thine hardles so shal we be quiet from al inuasion and scatterings neither can any drawe vs by force out of thine handes Defend vs from al such as seeke the vtter ouerthrow of pure religion and in place thereof labour to bring in the shameful instauration of blasphemous Idolatrie Suffer not thy word that most cleere and vnchangeable light to be corrupted or put out by our meanes but gather to thy selfe through the sound of the Gospel such a Church as may harken vnto thee honor and sanctifie thy Name as wel in word as in honest conuersation that so thou maiest haue a righteous and holy generation celebrating thy goodnes for euermore Ioine vs vnto that company which doth worship thee continuallie that we may be Citizens of thy kingdome among thy Saintes Grant that we erre not from the foundation of wholsome doctrine answering to the rules of the sacred Scripture and that we offend not against our conscience but separate vs from the companie of vngodlie ones and from the damned crewe of the reprobate Let vs not so much as take their names into our mouthes which poure out heapes of blasphemies to thy great dishonor and defacing of the truth vnto whom thy Sonne is a destruction and stone of offence For they despise his base estate and the foolish preaching of thy Gospel and the deformed shew of the Church placed in the middes of al kind of miseries they loath and abhor preferring vncertaine riches lordlie auctoritie and the vaine pleasures of this transitorie world before the profession of the truth and so making war with thy Sonne they doe purchase euerlasting destruction vnto themselues Keepe vs euermore that we may abide in that Church which is truelie Catholike consisting of members of many nations but linked vnto thee in one and the same confession Sanctifie vs with thine holie Spirit that our sinnes being forgiuen we may take another trade of life in acknowledging thee to be the onelie true God and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent Giue vnto thy Church resting places and nestes where they may sound thy sacred Gospel purelie without corruption Suppresse the diuel which spreadeth blasphemies against thy doctrine that so neither feined Gods may be erected nor superstitious inuocations confirmed nor thy glorie defaced Weaken the power of thine enimies which boile in hatred against thy truth and conspire the death of thine elect so neither shal stables of woolues be made nor dennes of theeues established O Lord God returne and quicken vs so shal thy people reioice in thee Let al such as trust in thee reioice and triumph for euer dwel thou in them and let those which loue thy Name reioice in thee O Lord remember not our offences thou which wast somtimes merciful And forgauedst the wickednes of the people and hidedst al their sinnes Which with drewedst al thine anger and
8. Euening praier on Mondaie O ALMIGHTIE and merciful God thou hast made the Moone for certaine seasons the Sunne which thou hast created knoweth his going downe Thou makest darknes and it is night wherin men betake them to rest cease from their worke and recreate their wearied members through sleepe Thou art the God forming light and creating darknes Therefore in the euening we wil praise thee and going to bed wil giue thee thanks because thou hast kept vs this daie of thine onelie mercie without any merit of ours from al danger and hurt When we are in troble we cal vpon thee and in the euening wil we remember thy mercie and truth which thou hast shewed vnto vs abundantlie Our eies preuent the night watches to meditate vpon thy wonderful things and our studies shal be alwaies of the excellencie of thy Name For thou hast sent from heauen and deliuered vs and hast brought them to shame that troade vpon vs O God thou hast sent thy mercie and truth and taken our soules from the mids of them which compassed vs about Therefore we wil sacrifice freelie vnto thee and praise thy most glorious Name For thou hast deliuered vs from al troble and our eies haue seene our desire vpon our enimies O Lorde God of our saluation daie and night doe we crie before thee when our eies are trobled through griefe and bitternes of our soules we poure out our teares before thee and in this place we humblie beseech thee couer and put out al our offences that as the Sunne of this daie is now downe and hidden so thou woldest also hide al our iniquities and drowne al our offences in the bottom of the sea that they neuer be seene with eies nor come forth into iudgement O our God we blush and are ashamed to lift vp our eies vnto thee For we are not worthie to lift vp our eies vnto Heauen because our sinnes are mo than the heares of our head Our offences haue taken such hold on vs that we are vnable to looke vp We haue sinned O Lord we haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie yea we haue rebelled and departed from thy precepts from thy iudgements We haue not obeied thy seruants which spake in thy Name to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers and to al the people of the lande O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs open shame and confusion O Lord thou art iust and al thy works and al thy waies are mercie and truth thou iudgest truelie and rightlie for euer Remember vs and looke vpon vs according to the multitude of thy mercies neither punish vs for our sinnes nor remember our offences nor our forefathers which haue not obeied thy commandements We faint in our mourning we wil cause our bed to swim and water our coutch with teares Our eies be trobled through the griefe of our wickednes and our faces be withered O Lord God of hosts heare our praier O God our protector behold and looke vpon the face of Christ thine onelie begotten Sonne making intercession for vs and winke at our offences Hide thy face from our sinnes blot out al our iniquities Create in vs cleane harts O God and renue right spirits within vs Cast vs not away from thy presence take not thine holie spirit frō vs Restore to vs the ioie of thy saluation and stablish vs with thy free Spirit that we may doe al things according to thy wil and serue thee alwaies with a willing minde O Christ King of glorie we beseech thee blessed Lorde defend vs this night let our rest be in thee graunt vs thy grace that neither much sleepe ouerwhelme vs nor Satan inuade vs nor the flesh betraie vs vnto him and make vs giltie in thy sight Let our eies sleepe but let our harts wake cause thy right hand to protect such as trust in thee O Lord lighten our eies that we slepe not in death that Satan hurt vs not and our enimie saie I haue preuailed against them Watch ouer vs O eternal Sauior least the subtil tempter ouertake vs and we sleepe a perpetual sleepe and wake no more For thou art made our euerlasting helper Keepe vs as the apple of thine eie hide vs vnder the shadowe of thy wings O Lorde that neither ouglie visions nor horrible dreames nor sightes and monsterous apparitions troble vs in the darke In thy Name O sweete Iesu wil we go to bed and giue sleepe to our eies and slomber to our eie lids compasse vs about and raise vs againe to the ioieful sight of tomorrow light and after this miserable life bring vs to the beholding of eternal happines that in thy light we may see light and euermore praise thee raigning worlds without ende Amen 1. On Tuesdaie Morning praier O Almightie euerliuing true merciful God eternal Father of our Lord Iesu Christ which together with thy Sonne and the holie Ghost hast created the frame of this worlde withal things therin conteined and preseruest the same as yet according to thy free pleasure al creatures without ceassing euermore should extol and praise thee that doe euen the very fowles of the aire which earelie in the morning among the thick branches of trees and from the mids of rocks giuing out their sound and flieng about in the aire with most pleasant tunes doe magnifie thee the eternal God Lord and Creator of al things And therfore we men also earelie in the morning shold praise thee for thy benefits and euermore extol thy mercie with diuine commendations Thou hast preserued vs this night passed and from our cradles to this present houre hast thou kept vs safe Thou hast caused vs to come from sleepe and darkenes vnto the light of this daie and from our beds through thy benignitie we doe arise in safetie Hadst not thou O Lorde bin present with vs and watched vs the insatiable crueltie of Satan had deuoured vs Hadst not thou kept our houses and vs the keeper of the Citie had watched in vaine If the Lorde had not bin on our side when men rose vp against vs they had then swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs then had the waters of troble drowned vs and the streame of miseries had gone ouer our soules yea the swelling merciles waters had gone ouer our soules Blessed be the Lorde which hath not giuen vs a praie for their teeth Our soules are escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the foulers the snare is broken and we are deliuered Our helpe is in the Name of the Lorde which hath made both heauen and earth Now harken therefore vnto our words O Lorde marke our crie vnderstand the voice of our praier our King and our god For vnto thee Lorde
and bitternes which descendedst in Iordan vpon our Lorde and Sauior Christ in the likenes of a doue that we may be void of bitter enuie and contention in our harts and haue no roote among vs that bringeth forth gal and wormewood O thou substantial flame proceeding from the brest of the Father and his eternal Sonne lighten our harts with the fire of chaste burning loue thou which apperedst at the feast of Pentecost vnto the Apostles in clouen tongues like fire see vnto our coldnes and comfort vs with thy quickening heate and breathings that we may receiue thy chrisme and annointment O thou ghest of the soule make thee a mansion place within the secret parts of our harts that we may be an house for thy diuinitie which may dwel perpetuallie in our members and neuer depart from vs through our Lorde and Sauior Christ Amen 3. A praier for a stedfast hope BLessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuelie hope by the resurrection of his Sonne from the dead to an inheritance immortal and vndefiled and that vadeth not away reserued in heauen for such as beleeue on him through the confession of the truth which is according to godlines vnder the hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised before the world began For we are saued by hope But hope that is seene is no hope For how can a man hope for that which he seeth But if we hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it For such is the wil of almightie God that we shal not haue saluation as long as we are here in this world but onelie in hope nourishing the same as it were clasped in our armes but then we shal perceiue the same in deede when we depart from hence one daie For hope is the vnseparable companion of Faith. For how can that be hoped for which is not beleeued And this hope depending vpon the promise of God is so certaine as if the thing it selfe were present For God which hath promised to vs saluation is truth and can neither deceaue nor be deceaued Wherefore we beseech thee O eternal Father autor of hope and comfort fil vs with al ioie and peace in beleeuing that we may abounde in hope through the power of the holie Ghost and aboue hope in hope beleeuing may neuer doubt of thy promises but in a sure confidence of hart applie to our selues the remission of sinnes and verilie beleue that we please thee through Christ looking in a certaine and strong hope through sufferance for the saluation of our soules in the life to come And albeit the helpes of our happines appeare not in this world yet let vs retaine a stedfast hope amōg al the terrors and feares of conscience and neuer suffer the same to be taken from vs by any snares of Satan but expecting that blessed appearing of the glorie of the mightie God and of our Sauior Christ which hath giuen himselfe for vs alwaies fasten the same vpon the good things absent and to come O thou onelie begotten Sonne of God which hast loued vs and giuen vs euerlasting comfort hope through grace comfort our harts establish vs in euery word and good worke that we stick not vncertaine neither be tossed betweene hope feare but may hold fast the confidence gedst thy selfe downe from the hiest top of glorie to vtter shame putting on our flesh thy Maiestie being hid and dissembled for a time And so becamest thou obedient vnto thy Father not onelie in obeieng him with greater reuerence than anie other creature else did but also in offering vp thy selfe a sacrifice for sinnes thereby to redeeme vs being bondslaues through pride vnto sin and death to exalt vs to an hope of eternal life and withal by thine example to teach vs and to propose an example of true lowlines and humilitie saieng Learne of me for I am meeke and lowlie in hart We beseech thee through thine humilitie and passion giue vnto vs a contrite spirit a contrite and an humbled hart which thou despisest not O lord For thou art neere vnto al them which are of a trobled hart and wilt saue such as are humble in spirit Thou regardest their praiers giuest to them thy grace and thy secrets are reuealed vnto the lowlie Grant therfore that we following thy footesteps may humble our selues from the hart without hypocrisie Turne our harts that they be not wickedlie humbled after the maner of hypocrites which bow themselues and are sad casting downe their faces towards the earth whose inward parts notwithstanding are ful of deceit O God holie Ghost which art the ruler of our mindes and the giuer of good gifts which not onelie commendest but also commandest vs to haue benignitie lowlines modestie and patience that being clothed therewithal we may endeuour to facion our selues after thee thinking modestlie and soberlie of our selues Gouerne thou our minds that we may be subiect one to another not onelie honoring but also preuenting one another in dooing the same and alwaies applieng our selues to humilitie may seeke thy glorie and the profit of our neighbor Let neither pride nor luxuriousnes haue dominion either in our sence or speech neither let vs lift vp our pecocks feathers nor extol our eielids through arrogancie neither glorie in proude and vaine opinions but by humblenes of minde submitting our selues one to another may thinke others better than our selues and consider what our condition is For man taken from the earth must returne vnto the same and be the heire of wormes and serpents Especiallie our request is that we be not puffed vp in spiritual gifts remooue arrogancie pride from vs that our harts be not lifted vp nor yet our eies exalted neither let vs wade in greater higher things than becommeth vs cause vs to frame and tame our minds like a child newlie weaned which is lowly with his mother Let our minds be weaned like a childe knowing not what pride meanes Keepe the prowde diuel that he prouoke vs not to sinne nor to swel vp through a vaine perswasion of fleshlie righteousnes neither wickedlie to boast of thy gifts abusing them to our owne glorie and contempt of others Suffer vs not to seeme wise in our owne eies Amende this vice ingraffed in vs by nature that no man loue or like himselfe too wel and in respect of himself contemne others hauing not the like or not so excellent gift as he hath Suffer not good wits teachers armed with publike auctoritie to be pricked and tickled with the spurs of pride curiositie to the moouing of idle questions and disputations either through ambition or hatred For that is not the wisedome descending
those things which delighted our sences and fantasies For by nature we were the sonnes of wrath euen as others But now thou O God which art rich in mercie for thy great kindnes sake wherewith thou louest vs gouerne vs by thine holie Spirit that we neuer forsake the faith which thou hast giuen vs but perseuering in the rase begunne may attaine through thy grace to the saluation of our soules Take awaie from vs that which is deformed by our corrupt nature continue that which thy grace hath wrought within vs that sin raigne not in our mortal bodies neither we obeie it in the vnlawful lustes therof Assist vs with thine aide that being deliuered from sinne we may be the seruants of righteousnes and obeie that doctrine from the hart wherevnto we are brought giuing our members seruants of righteousnes vnto sanctification so shal we serue thee our true GOD here in the kingdome of grace herafter in the kingdome of glorie which liuest with God the Father and the holie Ghost for euermore Amen 8. Euening praier on Tuesdaie BLessed GOD and Father of our Lord Iesu christ of thine abundant great mercie hast thou preserued vs miserable men this daie from the crueltie and tyrannie of Satan and from sondrie perils and calamities Thou hast shewed vs great trobles in our life notwithstanding thou returnedst and diddest reuiue vs tokedst vs out from the depth of the earth Thou hast encreased our honor and returning didst comfort vs. Strangers rose vp against vs and vnto vs. Admonish our soules of miseries to come Euen as thou diddest arme the Patriarches and Prophets by dreames and visions in the night when sleepe came vpon them from dāgers nigh at hand through thine heauenlie oracles so gouerne and preserue vs in sleepe that our soules come not into danger neither fal vpon the sword and pit of perils Defende vs this night from vncleane and troblesome Spirits let not their rushings ragings and misrule disquiet vs Kepe vs good God from sights of Satan from snares and illusions of the Diuel O thou maker of al things according to thy woonted goodnes be thou our watchman and keeper so shal no vaine apparitions and dreames of the night troble vs nor the Diuel disquiet vs. For in the waie of thy iudgements we doe looke for thee O Lord the desire of our soule is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With our soules haue we desired thee in the night and with our spirits within vs wil we seeke thee in the morning Our soules waite on the Lord more than the morning watch watcheth for the morning Heare our crie O God giue eare vnto our praier From the endes of the earth we wil crie vnto thee when our harts be opprest bring vs to the hie rock for thou art our hope a strong tower against the face of the enimie We wil dwel in thy tabernacle for euer we shal be protected vnder the couering of thy wings Lengthen our daies and yeres according to thy good pleasure for thy mercie and truth shal keepe vs. O Christ our defender beholde represse our enimies gouerne thy seruants which thou hast bought with thy precious blood be mindful of vs O Lord in this heauie bodie thou which art the defender of the soule be present with vs. To God the Father and to his onelie Sonne with the Spirit the comforter be al praise and glorie for euermore Amen 1. On VVensdaie Morning praier O Almightie and merciful GOD which gauest the people of Israël in charge euerie daie both in the morning and at night to offer vnto thee a burnt offering for a sweete sauor in thine eares that thereby they might glorifie thee and giue thee thankes for the benefite of their protection both night and daie rising this morning we offer vp vnto thee the sacrifice of thankesgiuing We glorifie thee O eternal God for breaking the chaines of the darknes of this night We wil offer vnto thee a sacrifice of praise and cal vpon thy Name We wil praise our God which brought vs out of darknes and the shadowe of death and brake the bonds wherewith we were tied this night he hath deliuered our soules from perils by bringing vs safe and sound to the morning light Wherefore we offer before thee the calues of our lips for a morning sacrifice and with our tongues doe we praise thee O Lord. Our mouthes shal be filled with thy praise and with thy glorie euerie daie Our tongues shal talke of thy righteousnes and saluation euerie daie Our lips shal speake of thy praise and our tongues shal entreate of thy worde Our soules shal be filled as it were with fatnes and with the lips of reioicing shal our mouth extol thee We wil praise thy Name with songs and magnifie thee with thankesgiuing which please thee better than either oxe or calfe that hath hornes and hooues Wherefore let the sacrifice of our mouthes which we offer vnto thee now this morning and the meditations of our hares be grateful in thy sight O Lorde we beseech thee accept the free offerings of our mouth and teach vs thy iudgements that we may doe thy wil according to thy good pleasure Vnto thee O Lorde we wil crie and earelie shal our praiers come before thee In this morning doe we beseech thee by the resurrection of our Lord Iesu Christ thy welbeloued Sonne that as he was raised from the dead by thy glorie so thou wilt raise and lift vs vp this morning that rising out of the filth of sinne and leauing the beds of vnrighteousnes we may put on the newe man which is renued in knowledge after the image of thee which didst create him and giue not ouer our selues to sleepe and snorting Awake now our soules which sleepe rise from the dead Christ wil lighten yee For certes it is hie time that we should arise from sleepe the houre of our watching being nigh and our saluation neerer than when we beleeued The night is passed and the day is at hand Grant therfore merciful God that casting of the works of darknes and putting on the armour of light we may walke honestlie as in the daie not in gluttonie and drunkennes neither in chambering and wantonnes nor in strife and enuieng but may put on our Lord Iesu Christ by true faith and good works which may smel of him that tasting of his sweetenes at no time we may be separated frō him Wherefore we beseech thee O Lord continue thy goodnes toward vs and grant that al our praiers and workes may both begin from thee and ende through thee Vouchsafe O Lord to keepe vs this day without sinne Let thy mercie be vpon vs as we trust in thee O Lord keepe our tongues from euil and our lips that
waking wil we meditate of thy goodnes because thou hast bin our helper vnder the shadow of thy wings wil we reioice Our soules cleaue vnto thee because thy right hand hath vpholden vs and saued vs in our extremities We wil be mindful of the time past wherein thou maruelouslie didst assist vs and meditate of al thy deedes We wil discourse of the workes of thine hands and wil neuer forget thy mightines For thy mercie endureth for euer thou wilt not despise the workmanship of thine owne hands Now blesse the Lord al his seruants which stand in the house of the Lord in the courts of the house of our GOD in the night lift vp your hands to his sanctuarie and blesse the lord The Lorde which made both heauen and earth blesse vs from aboue Vnto thee O Lorde doe we lift vp our hands and beseech thee with al humblenes of minde pardon al our sinnes which this daie we haue committed either against thee or our neighbors Our handes are defiled with blood and our fingers with much iniquitie Our transgressions are afore thee and make answere against vs. But doe not thou Lorde beholde the wickednes of thy people but remember thy couenant which thou hast made with vs in the blood of thy Sonne neither consider thou our wicked enterprises but haue in mind that thy testimonies are pure among vs and thy worde vndefiled Thinke not vpon those that haue walked fainedlie before thee but remember them which according to thy wil doe feare thee Neither doe thou destroie them which haue liued beastly looke vpon them that not onelie teach but obserue thy commandements Take thou none indignatiō at them which are worse than beasts but loue them alwaies that put their trust in thy righteousnes and glorie For we and our Fathers haue al the same sicknes but because of vs sinners thou shalt be called merciful For if thou hast mercie on vs thou shalt be called merciful to vs that haue no works of righteousnes And therefore be thou merciful vnto vs O Lord for thy Name sake and pardon al our transgressions whereby most infinitelie we haue deserued thine euerlasting displeasure Let thine hand be readie to saue vs that we may prefer thy commandements aboue al things and fulfil them with our fingers O Lord in our troble doe we seeke thee our hands in this night season are lifted vp to thee Neither shal anie thing be in cause but that in this darke and dreadful night thou shalt lighten and illustrate euerie darke corner of our habitation that our candels go not out by night When we sit in darknes bring vs into the light saue vs from vtter darknes where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Thou art the God which giuest light to our candle lighten therefore our darknes O our God that we sleepe not in death And protect vs by the shadow of thine hand that none euil stick to vs this night Deliuer vs from the snare of the hunter and from the noisome pestilence Defende vs vnder thy wings and vnder thy feathers we shal be safe Let thy truth compasse vs like a shield that we be not afraid for any terror by night nor yet either for the pestilence that walketh in darknes or for the sicknes that destroieth at noone daie A thousande shal fal beside vs and ten thousand on our right hand but it shal not come nigh vs. O Lorde deliuer vs out of the hands of our enimies and saue vs from such as persecute our soules they imagine wickednes in their chambers they sleepe not except they haue done mischiefe and sleepe is taken from them vntil they haue done harme O Lord keepe vs O Lord be thou our defence ouer our right hande that the sun parch vs not by day nor the moone by night The Lord is our light and our saluation whom then should wee feare The Lord is the strength of our life of whom then should we be afraide Though an host of men were laide against vs yet shal not our harts be afraid and though the wicked should rise vp against vs to deuour our flesh yet it shal be our comfort alwaie that thou wilt hide vs in thy tabernacle in the euil day and defende vs in the secret place of thy dwelling through Christ our Lord Amen 1. On Friedaie Morning praier BLessed is the Lord God of Sabbaoth which by his commandement created the morning and assigned to the daie spring his place where arising euery daie it apprehendeth the wings of the earth and speedilie runneth to the vttermost parts of the world Who is like our God which doth woonderous things both in heauen and earth O Lord heauen is thy seat and the earth is thy footestoole Vnto thee doe we bend our selues yeelding most humble thankes for that it hath pleased thee of thy wonted goodnes to preserue vs this night vnder thy merciful protectiō Of thy clemencie hast thou deliuered our soules from the mids of Lions among whom we laie with thy shielde of saluation hast thou compassed vs about like as a shepherd watcheth and looketh to his flock Wherefore we wil sing of thy power and praise thy mercie betimes in the morning For thou hast bin our defence and refuge in the daie of our troble We beseech thee euen for the bloodie sweate of thy Sonne our Lord and Sauior Christ that thou wouldest vouchsafe this morning to moisten and mollifie our harts through the grace of thine holie Spirit As the morning dew spreading it selfe earelie before daie doth wet and fil the earth and as the morning raine by drops doth water drie places wherby they do fructifie and bring forth herbes and grasse so extende thy grace toward vs and by thine heauenlie dewe besprinkle our hard and drie harts that we may wholie delight in the waies of thy righteousnes walke in the pathes of thy commandements Let thy liuing Spirit guide vs forth into the land of righteousnes O Lorde for thy Name sake quicken vs in thy righteousnes that thy word may be a lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our steps Shew vs thy waies O Lord and teach vs thy pathes Order our steps according to thy word so shal no wickednes haue dominion ouer vs neither shal we wander from the right waie Take from vs the waie of lieng and grant vs graciouslie thy lawe O would to God our waies were directed to the keeping of thy statutes that we might not walke in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the waie of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scorneful but delight in the lawe of the Lorde and exercise our selues therein daie and night then should we be as a tree planted by the riuers of waters that bringeth forth
and liue For thou art merciful ouer al because thou canst al and dissemblest the sinnes of men for their amendment Thou louest al things that are and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made neither hast thou ordained any thing which thou doest hate but sparest al because they are thine O Lord louer of our soules Therefore doe we certainlie beleeue that the promise of free reconciliation is vniuersal and belongeth to al conuerted O how good and pleasant is thy Spirit Lord in al things therefore dost thou manie times punish such as go astraie that being warned of their faults they may depart from their wickednes and beleeue in thee Thou callest offenders into the waie by affliction and by iudgeing dost thou by little little giue place for amendment knowing fulwel what the generation and corruption of man is and how it may be reduced O thou masterer of power with great moderation dost thou iudge mankind and after this maner dost thou teach thy people that they should be righteous and hast made them children of a good hope Moreouer for a caution and instruction to vs thou doest many waies scourge our enimies that thereby we may consider of thy goodnes also being iudged may trust in thy mercie Vnto thee most merciful God do we crie which knowest the hardnes of our harts that through original sinne our harts being hardened we haue no power of our selues to returne and rise vp Conuert vs O Lord and we shal be conuerted because thou art our God and being conuerted we wil doe penance Shew vs our offences that striking our thighes we may be hartily sorie for our sinnes committed Heale vs O Lord and we shal be whole saue vs and we shal be saued for thou art our praise Behold we are as a sheepe wandering and readie to perish seeke thy seruants O Lord that we forget not thy commandements Circumcise the foreskin of our vnderstanding that our harts be not hardened O Iesu Christ looke vpon vs with thine eies of pittie euen as thou lookedst back vpon the sinful woman in the banket which prostrating hirselfe at thy feete bitterly did bewaile hir wickednes Likewise fauor vs as thou didst the Publican standing a far of in the Temple without lifting vp his eies vnto heauen for shame but striking his brest onelie saide Lord be merciful vnto me a sinner Grant that among the feares and terrors of conscience we may take hold of thee by a liuely faith which hast redeemed vs from the curse of the Lawe and art made for vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption and may not in the fight of conscience yeeld our selues and dispaire but vpholden by the voice of the Gospel may flie vnto thee our Mediator and iustified by faith may haue peace with God. Restore also in vs the right of thy lawe so that from our harts we may obeie thee our Redeemer walking in newnes of life Thou which hast suffered for vs in the flesh giue vs grace that likewise in the same minde we may be armed for the mortification of the flesh that henceforth we liue not after the lustes of men but after the wil of god For it is sufficient for vs that we haue spent the time that is past of the life after the wil of the Gentils walking in wantonnes lusts in excesse of wynes in excesse of eating in excesse of drinking and abominable Idolatries Mollifie our harts that they may repent and esteeme greatlie of the riches of thy goodnes Moreouer represse hypocrites which flatter their affections and extenuate the inner euils sticking in our nature and iudge falselie of thy lawe not knowing that the lawe is spiritual accusing euen our inclination to be euil Keepe the Diuel vnder that he compel not the trobled consciences of some to desperation either by heaping and reaping vp their offences or extenuating thy mercie but grant that al sinners may come vnto thee by hearing thy worde to repentance that the Angels in heauen may continuallie haue occasion to reioice Amen 4. A praier for Christian patience O Omnipotent and eternal God Father of our Lord Iesu Christ which art the comfort of the afflicted the ioie of the trobled of the forlorne the stay and our refuge in the time of troble the God of patience and consolation Thou knowest the weakenes of our flesh that we are by nature feareful of no courage so that in crosses and calamities we are not able to stand of our owne strength Wherefore vnfaine dlie and from the hart we crie vnto thee Keepe vs vnder miseries and crosses in faith sound stedfast in hope and in patience constant that with quiet mindes and a valiant courage we may suffer al iniuries and aduersitie and neuer being broken with sorow attempt that which is contrarie to thy commandements but by acknowledging thy wil may beare al sortes of calamities with calling for thine assistance Poure into vs godlie cogitations so that we imagine not that the miseries and afflictions in this worlde light vpon vs by chance against thy wil but that the Church is gouerned by thy prouidence and without thy permission that none euil of punishment commeth but thou sendest the same Gouerne thou our minds that we imagine at no time thee to be our enimie when we are pinched with aduersitie but may beleeue that we are chastined of thy good and fatherlie purpose for the remnants of sinne abiding in this corrupted nature of ours thereby to be stirred vp and confirmed in the exercises of contrition faith confession patience and other like virtues Certes it is to be accounted for an exceeding benefit that thou sufferest not sinners to followe their owne minds but thou withdrawest them by punishment from their impietie least that liuing after their owne minds and doing al things as they list they perish in their wickednes And therefore doest not thou wink alwaies at our sinnes O GOD as thou dost at the offences of other nations which thou sufferest to fil the measure of their iniquities that so afterward at the ripenes of their offences thou maist be reuenged vpon them and destroie them vtterlie in the daie of iudgement and of reuengement But our iniquities thou dost visite by by with the rod of correction and our wickednes with the whip of affliction Notwithstanding thou wilt not vtterlie take awaie thy mercie from vs Though thou punishest with aduersitie yet dost thou not forsake thy people Furthermore it is expedient that our coltish flesh be humbled and brought vnder and kept in awe For otherwise hauing the head it wil waxe ouerlustie and cast of the yoke of the Lorde being of it selfe slowe our life fraile and prosperitie wearieng our minds and making euen the wisest and most godlie many times sluggish and headdie But the trobled soule is nigh vnto
thee in the crosse and praier is then most effectual when it is exercised in affliction For the minde vtterlie destitute of al other helpe of second causes wherevnto it woulde easilie cleaue then doth open it selfe before thee and wholie dependeth vpon thee not trusting in it selfe but altogether in thee O God which raisest the dead to life and so our faith is founde more precious than any gold that perisheth to the praise and glorie of thy Name Finallie it behooueth vs at the length to be conformed like the bodie of Christ in his passion that suffering with him we may also raigne together with him as his felowe heires For vnles we be wearie of this life we shal not easelie aspire to our celestial countrie For which cause it is thy wil that by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen Wherefore we beseech thee giue vs godlie minds that we wonder not when we are tried by the fire as though a strange thing did happen vnto vs but rather let vs reioice that we are partakers of the afflictions of Christ that when his glorie appeareth we may be merie and glad Assist vs that through patience we may runne to the battel that is before vs looking vnto Iesus the Captaine and finisher of our faith who for the ioie that was set before him endured the most shameful crosse Let vs beare in minde that he endured such speaking against him of sinners that we should not be weried and faint in our minds but strengthened with al might through thy glorious power vnto al patience and suffering to continue vnmooueable in al tentations neuer casting awaie our confidence which hath a great recompence appointed For we haue neede of patience that after we haue done the wil of God we may receiue the promise For yet a litle while and he that shal come wil come and wil not tarie O blessed God and Father of our Lorde Iesu Christ which art the Father of mercie and God of al consolation comfort vs in al our afflictions that as the afflictions of Christ doe abound with vs so with al by him our consolation may abounde Amen 5. A praier for women with child and in childbed O Most wise God eternal Father of thy beloued sonne our Lord and Sauior Christ Creator and keeper of al thy creatures which through thine excellent wisedome counsaile hast enioined to womankind that in paine and sorow they should bring forth children whereby not onelie this world is replenished but a Church which doth celebrate thy Name for euer is gathered vnto thee And forasmuch as the paine of a woman in trauel is most extreeme which makes the Prophets many times to repeate the same in exaggerating the afflictions of punishment which the holie Spirit doth threaten vnto the impenitent We beseech thee in the Name of Christ thy Sonne be merciful vnto al women either with child or in childbed giue them grace to cal into minde the decree and pleasure of thine heauenlie wil let them neuer striue against thee through impatience but in true faith and inuocation of thy Name suffer thy crosse quietlie knowing that by the seede of the woman which hath broken the old serpents head they are reconciled vnto thee In this seede which is Christ the curse is cleane taken awaie and blessing restored to vs that we may receiue the promise of the Spirit and the inheritance of eternal life O Almightie God conuert now the sorowes of women in trauel into gladnes that they remember not their paines with mourning for ioie that a man childe is borne into the world Comfort them in the middes of their anguish and helpe aswel the mother as the babe especialie in the danger of deliuerance If thou blessed God be not present they perish vndoubtedlie al the worlde cannot helpe them in that extremitie O eternal God which of the seed of man framest the liuing infant in the mothers wombe and nourishest the same congealed in blood that the flesh within the time of ten monethes may take shape drawing nourishment from the mother we are al the workmanship of thine handes We giue thee thankes Lord for fearefullie wonderfullie are we made maruelous are thy workes and that our soules knowe right wel Our bones are not hid from thee though we were secretlie made neither our substance in the inner parts of our mothers wombe Thine eies did see our substance being vnperfect and in thy booke were al our members written Thy hands haue made vs and facioned vs altogether with skin and bones hast thou couered vs and ioined vs together with bones and sinewes thou hast giuen vs life and grace and thy visitation hath preserued our spirits Grant we beseech thee to al infants yet vnborne that knit together with their due vaines and members they may come forth into this worlde sounde and perfect without fault or deformitie Staie the furiousnes of wicked spirits that they shewe not their tyrannie vpon yong infants Keepe al with child that no waie being terrefied or trobled extreemelie they be vntimelie deliuered Giue grace also to the babes newlie borne that together with their outward baptisme they may be receiued into the congregation of the faithful with wholesome water through the renuing and regeneration of the holie Spirit which thou wilt plenteouslie poure vpon them through Iesus Christ our Sauior that being iustified by grace they may be made heires according to the hope of eternal life and become new creatures through him Strengthen al women deliuered that being restored to their woonted health they may glorifie thee their helper in the time of neede learne afterward to repose their whole confidence in thee which art nigh vnto al that cal vpon thee to al we saie calling vpon thee in truth And if at any time through thine vnsearchable iudgement an vntimelie birth or if without offending thy godhead we may saie vnluckie deliuerance happen so comfort O merciful GOD the mourneful sad parents that they faint not with sorow but beleeue rather that the woful chance is a trial of their faith hope and patience For thou art a merciful and gratious God forgiuing our sinnes Though thou art angrie with our wickednes yet in thy displeasure thou remembrest thy mercie that the trobled may take comfort and the afflicted finde grace For thus doe al thy seruants perswade themselues that if they be tried they shal be crowned if they be trobled they shal be deliuered and if they be chastened they shal be saued For thou hast no pleasure in our damnation which bringest faire weather after stormes and gladnes after teares Thy Name O Lord be praised for euer Amen 6. A praier for captiues O Lorde our gouernor thou hast prepared thy seate in the heauens thy kingdome is an
and strong and righteous and merciful which art onelie a gratious King onelie liberal onelie iust almightie and euerlasting which deliuerest vs from al trobles both by daie and night which hast made vs thy chosen through the blood of thy Sonne our Lorde and Sauior Christ which was shed for vs and hast sanctified vs by thy Spirit giuen into our hartes that wee should be a chosen generation a roial priesthood to offer acceptable sacrifices vnto thee Receiue now the sacrifice of praise from our mouthes for thy benefites conferred vpon vs. We thanke thee O eternal God not onlie for keeping vs this night passed but also for defending vs this whole weeke yea and al our life time from the snares of wicked spirits that they could not circumuent and ouerthrow vs. We wil praise thee O Lord with our whole hart we wil speake of al thy maruelous works we wil be glad and reioice in thee Our songs wil we make of thy Name O thou most Hie which exaltest vs from the gates of death that we may declare al thy praises in the portes of thy Churches we wil exceedinglie reioice in thy saluation Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel because he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raised vp an horne of saluation vnto vs and deliuered vs from our enimies and from the hande of al that hate vs He hath bin merciful vnto vs in lightening those which sat in darknes and in the shadow of death to direct our feete into the waie of peace To thee doe we offer the sacrifice of praise that is the frute of lips confessing thy Name Our mouthes shal praise thee O Lord and our tongues declare thy righteousnes Lo we wil not refraine our lips O Lord that thou knowest yea we wil lift vp our hands vnto thy sanctuarie and with our feete wil we hasten towards thine house and in thy Congregation we wil praise thee We wil magnifie thee O God our King and will blesse thy Name for euer and euer Euerie daie wil we giue thankes vnto thee and praise thy Name perpetuallie For great art thou O Lord and maruelous worthie to be praised there is none ende of thy greatnes Al generations shal extol thy workes and speake of thy power they shal talke of thy worship glorie praise and wonderous workes and we wil declare thy mightines The memorial of thine abundant kindnes shal be shewed and men shal sing of thy righteousnes The Lord is gratious and merciful long suffering and of great goodnes The Lord is louing vnto euerie man and his mercie is ouer al his works Al thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints giue thanks vnto thee from one generation to another O God earelie now this morning doe we cal for thine vnspeakeable mercie beseeching thee from the bottome of our hart that this morning thou wilt lighten our minds so that the shining brightnes of thy knowledge may rise in vs which are called out of darknes into the maruelous light of thy glorie that being awaked out of sleepe we may giue our selues to the works of light and walke honestlie as in the daie not in rioting and dronkennes neither in chambering and wantonnes neither in strife and enuieng For we beleeuers are the children of light and of the daie not of night and of darknes Therefore giue vs grace that we sleepe not as others doe but make vs to watch and be sober putting on the brest-plate of faith and charitie and for an helmet to take the hope of saluation For thou God hast not ordeined vs to wrath but to obteine saluation through our Lorde Iesus Christ which died for vs. Giue vs grace likewise we beseech thee that we abuse not this daie and other thy creatures vnto vanitie neither giue our members as instruments vnto sinne by doing such deedes as fight against the soule wounde the conscience and greeue the same Succour vs gratious God that painefullie we may shunne and auoide sixe things which thou doest hate yea seauen which thy soule doth abhor to wit a proude looke a lieng tong hands that shed innocent blood an hart that goeth about wicked imaginations feete that be swift in running to mischiefe a false witnes which bringeth forth lies and him that soweth discord among brethren O Lord God of our saluation into thine hands wil we deliuer our harts that earelie they may watch to thee our maker and in thy sight wil we praie that thou maist protect vs in the daie of troble In sixe calamities deliuer vs O Lord and in the seuenth let none euil come to vs in famine saue vs from death in battel frō the power of the sworde hide vs from the scourge of the tong when destruction commeth let vs not feare in dearth make vs merie and let not the beasts of the earth apale our courage Grant this O Father for thy deere Sonne our Sauior Christs sake Amen 2. A thankesgiuing to God for his mercies O Most holie Trinitie which art the true eternal Vnitie of equal glorie and maiesty we worship thee we praise thee we thanke thee for al thy benefits as it is truelie meete iust and good for vs alwaies to giue thanks vnto thee O Lord most holie eternal God and Almightie Father through Christ our Lorde by whom Angels praise thee Kings adore thee and powers doe feare thee the heauens and heauen of heauens yea the blessed Seraphins with ioie together doe magnifie thee saieng with humble confession Holie Holie Holie Lord God of Sabaorh the whole earth is ful of thy glorie Especiallie at this time O Father most Hie we thanke thee for thy mercie abunding toward vs which of thy great loue wherewith thou louedst vs yea when we were dead through sinne didst quicken vs together with Christ and being raised with him hast made vs to sit together in heauenlie things thereby to shew to al ages hereafter the exceeding riches of thy grace in thy kindnes toward vs through Iesus christ For by grace are we saued through faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of God not of workes least anie man should boast Besides thou hast by thine holie Spirit sealed and prepared vs vnto good workes which thou didst before ordeine that we might walke in them and please thee in newe obedience We wil declare the goodnes of the Lord yea and praise the Lord for al that he hath giuen vs. Great is thy mercie O Lord and thy goodnes incomparable toward vs. Who shal be able to expresse thy workes or who can seeke out the grounde of thy noble actes who shal declare the power of thy greatnes or take vpon him to tel out thy mercie which is such and so
sinnes nor guiltie of their condemnation neither wilt thou require their blood at mine hands Wherefore againe and againe I beseech thee assist me euermore that through an open and bold reprehending of their wickednes I may deliuer my soule in the daie of wrath and teach thy waies vnto the wicked whereby the vngodlie may repent Finallie so blesse me with thy fauor that I may walke in thy feare as it becommeth me and be an ensample of good life vnto my flock least while I preach vnto others my selfe proue a castawaie that in no case through my wicked conuersation I giue occasion to anie man of blaspheming thy worde and that in trobles and persecutions I faint not but may suffer patientlie the reproch of this world and the manifold trobles that Satan stirreth vp to disquiet thy Church Grant also to as manie as shal heare thy worde from my mouth that they may firmelie with me beleeue the same and be the followers of me as I followe thee and haue consideration of such as walke so as becommeth Christians that together we may continue in faith and patience euen for thine owne sake Amen A praier for anie hearer of Gods worde I Giue thee most hartie thanks O eternal God Father of our Lord Iesu Christ for that it hath pleased thee of thine vnspeakable mercie and goodnes in al ages continuallie to sende into the worlde men wonderful in thy gifts and knowledge of thy wil to be renuers and spreaders forth of thy truth Like thankes I ascribe vnto thy sacred Maiestie for allowing vs shepherds and preachers in these our daies for the gathering together of thy Church out of al mankinde to the building of the bodie of Christ. Humblie I beseech thee gratious GOD continue alwaie among vs thy pure worde through thy ministers gather vnto thy selfe an euerlasting Congregation so instruct mine hart with thy Spirit of truth that vnfainedlie I may assent to thy wholesome worde proue a liuelie member of thy bodie and be incorporated into that societie which both in this world doth syncerelie confesse thee and euermore extol thine holie Name Keepe those Preachers which thou dost and wilt giue in the certaine knowledge of thy blessed wil that they may from time to time both open vnto vs thine intent concerning the repairing of mankinde the saluation and redemption of our soules through thy free mercie and also teach vs how to liue in new obedience and to abstaine from carnal desires which fight against the soule Inspire thy ministers and preachers of thy word with thine holie Spirit that they may vtter thy wil purelie as they haue receiued it from thine hands retaining the forme of wholesome words and sounding onlie that doctrine which is vttered by thy Sonne out of thy bosome For otherwise departing from the order of faith and the rule of thy worde they wil greatlie obscure the light of thy doctrine and obtrude vpon vs the vanitie of their owne inuentions Wherefore let them speake thy word not deceiptfullie but syncerelie euen as from thee and in thy sight Grant also that by transforming thy ministerie into policie they Lord not ouer thine elect neither contend about superioritie and primacie in thy Church but onelie to seeke the glorie of thy Name and the saluation both of themselues and vs. Giue them libertie of speech boldlie without feare to blame and rebuke al false doctrine blasphemous superstition and abuses in thy Church Open vnto them the doore of vtterance that they may speake the mysteries of Christ and manifest them as they ought to doe so shal their doings be profitable vnto the godlie Assist them also with thine especial grace that they disgrace not their doctrine by impuritie of life but let their conuersation answere vnto the doctrine which they teach and preach Especiallie for the shepherd of my soule frō whose mouth I learne thy blessed wil I hartilie praie that thou wilt keepe him in religion syncere and pure from enormous offences in outward conuersation endue him with a long and healthful life if it be thy good pleasure that manie a good daie and yeere he may continue in preaching the gladsome voice of thy gratious Gospel among vs without contention and strife And O Sonne of God which art the Lord of al the flock worke thou effectuallie by thy preachers speake thou within vs to our harts the blessed wil of thine eternal Father and confirme thy doctrine in our minds by thine holie Spirit Grant that we may truelie know and discerne the same from the houling of wolues and from the inchanted songs of seducing hirelings and grant that we may know thee euen as thou knowest thine heauenlie Father and to walke religiouslie and righteouslie in thy sight shewing our selues to be of that holie seede which praiseth thy Name for euermore Come holie Spirit open mine hart and eares that I may conceaue the profite of thy wholesome doctrine and the sweete comfort reuealed in thine holie word by the preaching of the Gospel O Lorde I acknowledge with teares my sluggishnes carelesnes in seeking thy truth and bewaile the wretched coldnes and hardnes of mine hart beseeching thee to endue me with an vnfained longing and an ardent desire of holie Sermons Grant that in this life I may worship the feete of the preachers of peace and reuerence the true dispensors of thy mysteries thy faithful ministers with doble honor and none otherwise to obeie their godlie sermons than I woulde if a voice should sounde from the heauens Let me not for the blemishes and imperfections of some particular men vnreuerentlie conceaue of thine whole ministerie Worke also within me that despising thy word deliuered vnto vs I neuer seeke after strange reuelations or violent rauishings both besides and contrarie to thy worde but bearing alwaies in minde the order which thou hast appointed may constantlie embrace thy word manifested in the Church Finallie impart such grace vpon vs that we may imitate and folowe the good workes of holie men casting of the old man by putting on the new which is created after God in righteousnes and true holines Amen A praier for a Prince or Magistrate BLessed art thou Lord God of Sabbaoth For to thee appertaineth al magnificence and power and glorie to thee belongeth al honor and auctoritie For whatsoeuer is either in the heauens aboue or in the earth beneath it is thine Thine O Lord is the kingdome thou art aboue al Princes Kings Riches are thine glorie is thine and thou art Lorde ouer al. In thee remaineth virtue and power greatnes and gouernement O God of my Fathers Lord of mercie which hast made al things by thy word and by thy wisedome appointed man to rule the creatures which thou hast made and to gouerne the world with equitie and iustice I praise thee and extol thy glorious Name for appointing me
merciful God raine not I beseech thee hailestones vpon the face of the earth neither strike such as are in the fieldes be they man or beast Strike not thou therewithal the herbes of the fielde neither breake thou gracious Lord the trees of our lande Destroie not our corne with hailestones nor with hailestones smite thou our cattel and deliuer our flocks from the thunderbolt Cast not the fiercenes of thy wrath anger and displeasure vpon vs. Giue vs not hailestones for raine neither flames of fire in our lande but of thy mercie conuert the thunder into gentle raine whereby it may bring out fruite abundantlie Sende not among vs either vntimelie or vntemperate showers which be either noisome to the fruite and bring the mildewe or destroie the corne Restraine in like sort the windes and violent tempestes that they bring none hurt neither to vs or our goods euen for Christes sake our Lorde and Sauior Amen A praier for waiefaring men and Trauelers O Almightie eternal and liuing God Father of our Lord Iesu Christ I thanke thee with mine ▪ whole hart for sending of thine infinite and vnspeakeable goodnes to manwarde thine onelie Sonne into this worlde to suffer on our behalfe al the miseries of this life which in the state of extreeme basenes traueling from one region to another to preach the Gospel of thy kingdome suffered no doubt the sondrie infirmities of our mortal bodie For passing through Samaria he was wearie by reason of trauel and rested himselfe on Iacobs wel In al things he was like vnto vs For we haue not an hie Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in al things tempted like as we are and yet without sinne In his Name I take my iournie whose wil it is that whatsoeuer we doe either in worde or deede we shoulde doe it in the Name of our Lorde and Sauior Christ giuing thanks vnto thee our God and Father through him For his sake which went about doing good and healing al that were oppressed of Satan I beseech thee giue thine holie angels charge to keepe me in al my waies and to guide me to and fro in my iournie euen as Tobie the yonger was guided of the Angel Raphaël vnto Gabaël habiting in Rages a citie of the Medes Guide me with strength and courage and direct my steps in the course of my iournie that I wander not out of the right waie into bywaies neither cast my selfe into dangers And therefore holie Father be thou the directer of my waies and keepe me out of the clawes of spoilers Saue mee from the deuouring iawes of sauage beasts Compasse me about with thine heauenlie protection that I fal not into any euils either of soule or bodie Be thou vnto me a faithful companion as thou wast to Iacob the Patriarch traueling into Mesopotamia and descending into Egypt Likewise as thou diddest lead the children of Israël through the red sea and through the vncomfortable wildernes going before them by daie in a piller of a cloude and by night in a piller of fire to lighten them in the way that they went vouchsafe to accompanie gouerne and direct me in this my iornie Shew mee also such fauor that wheresoeuer I go I may find godlie men which may entertaine lodge and curteouslie entreate me least otherwise I fal into perils and be iniuried of the wicked Be thou with me night and daie that none hurt light vpon me protect me both against the iniurie of cold and the vehemencie of heat and from al enimies deliuer me O Lord giue me bread to eate and clothes to put on And as the wise men by the direction of a star in the East came ioiefullie into Iurie and afterward being admonished in a dreame so to doe returned into their countrie another waie so my busines being wel finished bring me home againe in safetie that I may praise thee my God and Lorde continuallie in the Congregation of thy Saints O Lorde heare my praier and with thine eares consider my complaint holde not thy peace at my teares For I am a stranger in this worlde as al my forefathers were Our daies like a shadowe vpon the earth doe passe awaie and continue not We are strangers and wander out of our true countrie For the daies of our pilgrimage are but short yet be they full of miserie troble Giue me grace that I set not my minde on this worlde but to lift vp mine eies vnto heauen and desire a better that is an heauenlie countrie And as long as wee are absent from the bodie let vs be of good courage suffer vs not through feare to faint in afflictions but firmelie to trust that shortlie we shal returne vnto thine habitation and there enioy thy sight in deede euerlasting life where thou with thy Sonne and the holie Spirit liuest and raignest one eternal God for euermore Amen A Praier before the receiuing of the holie Communion O Iesu Christ holie and eternal God I miserable man and wretched sinner acknowledge confesse that I am not worthie the least of al thy mercies most vnworthie to receaue thee vnder the roofe of my soule by participating of thy most blessed bodie and blood For horrible and infinite are the sinnes wherwith I am defiled Wo is me Lord for I am a man of polluted lips and dwel among people that haue vncleane lips And therefore the verie entrales of mine hart are trobled and my bones doe shake because I finde my soule a most vnworthie ghest for so heauenlie a supper And yet againe mine hart is wonderfullie lightened when I cal into minde that thou the deere sonne of almightie God camest not into this worlde to cal the righteous but sinners vnto repentance For they that be whole neede not the Phisition but they that are sick Besides I knowe right wel and constantlie doe beleeue that notwithstanding my filthines thou canst make me worthy which alone canst make that cleane which is conceaued of vncleane seede and righteous men of sinners when thou forgiuest our sins of thy wonted grace thine holie Spirit being poured vpon vs. Through which thy power and mercie I beseech thee grant such grace vnto me a sinner that I may worthilie approch to this heauenlie Sacrament least otherwise by mine vnworthines I be made guiltie of thy bodie and blood and so instead of life receaue my iudgement and condemnation Giue grace therefore that afore I presume to come vnto the participation thereof I may examine my selfe by calling my sinnes into minde searching out my waies by vnfained and hartie repentance returning vnto thee my Lord least otherwise by concealing my sinnes with Iudas the traitor I eate the bread of the Lord against the Lord by abusing
be without fault in the foundation without sinne against my conscience and walke worthie this Sacrament forsaking vtterlie and renouncing the Diuel and al Idolatrie al vices and carnal desires which fight against the soule For we cannot be partakers of the Lordes table and of the Diuels to Make me also to remember that by this sacrament I am bound to do good vnto others For as manie graines of corne do make one loafe and manie grapes make one wine so being manie yet are we but one loafe and one bodie inasmuch as we al participate of one bread and drinke of one cup. Ioine vs therfore together O Sauior of the world at this common banquet through the band of loue that we may be fastened vnto thee our head That as thou diddest die for vs so we againe may not feare to suffer and to giue our liues for the glorie of thy name that we neuer be separated from thee neither in life nor death Make vs also hartilie to loue one another like the true and liuelie members of thy bodie that if need require we may giue our liues for our brethren Suffer not concord of mindes to be broken For hee that receiueth the mysterie of vnitie and keepeth not the bond of peace he doth not receaue the mysterie for himselfe but a testimonie against himselfe Giue grace therefore that laieng aside al wrath fiercenes maliciousnes and enuie we may forgiue one another euen as thou forgiuest vs and beare one with another for the better auoiding of strife diâ—fension sectes and pernicious heresies Keepe this thine ordinance and right vse of thy Sacrament among vs euermore that this good worke and diuine ceremonie may alwaies be a note and badge of our publike profession whereby we are knowne from Pagans and tokens of loue confession and thankefulnes Remooue awaie al abuses and prophanations of this holie and sacred supper together with the horrible and Idolatrous adorations inuented by Satan and his members to the shameful deforming of thy godlie and goodlie institution but maintaine I humblie beseech thee the true and vnpolluted vse thereof til thy pleasure is to returne in the cloudes to iudgement with great power and glorie that it neuer be out of remembrance And last of al at our resurrection from death appoint vs places in thy heauenlie table where we may taste the new wine in the kingdome of thy father abiding with thine elect Angels and blessed Saintes for euermore Amen A praier for the Sick. O Almightie and merciful God Father of our Lord Iesu Christ which through corporal diseases both puttest me in minde of my mortalitie and also callest to repentance For thou wilt not the death of a sinner but that he conuert and liue Vnto thee doe I crie O Lorde rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise me in thy wrath haue mercie on me O Lorde for I am weake O Lorde heale me for my bones are vexed My soule is also trobled verie sore but Lorde how long wilt thou delaie Returne deliuer my soule O saue me for thy mercies sake Heale me O Lord and I shal be whole saue thou me and I shal be saued For thou art my praise Thou hast wounded and thou wilt heale me thou hast strooken and thou wilt cure thou dost kil and restore to life againe Wherfore if this my sicknes be not vnto the death helpe me vpon the bed of my sorow Turne the whole palat of my weaknes into ioie Maie it please thee O Lorde to deliuer me out of the myre For the graue wil not acknowledge thee nor death confesse thee but the liuing I saie the liuing wil extol thee for euermore O Lorde heale me that I may praise thee al my life long through my Sauior Amen Another praier for the Sick. O Christ Iesu Sonne of the liuing God our Redeemer and our Mediator for euermore in our weake flesh thou wentest about the earth preaching the glad tydings of the kingdome touching the forgiuenes of our sinnes and curing euerie sicknes and euerie disease among the people For thou hast truelie taken vpon thee our infirmities and borne our paines For where sinne abounded there thy grace did more abound Wherfore I praie most humblie beseech thee be merciful vnto me heale my soule For I haue sinned against thee strengtheÌ„ it by the sweete comfort of thy Gospel and confirme my faith then if it be thine heauenlie pleasure restore health vnto my weake bodie If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane onelie doe but speake the worde and I shal be healed For it is not herbes nor plasters that restore health but thy worde O Lord which healeth al things It is thou Lord which hast the power both of life and death thou leadest vnto deaths doore and bringest vp againe But if it be more expedient for me to die than to liue then deale with me according to thy wil O Lord and commande my spirit to be receaued in peace the which I commende into thine hands thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth which liuest and raignest with the Father and the holie Ghost one God for euermore Amen Another praier for the Sick. O Eternal God which art ful of coÌ„passion and mercie slowe to anger and great in kindnes thou forgiuest our falts couerest our sinnes and dost not impute our iniquities vnto vs Vnto thee doe I bende my praier beseeching thee to pardon al my sinnes and to heale al mine infirmities Saue my life from destruction and compasse me about with mercie and louing kindnes For thou art the God of my saluation mine helper in thee hath mine hart trusted Despise not the workes of thine owne hands neither suffer him to perish whom thou hast created and redeemed O Christ lambe of God which takest awaie the sins of the world and washest vs from al our offences by thy pretious blood encrease my faith that firmelie I may apprehende the saluation promised Blesse thou my soule at hir departure from the bodie that euermore I may reioice with thee And holie Ghost eternal God which art the best Comforter in al extremities be thou present I beseech thee at the houre of my death and impart thy sauing health vpon me that mine hart doe not faint nor be trobled Amen Reuel 7 12. Praise and glorie and wisedome and thankes and honor and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen a Lactantius de diuino praemio cap. 4. Cicero lib 2 de Natura Deorum b Gene. 1 6. Psalme 8 6. Causes why daily praier is necessary 1. From the end of mans creation 2. From the commandementes of God. c Psa. 50 15. d Mark. 13 verse 33. e Colos. 4 2. 3. From the promise of God to here our petitioÌ„s f Luk. 11 9. g Iohn