anger let flesh I besech thee moue thee to mercy that like as flesh hath seduced and led me to sinne so fleshe may get and obtaine for me remission For certaynly it is muche that mine iniquitie hath deserued but much more it is that the goodnes of my redemer may euen of right require Mine vnrighteousnes is great but his righteousnes is bigger For looke howe much God is superiour vnto man euen so much is my malice and euil inferior vnto his goodnes both in qualitie quantitie For what haue I sinned being a man that the sonne of God being man hath not redeemed what pride coulde be in me so exceeding hie but such humilitie as was in him shoulde bring it downe what power of death was there in me so great but the punishmēt which the sonne of God suffred vppon the crosse might deface it and vtter ly destroy it Trueiy my God if the sinnes of sinfull man should be wayed in a iust and equall balance with the loue fauour that was in our redeemer towarde vs the East is not so far distant from the west nor the in nermost part of the earth so much seperated from the vppermost part of y heauen as they shoulde be vnlike so muche lesse should mine iniquitie be then is his goodnesse Now O mostnoble creator of light now pardō mine offences for the vnmesurable trauailes and paynes that thy beloued sonne did sustaine Now I beseech thee let his goodnes be sette against my wickednes his modesty and temperance against mine vngracious frowardnes his mecknes against my fierce crueltie Let his humilitie recompence my pride his patience mine impatiēce his gentlenes mine vnkinde churlishnes his obedience my disobediēce his quietnes mine vnquietnes his pleasant to wardnes my bitter frowardnes his sweet facilitie and gentlenes mine anger fretting fumes to conclude let his charitie make amends for my haynous detestable crueltie Amen ¶ A deuout prayer to the Holy Ghost NOw O ahmighty and holy Ghost which art the loue of the diuine power the holy participator partener with the almighty Father his most blessed sonne the most mercifull comforter of the sorrowfull I beseech thee to slide by thy mighty power into the inwarde partes of mine hart y thou dwelling there mayst make glad and as it were lighten euery darcke corner of the neglect and forletten cottage with the bright shining of thy light and that in visiting the same thou wouldst ornate and deck with the plenteousnes of thy dew the lothsom places therof which be corrupted with filthines Kindle the priuye wounded parts of the inner man with thy holesome flames and with pearsing y inward parts of my foul entrailes with the dart of thy loue Feed all the inner partes both of my minde and bodie by the illuminating and lightening with the fire of thy holy and feruente loue Geue me to driuke of thy most pleasaunt riuer to the entent I may haue no lust to taste any worldly things which be mixed with poisor Geue sentence with me O Lord and defende my cause against the vngodly nation Teach me to do thy will because thou art my god For I beleue that in whome so euer thou doest dwell thou buildest an house in him for the father also and the sonne Blessed is that man that getteth such a ghest because that by thee the father and the Sonne also will dwell abide with him Come now o most louing conforter of my so rowfull soule which art a protector in all necessities and an helpe in troubles aduersities Come O purger of sinnes healer curer of woundes Come the strength of the frayle and feble the relieuer and raiser vp of them that slide Come the instructer teacher of the humble and make the destroyer plucker downe of the proud stubberne Come the good and kind Father of the fatherles the gentle Judge of widowes Com thou which art a guide vnto them that are tossed in the waues of this tēpestions world like as a bright and notable starre is to them that sayle on the sea an hauen vnto thē that are affrayd of shipwracke Come the worship and honor of all them that liue the onely health of the dead Come most holy Ghost come haue mercy on me make me meet for thee mercifully graunte vnto me according to the multitude of thy great mercies that my basenes may please thy maiesty my weaknes thy almighty power for Jesu Christ my sauiors sake which with the Father and thine vnitie liueth raigneth worlde without end Amen ¶ A prayer to the holy Trinitie WIth all my harte and mouth do I confesse praise and blesse thee O God the father vnbegotten and thee O God the Sonne onely begotten also thee O holy ghost comforter to thee be glory in the worlde of worldes Amen ¶ An acknowledging of almightis God in his Maiestie O Most high Trinitie one onely power and vndefiled maiestie our God God almightie I the abiect and hinmost of all thy seruantes confesse and acknowledge thee and being the least member of the church I worship thee with a due sacrifice of prayse as much as I am able and according to that which thou hast vouchsafed to endue me withall And for asmuch as I am destitute of outward giftes to offer vnto thee Those vowes of prayse which I haue of the gift of thy mercy behold willingly and gladlie I offer them to thee whiche bee an vnfayned fayth and a pure conscience I beleue therefore with all my hart O king of heauen and Lorde of the earth and with my mouth do I confesse thee the Father the Sonne and the holy ghost to be three persons and one in substance the true and very God almighty of one simple incorporall and inuincible nature incomprehensible and of such a nature as is not in a place as other natures be that thou hast nothing superiour or aboue thy selfe or lower or any thing bigger thē thy self But in all manner of meanes perfect without all spot of deformitie and that thou art great without quantity good without qualitie euerlasting without time life without death strong without infirmity or weaknes true without lying present in euery place without any situation or being placed in any place to be alleuery where without place fulfilling all things with out stretching foorth thy hand going euery where without any contradiction or gainesaying passing ouer all things with out mouing abiding within all things without any kinde of proportion making all thinges hauing need of nothing gouerning all thinges without labour geuing all thinges their beginning hauing no beginning thy self making all thinges mutable and variable thy selfe being without all kinde of mutabilitie in greatnes without measure in power almighty in goodnes the chief best in wisedom inestimable in counsels ententes and purposes terrible and fearfull in iudgementes most vpright and iust in cogitations thoughtes most secret in wordes true in
drincke of wherwith we are washed and sanctified and are made partakers of the only high diuinitie I geue thee thankes for thy marueilous and vnspeakable charitie and loue wherwith thou didst loue vs vnworthy persons didst saue vs by thine onely and beloued Sonne for so thou didâ—â— loue the world that thou gauest thine onely begotten sonne to the entent that none which beleeued in him should perish but haue euerlasting life This thing truly is euerlasting life to know thee also Jesus Christ whome thou sentest to be very God by an vpright fayth and workes worthy for fayth Of the exceeding loue of the euerlasting Father towarde mankinde OH vnmeasurable pitie and fatherly loue oh inestimable charitie that thou shouldest delyuer thy sonne to suffer death to the entent thou mightest redeme and ransome a seruaunte God was made man to the entent that man being lost might be plucked out of that power of deuils How gentle and kinde a louer of man was thy sonne our God who thought it not enough to humble himself to bee made man of the virgiue Mary but also toke vpoÌ„ him the paines of the crosse in shedding his bloud for vs and for our saluation He came a pitifull God he came for his pitie and goodnesses sake he came to search to saue that whiche was lost He sought the straye sheep he sought found and he being a good lord and truely a very good and plentifull shepheard brought him home vpon his shoulders vnto the foldes of the flocke Oh charitie oh pitie who heard any such thinges who is not astonied to consider the bowels of so great mercy who would not marued who would not honour and worship thee for thy great charity wherewith thou louedst vs Thou didst send thy sonne into the similitude of flesh subiect to sinne that we might condemne sinne for sinne that wee might be made thy righteousnes in him For hee was the very lamb without sporte which tooke awaye the sinnes of the worlde whiche destroyed our death by dying himselfe But what may we render vnto thee our God for so great benefites of thy mercie what prayses or what thankes Uerely if wee shoulde haue that same knowledge and power that blessed angels haue yet should we not be able to requiâ—â— thy so great pitie and goodnes with any thing of valure No if all our meÌ„bers were turned into tongues to repay vnto thee due prayses yet were not our fleÌ„dernes sufficient There is one thing that exceedeth all knowledge euen thine inestimable charitie which thou diddest shew vnto vs vnworthy persons for thy goodnes pities sake Thy Sonne our God did take vpon him to be the seede of Abraham not of Angels yea he was made like vnto vs in all thinges sinne onely excepted He therefore taking mans nature not Angels and glorifying it with the stole of holy resurrection and immortalitie caryed it aboue the heauens and aboue all the melodious companies of angels aboue Cherubin and Seraphin placing it vppon thy right hand This humane nature do Angels prayse all the powers of heauen do tremble to see a man to bee God ouer them This truely is all my hope all my trust And this same humaine nature is in Jesu Christ our Lord who is the portion of euery one of vs the flesh bloud Therfore wheras my portion raigneth there do I beleue to raigne whereas my flesh is glorified ther do I beleue to be glorified where my bloud ruleth there do I perceiue me to bear rule although I be a sinner yeâ— doâ— I not inistrust nor dispeire of the communion and partaking of fauour Although my sinnes do hinder me and in a manner forbid me neuertheles my substance requireth it And albeit that mine offences do exclude me yet the communion of our nature doth not expell me for God is not so vngentle as to forget man and not to remember that thing which himself beareth and that which for my sake he toke vpon him and that which for my sake he requireth But truly the Lord our God is lowly and meek and wonderfull gentle and loueth his flesh his members and his bowels In the very same God our Lorde Jesus Christ who is most gentle louing and merciful in whome we are risen from death that is to say from the state of pernition and eternall damnation and euen nowe by him we asccude into the heauens and now sit in the heauens in him I say our flesh loueth vs For we haue in him and by him a prerogatiue as it were a prefermence of our bloud for we are his members and his flesh and he is our head of the which dependeth the whole body as it is written a bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh they shall be two in one flesh and no man at any time hateth his owne fleshe but rather cherisheth and loueth it This is a great mistery I speak in Christ and in the church sayth the Apostle ¶ Of the double nature of Christ which hath mercy vpon vs â–ª and maketh intercession for vs. WHerefore with my lips and hart and with al the might that I may I render thankes vnto thine infinite mercy O Lord our God for all thy mercy wherwith marueilously thou hast vouchsafed to helpe and succour vs that were lost by the same thy sonne our sauiour and recouerer which dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and liuing without ende sitteth on thy right hande and entreateth for vs together with the taketh pitie mercy vpon vs because he is God thorow thee O father euer lasting and of one substance with thee in all thinges wherby alway he may saue vs but forasmuch as he is man in which thing he is lesse inferiour vnto thee all power both in heauen in earth was geuen vnto him that in the name of Jesu euery knee should bowe both of celestiall and earthlye creatures and also of infernall that all tongues may confesse that oure Lorde Jesus Christ is in thy glory O Father almighty Hee verely was constituted of thee and ordayned to be a iudge of the quicke and dead for thou truely iudgest no man but hast geuen all thy iudgement to thy Sonne in whose brest al treasures of wisdome and knowledge ar hid He truely is both a witnes and a Judge a Judge and a witnesse whome no sinneful conscience can flye or auoyd for all things be they neuer so secret are open euen naked and vncouered vnto him He verily which was vnrighteously iudged himselfe shall iudge the whole worlde in equitie and the people in righteousnes and according to iustice Therfore do I blesse thy name euerlasting and glorifie the same with al my hart O almighty and mercifull Lord for that vnspeakable and maruellous coniunction of Godhead manhood together in the vnitie of a person and not after this sort that y one should be God and the other man but one the same was
both God and man man and god Neuerthelesse although by thy marueilous will the word was made flesh yet neither of both the natures was chainged into others substance In the misterie of the Trinitie there is not a fourth person added for y substance of the word of God and of man was vnited and knitte together but not confused and mixed that that thing which was taken of vs should be turned into God and that whiche neuer had bene before that time that his flesh manhoode should be the same that had bene euer without any beginning that is his Godhead Oh marueilous mistery Oh vnspekable felowship Oh marueilous meeknes of thy heaueÌ„ly mercifulnes which is euer worthy marueiling and euer to be loued we were but vile seruantes and beholde we are made the sonnes of God yea and heyres of God together with Christ From whence came this goodnes who brought vs vnto this state But I require thee O most mercifull father by thine inestimable pitie goodnes and charity to make vs worthy of these many and great promises of the same thy sonne our Lord Jesu Christ Send forth thy strength O God establish the thing that thou hast wrought in vs Make perfect that which thou hast begun that we may be able to come vnto the fulnesse perfectnes of thy pitie Make vs through y holy ghost to vnderstand and through thy Sonne to deserue with due honor alway to worship this great misterie of thy pitic whiche is manifest in our fleshe iustified in the spirite did appeare vnto Angels was preached vnto nations was beleeued to be in the world was taken vp into heauen Amen ¶ Of the thankes which man ought to geue vnto God for the benefite of his redemption LOoke how much O Lord our God we ar in debt vnto thee euen for so great a price were we redeemed with such a great gift were we saued and with so great a benefite helped Howe much ought we wretehes to loue dread bles praise honour and glorifie thee which hast so loued vs after such fashion saued vs after such a sort sanctified vs to set vs on hie To thee truly do we owe and are bound as much as we are able euen our life and all our study and endeuour But who hath any thing that is not thine But do thou O Lorde our God from whom al goodnes procedeth euen for thy holy names sake geue vs of thy goodnes that we may serue thee of thine owne goodes and giftes and that we may please thee in truth and repay vnto thee daily due prayses for so great benifites of thy mercie For by none other meanes raÌ„ we serue the but by thine owne giftes that thou hast lent vs while we be in this world For euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue commeth down from the father of light with whome there is none alteration or variablenes neyther yet is hee chainged vnto darcknes O Lorde our God and a pitifull god a good God and almighty God an vnspeakable God and incompreÌ„sible of such a nature that can not be contayned as in a place O God which art the beginner of all thinges and the father of our Lord Jesu Christ which diddest send the same thy beloued sonne our Lord foorth of thy bosome to our common profite to take vpon him our life to the entent he might geue vs his life and that hee might be perfect and very God of thee his father and very perfect man of his mother a whole and a perfect God a whole and perfect man and yet but onely Christ both euerlasting and enduring but for a space both immortal and mortall both a creator and a creature strong and weake an ouercommer and one ouercommed a nurse and one that was nursed him selfe a shepheard and a sheepe dead for a time and liuing with the euerlasting promising to theÌ„ that loued him the freedome of life who sayd to his disciples what thing soeuer ye aske the Father in my name he will geue it vnto you For that hie priestes sake which was also a Bishop indeede a good shephearde that offred himselfe in a sacrifice to thee putting his life in ieoperdie for his flock for his sake I say I besech thee which sitteth on thy right hand maketh intercession for vs being our redeemer and our aduocate that thou wouldest graunte vnto me that together with thy Sonne and the holy Ghost I may in all thinges blesse glorifie thee with much contrition of hart and a fountaine of teares with much reuerence and feare For the gift of them that be all of one substance is all one But because a bodie that is corrupted doth aggranate burden the soule stir vp and awake I beseech thee my sluggishnes with thy prickes and prouokinges and make me boldly to perseuer continue in thy coÌ„manndements and lawes day and night Graunt mee that my harte may waxe warme within me and that many meditation prayer I may be feruent And for as much as thy onely sonne sayd No maÌ„ can come to me excepte my Father that sente me shall draw him again No man commeth to the Father but by me I â—â—quire and humbly besech thee drawe me alwayes vnto him that he at the length may bring me to thee thether I meane whereas he is sitting on thy right hand whereas is euerlasting life continuall blessednes wheras is perfect loue without all kinde of feare wheras is one day euerlasting and one spirite of al men whereas is most sure securitie safety sure quietâ—es and quiet plesantnes pleasant felicitie and happines happy eternitie continuall and eternall seeing praising of thee without end wheras thou with him and he with thee in the communion and vnity of the holy Ghost euerlastingly continuallye liuest and raignest throughout all worldes of worldes Amen ¶ A deuout prayer vnto Christ O Christ God which art my hope and the true and gentle louer of mankinde the light the way the life the health the honour and worship of them that be thine I besech thee call to thy remembraunce all thinges that thou willingly didst suffer for theÌ„ both bands crosse woundes death and sepulcher which after three dayes death being ouercommed diddest rise wast seene of thy disciples reforming theyr hartes and establishing them that were almost declining from thee the fortie day after didst ascend vp to heauen which liuest euerlastinly now and raignest throughout worldes Thou art my God both louing true my father and my God both holy and pitiful my mighty king my good shepheard mine onely maister my best helper one whome I am most bound to loue my liuing bread mine euerlasting priest my guide vnto my coutry my true light my holy sweetnes my right and straight way mine excellent wisedome my sure and vnfayned simplicitie my peaceable coÌ„cord my safe garison my good portion mine euer lasting health my great mercy my strongest
of nothing els Happy are they whose onely hope thou art which haue no trust but in thee onely all theyr whole worke is prayer Blessed is he that sitteth solitarely alone holdeth his peace standeth vpon his ward that he is set to keep continually day and night that yet while he is in this fraile body he may be able to taste somwhat thy pleasantnes I require thee by those thy wounds which bring health vnto vs which wounds thou suffredst vpon the crosse for our health out of the which thy precious bloud wherewith thou redeemedst vs did distill and drop downe wound this my sinnefull soule for the whiche also thou diddest vouchsafe to die Wound it I say with the fiery mighty dart of thy great charitie for the worde of God is liuely and effectuous and more pearcing and sharpe then any two edged sworde Thou O chosen dart most sharp sword which art able by thy power to pearce thorough the hard shielde or buckler of mans hart fasten and stick the shaft of thy loue in my hart that my soule may say vnto thee I am wounded with thy charitie so that forth of that same woūd of thy loue teares may flowe most plēteously both day night Strike o Lord strike I befech thee this most indurated and hardened mynde of myne with the sharpe dart of thy loue and pearce it deper and deper into the innermost partes thereof by thy mightie power and so bring out of my head aboundance of water and out of myne eyes a very well of teares continually running thorowe the great affect merueilous desire to see thy glory that I may mourne day and night without taking any comfort in this lyfe vntill in thy heauenly weddyng chamber I may see thee my weldeloued beutifull spouse my God and my Lorde And that there when I see thy glorious merueilous and beutifull face full of all swetenes together with them which thou hast chosen then I say I may worshippe humbly thy maiesty and there at the last being replenished with heauenly and vnspeakable reioysing of euerlasting gladnes I may euen cry out with them that loue thee saying Beholde that which I haue long desired now I haue obteined For I am ioyned in heauen vnto hym whom when I was in earth I loued with all my strength with all my charitie I embraced him vnto whom with all my loue I did stick cleaue Him do I praise blesse worship that liueth and raigneth GOD world without end Amen ☞ A prayer in tyme of tribulation HAue mercy on me o lord haue mercy on me a most wretched sinner which do commit wickedly and do suffer therfore worthely which do sinne continually and suffer thy scourge therefore dayly If thou take my dayly tribulation as a recompēce for the euils which I haue committed thē it is not so much that I suffer For it is a great deale more grieuous which I haue trespassed then that which I do suffer Thou art iust O Lord and thy iudgement is according to right Yea all thy iudgements are iust and true and thou O Lord our God art iust righteous for there is no iniquitie in thee Thou doost not vniustly nor yet cruelly scourge and punishe sinners O almightye and mercyfull God which when we had no being at all didst mightily create make vs And when we were lost by our owne faulte thou by thy pitie goodnes marueilously did dest recouer vs I know and am very certain and sure that our life is not led by sodeine motions but it is disposed and gouerned of thee O Lord our god Whereby I knowe thou takest care for all men most chieflye for thy seruauntes which haue put their whole hope in thine onely mercy Therefore do I besech and humbly require thee that thou wouldest not deale with me according to my sins wherwith I haue deserued thine anger but according to thy great mercifulnes which exceedeth the sinnes of the whole worlde Thou O Lorde which outwardly doest punish scourge graunt me inwardly a patience that will neuer fayle so that thy prayse neuer departe away from my mouth Haue mercy on me O Lord haue mercy on me and helpe me as thou thinckest best to be most necessary for my body and soule Thou knowest all things thou caust doo all thinges which liuest for euer and euer ¶ A very deuout prayer to the Sonne O Lord Jesu Christ son of the liuing God whiche being vppon the crosse with thy handes spread abroad for the redemption of all mankind didst drinke the most bitter cup of thy passion I besech thee that thou wouldest vouchsafe to geue me helpe this day and euer Lo I a poore wretch come vnto thee which art ritch a sinner vnto thee that art mercifull Let me not returne home contēned and despised with nothing I begin an hungred Let me not leaue of fasting I come vnto thee as though I were famished let me not go away vnfed Although before I eat I sigh and sorow yet after my sorow gene me somwhat to eat First of all good Jesu I acknowledge before thy maiestie mine vnrighteousnes toward thee Beholde O Lorde I was conceiued in sinne and borne in the same thou didst wash them of from mee and sanctified mee but I afterwarde defiled my selfe with bigger and more greeuous sinnes For I was born in sinne of necessitie because I coulde bee borne none otherwise but afterward I rolled my self willingly in sinnes Neuertheles thou O Lord being mindful of thy pitie didst take me out of the house of my carnall father and out of the tentes of the vngodly and hast enspired me put me in mind to follow thee with the generation of them that seeke thy face of thē that walke in the right path of them that abide and continue amongst the lilies of chastetie and of them that sit downe together with thee at supper of most scarcitie and lesse excesse But I an vnkind person forgetting so many great benefites after that I was entred into religion and holines did commit many vnlawfull thinges I did offend wonderfull vngraciously and where I should of right haue amended mine euill life left my sinnes I heaped sinnes vpon sinnes and these be the euils O Lord wherwith I haue dishonoured thee and haue spotted and defiled my selfe whom thou didst create after the similitude likenes of thine owne selfe with pride vaine-glory and other many euils wherewith myne vnlucky soule is vexed punished torne and destroyed Beholde O Lorde myne vnrighteousnes is gone ouer my heade and are lyke a sore burthen ouer heauy for me to beare And except thou whose propertie is euer to haue mercy and to forgeue doe lay vnder me the right hand of thy maiestye I shall be constrayned miserablye to sinke into the deepe and be drowned Geue heede O Lord God and behold because thou art holy loke how myne enemy assaulteth me saying God hath forsaken him I will
life the clean life the chast life the holy life the life that knowest no death knowest no sadnes or pensiuenes a life without spot without do lour without vexation without corruptiō without trouble without variety or mutabilitie a life most full of pleasure and dignitie wheras is none aduersarie to striue against a man no inticements of sinnes wheras is perfect loue without all maner of feare wheras is day continually one spirite of all men wheras God is sene face to face and the minde is fed with this meat of life without ende I haue a very good minde and desire to marke and geue heed to thy clearnesse with thy goods the desire and appetite of my hart is delighted Loke how much I am able to consider with my selfe in musing and thinking of thy commodities euen so much am I rauished rapte with thy loue with the ardent desire of thee the sweet and comfortable remembrance of thee am I wōderfully delited I haue a pleasure therefore surely to lift vp the eyes of my harte vnto thee to erecte the state of my mind and conforme or fashion the affects of my minde vnto thee It pleaseth me to talke of thee to heare of thee to write of thee to conferre and meditate of thee to read euery day of thy blessednes and glory and to muse oftentimes in my minde of that things I haue read concerning thee that at the least by such meanes I being vnder the sweet refresshing comforting of thy liuely ayre may passe from the vexatiōs ieoperdies laboures and trauels of this mortall life that wil soone perish and that in passing I may lay my wery head in thy bosome to sleepe or to rest a litle For this cause do I enter into the pleasant medow of the holy scriptures and in plowing I pluck the goodliest greene herbes of sentences and in reading I do eate them and in frequenting I do meditate and as it were cut them in gathering them together at the last I last them vp in my memory that by such meanes whē I haue tasted of thy sweetnes I may somewhat lesse feel the bitternes of this most wretched life O thou most happy life oh kingdome which art blessed in deed which lackest deth which art without end no time doth successiuely passe at any time to thee wheras continuall day without night knoweth no time whereas that capitaine conqueror is accompanied with those quires of Angels singing of himnes songes they sing vnto God without ceasing the ballet of ballets of Sion Oh most noble head which art cōpassed about with a perpetuall crowne oh that pardon and forgeuenes of my sinnes were graunted vnto me then immediatly this burden of my fleshe layde away that I might enter into thy ioy to haue true rest that I might get with in the goodly and beutifull walles of thy citie to receiue a crown of life at the hand of our lord that I might bee amongest those most holy quires that I mighte stand with the most blessed spirites of the creator of glory that I might see presently the coūtenance of Christ that I might beholde alwayes that most hie vnspeakable light incomprehensible which can not be cōtayned as in a place And so I should not only be out of al feare of death but also I might reioyce alwayes at the gift of the euerlasting incorruption Amen ¶ Here do we complaine that wee be not moued nor pricked in our contēplation prayer like as the Angels be which tremble at the sight of God. PArdon me O Lorde pardon me mercifully forgeue me and haue mercy vppon me spare mine ignoraunce and my great vnperfectnes do not reproue me as a rash fellow because I dare be be so bolde which am but thy seruaunt but would to God I were eyther a good seruant or none vn profitable nor euill seruant And therfore am I an euill man because I prayse blesse worship thee which art our God almighty terrible very much to be feared I worship thee I say with out contritiō of hart and without a well of teares For if so be that the Angels when they worship and prayse thee do tremble being fulfilled with merueilous gladnes I which am a sinner whilest I stande before thee saying prayses offring sacrifice why am I not afrayd in my hart why am I not pale in my coūtenance why do not my lips quake and tremble why is not all my body afrayd why do I not mourne and bewayle before thee after such a sort that teares might spring out of mine eies I wold faine but I am not able because I can not do that whiche I desire to doo This maketh me truely wonderfully to marueill that I am no more moued when I see with the eyes of my fayth thee which art so fearful But who can do any thing without the help of thy grace except thou make our stony hartes to relent wee of our selues are not able to mollifie them but all our health dependeth vpon thy great mercy O wretch that I am how is my soule made without any feeling or perseuerance that it is not afraid with ouermuche feare whilest it standeth before God and singeth to him his owne prayses Alas how is my hart so hardened that mine eyes do not gush out gret flouds of teares without ceasing when I which am but a seruaunt or bondman do common and talke in my Lorde and maisters presence Yea a man with God a creature with a creator I that am made of the shine of the earth do speake with him that made all thinges of nothing Put me before thee O Lord whatsoeuer I perceiue of my selfe in the secrets of my hart I do not keep it close from thy brotherly ears Thou art rich in mercy liberal in rewards geue me of thy goods that with them I may serue thee For with nothing els can we serue or please thee but with thine owne giftes which thou hast vouchsafed to bestow vpon vs Fasten I beseech thee thy feare in my flesh let my harte reioyce be glad to feare thy name Woulde God my sinfull soule feared thee so much as that holy man which sayd I alwayes feared God as though it wer great swelling floudes should come and tumble vpon me O God the geuer of all good things geue me amongst thy praises a wel of teres with the purenes of hart and reioyeing of minde that I louing thee perfitly and worthely praising thee may feele taste and sauour in the pallace of my hart how sweet and pleasant thou art O lord as it is written Do ye tast and see how sweet delectable the Lorde is Blessed is the man that putteth his trust in him Blessed is that people which knoweth glad and ioyful praysing Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose harte are thy wayes which going through the vale of misery vse it for a well Blessed are the
cleane in hart because they shall see God. Blessed ar they that dwel in the house of the Lord they shall prayse thee world without end ¶ A very deuout prayer for the geuing of thanks O Lorde Christ whiche art the worde of the Father which came into this worlde to saue sinners I besech thee by the most louing bowels of thy mercy to amend and repayre my life make better my deedes take thou the ordering of my manners take from me that which noyeth hurteth me and displeaseth thee and geue me that whiche thou knowest will please thee and profit me who can make cleane y which is conceyued of an vncleane seede but thou alone Thou art the God almighty of infinite pietie which doest iustifie make righteous euen those that were wicked men and raysest again to life them that were dead in sinne thou chaingest sinners and they are no sinners Take away therefore from me whatsoeuer is in me that pleaseth not thee for thine eyes do see much vnperfectnes in me Lay thy hand I besech thee of thy pitie on me and whatsoeuer offendeth the eyes of thy pitie remoue it froÌ„ me In thy sight is both my health my disease the one I beseech thee to preserue thother to cure do thou heal me O Lord and I shall be healed do thou make me safe and I shall be saued Thou I meane which doest make whole them that be disesed doest preserue them that be cured which only with a becke doest restore and repayre thinges that be decayd and fallen into ruine For if thou wilte vouchsafe to sowe any good seed in the fielde of my hart of necessitie thou must plucke vp first with the hande of thy pitie the thornes of vices whiche be in it Put in my hart I besech thee so great plenty of delectation in thee that I may desire no earthly or carnal thing nor yet thincke vpon them but that I may loue thee alone that I may haue thee only in my hart and in my mouth Write with thy finger in my brest the delectable remembrance of thy sweet name so that it may be blotted out with no forgetfulnes Write thy will in the tables of mine hart and also thy iustifications that I may alwaies in euery place haue thee o Lord before mine eyes in my sighte Enflame my minde with that fire which thou didst send into the earth and willedst it to be kindled that I mighte offer vnto thee daily with teares a sacrifice of a troubled spirite a repentant harte O sweet Christ O good Jesu eueÌ„ according vnto my desire and euen as I hartely require thee with my whole minde geue me thy holy chast loue which may replenish and keepe me and also fully posseÌ„sse me Geue me an euident signe and token of thy loue a flowing well of teares which wil continually runne that those teares may somewhat testifie thy loue in me that they may shewe foorth that they may declare how much my soule loueth thee whilest for that great delectation it hath in the sweetnesse of thy loue it may not refraine from teares I call to my remembrance sometimes good Lord that vertuous woman Anne which came to the tabernacle to pray that thou wouldest send her a son of whome the scripture maketh meÌ„that her countenance after her teares and prayers was not againe chainged or altered But when I thinke vpon so great vertue constante stedfastnes I am vexed with sorrow and confounded with shame because I a wretch do perceiue my selfe to be fallen ouermuch from thee For if a woman did weep after such a sort and continued so in weping which did search for nothing els but a sonne how ought my soule to mourne and to persist and abide in weping that seeketh and loueth God and hath a desire to come vnto him how ought such a soule to mourne weep which seeketh God day night which will loue nothing but Christ My teares now truely shoulde bee made vnto me meat day and night Looke vpon me therfore O Lord and take pitie on me because the dolours and sorowes of my harte are many in number Geue me thy heauenly consolatioÌ„ and do not despise nor cast away a sinful soule for the which thou diddest die Geue me inward teares I beseech thee from the bottome of mine harte which may washe away the spottes of my sinnes Replenish my soule alwayes with heauenly delectation and heauenlye mirth that I may obtain some litle portion or part in thy kingdom althogh not amongest the perfect men whose steps I can not folow yet at the least wise amongst the inferior sort The marueilous deuotion of another woman commeth now vnto my minde which with a vertuous loue did seeke thee lying in the sepulchre which when thy disciples went away departed from thee did remaine with thee her selfe which sate there sad and sorowfully weeping long and very much and when she did arise she serched with a diligent eye and with many teares the corners of the sepulcher whiche was lefte emptye if shee might espy thee out in any place whom she with a feruent desire soughte yea and moreouer shee went againe and againe to the sepulchre but that was not enoughe vnto her neither did it satisfie her desire for the grace of a good worke is to perseuer and continue in the same and because she did loue more then other and that in louing she wept and in weeping she searched and in seaching she continued therfore was it thy pleasure that shee should first finde thee see thee and talke with thee before all other and not onely this but also she was a â—â—dinges bearer of thy glorious resurection vnto thy disciples when thou diddest commaunde her and bid her goe and tell my brethren that they goe vnto Galilie there they shall see me c. Seing therefore that a woman did weep after such a sorte and continued in weping which did seeke him that was aliue among the dead which touched thee with the hand other fayth how ought a soule to mourne and to continue in mourning which beleeueth in thee with his mouth doth acknow ledge thee to be his redemer that sittest now in heauen and raignest euery where how muche therefore ought suche a soule to mourne weep whiche loueth thee with all his hart and with his whole desire doth couet to see thee Oh onely refuge the onely hope of wretches vnto whome no man needeth at any time to pray without hope of mercy graunte vnto me this grace for thy sake and for thy holy names sake that as ofte as I think vpon thee as oft as I speake of thee write of thee read of thee confer of thee as oft as euer I remember thee stand before thee offer vp prayses prayers and sacrifice vnto thee so oft I may weep aboundantly with teares in thy sight so that my teares may be to me in steade of bread day and night Thou
truly king of glory maister of all vertue hast taught vs with thy word and with thine ensample to mourne and weepe wheras thou saiest Blessed be they that mourne for they shall be comforted Thou didst weep for thy frend that was dead and didst let teares fall down plenteously for the city which should perish I beseech thee O good Jesu by those most precious teares and by all thy inercies and pities wherewith thou diddest vouchsafe marueilouslie to helpe and succour vs that were lost gene mee the grace to weep and to be earnestly repentant for my sinnes which grace my soule desireth coueteth very mutch and except it come of thy gift I can not haue it but by the holy ghost which doth molifie the hard harts of sinners and prouoketh them to weeping Geue me the grace of teares like as thou gauest to our forefathers whose examples we ought to folow that I may bewayle my selfe in all my life like as they did bewayle themselues day night geue me the dew of thy grace from abone and also a dew of teares beneath that my teares may bee vnto me in stead of bread day and night that I may be made in thy sight O Lord my God by the fire of thy prouocation a far and acceptable sacrifice Make me to be mortified and killed vpon the aultar of mine hart and that I may be receiued of thee as a fat and a sweet smelling sacrifice Geue vnto me O good Lord a plentifull flowing and cleare well of teares in that which I may wash continually this foule and spotted sacrifice for although I haue offered vp my selfe wholy vnto thee by the help of thy grace Yet neuertheles in many thinges I offende thee daily because of my great fragilitie weaknes Geue me therefore the grace of teares O blessed God most especially through the great sweetnes of thy loue the remembrance of thy great mercies prepare this table for thy seruaunt in thy sight and geue me power that as oft as I list I may be satisfied of it Graunt vnto me for thy goodnes and pitie that this thy cup replenished filled full may satisfie my thirst that my spirite may couet the and that my minde may burn in thy loue forgetting all vanitie misery Heare my God heare thou that art the sturrer vp quickner of my dul cares heare what I desire and aske and geue me grace to aske that which thou hearest O pitifull Lord which art woute to bee easily entreated be not hard to bee entreated of me because of my sinnes but for thy goodnes receiue the prayers of thy seruant and graunt me the effect of my petition and desire ¶ In this prayer mans mynde is very much and plenteously stirred and moued if it be sayd in quietnes O Lord Jesu O gentle and louing Jesu O good Jesu which didst vouchsafe to dye for our sinnes and didst ryseagayne for our iustification I beseche thee by thy glorious resurrection to raise me vp out of the sepulcher of vices and all my sinnes and geue me dayly part in thy first resurrection to the entent I may receiue some part in the latter resurrection O most mighty king which didst ascend into heauen wyth the triumph of thy glory and sittest on the right hand of thy father draw me vpward towardes thee that I may runne after thee in the swete sauour of thine anointmentes Let me runne and not faint whē thou drawest me leadest me running drawe the mouth of the soule that thirsteth after thee vnto the high floudes and streames of thine eternall aboundance and societie ye draw me wholy vnto thy selfe which art the liuing well to the intent I may according to my capacitie drinke of that wherupon I do liue O my God my life thou didst say wyth thy holy and blessed mouth If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke O well of lyfe graunt vnto my thirstie soule alway to drinke of thee that according to thy holy true promise waters of life may flow out of my belly O well of life replenishe and fill my minde full of the riuer of thy plesure Make my hart to be druncken as it were in thy loue that after the manner of them that be druncken with wine which forget all thinges saue that cup so I may forget all vaine earthly thinges and continually haue nothing els in my cemembraunce but thee onely according as it is written I remembred God and was delighted Geue me the holy ghost whome those waters did signifie which thou didst promise to geue to them that thyrsted after thee Graunt I beseech thee that I may assay to goe with my whole desire all my study toward that place vnto the which we beleue thou didst ascende the forty day after thy resurrection that in this present misery I may be onelye in bodye but in thought desire alwaies with thee that my harte may be there whereas thou art which art my treasure worthy to be coueted much to be loued wherwith no treasure is worthy to be compared In this great floud of this life whereas we are tossed with stormes on euery side there is no sted fast standing or place hie enough aboue that waters no not for the foot of a doue to rest vpon in this I say there is no safe or quiet peace no where any sure rest euery where battayle and strife euery where enemies and fightings without dores and feare at home within dores And forasmuch as the one part of vs is heauenly the other earthly our body which is corrupted doth loden and is burdenous vnto the soule therfore my mind which is my fellow and frende being weery with wandring forth of the way is sicke lyeth all to torne and rent of those things which it hath passed by It hungreth thirsteth greatly after vanities I haue nothing to set afore it because I am pore and a begger Thou O Lord my God art rich in all good thinges and the most plenteous geuer of the daiuties of heauenly societie geue meate vnto the weery not such as it lusteth after but suche as is conueient for it Gather together the dispersed renue and refresh the corne loe he standeth at the dore and knocketh I beseech thee by the bowels of thy mercy wherewith thou being the day-spring from an high hast visited vs open the hand of thy pitie to a wretche that knocketh vouchsafe mercifully to bid him enter into thee and that he may rest with thee be refreshed of the which art the liuing and heauēly bread wherwith whē he is once fedde and that his strength is come to him againe he may ascēd vnto more high thinges And being lifted vp out of this vale of misery teares with the winges of his godly desire he may flie vnto the heauēly kingdom Let my spirite O Lorde I beseech thee take winges as an Egle and flye without fainting
persecute him and catch hym because there is no man that wyll deliuer hym But thou Lorde how longe Turne agayne deliuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake Haue mercy vpon thy sonne whom thou hast brought forth wyth no small sorrow and payne and be not so ententife vnto myne euilnes that thou forget thyne owne goodnes what father is there but he will deliuer his sonne yea and what father is there that will not correct hys sonne and chasten hym but with the rod of pitie Therefore O father and Lord although I be a sinner yet can I not chuse but be thy sonne because thou hast made me and made me againe wheÌ„ I was marde with sinne Repayre and ameÌ„de me now O Lord but fyrst of all I being mended chastised wyth thy scourge deliuer me to thy sonne Can a mother forget the childe she bare of her wombe and surelye although shee sometymes be sorowful yet thou O father hast promised not to forgette vs Beholde I crye and thou doost not heare me I am vexed with sorrow and thou comfortest me not What shall I say or what shall I do most wretched caitife that I am I beyng desolate of so great comfort and cast out from the sight of thyne eyes Wo be vnto me froÌ„ how great goodnes into how great a mischiefe am I fallen whether purposed I to goe and whether am I come where am I and where am I not whom did I study to attayne vnto and what euils haue I obteined I sought for good thinges and beholde I haue found trouble and care Behold now I am in the state of death Jesus is not with me And surely it were better for me to haue nothing at al yea no being at all theÌ„ to be without Jesu It is better not to liue theÌ„ to liue without life And thou O Lord Jesu where be thine old mercies wilt thou be angry towardes me for euer Be pacified I beseche thee and haue mercy vpon me turne not thy face away from me which to the entent thou mightest redeeme me didst not turne away thy face from them that rebuked thee and spitted vpoÌ„ thee I confesse and acknowledge that I haue sinned and my conscience deserueth damnation and the penaunce that I am able to do is not sufficient to make amendes for mine iniquities But sure and certayne I am that thy mercy excedeth all offences that a man can do Oh do not I besech thee most pitifull Lord write my haynous sinnes agaynst me that thou shouldest enter into iudgemeÌ„t with thy seruaunt But according to the multitude of thy mercies crosse blot out mine iniquities woe be vnto me wretch that I am when the day of iudgement commeth the bokes of coÌ„sciences shall be layd wide open wheÌ„ it shal be sayd of me Lo loke vpoÌ„ this felow and his workes what shall I do then O Lord my God when the heauens shall reuele shew forth myne iniquitie and the earth shall arise vp restifie myne iniquitie against me Beholde I shall be able to geue neuer one worde to aunswer but to stande in thy presence trembling quaking vtterly confounded and holding downe my head for shame Alas wretch that I am what shall I say I cry vnto thee O Lord my god Why am I consumed fretted with holding my peace But if I shoulde speake my griefe would not cease And if I holde my peace I shall be most bitterly vexed within me Mourn O my soule and lament as a widowe for her first husband that she had in her young age Houle wretch and crye out with weping because thy spouse Christ hath forsaken thee O God almighty let not thine anger fall vpon me because that if thou lay so much to my charge as is due for my sins it is so much that I can not receaue it Surely my power is not able for to suffer or beare it Haue mercy vpon me least I dispaire but in dispairing I will take hart to me and be somewhat comforted For although I haue committed so much that thou mayst coÌ„demne me worthely yet thou hast not lost that wherwyth thou wast wont to saue sinners neyther doost thou reioyce at the destruction and losse of theÌ„ that die yea to the entent the dead men might line thou thy selfe didst die and thy death did kill the death of sinnes And if they were reuiued agayne did liue by thy death I beseche thee let not me die now that thou linest Sende downe thy hand and power from hye and deliuer me out of the handes of myne enemyes that they reioyce not ouer me and say let vs deuour hym who euer O good Jesu needed to mistrust of thy mercy which when wee were thine enemies diddest redems vs with thy bloud and reconciled vs vnto god Beholde I being hid vnder the shadowe of thy mercy do come vnto the throne of thine glory requiring and I do runne crying and knocking vntil thou take pitie vpon me For if thou diddest call vs to pardon and forgeuenes before wee laboured for pardon how soone shall we obtayne forgeuenes when we aske it Do not remember O most bountifull Jesu thy iustice toward a sinner but thinke vpon thy liberalitie and gentlenes towarde thy creature Do not remember thine anger towarde the giltie but remember thy pitie mercy toward a wretch Forget me in that I proudly did prouoke and moue thee to wrath and looke vpon a wretch that calleth vpon thee For what is Jesus but a sauiour Therefore good Jesu for thine own sake arise and helpe me and say vnto my soule I am thy health thy safegarde I presume mutch and am very bolde of thy goodnes O Lorde because thou doest teach vs to aske to seeke and to knocke wherfore I being admonished by thy word do aske seeke and knocke And thou O Lord that commaundest vs to aske make me able to receiue thou that geuest counsel to seek grauÌ„t that I may finde thou that teachest vs to knock open to mee when I knocke and confirme me which am vnstable and wanering restore mee that am lost rayse me vp that am dead and vouch safe to direct and gouern in thy fauour all my senses my thoughtes and doings that from hencefoorth I may serue thee I may liue toward thee and that I may commit my selfe vnto thee I know O my Lord that through this that thou hast made me I owe and am in debt vnto thee eueÌ„ mine owne selfe and because thou hast redeemed me and wast made man for my sake for this I say I owe vnto thee more then my self Lo I haue no more neyther can I geue that which I haue vnto thee without thee But do thou take me and drawe me vnto thee that I may be thine in following and louing thee like as I am thine in condition creation which liuest and raignest world without ende Amen FINIS IMPRINTED at London by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath S. Martyne Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per decennium â€