again for our deliueraunce out of thys mortall life And whilest I liue heere vouchsafe mee an vnfeyned desire to be partaker of that his holy institution and through thine holy spirite to leade my life according vnto thine heauenly will in all thinges keeping my body vndefiled as a fitt receptacle for so heauenly foode that my soule may enioy the benefitte of the mistery thereof by saith according to thine heauenly prouidence through Iesus Christ our sauiour and redeemer Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A deuout meditation or confession of our sinnes with humble request vnto almightye God that he will vouchsafe to establish true repentaunce in our heartes and of his mercy turne away his plagues which we iustly haue deserued for our manifold iniquities Let vs fall downe with weeping eyes With one consent from heart on knees Our sinnes haue so deserued thâ—all Nothing so sure as sodaine fall LEt vs sette as a glasse before the eyes of our heartes the cause of the firste floode which was falling from God working iniquity where in the whole worlde Noe wyth a small number of persons only excepted perished Gen. 6. Let vs likewise call vnto our remembraunce the sodayne distructioÌ„ of Sodom Gomorra with sue and brimstone from heauen for disobeying the voyce of the lord pronouÌ„ced by Lot for their repentaunce wherein we may as it were beholde before hand what will becoÌ„e of vs without our spedy repentance neglecting as we do the words message of the Lord reuealed vnto vs by his prophers prechers threatning plagues to follow our wilful â—eâ—ellion let vs not be like vnto the deaf Adder stopping our eares froÌ„ hearing of our iniquiry which wee embrace with such greedines but like relenting harted Niniuits put on the sackcloth of vnfeined repentaÌ„ce mourning for our many thousand sins with fasting earnest praier froÌ„ the lowest to the high est after the good example of Dauid Iob prostrate our selues in hearte with lameÌ„ting spirits vnto the mercies seat of our good god who as he is not hastye in plaging expecting our repentaunce so will his punishment bee the greater without our harty speedy conuersioÌ„ let vs not therfore be slowe to turne vnto him let vs not deferr from day to day for sodainly wyl the wrath of god come wheÌ„ we think not of it in hys vengance wil be destroy vs vnawares Paâ—â— 7. yet so louing is he merciful that if we cal vpon his name making our prayers vnto him vnfeinedly repenting vs of our sins from the bottome of our harts he will heare vs from his holy heauens receiue vs again vnto hys mercy Esd 10. according to his promise vnto Israell let vs remember the wicked king Achab who humbling himselfe and clothing himselfe in Sackcloth sleeping in heirecloth obteined pardon for his sinnes The mercye of the Lorde is so great towardes them that repent that the examples thereof are infinite in the scriptures VVherefore let vs speedely for sake our sins and more and more growe in hatred therof Eccl 17. vnfeynedly cleauing vnto rightcousnes and holynes of trueth Eph. 4. Repent repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Mat. 3. OH Lorde vouchsafe to poure thine holye spirite into our heartes whereby we may sighe lament weepe and euen rent our hearts at the consideratioÌ„ of the wicked and abhominable estate of this world which is so farr gonne with the child of selfe loue that without thine vnspeakable mercy it is euen at the point to be deliuered into the pitt of eternall perdition wherefore gyue vs grace wee humblye beseech thee from the high est to the lowest from the greatest to the leaste to repent vs of our sinnes and heartily to turne vnto thee whose high displeasure wee haue deserued through our manifolde transgressions whoÌ„ thou hast in respecte of our disobedience pronounced rebels bastards children of the bondwomaÌ„ without repentance barred froÌ„ the inheritance which thy son Iesus Christe hath purchased for all true beleeuers Lord what shall become of vs we haue so much yeelded our selues to the desire of sin walked according to the coÌ„uersatioÌ„ of the olde man which is corruption so far degenerating froÌ„ thy lawes diuine institutions fellowing so much the wil of sathan the lusts of the flesh the vile alluringes of the wicked world that thou hast caste vs off as none of thy children in so much as when wee consider the heauy intollerable burden which by our vnrighteousnes wee haue deseruedly heaped vpoÌ„ our selues in loosing the fauour of so louing and bountifull a father and so sweete a sauior it driues vs into a greate feare and terrour procuring a great dislike and lo thing of our selues for the time but our nature beeing nothing but corruption falleth into a present forgetfulnes of our ende and turneth forthwith vnto his vomitt againe But most louing God euerliuing when the deserued punishments which hangeth ouer our heades shall light and fall vppon vs for the same what shall wee doo It is prepared and it is comming we can not by any deserts of ours but onely by the intercession mediation and desertes of Iesus Christ which neyther auaileth without our true repentaunce auoyde it Mollifie therefore our harde and stony heartes Oh Lorde for the same thy sonne Iesus Christes sake giue vs lamenting spirites endue vs with vnfeyned sorrow for our sinnes and make vs wylling and ready to returne vnto thee our nature beeing so vile and our blindnes so great that we are moste apte euen with great obedience care and dilligence to serue to please and to obey men of Aucthoritye heere in thys world by whose disâ—auour there can aryse but some smal or no hurte or punishment at all And neuer giue our selues or very seldome to the fulfilling of our duties to thee by executing those thinges which thou commaundest vs wherby we breake and forfeit that bande which thy sonne Iesus Christe sealed with his preacious blood vpon the crosse therby confirming for euermore a league and peace betweene thee and such as forsake sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnes and trueth Oh vnhappye creatures that we are who beeing in the very bosome of so louing and so mercifull a God shoulde by yeelding vnto the desires of the fleshe the vanities of the world and the will of sathan bee thruste out of thy presence wherein consisteth all peace all loue all hope quietnes of minde patience long suffering meekenes and all good whatsoeuer But wandring and going astray after our owne corrupt desires what remaineth in vs but strife hatred misbeleefe dispayre couetousnes adultery witchcraft contempt of thy Lawes and all kinde of euill and rest as accursed Lord we acknowledge that sinne iniquity hath gotten the highest roome it sitteth and ruleth in all corners of the earth and righteous dealing simplicity and innocency is condemned of many Roote out therefore good Lorde roote out of our heartes all hautines deceit
the clowdes with most sweete wordes of comfort but such as haue seene thee euen the poore and little ones to bee sicke and comfortles and haue denyed them helpe releefe and ayde or hungrye and haue with-helde foode Thirstye and haue not giuen drinke naked and haue not clothed them Such sweete Lorde shall suffer hunger colde nakednes and thirst with vnspeakable greefe of conscience which shall neuer haue ende Oh that it woulde please thee therefore Oh mercifull God of thy greate goodnes fauour and louing kindnes to consider of these latter dayes and perrilous times wherein we liue wherein eniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand charity waxing cold and loue banisht from amongst brethren and thy selfe sweete Lorde euen thy poore and little ones the Orphanes and Widowes not onely not releeued not comforted not defended but troden vnder feete neglected and forgotten euen of such as haue aboundaunce Vouchsafe vouchsafe good Lorde according to thy promise to shorten these dayes least also thine elect be seduced with vanitie and forsake thee theyr onely comfort It is come to passe which thou hast sayde That as towardes the Summer trees and plantes of the earth doo budde so before thy comming to make vs so much the more prepared thou hast promised to sende vs foreknowledge by sundry signes and tokens bothe in the earth belowe which hath by thy passing as it were by vs quaked already at thy presence as also by the Sunne and moone other thy creatures apparantly showing thy rodde of vengeaunce to be ouer our heades ready to strike Oh Lorde wee cannot but looke for vtter distruction according to the weight and aboundance of our sins and iniquities vnles it may please thee to show thy mercy for Iesus sake in coÌ„uerting vs we haue sinned we haue gonne astray we haue wrought wickednes in yeelding to the will of the flesh but most sweete Lorde let thy light so shine into our hearts that we may now beginne to seeke onely thy kingdome leaue the darknes of sinne growe to all goodnes and be mortefied as touching the olde man which is corruption dye to the world And remooue sathan that with godly desires we may attayne vnto the perfecte feeling of thy grace that hauing obteined the pure vnderstanding of thy word we may guide our liues by the rule therof that after the finishing of this our pilgrimage we may thorow the merites of thy sonne Iesus Christ enter into thy kingdome of eternall glory there for euer and euer to raigne enioying the sight of thee and to thy name with the rest of thy saintss sing laude and prayse eternally Oh Lord increase our fayth and giue vs grace vnfeynedly to repent vs of our sinnes Amen A praier necessarie to bee sayd after and at the end of all our prayers VOuchsafe Oh Lord and mercifull Father in whose handes resteth the harts of all men who knowest what wee want before we pray what wee will aske before we speake what wee doo in al thinges Vouchsafe to forgiue mine ignorance dulnes and slacke comming vnto thee the fountaine of all health and helpe encrease my faith dayly more and more and kindle in me the perfecte gift of prayer that I may at all times serue thee in trueth and whatsoeuer I haue asked according vnto thy wyll at this time giue me and what I haue omitted vnrequested for my selfe or any for whom thou wouldest we should pray for for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake gratiously graunt for which and for al thinges els necessary for mee and theÌ„ for body or soule I pray thee as thy sonne taught vs saying OVr father which art in heauen hallowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be doone in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily breade And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse agaynst vs. And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from all euill Amen Oh Lord increase our fayth and continue the same effectually in me all men vnto the end Amen Great plagues remaine for the vngodly but who so putteth his trust in the Lorde mercy imbraceth him on euery syde Psal. 32. PAule before he would presume to eate gaue thanks Act. 27 35 Christ likewise before hee gaue the bread and Fyshes to them that were wyth hym in the wyldernes yea although he were Lord of all looking vppe to heauen from whence commeth all goodnes blessed it and gaue thankes and brake it vnto them Mat 14. the store beeing small replenished many thousandes and left many Baskets full wherefore take the blessings of God with thankes A prayer before meate OH bountifull GOD vouchsafe to looke downe with thy fauourable eyes of pittie vpon our weaknes and want and giue vs at this time those things which may be to our coÌ„fort sanctifie these thy gifts that our bodyes beeing replenished we may be thankfull and enioy at thy mercifull handes the bread of eternall life to the releefe of our poore soules through Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour Amen God saue and still increase thy flocke Keepe vs within thy folde Vouchsafe to heare when wee doo knocke Oh Lord our strongest holde Preserue our Queene be thou her stay This Realme of thine defend Indue vs with thy grace for aye On thee we all depend Oh Lord increase our fayth WHen God hath fedde your poore bodyes bee not therewith pust vppe with forgetfulnes what he requireth at our handes for his blessings but in a reuerent and deuout manner giue thankes that he may continue his louing kindnes to your comfort vnto the ende A thankes giuing after meate WE thanke thee most bountifull Lord for this thy fatherly feeding our hungry bodies so vouchsafe to feede our silly soules with the breade of eternall life That after this life ended we may ascend where Christ is gonne before Amen Sith God hath fedde our bodyes poore VVhich els would soone decay Remember such as lye at doore Say not their cryings nay God saue his Church our Queene defende this Realme preserue for aye And graunt vs all a godly ende And ioyfull rysing day Oh Lord increase our fayth FINIS A Table to finde out the principall Prayers conteined in this booke A Prayer to Christ. Folio 1. A prayer for the assistaunce of Gods holy spirite fol. eodem A short prayer to the like purpose fo 3 A morning prayer for the working day fol. eodem A short prayer to the like purpose fol. 5 A prayer for the Queene eodem A prayer for the Sunday morning fol. 7 A short prayer to the like purpose fol 9. A confession of sinnes eodem A short prayer to the like purpose fol. 11 A prayer for the euening fol. 12 A short prayer to the like purpose fol. 14. A prayer for the increase of fayth eodem A short prayer to the like purpose fol 17. A prayer against the deuill the world and the fleshe very necessary to be often sayd eodem A short prayer to the same effecte fol. 20. A prayer for the helpe and assistaunce of God in all our dooings and that we doo nothing but in hys feare and due obedience eodem A short prayer to the like purpose folio 23. The sorrowfull sinner afflicted in conscience by reason of his sins may say thus eodem A short prayer to the like purpose fol. 26. A prayer for a competent necessary liuing fo eod A prayer necessary after the hearing of the worde of God folio 29 A short prayer to the like purpose folio 31 A thankes giuing to God for his benefits eodem A deuout prayer or meditation that we may alwais haue consideration that we must dye which as it is good at all times so especially in the time of any common plague or sicknes a godly meditation folio 33. A short prayer to the like purpose fol. 37 A prayer vpon the Lettany or prayer for all men at all times necessary eodem A prayer for the fulfilling of the tenne commaundements fol. 40 A short prayer to the like purpose foli 44. A prayer for the true ordering of worldly titches very necessary for such as God hath endued with the wealth of this world eodem A short prayer to the like purpose foli 47 A prayer to be sayd of a woman with child fol. 48 A short and most necessary prayer alwayes to bee sayd of one with childe folio 49 A thankes giuing to God after the deliuery fol. eod A prayer for wisedome folio 51. A short prayer to the like purpose foli 53 A prayer in misery and trouble fol 54 A short prayer to the like effecte often to be sayde folio 57. A payer to be defended from enemies eodem A short prayer to the like purpose folio 60 A prayer when a man taketh a iourney folio 61. A thankes giuing after returne folio 62 A thankes giuing to God the father God the sonne and God the holy ghoste woorthy to bee often sayde folio 63 A prayer to bee sayde before the receiuing of the Communion fol. 67 A prayer after the receiuing of the communion fol. 68. A deuout meditation or confession of our sinnes with humble request vnto almighty God c. folio 69 A prayer necessary to be sayde after and at the ende of all our prayers fol. 74. A prayer before meate folio 75 A thankes giuing after meate fol. 76 FJNIS ·GOD· ·IS· ·MY· HELPER a 〈…〉 te the rest 〈…〉 Child be de 〈…〉 ying the 〈…〉 prayâ—r and 〈…〉 at the â—ude 〈…〉 prayer
same dilligentlie in following it effectually and in praying vnto thee zealously and faithfully imbracing all goodnes willingly and auoyding all euill watilie that so spending this day I may the better proceede to the execution of my calling this weeke following to the releefe of my necessitie furtheraunce of my neighbours That so continuing vnto the ende I may receiue the reward of thy celestiall kingdome which thy sonne Iesus Christe hath purchased with his bloode for all true beleeuers in thee In number of whome sweete Lorde for the merytes of him thy sonne make me that I with them and they with me may continually sing laude and prayse vnto the Trinitie eternallie which graunt for thy sonne Iesus Christ his sake Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A short prayer to the like purpose ALL possible thankes I render vnto thee most louing and moste mercifull Father that it hath pleased theâ— to bee my carefull watchman this night preseruing me from many euils vouchsafing sleepe vnto mine eyes to the vnspeakable comfort of my poore boâ—â—e Let it likewise please thee I humbly beseeche thee to giue me grace according to thine heauenly will 〈◊〉 expresse commaundement as at all times so this day especially to imploy me to the seruice of thee in all godlines and purenes of life leauing all bodily labours and exercise as to the Sanctetie which thou in the beginning gâ—uest vnto the day when thou hadâ—est sinished all thy worke dooth instly deserue Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A confession of sinnes Confesse thy sinnes to God on hie Who pardons sinners when they cry FOr asmuch as all men by nature are sinners and none Christ excepted euer liued without man folde offences Let vs with Dameâ—l â—â—â—esse Da. 9 that we haue sinned that we delt wickedlie in trâ—sgressing the lawe of the Lord. Pro. 28. For who so hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth them and forsaketh them shall finde mercie For when Adam Gen. 3. had broken the coÌ„maundement of the Lorde be excused his fault was accursed But Dauid confessing his wickednes found fauour The lost sonne Lu. 15. after long going astray at last returned confessing his fault and obteyned pardon Iohn Baptist. Mat. 3 when hee first preached the gospell he baptized none but such as confessed theyr sinnes wherefore let vs faithfully and continually vpon our knees acknowledge our sinnes and prepare our selues to vnfeyned repentaunce and vndoubtedlie we shal obteine mercie at the haÌ„ds of the Lord For if we acknowledge our sinnes 1. Iohn 1. he is faithfull to forgiue them according to his promise Say with Dauid Psa. 23. I will acknowledge my sinnes vnto the Lord and will not hide mine iniquitie from him yea confesse against thy selfe and he wyll forgiue thy sinnes OH omnipotent father and euerliuing God from whose wisedome foreknowledge no secretes are or may bee hidden but doost plainely consider behold the workes wordes and thoughtes of all creatures I most huÌ„bly beseeche thee of thine infinite mercye to haue compassion vppon my sinnes which are so great and greeuous so many and they so vile and lothsome to thine heauenlie eyes that thou canst not abide to turne thy louing countenaunce towardes me Oh Lorde I doo confesse that my conception my birth yea and all my life hath beene in sin our Fathers and mothers sinfull euen from the stocke of our great Grandfather Adam whose blindnesse shoulde haue beene our light and whose sight was turned to our blindnes darknes by the deceitful most vile alurings of that enemie of ours the wilie and moste subtill serpent sathan by whose â—ntisements our forefather beeing clothed with innocencie and simplicitie in most pure vnspeakable happines was mooued to the desire of the knowledge of that that thou woldest he should haue beene ignorant of And which thou haddest vtterlie forbidden him By breking of which thy commaundement he with Eue whome thou hadst ordeyned out of hys owne flesh to be his companion and comfort where with thine Angell according to thy determinate will driuen out of Parradice a place of ioy to a pitte of sorrow from good to euill from ease to laboure and trauaile from quietnes to trouble from wealth to want from light to darknes from myrth to mourning from succoure to be succourles In so much Oh Lord as he our father purchased for vs his children none other possession or inheritaunce but the vnhappy enteraunce into sinne and corruption And we his children beeing by succession ingrossed in this detestable stocke of sinne haue hethervnto notwithstanding thy most louing and by so sundry meanes calling vs by thine holye Gospell of comfort continued therein to our vtter perdition deserued death and distruction confessing and acknowledging our selues runnagates outcastes and trewantes and of our selues altogether vnable to cast away and lay aside these workes of darknes and to obteine againe the Lanterne of light Yet for as much as I am most sorry from the very bottome of mine heart that I haue offended thee wilfully and disobedientlie strayed from the wayes of thy Lawes And doo vnfeynedly condemne al my former life to be most vile determining in heart by thy grace to forsake sinne and cleaue vnto godlines and purenes of liuing to decline from euill and to doo good I most humbly euen vpoÌ„ the knees of mine heart beseeche thine almightye Maiestie to lysten with a moste willing and attentiue eare vnto my groninges secrete sighes and vnfeyned repentance and with the eyes of thy mercye to beholde my lamenting spyrite and so vouchsafe to accept the same as it may bee vnto thee a sufficient sacrifice for all former euills That I beeing free from sinne not by any deserte or meryte of mine owne but onely by the death and passyon of thy Sonne Iesus Christe may take perfecte holde of the remission thereof and fully perswade my selfe that through the death of him thy sonne I am agayne restored to the former happines and blessed estate which oure first parent Adam was in the beginning placed in And the heade of that subtill Serpent sathan who so wylilye deceyued him by the seede of the Woman to bee altogether bruzed troden downe and vanquished and his power quite taken from him So that hee is not able anye more to lifte him selfe vppe againste the Chyldren of Fayth as hee seeketh and desyreth yea and often preuayleth againste the weake and feeble ones Vouchsafe sweete LORDE and moste loouing Iesus to consider my weakenesse and frayltye and mortefye in mee all delightes of thys miserable worlde and the corrupt fleshe And stande betwene mee and Sathan that hee preuayle no further agaynste mee then I shall bee able to resyste for wee can not stande but doo continually yeelde vnto the deceiueable showes of this worlde the false motions of the fleshe and temptations of Sathan without thy continuall ayde and assistaunce wherewith I beseeche thee both at this time and euer aâ—me me wash me with thy
ingraffe the same in mine heart that I may both nowe and euer make vnseyned confession thereof as thine Apostls haue sette downe in these wordes I beleeue in God c. Oh Lord now vouchsafe to imbrace me with the Armes of thy mercie vouchsafe to receiue me into the bosome of thy loue shaddowe me with thy winges that I may safely take my rest this night in peace in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christe in whose name I referre me wholie into thy louing protection beseeching thee that when my last sleepe shall come I may take mine euerlasting rest with thee in thy celestiall kingdome sweete God Amen Oh Lord into thine handes I commend my selfe Oh Lord increase my faith A short prayer to the like purpose OH almightie Lord God I thanke thee that this day past thou hast of thy meere mercy vouchsafed vnto me thy poore creature not enelie protection against all daungers and euills But also all thinges necessary So I humbly beseecâ—â— thee of the same thy mercy and for thy sonne Jesus Christ his sake to 〈…〉 de the like protection and fauour towardes me this night that I may enioy at thine handes safe and quiet rest to the comforte and refreshment bothe of my bodie and soule for Jesus Christes sake Amen Oh Lorde increase my fayth A prayer for the increase of Fayth If thou wilt haue what thou doest craue Pray thou in saith the Gospell sayth FAith as saith S. Paule vnto the Hebrues Heb. 11 is a sure foundation of thinges hoped for an euident feeling of the manifolde promises which God the father hath made vnto vs 1. Pet. 1 touching our saluation in his sonne Christe our sauiour and whereby also wee already inwardely taste of the vnspeakable toyes wher of wee shalbe heereafter made full pertakers Heb. 11 in Heauen without it wee can doo nothing But by it Gal. 3. wee are blessed of him and by it 1. Pet. 1 we are saued by it Eph 6 are all the fiery darts of hell and sathan quenched The iust man Aba 2. shall liue by fayth the daughter of the woman of Canaan Ma. 8. was healed by the faith of her mother Elias the Thesbyte 3 Kin. 16. 17. through fayth was fed with Rauens in his distresse and hunger hee prayed for rayne and through fayth obteyned it by his faith was the Oyle of the widdowe of Zarphat encreased Dan. 6. her child raysed from death to life The three Children were deliuered from the whot fornace by fayth and Daniell out of the Lyons denne by sayth the sinfull woman Luk. 7. obteyned pardon the Apostles by sayth Act. 3. healed sundry diseases Nowe wl at greater Iewell can there be had at the handes of God then fayth for haue fayth and all thinges foode sent from heauen defence from Lyons saftye from fire in the whott Ouen forgiuenesse of sinnes and whatsoeuer els concerneth eyther body or soule And therefore let it be a principall requeste vnto his Maiestie that he will vouchsafe that gift VVithout wauering aske it and God will giue thee it aboundantly VVithout sayth Heb. 11. it is impossible to please God Neyther can we haue accesse to Christe Eod. without it who is the Mediator betweene God the Father and vs. O Halmighty God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ by whose worde we are taught that to loue thee feare thee and serue in trueth godlines and sinceretie of life is the onely way and meane to continue thy loue and fauour towardes vs without the which wee can not but perish And beleefe and confidence in thy sonne Iesus Christe the onely meane of our redemption and attonement with thee the onely holde of our saluation whereof we can not be sufficiently assured without thine especial gift of faith which is the ancor wherevnto the cable of our saluation is fastned And beeing broken the hope also of our saluation decayeth waxeth of none effecte plant therfore most merciful God one sparcke of true faith in mine harte that I may certainlye know thee perfectly loue thee and duely feare thee and vnfeynedly acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee sent into this miserablâ— world to saue vs miserable sinneâ—s for vs by his bitter death to purchase thy fauoure and loue againe which we had loste by the fall of our Father Adam Oh Lorde graunt me to take such holde of his death passion resurrection and assention as by his death we may haue pardon by his resurrection rise to righteousnes by his assention ascende with him to celestiall glorie and finally attribute the cause and meane of our saluatioÌ„ to proceede onely by his passion Increase this faith in vs good Lord dayly more and more that it may growe by the working of thine holie spirite to full perfection accompanied with good workes and godlie behauiour without the which I caÌ„ fesse faith caÌ„not be that I may bothe in life and conuersation fulfill thy diuine will in all things with-holde not from me good Lorde that singuler gift of thine which is the stay of our happines the want therof a most certaine token of our perdition It is the strength of the weake feeble ones the staffe stay that guids the blind the onlie way that leads vnto the vnspeakable ioies of eternal blisse the meane to obteine possesse enioy the only good which is the knowledge of thy will the bande of mutuall peace the Forte the Castell and comfort of a distressed minde and the onelie harbour of a sorrowfull soule no good thing wanteth to him on whom thou vouchsafest to bestowe the same to whom all thinges are light in whom remaineth no darknes at all Banish therefore sweete Lorde all misbeleefe all wauering and doubting out of mine heart and plant insteede thereof vnfeyned fayth that applying the same to euery affliction both of bodye and minde I may vanquish and ouercome sathan with stande the delightes of the worlde and suppresse the corruptible motions of the flesh ouercome my bodely enemies and enioy at thy good pleasure health of bodie soundnes of minde perfection of limmes and all thinges els requisite for me as no thing is impossible to him that enioyeth this thy gift estecttually indeede a most precious iewell an vnspeakable good thing for thou sayst VVho so heareth thy word and beleeueth in Iesus Christe whome thou haste sent shall haue euerlasting life Then Lorde on the contrary he that beleeueth not is in daunger of euerlasting death Oh Lord increase my faith wher by I may beleeue in that thy sonne and take hold of all his promises who said That who so beleeueth in him shall want no manner of thing that is good Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe Giue mee fayth but as the grayne of a Musterde seede and I shall be able to doo great wonders yea I shall bee able to remooue sathan out of his desired habitation expelling him and his ministers out of my minde and walke no longer according to the will of the
bitter and most perilous insomuch as it bringeth shame and confussion to the so vnaduised enterprisers of the same Lord thou sayest that a Sparrow can not light on the grounde without thy permission and prouidence which is a creature of small value in respect of man whom thou hast made to thine owne image and likenes and whom thou accountest of more value then many Sparrowes in respect whereof good Lord and for thy meere mercies sake extende so thy fauourable care vnto me thy frayle creature that all mine intents may haue theyr beginning by the working of thine holie spirite and mine actions end in the same and not according to the motions of mine owne foolish desires Thou like a most louing father willest vs to take counsaile at thee in all our exercises concerning either bodie or soule before we proceede too farre in them Oh Lord blesse me with thine heauenly inspiration that my minde imagine nothing but what is according to the Lawe of righteousnes Oh Lord blesse the workes of mine hands the sight of mine eyes blesse mine eares that they hearkeÌ„ not but to the hearing of godly and vertuous communication and thine holie word my tongue lippes with decent speeche and my feete that they may keepe the way of righteousnes And place within the secret corners of my heart such due regard what I goe about or determine as before I proceed to farr in request of good luckie successe I may vnderstaÌ„d by the secrete working of thine holie spirite whether my request bee according vnto thy will And graunt that I neuer absolutelie craue thy furtherance in accomplishing any my desires vntil by the same spirite I be truelie resolued that my desires be lawfull consonaunt and agreeable to thy diuine wyll but may faithfully referre all my matters vnto thee whether they be heard or not heard whether presently or tarrying long not giuing ouer feeling in my selfe by thy grace that it pleaseth thee constantlie continuing thy good pleasure though it come not as I wish let me not by and by fall from my good beginning but perseuering in continuall prayers for thine assistaunce and fatherly helpe vnto the end for thou hast promised neuer to deceiue our godly disires nor to sende them away frustrate mercifully heare me Oh Lorde in time conuenient And attentiuely heare me approching vnto thee with vnfeyned desire and hope of thy helpe that when any plague any affliction misery or vexation shall come vpon me when the want of any necessary thing oppresseth me or accomplishing of any lawfull sute mooueth me I flying vnto thee as the fountaine from whence floweth all true helpe all perfect assistaunce all good successe and prosperous euents of all godlie endeuours not seeking any other by meane either to auoide the one or to obteine the other then thy fatherly directions and spirituall motions I may obteyne the same according vnto my necessities and in thy good time oh heauenly God for thy sonne our Lorde Iesus Christes sake graunt this sweete God Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A short prayer to the like purpose COnsidering mine owne blindnes ignoraunce and the wilfull obstinacie of my corrupt nature which seeketh rather the fulfilling of the fantasticall deuises of mine owne brayne then thy diuine will And to vse humaine ayde rather then to craue thine helpe vouchsafe I humbly beseeche thee to establish godlie feare in mine heart and vnfeyned obedience to thine holy ordinaunces that in all mine enterprises which in thy name I take in hande thou wilt vouchsafe to direct me according to thy will and to giue me prosperous successe for thy sonne Jesus Christes sake Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth The sorrowfull sinner afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes may say thus If thou with sinne afflicted be Oh then saith Christ come thou to me LEt vs acknowledge our selues to bee wretched sinners and with feare fall downe before the mercies seate of the highest iudge Contemning our selues to be moste vnrighteous and iustly deseruing confusion And then as S. Iohn sayeth 1. Ioh. 1. 9. wee shall finde God moste mercifull vnto vs who is most faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from al our vnrighteousnes for hee desireth not the death of a sinner but that he turne from his wickednes and liue And therfore as Ezekiell sayth Ezek. 23. Turne you turne you from your wicked wayes for why sayeth he wil you dye in your sinnes And againe Ioell sayth Ioell 2. 13. Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne to the Lorde your God Because hee is gentle and mercifull and of much mercy and such a one as is sorye for your afflictions wherefore if thou bee afflicted in conscience by reason that thou haste beene a notorious offender remember Mary Magdalen whose wickednes was great vpon repentaunce receyued pardon as also the theefe and the Publicau and many other Dispayre not but in heartie prayer and by vnfeyned repentaunce turne to the Lord. O Almighty god father of merci who art more ready to giue then wee to aske more apt to pardon then we to repent more willing to receiue the contrite in heart into thy fauour and mercy againe then they to offer themselues by vnfeyned repeÌ„taunce Lorde I come heere prostrate in hearte before the throne of thine infinite mercie louing kindnes as one altogether ashamed to looke vpon the detestable vile and abhominable offences which I haue doone against thee beeing so heauie a burden for my poore soule that the shoulders of my poore diseased conscience beginne to sincke vnder the same and am altogether destitute of any proppe or meane to support the same or to ease me therof but onelie thy death and bitter passion sweet Iesus who camest into this worlde to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance Lord I bewayle mine heâ—nous offences and am moste sorye for my sins which are so vile the burden of them so intollerable that when I turne mine eyes but to the beholding them a farre off I am by and by stryken with so great dreade that I am driuen to most heauie sighes greeuous groanes and thinke my life an enemie vnto mee wishing the beginning of my dayes had beene the day of my departure out of this miserable worlde But moste sweete Lorde when I note them perfectlie in my minde take as it were a straight account what the deedes of my youth haue beene beeing indeede most lewde most euill most vile and sinfull what a terror doo I suffer in minde what a dungion of dollours doth open it selfe as it were to swallowe mee vp what gryping greefes doo torment my poore conscience in so much as I am at the pittes brincke of dispayre wauering in minde to and fro seeking rest but loe Lorde vnquietnes of minde oppresseth me so sore that considering with my selfe what I haue beene and what I am a greate matter vexeth me But when I looke into the time to
come the time wherein all mine offences and faults shall bee manifested and laid to my charge Oh then whether shall I flye thinke I whether shall I conueygh my selfe who shall hide mee from thy presence who shall saue me from thy iust iudgement Oh sweete Lord I am euen at my witts ende wishing for death and ende of my dayes And yet then the feare of the torments of hell fire so striueth in me to the contrarie that I quake at the rememberaunce thereof And when I couet to liue longer and see more daies Lord then I am striken with doubt and imagine that as my life hath beene euen from my byrth giuen and inclyned so greedelie to sinne and that the cause of my present dread I then loath and abhorre my longer continuance heere fearing least the aptnes of my corrupt flesh by the dayly rebellion thereof against the spirite heape greater plagues vpon my poore soule What shall I doo Lorde feare and dispayre thus oppressing me on all sides all hope of comfort hath left me onely greefe and sorrowe remaineth knowing not to whom to flie for succour or to whom to make my mone If to man I knowe his strength pollicie and wisedome and comfort to be vaine his nature inclined to weakenes and wickednes as mine and in him to be no helpe And seeking any woâ—ldly meane for pardon and remission of my sinne I acknowledge it altogether transitory superfiuous and to no purpose But the seeking therof to renue and increase my greefe that I shoulde leaue and giue ouer the true and onely platforme of my deliuery and seeke to a counterfeyt showe of ayde Oh God forbid that euer I shoulde but onely seeke for pardon of thy self whom most greeuously I haue offended and therefore to thee I fall prostrate euen in heart sweete Iesus the onely Phisition of all sicke soules in whose power consisteth the alone forgiuenes of sinnes be they neuer so many or great I come I come though altogether ashamed vnto thee my sauiour Iesus Christ who haste promised to be a Mediatour for the penitent vnto God the father It is thy property to call home such as wander and goe astray and to traine them vp in new wayes be theyr sinnes as redde as Scarlet thou hast sayde thou wilt make them as white as snowe and were they as purple thou canst make theÌ„ as white wooll Oh most sweete promise Oh comfortable saying Oh voyce of heauenly consolation whereby I am comforted whereby I am reuiued yea nowe is my conscience lightened now haue I founde the true onely Phisition of my long disease poore soule euen thy self sweet Iesus who callest mee I come I come Lord stretch forth thine hand and receiue mee giue mee perfecte hand fast of thys moste comfortable saying of thine let mee enioy the true working of this most singuler medicine thy death and bytter passion sweete Iesus who sufferedst for our sinnes camest to take away the punishment due for our transgression and to call vs to repentaunce without which there is no hope of remission of our sinnes Thy mercy is infinite thy loue vnsearchable and wisedome incomprehensible whereby thou callest vs whereby thou louest vs and whereby thou guydest vs And euen of meere loue which thou haste to the saluation of my poore soule whom thou wouldest rather should conuert then perish thou hast stirred vp in mine heart a lothing of my sinne wherein I haue walked and imbraced the same eueÌ„ with greedines Oh that I were as ready to come as thou to call So willing to leaue and giue ouer the fulfilling of vnlawfull desires as thou art to forgiue the same So apt to serue thee as thou art to saue me Then should sinne no more dwell in me nor I in it but should enioy thy continuall fauour and rest vnder the winges of thy mercy Oh Lorde I humbly beseeche thee that as it hath pleased thee to stirre me vppe at this time to repentaunce as thou hast called me home froÌ„ the wildernes of wickednes from deepe dispayre so to place me in the pleasaunt fieldes of sinceritie trueth and godlines as thou hast pluckt me out of the clawes of sathan so vouchsafe to holde me vnder the shaddow of thy winges and to imbrace me with the armes of thy mercy that I runne no longer after the vanities of this world nor yeelde vnto the vngodly motions of the fleshe that my minde beeing free from all sinfull cogitations I may keepe my bodie an vndefiled member of thy Church vnto my liues ende And although til thine appointed time this miserable vale must be my continuing cittie And although I must be driuen to vse this worlde according to the necessitie of worldlye causes as thy prouidence hath assigned euery man to exercise his vocation yet graunt that my minde may be continually conuersant in heauenly things and though my bodie wander in earth my soule spirite may haue theyr perfect beeing and abyding by perfect faith in heauen where thou sittest raigneth for euer Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A short prayer to the like purpose OH God whose propertie is euer to haue mercye yea whose mercy is infinite and loue incomprehensible and who haste not delight in the death of a sinner looke fauourably vpon me who haue so deepely offended thine heauenlie maiestie that I confesse nothing but condemnation due vnto me for my so manifolde iniquities my conscience accuseth me and mine heart bewraieth my disobedience beeing but a cast away vnlesse it may please thee for Iesus Christes sake to turne away thine indignation and to take away the plagues which I haue iustly deserued and punishments for the same which thou hast ordeyned Lord cease to be angry and according to thy mercy not to thy iustice deale with me but according to thy most louing promise my sinnes béeing as red as Scarlet may through my fayth in the death of Iesus Christ as white as Snow And as I haue hetherto folowed euen with greedines that which I should not giue me nowe grace to followe and imbrace that which thou commaundest in thy sonne Iesus Christ vnto my liues ende Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A prayer for a competent and necessary lyuing The God aboue vouchsafeth store To him in faith that prayes therfore ALthough thy store increase so greatly multiply that thou be sayne to enlarge thy roomes to bestowe thy fruites thinke thee not discharged of this most necessary exercise of praier but so much the more bound thervnto â—for it is not the increase of fruites the labour of thy handes or store of wealth that mainteyneth thy lyfe and feedeth thee vnlesse it be seasoned wyth the word of God which preserueth all that faythfully trust in him Matth. 24. For thou canst not liue by Breade alone which is with thinges necessarye for thy bodie but by the worde of almightye GOD And yet we are not onely licensed and permitted but most louinglye called to come
VV iddowes and be helpfull vnto them in their distresses Lord haue mercy vpon all men forgiue our enemies and such as persecute vs and if it please thee turne the heartes Fructifie those thinges on earth which thou hast appoynted for our vse and so increase the same that we may enioy the fruites thereof with sufficiencie for our necessities in time conuenient And vouchsafe to giue vs grace to fall downe vppon the knees of our hearts with vnfeyned repentannce of all our sinnes that we may obteyne at thy mercifull handes pardon for our offences negligences and ignoraunces and vouchsafe to endue vs with thine holy spirite that we may goe forward in daily amendmēt of our liues gouern the same according to thy wil. Amen Oh sonne of almighty God we beseeche thee to heare vs. Oh Lambe of God that takest away the sins of the world graunt vs thy peace and haue mercy vpon vs. Oh Lord increase our fayth Amen A prayer for the fulfilling of the tenne Commaundements Pray that thou maiest fulfill the will Of him whose hand defends thee still And these precepts forget thou not Which Moyses for thy safety wrot BLessed is the man as sayth Dauid Psalm 1. 2. that delighteth in the Lawe of the Lorde and meditateth therein day and night he shall be blessed in his goodes in all that hee taketh in hand at his going out and his comming in and in all thinges But contrariwise he that declyneth from his commaundemēts and neglecteth them shall be accursed in all his waies and nothing shall prosper with him although for a tyme it flourishe in showe heere the ende of the same will be euill And therfore Dauid in all his prayers considering his owne infirmitie besought the Lord to instruct him in his commaundements saying make mee Oh God to vnderstand thy lawes and I will meditate vppon all thine wonderous works Yea his delight was in the commaundements of God And Saloman sayth Pro. 28. that hee that turneth away his eares from hearing the lawe his prayer shall be abhominable For it is the loue of God that we should keepe his commaundements 1. Ioh 5 Praye therefore that God will stirre vp in you an vnfeyned zeale in all your dooings and enterprises to obserue the law of the Lorde OH almighty Iehouah God of heauen earth who haste promised thy selfe euen from the beginning to be our Lorde and our God our shielde and our Fortresse our buckler and defence our Castell and refuge And who hast brought vs with a mighty and strong hand with an outstretched Arme out of the Lande wherein wee were straungers wherein we liued in bondage vnder the yoke and tytannye of Antechriste and sathan into the lande land that floweth with the Milke and Honny of true religion wherewith thou feedest the soules of thy faithfull ones Grant that as through thy meere mercye and loue thou vouchsafest to bring vs into this worlde and to frame vs to thine owne image and likenes So we may account thee as our onely God worshipping none other besides thee making vnto our selues none image of any likenes either of thinges aboue or thinges beneathe nor bowe or seeke helpe at the handes of any as a God beside thee who as by thy mightye power thou broughtest the children of Israell out of Egipt by the handes of Moses and Aaron where they were in bondage where they were continually oppressed with sundry kindes of vexations both of body and minde So hast thou vhuchsased to bring vs and to deliuer vs from a greater bondage seruitude and stauery euen from the power of Sathan vnder whose tyranny we rested and now escaped not by the pollicie strength or power of any Moyses but by the blod shedding of thine only son Iesus Christ who tooke vpon him the death of the crosse for our sakes to bring vs frō darknes wherein we walked according to the will of the flesh vnto the true knowledge of thee againe to redeeme vs out of the bondage of sin into the land of righteousnes from blinde ignoraunce to the bright shining day-starre of thine heauenly will who art not onely a most loouing and gentle Father but also a moste sharp punisher and reuenger who art not onely desirous that we should come vnto thee but art also most ielious ouer vs least we should seeke or follow any other God besides thee yea in all our afflictions and troubles to seeke onely vnto thee and beeing releeued to attribute the onely meane thereof vnto thy selfe whereby thou hast promised to bee mercifull vnto thousandes that loue thee feare thee seeke thee and truely take hold◠of thee as theyr onely God And againe threatnest thy vengeaunce and heauy displeasnre to continue vppon the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate thee and folow straunge Gods Oh sweete God vouchsafe that it may be farre from our mindes to haue any desire once to put our foote towardes any straunge Gods appeare their helpe neuer so likely or plentifull but that it bee bothe now and euer in our hearts to confesse both in word and conuersation that there is none other God besides thee who art most glorious and a most louing Father haue mercy vpon vs. And so vouchsafe to direct vs in all our dooinges cogitations and wordes as we may alwayes and in all thinges fulfil thy will neuer taking thine holy and most glorious name in vaine by blasphemous speeches dishonouring the same Keepe vs moste louing Father not onely from the most detestable sinne of periury whereby thine holy name is often defaced and as it were troden vnder foote as in making it the author of abhominable falshoodes and lyes but from all friuolous and vaine othes which to the great greefe of thy children are moste vncomly in the mouthes of such as vnreuerently and rashly vse it euen in common speeches without any vrgent cause or matter forcing wherby they fal into the most hemous sinne of taking thy most glorious name in vaine but that we may vse such a reuerent manner godly order of vsing thy name for trial of any matter in lawfull causes as thou maist alwaies find vs true hallowers of it therby And forasmuchas thou within sixe daies didst finish al things in the be ginning in the seauenth day didst rest from the same labor commanding vs likewise to obserue the sanctification of the same for euer and to rest from all labours trauailes and worldly busines and not onely our selues but all other whom thou hast committed to our charge as seruaunts Oxen and Asses and such like graunt that wee may not onely lay aside all worldly cares and busines on the Sabaoth day resting our wearied members but may in all thinges sanctifie it and keepe it holy with godly exercises diuine prayers and heauenly meditations with carefull and diligent regard to the auoyding of all wanton pastimes foolish and vncomly exercises and vnlawfull practises whereby oftentimes the affection beeing mooued to impatience powreth
haue vnto thine hands praying thee to direct me by thy grace wisdome to the bestowing it according vnto thy will In the name of thy sonne Iesus Christe to whome with thee and the holy ghost bee continuall laude and prayse for euer and euermore Amen Oh Lord increase our fayth A short prayer to the like purpose OH God almighty the gyuer of all good thinges the onely stay of mankinde their guide and comfort giue grace vnto mee thy seruaunt that as thou hast blessed my store and increased my wealth in somuch as I haue not onely that which may suffice mine owne necessary want but haue also sufficient to releeue others in neede Driue from mine heart all naturall desire of more and giue me a will to distribute and according to the aboundaunce of my wealth to feede the hungry cloth the naked and to doo all thinges els which thou requirest of them on whom thou bestowest thy blessinges to the furtheraunce of godlines and not to liue to my selfe and for my selfe onely but to the helpe of all that want my furtheraunce That laying vppe a good foundation in the ende I may leaue the world willingly and purchase through Jesus Christ thy kingdome eternallie Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A prayer to be sayd of a woman with childe As Eue thy Grandame causde thy thrall Pray to the Lord case it he shall For as by Eue thy thraldome came Christ Iesus since to â—ase the same PRay that GOD may mittigate the paines of your trauaile which by reason of the transgression of your Graundmother Eue God hath pronounced to be great saying vnto her and in her vnto you all in sorrowe Gene. 3. shall you bring foorth Childe And you daily see that th'extremity thereof doth often ende the dayes of manye a sister of yours before that howre healthfull and strong And therfore I thinke it a parte of great wisdome to prepare addresse yourselues against that howre euen to giue vp the ghost for without the mercifull helpe and fauor of almightye God you can not escape death wherefore I wish as many as are in that case to betake them humbly on their knees vnto him in harty praier without whose outstretched arme no womaÌ„s helpe can bee auailable in that behalfe pray therfore pray that God of his tender mercy will vouchsafe you an howre wherin you may be happily deliuered OH mercifull God and omnipotent father maker and Creatour of all thinges who in the beginning haddest placed mankind in most vnspeakable happines where they should haue continued had not our first parents brokeÌ„thy precept and will wherby they procured thine heauy indignatioÌ„ against theÌ„ selues their posteritye for euer so that the earth for their sakes was accursed denying thinges necessary for their vse with out their great labour industry paines and sweat of body And vnto vs the daughters of Eue for her transgression thou haste appoynted moste greeuous paines and torments of body in the trauaile of childbirth saying that in sorrowe and great paynes wee shall bring foorth childe Oh sweete Lord for as much as thou art almighty and bringest all thinges to passe according vnto thy good pleasure and shewest thy selfe in no thing more omnipotent then in the conceyuing forming and bringing mankinde into the world which although it were in the beginning ordeyned most easie by the subtilty of our continuall enemy sathan in causing our first parents to transgresse thy commaundement and to breake thy will by tasting the forbidden fruite it is nowe most painfull greeuous and perilous In so much Oh sweete Lorde as without thine especiall grace fauour and mercy it is altogether impossible to bee brought to pasâ—e our imperfection and feeblenes is such that of ourselues we are not able to endure the least of all the panges and sorrowes that dooth accompany this kinde of trauaile Wherfore sweete Lord mine humble and moste hartie desire vnto thy maiestie is that thou wouldest vouchsafe to extende vnto me and to all women in this my like case thy mercy and louing fauour to mittigate the paines thereof that we may be able patiently to endure and continue the panges of the same at the howre appointed Make that easie and light vnto vs which our desertes haue made burdensome and heauy that the burden wherewith I am now loden may fortunately be deliuered from the shoulders of my weake body Sende vs all good Lorde happye deliueraunce that we may be made ioyfull mothers And vouchsafe vnto me and to all that haue conceiued and be with Childe strength to bring foorth that which thine omnipotencie hath so wonderfully wrought in vs. Be present with vs in our trauailes Oh Lorde helpe vs most mercifull God and mightily deliuer vs. Let thy power might and loue be no lesse manifested in the deliuery then in the forming of thy creature that beeing through thy goodnes made glad and ioyfull mothers we may obteyne our perfect strength againe and liue to prayse and please thee for euermore Amen Oh Lord increase our fayth A short and most necessary prayer alwaies to be sayd of one with child OH Lord whose goodnes we haue offended and deserued infinite plagues looke vpon me and pardon me laye aside thy iustice and shewe thy mercy let me haue the benefit of thine helping hande and not feele the wright of thine heauy hande Fauourably lighten me of this burden in thy good and gratious time and in the howre and instaunce of my deliuery be present with mee Lorde and tender my safety through Jesus Christe Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A thankes giuing to God after the deliuery As God hath now deliuered thee So well thy prayse deserueth hee For if he had not stoode thy freende These panges of thine had wrought thine end FOr asmuch as it hath pleased almighty God of his great goodnes to giue thee good deliuerance and to ridde thee from the great paynes perril wher with thou were euen nowe afflicted Fall down humble and prostrate thy selfe in heart with the reste that are present giuing no lesse vnfeyned thanks vnto his omnipotent maiestie for his holy help in sauing thee then thou diddest or oughtest to pray for his aide happely to deliuer thee and let not the ioy or glad tydings of a son or a daughter born into the world or the departure of theÌ„ so much possesse thine heart but that it may be alwayes ready to gyue prayse o God for thy safe deliuery as did Hannah who being deliuered of a sonne giue harty thankes to God And thinke not that the extreame plunges of the very birthe beeing past thou art presently acquited of al daunger for the weaknes frailty rawnes of your health is many dayes after great And therefore what soeuer thou be tendringe thine owne safety prayse God continually praying for strength and he will giue it thee for vnthankfulnes is a meane to purchace in steeâ—e of Gods fauour his indignation to punish a newe OH almightye
Philosopher beeing demaunded what was the hardest thing in the world aunswered for a man to know himselfe beeing then demanded what was the easiest thing he answered for a man to giue good counsaile vnto another Both which his resolutions to the sayde demaunds I may be thought rightly to verify by this mine enterprise beeing of so slender iudgment and young of experience taking vpon me to discribe vnto the learned and wyse a forme for their better instruction wherein many may condemne my selfe in neglecting the principles of the same But right worshipful notwithstanding my weaknes my good meaning is not heerein altogether to be condemned who of my selfe am nothing and can doo nothing Sed Deus bene facientes adiuuat God is euer ready to further the good attempts of euery man his hand is ready to guyde the pen of all that endeuour to glorifie his name by their dooings from whom if I should not acknowledge all godly desires to proceede and attribute the benefit of euery mans godly trauaile vnto his prouident care of our welfare I should not but thinke my selfe an enemy vnto his diuinity VVherby incurring his heauy displeasure my trauaile should turne to mine own trouble and my desired prayse vnto my deserued paines But for asmuch as Lex domini imaculata est conuertans animas testimonium eius fidele sapientiam prestaus paruulis The Law of the Lord beeing vndefiled conuerting the soule his testimony faithfull and gyuing wisedome euen to the babes and little ones mine hope is that his hand was the directour of my pen and his grace the gouernour of my heart in my proceeding and as my selfe haue had no small comfort and sweetenes in the exercise thereof already And so much as I perswade my selfe it can not be but likewise beneficiall to such as in â—eale shall vouchsafe to bestowe some time in the faythfull practise thereof Notwithstanding some will say there is prayer bookes inough in my iudgement not too many so that they bee consonant and agreeable to that forme of prayer which Christ himselfe sette downe and prescribed wherein is conteyned sixe petitions or requests vnto God whereof the three first are for the setting forth of the glory of God the three last pertayne onely to our owne commodities as for all thinges necessarye for our bodies for remission of sinnes and to bee preserued from temptations which concerne the soule in which sixe petitions is conteyned the some of all prayers whatsoeuer And as it hath beene lawfull for the zealous godly for their owne godly practise heeretofore to writ the same for the benefit of others allowed to bee published I presume acknowledging my trauaile altogether inferior to those to coÌ„mit this my practise to the Print not deemeing it of my selfe worthy but by the iudgment of others learned perswaded to consent therevnto the rather wylling for that my purpose in wryting and intent in publishing rightly wayed and the matter duely considered none or rather the lesse by reason of your good countenaunce wyll seeme to vomit out theyr conteÌ„ptuous termes of the worke or reproches of the poore paintaker as against the best booke and most zealous Author that euer wrote the enuious haue doone but for mine owne part I hold me rather woorthy rebuke then reward for wading so farre into that that belongeth vnto the zealous learned and men of most sounde iudgement to sette foorth and I beeing as it were ignoraunt should put before the eyes of such as haue bothe knowledge and wisedome a glasse or spectacle for their better light and furtheraunce when as in deede I should rather repayre vnto them as blinde for theyr ayde to direct my selfe But right worshipfull acknowledging my fault heerein vpon hope of your taking it in good part I presume to present this my simple trauaile vnto you taking it in hand with no lesse good meaning vnto the highnes my light guyde with no lesse good will to you then he who hath deserued farre better for his trauaile I haue intituled it A pensiue mans practise and I thinke not vnfitly who in my too much liberty in the seruice of the right worshipfull Lady Ann Knyuet your late disceased mother and my good Lady and Mistresse spending many dayes in idlenes and voyd of good but in fryuolous exercises among many inclyning to theyr owne pleasaunt deuises considering that S. Ierom sayth that Per publicaÌ„ viam non ambulemus we shoulde not walke after the moste And weying the sentence of Terence who sayth truely that Omnes deteriores sumus licentia All men are the worsse for too much liberty I withdrewe me from their so familiar society insomuch as I was thought of some sulleyne of some prowde of some foolish and none past with out his verdite of my solitarines wherevnto vpon these considerations I had drawne mine vntoward desires in so much as by sundry sodaine passions and greefes of heart for thinges passed and to come I was often perplexed the grace of God onely of his mercy more preuailing with me theÌ„ an infinite troope of carnall perswasions I betooke me to often sundry prayers vnto almighty God in all my perplixities and troubles with earnest de sire to the reading of that that most might stirre my dulled and vntoward minde to the desire therevnto whereby by little and little feeling a certaine inwarde sweetenes and comfort to grow in myne heart by the practise thereof the flesh being alwayes repugnant it began to be of such force to my comfort in my necessities as I thought it a fitte practise in allpensiuenes a practise in all perplexities most precious in all distresses most delectable yee in all thynges in all places at all tymes most requisite and comfortable which although some wyll condemne my circumstaunce mooued mee to gyue it the tytle of A pensiue mans practise which I speake not to myne owne glory I woulde that euery one in all extreamityes would vse the same I meane prayer he should finde comfort therein yea he shoulde finde as I know by experience pleasure in perplexitye for no thing mooueth sooner desire of inuocation vpon God theÌ„ bodely necessities for the pleasure of the body taketh away the good desire of the soule we ought to pray for the gyft of the spirite of God and then shall not our desires depart empty away a zealous and faythfull inwarde desire without motion of the tongue in our distresse sendeth vppe euen to the throne of God so sweete a sauour That euen the holy ghost in our greatest pensiuenes wylbe most ready to giue assistaunce to our good desires and wyll bring the same to most wished perfection But corruption aboundeth in all men all men are prone to doo euyll euen by nature and none there is that dooth good no not one The spyryte is often wylling but the flesh is alwayes weake we must therefore pray continually and when we are so dull as that the outward showe dooth argue insufficient feruency
eodem 27 where were 25 eodem 24. desease deseased 26 2 4 as white be as white 32 eodem 6 learne teache 59 2 9 vndeserudly deseruedly eodem eodem 27 wylles wyles ¶ A pensiue mans practise Before we pray we must forgiue if we haue any thing against any man otherwise our heauenly Father will not forgiue vs. Mar. 11. A prayer to Christ. O Sweete Iesus who haste taken vppon thee to bee our intercessor Aduocate vnto God thine heauenlie Father vouchsafe I humbly be secche thee to accompanye me in these my supplications and prayers presenting them vnto his heauenlie maiestie in such sorte as for thy sake sweete Iesus they may be acceptable vnto him to the washing away of my sinnes obteining thinges necessarie for me and all men according vnto his will in all things Amen O Lord increase my faith O Lorde open thou my lips that my mouth may extoll thee with prayse and bee thankfull vnto thee for thy benefites grant that I speake nothinge but that which may bee to thine honour glorie to the reliefe of our necessities bodelye and ghostlie Amen O Lord make speede to sende vs helpe succor from the Tower of thy strength O Lord let thine heauenly kingdome bee alwayes readie to receiue vs to eternall saluation Eternall praises be vnto thee oh God So be it A praier for the assistaunce of Gods holy Spirite Aske what thou wilt and thou shalt haue If thou in Christ the same doo craue For Christ thy Mediator sees When thou to him doost fall on knees ASke and yee shall haue seeke and yee shal finde knocke it shalbe opened vnto you Matt. 7. If yee that he euill can giue vnto your Children good giftes when they aske them how much more shall our heauenlie father giue his holie spirite to theÌ„ that faithfully desire it Luk. 11. VVe knowe not what to aske nor how to pray as we ought but the spirite it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which can not be expressed Rom. 8. Seeing therefore our prayers be vaine and of none effecte without the grace and assistaunce of Gods holie spirite let vs fail downe vnto the throne of his Maiestie praying faithfullie for the same and it shall be giuen vs. O Almighty God omnipoteÌ„t father who comfortest such as be sorrowfull and who giuest all good and perfect giftes as thou of thy free fauour and loue hast willed vs in all our afflictions and necessities and as often as we finde our selues burdened with any kinde of tribulation or afflictioÌ„ either of bodie or minde to call for ease at thy mercifull handes So vouch safe to heare my crye and to consider the secrete groanes sighes and sorrowes of my sillye soule Oh blessed and eternall God loe heer before the throÌ„e of thy mercy euen at the gate of thy sweete promises I thy silly creature worke of thine owne hands prostrate my selfe in hearte most humbly beseeching thee to sende downe vppon my darke vnderstanding the bright beames of thine holy spirite to lighten me and to direct me in all my supplications and prayers and especially at this time Oh Lorde for that thou knowest my weakenes wickednes and ignoraunce to be such as I am altogether vnable to frame my requestes according to thy will or to seeke that is truelie for mine owne soules health and am altogether ignoraunt of the right gate to knocke at without thine especiall grace directing and assisting mee VVherefore I most humbly beseeche thee to addresse and prepare mine heart to the true vnderstanding of thy will and my tongue and lippes to the pure and vnfeyned calling on thy holy name euen for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake our onely Mediatour and Aduocate for whose bitter deathes sake I humbly beseeche thee of thy meere fauour and louing kindnes to wasn me and to make me cleane by the operation of thine holy spirite that beeing sanctified I may vtter those thinges which may bee vnto thee an acceptable sacrifice through the same thy sonnes mediation and intercession And that nothing passe the bandes of mine vnstaâ—ed lippes but that which may beseeme a single heart alwaies sounding to thine honour and setting foorth of thy most woorthy prayse both at this time and at all times Let thâ—ne holie spirite Oh Lorde come vnto me let it continue with me worke and preuaile effectuallie in me vnto the ende that I may both at this time beginne and for euermore continue as thou willest I shoulde namelie in faith that I fall not in anie temptations In hope that I may constantliâ— looke for and faithfully attaine vnto perfit vnderstanding of thy will and ablenes in all thinges to fulfill the same Make me also good Lord feruent in charitie that I may freelie and vnfeynedlie euen from mine heart forgiue and forgett all iniuries wronges and euill dooings of such as by any meanes haue ostended me with hartie prayer for their amendment that I approching vnto the throne of thy mercie in a pure and simple hart may hartelie as wel for all others as for my selfe for thinges necessary both for bodie and soule say that prayer which thy deerlie and well beloued sonne Iesus Christ taught vs to say Oh our Father which art in heauen c. Oh Lorde increase our faith A shorter prayer to the like purpose OH God almighty most louing and moste righteeus who vouchsafest to instill into the heartes of thy chosen seruauntes grace vnfeynedly to serue thee and to call vpon thine holy name in their necessitie and distresse Uouchsafe I humbly beseeche thee â—f thy méere mercie to expell out of mine heart all naturall dulnes misbeléefe and blindnes of error And through thine holie spirite to plant in steede thereof perfect zeale and vnfeyned desire to prostrate my selfe in heart before thine heauenlie Maiestie in fayth vnfeyned That at thys time it may please thée so to accept these my supp 〈…〉 cations and prayers as I may obteyne at thy mercifull handes what soeuer thou seest necessary bothe for body and soule through Jesus Christ our onely Sautour and Redéemer Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A morning prayer for the working day Before thou dâ—o thy worke beginne Thanke God craue pardon for thy sin And then thy worke shall prosper so As want shall neuer breede thee woe WHat a great benefit we receiue at the handes of almightie God by our naturall sleepe none is ignoraunt what perrils wee escape in the darke dolefull night wee may easilie iudge And what fauome the almighty extendeth towardes vs in giuing vs lodging not in the fieldes but in houses not vpon the harde and colde grounde but vppon softe pillowes warmelie couered experience teacheth VVhat thankes for this so bountifull benefits of his we are daily bounde to yeelde I woulde we allknewe and had will to yeelde them accordingly as did Dauid who Psal. 55 in the morning at midday and at night calling on the name of the Lord with thankes sayde Psal.
vs not forgitt it leaste God forgett vs. ALL possible thanks we giue vnto thee Oh Lord of mercy King of all the Kinges and kingdomes of the earth for that thou hast vouchsafed to place ouer vs thy little flocke of thys Realme so pure a guide of true religion Elizabeth by thine heauēly prouidēce our Queene vnder whom enioying the free libertie of the true seruice of thee we rest in a quiet estate bothe of bodie and minde We humbly pray thy fauourable regarde to beholde with mercifull eies the same thy seruant our soueraigne Lady and gouernes And so fructify her heart with the good graine of thine holye spirite that she alwayes inclined by the working thereof to the settinge foorth of thy worde may walke according to the truth of the same sincerelie that we thy seruants and vnder thee her subiects seeing her godly example may be ashamed to fall frō that due forme of honouring thy name which for thy glory shee hath through thy grace by the rule of thy worde prescribed vnto vs. Banish good Lord from her heart all ignoraunce and print therein perfect wisdome and knowledge of thine heauenly will giue her an obedient minde abounding withall humilitie towardes thy diuine maiestie Saue and defende her from the tyrannie of forraine power and authoritie and from all such as profesle not inwardlie vnfeyned zeale of thy Gospell giue her godlie Counsellors and such zealous and true harted ministers of thy wyl that she and we according to the trueth of euerye our seueral functions may truelie serue thee in this life and in the ende for euermore raigne with thee in thine heauenly kingdome for Iesus Christes sake our only Redeemer Aduocate and sweete Sauiour Amen Oh Lord increase our fayth A prayer for the Sunday morning Let labour passe let prayer bee This day the cheefest worke for thee AS the Lorde hath assigned vnto mā sixe dayes of seauen for his necessarie trauaile So hath he expreslie commanded Gen. 2. the seauenth to be hallowed and kept onely for the seruice of him wher in all busines sette aparte we should referre our selues to prayer to the hearing or reading of the worde of the Lorde without any vngodlie exercise at all wherfore as did Dauid Psal. 55. 6. euery day so let vs especiallie this day instantlie call vppon the name of the Lord and he will heare vs. And with Esay Esay 26. Let our soules with a longing desire in the night seeke vn to the Lorde and in the morning earelie call vppon his name so shall our dooings please him all shall goe well with vs. And especiallie vpon this day which the Lord hath reserued for the seruice of himselfe Nu. 1◠Punishing such euen with death who breake the same as appeareth in the booke of Numbers by him who was at the commaundement of the Lorde stoned to death for gathering stickes on the Sabaoth day Esay 56. Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabaoth day vndefiled seruing the Lorde in prayer Esay 58. Not in seeking his ownewil nor speaking a vaine word Pray that it may bee honoured and not abused dishonoured as it is least God the Creator of it and vs punish our disobedience OH almightye Father most wholesome protectoure keeper both of soules and bodyes of the faithfull I yeelde the humble and hartie thankes for defending sauing mee thy sinfull creature this night past and all my life hethervnto frō suddaine death and from other perrils daungers wher into my sillie soule and weake bodie are subiecte to fall And wherewith I am so besette that had I not beene preserued by thee it could not otherwise haue beene but my bodie had perished and my sillie soule beene carryed into eternall perdition But most sweete Lord my strong Castell defence my shield buckler my sure refuge and succour who hast continuall regarde of the safety of thy seruants that thou neuer sufferest them to bee ouercome with any kinde of euill nor to fall into any kinde of daunger vouchsase to forgiue me what soeuer I haue committed and doone against thy diuine will eyther sleeping or waking this night or anie time secretlie or openlie heeretofore by reason of the corruption which remaineth in me And vouchsafe that as I haue quietlie passed this night so I may enioy at thy merciful hands whatsoeuer thy fatherlie prouidence shall thinke meete and conuenient for mine owne and for the releefe of such as thou hast committed vnto my charge and gouernement Establish good Lorde within my weake feeble bodie strength to withstande all euill motions of the flesh all vngodlie desires of the minde worldlie vanities that I may feruentlie as I ought continuallie both in the morning and at night and at noone day yea and at all times and in all places truely serue thee without hypocrisie dissimulation or mallice And for thy mercies sake keepe mee this day and all the rest of my transitory life from suddaine and vnprouided death keepe my tongue and lips that I speake or vtter nothing which may be eyther vncomelie to be spoken or whereof may redownde hurt or hinderaunce to my selfe or others but that I may endeuoure as much as in me lyes to speake and vtter those thinges which may be to the setting foorth of thy glorie maintenaunce of peace and concorde and to the reducing such into the right way as wander and goe astray As for slaundering lying backbyting falsewitnes bearing enuie and such like good Lorde take vtterly from me And keepe mine heart and minde from the moste damnable sinne of murmuring against thee and from dyspayre that in all aduersities tribulations and troubles I may alwayes beare a patient contented faithfull and a thankfull minde with full perswasion that if thou suffer mine aduersaries being maliciousliebent against me to reuile me persecute me to molest or hurte me or if thou permitt either fire to consume me or my substaunce or any other casuall meane to diminish mine estate and stay of my liuing or if I sustaine losse of freendes sicknes of bodie or hurt of my limmes it proceedeth not but by thy diuine prouidence yea onelie of thy meere loue and fatherlie care which thou hast of mine amendment for nothing happeneth to those whome thou louest breede it within theyr weake mindes neuer so great greefe or fall it out neuer so contrary to theyr desires but it bringeth with it some secrete working for their good Wherefore in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ I most humbly beseeche thee that thou wilt vouchsafe to settle in mine heart such perfection of patience as what soeuer eyther this day or heereafter shall happen or befall vnto me I may accept it as a most wholesome medicine for my so deadlie disease of securitie and so in hope of thy louing kindnes and mercie to goe forwarde this day and all my life in perfect loue vnfeyned zeale and continuall obedience to thy will In hearing thy worde attentiuelie in reading the
bloode and purge me with thy grace that I may nowe beginne and for euer continue in liuing according to thine holy and heauenly commaundement to the prayse of thy name and mine eternall saluation sweete Sauiour Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A short prayer to the like purpose OH Father of mercie and God of all goodnes I confesse vnto thee the corruption which from Adam to vs remaineth in our flesh whereby wee daily rebell against thy diuine Maiestie vouchsafe Oh Lorde I humbly beseeche thee for Jesus Christes sake to forgiue my sinnes and to pardon mine iniquities And instill into my heart vnfeyned repentaunce that the death of him thy Sonne may take away the heaâ—e burden which the fall of our first Parents layde vpon vs Amen Oh Lorde increase my fayth A praier for the euening When thou betakst thee to thy rest Commit thee to tha'lmighties hest For when thou lyest downe at night Thou art not sure to see day light ALthough that wee can not at all times duely examine our selues as concerning our life past yet once in the day it is most requisite to consider howe we haue spent the time past namely at night to weigh what we haue doon the day before and in the morning to consider howe we haue past the night For although the night was ordeyned for rest yet as sayth Paule 1. Thes 5. we should then watch and bee sober singing prayses vnto the Lord as Dauid did Ps. 42 giuing him thankes for the helpe of his presence that is to say for his protection the day past praying the same in the darke night when all thâ—â—â—es by reason of the darknes are hidden and when the wicked god about theyr euill pretended purposes to the disturbance of the godlye Therefore whatsoeuer thou doo Dan. II whether thou lie downe or 〈…〉 be meditaâ—â—ng the law of the Lorde OH heauenlie God and eternall Father giuer of all good thinges and protectour of all that loue thee I yeelde thee moste humble and harty thankes for thine inestimable benefites not onely for keeping and preseruing me this day but all my life that neither mine enemies haue preuailed against me as they sought and desired nor anie other misfortune which within this world is incident vnto mankinde hath ouercome me but hast like a moste louing father and carefull Puruey or giuen and prouided for me all thinges necessary In somuch as I haue beene well refreshed and replenished with thy great benefit of feeding me and with thy gracious benefite of clothing me so that I haue not saynâ—ed throughe want of soâ—de â—â—t beene â—â—â—resieâ— with ouermuch colde for lacke of ravment as with mine eyes to my great greefe I may and doo beholde a number daâ—â—e in diuers corners of the streetes and wayes as I passe who are most greeuously tormented with hunger colde sores and sicknes lamentable to see whom also thou hast bought mâ—st deerelie and yet sâ—sterest them to be oppreiled and I who haue deserued no lesse nay rather good Lord a great deale more then some of them haue by thy fatherly goodnes not onely escaped those afflictions but receiued at thy mercifall handes infinite good gifts and vnspeakable benefites for which thine inestimable loue I cannot sufficientlie prayse thee Oh Lorde forgiue mine offences which this day I haue committed doone against thine almightie maiestie whether they be secrete and vnknowne or open whether they were doone in my youth or at any time since pardon them Oh GOD for Iesus Christes sake and vouchsafe me thy grace to amende my life and to returne vnfeynedly to the seruice of thee And for asmuch as I can not continue without thy continuall protection vouchsafe to extende the same vnto me thy wretched creature this night that I may quietly take my rest which thou haste appointed for a refreshment of our wearyed members and hast ordeined the night and darknesse as a time most conuenient to take the same in beeing a time wherein we shoulde to that ende cease from our labours and daylie affayres And vouchsafe vnto me thy poore creature who am of my selfe neyther of power to lye downe nor beeing layde able to rise vppe thine especiall assistaunce and helpe that in thy name I may lie downe and receyue at thy mercifull handes sweete and comfortable reste not according to the greedines of my corrupt nature but as shall be onely expedient for the refreshment of my weake body And for as much good Lorde as thou knowest with what mortall foes wee are continuallye assaulted both sleeping and waking who endeuor by all meanes to entrappe vs by some euill or other which wee heare or see in thys vale of vanitie to our delighte though contrarye to thy will wherevnto we often yeelde and that in the day time much more in the darke and lothsome night wherin all thinges are couered and hidden and when the heauines of drowsie sleepe keepeth downe our vnderstanding in which time of darknes such as intende to worke wickednes are most ready with dilligence abhorring the light to put in practise theyr mischeuous deuises Therfore I most humbly beseeche thee Oh God almightie to preuent theÌ„ in their euill imaginations that in no wise they hurt me And to graunt though sleepe to my bodie sufficient and not ouermuch yet to my poore soule watchfull and dilligent waking that I fall into no daunger by yeelding to any euill in the sleepe of my bodie vouchsafe also to garde and defende me that nothing hurte me this night that fire consume me not nor anie thing that belongeth vnto me nor any other daunger whatsoeuer dismay me Keepe me also good Lord from suddaine and vnprouided death and preserue me so by the watch of thine holie Angells that I may take my rest in quiet vntill the morning and then giue my selfe vnto the finishing of my duetie to the discharg of my vocation and fulfilling of thy will vnto my lines ende for which thy fauour and for all things els necessary for me and all other for whom thou hast commaunded vs to pray as for all such as are in anie kinde of affliction in bodie or minde for the testimonie of thy trueth that thou wilt strengthen them and thine whole Church in pure religion For all such as are sicke and diseased that thou wilâ— eyther restore them to health giue them patience or receiue them vnto thy selfe for the preseruation of our Queene and gouernesse Elizabeth by thy dinine prouidence ferre ouer vs that shee may continue to thy pleasure long and prosperously ouer vs and for this whole Realme of England that thou wilt graunt vs all true repentaunce for our Parents Brethren Sisters Kinsâ—olkes Neighbours and all them that thou wouldest wee shoulde commende vnto thee in prayer Giue mee grace to say that prayer which thy sonne Iesus Christ taught vs saying Our Father which art in heauen c. And for as much as we cannot pray effectually without thine especiall gift of faith vouchsafe to
which is so straunge to the dulnes of our vnderstanding that we can not but meruaile that we who are nothing but corruption nothing but an heape of sinne shold doo greater thinges then thy self sweete Iesus who are onelie God onely pure onely holynes and onelie grace and power it selfe Oh Lorde make this perfectlie known vnto me make me faithfull then I know I shal rightly vnderstaÌ„d it Lord if we that are sinful ful of frailtie giue sathan the repulse dispise the world and withstande the euill motions of the fleshe wee doo that which thou dyddest not in respecte that thou beeing pure and without sinne or will to sinne were not so soone to bee wunne as wee whose strength is weaknes whose holines is meere corruption therfore was thy victorye lesse then ours Sweete Iesus giue me thy strength thine helpe and the lighte of thy grace to obteyne the victory and to auoide his tyrannie Saue me from the detestable crue of his ministers for great are the conflictes which dayly arise in our consciences betweene thy grace and sathan betweene thy soirite and our flesh betweene thy diuine will and the wicked worlde Oh what an heauy burden is it to beare the innumerable temptations which the deuill the world and the fleshe doo ofter and especially to those that take not holde by the Anâ—or of patience and who settle not themselues within the harboure of thy seate but giue the raines of their vngodlie desires scope to runne whether the force of euery vnlawful motion of the wicked fâ—end the vaine world or the corrupt flesh shal mooue and driue them Oh sweete Iesus guide the raynes of the bridle of my desires that I runne not headlong into any vngodlie action but beeing lead by the hande of faith vnder the conduct of patience I may ouercome this capitall and archenemy of mine that hee beeing once vanquished his ministers may quaile and be discomfited their craftie wilines wexe of none effect and mine hope in thee my loue towards thee and my feare of thee daily increase That the world with the desires therof may die in me I to it that the vain dissembling showes therof draw me not out of the way of truth Strengthen me sweete Iesus in my conflictes and temper them so with patience that they may rather be Medicines then maladies to my poore soule and healthfull exercises that I neeuer thinke my selfe to be secure but alwaies subiect to try all for without exercise wee remaine vnskilfull and without an enemie we prepare not weapon neither is victorie gotten without battaile nor rewarde without victorie Yet though we ouercome the victory is not ours but thine who fightest and ouercomest for vs and yet such is thy loue that thou giuest vs the rewarde crown of victory Make me strong sweete Iesus fortefye the Castell of my soule with spirituall weapons as with fayth loue hope peace long suffering gentlenes humblenes thankfulnes meekenes strength and patience and such like that I may continually withstand the prowde attemptes of these my ghostlie enemies through thee and by thee sweete Iesus mine onely sauiour and redeemer Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A short prayer to the same effecte I â—oore and wretched sinner Oh mercifull God humbly beseeche thee to sende me from thine holy heauens strength to withsâ—and the assaultes of the wicked fiend sathan who goâ—th aboute like a roaring Lyon seeking by many meaâ—â—s to dâ—â—ourâ— me Lorde giue me like wisâ— graâ—e to resist the raging and vnâ—aciable lustes and desires of the corrupt flesh and vanities of the worlde That beeâ—â—g through thâ—ne helpe acquitted from the force of these my mortall enemies I may serue thee in holinesse and righteousnes all the dayes of my life Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A prayer for the helpe and assistance of God in all our dooâ—ngs and that wee doo nothing but in his feare and due obedience Doo nothing but see â—â—st thou craue Ayde â—â—â—m the Lord good ende to haue So â—halt thou haue suâ—â—â—â—le alwaies As thou wâ—â—t wish and happy dayes DAuid considering the frayltye of mans nature his insufficiencye of hym selfe to doo anye thing arighte wylleth vs to committe our wayes vnto the Lord Psalm 37. and to put our truste in him assuringe vs that in so doing God will brynge our matters to good effect and blesse all our godly endeuours Our forefathers trusted in God and were not confounded Eccl 2. They continued in his feare and were not â—orsaken they called vppon him were not disâ—â—sed Symâ—on feared the Lorde Lu. 2. in all his doings and the holy ghost came vpoÌ„ him reueâ—led vnto him that he should not die before he had seene the Messias eueÌ„ Christ our sauior Corneli us with his whole houshold feared the Lord Act. 10. an Angel came to him and tolde him that his prayers almes were come before the lord yea the mercie of the Lorde is from generation to generation vppon them that feare him and walke in his wayes hee taketh great delighte in the people that stande in awe of him Den 5. Iudith feared the Lord Iudith 8. and none had the power somuch as to râ—yse vp an euill reporte of her All thinges goe well with them that feare the Lord and who so craueth faithfully the assistaunce of the Lorde shall doubtles neuer dâ—o amisse for he reuealeth hys secretes vnto them Psa. 25 which feare him and maketh theÌ„ to vnderstand his couenaunt VVherefore trusting neither thine owne wisedome thine own wealth nor helpe of man seeke the assistaunce of the Lord and that faithfullye and he will rightly directe thee for his eye Psal. 33. is alwayes vppon him that feareth him and trusteth in his helpe OH God of most excellent wisedome vnspeakable mercye tender loue towardes vs meruailous foreknowledg of all thinges who hast coÌ„manded vs at al times to direct our doinges by the rule of thy lawes I humbly beseech thee to direct al my coun sails studies labors deuises determinatioÌ„s so as they may bee alwayes measured and guided by thine almighty wisdom that I take nothing in hand disagreeable to thy wil but may alwaies faith fully craue fauourably obteine thine assistaunce helpe furtheraÌ„ce therin That whatsoeuer I do it may come to such end take such effect as may be to the glory of thy name to the health benefit of my soule proâ—ite of my neighbors That I at no time rashly or vnaduised ly leudly or loosly atteÌ„pt or determine any thinge without thine especiall feare duelie considering that thou art the author of all good thinges and bringest prosperously to passe all godlie actions attemptes and purposes And whatsoeuer is doon in secrete or in intent to hide it from thy knowledge which none work he neuer so secretely can doo although for a time it haue some sweete tast namelie a fleshly delight some sauour or likelyhoode of happy successe vet is the ende thereof
vnto our heauenly father for whatsoeuer we want as did Iacob Gene. 28. who prayed for foode and apparell and obteyned it with aboundance God seeth before wee aske what we want and yet to show our dutiful obedience to acknowledg our helpe to come from hym wee must prostrate our harts be fore him in fayth asking and he will giue knocking and he will open seeking we shall surelie finde what we want Dut. 20. For God of his meere mercy feedeth the fatherles voucbsasing vnto them al good thinges wherefore whatsoeuer thou be pray faythfully vse the giftes of God thankfully and reuerenly and thinke not that thy freendes can helpe thee thy fruites satisfie thee or laboure preuayle thee without the blessing of God Tim. 6. wherby enioying foode and apparrell be therewith content and in any case dispayre not for the prouidence of God is great to giue foode and things necessary to such as trust in him And it is not daintye feare that feedeth so much as the trust in God can releeue with a small simple dyet as doth appeare in the 1. of Daniell by theÌ„ that were so well replenished with pulse and water OH almighty God and louing father who of nothing hast created all thinges liuing whose care is so great ouer them all that thou sufferest not the moste vile or symplest of them to perishe for want of foode and thinges requisite for theÌ„ but seeking the same at thy handes thou gyuest it them in due season And by thyne vnsearchable wysedome haste appoynted to euerye liuing creature an abyding according to his kinde But such was thine vnspeakable care of man whome thou hast created to thine own image that he is as a king and gouernour ouer all the rest of thy creatures whome thou haste sette appointed vnder him beeing so farre inferiour vnto him as where thou haste planted in him reason wysedome and gouernment in them brutishnes beeing altogether vnreasonable and where they liue haue there beeing vppon the tops of cold mountaines in desartes vpon hilles on hie and in vallies below and in sundry other vncouth and vnknowne places where tempest heate hardnes and colde and other continual dangers oppresse them thou hast giuen and prouided for man houses castelles and townes to preserue them from the force of windes tempestes and stormes and from the assaultes of wilde beastes of the fielde in the night and darknes quietly to rest And although born naked thou giuest him ray ment to couer and to clothe him hearbes for his vse and oyle to make him a cheereful and glad heart and ioyfull countenaunce Besides all this of thy meere goodnes haste giuen him the beastes of the fielde the fowles of the ayre and fishes of the sea to be his foode and sustinaunce yea Lorde such is thy fauour towardes man that all the rest of thy creatures thou hast ordeyned for his vse and seruice wherfore I thy sillie creature and worke of thine handes humblie prostrate my selfe in heart beseeching thee fauourably to looke downe vpon my necessitie and graunt me whatso euer thou seest necessarie for me euen a competent and necessarie portion heere not ouermuch least I wexe prowde or disdaine mine inferiors and if it be thy will vouchsafe vnto me not ouer little least vrgent necessitie driue me to ouer much care ouer much care carry me to vnlawful means so runne headlong into thy disâ—auor But fill my Baskett blesse my store Oh Lord that I may enioy at thy mercifull handes sufficieÌ„cie for my selfe for the releefe of such as thou hast coÌ„ mitted vnto my gouernment and for as much good Lord as all mine industry carke and care great trauaile can not any thing furder me releeue or satisfie me in my necessitie vnlesse thou vouchsafe therevnto good successe for thy mercies sake blesse me in all mine affayres blesse my fruites in the field my cattell and all other thinges belonging eyther to my selfe or any other thy seruauntes as by the fruites thereof I and they may be releeued Blesse the workes of mine handes that they may prosper blesse my sences that they wexe not dull but be alwaies capable of such thinges as belong vnto my vocation effectually to execute the same both according to thy lawes and the trueth of that which I take in hand for without thy blessing and fatherly furtheraunce I can not sufficiently execute neither can that prosper where vpon the whole state of my liuing and maintenaunce dependeth VVherefore good Lorde guide mine handes and blesse mine vnderstanding to the prosperous execution of all thinges concerning my vocation that I may gett those thinges which may be sufficient for the releese and maintenaunce of me and mine to the profit of my neighbours and glory of thy blessed name And what so euer dooth happen vnto me pouertye or ritches make me good Lord of a patient contented and thankfull minde that in aduersitie I runne not headlong into such meanes as are vngodlye neither in prosperitie wexe the prowder but waight thy good pleasure in them both with thankfulnes euer more liue in thee by thee in the end raigne with thee in heauen where thou sittest as Author and giuer of all thinges graunt this for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake to whom with thee and the holie ghost be all honour for euer Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A prayer necessarie after the hearing of the word of God Attende vnto the Ghospell bright Heare it and reade and liue vpright Consider when thou hearest the worde of God preached it dooth but as it were beat thyne eares and rendereth no further benefitt vntyll by the workyng of GODS holye spyrite it bee inwardlye reuealed vnto thee For GOD by two meanes speaketh vnto vs namely by the Preacher whome hee sendeth to teache vs. And by hys holy Spyrite wherby hys doctrine is so setled in our heartes that we inwardly enioy the true benefit therof For wythout the helpe of the holye ghost the voyce of the preacher vanisheth and the hearers profite nothing at all S. Iohn saith That he that knoweth God heareth his word 1. Iohn 4. but he that is not of God heareth it not wherby the spirite of trueth is discerned from the spirite of error For the word of God is liuelie Heb. 4. and effectuall and pearceth more then a two edged sword entring euen into the diuision of the soule the spirite c. wherefore pray that as the Lorde sendeth his messengers to showe his will So you may both heare it vnderstand it purelie liue thereafter pray for fayth For without fayth Heb. 4. the hearing of the word profiteth nothing OH heauenlye Father who hast not onely vouchsafed to make vs to thine owne image and likenes but also to sende thy sonne Iesus Christe into this worlde for our saluation and hast by him not only giuen vs knowledge of thy diuine will heere on earth and lefte it for our learning But also
with Hipocrites but blesse the Lord in fayth and thou shalt be blessed OH God of vnspeakable mercie father of meruailous louing kindnes the onelie giuer of all good and perfect giftes who art more readie to giue then we to aske hearing befor we cal and giuing before we desire thinges necessary for vs I yeelde thee humble thankes for thy continuall fauour and louing kindnes towards vs thy creatures for whose saluation when we were lost thou wast contented euen of thy meere loue to sende thine onely delight into this world thy sonne Iesus Christe taking humaine nature vpon him and abyding the most bitter pangs of death vpon the Crosse to redeeme vs againe into thy fauour which by our disobedience was lost from darcknes wherevnto our blindnes had broughte vs into the lighte of trueth from ignoraunce and errour to wisedome knowledge Oh what greater comfort what greater ioy what a greater benefite coulde thy diuinitie haue bestowed vppon silly man then being of a castaway to bee made a saued soule of a lost sonne made the child of God and of a poore banished wretch to bee made an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen Lorde if it were possible for vs to yeelde vnto thee as manie thankes and prayses as coulde fill euen thine eates at the ful did yeelde our bodies and soules to bitter torments in hell for thy sake frō which thou hast redeemed vs it were nothing in recompence of the least parte of thys thy loue in giuing this sacrifice thy sonne in whom was thine onely and whole delight to pacifie thine owne displeasure and to purchase thy fauour and loue againe a thing most merueilous that the offended shoulde seeke tha'ttonement with the offendour and after so vnspeakable a meane and yet requiring nothing at our hands but thankfulnes obedient harts Lord I yeelde thee all possible thanks I yeelde thee thankes euen frō the bottome of mine heart from the very depth of mine vnderstanding who hast deserued more then we can by any means in desire satisfie or any way requite not onely in gyuing thy sonne for vs but in leauing vnto vs a continual rememberance of the same thy gospel wherin consisteth the rule for our direction vnto thee euen thy word which although heauen and earth passe and perishe yet shall not one iotte thereof as thou hast promised deminishe or decay without the which we shoulde haue continued in our accustomed blindnes These thy benefites are vnspeakable yet sweete Lord the creating of vs after thy likenes making vs after thine owne image deserueth no lesse praise and thanks where it lay in thy power to haue fashioned vs after sundry other formes as of wormes in the earth fishes in the sea beasts of the land most owgly and most straunge hauing neither the knowledge of thy will sence or seeling of thy goodnes which is the sweetest comfort in the world yea without the which is no true comfort at all nor enioy any quality either of body or minde which is any thing at all comparable to the gifts which thou hast endued mankinde withall I thanke thee also sweete Lord for all other thine vnspeakable mercies benefits as for feding vs clothing vs protecting vs hetherto giuing vs al thīgs necessary both for our soules bodies lord as of thy free fauor meere mercy thou hast vouchsafed vnto vs thy creatures all these and many other vnspeakable benefittes So vouchsafe the like loue and tender care towardes vs alwaies that we may prosper in our vocations goe forward in the daily seruice of thee and through the merites of thy sonne Iesus Christ obteyne pardon for our sinnes past and liue in thy faith feare and loue heereafter enioying all thinges requisite for mine owne and for the releefe of those whom thou hast committed vnto me and also for all other thy seruauntes so that we may haue sufficient and not be chargeable but rather helpfull to others for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake graunt it Amen Oh Lorde increase my fayth A deuoute prayer or Meditation that we may alwaies haue consideration that we must dye which as it is good at all times so especially in the time of any common plague or sicknes a godly meditation Remember as thou art a man So must thou dye none helpe it can No thing more sure the time vnsure Wherefore take heede liue not secure SYlenas the Philosopher hauing it but by the instinct of nature before the publishing of the gospell could see furder into the estate of man in those dayes then wee endeuour to vnderstande liuing too securelye nowe in the cleere light of the same For his opinion was that if wee consider with our selues what we are whereof we are and what we shall be wee coulde not but lament our miserable estate This saying of his was meruailous then when men liued in darknes but muche more meruailous that it is no better considered nowe in the time of the light of truth For wher we shoulde haue great care to liue well wee liue in wicked securitie and where we shoulde haue greater care to dye well wee foolishlye thinke to liue for euer But let vs perswade our selues and not only perswade but fully resolue our selues that we shall dye and let vs endeuour to make a good ende for a good ende excuseth a badde life paste And euen so likewise is an euill ende a greate argument of an euyll life For sake sinne and imbrace deathe wyllynglye so shalt thou seeme happye in this life and not vnhappye at the howre of death In the morning thinke not to liue tyll night and at night thinke not to liue tyll morninge So shalt thou lyue so muche the more cyrcumspectlye and bee alwayes readye to dye Account thy selfe in thys worlde but as a gueste that lodgeth for a nyght and departeth in the morning and as a wandryng Pylgrime of no certayne abode lyst vppe thy mynde to God Ecclesi 4 hauing heere no certayne Citty for if thou liue tenne or an hundred or a thousande yeeres there is no helpe but the graue muste bee thine end Blessed are they Reu 14. that dye in the Lorde VVherefore prepare thy selfe to dye not in your owne wisedome for that will deceiue you But in the wisedome of GOD that your hope may be sure his ioyes yours and his goodnes your inhearitaunce OH God the onely giuer of life the mainteyner and preseruer thereof and the life after death graunt me continuall due consideration that as this bodie of myne is builded vpon an earthly foundation and framed of the substaunce of dust and clay which is not durable the glory thereof vanishing like the flowre of the fielde which is soone cutte downe and withered So the same beeing the mansion or rather the Prison of my poore soule so frayle weake and feeble subiect to so many infirmities diseases greefes and maladies yea to so many causes that procure the dissolution of bodye and soule
and haue a taste of eternall saluation that death bee not terrible vnto me but rather when it cōmeth I may with ioy receiue the same in the name of Jesus Christe mine onely sauiour and redeemer Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A praier vppon the Lettany or praier for all men at all times necessary Pray thou in faith for eache degree As God by Iames commandeth thee So shalt thou prosper in thy wayes And liue both many and happy daies THe Lettany beeing a moste singuler deuout praier for the estate of all men in generall and sette out for the vse of the whole congregation as it were with one mouth one voyce to be pronounced begging at the handes of God not onely pardon for such seuerall offences as are therein expressed but also crauing thinges necessary as well for them that are absent as present yea for all men a thing most commendable godly praying one for another as S. Iames willeth Iam. 5. vs to pray one for another that wee may be hearde of God for the prayer of the righteous auaileth much And because the zealous may without the so often repitition of these wordes Good Lorde deliuer vs and we beseech thee c. priuatlye vtter his godly desire of the prosperitie of his Christian bretheren without answering himselfe in those respectes I thought it not much amisse to contriue it into this prayer following the which I pray the Reader willingly to accept OH almighty God and father of all that beleeue and trust in thee Oh Lorde God sonne redeemer aduocate of all thē who faithfully serue thee Oh God holy ghoste who proceeding from the father and the sonne santifiest the elect and chosen ones Oh blessed most glorious Trinitie three personnes and yet but one God haue mercy vpon vs who most miserablie haue offended Remember not our offences nor the offences of our fore-fathers nor punishe vs according to the multitude of our sins Spare vs good Lorde whome thou hast redeemed and so directe all our cogitations and actions that wee giue none occasion of thine anger towardes vs for euer mercifully saue and defende vs frō sinne mischeefe from the craftes and assaults of sathan from thy displeasure and eternall damnation good Lorde for thy mercies sake deliuer vs from darknes of misbeleefe from hautines of minde from mallice enuie hatred and double dealing from euill motions of our corrupt fleshe and from all worldly vaneties Saue vs from plague pestilenee from extreame hunger and famine from sodaine death from heresie and false doctrine and graunt vs alwayes will and ablenes to fulfill all thy most godly commaundementes with a cleane and a pure heart Oh sweete Iesus deliuer vs from all euill euen by thy death and passion by thine anguish of mind by thy bloody sweate by thy glorious resurrection from the deepe of death and hell and by thine assention into thy celestiall kingdome Bee present with vs good Lorde in all our troubles vexation of minde at the howre of our departure hence And for thy meere mercies sake be thou fauourable vnto vs in the day when we must giue account for our life past that we be not rewarded according to our desertes but by thy merites may enioy eternall saluation Oh most mercifull and euerliuing God wee most miserable and most wretched sinners heere humbly prostrating our selues before thee beseeche thee to listen to our petitions and graunt vnto thine vniuersall Church godly deuout preachers of thy word and gospel that it may dayly increase in vertuous and godly gouernment dayly growing and proceeding from faith to faith truely knowing thee and vnfeynedly seruing thee Graunt vnto thy seruaunt Elizabeth our Queene true vnderstanding of thy will and vnto her counsaile knowledge and wisedome That vnder her for her and in thy name they may establish godly Lawes statutes and ordinaunces for our good and godly gouernment and vnto vs thy people grace continually to follow and fulfill the same Be thou good Lord her defendour in all aslaultes of her enemies and so rule her hearte in thy faith seare and loue that she may alwaies seeke to aduaunce thine honour and glory deface superstiton errour and false religion and euer be able to vanquish and ouercome suchas rise vp against her to seeke the contrary Lighten the hearts of all Byshops ministers and Pastours of thy church with right vnderstanding and knowledge of thy worde that they may not onely in speeche doctrine but also by their conuersation and life soundly and sincerely vtter the same to the true edification of thy people Oh Lord let not such as are put in authority to see the due execution of thy lawes be slowe negligent or ignorant therin but endued with grace wisdom vnderstanding boldnes may execute iustice maintain thy trueth without affectiō fauor or respect of persons vouchsafe to endue vs all with continuall vnfeined good will one towards another that wee may liue all the daies of our life in vnitye peace godly agreement pleasing thee by liuing according to the rule of thy blessed commandements Graunt vs Oh Lord feruent desire to be where thy word gospell is preached taught and endue vs with thy grace to heare to beare away not only to heare and beare away but to expresse the same in our life conuersation that the truth of thy gospel which is the fruit of thine holy spirit may dailye increase in vs call home all wandring soules which are carried into blindnes by the subtiltie procurements of sathan his wicked ministers following strange Gods worshipping that that cannot auaile them in their distresse and giue them Oh Lord repenting heartes conuerting the soule Shewe them thy true light that they seeing it though a farre off may by little and little attaine vnto the perfit enioying of the same Strengthen al them that haue taken holde of thee by true faith and pure religiō that they fall not from thence by any deceiuable show of any counterfeit secte comfort those that are weake lift vp those that are downe that they by thee thou in them maist beate down keepe sathan vnder their feete Vouthsafe good Lord to giue succor help cōfort to all such as are in any kind of affliction daunger necessity or tribulation preserue and keepe safe all such as labour trauaile by sea or land for the benefit of our common weale Strengthen all women with child and sende them good deliueraunce comfort all them that are sicke and giue them either patience to beare it or mittigate their greefe giue health and nourishment to al young children and graunt them grace to goe forward in nurture and knowledge of thy will Lorde we beseeche thee to showe compassion vppon all such as suffer impty sonment and giue them deliueraunce at thy good pleasure Prouide good Lord for such poore children as are fatherles or helples consider the cause of all
are heauy loaden to come vnto thee I come I come sweete Lorde as one burdened with greefe receiue me and helpe me showe thy louing countenaunce extend the helpe of thine holy arme and I shall be safe mercifully heare me after thy wonted goodnes consider my distresse weigh mine afflictions looke vpon my troubles So shall my sorrowe be turned againe into ioye my pouerty shall bee releeued with sufficiency and all shall goe well with me for sweete Lord although when I consider mine estate wheÌ„ I viewe my present mysery and feele my want I be striken with greate sorrowe in minde and vexed with intollerable greefe yet when I consider the cause of my troubles with due consideration of thine intent therein Then can I not but comfortably resolue my selfe Then doth inwarde comfort asswage the extreamitye of my greefe and sorrowe remembring that thou hast sayde that whome thou louest thou punishest VVherfore I cannot but giue thee thanks sweet Lord for this thy fatherly correction in altering mine estate for better try all of my patience That by patience I may take hold of hope that so by hope of thy goodnes louing kindnes and fatherly promises which deceiuest no man that vnfeynedly dependeth vpon thee I may enioy a moste comfortable renuing of mine happie estate againe at thy good pleasure I cast all my burden vpon thee as thou willest all those that are heauy loaden to doo Refresh me most louing and mercifull God refresh me with the timely showers of thy fauour and loue That the ioy and gladnes of mine heart may growe vppe and choake the weedes of sorrow and anguish of mind Oh my surpassing comforter leaue me not distitute of thy defence and patronage vouchsafe euermore to be present with me in all my troubles that I faint not but may rather reioyce in tribulation knowing that a crowne of life is layde vppe in store for as many as beare thy yoke with patience Assist me therefore good Lord in all these vexations and temptations of mine that I may patiently looke for thy good deliueraunce which although it come not as I wish yet that staying thy leasure in thy good time I may bee satisfied of my godly desire which thou hast promised neuer to defraude vs off nor suffer vs to depart empty away There was neuer any confounded that trusted in thee nor any forsaken that called on thine holye name Thou raisest the simple out of the myre and dust Thou puttest downe the mighty from theyr high seate and exaltest such as are meeke and of a lowly minde Lord I cleaue vnto thee I trust in thee I depend onely on thee beeing poore thou rich I weake thou strong I blind thou giuing sight mine ayde is of thee my comfort in thee and all my ioye commeth from thee Graunt therefore sweete Lorde that I thinke not the continuaunce of this my hard estate to be long or burdensome vnto me but may willingly accept the same as most sweete light and wholsome for me and of a short time alwaies referring it to thy good pleasure whether thou wilt rayse me vppe or keepe me lowe Thou knowest what is most necessarie and expedient for me And therefore doo with me what thou wilt sende mee helpe when thou wilt and as thou wilt Loe heere I lye at the gate of thy goodnes and mercy still looking for thy stretched out arme to remooue that which not of mallice but of loue thou hast layde vpon me Good Lord for thy mercies sake giue mee not ouer leaue me not altogether helples take not thy fauour vtterly from me But as thou hast fatherly corrected me so vouchsafe louingly to embrace me againe sweete God for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake Amen Oh Lord increase our fayth A short praier to the like effect often to bee sayde WHen thou wilt Oh Lorde remooue this heauy burden from me renue my comfort and driue away the cares of mine heart by the hand of thy louing kindnes whom by my sinne I haue offended come againe vnto me Oh Lorde in loue and shewe me thy louing countenaunce take away these miseries which I haue deserued and as in loue thou punishest to the ende I shoulde conuert froÌ„ sinne So Lord I beeing sory for my sinnes hartelie pray thee to giue me grace and comfort againe through the same thy loue for Iesus Christes sake Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A prayer to be defended from enimies If thou take God to be thy stay Thy foes shall not thy soule dismay IF it be possible as much as in thee lyeth haue peace with all men Rom. 12. And offende none but if it fall out that the worlde hate thee take it not greeuously Ioh. 15. if thou haue not deserued it but if thou haue deserued it be sorry and seeke vnity concorde quickly least sodainly thine aduersaries entrap thee in thy wayes and soâ—â— scredite thee The most iuste men haue beene wrongfully accused haue guiltles beene condeÌ„ned in many sundry thinges as Christ himselfe the patterne of all integritie the sauior of the worlde was accused of drunkennes of working by the power of deuils such like yet prayd he for his enemies so likewise pray for thine enemies do for theÌ„ what lyeth in thee as to seede theÌ„ when they bee hungry Ro. 12. giuing theÌ„ drinke when they bee thirsty clothing them harboring them Blesse them that cursse you Mat. 5. doo good to theÌ„ that hate you pray for them that hurt you so shal you haue recompence at the handes of God And in any wise seeke not to reuenge for it is the office of God Serue him he wil blesse thee will laye his â—nrsse vpon thine enemies Pro. 30. will saue thee out of theyr handes Saule could not hurt Dauid in respecte that Dauid put his trust in God although hee were his mortall enemye 1 Sam. 18. Reioyce not at thine enemyes fall nether be thou glad when hee decayeth Pro. 24. but praye for his amendment And GOD as hee hath promised will bee thy rocke thy deliuery thy shield horne of thy saluation and thy refuge from cruell enemies 2. Sam. 22. for in fearing him thine enemies shall feare thee Fyue shall chace an hundred and an hundred shall putt tenne thousande to flight Le. 26 for the Lorde hath respecte to them that loue him and keepe his couenaunt he wyll aryse and scatter theyr enemies yea as the smoak vani sheth so shall hee driue theÌ„ away Psal. 48 as waxe melteth at the fire so will he make thyne enemies to perish at his presence trust in him faithfully feare not thy foes KEEpe me Oh God from the hands of such as goe about to doo mee hurte and vndeseruedly to take away my life for manye there be that hate me seking my shame my distruction and ouerthrow in so much as without thine assistance thy protection and ayde I shall not escape theyr hands I shall not auoyde their
tiraÌ„ny but that they wil obteine thier desires and accomplish their deuises to mine vtter vndoing they are good Lord many and more then I can number that seeke to doo me euil yea my neghbours familiars not the leaste of them but is of power and ablenes to destroye me yea as it were to eate me vp vnlesse thou take part with me against the furiousnes of mine enemies But Lorde why should I feare why shold I say in mine heart they are so many so mightye that I can not resiste them so furious that I can not escape â—hem So pollitique that I can not preuent them my trust is in thee and vnto thee I flye in all theyr assaultes who art a Castell and fortresse so strong that there is none bee hee neuer so victorious that can preuaile against the leaste that trusteth in thee and resteth vnder the shaddow of thy winges wherfore Lord for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake receiue me who come vnto thee as the strength of my beeing humbly beseeching thee to loke vpoÌ„ my cause to consider my troubles to weigh the sorrowes of mine hearte lift vp thy self against the furiousnes of myne enemies driue backe and con found mine aduersaryes uersaries thine own selfe fight thou against them that fight against mee Turne theyr deuises and wicked imaginations froÌ„ me to their owne hinderance let the weapons which they lift vp to hurt me withall pearce themselues and the malicious wordes which they vtter to my reproch redownde to their owne shame let such as seeke to persecute me without a cause bee discomforted dryuen backward giue me patience to beare their cruelties coÌ„sidering that ther was neuer any no not the most righteous but were subiect to the euil deuises slanderous wordes wicked practises of the wicked whose tongues were full of guile and the poison of Aspes was vnder theyr lips who were not ashamed to speake most approbriously of thine owne selfe sweete Iesus who wast void of all offence yet slewe they thee thine Apostles I cannot therfore Oh merciful God but take these extreame dealinges of mine enemies with the greater patience with greater humilitie and more heartie thankes for accepting mee as worthy to bee of the number of such as the wicked doo hate grudge at But most sweete Lorde as thou sufferest for a time such ray lynges backbytinges menacing words euill opinions and euill dealinges to preuaile against me for the better envring my fraile nature to beare greater burdens So vouchsafe to preserue me from all such enuious heartes and malicious tongues and defend me from all blood thirstie men and from the handes of such as goe about to hurt me And in steede of them if it so please thee vouchsafe to chose out and appoint for me such as may be faythfull godly vertuous religious louing and freendly that both in the feare of the one loue of the other I may beare my selfe by thine example and grace so vpright in al my doings as mine aduersaries take none aduantage against me but that seeing the sincerity of my life and soundnes of my conuersation mine enemies may be altogether ashamed so much as to mutter any thing against me much lesse to deuise any thing to hurt me withall or to ouerthrowe my goings and the godly glad and reioyce at my well dooing Oh Lord strengthen my saith and arme me with continuall hope in thee whereby I may be able to withstande all the cruelties of mine aduersaries in such sort as they may knowe it to be thy selfe who fightest for me and defendest my cause against their fury Behold Oh Lord my trust is in thee thy rod comfort me and thy staffe stay me vp that I fall not into their handes by trust in mine strength which is as a broken Reede in mine own policie or wisdom which is foolishnes before thee or in the helpe or freendship of man which is vaine fallable But leade thou me and guide me in all my doinges cogitations and words least I erring from thy commaundements inclining mine heart to vaneties and vice mine enemies take iust occasion to say ah ha wee sawe it with our eyes bring vp an euill report of me and that vndeseruedly Oh Lord guide me in all trueth establish in mine heart true desire to walke vprightly in all my waies in humblenes of minde not in pryde least they say he is so hauty he knoweth not himselfe preserue me from drunkennes least they say he is nowe out of the way of discretion he is beside himselfe we haue now sitte oportunity to worke our wills on him and so sette on me to hurte me vouchsafe also to keepe me from the daungerous desire of fleshly lust from hauÌ„ting the places suspected or poluted with vncleannes least they taking iuste occasion by my lewde behauiour speake that which indeede may redowne to my shame and deserued infamy Finally Oh lord keepe me from all euill that although by reason of my corruption I be naturally inclined to wantonnes and excesse thou wilt giue me sobriety lowlines loue euen to mine enemies chastity wisedome and discreete vnderstanding bothe of theyr wills and mine owne weaknes that through thy grace framing my dooinges according to thine heauenly will in all thinges leading the whole course of my life in cinserety and godly behauiour the righteous may be glad and reioyce thereat magnifying thine holy name who so regardest the prosperity of thy seruaunt that thou sufferest him not to fall into the handes of such as woulde eate him vp And let not the aduersaries of thy trueth Oh Lord vniustly reioyce ouer me tauntingly and contemptuously mocking me But Lord I am in thine handes doo confesse it to be great and good reason that thou shouldest doo with mee what best seemeth to thy f 〈…〉 erly will accounting this thy tryall of my patience to proceede euen of thy meere loue And therfore if thou wilt that they sette vpon or followe to kill me to persecute me to laugh and scorne at mee to frame approbrious speeches and deuises againste me vouchsafe to continue my defence my strong Castell and as it were the piller of a clowde standing betweene me and them as thou stoodest in the wildernes betweene the Tents of the Egiptians and the Tentes of the children of Israell so that the Egiptians could not preuaile against them Lorde if thou wilt thou canst turne theyr heartes thou canst molisye the hardnesse thereof thou canst turne theyr hatred into looue and theyr mallice into good will and giue them in steede of heartes to worke wickednes mercifull and godly mindes I refer it to thine heauenly prouidence and wholy coÌ„mit my selfe into thine handes humbly praying thee for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake to deale with me and them according to thy mercy and louing kindnes not after our deserts be thou mercifull vnto me and euermore mightely defende me vnto my liues ende conducting me vprightly in all my wayes for
Iesus Christes sake Amen Oh Lord increase our fayth A short prayer to the like purpose LOrd I am a sinfull creature and haue deserued thine indignation against me yea I confesse that I haue deserued many and great punishments yet Lord for thy mercies sake turne thee vnto me and haue mercy vpon me let not mine enemies preuaile in theyr mischeuous deuises against me I am in thine hand and they are within the compasse of thy power stay theyr furye let them not take effect in theyr deuises against mee but for thy sonne Jesus sake stand betweene me and them and put them backe and as I haue offended thee by naturall blindnes so by the working of thine holy spirite I shall ryse to thee and liue in thee againe through Jesus Christ our Lord which vouchsafe to graunt that they may not onely not preuaile but be ashamed and flye swéets God Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A prayer when a man taketh a iourney Before thou take thy iourney pray That God by Christ will guide thy way FOr asmuch as the earth is replenished with many perrils and sodaine daungers haue diligent regarde that when thou takest thy iourney to desire instantly the almighty God to conduct thee as he vouchsafed to conducte Tobye by the hande of hys Angell Raphaell in his iourney to Rages Toby 5 defending him from many daungers and especially from the fishe which was like to haue deuoured him So shall hee likewise sende his Angels to take charge of thee that no kinde of danger shal preuaile against thee if thou hartely praye his ayde behauing thy selfe godly and vertuously not prouoking his anger by enterprysing that which is either vncomly or vnlawfull but be dooing good as S Paule in all his â—â—urnyes saying faithfully and often the right hand of the Lord mightely defend me Act. 1 ALmightie God most mercifull father who guidest and defendest all those that in thy name walke trauaile in this world vouchsafe to stretch forth thine hand ouer me thy poore creature leade mee and conducte me in thys my iourney which vrgent occasion forceth considering good Lord that the pathes yea euerye corner of thys wretched vale of miserye is replenished with innume rable perrils and dangers both of bodye and soule whereinto without thine assistaunce protection ayde without the helpe of thy mighty hand and out stretched arme wee can not but fall and perish walking and wandring in the troublesome and daungerous coastes of the earth where robbers theeues and euil affected persons in greate number secretely lurke violently to take not onely our proper substaunce and goods which by the great labour and sweat of our bodyes we haue gotten or otherwise by thy prouidence giuen vs but out liues also if we be not preuented and by thy good and fatherly prouidence defended Wherefore I humbly beseeche thee Oh God almighty if any such lye in wayte in my waye at this time graunt me foreknowledge thereof that of thy meere mercy I may happily auoyde theyr pretended euill either by betaking me another way or may bee defended vnder the shaddowe of thy winges and so encounter with them that by the force of thy right hand I may ouercome them beeing of mine owne selfe of no force neither lyeth it in the strength of our owne handes to put backe or ouercome such as in this wicked intent arise vppe against vs. It is not the sword good lord I confesse the speare nor strength of the Horse but thine owne power that ouercommeth for vs. Vouchsafe therefore Oh Lord thine holy Angell to goe with me let him goe before me to direct me to saue me preuenting me from all daungers as he did thy seruant Toby going into a straunge Countrey Conduct me safely sweete God in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ that my busines may take good successe and I make a safe and prosperous returne without hurte either by the merciles and great waters by wilde Beastes of the fielde saue me from the stroke of Thunder from lightning and tempest preserue and keepe me as the apple of thine eye vnder the shaddow of thy winges from the wayes of the wicked that accomplishing the end of my iourney I may effectually finish and with happy successe ende my busines and by thine omnipotent conduction prosperously returne againe according to thy wil sweet God Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A thankes giuing after returne At thy returne giue God the prayse Who still conducts thee in thy wayes COnsider what daungers thou hast escaped in passing the pirrilous places of this worlde no place or tyme beeing without his danger And therefore at thy returne eyther vnto thine owne home or to any other place of rest Bee not vnmindfull to giue God hartye and vnfeyned thankes for his gracious protection and fatherly conduction So shall he our heauenly protectour euermore bee mindfull to directe thee in all thy wayes I Thanke thee Oh most louing and most mercifull God that it hath pleased thee to giue mee prosperous and happye returne from thys my iourney escaping dyuers and sundrye daungers which doo abound in all corners of the earth and hast giuen mee such successe in my busines as I trust shalbe for my best and hast of thy goodnes meere mercy brought mee againe vnto myne owne home and dwelling place to recreate my wearied members Also I thank theee Oh mercifull God for protecting and sauing mee thy silly creature from all pirrills as from drowning by water from the stroake of thunder and blastes of lightning from the clawes and iawes of wilde beastes of the feelde and for defending me from theeues robbers and men of blodie conditions which and sundry other mishaps I haue in thys my iourney escaped and whereby I haue bothe seene and hearde of diuers other to haue perished acknowledging it thine onely goodnes thine vnspeakable loue and meere mercy not able sufficiently to prayse thee for the same nor to yeelde sufficient thankes for thy fauour therein To thee sweete Lord be all honoure pray se dominion and glory for euer and euermore Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A thankes giuing to God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy ghost worthy to be often sayde Giue thankes to God who did vs make And to his sonne so deere Who did our raunsome vndertake With tho'ly Ghost so cleere ALthough we can not sufficientlye prayse God our heauenly father for his exceeding loue in making creating vs in the beginning to hys owne image likenes and that when we were not let vs yet humble our selues with dutifull obedience as good children to a louinge father praying for grace to set forth as much as in vs lyes his praises with Dauid who saide Psam 145. great is the lord meruey lous woorthy to bee praised who made heauen earth the sea al that is therein who keepeth his couenaunt fidelity for euer giuing vs for his son Iesus Christs sake al
things for our vse in time conuenient as by the placing the stars in heauen with the son mone their course orderly motiōs the hearbs of the field and due manner of their spring fading withering agayne The sea so inuironed compassed notwithstāding the rage force thereof kept within his limmits appointed boūds with the fishes so infinit therein both smal great the ebbing flowing therof which all serueth only for the vse seruice of man yea with out the which man coulde not continue yet especially aboue al things so great was his loue that he spared not for our sakes to giue his only son euen to dye most vndeseruedly vpon the crosse for our redemption which loue of the father therin as it moueth or shold moue a great desire of thanksgiving in vs so doth the obedience of the son giue vs a greater occasion of thankes giuinge then the tongue of any mortall man can expresse by whose acceptance of the pangs of death came the remission of al our sins as witnesseth the holy ghost the water of life which beeing sprinckled in our harts procureth vnfeyned looue whereby wee haue accesse to Christ our onely mediator to God the father Prayse God the father who made vs prayse God the sonne who redeemed vs and is our continuall aduocate to his heauenly father prayse God the holye Ghoste who hath sanctified gods electe and gyueth light vnto the hearts of all such as serue the Lord vnfeynedly OH almighty God maker and creator of all thinges conseruer of all that thou hast made and protector of all that loue thee who in the beginning madest all thinges of nothing which al rest in thine hādes haue their continuaunce beeing without whose prouidence they shold cōuert againe to nothing we yeeld vnto thee al lawd praise and glory vnto thee ascrib al power maiesty dominion who rulest all things workest al things disposest all things after thy wil to thine owne glory to our vnspeakable vndeserued cōfort who are as Pilgrims and strangers without the same thy continuall protection as creatures forsaken castawaies Lorde thine hād guideth al thinges preserueth al thinges guiueth all thinges for our vse most disobediēt stifnecked childrē who not withstanding thou through thy meere mercy loue vouchsafed in the beginning to place in the garden of happines where we shold haue cōtinued had not our firste parent by transgression made forfeiture therof so highly displeased thee that thou repēting of the makīg of vs didst drown the whole world for our sins sake yet so tender was thy loue so soone was thine anger conuerted into a desire of our saluation that thou vouchsafedst to sende into thys world Iesus Christ to redeeme vs into thy fauor again a surpassing loue where the offended shold seek attonemēt wyth the offendour for which thy singuler loue mercy in finit we can not sufficiēly thanke thee god of our cōfort nor thee sweetsaui our Iesus christ for thine obediēce for thine vndeserued humility and ardent desire of our reconciliation and eternall saluation Lorde increase my faith sende mee thy grace and endue me with thine holy spirite that I may hartely render and continually yeelde all possible thankes vnto thee not onely for creating keeping and preseruing vs hethervnto but also for reaching vnto vs thine hande of loue againe after our so greate and long disobedience I thanke thee Oh sauiour Iesus Christe redeemer and sauiour of our soules who refusedst not but most wilingly acceptedst for our sakes for our redemptiō from hell and eternall death beeing then thine enemies the approbrious death of the crosse among notorious offenders beeing often spightfully intreated buffeted spette at reuiled and most iuiuriously handled not for thine owne sweete Iesus but for our offences for our sinnes yea to purchace that by thine obedience which we lost by willfull rebellion against thyne heauenly fathers precept and will Oh good Iesu we thanke thee that it hath pleased thee to leaue the sacred mansion of thy Fathers right hand thy celestiall beeing and to put on the base attyre of a seruaunt to walke in the troublesome pathes of this miserable world and yet thinking it no robbery to be equall with God though leauing his heauenly habitation for a time according to his prouidence and heauenly knowledge to suffer heer in this vale of misery in this desert of sinne moste cruell and most shamefull abuses onely for our sins which were so odious and vile in the sight of our good God that no sacrifice or oblation coulde appeaze his wrath and deserued displeasure towardes vs for the same but thy death onely and sacrifice of thy precious and vndefiled body vpon the Aulter of the crosse who willingly sufferedst the same for our sakes notwithstanding they were so greeuous so in tollerable and odius that by reason of the extremitie and anguish rhereof thou werte constrained to sweat water and bloode Oh surpassing loue Oh loue without the which the hatred of thine omnipotent father had not been appeazed nor remooued from vs. Oh loue without the which we had beene barred of all accesse vnto the seate of mercy and woonted fauour of almightye God and continued in his heauy displeasure for euer to our vtter distruction death and damnation Oh sweete Iesus Oh healthfull comforter and giuer of health and restorer of life howe can wee but prayse thee how can we but loue thee howe can wee but magnifie and extoll thine holy name for euer who haue receiued at thy mercifull handes so vnspeakable a benefitt yea and who so tenderly louedst vs that by thy meanes without our deserts we are restored from death to life frō the deserued displeasure of our creator to his vnspeakable loue and fauour without which we had perished both body soule we haue attonement now with him that before we had so greatly offended euen God our maker without whose fauoure wee fall and without whose helpe wee perishe and passe to naught Oh sweete Iesus thou haste also taken vppon thee not onely to dye for our redemption and rise againe for our Iustification and to place vs in the sweete mansion of thine heauenly knowledge But haste also promised to continue our mediatour to thine heauenly father for euer while wee mortall men liue sinners on earth making continuall intercession for vs that he will vouchsafe neuer to withdrawe his louing countenaunce from vs his poore creatures but to be our Castell staye and strong refuge vnto the ende Oh Lord Iesus Christ we giue thee thankes not onely for that thou haste beene for a time heer present with vs on earth to manifest thy selfe vnto vs by the visible showe of thine humanity but in making the cause of thy comming certainly known vnto vs which was indeed in that thou wast verie God to call vs from blindnes error wherein we walked according to the will of sathā to take
wrongfull dealinges and euill imaginations and plant in steede thereof humility iusâ—â—ce and â—â—leyned good will and helpe one towardes another Let not sathan rule let not the flesh pâ—â—â—aiâ—e against the spirit let not the world beguile vs who are our enemies our mortall enemies most strong 〈…〉 ost weake in so much as they are not so ready to encounter with vs as wee are ready to yeeld they are most pollitique we most ignoraunt forgiue vs Lord forgiue vs for thy son Iesus Christes sake strengthen vs good Lord streÌ„gtheÌ„ vs with thy grace we haue erred we haue doon amisse we haue followed too much the will of sathaÌ„ we haue yeelded too much to the motions of the flesh and too much embraced the pleasures of thys world whereby we haue lost the most sweete comfort of thy celestiall promises who hast sayd that who so obeyeth thy voyce in keeping and fulfilling thy Lawes shall be most blessed yea in al his wayes in his going foorth and comming in and in al thinges which he taketh in hand Oh sweete Lord howe can we therefore but lament our estates how can we but sigh and sorrow that wee haue made forfeyture of so many and so sweete blessings and incurred the penalty of infinite curses of thine by disobeying thy will and precepts which thou mioynedst vs in all thinges to fulfill and obserue Vouchsafe good Lorde vouchsafe of thy mercye for Iesus Christes sake to turne away thine heauy displeasure and punishment which we haue deserued that they lighte not vpon vs for our misdeedes Blot out all our iniquities lay not our vnrighteousnes our vnthaÌ„kfulnes and wilfull rebellion against thee to our charge for if thou shouldest Lord what should become of vs what might we looke for â—as our â—â—â—st rewarde but death and damnation Oh Lord we doo confesse that for so sundry and bountifull beuefits receiued at thine handes such is our corruption that we doo not onely take them without thankes vse them without feare but moste foolishly and wrongfully attribute the gift thereof to some creature and cast the pray se vpon him or els we receiue them as giuen by fortune and take not onely the due honour from thee but make the creature the Author of that that commeth onely from thee the onely creator and giuer of all thinges Oh most sweete Lord such is our ignoraunce such is our blindnes and such is the error that resteth and remaineth in vs from Adam through our voluntary blindnes which though we imbrace thou offerest light we refuse the same we are ignorant thou giuest wisedoÌ„e we neglect the same we go astray thou callest vs but we refuse to come Lord wee are like the vntamed Heyser which resuseth the yoke wee are like the deafe Adder which resuseth to heare the voice of the Charmer charme he neuer so wisly we harden our hearts as the Adamant we will not receiue thy gentle callinges thy fatherly admonitions and louing corrections Thou commaundest vs to cast away the darknes of ignoraunce and to put on the light of thy Gospell but wee stoppe our eares we refuse to heare opening our eares to pleasures and fyxing our eyes vppon vanitye erring in the pathes of vngodlines drinking the puddelles of iniquity and dispising the sweete water of life Our heartes are alwayes ready to embrace delightes and fantasies vtterly dispising nurture correction and knowledge we remember the time present the time past for which we haue to aunswer the time to come in which we must aunswer Good Lord we think not on we consider not that our time is like the flowre of the fielde to day fresh and fayre to morrow cut downe dryed vppe and withered we conceiue not that we passe as dooth the shaddowe and vanish as the bubble of water as the smoake and waues of the sea Oh Lord notwithstanding all this we folishly deferre thamendment of our liues vpon hope of thy long sufferaunce and consider not that thy wrathe commeth sodainly wee consider not the sodaine death of sundry beeing nowe most lusty gaye and strong and by and by dead and layde with the substaunce of theyr owne flesh euen the earth where the wormes possesse that that they so daâ—ntily fedde with sundry fine delicates clothed with nice moÌ„strous and gorgious sutes of apparrell sumptuous attyre broidered heire and setled theÌ„selues in sâ—ately high houses euen to the skies theyr soules departing with the glutton where is not water to coole the heate of thy displeasure against them Oh Lord thou laughest at our vanitie yet most sorrye to see vs so ledde by the direction and hand leading of sathan whose desire is to deuoure if he could euen thy chosen ones Thou wouldest not that we should perish thou desirest rather that we should conuert liue thou reioysest not at the death of a sinner but there is great ioy in heauen of his repeÌ„tance where vnto though louingly thou cal vs we goe still in our wickednes Thou gyuest vs knowledge of thy will by preaching and thine omnipotencie thou manifestest by thy creatures bothe in the firmament aboue and in the earth and Sea belowe But we vnderstand it not we beare it not away we consider it not The good which we should doo we doo not but the euil which we should not that we greedelie followe notwithstanding all which our corruption our disobedience and wilfull wickednes thou of thy mercy aboundaunt so intirely louest vs that thou gauest thine onely begotten sonne to suffer the most shame full death of the crosse for vs and hast sette him as equall with thy selfe euen at thine owne right hand to the ende he might make continuall intercession for vs vnto thee and that through him we might haue attonement with thee and accesse vnto thee for euer VVretched sinners that we are if we by our wickednes rebellion and loosenes of life loose so great a benefit which he so deerely purchased for vs euen thy woonted mercy and louing fauour and make of none effect his dying for vs what remaineth for vs but the most fearefull sentence of iudgement in the day when all secretes shall be opened and euery man receiue according to his deserts to whom thou wilt say Goe yee cursed into the flames of eternall fire prepared for the deuill and his Angels which neuer shall be quenched where shall be continuall weeping wayling anguish and gnashing of teeth when we shalbe neither our selues able to pleade to the contrary nor haue any aduocate to gaine saye thee in thy iustice Then shall we be sory then shall we lament but too late Then shall wee heare the most comfortable entertainment of the godly wheÌ„ thou shalt say Come yee blessed possesse yee the kingdome prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning where shalbe nothing but ioy without ceasing continual gladnes comfort and vnspeakable consolations euen for such as clothed thee fedde thee lodged thee and visited thee beeing in prison Them shalt thou embrace them shalt thou meete in
my cry come vnto thee Giue me perfect wisdome wherby I may truely discerne the difference betweene thine heauenly reuelations which is wisedome from aboue and vaine cogitations of worldly wittes considering that the one in all thinges as well in aduersitye as prosperity in sicknes as in health in anguish of minde trouble or greefe of bodie as in wished estate and pleasure continueth most constant stable patient and firme with due consideration that it can not be but good whatsoeuer thou sufferest to light vpon vs But contrariwise sweete Lorde the other seeketh with more dilligence to auoyde afflictions troubles and worldly calamities the crosse sweete Lord which thou layest vpon thy children then wisely to auoyde thy heauy displeasure And that by worldly deuised meanes as by riches freendship pollicy and strength with this deceiuable and fonde conceite that Fortune where she fauours there is plenty and peace but where she frownes there is continuall want and trouble But my most sweete Lord and heauenly comforter graunt that it may be farre from mine heart to thinke that any thing commeth to passe otherwise then by thine almighty prouidence who willest nothing nor doost any thing but what is most expedient and necessary for the vse both of ourbodies and soules which we can not rightly conceiue without this especiall gift of thine wherewith for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake endue me that I be not lead by fonde conceyte or deceiue my selfe with worldly experience but gouerning my life according vnto thy wyll measuring all mine actions wordes and thoughtes by the right rule of knowledge and weying them in the balaunce of perfit wisedome in the ende I may be founde in the number of those discreete Virgins who had theyr Lampes continually readie and not in the number of those that were taken vnprouided That the coÌ„ming of thy son Iesus Christe bee not terrible vnto me as to the loytering seruant for want either of the light of a pure life or gaines by my tallant but most acceptable and ioyfull hauing the Lampe of loue the candle of a true faith continually burning with in the secrete Closset of mine heart That in the ende I may haue free enteraunce with thine elect into that most glorious kingdome which thy sonne Iesus Christe purchased with hys blood for me and all beleeuers Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A short prayer to the like purpose AS long as we beare about vs this fraylâ— bodye imprisoning the soule our natures seeke by all meanes that which is contrarye to the spirite accounting that wisdome which is meere foolishnes where fore good Lord vouchsafe to sende downe that wisedome which wayteth about thy throne And plant the same in mine heart that measuring all my dooinges and deuises by the rule thereof may alwaies doo and intende that which liketh thee and shunne the contarie through Jesus Christ our onely Sauiour and redeemer Amen Oh Lord increase our faith A praier in miserie and trouble Though thraldome thou doo heere abide Be patient God will soone prouide To ease thee or to ende thy dayes Beare thou his crosse and giue him praise LIke as the fornace tryeth and seasoneth the Potters vessell Eccl. 27. and as the fire purifieth the Syluer from the drosse So dooth aduersitye season purifie the harts of christians froÌ„ the drosse of security For by crosses and many troubles Ro 5. commeth patience and by patience hope through tryall and therefore shoulde wee thinke it an exceeding ioy when troubles assaulte and pennurye pricketh vs Iea. 1. according to the will of God whereby we are stirred vppe to committe our soules to Gods protection and wyll by well dooing manfully bearing all afflictions all extreametyes of thys world and keepe as it were secrete the sorrows which calamitye bringeth vnto vs 3. Esd 10. and that with patience wherby thou shalt appeare an happy man receiue a crown of life which God thy faithfull Creator hath promised to all those that beare his Crosse with patience And thinke not that want of releefe in pouerty Lacke of comfort in sicknes vexation of enemyes slaunders misreportes contempts or any other kinde of trouble eyther of body or mynde happeneth vnto thee by Fortune as it is among such as haue not the feeling of the trueth coÌ„monly termed But by the prouidence of God and that for thy good if with wisedome thou weigh the same by patience accepting it as a fatherly louing correctioÌ„ putting thee in minde of thine offences and vncertenty of worldly vanityes and be not dismayde but turne from thy wicked wayes cleuing and referring thee by hearty prayer vnto God whose wyll it is for thy better profiâ—te that such thinges shoulde light vppon thee without ircksome taking it or with greater desire to dye then had S. Paule when he prayed to be losed and to bee wyth Christ. Stand fast stande faythfull and take patiently all crosses all afflictions all temptations and calamities heere being a ready way to patience and pray for the ayde of almightye GOD whose hande is alwayes readye to helpe such as are afflicted heere for his Christs sake By many trybulations wee muste enter into the kingdome of heauen Call vpon God Psa 7. in the day of trouble and he will deliuer thee The Lorde heareth the cryes of the righteous Psal 34. and deliuereth them out of all theyr troubles But if thou crye and bee not heard I meane preseÌ„tly releeued think not much at it it is for the best wherfore accept it willingly and make of necessity a vertue which is take patiently that which of thy selfe thou canst not auoyde MY God my God vouchsafe to turn thy loouing and fauourable countenance towards me thy pore creature who am brought very low and mine enemies laugh reioyce at my fal I am like an Owle in the desert that the birdes of the airegaze woÌ„der at mine estate is altered my store is turned into scarcity and my wealth into want my plenty into pouerty and ioy into sorrowe sadnes Oh sweete Lord my prosperity is turned into aduersitye my freendes haue forsaken me And where they haue often promised to helpe mee they doo not onely not performe the same but they disdaine my company they loath and abhorre my presence I am vtterly refused of al mine acquaintaunce and they that were before my familiars are now my deadly foes Sweete Lorde thou seeest howe I am clapt vp in cares howe I am inuironed with a thousand causes that procure intollerable greefe bothe in body minde Oh Lorde I haue no refuge I haue no place of defence I haue no meane to helpe my selfe I am so bewrapped in calamitie that I can not enioye any liberty either of body or minde but moste sweete Lord most loouing and moste fauourable most able and moste ready to helpe such as come to thee loden with distresse loe heere I lye at the gate of thy mercy knocking for ease humbly crauing thine assistaunce who hast willed such as