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
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
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
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