of the physician Behold Lord how I come to thee a sinner sicke and grieuouslie wounded I aske not bread but the crums that fall from the childrens table Cast me not out of thy sight although I haue deserued to be cast into hell fire If I should looke vpon my sinne and not vpon thy mercie I should despaire For in my selfe I find nothing to saue me but a dunghill of wickednesse to condemne me If I should hope by mine owne strength and power to come out of this maze of iniquitie and wickednesse wherein I haue walked so long I should be deceiued For I am so ignorant blind weake and feeble that I can not bring my selfe out of this intangled and wayward maze but the more I seeke means waies to winde my selfe out the more I am wrapped and tangled therein So that I perceiue my striuing therein to be hinderance my trauell to be labour spent in going backe It is the hand of the Lord that can and will bring me out of the endlesse maze of death For without I be preuented by the grace of the Lord I can not aske forgiuenesse nor be repentant or sorie for them There is no man can auow that Christ is the onlie Sauiour of the world but by the holie Ghost yea as S. Paule saith no man can saie The Lord Iesus but by the holie Ghost The spirit helpeth our infirmitie and maketh continuall intercession for vs with such sorowfull gronings as can not be expressed Therefore I will first require and praie the Lord to giue me his holie spirit to teach me to auow that Christ is the Sauiour of the world and to vtter these words The Lord Iesus and finallie to helpe mine infirmities and to intercede or intreate for me For I am most certaine and sure that no creature in heauen nor earth is of power or can by anie meane helpe me but God who is omnipotent almightie beneficiall and mercifull welwilling and louing to all those that call and put their whole confidence and trust in him And therefore I will seeke none other meanes nor aduocate but Christes holie spirit who is onlie the aduocate and mediatour betweene GOD and man to helpe and releeue mee The third Chapter VVhat true faith worketh in the soule of a sinner BUt now what maketh me so bold and hardie to presume to come to the Lord with such audacitie and boldnesse being so great a sinner Trulie nothing but his owne word For he saith Come to me all ye that labour and are burdened and I shall refresh you What gentle mercifull and comfortable words are these to all sinners Were he not a frantike madde beastlie and foolish man that would runne for aide helpe or refuge to anie other creature What a most gratious comfortable and gentle saieng was this with such pleasant and sweete words to allure his verie enimies to come vnto him Is there anie worldlie Prince or Magistrate that would shew such clemencie and mercie to their disobedient rebellious subiects hauing offended them I suppose they would not with such words allure them except it were to call them whome they cannot take and punish them being taken But euen as Christ is Prince of princes and Lord of lords so his charitie and mercie exceedeth and surmounteth all others Christ saith If carnall fathers do giue good gifts to their children when they aske them how much more shall your heauenlie father being in substance all holie and most highlie good giue good gifts to all them that aske him It is no small nor little gift that I now require neither thinke I my selfe worthie to receiue such a noble gift being so ingrate vnkind and wicked a child But when I behold the benignitie liberalitie mercie and goodnesse of the Lord I am encouraged boldened and stirred to aske such a noble gift The Lord is so bountifull and liberall that he will not haue vs satisfied and contented with one gift neither to aske simple and small gifts and therefore he promiseth and bindeth himselfe by his word to giue good and beneficiall gifts to all them that aske him with true faith without which nothing can be done acceptable or pleasing to God For faith is the foundation ground of all other gifts vertues and graces and therefore I will praie and saie Lord increase my faith For this is the life euerlasting Lord that I must beleeue thee to be the true God and whom thou didst send Iesus Christ By this faith I am assured and by this assurance I feele the remission of my sins This is it that maketh me bold this is it that comforteth me this is it that quencheth all despaire I knowe O my Lord thine eies looke vpon my faith S. Paule saith We be iustified by faith in Christ and not by the deeds of the lawe For if righteousnes come by the lawe then Christ died in vaine S. Paule meaneth not here a dead humane and historicall faith gotten by humane industrie but a supernall and liuelie faith which worketh by charitie as he himselfe plainlie expresseth This dignitie of faith is no derogation to good works For out of this faith spring all good works yet we may not impute to the woorthinesse of faith or works our iustification before God but ascribe and giue the woorthinesse of it wholie to the merits of Christs passion and refer and attribute the knowledge and perceiuing thereof onlie to faith whose verie true and onlie propertie it is to take apprehend and hold fast the promises of Gods mercie the which maketh vs righteous and to cause me continuallie to hope for the same mercie and in loue to worke all maner of waies allowed in the Scripture that I may be thankfull for the same Thus I feele my selfe to come as it were in a new garment before God and now by his mercie to be taken iust and righteous which of late without his mercie was sinfull and wicked and by faith to obteine his mercie the which the vnfaithfull can not enioie And although S. Iohn extolleth charitie in his Epistle saieng that God is charitie and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God Truelie charitie maketh men liue like Angels and of the most furious vnbrideled and carnall men maketh meeke lambes Yea with how feruent a spirit ought I to call crie and praie to the Lord to make his great charitie to burne and flame my hart being stonie and euill affected that it neuer would conceiue nor regard the great inestimable charitie and loue of God in sending his onlie begotten and deere beloued sonne into this vale of miserie to suffer the most cruell and sharpe death of the crosse for my redemption Yea I neuer had this vnspeakeable and most high charitie and abundant loue of God printed and fixed in my hart duelie till it pleased God of his meere grace mercie and pittie to open mine eies making me to see and behold with the eie of liuelie faith Christ crucified to be mine
the holie Ghost liueth and reigneth one God world without end Amen SAue vs O good Lord waking and keepe vs sleeping and be so mercifull to vs that with Christ we may wake and quietlie to rest in peace So be it The conclusion after Euening praier O Lord Iesu Christ that art in heauen perfect God and man heare my praiers haue mercie vpon me and praie vnto thy father for me Be thou my mercifull mediator vnto thy father that I might find mercie for my sinnes at all times and thy holie Angels to guide me this night and all the time and daies of my life and at the generall daie of iudgement that I may be partaker of that ioifull voice of thine saieng Come hither ye blessed and possesse euerlasting life Amen The Blessing GOD euen our owne GOD blesse vs and graunt vnto vs and all our faithfull and deere freends his continuall benediction and health Yea let thy mightie hand and outstretched arme O Lord be still my defence thy mercie and louing kindnesse in Iesu Christ thy deere sonne my saluation thy true and holie word my instruction thy grace and holie spirit my comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end So be it ¶ Certaine godlie sentences written by the Ladie E. T. Vse inuocation of Gods holie name Thinke vpon the needie once a daie The life to come forget not Further the iust sute of the poore Prefer Christ his kingdome Offend not in euill doing Set little by the iudgement of man but feare the iudgement of God Be at peace with all men Vse to be acquainted with the godlie Helpe to pacifie displeasure Hastilie iudge not anie bodie Kill anger with patience VVith pitie rebuke Make much of modestie Harbour a harmelesse hart Let no good deed Speake in season He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life In being well occupied thinke not long Lose as little time as ye may Be alwaies one Fauour the friendlesse Be not vnthankefull Trust not the world Deceiue none Rather take hurt than do anie Auenge not Let once be amended Fauour not flatterie Looke cheeflie on your selfe Do not forget your charge Let your mind be occupied well Vse pleasures after a meane Once you were not heere Awaie you must and turne to dust Finis ê™ E. T. The Praiers made by the right Honourable Ladie Frances Aburgauennie and committed at the houre of hir death to the right Worshipfull Ladie MARIE Fane hir onlie daughter as a Iewell of health for the soule and a perfect path to Paradise verie profitable to be used of euerie faithfull Christian man and woman A fruitfull praier to be said in the Morning AL mightie God and most mercifull father the fountaine of all felicitie from whom onelie proceedeth all good gifts most humblie I beseech thee of thine abundant mercie exceeding kindnesse so to direct and gouern me this daie and euer with thy good guiding Spirit that all my thoughts words and deeds may onelie be occupied in thy seruice faith feare and loue and so assist and strengthen me with thy grace O most mercifull and louing father for thy sonne Iesus Christ his sake that neither sinne death hell nor Sathan haue the dominion and vpper hand of me Indue my hart with the true vnderstanding of thy true and liuelie word that I may be readie and prone manfullie to fight vnder the standard of my glorious captaine Iesus Christ against the world the flesh and that cruell Serpent the old Leuiathan which hunteth continuallie like a roring Lion seeking the vtter destruction of my soule Make me constant in time of temptation that when or at what time my rebelling and sinfull flesh shall intise me to lust after the pompes and vanities of this wicked world I may by a strong liuelie and vnspeakable faith through the bitter torments that my Sauiour Christ Iesus suffered for me and all that faithfullie beleeue and call vpon him so mortifie and subdue the old Adam that I may be dead and buried from sinne and all iniquitie and the new man Christ Iesus may continuallie dwell and reigne in me by whose meanes I shall be garnished and decked by the means of a fruitfull faith with immortalitie and heauenlie blessednesse Uouchsafe O Lord I beseech thee according to the multitude of thy mercies to looke vpon me and by thy celestiall prouidence so illuminate the eies of my soule that I may continuallie watch for the glorious comming of thine annointed son Iesus Christ Roote out O Lord in and from me the vile and corrupt branches of rapine deceit auarice luxurie concupiscence and all vngodlinesse let the motions of my mind altogether depend vpon thee prepare my tongue to publish thy praise let my lips be locked vp from all scurillitie and vncomlie talke let mine eares loath and abhor to heare thy glorious and blessed name blasphemed and thy truth to be by anie Sectarian ill spoken of slandered keepe and defend me vnder the wings of thy comfortable protection from all errours schismes and detestable heresies Make me without faining firmelie and constantlie to build vpon the truth wherein is perfectlie set forth thy great mercie and diuine iustice Let the zeale of thy promises in all distres be my chiefest ioie and consolation giue me grace from aboue that as I make my boast of thy mercies and louing kindnesse by vertue whereof I am by my Sauiour Christ Iesus quickened from death to life and in his deerest death and pretious bloud-shedding regenerated and borne anew not of water but of the spirit by faith So Lord I may with thine abundant loue shewed to me ward and the whole posteritie of Adam I may be afraid wilfullie or of a set purpose to transgresse thy commandements and so incur therby thy displeasure that the effects of thy iustice in the day of thy comming to iudgement be pronounced against me to the vtter destruction of bodie and soule Make me alwaies willing good Lord to heare thy word by the power wherof my faith is increased and there withall plant in me perfect loue and obedience and so direct my footesteps in this vale of miserie that I may tread the path that leadeth to thee with whom my soule thirsteth to rest euen as vehementlie as the Hart longeth after the water brookes Grant this O mercifull God for the honour and glorie of thy name sake Amen A fruitfull praier to be said at the going to bed of euerie Christian. MOst mercifull Father I most wretched and vnwoorthie sinner prostrate my selfe before the throne of thy heauenlie grace yeelding vnto thee most humble and hartie thanks that hast of thine exceeding loue and fauour preserued me this daie from all perill and danger humblie beseeching thy diuine Maiestie this night to preserue me for the loue of thine onlie sonne and my sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ mediatour and aduocate who continuallie pleadeth and maketh intercession to thee for me and all the rest of thy chosen children presenting his bloudie
soone after doth my corrupt and infected nature offend and displease thy diuine Maiestie so that I am prone and readie to run headlong into all kind of wickednesse and sin such is my strength such is my force or rather weakenesse in perfourming those things which thou requirest at my hands So that good Lord I am readie vtterlie to despaire and forsake thee vnlesse thou of thy great mercie and pitie send thine aide from aboue and powre into me thy most healthfull grace that I may make hast to flee vnto thee with most bitter teares a sorrowfull hart and bowing knees lamenting my sinfull life and greeuous offences committed against thee trusting most assuredlie and faithfullie in the merits of my Sauiour Iesus Christ that by his most bitter death bloud-shedding which is of far greater force vertue and effect in preseruing me than all my sinnes and offences are in condemning and casting me awaie for whose sake I most assuredlie beleeue all my sinnes and offences are cleerelie forgiuen and shall neuer be laid to my charge but that I shall enter with thee in the last daie into thine euerlasting kingdome there to be with thee for euermore to whome be all honour praise and glorie for euer and euer Amen A praier to God the father ALmightie God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ whome no desert merit or worthinesse of ours but thine owne great clemencie mercie and pitie caused to send downe thine onlie begotten sonne into this world to beare the burden of our sinnes with the which we most miserable sinners were ouerladen and that he should suffer most cruell torments yea and also most bitter and shamefull death and sanctifie the reprochfull name of the crosse with the renting of his blessed bodie and shedding his most pretious bloud thereon thereby to make attonement betweene thee and vs thereby to paie the raunsome for our soules thereby to consummate and finish the perfection of our redemption and saluation Which thing it was thy good will that he should doo not onelie to asswage thy wrath indignation but also to bring vs againe into thy grace and fauour and that we being deliuered out of the bondage of sinne and hell might serue thee in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of our life and by the free gift and benefite of his death and passion be made partakers of his resurrection and of thine endlesse and vnspeakable glorie Wherefore my God my maker my Lord my King seeing thou hast so aboundantlie bestowed thy heauenlie gifts vpon me and all mankind and hast so plentifullie powred out thy grace and fauour on vs that for our sakes thou wouldest not spare thine owne sonne how shall we escape thine indignation which for this care and kindnesse of thine are most carelesse and vnkind And among all other which waie shall I poore creature turne me How shall I who haue beene most vnthankefull for thy benefits and most vnmindfull of them be so bold as to lift vp my hart or hands vnto the heauens and to call vpon thee Thou of thy singular goodnesse didst so prouide that the wickednesse of old Adam should be purged and washed awaie with the bloud of Iesus Christ but I haue wilfullie fallen into sinne againe Thou madest me the child of light but I haue made my selfe an inheritour of darkenesse Thou madest me thine by creation I haue made my selfe the child of perdition What shall I now therefore do Shall I doubt of anie further mercie and forgiuenesse No no sweete Lord so great is thy mercie which surmounteth all thy workes so large are thy promises so sure is the performance of them to all such as take hold thereof so deere in thy sight are the merits of thy sonne Iesus so acceptable vnto thee is the hartie repentance of a sinner that with the remembrance thereof I am prouoked to crie vnto thee saieng Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am no more worthie to be called thy child Neuerthelesse behold thou me not as I am a greeuous offender but as thy creature Haue now no respect to mine offences but behold my repentance thinke not vpon my wickednesse but vpon the wounds of my Sauiour Iesus Looke not vpon my false hart which hath wauered from thy lawes but behold the bleeding hart of thy sonne Iesus Christ which was pierced to release me and set me free My sinnes I cast vpon thy backe beseeching thee that his merits may beare them and thy mercie pardon them Heare me O Lord my God heare me for I knowe the more earnestlie that I seeke for and desire thine aide the readier thou art to stretch foorth thine hand to helpe me Heare me therefore O Lord bow downe and incline thine eare vnto my praier inspire me so with thy holie spirit that I may loue thee aboue all things and that I neuer faile to put my hope and trust of saluation in him whome thou wouldest to be my redeemer and sauiour Make me by the forsaking of all wickednesse so to rise from falling into sinne that I may obtaine the true seruing of thee with innocencie and purenesse of life Graunt this O Lord for Iesus Christs sake to whome with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie Amen A praier vnto God the sonne O Most sweet sauiour O most mercifull redeemer O bountifull Iesu the sonne of God who although thou art high yet thou art most humble although thou art omnipotent thou art also most meeke and as thou art most mightie so art thou most mercifull To thee O Christ the guide of all felicitie the father of heauen hath giuen all power both in heauen and in earth Thou art the true pastor of our soules thou art our Messias Thou castest off none that sue vnto thee but as thou hast taken awaie the hand-writing that was against vs and hast fastened it to thy crosse so art thou readie to impart the merits of thy passion vnto all such as with true repentance of their sins call vpon thee faithfullie Wherefore my sweet Iesus I most faithfullie and vnfeinedlie acknowledge the benefits that thou hast bestowed vpon me and stedfastlie beleeue that thou being an immaculate lambe in whose mouth was neuer found guile didst suffer most cruell torments at the hands of sinners for the loue of vs most wretched sinners For the which cause I most hartilie beseech thee and most humblie praie thee to accept me into the number of them whom thou wilt make coinheritours of thy bitter paines And although I of my selfe be most vnworthie thereof yet thy merits can make me woorthie to them do I flie crauing that I may be so armed and defended by them that I may subdue the world the flesh and the diuell euen as thou hast gloriouslie conquered sinne death and hell Thou seest O my sauiour how I am dailie and hourlie beset with these three enimies and so hardlie beseeged of them that without thy helpe I can by
for our offences Indue vs with loue and charitie to all men make vs readie to forgiue to loue and pardon our enimies persecutors and slanderers Turne our harts minds from all impietie couetousnesse blasphemie pride gluttonie fornication and all other detestable euils And if at anie time we haue defeated the fatherlesse of his right the widowe of hir dowrie or gathered togither our goods wrongfullie by violence oppression fraud collusion or deceit giue vs grace to make restitution and to aske with sorowfull plaints and fluds of teares from the bottome of our harts pardon and free forgiuenesse of thee for such and all other our offences whatsoeuer wee haue done or committed in thought word will and deed against thy diuine Maiestie or anie other our brethren and sisters Take awaie from vs ali bitternes cursed speaking and backbiting Giue vs grace to come woorthilie by the vertue of a true and fruitfull faith to this holie and blessed supper that our soules feeding faithfullie on thy sweetest flesh and drinking thy deerest bloud wee may both in bodie and soule be nourished by thee to euerlasting and endlesse glorie in heauen where with thee and the felowship of thy chosen Saints we shall enioie the fruition of the euerlasting kingdome which thou hast ordeined for all those that ouelie and alone without wauering doo build vpon thee Sanctifie and make cleane our harts and minds by the power of thy holie Ghost the verie comforter of thy chosen Purge thou our cankred consciences infected with sinne by the working of thy good grace least that by the presuming to this thy table O Lord we incur thy displeasure and being vnrepentant for our offences we be found vnmeet ghests to come to thy holie banket and so we eate and drinke to the vtter confusion of our soules and bodies Giue vs grace therefore good Lord to conuert vs wholie vnto thee and we shall be turned from all our sinne and iniquitie Giue vs grace to rest onlie vpon thee and we shall be made safe Giue vs thine aid from aboue we beseech thee by faith to striue with the man of sinne and so to vanquish him that he may die to vs and we may liue to thee which art the giuer of life Grant this O most gratious God for Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be giuen all praise honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen A praier or thankesgiuing to be said after the receiuing of the Communion WE giue thee most hartie thanks O heauenlie Father that hast at this present fed vs and refreshed our hungrie soules with the flesh and bloud of our Sauiour Christ not carnallie but spirituallie Giue vs grace therefore continuallie by the meanes of an increasing and fruitfull faith to beleeue that thy flesh is meate indeed and thy bloud is drinke indeed and that vnneths we eate thy flesh and drinke thy bloud we can not enter into thy kingdome nor be saued in the daie of thy comming Giue vs grace therefore being vnprofitable seruants and vnwoorthilie called by the reason of the multitude of our sinnes to banket at thy table whereas the celebration of thy supper hath beene vsed and thy death by the visible elements of bread and wine represented vnto vs to offer vp vnto thee continuallie the fruits of true repentant and sorowfull harts that thy name may be glorified we by thy grace comforted thy displeasure turned to loue thy wrath to compassion our sinnes pardoned and forgotten and our names written in the booke of life And as it hath pleased thee at this present to account vs for thy ghests and not onlie to feede vs with visible creatures namelie bread and wine but also in soule which is thine owne similitude to cherish vs with thy flesh and bloud wheron by the vertue of a liuelie faith we haue to our great comforts most plentifullie fed so now O Lord we beseech thee of thine abundant goodnesse to increase our faith that it may wax strong in thee and fruitfull to exercise the works of charitie and loue to all men that therby as we haue now been at the celebration of thy glorious and blessed supper so we may whensoeuer it shall please thee to call vs to thine heauenly banket be found furnished not emptie not naked but armed and couered with fruitfull faith and truth and so as thy ghests or vessels of honour enioie the participation of thy heauenlie and rich palace whereas ioies neuer vade but continuallie endure Take from vs the burden of our corruption set vs free from the cursed clog of sinne deliuer vs from the snares of death and destruction Giue vs willing minds to obeie and heare thy commandements clense thou our harts from all iniquitie and giue vs grace henceforth to walke in newnesse of life and godlie conuersation that thy name may be glorified and we saued in the daie of thy comming to iudgement Grant this for Jesus Christ his sake our mediatour and aduocate Amen A godlie praier to be said of euerie Christian especiallie at burials GOod Lord which with thy hands doest staie the frame engin of the earth and rulest the course of the swift heauens disposing and ordering all things by thy diuine prouidence which hast apointed bounds to our life which we can not pas I besech thee that by my liuing I learning to die mortifieng by thy spirit the affections of the flesh though not expelling them yet subduing the rage of them it may at the last by the hauen of death land in the most glorious citie of euerlasting life where our bodies which are now darke miserable and corruptible shall be most bright glorious and incorruptible like to the immortall and shining bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ We shall be like to Christ our Sauiour euen as he is so shall we be And as we haue borne the image of the earthlie so shall we beare the image of the heauenlie and shine like to the sunne as the face of Christ did in his transfiguration Oh Lord Iesus blessed Sauiour which by thy death hast triumphed ouer sinne and death thou hast troden on the sting of the monster our hidious enimie the gates of hel haue not preuailed against thee grant to me a true and liuelie faith by which men passe from earth to heauen from death to eternall life This can we not doo without thee thou must be our mediatour For a child of a nights birth is not pure in thy sight In sinne were we borne and by nature we are the children of perdition and firebrands of hell but thou O blessed Sauiour art the perfection of the lawe to them that beleeue As death came by sinnes so by thy death and pretious bloudshedding is death conquered and exiled and we that beleeue washed and clensed of our sinnes All the Prophets beare witnesse that they which beleeue in thy name shall receiue remission of their sinnes If we confesse our sinnes thou art righteous to
doo through the onelie merits of our Lord and Sauiour Jesus Christ to whom be all honour glorie dominion power and praise for euer and euer Amen The praier ALmightie and most mercifull God my heauenlie Father I thy poore child and most vnwoorthie bidden ghest to this thy prepared sacrifice and celestiall feast after due examination of my former life with an humble and contrite hart with a sorowfull and repentant spirit and with a forgiuing and charitable mind heere prostrate on my knees before thy throne of mercie with most lowelie hart humblie beseech thy Maiestie euen for thy deere and onelie sonne Iesus Christs sake whom thou hast once for all euer alreadie giuen an oblation and offering for our sinnes to haue mercie pitie and compassion vpon me most vile wretched and miserable sinner and to forgiue me all mine innumerable and horrible offences both old and new committed against heauen and earth and against thee And new I praie thee sanctifie me throughlie O God and make me who hartilie desire in feare trembling to please thee in all things that I doo a woorthie communicant a godlie ghest and fit partaker heere this daie of thy heauenlie food in this great and sumptuous Supper of my Lord and my God by giuing vnto me of thine accustomed goodnesse the right knowledge and vnderstanding out thy word of the thing it selfe these holie mysteries I meane and the manifold fruits and benefites thereof and also by causing me through the working of thy mercie and grace to bring now with me a true and constant faith the roote and wel-spring of all newnesse of life as well in praising thee and louing my neighbour as purging mine owne conscience by earnest repentance and continuall contrition from dead works and filthinesse of sinne so that neither the ignorance of the thing O gratious God may cause me to contemne it nor vnfaithfulnesse make it void of fruit nor sinne and iniquitie procure me thy heauie plagues but grant that I may by faith in knowledge and amendment of life in faith be heere now so vnited to thy sonne Christ my head and most deerelie beloued spouse in these his holie and heauenlie mysteries to my comfort both in bodie and soule that afterward I may haue full fruition of him in deede to mine euerlasting ioie and saluation in eternall life through the same Iesus Christ our Lord blessed for euer Amen Another godlie praier O Iesu Christ holy and eternall God I miserable woman and wretched sinner acknowledge and confesse that I am not woorthie the least of all thy mercies and most vnwoorthie to receiue thee vnder the roofe of my soule by participating of thy most blessed bodie and bloud For horrible and infinite are the sinnes wherewith I am defiled Wo is me Lord. For I am a woman of polluted lips and dwell among people that haue vncleane lips And therefore the verie entrailes of my hart are troubled and my bones doo shake because I finde my soule a most vnworthie ghest for so heauenlie a supper And yet againe mine hart is woonderfullie lightned when I call to mind that thou the deere sonne of almightie God camest not into this world to call the righteous but sinners vnto repentance For they that be whole need not the Physician but they that are sick Besides I knowe right well and constantlie doo beleeue that notwithstanding my filthinesse thou canst make mee woorthie which alone canst make that cleane which is conceiued of vncleane seed and righteous men of sinners when thou forgiuest our sinnes of thy woonted grace thine holie spirit being powred vpon vs. Through which thy power and mercie I beseech thee graunt such grace vnto me a sinner that I may woorthilie approch to this heauenlie sacrament least otherwise by mine vnwoorthinesse I be made giltie of thy bodie and bloud and so in stead of life receiue my iudgement and condemnation Giue grace therefore that afore I presume to come vnto the participation thereof I may examine my selfe by calling my sinnes into mind searching out my waies and by vnfeigned and hartie repentance returning vnto thee my Lord least otherwise by concealing my sinnes with Iudas the traitor I eate the bread of the Lord against the Lord and by abusing thy gentlenesse heape vengeance vnto my selfe against the daie of vengeance O make me therefore I saie to confesse my sinnes and that with hartie sobs so thou being a faithfull and iust God wilt abandon all mine offences and cleanse me from my sinnes and wilt not disdaine to accept me into fauour when I doo not refraine to acknowledge my wickednesse Moreouer powre into me a true and liuelie faith that I neuer mistrust thy word annexed to the Sacraments which promiseth vnto mankind the remission of sinnes For to eate or drinke with the mouth onelie is to no purpose but faith must come therevnto and apprehend the word with the promises annexed for they are the grounds and principles of this sacrament so that whosoeuer giueth credit to these words Which was giuen and shead for you in the remission of sinnes the same man hath that which is promised by them namelie eternall life and saluation For where the remission of sinnes is there likewise righteousnes life and saluation is But he which doubteth of these words he without doubt is an vnworthie receiuer and commeth vnprepared For the doubting man neither eateth the flesh spirituallie nor yet drinketh the bloud though carnallie and to our eies he seemeth to consume the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud with his teeth and mouth but his damnation rather not bicause thy supper is poison but for that an euill man taketh a good thing naughtilie Finallie grant also that receiuing this thy Sacrament of the new Testament I may put off according to the former conuersation the old man which is corrupt according to the lusts of error and be renewed in the spirit of my mind putting on the new man which after God is shapen in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth And albeit my nature be such that I can not liue without spots of wickednesse yet so blesse me that I may neuer offend willinglie but altogether depending vpon thy goodnesse whose manner is to pardon the true penitent that sinners may boldlie approch to thine holie supper especiallie seeing we haue libertie to enter into the holie places through thy bloud by the new and liuing waie which thou hast prepared for vs through the vaile that is by thy flesh And seeing we haue an high Priest ouer the house of God make vs to drawe nigh with true harts in assurance of faith sprinkled in our minds from an euill conscience and washed in bodie with pure water Cause vs to hold fast the profession of the hope without wauering For he is faithfull that promised and let vs consider one of another to prouoke vnto loue to good works not forsaking the assemblie of the faithfull as the maner of some is but exhorting one another
my soule Preserue my going out and my comming in that my feet may stand in the courts of Ierusalem I lift vp mine eies vnto thee that dwellest in the heauens Deliuer my soule out of the snare of the foulers least I put foorth mine hands vnto wickednesse Fill my mouth with laughter and my tongue with ioie replenish my longing with good things that thy beloued may find rest and blesse me out of Sion that I may see the welth of Ierusalem hauing escaped the cords of wickednesse Let thine eares attend vnto the voice of my praiers O Lord. Let not mine hart be hautie nor mine eies loftie but giue me grace to thinke humblie vntill I find a place for the Lord an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob There the Lord hath appointed the blessing and life for euer There will I lift vp mine hands to thy sanctuarie and praise thee who iudgest thy people and art pacified towards thy seruants O God of gods and Lord of lords now weeping and worshipping towards thine holie temple trie me and knowe me marke and consider my paths and leade me in thy waie for euer Deliuer me O Lord from the euill man and preserue me from the cruell man Let my praier be directed in thy sight as incense Bring my soule out of prison that I may praise thy name Heare my praier O Lord in thy righteousnesse and enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Heare me speedilie O Lord least my spirit faile me for thou God art my refuge and my deliuerer And forasmuch as thou art great and most woorthie to be praised and thy greatnesse is incomprehensible raise vp the crooked loose the shackeled and giue sight to the blind thou which dooest build vp Ierusalem And when thou hast made the barres of thy gates strong let me be coupled to thy children within As the Angels and all the powers in the kingdome of heauen doo praise thee there let me triumphing gloriouslie in the congregation of the Saints with the sounding Cimbals of my lips praise and magnifie thy name the which is holie and glorious and reigneth now and euerlastinglie Amen Shus-hanna hir Psalter conteining verie deuout praiers for remission of sinnes for the auoiding of all kind of sinne and for the leading of a godlie life O Almightie and euerliuing GOD thou God of al power before whose eies all things be naked and bare O Lord thou great and terrible God I saie that keepest couenant mercie with them that loue thee and doo thy commandements Let thine eares bee open that thou maist heare the praiers of thy seruant which I make before thee at this time and let them ascend vp before thy presence and be accepted in thy sight for Iesus Christs sake Haue mercie vpon me thy poore creature and worke of thine hands For I haue sinned and done wickedlie and haue offended thy Maiestie greeuouslie in that I haue gone backe and departed from all thy precepts and iudgements and haue not followed thy seruants the Prophets that spake vnto me in thy name but haue from daie to daie prouoked thy iust wrath and indignation against me O Lord I acknowledge and confesse vnto thee my manifold sinnes and wickednesse the which I haue vnrighteouslie most greeuouslie committed against thee in thought word and deed from my youth vp vntill this daie for the which I am now taught by thy word and grace to be hartilie sorie and doo vnfeinedlie repent purposing euermore through the assistance of thy grace to walke in a new life Desiring thee for the pretious bloud-shedding of Iesus Christ thy deere Sonne our Lord to haue mercie vpon me and forgiue me all those mine offences according to thy great mercie and promise which hast said At what time so euer a sinner dooth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his hart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance O Lord remember not therefore the multitude of my misdeeds I beseech thee but according to thy great mercies thinke vpon me Call to remembrance for Christs sake thy louing kindnesse and thy tender mercie the which hath euer beene of old Hide not thy face from me nor cast not off thy seruant in thy displeasure For thy mercies sake deliuer me from all my sinnes and make me not a scorne vnto the foolish Turne not awaie thy mercie from me but let thy most louing kindnesse and truth alwaie preserue me Helpe me for thy name sake and deliuer me in thy strength Heare my praier O Lord and consider the words of my mouth for my misdeeds preuaile against me O bee thou mercifull vnto my sinnes Let the sorowfull sighing of the prisoner come before thee O Lord and comfort the soule of thy seruant for vnto thee doo I flie for succour Satisfie me with thy mercie and that soone so shall I reioice and be glad in thee all the daies of my life Looke not extreamlie what is done amisse in me for I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and am no more woorthie to be called thy child yet Lord of thy great goodnesse powre downe some of the crums that fall from thy childrens table and make me as one of the least of them Reward me not according to my deseruings for then I must needs perish for vnto me perteineth nothing but open shame confusion and damnation but with thee there is mercie forgiuenesse and plentious redemption Therefore I come vnto thee O Lord thou louer of soules not hoping in mine owne righteousnesse but trusting onlie in the multitude of thy great mercies which thou hast made and laid foorth before the eies of all people offering saluation to the whole world and hast promised that whosoeuer he or she be of the whole generation of man that will receiue grace repent and turne vnfeignedlie from his sinnes shall haue free remission and forgiuenesse through Iesus Christ our Lord which is our onelie aduocate and mediator in whome our saluation lieth and of whome thou hast said This is my deere Sonne in whome I am well pleased and well pacified For this thy Sonnes sake by whome I am bold to come vnto thee which appeareth now in thy sight making continuall intercession for vs haue mercie vpon me O thou mightie God cleanse me from all my sinnes and doo awaie all mine iniquities Oh let me feele thy mercies towards me for I doo confesse my sinnes vnto thee O Lord and hide not mine vnrighteousnesse I doo acknowledge mine offences and accuse my selfe before thee of all my misdeeds Helpe me O God my sauiour for the glorie of thy name O deliuer me and forgiue me my sinnes for thy rich mercies sake Remember not the offences of my youth O Lord but thinke vpon thy great mercies and couenant made vnto me in Christ Iesus For thy tender mercie sake laie not my sinnes to my charge but forgiue that is past and giue me grace to amend my life to decline from sinne and incline to
Sunne to set bicause we expect his arising againe in the morning no more ought we as men without hope to be sorie for the death of the bodie knowing that in the morning light of the resurrection it shall eftsoones arise receiue the soule againe to ioie or paine eternall VVhen the candles or lamps be light praie THanks be giuen to thee O Lord which after daie when night commeth hast giuen vs for the remedie of darknesse this artificiall light of the candle or lampe whereby we see and discerne those things in this night of our bodies which are expedient for vs to vse But especiallie we render immortall praise vnto thine holie Maiestie for the light of thy doctrine which thy Sonne against the horrour of sinne and ignorance hath brought vnto vs for a remedie against death eternall Grant we beseech thee O Lord of light and Maister of all truth that the most thicke and obscure clouds of our minds may be so driuen awaie and expelled by the lampe of thy grace and candle of knowledge and right vnderstanding that in bodie corporallie and in soule spirituallie wee may euer see by both these lights to glorifie thee both in our liues and in our deaths Thy word ô Lord is a lampe to our feete and a light vnto our paths O light thou our candle and make our darknesse to be light that with our lamps euer burning we may still watch for thy comming Amen Meditation THinke now that as without this materiall light of the candle all would be horrour and vncouth darknesse euen so without the spirituall light of Gods diuine word and wisedome all our light is darknesse our knowledge errour and our life death and vtter confusion Thinke also that as the candle is not put vnder a bushell but set on a candlesticke to giue light to all in the house so likewise ought we to let the light of our faith shine bright before men that other séeing our good works may therefore glorifie God Euening praiers for Sundaie to be said kneeling by the bedside before you make you vnreadie ¶ Here you may saie one of the confessions for the Sabboth daie as before pag. 384 387. WE render vnto thee euerlasting praises most mercifull Father for that of thy gratious fauour and loue towards vs thou hast vouchsafed to preserue vs this daie and the rest of our life hitherto vnder the shadowe of thy most mercifull protection beseeching thee also to take vs into thy tuition this present night and euer that we be not tempted with anie suggestion of Sathan but being thoroughlie armed with the holie Ghost we may haue power and force to resist his assaults by a sure faith and confidence in the bloud of thy blessed Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus Giue vs grace to repent vs of our sinnes vnfeinedlie to craue remission of them vncessantlie to imbrace thy holie word and commandements sincerelie and to expresse them in our liuing effectuallie whereby we may walke vprightlie in our conuersation with sure and certaine hope of the resurrection to eternall life by the merits of Christ Iesus that with the wise virgins we may be found waking and watching for his comming when he shall come to iudge the world with equitie and to reward euerie man according to the works of his bodie Grant vs grace most mercifull Father to behaue our selues so vprightlie in this life that then we may be made partakers of thy kingdome with thine elect there to liue in eternall ioie and felicitie world without end Amen Another Euening praier on the Lords daie O Almightie and eternall God Father of our Lord Iesu Christ which togither with thy Sonne and the holie Ghost didst create man after thine owne likenesse and breath into him the breth of life the which through thy goodnes continueth at thy pleasure Thou hast made of one bloud all mankind and assigned times and length of our life in this world thou giuest life to the people on the earth and breth to the walkers therein which if thou take awaie they shall depart and be turned into dust We blesse thee heauenlie Father and with all our harts giue thee thanks not onelie for sauing vs this daie from dangers but also from our cradles for defending both our soules and bodies from death Wherefore magnifie the Lord O our soules and our spirits reioice in God our Sauiour For he hath looked vpon the basenesse and afflictions of his seruants He that is mightie hath done for vs great things and holie is his name Wherefore we will praise the Lord for euermore bicause his mercie endureth from generation to generation on such as feare him We will shew foorth his power in the euening and when we go to bed we will remember his mercie Arise now our soules in the night praise your God In the beginning of the watches powre out your harts like water before the face of the Lord. For the Saints will be ioifull with glorie sing lowd vpon their beds Wherefore we also will praise thee continuallie and will confesse thy name for euermore For thou art the God which delighteth our harts and maketh our soules merie Therefore in the night we will thinke vpon thy benefits and our spirits shall consider of thy woonderous works For thou hast commanded that thy mercie be celebrated in the daie time and thy truth in the night season O our Lord and God of mercie gentlenesse patience pitie and truth which she west mercie vnto thousands and blottest out all our offences we lift vp our soules vnto thee and from our harts we praie thee put not before thine eies the horrible confusion vncleannesse and wickednesse of our minds being replenished with loathsome darknesse and ignorance full of doubtings and errors Our harts and will are turned from thee our God and all the powers and strength both of our soules and bodies are defiled and filthilie weakened but Lord of thy great merice blot out our offences looke vpon the troubles and dolours of our harts and forgiue all our sinnes For lo our soules are wounded and can not be holpen but onelie through mercie There is no health in our flesh bicause of thine anger neither is there rest in our bones bicause of our sins For our iniquities haue gone ouer our heads and as an heauie burden haue pressed vs down Our wounds are putrified and corrupt bicause of our foolishnesse Asswage thine anger and turne from thine indignation Pardon our faults remit all punishment and restore in vs the light of thy goodnesse which was lost O Lord heare O Lord forgiue harken O our God for thine owne sake For thy name is called vpon by vs. O God of heauen and earth in this euening tide doo we call vnto thee that remitting our sinnes which this daie especiallie we haue committed against thee in breaking thy Saboth and prophaning this our holie daie with our vnholie deeds speech and cogitations thou wouldest receiue vs into thy
yong children that faint and die for hunger in the corners of all the streets Behold O Lord and consider to whome thou hast done thus Shall y e women then eate their own fruit euen their children of a span long Shal the Priest and the Prophet be slaine in the Sanctuarie of the Lord The yong the old lie on the ground in the streetes my virgins and my yong men are slaine and fallen with the sword thou hast slaine them and put them to death in the daie of thy wrathfull indignation yea euen thou hast killed them and not spared My terrours euen mine enimies whom I feared that are round about me hast thou called as it were to a feast-daie so that in the daie of the Lords wrath none escaped neither was anie left behinde those that I haue nourished and brought vp hath mine enimie destroied and consumed The third lamentation of Zion HOw is the gold or the princes become so dimme the most fine gold so changed How are the stones of the Sanctuarie or the priests so scattered in the corner of euerie streete The noble men of Zion that were alwaie in honour and cloathed with the most pretious gold how are they esteemed and now become like the earthen vessels the worke of the potters hand of small estimation and without anie honour The Dragons though they be cruell yet for pitie drawe out their breasts and giue sucke to nourish their yong ones but the daughter of my people is become cruell and the women forsake their children like the Estriches in the wildernes which forsake both egge and bird The tongs of the sucking children cleaue to the roofe of their mouths for verie thirst the yong children aske bread but there is no man that giueth it them They that were woont to fare delicatelie perish in the streets they that afore were brought vp in purple and scarlet now make much of doong For the iniquitie of the daughter of my people is beecome greater than the wickednesse of zodome that suddenlie was destroied and not taken with hands nor anie camps pitched against hir Hir Nazarites or absteiners were purer than the snowe and whiter than the milke their colour in bodie was fresh red as corall and their beautie like the polished Saphyr so greatly were they once in Gods fauour But now their faces be verie blacke as a cole in so much that none can knowe them in the streetes their skinne cleaueth to their bones it is withered and become like a drie stocke and they are in greatest abhomination vnto him They that be slaine with the sword are happier than they that are killed or die with hunger For they fade and pine awaie as they were striken through for the lacke of the fruits of the field and foode The women which of nature are pitifull haue sodden their owne children with their hands that they might be their meate in the miserable destruction of the daughter of my people The Lord hath performed his heauie wrath he hath powred out the furiousnesse of his wrathfull displeasure he hath kindled a fire in Zion which hath consumed the foundations thereof Neither the kings of the earth nor all the inhabitors of the world would haue beleeued that the enimie and aduersarie should haue entred and come into the gates of Ierusalem Which neuerthelesse contrarie to all mens expectation is come to passe for the sinnes of hir Prophets and the iniquities of hir Priests that haue shed the bloud of the iust and innocent in the midst of hir As blind men went they stumbling in the streets and stained or polluted themselues with bloud so that the heathen would not touch their garments But they cried vnto them Depart and flee ye polluted Awaie get you hence touch not those priests for they are vncleane and be remoued Therfore they fled awaie and wandered yea they haue said among the heathen They shall no more dwell there The anger wrath countenance of the Lord hath scattered them and shall neuer looke more vpon them nor regard them For they themselues neither regarded nor reuerenced the face of the priests nor had compassion or pitie of their Elders Wherefore our eies failed whiles we yet looked for our vaine helpe of man For in our waiting we haue looked for the Aegyptians a nation people that could doo vs no good nor saue vs. They hunt our steps and lay so sharpe wait for vs that we can not go safe in the streets our end is neere at hand our daies are fulfilled for our end is come Our persecutors are swifter than the Eagles of the aire they pursued followed vpon vs ouer the mountaines and laid wait for vs in the wildernesse The verie breath of our nostrels euen Iosias the king and the annointed of the Lord himselfe in whome stood our hope of Gods fauour and on whome depended our state and life was taken in their nets and slaine of whome we said Under his shadowe we shall be preserued aliue among the heathen And thou O daughter Edom that dwellest in the land of Huz go to be glad and reioice at our destruction and fall yet be thou sure thou shalt not escape For the cup of Gods wrath shall passe through and come vnto thee also thou shalt be dronken and discouer thy nakednesse and vomit vp thine owne shame Be of good comfort therefore O thou daughter Zion thy sinnes are fullie punished and thy punishment accomplished For after seuentie yeres thy sorowes shal haue an end He will no more carie thee awaie into captiuitie but thy wickednesse O daughter Edom shall he visit and will discouer thy sins so that the wicked shall be tormented for euer The fourth lamentation or complaint of Zion I Am she that through the rod of his wrath haue experience of miserie He droue me foorth and led me yea into darkenesse but not into light Surelie against me is he turned he turneth his hand dailie against me My flesh and my skinne hath he made to waxe old and my bones hath he brused and broken He hath builded against me and closed me in with gall and trauell He hath set me in darke places as they that be dead for euer He hath hedged me in that I can not get out and he hath laid heauie linkes and chaines vpon me Also though I crie and call pitiouslie yet heareth he not my praier He hath stopped vp my waies with hewen or squared stones and made my paths crooked He laieth waite for me like a Beare and as a Lion in a hole or secret places He hath stopped vp my waies and broken me in peeces he hath laid me waste and made me desolate He hath bent his bowe and made me a marke to shoote at with the arrowe The arrowes of his quiuer I saie hath he shot at me and they are entred euen into my reines I am laughed to scorne and had in derision of all my people and they make songs or ballets vpon me
me but by the speciall grace of God which of my selfe I can not deserue but by Christ his onelie sonne whose brightnesse giueth light to my darknesse whose power examining my fault breaketh the vaile of ignorance and giueth mee cleare vnderstanding what thing abideth in mee where I am and wherefore I labour He it is whom I haue offended he it is to whom I did obeie so seldome wherefore it is conuenient that my pride be suppressed With weeping hart and sorowfull sighs I humblie therefore confesse that I am much lesse than nothing Before my birth mire after a dunghill hauing a bodie prompt to all euill not willing other studie subiect to care sorowe and paine short of life the end vncertaine and vnder sin by Adam sold and by the lawe condemned For of my selfe I neuer had yet the power to obserue one onelie commandement of God the force of sinne was such in me and therefore is my sinne no whit the lesse to be hidden and the more I cloaked and dissembled my sinne outwardlie the more it increased within my hart For what God would that could I not will and what hee would not I oft times desired to performe which thing doth constraine mee by importable sorowe in this wearie and raging life to wish the end of this miserable bodie through a desired death Who shall he then be that shall deliuer or recouer anie good for me Alas it can be no mortall man For his power and strength is not such as can deliuer me Who then The onlie grace of the almightie GOD who neuer is slacke to helpe the penitent with his mercie Oh what a maister is that which without deseruing will shew his mercie on sinners I serued him slothfullie and without ceasing offended him euerie daie yet is he not slacke in helping me He doth see the euill that I haue what and how much it is and that I of my selfe can doo nothing that is good but with hart bodie so inclined I am to the contrarie that I feele no strength in me vnlesse it be to doo euill Yet doth he not tarie till I humblie praie him or that seeing my hell and damnation I doo crie vpon him but his spirit whurling in my hart greater than I can declare asketh for mee a gift whereof the vertue is vnknowne to my little power And this the same vnknowne gift or whurling in my hart doth bring mee a new desire shewing the good that I haue lost by my sinne and giuen me againe thorough his grace and bountie that which hath ouercome all sinne O my Lord what grace and goodnesse is this which doth put out so manie sinnes Now may I see that thou art full of all godlie loue to make me of a sinner thy seruant and child Alas my God I did not seeke thee but fled and ran awaie from thee and here beneath thou camest downe to mee which am nothing but a woorme of the earth all naked What doo I saie A woorme Naie woorse than a woorme full of pride deceit malice and treason The promise which my friends made when I was baptised is such that I alwaies thorough faith in thy passion should feele the mortification of my flesh and dwell alwaies with thee in the crosse where thou wast fast nailed as I beleeue and yeelded death dead as I also should yeeld all sinne This haue I oftentimes vntied taken downe and set at large I haue broken denied and falsified my promise and through pride I haue lifted vp my will in such maner that through sloth my dutie towards thee was forgotten and that much more is as well the profit or value which I had of thee in the daie of my baptisme as also thy sauing loue and promises folowing I haue all alike neglected What shall I saie more Albeit that oftentimes thou perceiuing mee wretched and vnhappie hast giuen me so manie warnings in faith and sacraments admonishing mee by preachings and comforted mee by the receiuing of thy blessed bodie and sacred bloud promising by the same to put me in the number of them that now are adorned with perfect innocencie yet haue I all these high benefits throwne into forgetfulnesse Oftentimes O Lord haue I with thee broken couenant partlie for that my poore soule was too much fed with the euill bread or damnable doctrine of hypocrites I despised such succour and ghostlie physicke in Gods word as would haue helped mee if I had beene willing to looke for it yet knew I at that time no teacher conuenient For there is neither man Saint nor Angel that can without thy spirit change the hart of a sinner Alas good Iesus thou beholding my blindnesse and that at my neede I could haue no succour of men didst open the waie of my saluation O how great is thy goodnesse and how inestimable the sweetenesse which thou hast shewed therein Is there anie father so naturall to the daughter or brother to the sister which would euer haue done as thou hast done For thou camest downe into hel to succour my soule where against thy will shee was intending to haue perished bicause she did not loue thee Alas sweet Lord thou hast loued hir yea euen to the verie outshedding of thy most pretious bloud O charitie feruent and incomparable Nothing slacke art thou in loue that so louedst euerie sinner yea and also thine enimies not onelie in forgiuing their offences but also in giuing thy selfe for their saluation libertie and deliuerance to the death crosse trauell paine and sufferance When I cast in mind what should be the occasion of thy loue towards mee I can see nothing else but a loue woonderfull which moueth thee to giue me that which I can not deserue Then as far foorth as I can see I ought to giue no thanks for my saluation but onlie to thee my Lord Iesu to whom I owe the praise thereof as to him which is my Sauior and Creator The second Chapter Of the soules affinitie with Christ WHat a thing is it O God that thou hast done so much for me Thou art not onelie contented to haue forgiuen me my sinnes but also hast giuen vnto mee the right fortunate gift of grace For it should suffice mee I comming out of such a danger to be like a stranger vsed But thou doest handle my soule if I durst so say it as a mother daughter sister and wife notwithstanding my Lord I am the trespasser which am not woorthie to come neere the doore of thy right high place to aske bread where thy dwelling is Oh what grace is this that so suddenlie thou vouchsafest to drawe my soule into such highnes that she feeleth hir selfe ruler of my bodie She poore ignorant and lame doth find hir selfe with thee rich wise and strong bicause thou hast written in hir hart the roote of thy spirit and holie word giuing hir true faith to receiue it which thing made hir to conceiue thy sonne in beleeuing him to be man God
Alas what father Such as doth neuer condemne his child but alwaies doth excuse and defend him Then I perceiue to haue none other excuser but Iesus Christ which is my spouse and my redeemer whose death hath restored me my lost inheritance For he made himselfe my man of lawe shewing his so worthie merits afore his father wherewith my great debt is so aboundantlie recompensed that in iudgement it is nothing O redeemer here is a great loue I find but few such men of lawe O sweete Iesus it is to thee that I am a debtor yet doest thou both praie and speake for me And moreouer when thou doest see that I am poore with the aboundance of thy goods thou doest paie my debts O incomprehensible sea of all goodnesse O my deare father doest thou vouchsafe to be my Iudge not willing the death of a sinner O Iesus Christ crucifier and sauiour of the soule friend aboue all friends thou being my man of law didst excuse and speake for me where thou couldst iustlie haue accused mee I feare no more therefore the crueltie of mine enimie for the lawe by thee is satisfied for all the paiment is so made by my sweete spouse that the lawe can aske nothing of me but it is paid by him For as I beleeue that he hath taken all my sinnes vpon him and hath giuen me in place of them his owne goodes in aboundance so O my Sauiour thou presenting thy vertues doest content the lawe And when she will reproch me of my sinnes thou doest shew hir how willinglie in thine owne flesh thou hast taken the discharge of them through the coniunction of our mariage Also vpon the Crosse through thy passion thou hast made satisfaction for it Morouer thine onlie charitie hath giuen me this that thou hast for me deserued Therefore seeing thy merite to be mine the lawe can aske nothing of me Now then will I feare no more the iudgement but with desire more than with perforce I will tarrie the time that I shall see my Iudge and heare a iust iudgement of him I knowe that thy iudgement is iust and that there is no fault therein though mine infidelitie is woorthie to suffer the cruelnesse of hell For if I do onlie consider my deseruing yet I can see nothing in it that can keepe me from the fire of hell For true it is that the torment of hell was prepared for the Diuell and his children So if anie man haue set his minde to be like to the Diuell by sensuall appetite then ought he as the Diuell to be paid with a like reward But if a man through contemplation of the soule do hold of thee his Angell of counsell vertue and perfection he is sure to obtaine heauen which is a place of thy deseruing for him then shall the wicked be punished with the same punishment which they ought to haue to whom they haue ioined themselues For sith they folowed Satan they must enioie such place as is for him and his Angels prepared Now I considering the diuersitie of both the sorts am little comforted in spirit by this For I cannot denie but that I am more like the Diuell than the Angell of light wherefore I feare and tremble For as the Angell is pure and perfect so am I vnpure and vnperfect and am nothing like vnto him But thus I confesse that to the other I am so like in my dooings and so accustomed in his waies that of his paine and torment I ought to be partaker For the cruell sinne which hath bound me in hell is so great and his force so strong that it letteth nothing to come from it neither feareth it the contrarie assault But he whose force lieth in this kind of strength knoweth not how his strength goeth awaie when a stronger than he commeth in place I could neuer yet see that anie man by merite or paines taking could euer yet vanquish that hell saue onlie he which did the great assault through his vnspeakable charitie when he humbled himselfe to the crosse whereby he hath vanquished and ouercome his enimie and robbed hell of his power so that now it hath no more force and strength to keepe that soule which putteth hir trust in God Then beleeuing in the great strength that my sauiour hath I do not set by hell and sinne For sinne can haue no hold of me vnles it be to shew how my God is mercifull strong mightie and a puissant vanquisher of all the euils within my hart If by sinnes forgiuenesse is the glorie of my most louing sauiour then ought I also to beleeue that my glorie is increased by his loue and that I am planted and graffed in him His honour onlie doth honour all his and his riches doo replenish euerie one with his goods Then death hell and sinne are ouercome by him O gluttonous hell where is thy defence Thou cruell villaine sinne where is thy tyrannous power O Death where is thy sting and victorie which are so much spoken of Instead of death thou death giuest me life and so doest thou contrarie to thy will Also thou sinne couetest to drawe each creature to damnation Thou giuest me a ladder to reach thereby that godlie Citie Ierusalem yet wouldst thou of thy cursed nature that mine eternall maker should loose his creature but through his loue and grace the sorie remembrance of thine vncomlinesse doth cause hir by repentance againe to come and submit hir selfe vnto God whose inestimable goodnesse causeth thee to loose thy whole labour which thou takest in hand For the number that thou pretendest to haue thou shalt not haue because that the comfortable shadowe of Christ his passion is such a mightie protection to the soule that he needeth neither to doubt death sinne nor hell Is there anie thing then that can pull me backe if God be willing through the gift of faith to drawe me to him I meane such a faith as we must needes haue to obtaine the high graces from aboue and also such a faith as through charitie doth ioine the humble seruant to his maker Now I being ioined vnto him ought to haue no feare of trauell paine nor sorowe For whosoeuer doth willinglie suffer anie maner of death paine or sorowe for the truth as Christ did he shall feele in such torment great comfort consolation for his soule knowing all this I my self am weake yet with God I am right strong Through his comfort I may do all things and his loue is so constant and permanent that it varieth not for anie worldlie thing Who can then withdrawe me from his grace Surelie the great height of heauen the depth of hell the breadth of the whole earth neither death nor sinne which dailie doth warre against me can separate me one minute from the great loue and charitie that my heauenlie father through Iesus Christ hath vnto me His goodnesse is such that he loueth me which hath not all times loued him and if I now loue
and Dragon than to keepe house with a wicked woman Ecclesiasticus 7 verse 19. Yet depart not from a discreete and good woman that is fallen to thee for thy portion in the feare of the Lord for the gift of hir honestie is aboue gold ¶ The Christian praiers of our Souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth which hir grace made in the time of hir trouble and imprisonment in the Tower and after hir Coronation HElpe me now O God for I haue none other friends but thee alone And suffer mee not I beseech thee to build my foundation vpon the sands but vpon the rocke whereby all blasts of blustering weather may haue no power against mee Amen Another praier made by hir Maiestie when she was in great feare and doubt of death by murther GRant O God that the wicked may haue no power to hurt or beetraie me neither suffer anie such treason and wickednesse to proceed against me For thou O God canst mollifie all such tyrannous harts and disappoint all such cruell purposes And I beseech thee to heare me thy creature which am thy seruant and at thy commandement trusting by thy grace euer so to remaine Amen Another praier and thankesgiuing made by hir grace as she rode in hir Chariot from the Tower to be crowned Queene at Westminster O Lord almightie and euerlasting God I giue thee most hartie thanks that thou hast beene so mercifull vnto me as to spare mee to behold this ioifull daie And I acknowledge that thou hast dealt as woonderfully with me as thou didst with thy true and faithfull seruant Daniel the Prophet whom thou deliueredst out of the den from the crueltie of the greedie raging lions euen so was I ouerwhelmed and onelie by thee deliuered To thee therfore be onlie thanks honour and praise for euer and euer Amen The rest of the praiers belonging to hir Maiestie to vse are to be found in the beginning of the third Lampe WILLIAM CICILL hauing taken much profit by the reading of this Treatise following wisheth vnto euerie Christian by the reading thereof like profit with increase from GOD. MOst gentle and Christian Reader if matters should bee rather confirmed by their reporters than the reports warranted by the matters I might iustlie bewaile our time wherin euill deeds be well worded and good acts euill cleaped But sincere truth is that things be not good for their praises but be praised for their goodnesse I doo not mooue thee to like this Christan Treatise bicause I haue mind to praise it but I exhort thee to mind it and for the goodnes thou shalt allow it for whose liking I labour not to obteine onelie mooued by mine example their iudgement Iregard chieflie confirmed by the matter Trulie our time is so disposed to grant good names to euill fruits and excellent termes to meane works that neither can good deeds enioie their due names being defrauded by the euill neither excellent works can possesse their woorthie termes being forestalled by the meane insomuch that men seeke rather how much they can than how much they ought to saie inclining more to their pleasure than to their iudgement and to shew themselues rather eloquent than the matter good so that neither the goodnes of the cause can mooue them to saie more neither the euilnes lesse For if the excellencie of this Christian contemplation either for the goodnes herein to maruell appearing either for the profit herevpon to the Reader ensuing should be with due commendation followed I of necessitie should either trauell to find out new words the old being anticipated by euill matters or wish that the common speech of praising were spared vntill conuenient matters were found to spend it such is the plentie of praising and scarsenes of deseruing Wherefore lacking the maner in words and not the matter in deed of high commendation I am compelled to keepe in my iudgment with silence trusting whom my report could not haue mooued to like this present Treatise the woorthinesse of the matter shall compell to giue it honour Anie earthlie man would soone be stirred to see some mysterie of magike or practise of Alchumie or perchance some inchantment of elements but thou which art christened hast here a woonderfull mysterie of the mercie of God a heauenlie practise of regeneration a spirituall inchantment of the grace of God If ioie and triumph be shewed when a kings child is borne to the world what ioie is sufficient when Gods child is regenerated from heauen The one is flesh which is borne of flesh the other is spirit which is borne of spirit The one also shall wither like the grasse of the earth in short time the other shall liue in heauen beyond all time If the finding of one lost sheepe be more ioifull than the hauing of ninetie and nine what ioie is it to consider the returne of a straie child of almightie God whose returne teacheth the ninetie and nine to come to their fold Euen such cause of ioie is this that the Angels in heauen take comfort herein Be thou therefore ioifull when a noble child is newlie borne shew thy selfe glad when the lost sheepe hath wonne the whole flocke be thou not sad wherein Angels reioise Here maist thou see one if the kind may mooue thee a woman if degree may prouoke thee a woman of high estate by birth made noble by marriage most noble by wisedome godlie by a mightie King an excellent Queene by a famous HENRIE a renowmed KATHERINE a wife to him that was a King to Realmes refusing the world wherein she was lost to obtaine heauen wherein she may be saued abhorring sinne which made hir bound to receiue grace whereby she may be free despising flesh the cause of corruption to put on the spirit the cause of sanctification forsaking ignorance wherein she was blind to come to knowledge whereby she may see remoouing superstition wherewith she was smothered to imbrace true religion wherewith she may reuiue The fruit of this Treatise good Reader is thine amendment this onelie had the writer is satisfied This good Ladie thought no shame to detest hir sinne to obteine remission no vilenes to become nothing to be a member of him which is all things in all no follie to forget the wisedome of the world to learne the simplicitie of the Gospell at the last no displeasantnesse to submit hir selfe to the schoole of the crosse the learning of the Crucifix the booke of our redemption the verie absolute librarie of Gods mercie and wisedome This waie thought she hir honour increased and hir state permanent to make hir earthlie honour heauenlie and neglect the transitorie for the euerlasting Of this I would thee warned that the profit may ensue These great mysteries and graces be not well perceiued except they be surelie studied neither be they perfectlie studied except they be diligentlie practised neither profitablie practised without amendment See and learne hereby what she hath doone then maist thou practise and amend that thou canst
gods Alas how haue I violated this holie pure and most high precept and commandment of the loue of God Which precept bindeth me to loue him with my whole hart mind force strength and vnderstanding And I like vnto an euill wicked and disobedient child haue giuen my will power and senses to the contrarie making almost of euerie earthlie and carnall thing a god Furthermore the bloud of Christ was not reputed by me sufficient for to wash me from the filth of my sinnes neither such waies as he had appointed by his word but I sought for such riffraffe as the Bishop of Rome hath planted in his tyrannie and kingdome trusting with great confidence by the vertue and holinesse of them to receiue full remission of my sinnes And so I did as much as was in me obfuscate and darken the great benefit of Christes passion than the which no thought can conceiue anie thing of more value There cannot be done so great an iniurie and displeasure to almightie God our father as to tread vnder foote Christ his onlie begotten and welbeloued sonne All other sinnes in the world gathered together in one be not so heinous and detestable in the sight of God And no wonder For in Christ crucified God doth shewe himselfe most noble and glorious euen an almightie God and most louing father in his onlie deare and chosen blessed sonne And therefore I count my selfe one of the most wicked and miserable sinners in the world bicause I haue beene so much contrarie to Christ my sauiour Saint Paule desired to knowe nothing but Christ crucified after he had beene rapt into the third heauen where he heard such secrets as were not conuenient meete to vtter to men but counted all his works and doings as nothing to win Christ And I most presumptuouslie thinking nothing of Christ crucified went about to set foorth mine owne righteousnesse saieng with the proud Pharisie Good Lord I thanke thee I am not like other men I am none adulterer nor fornicator and so foorth with such like words of vaine glorie extolling my selfe and despising others working as an hired seruant for wages or else for reward and not as a louing child onlie for verie loue without respect of wages or reward as I ought to haue done Neither did I consider how beneficiall a father I had who did shew me his charitie and mercie of his owne meere grace and goodnesse that when I was most his enimie he sent his onlie begotten and welbeloued sonne into this world of wretchednesse and miserie to suffer most cruell and sharpe death for my redemption But my hart was so stonie and hard that this great benefit was neuer trulie and liuelie printed in my hart although with my words it was oft rehearsed thinking my selfe to be sufficientlie instructed in the same and being in deede in blinde ignorance and yet I stoode so well in mine owne iudgement and opinion that I thought it vaine to seeke the increase of my knowledge therein Paule calleth Christ the wisdome of God and euen the same Christ was to me foolishnesse My pride and blindnesse deceiued me and the hardnesse of my hart withstoode the groning of truth within it Such were the fruits of my carnall and humane reasons to haue rotten ignorance in price for ripe seasonable knowledge such also is the malice and wickednesse that possesseth the harts of men such is the wisdome and pleasing of the flesh I professed Christ in my baptisme when I began to liue but I swarued from him after baptisme in continuance of my liuing euen as the heathen which neuer had begun Christ was innocent and void of all sinne and I wallowed in filthie sinne and was free from no sinne Christ was obedient vnto his father euen to the death of the crosse and I disobedient and most stubborne euen to the confusion of truth Christ was meeke and humble in hart and I most proud and vaine-glorious Christ despised the world with all the vanities therof and I make it my God because of the vanities Christ came to serue his brethren and I coueted to rule ouer them Christ despised worldlie honour and I much delighted to attaine the same Christ loued the base and simple things of the world and I esteemed the most faire and pleasant things Christ loued pouertie and I wealth Christ was gentle and mercifull to the poore and I hard-harted and vngentle Christ praied for his enimies and I hated mine Christ reioiced in the conuersion of sinners and I was not greeued to see their reuersion to sinne By this declaration all creatures may perceiue how far I was from Christ and without Christ yea how contrarie to Christ although I bare the name of a Christian Insomuch that if anie man had said I had beene without Christ I would haue stiffelie denied and withstoode the same and yet in deede I neither knew Christ nor wherefore he came As concerning the effect and purpose of his comming I had a certaine vaine and blind knowledge both cold and dead which may be had with all sinne as doth plainelie appeare by this my confession and open declaration The second Chapter A lamentation of a sinner with hartie repentance in faith to obtaine absolution and remission through the merits of Christ. WHat cause now haue I to lament sigh and weepe for my life time so euill spent With how much humilitie and lowlinesse ought I to come and knowledge my sinnes to God giuing him thanks that it hath pleased him of his aboundant goodnesse to giue me time of repentance For I knowe my sinnes in the consideration of them to be so greeuous and in the number so exceeding that I haue deserued verie often eternall damnation And for the deferring of Gods wrath so manifoldlie due I must vncessantlie giue thanks to the mercie of God beseeching also that the same delaie of punishment cause not his plague to be the sorer since mine owne conscience condemneth my former doings But his mercie exceedeth all iniquitie And if I should not thus hope alas what should I seeke for refuge and comfort No mortall man is of power to help me and for the multitude of my sinnes I dare not lift vp mine eies to heauen where the seate of iudgement is I haue so much offended my God What Shall I fall in desperation Naie I will call vpon Christ the light of the world the fountaine of life the reliefe of all carefull consciences the peacemaker betweene God and man and the onlie health and comfort of all true repentant sinners He can by his almightie power saue me and deliuer me out of this miserable state and hath will by his mercie to saue euen the whole sin of the world I haue no hope nor confidence in anie creature neither in heauen nor earth but in Christ my whole onlie Sauiour He came into the world to saue sinners and to heale them that are sicke For he said The whole haue no neede
onelie Sauiour and redeemer For then I began and not before to perceiue and see mine owne ignorance and blindnesse the cause thereof was that I would not learne to knowe Christ my Sauiour and redeemer But when God of his meere goodnesse had thus opened mine eies and made me see and behold Christ the wisedome of God the light of the world with a supernaturall sight of faith all pleasures vanities honor riches wealth and aids of the world began to waxe bitter vnto me Then I knew it was no illusion of the diuell nor false ne humane doctrine I had receiued When such successe came thereof that I had in detestation and horrour that which I erst so much loued and esteemed being of God forbidden that we should loue the world or the vaine pleasures and shadowes in the same then began I to perceiue that Christ was my onlie Sauior and redeemer and the same doctrine to be all diuine holie heauenlie and infused by grace into the harts of the faithfull which neuer can be attained by hnmane doctrine wit nor reason although they should trauell and labour for the same to the end of the world Then began I to dwell in God by charitie knowing by the louing charitie of God in the remission of my sinnes that God is charitie as S. Iohn saith So that of my faith whereby I came to knowe God and whereby it pleased God euen bicause I trusted in him to iustifie me sprang this excellent charitie in my hart I thinke no lesse but manie will woonder and maruell at this my saieng that I neuer knewe Christ for my Sauiour and redeemer vntill this time For many haue this opinion saieng Who knoweth not there is a Christ Who being a Christian doth not confesse him his Sauiour And thus beleeuing their dead humane historicall faith and knowledge which they haue learned in their scholasticall bookes to be the true infused faith and knowledge of Christ which may be had as I said before with all sinne they vse to saie by their owne experience of themselues that their faith doth not iustifie them And true it is except they haue this faith the which I haue declared here before they shall neuer be iustified And yet it is not false that by faith onlie I am sure to be iustified Euen this is the cause that so manie impugne this office and dutie of true faith bicause so manie lacke the true faith And euen as the faithfull are forced to allow this true faith so the vnfaithfull can in no wise probablie intreate thereof the one feeling in himselfe that he saith the other hauing not in him for to saie I haue certeinlie no curious learning to defend this matter withall but a simple zeale and earnest loue to the truth inspired of God who promiseth to powre his spirit vpon all flesh which I haue by the grace of God whom I most humblie honour felt in my selfe to be true The fourth Chapter Of the great loue of God towards mankind and of the inward beholding of Christ crucified LEt vs therfore now I praie you by faith behold and consider the great charitie goodnesse of God in sending his sonne to suffer death for our redemption when we were his mortall enimies and after what sort and maner he sent him First it is to be considered yea to be vndoubtedlie and with a perfect faith beleeued that God sent him to vs freelie For he did giue him and sold him not A more noble and rich gift he could not haue giuen He sent not a seruant or a friend but his onlie sonne so deerelie beloued not in delights riches and honours but in crosses pouerties and slanders not as a Lord but as a seruant yea and in most vile and painefull passions to wash vs not with water but with his owne pretious bloud not from mire but from the puddle and filth of our iniquities He hath giuen him not to make vs poore but to enrich vs with his diuine vertues merits and graces yea and in him he hath giuen vs all good things and finallie himselfe and with such great charitie as can not be expressed Was it not a most high and abundant charitie of God to send Christ to shed his bloud to loose honour life and all for his enimies Euen in the time when he had done him most iniurie he first shewed his charitie to vs with such flames of loue that greater could not be shewed God in Christ hath opened vnto vs although we be weake and blind of our selues that we may behold in this miserable estate the great wisedome goodnesse and truth with all the other godlie perfections which be in Christ Therefore inwardlie to behold Christ crucified vpon the crosse is the best and godliest meditation that can be We may see also in Christ crucified the beautie of the soule better than in all the bookes of the world For who that with a liuelie faith seeth and feeleth in spirit that Christ the sonne of God is dead for the satisfieng and purifieng of the soule shall see that his soule is appointed for the verie tabernacle and mansion of the inestimable and incomprehensible maiestie and honour of God We see also in Christ crucified how vaine and foolish the world is and how that Christ being most wise despised the same We see also how blind it is because the same knoweth not Christ but persecuteth him We see also how vnkind the world is by the killing of Christ in the time he did shew it most fauour How hard and obstinate was it that would not be mollified with so manie teares such sweate and so much bloudshead of the sonne of God suffering with so great and high charitie Therefore he is now verie blind that seeth not how vaine foolish false ingrate cruell hard wicked and euill the world is We may also in Christ crucified weigh our sinnes as in a diuine ballance how greeuous and how weightie they be seeing they haue crucified Christ For they would neuer haue beene counterpaised but with the great and pretious weight of the bloud of the sonne of God And therefore God of his high goodnesse determined that his blessed sonne should rather suffer bloudshead thau our sinnes should haue condemned vs. We shall neuer knowe our owne miserie and wretchednesse but with the light of Christ crucified Then we shall see our owne crueltie when we feele his mercie our owne vnrighteousnesse and iniquitie when we see his righteousnes and holinesse Therefore to learne to knowe trulie our owne sinnes is to studie in the booke of the Crucifixe by continuall conuersation in faith and to haue perfect and plentifull charitie is to learne first by faith the charitie that is in God towards vs. We may see also in Christ vpon the Crosse how great the paines of hell and how blessed the ioies of heauen be and what a sharpe and painefull thing it shall be to them that of that sweet happie and glorious ioie Christ
you their faire fruits What charitie what discretion what godlinesse holinesse or puritie of life is among them Be not they great auengers foule gluttons slanderers back biters adulterers fornicators swearers and blasphemers yea and wallowe tumble in all sinnes These be the fruits of their doctrine And thus it may be seene how the word of God is euill spoken of through licentious and euill liuing and yet the word of God is all holie pure sincere and godlie being the doctrine occasion of all holie and pure liuing It is the wicked that peruert all good things into euill For an euill tree can not bring foorth good fruit And when good seede is sowne in a barren and euill ground it yeeldeth no good corne and so it fareth by the word of God For when it is heard and knowne of wicked men it bringeth no good fruit but when it is sowne in good ground I meane the harts of good people it bringeth foorth good fruit abundantlie so that the want fault is in men and not in the word of God I praie God all men and women may haue grace to become meete tillage for the fruits of the Gospell and to leaue onlie the iangling of it For onlie speaking of the Gospell maketh not men good Christians but good talkers except their facts and works agree with the same so then their speech is good bicause their harts be good And euen as much talke of the word of God without practising the same in our liuing is euill detestable in the sight of God so it is a lamentable thing to heare how there bee manie in the world that do not well digest the reading of scripture and do commend and praise ignorance and saie that much knowledge of Gods word is the originall of all dissention scismes and contention and maketh men hautie proud and presumptuous by reading of the same This maner of saieng is no lesse than a plaine blasphemie against the holie Ghost For the spirit of God is the author of his word and so the holie Ghost is made the author of euill which is a most great blasphemie and as the scripture saith a sinne that shall not bee forgiuen in this world neither in the other to come It were all our parts and duties to procure and seeke all the waies and meanes possible to haue more knowledge of Gods word set foorth abroade in the world not allow ignorance and discommend knowledge of Gods word stopping the mouthes of the vnlearned with subtile and craftie persuasions of Philosophie and Sophistrie whereof commeth no fruite but a great perturbation of the mind to the simple ignorant not knowing which waie to turne them For how is it not extreame wickednesse to charge the holie sanctified word of God with the offences of man To alledge the scriptures to be perillous learning because certaine readers there of fall into heresies These men might be inforced by this kind of argument to forsake the vse of fire because fire burneth their neighbours house or to absteine from meate and drinke because they see manie surfet O blind hate They slander God for mans offence excuse the man whome they see offend and blame the scripture which they can not improue Yea I haue heard of some that haue verie well vnderstood the Latin tongue that when they haue heard learned men persuade to the credite and beleefe of certaine vnwritten verities as they call them which bee not in scripture expressed and yet taught as doctrine apostolike and necessarie to bee beleeued they haue beene of this opinion that the learned men haue mo Epistles written by the Apostles of Christ than wee haue abroad in the Canon of the old and new testament or knowne of anie but onlie to them of the Clergie Which beleefe I did not a little lament in my hart to heare that anie creature should haue such a blind ignorant opinion Some kind of simplicitie is to bee praised but this simplicitie without the veritie I can neither praise nor allow And thus it may bee seene how wee that bee vnlettered remaine confused without God of his grace lighten our harts and minds with a heauenlie light and knowledge of his will For wee bee giuen of our selues to beleeue men better than God I praie God send all learned men the spirit of God aboundantlie that their doctrine may bring forth the fruits therof I suppose there was neuer more neede of good doctrine to bee set foorth in the world than now in this age For the carnall children of Adam bee so wise in their generation that if it were possible they would deceiue the children of light The world loueth his owne and therefore their facts and doings be highlie esteemed of the world but the children of God are hated bicause they bee not of the world For their habitation is in heauen and they do despise the world as a most vile slaue The fleshlie children of Adam be so politike subtile craftie and wise in their kind that the elect should bee illuded if it were possible For they are cloathed with Christs garment in vtter appearance with a faire shewe of all godlines and holines in their words but they haue so shorne nopped and turned Christs garment and haue so disguised themselues that the children of light beholding them with a spirituall eie do accompt and take them for men which haue sold their maisters garment and haue stolne a peece of euerie mans garment Yet by their subtile art and craftie wits they haue so set those patches and peeces togither that they do make the blind world and carnall men to beleeue it is Christs verie mantell The eleuenth Chapter Of the vertuous properties of Gods children of whome euerie one attendeth his vocation BUT the children of light knowe the contrarie for they are led by the spirit of God to the knowledge of the truth and therefore they discerne and iudge all things right and knowe from whence they come euen from the bishop of Rome and his members the headspring of all pride vaine glorie ambition hypocrisie and feigned holines The children of God be not abashed although the world hate them they beleeue they are in the grace and fauour of God and that he as a best father doth gouerne them in all things putting awaie from them all vaine confidence and trust in their owne doings For they knowe they can doo nothing but sin of themselues They bee not so foolish and childish not to giue God thanks for their election which was before the beginning of the world For they beleeue most surelie they bee of the chosen For the holie Ghost doth witnes to their spirit that they bee the children of God and therefore they beleeue God better than man They saie with Saint Paule Who shall separate vs from the loue of God Shall tribulation anguish persecution hunger nakednesse perill or sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all daie long and are
intituled Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie vpon me O God which in most deuout manner she said to the verie end with these hir last words LORD into thy hands I command my spirit ¶ Morning and Euening praiers with diuers Psalmes Hymnes and Meditations made and set forth by the Ladie ELIZABETH Tyrwhit A Confession to be said before Morning praier I Doo acknowledge and confesse vnto thee O most mercifull and heauenlie father mine often and grieuous offences that I haue committed against thy diuine Maiestie from my youth hitherto in thought word and deed leauing vndone those things which I ought and should haue done and dooing those things which I ought not to haue done prouoking thy wrath and indignation against me And now lamenting this my wickednes I appeale vnto thy mercie saie with the Publicane O Lord GOD be mercifull vnto me a most wretched sinner forgiue all that is past saue and defend me from euill and confirme me in good life to the glorie of thy name So be it A praier to be said at our vprising I Doo thanke thee my most mercifull and heauenlie Father by thy deerelie beloued sonne Iesu Christ that this night thou hast giuen me sleepe and rest preseruing me from hurt and perill I crie thee mercie for mine offences and most humblie beseech thee that thou wilt likewise this daie keepe me from sinne and all euill so that all my thoughts words and works may please thee I doo commit my selfe both bodie and soule and all things that I go about into thy hands beseeching thee that thine holie spirit may abide with me least my deadlie aduersarie the diuell haue power ouer me Amen Another praier at our vprising OBlessed Iesu this daie I commend me and all my proceedings into thy hands this daie I most humbly praie thee to helpe me which hast made me to thine owne image and in thy bloud hast clensed me which art my hope in heauiuinesse my comfort in care and trust in trouble Although sweete Lord my conscience accuseth me and the lawe condemneth me yet thy pretious death and testament hath deliuered me with thee to reigne in glorie after death hath arrested me the earth consumed me yet good Lord I trust in the resnrrection to dwell with thee eternallie through thy promise made to me and to all that doo beleeue in thee and call vpon thy holie name Thy kingdome come this daie to me from Sathan deliuer me with the bread of Angels feede me from fleshlie lusts purge me from sudden death and deadlie sinne O Lord take me Giue me an hart to beleeue in thee and that all my senses may obey thee and of thy mercie accept my praiers this daie before thee which art one God in Trinitie to whom be all honour and glorie Amen The Hymne or praier to the sonne of God THe beamie sun large light doth giue chase away the night So blesse vs with thy benefits endue vs with thy spirit Swéet dews frō heuen to earth God grant of peace quiet mind That we may serue the liuing God as his statutes doo bind O mightie Lord our helpe at néed driue far awaie the féend That sinne nor hell doo vs molest when as our life shall éend Thou art the euer lasting daie which shinst in euerie place And féedest euerie liuing wight with plentious gifts of grace Into thy heauenlie hands déere God my spirit I doo commend This day from sin and Sathans power thy seruant me defend We laud thée Father for thy grace We praise the Sonne which made vs frée We thanke the holie Spirit for our solace Which is one God and persons thrée An Antheme HIs deerlie beloued sonne God did not spare but for vs all deliuered him How shall he not with him giue vs all things also A praier to God the father to be vsed before Morning praier OUr mercifull father which in teaching vs to praie by thy sonne Christ hast commanded vs to call thee father and to beleeue that we are thy beloued children who stirrest vp none of thine to praie but to the intent that thou wouldest heare them giuing vnto vs also all things more effectuallie and plentiouslie than we can either aske or thinke We do beseech thee for thy sonnes sake to giue vs grace to beleeue and knowe assuredlie that thy sonne our Sauiour Christ is giuen of thee vnto vs to be our Sauiour our righteousnesse our wisdome our holines our redemption and our satisfaction O Lord suffer vs not to trust in anie other saluation but in thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ So be it The Hymne of our redemption by Christ. PRaise we our father louinglie which gentlie vs preserued When we forsooke him wretchedlie death by sinne deserued His mercie was so bountious that though we from him fell Fréelie in Christ he pardoned vs and vs redéemd from hell Glorie be to the Trinitie the Father Sonne and spirit liuing Which art one God persons thrée to whom be praise without ending Amen A forme of priuate Morning Praier Our father which art in heauen c. O Lord open thou my lips that my mouth may speake and shew foorth that which is to thy glorie and praise And shut my mouth from speaking of anie thing whereby I should offend thy diuine maiestie or be hurtfull to my neighbor O God make speede to saue vs. O Lord make haste to helpe vs. Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and euer shall be world without end Amen Praise ye the Lord. Thanks be giuen to God The first Psalme at Morning Praier O Lord heare my words marke my crieng O my King and my God for vnto thee onelie come I to praie neither doo I looke for succour anie where else than of thee O Lord I beseech thee that thou wilt gratiouslie hearken to my petitions that thy grace may spring in my hart with the morrowe light of thy comfort the night of care and perturbation being ouerpassed suffer me not to perish with the vngodlie folke whome thou cursest I come running to thee not trusting in mine owne righteousnes but to thy great and manifold mercies O Lord with the rule of thy iustice will I be directed For thy name sake make plaine thy waie before me and my waie before thee least the spirit of malice doo turne me thence Let them reioice that repose themselues and trust alwaies in thy mercie let them sing Hymnes and Psalmes which doo glorie and reioice in thee let them triumph which loue thy name Defend me O Lord with thy grace as with a shield in time of perill to the intent that when I am assaulted with them I may yet with constant cheere growe vp vnto my full perfection Glorie be to the father c. As it was in the c. The second Psalme OH Lord GOD and father I beseech thee by Christ our Lord that of thine infinite
to thy mercies in all euents purpose firmelie as I now doo euerie daie to amend my life Deliuer me my gratious God from all mortall sinne for euer and giue me grace to persecute my vices with sorowe during life And for the satisfaction of these and all my former sinnes as also for all thine ineffable benefits bestowed vpon me and all mankind I offer vnto thee the merits of thy bitter passion those most pretious drops of bloud thou sheddest for me and that inflamed charitie wherewith thou wholie resignedst thy selfe to all thy torments for my sake and in the vnion of this thine oblation on the crosse I offer vp my selfe soule bodie and all I haue of thine within or without me to thine honour and euerlasting glorie I retaine nothing to my selfe but giue all to thee whose it is and make that thine by my will which is thine of iustice Giue me thy grace O my God to liue better herafter and to confesse my sinnes in due time vnto thee Giue me true humilitie continuall repentance and grace both to knowe thee and also my selfe Giue me puritie of hart in all my dooings patience chastitie and perfect charitie Giue me a good life and a good death and in the dangerous houre of my departure the assistance of thy blessed Saints and Angels with whom I may through thy mercie in another world praise and glorifie thee euerlastinglie Amen The Hymne or praier to God the Father BLessed be God father of heauen Which hath strengthned his féeble flocke With stedfast faith and boldnesse euen To beare his crosse burden and yocke These are the last daies perillous Fréelie Christs Gospell to professe Come downe Lord shortlie to iudge vs And take vs from the heauinesse An Antheme WHosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued A praier to God the Father to be vsed before Euening praier O Mercifull Lord and louing Father without whose aid and motion I am not able to stir one member toward heauenlie seruice the burden of this slowe and sinfull flesh doth so ouercharge my weake soule According to thy fatherlie pitie looke vpon me O God and quicken my dull spirit with thy grace to rise out of this mirie puddle and to come before thy presence in humble repentance crauing thy mercie for my miserable sinnes and wickednesse that being released in the bloud and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ I may ioifullie serue honour and praise thine eternall Maiestie through thy deere sonne my mercifull Lord and redeemer to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all glorie and thanks for euer Amen The Hymne of our redemption by Christ. PRaised be God for his excéeding fauour Wich hath giuen vs his sonne to be our Sauiour We are sinners vnrighteous foolish and fleshlie Christ is our mercie-stoole righteousnesse wisdome verelie We are vncleane holden vnder the danger of deth sins exaction Christ is our holines our life our redemption and satisfaction Glorie be to thée O Lord borne of the vndefiled virgin Glorie be to the Father and to the holie Ghost our soules surgin So be it A forme of Priuate Euening praier Our Father which art in heauen c. COnuert vs our Sauiour and turne awaie thy wrath from vs. O God make speede to saue vs. O Lord make haste to helpe vs. Glorie be to the Father c. As it was in the be c. Praise ye the Lord. Thanks be giuen vnto God The first Psalme at Euening praier BOw downe thine eare O Lord to my requests and suffer me to exhibit my supplication vp vnto thee For behold night and daie I trace and hunt after thee by all meanes I can To thee onelie earlie and late doo I still call and crie for mercie according as thou hast giuen mee in commandement For when I call to memorie the time of my life euill dispent I quake to thinke vpon thee yea and my spirit faileth me so sore am I afraid of thy iudgements Yet well pondering the processe of thy grace mercie promised me in Christ I cease to despaire knowing that thou O GOD hast not forgotten thy gifts of grace and that thy power to haue compassion is not waxen faint but that both thou canst and wilt put backe thy wrath most iustlie conceiued against me for my sinne In full trust whereof O Lord I come vnto thee beseeching thee to hide my life with Christ within thee and vnder the shadowes of thy wings to defend me that thy grace couenant may be with me euermore Turne not thy mercie from me O Lord nor bring me downe to destruction as I haue deserued but shew thy grace and fauour vnto me that I may liue and being exalted through thy righteousnesse praise thy name most ioifullie Remember my corrupt nature O Lord how short my life is and that thou madest not man for nothing No man can deliuer himselfe from death no man can saue his owne soule from hell thou onelie O Lord must do it namelie to such as beleeue in thee This life passeth as doth a dreame or grasse in the field which to daie is greene and to morrow drie If thou be displeased then we be lost if thou chafe then we shrinke for feare for through sinnes we be dead vnto thee with whome a thousand yeares be but as one daie yea as the least minute of an houre Certesse Lord if thou haue respect to our sins who shall continue Shew me therefore how manie be the daies of my life that I may dispend them wiselie to the praise of thy name least that I foolishlie trusting vpon long life suddenlie might perish come to death Come Lord now vnto vs and comfort vs. Come O God and hide not thy face from me that I be not like vnto those that be hurled into the pit of perdition And after this night of calamitie ouerpassed let the pleasant morning of comfort luckilie shine vpon me that betimes I may heare and feele thy goodnesse for in thee is all my trust Deliuer me this night from the snare of Sathans gard which hunt in the darke how to plucke me from thee Let me not stand in the feare of the night-euill of vnbeleefe and of thy strait iudgement neither let me be afraid of the fleeing arrowe in the daie time Let me not be in feare of that horrible pestilence creeping in through darkenesse I meane let me not be ignorant how detestable my sins be that I dissemble them not nor qualifie them Let me not dread that middaie diuell which abuseth thy Church vnder a title and pretence of holinesse neither let Sathan though he change himselfe into an Angel of light strike anie feare in me But both on the right side and on the left as well in the night as in the daie that is as well in aduersitie as prosperitie and as well in spirituall businesse as in corporall let thy holie Angels diligentlie wait vpon me that I do not stumble then
no meanes escape but that I must needs be a praie vnto one of them Strengthen me therefore O Lord that neither the one with carnall lusts neither the other with delectable pleasures nor Sathan himselfe with all his craftie and subtile deuises get the dominion ouer me Thou hast bought me thou hast paid for me take thou me saue keepe and defend me be alwaies readie at the voice of my crieng powre into me thy grace patientlie to abide thy diuine will and pleasure in all things Make me both at this present and all the daies of my life to haue in mind and profoundlie to roote in my hart the mysteries of thy painefull passion and so to be filled with the remembrance thereof that sin may no more enter into me and that Sathan mine old enimie may well perceiue that he hath neither part nor fellowship in me but that I am both bodie and soule altogether thine to whome be all praises world without end Amen A praier vnto God the holie Ghost O Holie Ghost O blessed and holie spirit comforter of them that be afflicted thou proceeding from the Father and the Sonne art the true instructor and teacher of the diuine and heauenlie veritie Wherefore I with all humilitie praie thee to renew and make in me a cleane hart to graffe a right spirit in me to guide and gouerne me that I may thinke nothing speake nothing doo nothing but that onlie which shall please thee And whereas I haue not ceased to offend my Lord God and maker and most greeuouslie to transgresse against Iesus my redeemer and sauiour I praie thee that I may haue inward sorowe repentance and shame thereof and that euer hereafter I may performe my dutie as I ought to doo and so bring foorth the fruits of repentance that the passion of Iesus Christ may defend me from all sinne and wickednesse and bring me to the ioies of paradise So be it A godlie praier for the true worshipping of God which may be vsed in the Church before common praier STablish our harts and minds O most gratious God in the true woorshipping of thy diuine maiestie make vs to beleeue thy holie and sacred Gospell wherein we are dailie and hourelie instructed to loue feare honour and obeie thee to hate sinne and iniquitie to renounce all superstitious ceremonies whereby thy worship is defaced thy glorie prophaned and thine honour greatlie diminished Giue vs the grace to hate sinne and iniquitie to renounce and forsake the vanities and wanton pleasures of this wicked and sinfull world Arme vs we beseech thee to mortifie and bring vnder the rebellious appetites and straieng lusts of the flesh And finallie giue vs power from aboue to withstand Sathan the prince of darknesse and all his damnable ministers who by diuers temptations prouoke and allure vs from godlie puritie and perfect integritie which passeth onlie from Christ Iesus vnto vs who is the fulnesse of our perfection and holinesse to all kinds of euill impietie and vncleannesse by meanes whereof thy worship is greatlie prophaned and of a set purpose contemned Make vs constant to skirmish against the world sinne death and hell and by the power of a fruitefull faith giue vs grace to resist and bridle the concupiscence of our flesh in such sort that our soules may triumph with victorie and continue constant in woorshipping thee from whom passeth the fulnesse of our ioie Prepare our harts and minds good Lord now and euer to spread foorth the glorie of thy name Kéepe our tongues from all filthie talke and vncomelie gesture least by the exercise of such sinne we contemne thy worship and prouoke thee to displeasure and indignation Set thou a watch before the gates of my mouth that my lips by thy grace may be alwaies made open to sound foorth thy praise and euerlasting glorie Be mercifull to our offences thinke thou not on our vnrighteousnesse but vpon thy clemencie Forgiue them freelie and pardon gratiouslie our sinnes make vs faithfull in Christ Iesus Shorten the dangerous daies of iniquitie increase the number of thy chosen and peculiar Saincts Hasten thy comming O sauiour Christ that we with the felowship of the Saints heauenlie Angels and the blessed companie of Martyrs may celebrate thy praise and worship thee in thy glorious kingdome before the father our God and the holie Ghost to whome be praise for euer Amen Another praier that we may liue so vprightlie in this life that at the last we may dwell in the euerlasting tabernacle O Lord seeing that the righteous shall dwell in thy tabernacle graunt me I beseech thee a pure and vndefiled soule O what is the shape of the earth wherein Gods enimies haue abiding in comparison of the woonderfull beautie of heauen wherein righteousnesse doth dwell in comparison of that place wherein Angels Archangels all good men yea and God himselfe is abiding What are the pleasures of the world wealth honour companie of our parents and friends wherein all our pleasure and sweetenesse is mixed with sowrenesse and sorowe wherein euerie perfection hath his imperfection What is all this to the vnspeakeable ioie in the kingdome of God What is the companie of friends heere in comparison to the companie of Abraham Isaac and Iacob the Patriarches and Prophets and all the Saints of God Oh the felicitie of euerlasting life which is without all discommodities perpetuall without all perill and molestation Oh the glorious maiestie the singular mirth and passing ioies of the life to come The eie hath not seene nor the hart of man is able to conceiue in anie part the happie estate of the blessed soules in heauen Oh how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule hath a desire to enter into the courts of the Lord. My hart and my soule reioice in the liuing God blessed be they that dwell in thy house they may be alwaies praising thee One daie in thy courts is better than a thousand elsewhere I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of vngodlinesse The Lord God is a light and defence My soule is athirst for God euen for the liuing God When shall I come before the presence of my God My flesh longeth after thee in a barren and drie land where no water is Good Lord remember me and graunt that I may weare the white garments of innocencie with thine elected in thine euerlasting kingdome Amen A praier against the felowship of the vngodlie PRotect and defend me O heauenlie Father and most mercifull God from the felowship of the vngodlie men which dailie imagine mischiefe in their harts to harme the innocent Keepe me from the counsels of the foolish and vngodlie which speake proud things against the glorie of thy blessed name Defend me from faithlesse and deceiptfull ones whose guiltie stomaches are gorged with grudge enuie malice hatred disdaine and all vncharitablenesse For their throtes are like vnto an open sepulchre or swallowing graue their tongs are giuen
forgiue vs our iniquities Whosoeuer calleth on thy name shall be saued Thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather desirest that they should liue and be conuerted Thou hast so loued the world that thou not onlie didst become man and tooke our nature vpon thee but wert content also to suffer most cruell death on the Crosse to purge our nature from mortall sinne and corruption and adorne it with immortalitie and eternall glorie not onelie in thine owne person but in vs also to satisfie the iustice of the Father for our sinnes Oh blessed shepheard thou doubtedst not to spend thy most pretious blood to saue thy beloued sheepe from rauine and spoile Good Lord so increase thy grace in me that thy holie word may take roote and flourish in me that the good seed may not be choked with thornes So order my liuing that when by course of nature I shall be dissolued from the prison of my bodie I may come to thee that when thou more bright than the sun shalt come in the midst of the legions of Angels in thy shining glorie and Maiestie to iudge the quicke the dead I may be in the number of the blessed ones whom thou shalt call to possesse the kingdome prepared for them by thy Father saieng Come ye blessed children of my Father receiue the kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the world Thou which didst die and rise againe wilt raise and bring to life all those that are dead beleeuing in thy faith So be it A praier to liue well GOod Lord so rule the eies of my hart that they being kept simple and pure my bodie may be a cleere and shining temple of thy holie spirit So kindle in vs the loue of thy glorious sonne that we following his steps may doo that which is good and decline from the euill so that our light shining before men we may glorifie thee by our good works with thy blessed sonne our Sauiour and the holie Ghost to whose infinite Maiestie in trinitie and vnitie be all honour and glorie for euer Amen A praier for humilitie O Lord I am a sinner and sorie for mine offences I can not make satisfaction for my defaults If I haue anie good thing it commeth of thee The most acceptable sacrifice to thee is a contrite and humble hart O God let mee not be oppressed with the waues of sinne let mee not sinke into the whirlepoole and gulph of despaire Thou which liftest vp the fallen and raisest the humble and meeke clothing them with purple and settest them vp with princes in the seates of honour thou which despisest the imaginations of the proud and resistest their enterprises blesse me in all my dooings send mee happie successe in all mine affaires that I may reioice in thy goodnesse with thine elected for euer and euer Accept my humble suite good Lord I beseech thee for the glorie of thy name sake Amen A praier for the obteining of Gods grace O Almightie and mercifull God shine we beseech thee through the power of our Lord Iesus Christ and the comfortable working of thy sacred spirit the heauenlie comforter vpon our minds and harts with the glorious beames of thy heauenlie grace Giue vs such plentie of wisedome and vnderstanding from aboue that through the knowledge of thee the man of sinne that is our fraile and feeble flesh with the wicked lusts and desire of concupiscence may lie dead and buried in vs. Giue vs good Lord the feeling of thy grace that by the vertue and diuine operation of thy word the eies of our soules may be illumined and made so light that the Prince of darkenesse with all his vnrighteous ministers may be expulsed and banished from our memories So establish vs in thy truth that our harts minds and thoughts may continuallie be occupied in thy testimonies that thereby thou good Lord effectuallie shining in our harts by the vertue of thy good spirit we may learne to knowe and vnderstand what is the fulnesse of our calling and how rich thou art in the glorie of thy celestiall and heauenlie heritage of thy Saincts and that excellent greatnesse of thy power and louing kindnesse towards vs which beleeue without faining thy holie Gospell according to the might and force of thy strength which thou shewedst in Christ Iesus when thou didst raise him from the dead and didst set him on thy right hand far aboue all empire power authoritie and dominion and euerie name that is named not onlie in this world but in the world to come By whose pretious death and deerest bloud-shedding we are assured that sinne death and hell are vanquished ouercome and vtterlie destroied And if we beleeue without wauering we shall in him be able to resist all the power of hell and in Christ as conquerors to triumph with victorie ouer sinne death and Sathan and at the last to haue and enioie the fruition of his rich and glorious kingdome which he by most painefull agonie bloudie stripes greeuous and bloudie wounds and lastlie by his most painefull death purchased for his chosen and elect To whome for our sanctification iustification redemption and our saluation be rendred with his celestiall Father and the holie Ghost all laud glorie power honour and dominion for euer and euer Amen A praier against presumptuous pride and vaine-glorie WE heare O heauenlie Father and are dailie taught and instructed out of thine eternall word how greatlie the greeuous sinne of presumption pride and vaine-glorie displeaseth thy diuine maiestie We are learned that for the practise of this pestilent and heinous euill thou hast not spared the verie Angels but hast throwne them in thy displeasure for their pride vaine-glorie and presumption from beatitude to miserie from ioie without end to perdurable paine from brightnesse of thy glorious presence to vtter extreame and palpable darkenesse from the glorious fruition and participation of thine euerlasting kingdome to the bottomlesse pit of hell death damnation and endlesse flames of fire Besides this we are taught that by the transgression of Adam whose haughtie presuming through the entisement of the subtile and perillous allurement of the Serpent thought to be as thy selfe but in fine thy iustice condemned him and all his posteritie This pestiferous sinne of pride drowned him in the flouds of all dangerous euils as gluttonie luxurie and such other perils that had not thy mercie taken effect to keepe and hold plea for his and our safegard and thy sonne Christ embased the glorie and power of his diuine essence and taken vpon him our flesh and fraile nature sinne onlie except who freelie offered his innocent bodie to the death of the crosse we had perished euerlastinglie and beene vtterlie confounded Print therefore good Lord and write these examples in my memorie that I fall not from thy fauour by the exercise of this detestable sinne Make me still to consider that the proud and disdainefull are alwaies abhorred in thy sight And sith
surelie haue perished in my trouble The lawe of my God is more deerer vnto me than thousands of siluer and gold yea all the riches in the world is nothing woorth in comparison of thy word For it is more comfortable than the most costliest and pretious restoratiue that anie Physician can make For it comforteth nourisheth and preserueth the soule leading it vnto life euerlasting Oh Lord God of hosts who is like vnto thee Thy truth most mightie God endureth for euermore I will alwaies giue thanks vnto thee for the great benefits that thou hast bestowed on me The righteous shall heare thereof and reioice with me yea and the vnrighteous shall feare the Lord and saie Doubtlesse there is a GOD that defendeth his seruants and he also doth punish the wrong dooers Thou art the God that dooest woonderous things O Lord who may be compared vnto thee For thou deliuerest me thy poore oppressed seruant from the hand of my strong enimie yea from such a one as was too mightie for me to deale withall Thou hast I saie mightilie defended me and now O Lord be mindfull of me and command my spirit to be receiued in grace when it is thy good pleasure Amen An instruction for Christians conteining a fruitfull and godlie exercise as well in wholsome and fruitfull praiers as in reuerend discerning of Gods holie Commandements and Sacraments translated out of French into English by a right vertuous and godlie Matrone and Gentlewoman named Mistresse DORCAS MARTIN Psalme 119. verses 37 133. From vaine desires and worldlie lusts Turne backe mine eies and sight Giue me the spirit of life and power To walke thy waies aright Direct my footesteps by thy word That I thy will may knowe And neuer let iniquitie Thy seruant ouerthrowe The Lords praier OUr Father which art in heauen halowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this daie our dailie bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill for thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen The Articles of the Christian faith I Beleeue in God the father Almightie maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onlie sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holie Ghost Borne of the virgin Marie Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into hell The third daie he rose againe from the dead He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almightie From thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the holie Ghost The holie Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie And the life euerlasting Amen The ten Commandements of Almightie GOD Exod. 20. The Preface HEarken O Israel I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage The first Table _1 THou shalt haue none other gods before me 2 Thou shalt make thee no grauen image neither anie similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor woorship them For I am the Lord thy God a gealous God visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vpon the third generation and vpon the fourth of them that hate me and shewing mercie vnto thousands in them that loue me and keepe my commandements 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4 Remember the Sabboth daie to keepe it holie Sixe daies shalt thou labour and doo all thy workes but the seauenth daie is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt not doo anie worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man-seruant nor thy maide-seruant nor the stranger that is within thy gates For in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth daie therfore the Lord blessed the Sabboth daie and halowed it The second Table _5 HOnour thy father and thy mother that thy daies may bee prolonged vpon the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee 6 Thou shalt not kill 7 Thou shalt not commit adulterie 8 Thou shalt not steale 9 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 10 Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house neither shalt thou couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his maide nor his oxe nor his asse neither anie thing that is thy neighbours The Summe THou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine hart with all thy soule and with all thy mind This is the first and the greatest commandement And the second is like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe On these two commandements hangeth the whole Lawe and the Prophets Matth 7. verse 12. Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doo to you euen so doo ye to them For this is the Lawe and the Prophets Iohn 15. verse 12. This is my commandement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you Iohn 13. verse 35. Heereby shall all men knowe that you are my disciples if ye loue one another A praier to be said in the Morning when one awaketh Our helpe be in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth O My God and father I most humblie praise and thanke thee for this that of thine infinite goodnesse and mercie it hath pleased thee to watch for me this night whiles I slept preseruing me from so manie kinds of dangers wherevnto this miserable life is subiect O Lord I beseech thee bring into my memorie thy other great and innumerable benefits also according as I may be able to comprehend them to the end that I may likewise render thanks for the same least I be vngratefull towards thy maiestie as thou hast done me this good not to forget that thou alone hast preserued me from all inconuenience And herewithall I beseech thee most gratious father through thy mercie to continue this thy fatherlie care which thou hast for me vntill such time as I shall rest in that happie sleepe whereof they reioice which sleepe in peace through our Lord Iesus Christ thy sonne who in the vnitie of the holie Ghost liueth and reigneth God with thee eternallie So be it The exercise of an housholder with his familie to praie in the Morning O Our God Father Sauiour seeing it hath pleased thee to giue vs grace to passe this night to come vnto this daie present vouchsafe now also to bestowe this goodnesse vpon vs that we may emploie our selues altogether to thy seruice in such wise that we neither thinke saie or doo anie thing but onlie to please thee
for into thy hands I commit me Amen E ENter thy iudgements in the tables of my hart destroie mine affections with thy loue send thy wisdome from the holie heauens and from the seate of thy Maiestie that she may be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what thing is acceptable before thee and may iudge the people righteouslie and discerne betweene good and euill G GRatious Lord thou that art the most high God aboue all the earth long-suffering and of much mercie sorowing the sinnes of man and of thy great goodnesse hast promised to the penitent remission of sinnes Lord I haue sinned mine iniquitie is multiplied aboue the sands of the sea and there is no hope of life in me because I haue stirred thee to anger in multiplieng offences before thee And now O Lord trusting in thy mercie I bow the knees of my hart beseeching thee of thy goodnesse destroie me not togither with mine iniquitie For the dead whose soules are out of their bodies can neither praise nor thanke thee but the sorowfull hart and the thirstie soule ascribe praise vnto thee O Lord I powre my praiers before thee and require mercie in thy sight saue me which am vnwoorthie and reserue not eternall punishment for mee For thine owne sake I aske it and will praise thee all the daies of my life Amen I ILluminate my hart O Lord with the light of thy word leade me Lord in thy waie and I shall enter into thy truth Print thy feare in my hart that I may reioice in thee Let thy word be a lanterne vnto my feet and a lampe of light vnto my paths so shall I not erre from the right waie but walke like a pure and wise virgin with an vpright hart chaste mind and cleane conscience and single eie before thee this daie and euermore Amen N NEuer will I cease to call vpon thee most mightie God of hosts which sittest vpon the Cherubins and hast dominion ouer all the kingdoms of the earth Thou which madest the heauens all things comprehended in them bow downe thine eare and heare open thine eies and behold saue mee from the hand of mine aduersaries suffer no euill to happen vnto me that all the people may knowe that thou alone art my God Amen A ASsist mee O Lord my God with thy heauenlie grace and renew in mee a right spirit that I may receiue strength ablenesse to doo thy righteous will and to stand against all the assaults of wilie Satan that they may haue no place in mee but that the old man which I beare about in my bodie may be crucified and dailie die in me that the desire of sinne errour and of worldlie vanities may vtterlie be destroied that I may euermore be renewed in the spirit of my mind that the life of my Sauiour Christ may alwaies appeare in me to whome with the Father and the holie Ghost be all honour triumph and glorie for euer and euer Amen The versicle EUen now and euer vouchsafe O LORD for thy deere sonnes sake to heare my humble petitions The answere REceiue my praiers I saie O GOD and in thy truth and mercie pardon mine offences and grant mee thy grace The Collect. O Emanuel my Lord and my GOD Iesus Christ sonne of the pure virgin Marie thou art not onelie the sweete spouse of my soule but with God the Father a most meeke Mediatour full of mercie and truth Wash awaie my sinnes with the most pretious bloud of thy holie passion make me rich in thy mercie and my faith so strong in thee that assisted with thy grace and holie spirit to all duties and works in this life towards thee I may enioie afterwards the glorie of thy blessed kingdome with thy holie Saints and pure Uirgins in euerlasting honour and triumph Amen The Praier O Roote of Iesse my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ which hast redeemed all mankind from sinne death and hell thou which hast said I am the waie truth and life The waie in doctrine commandements and examples truth in promises life in reward I praie thee by thine ineffable loue wherewith thou hast vouchsafed wholie to bestowe thy selfe for our securitie that thou wilt not suffer me euer to straie from thee bicause thou art the waie nor at anie time to distrust thy promses which art the truth and performest whatsoeuer thou promisest neither let me rest in anie other thing bicause thou art eternall life without the which there is nothing that ought to be desired neither in heauen nor in earth By thee we learne the sure and expedient passage vnto true helth that we wander no longer in the Laberinth of this world Thou hast exactlie taught what to beleeue and what to doo what to hope for and in whom we ought to rest By thee wee learne how wee were of that first Adam vnfortunatelie borne by thee we are assured there is no hope of health but through faith in thee that thou art the onlie brightnesse which giuest light to all men trauelling the darke desarts of this world where is nothing but a profound dimnesse wherby we neither see our calamities nor frō whence we ought to seeke remedie of our euill Thou vouchsafedst to descend into the earth disdainedst not to take our nature vpon thee that by thy doctrine thou mightest shake off the dimnesse of our ignorance by thy commandements mightest direct our feete in the waie of truth peace By the examples of thy life thou hast shewed vs the waie to immortalitie and by thy steps hast restored to vs a plaine easie profitable waie out of an vneeuen and rough waie So thou art made vnto vs a waie which knoweth no error in the which least we should be wearie thou hast vouchsafed to vphold vs in thy benignitie with great sure promises For who can be wearie accounting himselfe redie through thy steps to enter thy heauenlie heritage Therefore whilest we be in this iournie thou wouldest be a sure hope vnto vs to be in steed of a staffe vnto vs wherewith we are sustained Neither was thy goodnes content with this but knowing the weaknesse of our flesh in the meane while with the comfort of thy spirit dooest so refresh our strength whereby we run cheerefullie And as thou being made vnto vs the waie dooest driue awaie all errour so being truth dooest thou take awaie all distrust Finallie being made life vnto vs dooest reuiue the dead in sinne to liue by thy spirit releeuing all things vntill in the resurrection all mortalitie vtterlie abolished we may alwaies liue with thee and in thee when Christ shall be to vs all in all For eternall life is to knowe the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost to be one true God where now thorough faith we behold onlie in a glasse and riddle And then seeing more felowlie the glorie of the Lord wee shall be transformed into the same image Therefore I beseech thee most mercifull Sauiour that
praier to bee vsed of all christians 2 l. pag. 139. Before one begin his worke 2. l. pag. 226. Another to the same purpose ibid. Before one begin to studie his lesson 2. l. 227. Before or after the sermon 2. l. pag. 162 231. At burials 2. l. pag. 168. Before the receiuing of the holie communion 2. l. pag. 163. After the receiuing of the Lords supper 2. l. 166. ¶ Graces A praier before meate 2. l. pag. 229. A praier after meate ibidem ¶ Confessions Lamentations and complaints A confession before morning praier 2. l. 103. Another before euening praier 2. l. pag. 117. A confession of a penitent person for his sinne 2. l. pag. 148 149 153. An humble confession of sinnes to the glorie of God 2. l. pag. 37. A lamentation complaint of a sinner bewailing the ignorance of hir blind life led in superstition with hartie repentance in faith to obteine remissiō through Christ 2. l. pag. 42. A christian bewailing of miserable ignorance and blindnesse of men 2. l. pag. 60. ¶ Contemplations Of Christs passion 2. l. pag. 111. Of the carefull passions of the sinfull soule bodie 2. l. pag. 128. ¶ Meditations Of the spirituall loue betweene CHRIST the bridegroome and the faithfull soules of his church the brid 1. l. pa. 8. Of the inward loue of the christian soule towards Christ 2. l. pag. 1. Of the soules slauerie by sinne and redemption by Christ ibid. Of the soules affinitie with Christ 2. l. pag. 5. Of the soules infidelitie and apostasie from God 2. l. pag. 10. Of the intire affection and loue of God towards the sinfull soule of man 2. l. pag. 15. Of the vnion of life and death in the faithful soule by Christ 2 l. pa. 21. Of the longing of the soule by death to feed with Christ 2. l. pag. 24. Of the trust the soule hath in the merits of hir redeemer against the dread of hel and feare of damnation 2. l pag. 27. Of the incomprehensible loue of Christ to the sinfull soule of man and of the benefits that come of a true faith 2. l. pag. 31. ¶ Of true faith and what it worketh in the soule of a sinner 2. l. pag. 45. Of the great loue of God towards mankind and of the inward beholding of Christ crucified 2. l. pag. 49. Of the glorious victories of Christ ouer all enimies 2. l. pag. 51. Of the schoole of the crosse wherevnto wee ought to submit our selues and of the booke of the Crucifix wherein we ought often to looke 2 l. pag. 58 Of the miserable ignorance and blindnes of men much to be bewailed 2. l. pag. 60. Of the fruits and rules of true Christianitie to be followed 2. l. pag. 64. Of the fruites of infidelitie and of the office of weakelings to be eschued 2 l. pag. 66. Of carnall gospellers by whose ill liuing Gods truth is shamefullie slandered 2 l. pag. 69. Of the vertues and properties of Gods children following their vocation 2. l. pag. 73. Of amendement of life in all estates 2. l. pag. 77. ¶ Of our frailtie and miserie 2. l. pag. 113. Of the dreadfull day of iudgement 2. l. pag. 129. Of the vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen and the vntollerable paines of hell 2. l. pag. 198. ¶ Praiers ¶ The Lords praier 2. l. pag. 221. The Creed or articles of christian faith 2. l. pag. 222. The ten commandements 2. l. pag. 222. ¶ The praiers also Of Hagar 1. l. pag. 1. Of Naomic 1. l. pag. 6. Of Hannah 1. l. pag. 6. Of Abigael 1. l. pag. 8. Of Sarra Tobit 1. l. pa. 39. Of Iudeth 1. l. pag. 41. 43. Of Q. Hester 1. l. pag. 46. Of Susannah 1. l pag. 48. Of the Church 1. l. pa 48. Of the woman of Canaan 1. l. pag. 49. Of the fiue foolish Virgins 1. l. pag. 49. Of the Queenes Maiestic 2. l pag. 1. 35. 36. Of Q Katherin 2. l. pag. 37. 80. c. Of L. Iane Dudly 2. l. pag. 98. Of Ladie Tirwit 2. l. pag. 103. c. Of the L. Aburgaueny 2. l. pag. 139. Of Agnes the Martyr 2. l. pag. 214. Of Eulalia the martyr ibid. Of An Askew the martyr idid Of Mistres Bradford 2. l. pag. 215. Of a certeine godlie Gentlewoman ibid. Of mistres Dorcas Martin 2. l. pag. 221. ¶ Proper praiers to be vsed onelie of the Queens most excellent Maiestie 3. l. pag. 253 c. 261. 273. 275. 276. 277. 279. 280. 297. The Kings heast 3. l. pag. 307. The Queenes vowe 3. l. pag. 321. ¶ Praiers to God the Father 2. l. pag. 121. 154. To God the Sonne 2. l. pag. 156. To God the holie Ghost 2. l. pag. 157. To the blessed Trinitie 2 l. pag. 114. ¶ Alphabeticall praiers desifering the name of the Queens Maiestic 3. l. pag. 280. 297. 303. The name of the L. Aburgaueny 2. l. pag. 207. 213. ¶ For the whole estate of Christes church 2. l. pag. 131. For faith 2. l. pag. 162. For the true worship of God 2. l pag. 158. For remission of sins and to obtaine a vertuous life 2. l. pag. 144. For the obtaining of grace and mercie 2. l. pag. 147. 150. 152. For to be purged from fin and vncleanenesse 2. l. pag. 151. For the obtaining of mercie and mittigating of miseries 189. 190. c. For wisedome to gouerne well 3. l. pag. 279. For humilitie 2. l. p. 170 For the obtaining of Gods grace and all good gifts of the spirit 2. l. pag. 170. For to liue vprightlie and to dwell in the euerlasting tabernacles 2. l. pag. 159. 168. 169. For patience and meeknesse to beare all afflictions 2. l. pag. 184. For the preachers to speake the word of God boldly 2. l. pag. 231. ¶ Against presumptuous pride and vaine glorie 2. l. pag. 172. Against couetousnesse and too much care of the world 2. l. pag. 173. Against lieng and eull imaginations 2. l. pag. 173. Against the feare of worldlie casualties 2. l. pag. 192. Against the fellowship of the vngodlie 2. l. p. 161 Against all vices generallie 2. l pag. 174. ¶ In time of sicknesse For a sick child 1. l. p. 49 Of tho sick at the houre of death 2 l. pag. 202. To die in faith c 2. l. pag. 168. ¶ In time of plague In the time of any common plague c 2. l. p. 180 ¶ In time of battell In the 2. lamp pag. 178. ¶ In time of anie trouble In banishment 1. l. pa. 1. Against barrennesse 1. l. pag. 6. Against enemies of the Church c 1. l pag. 8. A lamentation of miseries and plagues for our sinnes 1. l. pag. 25. c. 28. 33. 34. 38. To be deliuered from reproch 1. l. pag. 39. For deliuerance from enemies 1. l. pag. 41. For strength to ouercome all enemies 1. la. pag. 43. For deliuerance out of the hands of traitours c 1. l pag. 46. 2. l. pag. 36. Of one wrongfullie condemned to death 1. l. pag. 48. Of
Lord with the hyssope of true repentance and sorowfull contrition that being clensed in the most cleere fountaine of thy grace I may be whiter than snowe and also bee able euer hereafter to serue thee in holinesse and purenesse of liuing through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Wash your hands yee sinners and cleanse your harts ye wauering minded Isaias 4 verse 8. I will wash my hands in innocencie ô Lord and so will I go to thine altar Psal 26 verse 6. Or else praie thus HAue mercie vpon mee O God and pardon the wicked deeds which my hands haue committed Wash my soule with the holie fountaine or well which I beleeue did flow from thy hart and naked side and sanctifie and purifie not onlie my hands and face from filth but my hart soule and conscience also from all contagion of sinne and iniquitie that I may be pure both in bodie and soule and serue thee in holinesse and puritie all the daies of my life So be it Though I wash my selfe with snowe water and purge my hands most cleane yet shalt thou plunge me in the pit and mine owne cloths shall make mee filthie Iob. 9 verse 30. Meditations THinke now of thy vow and promise made to God at thy baptisme to forsake Sathan to renounce the world and to mortifie the flesh and how oft since thou hast broken it and be hartilie sorie therefore Thinke also vpon the vnspeakable loue and mercie of Christ our Sauiour who hath washed vs from our sins in his owne pretious bloud and purged our conscience from dead works to the end we should serue him in holinesse and innocencie of life And consider that it shall little auaile thée to haue washed thy selfe if thou touch filth againe that is if thou confesse thy faults and after commit them againe and so wich the dog returne to the vomit and with the washed sow to the wallowing in the mire againe ¶ When you be made readie first before all things looke that either by your selfe or with your familie with all humblenesse of mind you kneele downe by your bed-side in your parlour or other sweete cleane and conuenient place and there taking both time and leasure to serue the Lord lift vp your hart hands and eies and praie vnto his diuine Maiestie saieng in manner and forme following A premeditation or first forme of praier to be vsed before praier O Mercifull Lord and louing father without whose aid and motion I am not able to stir one member toward heauenlie seruice the burthen of this slowe and sinfull flesh doth so ouercharge my weak soule according vnto thy fatherlie pitie looke vpon me O God prepare my hart to praier and quicken my dull spirit with thy grace to rise out of this miserable puddle and to come before thy presence in humble repentance crauing thy mercie for my miserable sinnes and wickednesse and being released in the bloud and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ I may ioifullie serue honor and praise thine eternall Maiestie through thy deere sonne my mercifull Lord and redeemer to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all glorie and thanks for euer Amen Another meditation before praier VNto thee O heauenlie father doo I heere prostrate on my knees lift vp my hart my hands mine eies and praiers beseeching thy Maiestie and saieng Helpe me O my Lord and God in this my good purpose and holie worshipping or seruing of thee and grant vnto me to make a perfect entrance and beginning this present daie that I maie doo all things in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost For that which I haue hitherto done is nothing at all The Confession and Praier O Father of heauen O sonne of God redeemer of the world O holie Ghost three persons and one God haue mercie vpon me most wretched caitife and miserable sinner I haue offended both heauen and earth more than my tongue can expresse my sins are aboue all mens both in number and greatnesse which I haue committed Whither then may I go And whither should I flee To heauen I may be ashamed to lift vp my face and in earth I find no place of refuge or succour To thee therefore O Lord doo I runne to thee doo I humble my selfe saieng O Lord my God my sinnes be great and innumerable but yet haue mercie vpon me for thy great mercie The great mysterie that God became man was not wrought for little or few offences Thou didst not giue thy sonne O heauenlie father vnto death for small sinnes onlie but for all the greatest sinnes in the world so that the sinner returne vnto thee with his whole hart as I doo heere at this present Wherefore haue mercie on me O God whose propertie is alwaie to haue mercie wherefore haue mercie on me O Lord for thy great mercie I craue nothing O Lord for mine owne merits but for thy name sake that it may be halowed thereby and for thy deere sonne Iesus Christes sake and now therefore Our father of heauen halowed be thy name c. Another Confession and praier OH almightie euerlasting God and most gratious deere louing father I beseech thee for Iesus Christes sake thy most deere and onlie sonne to haue mercie pitie and compassion vpon me most vile wretched and miserable sinner whose innumerable offenses both old new be most horrible heinous and great where through I haue iustlie deserued thy greeuous wrath and euerlasting damnation But now good Lord heere I do appeale to thy great mercie onlie which far surmounteth all thy works as thou hast promised the same in thy holie and infallible word where thou hast said yea and sworne as trulie as thou liuest that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue Ah deere Lord I confesse that I am a great and greeuous sinner and yet now by thy grace and good working of thy holie spirit something turned vnto thee Oh let me liue and not die the euerlasting death of the soule which I so deepelie haue deserued but make me a vessell of thy great mercie that I may liue and praise thy name among thy chosen children for euer Oh let not my horrible sinnes separate me from the sweet sight of thy Maiestie but let thy great power and mercie be magnified in me as it is in Dauid in Peter in Magdalen and in the notable Theefe which was crucified with Christ thy deere sonne in whose most pretious death and bloud-shedding onlie O Lord I put my whole trust and confidence For he onelie hath taken awaie the sinnes of the world he came not to condemne the world but to saue it that none that trulie beleeue in him should perish but haue life euerlasting He saith he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Oh gratious God giue me true earnest hartie and vnfeigned repentance that I may from the verie bottome of my hart continuallie lament my manifold
sinnes and wickednesse my great ingratitude and vnthankefulnesse towards thee for all thy mercifull benefits so aboundantlie powred vpon me through Iesus Christ which wouldest vouchsafe he being thine owne deere darling in whome was and is all thy whole pleasure and delight to giue him for me to the verie death of the Crosse yea and that when I was thine vtter enimie of mercie inestimable and loue incomprehensible Who euer sawe such a thing God became man and was crucified for me that by his death I might liue Alas that euer I should become so wicked a wretch and vnkind a creature to displease so louing kind and mercifull a God and father Oh forgiue me forgiue me for thy great mercie sake for thy truth and promise sake and I will neuer trespasse againe against thy diuine Maiestie anie more but will gladlie serue thee in true holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of my life by the grace and assistance of thy good and holie spirit the which I beseech thee to giue me also that he may gouerne me and guide my hart in thy true faith feare and loue that in all my deeds words and thoughts I may glorifie thy holie name which liuest and reignest with the sonne and the holie Ghost three persons and one God to whome be all honour glorie praise thanks power rule and dominion for euer and euer Amen Another confession of sinnes proper for the Sabaoth daie OH my most mercifull father the father of mercies and God of all consolation and comfort my God my father I most wretched sinner confesse and acknowledge my selfe vnfeinedlie with hart mind mouth now before thee to haue most greenoushe offended thy high Maiestie and goodnesse I recognise and acknowledge my selfe to be full of sinne full of vnfaithfulnesse and a seruant vnprofitable For all thy holie commandements haue I transgressed and broken First I haue not set all my whole beleefe confidence trust and hope in thee I haue not loued and honoured thee with all my hart with all my soule mind and powers of my soule Secondlie I haue diuided thine honour and worship from thee and giuen it to thy creatures and dead things imagined of mine owne fond fantasie I meane in the adoring and worshipping of images Thirdlie I haue abused thy most holie name by false and deceitfull swearing to the hinderance of my neighbour and idlelie and vainlie haue I vsed thy holie name I haue not said nor done neither thought all things to thy glorie Fourthlie in the Saboth daie I haue not giuen my selfe to hearing reading learning the holie Scriptures neither haue I giuen meate to the hungrie drinke to the thirstie lodged the harbourlesse clothed the naked visited the sicke comforted nor releeued the poore and men in prison For I haue not expended of how great weight these words of thy sonne my Sauiour Christ are neither beleeued him saieng In as much as ye haue done these things vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me Matth. 25. But I haue bestowed and spent my gold and siluer after my lewd lust and concupiscence in excesse of meat and drinke in gorgeous apparell of my bodie of my children seruants and house c. where I should not haue bestowed it or else not so largelie delicatelie nicelie and excessiuelie haue bestowed it as I haue not regarding in the meane time to suffer the deere beloued brethren of Iesu Christ to go naked and to perish for cold and hunger I haue I saie not ceased from mine owne sinfull will and lusts praieng at all times thy will and not mine to be fulfilled Furthermore I haue not honoured my father and mother I haue not so much set by them esteemed them and had them in such reuerence as thou commandest me nor obeied them neither comforted releened or helped them I haue slaine I haue broken wedlocke I haue stolne I haue sold by false weights and measures and borne false witnesse finallie I haue coueted my neighbours house I haue desired his wife his seruant his cattell his other goods vnlawfullie Thus most greeuouslie haue I sinned infinit waies O Lord omitting and leauing thy commandements Oh Father to fulfill the desire of my flesh the world and the diuell Wherefore I crie thee mercie my God most mercifull father and most humblie I desire and beseech thee for the loue which thou bearest to thy deer sonne mine onelie whole and entire Sauiour Iesu Christ to haue mercie on me and to forgiue me most miserable sinner euen in his bloud and for his pretious death sake For when I went about to seeke thee to trust vnto thee or to doo anie thing to thy glorie yet would not this lust and concupiscence that contagious originall poison and fleshlie dregges drawne of our father Adam suffer me perfectlie to doo that I would haue done Through this naturall concupiscence I striue and fight dailie against the holie Ghost in me which vnlawfull lust and desire I knowledge to be a greeuous sinne against thy highnes if thou shouldest iudge me straitlie after thy Lawe without the which concupiscence I cannot be Wherefore I being a wretched yea a most abhominable wretched sinner in my selfe cleerelie destitute of all righteousnesse of all godlinesse of all holinesse and all deseruings am come now by faith before thee vnto Christ his mercie seate and righteousnesse vnto his goodnesse deseruings and satisfactions desiring thee O most mercifull father for his deaths sake that his righteousnesse his wisedome his holinesse his goodnesse his merits and satisfactions may be mine and serue for my forgiuenesse and saluation For like as thou gauest me him to die for my sinnes euen so beleeue I that thou hast giuen me with him all his to be mine and to serue me for my saluation Wherefore glorie honor worship empire and rule be to thee oh father with the sonne and the holie ghost for euer world without end So be it Another Confession of sinnes for Sundaies to be vsed in the forenoone or afternoone O Most mercifull Lord God my tender and deere father vouchsafe I hartilie beseech thee to looke downe with thy fatherlie eies of pitie vpon me most vile and wretched sinner which lie heere prostrate in heart before the feete of thy bottomlesse mercie For I haue sinned against the throne of thy glorie and before thee O most deere Father insomuch that I am not worthie to be called thy daughter Yet neuerthelesse forasmuch as thou art the God and Father of all mercie and comfort and againe desirest not the death of a sinner but like a true Samaritan takest thought for my sillie wounded soule make me I praie thee by infunding of thy pretious oile of comfort into my wounds ioifullie to run with the lost sonne into the lap of thine euerlasting pitie For lo thou art my hope and trust in whom I onlie repose my selfe hauing in thee full confidence and faith And so I saie with a verie faithfull
Lord dailie with the true Manna of thy heauenlie word and with the grace of thy holie Sacraments Giue vs grace continuallie to read heare and meditate thy purposes iudgments promises and precepts not to the end we may curiouslie argue therof or arrogantlie presume thervpon but to frame our liues according to thy will that by keeping thy couenants we may be sure of thy promises and so make our election and vocation certaine through our constant faith vertuous and godlie liuing Seru. Amen Maister Confirme vs O Lord to the image of our Sauiour So lighten the lamps of our harts with the fire and burning flames of thy loue that no enuie rancor hatred or malice doo remaine in vs to quench it but that we may gladlie forgiue whatsoeuer wrong is or shall be either maliciouslie or ignorantlie done or said against vs. And here Lord in thy presence for thy Maiestie is euerie where we forgiue whatsoeuer hath beene by anie man or woman practised against vs beseeching thèe of thy goodnesse likewise to forgiue it And further for thy mercies sake and for our Sauiour Iesus Christs sake we beseech thee O deere Father to forgiue vs these horrible and damnable sinnes which we haue committed against thy Maiestie for which thou hast now iustlie brought the pestilence and plague vpon vs. Let the ceasing thereof we beseech thee certifie vs of thy mercie and remission Seru. Amen Maister We knowe O Lord the weakenesse of our selues and how readie we are to fall from thee Suffer not therfore Satan to shew his power and malice vpon vs. For we are not able to withstand his assalts Arme vs O Lord alwaies with thy grace and assist vs with thy holie spirit in all kinds of temptations Seruants Amen Maister Deliuer vs O deere father from all euils both bodilie and ghostlie Deliuer O Lord from trouble of conscience all that are snarled in their sins Deliuer O Lord from feare of persecution and tyrannie our brethren and sisters that are vnder the crosse for profession of thy word Deliuer O mercifull father those that for our sinnes and offences are alreadie tormented with the rage of pestilence Recouer those O Lord that are alreadie striken and saue the rest of my houshold and else-where from this greeuous infection Seruants Amen Maister Finallie O Lord God which for our innumerable sinnes dooest heere fatherlie correct vs to the end we should not feele the rigour of thy seueare iudgement in eternall condemnation we humblie submit our selues vnto thy grace and pitie beseeching thee for our Lord Iesus Christes sake that although we haue iustlie deserued this plague now laid vpon vs yet it may please thee in the multitude of thy mercies to withdrawe thy rod from vs. Grant O Lord true repentance of our sinnes which as it did in that good King Ezekias may deliuer vs from the plague laid vpon vs and cause those that be sicke heere in my house or otherwhere to recouer Or if thou haue determined to take a number of vs out of the miseries of this present euill world giue vs the comfort of thy holie spirit that may make vs glad and willing to come vnto thee Giue vs grace O Lord so to prepare our selues that we may be readie with the wise virgins to enter into life with our sauiour Christ whensoeuer it shall please thee to call vs. Seruants Amen Maister Grant this O deere father for Iesus Christes sake our onlie Mediator Aduocate Lord Redeemer and Sauiour to whome with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor and glorie world without end and in whose name we altogether with one hart and voice crie furthermore and praie vnto thee as he in his holie word hath taught vs saieng Maister and seruants altogether Our Father c. Other Psalmes and praiers to be said in the time of anie common plague sicknesse or other crosse and visitation of God by the Maister and Mistresse with their familie O Come let vs humble our selues fall downe before the Lord with reuerence and feare For he is the Lord our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his hands Come therefore let vs turne againe vnto our Lord for he hath smitten vs and he shall heale vs. Let vs repent and turne from our wickednesse and our sinnes shall be forgiuen vs. Let vs turne and the Lord will turne from his heauie wrath and will pardon vs and we shall not perish For we knowledge our faults and our sinnes be euer before vs. We haue sore prouoked thine anger O Lord thy wrath is waxed hot and thy heauie displeasure is sore kindled against vs. Thou hast made vs heare of the noise of warres and hast troubled vs by the vexation of enimies Thou hast in thine indignation striken vs with greeuous sicknes and by and by we haue fallen as leaues beaten downe with a vehement wind Indeede we acknowledge that all punishments are lesse than our deseruings but yet of thy mercie Lord correct vs to amendment and plague vs not to our destruction For thy hand is not shortened that thou canst not helpe neither is thy goodnesse abated that thou wilt not heare Thou hast promised that afore we crie thou wilt heare vs and whilest we yet speake thou wilt haue mercie vpon vs. For none that trust in thee shall be confounded neither anie that call vpon thee shall be despised For thou art the onlie Lord who woundest and dooest heale againe who killest and reuiuest bringest euen to hell and bringest barke againe Our father 's hoped in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliuer them They called vpon thee and were helped they put their trust in thee and were not confounded O Lord rebuke vs not in thine indignation neither chasten vs in thy heauie displeasure Oh remember not the sinnes and offences of our youth but according to thy mercie thinke vpon vs O Lord for thy goodnesse Haue mercie vpon vs O Lord for we are weake O Lord heale vs for our bones are vexed And now in the vexation of our spirits and the anguish of our soules we remember thee and we crie vnto thee heare Lord and haue mercie For thine owne sake for thy holie name sake incline thine eare and heare O mercifull Lord. For we doo not powre out our praiers before thy face trusting in our owne righteousnesse but in thy great and manifold mercies Wash vs throughlie from our wickednesse and cleanse vs from our sinnes Turne thy face from our sinnes and put out all our misdeeds Make vs cleane harts O God and renew a right spirit within vs. Helpe vs O God of our saluation for the glorie of thy name O deliuer vs and be mercifull vnto our sinnes for thy name sake So we that be thy people and sheepe of thy pasture shall giue thee thanks for euer and will alwaies bee shewing foorth thy praise from generation to generation Glorie be to the Father c. As it was in the
to destruction that we may be saued with those few that are appointed therevnto in Iesus Christ to whome with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor praise and glorie for euermore Amen A thanks-giuing for the conuersion of an excommunicate person or other publike offender after penance WE thanke the mercie and goodnesse of our God through Iesus Christ our Lord for the conuersion patient penance doing of this our sister whereby she hath not so much endured the reproch and infamie of hir owne sinnes as in deede she hath confounded and ouercome Satan hir deadlie foe who went about to make hir his continuall slaue and by whose subtile sleights and euill suggestions she hath heretofore beene disobedient to thy holie lawes and wholsome admonitions of thy Church And now O Lord seeing that the spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ hath so farre preuailed in hir that she is returned to our societie let it please thee for the obedience of the same our Lord Iesus Christ so to accept hir that hir former disobedience and sinnes be neuer laid to hir charge but that she may increase in all goodnesse till Satan finallie be troden vnder hir feete and ours by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holie Spirit be all honor and glorie now and euer Amen Before the publike administration of the holie sacrament of Baptisme the better to call to mind our owne vow and promise made long since vnto God praie priuatelie to your selfe and saie O Most blessed fore-goer and guide of Christian people Iesu Christ who submitting and humbling thy selfe vouchsafedst to be baptised of Iohn in the riuer Iordan and wast not onlie baptised in water but also in blood and in the holie Ghost vouchsafe euen so to incline bow and dispose our outwarde life with our inward mind affects and desires in the fulfilling of all righteousnesse so that we being now mortified dead to the old Adam through thy holie witnesse of baptisme by the working and operation of the holie Ghost may alwaie haue our holy couenant in remembrance before our eies that couenaunt vow and promise I saie which we haue taken vpon vs in our baptisme to the intent that we as faithfull champions striuing against the world the flesh and the diuell may vanquish and ouercome them with all other which might be noifull and hurtfull vnto vs Amen Or giue thanks for our regeneration and sanctification as afterward in the praier vpon Whitsundaie Or praie thus for the spirituall washing awaie of thy sinnes HAue mercie on me O GOD according to thy great tendernesse of hart For in wickednesse borne I was and in sinnes my mother conceiued me so that of nature all that I am I am but sin This my confession of the truth I knowe well is right acceptable vnto thee wheras in the most part of others thou hast either hid the same or made it vnknowne Purge and sprinkle mee with the bloud of Iesus Christ thine vnspotted lambe If thou wash me I shall be as white as snowe wash me thoroughlie therfore from mine errours clense me not onlie of my sinnes passed but also of my whole life to come so shall I receiue these glad tidings into my hart that my sins be forgiuen me With the baptisme of spirit in the fire of thine illumination baptise me which is the might efficacie of baptisme which we receiued in our childhood Grant that the same spirit might alwaie conduct vs let this spirituall washing of baptisme continue with vs vntill the infection and vice which we haue by nature of old Adam be perfectlie taken awaie by the death of the flesh through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Or praie that the benefits of both the holie Sacraments may be applied vnto our soules health O Blessed Trinitie and eternall God of one essence giue grace that in euerie combate and especiallie at the point of death being mindfull of thy couenant made with vs at our Christening of thy most comfortable promise anexed He which beleeueth and is baptised shall bee saued we may neuer doubt either of thy mercifull good-will towards vs or of the free remission of our sinnes but by often remembring this signe and couenant may dailie more and more be confirmed in faith and hope of perpetuall happinesse and applie thy benefits which certainlie thou hast promised and faithfullie wilt performe vnto our selues For thy promises made to such as beleeue and trust in thee be not vaine and to no purpose Likewise vphold our soules by the Sacrament of thy Supper that strengthened with the seale of this new testament we may be the more certaine and confirmed touching our reconciliation and euerlasting righteousnesse alwaies beare it fixed in our minds For if the testament of a man which is prooued after the death of the Testator be not small accounted of much more should the last testament and holie Sacrament of our Sauiour Christ remaine pure and in continuall force and remembrance Or praie that we may rightlie and trulie receiue the blessed Sacraments O Most mercifull God and louing father who by thy son Iesus Christ hast abrogated the superfluous ceremonies of the Lawe and hast deliuered vs from the bondage thereof giuing vnto vs sure certaine seals and sacraments of thy grace and our free redemption through the most pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ Grant O Lord we beseech thee that we may euermore vse them according to thy sonne our Sauiours institution who hath left them as pledges of his great loue towards mankind as continuall remembrances of his most pretious death which he suffered vpon the wood of the crosse for our redemption who by the fountaine of water hath regenerated vs and by his most pretious bloud hath purged vs. Make vs therefore to receiue these holie mysteries without corruption to vse them without alteration to continue them without superstition to the honour and glorie of thy most holie name through Iesu Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie now and for euer Amen After publike baptisme praie and giue thanks secretlie to yourselfe as time will serue saieng WE yeeld thee most hartie thanks O heauenlie Father for that it hath pleased thee to regenerate vs with the fountaine of water by faith in the bloud of thy sonne Iesus Christ and to purge vs from that originall sinne which we receiued of the old Eue. But who is able oh Lord to to giue thee sufficient praises Or who can expresse thy louing kindnesse and great mercies towards mankinde who hast not onlie redeemed him from the yoke of the lawe the bondage of hell and destruction of the diuell but also like a mercifull and louing father euen in our first entrance into this world washedst vs from iniquitie and hast giuen vs the Sacrament of Baptisme euen as a memoriall of our election in thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord whereby
and righteousnesse all the daies of our life through the same thy deere sonne our Lord Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all praise honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen Glorie be to God on high Another Meditation of the maruellous incarnation of the word which is Christ by whose meanes it pleased God to helpe mankind fallen from him BEhold now O almightie God the viewer and searcher of mine hart Like as with hart I beleeue which is counted righteousnesse vnto me so with mouth doo I confesse before thee which is to my saluation after what sort and maner thou didst vouchsafe in the end of the world to succour and aid mankind Thou in deed onelie O God the Father art not read at anie time or in anie place to be sent but of thy Sonne the Apostle saith When that the time was fulfilled God sent his Sonne In that he saith he sent he doth sufficientlie declare that he being sent came into this world When as he being thy Sonne O our God and a gentle and kind louer of mankind did take vpon him to be the seed of Abraham not of Angels and so taking mans nature not Angels did vouchsafe to humble himselfe to be borne a verie perfect man of blessed Marie a pure virgin and so being made like vnto vs in all things sinne onlie excepted for he was the verie lambe without spot that tooke awaie the sinnes of the world did appeare and shew himselfe in the similitude of flesh subiect to sinne that he might condemne sinne for sinne and that wee might be made the righteousnesse in him But what is that which he that is the chiefe of the Euangelists doth saie He was in the world and the world was made by him Thither trulie was he sent by his humanitie where he alwaies is and alwaie hath beene by his diuinitie The which sending or embassage I beleeue with all my hart and confesse with my mouth to be the consent worke of all the whole Trinitie I beleeue also that his manhood being in this my nature during his infancie was trobled with creeping and scrallings and was wrapt in cloths after the maner of other children and was vexed in his youth with labours and troubles I beleeue I saie that the Godhead which was sent of them did take vpon him mine humanitie and nature to the intent he the Sonne of God being made man might cure mine infirmitie and redeeme the sinnes of sinfull man Therefore doo I blesse thy name euerlastinglie and glorifie the same with all mine hart O almightie and mercifull Lord for that vnspeakable and maruellous coniunction of Godhead and manhood together in the vnitie of a person and not after this sort that the one should be God and the other man but one and the same was both God and man man and God Neuerthelesse although by thy maruellous will the word was made flesh yet neither of both the natures was changed into other substance In the mysterie of the Trinitie there is not a fourth person added For the substance of the word of God and of man was vnited and knit togither but not confused and mixt that that thing which was taken of vs should be turned into God and that which neuer had been before that time that is his flesh and manhood should be the same that had beene euer without anie beginning that is his Godhead Oh maruellous mysterie Oh vnspeakeable fellowship Oh maruellous meeknesse of the heauenlie mercifulnesse which is euer woorthie marueling and euer to be loued We were but vile seruants and behold we are made the sonnes of God yea and heires of God togither with Christ From whence came this goodnesse And who brought vs to this state But I require thee O most mercifull Father by thine inestimable pitie goodnesse and charitie to make vs woorthie of these manie and great promises of the same thy sonne our Lord Iesu Christ Send foorth thy strength O God and establish the thing that thou hast wrought in vs make perfect that which thou hast begun that we may be able to come vnto the fulnesse and perfectnesse of thy pitie Make vs through the holie Ghost to vnderstand and through thy sonne to desire and with due honour alwaie to worship this great mysterie of thy pitie in Christ his blessed natiuitie so manifest in our flesh that as thou hast giuen vs him thine onelie begotten Sonne I meane to take our nature vpon him and this daie to be borne of a pure virgin so wee being regenerate and made thy children by adoption and grace may dailie be renewed by thy holie spirit to glorifie thee from our birth through the same thy deere Sonne our souereigne Lord and sweet Sauiour Iesus to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be immortall praise and thanks-giuing now and for euer Amen A meditation concerning the true knowledge of Christes incarnation THE knowledge of the truth is first to knowe thy selfe and to endeuour to be that which thou oughtest to be and to amend that which ought to be amended And secondlie to knowe and to loue thy maker and creator for that is the whole happines of a christian man or woman See then how vnspeakable the gratious goodnesse and entire loue of God towards vs is He hath created vs of nothing and giuen vs all that we haue but alas forasmuch as we haue loued the gift more than the giuer and the creature more than the Creator therefore we are fallen into the diuels snare and become his bondslaues Neuertheles God being moued with compassion sent his most deere and onlie Sonne to redeeme vs slaues and his holie spirit to make vs his sonnes and daughters againe He hath giuen his Sonne I saie euen his best beloued child to be the price of our ransome the holie Ghost as an assurance of his loue and to be short he reserueth himselfe whole for vs to be the heritage of our adoption And so almightie God according to his exceeding gratiousnesse and mercie hath for verie loue and good will to mankind bestowed not onlie his benefits but also himselfe vpon him to recouer him againe not so much to himselfe as to him To the intent that man might bee borne of God God I saie was first borne of them O then who is so hard-harted that he will not bee softened by the tender loue of God thus preuenting wretched man with so great hartie and vnspeakable good will in that he vouchsafed to become man for mans sake Yea who can anie more find in his hart to hate man or woman whose nature and likenesse he or she so plainelie seeth in the manhood of God Doubtles he or she that hateth from hencefoorth a man or a woman hateth God and so looseth all his or hir labour whatsoeuer taken vnder pretence of Christianitie For God as is said became man for mans sake that he might be a redeemer as well as a creator and that man might
his infancie was troubled with creeping and scrallings and was wrapt in cloathes after the manner of other children was vexed in his youth with labours made leane with waking and fastings wearied with iournieng afterward whipped and all to torne and rent with diuers kinds of punishments reckoned among the dead and when it was endued with the glorie of resurrection he carried it into the ioies of heauen and placed it vpon the right hand of thy Maiestie This I saie he is my manhood waie and meanes of pacifieng and appeasing thee the waie and meanes of hauing mercie vpon mee Mercifullie looke vpon mee heare the wretch whom he did redeeme and the bond-seruant whom he deliuered Behold him a Creator and doo not despise a creature Receiue the shepheard welcommed with a gentle and louing countenance and mercifullie looke vpon the sheepe which he hath brought home vpon his owne shoulders This is that most faithfull shepheard which by manie and diuers labours and trauels ouer steepe hils and through head-long and deepe vallies did search for his owne sheepe that was straied awaie which also when he had found it faint and almost dead through long wandring gat himselfe vnder it with great reioicing and making it fast vnto him with a maruellous bond of charitie lifted it vp out of the deapth of confusion and brought it home to the ninetie and nine Behold O King my king and God almightie behold a good shepheard which rendereth to thee that which thou committedst to his charge He tooke vpon him through thine ordinance to saue man whom he hath deliuered vnto thee cleane and pure from all spots through the washing in his bloud Lo thy most dearelie beloued Sonne hath reconciled vnto thee thy handie worke which was gone astraie far out of the waie Lo a gentle shepheard bringeth home againe to thy flocke hir that the violent pirate and robber had driuen awaie He hath brought vnto thy sight the seruant whome hir owne conscience had made to run awaie that she which by hir selfe had deserued punishment by thy Sonne being hir solicitor hath deserued forgiuenes vnto whome also for hir offences euerlasting fire was due neuerthelesse being a subiect vnder such a prince and captaine she doth hope to be brought home to hir owne countrie I was able O holie father by my selfe to offend thee but I was not able of my selfe to pacifie and appease thee Thy welbeloued Sonne O my God was made my helper by taking vpon him mine humanitie to the intent he might cure mine infirmitie that wherof the first occasion of thy wrath did spring of the same he might offer vp to thee a sacrifice of praise and that he might render and make me also well-pleasing to thy goodnes by that thing in the which he sitting now at thy right hand did alwaies shew and declare himselfe to be equall with my substance and as it were fellowe with the same Lo my hope behold in whome is all my trust If thou despise me as it were meete for mine iniquities yet looke vpon me at leastwise mercifulle for the charitie of thy welbeloued Sonne Giue heed to thy Sonne whereby thou maiest haue mercie vpon thy bond-seruant Looke vpon the sacrament of flesh and pardon the offences of flesh How often soeuer thou doest remember the wounds of thy blessed Son so oft I beséech thee let mine iniquitie be hid And bicause flesh hath stirred thee to wrath let flesh I beseech thee mooue thee to mercie that like as flesh hath seduced and led me to sinne so flesh may get and obteine for me remission For certainly it is much that mine iniquitie hath deserued but much more it is that the goodnes of my Redeemer may euen of right require Mine vnrighteousnes is great but his righteousnes is bigger For looke how much God is superiour vnto man euen so much is my malice euill inferiour vnto his goodnes both in qualitie and quantitie For what haue I sinned being a man that the Sonne of God being made man hath not redeemed What pride could be in me so exceeding high but such humilitie as was in him should bring it downe What power of death was there in me so great but the punishment which the Sonne of God suffered vpon the crosse might deface it and vtterlie destroie it Trulie my God if the sinnes of sinfull men or women should be weied in a iust and equall balance with the loue and fauour that was in our redeemer towards vs the East is not so far distant from the West nor the innermost part of the earth so much separated from the vppermost part of the heauen as they should be vnlike so much lesse should mine iniquitie be than is his goodnesse Now O most noble Creator of light now pardon mine offences for the vnmeasurable trauels paines that thy beloued Sonne did susteine Now I beseech thee let his goodnesse be set against my wickednes his modestie and temperance against mine vngratious frowardnes and his meekenes against my fierce crueltie Let his humilitie recompense my pride his patience mine impatience his gentlenesse mine vnkind churlishnes his obedience my disobedience his quietnesse mine vnquietnes his pleasant towardnes my bitter frowardnes his sweet facilitie and gentlenes mine angrie and fretting fumes to conclude let his charitie make amends for my heinous and detestable crueltie Amen I haue sinned I haue sinned my God my God haue mercie on me God forbid that I should reioice in anie thing but in the crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world So be it 9. On Easter daie Of Christ his resurrection and the Passouer of Christians The Preface CHrist is risen againe from the dead and now dieth no more Halleluiah Death from hencefoorth hath no more power of him Halleluiah Christ is risen againe the first fruits of them that sleepe Halleluiah By Christ all men that were dead in sinne are restored to life Halleluiah In thy resurrection O Christ both heauen earth doo reioice and saie Halleluiah Thanks be vnto God which giueth vs victorie thorough our Lord Iesus Christ Halleluiah Who hauing spoiled all principalities and powers hath made a shew of them openlie triumphing ouer them in his owne person Halleluiah Awake O my Christ awake vp my glorie and sing Halleluiah For Christ our passouer is offered vp and as this daie reuiued rose again for our iustification Halleluiah Let vs reioice therfore I saie O my soule and keepe it holidaie to the Lord. Halleluiah Not with old leauen of maliciousnes and wickednes but with the vnleauened bread of purenesse and truth Halleluiah That when we awake vp after his likenes we may be satisfied with his presence in righteousnes and glorie Halleluiah And be blessed and holie with those that haue part in the first resurrection and on whom the second death hath no power but sing Halleluiah O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie Halleluiah This
death for our sinnes grant that thy holie spirit may worke that faith in vs whereby we may be made partakers of that righteousnes which hee hath for those that trust in him And because without the blessed hope of rising againe from the dead our faith is in vaine and we are yet in our sinnes therefore we beseech thee to confirme and strengthen it in vs that as thou hast alreadie raised vp Christ our head so we may be assured thou wilt also raise vs vp that the bodie may be ioined to the head And furthermore as thou hast left this holie storie of thy Sonne that we might beleeue in him and by faith obtaine euerlasting life so we beseech thee worke the fruit of it in vs in constant faith to the saluation of our soules and thy euerlasting glorie to whome with the Sonne and the holie Ghost be all honor praise and glorie now and for euer Amen Another ALmightie God and most mercifull heauenlie Father who according to all that had beene written before in y e lawe of Moses and in the Prophets that it behooued the Sauiour of the world to suffer death and to rise againe from the dead the third daie and that repentance and forgiuenes of sinnes should bee preached amongst all nations in his name and so from point to point hast fullie accomplished all these things in Christ Iesus thine onlie Sonne whome thou didst raise from the graue as this daie not onlie to liue againe in this world but euen to sit at thy right hand and prouiding for our infirmitie hast giuen vs a great manie of witnesses both of holie men and women vpon the earth and of Angels from heauen to confirme the truth of this matter vnto vs that we might haue strong assurance of saluation in him through faith Open our minds to vnderstand the holie Scriptures and grant vs stedfastlie to beleeue this thy Gospell that by this faith being made one with him we may receiue the forgiuenes of our sinnes and the estimation of righteous men in thy sight through him And furthermore also grant that by this his mightie conquest whereby he hath triumphed ouer the last enimie which is Death in raising himselfe againe vnto life we may both rise with him from the death of sinnes to the life of grace by leading a new conuersation and sit with him at thy right hand in hope hauing our life hid in him that when he shall appeare to come to iudgment our life also heere being led in the obedience of faith may then be made manifest and we receiue that which we now in faith possesse and in a blessed hope looke and wait for at his comming which is the saluation of our soules to the glorie of thy name to whome with the Sonne and the holie Ghost be all praise and honour now and for euer Amen A Thanks-giuing WE lift vp our harts vnto thee O Lord for it is verie meet right and our bounden dutie that we should at all times and in all places giue thanks vnto thee O Lord holie Father almightie euerlasting God but chieflie we are bound to praise thee for the glorious resurrection of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. For he is the verie paschall Lambe which was offered for vs and hath taken awaie the sinnes of the world who by his death hath destroied death and by his rising to life againe hath restored to vs euerlasting life Therefore with Angels and Archangels and with all the companie of heauen we laud and magnifie thy glorious name euermore praising thee and saieng Holie holie holie Lord God of hoasts heauen and earth are full of thy glorie Glorie be to thee O Lord most high So be it 10. On Ascension daie Of Christ his glorious ascending into the heauens in the sight of his Apostles The Preface GOD is gone vp with a merrie noise and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet Glorie to God on high Halleluiah He humbled himselfe vnto the death wherefore God also hath highlie exalted him and set him on his right hand in heauenlie places far aboue all powers and dominion Halleluiah God is gone vp on high and hathled captiuitie captiue and receiued gifts for men Halleluiah He that descended first into the lowe parts of the earth is euen the same also that ascended vp far aboue all heauens to fulfill all things Halleluiah God is gone vp with a merrie noise the Lord is ascended in great triumph Halleluiah Lift vp your head O ye gates and be ye lift vp ye euerlasting dores that the King of glorie may enter in Halleluiah Yea be thou exalted Lord in thine owne strength so will we praise thy power perpetuallie and euermore sing Glorie to God on high Halleluiah The praier THou O Christ sonne of God fortie daies after thy resurrection continuedst in the world to the vnspeakable comfort of thy Church which being expired thou ascendedst gloriouslie in the sight of thy Saints into the heauens We yeeld thee most hartie thanks for this thy benefit beseeching thee most humblie to number vs among the saints and souldiers which wait vpon thee triumphieng The hand-writing dependeth on the testimonie of our giltie conscience to our condemnation but by thy death the sentence of condemnation is abolished and thy bloud washeth vs from all our sins The enimies of thine elect euen the diuell and death are lead bound and the whole companie of the saints both in heauen and earth is filled with ioie speake of thy victorie and benefits Thy Saints in heauen visiblie doo behold thy glorious victorie Thy Saints in earth are saued by faith for the ornament and glorie of the kings daughter is glorious within In the sight of manie godlie auditors of thine and of thy holie mother the blessed virgin Marie thou wast carried visiblie from the earth in the clouds into heauen Thou gauest a taste of eternall life to thine Apostles wondering at thy departure and preachedst to them of thy returne into iudgement Thou hast glorified thine humane nature with vnspeakable glorie and placed the same on the right hand of thy Father vpon the throne of triumph and victorie as hauing for our sakes vanquished all our enimies But thine humane nature is not onelie aboue as be thy Saints but is exalted also to such a light as cannot be attained to by anie creature Thou reignest visible with the Father replenishing the whole celestiall congregation with righteousnes and diuine glorie Gouerne thou also in this mortall life outwardlie in thy ministerie and inwardlie in our minds Thou hast ascended on high and lead captiuitie captiue to bestowe thy benefits vpon man Before thy departure thou renewedst the institution of thy ministerie thou gauest thy disciples a commandement to preach to all nations for which thy goodnesse we giue thee most hartie thanks for therby thou hast called vs to the societie of thy Saints Assist vs with thy spirit that we may beleeue the Gospell and keepe for euermore the
which shall come before the finall destruction of this world and thanke thee for thy goodnesse in foretelling vs of them We lift vp our heads vnto thee which art aloft on the right hand of the eternall Father and in faith and praier looke for that ioifull daie when thou wilt appeare most gloriouslie in the clouds for the deliuerance of thy people out of these calamities Gouerne vs by thy word and spirit O most mightie protector that wee may bee watchfull and shun the cares of this transitorie world which withdrawe the mind from the exercise of godlinesse and choke all vertuous motions raised by thine holie spirit and flie from wantonnesse bellie-cheere and vnlawfull pleasures which both cause thy spirit to forsake our minds and make our bodies the receptacles of vnpure spirits whereby we are caried being secure vnto abhominable wickednes and from thence vnto euerlasting destruction Finallie purge thou our harts by thy spirit and let thy knowledge appeare in vs which may both expell our grosse darknesse and inflame in vs godlie motions that all the daies of our life we may continue in the true and sincere confession of thy name And for so much as thou hast promised to defend vs and to mitigate our paines grant that wee may both escape euils to come and stand ioifullie before thee at thy returne Amen Another ALmightie God and most mercifull heauenlie Father as in the destruction of Ierusalem thou hast left a fearefull example of thy horible iudgements against the contempt of the Gospell and the wickednesse of men threatenest such plagues to come for like wickednesse vpon the world as shall cause men to die for feare of them before they come grant vs so to read thy truth and to be obedient vnto it that when the signes of these things shall come which shall astonish the wicked wee may hold vp our heads with comfort waiting for our redemption so neere at hand watch with continuall praier that we may escape all these things which shall come vpon the world in that daie and that wee may stand before thy Sonne when he shall come to iudgement and be receiued of him to euerlasting glorie to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour glorie and praise for euer and euer Amen A godlie meditation of the comming of Christ to iudgement and of the reward both of the faithfull and vnfaithfull O Lord Iesu Christ the Sonne of the euerliuing God by whom althings were made are ruled and gouerned as of thy loue for our redemption thou diddest not disdaine to bee our mediator and to take vpon thee our nature in the wombe of a virgin purelie and without sinne by the operation of the holie Ghost that both thou mightest in thine owne person woonderfullie beautifie and exalt our nature and worke the same in vs also first abolishing the guiltinesse of sinne by remission then sinne it selfe by death and last of all death by raising againe these our bodies that they may be like vnto thine owne glorious and immortall bodie according to the power wherewith thou art able to subiect all things vnto thee As I saie of thy loue for our redemption thou becamest man and that most poore and afflicted vpon earth by the space of three thirtie yeeres at the least in most humilitie and paiedst the price of our ransome by thy most bitter death and passion for the which I most hartilie giue thanks to thee so of the same thy loue towards vs in thy good time thou wilt come againe in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie with flaming fire with thousands of Saints with Angels of thy power with a mightie crie showt of an Archangell and blast of a trumpet suddenlie as a lightening which shineth from the east c. When we thinke least euen as a theefe in the night when men be a sleepe thou wilt so come I saie thus suddenlie in the twinkeling of an eie all men that euer haue beene be and shall be with women and children appearing before thy Tribunall iudgment seate to render an account of all things which they haue thought spoken and done against thy lawe openlie and before all Angels Saints and diuels and so to receiue the iust reward of thy vengeance if they haue not repented and obeied thy Gospell and so depart from thee to the diuell and his angels and all the wicked which euer haue beene be or shall be into hell fire which is vnquenchable and of paines intollerable endlesse hopelesse euen from the face of thy glorious Maiestie and mightie power But if they haue repented and beleeued thy Gospell if they be found watching like wise virgins with their lamps and oile in their hands if they be found readie apparelled with the wedding garment of innocencie if they haue not hardened their harts and hourded vp the treasure of thy vengeauce in the daie of wrath to be reuealed but haue vsed the time of grace the acceptable time the time of saluation that is the time of this life in the which thou stretchest out thy hand and spreadest thine armes calling and crieng vnto vs to come vnto thee which art meeke in hart and lowlie For thou wilt ease all that labour and are heauie laden If they haue visited the sicke and prisoners comforted the comfortlesse fed the hungrie cloathed the naked lodged the harbourlesse if they haue not loden their harts with gluttonie and surfetting and carefulnesse of this life if they haue not digged and hid their talent in the ground dooing no good therewith but haue been faithfull to occupie thy gifts to thy glorie and haue washed their garments in thy bloud by hartie repentance then shall the Angels gather them togither not as the wicked which shall be collected as fagots and cast into the fire but as the good wheate that is gathered into thy barne Then shall they be caught vp to meete thee in the clouds then shall their corruptible bodie put on incorruption then shall they be indued with immortalitie and glorie then shall they be with thee and go whither thou goest then shall they heare these ioifull words Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning c. Then shall they be set on seates of Maiestie iudging the whole world then shall they reigne with thee for euer then shall God be all in all with them and to them then shall they enter and inherit heauenlie Ierusalem and the glorious restfull land of Chanaan where it is alwaies daie and neuer night where is no maner of weeping teares infirmitie hunger cold sickenesse enuie malice nor sinne but alwaies ioie without sorowe mirth without measure pleasure without paine heauenlie harmonie most pleasant melodie saieng and singing Holie holie holie Lord GOD of hosts c. Finallie the eie hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entered into the hart of man that they shall then inherit and most surelie
hath offended thee make me free from the guilt of my transgression for I acknowledge mine iniquitie and am sorie for my sinnes I haue forsaken thy waie and I knowing thy commandements haue done all things contrarie to them I haue broken the couenant that I made with thee and haue despised to keepe thy lawe Uerelie I haue sinned against thee O Lord GOD and the blemish of my sinne abideth still with me euen vnto this daie I haue forsaken thee O God my maker and gone awaie from thee my Sauiour haue rebelled against thee like an oxe that winceth and striueth when hee should be yoked I haue hardened my hart against thee and I haue lifted vp my necke proudlie after my sinne I haue trusted in lies and through deceit would not knowledge thee but I haue followed the lewdnesse of mine hart My pride and arrogancie haue beguiled me and the foolish boldnesse of mine hart hath brought me into desolate waies Mine owne counsels and aduises haue brought me these things such is the malice and rebellion that possesseth the harts of men My soule is put from quietnesse and rest and I can not thinke of anie good thing The yoke of my sinnes is waxed verie heauie it is lifted vp and fastened about my necke Thou hast spoken to me but I would not heare thou hast called me but I would not answere I beleeued not thy words nor would abide thy counsell I regarded not thine holie word and I gaue not my mind to thy saiengs Thou hast striken me but I would not knowe the cause thereof thou hast corrected me but I would not take thy discipline I did not consider in mine hart that thou wouldest not forget my sinne and malice With my mouth and my lips I glorified thee but mine hart was farre from thee I hid my sinne as Adam did to the intent to haue mine iniquitie vnknowne I asked not counsell of thy mouth and I would not followe thy lawe I haue sinned before thine eies and therefore my soule is made vnstable I forsooke thee which art the fountaine of continuall springing waters to the intent to dig to my selfe muddie pits which haue no water In all these things I am not returned to thee nor I haue not praied vnto thee that I might leaue my wicked waies See Lord and behold how vile I am made all the beautie of my soule is perished and gone in so much that now I dare not in anie wise behold and looke vpon thee And there was no cause why I should forsake thee and vainlie followe vaine things Lord haue mercie vpon me and heare my praiers for thou art my God and there is no Sauiour besides thee Turne awaie from me thy heauie displeasure and destroie me not for the sinnes of my youth I humblie beseech thee O Lord forgiue me forgiue me for thine exceeding mercie O Lord God of hosts if thou be determined to saue who can let orresist If thou stretch out thine hand who shall turne thee awaie Thou maist doo to me as the potter doth to his pot for behold I am in thine hand as the claie is in his Amend me O Lord but in mercie not in thine anger least thou vtterlie consume me make me to vnderstand and knowe how hurtfull and deadlie a thing it is to forsake thee my Lord GOD and to cast awaie from me the feare of thee There is no man that can heale mee nor cure my plague no man can deliuer mee but thou O Lord which woundest and makest whole which strikest and healest againe My destruction commeth of my selfe my helpe and saluation standeth onelie in thee For none is like vnto thee thou art mightie and great is the name of thy strength Turne me to thee O Lord and I shall be turned take awaie from mee this sinfull hart that thy lawe may bring foorth fruit in me Remember me Lord for thy goodnesse sake and for the great loue thou bearest towards me O Lord God behold thou hast made both heauen and earth by thy great might and nothing is hard to thee Thou art that puissant and mightie whose name is the Lord of hosts great maruellous in thy counsell As soone as thou hast spoken the word all things be done as soone as thou hast commanded things be and thy word returneth not to thee void and without effect Thou O Lord GOD she west mercie vnto all for thou canst doo all and thou makest as though thou sawest not the sinnes of men bicause they should doo penance and amend their liues For thou louest althings that be and hatest nothing that thou hast made for nothing thou madest or hast ordeined of anie hatred Thou sparest and tenderest all men for all things be thine and thou louest the soules of men Thou doost minister mercie equitie and iustice in the earth and therefore in these vertues thou greatlie delightest Trulie O Lord thou art righteous and gratious notwithstanding I haue offended thee transgressing thy couenant and trespassing against thee O Lord thou hast seene all mine abhominations looke on my cause and consider how vile and wretched I am see and behold my great confusion In the time of reconciliation heare me and in the daie of saluation haue mercie on me Be mercifull vnto me and haue mercie on me which haue none other helpe but thee whose will nothing can resist whensoeuer thou doost purpose to saue Heare me which am a wretch making supplication vnto thee make me to trust in thy name and deliuer me by thy power Haue regard to me from heauen O Lord and looke downe from thine holie habitation from the throne of thy glorie Destroie me not bicause of mine iniquitie but remember the sorowe and paine that I suffer Be not still angrie with me O Lord forget all my sinnes and remember them no longer Let my praier ascend vp vnto thee saie vnto my soule Behold I am come to thee thy helth and thy saluation Amen Another Psalme for the remission of sinnes O GOD eternall iust and holie which keepest couenant and mercie with them that loue thee and keepe thy commandements Looke at me and haue mercie vpon me for I haue trespassed against thee done euil in thy sight Shew foorth vpon me the tender affections of thy mercie that thy seruant may haue an hart to praie vnto thee I humblie make my praier before thy face not trusting in mine owne righteousnesse but in thy great mercies For I am vncleane and filthie and all my righteousnesse is like a foule bloudie clowt Unto thee O Lord be iustice mercie and pitie but vnto me be confusion and shame for mine iniquities Certainlie euen from my beginning I haue vsed my selfe proudlie against thee dooing wickedlie and not ceasing O Lord thou hast redeemed me and yet I haue not ceased to offend thee and mine hart hath not beene straight in thy sight Thou hast taught and instructed me and stablished my power and I haue beene euill affected
are abhominable O teach vs therefore by thy holie spirit to praie rightlie according to thy will and giue eare gratiouslie to our calling O Gratious Lord louing Father according to thy commandement we doo heere present our selues before thy Maiestie humblie prostrating our selues before thy throne of mercie acknowledging and confessing from the bottom of our harts that we be miserable sinners dailie breaking thy commandements both in thought word and deede wherein we iustlie deserue euerlasting damnation and to be vtterlie throwne from thy presence Yet O Lord we see thy goodnesse againe towards vs who not suffering vs thus to perish in our sinnes hast sent thine owne deere Sonne Iesus Christ to take vpon him whatsoeuer is due to reconcile and make vs at one with thee againe In him therefore good Lord and through him doo we come vnto thee beseeching thee for his sake that we feeling the greeuousnesse of our sins and groaning vnder the burthen of them may feele the release and ease of them in that we be through thy holie spirit assured and stedfastlie beleeue that Christ hath borne the burthen of them euen for vs. Grant O Lord that we being assured heereof in our conscience may through thy holie spirit be renewed in the inward man to hate detest and abhorre sinne and to studie to liue acording to thy blessed will during this whole life We doo not onlie praie for our selues O Lord but also for all the whole Church especiallie such as be persecuted for thy word grant vnto them that whither it be by death or life they may glorifie thy name to their liues end Be mercifull to this Church of England and Ireland we beseech thee good Lord and preserue euerie part and member of the same especiallie thy seruant Elizabeth our gratious Queene and Gouernour Grant hir all such gifts as be needfull for so high a calling to the aduancement of thy glorie and the benefit of this Common-wealth to the establishing of a perfect gouernement of thy Church according to the prescriptrule of thy blessed word to the rooting out of all superstition idolatrie and relikes of Antichrist to the gouerning of hir subiects in all peace and tranquillitie Defend hir O Lord from all conspiracies treasons and rebellions and so worke in the harts of all hir subiects that knowing hir authoritie doth come from thy heauenlie Maiestie they may with obedient harts humblie obeie hir in thee and for thee Preserue the whole Counsell the Magistrates of the Realme that being lightened by thy holy spirit they may defend the truth suppresse wickednesse and mainteine equitie Behold all the pastors and preachers of thy word blesse their labours increase the number of them place ouer euerie Church a painefull watchman remoue all idle lubbers and confound the power of Antichrist and turne the harts of the people that they may be obedient to the truth Blesse the two Uniuersities Cambridge and Oxford and all the students of the same with all the Schooles of learning Behold all those that be afflicted with anie kinde of crosse that they may profit by thy correction in newnesse of life Lastlie for our selues heere gathered togither we render most hartie thanks to thy Maiestie O Lord which hast hitherto from our infancie preserued vs by thy mercie from all perils and dangers both of soule and bodie wherevnto fraile man is subiect that thou hast sent vnto vs all things necessarie for this present life as health food apparell and such like which manie of thy deere children doo want being notwithstanding as pretiouslie bought with the pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne as we be and yet lie in miserie and calamitie oppressed with pouertie nakednesse imprisonment and banishment in which case also deere Father thou mightest haue brought vs saue onlie that thou dealest heerein more fauourablie with vs than with them For the which thy louing kindnesse we giue thee hartie thanks desiring thee that as thou hast hitherto thus fauorablie in mercie preserued vs by thy protection and euen presentlie this daie hast brought vs past all the dangers thereof so we beseech thee good Lord in like fauour behold vs this night that we taking our naturall rest and quietnesse may through thy protection be so defended that our bodies resting our soules may be occupied in beholding thy fauour and mercie towards thy children still looking for the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ for our full redemption Grant that our sleepe be not immoderate according to the lusts of the flesh but as much as is sufficient to refresh our weake nature that being thus refreshed both the bodie the mind may be more able to doo their seuerall office and function in that vocation wherein thou hast placed vs. Grant that wee laieng our bodies downe to rest may be thereby put in mind of our long rest of death that as we doo laie downe our bodies in bed so we may be thereby admonished that hereafter they shall be laid down in graue to be consumed to dust earth and ashes from whence they were taken that we hauing this before our eies may be stirred vp in minde warilie to walke in this our pilgrimage not knowing when the time shall be of our departure but alwaies be found readie with our lamps of pure faith clearelie burning that we may be accepted to meet the bride groome when our mortall earthlie and corruptible bodies shall be made like to the glorious bodie of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus there to reigne with him in perpetuall ioie consolation togither with all the elect children of GOD continuallie lauding with all the heauenlie multitude the glorious Maiestie of thee our Lord God and heauenlie Father in our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ In whose name for these thy mercies and whatsoeuer else thou knowest to be needfull for vs and thy whole Church we praie vnto thee as he himselfe hath taught vs saieng Our Father which art in heauen c. The Lord blesse vs and saue vs the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauourable countenance towards vs and grant vs his peace The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the most comfortable felowship of the holie Ghost be with vs preserue and keepe vs this night and euermore Amen VVhen you vncloth yourselfe and make you vnreadie to bedward praie THis our life and weake knit bodie by reason of sinne by little and little shall be dissolued and so shall be restored to the earth from whence it was taken then will be an end of this vanitie which by our foolishnes we haue wrought to our selues O most meeke Father so doo thou vntie and loose me for thou hast knit me togither that I may perceiue my selfe to be loosed and dissolued and so may remember both of whom I was made and also whither I go least I be had vnprepared vnto thy tribunali and iudgement
Sauiour and also the true forgiuer of sinnes Therefore doest thou assure hir that shee is mother to thy Sonne of whome thou art the onlie father And furthermore O my father here is a great loue of thy well dooing that thy holie sonne hath taken on him the bodie of a man hath mingled himselfe with our ashes which thing we may not vnderstand without a most true faith It hath pleased thee to put him so neere vs that he did ioine himselfe to our flesh and I seeing him to be called man am bold to call him brother Now sith my soule may saie of hir selfe that shee is the sister of God ought she not to haue hir selfe assured in him Yes trulie For thou doest declare with great loue that hir creation was onlie of thy good wil which it pleaseth thee alwaies to haue towards hir giuing assurance that before hir first daie or time of being prouided for hir thou thorough loue hast made hir as thou of power alone canst well doo it and also didst put hir within this bodie not for to slacke with sloth but that both of them should haue none other exercise but only to thinke how to doo some seruice vnto thee Then this truth maketh hir to feele that there is in thee true paternitie O what honor what sweetnesse and what glorie hath the soule which doeth alwaies remember that she is thy daughter and that in calling thee father shee doth thy commandement What is there more Is that all No it doth please thee to giue hir another name to call hir thy wife and that she againe doo call thee husband declaring therby how thou hast freelie manifested the mariage of hir By baptisme hast thou made a promise to giue hir thy goods and riches and to take on thee hir sinnes for she hath nothing by heritage but sinne of hir first father Adam All hir treasures that she hath of nature are nothing else but sinnes which thou hast tied vpon the Crosse and paid all hir debts with thy goodes lands Thou hast made hir so rich and with so great a iointure endued hir that she knowing hir selfe to be thy wedded wife doth beleeue to be quit of all that she oweth esteeming verie little that shee hath heere beneath She forsaketh hir old father and all the goods that he giueth hir for hir husbands sake For surelie O my GOD it hurteth my soule to be fed with such good and againe releeued in leauing the pleasures of this world for that which is eternal and where peace is without warre Father alas what ought I to thinke Shall my spirit be so bold as to take vpon him to call thee father yea and also our father for so hast thou taught in the Pater noster But to call me daughter hast thou so said I praie thee tell me Alas yea Lord when with great sweetnes thou saiedst Daughter lend me thy hart and againe thou saiedst Daughter thy faith hath saued thee O my soule instead of lending my Lord is readie to giue himselfe wholie vnto thee receiue him then and do not permit that anie creature put him from thee so that for euer with faithfull stedfastnesse he may loue thee with a daughterlie loue Now my Lord if thou be my father may I thinke that I may be thy mother Indeede I can not well perceiue how I should conceiue thee that createdst me but in this matter thou diddest satisfie my doubt when in preaching and in stretching forth thy hands thou didst saie Those that shall do the will of my father they are my brethren my sister and my mother I beleue then that hearing and reading the words that thou hast taught and vttered by thy holie Prophets and Apostles the same also which through thy true Preachers thou dost dailie declare vnto men in beleeuing it and stedfastlie desiring to fulfill the same I conceiue thee and beare thee by loue Therfore without anie feare I wil take vpon me the name of a mother What Mother of Christ O sweet virgine Marie I beseech thee be not angrie that I take vp such a title I do neither steale nor vsurpe anie thing vpon thy priuiledge for thou onelie aboue all women receiuedst of him so great honour that no man can in himselfe comprehend how he hath beene willing to take in thee our flesh for thou art the mother and perfect virgine before and after and in his holie birth In thy blessed wombe thou didst beare him and nourish him thou didst followe him in his tribulations and also in his teachings Now brieflie to conclude thou hast with God found such grace as the enimie through malice and deceit had caused Adam and his posteritie to lose by Eue and him we haue lost it and by the Sonne hath it been yeelded vnto vs againe Therefore hast thou bene rightfullie called full of grace as one to whome the Lord hath shewed aboundant fauour Sith then that he which is the best among them that be good and also the spring of all goodnesse and power hath created in thee so pure innocencie endued thee with such grace exalted thee to such dignitie that he in thee of all other the example of vertue hath builded his dwelling and temple he through loue did confirme himselfe with thee and thou through grace art confirmed in him therefore no man can giue thee greater praise then God himselfe hath giuen thee for there is no such praise as is the same which commeth from God Thou also hast had so firme and constant a faith that thou by the holie Ghost wast filled with all godlinesse I will not take vpon me therefore to giue to thee greater praise than the honour which thy sonne and soueraigne Lord hath giuen thee And as thou art his corporall mother so art thou thorough faith his spirituall mother and I following thy faith with all humblenesse am his spirituall mother also Alas my God the brotherlinesse that thou hast towards me thorough thy humblenesse in calling me sister is great for thou hast broken the kindred of mine old father calling me daughter by adoption Seeing then that we haue both one father I will not feare to call thee my brother For thou hast so reported it by the wise Salomon in his Canticle saieng My sister and spouse thou hast wounded my hart with the sweete looke of one of thine eies c. Alas my brother I wish for nothing else but that in wounding thee I might finde my selfe wounded with thy loue to that would I giue ouer my selfe And likewise thou doest call mee wife speaking to me these amorous words Arise my deere doue and come hitherward my delectable spouse Wherefore I may saie with louing faith Thou art mine and I am thine bicause thou hast called me thy loue and faire spouse If I be so such hast thou made me Alas doth it please thee to giue me such names Trulie they are able to breake the hart and cause it to burne through
and let not perpetuall food be wanting to our weakenesse wherewith to feed and replenish vs. Let me taste of the pleasant riuers of the holie Ghost that I may be refreshed and that my soule may be cooled with the sweet liquors thereof so that I burne hencefoorth with no iniquitie or lust to sinne Make me to quaffe hartilie the cup of thankes-giuing yea let my bowels be filled with the pleasant wine of thy loue and refresh me continuallie with the most sweet riuers of thy heauenlie consolation Thou art my life whereby I liue the hope that I sticke vnto the glorie that I desire O giue me vnderstanding cheere vp my loue Lift thou vp my soule and drawe the mouth of my spirit which thirsteth after thee vp to the water streames that are aboue Uouchsafe sweet Iesu in the midst of my monings sore complaints and deepe sighs of my hart to take vp my sad and sorowfull mind to the top of the high mountains euen to the beds of sweet spices putting me in a place of pasture by the riuers of sweet waters where thou preparest a table diuerselie furnished for thy friends against they come to refresh mine appalled spirits to cheere vp my heauie hart make it merie Through the which deinties I being at the length well refreshed may forget my manifold miseries and the vanities of this life and rest in thee which art the true peace euerlasting passing all vnderstanding Lord God which art the sanctifier of the Saints I beseech thee consecrate and make me meete for thy dwelling and continue thou euer with me vouchsafe all to besprinkle me with the bloud of thy onlie begotten sonne by which one souereigne thing both in bodie and soule I may be reuiued with a maruellous comfortable ioie O Lord these are thy great benefits wherewith thou wilt releeue the want of thy thirstie children grant I beseech thee that I may drinke on thy cup with a glad mind willing hart pure conscience and clensed spirit and bring to passe by thy mercie that this drinke which I shall now drinke may be to my health and saluation Finallie grant O good God that I may through thy most rich spirit and his eternall deinties enioie the princelie palace of heauen and quaffing verie abundantlie of the well-spring of life which is with thee I may by the excellent benefit of thy glorious passion death resurrection and light behold the brightnesse of perpetuall felicitie and see thee face to face where my mind may be fed and full satiate with the meate and drinke of life without end For like as the hart thirsteth after the water springs so thirsteth my soule after thee O Lord my GOD and King Amen When you are about to receiue the wine or cup praie I Thanke thee deere father that thou didst not spare thine onelie and most deerlie beloued sonne Iesus Christ to shed euen his most pretious bloud vpon the altar of the Crosse for to wash awaie our sinnes In remembrance whereof I now in trembling and dread drinke of this cup humblie beseeching thee O Father that the crucifieng of his blessed bodie and shedding of his pretious bloud may be meritorious to my saluation Amen Or else thus O Blessed and mercifull Father thy loue towards me sinfull creature is so exceeding great and vnspeakable that I can not but giue vnto thee most humble thanks namelie for the shedding of the most pretious blood of thy deere sonne Iesu Christ by the vertue whereof thy wrath stirred vp against me wretched sinner is pacified my ransome is paid the lawe is fulfilled mine enimies are ourcome and put to flight In remembrance of this so noble a victorie and of so great a benefit I am come vnto this thy table O mercifull father to drinke of this cup desiring thee that as my outward man is comforted by the drinking of this wine so likewise my inward man may be comforted and made strong by true faith in the pretious blood of thy most deere sonne O Lord and my heauenlie Father giue me thy holie spirit which may so rule and gouerne my hart that I neuer be vnthankfull nor forgetfull of this thine exceeding kindnesse but to traine my life according to thy blessed will that whatsoeuer I doo speake or thinke may be vnto the glorie of thy blessed name and the health of my soule through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen After you haue receiued the holie Communion giue God thanks and saie I Thanke thee good Lord of thine infinite goodnesse that thou this daie hast fed me with thy blessed bodie bloud in the Sacrament desiring thee meeklie that this Sacrament which I haue receiued may be to me a purgation and clensing of my sins a fortitude spiritual strength against my frailtie a sure defence against worldlie troubles and aduersities a purchasing of grace and pardon a medicine of life and a continuall remembrance of thy blessed passion so that in the waie it may conduct me when I stumble it may vphold me and when I am fallen it may raise me so that by good continuance in thy will to euerlasting glorie it may bring me And so order the tallage and taste of my hart that I neuer seeke other sweetnesse but thee that I neuer seeke other louer but thee nor none other comfort beside thee so that I care for none other delight but thee nor anie other honour but thine And giue mee such perfect loue towards thee wherewith I may come to as great merit in heauen as though I had spent all my life daies in the remembrance of thy blessed passion and gratiouslie deliuer me from all tribulations of bodie and soule captiuitie anguish and perils This grant not onlie vnto me but also vnto all thine elect and chosen Christian people heere and else-where for thy holie name sake Amen Another thanks-giuing after the Communion I Thanke thee O Christ Lambe of God for offering thy selfe vpon the altar of the crosse to thy Father an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet sauour to God for our sinnes to reconcile vs vnto him for certaintie whereof and confirmation of our faith thou hast instituted on our behalfe this holie Sacrament of the supper that as oft as we receiue the same we may celebrate thy memorie and with thankes-giuing remember the merit and fruit of thy passion I beseech thee by thy bitter death stirre vp our minds that by often receiuing this thine ordinance and institution we may consider how bitter a death thou didst suffer on our behalfe and how great the loue was which draue thee to take so cruell and shamefull a death to saue vs and withall continuallie yeeld as we are bound hartie thanks vnto thee for the same and after the like sort answer to our power that vnspeakable good will by our good life and carefull obseruation of thy commandements and may when either through frailtie of our flesh or by anie other fault preuented we sinne runne by and by
vnto thee by repentance and through consideration of this new and eternall couenant touching the remission of sinnes made with vs be erected and vpholden vnto a liuelie and puissant hope O sweet Iesu grant that being fast linked vnto thee by this holy mysterie I may receiue power strength from thee beleeuing thy promises and be wholie addicted therevnto without anie doubting that so my conscience in feare and troubles may haue perfect consolation Suffer me not to be separated from the members of thy bodie which is the Church whereof thou art head fulfilling all in all but graunt that abiding in thy word and kingdome I may be without fault in the foundation and without sinne against my conscience and walke worthie this Sacrament forsaking vtterlie and renouncing the diuell and all idolatrie all vices and carnall desires which fight against the soule For we cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the diuels too Make me also to remember that by this Sacrament I am bound to doo good vnto others For as manie graines of corne doo make one loafe and manie grapes make one wine so being manie yet are we but one loafe and one bodie in asmuch as we all participate of one bread and drinke of one cup. Ioine vs therefore togither O Sauiour of the world at this common banket through the band of loue that we may be fastened vnto thee our head that as thou didst die for vs so we againe may not feare to suffer and to giue our liues for the glorie of thy name that we neuer be separated from thee neither in life nor death Make vs also hartilie to loue one another like the true and liuelie members of thy bodie that if neede require we may giue our liues for our brethren Suffer not concord of minds to be broken For he that receiueth the mysterie of vnitie and keepeth not the bond of peace he doth not receiue the mysterie for himselfe but a testimonie against himselfe Giue grace therefore that leauing aside all wrath fiercenesse maliciousnesse and enuie we may forgiue one another euen as thou forgiuest vs and beare one with another for the better auoiding of strife dissention sectes and pernicious heresies Keepe this thine ordinance and right vse of thy Sacrament amongst vs euermore that this good worke and diuine ceremonie may alwaies be a note and badge of our publike profession whereby we are knowne from pagans and tokens of loue confession and thankefulnesse Remoue awaie all abuses and prophanations of this holie and sacred supper together with the horrible and idolatrous adorations inuented by Sathan and his members to the shamefull deforming of thy godlie goodlie institution but maintaine I humblie beseech thee the true and vnpolluted vse thereof till thy pleasure is to returne in the clouds to iudgement with great power and glorie that it neuer be out of remembrance and last of all at our resurrection from death appoint vs places of thine heauenly table where we may taste the new wine in the kingdome of thy father abiding with thine elect Angels and blessed Saincts for euermore Amen A meditation of the trust which a Christian soule ought to haue in the passion of our Lord Iesu with a thanks-giuing vnto God for the manifold benefits thereof I Might despaire verelie because of my manifold sinnes and negligences without number if it were not that thy word O God was made flesh and dwelt amongst vs. But I can not neither dare I now despaire because that seeing when we were enimies we were reconciled by the death of thy Sonne who being obedient vnto thee to the death yea euen to the shamefull death of the Crosse hath taken awaie the hand-writing of our sinnes and nailing the same to his crosse hath crucified both sinne and death How much more are we now reconciled and saued by him For all the hope certitude and surenesse of all my trust is in his pretious bloud which was shead for vs and for our saluation In him doo I take hartening and by meanes of him who sitteth at the right hand of God and sueth for vs I looke backe with a carelesse eie and now trusting in him in whome I am alreadie risen againe and receiued alreadie mounted vp into heauen and there doo sit among the Angels I haue a desire to come vnto thee not hauing mine owne righteousnesse but that which I haue through the same thy Sonne our Lord Iesu Christ For the which O most mercifull God and most gentle louer of mankind we giue thee thanks who through Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord when we were not didst mightilie make vs and when we were lost through our sinnes most maruellouslie didst deliuer and recouer vs againe To thy goodnesse I saie doo I giue thanks and manifold praises doo I shew foorth to thee with all my hart mind which through the vnspeakable loue wherewith thou hast vouchsafed of thy maruellous goodnesse to loue vs wretches and vnworthie to be beloued didst send the same thine onelie begotten Sonne from thy bosome vnto our Common-weale to saue vs sinners which were at that time the children of perdition and damnation I render vnto thee all possible thanks for his holie incarnation and natiuitie and for the blessed virgin Marie his mother vpon whom he did vouchsafe to take flesh for vs and for our saluation to the intent that like as he is verie God of God so he might be verie man of man I giue thee condigne thanks for his passion and crosse for his death and resurrection for his ascension into heauen and his seate of his Maiestie on thy right hand I giue thee thanks I saie for that most sacred shedding foorth of his pretious bloud wherewith we are redeemed and also for the most holie and quickening sacrifice of his blessed bodie bloud which this daie and dailie in thy Church we feed of and drinke of wherewith also we are washed cleansed and sanctified are made partakers of the onelie high diuinitie Finallie I giue thee thanks for the maruellous and vnspeakable charitie and loue wherewith thou didst loue vs vnwoorthie persons and didst saue vs by thine onelie and beloued sonne For so thou didst loue the world that thou gauest thine onlie begotten sonne to the intent that none which trulie beleeue in him shuld perish but haue euerlasting life And this thing verilie is euerlasting life to knowe thee and also Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent to be verie God by an vpright faith and works woorthie for such a faith Wherefore with all my hart and mouth I doo confesse praise and blesse thee O God the father vnbegotten and thee O God the sonne onlie begotten also thee O holie Ghost and comforter To thee O blessed trinitie be all glorie and praise thanks togither with all power dominion and might in the world of worlds for euer Amen A meditation to be vsed after the receiuing of the holie Communion to stirre vs vp through the