Amen A prayer to be said in affliction O Thou onely wise God and most louing and mercifull father I thy vnworthy seruant doe humbly beseech thee to look down from heauen and beholde the wounded heart of him whome thou hast stricken and visited according to the good pleasure of thy will and because man in his owne nature is nothing but blindnesse and folly before thee and therefore cannot possâ—bly conceiue rightly of the thinges that are aboue it may therefore please thee according to thy wonted mercy towards me to renew and refresh thy spirit in thy seruant that the same instructing my heart in true wisdome and feare of thee whereby I may willingly and obediently studie thy commaundements and exrecise my selfe in thy Statutes I may come to the vnderstanding of mine owne euils and feele the cause of thy scourge that so my wound being laid open to mine eyes I may deferre no time to seeke the salue to heale it My good God heare the voice of thy seruant that crieth vnto thee consider my complaints and weigh mine inward wo conceiued through hate of mine owne infirmities for I flie from my selfe as from an vnwalled castle and I feare all my footings as though I walked on thornes O Lord therefore deale not with me in thy displeasure neither let my sinnes separate thy fauour from me but quicken me in my afflictions and make me waxe wiser by thy punishments giue me such a feeling of my infirmities and so perfect a perseuerance of my great negligences in seruing of thee as that I may wholly dispose my selfe to a contrary order and thereunto so ioyne the encrease of thy grace and strengthning spirit as I may be able thereby to perfourme my race in that good way which thy goodnesse hath mooued me to And that I may not be a vaine beholder of thy workes a momentaneous â—iewer of thy graces but diligently noting the effectuall working of thy wisdome and making due obseruations of thy profitable exercises in thy children I may locke them in the closet of my heart and make store of them for mine owne vses in the time of my triall in which times also O mercifull father be neere vnto me with thy ioyfull countenance and open my eies of faith to behold thy loue so that I be not too much shaken by the enemies assaults but may be furnished from thee both with abilitie constancie and patience to giue him both his daily and finall repulse and ouerthrow which that I may doe to the greater credit of thy Church and increase of thy kingdome make O sweete Lord now and the rather for that I haue had triall of my enemy his sleights already me thy seruant to arise out of all the fathers of sloth and neuer to trust hereafter to the the trecherie of the enemy but to stand warily vpon my guard and neuer to discend from the watch tower of my health but there night and day to vse the counsell of thy spirit and to exercise my selfe in the spirituall weapons of my saluation that when I haue spent my youthfull daies in the vigilant watch of my charge as thy mercy and louing kindnes shall inable me when thy sonne our Generall shall come to take account I may be indued with the daies of rest which he hath purchased for me with the price of his most pretious blood receiue at his hands the priuiledged rod of liberty for euer The loue of our good God that created vs the grace of our Lord Iesus who hath redeemed vs and the assistant fellowship of the Holy Ghost who hath sanctified vs gouerne and continue with vs euen all thy Israel for euer Before we receiue the Lords supper it shall be profitable thus to meditate ALl the righteousnesse that may rise vnto man or can be in vs we haue it neither from the East nor from the West but from the body of Christ neither is therein the world any other sanctification so that all we that be here this day and all people els of the world except we know perfect manhood and our owne nature to be really vnited to the person of the sonne of God who hath sanctified himse fe for vs there is no sanctification for vs vnder heaueÌ„ Euen as our hands and armes and other members are not nourished but onely by the meat receiued by the head so our spirituall meate of righteousnesse and life is not giuen vs but from our head Iesus Christ And as the veines are meanes by which nourishment is conueighed to euery part so faith is the meanes by which we reteine from Christ all that is healthfull vnto vs. And as by ioynts and sinewes our members are really knit and made a body vnto the head so really truly and indeede by one spirit we be knit vnto Christ as perfectly and substantially made one with him as our members are one with our head A praier before the receiuing of the Lords supper O Almighty God and my most mercifull father in wonderfull mercy I acknowledge it hath pleased thee to purge me vnworthy wretch by the bloody passion of thy sonne from all my sinnes to haue adopted me thy child and gâ—uen me the earnest of my saluation touching my heart with an infallible feeling of thy mercies and setled confidence in thy promises in the ioyfull commemoration of which thy vnspeakeable blessings my soule is now thirstingly entred into thine house to take the wholesome cup of saluation and to call vpon thy holy name giue me now therefore O Lord a wise and vnderstanding heart that I may coÌ„ceiue rightly of thy sacred mysteries discerne them secretly receiue them effectually to the perfect consummation and finishing of that happy building which thy worthy goodnes haâ—h begun in me yea vntill I become to the measure of the age and fulnesse of my Loâ—d and Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whom with thee O father and the Holy Ghost be all power and doâ—inion for euer Amen of my health in this life O sweete Lord I take no care so that thy good pleasure be therein fulfilled for if thou wilt I liue and recouer of this my bodely infirmitie I haue iust cause to be thankefull vnto thee therefore and if thy wisdome hath now determined to finish in me these daies of sinne I haue double cause to poure forth the teares of a melting heart for ioy not because I would leaue these daies of paine and sorrow which my sinne ten thousand times double deserueth but that I would cease to displease so deare a Lord and louing a father and that being transported into that heauenly life of thy immortall children I may praise and serue thee in that sweet societie of Angels where the burthen of this flesh shall find no place to encumber me for euer Thither therefore O Father if thy wisdome haue so determined speedily conduct me in the meane time make that this my bodily affliction may conduce to thy glory on earth and my saluation in
euerlasting light of thy fauourable countenance and teach me thy statutes mine eyes gush out with teares when I do heare thy enemies how contemptuously they speake and intend to subuert thy law that endureth for euer 18. A prayer to beare the crosse of affliction and reproch patiently GOod God thou art altogether iust and righteous and all thy ordinances are truth and equitie grant that I may obserue thy lawes dilligently as a most iust and perfect rule of thy truth and sincere religion for thy wordes and sweete promises O Lord are so ioyful vnto me that the â—oue therof doth consume me because the vngodly doe despise thy precepts yet shall thy truth for euermore endure and flourish in puritie wherefore extend the same vnto me and quicken thy seruant therein for euer that I may imbrace it with vnderstanding and though the wicked therefore haue me in no estimation but account me an abiect yet will I not thereby be exempted from the studie of thy commaundements nor neglect my so necessary a calling for thy righteousnesse O God is an euerlasting righteousnesse though other ordinances and lawes which mans wisedome hath set downe are subiect to innumerable changes and at length come to an end and the zeale of thy word induceth such comfort vnto my soule that in afflictions when troubles and anguish oppresse me I am busily occupied in repeating the same in my songs oh how excellent is thy sweetnesse vnto them that are in miserie yea thou hast prepared a blessed and an euerlasting fountaine in heauen for them that loue thee Graunt me vnderstanding therefore especially in thy truth that I may liue with thee for euermore 19. A prayer for helpe in aduersitie GIue eare o Lord I beséech thee vnto the crie and lamentable voyce of my sorrowfull heart for I haue called vpon thee with my whole heart day and night graunt that I may dilligently obserue thy statutes and in all my dangers vouchsafe to send mee thy aide and assistance whereby I may continually be stirred vp to meditate on thy testimonies let my praiers preuent the early light of the morning and in the night-watches O Lord quicken my minde with the commemoration of thy goodnes and hearken vnto my earnest petitions acording to thy louing kindenes extended vnto thy children and as thou hast promised restore me to the inioying of thy fauour that am without life thou seest how neere they assault me which are continually giuen to iniquitie and earnestly bent to destroy thy testimonies praising thee with their lippes but in hart are farre from thee But my trust is onely in thee O Lord that thou wilt cleaue vnto thy seruant and increase my zeale more and more Teach mee I beseech thee most mercifull God the assured way of thy commaundements for I know certainely that by the obseruation of thy testimonies I shal neuer be in error neither yeâ— frustrate of my hope which I haue in thy mercy For thou hast established the same for euer and euer Heare me O Lord God I most humbly beseech thee and assist me euermore with thy grace and holy spirit that I may rest with thee eternally 20. A prayer for to be strengthned being weake GOod Lord I most humbly beséech thée regard me that am sore oppressed and in thy good time deliuer me which doe not forget the doctrine that thou hast taught me I appeale for mercie vnto thy soueraigne bountie pleade thou my cause therefore and be my Iudge and in thy good time preserue and defend me For saluation is farre from the vngodly because they neither feare thee nor obserue thy statutes I expect thy mercies O Lord and not mine owne righteousnesse to helpe me Quicken me therefore according to thy iudgements and although they that vniustly persecute me are many in number and mighty yet do I incline my heart to the obseruation of thy testimonies and euermore delight in thy precepts yea I haue had such a loue to thy law that I neuer conceiued more griefe of any thing then when I did euidently perceiue these men to despise thy words and neglect thy law but let thy mercie take hold on me that haue had my felicitie in thy commaundements and accounted them most deare vnto me increase my zeale O Lord and saue me that I perish not vouchsafe to assist me with thy perpetuall graces that I may walke vprightly before thy presence seruing thee continually with feare and reuerence and esteeming the wordes of thy mouth to be the ordinary meane to bring me vnto saluation for they are infallible and thou hast ordained them to stand for euer therefore are they the eternal and vnchaungeable rule of thy iustice world without end 21. A ioyfull reckoning vp what spirituall comfort and how precious we enioy by Gods word GRatious God the threatenings and iniurious persecutions of the mightie ones of this world could not make me once to deny thee for my heart stood more in awe of thy most sacred worde then of their indignation continue still thy assistance therefore towards me thy poore seruant that by the vertue of thy holy spirit working in my heart I may enioy and take more delight and comfort in thy sacred worde which quickneth me in all troubles then in all the kingdomes and vaine treasures in this world and that I may willingly reiect abhorre all manner of deceit and wickednesse euer imbracing thy most comfortable testimonies for when I doe narrowly see into thy iudgements sacred mysteries how excellent they are I am often and sundrie times enforced to land and praise thy holy name the loue of thy heauenly lawe bringeth into great prosperitie all such as retaine the same for they doe zealously search out the secrets thereof and are in their consciences assured that they please thee therefore graunt O Lord that I may faithfully beleeue in thee and still depend vppon thy saluation giue me euer patience in my troubles and let me still obserue and keepe thy testimonies and haue a continuall loue thereunto graunt that I may haue no respect vnto men but to set thee alwaies before my eies as the iust Iudge of all my doings Amen A prayer to be kept vnder the protection of the most highest GIue eare I most humbly beseech thee O God vnto the complaints of me poore sinner and graunte mée the true vnderstanding of thy diuine precepts oh let my supplications come before thee and saue me O Lord that put my whole trust and confidence in thée according to thy promise that I may ioyfully yéeld vnto thee vncessant praises and obserue thy statutes wherein thou hast instructted me with diligence for euâ—r Let nothing cause me to quaile O God but that the words of my tongue may set forth thy vpright iuddements and glory for thou art my louing God on whome I euermore depend and my comfort consisteth in thy precepts erect thy hand to helpe me poore sinner for I haue not neglected thy statutes let my whole
life depend vpon thee for euer and let me seeke comfort at thine onely doctrine let my life be prolonged and couered vnder the shadow of thy wings that I being deliuered by thee may render continual thankes vnto thee and zealously imbrace thy testimonies ah alas how haue I gone astray and wandred too and fro like a lost sheepe from his shepheard being readie to fall into all daungers and to be deuoured of the enemie but of thy mercie O Lord thou hast called me home vnto thy sheepefold and restored me againe to the knowledge of thy heauenly doctrine wherefore O God so guide me with thy grace and instruct me with thy holy spirit that I may continue therein for euer A prayer that we may only delight in Gods lawes WIth thy grace and holy spirit assist me O God that I walke not in the steppes of the vngodly neither followe after their wicked and licentious counsell Let me not stand in the waies of impudent sinners neither yet sit or kéepe company with such as deride thee and blaspheme thy holy name but graunt O God that my whole delight may be fixed in the keeping of thy sacred lawes and that my mind may meditate therein night and day Make me O God as a fruitfull tree planted by the water side that being alwaies refreshed with thy grace I may bring forth the fruits of repentance and daily proceed in newnesse of life to thy honour and glory so that what businesse or affaires soeuer I take in hand it may prosper but scatter thou the vngodly like chaffe before the wind and let them tremble at thy righteous iudgements that they stand not in the assembly of the iust for thou like a mercifull God wilt allow and maintaine the life of thy children but the euill life of the wicked shall vtterly perish in thy presence yea and in the end they shall go to destruction therfore will I trust in thee for euermore A praier for boldnes and courage in standing to the truth FAile me not most mercifull God for there are many that rise vp against me vexing my soule continually yea they assault me with diuers temptations saying there is no helpe nor victorie for him in his God but yet in thy good time thou wilt send nourishment and succour vnto thy seruant and defend me on euery side from them that cruelly seeke my destruction yea thou art my glory and thou in mercy wilt lift mee vp when I am fallen therefore will I still call vpon thée o Lord for I know thou wilt heare me out of thy eternall tabernacle and seeing thou art my good God I will lay me downe and rest in peace and arise again because thou defendest me the remembrance of thy promises and trial thereof haue so increased my loue and faith to thée that though many thousands pretend my vtter ouerthrow yet will I not be affraid for thou art the God of my force come forth therefore O Lord and helpe me and in thy good time beate downe my enemies and strike them vpon the iawes that seeke to do me euill break thou the teeth of the vngodly and confound all such as daily go about to slaunder me without a cause it is in thee O Lord to free me from distresse and to deliuer me from the snares of my oppressours for thy blessing is vpon thy people and thou wilt relieue them in their necessitie wherefore extend thy mercie towards me and defend me both now and euer that I may yéeld continuall praise for euer A praier to be deliuered from Gods wrath ASsist me O Lord with thy grace and holy spirit and rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy displeasure but haue mercie vpon me that am vtterly destitute of strength and reliefe heale me O God for my soule is grieuously vexed because of my sinne and sore shaken through mine iniquities my heart sigheth being now touched with the feare of thy iudgements wherefore incline thee to helpe me and saue me for thy mercies sake for they that are in the graue cannot praise thee O Lord in mourning I faint and in remorse my sorrow increaseth I weare away because of the lewdnes of my aduersaries and am sore vexed by reason of the miseries wherewith I poore sinner am oppressed but away from me yee wicked for the Lord hath heard my voice and wofull crye yea the Lord hath heard my praier and humble sute and he in his great mercie will confound my enemies and send me reliefe in my greatest necessitie and will put to flight all such as worke my decay or séeke to doe me euill Increase thy loue in me O Lord that I may render due thankes vnto thée for thy continuall assistance and praise thy name because of thy louing kindenesse shewed vnto me in depending wholly vpon thy merites for euer and euer A prayer not to be ouercome of the wicked REgard I most heartily beseech thée O God the humble petitions and praiers of thy seruant for vnto thee alone do I lift vp my hart and soule beséeching thee to extend thy mercy and pitie towards me that haue euermore put my trust confidence in thee let not mine enemies reioice ouer me neither suffer me thy seruant to be put to confusion because my hope resteth onely on thy saluation but euermore retaine me in the faith of thy promises that I swerne not on any side guide my steps in thy truth and instruct me in the rule of thy will for thou art the God from whom I expect and looke for my deliuerance be mindefull of thy mercies which thou hast often shewed vnto thy seruants and of thy manifold benefits which thou from time to time hast declared vnto all ages Remember not the lewdnesse of my youth but in thy mercies think vpon thy seruant instruct me in thy laws and teach me to be humble be merciful to mine iniquities for they are great and by the direction of thy holy spirit conduct me in the right way that my soule may dwell at ease and inherite the land which thou hast prepared for them that serue thee reueale vnto me O God the secrets of thy holy word that I may be endued with vnderstanding turne thy face vnto me and extend thy mercie towards me looke vpon my afflictions and release me of my sinnes and deliuer Israel out of all his troubles A praier for reliefe in sicknes and anguish of spirit HEarken vnto my humble suit O Lord in thy mercy giue eare vnto my praiers I doe not here plead for my selfe neither do I refuse to be reprooued of thee but beseeching thee not to rebuke and chastise me in the heat of thy wrath for thy hand and heauie yoake oppresseth me and the sense of thine ire worthily kidnled against me endureth so grieuous vpon me that my whole bodie consumeth for the aboundance of my wicked offences yea my wounded conscience is ready to putrifie through sin and I dare not but
to thy vse and increase of thy congregation And as hereby I feele thy heauie iudgements vpon me for sinne in feeling those grieuous paines and am put in minde of the old disobedience of our parents Adam and Eue the very cause of these punishments lighting iustly vpon me being a braunch of that poysoned stocke So O deare father let me feele againe thy merâ—y who through thy beloued Sonne hast wrought my deliverance from the punishment of that disobedience to wit from sinne death and damnation so that now my transgressions are remooued from me the damnable sinne of my filthie concupiscence by nature is turned into a sanctified blessing and we both made heires of euerlasting glorie helpe me therefore O God of comfort and giue me safe deliuerance that I may dedicate that which thou hast giuen me wholly to thy seruice I know Lord that as many as thou hast takâ—n to thy selfe to them thou hast giuen this honour that they be made thy children and beleeuers of thy name which are not begotten of blood nor of the lust of the flesh nor of the desire of man but of thy selfe whom thou fashionest according to thy will Thou therefore which hast promised not onely to be my God but the God of my seede seale this assurance of thy election in this feuit of my wombe to the glory of thy name mine owne comfort and the benefite of thy church Grant these things O father for Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glorie Amen A prayer made for the Church and all the estates thereof I. F. LOrd Iesus Christ sonne of the lâ—uing God who was crucified for our sins and did rise againe for our iustification and ascending vp to heauen raignest now at the right hand of thy father with full power and authority ruling and disposing all things according to their owne gratious and glorious purpose we sinfull creatures and yet seruants and members of thy church doe prostrate our selues and our prayers before thy imperiall maiestie hauing no other patron nor aduocate to speed our sutes or to resort vnto but thee alone beseeching thy goodnesse to be good to thy poore church militant here in this wretched earth sometimes a rich church a large church an vniuersall church spread farre and wide through the whole compasse of the earth now driuen into a narrow corner of the world and hath much need of thy gratious helpe First the Turke with his sword what lande nations and countries what empâ—â—es kingdomes and prouinces with cities innumerable hath be woon not from vs but from thee where thy name was woont to be inuocated the word preached thy sacraments administred there now raigneth barbarous Mahomet with his filthie Alcoran The flourishing churches in Asia the learned churches of Grecia the manifold churches in Africa which were woont to serue thee now are gone from thee The seauen churches of Asia with their candlestickes whom thou diddest so well forewarne are now remooued All the churches where thy diligent Apostle Saint Paule thy Apostle Peter and Iohn and other Apostles so laboriously trauelled preaching and writing to plant thy Gospell are now gone from the gospell In the kingdome of Oyria Palestina Arabia Persia in all Armenia and the Empire of Capadocia through the whole compasse of Asia with Egypt and Africa also vnlesse amongst the far Ethiopians some old steps of Christianitie peraduenture yet doe remaine either else all Asia and Africa thy church hath not one foot of free land but all is turned either to infidelitie or to captiuitie whatsoeuer pertaineth to thee And if Asia and Africa only decaied the decay were great but yet the defection were not so vniuersall Now in Europe a great part also is shrunke from thy Church All Thâ—acia with the Empire of Constantinople al Grecia Epirus Illyricum and now of late al the kingdomes almost of Hungaria with much of Austria with lamentable slaughter of Christian blood is wasted and all become Turkes Only a little angle of the West paâ—tes yet remaineth in some profession of thy name But there alacke commeth another mischiefe as great or greater than the other For the Turke with his sword is not so cruell but the Bishop of Rome on the other side is more fiecce bitter against vs stâ—râ—iâ—g vp his Bishops to burne vs his confederates to conspireour destruction setting kings against their subiects and subiects disloyally to rebell against their Princes and all for thy name Such dissention and host lity Sathan hath set amongst vs that Turkes be not more enemies to Christians than Christians to Christians Papists to protestants yea protestants wâ—th protestants doe not agree but fall out for trifles So that the poore little flocke of thy church distressed on euery side hath neither rest without nor peace within no place almost in the world where to abide but many crie now from the earth euen as thine owne reuerence cried once from the crosse My God why hast thou forsaken me Amongst vs Englishmen here in England after so great storms of persecution and cruell murther of so many Martyrs it hath pleased thy grace to giue vs these Ascion daies which yet we enioy and beseech thy mercifull goodnesse stâ—il they may continue But here also alacke what should we say So many enemies we haue that enuie at this rest and tranquilitie and doe what they can to disturbe it They which be friends and louers of the bishop of Rome although they eate the fat of the land and haue the best preferments and offices and liue most at ease and alle nothing yet are they not therewith content They grudge they mutter and murmure they conspire and take on against vs. It fretteth them that we liue by them or with them and cannot abide that we should draw the bare breathing of the aire when they haue all the most libertie of the land And albeit thy singular goodnesse hath giuen them a King so calme so patient so mercifull more like a naturall father than a Prince to gouerne ouer them such as neither they nor their ancestors euer read of in the stories of this land before yet all this will not calme them their vnquiet spirit is not yet content they repine and rebell and needes would haue with the frogs of Esope a Cicema an Italian stranger the Bishop of Rome to play Rex ouer them and care not if all the world were set on fire so they with their Italian Lord might raigne alone So fond are we Englishmen of strange forraine things so vnaturall to our selues so greedie of newfangled nouelties neuer contented with any state long to continue be it neuer so good and furthermore so cruell one to another that we thinke our life vnquiet vnlesse it be seasoned with the blood of other For that is their hope that is their golden day their day of Iubiley which they thirst for so much not to haue the Lord to come in the clouds but to haue our bloud and to spill our liues That that is it which they would haue and long since would haue had their wils vpon vs had not thy gratious pittie and mercie raised vp to vs this our mercifull King thy seruant Iames somewhat to stay their furie For whom as me most condignly giue thee most heartie thankes so likewise we beseech thy heauenly Maiestie that as thou hast giuen him vnto vs and hast from many daungers preserued him to the comfort of thy seruants so now in his royall estate he may continually be preserued not onely from their hands but from all malignant deuises wrought attempted or conceiued of the enemies both ghostly and bodily against him In this his gouernment be his gouernour we beseech thee So shall his Maiestie well gouerne vs if first he be gouerned by thee Multiplie his raigne with many daies and his yeares with much felicitie with aboundance of peace and life ghostly that he with his Braunthes may flourish in this land vntill the consummation of the world And because no gouernment can long stand without good counsell neither can any counsell be good except it be prospered by thee blesse therefore we beseech thee both his maiestie and his honourable counsell that both they rightly may vnderstand what is to be done and he accordingly may accomplish that they doe counsell to thy glory and furtherance of thy Gospell and publicke wealth of this realme In generall giue to all the people and the whole state of this Realme such brotherly vnitie in knowledge of thy truth and such obedience to their superiours as they neither prouoke the scourge of God against them nor the Princessword to be drawne against his will out of the scabard of long sufferance where it hath beene long hid especially giue thy gospell long continuance amongst vs. And if our sinnes haue deserued the contrarie graunt we beseech thee with an earnest repentance of that which is past to ioine a heartie purpose of amendment to come FINIS LONDON Printed by Ed. All for Ed. White 1610.