to loue thee aboue all things so thou wouldest that we loue our neighbours also not in word and toong but in deede and veritie Let this thy will good Father bee fulfilled in vs. And we heartilie praie thée that as in prosperitie we can bee well contented with thy wil so also whensoeuer it shall please thée either for the punishment of our sinnes either for the tryall and exercise of our fayth or for anie other cause as shal séem best to thy fatherlie wisdom to afflict vs with diseases with languishing sicknesses with iniuries and reproches with persecutions or any other crosse whatsoeuer we may patientlie and willinglie euen from our heart saie Thy will bee doone For if we bee not vnder chastisement whereof all thy children are partakers in this life then might we déeme our selues bastards and not sonnes And séeing thy onelie sonne our Sauiour in whose mouth there was no guile for vs miserable and sinfull men vouchedsafe to stand as a méeke lambe dumbe before the fleecer and opened not his mouth but bearing the chastisement of our peace in the moste bitter agonie of death when hee sweat water and bloud most mildelie submitted himselfe to thy holie will wee heartilie praie thee for the same our Christs sake that we may bee appliable to thy will in all thinges after the example of thy deer sonne and maie without murmuring or grudging vnfeinedlie say Thy will be done Jn earth as it is in heauen THe celestiall creatures O God are prest and readie to obaie thy diuine will and whatsoeuer thou commandest them they doo it speedilie Among which are thy angels who alwaies stood stedfast in thy truth since the first beginning and doe still stande in thy presence to serue thee as ministring spirits to defend and gard thine elect These angels doo reioise in heauen for the fulfilling of thy will in the conuersion and repentaunce of sinners yea so prompt is their seruice and so willing is their obedience that nothing is more pleasant vnto them then when thy will O God is performed and executed The blessed saints also departed this life in soule and spirit haue the fulnesse of ioy in thy presence and the pleasures also which are at thy right hand for euermore This thy wil hath brought to passe And therfore being frée from the cares and labours of this life they doo still execute thy holie will falling before thee which sittest in the heauenlie throne and worshipping thee which liuest for euermore and sayeng Thou art worthie O Lorde to receyue glorie and honoure and power for thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and haue beene created As the angels and saints doo thus rest on thy will O God alone euen so other celestiall bodies also doo obeie the same The perpetuall motion and true course of the heauens the sunne the moone and the stars do continuallie kéepe their prescribed order whereunto thou hast appoynted them The temperate and flourishing springtide the hot and dry summer the fruit full haruest and the chilling cold winter haue their times and returnes from yeare to yeare according vnto thy diuine will In the execution whereof they haue thus continued more than fiue thousand and sixe hundred yeares and yet in that same remaineth and endureth still stable and firme Make in like manner O Heauenlie Father wee beséech thee our stubborne disobedient and rebellious wils pliant tractable and obedyent to thy most holie will O that this flesh putting off the olde Adam which is made of earth might submitte it selfe so willinglie vnto thy will as that inwarde manne dooth which is regenerate and illuminated by thy holie spirite and therefore with groanes and sighes desyreth to doo thy will O that it might please thee to breake in sunder for euer the bandes of sinne wherewith our spirit is tied that beeing frée wee might serue thee continuallie as thou wilt O Father wee heartilie praie thee and for Christs sake humblie beséech thee disburthen vs of this earth wherewith we are ouerwhelmed and make vs heauenlie that thy name maie bee sanctified in earth as it is in heauen that wee may desire thy kingdome to come in earth as it is in heauen that wee may will thy will to bee done in earth as it is in heauen that nowe here in earth wee may begin to bee such as one day through thy grace and mercy we shall bee in heauen Where wee shall for euer praise thee and our lord Iesus Christ to whome with the holie Ghost bee all honour and glory world with out end Amen 4 Giue vs this day our daily bread A prayer for all needfull thinges both for the soule and bodie WE are O Father in our selues miserable and néedie beggers but thou art rich in mercie to all that call vppon thee Out of thy heauenlie treasure therefore wee beseech thee plentifullie powre downe thy giftes vppon vs and especiallie giue vs that breade that heauenlie Manna the spirituall foode of our soules thy omnipotent word Iesus Christ by whose word and blessed spirit we are fedde comforted and euermore preserued to come vnto eternall life For thou hast so loued the worlde that thou hast giuen thy onelie begotten sonne that euerie one which beléeueth in him should haue euerlasting life This foode thou dooest giue of thy meere grace make vs by faith to take and digest it And to the end we may be the more able to go forwarde in that state of life where vnto thou hast called vs helpe O God our infirmities and sustaine our earthlie bodies with that corporall food which from sunne to sunne wee can not spare We depende O Lorde vpon thy fatherlie prouidence which openest thy handes and replenishest euerie liuing thing Thou féedest the yoong Rauens that call vpon thee Thou dooest minister food to the hungrie lions when they roare after their prey and thou doost cloth and apparell the lillies and grasse of the field Therfore we humblie beséech thee let thine eie attend vpon vs to féede cherrish and preserue vs in such wise that wee may bee more apt to glorifie thy holy name Break this bread O Father to thy sonnes and giue it vnto them at such time and in such measure as is most méet and conuenient for them so shall it be most swéete and sauorie and wholsom for the children Thou onelie canst giue it thou onelie knowest howe to giue it thou onely art woont to giue it and wilt giue it still vnto thy children in the best measure If thou giue it not wee cannot haue it For who is he among the sons of men that can make the smallest graine of wheat or other seed to growe or the least hearbe to spring without thee It is thou O Lord that doost make the grasse to grow for cattell and herbe for the vse of men It is thou that giuest bread wine to strengthen and make glad the heart of man and Oyle also to make him haue a
serpents head that thou alone in vs mightest haue the preheminence and that we might bee made partakers of the blessed inheritance of thy heauenlie kingdome Of this kingdome thou haste long since spoken by the mouthes of thy holie Prophets As that thou hast set thy king vppon Sion thy holie Mountaine and that thy throne O God is for euer and euer and the Scepter of thy kingdome a Scepter of righteousnesse To this kingdome of thy welbeloued son thou hast translated vs from the kingdome of darkenesse setting vs frée from the penaltie of sin and deliuering vs into the glorious libertie of thy sonnes Who then shall be able to laie anie thing to our charge It is thou O god which doost iustifie who shall then condemne It is Christ thy sonne and our king and Sauiour that died for vs nay rather which is risen againe and sitteth at thy right hande making intercession continuallie to thee for vs to bring vs vnto that heauenlie kingdome By this kingdome thou hast giuen vs euen in this life peace of conscience righteousnesse and reioicing in the holie ghost Encrease this ioy in vs O Lorde that our whole delight may bee to serue thée in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our life Keepe vs O Lord from the poyson of false doctrine idolatrie superstition and incredulitie by which sathan vpholdeth his tyrannicall kingdome Mortifie and subdue in vs all carnall desires and lusts by thy holie spirite and by the same abandon out of our mindes vncleane thoughts breake the snares of sinne that the whole kingdome of the deuill may be destroied in vs. Renue thy kingdome in vs O heauenly Father we humblie beséech thee by giuing vnto vs the true knowledge of thée and thereby a liuelie faith in thy sonne Christ and regenerate vs by his holie spirit and word that by the obedience of faith wee maie wholelie be subiect vnto thée alone Make vs O Lorde to despise the glorie pompe and plesures of this worldly kingdome which sathan promiseth to the worshippers of him that we may still desire from our hearts euen as the Hart desireth the water Brookes the fruition of thy heauenlie kingdome The glorie and pleasures whereof are eternall and most delectable But the pleasures of this life momentanie and vaine and yet mixed with manifolde myseries Heere wee are vexed with tyrannies of beastes and of men The earth the water and fire as wearie of vs continuallie warreth agaynst vs. Those good creatures which thou hast giuen vs manie times through our sinnes are hurtfull and noysome vnto vs yea we are disquieted with our own bodies and with our own affections As menne therefore wearie of this wretched worldlie kingdome and desiring to be dissolued from the burthen of the flesh we heartilie praie thee that thy celestiall kingdome may come for our deliuerance where there is no hunger no nakednes no labour no infirmiite no sickenesse no infamie no hatred no enimie no dissimulation no warre no sorrow no moorning no feare no death All thinges are there ioyfull and full of blisse saluation and peace are euerie where and whatsoeuer happines may be wished for in such wise as neither the eie hath séene nor the eare hath heard nor at anie time hath entred into the heart of man Let this thy kingdome come O heauenly father we humblie pray thée For all the afflictions of this life are not so grieuous vnto vs as the ioy of this kingdome delights vs. Therefore with sighes and groues wee desire that this thy kingdom may come vppon vs as the reward of our conflict as the garlande and crowne of our course as the happie hauen of rest after our tossing on the surging Seas of this world which thou shalt giue vs for the merits of thy déere sonne Iesus Christ to whom with thée and the holie Ghost be all honor praise and glory world with out end Amen 3 Thy will be doone OUr knowledge our vnderstanding and our wil by naturall corruption O Lord is blind dul and rebellious against thy holie will insomuch that the naturall man vnderstandeth not heauenlie thinges nor desireth the participation of thy euerlasting kingdome but is an enimie vnto the same Therefore thy sentence remaineth true at what time thou saiedst Man is but flesh and all the imaginations of mans heart are euill For this cause we pray as thy beloued sonne hath taught vs héere that not ours but Thy will be doone Thy will is iust holie good and full of sauing health euen as thou art the bottomlesse well of all goodnesse and righteousnesse it selfe And as thou art our louing and most mercifull Father so there is no cause whie we shoulde doubt of thy good will which surmounteth the louing kindnesse of all earthlie fathers Thy will O god is omnipotent and euerlasting without shadowe of change thou wilt doo whatsoeuer séemeth good vnto thee and thy will shall stande for euer and euer and the thoughts of thy hart throughout alages Giue vs grace louing Father wee beseech thée that as we are ignorant of this thy secret will so we may alwayes humblie like obedient children submit our selues vnto the same to bee ordered thereby as shall séeme best to thy diuine wisedome But at this time O Lord especiallie wee pray for the execution of thy reuealed will which thy onely begotten son our sauiour hath manifested vnto vs in his most holy gospell and which at this day is reuealed vnto vs by the preaching of the same that wee might bee saued through Iesus Christ in whom thou hast chosen vs from euerlasting that wee might bee heires of his kingdome For this is thy wil saith our sauior christ that euerie one which beléeueth in the son should haue eternall life Giue vs fayth therefore O heauenlie Father wee beseech theee that this thy will may bee perfected and accomplished in vs that wee may tend vnto that end whereunto thou hast appointed vs That wee may beléeue in thee feare thee and loue thee for thy so great and fatherlie mercyes in Iesus Christ our Sauiour powred vpon vs. Let this thy most holie and holsome will be fulfilled in vs that being iustified through the merits of thy beloued sonne and thorough faith in him we may bee ioyned with thée Furthermore thy will is O god that they which are redéemed by thy sonne and doo stedfastlie beleeue in him should shew themselues obedient thankefull and readie to walke in his commaundements and that wee beeing wholie consecrated vnto him shoulde giue our selues to innocencie and puritie should not anie more defile our bodies with the filthines of sins which hee hath made the temples of the holie ghost For this is thy will O God euen our holinesse that wee should abstaine from fornication that euery one of vs should kéepe our vessell in sanctification and honour and not to walke in the lust of concupiscence as do the heathen which know not thee And as thou O father wouldest haue vs
O Merciful and most louing Father which hast no desire in the death of a sinner but rather that hee conuert and liue I acknowledge vnto thy highnesse all mine offences by mee committed which I cannot hide I consider the vile state wherto through sinne I am brought for thereby I haue worthilie lost thy fauour and am fallen from thy grace which while thou withdrawest from me I can doo no good thing nor thinke one good thought My sinne causeth thee to put mee out of thy remembrance and to forget me delaying to giue me that which is my strength and comfort But howe long wilt thou forget mee Lorde for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from mee Howe long will thou withdraw thy grace from me Thou knowest my hartie contrition and sorrow for that I haue vnkindly forsaken thee and thy seruice and serued thine enimies the deuill and sin But trusting surelie in thy promises made to all men by the mouth of thy prophet Ezechiell that is if the sinner will turne away from all his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all thy commandements doubtlesse he shall liue and not die as for all his sinnes he did before thou wilt not thinke vpon them I most humblie beséech thee that as my sinnes were the cause why thou diddest put me out of thy remembrance euen so let my heartie penitence for them cause thee to put my sinnes out of thy remembrance Suffer me not long to remaine in this perpletitie of minde and to take sorrow in my heart from daie to daie continuallie fearing the punishment due to my sinne and looking still for thy comming into my soule by grace to deliuer me Hope hath caused me long to looke for thee that art my life and my helth Thy long delaie in comming hath much increased my desire My feruent desire at length is now turned to a vehement pain wherfore make hast lord to help my sick soul Let not mine enimie the deuill long triumph ouer mee whose propertie is to treade vnder his feete like a cruell prince all those that hee vanquisheth And that treading is dangerous and terrible for hee treadeth them downe to the pit of hell and to eternall death He did long holde in captiuitie all mankind vntill the comming and passion of Christ for our redemption And since through his craftie traines hath brought to vtter confusion manie of those that professe thy true religion Wherefore behold Lord and consider my miserable estate and heare my humble petition touching my deliuerance out of his danger Lighten the eie of my hart and vnderstanding with the light of thy grace and comfort thereby expelling the darkenes of ignorance Lighten also one other eie of my soule which is the light or eie of the affection The sight of this eie is so dim that it hath no perfect true iudgement yea it is blinded with the vanities of this world that one thing in appearance séemeth to be twentie things like the sight of deceytfull eies of glasse yea sometime the concupiscence therof is so great that the eie is cleane put out and the sight lost Mankind entreth into such league of a mitie with the diuell that hee is contented to haue one of his eies put out to win his fauour as the inhabitantes of Iabes were agreed to haue their right eies put out according to the desire of Nahas king of the Ammorites had not king Saule and the Prophet Samuell saued them there from and ouercome the said Nahas and his hoast Euen so moste mercifull Father I beséech thée saue my said eie of affection that it be not put out by our enimie the Deuill that it sléepe not in sinne which is the cause of eternall death Manne maie fall by frailetie and arise againe yea the custom of sinne maketh a man often to fall But to lie still sléeping and slumbring in sinne as dooth the swine in foule mire ingendreth obstinacie in amendment and delaie of penitence till the latter houre at which houre who can bee sure to haue thy grace at his pleasure that is onlie at thy will Lorde not at our commandement Wherefore I most humblie praie thee to send me the light of thy grace while I haue heere time and space of repentance that at my latter end mine enimies saie not reioicing and boasting that they had the vpper hand ouer me As the Philistines the figure of the wicked spirites after the death of king Saul in the mount of Gelboe cut off the head of Saul and sent it with his harnesse through their country for a shew they bare it also into the temple of their gods of a pride and ioy that they had of his death in such fashion will those cruell enimies that trouble mee reioice if I be cast downe or if I doo once swarue from thee and thy faith and so die without repentance They assault mankind by pleasant suggestion to sinne they wrastle with vs causing delectation therein They strike vs and wound vs when wee consent thereto They foile vs and bring vs vppon our knees when wee doo at anie time commit or go about the filthie action of sinne And by the custome thereof they giue a great fall with such violence that wee haue much to doo to rise againe But if we happen to die therin impenitent then they haue the victorie ouer vs. Then reioice and triumph they thereat euen as the conquerour triumpheth in his newe gotten conquest Then will they cast vs in a pit lay a stone of abstinencie vppon vs that we shall not arise againe And as there is much ioy in heauen when one sinner forsaketh his sinne and returneth vnto thee by pennance in like manner is there ioyfull triumphing among the wicked spirits in hell when one soule forsaking thée dieth in deadlie sinne but all my trust is in thy mercie O lord For although thou hide thy selfe in a cloud that my praier should not go thorough it vnto thine eares yet are not thy mercies cleane gone neither dooth thy louing kindnes cease Thou art therfore Lord my portion and in thy mercie still will I hope in none other creature knowing for certaine that as God thou onelie maiest helpe mee and as my louing father thou wilt helpe me Wherefore in thee my heart shall be ioyfull and in thy sauing helth which is thy sonne Iesus our Sauiour and redeemer The Philistins knowing the presence of thine ark to be in the camp of the Israelites the daie of their battell were sore afraid saieng who shall deliuer vs out of the hand of this mightie God Much more will I be glad and take sure trust in thee O Lorde hauing the presence and comfort of thy liuelie grace And in token of the victorie which thou hast giuen mee ouer mine enimies I will not cease as I haue good cause to sing the praise of the Lord that so louinglie hath dealt with me and praise the name of the most high all the