and life Io. 8. Gal. 5. Ro. 8. 1. Pet. 1. Ephe. 5. Ephe. 2. Heb. 4. Ro. 3. Mat. 25. Iohn 14. Luke 12. Luke 22. Apo. 2. Phil. 3. Ephe. 2. Ephe 1. Apo. 13. that by hym alone thou doest acknowledge vs to be thy chyldren and heires that by hym alone we haue entrance to the throne of thy grace that by him alone we are possessed in our spirituall kingdome to eate and drinke at his table with whom we haue our conuersation presentely in heauen and by whom our bodies shal be raysed vppe agayne from the dust and shal be placed with him in that endeles ioye whiche thou O father of mercie hast prepared for thine elect before the foūdatiō of the worlde was layed And these most inestimable benefites we acknowledge and confesse to haue receiued of thy fre mercie and grace Ro. 3. Ephe. 2. Tit. 3. by thine only beloued son Iesus Christe For the whiche therfore we thy congregation moued by thy holy spiryte Ro. 8. render to thee all thanckes prayse and glory for euer and euer ¶ A Thankesgeuinge after the receauiuge of the communyon * MOste mercyfull Father we render vnto thee all prayse thankes honour and glory for that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercies to graūt vnto vs miserable sinners so ercellent a gift and treasure as to receaue vs into the felowship and company of thy deare sonne Iesus christ our lord 1. Cor. 10. whom thou hast deliuered to death for vs and haste geuen him vnto vs as a necessary fode nourishment vnto euerlasting life Rom. 4. Io. 6. And nowe wee besech thee also O heauenly father to graunt vs this request the thou neuer suffer vs to become so vnkind as to forget so worthy benefites but rather imprint and fasten them sure in our hartes that we may growe increase dayly more and more in true faythe Luke 17. whych continually is exercised in all maner of good workes Gala. 5. and so muche the rather O Lorde confirme vs in these perilous dayes and rages of Sathan 1. Tim. 4. Ephe. 5. 2. Pet. 3. Mat. 5. 1. Pet. 2. that wee maye constantly stande and continue in the confessiō of the same to the aduancement of thy glory which art God ouer all thinges blessed for euer So be it ¶ A prayer to be sayde before meate ** O Eternall god Ebre 13. the very god of peace all consolation whych broughtest againe from death our lorde Iesus the great shep herde of the shepe throughe the bloud of the euerlastinge couenante make vs frutefull in all good workes to do thy will worke in vs that which is acceptable in thy sighte sanctify vs throughout and kepe our whole spyrite soule and bodye fautlesse vnto the comming of thy deare sonne our lord Iesus Christ Thou art faythfull O father who haste promysed this who also shall bringe it to passe to thee therfore be geuē euerlasting praise honour and glory Amen ¶ A Thankesgeuing after meate MOste bountifull gracious god which feedest all fleshe and haste promised that asking of thee we shall not lacke if we first seke thy kingdome and the righteousenes therof we felinge presently the benefite of this thy gracious promise in feeding our bodies with these corporall benefites do render vnto the most harty thaks for the same besechīg the likewise to fede our soules with that heuenly fode which perisheth not Ihon. 6. but abideth into euerlasting life so that we being noryshed by thy goodnes both in body and soule may be apte and redy to doe all good workes which thou hast prepared for vs to walk in through Iesus Christ our Lorde Vnto hym that loued vs wasshed vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs kinges priestes vnto God his father 1. Pet. 5. be all glory power and dominion for euermore Amen ¶ A prayer for true mortification O God my creatour preseruer euerlastinge defendour where fyrst in my creatiō I was made lyke vnto thyne owne likenesse the deuyll alas hath synce by Adams faule made me oughlye monstruous and lyke euyll fauoured to hym selfe For what are now lord mine earthly mēbres Colo. 3. but as is written in the .iii. to the Colloss adulterie whoredome vncleannes vnnatural lustes euyl cōcupiscence couetousnes which is the worshippynge of Idoles and suche other for the whiche thy wrath is wōt to come vpon the children of vnbelefe Neuerthelesse lorde of thy gret mercie and goodnes against this very great mischiefe a much greater remedy thy fatherly prouidence hath ordeined 1. Io. 3. For thou hast sent Iesus christ thy deere and onely naturall sonne into this worlde the vale of miseries to lose the workes of the deuyll and to take away my sinnes Therfore Sathan hath now nothing to bragge of for through Christ all that beleue in thee and so become thy children 1. Ihon. 5. do ouercome the world the fleshe and the deuyl 1. Ihon. 5. And this is the victorie whiche ouercommeth them all euen our Fayth Io. 3. That Faith I meane which is perswaden that who so euer be leueth in christ shal not perishe but haue euerlasting life 1. Iohn 5. That fayth whiche beloueth the testimonie to be true whiche thou God the Father doeste testifie of thy sonne so making thee no lyer and this is that testimonie that thou haste geuen vs eternall life Ro. 8. That faith wheche beleueth that thou father who raysedst vp Christ frō death shalt also quicken our mortall bodies through thy holy spirite dwellig in vs. Io. 14. That faith whiche beleueth it to be true which thy son Christe affirmed with a double othe saying Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleueth in mee the workes that I do the same shall he do and greatter workes then these shall he do because I go vnto my father Iohn 12. And fynally that fayth whiche beleueth that now Christ hath ben lifte vppe on the crosse he shal draw all thinges vnto hym this fayth I say is the victory whicke ouercommeth our ennemies the deuyll the worlde and our fleshe Iohn 14. Thou therfore lorde father whiche hast promised to geue what so euer I shall aske in thy deere Sonne Iesus name for thy great mercy and infallible truethes sake do nowe in mee the thynge that he came for lose in me the workes of the deuyl 1. Iho. 3. and take away my synnes I beseche thee make stedfast my Faithe confidence in thy promised mercies merciful promises Iohn 3. so that I assuredly beleuīg in thee may haue as thou promisest euerlasting lyfe makynge thee deere God no lyar maye beleue feele and knowe in my hart and conscience the the same euerlastyng lyfe is thy mere free gift vnto me yea already of thy great goodnesse vndoubtedly geuen mee beinge now translated frō death to life Of a thanckefulnes wherof Lorde cause me now dayly
persecutours then gauest thou some tranquilitie and rest after those ragyng stormes and cruell afflictions O Lord thou remainest one for euer we haue offended and are vnworthy of any deliueraunce but worthy art thou to be a true and constant god and worthy is thy deare sonne Christ Iesus that thou shouldest glorify his name and reueng the blasphemy spoken against the truth of his gospell which is by our aduersaries damned as a doctrine deceiuable false yea the bloude of thy sonne is troden vnder fete in that the bloud of his members is shedde for wytnessyngs of thy truth And therefore O lorde beholde not the vnworthines of vs that call for the redresse of these enormities neither let our imperfections stoppe thy mercies from vs but beholde the face of thyne annointed Christe Iesus and let the equitie of oure cause preuayle in thy presence Let the bloudde of thy sainctes which is shed be openly reuenged in the eyes of thy Churche that mortall men may know the vanity of their counsels and that thy children may haue a tast of thine eternal goodnesse And seing that from that man of sinne that Romayne Antechriste the chyefe aduersary of thy deare sonne do the all iniquitie springe and myschyefe procede let it please thy fatherly mercy more and more to reuele his deceit and tiranny to the worlde open the eies of princes and magistrates that clearely they may see how shamefullye they haue bene and are abused by his deceiuable wayes how by him they are compelled most cruelly to shede the bloud of thy sainctes and by violēce refuse thine eternall testament that they in depe consideration of their greuous offences maye vnfaynedly lament their horrible defectiō from Christ Iesus thy sonne from henceforth studieng to promote his glorye in the dominions committed to their charges that so yet once againe the glory of thy gospell may appears to the worlde And seing also that the chiefe strength of that odious beaste consisteth in defension of princes let it please thee O father whiche hast claymed to thy selfe to be called the God of peace to vnite and knyt in perfect loue the hartes of all those that looke for the life euerlastinge Let no craft of sathan moue them to warre one againste an other neither yet to mainteine by their force and strengthe that kingedome of darkenesse but rather that godly they may conspire illuminated by thy word to roote out from amongest them al supersticion with the maynteyners of the same These thy graces O lord we vnfainedly desyre to be powred forth vppon all realmes and nations that they may be firmly vnited and godly knitte together in the vnitie of thy worde that in their godly concorde thy name maye be glorified and thy dispersed flocke comforted and relieued The cōmon wealthes O lord where thy gospell is truely preached and harborowe graunted to the afflicted members of Christes body and specially accordinge to our bounden duetie this out countrey of Englande we commend to thy protection and mercy Be thou vnto them a defence buckler be a watch man to their walles a perpetual saue garde to their cities that the crafty assaultes of their ennemies repulsed by thy power thy gospell maye haue free passage from one nation to an other let al preachers ministers of the same haue the giftes of thy holy spirite in suche aboundance as thy godly wisedome shal know to be expedient for the perfect instruction of that flocke whiche thou hast redemed with the preciouse bloud of thy onely and welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ Purge their hartes from al kind of superstition from ambicion vaine-glory by whiche sathan continually laboureth to stirre vp vngodly contēcion and let them so consente in the vnitie of thy truthe that neither the estimation whiche they haue of men neyther the vaine opinions whiche they haue conceyued by their writinges preuaile in them against the cleare vnderstandyng of thy blessed worde And nowe last O lorde we most hūbly beseche thee according to that praier of thy dere sonne our lord Iesus so to sanctifie and confirme vs in thy eternal veritie that neither the loue of life temporall neither yet the feare of tormentes and corporall death cause vs to denie the same when the confession of our faith shal be required of vs but so assist vs with the power of thye holy spyrite that not onely boldely we may confesse thee O father of mercies to be the true god alone and whō thou haste sent our lord Iesus to be the only sauiour of the world but also that constantly we may withstande all doctrine repugninge to thy eternall truthe reueiled to vs in thy most blessed worde Remoue from our hartes the blynde loue of our selues and so rule thou all the actions of our life that in vs thye godly name may be glorified thy churche edified and sathan finally confounded by the power meanes of our lorde Iesus Christe to whom with thee and the holy spirite be all glory and prayse before thy congregations nowe and euer So be it Arise O lord and let thine ennemies be ashamed let them flee from thy presence that hate thy godly name let the grones of thy prisoners enter in before thee and preserue by thy power suche as be appointed to death let not thyne enemies thus triumphe to the ende but let them vnderstande that against thee they fight preserue and defend the vine whiche thy righte hande hath planted let all nations see the glory of thine annoynted Hasten lord and tary not A praier against the obstinate enemies of the truth MOste righteous iudge god of all mercy and comforte whiche by thy secrete iudgmente and wisedome doest suffer the wicked to triumph and increase for a tyme for triall of the faith of thy welbeloued little flocke and the mortifyinge of theyr lustes but at length to the vtter confusion of the enemies ioyfull delineraunce of thy people loke doune we beseche thee on thy dispersed shepe out of thy holy habitation in heuen and strengthen our weakenes againste their furyous rages abate their pryde asswage their malyce confound their deuises wherwith they lifte vp them selues against christ Iesus thy sonne our Lord and Sauiour to deface his glory and set vp Antechrist We be not able of oure selues to thynke a good thought much lesse to stād against their assaultes excepte thy vndeserued grace and mighty arme defend and deliuer vs. Performe thy promises made to Iacob and stoppe the mouthes of the cursed Edomites call them to repentance whom thou hast apointed to saluation bringe home them that runne astraye lyghten the blind and teach the ignoraunt forgeue al those that wilfully obstinately rebell not against thy holy will let thy fearefull threatninges pearce our stony hartes make vs tremble at thy iudgementes Make the exaumples of theim whom thou haste ouerthrowne in their owne deuises as Cayn Cham Nimrod Esau Pharao Saule Achitophel Iudas such other to be a
do call vpon thee 11 If then thy fatherly prouidence and tender care O lorde vpon all thy creatures be so great that the very beastes foules haue this experiēce of thy goodnes in their necessities that their roringes and criynges haue the strengthe of earnest callinges and besechinges how muche rather do these syghinges groninges and desperate heuines of men but chiefely of all those whiche beleue in thee crye call loude in thine eares though they speake neuer a word at all 12 Shulde I then nowe dispeire of thy fatherly mercy whiles presently I feele thee stirre vp my soule harte to craue helpe at thy hande Psal 77. shulde I thinke that thou wilt absent thy selfe for euer that thou wylte be noo more intreated that thy mercy is cleane gone and thy promise come vtterly to an ende and that thou wilt now shut vp thy louing kindnes in displeasure 13 Nay god forbydde for all alterations are of thy right hande and turne away to the best to them that feare thee All this is no more but myne owne infirmitie Psal 77. for god is euer one his promises be vnfallible and his loue towardes his euerlastingly duringe 14 I wyll therfore in this my present temptation and greuous assault powre out my heuines of hart before thee dere father yea I will with gronynges lifte vp my soule vnto thee from whence I assuredly knowe my helpe is comming I will also for my present comforte Psal 77. cal to remembraunce O lorde my god thy tender mercies towardes me alredy shewed the multitude of thy benefites the greatnes of the same the longe continuaunce of theim euen from my conception vntyll this instante and fynally thy continuall lust and desyre to powre them vpon me 15. And moreouer sith thy goodnes is so great O lord that thou doest not only pitty misery but also callest the heuy harted and afflicted vnto the promising that thou wilt ease their misery and for as muche as Mat. 11. by the motion of thy good spirite I loth abhorre my sines I felt the greuousenes of them and thy heauy wrath towardes me for the same and finally what nede I haue of thy gracious aide and succoure therfore Lord father in thy sonne Christes name wyth sure confidence and truste in thine infallible promise in this mine anguish and trouble I come vnto thee at thy mercyfull calling and craue comfort at thy hand For this I know wel that when I loth my sinnes thou doest vtterly forget thē whē I fele the greuous burden of them thy mercy swalloweth them vp when I fele what I wante thou wylt assuredly graunt it me For sith thou mouest my harte to desire helpe how should I mistrust but thou wilt for thy truthes sake geue me mine askinge 16. Yea where I knowe not howe or what to desire as I ought thy holy spirite graciously workinge in me maketh intercession mightely for me Rom. 8. with gronings which can not be expressed ther withal certifieth my spirite that by adoption through thy great mercy and goodnes I am become thy childe and heire 17. Why should I not then be of good cōfort ioyfull in thee my God For if thou be on my side who can be againste me Rom. 8. who diddeste not spare thine owne sonne but gauest him for me euen whē I was thine enemy how shalt thou not with him nowe that by his deathe I am broughte into thy fauoure geue me all thinges with him and for his sake who shal lay any thing to the charge of thine elects it is thou lord that iustifiest me who then shall condempne me It is Christe that hath died for me yea rather that is risen againe for me who also is set on thy right hande and hathe taken possession yea and perpetually maketh there intercession for me vntil that ioyfull day be come when I shall haue full fruition of the most glorious presence of thy diuyne maiestie in that kingedome whych thou hast prepared before the beginning of the world Ephe. 1. but in time to thy gracious goodnes thoughte beste made knowen to me by geuinge thy holy spyrite into my hart wherby when I fyrste Lorde beleued thy holy worde whych is thine own power to saue al that beleue I was sealed Rom. 1. confyrmed and stablyshed in certaynty of that thyne euerlastynge kingdome and inheritaunce For the which inestimable benefite of thy rich grace Oh Lorde my God I beseche thee euen for the loue thou barest to Christ Iesu thy sonne and the mercy thou haddeste on him when he cryed on the Crosse Mat. 27. my God my God why haste thou forsaken me helpe help I say and inflame my hart with loue so plenteously towardes thee againe that I may be euē swallowed vp in the ioyful feling of the same in such sort that I may of very thankfulnesse loue thee my God alone thee I say my deare God and nothinge but thee and for thy sake Oh holy spirite whose worke this is in me increase this thy worke of thyne infinite mercy preserue me that I neuer become vnthankfull vnto thee therefore Amen deare god Amen ¶ Remedies against synfull motions and voluptuous tēptations 1. FIrst remember that sinne is so heynous a thing that god by his iustice might worthely dampne the for the same and is therfore to be abhorred as a swete poison a flattering death destruction of thy sowle which wold cutte thee of from god thy fauiour and make thee bonde slaue to Sathan thye deadly enemie 2 Auoyde therfore euen at the first the occasions thereof and betymes quashe out the braines of the children of Babylon against the hard stones Psal 137. whiles they be yet younge weake least when they be growne elder stronger they dashe thee to peeces 3 And for remedy against the same flee vnto god who cōmaundeth thee to call vpō hym in thy troubles and promiseth to delyuer thee and will not suffer thee to be further tempted then he wil make awaye out wherby thou shalte escape 1. Cor. 10. doubte not but he that causeth thee to hate the synne whiche thy nature is to loue wyl deliuer thee also frō the daunger therof and make thee to triumphe ouer Sathan to his confusion to gods glory and to thy great comforte which are the causes that our tender louynge father sendeth tēptations vnto vs and he that is not tempted what is he 1. 〈◊〉 1 4 Nowe after thou hast obteyned the victory remembre two thinges first to geue most harty thanckes to god for his grace and assistance wherby thou haste ouercome and he not vnthanckefull in any wyse and then that he who continually goeth about lyke a roaryng lyon seekyng whom he may deuoure will not be long or farre away from the but wyll attempte agayne the same or as euyll wayes to ouercome thee Watche therfore and praye ¶ A prayer for presente helpe in temptation **
to mortifie my erthly membres Ro. 8. Yea dere father sithe thy spirite which raised vp Christ frō death dwelleth within mee do thou who raisedst Christ frō death quickē my mortal body through thy spirite so dwellyng in me I beseche thee Iohn 14. Yea lorde Iesu according to thy promise because thou art now gone to thy father make me work this wōderful great worke the thou speakest of I meane make me Collo 3. being of my self but a lumpe of synne and a monster moste ougly as the vyces whereon the membres of my earthly body aboue declared to be compacte doo proue make me I saye yet throughe thy grace to hate abhorre flee and subdue all adultery whoredome vncleannes vnnaturall lustes euyl concupiscence vnordinate desyres wantonnes tendernes delicatenes idlenes drunkennes gluttony slouthfulnes distruste dispaire ignoraunce weakenes wilfulnes Idolatry superstition hypocrisie heresye errour sectes variaunce strife wrath enuie slaunders lyeng swearing cursyng vayne glory pride couetousenes thefte disceite flattery and what so euer elles lord feighteth or rebelleth against thy holy spirite And then lorde Father I will boast and make vaunte agaynste myne ennemie the deuyll that I haue doone greater workes then thy dere sonne Iesus dyd at what tyme he spake these wordes amōg the iewes because Iohn 14. albeit he vanquissehed Sathan yet in as muche as he hym selfe was vtterly without synne the victorie semed the wore easy But I to vanquishe sathan being my selfe altogether synful yea contrary to my most synfull nature to subdue synne the deuyll and myne owne fleshe it seemeth a more victorye and greater worke then the other For the whiche neuerthelesse I wyll with all submission acknowledge vnto thy diuyne maiestie taht the whole victory lord in deede is thine and thy holy spirit the begynner and fynisher bothe of the will and worke Nowe therfore Lorde Iesu strēthen me with thy grace myght that thou mayste by me a moste synfull wretch drawe al these my earthly membres and horrible vices before rehersed vnder my feete that I maye not onely mightely fyght againste them but also subdue them so that they may al turne to the best for me Rom. 8. Io. 12. as mete matter wheron I may exercise my fayth powre forth harty prayer and geue thee most hartye thanckes for victorie whereby I maye learne haue experience that thou haste in me drawen althinges vnto thee in so muche as thou thus lord of thy diuine power drawest bothe the deuill and the synne that dwelleth in mee to set forth thy honour and glory whiche thyng for thy mercies sake brynge to passe O God my creatoure preseruer and euerlastinge defēdour ¶ A Prayer of a christian man expressing his great anguishe heuines of minde that he had before time for his sinnes for that he felt not his hart cōforted in the ioy of gods great loue towardes him with the maner of his prayers groninges which he then made nowe powreth forth againe vnto god for his grace assistance in his new assaultes wherby the broken harted afflicted for their sinnes maye learne to stirre vp strengthen their faith and hope in like dangers and trouble of conscience 1. EVen in the myddes of the desperate assaultes of my soule the intollerable heuinesse of my minde hath heretofore Lorde cryed as shrill in thine eares as thoughe I had shryked and with lamentations cryed out saying Help helpe me my god my creatour my most prouident keper and euerlasting defender for beholde I peryshe 2 On this occasion Lorde that heauines of mynd did heretofore assault me I remembred that thou haddeste manye tymes set before myne eyes the wonderfull greatues of thy most tender loue towardes me by great multitude of thy benefites powred vpon me whiche benefytes euery of thy workes as they came before mine eyes gaue me iuste occasyon to be mindefull of 3 Wolde not thought I if I had in a maner any grace at all wolde not suthe loue brynge nowe into my harte a wonderfull delectation comforte ioye in god for the same 4 And againe coulde suche delyghte in goddes swete mercy and tender loue towardes me if I were not as euyll as a cast awaye that were none of goddes chyldren be without lothing of my syn and lust desire to do goddes holy wyl And these thinges thought I fye vpon the vnthankeful wretche are either not at all in me or elles in deede so coldelye and sclenderly that they beynge truelye waied and compared to righteousenes Esa 64. are more vile then a sylthye clothe starched in corrupte bloudde 5 Oh thought I I am aferd I haue deceyued my selfe for thy seruauntes at al times I trowe feele otherwise then I nowe do the fruites of thy spirite as Loue Ioye Peace and suche lyke But my loue alas towards thee what is it my ioye oh woe is my hart therefore is not once almost felte of me for my very soule within me as Dauid in his heuynes said refuseth comfort and fareth as though it dyd vtterly despaire Psal 77. And what peace can I feele then or certaintie of thy fauoure and loue Iustely may I powre out this dolorous lamentation of Sion the lorde hath forsaken me Esai 49. and my lorde hath forgotten mee 6 Euen in the middes I say of these my former desperate assaultes myne in tollerable heuines cryed to my god and from heauen he heard my gronynges therupon first prepared my hert to aske comfort of him then he heard my praier and gaue me plētefully my asking 7 Oh my soule consider wel that thou art neuer hable to declare the excedynge goodnes of god in this that he heard the very desires of thee being afflicted who is soo redy fauourablye to graunte the requestes of the afflicted that often tymes he taryeth not vntyll they do call but or euer they cal vpon him he fauourably heareth thē as the psalmist saith the desires of the afflicted thou heareste O lorde thou preparest theyr hartes thine care heareth fauourably Psal 10. 8 Oh lorde my god marueilous thinges are these whether I consyder this marueilous maner of thy hearing orels the marueilous nature and propertye of thy goodnes Marueilous no doubt is that thy hearinge wherby the very desires of the afflicted are hearde but muche more marueilous is this thye goodnesse which taryeth not vntyl the afflicted do desire thy help but prepareth first their hartes to desyre and then thou geuest them their desires 9 Yea Lorde worthye of all praise it can not otherwise be For how shouldst thou do otherwise then thy nature and propertie is art not thou very goodnes and mercy it self how canst thou then but pitie and helpe miserie 10 Art not thou both the creatour and also the conseruer of all thinges In so much as the lyons whelpes roaryng after their pray do seeke their foode at thy handes Psa 104. Psal 147. and the rauens byrdes lackyng meate