wherof may bee the one of you by our most prudent Prince doubtlesse at the secret motion of GOD raysed vnto sutch highnesse in Honour as match with the best inferiour to none I neede seeke for no farther occasions of commendation or auntient titles of worship or honour the siluered heares giuing euident token of the golden wit and the honourable age â–ª of the verteous forepassed life and the many yeres of the blessing of the most highest god On th' other side bewtified with a louing Lady the ofspringe of an excellent race Nice to rightwoorship full Grandsiers daughter to a woorthy Knight Schollar to a learned scholemaister Sister to a right honourable Lady Moother of mutch hoped impes Aunt to a peerelesse couÌ„tesse Wife to a noble Counseller Ladie of a Godly Famely Subiect to a louinge Prince a trewe woorshipper of Almightie god Vnto whose good pleasure for the prolonging and continuance of both your liues in increse of godlie Honour and all other delightes apperteininge whereby the race of this transitorie life may bee made lesse irksome to the bodie or preiudiciall to the soule I am bownden dayly to pray the effect whereof hee graunte who tendreth our iust requestes and is the only giuer of all goodnesse At London this first day of Ianuarie 1574. Your honours euer at commaundment T. Twine FATIS VOLENTIBVS VIRTVTE DVCE No worldly pelfe see thee from God do call Incline thine hart to doo the thyng is iust Confirme thy Faith that thou doo neuer fall Holde fast on GOD in him repose thy trust Obserue thy wayes amende what is a misse Lay vp thy wealth where rust may do no harme Amende thy crimes while vacant time there is Submit thy cause vnto Gods mightie arme Auenge thee not when thou canst well repay Neuer let vices harbour in thine hart Needes vrgent law consider thou alway Eke to the poore doo of thy goodes impart Beware of Pride by Glorie set no price Avvay from giltlesse blood turne backe thy face Consider sutes weigh causes once or twice Open thy mouth on wydowes wofull case Nothing from Praier let thee once disseuer Ensue this lore and thou shalt liue for euer there consisteth life and welfare vnto my sowle and by breatch and violation nothing else but seuere sentence of finall dampnation Therfore I cannot tell most miserable wretch as I am how I shuld presume to approche thée for mercie I dare not shew my selfe beefore thée but if it were possible I would gladly hide my self from thy sight where thou mighst not finde mée out that by sutch meanes I might escape thy dreadfull iudgement Howbeit O Lorde thou art the mightie God to whom all things in heauen and earth are knowne whose eies béeholde what is done in the top of the highest and in the bottome of the deapest places in the world In thy sight Lord the most secret thoughtes of the harte are open and from thée there are no cogitations pretences practises deuises nor the smallest motions of the mind hidden Vnto thée therefore with tremblinge and teares I returne appealing from thy high dread and terryble throne of iust iudgement remoouing my cause to thy most swéete amiable pleasaunt and comfortable court of thy manifold mercies Euen there Lord thou hast layde vp sutch store and abundance of graces pardons forgiuenes of sinnes that they do surmounte the numbre and ouersâ—read the greatnes of al thy wonderfull woorkes Héere then it is O my God that I dare to appeare béefore thy diuine Maiestie a fylthye sinner béefore a mercifull God a very lumpe of wickednes beefore the eternall creator of all thinges of inestimable wisdome that takest mercie vppon our weakenes and infirmitie béecause thou wotest well the stuffe and substaunce wherof thou hast made vs. Béeholde Lord I call vnto mée thy dearelybéeloued sonne my most louing redéemer and sauiour Ihesus Christe to bée myne aduocate according vnto his own fréewil and voluntarie offering in whom and through whom by his most precious blouddeshed vnto thée vpon the acceptable altare of the Crosse in liew of the double death that wée should al haue died for our-most horrible offences Pardon I béeséech thée O god my gréeuous iniquities forgyue mée all my wickednes release my necligences remit mine ignorances abandon the lothsomenes of my sinnes which from my mothers wombe vnto this present day I haue coÌ„mitted or shall do hereafter vnto my liues ende That béeing so clensed and purified from all contagion of sinfull impuritie let mée obtayn a liuely and feruent fayth at thy handes stedfastly to call vpon thée in most hartie prayer Lord in all my necessities aduersities troubles and afflictions confirme my harte that I may put my whole trust and affiance in thy maiestie and séeke none other meanes nor take none other comfort but in reading thy worthy woorde or in recourse to thée in most faithful and effectuall supplications If at any tyme Lorde as is the frailtie of our corruptible nature and the incessant suggestions of Sathan our auncient enemie I féele in my selfe any faintnes or fayling of feruencie in calling continually vppon thée kindle thou then my hart with the heauenly heate of thy holy spirit Graunt mée grace to crie with thy hollie Apostle for encrease of faithe that béeing awaked and stirred vppe through thée I may enioy the effect of my godly desiers which thou hast promised to yelde vnto mée through thy sonne Iesus Christ my sauiour Performe my God that whiche thou hast indented with thy selly seruant who with anguishe of minde séeketh after the comfort of thy face continue in mée the custome to call vpon thée in praier and all the powers of my body shal not cease to sing thy sacred praise Amen J. ¶ If yee beeing euil know to giue your children good giftes how mutch more will your Father which is in heauen giue good thinges to them that aske them ¶ The second Flower IN most hartie hope of thy manyfold mercies and with lowly reuerence O euerlasting God loe thus I draw nighe vnto thée béeing sore laden with th'infinite number of my sinnes trusting in thy fatherly goodnes and entier loue which thou bearest vnto mankinde thou wilte discharge mée of mine vnrighteousnes and wash away al mine infirmities Thy louing kindenes hath ben inestimable which thou hast borne vnto mée since my simple conception in the tender intrailes of my mother within whose body thou didest laye forth the platforme of my body and gauest vnto mée the representatioÌ„ of a man thy bestbéeloued and cumliest creature After this in due maturitie of time according to the established and ordinarie season assigned by thy heauenly wisedome thou broughtest mée foorth into this worlde my first tune giuyng proofe of the vnhappie condicion that I should enioy therin Lorde thou knowest how that so soone as I was deliuered froÌ„ my mothers wombe euen then I béegan my life in féeblenes and sorow and the my thoughte kéepe myne eies from seing it myne eares
from hearing it and my sense of féeling from conceauing delight in it But cause mée to take a singular delectation in all thinges that maye please thée put away from mée al erring from thy waies all wéerines of thy will all lothsomnes of thy loue Take from mée all pride and self liking that I may conceaue no good opinion of my selfe for that which is none of myne own let mée not think I am ritch in thée when I am poore that I sée when I am blinde that I am hid when I am naked that I am iust when I am vnrighteous that I am somthing when I am nothing As for the infinitie of my offences which in numbre surpas the sandes of the sea giue vnto mee a cléere sparcle of thy heauenlie light O my god that I may béehold them a penitent hart that I may confesse them plentifull teares that I may bée waile thē a wonderfull mislikinge that I may abhorre them O Lorde is there any thing that flesh an Bloud may glorie of in thy sight no truely for thou hast asked vs what wée haue which wée haue not receaued from the fountaine of thy fulnes wée haue drawne all that wée haue enioyed and of our selues there is not one that doth good no Lord not one Create in mée therefore O gracious Lorde a new hart and a new soule confirme mée in thy faith that I may not fall erect mee in all good woorkes that bée acceptable in thy sight then cannot my mouthe cease but alwayes bée shewyng thy péerelesse praises and milde mercies Amen C. ¶ Come not in the path of the vngodly and walke not in the way of the wicked Cast all your care vpon God for hee careth for you ¶ The thirde Flower COme vnto mée all yée that trauell and bée heauie laden criest thou O my most swéet sauiour and I will refresh you Here now I come vnto thée offryng my selfe béefore thy heauenly maiestie lowly fallyng downe vpon the knees of my hart holdynge vp the handes of my Faith wherby I may take most assured hope of thee and come vnto thée Draw mée vnto thee for els I am not able to come I can doo nothynge therto of my selfe not so mutche as thinke one good thought mutchlesse merite or deserue to presume vnto thee vpon respect of any mine owne woorthinesse As for my woorthinesse it is vnwoorthinesse béefore thée my thoughtes bee sinfull my deedes bee damnable and if thou haue reguard vnto my merites then am I sure to haue damnation for my desert and Hell for mine hier O thou almightie béefore whom the Angels tremble at their impuritie the Sonne is fowle the Moone is filthy the Starres vncleane and the heauens are corrupt what can I haue to boast of but of mine owne natural vnclenlinesse and that I am the childe of perdition Supplie thou my defects O God and what is wantyng in mee make it perfect through thee which art the summe of all goodnes and perfection vnto the righteous let mee not depart destitute from thee for in thee is the fulnesse of felicitie Heere where I am Lorde I am laden sore and greeuously ouerpressed with the burden of my sinnes they weigh mee greeuously downe to the grounde I cannot looke vp and my crusshed bones doo ake with extreeme wéerinesse Come O Lorde O come speedely and set to thy helpyng hande take from mée this wright of wickednes cleere mée from this clogge of corruption and seuere mee from this sinke of sinne Humble my Harte that I may haue no vayne likyng of my self and that my freindes neighbours and acquaintnance finally the world fall into no displeasure against mée therfore but especially thy maiestie for it is a greeuous offence Fortifie my minde with the strongest armour of pacience that I may take in good part all mockes scoffes reproches and persecutions for thy truethes sake and when I am prooued let mee bee founde faithfull Confirme mee fully O my creator in thy Trueth and al godlinesse let no shininge of promotions nor thundre of threatninges nor windie puffes of wordlie vanitie pluck mee from that whiche is right but let thy will bee my way and thy law my delight Driue away all dimnesse from mine eyes and sluggishnesse from my feete that I may speedely beeholde and diligently fulfill to my abilitie the least poynt and iote of thy preceptes wherto when I haue applied my selfe yet am I to to mutch an vnprofitable seruaunt notwithstandynge let thy tendre mercie alwayes preuent mee O my moste sweetest God. Thou hast lified mee vp alost in the sight of thy people and haste indued mee with greate honour aboue my peeres and equalles graunt vnto mee likewise so mutche to excell them in vertue and godlinesse make mée a worthy minister and steward of thy giftes consideryng that all power and aucthoritie commeth from thee and that thou raisest the vngodly on high to cast him downe low and the loftier his seat is the more great and gréeuous is his fall Engendre in mée good Lorde a greedie desier to do Iustice that hauing thée alwaies béefore mine eies and printyng thy iudgements within my hart I may bee free from all affection and pure from all partialitie hauyng no respect to the persons but vprightly weighyng the causes that thereby the trueth may bee aduaunced and vniustice condempned Remooue from mee all corruption in iudgement and vnrighteousnes in dealyng kéepe my mouth from lesinges and my handes from bloud remembryng that thou art the searcher of the hart and raines that shalt come to iudge the quicke and the dead repaying vnto euery man accordyng vnto the woorks of his owne hands Forgiue mée O my Lorde and my God the wickednesse of my fore passed life remembre not mine offences neither the offences of my predicessours to lay them vnto my charge lay foorth the direct line of thy law béefore my féete that I may walke therein with out erryng regenerate a new will within mée to perseuere in thy way holde mee vp therin that I doo not fall pricke mee foorth that I doo not fainte and my toongue shal talke continually of thy moste glorious goodnes Amen H. ¶ Happie are those seruants whom the Lorde when hee commeth shal finde wakyng Verely I say vnto you that hee shall girde himself and make them to sit downe to meate and will come foorth and ministre vnto them ¶ The fourth Flower HArken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God O my feely soule and heare what cheerefull promises hée hath reposed in store for thée namely that when soeuer thou repentest thée of thy sinnes from the bottome of thy hart hée will blotte out the remembrance of them for euermore so that they shall neuer bée imputed vnto thée O come then with spéede and with all submission cast foorth the intollerable burden of thy moste lothsome lustes béefore the Lorde call vnto him that hée woulde set open the gates of his manifolde mercies vnto thée giue thée a perfect penitent hart
recorded in our hartes and heare with our eares whiche wée haue read with our eies and feele with our sence that whiche wée haue manifoldly conceaued in our mindes but all as it were in a cloude or veyle but then to enioye them in expresse and perfect kinde Mortefie the man of sinne I pray thée good Lorde which reigneth with in my mortall body that alwayes rebelleth agaynst my spirite depressinge mee downe euer in ignorance and enuiyng mée the fruition of thy noble bewtie let no feare of any corporall death deterre mée from the moste heauenly féelynge of sutche a ghostly contemplation If once the fulnesse of this effect were brought vnto wisshed ende wée should not néede with sutche desier to make sute for our sinnes for in thy kyngdome O most pure god there diuelleth no wickednesse nor infirmitie but eche toongue is busie in singyng thy prayse all laude and honour bée vnto thée O most mightie God for euer and euer worlde without ende Amen ¶ A COMPLAINT TO ALMIGHTIE GOD in bitternesse of soule of one wrapped in aduerfitie TOu art my creator for thou haste made mee thou arte my god for I doo honour thee O Lorde God of Hostes shew vnto mée thy sauynge health in the midst of the aduersities that haue ouerta ken mée for whilst I am oppresied with woes and erie vnto thee from the deapth of my harte and woulde fayne aspire with my voyce vnto the toppe of thy mercie I am waxed faynt with féeblenesse my throate is become sore and I am nothyng the néere of helpe Hast thou forgotten mée my lorde am not I thy wretched seruant and sunne of thy handmaiden Sumtime waies in the tendrenesse of thy most milde mercies withdraw thy scourges for I am alreadie feebled layde wast and vtterly forlorne Shew mée Lorde are my sinnes more haynous in thy sight then any mans else that thou hast singularly plagued mée aboue the rest And haue I not bought déere enough my secret offences Are they all pure that flowe in golde that walke in silkes that féede on deinties that sléepe on downe that abounde in possessions that kéepe companie with princes that liue in all worldly wealth and am I made poore abiect contēptible forsaken and castaway bicause I am only sinfull Turne thee O Lorde into my comfort and remembre that I am but fleash and blood set not thy might agaynst the infirmitie of my mould for I acknowledge that I haue aggrauated the frutes of thy wrath and the dayly déedes of my neclected duetie ly foorth béefore my face I cannot excuse my selfe of the greatest sinne there is no punishment that may bée made matche vnto my maliciousnesse it is to light whiche thou hast layde vpon mée for mine offences Weigh my sorowes O God I call vnto thée from the botome of a broken harte and a sighynge soule and a tormented minde cease of the sowernesse of thy pretence and mollifie thy moode into mercie conuerte my pouertie into sufficiencie my contempt into some reguarde take from mée thy descrued plague that I cannot prosper whiche some terme éeuell fortune and erect mée into a place where the good giftes may bee seene whiche thou hast béestowed vppon mée It is Lorde a gréeuous wounde to my hart when I béehold the good happe that some men haue and how euery thyng goeth awrie with mee that I take in hande not that I am sorie at their good successe but it irketh mee that I finde not the like Thei liue in good case in whom there is not that which resteth in mée they square in abundance and I lurke in want they take their ease and gayne I labour and liue by the losse they sléepe and waxe ritche I toyle and euer am poore they stande still and it commeth vnto them I runne after it and still it flieth from mée I haue bin fayerly promised but I sée no perfourmance at al that ensueth and they that should doo mee good either they cannot or they will not either I come to rathe or to late vnto them or els they feede mée with shales and another enioyeth the frute either they put mee of with delayes and O Lorde I perish in the meane season Note my sweete God how vncourteously I haue bin dealt withal for my friendship I haue found hatred sutch as I haue bin principall to procure them releife haue bin the chief causers to cast mee out of my liuinge I haue bin accused without cause for that I neuer ment I am supposed to bee other then I am I am hit in the teeth with other mens faultes and hard borne for things I can not mend I am heauelie friended of sutch as shoulde fauour mee they are readie to take from mee that which I haue which of duetie should giue mee that which I lacke and O God thou knowest mine innocency and how vndeseruedly they doo it I haue bin obedient to my power but my portion is alotted as I had bin otherwise I was borne as of thy seruant Sara but I am reputed as one of the sunnes of Agar it were almost infinite to shew how I haue bin afflicted and I am now oppressed with a burden that I cannot sustaine stayne vnlesse thou bée my singular good God and I hope herein thou wilt haue a speciall reguarde vnto mée Euer hetherto thou hast stirred vp woorthy vessels to relieue the woes and cure the cares of sutche as were wrapped in aduersitie hast thou raysed none to helpe mée O Lorde Surely I do constantly béeléeue that thou wilt not leaue mée vnlooked to although at this present I see almoste no signe of succour and the welspringes of my blood bée waxed drie towardes mée and thou hast multiplied the numbre of my kinnesfolkes aboue my fréeinds and slender bée the twyne whereon the stay of my simple liuyng dependeth Suffre then not to want I béeséeche thée that haue fréeindly looked vpon my penurie stande thou good Father vnto them that haue dealt with mée as their naturall childe let not their barnes bée the emptier nor their bagges the lighter nor their houses the desolater nor theyr hartes the heauier nor their heyres the poorer and when it shall please thée then haue mée also in remembrance as I stande not in doubt of thy gracious goodnesse Lorde let my hope take effect as the lookyng for that day hetherto hath bin cheif cause of the lengthnynge of this my lingrynge lothed life FJNIS ¶ Imprinted at London in Fléet-streete by William How dwellynge at Temple Barre
sinne the serpent of troublesome temptations the minger of all mischeifes and the ouerthrower of vertues But O thou most glorious God as thou hast lightned my vnderstandyng and perseuerance in these to discerne what is hurtfull to mee and displeasant to thee dispose euen so the hart of thy seruant with the dayly influence of thy grace that I may bée acquit from al such sharpe assaultes as may winne mée from thee but confirme mée in all Godlinesse trueth and faithfulnesse Make my harte the vndefiled instrument of pure perfect thoughts and my tungue the Trump of thine eternall prayse my bodie the habitation of the holly Ghost myne eyes the windowes to beholde the worthy way that leadeth vnto thée my legges the supporters of my bodie and soule towardes th'attainment of thy heauenly kyngdome Incline mine eares that I may giue diligent attendance vnto thy moste blessed will and commaundementes expressed in thy moste sacred woorde mollifie the hardnesse of my hart that it may easely entre in and firmely take roote to th' increase of semblant seedes of vertu and godlinesse in mee graunt this O Lorde for my delight is in thy seruice Knocke harde O Lorde God O knocke harde at the doore of my conscience with the ringle of thy moste holly wil awake mée out of the snorkyng sleepe of securitie in sinnynge whereout manie doo neuer rise agayne but vtterly perish put mee in minde of my duetie towardes thy diuine maiestie let mée haue the wisdome to know my self and that thou only art my good Lorde and God. I confesse with gréeuous gronyng of hart that I haue manifoldly transgressed thy commaundementes in seekyng thee I haue embraced that which I should haue refused I haue stragled longe whilst I should haue walked in thy wayes and trode in thy pathes I haue gone backe when I should haue pursued thy pleasure and haue trained my selfe in the trauerse of thy teachynges Leade mée O Lorde with thy heauenly hande and I shalbée truely lead dirext mee with the spirite of vnderstandyng and I shalbée saulfly directed let the bright burnyng lampe of thy woonderfull woorde still shyne béefore mine eyes and pearce into my harte so shall I bée sure not to treade one steppe amisse bée thou alwayes my most mercifull God and make mée continually thy most obedient childe Blot the beadroule of my misdeedes out of thy remembrance O thou kynge of mercie and indorse the recordes of my transgressions with a discharge of thy great compassion set thy holly hande vpon my harte in token that I am thy childe and write the woordes of thy pleasure in my breast make mée assured that I am one whom thou haste predestinated vnto life Glorifie thy self in mée Lorde for I am thy woork and let mée bee glorified in thée for thou art my GOD my strength my saluation and glorie purifie my soule that thou mayst dwell in mée and graunt I may bée made woorthy to dwell in thee for thou art in althinges and althinges are in thée to thée therfore bée praise and honour for euer and euer Amen L. ¶ Learne to do wel applie your selues to equatie deliuer the oppressed helpe the Fatherlesse to his right let the widdowes complaint come before you ¶ The sixt Flower LORDE in thy moste louynge mercies haue I alwayes put my whole trust and confidence wherfore thou haste assured mée that I shall come to no reproche nor shame there shal no ignominie nor confusion take holde vpon mee and although there should rise whole thousandes of wicked conspiratours against mée yet should they not preuayle for thou art the portion of my hope Accordynge vnto whiche moste swéetest couenantes of thine so let thy kindenesse more then fatherlie compasse mée alwayes like the garment wherwith I am couered let thy mercies bée vnto mée a shielde of defence and a buckler of assured protection that I may neuer dread the furie of any foe striue hée to ouerthrow my bodie or soule O turne the hartes of those that hate mée without a cause or bée offēded with mée for thy blessinges sake wherewith thou hast blessed mée eyther because thou hast increased mee with wealth or aduaunced mée to honour or lifted mée into the fauour of my gracious Soueraigne wherin I yéelde thy maiestie moste hartie thankes Make mée O Lorde a méete mēber for the vocation whervnto thou hast called mée graunt mee the gifte of godlinesse as thou haste planted mee in preheminēce of place let vertue flowrish and vice bée suppressed the righteous cause of the Orphane widowe and sutche as are destitute preuayle and the oppressour receaue his deserued foyle Bryng it thou to effect O almightie God from whom procéedeth the motion of all good thoughtes that as thou hast made thine onely Sonne our Sauiour Christe the sole sheapheard of thy faithfull flocke so wee may all know his voyce and follow him in sinceritie of life and puritie of doctrine all the dayes of our life I hartly béeséeche thee Lorde that in consideration of mine vnrighteousnesse thou giue mee not ouer into the handes of mine enemies and sutch as fayne woulde see my fal and reioyce at my finall destruction and especially deliuer mée from false prophetes and preachers whiche seeke only their owne commoditie and not the edefication of thy hungrie peoples soules Cause mee to take a moste singulare delight in the readynge and hearyng of thy holly Gospell to frame my life accordyng vnto the sacred institutions of thy woorthie woorde without whiche all other doctrine concernyng the woorshipping of thée is deuilish and vngodly and that by all meanes I may seeke the settyng foorth of the same Let the enemies of thy trueth bee enemies vnto mée that embrasinge their persons with laudable charitie I may persecute their offences vnto th'amendement of their liues and conuersation and that they may vnderstand at length that thou art a ielous God and wilt not giue thine honour to another O moste mightie kynge and giuer of all gracious goodnesse conuert the hartes of all sutche as persecute thy Christe in his membres thine elect open their eies I béeséeche thée that they may béehold their errours and repent them of their misdeedes and confirme the hartes of the afflicted that they may persist in confessing thy name Mercifully cal mée backe for I acknowledge that for my parte I haue walked wronge thou hast giuen me vnderstandynge to perceaue myne owne imperfections the multitude of them lieth heaped béefore myne eyes and my harte is sore gréeued therwith O comfort mée good Lord and quicken mée oftsoonesin thée I haue bin continually more readie to offende thy maiestie then to execute thy heauenly will there is no maner of meanes wherin a man may displease thée that I am guiltlesse take mercie vpon mée and forgiue mée therefore for I am determined neuer agayne to commit the like strengthen mee with thy spirite that I neuer sinne hereafter Most louynge Father and mercifull God I hartely require thee for my Lorde Iesus