thée in ioy and the right vse of al thy gifts with the good seruant in the mid night of death which shall suddenly steale vpon me like a theefe ere I beware Be thou to me at that time of neede O Lord a tower of strength a place of refuge and a God to defend mee euery manner of way and namely against that face of the feend who like a roring lion will be then ready to deuoure me against desperation which then wil be ready to grieue assault me Let theÌ„ thy comfort cleaue fast vnto mee thy mercie kéepe mée and thy grace guide me Then especially recouer againe Lord God the Father that which thy puissant might hath shapen Fetch then againe Lord GOD the Sonne that which thou hast so wisely gouerned and bought with thy precious bloud Take againe thou Lord God holy Ghost that which thou hast kept preserued so louingly in this region of sinne and vale of miserie three persoÌ„s and one very GOD vnto whom be praise and honour for euer and euer Amen A Psalme wherein the sinner desireth ot bee heard of God HOwe long O Lord shall my mind be pressed downe with painefull sorrowes How long O God wilt thou reiect my prayers which daylie I powre out before thée wilt thou Lord heare me at no time or wilt thou now cease to shew mercie Hast thou O Lord cast me away for euer and wilt thou neuer hereafter bee pleased with me Thy hand is not weakned but it may helpe and thine eares are not stopped that they should refuse to heare I beséech thée O my God for Iesus Christes sake to regard the teares that fall let the sighings and inward desires of my heart mooue incline thée to heare mee I haue béen a stubborne froward childe to thée I haue not feared thée but haue béen euer disobedient stubborne against thee I am in prison and bound in fetters of sorrow and so shal be til thou with thy gracious presence shalt vouchsafe to visite mee and bring me againe to libertie ioy Keepe thy mercie therefore for me always O Lord and the couenant which thou hast made with mée oh let it be surely performed Keepe mee Lord from sinne and so shall I dread neither death nor hell and as thou hast béen alwayes mercifull to penitent sinners so now good Lord forgiue me my sinnes Keepe my heart to thee and then shall it reioyce in thy mercie because thou hast looked on mee and hast regarded my soule in my great distresse Let mee neuer hereafter goe away from thy waies and leaue me not now in the déepenes of my troubles Loe now be the daies of health and grace now is the accepted time for in death who remembreth thee O Lord or in hell who shall praise thee Lord beholde therefore my weaknesse and frailnesse best knowne vnto thee and looke downe from heauen vpon the sorrow and heauines of me thy poore creature Mollifie my heart O Lord GOD that I may returne to thee and walke in thy waies for I haue wandred too long in the way of sinners Make a perpetuall league with me that thou wilt put thy feare into my heart that I neuer swarue from thée againe O Lord my prayers be euer vnto thee let thy anger bee turned from mee that I may finde fauour in thy sight O Lord looke thou not vpon the hardnes of my hart but as thou art a mercifull God so now bee mercifull vnto me and forgiue me that wherein I haue offended thée A Prayer MOst righteous God and merifull father in Christ for thy great mercie sake hearken to these my humble prayers which I make before thée and consâ—der Lorde the desires and thoughts of my hart Let my loud cryings come vnto thée let mine vnfained prayers enter into thine eares Heare me O Lord for I am destitute of thy helpe Take care for my soule saue me thy seruant which wholly trusteth in thee Haue mercie O Lord haue mercie vpon me for I will neuer cease crying vnto thée for thy helpe and mercie In the day time â—ll I call on thee and in the night my crie shall not be hid from thee O thou God of the Heauens and maker of all creatures heare me a most wretched sinner calling on thee and take away from mee all my sinnes and make stedfast my faith and confidence in thée in thy merciful promises that I putting my trust in them may haue as thou hast promised euerlasting life thorough Christ Iesus thy Son our Lord. Amen A Psalme that may bee sayd For Euening Prayer COnsider and heare mee O Lord my God lighten the eies of my soule that I sléepe not in death for if I bee cast downe they that trouble me wil reioyce at it Defend mee therefore O God from the way of the vngodly and out of the hands of the vnrighteous and cruâ— man deliuer me Euen in thy feare doe I worship O Lord toward thy holy temple bee mercifull vnto me and heare the request of my heart For happy are they whom thou hearest and regardest in the needfull time of trouble Haue mercy vpon me O God haue merce vpon me euen as thou hast promised to them that loue thy name I will call on thée O Lord my strength I 〈◊〉 trust in thée O thou ground of my saluation Keepe thy seruant therefore O Lord from presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion ouer mee and so shall I be vndefiled innocent from the great offence Let I beséech thee O Lord the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart bee alwaies acceptable in thy sight O Lord God my strength and my redéemer â—â—t my prayers bee set forth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be an euening sacrifice O Lord graunt mee thy light that I being deliuered from the darknesse of sinne may come to the very light which is Christ Turne thee vnto mee O Lord and shew mee the light of thy countenance Yea Lord heare my praier also I beséech thée And let my crie come vnto thée O Lord God I beséech thée for Christ Iesus sake to lighten my darknes both outward and inward of thy great goodnesse to deliuer me from all the dangers of this night either bodily or spirituall that thou being my sauiour in watching and my kéeper in sleeping I may wake in Christ and rest in peace through thy sonne Iesu Christ who liueth and raigneth with thee in vnitie of the holy ghost world without end Amen O Lord into thy handes I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of truth A prayer of a sinner to be sayd dayly before hee goeth about any worldly busines O My celestiall Father be now mercifull vnto mée thy repentant sinfull seruant fled from mine enemies to thy helpe and succour Impute not vnto me my sinnes for Christs sake for I haue heard thy Fatherly voyce and yet
wretchednesse faithfully to call for helpe of thée Yea good Lord giue me grace to order my life and the workes of my body soule with actuall intent to please thée that through thy merites and mercie at the end I may obtaine the reward of thy infinite ioy and eternall felicitie Let the water and bloud which can from thy blessed heart bee powerfull to wash my soule from sinne and iniquitie and to purchase mee abundāce of thy grace faithfully to serue thée O my Lord my might my life my light lead me féede me and spéede me in the pilgrimage of this mortalitie graunt me O Lord by the merits of thy passion and power of thy most excellent and glorious godhead whatsoeuer thy Wisedome knoweth most expediēt for me which howsoeuer in my miserable life I am most vnworthy of yet vouchsafe them vnto me all the time of my pilgrimage but specially at the houre of death when I shall be accused before thée haue mercie on mee breake my froward heart and make it obedient to thée Preserue me also good Lord from sodaine and vnprouided death and of thy owne singular grace and goodnesse graunt mee these supplications in this prayer which now I haue made to thée according to thy will Yea by thine owne mediation purchase for mee and bestow vpon mee a holy life and blessed ending and grant I beséech thée after my bodily death euerlasting life with endlesse blisse and felicitie thorow thy merites and bitter passion O Lord Iesu who with the Father and the holy Spirit liuest and raignest euer one God world without end Holy Trinitie one very God haue mercie on me Amen A deuout prayer to our Lord Iesu Christ O My soueraigne Lord Iesu the very sonne of almightie God and of the most cleane and glorious virgin Marie who sufferedst bitter death for my sake and all mankind and diddest rise againe the third day I beseech thée Lord haue mercie vpon me that am a wretched sinner but yet thy creature and for thy precious passion saue mee and kéepe me from al perils bodily and ghostly and specially from all things that might turne to thy displeasure And with all my heart I thanke thee most mercifull Lord for thy great mercies that thou hast shewed me in the great dangers that I haue béen in as well in my soule as in my body and that thy grace and endlesse mercie hath euer kept me spared me and saued me from the houre of my birth to this present time For these I say and al other thy mercies I humblie thanke thée Lord Iesus Christ further desiring thée that thy mercie may preserue me alway And I crie thée mercie with all my whole heart for my great offences for my great vnkindnes for all my wretched and sinfull life and for this in particular that I haue not or cannot leade my selfe as becommeth thy seruant I thanke thée also with all my heart my most gracious Lord for the benefites and graces that thou hast giuen mee so largely in this world afore many other of thy creatures vpon whom if it had béene so thy good pleasure thou mightest a thousand times better haue bestowed them than vpon me But most gracious Lord I wot and knowledge verily that it commeth of thée wherefore with all my heart I thanke thee continually crying and saying all honour praise and glorie bee vnto thée O Iesu with the Father and the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen Another prayer for an householder O Lord GOD almightie most mercifull and heauenly father thorough Christ I fréely confesse that thou art my life my soule and my bodie yea al the good which I haue and all whatsoeuer is mine hast thou giuen vnto me that of thine owne singular grace and goodnes Now sith of thee I haue receiued it and in me there is corruption to abuse it make vpright and order thou O Lord God of heauen all that is in my house And teach mee and mine to handle and guide all these outward things after thy godlie will we being thereby more and more prouoked to loue thée and in thée and for thée euery one of vs to profit another I say vnto thée I beléeue Lorde helpe my vnbeléefe And yet in this weakenes I cannot but intreate thée not to forsake me nor my wife my children nor any of my householde Defend vs Lord from sin before thée from shame in the world and from sicknes in our selues according to thy good pleasure Send vs thy holy Angell to guide and guarde vs that so wee may be defended in the whole course of our liues and may be lead forth the right way so as we may not talke doe or thinke any thought against thy holy commaundements and will but thereafter to liue worshipping thée and praising thée for euermore thorough Christ Iesus our Lord thy onely welbeloued Sonne Amen Blessed be the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Let vs praise him and exalt him world without end Amen An other Prayer ALmightie GOD our heauenly Father in Iesus Christ wée vnfeinedly confesse before thée that thy mercie and goodnes towards vs is infinite and without measure It is thy mercie and no goodnes that is in vs or of vs which mooued thée to send into the worlde thine onely begotten and eternall Sonne to take our nature vpon him and therein to worke the mysterie of our redemption and saluation as thou hadst appointed and spoken before by the mouthes of all thy Prophets which were from the beginning And likewise it was thy blessed will thy mercie and goodnes towardes vs that thy heauenly Sonne did suffer persecution trouble and aduersitie was betraied of his owne friend and disciple Iudas traiterously taken caried awaie to bée falsly accused and vniustly condemned to bee cruelly beaten scourged and finally with most scornefull rebukes to be put to the most painfull shamefull death that could bée deuised All this O heauenly Father was doone through thy mercy and blessed will for our sakes that not only to answere and satisfie thy iust wrath and anger which we had deserued and dayly doe deserue both for the offences of our first parents our actuall transgressing of thy holy commādements but also to restore vs againe to thy grace and fauour to indue vs with thy heauenly gifts that wée might serue thée in holynes and righteousnes all the dayes of our life And finally to make vs by the benefite of thy dearely beloued Sonnes passion and also through the price of his most precious bloud partners with him of his infinite and vnspeakeable glory and blisse in heauen Wherefore O heauenly Father wee béeséech thée powre vppon vs thy holy spirit and make vs in our hearts clearely to sée comfortably to féele and most stedfastly to beléeue this thine infinit gracious goodnes shewed and giuen vnto vs in thine owne sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ and with this beliefe make vs to put all our confidence and hope
to euerlasting blessednes through Christ Iesus Amen A Prayer against worldly carefulnes O Most deare and tender father our defender and nourisher endue vs with thy grace that wee may cast off the great blindnes of our minds and carefulnes of worldly thinges and may imploy our whole studie and care in kéeping of thy holy lawes and yet that wee may trauaile and labour for our necessities in this life like the birdes of the aire and the lillies of the field without carefulnesse for thou hast promised to be carefull for vs and hast commanded that vpon thée we should cast all our care which liuest and raignest world without ende Amen A Prayer against the diuel IEsu Christ our Lord which by the mouth of thy holy Apostle S. Peter didst say that our aduersarie the diuell goeth about like a roring lyon séeking whom hee may deuour wee know the truth of this by our owne experience and féele that hee is busie and fierce and breaketh in vpon vs so that if thou helpe not hee will soone deceaue vs with his craft ouerturne vs with his might and with his crueltie teare vs in péeces But if thou which hast vanquished him wilt appeare but as it were a farre off thou wilt make him afraide and with thy onely looke put him to slight Vouchsafe O Lord to receiue vs into thy tuition being but infants weake féeble and vnskilful lest the â—â—â—rce and cruell beast all to teare vs yea giue vs grace alwayes not onely to beare before vs the sworde of the spirit in our sight and to tarrie it in our hands but also couragiously to vse it as from thée that so our enemies may well know that we doe our busines by thy counsaile aid and strength and in thy power may bee put to flight to thy glorie and our euerlasting comfort through Christ Amen A thankes-giuing vnto God for all his benefites WE verie humbly in Christ thanke thée O heauenly Father for thy manifold and inestimable benefits which thou hast giuen to vs both for our soules and bodies yea and that fréely of thine owne goodnes not onely without but contrarie to our deseruing We thanke thée that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercie first to create and make vs according to thine owne image and likenes and to place vs in ioyfull Paradise where we should haue continually remained in a blessed and quiet state if through the subtile and deceitfull suggestions of Satan our old enemie we had not transgressed thy holy commandements We thanke thee also O most gentle Father for thy louing kindnes which thou shewedst to vs when wee were all perished and lost through the sinne of our first parents Adam and Heua For when thou mightest iustly haue condemned vs and cast vs into perpetuall damnation thou like a father of singular great loue hadst pitty on vs and sauedst vs by the death and passion of thy welbeloued sonne our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for all our sinnes and payed a sufficient price by his precious bloud for all the wickednesse that wee at any time heretofore haue committed or hereafter shall commit through our frailtie and weakenes so that wee beléeue thy promises and repent and amend our liues Neither wast thou thus contented that hee onely should die for our sinnes but also diddest raise him vp againe for our iustification and to make vs righteous in thy sight Moreouer after that he had shewed himselfe vnfainedly to liue to his Apostles by manifest and euident tokens certainelie through the power of his Godhead hee ascended vp into heauen perfect God and perfect man where he now sitteth on thy right hande and maketh intercession for vs being our alone mediator and aduocate from thence we looke for him to come againe at the day of iudgement not as a fearefull Iudge to condemne and cast vs away but as a most louing Lord and gentle Sauiour to carry vs with him into euerlasting glorie there world without end to remaine in such ioyes as eye hath not seene nor eare hath not heard nor yet any heart is able to thinke For these thy most bounteous giftes and for all other thy benefites which thou daylie giuest to vs of thy great mercie both for our body and soule wee humbly thanke thee most mercifull Father beséeching thee to giue vs grace through thy holy spirit not to bee either vnmind full of them or vnthankefull for them but to walke worthy of this thy kindnes and so behaue our selues all our life time in this wretched world according to thy holy will that at the last day we may bee found in the number of them to whom thy onely begotten soone shall say Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of this world Lord let it so come to passe euen for Christ Iesus sake Amen A deuout Prayer to bee daylie sayd O Almighty and eternal God which vouchsafedst that wee as it were heauenly children should euery one of vs call thee our heauenly father Grant that among vs by purenes and example of innocent life thy most holy name may bee sanctified that all other nations beholding our goodnesse and vertuous liuing that thou workest in vs may bee stirred to hallow and glorifie thée Grant O Lord that the kingdome of thy grace and mercie in this life may so rule and raigne continually in our hearts that we may bee by thée accepted and accounted as worthie in Christ to bee partakers of thy kingdome of glorie and maiestie in the life to come Grant that vnto the very death yea and in death it selfe also wee refuse not to follow thy diuine will but that wee according to the example of the celestiall citizens agréeing together quietly vnited in spirit all controuersie in opinions contrarie to thy holy truth being laide apart and the lust of the flesh being subdued and the flattering assaults of the world and the diuell ouercome we may willingly faithfully and constantly obey thy blessed will in all things Graunt O Lord for our bodie such a measure of necessarie and néedefull sustenance that thereby we may be the better enabled more freely and hearefully to serue thée and abound in all good workes towards thy saints and seruants here vpon earth knowing that our goodnesse reacheth not to thee but to the excellent that are in the world whom wee beseech thée make vs more and more to delight in and to loue for thy sake Giue me grace O Lord not onely patiently to beare and suffer our enemies and such as hate vs together with the iniuries which they doe lay vpon vs making good vse of them for thy glorie and our instruction but also vnfaignedly to forget and forgiue whatsoeuer they haue deuised sayd or done against vs euen as wee our selues would gladly obtayne at thy mercifull hands and féele in our selues the frée pardon and full forgiuenesse of all our transgressions And for such temptations
mée iudging mée according vnto the same I were not able to suffer or abide it but must needes perish and be damned for euer So little helpe comfort or sucour is there either in me or in any other creature whatsoeuer Only this is my cōfort O heauenly father the thou diddest not spare thy only dearely beloued Son but diddest giue him vp vnto the most bitter most vile and slaunderous death of the Crosse for mee that so hee might in his obedience pay the ransome for my sinnes satisfie thy iudgement still and pacifie thy wrath recōcile mée vnto thée againe purchase mée thy grace and fauour and euerlāsting life Wherefore through the merites of his most bitter death and passion through his innocent bloudshedding I beséech thee O heauenly Father that thou wilt vouchsafe to bee gracious mercifull vnto mee to forgiue and pardon me all my sinnes to lighten my heart with thy holy Spirit to renew confirme and strengthen mee with a right and stedfast faith and to enflame mee in loue towardes thee and my neighbour for thy sake that I may henceforth with a willing and a glad heart walke as it becommeth mee in the obedience of thy most godly and most blessed Commandements and so glorifie and praise thée euerlastingly and also that I may with a frée conscience a quiet spirit in al manner of temptations afflictions and necessities and euen in the very pangs of death boldly faithfully say I beleeue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate Was crucified dead and buried Hée descended into hell The third day hée rose againe from the dead Hee ascended into Heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie from thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beléeue in the holy Ghost The holy Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie And the life euerlasting Amen But O Lord heauenly Father to comfort my selfe in afflictions temptations with the assured féeling of these Articles of the Christiā faith it is not in my power for faith is thy gift And therefore forasmuch as thou wilt be praied vnto and called vpon for it I come vnto thée to pray and beséech thée both for that for al my other necessities bodily and spirituall euen as thy dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus himselfe hath taught vs and from the very bottome of my heart I cry and say vnto thée Our Father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will bée done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dailie bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen vnto the lappe of thy pitie For loe thou art my hope and trust in whom I onely repose my selfe hauing in thee ful confidence and faith so that now I may say with a very faithfull heart trusting in thy mercie I beléeue in thee O God the Father in thee O God the Sonne and in thee O God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one true and also verie God besides whom I acknowledge none other God in heauen aboue nor in earth beneath And yet I poore sinner cannot but accuse my selfe vnto thee deare Father that I haue fore and grieuously offended thy almightie goodnesse and Maiestie in the committing of mine exceeding grieuous and manifold sins and wickednes For I haue not kept the least of thy most godly and blessed commaundementes like as thy righteousnes may require indéed doth demād the same of me I haue not I say honoured thee like my God dread thée like my Lord loued thée like my father nor trusted in thee like my creator my sauiour Thy holy and dreadful name vnto which al glory honour belongeth haue I vsed in vaine I haue not sanctified the Sabboth day with workes which bee acceptable to thée nor instructed my neighbour in vertue accordingly I haue not honored my parents nor bin obedient vnto thē through whom as by an instrumēt thou hast wrought my comming into this world The high powers and rulers which receiue authoritie of thee I haue not willingly obeyed I haue not kept my heart pure and cleane from malice and manslaughter yea had not thy grace and mercy defended mee the better I should haue committed the verie deede also I likewise am not pure from theft nor from adulterie nor frō false witnesse bearing but haue in my heart and mind wished and desired my nighbours goods and thinges I haue followed the great Prince of this Worlde Sathan which hath been a lyer from the beginning in concupiscence of the flesh in pride of liuing in deceiptfulnes in lecherie in hatred and also enuie in backbiting in despaire and also misbeléefe And as I haue abused my will vnderstanding which are faculties and powers of my soule so my senses also which thou hast giuen mee to vse to thy glorie and my neighbours good and mine own lawfull delight I haue misused and mispent in hearing séeing smelling tasting and feeling also things that I should not or else suffring thē to be too violētly caried to things I might haue vsed But in what manner soeuer that I haue offended and sinned against thy eternall Maiestie for no man knoweth throughly his sinnes as the Prophet witnesseth whether it hath béen by day or else by night yea euen from my childhood vnto this day were it in workes wordes or thoughts secretly or openly O my mercifull God I am sorie for it euen from the very bottome of my heart yea my soule mourneth for very sorowe most mercifull Father that I am not a thousand times more sorie than I am howbeit in token of great repentance though all hearts bée knowne well enough vnto thée I doe knocke strike my breast and say in bitternesse of heart and soule Lord GOD the Father Sonne and holy Ghost haue mercie Spare mee of thine infinite mercie deare Lord now and all the daies of my life let me bee made partakers of thine abundant grace in such sort that I may chaunge my sinfull life and put thou out of mee the olde man with al his concupisences and lustes graunting mee grace dayly to die vnto the world and that the world may bée crucified vnto mee and I so dayly goe forward in newnes of life Strengthen mee O Lord in a true humble heart in sound loue hope and trust in thée giue my soule grace to desire in thée onely to reioyce and repose my selfe that I may vtterly renounce and forsake the vaine assistance of this world so that thou mayst finde me readie to méete
sicke thou canst heale me Though I bee dead and buried thou canst reuiue mee For thy mercie is much more then mine iniquitie Thou canst forgiue me more then I can offend Therefore O Lord do not consider nor haue respect to the number of my sins and to the grieuousnes therof but according to the greatnes of thy mercie forgiue mee and haue mercie on me most wretched sinner Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation and the rather speak this again because thou hast said and alwayes performed it I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee liue and bee conuerted and turne to me O Lord be not angrie with me I pray thée most meeke father for thy great mercie sake yea I most humbly beseech thée that thou wouldest for Christ Iesus sake vouchsafe to bring me to blisse that neuer shall cease Amen Another Prayer O Bountifull Iesu O sweete Iesu O Iesu the sonne of the pure Virgin Mary full of mercie and truth after thy great mercy haue pittie on mee I pray thée by the same precious bloud which for vs miserable sinners thou wast content to shed on the altar of the crosse that thou wilt vouchsafe cleane to remoue and take away all my wickednes and not to despise mee I humbly requiring this and that in and for thy most holy and blessed name O Lord Iesus This name of thine Iesus is the name of health what is Iesus but a Sauiour O my Sauiour Iesus Christ that hast created and redéemed me with thy precious bloud suffer me not to be damned whom thou hast made of naught and whom thou hast redéemed with a most precious ransome Oh let not my wickednesse destroy that thy almightie goodnes hath made and formed Lord Iesu reknowledge that which is thine indéed and wipe cleane away that which withdraweth or withholdeth me from thée Now and in all time of mercie haue mercie one mee and confound not me in the time of thy terrible iudgemēt And though I wretched sinner for my most grieuous offences haue by thy very iustice deserued eternall paine yet I doe appeale from that exact righteousnesse of thine to thy singular goodnesse and stedfastly trust in thine vnspeakeable mercie wherefore I pray thée as a louing father and mercifull Lord to take pittie on me Lord Iesu what profit is my bloud séeing I must descend into eternall corruption eternally They that bee dead shall not magnifie thee nor likewise all they that go to hell O most mercifull Iesu haue mercie on me therefore and deliuer me yea be alwayes comfortable vnto me and accept me a wretched sinner into the number of them that shall be saued And fith thou art the health of all them that trust in thee and thou hast giuen grace in some measure to beléeue haue mercie on me endue me with thy grace wisedome charitie chastitie and humilitie yea and in all mine aduersities vphold me with stedfast patience so that I may sincerely loue thee and in thée waite and looke to be glorified and haue mine onely delight in thee world without end Amen Another Prayer O Glorious King which among thy Saints art praised and neuerthelesse incomparable thou art in vs Lord and thy name hath béene called vpon by vs. Therefore doe not forsake vs Lord God and in the day of iudgement vouchsafe to glorifie vs among thy saints and elect O blessed King Amen If thou be sicke or in tribulation say thus LOrd God which doest punish and scourge thy people not after their deseruing neither yet to destroy them but to conuert them mercifully to thée and yet notwithstanding knowest that thorough our frailties wee are readie in the middest of thy corrections to fall away graunt vs we pray thée and that for Iesus Christs sake the strength and comfort of thy blessed spirit that to the glorie of thy name other mens good and our owne consolation wee may both patiently beare and graciously profit by and at the last bee mightily deliuered from this maladie which worthily wee doe suffer as the chastisement of our sinne and the time of faith Amen A very godly and necessarie prayer to bee sayde most specially at the houre of death O LORD Iesu Christ which art the health of all men liuing and euerlasting life to them that beléeue in thée and dye in thy faith I wretched sinner giue ouer and submit my selfe wholy vnto thy most blessed will I being sure by the promises of thy worde and the pledge of thy spirit that the thinge cannot perish which is committed to thy mercie In full perswasion whereof O Lord giue me grace that willingly I may leaue this fraile and wretched flesh in hope of the resurrection which in most perfect manner shall restore it mee againe And further I beséech thée most mercifull Lord that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soule against all temptations And that thou wilt so couer and defend mée with the buckler of mercie against all assaultes of the Diuel that he may not any manner of way preuaile vpon me I see and acknowledge there is in my selfe no hope of saluation but all my confidence hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnes I haue no merites nor good workes at all which I may any manner of way alleadge before thée sinnes and euill workes alas I sée a great yea an innumerable and infinite heape notwithstanding through thy mercie I trust to be in the number of them to whom thou wilt not impute their sinnes but take and accept me for righteous and iust and to be the inheritour of euerlasting life in and by the obedience of thy sonne and my Sauiour who was borne for my sake who did suffer both hunger and thirst for my sake who did both preach and teach for my sake who did pray and fast for my sake who did all good workes and déedes for my sake who suffered most grieuous and painfull torments for my sake and finally who gaue his most precious body to dye and bloud to bee shed vpon the crosse for my sake Now therefore most mercifull Sauiour I humbly beséech thee which hast giuen thy selfe for mee to make all these things and euery other grace of thine which thou hast fréely giuen me profitable to me and powerfull in me Let thy bloude clense mee and wash away the spottes and foulenes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide and couer my vnrighteousnes by the merits of thy passion and bloud which I acknowledg to be the onely price of satisfaction for my sins offences Strengthen me so good Lord by thy grace that my faith and saluation in thy bloud wauer not in me but may euer bée firme and constant Lord let not the hope of thy mercie and life euerlasting euer decay in mee but let it alwayes rest and be felt pourefully in me and that euen to and in the last gaspe And graunt further I pray thée that charitie ware not cold in me finally that the
weaknes of my flesh bée not ouercome with the feare of death or any other temptation whatsoeuer Yea graunt me mercifull Sauiour I humbly beséech thee that when death hath shut vp the eyes of my bodie yet that the eyes of my soule may still beholde and looke vpon thée and may assuredly féele thée in my selfe for my selfe to bee the mightie conqueror of death and the deuil sinne and hell and all other enemies of mine whatsoeuer so that when death hath taken away the vse of my tongue and spéech yet that my heart may cry and say vnto thée O Lord into thy hands I giue and commend my spirit Lord Iesus receiue my soule vnto thée Amen The prayer of Salomon for to obtaine wisedome 1 King 2. THOU hast shewed Lord vnto thy seruant Dauid my Father great mercie when hee walked in thy sight in truth and iustice and in vprightnes of heart with thée Thou shewest vnto him thy great mercie and gauest him a sonne sitting vpon his throne as it is at this day And now Lord God thou hast made thy seruant to raigne in the roome of Dauid my Father I am a very babe and know not how to goe out and in And thy seruant is in the middest of an infinite number which thou hast chosen which cannot bee numbred nor counted for multitude Wherefore giue to thy seruant an heart apt to bee taught and full of vnderstanding to iudge thy people that I may discerne betwéene good and bad For who is able to iudge this thy mightie people A prayer for obtaining of wisdome Sapient 9. GOd of our fathers and Lord of mercie thou hast made all things with thy word and ordained man through thy wisedome that hee should haue dominion ouer the creatures which thou hast made that hee should order the world according vnto equitie and righteousnes and execute iudgement with a true heart giue mee wisedome which is euer among the children of Israel For I thy seruant and sonne of thy handmaide am a féeble person of a short time and too young to the vnderstanding of thy iudgements and though a man bee neuer so perfect among the children of men yet if thy wisedome be not with him he shall be nothing worth Oh send thy wisedome out of thy holy heauens and from the throne of thy Maiestie that she may be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sight for she knoweth and vnderstandeth all things and she shall conduct me right soberly in all my workes and preserue mee in her power so shall my workes bee acceptable Amen A prayer for a competent liuing Prouerb 30. TWo things Lord I demand that thou wilt not deny mee vntill I dye vanitie and words of leasings remoue farre from me pouertie or riches giue me not onely giue me that is necessarie for my liuing least being in full abundance I might be prouoked to denie thée and say Who is the Lord or being compelled by necessitie I might steale and forsweare the name of God Another Prayer GOod Lord God and swéete Sauiour Iesus Christ the sonne of the euerlasting God grant vnto me most fraile sinner and miserable wretch this grace and mercie that I may euer haue present before the eyes of my soule thy holy life thine example and behauiour and that according to any measure of mercie thou hast béen pleased or shalt be pleased to bestowe vpon me I may in liuing and manners follow the same And cause mee good Lord to profite grow and increase therein to such a notable measure as may be acceptable vnto thée being thine own grace and comfortable to my selfe as comming from thée for the saluation of my soule Lighten Lord and make cleere and bright my heart with the glorious light of thy grace that it euer may goe before mee and follow mee in all my acts so that by thy grace and power conducting and guiding I may accomplish and fulfill al that may please thy goodnes and vtterly eschue and auoide all that in any wise should displease the same Vouchsafe sweete Sauiour I beséech thée to direct and order all my cogitations and thoughts all my spéech and wordes all mine acts and déedes in thy law and commaundements in thy monitions and counsels and take me good Lord wholly so vnto thée that here in all things doing thy will I by grace may bee one of the soules that thou hast appointed to euerlasting saluation thorough Christ Iesus Amen A deuout prayer to our Lord God O LORD which hast vouchsafed of thy vnspeakeable goodnes to make me and ordaine me thy creature to liue in this transitorie life giuing me a reasonable soule by the which inlightned with the truth of thy word I know thée to be my Lord my God and my maker which also I may in some sort well perceiue by the visible sight of thy wonderfull workes as by heauen the earth and the creatures in them contained together with the commodities blessings that we daylie receiue by them at thy hand all which declare the great loue that thou hadest in our first creation and also doe expresse the singular care and prouidence that yet still thou hast for vs and further doe declare to vs thée to be the only God and Lord ouer all and that there is none aboue thée and that there is no wisdome knowledge power or strength of value besides thée and yet further also thou knowing our necessarie néede of thy holy of thy most louing fauour hast not disdained to say to me and to other thy people by thine owne most blessed word to the great comfort of all our consciences Aske and it shall bee giuen séeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened to you And yet for further declaration of thy great loue toward vs hast most familiarly sayde If we that be euill can giue vnto our children when they aske good things how much more then shall our heauenly Father giue his holy spirit to them that earnestly desire it What a swéete and comfortable saying is this In confidence of this truth O most blessed Lord I wretched sinner doe aske at thy hands mercie and grace confessing my selfe to bee a most wicked and abominable sinner in thy sight most weake of all other to stand to or in thy truth most fraile to fall and readie to breake all thy holy commandements by the kéeping of which we are knowne to bee thy true seruants O most mercifull Lord God I acknowledge my selfe daylie and hourely to breake the same but where I haue thus offended thy diuine Maiestie I humblie for Christ Iesus sake aske of thee mercie and forgiuenes minding by thy most mightie assistance neuer hereafter to offend in the same And Lord that I may bee the better perswaded of the assured performance of the same I humbly aske and desire thy strength continually to make me stand fast in faith thy knowledge and power from thée to worke thy blessed