thou art the God which euer hath béene and shall be the GOD almightie by whom all thinges haue their being full of mercie mindfull of thy promise Who so séeketh any other than thée O Christ in whom dooth rest onlie the saluation of our soules that creature shal find nothing but miserie and sorrow Wherfore Lord make me rich in thy fauour and grace conducting me by thy power Graft in me a full trust in thy promises for my deliuerance make me one with thée in euerlasting loue that when it shall please thée to call me out of this miserable world I may liue with thée and my Sauiour Christ who died for me and all people whose name with thée O Father and the holie Ghost be praised now and for euermore Amen 21. A praier of the creation of mankind of the true Samaritane for strength against temptation O Father of heauen of power almightie which with thine onlie word diddest create and make all the whole world and all for the profit seruice of man whom thou diddest create of all other a most noble and perfect creature giuing him power vpon earth the waters and all the fowles and birds of the aire thou madest him also after thine own similitude and likenes induing him with a reasonable soule and all the powers thereof thou also diddest put him in the pleasant garden of paradise excepting nothing from him but the eating of the onlie trée of knowledge of good and euill and further for his helpe comfort and companie of a ribbe of his side thou madest for him a woman and gauest hir to him to be his wife There had they instructions giuen them and the lawe of life for an heritage Before them was laid both life and death good and euill with a fréewill giuen them to take which liked them best But their frailtie was such that they through a small intisement chose the euill and left the good they left life chose death Thus Lord through sin breaking of thy commandements man lost the fréewill that was giuen him in his creation and purchased death to all his posteritie In the waie as he went to Ierusalem and Iericho he fell in the hands of théeues who hurting and wounding him sore departed leauing him halfe dead so that he could haue helpe of none but only of the good Samaritan who as he passed by the same waie powred wine and oile into his wounds and tooke the cure of him This onlie Samaritan was thy deare Sonne Christ which tooke vpon him all the iniquities of mankind and laid them on his backe by his death purging and clensing him not onlie from the originall sin of our father Adam but also from all our sins which we commit from time to time by the vertue of his passion and the sacrament of baptisme vpon our repentance For as by Adam death came to mankind so by Iesus Christ was mankind restored to life For this great and high benefit of thy sonnes blessed passion for our redemption we thy poore creatures praise and thanke thée most humblie acknowledging his inestimable loue towards vs in that thou vouchsafedst to die for vs being then sinners thy mortall enimies Neuerthelesse most mercifull father we are of our selues not able to do any thing that good is no not so much as to thinke a good thought without thine aid and assistance We wander here miserablie in the lowe parts of the vile earth our strength will not serue vs to clime to the high of the hilles where thou dwellest in thy mount Sion a place prepared for thine elect a chosen inheritance of thy faithfull seruant Abraham and his séed Wherefore since we being burthened with the affects of worldlie pleasures and also with other cares and troubles can by no meanes ascend to thée that art on the top of so high a mountaine so manie legions of angels attending on thy Maiestie we haue no remedie but with the prophet Dauid now to lift the eies of our harts and minds towards thée to crie for helpe to come down from thée to vs thy poore and wretched seruants We wander here below as lost shéepe hauing no shepheard we are assailed on euerie side with manifold enimies the diuell rauening and hungering séeketh whom he may deuoure the world allureth vs also to hir deceitfull vanities our flesh also which we carrie about vs is our enimie readie and prone to drawe vs vnto all vices and pleasures From this can we by no meanes be defended but by thée Lord. Send vs therfore thy helpe and holie angell to assist and strengthen vs for of thée most mercifull Father floweth all bountie and goodnes Thou O Lord God madest heauen and earth for thine honour and mans commoditie establish therefore good Lord the chosen works of thy hand with thy eternall helpe from heauen send vs downe the welspring of thy grace and thy strong angell to aide vs by his helpe that no assault of our spirituall enimies doo preuaile against vs but from all euils by thy word defend vs Lord both touching the bodie and also the soule that no temptation preuaile against vs. Thou hast béene our protectour euen from our mothers wombe and our trust is that thou wilt so continue all the daies of our life and speciallie at the houre of our death that we may ascend to the heauenlie Ierusalem where we shall reast in the bosome of our father Abraham the father of all faithfull beléeuers there to praise thée and thy louing Sonne and the holie Ghost world without end Amen 22. A praier and thankesgiuing vnto God for his manifold gifts with an acknowledgment of our sinne and pardon for the same O Praise the Lord our God for euer and let vs giue thanks vnto the name of his glorie which excéedeth all other thankesgiuings and praises for thou art our God alone thou hast made the heauen of all heauens with all the hoste of them the earth and all the creatures which liue by thée the sea and all that moue therein thou preseruest them all through thine omnipotent power For the which all the host of heauen praiseth thée and we thy poore children here on earth doo crie vnto thée Holie holie holie art thou which euer was and euer shall be O Lord God of sabaoth Thou hast made good all thy words and promises for thou art righteous and true and hast considered the miserie of our forefathers for they were stubborne against thée not regarding thy precepts and commandements neither were mindfull of thy wonderous works that thou diddest for them whose footesteps we are prone and readie to follow in all vngodlines in these our daies but thou O Lord art mercifull patient and of great goodnes and forsakest vs not whensoeuer we returne vnto thée Wherefore O Lord heare vs from heauen and forgiue vs all our vnthankfulnes and giue vs faithfull hearts to followe thy commandements which if we doo we shall liue in them For it is not
iustlie prouoked thy wrath and indignation against me And now I how the knées of my hart vnto thée most mercifull and heauenlie father beséeching thée for Iesus Christ his sake to forgiue me all my sinnes negligences and ignorances For I confesse how wickedlie I haue mispent the talent that thou gauest me abusing thy gifts of grace manie waies burieng the same in obscure darknesse woorse than the seruant that hid his maisters treasure not putting it to anie increase for he deliuered the principall againe But I most miserable creature can shew vnto thy maiestie no part of that which thou gauest me to vse to thine honor and glorie for the which I am most hartilie sorie and doo vnfeinedlie repent hauing no meane to helpe my selfe but onelie to lift vp the eies of my faith vnto thy deare sonne Iesus Christ beséeching him most instantlie to make perfect my wants and to renue whatsoeuer is lacking in me For I commit my bodie and soule this night and euermore into his most holie hands hoping O Christ thou wilt make me an acceptable sacrifice vnto thy father I haue no place to flie vnto but to shrowd me vnder the wings of thine almightie power who wast so louing vnto vs that thou wast contented to shed thy most pretious bloud for the sinnes of the whole world for the which I most humblie and hartilie yéeld vnto thée thanks honor praise and glorie O lambe of God sonne of the father heare thou me thou that saiedst I am thy health and saluation I am thy peace and life cleaue fast vnto me and thou shalt liue O Lord I am the woonded man and thou art the good Samaritane powre oile into my wounds and bind them vp Lord heale thou me and I shall be whole for thou art my God and Sauiour Heare thou therefore my supplications from heauen and haue mercie Take from me all my sinnes and wickednesse and giue me thy grace and holie spirit Lighten mine eies that I sléepe not in death so shall I ioiefullie after this sluggish sléepe of sinne rise againe liuing in thy feare all the daies of my life Which grant me to doo O Father Sonne and holie Ghost thrée persons and one true GOD world without end Amen 5. Against the temptation of the diuell and for Gods fauour and grace O Lord preserue me that I fall not into temptation neither let me be as one of them that contemne thy word falling from thée but arme me with an inuincible strength and constancie so shall I be sure that all the powers of the world shall not ouercome me For there is none in heauen earth or hell that can doo anie thing but as thou giuest them power Séeing that all are thy creatures thou must néeds gouerne and guide them Thy mercie O God almightie is also annexed to thy diuine nature for when all mankind was lost and dead in sinne then diddest thou sitting in thy celestiall throne looke downe to the earth vpon our miserable state and loosedst vs from the bands of the diuell and sendedst downe thine onlie begotten sonne that by his death he might deliuer from death such as worthilie were the children of death for the which I praise thée and doo confesse from the bottome of my hart that our deliuerance commeth onlie of thée O God and not by mans power Wherefore I will not come emptie into thy presence but with all humilitie I offer vnto thée my troubled spirit for mine offenses and this sacrifice I am sure thou wilt not despise for I confesse my selfe ignorant till thou hast taught me O Lord. My heart is also variable and separated from thée Ioine my soule and bodie to thée O God and confirme me in thine obedience for I desire not to liue but to serue thée as I ought which we cannot doo aright except thou open our eies I respect no man but set thée alwaies before me as the chéefe helper and iudge of my dooings Certeinlie we can doo nothing of our selues but when thou O God doost inwardlie instruct vs by thy holie spirit then féele we thy graces swéeter than the honie and the honie combe There is no acception of persons with thée but all people that feare thée and worke righteousnesse thou wilt accept If we be thine thou Lord wilt strengthen vs with all power and blesse vs with all felicitie But thy indignations are most constant against the wicked and passe all our vnderstanding for thou O God neuer forsakest anie that séeke vnto thée Therfore man is cause of his owne destruction Giue me thy fauour and be mercifull vnto me for thine owne sake grant me thy heauenlie wisedome and grace to be gouerned by thy holie word which if I follow I shall haue all prosperitie corporall and spirituall bringing foorth such fruits as haue life I acknowledge that all my acts thoughts or anie part of my life cannot be hid from thée O God though thou séemest to be farre off so that they are euidentlie knowne to thée for thou O GOD vnderstandest my meaning before I speake and sendest the dewes of thy grace vpon me which causeth me to bring foorth the fruits of good works to thine honour and the helpe of my neighbor for it is of thy power strength and grace when I doo anie thing that is good and not of mine owne power There is none good but thou alone thou killest and giuest life thou woundest and makest whole neither is there anie that can speake a word except thou giue it him nor none can saue himselfe by his owne labour nor anie worldlie meanes Wherfore I will rest in thée as mine onelie God through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen 6. A praier for faith and for Gods helpe and assistance at his good pleasure O Lord GOD almightie which by thy power wisedome hast made all the world and dooest gouerne the same and all that therein is from thy holie heauens wherein thou dwellest looke fauorablie vpon vs and grant that in temptation we may haue faith to fight against the diuell and all his false suggestions and to crie inwardlie vnto thée with groning alwaies aiding vs with thy holie spirit to be humble in all afflictions with true repentance For when all mans helpe dooth faile thou O God wilt helpe vs euen as it were by a miracle if we call vpon thée with an vpright conscience Lord grant vs neuer to require more of thée than is necessarie neither to séeke to separate thy power from thy will least we should tempt thée for though thy helpe dooth not presentlie appeare yet hast thou sowen and laid vp in store for vs. We will therefore be mindfull of thy benefits and onelie trust in thy defense for though the wicked rage against thée O God yet those that be thy children shall praise thy name and mightie power For the more liberallie that thou O God dooest deale with thy people the more doost thou punish them that abuse thy benefits For
consciences Oh saue vs for thy mercie sake for thy blessed Sonne Iesus hath dearelie bought vs. Wherefore Lord we thy faithfull creatures being through thy grace and the battell of thy sonne vpon the crosse restored to thy fauour and hauing the house of our hearts and soules swept and made cleane from all vices which were woont to inhabite in vs we most humblie praie thée to giue vs strength to kéepe our soules from the inuasion of the wilie serpent Dwell in vs still by thy continuall grace make vs to be of thy houshold that we may liue and praise thée in this world and after this life we may enioie the blessed presence of thine eternall maiestie one God in persons thrée and euerlasting in vnitie world without end Amen 9. A praier for humilitie and a confession of sinnes with a petition to haue the same remitted LOrd giue me humilitie being the beautifull flowre of vertue that groweth in the garden of mans soule one of the most pleasant most necessarie and most acceptable whose power was so great that it drue the sonne of GOD the second person in deitie from heauen into the wombe of the méeke virgine whom of all other he chose to be his mother for that she was so humble and vertuous Thou O Christ our Sauiour being Lord of all the world walkedst all the daies of thy life in humilitie and therein endedst humbling thy self vnto the vile death of the crosse The wise humilitie of Abigael pacified the furie of Dauid when he was minded to kill all the men of the house of hir husband The humble submission of wicked Ahab asswaged the wrath of GOD which was the cause that the almightie preserued him all the daies of his life The great goodnes of this vertue is made manifest by opening the heinousnes of the vice contrarie thereto which is pride which appeared in the proud Pharisie when he made boast in his praiers of his good déeds and despised his poore neighbour which caused his praier not to be hard when the poore Publican standing a farre off with humblenesse durst not lift vp his eies to heauen but with heartie repentance knocking his breast said Lord be mercifull to me a sinner which hartie confession of his sinne was cause of his iustification and that he was made righteous Wherefore most gratious Lord our heauenlie father considering the power of humilitie and the knowledge of our sinnes with hartie repentance to be of so great efficacie I thy poore creature vnworthie to appeare before thy maiestie doo powre downe here before thée my sacke that is full of sinne which I haue committed euen from my youth they are great and manie without number neuerthelesse trusting of thine accustomed nature and propertie which is to be mercifull to all sinners that be sorie for their offenses from the bottom of their hearts turning to thée knowing that thou diddest send thy louing sonne not to call those that séeme in their owne sight to be iust but to helpe those that confesse themselues to be sinners I therefore Lord willing by the helpe of thy grace vtterlie to forsake sinne and to fulfill thy holie will hereafter desire thée humblie of forgiuenesse and to admit me among the number of those that are blessed and their vnrighteousnes forgiuen I will not couer from thée my sinnes neither yet excuse them but I praie thée Lord hide them in the bloodie woonds of thy sonne Christ where they shall be put in perpetuall obliuion Blessed is the man vnto whom thou doost not impute sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile Wherfore from the bottome of my heart Lord I am sorie for all my sinnes and doo aske thée forgiuenesse I will acknowledge all mine offenses and accuse my selfe vnto thée Lord. So soone as I was determined no longer to hide mine euill waies thou Lord straite forgauest me Thine eare was in my heart before my voice was in my mouth Thy mercies washed awaie my sinnes or euer my confession was made Thou art as readie to heare and forgiue as we to aske Wherefore I will saie with the prophet Daniel It is I that haue offended and sinned against thy maiestie I humblie beséech thée cure my sicke soule for I haue highlie sinned against thée yet doubt I not but thou hast and wilt forgiue the wickednes of my sinne It is thou Lord that must helpe vs which thou wilt doo if we call vpon thée whilst we are in this life for after death no intreatie will be heard It is then too late Wherefore Lord kéepe vs in the right waie and suffer vs not to swarue on the right hand nor on the left Thy eies of protection and mercie are euer firmelie fixed vpon vs grant vs to set the eies of our minds vpon thée Lord call me plucke me Lord from mine vngodlines that I may knowe thée loue thée put my hope wholie in thée O glorious God my maker sauiour sanctifier dwell in me and giue me grace to dwell in thée Amen 10. A praier for patience in trouble and constant expectation of Gods goodnes O GOD almightie grant vs neuer to refuse thy chastening For though thou make a wound thou giuest a plaister though thou smite thy hand maketh whole againe Thou shalt deliuer vs in sixe troubles and in the seauenth there shall none euill come vnto vs. In hunger thou shalt saue vs from death and when it is war from the power of the sword thou shalt kéepe vs from the euill toong and when trouble commeth we shall not néed to feare In destruction and death we shall be merrie for the stones of the land shall be confederate with vs bicause the Lord of hosts is our defense refuge for euer Let vs therefore put our whole trust in him reioising with melodie of thanksgiuing vnto his maiestie who onelie is true and can helpe vs with deliuerance Let vs lift vp our eies vnto GOD who hath all power and therefore ought to be feared For whatsoeuer he be that feareth man more than God falleth into a snare and is destroied As for all our sinnes and transgressions thou requirest nothing of vs O Lord GOD but to turne vnto thée and to obeie thy holy word following thy precepts and commandements For thou saiest O Lord those that honour thée thou wilt exalt and whosoeuer despiseth thée shall be despised For thou preferrest to honour and puttest downe according to thy blessed will The wicked when they féele thy heauie hand grudge at the same but the godlie humble themselues and crie for mercie For thou O Lord wilt not heare hypocrits but those that praie vnto thée with an vnfained faith and true repentance For the praier of the faithfull is a barre to staie thine anger that thou consume not all Thy mercie is so great towards thine that thou wilt not destroie them for their sinnes but correct and chasten them till thou haue purged and pardoned them Thy fauour O God is cause of
for euer comfort thy small flocke to the confusion of thine enimies and make vs able through thy grace to kéepe thy lawes which are pure euen as the siluer which from the earth is tried and purified seuen times in the fire Thou art néere Lord vnto all that in this life call vpon thée faithfullie and thou kéepest them from all dangers for in the midst of this world we are in manie temptations and vices and in the companie of the proud and wicked people and in manie tribulations We sée the vanities of this world readie to mooue vs we suffer persecution yet thou kéepest vs from desperation and thy grace preserueth vs that they come not néere vs. Their entisements we estéeme not bicause we hope in thy mightie power who art our defense in trouble Thy sonne Christ is the strong rocke in the which all birds that build doo rest out of ieopardie to him all sinners maie slie for succour and comfort being holden by him they may be eased This rocke the diuell cannot vndermine nor scale no water of tribulation can drowne those that build on this rocke Pharao king of Aegypt with a great host pursued the children of Israel but he could not hurt them thou Lord wast their defense and diddest destroie all their aduersaries Euen so art thou our defense our hope and our comfort Thou wilt compasse vs about with ioifull deliuerance The house of our bodies is enuironed with enimies but thy prouidence will defend vs out of all dangers Thou wilt informe vs and shewe vs the waie wherin we shall go This life is a pilgrimage and a iorneie for vs to trauell in Thou art the end of our waie O God Thou art the marke that we shoote at when we come to our iornies end in thée Lord we hope to haue rest Thou giuest knowledge and instruction by faith that if we passe well through this world we shall haue ioie euerlastinglie to the which bring vs all thou Lord that diedst for vs all Amen 16. A praier that we may be heard of God THy hand is not shortened O Lord that it cannot help neither is thine eare stopped that it will not heare but our misdoings haue separated vs from thée our God and our sinnes haue caused thy face to be hidden from vs. Our hands are defiled with vnrighteousnesse our lippes speake leasings our toongs doo set out wickednesse No man regardeth righteousnes and none iudgeth truelie euerie one hopeth in vaine things and imagineth deceit conceiueth wearines bringeth foorth euill For our offenses are manie before thée and our sinnes doo testifie against vs and we acknowledge that we haue doone amisse transgressing and dissembling against thée Lord and fallen awaie from our God vsing presumptuous imaginations Neuerthelesse thou art our God and euerlasting father our nourisher and defender which wouldest not the death of a sinner but mercifullie receiuest all those that with repentant harts come vnto thée And now we set our eies and face towards thée lifting vp our hearts vnto thy mercie seat who hast promised to vnlode vs whensoeuer we come vnto thée Heare vs therefore and forgiue vs all our offenses which we haue committed from the time of our birth vntill this present houre O blesse vs and the works also of our hands that we may liue and praise thée world without end through Iesus Christ our Lord and sauiour Amen 17. A praier against the enimies of the church THe sure ships O Lord fléete in the sea vnder their sailes and passe through the stormie tempests without drowning so doo thine elect O God almightie passe through the fearefull perils of all their enimies in this world by the meanes of thy ship the church and the true faith thereof of which ship our Sauiour Christ is the sterneman the guide and the sure anchor to be cast in all necessities who so trusteth in him shal be brought to the faire hauen of perfect beatitude Who so kéepeth him within the boords of his faithfull ship néedeth not to feare the dreadfull dragon that sturdie strong Leuiathan to whose power no power on earth may be compared for he is so mad that he feareth nothing he is king ouer all the children of pride This is that Lucifer that fell downe from heauen he is the serpent that deceiued in paradise and brought death to all mankind Neuerthelesse when thy faithfull people are penitent for their offenses resist his temptations and followe thy lawes putting their whole trust in thée and thy blessed sonne then doo they mock and deceiue him as Christ did with his humanitie which when he thought to deuoure by tempting the Iewes to put Iesus to death he was tripped in his owne turne and taken into bondage by the vertue of Christs diuinitie And whensoeuer we that be his faithfull be caught as this our enimie thinketh in his danger we turne to our head Iesus Christ for refuge and by his helpe doo vanquish him Great good Lord is thy mercie and goodnes that suffereth not thy faithfull to be tempted aboue their strength but in the midst of their temptation makest a waie for them to escape out The enimie hath no power of himselfe but as thou sufferest him he with all other creatures hang vpon thy will commandements all wait on thée that thou maist giue them meate in due season when thou giuest it them they gather it Thy works Lord are mercie and forgiuenes thou art our iustice whereby thou makest vs iust which before were most wicked sinners thou makest vs thine humble creatures to tremble for feare of thy mightie power and iustice our pride thereby is abated We account the good déedes which we haue doone to be of thy gifts and goodnesse nothing presuming of our owne fraile power for we knowe that thy holie spirit resteth vpon those that haue a lowly troubled spirit and dooe stand in awe of thy word The proud and stifnecked people dooest thou touch with scorpions and punishments then they come to the knowledge of thy Maiestie then will they saie as Nabucadonosor said after his punishment Honour and praise be vnto thée O God of heauen whose power endureth alwais and thy kingdome from one generation to another Then shall they be driuen to praise thy mightie Maiestie as thou art worthie Cruell Saule was touched of thy hand and became Paule a welbeloued apostle through the helpe of thy grace and laboured more aboundantlie than all other of thine apostles such is the power of thy gratious influence This thy noble grace send me most mercifull God whereby I shall haue a louing desire to honour thée to praise thée my God and sauiour so long as I haue anie being I will not cease to confesse my sinnes to thée and to lament mine iniquities then shall my words be plesant and acceptable to thée And as I ioie wholie in thée that art my creator and in thy sonne which is my redéemer so shalt thou also delight in me that am
stocke vnto the wicked nor wrap me vp with the deceitfull when they are put to shame for séeing my troubles come of thy appointment I will with thy helpe indure them with patience for I put not my trust in anie worldlie thing but in thée O God my maker and defender I will serue thée with a pure affectiō and with the godlie that worship thée in spirit and truth which that I may the better fulfil blesse me with thy grace now and for euer Amen 25. A praier for the increase of faith wherein also the vnmeasurable loue of God the Father is recorded O Mercifull GOD that art so good and louing a Father make me heire of thy heauenlie kingdome with thy blessed sonne Iesus Christ increase my faith in thée O Lord that I may most faith fullie beléeue all that thou hast commanded in thy holie word for whatsoeuer is not of faith the same is sinne Faith is the sure and perfect foundation of all christian religion wherby thy faithfull hope surelie that all thy promises made vnto them of thy méere goodnes and liberalitie shall surelie and vndoubtedlie be fulfilled Heauen and earth shall perish rather than thy word and promise shal be vnperfourmed By faith Abraham was iustified and by faith he was readie to make sacrifice of his onlie begotten sonne Isaac Vpon those that were faithfull did our Sauiour worke his miracles in so much that in his countrie of Galilie he did not manie bicause of their vnbeléef And by this faith with the helpe of thy grace at this daie and to the end of the world are and shall all thy chosen people be saued and that fréelie without anie deseruing of theirs And being fullie persuaded by thy holie scripture I beléeue in thée my most mightie God thrée persons in one essence and in all things conteined in thy holie word and the same faith I will not let to confesse before all the world I will not doo as manie of the Iewes did which beléeued on thy sonne yet durst they not boldlie confesse him neither make their faith known least they should haue béene expelled out of the synagog They more estéemed the glorie of this world than they did estéeme the glorie of God But through the helpe of thy grace Lord I will speake nothing but that I firmelie beléeue and that which I doo beléeue I will by no meanes hide but speake boldlie for I know that who so dooth confesse thée before men him wilt thou confesse before thy father which is in heauen Faith causeth me to loue thée for thine own sake aboue all creatures Loue causeth me to confesse thée before all the world and for thy sake to worke towards my neighbour as thou haste commanded me It is thy grace that maketh man vertuous and good which grace is the nurse of all good things it leadeth man from one vertue to another it kéepeth vs from falling lifting vs vp againe when we are fallen Thy louing kindnesse hath béen from euerlasting and endureth for euer What shall I giue againe vnto thée O Lord for thy manifold benefits that thou hast doone vnto me Great cause haue I to be thankfull when I remember thy tender loue shewed vnto man in his first creation next in power wisedome knowledge and vnderstanding to the nature of angels made also touching the soule like vnto thine owne image which he through frailtie did abuse yet neuertheles thou of thy mercifull pitie being willing that this noble worke of thine should not vtterlie be lost diddest send thine onelie begotten sonne to become man and wiledst him to suffer death for mans redemption What more loue could be shewed than thou hast shewed what more could be doon to thy vineyard than thou hast doone thy charitie was feruent to vs when we were all sinners few men would now die for their righteous fréend but thou sendedst thy sonne to suffer death for thine enimies that were sinners yea when we dailie now doo fall still from thée by committing all kind of vices yet dooest thou mercifullie suffer vs and gentlie receiue vs so oft as we do returne againe to thée by repentance We forgiue our neighbours scarselie one or twise when they displease vs but thou Lord forgiuest vs not seuen times but seuentie times seuen that is so often as we fal Euen so willest thou vs to forgiue one another Wherefore Lord reach vnto me thy helping hand as thou diddest vnto Peter and as he was thereby made able to walke vpon the water so shall I be able thereby to performe thy holie lawe which my hart is desirous to doo in the presence of all the congregation that other may take example by my dooings and glorifie thy Maiestie for thy noble gifts Strengthen me Lord with thy holie spirit giue me an hart and will rather to choose to suffer death than to breake anie of them for right deare in thy sight is the death of thy saints Thy name will I call vpon and honour it all the daies of my life I will also as I haue promised fulfill my vowes that I haue made vnto thée I will giue vp my selfe to thée as an oblation and séeing I am thy image I will declare vnto the holie congregation how mercifullie thou hast receiued me to thy grace I will honor thée in thy church wherof I am partaker through the meanes of thy sonne Christ Iesus my onelie Lord and sauiour Amen 26. A praier vnto God the father wherein the sinner openeth his greefe of conscience O GOD I am not worthie of the least of thy mercies and truth which thou hast shewed vnto me thy seruant for though thou hast O Lord assaide me with the one hand thou hast euer holden me vp with the other for thou art euer present with vs to succor vs in our troubles And if thou O God diddest not open our eies we could neither sée nor vse the meanes which thou hast set before vs. As for me when thou openedst mine eies and heart I was readie to obeie thée being assured that I was written in the booke of thine elect to this end for thy prouidence watcheth alwaies to direct thy children that they slide not Wherefore now O Lord call to remembrance the cares and gréefes which we haue suffered consider and sée our confusion Our inheritance is turned vnto strangers we are become carefull and fatherlesse our parents which now are gone haue sinned and we must beare their wickednesse Alas that they and we haue sinned so sore Therefore is our hart full of heauines but thou O Lord that remainest euermore and thy seat world withou end doo not forget vs. Let all the world sée thy iudgements in that thou art our God and ruler ouer all which we will euer confesse bicause thou art so glorious and through thy mercifull aid I will remaine stedfast being vpholden by thy power O GOD. For I haue euer this hope of conscience that thou wilt not impute vnto me my ignorance
thou destroie all the vngodlie yet haue wée a sure hope thou wilt deliuer our soules from the power of hell and receiue vs to thée by grace here in this world and after when thou shalt come to the last iudgement to take vs to thy selfe in glorie that where thou art there may we be with thée For we are not gréeued at the vngodlie nor afraid when they be made rich and the glorie of their houses increased We knowe that their honour indureth but a small season vanisheth awaie as dooth the smoke for thou regardest them not therfore thou giuest them things of small estimation Abraham gaue gifts to the sonnes of his concubines and sent them awaie but vnto Isaac he gaue his possessions and all that he had so Lord to the wicked thou giuest temporall things but for thy faithfull thou reseruest thy euerlasting heauenlie inheritance This is a sure and permanent reward the othee soone slippeth awaie their time here is but short and when they die they shall carrie nothing awaie with them neither shall their pompe followe them For thou O Lord wilt driue them awaie As wax melteth at the heat of the fire so shall the vngodlie perish at thy presence then shalt thou change their honour into shame for while they liued they were counted happie men and so long as they were in prosperitie men spake good of them but when they followe their fathers generation they shall neuer sée light any more They were the children of Canaan come of a wicked progenie they haue followed their forefathers steps their déedes were euill they loued darkenesse better than light Wherefore they shall haue euerlasting darknes with torments they shall haue fire but it shall giue them no comfortable heat These paines are ordained for them that were in honour and had riches in aboundance and did forget their estate and for lacke of knowledge were led into captiuitie Wherefore O good God let vs not be of the number of them but build vs vpon thy blessed sonne Iesus Christ the head corner stone in him whosoeuer is builded groweth vnto an holie temple in the Lord his God For of our selues we haue hard harts to beléeue except thou write thy law in our harts by thy holie spirit Now is the acceptable time Lord let vs find grace and fauour in thy sight pardon our wickednes and sinne and take vs to thine inheritance that we may reigne with thée in glorie for euer and euer Amen Amen 31. A praier that we may heare the word of God and keepe it I Am thy seruant Lord giue me vnderstanding that I may learne thy lawe and decrées incline my soule to the words of thy mouth bicause thy talke floweth like vnto dew The Israelits said vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and we will heare shée but let not the Lord speake least we die Howbeit I praie not so O Lord but rather with the prophet Samuel I doo humblie and earnestlie beséech thée thus Speake on Lord for thy seruant dooth hearken for thou art the giuer and inspirer of life who art able without anie to instruct me Thy Ministers speake for thée thy secreats but thou vnlockest the vnderstanding of the things pronounced they rehearse to vs thy commandements but it is thy aid and helpe that giueth strength to walke ouer the same and giuest light vnto the minds Wherefore bicause thou art the euerlasting truth speake thou Lord my God vnto me least I die and be made vnfruitfull for thou hast the words of euerlasting life Speake therefore that thing which may bring both comfort vnto my soule and amendment vnto my life and also may cause glorie and immortall honor vnto thée For man dooth perish but thy truth indureth O God for euer Blessed are they therefore whom thou instructest and giuest knowledge vnto O Lord and doost teach thy lawe that thou maist helpe them in time of trouble that they perish not Looke fauourablie vpon me O GOD and grant I praie thée that thy truth may teach me kéepe me and bring me vnto a happie end Let the same deliuer me from all wicked lusts and from inordinate loue Thou hast infinit means and all creatures are at thy commandement therefore good Lord shewe some signe whereby I shall be deliuered and send thine holie angell before me to kéepe me in thy waie and to bring me to the place which thou hast prouided for me that I may liue with thée euerlastinglie world without end Amen 32. A praier wherein the word of God is praised and what things are thereby to be wrought accomplished his mercie and iustice also is heare declared GRant me good Lord to serue thée with a perfect hart and willing mind for thou Lord serchest the hart and vnderstandest all our imaginations and thoughts If we séeke thée thou wilt be found but if we forsake thée thou wilt cast vs off for euer If we depend onelie vpon thée O God we shall not néed to be troubled with these worldlie respects for thou wilt giue vs at all times that which shall be necessarie for bodie and soule if we feare thée and obeie thy holie word which thou wilt haue found true and also magnified for thine owne honour and glorie and for our commoditie Vpon thée therefore will I still call trusting that thou wilt shortlie heare and helpe me I will also call vpon the mightie name of thy sonne Iesus Christ in whose name the faithfull haue and doo dailie cast out diuels from the possessed They haue spoken and doo speake with new toongs And though they drinke anie deadlie thing it shall not hurt them By which also they are procured to leaue their wicked minds and diuelish works in the which they before lead their liues They speake thy holie word and also set foorth thy veritie leauing all lies and deceits They doo suppresse the old serpent sathan plucking out the sting of his taile wherewith he was accustomed to wound them And if at anie time they haue consented to sinne and receiued his poison this name of our sauiour shall kéepe them from all hurts bicause they made inuocation on his holie name which dooth purge them cleane after their heartie repentance For thou O Christ wilt deliuer thine though all worldlie meanrs faile And though we be committed by tyrants vnto temporall death yet through thée shall we vanquish all our enimies for the death of thy saints is deare and pretious in thy sight they néede not feare those that haue power onelie to kill the bodie but let vs feare thy mightie hand which hast power to slea both bodie soule This worldlie death is a waie to bring vs from much trouble to the hauen of euerlasting health into the land of liuers Neuerthelesse Lord of thy iustice let the vniust and cruell enimies of the faithfull stand in dread of thy stretched out arme wherewith in thine anger thou wilt strike them Of thine infinite goodnes thou sufferest long abiding their