race in hope to winne the crowne of euerlasting glorie by the merites of Christe Iesus may enioy continuall health of body soule this night euer and that we maye be preserued from al temptations of Sathan who is euer redy wheÌ„ we be idle to seduce vs froÌ„ thée our Sauiour into the broade way of euerlastyng death and damnaâ—ion And wheÌ„soeuer our bodies take their naturall rest yet our myndes maye be alwayes bent and fixed vpon thée the eyes of our vnderstanding may alwaies watch in thee that art our onely Lord and moste mercyfull defender Geue vs grace whensoeuer we lye downe euery nyght to examine our conscience and enter into accompte of those déedes whiche we haue done the daye before and all the rest of our lyfe tyme And if we finde that we haue done any good déed geue vs grace to ascribe the same to thée that art the only fountayne and author of al goodnesse and to acknowledge fréely our ownâ— imperfection howe that of our selues we are not able to thinke so muche as one good thought muche lesse to do any good or godly action that shoulde seeme to procéede of our owne forwardnesse or aptnesse thereunto for we are nothing els but sinne corruption and then howe shoulde an euyll trée bring foorth good fruite Agayne if we finde that we haue sinned agaynst thée eyther in thought word or deede as we do seuentie tymes seuen tymes euery day geue vs grace most merciful father to acknowledge if before thy diuine maiestie with the teares of earnest vnfaigned repentance to craue thy mercy with forgeuenes both of that and all other crimes and offences which we haue coÌ„mitted againste thée since the tyme of our byrth Or els if we finde that we haue by any meanes endaÌ„maged our neyghbour geue vs grace to recoÌ„cile our selues and to cleare our conscience before we lye downe wherby we may sléepe both swéetly soundly in Christ Iesus without any idle cogitatioÌ„s or phantasticall dreames that may disturbe our myndes from the meditatioÌ„ of thy word and yf we dreame at all let vs dreame of thée our mercyfull Father and such godly lessons and precepts that we haue séene sléeping to folow prosecute the same actually waking Through Iesus Christe our only memediatour and sauiour Amen A prayer for Tuesday morning I Render vnto thée moste mercyfull father immortall thankes for that thou of thy mere mercye and Fatherly bountie hast graunted this night past to be prosperous and healthfull vnto me without any perturbation eyther of body or soule And because thou hast promised by the mouth of thy holye prophetes that thou wylt heare my voyce whÌ„soeuer I call vppon thée by faith with humble supplications and repentance of my sinnes I beseche thée lykewise that thou wylt so prosper all myne actions and indeuours this present day that al thinges that I do say or thinke may redeunde to thy glorie to the commoditie of my neighbour to the dammage of no man whatsoeuer neyther in thought worde nor déede but that all my doinges maye be directed by thy gouernance to eschewe sinne to doe that is righteous in thy sight at all tymes in all places and in al respectes to haue a reuerent feare of thée before mine eies to walke circumspectly and so vprightly in my vocation to put of the person of Adam and to put on the newe man to order my conuersation agreable to thy wyll to serue thée in spirite and trueth with the sacrifice of thankes geuing and contritioÌ„ of hart to lay sure holde on the anker of fayth with an vndoubted and stedfast hope of resurrection to eternall life Illumâ—naâ—e myne eyes moste mercyfull Father with the beames of thy heauenly spirite that I walke not in darknesse as the children of vnbeliefe do which haue no hope to arise from the dead Geue me grace to abandon all worldly carefulnesse to tame myne owne lustes affections to do the thing that is right and diligently to walke in the light of thy coÌ„maundementes For thou onely art the true light thou knowest no going downe thou art God from euerlasting world without end Encrease most merciful father the gift of faith that I may truely beleue in thée in thy promises made vnto me and that neither by my negligeÌ„ce nor by my infirmitie of the fleshe nor by greatnes of temptation neither by the subtill craftes assaultes of the deuil I may be driuen from faith in the blood of my sauiour Christe Iesus Strengthen moste mercifull Father my féeble nature against all assaultes of the worlde the flesh and the deuil that I may alwaies haue a sure coÌ„fidence in thy onely mercie neuer to start away froÌ„ thy grace to seeke for helpe of man but continually to cleaue to the multitude of thy mercies who art able to exalt the humble and meeke to pull downe the mighty from the throne of their pompe and glorie Geue me grace to haue thee in minde whatsoeuer I doe to honor thee to feare thee to cal vpon thy name when I am in trouble and to repose my whole truste in the greatnesse of thy power and mercy with an assured hope to be preserued from all perils both bodily and ghostly and at the laste when I haue ended my race in this transitorie pylgrimage to obtaine the crowne of euerlasting ioye and felicitie in that celestiall Ierusalem whiche thou haste prepared for all them that feare thy name since the creation of the worlde throuh Iesus Christe our sauiour Amen A prayer for Tuesday euening O Almightie most mercifull father I acknowledge and coÌ„fesse that I am not worthy to lift vp mine eyes towarde heauen muchlesse to presume to preseÌ„t miselfe before thy diuine maiestie I being but earth and asshes a lumpe of sinne and iniquitie subiect to death corruption if I enter into examination of mine owne desertes for the infinite multitude of mine offeÌ„ces beare witnes against me that by mine owne workes I am vnder the dreadfull curse of the lawe and in extreme danger of euerlasting death and damnation for in sinne was I begotteÌ„ and in sinne hath my mother conceaued me I confesse that there is no goodnesse in me but ani apt forwarde inclination to eschewe the good and to folowe the euill to raunge after the lustes of mine owne desires to wander astraye out of the way of righteousnesse and thâ—ough my dayly disobedience to kindle thy wrath heauie displeasure against me and contiqually to heape sinne vpon sinne to runne a madding after the phantasies of mine owne minde and neuer to harken to the voyce of thy coÌ„maundements Yet this one comfort haue I that Iesus Christ by his pretious death and bloodsheddyng hath payde the raunsome of my iniquitie made a ful agrement and perfect attonement betwene God and man being a continuall intercessor for me and a moste louing mediator betwixt his father me to appease his furie and to receaue
me into his fauour againe Therfore most merciful father séeing thou haste not denied to geue vp thine onely begotten sonne to the shameful death of the crosse to redéeme me from the bondage of death hell Inspire I beseche thée my minde with thy heaueÌ„ly spirite that I maye doe suche thinges as please thee and turne to kill sinne with all other vngodly lustes concupiscence that I maye be made a sweete smelling sacrifice to thee and the temple of the holy ghost for euer that I may liue vprightly and honestly in my calling without reproofe ensuing the right pathe of thy holy commaundementes And for as muche as it hath pleased thee to ordaine the night for men to rest in and the day to labour graunt I beseche thee most merciful Father that I may so take my bodily rest that my soule may continually watche for that happie and ioyfull tyme when Iesus Christ shal appeare for my deliueraunce out of the miseries of this transitorie lyse And in the meane season that I be not ouercome by any phaÌ„tasies dreames or other temptations but maye haue my minde alwaye fixed vppon thee to loue thee feare thee and rest in thee for euer Moreouer that my sleepe be not excessiue or ouermuche after the vnsatiable desyres of the fleshe but so much as maye suffise to content and satisfie my feeble nature wherby I may be the better disposed to lyue in al godlye conuersation to the glory of thy holy name and the commoditie of my neyghbour To thee with the sonne and the holy ghost be al honor glory for euer euer AmeÌ„ A prayer for VVednesday morning O Almightie most merciful father haue pitie and compassion vppon the weakenesse of me thy vnworthy chylde and be thou prest and redy O heauenly father to helpe me with thy heauenly spirit to assist my weake spirite againste all assaultes of the wicked worlde the fleshe and the deuyll whiche striue continually with fayre allurementes and prouocations to drawe my mynde from thy commaundementes into the hartfull and damnable way of error and iniquitie but myne only stay and coÌ„fidence is in the multitude of thy mercies with a sure and certayne hope that thou wylt so direct my steppes both this day and euer hereafter that all my thoughtes words deedes may be found acceptable in thy sight and accordyng to the godly liue and rule of thy vndefiled lawe Therefore I beseech thee heauenly father to shewe thy mercy vpon me and to prosper me in whatsoeuer I goe about in thy name so that thou geuyng me lyght I may learne to knowe what thinges are acceptable before thee and by the vertue of thy grace I may haue an earnest yeale desyre to folow the same in my life to â—ay glory the commoditie of my neighbour That thou being my guide and leader I may walke in the path of vnderstanding and righteousnesse without stumbling or wandring astray for in my selfe I haue nothing but mistrust and inabilitie to do any thing that maye please thée sauing only by the motion of thy holy spirit in my mind which spirit assureth my spirite that the meane to please thée is a constant and immoueable fayth in Christe Iesus with repentaunce of my sinnes and amendment of lyfe to ensue the steppes of equitie and vnderstanding to cleaue to the stedfast rocke of thy heauenly worde and promises to loue my neighbour as my selfe for hereby shall it be knowen that we be thy childreÌ„ if we loue one another to geue ouer my portion to the poore to take vp my crosse and folowe thée to abounde in all maner good workes whiche are the fruites of fayth in Christe iesu Geue me grace most mercyful father to kyll the buddes of sinne in my fleshe to bridle myne owne destres to kepe my body in subiectioÌ„ wherby I maye be sanctified in thee and made an vndefiled â—â—â—ple for the holy ghost ful of the spirite of trueth and vnderstanding And sith it hath pleased thee of thy fatherly pitie to preserue me from all perils daungers both of body and soule this night and al the rest of my lyfe tyme tyll this present houre I beseeche thee also most merciful father to protect me with thy grace all this daye euer hereafter that I may safely walke in my vocatioÌ„ with thy feare before myne eyes in all things that I take in hand And vouchsafe most mercyfull father so to direct the reÌ„nant of my course which I haue yet to runne in this lyfe that at the laste I may come to dwell with thée in thy euerlasting kingdome and there to haue fruition of eternall ioye and felicitie through Iesus Christe our onely mediatour sauiour Amen A prayer for VVednesday euening O Mercyfull Lorde Iesu I beseche thée to be fauourable to me a wretched sinner that all my lyfe tyme haue folowed the lustes of myne owne minde and neuer harkened to thy voyce wherby I might liue in thy lawe that thou hast appointed for me Put away I beseeche thée all my sinnes out of thy remembrance washe me cleane with thy pretious blood sanctifie me with thy bitter passion and death clense me throughly restore me agayne to the innocencie whiche thou gauest me in baptisme that I may be truely regenerate borne a newe in thée my swéet sauiour only redeemer so that I maye acknowledge thée onely the author of my redemption and the principal cause of my iustification to shew my felâ—e a thankefull Samaritane for that thou hast vouchsafed by thy death and bloodshedding to purge me from the leprosie of sinne and al kinde of vncleannesse yeelding thée immortal thanks continually for that all other gratious benefites which thou of thy fatherly liberalitie bountie vouchsafest dayly to bestow vpon me And among all the rest geue me grace swéet Iesu to haue alwaies in remembraÌ„ce thy sincere loue fatherly affection and gratious charitie towardes me in that thou hast vouchsafed to take my nature vpon thée to be made man in all respectes lyke vnto me sinne onely excepted and for my sake to be borne in a stable and as an infant to be wrapped in clothes to be swadled laide in a maunger there to be fed with the materiall milke of thy blessed mother the virgin Marie For my sake sweet Iesu thou hast susteyned hunger colde pouertie and many other agonies didst thou susteyne for me most miserable and wretched sinner Thou hast suffered thy selfe to be betrayed to be apprehended and taken shamefully to be bounde vnworthyly to be beaten cruelly to be condemned vniustly and to be brought to that shameful death of the crosse where for my sake thy pretious bodye was rent and torne and thy moste sweete blood aboundauntly shedde where thou yéeldedst vp the ghost to God the father and descendedst agayne into the graue lyke a dead man but dyddest ryse agayne the thirde daye and ascendedst into heauen where thou sittest at
the right hande of God the father from whence we looke for thy coÌ„ming again to iudge the quicke and the dead at what tyme we staÌ„d in assured hope to be made ioyntly possessours felowe heyres in thy kingdome in eternall ioy for euer Therfore swéete Iesu seing thou haste not spared thy owne pretious body but gauest it vp as a sweete smelling sacrifice on the aulter of the crosse therby so redeme me from death and to make a full satisfaction for my offences direct I besech thee my 〈◊〉 so in this lyfe that I maye be worthy of that vâ—catioÌ„ wherunto thou hast called me to haue an especial â—are and regarde of thy commaundementes and to folowe them as nearely as I can in all trueth singlenesse of hart to yeelde duâ— obedience to my betters to labour paynefullye and at tymes conuenient in my trade and at night when I lye downe to recreate my bodye after my daylye labours geue me grace to coÌ„fesse my sinnes vnto thée to implore thy mercye with the teares of vnfaigned repentaunce And though my limmes take their naturall rest yet let my minde continually watche in thee exspectyng that ioyfull daye when I shal be made partaker of thy celestiall ioyes which shall neuer ende To thee sweete Iesus with the father and the holye ghost be all honor c. A prayer for Thursday morning O Almightie moste mercyfull father I hartyly beseeche thee vouchsafe to looke downe with the eyes of thy mercy vpoÌ„ me a most vile and miserable sinner whiche lye here prostrate before the feete of thy mercy crauing remission of my manifolde sinnes and wickednesse from the very bottome of my hart acknowledging freely that I am no more worthy to be called thy sonne the multitude of myne offences is so great infinite Yet for asmuch as thou art the god and Father of all comfort which desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that he should tourne from his wickednesse and liue and like a true pitifull Samaritan art sory to sée mely thus wounded wyth the sting of sinne and iniquitie make me I pray thée by infusion of thy comfortable oyle into my wouÌ„ds to run repentantly with the lost Sonne and vnfaynedly to bewaile myne offences at the féete of thy mercy crying Father I haue sinned against heauen and agaynst thee I am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne make mee as one of thy hired seruants Geue me grace alwaies to repent my sinnes with a coÌ„trite hart before thy deuine Maiestie wythout eyther dissemblinge or cloking of them for thou art the god of light thou séest whatsoeuer is donne in darkenesse and from thy eyes there can bée nothing coÌ„cealed haue mercy therefore most mercifull Father vppon me forgeue me my trespasses as I forgeue them that haue trespassed against me forgeue me my debt and haue compassioÌ„ vpon myne infirmitie for thou Lorde art a mercyfull God full of pitie compassion such a one as is sory for my afflictions with thée is aboundaunce of comfort plentie of redemption thou onely art the god of my health and saluation besides thee I knowlege none other god neyther in heaueÌ„ aboue nor iâ— the earth beneth neyther in the water vnder the earth thoÌ„ onely art almighty thou onely from the beginning art euerlasting world without ende O bowe downe thine eares most mercifull Father to the voyce of my lamentatioÌ„ for against thée onely haue I sinned thée only haue I offended and iustly for my disobedience prouoked thy wrath and indignotion against mée yet I poore sinner doe accuse my selfe vnto thée deare Father that I haue sore greuousely offended thy goodnesse Maiestie in committing of diuers manifold haynouse offences against thée for I haue not kepte the least of thy most holy and godly coÌ„maundemeÌ„ntes but haue wandred astraye from my youth folowing myne owne vnbrideled affections declining froÌ„ the sacred precepts of thy holie lawe and starting aside like a brokeÌ„ bowe I haue not honoured thée lyke my god I haue not obaiâ—d thée like my Father I haue not serued thee like my creator but haue all my life tyme spurned at the waye of righteousnesse and vnderstanding offending thy diuine Maiestie euer both in thoughts words and dedes whiche continually I coÌ„mit against thée O my merciful God and louing Sauiour I am sory for my sinnes euen from the bottom of my hart yea my soule mourneth most mercyfull Father to the death for the innumerable multitude of my sins The onely hope I haue of obtayning thy mercy is in the merites of thy Sonne Iesus Christ my Sauiour Thou hast diuers and sundry tymes by the mouth of thy holy Prophetes pronouÌ„ced forgeuenesse of sinnes if I repent from the bottome of my hart vouchsafe therefore most mercifull Father to looke vpon my misery as thou sparest thy plague from the great Citie of Niniue when they repented euen so most mercifull father withdrawe thy rod froÌ„ mée that lye prostrate at the feete of thy mercie bewailinge my sinnes wyth the vnfayned lamentation of hartye repentaunce Forgeue mée my offences most mercifull Father and renue a right spirit within me coÌ„duct me by the vertue of thy grace to run the rest of this earthly course which yet remaineth that my footesteppes neuer slyde but that I may so speÌ„d this day to the beginning whereof thou haste safely brought me and the reÌ„nant of my lyfe in thys world that all my thoughtes wordes and works may tend to thy glory and to the coÌ„moditie of my neighbour so that I may haue a ioyfull resurrection at what tyme thy Sonne Iesus Christ my sauiour shall come to iudge both the quicke and the deade To whome with thée and the holy Ghost be all honor and glory for euer and euer A prayer for Thursday euening c. O Lorde whiche onely art god true gratious mercyfull which commaundest them that loue thy name to cast all their feare and care vpon thée promysing most mercifully thy selfe to bée their protectour from theyr enemies their refuge in daÌ„ger their gouernour in the daye their watchman in the night who kéepest Israell doest neither slumber nor sléepe but hast thyne eyes contineuallie bent vpon theÌ„ as the egle on her youÌ„geons protecting them vnder the shadowe of thy power as the henne gathereth her chickens to geather couering them vnder the shadowe of her winges I besech thee of thy bountifull goodnesse O Lorde to forgeue me my sinnes wherein I haue offeÌ„ded thee this day and heretofore in my lyfe tyme and to receaue me vnder thy protection this night and euer that I may rest in perfect quietnesse both of body soule Graunt most mercifull Father that the externall eyes of my bodie maye take their sound and naturall sléepe but let the inward eyes of my hart and mynde continually watch vnto thée that the weakenesse of the slesh cause me not to offende thy diuine Maiestie Let my mynd at all tymes haue an inward
thankes geuing bowe downeth neeare to our huÌ„ble petitâ—ons that procedeth from vnâ—â—yned lippes And sith it hath pleased thy diuine Maiestie to giue vp thy onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christ to the deathe of the Crosse for our redeÌ„ption vouchsafe O Lord so to direct our myndes in the way of thy coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts that we may partly seeme worthy of the inestimable price of so great a benefite as the raunsome of our iniquitie hath cost and kepe the eyes of our mynds alwaies waking that we fall not a sléepe in sinne as they doe which haue no hope of resurrection from the dead Engender in our hartes the true zeale of thin vndefiled word and religion that we maye bee alwaeis meditatinge vpon thy promises not founde idle nor vnprouided when the good man of the house shall come but that we may be found wakinge in thée with plenty of oyle in our lampes as the fyue wise Uirgins had â–ª O drawe vs neere vnto thee by the operation of thy heauenly grace heare our prayers forgeue vs our offences coÌ„fort vs in our afflicâ—tions forgeue our enemies as we hope to haue forgeuenes of all our sinns at thy haÌ„ds by the meriâ—es of our Sauiour Iesus Christ let not myne enemies triumph ouer me nor the roaring Lyon deuour me but protect me alwayes most mercifull Father vnder the shadow of thy winges that I may strongly constantly withstand his inuasions by the vndoubted hope and confidence that I haue reposed in thy mercy And graunt that I maye die in thy true fayth and rest with thee in thy euerlasting kingdome To whome with thy Sonne Iesus Christ and the holy Ghoste be all honour and glory for euer euer A prayer to God the Sonne O Most mercifull Iesu and onely Sauiour of all maÌ„kynde whose loue to vs all was so pure and vnfayned that thou didest not denie to take our flesh vpon thee and to submit thy selfe to the death in offeringe vp thyne owne bodey as a swéete smelling sacrifize to appease the indignatioÌ„ of thy father who was worthyly inflamed for the transgression and breach of his holy coÌ„maundements O swéete Iesu the onely author of our saluation our most louing mediatour to thy Father haue mercy vpon me and cast me not away whome thou with thy pressious bloud haste â—edéemed O reiect me not for I am the price of thy passion thou with the effusion of thy most pretiouâ— bloud halfe payd the raunsome of mine iniquitie and made a full aâ—d perfect satisfaction for my offences O then looke downe vpon my miseries consider my distresse Behold the hell that tormeÌ„teth my conscience as ofte as I call to remembrance my lyfe so wickedly past and the innumerable multitude of my sinnes which are moe in number theÌ„ the heares of my head or the sandes of the Sea. Geue me grace to repent my wicked lyfe with Mary Magdelen and to wash thy feete wyth the moysture of my teares and lamentation Geue me grace to be sory for my sins and to wéepe with Peter to crye with the thefe that hanged on the right side at the time of thy passion Lorde remember me when thou coÌ„mest into thy kingedome O geue me grace to call my selfe to remembraunce to examine mine owne conscience to recount the number of my sinnes and to cast my selfe flat prostrate at the féete of thy mercy bewayllinge my sinfull lyfe with many a riuer of teares to acknowledge mine own wickednes vnto thée to craue remissioÌ„ of my faultes and by the continuall teares of repentaunce to recouer thy fauour againe and to die ther in Geue me grace to leade a new lyfe to put of the person of Adam and to bée regenarate and new borne in thée my Lord and Sauiour Geue me grace swéet Iesu to cry Peccaui with Dauid and vnfaynedly to lament my sinnes Geue me grace swéet Iesu to returne againe with the prodigall or lost Sonne and to crye Father I haue sinned agaynst heauen and against thée and I am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne make me as one of thy hyred seruaÌ„ts O swéete Iesu haue mercy vpoÌ„ me and forgeue me my sinnes renew a right spirit within me wash me wyth Isope and I shal be made whyter then Snowe for vnto thée belongeth mercy and with thée is plentifull redemption O thinke not vpon the offences of my youth wherein I haue raunged to much at randon lyke an vnbrideled coult neglecting the way of vnderstandinge and loathing the path of thy coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts I acknowledge fréely that if thou sholdest deale with me according to iustice I haue deserued euerlasting death neyther should I be able to abide thy sharpe iudgemeÌ„t but should sinke downe into the bottoÌ„les dungeoÌ„ of eternall damnation But hauinge a sure and certayue confidence fixed on the ancer or hould of immoueable fayth I vndoubtedly beléeue that by thy merites I am made partaker of euerlasting lyfe being fréely iustified with absolute remision of all my sinnes synce the first houre of my Natiuitie Which fayth I ground neyther on the merites of any mortall man neyther vpon any Romish Pardons or Indulgences but onely vpoÌ„ thée my Lord and Sauiour who with thy most precious blodsheding hast payde the price of my iniquitie and suffered thy glorious body to be mangled and torne for my transgression Geue me grace swéete Iesu so to order the reste of my lyfe as becoÌ„meth a true Christian to doe walkyng in the light of thy holy Gospell eschewing the workes of darkenes behauinge my selfe obediently to my superiors louingely to my felowes and conrtiousely to myne inferiors bearinge no grudge in my conscieÌ„ce offering wronge to no man but paciently to sufier iniuries without desire of reuenge forgeueinge euery man whatsoeuer hée hathe donne against me as I my selfe would desire to be forgeuen of thée my swéet Sauiour and onely redéemer Geue me grace swéete Iesu to perseuer in my faith till the end that all myne actions may be donne in the name of Iesu and all my thoughts vpon Iesu both at my down lying and vp rysinge all the terme of my lyfe and at the very instant of death when I fetche the laste gaspe my mynd may be withdrawen with no idle or phantastical cogitations but continually excercised in the meditation of the sweete and comfortable name of Iesu iesu iesu To thee swéete Iesu with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glory for euermore Amen A prayer to God the holy Ghost O Holy and blessed spirite which being true euer lastinge God wyth God the Father and God the Sonne procéedest from theÌ„ both coequall in deytie and dignitie of person which art the onely comforter of them that trauayle in this earthly Pilgrimage and by thy heauenly wisdome directest them that right way to attaine to heauenly vnderstandinge of the will of god Quicken most holy sprite by thy heauenly breath the myndes of them that afore were dead through sinne make mery the