the trueth of thy holye worde that I may alwayes constantly confesse shewe thée thy goodnesse as well in my words as lyuing Inspire me with thy holye spirite that I may know thée stedfastlye trust in thée and serue thée in prayers well doing all the tyme of my life O most mercifull Lord and sauiour of the world for the glory of thy names sake I beséeche thée to heare my praiers My soule reioyce in God thy sauing healthe for he hath bene good to thée he hath kept thée frō the snare of the hunter blessed thée The lord is a merciful God let all the earth feare him let the mouthes of all men sounde prayses vnto hym God is a good Lord dayly increaseth his good giftes to his seruants the Lord wyll encrease my fayth in hym and I shalbe saued Amen A Prayer for righteous iudgement O Lord God of all iustice whiche in equall Ballance doest weigh the cause of the Prince and of the poorest man whiche despisest not the sutes of the simple whiche deliuerest the Captiue and comfortest the desolate and carefull O Lord whiche hast blessed them that are poore in spirite reléeue thy seruaunt oppressed with griefe remoue from me the clowdes of my sorrowes O Lorde stretche forth thy mightie hand and helpe me let me not sincke in the Seas of slaunder and shame Thou knowest the secretes of my heart defend me in myne innocencie Pleade thou my cause agaynst the vngodly whiche haue layd their nets for me O God thou which hast deliuered Ioseph Danyell Mardocheus and Susanna from captiuitie and instant death and didst cloath them with honoure good Lorde strengthen me and be my defendour against all euils and let not the poysoned arrowes of malicious tongues doe me any harme Graunt these my prayers good Lorde I bseeche thée for our Sauioure Iesus Chryst his sake Amen A Prayer agaynst lying and euill imaginations O Lorde cleanse my heart I beséeche thée from all impure and wicked cogitations and thoughtes and giue me a cléere conscience shamefast eyes innocente handes and a tongue to tell the truth Séeing that there is nothyng hidde that shall not be discouered good lord I beséeche thée to search my thoughtes and renewe in me thy holye spirite directe my féete in thy wayes that walking after thée in the pathe of the righteous I may passe thorow this vale of misery bearing thy banner stowtly in my warfare and obtaine euerlasting ioy the promised hire to such as here haue paciently borne thy crosse and valiauntlye fought with the armoure of fayth against temptations and all euils vouchsafe O Lorde to graunt my peticions I most humbly beséech thée for thy onely begotten sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake Amen A thankesgiuing for the goodnesse of God to vs. O Almightie God and euer ruling King whose infinit power maiesty our wyts cannot comprehende whose glorious brightnesse with our mortall eyes wee cannot behold whose wonderous workes manyfold mercyes the tongues of mē cannot sufficiently declare Good Lord I yéeld thée most humble thankes for thy singuler great gifts and benefites bestowed vppon me a sinner Good Lord thou hast blessed me with knowledge with increase and plenty of all thinges thou hast giuen me friends health and rest That I shoulde eate my meate with ioy and prayse thée in al thy gifts works I know that I haue no good thing but it commeth from thée and onely for thy mercies sake thou hast so regarded me thy seruaunt wherfore good lord I beséech thée to grant me thy grace withall that I maye vse these thy gifts to thy honour and glory the comfort of them that néede that vsing the talent whiche thou hast lente mée I maye become a good seruaunt and obtayne eternal blisse the promised hire to suche as doe well Uouchsafe good Lord for thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christe his sake to heare my prayers ALmightie God refreshe me with thy grace I beséech thée comfort me wyth thy mercye and blesse mée that safe from all euils frée from feare of all daungers in peace and quietnesse I may sing prayses to thy holy name and reioice in thée with thine elected for euer and euer Amen A Prayer to liue well GOod Lorde so rule the eyes of my heart that they being kept simple and pure my bodye may bée a cleare and shining temple of thy holy spirite so kindle in vs the loue of thy glorious sonne that we following his steps may doe that which is good and declyne from the euill so that our light shyning before men we may glorifie thée by our good works with thy blessed sonne our Sauiour and the holye Ghost To whose infinite maiestie in trinitie and vnitie be all honour and glory for euer Amen A confession for the penitent O Moste mercifull Lorde God I haue offended against the Throane of thy Maiestye my sinnes are euer before myne eyes I am not worthy to liue or enioy the fruites wherewith thou hast blessed the earth my owne conscience is my tormenter bringing testimonie and witnes against me The Sunne doth hyde hys light agaynst mee and the place is the worse wherein I become O Lorde what shall I doe shal I dispayre No thou art mercifull and more ready to forgiue then we to aske I will confesse my sins to thée I am weary of my sinfull life I am sory in my soule for myne offences wherefore good Lorde thou whiche doest case them that are laden and refreshe them that trauayle thou which hast promised mercy to the penitente looke on thy seruant with thy chearefull countenaunce beholde me with those pittying eies with whiche thou didst Mary Magdalen and the woman taken in Adulterye thou whiche hast shedde thy bloode on the Alter of the Crosse offering thy moste precious bodye an eternall Sacrifice for our sinnes dispyse not that whiche thou hast redéemed Thou which camest into the world to cal sinners to repentaunce and to saue the lost shéepe of Israell haue mercye vppon me leade me by thy grace to the Foulde among thy Sheepe for they go in sweet Pasture are not in daunger of Wolues for thou art their shepheard and kéepest good accounte of euery one of them thoughe I haue gone astray wandring from thy flocke and borne the markes of the worlde yet good Lord disclaime not thy right I beséeche thée but take me vnto thée that I may be safe vnder the shaddow of thy winges He may sléepe soundly whome thou doest kéepe thou arte the watchman of Israell All honour and glorye be vnto thée for euer A Prayer for humilitie O Lorde I am a sinner sorry for mine offences I cannot make satisfaction for my defaultes if I haue any good thing it cōmeth of thée The moste acceptable sacrifice to thée is a contrite and humble hart O God let me not be oppressed with the waues of sinne let mée not sinke into the Whyrlepoole and gulph of dispayre thou which liftest
What are the plesures of the world welth honour company of our parentes and friendes wherein all our pleasure swéetenesse is mixed wyth sowernesse and sorrowe wherein euerye perfection hathe hys imperfection What is all this to the vnspeakable ioy in the kingdome of GOD what is y e company of frinds c. here in comparison to the companye of Abraham Isaac Iacob the Patriarches Prophets and all the Sayntes of God O the infelicitie of euerlasting lyfe whiche is without all discommodities perpetuall without all perrill and molestation Oh the glorious maiesty the singuler myrth and passing ioyes of the lyfe to come the eye hathe not séene nor the hart of man is able to conceiue in any part the happy estate of the blessed soules in heauen Oh howe amiable are thy Tabernacles my soule hathe a desire to enter into the Courts of the Lorde my harte and my soule reioyce in the liuing god blessed be they that dwel in thy house they may be alwayes praysing thée One daye in thy Courtes is better than a thousande else where I had rather to be a dore kéeper in the house of my God than to dwel in the Tents of vngodlinesse The Lorde God is a light and defence My soule is a thirst for God euen for the lyuing GOD. When shall I come before the presence of my God My flesh longeth after thée in a barren and dry land where no water is Good Lord remember mée and grant that I maye weare the white Garmentes of innocencye with thyne elected in thy euerlasting kingdome Amen A thankesgiuing for benefites receyued at Gods hand O Moste mercifull father I yeeld thée moste humble thankes for thy greate benefites bestowed vppon me a sinner of thy frée mercye onely thou haste of thy fatherly loue brought mée vp tenderly and instructed me in thy holy lawe thou hast giuen me knowledge and vnderstandyng thou hast preserued me from many daungers euils which diuers men haue felte thou hast blessed me with helth quietnesse ioy plentye and wealth which a number do want thou hast taken care of me and done all thinges for me O Lorde thoughe I can deserue nothing but punishment by thy iuste displeasure yet good Lorde I trust to thy goodnesse I ask thy mercye and not iustice and for thy mercies sake I beséeche thée to continue thy grace and to increase thy good gifts towards me and haue me in thy protection till my lyues end good Lord blesse me that I may enioy the fruites of the earth and vse them to thy honour and glory good Lord be thou my ayde and guyde me in al my doinges my buckler and defence in all daungers that I may freely and ioyfullye sing prayses to thée whiche liuest and raygnest one God almightie and incomprehensible worlde wythout ende Amen A Godly Prayer MOst mightie God which by thy worde hast made all thinges whose voyce the floudes and hilles doe knowe whose heast both quick and dead heauen and hell obey at whose displeasure the Diuels in hell doe tremble let thy worde so lighten our heartes that by oure good workes we may testifie our profession séeing that the Trée whiche beareth not fruite shall be cut downe and throwne into the fyre Graunt that I may not onely be a hearer but also a doer of thy holy word that so finallye I maye bée partaker of thy euerlasting ioye and blisse O Lorde graunt mee wisedome to knowe thee and grace to followe thée in true humilitie that as thou didst suffer to be spitted at and smitten of thine enemies so wee may beare the displeasures of the world and rage of our ennemies wyth pacience thou hast blessed the little ones reuealed vnto them the thinges hidden from the wyse for thou wilte haue mercye where it pleaseth thée O set thy feare always before myne eyes and graft thy fayth so in my hart that I may loue thée and glorifie thy holy name for euer Amen A godly Prayer to be sayde of euery christian GOod Lord whiche wyth thy handes doest stay the frame and engyne of the earth and rulest the course of the swifte heauens disposing and ordering all thinges by thy diuine prouidence whiche hast appoynted boundes to oure life which we cannot passe I beséeche thée that by my liuing I learning to dye mortifying by thy spirite the affections of the fleshe though not expelling them yet subduing the rage of them I maye at the last by the Hauen of Deathe land in the moste gloryous Citye of euerlastyng lyfe where our bodyes whiche are nowe darcke myserable and corruptible shall be moste brighte glorious and incorruptible lyke to the immortall shining bodye of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste we shall be lyke to Christ oure Sauyour euen as he is so shall we be as we haue borne the Image of the earthlye so shall we beare the Image of the heauenly and shyne lyke to the sunne as the face of Christe did in his transfiguration Oh Lord Iesus blessed Sauiour whiche by thy deathe haste tryumphed ouer sinne and deathe Thou hast troden on the sting of the monster oure hydeous enemye the Gates of Hell haue not preuayled againste thee graunt to me true and liuely fayth by which men passe from earth to heauen from death to eternall life This can we not do without thée thou must be our Mediator for a child of a nights birth is not pure in thy sight In sinne were wee borne and by nature wee are the children of perdition and fyrebrandes of Hell but thou O blessed Sauiour arte the perfection of the Lawe to them that beleue As death came by synnes so by thy death and precyous bloodeshedding is death conquered and exiled and wée that beléeue washed and cleansed of our sinnes al the prophets beare witnesse that they whiche beléeue in thy name shall receiue remission of their sins If we confesse our synnes thou arte righteous to forgiue vs our iniquities Whosoeuer calleth on thy name shal be saued thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather desyrest y t they shoulde liue be cōuerted thou hast so loued the world that thou not only didst become man and tooke our nature vpon thée but were content also to suffer most cruel death on the Crosse to purge our nature from mortal sinne and corruption adorne it with immortality eternall glorye not only in thyne own person but in vs also to satisfy the iustice of the father for oure sinnes O blessed shepheard thou doubtest not to spende thy most precious bloode to saue thy beloued sheepe from rauine spoile Good Lorde so increase thy grace in mee that thy holye woord may take roote florish in me that the good séed may not bee choaked with thornes so order my liuing that when by course of nature I shalbe dissolued from the pryson of my bodye I may come to thée that when thou more brighter then the sunne shal come in the middest of the Legions of
grace to printe in my remeÌ„brance thy manifolde mercies that feeding in soule by faith in thée I may attaine vnto those end lesse ioyes that thou haste prepared for thy adopted sonnes and chosen children in thy kingdome of euerlasting righteousnesse And so escape those euerlastinge torments which thou haste prepared for the Diuel and his Angels from the which place of woefull vexation and endlesse miserie deliuer me O heauenly father for the loue of Iesus Christ his sake to whome with thée and the holy Ghost be all lawde and praise for euer Amen A prayer to be sayde at the hower of death MOst mightie art thou O Lorde in all thy déedes and most holy in all thy wayes blessed bee the name of my father my God and glorious creator who by his deuine power and celestiall prouidence of nothing made all things fish fleshe fowles fruits trées herbes all other thinges whatsoeuer are contayned both in Heauen earth Seas and the nethermost partes thereof Man concerning the outward parts thou by thy celestial prouidence and fatherly bounty framedst and createdst of clay but concerning the inward substance of thy creature man thou didst fashion make euen according to thine owne similitude and likenesse Moreouer such and so great was thy loue and good wil towards him that all the Creatures or workes of thy creation serued to his vse In earth thou haste made him Lorde king ouer the fruits therof the beastes of the Field the Foules of the ayre and the fishes of the little floods and great waters In the Firmament thou hast placed the glistering Sunne with his oryent beames to giue him light by day and therewith thou hast giuen him the Moone the stars to gouerne him by night for the which cause aboue all other the workes of thy creation man shoulde and ought of right to giue thée that glory that to thée belongeth But alas such and so great is the corruption of our frayle and sinful flesh that for all these thy graces we are carryed away from thée and enter into contempt of thy precepts for which cause thou ofteÌ„times doest correct and punish vs to the inteÌ„t we might therby feeling thy rod of correction bee driuen to imbrace harty and true repentance but when thy threates and the stripes of thy displesure laide vpon vs cannot take place amongest vs thou oftentimes giuest vs vp to follow our lustes and affections but at last when thou doest beholde our inormities thou in a moment by the power of thy deuine iustice restrayned the rope of our disordered libertie and cuttest in sunder the Brydle of our voluptuousnesse eyther by sodayne death sworde fire famine or other thy deuine sentences of thy conceiued yre to the intent that other thy creatures might by the terrour of thy Iustice auoyde sinne and learne to amende their liues least they fall into the like calamitie or daunger True and moste true it is good Lorde that by the exercise of sinne we are the children of death destruction but by grace of the almightie and victorious conqueror swéet Iesus Christ we are the adopted sonnes of thy father and made fellowe heires with thee our perfect Emanuel in whose name with all humilitie lowlinesse of heart mind I come vnto thée in this great extremitie and daunger of death beséeching thée to bée present with mee to forget mine offences to thinke vpon thy mercies and although I haue not deserued so much as the least drop of thy fauor by means of the great burthen of my sins which are in the presence of thy diuine maiesty most vgly and loathsome to behold yet respect thou not O Father mine iniquity but haue an eye I beséech thée to the merits of my sauior Christ Iesus to whom as my mediatour sauiour Redeemer I apeale who hath promised comfort and sweete consolation to all those that in thy name flye vnto thée for reléefe I confesse thâ—e worthily thou hast visited me and yet not according to the multitude of my sins but in the fulnes of miseration and fatherly pitie giue me grace therefore in these bitter bruntes of death who vehemently at this present beginneth to combat with fainting féeble life constantly to cleue vnto thée let not y e plesures of this wicked worlde bee a let or impediment for mée to come vnto thée let not my fraile feeble flesh subiect to sin which hath thorow my transgression made mee a bondman to death moue me to dispaire in thy great mercy neither yet let that cauilling aduersary y e enemy of mankinde at my last end triumph ouer mée gyue me patience to suffer and gladly to beare abide this thy scourge and visitation and so fortifie mée in soule and body that so long as life shall indure in mée I may neuer cease to call vpon thy holy and blessed name yea and when death is most busiest make thou me most constant yea wheÌ„ he séeketh most strongly to assayle my féeble body giue mée thy grace good Lorde that I may in spirite hart minde and all the powers of my soule giue praises vnto thée that of thy grace inestimable kindenes hast sent thy sonne Christ Iesus to raunsome me by his blodie death and passion from the power of hell Giue me grace therefore nowe that thou hast appoynted thy messenger death to finishe the days of my pilgrimage and to call me by his sommons from out this vale of misery wrecchednesse to build stedfastly vpon him faithfully to hope for life saluation in and alone thorow him let the remembraunce of my 〈◊〉 wickednes be 〈…〉 vpon 〈…〉 thy glorious â—ight bâ—hâ—â—de my sorrowâ—â—l true repentant heart which come vnto thee with teares not building on my merites but vppon thy mercies though I be sinful thy son my sauiour is righteous though I be wicked yet he is most holy though I be full of iniquitie yet he full of all goodnes though I haue grieuously offended thee yet he hath fully contented thee though I haue transgressed thy lawe yet he hath fulfilled the same hath promised in his blood to wash away their sinnes that by faith continue in him constant to the ende I therefore in 〈…〉 gâ—â—at and â—aynefull â—â—onie beholding Death 〈◊〉 heate at the gates of my body come vnto thee by the vertue of a fruitefull fayth beséeching thée when thou shalt see it méete and conuenient that hee shall dissolue the bandes of this fadyng life which endureth but a whyle for a thousand yeres are as yesterday in thy sight to take my soule into thy glorious and blessed hands and so to confirme mee thy truth that at the last when it shall please thée by the sounde of a trumpe to raise my body from the graue when and in which time body and soule shal vnite come before thy presence I may by faith in thée passe ouer the mount of my corruption shake off the bands of sin be set frée from
thée of thine excéeding goodnesse to increase our fayth that as thy Guestes repayre to the Table of thy sonne Iesus Christ who hath lefte vnto vs before he gaue hys bodye to be crucified and his blood to be shedde largely on the Crosse for our redemption as a pledge of his great loue and aboundant kindenesse the celebration of his glorious Supper wherein as it were in a looking Glasse the death of our great mayster the high shephearde of our Soules Iesus Chryste is moste liuely set forth vnto vs giue vs grace therefore from aboue rightly to vnderstand the deuyne mysteries offred vnto vs thereby and not to wreste or wring the same contrary to thy will Let it bée far from oure thoughtes good Lord to leaue thy eternall veritie and to builde on the doctrine of men who following their owne imaginations run headlong to the gaping Gulphe of daunger and destruction plucke the Scales of ignoraunce from oure eyes that wee maye cléerly disearne and behold by the light of thy glorious Gospell howe wee maye truelye Communicate and participate the fruites of thy grace represented vnto vs in this comfortable Sacramente indue vs plentifully with such pure knowledge that we may not once think or say after any grosse fourme or carnall manner we feede vppon or eate thy fleshe reallye or carnallye make vs alwayes constantly to beleeue that thy gloryous body is ascended vp into heauen sitteth on the right hand of thy father cōcerning thy humanitie and cannot be thence remoued till the time that thou shalt come with Legions of Aungels to iudge the quick and the dead before whose presence shall runne a consuming fyre and moreouer wee doe moste humblye beséech thée so to confyrme vs in the trueth of thy blessed Testamente that we maye confesse thy deuine nature to be equall with the father and the holy Ghoste and to beléeue that thy power is not a power perticuler but a power generall and suche as doth and shall gouerne in Heauen and Earth in the déepe and low waters yea and in the neathermoste partes of Hell strengthen vs therefore good Lord that stande least that in falling from the true knowledge of thée we perish euerlastingly and sith thou hast called vs by thy worde as thy Guestes to this blessed banquet wherein the mouthes of our carnall bodies are fostered and fedde with bread and Wyne so Lorde confirme oure faith in thée that the mouthes of oure soules may féede spiritually vppon thy swéetest flesh and drink thy dearest bloud and so bée norished to euerlasting life and heauenlye blessednesse which rewarde as a dowrie due thou haste promised to all those that faythfully◠build vpon thée whiche art the Rock and strong Piller of oure Saluation and as these must set forth vnto vs most liuely thy death passion so make vs thankfull to thée for the same therby giue vs grace to prynte in oure heartes thy greate loue and exceedyng clemencye that sparedst not to giue thy bodye to the moste vylde shamefull and slaunderous death of the Crosse and thy bloud to be shed for oure offences indue vs wyth loue and charitie to all menne make vs readie to forgiue loue and pardone oure enemies persecuters and slandoers tourne oure heartes and myndes from al impietie couetousnesse blasphemie pride glottonie fornication and al other detestable euils and if at any time we haue defeated y ◠fatherlesse of hys right the widow of hir dowrie or gathered together our goodes wrongfully by vyolence oppression fraud by collusion or deceyt giue vs grace to make restitution and to ask wyth sorrowfull playnte flouds of teares from the bottome of our heartes pardon and free forgiuenesse of thée for such and all other our offences whatsoeuer wee haue don or cōmitted in thought worde will and deede agaynst thy deuyne Maiesty or any other oure brethren Take away from vs all bitternesse curssed speaking and backbyting gyue vs grace to come worthelye by the vertue of a true fruitefull fayth to this holye and blessed Supper that oure soules féeding faythfully on thy swéetest fleshe and drinking thy dearest bloude wée may both in bodye and soule be nourished by thée to euerlasting and endlesse glorye in Heauen where with thee and the fellowshippe of thy chosen sayntes we shall enioy the fruition of thy euerlasting kingdome whiche thou haste ordayned for all those that onely and alone without wauering do build vpō thée sanctifie and make cleane our harts and minds by the power of the holye Ghost the verye comforter of thy chosen purge thou our canckred consciences infected wyth sinne by the working of thy good grace least that by the presuming to this thy table O Lorde we incurre thy displeasure and being vnrepentant for oure offences wee be founde vnméete Guestes to come to thy holy banquet and so we eate and drinke to the vtter confusion of oure soules and bodies giue vs grace therefore good Lord to conuerte vs wholye vnto thée and we shall bee tourned from all our sinne and iniquity giue vs grace to rest onely vppon thée and wee shall be made safe giue vs thyne ayd from aboue we beséeche thée by fayth to striue with the man of sinne and so to vanquishe him that he maye die in vs we may liue to thée which art the giuer of life Graunt this O most gracious God for Iesus Christe hys sake to whome with thée and the holye Ghoste be giuen all prayse honour and glorye for euer and euer Amen A Prayer or thankesgiuing to be sayd after the receyuing of the Communion WE giue thée moste harty thanks O heauenly father that hast at this present fed refreshed our hungry Soules with the fleshe blood of our sauior Christ not carnallye but spirituallye giue vs grace therefore continuallye by the meanes of an increasing and fruitefull fayth to beleue that thy flesh is meate in déede and thy bloud is drinke in déede and that vnneaths wée eate thy flesh drinke thy bloud wee cannot enter into thy kingdome nor be saued in the daye of thy commyng Giue vs grace therfore being vnprofitable seruantes and vnworthely called by the reason of the multitude of oure sinnes to banquet at thy table whereas the celebration of thy Supper hath bene vsed and thy death by the vysible Elementes of breade Wine represented vnto vs to offer vp vnto thée continually the fruites of true repentaunt and sorrowfull heartes that thy name may be glorified wée by thy grace comforted thy displeasure bee tourned to loue thy wrathe to compassion oure sinnes pardoned and forgotten our names written in the booke of life And as it hath pleased thee at thys present to accompt vs for thy guests not onelye to féede vs wyth visible creatures namely breade and wyne but also in soule whiche is thyne owne similitude to cherishe vs wyth thy flesh blood whereon by the vertue of a liuely fayth we haue to oure great comfortes most plentifully fed
O mercifull father for thy Sonne Christes sake oure onely Sauioure and Redéemer Christ Iesus A godly and fruitfull prayer to be sayd in tyme of bloudy Battaile O Lorde oure heauenlye father and euerlyuing God wée thy wretched and most miserable Creatures confesse and acknowledge wée haue worthelye deserued the rod of thy correction and punishment and doe merite manye sharpe and bitter stripes that knowing thy blessed glorious wyll haue of set purpose contemned thy deuine and heauenly precepts for which cause the sentence of thy wrath is sharpely kyndled agaynste vs euen as it hathe béene against thy chosen people Israell in the dayes of oure forefathers who glorying in their wickednesse were plagued in the fulnesse of thy indignation the sworde of their enemies beset them rounde about and hemmed them in on euery side the Iebusits the Amonits the Philistines and the Amorites oppressed them diuersly theyr strong holds were rased their Citties were besieged theyr houses were ransackt theyr goodes and theyr riches were caryed awaye by force of the bloud-thirstie enimie theyr yong men were ledde awaye captyue their virgines were woefully deflowred but in fyne when thou Lord God diddest beholde their heartie and earnest contrition thou didst withdrawe thy frowning countenance and sent them spéedy and safe deliueraunce one whyle thou Lorde sentest them Moyses to bring them out of the seruitude of Pharao the stony and stubborne hearted king of the Egyptians another whyle Iepthah sette them frée from the sworde of the Amonites wherewith they were greeuouslye afflicted and to make thy power excellent glory fully known thou gauest Sampson suche fortitude to bridle y e prowde Philistians Ouer and besides these thou of thy loue and myraculous goodnesse hast made feeble women mightie and victorious conquerours Debora was a shield to thy people Iudith comforted the distressed Bethulians and cut off y e head of prowd Holophernus that thy selfe good Lorde when thou beheldest their teares and harty sorrowe for their offences did prepare thy selfe to goe forth with their hostes thou thy selfe wyth the breathe of thy Nostrels diddest confounde and ouerthrow their enemies so good Lord be thou nowe present with vs in the fulnesse of thy deuyne power looke vpon vs wyth the eyes of thy fauourable pittie forget our corrupt and moste filthye offences let our contrite and sorrowful harts be a meane to vanquish thy displeasure conceiued agaynst vs bée thou present with vs in this tyme of necessitie and trouble set thy hand to help and assist vs agaynst the enemy be thou present with vs in this tyme of perrill daunger goe thou forth with our hostes then shall wee be assured to preuayle let not the multitude of furious foes dismaye vs for victory we doe know consisteth not in the power nor strength of many men the strengthe of horses armor nor weapons but it is thou O merciful father that giuest y e conquest where and to whome thou pleasest To thée therfore in this great extremity we flie and appeale beséeching thée of thyne inestimable loue and kyndenesse for the loue of our sauiour Christ Iesus to looke vppon our true repentante hearts and in the fulnesse of thy misseration and pytties to set vs free from the power of the raging enemye and to pardon our sinnes and greeuous offences that henceforth wée vow and dedicate our harts and mindes wholy to walk in integritie and newnesse of life Whiche graunt good Lorde to whome with thy sonne Christ Iesus and the holye Ghost be prayse and glorye attributed for euer and euer worlde wythout end Amen A Prayer agaynst presumptuous pryde and vayne glory WE heare O Heauenly father and are daylye taught and instructed out of thy eternall worde howe greatlye the gréeuous sinne of presumption pryde and vayne glory displeaseth thy deuyne Maiestye wée are learned that for the practise of this pestilente and haynous euill thou haste not spared the verye Aungels but haste throwne them in thy displeasure for their pryde vayneglory and presumption from beatitude to miserye from ioy wythout end to perdurable payn from brightnesse of thy glorious presence to vtter extreme and palpable darkenes from the gloryous fruition and participation of thy euerlasting kyngdome to the bottomlesse pit of hel Death damnation and endlesse flames of fire besydes this we are taught that by the transgression of Adam whose hawtye presumyng thorowe the intisemente of the subtle and perillous alurement of the Serpente thought to bee as thy selfe but in fine thy iustice condemned him and all hys posteritie this pestiferous sinne of pryde drowned him in the floudes of all daungerous euils as gluttonye luxury and suche other perils that had not thy mercye taken effect to keepe and hold Plea for his and oure sauegarde and thy sonne Chryst imbrased the glory power of his deuyne Essence taken vpon him our fleshe and frayle nature sinne onely excepted who freely offered his innocente bodye to the death of the Crosse we had perished euerlastinglye and bene vtterly confounded Print therefore good Lord and wryte these examples in my memorye that I fall not from thy fauour by the exercise of thys detestable sinne make me still to consider that the proud and disdaynfull are always abhorred in thy sight and sith it is thy good will and gracious pleasure to regard the humble and lowly man giue me such méekenesse from aboue that I maye continuallye present thée with the Sacrifice of a gentle méeke and contrite spirite that I may auoyde the plagues and punishmentes which thou hast prepared for the prowd and hawty minded Graunt this good Lord for Iesus Christ his sake my onely Mediatour and Aduocate who liueth and raigneth with thée and the holy ghost in glorye permanent and maiestye euerlasting A Prayer to be sayde in tyme of affliction and trouble O Eternall and euer lyuing god the father of al consolation and comforte vouchsafe of thyne infinite loue kindenesse to strengthen mée with thy heauenly grace paciently to beare and wyth meekenesse to suffer this Crosse of affliction and trouble which thou hast layde vpon mée for the vse of sinne and iniquitie I knowe O gracious and louing father that my deserts are suche as worthely haue prouoked thée to displeasure the burthē of my sinnes are intollerable for the whiche I must acknowledge and earnestly from the bottome of my heart confesse that iustlye thou haste corrected and visited mee yet not in the fulnesse of thy furye but according to thy fatherlye loue and kyndnesse and albeit thy rod lie heauy vpon my shoulders yet in thys tyme of thy correction I am comforted greatlye knowing assuredlye that y u correctest and smytest where thou louest thou woundest and healest agayne thou throwest downe to Hell and thou liftest vp to Heauen such and so great is thy omnipotencie that thou rulest aboue the Firmament in earth flouds and the lowermost partes of hell in Heauen the Aungels Arckaungels the souls of thy saints the blessed company of
martyrs giue thée prayse glory and veneration the Sunne the Moone and glistering starres eche one of them in their course and quallitie shewe themselues obedient to thy will in earth y e beasts of the field and the siely fethered fowles of the Ayre in their order séeme to sette forth thy glorye and prayse in the déepe waters the fyshes of the Seas are readye to obserue thy will and in their manner they as thy creatures giue thee due honour and reuerence but amongest these man whome thou by thy diuine will and pleasure haste indued with reason and in his creation cōcerning the inward man hast fashioned hym to thy similitude and lykenesse is nowe moste prone and willing to be by thy ministers of darckenesse seduced and carryed awaye from vertue to vyce from godlinesse to all impietie from obedyence to wilfull breache and contempt of thy precepts so that diligence is banished by negligence and suche is the power of oure flesh that our eyes which should haue their chiefest cōtemplation and delight in perusing and reading thy glorious and sacred Gospell wherein wée maye beholde thee crucified and slayne O swéetest Sauiour Christe Iesus perfite God and perfite manne by whose innocent deathe and bloudy passion the attonement betwixte thy Father and vs are so daseled wyth the dimmy and darke mysts of Sathan that they are occupyed in the beholding of mundane and transitorye pleasures al which in effect vanish weare away euen as the Flower that eyther is parched by the force of Phebus radiant beames or by Winter stormes and horye frostes consumed oure eares whiche thou haste gyuen vnto vs to heare and vnderstande the sacred and deuine misteries contained in thy holy lawe are made deafe of purpose so that they glory more in fables lothsome leasinges then they conceiue delight in the zealous predication of thy Euangelicall and heauenlye doctrine our hartes are hardened like the Adamāt so y t for the greatest parte they cannot brooke thy testymonies they continually luste and desire to bee satisfied with worldly welth honor and dignitie and who beholdeth not in these dayes what cruel conflict and bloody fyght there is betwixte good conscience and filthy auarice the roote of all myschiefe and euill Naye who seeth not in this age playne dealing murthered by deceyte and faythlesse frawd Who nowe beholdeth not true meaning strangled by forged flatterye loathsome leasinges the bowels of cōpassion and pitty are shut vp by vyolent oppression tyranny our féete are willing to tread the pathes of pryde fornication and vncleannesse our hands are ready to offer wrong iniurie to the innocent yea and in fine whatsoeuer thou hast giuen vnto vs to spreade and set forth thy glory and honor is by sinne so corrupted that wee make the members of our bodyes which by grace and of pure loue are ingrafted in the body of Christ the riche and great shepheard of oure soules the verye members of Sathan so that of set purpose our transgression abounding wée flye from Chryst the rocke and strong piller of our saluation and run headlong to deathe and vtter destruction of body and soule yet like a louing God and mercifull Father thou callest vs home agayne by thy word wherin not onely thy mercies but also thy terrible threats are thundered forth agaynst vs for our impenitencye but when neyther thy manifolde mercies fréely of thy aboundant goodnes offred vnto vs in Iesus Christ can moue nor stir vs to handfast contrition neyther yet thy terrible comminations and threatnynges can exclayme nor call vs backe from the daungerous puddle of our sinnes then y u sendest foorth thy plagues and punishmentes as pestilence famyne and bloudye sworde intending thereby to driue vs to amendement of lyfe and to acknowledge thy omnipotency but when thou beholdest oure true repentaunt heartes oure sobs and sighing teares powred foorth before the Throane of thy deuyne Maiestye thou withdrawest from vs the terroure of thyne indignation and vengeaunce the Rodde of thy correction is layde aside thy displeasure iustly conceiued against vs for the continuall exercise of sinne is vtterly forgotten and by the intercession of thy sonne Iesus Chryste that sitteth on thy right hande in glorye permanēt and euerlasting lyke a louyng Father and moste mercyfull GOD thy Syluered Scepter of peace is offered vnto vs wyth al other thy gracyous benefites that thy anger is conuerted to clemencye thy displeasure is tourned to louing kindenes and in fine thy indignation is so calmed by thyne aboundant grace and mercye that lyke a louing and gentle father thyne armes are stretched foorth ioyfullye to imbrace and receiue vs to thy fauoure agayne all thys I knowe to be moste certaine and true for when or at what tyme soeuer wée shall appeare before the gates of thy mercye by the vertue and power of a constant and liuely fayth knock thereat thou art readie to open vnto vs not for any of oure desertes but for the merites of Iesus Christe the fulnesse of thy deuyne misseration compassion and pittye and whensoeuer we shal cal vpon thee with lowlynesse and méekenesse of our harts and myndes bewayling wofully our heynous offences committed against thée thine eares are most attentiue to heare and willyngly doest graunt vs our peticions wherefore O moste gracious and louing father we come vnto thée with sorrowfull and contrite harts beséeching thée for the loue of thine anointed sonne Iesus Christe our Messias sauioure and redeemer beséeching thée to beholde looke vppon vs wyth the eyes of compassion and pitie albeit wee haue worthely deserued this thy plague and punishmēt yet respect thou not our deseruings least in thy furie indignation we be confounded and perishe haue an eye rather to thy sonne Iesus Christ beholde his bloudy woundes which yet are freshe gréene and neuer stint bléeding thinke vpon the bitter and painfull tormentes that hee suffered for vs vppon the Crosse in whose name we beséech thée fauourably to looke vpō our infirmities mercifullye to heare our prayers and peticions offered vnto thée and graciouslye for the glorye of thy names sake to take and withdraw from vs this thy heauie rodde of correction whiche our sinfull liues and contempt of thy preceptes hath heaped heauily in oure necks giue vs pacience to suffer whatsoeuer it shall please thée to lay vppon vs giue vs grace alway to call and cry vpon thy holy blessed name and faythfullye with teares to say vnto thée continually Spare vs good Lord spare thy people whō thou hast redéemed with thy precious bloode neither yet good Lorde be thou angrye with vs for euer Grant this O mercifull father for the loue of thy onely sonne Iesus Christ to whome wyth thée and the holye Ghost bée all honor glorye and prayse ascribed for euer Amen A prayer to be sayd before the receyuing of the Lords supper OMnipotent God and father euerlasting whose mercy is infinite and whose kingdome hathe no ende vouchsafe I beséeche