my daily and haynous offences breed in mee a loathing and horrid detestation of all my sinnes that I may flye from them and shun the wayes and occasions which leade vnto them being stricken with an extraordinary sorrow and compunction for hauing dared to offend a Lord of such height and glory and ouercome with shame and ingratitude repent the iniuries offered to so louing and carefull a Master who hath shed his Bloud to saue so vnprofitable a seruant that being by feruent charity reconciled vnto him I may in the day of terrour lawfully claime part of him and being shrowded vnder his wings escape the malice and fury of my accusers euen for thy blessed names sake which shall in that time of trouble bee a sure defence to all thy Chosen 31. A Prayer for Chastity O Almightie and blessed Lord and Sauiour the glorie of thy Father the brightnesse and spotlesse sinceritie of Men who delightest and visitest thy cleane and vnpolluted members sanctifie O Lord and purifie mee that I may not bee a shame and reproach to so immaculary and chaste a Head that I may appeare a sonne some way worthy so holy and heauenly a Father Mortifie and kill in me the loose and powerfull desires of the flesh which borne in me are kindled and inflamed by the diuell and my owne frailtie Fixe my eyes O Lord vpon thy immortall glorious and neuer-fading beautie that I may contemne and despise all earthly and transitorie paintings Strike me in loue wlth the excellencie of vertue that my heart strongly and wholly taken with so faire and worthily beloued a perfection there may be no roome left for Folly and Idlenesse the wel-springs of wanton affection Busie mee O Lord about the day of Iudgement and my Account the torments of hell and their euerlastingnesse that all my study and labour may bee how to auoide them and blesse thee that hast not left me to the world and corrupted tyrannie of man but mercifully laid thy hand vpon me and conducted me to the meanes of my saluation 32. A Prayer in Iournying O Mercifully louing Lord which gouernedst and defendedst thy people Israel from all the vniust oppression and mercilesse fury of their enemies guiding them in all their wayes and trauailes and graciously visitedst thy seruant Iacob in his way and powredst thy blessing on him bee neere at this time to thy vnworthy and sinfull seruant and blesse mee I beseech thee in this my trauell and iourney from any violence of sinne or outward Spoylers and Robbers Prosper O Lord and bring to good end as it shall please thee the businesse I trauell and wander about and vouchsafe to direct mee in it that I do that which shall bee to thy glory and my owne behoofe and profite euen for Iesus Christ his sake Amen 33. A Prayer to bee vsed in any storme of Lightning and Thunder O Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbath Heauen and earth are full of the Maiestie of thy glorie the flouds lift vp their voyce and speake thy wonders the Heauens flie before thy Anger and the vnnaturally mouing Earth trembleth at thy Voyce All which ordained for the vse of Man vpon thy word prooue their scourge and punishment The fire from aboue at the cry of the Prophet eateth vp his Scorners the Sea rageth and deuoureth the people and Chariots of the Egyptians yea the earth gapeth and buryeth men aliue at thy command Preserue vs gentle and infinitely louing Father from this violent and dreadfull storme which raised for our sins threatneth our destruction Put out the lightning O Lord and dissolue the horrid and fearefull stone lest it pash thy people to ashes and we be seene no more Cast thine eye vpon the Merites and Passion of our Sauiour and let his Bloud come betweene thy Iustice and our guilt that we may reioyce and lift vp our voyces with the holy Prophet Dauid I will not feare though the earth bee mooued and throwne into the heart of the Sea for the Almightie is our refuge and strength and helpeth vs in all our trouble Praised be the name of the Lord. 34. A Prayer or Meditation concerning the benefits after Creation COnsider O my soule with reuerence and thanksgiuing how Almightie God placed thee heere of his owne bountie and noblenesse not for any need hee had of thy helpe or seruice but to bestow vpon thee his grace and therefore hath hee enriched thee with vnderstanding to know him remembrance to be mindefull of him will to loue him imagination to represent his benefits vnto thy thoughts eyes to behold the wonders of his workes and a tongue to praise him Wherefore being created and set in the world for this intention reiect and cast away all actions which prooue contrary to this end For alas what did I busie my thoughts vpon O my God when I placed them not vpon thee What was I mindefull of when I forgot thee What did I loue when I did not loue thee Aye me I should haue fed my soule with the veritie and I haue fil'd it with vanitie and haue serued the world which was not made but to serue mee I defie you vtterly O vaine cogitations and vnprofitable fancies I abhorre and abiure you O detestable and friuolous Imaginations I renounce you vnfaithfull and disloyall loues miserable and lost seruices vngratefull gratifications cumbersome and vnpleasing pleasures And thou O my God and my Lord thou shalt bee for the time to come the onely obiect of my thoughts and I will neuer more apply my spirit to any cogitations which may be offensiue or disliking to thee My memorie all the dayes of my life shall be filled with consideration of thy excessiue goodnesse so louingly declared in my behalfe thou shalt be the deliciousnesse of my heart the sweetnesse of my affections Hence therefore from my sight for euer all vaine and idle pastimes whereunto I haue vainely applyed my mind all gamesome and toying exercises in which I fondly spent my dayes and all loose and idle affections which entangled my heart shall henceforth bee a horrour vnto my thoughts because thou hast made me O Lord for thy selfe to enioy euerlastingly the immensitie of thy glorie O when shall it bee that I shall bee worthie and when shall I praise thee according to thy desert and my dutie I offer vnto thee O my deare Creatour all these good affections and holy resolutions with all my heart and all my soule and beseech thee O God to accept these my desires and vowes and to giue my soule thy holy blessing that shee may faithfully accomplish them through the merites of the Bloud of thy blessed Sonne our Sauiour shed for me vpon the Crosse 35. A Prayer against vaine Attire DOth it beseeme mee most mercifull and blessed Redeemer to bee decked and attired in rich and sumptuous Garments when the scornefull and disdainefull Iewes apparell thee in a coate of folly to bee laught at and contemned of the people Doe Iewels and
leasings and vaine stories O be mercifull vnto me and enter not into Iudgement with thy seruant for how shall Dust and Ashes stand vp before thee or the worke of thy hands contend with his Creator Haue pitie on me O Lord according to thy great goodnesse and in the multitude of thy mercies blot out all my Iniquities Saue me and be neere vnto me in the day of trouble that I may magnifie thy Name and giue all honour power and glorie to thee who art the Father and Fountaine of all comfort and consolation Amen AT NOONE. 20. A Prayer concerning the benefit of Creation I Am amazed O Lord to consider of thy wonderfull mercie my soule is lost in the depth of thy neuer-ceasing goodnesse and like the wisest of Philosophers the more I learne the lesse I may truly professe to know so bottomelesse and vnsearchable is thy loue and fauour When I was Nothing O Lord why thoughtst thou of me and calledst me to be Something which hauing any subsistence of Beast or Plant is better then not to be at all but thou hast created me according to thine owne Image giuing me a reasonable soule like the Angels endued with noble faculties and powers enabling me to reach the height of thy mysticall Diuinitie and diuine Mysterie and made me capable of euerlasting and infinite glorie O Lord before thee and in comparison of thy Maiestie I am iust Nothing and how wast thou then mindfull of me to create me Alas my soule thou wast hidden in the Abysse of Nothing and in this Abysse of Nothing shouldst thou haue remained vntill this present if God had not drawne thee forth from thence and what couldst thou haue done within this Nothing O my great and good Creator how infinitely am I indebted vnto thee for that thou hast taken me out of this Nothing to make me by thy mercie that something which I am What shall I euer be able to doe worthily to blesse and magnifie thy Name and to render thankes to thine exceeding Bountie But alas my Creator in stead of vniting my selfe vnto thee by pure loue and loyall seruice I haue alwayes beene rebellious by vnruly affections separating and withdrawing my selfe from thee to ioyne and vnite my selfe vnto sinne and iniquitie doing no more to thy Goodnesse then if thou hadst not beene my Creator What wickednesse hath there beene O Lord that I haue not had a thought readie to put in a mind apt to contriue and a hand willing to execute it Wherein haue I testified my obedience in following thy Lawes and Precepts Wherein my truth and loyaltie in resisting thy vowed and knowne enemies But O my soule know that our Lord is thy God it is he that hath made thee and not thou thy selfe O God I am the worke of thy hand I will then no more henceforth take pleasure in my selfe since in my selfe and of my selfe I am truly Nothing Blesse thy God O my soule and let all thy bowels prayse his holy Name for his Bountie hath drawne me forth of the Abysse of Nothing and his Mercie hath created me O my God I offer vnto thee with all my heart the essence and being which thou of thy Bountie hast bestowed vpon me and most willingly doe I dedicate and consecrate it to thee O my God strengthen me in these affections and resolutions and giue me perseuerance to the end 21. Euening Prayer I Humbly confesse and acknowledge O mercifull Lord and Sauiour that I haue not imployed and bestowed the blessed Time of this hallowed Day so deuoutly and religiously as I ought and am commanded to doe I beseech thee of thy infinite mercie to forgiue and pardon so weake and frayle a Creature that cannot entertaine the least good thought one moment vvithout thee and vouchsafe of thy accustomed goodnesse and clemencie continually to visit nay my most blessed Sauiour to inhabite and dwell with mee that so I may doe the things which please thee Giue vnto me O Lord a kindly relenting and remorse for the sinnes I haue this day committed against thy diuine Maiestie and against my Neighbour by thought word and deed and by omission of those things thou hast left me in charge to haue done Moderate O Lord my sleepe and banish from me all vaine and wandering fancies vncleane and idle illusions that I may awake in thee and to thee offer my Morning thoughts who art onely worthie of all that onely hast created redeemed sanctified and preserued me for which be thou euer praysed and honoured world without end Amen 22. A Prayer to our blessed Sauiour and Redeemer PRostrate thy selfe O my soule before the Lord of all Maiestie and Glorie sitting at the right hand of his Father crowned with Mightinesse and Power richly adorned with a garland of all Vertues brightly shining in the companie of his glorious Angels holy Saints and bloudie Martyrs honouring and seruing him without ceasing or intermission singing Hymnes of his Goodnesse and Mercie and hauing thus beheld him in this great Pompe and Triumph cast thine eye vpon this blessed Sauiour poorely lying in the Manger hauing scarce any thing to couer his tender and delicate Bodie or saue it from the iniurie of the Ayre Consider well and seriously how he which giueth heat and motion to the Sunne is here contented as vnable to helpe himselfe to take warmth and comfort from the breath of the Beasts whom he there disdained not to be his Chamber-fellowes O wonderfull example of all humilitie How darest thou from henceforth contemned Dust and Ashes swell in thy Vaine-glorie and decked with a few gay Ragges forget thy Creator who is cloathed with Eternitie Humble O Lord my high and proud thoughts abase and bring downe my loftie and rebellious imaginations make me abiect in my owne eyes that walking with my poore Brethren who wander naked and hungrie lying vpon the bare cold Earth I may with them prayse and glorifie thy holy Name who wert the first founder and beginner of this poore and contemned Order Why shall we from henceforth so highly esteeme Honour and Riches when thou the Lord of both didst so contemne it voluntarie for our instruction submitting thy selfe to so great and miserable Pouertie Happie are wee if wee be distressed and patiently suffer it happie if wee be contemned and neglected for thy sake Teach me O Lord the way to despise all worldly preferment and promotions that hauing my thoughts only fixed vpon thee I may passe forth these transitorie short miseries to dwell in eternall rest and felicitie in thy Kingdome which is promised to all those which serue thee to whom be ascribed all honor power and glorie world without end Amen 23. Another Prayer for assistance in dangers and troubles COmplaynest thou discontented and vngratefull Creature that thy enemies lye in wait to take thy life from thee and thinkest thy selfe not well dealt with to be so persecuted and afflicted when thou mayest behold the Creator of Heauen and Earth
hauing no piece of Earth to abide with safetie in Doest thou value thy selfe aboue thy Maker and canst wish a share in his Glories but to be no partner with him in his Troubles O blessed Sauiour is it not thy owne saying that who will enioy thee must take vp his Crosse and follow thee How strictly liued thy fore-runner how imprisoned how died how poorely and dangerously thy followers glorifying thee in hunger in stripes in death Crowne me O Lord in this life with Thornes that I may hereafter receiue a Crowne of Glorie Let me be here imprisoned scourged and reuiled so I may be hereafter released acknowledged and receiued And graunt most mercifull and louing Redeemer that as thou didst in thy Godhead shew vs the fraileties of Man in thy Suffering so thou wouldst in our Manhood shew vs the power of thy Godhead manfully to resist and ouercome all feare of Dangers nay Death it selfe which Satan and our weake flesh painteth out so horrible to vs that cowardly flying the Combate wee may lose the promised Reward Strengthen vs O Lord and be vnto vs a sure shield in the day of Battaile Let the Angels fight for vs and shew themselues mightie in the destruction of our enemies Let them be scattered as Chaffe before the Wind and not be able to stand in opposition with thy seruants who put their trust in thee Let them O Lord be ruined and confounded that wish euill to them that feare thee and desire to be perfect imitators of thy life and doctrine that wee remaining Conquerors may prayse and glorifie thee the giuer of all Victorie Amen 24. A Prayer against Pride DId Almightie God who is iealous of his Honour throw downe the Heauens for their Presumption and thinkest thou fond Man he will exalt base Earth for his Pride Doth he pull downe the mightie and the loftie and aduance the humble and meeke and darest thou yet reare vp thy proud head in his presence Was not the great King Nabuchadonozor turned for his arrogancie into a Beast for that in the shape of a Man hee liued like a Beast And did not the Wormes feede vpon Herod vn-coffind and aliue because he did proudly aduance himselfe of his naturall gifts and graces Who dare contend with the Almightie which darteth Lightning and holdeth Thunder Or what canst thou boast of presumptuous flesh that is thine owne Thy soule is heauenly thy bodie earthly both from God the one inspired the other fashioned in the Wombe lent thee for a season and to be recalled at his pleasure Why doest thou therefore lay vp Honours and Preferments for many yeeres Why doest thou pursue and search for glorious Armes and Titles forgetting thy Father Adam because a Gardener and deriuing thy Pedigree from some great and Noble Conqueror hauing not certainely so much time here as the Herald must necessarily require to perfect thy gawdie Coat For this Night may God say vnto thee O foole thy soule shall be taken from thee Let me not therefore O mercifull Father come vnprepared like the foolish Virgins and be shut out hauing ouer-slept my houre Giue me grace to repent whilest there is time for in Death who acknowledge thee or who findeth pardon in Hell Graunt that I may seriously ponder and consider thy manifold and manifest benefites that I may with all humilitie and thankfulnesse prayse and glorifie the giuer Lay before me the haynousnesse and multitude of my offences that strucken downe with shame and sorrow I may fall at thy feet and with the abundance of my teares wash away the stayne and guilt of my aspiring soule Let the greedinesse of my Ambition satisfie it selfe in seruing of thee being the highest Honour the Earth can glorie of and when it euidently perceiues how little of his owne it is able to bring to discharge those offices which are necessarily required my towring thoughts will fall and breake their owne necke Endue me O Lord with spirituall knowledge and vnderstanding to retyre into my selfe and take a suruey of my owne soule how shee is garnished how decked with what vertues adorned with what heauenly gifts and graces apparrelled and let me be confounded and ashamed to find her the Mistresse and Queene of this frayle and corrupted bodie naked or worse apparrelled and to imploy all my studie and endeuours to garnish and set out her seruant Let selfe-basenesse O Lord attained by a certaine knowledge of my weakenesse and vnworthinesse banish away all selfe-affection vainely gotten by a false conceit of my owne graces Health vigour strength and lustinesse of bodie thou giuest and takest away at thy pleasure by sicknesse hunger wants and torments Proportion and Beautie but thy all-making Hand who can to the life fashion which are spoyled and defaced by Age the necessarie seruant of Time and Decrepitnesse the diligent follower of Age Be it therefore farre from me to glorie but in the Crosse of my Sauiour Iesus Christ Let me take pride in his Sufferings and boast of his Wounds whose precious bloud hath conquered Hell and Sinne leading Captiuitie captiue and redeeming the lost Sheepe reducing them againe to their louing and carefull Shepheard who will recall them wandering vphold them sliding and saue them eternally from the rauening Wolfe which goeth about roaring to seeke who he may deuoure 25. A Prayer against the concupiscence of the flesh WHo shall enter into thy Tabernacle O Lord Hee that hath vndefiled hands and a pure heart sanctified and vnpolluted members as worthie Vessels to receiue the holy Ghost The house must be cleane swept by Confession purified and perfumed by good purposes and prayers before it can be made a fit habitation for our Lord and Sauiour Those be the sweet-smelling sauors which laid vpon the Altar of our heart enflamed and set on fire by perfect Charitie are acceptable Sacrifices vnto him Were not the people O Lord commanded by thy Seruant and Prophet Moses to put off their shooes because the ground whereon they trod was holy How shall they enter then before thee whose feet are swift to defile their neighbours Bed whose hands haue beene employed in rauishing young Virgins and whose tongues haue spent all their force and Oratorie to corrupt and betray honest thoughts to wicked and loose desires Didst thou so seuerely rebuke and punish thy Seruant Dauid a man as the Scripture testifieth according to thy owne heart for one Transgression that neither his Contrition Penance Fasting Almes-deedes could diuert or turne away thy Anger And shall I miserable and leprous sinner who haue all my life worne my heart in my eyes lusting after euery obiect hope to escape thy furie What Woman haue I not coueted What Complexion hath not beene the fuell of my lewd thoughts Pardon O mercifull Lord and Sauiour an humble and penitent sinner who confesseth and acknowledgeth his hainous sinnes and offences and much sorroweth and lamenteth to haue mis-imployed his time and bodie in the lasciuious acts and concupiscences of the