might dailie more and more trace thee out yea I haue a great while sore longed with so godlie affection as I could to celebrate thee in the frequented assemblies of the godlie which trulie I will now doo accordinglie by the grace and assistance of thy holie spirit and that with a most readie and ioifull mind as it behooueth And that this mine enterprise and beginning may proceede to a further good successe and amendment of my maners and imbettering of my life doo thou finish the thing O God which thou hast begun in me and make me continuallie to increase from faith to faith Yea so renew and shape me againe in innocencie and righteousnesse O grations Lord I beseech thee that as a person new borne of thee I may insearch thee againe and againe both in the dawning of the daie morning noone euening and night Now lead me forooard O Lord I beseech thee in thy righteousnesse let thy louing spirit direct my feete and make thy waies plaine before my face bicause of my mortall and inuisible enimies And doo thou vouchsafe luckilie to conduct my bodie this daie vnto thy materiall temple and to bring my soule at the last vnto thy holie hill and blessed mountaine which thou hast purchased with thy right hand that I may rest both bodie and soule in heauen and remaine with thee foreuer Amen Or praie thus O GOD the word who art the light by whom light was made who art the waie truth and life in whom there is no darknes ouersight vanitie nor death shine foorth O Lord my light mine inlightening and my welfare whom I will reuerence my Lord whom I will honour my Father whom I will loue my Iudge whom I will feare my Bridegroome whom I will cleaue vnto and keepe my selfe an vndefiled spouse Shine foorth O euerlasting light shine foorth I saie and lighten the Lampe of my virginitie with the oile of thy diuine grace and mercie that this blind soule of mine which yet sitteth in darknesse and shadowe of death may see the light and eschew darknesse see the waie and eschew straieng see the truth and eschew leasing see the life and eschew death And guide thou my feete vnto the waie of peace that by thy mercifull protection I may see the light walke in the light and neuer stumble vpon the snares of Sathan but may now passe thereby into the palace of thy woonderfull tabernacle and be able to climbe vp euen vnto the holie house and temple with the voice of gladnesse and confession there to abide and receiue at thy hands both mercie righteousnesse health blessing and euerlasting saluation with my fellowe-citizens thy Saints and houshold menie Amen Another godlie praier to be said either going towards or being in the Church LOoke what earnest and feruent desire soeuer the old fathers had O most mightie GOD to come vnto the place wherein thou hadst appointed a tabernacle to thy selfe for that time euen the like am I kindled withall in beholding the repairing of thy sacred Church and to see therin a very great companie of godlie men women lawfullie assembled together for the aduancement of thy glorie hearing thy holie doctrine dulie receiuing of thy blessed Sacraments accordinglie Wherefore I humblie beseech thee which art my God my King that I may this daie reioice to be there For what felicitie soeuer may be attained vnto in this fraile life I doubt not but it will light vpon the sacred companie of the godlie there assembled Giue eare therefore O excellent Father vnto mine earnest praiers grant that I make none other account of thy blessed house than thy will and pleasure is I should doo For a more blessed thing it were for me to haue one daies meeting and abode therein than if I abide neuer so great a time of continuance in the congregation of the vngodlie or in such a one as is not lawfullie assembled with the aduantage and ouer-plus of all the pleasures of this transitorie world Seeing that therefore thou art our most splendent light and strong defence cause our assemblies on the earth O God so to redound to thine vnspeakable glorie that our assured hope by comming in the end vnto thee in the euerlasting tabernacles of the heauens may be augmented and verie much increased through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen VVhen you enter into the Church meditate thus with your selfe and saie LORD who shall ascend into thy high hill Or who shall rise vp in thy holie place Euen he that hath cleane hands and a pure hart and hath not lift vp his mind vnto vanitie nor sworne to deceiue his neighbour He shall receiue the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his saluation This is the generation of them that seeke him euen of them that seeke thy face O Iacob Lift vp your heads O ye gates and be ye lift vp ye euerlasting doores and the King of glorie shall come in euen the Lord of hosts most mightie and strong Open me the gates of righteousnesse O Lord that I with the righteous nation that keepe thy truth may go into them and giue thanks vnto thee This is the gate of the Lord the righteous shall enter into it Yea blessed are they that doo thy commandements O God For their power shall be in the tree of life and they shall enter in through the gates into the holie citie new Ierusalem But without shall be dogs and inchanters and whooremongers and murderers and idolaters yea there shall enter into it none vncleane thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or maketh lies but they onlie which are written in the Lambes booke of life Amen Or thus LOrd who shall enter into thy sanctuarie to consider thy mightie power except thou open it vnto him And who shall open it if thou shut it Trulie O Lord my God I sillie worme and claie am not able to enter into thine euerlastingnesse vnlesse thou which hast made all things of nothing doo lead me in Yea I knowe Lord I knowe and confesse that I am vnwoorthie to enter vnder thy roofe but yet I beseech thee let a blessed entrance to the house of eternall felicitie whither I haue dailie a feruent desire to come be set open and made as a free passage vnto me O God And giue mee leaue now I praie thee though a dog and an vnwoorthie wretch euen for thine owne honour sake to enter into thy holie house and to approch thy sacred presence and confound not thy seruant that seeketh thee and putteth all hir trust and confidence in thy mercie Oh suffer me not I saie good Lord to knit vp and finish my last daies with malefactors and wicked persons but grant that after my long and dailie trauell in this transitorie world I may in the end at length be permitted through thy mercie to enter the courts of thy diuine presence and with thine elect and chosen seruants for euer inhabit the hauen of eternall felicitie through
shall I tread vnderfoot that hellie dragon Yea so shall I of dutie be bound alwaie with couragious spirit to praise and hallowe thy name not onlie in the morrowe when all things shall chance to my harts desire to ascribe all to thy goodnesse without anie deseruing on my behalfe but also in the night of trouble and aduersitie when I shall call vnto mind thy most faithfull and trustie promises that I despaire not thus to praise thy meere and speciall grace and blesse thee saieng Blessed art thou O Lord God of our fathers for thou art praise and honour worthie and to be magnified for euer Blessed be the glorie of thy holie name for it is worthie to be praised aboue all to be magnified for euer Blessed art thou O father O Sonne and O holie Ghost for thou art worthie to be praised and aboue all to be magnified for euer Blessed be thou in the firmament of heauen for thou art praise-worthie for euer O giue thanks vnto the Lord all his creatures for he is kind-harted and mercifull yea his mercie endureth for euer Oh speake good of the Lord all ye works of his in all places of his dominion and let euerie thing that hath breath praise the Lord and giue him thanks for his mercie endureth for euer O that all men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men Praise thou the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits yea and all that is within me praise his holie name for his louing mercie and for his truth which endureth for euer worlds without end Amen Glorie be to the father c. As it was in the begin c. The second Psalme MY God my God remember me forsake me not suffer me not to be lost sith both night and daie I crie to thee heare me my Lord. Our father 's trusted in thee and thou helpedst them whensoeuer they called vpon thee at no tune thou failedst them but wast alwaies at hand to assist them Come foorth father most deerelie beloued in my hart restore me from Sathans kingdome Thou drewest me foorth of my mothers wombe and hast preserued me vnto this daie Of thy benignitie and mercie which I beseech thee denie me not at this my neede go not awaie from me for anguish and pensiuenesse of hart drawe nigh vnto me and yet is there none that can helpe me but thou onlie Let me escape from these dangers through thy Christ my sauiour who for my sake hath suffered so spitefull and bitter paines who for me was sore vexed cruellie scourged wounded nailed and hanged on the crosse Let me escape I saie for his bloud sake which he so largelie shed for vs to cause vs obteine forgiuenesse of our sinnes and enioie the new and euerlasting couenant made betwixt thee and vs. Stand not farre from me O Lord my refuge and strength come neere and helpe me deliuer my life from the sword and my soule from the wood dogs from the Lions iawes restore me betweene the hornes of the Unicornes heare thou me Then shall I blowe abroade thy name with all praises vnto my brethren and in the assemblie of the holie persons I shall commend thee Despise not the praiers of the poore turne not awaie thy face heare my crie for I will record this thy goodnesse among the miserable painefull and troublesome consciences that they thereof may take hart of comfort growe in hope cleaue more feruentlie vnto thee blowe abroade thy most glorious name and giue thee euerlasting thanks for their saluation Amen Glorie be to the father c. As it was in the beginning c. The third Psalme OUT of the furthest angles of the earth on euerie side thou shalt with a mightie voice call men to iudgement Lord God omnipotent to whome nothing is hid Open our eares that we may heare this thy promise I shall be your God In thee constantlie beleeue we with thy foison we be filled Prudentlie thou dost declare and testifie that of our goods and sacrifices thou hast no need and doest not either regard or measure them for all be thine and in thee it lieth to make the things we now possesse to be ours or not ours Thou onlie requirest sacrifices of thanke sgiuing let vs therefore disclose the bottome of our harts to thee let vs knowledge thee to be our God Let vs halowe thy name in all things flowe in thy word render thanks both in weale and wo require thy succours in straits and necessities in which time thou hast promised to helpe vs then shall we so deliuered blase thy name Lord God most iust true of promise and deerest Father thee beseech I to send succours vnto me euen of thine infinite goodnesse For thy renowmes sake for Iesus Christs sake thy beloued sonne and for his pretious bloud largelie shed for vs on the crosse haue mercie vpon me so that once purged I may come againe in fauour with thee Pitie me heare me out of the straits of this sinfull flesh wherewith on euerie side I am hampered in Set me at large againe rid me from mine enimies which seeke to drawe me awaie from thy true seruice In thy comfort let me reioice and be full of spirituall ioie let me euer brute thy name not vnmindfull of thy benefits Releeue me most pitifull God according to thy word which is the truth Most tender father shew me that thy ioifull health Glorie be to the Father c. As it was in the begin c. The fourth Psalme THy clemencie and blessing most mightie God we craue and require of thee full instantlie Let thy countenance shine vpon vs haue compassion vpon vs that here in earth wee may find out the waie which leadeth vnto thee and may attaine thy saluation among the Gentils O that all people would confesse thee with louing harts for thy manifold benefits and pleasures which they haue receiued at thy hands who dost with iustice gouerne men and art their leader vpon earth Powre downe Lord thy goodnesse and continuall blessings vpon vs and then shall the earth yeeld vnto thee glorie and praise and to vs fruits for meate Thou God the father blesse vs thou God the sonne blesse vs and thou God the holie Ghost blesse vs yea thou holie blessed and glorious Trinitie grant vs thy continuall blessing O that all the coasts of the earth Lord God would feare and stand in awe of thee Would God that we also might studie to worke no man either pleasure or displeasure that should be against thy will but that we may doo all things according to thy commandements Glorie be to the father c. As it was in the begin c. A contemplation and praier exclaming of the carefull passions of the soule and bodie WO is me carefull carcase and filthie defiled flesh conceiued and borne in sinne depriued of originall iustice compared to a beast in Adam fallen as a
may with the enimies of mans felicitie be vanquished and subdued and I by him may liue in Iesus Christ E EXpell and roote out in and from my remembrance the detestable branches of wrath pride concupiscence vaine-glorie and all other horrible vices and noisome euils that heape vp thy greeuous displeasure against me Take from me all abuse let me neuer blaspheme thy blessed and glorious name let my tong be purged by thee from all corrupt and vncomelie talke let all my thoughts be occupied in thy seruice faith feare and loue Make me good Lord alwaies obedient to doo thy will and to walke in the waies of thy commandements and to delight in thy blessed testimonies And graunt me thy grace that by the hearing of thy Euangelicall and heauenlie doctrine my faith may be increased made strong and fruitfull to exercise the works of charitie and loue to all men and chieflie to those that constantlie fauour thy Gospell and continue faithfull in Christ Iesus Euermore I saie good Lord giue me thy blessings from aboue and let my hart my soule and tong be euer readie for thy gratious benefits receiued to publish and set foorth thy glorie and praise in weale and wo in pouertie and prosperitie in time of peace and in time of danger Stretch foorth thy hand to protect me and I by thee deliuered from all perils shall make my boast of thy mercies freelie showne vnto me without my deserts and with the felowship of thy Saints giue such honour praise and reuerence vnto thee as of right and bounden dutie I ought to doo And forasmuch as not euerie one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of God and Christ make me not then a professor of thy word with my lips but an earnest louer of the same a faithfull folower of thy commandements least at the comming of the great and rich Bridegroome Iesus Christ I be refused as were the fiue vndiscreet and foolish virgins that wanted oyle to garnish their Lamps For if thou O Lord passe by and finde me vnprouided the gates of thy grace being fast shut vp and locked close I shall then stand knocking and calling the Lord all in vaine For thou wilt giue answere thou knowest me not and being forsaken of thee I shall perish euerlastinglie Giue me grace therefore O good Lord to be readie prepared with my wedding garment and oyle in my Lampe that I may continuallie watch thy comming and so enter with thee as thy ghest to the rich banqueting house of euerlasting glorie Amen F From sinfulnesse preserue me Lord R Renew thy spirit in my hart A And let my tongue therewith accord V Vttering all goodnesse for his part N No thought let there arise in me C Contrarie to thy statutes ten E Euer let me most mindfull be S Still for to praise thy name Amen A As of my soule so of my bodie B Be thou my guider O my God V Vnto thee onlie I do crie R Remoue from me thy furious rod. G Graunt that my head may still deuise A All things that pleasing be to thee V Vnto mine eares and to mine eies E Euer let there a watch set bee N None ill that they may heare and see N No wicked deede let my hands do Y Yn thy good paths let my feete go Finis ¶ Certaine praiers made by godlie women Martyrs The praier of Agnes the Martyr at hir death O Eternall Gouernour vouchsafe to open the gates of heauen once shut vp against all the inhabitants of the earth and receiue my soule oh Christ that seeketh thee The song of Eulalia the Martyr at hir death BEhold O Lord I wil not forget thee What a pleasure is it for them O Christ that remember thy triumphant victories to attaine vnto those high dignities The praier of Anne Askue the Martyr before hir death O Lord I haue mo enimies now than there be heares on my head yet Lord let them neuer ouercome me with vaine words but fight thou Lord on my side For on thee cast I my care With all the spite they can imagine they fall vpon me which am thy poore creature yet sweete Lord let me not set by them which are against me for in thee is my whole delight And Lord I hartilie desire of thee that thou wilt of thy most mercifull goodnesse forgiue them that violence which they doo and haue done vnto me Open also thou their blind harts that they may hereafter doo that thing in thy sight which is onlie acceptable before thee and to set foorth thy veritie aright without all vaine phantasies of sinfull man So be it O Lord So be it The praier that maister Bradfords morher said and offered vnto God in his behalfe a little before his martyrdome AH good Father which dooest vouchsafe that my sonne Iohn Bradford being a greeuous sinner in thy sight should find this fauour with thee to be one of thy sonne Christ his captaines and men of war to fight and suffer for his Gospels sake I thanke thee and praie thee in the same thy deere sonne Christs name that thou wouldest forgiue him his sinnes and vnthankfulnesse and make perfect in him that good which thou hast begun in him Yea Lord I praie thee make him worthie to suffer not only imprisonment but euen verie death for thy truth religion and Gospell sake As Hanna did applie dedicate and giue hir first child and sonne Samuel vnto thee euen so doo I deere Father beseeching thee for Christs sake to accept this my gift and giue my sonne Iohn Bradford grace alwaies trulie to serue thee and thy people as Samuel did Amen Amen Other godlie praiers taken out of the Psalmes written by a godlie harted Gentlewoman POnder my words O Lord consider my meditation O harken thou vnto the voice of my wofull mourning my King and my God for vnto thee will I make my praier Heare my voice O Lord betimes earlie in the morning will I direct my praier vnto thee for thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickednesse neither shall anie euill dwell with thee Thou hatest all them that worke vanitie leade me therefore in thy righteousnesse O Lord for I am weake and without thee I haue no strength at all therfore O Lord God rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy heauie displeasure Haue mercie vpon me O Lord and deliuer my soule Oh saue me for thy mercie sake I am almost wearie of my groning Euerie night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares O Lord my God in thee haue I put my trust saue mee from all them that persecute me and deliuer me O Lord my God if I haue done anie such thing as is laid to my charge or if there be anie such wickednesse in me then let mine enimie persecute my soule and take me captiue Hast not thou O Lord my God defended me from such vngodlinesse Oh how long wilt thou hide thy selfe from me
if thou carefullie behaue thy selfe walke in the waies that I haue commanded thou shalt be woorthilie honored indeed with that name wherby mine authoritie ouer all men is declared and I thy GOD and heauenlie Father will imbrace thee with my speciall fauour as my deerelie beloued Dooue and obedient child Yea so shall the KING haue pleasure in thy fairenes and loue thy goodlie personage and it shall come to passe that thou shalt bee more and more in the high fauour of thy spirituall spouse Christ my sonne to whom onlie it is meete that thou shouldst be subiect as to thy souereigne Lord King and head and vnder whose gouernement thou shalt remaine most honourable and admirable for the singular and vnspeakeable gifts of his grace to all maner of people strangers others of whom euen the most mightie and most rich shall desire to see thee and to be linked in friendship with thee For then shalt thou come foorth of thy princelie yuorie palace and statelie roiall throne most gloriouslie adorned with gorgious garments and roiall robes that smell most fragrantlie and yeeld their sweete sauours and odoriferous odours most pleasantlie spred ouer all those men and people who to declare their ioie and good-wils towards thee shall run and presse togither by thousands to see praise and extoll thy renowmed name and Maiestie crieng alowd and saieng GOD saue the QVEENE To conclude here in my house the Church thou shalt see thy children and offspring who by publishing and promoting my Gospell thou hast borne after a maner vnto thy husband Christ flourishing and spred both abroad and at home and nothing inferiour vnto those thy most noble Elders reigning ouer the prouinces of the whole world But at home chieflie euen in heauen with mee thy Father and with thy husband Christ thou shalt sit at my right hand beautified with all my gifts and most richlie beedecked all ouer with glorious garments broidered with gold hauing a crowne of most pure gold vpon thy head Euen thus roiallie I saie shalt thou then O Uirgin ô QVEENE O deerlie beloued Daughter be set before the KING thy husband with such and so pretious apparell the Uirgins thy companions waiting vpon thee and going with thee vnto the most glorious KING of kings whilest that you altogither with most great triumph mirth ioie reioicing shall enter into the highest mansion of the heauenlie Paradise most holie palace there to enioie a most certaine vnchangeable and euerlasting kingdome glorie dignitie blisse and felicitie and to sing praises vnto the name of the holie Trinitie together with all Kings Queenes Saints Uirgins and elect people of the world that euer were are or shall bee worlds without end The Queenes Vow or selfe-talke with GOD Collected out of the Psalmes of the princelie Prophet King DAVID as they are paraphrasticallie expounded by that godlie learned man THEODORE BEZA Wherein the Queenes Maiestie after a most Christian maner euen with Dauids spirit his sweet words and diuine sentences first inciteth prepareth hir hart and mind to deuotion Secondlie acknowledgeth the omnipotent power of God ouer all kings kingdoms and creatures and after a true rehearsall of his manifold benefits bestowed vpon hir from hir birth with an acknowledgement of hir souereigntie to come onelie from the Lord she thirdlie confesseth hir vnwoorthinesse and reioiceth greatlie in his protection and mercie towards hir since hir comming to the Crowne Fourthlie hauing his wonderous works and benefits done for hir preseruation in great admiration shee not onelie yeeldeth condigne thanks for the same but exhorteth all creatures both in heauen and earth to praise God together with hir And so lastlie she bindeth hir selfe as it were by a solemne oth vow and promise to consecrate hir life wholie to the true worship and sincere seruice of God in all holie obedience to his lawes to the glorie of God and full discharge of hir dutie both in hir Court and Realme * The first part of the VOW RABBONI my hart so voileth within mee that I must needes burst foorth that which it hath conceiued euen a magnifical Uow of a QVEENE consecrated to the KING of heauen himselfe and that with such zeale and feruencie that no penne may seeme to be able to attaine vnto the voice of the speaker Therefore O my God I being now prepared with my whole hart with my whole hart and mind I saie haue great desire to speake vnto thee and in this my present most happie estate to call into my remembrance thy woonderfull works wrought and brought to passe by thine almightie power for me from my conception euen vntill this houre Neither will I doo it O Lord with my mouth onlie as hypocrites vse to doo but I will vnfeinedlie testifie thee my God to be mine onlie maker redeemer preseruer and Sauiour with praise that shall proceed euen from the deepe bottome of my hart Go to then my tongue go to my mouth I saie bee thou no longer dumbe but open thy selfe wide to speake out the most excellent praises of my God and make thy hartie Uowes and saie as followeth The second part conteining foure Chapters CAP. I. O Heauenlie Father my almightie maker my greatest King mine onlie GOD and souereigne Sauiour thou which art the King of glorie and most glorious King the Lord of hosts strong valiant and mightie whose seate is in the highest heauens and thy dominion is stretched foorth ouer all things without exception I humblie acknowledge thee to be the verie God of Angels and of men the most sacred Emperour of the most mightie spirits and holie companie of the heauenlie armies which celebrate thy truth and praise perpetuallie in the regions aboue vs yea the greatest God highest Lord and most magnificall King far aboue all Emperours Kings Lords and Princes how great soeuer Euen the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of my father Dauid and his posteritie Kings and Queenes my predecessors which art higher than the heauens and the mightie Monarch of the whole world hauing of nothing made heauen and earth and all things therein by thine almightie power guiding preseruing and ruling by the same the state of kingdoms and all the creatures and people that dwell in the world reseruing in thy power and authoritie as the Lord of all both the lowe secret parts of the earth the deepe bottoms of the Sea and the high tops of the mountaines reigning euer full of Maiestie power and authoritie and that most gloriouslie and triumphantlie in an eternall and euerlasting kingdome For whereas all other kingdoms trulie are transitorie and subiect to destruction thy kingdome onlie O God I confesse is not limited in anie bounds nor subiect to anie tearme of yeares or time but alwaies endureth one and vnchangeable from all eternitie to eternitie as he whose throne is for euer and euer and which hast raised a kingdome for thy selfe among thine Angels and people both in heauen and in
of thee their God Notwithstanding when thou O God thereby well hadst tamed their fiercenesse and hadst brought them to this point that they could find no help in anie thou gratiouslie heardst them crieng vnto thee in their distresse and deliueredst them from their miserie and broughtst them from the dongeons of the prisons and darkenesse of death breaking their iron fetters in sunder O praise yee therefore this so great mercie of the Lord before him and declare his woonderfull actes to other mortall men who hath broken the brasen gates and hath dashed in peeces their iron barres How manie also being driuen awaie through persecution vnto that prophane Babylon euen auoiding so much as laie in you the sight of the wicked enimies did confesse with most dolefull silence euen with abundance of teares both your sinnes and sorowes at the flouds of Euphrates being mindfull of Zion And though you caried your harps euen to be your comfort in so great calamitie yet being outragiouslie mocked and derided in your miserie by the enimie that draue you awaie into most miserable captiuitie you were faine to hang them vp vpon the sallowe trees and make no noise in the sight of the persecutors as they that sawe more cause rather to mourne than sing in that time and place Notwithstanding the Lord did not forget you for euer but seeing the crueltie of the persecutors in his good time turned awaie your captiuitie mourning and restored you to libertie and ioie againe so that you liue and see the daie wherein Babylon is destroied and hir children dashed against the stones For the Lord hath giuen hir prosperitie vnto vs to deale with them againe as they haue dealt with vs. Yea the Lord hath armed his people with double edged swords in their hands wherewith they may punish the prophane Gentiles and auenge the crueltie of the oppressed also may drawe their kings and nobles bound in chaines and iron fetters euen to execute the iudgements appointed and commanded by thee O Lord. And this verelie is the dignitie and the honour of all them whome God hath receiued to his fauour Wherefore O ye glorious people vpon whome the Lord hath bestowed so manie benefits now see that yee in this your great quietnesse and rest sing triumph Praise the Lord in deede O Israel and delight thy selfe in setting foorth his praise continuallie whose worke thou art as it were newlie formed being deliuered from so manie not dangers but deaths What shall I speake Lord furthermore of them who by their owne foolishnesse going in the waie of wickednesse and being oppressed by manifold plagues and diseases doo dailie suffer the reward of their madnesse and loathing all manner of meate are at deaths dore whom notwithstanding thou O Lord diddest heare crieng vnto thee in their miserie and thou deliueredst them out of their distresse yea thou speaking but one word diddest take awaie all the cause of their deadlie disease and restoredst them to health Let these men also I saie praise this thy so great mercies O Lord and publish thy maruellous works before other mortall men Let them offer the sacrifices of praise vnto thee O God in the middle multitude of the people standing about them and let them rehearse with great ioie what he hath done for them in the assemblie of the cheefest Go to therefore O all yee people praise the Lord our God together with me who when wee were oppressed with Pharaos tyrannie was mindfull of vs and with a strong force deliuered Israel from the slauerie of Egypt and hath giuen this dominion to be possessed by ELIZABETH his handmaid for his mercie endureth for euer CAP. III. O All yee people I saie tribes kindreds and inhabitants of the earth both noble and simple rich and poore clap your hands and praise this most holie God with most ioifull voices Giue vnto the Lord the praise of all power worship and glorie giue him the honour due vnto his name and maiestie For lo he is come to gouerne the earth The Lord himselfe reigneth amongst you and gouerneth the whole world with a iust and righteous gouernement and ruleth altogether with the scepter of his iustice and truth Go to therefore O yee yong striplings and old men yong children maidens matrones and you also all other that loue feare God come I praie you praise y e name of y e Lord euen of our most mightie IEHOVA together with mee For he alone deserueth most high praise as he that is more deepe than the verie earth and more high than the heauens and far aboue all the powers and potentates of the world Go to also O ye damsels and virgins stir vp your ioie to daie with songs of praise vpon timbrell lute but voide of wantonnesse so that your ioie may tend to the glorie of God your onlie strength and celebrate this daie of your deliuerance as festiuail to the Lord our deliuerer O ye Uirgins and damsels vnmaried now reioice with me I saie and sing vnto the Lord a triumphant song Praise the Lord also O ye brides in your marriage songs with glorie and maiestie that ye liue to see my daies and that the flower of your youth is not consumed in the flame of Gods furie For the time was when you being desolate and vnmarried did remaine pensife without your marriage songs and liued solitarie sitting at home among the soote of pots but now the women that durst not come out of their houses come foorth glittering like gold and shining like dooues as white as snowe and boldlie diuide the spoile of the enimie Go to therefore O ye damsels of Iuda and multitude of Uirgins seeing ye haue so great cause to reioice shew not your selues vnthankfull in anie wise but praise the Lord together with me in Hymnes and celebrate his name with spirituall songs for his victories goodnesse and mercie towards vs. Come foorth yee daughters of Zion I saie and breake out into gladnesse with me reioice you of the iust iudgements of God vpon our enimies yea compasse you Zion round about account hir towers consider diligentlie hir wals and bulworks and set foorth the praises of hir peace and palaces so that yee may spread foorth the memorie thereof euen to all posteritie And doo you let all men to vnderstand that this is God euen our owne God for euer which hath not forsaken vs neither will leaue vs no not in the last minute of our life Go to now therefore I beseech you let vs altogether praise the Lord as we are bounden let the whole companie of vs Uirgins plaie vpon the Timbrels on euerie side and corner of the citie Zion one exhorting and answering another by course and that with new and excellent songs of praise to the glorie of God Let vs magnitie that mightie and eternal name of his for it is holie let vs continuallie come before the Lord and worship him for he is holie For what should we rather doo
and feede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Esaie 58 verses 13 14. Yea blessed is he that keepeth the Sabboth and polluteth it not and keepeth his hands from doing anie euill Esaie 56 verse 2. Then his threatenings where he saith Yee shall therefore keepe the Sabboth for it is holie vnto you he that defileth it shall die the death therefore whosoeuer worketh therein the same person shall be euen cut off from among his people Exod. 31 verse 14. Of going to Church AND to the end you may the spéedilier addresse your selfe to frequent the Church often not alone but with your whole familie as you ought first call diligentlie to your mind some of these sentences of holie Scripture following ¶ Esaie 66 verse 23. AND it shall come to passe that from Moone to his Moone from Sabboth to his Sabboth all flesh shall come to worship before me saith the Lord. ¶ Esaie 2 verses 2 3. AND it shall come to passe in the latter daies the hill of the Lords house shall be prepared in the height of the mountaines and shall be higher than the hilles and all nations shall prease vnto him and a multitude of people shall go speaking thus one to another Come let vs ascend to the hill of the Lord c. ¶ Agge 1 verses 4 5 6 c. Zach. 14. THus saith the Lord of hostes Consider your owne waies in your harts ô yee people get yee vp to the mountaine and fetch wood and build this house and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord. Is it time for your selues to dwell in seeled houses and this house lie waste Ye haue sowne much but ye bring little in ye eate but ye haue not ynough ye drinke but ye are not filled ye cloath you but ye be not warme and he that earneth wages putteth it into a broken bagge ye looke for much and lo it came to little And when ye brought it home I did blowe vpon it and why saith the Lord of hosts Because of my house that is waste and you run euerie one into his owne house Therfore vpon you is the heauens staied from deaw and the earth is staied from yeelding her increase and I haue called for a drought vpon the land and vpon the mountaines and vpon the corne and vpon the wine and vpon the oile and vpon all that the earth bringeth foorth vpon men and vpon cattell and vpon all the labour of thy hands c. Thus hauing well perused and weied these holie sentences stir vp your selfe and exhort all your children seruants strangers and neighbours about you with chéerefull minds willinglie and diligentlie to resort to the Church especiallie euerie Sundaie and Holiedaie saieng vnto them as followeth An exhortation to be vsed of Maisters and Dames euerie Sundaie morning COme let vs ascend to the hill of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will there instruct vs of his waies and teach vs how to walke in his paths For out of Zion shall come a lawe and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem and hee shall giue sentence among the heathen and shall reforme the multitude of the people Come therfore I saie let vs cheerfullie ascend and go vp to Ierusalem the hill and house of the Lord. O let vs go our waies into his gates with thanks-giuing and into his courts with praise that we may present our selues to daie holie before the Lord and serue him with gladnesse ¶ When you be going towards the Church the better to expell idle thoughts and noifull cogitations and to prepare your harts to deuotion euen by the waie as ye go meditate and saie with your selfe some of these Psalmes and praiers following the which also for more readinesse would be learned by hart and said without booke Praiers to be vsed going to Church A Psalme I Was glad when they said vnto me We will go into the house of the Lord our feete shall stand in thy gates O Ierusalem Ierusalem is builded as a Citie that is at vnitie in it selfe For thither the Tribes go vp euen the Tribes of the Lord to testifie vnto Israel and to giue thanks vnto the name of the Lord. For there is the seate of iudgement euen the seate of the house of Dauid O my soule praie for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue it Glorie be to the Father c. As it was in the c. Another Psalme LORD I haue loued the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth yea the zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me Therefore will I wash my hands in innocencie O Lord and so will I go to thine altar that I may shew the voice of thankes-giuing and tell of all thy woonderous works in the great congregation Behold I will go with the multitude that by the motion of the spirit are brought forth into thy house O God euen vpon the multitude of thy mercies in thy feare will I among such as keepe holiedaie worship towards thy holy Temple make haste vnto thy Tabernacle to vnderstand thy worthie wais diuine wil. For vnto thee O God which hearest the praiers vnto thee shall all flesh come to worship thee in Zion praier shall be made euer vnto thee and dailie shalt thou be praised in Ierusalem O therefore let the congregation of thy people come about thee O God that they may shew all thy praises within the portes of the daughter of Zion and reioice in thy saluation Remember also I beseech thee good Lord according to the fauour that thou bearest vnto thy people and visit me with thy saluation that I may see the felicitie of thy chosen children and reioice in the gladnesse of thy people giue thee thanks with thine inheritance O make me one of the houshold of faith and congregation of them that seeke thee euen of them that seeke thy face O Iacob saieng Lo I come to fulfill thy will O God O send out the light of thy truth that they may leade me and bring me vnto thy holie hill and to thy dwelling and that I may go vnto the altar of God euen vnto thee the God of my ioie and gladnesse With ioie and gladnesse I saie cause thou me to be brought to thy mansion house and to enter into the Kings palace That I may ascend vnto the hill of the Lord and rise vp holilie in his holie place That I may receiue the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of health and saluation Another verie godlie praier to be vsed going to Church either at morning or euening praier IAm now entred into the voiage of saluation conduct me O Lord luckilie vnto the port that deliuered by thee from the verie death I may escape all dangers and come to the verie life Behold Lord my hart hunteth thee out and would God I
highest coasts of the heauen of heauens and sittest in the celestiall throne of eternall glorie betweene the Cherubins and Seraphins Looke downe I saie O most mightie Iehoua and haue respect now I beseech thee vnto thy sacred Sanctuarie and holie house of praier Let thine eies I saie O Lord be euer open towards thy blessed Tabernacle night and daie euen towards thy Church thy Temple and most sacred place on earth where thine honor dwelleth and whereof thou hast said My house shall be an house of praier for all people and nations and my name shall be called vpon therein that thou maist harken this daie vnto the praiers which we thy poore creatures and most vnwoorthie seruants make before thee in this place Heare thou therefore O our God euen from heauen the place of thy glorious habitation the supplications of thy seruants and also what praiers and supplications soeuer shall be made vnto thee of anie particular man or woman and of all the people Giue good eare I saie O Lord vnto all the cries praiers and petitions of thy people heere assembled or that shall be gathered together in thy name who with rent harts bowed knees and stretched out hands returne vnto thee and present themselues here this daie to confesse thee call vpon thy holie name in this place And when thou hearest pardon the sinnes of thy seruants and be mercifull vnto the offences and iniquities of thy people wherewith they haue sinned and transgressed or shall offend against thy Maiestie Heare vs I saie O Lord O holie Lord God heare vs we praie thee be mercifull vnto thine inheritance and doo and giue to euerie one of vs according vnto all and euerie thing that we call and praie for vnto thee this daie in this thy holie house according to thy will thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Amen A psalme of preparation to praier in the morning I will giue thanks vnto the Lord with my whole hart secretlie among the faithfull and in the congregation and will saie O God my hart is readie my hart is readie here now now in thy holie house to paie thee my vowes which I promised with my lips and spake with my mouth when I was in trouble My voice shalt thou heare beetimes O Lord earlie in the morning will I direct my praiers vnto thee will looke vp I my selfe will awake right earlie to sing and giue praise vnto thee with the best member that I haue Unto thee my God will I lift vp my hands hart in this thy holie habitation towards the mercie-seat of thy holie temple In the voice of praise and thankes-giuing among such as keepe it holie daie For this is the daie which thou O Lord hast made I will reioice be glad in it In this daie of thy power will I offer the free-will offerings with an holie worship and magnifie thee in the congregation of the people From the ground of my hart will I reioice and giue thanks vnto thee my God in the seate of the elders for a remembrance of thy holinesse O let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glorie and praise now and for euermore Glorie be to the c. As it was in the c. A Psalme to be vsed priuatelie before Euening praier in the Church IN the euening and morning and at noone daie will I praie and that instantlie he shall heare my voice My hart is fixed redie O God my hart is fixed redie I will praise thee and thy faithfulnesse yet more more with the best member that I haue euen with all my hart will I thanke thee and praise thy name for euermore My lips be faine to sing vnto thee and so is my soule whom thou hast deliuered yea my soule shall be satisfied with marowe and fatnesse when my mouth praiseth thee with ioifull lips For it is a good thing to giue thanks vnto the Lord and to sing praises vnto thy name O most high to tell of thy louing kindnesse earlie in the morning and of thy truth in the euening and night season yea a ioifull and pleasant thing it is to be thankfull vnto thee our God alwaie Therefore I will sing seuen times a daie and will praise thy mercie late in the euening bicause of thy righteous iudgements As for me I will be talking of thy worship thy glorie thy praise and woonderous works from time to time For great art thou O Lord and maruelous worthie to be praised and feared aboue all the gods yea thou canst not woorthilie be praised for there is none end of thy greatnesse nor goodnesse Behold now therfore praise the Lord all ye seruants of the Lord ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord euen in the middest of the courts of the house of our God Lift vp your hands in the sanctuarie and praise the Lord together with me For he is good and gratious and his mercie endureth for euer Yea let euerie good man and woman sing of thy praise O God and speake of thine honour in thy temple with cheerfull minds and that without ceasing for euer and saie The Lords name be praised from the rising vp of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same blessed be the Lord God of Israel from euerlasting worlds without end Amen Glorie be to the Father c. As it was in the c. Another preparation of the hart before euening praier in the Church LORD behold mine hart is at this present readie to sing praises more and more vnto thee and againe and againe to render vnto thee woorthie thanks here now in the assemblie of Saints Onelie I desire thee to hallowe vs from heauen thy dwelling place powre downe vpon vs thy holie sanctifieng spirit which may so wholie possesse our soules and preserue vs from all euill cogitations and motions of sinne and iniquitie that we may hallowe thy name this euening and euermore in all things flowe in thy word render the sacrifice of praise and thankes-giuing vnto thee and worship thee onelie in spirit and truth as our God most mightie in heauen and earth our righteous maker and the worker of all goodnesse in all such as beleeue in thee A cleane hart O God make thou in me restore in me a willing and a right spirit denie me not the holie Ghost For of my selfe I can performe nothing that is good Blesse me therefore O benigne Lord and indue me plentifullie with thy grace to the intent I may offer the acceptable euening sacrifice of thankes-giuing for nothing else verelie requirest thou and with glad semblance imbrace and celebrate thy righteousnesse espied in the releasing forgiuing of my sinnes Giue mee of thy goodnesse to this end that I may continuallie praise thy Maiestie daie and night with mysticall Psalmes spirituall songs Be thou euermore working through thy holie spirit in me which presentlie keepeth the godlie rest of the new Saboth
name onlie is most excellent and his praise aboue heauen and earth Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holie name My mouth shall speake the praises of the Lord and let all flesh giue thanks vnto his holie name for euer and euer Glorie be to the father c. As it was in the c. A Psalme of Gods presence in the Church THE Lord hath chosen Zion to be an habitation for himselfe he hath longed for hir saieng This shall be my rest for euer here will I dwell For I haue a delight therein Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be their God with them The Lord is in his holie Temple euen among thousands of thine Angels as in the holie place of Sinai Gods seate is in heauen the Lord is in the midst of the holie place euen of the Tabernacle of the most high This is Gods hill euen an high hill in the which it pleaseth him to dwell yea the Lord will abide in it for euer As the hilles stand about Ierusalem euen so standeth the Lord round about his people from this time foorth for euermore Glorie be to the Father c. As it was in the c. Another Psalme of the beautie of Gods house and the soules delight to be therein O GOD wonderfull art thou in thy holie places euen thou God of Israel It is well seene O God how thou goest how thou my God and King goest in the Sanctuarie The singers go before the musicians follow after in the midst are the virgins plaieng with the timbrels Thou Lord hast giuen thy word plentiouslie and great is the companie of the preachers The Lord is King he sitteth betweene the Cherubins the Lord is great in Zion and high aboue all people Thou O God art gone vp on high thou hast led captiuitie captiue and receiued gifts for men yea euen for thine enimies that thou Lord mightest dwell among them Righteousnesse and equitie are the habitation of thy seate mercie and truth shall go before thy face Glorie and worship are before thee power and honour are in thy sanctuarie This therefore shall be my resting place here will I dwell O Lord euen in the temple and tabernacle of the mightie God of Israel For I haue a delight therein Lord here is verie good being for vs. For such as bee planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God They shall bring foorth more fruit in their age and shall be fat and well liking that they may shew how true thou my Lord and strength art and that there is no vnrighteousnesse in thee Yea blessed is the man whom thou choosest and receiuest vnto thee he shall dwell in thy courts and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house euen of thy holie temple Blessed I saie are they that dwell in thy house they will be alwaie praising thee For in thy temple doth euerie man speake of thine honour and that bicause holinesse becommeth thine house O God for euer This therefore shall be my resting place euen here in thy temple will I dwell For it is a good thing for me to be here continuallie in thy tabernacle before thee my God for euer Yea here doo I wait for thy mercie and louing kindnesse O God euen in the mids of thy temple O when wilt thou come vnto mee that I may walke in thy house with a perfect hart and praise thy name for euer Amen Glorie be to the Father c. As it was in the c. A psalme for the prosperitie of the Church and that all people may praise and blesse the Lord. REturne O Lord to thy many thousands of Israel Arise now I saie to come into thy resting place thou and the arke of thy strength when the people are gathered together and the kingdoms also to serue the Lord. O thou shepheard of Israel thou that sittest vpon the Cherubins be fauourable and gratious vnto Zion build it vp and let thy glorie and worship appeere therein throughout all generations Decke hir priests with health and hir Saints shall reioice and sing Let the priests be clothed with the white reines of righteousnesse and let thy Saints sing Psalmes with ioifulnesse Giue vs thy word still plentiouslie and let the companie of the godlie preachers be great Let none touch thine annointed ones nor doo thy prophets anie harme O Lord saue thy people and giue thy blessing vnto thine inheritance feed them and set them vp for euer Let the congregation of the people come about thee O God that they may offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and shew foorth thy praises within the ports of the daughter of Zion In this daie of thy power let the people make their humble supplication before thee and offer the free-will offrings with an holie worship In the Temple let euerie man speake of thine honor euerie good man sing of thy praise without ceasing O let the nations reioice and be glad let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee and all creatures both in heauen and earth blesse thee and saie Blessed be thou O Lord God of our fathers For thou art praise and honor-worthie yea and to be magnified for euermore Blessed be the holie name of thy glorie For it is worthie to be praised and magnified in all worlds Blessed be thou O God in the holie Temple of thy glorie For aboue all things thou art to be praised yea and more than worthie to be magnified for euer Blessed be thou in the throne of thy kingdome For aboue all thou art worthie to be praised and well spoken of and to be more than magnified for euer Blessed be thou that sittest vpon the Cherubims lookest through the deepe For thou art worthie to bee praised and aboue all to be magnified for euer Blessed be thou in the firmament of heauen For thou art praise and honor-worthie for euer Blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which onlie doth woonderous things and blessed bee the name of his Maiestie for euer and the earth shall be filled with thy Maiestie Amen Amen Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time foorth for euermore Blessed I saie be the Lord God of Israel from euerlasting and worlds without end and let all the people saie Amen Amen Blessing and glorie and wisdome and thanks and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen Amen Amen A praier to be vsed at your first comming into the Church for a pure and cleane soule SEeing that by the good motion and happie conduction of thy holy spirit O gratious God I am now entred into this thy holy house the Church and most sacred place on earth to worship thee and forasmuch as holines apperteineth to thee O Lord for thou art holie and nothing
vnholie may appeare before thee graunt that both now at this present and so oft heereafter as I shall enter into this holie place and Tabernacle of the congregation and appeare before thee I may be throughlie sanctified both bodilie and ghostlie by the diuine graces of thy spirit the better therein to serue and worship thee The which thing that I may euen now this daie the better accomplish and doo according to thy will as I hartilie desire and to the glorie of thy name and the full discharge of my christian dutie I most entirelie beseech thy Maiestie first to sanctifie purifie cleanse make happie and keepe holie my wretched soule and sinfull bodie the posts whereof deere father are sprinkled with the pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne who most deerelie bought them O comfortable ghest of the soule leaue not our houses desolate cease not to fill vs by thy continuall presence with thy life and righteousnesse Dresse cleanse and sweepe the foreletten cottage once againe I saie good Lord with the beesome of thy celestiall grace and heauenlie felicitie from all the pollution and filth of sinne and wickednesse Once againe O Christ vouchsafe to cast out of the house of my soule that vncleane spirit and foule feend Sathan mine old ghest and enimie with the finger of God and when he is cast out of me giue me grace to watch still continuallie by hartie and earnest praier that he enter not againe into me For being once mine old ghest he knoweth euerie hole and corner of my house Therefore grant me grace to watch continuallie I saie O Lord by feruent praier and vertuous works proceeding from a firme faith least he returne into the house from whence hee was cast out and finding it emptie swept and garnished he go and take vnto himselfe seuen other foule spirits worsse than himselfe and they enter in also and dwell there with him and so mine end be woorsse than my beginning which God forbid Oh suffer not the holie house Lord of thy Diuinitie and Temple of the holie Ghost my bodie and soule I meane cleansed with thy bloud and decked with thy righteousnesse to bee by my mortall enimies defiled spoiled or made a cage of vncleane birds a dungeon of diuels a den of theeues a hell of wicked spirits and a sinke of sinne through delectation in sinne and infidelitie Withdrawe not thy hand from me let me not returne vnto my vomit like the dog let not mine end be worse than my beginning as hapned to Caine Saule Iudas Arius and manie mo But as by thy great mercie my body and soule are made the temple tabernacle of y e holie spirit so by the same thy rich mercie infinite goodnes grant that the same may now become thy holie habitation sacred seate of euerlasting glorie and so be purified cleansed throughlie sanctified and made cleane by thy diuine inspiration and gratious presence that no heapes of soile dregs of dust or remnants of filth be to be found in any priuie or secret corner of this thy spiritual temple to offend y e celestiall eies of thy diuine maiestie so shall thy holie Hall which is my clensed soule in all reuerence deuotion godlie worship this daie and euer resound in the Church all places of thy dominion with thy perpetuall praises to thine eternall glorie Amen Another praier to serue God sincerelie in the Church O LORD God our celestiall Father whose fidelitie and truth is stablished in the high heauens among thy chosen beleeuers who also art woonderfull in the congregation of the faithfull and most mightie of all power and present euerie-where beholding all things done in all places on earth Forasmuch as thou O gratious God hast chosen this house that thy name might be called vpon therein and that it should be an house of praier and petition for thy people mercifullie promising therewithall that wheresoeuer two or three be gathered together in thy name there thou wouldest be in the middest of them and whatsoeuer they beleeuing asked of thee it should be done vnto them Behold we therefore whome by thy grace thou hast elected to be thy people and heritage and with whome thou hast made an eternall couenant and promise to helpe heare assist and confirme in all goodnesse righteousnesse and holinesse doo heere now at this present through the motion of thy good spirit assemble and gather our selues together in thy name with one accord to make our common supplications vnto thee and according to our bounden dutie with one mind and mouth in spirit and truth to laud and magnifie thy holie name and maiestie Humblie beseeching thee O Lord to haue mercie vpon vs miserable sinners to purge vs and iustifie vs through faith from all our offences old and new to inflame and lighten the lamps of our harts with the oile of sanctification which is thy holie spirit and so there-through to sanctifie our soules to prepare our harts and dispose all our members wholie to true pietie godlinesse and deuotion that we may be woorthie continuallie to lift vp in this holie place of thy glorious presence and diuine habitation pure harts innocent hands and most feruent praiers vnto thee in heauen Grant also O gratious God that we with one hart and voice in all holinesse and godlinesse trembling dread Christian reuerence humble obedience spirituall worship and diuine seruice may incessantlie giue all honour and glorie vnto thee and for euer to celebrate thy most holie name and Maiestie in this thy holie temple as it apperteineth euen by offering vp dutifullie vnto thy diuine Maiestie the most sweet and acceptable sacrifice of broken and contrite harts of zealous and true repentance of humble and vnfeined confession of pure and incessant praier and of most woorthie and condigne lauds and praises that so wee may continue blessed in thy holie mountaine for euer and in the end according to thy faithfull promise obtaine euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen How the soule should rightlie worship and praise the Lord in all places O GOD the true and the souereigne life of whom in whom all things doo liue whatsoeuer things doo liue trulie and in happie state O God euen goodnesse and goodlinesse from whom through whom in whom are all good goodlie things which art good and goodlie God whose faith quickeneth hope erecteth and loue linketh vs. God who hast commanded vs to praie vnto thee and makest thy selfe to be found and openest to him which knocketh God whom none seeketh but the admonished and no man findeth but the purged God whom to knowe is life whom to serue is to reigne whom to loue is the saluation and ioie of the soule Thee both with my lips and with mine hart and with all my strength I doo praise blesse and worship To thy clemencie and goodnesse I doo yeeld humble thanks for all thy benefits and to thy Maiestie doo I sing holie holie holie O blessed Trinitie
vnitie peace and concord We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to giue vs an hart to loue and dread thee and diligentlie to liue after thy commandements We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to giue all thy people increase of grace to heare meekelie thy word and to receiue it with pure affection and to bring foorth the fruits of the spirit We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to bring into the waie of truth all such as haue erred and are deceiued We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to strengthen such as doo stand and to comfort and helpe the weake-harted and to raise vp them that fall and finallie to beate downe Sathan vnder our feete We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to succour helpe and comfort all that be in danger necessitie and tribulation We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to preserue all that trauell by land or by water all women labouring of child all sicke persons and yoong children and to shew thy pitie vpon all prisoners and captiues We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to defend and prouide for the fatherlesse children and widowes and all that bee desolate and oppressed We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to haue mercie vpon all men We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to forgiue our enimies persecutors and slanderers and to turne their harts We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to giue and preserue to our vse the kindlie fruits of the earth so as in due time we may enioie them We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to giue vs true repentance to forgiue vs all our sinnes negligences and ignorances and to endue vs with the grace of thy holie spirit to amend our liues according to thy holie word We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. Sonne of God we beseech thee to heare vs. Sonne of God we beseech thee to heare vs. O Lambe of God that takest awaie the sinnes of the world Grant vs thy peace O Lambe of God that takest awaie the sinnes of the world Haue mercie vpon vs. O Christ heare vs. O Christ heare vs. Lord haue mercie vpon vs. Lord haue mercie vpon vs. Christ haue mercie vpon vs. Christ haue mercie vpon vs. Lord haue mercie vpon vs. Lord haue mercie vpon vs. Our father which art in heauen c. The Versicle O Lord deale not with vs after our sinnes The Answere Neither reward vs after our iniquities Let vs praie O God mercifull father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite hart nor the desires of such as be sorowfull mercifullie assist our praiers that we make before thee in all our troubles and aduersities whensoeuer they oppresse vs and gratiouslie heare vs that those euils which the craft and subtiltie of the diuell or man worketh against vs be brought to naught and by the prouidence of thy goodnesse they may be dispersed that we thy seruants being hurt by no persecutions may euermore giue thanks vnto thee in thy holie Church through Iesus Christ our Lord. O Lord arise helpe vs and deliuer vs for thy name sake O God we haue heard with our eares and our fathers haue declared vnto vs the noble works that thou diddest in their daies and in the old time before them O Lord arise helpe vs and deliuer vs for thine honour Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne c. As it was in the beginning is now and euer c. From our enimies defend vs O Christ Gratiouslie looke vpon our afflictions Pitifullie behold the sorrowes of our harts Mercifullie forgiue the sinnes of thy people Fauourablie with mercie heare our praiers O sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon vs. Both now euer vouchsafe to heare vs O Christ Gratiouslie heare vs ô Christ Gratiouslie heare vs ô Lord Christ The Versicle O Lord let thy mercie be shewed vpon vs. The Answere As we doo put our trust in thee Let vs praie WE humblie beseech thee O Father mercifullie to looke vpon our infirmities and for the glorie of thy name sake turne from vs all those euils that we most worthilie haue deserued and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercie and euermore serue thee in holinesse and purenesse of life to thy honour and glorie through our onlie mediator and aduocate Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A praier for the Queenes Maiestie O Lord our heauenlie father high and mightie King of kings Lord of lords the onlie ruler of princes which dooest from thy throne behold all the dwellers vpon earth most hartilie we beseech thee with thy fauour to behold our most gratious souereigne ladie Queene Elizabeth and so replenish hir with the grace of thy holie spirit that she may alwaie incline to thy will and walke in thy waie Indue hir plentifullie with heauenlie gifts graunt hir in health and wealth long to liue strengthen hir that she may vanquish and ouercome all hir enimies and finallie after this life she may attaine euerlasting ioie and felicitie through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A praier for Bishops and Curates ALmightie and euerlasting God which onlie workest great maruels send downe vpon our Bishops and Curates and all congregations committed to their charge the healthfull spirit of thy grace and that they may trulie please thee powre vpon them the continuall dewe of thy blessing Grant this O Lord for the honour of our Aduocate and Mediatour Iesu Christ Amen A praier of Chrysostome ALmightie God which hast giuen vs grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications vnto thee and dooest promise that when two or three be gathered together in thy name thou wilt grant their requests fulfill now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy seruants as may be most expedient for them granting vs in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life euerlasting Amen 2. Corinth 13 verse 13. THE grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the fellowship of the holie Ghost bee with vs all euermore Amen ¶ Other godlie Collects and praiers to be vsed after the Letanie as occasion serueth and first In time of drought for raine O GOD heauenlie father which by thy sonne Iesus Christ hast promised to all them that seeke thy kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof all things necessarie to their bodilie sustenance send vs wee beseech thee in this our necessitie such moderate raine and showers that we may receiue the fruites of the earth to our comfort and to thy honor through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Another ALmightie God mercifull Father who in thy holie word hast promised to
all the earth full of patience forbearance pitie and repentance ouer the wickednesse of sinfull people declaring the sharpnesse of thy iudgements for their amendment and deliuerance from punishment Thou O Lord hast promised according to thy bottomlesse bountie and goodnesse a penitent spirit not to iust and righteous Abraham Isaac and Iacob which haue not offended against thy Maiestie but to those that are ouerwhelmed with the tempestuous tides of their transgressions We O Lord haue offended and our fathers haue committed sinne in thy sight We haue defiled our selues in the filthie puddle of iniquitie and therefore beholding in the verie heauens such dreadfull tokens of thy wrathfull indignation hanging ouer our heads for our monstrous and prodigious life we bow before thee the knees of our harts beseeching thee to be gratious vnto vs and to open thine eares to our praiers We haue sinned O Lord we haue sinned and we acknowledge our misdeeds humblie beseeching thee to forgiue vs our offences O forgiue vs and deliuer vs not ouer to destruction with our iniquities neither laie thou vp in store vengeance against the daie of iudgement O reserue not for vs the whip of wo and wretchednesse but in mercie pardon our misdeeds and let not the fierie flames of thy furie and wrath waxe hot against vs to burne and consume vs in our iniquities Amen In the time of warre O Almightie God King of all kings and Gouernor of all things whose power no creature is able to resist to whom it belongeth iustlie to punish sinners to be mercifull vnto them that truelie repent saue and deliuer vs we humblie beseech thee from the hands of our enimies abate their pride asswage their malice and confound their deuises that we being armed with thy defence may be preserued euermore from all perils to glorifie thee which art the onlie giuer of all victorie through the merits of thine onlie sonne Iesus Christ our Lord Amen In time of rebellion or intestine warre O Most mightie and mercifull Lord God which art King of glorie and Lord of hosts the Gouernour of all creatures the onlie giuer of all victories who alone art able to strengthen the weake against the mightie and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enimies with the countenance of a few of thy seruants calling vpon thy name and trusting in thee defend O good Lord thy seruants and our gouernour vnder thee our most gratious and souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth and all hir faithfull subiects and people committed to hir charge And especiallie at this time O Lord haue regard to those hir trustie louing and obedient subiects which be sent into the north parts of this Realme or ouer the seas to the aid of such as be persecuted for the profession of thy holie name to withstand the crueltie force and power of certaine false and vnfaithfull subiects yea rather cursed rebels and wicked traitours and all those which be common enimies as well to the truth of thine eternall word as to their owne naturall Prince and countrie and manifestlie against the Crowne and Realme of England which thou hast by thy diuine prouidence assigned in these our daies to the gouernement of thy seruant our souereigne Ladie and most gratious Queene to the great comfort of all vs hir louing subiects and faithfull commons thy most glorious name be praised therefore O Lord God of hosts which by thine Angel therevnto appointed doost minister both warre and peace and which diddest giue vnto Dauid both courage and strength being but a little one vnarmed and vnexpert in feates of warre with his sling to set vpon ouerthrowe the great huge giant Goliah our cause now being iust and being forced to enter into warre and battell we most humblie beseech thee most gratious God so to turne the harts of these rebels thine and our enimies to the desire of peace that no Christian bloud be shed or spilt Or else grant O Lord that with small effusion of bloud and to the little hurt and damage of thy seruants who doo ieopard their liues for the defence of thy holie Gospell our Queene Realme against the aduersaries thereof we may to thy glorie obteine the victorie and that the warres being ended the rebels soone put to flight and vanquished we may all with one hart and mind knit togither in godlie concord and vnitie laud praise thee which art our God O most mercifull Father if it be thy holie will make soft and tender the stonie harts of all those I saie that exalt themselues against thy truth and seeke either to trouble the quietnesse of this Realme of England or to oppresse the Crowne of the same and conuert them to the knowledge of thy sonne the onelie Sauiour of the world Iesus Christ that we and they may iointlie glorifie thy mercies Lighten we beseech thee their ignorant harts to embrace the truth of thy word or else to abate their crueltie O most mightie Lord that this our Christian Region with others that confesse thy holie Gospell may obteine by thine aid strength suertie from all our enimies without shedding of Christian and innocent bloud whereby all they which be in feare of their crueltie may be comforted and finallie that all Christian realmes and especiallie this Realme of England may by thy defence and protection continue in the truth of the Gospell and enioie perfect peace quietnesse and securitie and that we for these thy mercies iointlie all together with one consent hart and voice may thankfullie render vnto thee all laud and praise that we knit in one godlie concord and vnitie among our selues may continuallie magnifie thy glorious name And furthermore for as much as it is thy good will and pleasure to appoint vs in the number of subiects we most humblie beseech thee O heauenlie Father to giue vs faithfull and obedient harts vnto our dread souereigne Ladie the Queenes most excellent Maiestie and to the high powers and godlie rulers that are in authoritie vnder hir noble Grace that there may be found in vs no disobedience no vnfaithfulnes no treason no falsehood no dissimulation no insurrection no commotion no conspiracie nor anie kind of rebellion in deede word or thought but all faithfulnesse obedience quietnesse subiection and humilitie and whatsoeuer else becommeth faithfull subiects vnder so good and so gratious a Prince that we liuing heere in all lowlinesse of mind may at the last daie through thy fauour be lifted vp into euerlasting glorie where thou O most mercifull Father with thy sonne and the holie Ghost liuest and reignest one verie true and perfect God for euer and euer Amen A thankes-giuing for the suppression of rebellion or insurrection O Heauenlie and most mercifull Father the defender of those that put their trust in thee the sure fortresse of all them that flie to thee for succour who of thy most iust iudgements for our disobedience and rebellion against thy holie word and for our holie profession whereby we haue giuen
much to thirst after the bitter potion of sinne to followe after vanities of this world to suffer the incommodities of this slipperie life and the dominion of Sathans tyrannie and not rather to flee vp to the felicitie of Saincts to the fellowship of Angels and to the solemnitie of the heauenlie ioies where we shall see behold and enioie the plentifull aboundant riches of the inestimable treasures of Gods goodnesse for euer and euer world without end Amen A meditation of Gods woonderfull works and a thanks-giuing for our creation O Most heauenlie father and eternall God which art neither made nor begotten but before all worlds from euerlasting diddest beget a Sonne an image of thine owne substance we honor thee we praise thee we glorifie thee we yeeld thee most hartie thanks for all thy benefits especiallie for creating the heauens the Sunne Moone and all the starres by thy liuelie word for gouerning through thy wisdome and for thy gratious mainteining them The Sunne in his vprising doth manifest the daie a woonderfull worke of the highest Great is the Lord which made and commanded the same to take his course from the top of heauen vnto the end thereof The ornaments of heauen be the glorious starres the Lord on high doth lighten the world at his commandement they keepe their order and will not faile nor be wearie in their watch O Lord our God how woonderfull is thy name in all the world which hast set thy glorie aboue the heauens Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings wilt thou be praised because of thine enimies that thou maist confound thine aduersaries and him that enuieth thy renowme We see the workemanship of thy hands the Moone and Starres which thou hast ordeined and we will signifie thy glorie vnto all nations and among all people will we declare thy woonderfull things For thou art mightie O Lord and worthie to be praised great is thy vertue and thy power woonderfull We thanke thee holie father God of heauen because thou hast created by thy word of power the vniuersall world with all the creatures and whatsoeuer is liueth or moueth in the same By thy wisdome thou dooest gouerne and by sending of thy spirit as yet doest vphold and cherish the same For all woods fruitfull trees stones graine flowers herbes and all the grasse of the feeld hast thou ordeined for the vse of man Wee magnifie thee O God most wise for creating the Sea and springs of water by the power of thy word and for giuing them vertue to bring foorth fishes of all kind to be eaten of man We blesse thee O eternall God for making the superiour and lower regions of the aire with all birds and feathered fowles of sundrie kinds for the food of man We glorifie thee for giuing the whole frame of this earth with all the creatures in the same vnto mankinde and setting man ouer the works of thine hands hast subiected all things vnder his feet all sheepe and oxen yea and all the beasts of the feeld the fowles of the aire and the fish of the Sea which walke through the paths of the Sea Especiallie we praise thee our Lord and maker for making vs thy creatures reasonable men and women according to thine owne similitude for giuing vs reason and all the senses and for preseruing vs hitherto Thou didst nourish vs and that woonderfullie being within our mothers wombe and out thereof hast thou brought vs sound in all parts without imperfection and yet continuest thy fauour and dooest keepe vs against all dangers and deliuerest vs from all euill and all these things dooest thou of thy fatherlie and diuine goodnesse without anie merit or desert of ours for all which we are bound to thanke thee to praise thee to serue honor and obeie thee We extoll thy sacred name O God most high for separating from the rest a Sabboth daie that so men ceassing from their handie labour might the better serue and celebrate thine honour Who is he that can recite all the power of the Lord or declare all his works Who can number out all his praises No man can vtter all his benefits Notwithstanding although we be miserable men and wretched sinners and therefore most vnmeete to extoll thee according to thy deserts yet will we not be still we will praise thee euermore to the vttermost of our power We will declare thy iustice and mercie and while we liue we remember thy goodnesse and at no time forget thy benefits O our soules praise the Lord we will praise the Lord during our life we will sing to the Lord while we haue breath We will bee mindfull of our maker euen from our youth and seeke him euermore yea euen vnto our old age and graie head O God forsake vs not vntill we haue declared thy power vnto all nations that are to come Praise the Lord all ye nations praise him all ye people For his louing kindnes is great toward vs and his truth endureth for euer Praise ye the Lord in his Sanctuarie praise him in the firmament of his power praise him in his mightie acts praise him according to his excellent greatnesse Let euerie thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord Amen Another meditation and thanks-giuing for the creation of the world MOst mightie most wise and most maruellous Lord GOD which of nothing hast created heauen and earth with all that is therein and hast prepared with due new properties euerie worke which thou hast brought foorth by thy diuine word holie commandement and hast ordeined and established all the holie works of thy hands so that they yet stand and serue to the vse and seruice of men For through the course of the heauens which neuer stand still is ingendered vnto vs all that euer we haue need of and through the same course also dieth withereth and rotteth all that is old bicause that for the old and decaied there should arise vp new and fresh And this course hast thou O mightie God made so maruellouslie and so agreeably that man thorough the agreeable works of thine hands without anie other externall learning teaching or instruction might come to the knowledge of that which is inuisible in thee that is thy holie exalted and euerlasting blessed Godhead and inuisible might Insomuch as there is none that can make himselfe vngiltie and inexcusable of misbeleefe or ignorance how farre soeuer he be departed from thy holie word For the verie heauens giue knowledge inough of thy diuine glorie the which though they haue no tongue to speake neither doo we heare anie thing of their mouth yet neuerthelesse their voice is gone out to all corners of the world and there is no place but men heare their voice sounding in their eares For no man is so farre distant from them but he both feeleth alwaies the benefits that come from the heauens and also seeth continuallie thy maruellous handie works which the firmament dooth shew and declare vnto
death for our sinnes grant that thy holie spirit may worke that faith in vs whereby we may be made partakers of that righteousnes which hee hath for those that trust in him And because without the blessed hope of rising againe from the dead our faith is in vaine and we are yet in our sinnes therefore we beseech thee to confirme and strengthen it in vs that as thou hast alreadie raised vp Christ our head so we may be assured thou wilt also raise vs vp that the bodie may be ioined to the head And furthermore as thou hast left this holie storie of thy Sonne that we might beleeue in him and by faith obtaine euerlasting life so we beseech thee worke the fruit of it in vs in constant faith to the saluation of our soules and thy euerlasting glorie to whome with the Sonne and the holie Ghost be all honor praise and glorie now and for euer Amen Another ALmightie God and most mercifull heauenlie Father who according to all that had beene written before in y e lawe of Moses and in the Prophets that it behooued the Sauiour of the world to suffer death and to rise againe from the dead the third daie and that repentance and forgiuenes of sinnes should bee preached amongst all nations in his name and so from point to point hast fullie accomplished all these things in Christ Iesus thine onlie Sonne whome thou didst raise from the graue as this daie not onlie to liue againe in this world but euen to sit at thy right hand and prouiding for our infirmitie hast giuen vs a great manie of witnesses both of holie men and women vpon the earth and of Angels from heauen to confirme the truth of this matter vnto vs that we might haue strong assurance of saluation in him through faith Open our minds to vnderstand the holie Scriptures and grant vs stedfastlie to beleeue this thy Gospell that by this faith being made one with him we may receiue the forgiuenes of our sinnes and the estimation of righteous men in thy sight through him And furthermore also grant that by this his mightie conquest whereby he hath triumphed ouer the last enimie which is Death in raising himselfe againe vnto life we may both rise with him from the death of sinnes to the life of grace by leading a new conuersation and sit with him at thy right hand in hope hauing our life hid in him that when he shall appeare to come to iudgment our life also heere being led in the obedience of faith may then be made manifest and we receiue that which we now in faith possesse and in a blessed hope looke and wait for at his comming which is the saluation of our soules to the glorie of thy name to whome with the Sonne and the holie Ghost be all praise and honour now and for euer Amen A Thanks-giuing WE lift vp our harts vnto thee O Lord for it is verie meet right and our bounden dutie that we should at all times and in all places giue thanks vnto thee O Lord holie Father almightie euerlasting God but chieflie we are bound to praise thee for the glorious resurrection of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. For he is the verie paschall Lambe which was offered for vs and hath taken awaie the sinnes of the world who by his death hath destroied death and by his rising to life againe hath restored to vs euerlasting life Therefore with Angels and Archangels and with all the companie of heauen we laud and magnifie thy glorious name euermore praising thee and saieng Holie holie holie Lord God of hoasts heauen and earth are full of thy glorie Glorie be to thee O Lord most high So be it 10. On Ascension daie Of Christ his glorious ascending into the heauens in the sight of his Apostles The Preface GOD is gone vp with a merrie noise and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet Glorie to God on high Halleluiah He humbled himselfe vnto the death wherefore God also hath highlie exalted him and set him on his right hand in heauenlie places far aboue all powers and dominion Halleluiah God is gone vp on high and hathled captiuitie captiue and receiued gifts for men Halleluiah He that descended first into the lowe parts of the earth is euen the same also that ascended vp far aboue all heauens to fulfill all things Halleluiah God is gone vp with a merrie noise the Lord is ascended in great triumph Halleluiah Lift vp your head O ye gates and be ye lift vp ye euerlasting dores that the King of glorie may enter in Halleluiah Yea be thou exalted Lord in thine owne strength so will we praise thy power perpetuallie and euermore sing Glorie to God on high Halleluiah The praier THou O Christ sonne of God fortie daies after thy resurrection continuedst in the world to the vnspeakable comfort of thy Church which being expired thou ascendedst gloriouslie in the sight of thy Saints into the heauens We yeeld thee most hartie thanks for this thy benefit beseeching thee most humblie to number vs among the saints and souldiers which wait vpon thee triumphieng The hand-writing dependeth on the testimonie of our giltie conscience to our condemnation but by thy death the sentence of condemnation is abolished and thy bloud washeth vs from all our sins The enimies of thine elect euen the diuell and death are lead bound and the whole companie of the saints both in heauen and earth is filled with ioie speake of thy victorie and benefits Thy Saints in heauen visiblie doo behold thy glorious victorie Thy Saints in earth are saued by faith for the ornament and glorie of the kings daughter is glorious within In the sight of manie godlie auditors of thine and of thy holie mother the blessed virgin Marie thou wast carried visiblie from the earth in the clouds into heauen Thou gauest a taste of eternall life to thine Apostles wondering at thy departure and preachedst to them of thy returne into iudgement Thou hast glorified thine humane nature with vnspeakable glorie and placed the same on the right hand of thy Father vpon the throne of triumph and victorie as hauing for our sakes vanquished all our enimies But thine humane nature is not onelie aboue as be thy Saints but is exalted also to such a light as cannot be attained to by anie creature Thou reignest visible with the Father replenishing the whole celestiall congregation with righteousnes and diuine glorie Gouerne thou also in this mortall life outwardlie in thy ministerie and inwardlie in our minds Thou hast ascended on high and lead captiuitie captiue to bestowe thy benefits vpon man Before thy departure thou renewedst the institution of thy ministerie thou gauest thy disciples a commandement to preach to all nations for which thy goodnesse we giue thee most hartie thanks for therby thou hast called vs to the societie of thy Saints Assist vs with thy spirit that we may beleeue the Gospell and keepe for euermore the
couenant which in our baptisme we haue made with thee Thou adornedst thine Apostles which were to carrie a new doctrine ouer the face of the whole earth with singular testimonies of miracles that the Church might assuredlie knowe they erred not Continue among vs in like sort thy ministerie togither with the puritie of thy word Send among vs Euangelists pastors and teachers which may ioine themselues to the doctrine of the Apostles and diligentlie spread the same abroad and speake thou which art the head of the ministerie within to our harts and raise vp godlie motions through thy spirit Thou art ascended on high to bee the head of thy Church filling all things finish thy worke in vs ingraffe vs to thy glorified bodie and powre vpon vs from thy diuine nature a like spirit which may intermingle it selfe with our soule and begin while we here liue in vs an eternall life which may create in vs a new man fashioned accordinglie to thy similitude and likenesse And inspire in vs such a perfection and righteousnesse as thou shalt thinke meete and conuenient for our weake and fraile nature and let holie motions agreeing to thine heauenlie will be planted in vs. Driue awaie the darkenesse of our minds extinguish the wicked affections of our hart and let the new man dailie prosper and increase in perfection Defend thy Church by thy mightie right hand against all the power both of man and diuels Fill our flitting soules with a tast of a new life receiue them into thine hands and grant that at the resurrection and glorification of thy Church we maie ioifullie behold thee returning and triumphing gloriouslie and so be placed in that kingdome which thou wilt deliuer to thy Father for their euerlasting happinesse Amen Halleluiah Glorie be to God on high Anotherverie deuout meditation and praier wherein the mind is verie much mooued and plentiouslie stirred to contemplation of heauenlie things if it be said in quietnesse MOst mightie King my verie good gentle louing Lord Iesu Christ which of thine inestimable charitie and vnspeakable pitie taking vpon thee to be the seed of Abraham not of Angels didst vouchsafe not onlie willinglie to suffer for our sinnes both bonds crosse wounds yea death and sepulchre and after three daies death being ouercome didst rise againe for our iustification wast seene of thy disciples reforming their harts and establishing them that were almost declining from thee but also after thou hadst glorified our mortall nature with the stole of holie resurrection and immortalitie the fortith daie after thou in the sight of thy disciples didst with the triumph of thy glorie gloriouslie ascend into heauen and cariedst it aboue the heauens and aboue all the melodious companie of Angels aboue Cherubin and Seraphin placing it vpon the right hand of God thy Father where the Angels doo praise that same humane nature of ours and all the powers of heauen doo euen tremble to see a man to be God ouer them and where thou O Lord sittest and liuest euerlastinglie now and reignest throughout all worlds Behold I thy seelie creature which with the weight of my frailenes am drawne euer downeward and so not able to liue holilie vertuouslie and as I ought to liue without thy continuall helpe whervnto I thinke it necessarie for me to sticke and cleaue most humblie beseech thee to drawe me vpward toward thee that I may runne after thee in the sweet sauour of thine ointments Let me runne and not faint when thou drawest me and leadest me running Drawe the mouth of the soule that thirsteth after thee vnto the high flouds and streames of thine eternall aboundance and satietie yea drawe me wholie vnto thy selfe which art the liuing well to the intent I may according to my capacitie drinke of that whervpon I doo liue O my God my life thou didst saie with thy holie and blessed mouth If anie man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke O well of life grant vnto my thirstie soule alwaie to drinke of thee that according to thy holie and true promise waters of life may flowe out of my bellie O well of life replenish and fill my mind full of the riuer of thy pleasure Make my hart to be droonken as it were in thy loue that after the manner of them that be droonken with wine which forget all things saue the cup so I may forget all vaine earthlie things and continuallie haue nothing else in my remembrance but thee onelie according as it is written I remembred God and was delighted Giue me the holie Ghost whom those waters did signifie which thou didst promise to giue to them that thirsted after thee Grant I beseech thee that I may assaie to go with my whole desire and all my studie toward that place vnto the which I beleeue thou didst ascend the fortith daie after thy resurrection that in this present miserie I may be onlie in bodie but in thought and desire alwaies with thee that my hart may be there whereas thou art which art my treasure worthie to be coueted and much to be loued wherewith no treasure is woorthie to be compared Bring to passe O Lord Christ that through thy gift I may be stirred and carried vpward for I feruentlie desire to ascend yea I make certaine ascensions in my hart lifting it vpward and sing the song of starres With the lampe of thy loue I saie am I kindled and moued to go with thee thither whereas thou my portion reignest and I beleeue to reigne thither whereas thou my flesh art glorified and I beleeue to be glorified thither where thou my bloud rulest and I perceiue me to beare rule that is euen vnto the peace of Ierusalem to Ierusalem I saie which is my countrie to Ierusalem which is my mother would I now go vpward For when I remember Ierusalem I extend and stretch foorth towards it the senses of my hart and towards thee O Christ which art a King ouer hir hir light hir father hir defender hir patrone hir gouernour hir keeper hir chast and strong delight hir onlie and whole pleasure and of whome all hir goodnes and felicitie commeth because thou art the cheefe good and the true good and I will neuer turne backe vntill thou bring me home from this pilgrimage in which I am deformedlie scattered abroad vnto the place of my deerelie beloued mother whereas be the first fruits of my spirit and vntill thou O God which art my mercie fashion me and confirme me for euer Whither go we now vpward to the peace of Ierusalem Bicause I was glad reioiced in those things which were spoken vnto me therfore wil I go into the house of the Lord there hath he placed vs there wil he giue vs all good things therfore will I will desire nothing else but to tarie remaine there before the Lord for euer But oh Lord forasmuch as whilest we be clad in this bodie we doo as it were go astraie are strangers
precepts and examples meet for meditation instruction and imitation to all posteritie And now in most dutifull maner commending and appropriating so diuine exercises of the church vnto your Maiestie the most naturall mother and noble nursse thereof the cause of a virgine to a Virgine the works of Queenes to a Queene your owne praiers to your selfe to whom indeed the particular interest and due praise and honour thereof iustlie belongeth I here prostrate on my knees in most humble maner meekelie beseech your excellent Maiestie gratiouslie of your woonted clemencie to pardon and forgiue this my too rash and bold enterprise attempted both with bashfulnesse feare and trembling and fauourablie as in like cases you are accustomed to accept these your liege subiect his great labors and painfull trauels in good part which he not to instruct your Highnesse of whose notable learning I am not able to speake but onelie for a monument of the hartie loue he beareth both to the church his deere mother and to your Maiestie his dread Souereigne hath in a godlie zeale and conscience bestowed to the good and profit of his countrie That by your Graces good liking and princelie approbation they may be both patronized against the wicked and practised of the godlie And so manie by that means with due reuerence and great honour to so honourable works may receiue these lamps as from your bountifull hand to inlighten them by your good industrie in all vertue and to prepare them by your holie example like wise virgins to perseuerance in all good works of the spirit And that therein manie may often looke and labour mightilie for your Highnesse as they are bound in feruent praier and manie mo thanks I saie be giuen of manie faithfull harts on your Maiesties behalfe for the benefit of such and so manie needfull and readie helps ministred and afoorded by your painfull hand and princelie affabilitie to your euerlasting comfort and renowme the praise of God and glorie of his deerest sonne Iesus Christ your sweet spouse Whom now for a conclusion as I began I most entirelie beseech that as of his owne good will he first loued his church my deere mother and gaue himselfe freelie for hir to sanctifie and clense hir in the most holie fountaine of water through the word to make hir vnto himselfe a beautifull virgine and glorious spouse without spot or wrinkle that she should be holie pure perfect and without blame before him so he will vouchsafe in like mercie still both to cherish defend and maintaine the same in his continuall grace religion and holinesse that she may yet bring foorth more fruit in hir age and members to his glorie and also as your spirituall spouse to set your Maiestie a most woorthie and mightie gouernor of the same euer as a seale vpon his hart to tie you fast as a signet or bracelet vpon his arme to beare you still in his owne bosome to set his eie ouer you continuallie for your health wealth and prosperitie to bend his desires alwaies towards you to doo you good that so your Highnesse may be kept in his continuall grace peace and fauour long to reigne ouer vs and also defended and preserued euermore from all bodilie and ghostlie perils and enimies to your euerlasting comfort and the reioice of all christian harts Finallie the Lord blesse your Maiestie euen out of Sion with all his heauenlie gifts and spirituall graces that hauing the principall heroicall spirit of your holie father good king Dauid doubled yea trebled in your noble and princelie hart you may as in numbers of yeeres beyond manie ages so in singular pietie and godlines far surmount excell your most noble progenitors that the remembrance of you our good Iosias may to all posterities be like the composition of the most pretious perfume of the Apothecarie and as sweet as honie in all mouthes and as harmonicall musicke at a banket of wine that in you our zealous Hezechias I saie we may still remaine in happie peace and haue an hiding place from the wind and a refuge from storms and tempests and riuers of waters to quench our thirst and temperate shadowes to shrowd vs from parching heate in a drie land so shall the harts of manie thousand virgins in England and else-where be ioifull and thankfull to God and your Maiestie so shall the daughters of Ierusalem sing ioifullie the sweet songs of Sion in their owne land with great triumph to their celestial King reigning on high ouer all yea so shal all your faithfull and louing subiects I saie in all humble obedience and dutifull seruice both towards God your Maiestie and their countrie resound by all possible meanes to all posterities your most excellent and woorthie praises vntill the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost be all empire honor dominion and praise now and for euer Amen Your Maiesties humble faithfull and obedient subiect THOMAS BENTLEY Lampas Virginitatis ECce tibi lucet Princeps clarissima lampas In tenebris gressus dirigat illa tuos Siquaeris librum cur lampada virginis istum Inscribam causas dico fuisse duas Vna est quòd talem praefert ecclesia lucem Expectans sponsum virgo pudica suum Altera quòd manibus virgo reginea librum Sumit cuiverae lampadis instar erit Dum Domino litat sacris indicit honorem Nuncupat Christo vota secunda suo Anna sibi lucem sibi Debora praetulit istam Inque suis Princeps ELIZABETHA malis Sic didicit lenire suas sic fallere curas Praesentémque sui poscere regis opem Quem non plena sacris placant altaria donis Non oblatorum corpora caesaboum Ille Deus Deus ille humili libamine vocum Irae deponit iusta flagella suae Illecebras carnis vincunt mundique furores Et sathanae faciunt fulmen inane preces Afflictis illae praestant solatia rebus Illis caelestes effodiuntur opes Hoc oleo plenam Domino qui lampada praebet Ille sacrificio nobiliore litat To the Christian Reader grace and truth in Christ HAuing my selfe taken no small comfort good Christian Reader by the reading and pervsing of diuers verie godlie learned and duiine treatises of meditations and praier made by sundrie right famous Queenes noble Ladies vertuous Virgins and godlie Gentlewomen of al ages who to shew themselues woorthie paternes of all pietie godlinesse and religion to their sex and for the common benefit of their countrie haue not ceased and that with all carefull industrie and earnest indeuour most painfullie and diligentlie in great feruencie of the spirit and zeale of the truth euen from their tender maidenlie yeeres to spend their time their wits their substance and also their bodies in the studies of noble and approoued sciences and in compiling and translating of sundrie most christian and godlie bookes a tast whereof you haue here in the second Lampe as
and to flie vnto God in all troubles for releefe as he hath commanded That so with the fiue foolish virgins it be neuer too late for them to crie Lord Lord open to vs but that to their comforts and the praise of God with Miriam they may euermore vpon their timbrels sing the song of Moses for their mightie and miraculous delinerance from sathan their spirituall Pharao and with Debora giue great thanks for the victorie got by our Iahel against Sicera and with holie Hannah reioise from the hart and praise God in the temple for the birth of their children and safe deliuerance and with the women of Israel triumph vpon timbrels for the famous victories of Dauids daughter our noble Queene ELIZABETH had against all hir enimies and with the spirituall spouse at the marriage daie sing the sweet song of songs to the glorie of the bridegroome Christ Iesus and with Sara Tobit blesse the name of God for their deliuerance from slanderous reproches and the einil spirit Asmodens that enimie of holie matrimonie and with holie Iudith highlie praise God for hir and hir peoples mightie preseruation out of the hands of their cruell enimies and with the blessed virgine Marie continuallie magnifie the Lord their Sauiour for their high exaltation and fauour with God with men and with angels and with our most gratious Queene ELIZABETH incessantlie to yeeld all possible praise and hartie thanks for their so often mightie and maruellous preseruation and deliuerance from so manie kinds of dangers yea deaths and destruction pretended by sathan and his bloudie ministers dailie against them Finallie that all godlie women taking hereby good occasion with these their holie foremothers continuallie to make their petitions for the preuenting of euils their supplications for the obteining of all things needfull for soule and bodie their intercessions as well for others as for themselues and their thanksgiuings for corporall and spiritual benefits receiued may shew themselues daughters woorthie such mothers virgins woorthie such lamps of perpetuall virginitie and women woorthie such ghostlie weapons of their right christian ministration to helpe their weakenesse praiers precepts and meditations I meane by following their vertues wiselie in the perfect feare of God by bearing the same in the hand of their harts carefullie in the due obedience of their prince and by fighting therewith in Golgatha the field of this spirituall warfare the good fight of faith couragiouslie in the pure loue of their countrie and christian charirie towards their neighbours and at the last in the world to come to the glorie of God their euerlasting comfort togither with the wise virgins and all the elect people of God ioifullie triumph ouer all weaknesse infirmitie and corruption yea ouer sinne death hell and damnation and saie Oh death where is thy sting Oh hell where is thy victorie But now if in wading so far in this argument of praier and in making this bolume so big ante shall thinke or saic that I by mine idlenesse and time thus spent am verie chargeable vnto them and considering the plentie of prater books more portable alreadie extant shall iudge me to haue taken a verie needlesse or bootlesse trauell or to haue laboured in vaine and spent my strength for nothing as he that would addestars to the skie or light a lampe at noone daie and therefore shall deeme me woorthie in their opinions to loose both Oleum operam Oh forgiue me this wrong I praie you and considering that I could not otherwise either satisfie my selfe to go forward in my determined purpose according to the prescript order of this collection or pleasure the simple reader with such plentie and varietie of profitable matter especiallie in so good paper and faire vsuall letter a thing to the aged and feeble sighted reader verie gratefull and much desired Let me intreate you whosoeuer you be to measure the same rather by the goodnesse of the contents of the which the godlie can neuer haue enough than by the bignesse or deerenesse of the volume which to the willing and desirous mind are euer best cheape So no doubt shall the pleasure and profit of the one at the least counteruaile if not far surmount the paine and charges of the other As for my selfe good reader who haue rudelie as you see vndertaken this great labour I protest I haue doone it neither of presumption as he that would vsurpe the office of a Diuine and intrude himselfe into the studies of other professions nor of arrogancie as he that would boast and make great brags of other mens labours nor of enuie as he that went about to make frustrate and insufficient the painfull and godlie works of better learned neither yet of ambition or vaineglorie as he that gaped after the praise and commendation of anie or that would faine seeme to be approoued and registred of anie Chronicler for an author or one that knoweth somewhat who in deed knowes nothing much lesse for all this deserues to be thought of aboue that which anie either of their owne knowledge or by true report doo or shall see in me knowe me to be or heare of me Therefore I saie good reader my iudgement howsoeuer it please others to iudge of me and of mine intent herein is I knowe with the Lord that formed me from the wombe to be his seruant for he is the eie witnesse of mine integritie and simple meaning herein I saie in whom my life is hid and to whom I am made manifest doo line and must die As for my worke so honourable for the verie authors so godlie for the matter so necessarie for the time so profitable for the persons so excellent for the vse and so conuenient to increase pietie and christianitie in the simpler sort howsoeuer otherwise with some carping heads and euill disposed readers with Aesops dog in the manger neuer giuen either to doo well themselues or to iudge rightlie and speake truth of others it is I am right well assured with my God who first put me in mind to take it in hand and in by and through whom onelie I confesse with humble and hartie thankesgiuing after manie a yeeres fore trauell in studie much sweet long watching and great expences I haue now at the length finished the same I trust to his glorie your profit and mine owne comfort Therefore leauing to all and euerie of the woorthie works of other godlie men or women howsoeuer here or elsewhere extant their particular vse in the church of God as they were published and to the honourable authors themselues their due deserued praise and perpetuall commendation to all posteritie with exhortation to all godlie christians reuerentlie willinglie and thankfullie to read receiue and imbrace the same as wherein to the better fulfilling of so heauenlie an exercise of our faith most agreeable to Gods good will and word is perfectlie supplied and accomplished by the rare gifts ornaments and graces of the holie Ghost in the
soone after doth my corrupt and infected nature offend and displease thy diuine Maiestie so that I am prone and readie to run headlong into all kind of wickednesse and sin such is my strength such is my force or rather weakenesse in perfourming those things which thou requirest at my hands So that good Lord I am readie vtterlie to despaire and forsake thee vnlesse thou of thy great mercie and pitie send thine aide from aboue and powre into me thy most healthfull grace that I may make hast to flee vnto thee with most bitter teares a sorrowfull hart and bowing knees lamenting my sinfull life and greeuous offences committed against thee trusting most assuredlie and faithfullie in the merits of my Sauiour Iesus Christ that by his most bitter death bloud-shedding which is of far greater force vertue and effect in preseruing me than all my sinnes and offences are in condemning and casting me awaie for whose sake I most assuredlie beleeue all my sinnes and offences are cleerelie forgiuen and shall neuer be laid to my charge but that I shall enter with thee in the last daie into thine euerlasting kingdome there to be with thee for euermore to whome be all honour praise and glorie for euer and euer Amen A praier to God the father ALmightie God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ whome no desert merit or worthinesse of ours but thine owne great clemencie mercie and pitie caused to send downe thine onlie begotten sonne into this world to beare the burden of our sinnes with the which we most miserable sinners were ouerladen and that he should suffer most cruell torments yea and also most bitter and shamefull death and sanctifie the reprochfull name of the crosse with the renting of his blessed bodie and shedding his most pretious bloud thereon thereby to make attonement betweene thee and vs thereby to paie the raunsome for our soules thereby to consummate and finish the perfection of our redemption and saluation Which thing it was thy good will that he should doo not onelie to asswage thy wrath indignation but also to bring vs againe into thy grace and fauour and that we being deliuered out of the bondage of sinne and hell might serue thee in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of our life and by the free gift and benefite of his death and passion be made partakers of his resurrection and of thine endlesse and vnspeakable glorie Wherefore my God my maker my Lord my King seeing thou hast so aboundantlie bestowed thy heauenlie gifts vpon me and all mankind and hast so plentifullie powred out thy grace and fauour on vs that for our sakes thou wouldest not spare thine owne sonne how shall we escape thine indignation which for this care and kindnesse of thine are most carelesse and vnkind And among all other which waie shall I poore creature turne me How shall I who haue beene most vnthankefull for thy benefits and most vnmindfull of them be so bold as to lift vp my hart or hands vnto the heauens and to call vpon thee Thou of thy singular goodnesse didst so prouide that the wickednesse of old Adam should be purged and washed awaie with the bloud of Iesus Christ but I haue wilfullie fallen into sinne againe Thou madest me the child of light but I haue made my selfe an inheritour of darkenesse Thou madest me thine by creation I haue made my selfe the child of perdition What shall I now therefore do Shall I doubt of anie further mercie and forgiuenesse No no sweete Lord so great is thy mercie which surmounteth all thy workes so large are thy promises so sure is the performance of them to all such as take hold thereof so deere in thy sight are the merits of thy sonne Iesus so acceptable vnto thee is the hartie repentance of a sinner that with the remembrance thereof I am prouoked to crie vnto thee saieng Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am no more worthie to be called thy child Neuerthelesse behold thou me not as I am a greeuous offender but as thy creature Haue now no respect to mine offences but behold my repentance thinke not vpon my wickednesse but vpon the wounds of my Sauiour Iesus Looke not vpon my false hart which hath wauered from thy lawes but behold the bleeding hart of thy sonne Iesus Christ which was pierced to release me and set me free My sinnes I cast vpon thy backe beseeching thee that his merits may beare them and thy mercie pardon them Heare me O Lord my God heare me for I knowe the more earnestlie that I seeke for and desire thine aide the readier thou art to stretch foorth thine hand to helpe me Heare me therefore O Lord bow downe and incline thine eare vnto my praier inspire me so with thy holie spirit that I may loue thee aboue all things and that I neuer faile to put my hope and trust of saluation in him whome thou wouldest to be my redeemer and sauiour Make me by the forsaking of all wickednesse so to rise from falling into sinne that I may obtaine the true seruing of thee with innocencie and purenesse of life Graunt this O Lord for Iesus Christs sake to whome with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie Amen A praier vnto God the sonne O Most sweet sauiour O most mercifull redeemer O bountifull Iesu the sonne of God who although thou art high yet thou art most humble although thou art omnipotent thou art also most meeke and as thou art most mightie so art thou most mercifull To thee O Christ the guide of all felicitie the father of heauen hath giuen all power both in heauen and in earth Thou art the true pastor of our soules thou art our Messias Thou castest off none that sue vnto thee but as thou hast taken awaie the hand-writing that was against vs and hast fastened it to thy crosse so art thou readie to impart the merits of thy passion vnto all such as with true repentance of their sins call vpon thee faithfullie Wherefore my sweet Iesus I most faithfullie and vnfeinedlie acknowledge the benefits that thou hast bestowed vpon me and stedfastlie beleeue that thou being an immaculate lambe in whose mouth was neuer found guile didst suffer most cruell torments at the hands of sinners for the loue of vs most wretched sinners For the which cause I most hartilie beseech thee and most humblie praie thee to accept me into the number of them whom thou wilt make coinheritours of thy bitter paines And although I of my selfe be most vnworthie thereof yet thy merits can make me woorthie to them do I flie crauing that I may be so armed and defended by them that I may subdue the world the flesh and the diuell euen as thou hast gloriouslie conquered sinne death and hell Thou seest O my sauiour how I am dailie and hourlie beset with these three enimies and so hardlie beseeged of them that without thy helpe I can by
no meanes escape but that I must needs be a praie vnto one of them Strengthen me therefore O Lord that neither the one with carnall lusts neither the other with delectable pleasures nor Sathan himselfe with all his craftie and subtile deuises get the dominion ouer me Thou hast bought me thou hast paid for me take thou me saue keepe and defend me be alwaies readie at the voice of my crieng powre into me thy grace patientlie to abide thy diuine will and pleasure in all things Make me both at this present and all the daies of my life to haue in mind and profoundlie to roote in my hart the mysteries of thy painefull passion and so to be filled with the remembrance thereof that sin may no more enter into me and that Sathan mine old enimie may well perceiue that he hath neither part nor fellowship in me but that I am both bodie and soule altogether thine to whome be all praises world without end Amen A praier vnto God the holie Ghost O Holie Ghost O blessed and holie spirit comforter of them that be afflicted thou proceeding from the Father and the Sonne art the true instructor and teacher of the diuine and heauenlie veritie Wherefore I with all humilitie praie thee to renew and make in me a cleane hart to graffe a right spirit in me to guide and gouerne me that I may thinke nothing speake nothing doo nothing but that onlie which shall please thee And whereas I haue not ceased to offend my Lord God and maker and most greeuouslie to transgresse against Iesus my redeemer and sauiour I praie thee that I may haue inward sorowe repentance and shame thereof and that euer hereafter I may performe my dutie as I ought to doo and so bring foorth the fruits of repentance that the passion of Iesus Christ may defend me from all sinne and wickednesse and bring me to the ioies of paradise So be it A godlie praier for the true worshipping of God which may be vsed in the Church before common praier STablish our harts and minds O most gratious God in the true woorshipping of thy diuine maiestie make vs to beleeue thy holie and sacred Gospell wherein we are dailie and hourelie instructed to loue feare honour and obeie thee to hate sinne and iniquitie to renounce all superstitious ceremonies whereby thy worship is defaced thy glorie prophaned and thine honour greatlie diminished Giue vs the grace to hate sinne and iniquitie to renounce and forsake the vanities and wanton pleasures of this wicked and sinfull world Arme vs we beseech thee to mortifie and bring vnder the rebellious appetites and straieng lusts of the flesh And finallie giue vs power from aboue to withstand Sathan the prince of darknesse and all his damnable ministers who by diuers temptations prouoke and allure vs from godlie puritie and perfect integritie which passeth onlie from Christ Iesus vnto vs who is the fulnesse of our perfection and holinesse to all kinds of euill impietie and vncleannesse by meanes whereof thy worship is greatlie prophaned and of a set purpose contemned Make vs constant to skirmish against the world sinne death and hell and by the power of a fruitefull faith giue vs grace to resist and bridle the concupiscence of our flesh in such sort that our soules may triumph with victorie and continue constant in woorshipping thee from whom passeth the fulnesse of our ioie Prepare our harts and minds good Lord now and euer to spread foorth the glorie of thy name Kéepe our tongues from all filthie talke and vncomelie gesture least by the exercise of such sinne we contemne thy worship and prouoke thee to displeasure and indignation Set thou a watch before the gates of my mouth that my lips by thy grace may be alwaies made open to sound foorth thy praise and euerlasting glorie Be mercifull to our offences thinke thou not on our vnrighteousnesse but vpon thy clemencie Forgiue them freelie and pardon gratiouslie our sinnes make vs faithfull in Christ Iesus Shorten the dangerous daies of iniquitie increase the number of thy chosen and peculiar Saincts Hasten thy comming O sauiour Christ that we with the felowship of the Saints heauenlie Angels and the blessed companie of Martyrs may celebrate thy praise and worship thee in thy glorious kingdome before the father our God and the holie Ghost to whome be praise for euer Amen Another praier that we may liue so vprightlie in this life that at the last we may dwell in the euerlasting tabernacle O Lord seeing that the righteous shall dwell in thy tabernacle graunt me I beseech thee a pure and vndefiled soule O what is the shape of the earth wherein Gods enimies haue abiding in comparison of the woonderfull beautie of heauen wherein righteousnesse doth dwell in comparison of that place wherein Angels Archangels all good men yea and God himselfe is abiding What are the pleasures of the world wealth honour companie of our parents and friends wherein all our pleasure and sweetenesse is mixed with sowrenesse and sorowe wherein euerie perfection hath his imperfection What is all this to the vnspeakeable ioie in the kingdome of God What is the companie of friends heere in comparison to the companie of Abraham Isaac and Iacob the Patriarches and Prophets and all the Saints of God Oh the felicitie of euerlasting life which is without all discommodities perpetuall without all perill and molestation Oh the glorious maiestie the singular mirth and passing ioies of the life to come The eie hath not seene nor the hart of man is able to conceiue in anie part the happie estate of the blessed soules in heauen Oh how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule hath a desire to enter into the courts of the Lord. My hart and my soule reioice in the liuing God blessed be they that dwell in thy house they may be alwaies praising thee One daie in thy courts is better than a thousand elsewhere I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of vngodlinesse The Lord God is a light and defence My soule is athirst for God euen for the liuing God When shall I come before the presence of my God My flesh longeth after thee in a barren and drie land where no water is Good Lord remember me and graunt that I may weare the white garments of innocencie with thine elected in thine euerlasting kingdome Amen A praier against the felowship of the vngodlie PRotect and defend me O heauenlie Father and most mercifull God from the felowship of the vngodlie men which dailie imagine mischiefe in their harts to harme the innocent Keepe me from the counsels of the foolish and vngodlie which speake proud things against the glorie of thy blessed name Defend me from faithlesse and deceiptfull ones whose guiltie stomaches are gorged with grudge enuie malice hatred disdaine and all vncharitablenesse For their throtes are like vnto an open sepulchre or swallowing graue their tongs are giuen
to slander and backbite their neighbours the poison of Adders lieth hidden vnder their lips and in fine they as thine enimies blaspheme thy holie and blessed name and contemne thy testimonies O Lord giue me thy grace to be conuersant with good and godlie men such as fauour thy glorious Gospell and doo their indeuour to practise thy precepts to the glorie of thy holie and blessed name Make me by their example to exercise my selfe in the heauenlie veritie that thereby I may be instructed in the liuelie knowledge of thy commandements and obtaine such wisdome from aboue that by faith I may cleaue to thee and the felowship of those that feare thy holie name and so auoide the companie of the wicked and vngodlie worldlings which haue laid snares to intrap mee Graunt this O most mercifull Father for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake who euer liueth and reigneth with thee and the holie Ghost to whome be all laude glorie power and praise for euer and euer Amen A praier to be said before or after the Sermon MOst mightie GOD which by thy word hast made all things whose voice the flouds and hils doo knowe whose heast both quicke and dead heauen and hell obey at whose displeasure the diuels in hell doo tremble let thy word so lighten our harts that by our good works we may testifie our profession seeing that the tree which beareth not fruit shall be cut downe throwne into the fire Grant that I may not onelie be a hearer but also a dooer of thy holie word that so finallie I may be partaker of thine euerlasting ioie and blisse O Lord grant me wisdome to knowe thee and grace to followe thee in true humilitie that as thou didst suffer to be spitted at and smitten of thine enimies so we may beare the displeasures of the world and rage of our enimies with patience Thou hast blessed the little ones and reuealed vnto them the things hidden from the wise For thou wilt haue mercie where it pleaseth thee O set thy feare alwaies before mine eies make me to vnderstand wisdome secretlie and graffe thy faith so in my hart that I may both knowe thee and loue thee and glorifie thy holie name for euer Amen A praier for faith O Blessed Sauiour Iesus sonne of the euerliuing God the vnspeakeable ioie of thy seruants most present cōfort to sinners which camest into the world to saue offenders which so louedst the world that thou sparedst not thy most pretious bloud to redeeme the losse of our first father Adam and to make vs coheires of the forfeited inheritance with thy selfe that all which beleeue in thee might be saued Good Lord which hast promised to them that knocke it shall be opened and that they which seeke shall find grant I beseech thee that I may search thy holie lawes and find the truth of thy holie word that I may alwaies constantlie confesse and shew thee and thy goodnesse as well in my words as liuing Inspire me with thy holie spirit that I may knowe thee stedfastlie trust in thee and serue thee in praiers and well-dooing all the time of my life O most mercifull Lord and Sauiour of the world for the glorie of thy name sake I beseech thee to heare my praiers My soule reioice in God my sauing health for hee hath been good to thee he hath kept thee from the snare of the hunter and blessed thee The Lord is a mercifull God let all the earth feare him let the mouths of all men sound praises vnto him God is a good Lord and dailie increaseth his good gifts to his seruants the Lord will increase my faith in him and I shall be saued So be it A praier to be said before the receiuing of the Lords Supper OMnipotent GOD and father euerlasting whose mercie is infinite and whose kingdom hath none end vouchsafe I beseech thee of thine exceeding goodnes to increse our faith that as thy ghests repaire to the table of thy sonne Iesus Christ who hath left vnto vs before he gaue his bodie to be crucified and his bloud to be shed largelie on the crosse for our redemption as a pledge of his great loue and abundant kindnesse the celebration of his glorious supper wherein as it were in a looking glasse the death of our great maister the high shepheard of our soules Iesus Christ is most liuelie set foorth vnto vs. Giue vs grace therefore from aboue rightlie to vnderstand the diuine mysteries offered vnto vs thereby and not to wrest or wring the same contrarie to thy will Let it be far from our thoughts good Lord to leaue thine eternall veritie and to build on the doctrine of men who following their owne imaginations run headlong to the gaping gulph of danger and destruction Plucke the scales of ignorance from our eies that we may cleerlie descerne and behold by the light of thy glorious Gospell how we may truelie communicate and participate the fruits of thy grace represented vnto vs in this comfortable Sacrament Indue vs plentifullie with such pure knowledge that we may not once thinke or saie after anie grosse forme or carnall maner we feede vpon or eate thy flesh reallie or carnallie but make vs alwaies constantlie to beleeue that thy glorious bodie is ascended vp into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of thy Father concerning thy humanitie and cannot be thence remooued till the time that thou shalt come with legions of Angels to iudge the quicke and the dead before whose presence shall run a consuming fire And moreouer wee doo most humblie beseech thee so to confirme vs in the truth of thy blessed testament that we may confesse thy diuine nature to be equall with the Father and the holie Ghost and to beleeue that thy power is not a power particular but a power generall and such as doth and shall gouerne in heauen and earth in the deepe and lowe waters yea and in the nethermost parts of hell Strengthen vs therefore good Lord that stand least that in falling from the true knowledge of thee we perish euerlastinglie And sith thou hast called vs by thy word as thy ghests to this blessed banket wherin y e mouths of our carnall bodies are fostered fed with bread and wine so Lord confirme our faith in thee that the mouths of our soules may feed spirituallie vpon thy sweetest flesh and drinke thy deerest blood and so be nourished to euerlasting life and heauenlie blessednesse Which reward as a dowrie due thou hast promised to all those that faithfullie build vpon thee which art the rocke and strong piller of our saluation And as these most holie mysteries must set foorth vnto vs most liuelie thy death and passion so make vs thankefull to thee for the same and thereby giue vs grace to print in our harts thy great loue and exceeding clemencie that sparedst not to giue thy bodie to the most vile shamefull and slanderous death of the Crosse and thy bloud to be shed
than thou hast done with our next neighbours whose painefull miseries and bloudie broiles may be a sufficient warning vnto vs to hate our sin and iniquitie least the like calamitie or euer we be aware do compasse and hedge vs round about Giue vs grace therefore in time of peace and happie prosperitie so to walke that thy fatherlie blessings be not withdrawne nor taken from vs and the rod of thy sharpe correction laid vpon our neckes euen in such sort as thou hast visited our brethren in other countries whose bodies by the meanes of ciuill dissention haue beene made a praie to the sword We heare and vnderstand that not far off but euen hard at the gates of our borders the father is readie in armes to seeke the destruction of his sonne the sonne is as greedie to gape for the bloud of his father We heare how violentlie the brother thirsteth after the bloud of his brother friend is against friend neighbour against neighbour yong men are murthered old men are suddenlie slaine manie a wife is husbandlesse manie a child is desolate and fatherlesse The cruell harted enimie spareth none he maketh hauocke no teares can staie him from his affectioned tyrannie The tender infants are haled from the earnefull paps of their weeping mothers and torne to peece-meale before the sorowfull eies of their carefull parents Old age is contemned godlie matrones are abused virgins are defloured and rauished by violence a spectacle of extreame crueltie for vs to behold and a glasse of great carefulnesse for vs to looke vpon that haue worthilie deserued like or far greater punishments Yet with-holdest thou from vs thy scourge although our offences are so great and diuers that might heape vp the sentence of thine exceeding iustice against vs. In place of war and bloudie battell thou hast giuen vnto vs prosperitie and perfect peace In place of penurie dearth and scarsitie thou hast giuen vs increase fulnesse and great plentie In stead of discord and dissention thou hast sent vs vnitie and concord and by thy celestiall prouidence we are defended from the cruell enimie and from the domesticall and ciuill war And besides these thy gratious gifts to heape vp our consolation and ioie thou hast giuen vs thy true and liuelie word as a lanterne to direct vs and guide our footesteps from vanitie to vertue from wickednes to godlie wisdome from licentious libertie to newnesse of life and godlie conuersation Besides all these thine inestimable graces freelie bestowed vpon vs thou hast giuen vs godlie and zealous Preachers which plentiouslie breake vnto vs out of thine eternall testament the bread of life whereon good Lord giue our soules such power to feede by faith that they may be nourished to eternall ioie and we by the diligent obseruing and obeieng of thy commandements may be preserued from all kind of dissention and peaceablie enioie the fruits of pure peace trustie tranquillitie Grant this O mercifull Father for thy son Christs sake our onelie Sauiour and Redeemer Christ Iesus Amen A godlie and fruitfull praier to be said in time of bloudie battell O Lord our heauenlie Father and euerliuing God we thy wretched and most miserable creatures confesse and acknowledge wee haue woorthilie deserued the rod of thy correction and punishment and doo merit manie sharpe and bitter stripes that knowing thy blessed and glorious will haue of set purpose contemned thy diuine and heauenlie precepts for which cause the sentence of thy wrath is sharpelie kindled against vs euen as it hath beene against thy chosen people Israel in the daies of our forefathers who glorieng in their wickednesse were plagued in the fulnesse of thine indignation The sword of their enimies beset them round about and hemmed them in on euerie side The Iebusites the Ammonites the Philistines and the Amorites oppressed them diuerselie their strong holds were rased their cities were besieged their houses were ransacked their goods and their riches were caried awaie by force of the bloud-thirstie enimie their yoong men were led awaie captiue their virgins were wofullie defloured But in fine when thou Lord God didst behold their hartie and earnest contrition thou didst withdrawe thy frowning countenance sentest them speedie and safe deliuerance One while thou Lord sentest them Moses to bring them out of the seruitude of Pharao the stonie and stubborne-harted king of the Aegyptians another while Iephthah set them free from the sword of the Ammonites wherewith they were greeuouslie afflicted and to make thy power and excellent glorie fullie knowne thou gauest Samson much fortitude to bridle the proud Philistines Ouer besides these thou of thy loue and miraculous goodnes hast made feeble women mightie and victorious conquerors Debora was a shield to thy people Iudith comforted the distressed Bethulians cut off the head of proud Holophernes that thy selfe good Lord when thou beholdedst their teares and hartie sorowe for their offences didst prepare thy selfe to go foorth with their hoasts Thou thy selfe I saie with the breath of thy nostrils didst confound and ouerthrowe their enimies So good Lord be thou now present with vs in the fulnesse of thy diuine power looke vpon vs with the eies of thy fauourable pitie Forget our corrupt and most filthie offences let our contrite and sorowfull harts be a meane to vanquish thy displeasure conceiued against vs be thou present with vs in this time of necessitie and trouble set thy hand to helpe and assist vs against the enimie be thou present with vs in this time of perill and danger go thou foorth with our hosts then shall we be assured to preuaile let not the multitude of furious foes dismaie vs. For victorie we doo knowe consisteth not in the power nor strength of manie men horses armour nor weapons but it is thou O mercifull Father that giuest the conquest where and to whom thou pleasest To thee therefore in this great extremitie we flie and appeale beseeching thee of thine inestimable loue and kindnesse for the loue of our Sauiour Iesus Christ to looke vpon our true repentant harts and in the fulnesse of thy miserations and pities to set vs free from the power of the raging enimie and to pardon our sinnes and greeuous offences that hencefoorth we may vow and dedicate our harts and minds wholie to walke in integritie and newnesse of life which grant good Lord to whom with thy sonne Christ Iesus and the holie Ghost be praise and glorie attributed for euer and euer world without end Amen A godlie praier to be said in time of anie common plague priuate affliction or trouble OEternall and euerliuing God the Father of all consolation comfort vouchsafe of thine infinite loue and kindnesse to strengthen mee with thy heauenlie grace patiently to beare and with meekenesse to suffer this crosse of affliction and trouble which thou hast laid vpon me for the vse of sinne and iniquitie I knowe O gratious and louing Father that my deserts are such as woorthilie haue prouoked thee
by the illusion of the diuell or else by frailtie of mine owne flesh trespassing against thy godlie Maiestie either in thought consent delectation word or deede And I most hartilie thanke thee for the sweet sleepe and comfortable rest which thou hast giuen me this night and that to the innumerable benefits hitherto powred vpon my soule and bodie thou hast vouchsafed to preserue me this night past from sudden death and all other euill and mischiefe spirituall and corporall that anie person man or woman hath beene striken withall by thy permission and sufferance knowing of a suretie that the selfe-same or such like had worthilie light on my head also haddest not thou defended and preserued me and giuen me time to amend my life so that I might liue henceforth not as I will but as thou wilt And now seeing thou O almightie God and most mercifull father in the tables of the commandements deliuered to the hands of thy seruant Moses vpon the mount Sina among other precepts diddest giue charge vnto thy chosen children of Israel that in sixe daies they should doo all such works and aaffaires as they had to doo and rest from labour the seuenth daie graunt I beseech thee blessed father that siuce I haue by thy mercie happilie passed ouer this whole weeke vnder thy gratious protection I may not onelie rest this daie from my dailie trauels but that I may abstaine also from the works of sinne and iniquitie and sanctifie this daie wholie vnto thee with praiers and thankes-giuing abounding in all works of loue and charitie as thou hast commanded in thy holie word that I may be found pure without spot or blemish at that daie when thy Sonne Iesus Christ shall come to iudge the world with righteousnesse and equitie And forasmuch as thou hast ordeined this daie among the rest wherein we should meete all together with brotherlie loue and affection to yeeld thee praises for the innnumerable benefits we haue receiued at thy hand to acknowledge thy fatherlie loue and pitie towards vs from time to time and to giue thee thanks in generall for all and vniuersall thy benefits hitherto bestowed vpon vs I beseech thee to grant me thy holie spirit that I may be the more zealouslie inflamed to serue thee in true holinesse and integritie of life and by the operation of that spirit I may kill all carnall lusts vnlawfull pleasures concupiscence and all other spots of vncleannesse whereby I may be made thy child by adoption and grace and my bodie the temple of the holie Ghost being throughlie purged and purified from the dregs of iniquitie and abhomination Giue me grace most mercifull Father to spend this daie to thy pleasure in all good works of the spirit and charitie proceeding from an vndefiled faith in Christ Iesu that I fall not into anie kind of danger but that all my dooings may be ordered by thy gouernance to doo alwaies that is righteous in thy sight through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Another Morning praier on the Lords daie O Almightie and mercifull God eternall Father Sonne and holie Ghost three in persons one in substance God in verie deede and from euerlasting I extoll thy sacred Maiestie I praise thine vnspeakeable mercie thy diuine truth I exceedingly commend for that of thy fatherlie and woonderfull goodnesse thou hast protected me this night vnder the shadowe of thy wings Yea thou also hast made me quietlie to take my rest notwithstanding the dangerous snares of my deadlie enimie the diuell Thou art the God which exaltest vs from the gates of the shadowe of death and from the power of darknesse thou deliuerest vs. Therefore I will acknowledge thee for thy goodnes and for the woonderfull things which thou dooest among the sonnes of men I will magnifie thee in the great congregation and among much people will I praise thee My hart is readie O my God my hart is readie I will praise thee O Lord among the people and sing to thee among the nations For thy mercie is aboue the heauens and thy truth vnto the clouds I will not hide thy mercie and truth in the great congregation bicause it is a good thing to praise the Lord and to sing to thee O thou most high to declare thy louing kindnesse in the morning and thy truth in the night Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holie name Which forgiueth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities Which redeemeth thy life from destruction crowneth thee with mercie and compassion Which satisfieth thy longing with good things and protecteth thee from thy youth Which also hath kept all my bones this night not one of them is broken To the King euerlasting immortall inuisible and onlie wise God be honor and glorie for euer and euer Amen VNto thee O Lord doo I lift vp my soule O God earlie will I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh lusteth after thee in a barren and drie land where no water is to see thy strength and glorie O eternall God which hast brought me to the beginning of this daie defend me with thy mightie power that this daie I fall into no sinne nor run into anie kind of danger but let all my cogitations words and works tend to the setting foorth of thy righteousnesse Lighten my mind this morning with the shining and clearnesse of thy wisdome that in my hart that true daie-star may rise and shine as it were a candle in a darke place Giue me the spirit of wisdome and reuelation in the knowledge of thee and lighten the eies of mine vnderstanding that I may knowe what my hope is how great the glorie of mine inheritance and what the excellent greatnesse of thy power towards me is Fill me with thy mercie in this morning so shall I be glad and reioice all my life long Mercifull God endue me with thine holie spirit that I may neither thinke speake or doo anie thing this daie but that which may please thee and tend to the aduancement of thy glorie and health of my soule Gouerne thou mine vnderstanding and will and so direct all the cogitations of my hart that I may wholie be thine and sauour of nothing besides thee my God and redeemer Teach mee the waie of thy commandements O Lord and I will keepe it vnto the end Giue me vnderstanding to keepe thy lawes and to loue thee my Lord and God with all my hart with all my soule and with all my strength and let all thy testimonies be my delight and counsellers Comfort the soule of thy seruant for vnto thee O Lord haue I lifted vp my soule For thou Lord art good and gentle and of great kindnesse to as manie as call vpon thee Behold O God earlie now this morning I doo offer my selfe a morning sacrifice vnto thee a troubled spirit a broken and an humble hart O Lord thou wilt not despise Make me fit that I may likewise dailie offer vp
is the fellowship of the heauenlie citizens and glorious is the solemnitie of all them that returne from the sorrowfull trauell of this our pilgrimage to the pleasantnes of beautie to the beautie of all brightnesse and to the flower of all excellencie where thy citizens behold thee continuallie O Lord. Nothing that may trouble the mind is offered there to the eare What songs what instruments what Carols what melodie what musicke soundeth there without end There sound alwaies most pleasant tunes of Hymnes and Psalmes most sweet melodie of Angels and most woonderfull ditties of songs which are sung to thy glorie by the celestiall inhabitants with heauenlie harmonie No harshnesse no gallie bitternesse nor iangling discords haue anie roome within thy realme For there is neither naughtie person nor naughtinesse There is none aduersarie nor impugner neither is there any inticement of sinne There is no needinesse no shame no bralling no mis-vsage no excusing no feare no vnquietnesse no penaltie no doubtfulnesse no violence no discord or contention But there is perfect peace full of loue continuall reioicing and praising of God carelesse rest without end and euerlasting gladnesse in the holie Ghost O how luckie should I sillie wretch be if I might heare the most pleasant Psalmes Hymnes and Carols of thy citizens and their sugred songs aduancing the praises of the souereigne Trinitie with due honour but ouer happie should I be might I once attaine to sing a song my selfe I saie to sing one of the sweet songs of Zion to our Lord Iesus Christ Another longing after the ioies of heauenlie Zion O Lightsome and glorions house of God I haue loued thy goodlinesse and the place where the glorie of the Lord God who both enioieth and hath created thee doth dwell In mine exile I sigh after thee both night and daie mine hart longeth my mind coueteth and my soule desireth to come vnto the societie of your happinesse My praier vnto him which made me is that he would possesse me in thee bicause he hath made both me and you For I desire your holie fellowship and woonderfull glorie not for anie merit of mine owne but I trust to attaine therevnto through the price of his bloud namelie of Iesus Christ whereby we be redeemed I confesse I haue gone astraie like a lost sheepe and haue too long dwelled out of my natiue soile and am far awaie cast from the face of the Lord my God into this blindnesse of banishment who driuen out of the ioies of paradise I bewaile with my selfe dailie the miserie of my captiuitie and sing a wofull song with great lamentation when I remember thee O mother Ierusalem while my feete doo but stand in thy courts O sacred and comlie Zion and I am not able plainlie to looke into thine inner places Notwithstanding I haue good hope vpon the shoulders of my good shepheard thy Creator to be brought back vnto thee that I may triumph againe with that vnspeakable ioie where withall they be cheered which dwell with thee before God his Maiestie and our Sauiour Christ which hath abrogated through his flesh the hatred and pacified all things both which are in heauen and which are in earth by his bloud For he is our peace which made of both one and ioining the two contrarie wals together hath promised that he will giue the euerlasting felicitie of your happinesse in himselfe after the like maner and measure when he said They shall be like the Angels of God in heauen Another longing or desire of the soule after the supernall Ierusalem O Mother Ierusalem the holie citie of God and the deerly beloued spouse of Christ after thee dooth mine hart couet and my soule exceedingly is in loue with thy beautie Oh how comlie how glorious how honourable art thou Thou art all faire there is no spot in thee Triumph and reioice O beautifull daughters of the Princes For the King hath a pleasure in thy fairenesse and loueth thy goodlie personage O thou fairer than the children of men But what is my beloued O thou fairest among women of the welbeloued My welbeloued is white and ruddie the chiefe of ten thousand Like as the apple trees of the forest so is my welbeloued among the sonnes of men Under his shadowe had I delight Lo now I sit and his fruit is sweet vnto my mouth My welbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the doore and mine hart was affectioned towards him In my bed by night I sought him that my soule loued I sought and I found him I hold and will not let him go vntill he bring me into my mothers house into the chamber of hir that conceiued me For there thou wilt giue mee thy teates most abundantlie and perfectlie and wilt satisfie mine hart with a maruelous satietie so that I shall neither hunger nor thirst anie more Oh happie shall my soule be yea happie and alwaies happie shall I be could I once get to behold thy glorie thine happinesse thy beautie thy gates thy wals thy streets thy manifold mansions thy noble citizens and thy mightie King in his Maiestie For thy wals are of pretious stones thy gates of the richest pearls and thy streets of the pure gold wherein is soong the ioifull Halleluiah without intermission Thy manifold buildings are founded vpon squared stones builded vpon Saphyres inclosed with golden wals whereinto none shall enter but the cleane neither shall anie vncleane person inhabit it Beautifull art thou become O mother Ierusalem and sweete in thy comforts No such thing is in thee as we suffer in this world and as we behold in this wretched life There is neither darknes nor night nor anie change of times in thee There shineth not in thee either the light of the lampe or the brightnesse of the moone or the glittering of the starres but the God of God light of light euen the sunne of righteousnesse euermore doth enlighten thee The white and vnspotted lambe is thy pure and cleare light thy sunne the cleerenesse and euerlasting contemplation of this most glorious king is all thine happinesse He is the King of kings in the middest of thee and you are his ministers about him There be the singing quires of Angels there be the companies of supernall citizens there the solemnitie of all which haue returned from this wofull peregrination vnto thy ioies There be the prudent Prophets the twelue Apostles the victorious host of infinite Martyrs and the sacred conuent of holie Confessors is there There be both vpright men and holie virgins which haue ouercome the pleasures of this world and the weakenesse of sexe There be those yoong men and maidens old men matrons which haue spent their time in godlie conuersation There be the sheepe lambs that haue escaped the snares of this world where they now triumph in their seuerall mansions The glorie of each particular man differeth but common is the ioie of them all There full and perfect charitie doth reigne
for their Maister and Gouernour they shall be destitute neither of the meate nor drinke of thy most wholesome doctrine and Sacraments Whereby it is manifest that if we pine awaie so long as we liue in this miserable and wretched life for the hunger and thirst of true and perfect goodnesse it happeneth for this cause in that wee haue forsaken thee and followed strange guides wherof and of none other come the great perils and miserable troubles of mind which fall vpon vs. Wherefore we humblie beseech thee O most faithfull and louing shepheard to call vs backe from errours into the right and perfect waie Correct the vices of the wandering and straieng flocke with the rod and sheephooke of thy righteousnesse so that we may feed at length orderlie purelie and chastlie of the most wholsome delicates of thy sacred word blessed Sacraments by which meanes the whole head hart and all the powers of our mind may be made fat and well liking and we alwaies so vnderpropped with thy louing mercies as we may finallie enioie in thy house the souereigne delights and deinties of euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Another praier to be said before the Sermons at the Court. ALmightie God and most mercifull Father who hast in thine infinite wisedome hidden honour in shame and life in death that thou mightest make foolish the wisdome of this world and that hee that glorieth should glorie in the Lord giue vs grace that we stumble not as some did at the base estate and small shew that outwardlie appeared in thy sonne but that rather denieng our owne wisedome to seeke for our saluation where thou hast hidden laid it vp for vs that is in the simple ministerie of thy Gospell that it may haue such place amongst vs as it may reforme both Kingdoms and Courts and our priuate houses and persons that we may ioie in the present light of that lampe to our feet and followe it whither it goeth giuing no rest to the dealers of it till they haue satisfied our hungrie soules withall assuring our selues that we shall not want things needfull for this life but shall be nourished by thee haue thine assistance and helpe to deliuer vs from all trouble and finallie the enioieng of thy presence where anie trouble shall not come neere vs anie more but we shall be satisfied and haue perfect ioie in the sight of thee our most louing God and Father in Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be praise and glorie for euermore Amen Another ALmightie God and most mercifull Father who hast annointed thy sonne with thy holie spirit and sent him to preach the Gospell that we who before were in prison and bondage to sinne and to death might by him be set at libertie and haue our wounded harts healed by faith of his sweete doctrine grant vs that we loue not bondage rather than libertie nor death rather than life but that we may so receiue his word as we may attaine to euerlasting freedome and life by it And for as much O Lord as thou declarest that for contempt of thy word thou dooest oftentimes withdrawe the preachers of it euen from those to whom they seemed especiallie to haue beene sent grant vs so to receiue the teachers of thy truth as they may be continued amongst vs to our euerlasting comfort in thee to whom with the sonne and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie for euer Amen Another praier against hardnesse of hart and contempt of the word of God FOr as much as thy sacred doctrine O most mightie God is especiallie taught in the sacred Church wherby both thou thy selfe art manifestlie knowne singularlie preached and highlie magnified and we also thereby still called to heauen and heauenlie things it behooueth vs as manie as professe to be of thy schoole greatlie to reioice to be there and as thy faithfull Disciples with all our harts to desire for to giue diligent eare vnto thee alone and thy most wholsome instructions For thou hast oftener than once as thou diddest vnto the Israelites both by thy sacred Scriptures and also through the ministers of thy blessed word protested vnto vs on this wise Giue eare vnto me O my people acknowledge me trulie to be thy God not in words I saie onelie but in mind verelie and with a perfect and most pure worshipping But we alas haue turned our harts from thy holie words and so wretchedlie despised the doctrine of thy sacred lawe and Gospell that we haue alwaies hitherto beene a slander vnto the same But now are we verie hartilie sorie for it who trusting in the death and bloudshedding of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour doo with great feruencie and most earnest praiers lamentablie call vpō thee for pardon of all our sinfull crimes And seeing we acknowledge thee to be our onlie God we earnestlie desire thy gratious goodnesse to grant vs this request that we may now and from hence-foorth for euer giue eare onelie vnto thy diuine Maiestie and honour thee alone neither make anie thine equall or prefer anie thing before thee Suffer not our sinfull hart which of nature is disposed vnto euill to be hardened at thy fatherlie and friendlie admonitions make the same soft we hartilie praie thee with the inspiration of thy good grace and holie spirit neither suffer vs whom thou of thine infinite goodnesse and not for our merits sake hast chosen to be thy blessed people and sheepe of thy pasture to striue struggle against thy blessed commandements like vnto the stiffe-necked Iewes who wouldest oftentimes put therto the traill of thy mightie power But grant thou O most deere and excellent Father who speakest alwaie peaceable matters and those things which are for our singular commoditie that we which haue heretofore beene maruellous rebellious stubborne burdenous and troublesome vnto thee may now become thy tractable conformed and obedient children and euer hereafter haue so great a regard to thy blessed words that with verie attentiue minds we may giue good eare to those things which thou speakest and willest vs to doo So dooing we shall not onlie be saued adorned with glorie but also euerie thing of ours shall be replenished with goodnesse truth righteousnesse and peace Faith shall abound and through the same shall we be plentiouslie iustified through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen From all sedition and priuie conspiracie from all false doctrine and heresie from hardnesse of hart and contempt of thy word and commandement good Lord deliuer vs. That it may please thee to giue to all thy people increase of grace to heare meekelie thy word and to receiue it with pure affection and to bring foorth the fruits of the spirit we beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to bring into the waie of truth all such as haue erred are deceiued to strengthen such as doo stand and to comfort and helpe the weake-harted and to raise
vp them that fall and finallie to beate downe Satan vnder our feete we beseech thee to heare vs good Lord Amen A verie necessarie praier against hypocrites false teachers and deriders of the Gospell WHosoeuer they be O almighty God that make a true account of sincere goodlinesse and pure religion are exceeding sorowfull if they see the sacred Church scattered wholesome doctrine derided the praises of thy diuine name had in contempt and such things as appertaine to a deuout woorshipping of thee turned vnto heathenish gewgawes and voluptuous pleasures To the intent therfore these things may in no wise happen as now vnto vs which we see not to be far off we powre foorth dailie before thee with great submission these our dolfull complaints That thou wouldest first of thine exceeding great goodnesse and louing mercie blot out all our heinous sinnes and offences being in a maner infinite and exceeding greeuous committed not onelie through weakenesse and ignorance but also done oftentimes both maliciouslie and of set purpose Be fauourable I saie O God vnto our greeuous sinnes and turne awaie from vs in such sort the most fierce wiles and subtil laiengs await of Antichrist as thy sacred Church be not depriued of all blessed ioie and spirituall gladnesse O Lord I beseech thee shew some experiment and proofe of thy selfe declare thy name and thy power amongst those thy spitefull enimies Bring downe Antichrists kingdome with all his vngodlie sects and schismaticall factions Certes ouerlong it hath oppressed vs yea and at this verie daie it still letteth hindereth and holdeth vnder foote verie manie which else speedilie would haue run to the kingdome of libertie and beleeued the Gospell Pull it therfore downe O Lord with all his stumbling blocks euill examples peruerse doctrine and neuer suffer it to recouer againe Lord thou both seest and right well perceiuest how the cruell malicious and vngodlie Antichristians would inuade the Church being so puft vp with pride inflamed with furie scorning as well diuine lawes as humane with like statelinesse and equall contempt dooing nothing with courtesie and faithfulnesse but practising mischiefe and naughtinesse and endeuouring so much as in them lieth that thy blessed word may no where flourish that true religion might be vtterlie extinguished that the perfect inuocating and calling vpon thy glorious name might be quite rooted out and to bring all things to naught by forged tales mens traditions politike deuises diuelish deceipts and verie much outrage But as for thy beloued Israel sith she hath by thy great mercie enioied so long peace and blessed tranquillitie let hir be ioined more and more vnto thee hir welbeloued so as she may continuallie laie sure hold vpon thy worthie praises Suffer not the mouths of hir good and wholesome instructors to be closed vp and put to silence Permit not thy due honour to be had in obliuion nor yet let the hymnes and songs wherwith thou art highlie praised and celebrated be vsurped of such as will haue the same in derision and scorne Finallie we humblie beseech thee O excellent father that what wrath or indignation so euer is due vnto vs by reason of the heinous sinnes we haue wickedlie committed thou wouldest yet for the glorie of thy famous name turne it frō thy sanctified Church thy deere spouse and powre out the same rather vpon them who with an enimielike rage and most malicious affection imagine nothing else but quite to marre and vtterlie laie waste thy blessed heritage and in deede be no lesse aduersaries to thy blessed name than of our peace and quietnesse through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A praier for vnbeleeuers that all men may embrace the Gospell VNto thee doo we crie O Lord father and maker of all men which art rich vnto all that call vpon thee and which commandest the light to shine out of darkenes For thou wilt that all men should be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth And therfore of thy great loue thou diddest call vs to the participation of the lot of the Saints in light which are by nature the children of wrath and of death aliens and strangers from the testaments of promise hauing none hope and without God in the world but now are fellowe Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ beeing the head corner stone which susteineth the whole building by his word of power Heare vs thy seruants making supplication for such as yet haue not hard the sound of thy Gospell neither knowe thy name but sitting in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death haue their minds darkened and are alienated from the life of God by the ignorance that is in them and are caried awaie vnto dumbe idols and fained gods euen as they are led and run to worship that which is no God Giue grace that thy word may be knowne among them and preached in euerie land and the sound there of go out into the ends of the world that thou also maist be found of them which sought thee not and famous among such as neuer asked after thee Send foorth thy word that they may be healed and walke no more in the vanities of their mind O God father of our Lord Iesu Christ King of glorie giue them the spirit of wisedome and reuelation through the confessing of thee inlighten their minds that they may knowe what the hope is wherevnto thou hast called vs and how pretious the glorie is of thine inheritance in the Saints and how excellent the greatnesse of his power is toward vs which beleeue according to the working of his mightie power which thou hast wrought in him when he was raised by thee from the dead and placed at thy right hand in heauenlie places aboue all principalities powers Open the harts of vnbeleeuers that hearing thy word they may acknowledge thee the onlie true God and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent and may worship thee the father in the sonne and the sonne in thee the father with the holie ghost euen as thou hast reuealed thy selfe Take the vaile from the harts of the Iewes least being blinded in the reading of the old Testament they stumble at the stone and rocke of offence by incredulitie and hardnesse of their harts that thy Sonne Christ crucified and preached be not vnto them a stumbling blocke and thy Gospell the sauour of death vnto death but that being conuerted by true faith to the knowledge of thee the father in the sonne their face being vncouered they may behold thy glorie knowing by the writings of the Prophets the Messias which thou hast appointed to be the Sauiour of the world Likewise gather thou the Gentiles to whome the Gospell the word of the Crosse is meere foolishnesse into thy congregation that they may embrace thy ministerie casting off all fleshlie wisedome and leade all their cogitations captiue to the obedience of the Gospell Moreouer our praier and
the end that man alone should wholie be subiect vnto thee And to the end that man should be wholie thine thou hast made man lord of all thy works For thou hast created all outward things for his bodie his bodie for his soule and his soule for thee that he might serue thee onlie and loue thee onlie possessing thee to his comfort and all inferiour things for his seruants For whatsoeuer is conteined vnder the cope of heauen is inferiour vnto mans soule which was made to inherit the souereigne goodnesse aboue and to become happie by possessing it wherevnto if he sticke fast he shall surmount the need of all the inferiour things which are changeable and in euerlasting immortalitie quietlie behold the souereigne maiestie whereof he representeth the image Then shall he enioie those excellent good things in the Lords house in comparison whereof all the things that we see are counted as nothing Those be the things which no eie hath seene nor eare hard nor hart of man conceiued which God hath prepared for them that loue him And trulie Lord these things wilt thou giue vnto my soule with these dooest thou which louest mens soules dailie glad the harts of thy seruants But why woonder I at these things my Lord God Thou inhonourest thine owne image and thine owne likenesse wherevnto they were created For to the end our bodie though it be yet corruptible base might see thou hast giuen vs the light of the skie by the hand of thine vnweariable seruants the Sunne and Moone who according to thy commandement doo continuall seruice daie and night to thy children To the intent it might breath thou hast granted vs the pure aire To the intent it might heare thou hast giuen vs the diuersitie of sounds To the intent it might smell thou hast giuen vs the sweetnesse of sents To the intent it might taste thou hast giuen vs the qualities of sauours To the end it might feele thou hast giuen vs the substances of all bodilie things To helpe vs in our necessities thou hast giuen vs bearing beasts To refresh vs withall thou hast bestowed vpon vs the fowles of the aire and the fishes of the sea and the fruits of the earth For euerie sore maladie and disease of ours thou hast created medicine salue and plaister out of the earth And for euerie seuerall euill thou hast prepared a seuerall remedie to encounter it because thou art mercifull and full of compassion and thou our potter knowest of what mettall we be made and how that all of vs are claie in thy hand O holie Lord God our good maker by these least things we comprehend the great things and by these visible things we comprehend thine inuisible things For if thou send so great and so innumerable benefits vnto me for this base and corruptible bodie of mine from the skie and the aire from the land and the sea from light and darkenesse from heate and shadowe from dew and raine from wind and showers from fowles and fishes from beasts and trees by diuersitie of herbes and things that growe vpon the earth and by the seruice of all thy creatures seruing our turnes by course in their seasons to ease vs of our wearinesse how excellent I praie thee and how great innumerable shall those good things be which thou hast prepared for them that loue thee in that heauenlie Realme where we shall see thee face to face If thou doo so much for vs in prison what wilt thou doo in thy pallace Great and innumerable are thy works O Lord thou King of heauen and earth For sith that all these things be exceeding good pleasant which thou hast deliuered to good men bad men togither in common what maner of things shall those be which thou hast laid vp in store for good men onlie If the gifts be so sundrie and so innumerable which thou dealest now as well to thy foes as thy friends how great innumerable how sweet delightfull shall those be which thou wilt deale onlie to thy friends If thou giue so great solace in this time of mourning how great ioies wilt thou giue in the daie of wedding If our prison conteine so manie delectable things how much more delectable things conteineth our fathers house O God no eie without thee hath seene the things that thou hast prepared for them that loue thee For according to the manifoldnesse of thy mightie works so also is the great aboundance of thy sweetnesse which thou keepest in store for them that loue thee For great art thou O Lord our God yea vnmeasurable art thou and there is no end of thy greatnesse nor number of thy wisedome nor measure of thy mercie neither is there end number or measure of thy bountifulnesse But like as thou thy selfe art great so are thy rewards great for thou thy selfe art both the price and the reward of all thy lawfull combators To thee therefore be all honour glorie and praise for euer Amen A meditation of Gods power beautie and goodnesse BIcause thou Lord wouldest haue vs to loue thee not one lie doost thou will intise allure and prouoke vs but also doost command vs so to doo promising thy selfe vnto such as loue thee and threatening vs with dainnation if we doo otherwise Whereby we may see both our great corruption and naughtinesse and also thine exceeding great mercie toward vs. First concerning our corruption and naughtinesse what a thing is it that power riches authoritie beutie goodnesse liberalitie truth iustice which all thou art good Lord can not mooue vs to loue thee Whatsoeuer things we see faire good wise mightie are but euen sparks of thy power beautie goodnesse wisdome which thou art For to the end thou mightest declare thy riches beautie power wisdome goodnes c. Thou hast not onelie made but still dooest conserue all creatures to be as Dauid saith of the heauens declarers and setters foorth of thy glorie and as a booke to teach vs to knowe thee How faire thou art the beautie of the sunne moone stars light flowers riuers feelds hils biros beasts men and all creatures yea the goodlie scape forme of the whole world dooth declare How mightie thou art we are taught by the creation of the world euen of naught by gouerning the same by punishing the wicked mightie Giants thereof by ouerthrowing their deuises by repressing the rages of the sea and keeping it within hir bounds by stormes by tempests by fires These and such like declare vnto vs thine inuisible almightie and terrible power whereby thou subduest all things vnto thee How rich thou art this world thy great and infinite treasure-house dooth well declare What plentie is there not onelie of things but also of euerie kind of things Yea how doost thou yeerelie and dailie multiplie these kinds How manie seeds doost thou make of one seed Yea what a great increase doost thou bring it vnto These can not but put vs in remembrance of the
praier to Christ crucified wherein we deuoutlie call to mind what great things he hath done for vs and what benefits we reape by the remembrance of his holie wounds EXceeding greatlie haue I sinned against thy Maiestie O Lord and mine owne conscience findeth mee guiltie of manie offences and yet doo I not despaire neither will I in anie thing at all be doubtfull because that whereas sinne hath abounded there hath thy grace O God ouer-abounded He that despaireth of the forgiuenes of his sinnes denieth thee O God to be mercifull Yea great wrong doth he to thee O God which distrusteth in thy mercie For as much as in him lieth he denieth thee to be louing true and mightie which are the things wherein my whole hope consisteth that is to weet in the loue of thy adoption in the truth of thy promise and in the power of thy redeeming Now let my vnwise imagination murmur as much as it listeth and saie Who art thou how great is thy glorie and by what deserts hopest thou to obtaine it and I will answer boldlie I knowe whome I haue credited and that thou of thine exceeding great loue hast adopted me to be thy child that thou art southfast of promise that thou art mightie of perseuerance and that thou maist doo what thee listeth I can not bee feared with the multitude of my sinnes if I bethinke me of the death of thee my Lord because my sinnes are not able to ouercome thee Thy nailes and thy speare crie vnto me that I am throughlie reconciled to thee O Christ if I loue thee Longius hath opened me thy side deere Iesu with his speare and I am gone into it and there doo I rest in safetie He that is afraid let him loue for loue driueth feare out of the dores There is no remedie so mightie and effectuall against the heate of leacherie as is the death of thee my redeemer Thou stretchest out thine armes vpon the crosse and thou holdest out thy hand in a readines to imbrace vs sinners Betweene the armes of thee my sauiour mind I to liue and die there shall I sing safelie there will I glorifie and exalt thee O Lord because thou hast taken me vp and hast not giuen mine enimies their pleasure ouer me Thou O our Sauiour hast bowed downe thy head at thy death to receiue the kisses of thy beloued and so often doo we kisse thee O Lord as we be throughlie touched with the loue of thee who for loue to mankind being God camest to man camest into man and becamest man who for loue being an inuisible God becainest like thy seruants and who for verie loue wast wounded for our sinnes and in those wounds of thine O my Sauiour is the safe and quiet rest of vs weakelings and sinners there doo I dwell at ease and by thy wounds haue I a waie in vnto the bowels of thy mercie Whatsoeuer is wanting of my selfe that doo I borowe out of the bowels of thee my Lord for in them is aboundance of mercie and there want no holes for it to flowe out at By the holes of thy blessed bodie are opened vnto me the secrets of thy hart a great pledge of thy kindlie loue euen the bowels of the mercie of thee our God whereby the daie spring hath visited vs from aloft Thy wounds O sweet Iesu Christ are full of mercie full of pitie full of sweetnesse and full of loue They bored thy hands and thy feet and pierced thy side with a speare By these holes may I taste how sweet and mild thou art in deed and how mercifull thou art to all that call vpon thee in truth to all that seeke thee and cheeflie to all that loue thee Plentious redemption is giuen vnto vs in thy wounds O sweet Sauiour Iesu Christ Great aboundance of sweetnes great plentie of grace and great perfection of vertues is giuen vs in thy pretious wounds O sweet Sauiour Iesu Christ O most bountifull Iesu grant therefore I humblie beseech thee that whensoeuer anie fowle thought assaulteth me I may forthwith runne to thy wounds O Christ When my flesh presseth me downe I may rise vp again by remembring thy wounds O Lord. When the diuell laieth wait for me I may flee to the bowels of thy mercie O Iesu so shall he quicklie depart from me Or if at anie time the heate of lecherie prouoke my members let it be quenched I praie thee by calling to mind thy wounds O Sonne of God Finallie in all mine aduersities let me find no remedie so effectuall as thy wounds O Christ In them I saie let me sleepe without care and rest without feare Thou O Christ hast died for vs and now is there nothing so bitter to the death which is not swallowed vp by thy death O sweet Iesu All my whole hope therfore is and shall be in thy death O Lord my God Thy death is my desart and my refuge my welfare life and resurrection and thy mercifulnesse O Lord is my merit I am not poore of merit so long as thou the Lord of all compassions failest not As long as thou art manifold in mercie so long am I also manifold of deserts The mightier thou art to saue the more am I without care Wherefore O most excellent goodnes withdrawe not thy mercie O most mightie maker despise not thy worke O most prudent redeemer suffer not to perish the price of thy redemption O most gentle ghostlie and heauenlie hoast and ghest purifie saue dresse and keepe thy house and dwelling place the which thou dedicatedst and sanctifiedst to thee in the sacrament of Baptisme O most blessed most charitable and sweet Iesu O most bounteous excellent and glorious Iesu O most innocent mercifull meeke louing and deere Iesu haue mercie vpon me haue mercie vpon me and forgiue me all my sinnes When shall I loue thee When shall I be sorie for my sinnes When shall I loath and forsake my sinnes When shall I detest and abhore my sinfull life and turne vnto thee by grace When shall I remember thy benefits thy meekenes thy pouertie and bitter passion thy patience thy obedience thy loue and thy charitie When shall I sanctifie worship magnifie and loue hartilie thee in heauen and thy Saints on earth and celebrate thy feasts accordinglie that is to saie thy incarnation passion resurrection ascension and such other with due reuerence Christian deuotion If thou be the most dredfull maister where is my dread Lord Iesu If thou be the most loued Father where is my loue If thou bee my Lord and my Redeemer where is my seruice If thou be mine hoast and dwell in my soule by thy grace and mercie where is my chastitie puritie and cleannesse meet and according to such an hoast If thou be the life of Saints the fairenesse and beautie of Angels where is my thanking Now therfore good Lord Jesu Christ wound my hart with thy most holie wounds moist my mind with thy most pretious bloud that
from the Father of lights and from his Sonne our Lord Iesu Christ with whom thou reignest and art glorified most singularlie being of one substance coequall and coeternall with them in the essence of one and the same Trinitie I knowe thee Father Sonne and holie Ghost to be one a liuing and a verie God three I confesse in persons yet but one in essence whom I acknowledge worship and glorifie with mine whole hart being the true God the onlie God holie immortall inuisible vnchangable whom no man can either attaine vnto or find out This God I acknowledge to be one light one sunne one bread one life one happinesse one beginning one end one Creator both of heauen and earth by whom all things doo liue by whom all things subsist by whom all things are gouerned ruled and quickened both the things in heauen and the things in earth things vnder the earth besides whom there is no God neither in heauen nor in earth Thus knowe I thee O blessed Trinitie my Lord God who knowest me Thus knowe I thee through the faith which thou hast inspired to me I knowe thee O my light the sight of mine eies O Lord my GOD the hope of all the ends of the earth the ioie reioicing my youth and the good susteining mine age For in thee O Lord all my bones reioice saieng O Lord who is like to thee Among the gods who is like to thee Not that whom the hands of men haue made but thou who hast made the hands of men The idols of the nations are siluer and gold euen the works of mens hands so is not he which made man All the gods of the people are idols but the Lord made the heauens Let those gods which made not the heauens and the earth perish from the earth and from vnder these heauens but let both heauen and earth praise him which created both earth and heauen Amen A zealous praier vnto the blessed Trinitie WHerefore O Lord my faith which thou hast giuen me to my saluation calleth vnto thee For the faithfull soule liueth by faith he enioieth in hope which one daie he shall behold in thee O my God vnto thee crieth my pure conscience and the sweet loue of my faith which the darkenes of ignorance being driuen away thou hast brought vnto the knowledge of the truth which also thou hast plucked from the foolish bitternes of this world and made comfortable and pleasant to me through thy sweet loue Unto thee O blessed Trinitie doth the cleere voice and sincere loue of my faith call the which nourishing the same from the cradle thou hast inlightned alwaie by the light of thy grace confirmed mightilie in me through the instructions of our mother the Church Unto thee doo I call O happie blessed glorious and single Trinitie Father Sonne and holie Ghost God Lord and Comforter loue grace and communion the begetter the begotten the renewer the verie light of the verie light the verie illumination the spring the floud and the watering of one all through one all in one all things of whome through whome and in whome are all things The liuing life the life from the liuing the quickener of such as liue One of himselfe one of one one of two A being of himselfe a being of another a being from both The Father is true the Sonne truth and the holie Ghost truth so that the Father the Word the Comforter are one essence one power one goodnes and one blessednes of whom through whome and in whome all things be blessed whatsoeuer things are blessed I beseech thee therefore that as thou hast giuen me grace by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glorie of the eternall Trinitie and in the power of the diuine maiestie to worship the vnitie so grant that through the stedfastnesse of this faith I may euermore be preserued comforted defended in all my troubles aduersities which liuest and reignest three persons and one God blessed for euer Amen Another deuout praier to the holie Trinitie WIth all my hart and mouth doo I confesse praise blesse thee O God the Father vnbegotten and thee O God the Sonne onlie begotten also thee O holie Ghost Comforter to thee be glorie in the world of worlds Amen O blessed Trinitie thou three coequall and coeternall persons and one verie God the Father Sonne and holie Ghost who dwellest alone in euerlastingnes and in vnapprochable light which hast founded the earth by thy mightie power and rulest the whole world by thy wisedome Holie holie holie Lord God of hoasts dreadfull strong righteous mercifull maruellous praise-woorthie to be beloued one God three persons one being power wisedome goodnes and one vnspeakable Trinitie I crie vnto thee Open me the gates of righteousnes and when I am come in I will praise thee O Lord. Behold I poore begger knocke at thy doore O souereigne housholder command the gates to be opened at my knocking according as thou hast said Knocke yee and it shall be opened For trulie O most mercifull Father the desires of my groning hart and the cries of my weeping eies doo knocke at thy doore All my desire is before thee and my groning is not hid from thee Lord turne not thy face anie more awaie from me neither fling thou awaie from thy seruant in a fume O Father of mercies heare the howling out of thy Ward and reach hir thy singular good helping hand that it may drawe me out of the deepe waters and out of the lake of miserie and out of the mire of filthines that I perish not thy pitifull eies seeing it and the bowels of thy mercie beholding it but that I may wade out vnto thee my Lord God so as I may see the riches of thy kingdome and alwaies behold thy face and sing praises to thy holie name O Lord which workest woonders which cheerest my hart with remembring thee and which inlightenest my youth despise not mine old age but make my bones to reioice and my hoarie heares to waxe fresh againe as the Eagle A Thanks-giuing WE lift vp our harts vnto thee O Lord for it is verie meet right and our bounden duties that we should at all times and in all places giue thanks to thee O God almightie and euerlasting God which art one God one Lord not one onelie person but three persons in one substance For that which we beleeue of the glorie of the Father the same we beleeue of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost without anie difference or inequalitie Therefore with Angels and Archangels and with all the companie of heauen we laud and magnifie thy glorious name euermore praising thee and saieng Holie holie holie Lord God of hoasts heauen and earth are full of thy glorie Glorie be to thee O Lord most high and in earth peace good will towards men We praise thee we blesse thee we woorship thee we glorifie thee we giue thanks to thee for thy great glorie O
which shall come before the finall destruction of this world and thanke thee for thy goodnesse in foretelling vs of them We lift vp our heads vnto thee which art aloft on the right hand of the eternall Father and in faith and praier looke for that ioifull daie when thou wilt appeare most gloriouslie in the clouds for the deliuerance of thy people out of these calamities Gouerne vs by thy word and spirit O most mightie protector that wee may bee watchfull and shun the cares of this transitorie world which withdrawe the mind from the exercise of godlinesse and choke all vertuous motions raised by thine holie spirit and flie from wantonnesse bellie-cheere and vnlawfull pleasures which both cause thy spirit to forsake our minds and make our bodies the receptacles of vnpure spirits whereby we are caried being secure vnto abhominable wickednes and from thence vnto euerlasting destruction Finallie purge thou our harts by thy spirit and let thy knowledge appeare in vs which may both expell our grosse darknesse and inflame in vs godlie motions that all the daies of our life we may continue in the true and sincere confession of thy name And for so much as thou hast promised to defend vs and to mitigate our paines grant that wee may both escape euils to come and stand ioifullie before thee at thy returne Amen Another ALmightie God and most mercifull heauenlie Father as in the destruction of Ierusalem thou hast left a fearefull example of thy horible iudgements against the contempt of the Gospell and the wickednesse of men threatenest such plagues to come for like wickednesse vpon the world as shall cause men to die for feare of them before they come grant vs so to read thy truth and to be obedient vnto it that when the signes of these things shall come which shall astonish the wicked wee may hold vp our heads with comfort waiting for our redemption so neere at hand watch with continuall praier that we may escape all these things which shall come vpon the world in that daie and that wee may stand before thy Sonne when he shall come to iudgement and be receiued of him to euerlasting glorie to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour glorie and praise for euer and euer Amen A godlie meditation of the comming of Christ to iudgement and of the reward both of the faithfull and vnfaithfull O Lord Iesu Christ the Sonne of the euerliuing God by whom althings were made are ruled and gouerned as of thy loue for our redemption thou diddest not disdaine to bee our mediator and to take vpon thee our nature in the wombe of a virgin purelie and without sinne by the operation of the holie Ghost that both thou mightest in thine owne person woonderfullie beautifie and exalt our nature and worke the same in vs also first abolishing the guiltinesse of sinne by remission then sinne it selfe by death and last of all death by raising againe these our bodies that they may be like vnto thine owne glorious and immortall bodie according to the power wherewith thou art able to subiect all things vnto thee As I saie of thy loue for our redemption thou becamest man and that most poore and afflicted vpon earth by the space of three thirtie yeeres at the least in most humilitie and paiedst the price of our ransome by thy most bitter death and passion for the which I most hartilie giue thanks to thee so of the same thy loue towards vs in thy good time thou wilt come againe in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie with flaming fire with thousands of Saints with Angels of thy power with a mightie crie showt of an Archangell and blast of a trumpet suddenlie as a lightening which shineth from the east c. When we thinke least euen as a theefe in the night when men be a sleepe thou wilt so come I saie thus suddenlie in the twinkeling of an eie all men that euer haue beene be and shall be with women and children appearing before thy Tribunall iudgment seate to render an account of all things which they haue thought spoken and done against thy lawe openlie and before all Angels Saints and diuels and so to receiue the iust reward of thy vengeance if they haue not repented and obeied thy Gospell and so depart from thee to the diuell and his angels and all the wicked which euer haue beene be or shall be into hell fire which is vnquenchable and of paines intollerable endlesse hopelesse euen from the face of thy glorious Maiestie and mightie power But if they haue repented and beleeued thy Gospell if they be found watching like wise virgins with their lamps and oile in their hands if they be found readie apparelled with the wedding garment of innocencie if they haue not hardened their harts and hourded vp the treasure of thy vengeauce in the daie of wrath to be reuealed but haue vsed the time of grace the acceptable time the time of saluation that is the time of this life in the which thou stretchest out thy hand and spreadest thine armes calling and crieng vnto vs to come vnto thee which art meeke in hart and lowlie For thou wilt ease all that labour and are heauie laden If they haue visited the sicke and prisoners comforted the comfortlesse fed the hungrie cloathed the naked lodged the harbourlesse if they haue not loden their harts with gluttonie and surfetting and carefulnesse of this life if they haue not digged and hid their talent in the ground dooing no good therewith but haue been faithfull to occupie thy gifts to thy glorie and haue washed their garments in thy bloud by hartie repentance then shall the Angels gather them togither not as the wicked which shall be collected as fagots and cast into the fire but as the good wheate that is gathered into thy barne Then shall they be caught vp to meete thee in the clouds then shall their corruptible bodie put on incorruption then shall they be indued with immortalitie and glorie then shall they be with thee and go whither thou goest then shall they heare these ioifull words Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning c. Then shall they be set on seates of Maiestie iudging the whole world then shall they reigne with thee for euer then shall God be all in all with them and to them then shall they enter and inherit heauenlie Ierusalem and the glorious restfull land of Chanaan where it is alwaies daie and neuer night where is no maner of weeping teares infirmitie hunger cold sickenesse enuie malice nor sinne but alwaies ioie without sorowe mirth without measure pleasure without paine heauenlie harmonie most pleasant melodie saieng and singing Holie holie holie Lord GOD of hosts c. Finallie the eie hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entered into the hart of man that they shall then inherit and most surelie
and to doo awaie mine offences For I knowe O Lord that all grace and goodnesse commeth of thee and therefore art thou praised loued and feared in the congregation among the Saincts For thou art onlie he that giuest victorie O Lord of hosts and that as thou saiest by thy Prophet neither through an host of men nor through strength but through thy spirit Therefore I beseech thee giue me not onlie strength and knowledge of thee but also a readie earnest purpose and will to subdue mine imperfections and grace at all times to liue as thou in thy holie word hast prescribed vnto me Moreouer I beseech thee make me perfect in thy sight that I may render continuall thanks by Iesus Christ to thee And where I haue not hitherto indeuored my selfe according to that power which thou hast giuen me to liue after thy will I praie thee forgiue me for Iesus sake And now I protest before thee through the helpe of the spirit to order my life from hence foorth according to thy word and to walke perfectlie before thee neuerthelesse I beseech thee for Christes sake at all times to beare the imperfections that shall or may at anie time be found in me and deliuer me by thy power and mercie Increase my faith O my sauiour increase my faith O my iustifier increase my faith O my redeemer increase faith hope and charitie and all other vertues in me consonant and agreeable to a godlie life For I come vnto thee the well and euerlasting fountaine of all health and saluation O my heauenlie Father let me and all other men and women liue in thy sight which seeke thy word to the intent to forsake sinne and all vngodlie liuing and to walke in a godlie conuersation innocentlie before thee And I thanke thee O Lord with all my hart and mind that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercie and goodnesse to create and forme me of the mould of the earth and giuen me all my members requisite and needfull to the bodie and that it hath pleased thee to preserue all that which thou hast created in me sith the time of the creation vntill now and that it hath pleased thee to defend me this daie or night and all the daies and time of my life hitherto from all hurt and perils and deliuered me from the hour of temptation and tribulation as well when I was asleepe and forgetfull as when I remembred and called vpon thee And that it hath pleased thee to minister to my necessitie meate drinke and cloathing inward reioicing quietnesse of mind health of bodie and such like and that it hath pleased thee to giue me this man and my brother in profession T. B. to be my husband vaile remedie consolation and comfort in my necessities Grant me grace in him O Lord trulie to honor loue serue and obeie thee for I knowe whatsoeuer I doo to him be it good or euill it shall be rewarded of thee Lighten vs dailie with thy grace that we may gouerne our selues the houshold and children which thou hast giuen vs in the true faith feare and knowledge of thee so that it may be an acceptable sacrifice vnto thee by Iesus Christ our Lord. And seeing it hath pleased thee O Father to lighten the inward eies of my mind with thy grace and to call me from the great blindnesse of ignorance and sinne wherein all men are borne to the knowledge of thee let it now more as S. Paule saith please thee to preserue me and all other whome thou hast called which are dailie oppressed by sinne which desire to turne and to come vnto thee of what tongue or nation soeuer they be through the whole world And seeing it hath pleased thee to call me by grace to the knowledge of thy word giuen me a will to seeke it to loue and beleeue it let it be thy will to direct my waies that I erre not Oh staie my feet with thy holie hand and preserue me with thine arme for I am else farre too weake without thee I can doo nothing Oh let me liue in thy sight O Lord and put me not from thee but giue me a new hart and a new spirit yea a pure mind and a cleane conscience make thou in me then shall I be perfect before thee Then shall I call vpon thee in time of my trouble and offer acceptable sacrifice vnto thee by Iesus Christ euen the fruit of these lips which confesse thy name and patientlie receiue the cup of health at thy hand and call vpon thy name in time of aduersitie Oh heare my praier I beseech thee let my power and pleasure alwaie be in the tree of life and in the fruit thereof which standeth in the midst of the Paradise of God O accept this voluntarie sacrifice at my hand as the sweet smell of incense and let the lifting vp of my hart with my hands be an euening sacrifice pleasant and acceptable vnto thee through Iesus Christ our Lord to whome be euerlasting praise honor and glorie now and euer Amen Another Christian praier for grace and remission to be dailie vsed O Most mightie God mercifull and louing Father I wretched sinner come vnto thee in the name of thy deerelie beloued sonne Iesus Christ my onlie sauiour and redeemer and most humblie beseech thee for his sake to be mercifull vnto me and to cast all my sinnes out of thy sight and remembrance through the merits of his bloudie death and passion Powre vpon me O Lord thy holie spirit of wisedome and grace Gouerne and leade me by thy holie word that it may be a lampe vnto my feet a light vnto my steps Shew thy mercie vpon me so lighten the naturall blindnesse and darknesse of my hart through thy grace that I may dailie be renewed by the same spirit grace by the which O Lord purge the grosenesse of my hearing vnderstanding that I may profitablie reade heare vnderstand thy word heauenlie will beleeue and practise the same in my life conuersation euermore hold fast y t blessed hope of euerlasting life Mortifie and kill all vice in me that my life may expresse my faith in thee Mercifullie heare the humble suite of thy seruant and grant me thy peace all my daies Gratiouslie pardon mine infirmities and defend me in all dangers of bodie goods and name but most chieflie my soule against all assaults temptations accusations subtill baites and sleights of that old enimie of mankind Sathan that roring Lion euer seeking whome he may deuoure And heere O Lord I prostrate with most humble mind craue of thy diuine Maiestie to be mercifull vnto the vniuersall Church of thy Sonne Christ And especiallie according to my bounden dutie I beseech thee for his sake to blesse saue defend the principall member thereof thy seruant our most deere and souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth increase in hir roiall heart true faith godlie zeale and loue of the same and grant her
most comfortable nor preaching by monsters most ouglie nor preaching by fire most strange nor preaching by earthquakes most terrible neither yet by plagues and pestilence most horrible will stirre vp our stonie harts and awake vs from our sinnes We feare oh Lord that the Turks with all the rest of the vnbeleeuing will condemne vs in the last daie which if they had beene so long instructed by the comfortable preaching of thy word and sweete promises of thy Gospell or thy woonders both in heauen and earth which we haue seene no doubt their righteousnes would haue shined at this day to our great shame and confusion Thou hast no lesse warned vs oh Lord of thy fearefull displeasure heauie plagues at hand for our great wickednesse than thou didst the Israelits of the horrible destruction which came vpon them whom thou first in mercie didst call to repentance by the preaching of thy word but when no warning would serue thou didst send them monstrous and fearfull signes and tokens to declare that thy visitation was not farre off But they like vnto vs at this daie did alwaies interpret these things after the imagination of their vaine harts promising to themselues peace when destruction was ouer their heads Which things when we doo call to mind for as much as they are written for our learning example warning it maketh vs to tremble and quake for feare of thy iust iudgments For if thou hast thus dealt with thine owne deere and chosen children in token of thy great wrath against sinne what shall we looke for who doo no lesse deserue thy fearfull scourge and of mercie it is that thou dooest thus long forbeare vs but liue as though there were no God at all to be reuenged vpon our sinnes It maketh vs to feare and crie unwardlie in our soules Come Lord Iesu holie and true in all thy dooings and shorten our daies bring this our pilgrimage to an end suffer vs not to heape sinne vpon sinne vnto the daie of vengeance least we be caught vp amongst the number of the wicked and reprobate which shall neuer see thy louing countenance It maketh vs to crie to thee O Lord let thy kingdome come and end this our sinfull life wherein we doo nothing but prouoke thee to wrath Correct vs not O Lord in thine indignation neither chasten vs in thine heauie displeasure And though to vs belongeth nothing but shame and confusion though our offences haue deserued to be visited with the rod and our sinnes with scourges yet in mercie Lord and with fatherlie correction chasten vs and thy louing kindnesse take not awaie from vs. To thee we flie for succour vnder the wings of thy mercie shall be our refuge vntill thou turne thy wrathfull countenance from vs. We knowe that thy mercie is aboue all thy works and euen as great as thy selfe therefore will we saie with holie Iob Though thou kill vs yet we put our trust in thee Thou camest to comfort and plucke out of the dungeon of hell such wretches as we are Thou art the good Samaritane that camest to heale our deadlie wounds Thou art that good Physician that camest to cure our mortall infirmities Thou art the good shepheard that camest to seeke vs wandering lost sheepe and to bring vs to thy fold againe And more than that thou art our brother flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones which hast tasted of our infirmities felt our temptations borne the burden of our sinnes Therefore at thy hands we looke for mercie against the daie of vengeance And though thou punish vs yet our hope is and euer shall be that thy rod shall no further touch vs than shall make to thy glorie our commoditie and the strengthening and increase of our faith Let this thy preaching sundrie waies O Lord be sufficient for our warning and grant that we may speedilie and from the bottome of our harts repent endeuour to doo thy righteous and blessed will reuealed in thy word and frame our liues according to the same that we may here liue in thy feare all the daies of our life and after this our sinfull course is ended may dwell with thee in thy blessed kingdome through the death and merits of Iesus Christ our onelie redeemer Amen A Psalme of thankes-giuing for deliuerance from the plague or anie other kind of sicknesse trouble or affliction LOrd thou art become gratious vnto thy land thou hast turned awaie the afflictions of thy seruants Thou hast taken awaie all thy displeasure turned thy selfe from thy wrathfull indignation For if thou Lord hadst not helped vs it had not failed but our soules had beene put to silence But when we said Our feete haue slipped thy mercie O Lord helped vs vp In the multitude of the sorowes that we had in our harts thy comforts haue refreshed our soules Our soules waited still vpon the Lord our soules hanged vpon his helpe our hope was alwaies in him In the Lords word did we reioice in Gods word did we comfort our selues For the Lord said Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt praise me So when we were poore needie sicklie and in heauinesse the Lord cared for vs he was our helpe and our sauiour according to his word In our aduersitie and distresse he hath lifted vp our heads and saued vs from vtter destruction He hath deliuered our soules from death he hath fed vs in the time of dearth he hath saued vs from the noisome pestilence Therefore will we offer in his holie temple the oblation of thankes-giuing with great gladnesse wee will sing and speake praises vnto the Lord our Sauiour We will giue thanks vnto the Lord for he is gratious and his mercie endureth for euer The Lord is full of compassion and mercie long suffering plentious in goodnesse and pitie His mercie is greater than the heauens and his gratious goodnesse reacheth vnto the clouds Like as a father pitieth his owne children euen so is the Lord mercifull vnto them that feare him Therefore will we praise thee and thy mercies O God vnto thee will we sing O thou holie one of Israel We will sing a new song vnto thee O God we will praise the Lord with Psalmes of thankes giuing O sing praises sing praises vnto our God O sing praises sing praises vnto our King For God is the King of the earth sing praises with vnderstanding We will magnifie thee O God our King we will praise thy name for euer and euer Euerie daie will we giue thanks vnto thee and praise thy name for euer and euer Our mouth shall speake the praises of the Lord and let all flesh giue thanks to his holie name for euer and euer Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer and blessed be the name of his Maiestie world without end Amen Glorie be to the Father c. As it was in the c. In the time of anie particular or
generall earthquake praie OH eternall mightie and most louing Father which hast no desire of the death of a sinner but that he conuert and liue and vnto whom nothing is so pleasant as the repentant contrite and sorowfull hart of a penitent person For thou art that kind father that fallest most louinglie vpon the necke of the lost sonne kissest imbracest and feastest him when he returneth from the puddle of pleasures and swill of the swine and disdainest not the repentant praier of thy poore and sinfull seruants whensoeuer with true faith they returne and call vpon thee as we haue most comfortable examples in Dauid Manasses Magdalen Peter and the theefe vpon the gibbet We most hartilie and humblie beseech thy fatherlie goodnesse to looke downe from the throne of thy mercie-seate vpon vs most miserable and sinfull slaues of Satan which with fearfull and trembling harts doo quake and shake at the strange and terrible tokens of thy wrath and indignation appearing most euidentlie vnto vs by the shaking moouing of the earth which is thy footestoole whereby if we be not vtterlie destitute of grace we be warned that thy cōming-downe amongst vs to visit our sinnes in most terrible maner can not be farre off seeing thou treadest so hard vpon this thy footestoole the earth which we most shamefullie haue polluted and defiled with our most wicked sinfull and rebellious liues notwithstanding thy continuall crieng and calling vpon vs by thy seruants the prophets and preachers by whome we haue learned thy will but haue not followed it We haue heard much and done little yea nothing at all but like most peruerse and vnthankfull children haue made a mocke of thy word derided thy ministers and accounted thy threatenings trifles and thy warnings of no weight or moment Wherefore we haue iustlie deserued to taste most deeplie of the bitter cup of thine anger and bengeance by wars famine pestilence yea and eternall death if thou shouldest not temper the rigour of thy iustice with the mildnesse of thy mercie But such is thy fatherlie affection towards vs that thou shewest thy selfe slowe to anger long suffering and of much patience and mercie yea thou art a thousand times more readie to forget and forgiue than we to aske and require forgiuenesse Therefore though we be not woorthie of the least mite of thy mercie yet gratious Lord looke not vpon vs and our sinnes but vpon thine owne selfe and thy sonne Iesus Christ the fountaine of grace the treasure of mercie the salue of all sicknesse the iewell of ioie and the onlie hauen of succour and safetie By him we come to thee in him and for him we trust to find that we haue lost and gaine that he hath got He is the scale of Iacob by whom we climbe vp to thee and thou by the Angels of thy mercie cōmest downe to vs. Him we present vnto thee and not we our selues his death and not our dooings his bloudie wounds and not our detestable deseruings whose merits are so great as thy mercie cannot be little and our ransom so rich that our beggerlie and beastlie sinnes are nothing in thy sight for the great pleasure and satisfaction that thou takest of his paines and passion Turne this late earthquake O Lord to the benefite of thine elect as thou didst when thou shookest the prison loosedst the locks fetters and chaines of thy seruants Paule and Silas and broughtst them out of prison and conuertedst their keeper so gratious Lord strike the harts of tyrants with the terrour of this thy woorke that they may knowe that they are but men and that thou art that Samson that for their mocking and spiting of thee and thy word canst shake the pillers of their palaces and throwe them vpon the furious Philistines heads Turne thy wrath oh Lord from thy children that call vpon thy name to the conuersion or confusion of thine enimies that despise and abhorre thy name and deface thy glory Thou hast knocked long at their doores but they will not open to let thee in Burst open therefore the brasen gates of their stonie harts thou that art able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham And finallie so touch our harts with the finger of thy grace that we maie deeply muse vpon our sinfull liues to amend them and call for thy mercie to forgiue and pardon them through Christ our Lord who liueth with thee and the holie Ghost three persons and one eternall God to whome be all dominion and glorie with praise and thanks-giuing for euer and euer Amen Or else praie thus O Almightie God and most mercifull Father which willest not the death of a sinner but rather that hee should returne and liue we thy seruants most humblie confesse that we haue most greeuouslie offended against thy diuine Maiestie and prouoked thy heauie wrath against vs in that we haue not beleeued and folowed thy Gospell preached vnto vs nor beene thankfull for thy manie verie great benefits bestowed vpon vs yea and being warned by the dangers of other haue beene too carelesse to serue thee oh Lord the Father of all mercie and the God of all consolation which in thy wrath remembrest mercie We acknowledge that in the late terrible earthquake which suddenly shooke vs out of our houses and dwelling places thou didst warne vs of thy iustice and that we for our great vnthankfulnesse and disobedience haue deserued most iust iudgement O Lord we thy seruants being vile earth and miserable sinners yet trembling and quaking at the remembrance of that terrible looke of thy wrathfull displeasure neuer to be forgotten most humblie craue pardon for our sinnes and grace to conuert vnto thee in time Conuert vs O Lord and we shall be conuerted Mollifie our hard harts grant vs a contrite spirit and to turne vnto thee vnfeinedlie in fasting weeping praier Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants spare thy people O Lord spare them and let not thine heritage be brought to confusion Haue mercie vpon vs for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake Giue vs grace hencefoorth to amend our liues and to serue thee in holines and righteousnesse So we acknowledging thy iustice and remembring alwaies that fearefull signe of thy furie in the memorable earthquake which thou sentest y e sixt of Aprill in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred fourescore we shall praise thee for thy mercie and glorifie thy holie name for euer through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Amen At the sight of a blasing starre or other meteors or prodigious signes of Gods iudgment in the heauens praie to preuent the euils foreshewed thereby and saie O Almightie Lord and God whose workemanship is the whole world the heauen and the earth with all the beautie and blessings of the same at the presence of whose power all things doo quake and tremble whose indignation when it threatneth vengeance vnto sinners is vnsufferable and whose promises of mercie are vnmeasurable bicause thou art euen the most high Lord ouer
Iesus Christ our Lord and onelie Sauiour to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be giuen all honour glorie praise and thankes-giuing not onelie of me miserable sinner and vnwoorthie wretch but also of all men Angels and creatures both in heauen and in earth from this time foorth for euermore Amen Luke 15 verses 6 7. Reioice with me saith Christ For I haue found my sheepe which was lost yea I saie vnto you there is ioie in heauen in the presence of the Angels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth more than ouer ninetie and nine iust persons which neede no repentance A praier to be vsed for the conuersion of anie notorious sinner that doth open penance in the Church PItifull God omnipotent Lord and mercifull Father who for that good will thou bearest vnto vs in Iesus Christ thy deere sonne wilt not the death and destruction of a sinner but rather that he by the inspiration and moouing of thy holie spirit conuert and liue who also doost witnesse the vertue and strength of thy word to be such that it causeth the mountaines to shake the rocks tremble and the flouds to drie vp behold we thy children and people here prostrate before thee most humblie beseech thee for Iesus Christs sake pitifullie to looke vpon all sinners and especiallie vpon this our sister here present who once was baptised in thy name and hath professed hir selfe subiect to this religion and vnto the discipline of thy Church though Satan alas now for a while hath so blinded hir that wilfullie shee hath contemned both the one and the other But O Lord as thou alone knowest so maist thou alone change and mollifie the harts of the impenitent sinners thou I saie which by the voice of the prophet Nathan awakedst Dauid from his deadlie securitie and who without anie prophet didst beate downe the pride of Manasses in the prison after that he had filled Ierusalem with all kind of impietie thou which turnedst the hart of Peter at the onelie looke of thy deere sonne our Lord Iesus Christ after that fearfullie with horrible imprecations hee had thrise denied and openlie forsworne thee thou which openedst the eies of the blind excommunicate man and causedst him to beleeue thy saiengs which forgauest the woman taken in adulterie sentst hir awaie vncondemned of thee hir accusers thou I saie O Lord whose mercies without measure endure for euer To thee doo we praie for this our sister heere presentlie punished and dooing open penance for hir offences earnestlie desiring thee O father of mercies first so to pierce and moue hir heart with the feare of thy seuere iudgements which sufferest no child of thine to go vncorrected in this world to the end they may escape vnpunished in the world to come and so to open hir eies that she may begin to see and vnderstand how fearefull and terrible a thing it is to fall into thy hands and to prouoke thy wrath and indignation against hir Let it please thy Maiestie by the vertue of thy holie spirit so to mollifie hir hard hart I saie that she may now at length feele how greeuouslie she hath offended both against thee and the Church and giue hir thy grace to acknowledge accuse and damne as well before vs whome she hath offended as before thy presence this hir contempt and sinne so notorious and damnable least that by hir obstinacie and wilfull rebellion thy Church and congregation being further prouoked be compelled with greefe of harts to cut hir quite off from thy mysticall bodie whome we O Lord vnfeinedlie desire to receiue within the Church as a liuelie member of thy deere sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Heare vs mercifull father call backe againe this our deere sister from eternall destruction where-into Sathan would leade hir that we all who before thy presence euen for hir rebellion and transgressions doo mourne may receiue hir againe with gladnes and ioie and so render praise and honour vnto thee before this thy holie congregation We grant our selues O Lord vnworthie whome thou shouldest heare because we cease not to offend thee by our continuall transgressing of thy holie precepts Looke not vpon vs mercifull father in this our corrupt nature but looke downe to thy deere sonne whome thou of thy meere mercie hast appointed our head high Bishop aduocate mediator and onlie propitiator In him and in the merits of his death we humblie beseech thee mercifullie to behold vs and suffer not the most innocent bloud of thy deere sonne shead for vs and this our penitent sister to be prophaned by the tyrannie and sleight of Sathan but by the vertue of the same let our sister be brought to vnfeined repentance and conuersion that so she may escape that fearfull indignation into the which she appeareth to haue fallen Grant I saie O Lord vnto this our sister the repentance of the hart and sincere confession of the mouth to the praise of thy name to the comfort of thy Church and to the confusion of Sathan And vnto vs grant O Lord that albeit we cannot liue altogether cleane from sinne and void of offences yet that we fall not into the like horrible crimes of impietie and contempt to the dishonour of thy holie name to the slander and offence of our brethren and sisters and infamie of thy holie Religion and Gospell which we professe Let thy godlie power O Lord so perpetuallie assist and strengthen our weakenesse and conduct vs in all the course of our whole life that neither the craft of Sathan nor the tyrannie of sinne drawe vs vtterlie from the obedience required in true Christians but that contrarilie beeing subiect to the voice of thy Church and to the ministers of the same vnder thee by holinesse and innocencie of life we may declare to the wicked generation what difference there is betweene the children of light and the children of darkenesse that all men seeing our good works may praise thee in the daie of visitation This we aske of thee O heauenlie Father in the boldnesse of our head and mediator Iesus Christ praieng furthermore as he hath taught vs Our Father c. Another praier to be said of the beholders of anie offender in the Church or else-where ALmightie God and most mercifull father whose iudgements are vnsearchable and whose waies are past finding out teach vs to iudge wiselie of this our sister and all other afflicted with thy hand not condemning them but rather profiting by them that their example may leade vs to repentance and bringing foorth such fruits as thou requirest of all those that are planted in thy Church least by continuing fruitlesse we prouoke thee at the last to the cutting of vs downe And because thou hast giuen vs a sauiour able to heale all our infirmities deliuer vs by him O Lord from all the bonds of Sathan that being set at libertie by him we may fore-see the straight doore and enter into it leauing the wide gate that leadeth
to destruction that we may be saued with those few that are appointed therevnto in Iesus Christ to whome with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor praise and glorie for euermore Amen A thanks-giuing for the conuersion of an excommunicate person or other publike offender after penance WE thanke the mercie and goodnesse of our God through Iesus Christ our Lord for the conuersion patient penance doing of this our sister whereby she hath not so much endured the reproch and infamie of hir owne sinnes as in deede she hath confounded and ouercome Satan hir deadlie foe who went about to make hir his continuall slaue and by whose subtile sleights and euill suggestions she hath heretofore beene disobedient to thy holie lawes and wholsome admonitions of thy Church And now O Lord seeing that the spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ hath so farre preuailed in hir that she is returned to our societie let it please thee for the obedience of the same our Lord Iesus Christ so to accept hir that hir former disobedience and sinnes be neuer laid to hir charge but that she may increase in all goodnesse till Satan finallie be troden vnder hir feete and ours by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holie Spirit be all honor and glorie now and euer Amen Before the publike administration of the holie sacrament of Baptisme the better to call to mind our owne vow and promise made long since vnto God praie priuatelie to your selfe and saie O Most blessed fore-goer and guide of Christian people Iesu Christ who submitting and humbling thy selfe vouchsafedst to be baptised of Iohn in the riuer Iordan and wast not onlie baptised in water but also in blood and in the holie Ghost vouchsafe euen so to incline bow and dispose our outwarde life with our inward mind affects and desires in the fulfilling of all righteousnesse so that we being now mortified dead to the old Adam through thy holie witnesse of baptisme by the working and operation of the holie Ghost may alwaie haue our holy couenant in remembrance before our eies that couenaunt vow and promise I saie which we haue taken vpon vs in our baptisme to the intent that we as faithfull champions striuing against the world the flesh and the diuell may vanquish and ouercome them with all other which might be noifull and hurtfull vnto vs Amen Or giue thanks for our regeneration and sanctification as afterward in the praier vpon Whitsundaie Or praie thus for the spirituall washing awaie of thy sinnes HAue mercie on me O GOD according to thy great tendernesse of hart For in wickednesse borne I was and in sinnes my mother conceiued me so that of nature all that I am I am but sin This my confession of the truth I knowe well is right acceptable vnto thee wheras in the most part of others thou hast either hid the same or made it vnknowne Purge and sprinkle mee with the bloud of Iesus Christ thine vnspotted lambe If thou wash me I shall be as white as snowe wash me thoroughlie therfore from mine errours clense me not onlie of my sinnes passed but also of my whole life to come so shall I receiue these glad tidings into my hart that my sins be forgiuen me With the baptisme of spirit in the fire of thine illumination baptise me which is the might efficacie of baptisme which we receiued in our childhood Grant that the same spirit might alwaie conduct vs let this spirituall washing of baptisme continue with vs vntill the infection and vice which we haue by nature of old Adam be perfectlie taken awaie by the death of the flesh through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Or praie that the benefits of both the holie Sacraments may be applied vnto our soules health O Blessed Trinitie and eternall God of one essence giue grace that in euerie combate and especiallie at the point of death being mindfull of thy couenant made with vs at our Christening of thy most comfortable promise anexed He which beleeueth and is baptised shall bee saued we may neuer doubt either of thy mercifull good-will towards vs or of the free remission of our sinnes but by often remembring this signe and couenant may dailie more and more be confirmed in faith and hope of perpetuall happinesse and applie thy benefits which certainlie thou hast promised and faithfullie wilt performe vnto our selues For thy promises made to such as beleeue and trust in thee be not vaine and to no purpose Likewise vphold our soules by the Sacrament of thy Supper that strengthened with the seale of this new testament we may be the more certaine and confirmed touching our reconciliation and euerlasting righteousnesse alwaies beare it fixed in our minds For if the testament of a man which is prooued after the death of the Testator be not small accounted of much more should the last testament and holie Sacrament of our Sauiour Christ remaine pure and in continuall force and remembrance Or praie that we may rightlie and trulie receiue the blessed Sacraments O Most mercifull God and louing father who by thy son Iesus Christ hast abrogated the superfluous ceremonies of the Lawe and hast deliuered vs from the bondage thereof giuing vnto vs sure certaine seals and sacraments of thy grace and our free redemption through the most pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ Grant O Lord we beseech thee that we may euermore vse them according to thy sonne our Sauiours institution who hath left them as pledges of his great loue towards mankind as continuall remembrances of his most pretious death which he suffered vpon the wood of the crosse for our redemption who by the fountaine of water hath regenerated vs and by his most pretious bloud hath purged vs. Make vs therefore to receiue these holie mysteries without corruption to vse them without alteration to continue them without superstition to the honour and glorie of thy most holie name through Iesu Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie now and for euer Amen After publike baptisme praie and giue thanks secretlie to yourselfe as time will serue saieng WE yeeld thee most hartie thanks O heauenlie Father for that it hath pleased thee to regenerate vs with the fountaine of water by faith in the bloud of thy sonne Iesus Christ and to purge vs from that originall sinne which we receiued of the old Eue. But who is able oh Lord to to giue thee sufficient praises Or who can expresse thy louing kindnesse and great mercies towards mankinde who hast not onlie redeemed him from the yoke of the lawe the bondage of hell and destruction of the diuell but also like a mercifull and louing father euen in our first entrance into this world washedst vs from iniquitie and hast giuen vs the Sacrament of Baptisme euen as a memoriall of our election in thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord whereby