inrollment of their condigne praises and memorable dooings to all posterities but especiallie for that I might hereby as much as in me lieth incourage prouoke and allure all godlie women of our time in some measure according to their seueral gifts giuen them of God to become euen from their youth more studious imitators and diligent folowers of so godlie and rare examples in their vertuous mothers that as they either in sex name or estate are equall with them so in learning wisedome good industrie and in all holie studies and vertuous exercises commendable for women they would dailie endeuour themselues to become like them that so being lightened by their good examples both of life and doctrine they may shine also together with them on earth as burning lampes of verie virginitie and in heauen as bright starres of eternall glorie which God for his owne name sake grant Amen VVhat ceremonie euerie woman ought by Gods word to vse in the time of praier publike or priuate 1. Corinth chapter II verse 4 c. EVerle man praieng or prophesieng hauing anie thing on his head dishonoureth God his head but euerie woman that praieth or prophesieth bare headed dishonoureth hir husband hir head For it is euen one verie thing as though she were shauen Therefore if the woman be not couered let hir also be shorne and if it be a shame for a woman to be shorne or polled as in deed it is then for shame let hir be couered and keepe hir haire trussed vp vnder a kercher For a man ought not to couer his head but ought to be polled and bare for somuch as he is the image and glorie of God in whom his maiestie and power dooth shine concerning his authoritie ouer his wife and other of Gods creatures subiected vnder his dominion and rule But the woman is the glorie of the man or receiueth hir glorie in commendation of man and therefore is subiect for the man is not of the woman but the woman of the man neither was the man created for the womans sake but the woman for the mans sake Therefore ought the woman to haue power on hir head that is some thing to couer hir head in signe of subiection bicause of the angels to whom also they shew their dissolution and shame and not onelie to Christ and his church or congregation where they praie Iudge you in your selues also is it comelie that a woman praie vnto God bare headed Dooth not nature it selfe teach you that if a man haue long haire like a woman it is a shame vnto him but if a woman haue long haire it is a praise vnto hir for hir haire is giuen vnto hir for a couering and to the end she should trusse it vp about hir head to declare that she must couer hir head But if anie man list to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the church of God ¶ The first Lampe of Virginitie conteining the diuine PRAIERS HYMNES or SONGS made by sundrie holie women in the Scripture something explaned in the hardest places for the better vnderstanding and edifieng of the vnlearned Reader and first The praier of Hagar the handmaid of Sarai which she made in hir trouble and banishment wherein she rebuketh hir owne dulnesse and acknowledgeth Gods graces who was present with hir euerie-where Genesis 16 13. THou GOD lookest on me haue I not also looked here after him that seeth me The song of thankesgiuing of Moses which Myriam the Prophetesse and sister of Aaron together with all the women sang vpon Timbrels to the praise of God for the people of Israëls deliuerance out of the hands of Pharao c. Exodus 15 1. SIng ye vnto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriouslie the horse and his rider hath he ouer throwne in the sea The Lord is our strength and praise and he is become our saluation he is our God and we will glorifie him hee is our fathers God and we will exalt him The Lord is a man of war Iehouah is his name in battell he stil ouer commeth is euer mindfull of his promise Pharaos chariots and his host hath hee cast into the sea his chosen captaines also are drowned in the red sea The deepe waters haue couered them they sunke to the bottome as a stone Thy right hand Lord is become glorious in power thy right hand O Lord hath all to dashed the enimie And in thy great glorie thou hast ouerthrowne them that rose vp against thee thou sentest foorth thy wrath which consumed them as the stubble Through the blast of thy nostrils the waters gathered together the fluds stood still as an heape and the deep waters congealed together in the hart or depth of the sea The enimie said I will pursue them I will ouertake them I will diuide the spoile and my lust shall be satisfied vpon them I will drawe my sword mine hand shall destroie them Thou didst blowe with thy winde the sea couered them they sanke as led in the mightie waters Who is like vnto thee O Lord among the gods or mightie men of the world Who is like thee so glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises shewing woonders Thou stretchest out thy right hand the earth swalowed them Thou in thy mercie hast caried this people which thou hast redeemed and deliuered and thou wilt bring them in thy strength vnto thine holie habitation the land of Canaan or Mount Zion The people and nations shall heare and be afraid sorowe shall come vpon the inhabitants of Palestina Then the Dukes of the Edomites shall be amazed and trembling shall come vpon the great and mightiest men of the Moabites all the inhabitants of Canaan shall waxe faint harted Feare and dread shall fall vpon them bicause of the greatnes of thine arme or power they shall be as still as a stone till thy people passe through O Lord till this people passe through which thou hast gotten or purchased Thou shalt bring them in and plant them in the mountaine of thine inheritance which is Mount Zion the place Lord that thou hast made and prepared for to dwell in euen the sanctuarie O Lord which thine hands shall establish The Lord shall reigne for euer and euer For Pharao on horsebacke went with his chariots and horsemen into the sea and the Lord brought the waters of the sea vpon them but the children of Israel went on drieland in the mids of the sea Sing ye therefore vnto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriouslie the horse and him that rode vpon him hath he ouerthrowne in the sea The song or thankesgiuing of Deborah and Barak after the victorie giuen of God by the hands of Iaël against Sisera Iudges 5 2. PRaise ye the Lord for the auenging of Israel and for the people of Zabulon and Nepthali that offred themselues gladly and became so willing to resist their enimies Heare O ye kings harken O ye princes I euen I will sing vnto the Lord I will sing praise
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
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
of the stormie sea to guide vs vnto thee our hauen Lord gouerne our ship with thy right hand by the helme of thy crosse that wee perish not in the waues that the tempest of the water drowne vs not and that the deepe swalowe vs not vp but with the hooke of thy crosse plucke vs backe out of this vast sea vnto thee our onlie comfort whom we see waiting for vs a farre off as the morning-starre and as the daiesunne of righteousnesse in maner with weeping eies vpon the shore of the heauenlie countrie Behold we whom thou hast ransomed doo crie vnto thee yea euen we as yet thy banished exiles whom thou hast redeemed with thy pretious bloud doo crie vnto thee heare vs O God our Sauiour the hope of all the ends of the earth and of all them that be in the sea a farre off We be conuersant in a troublesome sea and thou standing vpon the shore lookest at our perils Oh saue vs for thy name sake that we perish not And Lord grant vs so to keepe our course betweene Scylla and Charybdis and to hold so with thee that we may escape the dangers of both and come safe to land without losse of ship or fraight Amen Another meditation of the happinesse of the good soule hence departing at burials HAppie is the soule which departing from the earthly bodie goeth directlie into heauen secure it is and quiet and feareth neither enimie nor death For it enioieth continuallie thy presence O God vncessantlie beholdeth the most glorious Lord whome she hath serued and loued and whom now at the length full ioifullie and gloriouslie she hath attained vnto And this glorie of so great blessednesse neither time shall diminish nor anie wicked person take awaie The daughters of Zion haue seene hir and counted hir blessed euen the Queenes and the concubines haue praised hir saieng Who is she that commeth vp out of the desert abounding in pleasure leaning vpon hir welbeloued Who is she that looketh foorth as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an armie with banners How cheerefullie goeth she out hastneth runneth when all amazed shee heareth hir beloued saieng vnto hir on this wise Arise my loue my faire one and come awaie For behold the winter now is past the raine is changed and gone awaie the flouds appeere in our earth the time of the singing of the bird is come and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land The fig-tree hath brought foorth hir yong figs and the vines with their small grapes haue cast a sauour Arise my loue my faire one and come awaie my doue that art in the holes of the rocke in the secret places of the staires shew me thy sight let me heare thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy sight comelie Come awaie my chosen my faire one my doue mine vnspotted one my spouse come awaie and I will put thee into my bed-chamber because I haue longed after thy beautie Come awaie that thou maist triumph in my presence with mine Angels whose companie I haue promised thee After manie perils and labour come awaie enter into thy maisters ioie the which no man shall take from thee Amen Another which may be vsed on all Saincts daie OH happie are all thy Saincts O Christ which haue passed ouer the sea of this mortalitie and attained vnto the hauen of perpetuall quietnesse securitie and peace where they are at rest and alwaie ioifull and merrie Wherfore of thy tender loue I beseech thee O Christ who art without care of thy selfe be carefull for vs who needest not to care for incorruptible glorie haue thou a consideration of our manifold miseries O our God who hast chosen a people to thy selfe and endued them with glorie making them both immortall of thine immortalitie and ioifull through thy blessed sight I beseech thee be thou alwaies mindfull of vs and helpe vs who as yet in the salt seas of this life are tossed with the surges about vs. O thou goodlie gate who art raised into a maruellous highnesse helpe vs vile pauement lieng much beneath thee giue vs thine hand and raise vp such as lie vpon the ground that waxing strong out of weakenesse we may be made couragious in battell Make thou intercession for vs continuallie and vncessantlie praie for vs wretches and most negligent sinners that through thy praiers we may be conioined to the holie companie of saincts for otherwise we shall neuer be saued For alas we are verie fraile weakelings of no courage creatures giuen to the seruice of the bellie and flesh hauing in vs almost no sparkle of vertue and yet placed vnder thy confession O Christ we are borne by the wood of the crosse through this great and wide sea where are things creeping innumerable both small beasts and great wherein the most cruell dragon is alwaie prepared to deuour vs wherein be the dangerous rocks Scylla and Charybdis with other such like innumerable things whereby the heedlesse and wauering in faith make shipwracke Wherefore O Christ praie for vs O good Christ praie thou we saie for vs that through thy good praiers and merits we may deserue ship and merchandise being saued to attaine vnto the port of perpetuall saluation quietnesse peace and securitie which neuer shall haue end Amen After the seruice and common praier ended praie thus O Iesu Christ the verie true Aaron and onlie high Bishop of our soule which in thine own name art gone vp into the most holie place and bearest our names before the Lord vpon thy shoulders for a continuall remembrance Forsomuch as our offerings and sacrifice cannot be so perfect but that through our frailtie some fault and imperfection shall be found therein in thy sight vouchsafe we beseech thee O holiest of all holies and our most perfect high priest in mercie to beare the iniquities of our publike praiers and common sacrifice which we thy people with one accord by thy grace haue heere at this time made and offered vnto God the Father in thy name Pardon O pardon our dulnesse and coldnesse in deuotion and let this our oblation be alwaies vpon thy forehead to cause these our burnt offerings to be presented and accepted for a sweet sauour of rest before the Lord our God that through thy onelie mediation he being pacified our sinnes pardoned and we gratiouslie reconciled and sanctified may be woorthie often to haue accesse to thy mercie-seate to woorship thee in thy holie Temple and now as thy seruants to go in peace to glorifie thee in all holie obedience to thy word to doo vnto the poore as much as we can So be it Or else thus 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 togither in thy name thou wilt grant their request fulfill now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy seruants as may
and blesse thy chosen and deere beloued seruant Elizabeth our Queene whome thou hast set vp a mightie Prince and mother ouer thy people and Citie Zion and made the chiefe gouernour among the nations O let Elizabeth liue and not die neither let hir honour be anie thing diminished for our sinnes and offences Heare O Lord the voice of hir humble and dailie praiers and let hir continue a Prince of peace roiall Ruler ouer thy people Hir hands shall be good ynough for hir if thou helpe hir still as thou hast done against hir enimies Right and light be with thine holie handmaid whome thou didst prooue with great temptations and triall as thou didst Ioseph before thou didst annoint hir Queene and whome hitherto thou hast preserued a pure and vndefiled virgin to promote thy glorie as thou didst Dauid She that in all hir manifold afflictions hath more esteemed the seruing of thee hir God than sauing of hir selfe and loued not hir life so deere as she loued thy lawe yea that preferred thine obedience before sacrifice and all things in the world beside O let hir our gratious Queene Elizabeth I saie who hath thus don hir dutie be plentifullie rewarded therefore of thee hir God from heauen with the perpetuall crowne of glorie and palme of victorie She euen she hath taught Iacob thy iudgements and Israel thy lawe she hath put incense before thy face and the burnt offering vpon thine altar She euen she O God hath with Hezechias restored thy sincere religion and woorshippeth thee aright with euerie one that is godlie in thee Blesse therefore O Lord hir substance and first fruits and accept the works of hir hands Smite through the loines of them that rise vp against hir and of them that hate hir that they rise not againe O let the beloued of the Lord dwell euer in safetie by thee yea doo thou Lord vouchsafe stil to be hir vale and defence all hir life long and dwell with hir heere in the Church as hir beloued spouse head and gouernour Laie thy left hand vnder hir head and let thy right hand embrace hir that she may find continuall comfort in thy presence O fountaine of the gardens O well of liuing waters Arise O North and come O South and blowe on thy spouse which is as a goodlie and pleasant garden inclosed and as a fountaine sealed vp for thy selfe and water it with the springs of Lebanon that it may growe great and that the sweet spices and smell therof may flowe out into thy nostrels and thou eate of the pleasant fruit in hir Kisse hir with the kisses of peace and righteousnes and let hir two breasts satisfie thee be like two yoong roes that are twins feeding vpon the lillies Set hir as a seale on thine hart and as a signet vpon thine arme and let the lampe of hir loue be a verie vehement flame vnquenchable Let hir be a sure wall or foundation wherevpon thou maist build a golden palace and let hir breasts be as towers vnassaultable that she may be meet for thee hir spouse to dwell in and be in thine eies as she that findeth perpetuall peace and quietnesse O God in whose sight hir fathers did walke thou O God which hast fed hir all hir life long vnto this daie and deliuered hir hither to from so manie not euils but deaths blesse hir still euen with the blessing of Abraham Isaac Iacob and all the Patriarchs with all the blessings of thy mercies promised vnto hir father Dauid In hir let Israel also be blessed in hir let thy graces so plentifullie and manifestlie appeare that the people may thence take a patterne of blessing thee and teach their posteritie to blesse and praise thee for thy goodnesse and mercie both towards hir and them For she is to vs thy might thy strength the noblenesse of dignitie and the excellencie of power She as a lionesse is laid downe and couched safelie after the spoile Who shall stir hir vp Hir enimies doo all feare hir And doo thou still charge the daughters of Ierusalem that they stir not vp thy loue nor awake hir by troubling hir quietnes peace vntill she please Hir fellowe virgins praise hir hir hand shall be in the necke of hir enimies hir fathers people doo bow downe vnto hir saieng Good lucke haue thou with thine honour Ride on because of the word of truth which thou embracest with meekenesse O let not the brethren of euill the reuengers of bloud nor the instruments of violence and crueltie bee in hir court and habitation O let not crueltie or falsehood come into hir soule Into their secrets let not hir soule come neither let hir glorie be ioined nor stained with the assemblie or damned crue of the wicked Curse them that curse hir blesse them that blesse hir diuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel which shameleslie in their rage dare cruellie attempt anie treacheries or treasons against hir innocent and roiall person yea let them be condignelie punished whosoeuer go about to trouble the state or ouerthrowe hir kingdome Let not the scepter depart out of hir hand nor hir kingdome be diminished but let this thy most wise lawe-giuer our meeke Moses continue amongst vs with honour to iudge thy people and gather them vnto thee long in rest and peace euen vntill Silo our Sauiour Iesus the giuer of all prosperitie come to crowne hir in his euerlasting kingdome with his saluation Let hir see that rest and peace is good and that it is thou that hast made hir to ouercome all hir enimies at the last Blesse hir Lord with great increase of all maner of good profitable and pleasant things Hir bread let it be fat that she may giue pleasant gifts woorthie such a Queene Let hir be as an Hind sent vnto vs from thee for a pretious present giuing goodlie words to hir people Let Elizabeth be the daughter of increase and like a flourishing and fruitfull palme tree by the waters side whose small branches or virgins may run and spread themselues fruitfullie also and shew verie greene vpon the wals of thy house The archers hir enimies haue greeuouslie prouoked hir and shot against hir with venemous darts they haue hated hir to hir hinderance and griefe great and manie haue beene hir afflictions and persecutions But hir bowe abode fast and strong and the hands of hir armes were strengthened by the hands of the mightie God of Iacob Hir deliuerance was euen by the stone of Israel by whom she is appointed a mother in Israel euen by the God of hir father who hath helped hir and by the almightie who hath blessed hir with heauenlie blessings from aboue with blessings of the deepe that lieth beneath and with blessings of the brests and of the wombe The time now is come that the blessings of GOD shewed vnto hir father shall take effect and be stronger in hir than the blessings of hir elders Unto the vttermost ends
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
them among princes and to make them inherit the seate of glorie for the pillers of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world vpon them therefore he may dispose all things at his pleasure and prefer whom he will to honour He will keepe the feete of his Saints so that they shall neither walke nor fall into any euill the wicked shall keepe silence in darkenesse for in his owne might shall no man be strong The Lords aduersaries shall be destoried and out of heauen shall he thunder vpon them y e Lord shall iudge the ends of the world and shall giue power vnto his king Iesus exalt the horne of Christ his annointed The song of the women of Israël in the praise of Dauids victorie ouer Goliah 1. Samuel 18 7. SAule hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his ten thousand The praier or wish of Abigaël for king Dauid against his enimies 1. Samuel 25 24 OH my Lord I haue committed the iniquitie and I praie thee let thine handmaid speake vnto thee and heare thou the words of thine handmaid Let not my Lord I praie thee regard this wicked man Nabal for as his name is so is he Nabal is his name and follie is with him but I thine handmaid sawe not the yoong men of my Lord whome thou sentest Now therefore my Lord as the Lord liueth as thy soule liueth the Lord I say that hath withholden thee from comming to shed blood and that thine hand should not saue thee nor reuenge thée on thine enimies So now I pray God that thine enimies and they that intend to doo my Lord euill may be as Nabal and I praie thee forget the trespasse of thine handmaid c. The song of Sion or the familiar talke and mysticall communication or diuine dialogue of the speciall loue betwene the spirituall bridegrome Iesus Christ and the bride the faithful soule his sanctified chaste and holie spouse the Church commonlie called The Song of songs or Ballat of ballats made by king Salomon Cantic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. The Church or faithfull soule speaketh to Christ O That thou wouldest kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth euen with thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding for thy loue O Christ is better and more pleasant vnto me than wine and that bicause of the good and pleasant sauour of thy most pretious balmes or ointments euen of thy great benefits which I taste and féele from thée Thy name O Christ is as a sweet smelling ointment when it is powred out and shed foorth thy mercie is set foorth and published by preaching thy Gospell therefore the Uirgins euen they that are pure in hart and conuersation doo loue thee Drawe thou me O swéete Christ vnto thee and wee will run after thee for otherwise I confesse we can not come to thée except we be drawne of thée The King hath brought me into his priuie chambers and reuealed vnto me the secret ioies not knowne to the world we will therefore be glad and reioice in thee yea wee thinke more of thy loue than of wine For they that be righteous loue thee aboue all things I am blacke I confesse through the spots of sinne persecution and troubles O ye daughters of Ierusalem but yet comelie faire and welfauoured through faith in the blood of Christ in whose fauour I haue confidence and trust as the fruites or tents of the Kedarens or Arabians and as the hangings or curtens of Salomon which within were all set with pretious stones and iewels Maruell not therfore at me bicause I am so blacke nor regard or consider me by the outward apperance for why the sunne euen the corruption of nature through sinne and affliction hath looked and shined vpon me Yea and my mothers children euen mine owne brethren which should haue most fauoured me were angrie against me and hauing euill will at mee they made me the keeper of the vineyards but mine owne vineyard haue I not kept such alas hath béene mine owne negligence Therefore féeling my faults and imperfections I flie now vnto thée O Christ my spirituall husband onlie for succour beséeching thée and saieng Tell me O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest the sheepe O shew me I saie where thou liest and makest them rest at the noon day for why should I be like hir that turneth aside or goeth wrong about the flocks of thy companions whome thou hast called to the dignitie of pastors in thy Church and yet they like apostataes not onelie set foorth their owne false dreames and traditions in stéed of thy true doctrine but also are become the domesticall enimies that persecute the Church Christ speaketh to his Church or the faithfull soule O Thou the fairest among women if thou knowe not thy selfe but art ignorant in my waies then go thy way foorth after the footsteps of the flock of sheepe euen after the doctrine of the Apostles and feede thy goates and kids by the tents of the shepheards and learne of the true pastors and spirituall doctors I haue compared thee O my loue vnto the troupe of horses in the chariots of Pharao bicause that for thy spirituall beautie and excellencie there was no worldlie treasure to be compared vnto thée Thy cheekes and thy neck are beautifull as the turtles and behanged with spangles chaines and goodly iewels a neckband also imbrodered with gold and studs or buttons of siluer will I make thee The Church WHen the King sitteth at the table and is at his repast hee shall smell my Nardus or spikenard for I reioice that I am admitted to the companie of my husband Christ yea my welbeloued is as a bundle of Mirrh vnto mee and he shall lie betwixt my brests for he is most déere vnto me my welbeloued I saie is as a cluster of Camphire vnto me in the vineyards of Engedi wherfore so long as I followe my Christ I can not erre from the true faith of saluation CHRIST O How faire art thou my loue Oh how faire art thou Thine eies are like the dooues eies behold most acceptable art thou vnto me and I commend thy beautie The Church OH how faire art thou also my beloued How welfauoured and pleasant art thou Our bed euen the hart of the faithfull where thou O Christ dwellest by thy spirit is all greene bedecked with flowers the beames or seelings of our house are of Cedar trees and our crosse ioints of Cipresse I am the rose of the field and the lillie of the vallies CHRIST YEa like as the lillie among the thornes so is my loue among the daughters for my Church is to be preferred before aboue all other things yea so am I also among mine enimies The Church LIke as the apple tree among the trees of the forest so is my welbeloued among the sonnes of men I can not but testifie my loue and great desire towards him for my delight is to sit and rest vnder his
coales thereof are fierie coales and a verie vehement flame of the Lord so that manie waters are not able to quench loue neither may the streames of fluds drowne it yea if a man would giue all the substance of his house for loue he should count it nothing but would greatlie contemne it We haue a little sister namelie the Church of the Gentils she is but yoong and hath no breasts but wanteth both the old and new testament What shall we doo for our sister when she shall be spoken for If she be sure and firme as a wall we will build vpon hir a siluer palace and if she be a doore we will keepe or fasten hir with boords of Cedar trees If the Church be sure and fast she is méete for the husband to dwell in and we the Apostles will preach to them that are called inwardlie of God to saluation Yea I am a wall and my breasts are as towers For I doo promise fidelitie constancie vnto my spouse Christ Then was I as one that hath found fauor and peace in his sight Salomon the Lord Christ hath a vineyard at Baal-hamon and this vineyardlet he out vnto kepers that euerie one for the fruit therof should giue him a thousand peeces of siluer But my vineyard which is mine is in my sight before me to thee O Christ the spirituall Salomon apperteine a thousand peeces of siluer and two thousand to them that keepe the fruit thereof euen the greatest profit which is life euerlasting obteined by the grace of God and not by our merits O thou that dwellest in the gardens thy Church where thy companions or faithfull ones hearken vnto thy voice O let me heare it also that my companions may hearken vnto the same O my welbeloued Christ if thou flie awaie and depart from vs thy faithfull ones for a while yet we beseech thee be like vnto the Roe or as the yong Hart vpon the sweet smelling mountaines of spices and make haste we praie chae to come againe and helpe vs in our troubles Amen The foure lamentations of the daughter of Zion the Church wherin with weeping sighing howling and with an heauie and wofull hart she sorowfullie bewaileth hir miserable estate being plagued of God and forsaken of hir spouse Christ for his sinnes vnfaithfulnesse and rebellion Lament 1. The first Lamentation ALas how doth the citie Jerusalem remaine so solitarie and desolate that sometime was full of people How is she become like a widowe How is she brought vnder tribute that was great among the nations ruled the lands and prouinces as princesse She weepeth sore continuallie in the night and the teares run downe by hir cheekes so that shée taketh no rest For among all hir louers she hath none to comfort hir yea all hir next friends trangresse against hir and haue dealt vnfaithfullie with hir and are become hir enimies Iuda is caried away captiue bicause of hir crueltie affliction and great bondage or seruitude and oppression of their seruants and the poore she dwelleth now among the heathen and findeth no rest all hir persecutours tooke hir in the strait places where shee could not escape The waies and streets of Zion mourne and lament bicause no man commeth anie more with mirth and ioie as they were woont to the solemne feasts all hir gates are desolate hir priests sigh and make lamentation hir virgins are discomfited hir maides are carefull and she hir selfe is in great heauinesse Hir aduersaries are the chiefe rulers ouer hir and hir enimies prosper For the Lord hath chastened and afflicted hir for hir great wickednesse and hir children are gone into captiuitie before the enimie for the multitude of hir transgressions And from the daughter of Zion all hir beautie is gone and departed hir princes are become like harts that finde no pasture euen as men pined awaie with sorowe and haue no courage and they are driuen awaie and gone without strength before the enimie and pursuer so that they haue no more power Now Ierusalem remembred in the time of hir miserie and affliction bare estate and rebellion all hir toie and pleasure that she hath had in times past seeing hir people is brought downe vnder the power of the enimie and there is no man for the helpe hir The enimies stand looking at hir and laugh and mocke hir Sabboth daies that is hir Religion and seruing of God to scorne Ierusalem hath greeuouslie sinned therefore is she come in decaie and had in derision all they that had hir in honour now despise hir because they haue seene hir filthinesse yea she sigheth and turneth backward as she that is ashamed of hir selfe Hir filthinesse is in hir skirts and manifest yet she was not ashamed of hir sinne nor remembred hir last end therefore is hir downe-fall so woonderfull and there is no man to comfort hir O Lord behold mine affliction and consider my trouble for mine enimie hath the vpper hand and hath proudlie magnified himselfe The enimie hath put his hand to all the pretious things that she had yea euen before hir eies came the heathen and entred in and out of hir Sanctuarie whome thou neuerthelesse didst command and forbid to come within thy Church and congregation All hir people sigh and seeke their bread with heauinesse and looke what pretious or pleasant thing euerie man hath that giueth he for meate to saue his life and refresh his soule Consider O Lord and see how vile I am become Haue ye no regard to pitie me all yee that passe by this waie Behold and see if there be anie sorowe like vnto mine wherewith the Lord hath afflicted or troubled me in the day of his fierce and fearefull wrath and learnc to beware by mine example From aboue hath he euen GOD sent downe a fire into my bones which preuaileth and burneth them cruellie he hath spred or laid a net for my feete turned me backe and throwne me wide open he hath made me desolate so that I am dailie in heauines and must euer be mourning The yoke of my transgressions is bound fast to God his hand they are wrapped or wreathen and come vp vpon my necke so that by no meanes it can be shaken off or remitted but onlie of his speciall grace and mercie He hath made my strength to faile the Lord hath deliuered me into their hands neither am I able to rise vp and quit my selfe from them that haue me in bondage The Lord hath troden vnder foote and destroied all my valiant and mightie men that were in the middes of me he hath proclauned an appointed time and called an assemblie to slaughter and destroie all my best yoong men The Lord hath troden downe the virgin the daughter of Iuda like as it were grapes in a wine-presse Therefore do I weepe and mine eies euen mine eies gush out with water because the comforter that should quicken me and refresh my soule is far from me My children are driuen awaie and
desolate And why Because the enimie hath gotten the vpper hand and preuailed Zion casteth out hir hands and there is none to comfort hir the Lord hath laid the enimies of Iacob round about him and Ierusalem is as a menstruous woman who for hir pollution is separate from hir husband and is become abhomination in the middest of them The Lord is righteous for I haue rebelled against his commandements prouoked his countenance to anger O heare I praie you and take heede all ye people behold my sorowe and consider my heauinesse my virgins my maidens and my yong men are led awaie prisoners and gone into captiuitie I called for my louers but they deceiued me for my priests and counsellers but they perished and died for hunger in the Citie euen whiles they sought for meate to saue their liues and refresh their soules Behold O Lord and consider how I am troubled my bowels swell my wombe is disquieted my hart turneth about within me and I am full of heauinesse because I rebelled stubbornelie the sword spoileth me abroade as death doth at home They heare my mourning but there is none that will comfort me all mine enimies haue heard of my trouble and are glad thereof because thou hast done it but thou wilt bring forth the daie and time that thou hast pronounced and calledst when they also shall be like vnto me Let all their wickednesse come before thee and do thou vnto them as thou hast done vnto me for all my transgressions and trespasses For my sorowe is verie great my sighes are manie and mine hart is heauie The second lamentation of Zion ALas how hath the Lord darkned the daughter of Zion in his wrath and brought hir from prosperitie to aduersitie How hath he cast the beautie and honour of Israel downe from heauen vnto the earth and giuen hir a most sore fall not remembring his owne footestoole the Temple of Ierusalem in the daie of his wrath when he was angrie The Lord hath cast out and destroied all the habitations of Iacob without anie fauour all the strong places or holdes of the daughter of Iuda hath he broken in his wrath and throwne them downe to the ground and not spared hir kingdome and the princes thereof hath he prophaned and polluted In the wrath of his fierce indignation he hath broken all the horne or power and strength of Israel he hath drawne backe his right hand of succour from before the enimie yea a flame of fire was kindled in Iacob which hath consumed deuoured vp all round about He hath bent his bowe like an enimie his right hand was stretched vp and fastned as an aduersarie and euerie thing that was pleasant to the eie to see he hath slaine he hath powred out his wrath like a fire into the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion The Lord is become as it were an enimie he hath deuoured Israel and consumed all his palaces yea all his strong holds hath he destroied and filled and greatlie increased the daughter of Iuda with much sorrowe and heauinesse lamentation and mourning For he hath destroied his tabernacle as a garden his solemne meetings or congregation hath he put downe yea the Lord hath brought it so to passe that the high solemne feasts and sabboths are cleane forgotten in Zion and hath despised in the heauie displeasure and indignation of his wrath both the king and the priest The Lord hath forsaken his owne altar and hath abhorred his owne Sanctuarie he hath giuen the walles of hir palaces and towers into the hand of the enimies who haue made a noise with blasphemous shoutings and criengs in the house of the Lord as in the daie of solemnitie and feasting when the people were accustomed to praie The Lord hath determined to breake downe the walles of the daughter of Zion he spread out his line and hath not withdrawne his hand from destroieng therefore he maketh the insensible things euen the rampart turrets and walles as it were to take part of the sorowe and to mourne lament because they fell downe and were destroied together Hir gates are sunke downe to the ground hir bars are broken and smitten in sunder hir king and princes are caried awaie to the Gentiles they haue not the lawe neither haue hir Prophets anie vision from the Lord. The Senatours and Elders of the daughter of Zion sit vpon the ground and keepe silence they haue cast vp dust and ashes vpon their heads and girded themselues with sackcloth the virgins or maides of Ierusalem hang downe their heads to the ground Mine eies do faile through weeping and abundance of teares my bowels swell my liuer is powred vpon the earth for the great hurt and destruction of the daughter of my people bicause the children babes and sucklings faint and sowne in the streetes of the Citie They haue said to their mothers Where is bread and drinke when they sowned and fell downe as the wounded in the streetes of the citie and when they gaue vp the ghost and died in their mothers bosome What thing shall I take to witnesse against thee Or what thing shal I liken to thee O daughter Ierusalem Thy calamitie is so euident that it néede no further proofe To whome then shall I compare thee O thou virgin daughter Zion to comfort thee withall For the breach in thy hart is like the breach in a maine sea Who may heale thee Thy false Prophets haue looked out vaine and foolish things for thee and they haue not discouered thine iniquitie or shewed thee of thy wickednesse to turne awaie thine affliction and to keepe thee from captiuitie but they to flatter thée in thy sinnes haue seene or looked out for the false prophesies and causes of banishment and destruction All that passe by the waie clap their hands at thee hissing and wagging their heads vpon the daughter Ierusalem and saie Is this the Citie that men call so faire the perfection of beautie and the ioie of the whole earth Al thine enimies gape vpon thee with open mouths they hisse at thee and grinde their teeth saieng Let vs deuoure it for certainlie this is the daie the time that we looked for is come we haue found and seene it The Lord hath fulfilled the thing that he was purposed to doo and performed his word that he had deuised and determined of old time long ago he hath throwne downe destroied and not spared he hath caused thine aduersarie to reioice and triumph ouer thee and hath set vp the horne or power of thine enimie Their hart cried vnto the Lord O thou wall or citie of the daughter Zion let thy teares run downe like a riuer daie and night take thee no rest neither let the apple of thine eie cease or leaue off wéeping Arise stand vp and crie in the night in the beginning of the watches powre out thy hart like water before the face of the Lord lift vp thine hands towards him for the liues of the
yong children that faint and die for hunger in the corners of all the streets Behold O Lord and consider to whome thou hast done thus Shall y e women then eate their own fruit euen their children of a span long Shal the Priest and the Prophet be slaine in the Sanctuarie of the Lord The yong the old lie on the ground in the streetes my virgins and my yong men are slaine and fallen with the sword thou hast slaine them and put them to death in the daie of thy wrathfull indignation yea euen thou hast killed them and not spared My terrours euen mine enimies whom I feared that are round about me hast thou called as it were to a feast-daie so that in the daie of the Lords wrath none escaped neither was anie left behinde those that I haue nourished and brought vp hath mine enimie destroied and consumed The third lamentation of Zion HOw is the gold or the princes become so dimme the most fine gold so changed How are the stones of the Sanctuarie or the priests so scattered in the corner of euerie streete The noble men of Zion that were alwaie in honour and cloathed with the most pretious gold how are they esteemed and now become like the earthen vessels the worke of the potters hand of small estimation and without anie honour The Dragons though they be cruell yet for pitie drawe out their breasts and giue sucke to nourish their yong ones but the daughter of my people is become cruell and the women forsake their children like the Estriches in the wildernes which forsake both egge and bird The tongs of the sucking children cleaue to the roofe of their mouths for verie thirst the yong children aske bread but there is no man that giueth it them They that were woont to fare delicatelie perish in the streets they that afore were brought vp in purple and scarlet now make much of doong For the iniquitie of the daughter of my people is beecome greater than the wickednesse of zodome that suddenlie was destroied and not taken with hands nor anie camps pitched against hir Hir Nazarites or absteiners were purer than the snowe and whiter than the milke their colour in bodie was fresh red as corall and their beautie like the polished Saphyr so greatly were they once in Gods fauour But now their faces be verie blacke as a cole in so much that none can knowe them in the streetes their skinne cleaueth to their bones it is withered and become like a drie stocke and they are in greatest abhomination vnto him They that be slaine with the sword are happier than they that are killed or die with hunger For they fade and pine awaie as they were striken through for the lacke of the fruits of the field and foode The women which of nature are pitifull haue sodden their owne children with their hands that they might be their meate in the miserable destruction of the daughter of my people The Lord hath performed his heauie wrath he hath powred out the furiousnesse of his wrathfull displeasure he hath kindled a fire in Zion which hath consumed the foundations thereof Neither the kings of the earth nor all the inhabitors of the world would haue beleeued that the enimie and aduersarie should haue entred and come into the gates of Ierusalem Which neuerthelesse contrarie to all mens expectation is come to passe for the sinnes of hir Prophets and the iniquities of hir Priests that haue shed the bloud of the iust and innocent in the midst of hir As blind men went they stumbling in the streets and stained or polluted themselues with bloud so that the heathen would not touch their garments But they cried vnto them Depart and flee ye polluted Awaie get you hence touch not those priests for they are vncleane and be remoued Therfore they fled awaie and wandered yea they haue said among the heathen They shall no more dwell there The anger wrath countenance of the Lord hath scattered them and shall neuer looke more vpon them nor regard them For they themselues neither regarded nor reuerenced the face of the priests nor had compassion or pitie of their Elders Wherefore our eies failed whiles we yet looked for our vaine helpe of man For in our waiting we haue looked for the Aegyptians a nation people that could doo vs no good nor saue vs. They hunt our steps and lay so sharpe wait for vs that we can not go safe in the streets our end is neere at hand our daies are fulfilled for our end is come Our persecutors are swifter than the Eagles of the aire they pursued followed vpon vs ouer the mountaines and laid wait for vs in the wildernesse The verie breath of our nostrels euen Iosias the king and the annointed of the Lord himselfe in whome stood our hope of Gods fauour and on whome depended our state and life was taken in their nets and slaine of whome we said Under his shadowe we shall be preserued aliue among the heathen And thou O daughter Edom that dwellest in the land of Huz go to be glad and reioice at our destruction and fall yet be thou sure thou shalt not escape For the cup of Gods wrath shall passe through and come vnto thee also thou shalt be dronken and discouer thy nakednesse and vomit vp thine owne shame Be of good comfort therefore O thou daughter Zion thy sinnes are fullie punished and thy punishment accomplished For after seuentie yeres thy sorowes shal haue an end He will no more carie thee awaie into captiuitie but thy wickednesse O daughter Edom shall he visit and will discouer thy sins so that the wicked shall be tormented for euer The fourth lamentation or complaint of Zion I Am she that through the rod of his wrath haue experience of miserie He droue me foorth and led me yea into darkenesse but not into light Surelie against me is he turned he turneth his hand dailie against me My flesh and my skinne hath he made to waxe old and my bones hath he brused and broken He hath builded against me and closed me in with gall and trauell He hath set me in darke places as they that be dead for euer He hath hedged me in that I can not get out and he hath laid heauie linkes and chaines vpon me Also though I crie and call pitiouslie yet heareth he not my praier He hath stopped vp my waies with hewen or squared stones and made my paths crooked He laieth waite for me like a Beare and as a Lion in a hole or secret places He hath stopped vp my waies and broken me in peeces he hath laid me waste and made me desolate He hath bent his bowe and made me a marke to shoote at with the arrowe The arrowes of his quiuer I saie hath he shot at me and they are entred euen into my reines I am laughed to scorne and had in derision of all my people and they make songs or ballets vpon me
all the daie long He hath filled me with bitternesse and made me dronken with woormewood and with great anguish and sorowe he hath made me loose my senses He hath smitten my teeth in peeces with stones and rolled me in the dust Thus my soule was farre off from peace I forgat prosperitie and all good things And I said My strength and mine hope is perished from the Lord. O remember yet my miserie and my trouble the woormewood and the gall Yea in remembring my soule doth still remember them and is humbled within me I consider these things in my hart and therefore I get hope againe Namelie it is of the Lords mercies that we are not vtterlie consumed for our wickednesse for truelie his pitifull compassions faile not New mercies shall the Lord shew vpon thee earlie in the daie springing euerie morning O Lord great is thy faithfulnesse for we féele thy benefits continuallie The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him O how good is the Lord vnto them that put their trust in him and to the soule that seeketh after hun The good man with silence and patience doth both trust and waite for the health and saluation of the Lord. It is good for a man to take and beare the yoke vppon him in and from his youth vp He sitteth alone and murmureth not but is patient and holdeth him still and keepeth silence because he hath taken and borne the Lords yoke vpon him He laieth his face vpon the earth and humbleth himselfe waiting with patience if there may happen to be anie hope of succour He offreth his cheeke to the smiter he will be content with reproches For the Lord will not forsake for euer But though he send affliction and punish yet will he haue compassion and according to the multitude of his mercies he receiueth to grace againe For he doth not plague willinglie nor delighteth to afflict the children of men but doth it of necessitie for our amendment To treade all the prisoners of the earth vnder his feete To ouerthrowe the right of a man before the face of the most high To condemne a man in his cause the Lord hath not pleasure in such things What and who is he then that saith And it commeth to passe And the Lord commandeth it not For without his prouidence nothing is done Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good both prosperitie and aduersitie Wherefore then mourneth the liuing man when God afflicteth him Let him mourne and be sorowfull for his owne sinnes for which he suffereth Let vs search and trie and looke well vpon our owne waies and remember our selues and turne againe to the Lord. Let vs without hypocrisie lift vp both our harts and our hands vnto God that is in the heauens and saie We haue sinned and rebelled therefore hast thou not spared Thou hast couered vs in thy wrath and persecuted vs thou hast slaine without anie fauour Thou hast hid thy selfe as in a cloud that our praiers should not passe through Thou hast made vs the offscowring and reffuse in the mids of the people All our enimies haue opened their mouths against vs and gape vpon vs. Feare and snare is come vpon vs yea desolation and destruction Whole riuers of waters gush out of mine eies for the destruction of the daughter of my people Mine eie droppeth without staie and ceaseth not for there is no rest Till the Lord looke downe from heauen consider Mine eies breake mine hart and I am ouercome with wéeping bicause of all the daughters or people of my Citie Mine enimies hunted and chased me sore like a bird yea and that without a cause They haue shut vp my life in a dungeon and cast a stone vpon me The waters flowed ouer mine head then thought I Now I am destroied I called vpon thy name O Lord out of the deepe pit and lowe dungeon Thou hast heard my voice stop not thine eare from my sighings and crieng Thou drewest neere vnto me in the daie when I called vpon thee and hast said Feare not O Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule and hast redeemed my life that was in danger O Lord thou hast seene my wrong take thou my cause vpon thee and iudge it Thou hast seene all their vengeance and all their deuises against mee Thou hast hard their reprochfull despitefull words O Lord yea and all their imaginations against me The lips also of those that rise against me and their deuises and whisperings that they take against me all the daie long Behold also their sitting downe and their rising vp how I am now their song Reward them O Lord according to the works of their hands Giue them sorrowe of hart and an obstinate hart euen thy curse to them Persecute them O Lord with thine indignation and root them out and vtterlie destroie them from vnder the heauen The fift lamentation or praier of Zion CAll to remembrance O Lord what is come vpon vs consider and behold our confusion and reproch Our inheritance is turned to the strangers and our houses to the aliens We are vnderlings without fathers and our mothers are as widowes We haue drunken our water for monie and our wood haue we by sale sold vnto vs. Our necks are vnder persecution we are wearie and haue no rest Aforetime we yeelded our selues to the Aegyptians and now we haue submitted our selues to the Assyrians onlie that we might be satisfied haue bread inough Our fathers which now are gone haue sinned and we must beare their wickednesse Seruants haue the rule of vs and no man deliuereth vs out of their hands We must get our liuing with the perill of our liues bicause of the drought of the wildernesse Our skin is made blacke like as an ouen bicause of the trouble famine and verie sore hunger They rauish and defile the wiues in Zion and the maidens in the citie of Iudea The princes are hanged vp by their enimies hand they haue not honoured the old sage mens faces They haue taken the yoong men for slaues to grind and the boies fainted vnder the burden of wood not able to abide it The elders haue ceased from the gates so that there were no more lawes nor forme of Commonwealth and the yoong men from their songs The ioie of our hart is gone our danse and melodious meeting is turned into mourning The garland or crowne of our head is fallen Wo now vnto vs and alas that euer we sinned Therfore our hart is full of heauinesse and for these things our eies are dimme with wéeping Bicause of the hill or mountaine of Zion which is destroied and desolate insomuch that the foxes runne vpon it But thou O Lord remainest for euer and thy seate throne from generation to generation world without end and therefore thy couenant and mercies can neuer faile Wherefore dost thou forget vs for euer and forsake vs so long time
and euer and especiallie all things that shall turne to thy displeasure And with all my hart I thanke thee most mercifull Lord for the great benefits that thou hast bestowed vpon me largelie in this world afore manie creatures which are more woorthie a thousand times than I but my most gratious Lord I wot and knowledge verelie that all good gifts doo come freelie from thee of thine abundant mercie Wherefore with all my hart I thanke thee and all worship praises and thanks be to thee and none other Therefore I saie with the Prophet Dauid Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name be giuen all honour glorie Also I commit to thy mercie mine enimies persecutors and slanderers beseeching thee to turne their harts and to giue vs grace one to forgiue another from the verie botome of our harts that from hence-foorth we may liue in loue and charitie to thy glorie and to the increase of thy kingdome I doo commit to thy mercie our Queene Elizabeth and this Realme beseeching thee to incline hir hart to all godlinesse and vertue that she may long reigne ouer vs in peace and tranquillitie to liue in thy feare and call vpon thy holie name and to be readie at all times to set foorth thy blessed lawes and commandements and that thou O omnipotent God with thy mightie hand and stretched out arme wilt confound all Idolatrie and superstition and set vp thy true and holie religion that thy faithfull seruants may triumph and reioice in thee with merie harts and sing vnto thy praise that this the mightie hand of GOD hath brought to passe and to thy name giue the honour and glorie to whome all honour and glorie is due I doo commit vnto thy mercie all those that in this transitorie life be in sorowe sicknesse neede tribulation or anie other aduersitie and speciallie all those that for the profession of thy Gospell and the defence of the saine doo put their liues vnto the edge of the sword O Lord for thy mercies sake forgiue them and vs our offences past comfort them in their greeuous afflictions strengthen them in their weakenesse send them patience in their tribulations abate the pride of their and our enimies asswage the malice of them confound their wicked deuises that we and they being armed with thy mightie defence may be preserued euermore from perils to glorifie thee which art the onlie giuer of all victorie through y e merits of Christ So be it I commit to thy mercie all those that doo faithfullie professe thy holie Gospell beseeching thee to giue vs grace to liue according to thy lawes that by well dooing we may stop the mouthes of the vngodlie aduersaries of the Gospell and thereby win them to the right waie that we may all with one hart and one mouth glorifie thee O Lord God in the daie of visitation to whome all honour and glorie is due And now O my most mercifull Lord and louing father I finallie commit vnto thy mercie my wretched soule and bodie humblie beseeching thee to haue mercie vpon me according to thy great bountifull mercie and according to the multitude of thy tender compassions doo awaie I beseech thee my most greeuous iniquities Unto God the father the sonne and the holie Ghost be now and euer eternall honour and glorie world without end Amen A praier at night going to bed THe God of Angels and men the founder of all creatures visible and inuisible in whose hand is life and death light and darknesse and all the motions of soule and bodie without whome there is no good gift nor perfect quietnesse of conscience but onlie vanitie and vexation of mind and vtter confusion of soule and bodie and finall torments in the horrible pit of darknesse now my Lord God darknesse doth approch this daie hath lost his beautie I as vnworthie of thy benefits most humblie praie thee this night to blesse me and with thy holie Angels assist me thy holie spirit this night lighten me which hast of earth made me and by thy creatures doest nourish me and with thy bloud hast consecrated me with thee to dwell eternallie in glorie when death hath dissolued me which am but vanitie c. And banish Sathan from me that neither mine owne conscience now vexe me nor mine old offences trouble me I most humblie beseech thee this night to pardon me which haue sore offended thee in thought word and deede against thy diuine maiestie which sore repenteth me Saue me good Lord this night sleeping from dreadfull dreames and painefull slumber deliuer me that I may awake in Christ and rest in peace So be it The Hymne or praier for night PRaise ye the Lord his seruants all lift vp to him your hands The night singers in Gods courts in all Christian lands Praise we the Lord our God king which made the earth heuen His blessing be on vs this night which made the planets seuen Into thy hands O Lord our God our soules we do commend This night from sinne Sathans power thy mercie vs defend We laud thee Father for thy grace We praise the Sonne which made vs free We thanke the holie Spirit for our solace Which is one God and persons three Amen Another Hymne or praier to be said when ye go to bed I Go to bed I hope to sléepe God knoweth when I shall rise My soule O Lord defend and kéep from it turne not thine eies This daie I haue committed sinne a hundred times and more I was conceiued and borne therein forgiue me Lord therefore To thée I will my soule betake sinfull it is to sée For I do knowe thou canst it make as pure as néede to bée Forgiue me mine offences all my soule Lord do not kill To thée I will betake my soule accept my zealous will Thy pardon Lord I trust to haue as Dauid had and mo My soule I trust thou wilt now saue from death damned wo. In thée O God I put my trust to guide and aide me still To kéepe me alwaies true and iust according to thy will Thou God of might great renowme I trust thou wilt me kéepe Lord with thy leaue I will lie downe to take my rest and sléepe So be it M. W. The Antheme WE looke for our sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ which shall change our vile bodie that it may be like to his glorious bodie according to the power whereby he is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe Amen Let vs praie Lord haue mercie vpon vs. Christ haue mercie vpon vs. Lord haue mercie vpon vs. * Our Father which art in heauen c. VIsit we beseech thee O Lord this our dwelling and driue from it all the assaults of our enimie let thy holie Angels dwel in it which may keepe vs all this night in thy peace and euer let thy blessing be vpon vs. Grant this O most mercifull father for thy sonnes sake Iesus Christ who with thee and
forgiue vs our iniquities Whosoeuer calleth on thy name shall be saued Thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather desirest that they should liue and be conuerted Thou hast so loued the world that thou not onlie didst become man and tooke our nature vpon thee but wert content also to suffer most cruell death on the Crosse to purge our nature from mortall sinne and corruption and adorne it with immortalitie and eternall glorie not onelie in thine owne person but in vs also to satisfie the iustice of the Father for our sinnes Oh blessed shepheard thou doubtedst not to spend thy most pretious blood to saue thy beloued sheepe from rauine and spoile Good Lord so increase thy grace in me that thy holie word may take roote and flourish in me that the good seed may not be choked with thornes So order my liuing that when by course of nature I shall be dissolued from the prison of my bodie I may come to thee that when thou more bright than the sun shalt come in the midst of the legions of Angels in thy shining glorie and Maiestie to iudge the quicke the dead I may be in the number of the blessed ones whom thou shalt call to possesse the kingdome prepared for them by thy Father saieng Come ye blessed children of my Father receiue the kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the world Thou which didst die and rise againe wilt raise and bring to life all those that are dead beleeuing in thy faith So be it A praier to liue well GOod Lord so rule the eies of my hart that they being kept simple and pure my bodie may be a cleere and shining temple of thy holie spirit So kindle in vs the loue of thy glorious sonne that we following his steps may doo that which is good and decline from the euill so that our light shining before men we may glorifie thee by our good works with thy blessed sonne our Sauiour and the holie Ghost to whose infinite Maiestie in trinitie and vnitie be all honour and glorie for euer Amen A praier for humilitie O Lord I am a sinner and sorie for mine offences I can not make satisfaction for my defaults If I haue anie good thing it commeth of thee The most acceptable sacrifice to thee is a contrite and humble hart O God let mee not be oppressed with the waues of sinne let mee not sinke into the whirlepoole and gulph of despaire Thou which liftest vp the fallen and raisest the humble and meeke clothing them with purple and settest them vp with princes in the seates of honour thou which despisest the imaginations of the proud and resistest their enterprises blesse me in all my dooings send mee happie successe in all mine affaires that I may reioice in thy goodnesse with thine elected for euer and euer Accept my humble suite good Lord I beseech thee for the glorie of thy name sake Amen A praier for the obteining of Gods grace O Almightie and mercifull God shine we beseech thee through the power of our Lord Iesus Christ and the comfortable working of thy sacred spirit the heauenlie comforter vpon our minds and harts with the glorious beames of thy heauenlie grace Giue vs such plentie of wisedome and vnderstanding from aboue that through the knowledge of thee the man of sinne that is our fraile and feeble flesh with the wicked lusts and desire of concupiscence may lie dead and buried in vs. Giue vs good Lord the feeling of thy grace that by the vertue and diuine operation of thy word the eies of our soules may be illumined and made so light that the Prince of darkenesse with all his vnrighteous ministers may be expulsed and banished from our memories So establish vs in thy truth that our harts minds and thoughts may continuallie be occupied in thy testimonies that thereby thou good Lord effectuallie shining in our harts by the vertue of thy good spirit we may learne to knowe and vnderstand what is the fulnesse of our calling and how rich thou art in the glorie of thy celestiall and heauenlie heritage of thy Saincts and that excellent greatnesse of thy power and louing kindnesse towards vs which beleeue without faining thy holie Gospell according to the might and force of thy strength which thou shewedst in Christ Iesus when thou didst raise him from the dead and didst set him on thy right hand far aboue all empire power authoritie and dominion and euerie name that is named not onlie in this world but in the world to come By whose pretious death and deerest bloud-shedding we are assured that sinne death and hell are vanquished ouercome and vtterlie destroied And if we beleeue without wauering we shall in him be able to resist all the power of hell and in Christ as conquerors to triumph with victorie ouer sinne death and Sathan and at the last to haue and enioie the fruition of his rich and glorious kingdome which he by most painefull agonie bloudie stripes greeuous and bloudie wounds and lastlie by his most painefull death purchased for his chosen and elect To whome for our sanctification iustification redemption and our saluation be rendred with his celestiall Father and the holie Ghost all laud glorie power honour and dominion for euer and euer Amen A praier against presumptuous pride and vaine-glorie WE heare O heauenlie Father and are dailie taught and instructed out of thine eternall word how greatlie the greeuous sinne of presumption pride and vaine-glorie displeaseth thy diuine maiestie We are learned that for the practise of this pestilent and heinous euill thou hast not spared the verie Angels but hast throwne them in thy displeasure for their pride vaine-glorie and presumption from beatitude to miserie from ioie without end to perdurable paine from brightnesse of thy glorious presence to vtter extreame and palpable darkenesse from the glorious fruition and participation of thine euerlasting kingdome to the bottomlesse pit of hell death damnation and endlesse flames of fire Besides this we are taught that by the transgression of Adam whose haughtie presuming through the entisement of the subtile and perillous allurement of the Serpent thought to be as thy selfe but in fine thy iustice condemned him and all his posteritie This pestiferous sinne of pride drowned him in the flouds of all dangerous euils as gluttonie luxurie and such other perils that had not thy mercie taken effect to keepe and hold plea for his and our safegard and thy sonne Christ embased the glorie and power of his diuine essence and taken vpon him our flesh and fraile nature sinne onlie except who freelie offered his innocent bodie to the death of the crosse we had perished euerlastinglie and beene vtterlie confounded Print therefore good Lord and write these examples in my memorie that I fall not from thy fauour by the exercise of this detestable sinne Make me still to consider that the proud and disdainefull are alwaies abhorred in thy sight And sith
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
thy poore afflicted seruant Oh how long shall I seeke comfort in my soule and be so vexed in my hart Yea how long shall mine enimies triumph ouer me Consider and heare me O Lord my God lighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death least mine enimies saie I haue preuailed against him For if I be cast downe then they that trouble me will reioice at it But my trust is in thy mercie O Lord and my hart is ioifull in thy saluation For after a storme thou makest the weather faire and still after weeping and heauinesse thou giuest great ioie Thy name O most mightie God be praised for euer and euer Amen Another praier O Lord consider my meditation and complaining Oh harken thou vnto my praiers that go not out of fained lips Let my sentence come foorth from thy presence and let thine eies looke vpon the thing that is equall O hold thou vp my goings in thy waies that my footsteps slip not I haue called vpon thee O God for thou shalt heare me incline thine eare to me and hearken vnto my words Shew thy maruellous louing kindnesse thou that art the Sauiour of all them that put their trust in thee Keepe me as the apple of an eie hide me vnder the shadowe of thy wings from the vngodlie that trouble me Mine enimies compasse me round about to take away my soule Up Lord let not man haue the vpper hand let the heathen be iudged in thy sight that they may knowe themselues to be but men Yet of thy mercie O Lord forgiue all mine enimies and turne the harts of such as hate me Who can tell how oft he offendeth Oh clense thou me from all my secret offences Keepe thy seruant also from presumptuous sinnes least they get the dominion ouer me so shall I be vndefiled and innocent from the great offence Let my mourning teares and the sorowfull sighing of my hart come before thy presence and be alwaies accepted in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer let it be thy good pleasure to rid and deliuer me out of all my troubles I most humblie beseech thee and shew some token of thy fauor to me poore wretched sinner which am as a banished woman Looke vpon me O Lord I beseech thee as thou didst looke vpon Susanna and Sarai the daughter of Raguel Those holie women trusted in thee and thou didst deliuer them they hoped in thee and were not forsaken I knowe Lord thy strength is not weakened neither is thy power abated so that if it be thy good pleasure O Lord thou wilt helpe and make thy power to be knowne In the meane time O mercifull and most gratious Lord God giue me grace thankfullie and patientlie to take all whatsoeuer it shall be thy good will and pleasure to laie vpon me O Lord grant me those things which I hartilie haue praied for euer for Iesus Christs sake my Lord and my redeemer To whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour glorie and praise Amen When God hath deliuered thee out of thy troubles sing those Psalmes the 9 30 33 34 116 145 146. And euer be giuing thanks to God the almightie Lord and King saieng as followeth A thankesgiuing after trouble THe Lord is my strong rocke and my defence my Sauiour my God and my might in whom I will trust the horne also of my saluation and my refuge Yea the Lord is my shepheard therfore can I lacke nothing He hath comforted my soule and brought it out of trouble euen for his mercies sake Though I walke through the vale of the shadowe of death I will feare none euill for thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe comforteth me For in thee O Lord haue I put my trust and I feare not what flesh and bloud can doo vnto me I haue waited long and with weeping teares haue I taried the Lords leasure and now he hath of his great goodnesse deliuered me out of all my trouble Most mightie God of thine accustomed mercie preserue me from all sinne and wickednesse O Lord I feele mine owne infirmitie and weakenesse O most mercifull Lord keepe me in as it were with a bit or bridle that in this my ioifulnesse I doo not forget my dutie to thee and my neighbours For when we haue althings at our owne pleasure and nothing to trouble vs then is our dailie enimie readie to puffe vs vp with pride and vnthankfulnesse yea and with forgetfulnesse of thy lawes Wherefore most mightie Lord looke downe from thy holie heauens euen with thy fatherlie eies of pitie and strengthen my trembling soule with thy holie spirit Guide me that I swarue not frō thy truth taught in holie Scripture but that all my thoughts words and deeds may redound to the glorie honour and woorthie praise of thy most holie name This with teares I most humblie beseech thee to grant euen for Iesus Christs sake in whose name I come to thee and in none other saieng O our Father c. Another thankesgiuing after trouble O Lord I most humblie render lauds thanks and praises vnto thee For thou hast set me vp and not made my foes to triumph ouer me O Lord my God I cried vnto thee and thou hast heard me yea thou broughtest my soule out of trouble and girded me with ioie and gladnes Sing praises vnto the Lord with me Oye Saints of his let vs all giue thanks vnto him for a remembrance of his holinesse For his wrath indureth but the twinkling of an eie and in his pleasure is life euerlasting Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioie commeth in the morning Thou didst turne thy face from me O Lord and lo I was sore troubled then cried I vnto thee O Lord and praied vnto my God right humblie saieng Heare O Lord and haue mercie on me Lord be thou my helpe in all my trouble bow downe thine eare to me and make haste to deliuer me for thou art my strong rocke and deliuerer Into thy hands Lord I commit my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God most high Oh what reward should I giue vnto the Lord for all the maruellous benefits that he hath done vnto mee which I can not woorthilie expresse For in my trouble I called vpon the Lord and he heard me at large and in my temptation with his holie spirit he mightilie preserued me Therefore I knowe that the Lord is on my side and I will not feare what man can doo vnto me For it is better to trust in the Lord than to put anie confidence in Princes for with the Lord there is mercie and with him there is plentious redemption The earth O Lord is full of thy mercie therefore will I talke of thy praise all the daie long and sing Psalmes of thankesgiuing vnto thee It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble else should I not haue learned thy statutes If my delight had not beene in thy lawes I should
when thou openest thy hand they are satisfied with good things O Lord in whom consisteth the fulnesse of all good things vouchsafe to extend thy blessing vpon vs thy poore seruants sanctifie vnto vs thy gifts which we receiue of thy liberalitie that we may vse them soberlie and purelie according to thy good will and by this meanes to knowledge thee to be the Father and author of all goodnesse still seeking principallie the spirituall bread of thy word whereby our soules may bee nourished eternallie through Iesus Christ thy sonne our Lord So be it Matthew 4. verse 4. MAn liueth not by bread onlie but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Grace after meate LEt all nations praise the Lord let all people sing praise vnto him For his mercie is multiplied vpon vs and his truth endureth for euer We render thanks vnto thee O Lord God for all the benefits that we receiue continuallie at thy hand for that it pleaseth thee to sustaine vs in this corporall life ministring vnto vs all our necessities and speciallie for that it hath pleased thee to regenerate vs into the hope of a better life which thou hast reuealed vnto vs by thy holie Gospell We beseech thee not to suffer our affections to be here rooted in these corruptible things but that we alwaies haue an higher respect waiting for our Lord Iesus Christ vntill he appeere in our redemption So be it A praier to be said before sleepe Exhortation LEt vs all fall downe humbling our selues before the high and soeuereigne Maiestie of our good God and Father acknowledging vs to be as we are namelie poore and miserable sinners praieng hartilie vnto him as followeth O Lord God Father eternall we beseech thee that it will please thee to cast the eie of thy fatherlie mercie vpon vs thy poore seruants not laieng to our charge so manie faults and offences whereby we are worthie to be brought vnto thy iudgement and whereby wee cease not to prouoke thy wrath against vs. And forasmuch as we are too vnwoorthie to appeare before thy holie Maiestie vouchsafe to receiue vs in the name of thy welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ accepting the merits of his death and passion for a recompense of all our faults regarding rather the obedience which he hath rendred vnto thee and not the manifold faults that we dailie commit against thy Maiestie O Lord God seeing it hath pleased thee to create the night for mans rest so as thou hast ordeined him the daie to trauell grant vs grace so to take our bodilie rest this night that our soules may alwaie watch vnto thee that our harts be lift vp in thy loue and that we so renounce all earthlie cares that we succour our selues according as our infirmitie requireth Let vs neuer forget thee but let the remembrance of thy goodnesse and grace continue alwaie printed in our memorie and by this meanes our consciences also shall haue their spirituall rest as our bodies take theirs Furthermore let not our sleepe be excessiue to accomplish the ease of our flesh beyond measure but onelie to satisfie the frailtie of our nature that we may be disposed to serue thee Moreouer let it please thee to preserue vs vnderfiled both in our bodies and in our spirits and to keepe vs against all dangers that our verie sleepe may be to the glorie of thy name And seeing the daie is not so passed but that we haue offended thee manie waies according as we are poore sinners so that all is now hid through the darknesse that thou sendest vpon earth vouchsafe also to burie all our faults through thy mercie least we thereby bee taken from thy presence Let it please thee also O Lord God to illuminate vs by thy holie spirit in the true vnderstanding of thy holie will and bring to passe also that we may yeeld vnto thee the loue and feare that true and faithfull seruants doo owe vnto their masters and children vnto their parents seeing it hath pleased thee to shew vs such grace as to receiue vs into the number of thy seruants and children Amen The praier of the Church of the faithfull to speake the word of God with all boldnesse Acts 4. verse 24 c. O Lord thou hast made the heauen the earth the sea all things that be in them Which through thine holie spirit hast said by the mouth of Dauid thy seruāt Wherfore haue the nations raged the people haue imagined vaine thoughts The kings of the earth haue assembled and the princes are come togither against the Lord and against his Christ For trulie Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentils and the people of Israel haue gathered themselues together in this citie against the holie child Iesus whom thou hast annointed to doo those things which thy hand and thy counsell hath determined to be done And now Lord behold their threatnings giue vnto thy seruants that they may speake thy word with all boldnesse so that thou stretch foorth thine hand that healing signes and woonders be done by the name of thy holie child Iesus Amen ¶ The maner how to examine such yong persons as be willing to receiue the Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ Mother IN whome beleeue you Child In God the Father and in Iesus Christ and in the holie Ghost Mother The Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost are they more than one God C No. M Must God be serued after his owne commandements or after the traditions of men C He must be serued according to his owne commandements and not according to the commandements of men M May you accomplish Gods commandements of your selfe C No. M Who is it then that accomplisheth them in you C The holie spirit M And when God giueth you his holie spirit can you perfectlie accomplish them C No. M And yet notwithstāding God cursseth reiecteth all such as do not sincerelie fulfill his cōmandements C It is true M By what meanes then shall you be saued and deliuered from the cursse of God C By the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ M How is that C Because that by his death he hath restored life vnto vs and reconciled vs vnto God his father M And whome praie you vnto C To God M In whose name praie you C In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ who is our aduocate and intercessor M How manie Sacraments are in the Christian Church C Two M Which be they C Baptisme and the Lords Supper M What is the signification of Baptisme C It hath two parts For our Sauiour doth therein represent vnto vs the remission of our sinnes then our regeneration or spirituall renouation M And the Supper what signifieth it vnto vs C It signifieth vnto vs that by the communion of the bodie and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ our soules are nourished in hope of the life euerlasting M What is it that the bread and wine which
Lawe and sincere Religion which I professe Let backbiters together with such as are proud and those that dare shameleslie presume anie thing be vtterlie rooted out but contrariwise let there be space in especiallie for such as be verie zealous of the truth that they onlie may be conuersant with me before thee and cause me to feede them with a singular faith and innocencie and minister all things diligentlie vnto them Finallie let not the enimies of thy Gospell I beseech thee O gratious and mightie God thus despise thy grace offered them vnto repentance but those that are to be conuerted conuert and turne them O God speedilie if it be thy will Make thou Saule at the length to become a Paule and let not the persecutor persist in his errours but let them rather accompt thy long suffering and my peaceable and vnbloudie gouernement an occasion of saluation to their soules and of vnfeigned loue to thy Church Otherwise if they will needes remaine still disobedient to thy truth disloiall vnto me dangerous to the state and enimies to their Countrie and Common-wealth then O God of my saluation arise and helpe to wound the head of thine enimies and the hearie scalpe of such as go on still in their wickednesse Let thy right hand find out them that euerie daie prouoke thee and reuenge thy selfe on those blasphemous hypocrites that thus proudlie contemne thee to thy face And as thou hast discouered them and their peeuish practises against thee and thine annointed so discouer them still As thou hast preuented their diuelish purposes and execrable intents so preuent them still Yea let their firie eies waxe wearie with looking their bloudie harts and hands faint with waiting for their golden daie and that which commeth not yet neither let come O Lord I beseech thee but in thy good time and according to thy will a blessed and healthfull reigne vnto my selfe much ioie and comfort to my subiects and long peace to Zion for euermore Lastlie O most mightie God looke what remaineth yet of the happie building enlarging and finishing of thy Church and to the establishing and planting of thy Religion perfectlie therein according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word and full discharge of my dutie when I shall be called to render an accompt before the iudgement seate of Christ because that without thee I can do nothing neither is it possible to please thee do thou O father of light from whome all good gifts doo come and proceede vouchsafe to powre downe plentifullie of thy principall spirit vpon me and so rauish my hart with the flame of the loue of thee and thy people with an earnest zeale of thy house that with Ioseph I may carefullie and faithfullie prouide for thy people with Moses painefullie leade them out of the deserts of errour and oppression and with Ioshua bring thy people into the land of promise with Debora fight thy battels with Iahel knocke Sisera of Roome in the temples of his vsurped headship with Iudith cut off the head of proud Holophernes with Hezekias and Iosias roote out and destroie all superstition and relikes of idolatrie with Dauid and Salomon finish and consecrate to eternitie thy glorious Temple among thy people and with them all most earnestlie and continuallie to praie vnto thee for their saluation That heere on earth for the time after their vertuous example dooing that which is good in thy sight reigning blessedlie ruling prudentlie and like a louing mother and tender nursse giuing my fostermilke the foode of thy word and Gospell aboundantlie to all in all places of my dominion and endeuouring my selfe faithfullie to discharge the great trust committed vnto me when thy sonne to whome not onlie the sea and windes but all creatures are subiect shall come as King of kings to require an accompt of the charge committed vnto me I may be found faithfull and not faile finallie in heauen but in the purenesse of my virginitie and holinesse of mine innocencie be presented to the Lambe my souereigne Lord and onlie God my heauenlie Bridegroome and spirituall spouse my euerlasting King deere Christ and onlie sweet Sauiour Iesus there to see the Saincts and to be a Sainct and with all the holie Patriarches Iudges Kings and Queenes yea with all the Archangels Angels Saints Martyrs Confessors Uirgins and the whole companie of thy celestiall and blessed spirits to reigne with him ouer spirituall powers and principalities for euer and sing the sugred songs of my wedding-daie to my perpetuall ioie and thine eternall praise O most glorious Trinitie the Father the Son and the holie Ghost one inuisible God almightie blessed for euer and euer Amen Amen Another praier to be said of the Queenes Maiestie BLessed art thou Lord God of Sabbaoth for vnto thee apperteineth all magnificence and power and glorie to thee belongeth all honour and authoritie For whatsoeuer is either in the heauens aboue or in the earth beneath it is thine Thine O Lord is the kingdome thou art aboue all Princes Kings Riches are thine glorie is thine and thou art Lord ouer all In thee remaineth vertue and power greatnesse and gouernement O God of my fathers and Lord of mercie which hast made all things by thy word and by thy wisdome appointed man to rule the creatures which thou hast made and to gouerne the world with equitie and iustice I praise thee and extoll thy glorious name for appointing me thy seruant to rule and gouerne this thy people committed vnto my charge Now therefore gratious Lord fauourablie behold me that I may treade the path of truth righteousnesse and sinceritie of hart in thy sight Let me not abuse mine authoritie but gouerne with lenitie and gentlenesse the people vnder me that liuing a godlie and honest life mankind may enioie their desired peace Giue therefore vnto thy seruant an hart desirous of instructions that I may iudge the people and discerne betweene good and euill and neither declining to the right hand or to the left stoutelie and valiantlie mainteine the cause of the righteous Grant me counsell and assistance to doo such things as are gratefull vnto thee good for thy Church and profitable for my people and Common-weale Giue me thy wisdome and reiect me not from thy children for I thy seruant and handmaiden am a fraile woman of a short time and full weake in the vnderstanding of iudgements and the lawes Thou hast chosen me a Gouernour of thy people and a Iudge of thy sonnes and daughters send mee therefore wisdome from thy sacred heauens and from the seate of thy magnificence that it may be with me and labour with me whereby I may perceiue what is acceptable in thine eies and learne that I haue no power of my selfe but from thee which art Almightie and reignest ouer the kingdomes of men giuing them at thy pleasure Graunt that I neuer conceiue proudlie of my selfe but may receiue in patience the discipline of thy Lawe Make me wise and
circumspect that I neither offer iniurie to anie man neither suffer anie to be iniuried that so equitie may be mainteined and iustice among men preserued Let me at no time vnder the shew and colour of equitie vphold or countenance a wicked cause neither yet without sufficient examination and triall of both parties giue sentence against anie Allow me such Counsellers Gouernours and Ouerseers as are of courage fearing God dealing vprightlie hating couetousnesse that by them the burthen charge and care which I susteine may be somewhat lightened Endue both me and them with thine holie spirit that with earnest studie and watchfull minds we may discerne betweene matters that no man through our negligence haue the ouerthrowe in a righteous cause but that sentence be rightlie pronounced betweene a man and his brother and a stranger without respect of anie person in iudgement Let vs heare as well the little as the great and feare no man because the iudgement is thine which standest in the companie of iudges and among the gods thou plaiest the Iudge for the iudgement is not of man but of the Lord and whatsoeuer we shall iudge it will come vpon vs. Wherefore let thy feare be with vs that we may doo all things with care and circumspection that we prooue not children in vnderstanding neither giue our selues to lusts pleasures but to eate our meate in due season and that for strength not for dronkennes For thou wilt make earnest and diligent inquirie of all our works and search all our cogitations because we are thy seruants and deputies to gouerne men of a verie short life and he which is to daie a King to morowe may be dead for we be all mortall and subiect to one and the same corruption Besides an horrible iudgement is nigh for such as walke not after the will of thee our God for he that is most lowe shall finde mercie but the mightie shall be mightilie tormented for thou which art the Lord ouer all regardest not the person of anie neither doest thou feare the greatnesse of the mightie because as well the great as the small are the workemanship of thine hands thy care is equall ouer all thou giuest to godlie Princes eternall happinesse which art the Iudge both of the quicke and dead liuing and reigning with thy Son in the vnitie of the Spirit a God for euermore Amen Another FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee O King of kings and Lord of lords to appoint me among other a Ruler of thy people giue mee grace I beseech thee so to minister the Common-weale and so to execute mine office that I may please thee and hurt no man in all my dooings but iudge equallie and iustlie rule according to thy will shew my selfe a Mother vnto thy people and so be haue my selfe in all mine enterprises that I seeking thy glorie the furtherance of thy blessed Gospell and the weale of thy subiects may when thou shalt render to euerie one according to his deedes be found blamelesse in thy sight through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Another OAlmightie God Lord of heauen and earth which hast appointed me thy seruant to bee a gouernour of thy people and a ruler ouer men I most humblie beseech thee send me thy wisdome from aboue whereby I may vprightlie iudge thy people rightlie discerne betweene good and euill and constantlie continue in dooing my dutie without respect of persons Giue me power and wisdome to do that is gratefull in thy sight profitable for my subiects and good for the continuance of peace Let me alwaies remember that I haue no power of my selfe but of thee and that the iudgement is not of man but of thee my God which standest among the iudges and plaiest the Iudge among the gods Giue me grace likewise to consider that one daie how soone I knowe not thou wilt bring me to a reckning and make diligent inquirie how I haue behaued my selfe in my place and office For I thy seruant haue but a short race to run and such is the state of vs all he which is to daie a King to morrowe may be dead And forasmuch as an horrible iudgement shall be giuen vpon such as rule not vprightlie nor walke after thy will for mightie men shall mightisie be tormented thou being Lord ouer all wilt spare no person nor feare anie greatnesse for thou hast made the small and great and carest for all alike I beseech thee gratious and eternall God giue mee grace to learne what thy will is and to deale wiselie to infer none iniurie vnto anie nor to suffer anie to be iniured to countenance none euill cause nor to slide from the path of iustice For I thy seruant am a fraile person of a short time and full weake in the vnderstanding of iudgments and the lawes Send me therefore wisdome from the throne of thy Maiestie that she may be with me labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sight and be led by hir in all my dooings and preserued by hir power so shall my works be acceptable and then shall I gouerne thy people righteouslie in Christ my Lord and Sauiour Amen Another HEare mee O LORD thou high and mightie God whose Maiestie may not bee comprehended whose worde is true whose commandement is strong thou that ridest vpon the Cherubins fliest with the wings of the wind Thou God of all mercie most woorthie to be sought before whome the hosts of heauen stand with trembling whose ordinance is dreadfull whose lookes drie vp the depths whose hands rule the starrie firmament whose goodnesse onelie giueth the fruits of the earth whose wrath maketh the mountaines to melt and consumeth the wicked whose truth beareth witnesse and mercie saueth the sorowfull sinner Thou thou incomprehensible Creator that neuer tookest beginning and wantest end Sith of nothing thou hast wrought me with the woonders of the world to thy most seemelie shape and vouchsafest thy dririe death and passion to drowne the danger of my sinful deserts and hast as a carefull captaine cherished my bodie with comfortable gifts vnto this present daie continue O God such goodnesse towards me vnwoorthie which doo here with contrite hart and bowed knees appeale to the heigth of thy mercie and louing kindnesse to accept mine vnequall thanks for the same humblie beseeching thy fatherlie goodnesse that thy holie hand may stil renew in me thy former gifts plentiouslie powred vpon me from the prime of my birth vnto this present not remembring good Lord mine vnwoorthinesse of the same nor frailtie of my passed yeeres that speaketh against me but altering the ministers of thy wrath into mild mercie Grant I beseech thee that through the assistance of thy holie spirit I may be led to correct that is amisse and that I may now perseuere in setting ordering and reforming all my trauels counsels and studies as best may accord with thy blessed will and cancell the bonds of my heauie charge wherein
in his owne sight was righteous O Lord great is thy power great is thy might which declareth it selfe most chieflie in sparing and hauing compassion on sinners shewing to vs that a contrite and humble hart thou wilt not despise Accept therefore sweete Lord Iesu this my sacrifice of praise proceeding out of a broken and sorowfull hart And if it be vnperfect amend thou the fault mercifull Lord which onlie art of power to doo it that it may be an holie and acceptable sacrifice inflamed with the feruent heate of thy bountious charitie that it may be acceptable vnto thee or at the least that thou despise it not I knowe well that I shall find fauour in thy sight and that heereafter none of thy Saincts either in heauen or in earth shall despise me Accomplish therefore in me euen now O Lord that which I so oft do craue of thee which is that thou wilt haue compassion on me according to thy great mercie and that also thou wilt receiue me for a sacrifice of righteousnesse for a holie oblation for a burnt sacrifice of good liuing and for a Calfe to be offered vpon thine Altar or Crosse by the which I may passe this vale of miserie vnto that ioie which thou preparest for them that loue thee AMEN * ANOTHER ELIZABETH E ENgraue thy lawes in the depth of my heart O Lord that being instructed in thy commandements I may serue thee in feare and reioice in thee with trembling and take hold vpon thy discipline in all things least at anie time thou become angrie and I perish from the right waie Amen L LORD giue me helpe from my trouble for vaine is the helpe of man in thee I haue strength and thou bringest vnto nothing those things which trouble me let my soule be subiect vnto thee For from thee proceedeth my patience For thou art my God and Sauiour my helper and I will not depart from thee In thee is my helth and my glorie thou art the God of my helpe and my helpe is in thee Amen I I Haue broken thy fold and wandered long as a lost sheepe let me returne O Lord bicause I haue not forgotten thy commandements The misdeeds and ignorances of my tender yeers remember not Lord but according to thy mercie haue mind on me For thy goodnesse O Lord keepe my soule and deliuer me let me not be ashamed bicause I haue trusted in thee Turne my heauinesse into ioie cut off my sacke of sorowes and gird me with gladnes that my glorie may signe vnto thee and I shall not be greeued Z ZORobabel King of Iuda in the depth of thy displeasure tasted of thy mercie and receiued by the mouth of Aggeus thy Prophet sweete comfort and knowledge of thy fauour and grace yea after thy determination to destroie the whole kingdome of the heathen thy right hand did preserue him and thine incomparable mercie did choose him for a seale to thy selfe Lord this happie King in thy goodnesse was but an earthlie creature and then could he haue no righteousnesse in himselfe to moue such thy compassion If it proceeded from the multitude of thy mercies that surmount the iniquities of the whole world and that thou didst onlie vouchsafe to behold in him the image of thy selfe bow downe thine eies Lord and behold the selfe-same in me Certifie my conscience with remission of my sinnes that my sorowfull soule may be at rest within me Send downe thy holie spirit to remaine with me that I may become with that good King thy chosen seale and seruant and so graunt thy people that I may with them and they with me neuer deserue further than to tast of thy rod of fauorable correction but that all my labours and studies may euer bend to the performance of thy holie will and discharge of my dutie Amen A ARise and illuminate my mind most benigne Sauiour that I sleepe not at anie time in death least mine enimies saie they haue preuailed against me They which trouble me will be glad if I be cast downe but I haue fixed my hope in thy mercie Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for no liuing creature shall be iustified in thy sight I will euer looke vpon the Lord for he shal be on my right hand that I be not mooued For this my hart is glad and my tongue reioiceth yea moreouer my flesh shall rest in hope Amen B BE thou vnto me O Lord in the daie time a defendour and in the night season a place of refuge that thou maist saue me for thou art my strength and vnto thee I flie Lord God deliuer me from the hand of sinners and from the Lawe-breaker and the wicked dooer for thou Lord art my patience thou art my hope euen from my youth In thee I am confirmed euen from my mothers wombe thou art my protector in thee shall be my song for euer and euer Amen E EUER my tongue shall be telling of thy rich mercie and woonderous works O Lord for thou hast caused me to passe through fire and water and led me into a fresh place thou hast giuen my soule life and hast not suffered my feete to fall According to the multitude of my sorowes thy comforts haue made my soule merrie My soule is like a Sparowe taken out of the Fowlers snare Thou hast deliuered my life from death and my hands from bloud that I may please thee O Lord in the light of the liuing Amen T THOU art iust O Lord and all thy commandements be true and all thy waies mercie truth and iudgement And now Lord be mindfull of me take not reuengement of my sinnes remember not mine offences neither the offences of my fathers because we haue not obeied thy precepts Giue me an hart of vnderstanding and set thy feare alwaies before mine eies that I may be obedient in word deed and thought to all that is thy will Lord giue vnto me the power of thy holie spirit to rule and gouerne thy people committed to my charge in all godlie feare and knowledge of thy word and that I may be vnto them an example in all godlinesse and vertue to the praise of thy holie name Amen H HEALE me Lord and I shall be healed saue me and I shall be saued My life cleaueth vnto the earth Quicken me according to thy word according to thy mercie releeue me and I will keepe the testimonies of thy lips Helpe me Lord so shall I be safe and I will from hencefoorth studie thy righteousnesse Thy mercies are manie O Lord according to thy word restore my health AMEN REGINA R REgard my praiers O thou God of my life leaue me not in the thoughts of euill Deliuer me from the wicked man let not the foote of pride come vpon me and to vaine-glorie giue me not Take from me all sinfull lusts let no desire of vncleannesse take hold vpon me giue me not ouer to an vnshamefast and obstinate mind but correct me in thy mercie
permanent vnchangable and vnmooueable lift vp the head of thine handmaid as it were of an Unicorne being annointed by thee with fresh oile and laden with new benefits continuallie Thou art he I saie by whose power consisteth whatsoeuer is high in the world euen by thy might which as it establisheth the kingdoms and policies whereby mankind is preserued so also by these testimonies of thy most mightie power the inhabitants of the earth being conuinced doo tremble and keepe silence And this peace being restored in my dominion thou causest that my people againe doo leade their liues both daie and night in comfortable peace godlie tranquillitie Wherefore thou hast giuen me great cause of new ioie and to reioice in thee O Lord my God who hast thus mercifullie dealt with me thine handmaid and especiallie bicause thou hast granted vnto me to ouercome all mine enimies how manie and how mightie soeuer and to compose and set my kingdome in peaceable order and to place in Iuda the throne of iudgement and iustice being directed by thy word O GOD which I haue and whereof I glorie still will glorie To conclude I doo reioice bicause thou Lord art my louing shepheard and feedest me in the greene pastures and sweet medowes of thy word with ioie and solace making me that was sometime as a barren woman without comfort now a ioifull and glad foster mother of manie spirituall children to thee Yea euen in the verie sight of mine enimies dooest thou O most bountifull Father prepare a deintie table for me and reaching vnto me a full cup thou giuest me drinke of thy pleasant springs and causest thy goodnesse and mercie thy bountie and liberalitie to followe me wheresoeuer I become blessing both me and my people with all thy blessings continuallie Finallie it is thou O Lord onlie who of thy singular goodnesse hast assuredlie fortified my hill woonderfullie with honour health peace and securitie and that dooest presentlie keepe me in safetie and causest me quietlie to lie downe and take my rest in thee Thou doost ward the gates of my Cities with bars and mightilie multiplie and cherish thy familie my citizens Thou bringest me into amitie with my neighbors and feedest me with the finest flower of wheate And these things verelie doo testifie most plainlie both thine infinite goodnesse and power yet surelie they are nothing in comparison of that benefit of the doctrine of saluation and holie word which thou hast bestowed vpon thy people and deliuered vnto vs as a rule to lead our liues both godlie and honestlie neither is there anie nation vnder heauen with whom thou hast so dealt as with vs herein Therfore hauing such experience of thy support I will comfort my selfe in thee my strength my shield in whom my hart doth rest neither will thine Annointed trust in anie other but onelie in thee which giuest power vnto Princes Euen I will blesse and praise thee O Lord which thus hast blessed both me and my people with thy continuall blessings And in this my present blessed state I will not cease to magnifie thee O Lord my deliuerer but I will declare set foorth before all people the maruellous works which thou my God hast done for me and whereof I my selfe from the beginning of my life vnto this houre haue had good proofe experience The fourth part of the Vow conteining fiue Chapters CAP. I. OH Lord my God how excellent is thy name ouer all the earth Aduancing mee thus to glorie far aboue my deserts I as one nothing able to compasse such great mercies am euen astonished with the admiration of thine excellent liberalitie and fatherlie prouidence ouer me O how greatlie doo these so manie and so great benefits binde me vnto thee And what shall I giue againe vnto thee for all thy bountie which thou hast bestowed vpon me Uerelie I will paie that which onlie I am able namelie I will take in my hands the Lampe which thou hast ordeined for thine annointed and will therein continuallie magnifie thy mercie I will take in my hands I saie the cup of thankefull sacrifice and calling vpon thee by name O Lord I will testifie openlie that I knowledge this my deliuerance and honour to be onelie of thee And those things which I vowed vnto thee O Lord when I was in danger will I now paie in the presence of all the people For thou art he by whose benefit I remaine aliue thou art my defence my tower my sauiour my sheeld my refuge finallie thou art he who onelie hast subdued all this people vnto me and therefore well deseruest the renowme and praise of all these victories by most worthie right Wherefore by good right O Lord I will declare thy praises euen with a sounding voice And bicause it becommeth all men and women that haue receiued benefits of thee and to whome thou grantest the vse of this life and deliuered from so manie not dangers but deaths to doo this thing diligentlie and continuallie I will labour to commit the memoriall of thy benefits vnto others and exhort them to accompanie me in the dutie of thankefulnesse earnestlie and saie CAP. II. O All yee holie spirits the apparitors of the Lords Maiestie which are diuided into innumerable garrisons go yee before others in this his praise and sound them foorth euen from the most high heauen O yee Citizens of Zion reioice yee in the Lord your King and Gouernour and set foorth his praise far and wide not onlie priuatelie but also publikelie Praise the Lord I saie for his infinite goodnesse and euerlasting mercie deserueth the same O you the innumerable multitude whome God hath deliuered out of manifold dangers and foorth of the hands of your enimies and persecutors praise the Lord for his infinite goodnesse and euerlasting mercie deserueth the same and acknowledge this thing with me For how manie hath he gathered from the beginning of the world which were scattered from the East and the West from the North and South Ocean sea How manie wandering wretches in the waste wildernesse and seeking a Citie commodious to dwell in halfe dead and killed with famine and thirst crieng vnto thee O God in their extreame miseries hast thou heard and drawing them foorth of their distresse hast brought into the right waie and led them into commodious Cities of refuge to dwell in peace O let these men therefore set foorth this thy great mercie before thee O Lord thy selfe and shew foorth thy maruellous works to other men who hast thus refreshed them panting for thirst and fed them so mercifullie being hunger-starued How manie also being shut vp in darke prisons and euen as it were in the darkenesse of death being chained in their mind with sorow and in their bodies most strictlie with iron fetters And that worthilie I confesse because they did not obeie thy commandements oh God which are engrauen in the minds of all men but rather followed their owne lusts than the wholesome counselles
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
such things as be allowed and pleasant vnto thee least at anie time cleauing to superstition and hypocrisie I doo worship thee amisse but fill my hart with grace and stuffe it with sweetnesse of spirit euen as my bodie is stuffed with abundance of meats Lord rid me out of mine vngodlinesse plucke from me mine ignorance of thee banish my slothfulnesse of insearching thee Compell my flesh through thy spirit to his bounden dutie and obedience and bring to passe that I may now alwaies applie my selfe wholie without wearinesse and drinesse of mind vnto the right sincere worshipping and seruing of thee here in thy presence O Lord open thou my lips and then shall my mouth extoll thy renowmed name and publish thy praise not with fained lips but with a full glad hart lustie stomach and quicke spirit and saie with the congregation Our Father c. As at euening praier in the Church Another Meditation before Euening praier in the Church SEing thou hast beautified all those with a notable promise O most mightie God which are knit together in the honouring of thy blessed name so that thou wilt not onlie be present with them but also bestowest excellent gifts and benefits vpon these men whosoeuer they are that excell in sincere faith and pure godlinesse and haue an exceeding desire to be often in the blessed congregation in so much as there is nothing which they more couet or desire than to appeare diuers times in the daie before thee in the sacred assemblies yea it ought to be a most pleasant thing vnto vs to celebrate thy high praises perpetuallie and shew foorth thy maruellous works without ceasing For the performance whereof godlinesse would require that wee should not onlie doo the same in the daie time but also in the night season We will therefore lift vp pure hands in all places touching the publishing of thy glorious name and render perpetuall thankes according to our bounden dutie for thine vnspeakable goodnesse and louing kindnesse extended towards vs. But seeing that this ought to be done in the most sacred and holie assemblies our earnest request is to haue thee present heere with vs and to bestowe thy plentifull blessings vpon thy beloued Israel First deliuer vs wee humblie beseech thee from our heinous faults enorme sinnes and lewd corruptions wherewith we haue greatlie defiled our selues And then let our weake and feeble harts be strengthned in thy blessed waie and the withered powers of our mind which are dried vp watered with the holie Ghost that we being altogither repaired and wholie renewed may continuallie celebrate and praise thee and haue a great desire to direct our praiers vnto thy mercie-seate with a most holie intent as Christians ought to doo Cause vs now not constrained and brought thereto by compulsion but of a willing hart to come before thy presence and become true worshippers of thee yea and such as doo thinke it a goodlie matter to spend not onlie houres but daies and nights yea and all our yeares and life in the sincere seruice and right worshipping and honouring of thee in the sacred Church Let nothing be so deere and pretious vnto vs as to continue in the praises and commendations of thy glorious name from morning to night praieng both publikelie and priuatelie for all other as well as for our selues Graunt O excellent father that we in giuing due thanks for thy benefits may ioifullie sing double praises to thy glorious name for euermore that our minds I saie may dailie more and more bee strengthened hartilie to confesse couragiouslie to extoll and aboue all things to exalt thy wonderfull praises vncessantlie through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Psalme of exhortation to praier in the morning or euening O Come let vs worship fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker and let vs hartilie reioice in the strength of our saluation Let our soules reioice I saie in the mercie of the Lord and not be ashamed to publish his praise Let vs doo our duties betimes both earlie and late and he will giue vs a reward in his due time For a good thing it is to giue thanks vnto the Lord and to tell of his louing kindnesse earlie in the morning O come therefore praise the Lord with me and let vs magnifie his name together Bring hither the booke take the Psalter and sing vnto the Lord a new song Let vs sing praises I saie lustilie vnto him with a good courage and shew our selues glad in him with Psalmes euen now in the time appointed and vpon our solemne feast-daie For great is the Lord and highlie to be praised in the Citie of our God euen vpon his holie hill of Zion Glorie be to the c. As it was in the c. Another Psalme exhorting all creatures to praise God O Praise the Lord of heauen yee Angels of his ye Saincts that excell in strength and fulfill his commandements yee seruants of his that harken to the voice of his words and doo his pleasure Praise him in the height ye children of Zion and be ioifull in your King with glorie For God is verie greatlie to be feared in the counsell of his Saincts and to be had in reuerence of all them that are about him Praise him all yee heauens and ye waters that bee aboue the heauens O God the verie heauens shall praise thy woonderous works and thy truth in the congregation of the Saincts Yea let heauen and earth praise thee the Sea and all that moueth therein O sing vnto the Lord all the whole earth woorship him and stand in awe of his iudgements ye multitude of Isles Praise the Lord O Ierusalem praise thy God O Zion Praise the name of the Lord O yee seruants of the Lord yee that by daie or by night stand in the house of the Lord euen in the courts of the house of our God O all yee righteous that loue and seeke the Lord and be true-harted towards him praise his holie name and magnifie him all yee seed of Israel that feare and dread his Maiestie Praise the Lord also all ye heathen and nations of the world worship you him and glorifie his name For he is great passing all praise Praise the Lord O ye Kings of the earth Princes and all Iudges of the world yea worship him all yee gods For he is higher than the heauens and far exalted aboue all gods O yee kindreds of the people ascribe vnto the Lord the worship power and honour due vnto his name bring presents and come into his courts with praise Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee both yong men and maids old men and children let them all remember thy holie name and declare thy power from one generation to another world without end O speake good of the Lord all yee works of the Lord in all places of his dominion Let euerie thing that hath breath praise the Lord. For his
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
may dispend them wiselie to the praise of thy name least that we falselie trusting vpon long life might come vnto death Oh good God how fraile and corrupt a worke be we indeed Euen but verie dust and ashes and the length of our daies be as the flower in the field No man can deliuer himselfe from death no man can saue his owne soule from the graue thou onelie O Lord must doo it namelie to such as beleeue in thee O my GOD haue mercie vpon me and take mee not awaie vnprouided in the middest of my daies but let me go to my graue in a full age Let me remember mine end that when I shall depart out of this life I be not depriued of euerlasting life Let me beare alwaies before mine eies the shortnesse of this life and what a vanitie and what a thing of naught it is as well the men themselues as all their things and affaires Staie my feete O Lord that at no time they slip with some cruell zeale or enuie that I might haue at the vngodlie which for the most part passe their liues quietlie and die more quietlie I beseech thee let not thy chosen persons be discouraged nor offended by this thy godlie prouidence in ordering of worldlie things nor shrinke from thee by reason thereof but rather let vs remember in what dangers in verie deed these vngodlie be in and with how vnhappie a conclusion and terme they close finish their happie course And againe on the contrarie part what pleasantnesse of conscience and what comfort and quietnesse shall followe this our vnquietnesse Finallie O good God in the daie of my buriall when all my friends shrinke from me doo not thou forsake me when my father and mother husband and children forsake me vouchsafe thou O Lord to take me vp and defend me from the roring lions that wait for their praie lead mee safelie through the vnknown countrie bring me happilie to the streets of the heauenlie Zion wherein is the habitation of all that reioice in thee and there set mee amongst thine Angels before the face of thine owne Maiestie where with the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Uirgins yea and with all my deere parents and faithfull friends in full measure of happinesse passing excellent glorie and superabundant ioie of thanks-giuing and praise I may magnifie thee my God among thy chosen holie ones for euer and euer Amen Sée another praier in the Ladie Aburgauennies praiers Another meditation of death O GOD what other thing doo wee daily in this present life than heape sinne vpon sinne and hourd trespas vpon trespas So that this daie is woorse alwaies than yesterdaie by increasing as daies so sins and therefore thine indignation good Lord against vs but when we shall be let go out of the prison of this bodie and so taken into thy blessed companie then shall we be in most safetie of immortalitie and saluation then shall come vnto vs no sicknesse no need no paine no kind of euill to soule or bodie but whatsoeuer good we can wish that shall we haue and whatsoeuer we loath shall be farre from vs. Oh deere Father that we had faith to behold these things accordinglie Oh that our harts were persuaded thereof and our affections inflamed with the desire of them Then should we liue in longing for that which now we most loath Oh helpe vs and grant that we being ignorant of things to come and of the time of our death which to thee is certaine may so liue and finish our iournie here that we may be readie and then depart when our departing may make most to thy glorie and our comfort through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Another sweet meditation of the longing of the soule to be with God out of Saint Augustine O Kingdome of all worlds eternall wherein is ioie surmounting all ioies and the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding wherein also the soules of all holie folke doo rest and reigne with thee O Lord in euerlasting ioie mirth and gladnesse When shall I enter into thee that I may see my God which dwelleth in thee When shall I go thither behold this great sight What is it that holds me backe Wo is me that my soiourning is prolonged wo is me how long shall it be said vnto me Wait and wait againe And now to what purpose is my waiting My Lord God doo we not wait and watch for the Sauiour our Lord Iesus Christ to come and repaire our base bodies vnto the likenesse of his glorious bodie We wait and watch like wise virgins with our loines girt and our lamps burning for the Lord our Bridegroome when he should come from the Bridehouse to fetch vs into his wedding Come Lord Iesus and tarie not come Lord Iesu Christ come visit vs in peace come lead vs prisoners out of prison that we may reioice before thee with a perfect hart come our Sauiour thou that art longed for of all nations and people come shew thy countenance vnto vs and we shall be safe come my light and my redeemer my GOD and my spouse take my soule out of prison that it may giue praise vnto thy name How long shall I be tossed in the waues of my mortalitie crieng vnto thee Lord and thou hearest me not Lord heare me how I crie vnto thee out of this huge sea and bring me to the hauen of endlesse blisse Happie are they O God which are conueied out of this sea and haue obteined to arriue at thee the safest harborough of all hauens O happie are they indeed which are escaped alreadie from sea to shore from banishment home into their owne countrie and from prison into a palace enioieng their wished rest Blessed are they that alreadie haue gained the garland of endlesse glorie which they sought for here by manie tribulations and ioie now in happie mirth for euer O blessed are they indeed O treble and foure-times blessed are they which being alreadie quite rid of all miseries haue atteined to the kingdome of beautifulnesse and euerlasting blissefulnesse and are assured of their vnappearable glorie For there is ioie endlesse mirth sorowlesse health griefelesse waie without labour light without darknesse life without death Happie therefore I saie are those that alreadie haue escaped the shipwracke of this present miserable life and obteined the grace to come to so great ioies in heauen But alas we are yet still in the waues of the sea longing for thee O Lord the hauen of our sea O Ierusalem the heauenlie countrie of ours O quiet countrie we looke towards thee and ken thee a farre off Wee hale thee from this sea we sigh vnto thee out of this vale of miserie and labour with teares if we may by anie meanes attaine vnto thee O Christ God and the onlie hope of all mankind our refuge and strength whose brightnesse inlighteneth our eies a farre off as the beames of the sea-starre dooth in the mistie darknesse
of all as fathers and nursses to mainteine and cherish thy Church commanding vs not onlie to obeie and honor them but moreouer to praie for them as watching ouer vs for our good We therefore beseech thee for thy great names sake and for Iesus Christes sake to shew thy mercie to all Kings and Princes that mainteine thy glorious Gospell but especiallie we praie thee to blesse our gratious Queene Elizabeth in all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus and in all temporall blessings according to thy good pleasure that in the great measures of thine effectuall lawe she may more and more find great increase of vertue and wisedome and strength in Christ Iesu to the faithfull and happie discharge of hir dutie that hir holinesse and ioie and zeale of thy house may be multiplied euerlasting And seeing it hath pleased thee of thy singular mercie to giue hir this especiall honor first to suffer for thy glorious truth and afterward miraculouslie deliuering hir out of the hands of hir enimies to set a Crowne vpon hir head and to make hir the instrument to aduance thy glorie and Gospell for which she suffered and to bring hir out of darkenesse into light out of persecution into this great and long peace as we giue thee most hartie thanks for this singular benefit so we beseech thee to make hir and vs euermore thankefull for it and in thy good pleasure still to preserue hir for the continuance of these blessings towards vs with all increase from time to time to thy glorie the benefit of thy Church and hir infinite peace in Christ Iesus the Prince of peace And furthermore we praise thee for hir and the estate that such as be the enimies of the Gospell and hir enimies also for the defence therof may not despise the peace offered them vnto repentance but that they may accompt thy long suffering and hir peaceable and vnbloudie gouernement an occasion of saluation to their soules and vnfeigned loue to the truth and their mercifull Souereigne Otherwise if they stil remaine disobedient to thy truth disloiall to hir Highnesse and dangerous to the state then O God of all saluation as thou hast discouered them so discouer them still as thou hast preuented them so preuent them still and let their eies ware wearie with looking and their harts faint with waiting for the comming of that which yet commeth not neither let it come O Lord we beseech thee but a blessed and a long reigne to hir Grace and and peace to Zion for euermore Also deere Father so blesse so loue so in thy spirit sanctifie and keepe hir that she maie in the spirit of counsell and fortitude so rule that other sister also namely this hir Common-wealth that they may flourish together and growe vp together as Palme-trees in beautie and in strength giuing aid and help one to another that in the Church the glorie of God may appeare as the Sunne in his brightnesse and that the land may flowe with milke and honie and true peace abound therein as in y e triumphant reigne of Debora These graces O Lord are great and we miserable sinners vnwoorthie of the least of them therefore looke not to vs but to thy selfe not to our iniquities but to thy great mercies accepting the death and passion of thy Sonne as a full ransome for all our offences throwing them into the bottome of the sea and making his crosse and resurrection effectuall in vs to all obedience and godlinesse as becommeth thy Saincts that to all other thy good blessings towards our gratious Souereigne this may be added that she gouerneth blessedlie ouer a blessed people a people blessed of the Lord and beloued of the Lord and that thy graces may abound in the Church in the Common-wealth from daie to daie till the daie of our translation into thy kingdome where iustice inhabiteth where we also shall inhabit and reigne with thee according to thy promise for euer Grant vs these things O mercifull father for thy deere Sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake in whose name we craue them at thy mercifull hand praieng furthermore for them as he hath taught vs to praie Our Father c. Psalme 72. Another praier for the prosperous estate and flourishing reigne of our right vertuous souereigne Queene Elizabeth O GOD without whose wisedome no kingdome can stand who of a speciall consideration hast ordeined this kingdome in the familie of Dauid teach our Queene Elizabeth whome thou hast appointed the rules of right gouernement teach I saie the Daughter of this thy Dauid whome thou hast chosen to thy selfe the rule of righteousnesse that she may iustlie gouerne not hir people but thine especiallie that she may defend the poore against the iniuries of the mightie thus the people being scattered heere and there in the mountaines and hilles being safe vnder a iust gouernment shall abound with all the commodities of peace Grant this vnto hir that she being far from all tyrannie may be a sure refuge for the poore that she may comfort the families oppressed with pouertie and iniuries that she may keepe vnder y e false accusers with most sharpe punishment so will it come to passe O Lord that the state of this kingdome being ordered by thine authoritie all men as it is meete shall acknowledge and feare thee and not for anie short continuance of time but that the Sunne and Moone shall sooner ceasse their course than thou shalt faile to be woorshipped And thou againe wilt powre downe vpon thy people from heauen all good things like a showre comming downe vpon the new mowne medowes and none otherwise than thou vsest to water the earth with showers in due season whilest Elizabeth reigneth thus gouerned by thy grace and holie spirit the iust shall flourish and great peace shall be so continued as is the firme course of the starres and the Queene hir selfe shall haue dominion from the one sea to the other euen frō Euphrates to the farthest coasts of the earth The inhabitants of the countries of the desert shall come vnder hir yoke falling downe vnder hir feet and hir enimies falling downe before hir shall licke the dust of the earth The kings of Silicia and of the Ilands shall offer presents vnto hir The Ethiopians also and the Arabians shall bring hir gifts finallie all Kings shall haue hir in admiration for hir renowme and vertue and all nations shall reuerence hir name and maiestie For hir righteousnesse shall bee praised through out all the whole world because she heareth the crie of the poore and doth defend the needie forsaken of other She hath mercie on them that are needie and she refresheth those that are in danger of their life She defendeth the poore against the iniurie of the mightie neither doth she suffer the violence done vnto them to be vnreuenged Therefore thou O God wilt keepe hir safe and gold shall be brought vnto hir out of the midst of Arabia all men shall make
praiers for hir life and safetie and shall dailie wish all prosperitie vnto hir And seeing the safetie of all the families of our nation consisteth in the preseruation of hir Maiestie let vs hartilie as we haue good cause praie incessantlie for hir Grace and for the safetie and welfare of the Church and of all those that loue and fauour hir therein Defend O God with thine owne hand this woorthie woman and sacred Queene whose endeuour thou hast vsed to restore peace to thy Church and religion to thy people O saue this woorthie Princesse Elizabeth I saie whome for this purpose thou hast indued with most rare and singular wisedome power constancie and roiall gifts of grace And grant that all men may dutifullie honour and obeie hir as a prince of peace a mother of Israel a nurse of thy Church woorthilie for hir vertues set ouer vs by thee O God to reigne Finallie grant that in this gouernement of our pastor chiefe shepheard there may want neither integritie vprightnesse in taking of counsell neither wisedome in performing all hir enterprises according to thy will Then shall wheate be reaped euerie-where with full handfuls in the verie tops of the mountaines the corne growing as high as the trees of Libanus and there shall be such a multitude of inhabitants in the cities that they may almost seeme like plants springing out of the earth yea then shall hir noble memorie and roiall fame be for euer euen durable as the sunne and our Queene Elizabeth be an example of all pietie and felicitie vnto all kingdoms nations of the world which shall accept hir blessed among women But vnto thee O Lord the Prince of the celestiall companies and the author of all things for so woonderfull rare gifts in hir Maiestie shall all possible praise be especiallie giuen yea the fame of thy glorie be praised and magnified for euer and euer and let it fill both heauen and earth So euen so let it be O God Amen Another dailie praier for the perpetuall happinesse of our sacred and most gratious Souereigne and Queene Elizabeth O Almightie God King of kings and Lord of lords in thine hand is all power both in heauen and in earth thou confirmest kingdoms againe doost alter them according to thine heauenlie pleasure we praise thee we magnifie thee we extoll thine holie name for that it hath pleased thee to appoint ouer vs a good and gratious Queene which dooth gouerne with counsell and rule with wisdome Grant hir we beseech thee continuall peace long life and much happines and deliuer not hir Maiestie into the hands of hir enimies Rule thou hir mind that she may serue thee alwaies in feare and reioice in trembling let hir maintaine and imbrace pure religion defend hir people in the profession of Christs Gospell against all errors and superstition whatsoeuer Giue hir wisedome and vnderstanding to doo such things as are gratefull in thy sight profitable for vs hir subiects and hurtfull to none O God eternall Father heare the petitions of Elizabeth our Queene in all hir troubles the name of Christ our Sauiour glorifie hir and the comfortable aid of the holie Spirit vphold hir now and euermore Be mindfull of hir grace for hir good Lord remember all hir offerings make hir praiers acceptable in thy sight Giue to hir according to hir harts desire fulfill all hir petitions and prosper all hir purposes that we may reioice in thy saluation and triumph in the name of thee our God Blesse hir Lord euermore that wee may knowe that hir protector is in the clouds Harken vnto hir from thy holie heauens Oh send hir helpe from thy sanctuarie and aid hir from aboue by thy mightie right hand which bringeth saluation Let all hir enimies plainlie knowe O GOD that thou wilt saue thine annointed For though some trust in horses and other in chariots yet will we remember the name of our God they shall fall and be ouercome but wee couragiouslie will persist O Lord protect hir Maiestie and heare vs when we call vpon thee that in thy strength she may reioice and mightilie triumph in thy saluation Grant hir the desire of hir hart and denie not the petitions of hir lips For thou hast preuented hir with notable blessings and put a crowne of pure gold vpon hir head She hath asked life of thee and thou wilt giue hir a long life Great is hir glorie in thy saluation honour and fame hast thou put vpon hir Thou hast ordeined hir for exceeding blessednesse and doost comfort hir hart with thy cheerfull countenance And why Bicause she delighteth in Christ and doubteth not of thine euerlasting mercie O God that giuest victorie vnto kings and didst deliuer Dauid from perill of the sword saue and redeeme our deere Queene Elizabeth and deliuer hir from the hands of the children of another deuotion than she is whose mouth vttereth vanitie and their right hand is a right hand of falshood Yea let hir hand O Lord light vpon hir enimies and thy right hand find out all such as hate thee and enuie hir prosperitie Put them into a burning fornace in the time of thy displeasure the Lord in his anger shall consume them and fire shall deuour them Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth and their seed from the sonnes of men bicause they intended euill against thee and imagined mischiefe against the innocent which they could not bring to passe Therefore wilt thou turne them into flight and bend thy bowe against their faces Triumph O Lord in thy vertue and we will sing out thy glorie and commend thy power Saue our Queene O mercifull God in despite of all hir enimies which either secretlie or openlie go about to bring hir life to the graue or hir glorie to the dust Lord shield our Souereigne exalt thine annointed let thine hand assist and thine arme strengthen hir Neuer let hir foes preuaile against hir nor the child of wickednesse bring hir to destruction Banish from hir Court all hir priuie enimies and preserue hir euermore from dissembling friends Mercie and iudgement be Queene Elizabeths song vnto thee O Lord let hir sing thy magnificall mercies Worke in hir roiall hart an endeuour to be fullie instructed in the perfect waie of thy roiall lawes for so much as thou hast made hir Queene ouer this Relme With thy grace open hir hart instruct hir and lead hir vp and downe in the midst of hir people in perfectnesse of hart Let hir neuer set before hir eies anie diuelish thing Cause hir to detest the worke of back-sliding from God let that take no hold in hir Driue far awaie from hir the men of froward harts let hir not once be acquainted with euill persons Who so priuilie slandereth his neighbor let hir destroie him Who so hath also a proud looke and an hautie stomach cause hir to loath him Settle hir eies vpon such in the land as are faithfull that they may dwell
and properlie vpon all the holie Feasts and Saints daies throughout the yeere as they fall in order and are commonlie kept here in the Church of England and Ireland And first vpon the principall Feast daies of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that is to saie On Aduent Sundaie In memorial of Christ his First comming in the flesh Christmas daie In memorial of Christ his Natiuitie and birth On New yéeres daie In memorial of Christ his Circumcision On Twelfe daie In memorial of Christ his Apparition On Ashwensday the 1. day of Lent In memorial of Christ his Fasting On First Sundaie in Lent In memorial of Christ his Temptation On Maundie Thursdaie In memorial of Christ his Last Supper On Good Fridaie In memorial of Christ his Passion On Easter daie In memorial of Christ his Resurrection On Ascension daie In memorial of Christ his Ascension On Whitsundaie In memorial of Christ his Sending of the holie Ghost On Trinitie Sundaie In memorial of Christ his The blessed Trinitie On Euerie Sundaie holie-day and working-day In memorial of Christ his Last comming to iudgment 1. On Aduent Sundaie Of the comming of Christ in the flesh The Preface BE of good cheere and feare not O you that are of a fearfull hart for behold your God commeth his owne selfe to take vengeance on his enimies and will deliuer you Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid O daughter Zion be glad O daughter Ierusalem reioice For lo the King commeth vnto thee euen the righteous thy Sauiour lowlie meeke and simple riding vpon the fole of an asse and bringing his recompense with him Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Out of Zion hath God appeared in perfect beautie Hosanna in the highest Remember me O Lord according to thy fauor that thou bearest vnto thy people O visit me with thy saluation Hosanna Shew me thy waies O Lord and teach mee thy path Hosanna in the highest Hosanna The praier THE time is now at hand when the Church calleth into mind the benefits of the sonne of GOD which taking vpon him our fraile nature appeared to the world and came to visit vs in great humilitie And at the last daie and resurrection of all mankind will come againe in his glorious Maiestie to iudge both the quicke and the dead and shew himselfe both to punish his enimies with euerlasting paines and to adorne his Church and chosen people with eternall glorie Wherefore O Sonne of God Lord and Sauiour Christ which as this daie in roiall pompe didst enter into the holie citie Ierusalem for a publike testimonie of thine appearing remooue all impediments we praie thee that may hinder thy comming and make a plaine and most easie waie for thy selfe vnto vs. Gather vs we beseech thee into that companie which are prepared to receiue thee the King of all kings and which set foorth thy glorie in spirituall songs not onelie this daie through all the world but also continuallie and beare palmes of victorie before thee and spred their garments in the waie for ioie of thy comming Assist vs that being greatlie separated from the damned crue of diuels and wicked persons wee may sound and set foorth thy truth in perfect confession and righteousnesse all the daies and time of our life Bee thou our King both here in this world and hereafter in the world to come replenishing vs against all the wicked enterprises of thine enimies and making vs though babes and littleones to extoll and magnifie thy name for euer Keepe vs thy weake children depending vpon thee and running vnto thy lap euen as infants vnto their parents Make vs to followe thy words which through thy spirit doo sound within vs and powre thy wisedome into vs miserable men and women that the pride and power of thine enimies may be confounded Grant that with gratefull minds we may publish abroad thy glorious victorie according to our calling and abilitie cherish thy ministers and venter both our life liuing for the maintenance of thy truth Moreouer blesse vs O thou blessed seed of Abraham by the vertue of thy presence number vs among thy chosen which haue their names from thee And finallie giue vs grace now in the time of this mortall life so to cast awaie from vs the works of darknes and to put vpon vs the armour of light that in the last daie of thy second comming in the clouds we may rise through thee to life immortall and so being adorned with that glorie which thou hast receiued from thine eternall Father we may perpetuallie praise and extoll thy Maiestie both heere in this world and for euermore in the world of worlds to come Amen Hosanna to thee O sonne of God in the highest Hosanna 2. On Christmas daie Of the natiuitie and birth of Christ our Sauiour The Preface A Child is borne vnto vs and a sonne is giuen vnto vs. Glorie be to God on high Unto vs is borne this daie in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Halleluiah The Lord sent a word vnto Iacob the same is come into Israel an euerlasting Prince of peace Halleluiah Mercie and truth are met togither righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other truth shall flourish out of the earth and righteousnesse hath looked downe from heauen vpon vs to speake peace vnto his people and gladnesse to his Saints Halleluiah Of the fruit of thy bodie will I set vpon thy throne and in Zion shall I make the horne of Dauid to flourish Halleluiah The Sunne commeth foorth of his tabernacle the heauens as a bridegroome out of his chamber and reioiceth as a Giant to run his course Halleluiah He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone Halleluiah For thou art fairer than the children of men full of grace are thy lips bicause God hath blessed thee for euer yea God euen thine owne God hath annointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Halleluiah Therefore in this daie of thy power shall the people offer the free-will offerings with an holie worship bicause the dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning Halleluiah Glorie be vnto God on high in earth peace and good will towards men Halleluiah Halleluiah Halleluiah The Praier NOW is the ioifull time wherein all Saincts both in heauen and earth doo magnifie and praise almightie God for the incarnation of his onlie begotten Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ who as this daie was borne of the pure Uirgin Marie the which also the holie Angels of the Lord did celebrate with a most heauenlie song And no doubt the blessed companie of the elect departed out of this world enioieng the comfortable sight of God replenished with eternall wisedome light and righteousnesse yeeld most humble thanks vnto the Sonne of God their Sauiour and Redeemer for his incomprehensible goodnesse declared vnto mankind
health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse Thou shalt open my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew thy praise For thou desirest no sacrifice else would I giue it thee but thou delightest not in burnt offerings The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite hart O God shalt thou not despise O be fauourable and gratious to Sion build thou the walles of Hierusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousnesse with the burnt offerings and oblations then shall they offer yong bullocks vpon thine altar 5. Domine exaudi Psal 102. HEare my praier O Lord and let my crieng come vnto thee Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble incline thine eares vnto me when I call O heare me and that right soone For my daies are consumed awaie like smoke and my bones are burnt vp as it were a firebrand My hart is smitten downe and withered like grasse so that I forget to eate my bread For the voice of my groaning my bones will scarse cleaue to my flesh I am become like a Pellicane in the wildernesse and like an Owle that is in the desert I haue watched am euen as it were a Sparowe that sitteth alone vpon the house top Mine enimies reuile me all the daie long and they that are mad vpō me are sworne togither against me For I haue eaten ashes as it were bread and mingled my drinke with weeping And that because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me vp and cast me downe My daies are gone like a shadowe and I am withered like grasse But thou O Lord shalt endure for euer and thy remembrance throughout all generations Thou shalt arise and haue mercie vpon Sion for it is time that thou haue mercie vpon hir yea the time is come And why thy seruants thinke vpon hir stones and it pitieth them to see hir in the dust The heathen shall feare thy name O Lord and all the kings of the earth thy Maiestie When the Lord shall build vp Sion and when his glorie shall appeare When he turneth him vnto the praier of the poore destitute and despiseth not their desire This shall be written for those that come after and the people which shall be borne shall praise the Lord. For he hath looked downe from his Sanctuarie out of the heauen did the Lord behold the earth That he might heare the mournings of such as bee in captiuitie and deliuer the children appointed vnto death That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion and his woorship at Hierusalem When the people are gathered togither and the kingdomes also to serue the Lord. He brought downe my strength in my iournie and shortened my daies But I said O my God take me not awaie in the midst of mine age as for thy yeares they endure thoroughout all generations Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth and the heauens are the worke of thy hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure they shall all waxe old as doth a garment And as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy yeares shall not faile The children of thy seruants shall continue and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight 6. De profundis Psal 130. OUt of the deepe haue I called vnto thee O Lord Lord heare my voice Oh let thine eares consider well the voice of my complaint If thou Lord wilt be extreame to marke what is done amisse oh Lord who may abide it For there is mercie with thee therefore shalt thou be feared I looked for the Lord my soule doth wait for him in his word is my trust My soule flieth vnto thee Lord before the morning watch I saie before the morning watch O Israell trust in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercie and with him is plentious redemption And he shall redeeme Israell from all his sinnes 7. Domine exaudi Psal 143. HEare my praier O Lord consider my desire hearken vnto me for thy truth and righteousnesse sake And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified For the enimie hath persecuted my soule he hath smitten my life downe to the ground he hath laid me in the darkenesse as the men that haue beene long dead Therefore is my spirit vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate Yet doo I remember the time past I muse vpon all thy works yea I exercise my selfe in the works of thy hands I stretch foorth my hands vnto thee my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirstie land Heare me O Lord and that soone for my spirit wareth faint hide not thy face from me least I be like vnto them that go downe into the pit O let me heare thy louing kindnes betimes in the morning for in thee is my trust shew thou me the waie that I should walke in for I lift vp my soule vnto thee Deliuer me O Lord from mine enimies for I flee vnto thee to hide me Teach me to doo the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God let thy louing spirit leade me foorth into the land of righteousnesse Quicken me O Lord for thy name sake and for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soule out of trouble And of thy goodnesse slaie mine enimies and destroie all them that vexe my soule for I am thy seruant Glorie be to the Father to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and euer shall be world without end Amen Heerevnto you may adde as occasion and time will serue these select and notable Psalmes of Dauid as they are at large in the Psalter that is to saie the 5 7 13 17 22 25 31 35 42 43 55 56 57 69 71 77 86 88. Other Psalmes or Praiers compiled out of holie Scriptures verie necessarie to be vsed of the afflicted soule for obteining the remission of sinnes and mitigation of miseries O Lord of lords GOD almightie great and dreadfull which by thy word hast made heauen earth the sea all things conteined in them Nothing is able to resist thy power thy mercie is ouer all thy works All things be vnder thy dominion and rule both man and beast and all liuing creatures Thou art mercifull to whome thou wilt and hast compassion on whome it pleaseth thee Thy counsell shall stand for euer and whatsoeuer thou wilt shall be done Power dominion and glorie is thine which art aboue all things and in all things and in vs all Thou art Father of mercies and God of all grace peace and comfort which wilt not the death of a sinner nor delightest in the damnation of soules O Lord God which art rich in mercie and of thine especiall loue towards vs euen when we were thine enimies didst send into the world thine onelie begotten Sonne Iesus Christ that whosoeuer beleeueth dulie in him
and happie in the works of our vocation take into thy custodie for euer our soules and bodies our liues and all that euer we haue Be gratious and fauourable oh Lord to all men and euen to our verie enimies and according to thy good will and purpose forgiue them their sinnes conuert vnto thy truth all those whom thou hast appointed in Iesus Christ to saluation Be mercifull O God to all our brethren and sisters that suffer anie kind of persecution or affliction whether in mind or in bodie especiallie such as suffer for thy name and Gospell giue them patience constancie and stedfast hope till thou send them full and good deliuerance of all their troubles Be gratious to all those whom thou hast coupled and linked to vs in loue and friendship whose harts thou hast mooued to praie for vs to wish vs good to succour and helpe vs in our necessities grant vs all thy blessing and holie spirit to sanctifie vs in the vnitie of faith and dwell in vs for euer Finallie oh Lord haue mercie vpon mine husband children and familie which thou hast giuen vs make me to be content with him as thy gift and increase thy feare in our harts that we may trulie loue thee and one another of vs in thee so that we may be pure both in soule and bodie and may godlie liue togither according to thine holie ordinance Giue him an hart of wisedome and vnderstanding and set thy feare alwaie before mine eies that as Ioseph cast off all surmises of the mis-behauiour of Marie his spouse and obeied the word of thine holie Angel so he may beare with mine imperfections and bee obedient in word deed and thought to all that is thy will Oh Lord giue vs the power of thy spirit to gouerne our selues holilie and to rule and bring vp these our children and familie in all godlie feare nurture information of the Lord and knowledge of thy holie word and that we may be alwaies vnto them an example in all godlinesse and vertue to the praise of thine holie name Plant in mine hart all vertues that be necessarie and requisite in a Christian woman giue mee grace so to vse them and all other good gifts which I haue receiued at thy mercifull hands as may be most to thy glorie and praise to my consolation and saluation and to the profit of thy Church Behold Lord although I am but dust earth and ashes yet I haue taken vpon me and am bold to come and make these petitions and requests vnto thee not trusting in mine owne woorthinesse or righteousnesse which I doo acknowledge with the Prophet to be stained and defiled but onlie in thy great mercie and promise and through the merits of Christs death bloud-shedding to laie mine humble praiers before thee requiring mercie pardon and forgiuenesse of all my sinnes and also the assistance of thy grace to doo thy will all the daies of my life and to obteine all these my petitions O therefore heare me speedilie good Lord forgiue me fauourablie O Lord and tarie not ouerlong but for thine owne sake doo it and for thy deere Sonne Iesus Christs sake in whom all thy promises are Yea and Amen which is our onelie Redeemer Mediator Sauiour and Iustifier to whom with thee O Father and the holie Ghost be all honour glorie and praise now and euer Amen Another good and godlie praier to be said at all times of euerie Christian both man and woman O Almightie and euerlasting GOD Father Sonne and holie Ghost thou that hast made heauen and earth and all things in them conteined haue mercie vpon me poore wretched sinner dailie assaulted with all kind of miserie and wretchednesse I beseech thee O Father for the loue of thy Sonne Iesus Christ consider my weakenesse frailtie and imperfection and haue mercie vpon me Increase thy graces in me my souereigne Sauiour my deere Redeemer and mine onelie Iustifier For I come vnto thee O Lord according to the words of our Sauiour Christ who hath said Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I will ease and refresh you Oh most mercifull Father ease me of and from the great burden of my sinne which I haue vnrighteouslie committed against thee either in thought word or deed and refresh my soule dailie with thy mercies Sprinkle me with the sweet hysop of thy mercie and then shall I be cleane wash me and then shall I be whiter than snowe Powre vpon me ioie and gladnesse and make my bones reioice which thou hast smitten Turne thy face from my sinnes and put out all my misdeeds Make me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not awaie from thy presence and take not thy holie spirit from me Oh giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe and stablish me with thy free spirit Then shall I teach thy waies vnto the wicked that sinners may be conuerted vnto thee Deliuer me from bloud guiltinesse O God thou that art the God of my health that my tongue may praise thy righteousnesse Open my lips O Lord then shall my mouth shew foorth thy praise Consider mine imperfection and helpe it with thy mercies Remember thine old woonted mercies and faithfull promises made vnto our forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all other Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and other thy Saints in our Sauiour Christ Iesus who being compassed with infirmitie and weakenesse of the flesh came vnto thee O Lord as vnto the well and euerlasting fountaine of their health and saluation and thou mercifullie susteinedst them keepedst them deliueredst them in all their temptations and tribulations If their feet at anie time slipt or went out of the waie and committed sinne against thee yet thy mercie was alwaies readie so that thou by thine holie spirit diddest procure them to repentance so that they turned againe vnto thee which conuersion and turning againe thou mercifullie acceptedst at their hands For bicause they were desirous to liue perfectlie in thy sight thou preseruedst them so that they were found faithfull before thee O Lord thou art the same and thy yeeres endure for euer I beseech thee O Father beare mine imperfection and helpe it likewise with thy mercie if at anie time I happen to fall and commit sinne against thee as thou saiedst by thine holie Apostle Paule Let thy grace at all time be sufficient for me in such wise that I may immediatelie turne againe by true repentance vnto thee which conuersion and turning againe accept alwaies at mine hands for Iesus Christs sake so shall I be found perfect before thee For although the spirit bee willing yet is the flesh vntoward and weake Therefore doo I not leaue mine owne righteousnesse before thee For I knowe and confesse in me that is to saie in my flesh is nothing but plaine miserie wretchednesse and sinne Therefore doo I come vnto thee and beseech thee for Christes sake to extend thy mercifull hand towards me
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
not blind my senses obstinate my maners sauage but let me delight in goodnesse and followe counsell and neuer loose the bridle to my tongue nor cruellie make a praie of the poore nor violentlie oppresse the weake nor vniustlie slander the innocent nor negligentlie regard inferiours committed to my charge Finallie let mee vse neither crueltie towards my seruants nor treacherie towards my friends nor violence vpon my neighbours O my God my mercifull God euen through thy beloued Sonne I beseech thee giue me grace to exercise my selfe in the works of mercie and in godlie cogitations namelie to weepe with them that weepe to instruct such as go astraie to helpe the afflicted to cherish the poore to comfort the sorowfull to releeue the oppressed to nourish the hungrie to refresh them which mourne to forgiue my debters to pardon them which haue hurt me to loue them which hate me to render for euill good to despise none but to honor all to imitate the vertuous to shun the wicked to embrace vertue to flee sinne in aduersitie to be patient in prosperitie to be continent to set a watch before my mouth and a seale of wisedome before my lips to despise earthlie and to couet after heauenlie things Thus my maker I haue asked much and yet haue deserued naught I confesse yet alas I confesse that not onlie I deserue not those blessings which I doo require but also doo deserue manie exquisit torments notwithstanding euen publicans harlots theeues who in a moment pluckt from out the iawes of the enimie are taken into the armes of the shepheard doo embolden me to doo as I doo Wherefore haue mercie vpon me O good Lord I beseech thee and vouchsafe fauourablie to heare me and grant my requests So be it A praier called ô bone Iesu necessarie to be said at all times for mercie and grace O Bountifull Lord Iesu Christ O sweet Sauiour O Christ the sonne of God haue pitie vpon me mercifullie heare me and despise not my praiers Thou hast created me of nothing thou hast redeemed mee from the bondage of sinne death and hell neither with gold nor siluer but with thy most pretious bodie once offered vpon the crosse and thine owne bloud shed once for all for my ransome Therefore cast me not awaie whome thou by thy great wisedome hast made despise me not whome thou hast redeemed with such a pretious treasure nor let my wickednesse destroie that which thy goodnesse hath builded Now whilest I liue O Iesu haue mercie vpon me For if I die out of thy fauour it will be too late afterward to call for thy mercie Whilest I haue time to repent looke vpon me with thy mercifull eies as thou didst vouchsafe to looke vpon Peter thine Apostle that I may bewaile my sinfull life and obteine thy fauour to liue and die therein I acknowledge that if thou shouldest deale with me according to thy iustice I haue deserued euerlasting death therefore I appeale to thy high throne of mercie trusting to obteine thy fauour not for my merits but for thy merits O Iesu who hast giuen thy selfe an acceptable sacrifice to the Father to appease his wrath and to bring all sinners trulie repenting and amending their euill life into his fauour againe Accept me O Lord among the number of them whome thou hast in Christ elected and chosen to saluation forgiue my sinnes giue me grace to leade a godlie and innocent life grant me the heauenlie wisedome inspire my hart with faith hope and charitie giue me grace to be humble in prosperitie patient in aduersitie obedient to my rulers faithfull vnto them that trust me dealing trulie with all men to liue chastlie in wedlocke or in this my single life to abhorre adulterie fornication and all vncleannesse to doo good after my power vnto all men to hurt no man that thy name may be glorified in me during this present life and that I afterward may atteine euerlasting life through thy mercie and the merits of thy pretious death and passion Amen A forme of praier conteining a paraphrasis of these words of Dauid in his 119. Psalme Order my steps in thy word and so shall no wickednesse haue dominion ouer me O Eternall God Father of our Lord Iesu Christ which with thine onlie begotten Sonne and the holie Ghost art the maker preseruer and helper of all creatures Upon thee doo I call in the name of Christ the Mediator Helpe and gouerne mee with thy holie spirit that with a stedfast purpose I may constantlie cleane vnto thy word that my steps my thoughts intents purposes actions and all the course of my life may be directed made conformable to thy commandements and promises and that I may euer haue thy word before mine eies to followe it as the onlie and most infallible rule of my life and lightsome lampe to my feet Order my steps in thy word that I may feare in my hart thy great wrath and threatnings against sinne and quake and tremble at the dreadfull examples of punishments which therefore from the beginning thou hast published in the world against all the wicked and vngodlie ones that haue and doo contemne thy word and that I may acknowledge those punishments to be forewarnings of thy iudgements to come in the which this most dreadfull sentence shall be pronounced against all the vngodlie Go yee cursed into euerlasting fire Order my steps in thy word that in true feare and awe of thy Maiestie I may tame my mind bridle my lusts keepe vnder mine affections rule mine imaginations restraine my thoughts represse and stop all vicious motions shun all wickednesse and kill the life of sinne in me Order my steps in thy word that in frights and feares in terrors and temptations in all astonishments troubles afflictions distresses and dangers bodilie or ghostlie with fixed eie and firme faith I may behold looke vpon thy grace and mercie which for thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake is shewed and declared vnto vs in thy Gospell and neuer seeke thy will anie where else but in thy word and surelie persuade my selfe that trulie to be thy will which in thy word and promises is reuealed and set foorth Helpe me also O God I beseech thee that in all mine agonies feares I may cheere and raise vp my selfe with the heauenlie comfort of thy word and so with a constant faith in thy mercifull promises that I find there I may repose my trust and quiet my conscience in Christ my mercifull Mediator assuring my selfe vndoubtedlie that for his sake I shall be both heard receiued helped deliuered and saued Order my steps in thy word that in all this short course of my life I may be obedient vnto thee and serue thee faithfullie and diligentlie in my vocation that I may keepe my selfe within the limits of my charge and serue thee trulie in those works which thou requirest of me in my seuerall calling Order my steps in thy word that this
protection and keepe vs and all ours this night that the diuell haue no power ouer vs. Be thou watchfull ouer vs O eternall Sauiour least the subtill tempter apprehend vs. For thou art made for vs an euerlasting protector For behold whether we sleepe or wake whether we liue or die we are thine thou art our Creator and redeemer Stand therefore on our behalfe in the watch with the armie of thy celestiall warriers thine Angels which being filled with perfect goodnesse and perpetuall integritie behold thy face alwaies in the heauens Expell from vs and our houses wicked spirits which bee our mortall enimies that they damage vs in no case and deliuer vs from persecutors which laie snares for our destruction Turne not away thy mercie and truth from vs. O God assist vs that peaceablie we may rest and sleepe in quiet We will laie vs downe in peace and sleepe For thou Lord alone makest vs to dwell in safetie without danger Hide vs in thy tabernacle O Lord that sitting in thy secret place and abiding vnder the shadowe of thy wings we may saie vnto thee Lord thou art our keeper and our refuge O God we will trust in thee and will feare no danger And although we were in extreame darknesse yet will wee not feare Though we should walke in the midst of the shadowe of death yet will we dread none euill for thou art with vs thy rod and thy staffe they doo comfort vs. Let thy mercie O God followe vs all the daies of our life that we may dwell in thy house in longnesse of daies praising thee euermore with the Sonne holie Ghost one true God reigning worlds without end Amen Another more large Euening praier with Confession O Lord God Father euerlasting and full of pitie we acknowledge and confesse that we be not woorthie to lift vp our eies to heauen much lesse to present our selues before thy Maiestie with confidence that thou wilt heare our praiers and grant our requests if we consider our owne deseruings For our consciences doo accuse vs and our sinnes beare witnesse against vs and we knowe that thou art an vpright iudge which dooest not iustifie the sinners and wicked men but punishest the faults of all such as transgresse thy commandements Yet most mercifull Father since it hath pleased thee to command vs to call on thee in all our troubles and aduersities promising euen then to helpe vs when we feele our selues as it were swallowed vp of death desperation we vtterlie renounce all worldlie confidence and flie to thy souereigne bountie as our onlie staie and refuge beseeching thee not to call to remembrance our manifold sinnes and wickednesse whereby we continuallie prouoke thy wrath and indignation against vs neither our negligence and vnkindnesse which haue neither woorthilie esteemed nor in our liues sufficientlie expressed the sweet comfort of thy Gospell reuealed vnto vs but rather to accept the obedience and death of thy Sonne who by offering vp his bodie in sacrifice once for all hath made a sufficient recompense for all our sinnes Haue mercie therefore vpon vs O Lord forgiue vs our offences Teach vs by thy holie spirit that we may rightlie way them and earnestlie repent for the same and so much the rather O Lord because that the reprobate such as thou hast forsaken can not praise thee nor call vpon thy name but the repenting hart the sorowfull mind the conscience oppressed hungering and thirsting for thy grace shall euer set forth thy praise and glorie And albeit we be but woorms dust yet thou art our Creator and we be the worke of thy hands yea thou art our Father and we thy children thou art our shepheard and we thy flocke thou art our redeemer we the people whom thou hast bought thou art our God and we thine inheritance Correct vs not therefore in thine anger O Lord neither according to our deserts punish vs but mercifullie chastise vs with a fatherlie affection that all the world may knowe that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sins from the bottome of his hart thou wilt put awaie his wickednesse out of thy remembrance as thou hast promised by thy holie Prophet Finallie we humblie thanke thee O mercifull Father by thy deerelie beloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour for all thy benefits bestowed vpon vs from the beginning of the world to this time for our election our creation our redemption our sanctification continuall preseruation and namelie for that of thy mercie and goodnesse thou hast preserued vs this daie and all the time of our life hitherto from all misfortunes hurts and dangers bodilie ghostlie And forsomuch as it hath pleased thee to make the night for man to rest in as thou hast ordeined him the daie to trauell and that whither we sleepe or wake liue or die we are alwaies thine grant O deere Father that we may so take our bodilie rest this night that our soules and harts being kindled with the light of thy countenance may continuallie watch for the time that our Lord Iesus Christ shall appeare for our deliuerance out of this mortall life And in the meane season take thou O God care and charge of vs and all ours that we perish not in the works of darkenesse and that we not ouercome by anie fantasies dreames or other temptations may fullie set our minds vpon thee loue thee feare thee and rest in thee Furthermore that our sleepe be not excessiue or ouermuch after the insatiable desires of the flesh but onlie sufficient to content our weake nature that enioieng sweet sleepe and comfortable rest both in bodie and mind we may healthfullie and ioifullie rise againe and be the better disposed to liue in all godlie conuersation and perfect obedience of thy word to the glorie of thy holie name and profit of thy Church through Iesus Christ our Lord in whose name we furthermore make our humble petitions vnto thee not onlie for our selues but for all others whome thou wouldest we should continuallie praie for saieng as he in his holie word hath taught vs Our Father which art in heauen c. O Lord increase our faith strengthen it in thy manifold sweet promises and grant vs a perfect continuance therein to our liues end whereof we humblie make our confession saieng I beleeue in God c. Let thy mightie hand and out-stretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercie and louing kindnes in Iesu Christ thy deere Sonne our saluation thy true holie word our instruction thy life holie actions our imitation thy grace holie spirit our comfort consolatiō vnto the end in the end and the blessing of God almightie Father Sonne and holie Ghost be with vs and remaine with vs now euer Amen A forme of generall praier to be vsed in priuate houses and families euerie Euening O Lord prepare our harts to praier for if we praie with our lips onlie our praiers
are abhominable O teach vs therefore by thy holie spirit to praie rightlie according to thy will and giue eare gratiouslie to our calling O Gratious Lord louing Father according to thy commandement we doo heere present our selues before thy Maiestie humblie prostrating our selues before thy throne of mercie acknowledging and confessing from the bottom of our harts that we be miserable sinners dailie breaking thy commandements both in thought word and deede wherein we iustlie deserue euerlasting damnation and to be vtterlie throwne from thy presence Yet O Lord we see thy goodnesse againe towards vs who not suffering vs thus to perish in our sinnes hast sent thine owne deere Sonne Iesus Christ to take vpon him whatsoeuer is due to reconcile and make vs at one with thee againe In him therefore good Lord and through him doo we come vnto thee beseeching thee for his sake that we feeling the greeuousnesse of our sins and groaning vnder the burthen of them may feele the release and ease of them in that we be through thy holie spirit assured and stedfastlie beleeue that Christ hath borne the burthen of them euen for vs. Grant O Lord that we being assured heereof in our conscience may through thy holie spirit be renewed in the inward man to hate detest and abhorre sinne and to studie to liue acording to thy blessed will during this whole life We doo not onlie praie for our selues O Lord but also for all the whole Church especiallie such as be persecuted for thy word grant vnto them that whither it be by death or life they may glorifie thy name to their liues end Be mercifull to this Church of England and Ireland we beseech thee good Lord and preserue euerie part and member of the same especiallie thy seruant Elizabeth our gratious Queene and Gouernour Grant hir all such gifts as be needfull for so high a calling to the aduancement of thy glorie and the benefit of this Common-wealth to the establishing of a perfect gouernement of thy Church according to the prescriptrule of thy blessed word to the rooting out of all superstition idolatrie and relikes of Antichrist to the gouerning of hir subiects in all peace and tranquillitie Defend hir O Lord from all conspiracies treasons and rebellions and so worke in the harts of all hir subiects that knowing hir authoritie doth come from thy heauenlie Maiestie they may with obedient harts humblie obeie hir in thee and for thee Preserue the whole Counsell the Magistrates of the Realme that being lightened by thy holy spirit they may defend the truth suppresse wickednesse and mainteine equitie Behold all the pastors and preachers of thy word blesse their labours increase the number of them place ouer euerie Church a painefull watchman remoue all idle lubbers and confound the power of Antichrist and turne the harts of the people that they may be obedient to the truth Blesse the two Uniuersities Cambridge and Oxford and all the students of the same with all the Schooles of learning Behold all those that be afflicted with anie kinde of crosse that they may profit by thy correction in newnesse of life Lastlie for our selues heere gathered togither we render most hartie thanks to thy Maiestie O Lord which hast hitherto from our infancie preserued vs by thy mercie from all perils and dangers both of soule and bodie wherevnto fraile man is subiect that thou hast sent vnto vs all things necessarie for this present life as health food apparell and such like which manie of thy deere children doo want being notwithstanding as pretiouslie bought with the pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne as we be and yet lie in miserie and calamitie oppressed with pouertie nakednesse imprisonment and banishment in which case also deere Father thou mightest haue brought vs saue onlie that thou dealest heerein more fauourablie with vs than with them For the which thy louing kindnesse we giue thee hartie thanks desiring thee that as thou hast hitherto thus fauorablie in mercie preserued vs by thy protection and euen presentlie this daie hast brought vs past all the dangers thereof so we beseech thee good Lord in like fauour behold vs this night that we taking our naturall rest and quietnesse may through thy protection be so defended that our bodies resting our soules may be occupied in beholding thy fauour and mercie towards thy children still looking for the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ for our full redemption Grant that our sleepe be not immoderate according to the lusts of the flesh but as much as is sufficient to refresh our weake nature that being thus refreshed both the bodie the mind may be more able to doo their seuerall office and function in that vocation wherein thou hast placed vs. Grant that wee laieng our bodies downe to rest may be thereby put in mind of our long rest of death that as we doo laie downe our bodies in bed so we may be thereby admonished that hereafter they shall be laid down in graue to be consumed to dust earth and ashes from whence they were taken that we hauing this before our eies may be stirred vp in minde warilie to walke in this our pilgrimage not knowing when the time shall be of our departure but alwaies be found readie with our lamps of pure faith clearelie burning that we may be accepted to meet the bride groome when our mortall earthlie and corruptible bodies shall be made like to the glorious bodie of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus there to reigne with him in perpetuall ioie consolation togither with all the elect children of GOD continuallie lauding with all the heauenlie multitude the glorious Maiestie of thee our Lord God and heauenlie Father in our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ In whose name for these thy mercies and whatsoeuer else thou knowest to be needfull for vs and thy whole Church we praie vnto thee as he himselfe hath taught vs saieng Our Father which art in heauen c. The Lord blesse vs and saue vs the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauourable countenance towards vs and grant vs his peace The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the most comfortable felowship of the holie Ghost be with vs preserue and keepe vs this night and euermore Amen VVhen you vncloth yourselfe and make you vnreadie to bedward praie THis our life and weake knit bodie by reason of sinne by little and little shall be dissolued and so shall be restored to the earth from whence it was taken then will be an end of this vanitie which by our foolishnes we haue wrought to our selues O most meeke Father so doo thou vntie and loose me for thou hast knit me togither that I may perceiue my selfe to be loosed and dissolued and so may remember both of whom I was made and also whither I go least I be had vnprepared vnto thy tribunali and iudgement
hart shall not be changed from thee but be surelie fixed and finallie rest and be quieted in thee I am nothing else of my selfe but vanitie before thee an vnconstant creature and a feeble And therefore whereof may I rightfullie glorie Or why should I looke to be magnified Who so pleaseth himselfe without thee displeaseth thee and he that delighteth in mens praisings looseth the true praise before thee The true praise is to be praised of thee and the true ioie is to reioice in thee Wherefore thy name O Lord be praised and not mine thy works be magnified and not mine and thy goodnesse be alwaies lauded and blessed Thou art my glorie and the ioie of my hart in thee shall I glorie and reioice and not in my selfe nor in anie worldlie honor or dignitie which to thine eternall glorie compared is but a shadowe and a verie vanitie O Lord we liue here in great darknesse and are soone deceiued with the vanities of this world and are soone greeued with a little trouble yet if I could behold my selfe well I should plainelie see that what trouble soeuer I haue suffered it hath iustlie come vpon me because I haue often sinned greeuouslie offended thee To me therefore confusion and despite is due but to thee laud honour and glorie Lord send me helpe in my troubles for mans helpe is little woorth How often haue I beene disappointed where I thought I should haue found friendship And how often haue I found it where as I least thought Wherefore it is a vaine thing to trust in man For the true trust and helth of man is onlie in thee Blessed be thou Lord therefore in all things that happen vnto vs. For we be weake and vnstable soone deceiued and soon changed from one thing to another O Lord God most righteous Iudge strong and patient which knowest the frailtie and malice of man be thou my whole strength and comfort in all necessities For mine owne conscience Lord sufficeth not Wherefore to thy mercie I doo appeale seeing no man may be iustified ne appere righteous in thy sight if thou examine him after thy iustice The fift Chapter Of the euerlasting daie and anguish of this life OBlessed mansion of thy heauenlie Citie O most clearest daie of eternitie whom the night may neuer darken This is the daie alwaie cleare and merrie alwaie sure and neuer changing his estate Would to God this daie might shortlie appeare and shine vpon vs and that these worldlie fantasies were at an end This daie shineth clearlie to thy Saints in heauen with euerlasting brightnesse but to vs pilgrims in earth it shineth obscurelie and as through a mirrour or glasse The heauenlie Citizens knowe how ioious this day is but we outlawes the children of Eue weepe and waile the bitter tediousnes of our daie that is of this present life short and euill full of sorowe and anguish Where man is oftentimes defiled with sinne incumbred with affliction inquieted with troubles wrapped in cares busied with vanities blinded with errors ouercharged with labours vexed with temptations ouercome with vaine delights and pleasures of the world and grieuouslie tormented with penurie and neede O when shall the end come of all these miseries When shall I be clearelie deliuered from the bondage of sinne When shall I Lord haue onelie mind on thee and fullie be glad and merrie in thee When shall I be free without letting and be in perfect libertie of bodie and soule When shall I haue peace without trouble peace within and without and on euerie side stedfast sure O Lord Iesu when shall I stand and behold thee and haue full sight and contemplation of thy glorie When shalt thou be to me all in all And when shall I be with thee in thy kingdome that thou hast ordeined for thine elect people from the beginning I am left here poore and as an outlawe in the land of mine enimies where dailie be battels and great misfortunes Comfort mine exile asswage my sorowe for all my desire is to be with thee It is to me an vnpleasant burden what pleasure soeuer the world offereth me here I desire to haue inward fruition in thee but I can not attaine thereto I couet to cleaue fast to heauenlie things but worldlie affections plucke my mind downeward I would subdue all euill affections but they dailie rebell and rise against me and will not be subiect vnto my spirit Thus I wretched creature sigh in my selfe and am grieuous to my selfe while my spirit desireth to be vpward and contrarie my flesh draweth me downward O what suffer I inwardlie I go about to mind heauenly things and streight a great rable of worldlie things rush into my soule Therefore Lord be not long awaie ne depart thou in thy wrath from me Send me the light of thy grace destroie in me all carnall desires Send foorth the hot flames of thy loue to burne and consume the cloudie fantasies of my mind Gather O Lord my wits and the powers of my soule togither in thee make me to despise all worldlie things and by thy grace strongly to resist and ouercome all motions and occasions of sinne Helpe me thou euerlasting truth that no worldlie guile nor vanitie hereafter haue power to deceiue me Come also thou heauenlie sweetnesse and let all bitternesse of sinne flie far from me Pardon me and forgiue me as oft as in my praier my mind is not surelie fixed on thee For manie times I am not there where I stand or sit but rather there whither my thoughts carie me For there I am where my thoughts be and where as customablie is my thought there is that that I loue And that oftentimes commeth into my mind that by custome pleaseth me best and that delighteth me most to thinke vpon Accordinglie as thou dost say in thy gospell Where as a mans treasure is there is his hart Wherefore if I loue heauen I speake gladlie therof and of such things as be of God and of that that apperteineth to his honour and to the glorie of his holie name And if I loue the world I loue to talke of worldlie things and I ioie anon in worldlie felicitie and sorowe and lament soone for worldlie aduersitie If I loue the flesh I imagine oftentimes that that pleaseth the flesh If I loue my soule I delight much to speake and to heare of things that be for my soules health And whatsoeuer I loue of that I gladlie heare and speake and beare the images of them still in my mind Blessed is the man that for the loue of the Lord setteth not by the pleasures of this world and learneth trulie to ouercome himselfe and with the feruour of spirit crucifieth his flesh so that in a cleane and a pure conscience he may offer his praiers to thee and be accepted to haue companie of thy blessed Angels all earthlie things excluded from his hart The sixt Chapter A sweet praier wherein being pressed downe with troubles we
humblie yeeld our selues vnder the mightie hand of God our Creator LOrd and holie Father be thou blessed now and euer For as thou wilt so it is done and that thou dooest is alwaie best Let me thine humble and vnwoorthie seruant ioie onelie in thee and not in my selfe ne in anie thing else besides thee For thou Lord art my gladnes my hope my crowne and all mine honour What hath thy seruant but that she hath of thee and that without hir desert All things be thine thou hast created and made them I am poore and haue beene in trouble and paine euer from my youth and my soule hath beene in great heauinesse through manifold passions that come of the world and of the flesh Wherefore Lord I desire that I may haue of thee the ioie of inward peace I aske of thee to come to that rest which is ordeined for thy chosen children that be fed and nourished with the light of heauenlie comforts For without thy helpe I can not come to thee Lord giue me peace giue me inward ioie and then my soule shall be full of heauenlie melodie and be deuout and feruent in thy lauds and praises But if thou withdrawe thy selfe from me as thou hast sometime done then may not thy seruant runne the waie of thy commandements as I did before For it is not with me as it was when the Lampe of thy ghostlie presence did shine vpon my head and I was defended vnder the shadowe of thy wings from all perils and dangers O mercifull Lord Iesu euer to be praised the time is come that thou wilt prooue thy seruant and rightfull it is that I shall now suffer somewhat for thee Now is the houre come that thou hast knowne from the beginning that thy seruant for a time should outwardlie be set at naught and inwardlie to leane vnto thee And that she should be despised in the sight of the world and be broken with affliction that she may after arise with thee in a new light and be clarified and made glorious in the kingdome of heauen O holie father thou hast ordeined it so to be and it is done as thou hast commanded This is thy grace O Lord to thy freend to suffer hir to be troubled in this world for thy loue how often so euer it be and of what person so euer it be and in what maner soeuer thou wilt suffer it to fall vnto hir For without thy will or sufferance what thing is done vpon the earth It is good to me O Lord that thou hast meekened me that I may therby learne to knowe thy righteous iudgements to put from me all maner of presumption and statelinesse of hart It is verie profitable for me that confusion hath couered my face that I may learne thereby rather to seeke to thee for helpe and succour than to man I haue thereby learned to dread thy secret and terrible iudgements which scourgest the righteous with the sinner but not without equitie and iustice Lord I yeeld thanks to thee that thou hast not spared my sinnes but hast punished me with scourges of loue and hast sent me affliction and anguish within and without No creature vnder heauen may comfort me but thou Lord God the heauenlie leach of mans soule which strikest and healest which bringest a man nigh vnto death and after restorest him to life againe that he may thereby learne to knowe his owne weakenesse and imbecillitie the more fullie to trust in the Lord. Thy discipline is laid vpon me and thy rod of correction hath taught me and vnder that rod I wholie submit me Strike my backe and my bones as it shall please thee and make me to bow my crooked will to thy will Make me a meeke and an humble disciple as thou hast sometime done with me that I may walke after thy will To thee I commit my selfe to be corrected For better it is to be corrected by thee heere than in time to come Thou knowest all things and nothing is hid from thee that is in mans conscience Thou knowest all things to come before they fall it is not needfull that anie man teach thee or warne thee of anie thing that is done vpon the earth Thou knowest what is profitable for me and how much tribulations helpe to purge awaie the rust of sinne in me Doo with me after thy pleasure I am a sinfull wretch to none so well knowne as to thee Grant me Lord that to knowe that is necessarie to be knowne that to loue that is to be loued that to desire that pleaseth thee that to regard that is pretious in thy sight and that to refuse that is vile before thee Suffer me not to iudge thy mysteries after mine outward senses ne to giue sentence after the hearing of the ignorant but by true iudgement to discerne things spirituall and aboue all things alwaie to search and followe thy will and pleasure O Lord Iesu thou art all my riches and all that I haue I haue it of thee But what am I Lord that dare speake to thee I am thy poore creature and a worme most abiect Behold Lord I haue naught and of my selfe I am naught worth Thou art onlie God righteous and holie thou orderest all things thou giuest all things and thou fulfillest all things with goodnesse I am a sinner barren and void of godlie vertues Remember thy mercies and fill my hart with plentie of thy grace For thou wilt not that thy works in me should be made in vaine How may I beare the miserie of this life except thy grace and mercie do comfort me Turne not thy face from me deferre not the visiting of me ne withdrawe not thy comforts least happilie my soule be made as drie earth without the water of grace Teach me Lord to fulfill thy will to liue meekelie and worthilie before thee For thou art all my wisdome and cunning thou art he that knowest me as I am that knewest me before the world was made before I was borne or brought into this life To thee O Lord be honour glorie and praise for euer and euer Amen ¶ A certaine effectuall praier made by the Ladie Jane Dudley in the time of hir trouble a little before hir death O Lord thou GOD and father of my life heare mee poore and desolate Woman which flieth vnto thee onelie in all my troubles and miseries Thou O Lord art the onlie defender and deliuerer of those that put their trust in thee And therefore I being defiled with sinne incumbred with affliction vnquieted with troubles wrapped in cares ouerwhelmed with miseries vexed with temptations and greeuouslie tormented with the long imprisonment of this vile masse of claie my sinfull bodie and bloud do come vnto thee O mercifull Sauiour crauing thy mercie and helpe without the which so little hope of deliuerance is left that I may vtterlie despaire of anie libertie Albeit it is expedient that seeing our life standeth vpon trieng we