all messengers welcome art thou Adue vile life farewell life sinneful life adue and welcome death the purseuant of my louing Sauiour for by thee my miserie shall end From war to peace from this stormie worlde into the calme countrie of heauen from gronings and sobbings from this vale of fighings to the pallace of ioy from earth to heauen from sinfull men wild beasts to beloued friendes by death I shall passe to life to haue the companie of holie Patriarkes and blessed Saints to haue the sight of the glorious Trinitie to haue and inherit such ioye as neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor hart euer conceiued By death I shal haue libertie without imprisonment health without sicknesse ioye without sorrow plesure without paine in such securitie eternitie and perpetuitie as passeth all thoughtes The holie ones of GOD my father the blessed Aungels and Archangels they haue atteined it but neuer can they sufficientlie esteeme of it So that O death thou art welcome welcome sicknes for my Lord Iesus hath new sent thee to fetch me from this prison to his palace from a strange contrie to my home from this place of teares and mourning to the daie of marriage sweet Iesus to marry thee in thy mercies for euer Heare deerely beloued heare and reioyse with me Sicknes is com death is in comming as a purseuant from my louing Iesus to cite me to appeare before him that he may appoint me a man sion in his fathers house to sit with him at the table of ioy for euer O the great ioy and onlie ioy of a Christian Nowe I shall lie noe more in this prison nowe I shall haue Paules wish for I shall bee deliuered from this bodie of sinne now shal I depart in peace with Simeon to haue that peace that passeth all vnderstanding and surmounteth al thought Now now shall I see the amiable tabernacles of my Lorde nowe shall I enter the courtes of my God where one daye is better than a thousande else-where now shal I be a doorekeeper in the house of mine heauenlie father now shal I appeare before the presence of God now doth his kingdome come now Lord Iesus now thou cōmest to carrie my soule into ioy Into thy hands therefore I cōmit my spirite Beloued brethren this is my testamente which I leaue vnto you it offereth great ioye and no matter of Teares Shead therefore no teares for better is the daye of death than the daye of birth I entered my life with a crye it coste my mother payne and teares to beare mee but yet it cost my louing Iesus his bloud to saue mee you and all the world Enuy not therefore my luckines that now I shall passe from you out of this vale of teares vnto him who died that I with him mighte liue in ioye for euer If you will mourne mourne for your owne sinnes mourne for your selues that you shal not so soone sup with God my father as I shall doo mourne not for me for you shall shortly follow me and lose me but for a time when you shall see in heauen for euer For blessed are the dead that die in y e Lord whose name for euer bee glorified Amen A praier for the rich man THou art the Welspring of all good thinges O louinge Lorde thou art the riche store house and cheste of mercie for al naked Adamites O Loue inestimable Wee are born into this Vale of miserie not only wicked in soule but euen also naked in body a deserued entraunce for vs by father Adam through desire of souereigntie but an vndeserued thing it is O good GOD that notwithstanding our merited pouertie deserued nakednesse by rebellion against thy Maiestie thou shouldest thus cloath me with thy benefites with plentie against penurie with friendship against enimitie with health against sickenesse with store against needinesse This O Lord is an vnmerited benefite for the which after my bounden duty I giue thee harty thankes But what shall I say what sufficient thanks shall I render vnto thee for thou hast not onelye armed mee against pouertie 〈◊〉 but also chosen mee as a steward to vnlocke the chest of thy benefites to needye Lazarus that as thou hast loued mee so I should tender thee in him O Lord giue me thy grace that I may bee thy stewarde by clothing the naked by feeding the hungrie lodging the harbourles and defending the fatherles that I may bee able to render a faithfull accoumpt of my stewardshipp vnto thee i 〈…〉 the daie of reuelation Grau 〈…〉 this O Father for Christe his sake Amen Another O Father of Heauen and rich God of mercie Behold thy poore creature in sin riche in grace poore bestowe vppon mee some mite of thy mercie cloath mee with the merits of thy sonne Iesus and bathe my naked bodie in 〈◊〉 pretious bloud satisfie my hungrie soule with a crum of thy gratious blessings that being cloathed with the armour of his meritorious passion I neede not to feare the naked the desperate corruption or rather wages of nature Moisten my heart with the honyedew of thy great rich grace that as thou hast enriched me beyonde my desart beyng by sinne an enimie vnto thee so I maye continue riche in good workes to the profite of my neighbours to the comfort of mine owne soule and to the manifestation of thy glorious maiestie O Lorde thou art a zealous God Such a God as wishest my healthe and the safetie of thy Creatures haue therefore mercy vppon mee blesse me with faith towardes thee with loue towardes my neighbour and a godlie care towards my selfe that thou in thy selfe mayest be magnified my conscience reioise in the testimony of a good life whose reward in thy sonne Christe is life eternal Amen The Beggers praier O Mighty Lord and prouident GOD y e stewardes of thy plentious store-house are not moued to feede the hungrie to cloath the naked and lodge the poore Pylgrime at his piteous crie but notwithstanding all this their tyrannie Father forgiue them and pardon mee as I forgiue them that haue trespassed against me Rake the fire of charitie out of the dead ashes and quicken it O Lord that I may warme mee in thy familie in time of extremitie and they be ready in thy great audit to render a full account of theyr stewardshippe vnto thee But first of all doo I begge grace of thee that I may euer seek thy kingdome and so bee persuaded in hart by thy word that I shal want nothing but that all other things shal be added vnto me This doo I aske of thee O father of Heauen that euer criest Aske haue Giue mee faith to aske in certaintye that I may looke without doubt for this thy craued mercie ô Lord I beseech thee Amen Another LAue mercie vpon mee O Lorde and pardon myne offenses the rich men of this worlde will scarse looke vpon me or vouchsafe to relieue my necessitie with the crummes of
satisfaction for my sinnes drown them in the streame of thy mercie cast them behinde thee good Lord I beseech thee O sweete Iesus lodge me in thy pretious wounds and look vpon me with thy piteous eie least that bee destroied which thou of thy great goodnes hast made and Christ thy sonne of inestimable loue and infinite charitie hath redeemed thorough his bitter passion This is the totall summe of my sute vnto thee Lord mercie mercie ô father of mercie mercie is the thing that I begge haue mercie vpon me haue mercie vpon me I beseech thee louing Lord haue pitie vpon me Bee thou my shepheard to defende mee my Castell of defense to saue me against the gaping diuel Thou hast store of mercie for them that aske it O Lorde therefore euen for the wounds of thy deere sonne haue mercie vpon me let not sinne sting me to death but lay to my sore soule the salue of thy mercie of thy mercie one drop of thy sonnes bloud a little dewe of thy blessing good Lorde I beseech thee Amen Another O Lorde my thoughtes my wordes mine actions haue taken weapons and waged battell againste mee and Satan that old rebellious traytour taketh part with them to ouerthrowe me thy poore and impotent souldiour He raiseth vp the snake of my conscience to sting me the poison of an euil life to infect mee with the desperat plague of Cains blasphemie and I am but fleshe vnable to withstande the furie of this dragon Oh what shall I doo I am a Sinner as Satan saieth and my conscience telleth mee and the rewarde is death as thy word dooth teach me What then shal I doo shal I die as Iudas O Lord is there no remedie surely my Lorde and my God I despaire in my selfe and confesse my selfe the child of wrath by naturs voice but yet O Lord it is thy voice it is the voice of grace that thy mercie is aboue al thy workes in token whereof thou camest into the world to saue sinners This is the piller that vpholdeth mee from falling this is the rod of iron that dasheth sa tan out of countenance and defeateth the argumentes of my sinnefull conscience Arme me with this buckler of faith in thy meritorious incarnation life and passion that I may not be giuen ouer as a prey to the dragon but crucifie the snakie persuasions of Satan and his companie Amen Another AVoid Satan thou shalte not tempt the Lords seruant thy works are destroied thy bandes are broken thou shalt not take or bind mee Auoid sinne for thou hast loste thy sting thou wast condemned in the fleshe nailed to the crosse and crucified with my Lord Christ vpon the tree Auoid death for thou art dead and hel for thou art swallowed vp in victorie Auoid thou dragon and all thine angelles for Michaell hath beaten thee and broken thy head he hath freed vs from sinne and ledde awaie captiuitye captiue euen hee Satan hath ouermastered thee that crieth out vnto me Feare not for I haue ouercome the world euen he that hath promised to bee with mee till the ende of my pilgrimage and crieth out that if hee bee with mee no man can bee agaynst me no not hell gates to preuaile against me Fight therefore Satanne as long as thou wilte thou shalt bee at length put to the foile for the mightie lion of the tribe of Iuda telleth mee that there is no condemnation to them that be in him that Iesus is the conquerour of the whole worlde and vanquisher of thee fight and rage thou neuer so much Ther fore auoide I saie awaie from me for in Christ haue I passed the sea of my sinnes thy cursed armie if thou folow to pursue mee thou shalt bee drowned in the red sea of Christes bloud to whome be all glorie Amen A praier for the auoidance of Gods wrath QTender harted Ioseph haue mercie vpon me Great is the floud of myne iniquities so great O God of mercie that vnles the banks of thy grace represse it it will ouerrunne and so drowne my see lie soule Drowne my sâ—â—s in the poole of thy mercie cast them into the sea of thy bottomles pity least the smoke of my wickednesse doo smother me and the rod of thy iudgement breake and brooze mee like a potters vessell For the bagge of mine iniquities is so stuffed and the stinge of my sinnes so poisonous and the sent of them so vnsauourye in thy nostrilles O Lorde that if thou wilt obserue it who may abide it the surest piller of thy Church woulde shake the fairest rose would wither the best lamb should abide the slaughter if the beames of thy mercie shoulde not partch and burne vp the ripe and plentious haruest of our iniquities O Lord therfore haue mercie vpon vs and beate vs not with the rod of thy furie but vnder prop the shippe of our weake faith with the anchor of thy mercy that beleeuing in thee we may not perishe but haue euerlasting life Thou hast apesed ô sweet Iesus the wrath of thy father againste sinne conceiued by thy meritorious passion that I might with the holie ones bee holie as thou art But I haue prophaned thy passion by my dailie faults such is the frailtie of the flesh for the which I iust ly may be refused But yet Iesus one drop of fauor bestowe vppon mee and crie For my bloudie passion father forgiue him I beseech thee Amen A praier for remission of Sinnes O Lord what do I dailie but wander in the field of vanitie what is my hart but a filthy prisoÌ„ of corrupt thoughts what is my mouth but a stinking chanell of vaine wordes what are my feete but chariots to bloudshed what are my hands but battellers with charitie what is my heade but a castell of wicked deuises and what is my life but a fardell of iniquitie I am nothing better than a deade tree the roote is perished the bough withered I am fruitles and good for nothinge but for the furie of the flame What then good Lorde shall it bee so I am no better than a deade tree but what shall I burne sweete Iesu O saue me for thy name sake and quicken me create a new hart within me ingraffe me in the true Oliue purge mee that I may bring foorth much fruite and for euer flourishe lyke a tree planted by the riuers side O powre the oile of grace into my defiled heart and season it with the salt of thy mercy least the sume of mine iniquities ascend vppe to thy nostrils and prouoke thy furie against me Powre downe some drops of thy pretious bloud from the clouds of thy mercy to quench out the angrie flame of sinne which I my selfe am not able to put out by the vertuous water of any merite Purge mee therefore with Isop O Lorde and then I shal bee cleane O lambe of God let me eate thy flesh and drink thy bloud that I may liue by thee and cloath me in
fatherlie prouidence Blesse O Lord the curssed earth so fructifie the barren earth with the deawe of heauen that we may haue great cause to glorifie thy name and sufficient for nature againste extremitie to releeue vs with thy store in time of necessity Amen A praier for peace AP pease O gratious God the surging waues of this present euill worlde cut downe the angrie make-bates and graunt vnto vs the peace of thy spirit that liuing in one minde and bearing about vs one wil grounded vpon thy gratious pleasure wee maye bee gathered into one sheepefolde and liue in brotherlie loue and vnfained vnitie O louing maker and God of peace it is a pitious thing to see the malice of the world it is a myserie to behold how thy members disioint themselues in ceremonies and beggerlie elements it is a hell to consider how mightie Saule rageth against little Dauid to see the beastlie crueltie and tiger like tyrannie of the Pharaos of this world who not tendring their owne case not regarding the end of thy passion or full and sole redemption do racke and rent the babes of thy Church thy beloued wife Redresse all this gratious God eyther cut off our enimies or else conuert them that wee may together wage battell against the diuell our archaduersarie Season the harts of our brethren that wil for a trifling ceremonie renounce thy veritie and breake the bandes of Christian vnity Continue the weake nouices of thy schoole in the libertie of thy Gospel that all offense being taken away we may serue thee the God of peace euen charitie it selfe in Charitie Amen A praier in time of Warre O Lorde and onelye peacemaker linke vs in vnitie that are deuided ioyne vs in loue that haue sundered our selues and so transgressed thy holie will If our cause bee euill good Lord amend vs and reconcile vs with the peace of thy spirit if it be good defende vs O Lorde and turne vnto vs or else confound our enimies Gratious Iesus thou knotte of peace which hast ioyned God thy father and man not onelie in fauour as friendes but also coupled vs in one brotherhood with thee as his children we beseech thee to sow the seede of concord in vs that we maie liue in thee as fruitful branches now and for euer O Lord giue vs thy grace that wee purchase no enuie nor be the fathers of sedition of warr or any insurrection but imprinte in our hearts thus much that thou art loue who shalt come to iudge the quicke and the dead Charitie shall iudge the world and confound al bruers of tumults Ingraue this lesson O Lord in the tables of our harts and for giue vs al that is past guide vs in that which is to come that we fall not but stande fast in the way of thy will Amen A praier for the Captaine DEfend the righteous cause of thy seruant assist mee with strength against mine enimies with the wisedome of thy spirit against the policie of man that beeing wholie guided by thee I may fight manfullie in thy quarrel to the building of thy Church and vtter rebuke of her aduersaries Without thee ô fountaine of goodnesse and God of mine estate I can doo nothing Arme mee therefore with thy grace with the buckler of thy word that I may bee able not onely to war with but also to ouermatch Satan my deadlye foe and al his hellish band setting themselues against thee and thine annointed Enriche me with thy mercie that I may bee able to put vpon mee the white raiment offaith and being clothed with it may stande sure against the foming minysters of the diuel that no storm may ouerturne or dismay me O Lord kepe me from al wrest ling affections from inordinate motions defende mee O Lord. Let al discord be remooued whereby thy pellican children may be disseuered But nourishe O God of loue thy babes with the spirite of patience that I and they beeing of one minde may doo our endeuoures and bende our whole strength to the reedifieng of mother Sion which traueleth with sorrowes and sinketh in the mist of heresies vnles thou pul hir out by the hande of thy mercie which doo O gratious God I beseech thee Amen A praier for the souldiour THis worlde is nothing else but a sea of trouble heere the diuel stormeth there the worlde frowneth on euerie side the flesh assaulteth vs so that our life may well be tearmed a warrefare and our daies a treasure of dangers O Lorde with the anchor of thy mercie vphold vs that we sink not in the sea of this troublous time but guide vs with thy holie spirit that our liues may please thee and wee in our death praise thee through Iesus Christ our Lord. Plant the tree of peace among vs lette it flourishe to the gladdening of our harts that al dissention cut off wee may be linked in one knot of Christian vnitie gathered into one sheepfold and guided by thee our onelie and one sheepheard Let nothing sunder the members of thy bodie but cherish and nourish them with a full persuasion of brotherhood in the vnitie of our Sauiour and thee our one and onlie father Amen A praier in time of dearth O Mightie God and maker of al things thou art iuste and in iustice hast thou scourged vs we confesse it O Lord. Our liues haue deserued thy whip the excessiue riot of sinne hath merited the famine and want of thy gratious benefites but not withstanding louing Lord burie our iniquities in the multitude of thy wonted goodnes and blesse vs with the store of thy mercie that as wee may nowe declare thy iustice reuealed agaynste sinne so likewise wee maye preach and blase abroad to the worlde the bottomlesse pit of thine infinit pittie O gratious Lord thou gauest thine onely sonne our Iesus to the death euen to the death of the crosse by his bitter passion to purchase our redemption As thou hast giuen him so good Lord giue vs all thy benefites with him that as thou hast by him redeemed vs so wee in him may bee sustained during this transitorie life with fulnesse of thy grace tyll the daie of his great visitation when meting him in the clouds we shall be set on his right hande to liue with him in sulnesse of ioye for euer Desend vs O Lord from extreme needines and correct vs not in thine anger but store vs with sufficient in thy mercie Foode and raiment good Lord wee aske no more Giue vs and grant vs this our petition and giue vs grace therwith to be content Amen A praier against the feare of death THy handes haue ramed me O lord And whereas to the ble 〈…〉 she of all his posteritie father Adam made himselfe thorough follie worse than nothing a curssed caitife euen thine vtter enimie it pleased thee of vnmerited goodnes to leaue the colledge of thy Saints the ninetie nine iust sheepe the bande of thy blessed angels to seeke the straieng sheepe the groate
mercy and to open his iudgementes and iustice vnto the world it hath pleased him to blesse som with store of his goodnes and to punish others with the wante of his temporall blessings Thus with pouertie he beateth the poore to declare his iudgement against sinne and the ritch man hee storeth with aboundance to the manifestation of his vndeserued mercie By these his benefits vpon the ritche and these his scourges laid vpon the poore hee crieth out to them Sinne no more alluring the one partie by faire and gentle the other by sharp and bitter meanes vnto safe repentance The rich man he maketh his deputies on earth or rather the stewards of his familie or rather the paterns of his mercie to take pitie vpon the begger when he craueth reliefe euen as he hath taken cōpassion vpon them who neuer deserued it And that they may vse them selues as shewers of his mercy hee hath promised that they shal alwaies haue y e poore with them this we see at this daye What a band of beggers be in euery place the poore doo swarme in euerye corner the fatherles and widowes yoong and old of all ages infinite doo grone and crie for very neede Som want cloth to couer their naked bodies some haue not meate to mittigate their hunger some noe drinke to ease their thirst some lie vnder hed ges in steed of lodginges some are lame and cannot go some are blind and cannot see some are deafe and cannot heare some are dumbe and cannot speake some are sicke some are sore of all people to the iudgement of the worlde most miserable and therefore doo they seeme to make this complaint to God our Heauenlye father O Lorde thou hast created vs thou hast framed vs we are thy handiworke and thou the potter that madest our grandfather Adam of the moulde of the earth Was thy goodnesse such to make vs when we wer not gentle Lord and wilt thou beate vs nowe thou hast made vs O Lord where is thy mercie is the eie of thy pitty dim med are the eares of thy woon ted goodnesse sealed what Lord is the hand of thy fauor shortened is the riuer of thy goodnesse dried vp Shal we hunger nay shall wee hungerstarue for want of thy blessinges what now good Lord thy sonne taught vs to praie Our Father Are we thy children and thou our Father Oh! where is thy fatherlie prouidence for beholde O piteous Lord we are borne to nothing besides skin flesh and bones we haue nothing in this world We post from place to place run from towne to towne wee goe from house to house we cry for releefe in thy name we aske it for thy sake but alas good Lorde wee can get nothing If we be strong though wee haue charge of children we are whipped we are stocked wee are imprisoned and howe not abused if wee bee lame dum deafe sicke or sore we may cry but alas charity is frozen where one heareth hundreds doo stop their eares and are deafe at our sutes O Lord charitie is drowned the best friend which we shuld haue hard hearts doo reigne the stoutest enimy that we can haue with this enimie we are assaulted almost in euery place alas for pitty pitty sweet lord is our request haue mercy vpon vs. Looke vppon Lazarus our king and capteine behold Lord he commeth to the rich mans gate there he lieth there he crieth Crums crummes he craueth to ease his hunger but he cannot get them dogs haue them but Lazarus cānot haue them The dogs come to Lazarus and licke his sores but Diues hath no feete to carrie him no tongue to laie the playster of comfort to his earnest sute no hand to helpe him not a crum to feede him Beholde Lorde doggs are better vnto vs than Diues nay they are in better case than we are for they haue the crums that falles from their maisters table but alas Lazarus cannot come by them O Lorde now where is thy wonted mercie shall Lazarus want shal he want the crums of breade to ease his hunger what shal he crie for them shal hee not haue them shall he shout but shall hee not bee heard what good Lorde shal hee die for hunger and Diues walowe in pleasure What Lord hast thou loste thy name god which soundeth as much as good thou art called Deus quasi Dans and yet shall Lazarus wante bread to refresh him This complaint of the poore man dooth gnawe him nay sometimes it quyte deuoureth him But to lay a salue of comfort to this sore of Lazarus O Lazarus why doest thou weepe why doest thou crie out whie doest thou seeme to blame the Lorde he hath appointed Diues as a father to regard thee But what dooest thou come to his gate dooest thou craue charitie art thou denied it the Lord commanded it therefore is the Lord instified when he is iudged But Diues hath abused his benefits and therefore shal he answer for it Let this be thy cōmfort let this be thy lodge to reste in from all complaints that one daie God who is charitie shal iudge the worlde the greatest scourge that Diues shall haue Then shall hee say as accounting that not doone vnto him which was not doon vnto you when I was hungrye thou gauest me no meate noe not the crums that fell from thy table when I was thirstie thou gauest me no drink when I was naked thou didst not cloath me when I was in prison thou didst not comfort me when I was harbourles thou didst not lodge mee giue an accoumpt of thy stewardship Then shal he crie out that hee neuer saw him hungrie or thirstie or else he would haue refreshed him not imprisoned or else hee would haue visited him not lodgles or else he would haue harboured him But this is all lies and therefore will he say vnto him Nescio I know thee not Departe as cursed into euerlasting fire where shall bee weeping and gnashing ofteeth Come hither crieng Lazarus thou that criest and showtest out vppon the Lorde and vpon the tyrannie of worldelings art thou sicke art thou sore art thou deafe art thou dumbe art thou naked what hast thou no place to laie thy head in come hither for here are pallaces of pleasure to pastime in excellente turrets of ioy to banket in and lodgelesse of infinit comfort to harbor in For what haue you not hadd meate when you haue craued it or drinke when you haue asked it haue you beene in prison and not visited sicke not comforted sore not eased naked and not cloathed wanderers and not succored Behold in your behalf Christ will iudge the rich and mercilesse gluttons of this worlde and in the daye of reuelation you to your ioyous conquest and to their vtter shame shall testifie beare witnes against them This is the first lodge of comfort But yet there is another besides this enter into that Behold when you asked reliefe it was Christ that asked and
deere father the crie of his bloudie sweat his long fasting his great patience his bodie racked and crucified all crie vnto thee for mercie for mercie father O father fauour and pardon him This is the trumpetor of ioy this is he that bloweth the blast of comfort and soules solace heare him heare O Lord attend not my life mark not my steps for my life is vnsauorie and my steps are crooked let the crie of thy bleeding babe mooue thee to mercie and put thee in minde of thy couenant that in him all the nations of the world shuld be blessed Blesse me O Lord better me with the dew of thy blessings and let the drops of thy sonnes bloud by a liuelye faith distill into my heart and fructifie it with workes woorthy repentance I beseech thee Amen A praier for all times against the power of Satan THe Diuel O Lord like a roring Lion runneth aboute in euerie corner hee lurketh and euer he gapeth to deuoure the lambes of thy pasture He is an enimie not onelie readie to deuoure vs but also able to catch vs in the snare of iniquitie against thy diuine maiestie For dailie do we eat the sower grape of nature and sauor of vnseasoned rotten Adam in whose sinfull act we are wrapped by desert in condemnation and become bond slaues of Satan vnlesse thou O Lord do season our harts with the oile of thy grace and wash vs in the water of thy mercie that being clensed from sinne and made as white as snowe with the merits of thy sonne the diuel may lose his title and forget his obligation that hee had against vs wee be quitted from his tyrannie We beseech thee therfore ô gratious father of Heauen with thy power to bridle satan and in thy mercie to beare with vs with thy might to maister him and in thy grace to graffe vs in Iesus the liuelie vine of mercie that growing in him no storme may be able to tosse and ouerturne vs we besech thee Amen Another DAielie O Lorde doo wee passe the limittes of thy wil we sinne at the least seuen times a day and pledge mother Eue in the dregs of nature This is the frailetie of the fleshe and this is the weakenes of al Adams issue a miserable case ô Lord vnlesse in thy mercie thou wilt wrap vs couer the nakednes of nature with the white raiment of grace that we being thine maye neuer despaire for any brunt of storming Satan be it neuer so perillous LORDE saue vs in thy mercie saue vs haue pittie and compassion vpon vs and marke not our steps which are crooked but cast the eie of thy fauour vpon thy sonne Christ who was content to suffer the bleeding paines of the crosse to satisfie thy wrath to deliuer vs from the stinge of an hellie conscience We beseech thee therefore O louing Lord not to obserue our iniquities but to wash vs from the guiltines of sinne in the flood of thy mercies and so to saue vs that being dead in iniquitie and yet saued of thine infinite pittie we may giue all glory vnto thee and sing with our mother the Church that saluation only belongeth to thee Amen A praier for al afflicted Christians GReat are the troubles of the righteous O Lorde and many they be that arise against thee and thine an nointed like wolues to teare them and butchering Herods to behead and dispatch them Euen for thy sake O Lord are thy children brought to the slaughterhouse for the testimonie of thy truthe are they tied in bands and beaten with wandes daielie Vp Lord arise and strike thine enimies vppon the cheeke bone lifte vp thy rod of iron and dashe the vnsauourie and sower vessels of iniquitie in peeces with thy sanne scatter the chaffe and gather thou thy corne into the garner of ioy Let it bee beaten but let it not bee broozed with the thresholde of this tyrannous Wolfe that beeing freed from the chaffe of Nature and seuered from the cocle of euill and wicked liuers it may be found with the lost groat and laide vppe in thy treasure of eternal pleasure for euer Doo thy good wil O gratious God beat them beate them and buffet vs sharpelie O Lorde so thou saue vs of thy mercie and plucke vs out of Daunger by the hande of thy mightie power proppe vs with thy power that wee maye magnifie thee of thy mercy Amen Another THE mountains of this wicked worlde are manye and mightie O Lorde and little is the flocke of thy sheepe The mountaines are euen partched with furie against thy congregation to presse with the weight of their tyrannie the babes of thy familie Awake vp therefore O Lorde sleepe not slumber not but awake and defeate their ima gined mischiefe as thou hast promised that they that trust in thee shal be as mount Sion which cānot be remooued Suffer them to beat vs y ◠we might liue godlie in thee but so let them buffet vs that they neuer ouermaster vs that according to thy promise as mount Sion wee maie not be moued Giue vs grace to trust in thee whatsoeuer betide vs and neuer to start from thee whatsoeuer smart we suffer that continuing to the end wee may be blessed with thee for euer And for the mountains of this world either euen them with the vally and babes of thy familie or else pare and partch them with the beames of thy iudgement Thy wil bee don O Lord thy kingdome come and saue vs we beseech thee Amen A praier for the Queene O Louing God wee thanke thee for the great care which thouhast ouer thy Church She hath bene tossed with the waues of this worlde and the preaching of thy word did suffer shipwrack but now O Lord now of meere mercie thou hast repaired the broken hart of Ierusalem and gladdened our harts with the wine of comfort For thou haste appointed a mother ouer Sion to cherish and defend hir from al hir storming aduersaries so that by hir meanes we are freed from the slauerie of the Romish Pharao and salued from the sore of heresies wherewith thy deere espouse was most gree uouslie troubled O Lorde continue this weede-hooke in her hande that she may throughlie cleanse thy garden Let thy wil and gratious plesure be hir scepter and target against the frowning band of cloudie Saules Alwaies erect and pitch about her the tents of thy fauour that no euill betide hir or daunger annoy her Clippe her in thy sweete armes and kisse her in mercie be not thou angrie with hir but continue her a fauourable nursse to little Dauid that hee maye growe in all faith and holynesse vntill hee be a perfect manne in Christ Iesus Lorde saue her in thy mercie and deliuer her from al euil Amen A praier for all Magistrates CRooked is the way of al flesh O father of heauen and ouer plētious would the haruest of weedie nature be vnlesse it were lopped and minished by the weedhooke
or bubble in the water a verie wretch I am good Lord borne in sinne by nature wrapt in iniquitie and so thine vtter enimie worthie to perishe euerlastinglie But see thine owne goodnes sweete Lord thine hands formed mee beeing nothing thy mercie hath preserued mee till this day beeing nought And euen nowe sweete Iesu thou hast sent thy purseuant sicknes to bid me put off the old man put on the garment of faith that I being readie for the mariage may come and marrie thee in the couenant of thy father wherein al the nations of the world by promise are blessed Amen Another LOuing Iesu pittifull Iesu blessed Trinitie haue mercie vpon mee Beholde I am sicke Lorde iustlie buffeted for sinne the mother of euerie mortal infirmitie Yet Lorde louing Iesu pittie me pittie my case Louing father purge mee with Isop clense me from my secret sinnes drie vp the puddle of iniquity with the beams of thy mercy and clense me in the poole of thy pretious blood that this sicknes and infirmity the iust reward and penalty of sin and iniquity may cease and finish Beat me O God ô gratious God O father of heauen beate me in fauour and not in iudgement kisse me with the couenant of grace and be not angrie with mee O louing Iesu ful of pity and pitious compassion I would be clean and if thou wilt Lorde thou canst make me cleane Behold Lord I am sicke the palsie of sinne shaketh euerie part the leprosie of mine iniquitie hath ouer run al my soule and body but yet good Lorde and gratious Iesus if thou wilte thou canst make me cleane For thou art my father Almightie with whome nothing is impossible Lord I aske thy grace giue it mee I seeke it let me finde it I knocke for mercie open O Lord the chest of thy goodnes and enrich me with the iewels of grace that I may reign with thee in glory Amen A confession for the Sicke MY thoughtes my words my deedes al crie vnto mee Thou art a sinner And this doo I confesse vnto thee O Lord I cannot so much as think a good thought much lesse can I speake muche lesse can I doo wel I confesse that in me that is in my fleshe dwelleth no good thinge euen so vile a Creature so wretched a caitife that Satan might iustlie haue claimed my life in the swathecloth beeing borne the childe of wrath and heire of damnation I am a cankered branch of mother Eue that ancient stock of sinne whose heritage is nothing but iniquitie garded with an infinite sea of miserie For out of sinne as out of a filthie puddle or stayned fountaine issued the riuers of sicknes death and damnation with such a streame that they ouerranne and drowned the whole race of Adams curssed progenie So that as I confesse my selfe a sinner so doo I confesse that I am iustlie visited with this rod of sicknes wherwith thou art woont of thy iustice to beate wanton Adam that old man of sinne when he wil not be ruled Beat me therfore beate me O Lord to better me and sinite me enough so thou saue mee as I doo put my truste in thee Let Satan haue no power to harme mee nor the worlde with the baites of vanitie to snare me but defend me from al euil I beseech thee Amen Another O Bleeding Iesus O slaughtered Lambe O sweete babe of the virgin Marie and onlie beloued darling of God behold heere I lie sicke in bodie and sore in soule whome thou hast bought with thy pretious blood Helpe me saue me from sinne the fountaine of sicknes O fountain of mercie For I am a greeuous sinner by nature fettered with iniquitie wherein I was conceiued and borne O Iesu O Christ thou sonne of Dauid O gratious samaritan and piteous shepherd haue mercie vppon me haue mercie vpon me cal me clense me saue me salue me with the merit of thy passion againste the palsie of sinne and iniquitie O lambe of God thou hast taken awaie the sinnes of the worlde thou hast crucified the diuell confirme this faith in mee louing Lorde I beseech thee I beseech thee encrease my faythe and renew a righte spirit within mee Remember Lorde remember sweet Iesus thy crowne of thornes bruzed head thy boared handes nailed feete and crucified bodie Remember the pearsing speare thy wounded side and thy pretious blood that did spin and gush out Remember thy bloudie teares thy great thirst of my saluation and gall and vineger which thou didst drink to saue me and for thy mercie saue me and crie to thy father Father father forgiue him O Iesu be mine aduocate praie praie sweete Iesus praie for me and bestow some drop of thy bloud to wash me Amen A praier against desperation O Lorde I am a greeuous sinner I haue passed broken the banks of thy cōmandements from the wombe til this daie I haue with the pirat Satan sailed in the shippe of iniquity so that I maye saie with Paule I am cheefe of all sinners This must I needes confesse to thee O god of iustice this worm of conscience biteth me What then good Lord shal y e worme deuoure me shal this snake of conscience sting me to death what good Lord is the stream of thy mercy stopped are the riuers of thy grace dried vppe is there no drop of thy bloud left to washe my seelie soule doest thou not cal me saiyng Come vnto mee Yes good Lord and therefore despaire I wil not It is not thy will that anie sinner should perish and thou hast not onely said it but sworneit that thou willest not the deth of a sinner but rather his conuersion and life Behold therefore deere Father I come vnto thee being a greeuous sinner in hope of pardon in the name of Christe thy sonne who by his own testimonie came into this world to saue sinners Hee was content to blot out that obligation which satan hadde against me by the flood of his pretious bloud which issued out of hys glorious side In this poole he hath washed away the leprosie of sinne were it neuer so desperate And in token that he is ready to receiue a sinner hee stretcheth foorth both his sweete armes as ready to embrace and boweth downe his glorious head as willing to kisse the prodigall childe that craueth pardon for his misse-spent daies O Lord and gratious God I haue wasted my daies in vanitie I haue from time to time troden vnder my feete the pearles of Christyan profession euen frō the womb haue I beene a rebellious traitour to thy maiestie a friend to this world to godlines an enimie but nowe O Lorde I crie vnto thee forgiue me forgiue me Now I come vnto thee as thou hast called me now there fore couer me with the winges of thy mercie and tender mee as the hen dooth her chickens least Satan clawe me and so I perish Good Lord accept the bloud of thy sonne the merits of his manhood for a
the wooll of thy mercie that no winter of storming sin doo pinch my seely soule This doo O Lorde for thy mercies sake Amen Another O Lord like a witles sheep I wander in the perillous wildernes of sinne I am lost ô my God in the field of vanitie where Satan seeketh to trappe and deceiue me with the flattering baite of finfull pleasure Good Lorde leaue thy ninetie nine and looke for the loste sheepe till thou haue founde hir For I am loste good Lord and must needs perish vnlesse thou saue me Draw mé vp to thee in the bucket of thy mercie and place mee in thy safe pasture of grace the onelye sting that ouermaistereth Satan Choose me into the college of ioy that I maye sleepe in the lap of thy word which is thy power vnto saluation Doo this O Lorde for thine owne sake that thine aungels maye haue occasion to reioyse and to set foorth thy glorie Look for the lost groate O gratious God and find it out with the candle of thy mercie and lock it vppe in the treasure of ioye euen me O Lord that thou thy selfe in great ioye maiest call thine holie angels and heauenlie companie to reioyse with thee because thou hast founde me a lost groate and strayeng sheepe Be thou my Iesus euen for thine owne sake washe awaie the leprosie of sinne that beeing cleansed I may returne in ioy to found out the praises of thy holye and vndeserued dealinges with mee thine enimie Amen Another BEnd downe thy piteous eie O Lord from the palace of heauen and looke vppon me thy poore and wretched creature Behold I thy handiwork thine owne workmanship am disgraced nature hath wrapped me in sinne the diuell hath defaced bodie and soule so that I am nothing better than a lumpe of iniquitie The euill gardener hath planted weeds in thy garden the euil husband hath sowne tares and cockle in thy field O Lorde with the sword of thy mercie digge vp the weedes of sinne and with the beames of thy pitie partch vp the cockle and tares of Satan that I may flourish like a branch of thy sonne Iesus and growe like a flower in the pasture of grace by the dewe of thy blessing Scatter awaie from thy face with the wind of thy mercie the chaffe of iniquitie and gather thine owne corne into the garner of glorie Let me not starue for want of grace but feede mee with mercy and make me a simple doue that hauing the wings of a liuelie faith and faithful conscience I may fly vppe to the beacon of the crosse there to eate the merite of thy Sonne Christ my mightie Iesus O Lorde wrap me in his passion and deathe that no storme of sinne doo touch mee to my vtter condemnation Amen A praier for increase of Faith WHat man O God was so fettered in the snare of sinne that he coulde not by any meanes delyuer himselfe and therfore was for euer to lie bound with the chain of Satan in hell it pleased thee ô Lord to worke meanes of deliuerie by thine owne sonne to vnloose the shackles of sinne that man might be set at libertie For this I giue thee moste hartie thanks O gratious God and father of mercie For what a thing is this Man was loste through his owne follie Iudas for mony but Adam for an apple forsooke thee and so deserued not onely to bee forsaken but also like an vtter enimie and rebellious traitor to bee executed in iustice and iudgement But behold O ye sonnes of men where man was vnable and angels not sufficient to worke recouerie of grace and deliuerie from Satans slauery hee spared not to shedde the bloud of his sonne for the redemption of man and satisfaction of his iustice Behold and woonder God hath but one soune his deare sonne his onely ioye his owne image his expresse substance and yet doth he sende this one babe like a Lambe in this euil worlde among foxes to bee torne and cruellie butchered that by the drops of his pretious bloud he might washe the filthie face of our soules and with y e wooll of his passion the merit of his slaughter so cloth vs that noe storme of raging sinne might dismaye vs. The streames of thy sonnes bloud vnlesse wee bathe our selues in them vnles we wash vs in the poole of his bloud his passion O father of heauen shall nothing auaile vs. Giue vs therefore good God a full and sound hand that we may receiue the bloud of thy sonne Christe to our saluation Increase our faith in vs giue vs a winged faith that wee may flie vnto Christ thy sonne and our Sauiour standing on the beacon of the crosse to purchase there demption of the whole world But especiallie in time of extreamitie when Sathan dooth seeke to choake vs with the smoothering smoke of sin and like a wilie pyrate seeketh to sinke the shippe of our weake faith then O Lord when hee raketh our sinnes out of the ashes and calleth a parlement of his hellish aungels to accuse vs before thee and thine holie companie that being conuinced of trecherie to thy maiestie wee may abide the rod of thy furie euen then O Lorde giue vs a feathered faith that we may flie aboue the reache of Satan rest in the wounds of thy decre◠sonne in safetie without perill of shipwracke be the waues of sinne neuer so outragious or the winds of iniquitie neuer so tempestuous Couer vs with the winges of thy fauour garde vs with the hand of thy power and pul vs out of the deepe mire of our secret sinnes that being drowned in thy mercie we maye in a liuely faith spring out of the puddle of miserie into the sea of thy merites for our endlesse safety Amen A praier for preachers O Thou good sheepherd of our soules haue mercie vpon vs thou hast appointed vs as Vicars and Deputies vnder thee or rather for nurses for thee to traine vp the babes of thy family in the loue and feare of thee Giue vs we beseech thee the pure milke of thy Gospell to feed them but especiallie the light of honest conuersation to guide them out of this vallie of darkenesse vnto thee the true morninge starre and sunne of righteousnes Arme vs with the buckler of thy truth that wee may not onlie bicker with but also put to flight Satan that rauenous Lion O Lorde who seeketh by subtiltie to trapp and deuoure the lambs of thy pasture Wepon vs with Scriptum est It is written O Lorde which is thy power vnto saluation and the onely buckler whereby thou didste defende thy selfe in thy threefold combat with Satan Take from vs the leauen of the Pharisees the sowred dough of heresies beeyng the verie canker of Christian profession and the onely pitch that defileth the table of thy Children that wee may feede thy children onely with the worde of thy mouth This do O Iesus for thine owne sake Amen A praier for the increase of Preachers SAtan O Lord sayleth
vpon the seas of this worlde to hynder and keepe backe the propagation of the Gospel kiling by sword boyling in fire and choking by the darnel of his cocle gospell the babes of thy familie So that now thy Church O Lorde is harrowed little is the flock of thy beloued Steeuen we haue a great derth of preaching Ieremies and a verie small number of crieng Esayes to conduct thy children the tender sucklinges of thy Gospel from danger to safetie out of the rough wildernes of this wicked world O looke vpon thy little flocke let the Foxe no more fleece them but sende shepheards to feed them with the pure milk and sound meat of thy Gospell Send vs no woolues to teare but sende vs doggs to defende the sheepe of thy Pasture against our woluish Pharao that continuallie gapeth to deuoure thy beeloued Israel O Lorde haue mercie vppon vs and let the riuers of thy worde haue free course in euerie chanel let no puddle of filthy doctrine or quagmire of damnable heresie trouble thy little flock sweet babes least they tasting thereof drink their owne destruction But sende downe thine Angels to cleanse the poole of thy word mingled with the water of heresie that wee liyng sicke at the gate of thy mercie maye descend into it and so be healed Grant this for thine infinit mercies sake and for the glory of thine eternall Godhead Amen A praier for the Schoolmayster WHere shall I begin O Lorde to rip the vnseamed coate of thy benefites O that I were al hart to conceiue or al toong to vtter them For where we had not onelie loste the inheritance of paradise but also the integritie of Nature through father Adams follie thou hast set down precepts and elected gouernours ouer youth that being ruled by tutours and liuing well by precepts the childrē of Adam might recouer the disgraced puritie of nature and at length of thy meere fauour be exalted not to an earthly paradise but to an heuenly inheritance to enter and inherit the palace of an heauenlie Ierusalem And whereas O welspring of all goodnes thou hast appointed me to view and ouersee the naturall man not only to train him vp in learning but also in liuing giue me thy grace that I may first of a wilde oliue become a braunch of Iesus that awaking my selfe with the winges of thy mercie I maye crowe the better to stumbling Peter not onely in deliuering precepts but also examples of godlie life and honest conuersation Giue me y e true knowledge of thy word that by it as by a lanterne I may guide my selfe and them the better from wandering in vanitie into the waie of sanctitie Giue me also grace to doo my dutie faithfullie and imprint in my heart the last daie when I shall render an account of my calling so that alwaies remembring it I may the better fulfil it O Lord shew thy mercie Amen Another O Lorde giue me grace to bee faithful in my vocation to bee diligent in my calling to traine vppe youth but before al things to serue thee Schoole me ô gratious God in the waie of thy wil and teache me the waie of thy commandementes that I may not only liue by thee but in thee for euer Plant me like a branch of grace in the gardeyn of thy gratious pleasure that I maye growe in thee and not in the broad way of iniquitie or wide fielde of vanitie Order thou my waies with the rule of thy wil and guide my steps by this lanterne of life that neither for feare or flatterie I swarue from the lessons of thy holie spirite but euer may walke with the warrant of a good conscience in thy lawe and testimonies For this O Lord shal redounde to the profite of thy Churche whereof by Baptisme I am a member as also to the bettering of youth which is better schooled by examples of a godlie life than by precepts of learning Therefore O Lord that thy Church may bee vnspotted and without wrinkle I beseech thee in thy sonnes name to haue mercie vpon me and al my brethren which liue in faith and feare of thee that our good liues maye glorifie thee our father in heauen and spur the babes of thy familye to the perfourmance of their vow by the power of thy spirit Amen Apraier for Schollers O God we are a cursed progenie by nature lapt in the bands of sinne and fettered in the chaine of death the due rewarde of sinne and iniquitie but of thy meere mercie thou hast drawne vs vnto thee out of the iawes of our spirituall Pharao by the death of Christ thine onelye sonne that mightie lion of the tribe of Iudah that being deliuered from the handes of our enimies wee might serue thee in him al the daies of this our life But because we cannot of our selues and by our selues aspire to the end of our redemtion we giue thee thankes O Lord that it hath pleased thee to helpe vs by this meanes to wit by placing vs vnder tutors Thou hast throughlie sifted our nature thou knowest that there is continuall battell betweene the wanton fleshe and the spirit of sanctification and therefore to represse olde Adam and to crucifie the kingdom of the wanton flesh thou hast put this yoke vppon vs to bee vnder tutors and gouernours to crop the crooked boughes off and to mowe downe the ripe haruest of wicked nature that they might by precepts of life with the assistance of thy spirite graffe vs in the true vine Iesus and also printe the stampe of Christian knoweledge in the tables of our harts that beeing no base metal but pure and fine siluer we might and yet of grace be weighed in the balance of thy mercie as currant coyne to be placed in the storehouse of thy ioy for euer To thee as onlie good be al glorie Amen The mothers praier for the good education of hir youth O Gratious God in knowledge that thou louest all thinges which thou hast made of thy goodnes and that thing cannot perish which is committed to thy charge Now I come vnto thee with my ten der children committing them into thine hands and desiring thee to couer them vnder the winges of thy prouident mercie Hew and square the rough table of their hearts of stonie make them fleshie that being softened by the dewe of thy blessinges they may beare the seale of adoption in thy sonne Christ. O Lord guide them in this darke vale of vanitie with the light of thy fauour that escaping the dungeon of sinne they may walke in newnes of life and lodge alwaies in thine holie will Imprint in theyr harts faith hope humility and charitie that following thee they may be humble meeke as thou art In due them with the spirite of feare that they may kisse thee in faith and liue lie obedience thou beeing neuer angrie with them but louing them as the mother dooth her tender sucklings Amen The Fathers praier O Father of all Fathers haue
not swallowed vp in griefe and sorrowe Lorde sweete Lord thou sendest thy seruants to cal me to the marriage thy fatlinges and oxen are killed and Dinner is readie Lorde giue mee grace to come vnto thee that beeing freed from sinne and eased of sorrow the fruit of sinne I may mary thee in the couenant of thy mercie and banquet with thee face to face at the table of ioye in thy heauenlie Ierusalem Lord louing Lorde and gratious God blesse the fruite of my wombe and take it into thy famylie For I beleeue Lorde that thou becamest of God the sonne of man to make it and all other whome thy father hath giuen thee the Children of God thy heauenlie Father According to my faith therefore O Lord be it vnto me Open the doore of thy mercie and lodge my child in the vertue of thy couenant that being my God and the God of my seede I maie glorifie thee both now and euer and offer vp the sacrifice of praise the fruites of a ioyfull spirit vnto thee Lord and Father of heauen it is thy wil that al men should be saued thy wil be doone and saue mee by thy mercie I beseech thee Amen A praier for the prisoner O Liuing GOD and louinge Father of Heauen I haue stood in the waie of sinners and wasted my days in iniquitie for the which I am iustlie tied in bands and shall suffer the shippewrack of this fraile and fading life O Lorde comfort me with thy holy spirit against the terror of death and so roote in mee the hope of saluation that I may looke in stedfast saith after the night of my passion to suppe and to be with thee in heauenly paradise Euill hath beene my life euen from the wombe haue I warred with euill nature against thee and to my power sought to destroy my selfe and to crucify my Iesus again most villanouslie But yet O. Lorde and father of mercie I beleeue verilie that al thy sonnes bloud is not dried vppe I am persua ded that there are some drops of grace reserued for all laden and labouring publicans and therefore comming vnto thee I crie and cal Lorde haue mercie vpon me a sinner Lorde O Iesu thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me Remember thy bloo die passion and with the testimonie of most thy holy spirite seale vp in my heart my saluation that I may die in thee and so liue with thee for euer Amē A praier to be said at the houre of death FAther of heauen into thy handes I doo commend my soule Lorde increase my faith strengthen my weaknes fortifie my soule with the Testimonie of thy fauour against the feare of death which is dreadfull vnto me O gratious God looke not vppon my merits for they are none nor vpon my life for it hath been very naught and abhominable but looke vpon Christ thy deer sonne and my louinge Iesus who beeing slaughtered vpon the altar of the Crosse crieth vnto thee for me and my brethren Father forgiue thē Thy sonne O Lorde died to deliuer vs was bound to lose vs out of hellish Aegypt that being freed by him wee might alwaies and solie serue him But mercie Lorde mercie is all my sute for I haue prophaned his pretious passion by my euill conuersation and done what laie in my power to crucifie him againe but notwithstanding Lord thou art alwaies mercifull and of great pittie and I beleeue verely that thy sonnes mercie is not abated who cried for the butchering Iewes Father forgiue them Louing God therefore burie mine iniquities and accept thy sonnes crie as a satisfaction for my sinne Lord haue mercie vpon me a sinner Amen A praier for the truth HEresie O Lorde is the spurre of dunghil cocks and hirelinges which faint and will not fight in thy quarrell against the wolfe for the sheepe of thy pasture Let not this spur blind the eies of christians let it not shut vppe the windowe of thy will Thy truth defende O Gratious God and with the whippe of thy iudgement scourge al penie gospellers and scowre thy fathers house which must be a house of praier that thy worde may be truly preached which is thy power vnto saluation Grant vnto vs the pure bread of life let it not bee sowred with the leuen of vnseasoned Rabbins least thy truth being eclipsed with euill doctrine be vtterly buried and so thy Lambes for hunger starued The babes of thy familie do hunger gape for meat they dailie crie vnto thee Father of heauen deliuer vs from euil Come Lorde Iesus come for thou art truth and the onely teacher of truth Roote vppe out of thy garden the weedes of heresie and hinder the blaste of slaundering Trumpetters whoe dooe nothing else but barke againste thy truth and bite the good names of others and al to the defacing of thy Gospel Amen A praier for the ploughman IT is thy iuste reward O GOD to man for his trecherie and disobedience against thy maiestie that he should get his liuing by the sweat of his browes I confesse therefore O thou iust God and louing father that I haue merited this bondage that thou maiest be iustified when thou art iudged Giue me thy grace O Lord that I may be diligent and faithful in my vocation to doo my dutie not so much for feare as for conscience Giue me thy grace that I may serue with a willing minde and a free conscience that beeing subiect to a Christian in body yet I may beare rule ouer sinn and Satan in a stedfast fayth and feare of thee Gard defend mee with thy grace and fense me with thy fauour Vphold my feet frō slipping staie mee that I fall not and if I fal raise me vp that I may not lie in the mire of desperation when sinne shall assault mee Plow my hart with the threats of thy pearsing lawe and harrowe it with a greeuous memorial of my omitied duetie but so O Lord that thou in the end doo so we in it the seede of thy Gospell the bread of immortalitie that I may liue in thee and by thee now and for euer Amen A praier for the blessing of his labour SVch was the fall of Adam O gratious God so great was his rebelliō against thy diuine maiestie that of desert thou maiest forsake him and staie the hand of thy boun teous liberalitie Notwithstanding Lorde because that thou hast commanded all men to aske and allured them to craue things necessarie by thy promise that hee that asketh shal haue therefore O Lorde in hope of thy wonted and offered mercie I come vnto thee in the names of Christ thy beloued sonne and my louinge husband desiring thee in the streames of thy bloodie teares to wash me from my sinnes to burie them in the bottome of the sea and to scatter them as chaffe before the winde that I being taken into thy fauour reconciled to thee in the blood of the immaculate lambe may looke in assurance for thy
his side doo testifie a iust condemnatiō against vs that we did so vnthankfully vse them to destroy the sonne of God and yet doo commyt sinne to our power seeking to slaie him againe O yee butchers consider this innocent Lambe how he bleedeth and sheaddeth his pretious bloud to cleanse you from sinne and so to saue you from Satan drinke vp in faith the droppings of his bloud and moisten your soules therwith eate him and chewe him for hee is the bread of life which whosoeuer eateth he shall neuer hunger any more Bid war to old Adam proclaime battell against the subtile serpent and fight like good souldiers of Christ crucified against sinne that death and hel beeing put to the foile by the strength of your valiant capitain ye may at length be registred among the blessed saints of God for euer But if al this will not moue thee O foolish creature to repentance neither the miserable seruice of Satan nor the horrible end of sinne nor the maiestie or mercie of Iesus Christ nor the villanie that sin wrought vnto him which all ought to be forcible motiues and sufficient retentiues from sinne yet consider a while the condition of sinners which of al other is most miserable For first they are Gods enimies euen such rebellious enimies as with open armes in Satans quarrel vnder corrupt nature as their souereigne resist Gods gouernment which thing O sinfull man is of all other most horrible to be Gods enimie to be at war with God to be hated of the most mightie puissant and omnipotente Lord of hosts Neither doo sinners by warring against the honor of God vnder sinne and Satan onelye purchase the anger and hatred of God vpon their heads but also they greeue the courtiers of Ierusalem which is aboue and put the Angels and Saints of God to great greefe and sor row For if that they reioise at the conuersion of a sinner and bee gladde when the loste groat is found and the straieng sheepe brought to the sheepfold then what greefe what sorow what heauinesse do sinners purchase vnto them when being loste they wil not be found and being straieng sheepe they will not be brought to the sheepefold of grace againe And heere it may please all sinners to consider that as repenting wee gladden the Angels and Saintes of God and make the diuell to repine and greeue so when wee commit sinne and decline from the right line of righteousnes then do we keepe wakes for the diuel then dooth he hop for ioy when we defraud the good angels of God of their ioy These irreuocable sinners these the Lorde dooth hate as vtter enimies yea rotten and stinking carion is more sweete before men than is such a soule before God and his Aungels And therefore let all such repent not onelie because they are iniurious to God and offensiue to the good but also bicause they are stinking creatures and such as the Lord neither may nor will abide vnles they returne vnto him in sackcloth and ashes and therefore repent and amend Secondly those sinners that stop their eares against the retrait of these motiues let them consider their woonderous follie For sinne is the dung of the old serpent and he that sinneth for the vilest thing that is forsaketh the most pretious iewel in heauen and earth For what dooth mans soule lose by sinne from whom departeth she from whom doth she separate hir selfe euen frō God her maker her redeemer and Sauiour yea when shee sinneth she forsaketh saluation and her owne safetie she runneth into the stinking lappe of the diuell her desperate aduersarie and hasteneth hirselfe vn to hell Yea by sinne the kingdome of the diuel is inlarged for he that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne And what if I saye that sinne maketh man like to Satan for whatsoeuer deformitie or filth is in the diuell that is by sinne of the which if the Deuill might bee freed he were a noble and excellent creature Euen so the soule of man by sinne is made filthie and deformed like the Diuel And what an iniurie is this to God that by sinne of his owne image wee shoulde make the image of the diuell Repent therefore and consider thirdlie that it gladdeneth the diuell to see vs sin because thereby we become his dwelling house Now how cursed a thing is sinne which maketh the temple of God the temple of Satan what follie nay what madnes is it to lodge the diuel in our heartes and to driue Christ and his holie spirit out of doores Why shoulde man deale so vnthankefullie with him that being God came from the top of the heauens to this vallie of miserie to take mans flesh vpon him that hee might be his Iesus or why should we sinne and by continual sinning bid adieu to the spirit of holines harbor satan in our harts shall he by whom al creatures were made glorious by sinne bee banished far from vs and he by whome all creatures were deformed bee wholie lodged within vs But tel me O man Christ is saluation life ioy loue and all in al the diuell is the father of death a murderer a manslaier a tyrant a prince of darknesse the worker of woe Now answer doest thou like better of death than of lyfe of paine than of ioye of hatred than loue of damnation than saluation and of hel than of hea uen if thou doo then shalt thou depart curssed into the euerlasting fire But if thou doo prefer Iesus Christ with his inesti mable blessings before Satan then why doost thou wallowe in sinne which is the onelye waie to preferre Satan in this world to establish his kingdome of darknes Wherfore O miserable man repent and amende consider that Iesus Christ like an euangelical henne neuer ceaseth clocking to gather thee vnder his winges like a chicken let him not clock cal in vaine neither be thou like vnto them that stoppe their cares against the charmer charme he neuer so wiselie Consider that God created thee wholie to serue him with al thy hart soule strength and power remember that thou at baptisme diddest vowe and swear obedience to his name remember that before GOD and al the bande of the holye Aungels and Saints thou didst renounce satan al his works and repent vnlesse thou wilte haue God and all his heauenlie Citizens at the great daie of reuelation to giue sentence of condemnation against thy periurie And why O miserable man shouldest thou break thy faith giuen to God in baptisme it is not an oth to bee repented For the seruice of the Lorde is onelie mans safetie as the seruice of Satan is the only cause of mans miserie The gailor that helde vs in a slauishe and spirituall Aegypt was not Pharao but the diuel and that for sinne and therefore if we couet to inhabi◠the land of promise and to liue in libertie free from calamitie it standeth vs vppon to returne vnto the Lorde who is onelie able by