mée iudging mée according vnto the same I were not able to suffer or abide it but must needes perish and be damned for euer So little helpe comfort or sucour is there either in me or in any other creature whatsoeuer Only this is my cōfort O heauenly father the thou diddest not spare thy only dearely beloued Son but diddest giue him vp vnto the most bitter most vile and slaunderous death of the Crosse for mee that so hee might in his obedience pay the ransome for my sinnes satisfie thy iudgement still and pacifie thy wrath recōcile mée vnto thée againe purchase mée thy grace and fauour and euerlāsting life Wherefore through the merites of his most bitter death and passion through his innocent bloudshedding I beséech thee O heauenly Father that thou wilt vouchsafe to bee gracious mercifull vnto mee to forgiue and pardon me all my sinnes to lighten my heart with thy holy Spirit to renew confirme and strengthen mee with a right and stedfast faith and to enflame mee in loue towardes thee and my neighbour for thy sake that I may henceforth with a willing and a glad heart walke as it becommeth mee in the obedience of thy most godly and most blessed Commandements and so glorifie and praise thée euerlastingly and also that I may with a frée conscience a quiet spirit in al manner of temptations afflictions and necessities and euen in the very pangs of death boldly faithfully say I beleeue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate Was crucified dead and buried Hée descended into hell The third day hée rose againe from the dead Hee ascended into Heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie from thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beléeue in the holy Ghost The holy Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie And the life euerlasting Amen But O Lord heauenly Father to comfort my selfe in afflictions temptations with the assured féeling of these Articles of the Christiā faith it is not in my power for faith is thy gift And therefore forasmuch as thou wilt be praied vnto and called vpon for it I come vnto thée to pray and beséech thée both for that for al my other necessities bodily and spirituall euen as thy dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus himselfe hath taught vs and from the very bottome of my heart I cry and say vnto thée Our Father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will bée done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dailie bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen vnto the lappe of thy pitie For loe thou art my hope and trust in whom I onely repose my selfe hauing in thee ful confidence and faith so that now I may say with a very faithfull heart trusting in thy mercie I beléeue in thee O God the Father in thee O God the Sonne and in thee O God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one true and also verie God besides whom I acknowledge none other God in heauen aboue nor in earth beneath And yet I poore sinner cannot but accuse my selfe vnto thee deare Father that I haue fore and grieuously offended thy almightie goodnesse and Maiestie in the committing of mine exceeding grieuous and manifold sins and wickednes For I haue not kept the least of thy most godly and blessed commaundementes like as thy righteousnes may require indéed doth demād the same of me I haue not I say honoured thee like my God dread thée like my Lord loued thée like my father nor trusted in thee like my creator my sauiour Thy holy and dreadful name vnto which al glory honour belongeth haue I vsed in vaine I haue not sanctified the Sabboth day with workes which bee acceptable to thée nor instructed my neighbour in vertue accordingly I haue not honored my parents nor bin obedient vnto thē through whom as by an instrumēt thou hast wrought my comming into this world The high powers and rulers which receiue authoritie of thee I haue not willingly obeyed I haue not kept my heart pure and cleane from malice and manslaughter yea had not thy grace and mercy defended mee the better I should haue committed the verie deede also I likewise am not pure from theft nor from adulterie nor frō false witnesse bearing but haue in my heart and mind wished and desired my nighbours goods and thinges I haue followed the great Prince of this Worlde Sathan which hath been a lyer from the beginning in concupiscence of the flesh in pride of liuing in deceiptfulnes in lecherie in hatred and also enuie in backbiting in despaire and also misbeléefe And as I haue abused my will vnderstanding which are faculties and powers of my soule so my senses also which thou hast giuen mee to vse to thy glorie and my neighbours good and mine own lawfull delight I haue misused and mispent in hearing séeing smelling tasting and feeling also things that I should not or else suffring thē to be too violētly caried to things I might haue vsed But in what manner soeuer that I haue offended and sinned against thy eternall Maiestie for no man knoweth throughly his sinnes as the Prophet witnesseth whether it hath béen by day or else by night yea euen from my childhood vnto this day were it in workes wordes or thoughts secretly or openly O my mercifull God I am sorie for it euen from the very bottome of my heart yea my soule mourneth for very sorowe most mercifull Father that I am not a thousand times more sorie than I am howbeit in token of great repentance though all hearts bée knowne well enough vnto thée I doe knocke strike my breast and say in bitternesse of heart and soule Lord GOD the Father Sonne and holy Ghost haue mercie Spare mee of thine infinite mercie deare Lord now and all the daies of my life let me bee made partakers of thine abundant grace in such sort that I may chaunge my sinfull life and put thou out of mee the olde man with al his concupisences and lustes graunting mee grace dayly to die vnto the world and that the world may bée crucified vnto mee and I so dayly goe forward in newnes of life Strengthen mee O Lord in a true humble heart in sound loue hope and trust in thée giue my soule grace to desire in thée onely to reioyce and repose my selfe that I may vtterly renounce and forsake the vaine assistance of this world so that thou mayst finde me readie to méete
it soundeth daylie in my eares out of heauen promising mee and affirming coÌ„stantly thy selfe to be appeased pleased and at one with mee for thy Sonnes sake whome thou commandest me to heare and beléeue whom I am sure is made of thee my righteousnes my satisfactioÌ„ my reconciliation my peace maker my mediator intercessor with his praier my fulfiller of the law my deliuerer my whole holy accoÌ„plisher of all my iust desires my Sauior Christ Iesus God man in whose name this day I attempt take in hand all my iust doings according to my vocation for his glory my neighbours profit desiring thy gracious goodnes most merciful Lord and father for thy dearly beloued sons sake to prosperit to giue it happie encrease whatsoeuer I take in hand according to thy will graunt me grace to finish the same O holy father blesse all things I take in hand with thy blessed increase and let mee not séeke mine owne will but euer to pray that thy will be fulfilled in all thinges now and for euer So be it Thou maiest if thou wilt after this say the Lords Prayer And so hauing coÌ„mended thy selfe to almighty God maiest fall to some honest and vertuous exercise according to thy calling but whatsoeuer thou doest doe it with purenes of heart and with singlenes of eie yea so doe it as though God were present and looked vppon thee as vndoubtedly he doth A Prayer HEare vs O heauenly King Father of mercie our life our swéetnes our hope for vnto thée doe we crie euen we which are the banished children of Eua vnto thee doe we sigh wéeping and wayling in this vale of lamentation come therefore our aduocate cast vpon vs those mercifull eyes of thine and after this our banishment shew to vs the glorious light in thy heauenly kingdome O mercifull O holy O swéete Sauiour in all our troubles and heauinesse O Iesu our health and glorie succour vs. Amen Another Prayer O Iesu Christ the Son of God our Redéemer which deiectedst and humbledst thy selfe from that glorious state and shape of thy Godhead to the shape of our vile seruitude because thou wouldest reconcile vs being the children of wrath and damnation to thy father so make vs the children of grace wee beséech thée graunt vs such an excellent measure of thy grace that wee may euer followe euen thée thy selfe in all blessed obedience and may euer finde and féele thée to be our present mediator before our father for all ghostly giftes whom wee acknowledge with perfect faith to be our Sauiour which art the liuing God with the father and the holy Ghost liuing and raigning without end Amen A Prayer O Pitifull Lord God alwayes shewing thy mercie vpon me a grieuous sinner I humblie acknowledge the same yet Lord notwtstanding I cannot but hartily pray thée to heare my prayer though I haue bin a sinner I am now thorough thy grace sorie therefore and purpose by thy goodnes assistance to take no more pleasure therein but am glad and willing to exercise the trueth and to forsake all vaineglorie Wherefore therein I humbly pray thée to fortifie mée with thy grace to withstaÌ„d my secret enemie in all my temptations and to assist mee so that thy most holy spirit of sapience and vnderstanding may haue continuall dwelling in mee direct mee vnto the obedience of thy pleasure and will that so I may at the last inherite thine eternall rest Another Prayer OMnipotent and mercifull God Father eternall which doest not despise sinners bewayling with contrite heart the offences which they haue committed against thy high Maiestie wée pray thée by thy grace to drawe vs néere to thée and heare our prayers and forgiue vs our offences comfort vs in our afflictions and forgiue Lord them that oppresse vs and graunt that our ghostly enemie haue no power to deuour vs as he desireth but that we strongly withstanding his fraudes and snares to our comfort may die in the true Catholique faith and rest with thée eternally our Lord Iesu Christ Amen Sundrie holy petitions to our Sauiour Iesus Christ LOrd Iesu haue mercie on mée and forgiue mee my great offences which I haue done in thy sight Grant mée grace also for the loue of thée to despise all sinne and worldly vanitie Lord Iesu inable mee to wcstand and to ouercome the temptation of sinne and the malice of my Ghostly enemie to spend my time in vertue and labour acceptable to thée Lord Iesu strengthen me in soule and bodie to performe the works of godlynes and vertue to the glory and praise of thy name and that afterwards I may come to euerlasting ioy and felicitie Graunt me a stedfast purpose mercifull Iesus to amend my life and recompence those yeares which I haue mispent to the displeasure of thée in euil thoughts delectations consentings words workes and euill customes and also in bâ—eaking thy lawes whereby I haue deserued damnation And good Lord inlighten me so with thy ghostly wisedome that I may knowe thy goodnes those things which are most acceptable to thée and confirme me so with thy grace that I may giue good examples to all men Make me profitable that none be hurt by mee guide me to help those with good counsaile which haue offended thee make me proceede from vertue to vertue vntill I shall cléerely sée thée in thy Maiestie Let mee not returne to any of my wonted sinnes specially those sinnes which I haue sorrowed for and by confession haue iustly accused my selfe of Let not the horrible sentence of endlesse death nor the terrible iudgement of damnation nor thy wrath ire and indignation mercifull Lord fall vpon mée But let thy mercie and merits my Sauiour euer bée betwéene them and me Lord Iesu graunt mee grace to flie euill company and when I come among them for thy passion I beséech thée to preserue mee that no occasion of any eyther mine owne or their sin ouercome mée and send mée ghostly comfort strength by the true loue of thy worde and power of thy spirit shed abroad into my heart Kéepe my mouth good Lord from slaunderous speaking lying false witnesse bearing cursing swearing vncharitable chidinges dissolute laughing words of vanity make me blessed Lord with child-like reuereÌ„ce to remeÌ„ber that thou presently hearest mee which of al my words shalt iudge me Lord Iesu make me to perseuer in the blessed seruice of thée in religious exercise all holie and vertuous affaires Lord keepe my soule and bodie make me flée sinfull delectation and patiently to suffer iniuries and rebukes as which my disobedient heart to thée haue deserued more theÌ„ all men can inflict or lay vpoÌ„ me prouide good Lord that state of life for mee which thou knowest shall most tend to thy honour and my eternall felicitie Lord Iesu graunt mee grace at all times but specially in the time of prayer to fixe my minde on thée then also effectually to remember my
wretchednesse faithfully to call for helpe of thée Yea good Lord giue me grace to order my life and the workes of my body soule with actuall intent to please thée that through thy merites and mercie at the end I may obtaine the reward of thy infinite ioy and eternall felicitie Let the water and bloud which can from thy blessed heart bee powerfull to wash my soule from sinne and iniquitie and to purchase mee abundāce of thy grace faithfully to serue thée O my Lord my might my life my light lead me féede me and spéede me in the pilgrimage of this mortalitie graunt me O Lord by the merits of thy passion and power of thy most excellent and glorious godhead whatsoeuer thy Wisedome knoweth most expediēt for me which howsoeuer in my miserable life I am most vnworthy of yet vouchsafe them vnto me all the time of my pilgrimage but specially at the houre of death when I shall be accused before thée haue mercie on mee breake my froward heart and make it obedient to thée Preserue me also good Lord from sodaine and vnprouided death and of thy owne singular grace and goodnesse graunt mee these supplications in this prayer which now I haue made to thée according to thy will Yea by thine owne mediation purchase for mee and bestow vpon mee a holy life and blessed ending and grant I beséech thée after my bodily death euerlasting life with endlesse blisse and felicitie thorow thy merites and bitter passion O Lord Iesu who with the Father and the holy Spirit liuest and raignest euer one God world without end Holy Trinitie one very God haue mercie on me Amen A deuout prayer to our Lord Iesu Christ O My soueraigne Lord Iesu the very sonne of almightie God and of the most cleane and glorious virgin Marie who sufferedst bitter death for my sake and all mankind and diddest rise againe the third day I beseech thée Lord haue mercie vpon me that am a wretched sinner but yet thy creature and for thy precious passion saue mee and kéepe me from al perils bodily and ghostly and specially from all things that might turne to thy displeasure And with all my heart I thanke thee most mercifull Lord for thy great mercies that thou hast shewed me in the great dangers that I haue béen in as well in my soule as in my body and that thy grace and endlesse mercie hath euer kept me spared me and saued me from the houre of my birth to this present time For these I say and al other thy mercies I humblie thanke thée Lord Iesus Christ further desiring thée that thy mercie may preserue me alway And I crie thée mercie with all my whole heart for my great offences for my great vnkindnes for all my wretched and sinfull life and for this in particular that I haue not or cannot leade my selfe as becommeth thy seruant I thanke thée also with all my heart my most gracious Lord for the benefites and graces that thou hast giuen mee so largely in this world afore many other of thy creatures vpon whom if it had béene so thy good pleasure thou mightest a thousand times better haue bestowed them than vpon me But most gracious Lord I wot and knowledge verily that it commeth of thée wherefore with all my heart I thanke thee continually crying and saying all honour praise and glorie bee vnto thée O Iesu with the Father and the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen Another prayer for an householder O Lord GOD almightie most mercifull and heauenly father thorough Christ I fréely confesse that thou art my life my soule and my bodie yea al the good which I haue and all whatsoeuer is mine hast thou giuen vnto me that of thine owne singular grace and goodnes Now sith of thee I haue receiued it and in me there is corruption to abuse it make vpright and order thou O Lord God of heauen all that is in my house And teach mee and mine to handle and guide all these outward things after thy godlie will we being thereby more and more prouoked to loue thée and in thée and for thée euery one of vs to profit another I say vnto thée I beléeue Lorde helpe my vnbeléefe And yet in this weakenes I cannot but intreate thée not to forsake me nor my wife my children nor any of my householde Defend vs Lord from sin before thée from shame in the world and from sicknes in our selues according to thy good pleasure Send vs thy holy Angell to guide and guarde vs that so wee may be defended in the whole course of our liues and may be lead forth the right way so as we may not talke doe or thinke any thought against thy holy commaundements and will but thereafter to liue worshipping thée and praising thée for euermore thorough Christ Iesus our Lord thy onely welbeloued Sonne Amen Blessed be the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Let vs praise him and exalt him world without end Amen An other Prayer ALmightie GOD our heauenly Father in Iesus Christ wée vnfeinedly confesse before thée that thy mercie and goodnes towards vs is infinite and without measure It is thy mercie and no goodnes that is in vs or of vs which mooued thée to send into the worlde thine onely begotten and eternall Sonne to take our nature vpon him and therein to worke the mysterie of our redemption and saluation as thou hadst appointed and spoken before by the mouthes of all thy Prophets which were from the beginning And likewise it was thy blessed will thy mercie and goodnes towardes vs that thy heauenly Sonne did suffer persecution trouble and aduersitie was betraied of his owne friend and disciple Iudas traiterously taken caried awaie to bée falsly accused and vniustly condemned to bee cruelly beaten scourged and finally with most scornefull rebukes to be put to the most painfull shamefull death that could bée deuised All this O heauenly Father was doone through thy mercy and blessed will for our sakes that not only to answere and satisfie thy iust wrath and anger which we had deserued and dayly doe deserue both for the offences of our first parents our actuall transgressing of thy holy commādements but also to restore vs againe to thy grace and fauour to indue vs with thy heauenly gifts that wée might serue thée in holynes and righteousnes all the dayes of our life And finally to make vs by the benefite of thy dearely beloued Sonnes passion and also through the price of his most precious bloud partners with him of his infinite and vnspeakeable glory and blisse in heauen Wherefore O heauenly Father wee béeséech thée powre vppon vs thy holy spirit and make vs in our hearts clearely to sée comfortably to féele and most stedfastly to beléeue this thine infinit gracious goodnes shewed and giuen vnto vs in thine owne sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ and with this beliefe make vs to put all our confidence and hope
thée in ioy and the right vse of al thy gifts with the good seruant in the mid night of death which shall suddenly steale vpon me like a theefe ere I beware Be thou to me at that time of neede O Lord a tower of strength a place of refuge and a God to defend mee euery manner of way and namely against that face of the feend who like a roring lion will be then ready to deuoure me against desperation which then wil be ready to grieue assault me Let theÌ„ thy comfort cleaue fast vnto mee thy mercie kéepe mée and thy grace guide me Then especially recouer againe Lord God the Father that which thy puissant might hath shapen Fetch then againe Lord GOD the Sonne that which thou hast so wisely gouerned and bought with thy precious bloud Take againe thou Lord God holy Ghost that which thou hast kept preserued so louingly in this region of sinne and vale of miserie three persoÌ„s and one very GOD vnto whom be praise and honour for euer and euer Amen A Psalme wherein the sinner desireth ot bee heard of God HOwe long O Lord shall my mind be pressed downe with painefull sorrowes How long O God wilt thou reiect my prayers which daylie I powre out before thée wilt thou Lord heare me at no time or wilt thou now cease to shew mercie Hast thou O Lord cast me away for euer and wilt thou neuer hereafter bee pleased with me Thy hand is not weakned but it may helpe and thine eares are not stopped that they should refuse to heare I beséech thée O my God for Iesus Christes sake to regard the teares that fall let the sighings and inward desires of my heart mooue incline thée to heare mee I haue béen a stubborne froward childe to thée I haue not feared thée but haue béen euer disobedient stubborne against thee I am in prison and bound in fetters of sorrow and so shal be til thou with thy gracious presence shalt vouchsafe to visite mee and bring me againe to libertie ioy Keepe thy mercie therefore for me always O Lord and the couenant which thou hast made with mée oh let it be surely performed Keepe mee Lord from sinne and so shall I dread neither death nor hell and as thou hast béen alwayes mercifull to penitent sinners so now good Lord forgiue me my sinnes Keepe my heart to thee and then shall it reioyce in thy mercie because thou hast looked on mee and hast regarded my soule in my great distresse Let mee neuer hereafter goe away from thy waies and leaue me not now in the déepenes of my troubles Loe now be the daies of health and grace now is the accepted time for in death who remembreth thee O Lord or in hell who shall praise thee Lord beholde therefore my weaknesse and frailnesse best knowne vnto thee and looke downe from heauen vpon the sorrow and heauines of me thy poore creature Mollifie my heart O Lord GOD that I may returne to thee and walke in thy waies for I haue wandred too long in the way of sinners Make a perpetuall league with me that thou wilt put thy feare into my heart that I neuer swarue from thée againe O Lord my prayers be euer vnto thee let thy anger bee turned from mee that I may finde fauour in thy sight O Lord looke thou not vpon the hardnes of my hart but as thou art a mercifull God so now bee mercifull vnto me and forgiue me that wherein I haue offended thée A Prayer MOst righteous God and merifull father in Christ for thy great mercie sake hearken to these my humble prayers which I make before thée and consâ—der Lorde the desires and thoughts of my hart Let my loud cryings come vnto thée let mine vnfained prayers enter into thine eares Heare me O Lord for I am destitute of thy helpe Take care for my soule saue me thy seruant which wholly trusteth in thee Haue mercie O Lord haue mercie vpon me for I will neuer cease crying vnto thée for thy helpe and mercie In the day time â—ll I call on thee and in the night my crie shall not be hid from thee O thou God of the Heauens and maker of all creatures heare me a most wretched sinner calling on thee and take away from mee all my sinnes and make stedfast my faith and confidence in thée in thy merciful promises that I putting my trust in them may haue as thou hast promised euerlasting life thorough Christ Iesus thy Son our Lord. Amen A Psalme that may bee sayd For Euening Prayer COnsider and heare mee O Lord my God lighten the eies of my soule that I sléepe not in death for if I bee cast downe they that trouble me wil reioyce at it Defend mee therefore O God from the way of the vngodly and out of the hands of the vnrighteous and cruâ— man deliuer me Euen in thy feare doe I worship O Lord toward thy holy temple bee mercifull vnto me and heare the request of my heart For happy are they whom thou hearest and regardest in the needfull time of trouble Haue mercy vpon me O God haue merce vpon me euen as thou hast promised to them that loue thy name I will call on thée O Lord my strength I 〈◊〉 trust in thée O thou ground of my saluation Keepe thy seruant therefore O Lord from presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion ouer mee and so shall I be vndefiled innocent from the great offence Let I beséech thee O Lord the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart bee alwaies acceptable in thy sight O Lord God my strength and my redéemer â—â—t my prayers bee set forth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be an euening sacrifice O Lord graunt mee thy light that I being deliuered from the darknesse of sinne may come to the very light which is Christ Turne thee vnto mee O Lord and shew mee the light of thy countenance Yea Lord heare my praier also I beséech thée And let my crie come vnto thée O Lord God I beséech thée for Christ Iesus sake to lighten my darknes both outward and inward of thy great goodnesse to deliuer me from all the dangers of this night either bodily or spirituall that thou being my sauiour in watching and my kéeper in sleeping I may wake in Christ and rest in peace through thy sonne Iesu Christ who liueth and raigneth with thee in vnitie of the holy ghost world without end Amen O Lord into thy handes I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of truth A prayer of a sinner to be sayd dayly before hee goeth about any worldly busines O My celestiall Father be now mercifull vnto mée thy repentant sinfull seruant fled from mine enemies to thy helpe and succour Impute not vnto me my sinnes for Christs sake for I haue heard thy Fatherly voyce and yet
them as if it were our strong rocke yet giue vs grace in respect of thée and eternall blessednes to refuse and despise these bitter and filthie things and most feruently to desire the swéetnes of thy familiaritie in the which all goodnesse is contained To thée be honour and glorie for euer Amen A thankes giuing and also an intercession and prayer vnto our Sauiour Iesus Christ O Most mercifull Iesu my swéet sauiour and most gratious Lord God I thanke thee hartily for that thou hast created and made me of nought for thy manifold benefits and graces that thou hast giuen vnto me here in this world before many other not onely preseruing me from vile and loathsome sicknesse from shame and many grieuous daungers besides but also giuing to me most vnworthie many great and irrecompensible yea and incomprehensible gifts also All which gifts most swéete Iesus I know full well and méekely acknowledge to come of thy goodnes only and nothing of my deseruing nay indeede without yea contrarie to my deserts Wherefore most mightie Lord God my creator my redéemer and most mercifull Sauiour Iesus Christ which when wee were lost boughtest and redéemedst vs againe with thy owne most precious bloud haue mercie on mee most vnworthie wretch which haue committed and done many great sinnes and trespasses against thy mercifull goodnesse and haue mispent thy giftes of grace that thou so louingly and bountifully diddest giue to me and I for my part haue so vnkindly behaued my selfe to thée that surely I am much vnworthie to bee called thy sonne yet most benigne Iesu thou art so bountifull of thy mercy and pittie that notwithstanding mine vnkindnes towards thee yet thou wilt still haue mercie and during my life wilt also I hope assist me to put all my whole trust and confidence in thy mercy O Lord thou commandest I wot to cry and call vpon thee that thou thereby mightest haue occasion to giue vnto vs thy most gracious gifts Wherefore most glorious Iesu which forsakest no sinner but gladly receiuest to thy mercie all them that will méekely call for it giue me euer grace in earnestnes and feruencie of heart to call vpon thee for thy goodnesse And assist me so that I may continually dread thee loue thee and serue thee with all my heart and minde with all my will and reason with all my might power and strength of body and soule and graunt mee grace good Lord that of all my acts and deedes done to thy will and pleasure I may render all the honor and praise vnto thee as to whom alone of verie dutie it belongeth And further I beséech thee gracious Lord of thine infinit mercie that all my mispent life in times past may bee forgotten before thee which I cannot but confesse that I haue consumed and spent very euill and yet I pray thee pardon and passe by it for Iesus Christ sake assisting me to walke in better courses euer hereafter yea worke in me the gift of good perseuerance in vertuous liuing that I may now from henceforth order my life here in this world to thy pleasure Also my swéete Sauiour graunt me not onely time and space heere to repent before I depart out of this world but also that I may truly repent and that so I may be assured that I am thy seruant to the comfort and saluation of my sinfull soule And most mercifull Iesu I humbly pray thee to preserue mee from sodaine death and so to stand by me at my departing out of this transitorie world that I may not onely haue a stayed memorie and fruitfull vtterance but also may bee indued with stedfast faith very true hope and feruent charitie and most swéete Lord Iesu Christ giue me now whilest I liue thy mercifull ayde and grace to pursue and followe alwayes thy will and commandements and so to eschew mine owne fraile will and wicked desires and the diuels false inticements that in thy sight I may appeare and be found to be as I am named thy sonne and a true Christian man and after this present life I may come to the sight of thy most glorious face in heauen Amen We worship thée Christ with praise and benediction for thou redéemest the world through thy passion Another Prayer vnto our Sauiour Iesus Christ O Maker of heauen and earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords which of nothing in comparison diddest make mee to thy image and likenes and diddest redéeme me with thine owne precious blood whom I a sinner am not worthie to name neither call vpon neither with my heart to thinke vpon humbly I desire thée and méekly I pray thée that graciously thou wouldest behold mee thy wicked seruant and haue mercie on me which haddest mercie on the woman of Canaan and Mary Magdalen which diddest forgiue the Publicane and the théefe hanging on the Crosse vnto thee I confesse most holy father my sins which if I would I cannot hide from thee because all things are naked before thee with whom I haue to deale haue mercie therfore on mee Lord Iesu Christ for I a wretch haue sore offended thee in pride in couetousnes in gluttonie in lecherie in vaine glorie in hatred in enuie in adulterie in theft in lying inbackbiting in sporting in dissolute and wanton laughing in idle words in hearing in tasting in touching in thinking in sléeping in working yea euery manner of way in which I fraile man and most wretched sinner might sin My default my most grieuous default I vnfainedly confesse before thee and doe humbly pray and beseech thee which for my health descendedst from heauen to haue mercie vpon me miserable wretch that I am And as thou diddest forgiue Peter that did for sake thee So vouchsafe graciously to pardon and passe by my grieuous iniquities Thou art my creator and my helper my maker my redéemer and gouernour my father my Lord my God and my King Thou art my hope my trust my gouernour my helpe my strength my defence my redemption my life my health and my resurrection thou art my stedfastnes my refuge or succour my light and my helpe Therefore I most humbly and hertily desire and pray thée helpe me defend mee make me strong and comfort me make mee stedfast make me ioyful and cheareful giue me light and visite me reuiue me againe which am dead for I am thy making and thy worke O Lord therefore despise me not I am thy seruant I confesse it and thy bondmā although euil although vnworthy and a sinner But whatsoeuer I am whether I be good or bad I am euer thine Therfore to whō shal I flée except I flée vnto thée If thou cast me off who shal or will receiue me If thou despise mee turne thy face frō me who shall looke vpon me therefore recognise and knowledge mee for thine owne although vnworthie cōming to thée yea although I be vile and vncleane For though I be vile vncleane yet thou canst make me cleane Though I bee
sicke thou canst heale me Though I bee dead and buried thou canst reuiue mee For thy mercie is much more then mine iniquitie Thou canst forgiue me more then I can offend Therefore O Lord do not consider nor haue respect to the number of my sins and to the grieuousnes therof but according to the greatnes of thy mercie forgiue mee and haue mercie on me most wretched sinner Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation and the rather speak this again because thou hast said and alwayes performed it I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee liue and bee conuerted and turne to me O Lord be not angrie with me I pray thée most meeke father for thy great mercie sake yea I most humbly beseech thée that thou wouldest for Christ Iesus sake vouchsafe to bring me to blisse that neuer shall cease Amen Another Prayer O Bountifull Iesu O sweete Iesu O Iesu the sonne of the pure Virgin Mary full of mercie and truth after thy great mercy haue pittie on mee I pray thée by the same precious bloud which for vs miserable sinners thou wast content to shed on the altar of the crosse that thou wilt vouchsafe cleane to remoue and take away all my wickednes and not to despise mee I humbly requiring this and that in and for thy most holy and blessed name O Lord Iesus This name of thine Iesus is the name of health what is Iesus but a Sauiour O my Sauiour Iesus Christ that hast created and redéemed me with thy precious bloud suffer me not to be damned whom thou hast made of naught and whom thou hast redéemed with a most precious ransome Oh let not my wickednesse destroy that thy almightie goodnes hath made and formed Lord Iesu reknowledge that which is thine indéed and wipe cleane away that which withdraweth or withholdeth me from thée Now and in all time of mercie haue mercie one mee and confound not me in the time of thy terrible iudgemēt And though I wretched sinner for my most grieuous offences haue by thy very iustice deserued eternall paine yet I doe appeale from that exact righteousnesse of thine to thy singular goodnesse and stedfastly trust in thine vnspeakeable mercie wherefore I pray thée as a louing father and mercifull Lord to take pittie on me Lord Iesu what profit is my bloud séeing I must descend into eternall corruption eternally They that bee dead shall not magnifie thee nor likewise all they that go to hell O most mercifull Iesu haue mercie on me therefore and deliuer me yea be alwayes comfortable vnto me and accept me a wretched sinner into the number of them that shall be saued And fith thou art the health of all them that trust in thee and thou hast giuen grace in some measure to beléeue haue mercie on me endue me with thy grace wisedome charitie chastitie and humilitie yea and in all mine aduersities vphold me with stedfast patience so that I may sincerely loue thee and in thée waite and looke to be glorified and haue mine onely delight in thee world without end Amen Another Prayer O Glorious King which among thy Saints art praised and neuerthelesse incomparable thou art in vs Lord and thy name hath béene called vpon by vs. Therefore doe not forsake vs Lord God and in the day of iudgement vouchsafe to glorifie vs among thy saints and elect O blessed King Amen If thou be sicke or in tribulation say thus LOrd God which doest punish and scourge thy people not after their deseruing neither yet to destroy them but to conuert them mercifully to thée and yet notwithstanding knowest that thorough our frailties wee are readie in the middest of thy corrections to fall away graunt vs we pray thée and that for Iesus Christs sake the strength and comfort of thy blessed spirit that to the glorie of thy name other mens good and our owne consolation wee may both patiently beare and graciously profit by and at the last bee mightily deliuered from this maladie which worthily wee doe suffer as the chastisement of our sinne and the time of faith Amen A very godly and necessarie prayer to bee sayde most specially at the houre of death O LORD Iesu Christ which art the health of all men liuing and euerlasting life to them that beléeue in thée and dye in thy faith I wretched sinner giue ouer and submit my selfe wholy vnto thy most blessed will I being sure by the promises of thy worde and the pledge of thy spirit that the thinge cannot perish which is committed to thy mercie In full perswasion whereof O Lord giue me grace that willingly I may leaue this fraile and wretched flesh in hope of the resurrection which in most perfect manner shall restore it mee againe And further I beséech thée most mercifull Lord that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soule against all temptations And that thou wilt so couer and defend mée with the buckler of mercie against all assaultes of the Diuel that he may not any manner of way preuaile vpon me I see and acknowledge there is in my selfe no hope of saluation but all my confidence hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnes I haue no merites nor good workes at all which I may any manner of way alleadge before thée sinnes and euill workes alas I sée a great yea an innumerable and infinite heape notwithstanding through thy mercie I trust to be in the number of them to whom thou wilt not impute their sinnes but take and accept me for righteous and iust and to be the inheritour of euerlasting life in and by the obedience of thy sonne and my Sauiour who was borne for my sake who did suffer both hunger and thirst for my sake who did both preach and teach for my sake who did pray and fast for my sake who did all good workes and déedes for my sake who suffered most grieuous and painfull torments for my sake and finally who gaue his most precious body to dye and bloud to bee shed vpon the crosse for my sake Now therefore most mercifull Sauiour I humbly beséech thee which hast giuen thy selfe for mee to make all these things and euery other grace of thine which thou hast fréely giuen me profitable to me and powerfull in me Let thy bloude clense mee and wash away the spottes and foulenes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide and couer my vnrighteousnes by the merits of thy passion and bloud which I acknowledg to be the onely price of satisfaction for my sins offences Strengthen me so good Lord by thy grace that my faith and saluation in thy bloud wauer not in me but may euer bée firme and constant Lord let not the hope of thy mercie and life euerlasting euer decay in mee but let it alwayes rest and be felt pourefully in me and that euen to and in the last gaspe And graunt further I pray thée that charitie ware not cold in me finally that the
weaknes of my flesh bée not ouercome with the feare of death or any other temptation whatsoeuer Yea graunt me mercifull Sauiour I humbly beséech thee that when death hath shut vp the eyes of my bodie yet that the eyes of my soule may still beholde and looke vpon thée and may assuredly féele thée in my selfe for my selfe to bee the mightie conqueror of death and the deuil sinne and hell and all other enemies of mine whatsoeuer so that when death hath taken away the vse of my tongue and spéech yet that my heart may cry and say vnto thée O Lord into thy hands I giue and commend my spirit Lord Iesus receiue my soule vnto thée Amen The prayer of Salomon for to obtaine wisedome 1 King 2. THOU hast shewed Lord vnto thy seruant Dauid my Father great mercie when hee walked in thy sight in truth and iustice and in vprightnes of heart with thée Thou shewest vnto him thy great mercie and gauest him a sonne sitting vpon his throne as it is at this day And now Lord God thou hast made thy seruant to raigne in the roome of Dauid my Father I am a very babe and know not how to goe out and in And thy seruant is in the middest of an infinite number which thou hast chosen which cannot bee numbred nor counted for multitude Wherefore giue to thy seruant an heart apt to bee taught and full of vnderstanding to iudge thy people that I may discerne betwéene good and bad For who is able to iudge this thy mightie people A prayer for obtaining of wisdome Sapient 9. GOd of our fathers and Lord of mercie thou hast made all things with thy word and ordained man through thy wisedome that hee should haue dominion ouer the creatures which thou hast made that hee should order the world according vnto equitie and righteousnes and execute iudgement with a true heart giue mee wisedome which is euer among the children of Israel For I thy seruant and sonne of thy handmaide am a féeble person of a short time and too young to the vnderstanding of thy iudgements and though a man bee neuer so perfect among the children of men yet if thy wisedome be not with him he shall be nothing worth Oh send thy wisedome out of thy holy heauens and from the throne of thy Maiestie that she may be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sight for she knoweth and vnderstandeth all things and she shall conduct me right soberly in all my workes and preserue mee in her power so shall my workes bee acceptable Amen A prayer for a competent liuing Prouerb 30. TWo things Lord I demand that thou wilt not deny mee vntill I dye vanitie and words of leasings remoue farre from me pouertie or riches giue me not onely giue me that is necessarie for my liuing least being in full abundance I might be prouoked to denie thée and say Who is the Lord or being compelled by necessitie I might steale and forsweare the name of God Another Prayer GOod Lord God and swéete Sauiour Iesus Christ the sonne of the euerlasting God grant vnto me most fraile sinner and miserable wretch this grace and mercie that I may euer haue present before the eyes of my soule thy holy life thine example and behauiour and that according to any measure of mercie thou hast béen pleased or shalt be pleased to bestowe vpon me I may in liuing and manners follow the same And cause mee good Lord to profite grow and increase therein to such a notable measure as may be acceptable vnto thée being thine own grace and comfortable to my selfe as comming from thée for the saluation of my soule Lighten Lord and make cleere and bright my heart with the glorious light of thy grace that it euer may goe before mee and follow mee in all my acts so that by thy grace and power conducting and guiding I may accomplish and fulfill al that may please thy goodnes and vtterly eschue and auoide all that in any wise should displease the same Vouchsafe sweete Sauiour I beséech thée to direct and order all my cogitations and thoughts all my spéech and wordes all mine acts and déedes in thy law and commaundements in thy monitions and counsels and take me good Lord wholly so vnto thée that here in all things doing thy will I by grace may bee one of the soules that thou hast appointed to euerlasting saluation thorough Christ Iesus Amen A deuout prayer to our Lord God O LORD which hast vouchsafed of thy vnspeakeable goodnes to make me and ordaine me thy creature to liue in this transitorie life giuing me a reasonable soule by the which inlightned with the truth of thy word I know thée to be my Lord my God and my maker which also I may in some sort well perceiue by the visible sight of thy wonderfull workes as by heauen the earth and the creatures in them contained together with the commodities blessings that we daylie receiue by them at thy hand all which declare the great loue that thou hadest in our first creation and also doe expresse the singular care and prouidence that yet still thou hast for vs and further doe declare to vs thée to be the only God and Lord ouer all and that there is none aboue thée and that there is no wisdome knowledge power or strength of value besides thée and yet further also thou knowing our necessarie néede of thy holy of thy most louing fauour hast not disdained to say to me and to other thy people by thine owne most blessed word to the great comfort of all our consciences Aske and it shall bee giuen séeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened to you And yet for further declaration of thy great loue toward vs hast most familiarly sayde If we that be euill can giue vnto our children when they aske good things how much more then shall our heauenly Father giue his holy spirit to them that earnestly desire it What a swéete and comfortable saying is this In confidence of this truth O most blessed Lord I wretched sinner doe aske at thy hands mercie and grace confessing my selfe to bee a most wicked and abominable sinner in thy sight most weake of all other to stand to or in thy truth most fraile to fall and readie to breake all thy holy commandements by the kéeping of which we are knowne to bee thy true seruants O most mercifull Lord God I acknowledge my selfe daylie and hourely to breake the same but where I haue thus offended thy diuine Maiestie I humblie for Christ Iesus sake aske of thee mercie and forgiuenes minding by thy most mightie assistance neuer hereafter to offend in the same And Lord that I may bee the better perswaded of the assured performance of the same I humbly aske and desire thy strength continually to make me stand fast in faith thy knowledge and power from thée to worke thy blessed
firie anger of thy threatning is aboue all measure heauie to sinners but the mercie of thy promise is great and vnsearchable for thou art the Lord God most high aboue all the earth long suffering and excéeding mercifull and sorie for the malice of men I haue prouoked thine anger and haue done euill before thee in committing abominations and multiplying of offences And now I bowe the knées of my heart requiring goodnes of thee O Lord I haue sinned Lord I haue sinned and knowe my wickednesse I desire thee by prayer O Lord forgiue mee O Lord forgiue me and destroy me not with mine iniquities neither doe thou alwayes remember my euils to punish them but saue me which am vnworthie after thy great mercie and I wil praise thee euerlastingly all the dayes of my life for all the power of heauen prayseth thée and vnto thée belongeth all glorie world without ende Amen A prayer of Ieremy Iere. 17. HEale me O Lord and I shall be whole saue thou me and I shall bee saued for thou art my praise Be not thou terrible vnto me O Lord for thou art he in whom I hope When I am in perill let my persecutors be confounded but not me Thou shalt bring vpon them the time of their plague and shalt destroy them right soone Amen A prayer of Ephraim or Israel in the Prophet Ieremie Ierem. 31. O Lord thou hast chastened me and thy chastening haue I receiued as an vntamed calfe conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art my Lord God for as soone as thou diddest turne me I repented my selfe and when I vnderstood I smote vpon my thigh I confessed and was ashamed because I suffered the reproach of my youth The prayer of Iesus the sonne of Sirach in necessitie and for wisedome Eccles the last chap. I Thanke thee O Lorde and King and praise thée O God my Sauiour I will yéeld praises vnto thy name Thou hast deliuered my body from destruction for thou art my defender and helper from the snare of the false tongue and from them that are occupied in lyes Thou hast béene my helper from such as rose against me and hast deliuered me according to thy great mercie and thy holy names sake thou hast deliuered mee from the roaring of them that prepared themselues to deuoure me out of the hands of such as sought after my life from the multitude of them that trouble me and went about to set fire vpon me on euerie side so that I was not brent in the middest of the fire From the déepe of hell thou deliueredst mee from the vncleane tongue from lying words from the wicked iudge and from the vnrighteous tongue My soule shall praise the Lord vnto the death for my life drew neere vnto hel downeward they compassed mee round about on euery side and there was no man to helpe mee I looked about mee if there were any man that would succour mee and there was none Then thought I vpon thy mercie O Lord and vpon the acts that thou hast done of olde namely that thou deliuerest such as put their trust in thée and riddest them out of the handes of the false Paynimes Thus lifted I vp my prayer from the earth and prayed for deliuerance from death I called vpon the Lord my Father that hée would not leaue mee without help in the day of my trouble and in the time of the proude I will praise thy name continually yéelding honour and thankes vnto it and so my prayer was heard Thou sauedst me from destruction and deliueredst me from the vnrighteous time Therefore will I acknowledge and praise thee and magnifie the name of the Lord. When I was but young ere euer I went astray I desired wisedome openly in prayer I came therefore before the temple and sought it very busily and I will séeke for it to my last houre Then will it flourish vnto me as a grape that is soone ripe My heart reioyced in it then went my feate the right way yea from my youth vp sought I after it I bowed downe mine eare a little and receiued it I found in myselfe much wisdome and prospered greatly in it Therefore will I giue the glorie vnto him that giueth me wisedome for I am aduised to doe thereafter I will be iealous to cleaue vnto that that is good so shal I not be confounded My soule hath wrestled with it I lifted vp my hands on high then was my soule lightened through wisedome that I acknowledged my foolishnes I ordered my soule after it I found her in cleanenesse I had my heart in it from the beginning and therefore shall not I be forsaken My hart longeth after it and therefore I got a good treasure Through it the Lord hath giuen mee a new tongue werewith I will praise him Oh come vnto me yee vnlearned and dwell in the house of discipline withdraw not your selues from it but commune on these things for your soules are very thirstie I opened my mouth and spake O come and buy wisdome without money and bowe downe your necke vnder her yoke and let your soule receiue discipline it is euen at hand and readie to be found Behold with your eyes how I haue had but little labour and yet haue much rest Oh receiue wisedome and you shall receiue plentie of siluer and golde in your possession let your minde reioyce in her mercie and be not ashamed of her praise worke your worke betimes and shee shall giue you your reward in due time A prayer to our Lord Iesus Christ MOst mercifull Lorde Iesus Christ which wast sent from the most highest tower of the father almightie into this world to relieue sinners to gather together them that were scattered abroade to redeeme them which were punished to loose them that were in prison to their countrie againe to heale them that were sore to comfort them that were wayling and sorrowful Vouchsafe I beseech thée of thy singular goodnes to comfort mee in the punishment that I am in And thou Lord Iesu Christ that diddest restore mankind in peace and concord to the high inheritance of Paradize whom thou boughtest with thy precious bloud and diddest make peace betwéene God men vouchsafe to assure euen thy singular mercie towards me cause me to féele reconciliation betwéene me and mine enemies and vouchsafe to shew thy glorie vpon mee and to quench the anger of them al and put away from me their hatred and cease the malice that they beare against mee and as thou diddest not onelie allaie Esau his malice against his brother Iacob but also diddest deliuer Iacob from the same so asswage the rage of my enemies and deliuer me with thine almightie power from them that owe mee malice and from their laying await and desires as thou diddest deliuer Abraham from the hands of the Chaldées and Ioseph from the hands of his brethren Lot from the citie of Sodome thy seruants Moses and Aaron from the power of Pharao
and from the bondage of Egypt King Dauid from the power of Saul and Goliah the Giant Daniel from the den of lions the thrée children from the fornace of flaming fire Peter from hands Euen so vouchsafe to deliuer me thy seruant from all troubles and anguishes in which presently I am yea deliuer mee from all my sinnes which haue pulled downe vpon mee all these myseries and frée me from the laying awaite and from the desires of all mine enemies vsible and inuisible And thou Lord Iesus Christ of thy singular goodnes diddest saue that which the olde serpent did hurt and destroy by suggestions and wicked councell vouchsafe mee such a notable measure of thy grace and defence that I may auoyde from the diuellish counsell which mine enemies haue done would doe against mee and frustrate and auoyde all their euill counsailes as thou diddest ouerthrowe the counsels of Achitophell which gaue counsell to Absolon against his father Dauid Amen A fruitfull meditation not to bee sayde with the mouth lightlie but to be cried with heart and minde oft and mightilie O Most excellent goodnes withdrawe not thou thy mercie from mee O most mightie maker despise not me which am the work that thine own hands haue made O most prudent redéemer suffer not to perish that which thou hast bought with so deare a price O most holy and heauenly host and guest both purifie saue dresse and keepe thy house and dwelling place the which thou hast sanctified and dedicated to thy selfe by thy word and spirit When shall I loue thee when shall I bee sorie and contrite for my sins when shall I turne to thee by grace when shall I remember thy benefits thy méeknes thy pouertie and thy painfull and bitter passion thy patience thy obedience thy loue and thy charitie when shall I sanctifie worship magnifie and loue thée If thou be most dreadful where is my dread O Iesus Christ If thou bee a most louing father where is my loue If thou be my Lord and redeemer where is my seruice If thou be mine host and dwel in my soule by thy grace and mercie where is my holines and cleannesse according to such an host Now therefore good Lord Iesus Christ drawe my hart after thée with the sound loue and féeling of thy sufferings moysten my mind with thy most precious bloud that whithersoeuer I turne me I may behold about me and féele within me the merites of thy death that thus beholding thée I may not with delight fixe my sight in any thing but only in thée which liuest and raignest God world without end Amen A godly and deuout prayer GRaunt mee mercifull Lorde God to desire feruently to search wisely to knowe truly to performe effectually all things that thou hast giuen mee in charge by thy holy word and giue mee grace to doe them simply and onely for the glorie and lawde of thy holy name good Lord direct and order the state and maner of my liuing And all things thou wouldest I should doe grant I beséech thée that I may know it will it and haue power to doe it and giue me grace to execute it as I should doe and as it is expedient for thy glorie and the comfort of my soule My way towards thee let it be faire right and well performed not fayling nor wauering betwixt prosperitie and aduersitie but guide me so good Lord that in prosperitie I may continually and vnfainedly giue thée thankes and may bee inabled by thée to hold patience in aduersitie in all estates so carrying my selfe that I bee not exalted in any pride when prosperitie aboundeth neither in the dayes of danger and distresse be depressed by any deiection or heauines of minde aboue that is meete Let mee inwardly ioy in nothing but in that that serueth and promoteth vnto thée neither suffer me to be sorie for any thing but that that leadeth and withdraweth from thée let me couet to please no man but in thée nor feare to displease any for thy sake but onely thée let all transitorie things be vile vnto me good Lord for thy sake and all things that belong to thee let them bee daintie and deare vnto mee and thou good Lord God most deare of all other Let mee bee wearie of that ioy that is without thee and al rest and quiet that is not in thee let it bee tedious and painfull vnto me grant me most to addresse and direct my hart to thée and when I doe amisse giue me grace to know and consider it yea worke in mee for it a godly sorrowe with a full purpose and intent of amendment of life Make me now sweet Lord Iesu méeke without any fayning glad and chéerfull without dissolutenes sorrie without excessiue heauines or distrust sad and sober without hypocrisie quiet and merry without lightnes trusting in thée without presumption readie alwayes to tell my neighbour his fault without neglect of mine owne and without dissimulation and feare as in regard of him labouring alwayes in charitie to edifie him in word and deede Make me obedient without contradiction patient without murmuring content with mine owne without couetousnesse Giue me most louing Father and God a waking and a diligent heart that no vaine or vncleane cogitation withwrawe it from thée giue me a noble heart that no vnworthie affection plucke it downewardes to earthly things giue me a firme and constant heart alwayes labouring to breake or ouercome euill giue mee a frée heart yea a heart of such libertie that no wicked thought or euill thing hold it at any time in bondage or slauerie Grant to me my sweet Lord God vnderstanding that I may know thée diligence that I may séeke thée wisdome that I may find thée conuersatiō that I may please thée long perseuerance that trustily I may abide for thée and sure hope that finally I may embrace thée Grant that I be not here so afflicted with paines and torments in the way of this life that I should any maner of way be drawen from thee but so Lord let mee haue the vse of thy benefits here by grace that also I may haue fruition of thy ioyes and rewards in thy heauenly kingdome euerlasting glorie thorow Iesus Christ Amen A godly prayer to desire the life to come THis my body is the verie darke and filthie prison of my soule this world is an exile and a banishment this life is care and miserie But where thou art O Lord there is the very countrey and kingdome of libertie and euerlasting blessednesse stirre our mindes therefore continually to remember so great felicitie powre into our hearts a desire of such precious things and of all things most to bee desired Giue quicknes vnto our minde and grant that euen in this life wee may haue a good taste of euerlasting ioyes whereby these things of the world may séeme filthie and be loathsome vnto vs. And howsoeuer we doe now too earnestly and too gréedily séeke for thē yea account
will thy might to resist all errour and wicked imaginations thy wisedome to know the truth For I confesse and knowe O Lord that all worldly wit policie knowledge and strength is but foolishnes in thy sight Therefore I aske and continually craue good Lord that helpe and most humbly desire that thy holy spirit may guide all the imaginations thoughts and desires of my heart not onely altering in me my fleshly minde but also inabling me in body soule and spirit to serue thy blessed maiestie for this I know the most perfect amongst men lacking thy wisedome are nothing worth And great reason because the thoughts of mortall men are miserable and our forecastes are vncertaine And why Our nature surely is so vitiated and our will so depraued and our vnderstanding so corrupted that it museth most yea altogether on vaine things Therefore good Lord I beséech thée comfort my sicke soule that it may walke in thy lawes and wayes and worke thy will And Lord like as thou knowest the secrets of my heart and the desires of the same and séest indéede that I would verie earnestly walke in thy trueth and worke the workes of the same truth so Lord I beseech thee refresh my soule according to thy mercifull calling where thou saidst Come to me all that labour and are laden and lowly of heart and you shall finde rest to your soules and I shall refresh you O Lord I miserable sinner would gladly labour in acceptable wayes and haue some care that my good will and desire might not swarue from thée but bee wholy bent towardes thée and like as thou knowest the same to bee vnfained in mee because it is thine own worke So Lord refresh me with thy mercifull grace that now and for euer I may bée stedfast in the true faith and that I may be alwayes obedient vnto thy lawes and commaundements and that I may neuer swarue from the holy and blessed ordinances of thy true and catholike Church which is thy spouse and for the most part speaketh thy words of truth and life but that I may vse them receiue them and honour thée in them so farre forth as they concerne thy worship and are according vnto thy most holy will and pleasure as in things which thou hast left to declare thy loue vnto vs and by them to assure our hope and to exercise our faith that it should not bee idle nor wauering whereunto howsoeuer I bee proue thorough the corruption of my nature and Satans malice against me as I am on the other side vnwilling and vnable to doe that which is good yet O Lord sith all things are possible with thée though they séeme neuer so vnpossible to vs help and reach out thy most mightie and mercifull hand O most louing father I know that by my sins I am not worthie thy blessed comfort nay I am most worthie to be depriued of that and all other fauours but Lord sith thou hast said that in what houre soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sins thou wouldest no more remember them and also thou wouldest not despise the sighing of a contrite heart I am bold in confidence and trust of thy mercie méekly and with a lowly heart to call to thée for grace and helpe in this troublous time of temptation and trying of our faith I am as one laden yea ouer laden with ignorance not knowing the height of thy heauenly misteries nor the deceitfull déepnes of the craftie and subtill arguments and perswasions of my ghostly enemies which daylie doe assault my sinfull soule and so burden the same that it can finde no rest Therefore O Lord like as thou knowest my will and heartie desire is to serue thée notwithstanding these suggestions within me and without me and that I haue a desire to liue and dye in thy most holy faith so Lord I beséech thée neuer suffer the subtill perswasions contrarie to thy truth to take place or roote in my heart But like Lord as thou hast created my heart and giuen me in som measure a will to order the same according to thy blessed will so Lord I humbly yéeld the same againe into thy hands desiring thée by thy holy spirit so to direct my wayes words and workes that now and alwayes they may be accepcable in thy sight And good Lord suffer not my soule to perish which thou hast bought so dearely with thy most precious bloud for the which great mercie sake of thine heretofore shewed vnto mee haue mercie on me continually and mak mee poore in spirit and low of heart and content with my vocation submitting my selfe wholy into thy hands so that my desire may bee to thy will and that no desire remaine in me but onely to doe thy will and pleasure And grant I beséech thée that I may haue none other trust but only in thée which art onely to be trusted and all trust it selfe and none besides thée Graunt further O Lord that my poore soule may rest in thée yea in thée alone for thou hast sayd they shall neuer be confounded that put their trust in thée which trust Lord graunt me neuer to forsake for any vaine trust or temptation or tribulation that may any manner of way fal out to vexe my poore soule but graunt me thy holy spirit to comfort and defend mee from all things that should procure thy displeasure As thou art in Trinitie one God and Lord ouer all which liuest and raignest world without end To thée bee all honour glorie and praise for euer Amen A prayer that wee may haue the feare of God before our eyes in all our doings O Almightie and euerlasting God thy holy word teacheth vs that thou art not onely a father but also a Lord not onely a forgiuer but also a reuenger not onely a Sauiour but also a iudge and as thou being a father a forgiuer and a Sauiour doest pardon and shewe mercie so thou being a Lord a reuenger and a iudge punishest and condemnest Neither doth thy holy scripture onely set foorth vnto vs a Gospell which comforteth vs quickneth vs sheweth vs glad and ioyfull tidings forgiueth our sinnes and quieteth our consciences and bringeth vs vnto euerlasting life but also a law which reproueth accuseth condemneth vs woundeth and slayeth our conscience yea and throweth vs down headlong into the déepe dungeon of hell And as the holy Gospell lifteth vs vppe and maketh vs glad with the hope of remission and forgiuenes of our sinnes so doth the lawe plucke vs downe and almost driue vs vnto desperation for feare of thy plagues and euerlasting punishments so that we not onely loue thée as a father a forgiuer a Sauiour but also feare thée as a Lord a reuenger a iudge For asmuch therefore O most gracious God and merciful Sauiour and most righteous iudge as this doth so mightily put away sinne and make vs to walke in the way of thy commaundements namely reuerently to feare thée and to stand in awe
to euerlasting blessednes through Christ Iesus Amen A Prayer against worldly carefulnes O Most deare and tender father our defender and nourisher endue vs with thy grace that wee may cast off the great blindnes of our minds and carefulnes of worldly thinges and may imploy our whole studie and care in kéeping of thy holy lawes and yet that wee may trauaile and labour for our necessities in this life like the birdes of the aire and the lillies of the field without carefulnesse for thou hast promised to be carefull for vs and hast commanded that vpon thée we should cast all our care which liuest and raignest world without ende Amen A Prayer against the diuel IEsu Christ our Lord which by the mouth of thy holy Apostle S. Peter didst say that our aduersarie the diuell goeth about like a roring lyon séeking whom hee may deuour wee know the truth of this by our owne experience and féele that hee is busie and fierce and breaketh in vpon vs so that if thou helpe not hee will soone deceaue vs with his craft ouerturne vs with his might and with his crueltie teare vs in péeces But if thou which hast vanquished him wilt appeare but as it were a farre off thou wilt make him afraide and with thy onely looke put him to slight Vouchsafe O Lord to receiue vs into thy tuition being but infants weake féeble and vnskilful lest the â—â—â—rce and cruell beast all to teare vs yea giue vs grace alwayes not onely to beare before vs the sworde of the spirit in our sight and to tarrie it in our hands but also couragiously to vse it as from thée that so our enemies may well know that we doe our busines by thy counsaile aid and strength and in thy power may bee put to flight to thy glorie and our euerlasting comfort through Christ Amen A thankes-giuing vnto God for all his benefites WE verie humbly in Christ thanke thée O heauenly Father for thy manifold and inestimable benefits which thou hast giuen to vs both for our soules and bodies yea and that fréely of thine owne goodnes not onely without but contrarie to our deseruing We thanke thée that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercie first to create and make vs according to thine owne image and likenes and to place vs in ioyfull Paradise where we should haue continually remained in a blessed and quiet state if through the subtile and deceitfull suggestions of Satan our old enemie we had not transgressed thy holy commandements We thanke thee also O most gentle Father for thy louing kindnes which thou shewedst to vs when wee were all perished and lost through the sinne of our first parents Adam and Heua For when thou mightest iustly haue condemned vs and cast vs into perpetuall damnation thou like a father of singular great loue hadst pitty on vs and sauedst vs by the death and passion of thy welbeloued sonne our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for all our sinnes and payed a sufficient price by his precious bloud for all the wickednesse that wee at any time heretofore haue committed or hereafter shall commit through our frailtie and weakenes so that wee beléeue thy promises and repent and amend our liues Neither wast thou thus contented that hee onely should die for our sinnes but also diddest raise him vp againe for our iustification and to make vs righteous in thy sight Moreouer after that he had shewed himselfe vnfainedly to liue to his Apostles by manifest and euident tokens certainelie through the power of his Godhead hee ascended vp into heauen perfect God and perfect man where he now sitteth on thy right hande and maketh intercession for vs being our alone mediator and aduocate from thence we looke for him to come againe at the day of iudgement not as a fearefull Iudge to condemne and cast vs away but as a most louing Lord and gentle Sauiour to carry vs with him into euerlasting glorie there world without end to remaine in such ioyes as eye hath not seene nor eare hath not heard nor yet any heart is able to thinke For these thy most bounteous giftes and for all other thy benefites which thou daylie giuest to vs of thy great mercie both for our body and soule wee humbly thanke thee most mercifull Father beséeching thee to giue vs grace through thy holy spirit not to bee either vnmind full of them or vnthankefull for them but to walke worthy of this thy kindnes and so behaue our selues all our life time in this wretched world according to thy holy will that at the last day we may bee found in the number of them to whom thy onely begotten soone shall say Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of this world Lord let it so come to passe euen for Christ Iesus sake Amen A deuout Prayer to bee daylie sayd O Almighty and eternal God which vouchsafedst that wee as it were heauenly children should euery one of vs call thee our heauenly father Grant that among vs by purenes and example of innocent life thy most holy name may bee sanctified that all other nations beholding our goodnesse and vertuous liuing that thou workest in vs may bee stirred to hallow and glorifie thée Grant O Lord that the kingdome of thy grace and mercie in this life may so rule and raigne continually in our hearts that we may bee by thée accepted and accounted as worthie in Christ to bee partakers of thy kingdome of glorie and maiestie in the life to come Grant that vnto the very death yea and in death it selfe also wee refuse not to follow thy diuine will but that wee according to the example of the celestiall citizens agréeing together quietly vnited in spirit all controuersie in opinions contrarie to thy holy truth being laide apart and the lust of the flesh being subdued and the flattering assaults of the world and the diuell ouercome we may willingly faithfully and constantly obey thy blessed will in all things Graunt O Lord for our bodie such a measure of necessarie and néedefull sustenance that thereby we may be the better enabled more freely and hearefully to serue thée and abound in all good workes towards thy saints and seruants here vpon earth knowing that our goodnesse reacheth not to thee but to the excellent that are in the world whom wee beseech thée make vs more and more to delight in and to loue for thy sake Giue me grace O Lord not onely patiently to beare and suffer our enemies and such as hate vs together with the iniuries which they doe lay vpon vs making good vse of them for thy glorie and our instruction but also vnfaignedly to forget and forgiue whatsoeuer they haue deuised sayd or done against vs euen as wee our selues would gladly obtayne at thy mercifull hands and féele in our selues the frée pardon and full forgiuenesse of all our transgressions And for such temptations
to euill as from the corruption of our nature arise vppe in our hearts giue vs grace first clearely to discerne and discouer them then couragiously to stand vp against them and soundly to loath and leaue them that we bée not in the strength of them as it were in the middest of a violent tempest carried headlong into sinne and by meanes thereof into euerlasting destruction Especially strengthen vs good Lord against the suggestions of Satan whose maruellous malice wilie subtilties and verie great power against vs wee are not ignorant of as not vnacquainted neither with our owne weakenes and disability to withstand What say wee more with our pronenesse and readinesse to yeeld and therefore cannot but in both these respects againe and againe intreate thée that art the God of our strength to cause thy grace to bee sufficient for vs and in vs and to make thy power perfect through our infirmitie that so hauing fought valiantly and mightily ouercome through thy strength wee may through thy goodnesse and mercie for euermore liue with thée in that heauenly citie where and against which as also against such citizens of thine as are gathered into it no manner of temptation shall assayle much lesse bee able to preuaile and there for euer haue the full fruition of celestiall delectation not only accompanied with Angels and blessed Saints but enioying the most comfortable sight of thy glorious countenance in whose presence is the fulnes of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore which vouchsafe vnto vs for Iesus Christs sake thy déere sonne and our all and only sufficient Sauiour Amen Another Prayer to our Lord God O Heauenly Father God almighty I pray and beséech thée in mercie graciously to behold me thy vnworthie seruant that I may by the giftes of thy holy spirit feruently desire thy kingdome and by the light of thy word may soundly knowe thy will and faithfully worke and walke thereafter Giue mee O Lord wisedome euen the wisedome that is from aboue Make mee constant in thy truth patient in tribulation and strong in thée vnto the ende Keepe mee Lord from the sleightie inuasion of the olde wily serpent Defend mee from the counsailes and cursings of euill tongues Let thy mightie arme bee my continuall shield against all the malignity and mischiefe of this wicked world Remember not Lord my offences instruct and prepare me to repent and teach mee to be truly sorrowfull for my sinnes Make me to loue iustice and hate wrong to doe good and absteine from all euils that so the fruits of my faith may pledge vp to my conscience that thou hast graciously called me to be thy child To thée therefore bée glory and honor for euer and euer Amen A deuout Prayer HEarken Lord to my wordes consider the thoughts of my heart Behold how loud I cry to thée Let my iust prayer enter into thine eares which vnfainedly commeth from my heart Heare me Lord for I am poore and destitute of mans helpe Take care for my soule Saue me thy seruant which wholy trust in thee Haue mercie vpon me O Lord for I will neuer cease crying to thee for help for thou art mild and more mercifull than my tongue is able to expresse yea than my heart is able to thinke As often as aduersitie assaileth me I will crie and call for helpe vnto thée I will call vpon thée in the day time and in the night my cry shall not bee hid from thée O thou God of the heauens maker of the waters and Lord of all creatures heare me a poore sinner calling vpon thée and putting my whole trust in thy mercie haue mercie vpon me O Lord God haue mercie vpon mée and for thy manifold mercies sake forgiue mee all my offences Amen A prayer for meekenes and chastitie O Lord thou father and God of my life let mee not haue a proud looke but turne away all voluptuousnes from mee Take from mee the lustes of the body let not the desires of vncleanenesse take hold vpon me and giue me not ouer into an vnshamefast and obstinate mind Amen A prayer of Esay in the 6. and 64. Chap. LOrd looke downe from heauen and behold from thy holy habitations and from the seate of thy glorie where is thy strength where is the plenteous rich multitude of thy mercies are al these hardned against vs verily thou art our Father Abraham now knoweth vs not nor Israel knoweth vs not but thou Lord art our father thou art our redeemer thy name is from the beginning Wherefore hast thou made vs Lord to erre from thy wayes hast thou hardned our hearts least wee should feare thée Turne thee to thy promise made to thy seruants for the tribes of thy heritage for few of thy people haue enioyed the possession of their land and that but a little while Our enemies haue spoyled thy holy place and troden it vnder féete And wee were regarded so vile as if thou hadst neuer béen Lord ouer vs as though thy glorious name had neuer béen called vpon by vs and shewed ouer vs. I would that thou wouldest all too breake the heauens and come downe once that these hilles might melt away at thy presence like as at a hot fire and that the malicious might boyle away as doth the water vpon the fire that thy name might be knowne to thy enemies and these vngodly might bee shamed and troubled at thy presence When thou wroughtest for vs marueilous things then we looked not for them thou camst downe and the hilles wasted away with trembling before thy face and from the beginning hearde they not nor perceiued with their eares neither with any eye was there séene any besides thee that wrought such marueilous things and that to men which waited not for thée sometime thou méetest with them that gladly did righteousnesse and thought vpon thee in thy wayes But now Lord thou art angry because wee are sinners and euer haue béen in sinne although wee were deliuered from perils And all we are wrapped in filthie vncleannesse yea all our righteousnes is spotted like the cloathes of a meÌ„struous woman and all wee are taken away like leaues and our iniquities haue caried vs away like a whirle-winde and there is none left that will call for helpe in thy name and not one that will rise vp and holde thée with prayer for thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast dried vs vp in the hand of our iniquitie But now Lord thou art our Father wee are but clay and thou art our potter and all wee are the works of thy hands bee not angry O Lord for euer and remember not all our wickednes Loe beholde we beséech thee all wee are thy people the cities of thy holy places are forsaken Syon is turned into a desert Ierusalem is desolate the house of holines and prayer and of our glory in which our fathers praises thée is turned into an heâ—â—e of fire and all things that we