pit of desperation and from thence to the lake of condemnation for nothing els is a man able to deserue of himselfe except he haue a stedfast faith in thy promises and beleeue that which thou hast spoken in thy holie word which is the entrie that leadeth vs vnto saluation I besech thee oh my sweet Sauiour for thy manifold and great mercies sake to deliuer me and all those that think to be saued by faith in thee from the doctrine of that antichrist that man of sin the Pope of Rome that I may leaue to studie of any thing sauing that which may be to thy glorie and praise the health of mine owne soul and the profit of my brethren to thee therefore with the Father and the holie Ghost be all honor power praise and dominion both now and euer Amen A praier to be made by those that be sicke MOst mercifull Father which doest chastise euery child that thou receiuest I beseech thee for thy great mercie sake giue me grace patiently to beare this thy fatherly correction which thou dost so fauorably lay vpon me and Lord I beseech thee giue me grace that I do not for this thy louing visitation through the imbecillitie and weaknes of the flesh fall away from thee but that I may constantly and patiently abide the same vntill it shall please thy fatherly goodnes to send a remedie for the same knowing this that whosoeuer doth not patiently suffer with thee the crosse of tribulation in this world shall neuer reigne with thee in the world to come in the place which thou hast prepared for thy elected children And like as thou O Lord dost know the weaknes of my wicked nature to be such and so great that of my selfe I am not able to endure this thy gentle and louing chastisement therefore most fatherly hast thou promised that thou wilt neuer lay more correction vpon thy children than they are able to beare therefore most louing father I beseech thee giue me grace stedfastly to stick vnto this thy sweet promise so that my aduersarie the diuell with his subtilitie be neuer able to withdraw my mind frō thee but as he knoweth me to be weake of my selfe so is he busie with all his might to tempt me that I might fal away from thee my good God and from thy sweet promises in my sauiour Iesus Christ and so to make my soule a pray for himselfe From whose diuelish temptations deliuer me the father the Sonne and the holie Ghost Amen A praier to be said when one traueleth on his iournie ETernall and most louing father like as this world is nothing els but a continuall pilgrimage and that a man while he is in this world doth nothing els but still labour and trauell to gather vnto himselfe worldlie riches and promotion and the more he hath the more he still desireth so that heer he doth neuer thinke himselfe satisfied yea he is euen as a bottomles bag that will neuer be filled be there neuer so much put into it euen so good Lord I beseech thee giue me grace to haue such an earnest desire vnto thee that I may continually all the daies of my life trauell and labor to obtain thee knowing this that whosoeuer obtaineth thee hath all things whosoeuer hath al the world without thee hath nothing For as the scripture saith What doth it preuaile a man if he win the whole world and in the end lose his owne soule If a man oh Lord take such care and thought for these transitorie riches vaine pleasures and delights which are heer this day and gone the next how much more ought we to trauell study and labor for those riches and pleasures which neuer shall decay But this is the dulnes and blockishnes of our corrupt wicked nature which is daily readie to throwe vs into the lake of destruction there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Frō the which place of torments deliuer vs the Father the Sonne the holie Ghost Amen A praier for a yoong man MOst mercifull father which keepest and preseruest all those of what estate degree or calling soeuer they be that vnfeinedly and with a liuely faith do call vpon thee therefore good father I beseech thee according to thy woonted mercie and goodnes preserue me which am a miserable sinner and haue most greeuously offended thy maiestie both in thought word and deed and am altogither vnable of my selfe to make any satisfaction for mine offences but only to flie vnto thee by praier and to call on thee in the name of thy welbeloued sonne our Sauior Iesus Christ in whom only thou art well pleased as thine Euangelist Saint Matthew testifieth in these words And a voice came frō heauen saieng This is my welbeloued son in whom I am well pleased heare him Heerby may I see oh most mercifull father the great loue that thou bearest vnto this thy welbeloued sonne our only Sauiour redeemer therefore in his name I am bold to come and present my selfe before thy mercie seate beseeching thee of thine infinite goodnes to blot out of thy remembrance al my offences and to renew a right spirit within me And Lord I beseech thee giue me grace that I being a yoong man may so spend the residue of my daies heer vpon earth as it may both tend to the glorie of thy holie name and the health of my soule And furthermore I beseech thee good father strengthen me with thy holie spirit that I may remaine stedfast and vnmoouable hoping for the reward of the faithfull martyrs which endure and continue vnto the end as Moises writeth of thy seruant Lot And the angell said vnto Lot Escape for thy life looke not behind thee neither tarie thou in al the plaine escape into the mountaines least thou be destroied willing him to flie from the iudgments of God and not to be sorie to depart from that fruitfull countrie For such is the qualitie of our corrupt nature that when we are in this world we are verie loth to depart from it seeing the earthlie pleasures so great esteeming them of more value than all the ioies of the life to come oh good Lord what a wretchednes is this that men will no better seeke for the saluation of their soules but altogither for the vaine pleasures of this life O Lord I beseech thee thrust this worldlie care out of my mind and let the care of heauenlie things take such deepe roote in my hart that it may euermore endure and continue so long as this earthlie life doth last Another notable example of continuance do I find in thy faithfull seruant Iob in these words And the Lord said vnto sathan Hast thou not considered my seruant Iob how none is like him in the earth An vpright a iust man and one that feareth God and escheweth euill for yet he continueth in his vprightnes although thou moouedst me against him to destroy him with out a cause Heere O Lord
to take delight therin as in a most pretious iewell For euen as wine O Lord is pleasant vnto the taste and senses of men euen so good Lord let thy word bee delectable vnto my mind and soule For if I take pleasure in a worldlie thing that is delightfull and pleasant vnto the bodie being heere this day and gone the next how much more ought I to take pleasure in that vnspeakable treasure the delight and food of the soul which for euer shall endure And although the world be so ful of wickednes that whosoeuer is a true professor of thy holie word is accounted of the worldlings as one that is vnwoorthie of their companie yet neuertheles O Lord I beseech thee giue me grace that I may suffer the rebukes of the world so that I may be accounted in the number of thy faithfull children thorough our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Chrst Amen A praier for repentance for the amendment of our former wicked liues with a thanks giuing to God for all his gratious benefits bestowed vpon vs. MOst mercifull and euerliuing father I a most wicked and damnable sinner which haue many waies and most greuously transgressed thy lawes and offended thy diuine maiestie in leauing the vse and studie of thy diuine and heauenly word the readie path-way to my saluation and following the wicked desires filthie lusts of the flesh wherby I haue beene driuen to be altogither carelesse of thee the euerliuing God and also of all godlie liuing the cause whereof hath been mine owne negligence which the frowardnes of the flesh wherby I am fallen into such a greeuous sinne that were not thy great mercie oh Lord I should be accounted among the number of them which go downe into destruction But oh most mercifull and louing father in the name of thy decre sonne our only Sauiour aduocate and mediator I appeale to the high throne of thy mercie beseeching thee for his sake and for thine owne mercie sake to blot out of thy remembrance all my former sins and offences wherby I haue most greeuously offended thy maiestie And furthermore O Lord I pray thee to blot al my secret sins out of thy remembrance so that they may neuer be seene nor stand in iudgment against me And also Lord I beseech thee giue mee the grace of thy holie spirit and so inlighten me with the same that henceforth I may liue according to the precise rule of thy holie word and doo those things which may be pleasing vnto thy diuine maiestie And Lord I beseech thee giue vnto mee the light of thy holie spirit that I may praise thy name for all the benefits which thou of thine abundant goodnes hast so mercifully bestowed vpon me especially O Lord for the great graces and benefits of my creation redemption and sanctification For my creation in that it hath pleased thee to create and make me a liuing soule and also in similitude like vnto thine owne person whereas if it had pleased thy maiestie thou mightest haue made me a beast a foule a tode a serpent c. For my redemption in that it pleased thy maiestie after that through the transgressiō of my first parents Adam and Eue I was become like as one that was sold vnto sin and indeede was in bondage vnto the deuill then when all hope of recouerie was past thou oh most merciful and louing father diddest send thine onelie begotten sonne to take our nature vpon him and to make satisfaction for our sins and to suffer a most shamefull death euen the death of the crosse that we by his great patience might be redeemed iustified saued and deliuered from sin death and hell and that so manie as do by faith lay hold vpon the sweete promises of thy deerly beloued sonne our sauiour should surely haue euerlasting life and reigne with him in that place of rest which thou hast appointed for all thy faithful children c. For my sanctification for that after I was by thy heauenly wisedome and diuine power created and made a liuing creature and after that being fallen from thee by the concupiscence of the flesh and then redeemed by the pretious death and bloodshedding of thy deer sonne our sauiour and redeemer Christ Iesus Then after my creation and redemption thou againe of thine exceeding loue and fauour didst send thy holie spirit vpon me to giue me vnderstanding and knowledge of thy holie word that therby through faith in thy promises I might haue euerlasting life thus oh Lord is thy gratious goodnes shewed vnto me Lord of thy great mercie make me thankfull for it for thy deere sonne Christ Iesus sake our onlie mediator aduocate to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor praise and glory both now for euer Amen A praier in the affliction of conscience ETernall and most louing father I thy humble seruant most entirely beseeching thee of thy woonted goodnes and mercie to giue vnto my conscience being fore afflicted ouerloden with sin the cares of this world and tyranny of sathan the sweet comfort of thy holy spirit which is the comforter of all them that put their trust in thee I besech thee O heauenlie father so to inlighten and comfort me with the grace of the same thy spirit that I may giue ouer all worldlie cares and betake my selfe wholy to the fulfilling of thy heauenly wil oh Lord that knowest the secrets of all harts that seest me a most vile and wicked sinner being borne in sinne nouzeled vp in sin and stil day by day continue in sin yea that which is woorst of all I do euen commit the same with greedines whereby I am fallen into such an obliuion of thy goodnes that I haue as it were forgotten all the benefits and graces which thou of thine abundant goodnes hast so manie waies bestowed vpon me This mine obliuion of thy graces oh Lord togither with the suggestions and entisements of sathan hath beene and is such a terror vnto my conscience that were not thy sweet promises oh most mercifull father promised by thine onlie sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ I might vtterly despaire of my saluation But as thou oh father art in promising most bounteous so art thou in performance most true Although good father my sins and ingratitudes haue deserued eternall damnation and are a continual grudge vnto my conscience yet Lord I beseech thee of thy great mercie to comfort my conscience being sore afflicted and laden with the burthen of my sins Thou O most sweete Sauiour Christ hast commanded all those which labor and are laden with the but then of their sins to come vnto thee saieng Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I will refresh you Oh what comfortable words were these of a most sweet Sauiour Therefore oh Lord heauenlie father I giue thee most hartie thanks for these thy sweet promises in our Sauiour Christ Iesus To whome with thee and the holie Ghost be
ascribed all honor power praise dominion and thanks giuing both now and for euer Amen A praier for the obtaining of true loue both to God and to our neighbour O Most sweete Sauiour which art the life of al them that beleeue in thee the hope of all them that trust in thee the comforter of all them that come to thee for succour the helper and assister of all them which loue thy cōmandements put into my hart oh most mercifull Sauiour the true loue which thou hast cōmanded Oh Lord I confesse that I haue been a louer of my selfe more than thee exalting and lifting vp my selfe with pride ambition and selfe-loue contrarie to thy commandement I haue good Lord loued my selfe more than my neighbor I haue soght for my selfe worldlie promotion by al means possible and haue sought by all means to thrust downe into the mire my poore neighbor all which was cleane contrarie to the loue which thou hast appointed whereby I haue deserued thy curse vnto euerlasting condemnation But most mercifull Sauiour I appeale to thy high throne of mercie beseeching thee from the bottom of my hart to forgiue me al the sins of my youth and al that hitherto I haue cōmitted both ignorantly and wilfully And furthermore oh Lord I pray thee to giue thy grace from aboue that I may abandon all selfe-loue as a thing which thou most despisest And also let me not do as the worldlie rich yoong man did which would know the means whereby he might be saued who as soone as hee vnderstood that he must sel all that he had and distribute it to the releefe of his poore neighbors which stood in great necessitie he went away very heauie bicause he was maruelous rich But giue me grace good Lord so to loue my neighbor that I may do as Zacheus did who said Behold Lord the halfe of my goodes I giue vnto the poore if I haue done any man wrong I will restore it foure fold againe Heer was thy grace O Lord heer was not selfe loue but heere was brotherly loue the loue which thou hast appointed to be in euerie Christian that seeketh for saluation in thee put this loue into my hart oh Lord that I may loue thee with all my hart and my neighbor as my selfe put from me good Lord all rancor and malice all debate and strife O Lord thou hast in thy holie Gospel commanded all men not onlie to loue their friends by whome they reape profit but also to loue euen their enimies by whom they haue receiued losse and damage how far this loue is from me thou oh Lord canst tell Thou commandest me to loue and I hate thou commandest me to be fauorable and I am enuious in fine thou commandest me to bee charitable vnto all men and I am filled with rancor malice strife debate and contention with innumerable other vices which thou oh Lord hast commanded the contrarie What is the cause that I should behaue my selfe so contrarie to thy commandements Truly mine owne blockish negligence which hath so sore blinded my mortall eies that I am not able to looke into the mysteries of thy holie word which should be my guide and leader vnto the knowledge of thy heauenlie wil. What is the reward of al this wickednes which I haue and do daily commit Thy holie Apostle Paule doth make mention in these words saieng The reward of sin is death but what death the death of the bodie yea truly and that which is woorst euen the death and condemnation of the soule Sithen oh Lord that thou of thy great mercy hast giuen me the grace to see and know what is sin and what is the reward thereof I beseech thee oh most merciful Sauiour giue mee also the grace to flie from sin and cleaue vnto godlines least that I knowing and will not knowe be accounted among those which sinne against knowledge which is a sinne against the holie Ghost and therefore as some thinke irremissible Oh Lord I beseech thee forgiue me all that is past and guide me to turne vnto thee renew also good Lord a right spirit in me that I may liue in thy law which thou hast appointed me grant this oh sweete Sauiour for thy death and passion sake Amen A praier to be said in any kinde of tribulation desiring God to giue patience vnto the afflicted that they may endure whatsoeuer his fatherly wisedome will lay vpon them IT is an vnpossible thing for any mortall eie O most mercifull father to see into the depth of thy wisedome and how thou goest about to call home thy children being gone astray Thou first dost touch them with thy fatherlie correction as being loth to make them despaire and as the prophet Dauid saith Like as a father pitieth his owne children euen so is the Lord mercifull vnto all that feare him Thy correction good father is only fauorably to chastise thy children being erred from the truth to cal them hom by a little and a little vnto the knowledge of thee againe and then they being once reclaimed thou doest withdrawe thy rod from them I beseech thee oh heauenlie father giue me patience patiently to suffer whatsoeuer thy fatherly goodnes wil lay vpon me and diligently to wait the time when it shall please thee to ease me of my trouble that with the prophet Dauid I may say Oh giue thanks vnto the LORD for hee is gratious and his mercie endureth for euer Let them giue thanks whome the LORD hath redeemed and deliuered out of the hand of their enimie and gathered them out of the lands from the east from the west from the north and from the south They went astray in the wildernes and found no citie to dwell in so they cried vnto to the Lord in their trouble and he deliuered them out of their distresse He led them foorth by the right way that they might go to the citie where they dwelt O that men would therefore feare the Lord and declare the woonders that he doth for the children of men For he satisfieth the emptie soule and filleth the hungrie with goodnes such as sit in darknes and in the shadowe of death being fast bound in miserie and iron Heer O most merciful father dost thou shew thy gratious goodnesse vnto me thou releeuest euerie soule that calleth to thee faithfully in distresse O good Lord I beseech thee giue me grace to call vpon thee by faith for as the scripture saith Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin and he that asketh not faithfully can not obtaine Grant this O most mercifull father and whatsoeuer else thou knowest to be needfull for me for thy deere sons sake Iesus Christ our onlie mediator and aduocate to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor power praise and glorie both now and euermore Amen A praier to be vsed when the lust of the flesh doth rage wherin the gift of continencie is begged ALmightie and most mercifull father I beseech thee
gone to morrow than it doth by that euerlasting rest which neuer shall decay Good Lord I beseech thee to giue mee the gift of abstinencie which is a most pretious iewell in thy sight that when my wicked flesh desireth to glut it selfe with superfluitie of meate and drinke and so by gluttonie and surfetting offend thy diuine maiestie that then O Lord I may by the gift of the holie spirit bridle this wicked desire of my flesh so make it to become subiect vnto the spirit that therby I may be more apt ready to serue thee in true holines and righteousnes all the daies of my life How excellent this gift of abstinencie is oh Lord is declared by thy holy apostle Peter in these words Deerly beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshlie lusts which fight against the soule Heer O Lord may we see how necessarie it is for man to abstain from fleshly lusts for as this text witnesseth they fight against the soule to bring it to destruction And Saint Paule writing to the Galathians faith Walke in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh And writing to the Romans he saith Put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Seeing oh most mercifull father that the holy scriptures euen frō one end to the other do so earnestly speake against this filthie and abhominable vice of gluttonie and all holie fathers do likewise in their works inueigh against the same I beseech thee good father giue me grace that I may so bridle this my fleshlie nature that thorough the grace of thy holie spirit I may be made a meet member readle prepared with oile in my lampe and a wedding garment on my back against the comming of thy deere sonne Christ Iesus mine onlie Lord and Sauior to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor and glorie for euer and euer Amen A praier against pride and for humilitie ETernall and most louing Father which hatest the proud and giuest grace to the humble I beseech thee for thy great mercie sake let not my mind be puffed vp with vaine pride and glorie of this world which is an instrument of sathan a snare of the diuell as it were a hooke to catch men with to lead them into vtter destruction Oh Lord giue me grace I pray thee to eschew and vtterly to abhor this abhominable and detestable vice of pride vaine glorie and to imbrace lowlines and humilitie considering what is said by the prophet Esaie The holie Ghost said Now crie and the prophet answered What shall I crie That all flesh is grasse and that all the goodlines therof is as the flower of the field the grasse is withered the flower falleth away euen so is the people as grasse when the breath of the Lord bloweth vpon them neuertheles whether the grasse wither or the flower fade away yet the word of the Lord endureth for euer Heer I see O my God what man is how he is compared to grasse and all his glorie to the flower of the field and is not able for all his pride to abide one blast of thy breath oh Lord. And also the prophet Dauid faith Man shal not abide in honor seeing hee may be compared vnto the beasts that perish Also it is written by the prophet Esaie in another place Shall the axe boast it selfe against him that heweth therwith Or doth the sawe make any bragging against him that ruleth it That were euen like as if the rod exalt it selfe against him that beareth it Or as though the staffe should exalt it selfe as if it were no wood Therefore shall the Lord of hosts send among his fatlings leannes and burne vp his glorie as it were with a fire Also Salomon saith The Lord doth all things for his owne sake yea he keepeth the vngodlie for the day of wrath The Lord abhorreth all such as be of a proud hart his hand is against their hand and they shall not escape as innocents And againe Dauid saith Thou shalt bring downe the high lookes of the proud And the prophet Ieremie saith Behold I speake vnto thee oh thou proud saith the Lord God of hosts for thy day shall come euen the time of thy visitation And the proud shall stumble and fall and no man shall helpe him vp I will burne vp his cities with fire and it shall consume all that is round about him Likewise the prophet Abacuk saith Behold the vnrighteous thinketh himselfe in safegard as in a strong hold but the iust shall liue by his faith Like as the wine deceiueth the drunkard euen so the proud shall faile not endure He openeth his desire wide as the hell and is as vnsatiable as death All heathen gathereth he vnto him and heapeth vnto him all people Heer oh most mercifull father I see what the reward of the proud vaine glorious man is I see that he is abhorred of thee and kept for the day of wrath his high lookes also shal be brought down The proud also shall stumble and fall and no man shall helpe him vp he also shall faile and not endure Oh Lord I beseech thee giue grace to me and to all thy faithfull seruants that we vtterly detest and abandon from vs al pride presumption and vaine glorie and onelie to stay our selues vpon thee in Christ Iesus and to flie from all such abhominable vices and come home vnto thee our most mercifull father for wee haue gone long astray as it had beene sheepe without a sheapheard Lord I pray thee strengthen me with thy holie spirit As I see O Lord the punishment of the proud and vaine glorious so do I see also as in a glasse the rewarde which thou hast prepared for the humble and lowlie For it is written in the holie Gospel after S. Luke that He that exalteth himselfe shall be brought lowe and he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted And Iob saith Who so humbleth himselfe shal be set vp and who so looketh meekly shall be healed And also Dauid saith in the psalmes The righteous crie and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of all their troubles The Lord is nigh vnto such as be of a contrite hart and doth saue them that are of an humble spirit Yea and the Lord saith in the prophet Esaie I dwell hie aboue in the sanctuarie and with him also that is of a contrite spirit do I dwell that I may heale a troubled mind and a contrite hart Also Salomon saith Presumptuousnes goeth before destruction and after a proud stomacke there followeth a fall Better is it to be of an humble mind with the lowlie than to diuide the spoils with the proud Now oh Lord heer is before my eies the punishment of the proud and presumptuous and also the reward of the humble and meeke Heer also are the great and manifold promises set down
which thou by thy prophets apostles hast promised to them that are of a contrite hart thou hast promised to exalt the humble to heal the meek to be nigh vnto such as be of a contrite hart to deliuer them out of all their troubles and to dwel with them that be of a contrite spirit Thou O Lord hast made these promises and thou wilt most surely performe whatsoeuer thou hast promised Now oh my sweet Sauiour I beseech thee giue me grace to sticke fast vnto these sweet promises that I may through the grace of thy holie spirit pull downe this proud flesh of mine which is were it not thy great mercy ready to hale my soule into destruction I may well say vnto my flesh Why art thou so proud O thou earth and ashes of that which wil not endure but is altogither wicked and abhominable in the sight of the Lord. Therefore O my most mercifull Sauiour I pray thee for thy pretious deth and passion sake to strengthen me with the grace of thy holy spirit that it may haue victorie of this bodie of sin the lusts and desires of the same that I may so liue heer on earth that when it shall please thee to call me from this vale of miserie I may dwell with thee in thy habitation of rest prepared for all thy faithfull ones Amen Another praier for the morning O Eternall God and most mercifull father I a most weak and feeble creature in all goodnes godlines whatsoeuer most hartily thank thy maiestie for that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercie and goodnes to preserue me this night from the crueltie and tyrannie of the diuel and his angels and to take me vnto thine owne protection and defence And also of thy meere mercie not suffering mee to sleepe in death but didst waken me in due time to giue thanks and praise vnto thy maiestie for thy most mercifull protection and defence I beseech thee O most mercifull father giue me grace that whatsoeuer I take in hand this day may haue good successe and whatsoeuer I do it may all be to the honor and praise of thy name the profit of my neighbor and the health of mine owne soule thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Another praier for the euening MOst mercifull and euerliuing GOD which art father of the fatherles and husband of the widow which also this day past hast kept me safely vnder the wings of thy mercie and hast not suffered me so to fall but that with thy hand thou hast lifted me vp againe and also hast kept me this day from the power of darknes and defended me with thy armor of light I beseech thee O most mercifull father that like as thou hast this day kept me vnder the couering of thy wings from the subtile assaults and priuie sleights of that capitall enimie of mine sathan euen so I beseech thee to keepe and defend me this night from his cruell tyrannie which in euerie place laieth baits and traps to catch mens soules so to bring them into vtter darknes there shall be weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth frō whose subtilitie deliuer vs the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost three in person and one in essence Amen Another praier when the light appeereth O My sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ which art the light of the world and the light of all them that beleeue in thee I besech thee oh my sweet Sauiour giue me thy grace from aboue that I may put away the works of darknes and put on the armor of light now in these perilous and dangerous daies And like as thou hast appointed the light of the day to lighten earthly men about their earthly affaires so also hast thou appointed thy holie word to lighten their minds which labor and seeke to attaine to the knowledge of thy heauenlie will In which lightsom exercise I beseech thee for thy great mercies sake giue me an earnest desire to attaine vnto the full knowledge thereof and that whatsoeuer I do it may be pleasing vnto thee to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost be all honor power praise dominion and thanks giuing both now and for euer Amen Another praier to be deliuered from Antichrist the Pope of Rome and all his detestable enormities O My sweet Sauiour which leadest all those into the path of righteousnes which by faithfull and earnest praier come vnto thee for the same I besech thee for thy death and passion sake giue me grace to trust in thy sweet promises and to exercise my selfe in the studie of thy holie word and to cast away and vtterly to eschew and abhor the dirtie traditions the diuelish dreams the vaine reliks ceremonies of that man of sin the Pope of Rome and al his Balaamiticall shauelings which are vtter enimies to thy crosse killing thy innocent lambs conuerting the simple on s frō thee my sweet Sauior as much as in them lieth vnto their antichristian power teaching them to come from thy mercifull promises vnto that man of sin for monie to haue their sins forgiuen them wheras my sweet Sauiour none is able to forgiue sins but onlie thou much lesse oh Lord he that is so great a sinner robbing thee of thy glorie by taking vpon him so presumptuously without feare of thy name to forgiue his brother his trespasses when the holie scripture is cleane contrarie for Dauid saith in the psalms that No man can deliuer his brother from death neither make agreement vnto God for him for it cost more to redeeme their soules so that that must be let alone for euer Heer he may see if he be not wilfull blind how wickedly he taketh vpon him to do that which only belongeth vnto thee my sweet Sauiour But let him repent in time least hee bring vpon himselfe swift damnation His doctrine oh Lord is cleane contrarie to thy most pure and sincere word which is the word of truth teaching those that will learne of him his priests of Baal to looke for their saluation by the works of the law only and not by faith in thee my sweet Sauiour which art the only way of truth the path of life the giuer of euerlasting life vnto al those that come vnto thee by saith and not to challenge thy place of rest by any of our merits or deseruings which are most abhominable in thy sight for we are able to deserue nothing but death endles damnation in the fire which neuer shall be quenched oh what a terror is this to the conscience of many which know themselues to be great and greuous offenders and yet as this detestable doctrine of antichrist teacheth them must obtaine saluation by their owne merits or deseruings Oh what a hell haue they in their conscience and except they flie speedily from that diuelish doctrine and looke vpon thy most mercifull and sweet promises and with a stedfast faith assuredly beleeue the same doubtles they must needs fall into the
was the grace of thy holie spirit heer was the gift of continuance vnto the end who although he had lost all worldlie pleasures yet would he neuer start from the obedience of thy holie will yea although sathan that ancient enimie of all mankind sought all the meanes that he could deuise to plague the carcase of poore Iob yet did he remaine constant vnto the end for all the trouble and persecutions that he abode If it be thy will good father I pray thee to imprint this gratious gift of cōtinuance in my hart that whatsoeuer crosse or tribulation I suffer I may patiently abide the same for as our Sauiour Christ saith He that taketh not his crosse and followeth me is not woorthie of me And againe He that will saue his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it Oh vnhappie man that will seeke to saue his life in this world and lose it in the life to come and thrise happie is he that loseth his life in this world for our Sauiour Christ his sake for he surely shall find it in the world to come in ioies euerlasting which neither eie hath seene nor eare hath heard neither hath it entered into the hart of man vnto the which ioies Lord for thy mercie sake bring vs and for thy deere sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake to whome with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor glorie for euermore Amen A praier for an old man ALmightie GOD which-art the helper of all those that call to thee for succour I beseech thee to come neer vnto me and heare the voice of my crieng which haue liued long on earth and that very wickedly euen from my youth vnto this my crooked age I haue still continued in blindnes and ignorance yea and that wilfully neither seeking to attaine vnto sight nor knowledge whereby I might see into thy holie word and therby perceiue mine owne wickednes and sin and to get knowledge therby to vnderstand thy holie commandements that I might through faith in thee seek to obserue the same But now O Lord I come vnto thee which neuer despisest the sighing of a contrite hart nor the desire of such as be sorrowful which neuer stoppest thine eare at the crie of a penitent sinner nor withdrawest thy hande from helping of such as be in need which callest sinners to repentance when it pleaseth thee euen at all times and ages some at the first hower some at the third some at the ninth and some at the eleuenth of the which late number oh Lord thorough thine inestimable goodnes and mercie I am one who haue spent the greatest part of the time of my life in sloth wantonnes and in all maner of vncleanes and wickednes euen til now that I am readie to put one foot into the graue that is euen till the eleuenth hower or the verie latest time of my life And had it not beene for the multitude of thy mercies I might haue proceeded forward in all kind of wickednes and sin euen as I begun but thou oh mercifull father which wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that hee should repent and turne from his wickednes and that his sin might be done away Euen to thee oh Lord God belongeth mercy and forgiuenes And thou it is oh Lord that wilt bring mercie and forgiuenes of sins to as many as faithfully in thy deere son Iesus Christ do call to thee for mercie in time before it be too late yea while it is said to day To day if yee will heare my voice harden not your harts as in the prouocation and as in the day of temptation in the wildernes And heerin I beseech thee good father to forgiue me all the sins of my youth which are as the sands of the sea in number good Lord cast them into the bottome of the sea where they neuer may be seen with eies nor stand in iudgment against me And also good Lord I beseech thee to clense me from all my secret sins and cast them from the light of thy countenance Lord I beseech thee direct me with thy holie spirit that I may remaine thy faithfull seruant vnto the end thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A praier for a maiden VNto thee oh Lord GOD belongeth mercy and forgiuenes of sinnes and the gift of a godlie and vertuous life therefore oh Lord I do at this time present my selfe before thy diuine maiestie beseeching thee not to looke vpon me neither harken vnto me according to mine owne merits or worthines but in the merits of thy deer sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ requiring thee for his sake to be mercifull vnto me and forgiue me all my sins that are past and giue me grace that hence forward I may no more so greeuously offend thy maiestie as I haue done both in thought word and deed but that I may henceforth lead a godlie and christian life folowing the example of Marie Magdalen out of whom our Sauiour Christ cast seuen diuels who in the beginning was a great and a greeuous sinner but in the end confessing hir wickednes and sin obtained free remission at thy hands and became a new woman leading hir life in holines and righteousnes and as the euangelist Luke witnesseth when our Sauiour Christ entred into the house of one of the Pharisies to dine with him behold a woman in the citie which was a sinner when she knew that Iesus sate at the table in the pharisies house she brought a boxe of ointment and she stood at his feet behind him weping began to wash his feet with tears did wipe them with the haires of hir head and kissed his feete and annointed them with the ointment shewing the great humilitie and reuerence which she bare vnto our Sauiour Good father I besech thee giue me such a contrite hart as had this Marie Magdalene that I may so bewaile my sins while I remaine heere on earth that when I depart from this vale of miserie I may remaine with thee in ioies euerlasting to the which place bring vs the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost Amen A praier to be said of all true and faithfull subiects desiring almightie God to blesse and keepe the Queenes most excellent Maiestie GOD which art the author and giuer of all goodnes sparest not to bestowe plentifully on al those that faithfully aske it of thee I beseech thee therfore good father giue me thy grace that I may keepe my selfe vnder the obedience of thy seruant my souereigne Queene that I may loue hir and obey hir lawes as thou oh Lord hast commanded euery subiect and the Apostle Paule writing to the Romans saith Let euerie soule be subiect vnto the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeined of God For he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue vnto