thy poore creature and handie worke granting me the fruit of thy sonnes passion which he suffered for my redemption to whom with thée O Father and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie all power and dominion now and for euermore Amen Amen 18. A praier of the afflicted person O Lord God thou art iust and all thy works and waies are mercie truth and thou iudgest trulie for euermore remember me and looke on me O Lord God and punish me not according to my sinnes or mine ignorance but deale with me as it séemeth best vnto thée And now O Lord worke thy will in me and command my spirit to be receiued in peace that I may be dissolued of this fowle fleshie masse thorough the which I doo nothing but offend thée my Lord God Yet neuerthelesse if it be thy blessed will to giue me longer life in this vale of miserie forgiue me all my sinnes for Christs sake for thou art a mercifull God slowe to conceiue wrath and most readie to forgiue Wherefore extend thy fauour vpon me O Lord which shall confirme the faith of others Though I deserue destruction yet let thy mercie pittie my frailtie for thou art great O Lord for euermore and thy kingdome is world without end Thou scourgest and healest thou leadest vnto hell and bringest backe againe and there is none that may escape thy hand O giue thanks vnto the Lord ye children of men for there is none holie but he none almightie but thou O Lord God Thou hast chastined vs for our misdéeds and of thine owne mercie sake thou hast saued vs wherefore thée will we feare and dread and magnifie the euerlasting king in his works As for me and my soule whilest I liue will I praise thy Maiestie as long as I haue anie being For euer since I was borne thou hast giuen me great cause to praise thée for thou hast béene the defense of my iust cause Heare now my vehement praier my secret complaint and my sighes which I make before thée this daie into whose holie hands I commit my bodie and soule for thou hast redéemed me O thou God of truth Amen 19. A praier of the iustice of God and for the assistance of Gods spirit with an inuocation vpon the Trinitie O Lord I confesse thou dooest not punish me without my deserts therfore I will neuer accuse thée of rigour as the wicked doo for I acknowledge that when thou laiest thy hand heauie vpon anie there is iust cause why thou shouldest so entreat them We are occasion of our owne perdition and can pretend no ignorance to excuse vs withall for thou O God callest vs by thy word and works to follow vertue and flie vice which if we bend our selues vnto depending onelie vpon thée thou hast promised to be our schoolemaister and protectour Thy prouidence O GOD dooth not onelie watch ouer thy church in generall but also ouer euerie member thereof for thy word O Lord is easie to find if we haue a desire therevnto if we be not blinded by the prince of this world Thou most mightie hast power both of land and sea stretch foorth thy mercifull hand to helpe them vp that sinke to kéepe them vp that stand for thou art aboue all and ouer all kingdomes of the earth Thou hast made the heauen and earth Lord bow downe thine eare and heare Lord open thine eies and behold Our true refuge and succour in all temptations and dangers is to flie vnto thée by most earnest praier Thou wilt not here O Lord God for manie words sake or often repetition but thou doost consider our faith and feruent mind for thou doost looke vpon the heart of man and not vpon the outward appearance It is great gréefe O Lord vnto thy children when they sée not the fruits of their praiers which causeth them to thinke that thou hearest not yet doost thou but defer them to cause them to praie more earnestlie and often For when there séemeth to mans iudgement to be no recouerie but all things are brought to despaire then thou O GOD doost shew thy mightie power there is nothing doone without thy prouidence and decrée Wherefore I will call vpon thée with a stedfast faith being assured of thy mercies bicause I haue found thy helpe at néed in my most danger for thou neuer forsakest them that put their trust in thée bicause of nature thou art verie mercifull Therefore the faithfull reuerence thée and are bold to approch néere thy mightie Maiestie most humblie beséeching thée for Iesus Christ his sake that thou wilt cast all our sinnes behind thy backe and giue vs thy grace and holie spirit to lead the rest of our liues in thy feare dooing alwaies that is righteous in thy sight For whosoeuer walketh in his vocation and hath the light of God for his guide néedeth to feare no danger thy rodde and thy staffe shall alwaies hold him vp Guide me O Lord and giue me the most pretious gift of faith which is the head spring of all good works Baptise me inwardlie with the holie Ghost burne and consume all vice in me inflame my hart with the loue of thée and cast thy fauour vpon me O Lord and holie father So doo likewise O Christ my Lord and Sauiour who wast contented to put off all thy glorie that thou wast in before the beginning of the world to take our nature vpon thée and to suffer most bitter passion vpon the crosse for our redemption Wash me with thy pretious bloud and make me a chosen vessell to thy selfe giue me a thankefull hart to praise thy name with continuall thankesgiuing for thy great mercies Come holie spirit inspire my hart with the true knowledge of the father and the sonne procéeding from them both one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie world without end Amen 20. A praier for faith and grace LOrd giue me faith and grace that I may be wounded in hart to séeke vnto thée for mercie for thou O God hast taught vs in thy holie word to looke for aide and helpe of thee in all perils and that thou art the onlie giuer of victorie in all temptations of our enimies bodilie gostlie For when thou giuest sentence against the wicked they must néeds confesse thée to be iust and themselues sinners For thou O GOD which louest purenes of hart maiest iustlie destroie man who is by nature a sinner much more wilt thou laie thine hand vpon them whom thou hast instructed in thy heauenlie wisdome Thy fauour O God is the fountaine of all prosperitie for thou O Lord doost still behold vs. Thée will we reuerence in what place soeuer we be Helpe me therefore O Lord God in my good purposes and holie worshipping or seruing of thée and grant vnto me to make a perfect enterance and beginning in thée for I haue bin an vnprofitable seruant hitherto O Lord giue me a mind neuer to shew my selfe vnthankful for all thy benefits for
thou destroie all the vngodlie yet haue wée a sure hope thou wilt deliuer our soules from the power of hell and receiue vs to thée by grace here in this world and after when thou shalt come to the last iudgement to take vs to thy selfe in glorie that where thou art there may we be with thée For we are not gréeued at the vngodlie nor afraid when they be made rich and the glorie of their houses increased We knowe that their honour indureth but a small season vanisheth awaie as dooth the smoke for thou regardest them not therfore thou giuest them things of small estimation Abraham gaue gifts to the sonnes of his concubines and sent them awaie but vnto Isaac he gaue his possessions and all that he had so Lord to the wicked thou giuest temporall things but for thy faithfull thou reseruest thy euerlasting heauenlie inheritance This is a sure and permanent reward the othee soone slippeth awaie their time here is but short and when they die they shall carrie nothing awaie with them neither shall their pompe followe them For thou O Lord wilt driue them awaie As wax melteth at the heat of the fire so shall the vngodlie perish at thy presence then shalt thou change their honour into shame for while they liued they were counted happie men and so long as they were in prosperitie men spake good of them but when they followe their fathers generation they shall neuer sée light any more They were the children of Canaan come of a wicked progenie they haue followed their forefathers steps their déedes were euill they loued darkenesse better than light Wherefore they shall haue euerlasting darknes with torments they shall haue fire but it shall giue them no comfortable heat These paines are ordained for them that were in honour and had riches in aboundance and did forget their estate and for lacke of knowledge were led into captiuitie Wherefore O good God let vs not be of the number of them but build vs vpon thy blessed sonne Iesus Christ the head corner stone in him whosoeuer is builded groweth vnto an holie temple in the Lord his God For of our selues we haue hard harts to beléeue except thou write thy law in our harts by thy holie spirit Now is the acceptable time Lord let vs find grace and fauour in thy sight pardon our wickednes and sinne and take vs to thine inheritance that we may reigne with thée in glorie for euer and euer Amen Amen 31. A praier that we may heare the word of God and keepe it I Am thy seruant Lord giue me vnderstanding that I may learne thy lawe and decrées incline my soule to the words of thy mouth bicause thy talke floweth like vnto dew The Israelits said vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and we will heare shée but let not the Lord speake least we die Howbeit I praie not so O Lord but rather with the prophet Samuel I doo humblie and earnestlie beséech thée thus Speake on Lord for thy seruant dooth hearken for thou art the giuer and inspirer of life who art able without anie to instruct me Thy Ministers speake for thée thy secreats but thou vnlockest the vnderstanding of the things pronounced they rehearse to vs thy commandements but it is thy aid and helpe that giueth strength to walke ouer the same and giuest light vnto the minds Wherefore bicause thou art the euerlasting truth speake thou Lord my God vnto me least I die and be made vnfruitfull for thou hast the words of euerlasting life Speake therefore that thing which may bring both comfort vnto my soule and amendment vnto my life and also may cause glorie and immortall honor vnto thée For man dooth perish but thy truth indureth O God for euer Blessed are they therefore whom thou instructest and giuest knowledge vnto O Lord and doost teach thy lawe that thou maist helpe them in time of trouble that they perish not Looke fauourablie vpon me O GOD and grant I praie thée that thy truth may teach me kéepe me and bring me vnto a happie end Let the same deliuer me from all wicked lusts and from inordinate loue Thou hast infinit means and all creatures are at thy commandement therefore good Lord shewe some signe whereby I shall be deliuered and send thine holie angell before me to kéepe me in thy waie and to bring me to the place which thou hast prouided for me that I may liue with thée euerlastinglie world without end Amen 32. A praier wherein the word of God is praised and what things are thereby to be wrought accomplished his mercie and iustice also is heare declared GRant me good Lord to serue thée with a perfect hart and willing mind for thou Lord serchest the hart and vnderstandest all our imaginations and thoughts If we séeke thée thou wilt be found but if we forsake thée thou wilt cast vs off for euer If we depend onelie vpon thée O God we shall not néed to be troubled with these worldlie respects for thou wilt giue vs at all times that which shall be necessarie for bodie and soule if we feare thée and obeie thy holie word which thou wilt haue found true and also magnified for thine owne honour and glorie and for our commoditie Vpon thée therefore will I still call trusting that thou wilt shortlie heare and helpe me I will also call vpon the mightie name of thy sonne Iesus Christ in whose name the faithfull haue and doo dailie cast out diuels from the possessed They haue spoken and doo speake with new toongs And though they drinke anie deadlie thing it shall not hurt them By which also they are procured to leaue their wicked minds and diuelish works in the which they before lead their liues They speake thy holie word and also set foorth thy veritie leauing all lies and deceits They doo suppresse the old serpent sathan plucking out the sting of his taile wherewith he was accustomed to wound them And if at anie time they haue consented to sinne and receiued his poison this name of our sauiour shall kéepe them from all hurts bicause they made inuocation on his holie name which dooth purge them cleane after their heartie repentance For thou O Christ wilt deliuer thine though all worldlie meanrs faile And though we be committed by tyrants vnto temporall death yet through thée shall we vanquish all our enimies for the death of thy saints is deare and pretious in thy sight they néede not feare those that haue power onelie to kill the bodie but let vs feare thy mightie hand which hast power to slea both bodie soule This worldlie death is a waie to bring vs from much trouble to the hauen of euerlasting health into the land of liuers Neuerthelesse Lord of thy iustice let the vniust and cruell enimies of the faithfull stand in dread of thy stretched out arme wherewith in thine anger thou wilt strike them Of thine infinite goodnes thou sufferest long abiding their
conuersion but after long forbearing thou strikest verie sore throwing both bodie and soule into the pit of hell hauing such measure of punishment as they gaine in this world For as thy mercies is vnmeasureable so is thy iustice vnremooueable to those that depart this world in their wickednesse Make me O Lord God of the number of those that be thy faithfull children let me not wauer nor fall from my hope but put on me the shield of faith that I may stronglie fight against my ghostlie enimie Grant me to vanquish and ouercome him that after triumphant victorie I may liue and reigne with thée O Father Sonne and holie Ghost thrée persons and one true and euerlasting GOD through the merits death of thy Sonne my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to the which most glorious Trinitie be giuen all honor glorie and praise now and for euer Amen 33. A praier to be said at all times wherein our frailties are confessed and request made to haue them redressed BLessed art thou O GOD of our fathers and blessed is thy holie name which is most glorious for euer Let the heauens blesse thée and all thy creatures thou art the Lord strong and mercifull gratious slow to anger and abounding in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquities transgressions and sinnes making the wicked innocent if they will repent with all their whole harts and returne vnto thée Thou visitest the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation for as thou art mercifull euen so goeth iustice from thée For thou settest so much store by man that thou hast a regard ouer him and dailie carest for vs O Lord God and makest proofe and triall of him euerie houre beholding those with a fatherlie eie that serue thée in faith and truth Thou hast vsed correction vnto vs but we gathered therby no repentance thou hast corrected vs to the end we should amend but we refused thy fatherlie visitation For those that are thine enimies thou wilt declare thine heauie iudgments against them but thou wilt shew thy fauourable kindnesse towards thy children For thou hast said I wil punish them that serue me otherwise than I haue commanded them not sparing the chéefe that the people may feare and praise my iudgements For to the wicked and carnall man thou appéerest as a flaming fire but vnto them that be drawne with thy holie spirit thou art like a pleasant saphir to be hold Holinesse perteineth vnto thée O Lord GOD and thou O GOD art most holie and nothing vnholie may appéere before thée Therefore whosoeuer commeth vnto thée must be washed from all sinne and corruption And séeing thou gouernest all things by thy prouidence thou wilt put a difference betwéene the godlie and vngodlie Wherefore we humblie beséech thée O Lord GOD lighten our hearts with thy holie spirit that we maie féele thy fauour towards vs as those that be thine elect doo The right hand of thy maiestie is glorious in power Grant vs O God continuallie to depend vpon thy prouidence with patience from daie to daie with full trust in thy promises for our deliuerance For though we prouoke thée iustlie to anger O God yet wilt thou neuer forsake vs. Thou art our Lord almightie Iehouah is thy name which declarest that thou art constant wilt performe thy promise Grant vs grace therefore that we may worship thée aright in the place which thou hast appointed vs for thou O Lord requirest puritie We cannot be thine except our sinnes be purged with the bloud of Iesus Christ by whose grace we may learne to detest all sinne Which grant vs all to doo O Father for Christes sake whose figure we represent on him we laie all our offenses who is able to beare the burthen of them for vs all We present him to thée O Father whom we know both can and will make vs cleane and perfect before thée whose mercies we dailie praise with thée O father and the holie Ghost now and for euer Amen 34. An humblie confession of our sinnes before God as also a petition to haue the same remitted O Lord heare my harty repentance for I am sorrowfull and gréeued with the burthen of my sins the remembrance of them is intollerable Wherefore looke downe vpon me with thy fauourable eies of pittie and behold me which lie here prostrat before the sight of thy maiestie for I confesse that I am waxen old in sin and wickednesse wherin I first was conceiued but now my most hartie desire is to be borne anew and to be graffed in my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ For thus my faith dooth persuade me that none can come too late vnto thée who forgauest the théefe all his wickednesse at his last houre when he asked mercie of thée And manie other more examples I find in my most holie word how mercifull thou hast béene alwaies to those thy seruants that sought the same of thée And shall I then despaire hearing dailie thy voice crie out vnto me saieng Come all ye that are heauie loden and I will ease you Knocke and it is heard aske and it is giuen Who can yet thinke that he shall misse of mercie if he craue it in faith séeing thou art so true and iust in all thy promises Thy creatures faile in their words and works but thou kéepest thy promise and fidelitie and thy word indureth vnremooueable for euer and euer O thou God almightie vnto whom all things are knowen shew on me thy mercie euen in the sight of the children of men that they may knowe and sée how gratious and mercifull thou art vnto those that giue ouer themselues vnto the hands of thy almightie Maiestie Thou art the helper of the forsaken and fréendles and there is none that may be compared vnto thée that art so rich in mercie and louing kindnesse that diddest not spare thine onlie begotten Sonne Iesus Christ to giue him a slaine sacrifice for my sinnes and the sinnes of the whole world but also hast promised that whosoeuer dooth come vnto thée in his name with full assurance in his bloud death and passion shall not onelie receiue remission of all their sinnes and iniquities that euer they haue committed but also inherit the crowne of euerlasting glorie which thou wilt giue vnto all those that be thine elect in Christ Of which number through thy grace I account my selfe for one making me most assured thereof bicause thou hast promised the same Which dooth imbolden me at this present to craue thy most mercifull aid and assisstance of thy holie spirit to strengthen me in faith to confirme me in hope to stablish me in charitie that I may be knowen by thy cognisance and badge to be thy child and faithfull seruant that I may vse the talent which thou hast giuen me to thine honor and glorie and the health of my soule That when it shall please thée to take a reckoning how I haue spent the
when we swarue at anie time out of the right waie by which we iudge that he dooth loue vs for whosoeuer he be that he loueth him he dooth chasten Christs strong shéepheards staffe dooth staie vs when we are weake as a sicke man is by his staffe In Christ thy sonne is the fulnes of grace from whom distilleth all goodnesse that we haue through his holie spirit is our cup filled full of pure liquor it causeth vs for ioie of heauenlie contemplation to forget all the troubles and miseries of the world the dregs of worldlie pleasures and carnall affections For as thy mercie hath gone before vs plentifullie giuing vs aboundance of thy great graces so we trust and doubt not but it will followe vs all the daies of our liues and kéepe vs that we fall not from faith Thou Lord must helpe our house or else we labour in vaine thou must be our beginning and end and then we be sure to dwell in the house of the Lord for euer For we know surelie that if our earthlie mansion wherein we now dwell were dissolued we haue a building ordeined of God an habitation not made with hands but eternallie in heauen where is perpetuall ioie and beatitude world without end Amen 37. A breefe confession that we receiue all goodnes from God ARise vp O Lord God and let thine enimies be scattered before thée and let them that hate thée be brought to confusion Declare O Lord thy might and power for thou art a consuming fire and a gelous God visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation For thy gouernement is so iust constant and without change or repentance that thy verie enimies shall be compelled to confesse the same O God almightie thou doost punish thine elect by measure giuest them grace to beare it but to the reprobate it is thy iust vengeance to driue them headlong to all madnesse For thy omnipotencie hath all power in it selfe to execute thy terrible iudgment against obstinate sinners as thou art rich in mercy to comfort them which obeie thy word and loue thée The faithfull in all their aduersities doo knowe that all shall go well with them for GOD will be mercifull and iust and though they want for a time yet thou wilt send them comfort in due season For thy Maiestie is so great that it filleth both heauen and earth and there is no power so high that can let thée when thou wilt deliuer thine The wicked rise vp suddenlie to honour and perish as quicklie but the inheritance of the children of God continueth for euer For thou O GOD wilt take vengance vpon the wicked and measure them according to their dealings Thus thou O God canst plucke backe the bridle of tyrants and deliuer thine owne out of the lions mouth for though the wicked swell neuer so much yet we feare them not They cannot vtterlie destroie vs for thou Lord hast promised to abide with thy faithfull people to the end of the world Thy grace will not leaue vs nor anie that loue thée and serue thée with a faithfull heart Thy fauour O God resteth on thine for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake that from him we might receiue thy blessings For we deserue nothing of our selues but thy wrath and indignation Wherefore grant vs good Lord first to séeke thy glorie and aboue all things reigne thou ouer vs al and let vs render to thée perfect obedience as thine angels doo whom thou hast commanded to take charge of thy children For the which if the wicked despise them thou of thy mercie wilt reuenge their cause for thou wilt preserue the faithful branches of thy vineyard but the rotten stocks wilt thou destroie according to their hypocrisie For there is none like vnto thée in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath Thou dooest blesse the labour of the poore and consumest the goods of them which are negligent bicause they boast and thinke they haue enough The wicked wallow in their riches yet are they but slaues to the godlie that are true professors of the gift of God The cup which thou gauest to the wicked to drinke is much bitter than that thou doost bestow on thine own them thou measurest by mercie the other by iustice And though thou suffer thy children to liue vnder the crosse least they should imbrace wickednesse yet thou wilt not suffer it to rest vpon them that it should driue them from their hope for all thy promises are true Wherefore we are sure of thy helpfull deliuerance séeing the earth and all creatures remaine in that estate wherein thou hast created them much more thy truth indureth constant and vnchangeable Blessed be thou O God of truth and blessed be the glorie of thy holie name world without end Amen Amen 38. A praier wherein is shewed that there is none omnipotent but God alone O Lord GOD almightie it is not in mans power or counsell to hinder that thou hast determined shall come to passe for as the insensible heauen is not subiect to anie alteration and change so shall the truth of thy promises be vnchangeable sith our infirmities cannot in any wise comprehend thée in thy maiestie There is none like thée neither is there anie God besides thée thou killest and giuest life thou woundest and makest whole Wherefore blessed are they that confesse thée and obeie thy word to them thou giuest life and felicitie The ioies that are stedfast and perdurable are giuen of thy goodnesse to those that are méeke and humble in spirit Thou dooest grant to the faithfull of thy goodnesse both grace and glorie so that no good thing shall be withholden from them that liue in thy feare for thou castest awaie none that will séeke thée in righteousnes And though thou suffer the world to hate thine elect it is bicause thy children should forsake the filthines of this world and cleaue vnto thée Wherefore grant vs O Lord that we may alwaies haue the eies of our faith fixed vpon thée for whatsoeuer thou O GOD hast promised shall surelie be performed For as it was thy frée mercie O God that did choose vs so is it thy frée mercie that must saue vs. Thou doost call vs by thy rod to consider the shortnes of our life for our sinnes haue abridged our daies which be not onlie short but miserable bicause we are so sinfull that we doo nothing but prouoke thée to wrath so weake we are so fraile and vnable of our selues to doo that good is inclining alwaies to things forbidden There is nothing so secreatlie doone on earth but thou O God doost sée it who dooest fulfill both heauen and earth Grant vs O Lord alwaies thy feare which shall be a bridle to staie vs from all wickednesse For as thou hast created all people euen so dooest thou gouerne the hearts of all ioining the saluation of thine with thine owne honour so that they cannot perish vnlesse thy glorie should
soone as men begin to liue they begin to die as soone as thy plesure is Lord to haue them they fade awaie suddenlie like the grasse which is in the morning gréene and growing and in the euening it is cut downe and withered In youth we are pleasant and merrie lustie and strong springing vp gréene as dooth the corne but when haruest commeth it ripeth and withereth and is cut downe When age commeth the body of man drieth awaie then death ouertaketh vs. All this remembred who can take anie comfort who can be merrie that remembreth the last end for we bring our yeares to an end euen as a tale that is tould Wherefore teach vs mercifull Christ to number our daies that we may applie our harts vnto wisedome Giue vs grace to haue in remembrance the short daies of our life with the dangerous passage of our time in this world so that hauing no trust or affiance in the vncertaintie thereof we may wholie applie our selues to the contemplation of thy heauenlie wisdome that we may consider earnestlie thy goodnesse shewed vnto vs who art the power and the wisdome of God thy father Behold Lord our hartie repentance for our sinnes we beséech thée turne thy mercie and louing kindnesse vnto vs be gratious to vs that are thy seruants for although we fall often times from thée through frailtie of our nature yet we forsake thée not vtterlie but return to thée as the prodigall sonne returned to his father after long absence was receiued well accepted of We are thy seruants redie to serue thée by the helpe of thy grace Heare therefore our humble petition which is to craue thy mercie and grace with the same satisfie my soule most gratious Lord for the which all thy faithfull doo sore hunger and thirst so long as they abide in this life but they shall be perfectlie and faithfullie most fullie satisfied when thy glorie shall be manifest vnto them in thy heauenlie habitation Then shall we reioise and be glad all the daies of our life With that ioifull daie comfort vs good Lord in recompense of the yeares wherein we haue suffered much aduersitie Let thy grace shine vpon vs let it euer assist vs O mercifull Iesus which art the bright light of God thy father Then shall we prosper in this world and after follow thée the lambe wheresoeuer thou goest which grant for thy mercie sake To thée with the Father and the holie Ghost be praise and glorie now and for euer Amen 29. A praier vnto the holie Ghost wherein his glorie is confessed O Holie Ghost thou art my strength power and refuge in time of my trouble thou diddest helpe me in my youth when I had more strength helpe me now good Lord so much the more in my old age and weakenes for the depth of thy prouidence gouerneth all things Thou art the Lord of life whose throne is most excellent with God the Father and the Sonne which dwellest in the place of our holie rest Thou art the comfort of thine elect and the seuenfold disposer of the works of God All they that forsake thée shall be confounded and they that depart from thée shall be written in earth bicause they haue forsaken the Lord of life Turne ye therefore all ye sinners and doo righteousnes before God and be ye sure that his holie spirit will not depart from you For he did not refuse the praier of Abraham when he was entreated for the wicked Sodomites if there could haue béene found ten righteous in the citie how much more wilt thou grant the praiers of the godlie when they call vpon thée either for themselues or for the preseruation of thy church Wherefore bicause thou art iust O Lord lead me out of the danger of mine enimies for vnto thée doo I make my praier O thou most high possesser of heauen and earth Be not terrible vnto me O Lord for thou art God my comforter in whom I hope when I am in perill O thou finger of GOD touch my heart and vnlose the same from all worldlie vanitie Inspire me with thy grace that I may confesse the father and the sonne with thée O holie Ghost to be one GOD in persons thrée and euerlasting in vnitie who guidest and gouernest the world through thy omnipotencie whose mercies be praised for all thy benefits in the world of worlds now and for euermore Amen 30. A praier in the remembrance of death wherein the vanitie of riches is touched and the reuelation and reward of mens works is promised MAke vs O Lord to remember our end wherevnto all men by nature must come then shall we neuer doo amisse Instruct our harts in thy godlie wisedome that we may applie our time according to thy holie worde and will Defend vs from the snares of our wicked enimie the diuell Let vs not be intangled with the wicked mammon of this detestable world nor boast our selues in the multitude of our riches for they and we shall fade and fall awaie as the fresh flower that kéepeth his colour and swéet sauour for a short space but the heate of the sunne maketh it wither his beautie to perish and his flower to fall awaie Euen so shall it be with all such as put their trust in their riches they shall perish togither with their aboundance their goods maie serue them here for a short space but no man can with monie win his brother from death or make agréement vnto God for him for it cost more to redéeme their soules so that they must let that alone foreuer Onelie thy sonne Iesus Christ was our redemption which price if it well not serue the wicked for that they end in sinne our sauiour will not paie for them a second death to redéeme them withall but leue them to be tormented for euer Wherefore giue vs grace Lord that we may laie vp our riches in the hands of Christ the sure tresure house that is in the hands of the poore that we may be sure to find it againe with greater gaine when we depart out of this wretched world so shall we lay vp temporall things and receiue againe eternall For if we will be rich in good works and readie to giue and to distribute we shall laie vp for vs a good foundation against the time to come contrariewise the wicked which are now here in great glorie whose dwelling is in the night their works are hid and appéere not but at the great iudgement when Christ which is our life shall shew himselfe then shall the iust appéere with him also in glorie then shall it be cléere day-light all mens works shall appéere as they be The trée that in the winter sheweth no freshnesse shall then receiue sap from the root appéere beautifull where the flower and herbe that was in sight pleasant for a while shall wither awaie and fall Then shal the strength of the wicked consume hell shall be their dwelling in perpetuall moorning Thus wilt
be diminished For thou art so mercifull that a sinner can no sooner humble himselfe but thou receiuest him to mercie waiting as it were with patience to call him to repentance Wherefore we crie now vnto thy maiestie from the depth of our hearts most humblie beséeching thée to put all our wickednes out of thy remembrance and giue vs grace to put our onelie trust in thée from whom we looke for our deliuerance who shalt change our bodies and make them like to the most glorious bodie of thy sonne Iesus Christ to whom with thée the holie Ghost be giuen all praise honour and glorie now and for euer more Amen 39. A praier of lamentation wherein the sinner lamenteth his miserable estate and crieth for mercie MY God when I do earnestlie behold mine owne state wherevnto I am brought through sinne not onlie being naked and bare of all goodnes but also to be ouerwhelmed in the depth of all iniquitie I cannot but lament moorne and crie for helpe as dooth a woman whose time draweth néere to be deliuered of hir child for she can take no rest till she be discharged of hir burthen No more can I Lord as long as I féele my selfe loden with my heauie burthen of sinne the weight wherof draweth me downe to the déepe bottome of all miserie from whence I can by none be deliuered but onelie by thée that art the guide and the eie to those that are blind through ignorance the succor of the oppressed the comfort of the weake the life of those that are dead so that they repent and turne vnto thée It is not the long distance of vs from thy highnesse which kéepeth our praiers from thée thine eares are readie in the hearts of all that are willing to crie for the help of thy grace Who so is made farre from thée through sinne by repentance is made néere vnto thée He that is in the bottom of the sea of miserie if he beginne to call for thy helpe he shall not be suffered to sinke From all déepe dangers most mercifull God deliuer me I crie and call pitiouslie vnto thée which art onelie able to helpe me Heare therefore I most hartilie praie thée my sorowfull praier and let my poore petition pearse the eares of thy Godhed And since thy sonne Christ died for to release vs of sinne let not my sinnes be a staie whereby my praiers should not be heard but wipe them cleane awaie that they neuer more appéere For I miserable sinner doo flie to the gentlenes of thy fauourable mercie whose nature and propertie is to haue pitie compassion From thée floweth all mercie and grace which was so great vnto vs that it mooued thée to send thine onlie Sonne to die for our redemption whereby thy iustice was satisfied and thy mercie found that it sought O how feruent was this thy noble charitie to vs vile wretches It tooke root beginning in thy mightie deitie from thence it was deriued to mankind being an example that we thy christian people should like louing brethren beare one anothers burthen Wherefore I am most willinglie contented to remit all iniuries doon to me as it hath pleased thy goodnes to forgiue me much greater offenses committed against thée And whensoeuer it shall please thée to scourge and punish me I will gladlie receiue thy chastisement for that I knowe it procéedeth of loue for my wealth and suretie trusting that after my long abiding suffering in this life I shall surelie obteine thy reward by thy promise that is If we suffer with Christ we shall also reigne with him Such sure hope haue I euer had in thée Lord and by the same hope I trust to haue thy fauour and liue for euer For blessed are they that trust in thée most mercifull Father and cursed are they that trust in man Of thy grace and mercie onelie commeth all goodnes thy mercie forgiueth onelie our sinnes dailie and hourelie the painfull death of thy sonne Christ deliuereth vs from all the paines due for our sinnes Thou boughtest vs not with gold and siluer but with the pretious bloud of that lambe without spot thy blessed Sonne whose death had béene sufficient for thousands of worlds The greatnes of thy loue caused the plentifull paiment of the price of our redemption The charitie of our Lord Iesus Christ hath burnt vp and consumed by his death all our iniquities Wherefore the faithfull being thus deliuered from all dangers by thine onlie goodnesse may now giue thanks vnto thy mightie Maiestie resting in hope to haue after this life euerlasting ioie and felicitie thorough Iesus Christ our mercifull Lord and redéemer to whom with thée O deare Father the holie Ghost be giuen all honor glorie and praise now and for euer Amen 40. A praier wherein the fatherlie loue and preseruation of God is set foorth and a request that we may continue faithfull and constant vnto the end GRant vs O Lord that we may constantlie beléeue in thée that being certified by thy iustice taught by thy wisedome gouerned by thy power we may stedfastlie perseuere euen vnto the end in hope of that ioie that is set before our eies framing our liues continuallie in christian exercises that we may shew our selues thankful to thée our God with dutifulnesse to our neighbour For thy iudgements appéere manifest in this world against those that suppresse thy word and persecute thy seruants For thou dooest disappoint the lot and expectation of the wicked turning their ioie into sorrowe and the teares of the godlie into gladnesse dwelling in the harts of thy faithfull by thy holie spirit who are called thy glorie bicause thy image and the token of thy grace shineth in them Thou art a light to comfort thy people and a fire to consume thine enimies Thou art he O Christ that touchest the harts of all thy seruants mortifieng their concupiscence but to the wicked thou art the sauour of death Wherefore the faithfull desire of thée to be deliuered that thou by them maist be glorified for thou hast promised to be true and iust vnto all that trust in thée Wherefore we will take thée for our defense against all our enimies what danger soeuer we fall into Thy word giueth life vnto man causing him to sée and trie the secrets of his darke heart For thou shewest thy selfe most liberall to thine when they séeme to be most destitute kéeping them vnder thy protection that they may be safe against all dangers and frée from the cruelties of their enimies For as to the elect all things turne to their profit so to the reprobate euen those things that are good turne to their damnation As for me I will neuer boast of mine owne vertues O God but confesse that thou of thy frée goodnes hast euer bin mercifull vnto me and giuen me power against mine enimies as to one of thine household Wherefore grant me alwaies to make my praier vnto thée from the fountaine of my