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
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
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