of conuersation teach transgressors how they shall keepe thy waies and commandements and by that meanes thy Grace assisting they which now are sinners shall forsake their wickednesse and shall bee truely conuerted to thee 14 Deliuer me and quit me from my former bloody offences and keepe mee henceforth from blood guiltinesse and carnall corruptions O God my protector Thou God which art my Redeemer and Author of my Saluation and all the dayes of my life my tongue for ioy thereof shall sing vnto thee and that aloud and cheerefully and praise thy Name by extolling of thy righteousnesse who dost iustifie sinners and art mercifull to the penitent 15 O Lord who giuest wisedome to the simple Open thou my lippes which are closed by sinne from doing any seruice vnto thee and then with boldnesse my mouth shall vtter and shew forth thy praise for to thee alone belongeth all Honour and Glory 16 For thou O God desirest not that I should offer the Sacrifice of Goates and Calues to expiate my offences else would I willingly giue it and lay it on thy Altar but thou hauing by sending thy Sonne Christ Iesus abrogated the ceremonies of the Law delightest not any longer in burnt offerings but in obedience to thy Commandements 11 The Sacrifices accepted of God and whereby wee are in Christ reconciled to him are a broken and humble Spirit deiected with the sight of sinne a broken and contrite heart truly mortified and repentant O God thou hast promised that thou wilt not despise but louingly accept 18 Doe good O God in thy good pleasure and be fauourable and gratious vnto Sion thy Catholique Church Build thou vpon a sure foundation of religion and establish the hearts of thy Saints and Seruants the walles of thy Church Ierusalem 19 Then shalt thou in Christ Iesus be pleased with vs and with the Sacrifices of Righteousnesse in thy Congregation And with burnt Offerings and Oblations of our hearts Then shall they thy Seruants thus established offer bullockes the Sacrifice of praise vpon thine Altar in thy presence to the honour of thy most holy Name Glory be to the Father c. 5 Psalme 102. 1 HEare my prayer which in the bitternesse of my soule I make to thee O Lord whose mercy is the Sanctuary of distressed sinners and let nothing stand betweene that mercy and me which may hinder my cry to come to thee 2 Hide not thy face turne not away thy countenance from me as if thou wert offended at me but rather in the day of aduersity when I am in trouble and sorrow encline thine eare of pitie vnto me and that right soone and speedily 3 For my daies which I haue mis-spent are cōsumed away like smoke which for want of substance resolueth to nothing and my bones which by my broken spirit are dried vp are burnt vp as a firebrand 4 My heart is deiected and smitten with the thought of thy Iustice and it is withered with remembrance of thy Iudgements like grasse without iuyce or sap so that in this anguish of soule I forget and loath to eate my bread 5 By reason of the grieuous voyce of my groaning sighes and teares I am so consumed away that my bones for want of flesh cleaue to my skinne and I am nothing but skin and bone 6 I am for shame that I haue offended thee become in condition like a Pellican that liueth solitarily in the Wildernesse and I am like an Owle not daring to be seen but that auoideth the light and is continually in the desert shunning the company of other birds 7 I watch and sleepe not for the thought of my sinnes and am as a sparrow that caring for no company sitteth alone making grieuous lamentation in a mournfull note vpon the house top 8 Mine enemies seeing mee thus penitent reproach mee with opprobrious speeches all the day continually deriding mee and they that while I was their companion in sinne applauded mee are vpon my conuersion mad against me and doe combine and are sworne to doe me mischiefe and to that end set themselues against me 9 For this cause taking no pleasure in this world I haue eaten ashes and fed vpon course meate like as if it were fine bread and dainty fare and I haue mingled my drinke with teares weeping and lamenting for my sinnes 10 Because of thine indignation at me for them and thy wrath against my life past all this euill and more hath befallen me for thou hast lifted mee vp very high and from thence hast cast mee downe that my fall might be the greater 11 My dayes few and euill are passed like a shadow vpon a Sun-diall that declineth toward the euening and I that lately seemed to flourish am withered and dryed vp like grasse without sap for want of thy comfort 12 But thou O Lord which wert and art shalt continue immutable and shalt endure for euer while all transitory things passe and come to nothing and thy glorious workes shall be had in remembrance vnto all generations euen vnto the end of the world 13 Thou O Lord who seemest to men to sleepe shalt arise in thy strength and haue mercy and compassion vpon Sion thy Church militant now oppressed with the tyranny of Antichrist for the time to looke vpon her and fauour her is at hand yea the set time which thou hast decreed for her deliuerance is or will not be long ere it come 14 For they which bee thy true and faithfull Seruants take pleasure and delight in her stones their fellow Seruants and are glad when they see them prosper and fauour and pitie the very dust and ruines thereof when they see them vnder persecution 15 So that when they shall be deliuered from their misery the very heathen shall feare and tremble at the Name of the Lord and be conuerted to him and all the Kings and Potentates of the earth which now oppose the Truth shall acknowledge thee O Lord to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords and be afraid at the greatnesse of thy Glory and Maiestie 16 When the Lord by his almighty power shall build vp Sion and repaire the ruines of his Church he shall then to the confusion of his enemies appeare in his glory which they shall not be able to endure 17 He will then in mercy regard and hearken to the prayer of his poore seruants and the destitute of his helpe and not any longer seeme to turne away his face from them nor despise their prayer and earnest supplications 18 This mercy of his shall then be recorded and written as a remembrance for the generations to come euen to the end of the world which shall attempt the like against his Church and the people yet vnborne that shall succeed and be created in ages to come shall praise and magnifie the Lord which only doth marueilous things 19 For hee hath in mercy by sending his Sonne Christ Iesus looked downe from the height of his Sanctuary his holy place euen from
Heauen his Fathers bosome did the Lord Iesus behold the earth and had compassion vpon all the Sonnes of men 20 To heare and pitie the groaning of the prisoners such as did groane vnder the burden of the law and to loose and set at liberty by his passion and intercession those of the posterity of Adam that are appointed to suffer death for not fulfilling the same 21 To the end that they being so deliuered may declare and shew the power and the Name of the Lord which is Iesus the Sauiour in Sion his Church and magnifie and extoll his praise in Ierusalem his holy habitation 22 When the faithfull people which are yet dispersed ouer the face of the earth are gathered together and made one congregation and the Kingdomes of the earth which are yet in darknesse are instructed to serue thee the only Lord of Heauen and earth 23 He euen the Lord in the time of this expectation hath weakened and abated my strength so that I can doe no good of my selfe in the way of this my earthly pilgrimage he hath shortned and cut off my dayes by afflicting me for my sinne 24 I said yet in this weakenesse and anguish of my soule O my God withdraw not now thy mercy from me and take me not away out of this world in the midst of my dayes in the chiefe time of my strength as for thy yeeres as they are from all eternity so shall they endure throughout all generations euen for euer 25 Of old at the beginning of time hast thou of thine owne power layd and created the foundations of the earth the visible world anwd all things in it and the heauens and firmament thereof are the onely worke of thy almighty hands and power 26 They euen heauen and earth and all things in them shall passe away and perish from the forme they now haue but thou O Lord the creator of them shalt endure immutable Yea without all doubt all of them as thou hast decreed shall waxe old and consume with age like a garment long worne and as a vesture or garment shalt thou by the sound of the last trump change and dissolue them and they shall yeeld to thy power and be changed 27 But thou O Lord art the same alwayes vnchangeable and thy yeeres being from all eternity shall haue no end but continue for euer 28 The children and posterity of thy faithfull Seruants begotten by the seedes-men of thy Word shall continue in grace in this life and their righteous seed shall stand fast and be established for euer together with them in glory hereafter and enioy euerlasting happinesse before thee in thy blessed presence Glory be to the father c. 6 Psalme 130. 1 OVt of the depth of tentations dangers and sorrowes for my sinnes wherein my Spirit is almost ouerwhelmed haue I by feruent prayer cryed and called vnto thee O Lord who onely art able to giue me reliefe 2. Lord of thy mercy haste thee and heare my voyce and petition and deliuer me from my misery O my God Let thine eares of pitie and compassion be attentiue to consider and well weigh the lamentable voyce of my humble supplications and let not my prayer returne vnpitied or vnheard of thee 3 If thou Lord contrary to thy disposition shouldest be so exact and extreame as in the rigour of thy Iustice to marke the iniquities which we by our naturall corruption dayly fall into and punish vs accordingly O good Lord who none not the most vpright shall be able to answere one for a thousand or stand before thee without much horror at thy Iudgement seate 4 But for the comfort of poore wretched sinners and to keepe vs from vtter desperation we finde it recorded by the holy Spirit that There is forgiuenesse of sinnes and mercy towards sinners repenting with thee by Iesus Christ who came to saue sinners and yet this mercy of thine is tyed with such conditions that thou who also art Iust mayest be also feared lest thy lenity be abused 5 I for my part wait and confidently expect for the Lord to receiue mercy from him My sinfull but repentant soule doth wait to receiue consolation and in his Word whereby he promiseth mercy to repentant sinners doe I hope and place my whole confidence because I know that he which hath promised is Iust 6 My sinfull Soule in this expectation waiteth for the Lord and tarieth his good pleasure to comfort it more earnestly then they that in a disconsolate long night watch for the morning yea I say it againe more zealously then they that are weary of the night and watch for the light of the morning 7 Let Israel and all Gods faithfull people hope still and put their trust in the goodnesse of the Lord and not without cause For with the Lord though hee iustly take vengeance on vs for our sinnes yet there is euer was and will bee found Mercy towards penitent sinners and with him by Iesus Christ is not onely forgiuenesse for a few sinnes but plenteous redemption from the captiuity of the Deuill and sinne 8 And he euen Iesus Christ by his merits and intercession shall redeeme and saue Israel and each of his faithfull seruants from all his iniquities and the punishment due for them Glory be to the Father c. 7 Psalme 134. 1. HEare my earnest and humble Prayer O Lord which in misery I make vnto thee Giue eare and be not deafe to my supplications in the time of my distresse but in thy faithfulnesse and truth which endureth for euer answer me and grant my petition which I make not trusting in any merits of mine owne but in thy righteousnesse 2 And my further petition to thee is that thou enter not into the throne of thy Iudgement by strictly examining my misdeeds and dealing rigorously with me thy poore Seruant who hath misspent his talent for in thy all-seeing sight shall no man liuing in this vale of misery be iustified or found innocent 3 For the old enemie of mankinde the Deuill hath by his malice persecuted and sought to entrap my soule to separate it from the loue of thee he hath smitten and cast my life and soule downe to the ground and filled me full of earthly desires he hath made and caused me to dwell and take pleasure in the darkenesse of my sinnes as those that are without sence and haue beene long dead 4 Therefore O Lord considering my desperate estate is my spirit ouerwhelmed with griefe within me and my heart is disquieted within me and is also desolate and sore troubled 5 I yet in the midst of the sorrowes that are in my heart doe remember what I haue read and heard what thou hast done in the dayes of old how that thou hast beene gratious to the penitent and seuere against the vnrepentant sinner I meditate also on all thy workes but especially on that of thy mercy and I muse and exercise my selfe in contemplating on the worke
Christ himselfe to encourage this holy duty of publique prayer hath promised his presence amongst those that shall bee assembled and gathered together after this manner Therefore whosoeuer shall neglect these publique assemblies sheweth and discouereth thereby how little he regardeth Christs cōpany or presence These prayers are also distinguished into these parts 1. Inuocation 2. Confession 3. Thankesgiuing part 1 Inuocation consisteth of 1. Petitions for the good of our owne Soules in Spirituall things Bodies in Temporall things 2. Intercessions either in praying for the good or against the euill of others 3. Deprecations against euill Spirituall Temporall part 2 Confession is threefold 1. Of our Faith 2. Of the Glory of God 3. Of our owne sinnes part 3 Thankesgiuing is either 1. For deliuerance from euill 2. For Benefits receiued To these may be added part 4 Imprecation either 1. Against the enemies of God 2. against the enemies of our soules incorrigible and irrecōcileable So that these rules bee obserued 1. That it be not vsed for priuate hate or reuenge 2. That we reioyce not in any mans destruction 3. That we ayme at their correction The vse of the Lords Prayer BEcause that our SAVIOVR CHRIST hath taught vs how to pray and hath put the very wordes as it were into our mouthes which wee should vse in praying I thinke it necessary to begin with the same which he hath so left vnto vs. 1. In respect of the Excellency of the Author of it who was no lesse then God 2. In respect of the perfection of the worke it selfe the praier for it comprehendeth in it petitions for all things which we stand in need of 3. In respect of the Efficacy of this prayer in working for it cannot choose but preuaile and work much with God for none knew the minde and disposition of God better then hee which composed it which was God And let it not loose any part of the due praise which belongeth to it in regard of the compendiousnesse or shortnesse of it for it deserueth the more henour because though it be short yet is also copious and plentifull in matter and therefore the more absolute and perfect It is not therefore without cause that the Ancients haue giuen so many excellent Attributes to it As the Abridgement of the Gospell and our Faith The Interpretation of our desires and hope The very Bond of Charity And an inexhaustible Treasury Yet let not any man thinke that our Sauiour prescribed vs this prayer as that we should vse no other but be tyed to the very words contayned in it but this we must conceiue that hee made it to bridle our desires that though wee make our petitions and frame them according to our seuerall necessities yet to keepe vs in compasse that wee exceede not the limits nor vary from the extent and bounds of this prayer The vse of it is two fold 1. That we might be instructed by it what is necessary in generall to require of God and not without neede seeing wee being naturally blinde in spirituall things know not what is fit to aske and many times we craue those things as Zebedees children did which are vnworthy both of God and our selues Mat. 20.21 and might proue hurtfull also to vs if they should bee granted And therefore vnder certaine generall heads he hath bounded the desires of the flesh and taught vs after what man◅ and rule wee should square all our petitions For whatsoeuer wee shall desire against the directions therein contained disagreeth from the will of God and therefore is neither good holy not profitable 2. That wee may bee able thereby to conceiue frame and make all our prayers according to our seuerall necessities and after that petition which fitteth vs as our occasions shall alter The Lords Prayer analysed Our father 1. Chr. 29.10 A Father not a Iudge One beeing a name of goodnesse Comfortable The other of Power Terrible Who durst bee so bold as to call thee Father but that Christ did commaund it For exceeding great is thy Maiestie And exceeding great is our Pouertie But wee are bold to doe it for we come not of our selues thy Sonne Christ hath taught vs the Forme Take notice of the words they are thy Sonnes Father Luc. 3.38 1. Of all Creatures In Creation Preseruation Gouerning 2. Of Mankinde which he formed after his owne Image Gen. 1.26 9.6 3. Of Christians more especially by Grace Regeneration Eph. 1.4,5 Iam. 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 and adoption by Iesus Christ who was the Sonne of God by Nature Father There is no Father like vnto thee When my Father and mother forsake me Psa 27.10 then the Lord will take mee vp Thou art our Father Esa 63.16 though Abraham bee ignorant of vs. 49.15 Though a woman forget the Fraite of her wombe yet will not I forget thee A most indulgent Father To whom the prodigall sonne arose and went Luc. 15.18 whom the insoluant seruant besought Mat. 18.27 Though thou bee an angry Father yet a Father thou art Though I be a wastfull and disobedient sonne yet a sonne I am Though I haue lost the duty of a sonne yet hast not Thou lost the compassion and Loue of a Father Father Whom we finde so to be By his inciting vs to good Confirming vs in it Deliuering vs from tentations Reclaiming vs from sinne Crowning vs with blessings 1. If thou our Father Then are we sonnes How great what manner of Loue hast thou bestowed vpon vs 1. Ioh. 3.1 that we should be called the sonnes of God 2. If thou our Father and we the sonnes of God How great is the Honour that wee are as it were Gods 3. If thou our Father Then are we brethren to Angels as also to Men. Heb. 2.12 Saints as also to Meane men Christ himselfe as also to Poore men How great ought our Charity be Let no man therefore extoll himselfe aboue his Brethren nor be ashamed to call any man Brother whom God hath vouchsafed to call sonne 4 If thou our Father How great is our Hope What are wee to expect from thee Euen all things which a Father giueth to his Children Mat. 7.11 What are wee to render vnto thee Euen all Dutie and Obedience belonging to Children Malach. 1.6 1. Pet. 1.17 Our father In no part of this prayer is found either the word Mine or J. Our is a word of Charitie and Vnitie Let euery one therefore not only pray for himselfe but for others also considering that in so doing hee prayeth for him whom Charitie hath made as himselfe Christ bore vs all in his body let vs do the like to one another in word and deed For our selues Necessity compelleth vs to pray My Father For our brethren Charity inuiteth vs to pray Our Father In these two words Our and Father is comprehended the Law and Prophets In Father the Loue of God In Our the Loue of