gifts of grace which thou hast lent me I may yéeld a iust account with much aduantage so that I may be worthie to heare thy voiee saieng vnto me Come thou true good seruant thou hast béene faithfull in a little I will make thée ruler ouer much enter thou into thy maisters ioie O blessed and happie are they that shall be so placed of thée they haue fought a good fight and thorough Iesus Christ haue ouercome the battaile and prince of this world Therefore shall they liue and reigne with the same Christ their grand capteine bicause they tooke him for their guide in all their dooings and fought manfullie vnder his banner Thy poore soldier I am Lord and fight dailie Lord helpe me for thy mercies sake to ouercome all mine enimies Giue me O Lord a waking mind an vnderstanding hart and renue in me a right spirit which may lead me vnto thée who art the waie the truth and the life whose mercies remaine for euer whose truth indureth from generation to generation Glorie be to the father who so mercifullie created vs and to the sonne who louinglie redéemed vs and to the holie Ghost who sanctifieth vs and maketh vs blessed thrée persons and one GOD whose name be praised for euermore Amen 35. A thankesgiuing vnto God for the redemption of the world wherein is shewed from what graces he fell and how he was restored O Most holie father of heauen the onelie liuing God of power inestimable of wisdome incomprehensible to thée be honour and glorie and thanks for thy noble works in the creation of mankind and also for our redemption out of captiuitie and thraldome of the diuell by the passion of thy most deare beloued sonne Iesus Christ For thou madest Adam the first man and gauest him frée will to obeie thy commandements from the which he fell by the intisement of the diuell and by his owne stubbornes whereby he spoiled himselfe and his after commers of those godlie gifts which thou of thy mercie haddest bestowed vpon vs. Howbeit thou of thy fatherlie goodnesse diddest not vtterlie leaue him but gauest him faith to beléeue thy promises made vnto him and to vs all in Iesus Christ with grace and obedience to kéepe thy lawe By faith we beléeue in thée by charitie we worke towards our neighbour according as thou hast commanded No man liueth without sinne but happie and blessed are they to whom thou giuest thy grace not to abide and sléepe in sin but by penitence to come to a godlie conuersation Lord giue vs faith and a willing heart to follow thy holie word so that we may exercise our selues in it all the daies of our life Make vs O Lord like vnto the wise virgins that were prouided of oile in their lampes against the comming of the bridegroome Then wilt thou know vs to be thy faithfull children by election and open the gate to vs that we may enter in to our comforts Which grant vs Lord for thy blessed sonnes sake who to saue vs suffered bitter passion whose mercies be praised for his goodnes with thée O father and the holie ghost in the world of worlds now and for euer Amen 36. An other praier of praise and thankesgiuing to the same purpose aforesaid WHat liuing creature can giue condigne thankes most gratious heauenlie father for the manifold gifts which thou of thy infinite mercie and goodnes hast giuen him First for his noble creation wherein he excelleth all other earthlie creatures then for his redemption through the bitter passion and resurrection of thy most louing sonne For the which I as one of thy poore creatures most humblie giue thée thanks For had not our redemption ensued our creation it had béene much better for vs that we had neuer béene made Thy loue aboue all other was most feruent when thou diddest not spare to giue thine onelie begotten sonne for vs washing awaie all our filthines in the blood of that méeke lambe thine onelie naturall sonne who being GOD was made man to the intent that we who naturallie are the sonnes of men by him through grace might be made the sonnes of God And not being contented with this kindnesse thou also Lord considering our weake and fraile nature readie to sinne dooest with thy grace guide vs and gouerne vs as the shéepheard dooth his shéepe suffering vs not to want anie thing defending thy poore flocke from the rauening woolues that would else deuoure vs. Thy blessed sonne hath put vs to féed in the pleasant gréene and beautifull pasture of his holie church making vs to rest in the vnitie thereof by a liuelie faith and hope in him Which church is verie plentifull abounding with all spirituall meate of the word of God which nourisheth and giueth life to the soule as bread and other food féedes the bodie With this food thou diddest féed the prophet Ezechiel when thou diddest cause him to eate a booke wherewith his bowels were filled and it séemed in his mouth swéeter than honie In this pasture runneth also a fresh and pleasant riuer of running water of godlie doctrine wherewith we often doo refresh our soules In this also is a water of spirituall washing by baptisme whereby we were woonderfullie refreshed in our youth For our soules being made foule through the diuell and sinne by baptisme are repaired and made beautifull according to the first creation that is to thy likenesse and image and by this water we are replenished with thy holie spirit This water saw the prophet Ezechiel long ago gushing foorth of the right side of the temple and grew to a great riuer that no man could wade ouer to which water whosoeuer we come was made whole Euen so in the water of our baptisme we were borne againe in the water of godlie doctrine we are nourished and without these we are but dead in sinne and wickednesse and at the end shall go to euerlasting death but these waters are to vs a well springing vp vnto euerlasting life And if at anie time by our frailiie we fall into sinne yet is thy mercifull sonne readie to receiue vs to his grace and quicken our soules if we be sorowfull and penitent By which grace he maketh vs also to knowe how to loue him and not to estéeme the pleasures of this world but to haue our eies onelie fixed vpon him So that with thine apostle Paule we account all things but losse that we may winne Christ and be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse but that which springeth of the faith which is in Iesus Christ Whose grace if we haue though we walke in the vallic and shadow of death yet we feare none euill for thou art with vs. This life is a shadow of death after which we trust by faith to dwell with thée Neuerthelesse whilest we are here thou art with vs and thy sonne hath also promised to be with vs vnto the end of the world his rod of discipline and correction dooth chasten vs
Wherefore grant vnto me from hencefoorth to liue in thy feare all the daies of my life and to end this pilgrimage in faith and truth to the glorie of thy holie name Which grant vs O deare father for thy deare sonne Iesus Christs sake who is blessed with thée O father To whom with thée and the holie Ghost be giuen all honour praise world without end Amen 27. A praier vnto the sonne of God wherein the soule is comforted by the rehearsall of Christs manifold benefits O My soule inforce thée with all thy strength to set foorth the noble praises of the Lord thy GOD and redéemer Thou hast within thée manie goodlie gifts of nature and grace which giue thée occasion neuer to cease from giuing of thanks Forget not these beneficiall gifts which he hath giuen thée for of forgetfulnesse commeth vnvnthankefulnesse which vnkindnes maketh thée not worthie to enioie that is giuen thée Consider my soule first the miserable estate wherein thou wast brought by sinne Thou wast the enimie of God the bond-seruant of the diuell and subiect to death euerlasting From this hath thy mercifull brother Iesus Christ being both GOD and man deliuered thée making satisfaction for all thy sinnes through his death and passion What greater loue could he shewe than to die for thée whereby he driueth awaie all thine offenses If thou set before thine eies the multitude of thy sinnes then shalt thou also behold the benefits and goodnes of thy redéemer Giue him therefore the sacrifice of praise and glorifie him for therein he delighteth not for his profit but for thine not for that he is anie thing thereby aduanced but that dooing thy dutie by faith thou maist be made partaker of ioie euerlasting with him And though he send thée manie aduersities in this world thinke that he loueth thée for if he did not he would leaue thée to sinke in thine owne sinne to the vtter losse both of bodie and soule But he hath saued thy life from euerlasting destruction he hath redéemed thée with his most pretious blood he died for thy sinnes and rose againe for thy iustification Loue him therefore my soule and magnifie him all the daies of thy life Put thy whole affiance in him and feare no violence of enimies for although they assault thée yet can they not vanquish thée For he that through his mercie and louing kindnesse hath giuen thée power by him to vanquish thine enimies will not faile after thy fight and victorie to reward thée with a crowne of glorie and immortalitie When death thy last enimie shall be ouercome then shalt thou be admitted to the ioifull companie of angels and saints in heauen there to haue more ioie and comfort than hart can wish When the glorie of the Lord shall appeare then shalt thou be fullie satisfied to thy contentation His countenance shall replenish thée with all ioâ—e Wherfore my soule whilest thou art in this present life ioined with thy fraile and heauie carcase giue thanks louinglie to thy gentle redéemer for his vnspeakeable kindnesse His grace is readie at hand at thy call fight therefore manfullie and mightilie against all sinfull concupiscence and vice put off the old man and leaue all the works of darkenes put on the new man arme thée with the armor of light Beginne a new life and flie vnto Christ the strong tower and sure rocke leaue all worldlie pleasures and vanities and call for his grace and doubt not but he will make thée liue a new spirituall life and giue thée immortallitie both of soule and bodie in heauen euerlastinglie where thou shalt continuallie behold the face of God to the fulnesse of all thy ioie and contentation Stand fast in this hope and mistrust not the mercies of GOD call to remembrance the ancient goodnes of thy heauenlie father which is all one with the mercie of his sonne and the holie Ghost Behold how mercifull and beneficiall he hath euer bin to those that beléeue and trust in him For looke how high the heauen is from the earth so great is his mercie also to them that feare him How much are we bound to serue this our God in Christ by whom we haue receiued redemption He is a God of all gods mightie and terrible which accepteth no persons nor taketh rewards Thou doost right vnto the fatherlesse and helpest the stranger that is in distresse Come vnto me most louing God and sauiour helpe and fight thou for me let not mine enimies haue the victorie ouer me Powre foorth thy grace vpon my corrupt nature and I shall be purged from all wickednesse I am almost dead in sinne quicken me and giue me life againe sithence thou art God the author of life and health for none can doo it but thou alone my God and sauiour then shall my toong praise thy righteousnesse O Lord God without ceasing Amen 28. Another praier vnto the sonne wherein the miseries of this our mortall life are remembred O Most louing Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that art the verie naturall sonne of the almightie heauenlie father God of God light of light a God thou art without beginning a Lord from euerlasting before the mountains were brought foorth or euer the earth and the world were made whose kingdome likewise shall endure world without end Thou Lord I saie that art equall with thy father in power and glorie didest not disdaine to become man among men to the intent thou wouldest by suffering painfull passion be the refuge of mankind from one generation to another The yoong chickens when the kite striketh at them haue none other refuge but to run dickering vnder the wings of the hen no more hath mankind anie other defense against his rauening enimies but onelie the couering of thy grace and the shadowe of thy most pretious passion which is vnto vs a strong tower and sure shield of defense against all inuasions This grace mercifull Lord we humblie beséech thée to send vs that by turning thy fauourable countenance vpon vs we may knowe our owne infirmities and leauing all pleasure in vile temporall things we may turne to thée that art our Sauiour and redéemer our God and our brother Make vs to knowe in what miserie in what trouble and in how manie kind of displeasures we lead our liues here continuallie vntill the time that age or sicknesse commeth vpon vs at which time thou wilt call vs saieng Ye children of Adam returne ye now againe into the earth from whence ye came This is the debt due vnto nature Of earth we came in the earth we trauell of earth we liue and into earth me must returne againe For the life of man is to be likened vnto a night watchman that when his houre is past taketh his rest Thus fareth it by the life of man who first passeth awaie his childhood next in youth the third in manhood the fourth in age which vanisheth awaie like smoke that passeth awaie out of the chimneie For as
heart that I offend thée not through hypocrisie And though the wicked deale rigorouslie with me yet I beséech thée let me find comfort from thée for hitherto hast thou strengthened me against my outward and inward enimies so that all the world shall confesse that thou hast wonderfullie preserued me and performed thy promise For thou dooest euer guide me with thy hand that I can turne no waie but where thou appointest me Thy prouidence doth so fast hold me that I cannot by anie meanes escape from thée Thou hast made me in all parts and therfore must néeds know me Wherefore considering thy wonderfull worke in forming me I cannot but praise thée and feare thy mightie power who art the creator of all things the kéeper of iustice the louer of right the hater of malice beholding from the high throne of thy Maiestie the children of men Bow downe thine eare O mercifull Father I humblie beséech thée and heare me thy seruant whom thou hast hitherto brought vp frō my tender age and deliuered me vntill this daie from the hands of the wicked whose rage was furious vntill thou brakest their force I set my hope in thée O God and life euerlasting knowing that these earthlie things shall perish hauing a sure hope that both my soule and bodie shall inioy thy presence O God of my saluation in the last resurrection Then shall I féele thy mercies and answere when thou callest me Wherefore I set all my felicitie and ioie in that I am vnited with thée O God and shall inioie thy presence so that I reiect all other things saue that which furthereth me to attaine to thy heauenlie treasures which is sure and cannot be found in anie but in thée alone whose praise shall indure for euer world without end Amen 41. A praier wherein the sinner praieth for grace that he may make a godlie end BLessed Father of heauen fountaine of all grace and goodnes that art rich in mercie and plentifull in giuing the same to all that doo faithfullie call vpon thy holie name O good God thou hauing a sonne no lesse rich in power wisedome knowledge and mercy than thou art thine owne selfe diddest not spare to send him from thy heauenlie palace downe to the earth into the wombe of a virgine for the saluation of mankind to declare thine aboundant loue towards vs. Thou diddest for our sakes make him poore which before was rich to the intent that we which before were verie poore should by his pouertie be made rich that he which before was all one with thée in thy diuine substance might now be made one with vs that are members of the bodie whereof he is the head Hearken good Lord giue eare vnto my praier let my petition ascend vp before the sight of thy Maiestie The comming of thy mercifull son did make me thine but the vilenes of mine owne acts hath cast me downe and made me verie miserable The greatnes of mine offenses hath caused thée to turne awaie thy face from me withdrawing thy grace which was the cause of the good works I did Thou canst find no good thing in me worthie of thy fauour wherfore Lord behold the face of Christ thy deare Sonne my mediator for his sake giue me that which of my selfe I am much vnworthie to obteine of thée Looke on me with thy pitifull eie and in the time of my trouble incline thine eare and heare me My old enimie daily assalteth me and vexeth me Wherefore I will not cease to call vpon thée dailie but speciallie at the houre of my death Lord heare me defend me at which time my cruel enimie will most busilie inuade me At that instant Lord looke vpon me with the eie of thy mercie now whilest I am in this wretched world I craue not of thée aboundance of earthlie goods but as honest necessitie dooth require but the aboundance of thy grace in this life This hast thou of thy méere liberalitie promised to grant to all that in stedfast faith call vpon thée This hastie calling vpon thée dooest thou delight in for thou art as redie to answer me as I am to call vpon thée Wherefore make spéed in hearing as I am bold to call vpon thée for I confesse O Lord I haue left thy holie word and commandements which is as bread vnto the soule giuing nutriment and moisture by faith and charitie and haue eaten of the trée which thou forbadest me I haue with our father Adam followed the illusions of the serpent tasted of sin but thy blessed sonne my sauiour Iesus Christ hath shed his bloud for vs whereby we are restored vnto thy grace mercie and fauour through the sacrament of baptisme if we hartilie repent He quickneth vs which before were dead in sinne he slaieth and can raise againe he striketh and healeth as he did Paule in his persecution How much therefore are we bound to his grace that without anie deseruing on our parts willinglie offered himselfe to the death for our redemption and to thy maiestie also who didst not spare thine onelie begotten sonne but of thy pure pittie sentedst him downe to suffer the most vile death of the crosse for our sakes Wherefore I am much ashamed to lift vp my eies to heauen towards thy highnesse being so vnkind to thée againe so manie waies I haue loued the works of darkenes and therefore I fled from the light of the bright sunne of iustice for which cause doo I sigh sorrowe and bewaile my wretchednes in the bitternesse of such thoughts for feare of thine anger towards me knowing that at the time of thy comming to the dreadfull generall iudgement the storme of thine indignation shall go forth and fall downe vpon the heads of the vngodlie Thou liftest me vp of a great hight in that thou thou madest me like vnto thine image touching my reasonable soule and hast giuen me power by thy grace to inherit euerlasting ioies of heauen both bodie and soule if I liued here after thy rommandements What greater gift canst thou giue me Lord than to haue the fruition of thée But alas I beare so heauie and erthlie fraile bodie ioined to my noble soule that my heart and mind is drawne downe from the consideration of thy goodnes and from well dooing vnto all kind of vices Wherefore Lord grant me that in the shadow of this life I may haue grace to sée light and to know thée thy waies and thy holie word which giueth light and vnderstanding vnto babes for after this life there is no place nor time left of repentance And since my time is here but short continue thy grace towards me that I may liue in thy feare all the daies of my life and end my life in thy fauour who doost indure for euer and thy remembrance through all generations world without end Amen Amen 42. A praier against the offenses of this world MY hart shall praise thée O GOD for my soule is in loue with thy maiestie
iustlie prouoked thy wrath and indignation against me And now I how the knées of my hart vnto thée most mercifull and heauenlie father beséeching thée for Iesus Christ his sake to forgiue me all my sinnes negligences and ignorances For I confesse how wickedlie I haue mispent the talent that thou gauest me abusing thy gifts of grace manie waies burieng the same in obscure darknesse woorse than the seruant that hid his maisters treasure not putting it to anie increase for he deliuered the principall againe But I most miserable creature can shew vnto thy maiestie no part of that which thou gauest me to vse to thine honor and glorie for the which I am most hartilie sorie and doo vnfeinedlie repent hauing no meane to helpe my selfe but onelie to lift vp the eies of my faith vnto thy deare sonne Iesus Christ beséeching him most instantlie to make perfect my wants and to renue whatsoeuer is lacking in me For I commit my bodie and soule this night and euermore into his most holie hands hoping O Christ thou wilt make me an acceptable sacrifice vnto thy father I haue no place to flie vnto but to shrowd me vnder the wings of thine almightie power who wast so louing vnto vs that thou wast contented to shed thy most pretious bloud for the sinnes of the whole world for the which I most humblie and hartilie yéeld vnto thée thanks honor praise and glorie O lambe of God sonne of the father heare thou me thou that saiedst I am thy health and saluation I am thy peace and life cleaue fast vnto me and thou shalt liue O Lord I am the woonded man and thou art the good Samaritane powre oile into my wounds and bind them vp Lord heale thou me and I shall be whole for thou art my God and Sauiour Heare thou therefore my supplications from heauen and haue mercie Take from me all my sinnes and wickednesse and giue me thy grace and holie spirit Lighten mine eies that I sléepe not in death so shall I ioiefullie after this sluggish sléepe of sinne rise againe liuing in thy feare all the daies of my life Which grant me to doo O Father Sonne and holie Ghost thrée persons and one true GOD world without end Amen 5. Against the temptation of the diuell and for Gods fauour and grace O Lord preserue me that I fall not into temptation neither let me be as one of them that contemne thy word falling from thée but arme me with an inuincible strength and constancie so shall I be sure that all the powers of the world shall not ouercome me For there is none in heauen earth or hell that can doo anie thing but as thou giuest them power Séeing that all are thy creatures thou must néeds gouerne and guide them Thy mercie O God almightie is also annexed to thy diuine nature for when all mankind was lost and dead in sinne then diddest thou sitting in thy celestiall throne looke downe to the earth vpon our miserable state and loosedst vs from the bands of the diuell and sendedst downe thine onlie begotten sonne that by his death he might deliuer from death such as worthilie were the children of death for the which I praise thée and doo confesse from the bottome of my hart that our deliuerance commeth onlie of thée O God and not by mans power Wherefore I will not come emptie into thy presence but with all humilitie I offer vnto thée my troubled spirit for mine offenses and this sacrifice I am sure thou wilt not despise for I confesse my selfe ignorant till thou hast taught me O Lord. My heart is also variable and separated from thée Ioine my soule and bodie to thée O God and confirme me in thine obedience for I desire not to liue but to serue thée as I ought which we cannot doo aright except thou open our eies I respect no man but set thée alwaies before me as the chéefe helper and iudge of my dooings Certeinlie we can doo nothing of our selues but when thou O God doost inwardlie instruct vs by thy holie spirit then féele we thy graces swéeter than the honie and the honie combe There is no acception of persons with thée but all people that feare thée and worke righteousnesse thou wilt accept If we be thine thou Lord wilt strengthen vs with all power and blesse vs with all felicitie But thy indignations are most constant against the wicked and passe all our vnderstanding for thou O God neuer forsakest anie that séeke vnto thée Therfore man is cause of his owne destruction Giue me thy fauour and be mercifull vnto me for thine owne sake grant me thy heauenlie wisedome and grace to be gouerned by thy holie word which if I follow I shall haue all prosperitie corporall and spirituall bringing foorth such fruits as haue life I acknowledge that all my acts thoughts or anie part of my life cannot be hid from thée O God though thou séemest to be farre off so that they are euidentlie knowne to thée for thou O GOD vnderstandest my meaning before I speake and sendest the dewes of thy grace vpon me which causeth me to bring foorth the fruits of good works to thine honour and the helpe of my neighbor for it is of thy power strength and grace when I doo anie thing that is good and not of mine owne power There is none good but thou alone thou killest and giuest life thou woundest and makest whole neither is there anie that can speake a word except thou giue it him nor none can saue himselfe by his owne labour nor anie worldlie meanes Wherfore I will rest in thée as mine onelie God through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen 6. A praier for faith and for Gods helpe and assistance at his good pleasure O Lord GOD almightie which by thy power wisedome hast made all the world and dooest gouerne the same and all that therein is from thy holie heauens wherein thou dwellest looke fauorablie vpon vs and grant that in temptation we may haue faith to fight against the diuell and all his false suggestions and to crie inwardlie vnto thée with groning alwaies aiding vs with thy holie spirit to be humble in all afflictions with true repentance For when all mans helpe dooth faile thou O God wilt helpe vs euen as it were by a miracle if we call vpon thée with an vpright conscience Lord grant vs neuer to require more of thée than is necessarie neither to séeke to separate thy power from thy will least we should tempt thée for though thy helpe dooth not presentlie appeare yet hast thou sowen and laid vp in store for vs. We will therefore be mindfull of thy benefits and onelie trust in thy defense for though the wicked rage against thée O God yet those that be thy children shall praise thy name and mightie power For the more liberallie that thou O God dooest deale with thy people the more doost thou punish them that abuse thy benefits For