thée in ioy and the right vse of al thy gifts with the good seruant in the mid night of death which shall suddenly steale vpon me like a theefe ere I beware Be thou to me at that time of neede O Lord a tower of strength a place of refuge and a God to defend mee euery manner of way and namely against that face of the feend who like a roring lion will be then ready to deuoure me against desperation which then wil be ready to grieue assault me Let theÌ„ thy comfort cleaue fast vnto mee thy mercie kéepe mée and thy grace guide me Then especially recouer againe Lord God the Father that which thy puissant might hath shapen Fetch then againe Lord GOD the Sonne that which thou hast so wisely gouerned and bought with thy precious bloud Take againe thou Lord God holy Ghost that which thou hast kept preserued so louingly in this region of sinne and vale of miserie three persoÌ„s and one very GOD vnto whom be praise and honour for euer and euer Amen A Psalme wherein the sinner desireth ot bee heard of God HOwe long O Lord shall my mind be pressed downe with painefull sorrowes How long O God wilt thou reiect my prayers which daylie I powre out before thée wilt thou Lord heare me at no time or wilt thou now cease to shew mercie Hast thou O Lord cast me away for euer and wilt thou neuer hereafter bee pleased with me Thy hand is not weakned but it may helpe and thine eares are not stopped that they should refuse to heare I beséech thée O my God for Iesus Christes sake to regard the teares that fall let the sighings and inward desires of my heart mooue incline thée to heare mee I haue béen a stubborne froward childe to thée I haue not feared thée but haue béen euer disobedient stubborne against thee I am in prison and bound in fetters of sorrow and so shal be til thou with thy gracious presence shalt vouchsafe to visite mee and bring me againe to libertie ioy Keepe thy mercie therefore for me always O Lord and the couenant which thou hast made with mée oh let it be surely performed Keepe mee Lord from sinne and so shall I dread neither death nor hell and as thou hast béen alwayes mercifull to penitent sinners so now good Lord forgiue me my sinnes Keepe my heart to thee and then shall it reioyce in thy mercie because thou hast looked on mee and hast regarded my soule in my great distresse Let mee neuer hereafter goe away from thy waies and leaue me not now in the déepenes of my troubles Loe now be the daies of health and grace now is the accepted time for in death who remembreth thee O Lord or in hell who shall praise thee Lord beholde therefore my weaknesse and frailnesse best knowne vnto thee and looke downe from heauen vpon the sorrow and heauines of me thy poore creature Mollifie my heart O Lord GOD that I may returne to thee and walke in thy waies for I haue wandred too long in the way of sinners Make a perpetuall league with me that thou wilt put thy feare into my heart that I neuer swarue from thée againe O Lord my prayers be euer vnto thee let thy anger bee turned from mee that I may finde fauour in thy sight O Lord looke thou not vpon the hardnes of my hart but as thou art a mercifull God so now bee mercifull vnto me and forgiue me that wherein I haue offended thée A Prayer MOst righteous God and merifull father in Christ for thy great mercie sake hearken to these my humble prayers which I make before thée and consâ—der Lorde the desires and thoughts of my hart Let my loud cryings come vnto thée let mine vnfained prayers enter into thine eares Heare me O Lord for I am destitute of thy helpe Take care for my soule saue me thy seruant which wholly trusteth in thee Haue mercie O Lord haue mercie vpon me for I will neuer cease crying vnto thée for thy helpe and mercie In the day time â—ll I call on thee and in the night my crie shall not be hid from thee O thou God of the Heauens and maker of all creatures heare me a most wretched sinner calling on thee and take away from mee all my sinnes and make stedfast my faith and confidence in thée in thy merciful promises that I putting my trust in them may haue as thou hast promised euerlasting life thorough Christ Iesus thy Son our Lord. Amen A Psalme that may bee sayd For Euening Prayer COnsider and heare mee O Lord my God lighten the eies of my soule that I sléepe not in death for if I bee cast downe they that trouble me wil reioyce at it Defend mee therefore O God from the way of the vngodly and out of the hands of the vnrighteous and cruâ— man deliuer me Euen in thy feare doe I worship O Lord toward thy holy temple bee mercifull vnto me and heare the request of my heart For happy are they whom thou hearest and regardest in the needfull time of trouble Haue mercy vpon me O God haue merce vpon me euen as thou hast promised to them that loue thy name I will call on thée O Lord my strength I 〈◊〉 trust in thée O thou ground of my saluation Keepe thy seruant therefore O Lord from presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion ouer mee and so shall I be vndefiled innocent from the great offence Let I beséech thee O Lord the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart bee alwaies acceptable in thy sight O Lord God my strength and my redéemer â—â—t my prayers bee set forth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be an euening sacrifice O Lord graunt mee thy light that I being deliuered from the darknesse of sinne may come to the very light which is Christ Turne thee vnto mee O Lord and shew mee the light of thy countenance Yea Lord heare my praier also I beséech thée And let my crie come vnto thée O Lord God I beséech thée for Christ Iesus sake to lighten my darknes both outward and inward of thy great goodnesse to deliuer me from all the dangers of this night either bodily or spirituall that thou being my sauiour in watching and my kéeper in sleeping I may wake in Christ and rest in peace through thy sonne Iesu Christ who liueth and raigneth with thee in vnitie of the holy ghost world without end Amen O Lord into thy handes I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of truth A prayer of a sinner to be sayd dayly before hee goeth about any worldly busines O My celestiall Father be now mercifull vnto mée thy repentant sinfull seruant fled from mine enemies to thy helpe and succour Impute not vnto me my sinnes for Christs sake for I haue heard thy Fatherly voyce and yet
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
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
sicke thou canst heale me Though I bee dead and buried thou canst reuiue mee For thy mercie is much more then mine iniquitie Thou canst forgiue me more then I can offend Therefore O Lord do not consider nor haue respect to the number of my sins and to the grieuousnes therof but according to the greatnes of thy mercie forgiue mee and haue mercie on me most wretched sinner Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation and the rather speak this again because thou hast said and alwayes performed it I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee liue and bee conuerted and turne to me O Lord be not angrie with me I pray thée most meeke father for thy great mercie sake yea I most humbly beseech thée that thou wouldest for Christ Iesus sake vouchsafe to bring me to blisse that neuer shall cease Amen Another Prayer O Bountifull Iesu O sweete Iesu O Iesu the sonne of the pure Virgin Mary full of mercie and truth after thy great mercy haue pittie on mee I pray thée by the same precious bloud which for vs miserable sinners thou wast content to shed on the altar of the crosse that thou wilt vouchsafe cleane to remoue and take away all my wickednes and not to despise mee I humbly requiring this and that in and for thy most holy and blessed name O Lord Iesus This name of thine Iesus is the name of health what is Iesus but a Sauiour O my Sauiour Iesus Christ that hast created and redéemed me with thy precious bloud suffer me not to be damned whom thou hast made of naught and whom thou hast redéemed with a most precious ransome Oh let not my wickednesse destroy that thy almightie goodnes hath made and formed Lord Iesu reknowledge that which is thine indéed and wipe cleane away that which withdraweth or withholdeth me from thée Now and in all time of mercie haue mercie one mee and confound not me in the time of thy terrible iudgemēt And though I wretched sinner for my most grieuous offences haue by thy very iustice deserued eternall paine yet I doe appeale from that exact righteousnesse of thine to thy singular goodnesse and stedfastly trust in thine vnspeakeable mercie wherefore I pray thée as a louing father and mercifull Lord to take pittie on me Lord Iesu what profit is my bloud séeing I must descend into eternall corruption eternally They that bee dead shall not magnifie thee nor likewise all they that go to hell O most mercifull Iesu haue mercie on me therefore and deliuer me yea be alwayes comfortable vnto me and accept me a wretched sinner into the number of them that shall be saued And fith thou art the health of all them that trust in thee and thou hast giuen grace in some measure to beléeue haue mercie on me endue me with thy grace wisedome charitie chastitie and humilitie yea and in all mine aduersities vphold me with stedfast patience so that I may sincerely loue thee and in thée waite and looke to be glorified and haue mine onely delight in thee world without end Amen Another Prayer O Glorious King which among thy Saints art praised and neuerthelesse incomparable thou art in vs Lord and thy name hath béene called vpon by vs. Therefore doe not forsake vs Lord God and in the day of iudgement vouchsafe to glorifie vs among thy saints and elect O blessed King Amen If thou be sicke or in tribulation say thus LOrd God which doest punish and scourge thy people not after their deseruing neither yet to destroy them but to conuert them mercifully to thée and yet notwithstanding knowest that thorough our frailties wee are readie in the middest of thy corrections to fall away graunt vs we pray thée and that for Iesus Christs sake the strength and comfort of thy blessed spirit that to the glorie of thy name other mens good and our owne consolation wee may both patiently beare and graciously profit by and at the last bee mightily deliuered from this maladie which worthily wee doe suffer as the chastisement of our sinne and the time of faith Amen A very godly and necessarie prayer to bee sayde most specially at the houre of death O LORD Iesu Christ which art the health of all men liuing and euerlasting life to them that beléeue in thée and dye in thy faith I wretched sinner giue ouer and submit my selfe wholy vnto thy most blessed will I being sure by the promises of thy worde and the pledge of thy spirit that the thinge cannot perish which is committed to thy mercie In full perswasion whereof O Lord giue me grace that willingly I may leaue this fraile and wretched flesh in hope of the resurrection which in most perfect manner shall restore it mee againe And further I beséech thée most mercifull Lord that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soule against all temptations And that thou wilt so couer and defend mée with the buckler of mercie against all assaultes of the Diuel that he may not any manner of way preuaile vpon me I see and acknowledge there is in my selfe no hope of saluation but all my confidence hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnes I haue no merites nor good workes at all which I may any manner of way alleadge before thée sinnes and euill workes alas I sée a great yea an innumerable and infinite heape notwithstanding through thy mercie I trust to be in the number of them to whom thou wilt not impute their sinnes but take and accept me for righteous and iust and to be the inheritour of euerlasting life in and by the obedience of thy sonne and my Sauiour who was borne for my sake who did suffer both hunger and thirst for my sake who did both preach and teach for my sake who did pray and fast for my sake who did all good workes and déedes for my sake who suffered most grieuous and painfull torments for my sake and finally who gaue his most precious body to dye and bloud to bee shed vpon the crosse for my sake Now therefore most mercifull Sauiour I humbly beséech thee which hast giuen thy selfe for mee to make all these things and euery other grace of thine which thou hast fréely giuen me profitable to me and powerfull in me Let thy bloude clense mee and wash away the spottes and foulenes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide and couer my vnrighteousnes by the merits of thy passion and bloud which I acknowledg to be the onely price of satisfaction for my sins offences Strengthen me so good Lord by thy grace that my faith and saluation in thy bloud wauer not in me but may euer bée firme and constant Lord let not the hope of thy mercie and life euerlasting euer decay in mee but let it alwayes rest and be felt pourefully in me and that euen to and in the last gaspe And graunt further I pray thée that charitie ware not cold in me finally that the
will thy might to resist all errour and wicked imaginations thy wisedome to know the truth For I confesse and knowe O Lord that all worldly wit policie knowledge and strength is but foolishnes in thy sight Therefore I aske and continually craue good Lord that helpe and most humbly desire that thy holy spirit may guide all the imaginations thoughts and desires of my heart not onely altering in me my fleshly minde but also inabling me in body soule and spirit to serue thy blessed maiestie for this I know the most perfect amongst men lacking thy wisedome are nothing worth And great reason because the thoughts of mortall men are miserable and our forecastes are vncertaine And why Our nature surely is so vitiated and our will so depraued and our vnderstanding so corrupted that it museth most yea altogether on vaine things Therefore good Lord I beséech thée comfort my sicke soule that it may walke in thy lawes and wayes and worke thy will And Lord like as thou knowest the secrets of my heart and the desires of the same and séest indéede that I would verie earnestly walke in thy trueth and worke the workes of the same truth so Lord I beseech thee refresh my soule according to thy mercifull calling where thou saidst Come to me all that labour and are laden and lowly of heart and you shall finde rest to your soules and I shall refresh you O Lord I miserable sinner would gladly labour in acceptable wayes and haue some care that my good will and desire might not swarue from thée but bee wholy bent towardes thée and like as thou knowest the same to bee vnfained in mee because it is thine own worke So Lord refresh me with thy mercifull grace that now and for euer I may bée stedfast in the true faith and that I may be alwayes obedient vnto thy lawes and commaundements and that I may neuer swarue from the holy and blessed ordinances of thy true and catholike Church which is thy spouse and for the most part speaketh thy words of truth and life but that I may vse them receiue them and honour thée in them so farre forth as they concerne thy worship and are according vnto thy most holy will and pleasure as in things which thou hast left to declare thy loue vnto vs and by them to assure our hope and to exercise our faith that it should not bee idle nor wauering whereunto howsoeuer I bee proue thorough the corruption of my nature and Satans malice against me as I am on the other side vnwilling and vnable to doe that which is good yet O Lord sith all things are possible with thée though they séeme neuer so vnpossible to vs help and reach out thy most mightie and mercifull hand O most louing father I know that by my sins I am not worthie thy blessed comfort nay I am most worthie to be depriued of that and all other fauours but Lord sith thou hast said that in what houre soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sins thou wouldest no more remember them and also thou wouldest not despise the sighing of a contrite heart I am bold in confidence and trust of thy mercie méekly and with a lowly heart to call to thée for grace and helpe in this troublous time of temptation and trying of our faith I am as one laden yea ouer laden with ignorance not knowing the height of thy heauenly misteries nor the deceitfull déepnes of the craftie and subtill arguments and perswasions of my ghostly enemies which daylie doe assault my sinfull soule and so burden the same that it can finde no rest Therefore O Lord like as thou knowest my will and heartie desire is to serue thée notwithstanding these suggestions within me and without me and that I haue a desire to liue and dye in thy most holy faith so Lord I beséech thée neuer suffer the subtill perswasions contrarie to thy truth to take place or roote in my heart But like Lord as thou hast created my heart and giuen me in som measure a will to order the same according to thy blessed will so Lord I humbly yéeld the same againe into thy hands desiring thée by thy holy spirit so to direct my wayes words and workes that now and alwayes they may be accepcable in thy sight And good Lord suffer not my soule to perish which thou hast bought so dearely with thy most precious bloud for the which great mercie sake of thine heretofore shewed vnto mee haue mercie on me continually and mak mee poore in spirit and low of heart and content with my vocation submitting my selfe wholy into thy hands so that my desire may bee to thy will and that no desire remaine in me but onely to doe thy will and pleasure And grant I beséech thée that I may haue none other trust but only in thée which art onely to be trusted and all trust it selfe and none besides thée Graunt further O Lord that my poore soule may rest in thée yea in thée alone for thou hast sayd they shall neuer be confounded that put their trust in thée which trust Lord graunt me neuer to forsake for any vaine trust or temptation or tribulation that may any manner of way fal out to vexe my poore soule but graunt me thy holy spirit to comfort and defend mee from all things that should procure thy displeasure As thou art in Trinitie one God and Lord ouer all which liuest and raignest world without end To thée bee all honour glorie and praise for euer Amen A prayer that wee may haue the feare of God before our eyes in all our doings O Almightie and euerlasting God thy holy word teacheth vs that thou art not onely a father but also a Lord not onely a forgiuer but also a reuenger not onely a Sauiour but also a iudge and as thou being a father a forgiuer and a Sauiour doest pardon and shewe mercie so thou being a Lord a reuenger and a iudge punishest and condemnest Neither doth thy holy scripture onely set foorth vnto vs a Gospell which comforteth vs quickneth vs sheweth vs glad and ioyfull tidings forgiueth our sinnes and quieteth our consciences and bringeth vs vnto euerlasting life but also a law which reproueth accuseth condemneth vs woundeth and slayeth our conscience yea and throweth vs down headlong into the déepe dungeon of hell And as the holy Gospell lifteth vs vppe and maketh vs glad with the hope of remission and forgiuenes of our sinnes so doth the lawe plucke vs downe and almost driue vs vnto desperation for feare of thy plagues and euerlasting punishments so that we not onely loue thée as a father a forgiuer a Sauiour but also feare thée as a Lord a reuenger a iudge For asmuch therefore O most gracious God and merciful Sauiour and most righteous iudge as this doth so mightily put away sinne and make vs to walke in the way of thy commaundements namely reuerently to feare thée and to stand in awe
mée iudging mée according vnto the same I were not able to suffer or abide it but must needes perish and be damned for euer So little helpe comfort or sucour is there either in me or in any other creature whatsoeuer Only this is my cōfort O heauenly father the thou diddest not spare thy only dearely beloued Son but diddest giue him vp vnto the most bitter most vile and slaunderous death of the Crosse for mee that so hee might in his obedience pay the ransome for my sinnes satisfie thy iudgement still and pacifie thy wrath recōcile mée vnto thée againe purchase mée thy grace and fauour and euerlāsting life Wherefore through the merites of his most bitter death and passion through his innocent bloudshedding I beséech thee O heauenly Father that thou wilt vouchsafe to bee gracious mercifull vnto mee to forgiue and pardon me all my sinnes to lighten my heart with thy holy Spirit to renew confirme and strengthen mee with a right and stedfast faith and to enflame mee in loue towardes thee and my neighbour for thy sake that I may henceforth with a willing and a glad heart walke as it becommeth mee in the obedience of thy most godly and most blessed Commandements and so glorifie and praise thée euerlastingly and also that I may with a frée conscience a quiet spirit in al manner of temptations afflictions and necessities and euen in the very pangs of death boldly faithfully say I beleeue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate Was crucified dead and buried Hée descended into hell The third day hée rose againe from the dead Hee ascended into Heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie from thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beléeue in the holy Ghost The holy Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie And the life euerlasting Amen But O Lord heauenly Father to comfort my selfe in afflictions temptations with the assured féeling of these Articles of the Christiā faith it is not in my power for faith is thy gift And therefore forasmuch as thou wilt be praied vnto and called vpon for it I come vnto thée to pray and beséech thée both for that for al my other necessities bodily and spirituall euen as thy dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus himselfe hath taught vs and from the very bottome of my heart I cry and say vnto thée Our Father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will bée done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dailie bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen vnto the lappe of thy pitie For loe thou art my hope and trust in whom I onely repose my selfe hauing in thee ful confidence and faith so that now I may say with a very faithfull heart trusting in thy mercie I beléeue in thee O God the Father in thee O God the Sonne and in thee O God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one true and also verie God besides whom I acknowledge none other God in heauen aboue nor in earth beneath And yet I poore sinner cannot but accuse my selfe vnto thee deare Father that I haue fore and grieuously offended thy almightie goodnesse and Maiestie in the committing of mine exceeding grieuous and manifold sins and wickednes For I haue not kept the least of thy most godly and blessed commaundementes like as thy righteousnes may require indéed doth demād the same of me I haue not I say honoured thee like my God dread thée like my Lord loued thée like my father nor trusted in thee like my creator my sauiour Thy holy and dreadful name vnto which al glory honour belongeth haue I vsed in vaine I haue not sanctified the Sabboth day with workes which bee acceptable to thée nor instructed my neighbour in vertue accordingly I haue not honored my parents nor bin obedient vnto thē through whom as by an instrumēt thou hast wrought my comming into this world The high powers and rulers which receiue authoritie of thee I haue not willingly obeyed I haue not kept my heart pure and cleane from malice and manslaughter yea had not thy grace and mercy defended mee the better I should haue committed the verie deede also I likewise am not pure from theft nor from adulterie nor frō false witnesse bearing but haue in my heart and mind wished and desired my nighbours goods and thinges I haue followed the great Prince of this Worlde Sathan which hath been a lyer from the beginning in concupiscence of the flesh in pride of liuing in deceiptfulnes in lecherie in hatred and also enuie in backbiting in despaire and also misbeléefe And as I haue abused my will vnderstanding which are faculties and powers of my soule so my senses also which thou hast giuen mee to vse to thy glorie and my neighbours good and mine own lawfull delight I haue misused and mispent in hearing séeing smelling tasting and feeling also things that I should not or else suffring thē to be too violētly caried to things I might haue vsed But in what manner soeuer that I haue offended and sinned against thy eternall Maiestie for no man knoweth throughly his sinnes as the Prophet witnesseth whether it hath béen by day or else by night yea euen from my childhood vnto this day were it in workes wordes or thoughts secretly or openly O my mercifull God I am sorie for it euen from the very bottome of my heart yea my soule mourneth for very sorowe most mercifull Father that I am not a thousand times more sorie than I am howbeit in token of great repentance though all hearts bée knowne well enough vnto thée I doe knocke strike my breast and say in bitternesse of heart and soule Lord GOD the Father Sonne and holy Ghost haue mercie Spare mee of thine infinite mercie deare Lord now and all the daies of my life let me bee made partakers of thine abundant grace in such sort that I may chaunge my sinfull life and put thou out of mee the olde man with al his concupisences and lustes graunting mee grace dayly to die vnto the world and that the world may bée crucified vnto mee and I so dayly goe forward in newnes of life Strengthen mee O Lord in a true humble heart in sound loue hope and trust in thée giue my soule grace to desire in thée onely to reioyce and repose my selfe that I may vtterly renounce and forsake the vaine assistance of this world so that thou mayst finde me readie to méete
if my bones were all to broken when I heare my enemies raile vpon me and say to mee day by day where is thy God Why turnest thou thy face from these thinges O Lord why hast thou no regard of my trouble I earnestly make my prayers daily in thy sight and the heauines of my hart I doe shew vnto thée My spirit is carefull and troubled within mee and desperation hath entred into my heart Is it thy pleasure O Lord God to cast away thine own handie workes Deliuer my soule from â—â—rruption and my life from euerlasting darknes What auaileth it mee that euer I was borne if thou cast mee straight into damnation séeing that the dead shall not praise thée nor any of them which go down to hell I haue sinned what shal I doe to thée why hast thou put me to be contrarie to thée I am wearie of mine owne selfe Why searchest thou out my sinnes so narrowly when there is no man that can escape out of thy hands If I would say that I were righteous and without sinne then thou mightest worthily condemne me to the fire prepared for the diuell and his angels But I confesse that I am a sinner and doe humble my selfe here in thy sight Surely if a man would â—â—and with thee in iudgement he shall not bee able to answere one word to a thousand things wherewith thou mightest charge him This maketh me to feare all my deedes knowing that thou sparest not him that offendeth If I looke vppon thy power O how mightie and strong art thou If I shall call for iudgement who shall defend my matter or speake for me To thee O Lord I call and crie to thee my God I make my humble sute Turne away thine anger from mee that I may know that thou art more mercifull to mee than my sinnes deserue What is my strength that I may endure or what is the ende of my trouble that my soule may patiently abide it My strength is not a stony strength and my flesh is not made of brasse There is no helpe in my selfe and also my strength flieth away from me Although thou hide these things in my heart yet I know that thou wilt remember me at length For thou art true and iust O Lord God thou doest not condemne vniustly which rewardest man according to his deserts All this is come vnto me because I haue forgotten thee and not vsed my selfe truely in thy testimonies My heart hath turned backeward and I haue followed the desires of my flesh And thou hast surely knowne this thing which knowest the secrets of the heart Lay not against mee O Lord the sinnes of my youth nor haue in remembrance my old iniuries done against thee Daily sorrow â—â—commeth me and sadnes possesseth my heart I looke after peace but I cannot haue it I looke for a time of health but my griefe continueth still When the time of thine anger is past let mercie come yet am I vnhappie more and more Woe and alas that euer I sinned my heart therefore mourneth and is sad al mirth and ioy is vanished from me How am I wasted how miserably am I confounded because I haue forsaken and cast away thy law Death hath ascended by the windowes pearcing the inward parts of my heart Wâ—â—â— I daily one while must secretly with my selfe another while with loud voyce crye out and complaine the meane time my life draweth néere to the pit Who shall giue mee a place to rest in from all my griefts and troubles And I will forsake all men and get away from them Who shall giue me water to my head and a fountaine of teares to mine eyes that I may bewaile my sinnes both night and day And I will looke for him which may saue me and deliuer me from the wrath to come I haue no trust neither in life nor death but I feare thy iudgement O Lord and the paines prepared for sinners The feare of my sinne maketh mee carefull and the burden of my conscience oppresseth me sore O God which tenderly louest mankind and art a most righteous Iudge sâ—are mee now I beséech mee and shewe mee some fauour while time is Forgiue that which I feare put away that which I dread before I depart hence and shall not returne againe My sinnes doe vexe and trouble mee sore they bee so great that none can be greater Alas my fall alas my miserie alas the griefe of my plague and stroke certainly my sinne is the cause of all this and so I will take it and suffer it A Psalme in which he giueth thankes to God that his enemies haue not gotten the vpper hand of him I Wil magnifie and praise thee O Lord God for thou hast exalted me and set me vp and mine enemies haue not gotten the vpper hand of me O Lord of hoâ—â— I haue cried vnto thee and thou hast saued me Thâ—â—â—ast brought my soule out of hell thou hast holden mee vp from falling into the déepe Lake from whence no man returneth Thou hast not closed me vp in the hands of mine enemies but thou hast set my féete in a place both wide and broade I haue sought thée and thou hast heard mee thou hast brought me into libertie out of great distresse Thou haâ—â—â—urned my sorrowe into 〈…〉 hast ceased my mourning and compassed mee round about with mirth Thou hast declared thy great magnificence in helping thy seruant Thou hast â—â—ne meruailously with me in my miseries Thou hast regarded the â—â—ne of the poore thou hast not turned away thy face from me I will bee singing and speaking of thy mercies and I will publish to other thy fidelitie and truth so long as I shall liue My mouth shall neuer cease to speake of thy righteousnes and of thy benefits which be so many that I cannot number them But I will giue thee thankes till death take mee away I will sing in the praise of thée so long as I shall continue I will triumph and reioyce in thy mercie for thou hast looked vpon my necessities and regarded my soule in distresse Thou hast béene my sure refuge and the strength of my trust and hope I thanke thee Lorde of thy goodnesse alway and for thy excéeding mercie Thou hast béen my comâ—orâ—â—n the time of my trouble thou hast been merciful vnto me O Lord and hast reuenged the wronges that mine enemies haue done to me According to the multitude of the heauie thoughts that I had in my minde thy comforts haue cheared and lightned my heart Thou hast sent me now ioyes for the dayes wherein I was in sorrowe and for the yeares in which I suffered many a painefull storme Thou hast called to remembrance the rebuke that thy seruant hath beene put to and how furiously mine enemies haue persecuted me O Lord God of hosts who may bee compared vnto thée thou art great and greatly to be praised Thou art high vpon all 〈◊〉 earth thou art exalted fa◠〈◊〉 all gods â—â—orie and