may not onely endeuour well purpose good things and perhaps beginne a reformation and vertuous amendment but continue O Lord and perseuer all my life long that by the practice of a holy and religious life I may bee weaned and with-drawne from the transitory and seducing pleasures which gawdinesse and custome haue made strong in mee and awaite the subuersion and rooting out of all things good and vertuous settle firme in me O Lord an vnwearied determination of a daily progresse and going forward in thy seruice since to stand still is to expect the enemie and bridle and take from me the feeds and bloomings of vice that I deceiued with their seducing yeeld not to them but perfectly and zealously labouring to follow the steps of so good and great a Maiestie may at last receiue the hire which thou hast reserued for those that diligently employ themselues in thy Vineyard 75. A Prayer in Affliction MOST gracious Redeemer which art alwaies mercifull alwaies a preseruer whether thou send vs ioy or sadnesse for great is thy mercy which by outward afflictions as by a sharpe medicine heatest the inward man and by temporary troubles preparest vs for euerlasting ioy euen as thy selfe hast opened the way for vs to true felicitie by thy owne steps Grant that I may drinke this cup patiently and obediently as giuen of thee But these troubles O blessed and meek Sauiour fall heauy on me my proud and enuious disposition grudging and repining at them Giue me O Lord in cure the happie and heart comforting spectacle of thy precious Passion that beholding thee ouer-flowed with bloud and sweate cruelty hauing vsed seuerall torments to let it forth I may account my selfe happie in so sweet a societie and my rancour and swollen desires ambitiously puffed vp with malicious and aspiring thoughts may at this sight fall low and bee asswaged the venemous and poysoning sting of the subtill serpent bee drawne and cast from me by beholding thee the example of all patience and gentlenes Endue me O Lord with an absolute contempt of all these vaine and gawdie shadowes whose pompe and outward glorie are rated at so high an estimation Let me look inwardly onely and all my care be to be richly and sumptuously attired within Let mee aime at no peace but that of a good conscience fearing onely thy rebuke and displeasure but for thy sake highly esteeme all the contempt the world can throw vpon me the scoffes disdaine and base regard they can afflict me with the reuilings slanders imputations which enuie and ill tongues can lay vpon me since promotion and high respect are no badges of thy seruants commendation and gracefull language no titles of thy followers nor security and worldly felicitie any testimonies of thy loue and fauour to which onely O glorious example of all vertue let me ambitiously aspire thorow the burning Furnaces the Lyons Den the Axe Stones or what new crueltie soeuer Tyrants witty onely in mischieuous inuentions can for the professing thee inflict vpon mee since to lose all the world and win thee is a purchase vnualuable vnspeakeable which grant for thine owne Names sake I may happily attaine Amen 76. A Prayer in extremity of sicknesse O Iesu Christ the onely hope of them that liue and eternall life of them that die I wretched sinner submit my selfe wholly to thy Diuine Will whether it pleaseth thee my soule shall longer remaine in the prison of this my bodie to serue thee or depart out of this world I am sure what is cōmitted to thy mercy can neuer perish I wil lay down this my fraile and miserable body with a willing minde namely in hope of resurrection which renders it to me againe much more happie Strengthen O truely-mercifull and all-louing Sauiour my soule with thy grace against all temptations against all the assaults of Satan Inuiron me with the shield of thy mercy by which in times past thou restoredst thy Martyrs vnconquered against grieuous torments and cruell deaths I see nothing in my selfe which can bee a help vnto me all my hope is in thy inestimable goodnesse I haue no merits or good workes to alledge to thee but alas I behold on euerie side many wicked and sinfull offences many malicious and enuious transgressions many lewde and lasciuious acts which are here readie to accuse and condemne and as much as their exclamations can further desirous to throw me to euerlasting hell and perdition What Aduocate so mercifull as thy selfe Who so powerfull And who more willing and readie Who can better deliuer what must at this time preuaile for me being a story of thy owne loue and mercy Who can shew the skars of those honourable wounds which were gotten in the redemption of mankinde but thy Almightie selfe Who the print of those lashes which all ouer skarrified thy innocent flesh for the painting and artificiall discolouring ours Who with fortie dayes Fasting expiated our riotous and superfluous Feasts but thy most mercifull selfe Wash away O Lord with thy precious Bloud the contagious spots of my hainous offences and let thy neuer-failing Iustice answere in iudgement for my presumptuous iniustice thy great and mightie merites be an acceptable propitiatorie for the multitude of my misdeeds and grant O louing and all-gracious Lord that thy grace may increase aboue my sicknesse let not my faith faile my hope faint my charity waxe cold nor humane infirmity ioyned with the feare of death cast mee into the bottomelesse gulfe of despaire but that when the eyes of my body are shut and closed vp the euer-waking eye of my minde may looke vp and bee comforted in thee and that when the vse of my tongue shall be taken from me my soule may then incessantly and continually cry vnto thee O Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit to whom bee honour and glorie world without end 77. A Prayer in the Spring time O Almightie and euer-liuing God the powerfull Creator of heauen and earth ordaining them with their seuerall Lights and Ornaments for the necessarie vse of mankinde appointing them in their distinguisht seasons to yeeld food and sustenance for the maintenance of thy People Wee giue thee humble and heartie thankes for this moderate and timely Spring refreshing the decayed earth with the kindly heate of the Sun and temperate falls of raine and water renewing in vs a comfortable expectation of our Resurrection in beholding how thy mercifull and All-able hand hath freshly apparelled the naked and barren fields beautifying them with seuerall sorts of flowers loading the Trees disroabed and withering with new buds and blossomes the earth her selfe shooting forth her seeds long time buried in her womb with the hope of a happie and plentifull increase to the great ioy and consolation of thy seruants Grant I beseech thee that wee being renewed and borne againe by holy Baptisme and hauing cast and throwne off the old man may become new creatures neuer more to returne to our old sinnes but
flesh infinitely desiring thee of thy grace and fauour to cleanse and sanctifie my polluted and vncleane soule knowing that no Adulterers or Fornicators shall inherite thy Kingdome Giue vnto me O Lord spotlesse and innocent Chastitie being the Lilly among all vertues whose sparkling lustre is seene a farre off Bridle with thy holy hand all wanton and loose desires which runne after their owne destruction Let the delight of mine eyes bee thy miraculous Resurrection the obiect of mine eares the story of thy Passion the subiect of my thoughts the remembrance of the Crosse the foode of my vnderstanding thy wonderfull and vnconceiueable Conception Let mee with St. Thomas thrust my fingers in thy wounds that all faculties and functions of body and soule beeing busied and employed in and about thy workes and wonders I may bee deliuered and bring foorth holy thoughts reuerent and gentle speeches pure and immaculate actions worthy the honour and glory of so pure and innocent a Lord borne of a spotlesse and immaculate Virgin Grant this O sweet Iesus the bestower of all goodnes and vertue that desiring to draw out this short and transitorie life purely and honestly wee may after we shall be warned to giue it ouer dwell with thee in thy euerlasting habitation where abideth all purity sanctitie cleannesse glory world without end Amen 26. A Prayer against Sloth WHen thou calledst thy seruants to account most mercifull gentle Sauiour what reward had he that fearing thy hardnesse and his owne weaknesse laid vp thy talent and employed it not was he not after conuiction sentenced and deliuered to the Sargeant Are wee not commaunded by thy neuer-erring Word to worke our saluation to watch and pray continually because wee know not at what houre our Lord and Master will call vpon vs which are no effects of Sloth and Idlenesse For to banish sleepe and due repose doth require a vvhole mind not a surfetted and lazy soule buried in flesh and bloud and to offer vp with humble feruencie and ardent deuotion pure and earnest prayers asketh due consideration much trouble and a great conquest ouer the outward man not to be obtained without many assaults and labour The slothfull man saith the holy Ghost shall not eate Can we not then attaine bodily foode without dayly care much shift and many times hard and extraordinarie paines and doest thou flatter thy selfe O my soule that either heauen will stoope to thee or our blessed Sauiour fetch thee without mouing or helping thy selfe thither Imitate the greedy Merchant who with vnheard-of fauours seeketh vnknown countries exposing himselfe to the certaine dangers of the Sea vncertaine sicknesses to purchase and returne laden with wealth which hee can neither keep at his pleasure nor will vse at his pleasure Quicken me O Lord with thy holy Spirit that mounted on the wings of Charitie I may flye to thee I will rise duely in the morning saith the holy King and glorifie God I will euery night wash my couch with my teares Giue mee O Lord the care and respect of this holy Prophet his vigilancie stoutnesse in labours perseuerance in good purposes and continuance to the end This life O my soule is a warfare wherein we must not stand idle but take vp our weapons and fight manfully We must preuent the day with our diligence and out-watch the Sunne with our carefulnesse lest the enemy take vs vnawares and slaughter vs We must haue our Lamps still lighted and be euer ready that wee may be taken in and made partakers for our short trauels of eternal and euerlasting rest and repose 27. A Prayer against Couetousnesse SInce it is easier O Lord for a Cammel to enter the eye of a needle then for a rich man to inherite the Kingdome of Heauen Let mee O Lord wander naked and hungry cloathed with sores and botches rather then with Diues his portion to take possession of his punishment For what auayleth it to gaine the whole world and lose my owne soule Yet if it please thee bountifull Father to leaue and bequeath to me a plentifull estate and great riches giue me grace so to vse and bestow them that I come not behinde hand with thee in my account Let mee so dispose them as thou hast by expresse words appointed that my poore Brethren put not vp a Bill against me Set not my heart on them O Lord but as things without mee when either thou pleasest by fire water or any other casualtie to call them from me let mee thankefully surrender them as a Reeue not an Owner yeelding thee immortall and vnfained thanks that I haue had them so long not inwardly grudging and repining that I haue lost them so soone For who placeth al his content on them can neither possesse them long nor safely Giue me O Lord pouertie of spirit in the middest of all abundance that I may fast hauing all plenty taking the delicates from my Table and with my owne hand seruing the poore and needy who are bought at as dear a rate as the mightiest and whose soules are as precious to thee as the greatest Let me euer remember that saying of the blessed Iob Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe Praised bee the Lord for all Leauing to my children the prayers of the poore not the curses of ill-gotten riches the praises of good men not that heauy sentence of Wo be vnto thee at my departure that at that great and terrible day when all accounts shal be examined and laid open bringing in my Bils of cloathing the naked feeding the hungry and giuing drink to the thirstie I may receiue that soule-comforting discharge of Come yee blessed and seat you on my right hand for vnto you belongeth the Kingdome of Heauen 28. A Prayer humbly acknowledging our sins with promise of amendment I Wretched sinner heere personally appearing and standing in the presence of God euerlasting of al the Court of Heauen hauing considered the exceeding mercy of his diuine goodnes toward me most vnworthy miserable caytife whō he hath created of nothing preserued sustained and deliuered from so many dangers endowed with so many benefits But aboue al considering the incōprehensible sweetnes clemency wherwith this most good God hath so bountifully tolerated me in my iniquities and so louingly inspired me inuiting mee to amendment and so patiently expected my repentance conuersion notwithstanding all my vnthankfulnesse disloyalty infidelity whereby deferring my Cōuersion despising his graces I haue so impudently offended him hauing moreouer considered that at the day of my christening I was so happy and holily vowed and dedicated vnto my God to be his child and that contrary to the profession which then was made in my name I haue so many and sundry times so execrably and detestably profaned and violated my soule imploying it and opposing it against his diuine Maiestie At length recalling my selfe and prostrating my selfe in heart and
to the blinde a staffe to the lame and a most heauenly and neuer-erring Physician to all that labour vnder any disease Come vnto mee saith our blessed Lord all yee that are oppressed and I will ease you O mercifull and generall comfort as certaine to be done as it is spoken I prostrate my selfe humbly before thee and desire thee of thy infinite mercy if such be thy will and pleasure to let this transitorie and bitter cup passe from me yet not my will but thy blessed will bee done who alone knowest what is fittest to tame my stubborne and rebellious affections and to morrifie in me all vaine and aspiring thoughts that I may wholly desire to bee dissolued and liue with thee where eternall and neuer-ending peace and piety haue their habitation 82. A Prayer to our blessed Sauiour MOST mercifully louing Lord Redeemer and Sauiour of the world I wretched and detestable sinner leprous all ouer and more spotted with sinne then the blessed Iob with sores which no Poole can euer cure all humble prostrate my selfe before thee not desiring thee to lay thy blessed and happy-making hand vpon so vlcerous a creature nor to cast thy pittying and fauourable eye vpon so displeasing and hatefull an obiect but onely O Lord if so poore and vnworthy a worme may aspire to request of so high and great a Deitie one word from thy heauenly lips to make me whole but say the word O Lord and I shall passe the Snow in whitenesse and cast my sicke and aged imperfections renewing my selfe like the strong Eagle at thy command whole Legions of sinnes which carry mee head-long to ruine and perdition shall passe from mee and I remaine praysing and gloryfying thy holy name the numnesse and deadnesse of my vncharitable hand vpon thy Word shall stretch it selfe forth and bee exercised in deeds of loue and mercy vpon thy Word my wilfull and naturall blindnesse shall bee taken away and I restored to a perfect and good sight gloriously beholding thee in thy reuealed Wil and wonderfully in thy workes vpon thy Word I shall easily heare and fully vnderstand thy Diuine and heauenly Mysteries and lay them vp in my heart for my comfort and consolation The Iewes O Lord had eares and heard not eyes and saw not hands and felt not thy apparant and astonishing miracles they saw before their eyes the blind receiue their sight the dead restored to life they heard with their eares the dumbe speake and glorifie thy holy Name they felt thy naturall and heauenly begotten Bodie and yet beleeued not Blessed are they which haue not seene and haue beleeued But say the word O Lord and I shall be made partaker of that heauenly benediction acknowledging thee the Son of the euer-liuing God borne of the blessed Virgin crucified vnder Pontius Pilate giuing ouer thy life buried and rising againe on the third day for the redemption and saluation of mankinde I shall lay hold of thy precious Passion and bury all my misdeeds in thy life-giuing wounds to bee washt away with thy vnualuable bloud for euer will I kneele for this Word for euer remaine a deuout and humble Petitioner that all these things may bee done vnto mee and I become a new creature spirited anew with thy holy Spirit for euer praysing and magnifying thy holy Name louing it aboue my selfe and adoring it to the end all generations may approoue thy power in the conquest of hell death and sinne Amen 83. A Prayer in time of Lent O Benigne and bountifull Sauiour our onely Aide Comforter and Redeemer the preseruer of all Mankinde the glorie and hope of all mortality who whilst thou wandredst here amongst vs putting on perfect Humanity sufferedst thy selfe to be carryed into the Wildernesse and tempted of the deuil gloriously ouercomming him by prayer fasting to leaue vnto vs the ordinary ready meanes to resist all his subtill suggestions prescribing the same meanes to thy Apostles for the dispossessing Satan and hast also left vs many examples in thy holy Prophets blessed Fore-runner who liued in the Woods on Locusts and wilde Hony giuing vs a liuely and perfect Patterne who didst all for our example of thy owne blessed abstinence and moderation Grant O mercifull and blessed Sauiour that wee may this blessed and holy time of Lent attend more especially the spirituall food of our soules chastising and subduing the lusts and heate of the flesh by temperate and thrifty dyet lest of a seruant hee become a Master rebelling against the Spirit Mortifie in vs O Lord all wilde and loose desires ranging and disordered appetites which sowe dissention betwixt me and thee making me fearefull to enter and vnworthy to stand in thy presence and plentifully enrich mee with thy grace that I may do thy workes seriously meditate on thy Passion and take it to heart detesting and abandoning my sinnes the onely cause so great a Lord was so meanely intreated so gentle a Sauiour so vngently vsed and so mercifull and louing a Redeemer so vnmercifully and hatefully tormented by his owne subiects and seruants in the recouerie of their inheritance and freedome And if the children of men after the decease of a louing father expresse their griefe to the world by putting on mourning garments confining themselues to their Chamber and through anguish of heart forbearing their necessarie food was euer a worthier cause or a sorrow better beseeming the sonnes of Adam or a time more conuenient then in the yeerely obseruing and celebrating the dayes of their Lord and Masters torments and funeralls who dyed and was persecuted for them Grant vs therefore O Lord we may fast and deuoutly pray bitterly lamenting our sins and misdeeds which gaue thee vp to the death of the Crosse 84. A Prayer against temptation LEade vs not into temptation O Lord but deliuer vs from all euill sinne lyeth in waite to betray vs and Satan baiteth vs with opportunity he knoweth O mercifull Father our affections and by our actions ghesseth at our thoughts our inclinations he is cunning in and in subtilty who can surpasse him He deceiued our first parents whom thou hadst endued with excellent and Angell-like vnderstanding colouring his malice with carefull pretences many of thy choysest seruants he hath beguiled and triumphed neither is his inueterate and cankred enuy mitigated his power abated his knowledge decayed or his delight in wickednesse measured or lessened He is mighty in perswasions mighty in the meanes and most cunning in applying them He hath conquered the world that world our flesh and our flesh vs Who can suspect so great offers for dissimulation or mischiefe And who so neere and inseparable a friend which tendreth them Thus are the wisest O blessed Lord and Sauiour by a seeming shew of what is good circumuented thus the strongest with their owne confidence ouerthrowne Against so powerfull an enemie so powerfully followed but by thy neuer-yeelding grace what hope of resistance Stay him O Lord in his swiftnesse and bring
that by the sweet assistance of thy holy Spirit wee may increase in continuall innocencie and day by day more and more bee adorned with the flowers of vertue alwaies growing vp in the knowledge of thy excellencie that wee may receiue a blessing at thy hand to spread and flourish bringing forth good fruits of a quiet conscience and sweete smelling sauours of a pure zeale and charitable deuotion euen for Iesus Christs sake Amen 78. A Prayer in Summer EVer-mouing time O mercifull Father deliuereth according to thy behests in their due seasons the foure quarters of the yeare and from thy bountie we receiue their timely fruits the Spring hath alreadie discharged and vnloaded himselfe bestowing with a full hand the small store he hath beene entrusted withall leauing great hope of plentie and aboundance Prosper it O Lord and bring it along to maturitie and ripenesse for now that blessed and great Light which thou madest to rule the day sheadeth his influence and comfort to all things mouing vpon the earth The Hills leape and are ioyfull the Flouds clap their hands and all creatures growe buxome and liuely hauing a feeling and sense of thy blessing Grant vnto vs O Father of all goodnesse that we bee not more insensible then the beasts but that wee may giue thee honour and glorie in the acknowledgement of thy innumerable and vnmatchable benefits for whose onely seruice the Earth is thus gayly apparelled the Trees thus plentifully enriched and the wombe of the earth great with assured expectation of a happie deliuerie Let not O Lord the violent burning of the Sunne ioyned with the locking vp thy heauenly Conduits parch it and dry it to nothing profitable nor the remisnesse or slackenesse ioyned with an ouer-flowe of waters leaue it raw and vnseruiceable but giue euerie fruit O Lord maturity and perfection that we may ioyfully receiue the blessing of it and prayse thee the bestower and giuer Amen 79. A Prayer to bee sayd in Autumne THou hast showred O Lord fulnesse and perfection vpon the fruites of the earth and euerie growing thing laboureth with a happie increase the rancke grasse boweth itselfe to the Mowers hand the heauie loaden Trees acknowledging homage offer themselues to be gathered and the fulnesse of the Vine yeeldeth his iuice without the wine-presse the ripe hanging eares listen for a Sythe and all the works of thy hand which thou hast planted heere for the seruice of man acknowledge thy command and are readie to bee tasted All these O Lord obedient to thy will in the course of nature answere the ends of their creation onely wee miserable creatures following our sences and the lusts of the flesh refuse thy holy inspirations and seduced by Satan oppose our selues against thy reuealed will New mould vs O Lord and breake our stubborne and stony hearts that the seeds of thy Gospell may take deepe roote in vs and bring forth the fruits of a liuely faith constant hope and burning charitie to thy Honour and our owne saluation Amen 80. A Prayer to bee said in Winter THE yeere is waxen old as a garment and all the fresh colours which beautified the face of the earth are withered and decayed the Sun with-holdeth his influence the heauens their brightnes and the day his comfort taken from him by the vncomfortable hand of desolate Night The Trees haue lost their Ornament the Fields their rayment and all beasts and cattell their vigour and liuelihood Man himselfe is discomforted in the poorenesse and barrennesse and the vnprouident man who hath not laid vp nor taken from the fruitfulnesse of Summer growes desperate certaine of nothing but perishing The Season affoording no worke nor the day any continuance the lately broad-leaued branches no shelter nor the fields any sustenance Grant vs O mercifull Father warned by the example of his extreme and vnredeemable miseries to labour in the Haruest and lay vp of our well-gotten store against the vncomfortable day of sicknesse or latest Age when weakenesse and naturall infirmities giue vs no time or thought to get in new prouision and our vncharitablenesse to our selues take from vs the charitie of others hardening their hearts against vs Giue vs grace to watch and labour continually supplying our Lamps daily with holy Oyle lest at the dead of night we be called on and being vnprouided be left behind or wander in the darkenesse astray and comming late be shut out for euer and euer from all happinesse and blessednesse confined to a place where there is nothing to be heard but perpetuall howling and gnashing of Teeth Amen 81. A Prayer in Aduersitie and Affliction LET not my enemies O Lord triumph ouer mee nor the hand of the oppressor preuaile against mee Bee neere vnto me in the day of trouble and say vnto my soule I am thy helper thou which mercifully redeemedst Ioseph from the hands of his brethren who causelesly sought his life and turnedst their hate to his glorie and promotion deliuering him from the lust of his Masters wife and her wilye accusation Thou which rescuedst thy people Israel by a mightie hand and strong arme from the tyrannie of Pharaoh and the vnequall Taxes of the hard Egyptians Thou which gauest Iacob grace in the sight of his brother Esau boyling against him and threatning fire and destruction planting a sure shield before thy beloued seruant Dauid to keepe him safe from the inuasion of the terrible Goliah and a wise guard to preuent the plots of subtill Saul proclaiming Susanna innocent contagiously spotted by the poysonous breath of the fore-sworne Elders Thou which raisedst thy glory from the three Children condemned and throwne into the Furnace whose fire and extreme heate came forth and eate vp the Feeders yet spared and against his nature sindged not the garments of thy seruants walking and singing euerlasting and glorious Hymnes of thy Deitie in the midst of it Thou which neuer forsakest any of thy seruants in their torments and persecutions giuing them either an vnconquered patience to suffer or a glorious courage to ouercome all the temptations which hell can fasten Bee pleased Almighty euer-liuing and onely powerfull Iehouah to be neere thy seruant in these his afflictions and troubles and to stand by him in this day of his tryal lest he fall confounded and sinke vnder the heauy burden of his tyrannous oppressions Want O Lord in the lowest degree hath incompassed me Shame and Ignominy in the highest degree haue set me round about Slanders oppose themselues against me and beare me downe face to face and ill tongues in secret at my back oppresse me my friends are fled my acquaintance hath forsaken me and my kindred deresting my pouerty deny my Allyance Where can I then plant my hope Where should I else seeke for refuge and harbour then of so mercifull and all-louing a Father and who vpon sub-mission disdaineth not his basest and most riotous son who came into the world to bee a Father to the fatherlesse an eye