thou destroie all the vngodlie yet haue wée a sure hope thou wilt deliuer our soules from the power of hell and receiue vs to thée by grace here in this world and after when thou shalt come to the last iudgement to take vs to thy selfe in glorie that where thou art there may we be with thée For we are not gréeued at the vngodlie nor afraid when they be made rich and the glorie of their houses increased We knowe that their honour indureth but a small season vanisheth awaie as dooth the smoke for thou regardest them not therfore thou giuest them things of small estimation Abraham gaue gifts to the sonnes of his concubines and sent them awaie but vnto Isaac he gaue his possessions and all that he had so Lord to the wicked thou giuest temporall things but for thy faithfull thou reseruest thy euerlasting heauenlie inheritance This is a sure and permanent reward the othee soone slippeth awaie their time here is but short and when they die they shall carrie nothing awaie with them neither shall their pompe followe them For thou O Lord wilt driue them awaie As wax melteth at the heat of the fire so shall the vngodlie perish at thy presence then shalt thou change their honour into shame for while they liued they were counted happie men and so long as they were in prosperitie men spake good of them but when they followe their fathers generation they shall neuer sée light any more They were the children of Canaan come of a wicked progenie they haue followed their forefathers steps their déedes were euill they loued darkenesse better than light Wherefore they shall haue euerlasting darknes with torments they shall haue fire but it shall giue them no comfortable heat These paines are ordained for them that were in honour and had riches in aboundance and did forget their estate and for lacke of knowledge were led into captiuitie Wherefore O good God let vs not be of the number of them but build vs vpon thy blessed sonne Iesus Christ the head corner stone in him whosoeuer is builded groweth vnto an holie temple in the Lord his God For of our selues we haue hard harts to beléeue except thou write thy law in our harts by thy holie spirit Now is the acceptable time Lord let vs find grace and fauour in thy sight pardon our wickednes and sinne and take vs to thine inheritance that we may reigne with thée in glorie for euer and euer Amen Amen 31. A praier that we may heare the word of God and keepe it I Am thy seruant Lord giue me vnderstanding that I may learne thy lawe and decrées incline my soule to the words of thy mouth bicause thy talke floweth like vnto dew The Israelits said vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and we will heare shée but let not the Lord speake least we die Howbeit I praie not so O Lord but rather with the prophet Samuel I doo humblie and earnestlie beséech thée thus Speake on Lord for thy seruant dooth hearken for thou art the giuer and inspirer of life who art able without anie to instruct me Thy Ministers speake for thée thy secreats but thou vnlockest the vnderstanding of the things pronounced they rehearse to vs thy commandements but it is thy aid and helpe that giueth strength to walke ouer the same and giuest light vnto the minds Wherefore bicause thou art the euerlasting truth speake thou Lord my God vnto me least I die and be made vnfruitfull for thou hast the words of euerlasting life Speake therefore that thing which may bring both comfort vnto my soule and amendment vnto my life and also may cause glorie and immortall honor vnto thée For man dooth perish but thy truth indureth O God for euer Blessed are they therefore whom thou instructest and giuest knowledge vnto O Lord and doost teach thy lawe that thou maist helpe them in time of trouble that they perish not Looke fauourablie vpon me O GOD and grant I praie thée that thy truth may teach me kéepe me and bring me vnto a happie end Let the same deliuer me from all wicked lusts and from inordinate loue Thou hast infinit means and all creatures are at thy commandement therefore good Lord shewe some signe whereby I shall be deliuered and send thine holie angell before me to kéepe me in thy waie and to bring me to the place which thou hast prouided for me that I may liue with thée euerlastinglie world without end Amen 32. A praier wherein the word of God is praised and what things are thereby to be wrought accomplished his mercie and iustice also is heare declared GRant me good Lord to serue thée with a perfect hart and willing mind for thou Lord serchest the hart and vnderstandest all our imaginations and thoughts If we séeke thée thou wilt be found but if we forsake thée thou wilt cast vs off for euer If we depend onelie vpon thée O God we shall not néed to be troubled with these worldlie respects for thou wilt giue vs at all times that which shall be necessarie for bodie and soule if we feare thée and obeie thy holie word which thou wilt haue found true and also magnified for thine owne honour and glorie and for our commoditie Vpon thée therefore will I still call trusting that thou wilt shortlie heare and helpe me I will also call vpon the mightie name of thy sonne Iesus Christ in whose name the faithfull haue and doo dailie cast out diuels from the possessed They haue spoken and doo speake with new toongs And though they drinke anie deadlie thing it shall not hurt them By which also they are procured to leaue their wicked minds and diuelish works in the which they before lead their liues They speake thy holie word and also set foorth thy veritie leauing all lies and deceits They doo suppresse the old serpent sathan plucking out the sting of his taile wherewith he was accustomed to wound them And if at anie time they haue consented to sinne and receiued his poison this name of our sauiour shall kéepe them from all hurts bicause they made inuocation on his holie name which dooth purge them cleane after their heartie repentance For thou O Christ wilt deliuer thine though all worldlie meanrs faile And though we be committed by tyrants vnto temporall death yet through thée shall we vanquish all our enimies for the death of thy saints is deare and pretious in thy sight they néede not feare those that haue power onelie to kill the bodie but let vs feare thy mightie hand which hast power to slea both bodie soule This worldlie death is a waie to bring vs from much trouble to the hauen of euerlasting health into the land of liuers Neuerthelesse Lord of thy iustice let the vniust and cruell enimies of the faithfull stand in dread of thy stretched out arme wherewith in thine anger thou wilt strike them Of thine infinite goodnes thou sufferest long abiding their
consciences Oh saue vs for thy mercie sake for thy blessed Sonne Iesus hath dearelie bought vs. Wherefore Lord we thy faithfull creatures being through thy grace and the battell of thy sonne vpon the crosse restored to thy fauour and hauing the house of our hearts and soules swept and made cleane from all vices which were woont to inhabite in vs we most humblie praie thée to giue vs strength to kéepe our soules from the inuasion of the wilie serpent Dwell in vs still by thy continuall grace make vs to be of thy houshold that we may liue and praise thée in this world and after this life we may enioie the blessed presence of thine eternall maiestie one God in persons thrée and euerlasting in vnitie world without end Amen 9. A praier for humilitie and a confession of sinnes with a petition to haue the same remitted LOrd giue me humilitie being the beautifull flowre of vertue that groweth in the garden of mans soule one of the most pleasant most necessarie and most acceptable whose power was so great that it drue the sonne of GOD the second person in deitie from heauen into the wombe of the méeke virgine whom of all other he chose to be his mother for that she was so humble and vertuous Thou O Christ our Sauiour being Lord of all the world walkedst all the daies of thy life in humilitie and therein endedst humbling thy self vnto the vile death of the crosse The wise humilitie of Abigael pacified the furie of Dauid when he was minded to kill all the men of the house of hir husband The humble submission of wicked Ahab asswaged the wrath of GOD which was the cause that the almightie preserued him all the daies of his life The great goodnes of this vertue is made manifest by opening the heinousnes of the vice contrarie thereto which is pride which appeared in the proud Pharisie when he made boast in his praiers of his good déeds and despised his poore neighbour which caused his praier not to be hard when the poore Publican standing a farre off with humblenesse durst not lift vp his eies to heauen but with heartie repentance knocking his breast said Lord be mercifull to me a sinner which hartie confession of his sinne was cause of his iustification and that he was made righteous Wherefore most gratious Lord our heauenlie father considering the power of humilitie and the knowledge of our sinnes with hartie repentance to be of so great efficacie I thy poore creature vnworthie to appeare before thy maiestie doo powre downe here before thée my sacke that is full of sinne which I haue committed euen from my youth they are great and manie without number neuerthelesse trusting of thine accustomed nature and propertie which is to be mercifull to all sinners that be sorie for their offenses from the bottom of their hearts turning to thée knowing that thou diddest send thy louing sonne not to call those that séeme in their owne sight to be iust but to helpe those that confesse themselues to be sinners I therefore Lord willing by the helpe of thy grace vtterlie to forsake sinne and to fulfill thy holie will hereafter desire thée humblie of forgiuenesse and to admit me among the number of those that are blessed and their vnrighteousnes forgiuen I will not couer from thée my sinnes neither yet excuse them but I praie thée Lord hide them in the bloodie woonds of thy sonne Christ where they shall be put in perpetuall obliuion Blessed is the man vnto whom thou doost not impute sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile Wherfore from the bottome of my heart Lord I am sorie for all my sinnes and doo aske thée forgiuenesse I will acknowledge all mine offenses and accuse my selfe vnto thée Lord. So soone as I was determined no longer to hide mine euill waies thou Lord straite forgauest me Thine eare was in my heart before my voice was in my mouth Thy mercies washed awaie my sinnes or euer my confession was made Thou art as readie to heare and forgiue as we to aske Wherefore I will saie with the prophet Daniel It is I that haue offended and sinned against thy maiestie I humblie beséech thée cure my sicke soule for I haue highlie sinned against thée yet doubt I not but thou hast and wilt forgiue the wickednes of my sinne It is thou Lord that must helpe vs which thou wilt doo if we call vpon thée whilst we are in this life for after death no intreatie will be heard It is then too late Wherefore Lord kéepe vs in the right waie and suffer vs not to swarue on the right hand nor on the left Thy eies of protection and mercie are euer firmelie fixed vpon vs grant vs to set the eies of our minds vpon thée Lord call me plucke me Lord from mine vngodlines that I may knowe thée loue thée put my hope wholie in thée O glorious God my maker sauiour sanctifier dwell in me and giue me grace to dwell in thée Amen 10. A praier for patience in trouble and constant expectation of Gods goodnes O GOD almightie grant vs neuer to refuse thy chastening For though thou make a wound thou giuest a plaister though thou smite thy hand maketh whole againe Thou shalt deliuer vs in sixe troubles and in the seauenth there shall none euill come vnto vs. In hunger thou shalt saue vs from death and when it is war from the power of the sword thou shalt kéepe vs from the euill toong and when trouble commeth we shall not néed to feare In destruction and death we shall be merrie for the stones of the land shall be confederate with vs bicause the Lord of hosts is our defense refuge for euer Let vs therefore put our whole trust in him reioising with melodie of thanksgiuing vnto his maiestie who onelie is true and can helpe vs with deliuerance Let vs lift vp our eies vnto GOD who hath all power and therefore ought to be feared For whatsoeuer he be that feareth man more than God falleth into a snare and is destroied As for all our sinnes and transgressions thou requirest nothing of vs O Lord GOD but to turne vnto thée and to obeie thy holy word following thy precepts and commandements For thou saiest O Lord those that honour thée thou wilt exalt and whosoeuer despiseth thée shall be despised For thou preferrest to honour and puttest downe according to thy blessed will The wicked when they féele thy heauie hand grudge at the same but the godlie humble themselues and crie for mercie For thou O Lord wilt not heare hypocrits but those that praie vnto thée with an vnfained faith and true repentance For the praier of the faithfull is a barre to staie thine anger that thou consume not all Thy mercie is so great towards thine that thou wilt not destroie them for their sinnes but correct and chasten them till thou haue purged and pardoned them Thy fauour O God is cause of
13. A praier wherein wee desire the life to come O Most high mightie prince of power Lorde of hosts GOD and Lord of the heauenly armie of angels that are thy ministers when I consider the greatnes of thy mightie Maiestie I am so rapt with the desire thereof that my hart and my flesh reioiceth in nothing but in thée alone that art the liuing God All earthlie tabernacles and worldlie goods I nothing estéeme when I behold thine euerlasting felicitie which although I sée now but darkelie as in a glasse I hope to sée thée face to face Grant me therfore O Lord whilest I am in this tabernacle to build vpon faith which is the altar of thée that art the Lord most mightie my King and my God vpon which we giue vnto thée sacrifice laud and praise in the vnitie of thy faithfull Church whereof thy Sonne Christ is the sure rock The faithfull build on this foundation Blessed are they Lord therefore that dwell in thy house who haue occasion to praise thée They are replenished with aboundance of all things that they desire they are made like vnto thée they sée thée euen as thou art of which sight they shall neuer be fullie satisfied such ioie and loue shall they conceiue of the sight of thy glorious maiestie But to this beatitude can we not atteine mercifull God of our owne strength and power but through the helpe of thy gratious assistance Thou must ingraue in our harts thy lawes and direct vs in thy waies and when we are brought to thée by the right waie we must be continuallie aided by thy grace that thou maiest staie and kéepe our féet from slipping Who so trusteth to his owne strength or power or to the helpe of man is much deceiued and leaneth to a rotten staffe contrariwise he that putteth his trust in thy gratious power wanteth neuer succour at néed Thou hast put vs into this present world to fight and to striue with our enimies who doo continuallie assault vs but thy grace maketh vs able to repell all their inuasions Thou sufferest vs not to be tempted aboue our strength and for our triumph thou rewardest vs with a crowne of glorie and immortalitie The vngodlie fall from thée descending downeward from one vice to an other but thy faithfull and elect increase dailie in godlines For of thée Lord commeth all our power and strength to doo good and of thy sonne Christ Iesus our maister our teacher and gouernour who promiseth that if we wéepe and morne heare in this vale of miserie for our sinnes we shall hereafter laugh and be ioifull in eternall glorie If we sowe with heauines we shall reape with gladnes if we perseuere good strong champions héere in batell we shall for our reward behold thy glorious face in thy heauenlie mansion we shall sée also thy sonne Christ who is thy wisedome and thy power which who so séeth enioieth all pleasures to sée that delectable sight our hearts doo much desire of thée that art the Lord of hosts For this we make humble petition to thée that art the GOD of Iacob who wrestled with thine angel and preuailed whose name thou diddest change and calledst him Israel that is the feare or beholder of God Euen so make me a strong wrestler against mine enimies in this world that I may after this life behold thy incomprehensible deitie to the full contentation both of my soule and bodie We are much vnworthie to obteine anie thing of thée considering our vnkindnes shewed vnto thée and our wretched estate wherein we remaine Neuerthelesse Lord we praie thée to be our defender and protector through thy grace not for our merits but for the merits of thy most entirelie beloued sonne Christ thine onelie annointed aboue all other with the oile of ioie and gladnes He is our head we are the members of his bodie he dwelleth in his faithfull and they in him Who so receiueth anie of his elect receiueth him He was incarnate for vs suffered death for vs bare our iniquities on his backe and rose againe for our iustification Wherefore we doubt not but that through the infusion of thy grace thou wilt looke vpon him in vs and shewe vs mercie for his sake that we may haue aboundance of grace through him and casting all the vanities of this world behind our backes we may enter into the court of thy bright heauenlie Ierusalem where one daies abiding is better than a thousand in this wretched world Iohn Baptist as witnesseth our Sauiour was the greatest and most perfect vpon earth yet said he the least in the kingdome of heauen is greater than he Wherefore most mightie Lord thy faithfull doubt not whilst they are here in this vale of miserie but that thou wilt euer assist them guide them and blesse them that put their whole trust in thée who art the liuing God and giuest to thine aboundantlie all things necessarie to this present life and afterwards the fruition of thy Godhead in heauen eternallie there to dwell with thée euerlastinglie Amen 14. A praier for comfort in trouble THe chiefest comfort that I receiue in this miserable wretched troublesome world O heauenlie Father and God almightie is when I call to mind the truth of thy great promises made to me in Iesus Christ for whose sake onelie I doo acknowledge and confesse that thou art my mercifull and louing Father and so carest for me through him that nothing is able to remooue thy grace and fauour from me Wherefore I come vnto thée in humblenes of hart crauing at thy bountifull hands the assistance of thy holie spirit to suppresse my wicked affections that I may with a stedfast faith obeie thy most diuine Maiestie in thought word and déed For thou disposest all things most wiselie and preseruest thy children in their greatest dangers Wherefore thy holie name be praised now and for euermore through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen 15. A praier for the prosperitie of the Church O Most holie glorious and blessed trinitie thrée persons in one Godhead by whose goodnesse all creatures haue their being whose eies behold althings as well that are past as that are to come and are accoumpted as present to thy mightie Maiestie we thy poore faithful subiects of the Church here militant vpon earth shew foorth our lamentable praiers beséeching thée pitifullie to behold the miserable estate thereof which neuer had more néed of thy godlie assistance than at this present it hath The nature of man is so corrupt and abhominable in wickednesse that none dooth good vpon the earth for many there be that despise God oppresse the poore Wherefore Lord we beséech thée to arise vp for the trouble sake of the oppressed and at the complaint of the poore helpe him and set him at rest Thy Sonne Christ is our sauing health in whom who so trusteth resteth in suertie and cannot be deceiued Arise vp we praie thée mercifull God and cast vs not away
in mans power to order his owne waies nor to rule his owne steps or goings therefore chasten thou vs O Lord but with fauor not in thy wrath Bring vs not vtterlie to naught for we haue none other sauiour neither can we helpe our selues for by our saluation thy name shall be praised Therefore Lord helpe vs séeing that of thy mercie thou hast made vs a most deare posession vnto thée and we through our sinnes are worthilie punished Declare againe thy loue and finish the worke that thou hast begunne in vs so shall we liue and praise thy holie name for euer euer through Iesus Christ our Lord and redéemer Amen 23. A praier wherein the hart poureth out it selfe before God with humble submission and christian lowlines in diuers considerations THe most pleasant thing that I can offer vnto thy maiestie O Lord is to giue thée a thankfull heart for all thy benefits and to be inwardlie sorie that euer I did anie thing which should offend thée then to mortifie the concupiscence of the flesh to put off the old Adam and put on Christ to leaue to be carnall and to become spirituall Wherefore I will call on thy holie name for thy gratious aid and assistance to helpe me and strengthen me in these my good purposes not doubting but thou wilt most gratiouslie heare me My heart and my whole bodie I offer willinglie vnto thy seruice which although it be of small value in déed yet I doo not mistrust but it shall be accepted in thy sight as was the offring of two mites which the poore woman threw into the treasurie at Ierusalem which small summe of hir pouertie thou diddest more estéeme and praise than all the great gifts of the rich men I humblie beséech thy highnesse to accept this gift of my poore soule bodie which is a declaration of my louing mind towards thée and vouchsafe Lord so to worke in them by thy grace that they may will and worke that which may be acceptable in thy sight so that I may truelie performe my vowes made vnto thée by kéeping thy lawes and commandements with my whole hart which I and euerie true christian professe to kéepe For whosoeuer he be that breaketh but one of them is guiltie of all It is not in mans power to turne to thée O God but thy worke onelie to conuert vs for we consider thy Maiestie and the weaknesse of our sinfull flesh Thy mercie worketh in vs sorrowe and repentance for our former life All things are gouerned by thy prouidence O God if thou blesse vs all creatures shall fauour vs. Let thy holie spirit counsell me how to come foorth of this carefull and troublesome life that I may hide my selfe vnder the shadowe of thy wings where I know I shall be defended by thy power which shall be a signe of thy fatherlie care towards me Wherefore I will resigne my selfe wholie vnto thée trusting in thy protection Thou O God art onelie the true felicitie to heale me thou art able and to raise me to life though I were dead long ago and turned to dust For I acknowledge thée to be almightie and that there is nothing done on earth without thy will and ordinance wherefore I will not trust to anie worldlie helpe In the daies of my trouble thou kéepest couenant and mercie with thy seruants that walke before thée with all their heart and though thou correctest from time to time yet thy helpe will not be farre off if we returne to thée Thy mercie is great to poore sinners for thou art more readie to pardon them with long suffering rather than to punish them Thou shewest fauor towards the fatherlesse which walke after thy commandements as thou art God and creator of the soule and body so wouldest thou haue vs serue thée with both and that thy people be continuallie subiect vnto thée For the greater gifts that we receiue at thy mercifull hands O Lord God and the higher that thou dooest preferre vs the more are we bound to praise thée for the same And though we be high or lowe in degrée yet can we not be exempted from dooing our duties Thou O God art the giuer of all good things wherfore I am readie to bestowe all that I haue at thy commandement Giue me grace O Lord God that I neuer prouoke thée to anger by my sinnes that thou maist mitigate thy punishments towards me strengthen me with thy holie spirit that I may leade an vpright life with true faith and repentance vnto the glorie of thy holie name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen 24. A praier wherein the afflicted person praieth against his enimies that God would turne vpon them his iudgements O Lord God of our fathers helpe me poore desolate creature I beséech thée for thou hast don al things from the beginning and looke what thine euerlasting counsell hath deuised it came euer to passe for all thy waies are prepared and thy iudgements are doone in thine euerlasting foreknowledge O looke thou now vpon mine enimies and bring to passe O Lord that the pride of them may be cut downe for thy power standeth not in the iudgement of men For there was neuer proud person that pleased thée but in the praier of the humble and méeke hath thy pleasure béene euermore O thou God of the heauens thou maker and Lord of all creatures heare and helpe me calling vpon thée and putting my trust in thy mercie for I haue none other helper but thée O Lord God Thinke vpon me and shew thy selfe vnto me in the time of my distresses and troubles strengthen me with patience in all aduersities Thou Lord of all power knowest all things O thou mightie God aboue all heare the voice of them that haue none other hope but onlie thée deliuer me out of the hands of mine enimies and make me not a scorne vnto the foolish Heare thou my God for I am despised turne their shame vpon their owne heads for they are puft vp with pride as the stomach that is choaked with fat O Lord of hosts thou righteous searcher which knowest the reines and the verie heart let me sée them punished if it be thy will for vnto thée doo I commit my cause For though they wickedlie prouoked me to doo euill for euill yet thy word kept me backe for I behaued my selfe vprightlie towards mine enimies Therefore I humblie beséech thée let them knowe that thou art the defender of my iust cause Let my persecutors be confounded but not me thou shalt bring vpon them the time of their plague and shalt destroie them right soone Wherefore O Lord my sauiour let the same shame and confusion light vpon them which they intended to haue brought vpon me and bicause thou hast all things in thy hands and power thou wilt spéedilie reward them after their deseruings for the deapth of thy prouidence gouerneth all things and disposeth them as it pleaseth thée Good Lord make me not a mocking
our faith and teachest vs to forget the world and to depend on thée O father of al goodnes Thy promise neuer faileth thou gouernest by thy holie spirit as séemeth best to thy godlie wisedome for thou O God art rich in mercie and truth which féedest all things and none can iustlie complaine For as by thy presence all things haue life so if thou withdraw thy blessing we all perish Thou hast a little flocke féed them with thy spirituall foode and gouerne thy church séeing thou hast chosen them out of the world ioine it vnto thy selfe that thy faithfull may continue for euer For thou art euerlasting thou hast euer loued truth thou art veritie it selfe all thy promises are vnremooueable Thou diddest promise to Abraham to multiplie his séed as the stars of heauen and as the sands vpon the sea side which promise at the last he enioied euen so diddest thou promise Isaac and Iacob When Ezechias was sicke vnto the death thou diddest promise him life fiftéene yéeres more which thou didst performe for thy names sake Euen so Lord kéepe thy promise with vs that are thy poore shéepe so shall we praise thée and thy Sonne our sauiour Christ which is our good shéepeheard who suffered death for his flocks sake to make them triumph ouer their enimies And as he rose againe for our iustification so grant that we may rise in newnes of life and aspire vnto the same place whither our sauiour is gone before whose name be praised with thée O déere father and the holie Ghost now and foreuermore Amen 44. A praier wherein is shewed that the wisedome of God is to be praised as also how he trieth his seruants is declared THou O most mightie God art the creator maker of all things whose power is euerlasting which shal neuer be put down whose kingdome indureth incorrupt for euer and thy going out hath béene from euerlasting Great art thou high vnmeasureable thou onelie knowst the waies of wisdome none other is there that can find hir paths but thou the mightie God which hast found hir out with thy foreknowledge by the same thy godlie wisedome hast created all things according to thy noble will and pleasure This thine omnipotent power Lord I thy sinfull seruant and subiect doo honour and thy excéeding wisedome I haue in great reuerence By the one thou madest all things and by the other thou knewest what thou wouldest make long before they were made in both these hast thou declared thy selfe to be the liuing God And although our acts which be past present and to come be all open before thine eies and our thoughts manifest in the sight of thy diuine presence yet dooest thou dailie search and prooue thine elect people sometimes by aduersitie sometimes by prosperitie to cause vs thereby to be knowen to other After this sort diddest thou prooue Abraham in the oblation of his sonne to the intent his obedience might be an example to all that should come after him Thus also diddest thou prooue thy seruant Iob and he was found both faithfull constant and iust Thou knowest what men be before thou triest them But after the triall thou hearest them their praiers and allowest their good actes and intentions by such proofe Lord hast thou tried me both within and without And though through frailtie I haue erred wandering from thée yet at length haue I béene found to returne againe to thée that art the perfect waie and to beléeue faithfullie in thée as in my verie God to trust wholie in thée to loue thée as my mercifull father and all through the gift of thy grace not of mine owne strength or will For what were I sillie wretch if I were destitute of thy helpe I doo consider thy goodnes and thy godlie prouidence by which thou wast the cause of my first being and still am I much bound vnto thy Maiestie for the great loue thou barest vnto me First for my creation and also for thy meruellous protection assistance inspiration redemption and reconciliation which the eie of my soule dooth right well consider Wherefore I most humblie praie thée Lord to regard what shall redound to thy glorie for thine honour is more aduanced in sauing one poore miserable and sinfull creature through thy mercie than in the damnation of a thousand by the rigour of thy iustice For in hell none can praise thée but cursse waile moorne and lament their miserable estate Now O my GOD I most hartilie beséech thée to giue me grace to flie the companie of all such as speake vntruelie of thée and of thy holie will and word also of them that exalt themselues presumptuouslie least being conuersant in their wickednesse I might fall from that right way in the which it hath pleased thy gratious goodnes to direct me for whosoeuer is familiar with the proud shal be clothed with pride He that dooth euill is worthie of death so are all those that communicate with him that hath pleasure in euill As for such as decline from thée I will abhorre those that doo me anie wrong I cléerelie forgiue and forget whatsoeuer they doo vnto me yea I doo praie vnto thée my most mercifull father euen from the bottome of my hart to forgiue them But those Lord that maliciouslie resist thée and thy holie word I hate them euen as though they were mine enimies Neuerthelesse I doo praie thée for amendment of their liues and saluation of their soules Consider Lord the frailtie of our nature none can stand in the right waie but shall slide and fall vnlesse thou giue him the staffe of thy grace to staie himselfe thereby As for me I haue wandered from thée as a shéepe that is straied from the flocke but thy goodnes hath found me out again and brought me vnto the fold Lead me therfore out of mine owne wicked waie into thie blessed waie of truth through the merits of thy déer beloued Sonne Christ who is the very true perfect path to all beatitude by whose helpe I may so direct my steppes in the waie of this life that I may kéepe the waie vnto life euerlasting Amen 45. A praier wherin is shewed how stranglie preserued and how blessed they are that trust in God the mercie of God also toward sinners is declared O Lord almightie father of mercie God of all comfort which in the treasure of shine infinit mercies disposest all things not onlie among vs thy poore creatures vpon earth which is bountifullie replenished therewith but also among thy holy angels and blessed spirits in heauen who are all preserued by thy grace Lord God whose nature and propertie is to haue mercie vpon all those that loue thée and in faith call on thée thou saiest by thy prophet Esaie that the mountaines shall remooue and the hilles shall fall downe but thy louing kindnesse shall not mooue from those that trust in thée Thou Lord of thy mercie sauedst Noa frō the generall floud and Abraham
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
thy poore creature and handie worke granting me the fruit of thy sonnes passion which he suffered for my redemption to whom with thée O Father and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie all power and dominion now and for euermore Amen Amen 18. A praier of the afflicted person O Lord God thou art iust and all thy works and waies are mercie truth and thou iudgest trulie for euermore remember me and looke on me O Lord God and punish me not according to my sinnes or mine ignorance but deale with me as it séemeth best vnto thée And now O Lord worke thy will in me and command my spirit to be receiued in peace that I may be dissolued of this fowle fleshie masse thorough the which I doo nothing but offend thée my Lord God Yet neuerthelesse if it be thy blessed will to giue me longer life in this vale of miserie forgiue me all my sinnes for Christs sake for thou art a mercifull God slowe to conceiue wrath and most readie to forgiue Wherefore extend thy fauour vpon me O Lord which shall confirme the faith of others Though I deserue destruction yet let thy mercie pittie my frailtie for thou art great O Lord for euermore and thy kingdome is world without end Thou scourgest and healest thou leadest vnto hell and bringest backe againe and there is none that may escape thy hand O giue thanks vnto the Lord ye children of men for there is none holie but he none almightie but thou O Lord God Thou hast chastined vs for our misdéeds and of thine owne mercie sake thou hast saued vs wherefore thée will we feare and dread and magnifie the euerlasting king in his works As for me and my soule whilest I liue will I praise thy Maiestie as long as I haue anie being For euer since I was borne thou hast giuen me great cause to praise thée for thou hast béene the defense of my iust cause Heare now my vehement praier my secret complaint and my sighes which I make before thée this daie into whose holie hands I commit my bodie and soule for thou hast redéemed me O thou God of truth Amen 19. A praier of the iustice of God and for the assistance of Gods spirit with an inuocation vpon the Trinitie O Lord I confesse thou dooest not punish me without my deserts therfore I will neuer accuse thée of rigour as the wicked doo for I acknowledge that when thou laiest thy hand heauie vpon anie there is iust cause why thou shouldest so entreat them We are occasion of our owne perdition and can pretend no ignorance to excuse vs withall for thou O God callest vs by thy word and works to follow vertue and flie vice which if we bend our selues vnto depending onelie vpon thée thou hast promised to be our schoolemaister and protectour Thy prouidence O GOD dooth not onelie watch ouer thy church in generall but also ouer euerie member thereof for thy word O Lord is easie to find if we haue a desire therevnto if we be not blinded by the prince of this world Thou most mightie hast power both of land and sea stretch foorth thy mercifull hand to helpe them vp that sinke to kéepe them vp that stand for thou art aboue all and ouer all kingdomes of the earth Thou hast made the heauen and earth Lord bow downe thine eare and heare Lord open thine eies and behold Our true refuge and succour in all temptations and dangers is to flie vnto thée by most earnest praier Thou wilt not here O Lord God for manie words sake or often repetition but thou doost consider our faith and feruent mind for thou doost looke vpon the heart of man and not vpon the outward appearance It is great gréefe O Lord vnto thy children when they sée not the fruits of their praiers which causeth them to thinke that thou hearest not yet doost thou but defer them to cause them to praie more earnestlie and often For when there séemeth to mans iudgement to be no recouerie but all things are brought to despaire then thou O GOD doost shew thy mightie power there is nothing doone without thy prouidence and decrée Wherefore I will call vpon thée with a stedfast faith being assured of thy mercies bicause I haue found thy helpe at néed in my most danger for thou neuer forsakest them that put their trust in thée bicause of nature thou art verie mercifull Therefore the faithfull reuerence thée and are bold to approch néere thy mightie Maiestie most humblie beséeching thée for Iesus Christ his sake that thou wilt cast all our sinnes behind thy backe and giue vs thy grace and holie spirit to lead the rest of our liues in thy feare dooing alwaies that is righteous in thy sight For whosoeuer walketh in his vocation and hath the light of God for his guide néedeth to feare no danger thy rodde and thy staffe shall alwaies hold him vp Guide me O Lord and giue me the most pretious gift of faith which is the head spring of all good works Baptise me inwardlie with the holie Ghost burne and consume all vice in me inflame my hart with the loue of thée and cast thy fauour vpon me O Lord and holie father So doo likewise O Christ my Lord and Sauiour who wast contented to put off all thy glorie that thou wast in before the beginning of the world to take our nature vpon thée and to suffer most bitter passion vpon the crosse for our redemption Wash me with thy pretious bloud and make me a chosen vessell to thy selfe giue me a thankefull hart to praise thy name with continuall thankesgiuing for thy great mercies Come holie spirit inspire my hart with the true knowledge of the father and the sonne procéeding from them both one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie world without end Amen 20. A praier for faith and grace LOrd giue me faith and grace that I may be wounded in hart to séeke vnto thée for mercie for thou O God hast taught vs in thy holie word to looke for aide and helpe of thee in all perils and that thou art the onlie giuer of victorie in all temptations of our enimies bodilie gostlie For when thou giuest sentence against the wicked they must néeds confesse thée to be iust and themselues sinners For thou O GOD which louest purenes of hart maiest iustlie destroie man who is by nature a sinner much more wilt thou laie thine hand vpon them whom thou hast instructed in thy heauenlie wisdome Thy fauour O God is the fountaine of all prosperitie for thou O Lord doost still behold vs. Thée will we reuerence in what place soeuer we be Helpe me therefore O Lord God in my good purposes and holie worshipping or seruing of thée and grant vnto me to make a perfect enterance and beginning in thée for I haue bin an vnprofitable seruant hitherto O Lord giue me a mind neuer to shew my selfe vnthankful for all thy benefits for
conuersion but after long forbearing thou strikest verie sore throwing both bodie and soule into the pit of hell hauing such measure of punishment as they gaine in this world For as thy mercies is vnmeasureable so is thy iustice vnremooueable to those that depart this world in their wickednesse Make me O Lord God of the number of those that be thy faithfull children let me not wauer nor fall from my hope but put on me the shield of faith that I may stronglie fight against my ghostlie enimie Grant me to vanquish and ouercome him that after triumphant victorie I may liue and reigne with thée O Father Sonne and holie Ghost thrée persons and one true and euerlasting GOD through the merits death of thy Sonne my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to the which most glorious Trinitie be giuen all honor glorie and praise now and for euer Amen 33. A praier to be said at all times wherein our frailties are confessed and request made to haue them redressed BLessed art thou O GOD of our fathers and blessed is thy holie name which is most glorious for euer Let the heauens blesse thée and all thy creatures thou art the Lord strong and mercifull gratious slow to anger and abounding in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquities transgressions and sinnes making the wicked innocent if they will repent with all their whole harts and returne vnto thée Thou visitest the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation for as thou art mercifull euen so goeth iustice from thée For thou settest so much store by man that thou hast a regard ouer him and dailie carest for vs O Lord God and makest proofe and triall of him euerie houre beholding those with a fatherlie eie that serue thée in faith and truth Thou hast vsed correction vnto vs but we gathered therby no repentance thou hast corrected vs to the end we should amend but we refused thy fatherlie visitation For those that are thine enimies thou wilt declare thine heauie iudgments against them but thou wilt shew thy fauourable kindnesse towards thy children For thou hast said I wil punish them that serue me otherwise than I haue commanded them not sparing the chéefe that the people may feare and praise my iudgements For to the wicked and carnall man thou appéerest as a flaming fire but vnto them that be drawne with thy holie spirit thou art like a pleasant saphir to be hold Holinesse perteineth vnto thée O Lord GOD and thou O GOD art most holie and nothing vnholie may appéere before thée Therefore whosoeuer commeth vnto thée must be washed from all sinne and corruption And séeing thou gouernest all things by thy prouidence thou wilt put a difference betwéene the godlie and vngodlie Wherefore we humblie beséech thée O Lord GOD lighten our hearts with thy holie spirit that we maie féele thy fauour towards vs as those that be thine elect doo The right hand of thy maiestie is glorious in power Grant vs O God continuallie to depend vpon thy prouidence with patience from daie to daie with full trust in thy promises for our deliuerance For though we prouoke thée iustlie to anger O God yet wilt thou neuer forsake vs. Thou art our Lord almightie Iehouah is thy name which declarest that thou art constant wilt performe thy promise Grant vs grace therefore that we may worship thée aright in the place which thou hast appointed vs for thou O Lord requirest puritie We cannot be thine except our sinnes be purged with the bloud of Iesus Christ by whose grace we may learne to detest all sinne Which grant vs all to doo O Father for Christes sake whose figure we represent on him we laie all our offenses who is able to beare the burthen of them for vs all We present him to thée O Father whom we know both can and will make vs cleane and perfect before thée whose mercies we dailie praise with thée O father and the holie Ghost now and for euer Amen 34. An humblie confession of our sinnes before God as also a petition to haue the same remitted O Lord heare my harty repentance for I am sorrowfull and gréeued with the burthen of my sins the remembrance of them is intollerable Wherefore looke downe vpon me with thy fauourable eies of pittie and behold me which lie here prostrat before the sight of thy maiestie for I confesse that I am waxen old in sin and wickednesse wherin I first was conceiued but now my most hartie desire is to be borne anew and to be graffed in my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ For thus my faith dooth persuade me that none can come too late vnto thée who forgauest the théefe all his wickednesse at his last houre when he asked mercie of thée And manie other more examples I find in my most holie word how mercifull thou hast béene alwaies to those thy seruants that sought the same of thée And shall I then despaire hearing dailie thy voice crie out vnto me saieng Come all ye that are heauie loden and I will ease you Knocke and it is heard aske and it is giuen Who can yet thinke that he shall misse of mercie if he craue it in faith séeing thou art so true and iust in all thy promises Thy creatures faile in their words and works but thou kéepest thy promise and fidelitie and thy word indureth vnremooueable for euer and euer O thou God almightie vnto whom all things are knowen shew on me thy mercie euen in the sight of the children of men that they may knowe and sée how gratious and mercifull thou art vnto those that giue ouer themselues vnto the hands of thy almightie Maiestie Thou art the helper of the forsaken and fréendles and there is none that may be compared vnto thée that art so rich in mercie and louing kindnesse that diddest not spare thine onlie begotten Sonne Iesus Christ to giue him a slaine sacrifice for my sinnes and the sinnes of the whole world but also hast promised that whosoeuer dooth come vnto thée in his name with full assurance in his bloud death and passion shall not onelie receiue remission of all their sinnes and iniquities that euer they haue committed but also inherit the crowne of euerlasting glorie which thou wilt giue vnto all those that be thine elect in Christ Of which number through thy grace I account my selfe for one making me most assured thereof bicause thou hast promised the same Which dooth imbolden me at this present to craue thy most mercifull aid and assisstance of thy holie spirit to strengthen me in faith to confirme me in hope to stablish me in charitie that I may be knowen by thy cognisance and badge to be thy child and faithfull seruant that I may vse the talent which thou hast giuen me to thine honor and glorie and the health of my soule That when it shall please thée to take a reckoning how I haue spent the
when we swarue at anie time out of the right waie by which we iudge that he dooth loue vs for whosoeuer he be that he loueth him he dooth chasten Christs strong shéepheards staffe dooth staie vs when we are weake as a sicke man is by his staffe In Christ thy sonne is the fulnes of grace from whom distilleth all goodnesse that we haue through his holie spirit is our cup filled full of pure liquor it causeth vs for ioie of heauenlie contemplation to forget all the troubles and miseries of the world the dregs of worldlie pleasures and carnall affections For as thy mercie hath gone before vs plentifullie giuing vs aboundance of thy great graces so we trust and doubt not but it will followe vs all the daies of our liues and kéepe vs that we fall not from faith Thou Lord must helpe our house or else we labour in vaine thou must be our beginning and end and then we be sure to dwell in the house of the Lord for euer For we know surelie that if our earthlie mansion wherein we now dwell were dissolued we haue a building ordeined of God an habitation not made with hands but eternallie in heauen where is perpetuall ioie and beatitude world without end Amen 37. A breefe confession that we receiue all goodnes from God ARise vp O Lord God and let thine enimies be scattered before thée and let them that hate thée be brought to confusion Declare O Lord thy might and power for thou art a consuming fire and a gelous God visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation For thy gouernement is so iust constant and without change or repentance that thy verie enimies shall be compelled to confesse the same O God almightie thou doost punish thine elect by measure giuest them grace to beare it but to the reprobate it is thy iust vengeance to driue them headlong to all madnesse For thy omnipotencie hath all power in it selfe to execute thy terrible iudgment against obstinate sinners as thou art rich in mercy to comfort them which obeie thy word and loue thée The faithfull in all their aduersities doo knowe that all shall go well with them for GOD will be mercifull and iust and though they want for a time yet thou wilt send them comfort in due season For thy Maiestie is so great that it filleth both heauen and earth and there is no power so high that can let thée when thou wilt deliuer thine The wicked rise vp suddenlie to honour and perish as quicklie but the inheritance of the children of God continueth for euer For thou O GOD wilt take vengance vpon the wicked and measure them according to their dealings Thus thou O God canst plucke backe the bridle of tyrants and deliuer thine owne out of the lions mouth for though the wicked swell neuer so much yet we feare them not They cannot vtterlie destroie vs for thou Lord hast promised to abide with thy faithfull people to the end of the world Thy grace will not leaue vs nor anie that loue thée and serue thée with a faithfull heart Thy fauour O God resteth on thine for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake that from him we might receiue thy blessings For we deserue nothing of our selues but thy wrath and indignation Wherefore grant vs good Lord first to séeke thy glorie and aboue all things reigne thou ouer vs al and let vs render to thée perfect obedience as thine angels doo whom thou hast commanded to take charge of thy children For the which if the wicked despise them thou of thy mercie wilt reuenge their cause for thou wilt preserue the faithful branches of thy vineyard but the rotten stocks wilt thou destroie according to their hypocrisie For there is none like vnto thée in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath Thou dooest blesse the labour of the poore and consumest the goods of them which are negligent bicause they boast and thinke they haue enough The wicked wallow in their riches yet are they but slaues to the godlie that are true professors of the gift of God The cup which thou gauest to the wicked to drinke is much bitter than that thou doost bestow on thine own them thou measurest by mercie the other by iustice And though thou suffer thy children to liue vnder the crosse least they should imbrace wickednesse yet thou wilt not suffer it to rest vpon them that it should driue them from their hope for all thy promises are true Wherefore we are sure of thy helpfull deliuerance séeing the earth and all creatures remaine in that estate wherein thou hast created them much more thy truth indureth constant and vnchangeable Blessed be thou O God of truth and blessed be the glorie of thy holie name world without end Amen Amen 38. A praier wherein is shewed that there is none omnipotent but God alone O Lord GOD almightie it is not in mans power or counsell to hinder that thou hast determined shall come to passe for as the insensible heauen is not subiect to anie alteration and change so shall the truth of thy promises be vnchangeable sith our infirmities cannot in any wise comprehend thée in thy maiestie There is none like thée neither is there anie God besides thée thou killest and giuest life thou woundest and makest whole Wherefore blessed are they that confesse thée and obeie thy word to them thou giuest life and felicitie The ioies that are stedfast and perdurable are giuen of thy goodnesse to those that are méeke and humble in spirit Thou dooest grant to the faithfull of thy goodnesse both grace and glorie so that no good thing shall be withholden from them that liue in thy feare for thou castest awaie none that will séeke thée in righteousnes And though thou suffer the world to hate thine elect it is bicause thy children should forsake the filthines of this world and cleaue vnto thée Wherefore grant vs O Lord that we may alwaies haue the eies of our faith fixed vpon thée for whatsoeuer thou O GOD hast promised shall surelie be performed For as it was thy frée mercie O God that did choose vs so is it thy frée mercie that must saue vs. Thou doost call vs by thy rod to consider the shortnes of our life for our sinnes haue abridged our daies which be not onlie short but miserable bicause we are so sinfull that we doo nothing but prouoke thée to wrath so weake we are so fraile and vnable of our selues to doo that good is inclining alwaies to things forbidden There is nothing so secreatlie doone on earth but thou O God doost sée it who dooest fulfill both heauen and earth Grant vs O Lord alwaies thy feare which shall be a bridle to staie vs from all wickednesse For as thou hast created all people euen so dooest thou gouerne the hearts of all ioining the saluation of thine with thine owne honour so that they cannot perish vnlesse thy glorie should
for the which I despise all earthlie things in respect of of thée the euerlasting GOD without measure who féedeth all things Thou art the comfort of the soule and the true ioie of the heart Wherefore Lord continue thy graces towards vs and helpe our present necessities for we are far vnworthie of thy great benefits which thou bestowest vpon vs and all people who appointest the earth to bring foorth to mans vse Thou art a most nourishing father prouiding for all creatures their dailie food for none is able to do anie thing but as thou appointest them sith they are but instruments to doo thy worke though intentions be diuers Thou O God art the sender of peace and warre prosperitie and aduersitie punishing whole nations for their sinnes How can we then so foolishlie persuade our selues that we shall escape vnpunished for our offenses Séeing thou hearest and séest all things who hast in all ages plagued all such as maliciouslie and contemptuouslie depart from thy truth For who so forsaketh thée O God shall be punished and made wearie of his sinnes wherein he delighteth As for me I hate them O Lord that presumptuouslie dare attribute vnto themselues that they can guide their owne harts séeing it lieth in thy omnipotencie to giue the will and further the worke For there is none able to speake a word except thou giue it him neither is anie able to thinke a good thought without thée much lesse may anie doo the thing that good is without the assistance of thy holie spirit Wherefore regenerate me O Lord God by the same spirit and restore me to thine image giuing me grace and an assured faith to thinke doo that which is righteous in thy sight For I desire to liue but onelie to please thée as thy seruant Moses did who was brought vp with the daughter of Pharao and taken as hir sonne where he might haue liued still in much wealth if he would But when he was great through faith he refused to be called hir sonne chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to enioie the pleasure of sinne for a while and all for that he had respect to the reward to come in thy heauenlie house Which grant me to aspire vnto for thy mercie sake whatsoeuer vexation or trouble my bodie bide For what should all the world gaine me if I lose my soule Better I were in this world to féed vpon the bread of teares and to wash my cup with moorning than to liue in all prosperitie wallowing in worldlie wealth and forget thée my God as the rich glutton did For assuredlie it is thy plague when the rich man hath not a liberall hart to vse his riches to thine honour and glorie For there is no power so high or mightie but thou O God canst visit him with thy rod neither is there anie mountaine or hill so strong or mightie that it can preserue the wicked from thy wrath O most mightie when thou wilt strike for thine office is to take vengeance on the wicked and to reward them according to their wickednes and deseruing Blesse me O GOD and make me of that number which regard not the pleasures of this world with the temporall commodities thereof but make me strong against my spirituall enimie that I may be thy well beloued child and seruant for I haue no other refuge but thée O Lord in whom my conscience is at rest Thou art named mercifull gratious and long suffering Lord shew thy selfe so vnto me thy poore creature who is most weake and fraile of all other Lord I haue confessed all mine offenses and imperfections vnto thy Maiestie and now I depend wholie on thée resting still on thy most holie word beséeching thée to strengthen my poore soule which sigheth and groneth vnto thée with gréefes that cannot be expressed vntill thou haue mercie vpon me Which grant me for thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and sauiour Amen So be it 43. A praier for the good estate of the church and congregation of God ARise O LORD GOD and haue mercie vpon thy church and faithfull congregation Giue vs that be of the houshold of faith ioie and consolation Thou didest euer shew mercie vnto thy seruants for euer since the fall of angels vnto the end of the world thy mercie hath euer béene and shall be aboundantlie shewed to all mankind but chéefelie it was shewed when thy sonne was sent into this world to suffer death whereby the gate of heauen was opened which before was shut that no man might enter This time was the beginning of grace and was certeinlie appointed when the fulnes of time was come which was before sinne by the euerlasting wisdome of thy deitie whereby thou dooest all things in most perfect order This time of grace we trust shall continue for euer to those that are penitent Wherefore we praie thée without ceasing to haue mercie vpon thy church for we faithfullie build vpon a sure rocke thy sonne Iesus Christ is our foundation Wherefore most louing father turne thée vnto the praiers of vs that are poore destitute of any helpe but onelie of thy helpe through thy mercie Despise not we humblie beséech thée our humble desire Behold our petitions with thy fatherlie eie wherewith thou didst looke vpon the oblation of Abel and receiue it thankfullie wherewith also thou beheldest the the praier of the Israelties being in bitter bondage in Aegypt and deliueredst them with those same mercifull eies vouchsafe to looke vpon vs and our praiers whereby the noble fame and praise of thy mercie shall be written for those that come after which shall be borne in faith by baptisme and may praise thée For those that be thy children shall haue a power aboue nature in their age shall they bring foorth most swéet and pleasant fruit Thou wilt euer declare thy selfe the preseruer of the church in destroieng thine enimies as thou diddest in thy red sea Thou O God art mercifull and wilt not forsake vs neither destroie vs nor forget the appointment of our Fathers which thou swarest vnto them And forsomuch as thou O God hast appointed that thy church in this world shal be vnder the crosse both bicause we should learne not to put our trust in anie worldlie thing and also féele thy comfort when all other helpe faileth Therfore we humblie beséech thée O Lord gather thy church which is dispersed and giue vs constancie vnder the manifold crosses which we suffer that we may with one consent all togither praise thée for euer For thou hast promised by the mouth of thy swéet sonne Iesus Christ that thy power and thine assistance shall be with hir vnto the end of the world Strengthen vs therefore with thy grace and holy spirit that we may sowe the séed of good works in this world that they may declare vs to be thy faithfull seruants and that they may be acceptable fruit in thy sight for thou dooest trie
beare the name of a christian for that through mine own sin I haue defaced the beautie of the principall part of man which is my soule made to thy godlie image Neuerthelesse since thou art the reformer of all our harts and the inspiror of all grace and goodnesse I most humblie beséech thée to correct by thy power that which through my frailtie is amisse Redres by thy pitie that which I haue mard through my follie make me able to yéeld vnto thée that which thou requirest of me acknowledging mine owne vnworthines and to render vnto thée noble praises and louing thanks for thy manifold gifts of grace wherby thou hast of thy méere liberalitie indued both my soule and bodie Make me worthie to laud thée which I cannot doo vnlesse thou giue me grace to wipe awaie all mine iniquities For thy praises be not séemelie in the mouth of a sinner Yea Lord I praie thée inflame my hart with the loue of thée so that from the bottome thereof I may speake them and not to loue anie thing in this world but thée for thée Thou art the true God and sauiour and there is none but thou O Lord. Out of thy mouth commeth the word of righteousnes which no man may turne Wherefore all other gods set I asside to thée onelie will I sing praises and confesse thée onelie to be the liuing GOD which I will acknowledge before the whole congregation of the faithfull Thou knowest the inward intent of the heart for in the hearts of the beléeuing is thy seate and resting place The soules of the iust are the temples wherein thou dooest inhabit To this temple good Lord will I turne my selfe by pondering the state of mine owne soule for strength whereof I call most humblie vnto thée most mercifull God that I may be able to vanquish the illusions of the subtill serpent Performe in me that which thou hast promised for all thy waies are mercie and truth Thy mercie reacheth vnto the heauens and thy faithfulnesse vnto the clouds thy righteousnes stands like the strong mountaine When thy goodnes is considered all the rulers of the earth must néeds confes that great is thy might and thy glorie Neuerthelesse although thou dwellest aboue the heauens yet hast thou a louing respect vnto the lowlie and méeke of spirit and dooest behold them as one looketh on his friend if they trust in thée Thou drawest néere vnto them that séeke thée to heare their praiers yea thou art their shéeld and protection in all their necessities as for the proud workers of iniquitie thou séest them a far off thou beholdest them with a fearse looke to their confusion to destroie and roote out their memoriall out of the euerlasting beatitude Who so therfore will haue thy maiestie come néere vnto him must plucke downe his mind and become lowe in heart For the méeke humble people be those that shall enioie the heuenlie countrie And though they walke in the middest of trouble yet shalt thou refresh and quicken them This world is a place ordeined for trouble and not for rest Here we are appointed to trauell in this place is no want of tribulation but thou euer gratiouslie comfortest the faithfull thou sufferest them not to be ouercome in any tribulation for through thée they vanquish all their enimies Wherefore Lord powre out thy mercies I beséech thée vpon thy flocke deliuer vs from all our enimies spirituall and temporall let thy right hand saue vs and lead vs through thy grace into eternall felicitie As for riches ease honor or any kind of temporall pleasure which be thy gifts also but of thy left hand we nothing estéeme Manie times thou bestowest these benefits vpon thine enimies the other thou reseruest for thine elect to receiue after manie tribulations And the same Lord I humblie beséech thée to kéepe in store for me thy poore seruant Regard not the wickednes which I dailie commit but looke vpon the merits of thy son Iesus Christ my God and my sauiour for it is he that hath paied my debt and thou Lord hast sealed the acquitance grant me to honour thée therefore as I ought to doo now and for euer Amen Amen 49. A praier wherein is shewed that God is alwaies our protection if we trust in his sonne Iesus Christ O Lord thou art my God I will praise thée and magnifie thy name and thy word aboue all things Thou bringest maruelous things to passe according to thy will and pleasure Thou art the poore mans helpe a strength for the néedfull in the time of trouble defending them against all weathers and their shadowe in the time of heate Likewise to the presumptuous thou art like a strong whirle wind that casteth downe the boasting of the vngodlie bicause they know not thée to be the euerlasting strength but the righteous Lord haue a respect vnto the waie of thy iudgements and thy name and remembrance reioiseth their hearts As for my soule it thirsteth after thée both daie and night and my mind hasteth fréelie vnto thée bicause thou art so mercifull vnto all them that séeke thée in singlenesse of heart for thou wilt be found of them that thirst after thée Thou art the well of pleasant waters whorewith whosoeuer is filled they shall neuer be a thirst for thou O lambe of GOD that dwellest in the middest of the throne wilt lead thine vnto the founteine of liuing waters and giue them euerlasting rest bicause that in this world they made themselues white in thy blood bearing thy crosses with willing minds and confessed thée before men on earth For this cause wilt thou acknowledge them before God thy father in heauen where they shall praise thée and him world without end O God most holie I acknowledge that I am none of those that haue deserued halfe such mercie at thy hands but I hope through the mercies and merits of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and sauiour to be made as perfect before thée O heauenlie father as if I had neuer sinned For thus I stedfastlie beléeue if I come vnto him he will not refuse me and if I praie heartilie desiring his helpe he will heare me and cloath me with his righteousnes and take from me all the sinnes that euer I haue committed from my birth vntill this present houre as he hath promised in his holie word Come Lord Iesus for thou art true and iust in all thy waies and wash me with thy most pretious blood Sanctifie me with thy bitter passion pretious death and glorious resurrection Restore me to those ioies that thine elect doo find in thée powre thy holie spirit into my heart that he may draw my mind continuallie vnto thée for thou art the waie the truth and the life Blessed are they that trust in thée and with a stedfast faith make thée their onelie staie and refuge they shall be sure of all happinesse in this world and when it shall please thée to call them hence they shall enioie with thée the crowne of glorie who hast all power giuen thée both in heauen and earth for the father iudgeth no man but hath committed all vnto thée who art the verie wisedome of God Wherfore Lord Iesu make me blessed with thée like as thou art blessed for I commit my selfe both bodie and soule into thy mercifull hands who hast redéemed me O thou God of truth Thou O Lord art worthie to receiue all glorie and honour and might for thou hast created all things and for thy willes sake they were and are created O most noble creator of light shine into my hart that it may cléerlie sée the excellencie of thy maiestie and quicken my soule and spirit that they may continuallie be stirred to honour and glorifie thée as thou art worthie which by thy grace I shall not cease to do with hart soule mind and strength among thy faithfull congregation which of thy mercie Lord preserue and kéepe that we may praise thée one God in persons thrée and euerlasting in vnitie world without end Amen FINIS 1584 H D OS HOMINI SVBLIME DEDIT Imprinted at London by Henrie Denham dwelling in Pater noster Rowe at the signe of the Starre Cum priuilegio