mee the deedes of âe flesh which are these âdultery fornication vncleaââsse wantonnesse idolatry âitchcraft hatred variance wrath strife sedition sects eâuying murther drunkennesse gluttony and such like anâ plant in mee the fruites of thâ Spirit as loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse faithfuânesse meekenesse and tempârance As concerning the coâuersation in times past giueâ grace to put off the old mââ which is corrupt through tââ deceiuable lusts and to be âânued in the spirit of my mindâ and to put on the new maâ which after the image of Goâ is shapen in righteousnesse anâ true holinesse Suffer me not to lie buââ speake truth vnto my Neigâbour For as much as wee ââ members one of another Suââââ me not to be angry that I ãâã let not the Sunne goe down vpon my wrath neither let ãâã giue place vnto the back-biter Grant that he which afore hath ââollen may from henceforth âteale no more but rather laâor with his hands some good âhings that hee may haue to giue vnto him that needes Let âo filthy communication proâeed out of my mouth but that which is good to edifie withâll when neede is that it may ââue fauour with the Hearers Let all bitternesse fiercenes ând wrath roaring and cursed âpeaking bee put away from ââe all maliciousnesse Make ââee curteous to all men and âercifull forgiuing euen as God for thy sake forgaue me As for fornication and all vnleannesse or couetousnesse let ââ not bâe once named among âs as it becommeth Saints âeither filthy things neither foolish talking neither iesting which are not comely but rather giuing of thankes Put vppon me tender mercy kindnes humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing my Neighbour but abouâ all these thingâ put vpon mâ loue which is the bond of perfection grant that the peacâ of God may euermore rule ââ my heart and that I may bâ thankefull for all thy benefitsâ Finally whatsoeuer thing are true whatsoeuer things aââ honest whatsoeuer things aâiust whatsoeuer things ãâã pure whatsoeuer things pââtain to loue whatsoeuer thingâ are of honest report if there bâ any vertuous thing if there ââ any laudable thing grant thââ I may haue them in my minde and practise them in my conuersation and liuing that whatsoeuer I breathe think speake âor doe all things may bee done ânto the honour glory and praise of thy name who liuest and raignest with God the Father and God the Holy Ghost true liuing and euerlasting GOD World without end Aâen A Prayer for Faith VVEe are taught by thy holy Apostle O most louing Sauiour that whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne and that it is impossible to please thee without faith and therefore they that come vnto thee must beleeue that thou art God yea and sâch a God as is both able and also will aboundantly reward all them that with true faith seeke thee For thy eyes O Lord looke vpon Faith and thou doest appeare and shew thy selfe vnto them that haue faith in thee yea through faith thou being the King of glory art married to the soules of thy faithfull makest them partakers of thy diuine nature through the wonderfull working of thy blessed Spirit Through Faith so many as beleeue are iustified made the soânes and heires of God and haue euerlasting life By Faith we obtaine of God all good things euen whatsoeuer wee doe aske in thy name Seeing that Faith is so precious a Iewell in thy sight that without it nothing is acceptable vnto thy diuine Maiestie and I of mâne owne nature cannot haue this most singular gift except thou giuest it vnto mee from aboue and doest breathe it into my heart by thy holy Spirit for of my selfe I am blind ignorant foolish and by no meanes can perceiue the things which pertaine to the Spirit of God I most humbly beseech thee to take away from me all infidelitie and vnfaithfulnesse which I receiued of old Adam and to plant in me true faith vndoubted beliefe that I may bee throughly perswaded that thou art the Sonne of the liuing God very God and very Maâ our alone sweete smelling sacrifice our alone Mediatour Aduocate and Interceââor ouâ alone wisdome righteousnââââ âanctification and redemptiâââ by whom alone and for whose sake onely thy Heauenly Father is well pleased with mee whereby my sinnes are remitted grace and euerlasting life is giuen me O Lord God suffer mee not to leane to mine owne wisedome nor to beleeue as blinde flesh fansieth nor to âeeke saluation where superstitioÌ dreameth but let my faith onely be grounded on thy Word And giue me grace truly to beleeue in thee with all my heart to put my trust in thee to looke for all good things of thee to call vpon thy blessed name in aduersitie and with a ioyful voice and more merry heart to praise and magnifie it in prosperitie Suffer me not to doubt neither of God my Heauenly Father âor of God his Sonne nor of God the Holy Ghost but earnestly to beleeue that they being distiâct persons are notwithstanding one very God beside whom there is no God neither in Heauen nor in earth Grant also that I may assuredly beleeue whatsoeuer is contained in the Holy Scriptures and by no meanes suffer my selfe to bee plucked from the veritie thereof but manfully and stedfastly abide in the same euen vnto the death rage World âoare Diuell And this Faith O sweete Iesuâ encrease thou in me more and more that at the last through thy goodnesse I may be made perfect strong in thy holy Religion and shew my selfe both before theâ and the World truly faithfull by bringing forth plenty of all good workes vnto the gloriâ and honour of thy name which with God the Father and God the Holy Ghost liuest and raignest true God World with out end Amen A Prayer vnto GOD that weâ may liue in his feare and that he will turne his plagues from vs. O Heauenly Father most merciful Lord deale not thou with vs after our sinnes neither reward vs after our iniquities Indeed thou in thy holie Law doest thereaten to punish with plagues noysome diseases such as neglect and set at nought thy will word and liue licentiously according to their owne lusts and appetites to send vpon them great plagues with many other innumerable and vnknowne infirmities as iust punishments for their iniquities Yet O Father of mercy and Lord of all comfort I beseech thee inspire into my heart such a regiment of feare to offend thy diuine Maiesty that thereby I may turne vnfeinedly vnto thee and serue thee truly learning to liue according to thy law louing one another as Christs true children in deede and not spoiling or deuouring one another For hee that loueth not his brother though he liue yet he abideth in death and hee that hateth his Brother is a Man-slayer and killeth him in his heart but loue shall couer â multitude of sinnes and so also God shall bee glorified and shall
vnto his ende Here good Reader is both the manner the method the forme the fashion how to meditate and what to meditate as time and necessity shall require with a requisite regard and serious consideration that our holy meditations may bee the more gracious in the eyes of God and successefull in our desires and occasions that God may blesse both them and vs with an happy Earnest in this World of the eternity in the World to come whether by his blessed will so prospering this intended meanes that it may be able to bring vs to the blessed Hauen of rest and endlesse ioy The Lord of life and death in whose hands is the breath of euery liuing thing so direct vs that wee may learne to number our dayes that wee may run out the short race of our sinfull Pilgrimage in godlinesse of holy meditation with much patience looking to Christ Iesus the Authour and finisher of our faith that when we shall haue finished these dayes of sinne wee may bee translated to a better life in the Kingdome of Glory which GOD hath purchased to vs in the blood-shedding of his beloueâ Sonne To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be rendered all glory maiesty power and dominion now euer Amen Thine in the Lord Henry Thompson What the Soule loseth by mortall sinne THe grace of the Holy Ghost The friendship and familiaritie with God All mortall vertues infused and of Gods Spirit The inheritance of the Kingdome of Heauen The portion of Gods children and patronage of his Fatherly prouidence which he hath ouer the iust The peace and quietnesse of a good and cleere conscience What misery the Soule gaineth by mortall sinne COndemnation to eternall paine to bee quite cancelled out of the Booke of life To become of the childe of God the thrall of the Diuell To bee changed from the Temple of the Holy Ghost into a denne of theeues a nest of vipers a âinke of corruption How a Soule is prepared to Iustification by degrees Faith setteth before our eies God is a iust Iudge Angry with the bad Mercifull to the repentant Of this Faith by the gift of God Spirit arises a feare by coÌsideratioÌ of Gods Iustice and Our owne sinnes This feare is comforted by hope grounded in Gods mercie and The goodnes of Christ Of this hope ariseth loue and charitie vnto Christ For louing vs without desert Rredeeming vs with so much loue Of this loue followes sorrowe for offending Christ of whom we haue been so mercifully Created Redeemed Sanctified and called to his Faith Of this sorrow ariseth a firme purpose to auoide all sinne which GOD aboue all âthings detesteth The Diuel aboue all things desireth And aboue all things hurteth the soule THE SOVLES Alarum-Bell CHAP. I. That GOD his beginning was without beginning and is and shall bee euer without end THere was euermore a Thing being and that Thing that was euer before all other things must needs be without be ginning and must be the first Maker and the first Cause of all things which hath no maker nor no cause out of whom as out of the verie fountaine and will of all causes euery thing taketh his being So that Thing which was first being must needes bee the Exo. 3. 14. cause and foundation of all things and of all beings and that First cause or Maker is among all people called Ioh. 8. 58. God Then sith God is the first cause of euery thing Iob. 1. 2. 3. 4. and the first principall cause of the being of euery thing it requireth that there bee in him such a being that it must bee the most perfect most substant all being and the most sure being that is or can bee which shall neuer haue end For if it shall haue an end it is not the most perfect most substantiall and most sure being for it must bee such a being which excludeth euery imperfection that soonest tendeth to Not being There is no time past in which hee was not no time present in which he is not nor no time to come in which he shall not bee So that of necessity it followeth that his being was euer without beginning and is and shall bee euer without end therefore conueniently God is called Omnipotent as being of most power and might Then sith God is the cause of all things and Gen. 1. 1. euery thing taketh his effect by God and commeth of God as of his first cause Pro. 8. 22. and euery thing that taketh any effect hath neede of the cause for without the cause the effect could neuer haue Iohn 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. been Therefore it must follow that euery thing hath neede of God and that God hath neede of nothing And likewise that thing that Act ãâã 14. 24. hath no life nor neuer had life may not by his owne Ephes 1 11. power make a thing to haue life But wee see in this world man beast to haue life which life proceeded and came first from that Creator which is very life in whom first must needs bee life Then sith God is first Creator and causer of euery thing which hath life it followeth that in him there was euer a life And as I haue said before because the being of God is the first being and cause of Gen. 1. 7. the being of euery thing the most perfect most substantiall and most sure being and because that thing which hath being and life also is more worthy then that thing which hath but being onely as the trees herbes which haue a quicknesse of life whereby they grow and increase haue a more noble and worthy being then a dead stocke or a dead stone which grow not and as the brute beast which hath a life sensitiue and power to moue it selfe and memory hath a more noble and worthy being then the Tree or herbe which hath but quickning and growing without power to moue or memory and also as the being of man which hath both life sensitiue power to moue memory and vnderstanding hath a more worthy being then the brute beast which hath but life sensitiue power to moue and memory without vnderstanding so it must needs follow that vnderstanding is the cause of the most worthy being And sith that God hath the most noble and worthy being that can bee it must needs follow that in God there must bee knowledge and vnderstanding and that the same being of God must bee with the same knowledge and vnderstanding And then if the being of God as I haue proued before be without beeginning and ending eternall infinite without measure and his being is and hath been euer most perfect and as hee himselfe may bee himselfe so may he himselfe vnderstand himselfe so that his being cannot bee seuered from his knowledge and vnderstanding nor his knowledge and vnderstanding seuered from his being it must follow that hee vnderstandeth all knoweth euery thing that was
Anâ thou must purpose with thy selfe to doe âothing that day which may displease God but meditate in thy minde some godly meditations desiring his assistance for the furtherance of the true seruing his omnipâtent Maiâsty â A Prayer before wee settle our selues to our Deââtions O Most gracious Lord giue me leaue to present my selfe before thy diuine Maiestie and to poure out my vnworthy prayers in the sight of thy most mighty and glorious presence Behold mee O Lord not in my merits but in the multitude of thy mercies I now comâ to make manifest my necessities and to vtter my griefeâ vnto thee I come as a poorâ and needy wretch vnto â God of infinit glory I comâ as a worme of the Earth vnto my Soueraigne Makeâ and Creatour I come as â guiltie hainous offendeââ I am not worthy to lift vâ mine eyes to Heauen muââ lesse to open my mouth in thy glorious presence oâ presume to talke with â Lord and King of so great â Maiesty being my selfe buâ slime and ashes but ô Fatheâ of mercies and God of all comfort thou promisest that who asketh shall receiue â who knocketh shall bee leâ in who seeketh shall findeâ Thou inuitest the greatest âinners and refusest not to âeelde thy assistance to any âhat will vse it grant mee âherefore grace now to pray ânto thee as my duety and âhy desert requireth grant âe a pureintention a ferâent deuotion and an attenââue mind that it be not carâed away with impertinent âoughts nor any other diâraction but with humble âeart firme hope and perâct charity I may effectualâe pray vnto thee and aske âf thee that which thou seeât most for thy glory and ây good graât Lord I beâech thee that thou wilt âelpe mee to pray worthily âat thou maiest mercifuâly ârant my Petitions keepe ây thoughts from wandring râstraine my imaginations and preserue my sences from being distractedâ defend O Lord my weakâ heart from ghostly assaultsâ and so fixe my minde vpon thee that I be not carrieâ away from consideration oâ thy presence grant mee distinctly to pronounce my words attentiuely to apply my thoughts and to bee wholly rauished and possessed with zeale and true deuotion O Lord grant me to aske forgiuenesse with â deepe contrition and fulâ purpose of amendement â grant me to craue thy benefits with hearty thankfulneââ for those which I haue receiued Grant mee to pray for my selfe with a perfect resignation vnto thy will and âor all others with true chaâitie and sincere affection Affoord O Lord such comâort to my soule as thou âeest fit âor mee and by the âssistance of thy spirit inspire âhy good motions into mee âhat I may feele them forciâly accept them thankefulie and fulfill them effectuâllie Finally I humbly beâeech thee of thy mercy and goodnesse that I may praise âhee with a true repentant âeart to appease the fury of âhy anger against me whereây I may come to enioy âith thy Maiesty eternall âlorie without end Amen A Morning Prayer O Most gracious LORD and Omnipotent Father thou which madeââ Heauen and Earth the Sea and all that is therein together with thy dearely beloued Son IESVS CHRIST and with thy holy Spirit thou hast brought vs to the beginning of this day thorow thy goodnesse now we beseech thee that this day wee fall into no sinne buâ that we may accomplish thy holy will by directing ouâ words framing our thoghts and disposing our doing accordingly Helpe vs anâ further vs O Lord in all ouâ Prayers that whatsoeuer wâ doe may alwaies take beginning from thee and being so begun wee may proceede in true seruing of thee who art the Fountaine ãâã light and most peerelessâ spring of Wisdome LORD vouchsafe that the beames of thy wonderfull glorie may beate against my darke and smal vnderstanding and driue from me two kinde of mists to wit sinne and ignorance wherein I was borne Thou O Lord that makest the tongues of little Infants to be eloquent teach me to rule my tongue and let thy grace and blessing bee pouâed on my lippes Giue mee sharpnesse of vnderstanding thy heauenly word and ability to retaine it a facility to serue a good kind of interpretation a good place to vtter my words and that they may tend to thy glory and guide my entrance to the matters I speake of direct my proceeding in the same and make perfect my conclusion Come Holy Ghost fill my heart with thy faith and kindle in mee the fire of thy loue doe thus good Lord who diddest bring the Gentiles to the vnity of thy saith by all kindes of diuers and strange languages send out Lord thy holy Spirit and all things shall be created and thou shalt make fresh the face of the Earth and thou that hast taught the Hearts of thy faithfull by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost giue mee the same spirit right vnderstanding and alway to reioice in thee make mee forsake Sathan and cleaue to thee ô Christ who art the way truth and life shew me thy wayes ô Lord and teach me thy pathes direct my steps according to thy word that no vnrighteousnesse reigne ouer mee Maâe my going perfect in thy wayes that my steps be not moued Lord whi hart the Father of grace anâ mercie desend me from my enemies and receiue mee at the houre of my death Good Lord grant I may depart in a good houre out of this World and that I may arise from the death of sinne and walke in newnesse of life that when I shall rise againe at the latter day when our life shall be seene manisestly of all men I also may bee openly but fauourably seene of thy glory who liueââ and reiguest one GOD World without end Amen Another Prayer for the Morning O Lord God and my heauenly Father I do here present my selfe with my morning sacrifice vnto thy Omnipotent Maiestie crauing thy mercifull aide for the strengthening of my weake faith at this present that thereby I may be made the more apt and able to serue thy heauenly Maiesty in all holinesse and true sincerity of heart And now that the time allotted for my feeble senses is expired and that the spring of the morning approacheth I offer vp my bounden duety of praise and thankesgiuing to thy euer blessed and glorious Maiestie vpon whom all the houres and moments of life depend for adding yet more space vnto my daies for granting me a larger time of repentance for the obtaining of thy grace and exercise of vertue and amendement of my sinfull life O eternal and euerliuing God who art the guardian to all true beleeuers make me euermore to magnifie and extoll thy mercies and in true token of this my thankefulnesse hauing nothing more neere vnto me then my selfe I here offer and present my selfe body and soule vnto thy heaâenly will and pleasure beseeching thee to dispose of me as of thine owne to direct the remainder of my life to thy Honour and seruice
I fraile man and most wretched sinner haue offended thee Therefore I most humbly pray and beseech thy gentlenesse who for my health and saluation descendedst from Heauen and diddest hold vp Dauid that hee should not fall into sinne Haue mercy vpon me O Christ who didst forgiue Peter that did forsake thee Thou art my Creatour my Helper and Maker my Redeemer my Gouernour my Father my Lord my God my King thou art my helpe my trust my strength my defence my redemption my life my health and my resurrection thou art my stedfastnesse my refuge and succour my light and my helpe I most humbly and heartily desire pray thee helpe ând defend mee Make mee âârong comfort me make me stedfast make me soberây mery giue me the light of thy spirit and visite mee reuiue me again who am dead for I am thy making and thy worke O Lord despise me not I am thy seruant thy bondman although euill vnworthy and a sinner But whatsoeuer I am whether I bee good or bad I am euer thine Therefore to whom shall I flie except I flie vnto thee If thou cast mee off who shall or wil receiue me If thou despise me and turne thy face from me who shall looke vpon mee and recognise and acknowledge me Although I be vnworthy to come to thee although I be vile and vncleane thou canst make me cleane If I be dead thou canst râuiuemee for thy mercy is much morethen mine iniquitie thou canst forgiue me more then I can offend Therefore O Lord doe not consider nor haue respect to the number of my sinnes but according to the greatnesse of thy mercie looke on me a most wretched sinner Lord say vnto my soule I am thy health who saidest I will not the death of any sinner but rather that he liue and be conuerted Turne me O Lord to thee and bee not angry with me I pray thee most meeke Father for thy great mercie bring mee vnto that blisse that neuer âhall cââsse so bee it Aâen A Prayer for the râmissââ of sinnes O Lord God if we wretched sinners had not ây thy tender mercies and âouing promises in Holie Scripture the comfort of our weake consciences and sorrowfull hearts we see no other remedy so great and âinfinite are our sinnes but that wee must needes despaire But for as much as whatsoeuer things are written are written for our learning that through patience and the comfort of Scriptures wee may haue hope though our sinnes be neuer so many neuer so abhominable yet they doe not so much make vs sad as thy louing kindnesse and âender mercieâ make vs glad Our sinnes we consesse are innumerable but thy mercies are also infinit thoâ art that most gentle Lord which wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that hee turne and liue Thou for repentance sake wilt not see the sinâes of men thou confessest that thou camest into this World to saue sinners to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance and to seeke that which was lost Thou callest vnto thee all those that are diseased and loaden with the heauy burthen of sinne and promiseât that thou wilt case them yea by thy Prophet thou saiest If wee will wash and make cleanâ our selââs put away our euill thoughts out of thy sight cease from doing euiââ and violence learne to doe right apply our selues to equitie deliuer the oppressed helpe the fatherlesse to his right and heare the widowes coâplaint though our sinnes were as âed as scarlet âet shall they be made whiâââ then snow and though they were like purple yet they shall be made like white ãâã Yea thou saiest moreouer that for thine owne sake euen for thy mercy names sake thou wilt be good vnto vs fauour vsâ and so cast away all our sinnes behind thy backe thaâ thou wilt neâer remember them more O Lord thou art the God which cannot lie thou art the soules truth thou art faithfull in thy words and holy in all thy workes For according to these thy louing promises hast thou euer dealt with the chiâdren of men whensoeuer they repented and turned vnto thee when they forsooke their sinful liuing and called vpon thy holy name thou forgauest all their sâns and healedst all their infirmities thou also sauedst their life from destruction and crownedst them with mercie and louing kindnesse For thou O Lord God aââfull of compassion and mercie long suffering and of great goodnesse thou wiââ not alway be chiding neither wilt thou keepe thine anger for euer neither wilt thou deale with vs after our sinnes nor yet reward vs according to our wickednesse For looke how high the Heauen is in comparison of the Earth so great is thy mercie towards them that feare thee Looke how wide the East is from the West so farâe dost thou set our sinnes from vs yea like as a Father pittieth his owne children euen so art thou mercifull vnto them that feare thee For thou knowest whereof we be made thou remembrest that wee are but dust that a man in his time is but grasâe and flourisheth as a flower of the fiâld and as soone as the wind goeth ouer it is gone and the place thereof knoweth it no more but thy mercifull goodnesse O Lord endureth for euer and euer vpon them that feare thee Of these thy louing kindnesses and tender mercies who hath not tasted if hee sought it with all his heart Thou diddest forgiue Dauid both his whoredome and manslaughter when hee repented and confessed his sinne How oft diddest thou call back the plagues of thy vengeance when the Children of Israel lamented their sins and turned vnto thee How mercifull diddest thou shew thy selfe to the Nânââites when they repented humbled themselues in thy sight How louingly spakest thou to that sinfull Woman in the Gospel and forgauest her all her sinnes because shee repented and beleeued Peter thy Disciple although most cowardly denying thee after that he had bitterly wept and lamented his sinnes thou diddest behold with thy mercifull eye and fauourably receiue him againe into the number of thy holy Apostles One of them that died with thee being a thiefe after he had called vnto thee for grace thou didst place in Paradise and make him partaker of thine eternall felicity Many other notable examples of thy great mercies find wee in Holy Scripture which will not suffer vs to despaire of thy clemencie and goodnesse be our sinnes and wickednesse neuer so maây but they rather encourage âs boldly to come vnto the Throne of thy Grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in âime of neede O most gentle Sauiour thou art that most louing Shepheard who didst diligentây seeke the wandering sheepe louingly laide it vppon thy shoulderâ and tenderly brought it home againe seeke vs who haue so long run astray lay vs vpon thy mercifull shoulders and bring vs home againe vnto the companie of thy faithfull Thou art that mercifull Samaââtane who beholding the
onely Sauiour so loue thee that all mine affections may bee set on thee alone and so embrace true godlinesse that our whole life may be a cleere mirrour of all vertue and goodnesse so shall wee through thy mercie bee found worthy guests of this thy Table and receiue these holy mysteries to the saluation of our soules Yea so shall we be well assured of the remission and forgiuânesse of all our sinnes By the breaking of thy blessed bodie and the shedding of thy precious blood our consciences shall bee quiet our hearts shall be filled with all true and spirituall ioy we shall triumph ouer Sathan sinne death hell and desperation wee shall be partakers of all the fruites and merites of thy blessed passion bee made one body with thee fellow-heires in euerlasting glorie O Lord God let it so come to passe for the honour of thy name Amen A Thankesgiuing after the receiuing of the Communion VVEe thanke thee O Heauenly Father for the blessed passion and glorious death of thy dearely beloued Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by whose holy wounds we faithfully beleeue and are assuredly perswaded that thy wrath is not onelie pacified towardes vs buâ that thou also are now become our most mercifull Father and hast freelie forgiuen vs all our sinnes Restore vnto vs thy heauenlie grace and make vs sonnes and heires of thine eternal glorie And because wee should not doubt of thy Fatherlie goodnesse rewards vs ãâã in the deâth of thy ãâã the same Son Christ ãâã Lord hath lâât vnto vs not onely his holy Word but also a blessed memorial of his death and passion set forth ãâã the holy bââad and wine which weat this present haue receiued both for a remembrance of the breaking of his blessed body and the sâedding of his moââ prââinââ blood ãâã also for the quietnâsse of our ââonscience and âââ the ãâã of the remissiââ of our ââânes through faithâââââ We ãâã thee O Heaââenly Father that we be neuer vnmindefull of this thy exceeding great kindnessâ not vnthankefull for thy maâifolde blessings vnspeakable mercies declared vnto vs in the glorious death of thy welbeloued Sonne but so worke thou in vs through thy holy Spirit that wee may be made worthy members of that bodie whereof thy Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus is the head And that we may so faithfullie beleeue in thee and so âeruently loue one another alway liuing in thy feare and in the obedience of thy holy law and blessed will that wee being fruitfull in all godly and Christian workes may traine our liues according to thy good pleasure in this transitorie World and after this fraile and short life obtaine the true and immortal life where thou with thy dearely beloued Sânne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and the Holy Ghost that most sweete Comforter liuest and raignest one true God in all honour glorie World without end Amen A Prayer to be saide at the receiâing of the mysterie of Christs Bâdie in the Communion O Heauenly and blessed Father âârender vnto thoe most hearty thankes for all thy benefits which thou hast shewed vnto mee a most wretched sinner but especially for that most sweete smelling sacrifice which thy onely begotten Son offered vnto thee on the Altar of the Crosse by giuing his most pure and vndefiled bodie vnto the death for the redemption of Mankinde in remembrance whereof according to thy wellbeloued Sonnes ordinance I now receiue this holie bread most entirely beseeching thee that I may both be partaker of the merites of thy deare Sonnes Body-breaking and also leade a life worthy so great a benefit to the glorie oâ thy name Amen A Prayer to be saide at the receiuing of the mysterie of Christs bloud in the holy Communion O Blessed and mercifull Father thy loue towards mee sinful Creature is so exceeding great and vnspeakable that I cannot but giue vnto thee most humble thankes namely for the shedding of the most precious bloud of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ by the vertue whereof thy wrath stored vp against me wretched sinner is pacified my ransome is paide the Law is fulfilled mine enemies are ouercome put to flight In remembrance of this so noble a victorie and of so great a benefit I am come vnto this Table O merciful Father to drinke of this Cup desiring thee that as my outward man is comforted by the drinking of this wine so likewise my inward man may bee comforted and made strong by true faith in the precious blood of thy most deare Sonne O Lord and my Heauenlie Father giue me thy holy Spirit which may so rule gouerne my heart that I neuer bee vnthankefull nor forgetful of this thine exceeding great kindnes but so traine my life according to thy blessed will that whatsoeuer I doe speake or thinke may bee vnto the glory of thy most blessed name and the health of my soule through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Morning salutation to GOD for wisedome for grace and forgiuenesse of sinnes MY Soule O Lord hath desired thee in the night season and I haue also waited for thee in spirit and minde all the morning beseeching thee that thy presence which I sore haue longed for may expell from me all my sinne Lord water the secrets of my heart with thy manifolde graces and mightily enââââe the same with thy loue And now my most sweete Lord Iesus Christ I rise and come early to thee in the morning and pray thee from the bottome of my heart that thou wilt hearken vnto my prayers and godlie requests which I doe most humbly in heart offer vnto thee for thou art the wisdome the eternall brightnesse and verie figure of the substance of the Father who hast created all things of nothing And because thou wouldest bring againe Man to the pleasure of Paradise thou camest downe from Heauen into this vale of miserie and by thy holie conuersation thou hast shewed and trod him the path thereunto and for ransome of all Man-kinde thou wouldest bee offered to thy Father as a most immaculate Lambe Open by thy Holy Spirit my stony and hard heart that with the eies of a perfect beliefe â may alwaies behold thee who art King of Kings and Lord of Lords Giue mâ wisâdome truly to consider of thy âeath and passion that thereby I may profit in thee onely who art as a Booke of charitie for me Grant mee that I be vtterlie destitute of all vanities that now I be not he whom heretofore I haue beene but doe thou alwaies abide in me that so linked vnto thee I neuer sâverue or decline from thee Send downe good Lord thy wisedome from the seate of thy Maiestie that shee may labour and be with mee that I may know what is acceptable in thy sight that my heart and senses may bee enlightened whereby I may vnderstand how to bee a true follower of thy Precepts O my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who art most sweete vnto mee