THE POMAVNDER of Prayer Newly made by Thomas Becon ECCLE 24. ¶ Pleasauntly do I smell euē as it wer Cynamome and svvete Balme THOMAS BECONVS SACROSĀCTAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR AETATIS SVAE .41 AN o DN̄I .1553 Ora expressa vides viuos imitantia vultus Quod potuit calamo pictor arte videt Mentis quā nullus potuit tibi reddere pict◠Effigiem scriptis praebuit ipse suis. To the moste honorable and vertuous Lady Anne of Cleue her grace syster to the hye and myghtye Prynce Wylliam Duke of Cleue c. Thomas Becon wysheth the fauor of God long lyfe and continuall health AMong many other godly and noble vertues whiche God by his holy spirit hath graffed in your graces breast most honorable Lady the feruent affection and continuall desyre of prayinge vnto the Lord our God hath neither the last nor the lest place in you And as God hath wrought in you by y e holy Ghost thys godly mind to call vpon his holy name with diligent prayer so lykewise doth your grace stur vp and confyrme that spirituall mocion w t the exercise of daily praier least that godly affecciō shuld be quēched which the holy Ghost hath kindled in your heart For your grace doth rightwell consider y t God deliteth in nothynge more then in y e inuocacion of his blessed name and in the sacrifice of thankes geuing for his benefits Where the name of God is diligently called vpon most humble and harty thāks geuen vnto him for his fatherly and frendly giftes there is hys blessing grace and fauoure plenteous there is the holy Ghost present there is a mery conscience ther al thīgs prosper there wanteth no good thing Contynue therfore most honorable Lady as ye haue godly begun both you and all your faithful family to call on the glorious name of the Lord our God with feruent prayer and forget not to be thankfull vnto hym for hys benefites wherwith aboue many other he hath richly endued your grace So shal he be your louing Lord gracious God your fauorable father and strōg shilde So shall he make your grace to prosper in al your doings blesse you both with longlyfe and much honor And that your grace may haue at hand conuement prayers to pray vnto the Lord our God I thought it good consyderyng your graces manifold vertues to geue vnto you this my Pommaunder of prayer wherein are breeflye contayned suche godlye prayers as are most mete in this our age to be vsed of all degrees and estates most humbly beseching your grace to take in good part this my rude and bolde enterprise according to your accustomed gentlenesse God whose glory you hartely loue whose word you ioifulli embrace whose name you earnestly call vppon mought vouchesafe to preserue your grace in continuall health and encrease of honoure Amen Your Graces most humble and faithfull Oratoure Thomas Becon ¶ The Pomaūder of Prayer ¶ A Prayer for the morning I Render vnto thee O heauenly father most hartye thankes by thy deare sonne Iesus Christ that this night past thou hast vouchedsafe of thy fatherlye goodnes to preserue me from all euill to geue my bodye rest and slepe I now most entierly beseche thee y t as thou hast raised vp this my body frō slepe so likewise thou wylt delyuer my mynde from the slepe of synne and from the darknesse of this world that I walking in the lyght of thy blessed worde maye onely doo that is pleasaunt in thy sight profitable to my neighbour and healthfull to my soule Amen ¶ A prayer for y e Euening I Most humbly thanke the O mercifull Father for preseruinge me this day frō all misfortunes and for thy other benefites wherewyth thou hast plēteously blessed me I beseche y e forgeue me al my sinnes wherwyth I haue offended thy fatherlye goodnes from the very beginnīg of my lyfe vnto this present houre and take me this night into thy tuicion y tmyne enemies maye haue no power ouer me but that my body enioyinge a sweet slepe my minde may continually watch vnto thee and through fayth beholde thy blessed maiesty with a perfect hope after this frayle transitory lyfe to possesse y timmortal and heauenly lyfe where thou gloriously lyuest and reignest with thy onlye begotten sonne and y e holye Ghost one true and euerlastyng God worldes without ende Amen A prayer for the forgeuenes of synne O My Lord and onely sauior Iesu Christ which camest into thys worlde to take away the heuy burdēs of them that were loden to seke that was lost to call synners vnto repentaunce to geue euerlastynge lyfe to the faithfull and to be a mediator betwene God the father and vs I poore wretched sinner from the verye hart lament and inwardly bewayle my synnefull and wretched lyfe desiryng the for thy promyse sake according to thy mercyfull wont to be my mediatour and aduocate vnto God the father that he maye forgeue me all mine olde sinnes so wholy possesse my hart by his blessed spirite that he mai defēde me against al perils to come which the diuel the world or the flesh imagineth against me and so chaunge me into a new man that mine olde sinnes being wyped awaye in thi precious bloud I may walke frō vertue to vertue vnto the glory and praise of his blessed name Amen A prayer vnto God the father THy dearly beloued sōne O most louing father taught vs in hys holy Gospel that to know the to be y e alone true God is euerlasting lyfe Graunt therfore we beseche thee y t we may truly knowe thee euen as we are taught by thy holye word beleue with the hart and cōfesse with the mouth that thou alone art the true liuing and immortall God our heauēly father our maker our preseruer and our defender that we thus beleuing and confessing maye through thy sonne Christ be come heires of euerlastyng lyfe And as we thus beleue and confesse of thee ▪ so geue vs grace to shew forth thys our faith by godly conuersacion and vertuous liuing y tmē seeing our good workes may glorify thee our heuēly father to whom be prayse for euer Amen ¶ A prayer vnto God the sonne O Lord Iesu christ y e sōne of y e liuing God yea very God himself begottē of god y e father frō euerlasting continuing true immortal God worlds w tout end by thee al thīgs wer made both inheauen and in earth by thee also they be cōserued kept in a order thou art the bryghtnesse of thy fathers glorye thou art the verye image of hys substāce in thee are hid al y e treasures of wysedome and knowledge in y e dwelleth al fulnes by thee ar we reconcyled to God y e father by thee ar we sette at peace with him through y e bloud of the crosse bi thee haue we free accesse vnto y e glorious throne of Gods maiestye by thee are we brought in
through faith vnto his grace wherin we stāde and reioyce in hope of the glory of God we thanke thee for all thy benefytes moste humbly beseeche thee to geue vs grace faithfully to beleue in thee stedfastly to confesse thee true God and true mā earnestlye to acknowledge thee our alone redemer sauiour Satisfier Recōciler Intercessor Mediator and Aduocate that we altogether depending on thee and thy merites on thy blessed passion precious death and glorious resurrection maye study through thy grace so to order our lyfe in true holines and innocency that at the day of iudgement thou mayst present vs both body and soule vnto thy heauenly father and so for euer and euer placevs in thi glorious kingdome Amen ¶ Unto God the holy ghost O Holy and blessed spirit which being true and euerlasting God with God the father and God y e sonne procedest from them bothe full of maiestie and power which also with thy heauēly breath quycknest y e mides of thē that afore were dead through sinne makest mery the hartes of y e faithful penitent bringest into y e waye of truth al suche as haue erred and are deceyued settest at one such as wer at debate cō fortest the soules of them y thūger and thirst after righteousnes and plenteouslye enrichest them w t diuers giftes whyche pray vnto thee in the name of Iesu Christ Purifye our hartes we beseeche thee with the fyre of thy loue mortify in vs what soeuer is not thine renue garnishe our mindes with thy heauenly benefites and spirituall giftes that they may be made thy temples leade vs into all necessary trueth suffer vs not to be caried about with diuers straunge doctryne but alway to remaine in that doctryne wherof thou alone art y e author enarme our soules against the crafty assaultes of suttil Satan against the vain pleasures of the wicked world and against the leude lustes of filthy fleshe that we beeing replenished with thy holy breath may doo y toneli whiche is acceptable in thy godly sight Amen ¶ Particular prayers to be sayed of the Magistrates FOrasmuch as it is thi godli pleasure O king of kinges and Lorde of Lordes to appoint me among other a ruler of thy people geue me grace I beseeche thee so to minister the commō weale and so to execute my office y t I may please thee and hurt no man in all my doinges but iudge equally and iustli rule according to thy wyll shewe my self a father vnto thy people and so behaue my self in all myne enterprises y t I seking thy glory y e furtheraunce of thy blessed gospel the weale of y tsubiectes may when thou shalt render to euery man according to hys deeds be found blameles in thy sight through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Of the ministers of Gods word Thou hygh Priest and O euerlasting bishop Iesus Christ the alone teacher of all godly trueth and the onely Curate of oure soules whyche by thy holye worde hast appointed some of thy congregacion to be Ministers and Preachers of thy blessed lawe and Gloryous gospell y t by this meanes the holy ghost also working they may call synners vnto repentaunce preache remission of synnes in thy name perswade vnto vertue and disswade frō vice forasmuch as it hath pleased thee to cal me an vnprofitable seruaūt vnto that holy office of ministracion and to make me a preacher of thy worde I moste humbly beseeche thee to geue me thy holy spirite whiche may lead me in to all trueth instruct me with the knowledge of thy holimisteries and through his heauenly inspiracion so prepare my harte and order my tūg that I may neyther thinke breath nor speak any thyng but that may turne vnto thy glory and the edifying of thy flock Graunt also that what soeuer I preache in word I may fulfil the same in work vnto the example of that thy flock which thou haste purchased w t thi precious bloud y t when thou the cheef shepeheard shalt appeare I beyng found faithfull in my office mai through thi goodnes re ceiue y e incorruptible crown of glory Amen ¶ Of Subiectes or Commens AS it is thy godly appoītment O Lorde God y tsum should bear rule in this worlde to see thy glorye set forth and the commō peace kepte so it is thy pleasure againe that some should be subiectes and inferiours to other in theyr vocation although before thee there is no respecte of persons And forasmuch as it is thy good wil to appoint me in the nūber of subiectes I beseeche thee to geue me a faithfull an obediēt hart vnto the hye powers y t there may be foūd in me no disobedience no vn faithfulnes no reasō no falshod no dissimulacion no iusurrectiō no cōmociō no cōspiracy nor ani kind of rebelliō in word or in dede agaīst the ciuil magistrates but all faithfulnes obediēce quietnes subiectiō humility and whatsoeuer els becommeth a subiecte that I liuīg here in all lowlinesse of mynde may at the last day through thy fauoure be lifted vp vnto euerlasting glory where thou with the father and y e holy ghost liueste raignest very God for euer Amen ¶ Of Fathers and Mothers THe frute of the wombe the multitude of childrē is thy gifte and blessing O Lorde geuen to this ende y t they may liue to thy glory the cōmodity of their neighbour For asmuche therfore as thou of thy goodnes hast geuen me children I beseeche thee geue me also grace to traine them vp euen from theyr Cradels in thy nourtoure doctrine in thy holy lawes blessed ordinaūces that from theyr very yonge age they may know thee beleue in thee feare loue thee and diligently walke in thy commaundements vnto the praise of thy glorious name Amen ¶ Of Children THou haste geuen a commaundemēt in thy law O heauēly father that children should honour theyr fathers and mothers I moste humbly beseeche thee therfore to breath thy holy spirit into my brest that I maye reuerence and honoure my father mother not oneli w t outward gestures of mi body but also with the vnfayned affecciō of the hart loue them obey them pray for them help them and doo for thē both in worde and dede whatsoeuer lyeth in my power that thou seeing myne vnfayned harty good wil toward my Parentes mayst become my louing heauenly father number me among those thy children whō thou hast appointed from euerlasting heires of thy glorious kyngdom through thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Of Masters THy commaundement is by thine holy Apostle O most merciful Lord Christ y e masters should entreat their seruauntes gently puttyng away threatninges doing that vnto thē whiche is iust and equal forasmuch as we also haue a maister in heauē with whom there is no respect of persones Graūt I most hartely pray thee I may so order my seruauntes that I attēpt none vnrighteousnes against them but
few that doo enioy them For straight is the gate and narow is the way whiche leadeth vnto life and few there be that find it Notwithstanding O heauenly father thou hast a litle flocke to whom it is thy pleasure to geue y e glorious kingdom of heauē Ther is a certaine number of sheep that heare thy voice whom no man is able to pluck out of thy hand whiche shal neuer perish to whō also thou shalt geue eternall life Make me therfore O lorde of that number whom thou frō euerlasting hast predestinate to bee saued whose names also are written in the book of life Pluck me out of the cōpany of y e stinkking gotes whiche shal stād on thy left hand be damned place me among those thy sheep whiche shal stand on thy right hand and be saued Graunt me this o mer cifull Father for thy deere sonnes sake Iesu Christ our Lorde So shal I enioying this singular benefite at thy hand being placed in thy glorious kingdom sing per petuall praises to thy godly maiestie whiche liuest and reignest with thy deerely beloued sonne and the holy ghost one true and euerlasting God c. ¶ A thanks geuing vnto God for all his benefites THy benefites toward me O moste louing Father are so great infinite whether I haue respect vntomy body or vnto my soule that I finde not in my self how to recompence any part of thine vnspeakable goodnes toward me But y u whiche needest none of my goods knowing our beggery yea ournothing requirest of vs for a recompēce of thy kindnes only y e sacrifice of praise and thanks geuing o lorde and mercifull father what wurthi thanks am I pore wretched sīner able to geue the Notw tstāding trusting on thy merci fauorable kīd nes I offer vnto thee in the name of Christe the sacrifice of praise euer thanking the moste hartely for all thy benefites whiche thou hast be stowed vpon me thine vnprofitable seruaūt from the beginning of my life vnto this presēt houre moste hūbly beseeching the to continew thy louing kindnes to ward me and to geue me grace to walke wurthy of this thy fatherly goodnes that whē thou shalt call me out of this carefull life I may enioy y t thy moste singulare last benefite whiche is euerlasting glori through Iesus Christe our Lord to whom with thee and the ho li ghost be al honour praise for euer and euer Amen ¶ A praier to be said at the houre of death O Lorde Iesu whiche art the only helth of all mē liuing the euerlasting life of thē which die in thy faith I wretched sinner geue and submit my self wholy vnto thy most blessed wil. And I being sure that the thing cā not perish whiche is cōmitted vnto thy merci O lord geue me grace that willingly I may leaue this fraill wicked fleshe in hope of the resurrection whiche in better wise shal restore it to me agaī I beseeche thee moste merciful lorde Iesus christ that thou wilt by thy grace make strōg my soule agaīst all temptacions And that thou wilt couer and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against all y e assaults of the deuill I see knowledge y e there is in my self no help of saluation But al my confidence hope trust is in thy moste mercifull goodnes I haue no merits nor good wurks whiche I may alledge before thee Of my sinns euill wurks alas I see a great hepe but thorow thy mercy I trust to be in the number of them to whom thou wilt not impute their sinnes but take accept me for rightuos and iust to be y e enheritour of euerlasting life Thou mercifull Lorde wast borne for my sake y u didst suffer bothe hunger thirst for my sake thou didst preache teache thou didst pray and fast for my sake thou didst al good wurks deeds for my sake Thou sufferedst moost greuous paines and torments for my sake And finally thou gauest thy moste precious body to die thy bloud to be shed on the cros for my sake Now moste mercifull sauiour let all these things profit me whiche thou freely hast geuen me that hast geuē thy self for me Let thy bloud clense and washe away the spots and foulnes of my sinnes Let thy righte ousnes hide couer my vnrighteousnes Let the merites of thy passion bloud be satisfaction for my sinnes Geue me Lorde thy grace that my faith and saluation in thy bloud wauer not in me but euer be firm constant that the hope of thy mercy and life euerlasting neuer decay in me that charitie wax not colde in me finally that the weaknes of my fleshe bee not ouercome with fear of death Graunt me mercifull sauiour that whē death hath shut vp the eies of my body yet that the eyes of my soule may stil beholde and look vpon thee that when death hath takē away the vse of my tung spech yet that my hart may cry say vnto thee In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meū that is to say O Lorde into thy hāds I geue and commit my soule Domine Iesu accipe spiritum meum Lorde Iesu receiue my soule vnto thee Amen ¶ Certain Godly Meditations made in the forme of prayers by S. Augustine whiche if thou wilt rede them quietly with a feruent spirit they will stir thee muche to deuocion ¶ A prayer wherin through cōmemoration of Christes passion we desire pardon of oure sinnes and continuaunce in vertue and godlines BEholde O pitiful father thy most pitifull sōne which suffred for me being so wicked Be hold o most merciful king who suffreth and remember as thou art louing and kinde for whom he suffred Is not this O my Lorde that innocent whom allthough he were thy sonne thou didst deliuer to redeme raunsō a seruant Is not this the author and beginner of life whiche being led as a sheep to bee killed beeing made obediēt to thee euen vnto death was not afraid to take vpō him the moste cruell and sharp kinde of death Cal to remembraunce O thou distributor of all helth that this is he whom althoughe thou diddest beget him by thy power yet not withstanding thou wouldest haue to bee made partaker of mine infirmitie and weaknes Truly this same is thy Godhed whiche did take vpō him my nature whiche was hanged vppō the gibbet of tourment or cros whiche in the fleshe whiche he had taken vpon him did suffer sorowful punishment Turn the eyes of thy maiestie O Lord my God toward the wurk of thine vnspekeable pitie Look vpō thy deere sonne whose whole body is stretched forth Mark y e harmles and pure hands whiche doo drop and distill down innocent bloud And I beseeche thee bee pacified and pardon the wicked dedes whiche my hands haue cōmitted Consider his bare naked side being thrust thorow cruelly with a spear and renue and wash me with
haue not one office so likewyse we being many making one body whereof thy dearely beloued Sonne is the head haue not all one gifte neyther are we all called to one office but as it hath pleased y e to distribute so receyue we We therfore moste humbly pray thee to send the spirit of loue concord amōg vs that without any disorder or debate eueri one of vs may be content w e our calling quietly lyue in y e same study to doo good vnto all men by the true and diligēt exercise therof without to muche seking of our owne priuat gain so order our lyfe in all points according to thy godly will that by wel doing we mai stop y e mouthes of such foolish and ignoraunt people as report vs to be euill dooers cause thē through our good works to glorify thēe our Lord god in y t dai of visitacion Amen ¶ For the Grace fauour of God WHosoeuer liueth w t out thy grace fa uour O moste gracious and fauorable Lorde although for a time he waloweth in all kinde of fleshely pleasures and abound with to muche wordly ryches yet is he nothing els but y e wretched bond slaue of sathan the vile dūghil of syn Al his pleasure is extreme poison all his welth is nothing but plain beggeri For what felicitie can ther be where thy grace and fauour wanteth ▪ But where thi grace and fauour is present though the Deuel roar the world rage y e flesh swel ther is true blissednes vnfained pleasure cōtinual welth Pour down therfore thi heauēly grace fatherly fauour vpō vs that we beeynge assured of thy fauorable goodnes towards vs may reioyce and glory in thee and haue mery hartes when so euer we be most assailed with any kinde of aduersitie be it pouerty or sicknes losse of freends or persecution for thy names sake to whom be glorye for euer Amen ¶ For the gift of the holy Ghost SO frayl is our nature so vile is our flesh so lewd is our hart so corrupt are our affects so wicked are al our thoughts euen frō our child hod vpward y t of our selues we can nether thinck breath speak or doo any thing y t is praise worthy in thy sight O heauenly father yea except thou doost assist vs with thy mercifull goodnes all things are so far out of frame in vs that we se nothing present in our selues but thy heauy displeasure and eternal damnacion Uouche safe therfore O swete father to send thy holy spirite vnto vs whiche may make vs new creatures put away frō vs al fleshly lustes fil our harts w t new affects spiritual mociōs so altogether renew vs bothe in body soule through his godly in spiracion y twe may dye vnto olde Adam lyue vnto thee in newnes of lyfe seruynge thee our Lorde God in holines and righteousnes all y e daies of our lyfe Amen ¶ For the true knowledge of our selues IT is written in thy holye Gospel moste louing Sauiour y t thou cammest into this world not to call y e righteous that is such as iustifie thē selues but sinners vnto repentaunce Suffer me not therfore o lord to be in y e nūber of those iusticiaris which boasting their owne righteousnes theyr owne wurks and merits despise that righteousnes that commeth by faith whiche alone is alowable before thee Giue me grace to knowe to knowledge my selfe as I am euen y e sonne of wrath by nature a wretched synner and an vn profitable seruaunt wholy to depend on thy mercifull goodnes with strōg and vnshaken faith y t in this world thou mayest continually call me vnto true repentaunce seeyng I continually sinne and in y e worlde to come brīg me vnto euerlasting glorye Amen ¶ For a pure and clene Hart. THe hart of man naturalli is lewd and vnsearcheable through the multitude of sinns which as in a stinking dūghil lyeth buried in it in so much that no man is able to say mi hart is clene and I am cleane from syn Remoue from me therfore O heauēly Father my leud stony stuburn stincking and vnfaithfull hart Creat in me a clene hart free from al noisom and vngodly thoughts Breath into my hart by thy holy spirit godly and spirituall mocions that out of the good treasure of the hart I maye bring foorth good things vn to the praise and glory of thy name Amen ¶ For a quiet conscience THe wicked is like a ragīg sea whyche is neuer in quiet neither is ther ani peace to the vngodly but such as loue thy law O Lorde they haue plenty of peace they haue quiet mindes and contented consciences whiche is the greatest treasure vnder y e Sun geuē of thee to so mani as seek it at thy hand wyth true faith cōtinuall praier Gyue me O Lord that ioyfull Iewell euen a quyet mynde and a free mery conscience y tI beeing free from the damnable accusacions of Sathā from the crafty perswacions of the worlde from the subtil entysements of the flesh from the heauy curs of the law and fully perswaded of thy merciful goodnes toward me through faith in thy Sonne Christe Iesu may quietly serue thee both bodyly and ghostly in holines and rightuousnes al the dayes of my lyfe Amen ¶ For Faith FOrasmuche as nothīg pleaseth thee that is doon w t out faith appereit before the blinde world neuer so beautyful and commendable but is counted in thy sight sinfull and damnable yea the selfe syn and damnacion this is moste humbly to desyre thee O father for Christes sake to breathe into my hart bi thi Spirit this moste precious and singular gifte of faith which worketh by Charity whereby also we ar iustified and receiued into thy fauor y t I truly beleeuing in thee and fully perswaded of the trueth of thy holy word may be made thy sonne and inheritour of euerlasting glorye throughe Iesu Chryste our Lorde Amen ¶ For Charitie THy cognisaunce badge whereby thy Disciples are knowen O Lorde sauiour Iesu Christe is charitie or loue which cometh out of a pure hart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfayned I pray thee therfore gyue me this Christen loue and perfect charitie that I may loue thee my Lord God with all my hart with al my minde with all my soule and with all my strēgths dooing alway of very loue y t onely whiche is pleasaunte in thy sight again that I may loue my neighbour and Christen Brother as my self wishing as well to him as to my self redy at al tymes to doo for him what so euer lieth in my power that when we al shal stād before thy dreadful iudgyng place I beeing knowē by thy badge may be nūbred among thy disciples and so through thy mercye receyue the reward of eternall glory Amen ¶ For Pacience WHen thou liuedst in thys world O Lorde Christe thou shewedst thy self a mere mirrour
of perfect pacience sufferīg quietly not y e spiteful words but also y e cruel dedes of thi most cruel enemies forgeuing thē praying for thē whiche moste tyranlike hādled thee Giue me grace O thou moste meek and louing lamb of God to folow this thy pacience quietly to bear the slaunderous wordes of mine aduersaries paciently to suffer the cruel dedes of mine enemies to forgiue thē to pray for them yea to doo good for thē by no meanes to go about once to auenge my selfe but rather giue place vnto wrath seeing y t vengeaunce is thine and y u wilt reward seing also that thou helpest them to theyr ryght that suffer wronge that I thus paciently suffering all euils may after ward raign with thee in glory Amen ⧠For Humilitie WHat haue we O heauēly Father that we haue not receyued ▪ Euery good gyfte and euery perfect gift is frō aboue and cometh downe from thee which art the father of lightes Seyng then all y t we haue is thine whether it pertaine to the body or to the soule how can we be proud and boast our selues of that whiche is none of our own seing also y t as to geue so to take away againe thou art able and wilt whēsoeuer thy gifts be abused and thou not knowledged to be the giuer of them Take therfore away from me all pride hautynesse of mynd and graffe in me true humilitie that I may knowledge thee the giuer of al good things be thāk full vnto thee for them vse them vnto thy glorye and the profyte of my neyghboure Graunt also that all my glorye and reioysynge maye bee in no earthly creatures but in thee alone whiche doost mercy equitie and ryghtuousnes vpon earth To thee alone be all glory Amen ⧠For Mercifulnes THy deerelye beloued sōne in his holy Gospell exhorted vs to be mercyfull euē as thou our heauenly Father art merciful and promisest that if we be merciful to other we shall obtaine merci of thee which art the father of mercies and God of al consolacion Graunt therfore that for asmuch as thou art oure Father and we thy children we may resemble thee in all our life and conuersaciō and that as thou art beneficial liberal not onli to y e good but also to the euil so we likewise mai shew our selues merciful gentil and liberall to so many as haue nede of our healp y tat the dredful day of dome we may be found in the number of those merciful whom thou shalt appoint by thy onely begotten sonne to go into euerlasting lyfe to whō with thee and the holy ghost be all honour and praise Amen For true godlynes IN thy law O thou maker of heauen and earth thou hast appoynted vs a waye to walke in and hast commanded that we shuld tourn neither on the right hand nor on the left but doo according to thy good will and pleasure with out adding of our own good entents and fleshly imaginacions As thou hast cōmaunded so giue me grace good Lorde to doo Let me neither folowe mine owne will nor the fancies of other men neither let me be begiled with the visar of olde customes long vsages fathers decres auncient lawes nor any other thing that ffghteth with thy holy ordinaunces blessed commaundemēt but faithfully beleue stedfastly confes y t to be the true godlines which is learned in thy holy Bible according vnto that to order my life vnto the praise of thy holy name Amē ⧠For the true vnderstanding of Gods word O Lorde as thou alone art the Authour of the holy scriptures so lykewyse can no manne althoughe neuer so wise politike and learned vnderstand them except he be taught by thy holy spiryt which alone is the Scholemaster to lead the faithfull into all truth Uouchesafe therfore I moste humbly beseeche thee to breath into my hart thy blessed Spirit whiche may renew the senses of my minde open my wits reuele vnto me the true vnderstāding of thy holy misteries ▪ and plant in me such a certaine and infailyble knowledge of thy truthe that no subtyll perswasyon of mans wysdom may pluck me from thy truth but that as I haue lerned the true vnderstāding of thy blessed wyll so I may remayne in the same continually come lyfe come death vnto the glory of thy blessed name Amen ⧠For a lyfe agreable to our knowledge AS I haue prayd vnto thee O heauenly Father to be taught the true vnderstāding of thi blessed word by thi holy spirit so I moste entierly beseech thee to giue me grace to lead a lyfe agreable to my knowledge Suffer me not to be of the number of them which profes that they know God with theyr mouth but deny hym with theyr dedes Let me not be lyke vnto that sonne which sayd vnto hys father that he would labour in his vineyeard and yet labored nothing at al but went abrode lottering idely Make me rather lyke vnto that good and fruteful land which yeldeth agayne her sede with great increase that men seing my good workes maye glorify thee my heauenly father Amen ⧠For the health of the body I Fele in my selfe O mercifull Sauiour how greuous a pryson thys my body is vnto my Soule which contynually wysheth to be loosoned oute of thys byle carcasse and to come vnto thee seeing it hath heere no reste but is at euery houre vexed wyth the filthy lustes of the flesh wyth the wicked assaultes of the deuyll and the worlde and is neuer at quiet but alway in daunger to be ouercome of her ennemyes were it not preserued of thy goodnes by the mynistery and seruice doing of thy holy Angels Notwythstāding O most louing lord forasmuch as it is thy good pleasure that my bodye and soule shall styl remain heere together as yet in this vale of mysery I beseche thee to preserue my soule from all vyce and my body from al sycknes that I enioying through thy benefyte the helth bothe of body and soule maye be the more able to serue thee my neighbour in such works as are acceptable in thy sighte Amen ⧠For a good name NOthing becometh y e professour of thy name better O heauenly Father thē so to behaue him selfe accordyng to hys professyon that he maye be well reported of them that be of the houshold of Faith yea such synceritie and purenes of lyfe ought to be in them which profes thy holy name that the very aduersaryes of thy truth should be ashamed once to mutter a gaynst them Giue me grace therfore I moste intierly desyre thee soo to frame my lyfe accordinge to the rule of thy blessed word that I may giue no man occasyō to speak euill of me but rather so lyue in my vocacion that I may be an exsample to other to liue Godly and vertuously vnto the honour and praise of thy glorious name Amen ⧠For a compitent liuing ALthough I doubt not of thy fatherly prouision
assaults of the deuill from thy wrath from euerlastyng damnation Good Lorde deliuer vs. From all blindnes of hart from pride vaine glory and hipocrisy from enuy hatred and malice all vncharitablenes Good Lorde deliuer vs. From fornication and all deadly sinne from all the deceits of the world y e fleshe the Deuill Good Lorde deliuer vs. From lightenīges and tempests from plague pestilence famine from batell and murder and frō sodain death Good Lorde delyuer vs. From all sedition and priui conspiracie from all false doctrine heresy from all hardnes of hart and contempt of thy wurde and Commaundemente Good Lorde deliuer vs. By the mistery of thy holy incarnation by thy holy natiuitie and and circumcisiō by thy baptisme fasting and temptation Good Lorde deliuer vs. By thine agony bloudy sweat by thy cros and passion by thy precious deathe buriall by thy glorious Resurrection and ascēcion and by the comming of the holy Ghost Good Lorde deliuer vs. In all time of our tribulation in al time of our welth in the hour of death in the day of iudgmēt Good Lorde deliuer vs. We sinners doo beseeche thee to hear vs O Lorde God and that it may please thee to rule and go uern thy holy Churche vniuersally in the right way We beseeche thee to hear vs good lorde That it may please thee to keep and strengthen in the true wurshipping of thee in righteousenes and holines of life thy seruaunt Elizabeth oure moste gratious Queen gouernoure We beseeche thee to hear vs good lorde That it mai please the to rule her hart in thy faith feare and loue and that she may euermore haue affiaunce in thee and euer seek thy honour and glory We beseeche thee to hear vs. c. That it may please the to be her defender and keper geuing her the victori ouer all her enemies We beseeche thee to hear vs. c. That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops Pastoures and Ministers of the Churche with true knowledg and vnderstanding of thy wurde and that bothe by their preaching and living they may set it furthe and shew it accordingly We beeseche thee to hear vs. c. That it may please thee to endu the Lordes of the counsell all the Nobilitie with grace wisdom and vnderstanding We beseeche thee to hear vs. c. That it may please thee to bles and keep the magistrats geuing them grace to execute iustice and to maintain truthe We beseeche thee to hear vs c. That it may please thee to blesse and keep all thy people We beseeche thee to hear vs. c. That it may please thee to geue to all nations vnitie peace and concorde We beseeche thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to geue vs an hart to loue and dread the and diligently to liue after thy Commaundements We beseeche thee to hear vs. That it may please thee to geue all thy people increace of grace to hear meekly thy wurd and to receiue it with pure affecciō to bring foorth the fruits of y e spirit We beseeche thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to bring into the way of truthe all suche as haue erred and are deceyued We beseeche thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to strēgthen suche as doo stand and confort and help the weak herted to raise vp them that fall and finally to beat down Sathan vnder our feet We beseeche thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to succour help and confort all that be in daunger necessitie and tribulation We beseeche thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to preserue all that trauell by land or by water all women labouring of childe all sick persons yung children and to shew thy pitie vp on all prisoners and captiues We beseeche thee to heare vs c. That it may please thee to defēd and prouide for the fatherles children and widowes and all that be desolat and oppressed We beseeche thee to heare vs c. That it may please thee to haue mercy vpon all men We beseeche thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to forgeue our enemies persecuters slaūderers to turn their harts We beseeche thee to heare vs. c That it may please thee to geue and preserue to our vse the kind ly fruits of y e earth so as in due time we may enioy them We beseeche thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to geue vs true repētance to forgeue vs all our sinnes negligences and ignoraunces and to endue vs with the grace of thy holi spirit to amende oure liues according to thy holy wurde We beseeche thee to heare vs. c. ¶ Sōne of God we beseech thee to heare vs. Sōne of God we beseeche thee to c. O Lambe of God that takest a way the sinnes of the worlde Graunt vs thy peace O Lambe of God that takest a way the sinnes of the world Haue mercy vpon vs. O Christe heare vs. O Christe heare vs. Lorde haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Christe haue mercy vpon vs. Christe haue mercy vpon vs. Lorde haue mercy vpon vs. Lorde haue mercy vpon vs. ¶ Oure father whiche art in heauen c. And lead vs not into temptaciō But deliuer vs from euill Amen ¶ The versicle O Lorde deal not with vs after our sinnes ¶ Answere Neither rewarde vs after oure iniquities O God merciful father that dispisest not the sighing of a contrite hart nor the desire of suche as be sorowfull mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in al oure troubles and aduersities whensoeuer they op pres vs. And gratiously hear vs that those euils whiche the craft and sutteltie of the deuill or man wurketh against vs be brought to nought and by the prouidence of thy goodnes they may be dispersed that we thy seruaūts being hurt by no persecutions may euermore geue thanks vnto thee in thy holy Churche through Ie sus Christ our Lorde ¶ O Lorde arise help and deliuer vs for thy names sake O God we haue heard with our eares and our fathers haue declared vnto vs y e noble wurcks that thou diddest in their daies and in the olde time before them ¶ O Lorde arise help vs and deliuer vs for thy honour Glory to the father the sonne to the holi ghost Asit was in the beginning is now c. Amen From oure enemies defēd vs O Christe Graciously looke vpō oure afflictiōs Pitifully behold the sorowes of oure hart Mercifully forgeue the sinnes of thy people Fauourably with mercy heare oure prayers O sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpō vs. Bothe now and euer vouchsafe to heare vs O Christe Graciously heare vs O Christe graciously heare vs O Lorde Christe O Lorde let thy merci be shewed vpon vs. As we doo put
the holy fountain or well which I beleeue did flow from thens Mark the vnspotted feet which haue not stand in the way of sinners but alway haue walked in thy law how thei are perced thorow w t sharp nailes make perfect my steps in thy paths and make me of thy louing kindnes to hate all wayes of iniquitie Remoue from me the way of iniquitie and make me of thy mercy to chuse y e way of truth I beseeche thee o king of holy men by this holy one of all holy ones by this my redemer to make me run the way of thy commaundements that I may be vnited knit vnto him in spirit whiche did not disdain to be clad in my flesh Dost thou not look vpon and mark o pitifull father the head of thy moste deerly beloued sōne a yungmā how it leaned vpō his shoulder whē he was past the moste precious death Beholde o my most gentle creator the humanitie gentlenes of thy beloued sonne and haue compassiō vpon the feblenes of me thy weak feeble handy wurk Behold O moste glorious parent the torne rent membres of thy most kinde louing child remember gently what substance I am of Behold the paines of God and man and release and louse man which is thy creature out of miserye and bondage of sin Behold the punishmēt of him that did redeem and pardon the offence of them that be redemed This is he O Lorde whome thou didst strike for the sinnes of thy people although he be thy welbeloued in whom was found no gile yet neuertheles was he rekened amongest them that were full of iniquitie ¶ A prayer wherin man confesseth him self to be the cause of Christs passion WHat hast thou committed O Lorde that thou shouldest be so iudged What hast thou offeded that thou shouldest be so cru elli handled and ordered What was thy fault what was thine offence what was the cause of thy death what was thoccasion of thy condemnation I Lorde I am the cause of thy sorow the fault is in me that thou wast kil led for I haue deserued thy death I committed the offences that were auenged vppon thee Oh meruelous kinde of iudgment and vnspekeable disposition or ordering of misteries The vn iust man offēdeth and the rightwise is punished The gilti doth euill and the innocent is beaten The euill dooth trespas and the good is condemned That which the euil man deserueth the same doth the iust suffre That which the seruāt doth amis the master maketh amends That which mā trespasseth God suffereth it O thou whiche art y e sone of god how low did thine humilitie des cend How greatly did thy charitie euen as it wer wax hote burn towarde vs. How farr did thy pitie procede Whither did thy beningnitie and gentelnes grow extend How far did thy loue stretche How far came thy cōpassion for I did wrongfully and thou wast punished I cōmit ted the mischeuous dedes and they were auenged vpon thee I did the faut and thou submitted thy self to the torments I was proud and thou wast humble meeke I was swelled and pufte vp thou wast extenuated and ap paired I was disobediēt neuertheles thou being obedient bare the paines and punishments of disobediēce I obeyed and was as it were a seruaunt to al exces and glotony and thou wast punished with scarsitie and lack of food The tree did draw me violentli vnto vnlawfull concupiscence desires but perfit charitie led thee vnto punishment I presumed being forbidden but thou didst smart therfore I toke my pleasure with delicatenes thou wast vexed with the cros I abound and haue plenty of al pleasures thou art all to torne with naites I doo fast the plesaunt sweetnes of the apple thou the bitternes of gall Beholde O king of glory mine iniquitie and vngodlines and thy pitie goodnes is manifest Beholde mine vnrightwisnes and thy iustice is plainly declared What thing O my king my God shall I rēdre vnto thee for all those things which thou hast bestowed vpon me for nothing can be found in the hart of man that may wurthely recompence suche rewardes Can māns wit excogitate or imagin any thing that is wurthy to bee compared vnto thy deuine mercie ▪ Nether is it the office of a creature to go about to recompence fully and iustly the aid and help of a creator There is truly O sonne of God in this thy merueilous dispensation and appointments somewhat in whiche my frailnes may help a litle if so be that my minde once pricked and stirred by thy visitacion doo punish the flesh with the vices also and euill concupiscences therof and this thing if thou wilt graunt geue me grace to doo then shall it begin as it were to suffre and sustein sorowes and greefs because y tthou also diddest vouchsafe to die for my sin And so by the victori of the inward man it shalbe armed thou beeing a captain for thexternall outward victory forasmuche as the spiritual persecucion once ouercom it shal not be afraid for thy sake to be obedient vnto the material sword and cros of this world And so the slēdernes of my state condition if it please thy good nes shalbe able according to the little power therof to answer vnto the greatnes excellencie of my creator And this is the heauenly medicine O good Iesu this is as it were a preseruatiue of thy loue This I beseeche thee by thine accustomed ancient mercies to poure into my wounds the foul filthy matter of the venemous contagion infectiō once cast away which may refresh restore me to my former puritie and clennes that when I haue fasted of the plesāt sweetnes whiche is to abide in thee it may make me to despise vtterly set nought by the enticements of this world and to fear for thy sake none aduersities therof and that I remembring thine euerlasting nobilitie and excellencie may alwayes abhor and disdain the troubles of this transitory world Let no thing I beseeche thee be delectable vnto me nor plese me w tout thee Let no precious nor beutiful thing be acceptable vnto me but thee Let all thīgs I beseche thee be counted as vile of no estimatiō vnto me without the. That whiche is against thy nature let it be irksō and greuous also vnto me and that whiche pleaseth thee let it be continually desired of me Let it irk me to reioice without thee and let it delite me to be sad for thy sake Let thy name bee an hartning vnto me and the remembrance of thee a consolacion and confort Let my teares be made vnto me as bread both day night serching thy iustificacions Let the law of thy mouth bee better vnto me thē thousands of gold and siluer Geue me an ardent desire and loue to obey thee an extreme hatred to resist thee I require thee O my hope for all thy