come the time wherein all mine offences and faults shall bee manifested and laid to my charge Oh then whether shall I flye thinke I whether shall I conueygh my selfe who shall hide mee from thy presence who shall saue me from thy iust iudgement Oh sweete Lord I am euen at my witts ende wishing for death and ende of my dayes And yet then the feare of the torments of hell fire so striueth in me to the contrarie that I quake at the rememberaunce thereof And when I couet to liue longer and see more daies Lord then I am striken with doubt and imagine that as my life hath beene euen from my byrth giuen and inclyned so greedelie to sinne and that the cause of my present dread I then loath and abhorre my longer continuance heere fearing least the aptnes of my corrupt flesh by the dayly rebellion thereof against the spirite heape greater plagues vpon my poore soule What shall I doo Lorde feare and dispayre thus oppressing me on all sides all hope of comfort hath left me onely greefe and sorrowe remaineth knowing not to whom to flie for succour or to whom to make my mone If to man I knowe his strength pollicie and wisedome and comfort to be vaine his nature inclined to weakenes and wickednes as mine and in him to be no helpe And seeking any woâ—ldly meane for pardon and remission of my sinne I acknowledge it altogether transitory superfiuous and to no purpose But the seeking therof to renue and increase my greefe that I shoulde leaue and giue ouer the true and onely platforme of my deliuery and seeke to a counterfeyt showe of ayde Oh God forbid that euer I shoulde but onely seeke for pardon of thy self whom most greeuously I haue offended and therefore to thee I fall prostrate euen in heart sweete Iesus the onely Phisition of all sicke soules in whose power consisteth the alone forgiuenes of sinnes be they neuer so many or great I come I come though altogether ashamed vnto thee my sauiour Iesus Christ who haste promised to be a Mediatour for the penitent vnto God the father It is thy property to call home such as wander and goe astray and to traine them vp in new wayes be theyr sinnes as redde as Scarlet thou hast sayde thou wilt make them as white as snowe and were they as purple thou canst make theÌ„ as white wooll Oh most sweete promise Oh comfortable saying Oh voyce of heauenly consolation whereby I am comforted whereby I am reuiued yea nowe is my conscience lightened now haue I founde the true onely Phisition of my long disease poore soule euen thy self sweet Iesus who callest mee I come I come Lord stretch forth thine hand and receiue mee giue mee perfecte hand fast of thys moste comfortable saying of thine let mee enioy the true working of this most singuler medicine thy death and bytter passion sweete Iesus who sufferedst for our sinnes camest to take away the punishment due for our transgression and to call vs to repentaunce without which there is no hope of remission of our sinnes Thy mercy is infinite thy loue vnsearchable and wisedome incomprehensible whereby thou callest vs whereby thou louest vs and whereby thou guydest vs And euen of meere loue which thou haste to the saluation of my poore soule whom thou wouldest rather should conuert then perish thou hast stirred vp in mine heart a lothing of my sinne wherein I haue walked and imbraced the same eueÌ„ with greedines Oh that I were as ready to come as thou to call So willing to leaue and giue ouer the fulfilling of vnlawfull desires as thou art to forgiue the same So apt to serue thee as thou art to saue me Then should sinne no more dwell in me nor I in it but should enioy thy continuall fauour and rest vnder the winges of thy mercy Oh Lorde I humbly beseeche thee that as it hath pleased thee to stirre me vppe at this time to repentaunce as thou hast called me home froÌ„ the wildernes of wickednes from deepe dispayre so to place me in the pleasaunt fieldes of sinceritie trueth and godlines as thou hast pluckt me out of the clawes of sathan so vouchsafe to holde me vnder the shaddow of thy winges and to imbrace me with the armes of thy mercy that I runne no longer after the vanities of this world nor yeelde vnto the vngodly motions of the fleshe that my minde beeing free from all sinfull cogitations I may keepe my bodie an vndefiled member of thy Church vnto my liues ende And although til thine appointed time this miserable vale must be my continuing cittie And although I must be driuen to vse this worlde according to the necessitie of worldlye causes as thy prouidence hath assigned euery man to exercise his vocation yet graunt that my minde may be continually conuersant in heauenly things and though my bodie wander in earth my soule spirite may haue theyr perfect beeing and abyding by perfect faith in heauen where thou sittest raigneth for euer Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A short prayer to the like purpose OH God whose propertie is euer to haue mercye yea whose mercy is infinite and loue incomprehensible and who haste not delight in the death of a sinner looke fauourably vpon me who haue so deepely offended thine heauenlie maiestie that I confesse nothing but condemnation due vnto me for my so manifolde iniquities my conscience accuseth me and mine heart bewraieth my disobedience beeing but a cast away vnlesse it may please thee for Iesus Christes sake to turne away thine indignation and to take away the plagues which I haue iustly deserued and punishments for the same which thou hast ordeyned Lord cease to be angry and according to thy mercy not to thy iustice deale with me but according to thy most louing promise my sinnes béeing as red as Scarlet may through my fayth in the death of Iesus Christ as white as Snow And as I haue hetherto folowed euen with greedines that which I should not giue me nowe grace to followe and imbrace that which thou commaundest in thy sonne Iesus Christ vnto my liues ende Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A prayer for a competent and necessary lyuing The God aboue vouchsafeth store To him in faith that prayes therfore ALthough thy store increase so greatly multiply that thou be sayne to enlarge thy roomes to bestowe thy fruites thinke thee not discharged of this most necessary exercise of praier but so much the more bound thervnto â—for it is not the increase of fruites the labour of thy handes or store of wealth that mainteyneth thy lyfe and feedeth thee vnlesse it be seasoned wyth the word of God which preserueth all that faythfully trust in him Matth. 24. For thou canst not liue by Breade alone which is with thinges necessarye for thy bodie but by the worde of almightye GOD And yet we are not onely licensed and permitted but most louinglye called to come
flesh but casting away the workes of darknes enioy the pure light of the Gospell and perseuer and abide therein enioying thy fauour loue vnto the ende without fainting in anie tribulation or vexation of Spirite going forwarde in hope in feare in loue and vnfeyned zeale towardes thee That I may obteine at thy mercifull hands whatsoeuer is necessarie in this life or for the obteyning of the life to come and after this life ended enioye thy celestiall purchased inheritaunce sweete Sauiour Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A short prayer to the like purpose I Humbly beseeche thee Oh mercifull God for thy sonne Jesus Christes sake to powre into mine heart by the operation of thine holie spirite one sparckle of true sayth whereby I may truelie beleeue in thy Son Jesus Christe as our onelie mediatour and â—duocate through whose death and passion we are restored to our former happines wherein we were in the beginning placed which none can beleeue but through the holie ghaste Encrease therefore my faith that working by charitie I may doo that which may be acceptable vnto thée all the dayes of my life Through Jesus Christ. Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A prayer against the deuill the world and the fleshe very necessary to bee often sayde If thou these Captaine foes wilt flye Thou must craue ayde of God on hie THe deuill who is Prince of darknes Eph 6. and wbo ruleth in this world goeth about seeking whom he may deuoure and leade headlong into destruction by putting before our eyes the vaile of the vanities of this worlde that we should not see the light of the trueth but to continue in darknes in hautines and pryde as bondslaues and captiues to him whose children they are 2. Tim. 2. that continue in voluntarye blindnes whose end shalbe the fire euerlasting Ioh. 8. prepared for him and his Angells Mat. 25. Pray that the worlde ouercome you not 1. Ioh. 5. wherein resteth nothing but wickednes and sinne The whole world 2. Esd. 4. is full of vnrighteousnes and wickednes which who so loueth is an enemye to God They that are in the fleshe can not please God Ro. 8. but shall die Eâ—de That is such as yeelde them selues to followe the lustes thereof shall haue the rewarde of the wicked in eternall perdition Praye therefore that ye enter not into temptation but that yee may walke godly as the seruauntes of Christe and not as the seruants of sinne OH Christ sonne of the liuing GOD who in the time of thy humanitie wheÌ„ thou walkedst heere in the vaile of this miserable worlde in the forme of a seruaunt in the substance of mankinde art not ignoraunt of the sundrye greeuous assaultes and temptations wherewith sathan that monstrous enemie to mankind tryed thee thou beeing altogether cleane and cleere from all corruption yea without all desire of sin yet hardlie assaulted by sundrie meanes to procure thee to yeelde to his allurings wherby sweet Iesus thou haddest sufficient try all and experience of his like assaultes vnto our corruptible and weake flesh who are by reason of the fall wilfull transgression of our great Graundfather Adam as thou knowest moste easie to bee ouercome who in all assaults haue none other refuge or defence but onely to flie vnto thee and to reste vnder the shaddowe of thy winges which is so sure a haâ—bour and so strong a defence as who so faithfully betaketh him vnto the same is safe froÌ„ al the raging stormes of sathan the deceites of the worlde and motions of the vnbrideled fleshe all which are vnto our soules moste monstrous mortall and most cruell enemies Oh Lorde let thine holy spirite dwell in mee let it neuer depart from the inner part of mine hearte but decking the house of my soule with the flowres of loue faith and vnfeined zeale it may please thy diuine Maiestie to settle thee and frame thy selfe therein to abide that thy presence may bee so terrible vnto his assaultes as he approching neere vnto me seeing thee and hearing thy name Oh Iesus may flye away as hee did from thee in the wildernesse as hee dyd from thee on the Penicle and in all his temptations Thou wert pure at that time without spotte of sinne I am sinfull and full of corruption He could not ouercome or preuaile against thy sanctetie but I am prone to fall therefore easie to be ouercome strengthen me therefore stande with me fyght for me that he take mee not captiue and make me a bondslaue of sinne keepe me free out of his clawes sweet Iesus let the brightnes of thy grace so shine about me that his darknes come not neere me to ouershadowe mee with the darknes of iniquitie Let thy sauour bee a wall a bulwaâ—ke and strong buckler for my defence for Lorde thou knowest that his force is so great his will so ready his doings so wily as if thou doo but pluck backe thine hande he striketh vs if thou turne thy face he winneth vs to his will and if thou depart vtterlie from vs we shall runne headlong into moste horrible destruction Wherefore Oh sweete Iesus saue me sweete Iesus keepe me sweete Iesus imbrace me holde thine holy hand ouer me conducte me and leade me in the middest of the path of truth to celestiall happines and let me not bee drawen awrye to the left hande or to the right but keepe a middle and directe course vntill I come to the place of celestiall blisse where neither sathan shall ouercome me the world deceiue me nor the fleshe procure me to sin but be in the light of thy most glorious presence with the residue of thy saints singing eternall praises vnto thee But Oh my most louing redeemer my time is not yet come my iourny is not yet at an end my daies which though they be but a span long are not yet finished And vntill this body of mine shal passe to the graue my poore soule must haue and abide continuall conflictes with the deuil the king and Emperor of this world and with as many his ministers as my tongue can not number and principally with the world who setteth before mee insteede of diuine and heauenly contemplations worldlie vanities insteede of celestial and true comfort worldly delights insteede of heauenly hope worldly and vnauailable promises to bring as much as in him lyeth my godly enterprises to wicked end Lord he labours by all meanes to drawe vs into dispayre by loding our mindes with too much doubt of the performaunce of thy most comfortable promises But sweet Iesus though his power be in show great thine is in deede greater though he be strong thou art stronger though his instigations prickings for warde to wickednes be many thy louing and father lie callinges to grace are more Thou hast promised vs thy helpe and that most meruey lous to our eyes for thou hast said that thou wilt giue vs power to doo not onelie as thou didst but more and greater
bitter and most perilous insomuch as it bringeth shame and confussion to the so vnaduised enterprisers of the same Lord thou sayest that a Sparrow can not light on the grounde without thy permission and prouidence which is a creature of small value in respect of man whom thou hast made to thine owne image and likenes and whom thou accountest of more value then many Sparrowes in respect whereof good Lord and for thy meere mercies sake extende so thy fauourable care vnto me thy frayle creature that all mine intents may haue theyr beginning by the working of thine holie spirite and mine actions end in the same and not according to the motions of mine owne foolish desires Thou like a most louing father willest vs to take counsaile at thee in all our exercises concerning either bodie or soule before we proceede too farre in them Oh Lord blesse me with thine heauenly inspiration that my minde imagine nothing but what is according to the Lawe of righteousnes Oh Lord blesse the workes of mine hands the sight of mine eyes blesse mine eares that they hearkeÌ„ not but to the hearing of godly and vertuous communication and thine holie word my tongue lippes with decent speeche and my feete that they may keepe the way of righteousnes And place within the secret corners of my heart such due regard what I goe about or determine as before I proceed to farr in request of good luckie successe I may vnderstaÌ„d by the secrete working of thine holie spirite whether my request bee according vnto thy will And graunt that I neuer absolutelie craue thy furtherance in accomplishing any my desires vntil by the same spirite I be truelie resolued that my desires be lawfull consonaunt and agreeable to thy diuine wyll but may faithfully referre all my matters vnto thee whether they be heard or not heard whether presently or tarrying long not giuing ouer feeling in my selfe by thy grace that it pleaseth thee constantlie continuing thy good pleasure though it come not as I wish let me not by and by fall from my good beginning but perseuering in continuall prayers for thine assistaunce and fatherly helpe vnto the end for thou hast promised neuer to deceiue our godly disires nor to sende them away frustrate mercifully heare me Oh Lorde in time conuenient And attentiuely heare me approching vnto thee with vnfeyned desire and hope of thy helpe that when any plague any affliction misery or vexation shall come vpon me when the want of any necessary thing oppresseth me or accomplishing of any lawfull sute mooueth me I flying vnto thee as the fountaine from whence floweth all true helpe all perfect assistaunce all good successe and prosperous euents of all godlie endeuours not seeking any other by meane either to auoide the one or to obteine the other then thy fatherly directions and spirituall motions I may obteyne the same according vnto my necessities and in thy good time oh heauenly God for thy sonne our Lorde Iesus Christes sake graunt this sweete God Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A short prayer to the like purpose COnsidering mine owne blindnes ignoraunce and the wilfull obstinacie of my corrupt nature which seeketh rather the fulfilling of the fantasticall deuises of mine owne brayne then thy diuine will And to vse humaine ayde rather then to craue thine helpe vouchsafe I humbly beseeche thee to establish godlie feare in mine heart and vnfeyned obedience to thine holy ordinaunces that in all mine enterprises which in thy name I take in hande thou wilt vouchsafe to direct me according to thy will and to giue me prosperous successe for thy sonne Jesus Christes sake Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth The sorrowfull sinner afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes may say thus If thou with sinne afflicted be Oh then saith Christ come thou to me LEt vs acknowledge our selues to bee wretched sinners and with feare fall downe before the mercies seate of the highest iudge Contemning our selues to be moste vnrighteous and iustly deseruing confusion And then as S. Iohn sayeth 1. Ioh. 1. 9. wee shall finde God moste mercifull vnto vs who is most faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from al our vnrighteousnes for hee desireth not the death of a sinner but that he turne from his wickednes and liue And therfore as Ezekiell sayth Ezek. 23. Turne you turne you from your wicked wayes for why sayeth he wil you dye in your sinnes And againe Ioell sayth Ioell 2. 13. Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne to the Lorde your God Because hee is gentle and mercifull and of much mercy and such a one as is sorye for your afflictions wherefore if thou bee afflicted in conscience by reason that thou haste beene a notorious offender remember Mary Magdalen whose wickednes was great vpon repentaunce receyued pardon as also the theefe and the Publicau and many other Dispayre not but in heartie prayer and by vnfeyned repentaunce turne to the Lord. O Almighty god father of merci who art more ready to giue then wee to aske more apt to pardon then we to repent more willing to receiue the contrite in heart into thy fauour and mercy againe then they to offer themselues by vnfeyned repeÌ„taunce Lorde I come heere prostrate in hearte before the throne of thine infinite mercie louing kindnes as one altogether ashamed to looke vpon the detestable vile and abhominable offences which I haue doone against thee beeing so heauie a burden for my poore soule that the shoulders of my poore diseased conscience beginne to sincke vnder the same and am altogether destitute of any proppe or meane to support the same or to ease me therof but onelie thy death and bitter passion sweet Iesus who camest into this worlde to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance Lord I bewayle mine heâ—nous offences and am moste sorye for my sins which are so vile the burden of them so intollerable that when I turne mine eyes but to the beholding them a farre off I am by and by stryken with so great dreade that I am driuen to most heauie sighes greeuous groanes and thinke my life an enemie vnto mee wishing the beginning of my dayes had beene the day of my departure out of this miserable worlde But moste sweete Lorde when I note them perfectlie in my minde take as it were a straight account what the deedes of my youth haue beene beeing indeede most lewde most euill most vile and sinfull what a terror doo I suffer in minde what a dungion of dollours doth open it selfe as it were to swallowe mee vp what gryping greefes doo torment my poore conscience in so much as I am at the pittes brincke of dispayre wauering in minde to and fro seeking rest but loe Lorde vnquietnes of minde oppresseth me so sore that considering with my selfe what I haue beene and what I am a greate matter vexeth me But when I looke into the time to
vnto our heauenly father for whatsoeuer we want as did Iacob Gene. 28. who prayed for foode and apparell and obteyned it with aboundance God seeth before wee aske what we want and yet to show our dutiful obedience to acknowledg our helpe to come from hym wee must prostrate our harts be fore him in fayth asking and he will giue knocking and he will open seeking we shall surelie finde what we want Dut. 20. For God of his meere mercy feedeth the fatherles voucbsasing vnto them al good thinges wherefore whatsoeuer thou be pray faythfully vse the giftes of God thankfully and reuerenly and thinke not that thy freendes can helpe thee thy fruites satisfie thee or laboure preuayle thee without the blessing of God Tim. 6. wherby enioying foode and apparrell be therewith content and in any case dispayre not for the prouidence of God is great to giue foode and things necessary to such as trust in him And it is not daintye feare that feedeth so much as the trust in God can releeue with a small simple dyet as doth appeare in the 1. of Daniell by theÌ„ that were so well replenished with pulse and water OH almighty God and louing father who of nothing hast created all thinges liuing whose care is so great ouer them all that thou sufferest not the moste vile or symplest of them to perishe for want of foode and thinges requisite for theÌ„ but seeking the same at thy handes thou gyuest it them in due season And by thyne vnsearchable wysedome haste appoynted to euerye liuing creature an abyding according to his kinde But such was thine vnspeakable care of man whome thou hast created to thine own image that he is as a king and gouernour ouer all the rest of thy creatures whome thou haste sette appointed vnder him beeing so farre inferiour vnto him as where thou haste planted in him reason wysedome and gouernment in them brutishnes beeing altogether vnreasonable and where they liue haue there beeing vppon the tops of cold mountaines in desartes vpon hilles on hie and in vallies below and in sundry other vncouth and vnknowne places where tempest heate hardnes and colde and other continual dangers oppresse them thou hast giuen and prouided for man houses castelles and townes to preserue them from the force of windes tempestes and stormes and from the assaultes of wilde beastes of the fielde in the night and darknes quietly to rest And although born naked thou giuest him ray ment to couer and to clothe him hearbes for his vse and oyle to make him a cheereful and glad heart and ioyfull countenaunce Besides all this of thy meere goodnes haste giuen him the beastes of the fielde the fowles of the ayre and fishes of the sea to be his foode and sustinaunce yea Lorde such is thy fauour towardes man that all the rest of thy creatures thou hast ordeyned for his vse and seruice wherfore I thy sillie creature and worke of thine handes humblie prostrate my selfe in heart beseeching thee fauourably to looke downe vpon my necessitie and graunt me whatso euer thou seest necessarie for me euen a competent and necessarie portion heere not ouermuch least I wexe prowde or disdaine mine inferiors and if it be thy will vouchsafe vnto me not ouer little least vrgent necessitie driue me to ouer much care ouer much care carry me to vnlawful means so runne headlong into thy disâ—auor But fill my Baskett blesse my store Oh Lord that I may enioy at thy mercifull handes sufficieÌ„cie for my selfe for the releefe of such as thou hast coÌ„ mitted vnto my gouernment and for as much good Lord as all mine industry carke and care great trauaile can not any thing furder me releeue or satisfie me in my necessitie vnlesse thou vouchsafe therevnto good successe for thy mercies sake blesse me in all mine affayres blesse my fruites in the field my cattell and all other thinges belonging eyther to my selfe or any other thy seruauntes as by the fruites thereof I and they may be releeued Blesse the workes of mine handes that they may prosper blesse my sences that they wexe not dull but be alwaies capable of such thinges as belong vnto my vocation effectually to execute the same both according to thy lawes and the trueth of that which I take in hand for without thy blessing and fatherly furtheraunce I can not sufficiently execute neither can that prosper where vpon the whole state of my liuing and maintenaunce dependeth VVherefore good Lorde guide mine handes and blesse mine vnderstanding to the prosperous execution of all thinges concerning my vocation that I may gett those thinges which may be sufficient for the releese and maintenaunce of me and mine to the profit of my neighbours and glory of thy blessed name And what so euer dooth happen vnto me pouertye or ritches make me good Lord of a patient contented and thankfull minde that in aduersitie I runne not headlong into such meanes as are vngodlye neither in prosperitie wexe the prowder but waight thy good pleasure in them both with thankfulnes euer more liue in thee by thee in the end raigne with thee in heauen where thou sittest as Author and giuer of all thinges graunt this for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake to whom with thee and the holie ghost be all honour for euer Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A prayer necessarie after the hearing of the word of God Attende vnto the Ghospell bright Heare it and reade and liue vpright Consider when thou hearest the worde of God preached it dooth but as it were beat thyne eares and rendereth no further benefitt vntyll by the workyng of GODS holye spyrite it bee inwardlye reuealed vnto thee For GOD by two meanes speaketh vnto vs namely by the Preacher whome hee sendeth to teache vs. And by hys holy Spyrite wherby hys doctrine is so setled in our heartes that we inwardly enioy the true benefit therof For wythout the helpe of the holye ghost the voyce of the preacher vanisheth and the hearers profite nothing at all S. Iohn saith That he that knoweth God heareth his word 1. Iohn 4. but he that is not of God heareth it not wherby the spirite of trueth is discerned from the spirite of error For the word of God is liuelie Heb. 4. and effectuall and pearceth more then a two edged sword entring euen into the diuision of the soule the spirite c. wherefore pray that as the Lorde sendeth his messengers to showe his will So you may both heare it vnderstand it purelie liue thereafter pray for fayth For without fayth Heb. 4. the hearing of the word profiteth nothing OH heauenlye Father who hast not onely vouchsafed to make vs to thine owne image and likenes but also to sende thy sonne Iesus Christe into this worlde for our saluation and hast by him not only giuen vs knowledge of thy diuine will heere on earth and lefte it for our learning But also
that it often happeneth wheÌ„ we think least thereon it commeth sodamly as the lightninge and taketh vs vnwares VVherefore grant Oh GOD of my life that I may haue such continuall care foresighte and dylligent respect vnto the direction of my dealinges cogitations and wordes that I loade not my poore soule so muche with the burden of scenlesse securitye sinne and iniquitye that the bodye beeing sodainly intangled with the snare of deathe it bee carryed where there is no reste no ioye no comforte or consolation but continual mourning weeping and anguishe of minde as the Glutton spoken of in thine holy Gospell who going on blindly loosly and carelesly without regarde eyther of thee or remem braunce of his ende in moste detestable couetousnes and all kinde of wickednes was sodainly taken from hys mucke wealth which he had wrongfully gotten and myserably whorded vppe and yet denying poore Lazarus the croomes that fell and were taken from his table but was carried by the deuyll and his Angells into euerlasting and moste bitter tormentes where was weeping and gnashing of teeth Oh my sweete Lord let not mine heart be so blinded with the vale of vanitie nor nouseled in the delightes of this world so intangeled in the nette of concupiscence nor clad in the weedes of wilfull forgetfulnes of mine estate that I bee taken as the ritch man who deuising within him selfe to enlarge hys Barnes wherin he might conuey his graine so much encreasing who standing in his euill conceite of couetousnes thinking himselfe most secure was taken vnawares from his aboundaunce and left hys riches he knew not to whom Oh most gratious and most louing God a most vnhappy end wherin steed of heauenly contemplations and godly cogitations which thou requirest at al times of such as are thine but especially at the houre of death there appeared a most horrible intent of couetousnes which thou vtterly abhorrest a manifest token good Lorde of forgetfulnes of his ende and an argument that hee was the childe of Sathan But thou shewest mercye to as many as conuert and turne to thee Oh my most louing father lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in sinne nor wander in darknes according to the will of the fleshe that I fall not vnawares into the dungion of distruction death and hell but make me alwaies ready and willing to come vnto thee euen with desire when it pleaseth thee to call me by laying thy hande by any plague or sicknes vpon me let me not drawe me as it were backwarde when thou inuitest me to the sweete banquet of thine heauenly kingdome as by the worde and gospell preached and reueiled vnto vs which is an especiall calling vs or when I feele my selfe distempered greeued or vexed with any kinde of sicknes plague or disease which is another of thy callinges and an especiall warning that we must dye or when by course of time in extreame age wee may imagine our ende to be neere but Lord when I am at my dayly busines and laboure when I eate or drinke when I am in my best temperature health in childehoode and young yeeres at all times and in all places giue me grace to thinke that death standeth at mine elbowe alwayes ready to strike mee that I sleepe not in sinne and securitie till the time sodainly come of my departure and so be taken vnprouided and perish withour repentaunce who can perswade him selfe to liue long and see many daies especially in daungerous and contagious times of sicknes and seeing so many examples dayly to the contrary euen in the most temperate time of health some we see at their Mothers pappes by humaine indgement likely to liue sodainely to giue vppe the ghoste some in theyr youth some in middle yeeres yea when grauest experience aboundeth to be sodainly called away to be no more seene Al which notwithstanding Oh Lord such is the blindnes of our nature that we think this world a coÌ„tinual being for vs and couer euen with greedines to see many dayes where we heape sinne vpon sinne to the ouerburdening of our poore soules seldome or not at all thinking to dye Graunt sweete Lorde that as I desire to liue so I may haue a greater desire to liue well that I may make an happy ende abandoning all feare of death that the cogitation thereof may dwell in peace with in the mansion of mine heart and when it shall approche neere vnto me I flie not from it but may goe foorth with ioy to meete the same considering that it is a meane to ende my cares and to begin my ioy it is the finishing of sorrow and enteraunce into blisse which made thy seruaunt Paule to say That he desired to be deliuered of the burden of this life and to be with thee where is nothing but ioyes vnspeakable and contrarie heere on earth nothing but care and woe which mooued thy seruaunt Iob to call this life a warfare and this world a wildernes and vale of misery where is nothing but conflictes betweene the flesh and the spirite dayly increase of sinne and continuall care of vanities Oh good God giue vs carefull hearts to loue thee while we liue heere giue vs continual feare vnfeyned zeale perfit faith godly care to doo good to all men and earnest desire to come vnto thee who art the ende of all trouble and laboure and the beginning of ease the ende of strife and the beginning of peace the ende of all misery and the beginning of all blisse wherevnto sweete Lord graunt that with vnseyned desiâ—e we may faithfully endeuour our selues to come and to take possession of that thy most glorious kingdome where thy sonne is gonne before to direct vs the way and where thou sittest to iudge according to euerye mans desertes making all those that thou findest with the Lampe of true faith burning in their harts partakers of the euerlasting ioyes thereof In number of whome Oh sweete Lord accept me heere that I may appeare among them in the world to come through Iesus Christ our Lorde in whose name I commend my selfe into thy handes to liue for euer in thee sweete God Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A short prayer to the like purpose OH God in whose handes consisteth the life of all mankind for thy Sonne Jesus Christes sake vouchsafe to giue me grace to sett before mine eyes as a most certaine mark where vnto this frayle body of mine must tende it selfe the Image of that which is to the faythfull the ende of payne and beginning of pleasure the ende of misery and beginning of blisse but to the secure and careles the ende of their pleasures and beginning of eternall paynes Ueuchsafe me therefore earnest desire of seruing thée and leading my life according vnto thy will that wheÌ„ so euer it pleaseth thee to call me I be not through feare striken with doubt of condemnation but euen at my laste gaspe through vnfayned faith in Jesus Christ may take
and haue a taste of eternall saluation that death bee not terrible vnto me but rather when it cōmeth I may with ioy receiue the same in the name of Jesus Christe mine onely sauiour and redeemer Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A praier vppon the Lettany or praier for all men at all times necessary Pray thou in faith for eache degree As God by Iames commandeth thee So shalt thou prosper in thy wayes And liue both many and happy daies THe Lettany beeing a moste singuler deuout praier for the estate of all men in generall and sette out for the vse of the whole congregation as it were with one mouth one voyce to be pronounced begging at the handes of God not onely pardon for such seuerall offences as are therein expressed but also crauing thinges necessary as well for them that are absent as present yea for all men a thing most commendable godly praying one for another as S. Iames willeth Iam. 5. vs to pray one for another that wee may be hearde of God for the prayer of the righteous auaileth much And because the zealous may without the so often repitition of these wordes Good Lorde deliuer vs and we beseech thee c. priuatlye vtter his godly desire of the prosperitie of his Christian bretheren without answering himselfe in those respectes I thought it not much amisse to contriue it into this prayer following the which I pray the Reader willingly to accept OH almighty God and father of all that beleeue and trust in thee Oh Lorde God sonne redeemer aduocate of all thē who faithfully serue thee Oh God holy ghoste who proceeding from the father and the sonne santifiest the elect and chosen ones Oh blessed most glorious Trinitie three personnes and yet but one God haue mercy vpon vs who most miserablie haue offended Remember not our offences nor the offences of our fore-fathers nor punishe vs according to the multitude of our sins Spare vs good Lorde whome thou hast redeemed and so directe all our cogitations and actions that wee giue none occasion of thine anger towardes vs for euer mercifully saue and defende vs frō sinne mischeefe from the craftes and assaults of sathan from thy displeasure and eternall damnation good Lorde for thy mercies sake deliuer vs from darknes of misbeleefe from hautines of minde from mallice enuie hatred and double dealing from euill motions of our corrupt fleshe and from all worldly vaneties Saue vs from plague pestilenee from extreame hunger and famine from sodaine death from heresie and false doctrine and graunt vs alwayes will and ablenes to fulfill all thy most godly commaundementes with a cleane and a pure heart Oh sweete Iesus deliuer vs from all euill euen by thy death and passion by thine anguish of mind by thy bloody sweate by thy glorious resurrection from the deepe of death and hell and by thine assention into thy celestiall kingdome Bee present with vs good Lorde in all our troubles vexation of minde at the howre of our departure hence And for thy meere mercies sake be thou fauourable vnto vs in the day when we must giue account for our life past that we be not rewarded according to our desertes but by thy merites may enioy eternall saluation Oh most mercifull and euerliuing God wee most miserable and most wretched sinners heere humbly prostrating our selues before thee beseeche thee to listen to our petitions and graunt vnto thine vniuersall Church godly deuout preachers of thy word and gospel that it may dayly increase in vertuous and godly gouernment dayly growing and proceeding from faith to faith truely knowing thee and vnfeynedly seruing thee Graunt vnto thy seruaunt Elizabeth our Queene true vnderstanding of thy will and vnto her counsaile knowledge and wisedome That vnder her for her and in thy name they may establish godly Lawes statutes and ordinaunces for our good and godly gouernment and vnto vs thy people grace continually to follow and fulfill the same Be thou good Lord her defendour in all aslaultes of her enemies and so rule her hearte in thy faith seare and loue that she may alwaies seeke to aduaunce thine honour and glory deface superstiton errour and false religion and euer be able to vanquish and ouercome suchas rise vp against her to seeke the contrary Lighten the hearts of all Byshops ministers and Pastours of thy church with right vnderstanding and knowledge of thy worde that they may not onely in speeche doctrine but also by their conuersation and life soundly and sincerely vtter the same to the true edification of thy people Oh Lord let not such as are put in authority to see the due execution of thy lawes be slowe negligent or ignorant therin but endued with grace wisdom vnderstanding boldnes may execute iustice maintain thy trueth without affectiō fauor or respect of persons vouchsafe to endue vs all with continuall vnfeined good will one towards another that wee may liue all the daies of our life in vnitye peace godly agreement pleasing thee by liuing according to the rule of thy blessed commandements Graunt vs Oh Lord feruent desire to be where thy word gospell is preached taught and endue vs with thy grace to heare to beare away not only to heare and beare away but to expresse the same in our life conuersation that the truth of thy gospel which is the fruit of thine holy spirit may dailye increase in vs call home all wandring soules which are carried into blindnes by the subtiltie procurements of sathan his wicked ministers following strange Gods worshipping that that cannot auaile them in their distresse and giue them Oh Lord repenting heartes conuerting the soule Shewe them thy true light that they seeing it though a farre off may by little and little attaine vnto the perfit enioying of the same Strengthen al them that haue taken holde of thee by true faith and pure religiō that they fall not from thence by any deceiuable show of any counterfeit secte comfort those that are weake lift vp those that are downe that they by thee thou in them maist beate down keepe sathan vnder their feete Vouthsafe good Lord to giue succor help cōfort to all such as are in any kind of affliction daunger necessity or tribulation preserue and keepe safe all such as labour trauaile by sea or land for the benefit of our common weale Strengthen all women with child and sende them good deliueraunce comfort all them that are sicke and giue them either patience to beare it or mittigate their greefe giue health and nourishment to al young children and graunt them grace to goe forward in nurture and knowledge of thy will Lorde we beseeche thee to showe compassion vppon all such as suffer impty sonment and giue them deliueraunce at thy good pleasure Prouide good Lord for such poore children as are fatherles or helples consider the cause of all
again for our deliueraunce out of thys mortall life And whilest I liue heere vouchsafe mee an vnfeyned desire to be partaker of that his holy institution and through thine holy spirite to leade my life according vnto thine heauenly will in all thinges keeping my body vndefiled as a fitt receptacle for so heauenly foode that my soule may enioy the benefitte of the mistery thereof by saith according to thine heauenly prouidence through Iesus Christ our sauiour and redeemer Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A deuout meditation or confession of our sinnes with humble request vnto almightye God that he will vouchsafe to establish true repentaunce in our heartes and of his mercy turne away his plagues which we iustly haue deserued for our manifold iniquities Let vs fall downe with weeping eyes With one consent from heart on knees Our sinnes haue so deserued thâ—all Nothing so sure as sodaine fall LEt vs sette as a glasse before the eyes of our heartes the cause of the firste floode which was falling from God working iniquity where in the whole worlde Noe wyth a small number of persons only excepted perished Gen. 6. Let vs likewise call vnto our remembraunce the sodayne distructioÌ„ of Sodom Gomorra with sue and brimstone from heauen for disobeying the voyce of the lord pronouÌ„ced by Lot for their repentaunce wherein we may as it were beholde before hand what will becoÌ„e of vs without our spedy repentance neglecting as we do the words message of the Lord reuealed vnto vs by his prophers prechers threatning plagues to follow our wilful â—eâ—ellion let vs not be like vnto the deaf Adder stopping our eares froÌ„ hearing of our iniquiry which wee embrace with such greedines but like relenting harted Niniuits put on the sackcloth of vnfeined repentaÌ„ce mourning for our many thousand sins with fasting earnest praier froÌ„ the lowest to the high est after the good example of Dauid Iob prostrate our selues in hearte with lameÌ„ting spirits vnto the mercies seat of our good god who as he is not hastye in plaging expecting our repentaunce so will his punishment bee the greater without our harty speedy conuersioÌ„ let vs not therfore be slowe to turne vnto him let vs not deferr from day to day for sodainly wyl the wrath of god come wheÌ„ we think not of it in hys vengance wil be destroy vs vnawares Paâ—â— 7. yet so louing is he merciful that if we cal vpon his name making our prayers vnto him vnfeinedly repenting vs of our sins from the bottome of our harts he will heare vs from his holy heauens receiue vs again vnto hys mercy Esd 10. according to his promise vnto Israell let vs remember the wicked king Achab who humbling himselfe and clothing himselfe in Sackcloth sleeping in heirecloth obteined pardon for his sinnes The mercye of the Lorde is so great towardes them that repent that the examples thereof are infinite in the scriptures VVherefore let vs speedely for sake our sins and more and more growe in hatred therof Eccl 17. vnfeynedly cleauing vnto rightcousnes and holynes of trueth Eph. 4. Repent repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Mat. 3. OH Lorde vouchsafe to poure thine holye spirite into our heartes whereby we may sighe lament weepe and euen rent our hearts at the consideratioÌ„ of the wicked and abhominable estate of this world which is so farr gonne with the child of selfe loue that without thine vnspeakable mercy it is euen at the point to be deliuered into the pitt of eternall perdition wherefore gyue vs grace wee humblye beseech thee from the high est to the lowest from the greatest to the leaste to repent vs of our sinnes and heartily to turne vnto thee whose high displeasure wee haue deserued through our manifolde transgressions whoÌ„ thou hast in respecte of our disobedience pronounced rebels bastards children of the bondwomaÌ„ without repentance barred froÌ„ the inheritance which thy son Iesus Christe hath purchased for all true beleeuers Lord what shall become of vs we haue so much yeelded our selues to the desire of sin walked according to the coÌ„uersatioÌ„ of the olde man which is corruption so far degenerating froÌ„ thy lawes diuine institutions fellowing so much the wil of sathan the lusts of the flesh the vile alluringes of the wicked world that thou hast caste vs off as none of thy children in so much as when wee consider the heauy intollerable burden which by our vnrighteousnes wee haue deseruedly heaped vpoÌ„ our selues in loosing the fauour of so louing and bountifull a father and so sweete a sauior it driues vs into a greate feare and terrour procuring a great dislike and lo thing of our selues for the time but our nature beeing nothing but corruption falleth into a present forgetfulnes of our ende and turneth forthwith vnto his vomitt againe But most louing God euerliuing when the deserued punishments which hangeth ouer our heades shall light and fall vppon vs for the same what shall wee doo It is prepared and it is comming we can not by any deserts of ours but onely by the intercession mediation and desertes of Iesus Christ which neyther auaileth without our true repentaunce auoyde it Mollifie therefore our harde and stony heartes Oh Lorde for the same thy sonne Iesus Christes sake giue vs lamenting spirites endue vs with vnfeyned sorrow for our sinnes and make vs wylling and ready to returne vnto thee our nature beeing so vile and our blindnes so great that we are moste apte euen with great obedience care and dilligence to serue to please and to obey men of Aucthoritye heere in thys world by whose disâ—auour there can aryse but some smal or no hurte or punishment at all And neuer giue our selues or very seldome to the fulfilling of our duties to thee by executing those thinges which thou commaundest vs wherby we breake and forfeit that bande which thy sonne Iesus Christe sealed with his preacious blood vpon the crosse therby confirming for euermore a league and peace betweene thee and such as forsake sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnes and trueth Oh vnhappye creatures that we are who beeing in the very bosome of so louing and so mercifull a God shoulde by yeelding vnto the desires of the fleshe the vanities of the world and the will of sathan bee thruste out of thy presence wherein consisteth all peace all loue all hope quietnes of minde patience long suffering meekenes and all good whatsoeuer But wandring and going astray after our owne corrupt desires what remaineth in vs but strife hatred misbeleefe dispayre couetousnes adultery witchcraft contempt of thy Lawes and all kinde of euill and rest as accursed Lord we acknowledge that sinne iniquity hath gotten the highest roome it sitteth and ruleth in all corners of the earth and righteous dealing simplicity and innocency is condemned of many Roote out therefore good Lorde roote out of our heartes all hautines deceit
wrongfull dealinges and euill imaginations and plant in steede thereof humility iusâ—â—ce and â—â—leyned good will and helpe one towardes another Let not sathan rule let not the flesh pâ—â—â—aiâ—e against the spirit let not the world beguile vs who are our enemies our mortall enemies most strong 〈…〉 ost weake in so much as they are not so ready to encounter with vs as wee are ready to yeeld they are most pollitique we most ignoraunt forgiue vs Lord forgiue vs for thy son Iesus Christes sake strengthen vs good Lord streÌ„gtheÌ„ vs with thy grace we haue erred we haue doon amisse we haue followed too much the will of sathaÌ„ we haue yeelded too much to the motions of the flesh and too much embraced the pleasures of thys world whereby we haue lost the most sweete comfort of thy celestiall promises who hast sayd that who so obeyeth thy voyce in keeping and fulfilling thy Lawes shall be most blessed yea in al his wayes in his going foorth and comming in and in al thinges which he taketh in hand Oh sweete Lord howe can we therefore but lament our estates how can we but sigh and sorrow that wee haue made forfeyture of so many and so sweete blessings and incurred the penalty of infinite curses of thine by disobeying thy will and precepts which thou mioynedst vs in all thinges to fulfill and obserue Vouchsafe good Lorde vouchsafe of thy mercye for Iesus Christes sake to turne away thine heauy displeasure and punishment which we haue deserued that they lighte not vpon vs for our misdeedes Blot out all our iniquities lay not our vnrighteousnes our vnthaÌ„kfulnes and wilfull rebellion against thee to our charge for if thou shouldest Lord what should become of vs what might we looke for â—as our â—â—â—st rewarde but death and damnation Oh Lord we doo confesse that for so sundry and bountifull beuefits receiued at thine handes such is our corruption that we doo not onely take them without thankes vse them without feare but moste foolishly and wrongfully attribute the gift thereof to some creature and cast the pray se vpon him or els we receiue them as giuen by fortune and take not onely the due honour from thee but make the creature the Author of that that commeth onely from thee the onely creator and giuer of all thinges Oh most sweete Lord such is our ignoraunce such is our blindnes and such is the error that resteth and remaineth in vs from Adam through our voluntary blindnes which though we imbrace thou offerest light we refuse the same we are ignorant thou giuest wisedoÌ„e we neglect the same we go astray thou callest vs but we refuse to come Lord wee are like the vntamed Heyser which resuseth the yoke wee are like the deafe Adder which resuseth to heare the voice of the Charmer charme he neuer so wisly we harden our hearts as the Adamant we will not receiue thy gentle callinges thy fatherly admonitions and louing corrections Thou commaundest vs to cast away the darknes of ignoraunce and to put on the light of thy Gospell but wee stoppe our eares we refuse to heare opening our eares to pleasures and fyxing our eyes vppon vanitye erring in the pathes of vngodlines drinking the puddelles of iniquity and dispising the sweete water of life Our heartes are alwayes ready to embrace delightes and fantasies vtterly dispising nurture correction and knowledge we remember the time present the time past for which we haue to aunswer the time to come in which we must aunswer Good Lord we think not on we consider not that our time is like the flowre of the fielde to day fresh and fayre to morrow cut downe dryed vppe and withered we conceiue not that we passe as dooth the shaddowe and vanish as the bubble of water as the smoake and waues of the sea Oh Lord notwithstanding all this we folishly deferre thamendment of our liues vpon hope of thy long sufferaunce and consider not that thy wrathe commeth sodainly wee consider not the sodaine death of sundry beeing nowe most lusty gaye and strong and by and by dead and layde with the substaunce of theyr owne flesh euen the earth where the wormes possesse that that they so daâ—ntily fedde with sundry fine delicates clothed with nice moÌ„strous and gorgious sutes of apparrell sumptuous attyre broidered heire and setled theÌ„selues in sâ—ately high houses euen to the skies theyr soules departing with the glutton where is not water to coole the heate of thy displeasure against them Oh Lord thou laughest at our vanitie yet most sorrye to see vs so ledde by the direction and hand leading of sathan whose desire is to deuoure if he could euen thy chosen ones Thou wouldest not that we should perish thou desirest rather that we should conuert liue thou reioysest not at the death of a sinner but there is great ioy in heauen of his repeÌ„tance where vnto though louingly thou cal vs we goe still in our wickednes Thou gyuest vs knowledge of thy will by preaching and thine omnipotencie thou manifestest by thy creatures bothe in the firmament aboue and in the earth and Sea belowe But we vnderstand it not we beare it not away we consider it not The good which we should doo we doo not but the euil which we should not that we greedelie followe notwithstanding all which our corruption our disobedience and wilfull wickednes thou of thy mercy aboundaunt so intirely louest vs that thou gauest thine onely begotten sonne to suffer the most shame full death of the crosse for vs and hast sette him as equall with thy selfe euen at thine owne right hand to the ende he might make continuall intercession for vs vnto thee and that through him we might haue attonement with thee and accesse vnto thee for euer VVretched sinners that we are if we by our wickednes rebellion and loosenes of life loose so great a benefit which he so deerely purchased for vs euen thy woonted mercy and louing fauour and make of none effect his dying for vs what remaineth for vs but the most fearefull sentence of iudgement in the day when all secretes shall be opened and euery man receiue according to his deserts to whom thou wilt say Goe yee cursed into the flames of eternall fire prepared for the deuill and his Angels which neuer shall be quenched where shall be continuall weeping wayling anguish and gnashing of teeth when we shalbe neither our selues able to pleade to the contrary nor haue any aduocate to gaine saye thee in thy iustice Then shall we be sory then shall we lament but too late Then shall wee heare the most comfortable entertainment of the godly wheÌ„ thou shalt say Come yee blessed possesse yee the kingdome prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning where shalbe nothing but ioy without ceasing continual gladnes comfort and vnspeakable consolations euen for such as clothed thee fedde thee lodged thee and visited thee beeing in prison Them shalt thou embrace them shalt thou meete in