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
for this my poore nedy lyfe yet for as much as y u hast bothe commaunded and taught me by thy deere Sonne to praye vnto thee for thinges necessary for thys my lyfe I am bolde at this present to come vnto thi diuine maiesty moste humbly beseching thee that as thou hast geuen me lyfe so thou wylte giue me meat and drincke to sustayn the same Again as thou hast geueÌ„ me a body so thou wilt gyue me clothes to couer it that I hauing sufficyent for my liuing may the more fre ly with the quieter minde apply my selfe vnto thy seruice and honour Amen ¶ For a pacient and thankfull hart in sicknes WHoÌ„ thou louest O lorde him doost thou chasten yea euery soÌ„ne that thou receiuest thou scourgest in so dooing thou offerest thy self vnto him as a father vn to his SoÌ„ne For what soÌ„ne is he whom the father chast neth not Graunt therfore I moste hartely pray thee that wheÌ„soeuer thou layest thy cros on me and visitest me with thy louing scourge of sicknes I may by no meanes striue against thy fatherly pleasure but paciently thankfully abide thy chastisemeÌ„t euer being perswaded that it is for y e helth bothe of my body and soule that by this meanes thou wurkest my saluacion subduest the fleshe vnto the spirit makest me a new crea ture that I may hereafter serue thee the more freely coÌ„tinue in thy fear vnto my lyfes ende Amen ¶ For strength against the deuell the world and the flesh O Lorde God the Diuell goeth about like a roring LioÌ„ seeking whom he may deuour The Flesh lusteth against the Spirite The world perswadeth vn to vanities y t we may forget thee our Lorde God so for euer be daÌ„ned Thus are we miserably on euery side beseeged of cruell vnrestful enemies like at eue ri moment to perish if webe not defended with thy godly power against their tiraÌ„ny I therfore poore wretched siner dispairiÌ„g of mine owne strengthes whiche in deed are none moste hartely pray thee to endue me w t streÌ„gth from aboue that I may bee able through thy help with strong faith to resist SataÌ„ with serueÌ„t prayer to mortify y e raging lusts of the Fleshe with continuall meditation of thy holy law to auoyde the foolish vanities transitory pleasures of this wicked world that I through thy grace be ing set at libertie from the power of mine enemies may liue and serue thee in holines rightuousnes all the days of my life Amen ¶ For the helpe of Gods holy Aungels AN infinit nuÌ„ber of wicked Aungels are there O Lorde Christe whiche without ceasing seek my de struccioÌ„ Against this exceding great multitude of euill spirits seÌ„d thou me thy blessed and heauenly angels which may pitche their teÌ„ts round about me so delyuer me from their tirany Thou o lorde hast deuoured hel ouercom y e Prince of darknes with all his ministers yea and that not for thy self but for them that be leue in thee Suffer men of therfore to bee ouercome of Satan of his seruaunts but rather let me triuÌ„phe ouer them y t I through stroÌ„g faith the help of the blessed angel hauing the victory of the hellish armi mai with a ioisul hart sai Death where is thy stiÌ„g hel where is thy victory so for euer euer magnifi thy holy name AmÌ„ ¶ A prayer to our Lorde Iesus Christe called Conditor celi et terrae OH maker of heauen and earth king of kinges Lorde of Lordes whiche of nothing didst maâ—e me to thy image and likenes didst redeem me with thine owne precious bloud whoÌ„ I a siner am not wurthy to name neither to call vpon neither w t my hart to think vpon humbli I desire thee and meekly pray thee that gentli thou doo beholde me thy wicked seruauÌ„t haue merci on me whiche hadest merry on the womaÌ„ of CaÌ„nane and of Mari Magda leÌ„ whiche didst forgeue the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the theef hanging on y e cros Unto the I confes O most holy father my siÌ„nes which if I would I cannot hide from thee Haue mercy on me Christe for I a wretche haue sore of fended thee in pride in couetousnes in glotony in lechery in vainglory in hatred in enuy inadultry in theft in lying in backbitiÌ„g in sporting in dissolute and wanton laughing in idle wurds in hearing in tasting in touching in thinking in sleping in wurking in all wayes in whiche I a fraill man moste wretched sinner might sinne Mi default my moste greuous default Therfore I moste huÌ„bly pray beseech thy geÌ„tlenes which for my helth descended froÌ„ heueÌ„ whiche didst holde vp king Dauid that he should not fall into sin Haue mercy on me oh Lorde haue merci on me O Christe the which didst for geue Peter that did forsake thee Thou art my creatour and my helper my maker my redeemer mi gouernor my father my lord my god and my king Thou art my hope my trust my gouerner my help my coÌ„fort my strength my defence my redemption my life my helth and my resurrection Thou art my stedfastnes my refuge or succour my light my help I moste humbly hartely desire and pray thee help me defeÌ„d me make me strong and coÌ„fort me make me stedfast make me mery geue me light and visit me reuiue me again which am dead For I am thy makiÌ„g thy wurk oh Lorde despise me not I am thy seruant thy bondmaÌ„ although euill although vnwurthy a sinner But whatsoeuer I am whether I bee either good or bad I am euer thine Therfore to whom shall I flee except I flee vnto the if thou cast me of who shal or will receiue me If thou despise me turn thy face from me who shal look vppon me Recognise knowledg me although vnwurthy comming to thee allthough I be vile vnclene for if I be vile and vnclene thon canst make me clene If I be sick thou canst heal me If I be dead buried thou canst reuiue me For thy merci is much more theÌ„ mine iniquitie thou caÌ„st forgeue me more theÌ„ I can offend Therfore Oh lorde doo not coÌ„sider nor haue respect to the number of my sinnes but according to the greatnes of thy merci forgeue me and haue mercy on me most wretched sinner Say vnto my soule I am thy helth which saidst I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he liue and be conuerted turn to thee Oh lorde bee not angry with me I pray thee moste meek father for thy great mercy I most humbely secheech thee that thou bring me to the blis that neuer shall ceas AmeÌ„ ¶ For the glory of heauen THe ioyes o lorde which thou hast prepared for them y t loue thee no eye hath seen no eare hath heard nether is any hart able to thiÌ„k But as the ioyes ar great vnspeakeable so ar there
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
so vse my rule and authority ouer thē that I may alway remember that thou art the common Lord of all and we all thy seruauntes again y t I mai not forget that we be all brothers hauing one father which is in heauē and look for one glorious kingdome where thou with the father and the holy Ghost liuest and raygnest true and euerlastyng God for euer Amen ¶ Of Seruauntes O Lord we are cōmaunded by thy blessed Apostles that we should honour obey our bodely masters with fear and trembling not onely if they be good courteous but also though they be froward and serue them not vnto the eye as mē pleasers but with singlenes of hart not churlishly answering them againe nor picking stealing or conueying awaye anye parte of theyr goods vniustli but shewing all good faythfulnes vnto our masters as though we serued God and not men Graunt me grace I moste humbly beseeche thee so to serue my master and my superiours that there may be found no fault in me but y t I behauing my self vprightly iustly faithfully and truli in my vocacion maye doo worship to the doctrine of thee my God and Sauiour in all things Amen ¶ Of Mayds THere is nothing that becommeth a mayd better thē silence shame fastnes chastitye of bothe body and mynde For these thynges beīg once lost she is no more a maid but a Strompet in the sight of God howsoeuer she disgiseth her selfe dissembleth with the world I therfore moste humbly beseeche thee O merciful Father from whom commeth euery good and perfect gift and without whom we are able to doo nothing y t thou wilt so order my tong and dispose my talke y t I speak nothing but that become mi state age and person nether that I delight to heare any talk that might in any point moue me to lewdnes seeyng that euil words corrupt good maners Geue me also such shaine fastnes as may pluck me away from the delectacion either of thinking speaking hearing seing or doing euil that my whole delight may be in vertue in godlines in exchewing ydlenes in geuing my selfe continually to some godly exercyse but aboue all thinges in thinking and speaking of thee in reading thy blessed worde and heauenly law which is a lātern to my feet and a light to mi pathes Moreouer suffer neyther my minde to be defiled with euil thoughts nor my body to be corrupted with any kinde of vnclēnes but geue me grace so to order my self in exchewing idlenes and wanton wicked cōpany y tmy mynde being free from euill affectes and my bodye cleare from all vnclennes I may be found a mete temple for the holy Ghost to inhabit and if it bee thi good pleasure hereafter to call me vnto the honorable state of Matrimony y t I may bring also vnto my husbande a pure and vndefiled body and so liue with him in thi feare vnto y e praise and glori of thy blessed name Amen ¶ Of Singlemen LOrd thou hast commaunded by thine holi Apostle that we should abstaine from fornicacion and that euerye one of vs shoulde knowe how to keep his vessel that is to say his body in holines and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as doo the heathen whiche knowe not God I beseeche thee geue me grace to behaue my selfe according to thys thy holy commaundemente ▪ that in this time of my single lyfe I defile not my body w t who redom or with ani other vnclennes but so order my self with all honesty and purenes of life that I may glorify thee my Lord God both in body and spirite Amen ¶ Of Husbandes FOrasmuche O heauenly father as thou hast called me from the single lyfe vnto the holy state of honourable wedlocke which is thy good and blessed ordinaūce for all them to liue in that haue not the gift of continēcy and hast geuen me a woman to wyfe that I liuing with her in thy feare mai auoid al vnclēnes I moste hartelye pray thee geue me grace to liue with her accordinge to thy godly pleasure Kil in me al filthy fleshly lustes Suffer me not to delyght in any straunge fleshe but to content my self onely with her loue to loue her as Christe loued the congregacion to cherishe her as I wold cherishe mine owne body so prouide for her according to my ability to instruct her with y e knowledge of thy blessed worde quietly and peaceably to liue with her and to agree together in suche perfecte concorde and vnitie as is founde among many members in one body ▪ seing now y t we also are nomore two but one fleshe that other seeyng our godly and quiet conuersacion may her by be prouoked to forsake theyr filthy liuing so embrace the holy state of honorable wedlock vnto y e glori praise of thi holi name Amē ¶ Of Wyues Lord forasmuch as thou Oof thy Fatherly goodnes hast vouchedsafe to keep me from my tender age vnto thys presente and hast now called me from mi single life vnto the holy state of honorable wedlock that I liuing therein might according to thine ordinaunce bring forth childrē vnto thy glori Geue me grace I moste entierlye beseche thee to walke worthy of mi vocacion to know ledge my husbande to be my head to be subiect vnto him to learn thy blessed word of him to reuerēce him to obey him to please him to be ruled by him peaceably and quietly to liue with him to weare suche apparell as is mete for midegree and bi no meanes to delight in costly Iewels and proud galaunt vestures but alway to vse suche clothing as become a sober Christen woman circumspectly warely to look vnto my housholde that nothing perish through my negligence and alwayes haue a diligent eye that no dishonesty no wickednes no vngodlynes be cōmitted in my house but y t in it all thinges be ordeined according to thy holy wil whiche art worthy all honour glory and prayse for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of Housholders TO haue childrē and seruaunts is thy blessinge O Lord but not to order thē according to thy word deserueth thy dredful cursse Graunt therfore that as y u hast blessed me with an houshold so I may diligentlye watche that nothing becommitted of y e same that might offend thy fatherli goodnes and be an occasion of turning thi blessing into curssīg but that so manias thou hast cōmitted to my charge may exchew all vice embrace all vertue lyue in thy feare call vpon thi holi name learn thi blessed commaundementes heare thy holy worde and auoyding idlenes diligentlye execute them selues euerye one in his office according to theyr vocacion and callyng vnto the glorye of thy moste honorable name Amen ¶ Of all Christians Albeit O heauenly Father all we that vnfaynedly professe thy holy religion and faithfully call on thy blessed name are thy sonnes and heyres of euerlasting glory yet as all the members of a body
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
it be hid in the secrets of thy coūtenance Neuertheles this I knowe that it were euell with me if it were not for thee O Lorde and that not only w e thoutward things that belong vnto me but also with the inward things For all my riches God except is but meere pouer tie but thou only art a tresure a parcell of riches that canst nether be chaūged into better nor wurs Thou art he to whom it is not one thing to liue and an other thing to liue happely because thou art thy blessednes thi happines and thou art all one But I whiche am thy creature to whom it is not one thing to liue and an other to liue blessedly and happily all bothe in that I liue and in that I liue happely I ought not to at tribute nor refer it to be receiued of any body but of thy fauour And therfore haue we need of thee but not y u of vs because if we were not at al yet shouldest thou lack nothing of thy goodnes Therfore O lorde it is necessary for vs to stick and cleaue vnto thee that by thy continuall help we may be able to liue holily vertuously and as we ought to liue For with y e waight of our frailnes we are drawn euer downward but by thy gift we are stir red caried vpward we feruent ly desire to ascend we make certain ascensions in our harts lifting thē vpward sing y e sōgs of stars w e y e fire of thy loue I say are we kindled moued to go w e thee Whether go we now vpward vnto y e peace of Ierusalē because I was glad did reioice in those things whice were spoken vnto me we wil go into the hous of our Lorde there hath he placed vs we will haue good things y twe may wil or dsire no thing els but to tari and remain ther for euer But for as much as whiles we be clad with this bo dy we do as it were go a stray are straungers vnto thee we haue not heer an abiding place for euer but we seek for one y t is to come Our abiding place is in heauen Therfore thy fauor and grace being my guide I enter in to the chamber of my hart and sing vnto thee songs of loue my king my God mourning with merueilous sighīgs in this place of my peregrinatiō wheras thy iustices are made my songs And when I remember Ierusalem I extend and stretch forth toward it the sences of my hart Ierusalem I say whiche is my coūtrey Ierusalem which is my mother and toward thee whiche art a king ouer her her light her father her defender her patrone her gouernour her keeper her chaste and strong delite her only and whole pleasure all her goodnes comes of thee because thou art y e cheef good the true good I will neuer turn back vntil thou bring me home from this Pilgrimage in whiche I am deformedlt scattered abrode vnto the peace of my deerely beloued mother wheras be y e first frutes of my spirite and vntill thou O God which art my mer cy fashiō me and confirm me for euer ¶ A prayer declaring with how great miseries this life is replenished I Am wunderfull wery O lord of this life and of this careful painfull pilgrimage This life is a wretched life a life that will soon fade awai an vncertain life a painfull life an vnclean life a life that wurthely may be called the maistres of all euils y e queen of pride full of miseries and errours whiche is not wurthy to be called a life but rather a death in the whiche euerihoure we die by diuers defects failings of nature by mutabilities alteratiōs diuers kindes of deaths How can we therfore call this that we liue in this world a life whiche is puffed vp and swollen often with humours made lene and feble with sorowes dried with angres and hot hasty furies of the minde the air filleth it full of diseases metes doo infect it fasting doo extenuat and make it lean pastimes maketh it to dissolute and rechles pensiuenes doth consume and waste it trouble and vexation dooth shorten and lessen it securitie and to much ease maketh it dul and nothing lusty riches setteth it a flote and puffeth it vp into pride pouertie dismayeth and discourageth it youth dooth extoll it age lameth it Infirmitie breaketh it sorow oppresseth it And immediatly after these euils as though it were by succession commeth death and maketh an end of all y e ioyes of this miserable life after suche a sorte that a man wold not think whē he leaueth this life to haue liued at all This liuing death dying life although it be sprinkled and mixt with these and other so rows miseries yet Oh good Lorde how many men dooth it catche and entangle with her en tising snares how many dothe she deceiue with her deceitfull fals promises And for all that she of her self is so fals bitter that her blinde louers can not be kept long secret nor close vnknown yet doth she daily cause an infinite numbre of fooles to drink of the golden cup whiche she beareth in her hand yea and maketh them vtterly drunken with the loue of her Happy are they but very few of them is there that refuse her acquaintance and familiaritie or that dispise to vse her ioyes or that neglect her frendship and felowship least when theyr deceiuer perisheth that they should perish also ¶ Of the blessednes of that life whiche God hath prepared for them that loue him BUt thou heauenly life thou art she whom God hath ordeined prepared for them that loue him thou art the heauenly life the blessed life the sure life the quyet life the fair life the clean life the chastelife the holy life the life that knowest no death knowest no sadnes or pen siuens a life without spot with out dolor without vexatiō with out corruption without trouble without varietie or mutabilitie a life moste full of plesure dignitie wher as is none aduersary to striue against a man no intice ments of sinnes where as is per fect loue without all maner of feare wher as is day continually an done spirit of all men Wheras God is seen face to face and the minde is fed with this meat of life without end I haue a very good minde and desire to mark and geue heed to thy clear nes with thy goods the desire and appetite of my hart is delited Look how muche I am able to considre with my self in musing and thinking of thy com modities euen somuche am I rauished and rapt with thy loue with the ardaunt desire of thee and with the sweet and comfortable remēbrace of thee am I wunderfully delited I haue a plesure therfore surely to lift vp the eyes of my hart vnto thee to erect the state of my minde and conform or fashion the affects of my
minde vnto thee It pleaseth me to talke of thee to hear of thee to write of thee to confer meditate of thee to rede euery day of thy blessednes and glory and to muse often times in my minde of the things I haue red concerning thee that at the least by suche meanes I being vnder the sweet refreshing and comfor ting of thy liuely air may pas from the vexations ieoperdies labours traueils of this mortall life that will soon perish y tin passing I may lay my weary head in thy bosom to slepe or to rest a little for this cause doo I enter into the plesaūt medow of the holy scriptures in plow ing I pluck the goodliest green herbes of sentences and in reading I doo eat them and in frequenting I doo meditate and as it were cud them and in gathering them together at the last I lay them vp in my memory that by suche meanes when I haue tasted of thy sweetnes I may sumwhat les feel the bitternes of this moste wretched life O thou moste happy life oh kingdom whiche art blessed in deed whiche lackest death whiche art without ende no time doth successifly pas at any time to thee Wheras continual day without night knoweth no time wheras that capitain and conquerour is accōpanied with those queres of angels singing of himnes songs they sing vnto God with out ceassing the balet of Balets of Sion Oh moste noble head which art compassed about with a perpetuall crown oh that par dō and forgeuenes of my sinnes were graunted vnto me and thē immediatly this burden of my flesh laid awai that I might enter into thy ioyes to haue true rest and that I might get within the goodly beutifull walles of thy citie to receiue a crown of life at the hand of our Lord that I might be amongst those moste holy queres that I might stand with the moste blessed Spirites of the creator of glory that I might see presently the countenaunce of Christe that I might behold alwaies y e moste his vnspekeable light incōprehensible which cā not be cōteined as in a place And so I should not onli be out of al feare of death but also I might reioyse alwayes at the gifte of euerlastyng incorruption Amen ¶ Heare doo wee complain that we be not moued nor pricked in our contem plation and prayer like as the angels be which tremble at the sight of God PArdon me O Lorde pardon me mercifully forgeue me haue mercyvpō me spare mine ignoraunce and my great vnper fectnes doo not reproue me as a rash felow because I dare be so bolde which am but thy seruaūt but would to God I were ether a good seruaunt or none vnprofitable nor euill seruaunte And therfore am I an euill man because I prayse blesse wurship thee which art our God almighty terrible and very much to be feared I wurship thee I saye without contricion of hart and without a well of teares For if so be that the angels when they wurship and praise thee doo trē ble being fulfilled with marueilous gladnes I whiche am a sin ner whiles I stande before thee saying praises and offeringe sacrifice why am I not afraid in my harte why am I not pale in my countenaunce why doo not my lippes quake and tremble why is not all my body afraide and why doo I not mourne and bewaile before thee after suche ▪ a sorte that teares might springe out of mine eyes I wolde fayne but I am not able because I can not doo that whiche I desire to doo This maketh me truly wōderfully to maruell that I am no more moued when I see with the eyes of my faith thee which art so fearfull But who can doo any thing without the helpe of thy Grace Except thou make our stony hartes to relent we of oure selfs ar not able to mollifie them but all our healthe dependeth vpon thy great mercye O wretche that I am how is my soule made without any feeling or perseueraunce that it is not afrayde with ouer muche feare whiles it standeth before God sīgeth to him his owne praises Alas how is my hart so hardned that myn eyes doo not gush out great fluddes of teares without ceassing when I whiche am but a seruaunte or bondman doo cō mon and talke in my Lorde and masters presēce Yea a mā with God a creature with a creatour I that am made of the slime of the earthe doo speake with him that made al things of nothing Put me before thee ▪ O Lorde and what so euer I perceyue of my self in the secrets of my hart I doo not keep it close from thy brotherly eares Thou art riche in mercy liberall in rewards geue mè of thy goods that with them I may serue the. For with nothīg els cā we serue or please thee but with thin owne giftes whiche thou hast vouchsaued to bestow vpon vs. Fasten I beseche thee thy feare in myfleshe Let my hart reioice and be glad to feare thy name Would God my sinfull soule feared thee so muche as that holy man the whiche saide I alwayes feared God as though it were greate swellīg fluddes should come and tumble vpon me O God the geuer of all good thinges geue me emongst thy praises a well of teares with the purenes of hart and reioising of mind that I loving thee perfetly and wurthily praising thee may feel taste and sauour in the palace of myhart how swet and pleasaūt thou art O Lorde as it is written Doo ye tast and see how sweet delectable the Lorde is Blessed is the man that putteth his trustin him Blessed is y t people whiche knoweth glad and ioifull praising Blessed is the man whose stregth is in thee in whose hart ar thy wayes which going thorow the vale of misery vse it for a well Blessed ar the cleane in hart because they shall see God Blessed are thay that dwell in the house of the Lorde they shal praise thee worlde without end ¶ A veri deuoute prayer for the geuing of thankes O Lorde Christe which art the wurd of the father whiche came into this world to saue sin ners I beseche thee by the most louing bowels of thy mercy to amend repaire my lyfe make better my dedes take thou thorderyng of my maners take from me that whiche noyeth and hurteth me and displeaseth the and geue me that which thou knowest will please thee proffit me Who can make clean y t which is cōceiued of an vncleane sead but thou alone Thou art the god almighty of infinite pietie which dost iustifie and make righteous euen those that were wicked mē and raisest again to life thē that were dead in sin thou chaungest sinners and they are no sinners Take away therfore from me what so euer is in me that pleaseth not thee for thine eyes doo see muche vnperfectnes in me Lay thy hand I besech the of thy pitie on me
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
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
of mine hart haue I acknowledged thal mightifulnes of thy maiesty maiesty of thine almightifulnes But now like as with hart I beleue whiche is counted righteousnes vnto me so with mouth doo I confes before thee whiche is to my saluation after what sort and maner thou didst vouchsafe in the end of the world to succour and aid mankinde Thou in deed only O God the father art not red at any time or in any place to be sēt But of thy sonne the Apostle writeth When that y e time was fulfilled God sent his sonne In that he saith he sent he doth sufficiently declare that he being sent came into this world when as he being borne a very perfect man of blessed Mary a pure Uirgin did apeer and shew him self in y e flesh But what is that whiche he that is the cheef of the Euangelists dooth say He was in the world and the world was made my him Thither truely was he sent by his humanitie where he allway is and alway hath bene by his diuinitie The whiche sending or embassage I beleeue withall my hart and confes with my mouth to be the consent and wurk of al the whole Trinitie Oh holy good father how didst thou loue vs How great fauour didst thou bear toward vs moste mercifull creator whiche haste not spared thine owne sonne but for vs wretched sinners hast deliuered him He was obedient vnto thee vntill death yea death vpon a cros taking y e obligation or hād writing of our sinnes whiche was his fleshe fastening it vnto the cros he crucified sin and kild death He a lone is amongst the dead free from death hauing power to put his soule for vs to take it again for vs. Therfore was he bothe a vanquisher and a sacrifice and therfore was he an ouercommer because he was a sacrifice for vs. He was bothe y e preest sacrifice vnto thee and therfore was he apreest because he was a sacrifice Not without a cause haue I great hope in him Forasmuche as thou wilt make whole all my diseases for his sake that sitteth on thy right hād and dothe continually make intercession for vs. For my diseases O Lorde are great and many oh they are many in number great For the Prince of this world as I very well knowe confes hath mani things in me But I beseche thee deliuer me through our redeemer whiche sitteth on thy righthand in whō y e said Prince of this world could finde none euill that was his of his owne committing By him doo thou iustify me whome his self did not sin nether was there any deceit or gile found in hys mouth By him whiche is oure head in whom there is not one spot of euill deliuer me whiche am one of his members though I be but a little membre and feble and weake Deliuer me I be sech thee from my sinnes offences faults ignoraunces Fulfill me with thy holy vertues make me to shine in good maners make me I besech the for thy holy names sake to cōtinue in holi wurks vntill thend accor ding to thy will and pleasure ¶ Of the trust whiche a soule ought to haue in our Lorde Iesu and in his Passion I Might dispaire verely because of my manifolde sinnes negli gences without nūber if it were not that thy wurd O God was made fleshe and dwelt amongst vs. But I can not now dispaire because that seeing when we were enemies we were reconciled by the death of thy sonne how muche more are we now reconciled saued by him For all the hope and the certitude sure nes of all my trust is in his precius blud whiche was shed for vs for our saluation In him doo I take hartening and trusting in him I haue a desire to come vnto the not hauing mine owne righteousnes but that whiche I haue through thy sōne our lorde Iesu Christe For the whiche O moste mercifull God and moste gentle louer of mankinde we geue thee thāks which through Iesus Christe thy sōne our lord when we were not didst mighte ly make vs and when we were lost through our sinnes moste merucilously didst deliuer recouer vs again To thy goodnes I say doo I geue thanks manifold praises doo I shew for the to the withall my hart minde whiche through the vnspeakable loue wherwith thou hast vouchesafed of thy meruelous goodnes to loue vs wretches vnwurthy to be loued didst sēd that same thine only begotten sōne from thy bosome vnto our cōmon weal to saue vs sinners whiche were at that time y e children of perdition and damnaciō I rendre vnto thee thāks for his holy incarnation and natiuitie and for his blessed mother vpon whom he did vouchesafe to take fleshe for vs and for our saluation to thintent that like as he is very God of God so he might be very man of man I geue thee thanks for his passion and cros for his death and resurrection for his ascention into heauen his seat of his maiestie on thy right hand For he the fortie day after his resurrection ascending aboue all the heauens his disciples seeing it and sitting on thy right hand did pour out his holy spirite abundantly according to his promis vppon them whom he had chosen to be his children I geue thee thāks for that moste sacred sheding foorth of his precious bloud wherwith we ar re deemed also for the moste holy and quickning sacrifice of his body and bloud whiche daily in thy churche we feed of drink of wherwith we are washed sanctified and are made partakers of the only high diuinitie I geue thee thanks for thy merueilous vnspekeable charitie loue wherwith thou didst loue vs vnwurthi persones and didst saue vs by thine only and be loued sōne for so thou didst loue y e world that thou gauest thine only begotten sonne to thintent that none which beleued in him should perish but haue euerlasting life This thing truly is euerlasting life to knowe thee also Iesus Christe whom thou sent to be very God by an vpright faith and wurkes wurthy for faith ¶ Of thexceding loue of the euer lasting father toward mankind OH vnmesurable pitie and fatherly loue oh inestimable charitie that thou shouldest deliuer thy sonne to suffre death to thintent thou mightest redeem and raunsom a seruaunt God was made mā to the intent that man being lost might-be plucked out of the powre of deuels How gētle and kinde a louer of man was thy sōne our God who thought it not enough to humble him self to be made man of the very virgin Mary but also took vpon him the paines of the cros in sheding his bloud for vs and for our saluation He came a pitifull God he came for his pitie goodnesses sake he came to serche and to saue that which was lost He sought the straied sheep he sought and found and he being a good Lorde and truly a
oure trust in thee ¶ Let vs pray WE humbly beseeche chee O father mercifulli to loke vpō our infirmities and for the glory of thy names sake turn from vs all those euils y t we most righteously haue deserued And graunt that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy euermore serue thee in holines and purenes of liuing to thy honor glory through our oneli mediatour and aduocate Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen ¶ A prayer for the Queens Maiestie ▪ O Lorde our heauenly Father high mighty king of kings Lorde of Lordes the only ruler of Princes whiche doost from thy throne beholde all the dwellers vpon the earth moste hartely we beseeche thee with thy fauour to beholde our moste gratious souerain Lady Queen Elizabeth and so replenish her with the grace of thy holy spirit that she may alway incline to thy will and walke in thy way Indue her plentifully with heauenli gifts Graunt her in helth and welth long to liue strength her that she may vanquish and ouercome all her enemies And finalli after this life she may attain euerlasting ioi and felicitte Thorow Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ For rain if the time require O God heauenly father whiche by thy sonne Iesus Christe hast promised to all thē that seek thy kingdom and the righteousnes therof all things necessary to theyr bodely sustenaunce sed vs we beseeche thee in this oure necessitie suche moderat rain shoures that we may receiue the frutes of the earth to our cōfort and to thy honor through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ For faire wether O Lord God which for y e sinne of mā diddest once drowne all the world except eight persons and afterward of thy great mercy diddest promise neuer to destroy it so again we humbly besech thee that although we for our iniquities haue wurthely de serued this Plague of raine and waters yet vpon our true repētaunce thou wilt sende vs suche weather wherby we may receiue the fruites of the earth in due season and learne bothe by thy punishment to amend oure lyues and for thy clemency to geue the praise glory through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ A praier of Chrisostome ALl mighty God whiche hast geuen vs grace at this time with one accorde to make our cō mon supplicacions vnto thee doost promise that when ii or iii. be gathered in thy name thou wilt graunt their requests fulfil now O Lorde the desires and peticions of thy seruauntes as may be moste expedient for thē graūting vs in this world know ledge of thy truthe and in the world to come life euerlasting Amen ¶ In the time of dearth famin O God heauenly father whose gift it is y t the rain doth fal the earth is frutefull beastes increace and fishes doo multiply Beholde we beseche thee the afflictions of thy people graunt that the scarcitie dearth which we doo now most iustli suffer for oure iniquitie may through thy goodnes be mercifully tourned into cheapnes and plenti for the loue of Iesu Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the holy ghost c. ¶ Or thus O God mercifull father whiche in the time of Heliseus the Prophet didst sodēly turn in Samaria great scarcitie and dearth into plenty and cheapnes and extreme famine into aboundāce of victuall haue pitie vpon vs y tnow be punished for oure sins with like aduersitie encrease the frutes of the earth by thy heauēly Benedictiō And graunt that we receiuing thy bountifull liberalitie may vse the same to thy glory our confort and relief of our nedi neighbours through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ In the time of warre O Almighty God King of all kings and gouernour of all thinges whose power no creature is able to resist to whom it belōgeth iustli to punish sinners to be mercifull vnto them that truly repēt saue deliuer vs we humbly beseeche thee from the hāds of our enemies abate their Pride asswage theyr malice confound their deuises that we being armed with thy defence may be preserued euermore frō all perils to glorify thee whiche art the only geuer of all victory through the merites of thy only sōne Iesus Christe oure Lorde Amen ¶ In the time of any common plage or sicknes O Almighty God which in thy wrath in the time of king Da uid didst slea with the plage of pestilence thre score ten thousand yet remembring thy mercy diddest saue the rest haue pity vppon vs miserable sinners that now are visited with greate sicknes mortalitie that like as thou diddest then commaunde thine ▪ angell to cease from punishing So it may now please the to withdraw frō vs this plague and greuous sicknes throughe Iesu Christ oure Lorde Amen The ende of the letany A Table of the prayers cōtained in this boke A Prayer for the morning Folio 3 A prayer for the Euening Folio 4 A prayer for the forgeuenes of Folio 5 A prayer vnto God y e Father Folio 6 A prayer vnto God the sonne Folio 7 A prayer vnto God the holy Folio 8 A prayer tobe said of Magist ▪ Folio 10 A prayer of y e ministers of gods wurd Folio 11 Of Subiects or Eomons Folio 12 Of Fathers and Mothers Folio 13 Of the Children Folio 14 Of Maisters Folio 15 Of Seruaunts Folio 16 Of maids Folio 17 Of Single men Folio 19 Of Husbands ▪ Folio 20 Of Wyues Folio 21 Of housholders Folio 22 Of all Christians Folio 23 For the grace and fauour of God Folio 24 For the gift of the holi Ghost Folio 25 For the true knowledge of our selues Folio 26 For a pure and a clene hart Folio 27 For a quyet conscience Folio 28 For faith Folio 29 For Charitie Folio 30 For pacience Folio 31 For humilitie Folio 32 For Mercifulnes Folio 33 For true Godlines Folio 34 For the true vnderstanding of Gods wurd Folio 35 For a life agreable to our know ledge Folio 36 For the helth of the body Folio 37 For a good name Folio 38 For a compitent liuing Folio 39 For a pacient thankfull hart in sicknes Folio 40 For strength against the Deuel the world and the Flesh. Folio 41 For the help of Gods holy Angels Folio 42 A prayer to our lord Iesu Christ called Conditor celi terrae Folio 43 For the glory of heauen Folio 47 A thankes geuing vnto God for all his benefites Folio 48 A prayer to be said at the houre of death Folio 50 A prayer wherin throughe commemoratiō of Christes passion we desire pardō of oure sinnes and continuance in vertue and godlines Folio 53 A Prayer wherin Man cōfesseth him self to be the cause of Christes passion Folio 56 Heer doth mā declare vnto God the Father that the passion of his sonne was for his reconciliaciō attōment with God Folio 61 A deuout Prayer to the holy Ghost Folio 67 A Prayer to y e holy Trinitie Folio 69 An acknowledging of Allmighty God and his maiestie eodē After what sort God the Father vouched safe to help mākinde of thincarnatiō of the wurd whiche is Christe of the geuing of thankes Folio 72 Of the trust which a soule ought to haue in oure Lord Iesu and in his passion Folio 75 Of thexceding loue of theuerlasting Father toward mankinde Folio 77 Of the double nature of Christe whiche hath mercy vpon vs and maketh intercession for vs. Folio 81 Of the thankes whiche man ought to geue vnto God for the benefite of his redempcion Folio 84 A deuout prayer vnto Christ. Folio 88 A prayer declaring with howe great miseries this life is replenished Folio 92 Of the blessednes of that life whiche God hath prepared for them that loue him Folio 94 A complaint that we be not moued nor pricked in our contemplation and prayer like as the Angells be whiche tremble at the sight of God Folio 96 A very deuout prayer for the geuing of thankes Folio 99 A prayer wherin mannes minde is very muche and plentuously stirred and moued If it be said in quietnes Folio 107 A prayer in time of tribulation Folio 118 A very deuout prayer vnto the Sonne Folio 120 The Letany Folio 128 The ende of the. Table ¶ Imprinted at London ouer Aldersgate benethe S. Martins by Iohn Day 1561. ¶ Cum gratia priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis
very good pitifull shepherd brought him home vpō his shulders vnto the foldes of the flock Oh charitie oh pitie who hathe heard any suche things who is not astonied to cōsider the bowels of so great mercy who wold not meruail who would not ho nor wurship thee for thy great charitie wherwith thou louedst vs Thou didst send thy sōne into the similitude of fleshe subiect to sin that he might condemn sin for sin that we might be made thy righteousnes in him For he was the very lamb with out spot whiche took away the sinnes of the world whiche destroyed our death by diyng him self But what may we render vnto thee our God for so great benefites of thy mercy What praises or what thancks Uerily if we should haue that same knowledg and power that blessed Angels haue yet should we not be able to requite thy so great pitie and goodnes with any thing of valure No if all our mēbres were turned into tungs to repay vnto thee due praises yet were not our slendernes sufficient There is one thing that excedeth all knowledge euen thine inestimable charitie whiche thou didst shew vnto vs vnwurthi persons for thy goodnes pities sake Thy sonne O our God did take vpō him to be the seed of Abraham not of Angels yea and he was made like vnto vs in all things sin onli excepted He therfore taking mand nature not angels and glorifying it with the stole of holi resur rection and immortalitie caried it aboue the he auens and aboue all the melodious companies of Angels aboue Cherubin Seraphin placing it vpō thy right hand This humain nature doo Angels praise all the powers of heauen doo tremble to see a mā to be God ouer thē This truly is all my hope all my trust And this same humain nature is in Iesu Christe our Lorde who is the porcion of euery one of vs y e flesh bloud Therfore whereas my portion reigneth there doo I beleue to reign Wheras my fleshe is glorified there doo I beleue to be glorified Where my bloude ruleth there do I per ceiueme to beare rule Although I be a sinner yet I doo not mistrust nor dispair of the communion and partaking of fauour Although my sinnes doo hinder me in a maner forbid me neuertheles my substaunce requireth it And al be it that mine offences doo exclude me yet the cō manion of our nature dothe not expell me For God is not so vngentle as to forget man and not to remembre that thing whiche him self beareth that whiche for my sake he took vpon him that which for my sake he requireth But truely the Lorde our God is lowly and meek wunderfull gentle and loueth his fleshe his membres and his bow els In the very same God our lord Iesus Christe who is moste gentle louing and mercifull in whom we are risen from death that is to say from the state of perdition and eternall damnation euen now by him we ascend into the heauens now sit in the heauēs in him I say our flesh loueth vs. For we haue in him by him a prerogatiue and as it were a preferment of our bloud For we are his mēbres his flesh And he is oure head of the whiche dependeth the whole body as it is written a bone of my bones flesh of my flesh thei shalbe two in one flesh no mā at ani time hateth his owne flesh but rather cherisheth and loueth it This is a great mistery I speak in Christe in the churche saith the apostle Of the double nature of Christ whiche hath mercy vpon vs and maketh intercession for vs. WHerfore with my lips hart and with all the might that I may I rendre thankes vnto thine infinit mercy o Lorde our god for all thy mercy wherwith merueilously thou vouchsafed to help succour vs that were lost by the same thy sonne our sauior and recouerer whiche died for our sinnes rose again for our iustification and liuing without end sitteth on thy right hand and entreateth for vs and together with thee taketh pitie and mercy vpō vs because he is God thorow thee O father euerlasting and of one substance with thee in all things Wherby alway he may saue vs but for as muche as he is man in whichething he is les and inferiour vnto thee all power bothe in heauen and in earth was geuen vnto him that in the name of Iesu euery knee should bow bothe of celestiall earthly creatures and also of infernall that all tūgs may confes that our lorde Iesus Christe is in thy glory O father almightie He verily was constituted of thee and ordeined to be aiudge of the quick and dead for thou truly iudgest no man but all thy iudgement hast geuen to thy sonne in whose brest all trea sures of wisedom knowledge are hid He truly is bothe a witnes and a iudge a iudge a wit nes whom no sinfull conscience can flee or auoid for al things be thei neuer so secret are open and euen naked and vncouered vnto him He verely whiche was vnrighteously iudged himself shall iudge the whole world in equitie and the people in rightousnes and according to iustice Therfore doo I bles thy name e uerlasting and glorify the same with all my hart O almighty mercifull Lorde for y tvnspeakable and merueilous coniuntiō of godhed and manhod together in the vnitie of a person not after this sort y t thone should be God and thother man but one and the same was bothe God man man and God Neuertheles although by thy merueilous will the wurd was made fleshe yet nether of bothe the natures was chaunged into others substaunce In the mistery of y e Trinitie there is not afourth persō added For the substaunce of the wurd of god and of man was vnited and knit together but not cōfused mixed that that thing whiche was taken of vs should be turned into god that which neuer had ben before that time that is his flesh manhod shuld be the same that had ben euer without any beginning that is his godhed Oh meruellous mistery Oh vnspeakeable felowship Oh merueilous meeknes of the heauenli mercifulnes which is euer wurthy merueiling and euer to be loued We were but vile seruants beholde we are made the sōnes of god Yea and heires of god together w t christe From whence came this goodnes and who broughte vs vnto this state But I require the O moste mercifull father by thine inestimable pitie goodnes charitie to make vs wurthy of these many and great promisses of the same thy Sonne our Lord Iesu Christe Send forth thy strength O God and establish the thing that thou hast wrought in vs. Make perfect that whiche thou hast begun that we may be able to come vnto the fulnes and per fectnes of thy pity Make vs tho row the holy ghost to vnderstād and
thorow thy sōne to deserue and with due honor allway to wurship this great mistery of thy pitie whiche is manifest in our fleshe Iustified in the spirit did appeere vnto Angels was preched vnto nations was bele ued to be in the world was takē vp into heauen Amen ¶ Of the thankes whiche man ought to geue vnto God for the benefite of his redemption LOok how muche O Lorde our God we are in det vnto thee euē for so great a price wer we redeemed with suche a great gift were we saued and with so great abenefit helped How muche ought we wretches to loue dread bles praise honoure and glorify thee whiche hast so loued vs after suche facion saued vs after suche a sorte sanctified vs so set vs on high To the truly doo we owe are bound in as muche as we are able euē our life and all our study or endeuour But who hath ani thing that is not thine But doo thou O Lorde our God from whom all goodnes procedeth euen for thy holy names sake geue vs of thy goodnes that we may serue thee of thine owne goods and gifts that we may please thee in truthe repay vnto the daily due praises for so great benefites of thy mercy For by none other meanes can we serue or please thee but by thine owne gifts y tthou hast lent vs while we be in this world For euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue commeth down from the father of light with whō there is none alteration or variablenes neither yet is he changed vn to darknes O Lorde our God a pitifull God a good God and almighty God an vnspekeable God and incomprehensible of suche a nature that can not be cō teined as in a place o god which art the beginner of all things the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche diddest send the same thy beloued sōne our lorde foorth of thy bosome to oure cōmon profite to take vpon him our life to thintent he might geue vs his life that he might be perfect and very God of thee his father and very and perfect man of his mother a whole and a perfect God and a whole and perfect man and yet but one on ly Christe bothe euerlasting enduring but for a space bothe immortall and mortall bothe a creator and a creature strong weke an ouercommer and one ouercomed a nurs and one that was nurced him self a shepherd and a sheep dead for a time and liuing with the euerlasting pro mising to them that loued him the fredom of life Who said to his disciples what thing so euer ye ask the father in my name he will geue it vnto you For that hie Priestes sake whiche was al so a bishop in deed a god shepherd that offred him self in a sacrifice to thee putting his life in ieoperdi for his flock for his sake I say I beseche thee whiche sitteth on thy right hand maketh intercession for vs being our redemer our aduocate that thou woldest graunt vnto me that to gether with thy sonne the holy ghost I may in al things bles and glorify thee with muche cōtriciō of hart and a fountain of teares with muche reuerence fear For the gift of them that be all of one substaunce is all one But because abody that is corrupted doth aggrauate burden the soule stir vp and awake I be seche thee my sluggishnes with thy pricks and prouokings and make me boldly to perseuer and continue in thy commaundements and lawes day and night Graunt me that my hart may waxe warme within me and that in my meditation and praier I may be feruent And for as muche as thy only sonne said No man can come to me except my Father that sent me shall draw him again no man cometh to the father but by me I re quire and humbly beseche thee draw me alwaies vnto him that he at the lēgth may bring me to thee thether I mean wheras he is sitting on thyrighthand wher as is euerlastīg life and continu al blessednes whereas is perfect loue without all kinde of fear where as is one day euerlasting and one spirit of all men where as is moste sure securitie safty secure quietnes and quiet plesantnes pleasaunt felicitie and happines happy eternitie continuall and eternall seeing and praising of thee without ende where as thou with him and he with thee in the communiō and vnitie of the holy ghost euerlastingly and continually liuest reignest thorow out all worldes of worldes Amen ¶ A deuout prayer vnto Christe O Christe and God whiche art my hope and the true gentle louer of mankinde the light the way the life the health the honor and wurship of them that be thine I beseche thee call to thy remembraunce all things that thou willingly didst suffre for thē bothe bōds cros woūds death and sepulchre whiche after thre dayes death being ouer comed didst rise wast seen of thi Disciples reforming their harts and establishing them that were almoste enclining from thee the forty day after didst ascend vp to heauen which liuest euerlasting ly now and raignest thorow out worldes thou art my God bothe liuing and true my father my God bothe holy and pitifull my mighty king my good shepherd mine only Master my best helper one whō I am moste bound to loue my liuing bread mine euerlasting preest my guide vnto my conntrey my true light my holy sweetnes my right streight way Mine excellent wisdō my pure and vnfained simplicitie my peasible cōcorde my safe garrison my good portiō mine euerlasting helth my great mercy my strōgest patiēce mine vnspotted sacrifice my holy redēption my sure stedfast hope my perfit charitie my very and true resurrection mine euerlasting life my ioy and moste blessed vision continuall without ende I humbly beseche thee I desire and pray thee that I may walk by thee that I may come to the that I may rest in thee whiche art the way the truthe the life without the whiche no man can come vnto the father Thee doo I desire couet O good Lorde whiche art the brightnes of thy fathers glori which sittest aboue the Angell called Cherubin and doost beholde the lowe and deep places whiche art the true light the light y e lightneth all things the light that neuer faileth nor goeth out whiche the Angels haue desire to beholde Loe my hart is before thee in thy sight put away the darknes from it that it may fully be replenished with the clearnes of thy loue Geue vnto me Lorde thy self beholde I doo loue thee if that be but a thing of small valure make me to loue the more strōgly and earnestly I can not mesure to know how muche I lack of thy loue nether cā I tell how muche shoulde be sufficient for me that my life may fulfill his course in thy loue and not turn back vntil