Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
spirit_n life_n live_v soul_n 13,623 5 5.6183 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A11180 A right godly rule how all faithfull Christians ought to occupie and exercise themselues in their dayly prayers. 1602 (1602) STC 21446.7; ESTC S105748 51,867 378

There are 11 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

RIGHT GODLY RVLE How all faithfull Christians ought to occupie and exercise themselues in their dayly prayers Luke 22. Matth 26. Christ teacheth vs in his Gospel 〈◊〉 Watch and pray least yee f●●● into temptation Imprinted at London by F. Kingston 1602 GODLY PRAYERS For Munday Morning Prayer O Most louing God and gracious father in Christ wee thanke thee for that sweete sleepe and comfortable rest that thou hast giuen vs this night and forasmuch as thou ha●t commaunded vs by thy 〈◊〉 w●rd that no man s● bee idle but alwaies oc●pied in vertuous exercises euerie man according to his calling wée most humblie beséech thée that thine eies may attend vs dayly and defend vs and in sorrowe succour cherish and comfort vs. And so gouerne good Lord all our counsailes studies and labours that wee may spend this day according to thy most blessed ●●ll without hurting of our ●●●●hbour yea that 〈…〉 diligently and warily eschew and auoyd all things that should displease thée set thée alwayes before our eyes and liue in thy feare and euer worke thou so in vs that wee may bee found continent pure of liuing temperate and acceptable before thy diuine Maiestie vnto the praise of thy most holy blessed name through Iesu Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen For Tuesday Morning Prayer SEeing that thou oh heauenly Father art that one and alone Almightie God which art in euerie place beholdest the counsailes deuices and workes yea the very thoughts of all men and giuest to euery one ●●cording to their déedes wee humbly beseech thee for Christ Iesus his sake to giue vs this grace that forasmuch as thou hast graciouslie preserued vs this night past wee may not spend this day present nor any other day of our liues after our owne mindes and pleasure which is alway euil and wicked but more earnestly looke vpon and diligently follow thy fatherly will thy euerlasting counsaile thy faithfull word and pleasure which is alwaies good perfite and holy and performe the same with chearefulnes that thy diuine name may alway bee sanctified both now and euermore of vs miserable sinners thorough thy dearely beloued Son Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen For Wednesday A Morning prayer O Lord Iesus Christ which art the bright Sun of the world euer rising neuer falling which with thy wholesome looke preseruest nourishest and makest ioyfull all thinges that are in heauen and earth shine fauourablie I beséech thée into my spirite that the night of sinnes and mists of errors being driuen away by thy inward light I may walke this day and all the daies of my life without stumbling or offēce comely as in the day time being pure frō the works of darknesse Grant this O Lord which liuest raignest with God the Father in vnitie of the holy Ghost world without end Amen For Thursday Morning Prayer O Lord Iesu Christ to whom before whom all things are manifest and plaine which also sufferest not a Sparrow to light on the grounde without thy prouidence and which in times past by thy holy Spirit diddest guide our forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob in thy pathes and waies in a strange countrey didst appoint the same thy blessed Spirit and messenger to bee their guide Graunt me this day most wretched sinner whom by thy word thou doest encourage to call vpon thee in all time of neede necessities that I may haue the same thy holie Spirit to direct my pathes and waies this day that I may walke according to thy godly will and pleasure to the profite of my neighbour and glorie of thy name which liuest and raignest world without end Amen For Friday A Morning prayer O Mercifull Lord God heauenly Father I render most high lande praise and thanks vnto thée for that thou hast preserued me both this night and all the time and daies of my life hetherto vnder thy defence hast suffered me to liue vnto this present hower I beséech thée heartilie that thou wilt vouchsafe to receiue me this day and the residue of my whole life from hencefoorth into thy tuition ruling and gouerning mee with thy holie Spirite that so all manner of darkenes of misbeliefe infidelitie carnall lustes and affections may bee vtterly chosed driuen out of my heart and that I may be iustified and saued both body soule through a right and stedfast faith and so walke in the light of thy most godly truth to thy glorie praise and to the profit and furtherance of my neighbour through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen For Saturday Morning Prayer O Heauenlie Father which like a diligent watchman attendest alwaies vpon thy faithfull people whether they wake or sleepe and mightily defendest thē not only frō Sathan that old enemie of mankind but also frō al their aduersaries so that through thy godly power they bee preserued harmelesse I hūbly thanke thee for that it hath pleased thy goodnesse so to take care for me thy vnprofitable seruāt this night past that thou hast both safely kept me from all mine enemies and also giuen mée swéete sléepe vnto the great comfort of my bodie I farther entirely beseech thée most mercifull and swéete father to shewe the like kindnesse towardes me this day in preseruing my bodie For Sunday or the Sabboth Morning Prayer O Gracious Lord God and heauenly Father I humblie beséech thée in Christ so to sanctifie me thoroughout in body soule and spirit that I may religiously kéep and sanctifie this Sabbath vnto thee according to thy holy word not thinking therein mine own thoughts nor speaking mine owne words nor doing mine own works but thinking speaking and doing that which is agréeable to thy blessed will Giue me grace carefully to frequent the publike assemblies of thy Saints and diligently to profite by all holy exercises there Graunt me a religious heart to consent to the praiers of the Church and an attentiue minde to heare and vnderstand the good things of truth and life that shal be deliuered to mee out of thy word And assist me so further that when I shal depart from thy people I may call mine owne heart to account in the thinges I haue heard and may confer christianlie with others for the strengthening of our faith in our hearts and for a glorious confession of the same with our mouthes to the euerlasting praise of thy glorious name and the eternall saluation of our soules through Iesus Christ thy deare son our only mediator and aduocate So be it A generall Morning prayer O Almightie God and our most mercifull father in Iesus Christ I confesse and acknowledge that I am a miserable a wretched sinner and haue manifold waies most grieuously transgressed thy most godly and blessed commaundementes through wicked thoughts vngodly lustes sinfull words and déedes all my whole life In sinne was I conceiued and borne and there is no goodnesse in mée insomuch that if thou shouldest enter into thy narrow iudgment with
sicke thou canst heale me Though I bee dead and buried thou canst reuiue mee For thy mercie is much more then mine iniquitie Thou canst forgiue me more then I can offend Therefore O Lord do not consider nor haue respect to the number of my sins and to the grieuousnes therof but according to the greatnes of thy mercie forgiue mee and haue mercie on me most wretched sinner Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation and the rather speak this again because thou hast said and alwayes performed it I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee liue and bee conuerted and turne to me O Lord be not angrie with me I pray thée most meeke father for thy great mercie sake yea I most humbly beseech thée that thou wouldest for Christ Iesus sake vouchsafe to bring me to blisse that neuer shall cease Amen Another Prayer O Bountifull Iesu O sweete Iesu O Iesu the sonne of the pure Virgin Mary full of mercie and truth after thy great mercy haue pittie on mee I pray thée by the same precious bloud which for vs miserable sinners thou wast content to shed on the altar of the crosse that thou wilt vouchsafe cleane to remoue and take away all my wickednes and not to despise mee I humbly requiring this and that in and for thy most holy and blessed name O Lord Iesus This name of thine Iesus is the name of health what is Iesus but a Sauiour O my Sauiour Iesus Christ that hast created and redéemed me with thy precious bloud suffer me not to be damned whom thou hast made of naught and whom thou hast redéemed with a most precious ransome Oh let not my wickednesse destroy that thy almightie goodnes hath made and formed Lord Iesu reknowledge that which is thine indéed and wipe cleane away that which withdraweth or withholdeth me from thée Now and in all time of mercie haue mercie one mee and confound not me in the time of thy terrible iudgemēt And though I wretched sinner for my most grieuous offences haue by thy very iustice deserued eternall paine yet I doe appeale from that exact righteousnesse of thine to thy singular goodnesse and stedfastly trust in thine vnspeakeable mercie wherefore I pray thée as a louing father and mercifull Lord to take pittie on me Lord Iesu what profit is my bloud séeing I must descend into eternall corruption eternally They that bee dead shall not magnifie thee nor likewise all they that go to hell O most mercifull Iesu haue mercie on me therefore and deliuer me yea be alwayes comfortable vnto me and accept me a wretched sinner into the number of them that shall be saued And fith thou art the health of all them that trust in thee and thou hast giuen grace in some measure to beléeue haue mercie on me endue me with thy grace wisedome charitie chastitie and humilitie yea and in all mine aduersities vphold me with stedfast patience so that I may sincerely loue thee and in thée waite and looke to be glorified and haue mine onely delight in thee world without end Amen Another Prayer O Glorious King which among thy Saints art praised and neuerthelesse incomparable thou art in vs Lord and thy name hath béene called vpon by vs. Therefore doe not forsake vs Lord God and in the day of iudgement vouchsafe to glorifie vs among thy saints and elect O blessed King Amen If thou be sicke or in tribulation say thus LOrd God which doest punish and scourge thy people not after their deseruing neither yet to destroy them but to conuert them mercifully to thée and yet notwithstanding knowest that thorough our frailties wee are readie in the middest of thy corrections to fall away graunt vs we pray thée and that for Iesus Christs sake the strength and comfort of thy blessed spirit that to the glorie of thy name other mens good and our owne consolation wee may both patiently beare and graciously profit by and at the last bee mightily deliuered from this maladie which worthily wee doe suffer as the chastisement of our sinne and the time of faith Amen A very godly and necessarie prayer to bee sayde most specially at the houre of death O LORD Iesu Christ which art the health of all men liuing and euerlasting life to them that beléeue in thée and dye in thy faith I wretched sinner giue ouer and submit my selfe wholy vnto thy most blessed will I being sure by the promises of thy worde and the pledge of thy spirit that the thinge cannot perish which is committed to thy mercie In full perswasion whereof O Lord giue me grace that willingly I may leaue this fraile and wretched flesh in hope of the resurrection which in most perfect manner shall restore it mee againe And further I beséech thée most mercifull Lord that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soule against all temptations And that thou wilt so couer and defend mée with the buckler of mercie against all assaultes of the Diuel that he may not any manner of way preuaile vpon me I see and acknowledge there is in my selfe no hope of saluation but all my confidence hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnes I haue no merites nor good workes at all which I may any manner of way alleadge before thée sinnes and euill workes alas I sée a great yea an innumerable and infinite heape notwithstanding through thy mercie I trust to be in the number of them to whom thou wilt not impute their sinnes but take and accept me for righteous and iust and to be the inheritour of euerlasting life in and by the obedience of thy sonne and my Sauiour who was borne for my sake who did suffer both hunger and thirst for my sake who did both preach and teach for my sake who did pray and fast for my sake who did all good workes and déedes for my sake who suffered most grieuous and painfull torments for my sake and finally who gaue his most precious body to dye and bloud to bee shed vpon the crosse for my sake Now therefore most mercifull Sauiour I humbly beséech thee which hast giuen thy selfe for mee to make all these things and euery other grace of thine which thou hast fréely giuen me profitable to me and powerfull in me Let thy bloude clense mee and wash away the spottes and foulenes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide and couer my vnrighteousnes by the merits of thy passion and bloud which I acknowledg to be the onely price of satisfaction for my sins offences Strengthen me so good Lord by thy grace that my faith and saluation in thy bloud wauer not in me but may euer bée firme and constant Lord let not the hope of thy mercie and life euerlasting euer decay in mee but let it alwayes rest and be felt pourefully in me and that euen to and in the last gaspe And graunt further I pray thée that charitie ware not cold in me finally that the
mée iudging mée according vnto the same I were not able to suffer or abide it but must needes perish and be damned for euer So little helpe comfort or sucour is there either in me or in any other creature whatsoeuer Only this is my cōfort O heauenly father the thou diddest not spare thy only dearely beloued Son but diddest giue him vp vnto the most bitter most vile and slaunderous death of the Crosse for mee that so hee might in his obedience pay the ransome for my sinnes satisfie thy iudgement still and pacifie thy wrath recōcile mée vnto thée againe purchase mée thy grace and fauour and euerlāsting life Wherefore through the merites of his most bitter death and passion through his innocent bloudshedding I beséech thee O heauenly Father that thou wilt vouchsafe to bee gracious mercifull vnto mee to forgiue and pardon me all my sinnes to lighten my heart with thy holy Spirit to renew confirme and strengthen mee with a right and stedfast faith and to enflame mee in loue towardes thee and my neighbour for thy sake that I may henceforth with a willing and a glad heart walke as it becommeth mee in the obedience of thy most godly and most blessed Commandements and so glorifie and praise thée euerlastingly and also that I may with a frée conscience a quiet spirit in al manner of temptations afflictions and necessities and euen in the very pangs of death boldly faithfully say I beleeue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate Was crucified dead and buried Hée descended into hell The third day hée rose againe from the dead Hee ascended into Heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie from thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beléeue in the holy Ghost The holy Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie And the life euerlasting Amen But O Lord heauenly Father to comfort my selfe in afflictions temptations with the assured féeling of these Articles of the Christiā faith it is not in my power for faith is thy gift And therefore forasmuch as thou wilt be praied vnto and called vpon for it I come vnto thée to pray and beséech thée both for that for al my other necessities bodily and spirituall euen as thy dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus himselfe hath taught vs and from the very bottome of my heart I cry and say vnto thée Our Father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will bée done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dailie bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen vnto the lappe of thy pitie For loe thou art my hope and trust in whom I onely repose my selfe hauing in thee ful confidence and faith so that now I may say with a very faithfull heart trusting in thy mercie I beléeue in thee O God the Father in thee O God the Sonne and in thee O God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one true and also verie God besides whom I acknowledge none other God in heauen aboue nor in earth beneath And yet I poore sinner cannot but accuse my selfe vnto thee deare Father that I haue fore and grieuously offended thy almightie goodnesse and Maiestie in the committing of mine exceeding grieuous and manifold sins and wickednes For I haue not kept the least of thy most godly and blessed commaundementes like as thy righteousnes may require indéed doth demād the same of me I haue not I say honoured thee like my God dread thée like my Lord loued thée like my father nor trusted in thee like my creator my sauiour Thy holy and dreadful name vnto which al glory honour belongeth haue I vsed in vaine I haue not sanctified the Sabboth day with workes which bee acceptable to thée nor instructed my neighbour in vertue accordingly I haue not honored my parents nor bin obedient vnto thē through whom as by an instrumēt thou hast wrought my comming into this world The high powers and rulers which receiue authoritie of thee I haue not willingly obeyed I haue not kept my heart pure and cleane from malice and manslaughter yea had not thy grace and mercy defended mee the better I should haue committed the verie deede also I likewise am not pure from theft nor from adulterie nor frō false witnesse bearing but haue in my heart and mind wished and desired my nighbours goods and thinges I haue followed the great Prince of this Worlde Sathan which hath been a lyer from the beginning in concupiscence of the flesh in pride of liuing in deceiptfulnes in lecherie in hatred and also enuie in backbiting in despaire and also misbeléefe And as I haue abused my will vnderstanding which are faculties and powers of my soule so my senses also which thou hast giuen mee to vse to thy glorie and my neighbours good and mine own lawfull delight I haue misused and mispent in hearing séeing smelling tasting and feeling also things that I should not or else suffring thē to be too violētly caried to things I might haue vsed But in what manner soeuer that I haue offended and sinned against thy eternall Maiestie for no man knoweth throughly his sinnes as the Prophet witnesseth whether it hath béen by day or else by night yea euen from my childhood vnto this day were it in workes wordes or thoughts secretly or openly O my mercifull God I am sorie for it euen from the very bottome of my heart yea my soule mourneth for very sorowe most mercifull Father that I am not a thousand times more sorie than I am howbeit in token of great repentance though all hearts bée knowne well enough vnto thée I doe knocke strike my breast and say in bitternesse of heart and soule Lord GOD the Father Sonne and holy Ghost haue mercie Spare mee of thine infinite mercie deare Lord now and all the daies of my life let me bee made partakers of thine abundant grace in such sort that I may chaunge my sinfull life and put thou out of mee the olde man with al his concupisences and lustes graunting mee grace dayly to die vnto the world and that the world may bée crucified vnto mee and I so dayly goe forward in newnes of life Strengthen mee O Lord in a true humble heart in sound loue hope and trust in thée giue my soule grace to desire in thée onely to reioyce and repose my selfe that I may vtterly renounce and forsake the vaine assistance of this world so that thou mayst finde me readie to méete
wretchednesse faithfully to call for helpe of thée Yea good Lord giue me grace to order my life and the workes of my body soule with actuall intent to please thée that through thy merites and mercie at the end I may obtaine the reward of thy infinite ioy and eternall felicitie Let the water and bloud which can from thy blessed heart bee powerfull to wash my soule from sinne and iniquitie and to purchase mee abundāce of thy grace faithfully to serue thée O my Lord my might my life my light lead me féede me and spéede me in the pilgrimage of this mortalitie graunt me O Lord by the merits of thy passion and power of thy most excellent and glorious godhead whatsoeuer thy Wisedome knoweth most expediēt for me which howsoeuer in my miserable life I am most vnworthy of yet vouchsafe them vnto me all the time of my pilgrimage but specially at the houre of death when I shall be accused before thée haue mercie on mee breake my froward heart and make it obedient to thée Preserue me also good Lord from sodaine and vnprouided death and of thy owne singular grace and goodnesse graunt mee these supplications in this prayer which now I haue made to thée according to thy will Yea by thine owne mediation purchase for mee and bestow vpon mee a holy life and blessed ending and grant I beséech thée after my bodily death euerlasting life with endlesse blisse and felicitie thorow thy merites and bitter passion O Lord Iesu who with the Father and the holy Spirit liuest and raignest euer one God world without end Holy Trinitie one very God haue mercie on me Amen A deuout prayer to our Lord Iesu Christ O My soueraigne Lord Iesu the very sonne of almightie God and of the most cleane and glorious virgin Marie who sufferedst bitter death for my sake and all mankind and diddest rise againe the third day I beseech thée Lord haue mercie vpon me that am a wretched sinner but yet thy creature and for thy precious passion saue mee and kéepe me from al perils bodily and ghostly and specially from all things that might turne to thy displeasure And with all my heart I thanke thee most mercifull Lord for thy great mercies that thou hast shewed me in the great dangers that I haue béen in as well in my soule as in my body and that thy grace and endlesse mercie hath euer kept me spared me and saued me from the houre of my birth to this present time For these I say and al other thy mercies I humblie thanke thée Lord Iesus Christ further desiring thée that thy mercie may preserue me alway And I crie thée mercie with all my whole heart for my great offences for my great vnkindnes for all my wretched and sinfull life and for this in particular that I haue not or cannot leade my selfe as becommeth thy seruant I thanke thée also with all my heart my most gracious Lord for the benefites and graces that thou hast giuen mee so largely in this world afore many other of thy creatures vpon whom if it had béene so thy good pleasure thou mightest a thousand times better haue bestowed them than vpon me But most gracious Lord I wot and knowledge verily that it commeth of thée wherefore with all my heart I thanke thee continually crying and saying all honour praise and glorie bee vnto thée O Iesu with the Father and the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen Another prayer for an householder O Lord GOD almightie most mercifull and heauenly father thorough Christ I fréely confesse that thou art my life my soule and my bodie yea al the good which I haue and all whatsoeuer is mine hast thou giuen vnto me that of thine owne singular grace and goodnes Now sith of thee I haue receiued it and in me there is corruption to abuse it make vpright and order thou O Lord God of heauen all that is in my house And teach mee and mine to handle and guide all these outward things after thy godlie will we being thereby more and more prouoked to loue thée and in thée and for thée euery one of vs to profit another I say vnto thée I beléeue Lorde helpe my vnbeléefe And yet in this weakenes I cannot but intreate thée not to forsake me nor my wife my children nor any of my householde Defend vs Lord from sin before thée from shame in the world and from sicknes in our selues according to thy good pleasure Send vs thy holy Angell to guide and guarde vs that so wee may be defended in the whole course of our liues and may be lead forth the right way so as we may not talke doe or thinke any thought against thy holy commaundements and will but thereafter to liue worshipping thée and praising thée for euermore thorough Christ Iesus our Lord thy onely welbeloued Sonne Amen Blessed be the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Let vs praise him and exalt him world without end Amen An other Prayer ALmightie GOD our heauenly Father in Iesus Christ wée vnfeinedly confesse before thée that thy mercie and goodnes towards vs is infinite and without measure It is thy mercie and no goodnes that is in vs or of vs which mooued thée to send into the worlde thine onely begotten and eternall Sonne to take our nature vpon him and therein to worke the mysterie of our redemption and saluation as thou hadst appointed and spoken before by the mouthes of all thy Prophets which were from the beginning And likewise it was thy blessed will thy mercie and goodnes towardes vs that thy heauenly Sonne did suffer persecution trouble and aduersitie was betraied of his owne friend and disciple Iudas traiterously taken caried awaie to bée falsly accused and vniustly condemned to bee cruelly beaten scourged and finally with most scornefull rebukes to be put to the most painfull shamefull death that could bée deuised All this O heauenly Father was doone through thy mercy and blessed will for our sakes that not only to answere and satisfie thy iust wrath and anger which we had deserued and dayly doe deserue both for the offences of our first parents our actuall transgressing of thy holy commādements but also to restore vs againe to thy grace and fauour to indue vs with thy heauenly gifts that wée might serue thée in holynes and righteousnes all the dayes of our life And finally to make vs by the benefite of thy dearely beloued Sonnes passion and also through the price of his most precious bloud partners with him of his infinite and vnspeakeable glory and blisse in heauen Wherefore O heauenly Father wee béeséech thée powre vppon vs thy holy spirit and make vs in our hearts clearely to sée comfortably to féele and most stedfastly to beléeue this thine infinit gracious goodnes shewed and giuen vnto vs in thine owne sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ and with this beliefe make vs to put all our confidence and hope
patience in trouble HOw hast thou O Lord humbled and plucked me downe I dare now vnneath make my prayers vnto thée for thou art angrie with me but not without my deseruing Certainely I haue sinned Lord I will cōfes it I wil not deny it But O god pardō my trespasses relese my debts make me to féele again and the effectually continually also thy grace within me stop my wounds for I am all to plagued and beaten yet Lord this notwithstanding I do abide patiently and giue my attendāce on thée cōtinually waiting for helpe at thy hands that not without som knowledge beléefe of thy truth for I haue receiued a token of thy fauour and grace towardes mée I meane thy word of promise concerning Christ who for me was offered on the Crosse for a ransome sacrifice and price for my sins Wherfore according to that thy promise defend mee Lord by thy right hand and giue a gracious eare to my requestes bee thou my stay in perils for all mens stayes are but vaine Beate downe therefore my enemies thine own selfe with thy power which art mine onely ayd and protector O Lord God almighty Amen The humble confession of Iob in his most grieuous aduersitie and losse of goods children and all Iob. 1. NAked I came out of my Mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe the Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done now blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen In great trouble of conscience Psal 143. LOrd heare my prayer receiue my supplication hearken to my plaint for thy righteousnes Trie not the law with thy seruants for truly then shal no liuing man be found vnguiltie yea not one of the saints should escape quit at the bar vnlesse thou graunt him thy gracious pardon in so much as the very starres be not pure and faulties before thée in the Angels thou foundedst sin O Lord mine enemies grieuously hunt my soule they beate driue it downe they thrust it into darke dungeons where fellōs conuict and condemned to death were wont to be kept my spirit is sorowfull my heart is heauy sad within my breast to thée I hold vp my hands requiring thee of mercie For like as the dry ground longeth for a shower of raine so my soule thinketh long til it hath thy help and succour heare mee therefore spéedily if thou do not I am in despaire my spirit is all weary of this bondage I haue bidden my life fare well Wherefore O God hyde not thy face that I bee not likened to those that be hurled into the pit of damnation after this night of miserie ouerpassed let the pleasant morning of comfort graciously shine vppon mee that betimes I may heare and féele thy goodnes for in thée is al my trust point me the way that I shall walke in for if thou bee not my guide I must néedes wander and stray out of the way To thée Lord I lift vp my soule and that with all mine heart I beséech thée take mee foorth of mine enemies handes Thou onely art my succour and sauegard teach me to worke whatsoeuer shall be thy pleasure for thou art my God let thy good spirite conduct mée into the land of the liuing raise vp my spirite within mee for thy names sake bring me foorth of all these troubles for thy righteousnes deliuer mee destroy mine enemies as thou art gracious fauourable towards me Those that wil worke me any sorrow or griefe pluck foorth of the way for I am thy seruāt for thy sake suffer I al this hurly burly As thou art God almighty and most mercifull so helpe thou me thy vnworthy seruant who stand in neede of al supportation from thee A prayer in aduersity O Lord God without whose will and pleasure a sparrow doth not fall on the ground seeing it is thy wil and blessed ordināce that I should be in this miserie and aduersitie seeing also thou dost punish mee with aduersitie not to destroy and cast me away but to call me to repentance and saue me for whom thou dost loue him dost thou chasten Furthermore séeing affliction aduersitie worketh patiēce who so patiētly heareth tribulatiō is made like vnto our Sauiour Christ our head Finally séeing that in all trubulation and aduersitie wee are in assurance of comfort at thy gracious hands for thou commandest mee to call vpon thée in the time of tribulation hast promised to heare and succour me graunt me therfore O almighty God and mercifull father in al trouble and aduersitie generally and euen in this particularlie to bee quiet without discouragement and patient without distrustfulnes that so I may haue grace to praise and magnifie thée and to put my whole trust and confidence in thee because thou neuer forsakest them that trust in thee-but workest all for the best to them that loue thee and seeke the glorie of thy name To thee be glorie for euer Amen A thanksgiuing and prayer also to be vsed in the time of prosperitie I Giue thankes vnto thee O God almighty which not onely hast endued mee with the giftes of nature as reason power and strength but also hast plenteously giuen me the substance of this worlde I acknowledge O Lord that these are thy giftes and confesse with the holy Apostle Saint Iames that there is no perfect nor good gift but it commeth frō thee O Father of light which giuest freely and castest no man in the téeth yea I further in particular acknowledge with the Prophet Aggeus that gold and siluer is thine and to whom it pleaseth thee thou giuest it to the godly that they may be thy disposers distributers thereof and to the vngodly to heape vp their damnation withall Wherefore sith I feele in mine owne heart an inclination to abuse these as other good things I cannot but humblie beseech and desire thée most mercifull God and louing father to frame in mee with thy holy spirite a faithfull heart and ready hand to distribute these thy gifts according to thy pleasure that so I may not lay vp treasure here where théeues may rob and moathes corrupt but may lay vp treasure in thy heauenly kingdome where neither théeues may steale nor moathes corrupt and that onely to mine owne comfort whom of thy mercie thou hast promised to rewarde therefore neither yet alone to the good example of the humble and meeke of thy congregation but also to the glorie of thy name to whom bee all honor and praise world without ende Amen The prayer of Manasses King of Iuda O Lord almightie God of our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of the iust seede of them which hast made heauen and earth with all the ornaments thereof which ●ast ordained the sea by the word of thy commaundement which hast shut vppe the déepe and hast sealed it for thy fearefull and laudable name dreaded of all men and honorable before the face of thy power the
weaknes of my flesh bée not ouercome with the feare of death or any other temptation whatsoeuer Yea graunt me mercifull Sauiour I humbly beséech thee that when death hath shut vp the eyes of my bodie yet that the eyes of my soule may still beholde and looke vpon thée and may assuredly féele thée in my selfe for my selfe to bee the mightie conqueror of death and the deuil sinne and hell and all other enemies of mine whatsoeuer so that when death hath taken away the vse of my tongue and spéech yet that my heart may cry and say vnto thée O Lord into thy hands I giue and commend my spirit Lord Iesus receiue my soule vnto thée Amen The prayer of Salomon for to obtaine wisedome 1 King 2. THOU hast shewed Lord vnto thy seruant Dauid my Father great mercie when hee walked in thy sight in truth and iustice and in vprightnes of heart with thée Thou shewest vnto him thy great mercie and gauest him a sonne sitting vpon his throne as it is at this day And now Lord God thou hast made thy seruant to raigne in the roome of Dauid my Father I am a very babe and know not how to goe out and in And thy seruant is in the middest of an infinite number which thou hast chosen which cannot bee numbred nor counted for multitude Wherefore giue to thy seruant an heart apt to bee taught and full of vnderstanding to iudge thy people that I may discerne betwéene good and bad For who is able to iudge this thy mightie people A prayer for obtaining of wisdome Sapient 9. GOd of our fathers and Lord of mercie thou hast made all things with thy word and ordained man through thy wisedome that hee should haue dominion ouer the creatures which thou hast made that hee should order the world according vnto equitie and righteousnes and execute iudgement with a true heart giue mee wisedome which is euer among the children of Israel For I thy seruant and sonne of thy handmaide am a féeble person of a short time and too young to the vnderstanding of thy iudgements and though a man bee neuer so perfect among the children of men yet if thy wisedome be not with him he shall be nothing worth Oh send thy wisedome out of thy holy heauens and from the throne of thy Maiestie that she may be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sight for she knoweth and vnderstandeth all things and she shall conduct me right soberly in all my workes and preserue mee in her power so shall my workes bee acceptable Amen A prayer for a competent liuing Prouerb 30. TWo things Lord I demand that thou wilt not deny mee vntill I dye vanitie and words of leasings remoue farre from me pouertie or riches giue me not onely giue me that is necessarie for my liuing least being in full abundance I might be prouoked to denie thée and say Who is the Lord or being compelled by necessitie I might steale and forsweare the name of God Another Prayer GOod Lord God and swéete Sauiour Iesus Christ the sonne of the euerlasting God grant vnto me most fraile sinner and miserable wretch this grace and mercie that I may euer haue present before the eyes of my soule thy holy life thine example and behauiour and that according to any measure of mercie thou hast béen pleased or shalt be pleased to bestowe vpon me I may in liuing and manners follow the same And cause mee good Lord to profite grow and increase therein to such a notable measure as may be acceptable vnto thée being thine own grace and comfortable to my selfe as comming from thée for the saluation of my soule Lighten Lord and make cleere and bright my heart with the glorious light of thy grace that it euer may goe before mee and follow mee in all my acts so that by thy grace and power conducting and guiding I may accomplish and fulfill al that may please thy goodnes and vtterly eschue and auoide all that in any wise should displease the same Vouchsafe sweete Sauiour I beséech thée to direct and order all my cogitations and thoughts all my spéech and wordes all mine acts and déedes in thy law and commaundements in thy monitions and counsels and take me good Lord wholly so vnto thée that here in all things doing thy will I by grace may bee one of the soules that thou hast appointed to euerlasting saluation thorough Christ Iesus Amen A deuout prayer to our Lord God O LORD which hast vouchsafed of thy vnspeakeable goodnes to make me and ordaine me thy creature to liue in this transitorie life giuing me a reasonable soule by the which inlightned with the truth of thy word I know thée to be my Lord my God and my maker which also I may in some sort well perceiue by the visible sight of thy wonderfull workes as by heauen the earth and the creatures in them contained together with the commodities blessings that we daylie receiue by them at thy hand all which declare the great loue that thou hadest in our first creation and also doe expresse the singular care and prouidence that yet still thou hast for vs and further doe declare to vs thée to be the only God and Lord ouer all and that there is none aboue thée and that there is no wisdome knowledge power or strength of value besides thée and yet further also thou knowing our necessarie néede of thy holy of thy most louing fauour hast not disdained to say to me and to other thy people by thine owne most blessed word to the great comfort of all our consciences Aske and it shall bee giuen séeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened to you And yet for further declaration of thy great loue toward vs hast most familiarly sayde If we that be euill can giue vnto our children when they aske good things how much more then shall our heauenly Father giue his holy spirit to them that earnestly desire it What a swéete and comfortable saying is this In confidence of this truth O most blessed Lord I wretched sinner doe aske at thy hands mercie and grace confessing my selfe to bee a most wicked and abominable sinner in thy sight most weake of all other to stand to or in thy truth most fraile to fall and readie to breake all thy holy commandements by the kéeping of which we are knowne to bee thy true seruants O most mercifull Lord God I acknowledge my selfe daylie and hourely to breake the same but where I haue thus offended thy diuine Maiestie I humblie for Christ Iesus sake aske of thee mercie and forgiuenes minding by thy most mightie assistance neuer hereafter to offend in the same And Lord that I may bee the better perswaded of the assured performance of the same I humbly aske and desire thy strength continually to make me stand fast in faith thy knowledge and power from thée to worke thy blessed
will thy might to resist all errour and wicked imaginations thy wisedome to know the truth For I confesse and knowe O Lord that all worldly wit policie knowledge and strength is but foolishnes in thy sight Therefore I aske and continually craue good Lord that helpe and most humbly desire that thy holy spirit may guide all the imaginations thoughts and desires of my heart not onely altering in me my fleshly minde but also inabling me in body soule and spirit to serue thy blessed maiestie for this I know the most perfect amongst men lacking thy wisedome are nothing worth And great reason because the thoughts of mortall men are miserable and our forecastes are vncertaine And why Our nature surely is so vitiated and our will so depraued and our vnderstanding so corrupted that it museth most yea altogether on vaine things Therefore good Lord I beséech thée comfort my sicke soule that it may walke in thy lawes and wayes and worke thy will And Lord like as thou knowest the secrets of my heart and the desires of the same and séest indéede that I would verie earnestly walke in thy trueth and worke the workes of the same truth so Lord I beseech thee refresh my soule according to thy mercifull calling where thou saidst Come to me all that labour and are laden and lowly of heart and you shall finde rest to your soules and I shall refresh you O Lord I miserable sinner would gladly labour in acceptable wayes and haue some care that my good will and desire might not swarue from thée but bee wholy bent towardes thée and like as thou knowest the same to bee vnfained in mee because it is thine own worke So Lord refresh me with thy mercifull grace that now and for euer I may bée stedfast in the true faith and that I may be alwayes obedient vnto thy lawes and commaundements and that I may neuer swarue from the holy and blessed ordinances of thy true and catholike Church which is thy spouse and for the most part speaketh thy words of truth and life but that I may vse them receiue them and honour thée in them so farre forth as they concerne thy worship and are according vnto thy most holy will and pleasure as in things which thou hast left to declare thy loue vnto vs and by them to assure our hope and to exercise our faith that it should not bee idle nor wauering whereunto howsoeuer I bee proue thorough the corruption of my nature and Satans malice against me as I am on the other side vnwilling and vnable to doe that which is good yet O Lord sith all things are possible with thée though they séeme neuer so vnpossible to vs help and reach out thy most mightie and mercifull hand O most louing father I know that by my sins I am not worthie thy blessed comfort nay I am most worthie to be depriued of that and all other fauours but Lord sith thou hast said that in what houre soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sins thou wouldest no more remember them and also thou wouldest not despise the sighing of a contrite heart I am bold in confidence and trust of thy mercie méekly and with a lowly heart to call to thée for grace and helpe in this troublous time of temptation and trying of our faith I am as one laden yea ouer laden with ignorance not knowing the height of thy heauenly misteries nor the deceitfull déepnes of the craftie and subtill arguments and perswasions of my ghostly enemies which daylie doe assault my sinfull soule and so burden the same that it can finde no rest Therefore O Lord like as thou knowest my will and heartie desire is to serue thée notwithstanding these suggestions within me and without me and that I haue a desire to liue and dye in thy most holy faith so Lord I beséech thée neuer suffer the subtill perswasions contrarie to thy truth to take place or roote in my heart But like Lord as thou hast created my heart and giuen me in som measure a will to order the same according to thy blessed will so Lord I humbly yéeld the same againe into thy hands desiring thée by thy holy spirit so to direct my wayes words and workes that now and alwayes they may be accepcable in thy sight And good Lord suffer not my soule to perish which thou hast bought so dearely with thy most precious bloud for the which great mercie sake of thine heretofore shewed vnto mee haue mercie on me continually and mak mee poore in spirit and low of heart and content with my vocation submitting my selfe wholy into thy hands so that my desire may bee to thy will and that no desire remaine in me but onely to doe thy will and pleasure And grant I beséech thée that I may haue none other trust but only in thée which art onely to be trusted and all trust it selfe and none besides thée Graunt further O Lord that my poore soule may rest in thée yea in thée alone for thou hast sayd they shall neuer be confounded that put their trust in thée which trust Lord graunt me neuer to forsake for any vaine trust or temptation or tribulation that may any manner of way fal out to vexe my poore soule but graunt me thy holy spirit to comfort and defend mee from all things that should procure thy displeasure As thou art in Trinitie one God and Lord ouer all which liuest and raignest world without end To thée bee all honour glorie and praise for euer Amen A prayer that wee may haue the feare of God before our eyes in all our doings O Almightie and euerlasting God thy holy word teacheth vs that thou art not onely a father but also a Lord not onely a forgiuer but also a reuenger not onely a Sauiour but also a iudge and as thou being a father a forgiuer and a Sauiour doest pardon and shewe mercie so thou being a Lord a reuenger and a iudge punishest and condemnest Neither doth thy holy scripture onely set foorth vnto vs a Gospell which comforteth vs quickneth vs sheweth vs glad and ioyfull tidings forgiueth our sinnes and quieteth our consciences and bringeth vs vnto euerlasting life but also a law which reproueth accuseth condemneth vs woundeth and slayeth our conscience yea and throweth vs down headlong into the déepe dungeon of hell And as the holy Gospell lifteth vs vppe and maketh vs glad with the hope of remission and forgiuenes of our sinnes so doth the lawe plucke vs downe and almost driue vs vnto desperation for feare of thy plagues and euerlasting punishments so that we not onely loue thée as a father a forgiuer a Sauiour but also feare thée as a Lord a reuenger a iudge For asmuch therefore O most gracious God and merciful Sauiour and most righteous iudge as this doth so mightily put away sinne and make vs to walke in the way of thy commaundements namely reuerently to feare thée and to stand in awe
to euerlasting blessednes through Christ Iesus Amen A Prayer against worldly carefulnes O Most deare and tender father our defender and nourisher endue vs with thy grace that wee may cast off the great blindnes of our minds and carefulnes of worldly thinges and may imploy our whole studie and care in kéeping of thy holy lawes and yet that wee may trauaile and labour for our necessities in this life like the birdes of the aire and the lillies of the field without carefulnesse for thou hast promised to be carefull for vs and hast commanded that vpon thée we should cast all our care which liuest and raignest world without ende Amen A Prayer against the diuel IEsu Christ our Lord which by the mouth of thy holy Apostle S. Peter didst say that our aduersarie the diuell goeth about like a roring lyon séeking whom hee may deuour wee know the truth of this by our owne experience and féele that hee is busie and fierce and breaketh in vpon vs so that if thou helpe not hee will soone deceaue vs with his craft ouerturne vs with his might and with his crueltie teare vs in péeces But if thou which hast vanquished him wilt appeare but as it were a farre off thou wilt make him afraide and with thy onely looke put him to slight Vouchsafe O Lord to receiue vs into thy tuition being but infants weake féeble and vnskilful lest the ●●●rce and cruell beast all to teare vs yea giue vs grace alwayes not onely to beare before vs the sworde of the spirit in our sight and to tarrie it in our hands but also couragiously to vse it as from thée that so our enemies may well know that we doe our busines by thy counsaile aid and strength and in thy power may bee put to flight to thy glorie and our euerlasting comfort through Christ Amen A thankes-giuing vnto God for all his benefites WE verie humbly in Christ thanke thée O heauenly Father for thy manifold and inestimable benefits which thou hast giuen to vs both for our soules and bodies yea and that fréely of thine owne goodnes not onely without but contrarie to our deseruing We thanke thée that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercie first to create and make vs according to thine owne image and likenes and to place vs in ioyfull Paradise where we should haue continually remained in a blessed and quiet state if through the subtile and deceitfull suggestions of Satan our old enemie we had not transgressed thy holy commandements We thanke thee also O most gentle Father for thy louing kindnes which thou shewedst to vs when wee were all perished and lost through the sinne of our first parents Adam and Heua For when thou mightest iustly haue condemned vs and cast vs into perpetuall damnation thou like a father of singular great loue hadst pitty on vs and sauedst vs by the death and passion of thy welbeloued sonne our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for all our sinnes and payed a sufficient price by his precious bloud for all the wickednesse that wee at any time heretofore haue committed or hereafter shall commit through our frailtie and weakenes so that wee beléeue thy promises and repent and amend our liues Neither wast thou thus contented that hee onely should die for our sinnes but also diddest raise him vp againe for our iustification and to make vs righteous in thy sight Moreouer after that he had shewed himselfe vnfainedly to liue to his Apostles by manifest and euident tokens certainelie through the power of his Godhead hee ascended vp into heauen perfect God and perfect man where he now sitteth on thy right hande and maketh intercession for vs being our alone mediator and aduocate from thence we looke for him to come againe at the day of iudgement not as a fearefull Iudge to condemne and cast vs away but as a most louing Lord and gentle Sauiour to carry vs with him into euerlasting glorie there world without end to remaine in such ioyes as eye hath not seene nor eare hath not heard nor yet any heart is able to thinke For these thy most bounteous giftes and for all other thy benefites which thou daylie giuest to vs of thy great mercie both for our body and soule wee humbly thanke thee most mercifull Father beséeching thee to giue vs grace through thy holy spirit not to bee either vnmind full of them or vnthankefull for them but to walke worthy of this thy kindnes and so behaue our selues all our life time in this wretched world according to thy holy will that at the last day we may bee found in the number of them to whom thy onely begotten soone shall say Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of this world Lord let it so come to passe euen for Christ Iesus sake Amen A deuout Prayer to bee daylie sayd O Almighty and eternal God which vouchsafedst that wee as it were heauenly children should euery one of vs call thee our heauenly father Grant that among vs by purenes and example of innocent life thy most holy name may bee sanctified that all other nations beholding our goodnesse and vertuous liuing that thou workest in vs may bee stirred to hallow and glorifie thée Grant O Lord that the kingdome of thy grace and mercie in this life may so rule and raigne continually in our hearts that we may bee by thée accepted and accounted as worthie in Christ to bee partakers of thy kingdome of glorie and maiestie in the life to come Grant that vnto the very death yea and in death it selfe also wee refuse not to follow thy diuine will but that wee according to the example of the celestiall citizens agréeing together quietly vnited in spirit all controuersie in opinions contrarie to thy holy truth being laide apart and the lust of the flesh being subdued and the flattering assaults of the world and the diuell ouercome we may willingly faithfully and constantly obey thy blessed will in all things Graunt O Lord for our bodie such a measure of necessarie and néedefull sustenance that thereby we may be the better enabled more freely and hearefully to serue thée and abound in all good workes towards thy saints and seruants here vpon earth knowing that our goodnesse reacheth not to thee but to the excellent that are in the world whom wee beseech thée make vs more and more to delight in and to loue for thy sake Giue me grace O Lord not onely patiently to beare and suffer our enemies and such as hate vs together with the iniuries which they doe lay vpon vs making good vse of them for thy glorie and our instruction but also vnfaignedly to forget and forgiue whatsoeuer they haue deuised sayd or done against vs euen as wee our selues would gladly obtayne at thy mercifull hands and féele in our selues the frée pardon and full forgiuenesse of all our transgressions And for such temptations
delighted in into a wildernes Wilt thou Lord be auenged of these things Wilt thou holde thy peace and scourge vs euer so grieuously Before the receiuing of the Sacrament say thus LOrd although I be not worthy to receiue thee into the house of my soule for mine innumerable offences and sinnes done against thy great goodnes yet trusting in thy great pity and infinite mercie I come to receiue thy blessed body not grossely and carnally as the blinde suppose but spiritually and by faith together with all the fruits and effects of thy sufferings yea as a sicke creature to thee that art the health of life vncleane to thée that art the well of mercie and holynes blinde by ignorance to thee that art the light euerlasting needy of grace and power yea of will to any good thing to thée that art the King of heauen and earth and workest therein whatsoeuer pleaseth thée naked of good works to thée that art the author of all grace I come as a wretch to thée my Lord and maker all desolate and comfortles to thee my refuge and succour for besides thée there is no consolation I come as a sinner to thée that art the mediator betwéene God and man I come as a caitife to thée my most mercifull Sauiour I come all sinfull to thee granter of remission and pardon I that am dead by sin come to thee the restorer of life euill to thee that art all goodnesse hard hearted to bée relieued by the infusion of thy superaboundant grace desiring thée to heale mine infirmitie and sicknes to wash away my sinne and filthines to lighten my blindnes to reduce me to the right way when I am out thereof to comfort me desolate of goodnesse Haue mercie on my wretchednesse pardon my sinfulnes giue me the light of grace thus buried in sin that I may receiue thee to be the spirituall foode and nourishment of my soule and that with such chastitie of body with such purenes and cleannes of soule with such contrition of heart and abundance of wéeping teares with such spirituall ioy and gladnes with such dread and reuerence with such strong faith stedfast hope and vnfeigned charitie with such obedience and humilitie with such loue deuotion faithfulnesse and thankefulnesse as it is beséeming for such a Lord to be entertained and receiued withall and that to the comfort of my conscience in this life and my endlesse saluation at the last And be not displeased good Lord that I a sinner with an vncleane heart and polluted minde or sure I am not so sanctified outwardly and inwardly as were fit come hither this day to receiue the blessed sacrament of thy precious body and bloud by a liuely faith but remember mercifull Lord that thou refusedst not the sinfull Magdalene being penitent from the kissing of thy most blessed féete And in likewise despise mee not ne put thou me away as vnworthie from this blessed Sacrament for my sinnes and vnkindnes though I confesse thou maist iustly doe so and doe me no iniurie but graunt thou mee godly sorrow of heart plentie of vnfaigned teares to testifie vnto my heart the washing away of my sinnes and wickednes so that with a pure heart and cleane conscience I may this day come to and be partaker of the holy Communion to thy glory and the comfort of my soule and conscience whilest I receiue therein an effectuall pledge of euerlasting life with all holy saints in heauens glory and of the fellowship of thy people in this present life these things being wrought in mee by thy holy spirit inwardly as well as offered vnto me by the outward and visible elements Grant mee blessed Iesu so reuerently and religiously to receiue the Sacrament of thy flesh and bloud that thereby I may assuredly feele my selfe incorporated into thy Church as a sound member of thy body here on earth and though as yet I be not méete or fit by reason of my filthinesse to bee numbred among the simplest and lowest of thy seruants but rather to be reiect for my sinfulnes yet good Lord of thine infinite power I knowe thou canst and of thy singular goodnesse I hope thou wilt and therefore am also the more bold humbly to intreate thee to make me equall and like to thine elect and chosen seruants Come thou father of the fatheries come comfort of the comfortles come I beséech thee and cleanse my soule from contagiousnes of sinne for it is not conuenient and according that there should bee any vncleannes where thou then the fountaine of all true holines yea holines it selfe shouldest come in and dwel Come therefore good Lord and apparell my soule and body both with such ornaments of vertue and grace that it may delight thee therein to abide And as thou disdainedst not to touch the sore Leapers with thy holy hands so good Lord vouchsafe to annoynt my sinfull soule with the oyntment of remission and pardon of sinnes and so to replenish it with strength and power against sinne and to fill it with abilitie to doe good duties that in this life by stedfast hope firme faith and vnfeigned charitie I may so encrease in vertue from day to day that I may attaine to the glorious fruition of thy Godhead in the kingdome of heauen where I may see thee face to face world without ende Amen After the receiuing of the Sacrament say thus I Thank thée good Lord of thine infinit goodnes for that this day thou hast vouchsafed to féed me with thy blessed body in this holy Sacrament of thine and that by a liuely faith thou hast made me a fruiteful partaker thereof humbly desiring thée further to graunt that this thy blessed Sacrament which I haue receiued may bee powerfull in mee to lessen in me and purge from mee the power of my particular iniquities and to fit mee to all good workes of blessed obedience yea make it in me a fortitude and a spirituall strength against my frailtie a sure defence against worldly troubles and aduersitie a sure seale of grace and pardon a medicine of life and a continuall remembrance in my minde and heart of thy blessed passion so that in the way it may conduct and guide me and when I am out of the way it may reduce mee when I stumble it may vpholde mee and when I am falling it may raise me so that by this and other gracious helpes that thou hast ordained and by good continuance and daily growth in the obedience of thy will I may be brought to euerlasting glorie And during my life vpon earth vouchsafe so to order the tallage and taste of my heart that I neuer féele other swéetenes but thee that I neuer seeke other but thee that I care not for any other delight but thee neither that I regard any other honor but thine And giue me such a sound loue towards thee and in thee and for thee towards my brethren that in it I may continually and comfortably féele that I
am translated out of darknes into light and be well assured that thou wilt gratiously deliuer mee from all tribulations of body and soule captiuitie anguish and perils together with all the elect and chosen Amen A deuout Prayer O My Lord Iesu with al my mind with all my might I do laude thee and praise thée for thine innumerable benefites which thou hast shewed vnto mee heretofore and shewest daily but alas good Lord sure I am of this that I cannot praise thée as I would and as my dutie requireth wherefore I méekely beséech thee both to accept this my bounden dutie and seruice and also to supplie and fulfill mine insufficiencie so that thy absolute righteousnesse and obedience may for mee be acceptable before thy father and may to mee and in me bee comfortable to my soule O swéete Iesu I loue thée as my God my maker and my redéemer what though I loue thee not so feruently as I ought to doe yet I humbly beséech thée to accept me according to that I haue and not according to that I haue not and the rather because that I haue is thine which I pray thée so to acknowledge and daylie more and more increase that my peace in hee and loue towards thée may more and more abound O sweete Sauiour heare me here●● euen so be it The complaint of a penitent sinner which is sore troubled and ouercome with sinnes O Lord God mercifull and patient and of much mercifulnesse and truth which of thy abundant charitie and according to thy great mercie hast taken vs out from the power of darknes and hast saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration and new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost whom thou hast shed vpon vs aboundantly by Iesus Christ our Sauiour If I haue found grace and fauour in thy sight suffer me to speake a word vnto thée and be not displeased with me Why dost thou euer forget me and leauest me in the midst of my troubles and evils Where is become thy zeale and strength where is the multitude of thy tender affections and of thy mercies O Lorde may not hee which is fallen rise vp againe Or may not hee which hath gone away from thee returne vnto thée againe Shall my sorrow ●●er indure shall my ●ound be vncurable and neuer healed How commeth it to passe that I still turne away from thee surely Satans malice and mine owne corruption carie me violently But stay me O Lord and turne me yea cause me to turne for of my selfe I cannot returne In asmuch as it is not giuen to man to direct his 〈…〉 wayes neither to 〈◊〉 perfect his owne proceedings For in thy hand is the life of euery liuing thing and the spirit also of euery man Thou shewest thy mercy to whom thou wilt and thou art gracious to them whom thou fauourest Thou doest kill and thou doest quicken thou leadest downe to Hell gate and bringest vp againe Thy eyes beholde the wayes of euery man and thou searchest the hearts of men There is no place so secret or darke wherein sins may hide themselues from thee Nor any man may so lurke and hide themselfe in Caues but thou shalt sée him which doest fulfill both heauen and earth in euery pa●t Why hast thou cast me away from thy presence and ●●est me for thine enemie Why hast thou layd vpon my head the heauie weight of my sinnes séeing no man is able to beare thy displeasure What meaneth it that thou shewest thy power against a wretch why destroyest thou me for the sins of my youth If I haue sinned what shall I doe to thée and if my sins be encreased what shall I doe If I do iustly what shal I giue to thée or what shalt thou receiue a● my hand My wickednesse shall hurt my selfe and my righteousnesse shall not profit me The life of man is a temptation vpon the earth and if I haue sinned as all m●● ha●e what may I 〈◊〉 ●hall 〈◊〉 man be found 〈…〉 without sinne 〈…〉 or shall any man 〈◊〉 withou● fault in his deedes How may a mortall m●● be pure of sinne in thy sight or how may hee which is borne of a woman be righteous Remember O Lord I beseech thee that thou hast made me of the earth and that thou shalt bring mee againe into the ●ust of death My dayes pa●● and v●nish away like 〈…〉 waste daily there is no ta●ying My life flieth as the winde and considereth not that which is good I was but lately borne in this world and shortly I shall be taken away hence by death I neuer continue still in one state The dayes of my life bee few and short thou hast appoynted an end which I shall not passe Naked and bare I came out of my mothers wombe and naked and bare I shall returne againe truly all men liuing are but vanitie Haue pitie O Lord on them that are in miserie and despise not the workes of thy hands Though we sin yet are we vnder thée for we know thy power and strength and if we sinne not then are we sure that thou regardest vs. Cease thy indignation O Lord and turne it from mee and cast all my ●●nes behind thy backe Take away thy plagues from mee for thy punishment hath made mee both feeble and faint For when thou chastisest a man for his sinnes thou causest him by and by to consume and pine away Whatsoeuer is delectable in him perisheth like vnto the cloth that is eaten with moaths Would God I had one 〈◊〉 defend me a while vntill thy anger were turned away or that thou wouldest remember me I am cleane cast away from thy presence shall I neuer hereafter see thy face againe Beholde I haue opened the griefs of my soule the day of my sorrowes haue taken me The flouds of tribulation compasse mee round about and the streames of thy fury run ouer me And I cry vnto thée O Lord God but thou hearest me not I aske mercie but thou reiectest my prayers Why thrustest thou downe a poore wretch from thy presence or why forsakest thou mee so longe time Why takest thou not away mine in●●uitie and why puttest th●● not away the wickednesse of my heart Arise and tary no longer O Lord arise and reiect me not for euer Haue mee in remembrance I beséech thée for I throughlie tremble and shake for feare Yet will I not holde my tongue but cry stil vnto thée with a mourning and an heauie hear● Turne away the stroke of thy ve●●eance from me and bring my 〈◊〉 out of troubles into rest I am here no long continuer but a pilgrime and a stranger as all other mortall men be And what is man that thou shouldest bee angrie with him or what is mankinde that thou shouldest bee so heauie Lord vnto vs What wilt thou bring sorrow vppon sorrow I pant for paine and finde no rest My sorrow grieueth me when I should eate and sodaine sighes ouerwhelme my heart I am as
if my bones were all to broken when I heare my enemies raile vpon me and say to mee day by day where is thy God Why turnest thou thy face from these thinges O Lord why hast thou no regard of my trouble I earnestly make my prayers daily in thy sight and the heauines of my hart I doe shew vnto thée My spirit is carefull and troubled within mee and desperation hath entred into my heart Is it thy pleasure O Lord God to cast away thine own handie workes Deliuer my soule from ●●rruption and my life from euerlasting darknes What auaileth it mee that euer I was borne if thou cast mee straight into damnation séeing that the dead shall not praise thée nor any of them which go down to hell I haue sinned what shal I doe to thée why hast thou put me to be contrarie to thée I am wearie of mine owne selfe Why searchest thou out my sinnes so narrowly when there is no man that can escape out of thy hands If I would say that I were righteous and without sinne then thou mightest worthily condemne me to the fire prepared for the diuell and his angels But I confesse that I am a sinner and doe humble my selfe here in thy sight Surely if a man would ●●and with thee in iudgement he shall not bee able to answere one word to a thousand things wherewith thou mightest charge him This maketh me to feare all my deedes knowing that thou sparest not him that offendeth If I looke vppon thy power O how mightie and strong art thou If I shall call for iudgement who shall defend my matter or speake for me To thee O Lord I call and crie to thee my God I make my humble sute Turne away thine anger from mee that I may know that thou art more mercifull to mee than my sinnes deserue What is my strength that I may endure or what is the ende of my trouble that my soule may patiently abide it My strength is not a stony strength and my flesh is not made of brasse There is no helpe in my selfe and also my strength flieth away from me Although thou hide these things in my heart yet I know that thou wilt remember me at length For thou art true and iust O Lord God thou doest not condemne vniustly which rewardest man according to his deserts All this is come vnto me because I haue forgotten thee and not vsed my selfe truely in thy testimonies My heart hath turned backeward and I haue followed the desires of my flesh And thou hast surely knowne this thing which knowest the secrets of the heart Lay not against mee O Lord the sinnes of my youth nor haue in remembrance my old iniuries done against thee Daily sorrow ●●commeth me and sadnes possesseth my heart I looke after peace but I cannot haue it I looke for a time of health but my griefe continueth still When the time of thine anger is past let mercie come yet am I vnhappie more and more Woe and alas that euer I sinned my heart therefore mourneth and is sad al mirth and ioy is vanished from me How am I wasted how miserably am I confounded because I haue forsaken and cast away thy law Death hath ascended by the windowes pearcing the inward parts of my heart W●●● I daily one while must secretly with my selfe another while with loud voyce crye out and complaine the meane time my life draweth néere to the pit Who shall giue mee a place to rest in from all my griefts and troubles And I will forsake all men and get away from them Who shall giue me water to my head and a fountaine of teares to mine eyes that I may bewaile my sinnes both night and day And I will looke for him which may saue me and deliuer me from the wrath to come I haue no trust neither in life nor death but I feare thy iudgement O Lord and the paines prepared for sinners The feare of my sinne maketh mee carefull and the burden of my conscience oppresseth me sore O God which tenderly louest mankind and art a most righteous Iudge s●are mee now I beséech mee and shewe mee some fauour while time is Forgiue that which I feare put away that which I dread before I depart hence and shall not returne againe My sinnes doe vexe and trouble mee sore they bee so great that none can be greater Alas my fall alas my miserie alas the griefe of my plague and stroke certainly my sinne is the cause of all this and so I will take it and suffer it A Psalme in which he giueth thankes to God that his enemies haue not gotten the vpper hand of him I Wil magnifie and praise thee O Lord God for thou hast exalted me and set me vp and mine enemies haue not gotten the vpper hand of me O Lord of ho●● I haue cried vnto thee and thou hast saued me Th●●●ast brought my soule out of hell thou hast holden mee vp from falling into the déepe Lake from whence no man returneth Thou hast not closed me vp in the hands of mine enemies but thou hast set my féete in a place both wide and broade I haue sought thée and thou hast heard mee thou hast brought me into libertie out of great distresse Thou ha●●●urned my sorrowe into 〈…〉 hast ceased my mourning and compassed mee round about with mirth Thou hast declared thy great magnificence in helping thy seruant Thou hast ●●ne meruailously with me in my miseries Thou hast regarded the ●●ne of the poore thou hast not turned away thy face from me I will bee singing and speaking of thy mercies and I will publish to other thy fidelitie and truth so long as I shall liue My mouth shall neuer cease to speake of thy righteousnes and of thy benefits which be so many that I cannot number them But I will giue thee thankes till death take mee away I will sing in the praise of thée so long as I shall continue I will triumph and reioyce in thy mercie for thou hast looked vpon my necessities and regarded my soule in distresse Thou hast béene my sure refuge and the strength of my trust and hope I thanke thee Lorde of thy goodnesse alway and for thy excéeding mercie Thou hast béen my com●or●●n the time of my trouble thou hast been merciful vnto me O Lord and hast reuenged the wronges that mine enemies haue done to me According to the multitude of the heauie thoughts that I had in my minde thy comforts haue cheared and lightned my heart Thou hast sent me now ioyes for the dayes wherein I was in sorrowe and for the yeares in which I suffered many a painefull storme Thou hast called to remembrance the rebuke that thy seruant hath beene put to and how furiously mine enemies haue persecuted me O Lord God of hosts who may bee compared vnto thée thou art great and greatly to be praised Thou art high vpon all 〈◊〉 earth thou art exalted fa● 〈◊〉 all gods ●●orie and