pardoned my sinne through thee in the life to come eternally to be saued Amen Amen Another Prayer after the receiuing of the holy Communion O Iesus the Sonne of God my Lord and Sauiour with all humble and hearty thanks I praise thee for suffering death vpon the Crosse for my sinnes and admitting me a miserable sinner to the participation of this blessed Sacrament the memoriall of my Redemption Let mee O Lord finde and feele in my heart the inuisible power of thy heauenly grace effectually working the transformation of mee into thee the wonderfull vnion of me with thee and the spirituall habitation and aboade in me Apply all thy merits and good things vnto my soule let me neuer doubt the forgiuenesse of my sinnes but euer open the doore of this Sanctuarie vnto me that I may runne thither in my greatest neede and apprehend thy gracious pardon ratified by this scale of thy couenant Quicken me O Lord in this life râ—â—â—ue and renue mee that I may disclaime my olde conuersation and become a new man keepe mee that I slippe not cut of this building nor become as a branch cut off and good for nothing but as thou hast seuered mee from the wicked in calling mee to the knowledge of thee so keepe mee from all their corruptions giue me a perfect loue towards thee that I may not delight in any thing but in thee nor seeke any other honour but thine O Lord Iesus I meekely beseech thee let thy holy Spirit strengthen mee against my frailty thy power and strength defend me against worldly troubles and aduersities thy merits purchase my needefull pardon and thy blood be the medicine for all my sores euen for thy truth and for thy names sake Amen O Iesus Christ the Lambe of God which hast so loued mankinde that thou hast beene contented not on ly to become one with him but also meaâ—e vnto him and to dye for him vpon the Crâ—sse graunt I beseâ—ch thee that this my receiuing of this Sacrament may be a true testimony vnto my conscience that I hauâ— through faith in thee receiued full remission of all that is past and am become as it were a new creature in thy sight O sweet Iesus which hast vouchsafed mee such fauour and honour as to come to thy Table and feede vpon thee graunt mee grace I humbly entreâ—te thee so to performe and fulfill my duty as this honour which thou hast done mee requireth Linke mee vnto thee and giue mee power and strength to beleeue thy promises without distrust and to shew my religion by my good life and conuersation Assâ—st mee with thy grace that I may walke worthy this blessed Sacrament to loue thee and thy children vnfaiâ—â—dly and vtterly to forsake all vaâ—ity idolatry carnall desires and all the workes of the deuill O Lord God so moderate and ordâ—r all my affections that I may be ioyned with the brethren together in holy loue which is the bend of peace and truly fastned vnto thee my Head for euer Stirre vp my minde that I may alwayes consider the bitternesse of thy death the greatnesse of thy loue neuer forget to be thankfull vnto thee O blessed Lord preserue and maintaine this ordinance amongst vs that it may be alwayes a note and a badge of our publique profession and giue vs all one heart and one minde in the vnity of the Spirit for the reuerent and worthy receiuing of the same whensoeuer we shall come to thy holy Table againe Amen A Prayer for the Catholique Church and all the estates thereof O Most glorious euer liuing and euer louing Lord God the iust Master of the Vineyard and louing Head of the Church send thy holy Spirit into the hearts of all them that teach oâ— professe thy most holy truth alâ— men religious or secular Yea men and women Princes and subiects rich and poore euen all the people beleeuing in thy name and depending vpon thy grace and mercy Giue vnto them all O Lord one law one baptisme one hope one spirit that there may be but one voyce among all that professe the Catholique faith Keepe backe the famine of thy word and send such labourers into thy haruest as be sound in doctrine faithfull in their worke and godly in their conuersation that they may be in number many and in power wonderfull Open we beseech thee the hearts and eares of the people for the receiuing of thy Word that it may dwell in them plentifully in all wisedome and bring forth fruit against all the cares crosses and courses of this wrâ—tched world O Lord thou hast found iniquity in thy Saints and the heauens are not cleare in thy sight Oh then correct vs in thy iudgement not in thy fury lest wee should be consumed and brought to nothing Purge the garden of the Church and let no weedes ouergrowe the flowers suffer neither sinne nor superstition to choake the good growth of faith or manners in thy people buâ— keepe them from all heresies phanaticall opinions se â—ucing spirits deadly contentions Keepâ— our neckes from the grieuouâ— yoke of Antichristian bondageâ— whose Religion is rebelliâ—nâ— whose faith is faction and whosâ— practise is the murthering oâ— soules and bodies good Lord re presse the furâ—ousnesse of all Tyrants which labour nothing buâ— the spoile of the Church and thâ— abolishment of true doctrine prayer and true Religion O Lorâ— Iesus amend all that is amisse anâ— graunt vs thy grace all the dayeâ— of our life euen for thy truth anâ— for thy names sake Amen A Prayer for the Kings Maiestie O Almighty God King of all Kings the fountaine rule â—nd stay of all soueraignty wee most humbly thanke thee that â—hou hast not left vs vnto our â—elues to doe what seemeth best â—nto vs in our owne eyes but â—ast set ouer vs a noble wise and â—racious-King thy seruant Charles â—ame head next vnder â—hee Lord make all thy good to â—oe before him day and night â—phold his Crowne maintaine â—is estate giue him continuall â—eace long life and much happiâ—esse Endue him with such wisâ—ome and vnderstanding to doe â—ch things both in the Church â—d Câ—mmon-wealth as may be â—ceptable in thy sight profitable 〈◊〉 his Subiects and hurtfull to â—one that loue thy truth merciâ—ly heare him in all his petitions and effectually work for him in all dangers in the day of battell in his greatest consultations in the time of his recreations from all plots of Treason and in phe houre of death Make vs thankfull for all thy preseruations of him both â—t home and abroad in this Kingdome and else-where Blesse preserue and keepe his Royall Consort Queene Maryâ— Frederick the Prince Elector Paâ—atine the Lady Elizabeth his wife with all their Prinâ—… Let our noble King still embrace the truth and manfully maintaine it against all treacherous plotâ— and 〈◊〉 perswasions distastiâ—â— as he hath alwayes done both alteration of true Religion and to leration of any other Let thy po wer alwayes
From head to foote so leprous be our staines That in our selues not one good thought remaines But if we doe or thinke ought that is good It is in vs the effect of Christ his blood Our bloody sinnes are numberlesse and daily call That thou in iudgement should condemne vs all But Lord our God be hold vs in thy Sonne Forgiue forget remit what wee haue done Corruption made vs sonnes of wrath and fire-brands of hell Thy grace in Christ made vs thy sonnes and heires to dwell In heauen where thy kingdome is most glorious be thy name Which hast in Christ elected vs before all worlds frame In glory thou in heauen art in mercy heere with vs below In iudgements with the damned crew the seas thy wonders know Yet sea nor earth nor heauens high thy essence can containe Thou art hast bin and euer shalt I AM of might remaine Seeing thou art to vs a Father deare of heauenly might Giue vs obedience to thy will and in thy lawes delight Humilitie with godly feare heauenly thoughts diuine And whatsoeuer graces else may signe and scale vs thine Most glorious sacred sanctified acknowledg'd be thy name Amongst vs all thy children deare that doe professe the same Although none hallowing we can adde vnto thy essence pure Grant that our liues our thoughts our words thy glory may procure Eâ—due vs with such godly zeale thy honour to maintaine With reuerence due to vse thy name and not in ieast or vaine Seeing that thy wisedome greatnesse cleare and piercing eye Beholds what 's done or thought both farre and nye From swearing lying and blaspheming thee Good Lord in mercy still deliuer me By all we thinke shall doe or act indeed Grant that some glory to thy name proceede Let not our sinnes nor Sathans strong temptation Nor our fraile flesh gaine sinfull approbation Come thou Lord Iesus quickly cleanse and garnish Our sinfull hearts and thine kingdome establish O Sonne of God ô Lambe pure vndefiled The ioy solace which all Saints desired Inflame our hearts let vs not quench thy Spirit Make good to vs what thy owne death did merit God hath ordain'd and thou hast dearely bought A glorious Kingdome by vs seldome sought Lest from that Kingdome we excluded be O work in vs such works as pleaseth thee Thy will is holy perfect right and iust Our wils peruerse possest with sinfull lust O grant vs willing hearts for to perfome Whatsoeuer thy good will shal vs informe Our will 's peruerse corrupted full of sin No good in act or thought we can begin If any thing we doe that please thee may It is thy grace that doth direct our way O Lord my God doe thou so rule my mind That to thy will my will be still inclin'd Let me not thinke nor will nor wish to doe But what thy wil doth wel conâ—ent thâ—rto Thy holy words to feed our soules and natures wants supply For all our base vnthankefull hearts good Lord doe not deny Thy blessings Lord continue still and prouidence diuine And when we daily call on thee ô Lord to vs incline It is not wealth nor ophire gold that can enrich our neede Nor pleasant dainties that wee take that can our bodies feede It is thy blessing mighty Lord thy strong protecting arme That feeds defends thy children dears from penury and harme No desert wild nor person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famine sore Shall long oppressâ— thy children deare or quite cosume theiâ—â—…re The Rock the Rauen. Asses jaw and eke the Lyon strong Shall comfort yeeld vnto all those that to thy grace belong The little birds the dainty flowers are fed and cloth'd most gay And euery creature in his kind feeles thee most kind alway But we for whom this vniuerse all things in 't were sign'd Doe take thy gracious benefits and proue to thee vnkind For sinfull debts to Iustice due no payment can we make Eternall death our payment is vnlesse thou mercy take Compassion Lord haue thou on vs be thou a Father kind And seal'd to vs in Christ his blood let vs thy mercie find The blind the lame the dumb and they possest with deuils The leaprous sinfull stained soules were cured of their euils They sinned had thy counsell was they should not sinne againe O soules sole cleanser Sauiour deare our hearts from sinne restraine Small is the wrong that 's done to vs in body goods or name By friends or foes we them forgiue good Lord doe thou the same If comfort any we can yeeld when they beâ— in distresse Grant we for thee our loue to them may willingly expresse Although our many grieuous sinnes deserue thy ragefull ire Repenting hearts with mournefull soules and mercy we desire O let that precious blood of thine to vs be of such force That nothing from the loue of thee may euer vs diuorce Withdraw not Lord thy grace from vs when strong temptations are Lest grosse notorious shamelesse sinnes how fraile we be declare Make vs strong pillars in thine house thy name on vs engraue That neither Sathan sinne nor hell of vs the conquest haue Though sometime Sathan suffered is to try thy children all Defend them Lord succour them when they on thee shall call So shall the glory be thine owne the conquest be their gaine And Sathan with his engins all shall know he wrought in vaine The more assaults the Dragon makes in conscience or in mind The more that man if constant bee the strength of God shâ—ll finde That soule that sacrificed is by sharpe afflictions knife By faithfull sufferance to the end doth gaine a Crowne of life Most mighty and victorious Lord that hast the conquest gain'd Of all the foes of thee and thine that in the world remaine Let no temptations though full strong a captiue make of me But by thy strength and powerfull grace good Lord deliuer me O holy sacred Trinitie that art of â—…ll might Instrust direct inspire our hearts to pray to thee aright And whatsoeuer may aduance or glorifie thy name By gracious will and powerfull might coâ—…erre on vs the same Eternall King immortall God all kingdomes are thine owne Thy power wisedome and thy might to vs doth make thee knowne All honour glory praise and laude be rendered by all men Vnto thy sacred Maiestie for euermore Amen A Morning Meditation ALmighty God which hast me brought in safety to this present day Keepe me from sinne in heart and thought and teach me what to dâ—â— and say Prosper me Lord in all my workes helpe me with thy continuall grace Kâ—… 〈◊〉 from Sathan vile that lurkes â—… soule in euery place Almighty Lord and God of loue dirâ—ct mine heart and guide my wayes Amend my misse my minde remooue from all that from thy glory strayes Thou that of wisedome art true spring and fountaine of felicitie Let mercy meere my prayers bring by Faith in Christ to sight of thee Thou which art authour of all peace and the true louer of concord
Author and giuer of euery good and perfect gift looke downe vpon mee aâ— thou didst vpon Abimelech Abrahams seruant when he prayed vnto thee to guide and prosper him in the great trust that was committed vnto him in the choise of his Masters sonnes wife as thou wast pleased to heare him for his Masters sonne O Lord I beseech thee to heare me for my selfe Thou hast taught in thy Word that he that cannot abstaine let him marrie and that he that marrieth sinneth not that it is better to marrie then to burne in vnchast and vnbrideled lust and for auoyding of fornication let euery man haue his owne wife yea and that it is not good for man to be alone and woe to him that is alone In the beginning thou madest both male and female and didstordaine that for this cause man and woman should leaue father and mother and become one flesh and that hee that hath not the gift to abstaine should haue a care that he be not vnequally yoked but that he marrie in the Lord and thus to liue is a bed vndefiled and most honourable vnto all Wherefore O Lord I beseech thee to guide me vnto a wife and a vertuous woman for thou hast said that a vertuous woman is a crowne vnto her husband And though she bee comely and beautifull and therefore of many much desired yet O Lord guide mine eyes that I may not thus onely looke vpon a woman for thou hast said if shee haue not discretion she is but like a iewell in a swines snout not to be regarded But a wise woman buildeth her husbands house not onely with children but with her prouident care and discretion in the right gaining and a right vsing of the things of this world Vnto such a family O Lord direct my footsteps and keepe mee from the strange woman a contentious and angry woman the woman of brawling lips with whom there is no comfort nor content in this life to dwell neither for ciuill nor religious respects Heauenly Father if it be thy will for thou knowest what is better for mee then I doe my selfe graunt that the woman that I shall chuse and by thy prouidence thinke fit to take to wife may bee chast not onely of body but of spirit and adorned with the hidden man of the heart a meeke and quiet spirit and one who trusteth in God and delighteth in thee well reported of for good workes and loueth children one who in her wisedome affecteth modesty in all things as in her apparell and behauiour and is in her countenance sober and shamefast and one who delighteth in her home and loueth the affaires of her house and with watchfull eyes will be carefull for her children and seruants This O Lord though no way worthy I beseech thee to graunt vnto me houses lands or other portions of thy blessings thou hast appointed our parents to bestowe on vs but this blessing a wise chast sober and religious woman thou hast kept as a most speciall gift from thy selfe vnto vs and not in our parents or friends but thou bestowest it on him whom thou louest as a choise and most speciall fauour O Lord this is she that Salomon among many women could hardly finde yet graunt that I may finde her and being vnited in holy band may loue her both in sicknesse and in health O Lord graunt that I may walke with her as a man of knowledge readie in all things to teach and instruct her in thy commaundements as being heires together of the grace of life and make mee as truely to loue her as thou doest thy Church this great gift and chiefe blessing of this life I beseech thee if it bee thy will for the honour of thy Sonne to bestow vpon me Amen Amen The Uirgine or the Widdowes Prayer for a godly Husband ALmighty GOD the eternall Creatour of heauen earth the giuer disposer of all things that are done heere on earth Looke downe on mee thy sinfull Handmayd not worthy of any fauour spirituall or blessing temporall Yet O Lord I beseech thee to giue vnto mee thy seruant such wisedome that in all things I may be aduised by them whom thou hast appointed to haue care of my welfare and in nothing to bee so headstrong and aduerse as to follow my owne foolish and sinfull appetite and aboue all make me most dutifull in referring my selfe vnto the louing and carefull choise that my parents or guardians shall make in giuing me to an husband Heauenly Father graunt that they may not like of any without mee nor that I may choose any without them Direct them that they may chuse one in the Lord and that I may like him that is so chosen of them Let not my minde be so wanton as onely to like or dislike for want of beauty or comelinesse of person but if the feare of the Lord the beginning of wisedome appeare vnto mee graunt that I may perswade my selfe that hee is the man that thou hast appointed me O Lord I haue neither wit nor skill how to discerne or make an assured godly choise And thou knowest how cunning and subtill men are to entice and abuse my simple heart and how easily we are ouercome with their vaine complements and flattering words in which they promise much comfort and contentment but when their vnchast desires are satisfied how doe they cast off and scornfully and sinfully reiect those whom they haue abused and allured to folly so they leaue them to perish not onely in worldly misery through outward necessities but for want of teaching and instruction in the Lord Sathan falleth vpon them and through their weakenesse maketh them a prey vnto wickednesse But O Lord though their foule hearts are so deceiptfull that both I and my friends may be deceiued yet thou O Lord canst not be deceiued for thou art the searcher of the hearts and thou knowest what is in man therefore in this weighty worke in which consisteth my worldly weale or wee I doe onely O Lord cast my selfe on thee beseeching thee as thou gauest Euah vnto Adam a man then of innocencie and righteousnesse so thou wilt giue me an honest hearted man and one that truly loueth and feareth thee O Lord if thou haue appointed as is my desire that I shall marrie then I beseech thee send vnto mee a man of good behauiour of good report no extortioner no couetous person no chollericke no quarelsome person no drunkard not couetous of filthy and dishonest gaine no prodigall or vaine person no proud man no adulterer fornicatour whoremaster no swearer or blaspheamer no kinde of inordinate liuer no Papist nor Infidell no Hereticke Schismaticke no traytour vnto his Prince or Countrey no louer of the pleasures of this world either aboue or more than thee no hypocrite vnnaturall false-hearted person vnto mee his parents or friend heauenly Father for my Sauiours sake heare me in these my requests and graunt that if I shall marrie and