vs not forgitt it leaste God forgett vs. ALL possible thanks we giue vnto thee Oh Lord of mercy King of all the Kinges and kingdomes of the earth for that thou hast vouchsafed to place ouer vs thy little flocke of thys Realme so pure a guide of true religion Elizabeth by thine heauēly prouidēce our Queene vnder whom enioying the free libertie of the true seruice of thee we rest in a quiet estate bothe of bodie and minde We humbly pray thy fauourable regarde to beholde with mercifull eies the same thy seruant our soueraigne Lady and gouernes And so fructify her heart with the good graine of thine holye spirite that she alwayes inclined by the working thereof to the settinge foorth of thy worde may walke according to the truth of the same sincerelie that we thy seruants and vnder thee her subiects seeing her godly example may be ashamed to fall frō that due forme of honouring thy name which for thy glory shee hath through thy grace by the rule of thy worde prescribed vnto vs. Banish good Lord from her heart all ignoraunce and print therein perfect wisdome and knowledge of thine heauenly will giue her an obedient minde abounding withall humilitie towardes thy diuine maiestie Saue and defende her from the tyrannie of forraine power and authoritie and from all such as profesle not inwardlie vnfeyned zeale of thy Gospell giue her godlie Counsellors and such zealous and true harted ministers of thy wyl that she and we according to the trueth of euerye our seueral functions may truelie serue thee in this life and in the ende for euermore raigne with thee in thine heauenly kingdome for Iesus Christes sake our only Redeemer Aduocate and sweete Sauiour Amen Oh Lord increase our fayth A prayer for the Sunday morning Let labour passe let prayer bee This day the cheefest worke for thee AS the Lorde hath assigned vnto mā sixe dayes of seauen for his necessarie trauaile So hath he expreslie commanded Gen. 2. the seauenth to be hallowed and kept onely for the seruice of him wher in all busines sette aparte we should referre our selues to prayer to the hearing or reading of the worde of the Lorde without any vngodlie exercise at all wherfore as did Dauid Psal. 55. 6. euery day so let vs especiallie this day instantlie call vppon the name of the Lord and he will heare vs. And with Esay Esay 26. Let our soules with a longing desire in the night seeke vn to the Lorde and in the morning earelie call vppon his name so shall our dooings please him all shall goe well with vs. And especiallie vpon this day which the Lord hath reserued for the seruice of himselfe Nu. 1◠Punishing such euen with death who breake the same as appeareth in the booke of Numbers by him who was at the commaundement of the Lorde stoned to death for gathering stickes on the Sabaoth day Esay 56. Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabaoth day vndefiled seruing the Lorde in prayer Esay 58. Not in seeking his ownewil nor speaking a vaine word Pray that it may bee honoured and not abused dishonoured as it is least God the Creator of it and vs punish our disobedience OH almightye Father most wholesome protectoure keeper both of soules and bodyes of the faithfull I yeelde the humble and hartie thankes for defending sauing mee thy sinfull creature this night past and all my life hethervnto frō suddaine death and from other perrils daungers wher into my sillie soule and weake bodie are subiecte to fall And wherewith I am so besette that had I not beene preserued by thee it could not otherwise haue beene but my bodie had perished and my sillie soule beene carryed into eternall perdition But most sweete Lord my strong Castell defence my shield buckler my sure refuge and succour who hast continuall regarde of the safety of thy seruants that thou neuer sufferest them to bee ouercome with any kinde of euill nor to fall into any kinde of daunger vouchsase to forgiue me what soeuer I haue committed and doone against thy diuine will eyther sleeping or waking this night or anie time secretlie or openlie heeretofore by reason of the corruption which remaineth in me And vouchsafe that as I haue quietlie passed this night so I may enioy at thy merciful hands whatsoeuer thy fatherlie prouidence shall thinke meete and conuenient for mine owne and for the releefe of such as thou hast committed vnto my charge and gouernement Establish good Lorde within my weake feeble bodie strength to withstande all euill motions of the flesh all vngodlie desires of the minde worldlie vanities that I may feruentlie as I ought continuallie both in the morning and at night and at noone day yea and at all times and in all places truely serue thee without hypocrisie dissimulation or mallice And for thy mercies sake keepe mee this day and all the rest of my transitory life from suddaine and vnprouided death keepe my tongue and lips that I speake or vtter nothing which may be eyther vncomelie to be spoken or whereof may redownde hurt or hinderaunce to my selfe or others but that I may endeuoure as much as in me lyes to speake and vtter those thinges which may be to the setting foorth of thy glorie maintenaunce of peace and concorde and to the reducing such into the right way as wander and goe astray As for slaundering lying backbyting falsewitnes bearing enuie and such like good Lorde take vtterly from me And keepe mine heart and minde from the moste damnable sinne of murmuring against thee and from dyspayre that in all aduersities tribulations and troubles I may alwayes beare a patient contented faithfull and a thankfull minde with full perswasion that if thou suffer mine aduersaries being maliciousliebent against me to reuile me persecute me to molest or hurte me or if thou permitt either fire to consume me or my substaunce or any other casuall meane to diminish mine estate and stay of my liuing or if I sustaine losse of freendes sicknes of bodie or hurt of my limmes it proceedeth not but by thy diuine prouidence yea onelie of thy meere loue and fatherlie care which thou hast of mine amendment for nothing happeneth to those whome thou louest breede it within theyr weake mindes neuer so great greefe or fall it out neuer so contrary to theyr desires but it bringeth with it some secrete working for their good Wherefore in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ I most humbly beseeche thee that thou wilt vouchsafe to settle in mine heart such perfection of patience as what soeuer eyther this day or heereafter shall happen or befall vnto me I may accept it as a most wholesome medicine for my so deadlie disease of securitie and so in hope of thy louing kindnes and mercie to goe forwarde this day and all my life in perfect loue vnfeyned zeale and continuall obedience to thy will In hearing thy worde attentiuelie in reading the
freely taken away our synnes and sette vs downe the perfecte rule to directe all our actions and dooinges by the same which yet neuertheles continues harde and darke to such as neither by thy grace haue beene inlightened nor by the preaching of such as thou hast sent beene taught which also is of none effecte without thine especiall grace wor king to the true setling thereof within the bowells of the inner man for Lorde although wee heare with our eares wee can not conceiue it in our heartes nor showe it in conuersation without the especial woorking of thine holie spirite within vs. Oh Lord I thanke thee that thou haste vouchsafed vs to liue in the time wherein darknes and ignoraunce is so much defaced and superstition suppressed That thy trueth the word of life the seede of our saluation is bountifully distributed throughout this our Countrey to our vnspeakable comfort and greate terrour of such as hate the same Lorde I thanke thee that it hath pleased thee to feede vs at this time with the wholesome bread of life the heauenly Manna the word of eternall trueth wherewith graunt vs so to be replenished and fedde at full that we may loathe and abhorre all thinges which are not of the true table of our saluation the gospell of thy sonne Iesus Christ. But forasmuch Oh mercifull Lord God as wee may heare and not perceiue and reade and not vnderstand without the light of thine holy spirite guiding and instructing vs I humblie beseeche thee to inspire our heartes with a true vnderstanding of that which this day we haue hearde with our outward eares pronounced by the Messenger and Preacher of thy worde and graunt that it may so worke to the amendment of our liues and the increase of our faith feare and loue of thee continually abyding with vs and to our great comfort effectually worke in vs vnto our liues ende accepting the same at the mouth of thy messenger as deliuered euen by thine owne heauenly voice as indeede it is as long as it differeth not from thine holye worde and gospell giuing all the prayse and glory vnto thine owne selfe for he is but a Minister to declare thy will vnto vs who are the grounde and thy word the seede which beeing sowne in our hearts by this thy minister may not onely take some roote but grow vppe effectually to our comfortable edification and learning beeing so liuely and effectuall as it entreth euen into the diuision of the soule and spirite giue vs grace Oh heauenly God in this so pernicious a time of sectes scismes and daungerous controuersies that we may beare constant hearts carefull and deuoute mindes to the trueth auoyding with dilligence the perswasions of such as seeke to sette vppe superstition and to maintaine errours and vntrue doctrine And as the Niniuites at the preaching of Ionas repented their sinnes so giue vs grace not only to repent for a time but earnestly to bewaile our manifolde offences and wholie cleaue to fulfill the trueth of thy lawes to the saluation of our poore soules Let not sathan sweete Lorde at any time wrest thy trueth sowne in our heartes neither let him nor his ministers preuaile in sowing tares cockle or Darnell among the good Wheat of thy gospell as they continually seeke and desire to marre the Haruest of our good fruites which though they be fewe by reason of our owne corruption which we haue gathered by the hearing of thy ghospell yet sweete Lord vouchsafe to increase them by vertue of thine holie spirite working within vs. And let not our desire of seruing thee be either choaked or snared with the vnlawfull desires of this moste wretched worlde but rightly and truely discerning the trueth from false doctrine may vnderstand who are thy true ministers with earnest attentiuenes vnto the vtterance of thy wil by thē carefully warily auoyding the counterfeit barking of such as speake for their own benefit hauing further respect to their owne pleasure profit and commoditie then to the edifying of our poore soules whom thou resemblest to Wolues taking vppon them vnder the shaddow of simplicitie and feyned show of innocencie to guide thy flocke who indeede are moste detestable Hipocrites and deuourers of thy sheepe whom I beseeche thee to cutte off from that godlie and diuine function and office of preaching that thy trueth beeing at all times purely vttered by godly and deuout Pastours wee thy poore flock may for euermore be truely edified and continue within the Hardels of sincere conuersation and godlie liuing to the prayse of thy holy name and to the attainment of our heauenly inheritaunce for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake Amen O Lord increase our fayth and make vs euermore attentiue hearers true conceiuers and dilligent fulfillers of thy will Amen A short prayer to the like purpose OH Lorde vouchsafe that as of thy goodnes thou hast through thy sonne our Sauiour left for our learning and to our vnspeakable comfort the word of trueth the gospell of our saluation which none can learne vnlesse he be sent I humbly beseeche thee to giue me thy grace that as I haue heard the same at this time by thy minister and messenger So I may be able perfectly to retaine the same in the inner part of mine hearte according to the trueth and that I may expresse the same in my conuersation and life dooing all thinges according to thine heauenly will vnto my liues ende Amen Oh Lorde increase my faith A thankes giuing to God for his benefites Blesse thou the Lord that giueth blisse Heblesseth him that thankfull is BE thankfull vnto almightie God Ephe 5. for all thinges in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe who hath left vs a perfecte patterne of thankfulnes Mat 26. alwayes lifting vp his eyes vnto heauen giuing thankes vnto his heauēly father So must we beare alwayes a thankfull heart as a testimonye of our good wills for the benefites of God toward vs let vs pray alwayes 1. Thes 5. let vs alwayes reioyce without ceasing giue thāks for it is the will of God the father in hys sonne Iesus Christ towardes vs Saint Augustine breefely in this wise exhorteth vs to bee thankfull namely hartelye to say God be thanked A sweete sauour no doubt it is in the nostrelles of hys heauenly Maiestie and an acceptable sacrifice Chrisostome also willeth vs to giue thanks vnto the Lord and to blesse him yea although euill chaunces happen vnto vs and then shal those euills be taken away and on the contrary as it must needes follow he saies that if prosperous thinges happen vnto vs and we continue vnthankfull our prosperitie shalbe turned in to aduersitye So pure a balme and sweete odoure is giuing of thankes that the Lord taketh it as a moste acceptable recompence for all his benefites which as wee can not otherwise deserue let vs continually say the name of God be praysed Although it bea terme sometimes vsed of the wicked who haue their reward
vnto our heauenly father for whatsoeuer we want as did Iacob Gene. 28. who prayed for foode and apparell and obteyned it with aboundance God seeth before wee aske what we want and yet to show our dutiful obedience to acknowledg our helpe to come from hym wee must prostrate our harts be fore him in fayth asking and he will giue knocking and he will open seeking we shall surelie finde what we want Dut. 20. For God of his meere mercy feedeth the fatherles voucbsasing vnto them al good thinges wherefore whatsoeuer thou be pray faythfully vse the giftes of God thankfully and reuerenly and thinke not that thy freendes can helpe thee thy fruites satisfie thee or laboure preuayle thee without the blessing of God Tim. 6. wherby enioying foode and apparrell be therewith content and in any case dispayre not for the prouidence of God is great to giue foode and things necessary to such as trust in him And it is not daintye feare that feedeth so much as the trust in God can releeue with a small simple dyet as doth appeare in the 1. of Daniell by theÌ„ that were so well replenished with pulse and water OH almighty God and louing father who of nothing hast created all thinges liuing whose care is so great ouer them all that thou sufferest not the moste vile or symplest of them to perishe for want of foode and thinges requisite for theÌ„ but seeking the same at thy handes thou gyuest it them in due season And by thyne vnsearchable wysedome haste appoynted to euerye liuing creature an abyding according to his kinde But such was thine vnspeakable care of man whome thou hast created to thine own image that he is as a king and gouernour ouer all the rest of thy creatures whome thou haste sette appointed vnder him beeing so farre inferiour vnto him as where thou haste planted in him reason wysedome and gouernment in them brutishnes beeing altogether vnreasonable and where they liue haue there beeing vppon the tops of cold mountaines in desartes vpon hilles on hie and in vallies below and in sundry other vncouth and vnknowne places where tempest heate hardnes and colde and other continual dangers oppresse them thou hast giuen and prouided for man houses castelles and townes to preserue them from the force of windes tempestes and stormes and from the assaultes of wilde beastes of the fielde in the night and darknes quietly to rest And although born naked thou giuest him ray ment to couer and to clothe him hearbes for his vse and oyle to make him a cheereful and glad heart and ioyfull countenaunce Besides all this of thy meere goodnes haste giuen him the beastes of the fielde the fowles of the ayre and fishes of the sea to be his foode and sustinaunce yea Lorde such is thy fauour towardes man that all the rest of thy creatures thou hast ordeyned for his vse and seruice wherfore I thy sillie creature and worke of thine handes humblie prostrate my selfe in heart beseeching thee fauourably to looke downe vpon my necessitie and graunt me whatso euer thou seest necessarie for me euen a competent and necessarie portion heere not ouermuch least I wexe prowde or disdaine mine inferiors and if it be thy will vouchsafe vnto me not ouer little least vrgent necessitie driue me to ouer much care ouer much care carry me to vnlawful means so runne headlong into thy disâ—auor But fill my Baskett blesse my store Oh Lord that I may enioy at thy mercifull handes sufficieÌ„cie for my selfe for the releefe of such as thou hast coÌ„ mitted vnto my gouernment and for as much good Lord as all mine industry carke and care great trauaile can not any thing furder me releeue or satisfie me in my necessitie vnlesse thou vouchsafe therevnto good successe for thy mercies sake blesse me in all mine affayres blesse my fruites in the field my cattell and all other thinges belonging eyther to my selfe or any other thy seruauntes as by the fruites thereof I and they may be releeued Blesse the workes of mine handes that they may prosper blesse my sences that they wexe not dull but be alwaies capable of such thinges as belong vnto my vocation effectually to execute the same both according to thy lawes and the trueth of that which I take in hand for without thy blessing and fatherly furtheraunce I can not sufficiently execute neither can that prosper where vpon the whole state of my liuing and maintenaunce dependeth VVherefore good Lorde guide mine handes and blesse mine vnderstanding to the prosperous execution of all thinges concerning my vocation that I may gett those thinges which may be sufficient for the releese and maintenaunce of me and mine to the profit of my neighbours and glory of thy blessed name And what so euer dooth happen vnto me pouertye or ritches make me good Lord of a patient contented and thankfull minde that in aduersitie I runne not headlong into such meanes as are vngodlye neither in prosperitie wexe the prowder but waight thy good pleasure in them both with thankfulnes euer more liue in thee by thee in the end raigne with thee in heauen where thou sittest as Author and giuer of all thinges graunt this for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake to whom with thee and the holie ghost be all honour for euer Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth A prayer necessarie after the hearing of the word of God Attende vnto the Ghospell bright Heare it and reade and liue vpright Consider when thou hearest the worde of God preached it dooth but as it were beat thyne eares and rendereth no further benefitt vntyll by the workyng of GODS holye spyrite it bee inwardlye reuealed vnto thee For GOD by two meanes speaketh vnto vs namely by the Preacher whome hee sendeth to teache vs. And by hys holy Spyrite wherby hys doctrine is so setled in our heartes that we inwardly enioy the true benefit therof For wythout the helpe of the holye ghost the voyce of the preacher vanisheth and the hearers profite nothing at all S. Iohn saith That he that knoweth God heareth his word 1. Iohn 4. but he that is not of God heareth it not wherby the spirite of trueth is discerned from the spirite of error For the word of God is liuelie Heb. 4. and effectuall and pearceth more then a two edged sword entring euen into the diuision of the soule the spirite c. wherefore pray that as the Lorde sendeth his messengers to showe his will So you may both heare it vnderstand it purelie liue thereafter pray for fayth For without fayth Heb. 4. the hearing of the word profiteth nothing OH heauenlye Father who hast not onely vouchsafed to make vs to thine owne image and likenes but also to sende thy sonne Iesus Christe into this worlde for our saluation and hast by him not only giuen vs knowledge of thy diuine will heere on earth and lefte it for our learning But also
in vs hauing yet a longing desire Let vs then in hart faythfully say Oh Lord increase our faith and let vs bee occupyed in continuall contemplation of heauenly thinges and no doubt but dulnes will soone vanish and the spirit haue his effecte for it is not the tongue onely or lippes that maketh the sacrifice of prayer sweete and acceptable to God but an humbled minde a contrite and sorrowfull spirit declyning from sinne and inclyning to God wherefore it behooueth vs vnder the burden of our sins with Dauid to groane in heart saying wee haue sinned we haue doone amisse we haue dealt wickedly and in the name of that seconde Adam let vs pray for power to tread the fruites of the first Adam vnder our feete for of our selues we are weake we are of no force to remooue that is euill or to imbrace and follow that which is good but all what good is commeth from God to whom we ought at all times to bend our repentaunt heartes and pray him for his sweete and welbeloued sonne Iesus Christes sake to shew vs and guide vs by the working and direction of his holy spirite the right pathe vnto the kingdome of heauē that all things as wel ghostly as bodely may be ministred vnto vs. It were superfluous to make any great collection of proofes of the singuler effect of this most excellent practise of earnest faythfull prayer for praying in the name of Christ he shall obteyne whatsoeuer hee knoweth needefull for vs examples whereof are infinite wherefore omitting further discourse I haue sett before euery perticuler prayer certaine godly motions vnto the prayer following the rather to induce and stirre vppe the godly minded to the vse thereof hoping by his assistāce by whose these small fruites haue proceeded to performe the execution of my small Tallant to a further benefit of others heereafter It resteth now right worshipfull to pray your fauourable pardon for presuming to publish the same vnder your good acceptaunce not standing in deede long in suspence to whose handes firste to committe my trauaile But your woonted clemencye wisedome and zeale soone stirred my willing minde to present it vnto your selues dismaid at nothing but at the simplenes of the painetaker onely who beeing in all respectes poore presenteth this day a poore gift praying pardon for his boldnes and lawfull fauour at your handes for his rewarde And though many be the precious giftes that this day passe from one to another and they tende but as the smallest and simplest to the remembraunce of the newe yeere I most humbly beseech your worships willingly to accept this handfull of cold water flowing from the fountaine of the well of life which gift as it is not mine so I craue but contentation at your hands wylling enterteinment of the simple messenger the presentor heerof with him to giue thanks to the heauenly giuer In whom as all wisdome consisteth so I humbly pray hym to instill into our hearts that water of heauenly life his holy spirite to direct vs al to perfect perfection in heauēly things for his sons sake in whose name I hartely wyshe you as a whole happy new yeere many heereafter to his wil so new ioyes heere and in the end eternall ioyes of eternall blisse Westminster 22. December Your worships bound and obedient Seruaunt Iohn Norden Meditationes siue sententiae piae de huius vite fragilitate et de vita eterna secundum ordinem Alphabetarij in nomen Henrici Knyuet militis H HEC est voluntas Domini vt omnes qui videt filium eius credit in eum habeat vitam eternam Ioh 6. E Estote parati quia filius hominis veniet in hora qua non putatis Luk. 18. N Nolumus nos ignorari fratres de dormientib vt non contristemini sicut et ceteri qui spem non habent 1 Thes. 4. R Recordatus est dominus quia puluis sumus homo sicut foenum dies eius tanquam flos agri sic efflorebit Psal. 102. I In imagine pertransit homo sed et frustra conturbatur Thezaurizat et ignorat cui congregabit ea Psal. 38. C Cuncti dies nostri dilabuntur Annos nostros finimus dicto citius Psal. 89. V Vniuersa vanitas omnis homo viuens Psa. 83 S Statutum est ominbus hominibus semel mori post illud autem iuditium Heb. 7. K Kahos hulus mundi in principio formauit Deus et statuit iterum semel perire cum omnibus in eo continentibus Gen 1. N Nihil intulimus in mundum nec offerre quicquid possumus 1. Tim. 6. I Illi serui beati quos cum venerit dominus inuenirit vigilantes Luk. 18. V Vita nostra quid est vapor est ad modicum patens deinceps exterminabitur Iam. 4. E Eccemensurabiles posuit dies nostros dominus et substantia nostra tanquam nihilum ante illum Psal. 38. T Traditus est Christus propter dilicta nostra et resurrexit propter iustificationem nostram Rom. 4. Certaine godly precepts Alphabetically sett downe vppon the name of the right worshipfull the Lady Elizabeth Kniuit E Endure temptations patiently L Liue as thou mayst liue eternally I Imbracing trueth vnfeynedly Z Zealously and freely A Aske God mercy heartely B Beware of euill warely E Endure all crosses willingly T Trust in GOD faythfully H Heare his word attentiuely K Know him thy maker rightly N None helpes but hee effectually Y Yeelde him prayses dayly V Vse his gifts reuerently E Embrace them thankfully T Take all thinges of him ioyfully A godly motion to awaken the heartes of such as sleepe in securitye by the Lady Anne Kneuet A Arise Oh sinfull soule in haste lye not in slumber still N Now time beginnes to fly full fast to make his finall will N Now come the dayes of wofull sights or now the dayes of blisse E Eternall ioyes the lost shal see feele paines who doo amisse K Knock now or neuer at thy brest thou soule that liest secure N Neglect not time for tune doth paste tho time for aye endure E Eche 〈◊〉 that hopes to haue good hap that happy life hath led V V 〈…〉 shall hap the same when cleiesh corps are dead E Exchange thy choise of worldly weale for heauenly harbor heer T Too late to turne when Trumpet soundes final flames appeare The Printer to the godly Reader I Craue thy fauourable pardon Gentle Reader for sundry faultes past in the impression and thine owne willing amendment of them in reading as they are heerevnder corrected The cause of so many committed was that the Author could not haue the examination of the proofes therof But at the next impression more care and dilligence shalbe giuen by the grace of GOD whose grace I wish to direct thee Amen Leafe Page Line Fault Correction 4 2 25 thy busines my busines eodem eodem 26 my blessing thy blessing 9 1 18 to y e sanctetie the sanctetie 10