teares it repenteth me that euer I sinued against thée I fall flat to the earthe before thée confessing my sinnes vnfainedly my weakenesse and infirmitie for I haue most greuously offended thée my conscience therein accuseth me crie yet with true saithe vnto thée Mercie good Lord mercie with thankes giuing and extolling thée for thine infused grace vppon me And I pray thée moste humblie O my God of all mercie to continue thy fatherly affection the encreasing of thy grace and strength of thy spirit vpon me to helpe to directe and comfort me vnto the ende and in the ende in all my temptations troubles weakenesse and infirmities bothe of bodie and minde Least sathan as I said preuaile and confound me the tickling pleasures of this world deceiue me and the olde man my wretched flesh which is not yet subiect to the spirite do master me againste all which I must arme my self stande to the battaile continually fighte bolde out at the swoordes pointe offer the pricke driue backe chase ouerthrowe wound and confounde whilest breath shall holde in this wretched body yea I say wretched in déede being compassed with so many calamities and infinite miseries for the which cause O Lord I craue alwayes thy mightie power in my weakenesse I make my mone haste thée nowe to helpe me O strengthen me graunte me thy presence stande by me encourage me to fight manfully that by thee I may amaze the enemies put them fast to flight gette the victorie triumphe before thée and extoll thée in thy great might mercie nowe and for euer through Iesus Christ our Lord who liueth and raigneth with thée and the holy Ghost in all honoure and glory worlde without ende Amen II. To dvvell in the seruice of God to haue the world and the pleasures thereof in cōtempt and to striue daily against them with the armor of rightuousnesse FOr as muche O almightie God as we are all warned by thine holye Apostle Iohn not to bée louers of thys euyll world nor the vain pleasures therof bicause bothe the one and the other come vtterly to naughte and that also to be a louer of the world is to be an hater of thée to slip from thy will and from the presence of thy maiestie as one that regardeth thée not knowes thée not neither séeke to know thée but startle aside from thée forsaketh the right way and entreth of will the perrillous way full of hidde thistles thornes briers brambles venemous wormes and serpentes linking also thē selues into the amitie league and seruice of the moste sleightie hatefull and deadly enemie the proude Prince of this worlde who for a time by Gods permission is brokē lose and rageth in his course roareth and fighteth cōtinually against the Soule of man who entangleth only his owne to their vtter ouerthrowe with the vaine pleasures thereof euen with the delightes in effect but of one houre and with the encreasing of sorowes for manye yéeres I beséeche thée O thou king of all holinesse whose seruice is most highe most happie most sure most healthfull wealthful heauenly perpetuall perfecte selicitie and freedome which seest the weakenesse inconstancie greate miserie and necessitie of me thine humble seruaunt the outrage also power of my cruel aduersaries graunt me sufficiencie of thy grace strengthe of thine holy spirite that by vertue thereof I may be directed in the way wherin I should walke my pathes made straite and my foote stedfast alwayes to withstande the euil attemptes of the moste wicked and the outwarde glittering gloryes of this sinful and vain world and not yéelde my minde to the pleasures comforts of the same as a childe of vanitie enclosed therin for the time as in a deepe dungeon of daunger and of deadly darkenesse founded vppon a sandie and rotten soile very olde ruinous sore shaken and readie at euery momente to fall throughe age vppon me but to be otherwise staide by thine holy and mightye arme pacientlie in the meane season to abide thy will to lay my foundation sure to be sober and watchfull ouer all daungers to stretch forth mine handes to the battaile to strengthen mine armes like a bow of stéele that vnder thy protection power I may manfully resist all hurtful euilles and the assaults of the wicked and stand stably to my profession in thy holy seruice wherunto thorow thy grace I am called to the ende that by thine only helpe I should do the workes of rightuousnesse O thou rightuous Lorde and God of my strengthe which haste made me which hast conserued me and arte moste louing and carefull ouer me I putting mine only hope and confidence not in the holy Angels celestiall spirites blessed Sainctes in heauen or good men héere in earth but only in thée suffer me not to be tempted aboue my strengthe or to be ouerwhelmed of mine owne cōcupiscēce but in the midst of temptation make thou a way for me to escape with ioy Thou O God art only omnipotent moste gratious ful of al goodnesse faithfulnesse and truthe fulfil therfore thy promisses towardes me most merciful Lord thou God of truthe Put vppon me thine whole armor of rightuousenesse O thou God of mighte and true holinesse that by thy power I may be strong against all aduersaries for I wrestle not as thou knowest against flesh and blud in this life but against rule against power and againste worldly rulers of the darknesse of this worlde and againste spirituall wickednesse in heauenly things by whome without thine heauenly power I stande euer in hazarde to eternall destruction bothe of body and soule For which cause I say O my swéete God arme me strongly strengthen me in my weakenesse and make me stoute that in this christen chiualrie I may stand perfecte in all things before thée and not slippe by cowardise or inconstancie from thy faithful seruice but fight vnder thy banner vntil the last breath couragiously putting mine euemyes to flight and cary away with triūph a glorious victorie ouer them So shall it come to passe that thorowly running this so shorfe a race in my holy calling as a puissant warrior in thy most high and excellent seruice with lawfull striuing and with violent plucking towards me thine heauenly kingdome I shall in the ende perfectly sée it and possesse it and shall receiue in mine hands a Palme of victorie vppon mine head a Crowne of glory prepared the hidde Manna also and a white stone wherein is written a newe name which no man knoweth sauing only the receiuer of it who shal serue thée thou great God of heauen in the moste sacred state of true holinesse perfecte frée dome excellencie dignitie and equalitie with thine holy Angels and al blessed Saincts in euerlasting felicitie Graunt this mine humble petition O Lorde for thy greate mercies sake So shall I here and in eternall blessednesse extoll and magnifie thy glorious name Amen III. For the humble
of obedyence from the hearte and for Goddes sake but fall of will moste wickedly and as bonde slaues into the sinne of hatred contempte murmuring grutching conspiring rebelling and into innumerable suche like as men being wholely giuen ouer to a wicked will runnyng headlong into all kinde of mischeefes whereby we become as resectes and caste awayes from thy glorious fauoure we purchase thy displeasure thou 〈◊〉 our treacheries the cursse of the people shall fall vpon vs the spoile of the innocentes and theyr bloud shed shall crie for vengeance against vs our dayes shal be shortned our offspring and family ashamed vtterly confounded contempned and for euer brought to naught O gratious God graunt therefore that we may euer regarde thy wil be mindefull of thy statutes feare thy indgements and consider with our selues oure christian obedience and duetie towardes aucthoritie walking humbly in oure vocation before thée to the vpholdyng of peace to the contenting of aucthoritie to render vnto them their duetie to the benefiting of oure Country to the blessing of our posteritie and to remember also with this assured persuasion that whether so euer we turne oure selues in thus life we shall not aptly finde rest in any place if we be seditious mischéeuously inclined traiterous conspirators or rebellyous for thy iudgements will still folow vs thy swoorde shall deuoure vs and cruel messengers shall be sente againste vs as of many we haue both herd read and oft times knowne amōgst vs For thou O Lord in the feruor of thy zeale neither canst nor wilte suffer the higher powers so to be disobeyed or vnnaturally spurned against but thou wilt by thy iustice sée it sharpely reuenged as the offence verily committed against the persone of thine eternall maiestie Giue vs grace therfore O heauenly father we humbly beséeche thée to way reuerently thy will in thy woord and accordingly to liue in all subiection to the higher powers to pray daily most hartily for them as for the apte instrumentes of thy grate and furtherers of thy glory at these dayes of true lighte that thou wilt touche daily deepely all their harts with the finger of thine heauenly grace that thy principall spirite may for euer possesse them and that thy blessings also may daily abounde bothe vpon them vpon vs and vpon oure posteritie as vpon the childrē of true obedience peace and humblenesse to our reioying and praising of thy glorious name vntill the ende of this life and for euer thorowe Iesus Christe oure onely Lorde and Sauioure Amen X. For the Queenes moste excellenre Maiestie for hir Honourable Councelloures hir whole Court or familie O Almightie God and father of all mercie which gratiously gouernest moste wisely rulest and aboundantly blessest héere vppon earthe thy great Congregation the pillar and grounde of truthe the flocks of Christe thine holy Churche the Spouse of Christe the elect vessels of thy mercie thine whole householde and familie whose God of mercie thou only art throughoute all generations and helper in all oure néedes and necessities and haste appointed therein by thy diuine ordinaunce temporall rulers Princes and Magistrates to rule and gouerne thy people according to equity and the rule of rightuousnesse for the aduauncement of the good and pumshmente of the euill and hast also al their harts in thine holy hand to direct sanctiste and gouerne them after thine owne will to the godly example of others and to set foorthe amongste them thy glory haue mercy vpon thy seruant Elizabeth our noble and most gracious Quéene in the excellencie of hir most high calling holy seruice and of greate charge before thée in thy sanctified Churche that as hir heart specially being truely directed in thy sight by the spirit of light and truthe to the true knowledge perfect obedience and ready furtherance of thy will with all christian diligence and seruencie as aboue all things best behooueth hir moste gratious and royall maiestie that the rather in all other hir necessities shée may at all times be moste assuredly blessed by thée releeued comforted strengthened mightely defended and deliuered bothe in body and soule so also the honorable hir beloued graue and prudente Counsellors faithful ministers vnder hir whole familie may euery of them in their degrée christian vocation or faithfull seruice duetifully waie with them selues the vertue of their charge straight bande and profession before thée séeking truely vnder hir highnesse for thy glorye and hir honoure the fruteful knowledge of thy lawes that in theyr state of great excellency right worshipful calling meane state or inferioure ministerie whether of the Cleargie as they are termed or of the laitie they may haue the feare and true obediēce before their eyes framing vnfainedly all their affections their actions and dueties by the only rule of thy woorde of life walking vprightly therein holily and religiously in thought woorde and déede with vndesiled pure and peaceable consciences to the daily edifying encouraging and strengthening of all others that thereby hir whole Court or Princely family being through fulnesse of vertue and thine heauenly wisedome wōderfull to beholde woorthily noted of all delighted in of all and moste highly commended of al may be of all moste dearely beloued highly estéemed ioyfully receiued thankefully vsed practised and folowed as a moste precise patron of all perfect and true pietie as a very brighte large and cleare shining light déeply piercing inwardly quickening farre extending and reaching ouer al or as a cleare sountaine or quick springing water descending from an high most beautifull to looke on most pleasant to taste on very dilectable most necessary helthfull and comfortable common to all swiftly running towardes all and embraced of all and into al partes belonging to hir highnesse or round about hir wherby through the puritie healthfulnesse clearnesse cleannesse fulnesse therof al hir people and others drawing to thē selues and tasting abundantly of the same may long be preserued healthfully norished vpholdē in vortue in true religion honestie all the dayes of their liues that in stead of thy terrible iudgemēts and wrathfull indignations due vnto all for disobedience contempt and sinfulnesse thy moste gracious fatherly blessings as swéete dews from heauen may alwayes most comfortably fauourably with spéede and abundantly light both vpon hir highnesse vpon hir Nobilities whole Courte and whole Countrey to thine only honoure praise and glory euen in the sight and faces of all hir and our ennemies that they may plainely sée it may be ashamed of their errour of their darknesse wilful madnesse great disobedience wicked attēptes and contemptes and may be more mindefull of thée thou greate God of rightuousnesse séeke most gladly in truthe to knowe thée to feare thine holy name to be conuerted vnto thée and to blesse wyth vs in rightuousnesse al the dayes of their liues thorow thy son Iesus Christ and for his sake our only sauioure our only mediatoure and aduocate Amen XI Against vaine hope and
Of whiche truth the Apostle thus wryteth vnto thee that without al contradiction she must nedes be vnto thee either the sanoure of life vnto life or the sauoure of death vnto death Such iudgemēt will truth haue ouer thee and stand in full effect there will be no meane but to be either with thee or else flatly againste thee as it shall truely finde thee at thy fal frō this life there wil be no daliāce it will for euer saue thee or eternally damne thee how so euer thereof thou makest thine account or leanst of will to the contrary with thy very blinde wicked and peruerse hart Feare therfore harken to the truth in time haue sure confidence in truthe thine helper is at hand be and the truth are one he is grateful he is faithful dout thou not double not nor wilfully withstand not the offred graces of thy mylde master thy iust Lord and moste louing God and be not before him and in the presence of his holy Angels vnprepared or a dallier a man indifferent a slacke Simme a drousie one a lyngrer a double deaier a wanton or a carelesse one among the reiectes and wretches of this worlde that in their coldenesse darkenesse hopelesse houeryng vayne deuising wilfulnesse tolitie forgeifulnesse contempte of God and Godlynesse tempteth so hygh so magnificent terrible great God of maiestie most deadlily to danger them elues who diuersly in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye is able by his iustice to destroy thee to cracke sodainely in sunder the thred of thy life to twine strōgly the cordes of thy perdurable eternal death Therfore as he ought in his mightinesse of euery wighte to be feared so he shold not of any one either presumptuously or vainely be tempted But for thy part obey him in his will and suffer him with all pacience to try thee through aduersitie cōmitting thy selfe wholely vnto his only wil mercy for surely he will beholding in thee the power of saithe not suffer thee to be tempted aboue thy strengthe or yeelde thee so farre to fall but with his owne right hand will raise thee quickly vp againe And I exhorte thee also to take heede that thou possesse not in his sight at any time an vnstayed ofte wauering and winde shaken hart through Sathans blustrings stormie and tempestuous blastes stirred vppe daily and hourely againste thee and that by Goddes permission for good least by thine impaciencie diffidente trembling and sore shakes of thine vnchristen inconstancie thou be sodainly turned to thy shiftes put to thy faultie flight and so be dispossessed of thy verie healthful safe and most sure holde or else spoiled with reproche of thy christen armor or be occasioned by desperate pursute to starte from the face of the ennimie to stacker fearfully at his offered blowes and in hazarde to take hurt by some dangerous and sodain fal◠greatly to dishonor thee before Christe thy captaine and with him infinite armies of heauēly soldiors whose tents to encourage thee are pitched round about thee I say therefore vnto thee O Christian stand thou cherefully to thy charge in all things and defende manfully thine owne dismaie thee not J say for the Lorde God him selfe will be thy defender and keeper and wil stand by thee to strengthen thee and to deliuer thee from all daungers And if legions of diuels should copasse thee trench thee in round about plant their power and bēd forcibly their shot agaynst thee well may they threatningly thunder far frō thee rore rattle and rumble in the aire ouer thee tumble terribly about thee parche something thy tender skin and wonderfully in such sort amase thee yet shall they not preuayle agaynst thee hurte any member of thee or once remoue thy fast fixed soote but shalt stād sure fer euer euen as the highe mightie steadie and strong mounte Sion for Gods arme stayeth thee who by his power hathe ouercome the diuell euen the great diuell Sathanas him selfe he holdeth him at will by his infernall chaynes his whole cursed armie also hell gates and al the powers of hell O praise therfore thine almightie God exalt his glorious name for euermore watche and pray continually pray with vnderstāding pray at al times and in al places as his holy spirite shall moue thee for the vpholding of thee and for the auoyding of the engins sleights and tēptations of the enimies that God himselfe may be pleased thy soule strēgthned the diuels chased vāquished or put to flight And when thou prayest deceiue not vaynly thy selfe be not blinded with the proud Pharisie in thine owne conceite boasting of thy righteousnesse in the presence of God neither glorying in any thing for he throughly beholdeth thee and seeth that truely in thee euen thy secrete and hidde sinnes a masse of all abhomination as thou oughtest chiefly therein to be thine owne iudge But humble thy self before him with the penitent and poore wretched Publicane confessing thy sinnes and wickednesse and feare not then to attayne grace through suche true faith hūblenesse Moreouer forget not that as God is a moste highe heauenly and diuine substance and a spirite of al goodnesse and truth so wil he also of thee be spiritually worshipped praysed and prayed vnto euē in the truth by the word of truth and frō the depth and bocome of thine hart This also I put thee in remēbrāce of a thing greatly requisite that in the tyme of thy prayers which thou daily consecratest to god be they more or lesse long or short thou be not withdrawen with the snarling suggestions secret twitches inward motions or wylie sleightes of the enimie Sathan thorough the abuse of thy senses and outwarde bodily members as thine eyes thine eares and suche like that whilest thy tongue onely oft babbleth and vaynely wastest muche breath thine hearte whiche God chiefely respecteth and dothe very gladly desire bee fardest off and bee moste vaynely turned another way gretly to displease him to vexe sore thine owne conscience and to make vtterly frustrate al thine attempts or importune sutes of greate necessitie This I say also vnto thee If thou desire to be the child of God and voyde of al doubts so in dede to be fauour frō thy hart Christ thy forerunner and sauiour by whose onely grace thou arte adopted the childe of god Make not towards him thy fidelitie crased mingled or patched let it goe soundly and al whole togither both frō thy body thy soule Let him alwayes enioy frō thee the whole perfect mā the man regenerate new borne and made by his spirit the child of light ful of agilitie and liuelinesse whose soule mounting with felicitie still vp to the heauens is there resident with Chryst the sauiour and alwayes conuersant in heauenly things And let him also bee euermore vnto thee thine onely whole ful perfect and sufficient redemer ear nest petitioner and ready pacifier of the diuine fury against thee for al causes who with
thee and of good heart come towardes thée wilt thou turne thy face away from me and not cheare me with thy comfortable swéete countenance As I am constrained and by thy swéete allurementes persuaded or rather enforced beholdyng myne owne imperfection to come vnto thée that arte altogither perfecte euen so arte thou by thy large promisses bounde to accept me Thou diddest say If I shall once be exalted I will then braw all things vnto me Thine exaltation vppon the crosse O Lord hath bene as I beleeue long since perfourmed as also thy rising againe from deathe and thine aftention into heauen These things therefore thus truly of thée performed and finished I requyre thee O Iesu to draw me vnto thée as thou by thy promisse arte moste iustly bounde I knowe thou arte not angrie or at the leaste not at destance with me for seeing thou haste commaunded me that I be not at hatred with mine enemie I can not doubt but that thou thy self also kéepest truely this thy swéete commaundement and so much the rather to be perfourmed of thée as thou arte more able than I to expresse the vse of charitie Thou cāst not say that thou art not bounde to loue me alleaging that I am thine ennemie or that I haue done thée manifolde iniuries which I muste needes moste truely confesse for if by thy precept of charitie thou hast straightly bounde me to loue myne enemies to doe them good to helpe them in their néede and to pray vnto God for them I know right wel that in thus doing thou arte muche more bounde than I. Wherefore if thou wilt not loue me as thy frend loue me yet at the leaste as thyne enemie doe me good help me in my necessities and pray to thine heauēly father for me as thou art in dede moste bound to doe I doe assuredly know that thy vertue thy goodnes and thine heauenly charitie is not so small nor so stenderly planted in thée that it will suffer it selfe to be ouercome of mine extreme vnkindnes or naughtinesse no how greatly so euer it aboundeth Thy commaundement chargeth me that I in any wise suffer not my selfe to be vanquished by the malice of my enemies and wilte thou suffer thy solfe to be ouercome by my diffrétship leudnesse This verily hathe no likenesse of truth in it Thou hast taught and commaunded me that I with doing good to mine enemies do ouercome and vāquish their malice and I then require thée O my mercifull Lord and onely sauicure that thou also thy selfe obserue this diuine precept and commaundemēt of God thy father as thy godly nature bindeth thée Paie thy debte I pray thée that is vanquish my vain stoutnesse my wickednesse great malice with the vertue of gentlenesse and with thy most bounteous and plentifull goodnesse And if I haue an harte before thée hardened as the Adamant rock or Diamond breake it then or mollifie it I beseeche thee with the piercing moysture of thy moste pretious bloude O stéepe mine heart well therein souple it make it softe and temper it with the moisture of thy grace O lette thy Spirite then for euer possesse me henceforthe assiste me and be my moste gratious and good guide that I may vntill the ende obey thy moste holy wil. O woorke mine harte a newe after thine accustomed manner and according to thy good promisses of olde And if thou answeare that thou hast many times mercifully for giuē me and that thou therefore wilte looke no more vppon me or harken to my sute I answere If thou gauest Peter in commaundemente that he should pardon his enemies not seuen times onely but seuentie times seuen times that is alwayes and as often as they shall offende him It foloweth then that thou also arte so muche the more bounde héerein than I for as much as thou doste excéede me and all men in all charitie and specially bicause that I haue sinned not of any deadely malice but thorowe ignorance and frailtie and for that bothe I and others sawe not rightly the maiestie of him whome we so offended neyther coulde we make a right viewe of the goodes which we did lose nor of the euils in which we daily did incurre But thou peraduēture wilt yet say I haue giuen thée such plentie of lighte and true doctrine by sending my faithfull preachers and ministers these many yeres vnto thée that thou art now without excuse and thy faulte inexcusable Agaynst this doo I yet replie that euen to the Iewes thy peculier people thou gauost suche lights to sée and such knowledge to perceiue what thou was that they were yet inexcusable as thou thy selfe dyddest say And notwithstanding this thou beeing in triumphe vppon the Crosse diddest make their excuse and prayed for them saying that in putting thée to that cruell death they knew not what they dyd In consideration of which things seeing thou art myne onely aduocate myne onely Sauiour my God and dearely beloued of thy father my trust is in thée that thou wilt haue mercy vppon me and pray for me O pray for me therefore I beséeche thee make myne excuse to thyne and myne heauenly father O saue thou me and then shall I bée safe And if thou wilte yet lay to my charge O thou iuste God that I haue with earnest stoutnesse and rebellion offended thée myne answere agayne vnto thée is whych séest the secrotes of myne hearte that in so dooing I haue doone it not wilfully and of malice but rather of frayltie or through feruencie of zeale with all singlenesse of heart to seeke onely thy glory Wherein through wante of knowledge and the true lighte of thy holy Cospell I haue disobediently and stubbornly committed iniquitie but yet not in suthe wyse as doth the damned reprobate fixedly of wylfull malice or as an hater of thée who by all possible meanes séeketh thy dishonour and falleth with al gréedynesse from iniquitie to iniquitie Therefore I doubte not but suche zeale or frayletie ioyned with simplenesse is pardonable before thée through the gretnesse of thy mercy yea it is so much the more to the furtherance of thy glory o Christ rather than the only offences committed of meere simplicitie when the largenesse of thy mercyes so bountifully floweth from thee Yea and I know assuredly that throgh thy goodnesse and feruent charitie thou act inforced to vanquishe and vtterly ouerthrow my weakenesse wickeonesse malice and blindnesse euen to the pardoning of all from the firste to the laste that hathe beene amisse For if the iuste bloud of Abell called to God for vengeaunce agaynst his brother to hys condemnation and preuayled I know that thy bloud muche more effectually calleth to saluation and calling obteineth aboundaunce of Gods mercies for me Saue me therefore O my Lorde and swéete Iesu according to thy promyses and bonde of great charitie against the whiche neither thou oughtest nor canst resiste O saue me I beséeche
hearing apte receiuing keeping and continuing of the vvoorde of God amongst vs. COnsidering o thou God of al holinesse that the certainetie of oure Christian faithe standeth by the Scryptures or immoueable woorde of thy truthe which as thy messenger procéedeth from thee by thy gratious inspiration or secreate brething wherunto as vnto a seast royal euery man of al nations vnder heauen are called but are of thy Church only receiued and deuoutly vsed to the instruction confirmation strengthening and establishing of thine only faithfull true flocke and be as thy blessed Apostle calleth them sacred and holy birause they be heauenly moste precious diuine healthfull and comfortable to the soule excelling all the wisedom of Philosophers and the vainly wise of this world and be therefore in their high power and maiestie woorthily aboue all aduanced segregate and put aparte by them selues from all other wrytings of prophane matters and the flitting descriptions of men not onely pertaining to this present worlde and for the vse of this temporal life but also from all Ethnicke superstitians salse woorshippings wicked sacrifices and erronious opinions vsed contrary to thy woord against thée the only eternal and true God which by lying custome and crueltie are corruptly crepte into thy Church to the foule féeding filling defiling and poisonning therof and is yet daily occasioned therby wout thy grace to be sinisterly drawne and seduced straying frō the right way and haled to death by will in oure selues from the life that is in thée euen to eternall death and destruction we beséeche thée moste humbly O thou gracious God to enspire vs with thy holy spirite of truthe to kindle in all our hartes the fire of thy loue light and truth that by thy power in them oure faithes may be strengthened oure soules also humbled rightly ledde and instructed in thy word of loue light truthe and of eternall life by vertue wherof at our first entrāce to Christ our high Pastor we may truely vnderstande our profession and promisse in holy baptisme and haue it accordingly wrytten with thy finger of grace in our hartes to the true knowledge of thy law and the spiritual vnderstanding therof to loue thée moste woorthily aboue all and our neighbor as our selues as also to knowe the promisses of thy mercie in thy sonne oure Sauiour Iesus Christ most soundly and purely as thy holy word expresseth therein whereby we may be well vpholden and zealously staide in our profession to treade our pathes right to be guided by the true light to heare gladly the voice of oure shepheard Iesus Christe to testifie his name to folowe him the onely true lighte and not to feare the powers of darknesse but to ouercome them by thy mighte although euen with the losse of our liues not only the dalyings dimme deuises and vanities of the wicked and to shun all suche hatefull enemics as are vsuall mockers daily deprauers sinnefull despisers wilfull impugners wicked seducers double dealers backe sliders pluckers back from thy word but also the sleights of their father Sathan the enticements of the worlde and the filthie motions of the fleshe And to that happie ende O Lorde we may be constant and thy woorde euer abide in vs stirre vs vp to continuall and hartie prayer quicken our zeale woorke in vs a true liuely quicke and frutefull faithe that it being a bright shining light in our hartes to the expelling of all Hipocrisie cloudinesse darknesse and erroure and also our conuersation being answerable to our profession the continuance of thy grace may stil comfortably shine vppon vs thy holy woorde may continue amongste vs may be truely preached vnto vs diligently boldly and zealously vttered ouer al and by al the ministers thereof by what occasion time and place so euer it be for vnto vs that shall be saued it is a thing moste precious and holy It is the woorde of life the woorde of reconciliation the lanterne vnto oure féete and a light vnto our pathes the fountaine of wisedome the breade of life the foode of the soule thy mightie power and swoorde of the spirite And for as much O heauenly father as thy woordes thus to vswarde come from heauen are spirite and life and are not to be wayed with the vaine imagination policie wisedome or witte of man nor yet to be applied vnto the hurtfull pleasures of this sinnefull worlde but to be moste holily and highly estéemed moste humbly had in credite reuerently thought vppon gladly inclined vnto heard with silence and receiued with all modestie ghostly gréedinesse we humbly beséeche thée that as thou haste euer heeretofore ben the only gratious director instructor and teacher of thy holy Patriarks and Prophets Apostles and holy fathers from time to time from the beginning and amongste al men for thine electes sake in Iesus Christe continuest yet so still vntill this day O traine vs vp also in thine heauenly knowledge we pray thée prepare our harts teach vs thy law and wryte thy woordes of life in the tables of oure heartes that in these our monstrous dayes of moste wilfull vanitie which in their strangenesse crieth oute by plagues to be punished we may aforehande be warned we may be yet better schooled thy wrath thereby preuented our soules more spiritually nourished filled with thy fauoure more mortified daily from the vanities of this brickel life guided to more thristian modestie and temperāce affected solie to the way of holinesse comforted in all troubles and aduersities boldned manfully against the face of the enemies stayed well armed and strengthened against all temptations stirred vp to the encrease of all vertues that thy woordes which shal iudge vs in the last day being by thy ministers truely preached and of vs also as zealously embraced and by any meanes not to be despised or slandered but on all partes surely holden and to shewe for the accordingly the true frutes of rightuousnesse we may be called of thée thy holy disciples auoide I say the sal of thy vēgeāce amōgst vs thy iudgement also to eternal condemnation be receiued in time to euerlasting saluation throughe thy grace the only merites of thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen IIII. For Fayth BY reading or hearing thy holy worde O blessed sauiour we are taught that true fayth which is thine onely gifte is onely therby attayned and that by the power of thine heauenly spirite it is breathed into the onely hearts of all thine electe who receiue it by measure and quantitie according to the will and power of the same spirite and with thine eyes beholding it in them thou gloriest in them thou daily blessest them thou encreasest it in them thy countenance shineth vppon them thou amiably appearest and she west thy selfe vnto them yea so acceptable it is in thy sighte O swéete sauiour that thou béeing the king of eternall glory and maiestie art espoused to the soules of the faithfull
pride O Lorde that art only omnipotente milde and mercyfull and the only perfect hope of thy beloued inheritance vpon whom thy grace hath moste fréely abounded and whose sinnes thou haste remitted by the onely oblation sacrifice and bloude shed of thy deare sorme Christ Iesus for which purchase and moste pretious redemption thou only requirest of them but to be beloued againe and that with an vpright staysdnesse an assured strength and true confidence only in thée and not otherwise vainely in any vaine man or other treatures and that they be not hautie in theyr owne eyes but possesse euen in thy sighte in them selues the spirit of méekenesse and of most lowly submission we most entirely beséeche thée to strengthen vs héerein with thine heauenly grace to stay vs vnto thy selfe to make vs humble in oure owne eyes that imitating the steppes of thy sonne we be not ashamed to beare in thy sight the contempt of this wretched world and to become with all lowlinesse and milde subiection euen very slaues to all others for the loues sake of thy deare sonne Iesus whose rule of Humilitie we haue moste truely professed and thereby promissed to beare with pacience bothe pouertie and all other afflictions in thys vale of wretched nesse where when and in what manner so euer it shall please thée to lay them vppon vs. O Lord so vpholde thou vs with thine heauenly grace that we staie not simplie vpon our owne selues or putte oure truste in others but flee faste from our selues and from all others and put oure whole and onely hope in thée endeuouring with all our powers bothe of bodie and minde to obey thy will trust only in thée that thou wilt always be the readie helper of oure good willes and a moste apte furtherer of all oure honest meanings Lette thy mercie O Lorde so be vppon vs that we be not vainely puffed vppe or putte confidence eyther in oure owne knoweledge or in the pollicie of any mortall manne but onely depende vppon thy Diuine fatherly prouidence which both helpest and géeuest thy grace to the humble and thrustest also downe the lostie and proude So temper vs lord with thine heauenly grace that we glory neither in our richesse if we haue them nor yet in our fréendes if they be mightie for thou moste mightie God haste dominion ouer their power and when thèy are alofte and exalted in their glorie thou throwest them downe abatest their corage and destroyest them with thy heauie hād but to glory as we ought only in thée which doest fréely minister vnto vs all things necessarie and destrest aboue all to giue thine owne selfe wholely vnto vs Thou O Lorde haste led vs the way to true humilitie that whether touching either the mightinesse beautie or cômlinesse of the body which being stricken with some light disease is by and by ouerthrowne and defaced we in no wise aduaunce our selues And least we stand most vainely in our owne conceits whether for oure owne towardenesse wisedome wit or in other things iudge better of our owne selues thā we doe of others we greatly offend and fall into thine heauie displeasure and bring thy wrathe vppon vs bicause we estéeme them not as thine owne proper giftes and so be thankefull vnto thée for them O graunt vnto vs therfore most gratious God thy spirite of méekenesse and true humblenesse that we may walke rightly before thée and haue in our selues and in thy sight cleane hartes constantelaithe and moste sure hope and considence trauing cōtinually thy spirit of romfort paciently therby to beare our crosse to folowe the example of our sauioure Christ and to beare with ioy the afflictions of this life through his merits precious death pastion Amen XII Against Couetousnesse IF we O thou iust terrible God coulde nowe thorowe thy grace euen in the middest of all oure iniquities heaping daily iniquitis vppon iniquitie remember yet in time thy certaine deter minatiō and threaiued iudgement vpon this world the plages thereof shortly enstring for the wickednesse of end 〈◊〉 harte and as thou haste tolde vs by thy Prophet Esay to lay to 〈◊〉 to make the face of the whole earth desolate and scatter abrode all the inhabitoures thereof bicause they haue offended thy lawes changed thine ordinalires and made thine euer lasting testament of 〈…〉 receiuing therfore with wee their most sharp bitter portion the taste of thy diuine fury vtter shame desolation swift confusion O what cause haue we then to remember in these oure dayes if through grace it might be for good this most vile sin abidng the rest the outragious 〈◊〉 couetousnesse that so diuersty woorketh the disglory of thy name spoyleth thy churches welfare Which in the estimation of this worlde so langely raigneth so vniuersally so familiarly yea also mercilesly ouerfloweth al deuoureth al hath al at his beck and hastneth fast vpō this geiteration an euil and pitilesse generation doubtlesse in the end now of this olde rotten worlde the sodaine and straight performance of thy hideous and fearefull premisses O Lord our God moste dangerous is our stats our dayes are most euill our desertes are great we haue sinned greuously thy plagues are iustly prepared and thy iudgements to condemnation by thy iustice are at hand vpon vs For who in effecte cā say from any sin his hart is clean or rather most mōstruously against nature not to be defiled either who can in conscience say that he féeles not in him selfe as priuately for him selfe and corruptly this most hurtfull and infectuous maladie of the soule which amongst all other contagious euils is moste perniceous and by the diuel him self déepely grafted in vs and is by him so closely crept in vnto vs that it hath ioyned it selfe euer to the very secrete affections of our hartes shewing it selfe a most diligent woorker a busie labourer or minister to the procuring bréeding encreasing norishing and bringing forthe of corruption ruption and sinnes innumerable couertly lurking in our filthie flesh sowly to the death issueth abrode in his time For it is as sayth thine holy Apostle the roote of all mischéefe and that all suche also as are the Rauens and gréedie Gripes or gutlings of the world and desirous of the deceiteful riches thereof fall without stay into temptations and snares and into many beastly foolish and noisome lusts which draw them into temptation and destruction Also he calleth it a woorshipping of idols it spoileth God of his honor and is therby in euery place of the holy Scriptures condemned and forbidden as a sinne most hainous horrible diuellishe and damnable bicause it is a moste curssed and venemous euill tied to ambition hautie and vaineglorious full of maliciousnesse ful of crueltie very tirannous and greeoely hunteth after bloud the déepe set séede doutlesse of the diuell who was a murtherer from the beginning hathe therewith by his subteltie maruellously