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
of saluation in him alone whom thou hast appointed to bee our onely redéemer and Sauiour Make vs alway readie and able to render vnto thée most humble and heartie thankes for this thine incomprehensible mercy and goodnes towardes vs finally so to make vs professe the death of thy dearely beloued Son that wee renounce and forsake all sinne yea that wée may alwaies féele it in our selues and plainely shew it forth to others that wee arise with him in newnes of life in righteousnes innocencie and all true holines after this life may raigne with him in euerlasting glorie heare vs O heauenly Father for our Lord Iesus Christes sake Amen ALmightie God our heauenly Father wée beséech thy gracious goodnes now and at all times so to assist vs that like as thy onely begotten and dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ according to his blessed will suffered death willingly and bitter passion for our redemption and saluation hauing thereof foresight perfect knowledge so in like maner when it shall please thée so lay any crosse and afflictions vpon our backs that we may both willinglie vndergoe it patiently beare it powerfully ouercome it to thy euerlasting glorie other mens spirituall benefit and our owne endlesse saluation through Christ Heare vs herein O heauēly father for our Lord Iesus Christs sake Amen O Our Sauiour and redéemer Iesus Christ which in thy last Supper with the Apostles didst giue thy blessed bodie blood vnder the visible elements of bread and wine graunt vs grace wee beséech thée euer stedfastly to beléeue and sincerely to acknowledge in this most blessed Sacramēt not onely thine infinite and Almightie power but also thine incomprehensible loue towards vs yea assist so that when we come to the participation of these blessed mysteries we may alway worthily receiue the same according to thy holy ordinances in such sort as that thereby we may alwaies obtaine strength of faith in the truth of thy promises encrease of holines by the vniting of the spirit with thee our head and by thee and thy spirite with all the company of them that bee truely thine which bee thy spirituall and mysticall bodie and our spirituall and Christian brethren Herein heare vs O Christ our Sauiour for thy names sake Amen ALmighty GOD and our most louing Father in Christ whose holy Apostle Peter presuming of his owne power strength did miserably fall not onely in the deniall of his maister Christ for feare of an handmaide but also in sorswearing and cursing himselfe if euer he knew him grant vs grace we beseech thee mercicifull Father that we neuer presume of our own might power but that being in our own harts humble lowly and acknowledging our infirmitie frailtie and weakenes we may euer in all our affaires receiue at thy hand outward inward strenght cōfort also and may thereby bée inabled vnto the acceptable performance of thy holy and blessed will Heare vs O heauenly Father for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake Amen O Our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ which in that great heauines of thy soule intolerable anguish which thou sustainedst before thy passion diddest fall down vpō thy face in praier vnto thy heauenly Father giue vs grace also the aide of thy holy spirite that wee likewise in all heauinesse of minde and troubles of this world may run euermore by most humble and constant prayer vnto the onely ayd strength and comfort of thée our heauenly father heare vs our Sauiour Christ for thy names sake Amen ALmighty God eternal father we doe remember that in the condemnation of thy onely and dearely beloued innocent Lambe our Sauiour Iesus Christ the Iudge did sitte witnesse was brought Christ himselfe was presented and condemned and all truth there was troden vnder foote all vnrighteousnes did raigne and innocencie comdemned In consideration whereof we cannot but intreat thée O most gracious Lord and Father to graunt vnto our heads and rulers such a notable measure of grace and assistance euen from thine owne selfe that they may euer in all their iudgements iudge according to true iustice and equitie without corruption partialitie and wicked dissimulation and that to the beating down of wickednes and sinne and to the maintenance of thine euerlasting truth iustice honour and glorie Heare vs our heauenly Father for our Lord Iesus Christs sake Amen A prayer for trust in God O Most gracious most wise guide and our almightie Sauiour Iesus Christ who doest lead them the right way to immortall blessednes which truly and vnfainedly trusting in thee commit themselues to thée grant vs grace we pray thée not only to sée this that we be blinde and féeble indeede but also that we may so take and repute our selues that so wee may not presume of our selues to sée to our selues but may alwaies wholie commit our selues vnto thee to bee guyded by thee and from thee may bee inabled so far to sée that alway wee may haue thée before our eies to follow thee being our guide to be ready at thy call most obediently and to commit our selues wholy vnto thée that thou which onely knowest the way and art alone the way indéed mayest lead vs the same way to all heauenly desires To thée with the Father and the holy Ghost be glory for euer Amen A prayer of any captiue according to the forme of Dauid when he was hid in the caue WIth my voyce I crie to thée afore thée I open my lamentations in thy bosome I disclose the secret words of my heart my dolours and griefs I shew vnto thee my heart is almost like to brust so great is my discomfiture Thou knowest all my fashions O Lord and thou séest well enough how the vngodly haue laid their snares for me Loe I cast mine eyes on this side that side as well on my friends as kinsfolkes but all is in vaine none of them all helpeth me And againe I cannot run away I am so laden and ouercharged with yrons O Lord my maker and father vnto thée I crie thou art mine onely shot-anker defence helpe Thou art my portion heritage in all countries yea I haue none other possession but thée onely To thee therefore I sticke altogether knowing certainly that nothing can goe amisse with mee when I am vnder the shadowe of thy wings and thou guidest me Consider then my lamentable complaint behold howe I am lowe brought by the cruell pursuers which bee much more of power than I am defend me deliuer me from all this prison horrible feare of sinne death that I may set out thy name This once obtained the godly folke shall flocke about me and shall not stint to giue thee thankes when they sée that thou riddest me forth of these dangers to the high praise of thy name Lord bee mercifull vnto vs take part with vs then we shall for euer lift vp and magnify thy glorious name Amen A prayer for
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
of thy iudgement and heauie displeasure wée most entirely pray thée to giue vs that feare which thou requirest of vs thy children in thy holy scriptures and whereunto thou hast promised so many large and bounteous blessings that we may not onely loue thée as a Sauiour honour thée as a father but also reuerence thée as a Lord and feare thée as a iudge But yet with that feare and reuerence good Lord that belongeth to children and not to slaues otherwise it will do vs small good O Lord all things are open to thy eyes neither is any thing hid from thée which séest the very secrets and most inward thoughts of our hearts Giue vs therfore grace that in all our enterprises we may euer set thée and thy feare before our eyes and so stand in awe of thée and of thy righteous iudgement that we attempt nothing whereby wee should prouoke thy heauie displeasure against vs but so walke in thy feare and thy holy ordinances that we may at all times loue thée as a most gracious Sauiour honour thée as a most louing father reuerence thée as a soueraigne Lord and feare thée as an vpright yet most mercifull iudge So shall it come to passe that wee reuerently fearing thée as a childe doth his father shall not onely auoyde all such euils as might make thée our heauie Lord and fierce iudge but also embrace those vertues which shall both euidently declare our faithfull loue true honour vnfained reuerence and humble feare towards thee and also cause thée that art our louing Father and most mercifull Sauiour through Iesus Christ our Lord to acknowledge thine owne grace in vs and to crowne it at the length with euerlasting glorie through Christ Iesus Amen A prayer against the enemies of Christs truth Psal 140. DEliuer mee O Lord from the vngodly and stifnecked persons for thou séest howe in their hearts they imagine mischiefe and haue great pleasure to picke quarrels their tongues be sharper then any adders sting and vnder their lips lyeth poyson of adders but O mercifull Lord let mee not fall into their hands least they handle mee after their owne lusts Thou onely art my God that must heare my piteous plaints Lord that rulest altogether that art the strength and power of my defence be thou as a helmet vpon my head wheresoeuer the vngodly shall assault me and suffer thou not the wicked thus to prosper in their matters Suffer not their cankred and malitious stomackes to increase and spightfully to reuile me Looke vpon thy poore wretches cause and rid mee out of these daily grieuances then shall I with an vpright heart and pleasant countenance extoll and magnifie thy holy name Amen A prayer to keepe the tongue and to eschew the affectiō of the world Psal 141. TO thee I cry O Lord heare mee speedily let my prayer bee as a sweete tast and sauour in thy presence and the lifting vp of my hands as an euening sacrifice Lord set a watch before my mouth kéepe my lips and my tongue also that they speake nothing amisse as doth the vngodly who can speake nothing saue euill but that they call purely and heartily vpon thee and report thy worthie praises Bow not my heart to last after euill nor to follow the fashion of the wicked and abominable sinners least I happen to cloake my wickednes with other sinnes as hypocrites doe Let me not liue as they would haue mee to doe but rather as it shall best please thée Let mee not approue their counsailes nor their déedes though they carry neuer so goodly a show and faire face to the world Let me not hearken to the entising and swéete baits of the vngodly which counsaile me to filthie and vncleane thinges but rather let mee giue good eare to the righteous and godly man though hée sharpely correct and chide me Let me alwayes haue a readie eye towardes thée onely in thée to trust alway and to apply my selfe vnto thée continually Cast not away my soule neither suffer it to perish keepe me that I be not tangled with the snares of the vngodly and from the priuie traps of malitious persons saue me deliuer me O Lord through thy grace for in all our owne deuises and workes can nothing bee found sure for vs to trust vpon A Prayer of the Church against sinne Sapi. 1◠THou O our God art swéete long suffering and true and with mercie orderest thou all things for if wée sinne yet are wée thine because though sinne in it one nature separate betwéene thée and vs yet doth thy goodnesse surmount all iniquitie so excellēt I know thy greatnes to bee And if we sinne not in so high a measure for otherwise who liueth and sinneth not yet are wee sure that with thée wee are allowed for to know thée is perfect righteousnes and power is the roote of immortalitie In the time of warres a prayer of King Asa 2. Paral 14. LOrd it is all one with thée to helpe them that haue néede with fewe or with many helpe vs O Lord our God for we trust in thée and in thy name we be come against this multitude thou art the Lord our God let no man preuaile against thée A Prayer for keeping of a good name THAT wise man which was priuie of thy secrets O heauenly Father taught vs that an honest name is a treasure right precious when he saith better it is to haue a good name than precious oyntments But this so excellent and good thing wée neither can get but by thy goodnes nor kéepe but by thy grace aide and helpe Now surely the well and fountaine of a good name is a faultles life this therefore in especiall wee demaund and craue of thée O Lord almightie and that for Iesus Christs sake Yet neuerthelesse for as much as oftentimes innocencie and faultlesse liuing is not ynough neither yet a sure buckler and defence namely against such as vnder their lippes beare the poyson of serpents yea and oftentimes it hapneth that when wee suppose to be among our trustie friends we dwell as Ezechiell did amongst scorpions and venemous serpents we crie with thy holy prophet O Lord deliuer my soule from wicked lippes and a guilefull tongue But if neuerthelesse it séeme good to thée to exercise vs thy seruants also in this affliction to the intent they may bee better brought to godlines before thée and bée bettered in this world then graunt we pray thée that with Paul thy most valiant champion wee may by reproch glory by infamie and good name abide still in thy commaundements through Iesus Christ which also himselfe when he walked here on earth was reuiled slandred euill spoken of and called to his face a Samaritane a wine drinker a deceiuer of the people and one that had a diuel and yet the same now raigneth with thée in glory whither also wee beseech thee in good time to bring vs and that together with the rest whom thou hast put apart
to euill as from the corruption of our nature arise vppe in our hearts giue vs grace first clearely to discerne and discouer them then couragiously to stand vp against them and soundly to loath and leaue them that we bée not in the strength of them as it were in the middest of a violent tempest carried headlong into sinne and by meanes thereof into euerlasting destruction Especially strengthen vs good Lord against the suggestions of Satan whose maruellous malice wilie subtilties and verie great power against vs wee are not ignorant of as not vnacquainted neither with our owne weakenes and disability to withstand What say wee more with our pronenesse and readinesse to yeeld and therefore cannot but in both these respects againe and againe intreate thée that art the God of our strength to cause thy grace to bee sufficient for vs and in vs and to make thy power perfect through our infirmitie that so hauing fought valiantly and mightily ouercome through thy strength wee may through thy goodnesse and mercie for euermore liue with thée in that heauenly citie where and against which as also against such citizens of thine as are gathered into it no manner of temptation shall assayle much lesse bee able to preuaile and there for euer haue the full fruition of celestiall delectation not only accompanied with Angels and blessed Saints but enioying the most comfortable sight of thy glorious countenance in whose presence is the fulnes of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore which vouchsafe vnto vs for Iesus Christs sake thy déere sonne and our all and only sufficient Sauiour Amen Another Prayer to our Lord God O Heauenly Father God almighty I pray and beséech thée in mercie graciously to behold me thy vnworthie seruant that I may by the giftes of thy holy spirit feruently desire thy kingdome and by the light of thy word may soundly knowe thy will and faithfully worke and walke thereafter Giue mee O Lord wisedome euen the wisedome that is from aboue Make mee constant in thy truth patient in tribulation and strong in thée vnto the ende Keepe mee Lord from the sleightie inuasion of the olde wily serpent Defend mee from the counsailes and cursings of euill tongues Let thy mightie arme bee my continuall shield against all the malignity and mischiefe of this wicked world Remember not Lord my offences instruct and prepare me to repent and teach mee to be truly sorrowfull for my sinnes Make me to loue iustice and hate wrong to doe good and absteine from all euils that so the fruits of my faith may pledge vp to my conscience that thou hast graciously called me to be thy child To thée therefore bée glory and honor for euer and euer Amen A deuout Prayer HEarken Lord to my wordes consider the thoughts of my heart Behold how loud I cry to thée Let my iust prayer enter into thine eares which vnfainedly commeth from my heart Heare me Lord for I am poore and destitute of mans helpe Take care for my soule Saue me thy seruant which wholy trust in thee Haue mercie vpon me O Lord for I will neuer cease crying to thee for help for thou art mild and more mercifull than my tongue is able to expresse yea than my heart is able to thinke As often as aduersitie assaileth me I will crie and call for helpe vnto thée I will call vpon thée in the day time and in the night my cry shall not bee hid from thée O thou God of the heauens maker of the waters and Lord of all creatures heare me a poore sinner calling vpon thée and putting my whole trust in thy mercie haue mercie vpon me O Lord God haue mercie vpon mée and for thy manifold mercies sake forgiue mee all my offences Amen A prayer for meekenes and chastitie O Lord thou father and God of my life let mee not haue a proud looke but turne away all voluptuousnes from mee Take from mee the lustes of the body let not the desires of vncleanenesse take hold vpon me and giue me not ouer into an vnshamefast and obstinate mind Amen A prayer of Esay in the 6. and 64. Chap. LOrd looke downe from heauen and behold from thy holy habitations and from the seate of thy glorie where is thy strength where is the plenteous rich multitude of thy mercies are al these hardned against vs verily thou art our Father Abraham now knoweth vs not nor Israel knoweth vs not but thou Lord art our father thou art our redeemer thy name is from the beginning Wherefore hast thou made vs Lord to erre from thy wayes hast thou hardned our hearts least wee should feare thée Turne thee to thy promise made to thy seruants for the tribes of thy heritage for few of thy people haue enioyed the possession of their land and that but a little while Our enemies haue spoyled thy holy place and troden it vnder féete And wee were regarded so vile as if thou hadst neuer béen Lord ouer vs as though thy glorious name had neuer béen called vpon by vs and shewed ouer vs. I would that thou wouldest all too breake the heauens and come downe once that these hilles might melt away at thy presence like as at a hot fire and that the malicious might boyle away as doth the water vpon the fire that thy name might be knowne to thy enemies and these vngodly might bee shamed and troubled at thy presence When thou wroughtest for vs marueilous things then we looked not for them thou camst downe and the hilles wasted away with trembling before thy face and from the beginning hearde they not nor perceiued with their eares neither with any eye was there séene any besides thee that wrought such marueilous things and that to men which waited not for thée sometime thou méetest with them that gladly did righteousnesse and thought vpon thee in thy wayes But now Lord thou art angry because wee are sinners and euer haue béen in sinne although wee were deliuered from perils And all we are wrapped in filthie vncleannesse yea all our righteousnes is spotted like the cloathes of a meÌ„struous woman and all wee are taken away like leaues and our iniquities haue caried vs away like a whirle-winde and there is none left that will call for helpe in thy name and not one that will rise vp and holde thée with prayer for thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast dried vs vp in the hand of our iniquitie But now Lord thou art our Father wee are but clay and thou art our potter and all wee are the works of thy hands bee not angry O Lord for euer and remember not all our wickednes Loe beholde we beséech thee all wee are thy people the cities of thy holy places are forsaken Syon is turned into a desert Ierusalem is desolate the house of holines and prayer and of our glory in which our fathers praises thée is turned into an heâ—â—e of fire and all things that we
it soundeth daylie in my eares out of heauen promising mee and affirming coÌ„stantly thy selfe to be appeased pleased and at one with mee for thy Sonnes sake whome thou commandest me to heare and beléeue whom I am sure is made of thee my righteousnes my satisfactioÌ„ my reconciliation my peace maker my mediator intercessor with his praier my fulfiller of the law my deliuerer my whole holy accoÌ„plisher of all my iust desires my Sauior Christ Iesus God man in whose name this day I attempt take in hand all my iust doings according to my vocation for his glory my neighbours profit desiring thy gracious goodnes most merciful Lord and father for thy dearly beloued sons sake to prosperit to giue it happie encrease whatsoeuer I take in hand according to thy will graunt me grace to finish the same O holy father blesse all things I take in hand with thy blessed increase and let mee not séeke mine owne will but euer to pray that thy will be fulfilled in all thinges now and for euer So be it Thou maiest if thou wilt after this say the Lords Prayer And so hauing coÌ„mended thy selfe to almighty God maiest fall to some honest and vertuous exercise according to thy calling but whatsoeuer thou doest doe it with purenes of heart and with singlenes of eie yea so doe it as though God were present and looked vppon thee as vndoubtedly he doth A Prayer HEare vs O heauenly King Father of mercie our life our swéetnes our hope for vnto thée doe we crie euen we which are the banished children of Eua vnto thee doe we sigh wéeping and wayling in this vale of lamentation come therefore our aduocate cast vpon vs those mercifull eyes of thine and after this our banishment shew to vs the glorious light in thy heauenly kingdome O mercifull O holy O swéete Sauiour in all our troubles and heauinesse O Iesu our health and glorie succour vs. Amen Another Prayer O Iesu Christ the Son of God our Redéemer which deiectedst and humbledst thy selfe from that glorious state and shape of thy Godhead to the shape of our vile seruitude because thou wouldest reconcile vs being the children of wrath and damnation to thy father so make vs the children of grace wee beséech thée graunt vs such an excellent measure of thy grace that wee may euer followe euen thée thy selfe in all blessed obedience and may euer finde and féele thée to be our present mediator before our father for all ghostly giftes whom wee acknowledge with perfect faith to be our Sauiour which art the liuing God with the father and the holy Ghost liuing and raigning without end Amen A Prayer O Pitifull Lord God alwayes shewing thy mercie vpon me a grieuous sinner I humblie acknowledge the same yet Lord notwtstanding I cannot but hartily pray thée to heare my prayer though I haue bin a sinner I am now thorough thy grace sorie therefore and purpose by thy goodnes assistance to take no more pleasure therein but am glad and willing to exercise the trueth and to forsake all vaineglorie Wherefore therein I humbly pray thée to fortifie mée with thy grace to withstaÌ„d my secret enemie in all my temptations and to assist mee so that thy most holy spirit of sapience and vnderstanding may haue continuall dwelling in mee direct mee vnto the obedience of thy pleasure and will that so I may at the last inherite thine eternall rest Another Prayer OMnipotent and mercifull God Father eternall which doest not despise sinners bewayling with contrite heart the offences which they haue committed against thy high Maiestie wée pray thée by thy grace to drawe vs néere to thée and heare our prayers and forgiue vs our offences comfort vs in our afflictions and forgiue Lord them that oppresse vs and graunt that our ghostly enemie haue no power to deuour vs as he desireth but that we strongly withstanding his fraudes and snares to our comfort may die in the true Catholique faith and rest with thée eternally our Lord Iesu Christ Amen Sundrie holy petitions to our Sauiour Iesus Christ LOrd Iesu haue mercie on mée and forgiue mee my great offences which I haue done in thy sight Grant mée grace also for the loue of thée to despise all sinne and worldly vanitie Lord Iesu inable mee to wcstand and to ouercome the temptation of sinne and the malice of my Ghostly enemie to spend my time in vertue and labour acceptable to thée Lord Iesu strengthen me in soule and bodie to performe the works of godlynes and vertue to the glory and praise of thy name and that afterwards I may come to euerlasting ioy and felicitie Graunt me a stedfast purpose mercifull Iesus to amend my life and recompence those yeares which I haue mispent to the displeasure of thée in euil thoughts delectations consentings words workes and euill customes and also in bâ—eaking thy lawes whereby I haue deserued damnation And good Lord inlighten me so with thy ghostly wisedome that I may knowe thy goodnes those things which are most acceptable to thée and confirme me so with thy grace that I may giue good examples to all men Make me profitable that none be hurt by mee guide me to help those with good counsaile which haue offended thee make me proceede from vertue to vertue vntill I shall cléerely sée thée in thy Maiestie Let mee not returne to any of my wonted sinnes specially those sinnes which I haue sorrowed for and by confession haue iustly accused my selfe of Let not the horrible sentence of endlesse death nor the terrible iudgement of damnation nor thy wrath ire and indignation mercifull Lord fall vpon mée But let thy mercie and merits my Sauiour euer bée betwéene them and me Lord Iesu graunt mee grace to flie euill company and when I come among them for thy passion I beséech thée to preserue mee that no occasion of any eyther mine owne or their sin ouercome mée and send mée ghostly comfort strength by the true loue of thy worde and power of thy spirit shed abroad into my heart Kéepe my mouth good Lord from slaunderous speaking lying false witnesse bearing cursing swearing vncharitable chidinges dissolute laughing words of vanity make me blessed Lord with child-like reuereÌ„ce to remeÌ„ber that thou presently hearest mee which of al my words shalt iudge me Lord Iesu make me to perseuer in the blessed seruice of thée in religious exercise all holie and vertuous affaires Lord keepe my soule and bodie make me flée sinfull delectation and patiently to suffer iniuries and rebukes as which my disobedient heart to thée haue deserued more theÌ„ all men can inflict or lay vpoÌ„ me prouide good Lord that state of life for mee which thou knowest shall most tend to thy honour and my eternall felicitie Lord Iesu graunt mee grace at all times but specially in the time of prayer to fixe my minde on thée then also effectually to remember my
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