and haue a taste of eternall saluation that death bee not terrible vnto me but rather when it cōmeth I may with ioy receiue the same in the name of Jesus Christe mine onely sauiour and redeemer Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A praier vppon the Lettany or praier for all men at all times necessary Pray thou in faith for eache degree As God by Iames commandeth thee So shalt thou prosper in thy wayes And liue both many and happy daies THe Lettany beeing a moste singuler deuout praier for the estate of all men in generall and sette out for the vse of the whole congregation as it were with one mouth one voyce to be pronounced begging at the handes of God not onely pardon for such seuerall offences as are therein expressed but also crauing thinges necessary as well for them that are absent as present yea for all men a thing most commendable godly praying one for another as S. Iames willeth Iam. 5. vs to pray one for another that wee may be hearde of God for the prayer of the righteous auaileth much And because the zealous may without the so often repitition of these wordes Good Lorde deliuer vs and we beseech thee c. priuatlye vtter his godly desire of the prosperitie of his Christian bretheren without answering himselfe in those respectes I thought it not much amisse to contriue it into this prayer following the which I pray the Reader willingly to accept OH almighty God and father of all that beleeue and trust in thee Oh Lorde God sonne redeemer aduocate of all thē who faithfully serue thee Oh God holy ghoste who proceeding from the father and the sonne santifiest the elect and chosen ones Oh blessed most glorious Trinitie three personnes and yet but one God haue mercy vpon vs who most miserablie haue offended Remember not our offences nor the offences of our fore-fathers nor punishe vs according to the multitude of our sins Spare vs good Lorde whome thou hast redeemed and so directe all our cogitations and actions that wee giue none occasion of thine anger towardes vs for euer mercifully saue and defende vs frō sinne mischeefe from the craftes and assaults of sathan from thy displeasure and eternall damnation good Lorde for thy mercies sake deliuer vs from darknes of misbeleefe from hautines of minde from mallice enuie hatred and double dealing from euill motions of our corrupt fleshe and from all worldly vaneties Saue vs from plague pestilenee from extreame hunger and famine from sodaine death from heresie and false doctrine and graunt vs alwayes will and ablenes to fulfill all thy most godly commaundementes with a cleane and a pure heart Oh sweete Iesus deliuer vs from all euill euen by thy death and passion by thine anguish of mind by thy bloody sweate by thy glorious resurrection from the deepe of death and hell and by thine assention into thy celestiall kingdome Bee present with vs good Lorde in all our troubles vexation of minde at the howre of our departure hence And for thy meere mercies sake be thou fauourable vnto vs in the day when we must giue account for our life past that we be not rewarded according to our desertes but by thy merites may enioy eternall saluation Oh most mercifull and euerliuing God wee most miserable and most wretched sinners heere humbly prostrating our selues before thee beseeche thee to listen to our petitions and graunt vnto thine vniuersall Church godly deuout preachers of thy word and gospel that it may dayly increase in vertuous and godly gouernment dayly growing and proceeding from faith to faith truely knowing thee and vnfeynedly seruing thee Graunt vnto thy seruaunt Elizabeth our Queene true vnderstanding of thy will and vnto her counsaile knowledge and wisedome That vnder her for her and in thy name they may establish godly Lawes statutes and ordinaunces for our good and godly gouernment and vnto vs thy people grace continually to follow and fulfill the same Be thou good Lord her defendour in all aslaultes of her enemies and so rule her hearte in thy faith seare and loue that she may alwaies seeke to aduaunce thine honour and glory deface superstiton errour and false religion and euer be able to vanquish and ouercome suchas rise vp against her to seeke the contrary Lighten the hearts of all Byshops ministers and Pastours of thy church with right vnderstanding and knowledge of thy worde that they may not onely in speeche doctrine but also by their conuersation and life soundly and sincerely vtter the same to the true edification of thy people Oh Lord let not such as are put in authority to see the due execution of thy lawes be slowe negligent or ignorant therin but endued with grace wisdom vnderstanding boldnes may execute iustice maintain thy trueth without affectiō fauor or respect of persons vouchsafe to endue vs all with continuall vnfeined good will one towards another that wee may liue all the daies of our life in vnitye peace godly agreement pleasing thee by liuing according to the rule of thy blessed commandements Graunt vs Oh Lord feruent desire to be where thy word gospell is preached taught and endue vs with thy grace to heare to beare away not only to heare and beare away but to expresse the same in our life conuersation that the truth of thy gospel which is the fruit of thine holy spirit may dailye increase in vs call home all wandring soules which are carried into blindnes by the subtiltie procurements of sathan his wicked ministers following strange Gods worshipping that that cannot auaile them in their distresse and giue them Oh Lord repenting heartes conuerting the soule Shewe them thy true light that they seeing it though a farre off may by little and little attaine vnto the perfit enioying of the same Strengthen al them that haue taken holde of thee by true faith and pure religiō that they fall not from thence by any deceiuable show of any counterfeit secte comfort those that are weake lift vp those that are downe that they by thee thou in them maist beate down keepe sathan vnder their feete Vouthsafe good Lord to giue succor help cōfort to all such as are in any kind of affliction daunger necessity or tribulation preserue and keepe safe all such as labour trauaile by sea or land for the benefit of our common weale Strengthen all women with child and sende them good deliueraunce comfort all them that are sicke and giue them either patience to beare it or mittigate their greefe giue health and nourishment to al young children and graunt them grace to goe forward in nurture and knowledge of thy will Lorde we beseeche thee to showe compassion vppon all such as suffer impty sonment and giue them deliueraunce at thy good pleasure Prouide good Lord for such poore children as are fatherles or helples consider the cause of all
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
tiraÌ„ny but that they wil obteine thier desires and accomplish their deuises to mine vtter vndoing they are good Lord many and more then I can number that seeke to doo me euil yea my neghbours familiars not the leaste of them but is of power and ablenes to destroye me yea as it were to eate me vp vnlesse thou take part with me against the furiousnes of mine enemies But Lorde why should I feare why shold I say in mine heart they are so many so mightye that I can not resiste them so furious that I can not escape â—hem So pollitique that I can not preuent them my trust is in thee and vnto thee I flye in all theyr assaultes who art a Castell and fortresse so strong that there is none bee hee neuer so victorious that can preuaile against the leaste that trusteth in thee and resteth vnder the shaddow of thy winges wherfore Lord for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake receiue me who come vnto thee as the strength of my beeing humbly beseeching thee to loke vpoÌ„ my cause to consider my troubles to weigh the sorrowes of mine hearte lift vp thy self against the furiousnes of myne enemies driue backe and con found mine aduersaryes uersaries thine own selfe fight thou against them that fight against mee Turne theyr deuises and wicked imaginations froÌ„ me to their owne hinderance let the weapons which they lift vp to hurt me withall pearce themselues and the malicious wordes which they vtter to my reproch redownde to their owne shame let such as seeke to persecute me without a cause bee discomforted dryuen backward giue me patience to beare their cruelties coÌ„sidering that ther was neuer any no not the most righteous but were subiect to the euil deuises slanderous wordes wicked practises of the wicked whose tongues were full of guile and the poison of Aspes was vnder theyr lips who were not ashamed to speake most approbriously of thine owne selfe sweete Iesus who wast void of all offence yet slewe they thee thine Apostles I cannot therfore Oh merciful God but take these extreame dealinges of mine enemies with the greater patience with greater humilitie and more heartie thankes for accepting mee as worthy to bee of the number of such as the wicked doo hate grudge at But most sweete Lorde as thou sufferest for a time such ray lynges backbytinges menacing words euill opinions and euill dealinges to preuaile against me for the better envring my fraile nature to beare greater burdens So vouchsafe to preserue me from all such enuious heartes and malicious tongues and defend me from all blood thirstie men and from the handes of such as goe about to hurt me And in steede of them if it so please thee vouchsafe to chose out and appoint for me such as may be faythfull godly vertuous religious louing and freendly that both in the feare of the one loue of the other I may beare my selfe by thine example and grace so vpright in al my doings as mine aduersaries take none aduantage against me but that seeing the sincerity of my life and soundnes of my conuersation mine enemies may be altogether ashamed so much as to mutter any thing against me much lesse to deuise any thing to hurt me withall or to ouerthrowe my goings and the godly glad and reioyce at my well dooing Oh Lord strengthen my saith and arme me with continuall hope in thee whereby I may be able to withstande all the cruelties of mine aduersaries in such sort as they may knowe it to be thy selfe who fightest for me and defendest my cause against their fury Behold Oh Lord my trust is in thee thy rod comfort me and thy staffe stay me vp that I fall not into their handes by trust in mine strength which is as a broken Reede in mine own policie or wisdom which is foolishnes before thee or in the helpe or freendship of man which is vaine fallable But leade thou me and guide me in all my doinges cogitations and words least I erring from thy commaundements inclining mine heart to vaneties and vice mine enemies take iust occasion to say ah ha wee sawe it with our eyes bring vp an euill report of me and that vndeseruedly Oh Lord guide me in all trueth establish in mine heart true desire to walke vprightly in all my waies in humblenes of minde not in pryde least they say he is so hauty he knoweth not himselfe preserue me from drunkennes least they say he is nowe out of the way of discretion he is beside himselfe we haue now sitte oportunity to worke our wills on him and so sette on me to hurte me vouchsafe also to keepe me from the daungerous desire of fleshly lust from hauÌ„ting the places suspected or poluted with vncleannes least they taking iuste occasion by my lewde behauiour speake that which indeede may redowne to my shame and deserued infamy Finally Oh lord keepe me from all euill that although by reason of my corruption I be naturally inclined to wantonnes and excesse thou wilt giue me sobriety lowlines loue euen to mine enemies chastity wisedome and discreete vnderstanding bothe of theyr wills and mine owne weaknes that through thy grace framing my dooinges according to thine heauenly will in all thinges leading the whole course of my life in cinserety and godly behauiour the righteous may be glad and reioyce thereat magnifying thine holy name who so regardest the prosperity of thy seruaunt that thou sufferest him not to fall into the handes of such as woulde eate him vp And let not the aduersaries of thy trueth Oh Lord vniustly reioyce ouer me tauntingly and contemptuously mocking me But Lord I am in thine handes doo confesse it to be great and good reason that thou shouldest doo with mee what best seemeth to thy f 〈…〉 erly will accounting this thy tryall of my patience to proceede euen of thy meere loue And therfore if thou wilt that they sette vpon or followe to kill me to persecute me to laugh and scorne at mee to frame approbrious speeches and deuises againste me vouchsafe to continue my defence my strong Castell and as it were the piller of a clowde standing betweene me and them as thou stoodest in the wildernes betweene the Tents of the Egiptians and the Tentes of the children of Israell so that the Egiptians could not preuaile against them Lorde if thou wilt thou canst turne theyr heartes thou canst molisye the hardnesse thereof thou canst turne theyr hatred into looue and theyr mallice into good will and giue them in steede of heartes to worke wickednes mercifull and godly mindes I refer it to thine heauenly prouidence and wholy coÌ„mit my selfe into thine handes humbly praying thee for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake to deale with me and them according to thy mercy and louing kindnes not after our deserts be thou mercifull vnto me and euermore mightely defende me vnto my liues ende conducting me vprightly in all my wayes for