afraide of them for the Lord thy God is with thee Deu. 20. If you goe to warre against your enemies that vexe you you shall blow with the Trumpettes and you shall be remembred before the Lord your God to be saued from your enemies Num. 10. The Victory of the Battaile standeth not in the multitude of the hoast but the Strength and Triumph commeth from Heauen Macha 3. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart and that hath not lifted vp his mind to vanity nor sworn to deceiue his Neighbour he shall receiue the blessing from the Lorde and victorie of his enemies and righteousnesse from the God of his Saluation c. Psalm 24. Here followeth the Letanie to be vsed vpon Sundayes Wednesdayes and Fridayes and at other times when it shall be thought convenient O God the father of Heauen haue mercy vpon vs miserable Sinners O God the Father of c. O God the Sonne redeemer of the World haue mercy vpon vs miserable Sinners O God the Sonne c. O God the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne haue mercy vpon vs miserable Sinners O God the holy Ghost c. O holy blessed and glorious Trinity thrée persons one God haue mercy vpon vs miserable Sinners O holy blessed c. Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers neyther take thou vengeance of our Sinnes spare vs good Lord spare thy people whome thou hast redéemed with thy most precious blood and be not angrie with vs for euer Spare vs good Lord. From all euill and mischiefe from sinne from the crafts assaults of the deuill from thy wrath and from euerlasting damnation Good Lord deliuer vs. From all blindesse of heart from pride vaine glory and hipocrisie from enuie hatred and malice and from all vncharitablenesse Good Lord deliver vs. From Fornication and all other deadly sinne and from al the deceits of the world the flesh and the deuill Good Lord deliver vs. From lightning and tempest from plague pestilence and famine from battel and murther and from sodain death Good Lord deliver vs. From all sedition and priuie conspiracy from all false doctrine and heresie from hardnesse of heart and contempt of thy worde and commaundement Good Lord deliver vs. By the mysterie of thy holie Incarnation by thy holy Natiuitie and circumcision by thy Baptisme Fasting and Temptation Good Lord deliver vs. By thine Agonie and bloodie sweat by thy Crosse and passion by thy pretious death buriall by thy glorious resurrection and ascension and by the comming of the Holie Ghost Good Lord deliver vs. In al time of our tribulation in all time of our wealth in the houre of death and in the day of iudgement Good Lord deliver vs. We sinners doe beséech thée to heare vs O Lord God and that it may please thée to rule and gouerne thy holy Church vniuersally in the right way We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thée to kéepe and strengthen in the true worshipping of thée in righteousnesse and holines of Life thy seruant Iames our most gratious King and Gouernour We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to rule his heart in thy faith feare and loue that he may euermore haue affiance in thée and euer séeke thy honour and glory We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to bee his defender and kéeper giuing him the victory ouer all his enemies We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to blesse and preserue our gracious Quéene Anne Prince Henrie and the rest of the King and Quéenes royall Issue We beeseech thee c. That it may please thée to illuminat al Bishops Pastors and Ministers of the Church with true vnderstanding and knowledge of thy word and that both by their preaching and liuing they may set it forth and shew it accordingly We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to indue the Lords of the Counsel and all the Nobility with grace wisedome and vnderstanding We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to blesse and keepe the Magistrates giuing them grace to execute iustice and to maintaine truth We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to blesse and keepe all thy people We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to giue to all Nations vnitie peace and concord We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to giue vs an heart to loue and dread thee and diligently to liue after thy Commaundements We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to giue to all thy people increase of grace to heare méekely thy word to receiue it with pure affection and to bring foorth the fruits of thy spirite We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to bring into the way of truth all such as haue erred and are deceyued We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to strengthen such as doe stand and to comfort and helpe the weake hearted and to rayse vp them that fall and finally to beat down Sathan vnder our féet We befeech thee c. That it may please thée to succour helpe and comfort all that be in danger necessity and tribulation We beseech thee c. That it may pleafe thée to preserue all that trauell by land or by water all women labouring with Child al sicke persons and yong Children and to shew thy pitty vpon all prisoners and captiues We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to defend and prouide for the fatherlesse children and widowes and all that bee desolate and oppressed We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to haue mercy vpon all men We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to forgiue our enemies persecutors and slanderers and to turne their hearts We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to giue and preserue to our vse the kindly fruits of the earth so as in due time wae may enioy them We beseech thee c. That it may please thée to giue vs true repentance to forgiue vs all our sinnes negligences and ignorances and to endue vs with the Grace of thy holy Spirit to amend our liues according to thy Holie Word We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. Sonne of God wée beseech thee to heare vs. Sonne of God wee beseech thee to heare vs. O Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world Grant vs thy peace O Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world Haue mercy vpon vs. O Christ heare vs. O Christ heare vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Our father which art in heauen c. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill Amen The Versicle O Lord deale not with vs after our
corruption and troubled in recounting thy sinnes to him that cannot forgiue thée Wherefore cast thy selfe on me onely and I will deliuer thee for if a thousand yeares thou wouldest search thy selfe and bee confessed of ten thousand thou shalt not be cleansed Quando enim exhauries Abissum Therefore commit thy selfe to mee onely I will make thee safe whensoeuer with all diligence thou shalt goe about to confesse thy fault let mee alone with Mercy to thee acknowledge that thou canst not cleanse thy selfe say that thou haddest need of my mercy confesse that thou canst not answere one word to a thousand thinges wherewith I might charge thee but art in euery worke vnsufficient and hast need of my Mercie Wherefore trust not to thy Confessions but in my Mercy for by it thou shalt be iustified And whilest thou art too much conuersant in the care of thy sinnes thou mightest turne vnto me and enioy my gratious presence Doest thou not note the subtlety of the enemie To this end hee suggesteth thee with the number of thy sins and thoughts of thy wickednesse that thou mightest neglect things to thée more wholesome Know thou this therfore chiefly that my delight is that thou shouldest thinke of my goodnesse séeke mée in simplenesse Thou shalt finde mée gentle godly full of compassion and chiefe in mercy trust in mée hope in mée séeke my fauour séeke my friendshippe and familiarity and for the better obtaining of these direct thy exercise in holinesse Thou shalt vndoubtedly féele a farre more beautifull fruit if thou diligentlie care how to loue please and follow me then by brusing thy selfe with scruples of thy confessions for déeming to search out and abolish doubts thou doest rather engender to thée doubtfuller things thou canst not think me too pittifull or mercifull so that thou doe not presume vpon my mercies neyther canst thou giue mee ouer much credite Wherefore accustome thy selfe to thinke well of me and belieue that I will not condemne thée For truly whosoeuer is willing to correct his life and despayreth not him will I saue I am well pleased O Daughter that thou art so sory thou hast offēded and that thou wilt not sinne hereafter Now thou art in State of saluation why fearest thou I am rich in infinite mercies Thus thinke of me for therby thou doest mee more hodour then if thou diddest imagine me cruell and hard or shouldest so much feare as though I watched onely to intrappe men in this or that doubt or circumstance they had omitted But yet when any great offence cōmeth in thy minde confesse thy fault with al humilty and sorrow of hart and desire grace to amend and after rest in peace and cast all the Diuelish doubts vpon me I desire thée I am willing to enioy thy friendshippe I require to bee loued of thee see therefore that thou answere my good will Vnderstand know and iudge thy selfe to be a sinner Say in many things thou hast offended that thou art most ingratefull a Rebell spitefull and blasphemous against thy Commandements and will And hereof so much humble thy felfe that thou dare not once lift vp thine eies before me since thou art full of loathsomnesse and abhominations There be certaine so esteeming their committed euils that they are moued with thē either to pleasure and delight or contrariwise to desperation or some such like inconuenience But thou when thou wilt thinke thy selfe a sinner and humble thy self shake off the dreams of thy sinnes and turne vnto me conferre with me touching thy sinnes and infirmities powre out thy complaints before mee reason with me accuse thy selfe to me of thy crimes committed so shall thy accusation of sinnes be conuerted into praier Wherefore when thou hast turned to mée plead thy cause in Prayer for by this means thy conscience shall bee made cleare and quiet thy affection also to me directed shall be by me inflamed But now of Satisfaction for Sinnes Imbrace this counsell That whatsoeuer thy hand is able to doe that instantly worke yet not with that mind or to that end as though therewith thou couldest make satisfaction for thy sinnes For to the accomplishing of this thou oughtest to thinke all thy workes too vnworthie and far vnable But do that thou canst euery way to please me whome thou hast offended desire me that with the merites of my passion and most holy life I will punish thine offences and satisfie my Father for them This humility this sure trust in me with which thou debasest thy selfe thy works and extollest me and my merites excelling the workes of thy satisfaction since that one droppe of my bloud is of more value to Satisfaction then al mans deserts which hath already made Satisfaction for the sins of the whole world Such humility allureth mee to thee and causeth mee to cōmunicate with thee the treasure of my merites Wherefore let this chieflie be thy study that thou neglect not my good pleasure but cōtinually to thinke on me desire me loue me and whatsoeuer I commaund and will diligently performe then if thou haddest infinit heaps of sinnes I will forgiue them all as fréely as if thou haddest but one neither is it lesse easie for me to forgiue many then few It is a maruailous thing that I will say but yet most true and certainely to bee beléeued if the whole worlde were a fierie Globe and in the middest of it were thrown a bundell of Flaxe this of his naturall effect should not so soone receiue the slame of fire as I will receiue the repentant and sorrowfull sinner to mercy for in that naturall act is required some tarriance though very little and peraduenture not to be perceyued but here is no tarriance at all betwéene the penitent and him that forgiueth betwéene the sorrowfull and him that heareth the sighes Thou therefore daughter reiect all inordinate feare desirous to please me with thy holy heart study to be holy for I am holy willingly offēd not though in neuer so little or light a thing but shunne the occasion so much as in thee lyeth wisely withdraw thy selfe from the society of mans superstitious communicatiōs and from vnprofitable and euill occupations be not solitarie bée not idle spend the time thriftily to my honour occupie thy selfe in reading the Holy Scriptures where thou shalt find my Life and Passion Plant in thy heart my trouble Crosse and persecution walke before me in Holinesse with feare and reuerence perswading thy selfe that I am neuer absent from the Godly but doe instantly hold them diligently bridle and kéepe thy senses and tongue if thou loue much babling thou canst not profite embrace sobernesse and reasonable continences shun vanity and the pomp of pride sensuality and vnlawful pleasures sée thou follow not but diligently endeauour to keep thee vndefiled fight couragiously against vices faithfully pray to mee that thou mayest breake and ouercome the wicked passions and inclinations do as much as thou art able yet trust not to
THE POESIE OF Floured Prayers Containing sundrie Meditations and Prayers gathered out of the sacred letters and vertuous Writers disposed in forme of the Alphabet of the most vertuous Lady the Lady Elizabeths name Set forth by Sir IOHN CONVVAY Multae tribulationes Iustorum de omnibus liberabit eos Dominus Psal 34. AT LONDON ¶ Printed for Va. Sims and are to be sold by Ed White An. 1611. TO THE MOST Gracious Ladie the Ladie ELIZABETH eldest daughter to our Soveraigne Lord the KING I MAY NOT doubt most gracious Ladie but certainly belieue that as you are religiously devoted so you are sufficiently stoared with Meditations Prayers and Supplications of Saintes best befitting your Royall Estate So that by reprinting of these ancient Prayers and causing them to be disposed to your Graces Name I may seeme to offer a needlesse Supply Nevertheles presuming vppon your wel-knowē Princely and gracious acceptance of all that which proceedeth frō well-meaning mindes I have adventured in all humilitie to offer them vnto your most Royall Service to bee respected or reiected at your pleasure for whose most happy cōtinuance in this world and participation of perfect ioye in the world to come I also will not cease to pray to almighty God Your Graces most humbly VALENTINE SIMS HONI · SOIT · QVI · MAL · Y · PENSE Prou. 31. BEautie and favour are things deceitful vaine but the heart of a woman that feareth the Lord her body is a rich portion and she is worthy to be honoured for shee openeth her mouth with wisdome in her tongue is the Law of grace Prou. 16. COnfesse thy workes vnto the LORD and looke what thou deuisest it shall prosper Esay 58. THy light shall spring out in the darknesse and thy darkenesse shall bee as the noone day Pro. 28. HE that hydeth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so acknowledgeth them and forsaketh them shall haue Mercie A Morning Prayer O LORD Iesus Christ which hast redéemed all mankind from sinne Death and Hell thou which hast sayd I am the waye truth and life A way in doctrine commandements and examples Truth in promises Life in reward I come vnto thée early now this morning I pray thée by thine ineffamable loue wherewith thou hast vouchsafed wholy to bestowe thy selfe for our security that thou wilt not suffer me euer to straye from thée because thou art the way nor at any time distrust thy promises which art Truth and performest whatsoeuer thou promisest neither let me rest in any other thing because thou art eternall life without the which there is nothing that ought to bee desired neither in Heauen nor in Earth But let me learne as thou hast exactly taught what to belieue and what to do what to hope for and in whome we ought to rest Thou which by the examples of thy life hast shewed vs the way to immortality and by thy steps hast restored to vs a plaine easie and profitable way out of an vneuen and rough way Vphold mee in thy benignity with thy sure promises that after this life I may enter into thy heauenly heritage Therefore whilest I am in this iourney bee a sure hope vnto me to bee in stéed of a staffe vnto me wherwith I am sustained O Lord that knowest the weakenesse of my flesh in the meane time with the comfort of thy Spirit so refresh my strength wherby I may runne chéerefully And as thou being made vnto me a way doest driue awaye all errour So being made Truth take awaye all distrust Finally beeing made life vnto vs I beséech thée reuiue mee dead in sinne to liue by thy spirit relieuing all things vntill in the resurrection all mortality vtterlye abolished I may always liue with thée and in thée when Christ shall be to vs all in all For eternall life is to knowe the Father the Son and the holy Ghost to be one true God whome now through Faith wée behold only in a glasse and Riddle and then séeing more felowly the glory of the Lord we shal be transformed into the same Image Therefore I beséech thée most mercifull Sauiour that thou wouldest nourish Faith in thy Seruant that I may neuer wauer in thy heauenly doctrine Encrease obedience that I neuer turne from thy Precepts Fortifie constancie that entring into thy steppes it bee not pulled backe nor through the terrour or intisementes of Sathan ouerthrowne but may perseuer in thée which art the true-waye vnto life Build my sure trust that being accustomed with thy promises I neuer waxe old in the exercise of Vertue but forgetting those things which are past I may continually striue to come to perfecter Accept my contrite heart the woonted sacrifice of thy delight and the oblation of these my Peticions graunting the summe of my requests Blot out all my offences for thine own sake defend me this day with thy mighty hand increse thy grace in me that I may in all thinges carrye vpright sway and equall iudgement liuing with thy people in the light of thy worde and feare of thy Lawes And daylie more more die to my selfe and liue and bee lead by thy Spirit fearing nothing but thée then the which nothing is greater or mightier louing nothing beside thée then whome nothing is more to be beloued glorying in nothing but in thée which art the glory of all Saints requiring nothing beside thée which art the best desiring nothing but thée which art the full and perfect felicitie with the Father and the holy Ghost aboue the Starrie Firmament to whome be prayse both now and euer Amen ¶ A discreet and wise woman is an high portion shee honoureth GOD and beautifieth the world vpon her right hand standeth Ioye and Peace and vpon her left hand Riches and Honour her body is the sweet tree of long life to him that layeth hold on her and blessed is he that keepeth her fast ¶ A Prayer for the Euening O Gracious GOD and most mercifull Father being infinitely bound vnto thée for thy manifold mercies extended towards mee I humbly giue thee thankes among the rest for thy protection of me this day And I most humbly pray thée to forgiue mee all my sinnes and naughtines whereby I am made vnwoorthy of thy further goodnes and mercie O Lord receaue the intercession of thy Sonne for all mine offences Accept this sacrifice of my soule and body which I offer to be disposed off at thy pleasure Consider the vnfeined sighes which I send from my heart for that I haue offended thée and giue eare to my prayers which I powre foorth before thée to obtaine thy pardon Giue me a true and liuely faith whereby I may laye holde vpon the merites of the death and passion of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Let his righteousnes make satisfaction to thy iustice for my vnrighteousnes and his obedience procure pardon for my disobedience and his holy perfection helpe and amend my vn-holy imperfections Protect me this