of nothing els Happy are they whose onely hope thou art which haue no trust but in thee onely all theyr whole worke is prayer Blessed is he that sitteth solitarely alone holdeth his peace standeth vpon his ward that he is set to keep continually day and night that yet while he is in this fraile body he may be able to taste somwhat thy pleasantnes I require thee by those thy wounds which bring health vnto vs which wounds thou suffredst vpon the crosse for our health out of the which thy precious bloud wherewith thou redeemedst vs did distill and drop downe wound this my sinnefull soule for the whiche also thou diddest vouchsafe to die Wound it I say with the fiery mighty dart of thy great charitie for the worde of God is liuely and effectuous and more pearcing and sharpe then any two edged sworde Thou O chosen dart most sharp sword which art able by thy power to pearce thorough the hard shielde or buckler of mans hart fasten and stick the shaft of thy loue in my hart that my soule may say vnto thee I am wounded with thy charitie so that forth of that same woūd of thy loue teares may flowe most plēteously both day night Strike o Lord strike I befech thee this most indurated and hardened mynde of myne with the sharpe dart of thy loue and pearce it deper and deper into the innermost partes thereof by thy mightie power and so bring out of my head aboundance of water and out of myne eyes a very well of teares continually running thorowe the great affect merueilous desire to see thy glory that I may mourne day and night without taking any comfort in this lyfe vntill in thy heauenly weddyng chamber I may see thee my weldeloued beutifull spouse my God and my Lorde And that there when I see thy glorious merueilous and beutifull face full of all swetenes together with them which thou hast chosen then I say I may worshippe humbly thy maiesty and there at the last being replenished with heauenly and vnspeakable reioysing of euerlasting gladnes I may euen cry out with them that loue thee saying Beholde that which I haue long desired now I haue obteined For I am ioyned in heauen vnto hym whom when I was in earth I loued with all my strength with all my charitie I embraced him vnto whom with all my loue I did stick cleaue Him do I praise blesse worship that liueth and raigneth GOD world without end Amen ☞ A prayer in tyme of tribulation HAue mercy on me o lord haue mercy on me a most wretched sinner which do commit wickedly and do suffer therfore worthely which do sinne continually and suffer thy scourge therefore dayly If thou take my dayly tribulation as a recompēce for the euils which I haue committed thē it is not so much that I suffer For it is a great deale more grieuous which I haue trespassed then that which I do suffer Thou art iust O Lord and thy iudgement is according to right Yea all thy iudgements are iust and true and thou O Lord our God art iust righteous for there is no iniquitie in thee Thou doost not vniustly nor yet cruelly scourge and punishe sinners O almightye and mercyfull God which when we had no being at all didst mightily create make vs And when we were lost by our owne faulte thou by thy pitie goodnes marueilously did dest recouer vs I know and am very certain and sure that our life is not led by sodeine motions but it is disposed and gouerned of thee O Lord our god Whereby I knowe thou takest care for all men most chieflye for thy seruauntes which haue put their whole hope in thine onely mercy Therefore do I besech and humbly require thee that thou wouldest not deale with me according to my sins wherwith I haue deserued thine anger but according to thy great mercifulnes which exceedeth the sinnes of the whole worlde Thou O Lorde which outwardly doest punish scourge graunt me inwardly a patience that will neuer fayle so that thy prayse neuer departe away from my mouth Haue mercy on me O Lord haue mercy on me and helpe me as thou thinckest best to be most necessary for my body and soule Thou knowest all things thou caust doo all thinges which liuest for euer and euer ¶ A very deuout prayer to the Sonne O Lord Jesu Christ son of the liuing God whiche being vppon the crosse with thy handes spread abroad for the redemption of all mankind didst drinke the most bitter cup of thy passion I besech thee that thou wouldest vouchsafe to geue me helpe this day and euer Lo I a poore wretch come vnto thee which art ritch a sinner vnto thee that art mercifull Let me not returne home contēned and despised with nothing I begin an hungred Let me not leaue of fasting I come vnto thee as though I were famished let me not go away vnfed Although before I eat I sigh and sorow yet after my sorow gene me somwhat to eat First of all good Jesu I acknowledge before thy maiestie mine vnrighteousnes toward thee Beholde O Lorde I was conceiued in sinne and borne in the same thou didst wash them of from mee and sanctified mee but I afterwarde defiled my selfe with bigger and more greeuous sinnes For I was born in sinne of necessitie because I coulde bee borne none otherwise but afterward I rolled my self willingly in sinnes Neuertheles thou O Lord being mindful of thy pitie didst take me out of the house of my carnall father and out of the tentes of the vngodly and hast enspired me put me in mind to follow thee with the generation of them that seeke thy face of thē that walke in the right path of them that abide and continue amongst the lilies of chastetie and of them that sit downe together with thee at supper of most scarcitie and lesse excesse But I an vnkind person forgetting so many great benefites after that I was entred into religion and holines did commit many vnlawfull thinges I did offend wonderfull vngraciously and where I should of right haue amended mine euill life left my sinnes I heaped sinnes vpon sinnes and these be the euils O Lord wherwith I haue dishonoured thee and haue spotted and defiled my selfe whom thou didst create after the similitude likenes of thine owne selfe with pride vaine-glory and other many euils wherewith myne vnlucky soule is vexed punished torne and destroyed Beholde O Lorde myne vnrighteousnes is gone ouer my heade and are lyke a sore burthen ouer heauy for me to beare And except thou whose propertie is euer to haue mercy and to forgeue doe lay vnder me the right hand of thy maiestye I shall be constrayned miserablye to sinke into the deepe and be drowned Geue heede O Lord God and behold because thou art holy loke how myne enemy assaulteth me saying God hath forsaken him I will
cleane in hart because they shall see God. Blessed ar they that dwel in the house of the Lord they shall prayse thee world without end ¶ A very deuout prayer for the geuing of thanks O Lorde Christ whiche art the worde of the Father which came into this worlde to saue sinners I besech thee by the most louing bowels of thy mercy to amend and repayre my life make better my deedes take thou the ordering of my manners take from me that which noyeth hurteth me and displeaseth thee and geue me that whiche thou knowest will please thee and profit me who can make cleane y which is conceyued of an vncleane seede but thou alone Thou art the God almighty of infinite pietie which doest iustifie make righteous euen those that were wicked men and raysest again to life them that were dead in sinne thou chaingest sinners and they are no sinners Take away therefore from me whatsoeuer is in me that pleaseth not thee for thine eyes do see much vnperfectnes in me Lay thy hand I besech thee of thy pitie on me and whatsoeuer offendeth the eyes of thy pitie remoue it froÌ„ me In thy sight is both my health my disease the one I beseech thee to preserue thother to cure do thou heal me O Lord and I shall be healed do thou make me safe and I shall be saued Thou I meane which doest make whole them that be disesed doest preserue them that be cured which only with a becke doest restore and repayre thinges that be decayd and fallen into ruine For if thou wilte vouchsafe to sowe any good seed in the fielde of my hart of necessitie thou must plucke vp first with the hande of thy pitie the thornes of vices whiche be in it Put in my hart I besech thee so great plenty of delectation in thee that I may desire no earthly or carnal thing nor yet thincke vpon them but that I may loue thee alone that I may haue thee only in my hart and in my mouth Write with thy finger in my brest the delectable remembrance of thy sweet name so that it may be blotted out with no forgetfulnes Write thy will in the tables of mine hart and also thy iustifications that I may alwaies in euery place haue thee o Lord before mine eyes in my sighte Enflame my minde with that fire which thou didst send into the earth and willedst it to be kindled that I mighte offer vnto thee daily with teares a sacrifice of a troubled spirite a repentant harte O sweet Christ O good Jesu eueÌ„ according vnto my desire and euen as I hartely require thee with my whole minde geue me thy holy chast loue which may replenish and keepe me and also fully posseÌ„sse me Geue me an euident signe and token of thy loue a flowing well of teares which wil continually runne that those teares may somewhat testifie thy loue in me that they may shewe foorth that they may declare how much my soule loueth thee whilest for that great delectation it hath in the sweetnesse of thy loue it may not refraine from teares I call to my remembrance sometimes good Lord that vertuous woman Anne which came to the tabernacle to pray that thou wouldest send her a son of whome the scripture maketh meÌ„that her countenance after her teares and prayers was not againe chainged or altered But when I thinke vpon so great vertue constante stedfastnes I am vexed with sorrow and confounded with shame because I a wretch do perceiue my selfe to be fallen ouermuch from thee For if a woman did weep after such a sort and continued so in weping which did search for nothing els but a sonne how ought my soule to mourne and to persist and abide in weping that seeketh and loueth God and hath a desire to come vnto him how ought such a soule to mourne weep which seeketh God day night which will loue nothing but Christ My teares now truely shoulde bee made vnto me meat day and night Looke vpon me therfore O Lord and take pitie on me because the dolours and sorowes of my harte are many in number Geue me thy heauenly consolatioÌ„ and do not despise nor cast away a sinful soule for the which thou diddest die Geue me inward teares I beseech thee from the bottome of mine harte which may washe away the spottes of my sinnes Replenish my soule alwayes with heauenly delectation and heauenlye mirth that I may obtain some litle portion or part in thy kingdom althogh not amongest the perfect men whose steps I can not folow yet at the least wise amongst the inferior sort The marueilous deuotion of another woman commeth now vnto my minde which with a vertuous loue did seeke thee lying in the sepulchre which when thy disciples went away departed from thee did remaine with thee her selfe which sate there sad and sorowfully weeping long and very much and when she did arise she serched with a diligent eye and with many teares the corners of the sepulcher whiche was lefte emptye if shee might espy thee out in any place whom she with a feruent desire soughte yea and moreouer shee went againe and againe to the sepulchre but that was not enoughe vnto her neither did it satisfie her desire for the grace of a good worke is to perseuer and continue in the same and because she did loue more then other and that in louing she wept and in weeping she searched and in seaching she continued therfore was it thy pleasure that shee should first finde thee see thee and talke with thee before all other and not onely this but also she was a â—â—dinges bearer of thy glorious resurection vnto thy disciples when thou diddest commaunde her and bid her goe and tell my brethren that they goe vnto Galilie there they shall see me c. Seing therefore that a woman did weep after such a sorte and continued in weping which did seeke him that was aliue among the dead which touched thee with the hand other fayth how ought a soule to mourne and to continue in mourning which beleeueth in thee with his mouth doth acknow ledge thee to be his redemer that sittest now in heauen and raignest euery where how muche therefore ought suche a soule to mourne weep whiche loueth thee with all his hart and with his whole desire doth couet to see thee Oh onely refuge the onely hope of wretches vnto whome no man needeth at any time to pray without hope of mercy graunte vnto me this grace for thy sake and for thy holy names sake that as ofte as I think vpon thee as oft as I speake of thee write of thee read of thee confer of thee as oft as euer I remember thee stand before thee offer vp prayses prayers and sacrifice vnto thee so oft I may weep aboundantly with teares in thy sight so that my teares may be to me in steade of bread day and night Thou
both God and man man and god Neuerthelesse although by thy marueilous will the word was made flesh yet neither of both the natures was chainged into others substance In the misterie of the Trinitie there is not a fourth person added for y substance of the word of God and of man was vnited and knitte together but not confused and mixed that that thing which was taken of vs should be turned into God and that whiche neuer had bene before that time that his flesh manhoode should be the same that had bene euer without any beginning that is his Godhead Oh marueilous mistery Oh vnspekable felowship Oh marueilous meeknes of thy heaueÌ„ly mercifulnes which is euer worthy marueiling and euer to be loued we were but vile seruantes and beholde we are made the sonnes of God yea and heyres of God together with Christ From whence came this goodnes who brought vs vnto this state But I require thee O most mercifull father by thine inestimable pitie goodnes and charity to make vs worthy of these many and great promises of the same thy sonne our Lord Jesu Christ Send forth thy strength O God establish the thing that thou hast wrought in vs Make perfect that which thou hast begun that we may be able to come vnto the fulnesse perfectnes of thy pitie Make vs through y holy ghost to vnderstand and through thy Sonne to deserue with due honor alway to worship this great misterie of thy pitic whiche is manifest in our fleshe iustified in the spirite did appeare vnto Angels was preached vnto nations was beleeued to be in the world was taken vp into heauen Amen ¶ Of the thankes which man ought to geue vnto God for the benefite of his redemption LOoke how much O Lord our God we ar in debt vnto thee euen for so great a price were we redeemed with such a great gift were we saued and with so great a benefite helped Howe much ought we wretehes to loue dread bles praise honour and glorifie thee which hast so loued vs after such fashion saued vs after such a sort sanctified vs to set vs on hie To thee truly do we owe and are bound as much as we are able euen our life and all our study and endeuour But who hath any thing that is not thine But do thou O Lorde our God from whom al goodnes procedeth euen for thy holy names sake geue vs of thy goodnes that we may serue thee of thine owne goodes and giftes and that we may please thee in truth and repay vnto thee daily due prayses for so great benifites of thy mercie For by none other meanes raÌ„ we serue the but by thine owne giftes that thou hast lent vs while we be in this world For euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue commeth down from the father of light with whome there is none alteration or variablenes neyther yet is hee chainged vnto darcknes O Lorde our God and a pitifull god a good God and almighty God an vnspeakable God and incompreÌ„sible of such a nature that can not be contayned as in a place O God which art the beginner of all thinges and the father of our Lord Jesu Christ which diddest send the same thy beloued sonne our Lord foorth of thy bosome to our common profite to take vpon him our life to the entent he might geue vs his life and that hee might be perfect and very God of thee his father and very perfect man of his mother a whole and a perfect God a whole and perfect man and yet but onely Christ both euerlasting and enduring but for a space both immortal and mortall both a creator and a creature strong and weake an ouercommer and one ouercommed a nurse and one that was nursed him selfe a shepheard and a sheepe dead for a time and liuing with the euerlasting promising to theÌ„ that loued him the freedome of life who sayd to his disciples what thing soeuer ye aske the Father in my name he will geue it vnto you For that hie priestes sake which was also a Bishop indeede a good shephearde that offred himselfe in a sacrifice to thee putting his life in ieoperdie for his flock for his sake I say I besech thee which sitteth on thy right hand maketh intercession for vs being our redeemer and our aduocate that thou wouldest graunte vnto me that together with thy Sonne and the holy Ghost I may in all thinges blesse glorifie thee with much contrition of hart and a fountaine of teares with much reuerence and feare For the gift of them that be all of one substance is all one But because a bodie that is corrupted doth aggranate burden the soule stir vp and awake I beseech thee my sluggishnes with thy prickes and prouokinges and make me boldly to perseuer continue in thy coÌ„manndements and lawes day and night Graunt mee that my harte may waxe warme within me and that many meditation prayer I may be feruent And for as much as thy onely sonne sayd No maÌ„ can come to me excepte my Father that sente me shall draw him again No man commeth to the Father but by me I â—â—quire and humbly besech thee drawe me alwayes vnto him that he at the length may bring me to thee thether I meane whereas he is sitting on thy right hand whereas is euerlasting life continuall blessednes wheras is perfect loue without all kinde of feare wheras is one day euerlasting and one spirite of al men whereas is most sure securitie safety sure quietâ—es and quiet plesantnes pleasant felicitie and happines happy eternitie continuall and eternall seeing praising of thee without end wheras thou with him and he with thee in the communion and vnity of the holy Ghost euerlastingly continuallye liuest and raignest throughout all worldes of worldes Amen ¶ A deuout prayer vnto Christ O Christ God which art my hope and the true and gentle louer of mankinde the light the way the life the health the honour and worship of them that be thine I besech thee call to thy remembraunce all thinges that thou willingly didst suffer for theÌ„ both bands crosse woundes death and sepulcher which after three dayes death being ouercommed diddest rise wast seene of thy disciples reforming theyr hartes and establishing them that were almost declining from thee the fortie day after didst ascend vp to heauen which liuest euerlastinly now and raignest throughout worldes Thou art my God both louing true my father and my God both holy and pitiful my mighty king my good shepheard mine onely maister my best helper one whome I am most bound to loue my liuing bread mine euerlasting priest my guide vnto my coutry my true light my holy sweetnes my right and straight way mine excellent wisedome my sure and vnfayned simplicitie my peaceable coÌ„cord my safe garison my good portion mine euer lasting health my great mercy my strongest