MOst gratious God & deare Father, we yeeld vnto thee frō the bottome of our harts most humble thankes, in that it hath pleased thee not onely to defend and pre­serue vs this night from all our enemies both ghostly and bodily: but also of thy fatherly pittie to giue vnto these our ear [...]hly and languishing bodies such suffici­ent sleepe and rest, as hath satisfi­ed the earnest desire of our weake and feeble nature. And as thou of thy mercie hast safely brought [Page] vs to the beginning of this pre­sent day, and shewed vs the light thereof: so wee humbly beseech thee (O God) graunt that our soules may be spiritually lighte­ned with the brightnesse of thy word and sacred misteries, wher­by we may walke in the steps of Christianitie, & lead a life agreeable to our vocation in Christ Ie­sus our Lord. Assist vs also with thy grace and holy spirit O God that we may neuer shrinke from thee for any earthly torments, but dilligently applie our selues to the performance of thy will, and giue our selues wholy there­vnto, hauing a strong and sted­fast faith in the truth of thy pro­mises. [Page 2] Indue vs with wisedome from aboue, that wee may dasly increase in the fulnesse of our sa­uiour Christ. Beholde vs with the eye of thy mercy, and vouch­safe to defend vs that commit our selues wholly vnto thee both now and euermore. Giue vnto vs a heart alwaies affected to ho­nor thee, a mind euer meditating of thy righteousnesse, and a spirit burning with zeale of thy wor­ship, that wee may warily stand vpon our guard, and neuer yeéld to the trecherie of the aduersarie: Blesse and prosper our enterpri­ses O Lord, that whatsoeuer we take in hand, we may by thy di­rection bring it to good successe, [Page] and euermore praise thy holy name for thy gratious assistance and singular goodnes: grant this O father for Iesus Christ his sake our only sauiour and redee­mer.

GOod God the creator and maker of all mankind, seé­ing it hath pleased thee of thy deuine prouidence, to ordaine the night as a meane to deliuer vs from the trauailes of the day, and to minister ease and gladnes to the wearied lims of our bo­dies, to the great comfort and re­freshing of the same, by the frui­tion [Page 3] of quiet sleep and rest, accor­ding to humane nature, wee be­seech thee therfore O Lord of thy vnspeakeable goodnes and mercy, to be our watchman and defender this night, that we be not ouer­come by fantasies, dreames, or o­ther illusions: but that through thy permission, we may take such quiet rest and voluntarie sleepe as nature requireth, and though our grosse sences are at such times stopped, yet vouchsafe euer to graunt vs the assistance of thy grace and holy spirit, that our soules may respect the com­ming of thy sonne our sauiour Ie­sus Christ, that at what time soeuer he calleth, wee may bee [Page] found watchfull, and continual­ly ready to performe his will, that after this life ended, we may eternally rest in glorie: and as the brightnesse of the sunne doth in the morning disperse the darke cloudes and thicke mistes from the face of the earth, whereby the same was before couered with darkenesse: so wee humbly be­seech thee vouchsafe to disperse and burie our sinnes (in the blend and obedience of thy deare sonne) which doe as it were sha­dow vs from the bright beames of thy fauourable countenance, and euermore assist vs with thy gratious goodnesse, that our sleepe may be so healthfull vnto [Page 4] vs, that we with willing minds arising in the morning, may vt­terly shake off al maner of drow­sinesse, and make hast to exercise our selues in such Christian la­bours, as thy deuine prouidence hath ordained vs vnto, to the ad­uancement and renowne of thy holy name, credit of thy Church, comfort & reliefe of our Christi­an bretheren, and our euerlasting saluation. In mercy graunt this O Lord we beseech thee for Ie­sus Christ his sake, our onely re­deemer and sauiour, vnto whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all power and dominion for euer, Amen.

GIue eare, I most humbly beseech thee, O God, vnto the complaints of me poore sinner, and graunte mée the true vnderstanding of thy diuine pre­cepts, oh let my supplications come before thee, and saue me O Lord that put my whole trust and confidence in thée, according to thy promise, that I may ioyful­ly yéeld vnto thee vncessant prai­ses, and obserue thy statutes, (wherein thou hast instructted me) with diligence for eu [...]r. Let nothing cause me to quaile, O God, but that the words of my tongue may set forth thy vpright iuddements and glory, for thou art my louing God, on whome I [Page] euermore depend, and my com­fort consisteth in thy precepts: e­rect thy hand to helpe me poore sinner, for I haue not neglected thy statutes: let my whole life depend vpon thee for euer and let me seeke comfort at thine onely doctrine, let my life be prolonged and couered vnder the shadow of thy wings, that I being deliue­red by thee, may render continual thankes vnto thee, and zealously imbrace thy testimonies: ah alas how haue I gone astray and wan­dred too and fro like a lost sheepe from his shepheard, being readie to fall into all daungers, and to be deuoured of the enemie, but of thy mercie, O Lord, thou [Page 34] hast called me home vnto thy sheepefold and restored me againe to the knowledge of thy heauenly doctrine: wherefore O God, so guide me with thy grace, and in­struct me with thy holy spirit, that I may continue therein for euer.

WIth thy grace and holy spi­rit assist me, O God, that I walke not in the steppes of the vngodly, neither followe after their wicked and licentious counsell: Let me not stand in the waies of impudent sinners, nei­ther [Page] yet sit or kéepe company with such as deride thee and blas­pheme thy holy name, but graunt, O God, that my whole delight may be fixed in the keeping of thy sacred lawes, and that my mind may meditate therein night and day. Make me, O God, as a fruitfull tree planted by the wa­ter side, that being alwaies refre­shed with thy grace, I may bring forth the fruits of repentance, and daily proceed in newnesse of life to thy honour and glory, so that what businesse or affaires soeuer I take in hand, it may prosper: but scatter thou the vngodly like chaffe before the wind, and let them tremble at thy righteous [Page 35] iudgements, that they stand not in the assembly of the iust, for thou like a mercifull God wilt allow and maintaine the life of thy children, but the euill life of the wicked shall vtterly perish in thy presence, yea, and in the end they shall go to destruction, ther­fore will I trust in thee for euer­more.

FAile me not, most mercifull God, for there are many that rise vp against me vexing my soule continually: yea, they assault me with diuers temptations, say­ing, [Page] there is no helpe nor victorie for him in his God, but yet in thy good time thou wilt send nou­rishment and succour vnto thy seruant, and defend me on euery side from them that cruelly seeke my destruction, yea thou art my glory, and thou in mercy wilt lift mee vp when I am fallen, therefore will I still call vpon thée, o Lord, for I know thou wilt heare me out of thy eternall ta­bernacle, and seeing thou art my good God, I will lay me downe and rest in peace, and arise again because thou defendest me: the re­membrance of thy promises and trial thereof haue so increased my loue and faith to thée, that though [Page 36] many thousands pretend my vt­ter ouerthrow, yet will I not be affraid, for thou art the God of my force: come forth therefore, O Lord, and helpe me, and in thy good time beate downe my ene­mies, and strike them vpon the iawes that seeke to do me euill: break thou the teeth of the vngodly, and confound all such as dai­ly go about to slaunder me with­out a cause: it is in thee, O Lord to free me from distresse, and to deliuer me from the snares of my oppressours, for thy blessing is vpon thy people, and thou wilt relieue them in their necessitie: wherefore extend thy mercie to­wards me: and defend me both [Page] now and euer, that I may yéeld continuall praise for euer.

ASsist me, O Lord, with thy grace and holy spirit, and re­buke me not in thine anger, nei­ther chasten me in thy displea­sure, but haue mercie vpon me that am vtterly destitute of strength and reliefe: heale me O God, for my soule is grieuously vexed because of my sinne, and sore shaken through mine iniqui­ties, my heart sigheth being now touched with the feare of thy iudgements, wherefore incline [Page 37] thee to helpe me, and saue me for thy mercies sake, for they that are in the graue cannot praise thee: O Lord, in mourning I faint, and in remorse my sorrow increaseth, I weare away because of the lewdnes of my aduersaries and am sore vexed by reason of the miseries wherewith I poore sinner am oppressed, but away from me yee wicked, for the Lord hath heard my voice and wofull crye, yea the Lord hath heard my praier and humble sute, and he in his great mercie will confound my enemies, and send me reliefe in my greatest necessitie, and will put to flight all such as worke my decay or séeke to doe me euill. [Page] Increase thy loue in me, O Lord, that I may render due thankes vnto thée for thy continuall assi­stance, and praise thy name be­cause of thy louing kindenesse shewed vnto me, in depending wholly vpon thy merites for e­uer and euer.

REgard, I most heartily be­seech thée, O God, y^e humble petitions and praiers of thy seruant, for vnto thee alone do I lift vp my hart and soule, beséech­ing thee to extend thy mercy and pitie towards me, that haue euer­more [Page 38] put my trust & confidence in thee: let not mine enemies reioice ouer me, neither suffer me thy seruant to be put to confusion, be­cause my hope resteth onely on thy saluation, but euermore re­taine me in the faith of thy pro­mises, that I swerne not on any side, guide my steps in thy truth, and instruct me in the rule of thy will, for thou art the God from whom I expect and looke for my deliuerance: be mindefull of thy mercies which thou hast often shewed vnto thy seruants, and of thy manifold benefits which thou from time to time hast declared vnto all ages. Remember not the lewdnesse of my youth, but [Page] in thy mercies think vpon thy ser­uant, instruct me in thy laws, and teach me to be humble, be merci­ful to mine iniquities, for they are great, and by the direction of thy holy spirit conduct me in the right way, that my soule may dwell at ease and inherite the land which thou hast prepared for them that serue thee: reueale vnto me, O God, the secrets of thy holy word that I may be endued with vnder­standing: turne thy face vnto me, and extend thy mercie towards me, looke vpon my afflictions, and release me of my sinnes, and de­liuer Israel out of all his troubles.

HEarken vnto my humble suit, O Lord, & in thy mercy giue eare vnto my praiers, I doe not here plead for my selfe, neither do I refuse to be reproo­ued of thee, but beseeching thee not to rebuke and chastise me in the heat of thy wrath, for thy hand and heauie yoake oppresseth me, and the sense of thine ire worthi­ly kidnled against me, endureth so grieuous vpon me, that my whole bodie consumeth for the aboundance of my wicked offen­ces, yea my wounded conscience [Page] is ready to putrifie through sin, and I dare not but with heauie countenance lift vp mine eies to­wards thee: my heart and reines doe burne, O Lord, with intolle­rable paine, and there is no part of my body free from griefe. I wholly languish & faint for very sorrow of my heart, thou know­est my desire, O God, and my sighing is apparant vnto thée my heart panteth, my strength de­cayeth, and my eyesight now fai­leth me, many there be that séeke my destruction, and there is none to helpe me but thou alone, wher­fore on thee will I waite and a­bide thy good time for my suc­cour, helpe me therefore that now [Page 40] calleth vpō thee, lest I be brought into decay: and let not my ghost­ly enemies triumph ouer me, who desire to see my ouerthrow. In thee O God haue I euer trusted, forsake me not therefore, but of thy gratious goodnesse send me speedie comfort: O mercifull Lord be not far from me in my distresse, but hast thee to help me. Amen.

EXtend thy grace and holy spi­rit towards thy seruant, O Lord, that I may daily magni­fie [Page] thee, for thou art my deliuerer and hast not suffered my foes with pride to triumph ouer me. I cried vnto thee in my troubles, and thou like a mercifull God diddest deliuer me, thou hast de­fended me from daungers of death, and renewed me alwaies with comfort: therefore shall I sing praises vnto thy diuine ma­iestie for euer, thine anger endu­reth but a while, but thy fauour to the end of our life: and though sorrow abideth in the euening, yet ioy commeth in the morning, and in my prosperitie I said, I shall neuer be moued, but so soone as thou didest restraine thy fa­uour from mee, I was stricken, [Page 41] then did I returne to thee, O Lord & praied, what profit is therin my blood when I am slaine? or shall my body made of dust sing praises vnto thee, or declare thy truth and faithful constancie in performing thy promises. O Lord, heare me and receiue me to thy fauour, helpe me good God I beseech thee, and haue mercie vpon me, and loe thou hast tur­ned my mourning into ioy, and remooued the sorrow of my heart to gird me with gladnesse, yea thou hast made thy louing kind­nesse so ioyfull vnto me, that I do meditate of thy goodnesse all the day long, therfore shal my tongue be wholly consecrate both now [Page] and euer to set foorth thy praises. O Lord my God, on whose mer­cie dependeth my saluation, I will giue thankes to thee for euer and euer.

HEarken I most humbly be­seech thee, O God, vnto my complaint, and incline thy eare vnto my lamētable sighs, for my soule is now oppressed with troubles, and grieuously woun­ded through sinne, wherefore re­lease my heauie burthen, and mi­tigate [Page 42] my tormenting paines, for there is none to helpe me but thou alone, that art the God of my might, mine eies cannot rest, nor mine eyeliddes slumber, be­cause of my heauinesse, but so soone as I record thy greate goodnesse shewed vnto me of old, how is my soule comforted, and how quiet is my conscience with­in me, deliuer me therefore accor­ding to thy wonted mercies, and let me neuer be vnmindefull of thee, but that my spirit may still reioyce, and be indued with a stedfast hope of thy promises, and though the wicked seeke my de­cay, yet let my trust be wholly fixed vpon thee: giue me vnder­standing [Page] and knowledge from a­boue, that I may faithfully ob­serue thy fatherly precepts: be not long absent from me O God, neither let thy sweete promises faile me, but in thy mercy respect me thy seruant, and poure on me thy heauenly blessings: grant me the direction of thy grace and ho­ly spirit, that with all humilitie and perfect patience, I may stand fast in the day of my trouble, and after this wretched life ended, indue me O Lord, with thy eternall rest to dwell with thee for euer.

FRom the very inward part of my heart, O my soule, praise thou the Lord, and all that resteth within me praise his holy name, for all his graces, mercies, and manifolde benefites that he in great mercie hath bestowed vpon me, for he hath couered the filthi­nesse of my iniquities, altered my naturall wilfulnesse, and healed my broken heart, and the bloudie wounds of my conscience: O my God thou hast redeemed my life from destruction, and of thine in­finite mercies doest alwaies satif­fie [Page] me with good thinges: thou renuest my soule like the youth of an Eagle, and hast reuealed vnto mee thy way and holy word: thou art altogether mer­cie and full of compassion, slow to wrath, and of great kindenesse to all such as come vnto thee, thou wilt not alwaies lowre, nor keep thine anger for euer, neither dost thou deale with me after my sinnes, nor reward me according to mine iniquicies: for thou in mercie wilt set my sinnes so farre from me as the East is from the West, and neuer thinke vpon them any more: thou shewest thy selfe to be a most gratious father in extending thy bountiful bene­uolence [Page 44] vnto such as honour thée, for thou knowest that we are but dust and like the flower of the field, alwaies ready to be carried away with light blastes of winde to all manner of vanities, but thy mercie (O my good God) and lo­uing kindnesse endureth for euer. Let thy righteousnes hold me vp both now and euermore, that I may feare thee and keepe thy commaundements in continuall remembrance to do them, that af­ter this life ended I may gaine the fruition of thy kingdome. which for thy elect thou hast pre­pared in heauen, to sing praises vnto thee with thy holy Angels, and to enioy thy presence O Lord [Page] which raignest and rulest for e­uer. Amen.

REgard my humble petitions and prayers, most gracious God, and in thy mercie giue eare vnto my requests, for vnto thee alone doe I come in the time of my necessitie, accept therefore I beseech thee the cryes that I hee reoffe [...] vp vnto thee, rule thou my thoughts, and guid my waies aright, that my heart be not in­clined to euill, and so procure me to runne vnaduisedly to doe the workes of iniquities: but let the [Page 45] iust man with discretion reprooue me, that I by his exhortations may discerne and knowe the snares that the wicked haue laid to entrap me withall, and not onely shunne them my selfe, but admonish others in like manner to eschew the same, who seeing the vngodly with grieuous tor­ments to be miserably afflicted, may with humble and penitent hearts returne vnto thee O Lord, and acknowledge theé to be their onely stay and succour in al their actions: my life, O God, is expo­sed to all miseries: neuerthelesse I most earnestly beseech thee to be my protector, and though my state be slipperie, yet let thy right [Page] hand support me, and thy louing kindenesse enclose me about, and when my hands are erected to call vpon thy name (being full of hope) graunt speedie release vnto me, least I fall into the net that the wicked haue laid for me, that I being gouerned and directed by thy mighty power, may for e­uer henceforth extoll thy glorious name, whilest the wicked are to­gether entangled in their owne mallice: graunt this O father for thy deare sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

TEach me O Lord to ord [...]r my steppes according to the rule of thy holy word, that the wic­ked entrap me not in my dea­lings, Let the number of my daies be knowne vnto me, and make me I beseech thee more and more seriously to consider how transitory this life is, that I may apply my heart continually to the contemplation of thy hidden secrets and deuine mysteries, for the length of my yeares is but as a spanne, and all earthly things are nothing but meere vanitie in [Page] thy sight, therefore as the chased Hart desireth to be refreshed by the aid of the water brookes, so longeth my soule after thee, O God: therefore let not thy graces and holy spirit O God, be taken from me, but extend thy hand to deliuer me from all inconuenien­ces, that I become not an open rebuke vnto mine enemies, take those plagues and seuere punish­ments from me that my sinnes do deserue, and let thy mercie be an eternall comfort vnto mee, graunt me vnderstanding and send me knowledge from aboue, that I may see into the cause of my afflictions, and neuer mur­mure at thy fatherly chastise­ments: [Page 47] heare my praier and in thy mercy take pittie and com­passion vpon me, asswage the great heate of thine anger to­wards me, and release the trou­bles of my heauy heart, and grant me a space of repentance before the time of thy fatherly calling, that I may rest with thee for euer.

I Commit this my iourney and corporall trauell, most merci­ful father, vnto thy heauenly di­rection to guide and gouerne me therein as shall seeme best to thy [Page] onely goodnesse and godly wise­dome: and as this my trouble­some and weary life is nothing els but a pilgrimes passage, and onely a span from birth to graue, so graunt, that I may alwaies consider of it. And I beseech thee O my God, that as to Iacob iourneying into the East, & pray­ing reuerently for thy gratious protection, thou diddest fauoura­bly and of thine infinite mercie minister all thinges necessary to his safety, so thou wilt now mer­cifully beholde me, a member of thy little Israel, and safely keepe and preserue me in my iourney, that the same may tend to the honour of thy name, and to the [Page 48] comfort of my conscience both now and euer, that like as Ia­cob saide thou shouldest be his God, so we knowing that in all thinges thou art more good and plentiful vnto vs a thousand fold then we can deserue, may for thy heauenly graces and continuall goodnesse sing laud & praises vn­to thy holy name; o God, that for euer liuest, one in trinitie & thrée in vnitie, Amen.

FRom the bottome of my heart, O my God, will I ertoll thy name, and render thankes vnto [Page] thee for euer and euer. I will consecrate all the daies of my life to set forth thy glory, and to yéeld praises vnto thee continually, for thou art great O Lord, and there is no praise sufficient for thee, yea the memoriall of thy name will I cause to endure from one gene­ration to another, neither shall I alone labour to doe this my du­tie, for verily there will be al­waies some assembly which will by all meanes testifie the remem­brance of my deeds and peculiar goodnes, and openly declare thy vndoubted promises, remaining vnto all ages, namely that thou art most mercifull and gratious vnto such as trust in thee, and [Page 49] thy louing kindnesse endureth for euer, neither is it manifest whe­ther thou art either more slowe vnto wrath, or more proue to par­don, for thou, O Lord I knowe art good to all men, and thy mer­cies are aboue thy workes, yet is thy name, O God, extolled in thy workes, and the praise of thy glorie appeareth in all thy crea­tures: thou staiest vp euery one which els should fall, and graun­test releefe vnto such as are al­ready fallen, yea thou giuest help continually vnto those that loue thee, but destroiest the wicked, and therefore by good right, O Lord, will I sound foorth thy praises for euer and euer.

LOuing Lord and my most merifull father, in wonder­full mercy, I acknowledge it hath plesed thée to purge me silly wretch by the death & bloody pas­sion of thy sonne, from al my sins and iniquities, to haue adopted me thy childe, and giuen me the earnest of my saluation, touching my heart with an infallible sence and feeling of thy mercies and setled confidence in thy promises, so that euen now, in the comme­moration of thy vnspeakeable [Page 50] blessings my soule is newly en­tred into thy house, to take the holesome cup of eternall salua­tion, and to call vpon thy holy name: assist me therfore with thy spirit, O Lord, & giue me a wise and vnderstanding heart, that I may conceiue rightly of thy sa­cred mysteries and deuine pre­cepts, discerne them secretly, and receiue them effectually, not with rashnes of minde, but with so­briety, in righteousnes and holi­nesse of life, vnto the perfect con­summation and finishing of that happy building, which thy wor­thy goodnesse in mercy hath pro­uidently begunne in me, yea vn­till I be come to the measure of [Page] the eternall age and fulnesse of my Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ Amen.

Extend thy fauourable pitie to­wards me, O Lord, and in thy mercie doe away my iniquities, take from me al hardnes of heart, and indue me with thy grace and holy spirit, that my delight may be in thy lawes: blesse and prosper I beseech thee, my bodily labours, and send mee such neces­sarie reliefe both for my soule and bodie, as shall seeme most expedi­ent [Page 51] to thy deuine wisedome. O God keepe me vnder the shadowe of thy winges from all the afflic­tions of this wretched life, and defend me from the naughtie dealing of lying lippes and slan­dering tongues: let me not doe a­ny thing contrary to thy will, O Lord, but keepe me in such good order of life, that I be not defa­med of the wicked and vngodly person. Confirme me in the knowledge of thy law, and send me spée­die reliefe in al my troubles: giue me good God a feeling of my sinnes with earnest repentance, and that I may perseuer in new­nesse of life, to thy honor and glo­rie: let me auoid the company of [Page] such as be euill, and let my whole delight consist in the secrets of thy sacred mysteries, that I may openly set forth thy praises, and yeelde vncessant thankes vnto thee: graunt that I may escape the net that the wicked haue pri­uily laid to intrap me, for my hope consisteth in thy saluation, and when my weary daies, O Lord, shall draw to an end in lea­uing this life and earthly pilgri­mage, graunt me a strong and stedfast faith with speech and me­morie euen to the end, that so de­parting in peace, I may rest with thee for euer. Amen.

ETernall God and father of all mercies, I humbly beseech thée to bow down thine eares & hear­ken vnto me poore sinner, whose state is weake and feeble because of thy heauy displeasure, but I confesse and acknowledge, that it is a iust reward for my iniquities committed against thee, respect me neuerthelesse in thy mercie, and thinke not vpon my trans­gressions, deliuer my soule, endue me with all spirituall graces and consolation, and continually keepe me in true faith and hum­ble [Page] obedience towards thee, nei­ther let me murmure at thy cha­stisements, but with patience en­dure thy correction: it is in thée to deale with me at thy pleasure, since thou createdst me of dust and slime of the earth, and gauest me life and breath in my mothers wombe. Wherfore, O Lord, I be­seech thee, suffer me not to be tempted aboue my strength, nei­ther yet to be holden downe with greater afflictions then my weak nature is able to endure, but ra­ther a [...]cording to thy tender mer­cie support and relieue me, that neither the flesh, the world nor the diuell triumph in my weake­nes, giue me a feeling of thy mercies, [Page 53] that thy graces neuer depart from me, and when it pleaseth thee, O Lord, to bring to an end this miserable life, graunt that I may with humble obedience towards thee, and perfect faith in thy diuine promises, neglect the state of this wretched world, and rest with thee O Lord my God, in that euerlasting king­dome which thou hast prepared for thy elect from the beginning of the world, where I shall con­tinually yeild praises vnto thee, together with all the host of heauen for euer and euer. Amen.

COntinue thy goodnesse stil to­wards me O Lord, that I may daily haue occasion to extoll thy praises, for great cause doe I already retaine to land thy glo­rious name for euer, because thou alone act my ioy and saluation, and the strong citie whereunto I alwaies flie for succour, thou hast euer bene my rocke and tower of defence, open now therefore the gate of righteousnesse, that I poore sinner may enter therin as one of thy children, so shall I be preserued in peace. I haue al­waies [Page 54] put my trust in thee, stregthen me therefore I be­seech thee, with thy holy spirit, and as thou art altogether righ­teous and iust, so vouchsafe to instruct me in the path wherein I ought to walke, for my soule reioyceth in thy truth, and desireth thee in the night season, yea and my spirit shall seeke thee in the morning: how mercifully dost thou nourish thy people, and how glorious doest thou make thy e­lect? when I was in distresse I called vpon thee, and when thou diddest chastise me, I poured forth my prayers, and thou like a lo­uing Lord diddest shew mercy on me according to thy great kinde­nesse. [Page] O deare father, my soule now replenished with griefe, be­cause of my sinnes, desireth to be receiued into thy eternall rest. I was dead & putrified through my sinnes, and enuironed with dis­paire because of my fall, but thou of thy goodnesse diddest yeeld re­liefe vnto me, and made me aliue againe, yea thou hast eleuated my soule out of the darknesse of death and ministred light vnto me, that I might regard my footesteps: thou hast vpholden my life from daungers, and preferred me a­gainst the enuious mindes of the wicked, thou hast defended me from such as rose vp against m [...], and sent me reliefe in my greatest [Page 55] necessitie, yea thou hast plente­ously indued me with all things and giuen me a tast of thy good­nesse. Wherfore O most merciful God, assist me with thy holy spi­rit, that I neuer be vnmindfull of thy mercies, but may extol thy glorious name for euer and euer. Amen.

REspect me thy vnworthie ser­uant, O Lord, with the eye of thy mercie, for on thee dependeth my saluation, and there is none but thou alone can bring suffici­ent reliefe and succour vnto my [Page] afflicted spirit. Wherfore, O God be mercifull vnto me, and rule my heart in thy faith, feare, and loue, with a carefull keeping of thy commaundements, guide thou my footesteps, O God, and gouerne me with thy mightie hand, that I fall not into the pit of destruction, assist me with thy grace and holy spirit, that I may both discerne and reiect those thinges that are contrary to thy law, and saue me O God, from the cruelty of such as seeke to oppresse my soule: send me know­ledge from aboue, that I may conceiue rightly of thy heauenly mysteries, and teach me O Lord so to order my life, that acording [Page 56] to the precise rule of thy holy word and deuine precepts I may daily proceede in newnesse of life to the honor and glorie of thy name. Indue me with all spiri­tuall graces to stand against the subtile assaults and temptatious of my ghostly enemies, that I may neuer quaile by his tirannie, but giue him his finall repulse and vtter ouerthrow, be thou my protector and defender, most lo­uing father, that in all my waies I may be safely directed by thy mighty prouidence, for thou art my refuge in all my troubles, and in thy mercie will I stay my selfe for euer, and my hope shall still rest in thee, O God, that li­uest [Page] for euer.

I Call and crie to thee, O God with mourning voice, besee­ching thee to hearken vnto my groning sighes, deliuer me from my troubles, that oppresse mee grieuously, for misery is come v­pon me, and there is none but thou alone can helpe me: guide me, O Lord in thy truth and lead me foorth in the pathes wherein I ought to walke, thou art the onely rokce whereunto I must cleaue, and in thy good time thou wilt vphold my state against my [Page 57] enemies that enuiron me about, they haue cast snares in the way to entrap me, and by crueltie haue daily sought my decay. Wherfore I beséech thée O God, come quickly and succour me, put forth thy mightie arme, and deli­uer me from them that rise vp a­gainst me, pretending my vtter ouerthrow. Conduct me in thy truth, that I be not intrapped in my waies, nor holden in the earke prison of this miserable worlde, from the view of thy deuine ma­iestie, but that I may be compas­sed with the assembly of thy elect to reioyce in thee O my good God, for my deliuerance, and to sing continuall praises vnto thy [Page] holy name for euermore with a chéereful voice preserue me from destruction; and vouchsafe, O Lord, to forgiue me all my offen­ces, that I may stand stedfast in thee, and neuer be put to confu­sion, but to rest with thee eter­nally, Amen.

I Most heartily beseech thee, O thou God of al mercy & power, to make strong my soule against all the troublesome and most dangerous assaults and tempta­tions of the world the flesh and the deuill: confirme my beliefe [Page 58] and faith in thee, and make me, good Lord, one of the number of thy elect, and graunt that all my sinnes may be cleansed in the blood of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. O deare Father, let thy graces and blessings be continually poured vpon me, and shine on me with the comfortable beautie of thy cheerefull counte­nance, and graunt me in this life the perpetuall direction of thy holy spirit, and in the life to come eternall rest with my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen.

O Lord thou hast euer bene our safe hauen and habitation, and thy louing kindenesse hath beene plentifully shewed vnto vs and our elders, from one generation to another: thou art a God that raignest and rulest for euer, with­out beginning or ending, yea thou didst create vs of dust and slime of the earth, and we being most mi­serable cretures so soone as thou takest thy spirit from vs, are euen then immediatly dissolued into dust againe, for as a watch in the [Page 59] night, so doth our life passe away, and as a tale that is told, so do we vanish: we grow vp like the hearb which at the rising of the sunne doth flourish, but in the euening is cut downe and withereth: graunt therefore O God that we neglecting all idle imaginations, may account the dayes of our earthly pennance how short they are, that our mindes by this cogitation beeing brought from the troublesome care and vaine hope of earthly felicitie, as also called away from all those entise­ments whereby we wander out of the right path of thy truth, may aspire to true wisedome, in applying our hearts wholly vn­to [Page] thy eternall testimonies: be mercifull vnto vs, O Lord, and [...]a [...]e vs from all the assaults and temptations of our ghostly ene­mies, conduct vs with thy migh­ty hand, we beséech thée, in all our dealings, that we may walke vp­rightly in our estate and vocati­on without fraud or deceit, grant that after so long and innumera­ble troubles as we haue sust [...]i­ned, thy goodnesse may shine vn­to vs like a most pleasant light, that we being satisfied with the comfortable nourishment thereof may enioy thy true and eternall consolation, and like as with many miseries thou hast correc­ted vs, so we beseech thee of thy [Page 60] eternall goodnesse to comfort vs againe, and in the middest of all our troubles restore vs to ioy and gladnesse, that from the bot­tome of our hearts we may yeeld continuall praises vnto thee: ac­cept vs amongst the number of thy hea [...]enly armie, and let the voice of our humble petitions, O God, ascend vp vnto thee, make vs continually thankfull for our election, and let vs neuer forget that thou hast taken vs into thy family, to be cared for of thee, yea let this thy glory shine forth to our posteritie, and let thy excee­ding goodnes beautifie & adorne vs: gouerne thou our counsels from thy sanctuary, and let our [Page] enterprises be acceptable in thy fight, O God, that liuest for euer. Amen.

ETernall God, I most humbly beseech thee giue eare vnto the prayers and dolefull cries which I heere poure foorth before thee: strengthen me, that I may walke in thy waies, and carefully auoid the path that the oppressors tread. Accept the requests, of thy ser­uants, vouchsafe, O Lord in mer­cie [Page 61] to relieue them that trust in thee, against such as resist thy doctrine: keepe me as the apple of thy eye, and euermore defend me from my enemies, euen vnder the shadow of thy winges, for they are full of enuy, and their cruelty cannot be satisfied but with my death, neuerthelesse my hope de­pendeth only vpon thy assistance, that thou wilt stand on my side, whereby I may vtterly vanquish and ouerthrow their force, for thou art my fortresse and strength in whome is no variety, in thee will I trust O God of my salua­tion, yea I will call vpon thee and praise thy name for euermore: preserue me therefore and assist [Page] me in the day of my daunger, let not the vngodly man preuaile a­gainst me, but preuent their wic­ked deuises that intend my de­struction, indue me plentifully with thy graces, that I may take delight in those things that may please thee, and bestow such good gifts as thou hast lent me, to the vse of my Christian bretheren that stand in need therof: let thy spirit scale the assurance of thy election in my heart, that I neuer decline from the true seruice of thee, but with all constancie giue my selfe wholly to the loue of thy law, and perseuere therin vn­to the end, for thou art my por­tion and the lot of mine inheri­tance, [Page 62] let me not be oppressed by any earthly penury, least through frailety of my flesh I be enforced to fall from thee, but teach me continually by secret inspirations (the right way to attaine to the fruition of thy blessings) that I may at all times sing praises vn­to thee: be thou alwaies at my right hād, O Lord, that my course may be directed by thy godly as­sistance, and deliuer me out of all troublsome daungers, that I may reioyce both in body and soule for thy gratious protection: sh [...]w me thy fauour, O God, in all things that I take in hand, and let the successe of my trauels fail out as my hope expecteth, to the [Page] great comfort of thine elect, and the exceeding ioy of all that put their trust in thee, let not the cru­elty of the enemy preuaile against me, least he say that he hath ouer­come me, and they that oppresse me, reioice in my fal, for my trust is wholy in the truth of thy pro­mises, neither shall my heart dis­sent from the hope of thy mercy and defence in all my enterprises but being at the length deliuered by thee from the dreadfull daun­gers of earthly casualties, I will not cease to land and praise thy holy name in the midest of the congregation for euer and euer. Graunt this, most mercifull Fa­ther, I humbly beseech thee, for [Page 63] Iesus Christ his sake, my onely Sauiour and redeemer. Amen.

WIth the eie of mercy, most lo­uing father, beholde my care and inward griefe, and hearken I humbly beseech thee to my com­plaint and lamentable sute, my soule cryeth out to thee for mer­cie, extend therefore thy louing countenance and fauour vnto me that am sore plunged in the gulph of calamities, yet do I con­fesse & acknowledge that I haue and doe deserue most extreame punishment for so grieuously of­fending [Page] thee my louing Lord, but if thou shalt euer marke what is amisse in me, how am I able to a­bide thy frowning countenance? but with thee is alwaies mercy and redemption, yea thy seruants continually do, and will for thy great goodnes feare and loue thy holy name, my soule also know­ing thy singular bountie, in that it hath euer tasted of thy incom­patable sweetenes, shall stil trust in thee, for thou diddest defend and nourish me when I was de­stitute of helpe, therefore will I wait for thy saluation euen from the morning vnto the euening, and from the euening likewise vnto the morning againe, for there [Page 64] is no night-watcher that in grea­ter desire longeth for the daw­ning of the day, then dooth my soule expect the comming of thee my Lord and God, for great is thy pittie vnto all such as with true repentance and hearty pray­ers doe come vnto thee: Go too then O my soule now reioice, & comfort thy selfe in the Lord for euer, serue him with feare and reuerence, and be readie for his comming, sith no varietie resteth in him, but that he is good and mercifull, and hath often redee­med and deliuered thee from the daunger of hell: haue mercy vpon me now therfore, O deare father, and forgiue me my sinnes, cast [Page] them from thy presence, & thinke vpon them no more so shall my soule reioyce and be glad in thee for euer.

NOw bewailing my sinfull life past, most louing father, I doe here in humble wise desire thy gratious fauour: haue mercy on me, poore sinner, that cleaueth wholly vnto thee, and in the multitude of thy mercies doe a­way the heauy burthen of my iniquities: wash me from my sinnes, and clense me from my of­fences, wash me againe and a­gaine, [Page 65] O Lord, that all my sinnes whatsoeuer lyeth hid within me, may be done away at once. O most merciful father, against thee onely haue I sinned most grie­uously and done wickedly in thy sight, yea, and those thinges are most iustly decreed of thee which thou hast pronounced against me. And I must needes confesse, that nothing is faultie amongst thy iudgements, for I was cor­rupt and guiltie in my mothers wombe, and repleat with sinne, euen from my cradle: what haue I to alledge for my selfe (know­ing O Lord, what a wretched case I stand in) or what excuse can I make to thee, O heauenly [Page] iudge: wherefore in thy fight doe I remaine the greatest of all sin­ners, purge me with the true I­sope (which in thy mercy thou hast sent vnto sinners) euen the blood of thy deare sonne my Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ, that al my filthinesse may vanish cleane away: restore me, O Lord, vnto that vnspeakeable ioy wherwith they are indued that are shrow­ded from the bonds of sinne and death, and receiued into thy fa­uour againe, hide thy face away from my sinnes, and race out of thy tables all the wickednesse that I most grieuously haue cōmitted against thee: let thy holy spirit so direct me, that I may from henc­foorth [Page] giue my selfe to thy com­maundements, then shall I teach thy waies vnto the wicked, and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee: deliuer me from sinne that my soule may praise thee conti­nually: open my mouth, O Lord, that my tongue in Psalmes and Himnes may set forth thy glori­ous name. For thou desirest not sacrifice, but a sorrowfull minde and cont [...]ite heart, with the true feeling of sinnes and inward re­pentance and vnfained turning vnto thee, which oblation, O Lord, I now offer vnto thee, humbly beseeching thee to accept thereof, and incline thine eare thereunto for Iesus Christ his [Page] sake my only Sauiour and redée­mer. Amen.

LOrd graunt me the assistance of thy grace and holy spirit, that my soule vnto thee may yeeld continuall praises, let my whole life extoll thy great kindnesse al­waies shewed vnto me, for all praise belongeth vnto thee, thou hast indued my heart with ioy, and lifted my soule out of the mixe, wherefore I will not seeke to any mortall man, for their state is slippery, and their life cōsisteth [Page 67] in their breath: whereof being be­reaued, they are resolued againe into dust, but let my trust be in thee O God, on whose mercie dependeth my saluation, for thou O God, art exceeding good and gratious vnto all such as come vnto thee, great is thy power, oh how wonderfull is thy handie worke in thy creatures, thou bea­rest a great zeale vnto thy ser­uants, and keepest promise with thine elect, thou openest the eyes of the blinded soule, and gi [...]est vnderstanding to the simple, thou diddest arme my soule when I fainted in misery, wherefore giue me vnderstanding, that I may diligently search to knowe thy [Page] will; thou diddest defend and nourish me when I was desti­tute of thy helpe: thou comfortest the fatherlesse and widdows, but in iustice ouerthrowest the wic­ked. O Lord I see that all flesh is grasse, and the riches of this world are nothing but vanitie, but thy riches are euerlasting: wherefore graunt that I may be plentifull in all good workes, and lead a life in this world agreeable to thy will, that the same being ended, I may rest with thee for euer.

I Humbly craue and beseéch theé, most mercifull God, in fauour to behold my troubled heart, and giue eare vnto my lamentable cries, for vnto thee alone do I of­fer vp my prayers, desiring thee, in mercy to respect thy seruant that now caleth for thy direction: let my pathes be guided accor­ding to thy will, for thou art a God most pure, and canst abide no iniquitie at all to raign in thy fight, neither the vniust person to stand in thy presence, wherefore, [Page] O Lord, endue me plentifully with thy graces, that haue no spark of goodnesse, in me, send me knowledge from aboue, and di­rect me with thy spirit, that I be not vtterly cast away for euer, but pardon my iniquitie, that I may draw neare vnto thee, and with reuerent feare extoll thy glorious name. Let not Sathan my mortall enemy preuail against me, but deliuer me frō the snares that he daily layeth for me, re­plenish me, O Lord, with vnder­standing, that I may safely walke in thy lawes, for the enemies of thy truth, and disturbers of my soule are many, they dissemble in heart, and with their lippes they [Page 69] flatter daily, but my trust is in thee O Lord, that thou wilt con­found their deuises, so shall I re­ioyce in thee, because thy hand hath deliuered me, and my tongue shall neuer cease to extol thy prai­ses and exceeding goodnesse, be­cause thou hast defended me with the shield of thy mercy, and re­deemed my soule from deadly daunger. Amen.

RElieue me G God, I most humbly beseech thee from al the tyrannous inuasions of my ghostly enemies, the worlde, the [Page] flesh, and the deuill, and behold the carefull heart of him whome thou hast stricken and visited ac­cording to thy heauenly will and because man in his owne nature is nothing but blindnesse and fol­ly before thee, and therefore can­not possibly conceiue rightly of the things aboue: renue therfore thy spirit in thy seruant that the same instructing my heart daiely in true wisedome and feare of thee, I may come to the feeling of mine owne euils, and know the cause of thy scourge, that so my wound being apparant to mine eyes, I may with all speede see to the cure thereof, and deserre no time to seeke the salue to heale it. [Page 70] Heare the voice of thy seruant, O God, that crieth vnto thee, consi­der my complaint, and weigh my inward woe conceiued through hate of mine owne infirmities, and for want of thy knowledge, for I flie from my selfe as from an vnwalled castle, fearing my footsteps, euen as though I walked on thornes: deale not with me in thy displeasure, nei­ther let my sinnes seperate thy fauour from me, but quicken me in my afflictions, and make me ware wise by thy punishments: giue me such a sence of my infir­mities, and so perfect a perseue­rance of my rechlesnes in seruing of thee, that I may dispose my [Page] selfe to contrarie order, erecting my mind vnto thee, and thereun­to so ioyne the increase of thy grace and strenghtning spirit, as that I may be able therby to per­forme my race, and continue in that good way which thy good­nesse hath mooued me to: in the times of my heauinesse be neere vnto me, and open my eyes of faith to behold thy eternall loue, so that I be not too much shaken by the enemies assaults, but may be replenished with abilitie, con­stancie, and patience, to giue him his finall repulse and ouerthrow. Amen.

MOst mightie God of maiestie, and heauenly father deare, vnto the humble sutes of vs thy seruants poore giue eare: that call on thee still to maintaine and blesse with thy great power, our noble King and his ofspring, our stay & gouernour: whōe thou ouer thy little flock vnto our comforts great, ordained hast to fit vpon the high and princely seat: from forraine force of foes vouchsafe good God to guard his grace: that all their subtile sleights and snares he doubtlesse may deface. Lend vnto him long life O Lrod, [Page] and eke a royall raigne, and grant that he thy graces great for e­uermore may gaine. Thy bles­sings bountifull bestowe vpon him we thee pray, that his delight may be to loue thy lightsome law for aye. And earnestly for to im­brace thy Gospell pure at large, vnto the comfort of thy church committed to his charge. Vnder the shadow of thy winges Lord keepe him to the end, and from conspiracies also vouchsafe him to defend. Conuert or els con­found all such as mischiefe do de­uise, against his grace, and to thy truth are vtter enemies, God graunt him peace in conscience and health without annoy, that [Page 72] we long time and many yeares his presence may enioy. Amen.

RIghteous God, thou that art the father of all mercies, and comforter of all mankind, euen of thy tender loue behold me poore sinner that haue straied from thy precepts through igno­rance and frailtie of my flesh, and most wickedly erred from thy holy commaundements like vnto a wandring sheepe hauing no shepheard. O Lord I do confesse I haue followed too much the de­uises and desires of my vnrigh­teous [Page] heart, whereby I haue at sundry times grieuously offen­ded thy maiestie in breaking and neglecting thy holy lawes which thou hast commaunded me to keepe, and contrary to thy will, followed these vngodly actions which I ought not to doe, lea­uing vndone those good thinges that thy sacred word hath taught me, so that in me there is no goodnes, except thou, O Lord, do speedily looke vpon me, and in thy great mercy pardon my hai­nous offences. Forgiue me, O deare father, and forget my ini­quities, I most entirely beseech thee, that here with a sorrowfull heart confesse my faultes vnto [Page 73] thee, O God, requesting thee of thy fauorable goodnesse to restore me that am penitent, and in thy mercy send reliefe vnto thy ser­uant, satisfie my soule with thy fauour againe, according to thy promise, which thou hast decla­red vnto an such as come vnto thee in the name of thy beloued sonne Iesus Christ my sauiour: wherefore, O my God, I come vnto thee with an humble minde, beseeching thee from the very in­wards of my soule, to graunt me the assistance of thy grace and holy spirit, that I may euer here­after in newnes of life liue as be­cōmeth thy seruant, vprightly in thy sight, and deale faithfully [Page] with all men, to thy honour and glory and the comfort of my soule. Amen.

IN mercy, O Lord, vouchsafe to heare my prayers, and let my cries haue accesse vnto to thée: hide not thy face from me, I be seech thee, in the time of my trouble, but with speed incline thine eares vnto me when I call: behold, there is no certenty in my flesh, for my life consumeth as the smoake, and my daies do wast in sorrow, mine enemies lie in wait for me, and they that rage against me, haue [Page 74] conspired my death: wherefore the feeling of thy wrath and hea­uie displeasure hath quite consu­med me, but thou, O Lord, (whose promises I know en­dure for euer) continuest all one God in mercy vnto such as call vpon thee, therefore do I flie vn­to thee in my distresse, beseeching thee to assist me with thy grace and holy spirit, that the cause of my mourning and piteous com­plaints being taken away, I may daily proceed and goe for­ward in newnesse of life, to the honour and glory of thy holy name. Confirme thy good worke begunne in me, O God, and let me neuer want thy assistant aid [Page] therein, lest it be vtterly frustrate Let not mine iniquities be any hinderance to thy bountiful good­nesse, neither yet my negligences (in seruing of thee) mooue theé to detract the operation of thy holy spirit in thy seruant, but with speede consider my frailty, and pardon my offences for Iesus Christ his sake so shall I declare thy worthinesse, and extell thy great kindenesse shewed vnto me at all times. Haue mercy vpon me, O God, haue mercy vpon me according to thy eternall pro­mises, make me plentifull in all good workes to doe thy fatherly will, and let thy commandments be my whole delight, refresh my [Page 75] hart with the fruition of thy blessings, and let me not at any time be vnmindful of thy goodnes, but yeeld continuall thankes vnto thee for thy great benefits exten­ded towards me, take me not away O God, in the middest of my daies, but prolong my time, and conduct my footsteps, that hauing viewed at full thy graces inestimable kindenesse, I may neuer cease vntill the last gasp to sing praises vnto thy holy name for euer and euer. Amen.

COnsider, O my God. I be­seech thee, the wofull com­plaints and prayers that I here offer vp to thy diuine Maiesty, vnto thee alone doe I sue for helpe, remit therefore my iniqui­ties, for the multitude thereof doe speedily craue thy aid, and in thy mercy be fauourable vnto me, as thou hast euer beene, for though I were driuen to seeke the far­thest parts of the earth, yet will I call for thy direction, yea when I am tormented with cares, I [Page 76] haue no other refuge to flie vnto, but onely to thee, O my God wherefore in mercy looke on me, and in thy good time take me vp into the place of ioy prepared for thy elect, where I may praise thee for euer, for how hast thou in great mercy dealt with me, in being vnto me an euerlasting to­wer of defence against mine ene­mies, and though by reason of the retchlesnesse and frailty of my corrupt nature, I haue eftsoones swarued from thy holy word, yet I beseech thee, O deare father, deale fauourably with me, and lay not my offences vnto my charge but shew thy selfe a louing and mercyfull God towards me, [Page] and pour on me thy gifts of grace, that I may be holy vnto thee, and accepted in thy fight, so shall my life be prolonged, yea & so happy indeed, as it shall neuer decay, and I shall resort to thy taberna­cle in peace, where I shall be sa­tisfied with the fruition of thy fa­uour, and be sustained with mercy and truth for euer: direct me con­tinually with thy holy spirit, and teach me, good Lord, to hate the waies of the wicked, erect my minde to the contemplation of thy heauenly mysteries, and receiue me both now and euer into thy gratious protection, for my aduo­cat Iesus Christ his sake, Amen.

O Eternall God and mercifull father, from the depth of my weake heart doe I laud and glo­rifie thee for all the benefits be­stowed on me from the beginning of my life vnto this present, es­pecially for the blessings of my election, redemption, vocation, iu­stification, and sanctification in Christ Iesus. Thou hast deliue­red me from the cruelty of my aduersaries, and made me an in­heritour of thy kingdome, and thy childe by adoption, yet thou hast giuen me (notwithstanding [Page] my vnthankfulnesse) the earnest penny of my saluation, and in mer­cie hast reconciled me in Christ, whilst I was yet a grieuous ene­mie vnto thee, thou tookest me out of the blinde dungeon of care­lesse ignorance to render thankes vnto thee, and to call vpon thy name, in all which thou hast cau­sed me to proceed and profit vn­to this day, wherein thy pleasure seemeth to incline me towards the greatest benefit that euer I yet tasted, that is, to free me from the extremities of this life and to bring me to that heauenly liberty where shall be no bitternesse. Now therefore, O deare Father, for Ie­sus Christ his sake erect my mind [Page 78] towards thee, and as at all times of my life hitherto thou hast nou­rished and preserued me, so now in my last need visit and regard me, O God, that as the enemie will now bend his force against me, so thou with thy louing protection and holy spirit wilt comfort me, and with thy pre­sence defend me, that my faith still increasing, with armed pati­ence, I may dispise the feare of this bodies death, knowing that it is the vnauoidable way that thou hast appointed to doe away my mortalitie, and to bring my soule to rest, to yelde praises vnto thee in ioyes euerlasting, which thy prouidence hath ordained me [Page] vnto: so instruct me therefore to number my daies, that I may apply my heart to thy eternall wisdome: teach me, sweet Lord as heretofore to liue, so now to frame my end, that it may re­dound to thy glory, whereunto with a fighting heart, I humbly beseech thee, that my vnderstan­ding may alway be lightned with the feeling of my owne infirmitie, and that in all perfect humilitie I may flie from the mind of all earthly stay, and so not fainting in my farewell, but cleaning to thy promises, and apprehending thy saluation with sure hope, I may expect the dissolution, so be­holding thee with the eyes of my [Page 79] faith, I may grow as by degrees weaker in bodie, so fuller and stronger in spirit, so that when the last breath is passed, my soule in the bosome of Abraham may ioy­fully respire the triumphant o­dors of an endlesse life. Amen.

O Most mer [...]ifull God and lo­uing father we most earnestly beseech thee let the eye of thy mer­cie behold vs, and harken to the humble sutes of thy poore ser­uants, that with penitent hearts doe appeale before thee, requi­ring pardon for our iniquities [Page] committed daily against thy di­uine maiestie: vouchsafe, O Lord, of thy wonted goodnesse to extend and shew thy fauourable pittie and compassion towards vs, and lay not our sinnes vnto our charge, but put them quite out of thy memory for Christ his sake thy dearely beloued sonne our sa­uiour, and graunt that we may render vnto theé cōtinual thanks for thy manifold benefits and e­ternall mercies that thou of thy tender loue dost daily bestow vp­on vs. Assist vs also with thy grace, that we may neuer cease to sing praises vnto thee for our election, creation, and redemp­tion: we beesech thee, O Lord, [Page 80] to giue vs the true knowledge of that Art whereunto thou hast called vs, thereby to maintaine our selues and our families from the extremities of this sinnefull world and momentaneous life, for we doe not onely depend vp­on thy fatherly prouidence, but doe confesse, O Lord, that euery good and perfect gift commeth from thee: therefore be mindfull wee beseech thee of thy seruants, and indue vs with thy blessings of wisdome and vnderstanding, fith that thou alone hast elected and ordained vs as instruments to minister those thy rich and plentifull gifts which thou hast appointed for the health and re­liefe [Page] of mankind, vouchsafe to giue vs the gift of heal [...]ng, that we may frame our selues to doe thy will therein, and be a com­fort to such as lie in miserie and cruell paine by occation of bodily sicknes and externall casualties, and hereunto so ioine the increase of thy grace & holy spirit, that all our actions may be guided accor­ding to the rule of thy deuine precepts and commaundements, that our consciences be not spotted in thy sight, but may remaine pure and holy, euen as thou, O Lord, art holy, alwaies reuoking to memorie our duties and ne­cessarie vocation, whereby our hearts may be continually stirred [Page 81] vp to call for thy assistance, re­mooue from vs all hatefull and euill thoughts, with the coue­tous desire of filthie lucre, and in­cite in vs a consideration of the wofull estate of the poore and needie, that we may relieue their necessitie with such good things as thy fatherly goodnesse and vn­speakeable prou dence in greater measure hath blessed vs withall. Respect vs, O Lord, in thy mer­cie, that those things which we goe about may prosper with us, and that all our labours which we shall take in hand, may be blessed and brought to good suc­cesse by thy assistance and father­ly protection, to the honour and [Page] glorie of thy holy name, credit of thy church, comfort of our Chri­stian brethren and our owne sal­uation: graunt vs this, O Lord, for Iesus Christ his sake, our only Sauiour and redeemer. Amen.

MOst mightie, God and eter­nall king of maiestie, how can I hide my selfe away from thy presence, or with what pretence might I couer my shame from the piercing fight of thine eye, since there is nothing in me but a whole heape of sinne, whereby I am almost driuen to the dore [Page 82] of dispaire. Erect therefore thy mighty hand to helpe me, O Lord, for if thy wisedome prouide not for me, I am alwaies in daunger, for vnrighteousnesse in this my cortuptible bodie raigneth as a king, wherefore when my ene­mies enuiron me, I wonder that thou doest not destroy me, consi­dering the lewdnesse of my liuing and the multitude of my grieuous offences. But thus thou vsest to comfort thy children, and my soule but for this reliefe, O God had perished long agoe, therefore from the bottome of my heart crie I vnto thee, take me not away I beseech thee, O Lord, in my sinnes, neither let me reape [Page] the portion of the wicked: thou hast shewed me the daies of com­fort, and often deliuered my soule from the Lion, and because thou in great mercie hast let mee see this goodnesse, and also made me reioice therein, increasing light afterdarkenes, I will neuer cease to call vpon thee in my afflictions, but continually expect the good houre in my danger, increase my faith, settle me in the knowledge of thy will, and plentiously blesse me with thy grace and holy spi­rit both now and euer, for no place is free from the rage of thy aduersaries: assist me in my infir­mities, that I may euer gaine a double reioycing, and that the [Page 83] most subtile assaults of the ene­mies may alwaies fall out to be his foulest foile, through Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour. Amen.

THe Scriptures of God in sundry places doe manifestly declare vnto vs the healthfull ef­fect of afflictions, in calling them a cup, or drinking glasse: for like as the expert Phisition giuing vnto his patient such quantity of medicine as he thinketh good, the patient must of necessity yeeld the choice of his fancie to the [Page] skilfull prouidence of him that ministreth: euen so our good and gratious Lord, knowing farre better what is profitable and most expedient to cure the infir­mities & maladies of our soules, tameth our affections with such cups of afflictions as his wonder­full wisedome in mercie fore­seeth to be most behooueable for vs. In like manner are they also called in another sence his artille­rie, his speares and his swords, wherewith to fight and ouer­throw his enemies: and euen as these definitions touching their ends are not alike, but very di­uers, so likewise are the afflictions of God sent both to the godly [Page 84] and vngodly, but to two sundrie ends, for by the one sort of afflic­tion, God exerciseth the patience of the faithfull handling them for the most part more roughly than he doth the wicked The other he vseth both to testifie vnto vs, that iniquitie cannot raigne vnpu­nishable, as also to hold them vn­excusable, and that is the full end of all afflictions, extended to the infidell or reprobate. The cuppes therefore and afflictions of God, as they are not sent to all men to one end, so do they not worke one effect, but for all them the lewd person remaineth still vngodly, sicke he was before he tooke the medicine, and in like manner sicke [Page] or rather more vncurable he go­eth foreward after it, he feeleth himselfe smitten, but considereth not in truth who smote him, so exceeding farre is he from the perfect perusing of his owne life, and oueruiweing of his former daies thereby, he imputeth his crosse to fortune, rather than smelleth his owne sinnes or in­tendeth to change his life, and if his crosse endure but a little, he chafeth at God and reiecteth his corrections, he amendeth not at all but waxeth worse and worse: farre contrarie is the effect of those afflictions which Gods e­lect sustaine, for his children so soone as they feele his crosse by [Page 85] any meanes layed vpon them, they by and by without delay bethinke themselues of their sinnes, remembring that the hand of God is come vpon them for the same in which feare with all humilitie and reuerent trembling casting downe euery height with­in them, they throw themselues flatlong at the footstoole of Gods Maiestie, reckoning vp all their hainous crimes to their power, acknowledging their faults, and beseeching God in mercie to giue them a feeling of their sinnes, that he will pierce their eares, and in such wise open them, that their affliction may turne to the comfort of their consciences: this [Page] case is cleane contrarie (as is said) to the fearefull punishments of the reprobate, they being har­dened like Pharao thereby, for lacke of his second grace, which is the softening of mans heart and sobernesse of his nature by the holy Ghost, from the free goodnesse of our eternall God. Those being opened in their hearts by such grace and feeling of Gods chastisements, are spée­dily taught to mislike of them­selues for their loose life and of­fences, to sigh and grone for them, and to flie to the mercie of God for refuge. Now by these confe­rences appeareth a certaine rule or touchstone, (not without an [Page 86] vnspeakeable comfort) to Gods elect, for in as much as God pu­nished Pharao, and softened not his heart withall, he intended to leaue him inexcusable to his de­serued destruction, but in that he afflicted Iob, he did it to the bet­tering of his life, mollifying his heart to his saluation: and hence we gather two points of com­fort to be noted and obserued: the one is, that when God maketh vs to feele his hand, so that we are humbled vnder the same, it is a speciall priuiledge and sure to­ken of his good will, and which he neuer sheweth to any but to his owne children: and the other is, since we are punished but to [Page] the amendment of our liues and drawing vs backe from our sin­full waies, we liue therefore in happie case, for that it declareth vnto vs that the Lord will not be angrie with vs for euer, but doth as it were hedge in both the sides of our race, euen because he loueth vs, so that we haue no cause to doubt of Gods fauour, but rather to be fully resolued, that when he punisheth vs, he holdeth vs not for his enemies, but by t [...]t meane procu [...]eth our saluation: and thus we see (as S. Paule saith) our victorie con­sisteth in taking hold of this loue of God in Iesus Christ, being euermore throughly perswaded, [Page 87] that God hath adopted vs to bee his children and heires of his kingdome, which principle wee once hauing, ought not to be led aside nor dismayed with any af­fliction, for seeing that God bea­reth such exceeding loue towards vs, we shall neuer be confounded, and so little in very deed shall our afflictions hinder our wel­fare, that they shall turne to our furtherance, and vndoubtfully prooue vnto vs, that Christ his yoake is sweet and easie, and not onely bringeth vs to the obedi­ence of Gods will, but to eternall happines. Thus afflictions are in truth our medicines to driue vs to God, to tame the pride of our [Page] nature, to kill our vices, to make vs know our selues, loath our sinnes vnfainedly, flie from our owne waies, seeke strength of the Lord, and so from vertue to ver­tue ascend to the height of our saluation: Finally, as to the im­patient reprobate they are the fearefull comets of their destru­ction, so to the number of Gods elect they are the infallibly pled­ges and sure ensignes of their continuall victory and future tri­umph in Iesus Christ. The life and healthfull afflictions of Iob and Dauid in aboundont manner do testifie the louing end of Gods afflictions, and in them may we find infinit testimonies, to prooue [Page 88] how profitable are the fatherly chastisements of our good God, who by them dooth euermore scoure vs from the rust of our na­turall disposition, and fineth vs like pure gold in the furnace: briefely, by them he violently breaketh into the heart of old A­dam, and there bursting the cor­rupt ends and coates of his veines, by his wonderfull opera­tion powreth a new spirit into his arteries, which creeping through the sences with a liuely moisture, as by a certaine heauen­ly Analogie or proportion, doth in settet sort dispose vs to con­temne this vile place of miserie, and to eleuate our minds to God, [Page] that so framed vs, and so forsa­king our sinfull waies and hate­full affections, indeuour with all newnesse to serue & worship him in righteousnesse and holinesse of life, and with all patience looke for the reuelation of the elect children of God, against which new birth and inuincible hope be­fore time reserued vnto vs by the good purpose of the father in his sonne Christ, and now vndoub­tedly confirmed in our conscien­ces, by the badges of this fatherly handling shall nothing auaile vs, for all the dartes of affliction in what kind soeuer assaulting vs, shall be so farre from preuailing to ouerthrow our faith and liber­tie [Page 89] (as the enemy would) as that they shall flue-fold redouble the force thereof with exceeding ioy against them, so that the very sub­tilest engines of Sathan shall make vs the more inuincible, and his force the more contemptible. Thus I say, shall Gods fauoure­ble exercises intermedled with his graces, worke the same effect in our soules, as our meat and drinke doth to our bodies: And like as all such nourishment is the right and ordinarie meane whereby our bodies in this earthly taber­nacle doe daily increase and grow in strengthfull habite of health: euen so by the other, our soule is visited, strengthened, and [Page] increased, and we are brought by the mercifull hand of God euen as by degrees and from step to step, till at length we come to the ful­nesse of our redeemer Christ Ie­sus, to appeare before the Lord in Sion.

THou God, that art the Creator and maker of al things, behold vs that here prostrate our selues at the footstoole of thy maiestie, crauing pardon for our sinnes, gouerne vs thy people, O Lord, that by thy permission do most daungerously trauell the boiste­rous [Page 90] seas, according to the office and vocation whereunto thou hast called vs, for except thy mightie hand do stay vs, we shall perish, yea, we are alwaies in danger to be ouerwhelmed with the pe­rillous waues of the s [...]a, and to be swall [...]wed vp in the deepe gulfes thereof: behold vs there­fore, O Lord, in thy mercy, that in these [...]ur enterprises we may receiue the fruition of thy bles­sings: when thou, O God, art angry with vs for sinne, thou makest the stormes to rise, and the seas to rage, in such sort, that they enforce vs to quake and tremble, and when we cease from sinne, thou causest them in like [Page] manner to cease, for thou appoin­test to the sea his course, and kee­pest it euer in his bounds, yea thou hast ordained vs to trauell thereon, to see thy maruellous workes and excellent greatnesse, as also to declare thy wonders amongst the children of men, thou hast oftentimes for our disobedi­ence and inordinate liuing cau­sed vs to feele thy wrath and grie­uous scourge, the dangers where­of haue almost brought vs to our wits end, but when we turne vn­to thee with repentance thou wilt not onely bring vs to a safe har­bour to ease our weary bodies, but also when our painefull daies are spent and ended, receiue vs [Page 91] into the blessed hauen of eternall rest, the which, O Lord, graunt vs to come vnto for Iesus Christ his sake.

TO thee, O Lord God, we render most hearty thanks for these thy blessings of meat and drinke, which thou in mercy doest now bestow vpon vs, beseeching thee to graunt that we doe not a­buse them immoderately by sur­fetting or gluttony, but onely to feed thereon with sobrietie, there­by to sustaine our feeble flesh and hungry desire, and so frame our speeches, O God, that thy name [Page] therein may be glorified, and our Christian brethren edified: pre­serue most louing Lord, our grati­ous King, with thy vniuersall Church: graunt vs, we humbly beseech thee, the continuance of thy glorious Gospell to be truely and sincerely preached amongst vs, and make vs faithfull follow­ers thereof in righteousnesse and holinesse of life: vouchsafe, O deare father, to defend and euer­more to keepe our Realme from the inuasion of forraine enemies, and send vs a perpetuall peace in conscience, through Iesus Christ our Lord.

GRations God and most lo­uing father, we thy poore seruants yeild vnto thee in humilitie of heart all praise and thankes, in that it hath pleased thee of thy inestimable goodnesse at this instant to refresh and re­lieue the appetite of our earthly bodies with this food of meat and drinke, which thy diuine pro­uidence. O Lord, in plentiful mea­sure hath bestowed vpon vs, and as these thy creatures are by thy permission ordained to nourish our mortall bodies, euen so in mercy vouchsafe to graunt that [Page] our soules may be fed and com­forted with the diuine food of thy glorious Gospell, and that it may so shine in our hearts and sences, that we by the direction of thy grace and holy spirit, may pro­ceed in newnesse of life, to the ho­nour and glory of thy holy name. Call vs not, O deare Father, to account of the vaine and idle spee­ches that we haue at this present, as also at other times of our life, vndiscreetly vsed, but in fauour remit the same, and graunt that we with willing minds may re­member and helpe our needy bre­thren, who feele the want of that which we haue had at full. In mercy, O Lord, preserue thy [Page 93] Church, our King and Realme, increase the number of thy ser­uants, and blesse vs with peace of conscience and health of body, tho­row Iesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord thou art the father of all mercies, and God of all conso­lation, behold vs that with low­ly hearts come vnto thee, euen as children doe to their naturall fathers: our onely trust is in thy mercy, for thy goodnesse excee­deth all earthly fathers, with [Page] reuerence therefore, and humili­tie of heart, loue, obedience, and faithfull dutifulnesse, as becom­meth the children of so louing a father, doe we call for thy helpe and comfortable assistance, for who is like vnto thee, or can bring to effect the thing which thou canst doe? thy seat is in heauen where thou raignest in all dignitie for euermore, thy power is in hea­uen and earth, and in the sea, yea and thy regiment appeareth in all places, thou seest all things, thou hearest all things, and by thy eternitie gouernest all things, and we thy poore children doe craue succour of thee onely, be­seeching thee, O Lord, to raise [Page 94] our hearts from earthly things, and vnite our minds to the con­templation of heauenly things, and make vs ready at all times with stedfast hope to expect our heauenly inheritance: praised be thy name, O Lord, which aboue all other names ought to be had in reuerence, for thou art altogi­ther holy, graunt therefore that we may vtterly detest and abo­lish the names of all faigned gods, and euermore vouchsafe to assist vs in mercie with thy grace and holy spirit, that we may refraine the company of such euill per­sons as vnreuerently blaspheme thy name, neither suffer vs by retchlesnes to dishonour thee our [Page] God in any of our actions: more­ouer, graunt we most humbly beseech thee, O Lord, that thy kingdome may euer remaine a­mongst vs, and that thy truth and holy word neuer depart from vs, but abide in our hearts by thy inspiration, as a fruitfull doc­trine daily instructing vs, wherby we may with more earnest zeale walke as Christians in newnesse of life to the honour and praise of thy name, that all men seeing the same, may truly turne vnto thee, in hope to attaine thy euerlasting kingdome. O most gratious God, let thy blessed will be done in all things with vs both now and e­uer, and as thou art our heauen­ly [Page 95] father, so graunt that we may not request any thing contrary to thy will, but accept whatsoeuer thou sendest with reuerent minds, saying with chearefull heartes, Thy will be done, O Lord, for euermore here on earth, as it is in thy holy sanctuary of heauen: quicken vs, O Lord, that we may learne more and more to be obe­dient vnto thy heauenly will in all things as becommeth thy deare children, and euen as thy holy Angels and blessed companie doe obserue the same with ioy: so direct our inward affections, that we may wholly apply our selues thereunto, and that our whole felicitie in this life may [Page] be altogether imployed in medi­tating on thy sacred Scriptures, which thou in mercy hast sent and left amongst vs, to the comfort of our soules and our eternall salua­tion: and euermore in mercy, O deare Father, vouchsafe of thy prouidence to nourish and com­fort vs continually with such things as thy onely goodnesse doth know to be most expedient both for our soules and bodies, where­by we may goe foreward with a quieter conscience to serue thee so that we in this life may be maintained and preserued, wher­by we may be helpfull vnto our Christian brethren, & not charge­able vnto them any waies, es­pecially, [Page 96] good Lord, graunt that we abuse not thy blessings of meat and drinke, but vouchsafe that we may thankefully receiue thy fatherly benefits in such mo­dest sort, that thy name may be glorified, our soules and bodies gratiously comforted, and if it shall please thee at any time to lay thy rodde of correction vpon vs for our disobedience, and so to afflict vs with any kind of penu­rie, yet graunt to vs such grace that we may continually with all humilitie be thankefu l vnto thee without either murmuring or grudging and with armed pa­tience st [...]ll abide thy leisure, for thou of thy fatherly goodnesse [Page] hast willed vs to lay our care vpon thee, who art able in thy good time to relieue our need: but aboue all things, O mercifull God, graunt that our soules may be nourished and spiritually fed with the liuely word of thy glori­ous Gospell, which giueth know­ledge vnto such as delight there­in, and leadeth to life euerlasting: behold, O Lord, our weakenesse, for thou knowest our frailty, and the wickednesse of our youth is not hi [...] from thee: we confesse that we were conceiued and brought forth in sinne, so that through our corrupt nature we daily and hourely offend thy di­uine maiestie by Sathans inter­ceptions [Page 97] in breaking thy com­maundements, and neglecting our dutie towards thee, but, O our good God, we most humbly beseech thee with sighing hearts to giue vs a feeling of our infir­mities, and stirre vs vp with all speed in the times of our triall to seeke after thee, and to proceed in repentance and amendment of life, for thou art our mercifull Lord, more ready to forgiue than we for to aske, and therefore we come to thee alone, for none in heauen nor in earth, Saint nor Angell, can forgiue sinnes, but thou onely, through Iesus Christ our redeemer, who hath suffered the paine due vnto our sinnes: [Page] and furthermore we craue of thee, O deare father, so to ass [...]st vs with thy holy spir [...]t, that we may put out of our hearts all manner of mallice, debate, and thoughts of reuengement, and with Chr stianitie, from the very inwards of our hearts forgiue them that trespasse against vs, that with stedfast hope we may craue at thy hands forgiuenesse for our sinnes: thou most mightie God, direct our paths and guide o [...]r waies, stretch foorth thy right hand to succour vs, that we may be euer armed with thy defence against the violent snares and manifold temptations of the world, the flesh, and the diuel, stay [Page 98] vs good Lord that we perish not through their cruell inuasions, nor turne from thee to our owne destruction, for except thou doest still continue a good father vnto vs, in protecting and defending vs thy children, and blessing vs with thy spirituall graces, we shall suddenly fall into all iniu­ries: wherefore our hope both now and euer shall wholy de­pend vpon thy mercies, with full assurance, that thou wilt in thy good time not onely deliuer vs from all euill, but also nourish and preserue vs in our necessitie, and s [...]ue vs from such cruell and grieuous afflictions as are readie to molest vs either in body or [Page] mind. Thy kingdome, O deare father, we faithfully confesse and acknowledge is an heauenly and euerlasting kingdome, and thy power is exceeding infinite, yea and thy glorie so incomprehensi­ble, that it passeth mans reason and the limits of his vnderstan­ding to attaine to the knowledge, therefore we most entirely be­seech thee graunt vs these things that we haue faithfully asked in humilitie of heart, according to thy wil, and giue vnto vs, O Lord, such grace, that our prayers may be alwaies directed in perfect faith vnto thy diuine maiestie, without wauering or doubting of thy assistance, remembring thy [Page 99] promises, that so praying vnto thee with a stedfast hope, we may expect the speedie approach of thy euerlasting comfort in Christ Iesus, Amen.

COnduct and preserue me, O Lord, for in thee alone doe I trust, thou art my health and the portion of my inheritance, yea, thou hast blessed me with in­crease, and allotted vnto me a faire heritage, graunt therefore O Lord, that with reuerence I may render vnto thee due thankes for [Page] all the blessings which thou hast lent me, and may imploy the same to the benefit of thy chil­dren: let thy feate be euer appa­rant before mine eyes, that I may liue vprightly in thy sight: saue me, O God, from the daun­gerous euents of this trou [...]le­some and wretched life and hold thy hand continually ouer me, to defend my cause against the furie of my aduersaries: guide me, O God in all my wayes, that my course may be ruled according to thy word, whereby I may faith­fully perseuere with all dutifull obedience in that necessarie voca­tion whereunto thy onely good­nesse hath ordained me: for so long [Page 100] as thy graces haue dom [...]nion o­uer me, I am altogether stedfast and immouable, wherefore I re­ioyce bo [...]h in bodie and soule at thy wonderfull workes establi­shed within me, thou quicknest me from the mind of earthly carefulnesse, and makest me oftentimes to feele thy mercy, and relieuest my conscience with the reuelati­on of thy word, wherefore with delight shall I declare thy goodnes and praise thy name for euer and euer.

COnsider my crie O Lord, and giue eare vnto me that am op­pressed: helpe me, O God, and deliuer me against them that doe iniuriously resist me, preserue thy seruant that flieth vnto thee, and respect me in mercie that am con­tinually conuersant in calling vpon thee, refresh my soule which is lifted vp vnto thee, for vnto thee alone doe I call and crie. Thou art verily good and mercifull, and vsest great clemen­cie vnto them that call on thee, giue eare Lord vnto my prayer, [Page 101] and hearken vnto my meditati­on, for in the day of my trouble I will call vnto thee, yea all na­tions shall extoll thy name, be­cause of thy wondrous workes: teach me the way of thy righte­ousnes, and I will walke therein, knit my heart vnto thee, that I may feare thy holy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, yea I will alwaies glorifie thy name, for great is thy mercie towards me, and thou hast deliuered my soule from the low­est graue. O gratious God, the prowd are risen against me, & the assembles and iniurious dea­lings of violent men haue sought my soule, to destroy it vtterly, [Page] and haue not set thee before them, but thou, O Lord God, on whom onely I doe depend, art kind and mercifull, not hastie vn­to anger, but full of truth, take care now of me therefore O Lord and helpe me for thy mercy sake, graunt finally that I may mani­festly know and perceiue that thou louest me, that my enemies may be grieued and ashamed of themselues, when they see that thou doest yeeld comfort and help vnto me, so shall I be endued with greater ioy to serue thee and to yeeld vnto thee eternall praise and vncessant thankesgi­uing for euer, Amen.

WIth speed, O Lord come forth to deliuer me, make hast to helpe and succour me, my God, let them be confounded and put to shame that pretend to doe me euil, and let them be turned back­ward and put to endlesse confu­sion that desire my death: let them turne home with shame as a re­compence, disappointed of their purpose, which haue vaunted a­against me, as though I had bene quite confounded, and graunt thou, O Lord, that not I alone, [Page] but all they also that haue a de­sire to worship thee, may with a lowe voice ascribe all glorie vnto thee, in reioycing, and that they may delight to giue solemne and euerlasting praises vnto thee, who hast in mercie deliuered thy seruant. In the meane season I stand here all alone, oppressed with the approach of daily sinnes, and destitute of all succour, yea, and continually grieued with the troublesome assaults of Sa­than, which keepeth the soule in perpetuall bondage, wherefore make hast and draw neere to helpe me, O mercifull God, for vpon thy gratious aid doe I onely de­pend, O God, my deliuerer: O [Page 103] Lord. I beseech thee, delay not longer, but graunt me thy hea­uenly assistance, that I feeling thy great kindnesse, may hence­forth applie my selfe wholy to the obseruation of thy lawes, through Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour, vnto whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all power and dominion for euer.

WIth the eye of mercy, O God, see into my sorrowfull soule, and gratiously behold my inward cogitations: and as thou hast of­tentimes shewed thy selfe a most [Page] louing and mercifull Lord vnto thy seruants, euen so with hum­ble heart I earnestly beseech thee O God, satisfie my mind with good things, and couer my sins in the multitude of thy mercies, change the frowardnes of my cor­rupt nature, & release thine anger pretēded towards me, that I may worth [...]ly praise thee, shew me thy mercy, O deare father, and grant me thy saluation: instruct me con­tinually by thy holy spirit in the reuelation of thy lawes, that I may thereby perceiue thy will in all things, and so lead a life ac­ceptable in thy sight, and vouch­safe, O Lord, euermore to graunt me thy heauenly wisdome, that [Page 104] I may not be enclined to follie, but knowing whereunto thou hast created me. I may diligent­ly [...]roceed in that necessarie vo­cation that thy diuine prouidence hath called me vnto, seruing thee in righteousnesse and holinesse of conuersation all the dayes of my life. Graunt also, O Lord, that I may altogether imbrace thy true and a heauenly doctrine & eschew all such things as are contrarie to thy will, that so leading a life agreeable to my calling, I may in the end attaine to the ioyes euer­lasting.

TO thee O Lord, doe I render continuall thankes, for thou in mercie hast heard my voyce, and inclined thine eare vnto the prayers and petitions of my mouth, and therefore will I call vpon thee so long as I liue, for when the most cruell snares of death compasseth me, and when the dreadfull anguish of the graue held me, being ouercome with the troubles of my sorrowfull [Page 105] heart, then I called vpon the Lord, saying: O Lord, I beseech thee, come speedily and deliuer my soule, and thou like a mercifull father didst send and and reliefe vnto me: verily thou, O God, art mercifull and righteous, full of truth and compassion, for I wa [...] in misery, and thou didddest saue me: O my soule enter now there­fore into the place of rest, seeing the Lord hath beene so benefici­all vnto thy safetie, for he hath de­liuered my life from death: thou hast staied mine eyes from brea­king out into teares, and thou hast established my feet in such a perfect path, that I may walke now safe and sound amongst the [Page] liuing, for I haue euermore belee­ued the promises of the Lord, and therefore did I speake, euen my aith min [...]string voice and words to me, being opressed with sorow, and thou didst ouercome the dan­gerous attemps of my foes, quic­kening me for thine infinite mer­cies sake: what shall I render vn­to thee therefore for all thy bene­fits which thou hast bestowed vp­on me, I will giue thee the sacri­fice of praise, and call vpon thy name with reuerence, yea I w ll pay my vowes vnto thee, which I haue promised euen in the m [...]dst of thy faithfull congregation for euer and euer, Amen.

MOst mercifull God, I beseech thee for thy names sake, saue me and deliuer me (being an in­nocent) by thy power, giue eare vnto the wordes of my mouth, and refuse not my prayer that I here present vnto thy diuine ma­iestie, defend me O Lord, from the wicked and such as rise vp against me, confound their deui­ces, and let the snares that they haue set to imtrap me, be as a sword lighting vpon their owne [Page] heads, cut them downe according to thy promises which thou hast made to thy children that I being deliuered by the extended force of thy right hand, may willing­ly performe my vow and solemne promise vnto thee, and celebrate thy praises, seeing there is no­thing more bountifull nor more excellent than the worthinesse of the power, namely in that thou hast saued me from all distresse, and graunted me my desire on my enemies: graunt this, O father, for Iesus Christ his sake our onely redeemer, Amen.

MOst mightie God and hea­uenly father, from the bot­tome of my heart I yeeld all ho­nour, land, praise, and thankesgi­uing vnto thy diuine maiestie, for those thy riches, blessings, and benefits which thou in mercy hast bestowed vpon me: O Lord, that by thy incomprehensible power madest Adam out of the dust and slime of the earth, and createdst him to thine own image, [Page] behold me thy seruant whom thy good pleasure hath called to the honourable state of matrimony, and as by thy most excellent pro­uidence thou diddest giue vnto A­dam, Eua to be his helper, and immutably ordainest them to be­come one flesh, from whom pro­ceeded all mankind, so, O my good God, in thy mercy graunt that this woman whom thou hast giuen me, may be vnto me a helper, and that we may be a comfort one towards another, euen as Abraham vnto Sara, and Isaac to Rebecca, and not to fulfill our vngodly affections, nor the corrupt and filthie desire of our fleshly appetites, but to loue [Page 108] and liue together withall humble obedience and reuerent feare to­wards thee as becommeth thy ser­uants, without strife or debate, and for the procreation of chil­dren, to the increase of thy king­dome: which if it please thee to blesse vs withall, grant that we may bring them vp in thy feare and true religion: Lord behold vs, that with one heart and voi [...]e doe most humbly beseech thee so to en­due, direct, and sanctifie vs with thy holy spirit, that all our acti­ons may stand with thy honour and glory, credit of thy Church, and our euerlasting saluation: and graunt that we with all mo­desty may liue together with con­tinuall [Page] peace of conscience and health of body, vntill we become aged, that we may see our chil­drens children, and thy name e­ternally aduanced in the Church and congregation, and when thy goodnes, hath finished our dayes in this life, conduct our soules in safetie vnto that spirituall king­dome which thou hast ordained for thine elect, to rest with thee for euer. Graunt, O most mercifull father, that those things which we haue faithfully asked, according to thy will, may effectually be obtai­ned, that we thy lowly and obedi­ent children obtaining the perpe­tuall fruition of thy fauour, may for thy gratious assistance and [Page 109] inestimable treasures yeeld vnto thee eternall praise, power, and dominion, with vncessant thanks­giuing both now and euer, tho­rough our onely mediatour and aduocate Iesus Christ, Amen.

O Lord my God, most gratious and louing father in Iesus Christ, behold me, poore wretch, whom thy hand hath hitherto humbled as it were in the sight of all the world, at the length take away my reproch, I acknowledge [Page] thy hand to be vpon me: for none in heauen or earth, saue thy ma­iestie only, is able to withstand the particular effect of that thy generell commaundement, Bring foorth fruit and multiply Thou onely (deare father) canst doe it, because of thy almightinesse: and thou also doest it euen in thy chil­dren, according to the most holy decree of thy vnsearchable wis­dome: now, because when thou v [...]sitest thy children with any wants of outward comforts and blessings, thou doest it not (deare father) for any lacke of loue to them, or as though the blessings also of this life pertained not to them, for in Christ Iesus, who [Page 110] is Lord of all, they are likewise our right, the vngodly being meere vsurpers of them, but thou doest it to draw them by some temporal want and short restraint of their desires to, seeke at thy hand some eternall blessings, which they stand more in need of, that thereby in the end thou mightest be seene to multiply thy rich mercies towards them eue­ry way. Of which thy wisdome thou hast left vs a leagible eui­dence in the story of thy seruant Iob: who (after thou baddest taught him more humilitie) thou enrichedst also, as his heart could desire. Now because thy waies are all iust, O Lord, and thou [Page] walkest euer like thy selfe, haue mercie on me thy seruant, I be­seech thee giue me to vnderstand that which thou wouldest haue me to see in this my affliction, and sith through the darkenesse of my mind, it is hard for me (O Lord) to espit out the deformities and wants that are in me, may it please thee to vouchsafe me the especiall guiding of thy holy spi­rit herein: so as by it I may make a through visitation of my selfe both for my outward deeds and for my inward affections, vn­till I shall find out the thing that may please thee, and may also be yet further blessed of thee, euen in this thing which my heart defi­reth, [Page 111] so shall this thy louing returne wipe away my reproch, thy bounteous dealings with thy seruant, be ioyfully praised a­mong thy Saints, and as for me, whose head thou hast thus lifted vp, I will neuer cease tal­king of thy goodnesse, and infor­ming those who shall in like case of thy liberall kindnesse towards all that wait on thee, and thy most wise and righteous iudge­ments which thou exerci­sest amongst those also that feare thy holy name, Amen.

O Most louing and tender Fa­ther, I commit this my iour­ney and corporall trauell vnto thy heauenly direction, to guide and gouerne me as shall seeme most expedient to thy godly wisdome: and as this my troublesome and wearie life is but a pilgrims pas­sage, and a spanne from birth to graue, so graunt that I may al­waies consider of it, and I beseech thee, O my God, that as to Iacob iourneying into the East, & pray­ing for thy gratious protection, thou didst minister all things ne­cessarie [Page 112] to his safetie, so thou wilt mercifully behold me, a member of thy little Israell, and prosper me so in my iourney, that all things according to thy heauēly wil may go well with me, to the honor and aduancement of thy holy name, that like as Iacob said thou shoul­dest be his God, so we knowing that in all things thou art more rich and plentiful vnto vs (a thou­sand fold) thā we can deserue, may for thy continuall goodnesse sing land and praise vnto thy holy name, O God that for euer liuest one in trinitie, and three in vnitie, Amen.

O Most mercifull father, from thy holy sanctuarie looke downe, I beseech thee, vpon me, and behold me, poore wretch that am oppressed with the bur­then of daily sinne, and be wrap­ped in the bonds of mortall mise­ry, prisoned in the fetters of ori­ginall wickednesse, and hauing in mine owne body the traite­rous affections of concupiscence, alway conspiring to betray my soule into the hands of the ad­uersarie: behold me (I say) in the bright beames of thy louing [Page 113] countenance with thy eye of mercy, see into the troubles of my spirit, and lay thine eare vnto the mournefull grones of the same, my soule howleth out vnto thee euen from the gulph of deepe ca­lamities, pressed with the proui­sion of temporall things, vrged with the spightfull watching of the hatefull, pricked with the pre­sumptuous pride of worldly be­nefites, and wounded with the venomous dart of Adams trans­gression: my battailes are full of difficulties, my victories compas­sed with treason, and my dwel­lings in the dores of death. O my God, what felicitie can the poore seruant find in this irke­some [Page] life? Or what comfort can bring sufficient reliefe to the af­flicted spirit, but the true plat­forme of our pathes, and the sweete scope of our pilgrimage, euen Iesus Christ thy dearely beloued sonne our sauiour. Wher­fore I poore sinner humbly be­seech thee not to carry long, or deferre my deliuerance from this wearie iourney. Let not my soule alway be clad with mour­ning, and my bones witherwith anguish, thou Lord hast created me of nothing, and thou gauest me life in my mothers wombe. Thou hast chosen me to be of thine, and thou hast giuen me thy holy spirit the testimony: O [Page 114] deare father, let not thy graces be in me in vaine, let me not be ouerwhelmed with the iniquities of this troublesome world: but preuent me with the extended force of thy right hand, and saue my soule, O God, my rocke of strength: Behold not that which is amisse in me, neither let my sinnes and infirmities make sepa­ration betweene thy mercy and me: driue out, or at the least wise hold downe in me the cruell sting of raging concupiscence, by the increasing might of thy holy spi­rit impresse in my heart a feare of thy lawes, and instruct me so to number my daies, that I may applie my selfe wholly to thy sta­tutes. [Page] Also (O most mercifull father) as the dore of thy mercy is alwaies open, and as thou wilt neuer refuse humble sutes of thy seruants: heare me, O Lord, in my earnest petition, for thy little Church of England let me neuer see it gouerned againe with the mistie cloud of deepe ignorance, suffer me neuer to see thy holy temple and sanctuary defiled with the beastily superstition and blas­phemous idolatrie of Antichrist: strike not the lampe out of our hands in thy wrath, and so make vs go groping in palpable darke­nesse: I must needs confesse (O deare father) that the multitude of our sinnes (which are growne [Page 115] in such ripenesse) due worthily de­serue thy grieuous plagues: euen from the highest to the lowest we haue all gone astray, and prowd­ly breaking our allegiance, haue disol eyed thy precepts. But yet (O mightie Iehouah, who ad­mittest dust and ashes to speake vnto thee) heare thy poore ser­uant, I beseech thee, euen with the teares of a sorrowfull heart, appease thine anger, hold thy heauie rod, shed not the violl of wrath vpon vs in thy surie, let not thy spirit be mooued with man because he is but flesh, cor­rect vs not in thine anger, least we be consumed and brought to nothing, but conuert vs, O Lord, [Page] and we shall be conuerted, change vs, and we shall be changed, for thine elects sake, O father, spare this Realme of England. De­ferre the day of reuenge, and so much more plenteously poure thy pretious spirit into the hearts of thy children, which now alreadie feele thy fatherly calling, that they with all speede making hast into thy vineyard, may paine­fully sweate in dunging, earthing and priming the trees, to the in­crease of thy vintage, to the glory of thy holy name. Lord heare me I beseech theé, and so kindle in the hearts of thy children the loue of thy law, and zeale of true professi­on, that we may walke together [Page 116] in all brotherly admonition and Christian exhortation that we all striue to goe before others in god­ly zeale, and flourish in the fruits of perfect faith: That we vse not our liberty to the infirming of the weake, but euery one burne in desire to winne a soule vnto thee. Finally, that our stedfast going forward and continuall in­crease may be to the strengthe­ning of the weake and comfort of the strong, to the sifting out of Wolues, & defence of the Lambs, to the shining credite of thy Church, and finall confusion of Antechrist, that so turning from vs thy heauy displeasure, and vnbending the bowe of thy wrath, [Page] thou maiest imbrace vs in thy armes of mercie, where gaining the fruition of thy fauour, in all patience and thanksgiuing we may expect the day of our liberty, which we shall one day obtaine by the dissolution of this life, and entrance into that vnspeakable rest, that Christ our sauiour hath purchased and entred into by his pretious blood, to whom with the father and the holy spirit be all praise and thankes­giuing for euer, Amen.

O Eternall God and heauenly father, whose wisdome and power is infinit, and yet whose mercie surmounteth all, in whome all creatures haue their being, and from whom all goodnesse floweth as from a fountaine: I humbly beseech thee giue eare vn­to the groning requests of my spirit, and pittie the salt streames that (for the sight and sence of mine owne infirmities) flow from the inwards of my consuming heart. And also I aske nothing but that which soundeth to the [Page] glory of thy holy name, and to the credit of thy Church: shew thy selfe, O father, as willing as able, that my spirit being refre­shed, and my heart receiuing com­fort, I may boldfast the reioysing of my hope, with a sound and set­led conscience to the end.

O Thou maker of heauen and earth, deliuer me from the continuall and most dangerous assaults of Sathan, who priui­ly layeth baites, and secretly dig­geth pittes for my soule, leauing nothing vnattempted that might worke my destruction, and I fee­ling [Page 118] my selfe nothing but a masse of infirmities, and ready to de­cline at euery stroke that he gi­ueth, cannot but mistrust my selfe altogether, and wholly flying vnto the sea of thy mercie, power and wisedome, doe beseech the vn­cessant supplie of thy gifts, in the continuall accesse of thy holy spi­rit, that in the throng of temp­tations I may be deliuered and stand victorer in Iesus Christ.

O Most louing Lord suffer me not to be tempted aboue my might: neither by affliction of bo­die or soule, neither by whatso­euer [Page] earthly penurie the enemie would presse me with, but euen in the middest graunt me patience to suffer thy fatherly tryals thankefully and without all grudging, as worthily may be­seeme the childe of so louing and mercifull a father.

O God, thou creator of al mā ­kind, increase my faith, and purge me of vnbeliefe, that I alway calling to mind thy won­derfull louing worke of our re­demption, may with all boldnesse of spirit in the blood of Iesus Christ so apply thy comfortable [Page 119] promises to the saluing of my sores as that in vsing of the same pretious oyle of thy grace, I may alwayes feare to make wast thereof.

O Thou mightie God of Isra­ell, graunt me such an vnder­standing heart, and so instruct my sences to be studious and capa­ble of thy heauenly mysteries, that according to the right rul [...] and perfect platforme of thy pro­uident direction. I may loue in all singlenesse and humilitie of heart, as a feeling member of Christ Iesus, suffer in him mu­tually [Page] and fructifie in all aboun­dance of godly life to thy honor.

O Father of all mercies so mo­derate thy mercifull hand in blessing me with the benefits of this temporall maintenance that neither through aboundance old Adam may set vp his feather, nor yet thy vertues be in me through scarcity obscured.

O Thou comforter of the com­fortlesse, rend out of my heart all fleshly thornes and impedi­ments, [Page 120] that would at any time incline me to forget thy goodnesse, or neglect to serue thee, and giue me a heart alwaies affected to ho­nour thee, a minde euer medita­ting vpon thy mercy, and a spirit burning with zeale of thy worship, that daily I may pay my vowes vnto thee, and speake to thy praise in the midst of the congre­gation.

O Most bounteous God, so mor­tifie old Adam in my mem­bers, and redouble the strength of the inner man, that despising [Page] this momentanous life, I may not sticke in the ioy of any earth­ly pleasure, or yeeld my selfe to the delight of this present life, but alway refusing to endeuour my selfe in an vncertaine hospidge, and knowing that I am here but as a pilgrim. I may shun my acquaintance with all things of fickle stay, and fixe my heart, my solace and delight, vpon the hope of beholding the maiestie and beautie of thy glorie euen as it is, where my ioy shall be full, and nothing wanting for euer: which ioyes, as my spirit groneth to see, so, O Lord I beseech thee with expedition finish thy good workes in me, and shortly bring [Page 121] to an end my sorrowfull daies, that my soule as a doue may once take her flight from this earthly tabernacle, and being receiued in to the bosome of thy deare sonne, may be placed in that most happy rest which he hath purchased for the same, with the price of his most pretious blood, to whom with thee, O father, and the euer­lasting comforter be all praise, do­minion and power euermore as­cribed, Amen.

O Eternall God, my most lo­uing and mercifull father, I [Page] praise and glorifie thee euen from the depth of my infirme heart, for all the benefites and riches of thy goodnesse bestowed vpon me, from the beginning of my life vnto this present time: but especially for the blessings of my election, re­demption, vocation, iustificati­on and sanctification in Iesus Christ, in all which thou hast in part taken me out of this world, and giuen me the pledge of thy ho­ly spirit, which witnesseth vnto my spirit that I am thy childe, thou hast (I say) giuen me the earnest peny of my saluation, and whilest I was yet thine enemie, hast reconciled me in Christ: yea, thou tookest me out of the blinde [Page 122] dungeon of carelesse ignorance, to serue thee in simplicity, to feare thee in loue, and to call vpon thee in spirit and truth, and in all these (most louing father) hast then made me proceed and profit vnto this present day, wherein happi­ly thy good pleasure seemeth to in­cline me towards the greatest be­nefi [...] that I euer yet tasted, that is, wholly to free me from all the miseries of this present life, and to bring me to that heauen­ly liberty where my ioy shall be full, and no t [...]st of mixture with bitternesse. Now therefore deare father, for Iesus Christ his sake, I beseech thee, respect me thy vnworthy seruant, & as all [Page] times of my life thou hast fatherly fedde, nourished, preserued, and defended me, so now in my last need visit and regard me: that as the enemy will now with all rage bend his force ag [...]inst me, so thou with thy fatherly and mighty pro­tection by thy holy spirit wilt comfort me and with the comfor­table presence of thy maiestie strengthen me, that my [...]th still increasin [...] with armed patience I may despise the fe [...]re of this bo­dies death, knowing that it is the vnauoidable way that thy good pleasure hath appointed to doe away our mortalitie, and to bring vs those ioyes, which thy vnspeakable prouidence hath [Page 123] ordeined vs vnto, without all de­seruing on our parts: teach me new therefore so to number my daies, that I may apply my heart vnto thy wisdome: teach me (sweet Lord) as heretofore to liue, so now to frame to die to thy glory, whereunto I, poore wretch, doe with a sighing heart beseech thee neuer [...]o forsake me with thy holy spirit, but that mine vnderstanding may alway be lightened with the feeling of mine owne infirmities, so that in all perfect humilitie I may flie from the mind of all earthly stay, and cleauing inseparably to thy promises, and apprehending my saluation with sure hope, I may [Page] expect the dissolution: so behol­ding thy maiestie with the cleare eyes of my faith, I may grow, as by degrees weaker in body, so fuller and stronger in the spiritu­all body or inner man: so that when the last breath hath passed, my soule may ioyfully respire the triumphant odours of an endlesse life, in the bosome of Abraham withall thy saints: whereto ha­sten me, O deare louing father, euen for Iesus Christ his sake our sauiour, to whome with thee and the holy Ghost be all power, glory, and dominion, now and for euer. Amen.

O Thou onely wise God, and most louing and mercifull fa­ther, I thy vnworthy seruant doe humbly beseech thee to look down from heauen, and beholde the wounded heart of him whome thou hast stricken and visited, ac­cording to the good pleasure of thy will, and because man in his owne nature is nothing but blindnesse and folly before thee, and therefore cannot poss [...]bly conceiue rightly of the thinges that are aboue, it may therefore please thee according to thy won­ted [Page] mercy towards me, to renew and refresh thy spirit in thy ser­uant, that the same instructing my heart in true wisdome, and feare of thee, whereby I may willingly and obediently studie thy commaundements, and exre­cise my selfe in thy Statutes, I may come to the vnderstanding of mine owne euils, and feele the cause of thy scourge, that so my wound being laid open to mine eyes, I may deferre no time to seeke the salue to heale it: My good God heare the voice of thy seruant that crieth vnto thee, consider my complaints, and weigh mine inward wo conceiued through hate of mine owne infir­mities, [Page 125] for I flie from my selfe as from an vnwalled castle, and I feare all my footings as though I walked on thornes. O Lord therefore deale not with me in thy displeasure, neither let my sinnes separate thy fauour from me, but quicken me in my affli­ctions, and make me waxe wiser by thy punishments, giue me such a feeling of my infirmities, and so perfect a perseuerance of my great negligences in seruing of thee, as that I may wholly dis­pose my selfe to a contrary order, and thereunto so ioyne the en­crease of thy grace and strength­ning spirit, as I may be able thereby to perfourme my race in [Page] that good way, which thy good­nesse hath mooued me to. And that I may not be a vaine beholder of thy workes, a momentaneous [...]iewer of thy graces, but dili­gently noting the effectuall wor­king of thy wisdome, and making due obseruations of thy profita­ble exercises in thy children, I may locke them in the closet of my heart, and make store of them for mine owne vses in the time of my triall: in which times also, O mercifull father be neere vnto me with thy ioyfull countenance, and open my eies of faith to be­hold thy loue, so that I be not too much shaken by the enemies assaults, but may be furnished [Page 126] from thee, both with abilitie, con­stancie, and patience, to giue him both his daily and finall repulse and ouerthrow, which that I may doe to the greater credit of thy Church, and increase of thy kingdome: make, O sweete Lord (now and the rather for that I haue had triall of my enemy his sleights already) me thy seruant to arise out of all the fathers of sloth, and neuer to trust hereaf­ter to the the trecherie of the enemy, but to stand warily vpon my guard, and neuer to discend from the watch tower of my health, but there night and day to vse the counsell of thy spirit, and to exer­cise my selfe in the spirituall wea­pons [Page] of my saluation, that when I haue spent my youthfull daies in the vigilant watch of my charge, as thy mercy and louing kindnes shall inable me, when thy sonne our Generall shall come to take account, I may be indued with the daies of rest, which he hath purchased for me with the price of his most pretious blood, & re­ceiue at his hands the priuiledged rod of liberty for euer. The loue of our good God that created vs, the grace of our Lord Iesus who hath redeemed vs, and the assistant fel­lowship of the Holy Ghost, who hath sanctified vs, gouerne and continue with vs euen all thy Is­rael for euer.

ALl the righteousnesse that may rise vnto man, or can be in vs, we haue it neither from the East, nor from the West, but from the body of Christ, neither is therein the world any other sanctifica­tion, so that all we that be here this day, and all people els of the world, except we know perfect manhood, and our owne nature to be really vnited to the person of the sonne of God, who hath sanc­tified himse fe for vs, there is no sanctification for vs vnder heauē. [Page] Euen as our hands and armes and other members are not nouri­shed but onely by the meat recei­ued by the head, so our spiritu­all meate of righteousnesse and life is not giuen vs but from our head Iesus Christ. And as the veines are meanes by which nou­rishment is conueighed to euery part, so faith is the meanes by which we reteine from Christ all that is healthfull vnto vs. And as by ioynts and sinewes our members are really knit and made a body vnto the head, so really, truly, and indeede, by one spirit we be knit vnto Christ, as perfectly and substantially made one with him, as our members [Page 128] are one with our head.

O Almighty God and my most mercifull father, in wonder­full mercy (I acknowledge) it hath pleased thee to purge me vnworthy wretch by the bloody passion of thy sonne from all my sinnes, to haue adopted me thy child, and g [...]uen me the earnest of my saluation, touching my heart with an infallible feeling of thy mercies, and setled confi­dence in thy promises: in the ioy­full commemoration of which thy vnspeakeable blessings, my [Page] soule is now thirstingly entred in­to thine house, to take the whole­some cup of saluation, and to call vpon thy holy name, giue me now therefore, O Lord, a wise and vn­derstanding heart, that I may cō ­ceiue rightly of thy sacred myste­ries, discerne them secretly, & re­ceiue them effectually, to the per­fect consummation and finishing of that happy building which thy worthy goodnes ha [...]h begun in me, yea vntill I become to the mea­sure of the age and fulnesse of my Lo [...]d and Sauiour Iesus Christ, vnto whom, with thee, O father, and the Holy Ghost, be all power and do [...]inion for euer, Amen.

of my health in this life. (O sweete Lord) I take no care, so that thy good pleasure be therein fulfilled, for if thou wilt I liue and recouer of this my bodely in­firmitie, I haue iust cause to be thankefull vnto thee therefore: and if thy wisdome hath now de­termined to finish in me these daies of sinne, I haue double cause to poure forth the teares of a melting heart for ioy, not be­cause I would leaue these daies of paine and sorrow (which my sinne ten thousand times double deserueth) but that I would cease to displease so deare a Lord, and louing a father, and that be­ing transported into that hea­uenly [Page] life of thy immortall chil­dren, I may praise and serue thee in that sweet societie of Angels, where the burthen of this flesh shall find no place to encumber me for euer. Thither therefore, O Father, if thy wisdome haue so determined, speedily conduct me: in the meane time make, that this my bodily affliction may conduce to thy glory on earth, and my sal­uation in heauen, by the conduct of thy holy spirit, through Iesus Christ my onely aduocate and mediatour, Amen.

O My God, accept thy most vn­worthie seruant here humbly falling downe before thee, I ac­knowledge thy great mercies, and (in sundry sort) thy extended goodnesse towards me, yet in feare of mine owne frailety, I eft­soones present my selfe before thy maiestie, to looke fauourably on me alwaies, and to open mine eyes more clearely to see thy ma­iestie, for the little tast that thou hast giuen me, hath perswaded me alreadie that thou art sweet, yea and the more that I discerne [Page] thy sweetnesse, the more I see also my vncleannesse: the knowledge of thee therefore (I confesse) is the leader to saluation, for the consideration of thy greatnesse, maketh me despise my basenesse, and thy puritie my filthinesse, and thy wonderfull goodnesse my monstrous vnworthinesse. For­giue me then, O Lord, my sinnes, and let them not hold backe thy bounteous hand, now begunne to be opened towards mee, (I say begun, my Lord, because my selfe hath but now begun to see it:) giue me a wise vnderstan­ding heart, and send me know­ledge from aboue: driue from my mind the mistes of fleshly darke­nesse, [Page 132] and make me capable of thy heauenly riches, fill my mouth with good things, for I will o­pen it to receiue of thy blessings. Let me not die, but liue and de­clare the praises of my Lord. Why hast thou made me, but to glorifie thee? Why hast thou en­lightned me, but to loue thee? yea, why hast thou redeemed me, but to saue me? And for what cause hast thou sanctified my heart but to make me fit for those good things that thou purposest to bestow vpon me? O sweete Father, thy loue is not to be ex­pressed: Now therefore goe for­ward, and cease not with thy poore seruant, performe that [Page] good building which thy spirit hath begun in me, thou hast made me thirst for thy righteousnesse, replenish now therefore my heart with gladnesse, make my flesh to vanish, and the new Adam to rise vp in strength, tha [...] I may be discreet in my waies, and stand in the continuall search of thy iudgements. And when thy mer­cie thus ha h enlarged me, as a full cloud, so shall I declare thy kindnesse, and as the sauour of Myrrhe, so shall my lippes send vp thy praises. Blessed be the Lord who ha [...]h hiddē these things from the wise of the world, and reuealed the way of righteous­nesse vnto the simple, Lord I thy [Page 113] handmaid or sonne of thy hand­maid will attend vpon thy will, and repose myselfe vnder the sha­dow of thy wings both day and night. Thou art my wisdome, my power, my beautie, my strength, my riches, my glory, my king, my God, and my saluation. The grace of God the Father, the peace of Christ Iesus our sauiour, through the comfortable fellowship of the holy Spirit, be with me, preserue & keepe me this day, this night, and euermore, A­men.

O Eternall God and most mightie King of maiestie how can I hide my selfe frō thy presence, or with what cloake or pretence might I couer my shame from the piercing fight of thine eye, since I haue nothing, O Lord, but a guiltie conscience, in­tollerably oppressed with the hea­uie but then of sinne, by which I am almost driuen to the dore of despaire, if thy mightie hand stay me not, I fall, and if thy wisdome prouide not for me, I am alwaies in daunger. The sorrowes of my [Page 134] heart are enlarged, for my daies consume in sinne, and the graue gapeth to receiue me, before I gaine the gift of loue: Vnrigh­teousnesse raigneth as a king in this my corruptible body, and concupiscence deceiueth my sight till I be entraped: verily when I come to fight, I wonder that thou diddest not destroy me, say­ing, O Lord, who is able to num­ber his sinnes, or what soule is righteous in thy sight? shall man striue with God? who can say I will be saued, fith thou art iust? Why diddest not thou cut my thred whilest I prouoked thee? why diddest not thou send me to the inheritance of the wicked, [Page] but thus thou vsest to comfort thy children in their great neces­sitie, and my soule had perished but for this reliefe long agoe, therefore crie I vnto thee from the depth of my heart: take me not away, O God, in my sinnes, neither let me reape the portion of the wicked: thou hast shewed me the dayes of comfort, and of­ten deliuered my soule from the Lion. And because thou in thy great mercie hast let me see this goodnesse, and also made me to re­ioyce therin, increasing light af­ter a darkenesse, and doubling ioy to my paine I will neuer cease O deare father to call vpon thee in my afflictions, and to looke for [Page 135] the good houre in my daunger, increase my faith, and settle me in the knowledge of thy will: Plenteously blesse me with thy grace, and let thy spirit be my protectour: for misery O Lord, is threatened vnto thy children, and ruine to the faith of the young­lings, no place is safe from the rage of thy aduersaries, but thou art the God of might, and hast power to preserue our peace. Oh if I might aske the death of this old Adam, so that all concupis­cence might vanish as a smoake, then sure (say I) I would whol­ly be exercised in the law of my God, and at all times would I sing praises vnto his name, [Page] but I will not presume about thy seruant Paul, whom thy wisdome thus answered, My grace is suf­ficient for thee: thus will I be­seech thee whi [...]e I liue, that this balme of thy grace may alwaies be poured fresh into my wounds, that euen in my infirmities I may euer gaine a double reioy­cing, and that the most subtill as­saults of the aduersarie may al­waies fall out to be his soulest faile, and my weakenesse my wise­dome by the renuing of thy grace and enlightning my spirit with the sweete balme of thy lou [...]ng countenance, through thy most tender mercie in the purchase of thy beloued sonne our deare Sa­uiour [Page 136] Christ Iesu, vnto whom with thee and the holy spirit be all power and dominion for euer­more, Amen.

O Eternall God, and most mercifull father, who not­withstanding my manifold and grieuous offences hast of thy gratious goodnesse in marriage made me fruitfull, which I take as thy great blessings and bene­fits bestowed vpon me, beseeching thee now most humbly to helpe me thy poore handmaiden in these grieuous paines of trauaile [Page] and childbirth. Thou hast wil­led vs to call vpon thee in all our needs and necessities, and hast promised in thy great mercies neuer to faile them that call vp­on thee: helpe me now, wretched sinner, in these intollerable pains, that I may ouercome them with patience, and euermore praise thy maiestie. Comfort me with thy holy spirit, that I sinke not vn­der this heauie burthen. And as gratiously thou hast blessed me hitherto from time to time in gi­uing me children, so mercifully sanctifie them to thy vse, and in­crease of thy congregation. And as hereby I feele thy heauie iudgements vpon me for sinne, [Page 137] in feeling those grieuous paines, and am put in minde of the old disobedience of our parents A­dam and Eue, (the very cause of these punishments) lighting iustly vpon me, being a braunch of that poysoned stocke. So O deare father, let me feele againe thy mer [...]y, who through thy be­loued Sonne hast wrought my deliverance from the punishment of that disobedience to wit, from sinne death and damnation, so that now my transgressions are remooued from me, the damnable sinne of my filthie concupiscence by nature is turned into a sancti­fied blessing, and we both made heires of euerlasting glorie, helpe [Page] me therefore, O God of comfort, and giue me safe deliuerance, that I may dedicate that which thou hast giuen me wholly to thy ser­uice. I know Lord that as many as thou hast tak [...]n to thy selfe, to them thou hast giuen this ho­nour, that they be made thy chil­dren and beleeuers of thy name, which are not begotten of blood, nor of the lust of the flesh, nor of the desire of man, but of thy selfe. whom thou fashionest according to thy will. Thou therefore which hast promised not onely to be my God, but the God of my seede, seale this assurance of thy electi­on in this feuit of my wombe, to the glory of thy name, mine owne [Page 138] comfort and the benefite of thy church. Grant these things, O father for Iesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glorie, Amen.

LOrd Iesus Christ sonne of the l [...]uing God, who was cru­cified for our sins, and did rise againe for our iustification, and ascending vp to heauen, raignest now at the right hand of thy fa­ther, with full power and authori­ty ruling and disposing all things [Page] according to their owne gratious and glorious purpose, we sinfull creatures, and yet seruants and members of thy church, doe pro­strate our selues, and our pray­ers before thy imperiall maiestie, hauing no other patron nor ad­uocate to speed our sutes, or to resort vnto, but thee alone, besee­ching thy goodnesse to be good to thy poore church militant here in this wretched earth, sometimes a rich church, a large church, an v­niuersall church, spread farre and wide through the whole compasse of the earth, now driuen into a narrow corner of the world, and hath much need of thy gratious helpe. First the Turke with his [Page 139] sword, what lande, nations and countries, what emp [...]es, king­domes and prouinces, with cities innumerable, hath be woon, not from vs, but from thee: where thy name was woont to be inuoca­ted, the word preached, thy sacra­ments administred: there now raigneth barbarous Mahomet, with his filthie Alcoran. The flourishing churches in Asia, the learned churches of Grecia, the manifold churches in Africa, which were woont to serue thee, now are gone from thee. The seauen churches of Asia, with their candlestickes (whom thou diddest so well forewarne) are now remooued. All the churches [Page] where thy diligent Apostle Saint Paule, thy Apostle Peter, and Iohn and other Apostles so la­boriously trauelled, preaching and writing to plant thy Gospell, are now gone from the gospell. In the kingdome of Oyria, Palestina, Arabia, Persia, in all Armenia, and the Empire of Capadocia, through the whole compasse of Asia, with Egypt and Africa al­so vnlesse amongst the far Ethio­pians some old steps of Christia­nitie peraduenture yet doe re­maine) either else all Asia, and Africa thy church hath not one foot of free land, but all is tur­ned either to infidelitie or to cap­tiuitie, whatsoeuer pertaineth to [Page 140] thee. And if Asia and Africa on­ly decaied, the decay were great, but yet the defection were not so vniuersall. Now in Europe a great part also is shrunke from thy Church. All Th [...]acia with the Empire of Constantinople, al Grecia, Epirus, Illyricum and now of late al the kingdomes al­most of Hungaria, with much of Austria, with lamentable slaugh­ter of Christian blood, is wasted and all become Turkes.

Only a little angle of the West pa [...]tes yet remaineth in some profession of thy name. But there alacke commeth another mis­chiefe as great or greater than the other. For the Turke with his [Page] sword is not so cruell, but the Bi­shop of Rome on the other side is more fiecce & bitter against vs, st [...]r [...]i [...]g vp his Bishops to burne vs, his confederates to conspire­our destruction, setting kings against their subiects, and subiects disloyally to rebell against their Princes, and all for thy name. Such dissention and host lity Sathan hath set amongst vs, that Turkes be not more ene­mies to Christians, than Chri­stians to Christians & Papists to protestants: yea protestants w [...]th protestants doe not agree, but fall out for trifles. So that the poore little flocke of thy church, distres­sed on euery side, hath neither rest [Page 141] without nor peace within, no place almost in the world where to abide, but many crie now from the earth, euen as thine owne re­uerence cried once from the crosse: My God, why hast thou forsa­ken me?

Amongst vs Englishmen here in England, after so great storms of persecution, and cruell mur­ther of so many Martyrs, it hath pleased thy grace to giue vs these Ascion daies, which yet we en­ioy, and beseech thy mercifull goodnesse st [...]il they may continue. But here also alacke what should we say? So many enemies we haue that enuie at this rest and tranquilitie, and doe what they [Page] can to disturbe it. They which be friends, and louers of the bishop of Rome, although they eate the fat of the land, and haue the best preferments and offices, and liue most at ease and alle nothing: yet are they not therewith content. They grudge, they mutter and murmure, they conspire and take on against vs. It fretteth them that we liue by them or with them, and cannot abide that we should draw the bare breathing of the aire, when they haue all the most libertie of the land. And albeit thy singular goodnesse hath giuen them a King, so calme, so patient, so mercifull, more like a naturall father than a Prince [Page 142] to gouerne ouer them, such as neither they nor their ancestors euer read of in the stories of this land before: yet all this will not calme them, their vnquiet spirit is not yet content, they repine and rebell, and needes would haue with the frogs of Esope a Cice­ma, an Italian stranger, the Bi­shop of Rome, to play Rex ouer them, and care not if all the world were set on fire, so they with their Italian Lord might raigne alone. So fond are we English­men of strange & forraine things: so vnaturall to our selues: so greedie of newfangled nouelties, neuer contented with any state long to continue, be it neuer so [Page] good: and furthermore so cruell one to another, that we thinke our life vnquiet, vnlesse it be seaso­ned with the blood of other. For that is their hope, that is their golden day, their day of Iubiley which they thirst for so much not to haue the Lord to come in the clouds, but to haue our bloud and to spill our liues.

That, that is it which they would haue, and long since would haue had their wils vpon vs, had not thy gratious pittie and mercie raised vp to vs this our mercifull King, thy seruant Iames, somewhat to stay their furie. For whom as me most condignly giue thee most heartie [Page 143] thankes, so likewise we beseech thy heauenly Maiestie, that as thou hast giuen him vnto vs, and hast from many daungers preser­ued him to the comfort of thy ser­uants: so now in his royall estate he may continually be pre­serued not onely from their hands but from all malignant deuises, wrought attempted, or conceiued of the enemies, both ghostly and bodily against him. In this his gouernment be his gouernour we beseech thee: So shall his Ma­iestie well gouerne vs, if first he be gouerned by thee. Multiplie his raigne with many daies, and his yeares with much felicitie, with aboundance of peace, and life [Page] ghostly: that he with his Braun­thes may flourish in this land, vn­till the consummation of the world.

And because no gouernment can long stand without good counsell, neither can any counsell be good, except it be prospered by thee, blesse therefore, we beseech thee, both his maiestie, and his honourable counsell, that both they rightly may vnderstand what is to be done, and he accor­dingly may accomplish that they doe counsell, to thy glory and furtherance of thy Gospell, and publicke wealth of this realme.

In generall, giue to all the peo­ple and the whole state of this [Page 144] Realme such brotherly vnitie in knowledge of thy truth, and such obedience to their superiours, as they neither prouoke the scourge of God against them, nor the Princessword to be drawne a­gainst his will out of the scabard of long sufferance, where it hath beene long hid, especially giue thy gospell long continuance amongst vs. And if our sinnes haue deser­ued the contrarie, graunt we be­seech thee with an earnest repen­tance of that which is past, to ioine a heartie purpose of amendment to come.