O Lorde open thou my lips, that my mouth may ex­toll thee with prayse, and bee thankfull vnto thee for thy benefites, & grant that I speake nothinge but that which may bee to thine honour & glo­rie, to the reliefe of our necessities bodelye and ghostlie. Amen.

O Lord make speede to sende vs helpe & succor, from the Tower of thy strength.

O Lord let thine hea­uenly kingdome bee al­wayes readie to receiue vs to eternall saluation.

Eternall praises be vnto thee oh God. So be it.

O Almighty God & omnipotēt father who comfortest such as be sorrowfull, and who giuest all good and perfect giftes: as thou of thy free fauour and loue hast willed vs, in all our afflictions and necessities and as often as we finde our selues burdened with any kinde of tribulation, or afflictiō, either of bo­die or minde, to call for ease at thy mercifull handes: So vouch safe to heare my crye, and to consider the secrete groa­nes, sighes and sorrowes of my sillye soule. Oh blessed and eternall God, [Page 2] (loe heer before the thrōe of thy mercy, euen at the gate of thy sweete pro­mises) I thy silly creature & worke of thine owne hands, prostrate my selfe in hearte, most humbly beseeching thee, to sende downe vppon my darke vnderstanding, the bright beames of thine holy spirite to lighten me, and to direct me in all my supplications, and prayers, and especially, at this time (Oh Lorde) for that thou knowest my weakenes, wickednes, and ignoraunce, to be such, as I am altogether vnable, to frame my requestes according to thy will, or to seeke, that is truelie for mine owne soules health, and am altoge­ther ignoraunt of the right gate to knocke at, with­out thine especiall grace, directing and assisting mee: VVherefore I most humbly beseeche thee, to ad­dresse and prepare mine heart, to the true vnderstan­ding of thy will, and my tongue, and lippes; to the pure and vnfeyned calling on thy holy name, euen for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake, our onely Me­diatour, and Aduocate, for whose bitter deathes sake, I humbly beseeche thee, of thy meere fauour, and louing kindnes, to wasn me, and to make me cleane, by the operation of thine holy spirite, that beeing sanctified▪ I may vtter those thinges, which may bee vnto thee, an acceptable sacrifice, through the same [Page] thy sonnes mediation, and intercession; And that nothing passe the bandes, of mine vnsta [...]ed lippes, but that which may beseeme a single heart, alwaies sounding to thine honour, and setting foorth of thy most woorthy prayse, both at this time, and at all times; Let th [...]ne holie spirite (Oh Lorde) come vnto me, let it continue with me, worke and pre­uaile effectuallie in me, vnto the ende, that I may both at this time beginne, and for euermore conti­nue, as thou willest I shoulde, namelie in faith, that I fall not in anie temptations; In hope, that I may constantli [...] looke for, and faithfully attaine vnto perfit vnderstanding of thy will, and ablenes in all thinges to fulfill the same: Make me also (good Lord) feruent in charitie, that I may freelie and vn­feynedlie, euen from mine heart forgiue and forgett, all iniuries, wronges, and euill dooings, of such, as by any meanes haue ostended me, with hartie pray­er for their amendment: that I approching vnto the throne of thy mercie, in a pure and simple hart, may hartelie, as wel for all others as for my selfe, for thinges necessary, both for bodie and soule▪ say that prayer▪ which thy deerlie and well beloued sonne Iesus Christ, taught vs to say▪ Oh our Father which art in heauen. &c.

Oh Lorde increase our faith▪

OH almightie God, father of our lorde Iesus Christ, who hast vouchsafed (of thy [Page] thy great fauour & loue) euen from my childhood vnto this day, to take such fatherly care of me, that nothing hath destroied, or hurte me, but haue beene saselie preserued bothe day and night, frō sodaine death, and from all other perrils and dan­gers incident vnto man­kinde, & haue all my life beene preserued: And of thy free fauour and loue (without a [...]e deserte or merite of mine to my great comforte) enioyed the sweete benefite of sleepe and rest, which is most wholesome, for my poore and weake body, yea and so good a nu [...]i­ture therevnto, as good soile, to the barraine field, or thy timely showres to the dry ground, or meate acceptable to the hungry stomacke.

Oh sweete Lord, such [Page] hath beene thy fatherly care of me, this night past that the sleepe which thou hast giuen me, is most cōfortable, bothe to my bodie, and soule, in so much, as I am the more aptly giuen to the execution, of my worldlie busines, and the seruice of thy diuine maiestie this morning, wherein asist me (sweete Lorde) with the helpe of thine holie spirite, comfort and defende me this day and euer, with thy mercifull ayde, that none afflic­tion, hurte, or misfortune, dismay me, no tribulation or anguish of minde draw me from thee, no world­lie care, delight, or fantasie, carrie me at any time in­to anie wicked cogitation, action, or speeche, for (Lord) I knowe that it is not thy wil, that any euill shouldedwell in vs, or that we shoulde at anie time offende thee, but to keepe our hearts pure and vnde­filed, as a fitte receptacle for thy Maiestie. Yet thou sufferest sometimes, vnlawfull affections to haue the vpper hande, to the end, that we (feeling our weak­nes, and corruption) should wholie confesse, all our strength, all our godlie cogitations, and workes, to proceede from thee. And for that all flesh is full of sinne, and that the iust fall seauen times a day, for­giue (Lord) my wickednes, mine offences, and sinne committed, either this night past, by foolish dreames fantasies, or other temptations, or at anie time since I came into this miserable worlde, beeing a moste sinfull creature: and that (beeing pardoned by thy [Page] mercie in Iesus Christ, I may proceede in the residue of my dayes (gouerned by thy holie spirite) voyde of all offences, vsing my vocation and calling so, as may be to the setting foorth of thy glorie, main­tenaunce of thy fauoure towardes me, and getting those thinges which may be sufficient for the main­tenaunce of mine estate heere, and for the reliefe of such as are committed to my charge; And graunt me alwaies, such regarde of seruing thee, as thine hande may alwaies directe mee to good and happy successe, in all mine affayres; Blesse thou the worke of mine handes (good Lorde) and graunt mee so to flye ydlenes, the mother and Nurce of all euill, that both this day and all my life, I may, by godlie care and trauaile, get me a sufficient, & competent liuing heere, that I be no burden and charge to such as are rich and welthie, nor depend vpon the succor, helpe▪ and furtheraunce of others, whose helpe is moste slippery and deceitfull Least that in hope thereof, I giuing my selfe to ydlenes, and loytering (when their helpe shalbe with-holden from me) I be driuen (as the wise man sayth) to goe in a ragged coate, & to want my foode. But contrary wise (Oh Lorde) graunt that I may so imploy my selfe, to laboure, and dilligent execution of thy busines, this day and euer, that, I may (through my blessing) luckelie prosper therein, and shew my selfe so helpefull to the poore impotent and needy, as the fruite of my trauaile, shall extende vnto. That thou maiest fulfill [Page 5] in me, that most sweete promise of thine. That who so considereth the poore and needye, thou wilt deliuer him in the tyme of trouble. Lord thy mercie is infinite, and thy loue towardes vs vnspeakeable, wherefore giue me grace, alwayes to serue thee, yea at all times and in all places both in laboure and rest, welth, and pouertie, sicknes and health, yea all my life and at the howre of my death, that I may passe this day, and all the rest of my transitorye life, in the fulfilling of thy lawes, and be readie at thy fauourable becke and call, to come and appeare before thy throne of mer­cie, in perfect hope, of thy louing receiuing me into the bosome of thy sweete imbracinges, not for my woorthines or d [...]serces, (which is but corruption) but for the merites of thy sonne Iesus Christ, there to rest, inioying the fruites and benefit of his death and bitter passion in whose name, I referre my selfe and all mine, both this day and euer, vnto thy Fa­therlie protection, humbly beseeching thee, to di­rect almy thoughtes, wordes and actions, vnto my liues ende. Good God.

Amen.

Oh Lorde increase my fayth.

ALL possible thanks we giue vnto thee, Oh Lord of mercy, King of all the Kinges, and kingdomes of the earth, for that thou hast vouchsafed to place ouer vs, thy little flocke of thys [Page 6] Realme, so pure a guide of true religion, Elizabeth (by thine heauēly proui­dēce) our Queene, vnder whom, enioying the free libertie of the true seruice of thee, we rest in a quiet estate bothe of bodie and minde. We humbly pray thy fauourable regarde, to beholde with mercifull eies, the same thy seruant our soueraigne Lady, and gouernes. And so fructify her heart, with the good graine of thine holye spi­rite, that she alwayes in­clined (by the working thereof) to the settinge foorth of thy worde, may walke according to the truth of the same, sincere­lie, that we thy seruants, and vnder thee her sub­iects, seeing her godly ex­ample, may be ashamed to fall frō that due forme, of honouring thy name, which for thy glory, shee [Page] hath through thy grace, by the rule of thy worde, prescribed vnto vs. Ba­nish good Lord from her heart, all ignoraunce, and print therein perfect wis­dome, and knowledge of thine heauenly will, giue her an obedient minde, abounding withall hu­militie towardes thy di­uine maiestie: Saue and defende her from the ty­rannie of forraine power and authoritie, and from all such, as profesle not inwardlie vnfeyned zeale of thy Gospell, giue her godlie Counsellors, and such zealous and true harted ministers of thy wyl, that she and we, according to the trueth, of euerye our seueral functions, may truelie serue thee, in this life, and in the ende, for euermore raigne with thee in thine heauenly kingdome, for Iesus Chri­stes sake, our only Redeemer Aduocate, and sweete Sauiour.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase our fayth.

OH almightye Fa­ther, most whole­some protectoure, & keeper, both of soules and bodyes of the faith­full. I yeelde the humble and hartie thankes, for defending & sauing mee, thy sinfull creature, this night past, and all my life hethervnto, frō suddaine death, and from other perrils & daungers, wher into my sillie soule and weake bodie are subiecte to fall. And wherewith I am so besette, that (had I not beene preserued by thee) it could not other­wise haue beene, but my bodie had perished, and my sillie soule beene car­ryed into eternall perdi­tion.

[Page]But most sweete Lord, my strong Castell & de­fence, my shield & buck­ler, my sure refuge, and succour, who hast conti­nuall regarde of the safety of thy seruants, that thou neuer sufferest them to bee ouercome with any kinde of euill, nor to fall into any kinde of daun­ger: vouchsase to forgiue me what soeuer I haue committed, and doone against thy diuine will, eyther sleeping or wa­king, this night or anie time (secretlie or openlie) heeretofore, by reason of the corruption which re­maineth in me.

And vouchsafe, that as I haue quietlie passed this night, so I may en­ioy, at thy merciful hands whatsoeuer thy fatherlie prouidence, shall thinke meete and conuenient, for mine owne, and for the releefe, of such as thou hast committed vnto my charge, and gouernement.

[Page 8]Establish (good Lorde) within my weake & fee­ble bodie, strength, to withstande all euill motions of the flesh, all vngodlie desires of the minde, & world­lie vanities, that I may feruentlie (as I ought) con­tinuallie, both in the morning and at night, and at noone day, yea and at all times, and in all pla­ces, truely serue thee, without hypocrisie, dissimulati­on, or mallice. And for thy mercies sake, keepe mee this day, and all the rest of my transitory life, from suddaine and vnprouided death, keepe my tongue and lips, that I speake or vtter nothing, which may be eyther vncomelie to be spoken, or whereof may redownde hurt, or hinderaunce to my selfe or others, but that I may endeuoure (as much as in me lyes) to speake and vtter those thinges, which may be, to the setting foorth of thy glorie, maintenaunce of peace and concorde, and to the reducing such into the right way, as wander and goe astray; As for slaun­dering, lying, backbyting, falsewitnes bearing, enuie, and such like, (good Lorde) take vtterly from me. And keepe mine heart and minde, from the moste damnable sinne of murmuring against thee, and from dyspayre, that in all aduersities, tribulations, and troubles, I may alwayes, beare, a patient, contented, faithfull, and a thankfull minde, with full per­swasion, that if thou suffer, mine aduersaries (being maliciousliebent against me) to reuile me, persecute me, to molest or hurte me, or if thou permitt either fire to consume me, or my substaunce, or any other [Page] casuall meane to diminish mine estate, and stay of my liuing, or if I sustaine losse of freendes, sicknes of bodie, or hurt of my limmes, it proceedeth not but by thy diuine prouidence, yea onelie of thy meere loue, and fatherlie care, which thou hast of mine amendment: for nothing happeneth to those whome thou louest (breede it within theyr weake mindes neuer so great greefe, or fall it out neuer so contrary, to theyr desires) but it bringeth with it some secrete working, for their good. Wherefore in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ, I most humbly beseeche thee, that thou wilt vouchsafe, to settle in mine heart, such perfection of patience, as what soeuer, eyther this day or heereafter shall happen or befall vnto me, I may accept it as a most wholesome medicine, for my so deadlie disease of securitie, and so in hope of thy louing kindnes, and mercie to goe forwarde this day, and all my life, in perfect loue, vnfeyned zeale, and continuall obedience to thy will. In hearing thy worde attentiuelie, in reading the same dilligentlie, in following it effectually, and in praying vnto thee zealously, and faithfully, im­bracing all goodnes willingly, and auoyding all euill watilie, that so spending this day, I may the better proceede to the execution of my calling, this weeke following, to the releefe of my necessitie, & furtheraunce of my neighbours; That so continu­ing vnto the ende, I may receiue the reward of thy celestiall kingdome, which thy sonne Iesus Christe [Page] hath purchased with his bloode, for all true belee­uers in thee. In number of whome (sweete Lorde) for the merytes of him thy sonne, make me, that I with them, and they with me, may continually sing laude and prayse vnto the Trinitie eternallie, which graunt for thy sonne Iesus Christ his sake.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my faith.

OH omnipotent fa­ther, and euerli­uing God, from whose wisedome & fore­knowledge, no secretes are or may bee hidden: but doost plainely con­sider & behold the workes wordes, and thoughtes, of all creatures, I most hū ­bly beseeche thee of thine infinite mercye to haue compassion vppon my sinnes, which are so great and greeuous, so many, and they so vile, and loth­some, to thine heauenlie eyes, that thou canst not abide to turne thy louing countenaunce towardes me. Oh Lorde I doo con­fesse, that my conception, my birth, yea and all my [Page 10] life, hath beene in sin, our Fathers and mothers sin­full, euen from the stocke of our great Grandfather Adam, whose blindnesse shoulde haue beene our light, and whose sight was turned to our blindnes & darknes, by the deceitful & most vile alurings of that enemie of ours, the wilie and moste subtill serpent sathan, by whose [...]ntise­ments, our forefather (bee­ing clothed with innocen­cie and simplicitie, in most pure & vnspeakable hap­pines) was mooued to the desire of the knowledge of that, that thou woldest he should haue beene igno­rant of: And which thou haddest vtterlie forbidden him. By breking of which thy commaundement, he with Eue (whome thou hadst ordeyned out of hys owne flesh, to be his companion and comfort) where with thine Angell (according to thy determinate will) driuen out of Parradice, a place of ioy, to a [Page] pitte of sorrow, from good to euill, from ease to la­boure and trauaile, from quietnes to trouble, from wealth to want, from light to darknes, from myrth to mourning, from succoure to be succourles. In so much (Oh Lord) as he, our father, purchased for vs his children, none other possession or inheritaunce, but the vnhappy enteraunce into sinne and corrup­tion; And we his children, beeing by succession ingrossed in this detestable stocke of sinne, haue he­thervnto (notwithstanding thy most louing, and by so sundry meanes, calling vs by thine holye Gospell of comfort) continued therein, to our vtter perditi­on, deserued death and distruction, confessing and acknowledging our selues, runnagates, outcastes and trewantes, and of our selues altogether vnable, to cast away and lay aside, these workes of darknes, and to obteine againe the Lanterne of light. Yet for as much as I am most sorry from the very bottome of mine heart, that I haue offended thee, wilfully, and diso­bedientlie strayed from the wayes of thy Lawes. And doo vnfeynedly condemne al my former life, to be most vile, determining in heart, (by thy grace) to forsake sinne, and cleaue vnto godlines, and pure­nes of liuing, to decline from euill, and to doo good, I most humbly (euen vpō the knees of mine heart) beseeche, thine almightye Maiestie, to lysten with a moste willing and attentiue eare, vnto my groninges, secrete sighes, and vnfeyned repentance, and with the eyes of thy mercye, to beholde my [Page 11] lamenting spyrite, and so vouchsafe to accept the same▪ as it may bee vnto thee a sufficient sacrifice for all former euills. That I beeing free from sinne, (not by any deserte or meryte of mine owne, but onely by the death and passyon, of thy Sonne Iesus Christe, may take perfecte holde of the remission thereof: and fully perswade my selfe, that through the death of him thy sonne, I am agayne re­stored to the former happines, and blessed estate which oure first parent Adam, was in the begin­ning placed in.

And the heade of that subtill Serpent sathan, (who so wylilye deceyued him) by the seede of the Woman, to bee altogether bruzed, troden downe, and vanquished, and his power quite ta­ken from him. So that hee is not able anye more, to lifte him selfe vppe againste the Chyl­dren of Fayth, as hee seeketh and desyreth, yea and often preuayleth againste the weake and fee­ble ones.

Vouchsafe (sweete LORDE, and moste loouing Iesus) to consider my weakenesse, and frayltye, and mortefye in mee all delightes of thys miserable worlde, and the corrupt fleshe. And stande betwene mee and Sathan, that hee preuayle no further agaynste mee, then I shall bee able to resyste, for wee can not stande, but doo continually yeelde, vnto the deceiue­able showes of this worlde, the false motions of [Page] the fleshe, and temptations of Sathan, without thy continuall ayde and assistaunce, wherewith (I beseeche thee) both at this time and euer, a [...]me me, wash me with thy bloode, and purge me with thy grace, that I may nowe beginne, and for euer conti­nue, in liuing according to thine holy and heauenly commaundement, to the prayse of thy name; and mine eternall saluation, sweete Sauiour.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth▪

OH heauenlie God and eternall Fa­ther, giuer of all good thinges, and pro­tectour of all that loue thee, I yeelde thee moste humble and harty than­kes, for thine inestima­ble benefites, not onely for keeping and preser­uing me this day, but all my life, that neither mine enemies haue pre­uailed against me, as they sought and desired, nor anie other misfortune which within this world is incident vnto man­kinde, hath ouercome me, but hast like a moste louing father, and care­full [Page] Puruey or, giuen and prouided for me all thin­ges necessary. In somuch as I haue beene well re­freshed and replenished, with thy great benefit of feeding me, and with thy gracious benefite of clo­thing, me, so that I haue not sayn [...]ed throughe want of so [...]de, [...]t beene [...]resie [...] with ouer­much colde for lacke of ravment, as with mine eyes (to my great greefe) I may and doo beholde a number da [...]e, in diuers corners of the streetes, and wayes as I passe, who are most greeuously tormented, with hunger, colde, sores, and sicknes, (lamentable to see) whom also thou hast bought m [...]st deerelie, and yet s [...]sterest them to be oppreiled, and I, who haue deserued no lesse, nay rather good Lord, a great deale more, then some of them haue, by thy fatherly goodnes, not onely escaped those afflictions, but receiued at thy mercifall handes, infinite good gifts, and vnspeak­able benefites, for which thine inestimable loue, I cannot sufficientlie prayse thee. Oh Lorde forgiue mine offences, which this day I haue committed & doone against thine almightie maiestie, whether they be secrete and vnknowne, or open, whether [Page 13] they were doone in my youth, or at any time since, pardon them Oh GOD, for Iesus Christes sake, and vouchsafe me thy grace, to amende my life, and to returne vnfeynedly to the seruice of thee. And for asmuch as I can not continue without thy continuall protection, vouchsafe to extende the same vnto me thy wretched creature, this night, that I may quietly take my rest, which thou haste appointed for a refreshment of our wearyed mem­bers, and hast ordeined the night and darknesse as a time most conuenient to take the same in, bee­ing a time, wherein we shoulde, to that ende cease from our labours and daylie affayres; And vouch­safe vnto me thy poore creature, (who am of my selfe, neyther of power to lye downe, nor beeing layde, able to rise vppe) thine especiall assistaunce, and helpe, that in thy name I may lie downe, and receyue at thy mercifull handes, sweete and com­fortable reste, not according to the greedines of my corrupt nature, but as shall be onely expedi­ent for the refreshment of my weake body.

And for as much (good Lorde) as thou know­est with what mortall foes, wee are continuallye assaulted, both sleeping and waking, who endeuor by all meanes, to entrappe vs by some euill or other, which wee heare or see, in thys vale of vanitie, to our delighte, (though contrarye to thy will) wherevnto we often yeelde, and that [Page] in the day time: much more in the darke and loth­some night, wherin all thinges are couered and hid­den▪ and when the heauines of drowsie sleepe, kee­peth downe our vnderstanding; in which time of darknes, such as intende▪ to worke wickednes, are most ready with dilligence (abhorring the light) to put in practise theyr mischeuous deuises. Therfore I most humbly beseeche thee, Oh God almightie to preuent thē in their euill imaginations, that in no wise they hurt me; And to graunt (though sleepe to my bodie sufficient and not ouermuch) yet to my poore soule watchfull and dilligent waking, that I fall into no daunger, by yeelding to any euill in the sleepe of my bodie▪ vouchsafe also to garde and defende me, that nothing hurte me this night, that fire consume me not, nor anie thing that belongeth vnto me, nor any other daunger whatsoeuer dismay me. Keepe me also (good Lord) from suddaine and vnprouided death, and preserue me so by the watch of thine holie Angells, that I may take my rest in quiet, vntill the morning, and then giue my selfe, vnto the finishing of my duetie, to the discharg of my vocation, and fulfilling of thy will, vnto my lines ende: for which thy fauour, and for all things els necessary, for me and all other, for whom thou hast commaunded vs to pray: as for▪ all such as are in anie kinde of affliction, in bodie or minde, for the testimonie of thy trueth, that thou wilt streng­then them, and thine whole Church, in pure religi­on. [Page 14] For all such as are sicke and diseased, that thou wil [...], eyther restore them to health, giue them pati­ence, or receiue them vnto thy selfe, for the preser­uation of our Queene and gouernesse, Elizabeth by thy dinine prouidence, ferre ouer vs, that shee may continue to thy pleasure, long and prosperously ouer vs, and for this whole Realme of England, that thou wilt graunt vs all true repentaunce, for our Parents▪ Brethren, Sisters, Kins [...]olkes, Neighbours, and all them that thou wouldest wee shoulde com­mende vnto thee in prayer▪ Giue mee grace to say that prayer, which thy sonne Iesus Christ taught vs, saying: Our Father which art in heauen▪ &c. And for as much as we cannot pray effectually without thine especiall gift of faith, vouchsafe to ingraffe the same in mine heart, that I may both nowe, and euer, make vnseyned confession thereof, as thine Apostls haue sette downe in these wordes. I beleeue in God. &c. Oh Lord, now vouchsafe to imbrace me with the Armes, of thy mercie, vouchsafe to receiue me in­to the bosome of thy loue, shaddowe me with thy winges, that I may safely take my rest this night, in peace, in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christe: in whose name I referre me wholie into thy louing protection, beseeching thee, that when my last sleepe shall come, I may take mine euerlasting rest with thee in thy celestiall kingdome, sweete God. Amen. Oh Lord into thine handes I commend my selfe.

Oh Lord increase my faith.

O Halmighty God, and father of our Lord Iesus Christ by whose worde we are taught, that to loue thee, [Page 15] feare thee, and serue in trueth, godlines, and sin­ceretie of life, is the onely way and meane to conti­nue thy loue and fauour towardes vs, without the which, wee can not but perish. And beleefe and confidence in thy sonne Iesus Christe, the onely meane of our redempti­on, and attonement with thee, the onely holde of our saluation; whereof we can not be sufficiently assured, without thine es­pecial gift of faith, which is the ancor, wherevnto the cable of our saluati­on is fastned. And beeing broken, the hope also of our saluation, decayeth & waxeth of none effecte plant therfore (most merciful God) one sparcke of true faith, in mine harte, that I may certainlye know thee, perfectly loue thee, and duely feare thee [Page] and vnfeynedly acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee sent into this miserabl [...] world to saue vs misera­ble sinne [...]s, & for vs by his bitter death, to purchase thy fauoure and loue a­gaine, which we had loste by the fall of our Father Adam. Oh Lorde graunt me to take such holde, of his death, passion, resur­rection, and assention, as by his death we may haue pardon by his resurrecti­on, rise to righteousnes, & by his assention, ascende with him to celestiall glo­rie, and finally attribute the cause and meane of our saluatiō, to proceede onely by his passion. In­crease this faith in vs (good Lord) dayly more and more, that it may growe, by the working of thine holie spirite, to full perfection, accompa­nied with good workes [Page 16] and godlie behauiour, without the which (I cā fesse) faith cānot be, that I may bothe in life and conuersation, fulfill thy diuine will in all things, with-holde not from me (good Lorde) that singuler gift of thine which is the stay of our happines, & the want therof, a most cer­taine token of our perdition. It is the strength of the weake & feeble ones, the staffe & stay that guids the blind, the onlie way that leads vnto the vnspeakable ioies of eternal blisse, the meane to obteine, possesse, & enioy, the only good, which is the knowledge of thy will, the bande of mutuall peace, the Forte, the Castell, and comfort of a distressed minde, and the onelie harbour of a sorrowfull soule, no good thing wanteth to him, on whom thou vouchsafest to be­stowe the same, to whom all thinges are light, in whom remaineth no darknes at all.

Banish therefore (sweete Lorde) all misbeleefe, all wauering, and doubting, out of mine heart, and plant insteede thereof, vnfeyned fayth, that apply­ing the same to euery affliction, both of bodye and minde; I may vanquish and ouercome sathan, with stande the delightes of the worlde, and suppresse the corruptible motions of the flesh, ouercome my bo­dely enemies, and enioy at thy good pleasure, health of bodie, soundnes of minde, perfection of limmes, [Page] and all thinges els requisite for me, as no thing is impossible to him, that enioyeth this thy gift estect­tually indeede: a most precious iewell▪ an vnspeak­able good thing, for thou sayst; VVho so heareth thy word, and beleeueth in Iesus Christe whome thou haste sent, shall haue euerlasting life. Then Lorde (on the contrary) he that beleeueth not, is in daunger of euerlasting death. Oh Lord increase my faith, wher by I may beleeue in that thy sonne, and take hold of all his promises, who said: That who so beleeueth in him, shall want no manner of thing that is good. (Lord) I beleeue, helpe mine vnbeleefe. Giue mee fayth but as the grayne of a Musterde seede, and I shall be able to doo great wonders, yea I shall bee able to remooue sathan, out of his desired habita­tion, expelling him and his ministers out of my minde, and walke no longer according to the will of the flesh, but casting away the workes of dark­nes, enioy the pure light of the Gospell, and perse­uer and abide therein, enioying thy fauour & loue, vnto the ende, without fainting, in anie tribulation, or vexation of Spirite, going forwarde, in hope, in feare, in loue, and vnfeyned zeale towardes thee. That I may obteine at thy mercifull hands, what­soeuer is necessarie in this life▪ or for the obteyning of the life to come, and after this life ended, enioye thy celestiall purchased inheritaunce, sweete Sauiour

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

OH God of most excellent wisedome, vnspeakable mer­cye [Page 21] tender loue towardes vs, & meruailous fore­knowledg of all thinges, who hast cōmanded vs at al times to direct our do­inges by the rule of thy lawes. I humbly beseech thee to direct al my coun sails, studies & labors de­uises & determinatiōs so as they may bee alwayes measured and guided by thine almighty wisdom, & that I take nothing in hand, disagreeable to thy wil, but may alwaies faith fully craue & fauourably obteine thine assistaunce helpe & furtherāce therin That whatsoeuer I do, it may come to such end & take such effect as may be to the glory of thy name to the health & benefit of my soule & pro [...]ite of my neighbors. That I at no time, rashly, or vnaduised ly, leudly or loosly attēpt or determine any thinge [Page] without thine especiall feare, duelie considering that thou art the author of all good thinges, and bringest prosperously to passe all godlie actions, attemptes, and purposes: And whatsoeuer is doon in secrete, or in intent to hide it from thy know­ledge, which none (work he neuer so secretely) can doo although for a time it haue some sweete tast, namelie a fleshly delight some sauour, or likely­hoode of happy successe: vet is the ende thereof, bitter and most perilous, insomuch as it bringeth shame and confussion, to the so vnaduised enter­prisers of the same. Lord thou sayest that a Spar­row can not light on the grounde, without thy permission, and proui­dence, which is a creature of small value, in respect [Page 22] of man, whom thou hast made to thine owne i­mage and likenes, and whom thou accountest of more value then many Sparrowes: in respect whereof (good Lord) and for thy meere mercies sake, extende so thy fauourable care vnto me, thy frayle creature, that all mine in­tents may haue theyr beginning, by the working of thine holie spirite and mine actions end in the same, and not according to the motions, of mine owne foolish desires. Thou like a most louing father willest vs to take counsaile at thee, in all our exercises, con­cerning either bodie or soule, before we proceede too farre in them. Oh Lord blesse me, with thine hea­uenly inspiration, that my minde imagine nothing but what is according to the Lawe of righteousnes: Oh Lord blesse the workes of mine hands, the sight of mine eyes, blesse mine eares, that they hearkē not but to the hearing of godly and vertuous commu­nication, and thine holie word, my tongue & lippes with decent speeche, and my feete that they may keepe the way of righteousnes. And place within the secret corners of my heart, such due regard what I goe about, or determine, as before I proceed to farr in request of good & luckie successe, I may vnderstād by the secrete working of thine holie spirite, whe­ther my request bee according vnto thy will: And graunt that I neuer absolutelie craue thy furthe­rance, in accomplishing any my desires, vntil by the [Page] same spirite, I be truelie resolued, that my desires be lawfull, consonaunt, and agreeable to thy diuine wyll, but may faithfully referre all my matters vnto thee, whether they be heard or not heard, whether presently or tarrying long, not giuing ouer, feeling in my selfe by thy grace, that it pleaseth thee, con­stantlie continuing, thy good pleasure, though it come not as I wish, let me not by and by fall from my good beginning, but perseuering in continuall prayers, for thine assistaunce, and fatherly helpe vnto the end, for thou hast promised neuer to deceiue our godly disires, nor to sende them away frustrate, mer­cifully heare me (Oh Lorde) in time conuenient. And attentiuely heare me, approching vnto thee, with vnfeyned desire, and hope of thy helpe, that when any plague, any affliction, misery or vexati­on shall come vpon me, when the want of any ne­cessary thing oppresseth me, or accomplishing of any lawfull sute mooueth me, I flying vnto thee, as the fountaine from whence floweth all true helpe, all perfect assistaunce, all good successe, and prospe­rous euents of all godlie endeuours, not seeking any other by meane, either to auoide the one or to ob­teine the other, then thy fatherly directions and spi­rituall motions, I may obteyne the same, according vnto my necessities, and in thy good time oh hea­uenly God, for thy sonne our Lorde Iesus Christes sake, graunt this, sweete God.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

A short prayer to the like purpose.

COnsidering mine owne blindnes, igno­raunce, and the wilfull obstinacie of my corrupt nature, which seeketh rather the fulfilling of the fantasticall deuises of mine owne brayne, then thy diuine will. And to vse humaine ayde, rather then to craue thine helpe, vouch­safe I humbly beseeche thee, to establish godlie feare in mine heart, and vnfeyned obedience, to thine holy ordi­naunces, that in all mine enterprises, which in thy name I take in hande, thou wilt vouchsafe to direct me, accor­ding to thy will, and to giue me prosperous successe, for thy sonne Jesus Christes sake. Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

OH almighty God and louing father, who of nothing hast created all thinges liuing, whose care is, so great ouer them all, that thou sufferest not the moste vile or sym­plest of them, to pe­rishe for want of foode, [Page 27] and thinges requisite for thē, but seeking the same at thy handes, thou gyuest it them, in due season: And by thyne vnsearchable wysedome haste appoynted to eue­rye liuing creature, an a­byding, according to his kinde. But such was thine vnspeakable care of man, whome thou hast created to thine own image, that he is as a king and gouernour ouer all, the rest of thy creatures, whome thou haste sette & appointed vnder him, beeing so farre inferiour vnto him, as where thou haste planted in him rea­son, wysedome, and go­uernment, in them bru­tishnes, beeing altoge­ther vnreasonable, and where they liue & haue there beeing vppon the tops of cold mountaines in desartes, vpon hilles [Page] on hie, and in vallies be­low, and in sundry other vncouth and vnknowne places, where tempest & heate, hardnes and colde, and other continual dan­gers oppresse them, thou hast giuen and prouided for man, houses, castelles, and townes to preserue them from the force of windes, tempestes, and stormes, and from the assaultes of wilde beastes of the fielde, in the night and darknes quietly to rest: And although born naked, thou giuest him ray ment to couer and to clothe him, hearbes for his vse, and oyle to make him a cheereful and glad heart, and ioyfull coun­tenaunce. Besides all this of thy meere goodnes, haste giuen him the beastes of the fielde, the fowles of the ayre, and fishes of the sea, to be his [Page 28] foode and sustinaunce, yea (Lorde) such is thy fauour towardes man, that all the rest of thy crea­tures, thou hast ordeyned for his vse and seruice, wherfore I thy sillie creature and worke of thine handes, humblie prostrate my selfe in heart, beseech­ing thee fauourably to looke downe, vpon my ne­cessitie, and graunt me whatso euer thou seest neces­sarie for me, euen a competent and necessarie porti­on heere, not ouermuch, least I wexe prowde, or dis­daine mine inferiors, and if it be thy will, vouchsafe vnto me, not ouer little, least vrgent necessitie driue me to ouer much care, & ouer much care carry me to vnlawful means, & so runne headlong into thy dis [...]auor. But fill my Baskett, & blesse my store Oh Lord that I may enioy at thy mercifull handes, sufficiēcie for my selfe, & for the releefe of such as thou hast cō mitted vnto my gouernment: and for as much (good Lord) as all mine industry, carke, and care, & great trauaile, can not any thing furder me, releeue or sa­tisfie me, in my necessitie, vnlesse thou vouchsafe therevnto good successe, for thy mercies sake, blesse me in all mine affayres, blesse my fruites in the field, my cattell, and all other thinges, belonging eyther to my selfe, or any other thy seruauntes, as by the fruites thereof, I and they may be releeued. Blesse the workes of mine handes, that they may prosper, blesse my sences that they wexe not dull, but be al­waies capable of such thinges, as belong vnto my [Page] vocation, effectually to execute the same, both ac­cording to thy lawes, and the trueth of that which I take in hand, for without thy blessing and fatherly furtheraunce, I can not sufficiently execute, neither can that prosper, where vpon the whole state, of my liuing and maintenaunce dependeth. VVhere­fore (good Lorde) guide mine handes, and blesse mine vnderstanding, to the prosperous execution of all thinges, concerning my vocation, that I may gett those thinges, which may be sufficient, for the re­leese and maintenaunce of me and mine, to the pro­fit of my neighbours, and glory of thy blessed name. And what so euer dooth happen vnto me, pouertye or ritches, make me (good Lord) of a patient, con­tented, and thankfull minde, that in aduersitie, I runne not headlong into such meanes as are vngod­lye, neither in prosperitie, wexe the prowder, but waight thy good pleasure in them both, with thank­fulnes, & euer more liue in thee, & by thee, & in the end raigne with thee in heauen, where thou sittest as Author and giuer of all thinges, graunt this for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake, to whom with thee, and the holie ghost, be all honour for euer.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

OH God of vnspeakable mercie, & fa­ther of meruailous louing kindnes, the one­lie giuer of all good and [Page 32] perfect giftes, who art more readie to giue then we to aske, hearing befor we cal, and giuing before we desire, thinges neces­sary for vs▪ I yeelde thee humble thankes, for thy continuall fauour, and lo­uing kindnes, towards vs thy creatures, for whose saluation when we were lost, thou wast contented euen of thy meere loue, to sende thine onely, de­light into this world, thy sonne Iesus Christe, ta­king humaine nature vp­on him, and abyding the most bitter pangs of death vpon the Crosse, to re­deeme vs againe, into thy fauour, which by our dis­obedience was lost, from darcknes (wherevnto our blindnes had broughte vs) into the lighte of trueth, from ignoraunce and errour, to wisedome & knowledge. Oh what [Page] greater comfort, what greater ioy, what a grea­ter benefite, coulde thy diuinitie haue bestowed vppon silly man, then be­ing of a castaway, to bee made a saued soule, of a lost sonne, made the child of God: and of a poore banished wretch, to bee made an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen, (Lorde) if it were possi­ble for vs to yeelde vnto thee, as manie thankes and prayses, as coulde fill euen thine eates, at the ful, & did yeelde our bo­dies and soules to bitter torments in hell, for thy sake, frō which thou hast redeemed vs, it were no­thing in recompence of the least parte of thys thy loue, in giuing this sacrifice thy sonne, in whom, was thine onely and whole delight, to pacifie thine owne displeasure, and to purchase thy fauour and loue againe a thing most merueilous, that the offended, shoulde seeke tha'ttonement with the offen­dour, and after so vnspeakable a meane, and yet re­quiring [Page 33] nothing at our hands, but thankfulnes & o­bedient harts. Lord I yeelde thee all possible thanks, I yeelde thee thankes, euen frō the bottome of mine heart, from the very depth of mine vnderstanding, who hast deserued more then we can by any means, in desire satisfie, or any way requite, not onely in gy­uing thy sonne for vs, but in leauing vnto vs a con­tinual rememberance of the same thy gospel, wherin consisteth the rule for our direction vnto thee, euen thy word, which (although heauen and earth passe and perishe) yet shall not one iotte thereof (as thou hast promised) deminishe or decay, without the which we shoulde haue continued in our accusto­med blindnes. These thy benefites are vnspeakable yet sweete Lord, the creating of vs after thy likenes, & making vs after thine owne image, deserueth no lesse praise and thanks, where it lay in thy power to haue fashioned vs, after sundry other formes, as of wormes in the earth, fishes in the sea, & beasts of the land, most owgly, and most straunge, hauing neither the knowledge of thy will, sence, or seeling of thy goodnes (which is the sweetest comfort in the world yea without the which, is no true comfort at all) nor enioy any quality either of body or minde, which is any thing at all comparable to the gifts which thou hast endued mankinde withall, I thanke thee also sweete Lord, for all other thine vnspeakable mercies & benefits, as for feding vs, clothing vs, & protecting vs hetherto, giuing vs al thīgs necessary both for our [Page] soules & bodies, & lord as of thy free fauor & meere mercy, thou hast vouchsafed vnto vs thy creatures, all these, and many other vnspeakable benefittes. So vouchsafe the like loue and tender care towardes vs alwaies, that we may prosper in our vocations & goe forward in the daily seruice of thee, and through the merites of thy sonne Iesus Christ, obteyne par­don for our sinnes past, and liue in thy faith, feare, and loue heereafter, enioying all thinges requisite for mine owne, and for the releefe of those whom thou hast committed vnto me, and also for all other thy seruauntes, so that we may haue sufficient, and not be chargeable, but rather helpfull to others, for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake, graunt it.

Amen.

Oh Lorde increase my fayth.

OH God the onely giuer of life, the mainteyner, and [Page 34] preseruer thereof, and the life after death, graunt me continuall due consi­deration, that as this bo­die of myne, is builded, vpon an earthly founda­tion, and framed of the substaunce of dust, and clay, which is not dura­ble, the glory thereof va­nishing, like the flowre of the fielde, which is soone cutte downe and withered. So the same beeing the mansion, or rather the Prison of my poore soule, so frayle, weake, and feeble, subiect to so many infirmities, diseases, greefes, and ma­ladies, yea to so many causes, that procure the dissolution of bodye and soule, that it often happe­neth, whē we think least thereon, it commeth so­damly, as the lightninge, and taketh vs vnwares.

VVherefore grant Oh [Page] GOD of my life) that I may haue such con­tinuall care, foresighte, and dylligent respect vn­to the direction of my dealinges, cogitations, and wordes, that I loade not, my poore soule so muche with the bur­den of scenlesse securi­tye, sinne and iniquitye, that the bodye beeing sodainly intangled with the snare of deathe, it bee carryed where there is no reste, no ioye, no comforte, or consolation, but continual mourning weeping, and anguishe of minde, as the Glutton spoken of in thine holy Gospell, who going on blindly, loosly, and care­lesly, without regarde, eyther of thee, or remem braunce of his ende, in moste detestable coue­tousnes, and all kinde of wickednes, was so­dainly [Page 35] taken from hys mucke & wealth which he had wrongfully got­ten, and myserably whorded vppe, and yet de­nying poore Lazarus the croomes that fell, and were taken from his ta­ble, but was carried by the deuyll and his An­gells into euerlasting and moste bitter tormentes, where was weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Oh my sweete Lord let not mine heart be so blin­ded, with the vale of vanitie, nor nouseled in the delightes of this world, so intangeled in the nette of concupiscence, nor clad in the weedes of wilfull for­getfulnes of mine estate, that I bee taken as the ritch man, who deuising within him selfe, to enlarge hys Barnes, wherin he might conuey his graine, so much encreasing, who standing in his euill conceite, of co­uetousnes, (thinking himselfe most secure) was ta­ken vnawares from his aboundaunce, and left hys riches he knew not to whom (Oh most gratious and most louing God) a most vnhappy end, wherin steed of heauenly contemplations, and godly cogitations (which thou requirest at al times of such as are thine but especially at the houre of death) there appeared [Page] a most horrible intent of couetousnes, which thou vtterly abhorrest, a manifest token (good Lorde) of forgetfulnes of his ende, and an argument, that hee was the childe of Sathan. But thou shewest mercye to as many as conuert and turne to thee.

Oh my most louing father, lighten mine eyes, that I sleepe not in sinne, nor wander in darknes, ac­cording to the will of the fleshe, that I fall not vna­wares into the dungion of distruction, death, and hell, but make me alwaies ready and willing, to come vnto thee, euen with desire when it pleaseth thee to call me, by laying thy hande, by any plague or sick­nes vpon me, let me not drawe me (as it were) back­warde, when thou inuitest me, to the sweete ban­quet of thine heauenly kingdome, as by the worde and gospell preached, and reueiled vnto vs, which is an especiall calling vs, or when I feele my selfe dis­tempered, greeued, or vexed, with any kinde of sick­nes, plague or disease, which is another of thy cal­linges, and an especiall warning that we must dye, or when by course of time, in extreame age, wee may i­magine our ende to be neere, but (Lord) when I am at my dayly busines, and laboure, when I eate or drinke when I am in my best temperature & health in childehoode and young yeeres, at all times, and in all places, giue me grace to thinke, that death stan­deth at mine elbowe, alwayes ready to strike mee, that I sleepe not in sinne and securitie, till the time sodainly come of my departure, and so be taken vn­prouided, [Page 39] and perish withour repentaunce, who can perswade him selfe, to liue long and see many daies, especially, in daungerous and contagious times of sicknes, and seeing so many examples dayly to the contrary, euen in the most temperate time of health, some we see at their Mothers pappes, by humaine indgement likely to liue, sodainely to giue vppe the ghoste, some in theyr youth, some in middle yeeres, yea & when grauest experience aboundeth, to be so­dainly called away, & to be no more seene. Al which, notwithstanding (Oh Lord) such is the blindnes of our nature, that we think this world a cōtinual being for vs, and couer (euen with greedines) to see many dayes, where we heape sinne vpon sinne, to the ouer­burdening of our poore soules, seldome, or not at all thinking to dye.

Graunt (sweete Lorde) that as I desire to liue, so I may haue a greater desire to liue well, that I may make an happy ende, abandoning all feare of death, that the cogitation thereof, may dwell in peace, with in the mansion of mine heart, and when it shall ap­proche neere vnto me, I flie not from it, but may goe foorth with ioy to meete the same, considering that it is a meane, to ende my cares, and to begin my ioy, it is the finishing of sorrow, and enteraunce in­to blisse, which made thy seruaunt Paule to say, That he desired to be deliuered of the burden of this life, and to be with thee, where is nothing but ioyes vnspeakable▪ and contrarie, heere on earth, nothing but care, and [Page] woe, which mooued thy seruaunt Iob, to call this life a warfare, and this world a wildernes, and vale of misery, where is nothing but conflictes, betweene the flesh and the spirite, dayly increase of sinne, and continuall care, of vanities. Oh good God giue vs carefull hearts to loue thee while we liue heere, giue vs continual feare, vnfeyned zeale, perfit faith, godly care▪ to doo good to all men, and earnest desire to come vnto thee, who art the ende of all trouble and laboure, and the beginning of ease, the ende of strife and the beginning of peace, the ende of all misery, and the beginning of all blisse, wherevnto sweete (Lord) graunt, that with vnseyned desi [...]e, we may faithfully endeuour our selues, to come, and to take possession, of that thy most glorious kingdome, where thy sonne is gonne before, to direct vs the way and where thou sittest to iudge, according to euerye mans desertes, making all those that thou findest with the Lampe of true faith, burning in their harts, partakers of the euerlasting ioyes thereof. In number of whome, (Oh sweete Lord) accept me heere, that I may appeare among them, in the world to come, through Iesus Christ our Lorde, in whose name, I commend my selfe into thy handes▪ to liue for euer in thee, sweete God.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

OH almighty God, and father of all that beleeue and [Page] trust in thee, Oh Lorde God, sonne, redeemer, & aduocate of all thē who faithfully serue thee, Oh God holy ghoste, who proceeding from the fa­ther and the sonne, santi­fiest the elect and chosen ones. Oh blessed & most glorious Trinitie, three personnes, and yet but one God, haue mercy vp­on vs, who most misera­blie haue offended. Re­member not our offences nor the offences of our fore-fathers nor punishe vs according to the mul­titude of our sins. Spare vs good Lorde, whome thou hast redeemed, and so directe all our cogita­tions, and actions, that wee giue none occasion of thine anger towardes vs, for euer, mercifully saue, and defende vs, frō sinne & mischeefe, from the craftes and assaults of [Page 38] sathan, from thy displea­sure and eternall dam­nation, good Lorde for thy mercies sake deliuer vs, from darknes of mis­beleefe, from hautines of minde, from mallice, enuie, hatred, and double dea­ling, from euill motions of our corrupt fleshe, and from all worldly vaneties. Saue vs from plague pe­stilenee, from extreame hunger, and famine, from sodaine death, from heresie and false doctrine, and graunt vs alwayes will, and ablenes, to fulfill all thy most godly commaundementes, with a cleane and a pure heart.

Oh sweete Iesus deliuer vs from all euill, euen by thy death and passion, by thine anguish of mind, by thy bloody sweate, by thy glorious resurrection▪ from the deepe of death and hell, and by thine assen­tion, into thy celestiall kingdome; Bee present with vs (good Lorde) in all our troubles, vexation of minde, & at the howre of our departure hence. And for thy meere mercies sake, be thou fauourable vnto vs, in the day, when we must giue account for our life past, that we be not rewarded according to our desertes, but by thy merites may enioy eternall sal­uation. Oh most mercifull and euerliuing God, wee most miserable and most wretched sinners, heere humbly prostrating our selues before thee, beseeche thee to listen to our petitions, and graunt vnto thine [Page] vniuersall Church, godly & deuout preachers of thy word, and gospel, that it may dayly increase in ver­tuous and godly gouernment, dayly growing and proceeding, from faith to faith, truely knowing thee, and vnfeynedly seruing thee. Graunt vnto thy ser­uaunt Elizabeth, our Queene, true vnderstanding of thy will, and vnto her counsaile, knowledge and wisedome. That vnder her, for her, and in thy name, they may establish godly Lawes, statutes, and ordi­naunces, for our good and godly gouernment, and vnto vs thy people▪ grace continually, to follow, and fulfill the same. Be thou (good Lord) her defendour in all aslaultes of her enemies; and so rule her hearte in thy faith seare and loue, that she may alwaies seeke to aduaunce thine honour and glory, deface superstiton, errour, and false religion, and euer be a­ble to vanquish and ouercome suchas rise vp against her, to seeke the contrary. Lighten the hearts of all Byshops, ministers, and Pastours of thy church, with▪ right vnderstanding▪ and knowledge of thy worde, that they may not onely in speeche, & doctrine, but also by their conuersation and life, soundly and sin­cerely vtter the same, to the true edification of thy people. Oh Lord let not such as are put in authority to see the due execution of thy lawes, be slowe, neg­ligent or ignorant therin, but endued with grace wis­dom & vnderstanding, & boldnes, may execute iu­stice, & maintain thy trueth, without affectiō, fauor, or respect of persons, vouchsafe to endue vs all with [Page 39] continuall vnfeined good will, one towards another that wee may liue all the daies of our life in vnitye, peace, & godly agreement, pleasing thee, by liuing according to the rule of thy blessed commandements. Graunt vs Oh Lord, feruent desire, to be where thy word & gospell is preached & taught, and endue vs with thy grace to heare & to beare away, & not only to heare and beare away, but to expresse the same in our life & conuersation, that the truth of thy gospel, which is the fruit of thine holy spirit, may dailye in­crease in vs: & call home all wandring soules, which are carried into blindnes, by the subtiltie, & procure­ments of sathan, & his wicked ministers, following strange Gods & worshipping that, that cannot auaile them in their distresse, and giue them (Oh Lord) repenting heartes, conuerting the soule. Shewe them thy true light, that they seeing it (though a farre off) may by little and little, attaine vnto the perfit enioying of the same. Strengthen al them that haue taken holde of thee by true faith, and pure reli­giō, that they fall not from thence, by any deceiuable show of any counterfeit secte, comfort those that are weake, & lift vp those that are downe, that they by thee, & thou in them maist beate down, & keepe sa­than vnder their feete. Vouthsafe good Lord to giue succor, help & cōfort to all such as are in any kind of affliction, daunger, necessity, or tribulation, preserue and keepe safe, all such as labour & trauaile, by sea or land, for the benefit of our common weale.

[Page]Strengthen all women with child, and sende them good deliueraunce; comfort all them that are sicke, and giue them either patience to beare it, or mitti­gate their greefe, giue health and nourishment to al young children, and graunt them grace, to goe for­ward in nurture and knowledge of thy will. Lorde we beseeche thee, to showe compassion, vppon all such as suffer impty sonment, and giue them deliue­raunce, at thy good pleasure. Prouide (good Lord) for such poore children, as are fatherles, or helples, consider the cause of all VV iddowes, and be helpfull vnto them in their distresses. Lord haue mercy vpon all men, forgiue our enemies, and such as persecute vs, and if it please thee, turne the heartes. Fructifie those thinges on earth which thou hast appoynted for our vse, and so increase the same, that we may enioy the fruites thereof, with sufficiencie, for our necessities in time conuenient. And vouchsafe to giue vs grace, to fall downe vppon the knees of our hearts, with vnfeyned repentannce of all our sinnes, that we may obteyne at thy mercifull handes, par­don for our offences, negligences, and ignoraunces, and vouchsafe, to endue vs with thine holy spirite, that we may goe forward in daily amendmēt of our liues, & gouern the same according to thy wil. Amen. Oh sonne of almighty God, we beseeche thee to heare vs. Oh Lambe of God, that takest away the sins of the world, graunt vs thy peace, and haue mercy vpon vs.

Oh Lord increase our fayth.

Amen.

OH almighty Ieho­uah, God of hea­uen & earth, who haste promised thy selfe, euen from the beginning to be our Lorde and our God, our shielde and our Fortresse, our buckler and defence, our Castell and refuge. And who hast brought vs with a migh­ty and strong hand, with an outstretched Arme, out of the Lande, where­in wee were straungers, wherein we liued in bon­dage, vnder the yoke and tytannye of Antechriste and sathan, into the lande [Page] land that floweth with the Milke and Honny of true religion, wherewith thou feedest the soules of thy faithfull ones.

Grant that as through thy meere mercye and loue, thou vouchsafest to bring vs into this worlde, and to frame vs to thine owne image and likenes, So we may account thee as our onely God, wor­shipping none other be­sides thee, making vnto our selues, none image of any likenes, either of thinges aboue, or thinges beneathe, nor bowe or seeke helpe at the handes of any (as a God) beside thee, who as by thy mightye power, thou brough­test the children of Israell out of Egipt, by the han­des of Moses and Aaron, where they were in bondage, where they were con­tinually oppressed with sundry kindes of vexations both of body and minde. So hast thou vhuchsased [Page 41] to bring vs and to deliuer vs from a greater bondage, seruitude, and stauery, euen from the power of Sa­than, vnder whose tyranny we rested, and now esca­ped, not by the pollicie, strength, or power of any Moyses, but by the blod shedding of thine only son Iesus Christ, who tooke vpon him the death of the crosse for our sakes, to bring vs frō darknes, wherein we walked according to the will of the flesh, vnto the true knowledge of thee againe▪ & to redeeme vs out of the bondage of sin, into the land of righteousnes, from blinde ignoraunce, to the bright shining day­starre, of thine heauenly will, who art not onely a most loouing and gentle Father, but also a moste sharp punisher and reuenger, who art not onely de­sirous, that we should come vnto thee, but art also most ielious ouer vs, least we should seeke or follow any other God besides thee, yea in all our afflictions and troubles, to seeke onely vnto thee, and beeing releeued, to attribute the onely meane thereof vnto thy selfe, whereby thou hast promised to bee merci­full vnto thousandes that loue thee, feare thee, seeke thee, and truely take hold [...] of thee, as theyr onely God. And againe, threatnest thy vengeaunce, and heauy displeasnre, to continue vppon the thirde and fourth generation, of them that hate thee, and folow straunge Gods▪ (Oh sweete God) vouchsafe that it may be farre from our mindes to haue any desire, once to put our foote towardes any straunge Gods, appeare their helpe▪ neuer so likely or plentifull, [Page] but that it bee bothe now and euer in our hearts, to confesse both in word and conuersation, that there is none other God besides thee, who art most glori­ous and a most louing Father, haue mercy vpon vs. And so vouchsafe to direct vs in all our dooinges, cogitations and wordes, as we may alwayes and in all thinges, fulfil thy will, neuer taking thine ho­ly and most glorious name in vaine, by blasphemous speeches, dishonouring the same. Keepe vs moste louing Father, not onely from the most detestable sinne of periury, whereby thine holy name is often defaced, and (as it were troden vnder foote, as in ma­king it the author of abhominable falshoodes and lyes, but from all friuolous and vaine othes, which (to the great greefe of thy children) are moste vn­comly in the mouthes of such as vnreuerently and rashly vse it, euen in common speeches, without any vrgent cause or matter forcing, wherby they fal into the most hemous sinne, of taking thy most glorious name in vaine, but that we may vse such a reuerent manner, & godly order of vsing thy name for trial of any matter in lawfull causes, as thou maist alwaies find vs true hallowers of it therby. And forasmuchas thou within sixe daies didst finish al things in the be ginning, & in the seauenth day didst rest from the same labor, commanding vs likewise to obserue the sanctification of the same for euer, and to rest from all labours, trauailes and worldly busines and not onely our selues, but all other whom thou hast committed [Page 42] to our charge, as seruaunts, Oxen and Asses, and such like? graunt that wee may not onely lay aside all worldly cares, and busines on the Sabaoth day, resting our wearied members, but may in all thinges sanctifie it and keepe it holy, with godly ex­ercises, diuine prayers, and heauenly meditations with carefull and diligent regard, to the auoyding of all wanton pastimes, foolish and vncomly exerci­ses, and vnlawfull practises, whereby (oftentimes) the affection beeing mooued to impatience, pow­reth forth chollour to the dishonoring of thy name. Let our conuersation be altogether modest, morte­fiing our own desires, wholy appliing our selues, not onely on the Sabaoth day, but all the weeke, yea all our whole life, to the sreuice of thee, to the honou­ring and glorifying of thy name, to the benefit of our soules, profit of our neighboures, and due reuerence to our parents, whom thou hast commaunded vs to honour, loue, and obey, as the instruments of our beginning, thou beeing the workman. Graunt, Lord that we may truly and vnfeynedly, reuerence them as thou willest we should, that we may long conti­nue vpon the earth, not in the number of careles and disobedient Children, in whom resteth no thankful­nes for so great benefits had and receiued at the hand of their parents, from whom thou hast saide, thou wilt with hold thy blessings, and altogether depriue them of theyr liberty and liuing.

But graunt that we may so order our selues, by [Page] thy grace, both to them and to other our Supe­riours, as wee may bee blessed with many good giftes, and length of dayes heere according to thy will.

And that it may please thee, so to confirme theyr blessings in and vpon vs, as that it may goe well with vs all the dayes of our liues. Take from vs sweete Lorde) all desire of reuenge, all rancor, malice and hatred, least the deuill, (who redily standes to prick vs forwarde to a desperate minde) procure vs to slay the innocent, we beseeche the Lord, let not (at any time) such euill imaginations enter into any parte of our heartes, least we (giuing our selues ouer ther­vnto) lose the raynes of our naturall disposition, which is so inclined to wrathe, that vnlesse the strength thereof be subdued, or the venoumous sting thereof pluckt out, by vertue of thine holy spi­rite, it wil (no doubt) prouoke vs to wait oportunity to wreake our mallice with violence, vppon such as by slight occasions, haue offended vs, yea and by lit­tle and little, breake out into the flame of deadly ha­tred, and so seeke to destroy the innocent most wic­kedly.

Oh Lorde forbidde it, and keepe vs from the most pernicious sinne of adultery, which being so odious in thy sight, thou causedst to fall in one day, for the same three and twenty thousande. Oh Lorde indue vs with thine holie spirite, that we may keepe our bodies cleane and vndefiled members of thee, beeing [Page 43] indued with perfect chastitie, may abandon all oc­casions, that may procure vs to offende thee, retey­ning a godly behauiour, which thou so deerely lo­uest, and expell euill concupiscence which thou so much abhorrest.

Oh mercifull God, vouchsafe to keepe vs from taking any thing, by secrete meanes, or otherwise from our neighbours, whom we ought to loue as our selues, The desire whereof (good Lord) procee­deth often by scarcitie and want, by pouertye and neede, which (indeede) thou art able and willing to releeue without any such vnlawfull meanes. And therefore I beseeche thee to graunt vs a sufficient & necessary portion, or els constancie and vnfeyned hope in thee, to be relieued in thy good time, and vt­terly to derest the horrible sinne of stealing for thou hast promised neither to faile vs nor forsake vs, cal­ling faithfully vpon thee. And as we ought to be­ware of taking any thing from others by stealth, so likewise vouchsafe vs grace, when any occasion ser­ueth, or matter forceth, to beare witnes of the truth, in any controuersie betweene bretheren, graunt vs heedefull mindes, to depose and testifie that, which is trueth, according to our knowledge, without respecte either of the ability freendshippe, or fauoure of the one, or the enuie, malice, or pouerty of the other. And graunt that we rayse no false accusation or slan­der vpon any man, considering that the same faulte, whereof we wrongfully accuse another, shalbe im­puted [Page] as great vnto our selues, but that wee may keepe our mouthes, from speaking any thing hurt­full vnto others.

And like good men muse and meditate, before hand, what we ought to speake, not letting the bry­dell of our lippes loose, to babble out that which first commeth into our mindes, and that we may content our selues with our estates, whatsoeuer thou sendest, without any vngodly desire of any thing that belongeth vnto our neighbours. And graunt vs thine especiall grace, euer more truely to obserue, and faithfully to fulfill all thy most godly commaundements. In the name and for the sake of thy Sonne Iesus Christ, in whose name, as well for grace to keepe thy lawes as also for all necessaries for body and soule, I hartely pray thee, by that pray­er which he hath sette downe vnto vs in these wordes. Our Father which are in heauen. &c.

Oh Lord increase our faith.

OH bountifull God, and most merciful father, naked came I into thys worlde, [Page] bringing with mee not a clothe or ragge to couer this silly and weake body of mine, wanting susti­naunce and foode, with­out the which (sweete Lorde) life can not en­dure, which I haue recei­ued at thy merciful hands and that most largely the one to couer & keepe my naked members, and weake bodye from par­ching heate in the sōmer, and extreame colde in winter, and the other to feede and nourishe the same, in so much as it hath by neither of these extremeties, fainted or decayed to this day. I thanke thee (sweete lord) that I haue not continu­ed in nakednes, wherein I was born, but in warme and necessarye clothing, not in hunger, but in ful­nes, not in scarcety but in aboundaunce, and suf­ficiency [Page 45] of all things, not in want but in wealth, not in labour but at ease, not amonge the lowest, but with the highest, which blessings of thine (Oh Lorde) I confesse were not gotten by mine owne industry & paines, not by mine owne polli­cie or wisedome, nor be­stowed on mee for mine owne sake or desertes▪ who am borne in sinne, but as sent from thee, as thine owne free blessings farre passing the capasity of man, by wisdome to comprehende, by labour to gette, or by pollicye to purchase, but onely by thy blessed prouidence, setting thine helpinge hande vnto the godly in­dustrye of such as by their vocation and iuste trauaile shall endeuour to gather the same, which is thine onely and bountifull gift, as also where thou giuest and blessest the children with the inheritance [Page] of theyr parents, which also is thine vnspeakable blessing; graunt Lord, that as all those thy giftes, come altogether without our desertes, so we neuer abuse the same, but duely considering, the mutabili­ty, the [...]lyperie hold, and vnconstancie of worldly treasure, and that the feare of the alteration thereof, doth often loade and encombe [...] our mindes, with so many & sundry cares, that we seldome rest without some doubte and perturbation of minde, breeding also within vs diuers other great inconueniences, as hawtines of minde, contemning others of inferior conditions, with a grudging disdaine of them, in re­spect of ourselues, puffing vp our hearts with arro­gancie, vaine glory, excesse, glutionie, and finally, leading a man to all kind of vices, making him euen to forget himself & thee, beeing lead by the indirect rule, of their owne proper nature, which is altoge­ther, contrary to thy will, wherefore, forasmuch as these our worldly riches, doo [...]ende eyther to the winning or loosing of thy fauour and loue, and thy loue, the end of our happines. Graunt me thy grace and assistaunce, in bestowing, ordering and occupy­ing, those terrestriall things, that neither the loue of worldly commendation or prayse of men, make me prodigall in spending them; nor the care of coue­ [...]ousnes, draw me to whorde and lay them vppe, to canker and rust, & where it may be taken by theeues, but as I haue plentifull, so I may be liberall, distri­buting according to the portion thereof, vnto the [Page 46] necessity of others, as the cause of their neede, and mine hability shall require; And as it pleaseth thee to increase my store, so make me more and more thankfull, and more and more ready to giue, endu­ing me with the more humility, gentlenes, & pittie, stretching foorth mine hande with a glad heart, to helpe the helples, to feede the hungry, to clothe the naked, to comfort the comfortles, that these thy bountifull giftes, be not bestowed vpon me in vaine That I be not in the ende, in case like the rich man spoken of in thine holy gospell, turning mine eyes from the begging cryes of poore Lazarus, but may willingly impart, such thinges, both of my table and store, as it pleaseth thee to bestoweon me, vnto the necessitie of the poore all my daies: and take from me all hardnes of heart, and extreame dealing to wardes such, as by any light offence haue displeased me. Graunt that I may consider of my self, and way of my selfe, as one of the lowest, meanest, and wea­kest, and not to disdaine the simplest, alwaies consi­dering my beginning, my present estate, how it may please thee to alter it, and what may befall vnto me, before or in the ende, as also to be mindfull of such as are of a lower estate and calling, yea of the worste and poorest, and to doo for them as I may, and as occasion shall require, without ouercharging any that for their releefe seeke any thing at mine hands. That in the end I may be found a good and faithfull Stewarde of that tallant which thou hast put me in trust withall heere.

[Page]Oh Lorde make me willing to forgiue them that offende me, acknowledging my selfe a thousande wayes offencible vnto thy maiestie, pardon mee Oh God of thy mercy, and giue me grace to amende mine euill and corrupt life; And let me not by mis­ponding and abusing thy gifts heere, make forfey­ture of so precious a dwelling place, as thou by the blood of thy sonne Iesus Christ, hast purchased for all such, as showe themselues faithfull Stewardes heere. Make mee to consider (good Lorde) the vani­ties of this wretched world, and giue me thy grace dayly to contemplate and in faith to beholde, the fayrenes, beautie, and certaintie of thine heauenly kingdome, that I may dailie grow in hatred and contempt of this vale of misery, and the vaine pleasures thereof, and be readie at thy fatherly call to come vn­to thee, willingly▪ bearing the burden, which this this world continually chargeth me withall. Oh al­mightie and mercifull God, giuer of all good things and the take [...] of them away againe at thy good pleasure, make me in prosperity alwayes thankfull: and if thou visite me with pouerty, endue me with per­fit patience, that the delight of the one [...]ull mee not and rocke me a sleepe, in the Cradell of security, not the heauines and greefe of the other, waking mee with the daungerous dartes of dispayre; Strengthen me (good Lorde) for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake, and helpe me in this my great account, which I haue to recken for, at my last and finall ende, and that be­fore [Page 47] thee, the Lord of our soules, when and where there shall be no thing left vncharged, but shall bee forst to account for those receytes, & actions which we little thinke on now, and prooued euen then to be parcell of that whereof thou madest vs Stewards heere.

And therfore grant that I may not bestow my Tallaunt, as to mine owne vse and behoofe onely but to the furtheraunce and helpe of them that stand in neede thereof. That in the ende thou mayest with that comfortable saying, receiue me (saying) Oh thou faythfull Stewarde, seeing thou hast beene faithfull ouer a little, I will make thee Steward of a great deale, euen partaker of that place which thy sonne hath purcha­sed. In hope whereof, I doo wholy yeelde and com­mende my selfe and al that I haue vnto thine hands, praying thee to direct me, by thy grace & wisdome, to the bestowing it according vnto thy will. In the name of thy sonne Iesus Christe, to whome with thee and the holy ghost, bee continuall laude and prayse, for euer and euermore

Amen.

Oh Lord increase our fayth.

OH mercifull God and omnipotent father maker and Creatour of all thinges, who in the beginning haddest placed mankind, in most vnspeakable happines, where they should haue continued had not our first parents brokēthy precept and will, wherby they procured thine hea­uy indignatiō against thē selues, & their posteritye for euer, so that the earth for their sakes was accur­sed denying thinges ne­cessary for their vse with out their great labour, in­dustry paines, and sweat of body. And vnto vs [Page] the daughters of Eue for her▪ transgression thou haste appoynted moste greeuous paines and tor­ments of body, in the tra­uaile of childbirth, say­ing that in sorrowe and great paynes wee shall bring foorth childe. Oh sweete Lord, for as much as thou art almighty and bringest all thinges to passe, according vnto thy good pleasure, and shew­est thy selfe in no thing more omnipotent, then in the conceyuing, forming and bringing mankinde into the world, which (although it were in the be­ginning ordeyned most easie) by the subtilty of our continuall enemy sathan, in causing our first parents to transgresse thy commaundement, and to breake thy will, by tasting the forbidden fruite) it is nowe most painfull, greeuous and perilous. In so much (Oh sweete Lorde) as without thine especiall grace, fauour and mercy, it is altogether impossible to bee brought to pas [...]e, our imperfection and feeblenes is such that of ourselues we are not able to endure the least of all the panges and sorrowes that dooth ac­company this kinde of trauaile. Wherfore (sweete [Page 49] Lord) mine humble and moste hartie desire vnto thy maiestie, is that thou wouldest vouchsafe to ex­tende vnto me, and to all women in this my like case thy mercy and louing fauour to mittigate the paines thereof, that we may be able, patiently to en­dure and continue the panges of the same, at the howre appointed.

Make that easie and light vnto vs, which our de­sertes haue made burdensome and heauy, that the burden wherewith I am now loden, may fortunate­ly be deliuered, from the shoulders of my weake bo­dy. Sende vs all (good Lorde) happye deliueraunce, that we may be made ioyfull mothers. And vouch­safe vnto me, and to all that haue conceiued, and be with Childe, strength to bring foorth, that which thine omnipotencie hath so wonderfully wrought in vs.

Be present with vs in our trauailes Oh Lorde helpe vs most mercifull God, and mightily deliuer vs. Let thy power, might and loue, be no lesse ma­nifested, in the deliuery, then in the forming of thy creature, that beeing through thy goodnes, made glad and ioyfull mothers, we may obteyne our per­fect strength againe, and liue to prayse and please thee for euermore.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase our fayth.

OH almightye and merciful God the onely aide stay & comfort of all those that trust in thee? the prin­cipall [Page 50] helpe, of them that feare thee, we giue thee most humble hearty and v [...] fe [...]ed thankes, for that thou haste vouch [...] ­fed to deliuer this w [...]ā M. thy seruant, from the great paines and trauaile of childbirth, which are so great, so greeuous and so daungerous, that e [...]en by thine owne wordes they are sayd to be moste greeuous: In so much (sweete Lord▪ as whēsoeuer thou settest foo [...]th in thine holy scripture any gr [...]at paine or dāg [...]r thou resemblest it alwaies to a Womans paine in tra­uaile

Therfore we confesse & acknowledge that wee in the behalfe of thys our Syster, are so much the more bounde vn­to thee, so farr extending thy furtheraunce and helpe to her deliuery frō [Page] such extreamitie and an­guish, we fall downe euē vppon the knees of our heartes, with vnfeyned thanks for this most mercifull worke of thine, but most louing and merci­full God, thou knowest that although she bee de­liuered of this heauy bur­den, yet the paynes some thing continue, which without thy most sweete mitugation thereof, will driue her to further greefe and sorrow. We humbly beseeche thee therefore to consider of the estate of this thy poore seruaunt by thy goodnes, thus deliuered, that thou wouldest vouchsafe to mitugate and asswage her paines and greefe, that she may be able to beare the same with perfect patience, and continuall thanke, for her hap­py deliuerance. [...]te the rest [...] Child be de­ [...]ying the [...] pray [...]r. and [...] at the [...]ude [...] prayer. And forasmuch (sweete Lorde) as the tendernes & misery of mankinde is such, that they can not of long time after their birth, attaine to any meane to helpe themselues, but wanting the [...] ayde and attendaunce of the mother and [...] they soone perish. Wee beseeche thee to [...]gthen this little infant, and tender babe, nowe [...]e into this vale of misery, and if it be thy good [Page 51] pleasure, to vouchsafe it life and longer abyding heere, graunt it ablenes and strength▪ to receiue such foode, and nourishment, as thy prouidence hath as­signed, for such little infants and sucklinges. And so increase within the pappes of the mother or Nurce such nu [...]riture, as may be sufficient for the mainte­naunce of the life and health thereof, working with such effect within the bowels of the tender infant, as it may thereby growe more and more, to the estate of man, according to thy good pleasure, and streng­then bothe the mother and the infant, that they may bothe grow▪ to such perfect health and ablenes, as the one may giue, the other take, sufficient suste­naunce for the preseruation of life, and increase of strength, through the mighty power and working of thee.

For which (sweete Lorde) and for all thinges els necessary, for them and for all other in their like case, we pray vnto thee, as thy sonne Iesus Christe hath himselfe taught vs, saying, Our Father &c.

Oh Lord increase our fayth. And receiue this woman thy seruant, and euer more mightely defend her. Oh Lord blesse this little babe, and receiue it into the number of thy children. Oh Lord guide it euermore to the full obteyning of thy fauour & mercy, & to the perfit fulfilling of thy wil, all his daies. Amen. To thee be all prayse for euermore Amen.

OH almighty and euerliuing GOD, whose gift it is that babes sucklings and men of base degree, haue the knowledge & vnder­standing of thy will, and men of profounde lear­ning, deepe study, and worldly experience often want the same. Oh God which expellest darknes & giuest light, which ta­kest away ignoraunce & plātest knowledg & wis­dome, denying the same to none that vnfeyned­ly asketh it at thine han­des, without the which nothing can be obteyned [Page 52] which good is, nothing auoyded, which is euill, nothing continue safe, bee it neuer so dura­ble, nor any enterprise either rightly begun or happily ended without the same, which Salomon considering (hauing pro­mise at thine handes, that whatsoeuer he asked hee shoulde obteyne) aboue all thinges, aboue wealth or riches, worldly praise, renowne or glory, beauty or strength, yea aboue possessions or kingdoms he onely requested wise­dome, which thou so a­boundantly bestowedst on him, that they repay­red and came from farre to heare the same, which is none other thinge (sweete Lorde) but the knowledge of thy diuine wil & heauēly misteries, it is the knowledge how to chose the good & auoid the euill, it proceedeth onely from thee, and with [Page] thee it hath beene from the beginning.

Sende it downe from heauen, where it attendeth about thy seate, replenish mine hart with the knowledge thereof. Giue me a newe heart, and a right spirite, for mans vnderstanding faileth in many thinges, but thy wisedome instructeth the simple, & maketh the tongues of infants eloquent, directing the steppes of the blinde. VVherefore Oh Lorde, I most humbly beseeche thee, to establish the same in my spirite, and wryte thy Lawes in mine heart, that I walke not in the way of error, but may abstaine from sinne, cleaue vnto righteousnes, and walke in innocencie, all the dayes of my life. Oh sweete Lord graunt me this thine especiall gift of heauenly wise­dome, that I may perfectly knowe, what thy diuine will and pleasure is, that I may alwaies directe my waies, according vnto the same, louing thee in all thinges, and aboue all thinges, continuing moste thankfull, for all thy fatherly benefits, bestowed and conferred vpon me. And that prosperity ouercome me not, nor in aduersity be foolishlie mooued, to seeke reamedie or releefe els wher, but at thine hands onely▪ who a [...]t my God and my [...]auiour, and who hast promised, to giue wisedome to all thē that fayth­fully aske it.

Oh Lord heare my prayer, and let my cry come vnto thee Giue me perfect wisdome, wherby I may truely discerne the difference betweene thine hea­uenly reuelations, (which is wisedome from aboue) [Page 53] and vaine cogitations of worldly wittes, considering that the one in all thinges, as well in aduersitye as prosperity, in sicknes as in health, in anguish of minde, trouble or greefe of bodie, as in wished estate and pleasure, continueth most constant, stable, pati­ent and firme, with due consideration, that it can not be but good, whatsoeuer thou sufferest to light vpon vs; But contrariwise (sweete Lorde) the other see­keth with more dilligence, to auoyde afflictions, troubles, and worldly calamities, the crosse sweete Lord which thou layest vpon thy children, then wisely to auoyde thy heauy displeasure. And that by worldly deuised meanes, as by riches, freendship, pollicy, and strength, with this deceiuable and fonde conceite, that Fortune where she fauours, there is plenty and peace, but where she frownes there is continuall want and trouble. But my most sweete Lord and heauenly comforter, graunt that it may be farre from mine heart to thinke, that any thing commeth to passe, otherwise then by thine almighty proui­dence, who willest nothing, nor doost any thing but what is most expedient and necessary, for the vse both of ourbodies and soules, which we can not rightly conceiue▪ without this especiall gift of thine, wherewith for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake, endue me, that I be not lead by fonde conceyte, or deceiue my selfe with worldly experience, but gouerning my life according vnto thy wyll, measuring all mine actions, wordes and thoughtes, by the right rule of [Page] knowledge, and weying them in the balaunce of perfit wisedome, in the ende, I may be founde in the number of those discreete Virgins, who had theyr Lampes continually readie, and not in the number of those that were taken vnprouided. That the cō ­ming of thy son Iesus Christe bee not terrible vnto me as to the loytering seruant, for want either of the light of a pure life, or gaines by my tallant, but most acceptable and ioyfull, hauing the Lampe of loue, & the candle of a true faith, continually burning, with in the secrete Closset of mine heart,

That in the ende I may haue free enteraunce with thine elect, into that most glorious kingdome which thy sonne Iesus Christe purchased with hys blood, for me and all beleeuers.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

MY God my God, vouchsafe to turn thy loouing and fauourable countenance towards me, thy pore creature, who am brought very low, and mine ene­mies, laugh & reioyce at my fal. I am like an Owle in the desert, that the bir­des, of the airegaze & wō der at, mine estate is alte­red, my store is turned into scarcity, and my [Page] wealth into want, my plenty into pouerty, and ioy into sorrowe & sad­nes. Oh sweete Lord, my prosperity is turned into aduersitye, my freendes haue forsaken me. And where they haue often promised to helpe mee, they doo not onely, not performe the same, but they disdaine my com­pany, they loath and ab­horre my presence. I am vtterly refused of al mine acquaintaunce, and they that were before my fa­miliars, are now my deadly foes. Sweete Lorde thou seeest howe I am clapt vp in cares, howe I am inuironed with a thousand causes, that procure intollerable greefe, bothe in body & minde. Oh Lorde I haue no re­fuge, I haue no place of defence. I haue no meane to helpe my selfe, I am [Page 55] so bewrapped in calami­tie, that I can not enioye any liberty either of bo­dy or minde, but moste sweete Lord, most loo­uing and moste fauoura­ble, most able and moste ready to helpe, such as come to thee loden with distresse, loe heere I lye at the gate of thy mercy, knocking for ease, hum­bly crauing thine assis­taunce, who hast willed such as are heauy loaden to come vnto thee, I come, I come, sweete Lorde, as one burdened with greefe, receiue me and helpe me, showe thy louing countenaunce, & extend the helpe of thine holy arme, and I shall be safe, mercifully heare me after thy wonted good­nes, consider my distresse weigh mine afflictions, & looke vpon my troubles. So shall my sorrowe be [Page] turned againe into ioye, my pouerty shall bee re­leeued, with sufficiency, and all shall goe well with me, for (sweete Lord) although when I consider mine estate▪ whē I viewe my present my­sery and feele my want I be striken with greate sorrowe in minde, and vexed with intollerable greefe: yet when I con­sider, the cause of my troubles, with due con­sideration of thine intent therein. Then can I not but comfortably resolue my selfe, Then doth in­warde comfort asswage the extreamitye of my greefe and sorrowe, re­membring that thou hast sayde, that whome thou louest, thou punishest.

VVherfore I cannot but giue thee thanks (sweet Lord) for this thy fatherly correction, in altering mine estate, for better try all of my patience. That by patience I may take hold of hope, that so by hope [Page 56] of thy goodnes, louing kindnes, and fatherly promi­ses, which deceiuest no man, that vnfeynedly depen­deth vpon thee) I may enioy a moste comfortable renuing of mine happie estate againe, at thy good pleasure. I cast all my burden vpon thee, as thou willest all those that are heauy loaden to doo. Re­fresh me most louing and mercifull God refresh me with the timely showers of thy fauour and loue. That the ioy and gladnes of mine heart, may growe vppe and choake the weedes of sorrow, and anguish of mind. Oh my surpassing comforter, leaue me not distitute of thy defence, and patronage, vouchsafe euermore to be present with me, in all my troubles, that I faint not, but may rather reioyce in tribulati­on, knowing, that a crowne of life, is layde vppe in store, for as many as beare thy yoke with patience. Assist me therefore (good Lord) in all these vexati­ons and temptations of mine, that I may patiently looke for thy good deliueraunce, which although it come not as I wish, yet that (staying thy leasure) in thy good time, I may bee satisfied of my godly de­sire, which thou hast promised neuer to defraude vs off, nor suffer vs to depart empty away.

There was neuer any confounded that trusted in thee, nor any forsaken that called on thine holye name. Thou raisest the simple out of the myre and dust. Thou puttest downe the mighty from theyr high seate, and exaltest such as are meeke and of a lowly minde.

[Page]Lord I cleaue vnto thee, I trust in thee, I depend onely on thee, beeing poore, thou rich, I weake, thou strong, I blind, thou giuing sight, mine ayde is of thee, my comfort in thee, and all my ioye com­meth from thee; Graunt therefore sweete Lorde, that I thinke not the continuaunce of this my hard estate to be long, or burdensome vnto me, but may willingly accept the same, as most sweete light and wholsome for me, and of a short time, alwaies re­ferring it, to thy good pleasure, whether thou wilt rayse me vppe or keepe me lowe. Thou knowest what is most necessarie and expedient for me: And therefore doo with me what thou wilt, sende mee helpe when thou wilt and as thou wilt. Loe heere I lye at the gate of thy goodnes and mercy, still loo­king for thy stretched out arme, to remooue that, which not of mallice, but of loue, thou hast layde vpon me. Good Lord for thy mercies sake, giue mee not ouer, leaue me not altogether helples, take not thy fauour vtterly from me. But as thou hast father­ly corrected me, so vouchsafe louingly to embrace me againe, sweete God for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase our fayth.

KEEpe me Oh God from the hands of such as goe about [Page] to doo mee hurte and vndeseruedly to take a­way my life, for manye there be, that hate me, se­king my shame, my dis­truction, and ouerthrow, in so much as without thine assistance, thy pro­tection and ayde, I shall not escape theyr hands, I shall not auoyde their ti­rāny but that they wil obteine thier desires, and ac­complish their deuises, to mine vtter vndoing▪ they are good Lord many and more then I can number that seeke to doo me euil yea my neghbours & fa­miliars, & not the leaste of them but is of power and ablenes to destroye me, yea as it were to eate me vp, vnlesse thou take part with me against the furiousnes of mine ene­mies. But Lorde why should I feare? why shold I say in mine heart, they [Page 58] are so many & so migh­tye that I can not resiste them? so furious that I can not escape [...]hem?

So pollitique that I can not preuent them? my trust is in thee, and vnto thee I flye, in all theyr assaultes, who art a Castell and fortresse so strong, that there is none, bee hee neuer so victorious, that can pre­uaile against the leaste that trusteth in thee, and resteth vnder the shad­dow of thy winges, wher­fore Lord for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake re­ceiue me, who come vn­to thee as the strength of my beeing, humbly be­seeching thee to loke vpō my cause, to consider my troubles & to weigh the sorrowes of mine hearte, lift vp thy self against the furiousnes of myne ene­mies, driue backe and con found mine aduersaryes, [Page] uersaries thine own selfe fight thou against them, that fight against mee. Turne theyr deuises and wicked imaginations frō me to their owne hinde­rance, let the weapons, which they lift vp to hurt me withall, pearce them­selues, and the malicious wordes which they vtter to my reproch redownde to their owne shame, let such as seeke to persecute me without a cause, bee discomforted, & dryuen backward, & giue me patience to beare their cruelties cōsidering, that ther was neuer any (no not the most righteous) but were subiect to the euil deuises, slan­derous wordes, & wicked practises of the wicked, whose tongues were full of guile, and the poison of Aspes was vnder theyr lips, who were not ashamed to speake most approbriously of thine owne selfe, sweete Iesus, who wast void of all offence, yet slewe they thee▪ & thine Apostles, I cannot therfore (Oh merciful God) but take these extreame dealinges of mine enemies with the greater patience, with greater humilitie and more heartie thankes, for accepting mee as worthy to bee of the number of such as the [Page 59] wicked doo hate & grudge at.

But most (sweete Lorde) as thou sufferest for a time such ray lynges, backbytinges, menacing words euill opinions, and euill dealinges, to preuaile against me, for the better envring my fraile nature to beare greater burdens. So vouchsafe to preserue me from all such enuious heartes and malicious tongues, and defend me from all blood thirstie men, and from the handes of such as goe about to hurt me. And in steede of them (if it so please thee) vouchsafe to chose out and appoint for me, such as may be fayth­full, godly, vertuous, religious, louing and freendly, that both in the feare of the one, & loue of the other. I may beare my selfe, by thine example and grace, so vpright in al my doings, as mine aduersaries take none aduantage against me, but that seeing the sincerity of my life, and soundnes of my conuersa­tion, mine enemies may be altogether ashamed, so much as to mutter any thing against me, much lesse to deuise any thing to hurt me withall, or to ouer­throwe my goings: and the godly glad and reioyce at my well dooing. Oh Lord strengthen my saith, and arme me with continuall hope in thee, whereby I may be able to withstande all the cruelties of mine aduersaries, in such sort as they may knowe it to be thy selfe, who fightest for me and defendest my cause against their fury. Behold (Oh Lord) my trust is in thee, thy rod comfort me, and thy staffe stay me vp that I fall not into their handes, by trust in mine [Page] strength, which is as a broken Reede in mine own policie or wisdom which is foolishnes before thee▪ or in the helpe or freendship of man, which is vaine & fal­lable. But leade thou me and guide me in all my do­inges, cogitations and words, least I erring from thy commaundements, inclining mine heart, to vane­ties, and vice, mine enemies take iust occasion to say, ah ha, wee sawe it with our eyes, & bring vp an euill report of me, and that vndeseruedly: Oh Lord guide me in all trueth, establish in mine heart, true desire to walke vprightly in all my waies, in hum­blenes of minde, not in pryde, least they say he is so hauty he knoweth not himselfe, preserue me from drunkennes, least they say he is nowe out of the way of discretion, he is beside himselfe, we haue now sitte oportunity to worke our wills on him, and so sette on me to hurte me, vouchsafe also to keepe me from the daungerous desire of fleshly lust, from haū ­ting the places suspected, or poluted with vnclean­nes, least they (taking iuste occasion by my lewde be­hauiour) speake that which indeede may redowne to my shame, and deserued infamy. Finally Oh lord keepe me from all euill, that although, by reason of my corruption, I be naturally inclined to wanton­nes and excesse, thou wilt giue me sobriety, lowlines loue, (euen to mine enemies,) chastity, wisedome, and discreete vnderstanding, bothe of theyr wills, and mine owne weaknes, that through thy grace framing my dooinges according to thine heauenly [Page 60] will in all thinges, leading the whole course of my life in cinserety and godly behauiour, the righteous may be glad and reioyce thereat, magnifying thine holy name, who, so regardest the prosperity of thy seruaunt, that thou sufferest him not, to fall into the handes of such as woulde eate him vp: (And let not the aduersaries of thy trueth (Oh Lord) vniustly re­ioyce ouer me, tauntingly, and contemptuously mocking me. But Lord I am in thine handes, & doo confesse it to be great and good reason, that thou shouldest doo with mee, what best seemeth to thy f [...]erly will, accounting this thy tryall of my pati­ence, to proceede euen of thy meere loue, And ther­fore (if thou wilt that they sette vpon, or followe, to kill me, to persecute me, to laugh and scorne at mee, to frame approbrious speeches, and deuises againste me) vouchsafe to continue my defence, my strong Castell and (as it were) the piller of a clowde stan­ding betweene me and them, as thou stoodest in the wildernes, betweene the Tents of the Egiptians, and the Tentes of the children of Israell, so that the E­giptians, could not preuaile against them.

Lorde (if thou wilt) thou canst turne theyr heartes, thou canst molisye the hardnesse there­of, thou canst turne theyr hatred into looue, and theyr mallice into good will, and giue them in steede of heartes to worke wickednes, mercifull and godly mindes, I refer it to thine heauenly proui­dence, and wholy cōmit my selfe into thine handes, [Page] humbly praying thee for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake, to deale with me and them according to thy mercy, and louing kindnes, & not after our deserts: be thou mercifull vnto me, and euermore mightely defende me, vnto my liues ende, conducting me vp­rightly in all my wayes, for Iesus Christes sake.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase our fayth.

ALmightie God, & most mercifull fa­ther, who guidest and defendest all those that in thy name walke & trauaile in this world, vouchsafe to stretch forth thine hand ouer me, thy poore creature, leade mee and conducte me, in thys my iourney, which vr­gent occasion forceth, & considering (good Lord) that the pathes, (yea eue­rye corner of thys wret­ched vale of miserye) is [Page] replenished with innume rable perrils and dangers both of bodye and soule, whereinto without thine assistaunce, protection & ayde, without the helpe of thy mighty hand, and out stretched arme, wee can not but fall and pe­rish, walking and wan­dring, in the troublesome and daungerous coastes of the earth, where rob­bers, theeues, and euil af­fected persons, in greate number, secretely lurke, violently to take, not onely our proper substaunce and goods, which by the great labour and sweat of our bodyes, we haue gotten, or otherwise by thy prouidence, giuen vs, but out liues, also if we be not preuented, and by thy good and fatherly prouidence defended. Wherefore I humbly beseeche thee. Oh God almighty, if any such lye in wayte in my waye at this time, graunt me foreknowledge thereof, that of thy meere mercy▪ I may happily auoyde theyr pretended euill, either by betaking me another way, or may bee defended vnder the shaddowe of thy winges, and so encounter with them, that by the force of thy right hand, I may ouercome them, bee­ing [Page 62] of mine owne selfe, of no force, neither lyeth it in the strength of our owne handes, to put backe or ouercome such, as in this wicked intent, arise vppe against vs. It is not the sword (good lord I confesse) the speare, nor strength of the Horse, but thine owne power that ouercommeth for vs. Vouchsafe there­fore (Oh Lord) thine holy Angell to goe with me, let him goe before me, to direct me, to saue me pre­uenting me from all daungers, as he did thy seruant Toby, going into a straunge Countrey. Conduct me safely (sweete God) in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ, that my busines may take good successe, and I make a safe and prosperous returne, without hurte either by the merciles and great waters, by wilde Beastes of the fielde, saue me from the stroke of Thunder, from lightning and tempest, preserue and keepe me, as the apple of thine eye, vnder the shad­dow of thy winges, from the wayes of the wicked that accomplishing the end of my iourney, I may effectually finish, and with happy successe ende my busines, and by thine omnipotent conduction, pros­perously returne againe, according to thy wil (sweet God.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

I Thanke thee Oh most louing and most mer­cifull God, that it hath pleased thee to giue mee prosperous and happye returne, from thys my iourney, escaping dyuers and sundrye daungers. which doo abound in all corners of the earth, and hast giuen mee such suc­cesse, in my busines, as (I trust) shalbe for my best, and hast of thy goodnes & meere mercy, brought mee againe vnto myne owne home, and dwel­ling place, to recreate my wearied members.

Also I thank theee (Oh mercifull God) for pro­tecting and sauing mee, thy silly creature, from all [Page 63] pirrills, as from drowning by water, from the stroake of thunder, and blastes of lightning, from the clawes and iawes of wilde beastes of the feelde, and for de­fending me from theeues, robbers, and men of blo­die conditions, which (and sundry other) mishaps, I haue (in thys my iourney) escaped, and where­by I haue bothe seene and hearde of diuers other to haue perished, acknowledging it thine onely goodnes, thine vnspeakable loue, and meere mercy, not able sufficiently to prayse thee for the same, nor to yeelde sufficient thankes for thy fauour therein. To thee (sweete Lord) be all honoure, pray se, dominion and glory, for euer and euermore.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

OH almighty God, maker and creator of all thinges, con­seruer of all that thou [Page] hast made, and protector of all that loue thee, who in the beginning, madest all thinges of nothing which al rest in thine hā ­des, haue their continu­aunce, & beeing, & with­out whose prouidence, they shold cōuert againe to nothing, we yeeld vn­to thee al lawd, praise and glory, & vnto thee ascrib al power maiesty, & do­minion, who rulest all things, workest al things, & disposest all things af­ter thy wil, to thine owne glory, & to our vnspeakable & vndeserued cōfort, who are as Pilgrims and strangers, & without the same thy continuall pro­tection as creatures forsaken, & castawaies, Lorde thine hād guideth al thin­ges, preserueth al thinges & guiueth all thinges for our vse, most disobediēt, & stifnecked childrē who [Page 64] not withstanding thou through thy meere mer­cy & loue vouchsafed, in the beginning to place in the garden of happines where we shold haue cō ­tinued, had not our firste parent, by transgression made forfeiture therof, & so highly displeased thee, that thou (repēting of the makīg of vs) didst drown the whole world, for our sins sake, & yet so tender was thy loue, so soone was thine anger conuer­ted into a desire of our saluation, that thou vouch­safedst to sende into thys world, Iesus Christ, to redeeme vs into thy fauor again, (a surpassing loue where the offended, shold seek attonemēt wyth the offendour) for which thy singuler loue, & mercy in finit, we can not sufficiēly thanke thee, (god of our cōfort) nor thee sweetsaui our Iesus christ, for thine obediēce, for thine vnde­serued [Page] humility, and ar­dent desire of our recon­ciliation, and eternall sal­uation▪ Lorde increase my faith, sende mee thy grace, and endue me with thine holy spirite, that I may hartely render, and continually yeelde; all possible thankes vnto thee, not onely for crea­ting keeping and pre­seruing vs hethervn­to, but also for reach­ing vnto vs thine hande of loue againe, after our so greate and long disobedience) I thanke thee (Oh sauiour Iesus Christe) redeemer and sauiour of our soules, who refusedst not, but most wil­ingly acceptedst (for our sakes) for our redemptiō, from hell and eternall death, beeing then thine ene­mies) the approbrious death of the crosse, among notorious offenders, beeing often spightfully intrea­ted, buffeted, spette at, reuiled, and most iuiuriously handled, not for thine owne (sweete Iesus) but for our offences, for our sinnes (yea) to purchace that by thine obedience, which we lost by willfull rebellion against thyne heauenly fathers precept and will. Oh good Iesu, we thanke thee, that it hath pleased thee, to leaue the sacred mansion of thy Fathers right [Page 65] hand, thy celestiall beeing, and to put on the base at­tyre of a seruaunt, to walke in the troublesome pathes of this miserable world, and yet thinking it no robbery to be equall with God, though leauing his heauenly habitation for a time, (according to his prouidence and heauenly knowledge) to suffer heer in this vale of misery, in this desert of sinne, moste cruell and most shamefull abuses, onely for our sins, which were so odious and vile, in the sight of our good God, that no sacrifice or oblation coulde ap­peaze his wrath, and deserued displeasure▪ towardes vs for the same, but thy death onely, and sacrifice of thy precious and vndefiled body vpon the Aulter of the crosse, who willingly sufferedst the same for our sakes, notwithstanding they were so greeuous, so in tollerable, and odius, that by reason of the extremi­tie and anguish rhereof, thou werte constrained, to sweat water and bloode.

Oh surpassing loue, Oh loue without the which, the hatred of thine omnipotent father, had not been appeazed, nor remooued from vs. Oh loue, without the which we had beene barred of all accesse vnto the seate of mercy and woonted fauour of almightye God, and continued in his heauy displeasure for euer to our vtter distruction, death and damnation. Oh sweete Iesus, Oh healthfull comforter, and giuer of health and restorer of life, howe can wee but prayse thee? how can we but loue thee? howe can wee but magnifie and extoll thine holy name for euer? who [Page] haue receiued at thy mercifull handes so vnspeaka­ble a benefitt, yea and who so tenderly louedst vs, that by thy meanes, (without our deserts) we are re­stored from death to life, frō the deserued displeasure of our creator, to his vnspeakable loue and fauour without which we had perished both body & soule, we haue attonement now with him, that before we had so greatly offended, euen God our maker, with­out whose fauoure wee fall, and without whose helpe wee perishe, and passe to naught.

Oh sweete Iesus thou haste also taken vppon thee, not onely to dye for our redemption, and rise againe for our Iustification, and to place vs in the sweete mansion of thine heauenly knowledge.

But haste also promised, to continue our me­diatour to thine heauenly father for euer, while wee mortall men liue sinners on earth, making continu­all intercession for vs, that he will vouchsafe neuer, to withdrawe his louing countenaunce from vs, his poore creatures, but to be our Castell, staye, and strong refuge vnto the ende. Oh Lord Iesus Christ we giue thee thankes, not onely for that thou haste beene for a time heer present with vs on earth, to manifest thy selfe vnto vs, by the visible showe of thine humanity▪ but in making the cause of thy comming certainly known vnto vs, which was (indeed) in that thou wast verie God) to call vs from blindnes & er­ror (wherein we walked according to the will of sa­thā) to take hold of thy miracles, & wonders, which [Page 66] thou so apparantly diddest worke, to declare and ma­nifest thy selfe, to be our redeemer and aduocate, and to confirme the same in our heartes by faith, as thou diddest in the heartes of thy Disciples, who (not­withstanding there beeing present with thee, conti­nued yet neuerthelesse in darknes and misbeleefe, without the working of thine holy spirite in them, whereby they confessed thee to be very Christe, son of the liuing God, and onely sauiour of the world; Among all which thy great benefits (Oh good Ie­sus,) we yeelde thee all possible thankes, for that it hath pleased thee, to leaue vnto vs after thy depar­ture vnto the right hande of thy father, the Lanterne of light, the Gospell of comfort, the word of trueth, the foode whereon our soules may continually feede at full, without the which wee had beene left vnto our former darknes, walking in error, & in our won­ted ignoraunce. And for that thou knowest vs from the beginning to be carryed into blindnes and error, wrongfully interpreting the parrables, & darke sen­tences of thy gospel, through the same thy loue, hast left vs a continuall cōforter, euen thine holy Ghoste, proceeding frō thy father & thee, who in the likenes of a Doue discended frō heauen vpon thee, showing himselfe vpon the Apostls in fiery tongues; Oh holy ghost our cōforter, we yeeld thee most hūble thanks that through the gift of thy grace we haue our harts prepared our vnderstāding lightned, & mouthes opened, to conceiue rightly thy word, to declare abroad [Page] the wonderfull thinges of thy lawe, and to manifest the secrete misteries of the kingdome of God. Thou [...]rt the true light, and the light of trueth, without the which, it is impossible to please God the father, nor haue accesse to God the Sonne, who, together with thee (Oh holy ghost) are but one God in essēce though three in person.

Make our heartes pure, make vs cleane, sanctifye vs, and seale vs among the number of the electe and chosen, that when wee shall approche vnto the seate of iudgment, we may receiue (through the merittes of Iesus Christ) not onely the stipende of seruants, but the rewarde of obedient children, euen the inhe­ritaunce of the kingdome of heauen. There to rest with thee Oh Father, our maker, with thee (sweete Iesus) our Sauiour▪ and with thee Oh holy ghoste our comforter, and sanctifier, for euer and euer. To whome bee all prayse and eternall glory, world without ende.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase our fayth.

SVVeete Iesus, sonne of the euerliuing and omnipotent GOD, vouchsafe I humblye pray, and beseeche thee euen for thy death sake, to instill into mine hart, the gift of thy grace, whereby approching vn­to the sweete banquet of thine holy body & blood which thou vouchfafest to giue, for the redemp­tion of vs miserable sin­ners, I may by faith, eate and drinke the same, and be made a fitte and faith­full member of thy mi­sticall body, laying aside the darknes of olde A­dam, embracing the light of thine obedience, loue, [Page] and patience, that, that most preacious bodye of thine, bee not giuen not thy blood shed for me in vaine, but may direct the whole course of the resi­due of my life, by thine holy spirite according to thine heauenly wil, in all thinges, that after this life ended, I may appeare be­fore the tribunall seate of his high and heauen­ly maiestie, as a faythfull member of thine, and enioy that heauenly enhea­ritaunce, which thou our head and guide hast pur­chased for all true beleeuers in thee.

Amen▪

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

OH omnipotent & most mercifull fa­ther, I thy silly creature praise thee, not able to yeeld thee thanks sufficiently for thine vn­speakable fauour, and lo­uing kindnes, in feeding mee at this time with the spiritual foode of the bo­dy & blood of thy sonne our sauior Iesus Christe, whom thou vouchsafest to send for our redemptiō into this miserable world and to giue him euen [Page] to the death, in remem­braunce whereof, vntyll his second comming, hee hath willed vs to eate his bodye and to drinke hys blood, to thende by sayth we should be vnited and knitte vnto his body and beeing washed from all our sinnes, to leade a new life, vouchsafe I humbly beseeche thee, for his sake to endue mee with thine holy spirit, wherby heer­after, casting aside the workes of darknes, I may from hencefoorth walke in the light of thy Gospell, in the number of thy chosen, wayting faithfully when he shall come again for our deliueraunce out of thys mortall life. And whilest I liue heere, vouchsafe mee an vnfeyned de­sire to be partaker of that his holy institution, and through thine holy spirite, to leade my life accor­ding vnto thine heauenly will in all thinges, kee­ping my body vndefiled, as a fitt receptacle for so heauenly foode, that my soule may enioy the benefitte of the mistery thereof by saith, according to thine heauenly prouidence, through Iesus Christ our sauiour and redeemer.

Amen.

Oh Lord increase my fayth.

OH Lorde vouch­safe to poure thine holye spirite into our heartes, whereby we may sighe, lament, weepe and euen rent our hearts, at the consideratiō of the wicked and abhominable estate of this world, which is so farr gonne with the [Page] child of selfe loue, that without thine vnspeaka­ble mercy, it is euen at the point to be deliuered into the pitt of eternall perdi­tion, wherefore gyue vs grace (wee humblye be­seech thee) from the high est to the lowest, from the greatest to the leaste, to repent vs of our sinnes and heartily to turne vn­to thee, whose high dis­pleasure wee haue deser­ued, through our mani­folde transgressions whō thou hast (in respecte of our disobedience) pro­nounced rebels, bastards, & children of the bond­womā, & without repentance, barred, frō the inheritance which thy son Ie­sus Christe hath purcha­sed for all true beleeuers; Lord what shall become of vs, we haue so much yeelded our selues to the desire of sin, & walked ac­cording to the cōuersatiō [Page 70] of the olde man which is corruption, so far degene­rating frō thy lawes & diuine institutions fellow­ing so much the wil of sathan the lusts of the flesh & the vile alluringes of the wicked world, that thou hast caste vs off as none of thy children in so much as when wee consi­der, the heauy & intolle­rable burden, which by our vnrighteousnes wee haue deseruedly heaped vpō our selues in loosing the fauour of so louing and bountifull a father, and so sweete a sauior, it driues vs into a greate feare and terrour, procu­ring a great dislike and lo thing of our selues, for the time; but our nature beeing nothing but cor­ruption, falleth into a present forgetfulnes of our ende, and turneth forth­with vnto his vomitt a­gaine. [Page] But most louing God & euerliuing, when the deserued punishments which hangeth ouer our heades, shall light and fall vppon vs for the same, what shall wee doo? It is prepared, and it is com­ming, we can not (by any deserts of ours) but onely by the intercession medi­ation and desertes of Ie­sus Christ (which ney­ther auaileth without our true repentaunce) a­uoyde it.

Mollifie therefore our harde and stony heartes, (Oh Lorde) for the same thy sonne Iesus Christes sake, giue vs lamenting spirites, endue vs with vn­feyned sorrow for our sinnes, and make vs wylling and ready to returne vnto thee; our nature beeing so vile, and our blindnes so great, that we are moste apte, euen with great obedience, care and dilligence, to serue, to please, and to obey, men of Aucthoritye heere, in thys world, (by whose dis [...]auour there can aryse but some smal (or no) hurte or punishment at all; And neuer giue our selues, (or very seldome) to the fulfilling of our duties to thee, by executing those thinges which thou commaundest vs wherby [Page 71] we breake and forfeit that bande, which thy sonne Iesus Christe sealed with his preacious blood, vpon the crosse, therby confirming for euermore a league, and peace betweene thee, and such as forsake sinne, and cleaue vnto righteousnes and trueth. Oh vnhappye creatures that we are, who beeing in the very bo­some of so louing and so mercifull a God, shoulde by yeelding vnto the desires of the fleshe, the vani­ties of the world, and the will of sathan, bee thruste out of thy presence, wherein consisteth all peace, all loue, all hope, quietnes of minde, patience, long suffe­ring, meekenes, and all good whatsoeuer. But wan­dring and going astray, after our owne corrupt de­sires, what remaineth in vs, but strife, hatred, misbe­leefe, dispayre, couetousnes, adultery, witchcraft, contempt of thy Lawes, and all kinde of euill? and rest as accursed. Lord we acknowledge that sinne & iniquity hath gotten the highest roome, it sitteth, and ruleth in all corners of the earth, and righteous dealing, simplicity, and innocency, is condemned of many.

Roote out therefore (good Lorde) roote out of our heartes, all hautines, deceit, wrongfull dealinges, and euill imaginations, and plant in steede thereof, humility, ius [...]ce, and [...]leyned good will, and helpe one towardes another. Let not sathan rule, let not the flesh p [...]ai [...]e against the spirit, let not the world beguile vs, who are our enemies, our mortall ene­mies, most strong, [...]ost weake, in so much as [Page] they are not so ready to encounter with vs, as wee are ready to yeeld, they are most pollitique, we most ignoraunt, forgiue vs Lord, forgiue vs, for thy son Iesus Christes sake, strengthen vs (good Lord) strēg­thē vs with thy grace, we haue erred, we haue doon amisse, we haue followed too much the will of sathā we haue yeelded too much to the motions of the flesh, and too much embraced the pleasures of thys world: whereby we haue lost the most sweete com­fort of thy celestiall promises, who hast sayd, that who so obeyeth thy voyce, in keeping and fulfilling thy Lawes, shall be most blessed, yea in al his wayes, in his going foorth and comming in, and in al thin­ges which he taketh in hand. Oh sweete Lord, howe can we therefore, but lament our estates, how can we but sigh and sorrow, that wee haue made forfeyture, of so many and so sweete blessings, and incurred the penalty of infinite curses of thine, by disobeying thy will, and precepts, which thou mioynedst vs, in all thinges to fulfill and obserue: Vouchsafe (good Lorde) vouchsafe of thy mercye for Iesus Christes sake, to turne away thine heauy displeasure, and pu­nishment which we haue deserued, that they lighte not vpon vs, for our misdeedes: Blot out all our in­iquities, lay not our vnrighteousnes, our vnthākful­nes, and wilfull rebellion against thee, to our charge, for if thou shouldest, (Lord) what should become of vs? what might we looke for [...]as our [...]st rewarde but death and damnation.

[Page 72]Oh Lord we doo confesse, that for so sundry and bountifull beuefits, receiued at thine handes (such is our corruption) that we doo not onely take them without thankes, vse them without feare, but moste foolishly, and wrongfully, attribute the gift thereof, to some creature, and cast the pray se vpon him, or els we receiue them as giuen, by fortune, and take not onely the due honour from thee, but make the creature the Author of that, that commeth onely from thee, the onely creator, and giuer of all thinges Oh most sweete Lord, such is our ignoraunce, such is our blindnes, and such is the error that resteth and remaineth in vs, (from Adam) through our volun­tary blindnes, which (though we imbrace) thou of­ferest light, we refuse the same, we are ignorant thou giuest wisedōe, & we neglect the same, we go astray, thou callest vs, but we refuse to come: Lord wee are like the vntamed Heyser, which resuseth the yoke, wee are like the deafe Adder, which resuseth to heare the voice of the Charmer, charme he neuer so wisly we harden our hearts as the Adamant, we will not receiue thy gentle callinges, thy fatherly admoniti­ons, and louing corrections. Thou commaundest vs to cast away the darknes of ignoraunce, and to put on the light of thy Gospell, but wee stoppe our eares, we refuse to heare, opening our eares to plea­sures, and fyxing our eyes vppon vanitye, er­ring, in the pathes of vngodlines, drinking the pud­delles of iniquity. [Page] and dispising the sweete water of life. Our heartes are alwayes ready to embrace delightes and fanta­sies, vtterly dispising nurture, correction and know­ledge: we remember the time present, the time past, for which we haue to aunswer, & the time to come, in which we must aunswer. (Good Lord) we think not on, we consider not that our time is like the flowre of the fielde, to day fresh and fayre, & to mor­row cut downe, dryed vppe and withered, we con­ceiue not, that we passe as dooth the shaddowe, and vanish as the bubble of water, as the smoake, and waues of the sea.

(Oh Lord) notwithstanding all this, we folishly deferre thamendment of our liues, vpon hope of thy long sufferaunce, and consider not that thy wrathe commeth sodainly, wee consider not the sodaine death of sundry, beeing nowe most lusty, gaye, and strong, and by and by dead, and layde with the sub­staunce of theyr owne flesh, euen the earth, where the wormes possesse that, that they so da [...]ntily fedde with sundry fine delicates, & clothed with nice, mō ­strous and gorgious sutes of apparrell, sumptuous attyre, broidered heire, and setled thēselues in s [...]ately high houses, euen to the skies, theyr soules depar­ting with the glutton, where is not water to coole the heate of thy displeasure against them. Oh Lord, thou laughest at our vanitie; yet most sorrye to see vs so ledde by the direction and hand leading of sa­than, whose desire is to deuoure (if he could) euen [Page 73] thy chosen ones. Thou wouldest not that we should perish, thou desirest rather that we should conuert & liue, thou reioysest not at the death of a sinner, but there is great ioy in heauen of his repētance, where vnto though louingly thou cal vs, we goe still in our wickednes. Thou gyuest vs knowledge of thy will by preaching, and thine omnipotencie thou manife­stest by thy creatures, bothe in the firmament aboue and in the earth and Sea belowe. But we vnderstand it not, we beare it not away, we consider it not. The good which we should doo, we doo not, but the euil which we should not, that we greedelie followe, not­withstanding all which our corruption, our disobe­dience, and wilfull wickednes, thou (of thy mercy a­boundaunt) so intirely louest vs, that thou gauest thine onely begotten sonne, to suffer the most shame full death of the crosse, for vs, and hast sette him as equall with thy selfe, euen at thine owne right hand, to the ende he might make continuall intercession for vs, vnto thee, and that through him we might haue attonement with thee, and accesse vnto thee for euer. VVretched sinners that we are, if we by our wickednes, rebellion, and loosenes of life, loose so great a benefit, which he so deerely purchased for vs, euen thy woonted mercy and louing fauour, and make of none effect his dying for vs, what re­maineth for vs, but the most fearefull sentence of iudgement, in the day when all secretes shall be ope­ned, and euery man receiue according to his deserts? [Page] to whom thou wilt say: Goe yee cursed into the flames of eternall fire, prepared for the deuill and his Angels, which neuer shall be quenched▪ where shall be continu­all weeping, wayling, anguish, and gnashing of teeth. when we shalbe, neither our selues able to pleade to the contrary, nor haue any aduocate to gaine saye thee in thy iustice. Then shall we be sory, then shall we lament (but too late) Then shall wee heare the most comfortable entertainment of the godly, whē thou shalt say: Come yee blessed, possesse yee the king­dome prepared for you frō the beginning, where shalbe nothing but ioy, without ceasing, continual gladnes comfort, and vnspeakable consolations, euen for such as clothed thee, fedde thee, lodged thee and vi­sited thee, beeing in prison. Them shalt thou em­brace, them shalt thou meete in the clowdes, with most sweete wordes of comfort, but such as haue seene thee (euen the poore and little ones) to bee sicke and comfortles, and haue denyed them helpe, releefe and ayde, or hungrye, and haue with-helde foode, Thirstye, and haue not giuen drinke, naked and haue not clothed them. Such (sweete Lorde) shall suffer hunger, colde, nakednes, and thirst, with vnspeakable greefe of conscience, which shall neuer haue ende. Oh that it woulde please thee therefore (Oh mercifull God) of thy greate goodnes, fauour and louing kindnes, to consider of these latter dayes, and perrilous times, wherein we liue, wherein eni­quitie hath gotten the vpper hand, charity waxing [Page 74] cold, and loue banisht from amongst brethren, and thy selfe (sweete Lorde) euen thy poore and little ones, the Orphanes and Widowes, not onely, not releeued, not comforted, not defended, but troden vnder feete, neglected, and forgotten, euen of such as haue aboundaunce.

Vouchsafe, vouchsafe good Lorde, (according to thy promise) to shorten these dayes, least also thine elect, be seduced, with vanitie, and forsake thee theyr onely comfort. It is come to passe which thou hast sayde. That as towardes the Summer, trees and plantes of the earth doo budde, so before thy com­ming (to make vs so much the more prepared) thou hast promised to sende vs foreknowledge, by sun­dry signes and tokens, bothe in the earth belowe, which (hath by thy passing (as it were) by vs) qua­ked already at thy presence, as also by the Sunne and moone, & other thy creatures, apparantly showing thy rodde of vengeaunce, to be ouer our heades, ready to strike. Oh Lorde wee cannot but looke for vtter distruction, according to the weight and aboundance of our sins, and iniquities, vnles it may please thee to show thy mercy for Iesus sake in cōuerting vs▪ we haue sinned, we haue gonne astray, we haue wrought wickednes, in yeelding to the will of the flesh, but most sweete Lorde, let thy light so shine into our hearts, that we may now beginne, to seeke onely thy kingdome, & leaue the darknes of sinne growe to all goodnes, and be mortefied as touching [Page] the olde man, which is corruption, dye to the world And remooue sathan, that with godly desires we may attayne vnto the perfecte feeling of thy grace, that hauing obteined the pure vnderstanding of thy word, we may guide our liues by the rule therof, that after the finishing of this our pilgrimage, we may thorow the merites of thy sonne Iesus Christ) enter into thy kingdome of eternall glory, there for euer and euer to raigne, enioying the sight of thee, and to thy name, with the rest of thy saintss, sing laude and prayse eternally.

Oh Lord increase our fayth, and giue vs grace vnfeynedly to repent vs of our sinnes.

Amen.