THE MONVMENT OF MATRONES: conteining seuen seuerall Lamps of Virginitie, or distinct treatises; whereof the first fiue concerne praier and meditation: the other two last, precepts and examples, as the woorthie works partlie of men, partlie of women; compiled for the necessarie vse of both sexes out of the sacred Scriptures, and other approoued authors, by THOMAS BENTLEY of Graies Jnne Student.
‘Luke. 12, 35. Let your loines be girt about, and your lampes burne cleerelie.’‘2. Tim. 2, 19. Let euerie one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie.’Printed by H. Denham.
A praier vpon the posie prefixed.
ALmightie God and most mercifull Father, who in mercie hast ordeined these lamps for thy chosen virgins, and commanded that with our loines girt about, and our lamps burning bright, we should take heed and be readie to execute the charge, which is committed vnto vs, and watch full warilie and continuallie in our seuerall callings by feruent and instant praier for the comming of thy sonne our spirituall Spouse, souereigne Lord, and sweet Sauiour IESVS: giuing vs in the meane season diuerse gifts and talents to occupie and imploie till he come; and setting dailie before our eies the iust iudgement, that he shall execute and giue in that dreadfull daie of his sudden comming, both vpon the quicke and dead; doo thou vouchsafe euen thine owne selfe (we praie thee) to gird and compasse our Ioines about, that no iniquitie haue power ouer vs, nor we decline or bow to anie sinne. Oh suffer vs not to take that contentation or vaine delight and pleasure of anie thing in this wretched world, that may lull or bring vs fast asleepe in the cursed cradle of senselesse securitie: nor with the foolish virgins to neglect the houre and daie of our last visitation, or to forget to wait and attend for thine appearing in the clouds. But so direct vs (we beseech thee) in this short race of our perilous pilgrimage by thy holie spirit our heauenlie loadesman, that in the lawfull vse of thy good gifts whatsoeuer bestowed vpon vs, our cheefest care may alwaies be to depart from all iniquitie, and how with them wee may liue soberlie to our selues, holilie to thee, and vprightlie to the world, and thereby gaine much profit and fruit to the better increase of thy kingdome.
Moreouer, make thou our lampes to burne cleere and bright in the sight of men and Angels; and keepe thou them light and euer burning: that our loue towards thee wax neuer key cold, nor our charitie towards our neighbour be quite extinguished, nor yet our faith, deuotion, zeale, and gifts of the spirit be vtterlie quenched in vs. But being euermore both within and without kindled, inlightened, and inflamed by thee, which art a consuming fire, and a purifieng flame of vnspeakable feruent heate: let all our thoughts, words, and works be alwaies directed to doo thy holie will and righteous iudgements, that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may euer glorifie thy holie and reuerent name.
Finallie, make vs verie carefullie to keepe this castle of our soules and temple of the holie Ghost (our bodies I meane) pure, holie, and vndefiled: and to watch continuallie in all maner of well dooing vnto the end: that when thy Sonne our heauenlie bridegroome shall come to iudge the world, to condemne the wicked, to reiect the reprobate, to cast awaie the vnprofitable, and to shut the gates of heauen against all vnbeleeuers and retchlesse virgins; he finding vs heedfull, watchfull, praieng, well occupied and readie, as those that haue beene verie well content with our estates here for the time, and hauing our lamps filled brim full of the oile of his righteousnesse, grace, mercie, and merits, may (thereby onelie) escape the heauie iudgement and direfull doome of the dreadfull daie: and not perish in that common destruction and generall desolation of the wicked worldlings, and vnprofitable seruants; but be receiued to himselfe as those that are made woorthie onelie by him, ioifullie to enter with him and all the elect and chosen wise virgins, into the celestiall wedding chamber of thine eternall kingdome: there and then to possesse that mansion place, which before all worlds thou hast prepared for thy chosen, and to receiue (of his gift) that which here now with deepe sighes and groanes we greatlie long for: that is, euen the saluation of our soules, and the coronation of thy gifts in vs: that both with thee (ô Father) and with him thy Sonne, in the vnitie of the holie Ghost, we may liue and reigne in the full perfection, holinesse and puritie of his euerlasting virginitie, to blesse, praise, and glorifie thee, ô glorious and blessed Trinitie, with all virgins, angels, and creatures, by all ages, throughout all eternitie,
Amen: Amen, Amen.
To the most vertuous Ladie and Christian Princesse, Queene ELIZABETH, grace and peace from God the Father through Christ Iesus our Sauiour.
THE King of eternall glorie, who hath thus loued England in setting your Highnesse on the throne of his maiestie to execute iustice and iudgement, to instruct his people in Iacob, and to feed his inheritance in Israel, be blessed and magnified therefore for euer and euer, Amen.
This long and blessed peace wherin we your loiall subiects doo presentlie liue (most noble QVEENE) euerie man sitting vnder his vine and fig-tree throughout all your dominions, dooth giue iust occasion to the godlie to bee no lesse thankfull to God, and to your Maiestie, than free harted and studious to benefit his church and their countrie, by offering in the temple, some gold, some siluer, some one thing, some another, according to the measure of those graces, which God the giuer of all good things hath bestowed vpon them, or by his spirit hath incouraged & made them willing to further the worke of the Lord. Which mooued me also among the rest (although of all other the meanest, & in euerie respect the vnwoorthiest) to offer some thing, wherin I might bring profit to that mysticall bodie, wherof I trust I am a member. And persuading my selfe, I could not better employ my labour to the good of the church, nor present your Highnesse the mightie defender thereof, with anie thing of greater price and estimation in this world, than (after a sort) with that wherewith God the King of kings acknowledgeth himselfe to be so highlie pleased and glorified both of Prince and people (praise and inuocation I meane) whereby in this life we obteine at his hand all things needfull for our bodies, and in the life to come euerlasting ioie, rest, and comfort both of bodie and soule: I haue vndertaken in the name and feare of God, loue of his church, obedience of your Maiestie, and hartie [Page] good will of my countrie, out of the admirable monuments of your owne Honourable works, and some other noble Queenes, famous Ladies, and vertuous Gentlewomen of our time, and former ages, to addresse and make readie these seuen Lamps of your perpetuall virginitie, to remaine vnto women as one entire and goodlie monument of praier, precepts, and examples meet for meditation, instruction, and imitation to all posteritie. And now in most dutifull maner commending and appropriating so diuine exercises of the church, vnto your Maiestie the most naturall mother and noble nursse thereof; the cause of a virgine to a Virgine, the works of Queenes to a Queene; your owne praiers to your selfe (to whom indeed the particular interest and due praise and honour thereof iustlie belongeth) I here prostrate on my knees, in most humble maner meekelie beseech your excellent Maiestie, gratiouslie of your woonted clemencie, to pardon and forgiue this my too rash and bold enterprise; attempted both with bashfulnesse, feare, and trembling: and fauourablie (as in like cases you are accustomed) to accept these your liege subiect his great labors and painfull trauels in good part, which he (not to instruct your Highnesse (of whose notable learning I am not able to speake) but onelie for a monument of the hartie loue he beareth both to the church his deere mother, and to your Maiestie his dread Souereigne) hath in a godlie zeale and conscience, bestowed to the good and profit of his countrie. That (by your Graces good liking and princelie approbation) they may be both patronized against the wicked, and practised of the godlie. And so manie (by that means) with due reuerence and great honour to so honourable works, may receiue these lamps as from your bountifull hand to inlighten them by your good industrie in all vertue: and to prepare them by your holie example, like wise virgins to perseuerance in all good works of the spirit. And that therein manie may often looke and labour mightilie for your Highnesse as they are bound, in feruent praier; and manie mo thanks, I saie, be giuen of manie faithfull harts on your Maiesties behalfe for the benefit of such and so manie needfull and readie helps, ministred and afoorded by your painfull hand and princelie affabilitie to your euerlasting comfort and renowme, the praise of God, and glorie of his deerest sonne Iesus Christ your sweet spouse. Whom now for a conclusion as I began, I most entirelie beseech, that as of his owne good will he first loued his church my deere mother, and gaue himselfe freelie for hir to sanctifie and clense hir in the most holie fountaine of water, through the word to make hir vnto himselfe a beautifull virgine, and glorious spouse without spot or wrinkle, that she should be holie, pure, perfect, and without blame before him: so he will vouchsafe in like mercie, still both to cherish, defend, and maintaine the same in his continuall grace, religion, and holinesse, that she may yet bring foorth more fruit in hir age, and members, to his glorie: and also as your spirituall spouse to set your Maiestie (a most woorthie and mightie gouernor of the same) euer as a seale vpon his hart, to tie you fast as a signet or bracelet vpon his arme, to beare you still in his owne bosome, to set his eie ouer you continuallie for your health, wealth, and prosperitie, to bend his desires alwaies towards you, to doo you good; that so your Highnesse may be kept in his continuall grace, peace, and fauour long to reigne ouer vs: and also defended and preserued euermore from all bodilie and ghostlie perils and enimies, to your euerlasting comfort, and the reioice of all christian harts. Finallie, the Lord blesse your Maiestie euen out of Sion with all his heauenlie gifts and spirituall graces, that hauing the principall & heroicall spirit of your holie father [Page] good king Dauid, doubled (yea trebled) in your noble and princelie hart, you may as in numbers of yeeres beyond manie ages, so in singular pietie and godlines far surmount & excell your most noble progenitors: that the remembrance of you our good Iosias, may to all posterities be like the composition of the most pretious perfume of the Apothecarie, and as sweet as honie in all mouthes, and as harmonicall musicke at a banket of wine; that in you our zealous Hezechias, I saie, we may still remaine in happie peace, and haue an hiding place from the wind, and a refuge from storms and tempests, and riuers of waters to quench our thirst, and temperate shadowes to shrowd vs from parching heate in a drie land: so shall the harts of manie thousand virgins in England and else-where, be ioifull and thankfull to God and your Maiestie; so shall the daughters of Ierusalem sing ioifullie the sweet songs of Sion in their owne land, with great triumph to their celestial King, reigning on high ouer all; yea so shal all your faithfull and louing subiects, I saie, in all humble obedience and dutifull seruice both towards God, your Maiestie, and their countrie, resound by all possible meanes to all posterities your most excellent and woorthie praises, vntill the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ: to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost be all empire, honor, dominion and praise, now and for euer,
Amen.
Lampas Virginitatis.
To the Christian Reader, grace and truth in Christ.
HAuing my selfe taken no small comfort (good Christian Reader) by the reading and pervsing of diuers verie godlie, learned, and duiine treatises, of meditations and praier, made by sundrie right famous Queenes, noble Ladies, vertuous Virgins, and godlie Gentlewomen of al ages (who to shew themselues woorthie paternes of all pietie, godlinesse, and religion to their sex, and for the common benefit of their countrie, haue not ceased, and that with all carefull industrie and earnest indeuour, most painfullie and diligentlie in great feruencie of the spirit, and zeale of the truth, euen from their tender & maidenlie yeeres, to spend their time, their wits, their substance, and also their bodies, in the studies of noble and approoued sciences, and in compiling and translating of sundrie most christian and godlie bookes: a tast whereof you haue here in the second Lampe) as namelie among the rest, the godlie and learned treatise called The lamentation of a sinner, written long since by the vertuous Ladie Queene Katherin, which for the excellencie thereof was first published in print by Sir William Cicill, now the right Honourable Lord Treasurer of England, as by his verie godlie, learned, and eloquent Epistle therevnto prefixed, and here also in this edition now inserted, to Gods glorie, and his high commendation doth and may appeere: but especiallie and aboue all, the most diuine, learned, and godlie treatise intituled The Queenes meditation, written first in French by the vertuous Ladie Margaret Queene of Nauar, and after verie exactlie and faithfullie translated by our mostgratious souereigne, and learned Ladie Queene ELIZABETH, who among manie Queens, virgins, and women, through the feare of the Lord hath doone verie vertuouslie, and gotten thereby great renowme. And therevpon considering with my selfe what great profit, and singular pleasure might thereby come also to other of like mind to my selfe, if the same their excellent and rare works (dispersed into seuerall pamphlets, and in part some thing obscured and worne cleane out of print, and so out of practise) were by some painefull hand collected togither, and reuiued, or brought againe to their former good and godlie vse in the church: mee thought I could not better spend my time, nor emploie my talent, either for the renowme of such heroicall authors and woorthie women, or for the vniuersall commoditie of all good christians: than in, and by some apt treatise or collection, to reduce these their manifold works into one entire volume, and by that meanes, for to register their so rare and excellent monuments, of good record, as perfect presidents of true pietie and godlinesse in woman kind to all posteritie. Wherevpon, God working in me both the will and consent, I vndertooke the same in his feare: which when after a sort I had doone, and perceiued that there wanted per manie things to make the same an absolute and perfect booke for the simpler sort of women, according to my mind: to satisfie my selfe further in this my purposed collection, I fell to the pervsing of the holie Bible, and manie other good bookes as well of praier, as of other diuine matter, such as from time to tune haue beene penned by diuers godlie learned men: out of the which (that I might now particularlie applie that vnto them, women I meane, which generalise hereto fore was written of them, or by some other, for them, as also to the inter & that all godlie and deuout women readers might haue in some measure, wherewith to exercise their faith; to stir vp their deuotion, and to satisfie their godlie desires: and also verie readilie find without tediousnesse, or distraction of the mind vertuouslie inclined, whatsheuer [Page] they would either by praier aske, by meditation ponder, by precepts learne, or by examples imitate, or auoid to their comfort & edification) I indeuoured for their sakes, by all possible diligence, to cull and bring out of the rich store and treasurie of the approoued works of manie learned men, things both old and new concerning the same, both for priuate and publike vse, adding therevnto such plentie of heauenlie and spirituall helpes, both for profit and pleasure, as the diuersities of so diuine matter, and varietie of so honourable inuentions would affoord. Besides, to auoid confusion and disorder (a thing verie preiudiciall to so holie an exercise) I haue carefullie digested the same into such a plaine, easie, familiar, and certeine method, order, and direction, both for matter and maner, as I could possiblie deuise. or was requisite for such a worke, to make it profitable to the simple and vnlearned reader. Lastlie, bicause the diuersitie of matter forced a distinction of the treatises, I fitly, as I could, haue diuided and contriued the whole booke into seuen seuerall parts or Lampes: all which for diuers good and approoued considerations I terme or intitle by this generall name, THE MONVMENT OF MATRONES. And now make bold, yet vnder the deliberate view, and carefull correction of manie vevie graue, wise, learned, and godlie Diuines, therevnto appointed by authoritie: as also with the approbation and allowance of the right reuerend father in God my Lord the bishop of London, to publish the same abroad in print, as a booke, in the iudgement of them that are learned, not vnprofitable to the church: but verie necessarie, and in some respect, more proper and peculiar for the priuate vse of women, than hertofore hath beene set out by anie. Which I haue doone not for that there lacked praier bookes sufficient for women to read, but onelie to increase the plentie of heauenlie comforts, wherewith this our church and realme of England (thanks be to God) floweth: as also to make this treatise heretofore (in part) priuate to my selfe, and a few of my freends, now publike and common also to you good christian readers. For behold (I protest) I haue not laboured for my selfe, but for you, and all them that seeke knowledge, feare God, be deuout, and would (not by fits and starts, as those that can find scarse anie leisure to attend vpon the Lord and his seruice as they ought: but) daie and night continuallie and incessantlie, either silentlie in hart with Hanna, or openlie in mouth with Marie, as they are bound, spend their whole life, and make it their whole worke to praie, meditate, and read Gods word with other such good bookes, or at the least to allow to themselues some little portion or part of the daie and night, to prostrate themselues apart from all companie in praier and meditation before the Lord of heauen and earth their creator, redeemer, and sauiour, and that in all christian perfection, and humble obedience to his word and commandements. So haue you good reader, by the goodnesse of God, who worketh all our works for vs, here now at the length in this Monument or collection conteined (if you list so for distinction or names sake to call or intitle them) not onelie a burning Lampe for virgins, but also a christall Mirrour for Matrones: as also a delectable Diall for to direct you to true deuotion, with a perfect President or register of holie praier for all women generally to haue recourse vnto, as to their homelie or domestical librarie.
First, a Lampe, readie replenished and prepared of the wise virgins, with that fragrant oile, pretious perfume, and odoriferous incense of holie inuocation, pure praier, diuine sacrifice, and heauenlie worship, wherewith God is so highlie pleased and whereby at his holie hand the virgine or single woman, through the intercession of Christ, obteineth the gift of puritie, modestie, shamefastnesse, and chastitie: the deflowred woman findeth grace to repent, and to be restored to fauour both with God and men: the naturall or stepdaughter to reuerence and obeie hir parents in all childlike duties: the wooed woman not to be by anie meanes cosined or abused in marriage: the yoong married wife to consecrate hir selfe to liue holilie in that honourable estate: the elder married woman, to liue louinglie, faithfullie, and quietlie with hir husband: the woman with child, to escape the pit of so great perils, and to be thankfull for hir mightie deliuerance after childbirth: the midwife, and women assistants, dutifullie and diligentlie to aid, comfort, and cherish the trauelling woman: the mother carefullie to bring vp hir children: the daughter naturallie to cherish and obeie hir mother: the mother in lawe, to liue charitablie and louinglie with the daughter in lawe: againe, the daughter in lawe to be haue hir selfe christianlie and curteouslie to the mother in [Page] lawe: the dame or mistresse, to intreate hir handmaids well: the handmaids to shew all dutifull and faithfull seruice to their mistresse: the widowe, to comfort hir selfe in all sorrowes: the old woman to number hir daies, that she may applie hir hart vnto wisedome: both yoong and old, one and other to consider their creation, condition, vocation, and saluation, the better to liue to learne, to learne to liue, and to liue to die. To conclude, a Lampe (I saie) for all estates and degrees of women generallie, to carrie euer in their hands and hart by the burning light and flaming fire of the reading whereof, their faith, knowledge, zeale, deuotion, perseuerance in praier, almes deeds, fasting, with the loue of God and their brethren, the desire of vertue, and all maner of godlinesse shall be thoroughlie kindled and increased in them, so oft as they war cold, heauie, drowsie, slouthfull, dull, negligent, and remisse, by too much bodilie ease, worldlie prosperitie, vaine pleasures, pomps, and delights of this wretched life: and they at all times made readie, like wise and prudent virgins, to meet the bridegroome whensoeuer he commeth, to be receiued of him, and to enter with him ioifullie into the celestiall wedding chamber of his eternall happinesse, there to glorifie and praise him for euer and euer.
Secondlie, a Mirrour for all sorts of wicked women, as in a cleere glasse with Athalia, Iezabell, Herodias, and such like, perfectlie to see their shamelesse pride, crueltie, idolatrie, and contempt of religion, with Putiphers wife, to behold their incontinencie and infidelitie towards their husbands: with Appam their shamelesse impudencie: with Cozbi, their manifest whoordomè and adulterie: with the witch of Fndor, their abhominable sorceries: with Queene Dasthy their disobeence to their souereigne: with Bethshemah and Iudith their rebellious stubbornesse to their louing parents in lawe: with Hagar their contempt of their mistresse: with Miviant their murmuring against their onelie brother: with Heua their subtiltie and couetousnes to beguile their husbands: with Zipporah, Michol, Iobs wife, old Anna, Tobit, &c. their vnsemelie vpbraidings and bitter taunting, or chiding of their godlie husbands, &c. least that for their great impietie and vngodlinesse with Queene Maacha, they be deposed from their seate of maiestie: or with Baara, and Q. Dasthy, they be diuorced from their husbands: or with Athalia, they be slaine without the temple: or with Cozbi, be thrust through with a sword, or with Iezabel, in all their brauerie they be throwne headlong downe into the street out of their owne windowe, and be eaten and deuoured of dogs, and so want the honour of christian buriall: or with Saphyra be striken with sudden death at the Apostles feete: or with the Leuites wife be shamefullie abused to death, and after chopt in peeces: or with Samsons wife be burnt to ashes in the house where they dwell: to conclude, least with the whoore of Babel they be cast quicke into the bottomlesse pit of perdition: or with the flue foolish virgins they be shut cleane out of heauen, and go aliue downe into hell, there to be damned for euer, if in time they call not for grace to beware and repent them of their former wickednesse. Againe, a Mirrour contrariwise for all godlie and vertuous women plainlie to behold the faith, religion, modestie, sobrietie, sinceritie of life and conuersation of Sara, Ruth, Q. Candaces, Bernice, Susanna, Elizabeth, the blessed virgine Marie, &c. The holinesse, deuotion, feare of God, iustice, vprightnesse, &c. of Hanna, Q. Hester, &c. The rare wisedome, excellent knowledge, great learning, politike gouernement, courage, magnanimitie, with the memorable vertues of Deborah, Abigael, Bethsheba, Huldah, Iacl, the woman of Tekoah, Philips foure daughters, the Ladie commended by saint Iohn, &c. The famous cities, and statelie territories and towers built by Sherah that noble Gentlewoman to hir perpetuall renowme. The bountifull hospitalitie, great liberalitie, and often almes deeds of the Shunamitesse that vertuous Gentlewoman, of Dorcas, Lydia, Ioanna, Iudith, &c. The constant and faithfull loue towards their husbands, of Sara, Michol, Susanna, &c. The motherlie and carefull affection towards their children, of Sara, Hannah, Bethsheba, the blessed virgine Marie, the widowe of Sarepta, Samsons mother, &c. The dutifull obedience towards their parents, of Q. Hester, Iepthas daughter, Orpha, Ruth, Sara, &c. The good intreatie and christian behauiour towards their handmaids of Sara, Lea, Iudith, &c. The fidelitie and obedient seruice towards their mistresse, of Hagar, Abia, Rhode, &c. The great kindnesse and curtesie towards their freends, kindred, and aliance of Bethsheba, Elizabeth, Q. Hester, Iehosheba, Rizpah, &c. The womanlie pitie & tender harted compassion [Page] and affection toward the distressed and persecuted members of Christ, of Puah, Shiphrah, Rachel, Pharaos daughter, Rizpah, O Hester, Iehosheba, Pilaces wife, Marie Magdalen, Martha, &c. The sore labour and paines taking to get their owne liuing, of Anna Tobit, Lydia, Naomy, Ruth, Dorcas, &c. Finallie the admirable humilitie, and inuincible patience and constancie in all aduersities and persecution euen to the death and martyrdome, of Iepthas daughter, Susanna, the mother of the seuen brethren, and women of the Machabites, and manie other: that looking in this glasse of the holie liues of their foremothers, they may christianlie conforme and adorne themselues after their good examples, and become for their rare vertues verie beautifull spouses in the fight of their spirituall bridegroome Iesus Christ: to whom, as the kings daughters, they may appeere all glorious within, and of whom with the lambes wife they may be marked in the forehead with the testimonie of his name Iesus, to the end that being clothed with the sunne of righteousnesse, and crowned with the twelue stars of God and his word, and treading the moone of this worldlie affections vnder their feet, they may euermore be deliuered by him their valiant Michael, and his angels from the power of the red dragon, which so greedilie gapeth to deuoure them: and possesse their soules in patience, in the restfull place of the presence of God, long since prepared for the elect where they shall be nourished and preserued for time & times, and together with all holie virgins, matrones, martyrs, and elect people of God, ioifullie triumph and be glad for the gift of their euerlasting happinesse.
Thirdlie, a Diall of deuotion to direct you by the glorious globe and shine of the bright sunne of righteousnesse, which inlighteneth all things in the world, verie readilie and plainlie at all feasts and seasons of the yeere, and at all houres and times of the daie and night continuallie vnto the holie mount of heauenlie contemplation and to the christian meditation and consideration of euerlasting felicitie in celestiall things, the better to contemne and forget all terrene, base, vile, momentanie, and earthlie vanities.
Fourthlie and lastlie, a domesticall librarie plentifullie stored and replenished both of the best approoued presidents of christian praiers and diuine meditations, made from time to time by manie right godlie authors, men and women of all ages: and also of the chosen sentences or perfect precepts of holie scripture concerning the christian duties of all degrees and estates of women in their seuerall callings, together with the pleasant histories and memorable acts, liues, and death of all maner of women good and bad, by name or without name, mentioned in the old and new testaments of the bible, where among, for the better vnderstanding of the text, I haue inserted some notes out of the Geneua bible with some difference by parenthesis, verie necessarie for the simple reader. All which treatises, though not so portable, yet so delectable, profitable, and readie prepared to lie in your secret chamber or oratorie to vse: howsoeuer intituled or called, God grant they may as diligentlie be read and fruitfullie practised of you, good readers, as they and euerie of them (I am sure) were painfullie compiled and faithfullie purposed of the authors. And for these, and all other such good helpes and furtherances to faith, deuotion, and godlinesse, God make both you and me alwaie thankfull vnto his maiestie, who by all meanes, at all times, and through all ages, most gratiouslie vseth both the ministerie of men and angels, to doo vs good continuallie, that through our vnthankfulnesse and wilfull contempt of his good gifts and graces dailie offered by so manie high, learned, and painfull hands, we may not loose the same and the profit thereof, by loathing that, which we ought most to loue and imbrace, but rather in good time by our grateful acceptation and approbation of that which deserues good liking, gaine to ourselues comfort and consolation, and encourage others (which as yet of anie singular affection for their priuate vse conceale or deteine the woorks of anie godlie authors men or women) to take good opportunitie by this occasion offered euen for the common benefit of Christs congregation, to publish the same abroad, for the perfection of this good worke, to the glorie of God, and the authors euerlasting praise and commendation both with God and men: that full deseruedlie it may be said of them, as most woorthilie it is of these my right christian and heroicall authors.
[Page] Thus being awaked vp last of all as one that gathereth after them in the vintage, I haue laboured as you see (good reader) like a poore gleaner or grape gatherer with restlesse Ruth to go after the maidens in the haruest, and to gleane and gather for my mother Naomi certeine handfuls of corne, after the reapers and painfull labourers among the sheaues, let fall of deuotion in the fruitfull feelds of charitable Boaz: and haue assailed, as you well perceiue, to replenish my wine presse with the grapes of the Lords plentifull vintage, and to fill my lampes brimfull with the oile of Gods good blessing and rich store, left behind by the wise virgins in the holie vessels of his increase. Here therefore if I might be so bold without offense, as in the name of the foresaid blessed Boaz, I would gladlie exhort and persuade Ruth, and in hir all other godlie women of the simple sort, to followe this his good counsell (who saith: Heare me, my daughter, and go to none other feeld to gather, neither depart from hence to gleane, but abide here by my maidens, let thine eies be on the feeld that they doo reape in, and go thou after the maidens: and when thou art athirst go also to the vessels, and drinke of that which the seruants and handmaids haue drawne, and when thou art hungrie, come hither and eate of the bread, and dip thy morsell in the vineger, and sit by the reapers, and thou shalt be satisfied to the full.) So now least you should gather by anie method, order, diuision, title, direction, or application, that you shall find in this booke, or anie part therof, that I go about nicelie, curiouslie, or strictlie to inioine you to obserue hours, daies, feasts, times, or seasons, or to bind you vnlawfullie to an impossibilitie, as of necessitie to vse all or euerie of these praiers and meditations, in place, maner, and forme as they are set downe (although it is to be wished that for the most part they might, if it were possible, or the necessities of this turbulent life would permit) that you should not mistake me, I saie, and iudge that my purpose is in anie respect to hinder common praier, or interrupt the ministration of the word and sacraments in the church, where & at what time I knowe we ought all to glorifie God together with one hart, spirit, and mouth, and to be no otherwise occupied, either in reading or in praieng, than the publike minister is, vnlesse we would be deemed meere superstitious, and vnder the pretense of seuerall deuotion to commit manifest vngodlinesse: I thinke it verie necessarie for me to let you vnderstand (gentle reader) that my meaning herby was and is, simplie first to plaie the part of a faithfull collector, by following my copies trulie, and placing their works and praiers together as I found them referred by the authors for priuate or publike vse: secondlie, for order and memorie sake, after the good example of the learned fathers of our time, to intitle, reduce, and applie those other godlie meditations and praiers, which for the matter I found woorthie the more often vse in the church, or elsewhere, vnto some more speciall place, apt time, and peculiar purpose, than heretofore (to my knowledge) by anie others haue beene intituled, referred, or applied. But thirdlie and principallie by the meanes of some plaine forme and easie method of praier and meditation, to prepare for the vnlearned at all times, and in all places such and so manie sorts, as to auoid ignorance and tediousnesse might conuenientlie serue to further their godlie desires, to the glorie of God, the confusion of sathan, and their owne eternall comfort in Christ Iesus: referring them notwithstanding, which you shall find proper for the church to be vsed there onelie at conuenient times by the ordinances of the church lawfullie permitted: the rest which are more priuate to be vsed elsewhere at your discretions, when and so often as opportunitie shall serue, and Gods spirit by his heauenlie motion giue you anie occasion. For as I would not haue you thinke hereby, that I my selfe doo in all respects obserue this order here prescribed (although I assure you I striue to doo it either within booke or without: and repent from the bottome of my hart the often omission of it in times past) so I wish you good readers, which christianlie haue consecrated and vowed to giue your selues to this holie exercise (as the Lord, I saie, in mercie shall giue you grace, leisure, time, and occasion, and not suffer you to be tired with anie worldlie necessitie) in the name and feare of God, to obserue this or that order, method, forme, or direction, which he in his word dooth allow of, or you knowe best will keepe you in the continuall faith, feare, and fauour of God.
For trust me, if you will but a little together with me call these ten memorable things to your christian remembrance in this so holie an exercise. First, the 1 commandements of almightie God himselfe, whom in consideration of our owne [Page] great miserie and necessitie, and common lacke of the christian congregation, hath willed vs to call vpon him, saieng: Praie alwaies with all maner of praiers and supplications in the spirit, and watch therevnto with all perseuerance. Secondlie, his most sweet and 2 comfortable promises made gratiouslie both to heare and grant our godlie and lawfull requests, saieng: Aske, and ye shall haue; seeke, and ye shall find; knocke, and it shall be opened vnto you: for euerie one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord, and departeth from iniquitie, shall be saued, &c. Thirdlie, our great and manifold sinnes, whereof we are guiltie, which will not suffer vs to sit still without care, but briueth vs of necessitie to beg 3 his most gratious pardon. Fourthlie, our feeble flesh and weake nature vnable in euerie respect to doo anie good thing, which requireth continuall praier to aid and 4 strength it. Fiftlie, the wilie subtiltie of our spirituall enimie sathan, who priuilie lurketh in the inward parts, waiting euen in our best actions to trip and ouerthrowe 5 vs, against whom we must by feruent praier vehementlie striue. Sixtlie, 6 our owne greeuous assalts and cruell temptations, which neuer giue vs truce, rest, nor quietnesse, but hasten vs verie much vnto God for helpe. Seuenthlie, the zeale of the glorie of God, and aduancement of his kingdome, which ought wholie to 7 drawe and moone vs continuallie to exercise our selues in the seruice of GOD. Eightlie, the dailie dangers and continuall calamities that hourelie hang ouer our heads, which giue vs all cause enough, yea euen the most holie, and that with sighs 8 and grones continuallie to flie vnto God our heauenlie father, and call vpon him by feruent praiers. Ninthlie, the infinite benefits and great blessings of God so bountifullie and plentifullie euerie waie powred continuallie vpon vs, which giue 9 vs both ample matter, and iust occasion hourelie by thankesgiuing, euen from the bottome of our harts to praise and magnifie him for the same. Tenthlie and lastlie, 10 the great excellencie, woorthinesse, necessitie, vertue, fruit, and profit of true and christian praier, consisting partlie in the dignitie of God the commander, and partlie in the effect of obteining of whatsoeuer we aske according to his will. These things I saie, good reader, well considered, I suppose you will saie here is nothing superfluous: but all little enough to so needfull and profitable an exercise of our faith, praier I meane, as wherein the peace of conscience, yea our whole saluation consisteth, and whereby God himselfe is said to be present with vs, not onelie by his prouidence to watch ouer vs, but also by his power to susteine and succour vs, and by his goodnesse and mercie to receiue vs into his fatherlie grace and fauour.
Yea I doubt not, but you will willinglie confesse with me, I saie, that all sorts of deuout women haue great cause, and that continuallie, to take these lamps into their hands, thereby either with vanished Hagar to acknowledge Gods graces towards them: or with desolate Naomi to praie that God would blesse their children to be staies and staues of their age to their comfort: or with heuie Hanna to powre out their harts before the Lord in teares for a sonne, and for his mercie and fauour towards them: or with wise Abigael, by praier to preuent the mischeefes that hang as well ouer their heads, as their families: yea or with hir often on their knees to praie for the good prosperitie and preseruation of their gratious gouernour Queene ELIZABETH: or with the church and faithfull soule of all christians, to long for the kisses of the peace of Christ their spirituall spouse, and neuer to cease daie nor night to seeke him, whom their soule loueth, till by praier and meditation they haue found him: or with the wofull daughter of Sion, to lament and mourne pitiouslie for their sinnes, till their miseries be mitigated, and they comforted: or with sorrowfull Sara Tobit in fasting, and teares to be deliuered from dailie reproches and slanderous roongs: or wich vertuous Iudith in sack cloth and ashes to obteine strength and courage mightilie to destroie and ouercome proud Olophernes, with all the huge host of his bloudie ruffians: or with noble Queene Hester to proclaime a fast, and call their virgins, families, and people together, to praie daie and night to the hazarding of their owne liues also, if need so require for their owne further preseruation, and their peoples and subiects safetie and deliuerance out of the hands of cruell Haman, and all his seditious conspirators: or with chast and innocent Susanna to appeale to God the high iudge of iudges, to be acquitted from a violeut death by false accusation, and more vniust condeinuation: or with the afflicted church in exile, to acknowledge their sinnes, and call for mercie to be deliuered from distresse: or with the woman of Canaan to flie vnto Christ in all necessities, to be releeued both bodilie and ghostlie: or with our [Page] most gratious Souereigne Ladie Queene ELIZABETH, to muse diuinelie of the inward loue of the soule towards Christ their spouse, their Lord and father, mother and brother: or with the vertuous Ladie Queene KATHERINE, to vewaile the ignorance of their blind life led in superstition: and with hir also in all their troubles to stir vp their godlie minds patientlie to suffer all afflictions for the loue of euerlasting felicitie: or with the right godlie Ladie Iane Dudley to endure the crosse to death most patientlie: or with good Ladie Tirwit to exercise them selues morning and euening in fruitfull and godlie praiers, psalmes▪ hymnes, and meditations: or with the honourable Ladie Aburgauennie by the like, to tread the path to paradise for the health of their soule: or with holie Agnus and Eulalia the martyrs, to triumph in the victorie of Christs death: or with Anne Askew the marryr to praie hartilie for their enimies: or with maister Bradfords mother to be petitioners vnto God for the constancie in faith to death of their children: or with mistresse Dorcas Alarten carefullie to instruct their whole familie in the principall points of christian religion: or with other graue and godlie matrones vnknowne, to exhort others to mortification and holinesse of life, and to flie vnto God in all troubles for releefe as he hath commanded.
That so with the fiue foolish virgins it be neuer too late for them to crie, Lord, Lord, open to vs: but that to their comforts and the praise of God, with Miriam they may euermore vpon their timbrels sing the song of Moses, for their mightie and miraculous delinerance from sathan their spirituall Pharao: and with Debora giue great thanks for the victorie got by our Iahel against Sicera: and with holie Hannah reioise from the hart, and praise God in the temple for the birth of their children, and safe deliuerance: and with the women of Israel triumph vpon timbrels for the famous victories of Dauids daughter our noble Queene ELIZABETH had against all hir enimies: and with the spirituall spouse at the marriage daie sing the sweet song of songs to the glorie of the bridegroome Christ Iesus: and with Sara Tobit blesse the name of God for their deliuerance from slanderous reproches, and the einil spirit Asmodens, that enimie of holie matrimonie: and with holie Iudith highlie praise God for hir and hir peoples mightie preseruation out of the hands of their cruell enimies: and with the blessed virgine Marie continuallie magnifie the Lord their Sauiour, for their high exaltation and fauour with God, with men, and with angels: and with our most gratious Queene ELIZABETH, incessantlie to yeeld all possible praise and hartie thanks for their so often, mightie, and maruellous preseruation and deliuerance from so manie kinds of dangers, yea deaths and destruction pretended by sathan and his bloudie ministers dailie against them.
Finallie, that all godlie women (taking hereby good occasion with these their holie foremothers continuallie to make their petitions for the preuenting of euils: their supplications, for the obteining of all things needfull for soule and bodie: their intercessions as well for others, as for themselues: and their thanksgiuings for corporall and spiritual benefits receiued) may shew themselues daughters woorthie such mothers: virgins woorthie such lamps of perpetuall virginitie: and women woorthie such ghostlie weapons of their right christian ministration to helpe their weakenesse (praiers, precepts, and meditations I meane) by following their vertues wiselie in the perfect feare of God: by bearing the same in the hand of their harts carefullie in the due obedience of their prince: and by fighting therewith in Golgatha the field of this spirituall warfare, the good fight of faith couragiouslie in the pure loue of their countrie, and christian charirie towards their neighbours: and at the last in the world to come to the glorie of God, & their euerlasting comfort togither with the wise virgins, and all the elect people of God, ioifullie triumph ouer all weaknesse, infirmitie, and corruption: yea ouer sinne, death, hell, and damnation, and saie: Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh hell, where is thy victorie?
But now if in wading so far in this argument of praier, and in making this bolume so big, ante shall thinke or saic, that I, by mine idlenesse and time thus spent, am verie chargeable vnto them: and considering the plentie of prater books more portable alreadie extant, shall iudge me to haue taken a verie needlesse or bootlesse trauell, or to haue laboured in vaine, and spent my strength for nothing, as he that would addestars to the skie, or light a lampe at noone daie, and therefore [Page] shall deeme me woorthie in their opinions to loose both Oleum & operam. Oh forgiue me this wrong I praie you: and considering that I could not otherwise either satisfie my selfe to go forward in my determined purpose, according to the prescript order of this collection, or pleasure the simple reader with such plentie and varietie of profitable matter, especiallie in so good paper and faire vsuall letter, a thing to the aged and feeble sighted reader verie gratefull and much desired. Let me intreate you whosoeuer you be, to measure the same rather by the goodnesse of the contents, of the which the godlie can neuer haue enough: than by the bignesse or deerenesse of the volume, which to the willing and desirous mind are euer best cheape. So no doubt shall the pleasure and profit of the one at the least counteruaile, if not far surmount, the paine and charges of the other.
As for my selfe (good reader) who haue rudelie as you see vndertaken this great labour, I protest, I haue doone it neither of presumption, as he that would vsurpe the office of a Diuine, and intrude himselfe into the studies of other professions: nor of arrogancie, as he that would boast and make great brags of other mens labours: nor of enuie, as he that went about to make frustrate and insufficient the painfull and godlie works of better learned: neither yet of ambition or vaineglorie, as he that gaped after the praise and commendation of anie, or that would faine seeme to be approoued and registred of anie Chronicler for an author, or one that knoweth somewhat, who in deed knowes nothing, much lesse for all this deserues to be thought of aboue that, which anie either of their owne knowledge, or by true report doo, or shall see in me, knowe me to be, or heare of me. Therefore I saie (good reader) my iudgement, howsoeuer it please others to iudge of me, and of mine intent herein, is, I knowe with the Lord that formed me from the wombe, to be his seruant: for he is the eie witnesse of mine integritie and simple meaning herein, I saie, in whom my life is hid, and to whom I am made manifest, doo line, and must die.
As for my worke (so honourable for the verie authors, so godlie for the matter, so necessarie for the time, so profitable for the persons, so excellent for the vse, and so conuenient to increase pietie and christianitie in the simpler sort, howsoeuer otherwise with some carping heads, and euill disposed readers, with Aesops dog in the manger neuer giuen either to doo well themselues, or to iudge rightlie and speake truth of others) it is I am right well assured with my God, who first put me in mind to take it in hand, and in, by, and through whom onelie I confesse with humble and hartie thankesgiuing after manie a yeeres fore trauell, in studie much sweet, long watching, and great expences, I haue now at the length finished the same I trust to his glorie, your profit, and mine owne comfort.
Therefore leauing to all and euerie of the woorthie works of other godlie men or women howsoeuer here or elsewhere extant, their particular vse in the church of God, as they were published: and to the honourable authors themselues their due deserued praise and perpetuall commendation to all posteritie, with exhortation to all godlie christians reuerentlie, willinglie, and thankfullie to read, receiue, and imbrace the same, as wherein to the better fulfilling of so heauenlie an exercise of our faith most agreeable to Gods good will and word is perfectlie supplied and accomplished, by the rare gifts, ornaments, and graces of the holie Ghost in the compilers, whatsoeuer otherwise through ignorance, wanteth both in me, and perhaps in you also (good readers) if you be vnlearned. (Giue them therefore, O giue them, I saie, and that woorthilie of the fruit of their owne hands, and let their owne works praise them in all the world.) I to conclude humbly submit my selfe vnto the graue iudgements of the godlie learned, and mine heroicall authors liuing, of whom I meeklie craue pardon for this my bold enterprise attempted both with bashfulnesse, doubtfulnesse, and feare to become a writer in this so learned an age, or to trouble your studies with my rude labours. And here lastlie I offer these my labours such as they are vnto the good liking and fauourable correction as well in matter, as in maner of you my right christian learned readers, of whom in full recompense and satisfaction of anie fruit, that either you or the simpler sort shall hereby reape, I onelie now make this request, as dutifullie to reuerence the diuine works of so noble and learned authors, by whose holie trauels you perceine your selues to enioie most inestimable benefits: so freendlie to take in good part these first fruits of my poore studies, proceeding from a well meaning [Page] mind, and built vpon so good foundations, as from him that did that hee could though not that he ought to benefit all, and to hurt or offend none. That they being now as lamps well esteemed of in the opinion of the rich in vertue and knowledge, and gratefullie accepted and approoued of the learneder sort, as the monuments of so famous matrones, may yet at the least for their sakes become welcome and approoued of all other simple christians, and I by that meanes greatlie incouraged to go forward in vertuous studies for the benefit of my countrie, with hartie thankesgiuing vnto God both for his mercie, and your great curtesie and goodnesse towards me, in whom I bid you farewell, and vnto whose heauenlie defense, almightie protection, diuine fauour, and continuall blessing, I finallie commend and betake both these my labours, my selfe, and you deere and welbeloued readers, beseeching you to loue me, as I loue you vnfainedlie, to speake of me and my worke, no woorse than I doo of you and yours christianlie, and that for his sake alone that loued vs all most deerelie, & in that loue for vs all endured all maner of reproch and slanders that might be most patientlie, euen to the effusion of his most pretious bloud often and sundrie times trulie, as well in feruent praier as in sweat, and otherwise on the crosse for our eternall glorie: to whom therefore, and for all the inestimable benefits of his bloudie praiers, dririe death, and bitter passion be euermore rendred and giuen as of writers and readers, so of angels, men, and all creatures in heauen, in earth, or in the deepe, all possible praise and perpetuall glorie that hart can thinke, hand can worke, or toong can speake,
Amen.
Facies militantis Ecclesiae.
Rob. Marbeck ad lectorem.
Argumentum libri.
A breefe catalog of the memorable names of sundrie right famous Queenes, godlie Ladies, and vertuous women of all ages, which in their kind and countries were notablie learned, and whereof some marked with this marke * were the authors of a great part of this booke, as shall appeere: set foorth in alphabeticall order.
- * A Bigael Queene.
- * Agnes martyr.
- Agrippina.
- Anna.
- * Anne Askew martyr.
- Anne Bacon.
- Anne Basset.
- Angelia virgine.
- Argentaria.
- Assiothea.
- Aspatia.
- Bridgit.
- Bundiuica.
- Cambra.
- Cassandra virgine.
- Catherina Cellia.
- Catherina Senensis virgine.
- * Catherina Parre.
- Claudia Ruffina.
- Cleobula virgine.
- Cleopatra.
- Corinna.
- Cornelia Affrica.
- Damma.
- Danophila Pamphia.
- *Deborah prophetesse.
- Demetria.
- Diodorus fiue daughters.
- Diotima.
- *Dorcas Marten.
- Edesia Syria.
- Egitha Queene of England.
- * Elizabeth Q. of England.
- Elizabeth Queene of Syria.
- * Elizabeth Tirwit Ladie.
- Elizabeth an Abbesse.
- Erinna.
- Eudoxia Theodosia.
- Eustasia.
- * Eulalia martyr.
- Fabrola.
- * Francis Aburgauennie La.
- Furia.
- Genebria.
- Gysla.
- * Hagar.
- * Hannah Elcanah.
- Helena Flauia.
- Helizabeth Cenobia.
- Helpis Boetia.
- Herophila.
- * Hester Queene.
- Hierontia.
- Hilda.
- Hildizarda virgine.
- Hipathia.
- Hortensia.
- * Huldah prophetesse.
- * Iane Dudley Ladie.
- Ioan Philippa Queene.
- Isota virgine.
- Isabel Q. hir foure daughters
- * Iudith Bethulia.
- Iuno Chrissa virgine.
- * Katherine Q. of England.
- Ladie commended by s. Iohn with hir daughters.
- Lasthemia.
- Leontium.
- Leta.
- Lucretia.
- Mantinea.
- Marcella.
- * Marie the blessed virgine.
- Marie Queene of England.
- [Page] Marie Ladie Cicil.
- * Margaret Q of Nauar.
- Margaret Countesse of R.
- Martia Q of England.
- Maximilla prophetesse.
- Myriam prophetesse.
- Moera.
- * Naomi.
- Nossidis.
- Olympiades.
- Paula.
- Panothea.
- Phemono virgine.
- Philips foure daughters.
- Polla.
- Portia.
- Priscilla.
- Proba Romana.
- Pythagoras daughter.
- Richthruda.
- Rose wyda.
- Salina or Salma.
- Sappho poëta.
- * Sarra Tobit.
- Sibyls ten.
- * Susanna.
- Tecla.
- Theaneo Metaponta.
- Thesseles or Thelestilla.
- Theodosia.
- Thragelia.
- Valeria proba.
- Zenobia Queene of Syria, &c.
THus, good Readers, I haue set downe the names of some notable learned women to your consideration, referring such as desire to knowe further of their seuerall works to this treatise following, and to Gesnerus, Bale, Ludouicus Viues, the Chronicles, and such other writers of our time. Which I haue doone, not like a Sycophant to currie fauour by flatterie with women; but simplie, God is my witnesse, & for good purpose: partlie, for that I well perceiue these and manie other not here named, for their well deseruing and excellent works (a tast wherof you haue here in this booke) haue heretofore beene had, and that right woorthilie, in great veneration of the godlie learned fathers and writers in all ages: and therfore are no lesse of vs also to be reuerentlie regarded and had in honourable remembrance, to the perpetuall recordation and further continuance of their heroicall names and fames, as it were by some inrollment of their condigne praises and memorable dooings to all posterities: but especiallie for that I might hereby, as much as in me lieth, incourage, prouoke, and allure all godlie women of our time, in some measure, according to their seueral gifts giuen them of God, to become euen from their youth more studious imitators, and diligent folowers of so godlie and rare examples in their vertuous mothers, that as they either in sex, name, or estate are equall with them: so in learning, wisedome, good industrie, and in all holie studies and vertuous exercises commendable for women, they would dailie endeuour themselues [Page] to become like them, that so being lightened by their good examples both of life and doctrine, they may shine also together with them on earth, as burning lampes of verie virginitie; and in heauen, as bright starres of eternall glorie: which God, for his owne name sake, grant,
Amen.
VVhat ceremonie euerie woman ought by Gods word to vse in the time of praier, publike or priuate.
EVerle man praieng or prophesieng, hauing anie thing on his head, dishonoureth (God) his head: but euerie woman that praieth or prophesieth bare headed, dishonoureth (hir husband) hir head. For it is euen one verie thing as though she were shauen.
Therefore if the woman be not couered, let hir also be shorne; and if it be a shame for a woman to be shorne or polled (as in deed it is) then (for shame) let hir be couered (and keepe hir haire trussed vp vnder a kercher.)
For a man ought not to couer his head (but ought to be polled and bare, for somuch as he is the image and glorie of God, in whom his maiestie and power dooth shine, concerning his authoritie ouer his wife, and other of Gods creatures subiected vnder his dominion and rule.)
But the woman is the glorie of the man (or receiueth hir glorie in commendation of man, and therefore is subiect:) for the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man: neither was the man created for the womans sake; but the woman for the mans sake.
Therefore ought the woman to haue power on hir head (that is, some thing to couer hir head in signe of subiection, bicause of the angels, to whom also they shew their dissolution and shame, and not onelie to Christ and his church, or congregation where they praie.)
Iudge you in your selues also, is it comelie that a woman praie vnto God bare headed? Dooth not nature it selfe teach you, that if a man haue long haire like a woman, it is a shame vnto him: but if a woman haue long haire, it is a praise vnto hir: for hir haire is giuen vnto hir for a couering (and to the end she should trusse it vp about hir head: to declare that she must couer hir head.)
But if anie man list to be contentious, we haue no such custome, neither the church of God.
¶ The first Lampe of Virginitie, conteining the diuine PRAIERS, HYMNES, or SONGS, made by sundrie holie women in the Scripture: something explaned in the hardest places, for the better vnderstanding and edifieng of the vnlearned Reader: and first,
The praier of Hagar the handmaid of Sarai, which she made in hir trouble and banishment; wherein she rebuketh hir owne dulnesse, and acknowledgeth Gods graces, who was present with hir euerie-where.
THou GOD lookest on me: haue I not also looked here after him that seeth me?
The song of thankesgiuing of Moses, which Myriam the Prophetesse and sister of Aaron, together with all the women, sang vpon Timbrels to the praise of God, for the people of Israëls deliuerance out of the hands of Pharao, &c.
SIng ye vnto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriouslie: the horse and his rider hath he ouer throwne in the sea.
The Lord is our strength and praise, and he is become our saluation: he is our God, and we will glorifie him: hee is our fathers God, and we will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war, Iehouah is his name: [in battell he stil ouer commeth, & is euer mindfull of his promise.]
Pharaos chariots and his host hath hee cast into the sea: his chosen captaines also are drowned in the red sea.
The deepe waters haue couered them: they sunke to the bottome as a stone.
Thy right hand Lord is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath all to dashed the enimie.
And in thy great glorie thou hast ouerthrowne them [Page 2] that rose vp against thee: thou sentest foorth thy wrath which consumed them as the stubble.
Through the blast of thy nostrils the waters gathered together, the fluds stood still as an heape, and the deep waters congealed together in the hart [or depth] of the sea.
The enimie said, I will pursue them: I will ouertake them, I will diuide the spoile, and my lust shall be satisfied vpon them: I will drawe my sword, mine hand shall destroie them.
Thou didst blowe with thy winde: the sea couered them, they sanke as led in the mightie waters.
Who is like vnto thee, O Lord, among the gods, [or mightie men of the world?] Who is like thee so glorious in holinesse, fearefull in praises, shewing woonders?
Thou stretchest out thy right hand, the earth swalowed them.
Thou in thy mercie hast caried this people, which thou hast redeemed and deliuered: and thou wilt bring them in thy strength vnto thine holie habitation [the land of Canaan, or Mount Zion.]
The people and nations shall heare, and be afraid: sorowe shall come vpon the inhabitants of Palestina.
Then the Dukes of the Edomites shall be amazed, and trembling shall come vpon the great and mightiest men of the Moabites: all the inhabitants of Canaan shall waxe faint harted.
Feare and dread shall fall vpon them, bicause of the greatnes of thine arme or power; they shall be as still as a stone, till thy people passe through: O Lord till this people passe through, which thou hast gotten, or purchased.
Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountaine of thine inheritance, which is [Mount Zion] the place Lord that thou hast made and prepared [Page 3] for to dwell in, euen the sanctuarie, O Lord, which thine hands shall establish.
The Lord shall reigne for euer and euer.
For Pharao on horsebacke went with his chariots and horsemen into the sea: and the Lord brought the waters of the sea vpon them: but the children of Israel went on drieland in the mids of the sea.
Sing ye [therefore] vnto the Lord: for he hath triumphed gloriouslie: the horse and him that rode vpon him hath he ouerthrowne in the sea.
The song or thankesgiuing of Deborah and Barak, after the victorie giuen of God by the hands of Iaël, against Sisera. Iudges. 5, 2.
PRaise ye the Lord, for the auenging of Israel: and for the people [of Zabulon and Nepthali] that offred themselues [gladly,] and became so willing [to resist their enimies.]
Heare O ye kings, harken O ye princes: I, euen I will sing vnto the Lord, I will sing praise vnto the Lord God of Israel.
Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou departedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heauens rained, the clouds also dropped water.
The mountaines melted before the Lord, euen as did Sinai before the Lord God of Israel.
In the daies of Samgar the some of Anath, in the daies of Iael, the high waies were vnoccupied [for feare of the enimies,] and the trauellers walked through bywaies.
The townes were not inhabited, they decaied (I say) and the inhabitants thereof were gone in Israel: vntill I Deborah came vp, which [miraculously mooued by God to pitie & deliuer them] rose vp a mother in Israel.
They chose new gods, and then had they war, or the [Page 4] enimie in the gates: was there a shield or speare seene among fortie thousand of Israel? [they had no hart to resist their enimies.]
My hart is set on the gouernours of Israel, and loueth them that are willing among the people: praise yee the Lord.
Speake yee [gouernours] that ride on faire Asse s[or Moiles,] yee that dwell by Middin [in danger of your enimies,] and that walke by the waies.
For the noise of the archers among the drawers of water ceased. There shall they rehearse the righteousnesse of the Lord, his righteousnesse in his vnfenced townes in Israel: then did the people of the Lord go downe to the gates [without feare of the enimie.]
Up Debora, vp, arise and sing a song. Arise Barak, and lead thy captiuitie [or them that kept thy people in bondage and captiuitie] captiue, thou sonne of Abinoam.
For they that remaine, haue dominion ouer the mightie of the people: the Lord hath giuen mee dominion ouer the strong.
Of Ephraun their roote [Iosua first] arose [and fought] against Amalek: and after thee [Iosua] Beniamin [that is Saule] shall fight against thy people, O Amalek, Of Machir came rulers, and of Zebulun they that handle the penne of the writer, [euen the learned did helpe to fight.]
And the princes of Issachar were with Debora, and [the whole tribe of] Issachar, and also Barak, he was sent on foote into the vallie: for the diuisions of Ruben were great thoughts of hart.
Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to heare the bleatings of the flocks? For the diuisions of Ruben [that came not ouer Iordan to helpe their brethren in their necessitie] were great thoughts of hart [and much maruelling.]
Gilead abode beyond Iordan [& yet came to helpe their brethren: therefore thou Ruben canst haue no excuse,] and why [Page 5] doth Dan remaine in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and taried in his desolate & decaied places.
But the people of zebulun and Nepthalie haue ieoparded their liues vnto the death, in the hie places of the field.
The kings came and fought, then fought the king of Chanaan in Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, and wan no monie [but lost all.]
They fought from heauen, euen the starres in their courses fought against Sisera, [and by Gods power his people were holpen to ouer come their enimies.]
The riuer of kishon swept them away [as a béesome doth the filth of the house,] that ancient riuer, the riuer Kishon: O my soule, thou hast marched valiantly.
Then were the horse hoofes broken with the praunsing and oft beating together of their mightie men.
Curse ye the citie of Meros [where ye fought] (said the Angel of the Lord,) curse the inhabitants thereof, bicause they came not to helpe the Lord, to helpe the Lord against the mightie.
Iael the wife of Heber, the Kenite, shall be blessed aboue other women: blessed shall she be aboue women dwelling in tents.
He asked water, and she gaue him milke: she brought foorth butter in a lordlie dish.
She put hir hand to the naile, and hir right hand to the workmans hammer: with the hammer smote she Sisera: she smote off his head, after she had wounded and persed his temples.
He bowed him downe at hir feete, he fell downe, and lay still at hir feete, he bowed himselfe downe, and fell, & when he had sunk downe, he lay there dead & destroied.
The mother of Sisera looked out at a windowe, and cried through the lattise: Why is his chariot so long a comming? Why tarie the wheeles of his chariots?
All hir wise Ladies answered hir, yea she answered [Page 6] [or comforted] hir selfe with hir owne words.
Surely they haue gotten, and found, they diuide the spoile: euerie man hath a damsell or two. Sisera hath a praie of diuers coloured garments, euen a praie of raiment died with sundrie colours, and that are made of needle worke; raiment of diuers colours, and of needle worke on both sides, which is meete for him that is chiefe in distributing of the spoiles.
So let all thine enimies perish, O Lord: but they that loue him, shall be as the sunne when hee riseth in his might [and growe dailie more and more in Gods fauour.] And the land had rest fortie yeeres.
The praier or blessing of Naomy for hir two daughters in lawe, Ruth and Orpah.
THE Lord shew fauour, and deale as kindlie with you [my good daughters] as yee haue dealt with the dead [your husbands my two sonnes] and with mee. Yea the Lord grant you that you may find rest, either of you, in the house of hir husband.
The praier or vow of Hanna, for a sonne. 1.
O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt looke on the trouble of thine handmaid, and remember mee, and not forget thine handmaid, but giue vnto thine handmaid a manchild: then I will giue him vnto the Lord, all the daies of his life, and there shall no rasor come vpon his head.
The song and thankesgiuing of Hanna, after she by praier had obteined a sonne called Samuel. 1.
MIne hart reioiceth in the Lord, and mine horne is exalted in the Lord [for I haue recouered strength and glorie by his benefit:] my mouth is inlarged or wide open ouer mine enimies: [Page 7] [so that I can now answere them that reprooue my barrennesse,] for I reioice in thy saluation.
There is none holie as the Lord, yea there is none besides thee, and there is no god like our God.
Speake no more presumptuouslie [against God in condemning my barrennesse,] let not arrogancie come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and his purposes come to passe, and by him enterprises are established.
The bowe with the mightie men are broken, and they that were weake, haue girded themselues with strength.
They that were full are hired foorth for bread, [and sell their labours for necessarie foode,] and the hungrie are no more hired, [but cease to haue néede:] so that the barren hath borne seuen [euen many,] and shee that had many children is waren feeble.
The Lord killeth, & maketh aliue: bringeth downe to the graue, and raiseth vp againe.
The Lord maketh poore, and maketh rich: bringeth lowe, and exalteth vp on high.
He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust, and [according to his owne will] lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the seate of glorie: for the pillers of the earth are the Lords, and he hath set the world vpon them: [therefore he may dispose all things at his pleasure, and prefer whom he will to honour.]
He will keepe the feete of his Saints [so that they shall neither walke nor fall into any euill] & the wicked shall keepe silence in darkenesse: for in his owne might shall no man be strong.
The Lords aduersaries shall be destoried, and out of heauen shall he thunder vpon them: ye Lord shall iudge the ends of the world, and shall giue power vnto his king [Iesus,] & exalt the horne of [Christ] his annointed.
The song of the women of Israël, in the praise of Dauids victorie ouer Goliah.
SAule hath slaine his thousand: and Dauid his ten thousand.
The praier or wish of Abigaël for king Dauid, against his enimies.
OH my Lord, I haue committed the iniquitie: and I praie thee let thine handmaid speake vnto thee, and heare thou the words of thine handmaid. Let not my Lord I praie thee regard this wicked man Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and follie is with him: but I thine handmaid sawe not the yoong men of my Lord, whome thou sentest. Now therefore my Lord, as the Lord liueth, & as thy soule liueth, the Lord, I say, that hath withholden thee from comming to shed blood, and that thine hand should not saue thee, [nor reuenge thée on thine enimies.] So now, I pray God that thine enimies, and they that intend to doo my Lord euill, may be as Nabal: and I praie thee, forget the trespasse of thine handmaid, &c.
The song of Sion, or the familiar talke and mysticall communication, or diuine dialogue of the speciall loue betwene the spirituall bridegrome Iesus Christ, and the bride the faithful soule, his sanctified, chaste, and holie spouse the Church: commonlie called,
The Church or faithfull soule speaketh to Christ.
O That thou wouldest kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth [euen with thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding:] for thy loue [O Christ] is better and more pleasant [vnto me] than wine: and that bicause of the good and pleasant sauour of thy [Page 9] most pretious balmes or ointments, [euen of thy great benefits, which I taste and féele from thée.]
Thy name [O Christ] is as a sweet smelling ointment when it is powred out and shed foorth: [thy mercie is set foorth and published by preaching thy Gospell,] therefore the Uirgins [euen they that are pure in hart and conuersation] doo loue thee.
Drawe thou me [O swéete Christ] vnto thee, and wee will run after thee: [for otherwise I confesse we can not come to thée, except we be drawne of thée.] The King hath brought me into his priuie chambers: [and reuealed vnto me the secret ioies not knowne to the world,] we will [therefore] be glad and reioice in thee, [yea] wee thinke more of thy loue, than of wine. [For] they that be righteous loue thee [aboue all things.]
I am blacke [I confesse through the spots of sinne, persecution, and troubles] O ye daughters of Ierusalem: but yet comelie, faire, and welfauoured [through faith in the blood of Christ, in whose fauour I haue confidence and trust,] as the fruites or tents of the Kedarens or Arabians: and as the hangings or curtens of Salomon [which within were all set with pretious stones and iewels.]
Maruell not therfore at me, bicause I am so blacke, [nor regard or consider me by the outward apperance,] for why? the sunne [euen the corruption of nature through sinne and affliction] hath looked and shined vpon me. Yea and my mothers children [euen mine owne brethren which should haue most fauoured me] were angrie against me, and hauing euill will at mee, they made me the keeper of the vineyards: but mine owne vineyard haue I not kept, [such alas hath béene mine owne negligence.]
[Therefore féeling my faults and imperfections, I flie now vnto thée, O Christ, my spirituall husband onlie for succour, beséeching thée and saieng,] Tell me, O thou whom my soule loueth, where thou feedest the sheepe, [O shew me, I saie,] where thou liest, and makest them rest at the noon day: [Page 10] for why should I be like hir that turneth aside, or goeth wrong about the flocks of thy companions [whome thou hast called to the dignitie of pastors in thy Church: and yet they like apostataes not onelie set foorth their owne false dreames and traditions in stéed of thy true doctrine: but also are become the domesticall enimies that persecute the Church.]
Christ speaketh to his Church, or the faithfull soule.
O Thou the fairest among women: if thou knowe not thy selfe [but art ignorant in my waies:] then go thy way foorth after the footsteps of the flock of sheepe, [euen after the doctrine of the Apostles] and feede thy goates and kids by the tents of the shepheards [and learne of the true pastors and spirituall doctors.]
I haue compared thee, O my loue, vnto the troupe of horses in the chariots of Pharao [bicause that for thy spirituall beautie and excellencie there was no worldlie treasure to be compared vnto thée.]
Thy cheekes and thy neck are beautifull as the turtles, and behanged with spangles, chaines, and goodly iewels: a neckband [also] imbrodered with gold and studs, or buttons of siluer will I make thee.
The Church.
WHen the King sitteth at the table, and is at his repast: hee shall smell my Nardus, or spikenard [for I reioice that I am admitted to the companie of my husband Christ] yea my welbeloued is as a bundle of Mirrh vnto mee, and he shall lie betwixt my brests, [for he is most déere vnto me,] my welbeloued [I saie] is as a cluster of Camphire vnto me in the vineyards of Engedi: [wherfore so long as I followe my Christ, I can not erre from the true faith of saluation.]
CHRIST.
O How faire art thou my loue? Oh how faire art thou? Thine eies are like the dooues eies. [behold, most acceptable art thou vnto me, and I commend thy beautie.]
The Church.
OH, how faire art thou [also] my beloued? How welfauoured and pleasant art thou? Our bed [euen the hart of the faithfull: where thou, O Christ, dwellest by thy spirit] is all greene, bedecked with flowers: the beames or seelings of our house are of Cedar trees, and our crosse ioints of Cipresse.
I am the rose of the field, and the lillie of the vallies.
CHRIST.
YEa like as the lillie among the thornes: so is my loue among the daughters: [for my Church is to be preferred before & aboue all other things, yea so am I also among mine enimies.
The Church.
LIke as the apple tree among the trees of the forest: so is my welbeloued among the sonnes of men, [I can not but testifie my loue and great desire towards him,] for my delight is to sit and rest vnder his shadowe, bicause his fruite [and word] is sweet vnto my mouth: [and when my strength faileth me] he bringeth me into his own wine seller: and spreadeth the banner of his loue ouer mee, [and there I desired to be comforted, saieng:] Set about mee cups or flagons of wine, and comfort me with apples, for I am sicke of loue, [and lo, I haue felt it.] For his left hand is vnder my head, and his right hand doth imbrace mee.
CHRIST.
I Charge you, O daughters of Ierusalem, [yée rulers, which haue to doo in the Church, as it were by this solemne oth] by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that yee wake not vp my loue, nor touch hir, [or trouble hir quietnesse] vntill she please, or be content hir selfe.
The Church.
ME thinke I heare ye voice of my welbeloued [spouse Christ] behold, he [hath taken our nature vpon him, and] [Page 12] commeth leaping vpon the mountaines, and skipping ouer the little hils [to helpe his Church:] My beloued is like a Roe or a yoong Hart. Behold, he [hauing his diuinitie hid vnder the cloke of our flesh] standeth behind our wall looking foorth of the windowes, shewing himselfe thorough the grates, [so that we can not haue full knowledge of him in this life] and my welbeloued spake & said vnto me.
CHRIST.
O My loue, arise, and stand vp, my faire one, come thy waie, and go to thine owne. Behold, the winter [of sinne, error, and infidelitie] is now past, [driuen backe and put awaie by my comming in the flesh, which is compared to the Springtime, when all things flourish:] the raine is changed and gone awaie: the flowers [of good works] are come vp and appere in the fields: the time of the birds singing is come, and the voice of the turtle dooue [or holie Ghost] is heard in our land. The fig tree bringeth foorth hir figs, and the vines beare blossoms, and haue a good smell.
O stand vp then, and come my loue, arise, I saie, my beautifull one, and come awaie, O my dooue. Thou that art in the caues of the rocks, holes in the wall, and in the secret place of the staires: [thou, I saie, that art ashamed of thy sinnes, come and] shew thy selfe vnto me. O let me see thy countenance, and heare thy voice. For sweete is thy voice, and faire and comelie is thy face.
Take vs the foxes, yea the little foxes, which destroy the vines: [suppresse the heretikes and enimies of my Church whiles they be yoong: that is, when they begin to shew their malice, and destroie my vine, by preaching false doctrine:] for our vines beare blossoms, and haue small grapes.
The Church.
My welbeloued is mine, and I am his: hee feedeth among the lillies vntill the daie breake, and till the shadowes be gone.
[Page 13] Returne [I praie thée] and come againe, O my beloued [Christ,] and be like a Roe, or yoong Hart vpon the wild mountaines of Bether, [euer most readie to helpe and defend me in all dangers.]
In my bed by night, [or in my troubles] I sought him whom my soule loueth, yea diligentlie sought I him, but I found him not [by carnall reason, but by the scriptures] neither was I incontinentlie heard.
[And bicause we must continue in praier till we féele comfort, though we féele it not at the first:] therefore thought I, I will now rise and get vp, and go about the citie by the streets, and by the hie waies and open places, and will seeke him [by praier continuallie,] whom my soule loueth, [for I desire to be ioined inseparably to Christ my husband.] But when I sought him [by carnall reason] I found him not, [but by the scriptures. Then séeking further vnto all others also, of whom I hoped to haue any comfort & succor, at last] the watchmen that went about the citie found mee, to whom I said, Sawe ye not him whom my soule loueth?
So when I was a little past them, I found him [by the preaching of his word] whom my soule loueth. I haue gotten hold vpon him, and will not let him go, vntill I haue brought him into my mothers house, [euen] into the chamber of hir that conceiued me, and bare me.
CHRIST.
I Charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, [ye rulers and Magistrates that haue to doo in my Church, as it were by this solemne oth,] by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field: that ye wake not vp my loue, nor touch hir, [nor trouble the state, quietnesse, or peace thereof,] vntill she please and be content hir selfe.
The Church speaking of hir deliuerance out of the wildernesse; and of the beautie of Salomons Temple, saith:
WHo is this that commeth vp out of the wildernes like pillers or vapours of smoke, perfumed [Page 14] as it were with the sweet smell of Mirrh and incense, and with all maner spices or sweet powders of the Apothecarie or merchant, [me thinke it is like the comming of the children of Israel, which were led in the wildernesse, and followed Christ fortie yéeres.]
Behold the bedsted, [or Temple,] which Salomon made, round about it stand threescore strong men [euen] of the most valiant and mightie men of Israel. They all handle the sword, and are expert in war, euerie one hath his sword vpon his thigh, [watching, kéeping, and defending the Temple by the word of God,] bicause of the feare in the night.
King Salomon made himselfe a palace, or chariot, of the trees and wood of Lebanon, hee made the pillers therof of siluer, and the pauement and couering therof of gold, the hangings thereof of purple, whose mids, or ground, was paued pleasantlie with the loue of the daughters of Ierusalem.
Come foorth, O yee daughters of Zion, [euen all yée that are of the number of the faithfull,] and behold this King Salomon [euen Christ become man] crowned [by the loue of God with the glorious crowne of his diuinitie,] wherewith his mother crowned him in the daie of his mariage, and in the daie of the gladnesse of his hart.
CHRIST.
O How faire art thou my loue! how faire art thou! [I can not choose but praise and commend all that is in thée, in whom I haue so great delight.] Thou hast dooues eies, [euen a simple and sincere faith,] besides that which lieth hid within thy hearie locks [euen the fruits of a true faith] are like the wooll of a flocke of goates that be shorne vpon Mount Gilead, [so great respect haue I to the multitude of the faithfull ones, which are manie in number.]
Thy teeth, [or faith by the which all the faithfull are made the sonnes of God equallie] are like a flocke of sheepe in good [Page 15] order of the same bignesse, which went vp from the washing place, where euerie one beareth two twins; and not one is vnfruitfull or barren among them.
Thy lips are like a rose coloured riband, thy words are louelie, and thy talke comlie: thy cheeks or temples are like a peece of a pomgranate within thy hearie locks.
Thy necke [or preachers] is like the tower of Dauid, builded with costlie stones lieng out on the sides for defence: a thousand shields hang therein: yea and all the weapons and targats of the giants or strong men [are fixed therein.]
Thy two breasts, [the old Testament and the new] wherin are knowledge and zeale, [two pretious iewels] are like two twins of yoong Roes, which feede among roses.
O that I might go to the mountaine of Mirrh, and to the hill of frankincense, till the daie breake, and till the shadowes be past awaie!
Thou art all faire, O my loue, and no spot [or blemish] is there in thee [in my sight.]
Come to mee from Lebanon, O my spouse: come to me from Lebanon. Looke from the top of Amanah, from the top of Shenir and Hermon: from the dens of the lions, and from the mountaines of the leopards [euen from all the corners of the world will I call thee, my Church and faithfull vnto me.]
O my sister, [for so I cal thée my Church, in respect that I haue taken the flesh of man vpon me.] O my spouse: thou hast wounded or bewitched my hart with loue. O my sister and spouse, thou hast wounded my hart with one of thy eies, and with a chaine of thy necke, [yea I loue my gifts in thée, whom I haue therewith made so beautifull and rich.]
O how faire are thy brests, my sister, my spouse, how faire is thy loue! Thy breasts or loue are much better and more pleasant [vnto me] than wine, and the sauour of thine ointments passeth all spices.
[Page 16] Thy lips, O my spouse, [bicause of thy confession & thankesgiuing, and through preaching of the Gospell,] drop as the honie combe, [and bring foorth much consolation and comfort:] yea milke and honie are vnder thy tongue, and the sweet smell or sauour of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
My sister, my spouse is as a garden well locked or inclosed: as a spring shut vp, and a fountaine sealed vp.
The fruits that are planted in thee are like a verie paradise or orchard of pomegranates: with sweete fruits, as Camphire, Nardus, or Spikenard, Saffron, Calamus, and Cinamon, with all sweet smelling trees of incense, Mirrh, Aloes, and all the best spices.
The Church.
O Fountaine of the gardens! O Well of liuing waters and the springs of Lebanon! [I confesse that all my glorie and beautie commeth of thée, O Christ, who art the true fountaine of all grace and goodnesse to me the Church thy spouse.]
Arise O north wind, and come O thou south wind, come and blowe on my garden, that the spices & smell thereof may flowe out, and be carried on euerie side: yea let my welbeloued come to his garden, and eate of the sweet and plesant fruits that growe therein. [For this is all my desire to haue thée, O Christ, my beloued spouse, to come and comfort me, and to powre the graces of thy holie spirit from all quarters vpon me.]
CHRIST.
I Am come into my garden, [euen vnto my kingdome and Church, where I prepare the banket for mine elect, and bestowe vpon them my singular benefits.] O my sister, my spouse, I haue gathered my Mirrh with my spice: I haue eaten my honie with the honie combe: I haue drunke my wine with my milke. Eate ye [also] O friends, drink ye, and make you merrie, O welbeloued.
The Church.
I Sleepe [and am troubled with the cares of worldlie things,] but mine hart waketh: I heare the voice of my welbeloued that knocketh, saieng:
CHRIST.
OPen to me, O my sister, my loue, my dooue, my derling, mine vndefiled. For mine head is full of dew, and the locks of my heare are full of the night drops: [hauing long patience towards sinners.]
The Church.
I Haue put off my cote, [and confesse my nakednesse, hauing of my selfe nothing:] how shall I put it on againe? I haue washed my feete: [and am made cleane,] how shall I defile my selfe againe? [Yea therefore, séeing I am once by thée made cleane, I here promise now vnto thée, neuer to defile or pollute my selfe with sinne againe.]
My welbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the doore, and my hart and bowels were affectioned, or moued towards him.
I rose vp to open to my beloued, and my hands dropped with Mirrh: and the Mirrh ran downe my fingers vpon the hands of the barre, or locke.
I opened vnto my welbeloued, but he was departed and gone his waie past me, and my hart was gone when he did speake. [For when I sought him, and would faine haue béene annointed of Christ, I could not find him, bicause I thought to annoint him with my good works.] I sought him, [I saie] and could not find him: I called, and cried vpon him, but he answered mee not. [For he left me for a time, to the end he might stir vp in me a greater desire of him by continuall praier.]
So the [wicked] watchmen [and false teachers] that went about the citie found me: they smote me, and wounded my [conscience with their traditions,] yea the watchmen that kept the walles, tooke awaie my vaile or kerchife [Page 18] from mee.
I charge you [therefore] O ye daughters of Ierusalem, [ye godlie watchmen of Zion, from whence the lawe & saluation commeth] if ye find my welbeloued, that you tell him that I am sicke of loue, [and that ye direct me vnto him.]
The daughters of Ierusalem, or faithfull Christians, to the Church, saie:
O Thou fairest among women, what maner of man is thy welbeloued aboue other louers? or what is he more than other welbeloued? or what can thy loue doo more than other louers, that thou dost so straightlie charge vs?
The Church.
MY welbeloued [to describe his perfect beautie and comlinesse vnto you,] is white, and ruddie coloured, the goodliest and chiefest person among ten thousand.
His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are curled, and blacke as a rauen.
His eies are like dooues eies, by the water brookes, [which looke] as though they were washed with milke, and remaine by the fullers vessels, and are set like pearles in gold.
His cheekes are like a garden bed, wherin the Apothecaries plant all maner of sweete spices, flowers, and things.
His lips are like lillies, that drop downe pure and sweet smelling Mirrh.
His hands are like gold rings, set with the Chrysolite, or pretious stone of Tharsis.
His bellie is like white Iuorie, deckt or couered ouer with Saphyres.
His legs are as the pillers of marble, set vpon sockets of fine gold.
His face or countenance is as Lebanus, and excellent as the beautie of the Cedar trees.
His mouth, and the words thereof are sweet, and he [Page 19] is altogither louelie, and wholie delectable, [euen] this or such a one is my loue, O yee daughters of Ierusalem, [and] such a maner of man is this my welbeloued [spouse Christ.]
The daughters of Ierusalem, or the faithfull to the Church, saie:
O Thou fairest among women, whither is [this] thy welbeloued [Christ] gone? whither is thy welbeloued turned aside, that we [also] may seek him with thee. [For hearing of this his excellencie and beautie, we are inflamed greatlie with desire to knowe how and where to find him also,]
The Church.
MY welbeloued is gone downe into his garden, [and is conuersant here in earth among men in his Church, which is directed by his scriptures,] vnto the sweet smelling beds of spices, [is my loue come,] that he may refresh himselfe, and feede in the gardens, and gather lillies.
[I assure my selfe of the loue of Christ, and that] I am my welbeloueds, and my welbeloued is mine, who feedeth among the lillies.
CHRIST.
THou art beautifull, O my loue, as is the place, or strong and faire citie Tirzah: thou art comlie and faire as Ierusalem: fearfull and terrible as an armie of men with their banners.
Turne awaie thine eies from mee, for they haue set me on fire, and ouercome mee: [so excéeding is my loue towards thée my Church, yea I must néeds praise thy spirituall and comlie beautie also in all thy members. For] thy hearie locks are like a flocke of goats, which go downe to be shorne vpon the mountaine of Gilead.
Thy teeth are like a flocke of shorne sheepe, which go vp from the washing place, where euerie one beareth twins, & not one is barren, or vnfruitfull among them.
Thy cheekes, or temples, are like a peece of pomgranate, within thy locks of heare.
There are threescore Queenes, and fourescore concubines, [Page 20] or wiues, and of the damsels without number. [For the faithfull are manie in number, and diuers orders and degrées of men there are therein: or the gifts and graces which I doo giue vnto my Church, are infinit.]
But my dooue is one alone, and mine vndefiled dearling, she is the onlie beloued daughter of hir mother, and deere vnto hir that bare hir. [For diuers particular Churches dispersed, make but one catholike Church.] When the daughters sawe hir, they said she was blessed: ye a euen the Queenes and concubins, or wiues praised hir.
What, or who is she that looketh foorth as the morning, faire as the moone, pure as the sunne, terrible and fearfull as an armie of men with their banners? [Though the beginning of my Church was but small, yet hath it growne vp to a great multitude.]
I went downe vnto the nut garden, [and looked vpon my Church, subiect to affliction, what fruit it bringeth,] and to see what grew by the brooks in the vallie, if the vine budded, and if the vineyard & pomgranats flourished: [I went downe, I saie, into the Synagogue, to sée what fruits came of the lawe and the Prophets, but] I knew nothing, [nor found any thing but rebellion therin.] My soule set me as the chariots of my noble people that be vnder tribute: [and I ran as swift as the nobles of my people in their chariots, to call them to repentance, saieng:]
Come againe, turne againe, O Shulamite, thou perfect one: turne againe, O my people of Ierusalem, turne againe, and we will looke vpon thee. What shall ye see in the Shulamite, [that is, Ierusalem, the which was Shalem, that signifieth peace,] but like men of war singing in a companie?
O how pleasant and beautifull are thy goings with shooes, thou princes daughter! The ioints of thy thighs are like a faire iewell, which is wrought by the hand of a cunning workemaister?
Thy nauell is like a round goblet or cup, which is [Page 21] neuer without drinke, or wanteth liquor, [but is euer replenished with the rich knowledge of Gods word, and heauenlie desires.]
Thy bellie or wombe is as an heape of wheate that is set about with lillies: [euen full of spirituall treasures.]
Thy two breasts [of the old testament and the new, which came from God,] are like two twins of yoong Roes, [and are of equall authoritie in the Church.]
Thy necke [or preachers,] is like the tower of Iuorie, [and ought to be pure and godlie.] Thine eies also are like the water pooles that are in Nesbon, by the gates of Bath-Rabbin, [euen thy magistrates must be well instructed in Gods word.] Thy nose [or Iudges of good & euill,] is like the tower of Lebanon, which looketh toward Damascus.
Thine head that standeth vpon thee is like Carmel, or skarlet, & the heare of thine head like purple. The king is tied in the gallerie or rafters, or dwelleth among manie water conduits, [and delighteth to come néere thée, and to be in thy companie.]
O how faire and louelie art thou my loue! How pleasant art thou O my dearling in pleasures!
This thy stature is like a palme tree, [which the more it is pressed & persecuted, the more it groweth and increaseth,] and thy breasts are like the clusters of grapes.
I said, I will climbe vp into the palme tree, and take hold of hir high boughes. Thy breasts also shall now be like the clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nostrils like as the sauour of apples.
And the roofe of thy mouth like the best wine, which is meet for my best bloud, and causeth the lips of the ancient to speake.
The Church.
I Am my welbeloueds, and his desire is to turne towards me. O come on my welbeloued, let vs go forth into the field, and take our lodging in the villages, and there remaine.
CHRIST.
IN the morning will we get vp earelie, and go see the vineyard, we will see if the vine be sproong forth, if the grapes be growne, and if the pomegranates flourish, and be shot out. [I will call them that professe my word to an account, what fruit they doo bring foorth in my Church.] There will I giue thee my loue, or my breasts: [euen my graces to the faithfull that are in my Church.]
The mandrakes haue giuen their smell, and in our gates are all sweet things, new and old, which I haue kept for thee, O my beloued.
The Church.
O That I [that is, the fathers of the old testament,] might find thee without, [that is, sée the incarnation of Christ,] and kisse thee, whome I loue as my brother, which suckt my mothers breasts, then they should not despise thee nor mee.
I will leade thee, and bring thee into my mothers house, that thou [O Christ] mightest teach me, and that I might giue thee drinke of the spiced wine, and of the sweet sap of my pomgranats.
His left hand shall be vnder my head, and his right hand shall imbrace me. [His gratious fauour shall preserue me from desperation in aduersitie, and from presumption in prosperitie.]
CHRIST.
I Charge you, O ye daughters of Ierusalem, [ye magistrates or elders, which rule in my Church;] that ye stir not vp [contentions, or wars therein,] nor wake my loue, [by tumults and troubles,] vntill she please.
Who is she that thus commeth vp from out of the wildernesse, leaning vpon hir welbeloued? I waked, or raised thee vp among the apple trees, where thy mother conceiued thee, where thy mother, I saie, that bare thee, brought thee into the world.
The Church.
O Set me as a seale vpon thine hart, and as a signet vpon thine arme. [For I thy spouse desire to be ioined in perpetuall loue with thée, O Christ, by the seale of the holie Ghost.] For loue is strong as death, and ielousie is cruell as the graue.
The coales thereof are fierie coales, and a verie vehement flame of the Lord: so that manie waters are not able to quench loue, neither may the streames of fluds drowne it: yea if a man would giue all the substance of his house for loue, he should count it nothing: [but] would greatlie contemne it.
We haue a little sister, [namelie, the Church of the Gentils,] she is but yoong, and hath no breasts, [but wanteth both the old and new testament.] What shall we doo for our sister, when she shall be spoken for?
If she be [sure and firme as] a wall, we will build vpon hir a siluer palace: and if she be a doore, we will keepe or fasten hir with boords of Cedar trees. [If the Church be sure and fast, she is méete for the husband to dwell in, and we the Apostles will preach to them that are called inwardlie of God to saluation.]
[Yea] I am a wall, and my breasts are as towers. [For I doo promise fidelitie & constancie vnto my spouse Christ.] Then was I as one that hath found fauor and peace in his sight.
Salomon [the Lord Christ] hath a vineyard at Baalhamon, and this vineyardlet he out vnto kepers, that euerie one, for the fruit therof, should giue him a thousand peeces of siluer.
But my vineyard, which is mine, is in my sight before me: to thee O [Christ the spirituall] Salomon apperteine a thousand peeces of siluer, and two thousand to them that keepe the fruit thereof: [euen the greatest profit, which is life euerlasting, obteined by the grace of God, and not by our merits.]
[Page 24] O thou that dwellest in the gardens, [thy Church, where] thy companions [or faithfull ones,] hearken vnto thy voice. O let me heare it [also,] that my companions may hearken vnto the same.
O my welbeloued [Christ, if thou] flie awaie, and [depart from vs thy faithfull ones for a while, yet we beseech thee] be like vnto the Roe, or as the yong Hart vpon the sweet smelling mountaines of spices, [and make haste (we praie chae) to come againe, and helpe vs in our troubles, Amen.]
The foure lamentations of the daughter of Zion, the Church, wherin with weeping, sighing, howling, and with an heauie and wofull hart she sorowfullie bewaileth hir miserable estate, being plagued of God, and forsaken of hir spouse Christ, for his sinnes, vnfaithfulnesse, and rebellion.
The first Lamentation.
ALas, how doth the citie [Jerusalem] remaine so solitarie and desolate, that sometime was full of people? How is she become like a widowe? How is she brought vnder tribute, that was great among the nations, & ruled the lands and prouinces as princesse?
She weepeth sore continuallie in the night, and the teares run downe by hir cheekes: [so that shée taketh no rest.] For among all hir louers she hath none to comfort hir, yea all hir next friends trangresse against hir, and haue dealt vnfaithfullie with hir, and are become hir enimies.
Iuda is caried away captiue, bicause of [hir crueltie] affliction and great bondage, or seruitude, [and oppression of their seruants, and the poore:] she dwelleth [now] among the heathen, and findeth no rest: all hir persecutours tooke hir in the strait places, where shee could not escape.
[Page 25] The waies and streets of Zion mourne and lament, bicause no man commeth anie more [with mirth and ioie as they were woont] to the solemne feasts: all hir gates are desolate: hir priests sigh and make lamentation: hir virgins are discomfited, hir maides are carefull, and she hir selfe is in great heauinesse.
Hir aduersaries are the chiefe [rulers ouer hir,] and hir enimies prosper. For the Lord hath chastened and afflicted hir for hir great wickednesse, and hir children are gone into captiuitie before the enimie, for the multitude of hir transgressions.
And from the daughter of Zion all hir beautie is gone and departed, hir princes are become like harts that finde no pasture, [euen as men pined awaie with sorowe, and haue no courage,] and they are driuen awaie, and gone without strength before the enimie and pursuer, so that they haue no more power.
Now Ierusalem remembred, in the time of hir miserie and affliction, bare estate and rebellion, all hir toie and pleasure that she hath had in times past: seeing hir people is brought downe vnder the power of the enimie, and there is no man for the helpe hir. The enimies stand looking at hir, and laugh and mocke hir Sabboth daies [that is, hir Religion and seruing of God,] to scorne.
Ierusalem hath greeuouslie sinned, therefore is she come in decaie, and had in derision: all they that had hir in honour [now] despise hir, because they haue seene hir filthinesse: yea she sigheth and turneth backward, as she that is ashamed of hir selfe.
Hir filthinesse is in hir skirts [and manifest,] yet she [was not ashamed of hir sinne, nor] remembred hir last end: therefore is hir downe-fall so woonderfull, and there is no man to comfort hir. O Lord, behold mine affliction, and consider my trouble, for mine enimie hath the vpper hand, and hath proudlie magnified himselfe.
[Page 26] The enimie hath put his hand to all the pretious things that she had: yea euen before hir eies came the heathen, and entred in and out of hir Sanctuarie, whome thou (neuerthelesse) didst command and forbid to come within thy Church and congregation.
All hir people sigh, and seeke their bread with heauinesse: and looke what pretious or pleasant thing euerie man hath, that giueth he for meate to saue his life, and refresh his soule. Consider O Lord, and see, how vile I am become.
Haue ye no regard [to pitie me] all yee that passe by this waie? Behold and see, if there be anie sorowe like vnto mine, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted or troubled me, in the day of his fierce and fearefull wrath, [and learnc to beware by mine example.]
From aboue hath he [euen GOD] sent downe a fire into my bones, which preuaileth and burneth them cruellie: he hath spred or laid a net for my feete, turned me backe, and throwne me wide open: he hath made me desolate, so that I am dailie in heauines, and must euer be mourning.
The yoke of my transgressions is bound fast to [God] his hand, they are wrapped or wreathen, and come vp vpon my necke, [so that by no meanes it can be shaken off, or remitted, but onlie of his speciall grace and mercie.] He hath made my strength to faile: the Lord hath deliuered me into their hands, neither am I able to rise vp, and quit my selfe from them [that haue me in bondage.]
The Lord hath troden vnder foote, and destroied all my valiant and mightie men, that were in the middes of me: he hath proclauned an appointed time, and called an assemblie to slaughter and destroie all my best yoong men. The Lord hath troden downe the virgin, the daughter of Iuda, like as it were [grapes] in a wine-presse.
Therefore do I weepe, and mine eies, euen mine eies [Page 27] gush out with water, because the comforter that should quicken me and refresh my soule, is far from me. My children are driuen awaie and desolate. And why? Because the enimie hath gotten the vpper hand, and preuailed.
Zion casteth out hir hands, and there is none to comfort hir: the Lord hath laid the enimies of Iacob round about him, and Ierusalem is as a menstruous woman, [who for hir pollution, is separate from hir husband,] and is become abhomination in the middest of them.
The Lord is righteous, for I haue rebelled against his commandements, & prouoked his countenance to anger. O heare I praie you, and take heede all ye people, behold my sorowe, and consider my heauinesse: my virgins, my maidens, and my yong men are led awaie [prisoners, and] gone into captiuitie.
I called for my louers, but they deceiued me: for my priests and counsellers, but they perished [and died for hunger] in the Citie, euen whiles they sought for meate to saue their liues, and refresh their soules.
Behold, O Lord, and consider how I am troubled, my bowels swell, my wombe is disquieted, my hart turneth about within me, and I am full of heauinesse, because I rebelled stubbornelie: the sword spoileth me abroade, as death doth at home.
They heare my mourning, but there is none that will comfort me: all mine enimies haue heard of my trouble, and are glad thereof, because thou hast done it: [but] thou wilt bring forth the daie and time that thou hast pronounced, and calledst, when they also shall be like vnto me.
Let all their wickednesse come before thee, and do thou vnto them, as thou hast done vnto me for all my transgressions and trespasses. For my sorowe is verie great, my sighes are manie, and mine hart is heauie.
The second lamentation of Zion.
ALas, how hath the Lord darkned the daughter of Zion in his wrath, [and brought hir from prosperitie to aduersitie?] How hath he cast the beautie and honour of Israel downe from heauen vnto the earth, and [giuen hir a most sore fall,] not remembring his owne footestoole, [the Temple of Ierusalem,] in the daie of his wrath, when he was angrie?
The Lord hath cast out and destroied all the habitations of Iacob, without anie fauour: all the strong places or holdes of the daughter of Iuda hath he broken in his wrath, and throwne them downe to the ground, and not spared hir kingdome, and the princes thereof hath he prophaned and polluted.
In the wrath of his fierce indignation he hath broken all the horne [or power and strength] of Israel, he hath drawne backe his right hand [of succour] from before the enimie: yea a flame of fire was kindled in Iacob, which hath consumed & deuoured vp all round about.
He hath bent his bowe like an enimie, his right hand was stretched vp and fastned as an aduersarie, and euerie thing that was pleasant to the eie to see, he hath slaine, he hath powred out his wrath like a fire into the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion.
The Lord is become as it were an enimie, he hath deuoured Israel, and consumed all his palaces: yea all his strong holds hath he destroied, and filled and greatlie increased the daughter of Iuda with much sorrowe and heauinesse, lamentation and mourning.
For he hath destroied his tabernacle as a garden, his solemne meetings or congregation hath he put downe, yea the Lord hath brought it so to passe, that the high solemne feasts and sabboths are cleane forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the heauie displeasure and indignation of his wrath [both] the king [Page 29] and the priest.
The Lord hath forsaken his owne altar, and hath abhorred his owne Sanctuarie: he hath giuen the walles of hir palaces and towers into the hand of the enimies, who haue made a noise [with blasphemous shoutings and criengs] in the house of the Lord, as in the daie of solemnitie and feasting [when the people were accustomed to praie.]
The Lord hath determined to breake downe the walles of the daughter of Zion, he spread out his line, and hath not withdrawne his hand from destroieng: therefore he maketh the [insensible things, euen the] rampart turrets, and walles [as it were to take part of the sorowe, and to] mourne & lament, because they fell downe and were destroied together.
Hir gates are sunke downe to the ground, hir bars are broken and smitten in sunder, hir king and princes are caried awaie to the Gentiles, they haue not the lawe, neither haue hir Prophets anie vision from the Lord.
The Senatours and Elders of the daughter of Zion sit vpon the ground, and keepe silence, they haue cast vp dust and ashes vpon their heads, and girded themselues with sackcloth: the virgins or maides of Ierusalem hang downe their heads to the ground.
Mine eies do faile through weeping, and abundance of teares: my bowels swell, my liuer is powred vpon the earth, for the great hurt and destruction of the daughter of my people, bicause the children, babes, and sucklings faint and sowne in the streetes of the Citie.
They haue said to their mothers, Where is bread and drinke? when they sowned and fell downe as the wounded in the streetes of the citie, and when they gaue vp the ghost, and died in their mothers bosome.
What thing shall I take to witnesse against thee? Or what thing shal I liken to thee, O daughter Ierusalem. [Page 30] [Thy calamitie is so euident, that it néede no further proofe.] To whome then shall I compare thee, O thou virgin daughter Zion, to comfort thee withall? For the breach [in thy hart] is like [the breach in] a maine sea. Who may heale thee?
Thy [false] Prophets haue looked out vaine and foolish things for thee, and they haue not discouered thine iniquitie, or shewed thee of thy wickednesse, to turne awaie thine affliction, and to keepe thee from captiuitie: but they [to flatter thée in thy sinnes] haue seene or looked out for the false prophesies, and causes of banishment, [and destruction.]
All that passe by the waie, clap their hands at thee, hissing and wagging their heads vpon the daughter Ierusalem, and saie: Is this the Citie that men call so faire, the perfection of beautie, and the ioie of the whole earth?
Al thine enimies gape vpon thee with open mouths, they hisse at thee, and grinde their teeth, saieng: Let vs deuoure it, for certainlie this is the daie, the time that we looked for is come, we haue found, and seene it.
The Lord hath fulfilled the thing that he was purposed to doo, and performed his word that he had deuised and determined of old time long ago: he hath throwne downe, destroied, and not spared: he hath caused thine aduersarie to reioice and triumph ouer thee, and hath set vp the horne [or power] of thine enimie.
Their hart cried vnto the Lord: O thou wall or citie of the daughter Zion, let thy teares run downe like a riuer: daie and night take thee no rest, neither let the apple of thine eie cease or leaue off [wéeping.]
Arise, stand vp, and crie in the night, in the beginning of the watches: powre out thy hart like water before the face of the Lord, lift vp thine hands towards him, for the liues of the yong children that faint and die for hunger in the corners of all the streets.
[Page 31] Behold, O Lord, and consider to whome thou hast done thus. Shall ye women then eate their own fruit, euen their children of a span long? Shal the Priest and the Prophet be slaine in the Sanctuarie of the Lord?
The yong & the old lie on the ground in the streetes: my virgins and my yong men are slaine, and fallen with the sword: thou hast slaine them and put them to death in the daie of thy wrathfull indignation: yea euen thou hast killed them, and not spared.
My terrours [euen mine enimies whom I feared] that are round about me, hast thou called as it were to a feast-daie, so that in the daie of the Lords wrath none escaped, neither was anie left behinde: those that I haue nourished and brought vp, hath mine enimie destroied and consumed.
The third lamentation of Zion.
HOw is the gold [or the princes] become so dimme? the most fine gold so changed? How are the stones of the Sanctuarie [or the priests] so scattered in the corner of euerie streete?
The noble men of Zion that were alwaie in honour, and cloathed with the most pretious gold, how are they esteemed, and now become like the earthen vessels, the worke of the potters hand? [of small estimation, and without anie honour.]
The Dragons [though they be cruell, yet for pitie] drawe out their breasts, and giue sucke to [nourish] their yong ones: but the daughter of my people is become cruell, [and the women forsake their children] like the Estriches in the wildernes, [which forsake both egge and bird.]
The tongs of the sucking children cleaue to the roofe of their mouths for verie thirst, the yong children aske bread, but there is no man that giueth it them.
They that were woont to fare delicatelie, perish in the streets: they that afore were brought vp in purple and scarlet, now make much of doong.
[Page 32] For the iniquitie of the daughter of my people is beecome greater than the wickednesse of zodome, that suddenlie was destroied, and not taken with hands, nor anie camps pitched against hir.
Hir Nazarites or absteiners were purer than the snowe, and whiter than the milke: their colour in bodie was fresh & red as corall, and their beautie like the polished Saphyr, [so greatly were they once in Gods fauour.]
But now their faces be verie blacke as a cole, in so much that none can knowe them in the streetes: their skinne cleaueth to their bones, it is withered, and become like a drie stocke, [and they are in greatest abhomination vnto him.]
They that be slaine with the sword, are happier than they that are killed or die with hunger. For they fade [and pine] awaie, as they were striken through for the lacke of the fruits of the field [and foode.]
The women, which of nature are pitifull, haue sodden their owne children with their hands, that they might be their meate in the miserable destruction of the daughter of my people.
The Lord hath performed his heauie wrath, he hath powred out the furiousnesse of his wrathfull displeasure: he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath consumed the foundations thereof.
Neither the kings of the earth, nor all the inhabitors of the world, would haue beleeued, that the enimie and aduersarie should haue entred and come into the gates of Ierusalem.
Which neuerthelesse [contrarie to all mens expectation] is come to passe, for the sinnes of hir Prophets, and the iniquities of hir Priests, that haue shed the bloud of the iust and innocent in the midst of hir.
As blind men went they stumbling in the streets, and stained or polluted themselues with bloud, so that the heathen would not touch their garments.
[Page 33] But they cried vnto them, Depart and flee ye polluted: Awaie, get you hence, touch not [those priests,] for they are vncleane, and be remoued. Therfore they fled awaie, and wandered, yea they haue said among the heathen, They shall no more dwell there.
The anger, wrath, & countenance of the Lord hath scattered them, and shall neuer looke more vpon them, nor regard them. For they themselues neither regarded, nor reuerenced the face of the priests, nor had compassion or pitie of their Elders.
Wherefore our eies failed, whiles we yet looked for our vaine helpe of man. For in our waiting we haue looked for [the Aegyptians,] a nation & people that could doo vs no good, nor saue vs.
They hunt our steps, and lay so sharpe wait for vs, that we can not go safe in the streets: our end is neere at hand, our daies are fulfilled, for our end is come.
Our persecutors are swifter than the Eagles of the aire, they pursued & followed vpon vs ouer the mountaines, and laid wait for vs in the wildernesse.
The verie breath of our nostrels, euen [Iosias the king and] the annointed of the Lord, (himselfe) [in whome stood our hope of Gods fauour, and on whome depended our state and life,] was taken in their nets, [and slaine,] of whome we said, Under his shadowe we shall be preserued aliue among the heathen.
And thou, O daughter Edom, that dwellest in the land of Huz, [go to,] be glad and reioice [at our destruction and fall: yet be thou sure thou shalt not escape.] For the cup [of Gods wrath] shall passe through, and come vnto thee also: thou shalt be dronken, and discouer thy nakednesse, and vomit [vp thine owne shame.]
[Be of good comfort therefore] O thou daughter Zion, thy sinnes are fullie punished, and thy punishment accomplished. [For after seuentie yeres, thy sorowes shal haue an end.] He will no more carie thee awaie into captiuitie: but [Page 34] thy wickednesse, O daughter Edom, shall he visit, and will discouer thy sins: [so that the wicked shall be tormented for euer.]
The fourth lamentation or complaint of Zion.
I Am she, that through the rod of his wrath haue experience of miserie.
He droue me foorth, and led me: yea into darkenesse, but not into light.
Surelie against me is he turned, he turneth his hand dailie against me.
My flesh and my skinne hath he made to waxe old, and my bones hath he brused and broken.
He hath builded against me, and closed me in with gall and trauell.
He hath set me in darke places, as they that be dead for euer.
He hath hedged me in, that I can not get out, and he hath laid heauie linkes and chaines vpon me.
Also, though I crie and call pitiouslie, yet heareth he not my praier.
He hath stopped vp my waies with hewen or squared stones, and made my paths crooked.
He laieth waite for me like a Beare, and as a Lion in a hole, or secret places.
He hath stopped vp my waies, and broken me in peeces, he hath laid me waste, and made me desolate.
He hath bent his bowe, and made me a marke to shoote at with the arrowe.
The arrowes of his quiuer [I saie] hath he shot [at me,] and they are entred euen into my reines.
I am laughed to scorne and had in derision of all my people, and they make songs [or ballets] vpon me all the daie long.
He hath filled me with bitternesse, and made me dronken with woormewood [and with great anguish and sorowe [Page 35] he hath made me loose my senses.]
He hath smitten my teeth in peeces with stones, and rolled me in the dust.
Thus my soule was farre off from peace, I forgat prosperitie, and all good things.
And I said, My strength and mine hope is perished from the Lord.
O remember yet my miserie, and my trouble, the woormewood and the gall.
Yea in remembring, my soule doth still remember them, and is humbled within me.
I consider these things in my hart, and therefore I get hope againe.
Namelie, it is of the Lords mercies, that we are not vtterlie consumed for our wickednesse: for truelie his pitifull compassions faile not.
New mercies shall the Lord shew vpon thee earlie in the daie springing euerie morning. O Lord great is thy faithfulnesse: [for we féele thy benefits continuallie.]
The Lord is my portion, saith my soule, therefore will I hope in him.
O how good is the Lord vnto them that put their trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh after hun!
The good man with silence and patience doth both trust and waite for the health and saluation of the Lord.
It is good for a man to take and beare the yoke vppon him, in and from his youth vp.
He sitteth alone [and murmureth not, but is patient,] and holdeth him still, and keepeth silence, because he hath taken and borne the Lords yoke vpon him.
He laieth his face vpon the earth [and humbleth himselfe, waiting with patience,] if there may happen to be anie hope [of succour.]
He offreth his cheeke to the smiter, he will be content with reproches.
[Page 36] For the Lord will not forsake for euer.
But though he send affliction, and punish, yet will he haue compassion, and according to the multitude of his mercies he receiueth to grace againe.
For he doth not plague willinglie, nor [delighteth to] afflict the children of men, [but doth it of necessitie for our amendment.]
To treade all the prisoners of the earth vnder his feete,
To ouerthrowe the right of a man before the face of the most high,
To condemne a man in his cause: the Lord hath not pleasure in such things.
What and who is he then that saith, And it commeth to passe, And the Lord commandeth it not. [For without his prouidence nothing is done.]
Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good: [both prosperitie and aduersitie.]
Wherefore then mourneth the liuing man, [when God afflicteth him?] Let him mourne, and be sorowfull for his owne sinnes, for which he suffereth.
Let vs search and trie, and looke well vpon our owne waies, and remember our selues, and turne againe to the Lord.
Let vs [without hypocrisie] lift vp both our harts and our hands vnto God, that is in the heauens, [and saie:]
We haue sinned, and rebelled, therefore hast thou not spared.
Thou hast couered vs in thy wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slaine without anie fauour.
Thou hast hid thy selfe as in a cloud, that our praiers should not passe through.
Thou hast made vs the offscowring and reffuse in the mids of the people.
All our enimies haue opened their mouths against vs, and gape vpon vs.
[Page 37] Feare and snare is come vpon vs, yea desolation and destruction.
Whole riuers of waters gush out of mine eies, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Mine eie droppeth without staie, and ceaseth not: for there is no rest,
Till the Lord looke downe from heauen, & consider.
Mine eies breake mine hart, [and I am ouercome with wéeping:] bicause of all the daughters [or people] of my Citie.
Mine enimies hunted and chased me sore like a bird, yea and that without a cause.
They haue shut vp my life in a dungeon, and cast a stone vpon me.
The waters flowed ouer mine head: then thought I, Now I am destroied.
I called vpon thy name, O Lord, out of the deepe pit, and lowe dungeon.
Thou hast heard my voice: stop not thine eare from my sighings and crieng.
Thou drewest neere vnto me in the daie when I called vpon thee, and hast said, Feare not.
O Lord, thou hast maintained the cause of my soule, and hast redeemed my life [that was in danger.]
O Lord, thou hast seene my wrong: take thou my cause vpon thee, and iudge it.
Thou hast seene all their vengeance, and all their deuises against mee.
Thou hast hard their reprochfull & despitefull words O Lord, yea and all their imaginations against me.
The lips also of those that rise against me, and their deuises and whisperings that they take against me all the daie long.
Behold also their sitting downe, and their rising vp: how I am now their song.
Reward them, O Lord, according to the works of [Page 38] their hands.
Giue them sorrowe of hart, and an obstinate hart, euen thy curse to them.
Persecute them, O Lord, with thine indignation, and root them out, and vtterlie destroie them from vnder the heauen.
The fift lamentation, or praier of Zion.
CAll to remembrance, O Lord, what is come vpon vs: consider and behold our confusion and reproch.
Our inheritance is turned to the strangers, and our houses to the aliens.
We are vnderlings without fathers, and our mothers are as widowes.
We haue drunken our water for monie, and our wood haue we by sale sold vnto vs.
Our necks are vnder persecution: we are wearie, and haue no rest.
Aforetime we yeelded our selues to the Aegyptians, and now [we haue submitted our selues] to the Assyrians, onlie that we might be satisfied, & haue bread inough.
Our fathers which now are gone haue sinned, and we must beare their wickednesse.
Seruants haue the rule of vs, and no man deliuereth vs out of their hands.
We must get our liuing with the perill of our liues, bicause of the drought of the wildernesse.
Our skin is made blacke like as an ouen, bicause of the trouble, famine, and verie sore hunger.
They rauish and defile the wiues in Zion: and the maidens in the citie of Iudea.
The princes are hanged vp by their enimies hand: they haue not honoured the old sage mens faces.
They haue taken the yoong men [for slaues] to grind, and the boies fainted vnder the burden of wood, [not able to abide it.]
[Page 39] The elders haue ceased from the gates, [so that there were no more lawes, nor forme of Commonwealth:] and the yoong men from their songs.
The ioie of our hart is gone, our danse and melodious meeting is turned into mourning.
The garland or crowne of our head is fallen: Wo now vnto vs, and alas that euer we sinned.
Therfore our hart is full of heauinesse, and for these things our eies are dimme [with wéeping.]
Bicause of the hill or mountaine of Zion, which is destroied and desolate, insomuch that the foxes runne vpon it.
But thou, O Lord, remainest for euer, and thy seate & throne from generation to generation, world without end: [and therefore thy couenant and mercies can neuer faile.]
Wherefore dost thou forget vs for euer, and forsake vs so long time?
Turne thou vs vnto thee, O Lord, and so we shall be turned: renew our daies as in old times.
But thou hast vtterlie banished and reiected vs: and thou art exceedinglie angrie and displeased against vs.
The praier and thankesgiuing of Sarra Tobits wife, which in hir virginitie, with fasting and weeping for the space of three daies and three nights, she made to be deliuered from the shame and reproch, wherewith hir fathers maids vpbraided hir.
BLessed art thou, O Lord my God: and thine holie and glorious name is blessed and honourable for euer. Let all thy works praise thee for euer, O God of our fathers, which when thou art wroth shewest mercie: and in the time of trouble thou forgiuest the sinnes of them that call vpon thee. Unto thee, O Lord, turne I now my face: vnto thee lift I vp mine eies, and [saie,] I beseech thee, [Page 40] O Lord, loose me out of the bonds of this rebuke, or else take me vtterlie awaie from out of the earth, that I may heare no more anie reproch. Thou knowest, O Lord [minc innocencie,] that I neuer had desire vnto man, and that I haue kept my soule cleane from all vncleanlie lusts. Thou knowest, O Lord, [I say,] that I am pure from all sinne with man, and that I haue neuer polluted my name, nor the name of my father in the land of my captiuitie. I haue not kept companie with those that passe their time in sport: neither haue I made my selfe partaker with them that walke in light behauiour. I am the onelie daughter of my father, neither hath he anie man child to be his heire, neither anie neere kinsman or child borne of him, to whom I may keepe my selfe for a wife. An husband haue I consented to take, not for my pleasure, but in thy feare: and my seuen husbands are now dead, [one after another,] and why should I liue [to endure so great reproch, as to be counted a murtherer of my husbands? Now] peraduenture, either I haue beene vnwoorthie of them, or else were they vnmeete for me. But if it please not thee that I should die, [as I desire:] for thou happilie hast kept me to another husband, command [then] to looke on me, & to pitie me, that I doo no more heare reproch. For why, thy counsell is not in the power of man: but euerie one that serueth thee, is sure of this, that if his life be in trieng, he shall be crowned: and if he be in trouble, that God no doubt shall deliuer him: & if his life be in chastening, that he shall haue leaue to come vnto thy mercie. For thou hast no pleasure in our damnation. And why? After a storme thou makest the weather faire and still: after weeping and heauinesse thou giuest great ioie. Thy name, O God of Israel, be praised for euer, Amen.
And at the same time were hir praiers heard before the maiestie of the great God.
The praier of Iudith, which she made with fasting and teares, for the deliuerance of hir people the Bethulians, out of the hands of Holophernes, and the Assyrians host that besieged their citie.
O Lord God of my father Simeon, which gauest him a sword for a defence against the enimies, and to take vengeance of the strangers, which vsed violence in their vncleannesse, and opened the wombe of the maid [Dinah,] and defiled hir: that rauished the virgine, and discouered the thigh with shame, and polluted the wombe to hir reproch & confusion. (For thou hadst commanded that it should not so be: yet they [the Sichemites I meane,] did things, for the which thou gauest their princes to the slaughter. For they were deceiued, and washed their beds with bloud.) And hast striken the seruants with the gouernors, & the gouernors vpon their thrones. Thou that gauest their wiues for a praie, and their daughters to be captiues, and all their spoiles for a bootie vnto thy children and seruants the Israelites, that thou louedst, which were mooued with thy zeale, and abhorred the pollution of their bloud, and called vpon thee for aid.
O God, O Lord my God, heare me also a widowe, and helpe mee, I beseech thee. For thou hast wrought the things afore, and these; and the things that shall be after: and thou considerest the things that are present, and the things that are to come. For the things which thou dost purpose are present, and saie, Behold, we are heere: and looke what thou hast taken in hand and deuised, it came euer to passe. For all thy waies are readie prepared, and thy iudgements are put in thine euerlasting foreknowledge. O looke now vpon the armies of the Assyrians, like as it was thy pleasure sometime to looke vpon the host of the Aegyptians, [Page 42] when they being weaponed, persecuted thy seruants, and put their trust in their chariots, horsemen, and in the multitude of their men of war: but thou lookedst vpon their host, casting a thicke darknes before them. And when they came into the deepe, the waters ouerwhelmed them: euen so Lord, behold, and let it go with those Assyrians, which are multiplied by their power, and haue exalted themselues with horses, & horsemen: which glory in the strength of their footmen, that trust in shield, speare, and bowe: and do not knowe that thou only art the Lord our God, which breakest the battels, and destroiest the wars from the beginning. The Lord is thy name, and it apperteineth vnto thee to be called Lord.
O lift vp thine arme now like as euer from the beginning, and breake thou their strength by thy power, & cause their force to fall by thy wrath. For they haue purposed, yea and make their vaunt and boast, to vnhalowe and defile thy sanctuarie, to pollute the tabernacle where thy glorious name resteth: and to waste, spoile, and cast downe with sword and weapons the horns of thine altar. Behold their pride, and bring to passe, O Lord, that the blasphemie of this enimie [Holophernes] may be cut downe with his owne sword, and send thy wrath vpon their heads. Giue into mine hand which am a widowe, the strength that I haue conceiued, that he may be taken with the snare of his eies in me, and that thou maiest smite him with the lips of my loue. Smite (I saie) by the deceit of my lips, the seruant with the prince, and the prince with the seruant.
O giue me a stedfast mind, that I may despise him and his strength, and that I may destroie him. This shall bring thy name an euerlasting remembrance, if thou abate his strength, and ouerthrowe him by the hand of a woman. For thy power, O Lord, standeth [Page 43] not in the multitude of men, nor thy might in strong men, neither hast thou anie pleasure in the strength of horses, neither was there from the beginning anie proud persons that pleased thee. But in the praier of the humble and meeke hath thy pleasure beene euermore. Thou (I saie) O Lord, art the helpe of the humble and little ones: the defender of the weake, and the protector of them that are forsaken, and the Sauiour of them that are without hope. Surelie, surelie, thou art the God of my fathers, and the God of the inheritance of Israel: the Lord of heauen and earth: the Creator of the waters: the King and Lord of all creatures. O heare thou my praiers: heare me (I saie) poore woman, calling vpon thee, and putting my trust in thy mercie. Remember thy couenant, O Lord, and minister words in my mouth, and stablish this deuise in my hart, that thy house may continue still in holinesse: yea grant me words, I saie, and craft, and a wound, and a stroke against them that enterprise cruel things against thy couenant, and against thine holie house, and against the top of Zion, and against the house of the possession of thy children. Shew euidentlie among all thy people, and all the tribes, that they and all the heathen may knowe, that thou art the God of all power and strength, and that there is none other that defendeth the people of Israel, but thou: So be it.
Iudith hir praier that shee made secretlie, or mentallie in hir hart, when she stroke off the head of proud Holophernes.
O Lord God of all power, behold at this present, and haue respect vnto the works of my hands in this houre for the exaltation of Ierusalem, that thou maiest set vp thy citie like as thou hast promised. Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, and grant that I may performe the thing, [Page 44] which in hope that it may be done by thee I haue deuised. For now is the time to helpe thine inheritance, and to execute mine enterprises to the destruction of the enimies, which are risen against vs. Strengthen me therefore this daie, O Lord God of Israel, now strengthen me [I saie] O Lord God, [euen] in this houre.
Iudith hir song of praise and thankesgiuing, which she, togither with all the people, made for their deliuerance from the hands of the Assyrians, by the destruction of Holophernes.
BEgin vnto my God with Timbrels: sing vnto my Lord with Cimbals: O tune vnto him a Psalme, and sing a new song of thankesgiuing vnto him, exalt his praise, be ioifull, and call vpon his name.
For it is the Lord that destroieth wars, and breaketh battels, euen the Lord is his name.
It is God, which hath pitched his tents, or campe in the mids of his people, and deliuered me and them out of the hands of all the persecutors our enimies.
Assur came out from the mountaines of the north, in the multitude of his strength, he came with thousands in his armie: so that the multitude of his people stopped the water brookes, and their horses couered the vallies.
He purposed to haue burnt vp my borders and land, and said that he would kill my yoong men with the sword, & dash the suckling children against the ground, and lead awaie my children, and my virgins as a praie or spoile into captiuitie.
But the almightie Lord hindered him, and deliuered him into the hands of a woman, which hath brought him to naught and confusion.
For the mightie [Holophernes] did not fall, nor was destroied by the yoong men. It was not the sonnes of [Page 45] Titan that slue him, neither haue the great giants inuaded him, or set themselues against him: but Iudith the daughter of Merari, with hir faire beautie and comlie countenance hath discomfited and brought him to naught.
For she put off, and laid awaie the garment of hir widowhood, and put on the apparell of gladnesse, for the exaltation and reioicing of those that were oppressed in Israel.
She annointed hir face with ointment, and bound vp hir heare in a coife, and tooke a new stole or linnen garment to beguile him.
Hir slippers rauished his eies, hir beautie captiuated and tooke his mind prisoner, with the sword or faulchin smote she off his head.
The Persians were astonished at hir boldnesse: and the Medes were troubled with hir hardinesse.
But mine afflicted reioiced, and my feeble ones that appeared drie of thirst, showted for ioie: then [the Persians and Medes] feared, they lift vp their voice and howled, and turned backe.
The children of maides, or the sonnes of the daughters haue pierced them through, and wounded them as they fled awaie like fugitiue children: they perished in the battell for the verie feare of the Lord my God.
I will sing vnto the Lord a song of thankesgiuing: a new song of praise will I sing vnto my God.
O Lord, Lord, thou art a great and glorious GOD, maruellous mightie and inuincible in power, whom no man may ouercome.
Let all thy creatures serue thee. For thou spakest but the word, and they were made: thou sentest thy spirit, and they were created: and there is none that can resist or withstand thy voice.
For the mountaines mooue, and leape vp from their foundations with the waters: the stonie rocks melt [Page 46] at thy presence like waxe: yet thou art mercifull to them that feare thee.
For all sacrifices are too little for a sweet sauour, and all the fat is too little for thy burnt offering. But they that feare thee, O Lord, shall be great with thee in all things at all times.
Wo to the people and nations that rise vp against my generation and kindred. For the almightie Lord will take vengeance himselfe of them, and in the daie of iudgement will hee visit them, in sending fire and woormes in their flesh, and they shall burne, and feele them, and weepe for euermore: So be it.
The praier of Queene Hester, which she made for the deliuerance of hir selfe, and hir people, out of the bloudie hands of Haman, that conspired their death.
O My Lord, thou onlie art our King: helpe me desolate woman, which haue no helper but thee. For my danger, miserie, and destruction is hard at hand. From my youth vp I haue heard in the kindred of my father, that thou, O Lord, tookest Israel from among all people, and our fathers from their predecessors and foreelders, that they shuld be thy perpetuall inheritance. And looke what thou didst promise them, thou hast performed, and made it good vnto them.
Now Lord, we haue sinned before thee, therefore hast thou giuen vs into the hands of our enimies: bicause we worshipped their gods. O Lord thou art righteous: neuerthelesse, it satisfieth them not that we are in bitter and heauie captiuitie, and oppressed among them. But they haue stroken hands with their idols, that they will abolish and take awaie the thing, that thou with thy mouth hast ordeined and appointed, and destroie thine inheritance, to shut, and to stop [Page 47] vp the mouthes of them that praise thee, and to quench the glorie of thy temple, and worship of thine house and altar: and to open the mouthes of the heathen, that they may praise the power and vertue of the gods or idols, and to magnifie a fleshlie king for euer.
O Lord, giue not thy scepter vnto them that be nothing, least they laugh vs to scorne in our miserie and fall: but turne their deuise vpon themselues, and punish him [this wicked Haman I meane,] and make him an example, that hath begun the same against vs. Think vpon vs, O Lord, & shew thy selfe vnto vs in the time of our distresse & trouble: and strengthen mee, O thou King of gods, and Lord of all power. Giue me an eloquent and pleasant speech in my mouth before the lion, [king Ashuerus my husband.] Turne his hart to hate our enimies, and to destroie him, [that Hamam I meane,] and all such as consent vnto him: but deliuer vs with thy hand, and helpe me thine handmaid that am solitarie, and haue no defence, nor helper, but onlie thee, O Lord.
Thou knowest all things, O Lord: thou wotest that I hate the glorie and worship of the vnrighteous, and that I abhor the bed of the vncircumcised, and of all the heathen. Thou knowest my necessitie, that I hate this token of my preeminence, worship, and dignitie, which I beare vpon mine head, what time as I must shew my selfe, and be seene, and that I abhor it as an vncleane or menstruous cloth and that I weare it not when I am quiet and alone by my selfe. Thou knowest also, that I thine handmaid haue not eaten at Hamans table, and that I haue had no pleasure nor delight in the kings feast, nor drunke the wine of the drinke offerings. And that I thine handmaid haue no ioie, since the daie that I was brought hither, vntill this daie, but in thee, O Lord GOD of Abraham. O thou mightie God aboue all, heare (therfore) the voice [Page 48] of them that haue none other hope, and deliuer vs out of the hand of the wicked: and deliuer me out of my feare: So be it.
Susanna hir praier, which she made, at what time she was condemned by false witnesses, to die for adulterie.
O Euerlasting God, thou searcher of secrets, that knowest all things before they come to passe. Thou knowest that they haue borne false witnesse against me: and behold I must die, whereas I neuer did anie such thing, as these men haue maliciouslie inuented against me.
A praier of the Church made in hir affliction and captiuitie.
VNto thee lift I vp mine eies: O thou that dwellest in the heauens.
Behold, euen as the eies of seruants looke vnto the hand of their maisters: and as the eies of a maiden vnto the hand of hir maistresse: euen so our eies waite vpon the Lord our God, vntill hee haue mercie vpon vs.
Haue mercie vpon vs, O Lord, haue mercie vpon vs: for we are vtterlie despised.
Our soule is filled with the scornefull reproofe of the wealthie: and with the despitefulnesse of the proud.
The song of the blessed virgine Marie, the mother of our Sauiour Christ, which she made at the time that she felt hir selfe conceiued of our Sauiour Iesus in hir wombe.
MY soule magnifieth the Lord: and my spirit reioiceth in God my Sauiour.
For he hath looked on the poore degree and lowlinesse of his handmaiden and seruant: [Page 49] for behold from hencefoorth, now shall all generations call me blessed.
Bicause he that is mightie hath done for me great things: and holie is his name.
And his mercie is on them that feare him, from generation to generation.
He hath shewed strength with his arme: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their harts.
He hath put downe the mightie from their seates, and exalted them of lowe degree.
He hath filled the hungrie with good things: and sent awaie the rich emptie.
He hath vpholden and helped his seruant Israel, being mindfull of his mercie.
Euen as he spake to our fathers Abraham, and to his seede for euer.
The woman of Canaans praier vnto Christ for hir sicke daughter.
HAue mercie on mee, O Lord, thou sonne of Dauid: My daughter is grieuouslie vexed with a diuell: Lord, helpe me, and vouchsafe I beseech thee, that the whelpes may eate of the childrens crums, which fall from their maisters table.
The praier (but all too late) of the fiue foolish virgins.
To God onlie be all glorie,
AMEN.
THE SECOND LAMPE OF VIRGINITIE: Conteining diuers godlie Meditations, and Christian Praiers made by sundrie vertuous Queenes, and other deuout and godlie women in our time: and first, A Godlie MEDITATION of the inward loue of the soule towards Christ our LORD: composed first in French by the vertuous Ladie Margaret Queene of NAVARRE: aptlie, exactlie, and fruitfullie translated by our most gratious Souereigne Ladie Queene ELIZABETH, in the tender and maidenlie yeeres of hir youth and virginitie, to the great benefit of Gods Church, and comfort of the godlie.
¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Denham, dwelling in Pater noster Rowe, at the signe of the Starre.
1582 Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis.
Certaine godlie Sentences out of the 13. Psalme, written by the Queenes Maiestie, in Latine, French, and Italian.
Latine.
Stultus dixit in corde suo: Non est Deus. Illi corrupti sunt, & abhominabiles in sua impietate, nullus est qui aliquid boni facit.
French.
Le fol dit en son coeur: Il n'y a point de Dieu. Ils sont corrompus & abhominables en leur impieté, iln'y a nul qui face aucun bien.
Italian.
Lo stolto disse ne'l suo cuore: Egli non vi è Dio. Essi son corrotti & abomineuoli ne la lor' impietà, non vi è nessuno che faccia alcun bene.
A godlie meditation of the inward loue of the Christian soule towards Christ our Lord.
The first Chapter, Of the soules slauerie by sinne: and redemption by Christ his passion.
WHere is the hell, full of trauel, paine, mischiefe, and torment? Where is the pit of cursednesse, out of which doth spring all desperation? Is there any hel so profound, that is sufficient to punish ye tenth part of my sinnes, which in number are so manie, that the infinit swarme of them so shadoweth my darkened senses, that I can not account them, neither yet well see them? And I so farre am entred among them, that I haue no power to obteine the true knowledge of the deepe dangers of them. I perfectlie feele also, that the roote of sinne is so graffed in me, that in my selfe I find none other effect, but all is, either branch, leafe, or fruit that it bringeth foorth in me.
And if I looke for better, a branch therof shadoweth mine eies: and in my mouth doth fall, when I would speake, the bitter fruit of cursed sinne. If my spirit be stirred to harken, then the noise of hir leaues stoppeth mine eares, and filleth my nostrils with the smell of [Page 2] hir flowers. Behold now therefore how in paines my soule, a slaue, and prisoner without light, or comfort, lieth crieng and weeping, hauing hir feete bound with the chaine of concupiscence, and hir armes fast tied thorough euill vse. Who then hath power to helpe or remedie it? Not I: neither haue I power to crie for succour. And as I can perceiue, there is no helpe of hope for me, but by the speciall grace of God, which of my selfe I can not deserue, but by Christ his onelie sonne, whose brightnesse giueth light to my darknesse: whose power examining my fault, breaketh the vaile of ignorance, and giueth mee cleare vnderstanding what thing abideth in mee, where I am, and wherefore I labour.
He it is, whom I haue offended: he it is, to whom I did obeie so seldome: wherefore it is conuenient that my pride be suppressed. With weeping hart and sorowfull sighs, I humblie therefore confesse that I am much lesse than nothing. Before my birth, mire; after a dunghill, hauing a bodie prompt to all euill, not willing other studie: subiect to care, sorowe and paine, short of life, the end vncertaine, and vnder sin by Adam sold, and by the lawe condemned. For of my selfe, I neuer had yet the power to obserue one onelie commandement of God, the force of sinne was such in me, and therefore is my sinne no whit the lesse to be hidden: and the more I cloaked and dissembled my sinne outwardlie, the more it increased within my hart. For what God would, that could I not will: and what hee would not, I oft times desired to performe: which thing doth constraine mee by importable sorowe, in this wearie and raging life, to wish the end of this miserable bodie, through a desired death.
Who shall he then be, that shall deliuer, or recouer anie good for me? Alas, it can be no mortall man. For his power and strength is not such as can deliuer me. [Page 3] Who then? The onlie grace of the almightie GOD, who neuer is slacke to helpe the penitent with his mercie. Oh what a maister is that, which without deseruing will shew his mercie on sinners! I serued him slothfullie, and without ceasing offended him euerie daie: yet is he not slacke in helping me.
He doth see the euill that I haue, what and how much it is, and that I of my selfe can doo nothing that is good: but with hart & bodie so inclined I am to the contrarie, that I feele no strength in me, vnlesse it be to doo euill. Yet doth he not tarie till I humblie praie him, or that seeing my hell and damnation, I doo crie vpon him: but his spirit whurling in my hart, greater than I can declare, asketh for mee a gift, whereof the vertue is vnknowne to my little power.
And this the same vnknowne gift or whurling in my hart, doth bring mee a new desire, shewing the good that I haue lost by my sinne, and giuen me againe thorough his grace and bountie, that which hath ouercome all sinne.
O my Lord, what grace and goodnesse is this, which doth put out so manie sinnes? Now may I see that thou art full of all godlie loue, to make me of a sinner, thy seruant and child. Alas, my God, I did not seeke thee, but fled and ran awaie from thee: and here beneath, thou camest downe to mee, which am nothing but a woorme of the earth all naked. What doo I saie? A woorme? Naie, woorse than a woorme, full of pride, deceit, malice, and treason. The promise which my friends made when I was baptised, is such, that I alwaies, thorough faith in thy passion, should feele the mortification of my flesh, and dwell alwaies with thee in the crosse, where thou wast fast nailed as I beleeue, and yeelded death dead, as I also should yeeld all sinne.
This haue I oftentimes vntied, taken downe, and set at large; I haue broken, denied, and falsified my [Page 4] promise, and through pride I haue lifted vp my will in such maner, that through sloth, my dutie towards thee was forgotten, and that much more is, as well the profit, or value, which I had of thee in the daie of my baptisme, as also thy sauing loue and promises folowing, I haue all alike neglected? What shall I saie more? Albeit that oftentimes thou perceiuing mee wretched, and vnhappie, hast giuen me so manie warnings in faith and sacraments, admonishing mee by preachings, and comforted mee by the receiuing of thy blessed bodie and sacred bloud, promising by the same to put me in the number of them that now are adorned with perfect innocencie: yet haue I all these high benefits throwne into forgetfulnesse.
Oftentimes, O Lord, haue I with thee broken couenant, & partlie for that my poore soule was too much fed with the euill bread or damnable doctrine of hypocrites, I despised such succour and ghostlie physicke in Gods word, as would haue helped mee, if I had beene willing to looke for it: yet knew I at that time no teacher conuenient. For there is neither man, Saint, nor Angel, that can without thy spirit change the hart of a sinner. Alas, good Iesus, thou beholding my blindnesse, and that at my neede I could haue no succour of men, didst open the waie of my saluation. O how great is thy goodnesse, and how inestimable the sweetenesse which thou hast shewed therein! Is there anie father so naturall to the daughter, or brother to the sister, which would euer haue done as thou hast done? For thou camest downe into hel to succour my soule, where against thy will shee was, intending to haue perished, bicause she did not loue thee.
Alas, sweet Lord, thou hast loued hir, yea euen to the verie outshedding of thy most pretious bloud. O charitie feruent and incomparable! Nothing slacke art thou in loue, that so louedst euerie sinner, yea and also [Page 5] thine enimies, not onelie in forgiuing their offences, but also in giuing thy selfe for their saluation, libertie, and deliuerance to the death, crosse, trauell, paine, and sufferance. When I cast in mind what should be the occasion of thy loue towards mee, I can see nothing else but a loue woonderfull, which moueth thee to giue me that, which I can not deserue. Then as far foorth as I can see, I ought to giue no thanks for my saluation, but onlie to thee my Lord Iesu, to whom I owe the praise thereof, as to him which is my Sauior and Creator.
The second Chapter, Of the soules affinitie with Christ.
WHat a thing is it, O God, that thou hast done so much for me? Thou art not onelie contented to haue forgiuen me my sinnes, but also hast giuen vnto mee the right fortunate gift of grace.
For it should suffice mee, I comming out of such a danger, to be like a stranger vsed. But thou doest handle my soule, if I durst so say it, as a mother, daughter, sister, and wife: notwithstanding, my Lord, I am the trespasser, which am not woorthie to come neere the doore of thy right high place, to aske bread, where thy dwelling is. Oh what grace is this, that so suddenlie thou vouchsafest to drawe my soule into such highnes, that she feeleth hir selfe ruler of my bodie! She poore, ignorant, and lame, doth find hir selfe with thee rich, wise, and strong, bicause thou hast written in hir hart, the roote of thy spirit and holie word, giuing hir true faith to receiue it, which thing made hir to conceiue thy sonne, in beleeuing him to be man, God, Sauiour, and also the true forgiuer of sinnes. Therefore doest thou assure hir, that shee is mother to thy Sonne, of whome thou art the onlie father.
[Page 6] And furthermore, O my father, here is a great loue of thy well dooing, that thy holie sonne hath taken on him the bodie of a man, & hath mingled himselfe with our ashes, which thing we may not vnderstand, without a most true faith. It hath pleased thee to put him so neere vs, that he did ioine himselfe to our flesh, and I seeing him to be called man, am bold to call him brother. Now sith my soule may saie of hir selfe, that shee is the sister of God, ought she not to haue hir selfe assured in him? Yes trulie. For thou doest declare with great loue, that hir creation was onlie of thy good wil, which it pleaseth thee alwaies to haue towards hir, giuing assurance, that before hir first daie, or time of being prouided for hir, thou thorough loue hast made hir, as thou of power alone canst well doo it, and also didst put hir within this bodie, not for to slacke with sloth, but that both of them should haue none other exercise, but only to thinke how to doo some seruice vnto thee.
Then this truth maketh hir to feele that there is in thee true paternitie. O what honor, what sweetnesse, and what glorie hath the soule, which doeth alwaies remember that she is thy daughter, and that in calling thee father, shee doth thy commandement! What is there more? Is that all? No, it doth please thee to giue hir another name, to call hir thy wife, and that she againe doo call thee husband, declaring therby how thou hast freelie manifested the mariage of hir. By baptisme hast thou made a promise, to giue hir thy goods and riches, and to take on thee hir sinnes: for she hath nothing by heritage but sinne of hir first father Adam. All hir treasures that she hath of nature, are nothing else but sinnes, which thou hast tied vpon the Crosse, and paid all hir debts with thy goodes & lands.
Thou hast made hir so rich, and with so great a iointure endued hir, that she knowing hir selfe to be thy [Page 7] wedded wife, doth beleeue to be quit of all that she oweth, esteeming verie little that shee hath heere beneath. She forsaketh hir old father, and all the goods that he giueth hir, for hir husbands sake. For surelie, O my GOD, it hurteth my soule to be fed with such good: and againe releeued in leauing the pleasures of this world, for that which is eternal, and where peace is without warre. Father, alas, what ought I to thinke? Shall my spirit be so bold as to take vpon him to call thee father? yea, and also our father, for so hast thou taught in the Pater noster. But to call me daughter, hast thou so said? I praie thee tell me. Alas, yea Lord, when with great sweetnes thou saiedst: Daughter, lend me thy hart: and againe, thou saiedst, Daughter thy faith hath saued thee.
O my soule, instead of lending, my Lord is readie to giue himselfe wholie vnto thee: receiue him then, and do not permit that anie creature put him from thee, so that for euer with faithfull stedfastnesse he may loue thee, with a daughterlie loue. Now my Lord, if thou be my father, may I thinke that I may be thy mother? Indeede I can not well perceiue, how I should conceiue thee that createdst me: but in this matter, thou diddest satisfie my doubt, when in preaching and in stretching forth thy hands, thou didst saie, Those that shall do the will of my father, they are my brethren, my sister, and my mother. I beleue then, that hearing, and reading the words that thou hast taught, and vttered by thy holie Prophets and Apostles: the same also which through thy true Preachers thou dost dailie declare vnto men, in beleeuing it, and stedfastlie desiring to fulfill the same, I conceiue thee, and beare thee by loue.
Therfore without anie feare I wil take vpon me the name of a mother. What? Mother of Christ? O sweet virgine Marie, I beseech thee be not angrie that I [Page 8] take vp such a title: I do neither steale, nor vsurpe anie thing vpon thy priuiledge, for thou onelie aboue all women, receiuedst of him so great honour, that no man can in himselfe comprehend, how he hath beene willing to take in thee our flesh: for thou art the mother and perfect virgine, before, and after, and in his holie birth. In thy blessed wombe thou didst beare him and nourish him, thou didst followe him in his tribulations, and also in his teachings. Now brieflie to conclude, thou hast with God found such grace, as the enimie through malice and deceit had caused Adam and his posteritie to lose: by Eue, and him we haue lost it, and by the Sonne hath it been yeelded vnto vs againe.
Therefore hast thou bene rightfullie called full of grace, as one to whome the Lord hath shewed aboundant fauour. Sith then that he, which is the best among them that be good, and also the spring of all goodnesse and power, hath created in thee so pure innocencie, endued thee with such grace, & exalted thee to such dignitie, that he in thee, of all other the example of vertue, hath builded his dwelling and temple: he through loue did confirme himselfe with thee, and thou through grace art confirmed in him, therefore no man can giue thee greater praise, then God himselfe hath giuen thee, for there is no such praise, as is the same, which commeth from God. Thou also hast had so firme and constant a faith, that thou by the holie Ghost wast filled with all godlinesse. I will not take vpon me therefore to giue to thee greater praise, than the honour which thy sonne and soueraigne Lord hath giuen thee. And as thou art his corporall mother, so art thou thorough faith his spirituall mother: and I following thy faith with all humblenesse, am his spirituall mother also.
Alas, my God, the brotherlinesse that thou hast towards me, thorough thy humblenesse, in calling me sister, [Page 9] is great, for thou hast broken the kindred of mine old father, calling me daughter by adoption. Seeing then that we haue both one father, I will not feare to call thee my brother. For thou hast so reported it by the wise Salomon in his Canticle, saieng: My sister and spouse, thou hast wounded my hart with the sweete looke of one of thine eies, &c. Alas my brother, I wish for nothing else, but that in wounding thee, I might finde my selfe wounded with thy loue, to that would I giue ouer my selfe. And likewise, thou doest call mee wife, speaking to me these amorous words: Arise my deere doue, and come hitherward my delectable spouse. Wherefore I may saie with louing faith, Thou art mine, and I am thine, bicause thou hast called me thy loue and faire spouse. If I be so, such hast thou made me. Alas, doth it please thee to giue me such names? Trulie they are able to breake the hart, and cause it to burne through loue vnspeakeable, when it thinketh vpon the honour that thou doest vnto the soule, which is much greater than it hath deserued. A mother, a mother? Alas, but of what child is it? My God, my sonne? O Iesus what speech is this! Mother, daughter, sister, and brother. O happie kindred! O what sweetnesse doth proceede out of that paternitie! But what daughterlie and reuerent feare ought I to haue towards him, my father, yea and my creator, my protector, and sauiour, to be my brother? Alas, heere is a great loue: I will therfore saie with Salomon, Now can my hart no longer refraine, but breake in sunder, to make roome for the same so sweete a brother, so that none other name be written in the same, but onlie the name of my brother Iesus the sonne of God. None other creature will I giue place to, for all the scurging and beating that can be done vnto me: keepe my hart then my deere brother and loue, and let not thine enimie enter into it.
The third Chapter, Of the soules infidelitie or apostasie from GOD.
O My sweete Father, my child, my brother, and spouse, with hands ioined, humblie vpon my knees I yeeld thee thanks and praises, that it pleaseth thee to turne thy face towards me, conuerting my hart, and couering me with such grace, that thou doest see no more my euils and sinnes. So well hast thou hidden them, that it seemeth thou hast put them in forgetfulnesse: yea and also they seeme to be forgotten of me, which haue done and committed them. For faith and loue so working in me, causeth me to forget them, wholie putting my trust in thee alone.
Then my Father, in whome lieth vnfeigned loue, whereof can I haue feare in my hart? I confesse that I haue done all the euill that one creature can doo, and that of my selfe I am naught. Also, I haue offended thee, as did the prodigall child, following the foolish trade of the flesh, wherewith I haue prodigallie spent the substance and aboundance of goodes, which thou heere hast giuen me to vse to thy glorie: and for the mispending of them, pouertie hath taken me, and hath withered me awaie, euen as haie, and yeelded my spirit dead for hunger, compelling me to eate the reliefe of swine: but in such meates I found verie little sauour. Then I seeing my life to be so miserable, did returne to thee my father againe, saieng: Alas deere father, I haue sinned against heauen, and before thee, I am therefore no more Worthie to be called thy child. But O bountifull and mercifull father, do thou no worsse to me, than to one of thy houshold seruants. Alas, deere father, what loue and zeale is this, that thou wouldest not tarie my comming and praier, but speedilie [Page 11] stretching foorth thy hands, receiuedst me, when I did thinke thou wouldest not looke on me: and so receiuing me, in stead to haue punished me, thou didst assure me of my saluation? Where is he then that shall punish me, when my father shall denie him my sinne? There is no Iudge that can condemne me, vnlesse God himselfe will damne me: the want of goodnesse I feare not, for I haue my God for my father: my enimie shall do me no harme, for my father will take all his strength awaie from him. If I owe any thing, he shall paie it for me: if I haue deserued death, he as a King shall pardon me, and deliuer me from prison and death.
But heere is the woorst, what maner of mother haue I beene? For, after that I by faith had receiued the name of a true mother, I became verie rude vnto thee my Sonne: because that after I had conceiued and brought thee foorth, I left reason, and being subiect to my will, not taking heed vnto thee, I fell asleepe, and gaue place to my great enimie, the which, in the night of ignorance, I being asleepe, did steale thee from me craftilie, and in thy place she did put hir child, which was dead, and so I did leese thee, which was a sorowfull remorse for me. Thus did I loose thee my sonne, by mine owne fault, because I tooke no heed to keepe thee. Sensualitie my neighbour, I beeing in my beastlie sleepe, did steale thee from me, and gaue to me hir child, which had no life in him, named sinne, whome I said I would not haue, but vtterlie did forsake him.
She affirmed, that he was mine owne, but I knew him to be hirs. For as soone as I came to the light of grace, which thou hadst giuen me, then I knewe my glorie to be changed, when I saw the dead child not to be mine. For the same which was aliue, whom she had taken awaie, was my child: so apparant was the change betweene Iesus and sinne. But now heere is a strange thing, this old woman causeth me to keepe [Page 12] this dead child, whome she reporteth to be mine, and so will she mainteine. O Salomon, thou true and wise Iudge, thou hast heard this lamentable processe, and ordeined to content the parties, that the child should be diuided in two parts. The false woman agreeth it should be so, but I remembring him to be mine owne sonne, which was aliue, was rather content to leese him, than to see his bodie parted in twaine. For true and perfect loue is neuer content with the one halfe of that it loueth: rather I had therefore to weepe for the whole, than to recouer the one halfe without life. Alas noble Salomon, giue her the child which is aliue. For better it is for me to die, than to see my sonne diuided. But my Lord, thou didst better looke to it, than I. For thou seeing the anguish that I did suffer, and how I rather did forsake my right, than to behold such cruelnesse, thou saiedst, This is the true mother, and so caused them to giue me my child againe, for whome before my hart was sorowfull.
O sweete Iesus, thus hast thou proued me, how much I loued thee: yea and when by sinne I had lost thee, yet didst thou returne vnto me. Alas, how gentlie doest thou vouchsafe to come againe to hir, which being let by sinne, could not keepe thee my sweete child, my sweete sonne, my helper, my nourisher, of whome I am an humble creature? Do not permit that euer I do leaue thee againe, for I do repent the time past.
Now come sensualitie with thy rablement of sinnes, thou hast no power to make me to receiue thy dead child. For my sonne is strong, and will defend me, he shall not permit that thou take him anie more awaie from me, his strength is greater than anie others, therefore may I sleepe and take rest neere him. For all things well considered, he shall keepe me from thine assaults. O sweete rest of the mother, and the sonne together, my sweete child, my God, onlie vnto thee be the [Page 13] honour and praise, for that euerie creature may see, how it hath pleased thee to call me (lesse than nothing) a mother: and the more it is strange and hard to be done, the more ought thy goodnesse to haue praise for it. And further, thou hast retained me for thy sister, wherefore I acknowledge my selfe more bound, than to anie other creature.
Now I am sister vnto thee, but so naughtie a sister, that better it were for me that I were without the name, than I to forget the name of adoption in so noble a kindred, and also thy good and brotherlie behauiour towards me. I with pride did rise against thee, and not remembring my faults, but going astraie from thee, did agree with Aaron my brother, being in will to giue iudgement against thy works; and folowing the example of Miriam, priuilie I grudged against thee, which thing caused me to haue remorse in my conscience. Alas right bountifull brother, and true Moses, which doest all with goodnesse and iustice, I haue esteemed thy workes to be euen sinne, being so bold to speake euen rashlie, saieng: Wherefore hast thou maried a strange woman? Thou giuest vs a law, and punishment, if we do not fulfill it, and then thou wouldest not be bound to it, forbidding vs the thing which thou thy selfe doest.
For thou forbiddest vs to kill anie man, and thou doest kill, and sparest none, of three thousand, which thou commandedst to be slaine. Further, God gaue vs in commandement by thee, that we should not marrie the daughter of a stranger, yet thou tookest thy wife from among them. Alas my deere brother Moses, with a great manie of these words, which I knowe to be foolish, with Aaron and Miriam, which is mine owne wit, I imbraided thee, wherof I repent. For the liuelie voice of God, rebukinglie tooke me vp before I went out of the place. What wouldest thou then of [Page 14] my sinne? Thou wouldest not haue me punished, but rather wouldest my saluation and health, in asking for me this great benefit, that it might please God to mitigate his iudgement, the which thing thou couldest not obtaine. Wherefore I became a Lazar, so that all that looked on mee might well saie, I had not beene wise: and for mine vncleannes and leprosie, I was put out from the tents and tabernacles, from among the people, because the sicke should not infect such as were whole. Oh what soule can haue a greater punishment, than to be banished out of the companie of them which are holie in God! But what didst thou my sweet loue and brother, seeing my repentance? Thou prouidedst that my penance was soone at an end, and with true loue madest meanes for me, wherevpon I returned to thee. O what brother would, in stead to punish his foolish sister, so naturallie cleaue vnto hir? For iniurie, grudge, and great offence by hir committed, thou giuest hir grace, and loue in recompense. Alas my brother, how exceeding is this thy loue? Much more is it than brotherhoode is bound to giue, to so poore and wretched a woman as I am. I haue done thee euill, and thou giuest me good for it. I am thine, and thou saiest, thou art mine: euen so I am, and euer will. I feare no more the great foolishnesse of Aaron and Miriam, for no man may separate me from thee; and now that we are together, as brother and sister, I care little for all other, for thy land is mine inheritance.
Let vs then keepe, if it please thee, but one houshold, sith it hath pleased thee to humble thy selfe so much, as to ioine thy hart with mine, in making thy selfe a liuelie man. I do right hartilie thanke thee, and to thanke thee as I ought, lieth not in my power. Take my meaning then I praie thee, & excuse mine ignorance, seeing I am of so great a kindred as to be thy sister. O my [Page 15] God, I haue good cause to loue, to praise, and to serue thee vnfeignedlie, and not to feare, nor desire anie thing saue thee onlie. Keepe me well then I humblie praie thee, for I will aske none other brother nor friend to helpe me. If anie father haue had anie pitie vpon his children; if anie mother haue taken anie care for hir sonne; if anie brother haue hid the sinne of his sister, it is thou.
The fourth Chapter, Of the entier affection and loue of God towards the sinfull soule of man.
I Neuer sawe, or else it was kept wondrous secret, that euer anie husband would thoroughlie forgiue his wife, after she had him once offended, and did returne vnto him.
There haue beene manie of them, which for to auenge their wrongs, haue caused the Iudges to put them to death. Other, beholding their sinnes, did not spare their owne hands to kill them. Other also, seeing their faults to appeare, did send them home again to their owne friends. And some, perceiuing their euill dispositions, haue shut them vp in prison. Now brieflie to conclude vpon their diuers complexions, the end of their pretence is punishment, and the least harme that euer I could perceiue in punishing them, is this, that they would neuer see them againe. But I do wish, that all of this mind should rather helpe to turne them, than to forsake them. And therfore my God, I can find no man comparable vnto thee: for of loue thou art the perfect example. Now therefore I confesse with lowlie hart, that I haue broken to thee mine oth & promise.
Alas, thou hadest chosen me for thy wife, and didst set me vp in great state and honour. For what greater honour may one haue, than to be in the place of thy [Page 16] wife, which sweetelie taketh hir rest so neere to thee, and not onlie in suretie of soule and bodie, but also of all thy goodes, Queene, Mistresse, and Ladie? O what great fauour is it, that I so vile a creature, am so ennoblished by thee to so honourable an husband! Now to speake it brieflie, I haue more by possessing of thee, than anie man mortall can desire. Yet, when I remember mine vnwoorthie deseruing, my hart doth sob and sigh, mine eies let fall abundance of teares, my mouth can not make too manie exclamations. For there is neither new nor ancient writings, that can shew so pitifull a case as the same is which I tell now. Shall, or dare I tell it? May I pronounce it without shame? Yea, for it is my confusion, not to shew the great loue of my husband: and for his worship to declare my fault.
O my sauiour, which wast crucified on the crosse for my sinnes, this deede of thine is not such, as a father to leaue his sonne, or as a child to offend his mother, or as a sister to chide and grudge. But alas, my fault is such, and far greater. For the more familiaritie I haue with thee, and the more benefits I receiue of thee, the greater is mine offence, when I with thee dissemble; speciallie that I should so doo, which am called thy spouse, and loued of thee as thy soule. Shall I now tell the truth? O my spouse, I haue left thee, forgotten thee, and am run awaie from thee; I did leaue thee, for to go at my vaine pleasure: I forsooke thee, and chose me another: yea I refused thee the welspring of all goodnesse, and faithfull promise. I did leaue thee. But whither went I? Into a place where nothing was but cursednesse.
I haue left thee my trustie friend and louer, worthie to be beloued aboue all others: I haue put thee aside, O welspring of all health somnes, by mine owne wretched will: yea I haue forsaken thee, full of beautie, [Page 17] goodnesse, wisedome, and power, and sought to withdrawe me from thy loue. I haue accepted thy great enimies, that is, the diuell, the world, and the flesh, against whome for my sake thou foughtedst so sore on the crosse, to set me at libertie, which was by them of long time a prisoner and slaue, and so bound, that no man could cause me to humble my selfe. And as for the loue and charitie that I should haue had towards thee, they did quench it; so that the name of Jesus my deare husband, which before I had found so sweet, was to me tedious and hatefull, so that oftentimes I did iest at it: and when I haue heard the Gospell preached or taught, the word which I haue hard, hath not tarried with me, but as a feather doth in the winde.
I went neuer yet to heare thy word preached, but for a fashion onlie, which was a worke of hypocrisie: I was also annoied, when I hard speake of thee, because I was more willing to go at my pleasure. Now brieflie to conclude, all that thou didst forbid me, I fulfilled: and all that thou commandedst me to do, I did eschue, and this was the cause why I loued not thee. But yet Lord, for all that I did thus hate thee, and forsake thee, ran awaie from thee, and betraied thee, should I giue place to anie other? Hast thou suffered, that I should be mocked, either yet beaten, or killed? Hast thou put me in darke prison, or banished me for euer, setting naught by me? Hast thou taken awaie thy gifts and pretious iewels againe from me, to punish me for my vnfaithfull fruits? Haue I lost my iointure, which thou promisedst me, through mine owne offence done against thee? Am I accused by thee, afore the eternall father, for a naughtie woman? Hast thou forbidden me thy presence, as I haue deserued, and that I should neuer appeare in thine house?
O most true husband, pure and perfect friend, the most louing among all louers! Alas, thou hast done otherwise [Page 18] for me. For thou hast diligentlie sought for me, when I was going into the most deepe place of Hell, where all euils are done. When I was farthest from thee, both in hart and mind, and directlie out of the waie, then didst thou louinglie call me backe, saieng, My deare daughter, hearken and see, and vow thine eare toward me: forget that strange nation, with whome thou hast run astraie, and also the house of thine owne father, where thou hast dwelt so long, and then shall the King of all faithfulnesse desire thy beautie. But when thou Lord sawest, that thy sweete and gratious calling did not profit me, then begannest thou to crie to me with a lowd voice, saieng: Come vnto me all you which are wearilie loden with labour, for I am he that shall plentiouslie refresh you, and feed you with the bread of life.
Alas, sweet Lord, vnto all these sweet words would I not hearken, but rather doubted whether it were thou, that so spake vnto me, or else a fabulous writing that so said. I was so foolish, that without loue I read thy word: I considered not the comparison of the Uineyard, which brought foorth thornes and briers in stead of good fruit, and that it signified me, that so had done. I knew also, that when thou didst call the barren wife, saieng, Returne Shulamite, that thou didst speake it, that I should forsake my sinnes. Yet for all these words did I, as though I had vnderstood neuer a whit. But when I had perused the Prophet Ieremie, I confesse that I had in the reading thereof, feare in my hart, and bashfulnesse in my face. I will tell it, yea with teares in mine eies, and all Lord for thine honor, & to suppresse my pride. Thou hast said by that holie Prophet: If a woman haue offended hir husband, and is so left of him, for going astraie with other: if he therevpon refuseth hir, is she not to be esteemed polluted, and of no value?
[Page 19] The lawe doth consent to put hir in the hands of iustice, or to driue hir awaie, and so neuer to take hir againe. Thou hast made a separation betweene thy bed and mine, saith he vnto me, and placed forren louers in my roome, committing with them fornication: yet for all this, thou maist returne to me againe, for I will not alwaies be angrie against thee. Lift vp therfore thine eies, and looke about thee on euerie side, and then shalt thou well see, into what place thy sinne hath lead thee, and how filthilie thou liest in the earth. O poore soule, looke where thy sinne hath put thee, euen vpon the high waies, where thou didst waite, and tarie to beguile them that came by, euen as a theefe doth, which is hidden in the wildernesse. Therefore thou, in fulfilling thy wicked pleasure, hast with fornication infected all the earth, which was about thee: thine eies, thy forehead, and thy face, haue lost all their good maner, for they were such as an harlot hath, and yet thou hadest no shame of thy sinne.
And the surplus that Ieremie saith, constreineth me to knowe my wretched life, and to wish with sorowfull sighes, the houre, the moneth, the daie, the yeare, and time that my life might haue an end, yeelding my selfe condemned, and worthie to lie for euer in the euerlasting fire. The same feare which proceedeth of thee, and not of my selfe, putteth me rather in hope, than in despaire, as often as I do remember my sinne. For as soone as thou knowest my will, bowing vnder thine obedience, then putting in me a liuelie faith, thou didst vse great clemencie, so that after I knewe thee to be that same Lord, Maister, and King, whome I ought to haue feared, then found I my feare not quenched, but mixed with loue, beleeuing that thou art so gratious, gentle, and sweete, and so pitifull an husband, that I which should rather haue hid me, than to haue shewed my selfe, was not then in feare to [Page 20] go foorth, and to looke for thee, & so seeking, I found thee.
But what didst thou then? Didst thou refuse me? No Lord, but rather hast excused me. Hast thou turned thy face from me? No, for thine eie so sweetlie penetrated my hart, that wounding it almost to the death, it did giue to me remorse of my sinnes. Thou hast not put me backe with thy hand: but with both thine armes, and with a sweet and manlie hart, thou didst meete with me by the waie, and not once reprouing my faults, embracedst me. I could not see in beholding thy countenance, that euer thou didst once perceiue mine offences: wherefore thou hast done so much for me, as though I had neuer broken promise with thee. For thou didst hide my fault from euerie bodie, in giuing me againe the part of thy bed, and also in shewing, that the multitude of my sinnes are so hidden and ouercome by thy great victorie, that thou wilt neuer remember them more: so that now thou seest nothing in me, but the graces, gifts, and vertues, which it hath pleased thy free goodnesse to giue me.
O charitie most pretious! I do see well, that thy goodnesse doth consume my lewdnesse, and maketh me a new, godlie, and ioifull creature. The euill that was mine, thou hast destroied, and made me so perfect a creature, that all the good a husband can do to his wife, thou hast done it to me, in giuing me a faithfull hope in thy promises. Now haue I through thy good grace, recouered the place of thy wife. O happie, and desired place! O gratious bed! O thou right honourable seate of peace, rest from all warre, high sleepe of honour, separate from the earth! Doest thou receiue this vnworthie creature, giuing hir the scepter and crowne of thine Empire and glorious Realme? Who did euer heare of such a storie, as to raise vp one so high, which of hir selfe was nothing; and maketh of great valure, which of it selfe was naught?
The fift Chapter, Of the vnion of death and life in the faithfull soule by Christ.
ALas, what is this? For casting mine eies on high, I see thy goodnes, thine vnknowne grace, and thy loue so incomprehensible, that my sight is woonderfull in beholding thee: but looking downeward, I might see what I am, and what I was willing to be. Alas, I do see in it the lewdenesse, darkenesse, and extreme deepenes of mine euils. My death, which by humblenes closeth mine eie: the admirable goodnesse of thee, and the vnspeakable euill, which is in me: thy right highnes, & pure maiestie, my right fragill and mortall nature: thy gifts, goods & beatitude, my malice & great vnkindnes.
O how good art thou vnto me! and how vnking haue I bene vnto thee? this that thou wilt, and this that I pursue? Which things considered, causeth me to maruell, how it pleaseth thee to ioine thy selfe to me, seeing there is no comparison betweene vs both. Thou art my God, and I am thy worke: thou my creator, and I thy creature. Now to speake brieflie, though I cannot define, what it is to be of thee; yet know I my selfe to be the least thing that may be compared vnto thee. O most happie loue! Thou madest this agreement, when thou didst ioine life & death together, but ye vnion hath made aliue death; life dieng, and life without end, haue made our death a life. Death hath giuen vnto life a quickning, yt through death I being dead, may receiue life; and by death, I am rauished with him which is aliue. I liue in him, otherwise of my self I am dead. And as concerning bodelie death, to me it is nothing, but a comming out of prison: death is to me life, for through death, I am aliue. And as this mortall life filleth me full of care and sorowe, so death yeeldeth me content.
[Page 22] O what a godlie thing is it to die, that the soule may liue! For in deliuering hir from this mortall death, she is deliuered from the death miserable, and matched with hir most mightie louer. Is not then the soule blamelesse, which faine would by to haue life? Yes trulie, and ought to call death hir welbeloued friend. O sweet death, pleasant sorowe, mightie king, deliuering from all wickednes! O Lord, those which trust in thee, and in thy death, are mortified by the hope they haue in thy passion.
Thus with a sweet sleepe dost thou put them out of that death, which causeth manie to lament. O how happie is the same sleepe vnto him, which when he awaketh, doth find through thy death, life euerlasting! For death is none other thing to a Christian man, but a libertie or deliuerance from his mortall band: and the death which is fearefull to the wicked, is pleasant and acceptable to them that are good, bicause that death through death is destroied.
Therefore my God, if I were rightlie taught, I should call death life, the end of labour, and beginning of euerlasting ioie. For I knowe that long life doth let me from the sight of thee. O death come and doe thine office on me, that I may see my spouse: or else sweet loue, transforme me in thee, and then shall I the better tarie the comming of death! O sweet Lord, let me die, that I may liue with thee! For there is none other that can deliuer me, but thou onelie. O my Sauiour, through faith I am planted and ioined with thee. O what vnion is this, sith that through faith I am assured to thee, and may call thee father, brother, sonne, and husband!
O my father! what paternitie? O my brother! what fraternitie? O my child! what delectation? O my spouse! what coniunction is this? A father full of humilitie, a brother hauing our similitude, a sonne engendred [Page 23] through faith and loue, a husband louing and releeuing in all extremitie. But whom dost thou loue? Alas, it is she whom thou hast withdrawne from the snare, wherin through malice she was bound, and hast put hir in place, name, and office of a daughter, sister, mother, and wife. O my Sauiour, it is a great sauour of sweetnesse, right pleasant, and delectable; when a soule after the hearing of thy word, shall cal thee without feare, his father, his brother, child and spouse: such a soule doubtlesse may continuallie burne in loue.
Is there anie loue, vnlesse it be this maner of loue, but it hath some euill condition? Is there anie pleasure to be hereto compared? Is there anie honour to this, but may be accounted shame? Yea, is there anie profit equall to this? Moreouer to conclude, is there any thing, that I could more earnestlie loue? Alas no. For he that vnfeinedlie loueth God, reputeth all these things wordlie, of lesse valure than the dunghill. Pleasure, profit, and honour of this world, are all but vanitie and trifles vnto him which hath found God. Such loue is so profitable, honourable, & abundant in grace, that I dare saie, she onlie sufficeth the hart of a godlie soule, and yeeldeth hir so constant, that she neuer desireth, or would haue other. For whosoeuer hath God, as he ought to be had, accounteth all other things superfluous or vaine.
Now thanked be my Lord, and my father; through faith I haue gotten the same loue: wherfore I ought to be satisfied and content. Now haue I thee my father, for defence of my want on foolishnes, and my long youth. Now haue I thee my brother, for to succour my sorowes, wherein I find no end. Now haue I thee my sonne, for my feeble age, as an onlie staie. Now haue I thee a true and faithfull husband, for the satisfieng of my whole hart. And now, sith I haue thee, I will, and doo forsake all them that are in the world, holding thee [Page 24] fast, that thou maiest no more escape me. Seeing now that I haue possessed thee, I will look vpon none other thing, that might keepe me backe, from the beholding of thy diuinitie. Seeing that I doo heare thee, I will heare nothing that letteth me from the fruition of thy voice. Seeing that I may freelie talke with thee, I will common with none other. Seeing it pleaseth thee to put me so neere thee, I will rather die, than to touch anie other: and seeing I serue thee, I will serue none other. Seeing that thou hast ioined thy hart with mine, if it depart from thee, let it be punished for euer. For the departing from thy loue is harder than any damnation. I doo not feare the paine of ten thousand hels, as I doo feare the once loosing of thee.
Alas my God, my Father, and Creator, doo not thou suffer that the enimie, inuenter of all sinne, haue anie power to make mee to loose thy presence. For whosoeuer shall feele the losse of thy loue, shall saie, he would rather be bound for euer in hell, than to feele the paine thereof one moment of time. O my Sauiour, doo thou not permit, that euer I depart from thee againe; but that it may please thee, to put me in such a place, that my soule, through wantonnesse of sinne, be neuer separated from thy loue.
The sixt Chapter, Of the longing of the soule, by death to feede with Christ.
IN this world I can not perfectlie haue this my desire; which thing maketh mee feruentlie to desire the departing from this bodie of sinne, not fearing death, nor anie of hir instruments. For what feare ought I to haue of my God, which through loue offered himselfe, and suffered death, not of debt, or dutie; [Page 25] but onlie bicause he would, for my sake, vnder the power of mortall death? Now is Iesus dead, in whom we are all dead, and through his death we all shall liue: I meane those, which through faith are partakers of his passion. For euen as the death, before the great mysterie of the crosse, was hard to euerie man, & there was no man but was feared therewith, considering the copulation of the bodie, and the soule, their order, loue, and agreement; so were their sorowes extreme, in departing of the one from the other.
But since it hath pleased the sweet Lambe to offer himselfe vpon the crosse, his great loue hath kindled a fire within the hart, so vehement, that euerie true beleeuer esteemeth the passage of death but a plaie, or pastime, and so prouoketh other constantlie to die. And euen as the feare of death doth retrograde vs: so ought loue to giue vs a desire to die. For if true loue be vnfainedlie within the hart of man, he can feele none other thing; bicause loue is so strong of it selfe, that she keepeth all the room, and putteth out all other desires, suffering nothing there but God onlie. For wheresoeuer true and perfect loue is, there is remembred neither feare, nor sorowe: yet our owne pride to attaine honour, causeth vs to seeke death by manie strange waies. As if a man, to haue his foolish pleasure, putteth himselfe in ieopardie of life: if a merchant, to obtaine riches, doth danger himselfe somtime for a small value: if the theefe, conceiuing of roberie, or murther, crueltie, or deceit, doth so blind a man, that he doubteth nothing the danger of death, neither yet misfortune, when he seeketh to aduenge himselfe, or doth any other euill: if the furie of sicknesse, or the rankenesse of melancholie, causeth a man fiercelie to wish for death, or oftentimes to drowne, hang, or kill themselues. Such euils are sometimes so great, that they cause their pained patient to choose death for libertie. If it [Page 26] so be then, that these paines full of euils and imperfections, cause them not to feare the hazard of death, but rather to thinke that death tarieth too long: alas, what ought true & laudable loue to doo? What ought the loue of the eternall creature to wish? Should she stir a hart in such wise, that she being maistered with such affections, should feele none other thing in hir? Alas yea. For death is a pleasant thing to the soule, which is in loue with God, and esteemeth the passage easie, thorough the which she commeth out of prison. For the hard waie, where through she commeth, can be no let for hir to embrace hir husband. O my Sauiour, how good and pleasant is the same death, through whom I shall haue the end of all sorowes: & by whom I shall enioie thy sight without impediment, and be transformed into the likenesse of thy maiestie!
O death, through thy force I trust to haue such honour, as vpon my knees with crieng and weeping I dailie doo desire. Therefore come quicklie, and make an end of my sorowes. O happie daughters, right holie soules, ioined to the citie Ierusalem, open your eies, and with pitie looke vpon my desolation! I beseech you, that for me, and in my name, ye doo shew vnto my deere and best beloued, my God, my friend, & my King, how that euerie houre of the daie I doo languish for his presence. O sweet death, come vnto me, and louinglie bring me vnto my Lord God. O death, where is now thy sting and dart? Alas, are they banished from mine eies? Is not rigour changed into sweetnesse, seeing that for my sake, my friend did suffer vpon the crosse, whose death doth so encourage me, that death I wish to followe him?
The seuenth Chapter, Of the trust the soule hath in the merits of hir Redeemer, against the dread of hell and desperation.
SIth then that death is so pleasant to me, that it pleaseth me more than it feareth me; then ought I to feare nothing, but onlie the right iudgement of GOD. My sinnes with his iust ballance shall be weied, and all that I haue done, openlie shall be shewed: my thoughts and words shall be better knowne, than they were written in a roll. Wherefore I may not thinke, that charitie would offend iustice and truth. For certaine it is, whosoeuer liueth vnfaithfullie, shall be punished in euerlasting paine. For God is iust, and his iudgement righteous, and all that he doth is perfect in all things. What am I then, considering mine owne righteousnesse? A wretch and poore creature.
I knowe that all the works of iust men, are so full of imperfection, that afore God, they are more filthie than mire, or other vilenesse. What will it be then, concerning the sins which I haue committed, whereof I feele the burden importable? I can nothing else saie, but that I haue woon by them damnation. Is this the end? Shall despaire then be the comfort of my great ignorance? Alas my God, no? For the inuisible faith causeth me to beleeue, that all things, which are impossible to man, are possible vnto thee; so that thou doo conuert my worke, which is nothing, into some good worke of thine in me, which is speciallie faith. Then my Lord, who shall condemne me? Or what Iudge will damne me? Sith that thou, which art my Iudge, art also my father, my spouse, and my refuge. Alas, what father? Such as doth neuer condemne his child: but alwaies doth excuse and defend [Page 28] him.
Then I perceiue to haue none other excuser, but Iesus Christ, which is my spouse, and my redeemer, whose death hath restored me my lost inheritance. For he made himselfe my man of lawe, shewing his so worthie merits afore his father, wherewith my great debt is so aboundantlie recompensed, that in iudgement it is nothing. O redeemer, here is a great loue: I find but few such men of lawe. O sweete Iesus, it is to thee that I am a debtor, yet doest thou both praie and speake for me. And moreouer, when thou doest see that I am poore, with the aboundance of thy goods thou doest paie my debts. O incomprehensible sea of all goodnesse! O my deare father, doest thou vouchsafe to be my Iudge, not willing the death of a sinner? O Iesus Christ crucifier and sauiour of the soule, friend aboue all friends: thou being my man of law, didst excuse and speake for me, where thou couldst iustlie haue accused mee.
I feare no more therefore the crueltie of mine enimie, for the lawe by thee is satisfied for all: the paiment is so made by my sweete spouse, that the lawe can aske nothing of me, but it is paid by him. For as I beleeue, that he hath taken all my sinnes vpon him, and hath giuen me in place of them his owne goodes in aboundance: so, O my Sauiour, thou presenting thy vertues, doest content the lawe. And when she will reproch me of my sinnes, thou doest shew hir how willinglie, in thine owne flesh, thou hast taken the discharge of them, through the coniunction of our mariage. Also vpon the Crosse, through thy passion, thou hast made satisfaction for it. Morouer, thine onlie charitie hath giuen me this, that thou hast for me deserued. Therefore, seeing thy merite to be mine, the lawe can aske nothing of me. Now then will I feare no more the iudgement, but with desire, more than with [Page 29] perforce, I will tarrie the time that I shall see my Iudge, and heare a iust iudgement of him.
I knowe that thy iudgement is iust, and that there is no fault therein, though mine infidelitie is woorthie to suffer the cruelnesse of hell. For if I do onlie consider my deseruing, yet I can see nothing in it that can keepe me from the fire of hell. For true it is, that the torment of hell was prepared for the Diuell and his children. So if anie man haue set his minde, to be like to the Diuell, by sensuall appetite, then ought he, as the Diuell, to be paid with a like reward. But if a man through contemplation of the soule, do hold of thee, his Angell of counsell, vertue, and perfection, he is sure to obtaine heauen, which is a place of thy deseruing for him: then shall the wicked be punished, with the same punishment, which they ought to haue, to whom they haue ioined themselues. For sith they folowed Satan, they must enioie such place as is for him, and his Angels prepared.
Now I, considering the diuersitie of both the sorts, am little comforted in spirit by this. For I cannot denie, but that I am more like the Diuell, than the Angell of light: wherefore I feare and tremble. For as the Angell is pure and perfect, so am I vnpure and vnperfect, and am nothing like vnto him. But thus I confesse, that to the other I am so like in my dooings, and so accustomed in his waies, that of his paine and torment I ought to be partaker. For the cruell sinne which hath bound me in hell, is so great, and his force so strong, that it letteth nothing to come from it, neither feareth it the contrarie assault. But he, whose force lieth in this kind of strength, knoweth not how his strength goeth awaie, when a stronger than he commeth in place.
I could neuer yet see, that anie man by merite, or paines taking, could euer yet vanquish that hell, saue [Page 30] onlie he, which did the great assault through his vnspeakable charitie, when he humbled himselfe to the crosse, whereby he hath vanquished and ouercome his enimie, and robbed hell of his power: so that now, it hath no more force and strength to keepe that soule, which putteth hir trust in God. Then beleeuing in the great strength that my sauiour hath, I do not set by hell and sinne. For sinne can haue no hold of me, vnles it be to shew how my God is mercifull, strong, mightie, and a puissant vanquisher of all the euils within my hart. If by sinnes forgiuenesse, is the glorie of my most louing sauiour: then ought I also to beleeue, that my glorie is increased by his loue, and that I am planted and graffed in him.
His honour onlie doth honour all his, and his riches doo replenish euerie one with his goods. Then death, hell, and sinne are ouercome by him. O gluttonous hell! where is thy defence? Thou cruell villaine sinne, where is thy tyrannous power? O Death! where is thy sting, and victorie, which are so much spoken of? Instead of death, thou death giuest me life, and so doest thou contrarie to thy will. Also, thou sinne couetest to drawe each creature to damnation. Thou giuest me a ladder, to reach thereby that godlie Citie Ierusalem: yet wouldst thou of thy cursed nature, that mine eternall maker should loose his creature: but through his loue and grace, the sorie remembrance of thine vncomlinesse, doth cause hir by repentance againe to come, and submit hir selfe vnto God, whose inestimable goodnesse causeth thee to loose thy whole labour, which thou takest in hand. For the number that thou pretendest to haue, thou shalt not haue, because that the comfortable shadowe of Christ his passion, is such a mightie protection to the soule, that he needeth neither to doubt death, sinne, nor hell. Is there anie thing then, that can pull me backe, if God be willing, through the [Page 31] gift of faith to drawe me to him? I meane such a faith, as we must needes haue, to obtaine the high graces from aboue: and also such a faith, as through charitie doth ioine the humble seruant to his maker. Now I being ioined vnto him, ought to haue no feare of trauell, paine, nor sorowe. For whosoeuer doth willinglie suffer anie maner of death, paine, or sorowe, for the truth, as Christ did, he shall feele in such torment, great comfort & consolation for his soule: knowing all this, I my self am weake, yet with God I am right strong.
Through his comfort I may do all things, and his loue is so constant, and permanent, that it varieth not for anie worldlie thing. Who can then withdrawe me from his grace? Surelie the great height of heauen, the depth of hell, the breadth of the whole earth, neither death, nor sinne, which dailie doth warre against me, can separate me one minute from the great loue and charitie, that my heauenlie father, through Iesus Christ, hath vnto me. His goodnesse is such, that he loueth me, which hath not all times loued him; and if I now loue hun, then shall I feele his loue increase in me. But because my loue is not a worthie loue to him, I desire his loue to be mine, which I feele such as it were mine owne: his desire is to loue, and his loue inflameth my hart with a heauenlie loue.
And through such loue, he findeth himselfe, that his owne deede yeeldeth him well content, and not my loue or strength: thus contenting himselfe, his loue doth more increase in me, than I can of him desire.
The eight Chapter, Of the incomprehensible loue of Christ to the sinfull soule: and benefits that come of a true faith.
O True louer, the fountaine or welspring of all charitie, and onlie purse of the heauenlie treasure! Ought I to thinke, or dare I saie what [Page 32] thou art? May I write, or can anie mortall man comprehend thy goodnesse, or loue? And if thou print in mans hart, can he expresse it? No surelie. For the capacitie of man cannot comprehend the vnmeasurable goodnesses which are in thee. For naturall reason doth shew vs, how there is no comparison betweene an eternall and a mortall thing: but when through loue the mortall is ioined with the eternall, the mortall thing is so filled with the eternall, that it cannot find the end thereof: for it hath more good thereby, than it can conteine or hold. Therfore doth man thinke, which hath one sparke of the loue of God, that he hath all the world therewith: euen as we see the Sunne, with one onlie sparke of his light, doth blinde the eie, and yet doth he withhold from it his great light. If then you should aske the eie, what it hath seene, he would saie, that it hath beholden the whole brightnes of the same. Neuerthelesse, he is so content, that it seemeth vnto him as though he had so much light as the Sunne conteineth, which if he had more than the said sparke, he were not able to suffer it. Euen so the soule, which through faith doth feele one sparke of the loue of God, doth finde therewith the heate so great and maruellous, so sweet and delicious, that it is impossible to hit to declare what thing the same loue is. For the little thereof, that she hath felt, doth yeeld hir mind satisfied, and yet desiring more, where of she hath ynough: thus doth she liue, languishing and sighing in hir selfe.
The hart that doth feele that he hath receiued too much, hath conceiued such a desire in this too much, that he alwaies desireth to receiue the thing which he cannot haue, neither is he worthie to receiue it. He knoweth not the good that he hath alreadie to be vnspeakable, yet would he haue more of that, where of he cannot skill: trulie he cannot feele or thinke the good which is in him. Then lieth it not in my power, to tell [Page 33] what thing the loue of God is, sith I haue no knowledge of the feruentnesse thereof. He that thinketh to haue all this loue within his hart, can not trulie declare what thing it is: happie is he therefore which hath such aboundance of this loue, that he may saie, My God, I haue ynough of it.
He which hath this loue within him, dare not much boast thereof, least in much speaking he do loose it, vnlesse he do it, to edifie his neighbour to saluation. The impossiblitie then of the declaration of this loue, shall make me hold my peace. For there is no sainct so perfect, if he will speake of the loue of the high God, of his goodnes, sweetnes, graces, and of all things else, which pertaine to him, but looking a lowe, shall find himselfe vnworthy, and so stop his mouth. I then, a worme of the earth, lesse than nothing, ought to cease, and not to speake of the incomparable highnesse of this loue: yet were it too much vnkindnesse to be noted in me, if I had written nothing, hauing that done vnto me, which would satisfie a much better wit than mine is. For hee that would hide the goodnesse of God, so good a maister, should commit a sin worthie to be punished with euerlasting paine.
Therefore come O happie Paule, which hast tasted so much of the same sweet honnie, beeing blind for the space of three daies, and rapt vp into the third heaven, and satisfie (I beseech thee) mine ignorance, and tell me what in such vision thou hast seene? Harken then what he saith. O the vnspeakable highnes of the aboundant riches or treasure, both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his iudgements, and how vnsearchable are his waies vnto our weake wits? O holie Paule, thy words cause me much to maruell, that thou hauing knowledge, and so heauenlie secrets, wouldest speake no further in them. At the least yet tell thou me, what thing I may hope to [Page 34] haue, throgh such godlie loue, as grace hath wrought in me; and I will giue eare vnto thy words: neither hath the eie seene, nor yet the eare heard, neither yet hath it euer entred into the hart of man, what GOD hath prepared for them that loue him. O blessed Paul, all this yet that thou hast said, is for none other purpose, but to prouoke me earnestlie to loue, willing me by thy words to thinke, that thou canst none otherwise declare of it, and so giue mine hart to patience, and hope of that thing, which neuer man yet could see, or yet deserue, although manie through loue haue died.
O excellent gift of faith, whereof so much good commeth, that it causeth man to possesse the things which he can not comprehend! For faith, ioined with truth, bringeth foorth hope, whereby perfect charitie is engendred: and charitie is God, as witnesseth the Apostle. If we haue charitie, then haue we also God therewith, and then is God in vs, and we in him; and all this commeth of the benefit of faith. For he dwelleth in all men, which haue true faith. Thus haue we a greater treasure than we can tell of, nor yet anie man expresse vnto vs.
Now to conclude, sith that so great an Apostle, as is S. Paule, will speake no further of God, and his inestimable loue; I will (according to his righteous example and doctrine) hold my peace and be still, following neuerthelesse his teachings. Notwithstanding, though herein I acknowledge my selfe but earth and dust, yet may I not faile to yeeld thanks to mine eternall, and liuing God, for such great graces and benefits, as it hath pleased him to giue me. Unto that euerlasting King of heauen, immortall, inuisible, incomprehensible, mightie and wise, onlie to him be all honour, praise, glorie, magnificence and loue, for euer and euer:
Amen.
¶ These foure clauses or texts of Scripture, are added to the worke by the Queenes Maiestie.
THere is not a more wicked head, than the head of a Serpent: and there is no wrath aboue the wrath of a woman.
But he that hath gotten a vertuous woman, hath gotten a goodlie possession: she is vnto him an helpe and piller, wherevpon he resteth.
It were better to dwell with a Lion and Dragon, than to keepe house with a wicked woman.
Yet depart not from a discreete and good woman, that is fallen to thee for thy portion in the feare of the Lord: for the gift of hir honestie is aboue gold.
¶ The Christian praiers of our Souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth, which hir grace made in the time of hir trouble, and imprisonment in the Tower, and after hir Coronation.
HElpe me now, O God, for I haue none other friends but thee alone. And suffer mee not (I beseech thee) to build my foundation vpon the sands: but vpon the rocke, whereby [Page 36] all blasts of blustering weather may haue no power against mee,
Amen.
Another praier made by hir Maiestie, when she was in great feare and doubt of death, by murther.
GRant, O God, that the wicked may haue no power to hurt or beetraie me; neither suffer anie such treason and wickednesse to proceed against me. For thou, O God, canst mollifie all such tyrannous harts, and disappoint all such cruell purposes. And I beseech thee to heare me thy creature which am thy seruant, and at thy commandement, trusting by thy grace euer so to remaine,
Amen.
Another praier and thankesgiuing made by hir grace, as she rode in hir Chariot from the Tower, to be crowned Queene at Westminster.
O Lord almightie, and euerlasting God, I giue thee most hartie thanks, that thou hast beene so mercifull vnto me, as to spare mee, to behold this ioifull daie. And I acknowledge, that thou hast dealt as woonderfully with me, as thou didst with thy true and faithfull seruant Daniel the Prophet, whom thou deliueredst out of the den from the crueltie of the greedie raging lions: euen so was I ouerwhelmed, and onelie by thee deliuered. To thee therfore be onlie thanks, honour and praise for euer and euer,
Amen.
WILLIAM CICILL hauing taken much profit by the reading of this Treatise following, wisheth vnto euerie Christian by the reading thereof like profit with increase from GOD.
MOst gentle and Christian Reader, if matters should bee rather confirmed by their reporters, than the reports warranted by the matters, I might iustlie bewaile our time, wherin euill deeds be well worded, and good acts euill cleaped. But sincere truth is, that things be not good for their praises; but be praised for their goodnesse. I doo not mooue thee to like this Christan Treatise, bicause I haue mind to praise it; but I exhort thee to mind it, and for the goodnes thou shalt allow it, for whose liking I labour not to obteine, onelie mooued by mine example, their iudgement Iregard, chieflie confirmed by the matter. Trulie our time is so disposed to grant good names to euill fruits, and excellent termes to meane works, that neither can good deeds enioie their due names being defrauded by the euill, neither excellent works can possesse their woorthie termes, being forestalled by the meane: insomuch that men seeke rather how much they can, than how much they ought to saie, inclining more to their pleasure, than to their iudgement, and to shew themselues rather eloquent, than the matter good: so that neither the goodnes of the cause can mooue them to saie more, neither the euilnes lesse. For if the excellencie of [Page] this Christian contemplation, either for the goodnes herein to maruell appearing, either for the profit herevpon to the Reader ensuing, should be with due commendation followed, I of necessitie should either trauell to find out new words, the old being anticipated by euill matters, or wish that the common speech of praising were spared vntill conuenient matters were found to spend it: such is the plentie of praising, and scarsenes of deseruing.
Wherefore lacking the maner in words, and not the matter in deed of high commendation, I am compelled to keepe in my iudgment with silence, trusting whom my report could not haue mooued to like this present Treatise, the woorthinesse of the matter shall compell to giue it honour.
Anie earthlie man would soone be stirred to see some mysterie of magike, or practise of Alchumie, or perchance some inchantment of elements; but thou which art christened, hast here a woonderfull mysterie of the mercie of God; a heauenlie practise of regeneration; a spirituall inchantment of the grace of God. If ioie and triumph be shewed when a kings child is borne to the world; what ioie is sufficient when Gods child is regenerated from heauen? The one is flesh, which is borne of flesh; the other is spirit, which is borne of spirit. The one also shall wither like the grasse of the earth in short time; the other shall liue in heauen beyond all time. If the finding of one lost sheepe be more ioifull, than the hauing of ninetie and nine; what ioie is it to consider the returne of a straie child of almightie God, whose returne teacheth the ninetie and nine to come to their fold? Euen such cause of ioie is this, that the Angels in heauen take comfort herein. Be thou therefore ioifull when a noble child is newlie borne; shew thy selfe glad when the lost sheepe hath wonne the whole flocke: be thou not sad, wherein Angels reioise.
Here maist thou see one, if the kind may mooue thee, a woman; if degree may prouoke thee, a woman of high estate; by birth, made noble; by marriage, most noble; by wisedome, godlie; by a mightie King, an excellent Queene; by a famous HENRIE, a renowmed KATHERINE; a wife to him that was a King to Realmes: refusing the world, wherein she was lost, to obtaine heauen, wherein she may be saued: abhorring sinne, which made hir bound, to receiue grace, whereby she may be free: despising flesh the cause [Page] of corruption, to put on the spirit the cause of sanctification: forsaking ignorance wherein she was blind, to come to knowledge, whereby she may see: remoouing superstition, wherewith she was smothered, to imbrace true religion, wherewith she may reuiue.
The fruit of this Treatise (good Reader) is thine amendment: this onelie had, the writer is satisfied. This good Ladie thought no shame to detest hir sinne, to obteine remission; no vilenes, to become nothing; to be a member of him, which is all things in all; no follie to forget the wisedome of the world, to learne the simplicitie of the Gospell at the last; no displeasantnesse to submit hir selfe to the schoole of the crosse, the learning of the Crucifix, the booke of our redemption; the verie absolute librarie of Gods mercie and wisedome. This waie thought she hir honour increased, and hir state permanent, to make hir earthlie honour heauenlie, and neglect the transitorie for the euerlasting.
Of this I would thee warned, that the profit may ensue. These great mysteries and graces be not well perceiued, except they be surelie studied; neither be they perfectlie studied, except they be diligentlie practised; neither profitablie practised, without amendment. See and learne hereby what she hath doone, then maist thou practise, and amend that thou canst doo: so shalt thou practise with ease, hauing a guide, and amend with profit, hauing a zeale. It is easier to see these, than to learne: begin at the easiest to come to the harder; see thou hir confession, that thou maiest learne hir repentance; practise hir perseuerance, that thou maiest haue like amendment; despise thy selfe in eschewing vice, that thou maiest please God in asking grace: let not shame hinder the confession, which hindered not the offense. Be thou sure if we knowledge our sinnes, God is faithfull to forgiue vs, and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes. Obeie the Prophets saieng; Declare thy waies to the Lord.
Thus far thou maist learne to knowe thy selfe; next this be thou as diligent to releeue thy selfe in Gods mercie, as thou hast beene to reueale thy selfe in thine owne repentance. For God hath concluded all things vnder sinne, bicause he would haue mercie vpon all, who hath also borne our sinnes in his bodie vpon the tree, that we should be deliuered from sinne, and should liue vnto righteousnes, by whose stripes we be healed. Here is our anchor; here is our [Page] shepheard; here we be made whole; here is our life, our redemption, our saluation and our blisse: let vs therefore now feed by this gratious Queenes example, & be not ashamed to become in confession Publicanes, since this noble Ladie will be no Pharisie.
And to all Ladies of estate I wish as earnest mind to followe our Queene in vertue, as in honour, that they might once appeare to prefer God before the world, and be honourable in religion, which now be honourable in vanities; so shall they, as in some vertuous Ladies of right high estate, it is with great comfort seene, taste of this freedome of remission of the euerlasting blisse, which exceedeth all thoughts and vnderstandings, and is prepared for the holie in spirit. For the which let vs with our intercession in holines and purenes of life, offer our selues to the heauenlie father an vndefiled host: to whom be eternall praise and glorie throughout the earth without end,
Amen.
The Lamentation or Complaint of a sinner, made by the most vertuous and right gratious Ladie Queene CATHERINE, bewailing the ignorance of hir blind life, led in superstition: verie profitable to the amendment of our liues.
The first Chapter, Of an humble confession of sinnes to the glorie of God.
WHEN I consider, in the bethinking of mine euil and wretched former life, mine obstinate, stonie, and vntractable heart, to haue so much exceeded in euilnesse, that it hath not onelie neglected, yea contemned, & despised Gods holie precepts and commandements: but also imbraced, receiued, and esteemed vaine, foolish, and feined trifles, I am partlie by the hate I owe to sinne, who hath reigned in me, and partlie by the loue I owe to all Christians, whom I am content to edifie, euen with the example of mine owne shame, forced and constrained with my hart and words, to confesse and declare to the world, how ingrate, negligent, vnkind, and stubborne I haue beene to God my Creator: and how beneficiall, mercifull, and gentle he hath been alwaies to me his creature, being such a miserable and wretched sinner.
Trulie I haue taken no little small thing vpon me, first to set foorth my whole stubbornesse, and contempt [Page 38] in words, the which is incomprehensible in thought (as it is in the 12. Psalme) Who vnderstandeth his faults? Next this, to declare the excellent beneficence, mercie, and goodnesse of God, which is infinite, and vnmeasurable. Neither can all the words of Angels, and men, make relation thereof, as apperteineth to his most high goodnesse. Who is he that is not forced to confesse the same, if he consider what he hath receiued of God, & doth dailie receiue? Yea, if men would not acknowledge and confesse the same, the stones would crie it out. Trulie I am constrained and forced to speake and write thereof, to mine owne confusion and shame; but to the glorie and praise of God. For he, as a louing father, of most abundant and high goodnesse, hath heaped vpon me innumerable benefits: and I contrarie, haue heaped manifold sinnes, despising that which was good, holie, pleasant, and acceptable in his sight, and choosing that which was delicious, pleasant, and acceptable in my sight.
And no maruell it was that I so did. For I would not learne to knowe the Lord, and his waies; but loued darknesse better than light, yea darknesse seemed to me light. I embraced ignorance, as perfect knowledge; and knowledge seemed to me superfluous and vaine. I regarded little Gods word, but gaue my selfe to vanities, and shadowes of the world. I forsooke him in whom is all truth; and followed the vaine foolish imaginations of my hart. I would haue couered my sinnes with the pretence of holinesse: I called superstition godlie meaning, and true holinesse errour. The Lord did speake manie pleasant and sweet words vnto me, and I would not heare: he called me diuerslie, but through frowardnesse I would not answere.
Mine euils and miseries be so manie, and so great, that they can accuse me euen to my face. Oh how miserablie and wretchedlie am I confounded, when for [Page 39] the multitude and greatnesse of my sinnes I am compelled to accuse my selfe! Was it not a maruellous vnkindnesse, when God did speake to me, and also call me, that I would not answere him? What man so called would not haue heard? Or what man hearing, would not haue answered? If an earthlie Prince had spoken, either called, I suppose there be none but would willinglie haue done both. Now therefore, what a wretch and caitife am I, that when the Prince of princes, the King of kings, did speake manie pleasant and gentle words vnto me, and also called me so manie and sundrie times, that they can not be numbred: and yet, notwithstanding these great signes and tokens of loue, I would not come vnto him, but hid my selfe out of his sight, seeking manie crooked and biwaies, wherin I walked so long, that I had cleane lost his sight? And no maruell or woonder. For I had a blind guide called Ignorance, who dimmed so mine eies, that I could neuer perfectlie get anie sight of the faire, goodlie, streight, and right waies of his doctrine: but continuallie trauelled vncomfortablie, in foule, wicked, crooked, and peruerse waies. Yea, and bicause they were so much haunted of manie, I could not thinke, but that I walked in the perfect and right waie, hauing more regard to the number of the walkers, than to the order of the walking: beleeuing also most assuredly, with companie to haue walked to heauen, wheras I am most sure they would haue brought me down to hell.
I forsooke the spirituall honouring of the true liuing God, and worshipped visible idols, and images made of mens hands, beleeuing by them to haue gotten heauen: yea, to saie the truth, I made a great idole of my selfe. For I loued my selfe better than God. And certainlie, looke how manie things are loued, or preferred in our harts before God, so manie are taken and esteemed [Page 40] for idols, and false gods. Alas, how haue I violated this holie, pure, and most high precept and commandment of the loue of God? Which precept bindeth me to loue him with my whole hart, mind, force, strength and vnderstanding. And I, like vnto an euill, wicked, and disobedient child, haue giuen my will, power, and senses to the contrarie: making almost of euerie earthlie and carnall thing a god.
Furthermore, the bloud of Christ was not reputed by me, sufficient for to wash me from the filth of my sinnes; neither such waies as he had appointed by his word: but I sought for such riffraffe, as the Bishop of Rome hath planted in his tyrannie and kingdome, trusting with great confidence, by the vertue and holinesse of them, to receiue full remission of my sinnes. And so I did, as much as was in me, obfuscate and darken the great benefit of Christes passion; than the which no thought can conceiue anie thing of more value. There cannot be done so great an iniurie and displeasure to almightie God our father, as to tread vnder foote Christ, his onlie begotten and welbeloued sonne. All other sinnes in the world, gathered together in one, be not so heinous, and detestable in the sight of God. And no wonder. For in Christ crucified, God doth shewe himselfe most noble and glorious, euen an almightie God, and most louing father, in his onlie deare and chosen blessed sonne.
And therefore I count my selfe one of the most wicked and miserable sinners in the world, bicause I haue beene so much contrarie to Christ my sauiour. Saint Paule desired to knowe nothing but Christ crucified, after he had beene rapt into the third heauen, where he heard such secrets as were not conuenient & meete to vtter to men: but counted all his works and doings as nothing, to win Christ. And I, most presumptuouslie thinking nothing of Christ crucified, went about [Page 41] to set foorth mine owne righteousnesse, saieng with the proud Pharisie: Good Lord I thanke thee, I am not like other men; I am none adulterer, nor fornicator: and so foorth, with such like words of vaine glorie, extolling my selfe, and despising others, working as an hired seruant for wages, or else for reward: and not as a louing child, onlie for verie loue, without respect of wages or reward, as I ought to haue done. Neither did I consider, how beneficiall a father I had, who did shew me his charitie and mercie of his owne meere grace and goodnesse, that when I was most his enimie, he sent his onlie begotten and welbeloued sonne into this world of wretchednesse and miserie, to suffer most cruell and sharpe death for my redemption. But my hart was so stonie and hard, that this great benefit was neuer trulie and liuelie printed in my hart, although with my words it was oft rehearsed, thinking my selfe to be sufficientlie instructed in the same, and being in deede in blinde ignorance: and yet I stoode so well in mine owne iudgement and opinion, that I thought it vaine to seeke the increase of my knowledge therein.
Paule calleth Christ the wisdome of God; and euen the same Christ was to me foolishnesse. My pride and blindnesse deceiued me, and the hardnesse of my hart withstoode the groning of truth within it. Such were the fruits of my carnall and humane reasons, to haue rotten ignorance in price for ripe & seasonable knowledge: such also is the malice and wickednesse that possesseth the harts of men: such is the wisdome and pleasing of the flesh. I professed Christ in my baptisme, when I began to liue: but I swarued from him after baptisme, in continuance of my liuing; euen as the heathen which neuer had begun.
Christ was innocent and void of all sinne; and I wallowed in filthie sinne, and was free from no sinne. [Page 42] Christ was obedient vnto his father, euen to the death of the crosse; and I disobedient and most stubborne, euen to the confusion of truth. Christ was meeke and humble in hart, and I most proud and vaine-glorious. Christ despised the world, with all the vanities therof; and I make it my God, because of the vanities. Christ came to serue his brethren; and I coueted to rule ouer them. Christ despised worldlie honour; and I much delighted to attaine the same. Christ loued the base and simple things of the world; and I esteemed the most faire and pleasant things. Christ loued pouertie; and I wealth. Christ was gentle and mercifull to the poore; and I hard-harted and vngentle. Christ praied for his enimies; and I hated mine. Christ reioiced in the conuersion of sinners; and I was not greeued to see their reuersion to sinne. By this declaration, all creatures may perceiue, how far I was from Christ, and without Christ; yea how contrarie to Christ, although I bare the name of a Christian. Insomuch that if anie man had said I had beene without Christ, I would haue stiffelie denied and withstoode the same: and yet in deede I neither knew Christ, nor wherefore he came.
As concerning the effect and purpose of his comming, I had a certaine vaine and blind knowledge, both cold and dead, which may be had with all sinne: as doth plainelie appeare by this my confession and open declaration.
The second Chapter, A lamentation of a sinner, with hartie repentance in faith to obtaine absolution and remission, through the merits of Christ.
WHat cause now haue I to lament, sigh, and weepe for my life & time so euill spent? With how much humilitie and lowlinesse ought I to come and knowledge my sinnes to God, [Page 43] giuing him thanks, that it hath pleased him of his aboundant goodnesse, to giue me time of repentance. For I knowe my sinnes in the consideration of them, to be so greeuous, and in the number so exceeding, that I haue deserued verie often eternall damnation. And for the deferring of Gods wrath, so manifoldlie due, I must vncessantlie giue thanks to the mercie of God: beseeching also, that the same delaie of punishment cause not his plague to be the sorer, since mine owne conscience condemneth my former doings. But his mercie exceedeth all iniquitie. And if I should not thus hope, alas, what should I seeke for refuge and comfort? No mortall man is of power to help me; and for the multitude of my sinnes, I dare not lift vp mine eies to heauen, where the seate of iudgement is, I haue so much offended my God. What? Shall I fall in desperation? Naie, I will call vpon Christ the light of the world, the fountaine of life, the reliefe of all carefull consciences, the peacemaker betweene God and man, and the onlie health and comfort of all true repentant sinners.
He can by his almightie power saue me, and deliuer me out of this miserable state, and hath will by his mercie to saue euen the whole sin of the world. I haue no hope nor confidence in anie creature, neither in heauen nor earth; but in Christ my whole & onlie Sauiour. He came into the world to saue sinners, and to heale them that are sicke. For he said, The whole haue no neede of the physician. Behold Lord, how I come to thee, a sinner sicke, and grieuouslie wounded: I aske not bread; but the crums that fall from the childrens table. Cast me not out of thy sight, although I haue deserued to be cast into hell fire.
If I should looke vpon my sinne, and not vpon thy mercie, I should despaire. For in my selfe I find nothing to saue me, but a dunghill of wickednesse to condemne [Page 44] me. If I should hope by mine owne strength and power to come out of this maze of iniquitie and wickednesse, wherein I haue walked so long, I should be deceiued. For I am so ignorant, blind, weake, and feeble; that I can not bring my selfe out of this intangled and wayward maze: but the more I seeke means & waies to winde my selfe out, the more I am wrapped and tangled therein.
So that I perceiue my striuing therein to be hinderance, my trauell to be labour spent in going backe. It is the hand of the Lord that can and will bring me out of the endlesse maze of death. For without I be preuented by the grace of the Lord, I can not aske forgiuenesse, nor be repentant or sorie for them. There is no man can auow, that Christ is the onlie Sauiour of the world, but by the holie Ghost: yea, as S. Paule saith, no man can saie, The Lord Iesus, but by the holie Ghost. The spirit helpeth our infirmitie, and maketh continuall intercession for vs, with such sorowfull gronings as can not be expressed.
Therefore I will first require and praie the Lord, to giue me his holie spirit, to teach me to auow that Christ is the Sauiour of the world, and to vtter these words, The Lord Iesus, and finallie to helpe mine infirmities, and to intercede or intreate for me. For I am most certaine and sure, that no creature in heauen nor earth, is of power, or can by anie meane helpe me: but God, who is omnipotent, almightie, beneficiall, and mercifull, welwilling, and louing to all those that call and put their whole confidence and trust in him. And therefore I will seeke none other meanes nor aduocate, but Christes holie spirit, who is onlie the aduocate and mediatour betweene GOD and man, to helpe and releeue mee.
The third Chapter, VVhat true faith worketh in the soule of a sinner.
BUt now, what maketh me so bold and hardie to presume to come to the Lord with such audacitie and boldnesse, being so great a sinner? Trulie nothing but his owne word. For he saith, Come to me all ye that labour, and are burdened, and I shall refresh you. What gentle, mercifull, and comfortable words are these to all sinners? Were he not a frantike, madde, beastlie, and foolish man, that would runne for aide, helpe, or refuge to anie other creature? What a most gratious, comfortable, and gentle saieng was this, with such pleasant and sweete words to allure his verie enimies to come vnto him? Is there anie worldlie Prince or Magistrate, that would shew such clemencie, and mercie, to their disobedient & rebellious subiects, hauing offended them? I suppose they would not with such words allure them, except it were to call them, whome they cannot take, and punish them being taken. But euen as Christ is Prince of princes, and Lord of lords: so his charitie and mercie exceedeth and surmounteth all others. Christ saith, If carnall fathers do giue good gifts to their children, when they aske them, how much more shall your heauenlie father, being in substance all holie, and most highlie good, giue good gifts to all them that aske him?
It is no small nor little gift that I now require, neither thinke I my selfe worthie to receiue such a noble gift, being so ingrate, vnkind, and wicked a child. But when I behold the benignitie, liberalitie, mercie, and goodnesse of the Lord, I am encouraged, boldened, and stirred to aske such a noble gift. The Lord is so bountifull and liberall, that he will not haue vs satisfied [Page 46] and contented with one gift; neither to aske simple and small gifts: and therefore he promiseth, and bindeth himselfe by his word, to giue good and beneficiall gifts to all them that aske him with true faith, without which nothing can be done acceptable or pleasing to God. For faith is the foundation & ground of all other gifts, vertues, and graces: and therefore I will praie and saie: Lord increase my faith.
For this is the life euerlasting, Lord, that I must beleeue thee to be the true God, and whom thou didst send Iesus Christ. By this faith I am assured, and by this assurance I feele the remission of my sins. This is it that maketh me bold, this is it that comforteth me; this is it that quencheth all despaire.
I knowe O my Lord, thine eies looke vpon my faith. S. Paule saith, We be iustified by faith in Christ, and not by the deeds of the lawe. For if righteousnes come by the lawe, then Christ died in vaine. S. Paule meaneth not here, a dead, humane, and historicall faith, gotten by humane industrie: but a supernall, and liuelie faith, which worketh by charitie; as he himselfe plainlie expresseth. This dignitie of faith is no derogation to good works. For out of this faith spring all good works: yet we may not impute to the woorthinesse of faith or works, our iustification before God: but ascribe and giue the woorthinesse of it, wholie to the merits of Christs passion, and refer and attribute the knowledge and perceiuing thereof, onlie to faith: whose verie, true, and onlie propertie it is, to take, apprehend, and hold fast the promises of Gods mercie, the which maketh vs righteous: and to cause me continuallie to hope for the same mercie, and in loue to worke all maner of waies allowed in the Scripture, that I may be thankfull for the same.
Thus I feele my selfe to come (as it were) in a new garment before God; and now by his mercie, to be taken [Page 47] iust and righteous, which of late without his mercie was sinfull and wicked: and by faith to obteine his mercie, the which the vnfaithfull can not enioie. And although S. Iohn extolleth charitie in his Epistle, saieng that God is charitie, and he that dwelleth in charitie, dwelleth in God. Truelie charitie maketh men liue like Angels; and of the most furious, vnbrideled, and carnall men, maketh meeke lambes.
Yea, with how feruent a spirit ought I to call, crie, and praie to the Lord, to make his great charitie to burne and flame my hart, being stonie and euill affected, that it neuer would conceiue nor regard the great inestimable charitie and loue of God, in sending his onlie begotten and deere beloued sonne into this vale of miserie, to suffer the most cruell and sharpe death of the crosse for my redemption? Yea I neuer had this vnspeakeable, and most high charitie, and abundant loue of God printed and fixed in my hart duelie, till it pleased God, of his meere grace, mercie, and pittie, to open mine eies, making me to see and behold with the eie of liuelie faith, Christ crucified, to be mine onelie Sauiour and redeemer. For then I began (and not before) to perceiue and see mine owne ignorance and blindnesse: the cause thereof was, that I would not learne to knowe Christ my Sauiour and redeemer.
But when God, of his meere goodnesse, had thus opened mine eies, and made me see and behold Christ, the wisedome of God, the light of the world, with a supernaturall sight of faith; all pleasures, vanities, honor, riches, wealth, and aids of the world, began to waxe bitter vnto me. Then I knew it was no illusion of the diuell, nor false, ne humane doctrine I had receiued. When such successe came thereof, that I had in detestation and horrour that which I erst so much loued and esteemed: being of God forbidden that we should loue the world, or the vaine pleasures and shadowes [Page 48] in the same: then began I to perceiue that Christ was my onlie Sauior and redeemer; and the same doctrine to be all diuine, holie, heauenlie, and infused by grace into the harts of the faithfull, which neuer can be attained by hnmane doctrine, wit, nor reason, although they should trauell and labour for the same, to the end of the world. Then began I to dwell in God by charitie, knowing by the louing charitie of God, in the remission of my sinnes, that God is charitie, as S. Iohn saith. So that of my faith (whereby I came to knowe God, and whereby it pleased God, euen bicause I trusted in him, to iustifie me) sprang this excellent charitie in my hart.
I thinke no lesse, but manie will woonder and maruell at this my saieng, that I neuer knewe Christ for my Sauiour and redeemer, vntill this time. For many haue this opinion, saieng: Who knoweth not there is a Christ? Who being a Christian doth not confesse him his Sauiour? And thus, beleeuing their dead, humane, historicall faith and knowledge (which they haue learned in their scholasticall bookes) to be the true infused faith and knowledge of Christ, which may be had (as I said before) with all sinne, they vse to saie, by their owne experience of themselues, that their faith doth not iustifie them. And true it is, except they haue this faith, the which I haue declared here before, they shall neuer be iustified.
And yet it is not false, that by faith onlie I am sure to be iustified. Euen this is the cause that so manie impugne this office and dutie of true faith, bicause so manie lacke the true faith. And euen as the faithfull are forced to allow this true faith; so the vnfaithfull can in no wise probablie intreate thereof: the one feeling in himselfe that he saith, the other hauing not in him for to saie.
I haue certeinlie no curious learning to defend this [Page 49] matter withall, but a simple zeale, and earnest loue to the truth inspired of God, who promiseth to powre his spirit vpon all flesh, which I haue by the grace of God whom I most humblie honour) felt in my selfe to be true.
The fourth Chapter, Of the great loue of God towards mankind, and of the inward beholding of Christ crucified.
LEt vs therfore now, I praie you, by faith behold and consider the great charitie & goodnesse of God, in sending his sonne to suffer death for our redemption, when we were his mortall enimies, and after what sort and maner he sent him.
First it is to be considered, yea to be vndoubtedlie, and with a perfect faith beleeued, that God sent him to vs freelie. For he did giue him, and sold him not. A more noble and rich gift he could not haue giuen. He sent not a seruant or a friend, but his onlie sonne so deerelie beloued: not in delights, riches, and honours; but in crosses, pouerties, and slanders: not as a Lord, but as a seruant, yea and in most vile and painefull passions, to wash vs: not with water, but with his owne pretious bloud: not from mire, but from the puddle and filth of our iniquities. He hath giuen him, not to make vs poore; but to enrich vs with his diuine vertues, merits, and graces: yea, and in him he hath giuen vs all good things, and finallie himselfe; and with such great charitie, as can not be expressed.
Was it not a most high and abundant charitie of God, to send Christ to shed his bloud, to loose honour, life, and all, for his enimies? Euen in the time, when he had done him most iniurie, he first shewed his charitie to vs, with such flames of loue, that greater could not be shewed. God in Christ hath opened vnto vs, (although [Page 50] we be weake and blind of our selues) that we may behold in this miserable estate, the great wisedome, goodnesse, and truth, with all the other godlie perfections, which be in Christ. Therefore inwardlie to behold Christ crucified vpon the crosse, is the best and godliest meditation that can be.
We may see also in Christ crucified, the beautie of the soule, better than in all the bookes of the world. For who that with a liuelie faith, seeth and feeleth in spirit, that Christ the sonne of God is dead for the satisfieng and purifieng of the soule, shall see, that his soule is appointed for the verie tabernacle and mansion of the inestimable and incomprehensible maiestie and honour of God. We see also in Christ crucified, how vaine and foolish the world is, and how that Christ being most wise despised the same. We see also how blind it is, because the same knoweth not Christ, but persecuteth him. We see also how vnkind the world is, by the killing of Christ, in the time he did shew it most fauour. How hard, and obstinate was it, that would not be mollified with so manie teares, such sweate, and so much bloudshead of the sonne of God, suffering with so great and high charitie?
Therefore he is now verie blind, that seeth not how vaine, foolish, false, ingrate, cruell, hard, wicked, and euill the world is. We may also in Christ crucified weigh our sinnes, as in a diuine ballance, how greeuous and how weightie they be, seeing they haue crucified Christ. For they would neuer haue beene counterpaised, but with the great and pretious weight of the bloud of the sonne of God. And therefore God, of his high goodnesse, determined that his blessed sonne should rather suffer bloudshead, thau our sinnes should haue condemned vs. We shall neuer knowe our owne miserie and wretchednesse, but with the light of Christ crucified: Then we shall see our owne crueltie, when [Page 51] we feele his mercie; our owne vnrighteousnesse and iniquitie, when we see his righteousnes and holinesse. Therefore, to learne to knowe trulie our owne sinnes, is to studie in the booke of the Crucifixe, by continuall conuersation in faith: and to haue perfect and plentifull charitie, is to learne first by faith the charitie that is in God towards vs.
We may see also in Christ vpon the Crosse, how great the paines of hell, and how blessed the ioies of heauen be: and what a sharpe and painefull thing it shall be to them, that of that sweet, happie, and glorious ioie Christ shall be depriued. Then this Crucifixe is the booke, wherein God hath included all things, and hath most compendiouslie written therein all truth, profitable and necessarie for our saluation. Therefore let vs endeuour our selues to studie this booke, that we being lightened with the spirit of God, may giue him thanks for so great a benefit.
The fift Chapter, Of the glorious victories of Christ ouer all enimies.
IF we looke further in this booke, we shall see Christs great victorie vpon the crosse, which was so noble and mightie, that there neuer was, neither shall be such. If the victorie and glorie of worldlie Princes were great, because they did ouercome great hostes of men: how much was Christes greater, which vanquished not onelie the Prince of this world, but all the enimies of God; triumphing ouer persecution, iniuries, villanies, slanders, yea death, the world, sinne, and the diuell; and brought to confusion all carnall prudence?
The Princes of the world neuer did fight without the strength of the world: Christ contrarilie went to warre, euen against all the strength of the world. He [Page 52] fought, as Dauid did with Golias, vnarmed of all humane wisdome and policie, and without all worldlie power and strength. Neuerthelesse, he was fullie replenished and armed with the whole armour of the spirit. And in this one battell, he ouercame for euer all his enimies. There was neuer so glorious a spoile, neither a more rich and noble, than Christ was vpon the Crosse, which deliuered all his elect from such a sharpe and miserable captiuitie. He had in his battell manie stripes, yea and lost his life, but his victorie was so much the greater. Therfore, when I looke vpon the sonne of God with a supernaturall faith and light, so vnarmed, naked, giuen vp, and alone with humilitie, patience, liberalitie, modestie, gentlenesse, and with all other his diuine vertues beating downe to the ground all Gods enimies, and making the soule of man so faire and beautifull: I am forced to saie, that his victorie and triumph was maruellous. And therefore Christ well deserued to haue this noble title: IESVS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE IEWES.
But if we will particularlie vnfold and see his great victories, let vs first behold how he ouercame sinne, with his innocencie; & confounded pride, with his humilitie; quenched all worldlie loue, with his charitie; appeased the wrath of his father, with his meekenesse; and turned hatred into loue, with his so manie benefits and godlie zeale.
Christ hath not onlie ouercome sinne, but rather he hath killed the same; in asmuch as he hath satisfied for it himselfe, with the most holie sacrifice and oblation of his pretious bodie, in suffering most bitter and cruell death. Also, after another sort, that is, he giueth all those that loue him, so much spirit, grace, vertue, and strength, that they may resist, impugne, and ouercome sinne; and not consent; neither suffer it to reigne in them. He hath also vanquished sinne, because he hath [Page 53] taken awaie the force of the same; that is, he hath cancelled the lawe, which was in euill men the occasion of sinne. Therefore sinne hath no power against them that are with the holie Ghost vnited to Christ: in them there is nothing worthie of damnation. And although the dregs of Adam do remaine, that is, our concupiscences, which in deede be sinnes: neuerthelesse, they be not imputed for sinnes, if we be trulie planted in Christ. It is true, that Christ might haue taken awaie all our immoderate affections: but hee hath left them for the great glorie of his father, and for his owne greater triumph. As for example. When a Prince fighteth with his enimies, which sometime had the souereigntie ouer his people, and subduing them, may kill them if he will: yet he preserueth and saueth them: and whereas they were Lords ouer his people, he maketh them after to serue, whome they before had ruled. Now in such a case, the Prince doth shew himselfe a greater conquerour, in that he hath made them, which were rulers, to obeie: and the subiects to be Lords ouer them, to whome they serued, than if he had vtterlie destroied them vpon the conquest. For now he leaueth continuall victorie to them whome he redeemed, whereas otherwise the occasion of victorie was taken awaie, where none were left to be the subiects. Euen so in like case, Christ hath left in vs these concupiscences, to the intent they should serue vs, to the exercise of our vertues; where first they did reigne ouer vs, to the exercise of our sinne. And it may be plainelie seene, that whereas first they were such impediments to vs, that we could not moue our selues towards God: now by Christ we haue so much strength, that notwithstanding the force of them, we may assuredlie walke to heauen. And although the children of God sometime do fall by fariltie into some sinne: yet that falling maketh them to humble themselues, [Page 54] and to reknowledge the goodnesse of God, and to come to him for refuge and helpe.
Likewise Christ, by his death, hath ouercome the Prince of diuels with all his hoast, and hath destroied them all. For as Paule saith, it is verified, that Christ should breake the Serpents head, prophesied by God. And although the diuell tempt vs, yet if by faith we be planted in Christ, we shall not perish, but rather by his temptation take great force and might. So it is euident, that the triumph, victorie, and glorie of Christ is the greater, hauing in such sort subdued the diuell; that whereas he was Prince and Lord of the world, holding all creatures in captiuitie: now Christ vseth him as an instrument to punish the wicked, and to exercise and make strong the elect of God in Christian warfare.
Christ likewise hath ouercome death in a more glorious manner (if it be possible:) because he hath not taken it awaie, but leauing vniuersallie all subiect to the same. He hath giuen so much vertue and spirit, that whereas afore we passed thereto with great feare, now we be bold through the spirit, for the sure hope of the resurrection, that we receiue it with ioie. It is now no more bitter, but sweete: no more feared, but desired: it is no death, but life.
And also it hath pleased God, that the infirmities and aduersities do remaine to the sight of the world: but the children of God are by Christ made so strong, righteous, whole, and sound, that the troubles of the world, be comforts of the spirit: the passions of the flesh, are medicines of the soule. For all maner things worke to their commoditie and profite. For they in spirit feele, that God their father doth gouerne them, and disposeth all things for their benefit: therefore they feele themselues sure. In persecution they are quiet and peacefull, in trouble they are without weerinesse, [Page 55] feares, anxieties, suspicions, miseries: and finallie all the good and euill of the world worketh to their commoditie.
Moreouer, they see that the triumph of Christ hath beene so great, that not onelie he hath subdued and vanquished all our enimies, and the power of them; but he hath ouerthrowne and vanquished them after such a sort, that all things serue to our helth. He might and could haue taken them all awaie, but where then should haue beene our victorie, palme, and crowne? For we dailie haue fights in the flesh, and by the succour of grace haue continuall victories ouer sinne: whereby we haue cause to glorifie God, that by his sonne hath weakened our enimie the diuell, and by his spirit giueth vs strength to vanquish his ofspring.
So doo we knowledge dailie the great triumph of our Sauiour, & reioice in our owne fights; the which we can no wise impute to anie wisdome of this world; seeing sinne to increase by it. And where worldlie wisedome most gouerneth, there most sinne ruleth. For as the world is enimie to God, so also the wisdome therof is aduerse to God: and therefore Christ hath declared & discouered the same for foolishnesse. And although he could haue taken awaie all worldlie wisedome: yet he hath left it for his greater glorie, and triumph of his chosen vessels. For before, whereas it was our ruler against God: now by Christ we are serued of it for God, as of a slaue in worldlie things: albeit in supernaturall things the same is not to be vnderstood. And further, if at anie time men would impugne, and gainsaie vs, with the wisedome of the world: yet we haue by Christ so much supernaturall light of the truth, that we make a mocke of all those that repugne the truth.
Christ also vpon the crosse hath triumphed ouer the world. First, bicause he hath discouered the same to be [Page 56] naught: that whereas it was couered with the vaile of hypocrisie, and the vesture of morall vertues; Christ hath shewed, that in Gods sight the righteousnesse of the world is wickednesse: and he hath yeelded witnes, that The works of men, not regenerated by him in faith, are euill: and so Christ hath iudged and condemned the world for naught. Further more, he hath giuen to all his so much light and spirit, that they knowe it, and dispraise the same: yea and tread it vnder their feet, with all vaine honours, dignities, & pleasures, not taking the faire promises, neither the offers which it doth present: naie, they rather make a scorne of them. And as for the threatnings and force of the world, they nothing feare.
Now therefore we may see how great the victorie and triumph of Christ is, who hath deliuered all those the father gaue him, from the power of the diuell, cancelling vpon the crosse the writing of our debts. For he hath deliuered vs from the condemnation of sinne; from the bondage of the lawe, from the feare of death, from the danger of the world, and from all euils in this life, and in the other to come. And he hath inriched vs, made vs noble, and most highlie happie, after such a glorious and triumphant waie, as can not with tongue be expressed: and therefore we are forced to saie, his triumph is maruellous.
It is also seene and knowne, that Christ is the true Messias. For he hath deliuered man from all euils, and by him man hath all goodnesse: so that he is the true Messias. Therefore all other helpers be but vaine, and counterfeited sauiours; seeing that by this our Messias Christ, wholie and onlie we be deliuered from all euils, and by him we haue all goodnesse. And that this is true, it is euident and cleare; bicause the verie true Christian, is a Christian by Christ. And the true Christian feeleth inwardlie by Christ, so much [Page 57] goodnesse of God, that euen troublous life and death be sweet vnto him, and miseries happie. The true Christian by Christ is disburdened from the seruitude of the lawe, hauing the lawe of grace (grauen by the spirit) inhabiting his hart, and from sinne that reigned in him, from the power of the infernall spirits, from damnation, and from euerie euill: and is made a sonne of God, a brother of Christ, heire of heauen, and Lord of the world: so that in Christ and by Christ, he possesseth all good things.
But let vs knowe, that Christ yet fighteth in spirit in his elect vessels, and shall fight euen to the daie of iudgment: at which day shall that great enimie death be wholie destroied, and shall be no more. Then shall the children of God reioice on him, saieng: O death where is thy victorie and sting? There shall be then no more trouble nor sinne; naie rather, none euill: but heauen for the good, and hell for the wicked. Then shall wholie be discouered the victorie & triumph of Christ, who (after Paule) shall present vnto his father the kingdome, together with his chosen saued by him.
It was no little fauour towards his children, that Christ was chosen of God, to saue vs his elect, so highlie by the waie of the crosse. Paule calleth it a grace, and a most singular grace. We may well thinke, that he hauing beene to the world so valiant a captaine of God, was full of light, grace, vertue, and spirit: therefore he might iustlie saie: Consummatum est. Wee seeing then, that the triumph and victorie of our captaine Christ, is so maruellous, glorious, and noble, to the which war we be appointed: let vs force our selues to folowe him, with bearing our crosse, that we may haue felowship with him in his kingdome.
The sixt Chapter, That we ought to submit our selues to the schoole of the Crosse: and still looke and learne in the booke of the Crucifix.
TRulie it may be most iustlie verified, that to behold Christ crucified, in spirit, is the best meditation that can be. I certeinlie neuer knew mine owne miseries and wretchednes so well by booke, admonition, or learning; as I haue done by looking into the spirituall booke of the Crucifix. I lament much I haue passed so manie yeeres, not regarding that diuine booke: but I iudged, & thought my selfe to be well instructed in the same: wheras now I am of this opinion, that if God would suffer me to liue here a thousand yeeres, and should studie continuallie in the same diuine booke, I should not be filled with the contemplation thereof. Neither hold I my selfe contented, but alwaies haue a great desire, to learne and studie more therein. I neuer knewe mine owne wickednes, neither lamented for my sinnes trulie, vntill the time God inspired me with his grace, that I looked in this booke: then I began to see perfectlie, that mine owne power and strength could not helpe me; and that I was in the Lords hand, euen as the claie is in the potters hand; then I began to crie and saie:
Alas Lord that euer I haue so wickedlie offended thee, being to me from the beginning so gratious and so good a father, and most speciallie now hast declared and shewed thy goodnesse vnto me, when in the time I haue done thee most iniurie, to call me, and also to make me knowe & take thee for my Sauior and redeemer. Such be the wonderfull works of God to call sinners to repentance, & to make them to take Christ his welbeloued sonne for their Sauior: this is the gift of God, & of all Christians to be required and desired. For [Page 59] except this great benefit of Christ crucified be felt and fixed surelie in mans hart, there can be no good worke done acceptable before God. For in Christ is all fulnesse of the Godhead, and in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge. Euen he is the water of life, whereof whosoeuer shall drinke, he shall neuer more thirst; but it shall be in him a well of water, springing vp into euerlasting life. S. Paule saith, There is no damnation to them that are in Christ, which walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Moreouer he saith: If when we were enimies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his son: much more, seeing we are reconciled, we shall be preserued by his death. It is no little or small benefit we haue receiued by Christ, if we consider what he hath done for vs, as I haue perfectlie declared heretofore. Wherefore I praie the Lord, that this great benefit of Christ crucified, may be stedfastlie fixed & printed in all Christians harts, that they may be true louers of God, and worke as children for loue: and not as seruants, compelled with threatenings, or prouoked with hire.
The sincere and pure louers of God doo embrace Christ, with such feruencie of spirit, that they reioice in hope, be bold in danger, suffer in aduersitie, continue in praier, blesse their persecutors. Further, they be not wise in their owne opinion, neither high minded in their prosperitie, neither abashed in their aduersitie: but humble and gentle alwaies to all men. For they knowe by their faith they are members all of one bodie, and that they haue possessed all one God, one faith, one baptisme, one ioie, and one saluation. If these pure and sincere louers of God were thicke sowne, there should not be so much contention and strife growing on the fields of our religion, as there is. Well, I shall praie to the Lord to take all contention and strife awaie, and that the sowers of sedition may haue mind [Page 60] to cease their labour, or to sowe it among the stones, and to haue grace to sowe gratious vertues, where they may both take roote, and bring foorth fruit, with sending also a godlie vnitie and concord amongst all Christians, that we may serue the Lord in true holinesse of life.
The seuenth Chapter, A Christian bewailing of the miserable ignorance and blindnesse of men.
THe example of good liuing is required of all Christians, but speciallie in the Ecclesiasticall pastors and shepheards. For they be called in scripture, Workemen with God, Disbursers of Gods secrets, The light of the world, The salt of the earth: at whose hands all other should take comfort in working, knowledge of Gods will, and sight to become children of light, and taste of seasonable wisdome. They haue, or should haue the holie spirit, abundantlie to pronounce and set foorth the word of God, in veritie and truth. If ignorance and blindnesse reigne amongst vs, they should with the truth of Gods word instruct and set vs in the truth, and direct vs in the waie of the Lord.
But thanks be giuen vnto the Lord, that hath now sent vs such a godlie and learned King, in these latter daies to reigne ouer vs, that with the vertue & force of Gods word, hath taken awaie the vailes and mists of errours, and brought vs to the knowledge of the truth, by the light of Gods word; which was so long hid, and kept vnder, that the people were nigh famished, and hungred for lacke of spirituall food. (Such was the charitie of the spirituall curats and shepheards.) But our Moses, and most godlie wise Gouernour and King, hath deliuered vs out of the captiuitie and bondage of Pharao. I meane by this Moses King Henrie, [Page 61] the eight, my most souereigne fauourable Lord and husband; one (if Moses had figured anie mo than Christ) through the excellent grace of God, meete to be an other expressed veritie of Moses conquest ouer Pharao. And I meane by this Pharao the bishop of Rome, who hath beene, and is a greater persecutor of all true Christians, than euer was Pharao of the children of Israel. For he is a persecutor of the Gospell and grace, a setter foorth of all superstition and counterfeit holinesse, bringing manie soules to hell with his alchimie and counterfeit monie, deceiuing the poore soules vnder the pretence of holinesse: but so much the greater shall be his damnation, bicause he deceiueth and robbeth vnder Christs mantell. The Lord keepe and defend all men from his iuglings and sleits, but speciallie the poore, simple, and vnlearned soules. And this lesson I would all men had of him, that when they begin to mislike his dooing, then onlie begin they to like God, and certeinlie not before.
As for the spirituall pastors and shepherds, I thinke they will cleaue and sticke to the word of God, euen to the death; to vanquish all Gods enimies, if neede shall require: all respects of honour, dignitie, riches, welth, and their priuate commodities laid apart: following also the examples of Christ, and his chosen Apostles, in preaching and teaching sincere and holesome doctrine, and such things as make for peace, with godly lessons, wherewith they may edifie others: that euerie man may walke after his vocation, in holinesse of life; in vnitie and concord: which vnitie is to be desired of all true Christians.
It is much to be lamented, the schismes, varieties, contentions and disputations that haue beene and are in the world, about Christian religion, & no agreement nor concord of the same among the learned men. Trulie, the diuell hath beene the sower of the seede of [Page 62] sedition, and shall be the mainteiner of it, euen till Gods will be fulfilled. There is no war so cruell and euill as this. For the war with sword killeth but the bodies, and this slaieth manie soules. For the poore vnlearned persons remaine confused, and almost euerie one beleeueth and worketh after his owne waie: and yet there is but one truth of Gods word, by the which we shall be saued. Happie be they that receiue it, and most vnhappie are they which neglect and persecute the same. For it shall be more easie for Sodom and Gomor at the daie of iudgement, than for them. And not without iust cause, if we consider the beneuolence, goodnesse, and mercie of God, who hath declared his charitie towards vs, greater, and more inestimable, than euer he did to the Hebrues. For they liued vnder shadowes and figures, and were bound to the lawe. And Christ (we being his greatest enimies) hath deliuered vs from the bondage of the lawe, and hath fulfilled all that was figured in their lawe, and also in their prophesies, sheading his owne pretious bloud, to make vs the children of his father, and his brethren, and hath made vs free, setting vs in a godlie libertie: I meane not licence to sinne, as manie be glad to interpret the same, when as Christian libertie is godlie intreated of.
Trulie it is no good spirit that moueth men to find fault at euerie thing, and when things may be well taken, to peruert them into an euill sense and meaning. There be in the world manie speakers of holines and good works, but verie rare and seldome is declared which be the good and holie works. The works of the spirit be neuer almost spoken of, and therefore verie few knowe what they be. I am able to iustifie, the ignorance of the people to be great, not in this matter alone, but in manie other, the which were most necessarie for Christians to knowe. Because I haue had [Page 63] iust proofe of the same, it maketh me thus much to saie, with no little sorowe and greefe in my hart, for such a miserable ignorance and blindnesse amongest the people.
I doubt not but we can saie all, Lord, Lord. But I feare, God may saie vnto vs; This people honoureth me with their lips, but their harts be far from me. God desireth nothing but the hart, and saith, He will be worshipped in spirit and truth. Christ condemned all hypocrisie and feigned holines, and taught sincere, pure, and true godlinesse: but we worsse than frantike or blinde, will not followe Christs doctrine, but trust to mens doctrines, iudgements, and saiengs, which dimmeth our eies, and so the blind leadeth the blind, and both fall into the dich. Trulie, in my simple and vnlearned iudgement, no mans doctrine is to be esteemed or preferred like vnto Christs, and the Apostles; nor to be taught as a perfect and true doctrine, but euen as it doth accord & agree with the doctrine of the Gospell.
But yet those that be called spirituall pastours (although they be most carnall, as it doth verie euidentlie and plainelie appeare by their fruites,) are so blinded with the loue of themselues, and the world, that they extoll mens inuentions and doctrines, before the doctrine of the Gospell. And when they be not able to mainteine their owne inuentions and doctrines, with anie iot of the scripture, then they most cruellie persecute them that be contrarie to the same. Be such the louers of Christ? Naie, naie: they be the louers of the wicked Mammon, neither regarding God nor his honour. For filthie lucre hath made them almost mad, but frantike they be doubtlesse. Is not this miserable state of spirituall men in the world, much to be lamented of all good Christians? But yet I cannot allowe, neither praise all kind of lamentation, but such as may stand with Christian charitie.
The eight Chapter, Of the fruites and rules of true Christianitie for men to followe.
CHaritie suffereth long, and is gentle, enuieth not, vpbraideth no man, casteth frowardlie no faults in mens teeth, but referreth all things to God: being angrie without sinne, reforming others without slanders, carrieng euer a store-house of mild words to pearce the stonie-harted men. I would all Christians, that like as they haue professed Christ, would so endeuour themselues to folowe him in godlie liuing. For we haue not put on Christ, to liue anie more to our selues, in the vanities, delightes, and pleasures of the world, and the flesh, suffering the concupiscence and carnalitie of the flesh to haue his full swinge. For we must walke after the spirit, and not after the flesh. For the spirit is spirituall, and coueteth spirituall things: and the flesh carnall, and desireth carnall things. The men regenerate by Christ, despise the world, and all the vanities and pleasures thereof. They be no louers of themselues. For they feele how euill and infirme they be, not being able to do anie good thing, without the helpe of God, from whome they knowledge all goodnesse to proceede.
They flatter not themselues, with thinking euerie thing which shineth to the world, to be good and holie. For they knowe all externe and outward works, be they neuer so glorious and faire to the world, may be done of the euill, as well as of the good. And therefore they haue in verie little estimation the outward shew of holinesse, because they be all spirituall, casting vp their eies vpon heauenlie things: neither looking nor regarding the earthlie things, for they be to them vile and abiect. They haue also the simplicitie of the doue, and the policie of the serpent. For by simplicitie they [Page 65] haue a desire to do good to all men, and to hurt no man, no though they haue occasion giuen: and by policie they giue not nor minister anie iust cause to anie man, whereby their doctrine might be reproued. They be not also as a reede shaken with euerie winde: but when they be blasted with the tempests and stormes of the world, then remaine they most firme, stable, and quiet, feeling in spirit, that God (as their best father) doth send and suffer all things for their benefit and commoditie. Christ is to them a rule, a line, an example of Christian life. They be neuer offended at anie thing, although occasion be ministred vnto them. For like as Christ, when Peter would haue withdrawne him from death, answered and said, Go backe from me Sathan, for thou offendest me: that is, As much as lieth in thee, thou giuest me occasion with thy words, to make me withdrawe my selfe from death, although I yeelded not thereto. For this thy procurement can not extinguish the burning desire I haue, to shed my bloud for my chosen. Euen so the perfect men are neuer offended at anie thing. For although the world were full of sinne, they would not withdrawe themselues from doing of good, nor waxe cold in the loue of the Lord. And much lesse they would be moued to do euill: yea rather, they be so much the more moued to do good.
The regenerated by Christ are neuer offended at the works of God, because they knowe by faith, that God doth all things well: and that he can not erre, neither for want of power, nor by ignorance, nor malice. For they knowe him to be almightie, and that he seeth all things, and is most aboundantlie good. They see and feele in spirit, that of that will most highlie perfect, can not but proceede most perfecte works. Likewise, they be not offended at the works of men. For if they bee good, they are moued by them to take occasion to [Page 66] folowe them, and to reknowledge the goodnes of God, with giuing of thanks, and praising his name dailie the more. But if they be indifferent, and such as may be done with good and euill intents, they iudge the best part, thinking they may bee done to a good purpose, and so they bee edified. But if they bee so euill, that they can not bee taken in good part by anie meanes; yet they bee not offended, although occasion bee giuen, naie rather they be edified, in asmuch as they take occasion to be better, though the contrarie bee ministred to them.
Then begin they to thinke and saie thus: If God had not preserued me with his grace, I should haue committed this sin, and worsse. O how much am I bound to confesse and knowledge the goodnesse of God! They go also thinking and saieng further: He that hath sinned, may be one of Gods elect: peraduenture the Lord hath suffered him to fall, to the intent he may the better knowe himselfe. I knowe he is one of them that Christ hath shed his bloud for, and one of my Christian brethren: trulie I will admonish and rebuke him; and in case I find him desperate, I will comfort him, and shewe him the great goodnesse and mercie of God, in Christ: and with godlie consolations I will see if I can lift him vp. And thus ye may see, how the men regenerated by Christ, of euerie thing win and receiue fruit.
The ninth Chapter, Of the fruits of infidelitie, and offence of weakelings.
AND contrariwise, the yonglings and vnperfect are offended at small trifles, taking euerie thing in euill part, grudging and murmuring against their neighbor: and so much the more, as they shew themselues feruent in their so doing, they are iudged of the blind world, and of themselues great zeale-bearers to God. If this were the [Page 67] greatest euill of these yonglings, it were not the most euill. But I feare they be so blind and ignorant, that they are offended also at good things, & iudge nothing good, but such as they embrace and esteeme to bee good, with murmuring against all such as folowe not their waies. If there be anie of this sort, the Lord giue them the light of his truth, that they may increase and growe in godlie strength. I suppose, if such yonglings and vnperfect, had seene Christ and his Disciples eate meate with vnwashen hands, or not to haue fasted with the Pharisies, they would haue beene offended, seeing him a breaker of mens traditions. Their affections dispose their eies to see through other men, and they see nothing in themselues: where charitie, although it be most ful of eies to see the faults of others, whome it coueteth to amend, thinketh none euill, but discreetlie and rightlie interpreteth all things, by the which more iustlie and trulie euerie thing is taken.
Now, these superstitious weaklings, if they had been conuersant with Christ, and seene him leade his life sometime with women, sometime with Samaritanes, with Publicanes, sinners, and with the Pharisies, they would haue murmured at him. Also, if they had seene Marie powre vpon Christ the pretious ointment, they would haue said with Iudas: This ointment might haue beene sold, and giuen to the poore. If they also had seene Christ with whips driue out of the Temple those that bought and sold, they would foorthwith haue iudged Christ to haue beene troubled and moued with anger, and not by zeale of charitie. How would they haue beene offended, if they had seene him go to the Iewes feast, heale a sicke man vpon the sabboth daie, practise with the woman of Samaria, yea & shew vnto hir of his most diuine doctrine & life? They would haue taken occasion to haue hated & persecuted him, as the Scribes and Pharisies did: and euen so [Page 68] should Christ the Sauiour of the world, haue beene to them an offence and ruine.
There be an other kind of little ones vnperfecte, which are offended after this sort and maner. As when they see one that is reputed and esteemed holie to commit sinne, forthwith they learne to do that, and woorse, and waxe cold in dooing of good, and confirme themselues in euill: and then they excuse their wicked life, publishing the same with the slander of their neighbor. If anie man reprooue them, they saie: Such a man did this, and woorse. So it is euident, that such persons would denie Christ, if they sawe other men doe the same. If they went to Rome, and sawe the enormities of the Prelates, which is said to reigne there among them, I doubt not, if they sawe one of them sinne, which were reputed and taken for holie, their faith should be lost; but not the faith of Christ, which they neuer possessed: but they should loose that humane opinion, which they had of the goodnesse of the Prelates. For, if they had the faith of Christ, the holie Ghost should be a witnes vnto them, the which should be mightie in them, that in case all the world would denie Christ, yet they would remaine firme and stable in the true faith.
The Pharisies also tooke occasion of the euill of others, to waxe hautie and proud, taking themselues to be men of greater perfection than anie other; bicause of their vertue, euen as the Pharisie did, when he sawe the Publicans submission. And so they be offended with euerie little thing, iudging euill, murmuring against their neighbour, and for the same, they are of manie reputed and taken for the more holie and good: whereas in deed they be the more wicked. The most wicked persons are offended, euen at themselues. For at their little stabilitie in goodnesse, and of their delectable and euill life, they take occasion to despaire: [Page 69] where they ought the more to commit themselues to God, asking mercie for their offences: and foorthwith to giue thanks, that it hath pleased him of his goodnesse to suffer them so long a time.
But what needeth it anie more to saie? The euill men are offended euen at the works of God, they see God suffer sinners, therefore thinke they, sinne displeaseth him not. And bicause they see not the good rewarded with riches, oftentimes they imagine, that God loueth them not. It seemeth to them God is parciall, bicause he hath elected some, and some reprooued. And therefore they saie, that the elected be sure of saluation, taking by that, occasion to doo euill inough, saieng: Whatsoeuer God hath determined, shall be performed. If also they see the good men oppressed, and the euill men exalted, they iudge God vniust, taking occasion to liue euillie, saieng: Inasmuch as God fauoureth the naughtie men, let vs doo euill inough, to the intent he doo vs good. If then the wicked be offended euen at God, it is no woonder if they be offended at those that followe and walke in his paths and waies.
The tenth Chapter, Of carnall gospellers, by whose euill liuing Gods truth is shamefullie slandered.
IWill now speake with great dolor and heauinesse in my hart, of a sort of people, which be in the world, that be called professors of the Gospell; and by their words doo declare and shew, they be much affected to the same. But I am afraid, some of them doo build vpon the sand; as Simon Magus did, making a weake foundation: I meane, they make not Christ their chiefest foundation, professing his doctrine, of a sincere, pure, and zealous mind; but either for bicause they would be called gospellers, [Page 70] to procure some credit and good opinion of the true and verie fauourers of Christs doctrine, either to find out some carnall libertie, either to be contentious disputers, finders or rebukers of other mens faults, or else finallie to please and flatter the world. Such gospellers are an offence, and a slander to the word of God, and make the wicked to reioice & laugh at them, saieng: Behold I praie you their faire fruits. What charitie, what discretion, what godlinesse, holinesse, or puritie of life is among them? Be not they great auengers, foule gluttons, slanderers, back biters, adulterers, fornicators, swearers, and blasphemers; yea and wallowe & tumble in all sinnes? These be the fruits of their doctrine.
And thus it may be seene, how the word of God is euill spoken of, through licentious and euill liuing: and yet the word of God is all holie, pure, sincere, and godlie, being the doctrine & occasion of all holie and pure liuing. It is the wicked that peruert all good things, into euill. For an euill tree can not bring foorth good fruit. And when good seede is sowne in a barren and euill ground, it yeeldeth no good corne: and so it fareth by the word of God. For when it is heard and knowne of wicked men, it bringeth no good fruit: but when it is sowne in good ground, I meane the harts of good people, it bringeth foorth good fruit abundantlie: so that the want & fault is in men, and not in the word of God. I praie God all men and women may haue grace to become meete tillage for the fruits of the Gospell, and to leaue onlie the iangling of it. For onlie speaking of the Gospell maketh not men good Christians, but good talkers, except their facts and works agree with the same: so then their speech is good, bicause their harts be good. And euen as much talke of the word of God, without practising the same in our liuing, is euill & detestable in the sight of God: so it is a lamentable thing [Page 71] to heare, how there bee manie in the world, that do not well digest the reading of scripture, and do commend and praise ignorance, and saie, that much knowledge of Gods word is the originall of all dissention, scismes, and contention; and maketh men hautie, proud, and presumptuous, by reading of the same.
This maner of saieng is no lesse than a plaine blasphemie against the holie Ghost. For the spirit of God is the author of his word, and so the holie Ghost is made the author of euill, which is a most great blasphemie, and (as the scripture saith) a sinne that shall not bee forgiuen in this world, neither in the other to come. It were all our parts and duties, to procure and seeke all the waies and meanes possible, to haue more knowledge of Gods word set foorth abroade in the world, & not allow ignorance, and discommend knowledge of Gods word, stopping the mouthes of the vnlearned with subtile and craftie persuasions of Philosophie, and Sophistrie, whereof commeth no fruite, but a great perturbation of the mind to the simple & ignorant, not knowing which waie to turne them. For how is it not extreame wickednesse, to charge the holie sanctified word of God with the offences of man? To alledge the scriptures to be perillous learning, because certaine readers there of fall into heresies?
These men might be inforced by this kind of argument, to forsake the vse of fire, because fire burneth their neighbours house: or to absteine from meate and drinke, because they see manie surfet. O blind hate! They slander God for mans offence, & excuse the man whome they see offend; and blame the scripture, which they can not improue. Yea I haue heard of some, that haue verie well vnderstood the Latin tongue, that when they haue heard learned men persuade to the credite and beleefe of certaine vnwritten verities (as they call them) which bee not in scripture expressed, [Page 72] and yet taught as doctrine apostolike, and necessarie to bee beleeued; they haue beene of this opinion, that the learned men haue mo Epistles written by the Apostles of Christ, than wee haue abroad in the Canon of the old and new testament, or knowne of anie, but onlie to them of the Clergie. Which beleefe I did not a little lament in my hart to heare, that anie creature should haue such a blind ignorant opinion.
Some kind of simplicitie is to bee praised, but this simplicitie, without the veritie, I can neither praise nor allow. And thus it may bee seene, how wee that bee vnlettered remaine confused, without God of his grace lighten our harts and minds with a heauenlie light and knowledge of his will. For wee bee giuen of our selues to beleeue men better than God. I praie God send all learned men the spirit of God aboundantlie, that their doctrine may bring forth the fruits therof. I suppose there was neuer more neede of good doctrine to bee set foorth in the world than now in this age. For the carnall children of Adam, bee so wise in their generation, that if it were possible, they would deceiue the children of light. The world loueth his owne, and therefore their facts and doings be highlie esteemed of the world: but the children of God are hated, bicause they bee not of the world. For their habitation is in heauen, and they do despise the world as a most vile slaue.
The fleshlie children of Adam be so politike, subtile, craftie, and wise in their kind, that the elect should bee illuded, if it were possible. For they are cloathed with Christs garment, in vtter appearance, with a faire shewe of all godlines, and holines in their words: but they haue so shorne, nopped, and turned Christs garment, and haue so disguised themselues, that the children of light beholding them with a spirituall eie, do accompt and take them for men which haue sold their [Page 73] maisters garment, and haue stolne a peece of euerie mans garment. Yet by their subtile art, and craftie wits, they haue so set those patches and peeces togither, that they do make the blind world, and carnall men to beleeue, it is Christs verie mantell.
The eleuenth Chapter, Of the vertuous properties of Gods children: of whome euerie one attendeth his vocation.
BUT the children of light knowe the contrarie: for they are led by the spirit of God, to the knowledge of the truth, and therefore they discerne and iudge all things right, and knowe from whence they come, euen from the bishop of Rome, and his members, the headspring of all pride, vaine glorie, ambition, hypocrisie, and feigned holines.
The children of God be not abashed, although the world hate them; they beleeue they are in the grace and fauour of God, and that he, as a best father, doth gouerne them in all things, putting awaie from them all vaine confidence and trust in their owne doings. For they knowe they can doo nothing but sin of themselues. They bee not so foolish, and childish, not to giue God thanks for their election, which was before the beginning of the world. For they beleeue most surelie they bee of the chosen. For the holie Ghost doth witnes to their spirit, that they bee the children of God; and therefore they beleeue God better than man. They saie with Saint Paule, Who shall separate vs from the loue of God? Shall tribulation, anguish, persecution, hunger, nakednesse, perill, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake are we killed all daie long; and are counted as sheepe appointed to bee slaine: neuerthelesse, in all these things wee ouercome, through him that loueth vs. For I am sure, that neither death, nor life, neither Angels, nor rule; neither power, neither [Page 74] things present, neither things to come, neither quantitie or qualitie, neither anie creature, shall bee able to depart vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesu our Lord.
They are not by this godlie faith presumptuouslie inflamed, nor by the same become they loose, idle, or slowe in dooing of godlie works, as carnall men dreme of them: so much the more feruent they be in dooing most holie and pure works, which God hath commanded them to walke in. They wander not in mens traditions and inuentions, leauing the most holie and pure precepts of God vndone, which they knowe they be bound to obserue and keepe. Also they worke not like hirelings, for meede, wages, or reward; but as louing children, without respect of lucre, gaine, or hire. They be in such libertie of spirit, and ioie so much in God, that their inward consolation can not be expressed with tongue. All feare of damnation is gone from them; for they haue put their whole hope of saluation in his hands, which will and can performe it; neither haue they anie post or piller to leane to, but God, and his smooth and vnwrinkled Church. For he is to them all in all things, and to him they leane, as a most sure square piller, in prosperitie and aduersitie, nothing doubting of his promises and couenants. For they beleeue most surelie they shall be fulfilled.
Also the children of God be not curious in searching the high mysteries of God, which be not meet for them to knowe: neither doo go about with humane and carnall reasons to interpret Scripture, persuading men by their subtile wits, and carnall doctrine, that much knowledge of Scripture maketh men heretikes, without they temper it with humane doctrine, Sophistrie, Philosophie, and Logicke, wherewith to bee seduced according to the traditions of men, after the ordinances of the world, and not after Christ. S. Paul [Page 75] doth most diligentlie admonish vs, which arts are not conuenient & meet to be made checkmate with Scripture. For the Scriptures be so pure and holie, that no perfection can be added vnto them. For euen as fine gold doth excell all other mettals, so doth the word of God, all mens doctrines. I beseech the Lord to send the learned and vnlearned such abundance of his holie spirit, that they may obeie and obserue the most sincere and holie word of God, and shew the fruits thereof, which consisteth chieflie in charitie and godlie vnitie: that as we haue professed one God, one faith, and one baptisme; so we may be all of one mind, and one accord, putting awaie all biting and gnawing. For in backbiting, slandering, and mis-reporting our Christian brethren, we shew not our selues the Disciples of Christ, whom we professe. In him was most high charitie, humilitie and patience, suffering most patientlie all ignominie, rebukes, and slanders, praieng to his eternall father for his enimies with most perfect charitie; and in all things did remit his will to his fathers, as the Scripture doth witnesse, when he praied in the Mount. A godlie example and lesson for vs to followe at all times and seasons, as well in prosperitie, as in aduersitie; to haue no will but Gods will, committing and leauing to him all our cares and greefes, and to abandon all our policies and inuentions. For they be most vaine, and foolish, and indeed verie shadowes and dreames.
But we be yet so carnall and fleshlie, that we run headlong like vnbrideled colts, without snaffle or bridle. If we had the loue of God printed in our harts, it would keepe vs backe from running astraie. And vntill such time as it please God to send vs this bit to hold vs in, we shall neuer run the right waie, although wee speake and talke neuer so much of God and his word. The true followers of Christs doctrine haue alwaies [Page 76] a respect, and an eie to their vocation. If they be called to the ministerie of Gods word, they preach and teach it sincerelie, to the edifieng of others; and shew themselues in their liuing, followers of the same. If they be maried men, hauing children and familie, they nourish and bring them vp, without all bitternesse, and fiercenesse, in the doctrine of the Lord, in all godlinesse and vertue; committing the instruction of others, which apperteine not to their charge, to the reformation of God, and his ministers, which chieflie be Kings and Princes, bearing the sword euen for that purpose, to punish euill dooers. If they be children, they honour their father and mother, knowing it to be Gods commandement, and that he hath thereto annexed a promise of long life. If they be seruants, they obeie and serue their maisters with all feare and reuerence, euen for the Lords sake; neither with murmuring nor grudging, but with a free hart and mind.
If they be husbands, they loue their wiues, as their owne bodies, after the example as Christ loued the congregation, and gaue himselfe for it, to make it to him a spouse without spot or wrinkle. If they be women maried, they learne of S. Paule to be obedient to their husbands, and to keepe silence in the congregation, and to learne of their husbands at home. Also they weare such apparell as becommeth holinesse, & comlie vsage, with sobernesse; not being accusers or detractors, not giuen to much eating of delicate meats, and drinking of wine; but they teach honest things, to make the yong women sober minded, to loue their husbands, to loue their children, to be discreet, chaste, houswifelie, good, and obedient vnto their husbands: that the word of God be not euill spoken of. Uerelie, if all sorts of people would looke to their owne vocation, and ordeine the same according to Christs doctrine, we should not haue so many eies and eares to other mens [Page 77] faults as we haue. For we be so busie and glad to find and espie out other mens dooings, that we forget, and can haue no time to weigh & ponder our owne, which after the word of God we ought first to reforme: and then we shall the better helpe an other with the straw out of his eies.
But alas, we be so much giuen to loue and to flatter our selues, and so blinded with carnall affections, that we can see and perceiue no fault in our selues. And therfore it is a thing verie requisite and necessarie for vs, to praie all with one hart and mind to God, to giue vs an heauenlie light and knowledge of our owne miseries and calamities, that we may see them, and acknowledge them trulie before him.
The twelfe Chapter, The conclusion, with a Christian exhortation to the amendement of life.
IF anie man shall be offended at this my lamenting the faults of men, which be in the world, fantasing with themselues, that I doo it either of hatred or of malice, to anie sort or kind of people; verelie in so dooing they shall doo me great wrong. For I thanke God by his grace, I hate no creature; yea I would saie more to giue witnesse of my conscience, that neither life, honour, riches, neither whatsoeuer I possesse here, which appertaineth to mine owne priuate commoditie, be it neuer so deerlie beloued of mee, but most willinglie and gladlie I would leaue it, to win anie man to Christ, of what degree or sort soeuer he were. And yet is this nothing in comparison to the charitie that God hath shewed me, in sending Christ to die for me. No, if I had all the charitie of Angels, and Apostles, it should be but like a sparke of fire compared to a great heape of burning coales.
[Page 78] God knoweth of what intent and mind I haue lamented mine owne sinnes and faults to the world. I trust no bodie will iudge that I haue done it for praise or thanke of anie creature; since rather I might be ashamed, than reioice in rehearsall thereof. For if they knewe how little I esteeme and weigh the praise of the world, that opinion were soone remooued and taken awaie. For I thanke God (by his grace) I knowe the world to be a blind iudge, and the praises therof vaine, and of little moment: and therefore I seeke not the praises of the same, neither to satisfie it none otherwise than I am taught by Christ to doo, according to christian charitie. I would to God we would all (when occasion doth serue) confesse our faults to the world, all respects of our owne commoditie laid apart. But alas, selfe-loue doth so much reigne among vs, that (as I haue said before) we can not espie our owne faults. And although somtime we find our owne guilt, either we be fauourable to interpret it no sin: or else we be ashamed to confesse our selues thereof. Yea, and we be sore offended and greeued, to heare our faults charitablie and godlie told vs of other, putting no difference betweene charitable warning, & malicious accusing.
Trulie, if we sought Gods glorie, as we should doo in all things, we should not be ashamed to confesse our selues to digresse from Gods precepts and ordinances; when it is manifest we haue done, and dailie doo. I praie God our owne faults and deeds condemne vs not at the last daie, when euerie man shall be rewarded according to his dooings. Trulie, if we doo not redresse and amend our liuing, according to the doctrine of the Gospell; we shall receiue a terrible sentence of Christ the sonne of God, when he shall come to iudge and condemne all transgressours and breakers of his precepts and commandements; and to reward all his obedient and louing children. We shall haue no man [Page 79] of lawe to make our plea for vs, neither can we haue the daie deferred, neither will the Iudge be corrupted with affection, bribes, or reward; neither will he heare anie excuse or delaie, neither shall this Saint or that Martyr helpe vs, be they neuer so holie; neither shall our ignorance saue vs from damnation. But yet wilfull blindnesse, and obstinate ignorance shall receiue greater punishment, and not without iust cause. Then shall it be knowne who hath walked in the darke. For all things shall appeere manifest before him. No mans deeds shall be hidden; no, neither words, nor thoughts. The poore and simple obseruers of Gods commandements shall be rewarded with euerlasting life, as obedient children to the heauenlie Father: and the transgressors, adders, and diminishers of the lawe of God, shall receiue eternall damnation for their iust reward. I beseech God we may escape this fearefull sentence, and be found such faithfull seruants, and louing children, that we may heare the happie, comfortable, and most ioifull sentence ordeined for the children of God, which is; Come hither ye blessed of my father, and receiue the kingdome of heauen, prepared for you before the beginning of the world. Unto the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, be all honour and glorie world without end,
Amen.
¶ Also here followe godlie Praiers and Meditations, wherein the mind is stirred, patientlie to suffer all afflictions heere; to set at naught the vaine prosperitie of the world: and alwaie to long for euerlasting felicitie: collected out of holie works, by the most vertuous and gratious Princesse KATHERINE, Queene of England, France, and Ireland.
If ye be risen againe with Christ, seeke the things which are aboue, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things that are aboue: and not on things which are on the earth.
The first Chapter, Of praiers to performe Gods will in patience.
MOst benigne Lord Iesu, grant me thy grace, that it may alwaie worke in mee, and perseuere with me vnto the end.
Grant me, that I may euer desire and will that, which is most pleasant, and most acceptable to thee.
Thy will be my will, and my will be to followe alwaie thy will.
Let there be alwaie in me one will, and one desire with thee, and that I haue no desire to will, or not to will, but as thou wilt.
Lord, thou knowest what thing is most profitable, and most expedient for me.
[Page 81] Giue me therefore what thou wilt, as much as thou wilt, and when thou wilt.
Doo with me what thou wilt, as it shall please thee, and as shall be most to thine honour.
Put me where thou wilt, and freelie doo with me in all things after thy will.
Thy creature I am, and in thy hands, leade and turne me where thou wilt.
Lo, I am thy seruant, readie to all things that thou commandest. For I desire not to liue to my selfe, but to thee.
Lord Iesu, I praie thee grant me grace, that I neuer set my hart on the things of this world: but that all worldlie and carnall affections may vtterlie die, and be mortified in me.
Grant me aboue all things, that I may rest in thee, and fullie quiet and pacifie my hart in thee.
For thou Lord art the verie true peace of hart, and the perfect rest of the soule: & without thee all things be greeuous and vnquiet.
My Lord Iesu, I beseech thee, be with me in euerie place, and at all times; and let it be to me a speciall solace, gladlie for thy loue to lacke all worldlie solace.
And if thou withdrawe thy comfort from me at any time, keepe me, O Lord, from desperation, and make me patientlie to abide thy will and ordinance.
O Lord Iesu, thy iudgments be righteous, and thy prouidence is much better for me, than all that I can imagine or deuise.
Wherfore doo with me in all things as it shall please thee. For it may not be but well, all that thou dooest.
If thou wilt that I be in light, be thou blessed: if thou wilt that I be in darknesse, be thou also blessed.
If thou vouchsafe to comfort me, be thou highlie blessed: if thou wilt I liue in trouble, and without comfort, be thou like wise euer blessed.
[Page 82] Lord giue mee grace gladlie to suffer whatsoeuer thou wilt shall fall vpon me, and patientlie to take it at thy hand: good and bad, bitter and sweete, ioie and sorrowe: and for all things that shall befall vnto me, hartilie to thanke thee.
Keepe me Lord from sinne, and I shall then neither dread death, nor hell.
O what thanks ought I to giue vnto thee, which hast suffered the greeuous death of the crosse, to deliuer me from my sinnes, and to obtaine euerlasting life for me!
Thou gauest vs most perfect example of patience, fulfilling and obeieng the will of thy father, euen vnto the death.
Make me wretched sinner, obedientlie to vse my selfe after thy will in althings, and patientlie to beare the burden of this corruptible life.
For though this life be tedious, and as an heauie burden to my soule: yet neuerthelesse thorough thy grace, and by example of thee, it is now made much more easie and comfortable, than it was before thine incarnation and passion.
Thy holie life is our waie to thee, and by following of thee we walke to thee, that art our head and Sauiour: and yet, except thou hadst gone before and shewed vs the waie to euerlasting life; who would endeuor himselfe to followe thee? Seeing we be yet so slowe and dull, hauing the light of thy blessed example and holie doctrine to leade and direct vs.
O Lord Iesu, make that possible by grace, that is to me impossible by nature.
Thou knowest well that I may litle suffer, and that I am anon cast downe and ouerthrowne with a little aduersitie: wherfore I beseech thee O Lord, to strengthen me with thy spirit, that I may willinglie suffer for thy sake, all maner of trouble and affliction.
The second Chapter, A confession of our infirmities, with a desire to rest in God aboue all things.
LOrd, I will knowledge vnto thee all mine vnrighteousnesse, and I will confesse to thee all the vnstablenesse of my hart.
Oftentimes a verie little thing troubleth me sore, and maketh mee dull and slowe to serue thee.
And sometime I purpose to stand stronglie: but when a little trouble commeth, it is to mee great anguish and greefe, and of a right little thing riseth a greeuous temptation to mee.
Yea when I thinke my selfe to bee sure and strong, and that (as it seemeth) I haue the vpper hand: suddenlie I feele my selfe readie to fall with a little blast of temptation.
Behold therefore (good Lord) my weakenesse, and consider my frailenesse best knowne to thee.
Haue mercie on me, and deliuer me from all iniquitie and sinne, that I bee not intangled therewith.
Oft times it greeueth mee sore, and in a maner confoundeth mee, that I am so vnstable, so weake, and so fraile, in resisting sinfull motions.
Which although they drawe me not alwaie to consent, yet neuerthelesse their assaults bee verie greeuous vnto mee.
And it is tedious to mee to liue in such battell, albeit I perceiue, that such battell is not vnprofitable vnto mee: for thereby I knowe the better my selfe, and mine owne infirmities, and that I must seeke helpe onlie at thy hands.
O Lord God of Israel, the louer of all faithfull soules, vouchsafe to behold the labour and sorowe of mee thy poore creature.
Assist mee in all things with thy grace, and so strengthen [Page 84] me with heauenlie strength, that neither my cruell enimie the feend, neither my wretched flesh (which is not yet subiect to the spirit) haue victorie or dominion ouer mee.
O what a life may this bee called, where no trouble nor miserie lacketh! Where euerie place is full of snares of mortall enimies!
For one trouble or temptation ouerpassed, another commeth by and by; and the first conflict yet during, a new battell suddenlie ariseth.
Wherefore Lord Iesu, I praie thee giue me thy grace, to rest in thee aboue all things, and to quiet mee in thee aboue all creatures, aboue all glorie and honour, aboue all dignitie and power, aboue all cunning and policie, aboue all health and beautie, aboue all riches and treasure, aboue all ioie and pleasure, aboue all fame and praise, aboue all mirth and consolation that mans hart may take or feele besides thee.
For thou Lord God, art best, most wise, most high, most mightie, most sufficient, and most full of all goodnesse, most sweet, and most comfortable, most faire, most louing, most noble, most glorious, in whom all goodnes most perfectlie is.
And therefore, whatsoeuer I haue besides thee, it is nothing to mee. For my hart may not rest, ne fullie bee pacified, but onlie in thee.
O Lord Iesu, most louing spouse; who shall giue mee wings of perfect loue, that I may flie vp from these worldlie miseries, and rest in thee?
O when shall I ascend to thee, and feele how sweet thou art?
When shall I wholie gather my selfe in thee so perfectlie, that I shall not for thy loue feele my selfe, but thee onlie aboue my selfe, & aboue all worldlie things, that thou maist vouchsafe to visit mee in such wise, as thou dooest visit thy most faithfull louers?
[Page 85] Now I often mourne and complaine of the miseries of this life, and with sorowe and great heauinesse suffer them.
For manie things happen dailie to mee, which oftentimes trouble mee, make mee heauie, and darken mine vnderstanding.
They hinder mee greatlie, and put my mind from thee, and so encumber me manie waies, that I can not freelie and cleerelie desire thee, ne haue thy sweet consolations, which with thy blessed Saints be alwaie present.
I beseech thee, Lord Iesu, that the sighings and inward desires of my hart may moue and incline thee to heare mee.
The third Chapter. A recounting of Gods benefits, with praier to obtaine a free and cleane mind, with hartie wisdome and deliuerance.
OIesu, King of euerlasting glorie, the ioie and comfort of all Christian people, that are wandering as Pilgrims in the wildernes of this world: my hart crieth to thee by still desires, and my silence speaketh vnto thee, and saith: How long tarieth my Lord God to come to mee?
Come O Lord, and visit mee: for without thee I haue no true ioie, without thee my soule is heauie and sad.
I am in prison, and bounden with fetters of sorowe, till thou O Lord, with thy gratious presence vouchsafe to visit me, and to bring me againe to libertie and ioie of spirit, and to shew thy fauourable countenance vnto me.
Open my hart (Lord) that I may behold thy lawes, and teach me to walke in thy commandements.
Make me to knowe and folowe thy will, and to haue alwaies in my remembrance thy manifold benefits, that I may yeeld due thanks to thee for the same.
[Page 86] But I knowledge and confesse for truth, that I am not able to giue thee condigne thanks, for the least benefit that thou hast giuen me.
O Lord, all gifts and vertues that anie man hath, in bodie or soule, naturall or supernaturall, be thy gifts, and come of thee, and not of our selues; and they declare the great riches of thy mercie and goodnesse vnto vs.
And though some haue mo gifts than other; yet they all proceed from thee, and without thee the least cannot be had.
O Lord, I accompt it for a great benefit, not to haue manie worldlie gifts, whereby the laud and praise of men might blind my soule, and deceiue me.
Lord, I knowe that no man ought to be ashamed or miscontent, that he is in a lowe estate in this world, and lacketh the pleasures of this life; but rather to be glad and reioice thereat:
For so much as thou hast chosen the poore and meeke persons, and such as are despised in the world, to be thy seruants and familiar friends.
Witnesse be thy blessed Apostles, whome thou madest chiefe pastours and spirituall gouernours of thy flocke, which departed from the counsel of the Jewes, reioising that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for thy name.
Euen so (O Lord) grant that I thy seruant may be as well content to be taken as the least, as other be to be greatest; and that I be as well pleased to be in the lowest place, as in the highest; and as glad to be of no reputation in the world for thy sake, as other are to be noble and famous.
Lord, it is the worke of a perfect man, neuer to sequester his mind from thee; and among manie worldlie cares to go without care: not after the maner of an idle or a dissolute person, but by the prerogatiue of a [Page 87] free mind, alwaie minding heauenlie things, and not cleauing by inordinate affection to anie creature.
I beseech thee therefore, my Lord Iesu, keepe me from the superfluous cares of this world, that I be not inquieted with bodilie necessities; ne that I be not taken with the voluptuous pleasures of the world, ne of the flesh.
Preserue me from all things, which hinder my soule health, that I be not ouerthrowne with them.
O Lord God, which art sweetnesse vnspeakable, turne into bitternesse to me all worldlie and fleshlie delights, which might drawe me from the loue of eternall things, to the loue of short and vile pleasures.
Let not flesh and bloud ouercome me, ne yet the world with his vaine glorie deceiue me, nor the feend with his manifold crafts supplant me: but giue me ghostlie strength in resisting them, patience in suffering them, and constancie in perseuering to the end.
Giue me for all worldlie delectations, the most sweet consolation of thy holie spirit, and for all fleshlie loue, indue my soule with feruent loue of thee.
Make me strong inwardlie in my soule, and cast out thereof all vnprofitable cares of this world, that I be not led by vnstable desires of earthlie things: but that I may repute all things in this world (as they be) transitorie and soone vanishing awaie, and my selfe also with them, drawing toward mine end.
For nothing vnder the sunne may long abide; but all is vanitie, and affliction of spirit.
Giue me (Lord) therefore heauenlie wisdome, that I may learne to seeke and find thee, & aboue all things to loue thee.
Giue me grace to withdrawe me from them that flatter me, and patientlie to suffer them that vniustlie greeue me.
Lord, when temptation or tribulation commeth, [Page 88] vouchsafe to succour me, that all may turne to my ghostlie comfort, and patientlie to suffer, and alwaie to saie, Thy name be blessed.
Lord, trouble is now at hand; I am not well, but I am greatlie vexed with this present affliction. O most glorious father, what shall I do? Anguish and trouble are on euerie side, helpe now, I beseech thee in this houre: thou shalt be lauded and praised, when I am perfectlie made meeke before thee, and when I am cleerelie deliuered by thee.
May it therefore please thee to deliuer me. For what may I most sinfull wretch do? Or whether may I go for succour, but to thee?
Giue mee patience now at this time in all my troubles; helpe me, Lord God, and I shall not feare ne dread, what trouble so euer fall vpon me.
And now, what shall I saie, but that thy will be done in me? I haue deserued to be troubled and greeued; and therefore it behooueth that I suffer, as long as it pleaseth thee.
But would to God that I might suffer gladlie, till the furious tempests were ouerpassed, and that quietnesse of hart might come againe.
Thy mightie hand, Lord, is strong ynough to take this trouble from me, & to asswage the cruell assaults thereof with them, as thou hast oftentimes done before this time; that when I am cleerelie deliuered by thee, I may with gladnesse saie, The right hand of him that is highest, hath made this change.
The fourth Chapter, To despise all things in the world, and yeeld our selues vp to God, that he may be all in all for our redemption in time of neede.
LOrd grant me thy singular grace, that I may come thither where no creature shall let me ne keepe me from the perfect beholding of thee.
[Page 89] For as long as anie transitorie thing keepeth me backe, or hath rule in me, I may not freelie ascend to thee.
O Lord, without thee nothing may long delight or please: for if anie thing should be liking and sauourie, it must be through helpe of thy grace, seasoned with the spice of thy wisedome.
O euerlasting light, far passing all things, send downe the beames of thy brightnesse from aboue, and purifie and lighten the inward parts of my hart.
Quicken my soule, and all the powers thereof, that it may cleaue fast, and be ioined to thee in ioifull gladnesse, and ghostlie rauishings.
O when shall that blessed houre come, that thou shalt visit me, and glad me with thy blessed presence; when thou shalt be to me all in all? Uerelie vntill that time come, there can be no perfect ioie in me.
But alas, mine old man, that is, my carnall affections liue still in me, and are not crucified nor perfectlie dead.
For yet striueth the flesh against the spirit, and moueth great battell inwardlie against me, and suffereth not the kingdome of my soule to liue in peace.
But thou good Lord, that hast the Lordship ouer all, and power of the sea, to asswage the rages and surges of the same, arise and helpe me; destroie the power of mine enimies, which alwaies make battell against me: shew foorth the greatnesse of thy goodnesse, and let the power of thy right hand be glorified in me. For there is to me none other helpe nor refuge, but in thee onlie my Lord, my God: to thee be honour and glorie euerlasting.
O Lord grant me, that I may wholie resigne myselfe to thee, and in all things to forsake my selfe, and patientlie to beare my crosse, and to followe thee.
O Lord, what is man, that thou vouchsafest to haue [Page 90] mind of him, and to visit him?
Thou art alwaie one, alwaie good, alwaie righteous and holie, iustlie and blessedlie disposing all things after thy wisdome.
But I am a wretch, and of my selfe alwaie readie and prone to euill, and do neuer abide in one state, but manie tunes doo varie and change.
Neuerthelesse, it shall be better with me, when it shall please thee. For thou O Lord onelie art he that maiest helpe me; and thou maiest so confirme and stablish me, that my hart shall not be changed from thee, but be surelie fixed, and finallie rest and be quieted in thee.
I am nothing else of my selfe, but vanitie before thee, an vnconstant creature, and a feeble. And therefore, whereof may I rightfullie glorie? Or why should I looke to be magnified?
Who so pleaseth himselfe without thee, displeaseth thee; and he that delighteth in mens praisings, looseth the true praise before thee.
The true praise is to be praised of thee: and the true ioie is to reioice in thee.
Wherefore, thy name O Lord, be praised, and not mine; thy works be magnified, and not mine; and thy goodnesse be alwaies lauded and blessed.
Thou art my glorie, and the ioie of my hart, in thee shall I glorie and reioice, and not in my selfe, nor in anie worldlie honor or dignitie, which to thine eternall glorie compared, is but a shadowe, and a verie vanitie.
O Lord, we liue here in great darknesse, and are soone deceiued with the vanities of this world, and are soone greeued with a little trouble: yet if I could behold my selfe well, I should plainelie see, that what trouble soeuer I haue suffered, it hath iustlie come vpon me, because I haue often sinned, & greeuouslie offended thee.
To me therefore confusion, and despite is due; but [Page 91] to thee laud, honour and glorie.
Lord send me helpe in my troubles; for mans helpe is little woorth.
How often haue I beene disappointed, where I thought I should haue found friendship? And how often haue I found it, where as I least thought?
Wherefore it is a vaine thing to trust in man. For the true trust and helth of man is onlie in thee.
Blessed be thou Lord therefore in all things, that happen vnto vs. For we be weake and vnstable, soone deceiued, and soon changed from one thing to another.
O Lord God, most righteous Iudge, strong and patient, which knowest the frailtie and malice of man; be thou my whole strength and comfort in all necessities. For mine owne conscience Lord sufficeth not.
Wherefore to thy mercie I doo appeale, seeing no man may be iustified, ne appere righteous in thy sight, if thou examine him after thy iustice.
The fift Chapter, Of the euerlasting daie, and anguish of this life.
OBlessed mansion of thy heauenlie Citie! O most clearest daie of eternitie, whom the night may neuer darken!
This is the daie alwaie cleare and merrie, alwaie sure, and neuer changing his estate.
Would to God this daie might shortlie appeare, and shine vpon vs, and that these worldlie fantasies were at an end.
This daie shineth clearlie to thy Saints in heauen, with euerlasting brightnesse: but to vs pilgrims in earth it shineth obscurelie, and as through a mirrour or glasse.
The heauenlie Citizens knowe how ioious this day is; but we outlawes, the children of Eue, weepe and [Page 92] waile the bitter tediousnes of our daie, that is of this present life, short and euill, full of sorowe and anguish,
Where man is oftentimes defiled with sinne, incumbred with affliction, inquieted with troubles, wrapped in cares, busied with vanities, blinded with errors, ouercharged with labours, vexed with temptations, ouercome with vaine delights and pleasures of the world, and grieuouslie tormented with penurie and neede.
O when shall the end come of all these miseries?
When shall I be clearelie deliuered from the bondage of sinne?
When shall I Lord haue onelie mind on thee, and fullie be glad and merrie in thee?
When shall I be free without letting, and be in perfect libertie of bodie and soule?
When shall I haue peace without trouble: peace within and without, and on euerie side stedfast & sure?
O Lord Iesu, when shall I stand and behold thee; and haue full sight and contemplation of thy glorie?
When shalt thou be to me all in all? And when shall I be with thee in thy kingdome, that thou hast ordeined for thine elect people from the beginning?
I am left here poore, and as an outlawe, in the land of mine enimies; where dailie be battels, and great misfortunes.
Comfort mine exile, asswage my sorowe; for all my desire is to be with thee.
It is to me an vnpleasant burden, what pleasure soeuer the world offereth me here.
I desire to haue inward fruition in thee; but I can not attaine thereto.
I couet to cleaue fast to heauenlie things; but worldlie affections plucke my mind downeward.
I would subdue all euill affections; but they dailie rebell, and rise against me, and will not be subiect vnto [Page 93] my spirit.
Thus I wretched creature sigh in my selfe, and am grieuous to my selfe, while my spirit desireth to be vpward and contrarie, my flesh draweth me downward.
O what suffer I inwardlie! I go about to mind heauenly things, and streight a great rable of worldlie things rush into my soule.
Therefore, Lord, be not long awaie; ne depart thou in thy wrath from me.
Send me the light of thy grace; destroie in me all carnall desires.
Send foorth the hot flames of thy loue, to burne and consume the cloudie fantasies of my mind.
Gather, O Lord, my wits, and the powers of my soule togither in thee; & make me to despise all worldlie things, and by thy grace strongly to resist and ouercome all motions and occasions of sinne.
Helpe me thou euerlasting truth, that no worldlie guile nor vanitie hereafter haue power to deceiue me.
Come also thou heauenlie sweetnesse, and let all bitternesse of sinne flie far from me. Pardon me, and forgiue me as oft as in my praier my mind is not surelie fixed on thee.
For manie times I am not there, where I stand or sit; but rather there whither my thoughts carie me.
For there I am, where my thoughts be, and where as customablie is my thought, there is that that I loue.
And that oftentimes commeth into my mind, that by custome pleaseth me best; and that delighteth me most to thinke vpon.
Accordinglie as thou dost say in thy gospell: Where as a mans treasure is, there is his hart.
Wherefore, if I loue heauen, I speake gladlie therof, and of such things as be of God, and of that that apperteineth to his honour, and to the glorie of his [Page 94] holie name.
And if I loue the world, I loue to talke of worldlie things, and I ioie anon in worldlie felicitie, and sorowe and lament soone for worldlie aduersitie.
If I loue the flesh, I imagine oftentimes that, that pleaseth the flesh.
If I loue my soule, I delight much to speake and to heare of things that be for my soules health.
And whatsoeuer I loue, of that I gladlie heare, and speake, and beare the images of them still in my mind.
Blessed is the man that for the loue of the Lord, setteth not by the pleasures of this world, and learneth trulie to ouercome himselfe, and with the feruour of spirit crucifieth his flesh; so that in a cleane and a pure conscience he may offer his praiers to thee, and be accepted to haue companie of thy blessed Angels, all earthlie things excluded from his hart.
The sixt Chapter, A sweet praier, wherein being pressed downe with troubles, we humblie yeeld our selues vnder the mightie hand of God our Creator.
LOrd and holie Father, be thou blessed now and euer. For as thou wilt, so it is done; and that thou dooest is alwaie best.
Let me, thine humble and vnwoorthie seruant, ioie onelie in thee, and not in my selfe, ne in anie thing else besides thee.
For thou Lord art my gladnes, my hope, my crowne, and all mine honour.
What hath thy seruant, but that she hath of thee, and that without hir desert.
All things be thine; thou hast created and made them.
I am poore, and haue beene in trouble and paine, euer from my youth, and my soule hath beene in great heauinesse [Page 95] through manifold passions, that come of the world, and of the flesh.
Wherefore Lord, I desire that I may haue of thee the ioie of inward peace.
I aske of thee to come to that rest, which is ordeined for thy chosen children, that be fed and nourished with the light of heauenlie comforts. For without thy helpe I can not come to thee.
Lord giue me peace, giue me inward ioie, and then my soule shall be full of heauenlie melodie, and be deuout and feruent in thy lauds and praises.
But if thou withdrawe thy selfe from me (as thou hast sometime done) then may not thy seruant runne the waie of thy commandements, as I did before.
For it is not with me, as it was when the Lampe of thy ghostlie presence did shine vpon my head; and I was defended vnder the shadowe of thy wings from all perils and dangers.
O mercifull Lord Iesu, euer to be praised; the time is come, that thou wilt prooue thy seruant; and rightfull it is, that I shall now suffer somewhat for thee.
Now is the houre come, that thou hast knowne from the beginning, that thy seruant for a time should outwardlie be set at naught, and inwardlie to leane vnto thee.
And that she should be despised in the sight of the world, and be broken with affliction, that she may after arise with thee in a new light, and be clarified, and made glorious in the kingdome of heauen.
O holie father, thou hast ordeined it so to be; and it is done as thou hast commanded.
This is thy grace (O Lord) to thy freend, to suffer hir to be troubled in this world for thy loue, how often so euer it be, and of what person so euer it be, and in what maner soeuer thou wilt suffer it to fall vnto hir. For without thy will or sufferance, what thing is done [Page 96] vpon the earth?
It is good to me, O Lord, that thou hast meekened me, that I may therby learne to knowe thy righteous iudgements, & to put from me all maner of presumption, and statelinesse of hart.
It is verie profitable for me, that confusion hath couered my face; that I may learne thereby rather to seeke to thee for helpe and succour, than to man.
I haue thereby learned to dread thy secret and terrible iudgements, which scourgest the righteous with the sinner; but not without equitie and iustice.
Lord, I yeeld thanks to thee, that thou hast not spared my sinnes, but hast punished me with scourges of loue, and hast sent me affliction and anguish within and without.
No creature vnder heauen may comfort me, but thou Lord God, the heauenlie leach of mans soule, which strikest and healest, which bringest a man nigh vnto death, and after restorest him to life againe, that he may thereby learne to knowe his owne weakenesse and imbecillitie, & the more fullie to trust in the Lord.
Thy discipline is laid vpon me, and thy rod of correction hath taught me, and vnder that rod I wholie submit me.
Strike my backe and my bones as it shall please thee; and make me to bow my crooked will to thy will.
Make me a meeke and an humble disciple, as thou hast sometime done with me, that I may walke after thy will.
To thee I commit my selfe to be corrected. For better it is to be corrected by thee heere, than in time to come.
Thou knowest all things; and nothing is hid from thee that is in mans conscience.
Thou knowest all things to come before they fall, & it is not needfull that anie man teach thee, or warne [Page 97] thee of anie thing that is done vpon the earth.
Thou knowest what is profitable for me, and how much tribulations helpe to purge awaie the rust of sinne in me.
Doo with me after thy pleasure. I am a sinfull wretch, to none so well knowne as to thee.
Grant me (Lord) that to knowe, that is necessarie to be knowne; that to loue, that is to be loued; that to desire, that pleaseth thee; that to regard, that is pretious in thy sight; and that to refuse, that is vile before thee.
Suffer me not to iudge thy mysteries after mine outward senses, ne to giue sentence after the hearing of the ignorant, but by true iudgement to discerne things spirituall; and aboue all things, alwaie to search and followe thy will and pleasure.
O Lord Iesu, thou art all my riches, and all that I haue, I haue it of thee.
But what am I (Lord) that dare speake to thee? I am thy poore creature, and a worme most abiect.
Behold Lord, I haue naught, and of my selfe I am naught worth. Thou art onlie God, righteous and holie; thou orderest all things, thou giuest all things, and thou fulfillest all things with goodnesse.
I am a sinner, barren and void of godlie vertues.
Remember thy mercies, and fill my hart with plentie of thy grace. For thou wilt not that thy works in me should be made in vaine.
How may I beare the miserie of this life, except thy grace and mercie do comfort me?
Turne not thy face from me, deferre not the visiting of me; ne withdrawe not thy comforts, least happilie my soule be made as drie earth, without the water of grace.
Teach me (Lord) to fulfill thy will, to liue meekelie, and worthilie before thee. For thou art all my wisdome [Page 98] and cunning, thou art he that knowest me as I am, that knewest me before the world was made, & before I was borne or brought into this life. To thee (O Lord) be honour, glorie, and praise for euer and euer:
Amen.
¶ A certaine effectuall praier, made by the Ladie Jane Dudley, in the time of hir trouble, a little before hir death.
O Lord, thou GOD and father of my life, heare mee poore and desolate Woman, which flieth vnto thee onelie in all my troubles and miseries. Thou, O Lord, art the onlie defender and deliuerer of those that put their trust in thee. And therefore I, being defiled with sinne, incumbred with affliction, vnquieted with troubles, wrapped in cares, ouerwhelmed with miseries, vexed with temptations, and greeuouslie tormented with the long imprisonment of this vile masse of claie, my sinfull bodie and bloud, do come vnto thee O mercifull Sauiour, crauing thy mercie and helpe; without the which, so little hope of deliuerance is left, that I may vtterlie despaire of anie libertie. Albeit, it is expedient, that seeing our life standeth vpon trieng, we should be visited sometime with some aduersitie, wherby we might both be tried, whether we be of thy flocke or no, and also knowe thee, and our selues the better: yet thou that saidst, that thou wouldst not suffer vs to be tempted [Page 99] aboue our power; be mercifull vnto me now, a miserable wretch, I beseech thee; which with Salomon do crie vnto thee, humblie desiring thee, that I may neither be too much puffed vp with prosperitie; neither too much pressed downe with aduersitie, least I being too full, should denie my God; or being too lowe brought, should despaire, and blaspheme thee my Lord and Sauiour.
O mercifull God, consider my miserie best knowne vnto thee, and be thou now vnto me a strong tower of defence, I humblie require thee. Suffer me not to be tempted aboue my strength and power, but either be thou a deliuerer vnto me out of this great miserie, either else giue me grace patientlie to beare thy heauie hand, and sharpe correction. It was thy right hand, O God, yt deliuered the people of Israel out of the hands of Pharao, which for the space of four hundred yeares, did oppresse them, and keepe them in bondage. Let it therefore like wise seeme good to thy fatherlie goodnes, to deliuer me, sorowfull wretch (for whome thy sonne Christ shed his pretious bloud on the Crosse) out of this miserable captiuitie and bondage, wherein I am now.
How long wilt thou be absent? For euer? Oh Lord, hast thou forgotten to be gratious, and hast thou shut vp thy louing kindnesse in displeasure▪ Wilt thou be no more intreated? Is thy mercie cleane gone for euer, and thy promise come vtterlie to an end for euermore? Why doest thou make so long tarieng? Shall I despaire of thy mercie oh God? Far be that from me. I am thy workemanship, created in Christ Iesu; giue me grace therefore to tarie thy leasure, and patientlie to beare thy works: assuredlie knowing, that as thou canst, so thou wilt deliuer me, when it shall please thee, nothing doubting nor mistrusting thy goodnesse towards me. For thou wotest better what is good for me, [Page 100] than I doo.
Therefore doo with me in all things what thou wilt, and plague me what waie thou wilt; onelie in the meane time arme me, I beseech thee, with thine armour, yt I may stand fast, my loines being girded about with veritie, hauing on the brestplate of righteousnes, and shod with the shoes prepared by the Gospell of peace: aboue all things taking to me the shield of faith, wherewith I may be able to quench all the firie darts of the wicked; and taking the helmet of saluation, and the sword of the spirit, which is thy most holie word, praieng alwaies with all maner of praier and supplication, that I may referre my selfe wholie vnto thy will, abiding thy pleasure, and comforting my selfe in those troubles that it shall please thee to send me; seeing such troubles be profitable for me, and seeing I am assuredlie persuaded, that it cannot be but well all that thou doest. Heare me, oh mercifull father, for his sake, whome thou wouldest should be a slaine sacrifice for my sinnes, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost, be all honour and glorie for euer:
Amen.
An exhortation written by the Ladie IANE, the night before she suffered, in the end of the new Testament in Greeke, which she sent to hir sister the Ladie Katherine.
I Haue here sent you, good sister Katherine, a Booke, which although it be not outwardlie trimmed with gold, yet inwardlie it is more worth than pretious stones. It is the booke (deere sister) of the lawe of the Lord; it is his Testament and last will, which he bequeathed vnto vs wretches, which shall leade you to the path of eternall ioie. And if you, with a good mind reade it, and with an earnest [Page 101] desire folowe it, it shall bring you to an immortall and euerlasting life. It will teach you to liue, and learne you to die. It shall win you more than you should haue gained by the possessions of your wofull fathers land. For as, if God had prospered him, you should haue inherited all his lands; so if you applie diligentlie this booke, seeking to direct your life after it, you shall be an inheritour of such riches, as neither the couetous shall withdrawe from you, neither the theefe shall steale, neither yet the moths corrupt. Desire with Dauid (good sister) to vnderstand the lawe of the Lord your God, liue still to die, that you by death may obtaine eternall life: or after your death enioie the life purchased you by Christes death. And trust not that the tendernesse of your age shall lengthen your life. For as soone, if God call, goeth the yong as the old. And labour alwaie to learne to die, denie the world, defie the diuell, despise the flesh, and delight your selfe onlie in the Lord. Be penitent for your sins, and yet despair not; be strong in faith, and yet presume not: and desire with Saint Paule to be dissolued, and to be with Christ, with whome in death there is life. Be like the good seruant, and euen at midnight be waking, least when death commeth, and stealeth vpon you like a theefe in the night, you be with the euill seruant found sleeping: and least for lacke of oile in your lampe, ye be found like to the fiue foolish virgins, and like him that had not on the wedding garment; and then be cast out from the mariage. Reioice in Christ, as I trust you do. And seeing you haue the name of a Christian, as neere as you can, folowe the steps of your maister Christ, and take vp your crosse; laie your sinnes on his backe, and alwaies embrace him. And as touching my death, reioice, as I doo (good sister) that I shall be deliuered of this corruption, and put on incorruption. For I am assured, that I shall for losing of a mortall life, win an [Page 102] immortall life, the which I praie God grant you, and send you of his graces, to liue in his feare, and to die in the true christian faith, from the which in Gods name I exhort you that ye neuer swarue, neither for hope of life, nor feare of death. For if ye will denie his truth to lengthen your life, God will denie you, and yet shorten your daies. And if ye will cleaue to him, he will prolong your daies, to your comfort, and his glorie. To the which glorie God bring me now, and you heereafter, when it shall please God to call you. Farewell good sister, and put your onlie trust in God, who onlie must helpe you.
* Certaine verses written by the said Ladie Iane with a pinne.
¶ Hir praier that she said at the time of hir death, was the 51. Psalme of Dauid here after following, intituled, Miserere mei Deus, Haue mercie vpon me O God: which in most deuout manner she said to the verie end: with these hir last words: LORD, into thy hands I command my spirit.
¶ Morning and Euening praiers, with diuers Psalmes, Hymnes, and Meditations, made and set forth by the Ladie ELIZABETH Tyrwhit.
A Confession to be said before Morning praier.
I Doo acknowledge, and confesse vnto thee, O most mercifull and heauenlie father, mine often and grieuous offences that I haue committed against thy diuine Maiestie, from my youth hitherto, in thought, word and deed; leauing vndone those things, which I ought and should haue done; and dooing those things which I ought not to haue done: prouoking thy wrath and indignation against me. And now lamenting this my wickednes; I appeale vnto thy mercie, & saie with the Publicane, O Lord GOD be mercifull vnto me a most wretched sinner, forgiue all that is past, saue and defend me from euill, and confirme me in good life, to the glorie of thy name: So be it.
A praier to be said at our vprising.
I Doo thanke thee, my most mercifull and heauenlie Father, by thy deerelie beloued sonne Iesu Christ, that this night thou hast giuen me sleepe and rest, preseruing me from hurt [Page 104] and perill. I crie thee mercie for mine offences, and most humblie beseech thee, that thou wilt likewise this daie keepe me from sinne and all euill, so that all my thoughts, words and works may please thee. I doo commit my selfe, both bodie and soule, and all things that I go about into thy hands; beseeching thee that thine holie spirit may abide with me, least my deadlie aduersarie the diuell haue power ouer me,
Amen.
Another praier at our vprising.
OBlessed Iesu, this daie I commend me and all my proceedings into thy hands: this daie I most humbly praie thee to helpe me, which hast made me to thine owne image, and in thy bloud hast clensed me, which art my hope in heauiuinesse, my comfort in care, and trust in trouble. Although sweete Lord, my conscience accuseth me, and the lawe condemneth me, yet thy pretious death and testament hath deliuered me, with thee to reigne in glorie, after death hath arrested me, & the earth consumed me; yet good Lord, I trust in the resnrrection to dwell with thee eternallie, through thy promise made to me, and to all that doo beleeue in thee, and call vpon thy holie name. Thy kingdome come this daie to me, from Sathan deliuer me, with the bread of Angels feede me, from fleshlie lusts purge me, from sudden death and deadlie sinne, O Lord take me. Giue me an hart to beleeue in thee, and that all my senses may obey thee, and of thy mercie accept my praiers this daie before thee, which art one God in Trinitie, to whom be all honour and glorie,
Amen.
The Hymne or praier to the sonne of God.
An Antheme.
HIs deerlie beloued sonne God did not spare; but for vs all deliuered him. How shall he not with him giue vs all things also?
A praier to God the father to be vsed before Morning praier.
OUr mercifull father, which in teaching vs to praie, by thy sonne Christ, hast commanded vs to call thee father, and to beleeue that we are thy beloued children, who stirrest vp none of thine to praie, but to the intent that thou wouldest heare them, giuing vnto vs also all things more effectuallie and plentiouslie, than we can either aske or thinke. We do beseech thee, for thy sonnes sake, to giue vs grace to beleeue, and knowe assuredlie, that thy sonne our Sauiour Christ, is giuen of thee vnto vs to be our Sauiour, our righteousnesse, our wisdome, our holines, our redemption, and our satisfaction. O Lord suffer vs not to trust in anie other saluation, but in thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ: So be it.
The Hymne of our redemption by Christ.
Amen.
A forme of priuate Morning Praier. Our father which art in heauen, &c.
O Lord open thou my lips, that my mouth may speake and shew foorth that which is to thy glorie and praise. And shut my mouth from speaking of anie thing, whereby I should offend thy diuine maiestie, or be hurtfull to my neighbor.
Glorie be to the Father, and to the Sonne, and to the holie Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and euer shall be, world without end,
Amen.
Praise ye the Lord. Thanks be giuen to God.
The first Psalme at Morning Praier.
O Lord heare my words, marke my crieng, O my King and my God, for vnto thee onelie come I to praie: neither doo I looke for succour anie where else than of thee.
[Page 107] O Lord, I beseech thee, that thou wilt gratiouslie hearken to my petitions, that thy grace may spring in my hart with the morrowe light of thy comfort, the night of care and perturbation being ouerpassed: suffer me not to perish with the vngodlie folke whome thou cursest.
I come running to thee, not trusting in mine owne righteousnes; but to thy great and manifold mercies.
O Lord with the rule of thy iustice will I be directed. For thy name sake make plaine thy waie before me, and my waie before thee; least the spirit of malice doo turne me thence.
Let them reioice that repose themselues and trust alwaies in thy mercie; let them sing Hymnes and Psalmes, which doo glorie and reioice in thee, let them triumph which loue thy name.
Defend me, O Lord, with thy grace, as with a shield in time of perill; to the intent that when I am assaulted with them, I may yet with constant cheere growe vp vnto my full perfection.
Glorie be to the father, &c. As it was in the, &c.
The second Psalme.
OH Lord GOD and father, I beseech thee by Christ our Lord, that of thine infinite mercie thou keepe me, so as at no time I followe the counsell of the vngodlie, which knowe thee not; or of Hypocrites, which with their harts seeke thee not.
O Lord, suffer me not to enter into the waie of sinners, with a mind to fulfill the desires and lusts of the flesh.
But whensoeuer through frailtie of my corrupt nature. I shall chance to run astraie, then O Lord, staie me, and plucke my foote backe againe.
Keepe me, that I sit not in the seate of pestilent scorners, [Page 108] which cloaking their Pharisaicall and diuellish intents, condemne in other men thy veritie & Gospell.
Oh Lord, bring to passe that I may burne in the desire of thy lawe, that vpon the aduancement of thy word my mind may alwaies be occupied, that I may euermore choose that which is most pleasant to thee, and hate that both in my selfe and others, which to thee is displeasant.
Make I praie thee that I may be a tree planted by the sweet riuers of thy ghostlie waters, to the intent I may bring foorth fruit to thy glorie, and to the profit of my neighbour, as often as thou shalt minister time and occasion therevnto.
Least my leaues, which are my words and works should fade and fall awaie; but that all things may prosper, whatsoeuer I shall doo in thy name.
Assist me, I beseech thee, and grant O most mercifull father, that for Iesu Christs sake I may take roote in the ground of life; least with the vngodlie, like chaffe and dust I be blowne abrode with the most pernicious winds of this world.
And grant that I may stand in the assemblie of the righteous, and that I may enter into iudgment without punishment; and escape euerlasting damnation.
Glorie be to the father, &c. As it was in the begin, &c.
The third Psalme.
TO thee, O Lord, I lift vp my mind, in thee I trust, O Lord God; let me not be confounded, least mine enimies make me a iesting stocke, and a matter to laugh at.
O Lord make thy waies knowne vnto me, and trade me in thy paths.
Direct me in thy truth, and instruct me; for thou art God my Sauiour, I looke after thee euerie daie.
O Lord thou art sweet and rightfull, and bringest [Page 109] againe into the waie them which went out.
Thou leadest strait into thy iudgement, them that be mild and tractable, and teachest them that be meeke thy word and testimonies.
Thou healest them that be contrite in hart, and asswagest their paines and griefe.
Thou holdest vp all them which else should fall, and all that are fallen thou liftest vp againe.
Thou giuest sight to the blind, and loosest them that be bound.
Thou art nigh vnto all them that call vpon thee, so that they call vpon thee faithfullie.
Thou fulfillest the desire of them that doo feare thee, and hearest their praier, and sauest them.
Haue mercie vpon me, O God, haue mercie vpon me, for in thee my soule trusteth.
Uerelie my soule hath a speciall respect to thee. For my health, my glorie, and all my strength cōmeth from thee.
For thine owne sake, oh Lord God, laie not my sins to my charge.
I vnderstand not all mine errours, innumerable troubles doo close me round about, my sinnes haue taken hold vpon me, and I am not able to looke vp.
Put to thy hand to helpe me, and leade me right in all my works.
Make me to walke perfectlie in thy waies, that no kind of sinne ouercome me.
Set a watch before my mouth; and keepe the doore of my lips.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my hart be euer pleasant and acceptable in thy sight.
Let the word of truth neuer go awaie from my mouth, and suffer no malice to dwell in my hart.
O Lord deliuer my soule from lieng lips, and saue me from the deceitfull tongue.
[Page 110] Put into my mouth thy true and holie word, and take from me all idle and vnfruitfull speech.
Deliuer me from false surmises and accusations of men: rule me euen as thou thinkest good, after thy will and pleasure.
Turne awaie mine eies, that they behold no vaine things; fasten them in thy waie.
Take from me fornication and all vncleannesse, and let not the loue of the flesh beguile me.
Yea deliuer my soule from pride, that it doo not reigne in me, and then shall I be cleane from the greatest sinne.
Staie and keepe my feete from euerie euill waie, least my steps swarue from thy paths.
Mine eies looke euer vnto thee, O Lord, bicause thou art nigh at hand, and all thy waies be the truth.
Thy mercies be great and manie, O Lord, blessed is he whosoeuer trusteth in thee.
For when I said vnto thee, My feete be slipped, thy mercie, O Lord, by and by did hold me vp.
Teach me to doo thy will, and leade me by thy path-waie, for thou art my God.
Oh Lord, saue my soule, and deliuer me from the power of darknesse.
Let the brightnesse of thy face shine vpon thy seruant, for vnto thee, O Lord God, I haue fled for succor.
Looke vnto me, and haue mercie vpon me; for I am desolate and poore.
Keepe my soule and deliuer me, that I be not confounded. For I haue trusted in thee.
O Lord God, forsake me not, although I haue done no good in thy sight.
For thy goodnesse grant me, that at the least-wise now I may begin to liue well.
O Lord shew thy seruants thy works, and their children thy glorie; and the gratious maiestie of the Lord [Page 111] our God be vpon vs. Oh prosper thou the works of our hands, oh prosper thou our handie works.
Glorie be to the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and euer shall be, world without end,
Amen.
A contemplation of Christes Passion.
O What loue and mercie of man vndeserued from God the father, through his onlie sonne Iesu Christ, by whose flesh and bloud we haue cleane remission of our offences; when we call to mind this mysterie of our redemption, and our sufficient sacrifice, whereby sinne, death and hell be put to exile; and grace, mercie and peace be obteined! For this we haue not onlie occasion to lament our selues, which were the verie causes why Iesus did lament in care, and became poore in bodie, sweat water and bloud against his death, praied in affliction, and suffered for our redemption: but also to giue dailie thanks, and to reioice to God the father, for this his sonne, by whom we haue felowship with Angels, and are become Citizens of the saints, and of the houshold of God, partakers of euerlasting life for euer. O happie be they which forget not this heauenlie Philosophie, this giltlesse passion of Iesu Christ! To knowe & beleeue this, is life euerlasting, and the quietnesse of conscience. This passion is our riches in pouertie, and helpe in aduersitie, and onlie life in death. By this his painefull affliction, were all the Patriarches, Prophets, Martyrs, and euerie beleeuing bodie saued, that euer was, or shall be; without which all flesh is damned and accursed. Now sweet Christ, for this thy blessed oblation, haue mercie on me now and in the houre of death; that in the dreadfull daie of iudgment, sinne, death and hell may not preuaile against me sinfull [Page 112] creature, but haue mercie vpon me, according to thy greatest mercie, which is this thy death and passion, for which be praise to the holie Trinitie for euer and euer,
Amen.
The Hymne of the passion of Christ.
The second Meditation or praier of our frailtie and miserie.
O Miserable wretched woman that I am, how may I be compared to any of thy saints that shall dwell in thy Tabernacle or holie hill? For they loue to be in holie contemplation: and I in the vaine multitude, forgetting thee: they be meeke, and I vnpatient: they do not forget thee, but my good Lord, when do I remember thee, but when affliction enforceth me; or the lamentable fall of my breethren constraine me to thanke thee? Thou most mightie and fearefull God of hosts, thy holie name be blessed foreuer, Amen. What shall I saie my God? Thou art most good, and I euill; thou holie, and I miserable; thou art light, and I am blind; thou art the blessed ioie, and I am carefull and full of sorowe. My Lord, thou art the Physician, and I the miserable patient; I am nothing but vanitie and corrupt, as euerie liuing man is. What shall I saie (O Creator) but this, that I am thy creature, and shall I perish? Thy hands haue made me, and were wounded for me; thy bloud was shed for me, and hath washed me; thy holie Ghost hath sanctified me, and taught me: yet Lord, my daies are nothing. What should I mortall creature [Page 114] thus talke with my selfe, Lord God, but that need hath no lawe? Sorowe hath compelled me to seeke comfort, sicknesse enforceth me to folowe the Physician, conscience pricketh me to crie to thee my Lord for a heauenlie cordiall of comfort, which am in great discomfort, borne of a woman, full of miserie and shortnesse of time, and passe awaie like a shadowe, neuer content with one estate, but in earth remaine for euer.
The Hymne to God the Creator.
A praier to the blessed Trinitie. Let vs praie.
O Holie, blessed, and glorious Trinitie, three equall, and coeternall persons, but one God almightie, haue mercie vpon me vile, abiect, abhominable, and sinfull wretch, meekelie acknowledging before thy diuine Maiestie my long continued life in sinne, euen from my childhood hitherto. Then good gratious Lord, as thou giuest me the grace to acknowledge them; so giue me grace not in word onlie, but in hart also, with sorowfull contrition to repent, and vtterlie to forsake them. Forgiue me also those sinnes, through which by mine owne fault, wicked affection, and euill custome, my reason is with sensualitie so blinded, as I cannot discerne them for sinne. Illuminate my hart (good Lord) and giue me grace to [Page 115] acknowledge them. Forgiue me my sinnes negligentlie forgotten, and bring them to my mind, with grace to be throughlie repentant for them.
O mercifull God, grant me thy grace so to despise sinne, and all worldlie vanities, that I may saie with the blessed Apostle Saint Paule: The world is crucified to me, and I to the world; Christ is to me life, and to die is my gaine and aduantage; I desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ. Lord giue me thy grace to amend my life, and to haue an eie to mine end, without anie grudge, or feare of death, which to them that die in thee, is the gate of eternall life.
Almightie God, teach me to doo thy will; take my right hand, and leade me in the true waie from mine: drawe me after thee, bind my mouth with snaffle and bridle, when I will not drawe vnto thee. Oh gratious God, all sinfull feare, all sinfull sorowe and pensiuenesse, all sinfull hope, all sinfull mirth and gladnesse take awaie from me. On the other side, concerning such feare, such heauinesse, such comfort, consolation, and gladnesse, as shall be profitable for my soule, doo with me according to thy great goodnesse.
O Lord giue me grace, in all my feare and agonie, to haue recourse to that great feare and wonderfull agonie that thou my sauiour hadst at the Mount of Oliuet, before thy most bitter passion; and in the meditation thereof to conceiue ghostlie comfort and consolation, profitable for my soule. Almightie God, take from me all vaine-glorious minds, all appetites of mine owne praise, all enuie, couetise, gluttonie, sloth and lecherie, all wrathfull affection, all appetite of reuenging, all desire of delight of other mens harmes, all pleasure in prouoking anie person to wrath and anger: all delight in taunting or mocking anie person in their affliction or trouble. And giue vnto me, O Lord, an humble, quiet, peaceable, patient, charitable, [Page 116] kind, tender, and pitifull mind, in all my words, my works, and thoughts, to haue a tast of thy holie and blessed spirit.
Giue me good Lord a full faith, a firme hope, a feruent charitie, a loue to thee, good Lord, incomparable, aboue the loue of my selfe, that I may loue nothing to thy displeasure, but euerie thing in a due order to thee. Giue me good Lord, a longing to be with thee, not for the auoiding of the calamities of this wretched world, nor so much for the auoiding of the paines of hell, neither so much for the obteining of the kingdome of heauen, in respect of mine owne commoditie: as euen for verie loue of thee. And beare me good Lord, thy loue & fauour, which thing my loue to thee-ward (were it neuer so gret) could not but of thy great goodnes deserue. And pardon me good Lord, that am so bold to aske thee so high petitions, being so vile and sinfull a wretch, and so vnworthie to attaine the lowest: but good Lord such they be, as I am bound to desire and wish, and should be much neerer the effectuall desire of them, if my manifold sinnes were not the let, from which O glorious Trinitie, vouchsafe of thy goodnesse to wash me, with that blessed bloud that thou my sweet sauiour Iesus Christ diddest shed out of thy bodie, in the diuers torments of thy most bitter passion, that by that same greeuous passion, glorious resurrection and ascension, I may come to that vnspeakable ioie, the which thou hast prepared for thy chosen and elect, through the same Iesu Christ our sauiour, to whome with the Father, and the holie Ghost, three persons and one God, be all honour and glorie world without end: So be it.
After praier, saie this conclusion, or Collect.
O God, that art the strength of such as trust in thee, mercifullie assist vs that call vpon thy name; and for asmuch as mans infirmitie can [Page 117] do nothing without thee, grant I most humblie beseech thee, the help of thy spirit, that fulfilling thy commandements, both in will and deed, I may please thee, through Iesus Christ our Lord: So be it.
The blessing.
OH Lord blesse me and defend me, O Lord lift vp thy countenance ouer me, and be mercifull vnto me: O Lord lift vp thy countenance ouer me and giue me thy peace, that in thy peace, O Lord, I may depart, to amend my life, and doo vnto the poore as much as I can: giue me grace to be at vnitie, in quietnesse, and in charitie with all thy chosen and elect people, and that thy feare, oh Lord, may euer rest in my hart: So be it.
Praise vnto God the Father, and peace vnto the liuing: As they that depart in thy faith, in thée doo rest & haue their being.
EVENING PRAIER. ¶ A Confession to be said before Euening praier.
O Father of heauen, O sonne of God redeemer of the world: O holie Ghost three persons and one God; haue mercie vpon me most wretched caitife, and miserable sinner. I haue offended both heauen & earth, more than my tongue can expresse. My sinnes (alas) are aboue all mens, both in number and greatnesse, which I haue committed. Whither then may I go? Or whither should I flie? To heauen I may be ashamed to lift vp my face, and in earth I am not woorthie to find a place of refuge or succour. To thee therefore, O Lord, doo I run; to thee doo I humble my selfe, saieng; O Lord my God, my sinnes be great and innumerable: [Page 118] but yet haue mercie vpon me for thy great mercie. The great mysterie that God became man, was not wrought for little or few offences. Thou didst not giue thy sonne, O heauenlie Father, vnto death for small sinnes onlie, but for all the greatest sinnes in the world: so that the sinner returne vnto thee with his whole hart, as I doo here at this present. Wherefore haue mercie vpon me, O God, whose propertie is alwaie to haue mercie: wherefore haue mercie vpon me O Lord, for thy great mercie. I craue nothing, O Lord, for mine owne merits, but for thy name sake, that it may be halowed therby, and for thy deere sonne Iesus Christs sake, and now therefore: Our father of heauen halowed, &c.
A praier to be said in the Euening.
MOst mercifull and heauenly father, I thanke thee by thy sonne Iesus Christ, that this day thou hast giuen me all things needfull both for my soule and bodie, preseruing me from all hurt and perill. I aske thee mercie for mine offences, and I most humblie beseech thee, that thou wilt likewise this night keepe me from sinne and all euill, so that all my thoughts, my words & works may please thee. I doo commit my selfe both bodie and soule, and all that I go about, into thy hands. I beseech thee that thy holie spirit may be with me, least my deadlie aduersarie haue anie power ouer me,
Amen.
Another Euening praier.
O Souereigne, dreadfull, and most louing Lord my God, who neuer ceasest to shew thy mercie towards sinners, yea when they offend and trespasse against thee, such is thine infinite clemencie and loue. As then thou forbearest not [Page 119] to heape thy benefits vpon them; I most sinfull and wretched wretch, yeeld thee humble thanks, for thine inestimable goodnesse shewed towards me, in creating me to thine owne likenesse, and making me capable of thine euerlasting glorie: for the creation of so manie other creatures for my behoofe and sustenance, for that inestimable worke of my redemption, whereby thou deliuerest me from the slauerie of Sathan, and purchasest mee free entrance into thy celestiall region: for hauing singled me amongst so many millians that knowe thee not, and lie drowned in ignorance, superstition, and miserable errours, to be thy seruant and a true faithfull Christian: for both thy blessed Sacraments, especiallie for that Sacrament aboue all Sacraments, wherein thou thy selfe art spirituallie conteined. Finallie, for hauing preserued me so manie times from hell, wherein I had beene long since plunged, hadst not thou of thine vnspeakeable goodnesse susteined and deliuered me from my foes. For these and all other thy benefits: namelie, for those thou hast this daie most bountifullie bestowed vpon me, O my souereigne Lord, I yeeld thee such sincere & dutifull thanks as my poore hart can possiblie affoord thee: beseeching thee to haue mercie vpon me, & in supplie of my wants to accept the mediation and thankesgiuings of Iesus Christ thy onelie sonne, and mine onelie Sauiour and intercessour.
And now mine onlie redeemer and Sauiour I humblie craue the light of thy grace, to knowe wherein I haue this daie anie waies offended thee by nature; and that by sound discussion, and through examination of my conscience, I may see mine owne sinnes with sorrowe and detestation; and thine ineffable mercie with a zealous & firme purpose of amendment of life. Thou seest, O Lord, my lewdnesse, and wotest my miserie, much better than I my selfe doo. Sorie I am with all [Page 120] my hart, that I should still offend so louing a Lord, and wish to God my sorowes were greatlie multiplied. I purposed earst, to doo better by thy grace, which wanted not, & yet haue I transgressed in my former trespasses: neither yet may I despaire, O Lord, but will continuallie trust to thy mercies in all euents, & purpose firmelie, as I now doo, euerie daie to amend my life.
Deliuer me, my gratious God, from all mortall sinne for euer, and giue me grace to persecute my vices with sorowe during life. And for the satisfaction of these and all my former sinnes, as also for all thine ineffable benefits bestowed vpon me and all mankind; I offer vnto thee the merits of thy bitter passion, those most pretious drops of bloud thou sheddest for me; and that inflamed charitie, wherewith thou wholie resignedst thy selfe to all thy torments, for my sake; and in the vnion of this thine oblation on the crosse, I offer vp my selfe, soule, bodie, and all I haue of thine, within or without me, to thine honour and euerlasting glorie. I retaine nothing to my selfe: but giue all to thee, whose it is; and make that thine by my will, which is thine of iustice. Giue me thy grace, O my God, to liue better herafter, and to confesse my sinnes in due time vnto thee. Giue me true humilitie, continuall repentance, and grace both to knowe thee, and also my selfe. Giue me puritie of hart in all my dooings, patience, chastitie, and perfect charitie. Giue me a good life, and a good death, and in the dangerous houre of my departure, the assistance of thy blessed Saints and Angels, with whom I may, through thy mercie, in another world praise and glorifie thee euerlastinglie,
Amen.
The Hymne or praier to God the Father.
An Antheme.
WHosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued.
A praier to God the Father to be vsed before Euening praier.
O Mercifull Lord and louing Father, without whose aid and motion, I am not able to stir one member toward heauenlie seruice, the burden of this slowe and sinfull flesh doth so ouercharge my weake soule. According to thy fatherlie pitie looke vpon me, O God, and quicken my dull spirit with thy grace, to rise out of this mirie puddle, and to come before thy presence in humble repentance, crauing thy mercie for my miserable sinnes and wickednesse, that being released in the bloud and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ, I may ioifullie serue, honour, and praise thine eternall Maiestie, through thy deere sonne my mercifull Lord and redeemer, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost, be all glorie and thanks for euer,
Amen.
The Hymne of our redemption by Christ.
A forme of Priuate Euening praier. Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
COnuert vs our Sauiour, and turne awaie thy wrath from vs.
Glorie be to the Father, &c. As it was in the be, &c. Praise ye the Lord. Thanks be giuen vnto God.
The first Psalme at Euening praier.
BOw downe thine eare, O Lord, to my requests, and suffer me to exhibit my supplication vp vnto thee. For behold, night and daie I trace and hunt after thee by all meanes I can. To thee onelie earlie and late doo I still call and crie for mercie, according as thou hast giuen mee in commandement.
For when I call to memorie the time of my life euill dispent, I quake to thinke vpon thee, yea and my spirit faileth me, so sore am I afraid of thy iudgements.
Yet well pondering the processe of thy grace & mercie promised me in Christ, I cease to despaire, knowing that thou, O GOD, hast not forgotten thy gifts of grace, and that thy power to haue compassion is not waxen faint, but that both thou canst and wilt put backe thy wrath most iustlie conceiued against me for my sinne.
[Page 123] In full trust whereof O Lord I come vnto thee, beseeching thee to hide my life with Christ within thee, and vnder the shadowes of thy wings to defend me, that thy grace & couenant may be with me euermore.
Turne not thy mercie from me O Lord, nor bring me downe to destruction as I haue deserued: but shew thy grace and fauour vnto me, that I may liue, and (being exalted through thy righteousnesse) praise thy name most ioifullie.
Remember my corrupt nature O Lord, how short my life is, and that thou madest not man for nothing. No man can deliuer himselfe from death: no man can saue his owne soule from hell: thou onelie O Lord must do it, namelie, to such as beleeue in thee.
This life passeth as doth a dreame, or grasse in the field, which to daie is greene, and to morrow drie. If thou be displeased, then we be lost: if thou chafe, then we shrinke for feare, for through sinnes we be dead vnto thee; with whome a thousand yeares be but as one daie, yea as the least minute of an houre.
Certesse Lord, if thou haue respect to our sins, who shall continue? Shew me therefore how manie be the daies of my life, that I may dispend them wiselie, to the praise of thy name, least that I foolishlie trusting vpon long life, suddenlie might perish & come to death.
Come Lord now vnto vs, and comfort vs. Come O God, and hide not thy face from me, that I be not like vnto those that be hurled into the pit of perdition. And after this night of calamitie ouerpassed, let the pleasant morning of comfort luckilie shine vpon me, that betimes I may heare and feele thy goodnesse, for in thee is all my trust.
Deliuer me this night from the snare of Sathans gard, which hunt in the darke how to plucke me from thee.
Let me not stand in the feare of the night-euill of [Page 124] vnbeleefe, and of thy strait iudgement, neither let me be afraid of the fleeing arrowe in the daie time.
Let me not be in feare of that horrible pestilence, creeping in through darkenesse, I meane, let me not be ignorant how detestable my sins be, that I dissemble them not, nor qualifie them.
Let me not dread that middaie diuell, which abuseth thy Church vnder a title and pretence of holinesse; neither let Sathan, though he change himselfe into an Angel of light, strike anie feare in me.
But both on the right side and on the left, as well in the night as in the daie, that is, as well in aduersitie as prosperitie, and as well in spirituall businesse, as in corporall, let thy holie Angels diligentlie wait vpon me, that I do not stumble: then shall I tread vnderfoot that hellie dragon.
Yea so shall I of dutie be bound alwaie with couragious spirit, to praise and hallowe thy name: not onlie in the morrowe, when all things shall chance to my harts desire, to ascribe all to thy goodnesse, without anie deseruing on my behalfe: but also in the night of trouble and aduersitie, when I shall call vnto mind thy most faithfull and trustie promises, that I despaire not, thus to praise thy meere and speciall grace, and blesse thee, saieng:
Blessed art thou O Lord God of our fathers, for thou art praise and honour, worthie, and to be magnified for euer.
Blessed be the glorie of thy holie name, for it is worthie to be praised, & aboue all to be magnified for euer.
Blessed art thou, O father, O Sonne, and O holie Ghost, for thou art worthie to be praised, and aboue all to be magnified for euer.
Blessed be thou in the firmament of heauen, for thou art praise-worthie for euer.
O giue thanks vnto the Lord all his creatures, for [Page 125] he is kind-harted and mercifull: yea his mercie endureth for euer.
Oh speake good of the Lord all ye works of his in all places of his dominion: and let euerie thing that hath breath praise the Lord, and giue him thanks: for his mercie endureth for euer.
O that all men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse, and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men!
Praise thou the Lord O my soule, and forget not all his benefits, yea and all that is within me praise his holie name, for his louing mercie and for his truth, which endureth for euer, & worlds without end,
Amen.
Glorie be to the father, &c. As it was in the begin, &c.
The second Psalme.
MY God, my God remember me, forsake me not, suffer me not to be lost, sith both night and daie I crie to thee, heare me my Lord.
Our fathers trusted in thee, and thou helpedst them, whensoeuer they called vpon thee, at no tune thou failedst them, but wast alwaies at hand to assist them.
Come foorth father most deerelie beloued in my hart, restore me from Sathans kingdome.
Thou drewest me foorth of my mothers wombe, and hast preserued me vnto this daie.
Of thy benignitie and mercie (which I beseech thee denie me not at this my neede) go not awaie from me, for anguish and pensiuenesse of hart drawe nigh vnto me, and yet is there none that can helpe me, but thou onlie.
Let me escape from these dangers through thy Christ my sauiour, who for my sake hath suffered so spitefull and bitter paines, who for me was sore vexed, cruellie [Page 126] scourged, wounded, nailed, and hanged on the crosse.
Let me escape I saie for his bloud sake, which he so largelie shed for vs, to cause vs obteine forgiuenesse of our sinnes, and enioie the new and euerlasting couenant made betwixt thee and vs.
Stand not farre from me O Lord my refuge and strength: come neere and helpe me, deliuer my life from the sword, and my soule from the wood dogs, from the Lions iawes restore me, betweene the hornes of the Unicornes heare thou me.
Then shall I blowe abroade thy name with all praises vnto my brethren, and in the assemblie of the holie persons I shall commend thee.
Despise not the praiers of the poore, turne not awaie thy face, heare my crie, for I will record this thy goodnesse among the miserable, painefull, and troublesome consciences, that they thereof may take hart of comfort, growe in hope, cleaue more feruentlie vnto thee, blowe abroade thy most glorious name, and giue thee euerlasting thanks for their saluation,
Amen.
Glorie be to the father, &c. As it was in the beginning, &c.
The third Psalme.
OUT of the furthest angles of the earth on euerie side, thou shalt with a mightie voice call men to iudgement Lord God omnipotent, to whome nothing is hid.
Open our eares that we may heare this thy promise: I shall be your God.
In thee constantlie beleeue we, with thy foison we be filled.
Prudentlie thou dost declare and testifie, that of our goods and sacrifices thou hast no need, and doest not either regard or measure them: for all be thine, and in thee it lieth to make the things we now possesse to be [Page 127] ours, or not ours.
Thou onlie requirest sacrifices of thanke sgiuing: let vs therefore disclose the bottome of our harts to thee: let vs knowledge thee to be our God.
Let vs halowe thy name in all things, flowe in thy word, render thanks both in weale and wo, require thy succours in straits and necessities, in which time thou hast promised to helpe vs: then shall we, so deliuered, blase thy name.
Lord God most iust, true of promise, and deerest Father: thee beseech I to send succours vnto me euen of thine infinite goodnesse.
For thy renowmes sake, for Iesus Christs sake thy beloued sonne, and for his pretious bloud largelie shed for vs on the crosse, haue mercie vpon me, so that once purged I may come againe in fauour with thee.
Pitie me, heare me out of the straits of this sinfull flesh, wherewith on euerie side I am hampered in.
Set me at large againe, rid me from mine enimies, which seeke to drawe me awaie from thy true seruice.
In thy comfort let me reioice, and be full of spirituall ioie: let me euer brute thy name, not vnmindfull of thy benefits.
Releeue me most pitifull God, according to thy word, which is the truth.
Most tender father, shew me that thy ioifull health.
Glorie be to the Father, &c. As it was in the begin, &c.
The fourth Psalme.
THy clemencie and blessing most mightie God we craue, and require of thee full instantlie.
Let thy countenance shine vpon vs, haue compassion vpon vs, that here in earth wee may find out the waie which leadeth vnto thee, and may attaine thy saluation among the Gentils.
O that all people would confesse thee with louing [Page 128] harts for thy manifold benefits and pleasures, which they haue receiued at thy hands, who dost with iustice gouerne men, and art their leader vpon earth!
Powre downe Lord thy goodnesse, and continuall blessings vpon vs, and then shall the earth yeeld vnto thee glorie and praise, and to vs fruits for meate.
Thou God the father blesse vs, thou God the sonne blesse vs, and thou God the holie Ghost blesse vs: yea thou holie, blessed, and glorious Trinitie, grant vs thy continuall blessing.
O that all the coasts of the earth (Lord God) would feare and stand in awe of thee!
Would God that we also might studie to worke no man either pleasure or displeasure that should be against thy will; but that we may doo all things according to thy commandements!
Glorie be to the father, &c. As it was in the begin, &c.
A contemplation and praier exclaming of the carefull passions of the soule and bodie.
WO is me carefull carcase and filthie defiled flesh, conceiued and borne in sinne, depriued of originall iustice, compared to a beast, in Adam fallen as a rotten apple from a liuing tree. What haue I gotten by my fall? Darknes, care, miserie, affliction, sicknesse, paine, anguish, and finallie dreadfull death. And alas, what shall I be hereafter? A stinking carion, woormes meate, foode for fire, dust and claie, doong and forsaken, rotten & consumed, blind, poore and naked, troden vnder the feete of my posteritie, and forgotten of all men, not knowing where my bodie is, which shall vanish like a shadowe, and my life shall wither like a leafe, and fade as a flower.
O holie God, the more our bodies doo increase, the neerer death doth approch, the clocke of our conscience [Page 129] doth ring euerie minute, the houre of death to be at hand. Death approcheth with his sharpe dart and bloudie chariot: Awaie (saith he) to euerie liuing wight. For what is he that shall not see death, and come to nothing? Oh vncertaine life; but most assured death! His net is cast ouer all flesh: now I doo reioice, then I lament: now am I whole, then sicknesse doth come: now haue I friends, then am I forsaken: now at libertie, soone after in bondage: now yoong, then age drawes neere. And thus I neuer remaine in one state: made light and proud in prosperitie, desperate in aduersitie, withered and old with care, despised in pouertie, flattered when I am in health; and finally vncertaine when or where I shall die. But yet I most humblie praie thee deere father, for Iesu Christs sake, which suffered a shamefull death for my sins, to haue mercie vpon me, according to thy great mercie, and take not thy holie Ghost from me, and lead me not into temptation, but deliuer me: for into thy hands I commend my soule, O thou God of truth,
Amen.
An Hymne of the state of all Adams posteritie.
I Am the fruit of Adams hands, through sin lockt in satans bands, Destined to deth, the child of ire, a flaming brand of infernall fire: Borne I was naked & bare, and spend my time in sorowe & care, And shall returne vnto the dust, and be depriued of carnall lust. Yet thou father didst Iesus send, to pardon them that did offend: We laud him in the work of might, that we be blessed in his sight.
The second meditation of the dreadfull daie of iudgement.
O What feare and sorowe shall happen to the reprobates, when they shall stand helpelesse before the terrible & dreadfull throne of God, to render accounts of all thoughts, words & works, I saie, the acts of the flesh and bloud, in the extreame [Page 130] day, when he shall come with fire; and then all creatures in heauen, earth and hell, shall tremble at his presence. Then shall all guiltie consciences be opened, & euils endlesse punished, where that Iudge will not be corrupted. That daie doth come; that daie is at hand, and where as pure harts shall be accepted, and no bribes of vaine gifts shall be preferred, but iustice without mercie vnto the vngodlie, infernall torments to the wicked, endlesse care and affliction to the idolater, fornicator, extortioner, persecutour, disobedient, murtherer, blasphemer, theefe, false witnesse bearer, vsurer, heretikes, witches and malefactors, and to all the vessels of reprobation. Where as shall be heard wailing, crieng, lamenting and gnashing of teeth: then they mourne that shall neuer die: hell fire neuer bee quenched, nor the Iudge intreated; but the wicked still molested with dolor, agonie, dread, and in his paine absent from God, present with diuels & monsters infernall. This is the second death when both bodie and soule shall remaine in paine, as long as God is, which is euerlasting. This daie is at hand, when the elect and all the Saints, Patriarchs, Prophets, Martyrs and all the blessed shall receiue their rewards, not of themselues, but onlie of Iesu, before whom all the blessed shall kneele and cast off their crownes, and giue honour to him that sits on the seate, whose holie name is blessed of all tongues and kindreds: Amen, Amen. This is the daie, when all teares shall be wiped from the carefull eies of the seruants of God, which shall neuer be molested, nor of worldlings be afflicted, but euerlastinglie glorified, with the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, three persons and one God, who of his mercie defend vs from damnation, and that vnspeakeable paine, which wee through sinne haue deserued, euer to be punished withall: but yet are through Iesus preserued, by whome we are elected, redeemed, [Page 131] iustified, and brought from sinne, death and hell: to whom be laud and praise, in the world of worlds, of Angels and men:
Amen.
The Hymne of the daie of iudgement.
A generall praier, wherein we commend our selues, and the whole state of Christs Church vnto GOD.
O God thou Father and God of my life, suffer me neither to haue a proud looke, nor a proud thought; turne awaie all voluptuousnesse from me: let not the intisements of the world [Page 132] beguile me; let not the concupiscence of the eie deceiue me; let not the lusts of the flesh take hold vpon me; let not rancor and malice reigne in my hart. O Lord God, for thy sonne our Sauiour Iesu Christs sake, I beseech thee, that thou wilt not giue me ouer to an vnshamefast and obstinate mind: So be it.
Unto thee Lord almightie, the King of mercie, bée now and euer eternall honour & glorie. Unto thee the same Lord of mercie I doo commit my soule and bodie, most humblie beseeching thee, for thine abundant mercie sake, to take the cure of me, and to haue mercie on me. I doo commit also vnto thy mercie my faithfull friends and well-willers liuing, beseeching thee to forgiue vs all, and to haue mercie vpon vs, and giue vs grace to liue according to thy lawe, and to the glorie of thy name, that we may doo that, which thou requirest of vs, that it will please thee of thy mercie, to saue and defend vs from all perils, bodilie & ghostlie this night and euer, and especiallie all things that shall turne to thy displeasure. And with all my hart I thanke thee most mercifull Lord, for the great benefits that thou hast bestowed vpon me largelie in this world, afore manie creatures, which are more woorthie a thousand times than I: but my most gratious Lord, I wot and knowledge verelie, that all good gifts doo come freelie from thee, of thine abundant mercie. Wherefore with all my hart I thanke thee, and all worship, praises and thanks be to thee and none other. Therefore I saie with the Prophet Dauid: Not vnto vs, Lord, not vnto vs: but vnto thy name be giuen all honour & glorie.
Also I commit to thy mercie mine enimies, persecutors and slanderers, beseeching thee to turne their harts, and to giue vs grace one to forgiue another from the verie botome of our harts, that from hence-foorth we may liue in loue and charitie, to thy glorie, and to the increase of thy kingdome.
[Page 133] I doo commit to thy mercie our Queene Elizabeth, and this Realme, beseeching thee to incline hir hart to all godlinesse and vertue, that she may long reigne ouer vs in peace and tranquillitie, to liue in thy feare, and call vpon thy holie name, and to be readie at all times to set foorth thy blessed lawes and commandements: and that thou O omnipotent God, with thy mightie hand and stretched out arme, wilt confound all Idolatrie and superstition, and set vp thy true and holie religion, that thy faithfull seruants may triumph and reioice in thee with merie harts, and sing vnto thy praise, that this the mightie hand of GOD hath brought to passe, and to thy name giue the honour and glorie, to whome all honour and glorie is due.
I doo commit vnto thy mercie, all those that in this transitorie life be in sorowe, sicknesse, neede, tribulation, or anie other aduersitie, and speciallie all those that for the profession of thy Gospell, and the defence of the saine, doo put their liues vnto the edge of the sword. O Lord for thy mercies sake, forgiue them and vs our offences past, comfort them in their greeuous afflictions, strengthen them in their weakenesse, send them patience in their tribulations, abate the pride of their and our enimies, asswage the malice of them, confound their wicked deuises, that we and they being armed with thy mightie defence, may be preserued euermore from perils, to glorifie thee, which art the onlie giuer of all victorie, through ye merits of Christ: So be it.
I commit to thy mercie all those that doo faithfullie professe thy holie Gospell, beseeching thee to giue vs grace to liue according to thy lawes, that by well dooing, we may stop the mouthes of the vngodlie aduersaries of the Gospell, and thereby win them to the right waie, that we may all with one hart, and one mouth, glorifie thee, O Lord God in the daie of visitation, to whome all honour and glorie is due.
[Page 134] And now O my most mercifull Lord, and louing father, I finallie commit vnto thy mercie my wretched soule and bodie, humblie beseeching thee to haue mercie vpon me, according to thy great bountifull mercie: and according to the multitude of thy tender compassions, doo awaie I beseech thee my most greeuous iniquities.
Unto God the father, the sonne and the holie Ghost, be now and euer eternall honour and glorie, world without end,
Amen.
A praier at night going to bed.
THe God of Angels and men, the founder of all creatures visible and inuisible, in whose hand is life and death, light and darknesse, and all the motions of soule and bodie, without whome there is no good gift, nor perfect quietnesse of conscience, but onlie vanitie and vexation of mind, and vtter confusion of soule and bodie, and finall torments in the horrible pit of darknesse: now my Lord God, darknesse doth approch, this daie hath lost his beautie, I as vnworthie of thy benefits, most humblie praie thee this night to blesse me, and with thy holie Angels assist me, thy holie spirit this night lighten me, which hast of earth made me, and by thy creatures doest nourish me, and with thy bloud hast consecrated me with thee to dwell eternallie in glorie, when death hath dissolued me, which am but vanitie, &c. And banish Sathan from me, that neither mine owne conscience now vexe me, nor mine old offences trouble me. I most humblie beseech thee this night to pardon me, which haue sore offended thee, in thought, word and deede, against thy diuine maiestie, which sore repenteth me. Saue me good Lord this night sleeping, from [Page 135] dreadfull dreames, and painefull slumber deliuer me, that I may awake in Christ, and rest in peace: So be it.
The Hymne or praier for night.
Amen.
Another Hymne or praier to be said when ye go to bed.
The Antheme.
WE looke for our sauiour, euen the Lord Iesus Christ, which shall change our vile bodie, that it may be like to his glorious bodie, according to the power whereby he is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe. Amen.
Let vs praie.
- Lord haue mercie vpon vs.
- Christ haue mercie vpon vs.
- Lord haue mercie vpon vs.
* Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
VIsit we beseech thee O Lord, this our dwelling, and driue from it all the assaults of our enimie: let thy holie Angels dwel in it, which may keepe vs all this night in thy peace, and euer let thy blessing be vpon vs. Grant this O most mercifull father, for thy sonnes sake, Iesus Christ, who with thee, and the holie Ghost, liueth and reigneth one God world without end,
Amen.
SAue vs O good Lord waking, and keepe vs sleeping, and be so mercifull to vs, that with Christ we may wake, and quietlie to rest in peace, So be it.
The conclusion after Euening praier.
O Lord Iesu Christ that art in heauen perfect God and man, heare my praiers, haue mercie vpon me, and praie vnto thy father for me. Be thou my mercifull mediator vnto thy father, that I might find mercie for my sinnes at all times, and thy holie Angels to guide me this night, and all the time and daies of my life, and at the generall daie of iudgement, that I may be partaker of that [Page 137] ioifull voice of thine, saieng, Come hither ye blessed, and possesse euerlasting life,
Amen.
The Blessing.
GOD, euen our owne GOD blesse vs: and graunt vnto vs, and all our faithfull and deere freends, his continuall benediction and health.
Yea let thy mightie hand and outstretched arme, O Lord, be still my defence; thy mercie and louing kindnesse in Iesu Christ thy deere sonne my saluation; thy true and holie word my instruction; thy grace and holie spirit my comfort and consolation vnto the end, and in the end: So be it.
¶ Certaine godlie sentences written by the Ladie E. T.
- Vse inuocation of Gods holie name.
- Thinke vpon the needie once a daie.
- The life to come forget not.
- Further the iust sute of the poore.
- Prefer Christ his kingdome.
- Offend not in euill doing.
- Set little by the iudgement of man: but feare the iudgement of God.
- Be at peace with all men.
- Vse to be acquainted with the godlie.
- Helpe to pacifie displeasure.
- Hastilie iudge not anie bodie.
- Kill anger with patience.
- VVith pitie rebuke.
- [Page 138] Make much of modestie.
- Harbour a harmelesse hart.
- Let no good deed.
- Speake in season.
- He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his life.
- In being well occupied, thinke not long.
- Lose as little time as ye may.
- Be alwaies one.
- Fauour the friendlesse.
- Be not vnthankefull.
- Trust not the world.
- Deceiue none.
- Rather take hurt, than do anie.
- Auenge not.
- Let once be amended.
- Fauour not flatterie.
- Looke cheeflie on your selfe.
- Do not forget your charge.
- Let your mind be occupied well.
- Vse pleasures after a meane.
- Once you were not heere.
- Awaie you must, and turne to dust.
The Praiers made by the right Honourable Ladie Frances Aburgauennie, and committed at the houre of hir death, to the right Worshipfull Ladie MARIE Fane (hir onlie daughter) as a Iewell of health for the soule, and a perfect path to Paradise, verie profitable to be used of euerie faithfull Christian man and woman.
A fruitfull praier to be said in the Morning.
AL mightie God, and most mercifull father, the fountaine of all felicitie, from whom onelie proceedeth all good gifts, most humblie I beseech thee of thine abundant mercie & exceeding kindnesse, so to direct and gouern me this daie and euer with thy good guiding Spirit, that all my thoughts, words and deeds, may onelie be occupied in thy seruice, faith, feare and loue, and so assist and strengthen me with thy grace, O most mercifull and louing father, for thy sonne Iesus Christ his sake, that neither sinne, death, hell, nor Sathan haue the dominion and vpper hand of me. Indue my hart with the true vnderstanding of thy true and liuelie word, that I may be readie and prone manfullie to fight vnder the standard of my glorious captaine Iesus Christ [Page 140] against the world, the flesh, and that cruell Serpent the old Leuiathan, which hunteth continuallie, like a roring Lion, seeking the vtter destruction of my soule.
Make me constant in time of temptation, that when or at what time my rebelling and sinfull flesh shall intise me, to lust after the pompes and vanities of this wicked world, I may by a strong, liuelie, and vnspeakable faith, through the bitter torments that my Sauiour Christ Iesus suffered for me, and all that faithfullie beleeue and call vpon him; so mortifie and subdue the old Adam, that I may be dead and buried from sinne and all iniquitie; and the new man Christ Iesus may continuallie dwell and reigne in me, by whose meanes I shall be garnished and decked, by the means of a fruitfull faith, with immortalitie, and heauenlie blessednesse.
Uouchsafe, O Lord, I beseech thee, according to the multitude of thy mercies to looke vpon me, and by thy celestiall prouidence, so illuminate the eies of my soule, that I may continuallie watch for the glorious comming of thine annointed son Iesus Christ. Roote out, O Lord, in and from me the vile and corrupt branches of rapine, deceit, auarice, luxurie, concupiscence, and all vngodlinesse, let the motions of my mind altogether depend vpon thee, prepare my tongue to publish thy praise; let my lips be locked vp from all scurillitie and vncomlie talke: let mine eares loath and abhor to heare thy glorious and blessed name blasphemed, and thy truth to be by anie Sectarian ill spoken of, & slandered: keepe and defend me vnder the wings of thy comfortable protection, from all errours, schismes, and detestable heresies. Make me without faining, firmelie and constantlie to build vpon the truth, wherein is perfectlie set forth thy great mercie and diuine iustice. Let the zeale of thy promises in all distres be my chiefest ioie and consolation, & giue me grace from aboue, [Page 141] that as I make my boast of thy mercies and louing kindnesse, by vertue whereof I am by my Sauiour Christ Iesus quickened from death to life, and in his deerest death and pretious bloud-shedding regenerated, and borne anew, not of water, but of the spirit by faith.
So Lord, I may with thine abundant loue shewed to me ward, and the whole posteritie of Adam, I may be afraid wilfullie, or of a set purpose to transgresse thy commandements, and so incur therby thy displeasure, that the effects of thy iustice in the day of thy comming to iudgement, be pronounced against me to the vtter destruction of bodie and soule. Make me alwaies willing, good Lord, to heare thy word, by the power wherof my faith is increased, and there withall plant in me perfect loue and obedience, and so direct my footesteps in this vale of miserie, that I may tread the path that leadeth to thee, with whom my soule thirsteth to rest, euen as vehementlie as the Hart longeth after the water brookes. Grant this, O mercifull God, for the honour and glorie of thy name sake,
Amen.
A fruitfull praier to be said at the going to bed of euerie Christian.
MOst mercifull Father, I most wretched and vnwoorthie sinner prostrate my selfe before the throne of thy heauenlie grace, yeelding vnto thee most humble and hartie thanks, that hast of thine exceeding loue and fauour preserued me this daie from all perill and danger, humblie beseeching thy diuine Maiestie, this night to preserue me, for the loue of thine onlie sonne, and my sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ, mediatour and aduocate: who continuallie pleadeth and maketh intercession to thee for me, and all the rest of thy chosen children, presenting his bloudie wounds, and his glorious bodie all to bee [Page 142] scourged in thy diuine presence, who thereby doth mitigate thy wrath and indignation, iustlie conceiued against me a miserable and wretched creature, and all mankind.
Make me Lord still to confesse mine vnwoorthinesse, and weaknesse to be such and so great, that of my selfe I am not worthie to lift vp mine eies to heauen, much lesse to be called thy sonne, or handmaiden, such and so great is the burden of my sinne & iniquitie, so that by the meanes of my corruption & filthinesse, I acknowledge my selfe to be the child of death and destruction, yet build I still on thy promises, good Lord, and in this great danger I come vnto thee with teares, saieng:
O Father, I haue sinned against heauen, & against thee, and am no more woorthie to be called thy child. Of my selfe I haue nothing; but by thee I haue althings: of my selfe I acknowledge I haue iustlie deserued the heauie sentence of thine ire; but by grace of thee, O mightie Emanuel, I am regenerate, and borne againe from death to life; from danger to ioie; from perill to peace; from bondage to libertie, and so in fine, from hell and damnation, to blisse and saluation.
Such is the effect of thy mercie, so abundant is thy loue towards me, & all those that with contrite harts present themselues vnto thee. Increase my faith Lord, that it may abound in good and fruitfull works: so fortifie me, that I neuer swarue from thy veritie: giue me thy grace from aboue, O mercifull Iesu, that I may neuer shrinke from thy sacred testimonies.
And moreouer, I with all humilitie and reuerence of hart and mind, beseech thee this night, which thou hast ordeined for man to rest in, that thou wilt gard and protect me with thy good guiding spirit. And albeit my sinfull flesh shall sleepe and slumber, yet grant, good Lord, that my soule may continually keepe watch and ward: let not the enunie find me slumbering & sleeping, [Page 143] as carelesse, in the cradle of sinfull securitie, least that whilest I am vnarmed, that is, naked and destitute of thy grace and fauour, he enter in and breake vp the house of my sinfull bodie, and make such hauocke and spoile, that mine infected and leporous soule, deformed by meanes of mine iniquitie, and wounded with the dangerous darts of transgression, be thrown with the bodie of sinne into the lake of destruction, wherein is continuall wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
Make me still, O good Lord, to consider, that the bed is a plaine patterne and similitude of the graue, which continuallie calleth for me, & all other thy creatures. Make me to vnderstand, that when I am laid, (of my selfe) without thy heauenlie prouidence I can not bee able to rise againe. Make me to acknowledge that sleepe is the verie figure of death, to whose stroke, at thine appointed pleasure, I must submit my selfe. Indue me with loue and charitie to all men, let my lampe O Lord be garnished with oile, that whensoeuer, or at what time soeuer thy messenger death shall drawe me, and knocke at the gates of my house, I may at his summons, in the daie of the resurrection of the dead, be readie to attend on thee and thy bride, with my burning lampe, that is, with a stedfast faith, when as by thee I shall be cloathed anew. For my mortall bodie shall then be couered with immortalitie; the corruption of my sinfull and rebelling flesh shall be changed to incorruption and perfect puritie: thy righteousnesse shall be mine; thy merits shall make me perfect and holie, by vertue whereof, hell shall loose his victorie; death shall loose his sting; my faith and hope shall haue end and reward, and I with thy Saints continuallie dwell in loue & charitie with thee, the heauenlie bridegroome, Christ Iesus: to whom with the father, and the holie Ghost, bee ascribed all laud, glorie, power, praise and dominion, for euer:
Amen.
A praier for the remission of sinne, and to obteine a vertuous life.
FOrasmuch as (O bountifull Lord) it is most meet, right and iust, that all flesh shuld praise, magnifie, and worship thee, and should without ceasing giue thanks vnto thee, who onlie art the Creator and maker of all things, as well visible as inuisible; who onlie art the treasure of all goodnesse, and well of life, onlie God and Lord, whome the heauens, and heauen of heauens, the sunne, the moone, the starres, the earth, the sea, with all that moue therin, yea the heauenlie companie of Martyrs, the soules of the Prophets and Apostles, Angels, Archangels, togither with the soules of all iust and righteous persons doo laud and glorifie.
It is most requisite, that ech mortall creature liuing in this world, should also acknowledge thy magnificence. Wherfore, most mercifull father, I with my hart and mouth doo acknowledge thee to be my King and Lord, the giuer of all goodnesse: I confesse thee to be omnipotent, reuerend, merciful, long suffering, God of all consolation, comfort, mercie and pitie.
I knowe that of thine infinite goodnesse onelie thou diddest make man after thy similitude and likenesse, placing him in the most delectable place of Paradyse. And although he did transgresse thy commandement, and thereby deserued eternall death and damnation: yet thou, like a most louing and pitifull Father, diddest not vtterlie reiect him, but gentlie correct him, and after that thou hadst sent him into the earth, commanding him there to increase and multiplie, thou didst instruct his posteritie with thy lawe; thou didst teach them by thy Prophets, and after that sentest downe thine onlie begotten sonne to take vpon him our nature, and to suffer death for our sinnes, therby to make [Page 145] a recompense for the offence which man had committed against thee: and all this thou didst of thine exceeding great mercie and kindnesse, without anie desert of mankind, not being so much as by anie one praier, or yet intreatie therevnto incited.
Therefore I being boldened with such inestimable benefits, so freelie giuen and bestowed, doo without any feare at this time, appere before thy diuine Maiestie, prostrating my slefe before the seate of thy mercie, and with all humblenesse of hart and mind doo make this my praier vnto thee.
Despise me not (O Lord God) being defiled with sin and iniquitie. For behold, I present my selfe before thee, not presuming vpon mine owne woorthinesse, but trusting in thy goodnesse.
Be mercifull vnto me a sinner: light thou the dull sighted eies of my mind, open thou the stopped eares of mine hart, that I may both see, heare, perceiue and vnderstand that, which thou teachest, and alwaies doo that, which thou commandest. Make me not onelie a hearer of thy heauenlie doctrine; but also a perfect folower of the same: direct, sanctifie and gouerne my life: be thou alwaies present and readie, both to heare, and to helpe me. Saue and defend me from all shame and reproch: be thou my shield & buckler against all temptations; clense my mind and thought from all vncleannesse; keepe and preserue me from all danger both of bodie and soule. This fraile life is nothing else but a continuall warfare in this world: our sinnes most like to cruell enimies, assault vs on euerie side: againe our daies are but few in number.
Guide me therefore with thy grace, so to spend my small, short and transitorie time in this world, the verie fountaine, welspring, and vale of all miserie, that I may be made a member of Christ, & partaker of thine eternall felicitie. To the which, seeing that through [Page 146] mine owne desert, I shall neuer be able to aspire, (for sinne trulie so aboundeth in me, that ech deed and act of mine, is not onelie infected, but altogither polluted therwith) none other remedie haue I to ease my selfe: none other salue to heale my sore, but onelie to take hold of that promise of thine wheras thou saiest: Come vnto me all ye that ye that labour, and be ouerladen, and I will refresh you.
This is my hold-fast; this is mine anchor and sure staie. For verelie (sweet Sauiour) when I looke vpon mine owne frailnesse, and behold how readie I am to offend thee; then I quake for feare, then I am almost in vtter despaire: but as soone as I call to mind thy great loue and kindnesse, and how that thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and liue, and that in what daie soeuer he doth hartilie repent and call vnto thee, thou wilt heare him: then I am releeued; then I am not a little comforted, knowing surelie that thou wilt performe that which thou hast promised, in faithfull assurance whereof, I now saie vnto thee:
Turne thou me, O my God, and I shall be turned: from all my wickednesse deliuer me. Heale my soule, which is wounded with sinne: for I doo acknowledge mine iniquitie, and am hartilie sorie for mine offences: correct me, O Lord, but yet not in thy furie, looke not vpon my weaknesse; but thinke vpon thine owne worthinesse: remember thy louing kindnesse, and in the abundance and multitude of thy mercies, wipe cleane awaie, pardon and forget all my sinnes, through which I haue either in word, deede or though, or anie other kind of way offended thee, blot them out of thy remembrance, and let the bloud of that immaculate lambe Iesus Christ, wash them awaie: let mine old offences so decaie and die in me, that I neuer commit them any more, or by anie meanes renew them in thy sight.
[Page 147] And in the meane time doo not withdrawe thy grace from me, but cause me to doo all that which good is. O Father, remoue thy wrath awaie from me, and restore vnto me thy fauour: turne thou thy louing countenance vnto me, and plentifullie powre foorth thy mercie vpon me. Incline my hart to doo that onelie, which is acceptable in thy sight: guide thou my footesteps in thy paths, and suffer me not at any time to straie from thy waies: let me alwaies haue the feare of thee in my hart, and the remembrance of thy benefits fresh in my memorie: and if at anie time through weakenesse and failtie, I doo transgresse thy commandements, yet doo not therefore reiect and cast me out of thy sight; but be thou that good Samaritane, and powre the oile and wine of mercie and forgiuenesse into those wounds, which sinne shall make in me. Disdaine me not for my reuolting; but haue mercie vpon me, according to thy great goodnesse, and according to the multitude of thy mercies wipe awaie mine iniquitie. Hide me vnder the shadowe of thy wings and protection: lighten mee with thy holie spirit. Make me thy seruant: so indue me with thy grace, that I may vnfeinedlie, with hart and voice, serue, honour, and praise thee all the daies of my life:
Amen.
Another praier for the obteining of grace and mercie.
O Most mercifull Lord God, whose Maiestie is incomprehensible, & power infinite, whose magnificence is exalted aboue the heauens: vouchsafe, I beseech thee, frō thy high throne to behold the worke of thy hands: haue pitie on the vnhappie and desolate condition of thy creature. I am a sinner, conceiued in sinne, and of my selfe I haue no good thing: wherefore, O Lord, I cleaue to the altar of thy mercie. Thou art my anchor, my hope, my refuge [Page 148] and staie. Therefore O Lord, haue mercie vpon me, for no flesh can be iustified in thy sight. Thou knowest the frailtie and weakenesse of men. We are taught by the fall of Peter, that we can doo nothing without thee. Graunt vs therefore good Lord thy grace, without which in this world, we are like by the waues of temptations to be swallowed in the gulph and whirlepoole of sinne: to be drowned as the ship without anchor and Pilote in euerie tempest, to runne on the rocke and perish. Guide vs therefore by thy grace good Lord, through the flouds of this carefull world, that we may rest for euer in the pleasant port, and happie hauen of euerlasting ioie, with thine elected, through our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ: to whome with thee and the holie Ghost, be all honour and glorie, in all worlds,
Amen.
A Confession to be said of the penitent person.
O Most mercifull Lord God, I haue offended against the throne of thy Maiestie; my sinnes are euer before mine eies: I am not worthie to liue or enioie the fruits wherewith thou hast blessed the earth. Mine owne conscience is my tormenter, bringing testimonie and witnesse against me. The Sunne doth hide his light against me, and the place is the woorsse wherein I become. O Lord what shall I doo? Shall I despaire? No, thou art mercifull, and more readie to forgiue, than we to aske. I will confesse my sinnes to thee. I am wearie of my sinfull life. I am sorie in my soule for mine offences. Wherefore good Lord, thou which dooest ease them that are laden, and refresh them that trauell: thou which hast promised mercie to the penitent, looke on me thy seruant with thy cheerefull countenance: behold me with those pitifull eies, with which thou didst Marie Magdalen, and [Page 149] the woman taken in adulterie. Thou which hast shed thy bloud ou the altar of the Crosse, offering thy most pretious bodie an eternall sacrifice for our sinnes: despise not that which thou hast redeemed. Thou which cammest into the world to call sinners to repentance, and to saue the lost sheepe of Israel, haue mercie vpon me, and leade me by thy grace to the fold, amóng thy sheepe, for they go in sweet pasture, and are not in danger of Wolues, for thou art their shepheard, and keepest good accompt of euerie one of them. Though I haue gone astraie, wandring from thy flocke, and borne the marks of the world: yet good Lord disclaime not thy right, I beseech thee; but take me vnto thee, that I may be safe vnder the shadowe of thy wings. He may sleepe soundlie whome thou dooest keepe. Thou art the watchman of Israel. All honour and glorie be vnto thee for euer,
Amen.
Another godlie Confession and meditation of the penitent.
I Altogether vnhappie and comfortlesse, haue greeuouslie offended my Lord God. What shall I do? Whether shall I go? I can not hide me from his sight. How oft haue I trespassed against him? How oft haue I deserued his displeasure? And yet how seldome hath he punished me? How oft hath he beene good and mercifull vnto me? How oft haue I promised and vowed amendment, and how little and seldome haue I performed it? This is a wofull case. Who will haue pitie on me, I dare not lift vp mine eies towards heauen, because I haue sinned against it: and in earth I can looke for no refuge, because I haue beene a slander and shame vnto it. What then? Should I despaire? No, God is mercifull, and a good Sauiour: he doth visit them that liue in darknes, and is a cheerfull light to them that sit in the shadowe [Page 150] of death. He willeth vs to forgiue our brother, though he offend seuentie tunes, yea infinitelie. And God is more mercifull than anie man can be, and he must be the onlie refuge and comfort: he will not despise his creature, the image of himselfe.
Returne thee therefore O my soule vnto thy Lord God, praie to him humblie on thy knees for grace, and continue to bewaile thy sinnes past, because that he which loueth thee, prouoketh thee dailie with his gratious gifts and blessings to loue him, and will not leaue thee, vntill he haue made perfect his worke begunne, and brought his mercie to full effect in thee. What naturall cause beginneth his worke, and leaueth it in the halfe waie imperfect? The vertue of seed sowne, doth not cease till the fruit be brought to perfection, yet that nature worketh not at once, but first prepareth the matter, and then disposeth and makes it fit to receiue the shape, which is the perfection and end thereof. And as by naturall order, and right course things do proceede and increase by little and little, from the lesse to the more, euen so doth God first dispose vs to his mercie, and then increasing his goodnesse dailie, bestoweth on vs in the end, the treasure of his grace and inheritance of euerlasting ioies. What bird forsaketh hir yong, till they be able to liue of themselues, and yet no auaile, for their paine commeth to them. Uerie loue worketh in naturall causes, to bring foorth their affects to perfection. If it be so in creatures, what will the Creator doo? which is loue it selfe, and infinite goodnesse; he will withdrawe thee from thy sinnes, make thee cleane and pure, and finallie blesse thee with eternall life, which he hath prepared for thee. O Lord, I come to thee sad and mourning, I sit at thy feete, humblie waiting for thy mercie. Thou art my hope and helper, according to thy great mercies, haue mercie vpon me,
Amen.
A praier to be purged from sinne and vncleannesse.
TAke awaie from me, O Lord, the burden of my corruption, which by the continuall exercise of my sinne and wickednesse, hath wounded my soule wofullie, with the dangerous darts of transgression; so that I feele my putrifaction abounding, and my festered conscience ouerladen with vncleannesse; so that I haue no other meane nor remedie, but to prostrate my selfe before the throne of thy glorious maiestie, beseeching thee intirelie, of thy gratious goodnesse, to salue my sores with the comfortable oile of thy mercie.
Thou onlie (O Iesu) art the sweete Physition of my soule, sprinkle vpon me hysope, and I shall be made whiter than snowe. If thou of thine exceeding bountie and fauour good Lord, wilt vouchsafe to wash awaie the spots of my sinne and wickednesse, that heapeth thine indignation and furie against me, I shall then excell the gold that hath beene purified in the fornace seuen fold.
Let it therefore good Lord and mercifull father, seeme pleasant vnto thy diuine maiestie, to touch my corrupted and vncleane hart, with the heauenlie finger of thy grace, that I may bring foorth the fruits of true repentance, which are more acceptable to thy glorious and diuine presence, than the offering of calues, bullockes, sheepe, goates, or anie other burnt offerings, or sacrifice of peace. A contrite and sorowfull soule, is the thing that thou doest most delight in. An humble and a lowlie spirit is the oblation that thou dooest desire. A cleane and pure hart, O Lord my God, I knowe thou dooest loue and fauour.
Wherefore I beseech thee, to purge me from my sinne and inquitie, of thy great mercie. Let the bitter [Page 152] deploration of mine offences, and hartie contrition, through thy glorious merits and painefull passion, O Iesu, be the onlie meane and waie to set me free from the powers of hell, death and damnation. And sith I am by thy goodnes begotten and borne anew, strengthen me good Lord, that I neuer slide nor fall from thee, but that I may continuallie beare in my remembrance, the state wherevnto I am called by thee. Through thine aboundant loue and kindnesse wipe awaie, good Lord, all my sins out of thy remembrance. Cleanse me in the bloud of thy spotlesse Lambe Iesus Christ, and I shall be made cleane, pure and safe. Graunt this most mercifull God, for the honour and glorie of thy name sake, through the bitter death of thy sonne Iesus Christ my onlie mediatour and aduocate, to whome with thee and the holie Ghost, be giuen all laud, glorie, power, and praise for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another praier of the penitent for mercie.
O Lord I am a sinner, my sinnes are heauie vpon me, the burden of them is intollerable, refresh me with thy grace, wash awaie mine offences, and I shall be whiter than the snowe. Let the cheerefull beames of thy countenance shine vpon me, and giue light to the darkenesse of my life. We can looke for nothing as deserued, but punishment due to our offences. Wherefore good Lord, not according to thy iustice, but in the multitude of thy mercies, deale with thy seruant. Remember not the sinnes of my forefathers: thinke not on the milde meanour of my youth passed: haue pitie on thy creature, which according to the likenesse of thy selfe thou hast made and shaped of earth. How long wilt thou turne thy face awaie from me? Forsake me not, O my God, but renew in me thy holie spirit. Plucke awaie from [Page 153] me all that withdraweth me from thee. Graffe in my hart thy grace, that I may loue thee, and feare thee, and so finallie reioice in thy goodnesse with the elected, and praise thee in thy woonderous works for euer. Graunt this most mightie God, for our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake, to whome with thee and the holie Ghost, be all honor and glorie for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another praier to be said of the sinfull soule.
MY sinfull life increasing, and my sinnes still abounding, good Lord; to whome shall I flee, or to whome shall I resort for succour? From offending thee I can not cease, neither daie nor night; and my sinnes are heauie vpon me, pressing me downe euen to hell, such is the weight thereof.
Moreouer, when I prepare my selfe to amendment of life, and thinke stedfastlie to serue and please thee, euen soone after doth my corrupt and infected nature offend and displease thy diuine Maiestie: so that I am prone and readie to run headlong into all kind of wickednesse and sin, such is my strength, such is my force, (or rather weakenesse) in perfourming those things, which thou requirest at my hands. So that good Lord, I am readie vtterlie to despaire, and forsake thee, vnlesse thou of thy great mercie and pitie, send thine aide from aboue, and powre into me thy most healthfull grace, that I may make hast to flee vnto thee with most bitter teares, a sorrowfull hart, and bowing knees, lamenting my sinfull life, and greeuous offences committed against thee, trusting most assuredlie and faithfullie, in the merits of my Sauiour Iesus Christ, that by his most bitter death & bloud-shedding, which is of far greater force, vertue and effect in preseruing me, than all my sinnes and offences are in condemning and casting me awaie; for whose sake I most assuredlie [Page 154] beleeue all my sinnes and offences are cleerelie forgiuen, and shall neuer be laid to my charge, but that I shall enter with thee in the last daie into thine euerlasting kingdome, there to be with thee for euermore, to whome be all honour, praise and glorie, for euer and euer,
Amen.
A praier to God the father.
ALmightie God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, whome no desert, merit, or worthinesse of ours; but thine owne great clemencie, mercie and pitie caused to send downe thine onlie begotten sonne into this world, to beare the burden of our sinnes, with the which we most miserable sinners were ouerladen, and that he should suffer most cruell torments, yea and also most bitter and shamefull death, and sanctifie the reprochfull name of the crosse, with the renting of his blessed bodie, and shedding his most pretious bloud thereon; thereby to make attonement betweene thee and vs, thereby to paie the raunsome for our soules, thereby to consummate and finish the perfection of our redemption, and saluation. Which thing it was thy good will that he should doo, not onelie to asswage thy wrath & indignation, but also to bring vs againe into thy grace and fauour; and that we being deliuered out of the bondage of sinne and hell, might serue thee in righteousnesse and holinesse, all the daies of our life, and by the free gift and benefite of his death and passion, be made partakers of his resurrection, and of thine endlesse and vnspeakable glorie.
Wherefore my God, my maker, my Lord, my King, seeing thou hast so aboundantlie bestowed thy heauenlie gifts vpon me, and all mankind, and hast so plentifullie powred out thy grace and fauour on vs, that for our sakes thou wouldest not spare thine owne sonne: how shall we escape thine indignation, which for this [Page 155] care and kindnesse of thine, are most carelesse and vnkind? And among all other, which waie shall I poore creature turne me? How shall I, who haue beene most vnthankefull for thy benefits, and most vnmindfull of them, be so bold as to lift vp my hart or hands vnto the heauens, and to call vpon thee? Thou of thy singular goodnesse didst so prouide, that the wickednesse of old Adam should be purged and washed awaie with the bloud of Iesus Christ; but I haue wilfullie fallen into sinne againe. Thou madest me the child of light, but I haue made my selfe an inheritour of darkenesse. Thou madest me thine by creation, I haue made my selfe the child of perdition.
What shall I now therefore do? Shall I doubt of anie further mercie and forgiuenesse? No no, sweete Lord, so great is thy mercie, which surmounteth all thy workes; so large are thy promises; so sure is the performance of them to all such as take hold thereof; so deere in thy sight are the merits of thy sonne Iesus; so acceptable vnto thee is the hartie repentance of a sinner, that with the remembrance thereof, I am prouoked to crie vnto thee, saieng: Father, I haue sinned against heauen, and against thee, I am no more worthie to be called thy child. Neuerthelesse, behold thou me, not as I am, a greeuous offender, but as thy creature. Haue now no respect to mine offences, but behold my repentance: thinke not vpon my wickednesse, but vpon the wounds of my Sauiour Iesus. Looke not vpon my false hart, which hath wauered from thy lawes, but behold the bleeding hart of thy sonne Iesus Christ, which was pierced to release me, and set me free. My sinnes I cast vpon thy backe, beseeching thee that his merits may beare them, and thy mercie pardon them.
Heare me O Lord my God, heare me: for I knowe, the more earnestlie that I seeke for, and desire thine [Page 156] aide, the readier thou art to stretch foorth thine hand to helpe me. Heare me therefore, O Lord; bow downe and incline thine eare vnto my praier: inspire me so with thy holie spirit, that I may loue thee aboue all things, and that I neuer faile to put my hope and trust of saluation in him, whome thou wouldest to be my redeemer and sauiour.
Make me, by the forsaking of all wickednesse, so to rise from falling into sinne, that I may obtaine the true seruing of thee with innocencie, and purenesse of life. Graunt this O Lord, for Iesus Christs sake, to whome with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie,
Amen.
A praier vnto God the sonne.
O Most sweet sauiour, O most mercifull redeemer; O bountifull Iesu, the sonne of God; who although thou art high, yet thou art most humble; although thou art omnipotent, thou art also most meeke: and as thou art most mightie, so art thou most mercifull. To thee, O Christ, the guide of all felicitie, the father of heauen hath giuen all power, both in heauen and in earth.
Thou art the true pastor of our soules, thou art our Messias. Thou castest off none that sue vnto thee, but as thou hast taken awaie the hand-writing that was against vs, and hast fastened it to thy crosse, so art thou readie to impart the merits of thy passion vnto all such, as with true repentance of their sins call vpon thee faithfullie.
Wherefore my sweet Iesus, I most faithfullie and vnfeinedlie acknowledge the benefits that thou hast bestowed vpon me, and stedfastlie beleeue, that thou being an immaculate lambe, in whose mouth was neuer found guile, didst suffer most cruell torments at the hands of sinners, for the loue of vs most wretched sinners. [Page 157] For the which cause, I most hartilie beseech thee, and most humblie praie thee, to accept me into the number of them, whom thou wilt make coinheritours of thy bitter paines. And although I of my selfe, be most vnworthie thereof, yet thy merits can make me woorthie: to them do I flie, crauing that I may be so armed and defended by them, that I may subdue the world, the flesh and the diuell, euen as thou hast gloriouslie conquered sinne, death and hell.
Thou seest, O my sauiour, how I am dailie and hourlie beset with these three enimies, and so hardlie beseeged of them, that without thy helpe, I can by no meanes escape, but that I must needs be a praie vnto one of them. Strengthen me therefore O Lord, that neither the one with carnall lusts, neither the other with delectable pleasures, nor Sathan himselfe with all his craftie and subtile deuises get the dominion ouer me.
Thou hast bought me, thou hast paid for me; take thou me, saue, keepe and defend me, be alwaies readie at the voice of my crieng; powre into me thy grace, patientlie to abide thy diuine will and pleasure in all things. Make me both at this present, and all the daies of my life, to haue in mind, and profoundlie to roote in my hart, the mysteries of thy painefull passion, and so to be filled with the remembrance thereof, that sin may no more enter into me, and that Sathan mine old enimie may well perceiue, that he hath neither part nor fellowship in me, but that I am both bodie and soule altogether thine, to whome be all praises world without end,
Amen.
A praier vnto God the holie Ghost.
O Holie Ghost, O blessed and holie spirit, comforter of them that be afflicted: thou proceeding from the Father and the Sonne, art the true [Page 158] instructor and teacher of the diuine and heauenlie veritie. Wherefore, I with all humilitie praie thee to renew and make in me a cleane hart, to graffe a right spirit in me, to guide and gouerne me, that I may thinke nothing, speake nothing, doo nothing, but that onlie which shall please thee.
And whereas I haue not ceased to offend my Lord God and maker, and most greeuouslie to transgresse against Iesus my redeemer and sauiour; I praie thee that I may haue inward sorowe, repentance, and shame thereof; and that euer hereafter I may performe my dutie, as I ought to doo, and so bring foorth the fruits of repentance, that the passion of Iesus Christ may defend me from all sinne and wickednesse, and bring me to the ioies of paradise: So be it.
A godlie praier for the true worshipping of God, which may be vsed in the Church before common praier.
STablish our harts and minds, O most gratious God, in the true woorshipping of thy diuine maiestie; make vs to beleeue thy holie and sacred Gospell, wherein we are dailie and hourelie instructed to loue, feare, honour, and obeie thee: to hate sinne and iniquitie, to renounce all superstitious ceremonies, whereby thy worship is defaced, thy glorie prophaned, and thine honour greatlie diminished. Giue vs the grace to hate sinne and iniquitie, to renounce and forsake the vanities and wanton pleasures of this wicked and sinfull world. Arme vs, we beseech thee, to mortifie and bring vnder the rebellious appetites and straieng lusts of the flesh. And finallie giue vs power from aboue, to withstand Sathan the prince of darknesse, and all his damnable ministers, who by diuers temptations prouoke and allure vs from godlie puritie, and perfect integritie, which passeth onlie from Christ Iesus vnto vs, who [Page 159] is the fulnesse of our perfection and holinesse, to all kinds of euill, impietie and vncleannesse; by meanes whereof thy worship is greatlie prophaned, and of a set purpose contemned.
Make vs constant to skirmish against the world, sinne, death, and hell; and by the power of a fruitefull faith, giue vs grace to resist and bridle the concupiscence of our flesh, in such sort, that our soules may triumph with victorie, and continue constant in woorshipping thee; from whom passeth the fulnesse of our ioie. Prepare our harts and minds (good Lord) now and euer to spread foorth the glorie of thy name. Kéepe our tongues from all filthie talke, and vncomelie gesture, least by the exercise of such sinne, we contemne thy worship, and prouoke thee to displeasure and indignation. Set thou a watch before the gates of my mouth, that my lips by thy grace may be alwaies made open to sound foorth thy praise and euerlasting glorie. Be mercifull to our offences, thinke thou not on our vnrighteousnesse; but vpon thy clemencie. Forgiue them freelie, and pardon gratiouslie our sinnes, make vs faithfull in Christ Iesus. Shorten the dangerous daies of iniquitie, increase the number of thy chosen and peculiar Saincts. Hasten thy comming, O sauiour Christ, that we with the felowship of the Saints, heauenlie Angels, and the blessed companie of Martyrs, may celebrate thy praise, and worship thee in thy glorious kingdome, before the father our God, and the holie Ghost, to whome be praise for euer,
Amen.
Another praier that we may liue so vprightlie in this life, that at the last we may dwell in the euerlasting tabernacle.
O Lord, seeing that the righteous shall dwell in thy tabernacle, graunt me I beseech thee, a pure and vndefiled soule. O what is the shape of the earth, wherein Gods enimies [Page 160] haue abiding; in comparison of the woonderfull beautie of heauen, wherein righteousnesse doth dwell; in comparison of that place, wherein Angels, Archangels, all good men, yea and God himselfe is abiding! What are the pleasures of the world, wealth, honour, companie of our parents and friends, wherein all our pleasure and sweetenesse is mixed with sowrenesse and sorowe; wherein euerie perfection hath his imperfection▪ What is all this to the vnspeakeable ioie in the kingdome of God? What is the companie of friends heere, in comparison to the companie of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, the Patriarches and Prophets, and all the Saints of God?
Oh the felicitie of euerlasting life, which is without all discommodities; perpetuall, without all perill and molestation! Oh the glorious maiestie, the singular mirth, and passing ioies of the life to come! The eie hath not seene, nor the hart of man is able to conceiue in anie part, the happie estate of the blessed soules in heauen. Oh how amiable are thy tabernacles! My soule hath a desire to enter into the courts of the Lord. My hart and my soule reioice in the liuing God; blessed be they that dwell in thy house, they may be alwaies praising thee. One daie in thy courts, is better than a thousand elsewhere. I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of vngodlinesse. The Lord God is a light and defence. My soule is athirst for God, euen for the liuing God. When shall I come before the presence of my God? My flesh longeth after thee in a barren and drie land, where no water is. Good Lord remember me, and graunt that I may weare the white garments of innocencie with thine elected, in thine euerlasting kingdome,
Amen.
A praier against the felowship of the vngodlie.
PRotect and defend me, O heauenlie Father, and most mercifull God, from the felowship of the vngodlie men, which dailie imagine mischiefe in their harts to harme the innocent. Keepe me from the counsels of the foolish and vngodlie, which speake proud things against the glorie of thy blessed name. Defend me from faithlesse and deceiptfull ones, whose guiltie stomaches are gorged with grudge, enuie, malice, hatred, disdaine, and all vncharitablenesse. For their throtes are like vnto an open sepulchre, or swallowing graue: their tongs are giuen to slander and backbite their neighbours: the poison of Adders lieth hidden vnder their lips; and in fine, they as thine enimies blaspheme thy holie and blessed name, and contemne thy testimonies.
O Lord giue me thy grace, to be conuersant with good and godlie men; such as fauour thy glorious Gospell, and doo their indeuour to practise thy precepts, to the glorie of thy holie and blessed name. Make me, by their example, to exercise my selfe in the heauenlie veritie; that thereby I may be instructed in the liuelie knowledge of thy commandements, and obtaine such wisdome from aboue, that by faith I may cleaue to thee, and the felowship of those that feare thy holie name; and so auoide the companie of the wicked and vngodlie worldlings, which haue laid snares to intrap mee. Graunt this, O most mercifull Father, for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake, who euer liueth and reigneth with thee, and the holie Ghost, to whome be all laude, glorie, power and praise, for euer and euer,
Amen.
A praier to be said before or after the Sermon.
MOst mightie GOD, which by thy word hast made all things, whose voice the flouds and hils doo knowe, whose heast both quicke and dead, heauen and hell obey, at whose displeasure the diuels in hell doo tremble: let thy word so lighten our harts, that by our good works we may testifie our profession, seeing that the tree which beareth not fruit shall be cut downe, & throwne into the fire. Grant that I may not onelie be a hearer, but also a dooer of thy holie word, that so finallie I may be partaker of thine euerlasting ioie and blisse.
O Lord grant me wisdome to knowe thee, and grace to followe thee in true humilitie: that as thou didst suffer to be spitted at, and smitten of thine enimies; so we may beare the displeasures of the world, and rage of our enimies with patience. Thou hast blessed the little ones, and reuealed vnto them the things hidden from the wise. For thou wilt haue mercie where it pleaseth thee. O set thy feare alwaies before mine eies, make me to vnderstand wisdome secretlie; and graffe thy faith so in my hart, that I may both knowe thee, and loue thee, and glorifie thy holie name for euer:
Amen.
A praier for faith.
O Blessed Sauiour Iesus, sonne of the euerliuing God, the vnspeakeable ioie of thy seruants, most present cōfort to sinners, which camest into the world to saue offenders, which so louedst the world, that thou sparedst not thy most pretious bloud to redeeme the losse of our first father Adam, and to make vs coheires of the forfeited inheritance with thy selfe; that all which beleeue in thee might be saued. Good Lord, which hast promised [Page 163] to them that knocke, it shall be opened; and that they which seeke shall find: grant I beseech thee, that I may search thy holie lawes, and find the truth of thy holie word; that I may alwaies constantlie confesse and shew thee and thy goodnesse, as well in my words as liuing. Inspire me with thy holie spirit, that I may knowe thee stedfastlie, trust in thee, and serue thee in praiers and well-dooing, all the time of my life. O most mercifull Lord and Sauiour of the world, for the glorie of thy name sake, I beseech thee to heare my praiers. My soule reioice in God my sauing health, for hee hath been good to thee, he hath kept thee from the snare of the hunter, and blessed thee. The Lord is a mercifull God, let all the earth feare him: let the mouths of all men sound praises vnto him. God is a good Lord, and dailie increaseth his good gifts to his seruants; the Lord will increase my faith in him, and I shall be saued: So be it.
A praier to be said before the receiuing of the Lords Supper.
OMnipotent GOD and father euerlasting, whose mercie is infinite, and whose kingdom hath none end; vouchsafe I beseech thee, of thine exceeding goodnes, to increse our faith, that as thy ghests repaire to the table of thy sonne Iesus Christ, who hath left vnto vs, before he gaue his bodie to be crucified, and his bloud to be shed largelie on the crosse for our redemption, as a pledge of his great loue and abundant kindnesse, the celebration of his glorious supper, wherein as it were in a looking glasse, the death of our great maister, the high shepheard of our soules Iesus Christ, is most liuelie set foorth vnto vs. Giue vs grace therefore from aboue, rightlie to vnderstand the diuine mysteries offered vnto vs thereby, and not to wrest or wring the same [Page 164] contrarie to thy will.
Let it be far from our thoughts, good Lord, to leaue thine eternall veritie; and to build on the doctrine of men, who following their owne imaginations, run headlong to the gaping gulph of danger and destruction. Plucke the scales of ignorance from our eies, that we may cleerlie descerne and behold, by the light of thy glorious Gospell, how we may truelie communicate and participate the fruits of thy grace, represented vnto vs in this comfortable Sacrament. Indue vs plentifullie with such pure knowledge, that we may not once thinke or saie after anie grosse forme, or carnall maner, we feede vpon, or eate thy flesh reallie, or carnallie; but make vs alwaies constantlie to beleeue, that thy glorious bodie is ascended vp into heauen, and sitteth on the right hand of thy Father, concerning thy humanitie; and cannot be thence remooued, till the time that thou shalt come with legions of Angels, to iudge the quicke and the dead, before whose presence shall run a consuming fire.
And moreouer, wee doo most humblie beseech thee so to confirme vs in the truth of thy blessed testament, that we may confesse thy diuine nature to be equall with the Father and the holie Ghost; and to beleeue that thy power is not a power particular, but a power generall; and such as doth and shall gouerne in heauen and earth, in the deepe and lowe waters: yea and in the nethermost parts of hell. Strengthen vs therefore good Lord, that stand; least that in falling from the true knowledge of thee, we perish euerlastinglie.
And sith thou hast called vs by thy word, as thy ghests to this blessed banket, wherin ye mouths of our carnall bodies are fostered & fed with bread and wine: so Lord confirme our faith in thee, that the mouths of our soules may feed spirituallie vpon thy sweetest flesh, and drinke thy deerest blood, and so be nourished to euerlasting [Page 165] life, and heauenlie blessednesse. Which reward as a dowrie due, thou hast promised to all those that faithfullie build vpon thee, which art the rocke and strong piller of our saluation.
And as these most holie mysteries must set foorth vnto vs most liuelie thy death and passion; so make vs thankefull to thee for the same: and thereby giue vs grace, to print in our harts thy great loue and exceeding clemencie, that sparedst not to giue thy bodie to the most vile, shamefull and slanderous death of the Crosse; and thy bloud to be shed for our offences.
Indue vs with loue and charitie to all men; make vs readie to forgiue, to loue, and pardon our enimies, persecutors and slanderers. Turne our harts & minds from all impietie, couetousnesse, blasphemie, pride, gluttonie, fornication, and all other detestable euils. And if at anie time we haue defeated the fatherlesse of his right, the widowe of hir dowrie, or gathered togither our goods wrongfullie, by violence, oppression, fraud, collusion, or deceit: giue vs grace to make restitution, and to aske with sorowfull plaints and fluds of teares, from the bottome of our harts, pardon and free forgiuenesse of thee, for such and all other our offences whatsoeuer wee haue done, or committed in thought, word, will and deed, against thy diuine Maiestie, or anie other our brethren and sisters.
Take awaie from vs ali bitternes, cursed speaking and backbiting. Giue vs grace to come woorthilie, by the vertue of a true and fruitfull faith, to this holie and blessed supper, that our soules feeding faithfullie on thy sweetest flesh, and drinking thy deerest bloud, wee may both in bodie and soule be nourished by thee to euerlasting and endlesse glorie in heauen, where with thee and the felowship of thy chosen Saints, we shall enioie the fruition of the euerlasting kingdome, which thou hast ordeined for all those that ouelie and alone, [Page 166] without wauering doo build vpon thee.
Sanctifie and make cleane our harts and minds, by the power of thy holie Ghost, the verie comforter of thy chosen. Purge thou our cankred consciences, infected with sinne, by the working of thy good grace, least that by the presuming to this thy table, O Lord, we incur thy displeasure; and being vnrepentant for our offences, we be found vnmeet ghests to come to thy holie banket, and so we eate and drinke to the vtter confusion of our soules and bodies. Giue vs grace therefore good Lord, to conuert vs wholie vnto thee, and we shall be turned from all our sinne and iniquitie. Giue vs grace to rest onlie vpon thee, and we shall be made safe. Giue vs thine aid from aboue, we beseech thee, by faith to striue with the man of sinne, and so to vanquish him, that he may die to vs, and we may liue to thee, which art the giuer of life. Grant this, O most gratious God, for Iesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be giuen all praise, honour and glorie, for euer and euer:
Amen.
A praier or thankesgiuing to be said after the receiuing of the Communion.
WE giue thee most hartie thanks, O heauenlie Father, that hast at this present fed vs, and refreshed our hungrie soules with the flesh and bloud of our Sauiour Christ; not carnallie, but spirituallie. Giue vs grace therefore continuallie, by the meanes of an increasing and fruitfull faith, to beleeue that thy flesh is meate indeed, and thy bloud is drinke indeed: and that vnneths we eate thy flesh, and drinke thy bloud, we can not enter into thy kingdome, nor be saued in the daie of thy comming. Giue vs grace therefore, being vnprofitable seruants, and vnwoorthilie called, by the reason of the multitude of our sinnes, to banket at thy table, whereas the celebration [Page 167] of thy supper hath beene vsed, and thy death by the visible elements of bread and wine represented vnto vs, to offer vp vnto thee continuallie the fruits of true, repentant, and sorowfull harts, that thy name may be glorified, we by thy grace comforted, thy displeasure turned to loue, thy wrath to compassion, our sinnes pardoned and forgotten, and our names written in the booke of life.
And as it hath pleased thee at this present to account vs for thy ghests, and not onlie to feede vs with visible creatures, namelie bread and wine: but also in soule, which is thine owne similitude, to cherish vs with thy flesh and bloud, wheron by the vertue of a liuelie faith we haue to our great comforts most plentifullie fed: so now, O Lord, we beseech thee of thine abundant goodnesse, to increase our faith, that it may wax strong in thee, and fruitfull to exercise the works of charitie and loue to all men; that therby as we haue now been at the celebration of thy glorious and blessed supper, so we may, whensoeuer it shall please thee to call vs to thine heauenly banket, be found furnished: not emptie, not naked, but armed and couered with fruitfull faith and truth, and so, as thy ghests or vessels of honour enioie the participation of thy heauenlie and rich palace, whereas ioies neuer vade, but continuallie endure. Take from vs the burden of our corruption; set vs free from the cursed clog of sinne; deliuer vs from the snares of death and destruction. Giue vs willing minds to obeie and heare thy commandements, clense thou our harts from all iniquitie, and giue vs grace henceforth to walke in newnesse of life, and godlie conuersation, that thy name may be glorified, and we saued in the daie of thy comming to iudgement. Grant this for Jesus Christ his sake our mediatour and aduocate:
Amen.
A godlie praier to be said of euerie Christian, especiallie at burials.
GOod Lord, which with thy hands doest staie the frame & engin of the earth, and rulest the course of the swift heauens, disposing and ordering all things by thy diuine prouidence, which hast apointed bounds to our life, which we can not pas: I besech thee that by my liuing, I learning to die, mortifieng by thy spirit the affections of the flesh, though not expelling them, yet subduing the rage of them, it may at the last, by the hauen of death, land in the most glorious citie of euerlasting life; where our bodies which are now darke, miserable and corruptible, shall be most bright, glorious and incorruptible, like to the immortall and shining bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ. We shall be like to Christ our Sauiour; euen as he is, so shall we be. And as we haue borne the image of the earthlie, so shall we beare the image of the heauenlie, and shine like to the sunne, as the face of Christ did in his transfiguration.
Oh Lord Iesus, blessed Sauiour, which by thy death hast triumphed ouer sinne and death; thou hast troden on the sting of the monster, our hidious enimie; the gates of hel haue not preuailed against thee: grant to me a true and liuelie faith, by which men passe from earth to heauen, from death to eternall life. This can we not doo without thee, thou must be our mediatour. For a child of a nights birth is not pure in thy sight. In sinne were we borne, and by nature we are the children of perdition, and firebrands of hell: but thou, O blessed Sauiour, art the perfection of the lawe to them that beleeue. As death came by sinnes; so by thy death and pretious bloudshedding is death conquered and exiled; and we that beleeue washed and clensed of our sinnes. All the Prophets beare witnesse, that they [Page 169] which beleeue in thy name shall receiue remission of their sinnes. If we confesse our sinnes, thou art righteous to forgiue vs our iniquities. Whosoeuer calleth on thy name shall be saued. Thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather desirest that they should liue, and be conuerted. Thou hast so loued the world, that thou not onlie didst become man, and tooke our nature vpon thee, but wert content also to suffer most cruell death on the Crosse, to purge our nature from mortall sinne and corruption, and adorne it with immortalitie and eternall glorie; not onelie in thine owne person, but in vs also, to satisfie the iustice of the Father for our sinnes.
Oh blessed shepheard, thou doubtedst not to spend thy most pretious blood to saue thy beloued sheepe from rauine and spoile. Good Lord, so increase thy grace in me, that thy holie word may take roote, and flourish in me, that the good seed may not be choked with thornes. So order my liuing, that when by course of nature I shall be dissolued from the prison of my bodie, I may come to thee, that when thou more bright than the sun shalt come in the midst of the legions of Angels, in thy shining glorie and Maiestie to iudge the quicke & the dead, I may be in the number of the blessed ones, whom thou shalt call to possesse the kingdome prepared for them, by thy Father, saieng: Come ye blessed children of my Father, receiue the kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the world. Thou which didst die and rise againe, wilt raise and bring to life all those that are dead beleeuing in thy faith: So be it.
A praier to liue well.
GOod Lord so rule the eies of my hart, that they being kept simple and pure, my bodie may be a cleere and shining temple of thy holie spirit. So kindle in vs the loue of thy glorious [Page 170] sonne, that we following his steps, may doo that which is good, and decline from the euill; so that our light shining before men, we may glorifie thee by our good works, with thy blessed sonne our Sauiour, and the holie Ghost: to whose infinite Maiestie, in trinitie and vnitie be all honour and glorie for euer,
Amen.
A praier for humilitie.
O Lord I am a sinner, and sorie for mine offences: I can not make satisfaction for my defaults. If I haue anie good thing, it commeth of thee. The most acceptable sacrifice to thee is a contrite and humble hart. O God let mee not be oppressed with the waues of sinne, let mee not sinke into the whirlepoole and gulph of despaire. Thou which liftest vp the fallen, and raisest the humble and meeke, clothing them with purple, and settest them vp with princes in the seates of honour; thou which despisest the imaginations of the proud, and resistest their enterprises; blesse me in all my dooings, send mee happie successe in all mine affaires, that I may reioice in thy goodnesse, with thine elected for euer and euer. Accept my humble suite, good Lord, I beseech thee, for the glorie of thy name sake,
Amen.
A praier for the obteining of Gods grace.
O Almightie and mercifull God, shine we beseech thee, through the power of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the comfortable working of thy sacred spirit, the heauenlie comforter, vpon our minds and harts, with the glorious beames of thy heauenlie grace. Giue vs such plentie of wisedome and vnderstanding from aboue, that through the knowledge of thee, the man of sinne, that is, our fraile and feeble flesh, with the wicked lusts and desire of concupiscence [Page 171] may lie dead and buried in vs. Giue vs, good Lord, the feeling of thy grace, that by the vertue and diuine operation of thy word, the eies of our soules may be illumined, and made so light, that the Prince of darkenesse, with all his vnrighteous ministers, may be expulsed and banished from our memories. So establish vs in thy truth, that our harts, minds, and thoughts, may continuallie be occupied in thy testimonies: that thereby thou good Lord effectuallie shining in our harts, by the vertue of thy good spirit, we may learne to knowe and vnderstand, what is the fulnesse of our calling, and how rich thou art in the glorie of thy celestiall and heauenlie heritage of thy Saincts, and that excellent greatnesse of thy power and louing kindnesse towards vs, which beleeue without faining thy holie Gospell, according to the might and force of thy strength, which thou shewedst in Christ Iesus, when thou didst raise him from the dead, and didst set him on thy right hand, far aboue all empire, power, authoritie and dominion, and euerie name that is named, not onlie in this world, but in the world to come. By whose pretious death, and deerest bloud-shedding, we are assured, that sinne, death and hell are vanquished, ouercome, and vtterlie destroied. And if we beleeue without wauering, we shall in him be able to resist all the power of hell, and in Christ as conquerors, to triumph with victorie ouer sinne, death, and Sathan, and at the last to haue and enioie the fruition of his rich and glorious kingdome, which he by most painefull agonie, bloudie stripes, greeuous and bloudie wounds, and lastlie by his most painefull death, purchased for his chosen and elect. To whome for our sanctification, iustification, redemption, and our saluation be rendred, with his celestiall Father, and the holie Ghost, all laud, glorie, power, honour and dominion for euer and euer,
Amen.
A praier against presumptuous pride and vaine-glorie.
WE heare, O heauenlie Father, and are dailie taught and instructed out of thine eternall word, how greatlie the greeuous sinne of presumption, pride, and vaine-glorie displeaseth thy diuine maiestie. We are learned, that for the practise of this pestilent and heinous euill, thou hast not spared the verie Angels, but hast throwne them in thy displeasure, for their pride, vaine-glorie, and presumption, from beatitude, to miserie: from ioie without end, to perdurable paine: from brightnesse of thy glorious presence, to vtter extreame and palpable darkenesse: from the glorious fruition, and participation of thine euerlasting kingdome, to the bottomlesse pit of hell, death, damnation, and endlesse flames of fire. Besides this, we are taught that by the transgression of Adam, whose haughtie presuming, through the entisement of the subtile and perillous allurement of the Serpent, thought to be as thy selfe; but in fine, thy iustice condemned him, and all his posteritie.
This pestiferous sinne of pride drowned him in the flouds of all dangerous euils, as gluttonie, luxurie, and such other perils; that had not thy mercie taken effect, to keepe and hold plea for his and our safegard; and thy sonne Christ embased the glorie and power of his diuine essence, and taken vpon him our flesh and fraile nature, sinne onlie except, who freelie offered his innocent bodie to the death of the crosse, we had perished euerlastinglie, and beene vtterlie confounded. Print therefore good Lord, and write these examples in my memorie, that I fall not from thy fauour, by the exercise of this detestable sinne. Make me still to consider, that the proud and disdainefull are alwaies abhorred in thy sight. And sith it is thy good will, and gratious [Page 173] pleasure, to regard the humble and lowlie man, giue me such meekenesse from aboue, that I may continuallie present thee with the sacrifice of a gentle, meeke, and contrite spirit: that I may auoide the plagues and punishments which thou hast prepared for the proud and haughtie minded. Graunt this good Lord, for Iesus Christ his sake, mine onlie mediator & aduocate, who liueth and reigneth with thee and the holie Ghost, in glorie permanent & euerlasting,
Amen.
A praier against couetousnesse, or too much care of the world.
GOod Lord, seeing that it is thy pleasure, that we shall not be carefull for worldlie things: if a sparowe falleth not on the ground without thy fore-sight, how much more care doest thou take for vs thy children? Good Lord, thou feedest the birds of the aire, and cloathest the lillies of the feeld, which take no care. Wherefore good Lord, so prouide for our necessitie and sicknesse, we beseech thee, that we casting all our care vpon thee, may cheeflie studie to please thee, and serue thee, which liuest and reignest king of all kings for euer,
Amen.
A praier against lieng and euill imaginations.
O Lord cleanse my hart, I beseech thee, from all vnpure & wicked cogitations and thoughts; and giue me a cleere conscience, shamefast eies, innocent hands, and a tongue to tell the truth; seeing that there is nothing hid, that shall not be discouered. Good Lord I beseech thee to search my thoughts, and renew in me thy holie spirit. Direct my feete in thy waies, that walking after thee, in the path of the righteous, I may passe through this vale of miserie, bearing thy banner stoutelie in my warfare, and obtaine euerlasting ioie; the promised hire to such as [Page 174] here haue patientlie borne thy crosse, and valiantlie fought with the armour of faith, against temptations and all euils. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to graunt my petitions, I most humblie beseech thee, for thy onlie begotten sonne, our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake,
Amen.
A necessarie praier in Meeter against vices.
Amen.
A thankesgiuing for benefits receiued at Gods hand.
O Most mercifull Father, I yeeld thee most humble thanks, for thy great benefits bestowed vpon me a sinner, of thy free mercie onlie. Thou hast of thy fatherlie loue brought me vp tenderlie, and instructed me in thy holie lawe. Thou hast giuen me knowledge and vnderstanding. Thou hast preserued me from manie dangers and euils, which diuers men haue felt. Thou hast blessed me with health, quietnesse, ioie, plentie and wealth, which a number doo want. Thou hast taken care of me, and done all things for me. Lord, though I can deserue nothing but punishment by thy iust displeasure, yet good Lord, I trust to thy goodnesse, crauing mercie, and not iustice. And for thy mercie sake, I beseech thee to continue thy grace, and to increase thy good gifts towards me, and haue me in thy protection till my liues end. Good Lord blesse me, that I may enioie the fruits of the earth, and vse them to thy honour and glorie. Good Lord be thou mine aid and guide in all my dooings: my buckler and defence in all dangers, that I may freelie and ioifullie sing praises to thee, which liuest and reignest one God almightie and incomprehensible, worlds without end,
Amen.
Another thankesgiuing for the goodnesse of God to vs.
O Almightie God, and euer-ruling King, whose infinite power and maiestie our wits can not comprehend; whose glorious brightnesse with [Page 176] our mortall eies, we can not behold; whose woonderous works and manifold mercies the tongs of men can not sufficientlie declare. Good Lord I yeeld thee most humble thanks, for thy singular great gifts and benefits bestowed vpon me a sinner. Good Lord thou hast blessed me with knowledge, with increase and plentie of all things; thou hast giuen mee friends, health, and rest, that I should eate my meate with ioie, and praise thee in all thy gifts and works. I knowe that I haue no good thing, but it commeth from thee, and oulie for thy mercies sake, thou hast so regarded me thy seruant. Wherefore good Lord, I beseech thee to graunt me thy grace withall, that I may vse these thy gifts to thy honour and glorie, and the comfort of them that neede; that vsing the talent which thou hast lent me, I may become a good seruant, and obtaine eternall blisse, the promised hire to such as doo well. Uouchsafe good Lord, for thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake, to heare my praiers.
Almightie God, refresh me with thy grace, I beseech thee; comfort me with thy mercie, and blesse me; that safe from all euils, free from feare of all dangers, in peace and quietnesse, I may sing praises to thy holie name, and reioice in thee with thine elected for euer and euer,
Amen.
A praier to be said in time of quietnesse and prosperitie.
GIue vs good Lord, the comfortable & healthfull spirit of thy grace and aboundant fauour, that we may without ceasing make our continuall boast of thy praise. We know, and from the bottome of our harts confesse, that thou hast dealt more louinglie with vs, than thou hast done with our next neighbours, whose painefull miseries, and bloudie broiles may be a sufficient warning vnto [Page 177] vs, to hate our sin and iniquitie, least the like calamitie or euer we be aware, do compasse and hedge vs round about. Giue vs grace therefore in time of peace and happie prosperitie, so to walke, that thy fatherlie blessings be not withdrawne nor taken from vs, and the rod of thy sharpe correction laid vpon our neckes, euen in such sort as thou hast visited our brethren in other countries, whose bodies, by the meanes of ciuill dissention, haue beene made a praie to the sword.
We heare and vnderstand, that not far off, but euen hard at the gates of our borders, the father is readie in armes to seeke the destruction of his sonne: the sonne is as greedie to gape for the bloud of his father. We heare how violentlie the brother thirsteth after the bloud of his brother, friend is against friend, neighbour against neighbour, yong men are murthered, old men are suddenlie slaine, manie a wife is husbandlesse, manie a child is desolate and fatherlesse. The cruell harted enimie spareth none, he maketh hauocke, no teares can staie him from his affectioned tyrannie. The tender infants are haled from the earnefull paps of their weeping mothers, and torne to peece-meale before the sorowfull eies of their carefull parents. Old age is contemned, godlie matrones are abused, virgins are defloured and rauished by violence; a spectacle of extreame crueltie for vs to behold, and a glasse of great carefulnesse for vs to looke vpon, that haue worthilie deserued like or far greater punishments.
Yet with-holdest thou from vs thy scourge, although our offences are so great and diuers, that might heape vp the sentence of thine exceeding iustice against vs. In place of war and bloudie battell, thou hast giuen vnto vs prosperitie, and perfect peace. In place of penurie, dearth and scarsitie, thou hast giuen vs increase, fulnesse, and great plentie. In stead of discord and dissention, thou hast sent vs vnitie and concord: and by thy [Page 178] celestiall prouidence we are defended from the cruell enimie, and from the domesticall and ciuill war. And besides these thy gratious gifts, to heape vp our consolation and ioie, thou hast giuen vs thy true and liuelie word, as a lanterne to direct vs, and guide our footesteps from vanitie to vertue; from wickednes to godlie wisdome; from licentious libertie to newnesse of life, and godlie conuersation. Besides all these thine inestimable graces, freelie bestowed vpon vs, thou hast giuen vs godlie and zealous Preachers, which plentiouslie breake vnto vs, out of thine eternall testament, the bread of life; whereon good Lord giue our soules such power to feede by faith, that they may be nourished to eternall ioie; and we by the diligent obseruing and obeieng of thy commandements, may be preserued from all kind of dissention; and peaceablie enioie the fruits of pure peace & trustie tranquillitie. Grant this, O mercifull Father, for thy son Christs sake, our onelie Sauiour and Redeemer Christ Iesus,
Amen.
A godlie and fruitfull praier to be said in time of bloudie battell.
O Lord our heauenlie Father, and euerliuing God, we thy wretched and most miserable creatures confesse and acknowledge, wee haue woorthilie deserued the rod of thy correction and punishment: and doo merit manie sharpe and bitter stripes, that knowing thy blessed and glorious will, haue of set purpose contemned thy diuine and heauenlie precepts; for which cause the sentence of thy wrath is sharpelie kindled against vs, euen as it hath beene against thy chosen people Israel, in the daies of our forefathers, who glorieng in their wickednesse, were plagued in the fulnesse of thine indignation. The sword of their enimies beset them round about, and hemmed them in on euerie side. The Iebusites, [Page 179] the Ammonites, the Philistines and the Amorites oppressed them diuerselie: their strong holds were rased, their cities were besieged, their houses were ransacked, their goods and their riches were caried awaie by force of the bloud-thirstie enimie: their yoong men were led awaie captiue, their virgins were wofullie defloured. But in fine, when thou Lord God didst behold their hartie and earnest contrition, thou didst withdrawe thy frowning countenance, & sentest them speedie and safe deliuerance.
One while thou Lord sentest them Moses, to bring them out of the seruitude of Pharao, the stonie and stubborne-harted king of the Aegyptians: another while Iephthah set them free from the sword of the Ammonites, wherewith they were greeuouslie afflicted: and to make thy power and excellent glorie fullie knowne, thou gauest Samson much fortitude to bridle the proud Philistines. Ouer & besides these, thou of thy loue and miraculous goodnes hast made feeble women mightie and victorious conquerors. Debora was a shield to thy people: Iudith comforted the distressed Bethulians, & cut off the head of proud Holophernes: that thy selfe good Lord, when thou beholdedst their teares, and hartie sorowe for their offences, didst prepare thy selfe to go foorth with their hoasts. Thou thy selfe, I saie, with the breath of thy nostrils, didst confound and ouerthrowe their enimies.
So good Lord, be thou now present with vs in the fulnesse of thy diuine power: looke vpon vs with the eies of thy fauourable pitie. Forget our corrupt and most filthie offences: let our contrite and sorowfull harts be a meane to vanquish thy displeasure conceiued against vs: be thou present with vs in this time of necessitie and trouble: set thy hand to helpe and assist vs against the enimie: be thou present with vs in this time of perill and danger: go thou foorth with our [Page 180] hosts: then shall we be assured to preuaile: let not the multitude of furious foes dismaie vs. For victorie we doo knowe consisteth not in the power nor strength of manie men, horses, armour nor weapons; but it is thou, O mercifull Father, that giuest the conquest, where and to whom thou pleasest. To thee therefore in this great extremitie we flie and appeale; beseeching thee of thine inestimable loue and kindnesse, for the loue of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, to looke vpon our true repentant harts, and in the fulnesse of thy miserations and pities, to set vs free from the power of the raging enimie, and to pardon our sinnes and greeuous offences, that hencefoorth we may vow and dedicate our harts and minds wholie to walke in integritie and newnesse of life: which grant good Lord, to whom with thy sonne Christ Iesus, and the holie Ghost, be praise and glorie attributed for euer and euer, world without end,
Amen.
A godlie praier to be said in time of anie common plague, priuate affliction or trouble.
OEternall and euerliuing God, the Father of all consolation & comfort, vouchsafe of thine infinite loue and kindnesse to strengthen mee with thy heauenlie grace, patiently to beare and with meekenesse to suffer this crosse of affliction and trouble, which thou hast laid vpon me for the vse of sinne and iniquitie. I knowe, O gratious and louing Father, that my deserts are such as woorthilie haue prouoked thee to displeasure. The burden of my sinnes are intollerable, for the which I must acknowledge, and earnestlie from the bottome of my hart confesse, that iustlie thou hast corrected and visited me; yet not in the fulnesse of thy furie, but according to thy fatherlie loue and kindnesse. And albeit thy rod lie heauie vpon my shoulders; yet in this time of thy correction I [Page 181] am comforted greatlie, knowing assuredlie that thou correctest and simitest where thou louest: thou woundest, and healest againe: thou throwest downe to hell, and liftest vp againe to heauen: such and so great is thine omnipotencie, that thou rulest aboue the firmament, in earth, flouds, and the lowermost parts of hell.
In heauen the Angels, Archangels, the soules of thy Saints, the blessed companie of Martyrs giue thee praise, glorie and veneration. The sun, the moone, and glistering stars, ech one of them in their course and qualitie shew themselues obedient vnto thy will. In earth the beasts of the field, and the seelie feathered foules of the aire in their order seeme to set foorth thy glorie and praise. In the deepe waters the fishes of the sea are readie to obserue thy will, and in their maner they as thy creatures giue thee due honour and reuerence. But among these, man, whom thou by thy diuine will and pleasure hast indued with reason, and in his creation, concerning the inward man, hadst fashioned him to thy similitude and likenesse, is now most prone and willing to be (by the ministers of darknesse) seduced and carried awaie from vertue to vice; from godlinesse to all impietie; from obedience to wilfull breach and contempt of thy precepts: so that diligence is banished by negligence. And such is the power of our flesh, that our eies, which should haue their chiefest contemplation and delight in perusing and reading thy glorious and sacred Gospel (wherein we may behold thee crucified and slaine, O sweetest Sauiour Christ Iesus, perfect God and perfect man, by whose innocent death & bloudie passion, attonement is made betwixt thy Father and vs) are so dazeled with the dimme and darke mists of Sathan, that they are occupied in the beholding of mundane and transitorie pleasures; all which in effect vanish and weare awaie, euen as the flower that either is parched by the force [Page 182] of Phoebus radiant beames, or by Winters stormes and horie frosts consumed.
Our eares, which thou hast giuen to vs to heare, and vnderstand the sacred and diuine mysteries conteined in thy holie lawe, are made deafe of purpose; so that they glorie more in fables and lothsome leasings, than they conceiue delight in the zealous predication of thine Euangelicall and heauenlie doctrine. Our harts are hardened like the Adamant; so that for the greatest part they can not brooke thy testimonies: they continuallie lust and desire to be satisfied with worldlie wealth, honour and dignitie. And who beholdeth not in these daies, what cruell conflict and bloudie fight there is betwixt good conscience and filthie auarice, the roote of all mischiefe and euill? Naie, who seeth not in this age, plaine dealing murthered by deceit and faithlesse fraud? Who now beholdeth not true meaning strangled by forged flatterie and loathsome leasings? The bowels of compassion and pitie are shut vp by violent oppression and tyrannie.
Our feete are willing to tread the paths of pride, fornication and vncleannesse. Our hands are readie to offer wrong and iniurie to the innocent: yea and in fine, whatsoeuer thou hast giuen vnto vs to spread and set foorth thy glorie and honour, is by sinne so corrupted, that we make the members of our bodies (which by grace and of pure loue are ingraffed in the bodie of Christ, the rich and great shepheard of our soules) the verie members of Sathan. So that of set purpose our transgression abounding, we flie from Christ the rocke and strong piller of our saluation; and run head-long to death and vtter destruction of bodie and soule. Yet like a louing God and mercifull Father, thou callest vs home againe by thy word, wherin not onlie thy mercies, but also thy terrible threats are thundered foorth against vs, for our impenitencie. But when neither [Page 183] thy manifold mercies, freelie of thine abundant goodnesse offered vnto vs in Iesus Christ, can mooue nor stir vs to handfast contrition; neither yet thy terrible comminations and thretnings can reclame nor call vs backe from the dangerous puddle of our sins: then thou sendest forth thy plagues and punishments; as pestilence, famine & bloudie sword, intending thereby to driue vs to amendment of life, and to acknowledge thine omnipotencie.
But when thou beholdest our true repentant harts, our sobs and sighing teares powred foorth before the throne of thy diuine Maiestie; thou withdrawest from vs the terror of thine indignation and vengeance; the rod of thy correction is laid aside; thy displeasure iustlie conceiued against vs for the continuall exercise of sinne, is vtterlie forgotten; and by the intercession of thy sonne Iesus Christ, that sitteth on thy right hand, in glorie permanent and euerlasting, like a louing Father, and most mercifull God; the siluered scepter of peace is offered vnto vs, with all other thy gratious benefits; that thine anger is conuerted to clemencie; thy displeasure is turned to louing kindnesse; and in fine, thine indignation is so calmed by thine abundant grace and mercie; that like a louing and gentle Father, thine armes are stretched foorth, ioifullie to embrace and receiue vs to thy fauour againe. All this I knowe to be most certaine and true. For when, or at what tune soeuer we shall appeare before the gates of mercie, and by the meanes and power of a constant and liuelie faith knocke therat; thou art redie to open vnto vs; not for anie of our deserts; but for the merits of Iesus Christ, the fulnesse of thy diuine miseration, compassion and pitie. And whensoeuer we shall call vpon thee, with lowlinesse and meekenesse of our harts and minds, bewailing wofullie our heinous offences committed against thee; thine eares are most attentiue [Page 184] to heare, & willinglie doest grant vs our petitions.
Wherefore, O most gratious and louing father, we come vnto thee with sorowfull and contrite harts, beseeching thee for the loue of thine annointed sonne Iesus Christ our Messias, Sauiour, and Redeemer, to behold and looke vpon vs with the eies of compassion and pitie. And albeit we haue worthilie deserued this thy plague and punishment, yet respect thou not our deseruings, least in thy furie and indignation we be confounded & perish. Haue an eie rather to thy sonne Iesus Christ, behold his bloudie wounds, which yet are fresh and greene, and neuer stint bleeding. Thinke vpon the bitter and painefull torments that he suffered for vs vpon the crosse, in whose name we beseech thee fauourablie to looke vpon our infirmities, mercifullie to heare our praiers and petitions offered vnto thee, and gratiouslie for the glorie of thy name sake, to take and withdrawe from vs this thy heauie rod of correction, which our sinfull liues, and contempt of thy precepts haue heaped heauilie on our neckes.
Giue vs patience to suffer whatsoeuer it shall please thee to laie vpon vs. Giue vs grace alwaie to call and crie vpon thy holie and blessed name, and faithfullie with teares to saie vnto thee continuallie: Spare vs good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy pretious bloud, neither yet good Lord be thou angrie with vs for euer. Graunt this O mercifull father, for the loue of thy onlie sonne Iesus Christ, to whome with thee and the holie Ghost, be all honour, glorie and praise ascribed foreuer,
Amen.
A praier for patience in trouble, and meekelie to suffer aduersitie.
GRatious Lord, and omnipotent God, whose mercie is euerlasting and infinite, bowe downe thine eare, and harken vnto this my praier, which I make before thy diuine Maiestie, [Page 185] most humblie beseeching thee, of thine accustomed goodnesse, to indue me with the works of mercie, and deedes of charitie; and aboue all things to giue me patience in aduersitie, meekelie to suffer, and patientlie to take, whatsoeuer it shall please thee to laie vpon me, and neuer to murmur or to grudge thereat, but alwaies to thinke thy louing and gentle correction to be much lesse, than the deserts of my great and manifold offences.
Againe, if I be not vnder correction, then am I not thy child. For what father is he, who correcteth not his children, whome he most intirelie loueth? This then is an euident token that thou louest vs, when as thou correctest vs. For as the scripture saith, Whome God loueth, him he chasteneth. Thou seest all things, thou vnderstandest and knowest all things; so that not so much as one little sparowe lighteth vpon the ground, without thy knowledge: yea our verie thoughts are foreknowne vnto thee. Thou disposest and orderest all things, as seemeth best to thy holie will and pleasure. By thy helpe I may doo all things; without thee I can doo nothing. When thou powrest vpon vs thy creatures, thy good gifts and benefits: when thou bestowest vpon vs prosperitie, health, wealth, and such like, thou dooest it to this intent, that we acknowledging the same, should thereby be incouraged to serue, honour, and humblie obeie thee, and alwaies praise and magnifie thy glorious name. Contrariwise, when thou strikest vs with thy rod of correction, as plaging vs with great mortalitie; suffering our enimies to inuade vs; robbers for to spoile vs; pouertie to oppresse vs; or fire to consume those things which thou hast lent vs, for the maintenance of our bodies in this mortall life: thou doest it to put vs in mind, that we haue transgressed thy commandements, that we haue not harkned vnto thee, neither done that which is acceptable [Page 186] in thy sight, but willinglie falling into the puddle of sin, and following our owne appetites, haue prouoked thy iust wrath and indignation against vs.
Thus thou dealest with vs, O Lord, to the intent that we suffering bodilie punishment, and feeling the smart of the same, may thereby be admonished of our dutie, and with true compunction of hart, desire to be released from thy scourges, which we haue deserued, and worthilie receiue: and then acknowledge our selues to be lost children, and straieng sheepe, may both see and be ashamed of our vnbrideled affections and wilfulnesse, which haue brought vs to calamitie and miserie, and with the true penitent to saie:
We are not worthie (most mercifull Father) to lift vp our eies or voice vnto thee, for our manifold sins and wickednesse. Neuerthelesse, presuming vpon thine aboundant mercie (who refusest none that doo call vppon thee) most lamentablie we doo crie, Haue mercie vpon vs O Lord, haue mercie vpon vs miserable sinners, being now greeuouslie afflicted with the burden of punishment and affliction, which thou hast laid vpon vs. Put thou therefore awaie displeasure conceiued against vs thy poore creatures, and grant vs, that beeing warned by this, we may euer heereafter serue thee in newnesse of life, and neuer commit anie thing which shall displease or offend thee.
This O heauenlie father, I acknowledge to be our dutie. But though I, for my part, haue not performed the same, as I ought to doo; yet I beseech thine inestimable goodnesse, not to execute the rigour of thy iustice vpon me: but to state thine hand, and before thou giue me anie greater wound, to behold my humilitie and repentance, which being not able to recompense and satisfie the trespasses, which I against thee haue committed; doo offer vnto thee (according as the poore widowe did) all that which I am able to giue, that [Page 187] is, a sorowfull contrition of hart for my former offences done and passed.
Thy iustice, as it is right; so is it rigorous to sinners. Thou art so gealous, and so much doest detest sin, that thou sparest not to punish thy verie elect and chosen seruants, when as they fall into it. Who was more acceptable in thy sight, than that holie Prophet King Dauid, of whome thou thy selfe didst saie, I haue found a man according to mine owne hart, euen Dauid my seruant: yet neuerthelesse, diuers and sundrie waies didst thou punish him, when that he had swarued from thy testimonies. Thou sufferedst him to be molested with the insurrection of his owne sonne; thou didst send the prophet vnto him, to offer him the choice of plagues which thou wouldest send vpon him, for his wicked liuing: but when he with sorowfull sighes, and trickling teares turned vnto thee, confessing his fault, crauing pardon, and promising amendment of life, thou forgatest thine anger, and forgauest his offence.
Other of thy chosen vessels thou hast permitted to be greeuouslie tormented, & vexed by sundrie troubles and aduersities, onlie to trie their faith and stedfastnesse towards thee. As thou didst suffer that patient man Iob, to be most cruellie intreated by that enimie of all mankind, to haue his houses burned and spoiled, his cattell taken awaie, his seruants driuen into bondage, his children to be slaine, his owne bodie to be afflicted with most loathsome diseases, plagues and sores. And all this thou didst not for anie euill deede of his, but to shewe thine omnipotencie and power. For when thou hadst tried him to the vtmost, and found that his enimie the diuell could not preuaile against him, or by anie paine and greefe cause him to blaspheame and speake euill of thee, thou diddest reduce him to health, thou diddest enrich him againe, thou diddest restore vnto him againe his [Page 188] children, friends, familie, and all his goods, with much more than euer he before possessed: shewing most manifestlie, that thou wilt reward them most plentiouslie, which do loue thee, folowe and obserue thy commandements.
Wherefore I beseech thee to giue me grace, that whatsoeuer waie it shall please thee to visit me with thy punishment, I may take it patientlie, and saie with patient Iob; Naked came I into this world, and naked shall I returne to the earth againe: the Lord giueth, the Lord taketh awaie, euen as it pleaseth the Lord, so be it. Suffer me not to despaire, or to thinke that thou dealest vniustlie with me, but to saie; Shall I receiue prosperitie at the Lords hand, and not to be content with aduersitie? And alwaie to thinke vpon this, Happie are they whome thou doest punish. For though thou make a wound, thou also giuest a plaister: though thou smitest, thy hand maketh whole againe. Mine iniquitie is great, but be thou merciful vnto my wickednes. O deliuer me from thine anger, and presse me not further than I shall be able to beare. But now that I acknowledge that whatsoeuer trouble thou hast sent me, or wilt laie vpon me, is either for the punishment of mine iniquitie, or for the triall of my constancie, I may with repentant Dauid find remission of my sins, and with patient Iob, release of mine aduersitie, and obtaine such fauour in thy sight, that thou neuer againe so greeuouslie punish me; but that I may so passe this life, that I may afterward liue with thee, to whome be honour and glorie for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another praier in trouble and aduersitie.
HAue mercie vpon me, O Lord, haue mercie vpon me most miserable creature, which doo that which I ought not, & feare that which I haue most iustlie deserued. If I weigh [Page 189] with my selfe the wickednesse that I haue done; the punishment thereby deserued is not halfe so great, as the sinne that I haue committed. But thou art a mercifull God, and thy iudgements are right, neither dooest thou at anie time punish vs vniustly. Thou almightie God madest vs, when as we were not; and when as we were lost and damned, thou didst miraculouslie restore vs. I knowe and I am sure, that our life is not led by sudden and vncertaine motions; but is disposed and directed by thee; thou hast a fatherlie care of vs all, but especiallie of such as doo put their whole trust and confidence in thy mercie.
Therefore I humblie praie and beseech thee, that thou wouldest not deale with me after my deseruings; but according to thy great mercie, which doth exceede the sinnes of the whole world. And as often as thou dooest punish me outwardlie, giue me grace inwardlie with patience to beare the same, and that thy praise neuer depart out of my mouth. Order my dooings, euen as shall be most necessarie both for my bodie and soule. Thou onlie hast power ouer all things, thou knowest all things, to thee be all honour for euer,
Amen.
Another praier in trouble, for the obteining of mercie.
BEhold, out from the bottome of my hart doo I crie vnto thee, O Lord, beseeching thee that thou wouldest saue me from the bottomlesse pit of hell. I knowe that there is mercie with thee; doo not therefore marke what I haue done amisse. Enter not into iudgment with thy seruant, for then can I by no meanes be iustified in thy sight. The remembrance of mine offences is greeuous vnto mee, and therefore I right humblie craue pardon thereof. My hart is troubled, my soule is vexed, there is no health in my flesh. Forsake me not mine onlie staie and [Page 190] comfort: despise not my contrite hart, open the bosome of thy mercie: take cleane awaie mine iniquitie, bring my soule out of tribulation, turne the extremitie of thy iustice, into thy tender mercie. And when thou shalt come to iudge the quicke and the dead, be not reuenged on me by eternall damnation; but to take mee amongst thine elect, into the blessed state of saluation. Grant this, O Father, for Christ his sake, our mediator and aduocate,
Amen.
Another.
O Lord my God, although I haue committed that, whereby I am an offender, can I make my selfe not to bee thy creature? Though through sinne I haue lost my cleannesse and puritie; haue I also taken awaie thy goodnesse and mercie? Though I haue committed that, wherefore thou maiest condemne me; hast thou not done that, whereby thou maiest saue me? True it is, O Lord, that my conscience doth shew me, that I haue deserued damnation; but thy mercie exceedeth all offension. Spare me, O God, bicause it is not vnpossible for thy power; it is not vnmeete for thy mercie, it is not vnaccustomed, or yet contrarie to thine infinite goodnesse. Wherefore thou which hast created me, doo not destroie me. Thou, O Iesu, which hast redeemed me, doo not condemne me. Thou which hast made mee, let not thy worke be cast awaie by my wickednesse. Wipe awaie all that is mine, and draweth me from thee; and knowledge all that is thine in me, and may bring mee vnto thee, which liuest and reignest one God in persons three, to whom be all honour, now and euer,
Amen.
Another praier, wherin the penitent longeth for comfort.
HOw long, O Lord, wilt thou turne awaie thy face from me? How long wilt thou bee angrie with thy seruant? How long shall I abide mourning and solitarie, as the bird [Page 191] that hath lost hir yoong? O Lord thinke on me in thy mercies, and doo not correct me in thy wrath: for then shall I become as the dust and smoke in the wind. O Lord forsake not thy seruant Israel, whom thou hast chosen. My hart being comforted in thy mercies shall reioice, and I will sing vnto thee, and praise thee in thy good works and miracles, which thou hast done in our fathers time: So be it.
Being tempted by the ghostlie enimie (as all that feare God are) to doubt in anie article of the Catholike faith, to despaire in Gods mercie, to yeeld to melancholie fansies, to be vexed with vnkindnes of friends, or the malice of enimies, to be troubled with sicknesse, or anie other waies oppressed with griefe of bodie and mind: saie deuoutlie as followeth.
I Humblie accept most mercifull Iesus, this heauie temptation, which now I suffer at the hands of thy diuine prouidence; and would a greater if thou please to laie it on me for thy sake, who hast ordeined this from the beginning, for the tender loue thou bearest to the health of my sinfull soule: and I most hartilie thanke thee for it. I confesse I haue deserued woorse for my sinne and vnkindnesse towards thee, and am not woorthie to receiue anie comfort or consolation at thy hands. Therfore to the honour of the passion, and death, which thou willinglie sufferedst on the crosse, I offer my selfe to sustaine this, or anie other aduersitie, with all my hart, not seeking otherwise ease or reliefe, than in and by thee, O Lord, and as thy good will and pleasure shall appoint. Yet this one thing I craue and beseech thee, for the tender loue thou bearest to me, and all mankind, (for in me is no vertue, or ought that good is) to helpe and assist me with thy holie spirit, as my trust is thou wilt, who promisest that no man shall be tempted more than he shall be able to beare. And giue me all [Page 192] what euer shall be necessarie, to sustaine with patience this crosse and temptation, which thy diuine wisdome hath appointed for me; to the intent that I bearing the same willinglie with thee here in this world, may conceiue assured hope to be partaker of thy glorie in the world to come. Grant this my request, most mercifull Sauiour, not for my merit or deseruing, but onlie for the merits of thy death and bitter passion, I humblie beseech thee,
Amen.
A praier against the feare of worldlie casualties.
O Most bountifull and louing Father, mine onlie guider and comforter, the well of mercie, the true light of the world, take awaie the darknesse of my mind, lighten my hart & senses, indue me with thy grace, arme me so stronglie with sure hope, confidence and trust in thee, that I neuer be driuen into feare, either by the subtile inuasions of our ghostlie enimie Sathan, or by the craftie wilinesse of the world, neither yet by losse, damage, hurt or hinderance of anie of those vaine and transitorie things, which we in this world doo possesse: but alwaies whatsoeuer shall becom of them, to thinke that they are but things lent, and not our owne, and that we shall make a streight account of the vse or abuse of them; whereby the more we possesse thereof, the greater shall be our paine, if we abuse them.
Wherefore take from mee all inward heauinesse, thought and care, for anie losse or discommoditie receiued by worldlie goods; and alwaies to thinke, that as well pouertie as riches, needinesse as abundance; sicknesse as health; aduersitie as prosperitie; come from thee: and that it is knowne to thine inscrutable iudgement onlie, why and wherefore thou sendest either of these vpon vs. And therefore let not my mind be troubled [Page 193] with anie feare of things to chance, (sauing onlie to feare to displease thee:) but alwaies to be merrie in thee with sobernes, and to cast all my care of worldlie affaires vpon thee; forasmuch as thou hast commanded that we should not be carefull what to eate, or what to drinke, or with what raiment we shall be clothed. For thou wilt not see the righteous forsaken, or their children begging their bread; and that thou turnest all things to the best to them that serue thee, and flie vnto thee for succour, in the time of their distresse.
Let this, O Lord, be euermore fresh in my memorie, grauen in my hart; and readie in my mouth: so that I leauing all needlesse feare, may alwaies giue thanks vnto thee, and praise thy holie name,
Amen.
A praier to be deliuered from enimies and dangers.
O Most mightie Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, which didst leade the children of Israel through the red sea, and madest the streames of Iordan runne backe into their springs againe, that thy people might passe through the midst thereof. Good Lord, whose heasts the flouds obeied; at whose voice the hils doo leape, and the earth doth tremble. O most mightie Lord, which canst destroie the proudest kings with verie flies and ants: which madest little Dauid to triumph on the giant Goliah, which deliueredst his enimie king Saule into his hands: gauest Gedeon thy seruant, with his few souldiours, victorie of so manie legions of strong men. Thou which hast subdued so manie mightie kings, and sundrie nations, vnto thy people Israel. O God, which workest all in all things, which giuest victorie alwaies as seemeth best to thine vnsearchable wisdome: defend me alwaies, I beseech thee, against mine enimies, and all euils; that my ship tossed and beaten in the waues [Page 194] of this world, may rest in thy happie hauen of euerlasting ioie for euer.
My soule cleaueth vnto thy mercie, as to an holie sanctuarie. O God, if thou shouldest not be mercifull, who could abide the heat of thy displeasure? But thou O Lord, art good to thy seruants: and I hope to see thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing. All glorie be to the most high and mercifull God, for euer and euer,
Amen.
A praier for righteous iudgement, in matters of controuersie.
O Lord God of all iustice, which in equall ballance dooest weigh the cause of the Prince and of the poorest man, which despisest not the suites of the simple, which deliuerest the captiue, and comfortest the desolate and carefull. O Lord, which hast blessed them that are poore in spirit: releeue thy seruant oppressed with griefe, remooue from me the clouds of my sorowes. O Lord, stretch forth thy mightie hand, and helpe me. Let me not sinke in the seas of slander and shame. Thou knowest the secrets of my hart: defend me in mine innocencie, pleade thou my cause against the vngodlie, which haue laid their net for me. O God, thou which hast deliuered Ioseph, Daniel, Mardocheus & Susanna, from captiuitie and instant death; and didst cloth them with honour: good Lord strengthen me, and be my defender against all euils: and let not the poisoned arrowes of malicious tongues doo me anie harme. Grant these my praiers, good Lord, I beseech thee, for our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake,
Amen.
A Psalme to be said after trouble escaped.
MY soule reioice in God, for he is my light, and my defence, my helpe, the lanterne to my feet. He hath heard my praier, when I called on him, he hath holpen me in my neede, he hath [Page 195] deliuered me in my dangers. The Lord is the keeper of my life, from whome shall I shrinke; whome shall I feare? Lieng prostrate at the feete of my Lord, I bewailed my case, and he heard my plaint; he forsaketh not his seruants. Wherefore, if armies of men stood vp against me, I should not feare. For if God be on my side, who can preuaile against me? He is happie and safe, whome God, the mightie God of Israel keepeth. The Sun shall not burne him by daie, nor the Moone by night. Chrise blessed is he that feareth the Lord, for he shall see happie daies. As the Hart thirsteth after the water springs, so my soule hath longed for my Lord, the liuing God. When shall I come to appeare before thy presence, to see thee in thy glorious maiestie, face to face? O Lord let thy kingdome come. Come Lord Iesus, that I may see the daie of my redemption. Good Lord make hast to helpe me. All glorie, maiestie, and empire, be vnto God the Creator, God the Redeemer, and God the holie Comforter, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Comfortable exhortations against the manifold assaults of Sathan.
IF thou perceiue that the storme of temptation doth verie often and greeuouslie assault thee, dismaie not therefore thy selfe, neither be displeased with thy selfe, as though almightie God nothing regarded thee; but rather thank him that he instructeth and teacheth thee, as one to be his heire; that he punisheth and correcteth thee, as his most deere soune; that he prooueth and assaieth thee as his welbeloued freend. It is a manifest and great token, that man is reiect from the mercie and fauour of God, when he is troubled with no temptation.
In thy temptation remember the holie Apostle S. Paule, which being rapt to the mysteries of the third heauen, was vexed with the Angel of Sathan. [Page 196] Remember the temptation of the holie man Iob, and other which were greeuouslie troubled with their offences. O happie and fortunate man, in whome this earthlie Adam is so mortified and subdued, that it in no wise resisteth the spirit! But whether this perfect quietnesse may be in anie, I will not affirme; peraduenture it is not necessarie to be. For Paule in this life, notwithstanding his high perfection and grace, had a motion of the flesh to vexe and trouble him. And when he thrise desired God to be deliuered from the said motion, he onelie had this answere: Paule, my grace is sufficient, for vertue is made perfect by vexation. Paule was vexed by pride, that he should not be proud: to be perfect and strong in God, he was caused to be weake and feeble. For he caried the treasure of heauenlie reuelation in a fraile and brittle vessell, that the honour and victorie should onlie be in God, not in himselfe. This one example of Paule, is erudition and learning in manie things, when that we be entised and moued to sinne, that we diligentlie call to almightie God by praier.
Remember that Dauid the Prophet, King Salomon, and Peter the Apostle, notwithstanding they were great lights and examples of holinesse, yet they fell into greeuous and great sinnes, whome almightie God peraduenture suffered to fall for this cause, speciallie that thou shouldst not despaire. Lift vp thy selfe therefore vpon thy feete, and with high courage, and bold stomach returne againe into battell against thy enimies, not onlie more fierce and bold, but also more ware and diligent. And thinke with thy selfe what intollerable and inuincible temptations Christ suffered for thee; wherein there appeared no helpe, comfort, aide, nor defence anie where; wherein God and the whole world seemed to be his most cruell and malicious enimies, when that he cried alowd, My GOD, [Page 197] my GOD, why hast thou forsaken me? Trulie this was a most greeuous, painefull, and bitter temptation, which Christ suffered for vs, that he might make the waie of the crosse easie for vs.
Therefore prepare thy selfe patientlie to drinke of that cup, which Christ Iesu thy head hath so willinglie dronke on, for the saluation of all mankind. And seeing therefore that Christ so willinglie put himselfe in subiection, and dipped himselfe in those so horrible and intollerable sorowes and calamities (our most louing and heauenlie father willing the same out of doubt,) he also vnderstandeth and knoweth our infirmitie: out of doubt he taking compassion on vs, will not extremelie deale with vs; but will rather beare with our imbecillitie and weakenesse. Doth not he himselfe calling all men vnto him saie? Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden, and I will refresh you. What greater comfort I praie you can be giuen vs? How could Christ speake more mercifullie vnto vs?
There be manie things that greeuouslie vexe and trouble man, but what thing can more cruellie vexe and torment his conscience ouerwhelmed with sinne, than when he doubteth of the mercie of God? When he dreadeth least God be his aduersarie, and will reiect him? When he is not able to conceiue this faith of his mercie; and doth imagine himselfe to be cast awaie, as a drie member that is cut off?
Be present heere, O Iesus Christ with thine aide and helpe; heere we haue neede of thy comfort: let not this blacke, violent and horrible tempest of troubles ouerthrowe and drowne wretched man.
But there is no cause why we should doubt. Christ is true, he will make his promise to appeare, he will helpe vs and refresh vs. Therefore, whereas thy faith is not strong ynough; whereas thou feelest thy selfe to doubt of Gods mercie; and hast well-neere no faith [Page 198] at all; streightwaies call vpon God; bewaile thy miserie and lacke of beleefe before him; seeke for his aide and succour by feruent praier, and he will both helpe and refresh thee; he hath taken vpon him thus to doo, and he will bring it to passe.
But take heede thou cease not to call vpon God; beseech thou, without ceasing, the father of all consolation and comfort, with sighes from the bottome of thine heart, that he turne not his face from thee: laie thy weakenesse vpon him, and powre out into his bosome all things which trouble and torment thee. Crie out with his disciples; O Lord increase my faith. Likewise saie thou with the father of the lunatike childe; Lord, I beleeue, helpe thou mine vnbeleefe; make haste O Lord to helpe me, before that I oppressed with this weight be drowned. O most louing and most mercifull father; Lord God of my health, our onlie helpe and refuge: enter not into iudgement with thy seruants. Christ is my righteousnesse, redemption and innocencie, which suffered most bitter and cruell death for my sake. Let those things moue thee O father of all compassion; haue mercie vpon me for thy sonnes sake; confirme and strengthen my hart by faith in Christ; comfort me with the consolations of the holie Ghost, that I may enioie the true ioies of euerlasting life, through the merits of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ: to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost, be all praise and glorie for euer and euer,
Amen.
A godlie meditation of the vnspeakable ioies of heauen, and the intollerable paines of hell, verie often to be remembred.
O God, my Lord, my harts delight, with whom my soule longeth to dwell in that heauenlie Ierusalem; wherein is continuall health, eternall felicitie, happie libertie, and perfect [Page 199] blessednesse; where men shall be like vnto the Angels of God, and iust men shall shine as the Sunne, in the euerlasting kingdome, wherein is no heauinesse, no sorrowe, no greefe, no feare, no labour, no death, no disease, no lacke, no hunger, no thirst, no cold, nor heate; no wearinesse of fasting, nor temptation of the enimie, no will to sinne, nor power to doo euill, no old age, no lame or deformed person, no feare of pouertie, or weaknesse by disease; but a quiet harbour of all ioie, and euerlasting happinesse, where men in the societie of Angels, shall continuallie dwell without anie infirmitie of the flesh. For there is infinite ioie, and eternall blisse, from whence none shall be remoued, that once by thy prouidence shall enter therein.
There is rest from labours, peace from the enimie, a new kind of ioie and delight, such as no hart can conceine, saue onlie by taking a maruellous delight, and exceeding pleasure in the beholding of thee my Lord God, my glorious redeemer, and the heauenlie comforter, which proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne. O heauenlie Ierusalem, thou art sweet and beautifull in all thy ioies and delights! There are no such miseries in thee, as we feele and suffer in this poore and miserable life. There is in thee no darkenesse, nor change of time: the shining of the Moone; the twinkling brightnesse of the Stars giueth not light in thee: but onlie the God of all power, glorie & maiestie, the light of lights. For in thee the Sun of iustice giueth light to those that are adopted in his bloud to euer-during blessednesse.
The bright and immaculate Lambe, a most beautifull light is thy light, that doth illuminate his chosen children. The King of kings is in the middest of thee, enuironed on ech side with his beloued Saints, and redie to crowne them with euerlasting glorie. In thee are legions of Angels, singing of sweet Hymnes and [Page 200] songs, that set foorth the praise and honor of thy name: in thee are the felowship of heauenlie citizens: in thee resteth the sweete solemnitie of all such as returne from this miserable pilgrimage vnto thy glorie; the companie of the Prophets, Apostles, and victorious armie of Martyrs; holie men and women, which haue vanquished the pleasures of the world, haue their abiding with thee. There are yoong children and maidens, which haue passed ouer their daies in holinesse of life, publishing thy praise in all puritie and pietie. Euerie one reioiceth in his degree, though not equall in glorie, yet like in ioies and gladnesse. For there reigneth perfect charitie, & God is all in all, whose Maiestie without end they see continuallie, and still in beholding him their loue increaseth.
Of this eternall blessednesse the holie Apostle Peter had as it were a shadowe, or a tast, vpon the mount Thabor, at the transfiguration of Christ, from whence he desired he might not depart. Paule also had a proofe of it, when he was rapt or taken vp into the third heauen, where he heard words, and sawe things so maruellous and secret, as far passeth all mans vnderstanding, and such as were not to be told or reuealed vnto men. Moses his face became so bright, through the conuersation that he had with the diuine glorie vpon mount Sinai; that the Israelites could not abide it. What then shall become of vs, when perpetuallie with thee (which art the Lord of all glorie) we shall be conuersant, after the maner of thy children and familiar friends? Who is he then, that will not seeke and desire by all meanes possible, to be a dweller there; both for the desire of peace, ioie and eternitie; and for the perfect sight of God?
Contrariwise, who is able to expresse the torments appointed for the vngodlie and vnrepentant liuers; in that deadlie place called Hell, which Sathan himselfe [Page 201] abhorreth? What other thing can be there, but continuall paines, eternall tribulation, and infinite calamitie, repleat with all euils? There dwell wicked and ouglie Angels, whose horrible lookes bring sudden feare, greeuous paines, and fearefull death, with continual clouds of euer-during darknes. There is nothing but howling, wailing, lamentation and mourning without all end; fearfull scriches, & confused cries are there in all places suddenlie raised. There the woorme of conscience neuer dieth: in that damnable dungeon, there is fire vnquenchable, and perpetuall gnashing of teeth. The miserable soule findeth there no rest, but is afflicted with all kind of torments, and such as can neuer be expressed; all which endure for euer.
Alas, little auaileth it those that are subiected as firebrans of hell, to crie vnto the Lord: for he will not heare them. Then shall they knowe, that all things which they had in this life are vaine; and such things as they thought to be pleasant, to be found more bitter than gall or poison. Then where is the pleasure of the flesh, so termed falslie? For there is none other pleasure, but to feare the Lord. Then shall they confesse and saie, that the iudgement of God is true and righteous, saieng: Did we not heare of this, and yet would not be conuerted from our wicked deeds? But then shall nothing preuaile. No sorowe can find comfort; no complaints, anie remorse; no torments, ease; nor painfull passions an end: such and so exceeding are the vexations of the second death, wherewith all the bodies and soules of the vnrighteous shall for euer be enuironed.
Sith therefore, O heauenlie Father, and most gratious God, it seemeth good to thine eternall wisdome, by the knowledge of thine euerlasting truth, to giue me knowledge of thine inestimable mercie offered freelie [Page 202] vnto me in Iesus Christ my mercifull Sauiour, in whose bloudie death and painfull passion I am assured of eternall life and blessednesse. Giue me grace to print in my remembrance thy manifold mercies, that feeding my soule by faith in thee, I may attaine vnto those endlesse ioies, that thou hast prepared for thine adopted sonnes and chosen children, in the kingdome of euerlasting righteousnesse: and so escape those euerlasting torments, which thou hast prepared for the diuell and his Angels. From the which place of wofull vexation and endlesse miserie, deliuer me O heauenlie Father, for the loue of Iesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost, be all laud and praise for euer,
Amen.
A praier to be said of the sicke, at the houre of death.
MOst mightie art thou, O Lord, in all thy deeds, and most holie in all thy waies. Blessed be the name of my father, my God, and glorious Creator; who by his diuine power, and celestiall prouidence, of nothing made all things, fish, flesh, foules, fruites, trees, hearbes, and all other things, whatsoeuer are conteined both in heauen, earth, seas, and the nethermost parts thereof. Man, concerning the outward parts, thou by thy celestiall prouidence and fatherlie bountie, framedst and createdst of claie; but concerning the inward substance of thy creature man, thou didst fashion and make him euen according to thine owne similitude and likenesse. Moreouer, such and so great was thy loue and good will towards him, that all the creatures, or works of thy creation serued to this vse. In earth thou madest him lord and king ouer the fruits thereof: the beasts of the field, the foules of the aire, and the fishes of the little flouds and great waters. In the firmament [Page 203] thou hast placed the glistering Sunne, with his orient beames to giue him light by daie, and therewith thou hast giuen him the Moone and the starres to gouerne him by night. For the which cause, aboue all other the works of thy creation, man should and ought of right to giue thee that glorie, that to thee belongeth.
But alas, such and so great is the corruption of our fraile and sinfull flesh, that for all these thy graces wee are carried awaie from thee, and enter into contempt of thy precepts. For which cause thou oftentimes doost correct and punish vs, to the intent we might thereby (feeling thy rod of correction) be driuen to imbrace hartie and true repentance. But when thy threats, and the stripes of thy displeasure laid vpon vs, can not take place amongst vs: thou oftentimes giuest vs vp to folowe our lusts and affections: but at last, when thou dooest behold our enormities, thou in a moment, by the power of thy diuine iustice, restrainest the rope of our disordered libertie, and cuttest in sunder the bridle of our voluptuousnes, either by sudden death, sword, fire, famine, sicknesse, or other the diuine sentences of thy conceiued ire; to the intent that other thy creatures might, by the terrour of thy iustice, auoid sinne, and learne to amend their liues, least they fall into the like calamitie or danger.
True, and most true it is, good Lord, that by the exercise of sinne we are the children of death and destruction: but by grace of the almightie and victorious conquerour sweete Iesus Christ, we are the adopted sonnes of thy Father, and made fellowe-heires with thee our perfect Emanuel. In whose name with all humilitie and lowlinesse of hart and mind, I come vnto thee in this great extremitie of sicknesse and danger of death; beseeching thee to be present with me, to forget mine offences, to thinke vpon thy mercies. And although I haue not deserued so much as the least drop [Page 204] of thy fauour, by meanes of the great burden of my sinnes, which are in the presence of thy diuine Maiestie, most ouglie and loathsome to behold: yet respect thou not, O Father, mine iniquitie; but haue an eie, I beseech thee, to the merits of my Sauiour Christ Iesus, to whom as my Mediator, Sauiour and Redeemer, I appeale: who hath promised comfort and sweete consolation to all those, that in his name flie vnto thee for releefe.
I confesse that woorthilie thou hast visited me with this sicknesse and disease, and yet not according to the multitude of my sinnes; but in the fulnesse of miseration and fatherlie pitie. Giue me grace therefore in these bitter brunts of death, who vehementlie at this present beginneth to combat with fainting and feeble life, constantlie to cleaue vnto thee. Let not the pleasures of this wicked world be a let or impediment for me to come vnto thee: let not my fraile and feeble flesh subiect to sinne, which hath through my transgression made me a bondman to death, mooue me to despaire in thy great mercie: neither yet let the caueling aduersarie, the enimie of mankind, at my last end, triumph ouer me. Giue me patience to suffer, and gladlie to beare and abide this thy scourge and visitation; and so fortifie me in soule and bodie, that so long as life shall endure in me, I may neuer cease to call vpon thy holie and blessed name. Yea and when death is most busiest, make thou me most constant: yea when he seeketh most stronglie to assaile my feeble bodie; giue me thy grace, good Lord, that I may in spirit, hart, mind, and all the powers of my soule, giue praises vnto thee, that of thy grace and inestimable kindnesse, hast sent thy sonne Christ Iesus to ransome me, by his bloudie death and passion, from the power of hell.
Giue me grace therfore, now that thou hast appointed thy messenger death to finish the daies of my pilgrimage, [Page 205] and to call me by his summons from out of this vale of miserie and wretchednesse, to build stedfastlie vpon him, and faithfullie to hope for life and saluation, in & alone through him. Let the remembrance of my former wickednesse be no more thought vpon: let mine offences be blotted out of thy glorious sight. Behold my sorowfull & true repentant hart, which come vnto thee with teares, not building on my merits; but vpon thy mercies. Though I be sinfull; thy sonne my Sauiour is righteous: though I be wicked; yet he is most holie: though I be full of impietie; yet he is full of all goodnesse: though I haue greeuouslie offended thee; yet he hath fullie contented thee: though I haue transgressed thy lawe; yet he hath fulfilled the same, and hath promised in his bloud, to wash awaie their sinnes, that by faith continue in him constant to the end. I therefore, in this my great and painfull agonie, beholding death to be at the gates of my bodie, come vnto thee, by the vertue of a fruitfull faith; beseeching thee, when thou shalt see it meete and conuenient, that he shall dissolue the bands of this vading life, which endureth but a while (for a thousand yeeres are as yesterdaie in thy sight) to take my soule into thy glorious and blessed hands; and so to confirme me in thy truth, that at the last, when it shall please thee, by the sound of a trumpe, to raise my bodie from the graue, when and in which time bodie and soule shall vnite and come before thy presence, I may by faith in thee passe ouer the mount of my corruption, shake off the bands of sinne, be set free from death and destruction; and being by the vertue of thy righteousnesse made holie, I may triumph with happie victorie ouer sinne, death, and all the powers of hell, and enter with thee, and the felowship of thy chosen Saints, into euerlasting rest. Grant this, most louing Father, for Christ Iesus sake, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost, be rendred all [Page 206] laud, glorie, honour and praise, for euer, Amen.
The Lord God be mercifull to me; pardon and forgiue me my sinnes, looke vpon me with his gratious and blessed countenance: preserue me from the second death, and euerlasting destruction of bodie and soule. The Lord God iustifie me in his death and bloud; cloath me with his euerlasting righteousnesse; and register my name in the booke of life. The Lord God comfort my guiltie conscience with the euerlasting light of his bountifull fauour; and lot my place among his Saints in his heauenlie kingdome. The Lord God for his mercies sake, after this my bodilie death, giue me the fruition of his presence, in his rich palace of endlesse glorie, to whose mercifull protection I commend with all humilitie and reuerence my soule. Lord Iesus preserue me, Lord Iesus comfort me, Lord Iesus refresh me, Lord Iesus praie for me. For onlie into thy hands that hast redeemed mee, O Lord God of truth, I commend my soule,
Amen.
A deuout meditation to be vsed after praier.
REmember not, O Lord God, thine anger against me an offender, but be mindfull of thy mercie towards me a true penitent. Forget that through pride I haue prouoked thee to ire; and fauourablie harken vnto my praier. What is Iesus, but a Sauiour? Therefore O bountifull Iesu, be thou my Sauiour, rise vp in thine owne strength to helpe me. Saie vnto my soule, I am thy safegard. In thy goodnesse doo I trust, in thee is my helpe. And forasmuch as thou hast willed, that we should without ceasing seeke and sue vnto thee; behold, I beeing counselled and foretold by thy commandements, doo now both aske, seeke, and knocke. But thou which commandest me to aske; graunt that I may receiue: thou [Page 207] biddest me seeke; make me to find: thou hast taught me to knocke; open vnto me that stand knocking: strengthen me that am weake; restore me that am lost; reuiue me that am dead by sinne; make me to serue thee, to liue to thee, to giue my selfe wholie to thee. I knowe my God, that because thou madest me, I owe my selfe vnto thee: and for that thou hast redeemed me, I should owe thee more than my selfe. But behold, I haue no more to giue, neither can I giue my selfe vnto thee, vnlesse thou make me willing therevnto. Take thou me, draw me vnto thee, that as I am thine by creation, so I may be thine by following of thee, which liuest and reignest for euer and euer,
Amen.
A Praier deciphering in Alphabet forme, the name of the right Woorshipfull Ladie MARY FANE.
M
MOst mightie art thou Lord in all thy deedes, and holie in all thy works. Haue mercie vpon me, and giue me vnderstanding therefore from aboue, to consider the substance whereof thou hast framed me; and by the knowledge thereof, make me to consider mine owne weakenesse and infirmitie to be such, that vnlesse thou set to thy hand speedilie to helpe me that am oppressed with sinne, I shall perish in my wickednesse.
A
AS my sins are innumerable, and redder than scarlet, so giue me grace to acknowledge thy greate mercies, which are surmounting the sands of the seas; and that thou by thy grace, at thy good pleasure canst wash awaie my deformitie, and make me to excell the snowe of Libanus. I beseech thee, O mercifull father, let it be far from my thought, wilfullie, or of a set purpose, [Page 208] to fall into the danger of sinne, or to commit anie heinous sinne, or greeuous wickednes against thine eternall maiestie. For by the exercise of such and so great euill, I by meanes of my presumption prouoke thee to displeasure. Giue me grace therefore to stand in awe of thy iustice, least that thy mercie be with-held and kept from me, and thou giue me ouer, as thou didst proud Pharao, to the lust and affections of mine owne hart, and so I be drowned in the dangerous gulph of destruction.
R
REadie art thou Lord at all times to heare, and giue eare vnto the petitions of thy people: but more readier are we to run astraie from thy will, and to transgresse thy sacred lawes and diuine statutes, than we are to leaue the lusts of carnalitie, the pleasures of this vaine and wicked world; so greatlie are we affected to licentious libertie, and all other kind of notorious euill. But yet O mercifull father, of thine abundant loue, fauour, and exceeding kindnesse, giue me grace to renounce sinne, to hate this transitorie and vading world, to mortifie my fraile and feeble flesh, which rebelleth against the spirit, and by faith in Christ, in this my dangerous pilgrimage, so giue me strength, that mine enimies may be ouerthrowne, and I being deliuered from the snares of hell, may by thee, which art the author of mans felicitie, haue the fruition of thy kingdome, and celestiall mansion of endlesse and sempiternall glorie.
Y
YDlenesse is the nurse and roote of all infectious euils. Giue me thine aid therefore, O Lord, to loath and detest this deadlie and dangerous sinne, least therby I run headlong into thy heauie displeasure. Make me alwaies and euer to be occupied (good Lord) in thy [Page 209] holie lawe, that with all the powers of my soule, hart, mind and vnderstanding, I may giue thee continuall praise, honor and glorie. Yeeld plentiouslie vnto me also, good Lord, thy grace from aboue, that I may continuallie make my boast of thine euerlasting name, & by hartie contrition, and bitter deploration of my sinnes and wickednesse, obtaine thy fauourable pardon, and by thee being sanctified, and made cleane from all mine vncleannesse and vngodlinesse, I may enter with thee at the last daie into the celestiall and glorious kingdome, purchased in the bloudie death of my Sauiour Iesus Christ. Yea, illuminate mine eies (I saie) O good Lord, that I sleepe not in darkenes, but giue me grace good Lord, continuallie to keepe watch and ward, least that the enimie find me slumbering in the cradle of carelesnesse, the gates of my bodie be broken vp, and in the daie of thy comming to iudgement, the sentence of thy displeasure be pronounced against me, to the vtter confusion of my bodie and soule.
F
FAith is to be embraced of all those that hope for felicitie and blessednesse in Iesus Christ. Giue me therefore such wisdome from aboue, that I may be dailie desirous to learne thy sacred precepts, and walke in the path-waie of thy glorious statutes, that by the exercise of thy will, sinfull vice and iniquitie may be vanquished, and vertue may haue the dominion and souereigntie in me.
A
ABstinence coupled with constant and faithfull praier, is a thing that much pleaseth thy maiestie, and withdraweth from vs the force of thy heauie indignation. Giue me grace then with praier, to exercise such fasting, as may hold downe the man of sinne, that he swell not in pride, excesse, gluttonie, or superfluous [Page 210] eating or drinking. Make me alwaies to vse thy gifts so moderatelie, that thy name may be glorified; and I fasting from sinne with hartie praier faithfullie, may beate at the gates of thy grace, and so obtaine the full effects of thy fatherlie loue and fauourable kindnesse. Finallie, abate I beseech thee, the pride of the vngodlie that trouble me. Confound in thy iustice the imaginations of the foolish, which sticke not to saie in their harts, There is no God. Breake the iawe bones of those in sunder, that consult and take counsell togither how they may harme the innocent and weake. From the bloud-thirstie and deceiptfull man, deliuer me O Lord my God. Looke fauourablie vpon me, glad thou my hart with the cheerefull lookes of thy gratious and louing countenance. Saie vnto my soule, I am thy safegard. Be thou euer with me, then shall I not need to feare the power of my subtile and cruell enimies; but at thine appointed will and heauenlie pleasure, I shall be made safe, and with the felowship of thy chosen Saints, enioie the fruition of thine euerlasting kingdome.
N
NOthing O Lord I brought into this world, and nothing shall I carie hence with mee. Giue mee grace and power therefore to consider that all worldlie things are vaine, and shall vanish awaie like smoke. Make me to vnderstand that I am a stranger heere, and far from my countrie, the new Citie of Ierusalem, which thou hast in the fulnesse of thy great mercie ordeined for those, that continue faithfull in thee to the end. And sith that all earthlie things are subiected to consuming, as meere vanities, endue me with such vnderstanding, that I may laie my treasure plentifullie in heauen, with Iesus Christ; to whome in the water of baptisme by grace in spirit, I am coupled and knit. Withdrawe me therefore from the delight of worldlie [Page 211] pleasures, and giue me streugth to offer my selfe vp wholie into his blessed and heauenlie hands, that my hart, my mind, the powers of my soule, and all that I haue, may depend on him, with whome my treasure resteth, that being vnder the comfortable gard of his defence, I may be deliuered from all danger of bodie and soule. Naked was I borne, and naked to the graue shall I returne againe; the Lord giueth, and the Lord taketh awaie, euen as it pleaseth his maiestie, all things are brought to passe, whose glorious name be praised for euer. No man can escape the sting of death, all flesh must bow vnto the graue. Giue me a feruent faith therefore, O Lord, to continue faithfull in Iesus Christ, that whensoeuer it shall please thee to send thy messenger death to arrest me, I may be readie at his summons, ioifullie to beare his stroke, and by the power of a liuelie faith, so to withstand sinne and Sathan, that death may with the enimies of mans felicitie, be vanquished and subdued, and I by him may liue in Iesus Christ.
E
EXpell and roote out in and from my remembrance, the detestable branches of wrath, pride, concupiscence, vaine-glorie, and all other horrible vices and noisome euils, that heape vp thy greeuous displeasure against me. Take from me all abuse, let me neuer blaspheme thy blessed and glorious name, let my tong be purged by thee from all corrupt and vncomelie talke, let all my thoughts be occupied in thy seruice, faith, feare and loue. Make me good Lord alwaies obedient to doo thy will, and to walke in the waies of thy commandements, and to delight in thy blessed testimonies. And graunt me thy grace, that by the hearing of thy Euangelicall and heauenlie doctrine, my faith may be increased, made strong and fruitfull, to exercise the works of charitie and loue to all men; and chieflie to [Page 212] those that constantlie fauour thy Gospell, and continue faithfull in Christ Iesus. Euermore (I saie) good Lord, giue me thy blessings from aboue, and let my hart, my soule and tong, be euer readie, for thy gratious benefits receiued, to publish and set foorth thy glorie and praise in weale and wo, in pouertie, and prosperitie, in time of peace and in time of danger. Stretch foorth thy hand to protect me; and I by thee deliuered from all perils, shall make my boast of thy mercies freelie showne vnto me without my deserts; and with the felowship of thy Saints, giue such honour, praise, and reuerence vnto thee, as of right and bounden dutie I ought to doo.
And forasmuch as not euerie one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of God and Christ, make me not then a professor of thy word with my lips, but an earnest louer of the same, & a faithfull folower of thy commandements, least at the comming of the great and rich Bridegroome Iesus Christ, I be refused, as were the fiue vndiscreet and foolish virgins, that wanted oyle to garnish their Lamps. For if thou O Lord passe by, and finde me vnprouided, the gates of thy grace being fast shut vp, and locked close, I shall then stand knocking and calling the Lord all in vaine. For thou wilt giue answere, thou knowest me not, and being forsaken of thee, I shall perish euerlastinglie. Giue me grace therefore O good Lord, to be readie prepared with my wedding garment, and oyle in my Lampe, that I may continuallie watch thy comming, and so enter with thee as thy ghest, to the rich banqueting house of euerlasting glorie,
Amen.
¶ Certaine praiers made by godlie women Martyrs.
The praier of Agnes the Martyr at hir death.
O Eternall Gouernour, vouchsafe to open the gates of heauen once shut vp against all the inhabitants of the earth: and receiue my soule, oh Christ that seeketh thee.
The song of Eulalia the Martyr at hir death.
BEhold, O Lord, I wil not forget thee. What a pleasure is it for them, O Christ, that remember thy triumphant victories, to attaine vnto those high dignities?
The praier of Anne Askue the Martyr, before hir death.
O Lord, I haue mo enimies now than there be heares on my head: yet Lord, let them neuer ouercome me with vaine words, but fight thou Lord on my side. For on thee cast I my care. With all the spite they can imagine they fall vpon me, which am thy poore creature; yet sweete Lord, let me not set by them, which are against me: for in thee is my whole delight. And Lord, I hartilie desire of thee, that thou wilt of thy most mercifull goodnesse forgiue them that violence which they doo, and haue done vnto me. Open also thou their blind harts, that they may hereafter doo that thing in thy sight, which is onlie acceptable before thee; and to set foorth thy veritie aright, without all vaine phantasies of sinfull man: So be it, O Lord, So be it.
The praier that maister Bradfords morher said and offered vnto God in his behalfe, a little before his martyrdome.
AH good Father, which dooest vouchsafe that my sonne Iohn Bradford, being a greeuous sinner in thy sight, should find this fauour with thee, to be one of thy sonne Christ his captaines and men of war, to fight and suffer for his Gospels sake, I thanke thee: and praie thee in the same thy deere sonne Christs name, that thou wouldest forgiue him his sinnes and vnthankfulnesse; and make perfect in him that good which thou hast begun in him. Yea Lord, I praie thee make him worthie to suffer, not only imprisonment, but euen verie death for thy truth, religion, and Gospell sake. As Hanna did applie, dedicate, and giue hir first child and sonne Samuel vnto thee: euen so doo I deere Father; beseeching thee, for Christs sake, to accept this my gift; and giue my sonne Iohn Bradford grace alwaies trulie to serue thee, and thy people, as Samuel did;
Amen: Amen.
Other godlie praiers taken out of the Psalmes, written by a godlie harted Gentlewoman.
POnder my words, O Lord, consider my meditation: O harken thou vnto the voice of my wofull mourning, my King and my God: for vnto thee will I make my praier. Heare my voice, O Lord betimes: earlie in the morning will I direct my praier vnto thee, for thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickednesse: [Page 216] neither shall anie euill dwell with thee. Thou hatest all them that worke vanitie: leade me therefore in thy righteousnesse, O Lord; for I am weake, and without thee I haue no strength at all: therfore, O Lord God, rebuke me not in thine indignation, neither chasten me in thy heauie displeasure. Haue mercie vpon me, O Lord, and deliuer my soule. Oh saue me, for thy mercie sake. I am almost wearie of my groning. Euerie night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my teares. O Lord my God, in thee haue I put my trust: saue mee from all them that persecute me, and deliuer me. O Lord my God, if I haue done anie such thing, as is laid to my charge; or if there be anie such wickednesse in me; then let mine enimie persecute my soule, and take me captiue. Hast not thou, O Lord my God, defended me from such vngodlinesse? Oh how long wilt thou hide thy selfe from me thy poore afflicted seruant? Oh how long shall I seeke comfort in my soule, and be so vexed in my hart? Yea how long shall mine enimies triumph ouer me? Consider and heare me, O Lord my God, lighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death: least mine enimies saie, I haue preuailed against him. For if I be cast downe, then they that trouble me will reioice at it. But my trust is in thy mercie, O Lord, and my hart is ioifull in thy saluation. For after a storme thou makest the weather faire, and still after weeping and heauinesse thou giuest great ioie. Thy name, O most mightie God, be praised for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another praier.
O Lord consider my meditation, and complaining. Oh harken thou vnto my praiers that go not out of fained lips. Let my sentence come foorth from thy presence, and let thine eies looke vpon the thing that is equall. O hold thou vp my goings in thy waies, that my footsteps slip not. [Page 217] I haue called vpon thee, O God, for thou shalt heare me: incline thine eare to me, and hearken vnto my words. Shew thy maruellous louing kindnesse, thou that art the Sauiour of all them that put their trust in thee. Keepe me as the apple of an eie: hide me vnder the shadowe of thy wings, from the vngodlie that trouble me. Mine enimies compasse me round about to take away my soule. Up Lord, let not man haue the vpper hand: let the heathen be iudged in thy sight, that they may knowe themselues to be but men? Yet of thy mercie, O Lord, forgiue all mine enimies, and turne the harts of such as hate me. Who can tell how oft he offendeth? Oh clense thou me from all my secret offences. Keepe thy seruant also from presumptuous sinnes; least they get the dominion ouer me: so shall I be vndefiled and innocent from the great offence. Let my mourning teares, and the sorowfull sighing of my hart, come before thy presence, and be alwaies accepted in thy sight.
O Lord my strength and my redeemer, let it be thy good pleasure to rid and deliuer me out of all my troubles, I most humblie beseech thee: and shew some token of thy fauor to me poore wretched sinner, which am as a banished woman. Looke vpon me, O Lord, I beseech thee, as thou didst looke vpon Susanna, and Sarai the daughter of Raguel. Those holie women trusted in thee, and thou didst deliuer them; they hoped in thee, and were not forsaken. I knowe Lord, thy strength is not weakened, neither is thy power abated: so that if it be thy good pleasure, O Lord, thou wilt helpe, and make thy power to be knowne. In the meane time, O mercifull and most gratious Lord God, giue me grace thankfullie and patientlie to take all, whatsoeuer it shall be thy good will and pleasure to laie vpon me. O Lord grant me those things, which I hartilie haue praied for euer, for Iesus Christs sake my Lord and my [Page 218] redeemer. To whom with thee and the holie Ghost, be all honour, glorie and praise,
Amen.
And euer be giuing thanks to God the almightie Lord and King, saieng as followeth.
A thankesgiuing after trouble.
THe Lord is my strong rocke and my defence, my Sauiour, my God, and my might, in whom I will trust, the horne also of my saluation, and my refuge. Yea the Lord is my shepheard, therfore can I lacke nothing. He hath comforted my soule, and brought it out of trouble, euen for his mercies sake. Though I walke through the vale of the shadowe of death, I will feare none euill: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staffe comforteth me. For in thee, O Lord, haue I put my trust, and I feare not what flesh and bloud can doo vnto me. I haue waited long, and with weeping teares haue I taried the Lords leasure, and now he hath of his great goodnesse deliuered me out of all my trouble. Most mightie God, of thine accustomed mercie, preserue me from all sinne and wickednesse. O Lord, I feele mine owne infirmitie and weakenesse. O most mercifull Lord, keepe me in (as it were) with a bit or bridle, that in this my ioifulnesse I doo not forget my dutie to thee, and my neighbours. For when we haue althings at our owne pleasure, and nothing to trouble vs, then is our dailie enimie readie to puffe vs vp with pride and vnthankfulnesse: yea and with forgetfulnesse of thy lawes. Wherefore most mightie Lord, looke downe from thy holie heauens, euen with thy fatherlie eies of pitie, and strengthen my trembling soule with thy holie spirit. Guide me that I swarue not frō thy truth taught in holie Scripture: but that all my thoughts, words [Page 219] and deeds may redound to the glorie, honour, and woorthie praise of thy most holie name. This with teares I most humblie beseech thee to grant, euen for Iesus Christs sake, in whose name I come to thee, and in none other, saieng: O our Father, &c.
Another thankesgiuing after trouble.
O Lord, I most humblie render lauds, thanks, and praises vnto thee. For thou hast set me vp, and not made my foes to triumph ouer me. O Lord my God, I cried vnto thee, and thou hast heard me: yea thou broughtest my soule out of trouble, and girded me with ioie and gladnes. Sing praises vnto the Lord with me, Oye Saints of his, & let vs all giue thanks vnto him, for a remembrance of his holinesse. For his wrath indureth but the twinkling of an eie, and in his pleasure is life euerlasting. Heauinesse may endure for a night, but ioie commeth in the morning. Thou didst turne thy face from me, O Lord; and lo, I was sore troubled: then cried I vnto thee, O Lord, and praied vnto my God right humblie, saieng: Heare, O Lord, and haue mercie on me. Lord be thou my helpe in all my trouble: bow downe thine eare to me, and make haste to deliuer me: for thou art my strong rocke and deliuerer. Into thy hands, Lord, I commit my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God most high.
Oh what reward should I giue vnto the Lord for all the maruellous benefits, that he hath done vnto mee: which I can not woorthilie expresse? For in my trouble I called vpon the Lord, and he heard me at large; and in my temptation, with his holie spirit he mightilie preserued me. Therefore I knowe that the Lord is on my side, and I will not feare what man can doo vnto me. For it is better to trust in the Lord, than to put anie confidence in Princes; for with the Lord there is [Page 220] mercie, and with him there is plentious redemption. The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercie, therefore will I talke of thy praise all the daie long, and sing Psalmes of thankesgiuing vnto thee. It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble, else should I not haue learned thy statutes. If my delight had not beene in thy lawes, I should surelie haue perished in my trouble. The lawe of my God is more deerer vnto me than thousands of siluer and gold, yea all the riches in the world is nothing woorth in comparison of thy word. For it is more comfortable, than the most costliest and pretious restoratiue that anie Physician can make. For it comforteth, nourisheth and preserueth the soule, leading it vnto life euerlasting. Oh Lord God of hosts, who is like vnto thee? Thy truth most mightie God endureth for euermore. I will alwaies giue thanks vnto thee for the great benefits that thou hast bestowed on me. The righteous shall heare thereof and reioice with me; yea, and the vnrighteous shall feare the Lord, and saie, Doubtlesse there is a GOD that defendeth his seruants; and he also doth punish the wrong dooers. Thou art the God that dooest woonderous things: O Lord, who may be compared vnto thee? For thou deliuerest me thy poore oppressed seruant from the hand of my strong enimie; yea from such a one as was too mightie for me to deale withall. Thou hast (I saie) mightilie defended me, and now, O Lord, be mindfull of me: and command my spirit to be receiued in grace, when it is thy good pleasure,
Amen.
An instruction for Christians, conteining a fruitfull and godlie exercise, as well in wholsome and fruitfull praiers, as in reuerend discerning of Gods holie Commandements and Sacraments: translated out of French into English by a right vertuous and godlie Matrone and Gentlewoman named Mistresse DORCAS MARTIN.
The Lords praier.
OUr Father which art in heauen, halowed be thy name. Thy kingdome come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heauen. Giue vs this daie our dailie bread. And forgiue vs our trespasses, as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euill: for thine is the kingdome, the power, and the glorie for euer and euer,
Amen.
The Articles of the Christian faith.
I Beleeue in God the father Almightie, maker of heauen and earth. And in Iesus Christ, his onlie sonne, our Lord, which was conceiued by the holie Ghost. Borne of the virgin Marie. Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third daie, he rose againe from the dead. He ascended into heauen, and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almightie. From thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead. I beleeue in the holie Ghost. The holie Catholike Church. The communion of Saints. The forgiuenesse of sinnes. The resurrection of the bodie. And the life euerlasting,
Amen.
The ten Commandements of Almightie GOD, Exod. 20.
The Preface.
HEarken O Israel. I am the Lord thy God, which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
The first Table.
_1 THou shalt haue none other gods before me.
2 Thou shalt make thee no grauen image, neither anie similitude of things that are in heauen aboue, neither that are in the earth beneath, nor that are in the waters vnder the earth. Thou shalt not bow downe to them, nor woorship them. For I am the Lord thy God, a gealous God, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children, vpon the third generation, and vpon the fourth of them that hate me: and shewing mercie vnto thousands in them that loue me, and keepe my commandements.
[Page 223] 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine; for the Lord will not hold him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine.
4 Remember the Sabboth daie, to keepe it holie. Sixe daies shalt thou labour and doo all thy workes: but the seauenth daie is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt not doo anie worke, thou, nor thy sonne, nor thy daughter, thy man-seruant, nor thy maide-seruant, nor the stranger that is within thy gates. For in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seauenth daie: therfore the Lord blessed the Sabboth daie, and halowed it.
The second Table.
_5 HOnour thy father and thy mother, that thy daies may bee prolonged vpon the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
6 Thou shalt not kill.
7 Thou shalt not commit adulterie.
8 Thou shalt not steale.
9 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour.
10 Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house, neither shalt thou couet thy neighbours wife, nor his seruant, nor his maide, nor his oxe, nor his asse, neither anie thing that is thy neighbours.
The Summe.
THou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine hart, with all thy soule, and with all thy mind: This is the first and the greatest commandement. And the second is like vnto this. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe.
On these two commandements hangeth the whole Lawe and the Prophets.
A praier to be said in the Morning when one awaketh. Our helpe be in the name of the Lord, who hath made heauen and earth.
O My God and father, I most humblie praise and thanke thee for this, that of thine infinite goodnesse and mercie, it hath pleased thee to watch for me this night whiles I slept, preseruing me from so manie kinds of dangers, wherevnto this miserable life is subiect. O Lord I beseech thee bring into my memorie thy other great and innumerable benefits also, according as I may be able to comprehend them, to the end that I may likewise render thanks for the same, least I be vngratefull towards thy maiestie, as thou hast done me this good, not to forget that thou alone hast preserued me from all inconuenience. And herewithall I beseech thee most gratious father, through thy mercie, to continue this thy fatherlie care, which thou hast for me, vntill such time as I shall rest in that happie sleepe, whereof they reioice which sleepe in peace, through our Lord Iesus Christ thy sonne, who in the vnitie of the holie Ghost, liueth and reigneth God with thee eternallie: So be it.
The exercise of an housholder with his familie to praie in the Morning.
O Our God, Father & Sauiour, seeing it hath pleased thee to giue vs grace to passe this night, to come vnto this daie present, vouchsafe now also to bestowe this goodnesse vpon vs, that we may emploie our selues altogether to thy seruice, in such wise, that we neither thinke, saie, or doo anie thing, but onlie to please thee, and to obey thy good will: to the end that by this means, all our works may be to the praise of thy name, and to the edifieng of our neighbours. And as it hath pleased thee to cause thy Sunne to shine vpon the earth, to lighten vs corporallie; vouchsafe also by the cleerenesse of thy spirit, to illuminate our vnderstandings, and our hearts, to direct vs vnto the streight waie of righteousnesse. Euen so, to what thing soeuer we may applie our selues, let our chiefe end & purpose be alwaies to walke in thy feare, to serue and honour thee: looking for all our wealth and prosperitie, from out of thy holie blessing, to the end we enterprise nothing which shall not be agreeable vnto thee. Moreouer, let vs so trauell for our bodie, and for the life present, that we alwaie haue a further regard; namelie, to the life of heauen, which thou hast promised vnto thy children. Neuerthelesse, let it please thee to be our protector, both touching the bodie, and touching the soule, strengthening vs against all temptations of the diuell, and deliuering vs from all the dangers that may come vnto vs. And because there is nothing well begun, which doth not continue, vouchsafe to receiue vs into thy holie gouernance, not onlie for this present daie; but for our whole life, continuing and increasing dailie thy grace in vs, till thou hast brought vs vnto the full coniunction of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, who is the true Sun-light of our [Page 226] soules, shining daie and night without end perpetuallie. And to the intent that we may obteine these graces of thee, O vouchsafe to forget all our faults past, pardoning vs them through thine infinite mercie, as thou hast promised vnto all them that seeke thee with a good heart. Heare vs O father of mercie, for thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christ his sake: So be it.
8 Let vs heare thy louing kindnesse in the morning, for in thee is our trust. O shew vs the waie that we should walke in, for we haue lift vp our hart vnto thee.
9 Deliuer vs O Lord, from our enimies, for we haue cried vnto thee.
10 Teach vs to doo thy will, for thou art our God.
A praier to saie before one begin his worke.
THE Lord God and Father vouchsafe to assist vs through his holie spirit, and by him to gouerne and guide vs in such sort, as all that we shall doo, saie, or thinke, may be to his glorie, in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord: So be it.
Another praier to the same purpose.
O Our God, Father and Sauiour, seeing it hath pleased thee to command vs to trauell for the sustentation of our necessitie; vouchsafe through thy grace so to blesse our labour, that thy blessing may extend vnto vs, without the which also we are not able to continue. And let such fauour of thine serue vs for a testimonie of thy bountifulnesse and assistance: and that we by the same may knowe the fatherlie care, which thou hast for vs. Moreouer, let it please thee, O Lord, to assist vs by thy holie spirit, to the end that we may be faithfullie exercised [Page 227] in our estate and vocation, without anie guile or deceit: but that we rather regard to followe thine ordinance, than to satisfie our owne desire of gaine. And if it please thee to prosper our labor, giue vs also a willing mind to succour those that are in necessitie, according to the abilitie which thou hast granted vs: so yet that we mind not to lift vp our selues aboue those, which haue not receiued of thee such liberalitie. And when thou wilt handle vs with greater pouertie and necessitie than our flesh shall desire: let it please thee, O Lord, to shew vs this grace, euen to knowe that thou through thy bountifulnes wilt continuallie nourish vs, least we be tempted with mistrust: but that we patientlie abide, vntill thou replenish vs, not onelie with thy corporall gifts; but also with thy spirituall graces; that we may still haue more ample matter and occasion to thanke thee, & sincerelie to staie our selues vpon thine onlie goodnesse. Heare vs, O Father of all mercie, through thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord: So be it.
A praier to saie afore one begin to studie his lesson. Out of the 119 Psalme. verses, 9, 18, 34.
WHerewithall shall a yoong man redresse his waie? Euen in taking heede therevnto according to thy word.
Open thou mine eies, that I may see the maruellous works of thy lawe.
O giue me vnderstanding, and I shall keepe thy lawe; yea, I shall keepe it with my whole hart.
O Lord, which art the fountaine of all wisdome and knowledge, seeing it hath pleased thee to giue mee the meanes to be instructed in the age of mine infancie, to make mee knowe how to gouerne the whole course of my life holilie and honestlie: vouchsafe also to illuminate mine vnderstanding, (which of it selfe is [Page 228] blind) that it may comprehend the learning which shall be taught me. O vouchsafe to confirme my memorie for to keepe it well. O let it be thy pleasure to dispose my hart to receiue it willinglie, and with such a desire as is conuenient, that through mine ingratitude the occasion that thou offerest me be not lost. For to doo this, vouchsafe to powre vpon me thy holie spirit, the spirit (I saie) of all vnderstanding, veritie, iudgment, prudence and learning, which may make me able to profit well, to the end that the trauell, which shall be taken to teach me be not lost. And to what studie soeuer I applie my selfe, make me to reduce it vnto the true end; namelie, to knowe thee in our Lord Iesus Christ, to haue full affiance of saluation and life in thy grace, and to serue thee vprightlie & purelie, according to thy good pleasure: so as all that I shall learne, may be as an instrument to aid me vnto the same.
And seeing thou promisest to giue wisdome vnto babes, and to the humble, and to confound the proud in the vanitie of their owne minds: likewise to shew thy selfe vnto those that are of a right hart; and contrarilie to blind the wicked & peruerse: vouchsafe to bring me vnto true humilitie, whereby I may yeeld my selfe apt to learne; and obedient, first vnto thee, secondlie to my superiours, whom thou hast ordeined to rule and to teach me. Furthermore, vouchsafe to dispose my hart to seeke thee without feinednesse, renouncing all carnall and euil affections, and that in such sort I may prepare my selfe now to serue thee once, in that estate & vocation, to the which it shall please thee to ordeine me when I shall come to age. Heare me, O Father of mercie, through our Lord Iesus Christ: So be it.
A praier or grace to saie afore meate.
ALl things wait vpon thee, O Lord, and thou giuest them meate in due season: when thou giuest it them, they gather it, and when thou openest thy hand, they are satisfied with good things. O Lord, in whom consisteth the fulnesse of all good things, vouchsafe to extend thy blessing vpon vs thy poore seruants, & sanctifie vnto vs thy gifts, which we receiue of thy liberalitie, that we may vse them soberlie and purelie, according to thy good will: and by this meanes to knowledge thee to be the Father and author of all goodnesse, still seeking principallie the spirituall bread of thy word, whereby our soules may bee nourished eternallie, through Iesus Christ thy sonne our Lord: So be it.
Grace after meate.
LEt all nations praise the Lord, let all people sing praise vnto him.
For his mercie is multiplied vpon vs, and his truth endureth for euer.
We render thanks vnto thee, O Lord God, for all the benefits that we receiue continuallie at thy hand; for that it pleaseth thee to sustaine vs in this corporall life, ministring vnto vs all our necessities: and speciallie, for that it hath pleased thee to regenerate vs into the hope of a better life, which thou hast reuealed vnto vs by thy holie Gospell. We beseech thee not to suffer our affections to be here rooted in these corruptible things, but that we alwaies haue an higher respect, waiting for our Lord Iesus Christ, vntill he appeere in our redemption: So be it.
A praier to be said before sleepe. Exhortation.
LEt vs all fall downe, humbling our selues before the high and soeuereigne Maiestie of our good God and Father, acknowledging vs to be as we are; namelie, poore and miserable sinners, praieng hartilie vnto him, as followeth.
O Lord God, Father eternall, we beseech thee, that it will please thee to cast the eie of thy fatherlie mercie vpon vs thy poore seruants, not laieng to our charge so manie faults and offences, whereby we are worthie to be brought vnto thy iudgement, and whereby wee cease not to prouoke thy wrath against vs. And forasmuch as we are too vnwoorthie to appeare before thy holie Maiestie; vouchsafe to receiue vs in the name of thy welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, accepting the merits of his death and passion for a recompense of all our faults: regarding rather the obedience which he hath rendred vnto thee, and not the manifold faults that we dailie commit against thy Maiestie. O Lord God, seeing it hath pleased thee to create the night for mans rest, so as thou hast ordeined him the daie to trauell; grant vs grace so to take our bodilie rest this night, that our soules may alwaie watch vnto thee, that our harts be lift vp in thy loue; and that we so renounce all earthlie cares, that we succour our selues according as our infirmitie requireth. Let vs neuer forget thee, but let the remembrance of thy goodnesse and grace continue alwaie printed in our memorie; and by this meanes our consciences also shall haue their spirituall rest, as our bodies take theirs.
Furthermore, let not our sleepe be excessiue; to accomplish the ease of our flesh beyond measure, but onelie to satisfie the frailtie of our nature; that we may be disposed to serue thee. Moreouer, let it please thee to [Page 231] preserue vs vnderfiled, both in our bodies, and in our spirits, and to keepe vs against all dangers, that our verie sleepe may be to the glorie of thy name. And seeing the daie is not so passed, but that we haue offended thee manie waies (according as we are poore sinners) so that all is now hid through the darknesse that thou sendest vpon earth; vouchsafe also to burie all our faults through thy mercie, least we thereby bee taken from thy presence. Let it please thee also, O Lord God, to illuminate vs by thy holie spirit, in the true vnderstanding of thy holie will: and bring to passe also, that we may yeeld vnto thee the loue and feare that true and faithfull seruants doo owe vnto their masters, and children vnto their parents, seeing it hath pleased thee to shew vs such grace, as to receiue vs into the number of thy seruants and children,
Amen.
The praier of the Church of the faithfull, to speake the word of God with all boldnesse. Acts, 4. verse, 24, &c.
O Lord thou hast made the heauen & the earth, the sea, & all things that be in them. Which through thine holie spirit hast said by the mouth of Dauid thy seruāt: Wherfore haue the nations raged, & the people haue imagined vaine thoughts? The kings of the earth haue assembled, and the princes are come togither against the Lord, and against his Christ. For trulie Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentils, and the people of Israel, haue gathered themselues together in this citie, against the holie child Iesus, (whom thou hast annointed) to doo those things, which thy hand and thy counsell hath determined to be done. And now Lord, behold their threatnings, & giue vnto thy seruants that they may speake thy word with all boldnesse: so that thou stretch foorth thine hand, that healing, & signes, and woonders be done by the name of thy holie child Iesus,
Amen.
¶ The maner how to examine such yong persons as be willing to receiue the Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ.
IN whome beleeue you?
In God the Father, and in Iesus Christ, and in the holie Ghost.
The Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, are they more than one God?
No.
Must God be serued after his owne commandements, or after the traditions of men?
He must be serued according to his owne commandements, and not according to the commandements of men.
May you accomplish Gods commandements of your selfe?
No.
Who is it then that accomplisheth them in you?
The holie spirit.
And when God giueth you his holie spirit, can you perfectlie accomplish them?
No.
And yet notwithstāding God cursseth & reiecteth all such, as do not sincerelie fulfill his cōmandements.
It is true.
By what meanes then shall you be saued and deliuered from the cursse of God?
By the death & passion of our Lord Iesus Christ.
How is that?
Because that by his death he hath restored life vnto vs, and reconciled vs vnto God his father.
And whome praie you vnto?
To God.
In whose name praie you?
In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ, who is our aduocate and intercessor.
How manie Sacraments are in the Christian Church?
Two.
Which be they?
Baptisme, and the Lords Supper.
What is the signification of Baptisme?
It hath two parts. For our Sauiour doth therein represent vnto vs the remission of our sinnes, & then our regeneration or spirituall renouation.
And the Supper, what signifieth it vnto vs?
It signifieth vnto vs, that by the communion of the bodie and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ, our soules are nourished in hope of the life euerlasting.
What is it that the bread and wine (which are giuen vs in the Supper) doo represent vnto vs?
They represent vnto vs, that the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ haue such vertue towards our soules, as the bread and wine haue towards our bodies.
Understand you, that the bodie of Iesus Christ may be inclosed in the bread, and his bloud in the wine?
No.
Where then must we seeke Iesus Christ to enioie him?
In heauen, in the glorie of his father.
What is the meanes to come vnto heauen, there as Iesus Christ is?
It is faith.
It behooueth vs then to haue true faith, before we can well vse this holie Sacrament.
It is so.
And how may we haue this faith?
We haue it by the holie spirit that dwelleth in [Page 234] our harts, and assureth vs of Gods promises, which are made vnto vs in the Gospell.
Unto God the Father, of whom, and by whom, and in whome are all things. And vnto Iesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer of the world. And vnto the holie Ghost be honour and glorie for euer, So be it.
The true summe of all Christian Religion.
MY child, art thou a Christian?
Yea, by the grace of God, whereas of nature I was a child of wrath as well as others.
Art thou certaine that thou art a Christian?
Yea, through faith, and the holie spirit, who giueth witnesse vnto my spirit, that I am the child and heire of God.
What is it to saie a Christian?
It is the same which by faith in Iesus Christ, hath receiued the holie spirit, as a child of God, dooing his dutie in time and place.
What is the dutie of a Christian?
It is for to knowe God, for to serue him in spirit and truth, according to the doctrine of Iesus Christ.
In how manie points consisteth the true Christian adoration, and the true seruice of God?
It is faith, which is the onelie foundation of Christians.
The faith, commeth it of vs?
No, for it is the gift of God.
Where lieth this faith?
In the hart, for with the hart we beleeue to righteousnesse, & with the mouth we confesse to saluation.
Be we then bound to render a reason of our faith and hope?
Yea, to all men that demand it of vs, so that it be done with wisedome, gentlenes, reuerence, and gratious [Page 135] words.
And he that confesseth not Iesus Christ in time and place, doth he not renounce him?
Yea: for he that is not with him, is against him: & he that gathereth not with him, scattereth abroade.
Giue me then a reason of thy faith, and first what confession makest thou of the Christian faith?
The same that the Church holdeth, being founded vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, which is brieflie comprehended in our Creede.
Canst thou make confession in the common language?
Yea, I thanke God.
Saie it with an high voice, and pronounce it well.
I beleeue in God the Father almightie, &c.
Beleeuest thou that thou art saued by this faith of the Church?
Yea well, if I haue it in my selfe, as the first word sheweth (I beleeue in God.) For the iust shall liue by his owne faith.
What is it to beleeue in God?
It is a full assurance and hope to trust and commit all to him, according to his promises in Iesus Christ.
Can we haue this faith in perfection, whiles we be in this world?
No. For we haue neede with the Apostles to require augmentation of faith. The Lord increase it in vs, and make vs perseuere in it vnto the end.
Of Inuocation.
WHat is the second part of Christian adoration, and seruice of God?
It is inuocation, whereby we haue all [Page 236] our refuge vnto our father, through faith in the name of Iesus Christ.
Why puttest thou inuocation after faith?
Because it is one of the greatest and principall fruite of the same. For whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord in faith, shall be saued.
Haue we commandement to call vpon God onlie, and not vpon others?
Yea, euen as we are commanded, neither to beleeue nor worship anie other, but him alone.
Should we not praie to the father in the name of other, but of Iesus Christ?
No. For the father hath giuen vs none other aduocate but him, who onlie is verie God and verie man: and we haue no promise to be heard in the name of anie other, but in his name onlie.
Yea, but we knowe not what we ought to praie as apperteineth.
Iesus Christ teacheth vs by his holie spirit, according to the forme that he hath giuen vs.
Rehearse it in the common language, to the end that we all may vnderstand it, and be edified.
Our father which art in heauen, &c.
Wherefore will he that we call him father?
To declare the loue that he beareth towards vs in Iesus Christ, to the end that in full assurance and boldnesse we may come to him onlie, and not to be afraid of him, no more than a child is of his father.
What doth this word (our) shew?
The vnitie and charitable brotherhood which ought to be heere well practised among vs, according as the communion of Saints requireth.
Seeing that God is euerie where, and filleth heauen and earth, ought not we to seeke and worship him in all his creatures?
No. For he is a spirit, and incomprehensible: [Page 237] wherfore he willeth that in Iesus Christ we seeke and worship him in spirit and truth, lifting vp our hearts aboue all corruptible things.
What conteine the sixe petitions comprehended in this praier?
The three first, all yt which makes for the aduancement of the honor and glorie of God, which we ought to desire with our whole hart, and before all things.
And the three last, what doo they conteine?
Our entertainement and saluation, which is also the glorie of God.
Why addeth he to the end: For thine is the kingdome, the power, and the glorie, for euer?
To shew that the dignitie & efficacie of our praiers consisteth not in vs, but altogether in that good father by Iesus Christ, working in vs by the holie spirit.
Then is it to saie, that we all will liue and die in his obedience, subiection and glorie?
Yea, acknowledging him to be the author of all goodnesse; and vnto whome onelie apperteineth the true maiestie roiall, with all power and glorie for euer.
What is the conclusion of this praier?
It is, that all our desires, requests, and actions of grace be addressed vnto God alone, through Iesus Christ, confirming vs throughlie in substance vnto that which it conteineth, as vnto the perfect rule of all true godlinesse.
Why is this word added to the end Amen, or So be it?
To assure vs that our praier made thus in truth, and according to his will, is trulie heard.
Of Obedience.
WHat is the third point of Christian adoration, and seruice of God?
It is to obeie the lawe of God, in true charitie, [Page 238] out of a pure hart, and out of a pure conscience, and of faith vnfained.
What is this charitie here required?
It is to loue God with all our hart, soule, vnderstanding and power: and our neighbour as our selfe.
This true obedience and charitie, proceedeth it not of faith?
Yea, & all the good works here commanded, which God hath prepared that wee should walke in them.
Faith then, it is not an opinion vaine and fleshlie, to entise vs to sinne more boldlie, and to liue in all carnall libertie.
No. For if we by faith be trulie graffed in Iesus Christ, and call vpon God to saluation, we will no more bring foorth the works of the flesh, but the fruits of the spirit.
Which are the works of the flesh?
Adulterie, fornication, filthinesse, outragiousnes, idolatrie, enimitie, strife, emulation, anger, altercation, sedition, sects, enuie, murther, dronkennesse, gluttonie, and things like vnto the same.
And which are the fruits of the spirit?
Loue, ioie, peace, patience, benignitie, goodnesse, faith, caurtesie, temperance.
Seeing we are all carnall, euill, and seruants of sinne, haue we power of our selues to doo good, and to keepe vs from euill?
No, not so much as to thinke anie good thing. For it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed, according to his good will.
We must not then doo euerie one of vs, what seemeth vnto him good and right; what good nature, inclination, or free will soeuer he alledge.
No. For of vs can come nothing but perdition; but ail our goodnes, aid & saluation comneth of God onlie.
Our reason, wisdome, and intent, can the same be [Page 239] the rule to knowe and discerne of our works, whether they be good or euill?
No. For we haue all but one Lawe-giuer, who hath giuen vs the true and perfect rule out of the ten commandements of the lawe.
What conteine the foure commandements of the first table?
How God declareth himselfe to be our God, and therefore by good right he requireth of vs faith, homage, adoration, obedience and dutie.
And the six commandements in the second table, what doo they conteine?
Our office and dutie towards our neighbour; which is to doo vnto him, as we would be done vnto our selues: and not to doo vnto him that, which wee would not to be done vnto our selues.
Go to, recite now this holie lawe.
Harken, O Israel; I am the Lord thy God, which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegypt, &c. as Exodus. 20.
And how is it, that Iesus Christ accomplished in vs this lawe so perfectlie?
In giuing vs his holie spirit, who ingendreth in vs a continuall desire and mind, to doo all that the lawe commandeth vs, as neere as we can.
And this obedience so vnperfect, doth it please God?
Yea, by this, that our imperfection is not imputed vnto vs, bicause of Iesus Christ, whose iustice and perfect obedience is ours through faith.
Alas, who shall giue vs the hart and the power to doo the will of God, which he here hath declared vnto vs by his holie ordinances?
It shall be euen he himselfe by his spirit, in the name of Iesus Christ his sonne, whom he hath giuen vnto the death, to deliuer vs from the condemnation [Page 240] of the lawe, and from the bondage of sinne, that is to saie from eternall death.
Of Confession.
WHat is the fourth point of Christian adoration and seruice of God?
It is the solemne confession or acknowledging that we make in the Church, through the vse of the Sacraments.
What confession?
Of all good things, both generall and particular, which we receiue in the Church, through the communion that we haue with Iesus, and togither among our selues one with another.
Doo we not dailie make such a confession vnto God, in hearing his word, and calling vpon him, seeking to obeie him, according to the benefits which hee hath giuen vnto vs?
Sacraments.
YEa certainlie. But we make it also through the exercise of the Sacraments in greater force and edifieng.
Shew the reason.
Bicause they are annexed to the preaching and promises of the Gospell, to mooue our soules and bodies to praise God with greater confirmation of our faith and loue.
Understandest thou not, that there is one like saluation by preaching, and by the Sacraments offered vnto all, as well to the faithfull, as to the vnfaithfull?
Yea: but the vnfaithfull, in respecting this saluation, receiue nothing but the word & outward signes to their condemnation.
Neuerthelesse, the Sacraments doo not signifie and represent lesse to one than to the other.
It is certaine. For God is alwaie true, and vseth not to teach lies.
The Lord then hath ioined the Sacraments with the preaching and promises of the Gospell, as the seales are ioined with the letters and instruments which they confirme.
Yea, to print & seale them the more in our soules & bodies, & to mooue all our senses vnto this confession.
The Sacraments then are vnto vs great succor and comfort.
Yea, in our infirmities, disquietnesse, and temptations, which come dailie vnto vs, as well from the diuell and the world, as from our owne flesh.
Which are the Sacraments that the Lord Iesus hath instituted in his Church?
Baptisme and the Supper, putting end vnto Circumcision, and to the Paschall Lambe.
How is it that he himselfe hath authorised and sanctified them?
In that he would receiue Baptisme in his owne bodie, and to be the first administrator of the Supper.
Where is it yt the Lord commandeth Baptisme?
In S. Matthew the last Chapter: And Iesus came and spake vnto them, saieng: All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holie Ghost, teaching them to keepe all those things that I haue commanded you.
Is Baptisme a washing of bodilie filthinesse?
No. For so little water can doo nothing to vs.
From what filthinesse then are we there washed?
From spirituall filthinesse, which are our sinnes.
We come then into the world all filthie and corrupt.
If we were not conceiued in sinne, and borne in [Page 242] iniquitie, we should not haue to doo with baptisme.
In whose name be we baptised?
In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holie Ghost, who is our onlie and verie true God in three persons.
And with what water are we washed and regenerated?
With the water of life, which is the holie spirit, in the bloud of Iesus Christ.
Baptisme then representeth vnto vs, & assureth vs of the full remission of our sinnes, and exchanging of our wicked nature.
Yea, and by the same both we and our children are receiued into the Church, as partakers of the couenant of the Lord, as well as Abraham and his seed by circumcision.
Seeing that by baptisme we are borne, clothed, washed, and regenerated in the house of God, which is the Church: with what meat, and with what drinke are we nourished and fed?
Euen with himselfe, who hath begotten vs. For as he is our washing and clothing: so is he vnto vs meate and drinke.
Is this bicause he is the word of God, which is the true food of our soules?
Yea, and we must go further: seeing that his word became flesh, whereof it commeth that we are nourished with his flesh, & with his bloud into life eternall.
And how is it that his bodie was made meate or heauenlie bread, and his bloud drinke vnto vs?
By his death and passion, as he declareth in his holie Supper.
Where shall we find the institution of the holie Supper?
In three Euangelists, and verie largelie declared in the first to the Corinthians the xi. Chapter.
Reade the place.
I receiued of the Lord, that which I haue giuen vnto you; namelie, that the Lord Iesus, in the same night that he was be traied, tooke bread; and when he had giuen thanks, hee brake it, and said: Take, eate, this is my bodie, which is broken for you: doo this in remembrance of me. Likewise, after supper he tooke the cup, saieng: This cup is the new testament in my bloud: doo this as often as you shall drinke it in the remembrance of me. For as often as you shall eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, ye shall declare the Lords death vntill he come. Wherefore, whosoeuer shall eate of this bread, or drinke of this cup vnwoorthilie, shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. But let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eat of this bread, and drinke of this cup. For whosoeuer eateth and drinketh vnwoorthilie, eateth and drinketh his owne damnation, making no difference of the Lords bodie, (or not discerning the bodie of the Lord.)
Did not the Lord then minister vnto all equallie, one bread and one wine in his Supper?
Yea, as indifferentlie as he died for all, and commanded to take, eate, and drinke.
What signifieth then the bread of the Supper?
The pretious bodie of Iesus, which he gaue vnto the death of the Crosse for vs.
And what signifieth the wine?
His pretious bloud, which he shed vpon the Crosse for vs.
This bread and wine being called the bodie and bloud of the Lord, doo they change their substance and nature?
No: but as we corporallie eate the bread, & drinke the wine; so spirituallie we eate the bodie, and drinke the bloud of the Lord.
And how may we ascend vp to heauen (where he [Page 244] is) to eate his flesh, and to drinke his bloud?
By loue, and liuelie faith; seeing that alreadie we haue there our conuersation, and that the words of the Lord are spirit and life.
And he being in heauen, how is it that he communicateth vnto vs his bodie and his bloud; we being heere belowe vpon the earth?
By the vertue of his holie spirit, by whome he ioineth vs vnto himselfe, and maketh vs partakers of himselfe in true holinesse of soule and bodie.
The Infidels, may they eate the bodie, and drinke the bloud of the Lord?
Naie: for through their infidelitie, they receiue it to their condemnation, as did Iudas.
How must we prepare our selues, before we come to this holie Table?
Euerie one must proue himselfe, whether he come with true faith and repentance, and with Christian charitie, as he witnesseth.
The true preparation then, and worthinesse consisteth not in this, that our faith & charitie be so great as it ought to be.
No: for though we ought continuallie to tend therevnto, yet shall we neuer be able to come at it.
How is it then, that our faith, so little and vnperfect, saueth vs, and maketh vs worthie to receiue that which is offered vnto vs by the Gospell, and the Sacraments?
In that, that it soundeth vs, and maketh vs wholie to rest in the righteousnesse, dignitie, and perfection of Iesus, vnto whome onlie the father hath regard.
Must all they be receiued, that present themselues to the Supper?
Yea, all those whom we knowe to be disciples, and members of Iesus, willing to liue and die in this faith and doctrine thereof.
A collection of the principall points, which they ought to knowe, that will communicate at the holie Supper of the Lord Iesus Christ.
THere is one onlie God, on whome all things depend.
1 The first point to honor God well, consisteth in this, that we haue all our confidence in him, and that we perceiue the meanes to knowe him; namelie, in Iesus Christ. Heerevnto serueth the confession of faith before recited. The said confession conteineth foure parts.
The first is of God the father, who is the beginning and principall cause of all things.
The second of his sonne Iesus Christ, who is the eternall wisdome of God. And in this part is comprehended the whole historie of our redemption, to know, that by Iesus Christ alone we obteine saluation, and the meanes whereby he hath purchased it for vs:
The third of the holie spirit, who is the vertue and power of God, which he powreth vpon his creatures, and neuerthelesse is resident still in himselfe.
The fourth of the Church, and of the graces of God towards the same.
2 The second point to honour God aright, consisteth in this, that we obey his will. The rule to obey him, is giuen vs in the ten commandements of the lawe.
The foure first commandements conteine the dutie that we owe vnto God.
The sixe following conteine the dutie that we owe vnto our neighbours.
3 The third point to honor God aright, consisteth in this, that in all our necessities we call vpon him alone.
The instruction to call rightlie vpon God, is giuen vs in the praier of our Lord Iesus Christ.
The three first petitions of the same praier, concerne the glorie of God.
[Page 246] The other three concerne our owne welfare & profit.
4 The fourth point to honour God aright, lieth in this, that we looke for all good things at his hand, as it is he onlie from whom all good things proceede.
The promises of this free goodnesse that God vseth towards his owne, are conteined in the Gospell.
The same promises are comprehended by faith.
Faith is an assured knowledge of the good will of God towards vs, grounded vpon the free promises, which is giuen vnto vs in Iesus Christ, and confirmed in our hearts by his holie spirit.
Because of the weakenesse of our faith, our Lord hath giuen vs the Sacraments.
A Sacrament is an outward testimonie, which by a visible signe representeth vnto vs the promises of God, spirituallie accomplished in vs.
Baptisme is vnto vs as an entrance into the Church of God, and representeth vnto vs the remission of our sinnes, and our renouation of life.
The water, as the propertie thereof is to wash, doth signifie the washing of our soules, which is done for vs through the bloud of Iesus Christ, in the forgiuenes of our sins.
The water also is put vpon the head, in signe of death: neuerthelesse, in that it is done but for a little time, it is a figure of our resurrection.
The Supper was instituted of our Lord, to assure vs, that by the communion of his bodie, & of his bloud, our soules are nourished in hope of life euerlasting.
The bread and the wine signifie vnto vs the bodie & bloud of Iesus Christ, which haue the same propertie towards our soules, that the bread and wine haue towards our bodies; namelie, to nourish & strengthen.
The right vse of cōmunicating at ye supper, is chieflie, a man to proue himselfe, whether he haue true faith with repentance & charitie towards his neighbours.
A godlie exhortation to mortification of our sinfull affections, and to holinèsse of life: written by a vertuous Gentlewoman.
IF yee liue after the flesh, you shall die: but if ye through the spirit doo mortifie the deeds of the bodie, ye shall liue. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God. Rom. 8.
This also, we knowe the season that we should now awake out of sleepe. For now is our saluation neere: the night is passed, the daie is come nie: let vs put on the armor of light, let vs walke honestlie, as it were in the day light, not in eating and drinking, neither in chambering and wantonnesse, neither in strife and enuieng: but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ, and make no prouision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts of it. Rom. 13.
The reward of sinne is death: but eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6.
Deerlie beloued, abstaine from fleshlie lusts, which fight against the soule: and see that ye haue honest conuersation among the Gentils, that wheras they backbite you as euill dooers, they may see your good works, and glorifie God in the daie of visitation. 1. Peter. 2.
I saie walke in the spirit, and fulfill not the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth contrarie to the spirit, and the spirit contrarie to the flesh. These are contrarie one to the other, so that ye can not doo whatsoeuer ye would: but and if ye be led of the spirit, then are ye not vnder the lawe. The deeds of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adulterie, fornication, vncleannesse, wantonnes, worshipping of images, witchcraft, hatred, variance, zeale, wrath, strife, seditions, sects, enuieng, murther, dronkennesse, gluttonie, & such like. Of the which I tell yee before, as I haue told you in [Page 248] times past, that they which commit such things, shall not be inheritours of the kingdome of God. They trulie that are Christs, haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof. Galat. 5.
Let no filthie communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to edifie withall: as oft as neede is, that it may minister grace vnto the hearers, and grieue not the holie spirit of God. Phil. 4.
Followe not thy lusts, but turne thee frō thine owne will. For if thou giuest thy soule hir desires, it shall make thine enimies to laugh thee to scorne. Sirac. 18.
An adulterous woman shall be troden vnder foot as mire of euerie one that goeth by the waie. Sirac. 9.
Ye adulterers, and women that breake matrimonie, knowe ye not how that the friendship of the world is enimitie to God-ward. Whosoeuer will be a friend of the world, is made enimie of God. Submit your selues to God, and resist the diuell, and he will flie from you: drawe nie to God, and he will drawe nie to you. Clense your hands ye sinners, and purge your harts ye wauering minded: suffer afflictions, sorrowe ye, and weepe, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your ioie to heauinesse. Cast downe your selues before the Lord, and he shall lift you vp. Iames. 4.
For the children of adulterers, they shall come to an end, and the seed of an vnrighteous bed shall be rooted out. And though they liue long, yet shall they be nothing regarded, and their last age shall be without honour. If they die hastilie they haue no hope, neither shall they be spoken to in the daie of knowledge. For horrible is the death & end of the vnrighteous. Wisd. 3.
The children of the vngodlie are abhominable children, and so are all they that accompanie with the vngodlie. The inheritance of vngodlie children shall come to naught, and their posteritie shall haue a perpetuall shame and confusion. Wo be vnto you ye vngodlie, [Page 249] which haue forsaken the lawe of the highest. If ye doo liue, ye shall be cursed: if ye die, the curse shall be your portion. Labour to get thee a good name, for it shall continue surer by thee, than a thousand great treasures of gold. Sirac. 41.
The Lord alloweth the righteous, but the vngodlie and him that delighteth in wickednesse, doth his soule abhor. Upon the vngodlie he shall raine snares, fire and brimstone, storme and tempest, this shall be their portion to drinke. For the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse. Psal. 11.
As for sinners, they shall be confounded out of the earth, and the vngodlie shall come to an end. Psal. 103.
Another godlie exhortation to moue vs to praier, and to cause vs to be in a continuall readinesse to waite on our Maister Christ, when he shall come againe to iudge both the quicke and dead: written by the same godlie Gentlewoman.
REioice in the Lord alwaies, and againe I saie reioice: let your softnesse be knowne to all men. The Lord is euen nie at hand, be carefull for nothing: but in all praier and supplication, let your petitions bee manifest vnto God with giuing of thanks. Be feruent in spirit: applie your selues to the time: reioice in hope: be patient in tribulation: continue in praier. Rom. 22.
Take heed therefore how ye walke: circumspectlie, not as vnwise, but as wise men redeeming the time, bicause the daies are euil. Wherfore be ye not vnwise, but vnderstand what the will of the Lord is. And be not dronken with wine, wherin is excesse: but be filled with the spirit, speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes, and in spirituall songs, singing and making melodie to the Lord in your harts: giuing thanks alwaies for all things vnto God the Father, in the [Page 250] name of our Lord Iesus Christ, submitting your selues one to another in the feare of God. Epes. 5.
Praie alwaies with all maner of praiers and supplications in the spirit, and watch therevnto with all instance and supplication. Ephes. 6.
Uerelie verelie I saie vnto you saith Christ, Whatsoeuer yee aske the father in my name, he will giue it you. Aske, and yee shall receiue, that your ioie may be full. And when thou praiest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they loue to praie standing in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the streetes, because they would be seene of men: verelie I saie vnto you, they haue their reward. But when thou praiest, enter into thy Chamber, and when thou hast shut the dore, praie thou to thy father which is in secret, and thy father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openlie. And when thou praiest, babble not much as the heathen do, for they thinke, that they shall be heard for their much babbling sake. Be yee not like them therefore, for your father knoweth whereof yee haue neede, before yee aske of him. After this maner therfore praie yee. Our father which art in heauen, halowed be thy name, &c. Matth. 6.
Watch and praie, for you knowe neither the daie, nor yet the houre when the sonne of man commeth in his glorie, & all the holie Angels with him. Then shall he sit vpon the seate of his glorie, and before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepheard diuideth the sheepe from the goates: and then he shall set the sheepe on his right hand, and the goates on the left. Then shall the King saie to them on his right hand, Come yee blessed children of my father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world, for I was an hungred, and yee gaue me meate. Then shall the King saie vnto them that shall be on the left hand, Depart [Page 251] from me ye curssed, into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels. For I was an hungred, and yee gaue me no meate, I was thirstie, and ye gaue me no drinke. Then shall they answer him saieng: Lord; when sawe we thee an hunged, or a thirst, or naked, or sicke, or in prison, and did not minister vnto thee. Then shall he answere them saieng: Uerelie, I saie vnto you, in asmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not vnto me. And these shall go awaie into euerlasting paine, but the righteous to life eternall. Matth. 25.
As Iesus sate in mount Oliuet, his disciples came vnto him secretlie, saieng: Tell vs when these things shall be, and what signe shall be of thy comming, and of the end of the world. And Iesus answered, and said vnto them: Take heed that no man deceiue you, for manie shall come in my name, saieng, I am Christ, and shall deceiue manie. Yee shall heare of warres, and of the fame of warres, but see that you be not troubled, for all these things must come to passe, but the end is not yet. Matth. 24.
And there shall be signes in the Sunne, and in the Moone, and in the Stars, and in the Earth: the Sea, and the waters shall roare, and mens harts shall faile them for feare, and for looking for those things which shall come on the earth. Behold the figge tree, and all other trees, when they shoote foorth their buds; ye see and knowe of your owne selues that Summer is then nigh at hand. So likewise yee, when ye see these things come to passe, vnderstand that the kingdome of God is then nigh at hand. Luke. 21.
But of that daie and houre no man knoweth, no not the Angels of heauen, but my father onlie. As the time of Noah was, so shall likewise the comming of the sonne of man be. For as in the daies before the floud, they did eate and drinke, marie and were maried, euen [Page 252] vnto the daie that Noah entered into the ship, and knew of nothing till the floud came; and tooke them all awaie, so shall also the comming of the sonne of man be. Matth. 23.
Take heede to your selues, least your hearts be ouercome with surfeting and dronkennesse, and cares of this world, and that daie come on you vnwares. For as a snare shall it come vpon all them that sit on the face of the earth. Watch therefore continuallie, and praie, that ye may obtaine grace, and flie all this that shall come, and that ye stand before the sonne of God. Luke. 21.
Take heed, watch and praie, for ye knowe not when the time is. As a man which is gone into a strange Countrie, and hath left his house, and giuen authoritie to his seruants, and to euerie man his worke, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch therefore, for yee knowe not when the maister of the house will come, whether at euen, or at midnight, whether at the cocke-crowing, or in the dawning, least if he come suddenlie, he should find you sleeping, and that I saie vnto you, I saie vnto all men, Watch and praie. Matth. 13.
Be sober and watch, for your aduersarie the diuell, as a roring Lion, walketh about seeking whome hee may deuoure, whome resist yee stedfastlie in faith.
Finallie, let vs in all our praiers remember to praie for the Queenes most excellent Maiestie, that it will please the almightie God to prosper hir in all hir affaires, and send hir a long and triumphant reigne ouer vs, that she may ouercome all hir enimies, and that after this painefull life ended, she may reigne with Christ in his heauenlie kingdome, there to receiue a glorious crowne that neuer shall perish: So be it.
THE THIRD LAMPE OF VIRGINITIE; Conteining sundrie formes of diuine meditations & Christian praiers; penned by the godlie learned, to be properlie vsed of the QVEENES most excellent Maiestie, as especiallie vpon the 17. daie of Nouember, being the daie of the gladnesse of hir hart, and memorable feast of hir coronation: so on all other daies and times at hir Graces pleasure.
Wherevnto also is added a most heauenlie HEAST spoken as it were in the person of GOD vnto hir Maiestie, conteining his diuine will and commandement concerning gouernement: and a right godlie and Christian Vow vttered againe by hir Grace vnto God, comprehending the heroicall office and dutie of a Prince: faithfullie compiled out of the holie Psalmes of that Princelie Prophet King DAVID, as they are learnedlie explaned by Theodore Beza: verie profitable to be often read and meditated vpon of hir Maiestie, and all other Christian Rulers and Gouernours, to the glorie of God; the benefit of his Church, and their owne euerlasting ioie and comfort in the holie GHOST.
Audi filia, & vide, & inclina aurem tuam, obliu [...]scere popul [...] t [...]. & domus patris tui.
Et concupiscet Rex formam tuam, quia ipse est Dominus tuus, ipsum adorabis.
Omnis gloria filiae Regis intùs est.
1582
Right godlie Psalmes, fruitfull Praiers, and comfortable Meditations to be said of our most vertuous and deere Souereigne LADIE Queene ELIZABETH, as at all times at hir Graces pleasure: so especiallie vpon the 17. daie of Nouember, being the memorable daie of hir Maiesties most ioifull deliuerance out of trouble: and happie entrie to hir blessed reigne.
The 18. Psalme of DAVID, which he made for the first beginning of his gratulation and thankesgiuing vnto God, in the entring into his kingdome, for the maruelous mercies, victories and graces of God towards him: paraphrasticallie explaned and opened by that godlie learned man THEODORE BEZA.
I Doo loue thee, O LORD, my strength: I doo loue thee, euen from the bottome of my hart.
The Lord is my rocke, and my fortresse, my deliuerer, my God, my mount, my refuge, my sheeld, the horne wherwith I driue awaie the enimie, and my high tower of defence.
I haue praised the Lord, and called vpon him: and he hath deliuered me from all mine enimies.
[Page 254] The bands of death had compassed me round about & bound me: most wicked men, like most raging flouds, made me afraid, enuironing me round about.
I did lie as it were wrapped in my winding sheete, euen snarled with the snares of death.
I called vpon the Lord in these extremities, I called vpon my God, I saie, and he heard my voice out of his high palace: and receiued into his eares the crie that I made vnto him in the prison.
Then began the earth to quake and tremble, the verie foundations of the mountaines to shake and shudder.
And he breathed out smoke from his nostrels, spitting foorth fire out of his mouth: yea casting foorth euen coales of fire.
He bowed the heauens and came downe, the darkenesse being spred all abrode vnder his feete.
He did ride vpon the wings of the Angels, and was caried with the wings of the wind.
Blacke darknesse enuironed his tabernacle round about, and he was caried with most darke and thicke clouds.
Untill his glistering brightnesse did breake those clouds, and the flames of fire did flash on euerie side.
At the length, he thundered from heauen, and filled all places with his mightie sounding voice, and with haile-stones and lightenings.
He shot foorth his fierie darts, and increasing his lightenings, he terrified mine enimies, and destroied them.
Then the deepe bottoms of the waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were discouered at thy rebuke, O Lord, and at the blustering wind of thy wrath.
So then hath he (stretching his right hand from the heauen) taken me, and drawne me out of the bottome [Page 255] of the deepe waters.
From the mightie enimie, I saie, and from the other enimies, by whose power I was oppressed.
For they verelie had almost cast me downe, and destroied me at the sudden: but he was my staffe that staied mee.
And he hath drawne me out of these streights, and placed me in an open and large place: bicause it so pleased him (without my deseruing) to fauour me.
For he had regard indeed of me, that so was oppressed of these men without cause, & granted these things to me being guiltlesse.
For I haue followed the waie that the Lord hath appointed me, howsoeuer these men vexed me: neither could I be drawne by anie of their iniuries, that I should fall from my God as the wicked vse.
For I had all his lawes before mine eies, neither did I put his statutes foorth of my sight.
But I behaued my selfe without hypocrisie with him, neither did I followe mine affections, which else would easilie haue caried me foorth of the waie.
Therefore had the Lord regard of me that was oppressed of them without anie cause: and fauoured mee the innocent partie.
For thou, O Lord, wilt shew thy selfe good and vpright to them that deale vprightlie.
And as thou shewest thy selfe sincere, with them that deale sincerelie: so the craftie men shall perceiue thee to be more cunning.
For although manie times thy seruants be sore vexed: yet dooest thou preserue them, and dooest cast downe those that behaue themselues so proudlie.
Hence haue I my light, whereby thou causest me to shine: and driuest awaie my darknesse.
Thou hast made me to ouercome these dangers easilie, and to leape ouer the wals and lets that were in [Page 256] my waie.
For the waie whereby God leadeth vs is plaine, the word of God is most pure: the Lord doth defend all that trust in him as with a shield.
For who is God, but the Lord? And who is mightie, but our God onelie?
He hath girded me with power, and hath made my waie safe.
He hath made me as swift as the Hinds, and hath placed me in most high and safe places.
He hath taught mine hands to fight, and he hath giuen me so great strength, that I am able to breake a bowe of brasse with these mine armes.
Thou hast preserued me with the protection of thy shield, & thou hast staied me with thy right hand, when I was readie to fall, through thy great mercie.
Thou hast caused me to go safelie without danger, and thou hast staied my sliding steps.
Therefore haue I pursued mine enimies, and taken them, and I haue not turned back, till I haue destroied them.
I haue so beaten them downe, and troden them vnder foote, that they were not able to raise themselues againe.
For thou verelie hast giuen me such strength, that they which haue risen against me, haue fallen hedlong at my feete.
Thou hast giuen me power to strike off their heads, and that I might destroie them that pursued me.
Yet Lord, I grant they cried vnto thee: but thou hast not deliuered them, neither wouldest heare their crie.
Therefore did I beate them small, like the dust that the wind scattereth abroad: and I did beate them like the mire, which is tempered vnder the foote of them that walke the streets.
Yea, also thou hast deliuered me from domesticall and [Page 257] inward troubles, and thou hast giuen me dominion ouer the nations that I neuer knewe before.
Unknowne people (I saie) obey my commandements, and strangers be compelled for feare to submit themselues vnto me.
The hearts of the strangers haue failed, so that they fall downe for feare in their strongest forts.
Let the Lord liue, and let him that is my defence be knowledged and worshipped of all, as he worthilie deserueth. Let God my deliuerer bee praised euerie-where.
Euen God (I saie) who is mine aduenger, who hath subdued so manie people vnder me.
Thou hast saued me from mine enimies, thou hast deliuered me from them that rose vp against me, especiallie from that cruell curssing man.
Therefore will I praise thee, euen amongst the prophane nations, and I will sing vnto thy Maiestie.
For verelie thou hast maruellouslie preserued thy Queene, & not onlie ELIZABETH hir selfe, whom thou hast annointed Queene, but also thou hast shewed singular fauour to hir posteritie that shall remaine for euer,
Amen.
* Glorie therefore be vnto thee ô FATHER, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, as it was from all beginnings, is at this present, and euer shall be through all ages and worlds, world without end:
Amen, AMEN.
The 118. Psalme made by DAVID, when he obteined his kingdome after the death of Saule.
OH acknowledge, & declare yee openlie that the Lord is good, for his bountious goodnesse is for euer.
Let Israel now confesse this thing, for his bountious goodnes and mercie endureth for euer.
Let the stocke of Aaron now confesse, that his louing kindnesse is perpetuall.
Let all the sincere woorshippers of the Lord now confesse this, that his louing kindnesse is perpetuall.
I doubtlesse, being a notable example of his vnspeakable bountie, haue not ceased (as yee knowe) to call vpon him in my greatest extremities: and he (as you your selues see) hauing heard me, hath exalted me into this most large roome.
Wherefore I, hauing experience that the Lord worketh for me, and that he is so neere at hand vnto me, God forbid that I should feare the power or the threats of anie man.
For the Lord himselfe is the chiefe leader of those that helpe me, so that I can not doubt at all, but that I shall see with mine eies those enimies which remaine iustlie punished of him.
Oh how far better is it to trust in the Lord, than in men!
[Page 259] How far better is it to trust in the Lord, than in anie men, how excellent soeuer they be!
Behold, manie nations compas me about, but I calling vpon ye Lord, shal most vndoubtedlie destroy them.
They compasse me in I saie, they beset me round about, but calling vpon the Lord, I shall most vndoubtedlie destroie them.
Mine enimies in great multitudes compasse me like swarmes of Bees, but I shall forthwith stiffle them, as though they were cast into the fire, and calling vpon the Lord, I shall most vndoubtedlie destroie them.
For in deede before, the most cruell enimie did so sore thrust at me, that I seemed euen now readie to fall: but as I was falling, the Lord supported me.
Therefore I accompt him mine onlie strength, I acknowledge him to be my Sauiour, and praise him in my song.
Heereof come those voices of those that sing, and reioice together with me, out of their tabernacles, now doubtlesse the Lord hath aduanced the power of his most strong right hand.
The Lord hath now exalted that his right hand, now the Lord hath shewed foorth the power of his most strong right hand.
Behold me then that am yet aliue, and about to set foorth the works of God.
For though he hath striken me verie sore, yet hath he spared me life.
I praie thee therefore, let that gate now at the length be open vnto me, which onlie the louers of righteousnesse must go vnto, that I being entred thither, may praise the Lord.
For it is consecrate vnto the Lord, therefore is it open to the iust alone.
Heere will I praise thee, O Lord, because thou giuing eare hast deliuered me.
[Page 260] For the stone which the verie chiefe builders haue so stubbornelie as yet reiected, as nothing fit, is not onlie now counted in the building: but euen as a principall it vpholdeth the whole weight of the verie building.
Uerelie, it is a worke of God indeede, which maketh all the beholders thereof to be amazed.
Go to then, seeing the Lord hath commanded this most ioifull daie to shine vnto vs, let vs passe it wholie in mirth becomming Saincts, and saie:
I beseech thee O Lord, preserue the Queene that is giuen vs from heauen. I praie thee, I saie, I praie thee O Lord giue the Queene ELIZABETH all prosperitie.
Let hir haue prosperitie and blisse, that commeth to gouerne vs in the name and commandement of God. We wish prosperitie to you also; that are the neerer inhabitants of the house of the Lord.
Iehoua is the onlie God, who shineth vnto vs, binde the Lambe with cords, that is brought to the hornes of the altar.
Thou art my God, I will praise thee, thou art my God, I will sing thy praises most lowd.
Confesse that the Lord is exceeding good, for his bountious goodnesse is euerlasting.
* Glorie be therefore vnto thee ô blessed Trinitie, the Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, as alwaies it hath bin, continuallie is, and euer shall be, worlds without ending: So be it.
The praier.
O Almightie GOD, most gratious Lord, and heauenlie Father, behold, I thine handmaid prostrate here before the throne of thy diuine Maiestie, meeklie confesse thee to bee my mercifull God, my highest King, and euerlasting Sauiour; and humblie I acknowledge thee the Souereigne Lord aboue all lords; the highest King of all kings, and the onelie omnipotent Creator, wise preseruer, and woonderfull ruler of all thy creatures in heauen and earth, high and lowe, visible and inuisible: and my selfe also to be the worke of thine hands; the sheepe of thy pasture; a subiect and seruant to thy most high and sacred Maiestie, and a child depending alone and wholie vpon thy diuine and fatherlie prouidence for all things. And bicause I knowe vnthankfulnesse doth greatlie displease thee, (For it is the root of all spirituall euill, and the onelie thing that dammeth vp the fountaine of thy godlie mercie for euer,). I will giue thanks vnto thee, O Lord, least I be vnthankfull to thee, my God, my deliuerer and Sauiour. And I yeeld thee now most humble and hartie thanks, for that it hath pleased thee, of thy singular mercie, to giue mee this especiall honour: first, to suffer for thy glorious truth much extreme miserie, feare, care, imprisōment, perill of bodie, trouble of mind, hazard of life, and danger of death, by sicknesse, fire, conspiracie, and sword: [Page 262] and afterward blessedlie protecting and preseruing me from so manifold dangers, and miraculouslie deliuering me out of the hands of all mine enimies; to call me to this excellent state & roiall dignitie of a Prince: and as this daie to cloath me with the garments of honour; to set the Crowne of gladnesse, and diademe of dignitie vpon mine head; to put the scepter of righteousnesse, the globe of glorie, and the sword of thy power into mine hands, and to annoint and consecrate me thine handmaid QVEENE of this Realme, that I might bee the principall member and chiefe instrument in the same to aduance thy glorie, and further thy Gospell, for the which I suffered. Yea, to be thy peoples Ioseph, their Moses, their Iosua, their Dauid, their Iosias, their Samuel, and their Salomon: finallie, to be their Deborah, their Iael, their Hester, their Iudith, and their Elizabeth; that is, their rest, staie, and staffe of Maiestie, their shepheard and ring-leader in the waie of vertue, holinesse, zeale, and sincere religion. Which maruellous worke of thine, oh gratious GOD, for thy name sake, giue me grace, not onlie this daie; but all the daies and time of my life to remember and solemnize with woorthie thanks-giuing: that with the Queene of Saba I may continuallie blesse thee, and saie; Blessed be thou O Lord my GOD, which thus hast loued me, and thy people, to set me in thy throne as QVEENE, and to establish them for euer, by making me their Gouernour ouer them in thy steed, to execute thy iudgement and iustice.
Neither can I now forget, but thankfullie also call to my remembrance all thy other great mercies, O mercifull God, shewed towards me since my comming vnto the Crowne: namelie, how often in thy mightie and maruellous mercie thou hast deliuered vnto mee & my Counsell, the wicked attempts, malignant deuises, and mischeeuous practises wrought and conceiued [Page 263] of all my common, craftie, and cruell enimies, Sathan, and his ministers; who to exalt themselues, and to rob mee both of thy people, kingdome, peace, and religion, euen of verie malice and deadlie hatred, haue by all diuellish meanes raged, blasphemed, and conspired against thee, O GOD, and thy truth, like hypocrites: against mee and my Crowne, like traitours; and against their Common-wealth and countrie, like spoilers: and that for no offence of mine to themward, LORD, thou knowest; but onelie of cruell spite they beare mee, bicause in truth I professe thy Christian religion, and seeke by establishing the same through good and godlie lawes, to serue thee zealouslie, sincerelie, and purelie; according to the rule and veritie of thine eternall word. Which thy great benefits, when I well consider, togither with mine vnwoorthinesse thereof, I am euen forced with my father DAVID, to giue humble thanks, and to blesse thee before all the congregation, and saie: Blessed be thou, O LORD GOD of Israel, our Father for euer and euer. Thine, O LORD, is greatnesse, and power, and glorie, and victorie, and praise. For all that is in heauen and in earth is thine. Thine is the kingdome, O LORD, and thou excellest, (as head ouer all.) Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest ouer all; and in thine hand is power and strength: in thine hand, I saie, O mightie GOD, it is to make great, and to giue strength vnto all: now therefore I thanke thee, and praise thy glorious name for euer. But who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my people, that thou hast brought mee to this honour, and thus redeemed and deliuered both mee and thy people out of thrall vnto thy selfe, and art beecome our GOD? Dooth this apperteine to man, O LORD? Or commeth not this rather of thy free mercie, more than of anie our woorthinesse? And [Page 264] what can ELIZABETH saie more vnto thee? For thou Lord God knowest thy seruant, & euen for thy words sake, & according to thine owne hart, hast thou made my fountaine become a floud, and my light to shine as the sunne: and done all these great things, to make them knowne vnto thy seruant.
Now therefore, for this thy gratious fauour after so long restraint; so great dangers ouerpassed; such blusterous storms ouerblowne; so many iniuries digested, & wrongs susteined, by thy mightie protection, O mercifull God, to my no small comfort, & thy peoples commoditie, in exalting, erecting, and bringing me out of thrall to libertie; out of darknesse into light; out of danger to peace and quietnesse; from dread to dignitie; from miserie to maiestie; from mourning to ruling: breeflie, of a prisoner to make me a Prince, and to place me in the roiall throne, there to sit as Queene now full 24. yeeres, in the admirable rest, blessed quietnesse, and long peace, which I now enioie. For this thy diuine wisdome, O heauenlie father, in vnfolding, reuealing, & frustrating the proud platformes, & peeuish practises of Achitophels, & all mine enimes. For this thy meere mercie, O deere Christ, in spacing me and my people so long frō the bloudie hands of spoilers, oppressors, traitors & vsurpers. For this thy heauenlie prouidence, O holie Ghost, in preuenting their diuelish purposes, and so gratiously protecting, preseruing and defending me, as wel before I was Queene, as since, from so extreme miseries, and manifold dangers, as also frō the hands and violences of al mine enimies, visible & inuisible, domesticall & foraine. Finallie, for these & for all other thy great graces, singular blessings, and mestimable benefits, & principall vertues, spirituall & corporall, O glorious Trinitie, which through the mercie & merits of my sweet Sauior Iesus Christ, thou hertofore frō my birth hast, presentlie dooest, or hereafter vnto my death [Page 265] shalt bountifullie bestowe vpon me and my people: I most hartilie laud, entirelie magnifie, and incessantlie extoll thy most high, holie and renowmed name, and sacred Princelie Maiestie.
And as I meeklie euen of dutie from the bottome of my hart, render vnto thee my GOD and my King, all condigne honour, woorthie praise, and possible thanks, togither with the vnfeined resignation of all empire, kingdome, power, rule, dominion, maiestie and glorie, both in heauen and in earth, as to thee onlie, and most iustlie belongeth: so now I most humblie and hartilie beseech thy diuine Maiestie, O excellent Father, and most mercifull GOD, to haue mercie vpon me thine humble handmaid and sinfull seruant. And be not prouoked, good Lord, with my sinnes, nor with the sinnes of my parents & people, to giue vs ouer to the lust of our enimies. Make vs not a reproch vnto the foolish, nor let our aduersaries in our ouerthrowe triumph against vs, saieng, Where is now their God? But of thy rich mercie and woonted compassion in Christ Iesu, forgiue me my sinnes both old and new, both secret and open, both past, present, and to come: yea from both mine owne and others faults, O God, I beseech thee deliuer me, and cast all mine offences into the bottomlesse depth, out of thy remembrance and sight for euer: making the crosse and passion, the death and resurrection of thy most deere and onlie sonne my sweete Sauiour, and onlie Redeemer Iesus Christ the righteous and immaculate Lambe, most effectuall in mee to all vertue, godlinesse of life, and pietie, as best becommeth thy daughter, thy virgin, thine annointed, and elect vessell of honour. That to all other thy good graces, & bountifull benefits alredie shewed towards me: the which of thine accustomed goodnesse I beseech thee to confirme, finish, and worke out in mee, as thou hast gratiouslie begun, and continue towards mee to [Page 266] the end according to thy good pleasure, with such further increase thereof from time to time, as best shall serue to the setting foorth of thy glorie, the benefit of thy Church to all posteritie, & mine eternall peace in Christ Iesus the Prince of peace. Grant, I saie, O Lord, this also may be added: namelie, that as it hath pleased thee in thy secret wisdome to quicken me, that was Tanquam ouis, euen as a seelie sheepe or lambe led to be slaine, to raise me vp out of the dust and mire of persecution, to lift me vp out of the pit and dungeon, and to set me the chiefe of the Princes of this land, and to make mee meete to inherīt the seate of glorie, yea to build me the chiefe and head piller of this thy Church of England, France and Ireland, wherevpon the whole bodie of thy Saints therein doo staie themselues in thy blessed peace and vnitie. As I saie, it is thy good will, not my deserts, to exalt the horne of thine annointed: to appoint me a fraile woman thy Lieutenant here on earth: and to giue power vnto thy QVEENE to iudge the ends of thy dominions, and execute thine office here amongst thy people for a space in the regall seate of iustice and mercie: so vouchsafe thou, O gratious God, and louing Father, in like mercie to powre downe continuallie vpon me all those thy speciall good gifts, princelie vertues, and heauenlie graces, fit for this my so high calling, that being plentiouslie indued therewith, the bright shining beames thereof, as from a glittering Star in the firmament, or the glorious Sunne in his orient arising, to the setting foorth of thy most glorious, inuisible, and eternall Maiestie, in this my fraile, earthlie and visible maiestie, may cleerelie shine and appeare in me, to the benefit of thy Church farre and neere. And that I remembring whose minister I am, may first aboue all things, in a perfect zeale of thy house, and loue of thy people, euer seeke thy honour and glorie, and studie continuallie [Page 267] to preserue thy people committed to my charge, in wealth, peace and godlinesse. Deere Father, so blesse mee, so loue mee, so in the spirit of counsell, prudence, knowledge and fortitude, sanctifie, strengthen, and direct me, that in a perfect faith, feare and loue, as in thy sight, I may walke vprightlie, without offence giuing, in the obedience of thy holie word, and fulfilling of thy blessed commandements all the daies of my life: and may be a true follower of that King, which is the Souereigne ouer the holie hill of Zion, whose seate and kingdome endureth for euer. Giue mee grace both thankfullie to acknowledge thy manifold great benefits bestowed vpon mee, and also faithfullie and diligentlie to discharge my dutie towards thee, and thy people, in executing thy iudgements indifferentlie without parcialitie, to the aduancement of thy kingdome, the establishment of my throne, and the vniuersall comfort and commoditie of all thy people.
Make me, good Lord, of an entire affection, and perfect hart towards thee: and of an humble and gentle spirit towards all vnder my gouernement, after the example of Christ our eternall King, who to fulfill thy will, O GOD, did vouchsafe to take flesh of the virgin Marie, and became man for man, that man might become a God vnto men: and who also did verie much abase and humble himselfe as a seruant, euen vnto the death of the Crosse, to redeeme both Prince and people out of thrall and bondage of sinne, Sathan, death and hell. Let my naturall affection and disposition, I saie, O Lord, continue to my foes terrible; to my subiects amiable; to mine offenders mercifull; to the vertuous bountifull; to all men indifferent; and parciall to none: that being guided by thee to gouerne thy people iustlie, in all godlie peace and quietnesse, I may be able with a good conscience to witnesse of mine integritie before thee and all the world, as thy faithfull seruants [Page 268] Moses, Samuel, and Nehemias somtimes did of theirs, and boldlie and trulie with them saie: Behold, here I am; beare record of me before the Lord, & before his annointed. Whose oxe, or whose asse haue I forceablie taken awaie? Or whom haue I done anie wrong to? Or whom haue I iniured or hurt? Or of whose hand haue I receiued anie bribes, to blind mine eies therewith, and I will restore it you: that my people seeing, and well perceiuing my motherlie affection, faithfull gouernement, carefull diligence, and diligent watchfulnesse ouer them, by all meanes to doo them all the good I possiblie may or can in thee, may woorthilie witnesse, rightlie answere, and iustlie confesse and saie of me, to thy glorie, and my perpetuall praise, as the Israelites heretofore said of Samuel: That I haue not grieued them, nor troubled my land by oppression or iniurie: that I haue not hurt them, nor taken ought of anie mans hand, nor by anie meanes, either by my selfe or others, willinglie abused my power, or dealt vniustlie with my people.
Oh kindle more and more in my hart, I beseech thee, most holie Father, a pure zele aboue all things to promote thy glorie, and a vigilant care, not onelie to serue thee my selfe sincerelie; but also to haue thee diligentlie serued of my familie & people. And to this end vouchsafe I praie thee, both to adorne me with all thy heauenlie gifts: and also to blesse my whole familie, court and houshold with thy graces and vertues; that all these, both high and lowe, one and other, which are placed therein vnder me, may for their vertuous life, true faith, and right religion towards thee their God: and for their loiall harts, and conscionable obedience towards me their Prince and Mistres: and for their entire affection and charitie one towards another as brethren: and lastlie, for their hartie loue and naturall good-will they beare to their Commonwelth [Page 269] and countrie, be an example and patterne of true godlinesse and puritie, both in religion and life, for all the whole Realme and countrie, yea the whole world besides to followe, as their head, fountaine and light.
Moreouer, O blessed God, as hitherto by thy mightie protection thou hast preserued me, and in thy great mercie, maugre the heads of all mine enimies, miraculouslie hast deliuered me, and established me in this my kingdome, thus long in admirable peace and blessed quietnesse, all glorie and praise be rendered vnto thy glorious name therfore: so I beseech thy gratious goodnesse, O Lord, in like mercie to blesse, preserue, maintaine, keepe and defend me, and my Realme still, from all both forreine and domesticall conspiracies, treasons, deceits, and violences of enimies, and from all other dangers and perils imminent and to come, both bodilie and ghostlie, publike and priuate: that I may still gouerne blessedlie ouer a blessed people, and my Realme and people, by thy defence and protection, continue in the truth of thy Gospell, and happie enioieng of perfect peace and quietnesse both outward and inward.
Thou, O Lord of hosts, hast ordeined me the Gouernour ouer thy people, and made my people to be thy people: and thou Lord art become our God, yea and our great and mightie God, besides whom wee haue none other God. I knowe also, my God, that thou triest the hart, and hast pleasure in righteousnesse: behold therefore, I offer, vow, and dedicate my selfe willinglie and entirelie in the vprightnesse of my hart, to serue and worship thee onelie for euer with ioie, and therfore am I thine handmaid bold to praie this praier vnto thee, beseeching thee for euer to keepe me, and to helpe me in this my good purpose of holie seruing and worshipping of thee. For that which I haue hitherto done, is nothing at all to speake of. O direct thou continuallie [Page 270] the thoughts of my mind, and prepare my hart euermore vnto thee. Giue vnto me thine handmaid a perfect hart to keepe thy commandements, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and cause me to vse my power lawfullie, to the reforming both of thy house, and estates, according to the prescript rule of thy written word & reuealed will, that so it may please thee O Lord God to confirme, for euer thy mercifull promises made vnto me in my father DAVID, and to blesse the throne or house of thy seruant, with thy blessing, that it may continue and be established before thee for euer.
And that this may the better come to passe, to the glorie of thy name, the benefit of thy Church, and wealth of my Realme, as I hartilie wish and desire: remoue far from thy Church, far from me O excellent father, all those which fall from thee by infidelitie, and are through obstinate wilfulnesse traiterous rebels to thy sacred Lawe, and sincere Religion, which I professe. Let backbiters together with such as are proud, and those that dare shameleslie presume anie thing, be vtterlie rooted out: but contrariwise, let there be space in especiallie for such as be verie zealous of the truth, that they onlie may be conuersant with me before thee, and cause me to feede them with a singular faith and innocencie, and minister all things diligentlie vnto them.
Finallie, let not the enimies of thy Gospell I beseech thee O gratious and mightie God, thus despise thy grace offered them vnto repentance: but those that are to be conuerted, conuert and turne them O God speedilie, if it be thy will. Make thou Saule at the length to become a Paule: and let not the persecutor persist in his errours, but let them rather accompt thy long suffering, and my peaceable and vnbloudie gouernement, an occasion of saluation to their soules, and of vnfeigned loue to thy Church. Otherwise, if [Page 271] they will needes remaine still disobedient to thy truth, disloiall vnto me, dangerous to the state, and enimies to their Countrie and Common-wealth, then O God of my saluation, arise, and helpe to wound the head of thine enimies, and the hearie scalpe of such as go on still in their wickednesse. Let thy right hand find out them that euerie daie prouoke thee, and reuenge thy selfe on those blasphemous hypocrites, that thus proudlie contemne thee to thy face. And as thou hast discouered them, and their peeuish practises, against thee and thine annointed, so discouer them still. As thou hast preuented their diuelish purposes, and execrable intents, so preuent them still. Yea let their firie eies waxe wearie with looking, their bloudie harts and hands faint with waiting for their golden daie, and that which commeth not yet; neither let come O Lord I beseech thee, but in thy good time, and according to thy will, a blessed and healthfull reigne vnto my selfe, much ioie and comfort to my subiects, and long peace to Zion for euermore.
Lastlie, O most mightie God, looke what remaineth yet of the happie building, enlarging and finishing of thy Church, and to the establishing and planting of thy Religion perfectlie therein, according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word, and full discharge of my dutie, when I shall be called to render an accompt before the iudgement seate of Christ: because that without thee I can do nothing, neither is it possible to please thee, do thou O father of light, from whome all good gifts doo come and proceede, vouchsafe to powre downe plentifullie of thy principall spirit vpon me, and so rauish my hart with the flame of the loue of thee and thy people, & with an earnest zeale of thy house, that with Ioseph I may carefullie and faithfullie prouide for thy people: with Moses painefullie leade them out of the deserts of errour and oppression: and with Ioshua, [Page 272] bring thy people into the land of promise: with Debora fight thy battels: with Iahel knocke Sisera of Roome in the temples of his vsurped headship: with Iudith cut off the head of proud Holophernes: with Hezekias and Iosias roote out and destroie all superstition and relikes of idolatrie: with Dauid and Salomon finish and consecrate to eternitie thy glorious Temple among thy people: and with them all most earnestlie and continuallie to praie vnto thee for their saluation. That heere on earth for the time, after their vertuous example, dooing that which is good in thy sight, reigning blessedlie, ruling prudentlie, and like a louing mother, and tender nursse, giuing my fostermilke, the foode of thy word and Gospell aboundantlie to all, in all places of my dominion, and endeuouring my selfe faithfullie to discharge the great trust committed vnto me: when thy sonne, to whome not onlie the sea and windes, but all creatures are subiect, shall come as King of kings to require an accompt of the charge committed vnto me, I may be found faithfull, and not faile finallie in heauen, but in the purenesse of my virginitie, and holinesse of mine innocencie, be presented to the Lambe my souereigne Lord and onlie God, my heauenlie Bridegroome and spirituall spouse, my euerlasting King deere Christ, and onlie sweet Sauiour Iesus, there to see the Saincts, and to be a Sainct, and with all the holie Patriarches, Iudges, Kings, and Queenes, yea with all the Archangels, Angels, Saints, Martyrs, Confessors, Uirgins, and the whole companie of thy celestiall and blessed spirits, to reigne with him ouer spirituall powers and principalities for euer, and sing the sugred songs of my wedding-daie to my perpetuall ioie, and thine eternall praise, O most glorious Trinitie, the Father, the Son, and the holie Ghost, one inuisible God almightie, blessed for euer and euer:
Amen, Amen.
Another praier to be said of the Queenes Maiestie.
BLessed art thou Lord God of Sabbaoth, for vnto thee apperteineth all magnificence, and power, and glorie, to thee belongeth all honour and authoritie.
For whatsoeuer is either in the heauens aboue, or in the earth beneath, it is thine. Thine, O Lord, is the kingdome, thou art aboue all Princes & Kings. Riches are thine, glorie is thine, and thou art Lord ouer all. In thee remaineth vertue and power, greatnesse and gouernement.
O God of my fathers, and Lord of mercie, which hast made all things by thy word, and by thy wisdome appointed man to rule the creatures which thou hast made, and to gouerne the world with equitie and iustice; I praise thee, and extoll thy glorious name, for appointing me thy seruant, to rule and gouerne this thy people committed vnto my charge.
Now therefore, gratious Lord, fauourablie behold me, that I may treade the path of truth, righteousnesse, and sinceritie of hart in thy sight.
Let me not abuse mine authoritie, but gouerne with lenitie and gentlenesse the people vnder me, that liuing a godlie and honest life, mankind may enioie their desired peace.
Giue therefore vnto thy seruant an hart desirous of instructions, that I may iudge the people, and discerne betweene good and euill, and neither declining to the right hand, or to the left, stoutelie and valiantlie mainteine the cause of the righteous.
Grant me counsell and assistance to doo such things as are gratefull vnto thee, good for thy Church, and [Page 274] profitable for my people and Common-weale.
Giue me thy wisdome, and reiect me not from thy children: for I thy seruant and handmaiden am a fraile woman of a short time, and full weake in the vnderstanding of iudgements and the lawes.
Thou hast chosen me a Gouernour of thy people, and a Iudge of thy sonnes and daughters; send mee therefore wisdome from thy sacred heauens, and from the seate of thy magnificence, that it may be with me, and labour with me, whereby I may perceiue what is acceptable in thine eies, and learne that I haue no power of my selfe, but from thee, which art Almightie, and reignest ouer the kingdomes of men, giuing them at thy pleasure.
Graunt that I neuer conceiue proudlie of my selfe, but may receiue in patience the discipline of thy Lawe.
Make me wise and circumspect, that I neither offer iniurie to anie man, neither suffer anie to be iniuried, that so equitie may be mainteined, and iustice among men preserued.
Let me at no time, vnder the shew and colour of equitie, vphold or countenance a wicked cause: neither yet without sufficient examination and triall of both parties, giue sentence against anie.
Allow me such Counsellers, Gouernours, and Ouerseers, as are of courage, fearing God, dealing vprightlie, hating couetousnesse; that by them the burthen, charge, and care which I susteine, may be somewhat lightened.
Endue both me and them with thine holie spirit, that with earnest studie, and watchfull minds, we may discerne betweene matters, that no man through our negligence haue the ouerthrowe in a righteous cause, but that sentence be rightlie pronounced betweene a man and his brother, and a stranger, without respect of anie person in iudgement.
[Page 275] Let vs heare as well the little as the great, and feare no man, because the iudgement is thine, which standest in the companie of iudges, and among the gods thou plaiest the Iudge; for the iudgement is not of man, but of the Lord, and whatsoeuer we shall iudge it will come vpon vs.
Wherefore, let thy feare be with vs, that we may doo all things with care and circumspection, that we prooue not children in vnderstanding: neither giue our selues to lusts & pleasures, but to eate our meate in due season, and that for strength, not for dronkennes.
For thou wilt make earnest and diligent inquirie of all our works, and search all our cogitations, because we are thy seruants and deputies to gouerne, men of a verie short life: and he which is to daie a King, to morowe may be dead: for we be all mortall, and subiect to one and the same corruption.
Besides, an horrible iudgement is nigh for such as walke not after the will of thee our God: for he that is most lowe, shall finde mercie: but the mightie shall be mightilie tormented: for thou which art the Lord ouer all, regardest not the person of anie, neither doest thou feare the greatnesse of the mightie, because as well the great as the small are the workemanship of thine hands; thy care is equall ouer all, & thou giuest to godlie Princes eternall happinesse, which art the Iudge both of the quicke and dead, liuing and reigning with thy Son in the vnitie of the Spirit a God for euermore,
Amen.
Another.
FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee O King of kings, and Lord of lords, to appoint me among other, a Ruler of thy people: giue mee grace I beseech thee so to minister the Common-weale, and so to execute mine office, that I may please thee, and hurt no man in all my dooings, but [Page 276] iudge equallie, and iustlie rule according to thy will, shew my selfe a Mother vnto thy people, and so be haue my selfe in all mine enterprises, that I seeking thy glorie, the furtherance of thy blessed Gospell, and the weale of thy subiects, may, when thou shalt render to euerie one according to his deedes, be found blamelesse in thy sight, through Iesus Christ our Lord:
Amen.
Another.
OAlmightie God, Lord of heauen and earth, which hast appointed me thy seruant to bee a gouernour of thy people, and a ruler ouer men: I most humblie beseech thee send me thy wisdome from aboue, whereby I may vprightlie iudge thy people, rightlie discerne betweene good and euill, and constantlie continue in dooing my dutie, without respect of persons.
Giue me power and wisdome to do that is gratefull in thy sight, profitable for my subiects, and good for the continuance of peace.
Let me alwaies remember that I haue no power of my selfe, but of thee, and that the iudgement is not of man, but of thee my God, which standest among the iudges, and plaiest the Iudge among the gods.
Giue me grace likewise to consider, that one daie, how soone I knowe not, thou wilt bring me to a reckning, and make diligent inquirie, how I haue behaued my selfe in my place and office.
For I thy seruant haue but a short race to run, and such is the state of vs all; he which is to daie a King, to morrowe may be dead.
And forasmuch as an horrible iudgement shall be giuen vpon such as rule not vprightlie, nor walke after thy will; for mightie men shall mightisie be tormented: thou being Lord ouer all, wilt spare no person, nor feare anie greatnesse, for thou hast made the small and [Page 277] great, and carest for all alike.)
I beseech thee gratious and eternall God, giue mee grace to learne what thy will is, and to deale wiselie, to infer none iniurie vnto anie, nor to suffer anie to be iniured, to countenance none euill cause, nor to slide from the path of iustice.
For I thy seruant am a fraile person, of a short time, and full weake in the vnderstanding of iudgments, and the lawes.
Send me therefore wisdome from the throne of thy Maiestie, that she may be with me, & labour with me, that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sight, and be led by hir in all my dooings, and preserued by hir power, so shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I gouerne thy people righteouslie in Christ my Lord and Sauiour,
Amen.
Another.
HEare mee, O LORD, thou high and mightie God, whose Maiestie may not bee comprehended, whose worde is true, whose commandement is strong, thou that ridest vpon the Cherubins, & fliest with the wings of the wind. Thou God of all mercie, most woorthie to be sought, before whome the hosts of heauen stand with trembling, whose ordinance is dreadfull, whose lookes drie vp the depths, whose hands rule the starrie firmament, whose goodnesse onelie giueth the fruits of the earth, whose wrath maketh the mountaines to melt, and consumeth the wicked, whose truth beareth witnesse, and mercie saueth the sorowfull sinner. Thou, thou incomprehensible Creator, that neuer tookest beginning, [Page 278] and wantest end. Sith of nothing thou hast wrought me (with the woonders of the world) to thy most seemelie shape, and vouchsafest thy dririe death and passion, to drowne the danger of my sinful deserts, and hast as a carefull captaine, cherished my bodie with comfortable gifts vnto this present daie: continue, O God, such goodnesse towards me vnwoorthie, which doo here with contrite hart, and bowed knees appeale to the heigth of thy mercie, and louing kindnesse, to accept mine vnequall thanks for the same: humblie beseeching thy fatherlie goodnesse, that thy holie hand may stil renew in me thy former gifts plentiouslie powred vpon me from the prime of my birth vnto this present: not remembring, good Lord, mine vnwoorthinesse of the same, nor frailtie of my passed yeeres, that speaketh against me; but altering the ministers of thy wrath into mild mercie. Grant I beseech thee, that through the assistance of thy holie spirit I may be led to correct that is amisse, and that I may now perseuere in setting, ordering, and reforming all my trauels, counsels, and studies, as best may accord with thy blessed will, and cancell the bonds of my heauie charge; wherein assist me, most puissant Prince of all power, with thy prudent skill and heauenlie grace, that I may be truelie able to aduance iustice, and to hate wrong, and so be found a faithfull minister ouer thy people. In whom plant, I beseech thee, thy heauenlie grace and feare, with obedience towards mee thy minister, and kindle in me the loue of thy holie spirit, that I may perseuere in the truth of thy word, without doubt or wauering to the end. Grant this, oh mightie God of hosts, for the merits and passion of thy deere sonne my Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ,
AMEN.
The praier of King SALOMON for Wisdome to gouerne well. Wisd. 9.
O GOD of my fathers, and Lord of mercie, which hast made all things with thy word, and ordeined man through thy wisdome, that he should haue dominion ouer the creatures which thou hast made, and gouerne the world according to equitie and righteousnesse, and execute iudgement with an vpright hart. Giue me wisdome, which is euer sitting aboue thy seate, and put me not out from among thy children. For I thy seruant and handmaid am a feeble person, and of a short time, and yet lesse in the vnderstanding of iudgements and the lawes. And though a man be neuer so perfect among the children of men; yet if thy wisdome be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded. Thou hast chosen me to be a QVEENE vnto thy people, and the Iudge of thy sonnes & daughters. Thou hast commanded mee to maintaine thy Church, which from the beginning thou hast chosen.
Oh send out of thy holie heauens therefore vnto me, that thy wisdome, wherewith thou madest the world, gouernest thy works, and knowest what is acceptable in thy sight, & right in thy commandements. Send hir, I saie, from the throne of thy Maiestie, that shee may be with mee, and labour with me, that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sight, and right in thy commandements. For she knoweth and vnderstandeth all things, and she shall leade me soberlie in all my works, and preserue mee by hir power and glorie: so shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I gouern thy people righteouslie, and be well and woorthie to sit in my fathers throne,
Amen.
Holie Praiers, and godlie Meditations, desciphering in Alphabeticall forme, the Roiall name of our vertuous Souereigne Queene ELIZABETH, properlie to be vsed of hir Maiestie.
ELIZABETH.
E
O GOD, which dwellest in light that no man can attaine. O God, which art hid, and canst not be seene with bodilie eies, nor comprehended with anie vnderstanding, neither expressed with the tongue of men, or Angels. O my God, what is it to be righteous in thy sight? It is that wee should bee without sinne before thee, which no man euer was since the fall of Adam. For which cause the holie Prophet DAVID saith in this wise: Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, O Lord: for no flesh is righteous in thy sight. If then no flesh be righteous in thy sight; O vnhappie that I am, loden and burdened with sinne, who shall haue pitie or compassion on mee, or whither shall I go? My sinnes are euer before me, mine vnrighteousnesse condemneth me. What shall I doo? Shall I despaire? God forbid. For mercifull, [Page 281] meeke, and louing is my Sauiour. My refuge therfore shall be in my God: for certaine I am, he will not forsake his owne image, neither wil he forsake the worke of his owne hands. Wherfore most meeke, louing, and mercifull Father, to thee come I all sad and sorowfull. But what shall I saie vnto thee? I will saie: Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, O Lord: for no flesh is righteous in thy sight. And againe, I will with the Prophet powre out before thee the words of sorrowe. I will hartilie beseech thee, saieng: Haue mercie on me, O God, haue mercie on me, according to thy great mercie: not after the mercie of men, but after thy great mercie, which is incomprehensible, which is vnmeasurable, and which passeth all sinnes without comparison. According therefore vnto that thy great mercie, by the which thou hast so loued the world, that thou gauest thy sonne for it; by the which thou hast taken awaie all our sinnes; by the which through his crosse thou hast lightened all men; by the which also thou hast restored all things in heauen, and in earth: wash me, I saie, O Lord, wash me in his bloud, restore me in his resurrection, and iustifie me by thy grace and fauour, and the redemption which is in Christ,
AMEN.
L
THy mercie, O Lord, is the abundance of pitie; thy compassions are the works and processe of thy mercie; by the one thou lookest gentlie on the poore and wretched: by the other thou forgiuest the multitude of sinnes. O sweet, and mercifull Sauiour [Page 282] Iesus Christ, the sorowfull and penitent sinner Marie Magdalen came prostrate before thy feet, she washed them with hir bitter teares, she wiped them with the heares of hir head: thou forgauest all hir sinnes, and sentest hir awaie in peace: this was, good Lord, one of thy compassions. Peter thrise denied thee; and forsooke thee with an oth: thou mercifullie lookedst on him, and he beholding thee bitterlie wept: and thou Lord forgauest him; which was another of thy compassions. The theefe on the Crosse was saued with one word: Paule in the furious madnesse of persecution was called, and by and by was filled with the holie Ghost: these all Lord are thy pitifull compassions.
Sith therefore that thou art the same our GOD, with whome is no alteration, neither shadowe of change; and sith there is but one Mediatour and attonement betweene God and man, that is Christ Iesus, which endureth for euer; why doost thou not powre out thy plentious compassions vpon vs, as well as thou didst vpon our forefathers? Why standest thou so far, O Lord, and hidest thy face in the needfull tune of trouble? Hast thou forsaken vs? Or are all thy mercies spent, and none left? O Lord my God, I hartilie beseech thee, & most humblie praie thee, that thou wilt, according to the multitude of thy compassions, wipe awaie all mine iniquities: that as thou hast drawne and receiued innumerable sinners vnto thee, and hast made them righteous in thy sight: euen so thou wilt vouchsafe to drawe and take me, and also to make mee righteous through thy grace, and so to clense and purifie my hart; that after all mine iniquities and vncleannesse put out, it may be as a cleane table, in the which thy finger, O GOD, may write the lawe of thy loue and charitie,
AMEN.
I
BEhold good Lord, now are the daies of sorowe, now are the daies of calamitie; and now is the time wherein I must call on thee. For now feele I mine old cankered and festered sores of sinne readie to breake foorth in me, to my vtter confusion. Behold good Lord, all my desires, and all my lamentable and sorowfull sighes, I powre them all before thee; crieng and saieng, O Lord cleanse me from my sinnes: for I am vncleane and filthie before thee. Increase therefore thy light in me, that I may be a vessell of thy grace: kindle my hart with thy loue; put out all feare: for perfect loue expelleth feare. Let the loue of the world, the loue of the flesh, the loue of vaine-glorie, and the loue of my selfe, vtterlie depart from me: that I may (through thy mercie) be cleansed from mine iniquities, by the which I haue offended thee. Cleanse me therefore, O Lord, with the water of thy gratious fauour, of which water he that drinketh, shall no more thirst, but it shall be made in him a fountaine of liuing water, running and flowing into eternall life. Cleanse mee I saie, O Lord, with the water of thy weeping teares; cleanse me with the comfortable waters of thy sacred Scriptures, that I may be numbred among them, vnto whome thou saiedst: Now are yee cleane through the words that I haue spoken to you:
AMEN.
Z
O Mercifull God, how manie sinnes haue I don in thy sight, which I would in no wise haue done before mortall men? I feared men more than thee, because I was blind, and loued blindnesse. I had onlie eies of flesh, therfore did I onlie feare and looke on men which are flesh. O my God, behold, I stand before thy face, that I might finde mercie. I stand before thy goodnesse and benignitie, looking for thy fauorable answere: haue mercie therefore on me. Thou saiedst to Zache, This daie I will abide in thy house, and he ioifullie receiuing thee, said; Lord, the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore, and if I haue done anie man wrong, I will restore him fourefold. But Lord Iesu, I will not part halfe that I haue, but I bequeath my selfe wholie vnto thee, reseruing nothing from thee, promising to serue thee for euer with a cleane and pure hart. O sweet Lord Iesus, what sawest thou in Zache? euen thine owne image, for he had cast off the image of the diuell, which before was on him, and had put on him thine image. If then thou didst see in Zache, by putting from him the image of the diuell, that which did drawe thee to his house; take then from me, sweet Iesus, all my sinnes and wickednesse; all I praie thee, that none may remaine in me, which may keepe thee from me; that I may put off, as Zache did, that euill which is in me; that thou maist see in me, which thou [Page 285] sawest in Zache, that when thou shalt call me out of the figtree of this miserable world, thou maist saie vnto me, Come downe, for this daie I will abide with thee:
AMEN.
A
ALas my Lord and Sauiour, my hart hath forsaken thee, it is turned from thee, and is gone astraie: it is wandered into strange countries, and ensueth vanities: hir eies are in the vttermost part of the world. It is lost, gone, and sold vnder sinne. It is stonie, yea harder than the Flint or Adamant stone, which relented and yeelded at thy sonnes death. What now Lord? What shall I saie? A pure hart create in me, a fleshie hart, a mollified and soft hart, an humble hart, a penitent hart, a mercifull hart, a deuout hart, a religious and zealous hart: yea and such a hart as will loue thee aboue all things. Create therefore good Lord such a hart in me, that it may be of such efficacie through thy grace, as nature is not able to make it. Giue me also a right spirit, that I may loue and worship thee, which art the chiefe and principall spirit. For thou art a spirit, and wilt be worshipped in spirit and veritie. My soule, good Lord, is also a spirit, and so made of thee, that of it selfe it is right. For of hir owne nature she loueth thee aboue hir selfe, and desireth all things for thy glorie; so that hir owne naturall loue is right, because it commeth of thee. Make stedfast therefore in me, O Lord, through thy gratious fauour, this spirit; that it may, according to his owne nature, leade and keepe me in the waie of thy commandements; [Page 286] and that by it my heart may be so inflamed with heauenlie loue, that it may cause me to sigh vnto thee, to embrace thee continuallie, and neuer to forsake thee; but alwaies to be firme and constant in thee. Giue me therefore an vpright spirit, not seeking hir owne glorie, but thy will and glorie. Renew it in me, I praie thee good Lord; renew it I saie, for my sins haue quenched the first that thou gauest me,
AMEN.
B
TO thee onlie O Lord it is proper to forgiue, and to be mercifull, for through mercie and forgiuenesse thou dooest declare thine almightinesse. I graunt therefore Lord, and confesse, that against thee onlie I haue offended, and haue done that which is euill in thy sight. Haue mercie therefore on me O Lord, haue mercie. Expresse and shewe foorth thine omnipotencie in me, that thou maist be iustified in thy words. For it is written, Thou camest not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Graunt me therefore good Lord a true repentant hart, and iustifie me according to thy words. Call me, receiue me, and giue me thy grace; so that thereby I may do the works of repentance. Thou saiedst, When I am lifted vp from the earth, I will drawe all vnto my selfe. Uerifie Lord the words on me, drawe me after thee, and let me run with thee in the sweetenesse of thine ointments. Againe, thou saiedst, Come vnto me all yee that labour, and are loden, and I will ease you. Behold [Page 287] my Lord and my God, I a sinner do come vnto thee, all loden with sinnes, daie and night, labouring in the sorowe of my hart for thy grace and mercie. Refresh and ease me therefore good Lord, that thou maist be iustified and proued, when thou art iudged. For there are manie, which saie, There is no helpe for him in his God. Ouercome Lord these persons, when thou art thus iudged of them, and forsake not me at anie time: but giue to me thy creature thy mercie and pardon, and then are they vanquished which saie, There is no helpe for him in his God,
AMEN.
E
IT is a great thing, O heauenlie father, that I desire of thee; seeing thou art a great Lord, and King aboue all gods. He doth thee iniurie which asketh of thee small things; and he which asketh of thee bodilie things, asketh but vaine trifles. He therefore that desireth spirituall things, desireth great things: but he that desireth thy ioie and sauing health, desireth the greatest thing thou hast to giue. What is thy sauing health, but Iesus Christ thy onlie sonne, which is verie God and euerlasting life? And forsomuch as thou hast bin so louing and liberall a father, as to giue him vnto the death of the crosse, and there to offer him for me; why should I be ashamed to aske him of thee, whome thou hast giuen for me? Giue me therefore thy principall spirit, that I may reioice in thy sauing health. And forsomuch as in thy holie word thou biddest me aske and knocke, euen till I see me [Page 288] importunate, and what can I aske that should be more wholesome to me, than that thou shouldest make me reioice in thy sonne our sauing health? I will therfore continuallie crie to thee, saieng: Make me againe to reioice in thy sauing helth, and restore to me againe the thing which my sinnes haue lost. Restore to me that which through my fault is perished in me. Restore me I beseech thee for his mercies sake, that euer sitteth on thy right hand, and maketh intercession for me, that by his gratious fauour, I may at my last end enioie the fruitfull benefite of thy sauing health:
AMEN.
T
WHat meaneth it to saie, Thou louest truth; but that of thy gratious mercie thou makest vs promises, and fulfillest them for thy truths sake? Thou didst promise vnto Abraham a sonne when he was aged: thou fulfilledst thy promise in old and barren Sara, because thou louest truth. Thou madest promise vnto Dauid thy seruant, saieng: Of the fruit of thy bodie will I set vpon the regall throne: and it came to passe, because thou louest truth. Thou hast promised vnto sinners, which will come vnto thee, forgiuenesse and fauour, and thou hast neuer defrauded anie man: for thou louest truth. There are other innumerable promises, in the which thou hast euer bene faithfull, because thou louest truth. Loue therefore, O father of mercies, this truth in me, which with repentant hart turneth to thee. Behold therefore thy creature, in whome thou maist keepe it, and to whome thou [Page 289] maist forgiue manie sinnes. Spare good Lord, spare thy seruant, and command me to be of the number of the babes; that the vnknowne things of thy wisdome, which thou hast opened vnto me, may lead me vnto the fountaine of wisdome, which is on high; that thou maist be praised in the works of thy mercie, which thou dooest exercise towards thy seruant, O LORD, which neuer forsakest them that trust in thee:
AMEN.
H
MY mouth, Lord, shall shew foorth thy glorious fame. For I knowe it to be most acceptable before thee, seeing thou hast declared it by the mouth of the Prophet, saieng: The sacrifice of praise shall glorifie me; by which meane (saith the Lord) I shall be entised to shew him my sauing health. Psal. 48. Therefore will I offer praise vnto thee for my sinnes, euen the praise of infants and sucklings. And why shall I offer praise for my sinnes, rather than sacrifice? Bicause thou delightest not in burnt sacrifice. For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I had surelie offered them: but thou delightest not in them. And againe, thou saiedst, I require mercie, and not sacrifice. Ose. 6. Therefore my mouth shall shew foorth thy praise, bicause thereby I doo shew foorth thy honour, and it sheweth me through thy grace the waie to my sauing health. O Lord, thou madest the bodie for the spirit, therfore seekest thou spirituall things, and not bodilie things. For thou saiest, My sonne giue thy hart vnto me. Prou. 23. [Page 290] which is the sacrifice that pleaseth thee. Let me therefore offer vnto thee, O Lord, a hart repenting and sorrowing for my sinnes; and inflame it with a desired loue of heauenlie things, and then wilt thou desire no more of me: for with such sacrifices wilt thou, O Lord, be pleased,
AMEN.
REGINA.
R
MY sinnes, O Lord, are so manie, that the burden of them hath weakened me. My bones are so bruised, my sinewes are so shrunken, my strength so faileth me, the rod of thy displeasure hath so chastened me, that I feele no helpe in my selfe. I appeale therfore, O Lord, to thy mercie, crieng out with the prodigall and vnthriftie sonne, saieng: O Father, I haue sinned against heauen, and before thee; haue mercie therefore, haue mercie on me; not bicause I haue deserued thy mercie, but bicause thou art mercifull. Sith therefore thou art mercifull, what art thou, but euen the verie mercie it selfe? And what am I but verie miserie? Behold therefore, O God, which art mercie, behold miserie is before thee. What shalt thou doo, O mercie? Trulie thy works. Canst thou go backe from thy nature? And what is thy nature? Uerelie to [Page 291] take awaie miserie. Haue mercie therefore on mee, O God. God, which art mercie, take awaie my miserie: for the depth of miserie requireth the depth of mercie. The depth of sinne requireth the depth of grace and fauour. Greater is the depth of mercie, than the depth of miserie. Let therfore, good Lord, the one depth swallowe vp the other. Let the bottomlesse depth of mercie swallowe vp the depth of miserie,
AMEN.
E
O Sweet Iesus, who euer came to thee with a pure and stedfast faith, and went awaie confused? Or who euer desired thy fauour, and went without it? Surelie thou passest in thine abundant pitie, both the deseruings and also the desires of them that praie vnto thee. For thou giuest more than man can desire. The woman of Canaan followed thee, she cried and made a pitious noise; she mooued thy Disciples to compassion, & worshipped thee, and said: Lord helpe me; but yet wouldest thou not answere. Yet shee trusting in thy mercie, praied againe, saieng: Lord helpe me. Unto whose importunitie thou diddest answere, saieng: It is not good to take the childrens bread, and cast it vnto dogs. O Lord, who would not haue beene confounded, and haue gotten him awaie at these thy words? And yet did this woman continue still in praier, and said: It is truth Lord that thou saiest: it is not meete to cast the childrens bread vnto dogs. But yet Lord, the dogs doo eate of the crums which fall from the childrens table. And thou Lord reioicing [Page 292] in hir great constancie, didst saie: O woman, great is thy faith, be it vnto thee as thou desirest. Now therefore sweet and mercifull Lord Iesu, as thou diddest vouchsafe to accept and heare the praier of Cornelius, and of this woman of Canaan; so I hartilie beseech thee to heare my humble praiers, which I make daie and night before thee; not onelie that thou shouldest deliuer me from bodilie oppressions, but also from the spirituall power of the diuell, that after this mortall life I may come to thy blessed presence, in the euerlasting kingdome, where thou reignest God with the Father, and the holie Ghost:
AMEN.
G
THy praise is a great thing, O Lord: for it proceedeth out of the fountaine whereof no sinners drinke. There is no glorious praise in the mouth of a sinner. Deliuer me therefore O Lord from the waie of sinners, and my tongue shall magnifie thy righteousnesse; and my lips and my mouth shall shew foorth thy praise. Thou hast the key of Dauid, which shuttest, and no man openeth; and openest, and no man shutteth. Therefore open thou my lips, as thou hast opened the mouths of infants, out of whose mouths thou hast established thy praise. Trulie the Prophets and Apostles, and all other thy Saints praised thee, & despised themselues. The sucklings extoll thy fame and glorie, which they knowe through thy heauenlie [Page 293] and celestiall grace. Thy friends, which spreading thy glorie, haue conuerted innumerable soules from sinne vnto vertue and true felicitie. Thy beloued haue openlie preached thy bountious gentlenesse, and mercifull fauour, which thou shewest in thy deere sonne vnto all the world. Now therefore mercifull God, giue me true humilitie, that thou maist stablish thy praise by my mouth. Make me as one of the infants and sucklings, that I may euer hang on the paps of thy wisdome. For thy paps, O Lord, are better than wine, and thy wisdome better than riches. Make me as one of thy friends or beloued, that I may constantlie abide in thee, that my mouth and voice may among the sucklings extoll and set foorth thy praise, saieng and singing, Ozanna in the highest,
AMEN.
I
I Sope, Lord, is a lowe herbe, it is hot, and of a good sauour, which signifieth nothing else, but thine onlie sonne Iesus Christ, which humbled himselfe vnto death, euen vnto the death of the Crosse; which with the heate of his feruent loue loued vs, and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud; which also with the redolent and sweet sauor of his beneuolence and righteousnesse hath replenished the world. Therefore with this Isope shalt thou, O holie Father, sprinkle me, when thou shalt powre vpon me the vertue and bloud of thy deere sonne Christ, when he through faith [Page 294] shall dwell in me; when through loue I am ioined with him, when I shall imitate and followe his humilitie and passion, then shall I be cleansed from all mine vncleannesse. Then shalt thou wash me with mine owne teares, which flowe out of the loue of thy sonne Christ. Then shall I sigh till I be wearie: then shall I water my bed euerie night with my teares, so that it shall swimme in them; and then Lord shalt thou wash me, and I shall be whiter than snowe,
AMEN.
N
THy will is, O heauenlie father, that we do beleeue in thy beloued sonne, whome thou hast sent. Thy will is, that we beleeue that he, whome thou hast sent, is come in the flesh. And thy will is, that we imitate and keepe his saieng. Thy will is also, that we should heare him. For thou spakest from heauen, saieng: This is my welbeloued Sonne, in whome I delight, heare him. Giue me therefore, O heauenlie father, a stedfast faith, a strong faith, yea such a faith, that no tribulation, that no vexation, that no persecution may cause me to denie thy Son whom thou hast sent: but that I may with a pure and constant faith confesse him to be come in the flesh, for the redemption of the world; and that I may imitate and folowe him, that I may keepe his saieng, who was deliuered for my sinnes, and was raised againe for my iustification. Giue me also, O holie father, a perfect [Page 295] hearing, and not a corrupt hearing; but that I may, through the teaching of the holie Ghost, heare thee out of the Prophets, out of the Apostles, out of the pen of the Euangelists, and out of the mouth of thy Spouse the Catholike Church: to whome thou saiedst, I will send you a comforter, euen my spirit, which shall leade you into all truth. Grant me O Lord this spirit, for there is none that can saie Iesus is the Lord, but by this thy holie spirit,
AMEN.
A
A Broken and troubled spirit, and not broken and troubled flesh pleaseth thee O Lord. For the flesh is broken and vexed, because it hath not the carnall things that it desireth, or else feeleth in it selfe things which it hateth. The spirit is broken and vnquieted for his fault, because it hath offended against God, whom it loueth. He soroweth that he hath sinned against his maker and redeemer, and that he hath not regarded such a good and louing father. This broken and sorowing spirit, is vnto thee, O Lord, a sacrifice of most sweet sauour, which notwithstanding hath his confection of most bitter spices, euen of the remembrance of his sinnes. For when our sinnes are gathered together into the morter of the hart, and beaten with the pestle of compunction, and made into powder, and moistened with the water of teares, therof is made an ointment, and sacrifice most sweet, which being offered to thee, O Lord, thou wilt not despise. Marie Magdalen, which was a great sinner, made [Page 296] such an ointment, and put it into the Alablaster boxe of hir hart. She feared not to enter into the Pharises house, and there humbling hir selfe at thy feete, sweet Lord, washed them with hir teares, wiped them with hir heare, and annointed them with most pretious ointment, and ceassed not to kisse them. Surelie Lord, hir sacrifice was right acceptable, and pleased thee, so that thou preferredst it aboue the Pharisie, which in his owne sight was righteous. O Lord, great is thy power, great is thy might, which declareth it selfe most chieflie in sparing and hauing compassion on sinners: shewing to vs, that a contrite and humble hart thou wilt not despise.
Accept therefore sweete Lord Iesu, this my sacrifice of praise, proceeding out of a broken and sorowfull hart. And if it be vnperfect, amend thou the fault, mercifull Lord, which onlie art of power to doo it; that it may be an holie and acceptable sacrifice, inflamed with the feruent heate of thy bountious charitie; that it may be acceptable vnto thee, or at the least, that thou despise it not. I knowe well that I shall find fauour in thy sight, and that heereafter none of thy Saincts, either in heauen or in earth, shall despise me. Accomplish therefore in me euen now O Lord, that which I so oft do craue of thee, which is, that thou wilt haue compassion on me, according to thy great mercie; and that also thou wilt receiue me for a sacrifice of righteousnesse, for a holie oblation, for a burnt sacrifice of good liuing, and for a Calfe to be offered vpon thine Altar or Crosse: by the which I may passe this vale of miserie, vnto that ioie, which thou preparest for them that loue thee,
AMEN.
* ANOTHER. ELIZABETH.
E
ENgraue thy lawes in the depth of my heart, O Lord, that being instructed in thy commandements, I may serue thee in feare, and reioice in thee with trembling, and take hold vpon thy discipline in all things: least at anie time thou become angrie, and I perish from the right waie,
Amen.
L
LORD giue me helpe from my trouble: for vaine is the helpe of man, in thee I haue strength, and thou bringest vnto nothing those things which trouble me: let my soule be subiect vnto thee. For from thee proceedeth my patience. For thou art my God and Sauiour, my helper, and I will not depart from thee. In thee is my helth and my glorie, thou art the God of my helpe, and my helpe is in thee,
Amen.
I
I Haue broken thy fold, and wandered long as a lost sheepe: let me returne, O Lord, bicause I haue not forgotten thy commandements. The misdeeds and ignorances of my tender yeers remember not Lord, but according to thy mercie haue mind on me. For thy goodnesse, O Lord, keepe my soule, and deliuer me: let me not be ashamed, bicause I haue trusted in thee. Turne my heauinesse into ioie, cut off my sacke of sorowes, and gird me with gladnes, that my glorie may signe vnto thee, and I shall not be greeued.
Z
ZORobabel King of Iuda in the depth of thy displeasure tasted of thy mercie and receiued by the mouth of Aggeus thy Prophet sweete comfort and knowledge of thy fauour and grace: yea after thy determination to destroie the whole kingdome of the heathen, thy right hand did preserue him, and thine incomparable mercie did choose him for a seale to thy selfe. Lord, this happie King in thy goodnesse was but an earthlie creature, and then could he haue no righteousnesse in himselfe to moue such thy compassion. If it proceeded from the multitude of thy mercies, that surmount the iniquities of the whole world, and that thou didst onlie vouchsafe to behold in him the image of thy selfe: bow downe thine eies, Lord, and behold the selfe-same in me. Certifie my conscience with remission of my sinnes, that my sorowfull soule may be at rest within me. Send downe thy holie spirit to remaine with me, that I may become with that good King thy chosen seale and seruant: and so graunt thy people, that I may with them, and they with me, neuer deserue further than to tast of thy rod of fauorable correction: but that all my labours and studies may euer bend to the performance of thy holie will, and discharge of my dutie,
Amen.
A
ARise and illuminate my mind (most benigne Sauiour) that I sleepe not at anie time in death, least mine enimies saie, they haue preuailed against me. They which trouble me, will be glad, if I be cast downe: but I haue fixed my hope in thy mercie. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for no liuing creature shall be iustified in thy sight. I will euer looke vpon the Lord, for he shalbe on my right [Page 299] hand, that I be not mooued. For this my hart is glad, and my tongue reioiceth, yea moreouer my flesh shall rest in hope,
Amen.
B
BE thou vnto me O Lord in the daie time a defendour, and in the night season a place of refuge, that thou maist saue me: for thou art my strength, and vnto thee I flie. Lord God deliuer me from the hand of sinners, and from the Lawe-breaker, and the wicked dooer: for thou Lord art my patience, thou art my hope, euen from my youth. In thee I am confirmed euen from my mothers wombe: thou art my protector, in thee shall be my song for euer and euer,
Amen.
E
EUER my tongue shall be telling of thy rich mercie and woonderous works O Lord, for thou hast caused me to passe through fire and water, and led me into a fresh place; thou hast giuen my soule life, and hast not suffered my feete to fall. According to the multitude of my sorowes, thy comforts haue made my soule merrie. My soule is like a Sparowe taken out of the Fowlers snare. Thou hast deliuered my life from death, and my hands from bloud, that I may please thee O Lord in the light of the liuing,
Amen.
T
THOU art iust, O Lord, and all thy commandements be true; and all thy waies mercie, truth and iudgement. And now Lord be mindfull of me, take not reuengement of my sinnes, remember not mine offences, neither the offences of my fathers, because we haue not obeied thy precepts. Giue me an hart of vnderstanding, and set thy feare alwaies [Page 300] before mine eies, that I may be obedient in word, deed and thought, to all that is thy will. Lord giue vnto me the power of thy holie spirit, to rule and gouerne thy people committed to my charge, in all godlie feare, and knowledge of thy word, and that I may be vnto them an example in all godlinesse and vertue, to the praise of thy holie name,
Amen.
H
HEALE me Lord, and I shall be healed; saue me, and I shall be saued. My life cleaueth vnto the earth. Quicken me according to thy word, according to thy mercie releeue me; and I will keepe the testimonies of thy lips. Helpe me Lord, so shall I be safe, and I will from hencefoorth studie thy righteousnesse. Thy mercies are manie O Lord, according to thy word restore my health,
AMEN.
REGINA.
R
REgard my praiers, O thou God of my life; leaue me not in the thoughts of euill. Deliuer me from the wicked man: let not the foote of pride come vpon me, and to vaine-glorie giue me not. Take from me all sinfull lusts: let no desire of vncleannesse take hold vpon me: giue me not ouer to an vnshamefast and obstinate mind, but correct me in thy mercie: for into thy hands I commit me,
Amen.
E
ENter thy iudgements in the tables of my hart, destroie mine affections with thy loue: send thy wisdome from the holie heauens, and from the seate of thy Maiestie, that she may be with me, and labour with me, that I may knowe what thing is acceptable before thee, and may iudge the people righteouslie, and discerne betweene good and euill.
G
GRatious Lord, thou that art the most high God aboue all the earth, long-suffering, and of much mercie, sorowing the sinnes of man: and of thy great goodnesse hast promised to the penitent remission of sinnes: Lord I haue sinned, mine iniquitie is multiplied aboue the sands of the sea, and there is no hope of life in me, because I haue stirred thee to anger, in multiplieng offences before thee. And now, O Lord, trusting in thy mercie, I bow the knees of my hart, beseeching thee of thy goodnesse, destroie me not togither with mine iniquitie. For the dead, whose soules are out of their bodies, can neither praise nor thanke thee: but the sorowfull hart, and the thirstie soule ascribe praise vnto thee. O Lord, I powre my praiers before thee, and require mercie in thy sight; saue me which am vnwoorthie, and reserue not eternall punishment for mee. For thine owne sake I aske it, and will praise thee all the daies of my life,
Amen.
I
ILluminate my hart, O Lord, with the light of thy word: leade me Lord in thy waie, and I shall enter into thy truth. Print thy feare in my hart, that I may reioice in thee. Let thy word be a lanterne vnto [Page 302] my feet, and a lampe of light vnto my paths, so shall I not erre from the right waie: but walke like a pure and wise virgin with an vpright hart, chaste mind, and cleane conscience, and single eie before thee this daie and euermore,
Amen.
N
NEuer will I cease to call vpon thee, most mightie God of hosts, which sittest vpon the Cherubins, and hast dominion ouer all the kingdoms of the earth. Thou which madest the heauens, & all things comprehended in them, bow downe thine eare and heare, open thine eies and behold: saue mee from the hand of mine aduersaries, suffer no euill to happen vnto me, that all the people may knowe that thou alone art my God,
Amen.
A
ASsist mee, O Lord my God, with thy heauenlie grace, and renew in mee a right spirit, that I may receiue strength & ablenesse to doo thy righteous will, and to stand against all the assaults of wilie Satan, that they may haue no place in mee: but that the old man, which I beare about in my bodie, may be crucified, and dailie die in me, that the desire of sinne, errour, and of worldlie vanities may vtterlie be destroied, that I may euermore be renewed in the spirit of my mind, that the life of my Sauiour Christ may alwaies appeare in me: to whome with the Father, and the holie Ghost, be all honour, triumph and glorie, for euer and euer,
Amen.
The versicle.
EUen now and euer vouchsafe, O LORD, for thy deere sonnes sake to heare my humble petitions.
The answere.
REceiue my praiers, I saie, O GOD, and in thy truth and mercie pardon mine offences, and grant mee thy grace.
The Collect.
O Emanuel, my Lord and my GOD Iesus Christ, sonne of the pure virgin Marie: thou art not onelie the sweete spouse of my soule; but with God the Father a most meeke Mediatour, full of mercie and truth. Wash awaie my sinnes with the most pretious bloud of thy holie passion: make me rich in thy mercie, and my faith so strong in thee, that assisted with thy grace and holie spirit, to all duties and works in this life towards thee, I may enioie afterwards the glorie of thy blessed kingdome, with thy holie Saints and pure Uirgins in euerlasting honour and triumph,
Amen.
The Praier.
O Roote of Iesse, my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, which hast redeemed all mankind from sinne, death and hell, thou which hast said: I am the waie, truth, and life. The waie in doctrine, commandements, and examples; truth in promises; life in reward. I praie thee by thine ineffable loue, wherewith thou hast vouchsafed wholie to bestowe thy selfe for our securitie; that thou wilt not suffer me euer to straie from thee, bicause thou art the waie: nor at anie time to distrust thy promses, which art the truth, and performest whatsoeuer thou promisest: neither let me rest in anie other thing, bicause thou art eternall life, without the which there is nothing that ought to be desired, neither in heauen nor in earth.
By thee we learne the sure and expedient passage [Page 304] vnto true helth, that we wander no longer in the Laberinth of this world. Thou hast exactlie taught what to beleeue, and what to doo, what to hope for, and in whom we ought to rest. By thee wee learne how wee were of that first Adam vnfortunatelie borne: by thee we are assured there is no hope of health but through faith in thee: that thou art the onlie brightnesse, which giuest light to all men trauelling the darke desarts of this world, where is nothing but a profound dimnesse, wherby we neither see our calamities, nor frō whence we ought to seeke remedie of our euill. Thou vouchsafedst to descend into the earth, & disdainedst not to take our nature vpon thee, that by thy doctrine thou mightest shake off the dimnesse of our ignorance: by thy commandements mightest direct our feete in the waie of truth & peace. By the examples of thy life thou hast shewed vs the waie to immortalitie, and by thy steps hast restored to vs a plaine, easie, & profitable waie, out of an vneeuen and rough waie. So thou art made vnto vs a waie, which knoweth no error, in the which, least we should be wearie, thou hast vouchsafed to vphold vs in thy benignitie with great & sure promises. For who can be wearie, accounting himselfe redie through thy steps to enter thy heauenlie heritage? Therefore whilest we be in this iournie, thou wouldest be a sure hope vnto vs, to be in steed of a staffe vnto vs, wherewith we are sustained. Neither was thy goodnes content with this, but knowing the weaknesse of our flesh in the meane while, with the comfort of thy spirit dooest so refresh our strength, whereby we run cheerefullie. And as thou being made vnto vs the waie, dooest driue awaie all errour: so being truth dooest thou take awaie all distrust. Finallie, being made life vnto vs, dooest reuiue the dead in sinne, to liue by thy spirit, releeuing all things, vntill in the resurrection, all mortalitie vtterlie abolished, we may alwaies liue with thee, [Page 305] and in thee, when Christ shall be to vs all in all. For eternall life is, to knowe the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost to be one true God; where now thorough faith we behold onlie in a glasse and riddle. And then seeing more felowlie the glorie of the Lord, wee shall be transformed into the same image.
Therefore I beseech thee, most mercifull Sauiour, that thou wouldest nourish faith in thy seruant, that I may neuer wauer in thy heauenlie doctrine. Increase obedience, that I neuer turne from thy precepts; fortifie constancie, that entring into thy steps, I be not pulled backe, nor through the terrour or intisements of Satan ouerthrowne, but may perseuere in thee, which art the true waie, vnto death. Build my sure trust, that accustomed with thy promises, I neuer waxe old in the exercise of vertue: but forgetting those things which are past, I may cōtinuallie striue to com to perfecter. Accept my contrite hart, the woonted sacrifice of thy delight, & the oblation of these my petitions, granting the summe of my requests. Blot out all mine offences for thine owne sake, and increase thy grace in me, that I may in all things carrie vpright swaie and equall iudgement: gouerne thy people in the light of thy word, and feare of thy lawes, and dailie more and more die to my selfe, and liue and be led by thy spirit, fearing nothing but thee, than the which nothing is greater or mightier: louing nothing beside thee, than whom nothing is more to be beloued: glorieng in nothing but in thee, which art the glorie of all Saints: requiring nothing beside thee, which art the best: desiring nothing but thee, which art the full and perfect felicitie with the Father and the holie Ghost, aboue the starrie firmament: to whome be praise both now and euer,
Amen.
The KINGS Heast, or GODS familiar speech to the QVEENE: Collected out of the holie Psalmes of good King DAVID, as they are learnedlie expounded by THEODORE BEZA:
Wherein almightie GOD (after a diuine sort speaking vnto hir Maiestie, as he sometimes did vnto Dauid, though not in so mysticall maner) doth first declare his1mercifull prouidence in preseruing hir, and his gratious goodnesse in exalting hir to the Crowne, exhorting hir therewithall, humblie to acknowledge his souereigntie ouer all earthlie powers, and to worship him. Secondlie,2he describeth vnto hir Grace, the woorthie properties that are required to bee in euerie godlie Prince, and wise Gouernour, for the maintenance of his glorie, and their estates. Thirdlie, he exhorteth hir Maiestie to3the faithfull discharge of hir office and dutie in his feare and seruice, to the increase of vertue, and suppressing of vice. And so shewing the commodities that will insue thereby to hir and hir people, he fourthlie promiseth, not 4onelie to be hir continuall defender against all hir enimies; but also to blesse hir, and hir Realme, with manie large, sweet and comfortable benefits, both corporall & celestiall, and to make hir partaker of all his ancient mercies, promised long since to hir father Dauid; namelie, vpon this condition: if finallie she perseuere in the5perfect loue and due obedience of hir spirituall spouse Christ Iesus.
¶ The first Chapter of the HEAST.
ELIZABETH, thou Uirgin mine, the KINGS Daughter, and fairest among women; most full of beautie and maiestie: attend a litle to my Heast, and marke what I shall say. Thou art my Daughter in deede, this daie haue I begotten thee, and espoused thee to thy King CHRIST, my Sonne; crowned thee with my gifts, and appointed thee QVEENE, to reigne vpon my holie mount Zion.
Behold, I which am the onlie Lord (by full right and authoritie) of all men; and doo my selfe gouerne the Empires and Kingdoms, as the greatest King of all, and most mightie Monarch of the whole world: euen I the most high God, and celestiall father, haue elected thee a chosen vessell of high honour and price in my house, and to that end haue mightilie preserued thee, and miraculouslie deliuered thee out of so manie & so great dangers, and now at the last haue brought into thy subiection the people, ouer whome thou hast authoritie.
It is I, and none other, which haue consecrated thee vnto my selfe; and annointed thee with holie oile, to be the Queene, the Mother, and the Nursse of my people in Israel: and who onlie haue giuen thee this most excellent and goodlie heritage, which thou possessest in peace.
[Page 308] Thee I saie, O Daughter ELIZABETH, haue I raised vp, and chosen out a pure and perfect virgin from the rest of the whole people, and that because I loued thee most deerelie aboue them all; so that now thou maiest worthilie reioice and glorie of thy dignitie and honour, yet by my singular power and benefit, and for none other cause, but that it hath pleased me thy God to exalt thee aboue others, and to embrace and receiue thee into my speciall grace and fauour.
Therefore, to the intent I might alwaies vse thy diligent seruice, faithfull ministerie, and dutifull endeuour in this great businesse, and high office of a Queene and kinglie Gouernour; and that by thy power receiued from me, my people may be defended and cherished: behold, I haue ordeined a Lampe for thee mine annointed, and powred foorth vpon thee all my bountie, that none is able to be compared vnto thee: yea I haue adorned thee most bountifullie and beautifullie with all my gifts and graces incomparable, which shall neuer be taken from thee.
Now then O deere daughter, consider diligentlie with thy selfe awhile, what maner of husband thou art coupled and conioined vnto: learne of him alone, (thy spouse Christ mine onlie Son I meane) to whom as this daie I married thee, what he requireth of thee: namelie, that thou shouldest forget thine owne Nation, thy Fathers house, and all other worldlie things, now that thou art come vnder his authoritie, and into the familie and spirituall societie of thy heauenlie Bridegroome.
Now therefore, I saie, bee wise O QVEENE, bee learned thou Iudge of the earth, that with all the Emperours, Kings, and Potentats of the world, thou maist giue place vnto the Lord, and resigne vp vnto him the honour of all glorie and power. Giue (I saie) vnto the GOD of gods, and King of kings, euen the [Page 309] verie God of glorie, the maiestie and dominion due vnto his name, and fall downe and worship him: doo vnto him all possible reuerence, that giueth power to his people, and blesseth both prince and subiect with his continuall benefits: and reioice in him with feare and trembling.
O kisse this my sonne Christ thy spouse betimes, least he be angrie, and then thou suddenly perish, when his wrath shall flame foorth. Worship the Lord I saie with due worship, and trust in him alone, as she that wholie dependeth vpon his mercie, fauour, and protection: so shalt thou be blessed, and thy throne shall neuer be shaken.
Confesse who it is that hath set thee in so high a place far aboue other men that are thy subiects, and remember also this, that I the most high God am present with thee, and thine assemblie of States and Senatours; who haue not debarred my selfe of mine authoritie ouer you, neither am I present as an idle beholder, but as your Iudge also.
And knowe this assuredlie, that as you are honoured in deed with that name (Gods,) whereby mine authoritie ouer all men is declared. And albeit I haue embraced you with speciall fauour, as a father his children; yet thinke that I haue not exempted you from my power and authoritie: and that though you be Princes and Magistrates, yet knowe that you are mortall, euen as other men: yea remember that you shall once die, and shall stand at my iudgement-seate, euen as euerie most vile and poore man, to render and giue an accompt of your stewardship, and of all things done in the flesh.
CAP. II.
BEware therefore that yee abuse not this authoritie giuen vnto you by me, vnder certaine lawes and conditions. See that you directlie [Page 310] followe the waies that I haue appointed you to walke in, and take heed that you be not drawne awaie to the right hand, or to the left, with the error of the wicked, to forsake my lawes and ordinances, and to fall from me your God, who haue exalted you.
For be you sure that I haue placed you in this seate vpon this condition, and giuen it vnto you in plaine charge and commandement, that you should decree iust lawes, and execute iudgement by right and equitie, without fauour, parcialitie, or regard to anie partie: that you should deuise all manner of godlinesse, and shew your selues openlie to be freends to vertue, and foes to vice, and to weigh nothing but equitie and iustice in your balance.
That as the verie lawe of Nature doth require, you should releeue them that are spoiled by violence, defend the fatherlesse, mainteine the poore against the iniuries of the rich: deliuer the miserable from the hands of the wicked, and see diligentlie that the wringing worldlings, and cruell extortioners exercise not their tyrannie and oppressions continuallie ouer the godlie and feeble of my people.
Moreouer, that you should make diligent inquisition for bloudshead and murther, to reuenge it, carefullie search out wickednesse and abhomination, to condemne it, to execute the traytor, murtherer, and theefe, to pull the praie out of the teeth of the spoiler, to breake downe the power of the wicked mightie ones, to destroie the workers of iniquitie, and vtterlie to roote out sinne and vngodlinesse from the earth: euen all such as conspire against the soules of the righteous, & abusing iustice by colour of lawe, gather themselues together to sit & condemne the innocent bloud, and trouble my heritage.
Finallie, it is I that in the disordered state of the world, which seemed to be vtterlie void of iustice, haue [Page 311] set thee, O Daughter of my people, now at the last to restore the same to that ancient and most right godlie order of iustice, religion and faith, that thou shouldest be a defence and fortresse among my people, and followe me thy God with great cheerefulnesse, and haue thy delight fullie fixed in my lawes and statutes daie and night, that being well exercised therein, as it behooueth, thou maist be able to knowe, sift and trie the waies of all men, and iudge betwixt right and wrong.
CAP. III.
HArken therefore vnto me, O Daughter, and take heed that thou haue nothing to do with the stoole of wickednesse: and that the throne of iniquitie & tyrannicall domination, which forgeth wrong for a lawe, and adioineth authoritie to most wicked decrees, haue no fellowship nor be agreeable with thee.
And bicause the wicked doo wander on euerie side, when the woorst men are exalted into the highest place of honour and offices in the Common-weale: therfore I aduise and counsell thee betimes, to expell and thrust out of thy Court and house, all the vnwoorthie and vngodlie men, flatterers, parasites, iesters, atheists, and reuengers of bloud: and place the woorthie and godlie in their roomes, that they may sit among the Princes of my people, and be assistant vnto thee.
O make much of them that feare the Lord, & let all thy delight be vpon my Saints, which are on earth: be carefull alwaie to preserue the vertuous, and exalt the best & most woorthie persons. Call such to be thy states of dignitie, Senatours, Counsellers, Iudges, and Magistrates vnder thee, as are graue, wise, learned, godlie, zealous of my truth, & gelous of thy renowme.
Aduance such men, I saie, to honour and office vnder thee, as be of a good conscience, sound religion, and [Page 312] vpright life, such as will be painfull watchmen, and diligent stewards, and both can and will make iust decrees, and execute good lawes, euen such as will care for nothing more, than to knowe what is their dutie, and that therefore are most willing to doo their dutie, hating vnfeinedlie all maner of vice, and louing intirelie all maner of vertue.
Come foorth, I saie, O deere Daughter; come foorth thou most beautifull of all women, and fairer than the children of men: thou, Ô QVEENE, Uirgin, I saie of incomparable eloquence and grace of speech; come foorth thus and shew thy beautie, so full of maiestie and grace, that in this thy gouernement and pastorship, there may want neither integritie and vprightnesse in taking of counsell, neither wisdome in performing of thine interprises: but doo all things prudentlie and prosperouslie, caried vpon the triumphant Chariot, euen the word of God, as a wise and vertuous Gouernour directing it: and let truth, mercie, iustice, and equitie drawe it round about thy dominion.
Thus shalt thou declare thy selfe a bountifull Daughter of this Prince and woorthie Gouernour, if vsing thy power neither weakelie nor idlelie, thou gouerne my people by moderate equitie, and punish mine enimies and thine by seueritie of iudgement, as shee, before whom also sitting vpon thy throne of Maiestie, the two pillers, mercie and truth are seene to stand and support thee.
CAP. IIII.
AND I, Ô QVEENE, will surelie performe my couenant (begun with thy father DAVID that chosen man,) vnto thee also his Daughter, whom I will indue also with eternitie, and make thy kingdome perpetuall in heauen: and I, as is his will, will continuallie defend thee with a certaine [Page 313] speciall power, together with the people and land, which I haue chosen and giuen vnto thee.
My hand, I saie, shall establish thee, and mine arme strengthen thee: so that no enimie shall ouercome thee by subtiltie, nor anie wicked man oppresse thee by force.
Yea and though thou shalt not want manie, & those most mightie enimies, both domesticall and forreine, which shall resist thee, O sacred QVEENE, and thy godlie proceedings: yet I assure thee, all their enterprises shall be in vaine and frustrate, and thou for all those miseries most greeuous; and battell, wherewith thou maist seeme to be vexed, shalt suffer no detriment: but contrariwise by this same meanes, as it is plaine by experience, thou louing righteousnes, & hating whatsoeuer is against it, and being armed with sharpe arrowes, and the sword of the word, shalt not onlie therwith wound the hearts of thine enimies, cast them downe to the ground, and tread them vnder thy feete; but also bring maruellous things to passe in my name, by this thy mightie power.
For I the Lord IEHOVA, which am the reuenger of roiall dignitie, and the defender of DAVID my seruants posteritie, will destroie all that would oppresse thee: before thy face I will slaie all thine enimies, and fill them with shame and confusion.
My mercie shall neuer faile thee, my truth shall neuer forsake thee, and thou (trusting to my fauour) shalt lift vp thine head most high, crowned with euerlasting glorie.
I will cause thee to haue one hand vpon the sea, and another vpon the flouds, and thou shalt call mee thy Father, thy God, and thy safe tower.
And I will place thee as my first begotten Daughter, in the sacred familie of the Kings of the whole world, euen in a throne most high aboue others.
Yea, thou being a pure Uirgin borne of my kindred, [Page 314] shalt be so highlie exalted of IEHOVA, which hath decreed this from all eternitie, that thou shalt sit a glorious QVEENE, ouer a mightie people, and shalt haue rule & dominiō ouer all thy subiects without exception.
Euen I the mightie IEHOVA will giue vnto thee in Zion a kingdome of stabilitie ouer all the ends of the earth, in the which kingdome thy power shall be so great, that the more enimies thou hast, the more excellent and more euident shall thy fame and renowme be to all nations.
And the people shall willinglie and obedientlie offer themselues to be gouerned by thee, after the infinite victories which thou shalt haue ouer the enimies that vexe thee.
And the daie shall come, that when thou hast ouercome all thine enimies, thou shalt muster all thine armies to appeare before thee, and to make a triumph also in garments of triumph which shall be holie, most pure, and most shining. Then I saie Ô QVEENE, thou shalt behold the multitude of thy most chosen yoong men, and beautifull virgins, which the morning of that most heauenlie light shall bring foorth vnto thee, by powring downe hir most plentifull deaw vpon the earth.
Yea, I will arme thee with a double edged sword in thy hand, wherewith thou maist punish the prophane Gentiles, and auenge the crueltie of the proud people, and also maist drawe their kings and nobles bound in chaines and iron fetters, and execute the iudgement appointed and commanded by me thy Lord God vpon them.
And this verelie is the dignitie, the honour and renowme that I will giue thee, O daughter; whome I haue receiued into my fauour, euen to bring into subiection vnto thy kingdome the people far and wide and (sauing thine owne nation) to make an horrible [Page 315] slaughter of the rebels and traitors euerie-where, that go about to ouerthrowe the Monarch, which ruleth, and shall rule, both far and neere.
I will defend thee I saie, O my deere Daughter, with euerlasting mercie, and my couenant made with thy father DAVID shall be established for euer in his generation.
Thy throne shall be as the Sunne before me, it shall continue as the Moone in all ages, and be as stable as heauen it selfe.
For I the holie one haue once sworne by mine owne selfe, and neither will I breake my promise, nor violate my couenant, nor will change anie of those things that I haue spoken to DAVID thy Father.
These things haue I promised of old I saie, and now will I vndoubtedlie bring them to passe. If thou my Daughter keepe my commandements, and do not violate the ordinances that I haue commanded thee, but order thy selfe and thy people by the rule of the lawes that I haue prescribed vnto them.
So shall all things be in good order, and nothing confounded; yea the verie foundations of the earth also shall be firme and remaine stable. Peace, righteousnesse, and iudgement, and all good things else shall remaine safe and sure amongst men.
Neither will I suffer that in this thy dangerous iournie, and perillous pilgrimage, thou shouldest so stumble, that thou shouldest fall, or be compelled to go backe: and though manie doo lie in wait for thy destruction, yet I (preuenting all dangers) will bee thy watchfull keeper.
For seeing that I haue taken in hand freelie, of mine owne good will, to call thee to this excellent estate of a Prince, & haue hitherto bene verie carefull to defend thee, and my people Israel, I will not now once slumber, much lesse will I be so deepe in sleepe, that I will [Page 316] suffer thee to be oppressed.
Therefore let this be a thing certainlie determined vnto thee, and bee thou comforted and confirmed with this onlie hope in all distresse, that I the Lord am thy keeper; and a shadowe for thee against all stormes, and that I am present by thee, and will neuer faile thee.
And as I was present of old, when thou returnedst out of the Egypt, & bondage of the spirituall Pharao: so now also I will be present with thee against ye heate of the Sunne in the daie-time; & against the noisome humors, which the Moone vseth to raise in the night season.
For like as the Citie Ierusalem is compassed round about with massie mountaines, so I the Lord stand round about thee and thy people (trusting in me) on euerie side, and will neuer forsake you.
But as I haue done hitherto, so surelie I will continue to defend them that loue vertue, and to bind thee vnto me by new benefits.
I will bring to passe that thou shalt enioie a stable peace, and sure tranquillitie, and that thou shalt see Ierusalem flourishing so long as thou doest liue.
Yea I the Lord will so blesse thee from heauen with most plentifull blessings, that by the power of my Maiestie, all thy counselles and enterprises shall prosper, and haue good successe continuallie.
I will preserue thee safe against all discommodities, and defend thy life from violence: yea which waie soeuer thou shalt go or ride, I, euen I thy mightie maker and God will be with thee, when thou goest foorth, and commest in, from place to place; and not onlie in this temporall voiage or iournie, but for euer will I gouerne and guide thee.
Thou shalt neuer be laid open to the reproch of men.
Thy Crowne shall neuer be cast to the ground, nor [Page 317] thy selfe reiected.
All thy fortresses and cities shall stand vnassaulted, and thy forts, and strong castels and holds shall not be battered, nor laid open with breaches to the spoile of passengers.
The edge of thy sword shall neuer waxe blunt, thy scepter neuer broken, nor thy crowne cast downe into the dust, nor thy power stained.
But I will minister continuall power, and cause of ioie vnto thee, ô QVEENE, and take awaie all courage and force from thine enimies, so that they shall not be able to arise or stand against thy mightie power.
Finallie, this my league, which I haue made with thee, shall neuer be abrogated. For I will come downe from my Sanctuarie to helpe thee, euen frō the mount Zion to strengthen thee in all dangers. And when thou callest vpon me by praier, I will heare thy petitions, and grant vnto thee that thy hart desireth, and accomplish all thy purposes, so that thou doubtlesse shalt bee preserued and deliuered a waie by me, that haue annointed thee to be QVEENE.
CAP. V.
THus, I saie my deere Daughter, if thou carefullie behaue thy selfe, & walke in the waies that I haue commanded, thou shalt be woorthilie honored indeed with that name, wherby mine authoritie ouer all men is declared: and I thy GOD and heauenlie Father will imbrace thee with my speciall fauour, as my deerelie beloued Dooue and obedient child.
Yea so shall the KING haue pleasure in thy fairenes, and loue thy goodlie personage: and it shall come to passe, that thou shalt bee more and more in the high fauour of thy spirituall spouse Christ my sonne, to whom [Page 318] onlie it is meete that thou shouldst be subiect, as to thy souereigne Lord, King and head, and vnder whose gouernement thou shalt remaine most honourable and admirable, for the singular and vnspeakeable gifts of his grace, to all maner of people, strangers & others: of whom euen the most mightie and most rich shall desire to see thee, and to be linked in friendship with thee.
For then shalt thou come foorth of thy princelie yuorie palace, and statelie roiall throne, most gloriouslie adorned with gorgious garments, and roiall robes that smell most fragrantlie, and yeeld their sweete sauours, and odoriferous odours, most pleasantlie spred ouer all those men and people, who to declare their ioie and good-wils towards thee, shall run and presse togither by thousands, to see, praise, and extoll thy renowmed name and Maiestie, crieng alowd, and saieng: GOD saue the QVEENE.
To conclude, here in my house the Church thou shalt see thy children and offspring (who by publishing and promoting my Gospell, thou hast borne after a maner vnto thy husband Christ) flourishing, and spred both abroad and at home: and nothing inferiour vnto those thy most noble Elders, reigning ouer the prouinces of the whole world.
But at home chieflie, euen in heauen, with mee thy Father, and with thy husband Christ, thou shalt sit at my right hand, beautified with all my gifts, and most richlie beedecked all ouer with glorious garments, broidered with gold, hauing a crowne of most pure gold vpon thy head.
Euen thus roiallie, I saie, shalt thou then, O Uirgin, ô QVEENE, O deerlie beloued Daughter, be set before the KING thy husband, with such and so pretious apparell, the Uirgins thy companions waiting vpon thee, and going with thee, vnto the most glorious [Page 319] KING of kings, whilest that you (altogither with most great triumph, mirth, ioie, & reioicing) shall enter into the highest mansion of the heauenlie Paradise, & most holie palace, there to enioie a most certaine, vnchangeable, and euerlasting kingdome, glorie, dignitie, blisse and felicitie; and to sing praises vnto the name of the holie Trinitie, together with all Kings, Queenes, Saints, Uirgins, and elect people of the world, that euer were, are, or shall bee: worlds without end.
The Queenes Vow, or selfe-talke with GOD: Collected out of the Psalmes of the princelie Prophet King DAVID, as they are paraphrasticallie expounded by that godlie learned man, THEODORE BEZA.
Wherein the Queenes Maiestie, after a most Christian maner, euen with Dauids spirit, his sweet words, and diuine sentences, first inciteth & prepareth hir hart and mind to 1 deuotion. Secondlie acknowledgeth the omnipotent power of God ouer all kings, kingdoms, and creatures: 2 and, after a true rehearsall of his manifold benefits bestowed vpon hir from hir birth, with an acknowledgement of hir souereigntie to come onelie from the Lord, she thirdlie confesseth hir vnwoorthinesse, and reioiceth 3 greatlie in his protection and mercie towards hir, since hir comming to the Crowne. Fourthlie, hauing his wonderous works and benefits, done for hir preseruation, in 4 great admiration, shee not onelie yeeldeth condigne thanks for the same, but exhorteth all creatures, both in heauen and earth, to praise God together with hir. And so lastlie she bindeth hir selfe as it were by a solemne oth, vow and promise, to consecrate hir life wholie to the true 5 worship and sincere seruice of God, in all holie obedience to his lawes, to the glorie of God, and full discharge of hir dutie, both in hir Court and Realme.
* The first part of the VOW.
RABBONI, my hart so voileth within mee, that I must needes burst foorth that, which it hath conceiued; euen a magnifical Uow of a QVEENE consecrated to the KING of heauen himselfe, and that with such zeale and feruencie, that no penne may seeme to be able to attaine vnto the voice of the speaker.
Therefore, O my God, I being now prepared with my whole hart; with my whole hart and mind, I saie, haue great desire to speake vnto thee: and in this my present most happie estate, to call into my remembrance thy woonderfull works, wrought and brought to passe by thine almightie power for me, from my conception, euen vntill this houre.
Neither will I doo it, O Lord, with my mouth onlie, as hypocrites vse to doo; but I will vnfeinedlie testifie thee my God to be mine onlie maker, redeemer, preseruer, and Sauiour, with praise that shall proceed euen from the deepe bottome of my hart.
Go to then my tongue, go to my mouth, I saie; bee thou no longer dumbe; but open thy selfe wide, to speake out the most excellent praises of my God, and make thy hartie Uowes, and saie: as followeth.
The second part, conteining foure Chapters.
CAP. I.
O Heauenlie Father, my almightie maker, my greatest King, mine onlie GOD, and souereigne Sauiour; thou which art the King of glorie, and most glorious King; the Lord of hosts, strong, valiant, and mightie; whose seate is in the highest heauens, and thy dominion is stretched foorth ouer all things without exception.
I humblie acknowledge thee to be the verie God of Angels, and of men; the most sacred Emperour of the most mightie spirits, and holie companie of the heauenlie armies, which celebrate thy truth and praise perpetuallie, in the regions aboue vs; yea, the greatest God, highest Lord, and most magnificall King, far aboue all Emperours, Kings, Lords and Princes, how great soeuer.
Euen the God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, and of my father Dauid, and his posteritie, Kings and Queenes my predecessors; which art higher than the heauens, and the mightie Monarch of the whole world; hauing of nothing made heauen and earth, and all things therein by thine almightie power; guiding, preseruing, and ruling by the same the state of kingdoms, and all the creatures and people that dwell in the world: reseruing in thy power and authoritie, as the Lord of all, both the lowe secret parts of the earth, the deepe bottoms of the Sea, and the high tops of the mountaines: reigning euer full of Maiestie, power, and authoritie, and that most gloriouslie and triumphantlie, in an eternall and euerlasting kingdome.
For whereas all other kingdoms trulie are transitorie, and subiect to destruction; thy kingdome onlie O God, I confesse, is not limited in anie bounds, nor [Page 323] subiect to anie tearme of yeares or time; but alwaies endureth one, and vnchangeable, from all eternitie to eternitie; as he whose throne is for euer and euer: and which hast raised a kingdome for thy selfe, among thine Angels and people, both in heauen and in earth of old, to continue alwaie most stable, firme, and vnmoueable.
So that thou, Lord, onlie maist iustlie challenge vnto thy selfe, the authoritie of the kingdome in deede, ouer all nations vpon the earth: who art that most gelous and dreadfull IEHOVA, vnto whome all the Emperours, Kings, and Gouernours in the world shall bow, submit themselues, and doo their homage and diuine seruice, with their scepters and crownes cast vnder thy feete: and who dooest declare thy selfe verie terrible to all the potentates and powers of the world, and cuttest off their courage, strength, and glorie, throwing it in the dust, euen as the Gardener doth twist and proine his Uine.
CAP. II.
AND therefore, most worthilie ascribing and resigning vp the honour and glorie of all empire, kingdome, rule, power and dominion vnto the holie, secret, maruellous, and renoumed name of thy most high and sacred Maiestie, which art the father of lights, ancient of daies, the sauiour of all beleeuers, and the onlie redeemer, strength, glorie and hope of Israel, and of all the ends of the earth, euen Alpha and Omega, the first without beginning, and the last without ending, that shalt come to iudge both the quicke & the dead, God blessed for euer, Amen.
I (according as it is meete, and my verie bounden dutie) doo now meekelie confesse, and protest to thy perpetuall praise, that it is thou, O most mercifull God, and none other, which in the beginning, when I laie [Page 324] as a rude lumpe without shape, being shut vp in the secret place of my mothers wombe, didst forme, fashion, and nourish me; and at the time appointed, and set downe in thy booke, didst drawe me foorth of the darke caue, wherein I was fashioned, and broughtst me foorth of the bowels of my mother, as it were a midwife.
So that the verie bowels within me, are thine owne, by good right and authoritie; because thou ioining all my sinewes and bones togither, hast made me a mortall woman, and couered me within my mothers wombe. For there is no King or Queene that had anie other beginning of birth: for all men haue one entrance into life, and one going out in like manner.
Which worke of thine surelie, when I behold in my selfe, it is so wonderfull, O Lord, that I should vtterlie shew my selfe most senselesse and vnthankefull, vnlesse I praise thee for the same, and confesse, that thy works are exceeding maruellous in deede, seeing I doo perceiue the thing so manifestlie as it is.
So soone also as I, thy workemanship, came, foorth a reasonable creature into this world, I receiued like aire as other men, and was committed vnto thee my Creator, at what time thou didst declare thy selfe to be my God, and causedst me to looke vp vnto thee, when I did hang yet on my mothers breasts.
Euen in my verie cradle and swadling clouts, O God, thou hadst a speciall care & regard ouer me, and tookest in hand fatherlie to foster and gouerne me so manie yeares ago, and to leade and guide me from my tender yeares vnto this daie.
Euer since I was borne, I saie, thou my God hast defended me from dangers, both when I was strong, and in the floure of my youth: neither hast thou forsaken me now, being in my middle age, nor wilt (I trust) when I am graie-headed.
[Page 325] O mine inlightener, it is thou that hast taught and instructed me with the knowledge of thee, from my childhood hitherto. Therefore haue I depended wholie vpon thee alone; vpon thee, I saie, O excellent Father, haue I set all my hope, euen from mine infancie, and will doo so still euen vnto mine old age.
CAP. III.
NEither hath thy prouidence and mercie towards me, ceased at anie tune. For surelie, thou hast made me a singular & euerlasting example of thy fauour & mercie to all men, in that thou beholding me alwaies with thy pleasant countenance, and obseruing continuallie with thine heauenlie eie, what iniurie soeuer was offered me, hast not onelie woonderfullie comforted and preserued me in all my troubles: but also oftentimes most miraculouslie saued and deliuered mee out of most great and manifold miseries, imminent perils, and multitudes of mightie enimies, wherewith I haue beene assaulted, enuironed, vexed, afflicted, persecuted, and turmoiled from my tender age.
Yea so tenderlie, O God, hast thou loued mee, that thou hast not suffered me to be intrapped of thousands of aduersaries, that rose vp against me, saieng in their harts, Hir God can not helpe hir. But being the iudge of mine innocencie, my glorie, my shield, and my valiant Champion, thou hast thy selfe smitten downe all mine enimies, brought me safelie out of distresse, and lift vp my head aboue all mine aduersaries.
Thou hast deliuered my life, I saie, foorth of the present doores of death, staied the teares of mine eies, and established my feete, that I did not fall for any temptation: so that I walked safe & sound before thee, among the liuing that praised thee. And that I liue now to praise thee, I may onlie thanke thee my deliuerer, who [Page 326] hast caused me thus to taste, feele, and enioie the most comfortable sweetnesse of thy goodnesse, mercie, and fauour.
And though I was forsaken of all men; and the most mightie, together with my neerest friends, had mee in contempt: though the superstitious aduersaries, I saie, heaued vehementlie against me, and with great violence sought to cast me downe, and laie mine honor in the dust: yet hast thou, my God, by thine owne hand repulsed & driuen out all those mine irreligious foes, which so wickedlie resisted thy purpose; and to their confusion of faces, hast exalted me to the highest degree of dignitie.
Wherefore, great cause of continuall ioie and hartie reioicing hast thou, O Lord, giuen vnto me, thine handmaid, which acknowledge my selfe mightilie and miraculouslie preserued by thy power.
Doubtlesse, now thou hast woonderfullie deliuered in deed thy QVEENE, that was annointed by thee, and hast heard me out of the highest Sanctuarie, & granted vnto me that, which I requested in my praiers.
For I put my trust, neither in chariot, nor horses, men nor munition: but onelie remembred thy name, and called vpon thee in all my troubles: and lo, thou, ô KING of heauen, hast heard me in all my necessities, and giuen me my harts desire, accomplishing all my purposes.
I required this thing onlie of thee, that I might escape aliue and safe from persecution; but thou hast not onelie strengthened and comforted me out of Zion, and placed me here in thy dominion and empire in safetie: but also hast granted vnto me a life that shall neuer faile; and that bicause I onelie set my hope still in thee, in whom all power remaineth, as I oftentimes by good experience haue prooued.
Yea thou, O most excellent Father, hast done a notable [Page 327] worke, woorthie to bee set foorth in writing to all posteritie, and to be limmed out in gold to euerlasting memorie; bicause, O Lord, thou hast not despised the praiers and teares of thy most miserable people; but from thy holie throne hast looked downe vpon me, and them, to heare the mournings of the prisoners, thy persecuted members; and to loose them foorth of bonds and fetters, of whose life it was vtterlie despaired: that in Zion once againe thy name, O Lord; and thy praises, I saie, in Ierusalem might be published by my ministerie, as it is this daie, manie nations and people running together to worship thee, who hast now shewed thy selfe much more glorious therein, than at anie time before.
Therefore, O God, which art indeed the Gouernor and Lord ouer all people, in heauen and in earth: thou art our God by a peculiar right, and mine onlie honor. For so great glorie haue I attained, by this thy defence and saluation; and so bright is the glittering of this honour, wherewith thou hast crowned me; that I may woorthilie triumph in thee, being thus preserued and deliuered by thee: and also condignelie celebrate this daie wholie to thee, with banners displaied, which hast so gratiouslie granted all the petitions of thine handmaid.
Namelie, for that thou, Lord, being euer mindfull of thy promise and word, which is of force for euer, and prouiding for thine owne onlie glorie, didst so mercifullie and miraculouslie preserue me from dangers; and rebuking euen Kings and Princes for my sake, so pretious and deere was my bloud in thy sight, that none should touch thine Annointed, nor doo me anie harme, at the time appointed by thee; thou allowing, iustifieng, and commending me as innocent, whom others did maliciouslie condemne as guiltie of wickednesse, didst most faithfullie and freelie performe thy promises [Page 328] towards me, and changing my miserable estate into blisse, didst bring me foorth glad and ioifull, whom thou hadst appointed thine elect handmaid, and chosen seruant, to gouerne thy people and affaires in this kingdome.
CAP. IIII.
WHerefore, I humblie acknowledge that it is thou, O almightie GOD; which raisest vp the abiects, and exaltest the miserable from the dunghill, to place them among the Princes of the people: and which somtime laiedst helpe vpon one that was mightie, and didst exalt one chosen of the people (my father DAVID thy seruant I meane,) whom thou tookest from the sheepfold, and with thy holie oile didst annoint, and broughtest to feed thy people and inheritance in Israel.
Euen thou, O God, I saie, the selfe-same good God it is, I confesse, which hast also consecrated ELIZABETH to thy selfe, to gouerne thy people, ouer whome thou dooest chieflie rule: and who hast vouchsafed in like fauour, and in as great mercie, to call me out of the prison to the palace, and to appoint me to be the Prince and Pastor to feede the posteritie of Iacob, and most deere people of Israel, with the spirituall food of thine eternall word.
My preferment, Lord, and promotion I knowe, is come neither from the east, nor from the west; from the south, nor from the north; neither, as I haue well perceiued, was it in mine owne power to exalt my selfe, and to mount vp out of so great miserie to so high dignitie.
But it was thou my KING, and my God, euen thou most iust Gouernour of all things, (which bringest to passe mightie things, farre passing the condition of mankind, and rulest the state of kingdoms, to whom [Page 329] alone it belongeth, and in whose power and authoritie it is, to cast downe whom thou wilt, and to exalt whom it pleaseth thee) which hast exalted mee thine handmaid, and giuen vnto me thine absolute authoritie, ouer all the great Princes and people of England; that I should gouerne the verie Magistrates & Commons thereof, by the direction of thy word, wisdome, and counsell.
Yea, I take thee to record, O Lord, against the slanders of all men, that I neuer desired this honour, as though I had deserued it; neither laboured that I should be brought vnto this dignitie; nor that I am now proud, being promoted by thee thervnto; nor that I doo so much as thinke or reioice that I am brought to this Kinglie office by bloud, birth, or by mine owne endeuour or power.
But alwaies I haue, and still will confesse, and humblie acknowledge to thy glorie, that it was thou onlie, O Lord, my Redeemer and Sauiour, vpon whome I did earnestlie call and set mine eies, which (at what time it pleased thee to heare me) didst vouchsafe to embrace me with thy speciall grace and fauour, and to bestowe this so great a benefit vpon me. First, to choose and take me onelie out of the rest of the people, and to exalt me aboue others; and then to consecrate mee to thy selfe, and to annoint me with thy holie oile to be the QVEENE of this Realme, and that not for anie desert of mine at all, I saie; but onlie bicause it so pleased thee to vse my seruice and endeuour, in this so weightie businesse, to defend thy people by my power receiued from thee.
Finallie, it was thou, O heauenlie KING, who fauouring me thine handmaid more than I deserued, didst richlie apparell mee in the roiall robes, and all ouer cloathedst and beedeckedst me with statelie garments, brodered with gold and pretious stones; and [Page 330] as vpon this daie, settedst me in the regall throne, and causedst me most gloriouslie to come foorth from the yuorie Palace of my Coronation, accompanied with manie noble Princes, & goodlie Uirgins, and bearing the diademe or Crowne of pure gold vpon mine head. At what time also thou madest the most fragrant odours of my sweet garments so spread it selfe, that nothing was more pleasant vnto the beholders; who as then vpon that happie daie, so continuallie euer since doo runne together, and presse in great multitudes vnto me, to see me; and to declare their thankefull harts to thee for me, and their good willes they beare toward me in thee; euermore they crie with lowd voices, and ioifull harts; vttering foorth to the praise of thy name, and my great comfort, these and such like hartie praiers vnto thy Maiestie for mee, saieng: God saue the QVEENE: God saue the Queene ELIZABETH.
So that I may now iustlie saie, O most excellent father, that this is the daie in deede, wherein thou hast chieflie shewed thy mercie vnto me, and that this daie thou didst as it were beget me a deere Daughter vnto thy selfe; in that as vpon this daie thou didst so gratiouslie annoint me thy Minister and Queene, to deliuer thine afflicted Church, & to reigne vpon thy holie mount Zion, there to declare to all nations the woonderfull works that thou hast done for me, and thy people Israel; as I doo at this present. Go to therefore, O my soule, returne now to thy rest, and take thine ease; seeing that so notable a change of thine estate is happilie wrought by the Lord, for he hath well deserued thereby euerlasting praise for his mercie.
The third part conteining three Chapters.
CAP. I.
BUT, O Lord my God, who am I thy sinfull seruant, that thou hast been thus mindfull of me? And what haue I deserued (who of all others haue least deserued, and am thy most vnworthie handmaid,) that thou shouldest thus regard me, and exalt me to so high dignitie before manie others?
Thou hast annointed me with the oile of gladnesse before my fellowes, and set a most pretious diademe vpon my head. Thou makest me to sit in the highest place of dignitie and estate, far aboue other men that are my subiects. Yea thou, O God, which art Lord of the whole earth, hast brought into subiection the people that lie neere vnto me, ouer whome I haue authoritie; and hast honoured me in deede with that heauenlie name, whereby thine authoritie ouer all men is declared.
Thou hast crowned me, I saie, with great glorie and honour, causing my renowme and fame to spread far and neere; yea thou hast made me nothing inferiour to other Potentates of the world; but ordeined mee Lord ouer the works of thine hands in souereigne wise, so that thou causest all to serue me dutifullie.
Thou, my King & my God, hast powred foorth vpon me (I confesse) all thy bountie and graces, that none is able to be compared vnto mee.
Thou hast caused both Kings and Queenes to come from far, and to bring presents and rich gifts vnto me: and thou hast made me honourable, euen to strange people, of whome euen the most mightie and rich honouring me, haue and doo desire greatlie my friendship and fauour.
Thou hast preuented me with thy blessings, and [Page 332] without anie asking, giuen me the people for an inheritance, and the ends of the earth for my possession.
Surelie a most pleasant place, and a most beautifull portion of inheritance is fallen vnto me from thee, O Lord, which art my portion, my reward, and alone to me all-sufficient.
Thou art he that hast giuen me this most large and excellent heritage, and planted me in a most fat and wealthie place; by whose power I may worthilie glorie of my dignitie and honour, and that by thy singular benefit; and for none other cause, but onlie that it hath pleased thee to receiue me into thy speciall fauour.
For surelie, there is no cause why I should ascribe the atteining of this kingdome to mine owne worthinesse (although I called oft vpon thy name) or that I should imagine that I haue resisted so manie, and so mightie people, by mine owne power and strength; neither by the trusting in mine owne bowe or sword haue I obteined so manie victories, and driuen awaie mine enimies: but thou thy selfe, O Lord, hast done it by the strength of thine owne arme, and that onlie because it so pleased thee, I saie, of thine owne meere mercie and goodnesse to preserue and deliuer both me and my people.
CAP. II.
NEither hath thy mercie ceassed heere, O God: for it hath not failed euer since my comming to the Crowne, to gouerne me afterward by thy wisdome and grace; and miraculouslie to preserue and defend me by thy princelie power, from all mine enimies, visible and inuisible, domesticall and foraigne.
Hitherto hast thou bene vnto me a most safe refuge, & a most sure tower against all the powers of Satan.
Oh how great and maruellous things do I see, that thou, O God, hast brought to passe for me thine vnworthy [Page 333] seruant, by thy mightie power!
For when there wanted not such, who rebelled against me, and resisted thy power and ordinance: yet I doo see my selfe sufficientlie armed by thee continuallie with sharpe arrowes, wherewith to wound the verie harts of mine enimies, and so to cast them downe.
Moreouer, how long and how often haue the sonnes of men laboured greatlie to distaine mine honour, reioicing and persisting in vanitie and superstition? And what secret and wicked counsell they haue taken to bring vngodlie things to effect against me; thou, O Lord, well knowest, and I haue prooued.
For I am she, against whom the superstitious enimies haue intended all these euils. I am she, against whom they haue inuented, and dailie doo inuent that wickednesse, which they shall neuer be able to bring to passe.
For thou, Lord, hast had mercie vpon me, and made frustrate the deuises and desires of all my craftie and cruell enimies, and established me in my throne, that according to the office and authoritie thou hast giuen me, I might iustlie punish their infidelitie.
Thou hast scattered the people that delight in war, and caused the runnagates to turne their backs vnto me, by directing their owne swords to light vpon their owne necks, and their owne darts against their faces.
For in thy wrath, Lord, thou hast cast the vngodlie into the flaming fire; and vtterlie destroied and consumed them and their posteritie, by the heate of thy furie, that proudlie rose vp against thee, and thine Annointed.
Yea, thou hast caused me to be reuenged on the heathen, to breake mine enimies asunder with an iron rod, and to crush them in peeces like potshards on the earth. Mine hand, I saie, hath taken mine enimies, O God, through thy power; and thou wilt bring to passe, [Page 334] that my right hand shall apprehend them that hate me without cause.
For vndoubtedlie now I knowe, that thou doost not hate me; but loue me tenderlie, euen by this; that thou hast not suffered mine enimies to triumph ouer me, as they verelie hoped: but hast made me stand fast and sure, through thy defence, whereby I knowe thou wilt alwaies care for me.
O God my God, what shall I saie? Uerelie I doo greatlie reioice, that thou hast, with so great fauour, embraced me; euer preuenting my praiers, and giuing helpe vnto hir that called vpon thee, with a mind free from all euill imaginations. For else thou wouldest not haue heard me, nor restored my life, when it was as good as lost, as thou hast done.
But I, calling hartilie vpon thy name, chieflie in mine aduersities, thou hast deliuered me out of all my troubles, frights, and feares, and defended me, and wast my refuge in extreme dangers; and by thy mercie hast brought to passe, that not onelie I dailie behold my traitrous enimies to haue their condigne punishments: but also this people, whom thou hast appointed to be gouerned by me, to consider this thy iudgement extended vpon those guiltie rebels, superstitious aduersaries, and prophane men, that so wilfullie resist thine ordinance and authoritie in me: and to be sufficientlie taught by their example and destruction, to remember the feare, dread, and reuerence due vnto thee their God, and their Prince.
CAP. III.
MOreouer, O Lord, I do greatly reioice, when I bethinke me what a tower of strength, a safe hauen, & vnassaultable habitation thou hast euer beene, not onlie vnto me: but also vnto my predecessours & forefathers, Kings and Princes [Page 335] of this land, succeeding one another in order. And how thou hast beene the honour, and also the strength both of them and me: and hast from time to time, with a certaine speciall power, defended this little Island, which thou hast chosen to be thy peculiar heritage, & giuen it first vnto them, and now vnto me in possession.
Yea, what alterations or changes of things or times soeuer haue fallen; yet hast thou, O most mightie Gouernour (whose kingdome for euer hath beene, is, and alwaie shall be most sure, stable, permanent, vnchangable, and vnmooueable) lift vp the head of thine handmaid, as it were of an Unicorne, being annointed by thee with fresh oile, and laden with new benefits continuallie.
Thou art he, I saie, by whose power consisteth whatsoeuer is high in the world: euen by thy might, which as it establisheth the kingdoms and policies, whereby mankind is preserued: so also by these testimonies of thy most mightie power, the inhabitants of the earth being conuinced, doo tremble and keepe silence. And this peace being restored in my dominion, thou causest that my people againe doo leade their liues both daie and night in comfortable peace, & godlie tranquillitie.
Wherefore thou hast giuen me great cause of new ioie, and to reioice in thee, O Lord my God, who hast thus mercifullie dealt with me thine handmaid; and especiallie, bicause thou hast granted vnto me to ouercome all mine enimies, how manie, and how mightie soeuer; and to compose and set my kingdome in peaceable order; and to place in Iuda the throne of iudgement and iustice, being directed by thy word, O GOD, which I haue, and whereof I glorie, & still will glorie.
To conclude, I doo reioice; bicause thou, Lord, art my louing shepheard, and feedest me in the greene pastures and sweet medowes of thy word with ioie and solace; making me, that was sometime as a barren [Page 336] woman, without comfort, now a ioifull and glad foster mother of manie spirituall children to thee.
Yea, euen in the verie sight of mine enimies dooest thou, O most bountifull Father, prepare a deintie table for me, and reaching vnto me a full cup, thou giuest me drinke of thy pleasant springs; and causest thy goodnesse and mercie, thy bountie and liberalitie to followe me, wheresoeuer I become: blessing both me and my people with all thy blessings continuallie.
Finallie, it is thou, O Lord, onlie; who of thy singular goodnesse hast assuredlie fortified my hill woonderfullie with honour, health, peace, and securitie: and that dooest presentlie keepe me in safetie, and causest me quietlie to lie downe and take my rest in thee.
Thou doost ward the gates of my Cities with bars, and mightilie multiplie and cherish thy familie my citizens. Thou bringest me into amitie with my neighbors, and feedest me with the finest flower of wheate.
And these things verelie doo testifie most plainlie, both thine infinite goodnesse and power; yet surelie they are nothing, in comparison of that benefit of the doctrine of saluation and holie word, which thou hast bestowed vpon thy people; and deliuered vnto vs, as a rule to lead our liues both godlie and honestlie: neither is there anie nation vnder heauen, with whom thou hast so dealt, as with vs herein. Therfore, hauing such experience of thy support, I will comfort my selfe in thee, my strength & my shield, in whom my hart doth rest; neither will thine Annointed trust in anie other: but onelie in thee, which giuest power vnto Princes.
Euen I will blesse and praise thee, O Lord, which thus hast blessed both me and my people with thy continuall blessings. And in this my present blessed state, I will not cease to magnifie thee, O Lord, my deliuerer; but I will declare & set foorth before all people the maruellous works, which thou, my God, hast done for [Page 337] me; and whereof I my selfe, from the beginning of my life, vnto this houre, haue had good proofe & experience.
The fourth part of the Vow, conteining fiue Chapters.
CAP. I.
OH Lord my God, how excellent is thy name ouer all the earth! Aduancing mee thus to glorie, far aboue my deserts, I as one nothing able to compasse such great mercies, am euen astonished with the admiration of thine excellent liberalitie, and fatherlie prouidence ouer me.
O how greatlie doo these so manie, and so great benefits binde me vnto thee! And what shall I giue againe vnto thee for all thy bountie, which thou hast bestowed vpon me? Uerelie I will paie that which onlie I am able; namelie, I will take in my hands the Lampe which thou hast ordeined for thine annointed, and will therein continuallie magnifie thy mercie.
I will take in my hands (I saie) the cup of thankefull sacrifice; and calling vpon thee by name, O Lord, I will testifie openlie, that I knowledge this my deliuerance and honour to be onelie of thee.
And those things which I vowed vnto thee, O Lord, when I was in danger, will I now paie in the presence of all the people. For thou art he, by whose benefit I remaine aliue: thou art my defence, my tower, my sauiour, my sheeld, my refuge; finallie, thou art he, who onelie hast subdued all this people vnto me, and therefore well deseruest the renowme and praise of all these victories, by most worthie right.
Wherefore, by good right, O Lord, I will declare thy praises, euen with a sounding voice. And bicause it becommeth all men and women, that haue receiued benefits of thee, and to whome thou grantest the vse of this life, and deliuered from so manie, not dangers, but deaths, to doo this thing diligentlie and continuallie; I will labour to commit the memoriall of thy benefits [Page 338] vnto others, and exhort them to accompanie me in the dutie of thankefulnesse earnestlie, and saie:
CAP. II.
O All yee holie spirits, the apparitors of the Lords Maiestie, which are diuided into innumerable garrisons, go yee before others in this his praise, and sound them foorth, euen from the most high heauen.
O yee Citizens of Zion, reioice yee in the Lord your King and Gouernour, and set foorth his praise far and wide, not onlie priuatelie, but also publikelie.
Praise the Lord, I saie; for his infinite goodnesse and euerlasting mercie deserueth the same.
O you the innumerable multitude, whome God hath deliuered out of manifold dangers, and foorth of the hands of your enimies and persecutors, praise the Lord; for his infinite goodnesse and euerlasting mercie deserueth the same, and acknowledge this thing with me.
For how manie hath he gathered from the beginning of the world, which were scattered from the East and the West, from the North and South Ocean sea?
How manie wandering wretches in the waste wildernesse, and seeking a Citie commodious to dwell in, halfe dead, and killed with famine and thirst; crieng vnto thee, O God, in their extreame miseries, hast thou heard; and drawing them foorth of their distresse, hast brought into the right waie, and led them into commodious Cities of refuge to dwell in peace?
O let these men therefore set foorth this thy great mercie before thee, O Lord thy selfe, and shew foorth thy maruellous works to other men; who hast thus refreshed them panting for thirst; and fed them so mercifullie, being hunger-starued!
How manie also being shut vp in darke prisons, and [Page 339] euen as it were in the darkenesse of death, being chained in their mind with sorow, and in their bodies most strictlie with iron fetters? And that worthilie (I confesse,) because they did not obeie thy commandements oh God, which are engrauen in the minds of all men, but rather followed their owne lusts, than the wholesome counselles of thee their God.
Notwithstanding, when thou, O God, thereby well hadst tamed their fiercenesse, and hadst brought them to this point, that they could find no help in anie; thou gratiouslie heardst them crieng vnto thee in their distresse, and deliueredst them from their miserie, and broughtst them from the dongeons of the prisons, and darkenesse of death, breaking their iron fetters in sunder.
O praise yee therefore this so great mercie of the Lord before him, and declare his woonderfull actes to other mortall men, who hath broken the brasen gates, and hath dashed in peeces their iron barres.
How manie also being driuen awaie through persecution, vnto that prophane Babylon, euen auoiding so much as laie in you, the sight of the wicked enimies, did confesse with most dolefull silence, euen with abundance of teares, both your sinnes and sorowes, at the flouds of Euphrates, being mindfull of Zion.
And though you caried your harps euen to be your comfort in so great calamitie, yet being outragiouslie mocked and derided in your miserie, by the enimie that draue you awaie into most miserable captiuitie, you were faine to hang them vp vpon the sallowe trees, and make no noise in the sight of the persecutors; as they that sawe more cause rather to mourne than sing in that time and place.
Notwithstanding, the Lord did not forget you for euer, but seeing the crueltie of the persecutors, in his good time turned awaie your captiuitie & mourning, [Page 340] and restored you to libertie and ioie againe, so that you liue and see the daie, wherein Babylon is destroied, and hir children dashed against the stones. For the Lord hath giuen hir prosperitie vnto vs, to deale with them againe, as they haue dealt with vs.
Yea, the Lord hath armed his people with double edged swords in their hands, wherewith they may punish the prophane Gentiles, and auenge the crueltie of the oppressed; & also may drawe their kings and nobles bound in chaines and iron fetters, euen to execute the iudgements appointed and commanded by thee O Lord. And this verelie is the dignitie and the honour of all them, whome God hath receiued to his fauour.
Wherefore, O ye glorious people, vpon whome the Lord hath bestowed so manie benefits, now see that yee in this your great quietnesse and rest, sing & triumph.
Praise the Lord in deede, O Israel, and delight thy selfe in setting foorth his praise continuallie, whose worke thou art as it were newlie formed, being deliuered from so manie not dangers but deaths.
What shall I speake, Lord, furthermore of them, who by their owne foolishnesse, going in the waie of wickednesse, and being oppressed by manifold plagues and diseases, doo dailie suffer the reward of their madnesse; and loathing all manner of meate, are at deaths dore; whom notwithstanding thou, O Lord, diddest heare crieng vnto thee in their miserie, and thou deliueredst them out of their distresse; yea thou speaking but one word, diddest take awaie all the cause of their deadlie disease, and restoredst them to health.
Let these men also, I saie, praise this thy so great mercies, O Lord, and publish thy maruellous works before other mortall men. Let them offer the sacrifices of praise vnto thee, O God, in the middle multitude of the people standing about them; and let them rehearse [Page 341] with great ioie, what he hath done for them, in the assemblie of the cheefest.
Go to therefore, O all yee people; praise the Lord our God together with me; who when wee were oppressed with Pharaos tyrannie, was mindfull of vs; and with a strong force deliuered Israel from the slauerie of Egypt, and hath giuen this dominion to be possessed by ELIZABETH his handmaid; for his mercie endureth for euer.
CAP. III.
O All yee people, I saie, tribes, kindreds, and inhabitants of the earth; both noble and simple, rich and poore; clap your hands, and praise this most holie God with most ioifull voices.
Giue vnto the Lord the praise of all power, worship, and glorie: giue him the honour due vnto his name and maiestie. For lo, he is come to gouerne the earth. The Lord himselfe reigneth amongst you, and gouerneth the whole world with a iust and righteous gouernement, and ruleth altogether with the scepter of his iustice and truth.
Go to therefore O yee yong striplings, and old men, yong children, maidens & matrones, and you also all other that loue & feare God, come (I praie you) & praise ye name of ye Lord, euen of our most mightie IEHOVA, together with mee. For he alone deserueth most high praise, as he that is more deepe than the verie earth, and more high than the heauens, and far aboue all the powers and potentates of the world.
Go to also O ye damsels and virgins, stir vp your ioie to daie with songs of praise vpon timbrell & lute, but voide of wantonnesse: so that your ioie may tend to the glorie of God, your onlie strength; and celebrate this daie of your deliuerance, as festiuail to the Lord [Page 342] our deliuerer.
O ye Uirgins and damsels vnmaried now reioice with me, I saie; and sing vnto the Lord a triumphant song. Praise the Lord also, O ye brides in your marriage songs with glorie and maiestie, that ye liue to see my daies, and that the flower of your youth is not consumed in the flame of Gods furie.
For the time was, when you being desolate and vnmarried, did remaine pensife without your marriage songs, and liued solitarie, sitting at home among the soote of pots: but now, the women that durst not come out of their houses, come foorth glittering like gold, and shining like dooues as white as snowe, and boldlie diuide the spoile of the enimie.
Go to therefore, O ye damsels of Iuda, and multitude of Uirgins; seeing ye haue so great cause to reioice; shew not your selues vnthankfull in anie wise: but praise the Lord together with me in Hymnes, and celebrate his name with spirituall songs, for his victories, goodnesse, and mercie towards vs.
Come foorth yee daughters of Zion, I saie; and breake out into gladnesse with me, reioice you of the iust iudgements of God vpon our enimies: yea, compasse you Zion round about, account hir towers, consider diligentlie hir wals and bulworks, and set foorth the praises of hir peace and palaces; so that yee may spread foorth the memorie thereof, euen to all posteritie. And doo you let all men to vnderstand, that this is God, euen our owne God for euer, which hath not forsaken vs, neither will leaue vs, no not in the last minute of our life.
Go to now therefore I beseech you, let vs altogether praise the Lord, as we are bounden; let the whole companie of vs Uirgins plaie vpon the Timbrels on euerie side, and corner of the citie Zion, one exhorting and answering another by course, and that with new [Page 343] and excellent songs of praise to the glorie of God.
Let vs magnitie that mightie and eternal name of his; for it is holie: let vs continuallie come before the Lord, and worship him; for he is holie.
For what should we rather doo, than to giue hartie and continuall thanks, by all possible meanes, vnto God; who, besides that he is God, and therefore hath bound all men vnto himselfe by good right, hath bestowed vpon vs so manie peculiar benefits? And againe, what can be more ioifull, and more to be desired, than such a testimonie of his fatherlie loue, who hath deliuered vs from so manie, not onlie dangers, but deaths also?
CAP. IIII.
GO to also, O all ye Kings, Princes, Gouernours, and Iudges of the earth; hold vp your hands humblie vnto God the eternall KING; acknowledge his power, which sitteth vpon the most high heauens from all eternitie, as it were vpon a chariot, and maketh a terrible and most mightie sound from the clouds.
O yee mightie Monarchs and Potentates of the world, now worship and praise ye the LORD our GOD together with me; doo him all possible reuerence: and reioice vnto him with feare and trembling, as I doo.
O ye Kings, and all ye of power, giue place vnto the Lord; giue vnto the Lord, I saie, the honour of all glorie and power: giue vnto the Lord the maiestie and glorie due vnto his name, fall downe before his footestoole, and worship him in his most holie temple: for he is holie; and seeke his glorie carefullie, as I doo.
For this chieflie becommeth all Princes to doo, whom God, of his vnspeakable fauour, hath consecrated [Page 344] vnto himselfe, and brought them into the most high state of dignitie, aboue others: but speciallie, it becommeth me to reioice, and to set foorth thy praises, O God, after a most exquisite maner; in whom thy most excellent Maiestie doth so gloriouslie shine, and who haue receiued so manie rare and singular benefits of thee, from my conception, to this houre.
Go to then, O my deere soule, and mine inward bowels, giue thanks vnto God with all your power: praise the Lord, O my soule, and declare thy selfe that thou art mindfull of all his benefits.
For what honour is not the Lord woorthie of, which of his vnspeakable mercie and compassion hath forgiuen thee all thy sinnes, healed the deadlie wounds thereof, cured thy diseases, borne thine infirmities, redeemed thy life from death, preserued thee from miserie, renewed thy youth like the Egle that liueth most long, and adorned thee so richlie with all his benefits; as testimonies of his singular goodnes, and fatherlie mercie towards thee?
Go to therefore with me, you mightie spirits, being his apparitours, and the diligent executioners of his will; so soone as ye heare him speake, celebrate yee the praises of the Lord.
O yee mightie armies of his most obedient souldiours, praise the Lord, I saie; O ye, euen the verie Angels, worship him as your Lord and King.
Praise ye the Lord, O all his works, in what place soeuer of his dominion; and whatsoeuer hath breath, let it sound and set foorth his glorie: finallie, thou my deere soule set thou foorth the praise of God.
CAP. V.
AND I, O my God, my King, euen I thy handmaid and annointed, in thankefull remembrance, and worthie memoriall of thy woonderfull works and benefits, wrought [Page 345] and shewed vnto me continuallie, doo againe (as it is meete) render vnto thee this acceptable sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing.
I paie the vowes vnto thee, which I haue promised both secretlie among the faithfull, and openlie before the whole assemblie of thy people; and that in the courts of thy house, O Lord; and in the midest of the Citie Ierusalem, wherein by thy power and benefit I thus flourish.
I will praise thee with my whole hart, and magnifie thy name for euer; because I haue experience of thine infinite goodnesse in my selfe, and am deliuered from so manifold dangers of death and destruction.
Neither will I be ashamed to sing foorth thy praises also in songs, before the assemblie of the mightie, and before the verie Angels that stand about thine arke.
I will, together with all Angels, Spirits, & soules; and with all Kings, Queenes, virgins, and creatures both in heauen and earth, incessantlie magnifie thee in the palace consecrated to thy Maiestie; and will sing of thy mercie and truth, because thou hast gotten vnto thee now at the length most great honour; for that thou hast so maruellouslie, aboue expectation, surelie performed vnto me that which thou didst promise in thy word.
I, with the residue of the people of my dominion, as a mother with hir daughters, and the virgin with virgins; being for this cause replenished with incredible ioie, and comforted with thy iudgments, O Lord, will reioice in thee, which (seeing nothing in me that should so moue thee) hast neuerthelesse embraced me with so great fauour, and mightilie also defended me: and with all the iust I will magnifie the holie remembrance of thee, so great a King continuallie, which sitting vpon thy most holie throne, rulest the whole earth, and exaltest thy selfe far aboue all that is aloft [Page 346] anie where.
For to this end chieflie thou, O Lord, hast consecrated and set me ouer them, that I should diligentlie exercise the rites of thy diuine worship among them. Therefore I will delight my selfe in setting foorth thy praises more and more, and I will testifie my selfe in my whole life, to be desirous of thy honour and glorie, to whome all honour and glorie of right belongeth.
O my God, my King; I will highlie extoll thee, and celebrate thy name for euer and euer: I will consecrate all the daies of my life to set foorth thy glorie, and will amplifie thy name with songs, that neuer shall haue end.
For thou art great, O Lord; and no praise is sufficient for thee: neither can anie man attaine to thy greatnesse.
For thy woonderfull works endure not for one generation and age alone; but as one age succeedeth another, so likewise must some men commit the memoriall of them vnto others, vnlesse they will be negligent in dooing their dutie.
Wherefore trulie, be it far from me thy handmaid, that anie thing should be of greater authoritie with me, than that I should carefullie thinke, that the brightnesse of thy Maiestie, which shineth vnto vs in the verie dailie vse of things; and that thy deeds to me and my people-ward are greater, than can be comprehended, by the admiration or capacitie of all mortall men and women.
And doubtlesse, Lord, though verie manie be most blockish, and woonderfull thankelesse; yet can there neuer be wanting some, which shall euen against their willes confesse at the least thy terrible power, euen ouer all princes and people of the world. But admit that others be silent, and vnthankefull; yet I will neuer cease to declare thy greatnesse; and the nations [Page 347] most far off shall heare me publishing thy praises, and singing vnto thee, for deliuering and sauing me by thy power, whome thou hast chosen and loued.
But God forbid, that I alone should labour to doo this my dutie. For verelie, there will be alwaies some assemblie, which will by all meanes testifie the remembrance of thy peculiar goodnesse, and thy most vndoubted promises.
Namelie, that thou art most mercifull, and most readie to exceeding mercie; and of whome a man may almost doubt, whether thou be more slowe to wrath, or more prone to pardon.
For is there anie thing, O Lord, void of thy goodnesse? Naie, what is there in this whole world anie where, which doth not testifie thy clemencie, and euen of it selfe set foorth thy glorie in this point, that thou dooest suffer so manie generations and ages to passe and succeede in this world, that is defiled so manie and fundrie waies: and that thou dooest cause thy chosen people to knowe, and declare by experience, what thy dominion and power is, that is to saie, to be publishers of thy praise and valiant acts, for committing the glorie of thy kingdome to their posteritie.
Wherefore by good right, O Lord, I will giue vnto thee due and conuenient praise, & declare thy woonderous works, euen with a sounding voice; that all may heare, as it becommeth me; & all men, to whom thou grantest the vse of this life, to doo both diligentlie, and continuallie.
As for me, I will still call to mind the multitude of thy miracles, and woonderous works wrought for me; and I will consume all my life daies in praising thee therefore, so long as I shall remaine aliue. It shall be my speciall care to publish thy renowne with songs of praise. And would to God that my songs might be so plesant and acceptable vnto thee, as I with glad hart [Page 348] and cheerefull mind will celebrate thy so manie and so great benefits bestowed vpon me.
And be it far awaie, and God forbid, O my soule, that euer we should forget the Lord our God. But let rather my right hand forget hir cunning, and all plaieng of instruments: and let the tongue of euerie one of vs rather cleaue to the roofe of our mouthes, than that it should be once vnmindfull of him; or at anie time abandon the due deserued praises, belonging to his most holy, glorious, mightie, and eternall name and Maiestie.
O all ye creatures in heauen and earth, agree yee vnto me, and saie herevnto with one hart and mouth, Amen. Praise ye the Lord; praise thou thy God, O my soule:
Amen, Amen.
The fift and last part of the Vow diuided also into fiue Chapters.
CAP. I.
AND now, O Lord, my God, and King; I thine handmaid being appointed QVEENE by thee, after such a maner of bountifulnesse, as neuer was heard, doo consecrate this song vnto thee, both of mercie and iudgement: wherevnto I doo vow and bind my selfe before thee this daie, to performe them in the gouernment of the kingdome; as thou both fatherlie requirest of me, and gratiouslie hast commanded.
And first I will endeuour my selfe wholie to pietie and godlinesse, and will labour diligentlie to preserue and to amplifie thy Church, that thy pure worship may be continuallie exercised therein, with as great care, deuotion, and holinesse as is possible.
I will go, I saie, into thy sanctified house, O Lord; euen into the holie habitation of thy most true wisdome will I enter, that I may there learne thy iudgements, and vnderstand thy will reuealed, to doo to the [Page 349] vttermost of my power, whatsoeuer thou requirest and commandest a King to doo.
For I doo testifie before thee, that I desire nothing more, than to visite and behold thy glorious Maiestie in thy Sanctuarie: and therefore will I hasten speedilie to stand in the porches thereof, to taste and see those visible signes of thy power and Maiestie, shewed commonlie therein. For doubtlesse, thy goodnesse that offereth it selfe as it were there to be handled and felt, is more sweet by far, than life it selfe, which causeth my soule so much the more to be inflamed with earnest desire to seeke thy face, to see thy glorie, and to set foorth thy praises with all my power.
Especiallie, that the people, which are holie vnto thee, my God, might assemble together by tribes and thousands, after the maner apointed of thee, to powre foorth praises and praiers, and to celebrate thy holie name, to the safetie and preseruation of all the families of our nation, that loue and fauour thy truth, to all posteritie.
Yea, euen I my selfe, O God, with my father DAVID, will gladlie go foorth with the multitude; and lead thy people, as he was woont, into thy holie house, O God, with the voice of ioifull praisings and thanksgiuings; as those that obserue thy sabaoths and festiuall daies, most glorious vnto thee, before the face of all people.
I will present my selfe often before thine altar, not onlie with my hands washed in water; but rather purified from all wickednes, that I may openlie stablish thy praise, and celebrate thy woonderfull works.
There will I sound foorth thy renowme with lowd voice, with all my hart, satisfied with the fatnesse and marowe of thy most holie delicates. I will lead my life therein, I saie, O God, setting forth thy magnificence; and there will I lift vp mine innocent hart and hands with others; and openlie, amids the whole multitude, [Page 350] call vpon thy name, wherein is my safegard.
For there is nothing that I loue more deerlie than that Temple, wherein thou hast set thy seate of glorie, euen the house of thy Maiestie and holie Citie, wherein the tribunall seate of my father DAVID (left to his posteritie to minister iustice indifferentlie to euerie one) is firmelie placed.
And why should not I doo so? Why should not my soule, I saie, he thus inflamed, and the zeale of thine house euen consume mee with feruent desire, and hartie longing, to seeke thy face, O Iacob? Seeing I haue had experience so oft of thy gratious goodnesse and miraculous helpe; and seeing thou, O Lord, my God, hast set thy house in Ierusalem, that thy true worship might be by my diligence holilie exercised therein.
Therefore, O God, I, euen I thine handmaid, to whom thou hast appointed the kingdome, will reioice and praise thee in thy sacred Sanctuarie; and ioine my selfe as companion with those that doo worship thee trulie and deuoutlie therein: neither will I be far or long from thence; if I be, Lord, it shall be full sore against my will, through some vrgent necessitie of my calling or office in this life.
And though I be absent in bodie at anie time from thy house, as manie times it commeth to passe, by reason I change my place so often: yet I make a vow, I will doo that I am able; to wit, whersoeuer I become, I will cleaue vnto thee in my hart wholie, and will not cease to thinke of thee, and to meditate of thy manifold benefits powred vpon me.
Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I am accustomed to rise at mid-night, when other doo soundlie sleepe: and setting aside all other cares, as she that is euer mindfull of thy statutes, I doo watchfullie thinke how I may please thee, and keepe thy commandements; and how I am woont to preuent the twy-light in the morning, [Page 351] with my lowd praiers: yea, that I am so farre from following the example of the wicked, who lie snorting in sin & securitie; that contrariwise I, beholding the excellent iudgements of thy iustice, in crowning thy gifts in the righteous, seuen times a daie doo I celebrate thy praises: neither doo the watchmen doubtlesse so carefullie keepe their watch, as I am diligent in meditating thy Heast and commandements.
CAP. II.
ANd bicause, O Lord, though man be increased with neuer so high dignitie, riches, and honours: yet if he want thy wisedome, hee shall be counted to differ little or nothing in this life from the brute beasts, which wholie perish: (For he doth not long remaine in this worldlie pompe and glorie; but all his power shall vanish and flowe awaie, like water spilt on the ground, and brought to naught:) I will therefore number my daies, while I haue time; so that I may betimes applie my hart vnto thy wisedome, & endeuour my selfe to learne thy statutes by thine instruction; and to be taught the true knowledge, ioined with such a iudgement; whereby I may discerne all things aright, as it were by tasting a sauourie thing; bicause I desire to depend on thy commandements, and to fulfill thy Heast.
Uerelie, Lord; I will meditate thy commandements continuallie, and will applie my whole mind to obserue thy waies. I will delight my mind, I saie, in thy statutes, neither will I at anie time forget thy words.
For neither hast thou, O Lord, my heauenlie father, commanded mee anie thing vnaduisedlie in thy Heast: neither are they things that I shuld onlie vnderstand, or lightlie consider of: but thou hast wiselie spoken and commanded them vnto me, that they should be obserued and kept of me with all diligence.
[Page 352] And would to God that my maners and state might so be ordered by thy gouernement, that I might sincerelie seeke to please thee; and holilie walke after the rule of the doctrine prescribed by thee; & that I might most constantlie perseuere in keeping most carefullie thy statutes! For then verelie I should leade an vpright and blamelesse life, at harts ease, with a quiet mind, and all things should go well with me; yea, by that meanes shall I onelie worship thee rightlie, and purelie, without following this or that maner of worship, not prescribed by thy lawe, nor alowed by thy word.
Therefore am I fullie purposed to keepe thy statutes firmelie to the end, and to hold the waie prescribed by thy word. For I haue chosen this as the true waie, and I doo prefer this before all other things.
O Lord, I endeuour my selfe, I saie, with a pure hart, to cleaue fast vnto those things, which are approoued by thy testimonies; of the which my good purpose grant, I beseech thee, that I doo neuer repent.
But direct me that am well entred into the waie of these thy precepts, and inflame me wholie more & more with great desire, both of true knowledge ioined with iudgement, wherby I may discerne all things aright; and also keepe thy lawes, as well in prosperitie as aduersitie, vnto the end of my life; that I may finish the whole course of my reigne, by the direction of thy precepts, which are mine onelie counsellers; thy mercie and thy truth being my two keepers and assistants, wherevpon I also onlie trust.
Neither am I, O Lord, of their number, who haue no regard whither they walke, in the right or wrong waie before thee: but I haue searched carefullie by good aduise, what waie I should keepe; and I haue fastened my steps in those paths, which thou hast testified doo please thee. Neither haue I staied, when I did [Page 353] knowe the matter so to be; but straightwaies bent my selfe to obserue thy commandements, and beene most willing and readie to accomplish thy will, in all things that might aduance thy glorie.
Oh how do I loue thy doctrine! Surelie thou knowst Lord, that I am woont to consume whole daies and nights in meditating of thy lawes. And I doo find, by experience, that I haue not done this in vaine. For I haue proued to be much wiser by thy precepts, than all mine aduersaries, which labour with all their power to destroie me, of how great dignitie or authoritie soeuer they be. For I haue obteined by thy gift, a wisdome that will neuer forsake me.
Yea thou hast made me better learned than my teachers and maisters, euen because I haue giuen my selfe wholie, not to mans inuentions, but to meditate those things onlie, which thou hast giuen vnto vs for sound learning.
Finallie, I am more skilfull than anie of the ancient; because I was bent not onelie to knowe thy commandements, but also to keepe them in deede. For I held backe my feete, that I should not go the waie that leadeth vnto euill; but that I should alwaies rather hold the waie, which thou hast taught vs by thy mouth.
Thy precepts, O Lord, haue bene, and shall be like a burning Lampe in my hand; and as a light shining before me, to shew me the waie that I shall go: yea they haue taught me the true wisdome. And therefore I now abhor the other guids & rules of the order of this life, as wicked and false. For I see all the most absolute and perfect works come to an end: yea both the decrees & lawes, which mans wisdome doth set downe, to be subiect vnto change, and at length euen to come to naught. Onlie thy precepts, most true and most stable, are prolonged without measure, and without [Page 352] [...] [Page 353] [...] [Page 354] anie end. Wherefore, I am wholie consumed, being inflamed with the loue of thee; because I see thy words despised of mine aduersaries.
Surelie I feele thy words more pleasant and sweet to my mouth, than if I had tasted honie; yea thy precepts are more pretious vnto me, than anie gold or iewels, be they of neuer so high price and estimation.
I doo, and will still affirme, that all thy commandements are the most certaine and perfect rule of thy iustice and truth, to direct me to equitie and godlinesse: and therefore I vtterlie abhor, as a thing appointed to deceiue vs, whatsoeuer leadeth vs from them: neither will I at anie time forsake thee, nor turne from thy lawes; but rest vpon thee, my teacher, and ghostlie instructer.
O Lord, thou knowest that I hate and abhorre all deceits, I saie; and that I embrace thy doctrine: yea and that I neuer conceiued more greefe of anie thing, than when I did perceiue those men, that are thine and mine enimies, to despise thy word so stubbornelie and impudentlie.
Mine eies verelie doo swimme with teares, when I behold the generall contempt of thy doctrine, and too bold prophanation of all thy holie Heasts and lawes, the which thing I neither would nor could dissemble. For euen so oft as I perceiued thy glorie to be diminished, I burnt with sorowe; & I accompted my selfe to be wounded with the reproches cast out against thee. Uerelie, there is nothing more pure than thy words. Wherefore I, euen I thy seruant, doo embrace them with an incredible loue and desire: yea I haue bound my whole heart for euer, euen to my last gaspe, to obserue thy statutes.
CAP. III.
IAm determined, O Lord, to imbrace with most great loue, those things, which thou hast testified vnto me; and to keepe all thy Heasts most diligentlie: yea, I will so behaue my selfe in this my gouernement, that none shall worthilie complaine of me, that I haue committed anie thing against them, contrarie to right and equitie. For I doo beare thy Heast in my hand, as a Lampe ordeined of thee, for to lighten me in thy perfect paths and waie. And I laie vp thy word in my hart as a pretious treasure, least I offend thee in anie least thing.
And how sincerelie I doo this; that is, how without all hypocrisie I applie my selfe to fulfill thy commandements, and to accomplish and doo to the vttermost of my power, all things that thou hast testified vnto me, it is best knowne vnto thee, who being my witnesse, and priuie to all my thoughts and doings, I doo whatsoeuer I doo.
O Lord, vnto whome I appeale; and whome I can not deceiue, though I would: I am throughly knowne and manifest vnto thee I saie. For no part of my life is vnknowne vnto thee, whether I sit or I rise: yea thou doest euen vnderstand all my thoughts a far off; and thou obseruest narrowlie my walking, and my lieng downe; neither is anie of those things hidden from thee, which I go about. For thou knowest euen my words, O Lord, before my tongue pronounce them.
I submit my selfe, O God, in this thing therefore to thy triall; how I doo prefer the consideration of thy woonderfull works, words, and benefits, before all others; which are so great verelie, that I am not able once to accompt the summe of them, nor to reach to the height, depth, length, and bredth of thy great mercies towards me. For I find them mo than the sands [Page 356] of the sea, or the heares of my head. Wherefore I onlie refer my selfe to thee my God, I saie, that thou maiest throughlie prooue thine handmaid, and see if my hart be not altogether fixed vpon thee; and vtterlie search out all my thoughts, to write them downe in thy booke of consciences.
Finallie, consider Lord, I praie thee, whether I haue prouoked the vngodlie, with giuing anie offence: & as thou knowest me innocent, so preserue thou me, and gouerne the course of my life with thy counsels.
Yea thou knowest, O Lord, that I haue neuer bent mine eies to high things; nor entangled my selfe willinglie with great matters, whereby I might win to my selfe the opinion of excellencie, aboue all other: neither yet haue reached vnto such things, as were aboue my capacitie. But contrarilie, vnlesse I haue bene content with my state howsoeuer; and haue staid my mind to depend wholie on thee, as they teach the weaned child to forget the Nursse, and to regard the mother alone: vnlesse, I saie, I haue so behaued my selfe hitherto, as the weaned infant, let me in deede be refused of thee.
Therefore, according to this mine innocencie, O Lord, by the assistance of thy grace, I will proceed: yea surelie, Lord, according to my power, as I haue begon in thee, so I will endeuour my selfe to end in thee, and to walke with thee vprightlie; and setting all my confidence in thee alone, I am fullie minded to continue to the end of my life, without wauering in the faith of a right Christian feare and loue to thee.
That I stand vpright in the waie of thy truth, I doo attribute it onlie vnto thee, O Lord my God; and will therefore magnifie thy name in the publike congregation. And I doubt not, but thou, O Lord, thine owne selfe, wilt sullie performe the worke that I haue enterprised by thine authoritie. For this is thine euerlasting [Page 357] mercie, testified by thy word: neither wilt thou, I knowe, leaue the worke vnperfect, which thou hast once begun by me, and in me.
And now surelie mine eies are still alwaies bent vpon thy goodnesse, and I haue appointed thy truth to be the guide and leader of my life: yea, I vnfeinedlie vow, and make a solemne promise before thee, and all thy holie Angels; that I will giue all possible diligence, both that I may throughlie knowe the right waie appointed by thee, and also may obserue the same purelie, in my house and Realme.
I will neuer set before me to doo anie wicked thing; but will endeuour my selfe to godlines more and more, and keepe my hands pure from all iniurie and wrong: that I may so liue the true life; and spend the whole course of this my peregrination, in setting foorth thy glorie.
CAP. IIII.
HEnce from me therefore ye wicked ones, that I may keepe the precepts of my God so much more purelie. For I abhor the wauering and wanderings to and fro in religion; and I count thy word and doctrine most deere and pretious.
I will forsake them that are of corrupt maners; neither will I take such vnto me. I will put far from me the authors of euill counsels; neither will I embrace, at anie time, the thing that I knowe to be euill.
Yea, Lord, thou knowest how carefullie I haue auoided the companie of these most vaine men; and I haue fled awaie from these deceitfull dealers.
They that run after another God, I vtterlie detest. Their drinke-offrings of bloudie sacrifice, which I am afraid euen once to name, will I not offer. All such abhomination my soule doth vtterlie abhor.
For I, as thou knowest, loue righteousnesse and holinesse, [Page 358] and hate whatsoeuer is against it. And bicause they hate thee, O Lord, which art righteousnesse it selfe; therefore doo I againe hate them, and doo euen abhor them, bicause I perceiue them to rise vp against thee.
I hate the superstitious crue of the vngodlie, I saie, vtterlie; and count them for my greatest enimies: much lesse will I ioine my selfe vnto them, or can abide to winke at their wickednesse and rebellion.
Yea, I fullie determine to exercise thy power giuen vnto me, and to destroie the wicked and prophane vtterlie; that thy Church may be well purged, and free from these cruell and bloud-thirstie hypocrites; from these men, I saie, which speake blasphemie against thee: so great and so proud is the crueltie of those, not of mine enimies so much, as of thine. For they abuse thy holie name and Maiestie.
Those superstitious men, I saie, Lord, that beare thy name in hypocrisie, shall haue their mouthes stopped, and be put to silence in the congregation; and that bicause they be deadlie enimies to thy word and holie Gospell, which I professe.
Therefore, bicause they resist not me; but thee, O God, thy selfe: therefore thou shalt carie in thy hand a cup full of troubled wine, and full of dregs, the which thou shalt giue to all the wicked to sucke vp, and to drinke euen the verie dregs thereof. Yea, with the edge of the sword will I cut off the horns of the wicked and rebellious; and will execute the iudgement appointed and commanded by thee my God, vpon them, till they be consumed; that the honor & dignitie of thy Saints may flourish in Israel in all pietie and peace.
All those wicked men, whom I see or heare doo abuse their authoritie vnder me, against the good and godlie, will I cast downe againe; but I will increase the iust with honours.
[Page 359] The subtill man will I thrust out of my house; neither will I suffer those that be scoffers, and speake deceiptfullie, to tarrie in my sight.
The extortioner and cruell man, which doo speedilie put in execution their wicked deuises, and whose hands are full of bribes, those will I vtterlie destroie from off the earth.
I will bridle the proud and dissolute persons, I will terrifie the wicked, that they shall not lift vp their hornes so high, with blasphemous words against thee, and thine annointed.
Finallie, I will destroie the slanderer and false accuser; I will not suffer the proud and the ambitious to dishonor thee. Yea I will painefullie, and without anie delaie, worthilie punish whomsoeuer I shall vnderstand to be wicked; and will purge the holie Citie of the Lord from all wicked persons.
Contrariwise, I searching out on euerie side men that loue the truth, will take them to be my familiar companions and counsellers; and I will not vse, in dooing mine affaires, anie but such as are trustie and faithfull, both to God, and their Prince.
If I doo knowe anie that feareth thee, and that keepeth thy statutes, I will ioine him to my fellowship: those (I saie) whome I see doo worship thee trulie and deuoutlie, will I ioine my selfe as companions with me.
Yea, all my delight, Lord, shall be vpon the Saincts that are in the earth with me, to comfort them; and to promote such as excell in vertue and godlinesse. For otherwise, I am able to doo little or nothing that can profit thee. Neither will I suffer anie violence to bee done vnto them that be godlie, by anie man; but will rebuke euen the mightie Princes for their sakes. None shall touch thine annointed Priests, no man will I suffer to hurt anie of thy Prophets.
CAP. V.
TO conclude, I will surelie care for nothing so much, now that I am set peaceablie ouer the kingdome, and haue the people by thy goodnesse committed vnto me, as to institute an holie and righteous gouernement. And thou granting me grace, when the case so standeth, that the bonds of the lawes are broken, and the kingdome is in anie thing disordered or confounded; I will carefullie compose, and set the same againe in good order; and establish the pillers and foundations thereof in their places, if they be remoued. And this will I doo by the direction of thy reuealed will, that all things may remaine safe among my people, by the difference of right and wrong preserued and mainteined; and that they may followe thee, our God, with great cheerefulnesse, whosoeuer delight in righteousnesse, when they see the disordered state of the Realme restored by me at the last, into the ancient most right order of discipline and iustice, prescribed by thy word.
Thus, by the grace and assistance of thy holie spirit, (the which I beseech thee plentifullie to powre downe vpon me) doo I thy seruant determine with my selfe, vnfeinedlie to serue and worship thy dreadfull Maiestie, O my God, in feare and trembling: and I will labour to preserue and to amplifie thy Church, with as great care as is possible; that thy pure worship may continuallie to all posteritie be exercised therein.
For so haue I sworne, euen by an oth, and make my solemne Uowes, that I will doo; & that I will keepe thy most sacred Heasts, and iust lawes inuiolable; the which thing I will performe in deede. Neither will I suffer my selfe, at anie time, to be drawne awaie from thy iudgements; nor to depart one ynch from thy holie commandements, O God, which waie soeuer thou [Page 561] leadest me. But trusting onelie vnto thee, by whose power and conduct I haue gotten the Empire and regiment of so manie large prouinces, strong cities, and goodlie townes; I will now set my kingdome in good order, and place the throne of iudgement therein, euen the tribunall seate of my father DAVID, that iudgement and iustice may be ministred indifferentlie therein to euerie one; and the safetie and welfare of the people that loue thee, and fauour thy truth, be procured and maintained.
For to this end, O my God, hast thou giuen me this kingdome, the possession of so manie goodlie countries, and sundrie sorts of people; and caused me to obteine it with so great facilitie and ease; that being thus peaceablie placed therein, I should loue Ierusalem with all my hart: and that I should root out all the inhabitants therein, that prophane the land with filthie superstition, and euill life; and cause all diligentlie to obserue thy statutes and lawes, giuen them of thee. And so I make a Uow I will, O Lord, I saie, according to the simplicitie of my hart, both prouide faithfullie for thy people; and also guide them by good counsell, and continuallie defend and preserue them by my power; as thou in thy heast hast commanded me.
And that I may the better perfourme these my Uowes vnto thee, and thoroughlie discharge my dutie to the glorie of thine eternall Maiestie; I beseech thee, shew me thy glorie, O God; and let thine honour beautifie and adorne me, O my KING. O gouerne thou our counsels and endeuours from heauen; yea all our enterprises, and our counsels guide and gouerne thou from the highest heauens; that thy glorie, O Lord, thy glorie may shine foorth in me thine humble Haudmaid, to all posterities; and the fame thereof fill the whole world, and be perpetuallie praised of al thy creatures, both in heauen and in earth, visible and inuisible, for [Page 362] euer and euer: So; euen so shall it be, O my GOD: euen so let it be, Amen: Amen.
O Lord, I beseech thee, let the Uowes and free promises of my mouth, proceeding from an vnfeined hart, be accepted of thee; and teach me thy lawes more and more. For vnto thee and them I confes that I owe my life.
Glorie be to GOD on high; in earth peace; good will towards men: Halleluiah.
A table orderlie comprehending, vnder some speciall titles, all such praiers, meditations, and other matters whatsoeuer, which conuenientlie might there vnto be referred or gathered in the first, second, and third Lamps or parts of this booke for the benefit of the simple reader: by T. B. S.
- A Meditation to be vsed before priuate morning praier, the second lampe, pag. 105.
- Another to be vsed before euening praier, the second lampe, pag. 121.
- Another to be vsed before common praier in the church. 2. l. pag. 158.
- When one awaketh, 2. l. pag. 224.
- At our vprising, 2. lam. pag. 103, 104.
- A forme of priuate morning praier, 2. l. pag. 106, 107, &c.
- An exercise of an housholder with his familie to praie in the morning, 2 l. pag. 225.
- A fruitfull morning praier to bee vsed of all christians, 2 l. pag. 139.
- Before one begin his worke, 2. l. pag. 226.
- Another to the same purpose, ibid.
- Before one begin to studie his lesson, 2. l. 227.
- Before or after the sermon, 2. l. pag. 162, 231.
- At burials, 2. l. pag. 168.
- Before the receiuing of the holie communion, 2. l. pag. 163.
- After the receiuing of the Lords supper. 2. l. 166.
- A praier before meate, 2. l. pag. 229.
- A praier after meate, ibidem.
- A confession before morning praier, 2. l. 103.
- Another before euening praier, 2. l. pag. 117.
- A confession of a penitent person for his sinne, 2. l. pag. 148, 149, 153.
- An humble confession of sinnes to the glorie of God, 2. l. pag. 37.
- A lamentation & complaint of a sinner bewailing the ignorance of hir blind life led in superstition, with hartie repentance in faith to obteine remissiō through Christ, 2. l. pag. 42.
- A christian bewailing of miserable ignorance and blindnesse of men, 2. l. pag. 60.
- Of Christs passion, 2. l. pag. 111.
- Of the carefull passions of the sinfull soule & bodie, 2. l. pag. 128.
- Of the spirituall loue betweene CHRIST the bridegroome, and the faithfull soules of his church the brid, 1. l. pa. 8.
- Of the inward loue of the christian soule towards Christ, 2. l. pag. 1.
- Of the soules slauerie by sinne, and redemption by Christ, ibid.
- Of the soules affinitie with Christ, 2. l. pag. 5.
- Of the soules infidelitie and apostasie from God, 2. l. pag. 10.
- Of the intire affection and loue of God towards the sinfull soule of man, 2. l. pag. 15.
- Of the vnion of life and death in the faithful soule by Christ, 2 l. pa. 21.
- Of the longing of the soule by death to feed with Christ. 2. l. pag. 24.
- Of the trust the soule hath in the merits of hir redeemer against the dread of hel and feare of damnation, 2. l pag. 27.
- Of the incomprehensible loue of Christ to the sinfull soule of man, and of the benefits that come of a true faith, 2. l. pag. 31.
- ¶ Of true faith, and what it worketh in the soule of a sinner, 2. l. pag. 45.
- Of the great loue of God towards mankind, and of the inward beholding of Christ crucified, 2. l. pag. 49.
- Of the glorious victories of Christ ouer all enimies, 2. l. pag. 51.
- Of the schoole of the crosse, wherevnto wee ought to submit our selues: and of the booke of the Crucifix, wherein [Page] we ought often to looke, 2 l. pag. 58
- Of the miserable ignorance and blindnes of men much to be bewailed, 2. l. pag. 60.
- Of the fruits and rules of true Christianitie to be followed, 2. l. pag. 64.
- Of the fruites of infidelitie, and of the office of weakelings to be eschued, 2 l. pag. 66.
- Of carnall gospellers by whose ill liuing Gods truth is shamefullie slandered, 2 l. pag. 69.
- Of the vertues and properties of Gods children following their vocation, 2. l. pag. 73.
- Of amendement of life in all estates, 2. l. pag. 77.
- ¶ Of our frailtie and miserie, 2. l. pag. 113.
- Of the dreadfull day of iudgement, 2. l. pag. 129.
- Of the vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen, and the vntollerable paines of hell, 2. l. pag. 198.
- ¶ The Lords praier, 2. l. pag. 221.
- The Creed or articles of christian faith, 2. l. pag. 222.
- The ten commandements, 2. l. pag. 222.
- Of Hagar, 1. l. pag. 1.
- Of Naomic, 1. l. pag. 6.
- Of Hannah, 1. l. pag. 6.
- Of Abigael, 1. l. pag. 8.
- Of Sarra Tobit, 1. l. pa. 39.
- Of Iudeth, 1. l. pag. 41. 43.
- Of Q. Hester, 1. l. pag. 46.
- Of Susannah, 1. l pag. 48.
- Of the Church, 1. l. pa 48.
- Of the woman of Canaan, 1. l. pag. 49.
- Of the fiue foolish Virgins, 1. l. pag. 49.
- Of the Queenes Maiestic, 2. l pag. 1. 35. 36.
- Of Q Katherin, 2. l. pag. 37. 80. &c.
- Of L. Iane Dudly, 2. l. pag. 98.
- Of Ladie Tirwit, 2. l. pag. 103. &c.
- Of the L. Aburgaueny, 2. l. pag. 139.
- Of Agnes the Martyr, 2. l. pag. 214.
- Of Eulalia the martyr, ibid.
- Of An Askew the martyr, idid.
- Of Mistres Bradford, 2. l. pag. 215.
- Of a certeine godlie Gentlewoman, ibid.
- Of mistres Dorcas Martin, 2. l. pag. 221.
- ¶ Proper praiers to be vsed onelie of the Queens most excellent Maiestie, 3. l. pag. 253, &c. 261. 273. 275. 276. 277. 279. 280. 297.
- The Kings heast, 3. l. pag. 307.
- The Queenes vowe, 3. l. pag. 321.
- ¶ Praiers to God the Father, 2. l. pag. 121. 154.
- To God the Sonne, 2. l. pag. 156.
- To God the holie Ghost, 2. l. pag. 157.
- To the blessed Trinitie, 2 l. pag. 114.
- ¶ Alphabeticall praiers, desifering the name of the Queens Maiestic. 3. l. pag. 280. 297. 303.
- The name of the L. Aburgaueny. 2. l. pag. 207. 213.
- ¶ For the whole estate of Christes church, 2. l. pag. 131.
- For faith, 2. l. pag. 162.
- For the true worship of God, 2. l pag. 158.
- For remission of sins, and to obtaine a vertuous life, 2. l. pag. 144.
- For the obtaining of grace and mercie, 2. l. pag. 147. 150. 152.
- For to be purged from fin and vncleanenesse, 2. l. pag. 151.
- For the obtaining of mercie, and mittigating of miseries, 189. 190. &c.
- For wisedome to gouerne well, 3. l. pag. 279.
- For humilitie, 2. l. p. 170
- For the obtaining of Gods grace and all good gifts of the spirit, 2. l. pag. 170.
- For to liue vprightlie and to dwell in the euerlasting tabernacles, 2. l. pag. 159. 168. 169.
- For patience and meeknesse to beare all afflictions, 2. l. pag. 184.
- For the preachers to speake the word of God boldly, 2. l. pag. 231.
- ¶ Against presumptuous pride and vaine glorie, 2. l. pag. 172.
- Against couetousnesse and too much care of the world, 2. l. pag. 173.
- Against lieng and eull imaginations, 2. l. pag. 173.
- Against the feare of worldlie casualties. 2. l. pag. 192.
- Against the fellowship of the vngodlie, 2. l. p. 161
- Against all vices generallie, 2. l pag. 174.
- [Page]For a sick child, 1. l. p. 49
- Of tho sick at the houre of death, 2 l. pag. 202.
- To die in faith, &c, 2. l. pag. 168.
- In the time of any common plague, &c, 2. l. p. 180
- In the 2. lamp. pag. 178.
- In banishment, 1. l. pa. 1.
- Against barrennesse, 1. l. pag. 6.
- Against enemies of the Church, &c, 1. l pag. 8.
- A lamentation of miseries and plagues for our sinnes, 1. l. pag. 25. &c. 28. 33. 34. 38.
- To be deliuered from reproch, 1. l. pag. 39.
- For deliuerance from enemies. 1. l. pag. 41.
- For strength to ouercome all enemies, 1. la. pag. 43.
- For deliuerance out of the hands of traitours, &c, 1. l pag. 46. 2. l. pag. 36.
- Of one wrongfullie condemned to death, 1. l. pag. 48.
- Of the Church afflicted, 1. l. pag. 48.
- For the tormented in conscience, 1. l. pag. 49.
- Against the power of the vngodlie, 2. l. p. 35. 36.
- In danger of death by tyrannie. 2. l. pag. 36.
- In any ghostlie temptation of sathan, 2. l p. 191
- Against inward heauinesse, 2. l. pag. 192.
- To be deliuered from dangers, 2. l. pag. 193.
- To obtaine vpright iudgement against our aduersarie, 2. l. pag. 194.
- For patience to suffer all afflictions, 2. l. pa. 184.
- An effectuall praier in time of trouble, 2. l. p. 98.
- A sweet praier of anie pressed downe with troubles, 2. l. pag. 94.
- Other christian praiers made out of the psalmes of Dauid, 2. l. pa. 215. 216.
- In martyrdome at the stake, 2. lam. pag. 214.
- For constancie in faith to the death, 2. l. pag. 215.
- To performe the will of God in all places, 2. l. pag. 80.
- A desire to rest in God aboue all things, 2. l. p, 83
- To obtaine a cleane minde, with speedie deliuerance, 2. l. pag. 85.
- To despise all wordlie things, &c, 2. l. pag. 88.
- To long for the life euerlasting, 2. l. pag. 91.
- For thankesgiuing for deliuerance from enemies, 1. l. pag. 1. 44.
- A thankesgiuing for the victorie gotten, 1. l p 3. 8.
- A thanksgiuing for fruitfulnesse of the wombe, 1. l. pag. 648.
- A thankesgiuing for Gods miraculous deliuerance, 1. l. pag. 36.
- Psalmes of reioising after trouble, 2. l. pa 194. 218. 219. 337.
- In the 2 lamp. pag. 176.
- For benefits receiued at Gods hands, 2. l. p. 175.
- For the goodnes of God towards vs, ibid.
- Of Moses, 1. l. pag. 1.
- Of Debora and Barach, 1. l. pag. 3.
- Of Hannah, 1. l. pag. 6.
- Of the women of Israell, 1. lamp. pag. 8.
- Of Salomon or Syon, 1. lam. pag. 8. &c.
- Of Iudith, 1. l. pag. 44.
- Of the blessed virgine Marie, 1 l. pag. 48.
- In time of captiuitie and affliction, 1. l. pag. 48.
- At morning praier, 2. l. pag. 106. 107. 108.
- At euening praier, 2. l. pag. 122. 125. 126. 127.
- Of congratulation for victorie and the kingdome obtained, 3. l. pag. 253. 158.
- For the morning, 2. l. pag. 104. 114.
- For the euening, 2. l. pag. 135.
- Of the state of Adams posteritie, 2 l. pag. 129.
- Of our redemption, 2. l. pag. 106. 121.
- Of the passion of Christ, 2. l pag. 112.
- Of the daie of iudgement, 2 l. pag. 131.
- To God the father, 2. l. pag. 120.
- To God the creator, 2. l. pag. 114.
- To God the sonne. 2 l. pag. 104.
- Against vices, 2. l. pag. 174 213. 221.
- Of scripture, written by our gratious Soueraigne Ladie Q. Elizabeth, in foure languages, 2. l. pag. 135.
- Of scripture, written by Q Katherin, 2. l. pa. 80.
- Of the Ladie Elizabeth Tirwhit, 2. lam. pag. 137.
- [Page]In Latin by the I▪ Iane Dudley, 2. l. pag. 202.
- In english as I suppose by the L. Aburgauenie, 2. l. pag. 215.
- In english by M. Dorcas Martin, 2. l pag. 221.
- In Latin by Leonell Sharpe of Cambridge, in the beginning of the booke.
- In Latin by maister D. Marbek, to the christian reader, ibid.
- At morning praier, 2. l. pag. 105.
- At euening praier, 2. l. pag. 121.
- Written by the L. Iane Dudley, to read the testament, 2. l. pag. 100.
- Against the manifold assaults of Sathan, 2. l. pag. 195.
- To newnes of life, 2. l. pag. 247.
- To watch for the comming of Christ, 2 l. p 249.
- To Magistrates (in the praise of our Soueraign) humblie and faithfullie to discharge their office in Gods feare and seruise written by the author, T. B. 3. lam. pag. 306.
- Of the true beliefe, 2 l. pag. 132.
- Of the ten commandements, ibid. pag. 222.
- Of christian religion, ibid, pag. 234.
- Of inuocation, ibid. pag. 235.
- Of obedience, ibid. pag. 237.
- Of confession, ibid. pag. 240.
- Of the sacraments, ibid. pag. 240. 245.
- A forme thereof priuatlie, 2. l. pag. 122.
- Other, 2. l. pag. 118. 135. 136.
- Going to bed, 2. l. pag. 134. 136. 241.
- Before yee lie downe to sleepe, 2. l. pag. 230.
- Saie as, 2. l. pag. 116. 136. 206.
- A good forme thereof, 2. lam pag. 117. 137.
- Dedicatorie to the Q. most excellent Maiestie, &c, 1. lam. before pag 1.
- To the Christian reader, &c, 1. l. before. pag. 1.
- Of the right honourable now L. Treasurer of England, 2. l before. p. 37.
| Page. | Line. | Faults. | Correction. |
| In the first Lampe. | |||
| 1 | 3 | made by, &c. | made or songe by, &c. |
| 2 | 12 | as led | as lead |
| 24 | 10 | foure lamentations. | fiue lamentations. |
| In the second Lampe. | |||
| Title. | 4 | made by | made as is supposed, by |
| 49 | 33 | he had don | wee had don |
| 52 | 7 | then Christ. | then Christes |
| 85 | 17 | hartie wisedom | heauenlie wisedom |
| 88 | 26 | thereof with them, | thereof, that I be not ouercome with them. |
| 113 | 21 | thanke thee | thinke on thee |
| 129 | 13 | health | wealth |
| 217 | Last. | euer for | euen for |
| In the third Lampe. | |||
| 291 | 9 | Except Lord the, &c. | Encline Lord vnto the, &c. |
| 291 | 10 | as thou didst the praier. | as thou didst vnto the praier |
| 312 | 21 | bountifull | beautifull |
| 333 | 32 | zea, thou | Yea, thou |
| 334 | 29 | And their prince | And me their prince |
| 337 | 18 | that my deliuerance | this my deliuerance. |
THE Fourth LAMPE of VIRGINITIE.
Conteining the most pure sacrifice of Euangelicall deuotion, or an exercise of holie praiers, and Christian Meditations for sundrie purposes, digested as it were in a Diall of degrees, to direct all godlie men and women daie and night, readilie and plainlie to the holie mount of heauenlie contemplation, and true sanctification of the Lords daie our Sabboth, and so consequentlie of all other principall feasts, daies, houres, times, and seasons of the yeere, priuatlie both at home, and also in the Church, at conuenient times permitted: ¶Compiled out of seuerall works of the best approoued Authors in our age, to the glorie of God, and profit of his Church. By Tho. Bentley Gent.
‘Ephesi. 6, 18. Praie alwaies with all maner praier and supplication in the spirit, and watch therevnto with all perseuerance.’‘Philip. 4, 6. Be nothing carefull, but in all things et your requests be shewed vnto God in praiers, and supplication with giuing of thanks.’Imprinted at London by Henrie Denham, dwelling in Pater noster rowe.
¶ The sacrifice of Euangelicall deuotion, conteining Christian Praiers and Meditations, to be vsed as speciallie vpon the LORDS daie: so generallie at all other times and seasons, to the comfort of the soule, and glorie of God, and first:
So soone as ye awake in the morning, meditate thus, and saie:
AWake out of thy heauie sleepe and slumber, O my soule; shake off the deathfull slouth of this earthlie trunke. Up, I saie, O sinfull soule, and watch for the Lord, who is at hand prepared to iudgement. Arise, get thee before the Lord of grace and mercie, in lowlinesse and repentance, and cease not to praie for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes. Labour perseuerantlie in thy dutie, then shalt thou find mercie and righteousnesse, and be made woorthie to enter in as a faithfull virgin, and beautifull ghest, with that ioifull bridegroome, to the feast of eternall mirth and delicacie, there to dwell in ioies for euer,
Amen.
Being well wakened, before you arise, praie thus.
WIth eies, hart, and hands lifted vp, O blessed God, and glorious Trinitie, I most entirelie thanke thee for all thy bountifull benefits bestowed vpon me, and all mankind: especiallie for that it hath pleased thee now in mercie to awake my bodie, to inlighten mine eies, to quicken my senses; and to reuiue and renew me whole againe, as it were from the death of sleepe, and that by the same spirit that raised Iesus from the dead. I thanke thee that thou hast not couered me with a spirit of slumber, nor shut vp mine eies in obscure darknes, to cause me to sleepe a perpetuall sleepe, neuer to awake againe, nor to rise from the euils wherein I laie, as by my sinnes I haue iustlie deserued.
O good Father, grant also, I beseech thee, that as thou hast awaked my body from sleepe, and made mine eies to preuent the morning light: so vouchsafe in like mercie, thoroughlie to awaken, quicken, lighten, and deliuer my soule from all drowsinesse, & sleepe of sinne, securitie, and darknesse of this world, that from hence-foorth it neuer become emptie, faint, dead, or irksome, with longing after the vanities of this brittle life: but liuelie, quicke, and readie to serue and glorifie thee, together with my bodie, with all good works of true christianitie.
Oh deere God, that is but sleepe to thee, which is death to vs; I hartilie beseech thee therefore after death to restore to life that, which now is awaked out of sleepe; and in the meane while to make my bodie such a minister of godlinesse to my soule, in this present life, that at the last, when in the bessed resurrection it [Page 365] shall be awaked vp after thy likenesse, out of the long sleepe of death, and called to appeare before thee, and all the holie Angels, it may ioifullie arise, and be partaker with the same of euerlasting happinesse in the life to come, and ioifullie behold thy face among the righteous, that so I maie be fullie satisfied both in bodie and soule, with thy glorious presence, and ioies eternall, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Meditation.
HEre call to mind the great mirth and blessednesse of the euerlasting resurrection; and remember to muse vpon that most cléere-light, bright morning, and new clearnesse of our bodie, after the long darknesse they haue béene in: all then shall be full of ioie.
Hearing the clocke strike, praie thus with your selfe.
GRant vnto me, O Lord God, I beseech thee, both an happie & healthfull houre of liuing, and a ioifull and blessed houre of dieng. And whatsoeuer I doo, or whatsoeuer I am, let the houre of thy sudden comming so runne in my mind, and keepe me watching, that I may euer thinke, I heare this voice sounding in mine eares: Arise yee dead, and come to iudgement.
In all time of our tribulation, in all time of our wealth, in the houre of death, and in the daie of iudgement, good Lord deliuer vs,
Amen.
Meditation.
CAll oft to thy mind the houre of thy death, and be carefull so to liue euerie houre in Gods fauour, as though euerie houre were indéede to thée the last houre to die in his faith.
Remember also, that as there is no houre or instant of time in all our life, wherein we haue not the vse of Gods great benefits, so ought there to be no moment, wherein we are not bound to haue him in perpetuall remembrance before our eies, to serue, loue, and praise his name, and that to the vttermost of our power, with all our hart, soule and strength.
So soone as ye see the daie breake, and light appeare in the skie, praie.
O Day-star most bright: O light most glorious and true, from whence this light of the daie dooth spring: O light which lightest euerie man that commeth into this world: without whome, all is most horrible darkenesse. How is light giuen to them that are in miserie? and life to a wretch that hath a heauie hart? I looked for light, and behold, I haue found it: I wished for daie, and lo, the starres of the twy-light doo appeere; and I see (I thanke thee) the dawning of the daie. Darkenesse dooth no longer possesse the night, nor the shadowe of death staine the daie. For the blacke mantell is gone, and the thicke clouds are dispearsed, so that the light dooth begin to shine, and spread it selfe abroad to our comfort.
O that the night of perturbations being ouerpassed, [Page 367] the morning light of comfort and grace might likewise spring in our hart! O that darkenesse might so be expelled, that light might be kindled, and the daie of gladnesse and ioie luckilie shine vpon vs: that beeing translated from darkenes to light, from perishing into safegard, from death to life, from hell to heauen, we might continuallie praise thee, who onlie hast immortalitie, and dwellest in the light that none can attaine vnto,
Amen.
Or saie thus.
BLessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath redeemed his people, and deliuered vs out of the hands of all our enimies, and giuen vs free remission of all our sinnes, through the tender mercie of our God; whereby also the daie spring from an high, doth now visit vs, to giue light to them that laie in darkenesse, and in the shadowe of death, and to guide our feete into the waie of peace: that we might serue him without feare, in holinesse and righteousnesse before him, all the daies of our life,
Amen.
Meditation.
MUse a little how much the light and eie of the mind and soule is better than of the bodie. And remember that we ought therefore much more to care for the soule, that it may sée well, than for the bodie. Thinke also that beasts haue bodilie eies as well as men: but men onlie haue eies of the mind, and that such as are godlie wise.
At the Sun-rising, praie.
O Lord Iesus Christ, which art the true Sunne of the world, euermore arising, and neuer going downe; which by thy most whole some appering and light, dooest bring foorth, preserue, nourish, and refresh all things, as well that are in heauen, as also that are on earth: I beseech thee mercifullie & fauourablie to shine into our harts, that the night and darkenesse of sinnes, and the mists of errors, on euerie side driuen awaie; thou brightlie shining within our harts, we may all our life space go without anie stumbling or offence, and may decentlie and seemelie walke as in the daie time, and cleare sunshine, being pure and cleane from the works of darkenesse, and abounding in all good works, which GOD hath prepared for vs to walke in,
Amen.
Another.
O Mightie God, which hast created the heauens, and all the beautifull ornaments of the same, roiallie to set vp thy glorie, & to declare eueriwhere all the wonderfull works of thy hands, wrought through thy sonne Iesus Christ; whome as the bright shining Sunne of righteousnesse and vnderstanding, thou hast assigned to haue his residence in those heauens. Suffer I beseech thee, that by the beames of his grace and beneuolence, [Page 369] most louinglie shining and spread abroad, he may cast his light into the world, and kindle in the harts of men a feruour of spirit. Let him come foorth as a bridegroome from his chamber; yea, let him appeare couragious as a valiant champion, to run through his course and iournie, euen till he haue conducted vs vnto the highest heauens, and holie citie Ierusalem, where shall be no need either of sunne or moone to shine, and where we shall walke with those that are saued in the light of the Lambe, and glorie of God,
Amen.
Meditation.
REmember thy maker, that knew thée before thou wast, and knowe, that the eies of the Lord are tenne thousand times brighter than the Sunne (than the which though nothing be more cléere, yet shall it faile.) For God, which liueth for euer, beholdeth all the waies of men, and the bottomlesse depth; looking euen into mens harts, be they in neuer so darke and secret corners. And therefore, wheresoeuer thou art, and whatsoeuer thou dooest, feare thou the eies of God, more than the eies of men.
Now also, while the light is swéet, and it is a pleasant thing to sée the Sunne, remember the daies of darknesse that followe, and are manie. And looke that béetimes, before the Sunne set, or that the light of the moone and starres be darkened, thou feare GOD, and vse the light, walking therein as a child of light: knowing that he that maketh the Sunne to shine, and arise, both vpon the good and bad, will call thée to an account for thy works done both in darknesse and in light.
Putting off your neerest garment, praie thus.
MOst gratious and mercifull Sauiour Iesus Christ, thou knowest how we be borne, cloathed, and clogged with the greeuous & heauie burden of the first woman Eue, who fell [Page 370] awaie vnto fleshlinesse, through disobedience; vouchsafe therefore, I beseech thee, to strip me out of the old corrupt Eue, which being soked in sinne, transformeth hir selfe to all incombrances and diseases of the mind, that they may lead vs awaie from thee. Rid me also quite and cleane of that hir tempter, the deceitfull serpent, which turneth vs awaie from the obedience of the Father, So be it.
Beholding your nakednesse, praie thus.
LOrd how wretched, miserable, poore, blind and naked am I! I am naked, O Lord, yea euen starke naked, for that thou seest me in my bloud and corruption. Open mine eies also, I beseech thee, that I may more and more see my nakednesse; feele my miserie, and confesse my wretchednes; that thou of verie pitie and compassion maist cloath me with thine innocencie, and holie vertues; and so couer my filthinesse, that mine enimies neuer behold the same to my reproch. Finallie, giue me the grace of perfect charitie, to doo the works of faith acceptable to thee, especiallie so to cloath the naked, and after my power to releeue the needie: that when I shall depart hence naked and bare, as euer I was borne, and shall carie awaie nothing of all my labours; yet in thy sight, at the generall iudgement daie, I may not appeere naked of good works, or void of the marriage garment of faith, and the gifts of grace, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Putting on your neerest garment, praie thus:
PUt vpon me, O Lord, the pure garment of the innocencie and holines of Christ my Sauior. O couer thou my nakednesse and shame with the fine linnen robe of his righteousnesse and vertue; so shall not my filthinesse be discouered vnto mine enimies, for them to gaze and laugh at; as cursed Cham did at the nakednesse of his father Noah. Yea, make thou my linnen cloaths as white as snowe, and shining like the light, that I maie be of the number of those that haue beene called from the beginning of the world, and shall be sanctified, that haue departed from the shadowe of the world, and shall receiue glorious garments; euen of those holie ones, I saie, that haue put off the mortall cloathing, and haue put on the immortall, which haue confessed thee, O God, and thy Christ, and are alreadie crowned with glorie, and haue receiued palmes of victorie in their hands, triumphing ouer all their enimies, and policies of this world, So be it.
Or praie thus:
LOrd, send me a ioifull resurrection; and while I liue, giue me grace so to ouercome the temptations of flesh and bloud, and Christianlie to confesse thy holie name, that in the last generall daie of thy iudgement, I maie be found among the number of thine elect seruants, which [Page 372] shall stand on thy right hand, and being clad with the long white robes and shining raines of the righteousnesse of thy Saints, who haue hated euen the garments spotted by the flesh, and kept their consciences vnpolluted with sinne, and haue made their long garments white and cleane in the bloud of the Lambe Christ, I may togither with them enter into the holie citie, and remaine in the presence of the throne of God, and serue thee ioifullie daie and night in thy holie temple, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Meditation.
THinke now how the children of GOD, while they are burdened in this earthlie tabernacle, sigh, desiring to be cleathed, that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life. For if they be found cloathed, and not naked, mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of immortalitie, and they shall walke with GOD, in white araie.
Being about to arise, and sitting vpright in your bed, praie.
O LORD Iesu Christ, which diddest vouchsafe to die for our sinnes, and diddest rise againe for our iustification: haue mercie vpon me, and by that thy glorious resurrection, I beseech thee, raise me vp out of the bed of vices, and sepulchre of all my sinnes, wherein I haue long lien, to newnesse of life. For except I be raised vp by thee, I shall lie still for euer in darkenesse, shame, and miserie. O therefore put foorth thine hand, [Page 373] and mercifullie raise vp againe, not onlie my bodie, but my mind and hart also, to the true knowledge and loue of thee: that my conuersation may be in heauen, where thou art. And giue me dailie part in the first resurrection, to the intent that I may receiue some part in the latter resurrection, and be in the number of those thy faithfull ones, ouer whom the second death shall haue no power, but are receiued into life euerlasting.
Meditation.
COnsider how fowle the fall of Adam and Eue was, by reason of their sinne and transgression: and so of euerie one of vs by them, from the high, excellent, and honourable estate of Gods grace, into shame and miserie. Againe, thinke vpon the inestimable benefits of Christ Iesus, by whose helping hand we dailie arise againe from our naturall and originall declining and fallings: and be thankfull vnto him therefore.
In your arising, as you step out of your bed, praie:
I Arise, and enter into this daie, to doo all things in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holie Ghost, who hath made me, redeemed me, sanctified me, and preserued me. He rule me, keepe, blesse, and lead mee into all good works; and so direct and confirme me therein, that after ths fraile life ended, I may obteine a ioifull resurrection, with blisse perpetuall,
Amen.
Being risen, blesse and praie thus:
GOd be mercifull vnto me, and blesse me this daie and euer; and shew me the light of his countenance, and be mercifull vnto me; that I may knowe his way vpon earth, and his sauing health among all nations. God, euen our owne God giue mee his continuall grace, peace, mercie, and blessing.
And I beseech thee, O Lord Iesu Christ, which being reuiued from death to life, broughtest againe to mortall men, that most desired and greatlie longed for daie which the Lord made. Grant that I, being now raised vp from the death of sinnes, to the life of grace, may walke in all Christian obedience: and at the last daie of the resurrection of all flesh, when thou shalt be made manifest in our life, I also may then be openly known, and appeere before thee in glorie; and ioifullie triumph ouer sinne, death and hell; saieng: O death, where is thy sting? O graue, where is thy victorie? Thanks be vnto GOD, which hath raised me from the death of sleepe, and giuen me victorie ouer all mine enimies, through our Lord Iesus Christ, So be it.
In apparelling your selfe, praie:
CLoath mee, O Christ, with thine owne selfe, that I may be so farre from making prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof; that I may cleane put off all my carnall desires, and crucifie the kingdome of the flesh in me. Be thou vnto mee a garment to keepe me warme, and to defend me from the cold of this world. If thou be absent, deere Lord, all things will be vnto me foorthwith cold, weake, and dead: but if thou be with me, all things will be warme, liuelie, fresh, and cheerefull. Grant therefore, that as I compasse this my bodie with this garment, so thou wouldst cloath me wholie; but especiallie my soule with thine owne selfe, So be it.
Meditation.
CAll to mind a little how we are incorporate into Christ, and how he dooth cloath vs, gouerne, and nourish vs; and vnder his wings, protection, and prouidence preserueth vs.
A consideration of our inward corruption, by the outward easement of the bodie.
OH wretch that I am, what am I but a rotten carcase, woorms meat, a stinking coffin, and food for fire? Againe, what am I, O Lord? Euen a darke dongeon, wretched, earth, a child of wrath, a vessell meet for dishonour; begotten in vncleannesse, liuing in miserie, and dieng in distresse. [Page 376] Out vpon me vile wreth! What am I? Wo is me, Lord. O Lord spare me. Alas, my maker; what shall become of me? I am a sacke of doong, a coffin of rottennesse, full of lothsomnesse and stinch; blind, poore, naked, subiect to manie exceeding necessities, woting neither when I came into the world, nor when I shall go out, mortall and miserable; whose daies passe and glanse swiftlie awaie, as a shadowe, or bubble of water, now flourishing, and by and by withering; now aliue, now dead. Oh spare me a little, Lord; for my daies are nothing: and be mercifull vnto a wretch, that is not ashamed to acknowledge hir vilenesse before thee.
Meditation.
COnsider the miserable state of the bodie, by the excrements that issue out of the eies, nose, mouth, eares, hands, arme-pits, fundament, féete, and other parts thereof: and thinke that no Bocardo, no little ease, no dungeon, no prison, no sinke, no pit is so irkesome, lothsome, and euill a prison for the bodie, as the bodie is for and of the soule; by reason of sinne and filthie affections that haue their dwelling therein. Thinke also what madnesse it is, thus to pamper our bodies with delicate meats, to obeie the lusts therof, prouoking to euill: and desire continuallie, with S. Paule, the dissolution thereof, and to be out of this stinking prison.
VVashing your hands, praie thus:
WAsh my soule, O God, with the water of thy diuine grace, from all the filth and pollusion of sinne, wherewith it is altogither defiled in thy sight. Sprinkle it, Lord, with the hyssope of true repentance, and sorowfull contrition; that being clensed in the most cleere fountaine of [Page 377] thy grace, I may be whiter than snowe; and also bee able euer hereafter to serue thee, in holinesse and purenesse of liuing, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Or else praie thus.
HAue mercie vpon mee, O God, and pardon the wicked deeds which my hands haue committed. Wash my soule with the holie fountaine or well, which I beleeue did flow from thy hart, and naked side; and sanctifie and purifie not onlie my hands and face from filth; but my hart, soule, and conscience also, from all contagion of sinne and iniquitie, that I may be pure both in bodie and soule, and serue thee in holinesse and puritie, all the daies of my life, So be it.
Meditations.
THinke now of thy vow and promise made to God at thy baptisme, to forsake Sathan, to renounce the world, and to mortifie the flesh; and how oft since thou hast broken it, and be hartilie sorie therefore. Thinke also vpon the vnspeakable loue and mercie of Christ our Sauiour, who hath washed vs from our sins in his owne pretious bloud, and purged our conscience from dead works, to the end we should serue him in holinesse and innocencie of life. And consider, that it shall little auaile thée to haue washed thy selfe, if thou touch filth againe; that is, if thou confesse thy [Page 376] [...] [Page 377] [...] [Page 378] faults, and after commit them againe, and so wich the dog returne to the vomit, and with the washed sow to the wallowing in the mire againe.
¶ When you be made readie, first before all things, looke that either by your selfe, or with your familie, with all humblenesse of mind you kneele downe by your bedside, in your parlour, or other sweete, cleane, and conuenient place; and there taking both time and leasure to serue the Lord, lift vp your hart, hands, and eies, and praie vnto his diuine Maiestie, saieng in manner and forme following.
A premeditation, or first forme of praier to be vsed before praier.
O Mercifull Lord, and louing father, without whose aid and motion I am not able to stir one member toward heauenlie seruice, the burthen of this slowe and sinfull flesh doth so ouercharge my weak soule: according vnto thy fatherlie pitie looke vpon me, O God; prepare my hart to praier, and quicken my dull spirit with thy grace, to rise out of this miserable puddle, and to come before thy presence in humble repentance, crauing thy mercie for my miserable sinnes and wickednesse: and being released in the bloud and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ, I may ioifullie serue, honor, and praise thine eternall Maiestie, through thy deere sonne, my mercifull Lord and redeemer; to whom, with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all glorie and thanks for euer,
Amen.
Another meditation before praier.
VNto thee, O heauenlie father, doo I heere prostrate on my knees, lift vp my hart, my hands, mine eies, and praiers; beseeching thy Maiestie, and saieng:
Helpe me, O my Lord, and God, in this my good purpose, and holie worshipping or seruing of thee: and grant vnto me to make a perfect entrance and beginning this present daie, that I maie doo all things in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holie Ghost. For that which I haue hitherto done, is nothing at all.
The Confession and Praier.
O Father of heauen; O sonne of God, redeemer of the world; O holie Ghost, three persons and one God; haue mercie vpon me most wretched caitife, and miserable sinner. I haue offended both heauen and earth, more than my tongue can expresse; my sins are aboue all mens, both in number and greatnesse, which I haue committed. Whither then may I go? And whither should I flee? To heauen I may be ashamed to lift vp my face; and in earth I find no place of refuge or succour. To thee therefore, O Lord, doo I runne; to thee doo I humble my selfe, saieng: O Lord my God, my sinnes be great and innumerable: but yet haue mercie vpon me, for thy great mercie. The great mysterie that God became man, was not wrought for little or few offences. Thou didst not giue thy sonne O heauenlie father vnto death for small sinnes onlie, but for all the greatest sinnes in the world: so that the sinner returne vnto [Page 380] thee with his whole hart, as I doo heere at this present. Wherefore haue mercie on me, O God, whose propertie is alwaie to haue mercie: wherefore haue mercie on me, O Lord, for thy great mercie. I craue nothing, O Lord, for mine owne merits, but for thy name sake, that it may be halowed thereby, and for thy deere sonne Iesus Christes sake; and now therefore, Our father of heauen, halowed be thy name, &c.
Another Confession and praier.
OH almightie euerlasting God, and most gratious deere louing father, I beseech thee, for Iesus Christes sake, thy most deere and onlie sonne, to haue mercie, pitie, and compassion vpon me, most vile, wretched, and miserable sinner: whose innumerable offenses, both old & new, be most horrible, heinous, and great; where through I haue iustlie deserued thy greeuous wrath, and euerlasting damnation. But now, good Lord, heere I do appeale to thy great mercie onlie, which far surmounteth all thy works; as thou hast promised the same in thy holie and infallible word, where thou hast said, yea and sworne, as trulie as thou liuest, that thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should conuert and liue. Ah deere Lord, I confesse that I am a great and greeuous sinner, and yet now by thy grace, and good working of thy holie spirit something turned vnto thee. Oh let me liue, and not die the euerlasting death of the soule, which I so deepelie haue deserued; but make me a vessell of thy great mercie, that I may liue and praise thy name among thy chosen children for euer. Oh let not my horrible sinnes separate me from the sweet sight of thy Maiestie, but let thy great power and mercie be magnified in me, as it is in Dauid, [Page 381] in Peter, in Magdalen, and in the notable Theefe which was crucified with Christ thy deere sonne, in whose most pretious death and bloud-shedding onlie, O Lord, I put my whole trust and confidence. For he onelie hath taken awaie the sinnes of the world: he came not to condemne the world, but to saue it, that none that trulie beleeue in him should perish, but haue life euerlasting. He saith, he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Oh gratious God, giue me true, earnest, hartie, and vnfeigned repentance, that I may, from the verie bottome of my hart, continuallie lament my manifold sinnes and wickednesse, my great ingratitude and vnthankefulnesse towards thee, for all thy mercifull benefits so aboundantlie powred vpon me, through Iesus Christ: which wouldest vouchsafe, he being thine owne deere darling, in whome was and is all thy whole pleasure and delight, to giue him for me to the verie death of the Crosse: yea and that when I was thine vtter enimie, of mercie inestimable, and loue incomprehensible. Who euer sawe such a thing? God became man, and was crucified for me, that by his death I might liue. Alas that euer I should become so wicked a wretch, and vnkind a creature, to displease so louing, kind, and mercifull a God and father. Oh forgiue me, forgiue me, for thy great mercie sake, for thy truth and promise sake; and I will neuer trespasse againe against thy diuine Maiestie anie more; but will gladlie serue thee in true holinesse and righteousnesse, all the daies of my life, by the grace and assistance of thy good and holie spirit, the which I beseech thee to giue me also, that he may gouerne me, and guide my hart, in thy true faith, feare, and loue: that in all my deeds, words, and thoughts, I may glorifie thy holie name, which liuest, and reignest, with the sonne, and the holie Ghost, three persons and one God, to whome [Page 382] be all honour, glorie, praise, thanks, power, rule and dominion, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another confession of sinnes, proper for the Sabaoth daie.
OH my most mercifull father, the father of mercies, and God of all consolation and comfort, my God, my father; I most wretched sinner confesse and acknowledge my selfe vnfeinedlie, with hart, mind & mouth, now before thee, to haue most greenoushe offended thy high Maiestie and goodnesse. I recognise and acknowledge my selfe to be full of sinne, full of vnfaithfulnesse, and a seruant vnprofitable. For all thy holie commandements haue I transgressed and broken.
First, I haue not set all my whole beleefe, confidence, trust, and hope in thee. I haue not loued and honoured thee with all my hart, with all my soule, mind, and powers of my soule.
Secondlie, I haue diuided thine honour and worship from thee, and giuen it to thy creatures, and dead things imagined of mine owne fond fantasie, I meane in the adoring and worshipping of images.
Thirdlie, I haue abused thy most holie name, by false and deceitfull swearing, to the hinderance of my neighbour, and idlelie and vainlie haue I vsed thy holie name. I haue not said, nor done, neither thought all things to thy glorie.
Fourthlie, in the Saboth daie, I haue not giuen my selfe to hearing, reading, & learning the holie Scriptures; neither haue I giuen meate to the hungrie, drinke to the thirstie, lodged the harbourlesse, clothed the naked, visited the sicke, comforted nor releeued the poore, and men in prison. For I haue not expended of [Page 383] how great weight these words of thy sonne my Sauiour Christ are; neither beleeued him, saieng: In as much as ye haue done these things vnto one of the least of these my brethren, ye haue done it vnto me. Matth. 25.
But I haue bestowed and spent my gold and siluer after my lewd lust and concupiscence, in excesse of meat and drinke, in gorgeous apparell of my bodie, of my children, seruants, and house, &c. where I should not haue bestowed it (or else not so largelie, delicatelie, nicelie, and excessiuelie haue bestowed it,) as I haue; not regarding in the meane time, to suffer the deere beloued brethren of Iesu Christ to go naked, and to perish for cold and hunger.
I haue, I saie, not ceased from mine owne sinfull will and lusts, praieng at all times, thy will, and not mine, to be fulfilled.
Furthermore, I haue not honoured my father and mother; I haue not so much set by them, esteemed them, and had them in such reuerence, as thou commandest me; nor obeied them, neither comforted, releened, or helped them. I haue slaine, I haue broken wedlocke, I haue stolne, I haue sold by false weights and measures, and borne false witnesse: finallie, I haue coueted my neighbours house, I haue desired his wife, his seruant, his cattell, & his other goods vnlawfullie.
Thus most greeuouslie haue I sinned infinit waies, O Lord, omitting and leauing thy commandements, Oh Father, to fulfill the desire of my flesh, the world, and the diuell. Wherefore I crie thee mercie, my God, most mercifull father; and most humblie I desire and beseech thee, for the loue which thou bearest to thy deer sonne, mine onelie, whole, and entire Sauiour Iesu Christ, to haue mercie on me, and to forgiue me most miserable sinner, euen in his bloud, and for his pretious death sake. For when I went about to seeke thee, [Page 384] to trust vnto thee, or to doo anie thing to thy glorie; yet would not this lust and concupiscence, that contagious originall poison, and fleshlie dregges drawne of our father Adam, suffer me perfectlie to doo that I would haue done. Through this naturall concupiscence, I striue and fight dailie against the holie Ghost in me, which vnlawfull lust and desire I knowledge to be a greeuous sinne against thy highnes, if thou shouldest iudge me straitlie after thy Lawe, without the which concupiscence I cannot be.
Wherefore I being a wretched, yea a most abhominable wretched sinner in my selfe, cleerelie destitute of all righteousnesse, of all godlinesse, of all holinesse, and all deseruings, am come now by faith before thee, vnto Christ his mercie seate and righteousnesse, vnto his goodnesse, deseruings, and satisfactions; desiring thee, O most mercifull father, for his deaths sake, that his righteousnesse, his wisedome, his holinesse, his goodnesse, his merits and satisfactions may be mine, and serue for my forgiuenesse and saluation. For like as thou gauest me him to die for my sinnes; euen so beleeue I, that thou hast giuen me with him all his to be mine, and to serue me for my saluation. Wherefore, glorie, honor, worship, empire, and rule be to thee, oh father, with the sonne and the holie ghost for euer world without end, So be it.
Another Confession of sinnes for Sundaies, to be vsed in the forenoone or afternoone.
O Most mercifull Lord God, my tender and deere father, vouchsafe, I hartilie beseech thee, to looke downe with thy fatherlie eies of pitie vpon me, most vile and wretched sinner, which lie heere prostrate in heart before the feete of thy bottomlesse mercie. For I haue sinned against [Page 385] the throne of thy glorie, and before thee, O most deere Father, insomuch that I am not worthie to be called thy daughter. Yet neuerthelesse, forasmuch as thou art the God and Father of all mercie, and comfort; and againe, desirest not the death of a sinner: but like a true Samaritan takest thought for my sillie wounded soule; make me, I praie thee, by infunding of thy pretious oile of comfort into my wounds, ioifullie to run with the lost sonne into the lap of thine euerlasting pitie. For lo, thou art my hope and trust, in whom I onlie repose my selfe, hauing in thee full confidence and faith. And so I saie, with a verie faithfull hart, trusting in thy mercie: I beleeue in thee, O God the Father; in thee, O God the Sonne; and in thee, O God the holie Ghost; three persons, and one true and verie God; besides whom I acknowledge none other God in heauen aboue, nor in earth beneath.
Yea, and I poore sinner doo accuse my selfe vnto thee, deere Father, that I haue sore and greeuouslie offended thine almightie goodnesse, and diuine Maiestie, in committing of mine exceeding, greeuous, and manifold sinnes and wickednesse. For I haue not kept the least of thy most blessed commandements, like as thy righteousnesse may require and demand the same of me.
I haue, I saie, not honoured thee like my God, nor dreaded thee like my Lord, loued thee like my Father; trusted in thee like my Sauiour and Creator. Thy holie and dreadfull name, vnto which all honour and glorie belongeth, haue I vsed in vaine. I haue not sanctified the Saboth and holie daies with works which be acceptable vnto thee, nor instructed my neighbour in vertue accordinglie. I haue not honoured my father and mother, nor beene obedient vnto them, through whom, as by an instrument, thou hast wrought my comming into this world. The high powers and rulers, which take their authoritie of thee, I haue not [Page 386] beene willinglie obedient vnto. I haue not kept my hart pure and cleane from man-slaughter: yea, had not thy mercie and grace defended me the better, I should haue committed the verie deed also. I likewise am not pure from theft, nor from adulterie, nor from false-witnesse-bearing: but haue in my hart and mind wished and desired my neighbours goods and things. I haue folowed the great Prince of the world Satan, which hath beene a lier from the beginning, in concupiscence of the flesh, in pride of liuing, in lieng, in deceitfulnesse, in lecherie, in hatred and enuie, in backbiting, in despaire, and also in mis-beleefe. My fiue wits also haue I fowlie mis-vsed and spent, in hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and also feeling, which thou hast giuen me to vse to thy honour and glorie, and also the edification and profit of my neighbour.
But in what maner soeuer I haue offended and sinned against thine eternall Maiestie; (for no man knoweth throughlie his sinnes, as the Prophet witnesseth) whether it hath beene by daie, or else by night, yea euen from my childhood vnto this daie, were it in works, words, deeds, or thoughts; secretlie or openlie, O my mercifull God; I am sorie for it, euen from the bottome of my hart: yea, my soule mourneth for sorrowe, most mercifull Father, that I am not a thousand times sorier than I am. Howbeit, in token of great repentance, though all harts be knowne well inough to thee, I doo knocke and strike my breast, and saie in bitternesse of hart and soule: Lord God Father haue mercie, Lord God Sonne haue mercie, Lord God holie Ghost haue mercie. Spare me of thine infinite goodnesse and mercie, good Lord, now and all the daies of my life hereafter; and let me haue part of thine abundant grace, so as I maie change my sinfull life, and put out of me the old man, with all his concupiscences, and also that I maie die vnto the world, [Page 387] and that the world may be a crosse vnto me, and so go foorth in a new life.
Strengthen me, O Lord, in a true humble hart, in perfect loue, hope, and trust in thee. Giue my soule grace to desire thee onlie, in thee onlie to reioice and repose my selfe, and that I may vtterlie renounce and forsake the vaine affiance of this world: so that thou maist find me readie with the good seruant, and wise virgins, in the midnight of death, which shall suddenlie steale vpon me like a theefe, ere I be aware. Be thou vnto me at that time of need, O Lord, a tower of strength, a place of refuge, and a defensible God, namelie, against the face of the feend, who like a roring Lion shall be then most readie to deuoure me, and against desperation, which then shall be busie to greeue me. Let then thy comfort cleane fast vnto me; thy mercie keepe me, and thy grace guide me. Fetch then againe, Lord God Father, that which thy puissant might hath shapen. Fetch then againe, Lord God Sonne, that which thou hast so wiselie gouerned, and bought with thy pretious bloud. Take then againe, Lord God holie Ghost, that which thou hast kept and preserued so louinglie, in this region of sinne, & vale of miserie. Three persons, and one true and also verie God, to whom be all laud and praise for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another confession of sinnes, and praier for mercie and grace, commonlie called, Conditor coeli.
OH maker of heauen and earth, King of kings, and Lord of lords; which of nothing didst make me to thine image and likenesse, and diddest redeeme me with thy pretious bloud, whom I a sinner am not woorthie to name, to thinke on, neither to call vpon: I most humblie desire [Page 388] thee, and meekelie praie thee, that gentlie thou behold me thy wicked seruant, and haue mercie vpon me, which hadst mercy of the woman of Canaan, & Marie Magdalen; which didst forgiue the Publican, and the theefe hanging on the Crosse. Unto thee I confesse my sinnes, most holie Father, which if I would, I cannot hide from thee. Haue mercie on me, O Christ; for I am a wretch, and haue sore offended thee in idolatrie, in superstition, in blasphemie, in prophaning of thy Saboths, in disobedience to my gouernours, in pride, in couetousnesse, in gluttonie, in lecherie, in vaine glorie, in hatred, in enuie, in murder, in adulterie, in theft, in lieng, in backbiting, and false-witnesse-bearing, in sporting, in dalliance, in dissolute & wanton laughing, in idle words, in vncleane thoughts, in hearing, in tasting, in touching, in thinking, in sleeping, in working; and finallie, in all waies, in which I a fraile woman, and most wretched sinner might sinne: My default, my most greeuous default.
Therefore I most humblie praie and beseech thy gentlenesse, which for my helpe didst descend from heauen, which didst hold vp Dauid, that he should not fall into sinne, haue mercie vpon me, O Christ, which didst forgiue Peter thine Apostle, that did forsweare and forsake thee. Thou art my Creator and helper, my maker and redeemer, my gouernour, my Father, my Lord and God, my King and my spouse. Thou art my hope, my trust, my strength, my defense, my redemption, my sanctification, my life, my helth and resurrection. Thou art my stedfastnesse, my refuge & succour, my light and onlie hope. I therfore most hartilie and humblie desire thee to helpe me, defend me, and make me strong, comfort me, make me stedfast; make me merie, giue mee light, and visit me; reuiue me againe, which am dead: for I am thy making, and thy worke.
Oh Lord despise me not; I am thy seruant, thy bondwoman, [Page 389] although euill, although most vnworthie, and a detestable sinner. But whatsoeuer I am, whether I be good or bad, I am alwaies thine. Therfore to whom shall I flee, except I flee vnto thee? If thou cast me off, who shall or will receiue me? If thou despise me, and turne thy face from me, who shall looke vpon me? Recognise and knowledge me, O Lord, to be thine; although vnworthie comming to thee, although I bee vile and vncleane. For if I be vile and vncleane, as I confesse my selfe in deede to be, thou canst make mee cleane. If I be sicke, thou canst heale me. If I be dead and buried, thou canst reuiue me: for thy mercie is much more than mine iniquitie. Thou canst forgiue me more than I can offend. Therefore, O Lord, doo not consider, nor haue respect to the number of my sinnes; but according to the greatnesse of thy mercie forgiue me, and haue mercie on me most wretched sinner. Saie vnto my soule, I am thy health; which saiedst, I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he liue, and be conuerted, and turne to thee. O Lord bee not angrie with me, I beseech thee; but for thy great mercie sake forgiue and pardon me all my misdeeds, and bring me to the blisse that neuer shall cease,
Amen.
Another forme of Confession and praier to be vsed of the Maister and Mistresse with their families in priuate houses euerie morning.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull Father; we doo not present our selues heere before thy Maiestie, trusting in our owne merits or woorthinesse, but in thy manifold mercies; which hast promised to heare our praiers, and graunt our requests, which we shall make to thee, in the name of thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord: who hath also commanded vs to assemble [Page 390] our selues together in his name, with full assurance, that he will not onelie be amongst vs; but also be our mediator and aduocate towards thy Maiestie, that we may obtaine all things, which shall seeme expedient to thy blessed will for our necessities. Therefore we beseech thee, most mercifull father, to turne thy louing countenance towards vs; and impute not vnto vs our manifold sinnes and offences, whereby wee iustlie deserue thy wrath and sharpe punishment: but rather receiue vs to thy mercie, for Iesus Christes sake; accepting his death and passion; as a iust recompense for all our offences, in whom onlie thou art pleased, and through whome thou canst not be offended with vs. And seeing of thy great mercies we haue quietlie passed this night; grant O heauenlie father, that we may bestowe this daie wholie in thy seruice; so that all our thoughts, words and deedes may redound to the glorie of thy name, and good example to all men; who seeing our good works, may glorifie thee our heauenlie father. And forasmuch as of thy meere fauour and loue, thou hast not onlie created vs to thine owne similitude and likenesse; but also hast chosen vs to be heires with thy deere sonne Iesus Christ, of that immortall kingdome, which thou preparedst for vs, before the beginning of the world; we beseech thee to increase our faith and knowledge, and to lighten our harts with thy holie spirit, that we may in the meane time liue in all godlie conuersation, and integritie of life; knowing that idolaters, adulterers, couetous men, contentious persons, drunkards, gluttons, and such like, shall not inherit the kingdome of God.
And because thou hast commanded vs to praie one for another, we doo not onlie make request, O Lord, for our selues, and them that thou hast alreadie called to the true vnderstanding of thy heauenlie will: but for [Page 391] all people and nations of the world, who as they know by thy wonderfull works, that thou art God ouer all; so they may be instructed by thy holie spirit, to beleeue in thee their onlie Sauiour and Redeemer. But forasmuch as they can not beleeue, except they heare; nor cannot heare, but by preaching; and none can preach, except they be sent: therefore, O Lord, raise vp faithful distributers of thy mysteries, who setting apart all worldlie respects, may both in their life and doctrine onelie seeke thy glorie. Contrariwise, confound Sathan, Antichrist, with all hirelings, whome thou hast alreadie cast off into a reprobate sense, that they may not by sects, schismes, heresies, and errors, disquiet thy little flocke. And because, O Lord, we be fallen into the latter daies, and dangerous times, wherein ignorance hath gotten the vpper hand; and Sathan by his ministers seeke by all meanes to quench the light of thy Gospell; we beseech thee to mainteine thy cause against those rauening Woolues, and strengthen all thy seruants, whom they keepe in prison and bondage. Let not thy long-suffering be an occasion, either to increase their tyrannie, or to discourage thy children; neither yet let our sinnes and wickednesse be an hinderance to thy mercies: but with speede, O Lord, consider these great miseries. For thy people Israel manie times, by their sinnes, prouoked thine anger; and thou punishedst them by thy iust iudgement: yet, though their sinnes were neuer so greeuous, if they once returned from their iniquitie, thou receiuedst them to mercie. We therfore, most wretched sinners, bewaile our manifold siunes, and earnestlie repent vs for our former wickednesse, and vngodlie behauiour towards thee. And whereas we cannot of our selues purchase thy pardon, yet we humblie beseech thee, for Iesus Christes sake, to shew thy mercie vpon vs, and receiue vs againe to thy fauour. Graunt vs, deere father, [Page 392] these our requests, and all other things necessarie for vs, and thy whole Church, our Queene and Realme, according to thy promise in Iesus Christ our Lord; in whose name we beseech thee, as he hath taught vs, saieng: Our Father, &c.
Almightie and euerlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to graunt vs perfect continuance in thy liuelie faith, augmenting and increasing the same in vs dailie, vntill we growe to the full measure of our perfection in Christ, whereof we make our confession, saieng: I beleeue in God the Father almightie, &c.
Almightie God, which hast promised to heare the petitions of them that aske in thy Sonnes name, wee beseech thee mercifullie to incline thine eares to vs, that haue now made our praiers and supplications vnto thee: and graunt that those things, which wee haue faithfullie asked according to thy will, may effectuallie be obteined, to the releefe of our necessitie, and to the setting foorth of thy glorie, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
The Lord blesse vs and saue vs, the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs, and be mercifull vnto vs; the Lord turne his fauorable countenance towards vs, and graunt vs his peace, Amen.
The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, the loue of God, and the communion of the holie Ghost, be with vs, and remaine with vs for euer, So be it.
A Morning praier for Sundaie.
AFter due examination of my former life, with an humble and contrite hart, with a sorowfull and repentant spirit, I sue vnto thee, most mercifull father; beseeching thee of mercie and forgiuenesse of mine offences, which in this night, or at anie time heeretofore, I haue committed [Page 393] against thy godlie will and pleasure, by anie manner of vncleannesse of soule or bodie, that I haue fallen into by the illusion of the diuell; or else by frailtie of mine owne flesh, trespassing against thy godlie Maiestie, either in thought, consent, delectation, word or deede. And I most hartilie thanke thee for the sweet sleepe, and comfortable rest which thou hast giuen me this night: and that to the innumerable benefits hitherto powred vpon my soule and bodie, thou hast vouchsafed to preserue me this night past, from sudden death, and all other euill and mischiefe, spirituall and corporall, that anie person, man or woman, hath beene striken withall, by thy permission and sufferance; knowing of a suretie, that the selfe-same, or such like, had worthilie light on my head also, haddest not thou defended and preserued me, and giuen me time to amend my life, so that I might liue henceforth, not as I will, but as thou wilt.
And now, seeing thou, O almightie God, and most mercifull father, in the tables of the commandements deliuered to the hands of thy seruant Moses, vpon the mount Sina, among other precepts, diddest giue charge vnto thy chosen children of Israel, that in sixe daies they should doo all such works and aaffaires, as they had to doo, and rest from labour the seuenth daie: graunt, I beseech thee blessed father, that siuce I haue by thy mercie, happilie passed ouer this whole weeke, vnder thy gratious protection, I may not onelie rest this daie from my dailie trauels, but that I may abstaine also from the works of sinne and iniquitie, and sanctifie this daie wholie vnto thee, with praiers and thankes-giuing, abounding in all works of loue and charitie, as thou hast commanded in thy holie word, that I may be found pure, without spot or blemish, at that daie, when thy Sonne Iesus Christ shall come to iudge the world with righteousnesse and equitie.
[Page 394] And forasmuch as thou hast ordeined this daie, among the rest, wherein we should meete all together with brotherlie loue and affection, to yeeld thee praises for the innnumerable benefits we haue receiued at thy hand; to acknowledge thy fatherlie loue and pitie towards vs, from time to time; and to giue thee thanks in generall for all and vniuersall thy benefits hitherto bestowed vpon vs: I beseech thee to grant me thy holie spirit, that I may be the more zealouslie inflamed to serue thee, in true holinesse and integritie of life: and by the operation of that spirit, I may kill all carnall lusts, vnlawfull pleasures, concupiscence, and all other spots of vncleannesse; whereby I may be made thy child by adoption and grace; and my bodie the temple of the holie Ghost, being throughlie purged and purified from the dregs of iniquitie and abhomination. Giue me grace, most mercifull Father, to spend this daie to thy pleasure, in all good works of the spirit; and charitie, proceeding from an vndefiled faith in Christ Iesu; that I fall not into anie kind of danger: but that all my dooings may be ordered by thy gouernance, to doo alwaies that is righteous in thy sight, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another Morning praier on the Lords daie.
O Almightie and mercifull God, eternall Father; Sonne, and holie Ghost; three in persons, one in substance, God in verie deede, and from euerlasting.
I extoll thy sacred Maiestie; I praise thine vnspeakeable mercie, thy diuine truth I exceedingly commend; for that of thy fatherlie and woonderfull goodnesse thou hast protected me this night, vnder the shadowe [Page 395] of thy wings. Yea, thou also hast made me quietlie to take my rest, notwithstanding the dangerous snares of my deadlie enimie the diuell.
Thou art the God, which exaltest vs from the gates of the shadowe of death; and from the power of darknesse thou deliuerest vs.
Therefore I will acknowledge thee for thy goodnes, and for the woonderfull things, which thou dooest among the sonnes of men.
I will magnifie thee in the great congregation, and among much people will I praise thee.
My hart is readie, O my God, my hart is readie. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people, and sing to thee among the nations. For thy mercie is aboue the heauens, and thy truth vnto the clouds.
I will not hide thy mercie and truth in the great congregation; bicause it is a good thing to praise the Lord, and to sing to thee, O thou most high: to declare thy louing kindnesse in the morning, and thy truth in the night.
Blesse the Lord, O my soule; and all that is within me praise his holie name.
Which forgiueth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thine infirmities.
Which redeemeth thy life from destruction, & crowneth thee with mercie and compassion.
Which satisfieth thy longing with good things, and protecteth thee from thy youth.
Which also hath kept all my bones this night, not one of them is broken.
To the King euerlasting, immortall, inuisible, and onlie wise God, be honor and glorie for euer and euer, Amen.
VNto thee, O Lord, doo I lift vp my soule.
O God, earlie will I seeke thee; my soule thirsteth for thee, my flesh lusteth after thee in a barren and [Page 396] drie land, where no water is, to see thy strength and glorie.
O eternall God, which hast brought me to the beginning of this daie, defend me with thy mightie power, that this daie I fall into no sinne, nor run into anie kind of danger: but let all my cogitations, words, and works tend to the setting foorth of thy righteousnesse.
Lighten my mind this morning with the shining and clearnesse of thy wisdome; that in my hart, that true daie-star may rise and shine, as it were a candle in a darke place.
Giue me the spirit of wisdome and reuelation in the knowledge of thee; and lighten the eies of mine vnderstanding, that I may knowe what my hope is, how great the glorie of mine inheritance, and what the excellent greatnesse of thy power towards me is.
Fill me with thy mercie in this morning, so shall I be glad and reioice all my life long.
Mercifull God, endue me with thine holie spirit, that I may neither thinke, speake, or doo anie thing this daie, but that which may please thee, and tend to the aduancement of thy glorie, and health of my soule.
Gouerne thou mine vnderstanding and will, and so direct all the cogitations of my hart, that I may wholie be thine, and sauour of nothing besides thee my God and redeemer.
Teach mee the waie of thy commandements, O Lord; and I will keepe it vnto the end.
Giue me vnderstanding to keepe thy lawes, and to loue thee, my Lord and God, with all my hart, with all my soule, and with all my strength: and let all thy testimonies be my delight, and counsellers.
Comfort the soule of thy seruant; for vnto thee, O Lord, haue I lifted vp my soule. For thou, Lord, art good and gentle, and of great kindnesse to as manie as call vpon thee.
[Page 397] Behold, O God, earlie now this morning I doo offer my selfe a morning sacrifice vnto thee, a troubled spirit; a broken, and an humble hart, O Lord, thou wilt not despise.
Make me fit, that I may likewise dailie offer vp my bodie a liuing sacrifice, holie and acceptable vnto thee, which is a reasonable seruice, & gratefull obedience.
Both now and euerie daie, Lord, I commend my soule and bodie into thy hands; thou hast redeemed me, O God of truth.
Compasse me about with the watch of thine Angels, which are ministring spirits sent out for their defence, which are the children of saluation; that they may pitch their tents about me, and incounter with Satan the dragon, to defend me from euill.
Giue thine holie Angels charge of me, that they protect me in all my waies, least happilie I hurt my feete against a stone: so will I praise thee, and magnifie thy name, which liuest and reignest a true and eternall God, worlds without end,
Amen.
Another praier verie effectuall to be vsed vpon the Lords Sundaie, or other holie or festiuall daies.
SEing that the verie solemne times & festiuall holidaies doo vndoubtedlie greatlie renew the reioicing of the godlie: yea, & that more is, with a certaine heape, as a man would saie, doo maruelouslie augment and increase their spirituall ioie in thee O most holie Lord God of Saboth, and make it greater than it was. For they are kept to continue, and stir vs vp vnto the remembrance and recounting of thy woonderfull acts, things, and miracles wrought and done by thine almightie Maiestie, for the conseruation, and saluation of mankind: and by [Page 398] that occasion, doo exceedinglie cheere vp and fill the harts of the godlie with spirituall ioies in thee.
Moreouer, bicause good exercises are to be renewed often; but especiallie vpon the Sundaie and holie daies, as though at that time we were departing out of this life, and going to the euerlasting holie daies of spirituall rest, and continuall ioie; and therefore ought we at that time especiallie to prepare our selues with carefulnes; & to shew our selues more godlie, and to doo thy cōmandements more straightlie, as they yt shall receiue reward of our trauels at thy hand ere it be long.
Behold, I thy sillie creature, desirous to keepe the godlie rest of the new Saboth, better than hitherto I haue done, (for which, as for all other my defaults I crie thee hartilie mercie) doo now therefore most humblie beseech thee, O holie Father, to powre plentiouslie vpon me thy blessed spirit; through whose diuine power, vertue and grace, I may this daie be throughlie sanctified, clensed, dedicated, and prepared both bodilie and ghostlie, perfectlie to serue and worship thee, according to thy will.
O holie God, which hast commanded vs to sanctifie our selues, and to be holie, as thou art; grant me grace with S. Iohn to be in the spirit on the Sundaie: and this daie to be holie with them that be holie, and altogither giuen to serue & please thee in spirit and truth, as becommeth the true worshippers of thee.
Make thou me this daie to refraine my selfe from dooing anie bodilie labour, or seruile worke; and vtterlie to forbeare all maner of vngodlinesse displeasant vnto thee: as namelie, not to abuse or mispend this holie daie in pranking, packing, priinting, pointing, frisling, or vaine attiring of my selfe to be gorgious and gaie, and to prance in pride: neither yet in vnlawfull plaies, idle sports, games, Ethnicall pastimes, feasting, banketting, bellie-cheere, gluttonie, riot, excesse, [Page 399] chambering, wantonnes, nicenesse, contention, pride, couetousnesse, or in anie other fleshlie filthinesse, and vaine pleasures of this transitorie world; but contrariwise, to occupie and giue my selfe obedientlie vnto the vertuous works, and holie exercises of thy diuine precepts; namelie, vnto the expending of the spirituall rest, and euerlasting repose of all Christian soules in heauen, vnto the meditation of thy woonderfull works, and vnspeakable benefits, which thou, O God, continuallie bestowest vpon thy Church, and to bee thankefull for the same: to studie the Scriptures, to heare and reade thy sacred word, and followe the same: to call vpon thee by ardent praier, with hartie thankesgiuing, for all thy mercies: to exercise thy holie Sacraments, and to comfort and giue almes gladlie according to mine abilitie, to the releefe of the poore, and comfort of the needie.
Make me (I saie) O Lord, with holie Dauid, both most willing and glad this daie to go foorth with my whole familie, and the multitude, into thy house and temple, in the voice of praise and thankes-giuing, among such as keepe it holiedaie vnto thee, and at all seasons by common order appointed, diligentlie to frequent the populous resort and Christian assemblie of the congregation in the Church, and to be present with other thy people often in that most sacred place on earth; at the most holie, and alwaies to thee, O God, most acceptable sacrifice of praise, inuocation, diuine worship, giuing of thanks, singing of hymnes, hearing of thy word, vsing of thy holie Sacraments, praiers, intercessions, and supplications; which at the comming together of the whole congregation, is vsed ordinarilie to be made vnto thee in the Church, with verie great ceremonie and reuerence: that thus being free from the trauels and drudgerie of this world, and by thy grace cleansed from all mine owne carnall [Page 400] affections, and wholie giuen ouer to serue and sanctifie thee in true rest and spirituall ease, as also to bestowe, consecrate, and hallowe this thy sacred Sabboth or Sundaie, with all other festiuall holie daies, most glorious vnto thee, in all holie and spirituall exercises of a faithfull and obedient Christian, according to thy will, I may euen heere in this vale of teares, amidst all my miseries, be thereby occasioned with cheerefull hart, both outwardlie and inwardlie, exceedinglie to reioice and trust in thee my most mercifull God and louing sauiour, and after this transitorie life ended, be worthie, happilie to enter into thy holie Mountaine, the Tabernacle of thine elect, and kingdome of euerlasting blessednesse; where the soules of all holie folke doo rest, and there with them to be partaker of perfect holinesse, and of the vnspeakable benefit of the wished wealefull rest, and eternall endlesse ioie of ioies, in the Paradise of God; to see, loue, and praise thee most ioifullie in happie mirth for euer and euer, through Iesus Christ our Lord: to whome with thee O Father, and the holie Ghost, be immortall glorie, infinite power, euerlasting kingdome, perpetuall praise, and continual thanks-giuing, by all creatures, through all ages & worlds, world without end,
Amen.
Meditations.
HEere call to mind the commandements of almightie God, concerning the kéeping of the Sabboth daie holie vnto him; as namelie, the third commandement, Remember thou keepe holie the Sabboth daie, &c. Exod. 20, verse 11.
Call to mind also his promises touching the same, who saith, If thou turne awaie thy foote from the Sabboth, from dooing thy will on the Sabboth daie, and call the Sabboth a delight to consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord, and shalt honor him, not dooing thine owne waies, nor seeking [Page 401] thine owne will, nor speaking a vaine word, then shalt thou delight in the Lord, and I will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth, and feede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Esaie 58, verses 13, 14.
Yea, blessed is he that keepeth the Sabboth, and polluteth it not, and keepeth his hands from doing anie euill, Esaie 56, verse 2. Then his threatenings where he saith.
Yee shall therefore keepe the Sabboth, for it is holie vnto you: he that defileth it, shall die the death: therefore whosoeuer worketh therein, the same person shall be euen cut off from among his people, Exod. 31, verse 14.
Of going to Church.
AND to the end you may the spéedilier addresse your selfe to frequent the Church often, not alone, but with your whole familie, as you ought; first call diligentlie to your mind some of these sentences of holie Scripture, following:
AND it shall come to passe, that from Moone to his Moone, from Sabboth to his Sabboth, all flesh shall come to worship before me, saith the Lord.
AND it shall come to passe in the latter daies, the hill of the Lords house shall be prepared in the height of the mountaines, and shall be higher than the hilles, and all nations shall prease vnto him, and a multitude of people shall go speaking thus one to another; Come, let vs ascend to the hill of the Lord, &c.
THus saith the Lord of hostes: Consider your owne waies in your harts, ô yee people: get yee vp to the mountaine and fetch wood, and build this house, and I will [Page 402] take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. Is it time for your selues to dwell in seeled houses, and this house lie waste? Ye haue sowne much, but ye bring little in: ye eate, but ye haue not ynough: ye drinke, but ye are not filled: ye cloath you, but ye be not warme: and he that earneth wages, putteth it into a broken bagge: ye looke for much, and lo, it came to little. And when ye brought it home, I did blowe vpon it: and why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that is waste, and you run euerie one into his owne house. Therfore, vpon you is the heauens staied from deaw, and the earth is staied from yeelding her increase; and I haue called for a drought vpon the land, and vpon the mountaines, and vpon the corne, and vpon the wine, and vpon the oile, and vpon all that the earth bringeth foorth, vpon men and vpon cattell, and vpon all the labour of thy hands, &c.
Thus hauing well perused and weied these holie sentences, stir vp your selfe, and exhort all your children, seruants, strangers and neighbours about you, with chéerefull minds, willinglie and diligentlie to resort to the Church; especiallie euerie Sundaie and Holiedaie, saieng vnto them as followeth.
An exhortation to be vsed of Maisters and Dames euerie Sundaie morning.
COme, let vs ascend to the hill of the Lord, to the house of the God of Iacob; and he will there instruct vs of his waies, and teach vs how to walke in his paths. For out of Zion shall come a lawe, and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem, and hee shall giue sentence among the heathen, and shall reforme the multitude of the people. Come therfore, I saie; let vs cheerfullie ascend, and go vp to Ierusalem, the hill and house of the Lord. O let vs go our waies into his gates with thanks-giuing, [Page 403] and into his courts with praise; that we may present our selues to daie holie before the Lord, and serue him with gladnesse.
¶ When you be going towards the Church, the better to expell idle thoughts, and noifull cogitations, and to prepare your harts to deuotion; euen by the waie as ye go, meditate and saie with your selfe some of these Psalmes and praiers following; the which also for more readinesse would be learned by hart, and said without booke.
Praiers to be vsed going to Church. A Psalme.
I Was glad when they said vnto me; We will go into the house of the Lord; our feete shall stand in thy gates O Ierusalem.
Ierusalem is builded as a Citie that is at vnitie in it selfe.
For thither the Tribes go vp, euen the Tribes of the Lord, to testifie vnto Israel, and to giue thanks vnto the name of the Lord.
For there is the seate of iudgement, euen the seate of the house of Dauid.
O my soule, praie for the peace of Ierusalem, they shall prosper that loue it.
Glorie be to the Father, &c. As it was in the, &c.
Another Psalme.
LORD, I haue loued the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth; yea the zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me.
Therefore will I wash my hands in innocencie, O Lord; and so will I go to thine altar, that I may [Page 404] shew the voice of thankes-giuing, and tell of all thy woonderous works in the great congregation.
Behold, I will go with the multitude, that by the motion of the spirit are brought forth into thy house, O God: euen vpon the multitude of thy mercies, & in thy feare will I (among such as keepe holiedaie) worship towards thy holy Temple, & make haste vnto thy Tabernacle, to vnderstand thy worthie wais & diuine wil.
For vnto thee, O God, which hearest the praiers; vnto thee shall all flesh come, to worship thee in Zion: praier shall be made euer vnto thee, and dailie shalt thou be praised in Ierusalem.
O therefore let the congregation of thy people come about thee, O God; that they may shew all thy praises within the portes of the daughter of Zion, and reioice in thy saluation.
Remember also, I beseech thee good Lord, according to the fauour that thou bearest vnto thy people; and visit me with thy saluation, that I may see the felicitie of thy chosen children, and reioice in the gladnesse of thy people, & giue thee thanks with thine inheritance.
O make me one of the houshold of faith, and congregation of them that seeke thee: euen of them that seeke thy face, O Iacob, saieng; Lo, I come to fulfill thy will O God.
O send out the light of thy truth, that they may leade me, and bring me vnto thy holie hill, and to thy dwelling; and that I may go vnto the altar of God, euen vnto thee, the God of my ioie and gladnesse.
With ioie and gladnesse, I saie, cause thou me to be brought to thy mansion house, and to enter into the Kings palace.
That I may ascend vnto the hill of the Lord, and rise vp holilie in his holie place.
That I may receiue the blessing from the Lord, and righteousnesse from the God of health and saluation.
Another verie godlie praier, to be vsed going to Church, either at morning, or euening praier.
IAm now entred into the voiage of saluation; conduct me, O Lord, luckilie vnto the port; that deliuered by thee from the verie death, I may escape all dangers, and come to the verie life. Behold Lord, my hart hunteth thee out; and would God I might dailie more and more trace thee out! yea I haue a great while sore longed, with so godlie affection as I could, to celebrate thee in the frequented assemblies of the godlie, which trulie I will now doo accordinglie, by the grace and assistance of thy holie spirit; and that with a most readie and ioifull mind, as it behooueth. And that this mine enterprise and beginning may proceede to a further good successe, and amendment of my maners and imbettering of my life; doo thou finish the thing, O God, which thou hast begun in me, and make me continuallie to increase from faith to faith. Yea, so renew and shape me againe in innocencie and righteousnesse, O grations Lord, I beseech thee; that as a person new borne of thee, I may insearch thee againe and againe, both in the dawning of the daie, morning, noone, euening, and night. Now lead me forooard, O Lord, I beseech thee, in thy righteousnesse: let thy louing spirit direct my feete, and make thy waies plaine before my face; bicause of my mortall and inuisible enimies. And doo thou vouchsafe luckilie to conduct my bodie this daie, vnto thy materiall temple, and to bring my soule at the last vnto thy holie hill, and blessed mountaine, which thou hast purchased with thy right hand, that I may rest both bodie and soule in heauen, and remaine with thee foreuer,
Amen.
Or praie thus;
O GOD the word, who art the light; by whom light was made: who art the waie, truth, and life; in whom there is no darknes, ouersight, vanitie, nor death: shine foorth, O Lord my light, mine inlightening, and my welfare, whom I will reuerence; my Lord, whom I will honour; my Father, whom I will loue; my Iudge, whom I will feare; my Bridegroome, whom I will cleaue vnto, and keepe my selfe an vndefiled spouse. Shine foorth, O euerlasting light; shine foorth, I saie, and lighten the Lampe of my virginitie, with the oile of thy diuine grace and mercie; that this blind soule of mine, which yet sitteth in darknesse, and shadowe of death, may see the light, and eschew darknesse; see the waie, and eschew straieng; see the truth, and eschew leasing; see the life, and eschew death. And guide thou my feete vnto the waie of peace, that by thy mercifull protection, I may see the light, walke in the light, and neuer stumble vpon the snares of Sathan, but may now passe thereby, into the palace of thy woonderfull tabernacle, and be able to climbe vp euen vnto the holie house and temple, with the voice of gladnesse and confession, there to abide, and receiue at thy hands both mercie, righteousnesse, health, blessing, and euerlasting saluation, with my fellowe-citizens, thy Saints and houshold menie,
Amen.
Another godlie praier to be said either going towards, or being in the Church.
LOoke what earnest and feruent desire soeuer the old fathers had, O most mightie GOD, to come vnto the place, wherein thou hadst appointed a tabernacle to thy selfe for that time; euen the like am I kindled withall, in beholding the repairing of thy sacred Church, and to see therin a very great companie of godlie men & women lawfullie assembled together, for the aduancement of thy glorie; hearing thy holie doctrine, & dulie receiuing of thy blessed Sacraments accordinglie. Wherefore, I humblie beseech thee, which art my God & my King, that I may this daie reioice to be there. For what felicitie soeuer may be attained vnto in this fraile life, I doubt not but it will light vpon the sacred companie of the godlie there assembled. Giue eare therefore, O excellent Father, vnto mine earnest praiers; & grant that I make none other account of thy blessed house, than thy will and pleasure is I should doo. For a more blessed thing it were for me, to haue one daies meeting and abode therein; than if I abide neuer so great a time of continuance in the congregation of the vngodlie; or in such a one as is not lawfullie assembled, with the aduantage and ouer-plus of all the pleasures of this transitorie world. Seeing that therefore thou art our most splendent light, and strong defence; cause our assemblies on the earth; O God, so to redound to thine vnspeakable glorie, that our assured hope, by comming in the end vnto thee in the euerlasting tabernacles of the heauens, may be augmented, and verie much increased, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
VVhen you enter into the Church, meditate thus with your selfe, and saie:
LORD, who shall ascend into thy high hill? Or who shall rise vp in thy holie place?
Euen he that hath cleane hands, and a pure hart; and hath not lift vp his mind vnto vanitie, nor sworne to deceiue his neighbour.
He shall receiue the blessing from the Lord, and righteousnesse from the God of his saluation.
This is the generation of them that seeke him; euen of them that seeke thy face, O Iacob.
Lift vp your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift vp ye euerlasting doores: and the King of glorie shall come in, euen the Lord of hosts, most mightie and strong.
Open me the gates of righteousnesse, O Lord, that I (with the righteous nation that keepe thy truth) may go into them, and giue thanks vnto thee. This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it.
Yea, blessed are they that doo thy commandements, O God. For their power shall be in the tree of life, and they shall enter in through the gates, into the holie citie new Ierusalem.
But without shall be dogs, and inchanters, and whooremongers, and murderers, and idolaters: yea, there shall enter into it none vncleane thing, neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination, or maketh lies: but they onlie, which are written in the Lambes booke of life,
Amen.
Or thus.
LOrd, who shall enter into thy sanctuarie, to consider thy mightie power; except thou open it vnto him? And who shall open it, if thou shut it? Trulie, O Lord my God, I sillie worme and claie, am not able to enter into thine euerlastingnesse; vnlesse thou, which hast made all things of nothing, doo lead me in. Yea, I knowe, Lord, I knowe and confesse, that I am vnwoorthie to enter vnder thy roofe: but yet I beseech thee, let a blessed entrance to the house of eternall felicitie, whither I haue dailie a feruent desire to come, be set open, and made as a free passage vnto me, O God. And giue mee leaue now, I praie thee, though a dog, and an vnwoorthie wretch, euen for thine owne honour sake, to enter into thy holie house, and to approch thy sacred presence, and confound not thy seruant that seeketh thee, and putteth all hir trust and confidence in thy mercie.
Oh suffer me not, I saie, good Lord, to knit vp and finish my last daies with malefactors, and wicked persons: but grant that after my long and dailie trauell, in this transitorie world, I may in the end at length be permitted, through thy mercie, to enter the courts of thy diuine presence, and with thine elect and chosen seruants for euer inhabit the hauen of eternall felicitie, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Or saie thus, as you enter into the Church.
O How amiable are thy dwellings, thou LORD of hosts! My soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord, my hart and my flesh reioice in the liuing God.
When shall I enter in, to behold thy face? When shall I come to appeare before thy presence, O God?
For one daie in thy courts, is better than a thousand else where? I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of the vngodlie.
Yea, like as the Hart desireth the water brookes: so longeth my soule after thee, O God. My soule is a thirst for God, yea euen for the liuing God.
Now therfore I come into thy house, O Lord; euen vpon the multitude of thy mercies: and in thy feare doo I enter thy tabernacle, and will worship thee: God grant it according to thy will,
Amen.
As you passe by the people in the Church vnto your Pue, salute the congregation, and saie:
PEace be within thy wals, O Ierusalem; and plentiousnesse within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions sakes I will praie for thy peace, and wish thee now prosperitie: yea bicause of the house of the Lord our God, I will seeke to doo thee good, and saie:
Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. The Lord prosper you, I wish you good lucke in the name of the Lord: So be it.
Being placed in your Pue, call to mind these sentences of holie Scripture following.
IT is written, My house shall be called a house of praier vnto all nations: but ye haue made it a den of theeues, and an house of marchandise. Matth. 21, verse 13.
Ye shall keepe my Saboths, and feare with reuerence my Sanctuarie. I am the Lord. Leuit. 19, verse 30.
Holinesse becommeth Gods house for euer. Ps. 93, ver. 5.
The Lord will vtterlie destroie euerie enimie that doth euill in his Sanctuarie, that prophaneth his holie temple, & polluteth the dwelling place of his name. Psal. 74, verse 3.
When thou commest into the house of God therefore keepe thy foote, and drawe nigh, that God which is at hand may heare; that thou giue not the offerings of fooles. For they knowe not but to doo euill. Eccles. 4, verse 17.
Be not hastie with thy mouth, I saie, and let not thine hart speake anie thing rashlie before God. For God is in heauen, and thou vpon earth: therefore let thy words be few. Eccl. 5, verse 1.
A Meditation, wherein is shewed how we ought to be verie intentiue to the Psalmes and praiers in the Church.
WHen thou entrest the temple to pray or sing Psalmes; leaue behind thee the heapes of wauering thoughts, and forget vtterlie the care of outward things, that thou maist giue all thine attendance to diuine matters. For it is vnpossible for him to speake with God, that talketh with the whole world in silence. Intend thou him that intendeth thee; heare him when he speaketh to thee; that he may hearken to thee when thou praiest to him: so shalt thou shew a carefull and due reuerence in magnifieng [Page 412] God, and a christian attendance in giuing heed to his holie word.
Understand not this, as though I performed that I speake of: yet I striue to doo it, repenting the omission of it in time past, and sorowing that I am not able to attaine it presentlie. But thou, to whom God hath beene more liberall of his graces, inclined his sacred eares towards thee; with hartie praiers, in sighs and teares beseech him most humblie, to pardon thee all thy riots, and excesse. Extoll and magnifie him in the excellencie of his works with spirituall songs. For this is most pleasing to the mightie Iehoua, as him selfe doth witnesse: The sacrifice of praise shall honour me.
O how happie wert thou, if it were granted thee to behold, with spirituall eies, the araie of the celestiall princes, that go before them that praise God in the midst of the damsels, plaieng with their Timbrels! Thou shouldest see doubtlesse with what endeuour and cheerefulnesse they accompanie them in singing, assist them in praier, in meditation comfort them, protect them in time of rest, direct them in all their affaires and businesse. Uerelie the heauenlie powers doo loue their felowe-citizens, and doo exceedinglie ioie in the societie of those, that are free heires of saluation; they with longing looke for our comming, and earnestlie attend, that the ruines and dis-peopling of their heauenlie citie may be filled vp againe, in the multitude of our companies. They doo curiouslie inquire, and willinglie heare all good of vs. They be carefull messengers betweene God and vs, and beare a faithfull witnesse of our dooing. They disdaine not now to be our seruants, that shall be our felowes: we haue made them reioice in our conuersion and repentance. Let vs haste then to fulfill their ioies ouer vs. Wo be vnto thee then that louest a returne to thy [Page 413] vomit and impuritie. Dooest thou thinke to haue those witnesse for thee in iudgement, whom thou hast bereaued of so great and long hoped-for ioie? They reioiced ouer vs, when we gaue our names first to Christ; as if they had seene vs pulled out of hell gates. But what will they doo then, when they shall see those turned backe from the gate of Paradise, who had alreadie almost one foote in heauen?
Wherefore, though our bodies be on earth, let vs set our harts on the highest heauens: let vs run thither, not with bodilie members, but with spirituall affections, desires, and longing; where not the angels onlie, but the Creator of angels doth long looke for vs. God the father looketh for vs, as his owne sonnes and heires, to commit the rule of all his treasure vnto vs. God the sonne looketh for vs, as his deere german brothers, and coparteners, that he may present God his father with the fruite of his natiuitie, and price of his owne bloud. The holie Ghost also looketh for vs: for he verelie is that bountie and benignitie, wherein from euerlasting we were predestinate to saluation; and no doubt, he wisheth our predestination accomplished.
Seeing then the whole court of heauen doth so earnestlie looke and wish for vs, let vs with all zealous affection seeke after it. For with great shame, and a large cōfusion, shall he come thither, that is lead with a cold and luke-warme desire: but whosoeuer, in the strength of continuall praier, and dailie meditation, is alwaie conuersant there; shall both from hence depart with securitie, and there be receiued with triumphing ioie.
Therefore, wheresoeuer thou be, still praie within thy selfe. If thou chance to be far from thy closet, seeke no place. For thou to thy selfe art a place. If thou be in thy bed, praie; and praie often in the temple. And in prostrating thy bodie, lift vp thy mind to God. For as there is no time, wherein we doo not vse and enioie the [Page 414] goodnesse & mercie of God: so there ought to be no moment, wherein his almightinesse ought not to possesse our memorie. But thou wilt saie, I praie continuallie, and yet I see no fruit of my praier: as I come vnto it, so I depart; none answereth, or speaketh vnto me; nothing is giuen me, but my labour seemeth vaine. This is the speech of humane follie, not obseruing what truth it selfe promiseth, saieng: Uerelie I saie vnto you, whatsoeuer ye aske in praier with faith, yee shall receiue it; and it shall be performed vnto you. Esteeme not lightlie therfore of praier. For he to whome thou praiest, hath it in price; and before it proceed from thy mouth, commandeth it to be registred in his owne booke. One of these two we may vndoubtedlie hope for; that either he will giue vs our requests, or better. Thinke of God as highlie as thou art able, and yet beleeue more of him, than thou canst thinke. All the time wherein thou thinkest not vpon God, esteeme it lost; all other things be foraigne vnto vs, time onlie is our owne. Attend therefore vpon God; and wheresoeuer thou art, be all with him. Impart, but giue not vp thy selfe to worldlie affaires. Wheresoeuer thou art, cast thy thoughts vpon God. No place is vnfit for meditation. Therefore, with all cheerefulnesse, gather vp thy spirits, dwell at libertie with thy selfe, and out of the largenesse of thy heart measure out a lodging for thy Lord Christ.
A wise mans mind is alwaie with God. He ought to be alwaies in our sight, by whome we haue our being, life, and knowledge. He is the author of our being, the teacher of our vnderstanding, the treasure of our spirituall and ioifull happinesse. Heerein we may acknowledge the diuine image of the heauenlie Trinitie. For as he hath his being in excellencie of wisdome and goodnesse; so we, according to our creation, haue our subsistence; being endued also with reason, and [Page 415] delight in knowledge, as a signature and impression of the diuine Maiestie. Esteeme therefore of thy selfe, as of the temple of God; seeing it pleased him to impart his likenesse to thee, as a high renowne, to adore and imitate God. Thou dooest imitate him, if thou be holie, as he is holie. For a holie mind is the temple of God; and a sincere hart, the most acceptable aultar. Thou dooest adore God, if thou be mercifull, euen as he is mercifull to all. For it is a pleasing sacrifice to God, to gratifie all for the cause of God.
Doo all things as the sonne of God, that thou bee not vnworthie of him, that hath vouchsafed to be thy father. Knowe that of all thy actions, God is a witnesse. Beware therefore to fixe thine eie, or settle thy thought in anie vnlawfull delight: neither speake, nor doo anie ill, though thou maist. Offend not God, neither in deede nor purpose. For his almightinesse discouereth thy deeds. Thou hast neede of a great watch, discharging all the actions in the face of the Iudge; yet liue thou maist without securitie, if thou behaue thy selfe so, as he vouchsafe thee his presence. If he abide not with thee in fauour, he will come vnto thee in reuenge. And if he come in reuenge, wo be vnto thee; nay rather, wo if he come not. For God is most angrie with him, whose sinne he leaueth vnpunished. His damnation is prepared, whome God reformeth not in fatherlie chasticement.
Another Meditation to the same effect.
GOod Lord bee mercifull vnto mee, that offend worst; where I ought most to mind the reformation of my faults. Praieng in the temple, oftentimes I heed not what I speak. I praie, but by the absence of my wandering mind, it is made fruitlesse. With my bodie I enter into [Page 416] thy temple; but my hart standeth without: therefore my praier vanisheth awaie. For the outward sound of the voice, without the inward symphonie of the hart auaileth nothing. Then is it a great follie, naie madnesse, when by praier presuming to speake in presence of the mightie God, we doo brutishlie wander in vaine thoughts, and arrest our minds vpon verie trifles. An heinous offence also, and woorthie a greeuous punishment it is, that vile dust should not vouchsafe audience to the Creator of the whole world speaking vnto him. But the woorthinesse of thy heauenlie bountie is vnspeakable, which euerie daie regardeth vs standing in wretchednesse and miserie, turning aside our eares, and hardening our harts. Yet he crieth out vnto vs, saieng: Returne into the waie yee transgressours; attend, and see: for I am God. God speaketh to me in the Psalme, and I vnto him; yet in repeating the same, I regard not whose it is. Heerein I offer God great wrong, in desiring him to harken vnto my praier; which my selfe in making it, doo not heare. I request him to attend me, and I neither intend him, nor my selfe; but that which worsse is, I doo violate his sacred presence with vnpure and vnprofitable thoughts. Haue mercie vpon me, pardon mine offences, and renew mee with thy holie Spirit; that in all my Praiers, Psalmes, Songs, and Hymnes, I may both saie and sing to the honor and glorie of thy name,
Amen.
¶ Heere, as time will conuenientlie serue, before Common praier begin, make your priuate petitions vnto Almightie God, and saie:
A salutation to God the Father, or first forme of praier, when yee kneele downe in the Church.
HAile our Father, GOD Almightie, full of grace, mercie, and comfort. Thy Sonne Iesus Christ, verie God and man, is with thee in heauen. Blessed be thy name, O Father, both in heauen aboue, and in earth amongst all nations, by thine onlie sonne our Lord,
Amen.
Another first forme of praier in the Church at Morning praier.
O Most high and blessed Trinitie, the verie Father, Sonne, & holie Ghost, three glorious and vnseparable persons in Trinitie, and but one God in Deitie, vncreate, incomprehensible, eternall, inuisible, and almightie, one being power, wisdome, goodnesse and Lord, of coequall, coeternall, and vndefiled Maiestie: who before all worlds, in all worlds, and by all worlds into euerlasting, dooest liue, and dwellest alone in vnapprochable light: with all my verie hart and mouth doo I, beeing the least member of thy Church, fall downe lowe on my knees heere before thy footestoole; and confesse, praise, blesse, and worship thee, O glorious Trinitie. And now and euer, with all Angels, creatures and Elders, both in heauen and earth, I crie and saie; Holie, Holie, Holie Lord God of hostes, dreadfull, strong, righteous, mercifull, maruellous, praise-worthie, to be beloued. Heauen and earth are full of thy glorie. Glorie be to thee, O God, for euer,
Amen.
A praier, that God would vouchsafe to heare the praiers of the Congregation afflicted, and graunt their requests.
OH Lord my God, most high; most holie holie holie Lord God of Sabaoth, most blessed and glorious Trinitie, Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, three glorious persons of coequall and consubstantiall Maiestie, and one almightie and incomprehensible God in Deitie, alwais, by all meanes, of all creatures, aboue all things to be woorshipped in Unitie, and glorified in Deitie: looke downe from thy kinglie court and princelie pallace, where thou art placed, in the highest coasts of the heauen of heauens; and sittest in the celestiall throne of eternall glorie, betweene the Cherubins and Seraphins. Looke downe, I saie, O most mightie Iehoua, and haue respect now, I beseech thee, vnto thy sacred Sanctuarie, and holie house of praier. Let thine eies I saie, O Lord, be euer open towards thy blessed Tabernacle night and daie; euen towards thy Church, thy Temple, and most sacred place on earth; where thine honor dwelleth, and whereof thou hast said: My house shall be an house of praier for all people and nations, and my name shall be called vpon therein, that thou maist harken this daie vnto the praiers, which we thy poore creatures, and most vnwoorthie seruants make before thee in this place.
Heare thou therefore, O our God, euen from heauen, the place of thy glorious habitation, the supplications of thy seruants; and also what praiers and supplications soeuer shall be made vnto thee, of anie particular man or woman, and of all the people. Giue good eare (I saie) O Lord, vnto all the cries, praiers, and petitions of thy people heere assembled, or that [Page 419] shall be gathered together in thy name; who with rent harts, bowed knees, and stretched out hands returne vnto thee, and present themselues here this daie, to confesse thee, & call vpon thy holie name in this place. And when thou hearest, pardon the sinnes of thy seruants, and be mercifull vnto the offences and iniquities of thy people, wherewith they haue sinned and transgressed, or shall offend against thy Maiestie. Heare vs, I saie, O Lord, O holie Lord God heare vs; we praie thee be mercifull vnto thine inheritance, and doo and giue to euerie one of vs, according vnto all and euerie thing that we call and praie for vnto thee, this daie, in this thy holie house, according to thy will, thorough Iesus Christ our Lord:
Amen, Amen.
A psalme of preparation to praier in the morning.
I will giue thanks vnto the Lord with my whole hart, secretlie among the faithfull, and in the congregation, and will saie:
O God, my hart is readie; my hart is readie here now now in thy holie house, to paie thee my vowes, which I promised with my lips, and spake with my mouth, when I was in trouble.
My voice shalt thou heare beetimes, O Lord; earlie in the morning will I direct my praiers vnto thee, & will looke vp.
I my selfe will awake right earlie, to sing and giue praise vnto thee, with the best member that I haue.
Unto thee, my God, will I lift vp my hands & hart, in this thy holie habitation, towards the mercie-seat of thy holie temple.
In the voice of praise and thankes-giuing, among such as keepe it holie daie. For this is the daie, which [Page 420] thou, O Lord, hast made, I will reioice, & be glad in it.
In this daie of thy power will I offer the free-will offerings, with an holie worship; and magnifie thee in the congregation of the people.
From the ground of my hart will I reioice, and giue thanks vnto thee my God, in the seate of the elders, for a remembrance of thy holinesse.
O let my mouth be filled with thy praise, that I may sing of thy glorie and praise, now and for euermore.
Glorie be to the, &c. As it was in the, &c.
A Psalme to be vsed priuatelie before Euening praier, in the Church.
IN the euening and morning, and at noone daie will I praie, and that instantlie; & he shall heare my voice.
My hart is fixed redie, O God, my hart is fixed redie; I will praise thee and thy faithfulnesse yet more & more with the best member that I haue: euen with all my hart will I thanke thee, and praise thy name for euermore.
My lips be faine to sing vnto thee, and so is my soule, whom thou hast deliuered: yea my soule shall be satisfied with marowe and fatnesse, when my mouth praiseth thee with ioifull lips.
For it is a good thing to giue thanks vnto the Lord; and to sing praises vnto thy name, O most high; to tell of thy louing kindnesse earlie in the morning, and of thy truth in the euening and night season: yea, a ioifull and pleasant thing it is, to be thankfull vnto thee our God alwaie.
Therefore I will sing seuen times a daie, and will praise thy mercie late in the euening, bicause of thy righteous iudgements.
As for me, I will be talking of thy worship, thy glorie, [Page 421] thy praise, and woonderous works from time to time. For great art thou, O Lord, and maruelous worthie to be praised, and feared aboue all the gods: yea, thou canst not woorthilie be praised; for there is none end of thy greatnesse nor goodnesse.
Behold now therfore, praise the Lord all ye seruants of the Lord: ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord, euen in the middest of the courts of the house of our God.
Lift vp your hands in the sanctuarie, and praise the Lord together with me. For he is good and gratious, and his mercie endureth for euer.
Yea let euerie good man and woman sing of thy praise, O God: and speake of thine honour in thy temple, with cheerfull minds, and that without ceasing for euer, and saie:
The Lords name be praised, from the rising vp of the sunne, vnto the going downe of the same: blessed be the Lord God of Israel from euerlasting, & worlds without end,
Amen.
Glorie be to the Father, &c. As it was in the, &c.
Another preparation of the hart before euening praier in the Church.
LORD behold, mine hart is at this present readie to sing praises more and more vnto thee, and againe and againe to render vnto thee woorthie thanks here now in the assemblie of Saints. Onelie I desire thee to hallowe vs from heauen thy dwelling place, & powre downe vpon vs thy holie sanctifieng spirit, which may so wholie possesse our soules, and preserue vs from all euill cogitations, and motions of sinne and iniquitie, that we may hallowe thy name this euening, and euermore in all [Page 422] things, flowe in thy word, render the sacrifice of praise and thankes-giuing vnto thee, and worship thee onelie in spirit and truth, as our God most mightie in heauen and earth, our righteous maker, and the worker of all goodnesse, in all such as beleeue in thee.
A cleane hart, O God, make thou in me; restore in me a willing and a right spirit; denie me not the holie Ghost. For of my selfe I can performe nothing that is good. Blesse me therefore, O benigne Lord, and indue me plentifullie with thy grace; to the intent I may offer the acceptable euening sacrifice of thankes-giuing, (for nothing else verelie requirest thou) and with glad semblance imbrace and celebrate thy righteousnesse, espied in the releasing & forgiuing of my sinnes.
Giue mee of thy goodnesse to this end, that I may continuallie praise thy Maiestie daie and night, with mysticall Psalmes, & spirituall songs. Be thou euermore working through thy holie spirit in me, (which presentlie keepeth the godlie rest of the new Saboth) such things as be allowed and pleasant vnto thee; least at anie time cleauing to superstition and hypocrisie, I doo worship thee amisse: but fill my hart with grace, and stuffe it with sweetnesse of spirit, euen as my bodie is stuffed with abundance of meats. Lord rid me out of mine vngodlinesse, plucke from me mine ignorance of thee, banish my slothfulnesse of insearching thee. Compell my flesh through thy spirit to his bounden dutie and obedience, and bring to passe that I may now & alwaies applie my selfe wholie, without wearinesse and drinesse of mind, vnto the right sincere worshipping and seruing of thee, here in thy presence. O Lord, open thou my lips, and then shall my mouth extoll thy renowmed name, and publish thy praise, not with fained lips, but with a full glad hart, lustie stomach, and quicke spirit, and saie with the congregation: Our Father, &c. As at euening praier in the Church.
Another Meditation before Euening praier in the Church.
SEing thou hast beautified all those with a notable promise, O most mightie God, which are knit together in the honouring of thy blessed name; so that thou wilt not onlie be present with them, but also bestowest excellent gifts and benefits vpon these men, whosoeuer they are that excell in sincere faith, and pure godlinesse, and haue an exceeding desire to be often in the blessed congregation, in so much as there is nothing, which they more couet or desire, than to appeare diuers times in the daie before thee, in the sacred assemblies: yea it ought to be a most pleasant thing vnto vs, to celebrate thy high praises perpetuallie, and shew foorth thy maruellous works without ceasing. For the performance whereof, godlinesse would require, that wee should not onlie doo the same in the daie time, but also in the night season. We will therefore lift vp pure hands in all places, touching the publishing of thy glorious name, and render perpetuall thankes (according to our bounden dutie) for thine vnspeakable goodnesse, and louing kindnesse extended towards vs. But seeing that this ought to be done in the most sacred and holie assemblies, our earnest request is, to haue thee present heere with vs, and to bestowe thy plentifull blessings vpon thy beloued Israel. First deliuer vs, wee humblie beseech thee, from our heinous faults, enorme sinnes, and lewd corruptions, wherewith we haue greatlie defiled our selues. And then let our weake and feeble harts be strengthned in thy blessed waie, and the withered powers of our mind (which are dried vp) watered with the holie Ghost; that we [Page 424] being altogither repaired, and wholie renewed, may continuallie celebrate and praise thee, and haue a great desire to direct our praiers vnto thy mercie-seate, with a most holie intent, as Christians ought to doo.
Cause vs now, not constrained and brought thereto by compulsion, but of a willing hart, to come before thy presence; and become true worshippers of thee: yea and such as doo thinke it a goodlie matter to spend, not onlie houres, but daies and nights; yea and all our yeares and life in the sincere seruice, and right worshipping and honouring of thee, in the sacred Church. Let nothing be so deere and pretious vnto vs, as to continue in the praises, and commendations of thy glorious name, from morning to night; praieng both publikelie and priuatelie for all other, as well as for our selues. Graunt O excellent father, that we in giuing due thanks for thy benefits, may ioifullie sing double praises to thy glorious name for euermore; that our minds, I saie, may dailie more and more bee strengthened, hartilie to confesse, couragiouslie to extoll, and aboue all things to exalt thy wonderfull praises vncessantlie, through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour,
Amen.
A Psalme of exhortation to praier in the morning or euening.
O Come, let vs worship & fall downe, and kneele before the Lord our maker; and let vs hartilie reioice in the strength of our saluation.
Let our soules reioice, I saie, in the mercie of the Lord, and not be ashamed to publish his praise. Let vs doo our duties betimes, both earlie and late, and he will giue vs a reward in his due time.
[Page 425] For a good thing it is to giue thanks vnto the Lord, and to tell of his louing kindnesse earlie in the morning.
O come therefore, praise the Lord with me, and let vs magnifie his name together.
Bring hither the booke, take the Psalter, and sing vnto the Lord a new song. Let vs sing praises, I saie, lustilie vnto him, with a good courage, and shew our selues glad in him with Psalmes; euen now in the time appointed, and vpon our solemne feast-daie.
For great is the Lord, and highlie to be praised in the Citie of our God, euen vpon his holie hill of Zion.
Glorie be to the, &c. As it was in the, &c.
Another Psalme, exhorting all creatures to praise God.
O Praise the Lord of heauen yee Angels of his, ye Saincts that excell in strength, and fulfill his commandements, yee seruants of his that harken to the voice of his words, and doo his pleasure. Praise him in the height ye children of Zion, and be ioifull in your King with glorie.
For God is verie greatlie to be feared in the counsell of his Saincts; and to be had in reuerence of all them that are about him.
Praise him all yee heauens, and ye waters that bee aboue the heauens. O God, the verie heauens shall praise thy woonderous works; and thy truth in the congregation of the Saincts.
Yea, let heauen and earth praise thee; the Sea, and all that moueth therein.
O sing vnto the Lord all the whole earth, woorship him, and stand in awe of his iudgements ye multitude [Page 426] of Isles.
Praise the Lord, O Ierusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.
Praise the name of the Lord, O yee seruants of the Lord; yee that by daie or by night stand in the house of the Lord, euen in the courts of the house of our God.
O all yee righteous that loue and seeke the Lord, and be true-harted towards him; praise his holie name, and magnifie him all yee seed of Israel that feare and dread his Maiestie.
Praise the Lord also all ye heathen, and nations of the world; worship you him, and glorifie his name. For he is great, passing all praise.
Praise the Lord, O ye Kings of the earth; Princes, and all Iudges of the world: yea, worship him all yee gods. For he is higher than the heauens, and far exalted aboue all gods.
O yee kindreds of the people, ascribe vnto the Lord the worship, power, and honour due vnto his name; bring presents, and come into his courts with praise.
Let the people praise thee, O God; yea let all the people praise thee: both yong men and maids, old men and children; let them all remember thy holie name, and declare thy power from one generation to another, world without end.
O speake good of the Lord all yee works of the Lord in all places of his dominion.
Let euerie thing that hath breath, praise the Lord. For his name onlie is most excellent, and his praise aboue heauen and earth.
Praise the Lord, O my soule; and all that is within me, praise his holie name.
My mouth shall speake the praises of the Lord; and let all flesh giue thanks vnto his holie name for euer and euer.
Glorie be to the father, &c. As it was in the, &c.
A Psalme of Gods presence in the Church.
THE Lord hath chosen Zion to be an habitation for himselfe, he hath longed for hir; saieng:
This shall be my rest for euer, here will I dwell. For I haue a delight therein.
Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them; and they shall be his people, and God himselfe shall be their God with them.
The Lord is in his holie Temple, euen among thousands of thine Angels, as in the holie place of Sinai.
Gods seate is in heauen, the Lord is in the midst of the holie place; euen of the Tabernacle of the most high.
This is Gods hill, euen an high hill, in the which it pleaseth him to dwell; yea the Lord will abide in it for euer.
As the hilles stand about Ierusalem; euen so standeth the Lord round about his people, from this time foorth for euermore.
Glorie be to the Father, &c. As it was in the, &c.
Another Psalme of the beautie of Gods house, and the soules delight to be therein.
O GOD, wonderfull art thou in thy holie places, euen thou God of Israel.
It is well seene, O God, how thou goest: how thou my God and King goest in the Sanctuarie.
The singers go before, the musicians follow after: in the midst are the virgins plaieng with the timbrels.
[Page 428] Thou Lord hast giuen thy word plentiouslie, and great is the companie of the preachers.
The Lord is King, he sitteth betweene the Cherubins, the Lord is great in Zion, and high aboue all people.
Thou, O God, art gone vp on high, thou hast led captiuitie captiue, and receiued gifts for men: yea euen for thine enimies, that thou, Lord, mightest dwell among them.
Righteousnesse and equitie are the habitation of thy seate, mercie and truth shall go before thy face.
Glorie and worship are before thee, power and honour are in thy sanctuarie.
This therefore shall be my resting place; here will I dwell, O Lord: euen in the temple and tabernacle of the mightie God of Israel. For I haue a delight therein.
Lord, here is verie good being for vs. For such as bee planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
They shall bring foorth more fruit in their age, and shall be fat, and well liking; that they may shew how true thou my Lord and strength art, and that there is no vnrighteousnesse in thee.
Yea, blessed is the man, whom thou choosest and receiuest vnto thee: he shall dwell in thy courts, and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, euen of thy holie temple.
Blessed, I saie, are they that dwell in thy house; they will be alwaie praising thee. For in thy temple doth euerie man speake of thine honour; and that bicause holinesse becommeth thine house, O God, for euer.
This therefore shall be my resting place, euen here in thy temple will I dwell. For it is a good thing for me to be here continuallie in thy tabernacle, before thee my God for euer.
[Page 429] Yea, here doo I wait for thy mercie and louing kindnesse, O God; euen in the mids of thy temple. O when wilt thou come vnto mee! that I may walke in thy house with a perfect hart, and praise thy name for euer,
Amen.
Glorie be to the Father, &c. As it was in the, &c.
A psalme for the prosperitie of the Church, and that all people may praise and blesse the Lord.
REturne, O Lord, to thy many thousands of Israel. Arise now, I saie, to come into thy resting place, thou and the arke of thy strength, when the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms also to serue the Lord.
O thou shepheard of Israel, thou that sittest vpon the Cherubins, be fauourable and gratious vnto Zion: build it vp, and let thy glorie and worship appeere therein, throughout all generations.
Decke hir priests with health, and hir Saints shall reioice and sing.
Let the priests be clothed with the white reines of righteousnesse, and let thy Saints sing Psalmes with ioifulnesse.
Giue vs thy word still plentiouslie, and let the companie of the godlie preachers be great.
Let none touch thine annointed ones, nor doo thy prophets anie harme.
O Lord saue thy people, and giue thy blessing vnto thine inheritance: feed them, and set them vp for euer.
Let the congregation of the people come about thee, O God; that they may offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse, and shew foorth thy praises within the ports of the daughter of Zion.
In this daie of thy power let the people make their [Page 430] humble supplication before thee, and offer the free-will offrings with an holie worship.
In the Temple let euerie man speake of thine honor, & euerie good man sing of thy praise without ceasing.
O let the nations reioice and be glad: let the people praise thee, O God; yea let all the people praise thee, and all creatures both in heauen and earth blesse thee, and saie:
Blessed be thou, O Lord God of our fathers. For thou art praise and honor-worthie; yea and to be magnified for euermore.
Blessed be the holie name of thy glorie. For it is worthie to be praised and magnified in all worlds.
Blessed be thou, O God, in the holie Temple of thy glorie. For aboue all things thou art to be praised, yea and more than worthie to be magnified for euer.
Blessed be thou in the throne of thy kingdome. For aboue all thou art worthie to be praised, and well spoken of, and to be more than magnified for euer.
Blessed be thou that sittest vpon the Cherubims, & lookest through the deepe. For thou art worthie to bee praised, and aboue all to be magnified for euer.
Blessed be thou in the firmament of heauen. For thou art praise and honor-worthie for euer.
Blessed be the Lord God, euen the God of Israel, which onlie doth woonderous things: and blessed bee the name of his Maiestie for euer, and the earth shall be filled with thy Maiestie: Amen, Amen.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time foorth for euermore.
Blessed, I saie, be the Lord God of Israel, from euerlasting, and worlds without end: and let all the people saie Amen, Amen.
Blessing, and glorie, and wisdome, and thanks, and honour, and power, and might be vnto our God for euermore:
Amen, Amen, Amen.
A praier to be vsed at your first comming into the Church, for a pure and cleane soule.
SEeing that by the good motion and happie conduction of thy holy spirit, O gratious God, I am now entred into this thy holy house the Church, and most sacred place on earth, to worship thee; and forasmuch as holines apperteineth to thee, O Lord; for thou art holie, and nothing vnholie may appeare before thee: graunt that both now at this present, and so oft heereafter as I shall enter into this holie place and Tabernacle of the congregation, and appeare before thee; I may be throughlie sanctified, both bodilie and ghostlie, by the diuine graces of thy spirit, the better therein to serue and worship thee. The which thing that I may euen now this daie, the better accomplish and doo, according to thy will (as I hartilie desire) and to the glorie of thy name, and the full discharge of my christian dutie: I most entirelie beseech thy Maiestie, first to sanctifie, purifie, cleanse, make happie, and keepe holie my wretched soule and sinfull bodie; the posts whereof, deere father, are sprinkled with the pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne, who most deerelie bought them. O comfortable ghest of the soule, leaue not our houses desolate; cease not to fill vs by thy continuall presence, with thy life and righteousnesse. Dresse, cleanse, and sweepe the foreletten cottage once againe I saie, good Lord, with the beesome of thy celestiall grace, and heauenlie felicitie, from all the pollution and filth of sinne and wickednesse. Once againe, O Christ, vouchsafe to cast out of the house of my soule, that vncleane spirit, and foule feend Sathan, mine old ghest and enimie, with the finger of God; and when he is cast out of me, [Page 432] giue me grace to watch still continuallie, by hartie and earnest praier, that he enter not againe into me. For being once mine old ghest, he knoweth euerie hole and corner of my house. Therefore grant me grace to watch continuallie, I saie, O Lord, by feruent praier, and vertuous works proceeding from a firme faith; least he returne into the house, from whence hee was cast out, and finding it emptie, swept, and garnished, he go and take vnto himselfe seuen other foule spirits, worsse than himselfe, and they enter in also, and dwell there with him, and so mine end be woorsse than my beginning; which God forbid. Oh suffer not the holie house, Lord, of thy Diuinitie, and Temple of the holie Ghost, my bodie and soule I meane, cleansed with thy bloud, and decked with thy righteousnesse, to bee by my mortall enimies defiled, spoiled, or made a cage of vncleane birds, a dungeon of diuels, a den of theeues, a hell of wicked spirits, and a sinke of sinne, through delectation in sinne, and infidelitie. Withdrawe not thy hand from me: let me not returne vnto my vomit like the dog: let not mine end be worse than my beginning, as hapned to Caine, Saule, Iudas, Arius, and manie mo. But as by thy great mercie, my body and soule are made the temple & tabernacle of ye holie spirit: so by the same thy rich mercie, & infinite goodnes, grant that the same may now become thy holie habitation, & sacred seate of euerlasting glorie; and so be purified, cleansed, throughlie sanctified, and made cleane by thy diuine inspiration, and gratious presence: that no heapes of soile, dregs of dust, or remnants of filth be to be found in any priuie or secret corner of this thy spiritual temple, to offend ye celestiall eies of thy diuine maiestie, so shall thy holie Hall, which is my clensed soule, in all reuerence, deuotion, & godlie worship, this daie and euer resound in the Church, & all places of thy dominion, with thy perpetuall praises, to thine eternall glorie,
Amen.
Another praier to serue God sincerelie in the Church.
O LORD God our celestiall Father, whose fidelitie and truth is stablished in the high heauens, among thy chosen beleeuers, who also art woonderfull in the congregation of the faithfull, and most mightie, of all power, and present euerie-where, beholding all things done in all places on earth. Forasmuch as thou, O gratious God, hast chosen this house, that thy name might be called vpon therein, and that it should be an house of praier and petition for thy people; mercifullie promising therewithall, that wheresoeuer two or three be gathered together in thy name, there thou wouldest be in the middest of them, and whatsoeuer they (beleeuing) asked of thee, it should be done vnto them. Behold, we therefore, whome by thy grace thou hast elected to be thy people and heritage, and with whome thou hast made an eternall couenant and promise to helpe, heare, assist and confirme in all goodnesse, righteousnesse, and holinesse; doo heere now at this present, through the motion of thy good spirit, assemble and gather our selues together in thy name, with one accord, to make our common supplications vnto thee: and according to our bounden dutie, with one mind and mouth, in spirit and truth, to laud and magnifie thy holie name and maiestie. Humblie beseeching thee, O Lord, to haue mercie vpon vs, miserable sinners, to purge vs and iustifie vs through faith, from all our offences old and new: to inflame and lighten the lamps of our harts with the oile of sanctification, which is thy holie spirit: and so there-through to sanctifie our soules, to prepare our harts, and dispose all our members [Page 434] wholie to true pietie, godlinesse and deuotion; that we may be woorthie continuallie to lift vp in this holie place of thy glorious presence, and diuine habitation, pure harts, innocent hands, and most feruent praiers vnto thee in heauen.
Grant also, O gratious God, that we with one hart and voice, in all holinesse and godlinesse, trembling, dread, Christian reuerence, humble obedience, spirituall worship, and diuine seruice, may incessantlie giue all honour and glorie vnto thee, and for euer to celebrate thy most holie name and Maiestie, in this thy holie temple, as it apperteineth: euen by offering vp dutifullie vnto thy diuine Maiestie, the most sweet and acceptable sacrifice of broken and contrite harts, of zealous and true repentance, of humble and vnfeined confession, of pure and incessant praier, and of most woorthie and condigne lauds and praises: that so wee may continue blessed in thy holie mountaine for euer, and in the end, according to thy faithfull promise, obtaine euerlasting life, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
How the soule should rightlie worship and praise the Lord in all places.
O GOD, the true and the souereigne life; of whom, & in whom all things doo liue, whatsoeuer things doo liue trulie, and in happie state. O God, euen goodnesse and goodlinesse, from whom, through whom, & in whom are all good & goodlie things, which art good and goodlie. God, whose faith quickeneth, hope erecteth, and loue linketh vs. God, who hast commanded vs to praie vnto thee, and makest thy selfe to be found, and openest to him which knocketh. God, whom none seeketh, but the admonished; [Page 435] and no man findeth, but the purged. God, whom to knowe is life; whom to serue, is to reigne; & whom to loue, is the saluation and ioie of the soule. Thee, both with my lips, and with mine hart, and with all my strength I doo praise, blesse and worship. To thy clemencie and goodnesse I doo yeeld humble thanks, for all thy benefits; and to thy Maiestie doo I sing, holie, holie, holie.
O blessed Trinitie, I beseech thee, vouchsafe to come vnto me, and to make me a meet temple for thine holinesse. I doo praie the Father, through the Sonne; I praie the Sonne, through the Father; I praie the holie Spirit, by the Father and the Sonne; that all wickednesse may be set far awaie from me, and that all the holie vertues may be implanted within me.
O infinite God, of whom, through whom, and in whom are all things made, both visible, and inuisible; which inclosest thine outward works, and fillest thine inward; gouernest them aboue, and bearest them belowe; keepe me the worke of thine hands, which trust in thee, and hope onlie in thy mercie. Keepe me, I beseech thee, both here and euerie-where; now and alwaie; within and without; before and behind; aboue and beneath; round about: so that there be no place for the snares of the enimie against me.
Thou art God almightie, keeper and protector of all that trust in thee; without whom none is in safetie, no man is free from danger. Thou art God, and beside thee there is none other, either in heauen aboue, or in earth belowe; which doost great things, and vnsearchable, and maruellous things without number. Meete it is therefore that thou be praised, that thou be honored, that thou be magnified with commendations.
To thee, the whole troupe of Angels; to thee the heauens and the powers doo sing, and continuallie yeeld praises, as creatures to their Creator; seruants [Page 436] to their Lord, souldiers to their King. Euerie creature doth extoll, and euerie soule doth glorifie thee the holie and vndefiled Trinitie. To thee the holie and humble men of hart, to thee the spirits and soules of the righteous, to thee doo all the supernall citizens, together with all the orders of blessed spirits yeeld humble praise and glorie, and exalt thee aboue all things for euer. O Lord, gloriouslie and honourablie doo those heauenlie citizens adorne thee with praises. Man also, the most excellent among thy creatures, doth magnifie thee: yea, and I too, a miserable sinner, doo exceedinglie desire to praise thee; and greatlie doo I loue to loue thee aboue all things.
O my God, my life, my strength, and my praise; giue me grace to praise thee. Put thy light in my hart, and thy word into my mouth; that both my hart may thinke vpon thy glorie, and my tongue sing and speake out thy praises euerie daie. But for as much as praise is not seemelie in the mouth of a sinner, and I am a woman of polluted lips; purge mine hart, I beseech thee, from all iniquitie; sanctifie me both within and without, O almightie sanctifier, and make me worthie to sound foorth thy praise. Receiue in good part, from the hand of the hart, and from the loue of the mind; receiue, I praie thee, the sacrifice of my lips; and let it be acceptable in thy sight, and ascend vp vnto thee, like a sweete smelling sauour,
Amen.
Another.
MY soule praise thou the Lord; and all that is within me praise his holie name. My soule praise thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefits. Praise the Lord all yee his works, in all places of his dominion. My soule praise thou the Lord. Praise we the Lord, whom Angels [Page 437] praise, dominions adore, powers doo reuerence, to whom the Cherubins and Seraphins continuallie doo crie, Holie, holie, holie. Ioine we therefore our voices to the voices of the holie Angels; and according to our abilitie, let vs praise the God which we both haue. For they, whose eies euermore be fixed vpon the Lord, whom they behold not through a glasse darklie, but face vnto face, they doo most purelie, and without ceasing praise the Lord.
O Lord, that immortall people of thine Angels doo praise thee; and the celestiall powers doo magnifie thy name, who haue no need either to read this our scripture, or to seeke after the knowledge of thee the holie and glorious Trinitie. For they alwaies behold thy face, where they read without syllables of time, what thine eternall pleasure is, they read, they choose, and they loue, yea alwaies they read, and what they read they forget not. By choosing, and louing, they read this constancie of thy counsell; and their booke shall at no time be shut and folded, bicause thy selfe art, and wilt euerlastinglie be this to them.
O much blessed are those heauenlie powers, that can religiouslie and purelie, with an exceeding delight, and vnspeakable ioie, magnifie thee with praises. Thence they praise, whence they reioice; forsomuch as alwaies they behold that, which offereth them continuall occasion, both to praise and reioice. But we, pressed downe with the weight of flesh, and placed far awaie from thy countenance, in this exile, and distracted through varieties of the world, we (alas) are not able woorthilie to praise thee, through faith. We praise thee not of perfect knowledge, but these angelicall spirits praise thee of knowledge, not through faith. For our flesh is the cause why we praise thee, otherwise than they doo. Notwithstanding, albeit we sing praises to thee after diuers sorts, yet thou art but one God, Creator of all [Page 438] things, to whom is offered the sacrifice of praise, both in heauen and in earth. But one daie we shall come vnto their companie, with whom alwaies we shall see thee, and praise thee without ceasing.
Now then, O Lord, grant that whiles I doo liue in this fraile bodie, both mine hart and my tongue, and all my bones may glorifie thee, and saie: Lord, who is like vnto thee? Let thine holie memorie, and thy blessed sweetnesse possesse my whole soule, and rauish me with desire of inuisible things. Let my soule, I beseech thee, passe from visible vnto inuisible, from terrestriall vnto heauenlie, from transitorie things vnto eternall; let it passe, I saie, and see thy woonderfull vision. Thou art God almightie, three in persons, yet but one in the substance of the Godhead, whom we serue and worship: namelie, the Father vnbegotten, the Sonne onlie begotten of the Father, the holie Spirit both proceeding from and remaining in them both, an holie & glorious Trinitie, one God almightie; which when we were not, didst mightilie make vs: and when thorough our owne default we were lost, mercifullie and maruellouslie hadst deliuered vs.
Oh suffer vs not to prooue either vngratefull for so great benefits, or vnwoorthie so manifold mercies. Unto thee doo I praie, sue, and beseech; increase my faith, increase my hope, yea and increase my loue also. Through the same thy goodnesse make vs to be euermore stable in faith, and fruitfull in all good works, that by a right faith, and works agreeable vnto faith, we may come through thy mercie vnto euerlasting life, where seeing thy perfect and full glorie, euen as it is, we may worship thy Maiestie; and being made woorthie to behold thy glorie, may sing:
Glorie to the Father, who hath made vs.
Glorie to the Sonne, who hath redeemed vs.
Glorie to the holie Ghost, that hath sanctified vs.
[Page 439] Glorie to the souereigne and blessed Trinitie, whose works are vnseparable, and whose kingdome hath none end. Unto thee belongeth all praise, all commendation, all honour, blessing and loue. Glorie, power, and might be vnto thee, our God, for euermore,
Amen.
Another praier verie forceable to mooue the mind vnto the praises of God.
O Iesus, who art our redemption, our loue, and desire; GOD of God, helpe me thy seruant. Upon thee doo I call, vnto thee doo I crie from the verie bottome of mine hart: for thee doo I call into my soule, O enter thereinto, and ioine it to thee, that thou maist possesse the same without spot or wrinkle. For a most cleane Lord must haue a cleane habitation. O then sanctifie me thy vessell, which thou hast made; purge me from all wickednesse, fill me with thy grace, and being replenished, keepe me so, that I may be a meete temple for thy dwelling, both here and foreuer.
O most good, most gratious, louing, deere, mightie, desired, pretious, amiable, and glorious God, thou art to me sweeter than honie, whiter than milke or snowe, more pleasant than Nectar, more pretious than gold and iewels, and deerer than all the wealth and promotions of the world. What doo I saie, O my God, mine onlie hope, and so infinite mercie? What doo I saie, O happie and quiet sweetnesse? What doo I saie, when I saie these things? I saie what I am able, but I saie not all that I should. Would to God I could saie as the melodious quiers of Angels doo saie!
O how willinglie would I powre out my selfe wholie in thy praises! How deuoutlie without ceasing would I sing foorth those Psalmes of heauenlie musicke, [Page 440] vnto the laud and praise of thy name, in the middest of the congregation! Notwithstanding, because I cannot doo so, shall I be still? Wo to them which talke not of thee, who openest the mouth of the dumbe, and makest the tongues of babes eloquent. Wo to them which talke not of thee; for they which babble much, are dumbe when they sing not thy praises. Who can praise thee woorthilie ynough, O vnutterable power, and wisedome of the father! And albeit I cannot find words, wherewithall I maie sufficientlie expresse the almightie and all-skilfull word, yet vntill thou call me vnto thee, where I may praise thee as I should, and ought; I will saie what I am able. Wherefore, mine humble request is, that thou wouldest respect, not that which I now doo saie, but that which I desire to saie. For indeed I doo mightilie desire to speake of thee, as I ought, and as becommeth me, bicause to thee praise, to thee Psalmes, to thee honor and glorie is due.
A complaint that we be not moued nor pricked in our contemplations and praiers, like as the Angels be, which tremble at the sight of GOD.
PArdon mee, O LORD, pardon mee, mercifullie forgiue mee, and haue mercie vpon mee: spare mine ignorance, and my great vnperfectnesse: doo not reprooue me as a rash woman, bicause I dare be so bold, which am but thy seruant. But would to God I were either a good seruant, or none vnprofitable or euill seruant! And therefore am I an euill woman, because I praise, blesse and worship thee, not as I ought to doo, which art our God almightie, terrible and verie much to be feared: I worship thee, I saie, without contrition of [Page 441] hart, and without a well of teares. For if so be that the Angels, when they worship and praise thee, doo tremble, beeing fulfilled with maruellous gladnesse: I which am a sinner, whiles I stand before thee, saieng praises, and offering sacrifice, why am I not affraid in my hart? why am I not pale in my countenance? why doo not my lips quake, and tremble? why is not all my bodie afraid? and why doo I not mourne and bewaile before thee, after such a sort, that teares might spring out of mine eies? I would faine, but I am not able, bicause I cannot doo that which I desire to doo. This maketh mee trulie woonderfullie to maruell, that I am no more mooued, when I see with the eies of my faith, thee which art so fearefull.
But who can doo anie thing without the helpe of thy grace? Except thou make our stonie harts to relent, we of our selues are not able to mollifie them. For all our helth dependeth vpon thy great mercie. O wretch that I am! How is my soule made without anie feeling or perceiuerance; that it is not afraid with ouermuch feare, whiles it standeth before God, and singeth to him his owne praises? Alas, how is my hart so hardned, that mine eies doo not gush out great flouds of teares without ceassing; when I, which am but a seruant or bondwoman, doo commune, & talke in my Lord & maisters presence? Yea a woman with God, a creature with a Creator. I that am made of the slime of the earth, doo speake with him that made all things of nothing.
Put me before thee, O Lord; and whatsoeuer I perceiue of my selfe, in the secrets of my hart, I doo not keepe it close from thy gratious eares. Thou art rich in mercie, and liberall in rewards. Giue me of thy goods, that with them I may serue thee. For with nothing else can we serue or please thee, but with thine owne gifts, which thou hast vouchsafed to bestowe [Page 442] vpon vs. Fasten, I beseech thee, thy feare in my flesh. Let my hart reioice and be glad to feare thy name. Would God my sinfull soule feared thee so much, as that holie man, the which said: I alwaies feared God, as though it were great swelling flouds should come and tumble vpon me.
O God the giuer of all good things, giue me among thy praises, a well of teares, with the purenesse of hart and reioicing of mind; that I louing thee perfectlie, and worthilie praising thee, may feele, taste, and fauour, in the palate of my hart, how sweete and pleasant thou art, O Lord, as it is written: Doo ye taste and see how sweet and delectable the Lord is. Blessed is the man that putteth his trust in him. Blessed is that people which knoweth glad and ioifull praising. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose hart are thy waies, which going through the vale of miserie, vseth it for a well. Blessed are the cleane in hart, bicause they shall see God. Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord, they shall praise thee world without end,
Amen.
A verie deuout praier for grace to praise God, and to be thankfull for his benefits.
O LORD Iesus Christ, which art the word of the father, which camest into this world to saue sinners: I beseech thee, by the most louing bowels of thy mercy, to amend and repaire my life. Make better my deeds, take thou the ordering of my manners. Take from mee that that noieth & hurteth me, and displeaseth thee: and giue me that which thou knowest will please thee, and profit me. Who can make cleane that which is conceiued of an vncleane seed, but thou alone? Thou art [Page 443] the God almightie, of infinite pietie; which dooest iustifie and make righteous, euen those that are wicked men; and raisest againe to life them that were dead in sinne; thou changest sinners, and they are, while they liue here, no deadlie or damnable sinners.
Take awaie therefore from me whatsoeuer is in me that pleaseth not thee. For thine eies doo see much vnperfectnesse in me. Laie the hand, I beseech thee, of thy pitie, on me, & whatsoeuer offendeth the eies of thy pietie, remoue it from me. In thy sight is both my health & my disease: the one I beseech thee to preserue, the other to cure. Doo thou heale me, O Lord, and I shall be healed: do thou make me safe, & I shall be saued. Thou, I meane, which dooest make whole them that be diseased, and dooest preserue them that be cured; which onlie with a becke dooest restore and repaire things that be decaied, and fallen into ruine. For if thou wilt vouchsafe to sowe anie good seed in the feeld of my hart, of necessitie thou must plucke vp first, with the hand of thy pittie, the thornes of vices which be in it.
O most gratious, most gentle, most louing, desired, amiable, and louelie of all others; powre in my hart, I beseech thee, so great plentie of delectation in thee, that I may desire no earthlie or carnall thing, nor yet thinke vpon them; but that I may loue thee alone, that I may haue thee onlie in my hart, & in my mouth. Write with thy finger in my brest, the delectable remembrance of thy sweet name, and so, that it may not be blotted out with anie forgetfulnesse. Write thy will in the tables of mine hart, and also thy iustifications; that I may alwaies, and in euerie place haue thee, O Lord, before mine eies, and in my sight.
Inflame my mind with that fire, which thou diddest send into the earth, and willedst it to be kindled, that I might offer vnto thee dailie, with teares, a sacrifice of a troubled spirit, and a repentant hart. O sweet [Page 444] Christ, O good Iesu, euen according vnto my desire, and euen as I hartilie require thee with my whole mind, giue me thy holie and chast loue, which may replenish and keepe me, and also fullie possesse me. Giue me an euident signe and token of thy loue, euen a flowing well of teares, which will continuallie runne, that those teares may somewhat testifie thy loue in me; that they may shew foorth, and declare how much my soule loueth thee, whiles for the great delectation it hath in the sweetnes of thy loue, it may not refraine from shedding teares.
O good Lord, I call to my remembrance sometimes that vertuous woman Hanna, which came to the Tabernacle to praie, that God would send hir a sonne; of whom the scripture maketh mention, that hir countenance, after hir teares and praiers, was not againe changed, or altered. But when I thinke vpon so great vertue, constancie, and stedfastnesse of that woman, I doo blush, and am vexed, with sorrowe, and confounded with shame; bicause I a wretch, doo perceiue my selfe to be fallen ouermuch from thee. For if that good woman did weepe, after such a sort, and continued so in weeping, which did search for nothing else but a sonne, how ought my sinfull soule to mourne, and to persist and abide in weeping, that seeketh and looueth God, and hath a desire to come vnto him? How ought such a soule to mourne and weepe, which seeketh God daie and night, which will loue nothing but Christ? My teares now trulie should be made meate vnto me daie and night.
Looke vpon me therefore, O Lord, and take pittie on me; bicause the dolours and sorrowes of my hart are manie in number. Giue me thy heauenlie consolation, and doo not despise nor cast awaie a sinfull soule, for the which thou didst die. Giue me inward teares, I beseech thee, from the bottome of my hart, which may wash awaie [Page 445] the spots of my sinnes. Replenish my soule alwaies with heauenlie delectation and myrth, that I may obteine some little portion or part in thy kingdome; although not amongst the perfect men, whose steps I cannot followe, yet at the least among the religious women and inferiour sort.
And heere now the maruellous deuotion of another woman, called Marie Magdalen, commeth into my mind, which with vertuous loue, and godlie affection, did seeke thee lieng in the sepulchre; which, when thy Disciples went awaie, and departed from thee, did remaine with thee hir selfe; which sate there sad and sorowfull, weeping long and verie much; and when she did arise, she searched with a diligent eie, and with manie teares the corners of the sepulchre, which was left emptie, if she might espie thee out in anie place, whom she with a feruent desire sought. Yea and moreouer, she went againe and againe to the sepulchre, but that was not inough vnto hir, neither did it satisfie hir desire. For the grace of a good worke, is to perseuere and continue in the same. And bicause she did loue more than other, and that in louing she wept, and in weeping she searched, and in searching she continued: therfore was it thy pleasure, that she should first find thee, see thee, and talke with thee before all other. And not onelie this, but also shee was a tidings-bearer of thy glorious resurrection, vnto thy Disciples, when thou didst command and bid hir, saieng: Go, and tell my brethren, that they go vnto Galilie; there they shall see me, &c.
Seeing therfore that that deuout woman did weepe after such a sort, and continued in weeping, which did seeke thee that wast aliue among the dead, and touched thee with the hand of hir faith; how ought a soule to mourne and to continue in mourning, which beleeueth in thee, & with hir mouth doth acknowledge thee, [Page 446] to be hir redeemer, that sittest now in heauen, and reignest euerie where? How much therefore ought such a soule to mourne and weepe, which loueth thee with all hir hart, and with hir whole desire dooth couet to see thee?
Oh onlie refuge, the onlie hope of wretches; vnto whom no man or woman needeth at anie time to praie, without hope of mercie: grant vnto me this grace, for thy sake, and for thy holie name sake, that as oft as I thinke vpon thee, as oft as I speake of thee, write of thee, read of thee, confer of thee; as oft as euer I remember thee, stand before thee, offer vp praises, praiers, and sacrifice vnto thee; so oft I may weepe abundantlie with teares in thy sight, so that my teares may be to me in stead of bread daie and night.
Thou trulie, O King of glorie, and maister of all vertues, hast taught vs with thy word, and with thine example, to mourne and weepe, whereas thou saiest: Blessed be they that mourne, for they shall be comforted. Thou didst weepe for thy frend Lazarus that was dead: and didst let teares fall downe plentiouslie for the Citie, which should perish. I beseech thee, O good Iesu, by those most pretious teares, and by all thy mercies and pities, wherewith thou didst vouchsafe maruellouslie to helpe and succour vs that were lost, giue me the grace to weepe, and to be earnestlie repentant for my sinnes; which grace my soule desireth and coueteth verie much: and except it come of thy gift, I cannot haue it, but by the holie Ghost, which dooth mollifie the hard harts of sinners, and prouoketh them to weeping.
Giue me the grace of teares, like as thou gauest to our forefathers and mothers, whose examples wee ought to followe; that I may bewaile my selfe in all my life, like as they did bewaile themselues daie and night. Giue me the deaw of thy grace from aboue, and [Page 447] also a deaw of teares beeneth: that my teares may be vnto me in stead of bread daie and night: and that I may be made in thy sight, O Lord my God, by the fire of thy prouocation, a fat & acceptable sacrifice. Make me to be mortified and killed vpon the altar of mine hart, and that I may be receiued of thee, as a fat and a sweet smelling sacrifice. Giue vnto me, O good Lord, a plentifull, flowing, and cleere well of teares, in the which I may wash continuallie this fowle and spotted sacrifice. For although I haue offered vp my selfe wholie vnto thee, by the helpe of thy grace: yet neuerthelesse, in manie things I offend thee dailie, bicause of my great fragilitie and weakenesse.
Giue me therefore the grace of teares, and continuall repentance, O blessed God: and most especiallie through the great sweetnesse of thy loue, and the remembrance of thy mercies, prepare this table for thy seruant, in thy sight; and giue me power, that as oft as I list I may be satisfied of it. Grant vnto me for thy goodnesse and pittie, that this thy cup, replenished and filled full, may satisfie my thrist, that my spirit may couet thee, and that my mind may burne in thy loue, forgetting all vanitie and miserie.
Heare, O my God; heare, O light of mine eies, thou that art the stirrer vp and quickener of my dull eares, heare what I desire and aske: and giue me grace to aske that which thou hearest. O pittifull Lord, which art woont to be easilie intreated, be not hard to be intreated of me, bicause of my sinnes, but for thy goodnesse receiue the praiers of thy seruant, and grant me the effect of my petition and desire,
Amen.
A godlie and diuine Meditation of the ioies of the celestiall para dise, to be vsed at conuenient times in the church, that is, either before, or after publike seruice: for to that all men present ought to be attentiue.
O My soule, let vs returne to the heauenlie citie, wherin we be registred, & made free citizens. For like as we be fellowe-citizens of the Saints, and houshold-meanie of God; and like as we be the heires of God, and coheires with Christ: so let vs a little consider the happie roialtie of our citie, so far foorth as it is possible for vs to consider it. Let vs saie with the Prophet, O how glorious things are spoken of thee thou citie of God! For thou art the dwelling place of all them that reioice, the ioie of the whole earth is founded vpon thee. There is not in thee anie age, nor miserie of age: there is not in thee anie maimed person, anie lame man, anie crooke backe, nor anie mishapen bodie. For all be growne vp to perfect men, after the full measure of the age of Christ.
What blesseder thing can there be, than such a life; where there is no feare of pouertie, nor weakenesse of diseases? No man is harmed there, no man is displeased there, no man enuieth there. There is no burning of couetousnesse, no desire of meate, no ambitious suing for honour and authoritie. There is no dread of diuell, no snares of feends, no feare of hell fire. There is no death, neither of bodie nor of soule: but pleasant life assured of immortalitie. Then shall there be no miseries, then shall there be no debates: but all things shall be at agreemeut, bicause all the Saints shall agree in one. Peace and mirth hold all things togither, all things are there calme and quiet.
There the seuen lamps of Gods spirits are still burning, before the throne of God: and there is continuall [Page 449] light, not such as is now heere, but so much the brighter, as it is much happier. For as we read, that citie shall need no sunne, nor moone, nor light artificiall, because the Lord almightie shall shine in it; and the Lambe, as a lampe, shall be the light of it; where the Saints and wise Uirgins shall shine as the stars, for euer without end: and such as haue taught manie in the waie of righteousnesse, shall be as the brightnesse of the skie. Where there shall be no night, no darkenesse, no meeting of clouds, no painfulnesse of heate or cold: but there shall be such a temperatnesse as neuer eie hath seene, eare heard, nor hart of anie man conceiued. There shall be no companie, sauing onlie of them that are accounted woorthie to enioie the same, whose names are written in the booke of life.
But yet it is far aboue all these things, to be in fellowship with the companies of Angels, Archangels, and all the heauenlie Powers, to behold the Patriarchs and Prophets, to see the Euangelists and Apostles, to woonder at the hosts of Martyrs and Confessors, to view the companies of Uirgins, and to see all the Saints; yea and also to see our owne parents and kindred. Glorious are these things, O my soule; but much more glorious is it to behold the present countetenance of God.
O happie plesantnesse; O plesant happinesse, to see the Saints, to be with the Saints, and to be a Saint! Yea, a passing excellent glorie shall it be, when we shall see God in himselfe; and when we shall both see, and haue him in our selues for euer and euer, of whom we shall neuer haue seene ynough.
O my soule, let vs thinke vpon this, I saie, with a diligent mind; let vs long after this with our whole hart, let vs sigh hartilie, desire earnestlie, and wish continuallie, that we may soone come vnto them, vnto that citie aboue, whereof so glorious things are spoken, [Page 450] and wherein is the habitation of all that reioice,
Amen.
Another diuine Meditation, of the happinesse of the soules that are with God, especiallie to be vsed, when you haue sung a Psalme, after a funerall Sermon.
HAppie is the soule, which being let loose from the earthlie prison, flieth vp freelie into heauen, and there beholdeth thee hir most sweete Lord face to face, and is no more disquieted with anie feare of death, but reioiceth in the euerlastingnesse of incorruptible glorie. For it is safe and out of perill, and hencefoorth feareth neither enimie nor death. It possesseth thee hir mercifull Lord, whom she hath long sought, and euer loued. And accompanieng hir selfe with the quiers of Psalme-singers, she singeth continuallie the sugred songs of euerlasting mirth, to the glorie of thee, O King Christ, O gratious Iesu. For she is, as it were, made drunken with the bountifulnesse of thy house, and thou makest hir to drinke of the streame of thy pleasures.
Happie is the fellowship of the heauenlie citizens, and glorious is the solemnitie of all them that returne from the sorrowfull trauell of this our pilgrimage, to the pleasantnes of beautie, to the beautie of all brightnesse, and to the flower of all excellencie; where thy citizens behold thee continuallie, O Lord. Nothing that may trouble the mind is offered there to the eare. What songs, what instruments, what Carols, what melodie, what musicke soundeth there without end? There sound alwaies most pleasant tunes of Hymnes and Psalmes, most sweet melodie of Angels, and most woonderfull ditties of songs; which are sung to thy glorie, by the celestiall inhabitants, with heauenlie [Page 451] harmonie.
No harshnesse, no gallie bitternesse, nor iangling discords haue anie roome within thy realme. For there is neither naughtie person, nor naughtinesse. There is none aduersarie, nor impugner, neither is there any inticement of sinne. There is no needinesse, no shame, no bralling, no mis-vsage, no excusing, no feare, no vnquietnesse, no penaltie, no doubtfulnesse, no violence, no discord or contention. But there is perfect peace full of loue, continuall reioicing and praising of God, carelesse rest without end, and euerlasting gladnesse in the holie Ghost.
O how luckie should I sillie wretch be, if I might heare the most pleasant Psalmes, Hymnes, and Carols of thy citizens, and their sugred songs, aduancing the praises of the souereigne Trinitie with due honour: but ouer happie should I be, might I once attaine to sing a song my selfe, I saie, to sing one of the sweet songs of Zion, to our Lord Iesus Christ.
Another longing after the ioies of heauenlie Zion.
O Lightsome and glorions house of God, I haue loued thy goodlinesse, and the place where the glorie of the Lord God, who both enioieth and hath created thee, doth dwell. In mine exile I sigh after thee both night and daie, mine hart longeth; my mind coueteth, and my soule desireth to come vnto the societie of your happinesse.
My praier vnto him which made me, is, that he would possesse me in thee; bicause he hath made both me and you. For I desire your holie fellowship, and woonderfull glorie; not for anie merit of mine owne; but I trust to attaine therevnto, through the price of [Page 352] his bloud; namelie of Iesus Christ, whereby we be redeemed.
I confesse, I haue gone astraie like a lost sheepe, and haue too long dwelled out of my natiue soile, and am far awaie cast from the face of the Lord my God, into this blindnesse of banishment, who driuen out of the ioies of paradise, I bewaile with my selfe dailie the miserie of my captiuitie; and sing a wofull song with great lamentation, when I remember thee, O mother Ierusalem, while my feete doo but stand in thy courts, O sacred and comlie Zion; and I am not able plainlie to looke into thine inner places.
Notwithstanding, I haue good hope, vpon the shoulders of my good shepheard, thy Creator, to be brought back vnto thee, that I may triumph againe with that vnspeakable ioie, where withall they be cheered, which dwell with thee before God his Maiestie, and our Sauiour Christ, which hath abrogated, through his flesh, the hatred; and pacified all things, both which are in heauen, and which are in earth, by his bloud. For he is our peace, which made of both one, and ioining the two contrarie wals together, hath promised that he will giue the euerlasting felicitie of your happinesse in himselfe, after the like maner and measure, when he said: They shall be like the Angels of God in heauen.
Another longing or desire of the soule after the supernall Ierusalem.
O Mother Ierusalem, the holie citie of God, and the deerly beloued spouse of Christ; after thee dooth mine hart couet, and my soule exceedingly is in loue with thy beautie. Oh how comlie, how glorious, how honourable art thou! Thou art all faire, & there is no spot in thee. Triumph and reioice, [Page 453] O beautifull daughters of the Princes. For the King hath a pleasure in thy fairenesse, and loueth thy goodlie personage. O thou fairer than the children of men! But what is my beloued, O thou fairest among women, of the welbeloued? My welbeloued is white and ruddie, the chiefe of ten thousand. Like as the apple trees of the forest; so is my welbeloued among the sonnes of men. Under his shadowe had I delight. Lo now I sit, and his fruit is sweet vnto my mouth. My welbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the doore, and mine hart was affectioned towards him. In my bed by night I sought him that my soule loued; I sought, and I found him. I hold, and will not let him go, vntill he bring me into my mothers house, into the chamber of hir that conceiued me. For there thou wilt giue mee thy teates most abundantlie, and perfectlie; and wilt satisfie mine hart with a maruelous satietie, so that I shall neither hunger nor thirst anie more.
Oh happie shall my soule be, yea happie and alwaies happie shall I be; could I once get to behold thy glorie, thine happinesse, thy beautie, thy gates, thy wals, thy streets, thy manifold mansions, thy noble citizens, and thy mightie King in his Maiestie. For thy wals are of pretious stones, thy gates of the richest pearls, and thy streets of the pure gold; wherein is soong the ioifull Halleluiah without intermission. Thy manifold buildings are founded vpon squared stones, builded vpon Saphyres, inclosed with golden wals; whereinto none shall enter, but the cleane; neither shall anie vncleane person inhabit it. Beautifull art thou become, O mother Ierusalem, and sweete in thy comforts. No such thing is in thee, as we suffer in this world, and as we behold in this wretched life. There is neither darknes nor night, nor anie change of times in thee. There shineth not in thee either the light of the lampe, or the brightnesse of the moone, or the glittering [Page 454] of the starres: but the God of God, light of light, euen the sunne of righteousnesse euermore doth enlighten thee. The white and vnspotted lambe is thy pure and cleare light, thy sunne, the cleerenesse, and euerlasting contemplation of this most glorious king is all thine happinesse.
He is the King of kings in the middest of thee, and you are his ministers about him. There be the singing quires of Angels, there be the companies of supernall citizens, there the solemnitie of all, which haue returned from this wofull peregrination vnto thy ioies. There be the prudent Prophets, the twelue Apostles, the victorious host of infinite Martyrs, and the sacred conuent of holie Confessors is there. There be both vpright men, and holie virgins, which haue ouercome the pleasures of this world, and the weakenesse of sexe. There be those yoong men and maidens, old men & matrons, which haue spent their time in godlie conuersation. There be the sheepe & lambs that haue escaped the snares of this world, where they now triumph in their seuerall mansions. The glorie of each particular man differeth; but common is the ioie of them all. There full and perfect charitie doth reigne. For God there is all in all, whome they doo alwaies behold, and by beholding him, continuallie they burne the more in loue towards him. They loue, and they praise him; they praise, and they loue him: all their worke is to praise God without ending, without fainting, without toiling. O happie, yea and euermore happie shall I be, if after the resolution of this mortall bodie, I may heare those celestiall songs of melodie, which are sung vnto the praise of the eternall King by those citizens of the supernall countrie, and by the companies of the blessed spirits! Happie then, yea much happie should I be, might I be counted woorthie to sing those sugred songs, and to wait on my [Page 455] King, my God, and my Captaine, to behold him in his glorie, according as he hath promised, saieng: Father, I will that they, whome thou hast giuen me, be with me, euen where I am; that they may behold my glorie, which I had with thee before the foundation of the world. And in another place. If anie man serue me, let him followe me. For where I am, there shall also my seruant be. And againe, He that loueth me, shall be loued of my father, and I will loue him, and will shew mine owne selfe vnto him.
Another godlie and Christian praier for the Church and congregation presentlie assembled.
ALthough the holie Scriptures doo teach vs euerie where, that the heauen, O most good and mercifull God, is thy dwelling place; yet the same doth in such wise set out thine infinite goodnesse, as the Church is both called, and also is in deede, thy sanctified house, wherein thou most frequentest; wherein also thy blessed name is lifted vp with high praises, the faithfull instructed in thy sacred words, and the holie Sacraments dulie receiued. And therefore the godlie, hauing an especiall regard to the honour of thy glorious name, most earnestlie, with a feruent mind, and vehement affection, doo continuallie stir vp one another, to make holie assemblies, with woonderfull exhortations; to the intent the pure worshipping, and holie inuocating of thy blessed name, might onlie be therein practised. Now therefore, and at what time so euer we shall come together in the holie congregation, our earnest request is, that wee may be there with cheerefull and verie desirous minds. For thou trulie hast, of an exceeding liberalitie, adorned thy holie Church with most flourishing & right excellent gifts; neither is there anie thing pretermitted, that [Page 456] apperteineth to hir garnishing, which may either belong to the spirituall decking and beautifieng thereof, or to the plentious enriching of it, in abundance of all heauenlie good things. Which seeing they haue proceeded most fullie from thee; this onlie remaineth, that thou wouldest be present with vs and them, which are assembled together in the name of Iesus Christ; and so condescend vnto our feruent praiers, who thereby doo call vpon thee, as the members thereof may be annexed together with a perpetuall concord. Cause all our meetings (I saie) good father, to be in such sort, as we may render due honour vnto thee. Let the sacred Scriptures be heere purelie and sincerelie interpreted, and let thy glorious kingdome from daie to daie be more and more inlarged, making all these things to be established with thy ioious peace, and the tranquillitie of thy holie spirit, yea so long as we praie for the quietnesse and felicitie heereof. Let vs procure substantiall and perfect good things, both to our neighbours, and also vnto thy blessed house, and holie sanctified Church. And cause that those Citizens, which doo credit the sacred doctrine of thy holie Church, may by thy excellent benefit become frends and faithfull brethren one to another; and in the end beeing quite deliuered from thrall, bring thou to passe that one daie we may altogether repose our selues in the true and most holie Ierusalem; through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another praier for the increase of the Church.
THE Church is vnto thee, O most good and mercifull GOD, as a most roiall Queene espoused; to the intent she may bring foorth vnto thee a most plentifull and holie seede. Wherefore, forasmuch as thou hast coupled hir vnto thee, to be thy wife by faith; and that she is reputed of the vngodlie as a barren woman, because shee seemeth to [Page 457] haue left off child-bearing: grant hir to be made vnto thee, through thy sacred word, and holie spirit, afruitfull and ioifull mother of manie holie and vertuous children, by whome thy glorious name may be exalted with perpetuall praises, in thine holie house, euen as it becommeth them. Let hir be glad with a perfect and substantiall ioy, for the great number of hir most faithfull & religious sonnes and daughters. Multiplie & increase the issue of thy sacred Church (I saie) O God, with a plentifull and an innumerable issue; and let hir ingender godlie children vnto thee dailie more and more, euen such as are worthie of such a father & mother, and to be partakers of thy blessed spirit. Grant that we may altogether aspire vnto the loue of thee, our most delectable bridegroome, and that throughour labour laid together, in stead of our forefathers, who are now alreadie gathered vnto thee, manie mo faithfull, religious, and holie children may be begotten vnto thee anew, with whom we may alwaies, in our posterities, set out & celebrate thy famous honour, & most noble praises. Shine thou downe out of Zion, O God, euen from thine exceeding high & vnapprochable light, vpon the virgin thy blessed Church; & preserue hir from the number of perils, which she is in cōtinuall danger of. Let hir not fall to ruine, nor be as a lampe despised in the opinion of the rich & welthie men of this world; but let thy mountaines glister, and giue their light as lamps of fire. Yea let righteousnes & saluation breake forth out of zion, as a shining light and burning lamp; that all men may see it, and glorifie thee. Let the lamps of hir loue, I saie, O God, be as coales of fire, and a verie vehement flame of the Lord, to dazell, ouercome, and consume hir enimies after a woonderfull and miraculous manner; and cause the seuen lampes of the Uirgins, euen all thy spirituall gifts and graces O GOD, in the Saincts to burne bright and cleere, [Page 458] without anie quenching before thy throne for euer.
Let thy Church be as a flourishing Uine, spreading it selfe far abroade; so that Antichrist, with all his craft and industrie, may not be of force to cut and hew it downe. And euen as thou, O Lord, hast euerie where maruellouslie replenished the earth with thine inestimable goodnesse, so in like manner, be so good, as to let the number of thy true and faithfull suppliants, bee dailie more and more greatlie enlarged. Let there bee continuall labouring in thy beloued Church, by doctrine and example, to nurture the blessed children, so that their works may be a singular ornament thereof, to thy glorie, and the increase of all manner of vertue. Let hir (I saie) be made dailie like vnto a most fruitefull woman, that may be compared to the ranke Oliues, and exceeding fertile Uines: and grant, that a continuall ofspring of thy deere children, may be multiplied in thy blessed Church, and become notable in peace, in praises, and in puritie of life and doctrine, to the renowmed honour of thy glorious name, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another praier for the preseruation of the Church.
O Celestiall God, and Father of infinite mercie and compassion, which not onelie gatherest to thy selfe an holie Church in this world, out of mankind, through the operation of the holie Ghost, and preaching of thy word; but also preseruest the same being gathered, and adornest it with all kind of temporall things, and which more is, with eternall blisse: we humblie beseech thee, gratious Lord, that of thy goodnesse, thou wouldest vouchsafe euermore to mainteine this thy little flocke, embracing, [Page 459] preaching, and professing thy word, through thine especiall grace. Continue thy fauour toward the same, keepe it in sound doctrine, constant in confessing, in the lawfull vse of thy holie Sacraments, and in purenesse of life; that neither the gates of hell, the rage of Sathan, nor yet the rigorousnesse and tyrannie of this world oppresse the same. Protect and keepe this thy boate and little barke, tossed among manie perillous tempests, and miserable surges, in the raging sea of this trouble some world, that it perish not being ouerwhelmed. Uphold thy Church, which is builded vpon a sure rocke, and dependeth vpon Christ a sound and vnmoueable foundation.
O Lord of hostes, returne; looke downe from heauen, and behold; visit thy Uine, and make it perfect, which thy right hand hath planted, and thou hast chosen to thy selfe. Hedge the same about with thy strong defence, that the branches thereof being spread out and pruned, may bring foorth aboundance of fruite. Raise vp thy power, come, O God, and saue vs. Conuert vs, shewe foorth thy countenance, and we shall be saued. Encrease thy sheepe within thy hardels, so shall we be quiet from all inuasion and scatterings, neither can anie drawe vs by force out of thy hands. Defend vs from such as seeke the vtter ouerthrowe of pure religion, and in place thereof labour to bring in the shamefull instauration of blasphemous idolatrie. Suffer not thy word, that most cleere and vnchangeable light to be corrupted, or put out by our meanes: but gather to thy selfe, through the sound of the Gospell, such a Church, as may harken vnto thee, honour and sanctifie thy name, as well in word, as in honest conuersation, that so thou maist haue a righteous and holie generation, celebrating thy goodnesse for euermore. O ioine vs vnto that companie, which doth worship thee continuallie, that we may be citizens of [Page 460] thy kingdome among thy Saincts.
Grant that we erre not frō the foundation of wholsome doctrine, answering to the rules of the sacred Scripture; and that we offend not against our conscience: but separate vs from the companie of the vngodlie ones, and from the damned crue of the reprobate. Let vs not so much as take their names into our mouths, which powre out heapes of blasphemies to thy great dishonour, and defacing of thy truth; vnto whom thy sonne is a destruction and stone of offence. For they despise his base estate, and the foolish preaching of thy Gospell; and the deformed shew of the Church, placed in the midst of all kind of miseries, they loath and abhor; preferring vncertaine riches, lordlie authoritie, and the vaine pleasures of this transitorie world, before the profession of the truth; & so making warre with thy sonne, they doo purchase euerlasting destruction vnto themselues.
Keepe vs euermore, that wee may abide in that Church, which is trulie Catholike, consisting of members of manie nations; but linked vnto thee in one and the same confession. Sanctifie vs with thine holie spirit, that our sinnes being forgiuen vs, wee may take another trade of life, in acknowledging thee to be the onlie true God, and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent. Giue vnto thy Church resting places, and nests, where they may sound thy sacred Gospell purelie, without corruption. Suppresse the diuell, which spredeth blasphemies against thy doctrine; that so neither feined gods may be erected, nor superstitious inuocations confirmed, nor thy glorie defaced. Weaken the power of thine enimies, which boile in hatred against thy truth, and conspire the death of thine elect: so neither shall stables of woolues be made, nor dennes of theeues established.
O Lord returne and quicken vs; so shall thy people [Page 461] reioice in thee. Let all such as trust in thee reioice and triumph for euer. Dwell thou in them, and let those which loue thy name, reioice in thee. O Lord remember not our offences. Thou which wast somtime mercifull, and forgauest the wickednesse of thy people, and hidst all their sinnes; which withdrawedst all thine anger, and turnedst from the fiercenesse of thine indignation; be mindfull of thy woonted mercie, and receiue vs into thy fauour. For we depend vpon thee alone, being destitute of all worldlie aid; our trust wholie is in thee, and all our confidence resteth in thy stretched-out arme. O Lord, couer vs with thy grace, as it were with a shield, that so we may be blessed; and abiding in the house of thy congregation, may acknowledge and call vpon thee, according to thy word reuealed, and praise thee euermore, through our Lord Iesus Christ,
Amen.
A praier for vnitie in faith and religion.
O Eternall God, and most mercifull Father, which hast called vs to the vnitie of the true Catholike faith, and gathered vs by thy word into the lap of the Christian congregation, that wee may be all of vs one bodie, and one spirit; euen as wee are called in one hope of our calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptisme, one God, and Father of all, which is aboue all, and through all, and in vs all. For euen as thou, O Father, art in thy sonne, and he in thee; so should we also be one in thee our God. And therefore we crie vnto thee, O almightie Father, and eternall God; teach vs thy waies, that we may walke in thy truth. O knit our harts vnto thee, that we may feare thy name. Grant that all the faithfull [Page 462] may be like affected, and of one mind as thou art, thinking the same thing after the ensample of Christ our Sauiour; and that as well in minds, as with mouth, we may agree among our selues, both in true doctrine, and in outward behauiour of conuersation. For the scope of the Churches felicitie consisteth in the vnitie of true faith and religion.
Keepe vs in the true vnderstanding, and right knowledge of thy sacred Scriptures; that without strife and contention, we may speake one thing. Let there be no dissentions nor schismes among vs. Let nothing be done through contention, or of vaine glorie: but let vs be one bodie, indued with one mind and iudgment, according to thy word reuealed; vntill we attaine to the vnitie of faith, and knowledge of thy sonne, into a perfect man, according to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ, which is the head; by whom the whole bodie being coupled and knit together, by euerie ioint, for the furniture thereof, according to the effectuall power, which is in the measure of euerie part, receiueth increase of the bodie, vnto the edifieng of it selfe in loue.
O most holie Father, keepe vs by thy name, that wee may be one in thee; and that among vs, which are beleeuers, there may be one hart and one mind. O Christ our onlie Sauiour and Mediatour, which before thy passion didst praie, that we might be one in thee, euen as thou art in thy Father: grant that thy Church may be at concord, and agree in one true faith and confession. Let there continue among vs a godlie counsell, let there be one agreement in faith, one mind in praier; that we may growe vp in thee, and that all our harts may be coupled togither by the bond of the spirit, vsing thy gifts as they should be, to the aduancement of thy glorie, and to the common profit both of thy Church and Common-weale; and walking woorthie our calling, [Page 463] wherevnto we are called, with all humilitie and gentlenesse, with all lenitie, forbearing one another, through charitie, being carefull to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace.
Represse the furiousnesse of Satan, which soweth dissention among thy flocke, to weaken our faith, and to hinder our praiers, whereby thy glorie is defaced. Grant therefore, that we prooue not desirous of vaine glorie, prouoking one another, and enuieng one another, that we bite not one another to our destruction. For of emulation springeth contention, which being once inflamed, boile out into mortall diuisions. And as manie as maintaine emulations, contentions, and factions, are carnall, and walke as men. Wherefore, take from vs the zeale of the flesh, which is foolish: and let all enuie, wrath, pride, and arrogancie be far from vs. Likewise let vs auoid foolish and vnlearned questions, knowing that they engender strife and contention, and serue for nothing, but to the subuerting of the hearers, & ingraffing of errors. Where a desire of strife is, there certainlie God dwelleth not: and they which raise tumults of nothing, and disquiet thy flocke: those wilt thou, O sonne of God, destroie.
Come holie spirit, replenish the harts of the faithfull here assembled, and else where: and inflame in them the fire of thy loue, which once didst gather the nations into the vnitie of the faith, through the diuersitie of tongues. Ioine our harts togither, that wee may nourish christian concord among vs, and that wee all glued as it were together in louing harts, may be of one mind in thee: so shall thy pure doctrine zealouslie be mainteined, and no false interpretation of the scripture obstinatelie be defended. Bring home to thy fold all such as are turned from the vnitie of true religion, that thrre may be one pastor, and one fold. To such as are gone out from vs, grant constancie; that they may [Page 464] continue with vs, teaching the Gospell to the saluation of the hearers. And if it happen that anie, contrarie to the doctrine which they haue learned, raise dissention and offences; grant that we may auoid them, least the harts of the simple, through their sweet persuasions and flatterie, be deceiued. O God, author of peace and concord, giue grace, that euerie of vs may thinke the same thing, acording to our Sauior Christ,
Amen.
❧ The Letanie.
O God the Father of heauen: haue mercy vpon vs miserable sinners.
O God the Father of heauen: haue mercie vpon vs miserable sinners.
O God the Sonne redeemer of the world: haue mercie vpon vs miserable sinners.
O God the Sonne redeemer, &c.
O God the holie Ghost, proceeding from the Father & the Sonne: haue mercie vpon vs miserable sinners.
O God the holie Ghost, proceeding from, &c.
O holie, blessed, and glorious Trinitie, three persons and one God: haue mercie vpon vs miserable sinners.
O holie, blessed, and glorious Trinitie, &c.
Remember not Lord our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers, neither take thou vengeance of our sinnes: spare vs good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most pretious bloud, and be not angrie with vs for euer.
Spare vs good Lord.
[Page 465] From all euill and mischiefe, from sinne, from the crafts and assaults of the diuell, from thy wrath, and from euerlasting damnation.
Good Lord deliuer vs.
From blindnesse of hart, from pride, vaine glorie, and hypocrisie; from enuie, hatred, and malice, and all vncharitablenesse.
Good Lord deliuer vs.
From fornication, and all other deadlie sinnes; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, & the diuell.
Good Lord deliuer vs.
From lightening and tempest; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battell, and murther, and from sudden death.
Good Lord deliuer vs.
From all sedition, and priuie conspiracie; from all false doctrine and heresie; from hardnesse of hart, and contempt of thy word, and commandement.
Good Lord deliuer vs.
By the mysterie of thy holie incarnation, by thy holie natiuitie and circumcision, by thy baptisme, fasting, and temptation.
Good Lord deliuer vs.
By thine agonie and bloudie sweat, by thy crosse and passion, by thy pretious death and buriall, by thy glorious resurrection and ascension, and by the comming of the holie Ghost.
Good Lord deliuer vs.
In all time of our tribulation, in all time of our wealth, in the houre of death, and in the daie of iudgement.
Good Lord deliuer vs.
We sinners doo beseeth thee to heare vs, O Lord God; and that it may please thee, to rule and gouerne thy holie Church vniuersallie in the right waie.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
[Page 466] That it may please thee to keepe and strengthen in the true worshipping of thee, in righteousnesse and holinesse of life, thy seruant Elizabeth, our most gratious Queene and Gouernour.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to rule hir hart in thy faith, feare, and loue, and that she may euermore haue affiance in thee, and euer seeke thy honour and glorie.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to be hir defender and keeper, giuing hir the victorie ouer all hir enimies.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops, Pastors, and Ministers of thy Church, with true knowledge and vnderstanding of thy word, and that both by their preaching and liuing, they may set it foorth, and shew it accordinglie.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to indue the Lords of the counsell, and all the Nobilitie, with grace, wisdome, and vnderstanding.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to blesse and keepe the Magistrates, giuing them grace to execute iustice, and to mainteine truth.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to blesse and keepe all thy people.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to giue to all nations, vnitie, peace, and concord.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to giue vs an hart to loue and dread thee, and diligentlie to liue after thy commandements.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
[Page 467] That it may please thee to giue all thy people increase of grace, to heare meekelie thy word, and to receiue it with pure affection, and to bring foorth the fruits of the spirit.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to bring into the waie of truth, all such as haue erred and are deceiued.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to strengthen such as doo stand, and to comfort and helpe the weake-harted, and to raise vp them that fall, and finallie to beate downe Sathan vnder our feete.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to succour, helpe, and comfort, all that be in danger, necessitie, and tribulation.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to preserue all that trauell by land or by water, all women labouring of child, all sicke persons, and yoong children, and to shew thy pitie vpon all prisoners and captiues.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to defend and prouide for the fatherlesse children and widowes, and all that bee desolate and oppressed.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to haue mercie vpon all men.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to forgiue our enimies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turne their harts.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to giue and preserue to our vse, the kindlie fruits of the earth, so as in due time we may enioie them.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to giue vs true repentance; [Page 468] to forgiue vs all our sinnes, negligences, and ignorances, and to endue vs with the grace of thy holie spirit, to amend our liues according to thy holie word.
We beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
Sonne of God, we beseech thee to heare vs.
Sonne of God, we beseech thee to heare vs.
O Lambe of God that takest awaie the sinnes of the world.
Grant vs thy peace.
O Lambe of God that takest awaie the sinnes of the world.
Haue mercie vpon vs.
O Christ heare vs.
O Christ heare vs.
Lord haue mercie vpon vs.
Lord haue mercie vpon vs.
Christ haue mercie vpon vs.
Christ haue mercie vpon vs.
Lord haue mercie vpon vs.
Lord haue mercie vpon vs.
Our father which art in heauen, &c.
The Versicle.
O Lord deale not with vs after our sinnes.
The Answere.
Neither reward vs after our iniquities.
Let vs praie.
O God mercifull father, that despisest not the sighing of a contrite hart, nor the desires of such as be sorowfull, mercifullie assist our praiers, that we make before thee, in all our troubles and aduersities, whensoeuer they oppresse vs; and gratiouslie heare vs, that those euils, which the craft and subtiltie of the diuell or man worketh against vs, be brought to naught; and by the prouidence of thy goodnesse, they may be dispersed; that we thy seruants being hurt by no persecutions, [Page 469] may euermore giue thanks vnto thee in thy holie Church, through Iesus Christ our Lord.
O Lord arise, helpe vs, and deliuer vs for thy name sake.
O God, we haue heard with our eares, and our fathers haue declared vnto vs, the noble works that thou diddest in their daies, and in the old time before them.
O Lord arise, helpe vs, and deliuer vs for thine honour.
Glorie be to the Father, and to the Sonne, &c.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and euer, &c.
From our enimies defend vs, O Christ.
Gratiouslie looke vpon our afflictions.
Pitifullie behold the sorrowes of our harts.
Mercifullie forgiue the sinnes of thy people.
Fauourablie with mercie heare our praiers.
O sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon vs.
Both now & euer vouchsafe to heare vs, O Christ.
Gratiouslie heare vs, ô Christ,
Gratiouslie heare vs, ô Lord Christ.
The Versicle.
O Lord let thy mercie be shewed vpon vs.
The Answere.
As we doo put our trust in thee.
Let vs praie.
WE humblie beseech thee, O Father, mercifullie to looke vpon our infirmities, and for the glorie of thy name sake turne from vs all those euils, that we most worthilie haue deserued; and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercie, and euermore serue thee in holinesse and purenesse of life, to thy honour and glorie; through our onlie mediator and aduocate Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
A praier for the Queenes Maiestie.
O Lord our heauenlie father, high and mightie, King of kings, Lord of lords, the onlie ruler of princes, which dooest from thy throne behold all the dwellers vpon earth, most hartilie we beseech thee with thy fauour to behold our most gratious souereigne ladie Queene Elizabeth, and so replenish hir with the grace of thy holie spirit, that she may alwaie incline to thy will and walke in thy waie. Indue hir plentifullie with heauenlie gifts, graunt hir in health and wealth long to liue, strengthen hir, that she may vanquish and ouercome all hir enimies: and finallie after this life, she may attaine euerlasting ioie and felicitie: through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
A praier for Bishops and Curates.
ALmightie and euerlasting God, which onlie workest great maruels, send downe vpon our Bishops and Curates, and all congregations committed to their charge, the healthfull spirit of thy grace; and that they may trulie please thee, powre vpon them the continuall dewe of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Aduocate and Mediatour Iesu Christ,
Amen.
A praier of Chrysostome.
ALmightie God, which hast giuen vs grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications vnto thee, and dooest promise, that when two or three be gathered together in thy name, thou wilt grant their requests, fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy seruants, as may be most expedient for them, granting vs in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life euerlasting,
Amen.
Amen.
¶ Other godlie Collects and praiers to be vsed after the Letanie, as occasion serueth, and first:
In time of drought for raine.
O GOD heauenlie father, which by thy sonne Iesus Christ hast promised to all them that seeke thy kingdome, and the righteousnesse thereof, all things necessarie to their bodilie sustenance; send vs, wee beseech thee, in this our necessitie, such moderate raine and showers, that we may receiue the fruites of the earth to our comfort, and to thy honor, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another.
ALmightie God mercifull Father, who in thy holie word hast promised to heare the praiers of thy people, which they shall make in this place of thy holie temple: behold now that thou hast shut vp heauen, and there is no raine giuen vnto the earth, but a drought doth vtterlie destroie the fruites of the earth, for our sinnes and iniquities; we come vnto thee, and confesse our sinnes, wherewith we haue prouoked thee thus to anger against vs, and thy creatures, for our sakes. We, I saie, whome thou dooest iustlie thus afflict with drought and barrennesse [Page 472] of the earth, returne vnto thee with all our harts, in fasting, weeping, and mourning, beseeching thee, by hartie and earnest praier, to haue mercie vpon vs, and deale not with vs as we haue righteouslie deserued. Heare thou now in heauen, and pardon the sinnes of thy seruants, and giue raine vnto the land, that thou hast giuen the people to inhabit. Heare, O Lord, I saie, the crie of man and beast, and open the treasures of the heauens, and giue vnto vs moderate showres to water the earth, that our cattell may bee satisfied, and our drought ceasse. Oh Lord hast thou vtterlie reiected vs, or doth thy soule abhorre thy people for euer, that thou hast so long plagued vs with drought and want of water? Our iniquities in deede testifie against vs, and our rebellions are more than can be numbred. For we haue sinned against heauen, and against thee, and haue beene verie noisome to the earth, and all thy creatures therin. But, O Lord, thou hope of Israel, thou comfort, helpe and sauiour of all that are in trouble; haue mercie vpon vs, haue mercie vpon vs; and doo not abhorre vs, nor cast vs off for euer. O Lord, are there anie among the gods of the Gentiles, that can send raine? Or can the heauens of themselues giue showres to the earth? Is it not onlie thou, O Lord our God, which hast made heauen and earth, and dooest all things by thy mightie power that must doo it? O saue the people therefore that call vpon thee. O let the daie come, wherein thou wilt vouchsafe to heare vs, O Lord; when I saie thou wilt heare the heauens, and the heauens may heare the earth, & the earth heare the corne, and the wine, and the oile, and they all heare one another, and thou heare Israel, that thou maist haue mercie vpon vs, and cause to come downe for vs the raine, euen the first raine, and the latter raine, in the first and second moneths, in due seasons vpon the earth, that our barns may be full of [Page 473] wheate, and our presses abound with wine and oile, & our cattell serue to labour by thy blessing, & that both man & beast may cease their mourning, and haue cause to reioice in thy mercie. Graunt vs this, O father, for Iesus Christs sake, our onlie mediator and aduocate, to whome with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all honor and glorie, now and for euer,
Amen.
Another praier for the fruits of the earth.
O Lord God almightie, King of heauen and earth, which of thine abundant goodnesse doost adorne and replenish the earth with all kind of fruit and graine, whereby the life both of man and beast is susteined: we beseech thee, euen for thy free mercie, that thou wouldest vouchsafe to blesse our feelds, and ground, and to make them prosperouslie to yeeld their corne and increase. For without thy blessing and fauour, neither can the earth of it selfe bring foorth anie whit, nor we by our paines make the same to prosper. Wherefore, grant to all things, springing from the earth, a meet temperature of aire; that luckilie they may take and increase. Keepe our fruit vpon the face of the earth from all infection of the aire; from thunder, haile, from vntimelie showers, from too great drinesse, and ouermuch heate, from woormes hurtfull, and beasts deuouring it before their prime, and from all other corruption; that our land in thine anger be not desolate, and denie vs fruit, enioieng hir wofull Sabboth.
Shut not vp the heauens in thine indignation for our sinnes, that it be not as iron, nor the earth as brasse, wherby it can not be tilled, ploughed, nor sowne, and so come to a verie plaine and vtter wildernesse: [Page 474] but of thy goodnesse giue vs both the earlie and latter raine, that we may haue abundance of all fruit, and a ioifull haruest with a plentifull vintage. O God, send a gratious raine vpon thine inheritance, and giue thy blessing, that our ground may bring foorth hir fruit. Cause thy raine to powre downe in due season, that it may be raine of blessing; whereby both trees may giue their fruit, & the ground yeeld foorth hir graine. Grant also that the aire be pure from infection, our bodies free from sicknesse, to our whole Realme peace and quietnesse, that safelie without trouble we may enioie thy gifts. Driue awaie and repell from vs malediction, and the destroier. Giue vs not in stead of raine, dust and ashes; but open thy good treasures, and visit the land with thy blessing, make it drunken, and enrich it abundantlie.
Thy riuer, O Lord, is full of water; prepare our corne, and dispose our earth to prosper; water abundantlie the furrowes of the same, and cause the raine to descend into the vallies thereof; make the same soft with showers, and blesse our buds. Crowne the yeere with thy goodnesse, and let thy clouds drop fatnesse; let them drop vpon the pastures of the wildernesse, and make the little hils reioice on euerie side. Let the plaines be replenished with sheepe, and the vallies with corne, that the inhabitants of the earth may reioice and be merie.
O Lord, thou causest grasse to growe for cattell, and herbs for ye vse of man; thou bringest foorth bread out of the earth, & wine to make glad the hart of man; oile to make the countenance cheerfull, & bread for to strengthen the hart. Haue therefore a care, O heauenlie Father, of the seed, and other things springing from the earth: keepe them both in cold, raine, ice, and snowe, from the beating of winds, and iniurie of weather. Preserue them in extreame heat, drinesse, moistnesse, [Page 475] and such like; that they perish not afore their time. Roote out the destroier, that there be neither blasting, mildew, nor grashopper, neither caterpiller hurting the fruits of the earth.
Keepe vs, O Lord, in the time of dearth; that we perish not for hunger, nor be confounded in the perilous time. For thou art our God and Creator, which satisfiest the thirstie soule, and fillest the hungrie with goodnesse, which hast said; I will not faile, neither forsake thee; whereby being faithfull, we may saie; The Lord is with vs, therefore we will not feare what man can doo vnto vs. Behold, we miserable & great sinners doo confesse our wickednes, with groning & griefe of hart, crieng vnto thee which art in heauen. Heare our praiers in thy dwelling place, & be mercifull to thy people, which haue sinned against thee; and forgiue vs all our iniquities, wherein we haue transgressed against thee. By our sinnes wee haue brought all these miseries, which hang ouer our heads; but blot out all our offences, O God, after thy manifold mercies; and take awaie from vs the curse of our ground, that the people may praise thee, O God; yea that all the people may praise thee, and the earth bring foorth hir increase; through our Lord Iesus Christ, thine onelie sonne, which liueth and reigneth with thee, in the vnitie of the holie spirit, a God for euermore,
Amen.
For faire weather.
O Lord God, which for the sinne of man didst once drowne all the world except eight persons; & afterward of thy great mercie didst promise neuer to destroie it so againe: we humblie beseech thee, that although we for oure iniquities haue woorthilie deserued this plague of raine and waters; yet vpon our true repentance thou wilt [Page 476] send vs such weather, whereby we may receiue the fruits of the earth in due season; and learne both by thy punishment to amend our liues, and for thy clemencie to giue thee praise and glorie, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
A praier in time of vnseasonable showers, for faire weather.
O God and mercifull Father, wee acknowledge that we, through our manifold sinnes, haue deserued to be sharpelie rebuked and corrected of thee: but if thou shouldest deale with vs after our sinnes, we are not able to abide thy wrath and heauie hand. Wherfore deale mercifullie with vs, O Lord, after the greatnesse of thy goodnesse, and the multitude of thy mercies; that wee rather may reioice, and be thankfull vnto thee, for the abundance of thy great mercie, and louing kindnesse, than be cast downe and discouraged, by the heauie weight of thy hand. In thy hands, O Lord, are both heauen and earth; so gouerne them therefore, we beseech thee, for thy name sake; that we may haue seasonable weather, to receiue the fruits of the earth. Staie the unmoderate plentie of raine, and vnseasonable weather: and powre rather vpon vs the plentifull dew of thy spirit, that we may dailie growe to the perfection of Christian men and women. Take awaie from vs our stonie harts, and giue vnto vs in stead there of harts of flesh, that we may cease at the length thus to prouoke thy wrath, to bring vpon vs either this so great a plague, as the losse of the fruits of the earth; either else other plagues of thy iust iudgments. Grant that we may so repent vs of our former euils, that hereafter the woorthie fruits of true repentance [Page 477] may continuallie appeare therein, and so to passe ouer and to end our mortall liues; that at the last we may attaine vnto the blessed resurrection, and life euerlasting, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
In time of thunder, lightening, raging tempests, and vnseasonable weather, praie thus:
O Most wise & mightie God, thou art a glorious King in all the world; thy woonderfull maiestie doth shine and is knowne also by raine, thundering, lightening, and other meteors ingendred in the aire. Thy throne is among the clouds, thou hast made darkenesse thy secrete place and thy pauilion about thee, euen darknesse of water, and clouds of the aire. At the brightnesse of thy presence the clouds doo passe awaie; so doo the haile-stones and firie coales. Thou dooest thunder from the heauens, and giuest thy voice; hailestones and coales of fire. Thou sendest thine arrowes, and scatterest them; thou increasest lightenings, and destroiest them. Who is so great a god as thou our God? Thou art the God which dooest woonders, and declarest thy power among the nations. Thou redeemest thy people with thine arme. The waters sawe thee, and were afraid; the depths trembled. The clouds powred out water, the aire thundered, and thine arrowes went abroad. The voice of thy thunder was heard round about the world, the earth trembled and shooke. The foundations of the earth shooke and were discouered, at thy rebuking, O Lord; at the blasting of the breath of thy nostrels.
Therefore shall the verie heauens extoll thy woonderous works, and the Saints set foorth thy truth in the congregation. For who is equall to thee in heauen? [Page 478] And who like thee among the sonnes of the gods? Thou art verie terrible in the assemblie of the saints, and to be reuerenced aboue all that are about thee. O Lord God of hosts, who is like vnto thee; which art a mightie Lord, and thy truth is about thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea, thou stillest the waues thereof, when they doo arise. Thou onlie art of power to resolue into vapours the drops of the sea, by the heat of the sunne; thou takest the same vp being turned into airie substance, and againe turnest it into meere water, and makest it to come powring downe vpon the face of the earth. Whatsoeuer thou wilt, thou dooest in heauen, and in earrh, and in the sea, and in all deepe places. With thy power thou madest the earth, with thy wisdome thou hast established the world, and with thy discretion stretchest out the heauens.
As soone as thou lettest thy voice be heard, the waters in the aire waxe fierce. Thou drawest vp the clouds from the ends of the earth, thou turnest the lightening into raine, and bringest foorth the wind out of thy treasures. Thou couerest the heauens with clouds, and preparest raine for the earth. Thou makest the grasse to growe vpon the mountaines, and prouidest herbs for the vse of man. Thou giuest to beasts their food, and to the yoong rauens that crie. Behold, so great art thou, that thou passest our knowledge; neither can the number of thy yeeres be searched out. When thou restrainest the drops of water, the raine powreth downe by the vapours thereof, and falleth abundantlie vpon man. Thou bringest foorth the winds out of thy treasures; that is, from thy secret places, where thou diddest hide them in great abundance, that they might be readie at thy commandement, and come foorth when thou thinkest good. Thou makest the clouds to labour to giue water to the earth, and scatterest the cloud of thy light; thou turnest [Page 479] it about by thy gouernement, that they may doo whatsoeuer thou commandest them vpon the whole world.
O God, mine hart is troubled verie sore, when I behold the immoderate showers, and heare the terrible thunder: yea it forsaketh his place, when I heare the noise of thy voice, and the speech proceeding from thy mouth. O God, which rulest heauen and earth, I most humblie beseech thee, mercifullie to driue awaie, or atleast to mitigate these mightie streames, and most raging tempests. Restraine the thunderbolts, and thy firie darts, that they hurt vs not. Keepe vs, and our nests, that we perish not through lightenings, nor be destroied by thy thunderclaps. Protect our houses and vs, that we be neither consumed by thy firie meteor, nor drowned by thy sudden floud. O mercifull God, raine not, I beseech thee, hailestones vpon the face of the earth; neither strike such as are in the fields, be they man or beast. Strike not thou therewith all the herbes of the feeld; neither breake thou, gratious Lord, the trees of our land. Destroie not our corne with hailestones, nor with hailestones smite thou our cattell, and deliuer our flocks from the thunderbolt. Cast not the feercenesse of thy wrath, anger, and displeasure vpon vs. Giue vs not hailestones for raine, neither flames of fire in our land; but of thy mercie conuert the thunder into gentle raine, whereby it may bring out fruit aboundantlie. Send not among vs either vntimelie or vntemperate showres, which be either noisome to the fruits, and bring the mildew, or destroie the corne. Restraine in like sort the winds and violent tempests, that they bring none hurt, neither to vs or our goods, euen for Christes sake, our Lord and Sauiour,
Amen.
In time of dearth, or famine.
O GOD, heauenlie father, whose gift it is that the raine doth fall, the earth is fruitfull, beasts increase, and fishes doo multiplie; behold, we beseech thee, the afflictions of thy people; and graunt that the scarsitie and dearth, which we doo now most iustlie suffer for our iniquitie, may through thy goodnesse be mercifullie turned into cheapenesse and plentie, for the loue of Iesu Christ our Lord, to whome with thee, and the holie Ghost, bee praise for euer,
Amen.
Another praier in time of anie plague or sicknesse, warre, penurie, orscarsenesse, &c.
O Eternall and euerliuing God, most mercifull father, which of thy great long suffering and patience, hast hitherto suffered and borne with vs, most miserable offenders, who haue so long straied out of thy waie, and broken all thy lawes and commandements; and haue neither by thy manifold benefits bestowed vpon vs vnworthie and vnthankefull sinners; nor by the voice of thy seruants and preachers by continuall threatnings out of thy holie word hitherto bin moued, as the children of loue, to returne vnto thee our most gratious father; either for feare of thy iudgements, as humble and lowlie seruants, to turne from our wickednesse. And therefore, most righteous iudge, thy patience being as it were ouercome at the last, with our obstinate repentance, thou hast most iustlie executed those thy terrible threats, now partlie vpon vs, by plaguing vs so with [Page 481] most dreadfull and deadlie sicknesse, with troubles of warres, with penurie and scarsenesse of foode and victuall, whereby great multitudes of vs are dailie afflicted, and consumed.
We beseech thee, O most mercifull father, that in thy wrath thou wilt remember thine old great mercies, & to correct vs in thy iudgements, and not in thy iust anger, least we be all consumed, and brought to naught. Looke not so much vpon our deseruings, O most righteous Iudge, to take iust vengeance on our sinnes; but rather remember thine infinit mercies, O most mercifull father, promised to vs by thy deerelie beloued sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ; for whose sake, and in whose name, we doo earnestlie and humblie craue mercie, and forgiuenesse of our sinnes, and deliuerance from this horrible sicknesse, wars, dearth, &c. being thy iust punishment, and plague for the same. And as thy holie word doth testifie, that thy people of all ages, being iustlie plagued for their sinnes, and yet in their distresse, vnfeinedlie turning vnto thee, and suing for thy mercie, obteined the same: so likewise we, most worthilie now afflicted with greeuous and dreadfull plagues for our iniquities, praie thee, O most mercifull father, to grant vs thy heauenlie grace, that we may likewise both trulie and vnfeinedlie repent, and obtaine thy mercie and deliuerance, from the same; which we beseech thee, O father of all mercies, & God of all consolation, grant vs for the same Iesus Christs sake, our onlie sauiour, mediator, and aduocate,
Amen.
In time of anie common plague or sicknesse.
ALmightie God, which in thy wrath, in the time of King Dauid, diddest slea with the plague of pestilence threescore and tenne thousand; and yet remembring thy mercie, didst saue the rest; haue pitie vpon vs [Page 482] miserable sinners, that now are visited with great sicknesse and mortalitie: that like as thou didst then command thine Angel to cease from punishing, so it may now please thee to withdrawe from vs this plague and greeuous sicknesse, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
A forme of meditation and praier, verie meete to be vsed dailie of all honsholders in their houses, especiallie in the dangerous and contagious time of the plague.
The Maister & Mistres kneeling with their familie, in some conuenient place of their house well perfumed before with frankincense, or some other wholesome thing; as iuniper, rosemarie, rosewater, and vineger, &c. shall with feruent harts saie, or cause to be said that that followeth. The seruants and familie to euerie petition shall saie Amen.
WE reade in thy holie word, O Lord, what blessings thou hast of thy mercie promised to them that liue obedientlie, according to thy blessed will and commandements. Wee reade also the cursses that thy instice hath pronounced against such as despise thy word, or negligentlie passe not to liue thereafter. And among the rest of thy heauie cursses, thou threatenest by name, the plague and the pestilence, with other noisome and most painfull diseases, to such as forsaking thee, worship strange gods, and followe their owne vaine fantasies, in stead of thy sacred ordinances.
We find also, how extreamelie thine owne people, the Iewes, haue oftentimes fealt the performance of [Page 483] these thy bitter threatenings, and that for sundrie and diuers offences: bicause they loathed Manna, and were not contented with thy miraculous prouision; but would haue Qualies, and other daintie victuals, to content their luxurious appetites, thou slewest so manie with a sudden and mightie plague, that the place of their buriall was named thereof, and called The graues of lust.
Also, for murmuring against the ministers of thy word, Moses and Aaron, thou destroiedst with a sudden plague xiiij. thousand and more; besides those traitors, whom the earth swallowed for their rebellion. And had not Aaron intreated for them, and gone betweene the quicke and the dead, thou wouldest haue consumed them all; as thou wast minded to haue done before, when they despised the plentifull land, which thou hadst promised them; had not Moses staied thy wrath, when thou saiedst, I will strike them with the pestilence, and vtterlie destroie them.
Furthermore, when they had lost thine Ark, through their owne sinnes, and the sinnes of their priests, the keepers therof, after that the Philistines were forced, through thy plaguing hand, religiously to send it home againe; thou strookest with the plague fiftie thousand of the Beth-samites thy people, for rashlie presuming to looke into the same, not hauing thy warrant so to doo.
In the time of King Dauid thou destroiedst three score and ten thousand of thy people, in three daies, with thy wasting plague of pestilence; mooued thereto by the transgression of Dauid the King, whom for the sinnes of the people thou sufferedst to be tempted, and subdued with a vaine curiositie to number the people.
Also, shortlie after the death of that immaculate Lambe our Sauiour, thou sufferedst the plague to [Page 448] reigne among the members of his bodie, the Church of the Corinthians; for not worthilie preparing themselues, and for misvsing the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ: and manie died thereof, as thine holie Apostle Saint Paule hath taught vs.
Since which time, O Lord, as the Monuments of thy Church, and other Chronicles doo declare, thou hast from time to time so plagued with pestilence, not onelie cities, but also whole countries for these and other like causes, that we may iustlie looke for the comming of our Sauiour; so manie and so horrible pestilences haue beene among vs alreadie.
All which causes, O Lord, for the which thou hast so afflicted thy people, are through the malice of Satan, and our wilfull consenting vnto him, growne so ripe in vs; that were it not for the exceeding greatnes of thy mercie and compassion, we should all presentlie perish, and that woorthilie; so horrible and outragious are our iniquities.
For we loath, not onelie the plentifull prouision of wholesome victuals and apparell, which thou hast giuen vs for our bodies, more abundantlie than to manie nations; trauelling by all meanes to get wherewith to pamper our flesh with wines, spices, silks, and other vaine, costlie, and delighting things: but the pretious Manna of our soules, thy holie word and Sacraments, we can not awaie with; we are so full, that we are glutted therewith.
We so little esteeme the heauenlie kingdome, which our Sauiour hath so deerlie prepared, and kindlie promised to vs; that we abhor it, and are readie to stone those few that commend it, and exhort vs for our owne good to trauell thitherward: better liking and crediting those false prophets the Epicures, and Atheists, that with their lies discourage vs therefrom.
[Page 485] What murmuring and grudging make we against the ministers of thy word, which thou of thine especiall goodnesse hast in mercie giuen vs? How despise wee our bishops, preachers, and other ministers of thy holie Sacraments, whom thou hast commanded vs to reuerence and honour?
Did not we, through our wicked liues, wretchedlie leese the Arke of thy holie word, and the true ministration of Sacraments, not manie yeeres agone, which the popish Philistines tooke from vs? And now, when thou through thy plagues laid vpon them hast miraculouslie sent it againe; see how hold we be with the Beth-samites, vnreuerentlie to receiue it. For manie make of it a gazing-stocke, to serue their eies and tongues; rather than a lawe, to obeie and followe in their liues.
Yea, the knowledge of thy truth, goodnesse, and mercie, breedeth in manie of vs a carelesse securitie, and a contempt of thy holie ordinances. For we presume vpon thy mercie and promises; not regarding the conditions, nor anie of thy commandements, which in our baptisme we vowed to obserue. Yea, we make thy Gospell a cloke of our couetousnesse, vnder colour whereof we seeke our owne lucre, and hide all our wicked and filthie practises.
If the Corinthians deserued to be plagued for abusing thy holie Sacraments, how much more are wee woorthie of fierce wrath, that not onelie abuse it; but also abhor & contemne it: bicause it is ministred as it ought? For thou knowest, O Lord, what a sort there are, which bewitched with the diuell, and the Popes doctrine, doo vtterlie abhor Christs holie communion; and sauing for feare of the lawe, would neuer come at it. In what sort these receiue, and how they be prepared, is not vnknowne vnto thee. How rashlie also, and vnaduisedlie, and vnprepared the common multitude [Page 486] doo frequent it; partlie appeareth, in that manie of them neuer forgiue old offences, nor reconcile themselues, nor in anie thing doo amend their old sinnes and vices.
Seeing then that we, Lord, the common sort and multitude doo thus abound in all kind of wickednesse; how can it be, but that thou of thy iustice, must suffer our magistrates to offend also in somewhat, to the end thou maist iustlie take vengeance of our sinnes?
For these manifold heapes of sinnes and wickednesses, O Lord, thou hast iustlie at this present sent this dangerous pestilence among vs; as thou hast often and long time threatened by the mouthes of thy faithfull preachers, who continuallie haue called vpon vs, to staie thy wrath, by earnest repentance & amendement of life: but we haue alwaies beene deafer and deafer. The delight in our sinnes not onlie stopped our eares, but also hardened our harts against their hartie and friendlie admonitions. And in that we now, O Lord, doo begin to feele and acknowledge our sinnes; it commeth more of thy rigour in plaguing vs, than of anie good inclination of our selues. Mollifie therefore, O Lord, our flintie harts, with the suppling moisture of thy holie spirit. Make vs to reuerence thee, as children, for loue of thy mercies; and not to dread thee like slaues, for feare of punishment.
Amen.
O deere Father, reclaime vs thy lost children. O mercifull Sauiour, pitie vs thy putrified members. O holie Ghost, repaire vs thy decaied temples. O holie and glorious Trinitie, haue mercie vpon vs miserable sinners.
Amen.
Grant vs, O Lord, such true repentance, as may, through the bloud of our Sauiour, blot out the staines of our heinous iniquities. Forgiue vs our [Page 487] sinnes, O Lord; forgiue vs our sinnes, for thine infinite mercies sake.
Amen.
Forgiue vs our blasphemies, idolatries, and periuries. Forget our vaine and outragious oths. As thou hast by thy rigour and plagues, forced vs to acknowledge thee, to be our iust and righteous Lord: so let vs, through thy mercie and forgiuenesse, feele thee to be our mild & louing Father, and giue vs grace for euer hereafter to reuerence this thy glorious name.
Amen.
Take from vs, O God, the care of worldlie vanities. Make vs content with necessaries. Plucke awaie our harts from delighting in honours, treasures, and pleasures of this life. And ingender in vs a desire to be with thee in thine eternall kingdome. Giue vs, O Lord, such taste and feeling of thine vnspeake able ioies in heauen, that we may alwaie long therfore, saieng with thine elect; Hasten thy kingdome, O Lord; take vs to thee.
Amen.
Make vs, O Lord, obedient to thy will reuealed in thy holie word. Make vs diligent to walke in thy commandements. Forgiue vs our contempt and murmuring against the magistrates and ministers, whom thou hast in thy mercie appointed: make vs obedient vnto their godlie lawes & doctrine. Saue and preserue, O Lord, thine annointed our QVEENE ELIZABETH: that she, in thy grace and feare, may long reigne amongst vs. Giue peace to all Christian nations. Mooue vs by thy spirit to loue one another, as the members of our bodie; that we may all doo thy will in earth, as it is in heauen.
Amen.
Dig out of vs, O Lord, the venemous roots of couetousnesse and concupiscence; or else so represse [Page 488] them with thy grace, that we may be contented with thy prouision of necessaries: and not to labour, as we doo, with toile, strength, guile, wrong, and oppression to pamper our selues with vaine superfluities. Feed our soules, O Lord, dailie with the true Manna of thy heauenlie word, and with the grace of thy holie Sacraments. Giue vs grace continuallie to read, heare, and meditate thy purposes, iudgments, promises, and precepts; not to the end we may curiouslie argue therof, or arrogantlie presume thervpon; but to frame our liues according to thy will, that by keeping thy couenants, we may be sure of thy promises: and so make our election and vocation certaine, through our constant faith, vertuous and godlie liuing.
Amen.
Confirme vs, O Lord, to the image of our Sauiour. So lighten the lamps of our harts with the fire and burning flames of thy loue, that no enuie, rancor, hatred, or malice doo remaine in vs, to quench it: but that we may gladlie forgiue, whatsoeuer wrong is, or shall be, either maliciouslie or ignorantlie done or said against vs. And here, Lord, in thy presence; for thy Maiestie is euerie where; we forgiue whatsoeuer hath beene, by anie man or woman practised against vs: beseeching thèe, of thy goodnesse likewise to forgiue it. And further, for thy mercies sake; and for our Sauiour Iesus Christs sake, we beseech thee, O deere Father, to forgiue vs these horrible and damnable sinnes, which we haue committed against thy Maiestie; for which thou hast now iustlie brought the pestilence and plague vpon vs. Let the ceasing thereof, we beseech thee, certifie vs of thy mercie and remission.
Amen.
We knowe, O Lord, the weakenesse of our selues; and how readie we are to fall from thee. Suffer not therfore Satan to shew his power and malice [Page 489] vpon vs. For we are not able to withstand his assalts. Arme vs, O Lord, alwaies with thy grace; and assist vs with thy holie spirit in all kinds of temptations.
Amen.
Deliuer vs, O deere father, from all euils, both bodilie and ghostlie. Deliuer, O Lord, from trouble of conscience, all that are snarled in their sins. Deliuer, O Lord, from feare of persecution and tyrannie, our brethren and sisters, that are vnder the crosse for profession of thy word. Deliuer, O mercifull father, those that for our sinnes and offences, are alreadie tormented with the rage of pestilence. Recouer those, O Lord, that are alreadie striken; and saue the rest of my houshold, and else-where, from this greeuous infection.
Amen.
Finallie, O Lord God, which for our innumerable sinnes, dooest heere fatherlie correct vs, to the end we should not feele the rigour of thy seueare iudgement, in eternall condemnation: we humblie submit our selues vnto thy grace and pitie; beseeching thee, for our Lord Iesus Christes sake, that although we haue iustlie deserued this plague now laid vpon vs; yet it may please thee, in the multitude of thy mercies, to withdrawe thy rod from vs. Grant, O Lord, true repentance of our sinnes, which (as it did in that good King Ezekias) may deliuer vs from the plague laid vpon vs; and cause those that be sicke heere in my house, or otherwhere, to recouer. Or, if thou haue determined to take a number of vs out of the miseries of this present euill world, giue vs the comfort of thy holie spirit, that may make vs glad, and willing to come vnto thee. Giue vs grace, O Lord, so to prepare our selues, that we may be readie with the wise virgins, to enter into life with our sauiour Christ, whensoeuer it shall please thee to call vs.
Amen.
Grant this, O deere father, for Iesus Christes sake, our onlie Mediator, Aduocate, Lord, Redeemer, and Sauiour; to whome, with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all honor and glorie, world without end: and in whose name we, altogether, with one hart and voice, crie furthermore, and praie vnto thee, as he in his holie word hath taught vs, saieng:
Our Father, &c.
Other Psalmes and praiers to be said in the time of anie common plague, sicknesse, or other crosse and visitation of God, by the Maister and Mistresse, with their familie.
O Come, let vs humble our selues, & fall downe before the Lord with reuerence and feare.
For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheepe of his hands.
Come therefore, let vs turne againe vnto our Lord, for he hath smitten vs, and he shall heale vs.
Let vs repent and turne from our wickednesse, and our sinnes shall be forgiuen vs.
Let vs turne, and the Lord will turne from his heauie wrath, and will pardon vs, and we shall not perish.
For we knowledge our faults, and our sinnes be euer before vs.
We haue sore prouoked thine anger, O Lord; thy wrath is waxed hot, and thy heauie displeasure is sore kindled against vs.
Thou hast made vs heare of the noise of warres, and hast troubled vs by the vexation of enimies.
Thou hast in thine indignation striken vs with greeuous sicknes, and by and by we haue fallen as leaues beaten downe with a vehement wind.
[Page 491] Indeede we acknowledge, that all punishments are lesse than our deseruings: but yet of thy mercie, Lord, correct vs to amendment, and plague vs not to our destruction.
For thy hand is not shortened, that thou canst not helpe: neither is thy goodnesse abated, that thou wilt not heare.
Thou hast promised, that afore we crie thou wilt heare vs: and whilest we yet speake, thou wilt haue mercie vpon vs.
For none that trust in thee, shall be confounded; neither anie that call vpon thee, shall be despised.
For thou art the onlie Lord, who woundest and dooest heale: againe, who killest, and reuiuest; bringest euen to hell, and bringest barke againe.
Our fathers hoped in thee, they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliuer them.
They called vpon thee, and were helped; they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded.
O Lord rebuke vs not in thine indignation: neither chasten vs in thy heauie displeasure.
Oh remember not the sinnes and offences of our youth: but according to thy mercie thinke vpon vs, O Lord, for thy goodnesse.
Haue mercie vpon vs, O Lord, for we are weake: O Lord heale vs, for our bones are vexed.
And now in the vexation of our spirits, and the anguish of our soules, we remember thee: and we crie vnto thee; heare Lord, and haue mercie.
For thine owne sake, for thy holie name sake, incline thine eare and heare, O mercifull Lord.
For we doo not powre out our praiers before thy face, trusting in our owne righteousnesse: but in thy great and manifold mercies.
Wash vs throughlie from our wickednesse, and cleanse vs from our sinnes.
[Page 492] Turne thy face from our sinnes, and put out all our misdeeds.
Make vs cleane harts, O God, and renew a right spirit within vs.
Helpe vs, O God of our saluation, for the glorie of thy name. O deliuer vs, and be mercifull vnto our sinnes, for thy name sake.
So we that be thy people, and sheepe of thy pasture, shall giue thee thanks for euer; and will alwaies bee shewing foorth thy praise from generation to generation.
Glorie be to the Father, &c. As it was in the, &c.
Another praier to be said in the time of the plague, sicknesse, and mortalitie.
O Lord our God, great and fearefull art thou, keeping couenant and mercie with them that loue thee, and keepe thy commandements. We haue sinned, O Lord, and haue committed iniquitie. We haue don wickedlie; yea wee haue rebelled, and haue departed from thy iudgements. We haue not obeied thy seruants the Prophets, which spake in thy name, to our kings and princes, to our forefathers, and to all the people of the land.
O Lord, righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee; but vnto vs open shame and confusion; as it is come to passe this daie, by the plague and sicknesse reigning among vs, and among all the dwellers of this land, because of the sins which we haue done against thee. Unto thee, O Lord and God, pertaineth compassion, and forgiuenesse; though we haue rebelled against thee. We haue not obeied thy voice, to walke in the lawes which thou hast laid before vs. We haue hitherto despised thy diuine [Page 493] word, yea we haue loathed preaching, and haue loased the bridle to all beastlinesse of desires.
Therefore the cursse and oth, which is written in the lawe of Moses thy seruant, is powred vpon vs; and we, through the plague and corrupt aires, with burning feauers, and greeuous sicknesse, are lamentablie consumed euerie daie. Yea in our knees and legs are we smitten with most lothsome botches, and those incurable, from the sole of the foote vnto the top of the head. Because we repent not, neither obserue all the words written in thy lawe, nor feare thy glorious and dreadfull name, thou doest, according to thy threatnings aforetold, increase our plagues, & the plagues of our seed. Thou sendest great plagues, and of long continuance; euill sicknesse, and of long durance. Thou bringest vpon vs vncurable diseases, all maner of sicknesse, and all kinds of plagues, besides those written in the booke of the lawe.
All these plagues, according to thy word, are come vpon vs, yet haue we not praied vnto thee our Lord, that we might euerie one turne from our vngodlie waies. Therefore hast thou bin wrathfull in punishing vs, and in bringing these euils vpon vs. Thou art righteous, O Lord, and true is thy iudgement. O God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, thou hast got thee a glorious name, as may appeare this daie. O Lord our God, we haue sinned; we haue done wickedlie: we haue behaued our selues vngodlie in all thine ordinances. Turne thy wrath away from vs, we beseech thee: for we are but a few left in this place.
O Lord God, which hast promised, that when either pestilence among vs, or the aire infected, or anie other plague or sicknesse is hot; thou wilt heare the praiers, and grant the requests of anie man or woman among the people, praieng from the bottome of his hart, acknowledging his sinnes vnfeinedlie, and lifting vp his [Page 494] hands vnto thee, thorough Iesus Christ, before the throne of grace. Be thou mercifull, giue vnto euerie man according to all his petitions. For thou alone knowest the harts of all the children of men. Heare thou our praiers and petitions, and deliuer vs from this contagious and deadlie pestilence. Command thine Angel, which striketh vs, to put vp his swoord into the sheath; that he strike not to our finall and vtter destruction. Proceede not in thy wrath, spare vs from death, & bring not our end by the plague. Let the heauens be mild, and our dwelling places healthfull; least the aire being infected, powre downe the contagion thereof vpon vs, to our destruction.
O Lord turne awaie thine hand, it is sufficient: let now thine hand cease, that all the earth may knowe, how that thou Lord art our GOD, and that we doo call vpon thy name. O Lord looke downe from thine holie house, vpon vs: incline thine eare and heare: open thine eies, and behold the affliction and mortalitie of thy people. For the dead, whose spirits are taken awaie, giue vnto thee neither praise, nor righteousnes: but the soule that is vexed for the multitude of hir sins, which goeth on heauilie, and weaklie, whose eies begin to faile; yea, the hungrie soule is it that ascribeth due praise and righteousnesse vnto thee, O Lord.
For we powre out our praiers before thee, and require mercie in thy sight, O Lord our God; not for anie woorthinesse either of our owne, or of our fathers: but in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ, in whome thou art well pleased: we beseech thee be mercifull vnto vs, and helpe vs in necessitie. Turne thee againe, O Lord, at the last, and be mercifull vnto thy seruants, that this poisoned infection maie be taken from vs. Notwithstanding, if it be thy pleasure to visit our offences with the rod, thy blessed will be done; and giue vs grace to beare thy fatherlie correction laid vpon vs [Page 495] patientlie; remembring alwaies, that we are chastined of thee our Lord in this world, that we be not condemned with the reprobate in the world to come,
Amen.
A fruitfull Praier, verie necessarie to be hartilie said at the appearing of monsters, and in anie earthquake, or other plagues, that God would turne awaie his vengeance hanging ouer vs for our sinnes.
OH Lord God, strong and mightie, great and dreadfull; which dwellest in the heauens, and workest great woonders: we thy miserable children here, prostrate vpon the earth, doo most humblie beseech thee to be mercifull vnto vs, to pardon our offences, and to forgiue vs all our sinnes. O Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruants; for if thou doo, there shall no flesh be saued in thy sight. We confesse and acknowledge, O Lord, that it is our sinnes which haue mooued thee to wrath, and to shew such fearefull tokens of thy displeasure towards vs in these our daies. First with fire from heauen, betokening thy hot burning indignation, and wrathfull displeasure for sinne, which aboundeth at this daie: and then with such horrible and monstrous shapes against nature, as it was neuer seene here in our daies, nor in anie time before vs; which betoken to vs none other thing, but thy plagues to come vpon vs, for our degenerate and monstrous life and conuersation: and of late, by the strange & terrible earthquake that shooke, or rather that euen vomited vs with fearfull trembling harts, and amazed spirits out of our houses, which we so shamefully haue polluted and defiled with our vile sinnes and wickednesse: and now last of all, by the long and great mortalitie, plague and pestilence, [Page 496] thou doost & hast terribly threatened vs, fatherlie warned vs, and mercifullie called vs to repentance. The axe is set to the roote of the tree, and if we be not as rotten members, without all sense and feeling, we may perceiue our fearefull destruction and desolation to be at hand, vnlesse we speedilie repent and turne to thee: bicause we haue beene so long taught out of thy most holie and sacred word, and yet no fruits of true repentance or Christian life will appeare.
Wo and alas to these our daies, that neither preaching by word most comfortable, nor preaching by monsters most ouglie, nor preaching by fire most strange, nor preaching by earthquakes most terrible, neither yet by plagues and pestilence most horrible, will stirre vp our stonie harts, and awake vs from our sinnes.
We feare, oh Lord, that the Turks, with all the rest of the vnbeleeuing will condemne vs in the last daie, which if they had beene so long instructed by the comfortable preaching of thy word, and sweete promises of thy Gospell; or thy woonders both in heauen and earth, which we haue seene, no doubt their righteousnes would haue shined at this day to our great shame and confusion. Thou hast no lesse warned vs, oh Lord, of thy fearefull displeasure, & heauie plagues at hand for our great wickednesse; than thou didst the Israelits of the horrible destruction, which came vpon them, whom thou first in mercie didst call to repentance by the preaching of thy word: but when no warning would serue, thou didst send them monstrous and fearfull signes and tokens, to declare that thy visitation was not farre off. But they, like vnto vs at this daie, did alwaies interpret these things after the imagination of their vaine harts, promising to themselues peace, when destruction was ouer their heads.
Which things, when we doo call to mind, (for as [Page 497] much as they are written for our learning, example, & warning) it maketh vs to tremble and quake for feare of thy iust iudgments. For if thou hast thus dealt with thine owne deere and chosen children, in token of thy great wrath against sinne: what shall we looke for, who doo no lesse deserue thy fearfull scourge; (and of mercie it is, that thou dooest thus long forbeare vs:) but liue as though there were no God at all to be reuenged vpon our sinnes? It maketh vs to feare and crie unwardlie in our soules; Come Lord Iesu, holie and true in all thy dooings, and shorten our daies: bring this our pilgrimage to an end: suffer vs not to heape sinne vpon sinne vnto the daie of vengeance, least we be caught vp amongst the number of the wicked and reprobate, which shall neuer see thy louing countenance.
It maketh vs to crie to thee, O Lord, let thy kingdome come, and end this our sinfull life, wherein we doo nothing but prouoke thee to wrath. Correct vs not, O Lord, in thine indignation; neither chasten vs in thine heauie displeasure. And though to vs belongeth nothing but shame and confusion; though our offences haue deserued to be visited with the rod, and our sinnes with scourges: yet in mercie, Lord, and with fatherlie correction chasten vs; and thy louing kindnesse take not awaie from vs. To thee we flie for succour, vnder the wings of thy mercie shall be our refuge, vntill thou turne thy wrathfull countenance from vs. We knowe that thy mercie is aboue all thy works, and euen as great as thy selfe: therefore will we saie with holie Iob; Though thou kill vs, yet we put our trust in thee.
Thou camest to comfort and plucke out of the dungeon of hell, such wretches as we are. Thou art the good Samaritane, that camest to heale our deadlie wounds. Thou art that good Physician, that camest to [Page 498] cure our mortall infirmities. Thou art the good shepheard, that camest to seeke vs wandering & lost sheepe; and to bring vs to thy fold againe. And more than that, thou art our brother; flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones; which hast tasted of our infirmities, felt our temptations, & borne the burden of our sinnes. Therefore at thy hands we looke for mercie, against the daie of vengeance. And though thou punish vs, yet our hope is, and euer shall be, that thy rod shall no further touch vs, than shall make to thy glorie, our commoditie, and the strengthening and increase of our faith.
Let this thy preaching sundrie waies, O Lord, be sufficient for our warning: and grant that we may speedilie, and from the bottome of our harts repent, endeuour to doo thy righteous and blessed will reuealed in thy word; and frame our liues according to the same: that we may here liue in thy feare all the daies of our life, and after this our sinfull course is ended, may dwell with thee in thy blessed kingdome, through the death and merits of Iesus Christ our onelie redeemer,
Amen.
A Psalme of thankes-giuing for deliuerance from the plague, or anie other kind of sicknesse, trouble, or affliction.
LOrd, thou art become gratious vnto thy land; thou hast turned awaie the afflictions of thy seruants.
Thou hast taken awaie all thy displeasure, & turned thy selfe from thy wrathfull indignation.
For if thou, Lord, hadst not helped vs; it had not failed, but our soules had beene put to silence.
But when we said, Our feete haue slipped; thy mercie, O Lord, helped vs vp.
[Page 499] In the multitude of the sorowes that we had in our harts, thy comforts haue refreshed our soules.
Our soules waited still vpon the Lord, our soules hanged vpon his helpe, our hope was alwaies in him.
In the Lords word did we reioice, in Gods word did we comfort our selues.
For the Lord said; Call vpon me in the time of trouble, and I will heare thee, and thou shalt praise me.
So when we were poore, needie, sicklie, and in heauinesse, the Lord cared for vs; he was our helpe, and our sauiour, according to his word.
In our aduersitie and distresse he hath lifted vp our heads, and saued vs from vtter destruction.
He hath deliuered our soules from death, he hath fed vs in the time of dearth, he hath saued vs from the noisome pestilence.
Therefore will we offer in his holie temple the oblation of thankes-giuing, with great gladnesse; wee will sing and speake praises vnto the Lord our Sauiour.
We will giue thanks vnto the Lord, for he is gratious, and his mercie endureth for euer.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercie, long suffering, plentious in goodnesse and pitie.
His mercie is greater than the heauens, and his gratious goodnesse reacheth vnto the clouds.
Like as a father pitieth his owne children; euen so is the Lord mercifull vnto them that feare him.
Therefore will we praise thee, and thy mercies, O God; vnto thee will we sing, O thou holie one of Israel.
We will sing a new song vnto thee, O God; we will praise the Lord with Psalmes of thankes giuing.
O sing praises, sing praises vnto our God; O sing praises, sing praises vnto our King.
For God is the King of the earth, sing praises with [Page 500] vnderstanding.
We will magnifie thee, O God our King; we will praise thy name for euer and euer.
Euerie daie will we giue thanks vnto thee, and praise thy name for euer and euer.
Our mouth shall speake the praises of the Lord, and let all flesh giue thanks to his holie name for euer and euer.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer, and blessed be the name of his Maiestie world without end,
Amen.
Glorie be to the Father, &c. As it was in the, &c.
In the time of anie particular or generall earthquake, praie:
OH eternall, mightie, and most louing Father; which hast no desire of the death of a sinner; but that he conuert and liue; and vnto whom nothing is so pleasant as the repentant, contrite, and sorowfull hart of a penitent person. For thou art that kind father that fallest most louinglie vpon the necke of the lost sonne; kissest, imbracest, and feastest him, when he returneth from the puddle of pleasures, and swill of the swine; and disdainest not the repentant praier of thy poore and sinfull seruants, whensoeuer with true faith they returne and call vpon thee, as we haue most comfortable examples in Dauid, Manasses, Magdalen, Peter, and the theefe vpon the gibbet.
We most hartilie and humblie beseech thy fatherlie goodnesse, to looke downe from the throne of thy mercie-seate, vpon vs most miserable and sinfull slaues of Satan, which with fearfull and trembling harts doo quake and shake at the strange and terrible tokens of [Page 501] thy wrath and indignation, appearing most euidentlie vnto vs, by the shaking & moouing of the earth, which is thy footestoole; whereby (if we be not vtterlie destitute of grace) we be warned that thy cōming-downe amongst vs, to visit our sinnes in most terrible maner, can not be farre off; seeing thou treadest so hard vpon this thy footestoole the earth, which we most shamefullie haue polluted and defiled, with our most wicked, sinfull, and rebellious liues; notwithstanding thy continuall crieng and calling vpon vs, by thy seruants the prophets and preachers, by whome we haue learned thy will; but haue not followed it. We haue heard much, and done little, yea nothing at all: but like most peruerse and vnthankfull children, haue made a mocke of thy word, derided thy ministers, and accounted thy threatenings trifles, and thy warnings of no weight or moment. Wherefore we haue iustlie deserued to taste most deeplie of the bitter cup of thine anger and bengeance, by wars, famine, pestilence; yea and eternall death, if thou shouldest not temper the rigour of thy iustice with the mildnesse of thy mercie. But such is thy fatherlie affection towards vs, that thou shewest thy selfe slowe to anger, long suffering, and of much patience and mercie; yea, thou art a thousand times more readie to forget and forgiue, than we to aske and require forgiuenesse.
Therefore, though we be not woorthie of the least mite of thy mercie; yet gratious Lord, looke not vpon vs and our sinnes; but vpon thine owne selfe, and thy sonne Iesus Christ, the fountaine of grace, the treasure of mercie, the salue of all sicknesse, the iewell of ioie, and the onlie hauen of succour and safetie. By him we come to thee, in him and for him we trust to find that we haue lost, and gaine that he hath got. He is the scale of Iacob, by whom we climbe vp to thee; and thou by the Angels of thy mercie cōmest downe to vs. [Page 502] Him we present vnto thee, and not we our selues; his death, and not our dooings; his bloudie wounds, and not our detestable deseruings: whose merits are so great, as thy mercie cannot be little; and our ransom so rich, that our beggerlie and beastlie sinnes are nothing in thy sight; for the great pleasure and satisfaction that thou takest of his paines and passion.
Turne this late earthquake, O Lord, to the benefite of thine elect, as thou didst when thou shookest the prison; loosedst the locks, fetters and chaines of thy seruants Paule and Silas, and broughtst them out of prison, and conuertedst their keeper: so gratious Lord, strike the harts of tyrants with the terrour of this thy woorke, that they may knowe that they are but men; and that thou art that Samson, that for their mocking and spiting of thee, and thy word, canst shake the pillers of their palaces, and throwe them vpon the furious Philistines heads. Turne thy wrath, oh Lord, from thy children that call vpon thy name, to the conuersion or confusion of thine enimies, that despise and abhorre thy name, and deface thy glory. Thou hast knocked long at their doores, but they will not open to let thee in. Burst open therefore the brasen gates of their stonie harts, thou that art able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham. And finallie, so touch our harts with the finger of thy grace, that we maie deeply muse vpon our sinfull liues, to amend them; and call for thy mercie, to forgiue and pardon them; through Christ our Lord, who liueth with thee, and the holie Ghost, three persons and one eternall God; to whome be all dominion and glorie, with praise and thanks-giuing, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Or else praie thus:
O Almightie God, and most mercifull Father, which willest not the death of a sinner; but rather that hee should returne and liue: we thy seruants most humblie confesse, that we haue most greeuouslie offended against thy diuine Maiestie, and prouoked thy heauie wrath against vs, in that we haue not beleeued and folowed thy Gospell preached vnto vs; nor beene thankfull for thy manie & verie great benefits bestowed vpon vs: yea and being warned by the dangers of other, haue beene too carelesse to serue thee, oh Lord, the Father of all mercie, and the God of all consolation, which in thy wrath remembrest mercie. We acknowledge, that in the late terrible earthquake, which suddenly shooke vs out of our houses and dwelling places, thou didst warne vs of thy iustice; and that we for our great vnthankfulnesse and disobedience, haue deserued most iust iudgement. O Lord, we thy seruants, being vile earth, and miserable sinners; yet trembling and quaking at the remembrance of that terrible looke of thy wrathfull displeasure neuer to be forgotten, most humblie craue pardon for our sinnes; and grace to conuert vnto thee in time. Conuert vs, O Lord, and we shall be conuerted. Mollifie our hard harts, grant vs a contrite spirit, and to turne vnto thee vnfeinedlie, in fasting, weeping & praier. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants; spare thy people, O Lord; spare them, and let not thine heritage be brought to confusion. Haue mercie vpon vs, for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake. Giue vs grace hencefoorth to amend our liues, and to serue thee in holines and righteousnesse. So we acknowledging thy iustice, and remembring alwaies that fearefull [Page 504] signe of thy furie, in the memorable earthquake, which thou sentest ye sixt of Aprill, in the yeare one thousand, fiue hundred, fourescore; we shall praise thee for thy mercie, and glorifie thy holie name for euer, through Iesus Christ our Sauiour,
Amen.
At the sight of a blasing starre, or other meteors, or prodigious signes of Gods iudgment in the heauens, praie to preuent the euils foreshewed thereby, and saie:
O Almightie Lord and God, whose workemanship is the whole world, the heauen and the earth, with all the beautie and blessings of the same; at the presence of whose power all things doo quake and tremble; whose indignation when it threatneth vengeance vnto sinners is vnsufferable, and whose promises of mercie are vnmeasurable: bicause thou art euen the most high Lord ouer all the earth, full of patience, forbearance, pitie and repentance, ouer the wickednesse of sinfull people, declaring the sharpnesse of thy iudgements for their amendment, and deliuerance from punishment. Thou, O Lord, hast promised, according to thy bottomlesse bountie and goodnesse, a penitent spirit, not to iust and righteous Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, which haue not offended against thy Maiestie; but to those that are ouerwhelmed with the tempestuous tides of their transgressions. We, O Lord, haue offended, and our fathers haue committed sinne in thy sight. We haue defiled our selues in the filthie puddle of iniquitie; and therefore beholding in the verie heauens, such dreadfull tokens of thy wrathfull indignation hanging ouer our heads, for our monstrous and prodigious life, we bow before thee the knees of our harts, beseeching thee [Page 505] to be gratious vnto vs, and to open thine eares to our praiers. We haue sinned, O Lord; we haue sinned, and we acknowledge our misdeeds, humblie beseeching thee to forgiue vs our offences. O forgiue vs, and deliuer vs not ouer to destruction with our iniquities, neither laie thou vp in store vengeance against the daie of iudgement. O reserue not for vs the whip of wo and wretchednesse; but in mercie pardon our misdeeds: and let not the fierie flames of thy furie and wrath waxe hot against vs, to burne and consume vs in our iniquities,
Amen.
In the time of warre.
O Almightie God, King of all kings, and Gouernor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it belongeth iustlie to punish sinners, & to be mercifull vnto them that truelie repent; saue and deliuer vs, we humblie beseech thee, from the hands of our enimies; abate their pride, asswage their malice, and confound their deuises; that we being armed with thy defence, may be preserued euermore from all perils, to glorifie thee, which art the onlie giuer of all victorie; through the merits of thine onlie sonne Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
In time of rebellion or intestine warre.
O Most mightie and mercifull Lord God, which art King of glorie, and Lord of hosts; the Gouernour of all creatures, the onlie giuer of all victories; who alone art able to strengthen the weake against the mightie, and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enimies, with the [Page 506] countenance of a few of thy seruants, calling vpon thy name, and trusting in thee; defend, O good Lord, thy seruants, and our gouernour vnder thee, our most gratious and souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth, and all hir faithfull subiects and people committed to hir charge. And especiallie at this time, O Lord, haue regard to those hir trustie, louing, and obedient subiects; which be sent into the north parts of this Realme; or ouer the seas, to the aid of such as be persecuted for the profession of thy holie name, to withstand the crueltie, force, and power of certaine false and vnfaithfull subiects: yea rather cursed rebels, and wicked traitours, and all those which be common enimies, as well to the truth of thine eternall word, as to their owne naturall Prince and countrie; and manifestlie against the Crowne and Realme of England, which thou hast by thy diuine prouidence assigned, in these our daies, to the gouernement of thy seruant our souereigne Ladie, and most gratious Queene; to the great comfort of all vs hir louing subiects, and faithfull commons: thy most glorious name be praised therefore.
O Lord God of hosts, which by thine Angel therevnto appointed, doost minister both warre and peace; and which diddest giue vnto Dauid both courage and strength, being but a little one, vnarmed, and vnexpert in feates of warre, with his sling to set vpon, & ouerthrowe the great huge giant Goliah: our cause now being iust, and being forced to enter into warre and battell, we most humblie beseech thee, most gratious God, so to turne the harts of these rebels, thine and our enimies, to the desire of peace, that no Christian bloud be shed or spilt. Or else grant, O Lord, that with small effusion of bloud, and to the little hurt and damage of thy seruants, who doo ieopard their liues for the defence of thy holie Gospell, our Queene, & Realme, against the aduersaries thereof, we may to thy glorie [Page 507] obteine the victorie, and that the warres being ended, the rebels soone put to flight and vanquished, we may all with one hart and mind knit togither, in godlie concord and vnitie, laud & praise thee which art our God.
O most mercifull Father, if it be thy holie will, make soft and tender the stonie harts of all those, I saie, that exalt themselues against thy truth, and seeke either to trouble the quietnesse of this Realme of England, or to oppresse the Crowne of the same, and conuert them to the knowledge of thy sonne, the onelie Sauiour of the world Iesus Christ, that we and they may iointlie glorifie thy mercies. Lighten, we beseech thee, their ignorant harts, to embrace the truth of thy word, or else to abate their crueltie, O most mightie Lord; that this our Christian Region, with others that confesse thy holie Gospell, may obteine by thine aid & strength, suertie from all our enimies, without shedding of Christian and innocent bloud; whereby all they, which be in feare of their crueltie, may be comforted: and finallie, that all Christian realmes, and especiallie this Realme of England, may by thy defence and protection continue in the truth of the Gospell, and enioie perfect peace, quietnesse, and securitie; and that we, for these thy mercies, iointlie all together, with one consent, hart, and voice, may thankfullie render vnto thee all laud and praise; that we knit in one godlie concord and vnitie among our selues, may continuallie magnifie thy glorious name.
And furthermore, for as much as it is thy good will and pleasure, to appoint vs in the number of subiects; we most humblie beseech thee, O heauenlie Father, to giue vs faithfull and obedient harts vnto our dread souereigne Ladie the Queenes most excellent Maiestie, and to the high powers and godlie rulers, that are in authoritie vnder hir noble Grace, that there may be found in vs no disobedience, no vnfaithfulnes, [Page 508] no treason, no falsehood, no dissimulation, no insurrection, no commotion, no conspiracie; nor anie kind of rebellion, in deede, word, or thought: but all faithfulnesse, obedience, quietnesse, subiection, and humilitie; and whatsoeuer else becommeth faithfull subiects, vnder so good and so gratious a Prince: that we liuing heere in all lowlinesse of mind, may at the last daie, through thy fauour, be lifted vp into euerlasting glorie; where thou, O most mercifull Father, with thy sonne, and the holie Ghost, liuest and reignest one verie true and perfect God, for euer and euer,
Amen.
A thankes-giuing for the suppression of rebellion, or insurrection.
O Heauenlie and most mercifull Father, the defender of those that put their trust in thee; the sure fortresse of all them that flie to thee for succour; who of thy most iust iudgements, for our disobedience and rebellion against thy holie word, and for our holie profession, whereby we haue giuen occasion that thy holie name hath beene blasphemed among the ignorant, hast of late yeeres sore abashed the whole Realme & people of England, with the terrour and danger of rebellion, thereby to awake vs out of our dead sleepe of carelesse securitie; and hast yet by the miseries following the same rebellion, most sharpelie punished part of our countriemen, and Christian brethren, who haue most neerelie fealt the same: and most dreadfullie hast scourged some of the seditious persons with terrible executions, iustlie inflicted for their disobedience to thee, and to thy seruant their Souereigne, to the example of vs all, and to the warning, correction, [Page 509] and amendment of thy seruants; of thine accustomed goodnesse turning alwaies the wickednesse of euill men, to the profit of them that feare thee; who in thy iudgements remembring thy mercie, hast by thine assistance giuen the victorie to thy seruant the Queene, hir Nobilitie, and faithfull Subiects, with so little, or rather no effusion of Christian bloud; as also might iustlie haue ensued, to the exceeding comfort of all sorrowfull Christian harts; and that of thy fatherlie pitie and mercifull goodnesse onelie, and euen for thine owne name sake, without anie our desert at all.
Wherefore, we render vnto thee most humble and hartie thanks, for these thy great mercies shewed vnto vs, who had deserued sharper punishment; most humblie beseeching thee, to grant vnto vs all that confesse thy holie name, and professe the true and perfect Religion of thy holie Gospell, thy heauenlie grace, to shew our selues in our liuing, according to our profession; that we trulie knowing thee in thy blessed word, may obedientlie walke in thy holie commandements; and that we being warned by this thy fatherlie correction, doo prouoke thy iust wrath against vs no more, but may enioie the continuance of thy great mercies towards vs; thy right hand, as in this, so in all other inuasions, rebellions, and dangers, continuallie sauing and defending our Church, our Realme, our Queene, and people of England; that all our posterities ensuing, confessing thy holie name, professing thy holie Gospell, and leading a holie life, may perpetuallie praise and magnifie thee, with thy onlie sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour, and the holie Ghost; to whome be all laud, praise, glorie, and empire, for euer and euer,
Amen.
In time of extreame troubles, by reason of the tyrannie of strange and forraigne gouernours.
ETternall and euerlasting God, father of our Lord Iesus Christ, thou that shewest mercie, and keepest couenant with them that loue thee, and in reuerence keepe thy commandments, euen when thou powrest foorth thy hot displeasure, and iust iudgements vpon the obstinate and inobedient: we heere prostrate our selues before the throne of thy Maiestie, from our harts confessing, that iustlie thou dooest punish vs, by the tyrannie of strangers; and that more iustlie thou maist bring vpon vs againe, the bondage and the yoke, which of thy mercie, for a season, thou hast remoued. Our kings, princes and people, in blindnesse haue refused the word of thine eternall veritie; and in so dooing we haue refused the league of thy mercie offered vnto vs againe, in such aboundance, that none can be excused by reason of ignorance. Yet neuerthelesse, to the iudgement of men, impietie ouerfloweth the whole face of this Realme. For the great multitude delight themselues in ignorance and idolatrie. And such (alas) as appeere to reuerence and embrace thy word, doo not expresse the fruits of repentance, as it becommeth the people, to whome thou hast shewed thy selfe so mercifull and fauourable.
These are thy iust iudgements, O Lord, whereby thou punishest sinne by sinne, and man by his owne iniquitie; so that there can be no end of sinne, except thou preuent vs with thy vndeserued grace. Conuert vs therefore, O Lord, and we shall be conuerted. Suffer not our vnthankefulnesse to procure, of thy most iust iudgments, that strangers againe haue empire aboue [Page 511] vs; neither yet that the light of thy Gospell bee taken from vs: but howsoeuer it be, that the great multitude be altogether rebellious, and also that in vs there remaine perpetuall imperfections; yet for the glorie of thine owne name, and for the glorie of thine onlie begotten sonne Iesus Christ (whose truth and Gospell, thou of thy meere mercie hast manifested among vs) it will please thee, to take vs into thy protection and defence; that all the world may know, that as of thy mercie thou hast begun this worke of our saluation, by the publishing and preaching of thy Gospell among vs; so of this same mercie, thou wilt continue it, maugre the heads of all our malicious enimies. Grant vs this, mercifull father, for Christ Iesus thy sonnes sake: So be it.
A thanks-giuing, after our deliuerance from the tyrannie of strange enimies; with praier for continuance of peace betwixt Realmes.
NOW, Lord, seeing that we enioie comfort, both in bodie and in spirit, by reason of this quietnesse of thy mercie, granted vnto vs, after our most desperate troubles, in the which we appered vtterlie to haue beene ouerwhelmed: we praise and glorifie thy mercie and goodnesse, who pitiouslie lookedst vpon vs, when we in our selues were vtterlie confounded. But seeing, O Lord, that to receiue benefits at thy hands, and not to be thankefull for the same, is nothing else but a seale against vs, in the daie of iudgement; wee most humblie beseech thee, to grant vnto vs harts so mindfull of the calamitie past, that we may continuallie feare to prouoke thy iustice, to punish vs with the like or worsse plagues. And seeing that, when we by our owne power were [Page 512] altogether vnable, to haue freed our selues from the tyrannie of strangers, and from the bondage & thraldome pretended against vs; that of thine especiall goodnesse, didst moue the harts of our neighbours, of whome we had not deserued so much fauour, to take vpon them the common burthen with vs; and for our deliuerance, not onlie to spend the liues of manie, but also to hazard the state & tranquillitie of their Realme and Common-wealth. Grant vnto vs, O Lord, that with such reuerence we may remember thy benefits receiued, that after this in our default, we neuer enter into hostilitie against those Realmes and Nations.
Suffer vs neuer, O Lord, to fall to that ingratitude, and detestable vnthankefulnesse, that we should seeke the destruction and death of those, whome thou hast made instruments to deliuer vs from the tyrannie of mercilesse strangers. Dissipate thou the counselles of such, as deceiptfullie trauell to stir vp the harts of the inhabitants of either Realme against the other. Let their malicious practises be their owne confusion; and grant of thy mercie, that loue, concord, and tranquillitie may continue and encrease among the inhabitants of both Realmes; especiallie of this Isle of England, euen till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ; by whose glorious Gospell, thou of thy mercie dooest call vs both to vnitie, peace, and Christian concord; the full perfection whereof we shall possesse in the fulnesse of thy kingdome, when all offences shall be remooued, iniquitie shall be suppressed, and thy chosen children be fullie endued with that perfect glorie, in the which now our Lord Iesus Christ reigneth: to whome, with thee, O father, and the holie Ghost, be all honour, praise and glorie, now and euer,
Amen.
In time of inuasion by the Turke and Infidels, that make warre in anie part of Christendome; praie and that earnestlie, as followeth.
OMnipotent and eternall God, father of our Lord Iesus Christ; maker, preseruer, and mainteiner both of heauen and earth, together with thy coeternall sonne, and the holie Ghost: we haue sinned, O Lord, with our fathers; we haue done amisse, and dealt wickedlie; and therfore we confesse, that by thy righteous iudgements we are iustlie punished, and haue trulie deserued, that barbarous nations, and cruell Turks, making inuasion into Christendome, should spoile vs of our goods, ouerthrowe Schooles, Churches, Common-weales; make pitifull hauocke of the promiscuous, mixt, or confused multitude of sillie weake people, as they were sheepe prepared to the shambles, and carrie miserable men from the sweet bosoms of their deere freends, into far and barbarous nations, to a slauerie more greeuous than death.
O God, it is thou which hast repelled vs, yea thou makest vs a shame to the nations for our sinnes, and goest not foorth to war with our armies. Thou makest vs to turne our backs vpon our enimies, so that they which hate vs, spoile our goods. Thou lettest vs to bee eaten like sheepe, and hast scattered vs among the heathen. Thou sellest thy people for naught, and takest no monie for them. Therefore he the heathen come into thine inheritance; thy holie Temple haue they defiled; they haue destroied our townes and houses, and brought them into an heape of stones. The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to be meate to the fowles of the aire; and the flesh of thy Saincts, [Page 514] vnto the beasts of the land. Their bloud haue they shed like water on euerie side, and there was no man to burie them. We are become an open shame to our enimies, a verie scorne and derision vnto them that are round about vs.
O Lord, in these mischieuous warres, and in the middest of fatall or mortall punishments, which threaten an horrible mutation of worldlie empires, we flie vnto thee, saieng; Helpe vs, O God of our saluation; for the glorie of thy name. O deliuer vs, and be mercifull vnto our sinnes. O Lord deale not with vs according to our sinnes, neither reward vs after our iniquities; but haue mercie vpon vs, and that soone; for we are come to great miserie. Looke vpon our aduersitie and miserie, and forgiue vs all our sinnes. Consider our enimies how manie they be, and they beare a tyrannicall hate against vs. Thou which aforetime didst remit the offences of thy people, diddest couer all their sinnes, and didst turne awaie thine heauie indignation from them; turne vs, we humblie beseech thee, O God our Sauiour, and remooue awaie thy displeasure from vs also, that in true repentance wee may please thee, for thy sonne Christs sake. Wilt thou be displeased at vs for euer? Or wilt thou stretch thy wrath from one generation to another? Oh let the sorowfull sighing of the prisoners come before thee, according to the greatnesse of thy power; preserue thou those that are appointed to die.
Powre out thine indignation rather vpon the heathen that haue not knowne thee, and vpon the kingdoms that haue not called vpon thy name; that all nations may knowe that thou takest vengeance of the bloud of thy seruants that is shed. Consider the mortall threatenings of our enimies, that they exercise not their crueltie vpon vs, and saie triumphantlie; Where is now their God? Keepe from our necks the [Page 515] greeuous yoke of the Turkish bondage, and represse the furiousnesse of all tyrants, which labour to spoile, and make hauocke of thy Church; to abolish true doctrine, praiers, and pure religion; that they may bring in paganisme, and build vp idolatrie, errours, and blasphemous ceremonies.
Defend our Churches, our politike gouernance, our Schooles and Uniuersities, our cities and dwelling places. Suffer not (good studies, learning, religion, and lawes being ouerthrowne) these our townes to be reduced into stables, for sauage Mahomets, Turkish tyrants, or other bloudie tyrants, which hate thee and vs extremelie. Arme the right arme of our gratious Queene, and hir Nobles (as also all other Christian Emperours, Kings, and Potentates) that they may fight for our lawes, liues, and libertie. Teach their hands to warre, and their fingers to fight. Increase in them an inuincible courage of mind, that inflamed through the zeale of thy religion, they may valiantlie withstand the Turks, which are the mortall enimies of thy deere Sonne, and of his Church.
Guide thou the hands of such as doo fight in the cause of thy religion, and grant them happie successe ouer all their enimies. For a king is not preserued by his great armie, and a giant shall not be saued by the multitude of his host, nor warlike strength: but the victorie proceedeth from the heauens. At thy rebuke, O God, the chariot and horses fall downe. Thou shalt take awaie the courage of princes, and art terrible vnto the kings of the earth. O be thou our helpe in trouble, for vaine is the helpe of man. Through thee, O mightie Iehoua, we shall doo great acts, and thou wilt tread our enimies vnder thy feet, that they come to naught; through our Lord Iesus Christ,
Amen.
A thanks-giuing vnto God, for the Christians victorie had against the Turks.
O Mercifull Father, O Lord God of hosts, the onelie protector and defender of thine heritage; against whome, no might, no power, nor counsell can preuaile; who of thy great mercie, without our merit or deseruing, hast at all times protected & defended vs, from the cruell hand of our enimies, and mightilie deliuered vs, euen out of the mouth of the roring Lion: we yeeld vnto thee, O father, for these thy great goodnesses and mercies, most humble & hartie thanks; and especiallie, O father, we praise thy holie name, that at this present thou hast saued and deliuered thy people, from the great assaults and dangers of that same professed & mightie enimie of Christian Religion, the Turke; and also hast giuen vnto the people, which fought thy battels, battelled vnder thy banner, and trusted onlie in thy helpe, so great and notable a victorie: for the which O Lord God, we doo laud and magnifie thy holie name for euer, through Christ our Captaine, Redeemer, and Sauiour; beseeching thee, for thy mercifull goodnesse, that thou wouldest sheeld vs vnder thy mightie protection for euer, that we hauing the fruition of godlie peace, through thy mercie, may the rest of these few daies which we haue to liue, lead a peaceable and a quiet life, in all pietie and honestie, through Christ our Lord, to whome, with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all honour, glorie, and praise, for euer and euer, Amen.
O God, whose nature and propertie is euer to haue mercie, and to forgiue; receiue our humble petitions. And though we be tied and bound with the chaine of our sinnes, yet let the pitifulnesse of thy great mercie loose vs, for the honour of Iesus Christes sake, our onlie mediator and aduocate,
Amen.
Praiers to be vsed before and after the first and second lessons, the Gospell and Pistle: and before and after the Sermon or Homilie.
Before the first or second lesson, praie:
BLessed Lord, which hast caused all holie Scriptures, both in the old and new Testaments, to be written and red for our learning; grant vs, that we may now in such sort heare them, reade them, marke, learne, and inwardlie digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holie word, we may embrace, and euer hold fast the blessed hope of euerlasting life, which thou hast giuen vs in our Sauiour Iesus Christ,
Amen.
After the first or second lesson, praie:
GRatious God, and most mercifull father, which hast vouchsafed vs the rich and pretious iewell of thy holie word; assist vs with thy spirit, that it may be written in our harts, to our euerlasting comfort; to reforme vs, to renew vs, according to thine owne image; to build vs vp, and edifie vs into the perfect building of thy Christ, sanctifieng and increasing in vs all heauenlie vertues. Grant this, O heauenlie father, for Iesu Christs sake,
Amen.
Or thus:
THanks be vnto thee, O our celestiall father, through Christ our Redeemer; that thou hast so cleerelie by thy Patriarchs, Prophets and Apostls, reuealed vnto vs these so secret mysteries [Page 518] of our saluation in Christ; for whose sake also, we beseech thee, to giue vs the verie feare and faith in thee; that we constantlie beleeuing thy truth, and following that thou commandest vs in thy word, may by no meanes hinder thy glorie, or the course of thy word, by our lewd conuersation, but in all obedience helpe to amplifie and increase thy kingdome, to the perpetuall praise of thy name, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Before the reading of the Epistle or Gospell, praie.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull Father, who by thy holie spirit in thy seruants the Apostles, and the Euangelists, hast left vnto vs the storie of the doctrine and deedes of our Sauiour Christ, that thereby, as he is in deede, so we might beleeue him to be thy Sonne, and the Sauiour of the world, & put our trust in thee through him; that so beleeuing, we might attaine to euerlasting life: grant vs, we beseech thee, the same most holie spirit to open our harts, and lighten our minds, that by the reading and hearing of the same, our faith in thee, through him, may continuallie be strengthened, till we attaine to the end thereof, euen the saluation of our soules, through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour,
Amen.
After the reading of the Epistle or Gospell.
WE giue thee thanks, most mercifull Father, for that it hath pleased thee in great mercie towards vs, to cause the holie writings and traditions of the Apostles and Euangelists, to come to this our time, place, and eares; & that thou hast vouchsafed [Page 519] also to open & reueale thy holie will vnto them, to approue thy sonne so manifestlie to the world, and to confirme vnto vs by them the truth of thy Gospell, that in the mouth of so manie faithfull witnesses, we might haue more full assurance in thy mercifull promises. Helpe vs O good Father we beseech thee, that by thy grace we may doo in deede, that which we now by them doo vnderstand. And least heerein we be, through thy iustice, more greeuouslie condemned and punished, if that we neglect to doo thy will, which through thy grace thou hast reuealed; graunt vs the fruit of this thy care towards vs, in the strength of faith, that hauing read and heard so notable things in this his holie storie, and acts and writings of the holie Apostles, recorded and left vnto vs by so true and most faithfull witnesses, appointed and ordeined therevnto by thee; we may now, by the effectuall working of thy holie spirit, receiue and acknowledge him for thine onlie sonne, and our onlie sauiour, to the saluation of our soules, and the glorious praise of thy name; and so being lead from one witnesse to another, we may, according to thy holie word, go from faith to faith, till we atteine to the euerlasting life, which thou hast prepared for vs in thy sonne: to whome with thee; O Father, and the holie Ghost, be all honor, glorie, and praise, both now and for euer,
Amen.
Before the Sermon or Homilie, read some of these sentences of Scripture, exhorting to the attentiue hearing of the word.
THE Lord said to Moses, I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their breethren, like vnto thee; and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speake vnto them all that I shall command him: vnto him shall yee harken. And whosoeuer will not harken vnto my [Page 520] words, which he shall speake in my name, I will require it of him.
GReat is the peace they haue, which loue thy lawe, and they are not offended at it.
BLessed is that man or woman that heareth me, watching dailie at my gates, and giuing attendance at the posts of my doores. For he that findeth me, findeth life; and shall obteine fauour of the Lord: but he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule, and all that hate me loue death.
HE that turneth awaie his eare from hearing the lawe, euen his praiers shall be abhominable.
WHo so despiseth wisdome & discipline, is miserable; and their hope is vaine, and their labours are foolish, and their works vnprofitable, and their wiues are vndiscreet, their children wicked, and their of-spring is accursed.
BE humble to heare the word of God, that thou maist vnderstand it, and make a true answere with wisdome.
Be swift to heare good things, and followe the word of peace and righteousnesse.
THE Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with the men and women of this generation, and shall condemne them. For she came from the vttermost parts of the earth, to heare the wisdome of Salomon: and behold (saith Christ of himselfe) a greater than Salomon is heere (speaking vnto you.
HE that is of God, heareth Gods word. Yee therefore heare them not, because ye are not of God.
LET him that hath an eare, heare what the spirit saith to the Churches, or congregation, &c.
A praier for the heedfull hearing of Gods word.
FOR as much, O most mercifull God, as faith, without the which it is impossible to please thee in anie thing we doo, commeth by hearing; and hearing by the word of God: in so much as he or she that turneth awaie his eare frō hearing the lawe, euen his praier shall be abhominable, and turned into sinne: yea, bicause also it is a farre more blessed thing to heare and keepe thy word, than to haue had the honour to haue borne or nursed thine owne sonne: grant vs grace therefore, I most humblie beseech thee, in zeale and loue to doo this one thing, so acceptable a seruice to thee, and most needfull for vs to be done; euen with attentiue and desirous minds to heare thy holie word preached, and so farre to exceed the Queene of Saba, and those which haue sought for wisdome from the vttermost parts of the earth, as the wisdome thou offerest vs in it exceedeth all other: and so much more redilie to practise it, than they did, which heard thy Prophets; as thy sonne is aboue all the Prophets, that we with wise Martha making our choise, by thy grace, of the better part, may be made wise in him vnto saluation, and it neuer be taken from vs; but remaine with vs, till it put vs in possession of that happie life, which in a blessed hope we looke for by it. And grant vs so to be carefull ouer our dutie, which thou hast commanded, that wee especiallie regarding that which is chiefest with thee, and most needfull for our selues; may therby declare our selues to be in deed of God, bicause we heare Gods word; and to be the true sheepe of thy fold, bicause we harken diligentlie to thy voice, and followe thee with Susanna, Ioanna, [Page 522] Marie Magdalen, and all other godlie men and women: and so by this meanes finallie not faile of thy promises; but obteine, to our endlesse comfort, and the glorie of thy name, the blessing and gift of eternall life, among all faithfull beleeuers, in the kingdome of heauen, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another verie Christian praier both of the preacher and auditorie present.
OH Lord, how beautifull are the feete of them that bring the glad tidings of the Gospell of peace, of saluation, & of all good things! Surelie, without preaching we should all perish. Blessed and praised be thou therefore, O Father, for that thou hast giuen to vs thy Gospell, life, foode, doctrine and peace in our time. Blessed and praised be thou therefore, O Christ, bicause thou giuest and renewest often the light of thy Gospell, and maitainest the ministers of thy word; and preseruest, cherishest, and defendest thy catholike Church, against the diuell, and all thine enimies. Yea blessed, I saie, and praised also be thou therefore, O holie spirit; bicause thou being powred vpon the Apostles, dooest now also kindle thy light in our harts, rulest, instructest, admonishest, helpest vs, gouernest and guidest o [...] labours to a prosperous end, and sanctifiest vs to eternall life.
And now, for as much as the chiefe authoritie of speaking, is indeed of thee, O Lord alone, (for a mortall man hath but a dead hart,) I humblie beseech thee to blesse this thy preacher heere present, with thy diuine grace; that he may doo the worke of an Euangelist, and make thy Gospell knowne vnto vs. Giue vnto him the spirit of feare, godlinesse, fortitude, counsell, zeale, knowledge, discretion, wisedome, vnderstanding, and [Page 523] constancie; and let him, as he hath receiued thy gifts, so (like a good and faithfull disposer of thy manifold graces) trulie minister the same vnto vs. Lord, let him come vnto vs with abundant knowledge, and abilitie of the diuine mysteries of the blessings of the Gospell of Christ, to communicate and impart vnto vs. And now that he is about to speake, grant that he may speake in thee; that is, by thy helpe and grace: and as he is allowed of thee, so to vtter the words of God, as he hath receiued them from thee, that thou in althings maist be glorified. Put vpon his hart the breast-plate of perfect iudgement, the Urim of knowledge, and the Thumim of holines and righteousnes of life, and puritie of doctrine. Let thy word be in his hart, as a burning fire shut vp in his bones; yea let his bellie be as the wine, which hath no vent; or like the new bottles that burst: that being full of good matter, thy spirit within may compell him to speake his mind effectuallie. Yea, doo thou, O Lord, I saie, secretlie speake and worke in him; and let thy secret power and vertue be put here vnto this action, to this his labour and exercise of faith, that he may accomplish that thou requirest to be done, for the conuersion and saluation of thy people present. Giue him the earnest-penie of thy spirit in his hart, and open the doore of vtterance vnto him; that he may make manifest the sauour of thy life and knowledg; vnto vs. Lord, thou hast said; Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Open thou therefore his lips, that his mouth may shew forth thy praise; and shew vs the waie, wherein we may walke straight to thee. O let his mouth, I saie, be filled with thy praise, that he may preach thine vndefiled lawe, to the conuerting of soules, and giue wisdome to the simple, and light to the blind. Let vtterance be giuen now vnto him, that he may open his mouth boldlie, to publish the secrets of the Gospell, whereof he is an Ambassadour; [Page 524] that therein he may speake boldlie, as he ought to speake, not sparing anie man, nor hauing regard to please anie maner of person. Touch thou, O God, the mouth of this thy preacher, with the hot glowing cole of thy spirit, whereby he being first clensed, may the more feruentlie and purelie preach thy Gospell vnto his brethren, in the discharge of his dutie, as he that first is mooued with the zeale of thy glorie, and then touched with a carefull affection towards thy people, as Esaie was. Giue vnto this thy preacher the audacitie of Eliah & Iohn Baptist, that like the true minister of God, he may stoutlie & boldlie, without anie respect of persons, or desire to please men, as he that feareth God more than the faces of men, reproue the people of their sinnes. Let him, as thou hast giuen in commendement, crie alowd, and spare not: let him lift vp his voice like a trumpet, and with all diligence and discretion shew thy people their transgressions, and reprooue vice vnfeinedlie. And bicause, O Lord, in vaine shall he cast the net of thy word, except thou blesse the draught; and his labour yeeld no profit, vnlesse thou prosper it; doo thou therefore luckilie set him on: loose thou his tongue, to speake; and put thou into his hart what to saie. Blesse him, that thy word may be with him; that he may be able thoroughlie to instruct vs what is thy will, that he may catch our soules, and by thy secret & diuine power drawe vnto him the harts, minds, and eares of the hearers: so shall he conuert and win manie vnto thy Christ, and thou thereby be highlie glorified. Let thy spirit speake by him, and thy words be in his tongue; that he vtter nothing rashlie, or vndiscreetlie; but by the motion of thy good spirit, speaking sincerelie and holilie of thee, as in thy sight. Giue to him, and to all such as beare thy word, and are the ministers of the spirituall life, such care, zeale, and diligence, that they may indeuour faithfullie and painfullie [Page 525] to fulfill their office, to the vttermost. And finallie, let him not defile the euangelicall function by anie meanes, no not with the least suspicion of glorie or lucre; neither let his mouth speake wickednesse, nor his tongue set foorth deceit: but as he dooth preach thy lawes, and take thy couenant in his mouth; so grant he himselfe also may not hate to be reformed, nor at anie time cast thy holie word behind his backe.
And now, bicause thou, O Lord, so mercifullie offerest vnto vs thy saluation; I am to desire thee furthermore, in the behalfe of this congregation present, that we also, for our parts, may of our owne accord willinglie receiue the same saluation of the Gospell, now so gratiouslie offered vs: that as thy preachers, for their parts, doo publish thy glorious name: so we, as greene grasse, may receiue the heauenlie dew of thy doctrine: and that the barren earth of our harts, may be thereby moistened with the liuelie water of thy grace, and holie spirit, to fructifie in the same. Grant that we may receiue these holie things, high mysteries, and most pretious pearles, not as dogs, or swine, to tread them contemptuouslie vnder our feete; as wicked Atheists, and vngodlie contemners of thy Gospell, to our damnation: but as thy children, and those that are of God, and sheepe of his fold, with all meeknesse, obedience, christian feare and reuerence, grant that we may both heare, receiue, and fulfill them; to thy glorie, and our saluation. Furthermore, as thou in mercie openest their mouth to speake vnto vs; so giue vs grace to open our harts and eares, to receiue the wholesome instructions, and fatherlie admonitions, which proceed thereout. O giue vs grace, I saie, to applie our harts to instruction, and our eares to the words of knowledge. Let vs be still desirous of thy heauenlie kingdome. Let the holie bread of thy Gospell, and foode of heauenlie dainties, be onlie sweet vnto vs, and sauorie [Page 526] in our mouths; that we may depart well refreshed, and full fraught with the largesse and plentie of thy word, and Euangelike feast. Make thou vs true Conuerts, and more and more to increase and growe from faith to faith, & vertue to vertue. Let vs neuer loath this heauenlie Philosophie; but let vs be as the learned, that are taught of thee, and made meet by this thy preacher to receiue thy doctrine to our health. The preacher heere present is vndoubtedlie thy mouth and messenger, whom thou hast sent. O therfore let vs not dare either barbarously to misvse our selues towards him, in word, deed, or thought; or scornefullie disdaine to be taught of him: but with all feare of thy Maiestie, and reuerence towards him, let vs with all attentiue and ghostlie greedinesse marke his words well, to followe whatsoeuer shall be godlie vttered by him. And finallie, touch thou so our harts, we beseech thee, O God, to beleeue thy word, and to repent with speed, that the preaching of thy Gospell may take place in vs, to practise the works of faith, and shew foorth fruits worthie the same; so that we, with this and all other thy preachers, and they togither with vs, leading a right, vertuous, and godlie life, according to the rules prescribed in thy word, may be brought in the end vnto thee, the chiefe shepheard of our soules; where wee may iointlie be partakers of eternall good things, and most excellent felicitie, thorough Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another.
IN this great darknesse of our soules, O Lord, thou shinest vnto vs with the lightsome lampe of thy grace: but in nothing so effectuallie as in preaching of thy word. Great is the haruest, as thou thy selfe hast said; and the workemen [Page 527] are few. The most part of men are ignorant, and wrapped in miserable blindnesse; and few there are that teach thy word trulie, and as they ought. I beseech thee therefore, that thou wilt send foorth workemen into thy haruest: send teachers, O Lord, which are taught of thee, and instructed by thy spirit of godlie wisdome and vnderstanding, which by their preaching will seeke not themselues, but thee, because they are godlie; and can so doo, because they are wise, and vnderstand. Giue to the preacher of thy word heere present, out of the treasures of thy wisedome, that which he may powre vpon vs to our saluation. And in vs open the windowes of our harts, that they may receiue into them the most holie and wholsome light; and that the good seede, which falleth vpon vs, be not choaked with thornes, or withered awaie with drought, nor be deuoured by the fowles of the aire; but may growe vp in good ground, and that fruitefullie with great increase, to thy glorie, and our saluation,
Amen.
Another praier, to be vsed of anie hearer of Gods word.
I Giue thee most hartie thanks, O eternall God, father of our Lord Iesu Christ; for that it hath pleased thee, of thine vnspeakable mercie and goodnesse, in all ages, continuallie to send into the world, men woonderfull in the gifts and knowledge of thy will, to be renuers and spreaders foorth of thy truth. Like thanks I ascribe vnto thy sacred Maiestie, for allowing vs shepheards and preachers, in these our daies, for the gathering together of thy Church out of all mankinde, to the building of the bodie of Christ. Humblie I beseech thee, gratious God, continue alwaie among vs thy pure [Page 528] word, through thy Ministers; gather vnto thy selfe an euerlasting congregation, and so instruct mine hart with thy spirit of truth, that vnfeinedlie I may assent to thy wholesome word, proue a liuelie member of thy bodie, and be incorporated into that societie, which both in this world doth sincerelie confesse thee, and euermore extoll thy holie name.
Keepe those preachers, which thou dooest and wilt giue, in the certaine knowledge of thy blessed will, that they may from time to time both open vnto vs thine intent, concerning the repairing of mankind, the saluation and redemption of our soules, through thy free mercy, and also teach vs how to liue in new obedience, and to abstaine from carnall desires, which fight against the soule. Inspire the ministers and preachers of thy word, with thine holie spirit, that they may vtter thy will purelie, as they haue receiued it from thy hands, reteining the forme of whoalsome words, and sounding onlie that doctrine, which is vttered by thy sonne out of thy bosome. For otherwise, departing from the order of faith, and the rule of thy word, they will greatlie obscure the light of thy doctrine, and obtrude vpon vs the vanitie of their owne inuentions. Wherefore let them speake thy word, not deceiptfullie, but sincerelie, euen as from thee, and in thy sight.
Grant also, that by transforming thy ministerie into policie, they lord not ouer thine elect, neither contend about superioritie and primacie in the Church, but onlie to seeke the glorie of thy name, and the saluation both of themselues & vs. Giue them libertie of speech, boldlie without feare, to blame and rebuke all false doctrine, blasphemous superstition, and abuses in the Church. Open vnto them the doore of vtterance, that they may speake the mysteries of Christ, and manifest them as they ought to doo; so shall their dooings bee profitable vnto the godlie. Assist them also with thine [Page 529] especiall grace, that they disgrace not their doctrine by impuritie of life, but let their conuersation answer vnto the doctrine which they teach and preach: and especiallie, for the pastor of this parish, and shepheard of my soule heere present, from whose mouth I learne thy blessed will; I hartilie praie, that thou wilt keepe him in religion sincere, and pure from enorme offences in outward conuersation. Endue him with a long and healthfull life, if it be thy good pleasure, that manie a good daie and yeare he may continue in preaching the gladsome voice of thy gratious Gospell, among vs, without contention and strife.
And, O sonne of God, which art the Lord of all the flocke, worke thou effectuallie by thy preachers, speake thou within vs to our harts, the blessed will of thine eternall father, and confirme thy doctrine in our minds by thine holie spirit. Grant that we may trulie knowe and discerne the same, from the howling of woolues, and from the inchanted songs of seducing hirelings. And grant that we may knowe thee, euen as thou knowest thine, heauenlie father; and to walke religiouslie and righteouslie in thy sight, shewing our selues to be of that holie seede, which praiseth thy name for euermore. Come holie spirit, open mine hart and eares, that I may conceiue the profit of thy whoalesome doctrine, and the sweet comforts reuealed in thy holie word, by the preaching of the Gospell.
O Lord, I acknowledge with teares my sluggishnesse, and carelesnes in seeking thy truth; and bewaile the wretched coldnesse and hardnesse of my hart; beseeching thee to endue me with an vnfeigned longing, and an ardent desire of holie Sermons. Grant that in this life I may worship the feet of the preachers of peace, and reuerence the true dispensers of thy mysteries, thy faithfull ministers, with double honor, and none otherwise to obeie their godlie sermons, than I would, [Page 530] if a voice should sound from the heauens. Let me not, for the blemishes and imperfections of some particular men, vnreuerentlie conceiue of thy whole ministerie. Worke also within me, that despising thy word deliuered vnto vs, I neuer seeke after strange reuelations, or violent rauishings, both besides, and contrarie to thy word; but bearing alwaies in mind the order which thou hast appointed, may constantlie embrace thy word manifested in thy Church. Finallie, impart such grace vpon vs, that we may imitate and followe the good works of holie men, casting off the old man, by putting on the new, which is created after God, in righteousnesse and true holinesse,
Amen.
A praier, that God would both feede and defend his Church; to be vsed before the Communion.
O Heauenlie heardman, and nursse of all things liuing, which of thy meere goodnesse satisfiest all creatures that haue life; suffer not thy Church to pine awaie, and be famished, for lacke of the food of thy blessed word, but feed vs continuallie with thy goodnesse. Suffer not thou, O Lord, which giuest sustenance to all flesh, thy faithfull seruants to be depriued of perfect doctrine, and most pure and sound Sacraments, which are indeede the food of eternall life; but feed vs continuallie with Angels food, that is, with thy holie word, and with Christ Iesus, whereby our harts may bee made righteous & strong to him-ward. Let vs not like the children of Israel, loath this heauenlie manna, which thou so mercifullie and aboundantlie powrest downe vpon vs; neither let vs lust againe after the flesh-pots of Aegypt, least thy wrath being kindled against vs also, thou cause it not onelie to cease, and to [Page 531] fall no more from heauen vpon vs; but also thou smite vs with most greeuous plagues, as thou diddest the Israelites.
But rather, as new-borne babes, remembring how it is written, that man shall not liue by bread onlie, but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; let vs hartilie desire the sincere milke of thy word; let our soules delight in fatnesse; let vs come earelie and late to the waters, to buie, and eate, to satisfie our hunger and thirst: let vs harken diligentlie vnto thee, and eate that which is good, and labour continuallie without wearinesse, for the meate that perisheth not.
O Lord, let vs neuer see the daie, wherein thou shalt be prouoked to send a famine in our land againe; a famine, I saie, not of bread; nor a thirst of water; but of the hearing of thy word, O God. Far bee that famine from vs, good Lord. Neither let vs anie more deserue to be cast out of our owne cities, townes, and houses, and to wander in strange lands, from Sea to Sea, from the North to the South, from East to West, running to and fro, like hunger-starued wretches, to seeke the food of thy word, as we sometimes haue done, O Lord, and yet not find it; least by that meanes we doo not onelie perish in bodie, but also in soule, for lacke of thy word, which is the verie food thereof.
But let thy word, O God, be still neere vs, euen in our mouthes, and in our harts; the word of truth, I saie, which now is preached, taught, and receiued; and feed thou vs, whensoeuer the famine either of bodie or spirit vexeth vs. O our father, giue vs this daie our daily bread, that we may walke in the strength thereof daie and night, vntill we come to the holie hill of Horeb. Behold, Lord, according to thy commandement, we doo open our mouths wide, fill thou it full of thy heauenlie dainties, as thou hast promised. Lord, euermore giue [Page 532] vs the bread of life, and of heauen, that we may stedfastlie beleeue in thee. For behold, O Lord, we come vnto thee, as though we were famished; let vs not therfore go awaie vnfed. We are an hungred, let vs not be sent awaie fasting. Our minds (alas) hunger and thirst greatlie after toies, and gauds of this world; and we haue nothing to set afore it; because wee are poore and beggerlie wretches. But thou, O Lord, art rich in all good things, and the most plentifull giuer of the dainties of heauenlie satietie. O therefore, we beseech thee, giue vs somewhat to eate; giue meate, I saie, vnto the wearie wandering souls; yet not such as they lust after, but such as is conuenient for them, that being refreshed of thee, which art the liuing and heauenlie bread, wherewith when we are once well fed, and that our strength is come to vs againe, we may ascend vnto more high things, and neuer heereafter hunger or thirst anie more after vanities,
Amen.
Another praier to be vsed at the Sermon, before a Communion.
THou vsest, O most mightie God, to preserue those thy children, whom thou hast louinglie adopted, with no lesse care and diligence, than if they were sheepe: and the same alwaies fed & led of thee, being their most louing shepherd, toward their owne health, and perfect commoditie; who, so long as they haue thee for their Maister and Gouernour, they shall be destitute neither of the meate nor drinke of thy most wholesome doctrine and Sacraments. Whereby it is manifest, that if we pine awaie, so long as we liue in this miserable and wretched life, for the hunger and thirst of true and perfect goodnesse; it happeneth for this cause, in that wee [Page 533] haue forsaken thee, and followed strange guides; wherof, and of none other, come the great perils and miserable troubles of mind, which fall vpon vs.
Wherefore, we humblie beseech thee, O most faithfull and louing shepheard, to call vs backe from errours, into the right and perfect waie. Correct the vices of the wandering and straieng flocke, with the rod and sheephooke of thy righteousnesse; so that we may feed at length orderlie, purelie, and chastlie, of the most wholsome delicates of thy sacred word, & blessed Sacraments; by which meanes the whole head, hart, and all the powers of our mind may be made fat, and well liking; and we alwaies so vnderpropped with thy louing mercies, as we may finallie enioie, in thy house, the souereigne delights and deinties of euerlasting life, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another praier to be said before the Sermons, at the Court.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull Father, who hast in thine infinite wisedome hidden honour in shame, and life in death; that thou mightest make foolish the wisdome of this world; and that hee that glorieth, should glorie in the Lord: giue vs grace, that we stumble not, as some did, at the base estate and small shew that outwardlie appeared in thy sonne: but that rather denieng our owne wisedome, to seeke for our saluation, where thou hast hidden & laid it vp for vs; that is, in the simple ministerie of thy Gospell; that it may haue such place amongst vs, as it may reforme both Kingdoms and Courts, and our priuate houses and persons: that we may ioie in the present light of that lampe to our feet, [Page 534] and followe it whither it goeth; giuing no rest to the dealers of it, till they haue satisfied our hungrie soules withall, assuring our selues, that we shall not want things needfull for this life; but shall be nourished by thee, haue thine assistance and helpe to deliuer vs from all trouble; and finallie, the enioieng of thy presence, where anie trouble shall not come neere vs anie more: but we shall be satisfied, and haue perfect ioie in the sight of thee, our most louing God and Father, in Iesus Christ; to whom with thee, and the holie Ghost, be praise and glorie for euermore,
Amen.
Another.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull Father, who hast annointed thy sonne with thy holie spirit, and sent him to preach the Gospell; that we, who before were in prison, and bondage to sinne and to death, might by him be set at libertie, and haue our wounded harts healed by faith of his sweete doctrine: grant vs, that we loue not bondage rather than libertie, nor death rather than life; but that we may so receiue his word, as we may attaine to euerlasting freedome, and life by it. And for as much, O Lord, as thou declarest, that for contempt of thy word thou dooest oftentimes withdrawe the preachers of it, euen from those to whom they seemed especiallie to haue beene sent; grant vs so to receiue the teachers of thy truth, as they may be continued amongst vs, to our euerlasting comfort in thee; to whom with the sonne, and the holie Ghost, be all honour and glorie for euer,
Amen.
Another praier against hardnesse of hart, and contempt of the word of God.
FOr as much as thy sacred doctrine, O most mightie God, is especiallie taught in the sacred Church, wherby both thou thy selfe art manifestlie knowne, singularlie preached, and highlie magnified; and we also thereby still called to heauen and heauenlie things: it behooueth vs, as manie as professe to be of thy schoole, greatlie to reioice to be there; and as thy faithfull Disciples with all our harts to desire for to giue diligent eare vnto thee alone, and thy most wholsome instructions. For thou hast oftener than once, (as thou diddest vnto the Israelites) both by thy sacred Scriptures, and also through the ministers of thy blessed word protested vnto vs, on this wise: Giue eare vnto me, O my people, & acknowledge me trulie to be thy God; not in words, I saie, onelie; but in mind verelie, and with a perfect and most pure worshipping.
But we (alas) haue turned our harts from thy holie words, and so wretchedlie despised the doctrine of thy sacred lawe and Gospell; that we haue alwaies hitherto beene a slander vnto the same. But now are we verie hartilie sorie for it; who trusting in the death and bloudshedding of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour, doo with great feruencie, and most earnest praiers, lamentablie call vpō thee for pardon of all our sinfull crimes. And seeing we acknowledge thee to be our onlie God, we earnestlie desire thy gratious goodnesse, to grant vs this request; that we may now, and from hence-foorth for euer, giue eare onelie vnto thy diuine Maiestie, and honour thee alone; neither make anie thine equall, or prefer anie thing before thee.
[Page 536] Suffer not our sinfull hart, which of nature is disposed vnto euill, to be hardened at thy fatherlie and friendlie admonitions: make the same soft, we hartilie praie thee, with the inspiration of thy good grace and holie spirit; neither suffer vs, whom thou, of thine infinite goodnesse, and not for our merits sake, hast chosen to be thy blessed people, and sheepe of thy pasture, to striue & struggle against thy blessed commandements; like vnto the stiffe-necked Iewes, who wouldest oftentimes put therto the traill of thy mightie power. But grant thou, O most deere and excellent Father, who speakest alwaie peaceable matters, and those things which are for our singular commoditie; that we, which haue heretofore beene maruellous rebellious, stubborne, burdenous, and troublesome vnto thee; may now become thy tractable, conformed, and obedient children; and euer hereafter haue so great a regard to thy blessed words, that with verie attentiue minds we may giue good eare to those things, which thou speakest and willest vs to doo. So dooing, we shall not onlie be saued, & adorned with glorie; but also, euerie thing of ours shall be replenished with goodnesse, truth, righteousnesse, and peace. Faith shall abound, and through the same shall we be plentiouslie iustified, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
From all sedition and priuie conspiracie, from all false doctrine and heresie; from hardnesse of hart, and contempt of thy word and commandement: good Lord deliuer vs.
That it may please thee to giue to all thy people increase of grace, to heare meekelie thy word, and to receiue it with pure affection, and to bring foorth the fruits of the spirit: we beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord.
That it may please thee to bring into the waie of truth, all such as haue erred, & are deceiued; to strengthen [Page 537] such as doo stand, and to comfort and helpe the weake-harted, and to raise vp them that fall; and finallie to beate downe Satan vnder our feete: we beseech thee to heare vs, good Lord,
Amen.
A verie necessarie praier against hypocrites, false teachers, and deriders of the Gospell.
WHosoeuer they be, O almighty God, that make a true account of sincere goodlinesse, and pure religion, are exceeding sorowfull, if they see the sacred Church scattered, wholesome doctrine derided, the praises of thy diuine name had in contempt; and such things as appertaine to a deuout woorshipping of thee, turned vnto heathenish gewgawes, and voluptuous pleasures. To the intent therfore these things may in no wise happen as now vnto vs, which we see not to be far off; we powre foorth dailie before thee, with great submission, these our dolfull complaints. That thou wouldest first, of thine exceeding great goodnesse, and louing mercie, blot out all our heinous sinnes and offences, being in a maner infinite and exceeding greeuous; committed, not onelie through weakenesse and ignorance; but also done oftentimes both maliciouslie, and of set purpose. Be fauourable, I saie, O God, vnto our greeuous sinnes, and turne awaie from vs, in such sort, the most fierce wiles, and subtil laiengs await of Antichrist; as thy sacred Church be not depriued of all blessed ioie, and spirituall gladnesse. O Lord, I beseech thee, shew some experiment and proofe of thy selfe; declare thy name and thy power amongst those thy spitefull enimies. Bring downe Antichrists kingdome, with all his vngodlie sects, and schismaticall factions. Certes, ouerlong it hath oppressed vs; yea, and at this verie daie it [Page 538] still letteth, hindereth, and holdeth vnder foote verie manie, which else speedilie would haue run to the kingdome of libertie, and beleeued the Gospell. Pull it therfore downe, O Lord, with all his stumbling blocks, euill examples, peruerse doctrine; and neuer suffer it to recouer againe.
Lord, thou both seest, and right well perceiuest, how the cruell, malicious, and vngodlie Antichristians would inuade the Church, being so puft vp with pride, & inflamed with furie, scorning as well diuine lawes, as humane with like statelinesse and equall contempt; dooing nothing with courtesie and faithfulnesse; but practising mischiefe and naughtinesse, and endeuouring so much as in them lieth, that thy blessed word may no where flourish; that true religion might be vtterlie extinguished; that the perfect inuocating and calling vpon thy glorious name might be quite rooted out; and to bring all things to naught by forged tales, mens traditions, politike deuises, diuelish deceipts, and verie much outrage. But as for thy beloued Israel, sith she hath by thy great mercie enioied so long peace, and blessed tranquillitie, let hir be ioined more and more vnto thee hir welbeloued, so as she may continuallie laie sure hold vpon thy worthie praises. Suffer not the mouths of hir good and wholesome instructors to be closed vp, and put to silence. Permit not thy due honour to be had in obliuion, nor yet let the hymnes and songs, wherwith thou art highlie praised and celebrated, be vsurped of such as will haue the same in derision and scorne. Finallie, we humblie beseech thee, O excellent father, that what wrath or indignation so euer is due vnto vs, by reason of the heinous sinnes we haue wickedlie committed, thou wouldest yet, for the glorie of thy famous name, turne it frō thy sanctified Church, thy deere spouse; and powre out the same rather vpon them, who with an enimielike [Page 539] rage, and most malicious affection, imagine nothing else, but quite to marre, and vtterlie laie waste thy blessed heritage; and in deede be no lesse aduersaries to thy blessed name, than of our peace and quietnesse, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
A praier for vnbeleeuers, that all men may embrace the Gospell.
VNto thee doo we crie, O Lord, father and maker of all men, which art rich vnto all that call vpon thee, and which commandest the light to shine out of darkenes. For thou wilt that all men should be saued, and come to the knowledge of the truth. And therfore, of thy great loue thou diddest call vs to the participation of the lot of the Saints in light, which are by nature the children of wrath and of death; aliens and strangers from the testaments of promise, hauing none hope, and without God in the world, but now are fellowe Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God, built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Iesus Christ beeing the head corner stone, which susteineth the whole building by his word of power.
Heare vs thy seruants, making supplication for such as yet haue not hard the sound of thy Gospell, neither knowe thy name; but sitting in darkenesse, and in the shadowe of death, haue their minds darkened, and are alienated from the life of God, by the ignorance that is in them, and are caried awaie vnto dumbe idols, and fained gods, euen as they are led, and run to worship that which is no God. Giue grace, that thy word may be knowne among them, and preached in euerie land, and the sound there of go out into the ends of the world, that thou also maist be found of them [Page 540] which sought thee not, and famous among such as neuer asked after thee. Send foorth thy word, that they may be healed, and walke no more in the vanities of their mind.
O God, father of our Lord Iesu Christ, King of glorie, giue them the spirit of wisedome and reuelation, through the confessing of thee: inlighten their minds, that they may knowe what the hope is, wherevnto thou hast called vs, and how pretious the glorie is of thine inheritance in the Saints, and how excellent the greatnesse of his power is toward vs, which beleeue, according to the working of his mightie power, which thou hast wrought in him, when he was raised by thee from the dead, and placed at thy right hand in heauenlie places, aboue all principalities & powers.
Open the harts of vnbeleeuers, that hearing thy word, they may acknowledge thee the onlie true God; and Iesus Christ, whome thou hast sent; and may worship thee the father in the sonne, and the sonne in thee the father, with the holie ghost, euen as thou hast reuealed thy selfe. Take the vaile from the harts of the Iewes, least being blinded in the reading of the old Testament, they stumble at the stone and rocke of offence by incredulitie, and hardnesse of their harts; that thy Sonne Christ crucified and preached, be not vnto them a stumbling blocke, and thy Gospell the sauour of death vnto death; but that being conuerted by true faith, to the knowledge of thee the father in the sonne, their face being vncouered, they may behold thy glorie, knowing by the writings of the Prophets, the Messias, which thou hast appointed to be the Sauiour of the world. Likewise, gather thou the Gentiles, to whome the Gospell, the word of the Crosse, is meere foolishnesse, into thy congregation, that they may embrace thy ministerie, casting off all fleshlie wisedome, and leade all their cogitations captiue to the obedience [Page 541] of the Gospell.
Moreouer, our praier and supplication is, not onlie for those aboue mentioned, but also for such as either, although they resist not thy truth and pure religion openlie and obstinatelie, professe our religion, yet mingled with manie superstitions and abuses, worshipping and calling vpon Saints departed out of this life, or be addicted to outward ceremonies, and rudiments of this world, burdening their consciences with mans obseruations, and traditions of their fathers, or trusting to their owne righteousnesse, or rather to the works and deedes of the flesh, refuse and make little accompt of thy righteousnesse, which is the true iustification; and go about to establish their owne righteousnesse. But Christ is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse, to as manie as beleeue: and another foundation can no man laie, than that is laid in thy sonne the Messias, which is the waie, the truth, the life, and the end of the lawe. For by his perfect obedience, and fulfilling of the lawe, by his innocent and bitter death, hee hath restored vnto vs saluation, and perfect righteousnesse, that euerie one which beleeueth on him, might not perish, but haue euerlasting life.
O God, the sight of the blind, bring them home againe, which through ignorance either are intangled in doubtfull labyrinths, and grosse errours, or countenance polluted religion; that lightened by thy spirit, they may returne into the right waie. And such as with impudent faces, and stiffe neckes, doo obstinatelie with an affected ignorance withstand thine holie spirit, whose senses the god of this world hath blinded, that the light of thy glorious Gospell shine not ouer them; represse and bridle their malice, that by slaughter and persecutions they neither trouble nor destroie thy Church,
Amen.
After the Sermon, reade some of these sentences of Scripture, exhorting to the diligent obseruing and following of Gods word beard.
IF thou shalt obeie diligentlie the voice of the Lord thy God, walke in his ordinances, and obserue, keepe, and doo all his commandements, which I command thee this daie; then all these blessings shall come on thee, and ouertake thee. Blessed shalt thou be in the citie, and blessed in the field, &c. But and if thou wilt not obeie the voice of the Lord thy God, to keepe and doo all his commandements and his ordinances, which I command thee this daie, then all these curses shall come vpon thee, and ouertake thee. Curssed shalt thou be in the citie, and curssed in the field, &c. as in the whole Chapter.
WHO so keepeth the lawe, bringeth offrings inough: he that holdeth fast the commandements, offereth an offering of saluation.
WHO soeuer heareth of me (saieth Christ) these words, and doth the same, I will liken him to a wise man, which hath builded his house on a rocke, &c. But whosoeuer heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be likened vnto a foolish man, which hath builded his house vpon the sands, &c.
BLessed are they that heare the word of God, and keepe it.
THE seruant that knoweth his maisters will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with manie stripes.
THE hearers of the lawe are not righteous before God, but the dooers of the lawe shall be iustified.
WHerefore, be yee dooers of the word, and not hearers onelie, deceiuing your owne selues. For if anie heare the word, and doo it not, he is like vnto a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse. For when he hath considered himselfe, he goeth awaie, and forgetteth immediatlie what manner of one he was. But who so looketh in the perfect lawe of libertie, and continueth therein, he not beeing a forgetfull hearer, but a dooer of the worke, shall bee blessed in his deed.
NOw are yee cleane, through the word which I haue spoken vnto you. Abide in me, and I in you, &c. I am the vine, yee are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth foorth much fruit. For without me can ye doo nothing. If yee abide in me, and my word abide in you, aske what yee will, and it shall be done vnto you.
FOR he that ouercommeth, and keepeth my words vnto the end, to him will I giue power ouer nations.
REmember therefore how thou hast heard and receiued, and hold fast and repent. Hold that, I saie, which thou hast, that no man take thy crowne; and watch.
Then giue thanks, and praie vnto God after the Sermon, and saie:
IMmortall praise and thanks be giuen vnto thee, O almightie God, and most mercifull father, who hast giuen vs so pretious a gift of thy holie word, and vouchsafed vs to heare so glad tidings of thy sacred Gospell, [Page 544] by the hand of this thy minister, who presentlie by thy mercy hath vttered it vnto vs. And seeing thou hast delt so gratiouslie with vs, in the free publishing of thy Gospell, amongst vs this foure and twentie yeeres; that it seemeth thou hast euen lifted vs vp to heauen, with the cities, wherein our Sauiour taught most, in his being vpon the earth; and hast now in a manner throwne them downe to hell; and left in them a terrible and a fearfull example of thy iudgements, against those that walke not woorthie the graces offered vnto them. Grant vs so to profit by this their chastisement and correction, that as of thy grace thou hast reuealed thy will vnto vs, which otherwise we could neuer haue knowne: so now strengthen vs, O Lord, that we neuer refuse thy Gospell in vnbeleefe, nor seeke in the persons of the preachers of it, anie causes and pretences of our infidelitie; but hauing thy word alwaies in our harts, and thy praises in our tongues, we may walke woorthie thy so great graces bestowed vpon vs, and haue our conuersation in heauen, that after wee may be taken vp thither vnto thee, alwaies to glorifie thee, with thy Sonne, and the holie Ghost,
Amen.
A thankes-giuing for the knowledge of God in his word.
WE giue thee thankes, O Father, Lord of heauen and earth, because thou hast hid the mysterie of thy word, which is the Gospell of our saluation by thy Sonne, from the wise, and men of vnderstanding in this world; and hast reuealed the same to babes of base degree; certeinlie such was thy good pleasure. Thou hast giuen vs all things in thy Sonne, whom none knoweth but thou Father; neither dooth anie knowe thee, except [Page 545] thy Sonne, and he to whom thy Sonne shall reueale thee. We worship thee, we praise thee, we glorifie thee, we giue thee thanks for the hid wisedome, which thou didst determine before the world for our glorie, which was neuer knowne to the princes of this world, nor at anie time to the sonnes of men, as it is now reuealed by the spirit; to whom the communion of the mysterie, which was hid from all ages, but is now opened to thy Saints, to whom thou wouldst haue made knowne, what be the riches of this glorious mysterie. It is thine owne working, and of thy free mercie, that we are made heires and partakers of thy promise in Christ Iesu, through the Gospell, which bringeth vs tidings, and full assurance of the euerlasting riches of thine infinite goodnesse and mercie.
Blessed be God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenlie things, by Christ; and hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the world, that we should be holie, and without blame before him, in loue; who hath predestinated vs, to be adopted through Iesus Christ, vnto himselfe; according to the good pleasure of his will, whereby he loueth vs by his beloued, in whom we haue redemption in his bloud, euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded towards vs, in all wisdome and vnderstanding; and hath opened vnto vs the mysterie of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himselfe, euen vntill the dispensation of the fulnesse of time; that he might gather in one all things, both which are in heauen, and which are in earth, euen in Christ; by whom also we are chosen, when wee were predestinated, according to the purpose of him which maketh althings after the counsell of his owne will: that we might be to the praise of his glorie, which hoping haue beleeued in Christ, when [Page 546] we heard the word of truth, euen the Gospell of saluation. And this grace thou didst extend toward vs, not by the works of righteousnesse, which we had done; but according to thy mercie thou sauedst vs, and didst call vs with an holie calling, not according to our works, but according to thine owne purpose & grace, which was giuen to vs through Christ, before all times; and is now made manifest, by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, which hath abolished death, and brought life and immortalitie vnto light, through the Gospell. To thee therefore, which art of power to establish our harts, according to the reuelation of the mysterie, which was kept secret since the world began; but now is opened, and published among all nations, by the Scriptures of the Prophets, at the commandement of the euerlasting GOD, for the obedience of faith; to thee, we saie, God onelie wise, be praise; through Iesus Christ for euer, Amen.
We beseech thee, that according to the operation and working of thy mightie power, we may continue constant in true faith, and wholesome doctrine: and at no time forsaking the wisedome opened in the Gospell, may followe the iudgement of worldlie reason, and fleshlie vnderstanding, which thou hast beesotted, and altogither confounded, in searching thy hidden mysteries. For thy spirituall wisedome dooth farre exceed all wisedome and vnderstanding of the creatures, wherevnto flesh can not attaine: neither can our bloud reueale, nor yet the naturall man, although he be indued with great sharpenesse of wit, and worldlie vnderstanding, perceiue the same. Grant, we beseech thee, that we may be thy simple sheepe, and little-ones, receiuing from thee the word of truth, without contradiction and disputation: and that in the articles of faith, we bring not fleshly wisedome, but being made void of our proper vnderstanding, may bring our minds into a [Page 547] godlie captiuitie. Let thy Sonne, which descending from aboue, brought with him the eternall wisedome of the Gospell, from thy bosome, and was made a sacrifice on our behalfe; but now exalted to thy right hand, bestoweth his gifts: let him, we beseech thee, shine in our harts. Likewise, cause thine holie spirit to instill into vs his diuine light, and breath vpon vs the new flame of thine heauenlie knowledge; till departing into the eternall life, we may behold thee the onlie and true God face to face; which liuest and reignest in perpetuall glorie,
Amen.
Another thankes-giuing after the Sermon.
WE render vnto thee, O heauenlie father, most hartie thanks, for this spirituall & heauenlie nourishment of thy blessed word; wherewith our soules are not onelie well refreshed at this present, but also our faith is strengthened, our loue kindled, and our conscience quieted. Wee most humblie beseech thee, to giue vs grace, not onelie to be hearers of thy word, but dooers also of the same; not onelie to loue, but also to liue thy Gospell; not onlie to fauour, but also to followe thy godlie doctrine; not onelie to professe, but also to practise thy blessed commandements; that whatsoeuer we outwardlie heare, and inwardlie beleeue, we may shew foorth the same in our conuersation and liuing, vnto the honour of thy holie name, the comfort of our Christian brethren, and the health of our soules,
Amen.
Another.
O GOD, wee haue heard with our eares, and our fathers and preachers haue declared vnto vs, the noble works that thou hast done of old time for vs. Grant therefore, we beseech thee, O thou heauenlie husbandman, that this seed of thy word now sowne amongst vs, may take such deepe root in our harts; that neither the burning heate of persecution cause it to wither, neither the thornie cares of this life doo choke it: but that as seed sowne in good ground it may bring foorth thirtie, sixtie, and an hundred fold; as thy heauenlie wisedome hath appointed, to the glorie of thy holie name,
Amen.
Another praier, or thankes-giuing after the Sermon.
I Giue thee most humble thankes, Lord Iesu Christ, that thou hast vouchsafed euen now, abundantlie to refresh and feed vs with the food of thy word. And I beseech thee, that the vnderstanding and knowledge of this thy word, may be wholsome, comfortable, and effectuall in vs; that this heauenlie seed now sowne, doo not die or perish in vs without fruit. Keepe our harts, O Lord; inuiron and compasse them about with the inclosure or hedge of thy grace; and by thy holie Angels preserue and watch ouer the same, that the infernall fowle bird Satan pull not out thy sacred word out of our harts. But prepare our breast, and make apt our harts vnto thee, good Lord, that they may firmelie keepe thy word, and that they may alwaie sticke, and be as new and [Page 549] fresh in our memories. Giue vs also strength, possibilitie, and power, that our life may answere to thy doctrine heard. Giue increase also to thy word, O heauenlie husbandman, that in vs it may augment & growe; and that by thy holie speech and heauenlie eloquence, it may not onlie bring vs to the knowledge of thy will: but also, that we may execute, accomplish, and fullfill that thou commandest and willest; and so perseuering to the end, may at the last aspire to thy celestiall kingdome,
Amen.
Another.
O Gratious God, and most mercifull Father, which hast vouchsafed vs the rich and pretious iewell of thy holie word; assist vs with thy spirit, that it may be written in our harts, to our euerlasting comfort; to reforme vs, to renew vs, according to thine owne image; to build vs vp, and edifie vs into the perfect building of thy Christ; sanctifieng and increasing in vs all heauenlie vertues. Grant this, O heauenlie Father, for Iesus Christs sake,
Amen.
Another praier, for the accomplishing of Gods will reuealed in his lawe.
SUCH truelie are to be accounted right happie amongst mortall men, O most good and mercifull God, as haue thy sacred lawe alwaie set out before the eies of their mind, which they make as a patterne to begin their life by, and as a rule to proceed by, when they haue begun: so that if they shall happen to go astraie, their fault may both [Page 550] be amended thereby, and they also leade a more vertuous life, according vnto iustice. These shall liue blamelesse, and when their dooings shall be examined by vpright iudgement, they shall not be ashamed; which will greatlie auaile, if it be diligentlie practised from the tender age. But I hartilie acknowledge, and earnestlie confesse, O most deere father, that all mans policie is altogether vnprofitable, and none accompt at all to be made thereof, vnlesse thou be present with thy blessed spirit, and dooest direct our minds. For otherwise, what gaine may we haue, by hearing or meditating of thy holie lawe, than a cold and verie hurtfull knowledge? Wherefore, my earnest request is, that thou wouldest not onlie minister strength vnto vs by thy grace, for the accomplishing of these things, which thou commandest in thy diuine lawe; but also to bring this vnto good effect, so that we may haue more felicitie in them, than in all our owne deuises, and take a greater delight in the continuall practise, and due execution thereof, than in anie fleshlie or worldlie pleasures, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another praier for strength speedilie to accomplish Gods diuine lawe.
WHen as we on the one side, doo consider the weaknes of our strength, O most mightie God, and contrariwise, the absolutenesse and perfectnesse of thy blessed lawe; we euidentlie perceiue, that for the obteining thereof, thy most puissant helpe will stand vs in verie great steed. First therefore, teach vs the true waies of thy holie commandements; moreouer, illuminate in such sort our mind and vnderstanding, as we may be able to incline, with great feruencie, vnto those things, which [Page 551] thou hast both taught and commanded. Furthermore, it is needefull for thee, to graunt vs power and abilitie, to performe whatsoeuer we haue learned of thee; otherwise it shall profit vs little or nothing at all, to haue knowledge, vnlesse some part of obedience be either performed, or at least-wise begun in vs, which the lewd inclination of our sinfull harts doth greatlie hinder; and finallie, our senses and corrupt affections are woonderfull huge aduersaries heerevnto.
Succour thou vs therfore, we humblie beseech thee, with thy good grace, and aboundant fauour, forgiuing whatsoeuer we haue committed, and doo dailie, after a most sinfull manner, against thy sacred lawe; neither let it be imputed vnto vs for our eternall destruction. And in the meane season, O good God, quicken and lift vs so vp with thy vnspeakable louing mercie, which we see offred vnto vs in the benigne promises of thy holie scriptures, that thou wouldest not permit vs to swarue from thy sacred lawe, which thou hast vouchsafed to set before vs, who doo with much feruencie desire to be vnseparablie annexed vnto thee. But grant, that we may execute, with an exceeding feruent desire, the charge which is left vnto vs, so that we may maruellous speedilie bestir our steps and feet towards the fulfilling of thy blessed lawe. Cause thou vs, O excellent father, we humblie beseech thee, to cut off, and cast aside all delaies; and that contrarie to the expectation of the vngodlie, who alwaies cast lets to entrap vs, we may be obedient to thy sacred precepts, so that all those, which honour and loue thee purelie, may accompanie vs, that like as the earth is euerie-where replenished with thy inestimable goodnes, so the number of thy true and faithfull suppliants, may be dailie more and more greatlie augmented, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
A praier to be vsed of anie excommunicate person, or notorious sinner, before the dooing of open penance in the Church, for true conuersion and repentance, &c.
ETernall and euerliuing God, Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, thou that by the mouth of thy holie Prophets and Apostles hast plainelie pronounced, that thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may conuert and liue: who also hast sent thine onelie sonne to suffer the cruell death of the crosse, not for the iust, but for such as find themselues oppressed with the burthen of sinne, that by him and his aduocation, they may haue accesse to the throne of thy grace, being assured, that before they crie, they shall find fauour and mercie. Unto thee, most mercifull God, doo I miserable wretch crie, whome for my filthie life, lewd conuersation, and proud contempt of thee, and thy holy lawe, thou to the griefe & dolour of manie good Christian harts, dooest iustlie scourge and punish, by the censures of thy Church, and hast woorthilie cut off, secluded, and reiected, by excommunication from thy mysticall body, making me now a spectacle to God, to angels, and to men.
Unto thee, I saie, O Lord, and maister of all power, which callest offenders vnto thee, by waie of iudgement and affliction, and knowest the hardnesse of our harts, which haue no power of our selues to returne and rise vp, doo I come, and that in the name of thy Sonne, my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, to acknowledge before thee, and this congregation, my heinous sinnes, wherewith I haue too shamefullie polluted my selfe, and offended thee and thy Church. And heere prostrate at the feete of thy Maiestie, I craue [Page 553] mercie and pardon of thee, and aske forgiuenesse of all the world, especiallie of this congregation, whome I confesse I haue offended. Most humblie beseeching thee, O father of mercies, to looke vpon me with thine eies of pitie, euen as thou lookedst sometime vpon the sinfull woman taken in adulterie, and vpon Marie Magdalen in the banket, which prostrating hir selfe at thy feet, bitterlie did bewaile hir wickednesse. Likewise fauour me, as thou didst the Publicane standing a far off in the Temple, without lifting vp his eies vnto heauen for shame, but striking his brest onelie, said, Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner.
And first, O God, that thou wilt pierce through my hardened hart, and moue it by the power of thy holie spirit, in such sort, that I may come to a true knowledge of my sinnes, and feele in my soule and conscience the terrour of thy iudgement vpon all offenders. Especiallie, O Lord, that as I haue offended thy Maiestie, and a great number of this thy Christian congregation, by my detestable fact and greeuous sinne, so (beeing armed by thy grace to endure this mortification of my flesh, like as my Sauiour Iesus suffered for me in his flesh,) I may now subiect my selfe to the iust ordinance of thy Church, and not refuse openlie heere to acknowledge and confesse my faults (and that with all Christian patience, and true humiliation, giuing to thee the glorie of thy name) before the face of thee and this congregation present, who may be eie-witnesses of the same.
But because, O Lord, the externall confession, and outward acknowledgement of my sinnes, without the inward contrition & dolour of the hart and soule, auaileth nothing in thy presence, which art the searcher of the hart, and sifter of the reines; I most humblie beseech thee, that thou wilt so touch my hart and conscience, and effectuallie worke in me perfect remorse, [Page 554] and detestation of my former offences, that without anie hypocrisie, and with true compunction of soule, and sincere confession of the mouth, I vtterlie loathing and condemning mine owne impietie, and damning that which the lawe pronounceth vniust and damnable, may attaine to some sense and feeling of thy mercie, which thou hast aboundantlie shewed vnto all mankind in Christ Iesu our Lord.
Conuert me, O Lord, and I shall be conuerted; because thou art my God, and being conuerted, I will doo penance. Heale me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; saue thou me, and I shall be saued, for thou art my praise. To me, I confesse, shame and confusion of face is due, as I iustlie suffer this daie, but to thee honor and glorie for my redemption, who by thus iudging and punishing me, dooest by little and little giue me place to amend, and space to repent; and hast not suddenlie, and at vnwares taken me awaie from the face of the earth, and ouerwhelmed me by and by through thy iustice in my wicked deedes dooing, as I deserued, and thou iustlie mightest. For which thy lenitie, patience, long-suffering, and mercie, O thou louer of my soule, I most humblie thanke thee; beseeching thee so to mollifie my hart, that I may repent, and esteeme greatlie of so great riches, and inestimable treasures of thy goodnesse.
Moreouer, O good Lord Iesus Christ, grant (I beseech thee) that among all the feares and terrours of my conscience, I may take hold of thee by a liuelie faith, which hast redeemed me from the cursse of the lawe, and art made for me, wisedome and righteousnesse, sanctification and redemption; and may not, in the fight of conscience, yeeld my selfe a slaue still to Sathan, and despaire of thy mercie; but vpholden by the voice of thy Gospell, may flee vnto thee my mediator, and iustified by faith, may haue peace with God, that so [Page 555] comming vnto thee by hearing thy word to repentance, the Angels in heauen may continuallie haue occasion to reioice; and I auoiding the fearefull vengeance, which most assuredlie shall fall vpon the inobedient, may be restored into the right of thy lawe, and receiued againe into the bosome of thy Church, as a member of thy mysticall body, and from my hart walke in all holie obedience to thee and thy holie word, to the praise of thy name, the comfort of thy Church, and the confusion of Sathan,
Amen.
A thankes-giuing and praier vnto God, of a reconciled offender, or excommunicate person restored into the Church, to be vsed after open penance done at a Sermon, or otherwise.
HEauenlie father, fountaine of all mercie and consolation, I confesse my selfe the chiefest of all sinners, and a wretch most vnworthie to bee counted amongst thy children, or to be a member of thy Church, if thou haue respect to the corruption of my nature, and horror of my manifold misdeeds. But seeing it hath pleased thy fatherlie goodnesse, not onlie freelie to elect and choose me in thy deere sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, by his death to redeeme me, by his Gospell to call me, and by his holie spirit (which both are thine) to illuminate me: but also that thou hast commanded thy holie word and sacred Gospell to be preached, not onlie to me, but to all the world, to the end that the penitent may haue an assurance of the remission of all their sinnes, great and small, old and new, not onlie for a time, but euen as oft as they, from sorowfull harts, and broken spirits, in bitter teares, shall bewaile the same, and call for thy grace and mercie.
[Page 556] In consideration of this thy fatherlie adoption, and ineffable clemencie shewed vpon mee an vnwoorthie wretch, I can not but highlie praise and magnifie thy fatherlie mercie. A testimonie whereof I not onelie feele now in my selfe; but others also see the same euidentlie in this my conuersion, and confession of my fore-passed faults; in the which my penance dooing, I am assured that I haue not so much shamed my selfe before this godlie congregation, as I haue thereby confounded and ouercome mine enimie Satan, who for a time had me in bondage, and by whose venem and deceiuable entisements, I heretofore haue beene verie rebellious to the wholesome admonitions of the Church: for the which vile sinnes, rebellion, and contempt, I confesse I haue beene woorthilie excommunicate, and punished by the censures of the same.
But now, O Lord, seeing that the spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ hath so farre preuailed in me, that by the power therof I am now set at freedome; & by thy mercie am returned againe to the societie of thy Saints, and mysticall bodie of thy Church; I beseech thee, for the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ, so to accept me sorowfull conuert, and to allow of this mine vnfeined repentance and confession, that my former inobedience and faults be neuer laid to my charge. Haue mercie vpon me, O God, haue mercie vpon me, and absolue me thy poore creature, not onelie from the sentence of excommunication, but also from the sinnes by me committed, and from all censures of the Church laid against me for the same, or before: and that Lord, giuen according to this my hartie and vnfeined repentance before thee, and all this congregation; and as I hartilie forgiue all the world, that in anie thing hath offended against me.
O Lord, pronounce thou my sinnes to be cleansed, and they shall be cleansed; absolue thou me from the [Page 557] chaine of mine iniquities, wherewith I am fast tied and bound, and I shall be absolued; loose thou my sins in earth, and they shall be loosed in heauen: that being now by thy great goodnesse and mercie acquited, and sent awaie vncondemned of thee, as that sinfull woman taken in adulterie was from hir accusers; and receiued againe to the societie of Iesus Christ, into the bosome of his Church; to the participation of his blessed Sacraments; and finallie to the fruition of all thy benefits; I may, by the perpetuall assistance of thy holie spirit, not onelie more and more be displeased with my sinnes, and bridle hencefoorth my corrupt affections, till Satan be cleane troden vnder my feet, by the power of my redeemer Christ: but also be so conducted in all the course of my life hereafter, that I neuer fall into the like sinnes, impietie, and contempt of God and godlinesse anie more, but that continuallie I may be subiect to the voice of the Church, and to the ministers of the same, and proceed dailie in all maner of good works, and Christian obedience, to the praise of thy holie name, and edifieng of thy Church; by Iesus Christ our Lord and onelie Sauiour, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be giuen all honour, glorie, praise and thankes-giuing, not onelie of me miserable sinner and vnwoorthie wretch, but also of all men, Angels and creatures, both in heauen and in earth, from this time foorth for euermore,
Amen.
A praier to be vsed for the conuersion of anie notorious sinner, that doth open penance in the Church.
PItifull God, omnipotent Lord, and mercifull Father; who for that good will thou bearest vnto vs in Iesus Christ thy deere sonne, wilt not the death and destruction of a sinner; but rather that he by the inspiration and moouing of thy holie spirit conuert and liue, who also doost witnesse, the vertue and strength of thy word to be such, that it causeth the mountaines to shake, the rocks tremble, and the flouds to drie vp: behold we thy children and people here prostrate before thee, most humblie beseech thee for Iesus Christs sake, pitifullie to looke vpon all sinners, and especiallie vpon this our sister here present, who once was baptised in thy name, and hath professed hir selfe subiect to this religion, and vnto the discipline of thy Church; though Satan alas now for a while hath so blinded hir, that wilfullie shee hath contemned both the one and the other.
But, O Lord, as thou alone knowest; so maist thou alone change and mollifie the harts of the impenitent sinners: thou, I saie, which by the voice of the prophet Nathan awakedst Dauid from his deadlie securitie; and who without anie prophet didst beate downe the pride of Manasses in the prison, after that he had filled Ierusalem with all kind of impietie: thou which turnedst the hart of Peter at the onelie looke of thy deere sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, after that fearfullie with horrible imprecations hee had thrise denied, and openlie forsworne thee: thou which openedst the eies of the blind excommunicate man, and causedst him to beleeue thy saiengs; & which forgauest the woman [Page 559] taken in adulterie, & sentst hir awaie vncondemned of thee & hir accusers; thou I saie, O Lord, whose mercies without measure endure for euer. To thee doo we praie for this our sister, heere presentlie punished, and dooing open penance for hir offences, earnestlie desiring thee, O father of mercies, first so to pierce and moue hir heart with the feare of thy seuere iudgements, which sufferest no child of thine to go vncorrected in this world, to the end they may escape vnpunished in the world to come: and so to open hir eies, that she may begin to see and vnderstand, how fearefull and terrible a thing it is to fall into thy hands, and to prouoke thy wrath and indignation against hir.
Let it please thy Maiestie, by the vertue of thy holie spirit, so to mollifie hir hard hart, I saie, that she may now at length feele how greeuouslie she hath offended, both against thee and the Church; and giue hir thy grace to acknowledge, accuse, and damne as well before vs, whome she hath offended, as before thy presence, this hir contempt and sinne so notorious and damnable, least that by hir obstinacie and wilfull rebellion, thy Church and congregation being further prouoked, be compelled with greefe of harts to cut hir quite off from thy mysticall bodie; whome we, O Lord, vnfeinedlie desire to receiue within the Church, as a liuelie member of thy deere sonne our Lord Iesus Christ. Heare vs, mercifull father; call backe againe this our deere sister from eternall destruction, where-into Sathan would leade hir; that we all, who before thy presence, euen for hir rebellion and transgressions doo mourne, may receiue hir againe with gladnes and ioie, and so render praise and honour vnto thee before this thy holie congregation.
We grant our selues, O Lord, vnworthie, whome thou shouldest heare; because we cease not to offend thee by our continuall transgressing of thy holie precepts. [Page 560] Looke not vpon vs, mercifull father, in this our corrupt nature, but looke downe to thy deere sonne, whome thou of thy meere mercie hast appointed our head, high Bishop, aduocate, mediator, and onlie propitiator. In him, and in the merits of his death, we humblie beseech thee, mercifullie to behold vs; and suffer not the most innocent bloud of thy deere sonne shead for vs, and this our penitent sister, to be prophaned by the tyrannie and sleight of Sathan: but by the vertue of the same, let our sister be brought to vnfeined repentance, and conuersion, that so she may escape that fearfull indignation, into the which she appeareth to haue fallen.
Grant I saie, O Lord, vnto this our sister, the repentance of the hart, and sincere confession of the mouth, to the praise of thy name, to the comfort of thy Church, and to the confusion of Sathan. And vnto vs grant, O Lord, that albeit we cannot liue altogether cleane from sinne, and void of offences; yet that we fall not into the like horrible crimes of impietie and contempt, to the dishonour of thy holie name, to the slander and offence of our brethren and sisters, and infamie of thy holie Religion and Gospell, which we professe. Let thy godlie power, O Lord, so perpetuallie assist and strengthen our weakenesse, and conduct vs in all the course of our whole life; that neither the craft of Sathan, nor the tyrannie of sinne drawe vs vtterlie from the obedience required in true Christians: but that contrarilie beeing subiect to the voice of thy Church, and to the ministers of the same vnder thee, by holinesse and innocencie of life we may declare to the wicked generation, what difference there is betweene the children of light, and the children of darkenesse; that all men seeing our good works, may praise thee in the daie of visitation. This we aske of thee, O heauenlie Father, in the boldnesse of our head and mediator [Page 561] Iesus Christ, praieng furthermore as he hath taught vs: Our Father, &c.
Another praier to be said of the beholders of anie offender in the Church, or else-where.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull father, whose iudgements are vnsearchable, and whose waies are past finding out; teach vs to iudge wiselie of this our sister, and all other afflicted with thy hand; not condemning them, but rather profiting by them, that their example may leade vs to repentance, and bringing foorth such fruits, as thou requirest of all those that are planted in thy Church; least by continuing fruitlesse, we prouoke thee at the last to the cutting of vs downe. And because thou hast giuen vs a sauiour able to heale all our infirmities, deliuer vs by him, O Lord, from all the bonds of Sathan; that being set at libertie by him, we may fore-see the straight doore, and enter into it, leauing the wide gate that leadeth to destruction, that we may be saued with those few that are appointed therevnto in Iesus Christ, to whome with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all honor, praise and glorie, for euermore,
Amen.
A thanks-giuing for the conuersion of an excommunicate person, or other publike offender after penance.
WE thanke the mercie and goodnesse of our God, through Iesus Christ our Lord, for the conuersion & patient penance doing of this our sister, whereby she hath not so much endured the reproch and infamie of hir owne sinnes, as in deede she hath [Page 562] confounded and ouercome Satan hir deadlie foe, who went about to make hir his continuall slaue: and by whose subtile sleights and euill suggestions, she hath heretofore beene disobedient to thy holie lawes, and wholsome admonitions of thy Church. And now, O Lord, seeing that the spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ hath so farre preuailed in hir, that she is returned to our societie; let it please thee for the obedience of the same our Lord Iesus Christ so to accept hir, that hir former disobedience and sinnes be neuer laid to hir charge, but that she may increase in all goodnesse, till Satan finallie be troden vnder hir feete and ours, by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holie Spirit, be all honor and glorie now and euer,
Amen.
Before the publike administration of the holie sacrament of Baptisme, the better to call to mind our owne vow and promise made long since vnto God, praie priuatelie to your selfe, and saie:
O Most blessed fore-goer and guide of Christian people, Iesu Christ, who submitting and humbling thy selfe, vouchsafedst to be baptised of Iohn in the riuer Iordan, and wast not onlie baptised in water, but also in blood, and in the holie Ghost: vouchsafe euen so to incline, bow and dispose our outwarde life, with our inward mind, affects, and desires, in the fulfilling of all righteousnesse: so that we being now mortified & dead to the old Adam, through thy holie witnesse of baptisme, by the working and operation of the holie Ghost, may alwaie haue our holy couenant in remembrance, & before our eies, that couenaunt, vow, and promise (I saie,) which we haue taken vpon vs in our baptisme; to the intent that we, [Page 563] as faithfull champions, striuing against the world, the flesh, and the diuell, may vanquish and ouercome them with all other, which might be noifull and hurtfull vnto vs,
Amen.
Or giue thanks for our regeneration and sanctification, as afterward in the praier vpon Whitsundaie.
Or praie thus for the spirituall washing awaie of thy sinnes.
HAue mercie on me, O GOD, according to thy great tendernesse of hart. For in wickednesse borne I was, and in sinnes my mother conceiued me: so that of nature all that I am, I am but sin. This my confession of the truth, I knowe well, is right acceptable vnto thee, wheras in the most part of others thou hast either hid the same, or made it vnknowne. Purge and sprinkle mee with the bloud of Iesus Christ thine vnspotted lambe. If thou wash me, I shall be as white as snowe: wash me thoroughlie therfore from mine errours, clense me not onlie of my sinnes passed; but also of my whole life to come; so shall I receiue these glad tidings into my hart, that my sins be forgiuen me. With the baptisme of spirit in the fire of thine illumination baptise me, which is the might & efficacie of baptisme, which we receiued in our childhood. Grant that the same spirit might alwaie conduct vs, & let this spirituall washing of baptisme continue with vs, vntill the infection and vice, which we haue by nature of old Adam, be perfectlie taken awaie by the death of the flesh, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Or praie that the benefits of both the holie Sacraments may be applied vnto our soules health.
O Blessed Trinitie, and eternall God of one essence; giue grace, that in euerie combate, and especiallie at the point of death, being mindfull of thy couenant made with vs at our Christening, & of thy most comfortable promise anexed, He which beleeueth, and is baptised, shall bee saued: we may neuer doubt, either of thy mercifull good-will towards vs, or of the free remission of our sinnes: but by often remembring this signe and couenant, may dailie more and more be confirmed in faith, and hope of perpetuall happinesse: and applie thy benefits, which certainlie thou hast promised, and faithfullie wilt performe vnto our selues. For thy promises made to such as beleeue and trust in thee, be not vaine, and to no purpose.
Likewise vphold our soules by the Sacrament of thy Supper, that strengthened with the seale of this new testament, we may be the more certaine; and confirmed touching our reconciliation, and euerlasting righteousnesse; & alwaies beare it fixed in our minds. For if the testament of a man, which is prooued after the death of the Testator, be not small accounted of; much more should the last testament and holie Sacrament of our Sauiour Christ remaine pure, and in continuall force and remembrance.
Or praie, that we may rightlie and trulie receiue the blessed Sacraments.
O Most mercifull God, and louing father, who by thy son Iesus Christ hast abrogated the superfluous ceremonies of the Lawe, and hast deliuered vs from the bondage thereof, giuing vnto vs sure & certaine seals and sacraments of thy grace; and our free redemption through the most pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ. Grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, that we may euermore vse them according to thy sonne our Sauiours institution, who hath left them as pledges of his great loue towards mankind, & as continuall remembrances of his most pretious death, which he suffered vpon the wood of the crosse for our redemption: who by the fountaine of water hath regenerated vs, and by his most pretious bloud hath purged vs. Make vs therefore to receiue these holie mysteries without corruption, to vse them without alteration, to continue them without superstition, to the honour and glorie of thy most holie name, through Iesu Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost, be all honour and glorie now and for euer,
Amen.
After publike baptisme praie, and giue thanks secretlie to yourselfe, as time will serue, saieng:
WE yeeld thee most hartie thanks, O heauenlie Father; for that it hath pleased thee to regenerate vs with the fountaine of water, by faith in the bloud of thy sonne Iesus Christ, and to purge vs from that originall sinne, which we receiued of the old Eue. But who is able, oh Lord, to [Page 566] to giue thee sufficient praises? Or who can expresse thy louing kindnesse and great mercies towards mankinde, who hast not onlie redeemed him from the yoke of the lawe, the bondage of hell, and destruction of the diuell: but also like a mercifull and louing father, euen in our first entrance into this world, washedst vs from iniquitie, and hast giuen vs the Sacrament of Baptisme, euen as a memoriall of our election, in thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, whereby beeing made thine adopted children, we may by the sanctification of thy spirit, inherit the euerlasting kingdome, through the same Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Or praie for the fruits of Baptisme thus.
MOst heauenlie and eternall father, we thy humble seruants entirelie desire thy fatherlie goodnesse, that as thou hast begun in vs a newe birth, & washed vs with the fountaine of regeneration, whereby we are made members of thy bodie, and elected into the number and felowship of thy Church and congregation: so thou wouldest powre vpon vs the grace of thy spirit, to direct our liues according to this beginning, in holinesse and purenesse, that we may mortifie the lusts of the flesh, resist the assaults of Sathan, and auoide the alurements of the wicked world, remembring alwaies that Baptisme doth represent vnto vs our vocation, quenching those sparks of concupiscence that we all drawe from the old Adam, and quickning vs in those good fruits of Christ our Sauiour, who continuallie preserue vs with his holie spirit for euer and euer,
Amen.
Or praie for the continuance of the true institution of the Sacraments thus:
O Most mightie and most mercifull God, by whose power the heauens and earth, and all things therein, are created; who hast placed euerie thing in a most excellent order, and hast framed man after thine owne similitude and image, raising him from hell to heauen, from wo to ioie, from damnation to saluation; and hast giuen him through thy sonne Iesu Christ, a most sure bond of thy promise made in the beginning to mankind for the redemption of the world, sending thine onlie begotten Sonne Iesu Christ to performe the same, who made one onelie oblation and sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world, and did ordaine and institute two most holie Sacraments to continue the remembrance of the same; make vs euer mindfull (we beseech thee) of these thine inestimable treasures. Continue, oh Lord, this thy fauour towards vs. Let not tyrants preuaile against thy Church, but let thy mightie power be shewed, that the sacred rites may cōtinue in thy Church, that the enimies may be ouerthrowne; as the Turke, who would vtterlie destroie those most holie Sacraments, which thou hast ordeined for our saluation; as the Anabaptists, which like heretikes, alter thy most holie institution; as the Atheists, who bred in them great corruption. Conuert them, we beseech thee, O Lord, and establish vs in the truth of thy holie spirit, by thy mightie power, that both now and euer wee may continue in the right institution of thy Sacraments, which thy Sonne our Sauiour Christ hath left most perfect vnto vs, to the endlesse ioie and consolation of our soules. To whome therefore, with thee, [Page 568] and the holie Ghost, be all honour, glorie, and praise, world without end,
Amen.
Christian praiers to be said before, at, and after ye receiue the holie Communion, and first: An effectuall meditation of the right Christian beleefe in the holie Sacrament of the Lords supper, and of the woorthie and fruitefull receiuing the same, to our comfort and saluation; to be diligentlie read before you receiue.
O My soule, let vs now carefullie consider first, whether we bee come; namelie, to the celestiall table, heauenlie banket, greate feast, costlie repast, and sumptuous supper of the most puissant, glorious, mightie, and magnificent King of kinges, and Lord of lordes, Iesus Christ thy [Page 569] most mercifull maker, righteous redeemer, souereigne sauiour, and deere spouse; and that of necessitie, as both forced therevnto by his iust commandement, and also allured and inuited by his mercifull promises.
Secondlie, O my soule, let vs rightlie knowe, and diligentlie marke, what things are heere presentlie set before vs on this holie Table, and prouided for vs in this blessed banket to taste of; namelie, that the deintie dishes, and the refection and meate which we must in verie deede seeke for onelie in this sacred supper, are no vaine ceremonies, no bare signe, no vntrue figure of a thing absent, no earthlie bodie, no carnall meate, nor anie fleshlie substance; but as the sacred Scripture saith, and other holie men doo rightlie tearme and call them, The Bread and Cup of the Lord; a heauenlie refection; the sweet deinties of our sauiour; the nourishment of our soules; an inuisible meate; a spirituall foode; a ghostlie substance: which all are heere now most mercifullie offered, and exhibited vnto vs, and all other faithfull soules, as the soueraigne preseruatiue against death; the conseruatorie to euerlasting life; the comfortable medicine of the soule; the salue of immortalitie; the pledge of eternall health; the defence of faith; the hope of the resurrection; the memorie of Christ; the annuntiation of his death: finallie, the communion of the bodie and bloud of the Lord Iesus, in a maruellous incorporation, which by the holie Ghost (the verie bond of our perfection with Christ) is through faith wrought in the soules of the faithfull, whereby not onlie their soules doo liue to eternall life; but also they surelie trust to win to their bodies a resurrection to immortalitie. In the which also, we may not onlie heare, see, taste, and knowe the mercie of God our Creator sealed; the sanctification by Christ our redeemer towards vs confirmed; the remission of our sinnes through the holie Ghost our comforter and regenerator [Page 570] fullie satisfied and established: but also most sensiblie and effectuallie to our further comfort, in deed feele wrought in vs; the tranquillitie of conscience; the increase of faith; the strengthening of hope; and the long spreading abroad of brotherlie loue and kindnesse, with manie other sundrie maruellous graces and benefits of God, most profitable vnto vs. Which things well considered and weighed, my soule, O with what feruent affection and earnest zeale ought they now to inflame our hart, and kindle our mind, greedilie to couet and desire the participation of these most holie mysteries; yea, often to long and hunger after this healthsome bread, and continuallie thirst for this diuine, heauenlie, and blessed food!
Thirdlie and lastlie, O my soule, let vs aduisedlie call to mind, and well vnderstand the cause, wherefore wee are now come vnto this holie table of the Lord: which indeed is onlie to this end; that we should now be godlie ghests, not idle gazers; hungrie eaters; not steruing lookers on; to feede our selues, and not to hire others to feed for vs: that so we may liue by our owne meate, and not perish for hunger, while other deuoure all. We are come togither, I saie, O my soule, with this congregation assembled, presentlie to celebrate a sacrifice, not priuatelie in one kind for the dead, nor to make a mysterie a sacrifice, nor of a communion to make a priuate eating, nor of two parts to haue but one, nor yet to applie it for the dead, and so we to loose the fruit that are aliue. No no, my soule; God forbid that we should come to celebrate this holie mysterie after anie such sort, or to anie such vse or purpose. For that were to declare our selues vnwoorthie of the Lord, yea to be accursed of him, for committing such spirituall blasphemie and robberie. But knowe, that we are come hither now publikely and openly at this the Lords boord, to minister & doo that, which he himselfe, [Page 571] a little before his death, vouchsafed in his owne person most wiselie, kindlie, and louinglie to inuent, prouide, institute, ordeine, doo, establish, and command; as a most necessarie waie and meane for it, the better to take some place in vs; and not to be frustrate of it end and purpose. Yea, to doo that which his holie Apostles also afterward, togither with the godlie fathers in the primitiue Church both vsed, practised, authorised, and confirmed; according as it was deliuered and giuen by the first author thereof onelie: that is to saie, euen openlie and publikelie to celebrate, in the Lords most happie commemoration and remembrance, at this his holie table, the heauenlie memorie of that most maruellous worke, and deere bought benefit of our redemption and saluation, wrought by Christ Iesus, to our endlesse consolation, profit, commoditie and eternall saluation, in his (with all reuerence named) most pretious death, painfull crosse, & bloudie passion.
And wite thou well, O my soule; that like as Moses, Aaron, and Phinees long since did somtimes eate Manna in the wildernesse, then spirituallie vnderstanding those visible things: euen so now, we in like maner spirituallie vnderstanding these holie mysteries, (for it is the spirit that quickeneth and giueth life, the flesh profiteth vs nothing, as saith our Sauiour) must here also spirituallie hunger, spirituallie taste, spirituallie eate the flesh of Christ, and spirituallie drinke his bloud indeed, in these holie mysteries, by faith onlie, and assured constant beleefe; that the blessed bodie of Christ was crucified, and his pretious bloud shed vpon the Crosse for our saluation. And so receiue this the Lords supper, euen for a token, badge, or cognizance of this faith and saluation in Christs merits; declaring therby euermore his death and passion, with thanks-giuing, vntill he come.
Neither must we now so much as once dreame of [Page 572] anie grosse or carnall eating, or fleshlie feeding; or thinke that we are come at this present to feed our senses and bellie to corruption, (for that were baselie to abiect and bind our selues to the elements and creatures, and so to declare our selues drowned in deed in the dirtie lake of blindnesse and ignorance:) but onlie and in truth to nourish and feed our inward man to immortalitie, and life euerlasting: namelie, that as our outward man is nourished by letting in this bodilie meat into the stomach, that is helthsome and sound to be digested; so our inward man may be spirituallie fed and satisfied, by receiuing the meate thereof into our soule and hart, sound and whole in faith. And therfore we shall not need now at this present time, in dooing these things, to whet our teeth, O my soule; but (as S. Cyprian saith) with sincere faith to breake and diuide this holie bread. For surelie, without faith, (which indeed is the onelie instrument most necessarie, in the right vse of all these holie mysteries) it is impossible to please God heerein; neither can the vnbeleeuers and faithlesse folke feed vpon the Lords pretious bodie, nor enioie the eating and drinking of this so high and diuine nourishment of spirituall food. Yea, to haue anie other eating, than spirituallie by faith onelie, is plaine idolatrie. It behoueth vs therfore, O my soule, diligentlie to ponder, weigh and consider of these things: that now at the last we may, not onelie vnfeinedlie and thoroughlie trie, prooue, and examine our selues, our owne consciences and liues: but also humblie acknowledging our faults vnto God, hartilie repenting our former sinfull life, asking mercie of GOD the Father for Christs sake, and gladlie forgiuing all our offenders, effectuallie and carefullie there withall plucke vp, euen the verie roots of heathenish infidelitie, and all distrust in Gods mercifull promises, to the end we may thereby, in verie deed, shew our selues liuelie [Page 573] plants of the fruitfull oliue, liuing branches of the true vine, and woorthie members of Christs mysticall bodie; euen such as haue our life, our abiding, our vnion, and as it were our incorporation with him.
Finallie, O my soule; we must not now, like chattering Iaies, so much regard or consider these earthlie elements, and terrene creatures, which we see with our corporall eie, and still remaine so: but especiallie and in deed haue respect to the heauenlie graces and benefits, which our faith beholdeth in and by them. Neither must we by anie meanes cleaue to these inferiour or base things, which lie here beneath, and are visiblie discerned: but leauing them altogether, wee must rather resemble and plaie the parts of the Egles, who flie & mount vp thither, where the dead bodie lieth; that is, giuing credit to the words of Christ, who saith: The words that I speake are spirit and life. And againe; remembering that God willeth such as will be true worshippers of him, to worship him in spirit and truth, we must now so behold the bread and wine with our naturall eies, that we may neuerthelesse especiallie lift vp the eies of our mind to heauen, and looke vp by faith vpon the holie bodie and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, God and man, as he is there sitting at the right hand of God his Father, in equall glorie, power, and maiestie: alwaies seeking it there, where the sunne of righteousnesse euermore shineth; continuallie holding fast, and still cleauing by faith onlie to the rocke, whence we may sucke in deed the sweetnes of euerlasting saluatin. So shall we, O my soule, now repenting hartilie our former fowle life, being in perfect loue and charitie with all men, maruelling with reuerence and feare at these sacred things; now touching these holie and fearfull mysteries with our mind, receiuing them with the hand of our hart, and taking them fullie with our inward [Page 572] [...] [Page 573] [...] [Page 574] man by faith onelie, be sure at this holie table euen now presentlie to receiue; not onlie the outward Sacrament; but the spirituall thing also; not the figure, but the truth; not the shadowe, but the bodie: and that not to death, but to life; not to our destruction, but to our saluation: which God, euen our owne God, for his mercies sake grant vs now effectuallie to doo, through the onelie merits of our Lord and Sauiour Jesus Christ: to whom be all honour, glorie, dominion, power and praise, for euer and euer,
Amen.
The praier.
ALmightie and most mercifull God, my heauenlie Father; I thy poore child, and most vnwoorthie bidden ghest to this thy prepared sacrifice and celestiall feast, after due examination of my former life, with an humble and contrite hart, with a sorowfull and repentant spirit, and with a forgiuing and charitable mind, heere prostrate on my knees before thy throne of mercie, with most lowelie hart, humblie beseech thy Maiestie, (euen for thy deere and onelie sonne Iesus Christs sake, whom thou hast once for all euer, alreadie giuen an oblation and offering for our sinnes) to haue mercie, pitie, and compassion vpon me, most vile, wretched, and miserable sinner; and to forgiue me all mine innumerable and horrible offences, both old and new, committed against heauen and earth, and against thee. And new I praie thee, sanctifie me throughlie, O God; and make me, who hartilie desire in feare & trembling to please thee in all things that I doo, a woorthie communicant, a godlie ghest, and fit partaker heere this daie of thy heauenlie food, in this great and sumptuous Supper of my Lord and my God: by giuing vnto me of thine [Page 575] accustomed goodnesse, the right knowledge and vnderstanding out thy word, of the thing it selfe; these holie mysteries, I meane, and the manifold fruits and benefites thereof, and also by causing me, through the working of thy mercie and grace, to bring now with me a true and constant faith, the roote and wel-spring of all newnesse of life, as well in praising thee, and louing my neighbour, as purging mine owne conscience by earnest repentance, and continuall contrition, from dead works and filthinesse of sinne; so that, neither the ignorance of the thing, O gratious God, may cause me to contemne it, nor vnfaithfulnesse make it void of fruit, nor sinne and iniquitie procure me thy heauie plagues; but grant that I may, by faith in knowledge and amendment of life, in faith be heere now so vnited to thy sonne Christ my head, and most deerelie beloued spouse, in these his holie and heauenlie mysteries, to my comfort both in bodie and soule, that afterward I may haue full fruition of him in deede, to mine euerlasting ioie and saluation in eternall life, through the same Iesus Christ our Lord, blessed for euer,
Amen.
Another godlie praier.
O Iesu Christ, holy and eternall God, I miserable woman, and wretched sinner, acknowledge and confesse, that I am not woorthie the least of all thy mercies, and most vnwoorthie to receiue thee vnder the roofe of my soule, by participating of thy most blessed bodie and bloud. For horrible and infinite are the sinnes, wherewith I am defiled. Wo is me, Lord. For I am a woman of polluted lips, and dwell among people that haue vncleane lips. And therefore the verie entrailes of my hart are troubled, and my bones doo shake, because I finde my [Page 576] soule a most vnworthie ghest for so heauenlie a supper. And yet againe, mine hart is woonderfullie lightned, when I call to mind, that thou, the deere sonne of almightie God, camest not into this world to call the righteous, but sinners vnto repentance. For they that be whole, need not the Physician, but they that are sick. Besides, I knowe right well, and constantlie doo beleeue, that notwithstanding my filthinesse, thou canst make mee woorthie; which alone canst make that cleane, which is conceiued of vncleane seed, and righteous men of sinners, when thou forgiuest our sinnes of thy woonted grace, thine holie spirit being powred vpon vs. Through which thy power and mercie, I beseech thee, graunt such grace vnto me a sinner, that I may woorthilie approch to this heauenlie sacrament; least otherwise by mine vnwoorthinesse I be made giltie of thy bodie and bloud, and so in stead of life, receiue my iudgement and condemnation.
Giue grace therefore, that afore I presume to come vnto the participation thereof, I may examine my selfe, by calling my sinnes into mind, searching out my waies, and by vnfeigned and hartie repentance returning vnto thee my Lord; least otherwise, by concealing my sinnes with Iudas the traitor, I eate the bread of the Lord against the Lord; and by abusing thy gentlenesse, heape vengeance vnto my selfe against the daie of vengeance. O make me therefore, I saie, to confesse my sinnes, and that with hartie sobs; so thou, being a faithfull and iust God, wilt abandon all mine offences, and cleanse me from my sinnes, and wilt not disdaine to accept me into fauour, when I doo not refraine to acknowledge my wickednesse.
Moreouer, powre into me a true and liuelie faith, that I neuer mistrust thy word annexed to the Sacraments, which promiseth vnto mankind the remission of sinnes. For to eate or drinke with the mouth onelie, [Page 577] is to no purpose; but faith must come therevnto, and apprehend the word with the promises annexed: for they are the grounds and principles of this sacrament: so that, whosoeuer giueth credit to these words, Which was giuen and shead for you, in the remission of sinnes; the same man hath that, which is promised by them, namelie, eternall life and saluation. For where the remission of sinnes is, there likewise righteousnes, life and saluation is. But he which doubteth of these words, he without doubt is an vnworthie receiuer, and commeth vnprepared. For the doubting man neither eateth the flesh spirituallie, nor yet drinketh the bloud; though carnallie, and to our eies he seemeth to consume the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud with his teeth and mouth, but his damnation rather; not bicause thy supper is poison, but for that an euill man taketh a good thing naughtilie.
Finallie, grant also, that receiuing this thy Sacrament of the new Testament, I may put off, according to the former conuersation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the lusts of error, and be renewed in the spirit of my mind, putting on the new man, which after God is shapen in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth. And albeit my nature be such, that I can not liue without spots of wickednesse; yet so blesse me, that I may neuer offend willinglie, but altogether depending vpon thy goodnesse, whose manner is to pardon the true penitent, that sinners may boldlie approch to thine holie supper; especiallie, seeing we haue libertie to enter into the holie places, through thy bloud, by the new and liuing waie, which thou hast prepared for vs, through the vaile, that is, by thy flesh. And seeing we haue an high Priest ouer the house of God, make vs to drawe nigh with true harts, in assurance of faith, sprinkled in our minds from an euill conscience, and washed in bodie with pure water. Cause vs to [Page 578] hold fast the profession of the hope without wauering. For he is faithfull that promised: and let vs consider one of another, to prouoke vnto loue, & to good works; not forsaking the assemblie of the faithfull, as the maner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more as we see the daie approching,
Amen.
Another most Christian and deuout praier, to be said before the receiuing of the holie Communion.
O Christ our Lord and Sauior, which before thy greeuous agonie, and heapes of trouble, thorough the wrath of thine almightie Father lighting vpon thee, commandedst thy Disciples Peter and Iohn to prepare the passouer, that together they might eate the same. Thou longedst for our saluation, and didst eate of the lambe, which was a figure of thy selfe; and expressedst the image of that banket, which thy people the Israelits, vnder the conduction of thy seruant Moses, about to depart out of Aegypt, did celebrate. Hauing finished the supper of the old couenant, thou begannest a new couenant, testifieng of thy presence and benefits in the Church. Mooue thou our harts to thankfulnesse, that with like desire we may desire to come vnto thy table, and seeke the nourishment to eternall life. Suffer vs not to loath thine heauenlie banket, as prophane and curious men doo, which contend with thee, & contemne the order which thou hast appointed. Amend all abuses and prophanings of thine holie table, horriblie deformed with filthinesse; for the which we are punished in all places with manifold plagues and diseases. By thy wisedome thou healest our diseases and infirmities, and by the visible signes of Sacraments thou confirmest our faith. Thou art effectuall by them in [Page 579] the beleeuers, according to thy promise. We blesse the bread and wine as thou hast willed; and beleeue that with them we receiue thee in true faith and puritie of mind.
Thou declarest by this thy Supper, that trulie thou tookedst our flesh vpon thee, for our sakes; euen to ingraffe vs to thine owne flesh, and bring vs to eternall life. This is eternall life, which is begunne in this world, whereby the soule is renewed vnto eternall happinesse.
Moreouer, this blessed meate doth witnesse and testifie, that our bodies, which are replenished with the sense of thy liuing flesh, shall rise againe to perpetuall glorie. Increase and nourish, by the profitable taking of thee, this light within vs. Worke, that thy Sacraments taken and digested, thou maist come into vs, and we into thee. Assist vs thy ghests, O sweet housholder; that woorthilie we may feed vpon thy meate. Trie our soule with earnest and vnfeined conuersion. Let vs not plaie the hypocrites, nor prophanelie dallie with thee and thy holie Sacraments. Cause vs rightlie to discerne thy bodie and bloud from other common meate. Let vs neuer eate the bodie of the Lord against the Lord. Grant in true and vnfeined faith we may enter into this thy sacred couenant, that we may alwaies abide in thee, and thou in vs.
Likewise, by thine holie spirit, which is the bond of loue, in this publike and common banket, ioine vs to thine other members of thy Church. Giue grace, that all which feed of this bread, may be one bodie, knit vnto thee, which art the head, working all things in all. Let the diuell at no time disturbe this pleasant concord betweene thee and vs, as is betweene the head and other members of the bodie.
Let vs gather also by the same, the summe of doctrine which is preached in the Church. Let it raise vs vp [Page 580] vnto thankfulnesse for thy benefits. Increase our desire to continuall praier, whereby we craue all things which we stand in need of. Continue that custome, euen till thou returnest gloriouslie in the clouds to iudgement. Maintaine some places for preaching, and godlie ceremonies, and bring in at no time barbarous ignorance.
Furthermore, the dooing herof is a ministerie of our profession, against Sathan and all his instruments. Confirme in our minds, by thy spirit, this sound and pure vnderstanding. Let vs not be oppressed with idolatrous darknesse, approouing horrible abuses; in carrieng about, in laieng vp, in offring the halowed bread without any vse: not so much as one sillable of all these things can be seene in thy first institution. Wherefore, represse the diuell, blasphemouslie dealing with this thine ordinance. And first consume this world vtterlie with fire, before we be wrapped againe in such horrible darknesse of idolatrie and superstition. Mitigate the punishments, sicknesse, infections, warre and miseries, which for the prophaning of this Supper, the whole world doth endure. Let thine Angel spare such, as with griefe of hart bewaile these abuses. Feed vs, and fill vs thy ghests with thy liuelie presence. Dwell thou in vs. Worke in vs. Sharpen the remembrance of thy benefits within vs. And finallie, at our resurrection from the graue, giue vs a place in thy seat; where we shall find a new taste in the kingdome of thy Father: So be it.
Another praier to be said before the receiuing of the blessed Communion, as you kneele at Gods boord.
O Lord, although I be not woorthie to receiue thee into the house of my soule, for mine innumerable offences and sins done against thy great goodnesse: yet trusting, good Lord, in [Page 581] thy great pitie and infinite mercie, I come to receiue thy blessed bodie; as a sicke creature, to thee that art the health of life; vncleane, to thee that art the well of mercie; blind by ignorance, to thee that art the light euerlasting; needie of thy grace, and poore in vertue, to thee that art the King of heauen and earth; naked of good works, to thee that art the author of grace. I come as a wretch, to thee my Lord and maker; all desolate and comfortlesse, to thee my helpe and succour. For besides thee there is no consolation. I come as a sinner, to thee that art the mediatour and meane betwixt God and man. I come as a caitife, to thee my most mercifull Sauiour. I come all sinfull, to thee the granter of remission and pardon; dead by sinne, to thee that art the restorer to life; euill, to thee that art all goodnesse; hard-harted, to be releeued by the infusion of thy super-abundant grace; desiring thee meekelie to heale mine infirmities and sicknesse, to wash awaie my sinne and filthinesse, to lighten my blindnesse, to reduce me to the right waie, where I am out thereof, to comfort me desolate of goodnesse. Haue mercie on my wretchednesse, pardon my sinfulnes, giue me the light of grace (thus burdened in sinne,) that I may receiue thee the food of all Angels, the King of glorie, the Lord of all lords, with such chastitie of bodie, with such purenesse of mind, and cleannesse of soule, with such contrition of hart, and abundance of weeping teares, with such spirituall ioie and gladnesse, with such dread and reuerence, with such faith, hope and charitie, with such obedience and humilitie, with such loue, deuotion, faithfulnesse and thankfulnesse; as it is beseeming for such a Lord to be receiued, and to my soule most expedient.
And be not displeased, good Lord, that I a sinner, with an vncleane hart and polluted mind come hither this daie, to receiue thy pretious bodie in sacramentall [Page 582] bread and wine: but remember, mercifull Lord, that thou refusedst not the sinfull Marie Magdalen, being penitent, from the kissing of thy blessed feet. And in likewise despise me not, nor put me awaie as vnwoorthie, from the receiuing of thy bodie in the blessed Sacrament, for my sinnes and wickednesse: but grant thou me cōpunction of hart, plentie of weeping tears, to wash awaie my sinnes & wickednesse; so that with a pure hart and cleane conscience, I may this daie receiue the Sacrament to my soules helth; that I may obtaine and possesse thereby euerlasting life, with all holie Saints in heauens glorie; and in this present life, with the holie spirit to be replenished, and neuer to admit other louer besides thee.
Grant me, blessed Iesu, so to receiue the Sacrament of bread and wine, that I may be woorthie to bee accounted for a member of thy mysticall bodie heere in earth. And though as yet I be not worthie to be numbered among the simplest, and lowest of thy seruants; but rather to be reiect and out-cast for my sinfulnesse: yet, good Lord, of thine infinite power thou maist make me able, equall, and like to the meanest of thine elect seruants. Come thou Father of the fatherlesse; come thou comforter of the comfortlesse; come and cleanse my soule from all contagiousnesse of sinne. For it is not conuenient, and according, there to be anie vncleannes, where thou, the spouse of virginall chastitie shouldest come in and dwell. Come therefore, and sanctifie my soule, and make it cleane by thy gratious presence; that no heapes of soile, or remnants of sinne be to be found in anie least cranie or corner of thy spirituall house or temple, (my bodie and soule I meane) to offend the celestiall eies of thy diuine Maiestie: so shall thy holie hall, which is my cleansed soule, ring and resound with thy perpetuall praises to thy glorie. Come, I saie, O God, and apparell my naked soule with the [Page 583] rich ornaments of thy vertue and grace, and with the white raines of thy righteousnesse and innocencie; that I may delight thee, therein to abide. And as thou disdainedst not to touch the sore leapers with thy holie hands: so, good Lord, vouchsafe to annoint my simple soule, with the ointment of remission and pardon; that in this life, by stedfast hope, firme faith, and perfect charitie, I may so increase in vertue, from daie to daie, that I may atteine to the glorious fruition of thy Godhead in the kingdome of heauen: where I may see thee face to face, and praise thee with all thine elect and chosen Saints, worlds without end,
Amen.
Another verie deuout praier, before the receiuing of the holie Communion.
O Most sweet and louing Lord Iesu Christ, whom now I deuoutlie and hartilie desire to receiue this daie: thou knowest mine infirmities and necessities, which I suffer; in how manie euils and vices I lie, wherewith I am often greeued, tempted, troubled, and vnquieted, and defiled. Unto thee doo I come for remedie, vnto thee doo I earnestlie praie for comfort and helpe. I speake vnto thee, who knowest all things; vnto whom, euen all my verie secret thoughts are manifest; and who onlie canst perfectlie comfort and helpe me. Thou knowest what good things I lacke before all things, and how poore and beggerlie I am in vertues. Behold, I stand before thee, requiring grace and mercie. Feed and cherish thy hungrie begger, kindle my coldnesse with the fire of thy loue, lighten my blindnesse with the bright cleerenesse of thy presence: turne all earthlie things into bitternesse vnto me; all heauie, greeuous, hard, painfull, and contrarie things, into patience to me. Lift vp [Page 584] my hart vnto thee in heauen, and suffer me not to wander or go astraie from thee vpon the earth. Thou onlie, from this time foorth for euermore, dooest waxe sweet vnto me, because thou onelie art my meate and my drinke, my loue, my ioie, my sweetnesse. Oh, would to God thou wouldest vouchsafe altogether to enflame, burne, and euen consume me with thy presence; and to change me into thy selfe, that I may be made one spirit with them by grace of the inward vnitie, and softning of thy feruent loue! Suffer me not to depart an hungred nor thirstie from them, but worke mercifullie with me, as thou hast often heeretofore maruellouslie wrought with thy Saincts. What maruell is it, if I should be altogether set on fire, & inflamed with thee, and should faile in my selfe, and be changed? Sith thou art a fire euer burning, and neuer failing; a loue purifieng the hart, and lightening the vnderstanding.
Behold therefore, I wretched sinner, not presuming of mine owne merits, but trusting onlie of thy mercie and goodnesse, am bold to come in trembling and feare vnto this thy table of most sweete deinties, O most holie Lord Iesu Christ. For I haue an hart and bodie defiled, marred, and polluted with manie faults and offences; a mind and a tongue not chastlie nor warilie kept. Therefore, O holie Deitie, O dredfull Maiestie, I wretched caitife, in great perplexitie of mind, taken vnwares betwene many troublsome straights, doo now run againe to thee, the fountaine of all mercie. Unto thee doo I hasten me, to be healed and cured: vnder thy protection doo I flie. And whome I can not endure as a Iudge, I earnestlie desire to haue a Sauiour. To thee, O Lord, doo I open and shew my woundes; vnto thee doo I vncouer and detect my shamefastnesse. I knowe that my sinnes are great, for the which I am sore afraid; but I hope and repose my trust in thy great mercies, which are infinite, surpassing [Page 585] number. Turne thine eies of thy mercie towards me, O Lord Iesu Christ, heauenlie King, euerlasting God, man crucified for man; heare me trusting in thee, and haue mercie vpon me full of all miserie and sinne. Thou which art the flowing fountaine, and vndrainable wel-spring of all mercie and pitie, I beseech thee from the bottome of my hart, that thou wilt forgiue me all my sinnes, and in this life so to purge awaie the rust and filth thereof, that in the life to come they may not be imputed vnto me.
O God of vnspeakable pitie, whose power is infinite, without whome I can not possiblie resist sinne, comfort and helpe me so greatlie, that I neuer heereafter anie more commit anie mortall or deadlie sinne; and from hencefoorth may ouercome all the temptations of the diuell, that I may direct my whole life, thoughts, words and works altogether vnto thee, and that thou maist in the end of my life, so preserue and keepe me, that Sathan vrge me not with his terrours and feares, and so bring me into desperation. O flowing fountaine of charitie, make my mind free from all the creatures, which might drawe me from thy loue and fauour, that in thy loue I may profit, go forward, and preuaile; that now verelie, and in the end of my life, I may worthilie receiue thee, and so my soule being powred out of the sacke of my bodie, doo thou in mercie bring it vnto the euerlasting palace of thy heauenlie father, to see and behold the cleere renowmed glasse of the holie Trinitie.
Remember thy creature, O Lord, whome thou hast redeemed with thy pretious bloud. Wo is me that euer I haue offended thee; but now I purpose, by thy grace, to amend my life. Take from me therefore, O mercifull father, all my sinnes and iniquities. Cast out of my soule all the filthie fowle matter of the venemous contagion and infection of sinne, and by thine [Page 586] ancient and accustomed mercies, powre thy heauenlie medicine, and preseruatiue of thy loue, into my wounds, which may refresh and restore me to my former puritie and cleannesse, that being purified both in bodie and mind, I may deserue and be made fit thorough Christs merits, woorthilie to tast of these most holie mysteries.
Come this daie, O Lord, and minister vnto my sicke and languishing soule some heauenlie cordiall of comfort, not because I am iust, but a sinner; because not the whole, but the sicke haue neede of a Physician. O verie true Charitie, in which is euerlasting felicitie! O the onlie hope of my soule! haue mercie vpon me, and blot out all my misdeeds. Thee doth my hart expect and desire, fulfill my lust and longing, which thou hast put in me, euen as thou wouldest. I am thine, O Christ, forsake me not as vnmeete, or a stranger. Let thy right hand alwaie preuent me, and defend me from all euill. Come, O Lord, whome I wretch haue sore offended, and forgiue and forget all mine offences, for the which thou hast shead thine owne most pretious hart bloud. Come, sweet Lord, and giue me the meate of eternall health. Come, O vnspotted sacrifice, deliuer me from euerlasting death. Come thou Physician of the weake and diseased. Come thou food of the hungrie. Come Lord, visit this house dedicated and consecrated in thy name. And behold I come to thee, whome with all my hart I couet and desire, towards whome with all earnest consideration of mind, I aspire, and studie to attaine; whome with all mine entrailes I hartilie loue and embrace; whose blessed bodie and bloud in these holie mysteries I earnestlie desire to receiue; that thou maist alwaies abide in me, and neuer forsake me, or depart from me, O most sweet father: So be it.
Another.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull Father, who most louinglie callest vs to the participation of all good things in Christ Iesu, giue vs also grace woorthilie to esteeme the honour thou vouchsafest vs of, in bidding vs to the marriage feast of thy Sonne, so that we may esteeme of nothing in comparison of it. And seeing few are chosen, though manie be called, giue vs also, O Lord, a liuelie faith, working by loue, as a seemelie garment for so great a solemnitie; that being entred by thy fauour into thy house, we dishonest it not, and so honourable a companie as thou hast called vnto it, by our wicked conuersation, that as vnwoorthie we be not cast out againe, but in all our behauiour, may doo honour vnto both, that we may alwaies remaine with thee, and enioie the happinesse thou hast prepared for vs in thy Sonne, the full fruition whereof because thou hast deferred to the rising vp againe of the dead, strengthen in vs, O Lord, the blessed hope of this resurrection, that according to thy promise thou maist make vs like to thine Angels that are in heauen, and the glorious estate of Iesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all honour and praise now and for euer,
Amen.
Another.
O Sonne of God, Lord and Sauiour Christ, which delightest in those bankets, whereby men approch to the companie of thy celestiall wel-fare; we beseech thee conuert vs, O Lord, and we shall be conuerted. Graunt that with Marie Magdalen casting our [Page 588] selues before thy feete, we may earnestlie with teares bewaile our offences; and againe lifting vp our hand vnto thee, we may laie hold on thee, and embrace thee as she did. Kisse thou vs with thine holie kisse, and by thy spirit powred into vs, stirre vp in vs a new life, which may annoint thee by true confessing of thy goodnesse, and delight thee with the sweet sauour of true inuocation and new obedience.
Grant also, that in this life we may worship thy feet, which bring tidings of peace. And forasmuch as in this last age of this world, the messengers of peace are vitterlie to weepe; assist vs, that we may be touched with the miseries of thy Church, and studie to our power to mitigate them, and so be made members of that companie, vnto whome thou hast forgiuen much, and which againe entirelie doth loue thee: and againe, being called out of the vale of teares, may come to thy heauenlie banket, which shall be without teares, without grudging, without greefe, sinne, and offences, in the house of thy father, where be manie ample dwelling places,
Amen.
Another praier to be said a little before you receiue the Bread.
O God which art rich in mercie and in all good things, the most plentifull giuer and bountifull bestower of the deinties of celestiall satietie and heauenlie repast, giue meate to my soule that is wearie and faint; not such as it lusteth after, but such as is conuenient for it. For lo, I a poore wretch come now vnto thee, which art rich, a sinner vnto thee which art mercifull. O let me not returne home contemned and despised with nothing. I begin an hungred, let me not leaue off fasting. [Page 589] I come vnto thee as though I were famished, O let me not go awaie vnfed. Although before I eate I sigh and sorowe, yet good Lord I beseech thee, giue mee somewhat to eate.
For behold, with that godlie heroicall matrone of Canaan, Matth. 15, verse 21. I come vnto thee, and saie, Lord helpe me, according to thy promise: for I feele the burthen of thy displeasure, euen my miseries and vncleannesse, and suffer not the sight of mine owne vnwoorthinesse to withdrawe me from thee. Make me sweetlie and reuerentlie to reason with thee, as thy holie spirit enforced that good woman to doo, in these and the like words: I am vnwoorthie, I am giltie and vncleane, I am a dog, I was an outcast from thy house and courts, I haue barked against the glorious maiestie of thee and thine eternall father, I am defiled with the filth of idolatrie, with fowlenesse of life, with the spots of disobedience against thee, but haue mercie vpon me O sonne of God, which appearedst in the flesh, and becamest a worme, to wash vs from our sinnes which were vncleane beasts. Haue mercie vpon me; O Lord haue mercie vpon me. For behold, I am vnto thee euen as the little whelpe nigh famished for lacke of meate and drinke, wearied with seeking about for releefe; and almost dead. I fall downe before thy glorious table, where the sweet ypocrasse, and pretious nectar of immortalitie is tasted. The Fathers & Prophets, Confessors and Virgins, most excellent lights of thy Church, sit alreadie at thine heauenlie table: they feede vpon the meate of eternall glorie. O suffer me to eate of the crums. Thou art the bread of life, repell my hunger, satisfie my desire with thy presence; fill me with thy comfort & spirituall deinties. Make my faith strong to beleeue thy word and promises, that being made holie, as thou art holie, I may now holilie taste and see how sweet thou art in this life by inchoation, [Page 590] and in the life to come, perfectlie, pleasantlie, and perpetuallie enioie thy heauenlie table.
O our Father, giue vs this daie our dailie bread, that we may walke in the strength thereof daie and night, vntill we come to thy holie hill of Horeb. My sweet Lord, let me feed vpon thee. My life enter into my soule. O sweet loue, O louing sweetnesse, let my bellie eate thee, and my soule be refreshed by thee the heauenlie Bridegrome. For thou art the bread and fountaine of life, yea all things indeede whereby the righteous liue, which loue thee. Thee doo I couet, loue and woorship, with whome I shall dwell, reigne, and be blessed. Upon thee doo I call for my soule, which thou preparest to receiue thee, through the desire which thou breathest into it. Come therefore, O purger of sinnes, thou which art the curer of wounds, the strength of the feeble, the comforter of the sorowfull, the worship and honour of all them that liue, and the onelie health of the dead. Come I saie, O blessed Trinitie, and enter into my soule; come I beseech thee, and haue mercie vpon me: make me meete for thee, that thou maist possesse that which thou hast both made and redeemed, sanctified and preserued, that I may haue thee as a seale vpon my hart. Giue me thy selfe O God my God, restore thy selfe vnto me, for nothing else can suffice thy seruant; and mercifullie graunt vnto me according to the multitude of thy great mercies, that my basenesse may please thy Maiestie, & my vilenesse thine almightie power.
O sweet Christ, O Charitie, my God, dulcet honie, snowie milke, the foode of Angels; make me to growe in thee, that I may eate thee with a sauorie taste. Make me to ouercome the enimie of my saluation, that thou maist vouchsafe to giue me (according to thy promise) to eate of the tree of life, which is in the middest of the Paradise of God, and of the Manna that is [Page 591] hid; and that I may one daie or other be called vnto the Lambes supper, and eate bread at thy table in the kingdome of GOD, among the blessed ones. O deere God, I praie thee, let my mind thus kindeled with the loue of thee, flie euen till it come to the beautie of thy celestiall house, & to the throne of thy glorie, and there let it be fed at the dining table of the heauenlie citizens, in the place of full feeding, by the plentifull running streames and pleasant pastures. Behold Lord, I stand at the doore and knocke; I beseech thee, by the bowels of thy mercie, wherewith thou being the daie-spring from an high hast visited vs; open the hand of thy pitie to a wretch that knocketh, and vouchsafe mercifullie to bid me enter into thee; that I may rest with thee; dwell with thee, and sup with thee, and thou with me, and that I may be refreshed to the full of thee, which art the liuing sweet white-bread and heauenlie repast: wherewith when I am once fed; and that my strength is come perfectlie vnto me againe, I may ascend vnto the more high things, & neuer from hencefoorth hunger or thirst anie more so greatlie after vanities: So be it.
When ye are about to receiue the bread, lift vp your hart and eies vnto God in heauen, and saie:
O Father, I hartilie thanke thee, who hast giuen thine onlie begotten son to take vpon him our naturall bodie; which bodie was once offered to thee vpon the altar of the crosse, for the health, welth, and saluation of all sinners: for whose sake, O father, I beseech thee, to haue mercie vpon me; and in remembrance of whose most bitter death and painfull passion, with all possible thanks for all thy benefits brieflie comprised therein; I now in [Page 592] trembling and feare receiue this holie bread, to feed therby in my soule on Christs blessed bodie, which was giuen for me, and that onelie by faith: to mine euerlasting comfort and saluation, and thine eternall glorie,
Amen.
Or thus.
O Heauenlie Father and blessed God, I render vnto thee most hartie thanks for all thy benefits, which thou hast shewed vnto me most wretched sinner: but especiallie for that most sweet smelling sacrifice, which thine onlie begotten sonne offered vnto thee on the altar of the crosse, by giuing his most pure & vndefiled bodie vnto the death, for the redemption of mankind. In remēbrance wherof, according to thy welbeloued sonnes ordinance, I now receiue this holie bread most intirelie, beseeching thee that I may both be partaker of the merits of thy deere sonnes bodie breaking, and also lead a life woorthie of so great a benefit vnto the glorie of thy name,
Amen.
When you see the wine, behold it with your corporall eies. For as Christ saith, it is wine: but lift vp your soule vnto Christ in heauen, whose bloud is there alwaie fresh and liuelie before the Father, to sprinkle and quicken thee; and praie, saieng:
O Lord Iesu Christ, Sonne of the liuing GOD, which being vpon the crosse, with thy hands spred abroad for the redemption of all mankind, diddest drinke the most bitter cup of thy passion: I beseech thee, vouchsafe now to drawe the mouth of the soule that thirsteth after thee, vnto the high flouds and flowing streames of thine eternall [Page 593] abundance and satietie: yea drawe me wholie vnto thy selfe, which art the liuing well, to the intent I may according to my capacitie drinke of that wherevpon I doo liue.
O my God, my life, thou didst saie with thy holie and blessed mouth; If anie man thirst, let him come vnto me and drinke. O well of life, grant vnto my thirstie soule alwaie to drinke of thee, that according to thy holie and true promise, waters of life may flowe out of my bellie. O well of life, replenish and fill my mind full of the riuer of thy pleasures; make my hart to be drunken as it were in thy loue: that after the maner of them that be drunken with wine, which forget all things saue the cup; so I may forget all vaine and earthlie things, and continuallie haue nothing else in my remembrance, but thee onelie; thy bitter death, thy painfull passion, and pretious bloud-shedding. Come I praie thee, into my hart, and make it drunken with the abundance of thy plentifulnesse, so that I may forget all temporall things; make me, I saie, throughlie drunken with thy cup, that I may forget euen my selfe, and vtterlie renounce all mine owne vngodlinesse & sinne.
O Christ, which art the euerlasting suffisance that shalt be giuen to the hungrie and thirstie: refresh vs continuallie with the most exquisite and well furnished banket of thy blessed Sacraments, and make vs drinke plentiouslie of the holie cup of thy blessed spirit and grace. Let the inspiration of thy most sweet spirit succeed like springs of water; and let not perpetuall food be wanting to our weakenesse, wherewith to feed and replenish vs. Let me taste of the pleasant riuers of the holie Ghost, that I may be refreshed, and that my soule may be cooled with the sweet liquors thereof; so that I burne hencefoorth with no iniquitie or lust to sinne. Make me to quaffe hartilie the cup of thankes-giuing: yea let my bowels be filled with the pleasant [Page 594] wine of thy loue, and refresh me continuallie with the most sweet riuers of thy heauenlie consolation.
Thou art my life, whereby I liue; the hope that I sticke vnto; the glorie that I desire. O giue me vnderstanding, cheere vp my loue. Lift thou vp my soule, and drawe the mouth of my spirit, which thirsteth after thee, vp to the water streames that are aboue. Uouchsafe, sweet Iesu, in the midst of my monings, sore complaints, and deepe sighs of my hart, to take vp my sad and sorowfull mind to the top of the high mountains, euen to the beds of sweet spices, putting me in a place of pasture by the riuers of sweet waters, where thou preparest a table, diuerselie furnished for thy friends against they come: to refresh mine appalled spirits; to cheere vp my heauie hart, & make it merie. Through the which deinties, I being at the length well refreshed, may forget my manifold miseries, and the vanities of this life; and rest in thee, which art the true peace euerlasting, passing all vnderstanding.
Lord God, which art the sanctifier of the Saints, I beseech thee, consecrate and make me meete for thy dwelling, and continue thou euer with me: vouchsafe all to besprinkle me with the bloud of thy onlie begotten sonne, by which one souereigne thing both in bodie and soule, I may be reuiued with a maruellous comfortable ioie. O Lord, these are thy great benefits, wherewith thou wilt releeue the want of thy thirstie children: grant, I beseech thee, that I may drinke on thy cup with a glad mind, willing hart, pure conscience, and clensed spirit: and bring to passe by thy mercie, that this drinke, which I shall now drinke, may be to my health and saluation. Finallie grant, O good God, that I may, through thy most rich spirit, and his eternall deinties, enioie the princelie palace of heauen, and quaffing verie abundantlie of the well-spring of life, which is with thee, I may by the excellent benefit [Page 595] of thy glorious passion, death, resurrection and light, behold the brightnesse of perpetuall felicitie, and see thee face to face, where my mind may be fed and full satiate with the meate and drinke of life without end. For like as the hart thirsteth after the water springs: so thirsteth my soule after thee, O Lord my GOD and King,
Amen.
When you are about to receiue the wine or cup, praie:
I Thanke thee, deere father, that thou didst not spare thine onelie and most deerlie beloued sonne Iesus Christ, to shed euen his most pretious bloud vpon the altar of the Crosse for to wash awaie our sinnes. In remembrance whereof, I now in trembling and dread drinke of this cup: humblie beseeching thee, O Father, that the crucifieng of his blessed bodie, and shedding of his pretious bloud may be meritorious to my saluation,
Amen.
Or else thus.
O Blessed and mercifull Father, thy loue towards me sinfull creature is so exceeding great and vnspeakable, that I can not but giue vnto thee most humble thanks: namelie, for the shedding of the most pretious blood of thy deere sonne Iesu Christ; by the vertue whereof, thy wrath stirred vp against me wretched sinner, is pacified, my ransome is paid, the lawe is fulfilled, mine enimies are ourcome, and put to flight. In remembrance of this so noble a victorie, and of so great a benefit, I am come vnto this thy table, O mercifull father, to drinke [Page 596] of this cup; desiring thee, that as my outward man is comforted by the drinking of this wine: so likewise my inward man may be comforted, and made strong by true faith in the pretious blood of thy most deere sonne. O Lord, and my heauenlie Father, giue me thy holie spirit, which may so rule and gouerne my hart, that I neuer be vnthankfull, nor forgetfull of this thine exceeding kindnesse: but to traine my life according to thy blessed will, that whatsoeuer I doo, speake or thinke, may be vnto the glorie of thy blessed name, and the health of my soule, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
After you haue receiued the holie Communion, giue God thanks, and saie:
I Thanke thee, good Lord, of thine infinite goodnesse, that thou this daie hast fed me with thy blessed bodie & bloud in the Sacrament; desiring thee meeklie that this Sacrament which I haue receiued, may be to me a purgation and clensing of my sins; a fortitude & spiritual strength against my frailtie; a sure defence against worldlie troubles and aduersities; a purchasing of grace and pardon; a medicine of life; and a continuall remembrance of thy blessed passion: so that in the waie it may conduct me; when I stumble it may vphold me; and when I am fallen it may raise me: so that by good continuance in thy will, to euerlasting glorie it may bring me. And so order the tallage and taste of my hart, that I neuer seeke other sweetnesse, but thee; that I neuer seeke other louer, but thee; nor none other comfort beside thee; so that I care for none other delight, but thee; nor anie other honour, but thine. And giue mee such perfect loue towards thee, wherewith I may [Page 597] come to as great merit in heauen, as though I had spent all my life daies in the remembrance of thy blessed passion, and gratiouslie deliuer me from all tribulations of bodie and soule, captiuitie, anguish and perils. This grant not onlie vnto me, but also vnto all thine elect and chosen Christian people heere and else-where, for thy holie name sake,
Amen.
Another thanks-giuing after the Communion.
I Thanke thee O Christ Lambe of God, for offering thy selfe vpon the altar of the crosse to thy Father an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet sauour to God, for our sinnes, to reconcile vs vnto him: for certaintie whereof, and confirmation of our faith, thou hast instituted on our behalfe this holie Sacrament of the supper, that as oft as we receiue the same, we may celebrate thy memorie, and with thankes-giuing remember the merit and fruit of thy passion. I beseech thee by thy bitter death stirre vp our minds, that by often receiuing this thine ordinance and institution, we may consider how bitter a death thou didst suffer on our behalfe, and how great the loue was, which draue thee to take so cruell and shamefull a death to saue vs: and withall continuallie yeeld, as we are bound, hartie thanks vnto thee for the same, and after the like sort answer to our power, that vnspeakable good will by our good life, and carefull obseruation of thy commandements; and may when either through frailtie of our flesh, or by anie other fault preuented we sinne, runne by and by vnto thee by repentance, and through consideration of this new and eternall couenant, touching the remission of sinnes made with vs, be erected and vpholden vnto a liuelie and puissant hope.
[Page 598] O sweet Iesu grant, that being fast linked vnto thee by this holy mysterie, I may receiue power & strength from thee, beleeuing thy promises, and be wholie addicted therevnto without anie doubting, that so my conscience in feare and troubles may haue perfect consolation. Suffer me not to be separated from the members of thy bodie, which is the Church; whereof thou art head, fulfilling all in all: but graunt, that abiding in thy word and kingdome, I may be without fault in the foundation, and without sinne against my conscience, and walke worthie this Sacrament; forsaking vtterlie, and renouncing the diuell, and all idolatrie, all vices and carnall desires, which fight against the soule. For we cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and of the diuels too. Make me also to remember that by this Sacrament I am bound to doo good vnto others. For, as manie graines of corne doo make one loafe, and manie grapes make one wine: so being manie, yet are we but one loafe and one bodie, in asmuch as we all participate of one bread, and drinke of one cup. Ioine vs therefore togither, O Sauiour of the world, at this common banket, through the band of loue, that we may be fastened vnto thee our head, that as thou didst die for vs, so we againe may not feare to suffer, and to giue our liues for the glorie of thy name, that we neuer be separated from thee neither in life nor death. Make vs also hartilie to loue one another, like the true and liuelie members of thy bodie, that if neede require, we may giue our liues for our brethren. Suffer not concord of minds to be broken. For he that receiueth the mysterie of vnitie, and keepeth not the bond of peace, he doth not receiue the mysterie for himselfe, but a testimonie against himselfe.
Giue grace therefore, that leauing aside all wrath, fiercenesse, maliciousnesse and enuie, we may forgiue one another, euen as thou forgiuest vs, and beare one [Page 599] with another for the better auoiding of strife, dissention, sectes and pernicious heresies. Keepe this thine ordinance, and right vse of thy Sacrament amongst vs euermore, that this good worke and diuine ceremonie may alwaies be a note and badge of our publike profession, whereby we are knowne from pagans; and tokens of loue, confession and thankefulnesse. Remoue awaie all abuses, and prophanations of this holie and sacred supper, together with the horrible and idolatrous adorations inuented by Sathan and his members, to the shamefull deforming of thy godlie & goodlie institution: but maintaine, I humblie beseech thee, the true and vnpolluted vse thereof, till thy pleasure is to returne in the clouds to iudgement with great power and glorie, that it neuer be out of remembrance; and last of all, at our resurrection from death, appoint vs places of thine heauenly table, where we may taste the new wine in the kingdome of thy father, abiding with thine elect, Angels, and blessed Saincts for euermore,
Amen.
A meditation of the trust which a Christian soule ought to haue in the passion of our Lord Iesu, with a thanks-giuing vnto God for the manifold benefits thereof.
I Might despaire verelie, because of my manifold sinnes and negligences without number; if it were not that thy word, O God, was made flesh, and dwelt amongst vs. But I can not, neither dare I now despaire; because that seeing when we were enimies, we were reconciled by the death of thy Sonne, who being obedient vnto thee to the death, yea euen to the shamefull death of the Crosse, hath taken awaie the hand-writing of our [Page 600] sinnes, and nailing the same to his crosse, hath crucified both sinne and death. How much more are we now reconciled, and saued by him? For all the hope, certitude, and surenesse of all my trust is in his pretious bloud, which was shead for vs, and for our saluation. In him doo I take hartening, and by meanes of him, who sitteth at the right hand of God, and sueth for vs, I looke backe with a carelesse eie; and now trusting in him (in whome I am alreadie risen againe and receiued, alreadie mounted vp into heauen, and there doo sit among the Angels) I haue a desire to come vnto thee, not hauing mine owne righteousnesse, but that which I haue through the same thy Sonne our Lord Iesu Christ.
For the which, O most mercifull God, and most gentle louer of mankind, we giue thee thanks; who through Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord, when we were not, didst mightilie make vs, and when we were lost through our sinnes, most maruellouslie didst deliuer and recouer vs againe. To thy goodnesse, I saie, doo I giue thanks, and manifold praises doo I shew foorth to thee with all my hart & mind, which through the vnspeakable loue (wherewith thou hast vouchsafed of thy maruellous goodnesse to loue vs wretches, and vnworthie to be beloued) didst send the same thine onelie begotten Sonne from thy bosome, vnto our Common-weale, to saue vs sinners, which were at that time the children of perdition and damnation. I render vnto thee all possible thanks for his holie incarnation, and natiuitie, and for the blessed virgin Marie his mother, vpon whom he did vouchsafe to take flesh for vs, and for our saluation, to the intent that like as he is verie God of God, so he might be verie man of man. I giue thee condigne thanks for his passion and crosse; for his death and resurrection; for his ascension into heauen, and his seate of his Maiestie on thy [Page 601] right hand. I giue thee thanks, I saie, for that most sacred shedding foorth of his pretious bloud, wherewith we are redeemed; and also for the most holie and quickening sacrifice of his blessed bodie & bloud, which this daie, and dailie in thy Church we feed of, and drinke of, wherewith also we are washed, cleansed, and sanctified, & are made partakers of the onelie high diuinitie. Finallie, I giue thee thanks for the maruellous and vnspeakable charitie and loue, wherewith thou didst loue vs vnwoorthie persons, and didst saue vs by thine onelie and beloued sonne. For so thou didst loue the world, that thou gauest thine onlie begotten sonne, to the intent that none, which trulie beleeue in him shuld perish, but haue euerlasting life. And this thing verilie is euerlasting life, to knowe thee, and also Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent, to be verie God, by an vpright faith, and works woorthie for such a faith. Wherefore with all my hart and mouth I doo confesse, praise, and blesse thee, O God the father vnbegotten, and thee O God the sonne onlie begotten; also thee O holie Ghost and comforter. To thee O blessed trinitie be all glorie, and praise, & thanks, togither with all power, dominion, and might, in the world of worlds for euer,
Amen.
A meditation to be vsed after the receiuing of the holie Communion, to stirre vs vp through the consideration and knowledge of so great a benefit, to giue God thanks therefore, and to be gratefull for his goodnesse.
BLesse the Lord O my soule, and all mine entrailes laud his most holie name. Forget not O my soule the infinite mercies and continuall benefits receiued of his most liberall hand; amongst the which, well maist thou reckon that which hath been this daie giuen thee, that so infinite [Page 602] a Maiestie should vouchsafe to visite thee, to enter into thy homelie habitation, and with surpassing clemencie, wholie to giue himselfe to thee in this most maruellous Sacrament.
O thou incomprehensible God, no lesse pitifull than puissant, what shall I saie, seeing the depth of thy bottomlesse mercies hath vouchsafed to impart it selfe to the depth of mine vnspekable miseries! What thanks can I yeeld thee for so great kindnesse and loue, who wot right well, that if all the members and muscles of my bodie were turned into tongues, yet could I not condignelie thanke thee for the least of all thy benefits. How much lesse able shall I then be with one tongue to laud and thanke thee for this present gift, being of so great and inestimable a value?
If Elizabeth the mother of the fore-runner Saint Iohn Baptist, being visited of the most sacred virgin Marie thy mother, when she perceiued thy presence, illuminated with the holie Ghost, was so astonished thereat, as she cried out alowd, and said; Whence haue I this, that the mother of my Lord dooth come to me? How much more iustlie am I to be astonished, and to crie out; Whence haue I this, that the onlie sonne of that most blessed virgin, euen my Lord himselfe, and Lord of all Angels, heauen and earth, and of all the creatures of the world, hath visited me, entred into me, honoured me, fostered me, and filled me in this most woorthie Sacrament? Whence haue I this, that a Lord so high, so puissant, so woorthie of all worship, hath vouchsafed to come vnto mee a most wretched worme; to me the most heinous sinner of all sinners; to me that haue so manie times offended him, to me that with my lewdnesse and abhominations haue so oft banished and expelled him out of me?
Woorthilie did the holie Prophets Iob and Dauid, woonder at thy diuine clemencie, at what time [Page 603] they said; What is man that thou so magnifiest him? What is the sonne of man that thus thou visitest him? But much greater reason haue we most wretched caitifs to saie the same in these our daies; What is man that thou hast thus extolled him: as for man, to make thy selfe man, and to giue thy selfe in foode to man, wherewith he may euerie daie be visited and refreshed? And albeit all men may maruell at this thy diuine clemencie vsed towards man: much more yet may I maruell, which of all men am the basest and vnwoorthiest.
If Dauid, when king Saule would haue chosen him for his sonne in lawe, reputed himselfe vnwoorthie, and said; What am I, or what is my life, or my fathers linage, that I should be a sonne in lawe to a king? How much more cause haue I now to saie the same; seeing the King of all kings hath admitted mee to so high a dignitie? What am I: or what is my fathers offspring? What other am I, than a vessell of corruption, a sacke of doong; and filth ingendred of a most vile & stinking matter, touching my flesh, which ere long shall yeeld food to woormes: and am concerning my soule all soiled with sinne, fraught with ignorance and forgetfulnesse, with manie mo defects, and wicked inclinations?
What other is my life than a vanitie, a puffe of wind, a smoke, and shadowe that quicklie vanisheth, a confusion and disorder, a continuall exercise of sinne and transgressions of thy commandements? Such hath my life, mine exercises, and mine inclinations beene; such also is my father Adams offspring, and all his ancient familie; sith all that descend of him are generallie borne thus blemished, thus bent, and all like children of a traitour, as he was adiudged to suffer death.
Wherefore, O most puissant Prince, and dreadfull [Page 604] King aboue all kings, thou knowing me and my life to haue been such, & much woorse than I either knowe or can imagine, hast vouchsafed to receiue me; not for a sonne in lawe, but for thine owne child, and as a yoonger one right tenderlie beloued. For such are fathers accustomed most of all to cherish; as now thou hast cherished and fed me with this Angels bread, wherein is found all sauour, and all diuine delight.
S. Luke reporteth, how one of those ghests, that were at table with thee in a prince of the Pharisies house, should saie; Blessed are those that shall eate the bread of life in the kingdome of heauen: but much more happie am I, if I can knowe it, and gather fruit out of it, which in this life rate the bread, wherein is the selfe-same God spirituallie by faith conteined; and therewith receiue a pledge to eate him in his euerlasting kingdome. Happie eke are all those that shall dispose themselues to repaire to this most gratious banket, wherein are found all sweet tasts and sauours, all riches and renowme, and all the things that happilie be to be desired.
Yea, what is it that man may long for, that is not here offered him? If he desire delights and pleasures; here be the sincerest, the choisest, & the sweetest. If he wish for wealth; behold here the treasure that inricheth both heauen and earth. If state and souereigntie be sought for, behold here the highest dignities that can be possiblie atchieued. Sith by meanes of this most venerable sacrament the soule is vnited to God, and resteth associated, and reuerenced with quires of Angels that assist about it.
Wherefore, O ye blind beguiled children of Adam, what other pleasure & profit doo you prowle for? Why doo you (as Esaie saith) spend your monie; and not vpon bread? Why imploie you your trauell. and not in this that may satiate and content you? Why loose you [Page 605] such satietie, such sweetnesse, and such treasure, as is here conteined in this gift? Doo not thou so, O my soule, doo not thou so; be not thou henceforth anie more blind; see thou seeke not anie carnall contentations, hauing meanes to be a partaker of this meere spirituall and celestiall delight.
Take no more taste and pleasure in the food of death (whereof thou earst didst feed) hauing this bread of life giuen and granted vnto thee. Regard not the pomps, and most vaine vanities of this world; seeing thou maiest enioie in this Sacrament the true happinesse, and good things, which in the world cannot possiblie be atteined. Imbrace and keepe this treasure, which sufficeth to make thee trulie happie; possesse this good, which exceedeth all good; content and quiet thy selfe in this repose, which may abundantlie satiate thy desire: and be not ingratefull to this thy benefactor; but yeeld him hartie thanks, as well for this, as all other benefits heretofore, from the beginning bestowed vpon thee.
Howbeit, my gratious and mercifull Lord, how can I yeeld thee woorthie thanks; the debt I owe thee being so great, and mine abilitie to discharge the same so small? With all my hart, and with all my might, and power, I thanke thine infinite liberalitie, for hauing created me to thine owne likenesse and similitude, and for hauing for my conseruation created likewise so great varietie of other creatures: and much more doo I laud & blesse thee, for that with thy pretious death and bloud-shed thou hast redeemed me: ye a O Lord & now I doo with all my bowels and powers of my body & soule thanke thee, blesse thee, & adore thee, for hauing left vs this he auenlie and most woorthie Sacrament; and for giuing me miserable wretch, the grace eftsoons to receiue it, that eftsoones I may thereby be made partaker of the fruit of thy redemption.
[Page 606] And bicause these my thanks and praises be slender, weake, and vnwoorthie of such gifts as I haue receiued: I beseech thy sweet sonne Iesus Christ, to supplie my want. Here vouchsafe to sound perpetuall peales of praises for me; euerlastinglie to adore thee for mee: to reuerence thee for me, and to offer the continuall sacrifice of thanks-giuing for me. And yet for that, all that I can doo is finite, & is not correspondent to the value of the benefit I haue this daie receiued, being infinite. Those most holie and gratefull thanks, which thou Lord Iesu gauest to thy Father, minding to grant vs this so inestunable a gift, euen those same, which are infinite, doo I offer both to him and thee together. For verelie beleeue I, that for this cause didst thou yeeld them; that so incomparable a gift should not be destitute of condigne graces, and thanks. And now doo I humblie beseech thee, of thy most bonntifull clemencie, that seeing it hath pleased thee to satiate and honour me with thy most worthie presence in this venerable and redoubted Sacrament; thou wilt also vouchsafe to grant me thy grace to be alwaies gratefull, and to answere woorthilie to this most happie visitation.
This hath alwaies beene thy woont, my Sauiour and Redeemer; that where through thy goodnes thou hast vouchsafed to enter, there hast thou departed of thy blessings most abundantlie; heaping grace vpon grace; and mercie vpon mercie. Thou enteredst into Matthew the Publicans house; and from a Publican thou madest him thy Disciple, & an Apostle. Thou enteredst into Zacheus house; when by and by he was changed from his old custome: and health was giuen to all his houshold. Thou enteredst into Sunon Peters house, & drauest awaie the ague from his wiues mother; leauing hir whole and comforted. Eft soones didst thou enter into Martha & good Marie Magdalens [Page 607] house; and what tongue can tell the spirituall riches thou gauest to that house; and the ineffable graces thou endowedst those two sisters with▪ Finallie, the figure of this Sacrament, to wit, the arke of the old Testament, because it entred into Obed Edoms house, was cause that thy blessings were powred vpon him, and all his, paieng plentifullie for the harborough that in that house was offered thee.
Wherefore, O most sweet and welcome ghest, seeing through thy goodnesse thou hast vouchsafed this daie to enter into my poore cottage, send downe withall thy holie blessings thereon; by meanes whereof, I may woorthilie answer vnto this thine incomparable mercie. Cleanse and fine this house, Lord, from all the filth thou seest in it. Repaire and doo some cost on it, least it decaie and fall to ruine; driue out the darkenesse in it, with the glistering beames of thy light; adorne and decke it vp with the vertues and graces of the holie Ghost; that being thus cleansed, repaired, adorned, and illuminated, it may please thee to dwell therein, and neuer to depart. Tarrie still with me, O Lord, my comforter; the night draweth nigh, & without thee shall I remaine in darkenesse, and so be sore endangered. O therefore, I saie, tarrie thou still with me, and depart not from this lodging. Thou hast affirmed, O eternall truth, how thy whole delight is to dwell with the children of men, and how thou standest knocking at the doore, ready to euter and sup with such as shall open, and let thee in. Behold how I haue giuen thee free entrance into me; and thou of thy goodnesse hast admitted me to the sweet supper of thy most sacred bodie. Abandon me not therfore my souereigne Lord, ne depart thou from me; drawe me after thee; knit and tie me fast to thee; yea drawe me quite out of my selfe, sith I am much better in thee, than in me. In thee I liue, in me I die; in thee I remaine firme and [Page 608] constant, in me I decaie and come to naught.
Renew me therefore, O my sanctifier, and through loue transforme me into thee, & grant me so to liue in thee, as that I onlie liue to thee, I onlie loue thee, I onlie delight in thee, that thou be mine onlie ioie, mine onlie comfort, mine onlie foode, wherewith my soule may in such sort be refreshed, as that all other meats seeme loathsome and vnsauorie to it. This onlie haue I chosen, this onlie shall suffice me, with this alone will I liue contented, satisfied, and happie; vntill the desired daie come, when I shall feed of thee in another forme, and enioie thee continuallie in the companie of all the elect and blessed Saincts of the celestiall court, where with the Father and the holie Ghost, thou liuest and reignest euerlastinglie,
Amen.
Another fruitfull meditation of the Christian soule, exhorting to thankefulnesse, newnesse of life, and holie conuersation; in deepe consideration of the great benefits of Christ receiued in the Sacrament, to be read after the receiuing of the holie Communion in the Church (if time serue) or at home, especiallie on Easter daie.
THat thou maist not doubt, O my soule, of so great wealth and felicitie, as is wrought for thee in these holie mysteries of Christ (whereof now thou hast beene a partaker) by his glorious death and resurrection; let vs a little refresh our selues with the contemplation thereof, & as it were chaw the cud, by calling them often to our remembrance; that so taking great delite in the sweet taste thereof, we may the lesse feele or perceiue the bitternesse [Page 609] of this miserable life. Go to therefore, O my soule, call to mind now, I saie; and wee that therefore thou hast receiued into thine owne possession, the euerlasting veritie, euen our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, to confirme to thy conscience the truth of all this matter.
Thou hast receiued him, if in true faith & repentance of hart thou hast receiued him; if in purpose of amendment of life thou hast receiued him; for an euerlasting gage and pledge of thy saluation. Thou hast receiued his bodie, which was once broken; and his blood, which was once shed for the remission of thy sinnes: thou hast receiued his bodie to haue within thee the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, for to dwell with thee, to indue thee with grace, to strengthen thee against thine enimies, to helpe thy weaknesse, to possesse thee with peace and gladnesse, to make thee thankfull to thy redeemer, and carefull to lead a godlie conuersation, and to comfort thee with their presence in weale and wo: thou hast receiued his bodie, I saie, to indue thee with euerlasting righteousnesse, to assure thee of perpetuall blisse, and life eternall. For with Christ, by true faith, art thou, my soule quickened againe from death of sin, to life of grace; and in hope translated from corporall and euerlasting death, to the euerlasting life of glorie in heauen; where now from hencefoorth thy conuersation indeed should be, and thy hart and desire alwaie fixed and set.
Doubt not therfore, O my soule, of the truth of this matter; how great and high so euer these mysteries and things be. For it becommeth thy God to doo no little deeds; how impossible so euer they seeme to thee. But praie to God hartilie, that thou maist haue faith to perceiue these great mysteries; that by faith thou maist certeinlie knowe and beleeue nothing to be impossible with God. Onelie bring thou faith, I saie, to [Page 610] Christs holie word and Sacraments, and thou shalt well feele and perceiue the benefits of Christ conteined therein to thy comfort. Let thy repentance shew thy faith also; let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy hart to Gods lawe hereafter declare thy true beleefe. And now endeuour thy selfe, O my soule, to saie with S. Paule: From hencefoorth my conuersation is in heauen; from whence I looke for a Sauiour, euen the Lord Iesus Christ, which shall change our vile bodies, that they may be made and fashioned like to his glorious bodie; which he shall doo by the same power, whereby he rose againe from death, and wherby he shall be able to subdue all things vnto himselfe.
For else, what shall it auaile thee, O my soule, to bee escaped, and deliuered from the filthinesse of the world, through the knowledge of thy Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, if thou be intangled againe therewith, and be thereby ouercome againe? Certeinlie, it had beene better neuer to haue knowne the waie of righteousnesse, than after it is knowne and receiued, to turne back-ward againe from the holie and most righteous commandements of God giuen vnto thee: so shall the prouerbe be verified of thee, where it is said; The dog is returned to his vomit againe, and the sow that was washed, to hir wallowing in the mire againe. Oh what a shame were it for thee, O my soule, being thus so cleerelie and freelie washed from thy sinnes, to returne to the filthinesse thereof againe? What a great follie were it, thus indued with righteousnesse, to loose it againe? Yea, what wilfull madnesse were it, to loose the inheritance that thou art now set in, for the vile and transitorie pleasures of sinne? Finallie, what vnnaturall vnkindnesse should it be, where thy Sauiour Christ of his meere mercie is come to thee, to dwell within thee as thy ghest; to driue him from thee, and [Page 611] to banish him violentlie out of thee; and in stead of him in whome is all grace and vertue, to receiue the vngratious spirit of the diuell, the founder of all vnrighteousnesse, naughtinesse and mischiefe? Oh my soule, how canst thou find in thy hart, I saie, to shew such extreame vnkindnes to Christ Iesus, which hath now so gentlie called thee to mercie, offered and giuen himselfe vnto thee, and is now entred into thee? Yea, how darest thou be so bold, to renounce the presence of the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, (for where one is, there God all whole in Maiestie together with all his power, wisedome, and goodnesse is,) and fearest thou not the danger and perill of so traiterous a defiance and departure?
O my soule, aduise thy selfe well what thou dooest, consider the dignitie thou art now set in, and how thou art therfore cleansed, washed, sanctified, and renewed, that thou shouldest from hencefoorth sinne no more; but serue God in true holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of thy life, that in the end thou maist reigne with him in euerlasting life. If thou refuse so great grace whereto thou art called, what other thing dooest thou, than heape vp thy damnation more and more, and so prouoke God to cast his heauie displeasure vpon thee, and by his iust plagues to reuenge this thy mockage of his holie Sacraments, in so great abusing of them? Be verie warie and well aduised therefore I saie, O my soule, how from hencefoorth thou dooest behaue thy selfe; and let not follie loose that thing, which grace hath so pretiouslie offered and purchased. Let not wilfulnesse and blindnesse put out so great light as is shewed vnto thee, but applie thy selfe to liue in Christ, that Christ may still liue in thee, whose fauour and assistance if thou haue, then hast thou euerlasting life alreadie within thee, then can nothing hurt thee: whatsoeuer is hitherto done amisse and committed, [Page 612] Christ (thou seest) hath offered thee pardon, and cleerelie receiued thee into his fauour againe; in full suretie whereof, thou hast him now presentlie inhabiting and dwelling within thee. Onlie take good hart vnto thee, shew thy selfe thankefull in thy life, and determine with thy selfe to refuse, auoid, detest and abhorre all such things in thy conuersation, as should offend the eies of his mercie. Endeuour thy selfe now, I saie, O my soule, that waie to rise vp againe, which waie thou hast fallen into the pit or sinke of sin; as if by thy tong thou hast offended, now thereby rise againe, and glorifie God therewithall; accustome it to laud and praise the name of God, as thou hast therewith dishonoured it. And as thou hast hurt the good name of thy neighbour, or otherwise hindered him; so now intend to restore it to him againe: for without restitution, God accepteth not thy confession, nor yet thy repentance. It is not ynough to forsake euill, except thou set thy courage to doo good. By what occasion soeuer therfore thou hast offended, I saie turne now the occasion vnto the honouring of God, and profiting of thy neighbour.
True it is, O my soule, that sin is strong, and affections vnrulie; yea and hard it is to subdue and resist thy nature so corrupt and leauened with the sowre bitternesse of the poison, which thou receiuedst by thé inheritance of thine old father Adam, but yet neuerthelesse, be of good cheere, for Christ thy Sauiour hath ouercome the world, and all other enimies for thee. Sin shall not haue power ouer thee, for thou art now vnder grace: though thy power be weake, yet Christ is risen againe to strengthen thee in the battell; his holie spirit shall helpe thine infirmities. In full trust therefore of this confidence, O my soule, take a good hart vnto thee; I saie, be of a good courage in the Lord, and put vpon thee all the holie armour of God, that thou maist stand fast against the enimies, which would againe assault [Page 613] and subdue thee, and bring thee againe into their thraldome, slauerie, and bondage.
Remember now O my soule, that thou art brought from thy vaine conuersation, and that thy freedome is purchased neither with gold nor siluer, but with the deere price of the most pretious hart bloud of that innocent and immaculate lambe Iesus Christ. And euen now at the least O my soule, begin and take in hand in the name and feare of God, to purge the old leauen of sinne and wickednesse, that corrupteth and sowreth the sweetnesse of thy life, before the maiestie of God, that thou maist be as new and fresh dough, void of all sowre leauen of wickednesse; so shalt thou shew thy selfe to be sweet bread to God, that he may haue his delight in thee; so shalt thou declare thy selfe a worthie host for such a ghest, and that Christes gifts and graces haue their effect in thee, and that thou hast the right beleefe and knowledge of his holie mysteries now receiued of thee: finallie, so shalt thou, in applieng thy faith to the vertue of this holie Sacrament, and in thy life and conuersation conforming and fashioning thy selfe to the example and signification meant thereby, be most certaine and sure to liue in this life happilie, & in the world to come to dwell with Christ (whome thou hast now receiued) in euerlasting glorie, which God for his mercies sake, and for the deere and pretious merits of his onelie Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christs sake grant vnto vs,
Amen.
The Praier.
SO great and manifold are thy benefits O most good and mercifull God, towards mankind, as all people in euerie place ought greatlie to laud, woorthilie to praise, and highlie to extoll & magnifie thy blessed name. For what thing can be more pleasant to men, [Page 614] than that thou dooest easilie heare them at what time they call vpon thee, for such things as they stand in need of? In what other good things ought we more to reioice of, than this, for that thou yeeldest thy selfe appeased and fauourable to our iniquities? Or why bee we not right happie and blessed, whome thou diddest vouchsafe to annexe vnto thy selfe in thy sacred congregation, in feeding our hungrie stomachs with spirituall good things, and heauenlie deinties, and refreshing vs continuallie with the most exquisite and well furnished banket of thy blessed Sacraments, making vs to eate aboundantlie of thy heauenlie Manna and food of Angels, and to drinke plentiouslie of the full cup of thy holie spirit and diuine grace, to our endlesse comfort and consolation in thee?
Oh Lord, thou dealest fauourablie euen with all other creatures also for thine elects sake. Thou stablishest the mountaines; stillest the raging of the sea; appeasest the madnesse of the people, and dooest refresh and lighten with great ioie the vttermost parts of the earth, through the brightnesse of the heauenlie fires. Thou sendest seasonable weather, and timelie showers, whereby onlie commeth fertilitie of the feelds, woonderfullie garnished with all kinde of fruites, whereby both men and beasts haue aboundantlie wherewith to feed. Grant thou therefore thus much also vnto vs (who art the author of so manie good things) that we may alwaie be mindfull thereof, to render most condigne thanks vnto thee, and that an alteration of our old leauen being now made through the vertue of this blessed Sacrament, which we haue receiued, we may like the eagle from time to time, renew our youth in godlines of life, and vse to our health and comfort those things, which thou so louinglie bestowest vpon vs, thorough Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
At the solemnization of Matrimonie, praie thus:
ALmightie God, and most mercifull father, who hast ordeined marriage to be kept without blame or breach to the end, not suffering that anie should put asunder those, whome thou hast ioined together. Sanctifie those, which are called to this estate of life, to keepe it according to thy holie institution and ordinance. And furthermore, as thou requirest that we should loue thee aboue all things, esteeming more thy fauour, than either the riches or honour of this world, or life it selfe: so we beseech thee, O Lord, to teach vs how to vse these transitorie things, that we abuse them not in setting our harts vpon them, or delighting more in them than is meete; but that we may so loue our husbands, children, house & lands, and our owne liues, or whatsoeuer thou giuest vs for our comfort heere for a time, that we may keepe still the highest degree of our loue for thee our spirituall husband; so that where the question shall be betweene thee and anie thing else, we may make losse of all things, to abide perfectlie in our loue towards thee to the end; to whome, with the father, and the holie ghost, be all laud and praise for euer and euer,
Amen.
Or as at the solemnization of Matrimonie in the fift Lampe.
At the buriall of anie, meditate and praie, as followeth:
O Lord Iesu Christ Sonne of God, which art the giuer of eternall life; we hartilie thanke thee, because thou art inwardlie touched with mercie towards vs, oppressed both with temporall and euerlasting [Page 616] miseries: thou hast tasted death, and with thy flesh thou hast touched the graue, and earth, wherby it is sanctified and made light to the godlie, so that it can not keepe them in etternall death. According to thy commandement, there stand the bringers and ministers of death, euen sinne and Satan: but thou pluckest the faithfull out of the iawes of death; bringest them to a new life; through the comfort of thy Gospell teachest them to speake, and sound foorth thy glorie; cōmendest them in this life to the mother the Church, and at length, death and all euils being subdued, thou wilt bring them into thy kingdome.
Wee humblie beseech thee, take mercie vpon thy Church in these miserable daies. For she is as a widowe destitute of all worldlie helpe, and dependeth onlie vpon thy mercifull aid and protection. Speake vnto hir with cheerfull voice, and saie; Weepe not: powre vpon thine, the true light of faith and comfort; lift vs vp in the mids of death with a confidence of thy presence, and hope of eternall life. Driue awaie the gard of death; teach vs to set foorth thy truth, and at the length, let vs be placed with the sweet mother of all Saints, in the true countrie of that happie citie Ierusalem, where we shall for euermore enioie the blessed sight both of thee, and thy heauenlie congregation,
Amen.
Another deuout praier at burials.
LORD, thou art God for euer; short is our life; alwaies some of vs die; & other some come into the world: and with thee a thousand yeeres bee but one daie, yea as the least minute of an houre. This life passeth awaie as dooth a dreame, euen as grasse in the field; greene to daie, [Page 617] and drie to morowe. If thou be displeased, then we be lost; if thou chasten, then shrinke we for feare. For thorough sinnes we be dead vnto thee. Certes Lord, if thou haue respect to our sinnes, who shall continue? Shew vs how manie be the daies of our life, that we may dispend them wiselie to the praise of thy name; least that we falselie, trusting vpon long life, might come vnto death. Oh good God, how fraile and corrupt a worke be we indeed:? Euen but verie dust and ashes; and the length of our daies be as the flower in the field. No man can deliuer himselfe from death; no man can saue his owne soule from the graue: thou onelie, O Lord, must doo it; namelie, to such as beleeue in thee. O my GOD, haue mercie vpon me, and take mee not awaie vnprouided, in the middest of my daies; but let me go to my graue in a full age. Let me remember mine end, that when I shall depart out of this life, I be not depriued of euerlasting life. Let me beare alwaies before mine eies, the shortnesse of this life; and what a vanitie, and what a thing of naught it is; as well the men themselues, as all their things and affaires.
Staie my feete, O Lord, that at no time they slip with some cruell zeale or enuie, that I might haue at the vngodlie, which for the most part passe their liues quietlie, and die more quietlie. I beseech thee, let not thy chosen persons be discouraged, nor offended, by this thy godlie prouidence, in ordering of worldlie things; nor shrinke from thee by reason thereof: but rather let vs remember in what dangers in verie deed these vngodlie be in; and with how vnhappie a conclusion and terme they close & finish their happie course. And againe on the contrarie part, what pleasantnesse of conscience; and what comfort and quietnesse shall followe this our vnquietnesse. Finallie, O good God, in the daie of my buriall, when all my friends shrinke [Page 618] from me, doo not thou forsake me: when my father and mother, husband and children forsake me, vouchsafe thou, O Lord, to take me vp, and defend me from the roring lions, that wait for their praie; & lead mee safelie through the vnknown countrie, & bring me happilie to the streets of the heauenlie Zion, wherein is the habitation of all that reioice in thee; and there set mee amongst thine Angels, before the face of thine owne Maiestie; where with the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Uirgins; yea and with all my deere parents and faithfull friends, in full measure of happinesse, passing excellent glorie, and superabundant ioie of thanks-giuing and praise, I may magnifie thee, my God, among thy chosen holie ones, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another meditation of death.
O GOD, what other thing doo wee daily in this present life than heape sinne vpon sinne, and hourd trespas vpon trespas? So that this daie is woorse alwaies than yesterdaie; by increasing as daies, so sins; and therefore thine indignation, good Lord, against vs: but when we shall be let go out of the prison of this bodie, and so taken into thy blessed companie; then shall we be in most safetie of immortalitie and saluation; then shall come vnto vs no sicknesse, no need, no paine, no kind of euill to soule or bodie: but whatsoeuer good we can wish, that shall we haue; and whatsoeuer we loath, shall be farre from vs. Oh deere Father, that we had faith to behold these things accordinglie! Oh that our harts were persuaded thereof, and our affections inflamed [Page 619] with the desire of them! Then should we liue in longing, for that which now we most loath. Oh helpe vs, and grant that we being ignorant of things to come, and of the time of our death, which to thee is certaine, may so liue and finish our iournie here, that we may be readie; and then depart, when our departing may make most to thy glorie, and our comfort, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another sweet meditation, of the longing of the soule to be with God; out of Saint Augustine.
O Kingdome of all worlds eternall, wherein is ioie surmounting all ioies; and the peace of God, which passeth all vnderstanding: wherein also the soules of all holie folke doo rest and reigne with thee, O Lord, in euerlasting ioie, mirth and gladnesse. When shall I enter into thee, that I may see my God, which dwelleth in thee? When shall I go thither, & behold this great sight? What is it that holds me backe? Wo is me, that my soiourning is prolonged: wo is me; how long shall it be said vnto me; Wait, and wait againe? And now to what purpose is my waiting? My Lord God, doo we not wait and watch for the Sauiour, our Lord Iesus Christ, to come and repaire our base bodies vnto the likenesse of his glorious bodie? We wait and watch, like wise virgins, with our loines girt, and our lamps burning, for the Lord our Bridegroome, when he should come from the Bridehouse, to fetch vs into his wedding. Come Lord Iesus, and tarie not: come Lord Iesu Christ; come visit vs in peace: come lead vs prisoners out of prison, that we may reioice before thee with a perfect hart: come our Sauiour, thou that art [Page 620] longed for, of all nations and people; come shew thy countenance vnto vs, and we shall be safe: come my light, and my redeemer, my GOD, and my spouse, take my soule out of prison, that it may giue praise vnto thy name.
How long shall I be tossed in the waues of my mortalitie, crieng vnto thee Lord, and thou hearest me not? Lord heare me how I crie vnto thee out of this huge sea, and bring me to the hauen of endlesse blisse. Happie are they, O God, which are conueied out of this sea, and haue obteined to arriue at thee, the safest harborough of all hauens. O happie are they indeed, which are escaped alreadie from sea to shore; from banishment home into their owne countrie; and from prison into a palace; enioieng their wished rest! Blessed are they that alreadie haue gained the garland of endlesse glorie, which they sought for here by manie tribulations; and ioie now in happie mirth for euer. O blessed are they indeed! O treble, and foure-times blessed are they, which being alreadie quite rid of all miseries, haue atteined to the kingdome of beautifulnesse, and euerlasting blissefulnesse, and are assured of their vnappearable glorie! For there is ioie endlesse; mirth sorowlesse; health griefelesse; waie without labour; light without darknesse; life without death. Happie therefore, I saie, are those, that alreadie haue escaped the shipwracke of this present miserable life, and obteined the grace to come to so great ioies in heauen. But alas, we are yet still in the waues of the sea, longing for thee, O Lord, the hauen of our sea. O Ierusalem the heauenlie countrie of ours! O quiet countrie! we looke towards thee, and ken thee a farre off. Wee hale thee from this sea; we sigh vnto thee out of this vale of miserie, and labour with teares, if we may by anie meanes attaine vnto thee. O Christ, God, and the onlie hope of all mankind; our refuge and strength, [Page 621] whose brightnesse inlighteneth our eies a farre off, as the beames of the sea-starre dooth in the mistie darknesse of the stormie sea, to guide vs vnto thee our hauen. Lord, gouerne our ship with thy right hand, by the helme of thy crosse, that wee perish not in the waues; that the tempest of the water drowne vs not, and that the deepe swalowe vs not vp: but with the hooke of thy crosse, plucke vs backe out of this vast sea, vnto thee our onlie comfort, whom we see waiting for vs a farre off, as the morning-starre, and as the daiesunne of righteousnesse, in maner with weeping eies, vpon the shore of the heauenlie countrie. Behold we, whom thou hast ransomed, doo crie vnto thee, yea euen we, as yet thy banished exiles, whom thou hast redeemed with thy pretious bloud, doo crie vnto thee: heare vs, O God our Sauiour, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of all them that be in the sea a farre off. We be conuersant in a troublesome sea, and thou standing vpon the shore, lookest at our perils. Oh saue vs for thy name sake, that we perish not. And Lord, grant vs so to keepe our course betweene Scylla and Charybdis, and to hold so with thee, that we may escape the dangers of both, and come safe to land without losse of ship, or fraight,
Amen.
Another meditation of the happinesse of the good soule hence departing: at burials.
HAppie is the soule, which departing from the earthly bodie goeth directlie into heauen: secure it is and quiet, and feareth neither enimie nor death. For it enioieth continuallie thy presence, O God, & vncessantlie beholdeth the most glorious Lord, whome she hath serued and loued, and whom now at the length full ioifullie and gloriouslie [Page 622] she hath attained vnto.
And this glorie of so great blessednesse, neither time shall diminish, nor anie wicked person take awaie. The daughters of Zion haue seene hir, and counted hir blessed; euen the Queenes and the concubines haue praised hir, saieng: Who is she that commeth vp out of the desert, abounding in pleasure, leaning vpon hir welbeloued? Who is she that looketh foorth as the morning; faire as the Moone; pure as the Sunne; terrible as an armie with banners? How cheerefullie goeth she out, hastneth, runneth, when all amazed shee heareth hir beloued saieng vnto hir on this wise: Arise my loue, my faire one, and come awaie. For behold, the winter now is past, the raine is changed and gone awaie, the flouds appeere in our earth, the time of the singing of the bird is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. The fig-tree hath brought foorth hir yong figs, and the vines with their small grapes haue cast a sauour. Arise my loue, my faire one, and come awaie; my doue that art in the holes of the rocke, in the secret places of the staires, shew me thy sight; let me heare thy voice, for thy voice is sweet, and thy sight comelie. Come awaie my chosen, my faire one, my doue, mine vnspotted one, my spouse, come awaie, and I will put thee into my bed-chamber, because I haue longed after thy beautie. Come awaie, that thou maist triumph in my presence with mine Angels, whose companie I haue promised thee. After manie perils and labour come awaie, enter into thy maisters ioie, the which no man shall take from thee,
Amen.
Another which may be vsed on all Saincts daie.
OH happie are all thy Saincts, O Christ, which haue passed ouer the sea of this mortalitie, and attained vnto the hauen of perpetuall quietnesse, securitie and peace, where [Page 623] they are at rest, and alwaie ioifull and merrie! Wherfore of thy tender loue I beseech thee, O Christ, who art without care of thy selfe, be carefull for vs; who needest not to care for incorruptible glorie, haue thou a consideration of our manifold miseries. O our God, who hast chosen a people to thy selfe, and endued them with glorie, making them both immortall of thine immortalitie, and ioifull through thy blessed sight; I beseech thee be thou alwaies mindfull of vs, and helpe vs, who as yet in the salt seas of this life are tossed with the surges about vs. O thou goodlie gate, who art raised into a maruellous highnesse, helpe vs vile pauement, lieng much beneath thee; giue vs thine hand, and raise vp such as lie vpon the ground, that waxing strong out of weakenesse, we may be made couragious in battell. Make thou intercession for vs continuallie, and vncessantlie praie for vs wretches, and most negligent sinners, that through thy praiers we may be conioined to the holie companie of saincts, for otherwise we shall neuer be saued. For alas, we are verie fraile, weakelings of no courage, creatures giuen to the seruice of the bellie and flesh, hauing in vs almost no sparkle of vertue, and yet placed vnder thy confession. O Christ, we are borne by the wood of the crosse through this great and wide sea, where are things creeping innumerable, both small beasts and great; wherein the most cruell dragon is, alwaie prepared to deuour vs, wherein be the dangerous rocks, Scylla and Charybdis with other such like innumerable things, whereby the heedlesse and wauering in faith make shipwracke. Wherefore O Christ praie for vs, O good Christ praie thou (we saie) for vs; that through thy good praiers and merits, we may deserue, ship and merchandise being saued, to attaine vnto the port of perpetuall saluation, quietnesse, peace and securitie, which neuer shall haue end,
Amen.
After the seruice and common praier ended, praie thus:
O Iesu Christ, the verie true Aaron, and onlie high Bishop of our soule, which in thine own name art gone vp into the most holie place, and bearest our names before the Lord vpon thy shoulders for a continuall remembrance. Forsomuch as our offerings and sacrifice cannot be so perfect, but that through our frailtie some fault and imperfection shall be found therein in thy sight; vouchsafe we beseech thee, O holiest of all holies, and our most perfect high priest, in mercie to beare the iniquities of our publike praiers, and common sacrifice, which we thy people with one accord, by thy grace, haue heere at this time made, and offered vnto God the Father, in thy name. Pardon, O pardon our dulnesse and coldnesse in deuotion; and let this our oblation be alwaies vpon thy forehead, to cause these our burnt offerings to be presented and accepted, for a sweet sauour of rest before the Lord our God; that through thy onelie mediation, he being pacified, our sinnes pardoned, and we gratiouslie reconciled and sanctified, may be woorthie often to haue accesse to thy mercie-seate, to woorship thee in thy holie Temple; and now as thy seruants, to go in peace, to glorifie thee in all holie obedience to thy word, & to doo vnto the poore as much as we can, So be it.
Or else thus.
ALmightie God, which hast giuen vs grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications vnto thee: and dooest promise, that when two or three be gathered togither [Page 625] in thy name, thou wilt grant their request; fulfill now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy seruants, as may be most expedient for them; granting vs in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come, life euerlasting,
Amen.
When the people arise to depart out of the Church, saie thus to thy selfe.
RIse vp, O Lord, arise, and let thine enimies be scattered; yea, let all them that hate thee, and prophane thine honour, flee before thee: but gather the Saincts togither continuallie, and let them neuer depart from thy Church, So be it.
So soone as you be out of the Church dore saie:
BLessed bee the glorie of the LORD out of his place.
Going homeward from the Church, meditate and praie as followeth.
O Christ, whose home is heauen, and whose house is a place of ioies eternall; I thanke thee for all thy great mercies shewed towards me, especiallie for vouchsafing mee yet time to repent and liue godlie: grant also I beseech thee, that being trulie humbled before thee this daie, I may by my good life declare, that I haue not come to Church in vaine; and that with the penitent Publicane, I may returne home now to my house vnder thy protection, imbettered and iustified both before God and man, and in all holie obedience glorifie thee both at home and abroade, in my life and in my death,
Amen.
Another.
BEhold me, O Lord, I praie thee, a poore seelie woorme here creeping & walking bodilie on earth for a time in this life, (which is our pilgrimage and passage to our home) and make me more mindfull of mine euerlasting home, and very desirous to returne to the house of the liuing: that hauing mine affections inflamed by thy holie spirit, I may vtterlie contemne all earthlie things, and couet euermore to be present with thee: that my conuersatoin may be in heauen, whither grant mee at the length to come, there in my long home with thy children to be partaker of thy glorie, and to reioice as thy child, bicause of this my euerlasting home, and the great glorie thereof.
For I knowe, O Lord, that if mine earthlie house of this tabernacle (my bodie) were destroied, I haue a building of thee, euen an habitation not made with hands, but eternall in heauen; for the which I sigh, desiring to be further clothed with my house, which is from heauen, that mortalitie might be swalowed vp of life; bicause I knowe, that as long as I am at home in the bodie, I am absent from thee; therefore had I rather to be absent from the bodie, and to be present with thee, O Lord: neuerthelesse, whether I be at home, or from home, I am of good comfort, and alwaies of good cheere in thee: beseeching thee in mercie to grant me grace, to endeuour my selfe so to walke by faith in thy feare, after the inward appearance, that when we shall all appeare before the iudgement-seate of Christ, euerie one to receiue the works of his bodie, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad, I may be found accepted vnto thee,
Amen.
When you enter into your house, praie.
THY fauour and grace, O God, being my guide, I enter into this my materiall house and home: beseeching thy mercie so to blesse and preserue my comming in, and my going out, both now and euer; that thy peace, O God, which passeth all vnderstanding, may be euermore therin, and that I neuer turne back, or be deformedlie scattered abroad from thee, vntill thou bring me home from this painfull pilgrimage, whereas be the first fruits of my spirit: So be it.
Being come home, praie.
LORD blesse vs, and make our houses, Churches of thy saints, linked in one confession and religion, that being by thee made all of one mind in this house, we may with the deuout Galileans praise thee for thy benefits both now and euer.
O Lord, now fashion & conforme me by thy holie spirit in this house of my peregrination; that herein, enioieng the benefit of perfect peace, most seemelie quietnesse, and comlie order, I may make thy mysteries my songs, vntill it shall please thee to lead me vpward, vnto the peace of thy children; euen into thy holie house, and mansion place, where thou hast placed vs; and where we shall will or desire nothing else; but to tarrie and remaine for euer. For whilest we are clad with this bodie, we doo as it were go astraie, and are strangers vnto thee, neither haue we here anie abiding place for euer; but we must seeke for one that is to come. To the which thou bring vs, [Page 628] that camest from thence to redeeme vs, Iesus Christ the righteous; to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost, be all possible praise, and endlesse glorie, now and for euer,
Amen.
Praiers before meate on Sundaie.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull Father, who hast taught vs that outward things defile not a man; but those that proceede from the hart: grant vs so to esteeme cleane, that thou pronouncest cleane, as that by praier and thankes-giuing, the vse of thy creatures made for our benefit, may be sanctified vnto vs: and of the other part, so to abhorre the pollusion of sinne, which onelie thou declarest to be common and vncleane, that wee may auoid by thy grace all murders, adultries, thefts, false-witnesse-bearing, vnlawfull desires, and concupiscence, and whatsoeuer thou hast forbidden touching our dutie towards men, or seruice and obedience vnto thee: that being thus sanctified by thy grace, we may alwaies haue free accesse vnto thy sanctuarie, in this life; and be receiued into the heauenlie Ierusalem, where no Canaanite, nor vncleane person shall enter in the life to come, through Iesus Christ our Lord: to whom with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all honour, glorie, and praise, for euer,
Amen.
Another.
O Sonne of God, which by thy miraculous multiplieng of a few fishes and loaues of bread, didst feed fiue thousand of thy people in the wildernesse, both inwardlie with spirituall comfort, and outwardlie with corporall food, thereby [Page 629] shewing thy selfe in deed to be the Creator & susteiner of all things: we beseech thee, who onelie giuest vs the breath of life, and knowest what we need, and alone canst giue a reason, why after this maner thou wilt feed vs with corporall things; and not as thou dooest the startes without anie nourishment. Giue vnto thy Church, of thy wisedome, such things as are necessarie for the sustentation of this life, wherein the ioies of the life eternall and to come doo begin. And albeit somtime we lacke diuers things, although thine aduersarie throweth stones at vs for bread, yet by thy power strengthen vs that we faint not. And that we which liue not by bread alone, or by our owne industrie; being armed with thy word and promise, (the spirituall food and sword of our soule) may receiue comfort thereby, and being protected by thee after a woonderfull sort, to liue and glorifie thee both here, and in the world to come,
Amen.
Another praier before meat, to be vsed that daie that you haue receiued the holie Communion.
WE thanke thee, O eternall housholder, for that after the banket of paradise troubled by the diuell & man, thou hast againe of thine infinite goodnesse, through thy sonne, prepared a sumptuous supper, and great feast. And for as much as thy people, among whom the tower of thy daily iunkets was placed, togither with the most part of the world, do despise thy holie table, and suffer themselues to be caried about vnto the bankets of Satan, and vaine pleasures of this world. Thou hast vouchsafed to call vs, most vnwoorthie wretches, being lame, blind, and beggerlie in this last age of the world, that the number of thine elect may be filled: yea, thou compellest [Page 630] some, lieng in the high waies, and about hedges, by reason of the troubles and decaie of kingdoms, through the preaching of thy word, to come to the participation of thy banket. We humblie beseech thee bring vs to thine heauenlie table; appoint vs a place therein euermore. Grant that from thy sonne, which is the bread and liuelie wine, we may drawe nourishment and iuice; that the drinesse of our nature may be watered, and we at length taste of thy supper in the table of euerlasting life, and drinke the new wine of thy sonne, enioieng his visible sight in the blessed societie of all thine elect,
Amen.
When you begin to eate, immediatelie blesse, and saie:
LORD God, which art the sanctifier of thy Saints, and the euerlasting suffisance that shalt be giuen to the hungrie: blesse thou from heauen these thy good creatures and great benefits, (which thou hast created to releeue the want of thy hungrie children, and to be receiued with thanks-giuing) with thy celestiall benediction: that they may be as a healthfull medicine or remedie to our humane nature. And grant that by the inuocation of thy holie name, we now soberlie taking, and temperatelie and thankfullie tasting hereof, may therewithall receiue both helth of bodie, and safegard of soule, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Or else praie thus for the sober vsing of your meate and drinke.
GRant, O most mercifull God, that so long as we wander in this wretched world, we may so take our meate and drinke, for the infirmitie of our flesh, that we neuer be corrupted [Page 631] by fine fare, (wherein the flesh delighteth) neither yet by anie foolish superstition; nor that we be drawne awaie at anie time from temperance and sobrietie: but let vs alwaies remember so to vse our abundance, that when we abound in all things most plentifullie, we may giue our selues to moderate abstinence continuallie; as also that we may patientlie beare all pouertie and hunger when it commeth: and that wee may so vse libertie in our meates and drinks, that alwaies the glorie of thy name, O Lord, may be before our eies; and that such frugalitie may appeare in all our life, that we may continuallie seeke that satietie and fulnesse, whereby we shall be satiate for euer most abundantlie, when the glorie of thy countenance shall appeere vnto vs in the heauens, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
When you take salt, meditate a little to your selfe, and saie:
EUerie man shall be salted with fire, and euerie sacrifice shall be seasoned with salt. Salt is good; but if the salt be vnsauourie, wherewith shall it be seasoned? O God, giue vs grace to haue salt in our selues, and to haue peace one with another; & let all our communication now be so well sauoured and powdered with salt; that is to saie, seasoned with godlie wisedome, that we knowing how and when to speake, all our talke may tend to the glorie of thy name, and the edifieng of our owne soules, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
In the meale time.
LET one of your children or seruants, that best can, reade this caution following; and after that, some chapter or portion of the Scripture [Page 632] distinctlie and reuerentlie, that all at the boord may giue diligent eare therevnto.
The cautions or remembrances to be said of the child in the meate time.
REmember that these meates and drinkes heere set before you, are giuen you of God to vse; but not to abuse in surfeting and dronkennesse.
Remember that they are giuen you to profit your bodies, and not to hurt your soules.
Remember that they are not giuen to you alone, but vnto others also that need the same, by your liberalitie and almes to their releefe.
In eating and drinking, remember that you doo but feed the woormes, and pamper the carcasse, and ouercharge your soule if yee surfet with taking too much.
In the midst of your mirth and abundance, remember the poore prisoners, the sicke; and the afflictions of Ioseph, and his persecuted members, as though yee were in their case.
Finallie, remember the food of your soules, Christs bodie broken, and his bloud shead. Desire the meate, I saie, that lasteth for euer. Labour for it, and harken diligentlie to his word, which now shall be read vnto you. And first let vs praie.
A praier to be said of the child or seruant in the meale time, before the reading of the Chapter out of the Bible.
O Lord, which hast prouided these earthlie creatures for the feeding of our mortall bodies, direct vs carefullie to seeke, and with delight to tast of thy most holie word, that we may by that immortall seed be begotten [Page 633] to be thy children, and thereby be nourished and fed, vntill we become perfect men in thy Sonne Christ Iesus, So be it.
Or else thus:
BLessed Lord, which hast not onlie created all things for mans sustenance, but also hast caused all holie Scripture to be written for our learning, grant vs to be so conuersant among these thy gifts purelie and holilie, because thou art so, that we may in such sort also now both reade thy word, heare it, marke, learne, and inwardlie digest this heauenlie food of our soules, that being well refreshed, and vertuouslie transformed both in bodie and soule, we may holilie walke in the strength thereof, to glorifie thee, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
After the Chapter read, saie thus:
BLessed are they that heare the word of God, and keepe it. Grant therefore we beseech thee, O Lord, that we may not onlie be readers and hearers of thy word, but dooers and followers also of the same; that beeing now fed and nourished at thy hands both in soule and bodie, we may heere bee apt and readie to doo all good works, which thou hast prepared for vs to walke in, and in the life to come be receiued to thine eternall kingdome of glorie, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another thanks-giuing after the receiuing of our bodilie sustenance, and reading of some part of Gods holie word, or spirituall food.
O Lord our God, the onlie giuer of all good gifts, who of thy great mercies hast made vs partakers both of the heauenlie gifts of thy holie word, to feed our minds; and of thine earthlie creatures, for the necessarie sustenance of our weake bodies: grant we beseech thee, that through thy grace, these thy gifts may be made perfect vnto vs. Giue strength vnto our meate, that it may be our healthfull nourishment, not to breed in vs anie carnall desire of our vaine life; but to enable our bodies with all good works, during the time of this present pilgrimage, that so thy good creatures may be our good releefe so long as thou wilt, and so much as thou knowest to be expedient for vs thy seruants to finish our daies, which thou hast numbred in the edifieng of thy Saincts, and glorifieng of thy holie name.
And because, O Lord, we knowe nothing of our selues, but our ignorant harts are full of darkenesse; therefore we beseech thee, that this thy word (which is thine eternall wisdome) that now we haue read (and wherein we haue had our conference) may be in our minds a burning lampe and shining light of thine onlie truth in our harts, and in our soules a fruitefull seed of a new birth: so that thine owne image may be happilie againe restaured in vs; that we may bee made before thee a holie and righteous people, by the inward working of thy gratious spirit, dailie strengthening our harts in earnest loue of thy truth, and carefull obedience of thy commandements, through [Page 635] Iesus Christ our onlie mediator, who in the sacrifice of his owne bodie, hath purchased vnto vs all thy fauour, and hath giuen vs boldnesse to call vpon thee, vnto whome, O father, with thee, and the holie Ghost, bee all honour and glorie, world without end,
Amen.
Another praier after meate on the Lords daie.
SAnctified be thy name, O eternall father, who by thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, dooest euermore protect and prouide for thy Church both spirituall and corporall blessings, bestowing most liberallie vpon vs all good things asked according to thy will. Lift vp thine eies, O Christ, and behold thy miserable people, which depend altogither vpon thy prouision, and acknowledge our selues to be fed, and defended miraculouslie by thee. Assist vs, that we also may withdrawe our eies from the consultations of flesh and bloud, and looke vpon thee our Lord, by whose blessing we eate and store our selues. And albeit, all worldlie helps do faile, yet bee thou a firie wall still about vs, and feed and defend thy Saincts in the feelds of comfort, vntill thou begin that ioifull Passouer, and euerlasting Sabboth, and bring vs out of the wildernesse, out of the sea and penurie, into the court of ioie, wealth, satietie, and euerlasting welfare. In the meane while, make vs thankfull for the benefits which we enioie. Let vs gather vp the remnants or fragments cast from thy sumptuous and rich banket vnto vs. Preserue our baskets, and blesse our store, euen the arts and schooles of learning, that by them thy doctrine may be spread abroade in the world. Make vs not onlie to honour thee for these thy corporall benefits, but much more for giuing thy selfe vnto vs, which art the bread of life. Be [Page 636] thou our King, defending vs in this life against the power of Sathan, and feed vs with thy heauenlie bread, which may nourish vs to eternall life and happinesse,
Amen.
Another praier after meate that daie you haue receiued the holie Communion.
SEeing that of thy free grace and mercie, O almightie God, thou hast made vs partakers this daie of all thy riches, both in spirituall and corporall things in Christ Iesu, who of our selues are vnwoorthie to haue gathered the crumbs vnder thy table, make vs more and more mindfull of so great mercies, and continuallie thankefull to thee for so manifold benefits, and to walke woorthie the honour and dignitie thou hast done vnto vs, that we may receiue the full accomplishment of thy loue towards vs in the life to come, through the same our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie world without end,
Amen.
Another thanks-giuing vnto God for our food, to be read and meditated vpon after meate.
WE thanke thee, O King of glorie, Lord of heauen and earth, because thou hast from our youth to this present houre, maruellouslie nourished vs, giuing vs meate, drinke, & cloathing, with all other things perteining to the sustentation of this present life. Naked and bare came we out of our mothers wombs: wee brought nothing into the world, but whatsoeuer we haue, thou [Page 637] gauest the same; yea it was afore we were borne, and in our mothers wombe, didst thou ordeine things necessarie for this life, and sufferedst vs to enioie all things aboundantlie. Alwaie thou hast a care of vs, as a father vseth his children; neither art thou ignorant that we stand in need continuallie of thy blessings, and dailie are destitute of new releefe, all which thou giuest after thy woonted and vnspeakable goodnesse.
We acknowledge that whatsoeuer we haue or possesse, it is thy gift, and confesse thee to be the fountaine of all good things, and perceiue thy fatherlie goodnesse to be spread, not onlie ouer all mankind, but also ouer the liuing creatures. Thou giuest meate to all flesh, thou giuest fodder to the cattell, and feedest the yoong rauens that call vpon thee. For corporall goods are not distributed among men by chance, or without thy prouidence; neither be they atteined by the onlie industrie and power of man. Thou giuest, and we gather; thou openest thy hand, and all liuing creatures are filled with thy blessing. For without thee all our endeuours be in vaine, and if thou blesse not our labours, we doo but eate the wind, and receiue no profit.
Great is thy mercie, O Lord, which disdainest not to prouide for sinfull flesh. O Lord our God, great are thy woonderous works, which thou hast done for vs, the which we can not so much as in thought comprehend, muchlesse in words expresse. When we would report and vtter them, we found them more than we could recite: but notwithstanding thine infinite benefits can not be comprehended of mortall man, yet will we not surcease to set foorth thy praise, nor hide thy goodnesse from the sonnes of men; but will declare it, and speake of thy truth from one generation to another.
Blessed art thou, O our God, for euer and euer; all that is either aboue in the heauens, or in the earth beneath, [Page 638] is thine. All things come from thee, and from thine hands we receiue whatsoeuer we possesse, and all these things of thy meere mercie, without our merits or woorthinesse. Therefore we will magnifie the Lord, which doth mightie things in all corners of the earth, which dooth nourish vs from our mothers wombs, and giueth vs all good things. Grant vs likewise quietnesse of mind, and peace in our time, that thy grace may abound toward vs, continue, and defend vs while we liue.
O almightie and mercifull father, by thy breath we take life, the which through thy blessing doth abide in vs. In thee we liue, moue, and haue our being. For man liueth not by bread onlie, or by his owne wisedome and forecast, neither art thou bound with a fatall chaine of second causes, but by thy decree and will we enioie life, and all things created at thy becke, doo continue, while thou thinkest good. Giue vs not onlie store of all things to the necessitie of life, but grant also to our meate and drinke vertue and power to releeue and strengthen our bodies. For thou alone vpholdest all things by thy word of power. Unlesse thou dailie didst feed vs with the hidden grace, which thou dooest inspire into the bread to feed vs, all the heapes of our yeerelie increase were to small purpose. For be it, that there be aboundance of wheate, wine, and of all other things, yet vnlesse they be watered by thy blessing, quicklie would all come to naught, and we should perish for lacke of food in all that aboundance. For all the substance that we possesse, what is it, without thou prosper and fructifie the same with thy blessing?
And albeit we feed on bread, yet we ascribe not our life to the vertue of the bread; neither is thy power tied to the bread; nor mans life included within the same, but altogither it dependeth vpon thy will and good pleasure. We beseech thee for thy most large and [Page 639] bountifull liberalitie, cast vs not off in the time of our old age; and when our strength faileth vs, forsake vs not. Likewise, confirme our faith, that we distrust not thy promises; neither be driuen from thee by anie meanes, seeme they neuer so contrarie to naturall causes: but giue grace that we may withdrawe our eies from all worldlie consultations, and as touching our food, and other necessaries for this life, may wholie depend vpon thee, and at no time go beyond the limits which thou hast prepared, through our Lord Iesus Christ, which liueth and reigneth with thee for euermore,
Amen.
At noone-tide, or mid-daie, saie thus:
O Lord my light, my inlightning, and my welfare, from whence all true brightnesse and light doth come: grant I beseech thee, that as of thy goodnesse thou hast giuen me thus plentifullie this corporall light to compasse my bodie on euerie side, so of thy mercie giue me aboundantlie the spirituall light of thy grace and knowledge, which may inlighten my mind, and cause mine age to appeare as cleere as the noone daie. And because, O Lord, nothing in this world is so perfect and glorious, but when it is at the full, it will decrease and weare awaie: euen as we see in the course of this thy glorious creature the Sunne, which now being at the highest, will begin to drawe downeward. Graunt also, I beseech thee, that when at the age of fortie yeeres my bodie by little and little shall begin to fade, and the beautie thereof wither, and drawe towards an end, it togither with my soule, in the daie of iudgement, may shine as bright as the Sunne, being now at the highest, doth; and may then begin to be glorified to the full, in [Page 640] the region of the celestiall world, where the Sunne of all righteousnesse, and the brightnesse of perpetuall charitie and felicitie doth euerlastinglie shine, and inlighten all the holie companie of heauen,
Amen.
Or else thus:
LOrd let thy fauour preuent vs, as doth the Sunne, which being now in the highest region, spreadeth his beames ouer all the parts of the earth. And as the brightnesse therof shineth now without the clouds: after the same sort giue vs thy cleerenesse, and shewe thy bright countenance ouer vs, that lightened by thy word, wee may walke this daie thorough, circumspectlie and warilie in the waies of thy commandements; that being blinded in the mid daie, we run not headlong into darkenesse, neither grope at noone daie as in the night, wandering from the paths of thy iudgements. Open thine eies, O God, ouer vs, & be thou vnto vs a mightie protector this daie, a firmament of strength, a couering against heate & parching, a shadow at noone tide, a defender from offence, an assister from falling, a comforter of our soules, a lightener of our minds, and a giuer of health and happines in Christ our Lord,
Amen.
On Sundaie. A praier for the right keeping of the Sabboth or Sundaie.
O Eternall father of our Lord Iesu Christ, which togither with thy Sonne, and the holie Ghost, didst create man, & of thine infinite mercie powredst into him a similitude of those things, which are most excellent in thee the fountaine of all goodnesse; and wouldest in that nature, as it were in a Temple (seeing thine image to shine therein) continue, and celebrate the ioifull Sabboth. When man had defaced thine image, and was pluckt from thee, it was thy will that the Sonne of thine owne substance should take our flesh vpon him, and be made a sacrifice for the sinnes of mankind, bee crucified, die; yea and on the great Sabboth daie of the lawe, lie in the graue, where the word after an vnspeakable manner rested, that we may receiue againe the societie of the new and celestiall Sabboth.
We beseech thee grant that thy Sonne, which is the Lord of that Sabboth, may begin in this life to rest in vs; to heale the corruptions of our nature by his holie spirit, which is the heauenlie fire; to drie vp the dropsie of our flesh; that he may loue vs, which are bone of his bones, to make vs one with him through his spirit; and finallie, to bring vs into that glorious companie, where the eternall Sabboth is in such excellencie, as can not be conceiued by the hart of man.
In the meane while, let vs ceasse from this hurlie burlie, this toiling, and drudging, in the vaine trumperie of this world; so as once at last we may religiouslie halowe, and keepe the godlie rest of the new Sabboth, in doing such things as be allowable and pleasant vnto [Page 642] thee, and sanctifieng thee in true rest and peace. Drawe vs from the vaine fantasies of present things, that we may attend and await vpon thee, and thy ioifull comming. Grant I saie, that we may be humbled vnder thy mightie hand, that we may knowe our infirmities, obeie thee in our crosses and correction, looke vnto thee in a liuelie faith and hope of a ioifull deliuerance, which then shall be perfect, when thy Sonne by his trumpet shall summon the new Sabboth, and drawe vnto him on high, where he sitteth at thy right hand exalted, thine elect; all thine enimies, which through beastlie arrogancie blushed not to contend and fight against thee, being subdued,
Amen.
Another.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull heauenlie father, who after that in sixe daies thou haddest created all things, didst rest the seauenth daie, and sanctifiedst it; teach vs to keepe holie the Sabboth daie, not in shew and cercmonie onlie, but much more in euerie good woorke, which thou hast commanded; not in part for fashion sake, but wholie and to the end for thine owne glorie sake. And wee beseech thee, O Lord, to heale not onlie our heads and limmes, but also our harts and soules; that we may both in the lawfull keeping of thy Sabboth, and all other thy commandements, be obedient vnto thee the Lord of the Sabboth. And as thou hast taught vs the right keeping of the Sabboth to stand chieflie in dooing of good one vnto another, giue vs grace continuallie to keepe this Sabboth inuiolable, and vnprophaned, that we may onlie doo those things which are holie and acceptable vnto thee, and may ceasse from all our lewd works and waies. And especiallie, O Lord, [Page 643] grant that we may auoid carefullie the first step of the ladder that leadeth to that horrible sinne of blasphemie, which is not to be forgiuen, neither in this world, nor in the world to come,
Amen.
Ghostlie Meditations, with the which it is meete for vs Christians to occupie our selues once in the daie, or at the least (for those, whose leasure will not serue) once in the weeke, and that euerie Sundaie and holie daie: which the Author found in an old and ancient written copie: & for the excellent matter therin conteind, hath thought it good now to publish it, to the glorie of God, and profit of his Church.
FIrst, let vs call to our memorie the bountifull goodnesse of almightie GOD, extended towards vs in the creation of the firmament, the earth, the sea, and all that therein is conteined; which he hath made for our onelie comfort, and the seruice of vs. And let vs here with also consider the greatnesse and omnipotencie of his power, which was able with his word onlie of nothing to make althings, & those so wonderfull works, that they are not able to be comprehended within the compasse of mans reason. Call we also to mind the vnsearchablenesse of his diuine wisedome, through which in so goodlie order continuallie he both can, & doth conserue all those things: and lastlie, let vs not forget his incomparable loue towards vs, who of his onlie meere goodnesse, without anie part of ablenesse of our deserts, hath prouided all these things for our vse: and not onlie that; but hath moreouer made vs of capacitie and vnderstanding to discusse, and knowe how to vse the same, for the seruing of our necessities, as the diuersitie of times and occasion requireth. Let vs not [Page 644] therefore shew our selues vnto him vnthankfull.
Nextlie, let vs call to mind from how sundrie perils, as well ghostle as bodilie, he hath and dooth from time to time preserue vs: namelie, from perils on the land, perils by water, perils of fire, perils through sicknes, from imprisonment, from open shame, from slanders, from extreme beggerie, from famine, from pestilence, and other horrible diseases; from sudden and shamefull death, and sundrie other mischiefes, which we may vnderstand to haue happened, and dailie doo perceiue to happen vnto others; which should in like sort haue happened vnto vs, if through his mercifull goodnesse we had not beene therefrom preserued: and herewith let vs also call vnto mind, our health, our wealth, and all other Gods good gifts, which he hath lent vnto vs, and render vnto him most humble thanks therefore.
Also, let vs thinke how he hath made vs of no vile sort nor condition; but euen vnto his owne likenesse, indued with the most pretious gifts of reason, vnderstanding, memorie and will; which noble gifts he hath giuen vs, to the intent we should with these honour him accordinglie: which if we doo not; but doo abuse the same, to worldlie, vaine, and fantasticall delights; we may then assure our selues, not onelie to make a straight account thereof; but also to be most greeuouslie punished therefore.
Moreouer, let vs call to mind how mercifull, and like a most louing Maister and Sauior, Christ the Sonne of God, and second person in Trinitie, Lord and king ouer all rule and power, descended downe from the bosome of his Father, and from his heauenlie throne into this miserable world, and here tooke vpon him our fraile flesh; suffering in the same by the space of three and thirtie yeeres, hunger, thirst, cold, watch, pouertie, euil report, hatred, disdaine, slanders, rebukes, checks, taunts, scornes, buffets, binding, beating, whipping, [Page 645] wrongfull accusation, false condemnation; yea, and at the last, most vile, spitefull, cruell, and shamefull death; and that innocentlie and giltlesse, thereby to deliuer vs from our gilt, and the eternall death, which all we, by the transgression of our first parent Adam, had most iustlie deserued. And herewith let vs also thinke what reproch & shame it is to vs, to repine or grudge to suffer the like for his sake: sith he being both our Lord and Maister, of the singular loue he did beare vnto vs, hath suffered all those for our sakes: should not we then, being but seruants (or rather vile slaues in respect of him) disdaine or repine at that, which he, not onelie our Maister; but King ouer all kings hath not disdained to suffer?
Also, let vs consider how that by the merits of his most bitter passion, and his grace giuen vnto vs in the Sacrament of baptisme, he hath forgiuen vs, cleerelie clensed vs, and vtterlie discharged vs of all our former sinnes. Herevpon, let vs call to mind, how oft since that time we haue offended him, by falling againe into deadlie sinne; & therewith let vs call to remembrance the particularitie of our offences, the greeuousnesse of the same, how long we haue continued in them without repentance taken for them: and then let vs weigh the abundance of his great mercie; first, how gratiouslie he hath abidden the time of our repentance; how readie he hath beene to forgiue vs vpon due repentance taken, and perfect confession without dissimulation made thereof vnto him.
Remember we also, how lewdlie, how wickedlie, and how sinfullie we haue bestowed the short time, which God hath here in this world lent vnto vs, to fight and warre continuallie against our most mortall aduersaries, the world, the flesh, and the diuell, which trauell without ceassing to worke our euerlasting destruction, and to bring vs to euerlasting death; and to beereue [Page 646] vs from the life eternall, & ioies endlesse. Thinke we also, if God of his great mercie had not gratiouslie spared vs life, vntill we had repented that wickednes; in what wretched condition, and most extreme torments of hell paines, had we beene in now; and so should haue continued for euer world without end? But how deere then should those short pleasures and vaine delights of the flesh haue beene vnto vs?
Let vs also call to mind the houre of death, the vncerteintie of the time thereof, and that we knowe not when where, or in what maner it shall be: but like as we are most certeine we can not escape it; so are wee as sure, if we happen then to depart this life in deadlie sinne, that we shall then not onelie die the bodilie death; but also the spirituall death, which is eternall death both of bodie and soule. Let vs therefore endeuour our selues, so to liue, as though euerie houre should be vnto vs the last houre; and by that meanes we shall not be vnreadie, how suddenlie soeuer death shall steale vpon vs, nor yet shall we feare his cōming.
Furthermore, let vs thinke what shall become of our wretched bodies, and vile carcases, which we haue sought by all meanes to pamper; whose ease wee haue so much procured; which we haue so delicatelie nourished; which we haue so finelie araied; whose vaine pleasures we haue so much followed: doubtlesse, it shall then become an abhominable stinking carion; from which, those which be now our most deerest friends shall be forced to turne awaie their heads, stopping of their noses, for the verie noisomnesse of the corrupt sauour and euill stinch thereof.
Let vs also consider, what shall then auaile vs for our possessions and riches, which we haue sought for so busilie, and so greedilie to heape togither. We must then leaue behind vs, and of them shall carie awaie nothing with vs, sauing a heauie burden of conscience of [Page 647] such part of them, which we doo vnlawfullie possesse, wrongfullie withhold, or else haue euill gotten.
Let vs then weigh, what shall become of our soule, when it shall leaue the bodie to rot in the earth, and it selfe shall be called into iudgement before the high Iudge, where it shall be forced to make a streight account of all works, words, and thoughts. Where it shall be able to conceale nothing; but the verie secrets of all our dooings shall then be made open: and that which here we be ashamed to confesse; shall then be manifest; and the booke shall be opened, in which all our deeds and thoughts shall be rehearsed, before the whole companie of heauen, and then shall be said to euerie one of vs: Behold this man and his works: then shall our conscience accuse vs, all our euill deeds as witnesses shall come in against vs. The diuell shall be there readie to drawe vs with him into eternall perdition, and with the terriblenesse of his countenance shall put vs in horrible feare. Then shall we tremble and quake, and desire to haue respite for the amendement of our former wicked life, and to repent vs of our sinfull liuing: but then in no wise it may bee granted vs, for asmuch as then mercie must giue place to iustice. Let vs now therefore, while God doth lend vs time, repent in time; which if we doo vnfeinedlie, then may we assure our selues to receiue mercie and forgiuenesse of God: for asmuch as he willeth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should conuert and liue.
Then, let vs also weigh with our selues, what a noble thing our soule is, & how greeuous hir wounds were: for the curing of the which, our Sauiour Christ was of necessitie wounded. Yea, if those had not beene vnto death, and that death eternall, the sonne of God should neuer haue suffered. Shall we then lightlie esteeme of the losse of the soule, vnto whom we may perceiue so [Page 648] much compassion to be shewed of so great a Maiestie? Then sith he hath shed his teares for vs, let vs likewise nightlie wash our beds with cōpunction of hart, and continuall teares, for verie heauinesse that wee haue so greeuouslie offended so louing a Maister. And sith he hath shed his pretious bloud for vs, shed we ours also in a sort: that is to saie, with dailie affliction, and mortifieng of our bodies. And let vs not haue regard what the flesh desireth, but what is most conuenient for our soules health. For then shall our soules be glorious, when they shall returne to our Lord God by true repentance and penitence.
Let vs then call to remembrance the louers of this world, that were here among vs not long agone, what is now become of them: and that nothing remaineth of them but dust and woormes. They haue beene men as we are: they solicited and vsed all kind of mirth; they banketed; they were gorgiouslie apparelled, they were verie pleasant, and led their daies in all worldlie delights: but suddenlie, and as it were in the midst of their iolitie, death arested them, & caried them downe into hell. Here the flesh of them is appointed to feede the woormes; and there their soules be euermore tormented in the vnquenchable flame of hell fire, where now they find no profit of all those fleshlie pleasures, worldlie reioicings, and euill concupiscence. And for so short and vaine pleasures, what continuall torment and miserie doo they now endure: where they neuer see light; neuer receiue ease of their paine, nor comfort of their heauinesse: where the fire continuallie burneth them, and yet neuer consumeth them; nor by his long burning leeseth anie part of his heate? Where the woorms doo gnawe their conscience; where the diuels, which are their tormentors, waxe neuer wearie in tormenting of them, or take anie pitie on them, nor will be intreated to mitigate anie part of their torment. [Page 649] Where nothing shall be heard; but weeping, lamentation, groning, and wofull criengs. Where they shall sauour and smell nothing; but horrible stinch and corrupt aire. Where they shall see nothing; but the monstrous shape of the horible tormentors the diuels. Wherefore, let vs now aduise our selues, whether in folowing of the vaine worldlie pleasures, we will giue our soules in like sort to be eternallie tormented; or else in refusing them, for the little times of paines we shall here suffer, to reioice with Christ, and to be blessed Saints in heauen for euer. For whilest we are here in this world, God dooth set before vs both fire and water; that is to saie, saluation and damnation; that vnto which we will we may stretch our hands.
Let vs lastlie consider what comfort it is, and shall be to all saued soules to see God, and the brightnesse of his face; to liue with God, to possesse God, which is high and perfect goodnesse; and where the perfect goodnesse is, there is the highest, and most perfect felicitie; there is the chiefe and perfect charitie; eternall suretie, and sure eternitie; true gladnesse; full knowledge; all beautie; all blisse. In this sort shall the man be blessed with God, in whose conscience shall be found no sinne; he shall see God after his owne desire; he shall possesse to pleasure, and enioie to gladnesse; he shall flourish in eternitie; he shall shine in veritie; he shall ioie in righteousnesse; and as he shall haue eternitie of continuance, so he shall haue facilitie of knowledge, and felicitie of rest. He shall be delighted in God; whose countenance is amiable; whose face is beautifull; whose speech is pleasant. He is delectable to behold; sweet to possesse; pleasant to enioie. In him vnderstanding is made cleere; affection is purified, that we may loue and knowe him as he is: so that then wee shall not need to seeke anie thing besides him. For the whole is found in him, so much as is to be desired, or [Page 650] may possiblie reioice or delight vs.
Let vs to conclude, finallie thinke, what madnesse doth then possesse vs, so much to thirst after the bitter potion of sinne, to followe after vanities of this world, to suffer the incommodities of this slipperie life, and the dominion of Sathans tyrannie; and not rather to flee vp to the felicitie of Saincts, to the fellowship of Angels, and to the solemnitie of the heauenlie ioies, where we shall see, behold, and enioie the plentifull aboundant riches of the inestimable treasures of Gods goodnesse, for euer and euer world without end,
Amen.
A meditation of Gods woonderfull works, and a thanks-giuing for our creation.
O Most heauenlie father, and eternall God, which art neither made, nor begotten, but before all worlds from euerlasting diddest beget a Sonne, an image of thine owne substance: we honor thee, we praise thee, we glorifie thee, we yeeld thee most hartie thanks for all thy benefits, especiallie for creating the heauens, the Sunne, Moone, and all the starres, by thy liuelie word, for gouerning through thy wisdome, and for thy gratious mainteining them.
The Sunne in his vprising doth manifest the daie, a woonderfull worke of the highest. Great is the Lord which made, and commanded the same to take his course from the top of heauen, vnto the end thereof. The ornaments of heauen be the glorious starres: the Lord on high doth lighten the world; at his commandement they keepe their order, and will not faile, nor be wearie in their watch.
O Lord our God, how woonderfull is thy name in all the world, which hast set thy glorie aboue the heauens! [Page 651] Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings wilt thou be praised, because of thine enimies, that thou maist confound thine aduersaries, and him that enuieth thy renowme. We see the workemanship of thy hands, the Moone, and Starres, which thou hast ordeined; and we will signifie thy glorie vnto all nations, and among all people will we declare thy woonderfull things. For thou art mightie, O Lord, and worthie to be praised: great is thy vertue, and thy power woonderfull.
We thanke thee, holie father, God of heauen; because thou hast created by thy word of power the vniuersall world, with all the creatures, and whatsoeuer is, liueth, or moueth in the same. By thy wisdome thou dooest gouerne, and by sending of thy spirit, as yet doest vphold, and cherish the same. For all woods, fruitfull trees, stones, graine, flowers, herbes, and all the grasse of the feeld hast thou ordeined for the vse of man. Wee magnifie thee, O God most wise, for creating the Sea, and springs of water, by the power of thy word; and for giuing them vertue to bring foorth fishes of all kind to be eaten of man. We blesse thee, O eternall God, for making the superiour and lower regions of the aire, with all birds and feathered fowles of sundrie kinds, for the food of man. We glorifie thee, for giuing the whole frame of this earth, with all the creatures in the same, vnto mankinde; and setting man ouer the works of thine hands, hast subiected all things vnder his feet, all sheepe and oxen, yea and all the beasts of the feeld, the fowles of the aire, and the fish of the Sea, which walke through the paths of the Sea.
Especiallie we praise thee, our Lord and maker, for making vs thy creatures reasonable men and women, according to thine owne similitude; for giuing vs reason, and all the senses; and for preseruing vs hitherto. Thou didst nourish vs, and that woonderfullie, [Page 652] being within our mothers wombe, and out thereof hast thou brought vs sound in all parts, without imperfection; and yet continuest thy fauour, and dooest keepe vs against all dangers, and deliuerest vs from all euill: and all these things dooest thou of thy fatherlie and diuine goodnesse, without anie merit or desert of ours; for all which we are bound to thanke thee, to praise thee, to serue, honor, and obeie thee.
We extoll thy sacred name, O God most high, for separating from the rest a Sabboth daie, that so men (ceassing from their handie labour) might the better serue and celebrate thine honour.
Who is he that can recite all the power of the Lord, or declare all his works? Who can number out all his praises? No man can vtter all his benefits. Notwithstanding, although we be miserable men, and wretched sinners, and therefore most vnmeete to extoll thee according to thy deserts: yet will we not be still, we will praise thee euermore to the vttermost of our power. We will declare thy iustice and mercie: and while we liue, we remember thy goodnesse, and at no time forget thy benefits. O our soules, praise the Lord; we will praise the Lord during our life; we will sing to the Lord while we haue breath. We will bee mindfull of our maker, euen from our youth, and seeke him euermore: yea euen vnto our old age, and graie head. O God, forsake vs not, vntill we haue declared thy power vnto all nations that are to come. Praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise him all ye people. For his louing kindnes is great toward vs; and his truth endureth for euer. Praise ye the Lord in his Sanctuarie; praise him in the firmament of his power; praise him in his mightie acts: praise him according to his excellent greatnesse. Let euerie thing that hath breath, praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord,
Amen.
Another meditation and thanks-giuing for the creation of the world.
MOst mightie, most wise, and most maruellous Lord GOD; which of nothing hast created heauen and earth, with all that is therein; and hast prepared with due & new properties, euerie worke which thou hast brought foorth by thy diuine word & holie commandement; and hast ordeined and established all the holie works of thy hands; so that they yet stand and serue to the vse and seruice of men. For through the course of the heauens, which neuer stand still, is ingendered vnto vs all that euer we haue need of; and through the same course also dieth, withereth, and rotteth, all that is old; bicause that for the old and decaied, there should arise vp new and fresh. And this course hast thou, O mightie God, made so maruellouslie, and so agreeably, that man (thorough the agreeable works of thine hands, without anie other externall learning, teaching, or instruction) might come to the knowledge of that, which is inuisible in thee; that is, thy holie, exalted, and euerlasting blessed Godhead and inuisible might. Insomuch as there is none that can make himselfe vngiltie, and inexcusable of misbeleefe or ignorance, how farre soeuer he be departed from thy holie word. For the verie heauens giue knowledge inough of thy diuine glorie; the which, though they haue no tongue to speake, neither doo we heare anie thing of their mouth: yet neuerthelesse their voice is gone out to all corners of the world, and there is no place, but men heare their voice sounding in their eares. For no man is so farre distant from them, but he both feeleth alwaies the benefits that come from the heauens; and also seeth continuallie [Page 654] thy maruellous handie works, which the firmament dooth shew and declare vnto vs.
We thanke thee, we praise thee, and we laud and magnifie thy glorious name, O most meeke Lord, for all thy benefits; especiallie for that thou hast not thought it inough for thee to haue giuen vs the heauens, and earth, and all that is therin to serue vs, and to instruct vs; but also hast vouchsafed to send thine onlie deere beloued Sonne our Sauior Iesus Christ downe amongst vs into this vale of teares: and after that he was ascended into heauen, hast left vs thy holie word, and sent thy holie Ghost into vs, to the intent we should learne of him all truth, & in thy word might in deed behold more effectuallie, better and cleerer thy Godhead. We now also praie and humbly beseech thee, O most mercifull God, that thou wilt gouerne vs, and driue awaie from vs all fleshlie conuersation, to the intent we may hencefoorth liue a godlie and ghostlie life; so that we through the flesh may not be hindered to passe our pilgrimage in such perfection as thou requirest in Christian men: but that we may knowe and discerne, and vse to thy glorie the vnmeasurable great good things, which thy large and bountifull hand hath giuen and reached vnto vs, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
A meditation of mans creation.
O Almightie Lord God, that hast created heauen and earth, and all that is therein of naught; but especiallie hast made man vnto thine owne godlie image, infunding and creating in him a reasonable soule, not mortall, nor transitorie, as are the soules of vnreasonable beasts: but such a soule, as liueth like the spirit or ghost of God for euer. By which soule man knoweth thee to be his God, [Page 655] doth beleeue thee, and shall behold thee. And with soule and bodie together, thou hast made man aboue all other creatures so much superiour: and hast so highlie exalted him, that thou hast made him prince and chiefe gouernour, lord and captaine ouer all thy other creatures, that be in the earth, and hast cast them all vnder his feet and subiection.
O most mercifull Lord, powre into vs thy heauenlie light, through which we may euer haue in due regard the vile and lothsome stuffe or matter that thy godlie hand hath made vs of; and how thou hast neuerthelesse exalted vs so mightilie of miserie. Let vs knowe, I saie, O Lord, that man is crept out of the dust and mire; and the woman but out of the rib of hir husband; to the end we may not by anie meanes be puffed vp with pride, by vaine-glorie and presumption of the great glorie wherewith thou hast vouchsafed to endue and cloath vs: but that in true humilitie, we may impute and exhibit all things vnto thine onlie goodnesse, clemencie, grace, and mercie. And that we may bee drawne thereby vnto the loue of thee, and to kindle the lampe of our soules, which is cold in thy loue, with the light of thy grace; so that we may diligentlie fulfill and accomplish all that thou hast commanded vs, and leaue that which thou hast forbidden vs, like as it becommeth thine obedient children: so that we, both here in this vale of miserie, and also afterward in that heauenlie paradise, being vndefiled, and like vnto thee, may be found like as thou hast created vs, like vnto thine owne similitude, image, & likenesse, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Another meditation of mans creation.
THine almightie hand, O GOD, keeping alwaies at one staie, created the Angels in heauen, and the feelie woormes vpon earth; and yet was neither higher in the one, nor [Page 654] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 656] lower in the other. For like as none other hand could haue created an Angel; so could none other hand haue created a woorme: like as none other could haue created heauen; so could none other haue created a leafe of a tree: like as none other could haue made a bodie; so could none other make a haire white or blacke; but onlie thine almightie hand, wherevnto all things are possible alike. For it is not more possible with thee to create a woorme, than an Angel; nor more impossible to spread out the heauen, than a leafe; nor easier to fashion a haire, than to fashion a bodie; nor vneasier to stablish the earth vpon the waters, than the waters vpon the earth: but all that thou listest to doo, that hast thou done. According as thou listedst, thou hast made all things in heauen and in earth, and in the sea, and in all deepe places: and among all other things, thou hast made me according as thou listedst, couldest, and knewest how to doo it. Certes, Lord, thy hand could haue made me some stone, or some bird, or some serpent, or some beast: and it knew how to haue done it; but it would not bicause of thy goodnesse. Why then am I not a stone, some tree, or some beast? Trulie bicause thy goodnesse hath so ordeined it, and bicause thou louedst me first.
And why hast thou done so to me, O maker of heauen and earth, and of the bottomlesse deepe, who hast no neede of me? Wherevpon commeth it that thou hast thus loued me? For lo, I am, bicause thou hast created me; and the cause that thou didst create me, and account me in the number of thy creatures, was thy fore-ordinance from euerlasting, before thou madest anie thing, euen from the beginning, before thou didst spread all the heauens; when as yet there were no deepes; neither haddest thou yet made the earth, nor founded the mountaines, neither were anie watersprings yet broken out. Before thou madest all these [Page 657] things, I saie, which thou madest by thy word, thou foresawest by the most assured prouidence of thy truth, that I should be thy creature, and also thou willedst that I should be thy creature.
And whence commeth this to me, O most gentle Lord, most high God, most mercifull Father, and alwaies most meeke? What had I deserued? What kindnesse had I shewed, that it should like thy roiall Maiestie to create me? I was not; and thou diddest create me. I was nothing, and of nothing thou madest me somewhat. And what maner of somewhat? Not a drop of water; not fire; not a bird or fish; not a serpent, or some of the brute beasts; not a stone, or a block; not of those sort of things, which haue but being onelie; or of those things that haue but onelie being and growing; nor yet of those kind of things that haue but onlie being, growing, and feeling. But aboue all these things, it was thy will to haue me both of that sort, which haue but being onlie; for I am: and of those that haue no more but being and growing; for I am, and growe: & also of those kind of things, which haue both being, growing, and feeling; for I am, and also doo both growe and feele. Yea, and thou hast made small ods betweene me and the Angels. For I haue receiued reason to knowe thee and thy hand, as well as they.
But I did well to saie there was some ods betweene vs. For they haue the happie knowledge of thee alreadie in possession; and I haue it but by hope: they see thee face to face; I see thee in a riddle through a glasse: they see thee fullie; and I but partlie. Howbeit when the thing commeth, which is perfect, then shall the vnperfect be done awaie, at such time as we shall behold thee vncouered face to face. And what should let vs to be counted little inferiour to Angels; seeing that thou O Lord, hast crowned vs with the garland of hope, which is decked with glorie and honour; and seeing [Page 658] thou hast inhonoured vs exceedinglie as thy friends, or rather as fellowes and coequals in all things with thine Angels? Uerelie euen so saith thy truth; They are equall with the Angels, and they be the sonnes of God. And what be they else, than the sonnes of God, if they be made fellowes with the Angels? They shall be the sonnes of God in verie deede. For the sonne of man is become the sonne of God. Trulie when I bethinke me of this, I am bold to saie, that man is not onlie little inferiour to the Angels, yea or haile-felowe with the Angels; but also superiour to them: bicause a man is God, & God is a man, & not an Angel. And in this respect I may saie, that man is the woorthiest creature, because the word, which in the beginning was God with God: the word whereby God said; Let light be made, and light was made: the word, whereby God created althings in the beginning, euen the selfe-same word became flesh, and dwelt among vs, and we haue seene the glorie of it. Lo heere the glorie, when I glorie discreetlie; lo heere the ioie, when I ioie discreetlie; O Lord my God, the whole life and glorie of my soule!
Therefore I acknowledge vnto thee my Lord God, that when thou createdst me indued with reason, thou didst create me after a sort equall with the Angels. For by thy word I may be perfect, to attaine to equalitie with the Angels; so as I may haue the adoption of thy children by thine onlie begotten word, O Lord; by thy deer beloued Son, in whom thou art well pleased, by our onelie coheire, which is of the same substance, & euerlastingnes that thou thy selfe art; yea euen by Iesus Christ our onlie Lord and redeemer, our inlightner and comforter, our spokesman with thee, & the light of our eies, who is our life, our sauiour, our onlie hope, who hath loued vs more than himselfe, by whome we haue assured trust laid vp in store, and stedfast faith to thee-ward, and entrance to come vnto thee, because he [Page 659] hath giuen them power to become the children of God, as manie as beleeue in his name.
I will giue praise vnto thy name, O Lord, who by creating me after thine owne image, hast made me capable of so great glorie, as to become the sonne of God. This trulie can not trees doo; this can not stones doo; this, to speake generallie, can not anie of the things doo that moue or growe in the aire, or in the sea, or on the earth; in asmuch as he hath not giuen them power by thy word, to become the sonnes of God: because they haue not reason. For the power whereby we knowe, consisteth in reason. But he hath giuen this power vnto men, whome he created reasonable, after his owne image and likenesse. Certesse Lord, it is by thy grace that I am a woman, and by grace I may be thy child, which thing the other can not be.
Whence haue I this, O Lord, the souereigne truth and true souereigne, and the beginning of all creatures? Whence haue I this, O Lord, that I may become the child of God, which the other things cannot? Thou art he that endurest for euer, and thou hast made all things at once. Thou hast made man and beasts, stones, and greene things of the earth all at once. For there went no desert of theirs afore; there went no good turne of theirs afore. Thou hast created all things onlie of thine owne goodnesse; no creature hath deserued more than other: for none of them had deserued ought at all. And why then did thy goodnesse shewe it selfe more in this creature, which thou hast made reasonable, than in all other that be without reason? Why was not I as all they be; or why are not all they as I am; or I alone as they be? What had I deserued, that thou shouldest make me able to become the child of God, and denie the same abilitie to all the rest? God forbid that I should thinke so. It was thine onlie grace, it was thine onlie goodnesse, which [Page 660] brought it to passe, that I might be partaker of that sweetnesse. Of that grace therefore, whereby thou hast created me of nothing, I beseech thee, O Lord, to giue me the grace to be thankefull vnto thee.
And I thy creature will put my trust vnder the shadowe of thy wings, and in the goodnesse wherethrough thou hast created me. Helpe thy creature, whome thy gratious goodnesse hath created. Let not that perish through my naughtinesse, which thy goodnesse hath wrought. Let not that perish through my wretchednesse, which thy singular mercie hath made. For what auaileth it me that thou hast created me, if I shall sinke downe into mine owne corruption? O God, hast thou made all the sonnes of men in vaine? Thou hast created me, O Lord: rule thou the thing that thou hast created. Despise not the worke of thine owne hands, O God. Thou hast made me of naught, O Lord; and if thou gouerne me not, I shall returne to naught againe. For like as when I was not, thou madest me of nothing: so if thou gouerne me not, I shall yet againe be brought to nothing in my selfe. Helpe me O Lord my life, least I perish in mine owne naughtinesse.
Lord, if thou hadst not created me, I should not haue beene at all: but because thou hast created me, I am. Now if thou gouerne me not, I am vndone. For it was not mine owne merits, or mine owne deserts (as I haue said) that made thee to create me; but thine owne most gratious goodnesse and mercifulnes. That louingnesse of thine, O Lord my God, which made thee to create me, I beseech thee let the same make thee to gouerne me. For what booteth it that thy louingnesse caused thee to create me, if I must perish in mine owne wretchednesse; and that thy right hand gouerne me not? O Lord my God, let this mercifulnesse, which caused thee to create that that was not created, cause [Page 661] thee also to saue that which is created. Let the louingnesse, which wan thee to create, win thee also to saue; sith it is no lesse now than it was then. For thou art the verie loue and mercie it selfe, and thou continuest alwaie one, vnchangeable, immortall, and inuisible God, blessed and praised for euer and euer,
Amen.
That God hath put all things vnder the seruice of man: and that by the consideration of the temporall benefits, we coniecture the heauenlie wisedome and goodnesse of God.
THou, O gratious God, hast put all things vnder mans feet, to the end that man alone should wholie be subiect vnto thee. And to the end that man should be wholie thine, thou hast made man lord of all thy works. For thou hast created all outward things for his bodie; his bodie for his soule; and his soule for thee; that he might serue thee onlie, and loue thee onlie, possessing thee to his comfort, and all inferiour things for his seruants. For whatsoeuer is conteined vnder the cope of heauen, is inferiour vnto mans soule, which was made to inherit the souereigne goodnesse aboue, and to become happie by possessing it; wherevnto if he sticke fast, he shall surmount the need of all the inferiour things which are changeable; and in euerlasting immortalitie quietlie behold the souereigne maiestie, whereof he representeth the image. Then shall he enioie those excellent good things in the Lords house, in comparison whereof, all the things that we see, are counted as nothing. Those be the things which no eie hath seene, nor eare hard, nor hart of man conceiued, which God hath prepared for them that loue him. And trulie Lord these things wilt thou giue vnto my soule: with these dooest [Page 662] thou (which louest mens soules) dailie glad the harts of thy seruants.
But why woonder I at these things my Lord God? Thou inhonourest thine owne image, and thine owne likenesse, wherevnto they were created. For to the end our bodie (though it be yet corruptible & base) might see, thou hast giuen vs the light of the skie, by the hand of thine vnweariable seruants, the Sunne and Moone, who according to thy commandement, doo continuall seruice daie and night to thy children. To the intent it might breath, thou hast granted vs the pure aire. To the intent it might heare, thou hast giuen vs the diuersitie of sounds. To the intent it might smell, thou hast giuen vs the sweetnesse of sents. To the intent it might taste, thou hast giuen vs the qualities of sauours. To the end it might feele, thou hast giuen vs the substances of all bodilie things. To helpe vs in our necessities, thou hast giuen vs bearing beasts. To refresh vs withall, thou hast bestowed vpon vs the fowles of the aire, and the fishes of the sea, and the fruits of the earth. For euerie sore, maladie and disease of ours, thou hast created medicine, salue, and plaister out of the earth. And for euerie seuerall euill, thou hast prepared a seuerall remedie to encounter it; because thou art mercifull, and full of compassion, and thou our potter knowest of what mettall we be made, and how that all of vs are claie in thy hand.
O holie Lord God, our good maker, by these least things we comprehend the great things: and by these visible things we comprehend thine inuisible things. For if thou send so great and so innumerable benefits vnto me for this base and corruptible bodie of mine, from the skie, and the aire; from the land and the sea; from light and darkenesse; from heate and shadowe; from dew and raine; from wind and showers; from fowles and fishes; from beasts and trees; by diuersitie [Page 663] of herbes and things that growe vpon the earth, and by the seruice of all thy creatures seruing our turnes by course in their seasons, to ease vs of our wearinesse: how excellent I praie thee, and how great & innumerable shall those good things be, which thou hast prepared for them that loue thee, in that heauenlie Realme, where we shall see thee face to face? If thou doo so much for vs in prison, what wilt thou doo in thy pallace? Great and innumerable are thy works, O Lord, thou King of heauen and earth. For sith that all these things be exceeding good & pleasant, which thou hast deliuered to good men & bad men togither in common; what maner of things shall those be, which thou hast laid vp in store for good men onlie? If the gifts be so sundrie and so innumerable, which thou dealest now as well to thy foes as thy friends; how great & innumerable, how sweet & delightfull shall those be, which thou wilt deale onlie to thy friends? If thou giue so great solace in this time of mourning, how great ioies wilt thou giue in the daie of wedding? If our prison conteine so manie delectable things, how much more delectable things conteineth our fathers house? O God, no eie without thee hath seene the things that thou hast prepared for them that loue thee. For according to the manifoldnesse of thy mightie works, so also is the great aboundance of thy sweetnesse, which thou keepest in store for them that loue thee. For great art thou O Lord our God, yea vnmeasurable art thou, and there is no end of thy greatnesse, nor number of thy wisedome, nor measure of thy mercie: neither is there end, number, or measure of thy bountifulnesse. But like as thou thy selfe art great, so are thy rewards great: for thou thy selfe art both the price, and the reward of all thy lawfull combators. To thee therefore be all honour, glorie, and praise for euer,
Amen.
A meditation of Gods power, beautie, and goodnesse.
BIcause thou, Lord, wouldest haue vs to loue thee, not one lie doost thou will, intise, allure, and prouoke vs; but also doost command vs so to doo: promising thy selfe vnto such as loue thee, and threatening vs with dainnation if we doo otherwise. Whereby we may see both our great corruption and naughtinesse, and also thine exceeding great mercie toward vs.
First concerning our corruption and naughtinesse, what a thing is it that power, riches, authoritie, beutie, goodnesse, liberalitie, truth, iustice (which all thou art good Lord) can not mooue vs to loue thee? Whatsoeuer things we see faire, good, wise, mightie, are but euen sparks of thy power, beautie, goodnesse, wisdome, which thou art. For to the end thou mightest declare thy riches, beautie, power, wisdome, goodnes, &c. Thou hast not onelie made, but still dooest conserue all creatures to be (as Dauid saith of the heauens) declarers and setters foorth of thy glorie, and as a booke to teach vs to knowe thee.
How faire thou art, the beautie of the sunne, moone, stars, light, flowers, riuers, feelds, hils, biros, beasts, men, and all creatures; yea, the goodlie scape & forme of the whole world dooth declare.
How mightie thou art, we are! taught by the creation of the world euen of naught; by gouerning the same, by punishing the wicked mightie Giants thereof; by ouerthrowing their deuises; by repressing the rages of the sea, and keeping it within hir bounds; by stormes, by tempests, by fires. These and such like declare vnto vs thine inuisible, almightie, and terrible [Page 665] power, whereby thou subduest all things vnto thee.
How rich thou art, this world, thy great and infinite treasure-house, dooth well declare. What plentie is there, not onelie of things, but also of euerie kind of things? Yea, how doost thou yeerelie and dailie multiplie these kinds? How manie seeds doost thou make of one seed? Yea, what a great increase doost thou bring it vnto? These can not but put vs in remembrance of the exceeding riches that thou hast. For if to thine enimies, which loue thee not (as the most part of this world be,) if to them thou giuest so plentifullie thy riches heere: what shall we thinke, that with thy selfe thou hast laid vp for thy freends?
How good thou art, all creatures generallie and particularlie do teach. What creature is there in the world, which thou hast not made for our commoditie? I will not saie how that thou mightest haue made vs creaturs without sense or reason, if thou hadst would. But amongst all things none dooth so teach vs thy great loue towards vs, as dooth the death of thy most deerlie beloued sonne, who suffered the paines and terrors thereof: yea, and of hell it selfe for our sakes. If this thy loue had beene but a small thing, it would neuer haue lasted so long, nor Christ would neuer haue died.
Praiers and meditations to be vsed in the foure seasons of the yeere, and first: In the Spring-time.
ALmightie renewer of all things, Lord Iesu, which hast made this most goodlie world for our sakes; which hast garnished the heauens with so manie lights, vnto the vse of the daie and the night; which temperest the earth with sundrie times and seasons, ordeined by thee [Page 666] to be the nourisher of man and beasts: and now (thou being restored to life) all things renew and confirme to vs the hope of resurrection promised by thee. The medowes afore being withered, waxe greene againe with new grasse: the herbs are garnished with diuers gems of flowers: the corne herbeth: seeds buried in holes shoote foorth: trees being dead afore, waxe yoong againe with new boughes; and being goodlie decked with new blossoms, giue vs hope of fruit. The sunne it selfe increaseth the grace of his light: brieflie, the whole face of nature springing againe, whithersoeuer we turne our eies, dooth speake out, and preach thy goodnesse towards mankind, wherethrough with sundrie solaces thou dooest ease and mitigate to vs, being through our fault driuen out of Paradise, our deserued exile. Grant, I saie, O good God, that we which being borne againe through baptisme, haue put off the old man, made now a new creature, neuer slide againe to old age; but that we may be euer greene with perpetuall innocencie, by the pleasant breathing on of thy spirit, that we may be adorned dailie more and more with the flowers of vertues, proceeding to fruit woorthie of that Gospell, which with the Father, and the holie Ghost reigne through all worlds,
Amen.
In the Summer.
MOst wise Gouernor, and Ruler of all things Iesu Christ; behold, the yeere obeieng thy commandments waxeth hot with the feruour of the sunne, preparing ripe fruits vnto the vse of thy seruants: humblie we beseech thee, which art our true Sunne, without whom nothing is bright in our soules, neither bringeth foorth anie fruit; stretch the beames of thy grace into the earth of [Page 667] our spirits, that daily they may waxe hot more & more with the fire of thy gratious loue, and that they may bring foorth sundrie fruits of wholesome good works. For thou hast witnessed in thy holie Gospell, that thou art singularlie delighted with this meate and drinke. This is the raine that thy feruent loue thirsted for, this is also the meate that the holie Apostle Paule hungered for, euen before he vnderstood and did knowe what it meant. Thou camest into the world, to send fire among vs: neither diddest thou desire anie thing more, than that it should be kindeled; except our hart be touched with the beames of thy grace. Increase, Lord Iesu that, that thou hast giuen; finish that, that thou hast begun: vntill we growe to perfect men, vnto the measure of thy fulnesse. Thou hast put off mortalitie, but thou hast not put off loue towards vs; but euen now fulfillest the office of a mightie and friendlie Aduocate for vs with God the Father, to whom equall in power and authoritie thou reignest with the holie Ghost,
Amen.
In Haruest.
WE giue thanks vnto thee most mercifull Father, maker of heauen and earth, that by thy good prouidence the yeere is waxen ripe, powring out vnto vs plentious abundance of victuals: grant, we humblie beseech thee, that as thy bountiousnes ministreth sundrie and rich abundance of fruits, to the susteining & nourishment of our bodies: so by the grace of thy spirit, without which there is no good thing brought foorth, is nourished, or liueth; let the affection of godlinesse waxe ripe, and be made vp in our minds, that abiding in the faith of thine onelie begotten Sonne, through all our life, wee [Page 668] may be fruitfull in good works, and also receiue a plentifull haruest in the resurrection of the iust, by the same our Lord Iesu Christ, which liueth and reigneth with thee in the companie of the holie Ghost for euer,
Amen.
In Winter.
O God, the most wise maker and gouernor of the world, at whose commandement by time appointed, course is changed and turned into it selfe by the same: behold as it were the old age and death of the yeere. Winter is come, whose sadnesse and incommodities be more easie vnto vs, bicause of the plesantnes of the Spring time, which shall shortlie succeed. According to the ensample of the yeere, our inward man flourisheth in his childhood; is feruent in youth; waxeth ripe in mans age; falleth awaie and dieth in his old age: but the hope of liuing againe asswageth the houre of death, which is sure vnto vs, euen for this cause, that thy sonne hath promised it, which is the euerlasting truth, which also can no more be deceiued or deceiue, than hee can cease to be thy sonne. Through this thy sonne, our inward man knoweth no old age or death: but by his gift it euer flourisheth with innocencie; it is euer feruent in the studie of godlinesse; it euer bringeth foorth fruit, and powreth out that, that she hath receiued, vpon other: and as much as the bodies courage faileth, so much more the spirit flourisheth. We beseech thee, that thou wilt maintaine and increase those things, which thou hast vouchsafed to giue vs, through thine onelie begotten sonne, which liueth and reigneth with thee for euermore,
Amen.
Another praier to be said at all times and seasons of the yeere.
O Euerlasting GOD, Creator of all things, in whose hands lieth the disposition of all times and seasons: qualifie we beseech thee, the inclinations of thy creatures, heauen and earth, with such naturall and kindlie moderation, as may most serue to the commoditie, health, and welfare of all mankind; that we may receiue the fruits of the earth to our comfortable sustentation, dulie honoring and praising thy holie name therefore. Mortifie within vs the old roots of our natiue iniquitie, killing them as it were with the winter of a cold lust to ensue them. Sowe the seeds of thy grace within vs, that wee may spring vp in all godlinesse. Send vs the feruencie of thy spirit, that we may shew foorth the ripe fruits of a liuelie faith: that when it shall be thy good pleasure to appoint thy final haruest, thou wilt vouchsafe to bring vs into thy wished barne, like good and clensed corne, that is to saie, into thine euerlasting kingdome, there to rest with thy chosen, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, in all eternitie, So be it.
The song of Anania, Azariah, and Misael; wherein they exhort all creatures, both in heauen and earth, to praise and magnifie the Lord their maker.
O All ye works of the Lord, blesse yee the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye Angels of the Lord, blesse yee the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
[Page 670] O ye heauens, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye waters that be aboue the firmament, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O all ye powers of the Lord, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye sunne and moone, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye starres of heauen, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye showers and dew, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye winds of God, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye fire and heate, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye winter and summer, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye dewes and frosts, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye frost and cold, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye yee and snowe, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye nights and daies, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye light and darknesse, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye lightenings & clouds, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O let the earth blesse the Lord: yea let it praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye mountaines and hils, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O all ye greene things vpon the earth, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
[Page 671] O ye welles, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye seas and flouds, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye whales, and all that moue in the waters, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O all ye fowles of the aire, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O all ye beasts and cattell, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye children of men, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O let Israel blesse the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye priests of the Lord, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye seruants of the Lord, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye spirits and soules of the righteous, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O ye holie and humble men of hart, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, blesse ye the Lord: praise him and magnifie him for euer.
Glorie be to the Father, &c. As it was in the beginning, &c.
Of the incomprehensible praise due vnto God for all his works and benefits.
HOW shall I do, O Lord? Whence shall I haue praise to praise thee withall? For like as thou madest me without mine aduise, as it liked thy selfe best; so hast thou praise without me, as it liketh thee. Thou thy selfe Lord art thiue owne praise. All thy works & creatures both in heauen [Page 672] and earth praise thee according to thy manifold greatnesse. Thy praise, O Lord, is incomprehensible: no hart can comprehend it, no tong can measure it, no eare can receiue it: for these things passe awaie, but thy praise O Lord, continueth for euer. Thoughts haue a beginning, and thoughts haue an end: voices make a sound, and foorthwith passe awaie: the eare heareth, and the hearing ceasseth: but thy praise standeth fast for euer. Who is he then that can praise thee? What man is able to vtter foorth thy praises? Thy praise is euerlasting, and not transitorie. That man praiseth thee, which beleeueth thee to be thine owne praise. The man praiseth thee, which acknowledgeth himselfe vnable to attaine to thy praise.
O praise perpetuall, which neuer fadest: in thee is our praise, in thee shall my soule be praised. It is not we that praise thee, but it is thou thy selfe that dooest it both thy selfe, and in thy selfe; and we also haue praise in thee. Then haue we true praise, when we haue praise of thee, when light alloweth light: for thou beeing the true praise, yeeldest vs true praise. And looke how often we seeke for praise at anie other bodies hand than thine, so often doo we forgo thy praise; because the other is shadowish, but thine is euerlasting. If we hunt after the transitorie praise, we loose the eternall praise.
O praise eternall, O my Lord God, of whome is all praise, without whome there is no praise; I am not able to praise thee without thee. Let me haue thee, and I will praise thee. For what am I of my selfe, Lord, that I should praise thee? I am but dust and ashes, I am but a dead and stinking dog, I am but woormes and rottennesse. I! what am I to praise thee, O most mightie Lord God? How can the breath of no better than flesh praise thee, which dwellest in euerlastingnesse? Can darkenesse praise light, or death life? Thou [Page 673] art light, I darkenesse: thou life, I death. Can lieng praise truth? Thou art truth, and I am a woman no better than vanitie it self. How shall I then praise thee O Lord? Shall my wretchednesse praise thee? Shall stinch praise sweet sents? Shall mans mortalitie, which is heere to daie, and gone to morrowe, praise thee? Shall man which is but rottennesse, or the sonne of man which is but woormes, praise thee? O Lord, can he praise thee, which is bred, borne, and brought vp in sinfulnesse? Praise is not seemelie in the mouth of a sinner.
O Lord my God, let thine owne incomprehensible power, let thy vnbounded wisedome, let thine vnspeakable goodnesse, let thine ouerpassing mercie, let thy superabundant pitie, and let thine euerlasting vertue and Godhead praise thee. Praised be thou by thine owne almightie puissance, and also by thy singular gratious goodnesse and louingnesse, whereby thou hast created vs, O Lord, the life of my soule.
Of Gods manifold benefits generallie, with an humble thanks-giuing vnto his Maiestie for the same.
AND I thy handmaid, whome thorough thy goodnesse thou hast created, will to the vttermost of my power, praise thee my God, my creator, my preseruer, and my deliuerer, with all my hart; and call to mind all the good that thou hast done me from my youth vp, to this instant. For I knowe that vnthankefulnesse doth greatlie displease thee, which is the roote of all spirituall euill, and a wind that blasteth and burneth vp all good, damming vp the fountaine of thy godlie mercie for euer. Through it, the works that be dead alreadie, reuiue [Page 674] not: and the works that be aliue, doo die out of hand, and recouer not againe. But I thy creature will giue thanks to thee, O Lord, least I be vnthankefull to thee my deliuerer, for the deliuering of me.
How often had that dragon swallowed me vp long ago, but that thou, O Lord, hadst plucked me out of his mouth? How often haue I sinned, & he stood readie to snatch me vp, but that thou didst defend me O Lord my God? When I dealt wickedlie, and when I brake thy commandements, he stood waiting to carrie me awaie to hell; but thou withstoodest him. I offended thee, and thou didst defend me. I feared thee not, and yet thou didst keepe me. I started awaie from thee, and yeelded my selfe to mine enimie, and yet thou didst fraie him awaie, that he should not take mee.
These good turnes hast thou done for me O Lord my God, & I wretch wist it not. For so hast thou often times deliuered me out of the diuels chaps, plucked me out of the lions mouth, and manie and sundrie waies brought me backe againe from hell, though I wist it not. For I haue gone downe to the verie gates of hell, but thou hast held me from going in. I drew neere to deaths dore, but thou hast not suffered it to take me in. Also, thou hast oftentimes preserued mée from bodilie death, O my sauiour, when I haue beene attached with sore sicknesses: and when I haue beene in manie dangers by sea, and by land, thou hast alwaies stood by me, deliuering me from fire, and from sword, and from all perill, and mercifullie preseruing me. Trulie Lord, thou knowest, that if death had dispatched me at that time, hell had receiued my soule, and I had beene damned for euer: but thy mercie and thy grace preuented me, rescuing me from bodilie death, and also from the death of my soule, O my Lord God. These and manie other good turnes hast thou done for me I saie; and I was blind and wist it not, [Page 675] vntill thou inlightenedst me.
Now therefore, O light of my soule, my Lord God, my life whereby I liue; the sight of mine eies wherewith I see; behold thou hast inlightened me, and I perceiue how I liue through thee. And I yeeld thee thanks though little woorth and slender, and farre from thy benefits; howbeit yet such as my frailtie hath to giue. For thou onelie art my God, and my gratious maker, which louest our soules, and hatest none of the things that thou hast made. Behold I am the chiefe among the sinners whom thou hast saued, that I may be an example vnto others of thy most merciful louing kindnes. I will acknowledge thy great benefits vnto thee. For thou hast plucked me out of the bottome of hell once, and twise, and thrise, and an hundred times, and a thousand times. Yea, I alwaies made toward hell, and thou didst alwaies bring me backe againe, when thou mightest iustlie haue damned me, if thou haddest would: but thou wouldest not, O Lord my GOD, bicause thou louest mens soules, and bearest with mens sinnes, that they might repent: all thy waies be full of mercie.
Now therefore, O Lord my God, I see these things, and discerne them by thy light; and my hart is astonished at thy great mercie towards me, in that thou hast deliuered my soule from the bottome of hell, and brought me backe againe to life. For I was starke dead, and thou hast made me thoroughlie aliue againe. Therfore am I altogither beholden to thee for my life. And whole as I am, I yeeld my selfe wholie vnto thee. Let my whole spirit, my whole hart, my whole bodie, and my whole life, liue vnto thee my sweet life. For thou hast deliuered me whole, that thou mightest possesse me whole; thou hast made me whole new againe, that thou mightest haue me whole againe.
And therefore let me loue thee, O Lord my strength; [Page 676] let me loue thee, O mine vnspeakable ioie, and let mee liue hencefoorth, not to my selfe, but vnto thee. All my whole life, which was perished in mine owne wretchednesse, is reuiued againe in thy mercie. For thou art a pitifull and mercifull GOD, and manie are thy compassions towards thousands, in them that loue thy name. And therfore, O Lord my God, thou my sanctifier hast commanded me in thy lawe, that I should loue thee with all my hart, with all my might, yea euen from the bottome of my hart, at all houres and times, wherein I enioie the benefits of thy mercie. For I should perish for euer, but that thou rulest me euer. I should euer die, but that thou euer quickenest me: yea, euerie moment thou bindest me vnto thee, in as much as euerie moment thou bestowest thy great benefits vpon me. Therfore like as there is no houre or instant of time in all my life, that I haue not the vse of thy benefits: so ought there to be no moment, wherein I should not haue thee in remembrance before mine eies, and loue thee to the vttermost of my power. But this I am not able to doo, except thou make me able; of whom commeth euerie good gift and excellent gift; in whom there is no change, nor intercourse of darknes. For to loue thee commeth not of our owne will, or of our owne running; but of thy mercie. Lord, it is thy gift, whose all good things are. Thou commandest vs to loue thee; giue vs that which thou commandest, and command what thou wilt.
Another meditation of Gods great benefits.
VNto thee, O souereigne light, O ghostlie Physician, & the health of my soule, will I now & euer giue praise, with all my whole hart, for all thy benefits, wherwith thou feedest me from my youth vnto mine old [Page 677] age, and euen till my last gaspe, I beseech thee by thy selfe forsake me not. For thou madest me when I was not; thou redeemedst me when I was forlorne; thou inlightenedst me when I was in darknesse; thou raisedst me when I was dead: yea, when I was both forlorne and dead, thou camest downe from the bosome of thy Father, to me, & tookest mortalitie vpon thee. Thou being my King, camest downe to thy seruant. To redeeme thy seruant, thou gauest thy selfe: to the intent that I might liue; thou tookest vpon thee to die, and ouercamest death. Thou diddest set me vp againe, by abasing thy selfe lowe. I was vndoone; I was gone farre awaie in my sinnes; I was sold to sinne: then camest thou for me to bring me out againe; and thou didst loue me so well, that thou gauest thine owne blood for my ransome.
Lord, thou hast loued me more than thy selfe. For thou diddest find in thine hart to die for me. Upon this condition hast thou with so deere a price brought mee backe againe from banishment; ransomed me out of bondage; rescued me from punishment; called mee by thine owne name, and sealed me with thy blood; that the remembrance of thee should be euermore with me, and that he should neuer depart from my hart, who for my sake shunned not the crosse. Thou hast annointed me with the oile, wherewith thou thy selfe wert annointed, that I might be called a Christian, after thy name Christ. Behold, thou hast registred me vpon thine hands, to the end that the remembrance of mee might be alwaies present with thee: yet notwithstanding, so as if the remembrance of thee, be alwaies present with me.
Thus then haue thy loue, thy grace and mercie alwaies preuented me. For thou hast oftentimes deliuered me from manie and great perils, O my deliuerer. When I went astraie, thou broughtest mee backe [Page 678] againe; when I was ignorant, thou taughtest mee; when I sinned, thou diddest chastise me; when I haue beene in heauines, thou hast cheered me; when I haue beene in despaire, thou hast recomforted me; when I haue beene fallen, thou hast lifted me vp; when I haue stood, thou hast vpholden me; when I haue gone, thou hast guided me; when I haue come, thou hast receiued me; when I haue slept, thou hast watched me; and when I haue cried vnto thee, thou hast heard me.
O Lord, where shall I haue words to vtter the signes of thy singular loue toward me; considering thine innumerable benefits wherin thou hast brought me vp from the beginning? Namelie, euen from the benefit of the creation, when at the first beginning thou madest me of nothing after thine owne image, in honouring and aduancing me among the creatures, which thou madest, and innobling me with the light of thy countenance, which thou imprintedst vpon the lampe of my hart, thereby disseuering me as well from sensible, as from senselesse creatures, and abasing mee but little beneath the Angels. And yet was all this but a small matter in the sight of thy Godhead. For without ceassng thou hast dailie nourished this vnprofitable woorme, which stinketh with sinne, with all the singular and exceeding great store of thy good gifts and benefits: and thou hast as it were suckled and strengthened me thy little tender babe, with the teates of thy comfort. For to the intent that I should wholie serue thee, thou hast appointed all thy creatures to serue me.
These and manie other good turnes, hast thou done vnto me, O Lord my God, the life of my soule: for all which I render vnto thee againe most humble and hartie thanks-giuing: beseeching thee, O Lord, that it may be a pleasure to me, wretch that I am, to be alwaies talking of them, alwaies thinking vpon them, [Page 679] and alwaies giuing thee thanks for them. O my God, shew me, I saie, how much I am bound to loue thee; make it appeare to me how much I ought to please thee. Open me the doore of thy light, that I may enter in, and both knowe, & acknowledge vnto thee with my whole hart, that thy mercie is great toward mee, and that thou hast deliuered my hart from the bottome of hell: so as I might euer praise thee for all thy good gifts, and loue thee with all my hart, and with all my soule, and with all my mind, and with all my strength, yea and that with the verie bowels and intrailes of my hart, and of all my sinewes. O Lord my God, the blessed sweetnesse of all that delight in thee: whose name is woonderfull, and praise woorthie through heauen and earth: So be it.
Another forme of thanks-giuing vnto God, for all his benefits, and praier for grace to confirme and increase the same.
O Most highest, almightie and eternall God, whose glorie replenisheth heauen and earth. If thy holie and celestiall powers doo neuer cease in lauding thy most holie Maiestie; how should we cease, earthlie and lowlie seruants, which are redeemed with the pretious bloud of thy onelie sonne? And for as much as thy louing kindnesse and fauour in especiallie worketh towards vs, we also ought continuallie to giue thanks for thy great goodnesse; but haue mercie, O mercifull father. For the necessitie of this life, dooth not suffer vs to thanke thee continuallie. Wherefore (though not continuallie as I ought) I worship thee my maker with trembling & feare; I giue thee thanks for all thy benefits: that when I was nothing, thou madest mee, gauest me a liuing [Page 680] soule, quickened with thy holie spirit, formed mee with thine owne image, that it might be able to receiue thee, which art the high God. By thy prouidence thou hast brought me to those things that are expedient for me, giuen to me knowledge and true faith in thee, and planted a godlie mind in me, and instructed me in the mysteries of thy holie word & Sacraments.
But oh Lord, how dare I recite thy benefits by number; seeing thy louing kindnesse is an vnsearchable bottomlesse sea, and an innumerable? For I can not so soone giue thanks for thy benefits shewed of old, as new haue euen ouerwhelmed me. Oh Lord, how great a benefit is this, that I may to thee giue thanks? For what fellowship hath vnrighteousnesse with righteousnesse? What partaking darkenesse with light? What agreement filthinesse with puritie? Follie with wisedome? Mortalitie, with thee that art immortall? Oh my vilenesse! Oh thy goodnesse! Yea, though the spirit were readie, yet is the flesh fraile: but thou O Lord, if thou wilt, canst make me strong. And so, O most mercifull father, vouchsafe that I may euer giue thanks and laud to thee. For what good gift did I euer desire of thee, but thou first willedst it to me? Who better knoweth what is good for me, than thou? And because I need a mediator, accept thine innocent Sonne Iesus Christ, with his crosse and passion, bloud-shed, death, and resurrection for me. I haue not this deserued: but thou father, of thy mercie and truth hast by the same thy deerelie beloued Sonne, promised and giuen vs thy mercie and fauour. Open therefore, O my mercifull Father, for this thy deerelie beloued Sonnes sake, euen this daie thy woonted hand of mercie, and fulfill my mind and hart with a good will, and let thy right hand defend me. And if my sinnes, which I acknowledge to be great and innumerable, (therefore I repent and am hartilie sorie) doo let thy goodnesse, [Page 681] O father wipe them awaie; for this is thy glorie, to forgiue sinnes, and therefore no flesh may reioice before thee: for thou Lord onlie art pure, and without sinne. Haue mercie vpon me thy bondseruant, and vppon all people; and O father, bring them vnto the knowledge of thee that art onlie God, and of Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent, the onlie sauiour and redeemer, mediator, and aduocate for vs: and after this present life, bring vs to eternall blisse and felicitie, by the deere merits of thy Sonne Iesus Christ. For thine is the power, kingdome, and glorie, for euer,
Amen.
Another to the same effect.
HOnour and praise be giuen to thee, O Lord God almightie, most deere father of heauen, for all thy mercies and louing kindnesse shewed vnto vs, in that it hath pleased thy gratious goodnesse freelie, of thine owne accord, to elect and choose vs to saluation afore the beginning of the world: and euen like continuall thanks be giuen vnto thee, for creating vs after thine owne image, for redeeming vs with the pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne, when we were vtterlie lost; for sanctifieng vs with thy holie spirit, in the reuelation and knowledge of thy sacred word; for helping and succouring vs in all our need and necessitie; for sauing vs from all dangers of bodie and soule; for comforting vs so fatherlie in all our troubles and afflictions; for sparing vs so long, and giuing vs so large time of repentance. These benefits, O most mercifull father, like as we acknowledge to haue receiued of thine onlie goodnesse, euen so we beseech thee, for thy deere sonne Iesus Christes sake, to grant vs alwaie thy holie spirit, whereby we may continuallie growe in thankefulnesse towards thee, be led into [Page 682] all truth, and comforted in all aduersitie. Strengthen our faith, O Lord, kindle it more and more in feruentnesse and loue towards thee, and our neighbours for thy sake. Suffer vs not, most deere father, to receiue thy word anie more in vaine; but grant vs alwaie the assistance of thy grace and holie spirit, that in hart, word, and deede, we may sanctifie, and doo woorship to thy holie name, that we may help to amplifie thy kingdome, and that whatsoeuer thou sendest, we may bee hartilie well content with thy good will and pleasure. Suffer vs not to lacke the thing, O father, without the which we can not serue thee; but blesse thou so all the works of our hands, that we may haue sufficient, and not to be chargeable, but rather helpfull vnto others. Be merciful, O Lord, vnto our offences, and seeing our debt is great, which thou hast forgiuen vs in Iesus Christ, make vs to loue thee, and our neighbors so much the more. Be thou, O father, our Captaine and defender in all temptations. Hold thou vs by thy mercifull hand, that we thereby may be deliuered from all inconuenience, and end our liues in the sanctifieng and honouring of thy holie name, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
¶ On the seuenteenth daie of Nouember, commonlie called The Queenes daie.
Sundrie formes of Christian praiers and thanks-giuings vnto God, for the preseruation of the most vertuous Ladie Elizabeth, our most deare, and dread souereigne Quéene of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. verie necessarie to be vsed, as generallie of all faithfull subiects continuallie, so especiallie of the Mother and hir Daughter, vpon the seuentéenth daie of Nouember, and euerie Sabboth and holie daie, in honourable remembrance of that ioifull Sabboth, rest and peace, from carefull mourning, which that memorable seuententh daie brought to vs the banished exiles of England, and persecuted members of Christ, by the most happie entrance of hir most roiall and excellent Maiestie, into this hir Emperiall Crowne and kingdome.
A Psalme.
COme O all you that feare God, come hither I praie you, and giue eare a while, and reherse with me ye great benefits that he the Lord hath bestowed vpon vs.
For lo, when the most mightie men gathered their power against vs, and laie in wait for our life, they conspired togither to worke our destruction, as though the Lord had determined the same; and exhorted one another, saieng, God hath forsaken them, therefore persecute them now flieng awaie, and take them being destitute of all helpe.
These men, our aduersaries I saie, wheresoeuer we remoued or went by sea or by land, laie in wait [Page 684] most diligentlie for vs, yea multitudes of the cruell enimies did not ceasse craftilie to enuiron and beset vs round about, and ran vpon vs with gaping mouthes, like raging and roring lions, of malicious minds to bring vs to extremitie, and to deuoure vs.
For thy sake O Lord alone were we killed euerie daie, neither were we in anie better condition, than sheepe appointed of butchers to the slaughter.
Manie of vs wandered in the waste wildernesse, and sought strange cities commodious to dwell in, halfe dead, and killed with famine and thirst, ouerwhelmed with the shadowe of death, and being cast downe by the burthen of our miseries, laie downe flat cleauing to the earth.
The bands of death compassed vs round about, and bound vs: most wicked men like most raging flouds made vs afraid, enuironing vs round about.
We were snared, and cast fast bound with chaines into most darke dungeons: yea we tasted the heate of the fire, and the force of the water.
Then we called vpon the Lord in these extremities. We called vpon the Lord, I saie, and he heard our voice out of his high palace, and receiuing into his eares the crie that we made vnto him, he deliuered vs from our miseries and distresse.
He gathered vs home which were scattered, from the East & the West, from the North & South, and brought vs from the dungeons of the prisons, and darkenesse of death, breaking the fetters and giues of iron in peeces.
The Lord hath deliuered our life from death: he staid the teares of our eies, and established our feet, that they did not fall: he hath brought vs out of our distresse. Hence haue we our light, whereby he causeth vs to shine, and hath driuen awaie our darkenesse.
Therfore will we praise thee, O Lord, among the nations, and will sing lauds vnto thy Maiestie: yea, we will declare thy power, and will shew foorth thy praise and mercie earlie in the morning; because thou hast defended vs, and wast our refuge in extreme dangers.
Oh acknowledge, and declare ye openlie, that the Lord is good: for his bountious goodnesse is for euer. Let all the sincere worshippers of the Lord now confesse, that his louing kindnesse is perpetuall. Praise ye the Lord.
Glorie be to the Father, and to the, &c.
As it was in the beginning, is now, &c.
¶ The Versicles.
O Lord shew thy great mercie vpon vs miserable sinners.
And grant thine euerlasting helth and saluation vnto vs.
O Lord saue Elizabeth our gratious Queene and Gouernor.
Which putteth hir onlie confidence in thee, O God, hir tower.
Oh send hir still continuall helpe from thy most holie place.
And euermore from dangers all, defend thou hir most roiall Grace.
O let not the infernall fo haue anie aduantage of hir.
Nor let the wicked enimie once approch to hurt hir.
Indue hir ministers alwaie with righteousnesse and equitie.
And make thou thy chosen seruants full ioifullie to praise thee.
O Lord saue thy people from all perils, and dow them with thy gifts.
And blesse thou thine inheritance with all thy bountious benefits.
In our time, O Lord, giue vs thy peace, which passeth all vnderstanding.
Bicause none other God dooth fight for vs; but onelie thou our King.
O soften thou our hardened harts, and clense our filthie soules from sinne.
And by thy spirit and gifts of grace, make vs a holie life for to beginne.
The praier.
O Lord GOD, most mercifull father, who as vpon this daie placing thy seruant our most deer Souereigne, and most gratious Queene Elizabeth, in the Empire of this kingdome, diddest deliuer thy people of England from danger of war and oppression, both of bodies by tyrannie, & of conscience by superstition, restoring peace, and true religion, with libertie both of bodies and minds, and hast continued the same thy blessings, without all desert on our part, now by the space of these foure and twentie yeeres. We, who are in memorie of these thy great benefits, assembled here togither, most humblie beseech thy fatherlie goodnesse, to grant vs grace, that we may in word, deed and hart, shew our selues thankfull and obedient vnto thee for the same; and that Elizabeth our vertuous Queene, through thy grace, may in all honour, goodnesse, and godlinesse, long and manie yeeres liue and reigne ouer vs, and we obeie and enioie hir Maiestie, with the continuance of thy great [Page 687] blessings, which thou hitherto hast by hir, thy blessed minister, powred vpon vs hir people. This we beseech thee to grant vnto vs, for thy deere Son Iesus Christs sake, our Lord and Sauiour.
Amen.
Or else saie thus:
WE yeeld vnto thee, most mightie and mercifull father, immortall thanks, for that it hath pleased thee of thy meere mercie and fatherlie bountie, after the stormes of so manie troublesome times, to conduct vs as vpon this daie out of banishment and exile, into the comfortable port of tranquillitie, by the hand of thy most gratious seruant and our deere Souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth. When we were as sheepe wandering astraie in the wildernesse, thou ordeinedst hir Maiestie to bee our shepheard, to gather vs againe into thy sheepefold. When we had beene long tossed hither & thither with the outrage and cruell furie of tyrannicall persecution, like a poore weather-beaten barke, that hath beene continuallie tormoiled and tossed on the perilous surges of the outragious and swelling seas, finding no sure rode nor harborough wherein to rest; but continuallie in danger, either to sinke into the sands, or to be ouerwhelmed with waues, or violentlie to be dashed in peeces against the maine rocks. Euen then, I saie, when we despaired vtterlie of safegard, standing stil in feare of the hazard of euerlasting confusion, thou cōmittedst the helme to be guided by hir Graces wisedome, who at last conducted vs into the hauen of this long desired peace and tranquillitie.
Therefore, whereas thou hast placed hir in the regal throne to be our Dauid, our Iosias, our Samuel; [Page 688] yea to be our shepheard and ring-leader in the waie of true holinesse and sincere religion. Inspire hir mind with the manifold blessings of thy grace, that she may walke all the daies of hir life in the path of thy commandements, and happilie discharge hir dutie in that stewardship and dispensation, which thou hast committed to hir Maiesties hands. Inflame hir mind more and more with the loue of thy holie Gospell; that all hir deeds, thoughts, and practises may tend to the propagation and planting of thy word, and Christian religion, in these hir Maiesties dominions. Incline the motions of hir vertuous disposition, aboue all things to seeke thine honour and glorie; to sowe the seeds of the Catholike faith abundantlie in all places; to cut off the brood of superstition and idolatrie; to constitute true preachers of thy word; and stablish euerie where thine holie Gospell and true religion.
Preserue hir, most mercifull Father (as hitherto thou hast most miraculouslie done) from the diuelish deuises and practises of hir enimies, that she may haue a long and happie reigne among vs, to the aduancement of thy glorie, and ioie and comfort of all vs hir subiects. Let hir naturall disposition continue to hir foes terrible; to hir subiects amiable; to hir offenders mercifull; to the vertuous bountifull; indifferent to all men, and in all respects parciall in no point, neither in causes ecclesiasticall, nor yet in matters concerning politike gouernement. Assist hir, most mercifull Father, with the might of thy heauenlie spirit, to quaile the pride of the triple-headed Romish Cerberus, to banish his beggerlie ceremonies, to abridge the terme of his reigne, and finallie to cut off and preuent the seeds that continuallie striue to spring vp from abhominable superstition and idolatrie.
Grant hir grace, most mercifull Father, to run the remnant of hir race in the right path of thy commandements, [Page 689] declining neither to the right hand, nor to the left; but so vsing all times thy heauenlie word, as the rule and compasse to direct hir course. Preserue hir Grace, most mercifull Father, in continuall health of bodie, and quietnesse of mind, that she may be alwaies able to rule the bridle of hir high charge, and to execute right and iustice to all sorts and degrees; to the aduancement of thy glorie, and the vniuersall commoditie of hir Maiesties subiects. And finallie grant, O most mercifull Father, that when it shall please thee to end the terme of hir daies in this world, thou wilt make hir partaker of the celestiall ioies, which are prepared for them that feare and loue thee, since the foundation of the world. Grant this, most mercifull Father, for thy deere Sonne our Lord Iesus Christs sake, to whom with thee, and the holie Ghost, three persons & one God, be all glorie, honour, and praise, world without end,
Amen.
Another thanks-giuing and praier vnto God, for the preseruation of the Queenes Maiestie, and the Realme.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull Father, which in thy great mercies hast both giuen vnto vs a peaceable Prince and gratious Queene, and also haft hitherto verie often and miraculouslie saued hir from sundrie great perils and imminent dangers; and by hir mercifull, vnbloudie, and gratious gouernement, hast preserued vs and the whole Realme from manifold mischiefs and dreadfull plagues, wherewith nations round about vs haue beene, and yet be most greeuouslie afflicted: haue mercie vpon them, O Lord; and grant vs grace, we beseech thee, for these thy great benefits, that wee [Page 690] may be hartilie thankfull and obedient vnto thee, to flie from all things that may offend thee, and prouoke thy wrath and indignation against vs, and to order our liues in all things that may please thee, that thy seruant our Souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth, and we thy people committed to hir charge, may by thy protection be continuallie preserued from all treacherous deceits and violences of enimies, and from all other dangers and perils both bodilie and ghostlie, and by thy goodnesse may be maintained in all peace and godlinesse. Grant this, O mercifull Father, for thy deere sonnes sake, our Sauiour Iesus Christ, to whom with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all honour and glorie, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another meditation to be vsed especiallie vpon the 17. daie of Nouember, wherein the godlie English giueth thanks to God, for the Queenes most prosperous gouernement hitherto, and praieth for the continuance thereof to Gods glorie.
AMongst other thy benefits great and innumerable (heauenlie father our most mercifull Lord and God) by thee of thine exceeding goodnesse bestowed vpon the children of men, the seruants of thy houshold, dispersed vpon the face of the earth: it hath pleased thee, that we thy people of England, liuing in these daies, should (in abundance, beyond the measure of the graces of our brethren, & the prosperous course of our fathers,) behold and perceiue thine inestimable good will in the amiablenesse of thy countenance shining vpon vs; to whom thou hast giuen thy chosen handmaiden Elizabeth for souereigne Ladie and Gouernour. For whatsoeuer is for the glorie of thy house, O Lord, for vs it is, which [Page 691] are the issue and slime of the earth, and vnwoorthie to stand and looke vp to heauen, made into vessels after thine image that were not, to be redeemed and borne anew after the second Adam that perisheth not, in the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ, and sanctification of the spirit that were vtterlie lost, to stand fast in thy hands, sealed according to thine eternall loue, and written in the booke of life, that dailie runne headlong to our owne destruction. As the sense heereof reioiceth the harts of all those, whome thou hast knit into this fellowship of the Saincts, and called into the blessed hope of the eternall kingdome; so againe, how vngratefull should we be, to whome thou hast dealt these benefits from thy diuine Maiestie, by the person raised vp for thine instrument thereof towards vs, if we should not in speciall sort shew our selues thankefull vnto thee therefore?
And if not to liue tearing and eating one the other, like the Giants in the old world, and euerie man to doo what seemeth him best in his owne eies; as when there was no Iudge in Israel. If that princes reigne, and Gouernours giue iudgement, it is thy gift, and then in the woorst disposition of their thoughts, for the sinnes of the people, they are redoubted. Thou, O Lord, hast appointed them, they are sacred. Thou, O Lord, hast annointed them, they are feared; thou changest their harts, like the streames of waters; they are honoured. Thine owne image & likenesse, in guiding Angels and all creatures, is pregnant; and cannot deuaile in them, bearing rule in earth ouer the children of men. What praise is due vnto thee from those, vnto whome thou leauest not an Anarchie and headlesse dissolution? As to the Canibals a monstrous and misshapen gouernement, and fanning with fire, and streaming with bloud, and smoking with mist and darkenesse of errour and ignorance. As to the Antichristes, [Page 692] greased in the brow with the marke of the image of the great beaste & whore of Babylon: not a waste and barbarous perpetuall heathen contrition, as vnto the Tartarian heards of cursed Cham, vnto the rustie & wasted with miserie the inhabitants of Meschech; or to the turbulent and rauenous swarmes and hosts of Tubal-gog, or such like as those: but contrariwise, whome thou leadest like a flocke of sheepe by the hands of Moses and Aaron, and hast chosen Dauid thy seruant, whome thou hast loued, to feed as the people of thine owne inheritance, giuing vnto them for warre, peace; for inciuilitie, societie; for ignorance, knowledge; for superstition, religion; for error, truth; for hunger, plentie; for vnprouidence, policie; for dissonancie, harmonie; for miserie, felicitie; and making them to dwell in safetie, as vnder the wings of thy defence, and shadowe of thy protection.
Now, such hath beene thy mercie towards vs, that no tongue is able to expresse, in giuing vs in thy gratious pleasure, and thine vnrecountable largesse and liberalitie, thy select seruant Elizabeth, Queene, and supreame Gouernour to vs, of the legue nations and peoples of hir obeisance and regiment: that as by a starre, the light and influence ouer things beneath from thee, the first cause and fountaine of brightnesse, not to be attained vnto; and as by a cleere riuer and plentifull brooke, the course of the waters from thee, the euerlasting head-spring: euen so the shining beames, and flowing streames of all those thy mercies and good gifts haue beene and are, sithence the daies of hir happie and gratious gouernement, from thee conuaid and deuolued vnto vs. And we, that before were no people, not so much in regard of the estate in which we haled, when we were sauage, and wood men, cruell as men-deuourers, terrible as spirits, brutish as beasts in the old age, at the first calling home of our [Page 693] grand ancestors to humane ciuilitie: but in these daies in few yeares degenerate from the true knowledge of thee and thy Sonne Iesus Christ, vnto the consuming nakednesse of idolatrie, and plaieng inordinate before the golden calfe of our owne making and our Priests.
Now the foure and twentith Sunne most happilie inuironeth in the firmament, sithence by the meanes of a poore vessell of the weaker sexe, and a sillie maiden, thou performing the glorious deliuerance of thy people, out of the thraldome and slauerie of Pharao and Egypt, didst annoint the kings daughter with an holie oile, setting a crowne of pure gold vpon hir head, and inuesting hir with the purple, and scepter, and regall diademe of the Realme: sithence which time, O father, we owe to thee and to hir, our God, and our Moses, the breath of our nostrels, the sight of this light, the vse of this aire, the ease of our harts, the peace of our consciences, and the whole worke of our welfare. By hir inspired by thee, spreading hir beames at hir appearing, the bloudie launces, and claunching murreans, and the redoubling sheelds haue beene shattered asunder in shiuers, and bated, and foiled into mattockes and spades, the flames of our furies quenched and put out, and the poole of grace flowed ouer the Realme: the Lion reconciled with the Lambe, the wilde Asse set to be pastured with the seelie Kid; the abhomination of desolation remoued from the holie Temple, and the Sonne of man exalted and lift vp on high in his owne kingdome, for all that were stoong by the firie Serpent to looke vpon and be saued.
In admirable lenitie Babylon hath put on Zion; Egypt is become our owne; Rahab the harlot denizoned in Ierusalem; we become of the wild oliues, the true garden plants; of Ismael, Israel; of miscreant, christian; of painime, protesting & professing; of Antichristian Romanists, & heathen idolaters, faithfull, Euangelicall, [Page 694] sincerelie beleeuing, woorshippers of thee in spirit and veritie, according to thy holie word. Neither hath cost beene spared, nor occasion foreslowed, nor time ouerpassed, nor trauell intermitted, to raise that was fallen, to win that was withholden, to call that was straied, to heale that was wearied, to find that was lost, to restore that was ruined, to repaire that was decaied, to make good and enable that was abandoned. Preachers haue beene sent foorth plentiouslie, lawes haue beene executed mercifullie, orders haue beene set downe politikelie, dangers haue beene declined discreetly, tumults haue beene appeased victoriouslie, the whole spacious dominions of both Iles, and the adiacent lands gouerned triumphantlie: so as it is hard to find the man that more orderlie hath managed the charge of anie one houshold, than the daughter of thy house with hir virginall hands hath weelded the weightie scepter of sundrie and mightie populous nations.
In hir time haue been seene the golden yeeres of the reigne of hir father Dauid, and the peacefull kingdom of Salomon to haue been aduanced: the earth not to haue denied hir fruitfulnesse, the sea hir increase, the clouds their drops, the heauens their fairenesse, the sunne his warmth, the yeere hir goodnesse: but the vallies stand thicke with corne, the wildernesse crowned with gladnesse, the furrowes watered, the mountaines laugh & sing, the folds full of sheepe, our sonnes and our daughters growe vp like to the polished corners of the Temple, our yoong men see visions, and our old men prophesie, Ierusalem hir light shining vnto hir, & the glorie of the Lord risen vnto hir, the Queene bringing hir honor vnto the Citie of Dauid, and the nations walking in the light thereof.
Great is the honour that thou, O Iehouah, hast heaped vpon vs; and honourable in foraigne regions [Page 695] is the worke that thou hast wrought by thy chosen, yea and so much the more hath the brightnesse of this beautie beene powred abroade, that whilest Egypt round about hath been darkened, euen the whole world in a manner besides vs, whome thou hast gathered into pastures of this Gosen, and the thicke mists of errour haue blinded the eies of the earth, the cloudie piller hath not departed from vs by the daie, nor the firie flame by night. Whilest other lands round about haue warred to the destruction of one another, our Moses hath guided vs in peace. Whilest other nations like Egypt round about hath been plagued by the destroier from the first borne, sitting vpon the princes throne, vnto the vassall and slaue grinding at the handmill, our Moses hath not diminished of hir flocke. Whilest the firme lands haue beene ouerwhelmed by the rage of the seas and waters, our Iland hauing dwelt in peace, hath sent hir ship into Ophir for gold, and prepared hir nauie against the danger of the enimie. Whilest Athalia hath murthered hir owne bloud, our Ioas hath learned the lawe of the Lord of Iehoiada. Whilest Achas consecrateth his owne sonne in the fire, and Samaria eateth hir owne children on the walles, our Eliza directeth the children of the Prophets in their offices. Whilest Iezabel setteth vp Baal, and embrueth Achab with the bloud of the Prophets, and of Naboth, our Elias gathereth the people of God to mount Carmel, to behold the wonder of the fire of God, lighting from heauen vpon the sacrifices, and replenishing the harts with ioie, and tongues, with gifts of languages.
This is then so woorthie an instrument of thy goodnesse, and expresse image of thy Maiestie, & the ample matter of this daies celebritie. And now what doth thy people desire at thy hands; but that first, O Lord, thou giue vs thankefull harts, and make vs all the [Page 696] daies of our liues mindfull of this thy fatherlie and gratious bountifulnesse. Then, as presentlie the Queenes highnesse hath gloriouslie atchiued the trauell of full three and twentie yeares, and now the annuall celebritie of our voluntarie sacrifice of praise and thanks-giuing therefore returneth: so it may by thy benefit full often returne, and not once or twice, but yeare by yeare, and yeare heaped vpon yeare, we and our of-spring may behold this felicitie, vntill we and she satisfied in aboundance, the time drawe along which thou hast appointed for the veiling of hir crowne, at the feet of thy sonne Iesus; and the course of this earthlie pilgrimage ouerrun, we and she at our determined seasons be taken to reigne in the euerlasting kingdome of thy glorie.
Againe, where much is the mischiefe of man, great and enormous the rage of Sathan, subtill the practises of Antichrist, euill our deserts, lamentable the state of things, whilest open colouring hideth priuie conspiring, poisoned lips giue sugred words, the breath of Cockatrices, the embracings of Scorpions, the roring of Bulles, the ringing of Libels, the raging of Rabsake, the sword of Herod, the destruction of Abbadon hath beene seene in our streets, hath beene heard on our walles, hath multiplied before the gates of our Cities, that thou destroie vs not in the midst of the works of thy mercie, to leaue vs headlesse and hopelesse, and make vs a scorne and prouerbe to the enimie; but rather to behold the number of the faithfull subiects, in the dread of their soules, and iust gealousie of their common interest, bowing the knees of their harts for the long safetie of Queene Elizabeths sacred princelie person, rather than in thy iust furie, for auenging of our sinnes, to suffer the diuell with the wicked to preuaile in the vniust zealousnesse of their preposterous vowes, graceleslie swearing the death of thy [Page 697] Saincts, and thine annointed.
Lastlie, that what remaineth of the happie building of thy Church, by the hands of thy deere daughter, thou plentifullie powre of thy principall spirit vpon hir, and rauish hir hart with the flame of the loue of thee and thy house, with Moses to leade, and with Ioshua to bring into the land of promise, with Debora to fight the battell; and with Iahel to knocke Sisera of Rome in the temples of his vsurped headship, to his vtter destruction; with Dauid to bring home the Arke; and with Salomon to finish and consecrate to eternitie thy Temple amongst the people: on the earth for the time to giue largelie hir fostermilke to Hierusalem: in heauen at the time in the purenesse of hir virginitie, to be presented to the lambe, and sing the song of hir wedding daie, with thy Angels & thy Saincts, to the praise of thy glorious Maiestie, the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, in one eternall Deitie, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another godlie and learned praier for our most gratious souereigne Ladie, Queene Elizabeth.
O Almightie, eternall God, creator, gouernor & preseruer of all things, Lord of all lords, and King of all kings, who madest man like vnto thine owne image, that he should honour, serue, and obeie thee onlie, and that all other thy creatures should serue to his vse and commoditie, ouer whome thou madest him lord and ruler, the forbidden fruit onlie except: but he most miserable man, by his owne disobedience, in eating thereof, lost not onlie that kinglie prerogatiue, but brought himselfe and all his posteritie into the state of eternall [Page 696] [...] [Page 697] [...] [Page 698] damnation. Yet thou, O Lord, in thine vnspeakable mercie, didst then promise, and in time broughtest to passe, that thine onlie Sonne became man like vnto vs, sin except, and was borne of a pure virgin by thy diuine prouidence and power, who to restore this now most miserable man, with all vs, whose children by nature we are, vnto the state of eternall saluation, did suffer most shamefull, most vile and bitter, yea most cruell and painefull death on the crosse, whereon his glorious bodie was broken, and his pretious bloud shead, a sufficient ransome, a full satisfaction, a iust recompense of thy iustice and lawe, for all them that beleeue, and embrace thy Gospell and sacred truth.
But O Lord, our good God, be mercifull vnto vs, who by our infirmitie (through the fall of this lordlie man, our great grandfather Adam) can not now liue in anie peaceable or good condition and state, without Magistrates and Kings to rule and gouerne vs. We therefore most humblie and hartilie beseech thy diuine Maiestie, for the loue of thine onlie Sonne Iesus Christ, to looke downe with thy fatherlie compassion vpon thy seruant Elizabeth, our most gratious Queene and dread souereigne. Graffe in hir roiall hart, by the working of thy holie spirit, thy manifold good gifts and benefits, as wisdome, grace, perseuerance in thy truth, increase of faith, and affiance in thee. Defend hir, O Lord, with thy mightie hand, and outstretched arme: graunt vnto hir a most honourable, long, and prosperous reigne ouer vs.
Moreouer, O Lord, if the seruice of golden vessels in thy Temple at Ierusalem, were acceptable vnto thee; vouchsafe this thy seruant to be esteemed in thy sight, as a most honourable ornament in the new Ierusalem, not built with monie by the labour of the seruants of the first Salomon; but bought with the pretious bloud of the second Salomon, thy Sonne our [Page 699] Sauiour. Behold hir, and make hir to be, O Lord, as the pretious stone or signet of thine owne hand, as the apple of thine eie, as the white lillie and sweet rose of the inclosed garden, and as the deere doue of thy delights, for thy truth sake: to the enimies whereof, make hir name most dreadfull; and to the Church wheresoeuer dispersed, most acceptable and ioifull. Confound and put to shame, O Lord, all those that with or procure anie euill to hir roiall person and heroicall virginitie, or diminution of hir kingdomes, and imperiall dignitie ouer them.
And when for the multitude of our sinnes, O Lord, thou wilt punish vs with the wind of thy displeasure, by taking from vs this our fragrant and sweet smelling flower, which we beseech thee for thine own name sake long to defer: then, O Lord, plant hir in the garden and paradise of thy presence, where she may growe and dwell in felicitie incomparable, which the eie hath not seene, the eare hath not heard, neither euer came it into the vnderstanding of man, those ioies which thou hast prepared for hir, and all thine elect.
Moreouer, O Lord, grant thy heauenlie wisedome and grace vnto all vs hir subiects, that we may aduisedlie consider, and dutifullie call to our remembrance, the manifold blessings that we so long time haue enioied, and doo presentlie possesse through thy mercie, by hir ministerie, authoritie, and the execution of hir kinglie office, vnder the which we doo not onlie reape, and peaceablie enioie the fruits of our labours, and other corporall commodities, but also (that which is more woorth than all this) euen the freedome and libertie of conscience, the preaching and hearing of thy most holie word, and the administration and receiuing of thy holie Sacraments. For all which, and manie other thy blessings, O Lord, worke in vs thy grace, to yeeld vnto thy diuine Maiestie all possible and continuall [Page 700] praises and thanksgiuing, that it be not said vnto vs, Are there not ten cleansed? or, Is not England preserued from all tyrannie, & enioie all these benefits? But where are now their returning to giue thanks? Quicken our memories therefore, O Lord, that we neuer be forgetfull of thy great goodnesse towards vs, and make vs more and more, for thy sake reuerentlie to feare hir, dutifullie to obeie hir, and faithfullie to loue, honor and serue hir, as our naturall louing prince and mother, and as the meane by whome we receiue all these thy good blessings, that hir Maiestie perceiuing our diligence, and readinesse to obeie and serue hir, may be the oftener put in mind to feare, honor, loue, serue & obeie thy diuine and incomparable Maiestie.
Furthermore, inspire hir roiall hart, O Lord, with thy diuine grace, that as she hath begun to set foorth and mainteine thy sacred truth, so she may zealouslie and boldlie increase, perseuere, & continue in the same, whereby the filthinesse and nakednesse of Antichrist may be more and more reuealed, superstition more and more abolished & remoued, and that old lieng serpent, & roring Lion sathan, our ancient enimie, may be more and more restrained & kept backe from his malicious purpose, in seeking to deuour and draw vs all in ignorance & securitie. Grant all this, O Lord, to our great comfort, hir honor, and immortall fame; yea to the discharging of hir owne conscience, & kinglie dutie, and euermore reward & crowne these thine owne good gifts in hir, O Lord, not for the worke sake, but for Iesus Christs sake. And when thou shalt, to our great sorowe and losse, but to hir great ioie and profit take hir from vs; crowne hir, O most mercifull God, with a crowne of euerlasting glorie, and giue hir the full possession of that eternall kingdome, purchased by the blood of that immaculate Lambe, thine onlie Sonne our Sauiour and Redeemer Iesus Christ, to whome with thee, and [Page 701] the holie Ghost, three persons and one immortall and euerlasting God be all honour, dominion, praise, and thanks-giuing, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another praier for the Queenes Maiestie, and for the state present, and to come in our posteritie.
O Most gratious Lord GOD, and King almightie, iust & euerlasting, vpon whose wil dependeth the rule, staie and direction of althings both in heauen and in earth; giuing men power and dominion ouer the people and nations of the world, to whom being obedient to thy most holie will and commandements, thou giuest wise, careful, industrious, vertuous, happie, and prosperous kings, princes, rulers, and magistrates, to rule and to gouerne, to the peace, blessing, comfort and wealth of the same: but the vnrighteous people, lasciuious, contemptuous, idolatrous, superstitious, blasphemous, and rebellious against thy word and Maiestie, shall be deliuered ouer to the hands and tuition of foolish, idle, dissolute, negligent, and vnfortunate princes, rulers, and gouernours; by whose brutish disorder, loosenesse, and follie, the state, beautie, strength and bonds of peace, iustice, loue and gouernement shall be neglected, broken, disturbed, spoiled, and by intestine hatred and discords, or else by forren vanquishments and discomfitures destroied: whereby both land and people are left a praie to the inuasion, spoile, and rauine of the greedie and victorious destroier, who in his mercilesse rage executeth the plagues of thy iust wrath, O Lord; so that man, woman, child, beast, foule, nor fish, scapeth the stripes thereof. Their countries, townes, cities, and dwellings burnt, spoiled, rent, torne, and made waste: iustice, lawe, discipline, nurture, ciuill fellowship, [Page 702] honest arts and exercises, religion, knowledge, and feare of thee scorned, banished, and persecuted: and the land being filled with abhomination, beastlie tyrannie, slaughter, bloud, robberie, theeuerie, rapine, and murder: the people killed, strangled, starued, spoiled, and mocked, bound, and caried awaie to be sold (as beasts) in the market; to seruitude and slauerie, there to consume their daies in miserable thrall and sorows: the kingdome and inheritance transported to the possession of the destroier, who raised vp in thy wrath, and armed with the power of thy displeasure, ministreth due punishment for the sinne and disobedience of ech reuolting nation that falleth away from thee, and will not be reconciled to grace: witnesse of all the states, empires, kingdoms, tongues, nations, peoples, and kindreds of the earth from the beginning of the world to this daie: but in these latter daies, speciallie of the Iewes, Aegyptians, Armenians, Graecians, Italians, Hungarians, Polonians, and others, whose seruile thrall and calamities ought neuer to be out of our remembrance, which should mooue vs continuallie to behold the blessing of thy loue, and the heauie sorrowes of thy displeasure.
Wherefore in the abundance of thy mercies and louing kindnesse, and for loue of thy deere Sonne, whom through the gift of thy grace we professe in the truth of his Gospell: we beseech thee, O mercifull Father, fauourablie to looke vpon this Realme and people of England. Turne not awaie thy face, O Lord: take not thy grace and holie spirit from vs: let vs still enioie the blisse and comfort of thy louing countenance: keepe vs in thy waie, and couer vs vnder the shadowe of thy wings: suffer vs not to be taken from thee: make vs to followe and to put our whole trust and confidence in thee, then shall we be safe. Thy mightie hand, O God, giueth the victorie, and in the power of thy fauour [Page 703] shall the enimie be vanquished, and his strength brought to nothing. Safe is the citie where thou, O Lord, art the watch-man: but who so standeth out of thy tuition, he is a readie praie vnto ye destroier: therefore go not farre from vs, O God. For thine elect sake were the heauens and the earth, with all their implements, formed & made of nothing: for their preseruation & maintenance was rule & gouernment deuised and stablished. And for their sakes are empires, kingdoms, countries and nations preserued, saued and blessed: and for iniurie and ignominie done to them, and to thy truth and holie name are they changed, plaged, subuerted, and destroied. Great is thy mercie & compassion, O Lord, long suffering, & ready to forgiue: behold vs, O Father, and haue mercie vpon vs, remember not our iniquities, nor the iniquities of our forefathers; take not iust vengeance of our sinnes, neither reward thou vs after our deserts. Spare vs, good Lord; spare vs: and for thy sweet Sonnes sake Christ Iesus our Sauiour, haue mercie vpon vs. Yea; Lord, haue mercie vpon vs, and vpon our posteritie, holding continuallie thy holie hand ouer vs, and blesse vs. Increase our faith, & make our children, & childers childrē obedient to thy word; and through holie conuersation in thy Sonne our redeemer, make vs and them acceptable vnto thy selfe, O GOD, that being sanctified in faith and loue toward thy heauenlie will and Maiestie, we and they may be deliuered from thy wrathfull displeasure for euermore.
Powre foorth abundance of thy grace and blessing vpon our Queene, that in the fulnesse of thy gratious fauour, she may haue long life in health and happie daies, aided with faithfull, vertuous, & prudent counsellers and ministers, to doo all things to the nourishing and maintenance of true religion and vertue. Increase the light of thy Gospell, & the number of faithfull [Page 704] and godlie preachers and ministers of thy word, whose industrie and labour by the peace and tranquillitie of thy Church may largelie augment the number of thy Saints to the glorie of thy name, and to the ioie and blessing of the land and people. For the preseruation and continuance whereof, in the bowels of thy fatherlie care and fauor, remember vs, O louing God. Leaue neither vs nor our posteritie headlesse, neither put vs ouer to the yoke of a strange nor irreligious Prince; but after the blisse-full daies of this thy gratious handmaid our Queene, (whom, O Father, let it please thee to reserue in happie and ioifull state to the end) giue peace and concord to thy people, with a vertuous, wise, godlie, and fortunate Prince, whose constant zeale, care, industrie, and endeuour towards the cherishing and aduancement of thy truth and glorie, may purchase thy fatherlie loue and furtherance, to fill the land and people with all maner of blessings, as thy heauenlie wisedome knoweth necessarie, where beautified with vertue and godlinesse, it shall prosper and triumph in continuall peace and victorie, giuing honor and gladsome thanks to thy glorious Maiestie, that with thy deere Sonne our Lord and Sauiour, and with the holie Ghost, reignest in vnitie of power, glorie and dominion, praised for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another verie godlie praier meete to be said of all true subiects, in time of anie priuie conspiracie, or open rebellion, for our gratious Souereigne Queene Elizabeth, and for the present state.
O Almightie God, King of kings, Lord of lords, the onelie God and gouernour of all things: thou art he, by whom alone kings doo reigne. Thou most high bearest the rule ouer the kingdoms of men. Thou in Christ thine onelie Sonne, being [Page 705] the most gratious Father of thy chosen Church; doost for the comfortable nourishing of it, dispose the roiall state among men. Through this thy grace it is come to passe, that we the English nation, now a portion of the same thy Church, doo enioie the gouernement of Elizabeth our Queene, whom thou hast against all practises of thine and hir aduersaris, deliuered out of perils, and by thy mightie hand brought to reigne ouer vs. Mercifullie guiding hir, thou hast made hir to vs a mother; to thine afflicted flocke a nurse, in that benefit which we haue in libertie, in true religion, and common peace: maruelouslie protecting hir, thou hast kept hir to defend vs, to vse and hold this benefit quietlie. And euen now in thy mightie maruelous mercie, thou hast discouered the practises of such craftie & cruell enimies, as purposed to spoile hir of vs, vs of hir, and both hir and vs of thy religion and of peace, determining to deliuer vs ouer to the tyrannie of that shamelesse man of Rome, and the bloudie sword. In which purpose of mischiefe, if thou haddest permitted them to preuaile, we had suffered for our sinnes at thy hand, O Lord, most iustlie; but at their hands most vnnaturallie, and vniustlie. For we doo offend thy Maiestie manie waies: we offend not them anie waies: yet such is their wickednesse, that they will hate vs, onelie bicause we in truth doo professe to serue thee. For this cause they conspire against thee, O God, like hypocrites; against our Queene, like traitours; against our Commonwelth and countrie, like spoilers; against vs, euen as Cain did against Abel. But thy great goodnesse hath deuised better for vs than they doo. Thou hast spared vs, whom they would haue spoiled, thy wisedome hath vnfolded their wickednesse, thy prouidence hath preuented their purpose. All honour, praise, with thanks-giuing in the congregation, and by euerie member thereof, be giuen to thee, O GOD [Page 706] of grace, O Lord of pitie, O Father of mercie, for euer and euer.
And now we beseech thee, O mercifull Father, be not prouoked with our sinnes, to giue vs ouer to the lust of our enimies; doo not make vs a reproch to these heathen. Let not the Iewes, the Turke, the Papist in our ouerthrowe triumph against thee, saieng; Where is now their God? But of thy rich mercie in Christ forgiue our sinnes; by thy renewing spirit amend vs, and worke out this good worke, which thou hast begun among vs. Confound & bring to naught the attempts of these and the like enimies, as thou didst at Babel; infold them in the follie of their owne counsels, as thou diddest Achitophel; by thine Angel sinite their force, as thou didst to Senacherib; in their desperate attempts let them be drowned, as was Pharao; in their treasons ouertake them, as thou didst Absolon. If anie of them are to be conuerted, turne them, as thou diddest Manasses: otherwise let them feele their due punishment, as did Dathan, with his conspirators, that of these also may be left an example of thy iustice to the posteritie.
We doo likewise most humblie beseech thee to continue thy goodnesse towards vs, euer of thine old woonted mercie deliuer our Queene Elizabeth from euill, direct hir in the true knowledge of thee, to acknowledge thy benefits towards hir, and hir dutie towards thee. Kindle more and more in hir hart zeale to serue thee hir selfe, and to haue thee serued of vs entirelie. Guide hir still to gouerne vs iustlie in godlie peace. Giue vnto vs also, which are subiects, thankefull harts to thee; faithfull to hir in thee; charitable towards all men; that all which liue vnder hir gouernment, counsellers, ministers, and euerie other in their place and calling, may be throughlie sanctified in holinesse to liue before thee. Thus prolonging hir reigne ouer vs, doo thou in [Page 707] hir plant thy religion among and in vs, so that it may with power reforme and rule vs, and remaine to our posteritie after vs, that the praise of thy name may continue in the harts & mouths of the English nation, that England may saie for euer, The Lord be praised.
A thanks-giuing vnto God for his benefits bestowed vpon this Realme of England, in suppressing the late Rebellion, with praier for the preseruation and prosperous estate of our gratious Queene Elizabeth.
ALmightie and euerlasting God, the maker of heauen and earth, and Lord of all creatures, by whose mightie hand, the humble and lowlie are aduanced, and the proud and stubborne are thrust vnder foote. We thy seruants giue thee most hartie thanks for thy great and bountifull goodnesse, which thou hast of late without our deseruing, bestowed vpon vs, both in deliuering vs from the cruell tyrannie and bondage, and persecution, wherewith we were of late oppressed, and also in restoring vs againe to our former peace and quietnesse, and to the free exercise of our faith, by the direction of thy sacred Gospell still, maugre the heads of all our enimies, mainteined by thee amongst vs to our comfort. For which thy singular benefits, and gratious liberalitie, O excellent father, because we are in no wise able to render vnto thee woorthie thanks; therfore we make our humble sute and request vnto thee, O Lord, that it may please thee for thy holie name sake, to accept our good willes in this behalfe, and to giue vs grace all the daies of our life, to remember this maruellous worke of thine, that partlie by the Christian, deuout, and feruent praiers of thy humble handmaiden our most gratious Queene, and other of thy people, and partlie by [Page 708] the sure confidence and trust that hir Grace euermore did put in thee, thou hast without the force or strength of men put down not onlie hir enimies, but also thine, and all those that did both fight against thee and thy truth, and trauelled by all meanes to disanull, and quite ouerthrowe the state of the Church and religion now established: which woonderfull and myraculous act, as thou hast most gratiouslie begun, so we beseech thee, for thy tender mercies sake, to go forward with it, and so to establish it, as thy glorie may be aduanced thereby, and all the craftie deuises and malicious assaults of the diuell and his ministers cleane ouerthrowne and subdued.
And now, O Christ thou King of kings, Prince of peace, & Ruler of Israel, haue mercie vpon our most deere souereigne Ladie Elizabeth: and grant, that as thou hitherto hast most singularlie blessed hir, and adorned hir Maiestie with manie thy speciall good graces, blessings, and benefits, for thy glorie, and to our comfort: so with all thankefuluesse therefore vnto thy Maiestie, we continuallie, hartilie, and faithfullie praie thee, that the ioie of thy heauenlie countenance may still most gratiouslie shine vpon hir, to humble hir soule before thee, to be hir guide and director, to sheeld, preserue, and defend hir from the will and power of all hir enimies, and that both thine and hir aduersaries may from time to time be made thine and hir footstoole, and be euer kept vnder hir feet, as mire in the streets, or as thinne scoom, filthie fome, light chaffe, withered haie, or burnt stubble before the wind. We beseech thee also, O Lord, thou scepter of Israel, that hir scepter may yet growe greene, burgen, fructifie, and flourish in the fruits of true happinesse, with glorie, victorie, princelie honor, dutifulnesse, healthfull sweetnesse, tendernesse, beautie and comlinesse, in hir most roiall state and calling, euen as the Palme-tree safelie and well [Page 709] set in a soile of all happinesse, and that hir throne regall may steddilie stand for euer without winding, shaking, swaruing, tottering, or nodding, euen as the seate of Salomon; and that the daies of hir Graces regiment may be vnto vs for thy glorie, as the daies of heauen, and after this life ended, make hir partaker of the brightnesse of thine and thy fathers euerlasting glory, among thine annointed and elect, in the celestiall kingdome of euerlasting renowme. Grant this O Christ, thou most mercifull King and Gouernor, that sittest vpon the seate of Dauid, and hast obteined an euerlasting kingdome for all the chosen Israelites, euen for thy mercies sake,
Amen.
Another praier for the Queene, and the estate of this Realme.
GRatious Lord, and most mercifull Father, we acknowledge thee Lord of lords, and the King of kings, creating at the beginning, and ruling all things euermore in heauen and earth, according to thy woonderfull wisedome & power, and our selues to be thy poore seruants, the worke of thy hands, and the sheepe of thy pasture, subiected to thy high Maiestie, and depending vpon thy fatherlie prouidence for all things. Neuerthelesse, seeing thou in thy wisedome annointest Kings and Queenes, appointing them to rule ouer the people, to sit as lieutenants in thy seate, to minister iustice, and most of all as fathers and nursses, to mainteine and cherish thy Church, commanding vs not onlie to obeie and honor them, but moreouer to praie for them, as watching ouer vs for our good. We therefore beseech thee for thy great names sake, and for Iesus Christes sake, to shew thy mercie to all Kings and Princes that mainteine [Page 710] thy glorious Gospell, but especiallie we praie thee to blesse our gratious Queene Elizabeth, in all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus, and in all temporall blessings, according to thy good pleasure; that in the great measures of thine effectuall lawe, she may more and more find great increase of vertue, and wisedome, and strength, in Christ Iesu, to the faithfull and happie discharge of hir dutie, that hir holinesse and ioie, and zeale of thy house may be multiplied & euerlasting.
And seeing it hath pleased thee of thy singular mercie to giue hir this especiall honor, first to suffer for thy glorious truth, and afterward miraculouslie deliuering hir out of the hands of hir enimies, to set a Crowne vpon hir head, and to make hir the instrument to aduance thy glorie and Gospell, for which she suffered, and to bring hir out of darkenesse into light; out of persecution into this great and long peace; as we giue thee most hartie thanks for this singular benefit, so we beseech thee to make hir and vs euermore thankefull for it, and in thy good pleasure still to preserue hir for the continuance of these blessings towards vs with all increase from time to time, to thy glorie, the benefit of thy Church, and hir infinite peace in Christ Iesus the Prince of peace.
And furthermore, we praise thee for hir and the estate, that such as be the enimies of the Gospell, and hir enimies also for the defence therof, may not despise the peace offered them vnto repentance; but that they may accompt thy long suffering, and hir peaceable and vnbloudie gouernement an occasion of saluation to their soules, and vnfeigned loue to the truth, and their mercifull Souereigne. Otherwise, if they stil remaine disobedient to thy truth, disloiall to hir Highnesse, and dangerous to the state; then, O God of all saluation, as thou hast discouered them, so discouer them still: as thou hast preuented them, so preuent them still, and let [Page 711] their eies ware wearie with looking, and their harts faint with waiting for the comming of that which yet commeth not; neither let it come, O Lord, we beseech thee: but a blessed and a long reigne to hir Grace, and and peace to Zion for euermore.
Also deere Father, so blesse, so loue, so in thy spirit sanctifie and keepe hir, that she maie in the spirit of counsell and fortitude so rule that other sister also, namely this hir Common-wealth, that they may flourish together, and growe vp together as Palme-trees in beautie, and in strength, giuing aid and help one to another; that in the Church the glorie of God may appeare as the Sunne in his brightnesse, and that the land may flowe with milke and honie, and true peace abound therein, as in ye triumphant reigne of Debora.
These graces, O Lord, are great, and we miserable sinners, vnwoorthie of the least of them; therefore looke not to vs, but to thy selfe; not to our iniquities, but to thy great mercies; accepting the death and passion of thy Sonne as a full ransome for all our offences, throwing them into the bottome of the sea, and making his crosse and resurrection effectuall in vs to all obedience and godlinesse, as becommeth thy Saincts; that to all other thy good blessings towards our gratious Souereigne, this may be added, that she gouerneth blessedlie ouer a blessed people, a people blessed of the Lord, and beloued of the Lord; and that thy graces may abound in the Church & in the Common-wealth from daie to daie, till the daie of our translation into thy kingdome, where iustice inhabiteth, where we also shall inhabit and reigne with thee, according to thy promise for euer. Grant vs these things, O mercifull father, for thy deere Sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake, in whose name we craue them at thy mercifull hand, praieng furthermore for them, as he hath taught vs to praie, Our Father, &c.
Psalme 72. Another praier for the prosperous estate and flourishing reigne of our right vertuous souereigne Queene Elizabeth.
O GOD, without whose wisedome no kingdome can stand, who of a speciall consideration hast ordeined this kingdome in the familie of Dauid, teach our Queene Elizabeth whome thou hast appointed, the rules of right gouernement: teach I saie, the Daughter of this thy Dauid, whome thou hast chosen to thy selfe, the rule of righteousnesse, that she may iustlie gouerne not hir people, but thine; especiallie that she may defend the poore against the iniuries of the mightie: thus the people being scattered heere and there in the mountaines and hilles, being safe vnder a iust gouernment, shall abound with all the commodities of peace.
Grant this vnto hir, that she being far from all tyrannie, may be a sure refuge for the poore, that she may comfort the families oppressed with pouertie and iniuries, that she may keepe vnder ye false accusers with most sharpe punishment; so will it come to passe, O Lord, that the state of this kingdome being ordered by thine authoritie, all men, as it is meete, shall acknowledge and feare thee, and not for anie short continuance of time, but that the Sunne and Moone shall sooner ceasse their course, than thou shalt faile to be woorshipped.
And thou againe wilt powre downe vpon thy people from heauen all good things, like a showre comming downe vpon the new mowne medowes, and none otherwise, than thou vsest to water the earth with showers in due season, whilest Elizabeth reigneth thus gouerned [Page 713] by thy grace and holie spirit, the iust shall flourish, and great peace shall be so continued, as is the firme course of the starres, and the Queene hir selfe shall haue dominion from the one sea to the other, euen frō Euphrates, to the farthest coasts of the earth.
The inhabitants of the countries of the desert shall come vnder hir yoke, falling downe vnder hir feet, and hir enimies falling downe before hir, shall licke the dust of the earth. The kings of Silicia and of the Ilands shall offer presents vnto hir. The Ethiopians also, and the Arabians shall bring hir gifts; finallie, all Kings shall haue hir in admiration, for hir renowme and vertue, and all nations shall reuerence hir name and maiestie. For hir righteousnesse shall bee praised through out all the whole world, because she heareth the crie of the poore, and doth defend the needie forsaken of other. She hath mercie on them that are needie, and she refresheth those that are in danger of their life. She defendeth the poore against the iniurie of the mightie, neither doth she suffer the violence done vnto them to be vnreuenged.
Therefore thou, O God, wilt keepe hir safe, and gold shall be brought vnto hir out of the midst of Arabia: all men shall make praiers for hir life and safetie, and shall dailie wish all prosperitie vnto hir. And seeing the safetie of all the families of our nation consisteth in the preseruation of hir Maiestie, let vs hartilie (as we haue good cause) praie incessantlie for hir Grace, and for the safetie and welfare of the Church, and of all those that loue and fauour hir therein. Defend, O God, with thine owne hand, this woorthie woman and sacred Queene, whose endeuour thou hast vsed to restore peace to thy Church, and religion to thy people. O saue this woorthie Princesse Elizabeth, I saie, whome for this purpose thou hast indued with most rare and singular wisedome, power, constancie, [Page 714] and roiall gifts of grace. And grant that all men may dutifullie honour and obeie hir, as a prince of peace; a mother of Israel; a nurse of thy Church, woorthilie for hir vertues set ouer vs by thee, O God, to reigne. Finallie grant, that in this gouernement of our pastor & chiefe shepheard, there may want neither integritie, & vprightnesse in taking of counsell, neither wisedome in performing all hir enterprises according to thy will.
Then shall wheate be reaped euerie-where with full handfuls in the verie tops of the mountaines; the corne growing as high as the trees of Libanus: and there shall be such a multitude of inhabitants in the cities, that they may almost seeme like plants springing out of the earth: yea, then shall hir noble memorie, and roiall fame be for euer, euen durable as the sunne; and our Queene Elizabeth be an example of all pietie and felicitie vnto all kingdoms & nations of the world, which shall accept hir blessed among women. But vnto thee, O Lord, the Prince of the celestiall companies, and the author of all things, for so woonderfull & rare gifts in hir Maiestie, shall all possible praise be especiallie giuen: yea, the fame of thy glorie be praised and magnified for euer and euer, and let it fill both heauen and earth. So, euen so let it be, O God,
Amen.
Another dailie praier, for the perpetuall happinesse of our sacred, and most gratious Souereigne, and Queene Elizabeth.
O Almightie God, King of kings, and Lord of lords; in thine hand is all power both in heauen and in earth: thou confirmest kingdoms, & againe doost alter them according to thine heauenlie pleasure: we praise thee; we magnifie thee; we extoll thine holie name, for that it hath pleased [Page 715] thee to appoint ouer vs a good and gratious Queene, which dooth gouerne with counsell, and rule with wisdome. Grant hir, we beseech thee, continuall peace; long life, and much happines, and deliuer not hir Maiestie into the hands of hir enimies. Rule thou hir mind, that she may serue thee alwaies in feare, and reioice in trembling; let hir maintaine and imbrace pure religion, & defend hir people in the profession of Christs Gospell against all errors, and superstition whatsoeuer. Giue hir wisedome and vnderstanding to doo such things, as are gratefull in thy sight; profitable for vs hir subiects, and hurtfull to none.
O God, eternall Father, heare the petitions of Elizabeth our Queene, in all hir troubles; the name of Christ our Sauiour glorifie hir, and the comfortable aid of the holie Spirit vphold hir now and euermore. Be mindfull of hir grace for hir good; Lord remember all hir offerings; make hir praiers acceptable in thy sight. Giue to hir according to hir harts desire; fulfill all hir petitions, and prosper all hir purposes: that we may reioice in thy saluation, and triumph in the name of thee our God. Blesse hir, Lord, euermore, that wee may knowe that hir protector is in the clouds. Harken vnto hir from thy holie heauens. Oh send hir helpe from thy sanctuarie, and aid hir from aboue by thy mightie right hand, which bringeth saluation. Let all hir enimies plainlie knowe, O GOD, that thou wilt saue thine annointed. For though some trust in horses, and other in chariots; yet will we remember the name of our God: they shall fall and be ouercome; but wee couragiouslie will persist.
O Lord, protect hir Maiestie, and heare vs when we call vpon thee, that in thy strength she may reioice, and mightilie triumph in thy saluation. Grant hir the desire of hir hart, and denie not the petitions of hir lips. For thou hast preuented hir with notable blessings, [Page 716] and put a crowne of pure gold vpon hir head. She hath asked life of thee, and thou wilt giue hir a long life. Great is hir glorie in thy saluation, honour and fame hast thou put vpon hir. Thou hast ordeined hir for exceeding blessednesse, and doost comfort hir hart with thy cheerfull countenance. And why? Bicause she delighteth in Christ; and doubteth not of thine euerlasting mercie.
O God, that giuest victorie vnto kings, and didst deliuer Dauid from perill of the sword; saue and redeeme our deere Queene Elizabeth, and deliuer hir from the hands of the children of another deuotion than she is: whose mouth vttereth vanitie, and their right hand is a right hand of falshood. Yea let hir hand, O Lord, light vpon hir enimies, and thy right hand find out all such as hate thee, and enuie hir prosperitie. Put them into a burning fornace in the time of thy displeasure: the Lord in his anger shall consume them, and fire shall deuour them. Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from the sonnes of men; bicause they intended euill against thee, and imagined mischiefe against the innocent, which they could not bring to passe. Therefore wilt thou turne them into flight, and bend thy bowe against their faces. Triumph, O Lord, in thy vertue, and we will sing out thy glorie, and commend thy power. Saue our Queene, O mercifull God, in despite of all hir enimies, which either secretlie or openlie go about to bring hir life to the graue, or hir glorie to the dust. Lord, shield our Souereigne; exalt thine annointed; let thine hand assist, and thine arme strengthen hir. Neuer let hir foes preuaile against hir, nor the child of wickednesse bring hir to destruction. Banish from hir Court all hir priuie enimies, and preserue hir euermore from dissembling friends.
Mercie and iudgement be Queene Elizabeths song: [Page 717] vnto thee, O Lord, let hir sing thy magnificall mercies. Worke in hir roiall hart an endeuour to be fullie instructed in the perfect waie of thy roiall lawes: for so much as thou hast made hir Queene ouer this Relme. With thy grace open hir hart; instruct hir, and lead hir vp and downe in the midst of hir people in perfectnesse of hart. Let hir neuer set before hir eies anie diuelish thing. Cause hir to detest the worke of back-sliding from God: let that take no hold in hir. Driue far awaie from hir, the men of froward harts: let hir not once be acquainted with euill persons. Who so priuilie slandereth his neighbor; let hir destroie him. Who so hath also a proud looke, and an hautie stomach, cause hir to loath him. Settle hir eies vpon such in the land as are faithfull, that they may dwell with hir. Who so leadeth a godlie life, men of good conscience; let such be hir seruants. Let no deceitfull person haue anie place in hir house: him that telleth lies, or is a reuenger of bloud; cause hir speedilie to cast out of hir sight. Finallie, grant hir will and power, O Lord of hosts, dailie to suppresse all the vngodlie in the land, that she may root out from the citie of God all wicked dooers.
Queene Elizabeth hath done that is lawfull & right: wherefore, O Lord, leaue hir not to such as doo offer hir wrong. For thine owne goodnesse sake, take hir thine handmaid vnto thy protection: let not the proud oppresse hir with wrong. Deale with thine handmaid according to thy louing kindnesse, and teach hir thy statutes. She is thy seruant, grant hir vnderstanding, that she may knowe thy testimonies. Thy testimonies conteine woonderous things, therefore cause hir hart to be zealous in keeping of them. The first entrance of thy words will illuminate, giuing vnderstanding euen vnto the simple. Worke in hir hart so feruent desire of thy word, that through affection thereto, she may be like one that panteth, & openeth his mouth for breath. [Page 718] Looke thou vpon hir, O Lord, and be mercifull vnto hir, as thou vsest to doo vnto them that loue thy name. Direct hir steps in thy word: and so let no wickednesse haue dominion ouer hir. Redeeme hir from the fraudulent dealings of men, and cause hir to keepe thy commandements. Make the light of thy countenance shine vpon our Queene Elizabeth thine handmaiden, and teach hir thy statutes.
Heare my praiers, O God, and giue good eare vnto mine intercessions. For behold, from the ends of the earth I call vnto thee, for our deere Souereigne Ladie, Queene Elizabeth: whensoeuer hir hart is in heauines, oh set hir vp vpon the rocke that is higher than she. For hitherto thou hast beene hir defence, and a strong tower for hir against the face of the enimie. Let hir dwell. I beseech thee, in thy tabernacle for euer; let hir trust be vnder the couering of thy wings. For thou, O Lord, heardst hir desires, and hast giuen hir an heritage ouer those that feare thy name. O grant vnto the Queene a long life, that hir yeeres may endure manie generations. Let hir dwell before the Lord for euer. O appoint thy louing mercie and truth, that they may preserue hir: so cause hir alwaies to sing praise vnto thy name, that she may daie by daie performe hir vowes, and keepe thy heasts.
Finallie, giue thy iudgment, O Lord, vnto hir Grace, and thy righteousnesse vnto hir Counsell, that they may iudge the people with iustice, and the poore with equitie. Let the mountaines bring peace, and the little hils righteousnes vnto the people. Let them iudge the afflicted among the people, and saue the sonnes of the poore: make them to destroie the backe-slider, that he persist not to afflict the miserable, and such as trust in thy mercie and protection: so shall quietnesse and peace abound among vs like the hillocks on the earth. Cause hir enimies to feare hir, so long as the sunne [Page 719] and moone shineth, from one generation to another. Water hir with thy grace from heauen, as thou didst Gedeons fleece of wool with dew, and as thou refreshest with drops of raine the new cut grasse vpon the earth. In hir daies let the righteous flourish, and great abundance of peace, so long as the moone is in the firmament. Defend the dominions that thou hast giuen hir within the seas, and from the floud vnto the end of the earth. Cause hir foes to kneele downe before hir, and hir enimies to licke the dust of hir feete. Giue hir a long and prosperous reigne; indue hir with abundance of riches and wealth; heape glorie and honour vpon hir head, and let hir be partaker alwaies of the praiers of the iust, and be dailie blessed. The Lord, euen the God of Israel, which onelie worketh woonderous things, blesse our gratious Queene Elizabeth: and blessed be the name of his Maiestie, for euer: yea, let all the earth be filled with his glorious praise, Amen. And she shall magnifie thee, O Lord, hir King, and she shall praise thy name for euer. Euerie daie let hir giue thanks vnto thee, O Lord, and praise thy name for euer and euer. Grant this, O most mercifull Father, for thy deere sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christs sake:
Amen, Amen.
Another praier for the Queenes most excellent Maiestie.
WOnderfull, O most excellent and almightie GOD, is the depth of thy iudgements. Thou King of kings, Lord of lords, thou which at thy pleasure doost take awaie and transpose; roote out and plant; confound and establish kingdoms. Thou of thy singular goodnesse hast deliuered our gratious Souereigne Queene Elizabeth thy [Page 720] chosen Handmaid, when she was almost at deaths dore; yea thou hast deliuered hir out of prison, and setled hir in hir fathers throne: to thee therefore doo we render thanks, to thee doo we sing laud and praise, thy name doo we honour daie and night.
Thou hast restored againe the libertie of our countrie, and the sinceritie of the doctrine, with peace and tranquillitie of thy Church. Thine, thine, O Lord, was the benefit; the meanes, the labour and seruice was hirs, a burthen too heauie alas for a womans shoulders, yet easie and tollerable by thy helping hand. Assist hir therefore, O most mercifull father, neither respect hir offences, or the deserts of hir parents, or the manifold sinnes of vs hir people; but thinke vpon thy woonted compassion alwaies at hand to thy poore afflicted.
Preserue hir kingdome, mainteine religion, defend thy cause, our Queene Elizabeth, vs thy sheepe and hir people; scatter thine enimies, which thirst after war, let them be ashamed and confounded that woorship idols; let vs not be a praie vnto forraigne nations, nor to the people that knowe not thee, neither call vpon thy name.
Strengthen and confirme, O Lord, the good worke which thou hast begun; inspire our gratious Queene thy seruant, and vs thy poore flocke, with thy holie spirit, that with vncorrupt life we may ioine puritie of religion, as we may not yeeld and bring foorth wild and bastard fruits, but mild and sweet grapes and fruits beseeming a liuelie faith and true repentance, and meet and conuenient for thy Gospell, to the intent we may enioie this immortall treasure, and that liuing and dieng in thee, we may finallie possesse the inheritance of thy heauenlie kingdome, through Iesus Christ our Lord. For thine is the kingdome, the power and the glorie, for euer,
Amen.
A forme of blessing or praier for our most gratious Queene Elizabeth Christ his deere spouse, out of the Scriptures.
COme downe O Lord, come with thousands of thy Saincts, and appeare gratiouslie vnto thy Church of Saincts. Come visit the people and congregations of Iacob whersoeuer assembled, whome thou so tenderlie louest, and which are humbled at thy feet, to yeeld thee thanks for all thy blessings and benefits receiued.
Come downe I saie, O God of Iacob, and blesse Israel, yea come and blesse thy chosen and deere beloued seruant Elizabeth our Queene, whome thou hast set vp a mightie Prince and mother, ouer thy people and Citie Zion, and made the chiefe gouernour among the nations.
O let Elizabeth liue, and not die: neither let hir honour be anie thing diminished for our sinnes and offences.
Heare, O Lord, the voice of hir humble and dailie praiers, and let hir continue a Prince of peace, roiall Ruler ouer thy people. Hir hands shall be good ynough for hir, if thou helpe hir still, as thou hast done against hir enimies.
Right and light be with thine holie handmaid, whome thou didst prooue with great temptations and triall, as thou didst Ioseph, before thou didst annoint hir Queene, and whome hitherto thou hast preserued a pure and vndefiled virgin, to promote thy glorie, as thou didst Dauid.
She that in all hir manifold afflictions hath more esteemed the seruing of thee hir God, than sauing of hir selfe, and loued not hir life so deere as she loued thy [Page 722] lawe, yea that preferred thine obedience before sacrifice, and all things in the world beside, O let hir, our gratious Queene Elizabeth, I saie, who hath thus don hir dutie, be plentifullie rewarded therefore of thee hir God from heauen, with the perpetuall crowne of glorie, and palme of victorie.
She, euen she hath taught Iacob thy iudgements, and Israel thy lawe: she hath put incense before thy face, and the burnt offering vpon thine altar. She, euen she, O God, hath with Hezechias restored thy sincere religion, and woorshippeth thee aright, with euerie one that is godlie in thee.
Blesse therefore, O Lord, hir substance, and first fruits, and accept the works of hir hands.
Smite through the loines of them that rise vp against hir, and of them that hate hir, that they rise not againe.
O let the beloued of the Lord dwell euer in safetie by thee, yea doo thou Lord vouchsafe stil to be hir vale and defence all hir life long, and dwell with hir heere in the Church as hir beloued spouse, head, and gouernour.
Laie thy left hand vnder hir head, and let thy right hand embrace hir, that she may find continuall comfort in thy presence.
O fountaine of the gardens! O well of liuing waters! Arise O North, and come O South, and blowe on thy spouse, which is as a goodlie and pleasant garden inclosed, and as a fountaine sealed vp for thy selfe, and water it with the springs of Lebanon, that it may growe great, and that the sweet spices and smell therof may flowe out into thy nostrels, and thou eate of the pleasant fruit in hir.
Kisse hir with the kisses of peace and righteousnes, and let hir two breasts satisfie thee, & be like two yoong roes that are twins feeding vpon the lillies.
Set hir as a seale on thine hart, and as a signet [Page 723] vpon thine arme, and let the lampe of hir loue be a verie vehement flame vnquenchable.
Let hir be a sure wall or foundation, wherevpon thou maist build a golden palace; and let hir breasts be as towers vnassaultable, that she may be meet for thee hir spouse to dwell in, and be in thine eies as she that findeth perpetuall peace and quietnesse.
O God, in whose sight hir fathers did walke; thou, O God, which hast fed hir all hir life long vnto this daie, and deliuered hir hither to from so manie, not euils, but deaths; blesse hir still, euen with the blessing of Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, and all the Patriarchs, with all the blessings of thy mercies promised vnto hir father Dauid.
In hir let Israel also be blessed: in hir let thy graces so plentifullie and manifestlie appeare, that the people may thence take a patterne of blessing thee, and teach their posteritie to blesse and praise thee for thy goodnesse and mercie, both towards hir and them.
For she is to vs thy might, thy strength, the noblenesse of dignitie, and the excellencie of power.
She as a lionesse is laid downe and couched safelie after the spoile. Who shall stir hir vp? Hir enimies doo all feare hir. And doo thou still charge the daughters of Ierusalem, that they stir not vp thy loue, nor awake hir, by troubling hir quietnes & peace, vntill she please.
Hir fellowe virgins praise hir: hir hand shall be in the necke of hir enimies, hir fathers people doo bow downe vnto hir, saieng, Good lucke haue thou with thine honour: Ride on, because of the word of truth, which thou embracest with meekenesse.
O let not the brethren of euill, the reuengers of bloud, nor the instruments of violence and crueltie bee in hir court and habitation! O let not crueltie or falsehood come into hir soule! Into their secrets let not hir soule come, neither let hir glorie be ioined nor stained [Page 724] with the assemblie or damned crue of the wicked.
Curse them that curse hir; & blesse them that blesse hir; diuide them in Iacob, and scatter them in Israel, which shameleslie in their rage dare cruellie attempt anie treacheries or treasons against hir innocent and roiall person: yea, let them be condignelie punished, whosoeuer go about to trouble the state, or ouerthrowe hir kingdome.
Let not the scepter depart out of hir hand, nor hir kingdome be diminished; but let this thy most wise lawe-giuer, our meeke Moses, continue amongst vs with honour, to iudge thy people, and gather them vnto thee long in rest and peace, euen vntill Silo our Sauiour Iesus, the giuer of all prosperitie, come to crowne hir in his euerlasting kingdome with his saluation.
Let hir see that rest and peace is good, and that it is thou that hast made hir to ouercome all hir enimies at the last.
Blesse hir Lord, with great increase of all maner of good, profitable, and pleasant things. Hir bread let it be fat, that she may giue pleasant gifts woorthie such a Queene.
Let hir be as an Hind sent vnto vs from thee for a pretious present, giuing goodlie words to hir people.
Let Elizabeth be the daughter of increase, and like a flourishing and fruitfull palme tree by the waters side, whose small branches, or virgins may run and spread themselues fruitfullie also, and shew verie greene vpon the wals of thy house.
The archers hir enimies haue greeuouslie prouoked hir, and shot against hir with venemous darts, they haue hated hir to hir hinderance and griefe: great and manie haue beene hir afflictions and persecutions.
But hir bowe abode fast and strong, and the hands [Page 725] of hir armes were strengthened by the hands of the mightie God of Iacob. Hir deliuerance was euen by the stone of Israel, by whom she is appointed a mother in Israel: euen by the God of hir father, who hath helped hir, and by the almightie, who hath blessed hir with heauenlie blessings from aboue; with blessings of the deepe that lieth beneath, and with blessings of the brests, and of the wombe.
The time now is come, that the blessings of GOD shewed vnto hir father shall take effect, and be stronger in hir than the blessings of hir elders. Unto the vttermost ends of the hils of the world, they shall all be blessings vpon the head of Elizabeth, and on the top of the head of hir that is separate from hir birth, and consecrated from the wombe to dignitie and honour far aboue hir felowe virgins, and made the annointed of the Lord, to beare rule, and to haue dominion ouer men.
Euen as the morning light, when the sunne riseth gloriouslie without clouds in the faire morning; so she being iust, and ruling in the feare of God, let hir house growe, and be with thee, O God, that it may continue perfect in all points; sure and euerlasting, according to thy couenant and promise made to hir father Dauid: and not as the grasse of the earth is by the bright raine, which groweth quicklie, and fadeth sooner.
Hir beautie and glorie let it be like the first borne bullocke, and hir strength as the Unicorne: with the horne of hir power let hir smite the people togither, euen the ten thousands of Ephraim, and the ten thousands of Manasses.
Blesse hir in hir going out and comming in, and prosper hir at home and abroad in all hir affaires by land and by sea.
Make hir glad, ioifull, and willing to call thy people vnto the holie hill of Zion, and there in thy Church to [Page 726] offer with them togither the offerings of righteousnesse, that she and they may sucke of the abundance of the sea, and of the treasures hid in the earth.
Blesse hir, O Lord, that she may dwell as a Lion that catcheth for a praie, the arme with the head, and be most victorious ouer hir enimies that hate hir, and despise thee.
Blesse hir with thy graces, that she may looke well to hir selfe, as in the beginning, when she was a portion of thee the lawe-giuer, hid and reserued for vs thy people, that she may now come with the heads of the people, and execute the righteousnesse of the Lord, and his iudgements with Israel.
A lions whelpe let hir be to leape from Basan, and make hir strong inough to defend hir selfe from Balaks curse, and against all the treasons of Zimri and Achitophel.
O satisfie hir with thy fauour, and fill hir with thy blessings: let hir possesse both the east, west, south, and north parts of the earth.
Blesse hir with people, and make hir acceptable vnto hir brethren and sisters, and to dip hir feet in oile.
Hir shoes let them be iron and brasse, and hir glorie, health, wealth, and strength continue as long as the sunne.
Who is like thee, O God of Israel, which though thou sit vpon the heauens, and ridest vpon them as vpon an horse; yet art thou hir helper & Sauiour, whose glorie is in the clouds and celestiall places.
The eternall God be still hir refuge; and vnder the armes of the euerlasting God let hir liue for euer: hee shall cast out the enimie before hir face, and shall command hir to destroie them.
That then Israel, as euen now at this present, may still dwell alone in safetie; and the fountaine of Iacob be plentifull in issue, in the land of wheate and wine, [Page 727] and the heauens drop the dew of thy blessing plentifullie vpon hir, and hir countrie.
Happie and blessed art thou, O Israel, that hast such a Queene! Who is like vnto thee, O people, saued by the Lord, which is the shield of thy helpe, and sword of thy glorie? Therefore thine enimies haue lost their strength to thee ward, & be subiected to thee, and thou shalt tread vpon their high places.
Blesse hir still, O Lord, and giue power vnto thy Queene, that she may be strong to keepe the feet of thy Saints within the wals of thy Church, and to cause the wicked for euer to keepe silence in darknes,
Amen: Amen.
A praier to be said mentallie or alowd of all true harted English men and women, for the Queenes Maiestie, when she rideth by them at anie time.
GOd saue your roiall Maiestie; The GOD of gods preserue your noble Grace; Good lucke haue you with your honor, O you the fairest among women! Ride on, O Queene, according to the great worship and high renowme, wherewith the King of kings hath innobled you; bicause of the word of truth, of meekenesse and righteousnesse, which you professe: so shall your right hand teach you terrible things. The Lord himselfe be your keeper, and preserue you from all euill. The Lord of heauen and earth be your defence on your right hand, and on the left. The Lord preserue your going out, and your comming in, from this time foorth for euermore: so that the sunne shall not burne you by daie, neither the moone by night. The King of kings haue pleasure in your beautie, and make you his daughter, his spouse, and virgin [Page 728] most glorious within. The most mightie Iehoua establish you in his seate of iudgement, euen in the throne of your father Dauid, that you may become an old mother in Israel. Peace & prosperitie be vnto them that loue your honour; but horror of conscience, and confusion of face be vnto all those that hate you: for your indurable gifts of Gods graces, all people doo highlie praise you; and for your zeale to Zion, all the world doth honour you: therefore for Zions sake also we wish you all maner of prosperitie: yea, bicause of the house of the Lord, which you haue reformed, and his religion, which your Grace hath restored, we will continuallie triumph in his mercie, and praie still for the renowme of your most roiall name and Maiestie, that your fame may more & more be vniuersallie spred ouer the earth, and be remembred from one generation to another. For the Gospels sake, I say, which your Maiestie doth maintaine, we will vncessantly praise God for you, and with lowd voices crie, and say: God saue our most gratious Queene Elizabeth; Iesu blesse your Highnesse; The holie Ghost from heauen comfort & conduct your Maiestie in all your wais; Blesse our souereigne Ladie, O blessed Trinitie; Heape glorie and honour vpon Elizabeth our Queene, O glorious Deitie; Blesse hir sacred Maiestie, I saie, O God, frō this time foorth for euermore. O King of heauen receiue our Queene; receiue and imbrace this thy most glorious virgin and deere daughter, accompanied with hir felowe virgins, the princes daughters, and honourable women into thy tuition and protection. With ioie and gladnesse, I saie, let hir, the liuelie image of thy princelie Maiestie, be brought safe and vnhurt home againe vnto hir iuorie palaces; and at the last enter into the Kings court, hir fathers house, where she may enioie a perpetuall crowne and euerlasting kingdome, and reioice in thee hir God, hir spouse, and hir Sauiour for euer and euer; [Page 729] so shall she and we hir people, giue thanks vnto thee, O Lord, world without end,
Amen.
A compendious forme of praier for the whole estate of Christes Church, necessarie to be vsed of all estates at time conuenient, especiallie euerie Sabboth or Holidaie in the Euening, by the Mother and Daughter, and their familie.
A Psalme preparing the hart to praier.
O Come, let vs search out, and trie our waies: and turne againe vnto the Lord.
Let vs seeke the Lord while he is to be found: let vs call vpon him while he is neere.
Let vs lift vp our harts with our hands, vnto God in the heauens, for we haue sinned, and haue rebelled: therefore will he not spare vs.
But euen the crowne of our head will he cast downe: wo now therefore vnto vs that we haue sinned.
Our iniquities are sealed vp as in a bagge: he hath set our misdeeds before him, and our secret sinnes in the light of his countenance.
We are weighed in the balance, & are found to lacke weight: we are altogether lighter than vanitie.
Though he hath chosen vs to be his heritage, yet are we vnto him as a Lion in the forrest: we dailie crie out against him, therefore hath he hated vs.
But will the Lord absent himselfe for euer? will he shew no more fauour?
Is his mercie cleane gon for euer? doth his [Page 730] promise faile for euermore?
Hath God forgotten to be mercifull? hath he shut vp his tender mercie in displeasure?
Uerelie this is the fruit of our infirmities: but yet the right hand of the Lord can amend all this.
Therefore will we leaue our complaint vpon our selues, and we will speake in the bitternesse of our soules.
And we wil saie vnto God, Condemne vs not: neither cast thou off the worke of thy hands.
But rather turne thou vs vnto thee, and we shall be turned: renew our daies as of old, for thou hast banished vs long inough, and hast beene sore displeased at vs.
Now are we poore and needie, O God, make haste vnto vs: thou art our helper and redeemer, O God, make no tarieng.
O let not the oppressed returne ashamed: but let the poore and needie praise thy name.
That we which nowe doo sow in teares, may heereafter reape in gladnesse.
Blessed is the man whome thou chastisest O Lord, and teachest him in thy Lawe.
That thou maist giue him rest from the daies of euill, whilest the pit is digged for the wicked.
Blessed is the man whome thou correctest: therefore will we not refuse thy chastisement.
For though thou make a wound, yet thou giuest a plaister; and though thou smite, yet thy hands make whole againe.
Therefore O Lord, open thou our lips, and our mouth shall shew foorth thy praise.
Bow downe thine eare, O Lord, and consider our complaint: hearken vnto vs for thy truth and righteousnesse sake.
Amen.
A praier to be heard, and to obtaine fauour.
SEeing that it hath pleased thee, most mercifull Father, so fauourablie to consider the weakenesse and vnwoorthinesse of mankinde; that whereas wee could of our selues, neither lift vp our eies vnto thee, because of our weakenesse; neither yet hope for anie good thing at thy hands, because of our vnwoorthinesse, euen in this extreme miserie hast giuen vnto vs thy welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ, in whome we are not onelie made able to lift vp our harts vnto thee, but also may assure our selues, through his merits and passion, of thy fauour and mercie, in what so euer we shall aske agreeable to thy good will and pleasure.
As we doo first from the bottome of our hart yeeld vnto thee all thanks, honour and glorie, for this thine inestimable goodnesse bestowed on vs thine vnwoorthie seruants: so doo we likewise (beeing assured of thy mercie promised in Christ) dailie present our selues before thee, to the intent that through our faithfull praiers, we may dailie more and more receiue the fruits of this thy mercifull goodnesse, to releeue our continuall necessities withall. We are heere, O Lord, in a strange countrie: our enimies are on euerie side: which waie so euer we turne vs, we see nothing but either continuall conflicts, or else vtter destruction. Thou therefore, O holie Father, that hast giuen vs thine onlie Sonne Iesus Christ, to the intent that in his name we might call vpon thee; vouchsafe likewise to heare vs, what time soeuer we call vnto thee in his name; that sith it hath pleased thee, to exercise vs with continuall tribulation, for our triall, through him we [Page 732] may obtaine such patience and strength, that we may continuallie stand stronglie, to the maintenance of thy cause, to thy honor and glorie; and let not our deserts so much prouoke thy displeasure against vs, that therefore thou cease to glorifie thy holie name in vs; but rather of thy goodnesse forgiue thou our sinnes, which to the hinderance of thy honor and glorie we haue committed: and giue vs grace, hartilie to repent vs of our misdeeds, in such sort, that we may hencefoorth seeke thy face, and walke before thee in newnesse of life, seeking thy honor and glorie aboue all things; that as it hath been hitherto hindered by vs to our shame, so now it may by al meanes be furthered, euen by vs likewise, to the vnspeakable comfort of vs all, through Iesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For the Church vniuersallie.
AND for because we are fallen into these dangerous daies, wherein all goodnesse decaieth, and sin aboundeth: we humblie beseech thee, mercifullie to behold the perillous estate of this age, and in this generall confusion of the whole world, to multiplie thy graces and blessings on thy Church, that for as much as through thy mercies it is not of the world, it neuer be defiled with anie corruption, either of the world, the flesh, or the diuell, neither yet that it perish eternallie with the world.
Amen.
For Ciuil Magistrates.
BE mercifull therfore, O Father, vnto all the states and members thereof, vnto Kings, Princes, and all ciuil Magistrates, and namelie to thy seruant Elizabeth our Queene [Page 733] and Gouernour, that they may euerie one in their seuerall charges, mainteine their scepters in truth and righteousnesse, that they may beate downe sinne, and aduance vertue: that they may humblie submit themselues, and all their power, vnto thy good will and pleasure, and that in all things they seeke continuallie the furtherance of thy Gospell, and to doo that that shall be most to thy honor and glorie.
Amen.
For Bishops and all spirituall Pastors.
VNto Bishops, Preachers, and all spirituall Pastors, that as thou hast appointed them to be watchmen vnto thy flocke, so they may endeuour themselues (all other businesse set apart) faithfullie to execute their charge, in gathering together thy wandering flocke, in feeding them with the bread of life, in confirming their doctrine with godlie conuersation, in defending them from rauening woulfes and theeues, in diligent and fruitfull watching ouer them both daie and night, and finallie, in carefull auoiding of all things that may giue occasion to forget or neglect their charge; for because it cannot be but verie ill with the flocke, whensoeuer the shepheard sleepeth.
Amen.
For inferiors, and subiects.
VNto vs all that are inferiors and subiects, that we may willinglie and gladlie loue, honor, serue, and obeie all superior powers in thee, and for thee, that we may ioifullie receiue thy Gospell, plentiouslie bring foorth the fruits thereof, and in all things chieflie [Page 734] applie our selues to the maintenance of thy true worship, and setting foorth of thine honor and glorie.
Amen.
For the ignorant.
VNto the ignorant also, that their eies may be opened; that it would please thee to shew thy countenance vnto them, that they may knowe thee, and thy Church, which they condemne as errours, because their eies are closed vp in darknes, that as their zeale is now in simplicitie without knowledge, so they may haue in stead of it, a godlie zeale, grounded on perfect knowledge, so that thy Gospell may fructifie in them also, to the glorie of thy holie name.
Amen.
For the malicious persecutors.
EUen vnto the malicious persecutors also, that they may either at the length receiue thy grace so often, and so mercifullie profered vnto them, and so acknowledge their malice, and returne vnto thee, to thy great honor and glorie, when thou shalt be praised euen by the mouth of thine enimies; or else if they haue vtterlie giuen ouer themselues vnto continuall hatred of thee and thy word, and vtterly reiected all kind of discipline, that then thou take them awaie from among vs, to thy great honor and glorie also: when as thy little flocke, being deliuered from their tyrannie and oppression, shall ioifullie sing vnto thee, of thy continuall [Page 735] goodnesse and woonderfull deliuerance.
Amen.
For those that are afflicted for Christs sake.
VNto vs all that are troubled, persecuted, and cruellie handeled for thy name sake: that although it please thee to make a sharpe triall of our faith, that our enimies may be either ashamed or confounded thereat; yet that thou leaue vs not so much destitute of thy grace, that we be not able to stand to the vttermost proofe thereof. Consider, O Lord, the greatnesse of our infirmities. And although our sins haue deserued thy wrath, yet let the equitie of the cause (which is thine) for the which we are troubled, purchase vnto vs thy fauour and mercie. Giue vs therefore grace to continue to the end, willinglie and ioifullie to beare whatsoeuer crosse it shall please thee to laie vpon vs, and alwaies to be readie to defend, and set foorth thine honour and glorie, in whatsoeuer triall it be. And if we must needs drinke of the cup of triall, yet giue leaue vnto thy chosen to drinke the flowre of it, and reserue the bottome and dregs thereof for the proud and obstinate enimies of thy Gospell, according to thy mercies promised in Iesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For all estates in generall.
AND finallie, be thou mercifull vnto vs all, that are of the houshold of faith, of what estate or calling soeuer we be; that we all remembring to what end thou hast created vs, [Page 736] and how dangerous a thing it is to walke so farre vnworthie of our vocation, as we now cōmonlie doo, may hartilie repent vs of our licentious, dissolute, and wicked life, and euer crie vnto thee for pardon of the same. And grant, O heauenlie father, that the denieng, or vnfruitfull receiuing of thy word be not laid to our charge, to our vtter confusion; but that now at the length we may not onlie receiue it, but speedilie learne to bring foorth the fruits of the same: that applieng our liues to the exact rule thereof, and walking before thee in holinesse and righteousnesse, with continuall thanks and praise for all thy mercies shewed vnto vs, euer seeking thine honor and glorie in all our dooings, may at the end of this our short and wearie peregrination, be taken vp vnto thee to euerlasting rest and quietnesse, prepared for all beleeuers, through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For increase of true preachers, complaining of the lacke herein.
AND now, O heauenlie Father, according as wee are taught by thy sonne, we humblie beseech thee, mercifullie to bow downe thine eies, and to behold how great and plentifull thy haruest is, and euen now readie to be cut downe. O thrust thou foorth good and faithfull laborers into it, to reape and gather it into thy barns. For though thy haruest be great, yet are the labourers verie few. Behold, O Lord, the miserable estate of these daies, how thy seelie sheepe wander vp and down without a shepheard. Euerie one (almost) goeth by, about his own priuaite imaginations, accounting it no part of his dutie or charge to be mooued therat, or to take [Page 737] pitie on their great miserie. The better sort see it, & lament it. But Lord, how few are those that busilie seeke the redresse thereof, their owne priuate cōmodities set apart? Surelie thy sheepe, euen thy sheepe, O heauenlie shepheard, are in perilous case: they are gone astray euerie one after their owne waies, euen to their owne destruction; they are on the barren mountaines, almost vtterlie famished for lacke of food, & of themselues are not able to returne to the fold. And in all these things, euen they to whom thou hast giuen the charge of them, can for the most part, either sleepe sweetlie, or if they awake, then can they be content other waies to occupie themselues. But, O Lord, wilt thou also alwaies sleepe, and neuer arise vp to be reuenged on these so manifest iniuries? Wilt thou neuer displace these carelesse hirelings, and raise vp in their places such as shall be vigilant pastors ouer their charge, although our sinnes deserue no redresse? Neither yet giue vs anie hope to find mercie in this matter? Yet for thy name sake, and for thine honour and glorie, O Father, we cease not dailie to present our selues before thee, as euen now at this present, humblie beseeching thee, in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ, to raise vp among vs (like as thou hast begun) manie good shepheards, such as will not let for anie paines, or discomfiture, to seeke out thy wandering sheepe, and to defend vs from the bloud-thirstie iawes of the rauening woolues. Good guides, such as will both shew vs the waie, and they themselues lead it vnto vs: yea and carie home the poore and faint vpon their backs. Good and faithfull distributers of thy word and mysteries; such as will giue vs food in due season, breaking vnto vs the liuing bread, and giuing vs to drinke of the water of life. That whereas now manie of vs are almost perished with famine, & therefore are becom lothsome, and ill liking in thy sight: we may therby (through thy [Page 738] helpe) be recouered from all lothsomnesse and ill liking, and be restored againe to our former plight and beautie, that we may be strong, and growe in all grace and godlinesse. And altogither in the safetie of thy fold, with one hart and voice declare thy mercie and goodnesse, and woonderous works, and sanctifie thy holie name for euer. Grant thou this, O heauenlie Father, and Lord of the haruest; not for our sakes, but for thy name sake, and through the merits of Iesus Christ our onlie guide, and chiefe shepheard, who liueth and reigneth with thee, and the holie Ghost, now and euer.
Amen.
For all Vniuersities and Schooles.
BLesse thou therefore, O Lord, with the dew of thy spirit all Uniuersities and Schooles; that sith it hath pleased thee, that from them (as by thine appointed meanes) we should haue our preachers and teachers, they may be there instructed in all godly knowledge and learning, and be made fit to walke woorthilie in their vocation, at what time soeuer it shall please thee to call them forth. Grant, we besech thee, that as they ought to be lights and nursses vnto their countries; euen so they may giue vnto them a godlie and perfect life, and nourish them vp in good and sound doctrine, to thy glorie, our comfort, and the discharge of their duties. And for bicause that now a daies charitie waxeth cold, and the number of couetous worldlings is much increased; which seeke rather to keepe backe their liuings, and to plucke awaie from them, rather than to bestowe anie thing to the maintenance of their studie: blesse thou them therfore with all things sufficient, to the seruice [Page 739] of thee, and increase of good learning; that the lacke thereof be no hinderance to the building of thy house, and to the setting foorth of thine honour and glorie. And remooue from among vs, most mercifull Father, whatsoeuer is occasion of let or hinderance vnto all those that couet knowledge, to the sanctifieng of thy holie name, through Iesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For the good estate of this Realme.
BEcause also thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thee in the daie of troble, promising that thou wilt heare our praiers: we therefore humblie beseech thee to be fauourable vnto this our Realme; and not to visit our offences so sharpelie, neither to giue vs to drinke of so bitter a cup, as vnto our iudgement it seemeth thou hast prepared for vs. What are we, O Lord, that wee may abide the force of thy iudgments? We denie not, but that we haue most woorthilie deserued whatsoeuer punishment thou hast euer hertofore powred forth vpon anie other nation. But sith thy name is now called on among vs; sith we make no account of anie helpe, but onlie in thee; sith we acknowledge our offences, and humblie desire pardon for the same in Iesus Christ: O let not thy iust iudgements laie hold vpon vs; if it be expedient for vs, and more to thy honour and glorie, that we taste of thy mercie. Thou hast hitherto dealt exceeding mercifullie with vs; thou hast planted among vs a goodlie vineyard, and that of the best plants: thou hast walled it round about, and watered it plentifullie with the dew of thy blessing; in so much that thou couldest haue done no more for vs, [Page 740] than thou hast done; neither hast thou dealt so with other nations. But we (alas) wretched sinners, contrarie to the deserts of this thy louing kindnesse, haue brought foorth wild grapes, which thou hatest; in steed of good and sweet grapes, which thou lookest for. Wee haue taken thy word into our mouthes; but we haue hated to be reformed thereby: yea we haue vtterlie despised thy holie word, and had the preachers thereof in derision, and so haue we made open the readie waie vnto all our damnable works, blasphemie, idolatrie, murther, adulterie, pride, couetousnesse, disobedience, sensualitie, vnmercifulnesse, oppressions, slanders, vnthankfulnesse, & whatsoeuer else our corrupt natures, casting aside grace and discipline, is woont to bring foorth. And whilest we did all these things, thou heldest thy peace, and winkedst thereat: therefore did we foolishlie imagine, that thou art like vnto vs, and delighted with sinne, as we are. And thus haue we in all our works prouoked thy diuine Maiestie to greeuous displeasure against vs. But now, O holie God, seeing that by thy long sufferance, thou hast so mercifullie striken our hard harts with secret consideration of our miserable estate: we beseech thee for Iesus Christs sake, to giue vs likewise a repentant hart, sorowfull for all our former misdeeds; that thereby we may also attaine to the promises, which thou hast annexed therevnto, namelie; that thou breake not downe the wall of this thy vineyard; that thou suffer it not to be eaten vp, or troden downe; that thou laie it not waste, so that briers and thorns growe vp therein. And that thou command not the clouds not to raine vpon it; neither that thou turne our roote into rottennesse; neither yet that thou make our buds to rise vp like dust, bicause we haue cast off thy lawe, O Lord God of hosts, and contemned thy word, O holie one of Israel. O make vs not a byword vnto our neighbours, and a scorne [Page 741] vnto those that dwell about vs; but rather grant, we beseech thee, that hencefoorth we may hartilie repent, and walke before thee in newnesse of life, to thy honor and glorie, to the example of our neighbours, to the conuersion or confusion of our enimies, and to our euerlasting comfort, through Iesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
A praier for repentance.
ALthough our infirmities doo euidentlie appeare, and by diuers waies shew foorth themselues vnto vs, almightie and most mercifull God; yet in nothing more than that we cannot perceiue and behold our owne wickednesse, in such sort as it is indeed. With our tongs we can not but confesse (because thou thy selfe hast said it) that we are altogither vnrighteous, that there is not one of vs that doth good, & that we all imagine mischiefe. But although we are driuen by thine eternall truth, outwardlie to confesse the same; yet haue we no such inward feeling thereof as we ought to haue: because we are altogither closed vp in our owne stubbernesse and selfe-loue. Wherfore it commeth to passe, that we can neither repent vs of that we should amend, neither yet hartilie acknowledge that we certainlie knowe to be within vs. But, O holie God, how long shall we be cleane without vnderstanding? How long shall our flesh haue dominion ouer thy good spirit in vs? How long shall the cloud of our vnsensiblenesse darken and blemish our inward sight? Uerelie our sinnes haue deserued, that not onlie thou hide thy face awaie from vs for a time; but that thou shouldest vtterlie cast vs off from thy fauour and grace, to eternall [Page 742] damnation. But sith that thou art wont to deale more mercifullie euen with the sonnes of men, and vnto vs also hast giuen a good likelihood thereof, in that that now thou hast striken our harts with some feeling of our owne wretchednesse, which putteth vs in good comfort and hope, that thou hast done it to this end, to the intent that thou maist bestowe larger graces on vs also: therefore we are somewhat emboldened (although we are but dust and ashes) humblie to desire of thee, that in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ, euen now at the length, thou wilt vouchsafe to giue vnto vs the grace of hartie repentance, that as wee knowe, so likewise we may acknowledge vnto thee, all our vnrighteousnesse, and hencefoorth labour the more busilie, without anie delaie, to amend those things wherein we haue hitherto offended thee. We knowe, O Lord, that this is the onelie time of mercie, in so much that if we obtaine it not, during this our mortall life, there remaineth nothing for vs to be looked for, but a fearefull and a rigorous sentence of iudgement. Grant therefore, we beseech thee O mercifull God, that sith we are now in a most damnable estate, by the reason of our continuall disobedience, out of the which we can by no meanes recouer our selues, but by thy mercifull gift of repentance, that we may euen now obtaine at thy hands not onlie it, but all other thy graces annexed therevnto, such as are most needfull for vs, to the accomplishing of thy will, and to the setting foorth of thy honour and glorie, through Iesus Christ our Lord and sauiour, who sitteth at thy right hand euen now and euer, to make intercession for vs.
Amen.
For the authoritie of discipline to be established in the Church.
BEcause that crookednesse and disobedience haue taken so deepe roote in all estates, that now adaies manie dare boldlie refuse all Ecclesiasticall censure, to the great hinderance of the course of the Gospell; grant therefore we beseech thee, that like as thou hast dealt with other nations, euen so may it please thee now at the length, to extend thy like mercie vnto this Realme also, and all others that are in the same necessitie; that the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall censure and discipline (which for our sinnes thou hast hitherto kept backe from vs) may be placed in the Church, to the due punishment of sinfull life, and contempt of thy word, in such sort, that it may extend indifferentlie vnto all estates both high and lowe, as well to the terror of the ill, and comfort of the good, as also to the speedie and perfect reformation of all such things as are yet disordered in this thy Church; through the same Iesus Christ our Lord, in whose name, for these & all things else expedient for vs, we lift vp our harts vnto thee, saieng as he hath taught vs:
Our Father, &c.
Into thy hands, O Lord, doo we commend our selues wholie, both bodie and soule: vouchsafe to receiue vs, Lord God of mercie.
Amen.
In thee, O God, haue we trusted, let vs neuer be confounded.
Amen.
Deliuer vs, we beseech thee, from the power of darkenesse of this world, the flesh and the diuell.
Amen.
Lord let it be done vnto vs, as we doo put our trust in thee.
Amen.
We beleeue, O Lord; Lord helpe and make perfect our vnbeleefe.
Amen.
The conclusion of all things else expedient for vs.
THese, O mercifull Father, and all other thy graces, such as be most agreeable to thy will, to the setting foorth of thy honor and glorie, and to the assurance of our saluation, grant thou vnto vs (we beseech thee) in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ. And that we may vtterlie cast off all sinfull affections, and hencefoorth leade our liues in holinesse, righteousnesse, and innocencie, yeelding vnto thee continuall thanks, for all thy benefits and mercies: we beseech thee send downe into our harts thy holie spirit, to prepare, instruct, and guide vs in all our thoughts, words and works, to the fulfilling of thy good will and pleasure; to whome, the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, three persons and one God, of eternall and infinite maiestie, be all praise, thanks and glorie, at all times, in all places, in all things, aboue all things, and euen so in vs all now and euer.
Amen.
Blessed be the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
¶ If, when we are desirous to commend the Church vnto the blessings of God (which in our dailie praiers we ought to doo) necessarie busines will not well impart so much time, as the forme of these praiers require; then after good consideration, both of Gods former benefits towards [Page 745] vs, and of the manifold infirmities of the Church, we may doo it in these few words.
O Lord heare my praier.
And let my crie come vnto thee.
TO thee, O heauenlie Father, be all thanks, honour & glorie, for because it hath pleased thee, through the merits of Iesus Christ, to deale so mercifullie with vs. For looke how high the heauen is in comparison of the earth, so great hath thy mercie beene towards vs, at all times, and in all things, much beyond that that our foolish harts could wish or desire. For the which, as we doo yeeld vnto thee all possible thanks, from the bottome of our harts; euen so doo we humblie beseech thee, with thy fatherlie goodnesse, to supplie all our infirmities wherewith we dailie offend thee. Blesse thou therefore, and be mercifull vnto thy Church vniuersallie, and to all the members thereof, and namelie vnto all Princes and ciuil Magistrates, that by their gouernment thy name may be alwaies sanctified, and thy glorious kingdome faithfullie prepared. Unto all Bishops and spirituall pastors, that they may diligentlie execute the charge committed vnto them. Unto all subiects and inferiors, that they may in thee, and for thee, obeie, serue, loue, honor all superior powers. Unto the ignorant, and such as are not yet brought to the knowledge of thy truth, that their eies may be opened, to the vtter abolishing in them, whatsoeuer is not of faith. Unto the malicious persecutors also, that either their harts may be turned, or else that thou take them awaie from among vs. Unto the persecuted and afflicted, that they may end their conflicts with victorie, whether it be by death or deliuerance. Unto thy [Page 746] haruest, that it perish not for lacke of reapers. Unto Uniuersities and Schooles, that they may attaine to ripenesse of good and godlie knowledge, and vse the same to the furtherance of thy kingdome. Unto this our Realme, that we may hartilie repent vs of all our sinnes; that thou maist also repent thee of the punishment, which thou hast prepared for vs, and euer continue thy goodnesse towards vs as thou hast begonne. Giuing vnto vs, among thine other benefits, such authoritie of the ecclesiasticall sword, to the amendment of all things, and reformation of all estates, as may be most to the propagation of thy truth and true religion. Finallie, vnto vs all that are of the houshold of faith, that all other things set apart, we may onelie seeke thee and thy kingdome, and euer sing praises vnto thy holie name. These, O Lord, and all other graces agreeable to thy holie will, and expedient for vs, grant vnto thy seruants in the name of Iesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with the holie Ghost, be all thanks, honour and glorie, now and euer.
Amen.
Christian praiers, and diuine meditations, as generallie to be vsed at all times, so especiallie and properlie vpon all the holie Feasts and Saints daies throughout the yeere, as they fall in order, and are commonlie kept here in the Church of England and Ireland.
- On Aduent Sundaie. In memorial of Christ his First comming in the flesh.
- Christmas daie. In memorial of Christ his Natiuitie and birth.
- On New yéeres daie. In memorial of Christ his Circumcision.
- On Twelfe daie. In memorial of Christ his Apparition.
- On Ashwensday the 1. day of Lent. In memorial of Christ his Fasting.
- On First Sundaie in Lent. In memorial of Christ his Temptation.
- On Maundie Thursdaie. In memorial of Christ his Last Supper.
- On Good Fridaie. In memorial of Christ his Passion.
- On Easter daie. In memorial of Christ his Resurrection.
- On Ascension daie. In memorial of Christ his Ascension.
- On Whitsundaie. In memorial of Christ his Sending of the holie Ghost.
- On Trinitie Sundaie. In memorial of Christ his The blessed Trinitie.
- On Euerie Sundaie, holieday and working-day. In memorial of Christ his Last comming to iudgment.
1. On Aduent Sundaie. Of the comming of Christ in the flesh.
The Preface.
BE of good cheere, and feare not (O you that are of a fearfull hart,) for behold your God commeth his owne selfe to take vengeance on his enimies, and will deliuer you: Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid.
[Page 748] O daughter Zion be glad; O daughter Ierusalem reioice. For lo, the King commeth vnto thee, euen the righteous, thy Sauiour, lowlie, meeke and simple; riding vpon the fole of an asse, and bringing his recompense with him: Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord.
Out of Zion hath God appeared in perfect beautie: Hosanna in the highest.
Remember me, O Lord, according to thy fauor that thou bearest vnto thy people. O visit me with thy saluation. Hosanna.
Shew me thy waies, O Lord, and teach mee thy path: Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna.
The praier.
THE time is now at hand, when the Church calleth into mind the benefits of the sonne of GOD, which taking vpon him our fraile nature, appeared to the world, and came to visit vs in great humilitie. And at the last daie and resurrection of all mankind, will come againe in his glorious Maiestie, to iudge both the quicke and the dead; and shew himselfe both to punish his enimies with euerlasting paines, and to adorne his Church and chosen people with eternall glorie. Wherefore, O Sonne of God, Lord and Sauiour Christ, which as this daie, in roiall pompe didst enter into the holie citie Ierusalem for a publike testimonie of thine appearing: remooue all impediments, we praie thee, that may hinder thy comming, and make a plaine, and most easie waie for thy selfe vnto vs. Gather vs, we beseech thee, into that companie, which are prepared to receiue thee the King of all kings, and which set foorth thy glorie in spirituall songs, (not onelie this daie [Page 749] through all the world, but also continuallie) and beare palmes of victorie before thee, and spred their garments in the waie for ioie of thy comming.
Assist vs, that being greatlie separated from the damned crue of diuels, and wicked persons; wee may sound and set foorth thy truth, in perfect confession, and righteousnesse all the daies and time of our life. Bee thou our King, both here in this world, and hereafter in the world to come: replenishing vs against all the wicked enterprises of thine enimies, and making vs (though babes and littleones) to extoll and magnifie thy name for euer. Keepe vs thy weake children depending vpon thee, and running vnto thy lap, euen as infants vnto their parents. Make vs to followe thy words, which through thy spirit doo sound within vs, and powre thy wisedome into vs miserable men and women, that the pride and power of thine enimies may be confounded.
Grant that with gratefull minds we may publish abroad thy glorious victorie, according to our calling and abilitie; cherish thy ministers, and venter both our life & liuing for the maintenance of thy truth. Moreouer, blesse vs, O thou blessed seed of Abraham, by the vertue of thy presence: number vs among thy chosen, which haue their names from thee. And finallie, giue vs grace now in the time of this mortall life, so to cast awaie from vs the works of darknes, and to put vpon vs the armour of light; that in the last daie of thy second comming in the clouds, we may rise through thee, to life immortall: and so, being adorned with that glorie, which thou hast receiued from thine eternall Father, we may perpetuallie praise and extoll thy Maiestie, both heere in this world, and for euermore in the world of worlds to come,
Amen.
Hosanna to thee O sonne of God in the highest. Hosanna.
2. On Christmas daie. Of the natiuitie and birth of Christ our Sauiour.
The Preface.
A Child is borne vnto vs, and a sonne is giuen vnto vs. Glorie be to God on high.
Unto vs is borne this daie, in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour, which is Christ the Lord. Halleluiah.
The Lord sent a word vnto Iacob, the same is come into Israel, an euerlasting Prince of peace. Halleluiah.
Mercie and truth are met togither; righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other: truth shall flourish out of the earth, and righteousnesse hath looked downe from heauen vpon vs, to speake peace vnto his people, and gladnesse to his Saints. Halleluiah.
Of the fruit of thy bodie will I set vpon thy throne, and in Zion shall I make the horne of Dauid to flourish. Halleluiah.
The Sunne commeth foorth of (his tabernacle) the heauens, as a bridegroome out of his chamber, and reioiceth as a Giant to run his course. Halleluiah.
He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee, to keepe thee in all thy waies: they shall beare thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone. Halleluiah.
For thou art fairer than the children of men: full of grace are thy lips, bicause God hath blessed thee for euer: yea God, euen thine owne God hath annointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes. Halleluiah.
Therefore in this daie of thy power shall the people offer the free-will offerings with an holie worship; bicause the dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning. Halleluiah.
[Page 751] Glorie be vnto God on high, in earth peace, and good will towards men: Halleluiah, Halleluiah, Halleluiah.
The Praier.
NOW is the ioifull time, wherein all Saincts both in heauen and earth doo magnifie and praise almightie God, for the incarnation of his onlie begotten Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ; who as this daie was borne of the pure Uirgin Marie, the which also the holie Angels of the Lord did celebrate with a most heauenlie song. And no doubt, the blessed companie of the elect departed out of this world, enioieng the comfortable sight of God, replenished with eternall wisedome, light and righteousnesse, yeeld most humble thanks vnto the Sonne of God their Sauiour and Redeemer, for his incomprehensible goodnesse declared vnto mankind, in the order of their redemption, for the infinite benefits of their saluation, and for taking our fraile nature and miserable flesh (subiect vnto all calamities and destruction) vpon him, and carieng the same and vs therewith vnto eternall life.
We therefore liuing in this vaile of wretchednesse, lift vp our heads vnto thee, O notable Silo, which art the fruit of the Uirgin; and separate our selues from the detestable & damned crue of vnpure spirits; and of men powring out blasphemous outcries against thy truth and glorie. From our harts we praie thee regenerate and make vs thy children by adoption and grace, and dailie renew vs by thy holie spirit, to glorifie thee. For of our selues we are nothing but flesh and corruption, as they that are borne of flesh, and can not become thy children, except we be begotten and borne againe by a new birth of the holie Ghost. [Page 752] Therfore we beseech thee renew vs, I say, dailie by thy mightie power from aboue, that being borne of the spirit, our harts and our hands, our deeds and deuises, and whatsoeuer is in vs, may be spirituall as thou art. Ioine vs to the societie of thine holie Angels, which sing glorie to thee on high; and make vs members of that congregation, which is knit vnto thee by an indissoluble bond of euerlasting peace, with gratefull minds to record and celebrate thy benefits.
We thanke thee for sauing mankind from eternall damnation, and for making the attonement betweene thy father and vs, through thine incarnation, For so it was expedient, according to the order of iustice, that the punishment of a guiltlesse man, should quit mankind guiltie; and that a sufficient satisfaction might be made, it was required that he which would be the mediatour, should be God. God, I saie, to abide the intollerable burthen of Gods displeasure, to vanquish death, and to restore vnto man life and saluation, to enter into the most holie place, and be an eternall Priest. God, to vnderstand the secret counsell of the father, to be priuie vnto the cogitations of harts, to heare the grones of all men, to be the King of his flocke, defending the same against the power of sathan and his members. Finallie God, to place his Church raised from death, in the eternall kingdome of his most glorious father. Now, forasmuch as the nature of man was not able to bring these things to passe, we thanke thee O our sauiour, being the word, the expresse image, and interpretor of the father, for vouchsafing to take the office of a mediatour betweene God and vs.
Begin in vs, we most humblie beseech thee, this so great a benefit. We are weake, we are fowle and filthie; but as thou wast brought into this miserable world, borne a weake infant, and that in a pinching time of the yeare, swadled with wretched bands, endued [Page 753] with the rags of a miserable nature, and laid in a manger among the brutish kind, being notwithstanding the verie wisedome of thine eternall father. So let thy wisdome appeare in vs miserable men & womē in this wofull darkenesse of ours, among the blacke clouds of this doting age, amongst these troubles and destructions of Common-weales. Kindle in vs the sparks of that wisedome, which shall be perfect in the life to come, and ioine vs to the felowship of thy Saincts. Grant that from the hart, and ioifullie we may ascribe all glorie, fame, and honor vnto thee the true God, which art wise, righteous, almightie, pure, liberall, and mercifull, according to the rule described in thy commandements, which didst send thy Sonne to bring vs to that glorie; whereof we were depriued, and to restore vs againe to our first integritie, which was lost through sinne.
O Sonne of God, confirme thou, and seale these things in our harts by thy holie spirit powred vpō vs, which may worke within vs vnfeigned righteousnesse; that by the same thy spirit shining in the nature which thou tookest vpon thee, we may be committed to thee, vpholden, quickened, & brought by thee vnto eternall life: that that league made betweene God and vs, may eternallie be confirmed, and we loued in the beloued; and the eternall Father may loue vs with that loue, wherewith he loueth thee the substantiall image of himselfe. Suppresse the diuell, that he breake not this woonderfull and profitable peace: and suffer vs not hanging on thy necke, running to thine armes, seeking thy fauour, to be plucked out of thy hands. Keepe vs, we beseech in thy lap, as a louing shepheard cherisheth and beareth about his tender lambs.
And forasmuch as the first tidings of thy natiuitie were brought by the Angel of the Lord vnto shepheards; grant that shepheards of the soules, that is, [Page 754] the ministers and teachers may faithfullie testifie thy benefits vnto mankind, and publish abroad what they see & knowe, spreading foorth thy fame, and glorifieng God for the peace, which he hath eternallie concluded with vs; and finallie may bring thy sheepe to thy stall, that is, to the congregation of the faithfull. Open before vs thy swadling clouts, which is thy word, that in this life it may crie within vs, and we thereby may feele the sense of thy most sweet promises, which thine eternall Father hath vttered of thee; Blessed are all they, which put their trust in him.
Furthermore, our petition is, that thou wilt blesse vs and our countrie, with all Common-weales. Increase among vs dailie ye number of the faithfull; prosper the course of the Gospell, and suffer not the light thereof, by the malice of Sathan, to be extinguished. Likewise vphold those kingdoms, which minister releefe vnto thy Church. Repell from the borders of thy seruants the rabblement of Turks & Infidels, which threaten the decaie of thy Church, and destruction of kingdoms. Blesse the labours of our hands; keepe vs from the contagious diseases: and last of all make vs and ours the vessels of mercie, and profitable instruments to thy Church and Common-weale,
Amen.
Glorie be to God on high.
Or thus.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull Father, who according to the prophesies spoken long before, hast giuen vs thine own Sonne to be conceiued of the holie Ghost, and borne of the blessed virgin, that in thy nature and ours he might be our holie, and true Emanuel, and Sauior, and Sanctifier of those that trust in him. Touch our [Page 755] harts with thy holie spirit, that considering this so great loue of thine, to abase thy Sonne to take vpon him the forme of a seruant, to make vs sonnes and heires to thee, that our soules may magnifie thee, O Lord our Sauiour, and blesse thee the Lord GOD of Israel, for thus visiting and redeeming thy people: and grant vs also the fruit of this thy mercie, that by his holinesse our vncleannesse may be done awaie, and our corrupt nature sanctified by his holie birth and natiuitie; that we putting our trust in him, may by him be deliuered both from all our sins, and all our enimies, and attaine to the fruit of this his infinite loue and goodnesse, euen to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life, through the same thy deere sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost, be all praise, honour and glorie, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Glorie be to God on high.
Another Meditation of the maruellous incarnation of the word, which is Christ, by whose meanes it pleased God to helpe mankind fallen from him.
BEhold now, O almightie God, the viewer and searcher of mine hart. Like as with hart I beleeue (which is counted righteousnesse vnto me) so with mouth doo I confesse before thee (which is to my saluation) after what sort and maner thou didst vouchsafe in the end of the world to succour and aid mankind. Thou in deed onelie, O God the Father, art not read at anie time or in anie place to be sent; but of thy Sonne, the Apostle saith; When that the time was fulfilled, God sent his Sonne. In that he saith (he sent) he doth sufficientlie declare, that he being sent came into this world. When as he being thy Sonne, O our God, and a gentle and kind louer of [Page 756] mankind, did take vpon him to be the seed of Abraham, not of Angels, and so taking mans nature, not Angels, did vouchsafe to humble himselfe to be borne a verie perfect man of blessed Marie a pure virgin; and so being made like vnto vs in all things, sinne onlie excepted, (for he was the verie lambe without spot that tooke awaie the sinnes of the world) did appeare and shew himselfe in the similitude of flesh subiect to sinne, that he might condemne sinne for sinne, and that wee might be made the righteousnesse in him.
But what is that, which he that is the chiefe of the Euangelists doth saie? He was in the world, and the world was made by him. Thither trulie was he sent by his humanitie, where he alwaies is, and alwaie hath beene by his diuinitie. The which sending or embassage, I beleeue with all my hart, and confesse with my mouth, to be the consent & worke of all the whole Trinitie. I beleeue also, that his manhood being in this my nature, during his infancie, was trobled with creeping and scrallings, and was wrapt in cloths after the maner of other children, and was vexed in his youth with labours and troubles. I beleeue, I saie, that the Godhead, which was sent of them, did take vpon him mine humanitie and nature, to the intent he (the Sonne of God) being made man, might cure mine infirmitie, and redeeme the sinnes of sinfull man.
Therefore doo I blesse thy name euerlastinglie, and glorifie the same with all mine hart, O almightie and mercifull Lord, for that vnspeakable and maruellous coniunction of Godhead and manhood together, in the vnitie of a person: and not after this sort, that the one should be God, and the other man; but one and the same was both God and man, man and God. Neuerthelesse, although by thy maruellous will the word was made flesh; yet neither of both the natures was changed into other substance. In the mysterie of the [Page 757] Trinitie there is not a fourth person added. For the substance of the word of God and of man was vnited and knit togither; but not confused and mixt, that that thing, which was taken of vs, should be turned into God; and that which neuer had been before that time, that is, his flesh and manhood, should be the same that had beene euer without anie beginning, that is, his Godhead.
Oh maruellous mysterie! Oh vnspeakeable fellowship! Oh maruellous meeknesse of the heauenlie mercifulnesse, which is euer woorthie marueling, and euer to be loued! We were but vile seruants; and behold, we are made the sonnes of God, yea and heires of God togither with Christ. From whence came this goodnesse? And who brought vs to this state? But I require thee, O most mercifull Father, by thine inestimable pitie, goodnesse, and charitie to make vs woorthie of these manie and great promises of the same thy sonne our Lord Iesu Christ. Send foorth thy strength, O God, and establish the thing that thou hast wrought in vs; make perfect that, which thou hast begun, that we may be able to come vnto the fulnesse and perfectnesse of thy pitie. Make vs through the holie Ghost to vnderstand, and through thy sonne to desire, and with due honour alwaie to worship this great mysterie of thy pitie in Christ his blessed natiuitie, so manifest in our flesh; that as thou hast giuen vs him, thine onelie begotten Sonne I meane, to take our nature vpon him, and this daie to be borne of a pure virgin: so wee being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may dailie be renewed by thy holie spirit, to glorifie thee from our birth, through the same thy deere Sonne, our souereigne Lord, and sweet Sauiour Iesus; to whom with thee, and the holie Ghost, be immortall praise and thanks-giuing, now and for euer,
Amen.
A meditation concerning the true knowledge of Christes incarnation.
THE knowledge of the truth is, first to knowe thy selfe, and to endeuour to be that which thou oughtest to be, and to amend that which ought to be amended. And secondlie to knowe and to loue thy maker and creator, for that is the whole happines of a christian man or woman.
See then how vnspeakable the gratious goodnesse and entire loue of God towards vs is. He hath created vs of nothing, and giuen vs all that we haue: but alas, forasmuch as we haue loued the gift more than the giuer, and the creature more than the Creator: therefore we are fallen into the diuels snare, and become his bondslaues. Neuertheles, God being moued with compassion, sent his most deere and onlie Sonne to redeeme vs slaues, and his holie spirit to make vs his sonnes and daughters againe. He hath giuen his Sonne, I saie, euen his best beloued child, to be the price of our ransome; the holie Ghost as an assurance of his loue; and to be short, he reserueth himselfe whole for vs, to be the heritage of our adoption. And so almightie God, according to his exceeding gratiousnesse and mercie, hath for verie loue and good will to mankind, bestowed not onlie his benefits, but also himselfe vpon him to recouer him againe; not so much to himselfe, as to him. To the intent that man might bee borne of God, God, I saie, was first borne of them.
O then who is so hard-harted, that he will not bee softened by the tender loue of God thus preuenting wretched man, with so great, hartie, and vnspeakable good will, in that he vouchsafed to become man for mans sake? Yea, who can anie more find in his hart to [Page 759] hate man or woman, whose nature and likenesse he or she so plainelie seeth in the manhood of God? Doubtles, he or she that hateth from hencefoorth a man or a woman, hateth God, and so looseth all his or hir labour, whatsoeuer taken vnder pretence of Christianitie. For God (as is said) became man for mans sake, that he might be a redeemer as well as a creator; and that man might be ransomed with his owne goods, and that one man & woman might loue another the more hartilie. God, I saie, appeared in the shape of a man, to the end that both bodie and soule might be made blessed, by renewing the eie of the mind in his Godhead, and the eie of the bodie in his manhood; so that whether man went in or out, he might find food in him laid vp in store by him in his humane nature. Most iniurious therefore is that man or woman to Gods diuinitie, that so by hating of their brethren and sisters, their owne flesh, contemne Christ, and offend his humanitie.
The Thanks-giuing.
ILift vp my hart vnto thee, O God; for it is verie meet, right, and my bounden dutie, that I should at all times, & in all places, giue thanks vnto thee, O Lord, holie father, almightie, and euerlasting God: because thou didst giue Iesus Christ thine onlie Sonne to be borne as this daie for me and all mankind, who by the operation of the holie Ghost was made verie man of the substance of the blessed Uirgin Marie his mother, and that without all spot of sinne, to make vs cleane from all sinne. Therefore, with Angels and Archangels, and with all the holie companie of Saincts and Uirgins in heauen, I laud and magnifie thy glorious name: euermore praising thee, and saieng, Holie, Holie, [Page 760] Holie, Lord God of hostes, heauen and earth are full of thy glorie: Glorie be to thee, O Lord, most high,
Amen.
3. On Newyeares daie. Of Christ his circumcision in the flesh.
The Preface.
CIrcumcise the foreskin of your hart, and be no more stiffenecked. Deuter. 18.
Be ye circumcised in the Lord, I saie, and cut awaie the foreskin of your hart, and euill affections, all ye inhabitants of Iuda and Ierusalem. Iere. 4.
For the circumcision of the hart, which consisteth in the spirit, and not in the letter, is the true circumcision, whose praise is not of men, but of God. Rom. 4.
Yea we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and reioice in Christ Iesus, and haue no confidence in the flesh. Philip. 3.
For circumcision verelie auaileth, if thou keepe the lawe; but if thou be a breaker of the ordinances of the lawe, thy circumcision is made vncircumcision, &c. Rom. 2.
Oh that my waies were made so direct, that I might keepe thy statutes, so shall I not be confounded! Order my steps in thy word, and so shall no wickednesse haue dominion ouer me.
I will keepe thy ceremonies, O forsake me not vtterlie. Halleluiah.
The Praier.
O Lord Iesus Christ, Sonne of the liuing God, we thanke thee, forasmuch as after thy decree concerning the redemption of mankind, from the beginning thou hast beene present with thy Church outwardlie [Page 761] by speaking vnto hir by thy ministers, and inwardlie by kindling thy light and righteousnesse in the harts of the faithfull. Thou hast ratified thy promises by outward signes and ceremonies, whereby euerie man may applie the benefits vnto himselfe. So did thy burnt offerings and sacrifices testifie of thee, which afterwards should be slaine. The flames of fire, which from heauen did set on fire the offerings, did witnesse of thy presence, that as manie as should behold thy benefits with a true faith, thou wouldest quicken with the sacrifice of thine holie spirit, which inflameth true knowledge and good motions within the godlie.
That life was giuen to them of thy meere mercie, the first parents did knowe full well, when it was said, that a woman shall bring foorth. And because the mediator was called that seed of the woman, and withall, promised to be the subduer of Sathan, they knew that he should be both God and man. The same promise was repeated vnto Abraham, the father of the faithfull. And forasmuch as restraint was made vnto a certaine nation, thou didst adde a new rite of circumcision, whereby not onelie the posteritie of Abraham was discerned from other nations, but also it was a testimonie admonishing of the seed to come, which was Christ, who should take our weake flesh vpon him, and beare our nature, and bring both Iewes and Gentils vnto eternall felicitie.
Wherefore, we yeeld thee humble thanks, forasmuch as hitherto thou hast continued this sound of thy person and office, notwithstanding the great raging of thine enimies: for appearing at the length in the flesh, for giuing thy selfe vnto vs for a Newyeares gift of inestimable price, for being made vnder the lawe, & a cursse to saue vs wretches from the cursse of the lawe, and to restore vs vnto innocencie lost through sinne. For which cause, thy blessed will was, as vpon [Page 762] this daie to be circumcised in the flesh, and now first of all to shead thy pretious bloud for vs that are of vncircumcised harts and lips, and all to shew that thou camest in deede of the verie seed of Abraham, and wast subiect to the lawe, cursse, and condemnation for vs; and that our corrupt nature, by thy holinesse might be sanctified, and haue through thee, an obedience to answere the same withall.
We beseech thee therefore, grant vs the true circumcision of the spirit, that our harts & all our members being mortified from all worldlie and carnall lusts, we may in all things obeie thy blessed will, and heere staie our selues, and put our trust in thee, that thus hast humbled thy selfe so lowe for vs, that we may be exalted by thee. And from our harts we praie thee ioine vs to that holie companie, that did wait for thy redemption before it came, and doo reioice in it now it is come and performed, and with the sacred host of Angels to giue all glorie & renowme vnto thee, for bringing thy peace, which passeth all vnderstanding, vpon the earth, and declaring so great kindnesse and good will towards vs, as to giue thy selfe, and thereby euerlasting ioie and blisse for a Newyeares gift of worthie memoriall, and inestimable value, to be our owne for euer and euer.
Speake hencefoorth to our harts with thy louelie voice. Lighten the lampe of our minds with thy heauenlie knowledge. Confirme vs with thy blessed Sacraments, which are the certaine tokens of thine vndoubted regeneration and quickning of vs. Oh take awaie the cursse, the wrath of God, damnation, the works of the flesh and the diuell. Grant me, I beseech thee, that thy grace may dailie mortifie my concupiscence of pleasures in things of this world, that is, of wealth, riches, glorie, libertie, fauour of men, meates, drinks, apparell, ease, yea and life it selfe: that the [Page 763] horror and impatiencie of more greeuous things may be weakened, and I accustome my selfe to denie my will in more easie and pleasant things of this life, and for euer become obedient and readie in all Christian patience, to doo thy good will in all things, hartilie and willinglie to serue thee, and doo whatsoeuer may please thee.
Make me, I saie, through the effectuall power of thy grace and holie spirit working in me most miserable wretch, to hate, abhor, flie, and subdue all adulterie, whoredome, vncleannesse, vnnaturall lusts, euill concupiscence, inordinate desires, wantonnes, tendernes, delicatenes, idlenes, dronkennes, gluttonie, slothfulnes, distrust, despaire, ignorance, weakenes, wilfulnes, idolatrie, superstition, hypocrisie, heresie, error, sects, variance, strife, wrath, enuie, slanders, lieng, swearing, curssing, vaine-glorie, pride, couetousnes, theft, deceit, flatterie; and whatsoeuer else, O Lord, fighteth or rebelleth against thy holie spirit. And strengthen me so with thy might, that I may not onlie drawe all these mine earthlie members and horrible vices before rehearsed, vnder my feet; but also fight continuallie against them, & subdue them, so that they may all turne to the best for me, as meet matter whereon I may exercise my faith, powre foorth hartie praier, and giue thee most hartie thanks for victorie. Finallie, worke in me thy blessing, with all the fruits of the spirit, righteousnes, peace, loue, ioie in the holie Ghost, long-suffering, gentlenes, goodnes, faithfulnes, meekenes, temperance, strength, patience, and such like. Grant vs the remission of our sinnes, righteousnes and life. Restore in our minds thy lawe, and begin such a new conformitie, this new yeare in this our life and conuersation, as may be perfect in the life to come. Be thou our sauiour by thy power and merit, that in our minds we may perceiue that thy Father is at [Page 764] peace with vs through thy death, and find thee dwelling within vs to eternall life and happinesse,
Amen.
Halleluiah.
4. On the Epiphanie, or twelfe daie. Of the apparition of Christ, and the three Kings, and their offerings to Christ.
The Preface.
GET thee vp beetimes, and be bright, O daughter Ierusalem. For thy light commeth, and the glorie of the Lord is risen vpon thee.
Lift vp thine eies, & looke round about thee. For behold the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightnesse that springeth foorth vpon thee.
The multitude of camels and dromedaries that bring the riches of the Gentiles shall couer thee: all they of Saba, Mada, and Epha shall come bringing gold, incense, and shewing foorth the praise of the Lord.
All these gather themselues and come to thee: thy sonnes shall come vnto thee from farre, and thy daughters shall gather themselues to thee on euerie side, frō the east, and from the west.
The isles also shall wait for me, and speciallie the ships of Tharsis, that they may bring thy sonnes and daughters from farre, and their siluer and their gold with them, vnto the name of the Lord thy God, vnto the holie one of Israel that hath glorified thee.
Strangers shall build vp thy wals, and their kings shall doo thee seruice; yea kings, princes, and the host of the Gentils shall see and arise, and worship thee. For I haue made thee the light of the Gentiles, that thou maist be my health vnto the end of the world.
Thou shalt suck the milke of the Gentils, and kings brests shall feed thee: kings, I saie, shall be thy nursing [Page 765] fathers, and Queenes shall be thy nursing mothers.
And those shall come kneeling vnto thee that haue vexed thee, and all they that despise thee shall fall at thy feet before thee, with their faces flat vpon the earth, and licke vp the dust of thy feet.
Yea, euerie people and kingdome that serueth not thee shall perish, and be destroied with vtter destruction, and thou shalt knowe that I am the Lord, the Sauiour and Redeemer, euen the mightie one of Iacob: and that whosoeuer putteth his trust in me shall not be confounded.
They that dwell in the wildernes, I saie, shall kneele before the Kings sonne: his enimies shall licke the dust.
The king of Tharsis and of the isles, shall giue presents; the kings of Arabia & Saba shall bring gifts.
All kings shall fall downe before him: all nations shall doo him seruice.
He shall liue, and vnto him shall be giuen the gold of Arabia.
Praier shall be made euer vnto him, and dailie shall he be praised.
The Lord declared his saluation, his righteousnesse hath he openlie shewed in the sight of the heathen.
All the world shall worship thee, O God; sing of thee, and praise thy name most high.
The Lord is King, the earth may be glad thereof; yea the multitude of isles may reioice and bee glad thereof.
Bring therefore vnto the Lord, O ye mightie: bring presents and gifts vnto the Lord, O ye kindreds and nations of the world. Come, I saie, into his courts with praise, and speake good of his name.
Ascribe vnto the Lord, onelie the strength, power, kingdome and glorie: worship God, I saie, O ye gods, kings, iudges, and rulers of the earth: worship him with an holie worship, and giue him the honor due vnto [Page 766] his name. O make his praises to be glorious in your liues and conuersation. For he it is that hath exalted you, and is himselfe exalted farre aboue all gods, and his praise and glorie is aboue heauen and earth. Halleluiah.
The Praier.
OEternall God, Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which after a woonderfull maner reuealedst thy selfe at the baptisme of Christ standing in the water of Iordan, at such time as thou diddest testifie of thy sonne; and the holie Ghost appeared in the likenesse of a dooue: gouerne vs by thine holie spirit, that in true faith we may obeie thee; kindle in our minds a true knowledge of thy benefits; bring to passe, that approching vnto thee in our praiers we may discerne thee, the true God, aboue all feined gods, & in mind turne our selues into that banke of the water, into the companie of those godlie auditors and beholders, before whom this noble appearing was made. Speake vnto vs by thy sonne in the holie Ghost, and turne vs vnto true obedience. And as thou broughtest godlie auditors vnto the sight of Christ, which taking our flesh vpon him became our mediatour; and thou eternall Father spakest out of the cloud, and the holie Ghost appeared in the likenes of a dooue: so bring to passe, that in this life we may depend vpon the benefit of thy soone, which coupled our nature vnto his, to make an eternall couenant with vs. Cause the heauens in like maner to be opened vnto vs, that we may heare thy voice, and thy spirit rest vpon vs. Worke in vs the beginning of eternall life, vntill in thy visible presence we shall be hold thy diuinivntill in the heauens, not darklie and in a cloud; but face [Page 767] to face, beeing made like thy sonne.
And as those Christian Magicians or Philosophers of Persia, some remnants of the schoole of Daniel, by the conduct and leading of a starre, came from farre to see thee, and gaue a notable testimonie of the birth of Christ Iesus our Sauiour: so mainteine euermore for thine owne glorie sake, some congregation, which may set foorth and celebrate thy benefits. Grant that that luckie starre, the light of faith, may rise vnto vs, which seeketh thee in Bethlem in a manger, in thy word reuealed in the ministerie, that we wander not from the right waie, neither seeke fained bywaies of humane opinions & seruice. Suffer not the lampe of thy light to be extinguished, either by the darkenes of hypocrites and idolaters, or by the rage of tyrants, which wage mortall battell against thee: but grant, that endued with new light from thee the true Sunne of righteousnesse, we may reioice from our whole harts, and acknowledge thee to bee our captaine, which wilt gouerne thy people in truth and equitie. Let the light of thy grace, I saie, lighten the darkenes of our conscience, O mercifull Iesu, our true & bright loade-star of the world; and by thy ioifull apparition, giue vnto vs the full knowledge both of thy selfe, and of our owne selues, that within we may see thee, and inwardlie find thee, and that there we may continuallie offer vnto thy holie Maiestie, the mirrh of sincere faith, and inward contrition, and the frankincense of deuout praier and inuocation, and the gold of loue, righteousnes, and patience in trouble; and so ascribing vnto thee the honour of a King, and the seruice due vnto God, may shew all true liberalitie with the godlie, both vnto thee, and thy poore Church, and beare sufficient testimonie to the world of thy kingdome, diuinitie, priesthood, humanitie, crosse, death, and buriall, and take hold of the manifold benefits thereof, and outwardlie [Page 768] also may in our places, office and calling, helpe to mainteine thy ministerie, to the vttermost of our power. And grant that as thou (after thou hadst reuealed and manifested thy selfe vnto the three wise men, by the leading of a starre) causedst them to returne another waie into their owne countrie: so wee, (which by the waie of darkenes and offences haue retired and gone backe from the supernall countrie of blessednes, thou, the bright daie-star of the world beeing our guide) may returne vnto the same by the waie of truth and grace; and that now knowing thee by faith, when we depart out of this life, wee may bee brought into that kingdome, where thy diuinitie shall shine without mists or mysteries, and there haue the fruition of thy glorious Godhead, and woorship thee, and praise thee for euer and euer,
Amen.
Halleluiah.
5. On Ashwednesdaie, or first daie of Lent. Of Christ his fasting fortie daies.
The Preface.
LEt the Bridegroome come forth of his chamber, and the Bride out of hir closet, and let all sinners weepe before the Lord, & saie: Turne thou vs, O good Lord, and so shall we be turned. Be fauorable O Lord, be fauorable to thy people, & spare vs, which rent our harts & not our garments, & turne to thee in fasting, weeping & praieng. For thou art a mercifull God, full of compassion, long suffering, and of great pitie. Thou sparest, when we deserue punishment, and in thy wrath thinkest vpon mercie. Oh spare thy people, good Lord; spare them, and let not thine heritage be brought to confusion. Heare vs, O Lord; for thy mercie is great, and after the multitude of thy mercies looke vpon vs. Haue mercie vpon vs, O God, haue mercie vpon vs miserable sinners.
The Praier.
O Lord God Iesus Christ, our onlie redeemer, which tookest vpon thee our sinfull flesh, and liuedst therein a life most holie in all righteousnes for our example, and didst through the power of thy Godhead and diuine nature, most reuerentlie obeie in all things the will of thine heauenlie Father, with subduing in this flesh, with great triumph, glorie and maiestie, the power of the diuell, the world, and the flesh; that onlie in thee, the spirit of sanctification might myraculouslie appeere, and beare swaie with fulnesse in the sight of all flesh, during the course of this life, and for euer after to remaine with power in glorie, verie God with verie God, in the kingdome of God the Father. We beseech thee most humblie, O Lord Iesu, which hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dooest forgiue the sinnes of all them that be penitent, to haue compassion vpon vs in our weakenesse and infirmitie; that as thou hast for our safetie taken upon thee our flesh, and for our sakes didst fast fortie daies and fortie nights, and hast diuerslie in thine owne person felt as a man, the fraile state of our mortall nature, and how inclinable it is without thy diuine power, to fall from the obedience of thy will that is heauenlie, to the suggestions of sathan the old enimie, and to the allurements of things earthlie, vaine and transitorie. So we beseech thee, O our God, to grant vnto vs thine holie spirit, that by the strength thereof in vs proceeding from thee, we may in our weakenesse haue power, that our enimie may be resisted, the world defied, the flesh vanquished, and our spirit quickened; whereby we may most gladlie obeie thy godlie will, and turne vnto thee with all our hearts, [Page 770] both in vnfeigned repentance, in hartie contrition, and earnest confession, and also in true fasting, in competent feeding, in faithfull praieng, in charitable dealing, in chast looking, in reuerent beholding, in godlie hearing, in fruitefull speaking, in holie thinking, free from flattering, void of detraction, slander, lieng, false accusation, blasphemie, outfacing, idle talke, or filthie communication, and to tread steadilie in all things the steps of true holines before thee, as thou hast most gratiouslie lead vs, and taught vs the waie, that with all simplicitie, both outwardlie and inwardlie in bodie and soule, and in all parts and members of them, our fast this Lent and euer may not be prophane, earthlie, hypocritish, superstitious, or carnall, to the view of the world; but holie, heauenlie, and spirituall to thee. Giue vs grace, I saie, not so much to absteine from meates, as from ill manners; nor from flesh, as from filthie cogitations. For as thou, O God, wilt be worshipped in spirit and truth; so the spirituall fast it is which pleaseth thee. Suffer vs not, gratious God, to abuse thy good creatures immoderatelie, to the hurt both of our bodies and soules, but temperatlie, the better to serue thee, and as soberlie to take our food, so carefullie to absteine from sinne. For otherwise, to absteine from meate, and not to refraine from pride, couetousnes, concupiscence, lewdnes, and such like vices, it shall but hurt our bodies through an hypocriticall abstinence, and cast awaie our soules through our exceeding impietie. Assist vs with thy secret grace therefore, we beseech thee, to vse such abstinence, that our flesh being subdued to the spirit, we may euer obeie thy godlie motions in righteousnes and true holines, to our reioicing with peace of conscience; and that obteining of thee the God of all mercie, perfect remission and forgiuenes, with aboundance of thy grace, we may shew foorth fruitfullie thy glorie all the daies [Page 771] of our liues, and after this life ended, reigne with thee for euer, in thy glorious kingdome, where all holy folke doo rest, and which by thy blessed natiuitie, holie circumcision, fasting, temptation, crosse, death & passion, thou hast alone so deerelie purchased for vs, to the perpetuall praise of thine eternall name,
Amen.
I haue sinned, I haue sinned, haue mercie vpon me.
6. On the first Sundaie in Lent. Of Christ his temptation in the wildernesse, and most glorious conquest ouer Sathan.
The Preface.
MY sonne, if thou wilt come into the seruice of God, stand fast in righteousnesse and feare, and prepare thy soule to temptation, for he that is not tempted, what is he?
Remember alwaie the Lord thy God, which lead thee fortie yeares in the wildernes for to humble thee, and to prooue thee, and to knowe what was in thine hart, whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no.
He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with Manna, which neither thou nor thy fathers knew of, to make thee knowe that a man doth not liue by bread onlie, but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, doth a man liue.
To daie therefore if you will heare his voice, harden not your harts, as in the prouocation, and as in the daie of temptation in the wildernesse, when your fathers tempted me, prooued me, and sawe my works.
Fortie yeares long was I greeued with this generation, and said; It is a people that doo erre in their harts, for they haue not knowne my waies: vnto whome I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest.
[Page 772] Examine me, O Lord, and prooue me; trie out my reines and my hart. For thy louing kindnes is euer before mine eies, and I will walke in thy truth. I haue sinned, haue mercie vpon me.
The Praier.
THE cause of thine appeering in the flesh, O Sonne of God, Lord and Sauiour Christ, was to destroie the works of sathan, which our first parents did. The diuell, through hatred of thee, and of thine eternall father, encountred in visible forme. He soaked into their minds certaine suspicions and doubtings of thy will, and pricked them on, with a desire of a more excellent nature, being themselues of all the creatures the most excellent. He tickled them with the spurre of pride and ambition, and so by his subtiltie caried them headlong with himselfe, being withdrawne from thee, into the bottomles pit of eternall destruction. But thou incensed against him, through the infinite and vnspeakable good will, which thou bearest to mankind, tookest vs miserable wretches out of the insatiable iawes of our mortall enimie; and in thy flesh at length, when he dreaded not to assaile thee our Captaine, thou puttest him to a shamefull flight, and drauest him from thee and thine: so that at anie time, through thy small assistance, we may both repell him, and preuaile against his fierce assalts of temptations.
Unto thee, O almightie God, and victorious Captaine, with godlie groanes doo we crie, requiring at thy mercifull hands to be made of the number of thy celestiall souldiers, parteners of thy glorious victorie, and enioiers of thy happines. Arme vs with thy heauenlie armour, that is, with the knowledge of thy [Page 773] word and spirituall consolations, whereby we may bee able to repell the firie darts of that foule feend.
Against thy Church in all ages hath this enimie of thine set himselfe, and brought these engins to their ouerthrowe, which he vsed against thine owne person, at such time as thou wentest from thy baptisme to preaching, knowing that thy prosperitie would be his decaie; and yet through the will of God, did not acknowledge thee to be the Messias. He troubled thee, beeing in the wildernes without worldlie power, aid, wealth and riches; with horrible cogitations did he vexe thy soule, and troubled thy hart with greefe vnspeakable. At this time thy Church lieth in the wildernesse, poorelie and miserablie doth she lie oppressed with wrongfull iniuries, and mightie troubles. He laugheth thereat, derideth the Saincts standing vnder the crosse, he bids stones to be made bread, he contemneth their miserie, and casteth in their teeth the glorie and wealth of his kingdome. Assist vs, that in these temptations we may laie hold of the armour of proofe, and behold this noble answere of thine, Man liueth not by bread onlie.
We knowledge thee, with the euerliuing Father and the holie Ghost, to be a true and almightie God, giuing vs the bread of life, and so ordeining, that with corporall things we are fed and susteined in this life, O eternall Father, which knowest what we need, and alone canst giue a reason, why after this manner thou wilt feed vs, and not as thou dooest the starres without corporall things. Giue vnto the Church of thy wisedome such things as are necessarie for the sustentation of this life, wherein the ioies of the life eternall and to come doth begin. And albeit sometimes we lacke diuers things, although thine aduersarie throweth stones at vs for bread; yet by thy power strengthen vs that we faint not. Thou art our maker, wee [Page 774] are thy workemanship. In thy hands is the whole frame of this world. We liue not by bread alone, or by our owne industrie, neither art thou tied with a fatall chaine of second causes, but by thy decree, by thy will doo we breath, in thee we liue, moue, and haue our beeing. At thy commandement we take life, and when thou biddest, we leaue this world.
Wherefore, if so it please thee, we shall liue as doo the birds of the aire, which haue no protection, or as the child in the mothers wombe, which knoweth not how he liueth. And as he, albeit lieng in great darkenes, and couered in secret parts, receiueth nourishment after a maruellous manner from his mother, and at length by the course of nature commeth safe and sound into this world: so we, notwithstanding our liuing in palpable darkenes of this life, and wrapped in the miseries of this world, among the packe of thine enimies, yet armed with thy word and promise, doo receiue comfort thereby, and are protected by thee after a woonderfull sort, and at length trust to be deliuered out of this bodie of sinne, and to come to a better life, which neuer shall haue end. For we are not made to liue alwaies in this world in miserie, but thou hast prepared a more glorious life for thy seruants, the sweetnes whereof beginneth in this world. Thy word is our life, O eternall Father. Thy Sonne is the word speaking to vs both inwardlie and outwardlie. Outwardlie by his ministers he vttereth from thy bosome thy will and commandements, and inwardlie he speaketh to our soules, raising vp godlie cogitations and manners pleasing thee; so that a double life is reserued for vs, to wit, a corporall and a spirituall, not through bread, not through our owne merits, but through thy will reuealed by thy Sonne.
Furthermore, forsomuch as sathan vseth another kind of weapon to the destruction of the godlie, when [Page 775] thy Church enioieth quietnes and peace, by stirring of excellent & good wits, and teachers armed with publike authoritie, vnto curiositie and ambition, whereby through enuie and hatred, vaine contentions are mooued, famous men cast themselues from the pinacle of the Temple, and heresies doo arise: we humblie beseech thee in this respect also, because it is more hurtfull than the former subtiltie of sathan, represse thine enimie which corrupteth thy word, and vseth the same for the confirmation of damnable opinions. Quench all the flames of ambition, pride and curiositie. Leade vs not into temptation, neither suffer vs to tempt thee, to contend with thee through pride, in setting our owne wisedome and subtiltie against thee, which was the ouerthrowe of our first parents. Suffer vs not to forsake thy word, neither permit that fowle and lieng spirit to falsifie the same in vs; but make vs constantlie to rest vpon thy promise, as to a sacred and sure anchor, setting it against all the motions of curiositie and pride.
Last of all, remoue from vs that horrible torment of idolatrie. The world at this daie is wrapped in idle seruice, yea vnwittinglie the whole world is full of idols, to the great dishonor of thy name. Fained gods are erected, superstitious inuocations are confirmed, idolaters swimme in wealth and rule the rost, thy glorie is defaced, thy maiestie blasphemed, the diuell rageth and reigneth, he giueth kingdomes, and disposeth the goods of this world, if his words be true, as he lieth shamefullie. For thou it is, and thou alone, which alterest Empires, and confirmest them at thy pleasure. If order be obserued, thou causest it, but all misorder is raised by the diuell, for the which he shall be punished of thee with paines eternall.
Wherefore haue mercie on vs, O God, haue mercie on vs; deliuer vs from the thicke mud of idolatrie; [Page 776] make vs to lift vp our eies vnto thee the sonne of glorie, that abhorring all feined seruice and ceremonies contrarie to thy word, wee may acknowledge, serue, and sanctifie thee the true God, Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, which by and for thy Sonne dooest deliuer vs from the power of Sathan, and make vs heires of thine euerlasting kingdome, which alone knowest the harts and grones of all creatures, which onlie wilt be called vpon in the name of thy Sonne, and heare vs onelie for his sake. Wherefore vnto thee, O our God and Iehoua, doo we speake; thee onelie through thine; assistance will we serue, and neuer giue thy glorie to another. Take vp that impudent theefe Satan, which would steale awaie thine honour; banish him far from thy Church. But gard both our bodies & soules with the gard of thine holie Angels, which may pitch their tents about vs, and encounter with Sathan, which besetteth vs on all sides. Deliuer vs out of his hands from all miseries of this life, and last of all passing out of this world, carie our soules vnto the societie of thy Saints in life eternall,
Amen.
I haue sinned; I haue sinned; haue mercie vpon me.
Of the Diuel, and his manifold temptations.
THere wanted a tempter, and thou wert the cause that he was wanting: there wanted time and place, and thou wert the cause that they wanted: the tempter was present, and there wanted neither place nor time; but thou holdest me backe that I should not consent. The tempter came full of darknesse as he is, and thou didst harden me that I might despise him. The tempter came armed and stronglie; but to the intent he should [Page 777] not ouercome me, thou didst restraine him, and strengthen me. The tempter came transformed into an Angel of light; and to the intent he should not deceiue me, thou diddest rebuke him; and to the intent I should knowe him, thou diddest inlighten me.
For he is that great red dragon, and that old serpent, called the diuell and Sathan, which hath seuen heads, and ten horns, whom thou hast created to take his pleasure in this huge and broad sea, wherein there creepe liuing wights innumerable, and beasts great and small: that is to saie, diuers sorts of fiends, which practise nothing else daie nor night, but to go about seeking whom they may deuoure, except thou rescue him. For it is that old dragon, which was bred in the paradise of pleasure, which draweth downe the third part of the starres of heauen with his taile, and casts them to the ground; which with his venem poisoneth the waters of the earth, that as manie men as drinke of them may die; which triumpheth vpon gold as if it were mire; and is of opinion, that Iordan shall runne into his mouth: and which is made of such a mould as he feareth no man.
And who shall saue vs from his chaps? Who shall plucke vs out of his mouth, sauing thou, O Lord, who hast broken the heads of the great dragon? Helpe vs, Lord: spread out thy wings ouer vs, O Lord, that we may flie vnder them from the face of this dragon that pursueth vs; and fence thou vs from his hornes with thy sheeld. For his continuall endeuour and onelie desire is, to deuoure the soules which thou hast created. And therefore we crie vnto thee our God, deliuer vs from our dailie aduersarie, who whether we sleepe or wake; whether we eate or drinke; or whether wee be dooing anie thing else, presseth vpon vs by all kind of meanes; assaulting vs daie and night with traines and policies, and shooting his venemous arrowes at [Page 778] vs, sometime openlie, and somtime priuilie, to slea our soules: and yet are we most lewdlie ouerseene, O Lord, in that whereas we see the dragon continuallie in a readines, to deuoure vs with open mouth: we neuerthelesse doo sleepe and riot in our owne slothfulnesse, as though we were out of his danger, who desireth nothing else, but to destroie vs.
Our enimie, to the intent to kill vs, watcheth continuallie, and neuer sleepeth, and yet will not we wake from sleepe to saue our selues. Behold, he hath pitched infinite snares before our feet, and filled all our waies with sundrie traps, to catch our soules. And who can escape them? He hath laid snares for vs in our riches; he hath laid snares in our pouerty; he hath laid snares in our meate, in our drinke, in our pleasures, in our sleepe, and in our waking: he hath set snares for vs in our words, and in our works, and in all our life; but Lord, deliuer vs from the net of the fowlers, and from hard words, that we may giue praise to thee, saieng: Blessed be the Lord, who hath not giuen vs vp to be torne with their teeth. Our soule is deliuered, as a sparowe out of the net of the fowler; the net is broken, and we be escaped.
Against the temptation of Sathan, praie thus:
O Lord Iesu Christ, the onlie staie and fence of our mortall state; our onlie hope, our onlie saluation, our glorie, and our triumph: who in the flesh, (which thou hadst for our only cause taken vpon thee) didst suffer thy selfe to be tempted of Sathan, and who onlie and alone of all men diddest vtterlie ouercome and vanquish sinne, death, the world, the diuell, and all the kingdome of hell; & whatsoeuer [Page 779] thou hast so ouercommed, for our behalfe it is, that thou hast ouercommed it; neither hath it been thy will to haue anie of thy seruants keepe battell and fight with anie of the foresaid euils, but of purpose to reward vs with a crowne of the more glorie for it; and to the intent that thou mightest likewise ouercome sathan in thy members, as thou hast afore done in thine owne person. Giue thou, we beseech thee, vnto vs thy souldiers, O Lion most victorious of the tribe of Iuda, strength against the roring Lion, which continuallie wandereth to and fro, seeking whome he may deuour. Thou being that same Serpent, the true giuer of health and life, that was nailed on high vpon a tree, giue vnto thy little seelie ones, wilinesse against the deceiptfull awaitings of the most subtil serpent. Thou being a Lambe as white as snowe, the vanquisher of sathans tyrannie, giue vs thy little sheepe the strength and vertue of thy spirit, that being in our owne selues weake and feeble, and in thee strong and valiant, wee may withstand and ouercome all assaults of the diuell, so that our ghostlie enimie may not glorie ouer vs: but being conquerours through thee, we may giue thanks to thy mercie, which neuer leauest them destitute that put their trust in thee, who liuest and reignest God for euermore, world without end,
Amen.
7. On Thursedaie next before Easter, commonlie called Maundie Thursedaie. Of Christ his last feast or institution of the Sacrament of the Supper, and of his great humilitie in washing his disciples feet afterward.
The Preface.
I (Saith Wisedome) haue killed my victuals, drawne my wine, and prepared my table.
Come now vnto me all ye poore in spirit, that are emptie and an hungred: come ye [Page 780] fat and rich also vpon earth, that go astraie and faint for thirst.
Come, I saie, O freends, eate of my meate woorthilie, and worship me: drinke of my wine purelie, and glorifie me. Make ye merrie at my table holilie, and praise me O welbeloued.
For it is I that satisfie the mouth with good things, and fill the hungrie soule with spirituall deinties.
Yea my flesh is meate in deed, and my bloud is drinke in deed, which I haue prouided for my people, and he that eateth me, euen he shall liue by me.
Happie and blessed therefore are they that are called to the Lambs supper: for they shall eate Manna, euen Angels food, in the kingdome of heauen.
Lord bid me vnto this feast, and grant that I may sup with thee, and thou with me.
Lord wash not my feet onlie, but my hands and head also: for I am altogither vncleane; and if thou wash me not, I shall remaine filthie still.
O wash me therefore throughlie from my wickednes, and cleanse me from my secret faults, and purge me from my presumptuous sinnes.
For I haue sinned, I haue offended, oh forgiue me, and haue mercie on me.
The Praier.
O Blessed Sauiour, and deere Redeemer Iesu Christ, which in the holie mysterie of thy last Supper, with thine Apostles, didst deliuer thy blessed bodie and bloud vnder the forme of bread & wine; and ordeinedst, that as thy bodie was broken, and thy bloud shead for vs, so we should thankefullie celebrate and keepe a solemne memorie of thy death, till thou come. Grant vs, we beseech thee, euer [Page 781] stedfastlie to beleeue, and kindlie to acknowledge thine infinite and almightie power, thine incomprehensible loue towards vs, and that we may alwaie worthilie receiue the same blessed Sacrament, according to thy holie ordinance, that thereby we may obtaine increase of all goodnes, in vnitie of spirit with thee our head, and by thee and thy spirit, with all the companie of them that be trulie thine, which be thy spirituall and mysticall bodie, and our spirituall and Christian brethren and sisters.
Suffer vs not also, we beseech thee, to fall into anie slothfull and carelesse negligence, whereby we should vnkindlie forget so inestimable a benefit; but rather at all occasions, with minds woorthilie prepared for so holie an action, thankefullie to renew the memorie of thy so infinite loue towards vs, and to receiue the grace which thereby is offered vnto vs, to the ioining of vs continuallie neerer vnto thee, till we be ioined without anie separation vnto thee through thee.
Finallie, as in thine owne blessed person thou hast giuen an example of perfect loue, whereby in humblenesse and meekenesse we should serue one another, as thou being the Lord and maister of vs all, didst vouchsafe, after thy last Supper, to wash the feet of thy disciples and seruants; grant vs that louing and meeke spirit of thine, whereby we may be far from disdaine, and despising of our brethren, and readie in all good things to be dutifull and seruiceable vnto them in thee and for thee, that as thou hast left vs in commandement, we may loue one another as thou hast loued vs, and thereby be knowne to be thy disciples, especiallie O Christ, that we may be faithfull in our loue toward thee, who for our sakes wast content to be vnfaithfullie and vnfriendlie betraied of him, that had liued familiarlie with thee, that thou mightest thereby assure vs of thine euerlasting loue and mercie. To thee therfore, [Page 782] with the Father and the holie Ghost, be all praise, honour and glorie now and for euer,
Amen.
I haue sinned, I haue sinned, haue mercie on me.
8. On Good Fridaie. Of Christ his passion and shamefull suffering for our sinnes.
THIS is the daie of reconciliation, to make an attonement for you before the Lord your God: therefore shall it be an holie conuocation vnto you. And you shall humble your selues this daie in fasting and praier, and offer sacrifice made by fire vnto the Lord. And whatsoeuer soule it be that thus humbleth not himselfe this daie, euen he shall be cut off and destroied from among his people. Let this be a lawe and ordinance in your generations, and in all your dwellings for euer, saith the Lord.
The Preface.
CHrist now once in the end of the world, through the eternall spirit, offered himselfe a Lamb without spot to God; suffered for sinnes, the iust for the vniust; died for all, and was killed vpon the altar of the crosse, as perteining to the flesh, but was quickned in the spirit, to put awaie sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe. Wo and alas that euer I sinned!
Christ became sinne, and a cursse for vs, to redeeme vs sinners from the cursse of the lawe, and to reconcile vs vnto the blessing and fauour of God his father, that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him. Wo and alas that euer I sinned!
Christ was obedient vnto the death, euen vnto the most vile and shamefull death of the crosse, to deliuer vs from death, hell, and damnation, and to translate and bring vs into the kingdome of God his father. [Page 783] Wo and alas that euer I sinned!
Christ being in the forme of God, tooke on him the forme of a seruant, and made himselfe of no reputation: but for the ioie that was set before him, endured such blasphemie, railing, & euill speaking against him of shamelesse sinners; and when he was reuiled, reuiled not againe; when he suffered, threatened not: but committing the vengeance to him that iudgeth righteouslie, despised the shame, and endured the crosse, and suffered for vs wretches: leauing vs an example that we should likewise followe his steps; by whose stripes we are healed. Wo and alas that euer I sinned!
Oh my soule, come therefore let vs laie awaie that that presseth downe, and the sinne that hangeth so fast on; and let vs run with patience vnto the battell that is set before vs, loking vp vnto Iesus the captaine and finisher of our faith, and onelie reioice in the crosse of Christ.
And seeing we haue redemption by his bloud, euen the forgiuenesse of our sins past, present, and to come: and for as much as we knowe how we are redeemed from our old vaine conuersation, not with corruptible things, as siluer and gold; but euen with the pretious bloud of Christ, who in his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree, that we being deliuered from sinne, should liue vnto righteousnesse; who suffered also for vs in the flesh, that we hencefoorth should liue, as much time as remained in the flesh; not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God; and reioice onelie in the crosse of Christ.
Let vs take heed we walke not with those that are enimies to the crosse of Christ, and crucifie him dailie afresh by blasphemie, and all maner of vngodlinesse; whose bellie is their God; whose glorie is their shame, and whose end is eternall damnation, both of bodie and soule: but rather with those that haue their consciences [Page 784] purged from dead works to serue the liuing God. Let vs now passe the rest of the time of this our abode here in trembling and feare: and euer reioice in the crosse of Christ. For it is sufficient for vs, that wee haue spent the time that is past of this life, after the will of the Gentiles, walking in wantonnesse, in lusts, in excesse of wines, in excesse of eating and drinking, and in excesse of riot and abhominable idolatrie.
Therefore I crie wo and alas, that euer I sinned: out vpon me wretch that thus greeuouslie haue offended. O God my God, I aske thee mercie: haue mercie vpon me, O Lord; haue mercie vpon me: wo is mee that euer I transgressed.
Oh my soule, let vs now esteeme to knowe nothing, saue Iesus Christ, and him crucified. Yea, God forbid that we should reioice in anie thing, but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified to vs, and we vnto the world, that being crucified with Christ, we may liue with God.
And hauing now libertie to enter into the holie place, in the bloud of Iesus, by the new & liuing waie which he hath prepared for vs, through the vaile of his flesh: let vs consider one another, to prouoke vnto loue and good works, and drawe nigh with a true and penitent hart, in assurance of faith, sprinkeled in our harts from an euill conscience, to meditate dailie of his mercies: and to giue him thanks continuallie for the benefits of his passion, & our eternall redemption, and still to reioice in the crosse of Christ Iesu our Lord, and saie:
The Praier.
O Lord Iesu Christ, Sonne of the liuing God, both with mouth and hartie affection wee glorifie thee, and praise thy name with immortall thanks; for that of thine infinite [Page 785] good-will towards mankind, thou vouchsafest to become an intercessor for vs vnto thine heauenlie Father, for bearing his horrible wrath conceiued against vs through our sinnes, and for offering thy selfe to death to adorne vs with eternall glorie.
Thou wast hanged on the crosse, made a cursse for vs, ouerwhelmed with sorowes too heauie for flesh and bloud to beare. Thou sufferedst the displeasure, which is a consuming fire of GOD. Thou shedst thy bloud from thy whole bodie, at thy death thy members beeing pierced. Oh Christ, oh sweet Iesu, thou shedst thy pretious bloud, I saie, sixe seuerall times from sundrie parts of thy blessed bodie, afore and in thine execution for vs miserable sinners: as namelie, first in thy Circumcision, which was the beginning of our redemption: secondlie in thy praier in the garden, which was for the earnest desire of our redemption: thirdlie, in thy whippings: and fourthlie, in thy crowning with thornes, which was for the reward of our redemption, for by thy stripes were we healed: fiftlie, in thy crucifieng and nailing on the crosse, when thy hands and feet were bored through to fasten thee thereon, which was the price of our redemption: sixtlie and lastlie, in the wounding and piercing of thy blessed side, yea of thy verie hart, thou hanging dead on the crosse, which was the true sacrament of our redemption, whereby we are cleansed, purified and washed from all our sinnes. Among these thy diuers torments both afore & in thy execution, thy spirits being resolued through the sense of the infinite anguishes which thou sufferedst and enduredst, oh Christ, thou vtteredst diuers words, partlie by reason of intollerable greefe, and partlie of thine vnspeakable goodnes. Oh teach vs by thy wisedome reuerentlie to listen vnto them, and to put them carefullie in the bottome of our minds.
At thy death mankind was seuered into two parts. [Page 786] Thou the head of the pensiue Church hangedst vpon the crosse redie to yeeld vp the Ghost. Under the crosse stands thy louing mother Marie, a few godlie women, and Iohn, thy weake disciples moorning, through the rage of the Iewes hide themselues. Nichodemus, and Ioseph of Aramathie, to the great greefe of their minds, are faine to hold their tongs, and to winke at the outragious crueltie of their nation against thee. The gracelesse Iewes, the vngodlie souldiers of Pilate and Herode laie hold on thee, mocke thee, blindfold thee, buffet thee, pierce thee, & plaie for thy garments. The epicures and tyrants, the high Priests and their parasits, haue thee in derision, & laugh in their sleeues to see how thy death is conspired, and they may walter in all superstition and wickednesse. All this while the multitude of Ethniks in all quarters of the world celebrate their filthie and vngodlie feasts, in the great dishonour of thy name.
Thou beholdest this diuersitie of men, which seest all things both in heauen and earth, and beeing in deed humble and meeke in hart, thou powredst out a most charitable praier on this wise: Father forgiue them, for they knowe not what they doo. These be the words of thy priesthood. Thou which art the chiefest Priest, bedewed with thine owne bloud, entring into the holiest of holie places, touchest the brest of the Father, and searchest enen his secret counsell. Thou praiest not onlie for thy weake auditors to be strengthned, but also for thy verie enimies, which put thee so shamefullie to death, if they will returne vnto repentance: yea and for all mankind thou praiedst; and namelie, for all and euerie one which should beleeue in thy name.
O most mercifull intercessor, we include our selues in these thy generall praiers, recited before thine agonie, repeated on the crosse, yea vttered from the beginning of the world, and standing at the right hand of thy [Page 787] Father making intercession for vs, sounded continuallie in the eares of God. Worke so, that we be not found in the number of those, into whome sathan hath entred, which blaspheame thee, despise thy benefits, and destroie themselues vtterlie. Increase our faith and knowledge of thee, that the eternall Father through thy sacrifice being pleased, may forgiue all our sinnes, and receiue vs into that companie which is glorious in thine eies.
Under the crosse standeth thy noble but sorowfull mother, hir sister, and other good women, with thy disciple Iohn, whome thou louedst. O blesse vs, and of thy goodnes ioine vs to that companie. In thy mother there shineth a notable light and strength of faith; she beholdeth in thee hir Sonne those sights, than which none could be more greeuous in this world; she sawe the rage of thine enimies, and thine intollerable torments; yet she beleeued, notwithstanding the greeuousnes of thy paine, the shedding of thy pretious bloud, the flight of thy disciples, the crueltie of thine enimies, and the odiousnes of thy death; she beleeued, I saie (O the force of faith!) that thou wast God by nature, and shouldest rise againe and reigne euerlastinglie, ouercome death and the diuell, and subdue all thine enimies.
O Sonne of God, kindle within vs we praie thee the like sparks of faith: giue vs grace with thine elect neuer to be ashamed to stand vnder thy crosse. And as thou, euen of an entire good will, mercifullie among thy seruants didst speake vnto, and comfort thy pensiue and moorning mother, so speake vnto vs and thy troubled Church; in miserie comfort hir with thy sweet voice and presence.
Thou commendedst thy mother to thine Apostle. Make vs vnfeignedlie to loue the Church thy sweet and true mother, and grant that euerie of vs may [Page 788] cherish the same louinglie, and mainteine it to the vttermost of our powers. Especiallie guide the Preachers, that they may loue the mother; nourish the vnitie of pure doctrine; auoid the seed of heresies, and remooue all stumbling-blockes, all occasions of hindering of faith and praier in yoong Christians.
At thy sides hang two theeues, punished for their sinnes, according to the lawe and their deserts; whereof one desperatelie powring out blasphemous speeches, the other godlie requiring thy fauour, he ended his daies. All mankind, Lord, doo likewise hang in miseries for their sinnes, whereof some are so captiued in their minds, that at the point of death they scoffe, blaspheme, and desperatelie, to their vtter condemnation finish their daies: but giue vs grace, we beseech thee, that we may imitate the example of the gratious theefe, which before his passage out of this life, moued by infallible arguments of thine almightinesse and mercie, required pardon of his offences, and obteined the same according to his request. Giue grace that we may imitate his hartie repentance, his sorowe for sin, his notable faith, his zealous confession, and other good works of his.
We beseech thee mercifull Lord be mindfull of vs. O Lord be mindfull of vs. Thou sittest in the kingdom of thy Father, we are in the miseries of the world: but be thou mindfull of vs. Begin thy kingdome in vs heere in this world, and in euerie combate of our conscience, especiallie at the point of death pronounce to our hearts this comfortable absolution, This daie shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Shew vnto vs thy paradise, that departing out of this life, we may find rest for our soules. Open to our soules the gates of Paradise, place them in the seates of immortalitie, and state of blisse, where thy Father, togither with the blessed companie of Angels and men, sheweth himselfe euen [Page 789] as he is.
In the meane, while thy combate is not yet finished, thou criedst in most pittifull maner, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Thy diuinitie was not then separated from thy humanitie, which neuer lost that which once it tooke, neither surcessedst, nor dooest thou surcesse at anie time to be equall and one with thine eternall father; but then was the houre of thy humiliation, wherein after a woonderfull and vnspeakable maner, thy diuinitie hid it selfe as it were, and would haue this obedience to be showne, and thought not best to destroie the Iewes thine enimies and murtherers. Yea it hid it selfe, that the streames of Gods displeasure against the sinnes of men should so fall vpon thee O Christ, that they should wrestle with extreame torments, such as for a certeine space thou perceiuedst no comfort, notwithstanding thy diuinitie confirmed thine humane nature, which was to suffer all the passions. For thy diuinitie could not suffer anie passion at all, & therefore it confirmed the same, that there might be a sufficient satisfaction for the sins of men. For they which haue endured most greeuous torments, could neuer abide these: for if God comfort vs, we may abide the punishment of men, and then it may be said:
But intollerable is it for a creature to suffer the punishment of God, and be saued thereby.
Wherefore, O Sonne of God, in displeasure bee mindfull of thy mercie, be thou our protection, that the wrath of thine eternall father doo not destroie vs. Euen a little taste of Gods displesure bursteth in peeces all the bones of men like a lion. And therfore by and by after thou vtteredst the like complaint, saieng, I thirst, [Page 790] thy soule languished through the greatnesse of thy paines. Thy spirits were resolued through thy woonderfull greefe of hart. Thy bowels dried awaie, and no moisture abode in them, and therefore trulie didst thou both inwardlie thirst and desire some vertue and comfort from thy Father, and outwardlie to haue thy bodie refreshed.
O Iesu Christ, which art the fountaine of eternall life, giuing the water which quencheth all thirst, from whose bellie springeth the well of life, suffer vs not to taste such a greeuous thirst, as did that merciles rich glutton in hell, which neuer was quenched, but with the godlie to saie, My soule stucke vnto my iawes, I had no quietnes in my bones, Lord in thy iudgements correct me, not in thy furie, least I come vnto nothing. If thou obseruest iniquities, O Lord; Lord, who shall be able to abide? Thus doo thy Saincts crie, I saie, in their troubles. Wherefore kindle not thy wrath altogither against vs. Cease not to comfort our weake nature striuing against thy iudgements, with the iuice of thy word, and comfortable waterings of thy spirit.
Unto thee did thine eternall Father manifest his presence and comfort for our sakes, when some while after being better quieted thou saiedst, It is finished. Thou gauest thanks to thine eternall father, for helping thee, whereby the sacrifice of welfare to the elect for euermore was fulfilled. Oh most sacred Priest, imprint within vs this celestiall conclusion, this notable finishing of thy sacrifice, that vndoubtedlie we may thinke, that by this sacrifice the remission of sinnes and life eternall is purchased for vs.
Afterward, being deliuered from all feares, thou criedst with a great voice, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. Grant that in our departure out of this world, we may vtter the same words. Make vs to feele the presence of thy father comforting vs, being [Page 791] pleased through thee, and may know that with our bodies our soules doo not perish: let vs not iest as Epicures doo, saieng: O fugitiue, flattering, pale, curst naked soule, whither goest thou? Thou hast prepared for vs, O Sonne of God, a large and a pleasant place: In thy Fathers house are manie resting places. We feare no torments. Thou hast deliuered vs from the paines of hell. There is no purgatorie. Thy Father embraceth our soules in his mercifull armes, laieth them in Abrahams bosome, replenisheth them with quietnesse, with light and ioie vnspeakable, till our bodies also raised againe, appeare with them in his euerlasting kingdome. In this faith giue vs grace to leaue this world, and to rest with thee for euer and euer,
Amen, Amen.
I haue sinned, I haue sinned, my God my God haue mercie vpon me. God forbid that I should reioice but in the crosse of Christ, whereby the world is crucified to me, and I vnto the world.
Or thus: A fruitfull meditation vpon the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, to be read often.
O Lord Iesus Christ, the Sonne of the euerliuing and almightie God by whome all things were made, be ruled and gouerned; thou the liuelie image of the substance of the Father; the eternall wisedome of God; the brightnesse of his glorie; God of God; light of light; coequall, coeternall and consubstantiall with the Father: thou which of the loue thou haddest to mankind, when hee was fallen from the fellowship of God, into the societie of sathan, and all euill, didst vouchsafe for our redemption to become a mediatour betweene God and [Page 792] man, taking to thy God-head our nature as concerning the substance of it, and so becamest man: also the heire of all, and most mercifull Messias, which by the power of thy God-head, and merits of thy man-hood, hast made purgation of our sins, euen by thine owne selfe, whilest thou wast heere on earth, being now set on the right hand of thy Father for vs, euen concerning our nature, in maiestie, in glorie & power infinite. I pray and humblie beseech thy mercie to grant me at this present, to reherse some of thy passions and sufferings for me the last night, that thou wast heere before thy death, that thy good spirit might thereby be effectuall to worke in me faith, as well for the pardon of my sinnes by them, as mortification of mine affections, comfort in my crosses, and patience in all afflictions, Amen.
IN the middest of thy last Supper with thy deere Apostles, these things could not but be before thee, namelie, that they all would leaue thee, the most earnest would forsweare thee, & one of the twelue should most traiterouslie betraie thee, which were no small crosses vnto thee. Iudas was admonished of thee to beware; but when he tooke no heed, but went out to finish his worke, contemning thine admonition and counsell, he could not but vexe thy most louing hart.
After supper, there was contention amongst thy disciples, who should be greatest after thee, yet dreaming carnallie of thee and thy kingdome, and hauing this affection of pride and ambition busie amongst them, notwithstanding thy diligence in reproouing and teaching them.
After thine admonition to them of the crosse that would come, thereby to make them more vigilant, so grosse were they, that they thought they could with their two swords put awaie all perils, which was no little greefe vnto thee.
[Page 793] After thy comming to Gethsamane, heauinesse oppressed thee, and therefore thou wouldest thy disciples to praie. Thou didst tell to Peter and his fellowes, that thy hart was heauie to death. Thou didst will them to praie, being carefull for them also, least they should fall into temptation. After this, thou wentest a stones cast from them, and didst praie thy selfe, falling flat and groueling vpon the earth: but alas, thou feltest no comfort, and therefore thou camest to thy disciples (which of all other were most sweet and deere vnto thee) but lo, to thy further discomfort, they passe neither of thy perils, nor of their owne, and therefore sleepe apace. After thou hadst awaked them, thou goest againe to praie, but thou foundest no comfort at all; and therefore didst returne againe for some comfort at thy deerest freends hands, but yet againe (alas) they are fast asleepe, wherevpon thou art inforced to go againe to thy heauenlie Father for some sparkle of comfort, in these thy wonderfull crosses and agonies. Now, heere thou wast so discouraged, and so comfortlesse, that euen streames of bloud came running from thine eies, and eares, and other parts of thy bodie. But who is able to expresse the infinitenes of thy crosses, euen at thy being in the garden? All which thou sufferedst for my sake, as well to satisfie thy Fathers wrath for my sinnes, as also to sanctifie all my sufferings, the more gladlie to be susteined of me.
After thy bloudie praier thou camest, and yet againe foundest thy disciples asleepe; and before thou canst well awake them, lo, Iudas commeth with a great band of weaponed men to apprehend thee as a theefe, and so doth, leading thee awaie bound to the high Bishops house Annas, & so from him to Caiphas. Heere now to augment this thy miserie, behold, thy disciples flie from thee, false witnesses be brought against thee. Thou art accused & condemned of blasphemie. Peter [Page 794] euen in thy sight forsweareth thee. Thou art vniustlie striken for answering lawfullie. Thou art blindfeeld, striken and buffeted all the whole night in the Bishop Caiphas house of their cruell seruants.
In the morning betimes thou art condemned againe of the Priests of blasphemie, and therefore they bring thee before the secular power to Pilate, by whome thou art openlie arraigned as other theeues and malefactors were. And when he sawe that thou wast accused of malice, and that his wife had sent a messenger vnto him, saieng: Haue thou nothing to doo with that iust man, for I haue suffered manie things this daie in a dreame by reason of him: yet he did not dismisse thee, but did send thee to Herod, where thou wast derided shamefullie, in comming and going to him and from him all the waie wonderfullie, especiallie after Herod had apparelled thee as a foole.
Afore Pilate againe therefore thou wast brought and accused falslie, no man did take thy part, or speake a good word for thee.
Pilate caused thee to be whipped and scourged, and to be handled most pitifullie, to see if anie pitie might appeare with the Prelates, but no man at all pitied thee. Barrabas that notable theefe and murtherer was preferred before thee: all the people head and taile was against thee, and cried out Crucifige, hang thee vp. Uniustlie to death wast thou iudged. Thou wast crowned with sharpe thornes that pierced thy braines. Thou wast made a mocking stocke. Thou wast reuiled, beaten, scourged, spit vpon, and most miserablie handled.
Thou wentest through Ierusalem to the place of execution, euen to the mount of Caluerie: a great crosse to hang thee vp was laid vpon thy backe, to beare and drawe as long as thou wast able.
Thy bodie was racked to be nailed to the tree. Thy [Page 795] hands were bored through, and thy feet also. Nailes were put through them to fasten thee thereon. Thou wast hanged betweene heauen and earth as one spued out of heauen, and vomited out of the earth, vnworthie of anie place. The high Priests laughed thee to scorne. The Elders blasphemed thee, and said, God had no care for thee. The common people also laughed and cried, Out vpon thee. Thirst oppressed thee, but vineger onlie and gall was giuen thee to drinke. Heauen shined not on thee; the Sunne gaue thee no light; the earth was afraid to beare thee; sathan euen then tempted thee, and thine owne humane senses caused thee to crie out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Oh wonderfull passions, which thou sweet Iesus sufferedst for me and all mankind. In them thou teachest me; in them thou comfortest me; for by them God is my father; my sinnes are forgiuen me. By them I should learne to feare God, to loue God, to hope in God, to hate sinne, to be patient, to call vpon God, and neuer to leaue him for anie temptations, but with thee to crie, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,
Amen.
The praier wherein we confesse our selues to be the verie cause of all these Christ his passions.
WHat hast thou committed oh Lord, that thou shouldest bee so iudged? what hast thou offended that thou shouldest be so cruellie handled and ordered? what was thy fault? what was thine offence? what was the cause of thy death? what was the occasion of thy condemnation? I, Lord, I am the cause of thy sorowe, the fault is in me that thou wast killed; for I haue deserued thy death. I committed the offences that were aduenged vpon [Page 796] thee. Oh maruellous kind of iudgement, and vnspeakable disposition, or ordering of mysteries! The vniust man offendeth, and the righteous is punished. The guiltie doth euill, and the innocent is beaten. The euill doth trespasse, and the good is condemned. That which the euill man deserueth, the same doth the good and iust suffer. That which the seruant doth amisse, the maister maketh amends. That which man trespasseth, God suffereth it.
Oh thou which art the Sonne of God, how lowe did thine humilitie descend? How greatlie did thy charitie euen as it were waxe hot, and burne towards vs? How far did thy pitie exceed? Whither did thy benignitie and gentlenes growe and extend? How far did thy loue stretch? How far came thy compassion? For I did wrongfullie, and thou wast punished. I committed the mischeeuous deeds, and they were aduenged vpon thee. I did the fault, and thou submittedst thy selfe to the torments. I was proud, and thou wast humble and meeke. I was swelled and puffed vp, thou wast extenuate and appaired. I was disobedient, neuerthelesse thou being obedient, barest the paines and punishments of disobedience. I obeied, and was as it were a seruant to all excesse and gluttonie, and thou wast punished with scarsitie, and lacke of food. The tree did drawe me in my grandmother Eue, vnto vnlawfull concupiscence and desires, but perfect charitie led thee vnto punishment, and to endure the torments vpon the crosse. I presumed being forbidden, but thou didst smart therefore. I tooke my pleasure with delicatenesse, thou wast vexed with the crosse. I abound, and haue plentie of all pleasures, thou art all to torne with nailes. I doo taste the pleasant sweetnes of the apple, and thou the bitternes of gall.
Behold O king of glorie, mine iniquitie and vngodlinesse, and thy pitie and goodnes is manifest. Behold [Page 797] mine vnrighteousnes, and thy iustice is plainelie declared. What thing O my God, and my King, shall I render vnto thee for all these things, which thou hast bestowed vpon me? For nothing can be found in the hart of man, that may worthilie recompense such rewards. Can mans wit excogitate or imagine anie thing that is woorthie to be compared vnto thy diuine mercie? Neither is it the office of a creature to go about to recompense fullie and iustlie the aid & helpe of a Creator.
There is trulie O Sonne of God, in this thy maruellous dispensation and appointments, some what, in which my frailenesse may helpe a little; if so be that my mind once pricked and stirred by thy visitation, doo punish the flesh, with the vices also and euill concupiscences thereof. And this thing if thou wilt grant and giue me grace to doo, then shall it begin as it were to suffer and susteine sorrowes and greefes, because that thou also didst vouchsafe to die for my sinnes, and so by the victorie of the inward man, it shall be armed (thou beeing a captaine) for the externall and outward victorie; forasmuch as the spirituall persecution once ouercome, it shall not be afraid for thy sake to be obedient vnto the materiall sword and crosse of this world; and so the slendernesse of my state and condition, if it please thy goodnes, shall be able according to the little power thereof, to answer vnto the greatnes and excellencie of my Creator.
And this is ye heauenlie medicine O good Iesu; this is as it were a preseruatiue of thy loue; this I beseech thee, by thine accustomed & ancient mercies, to powre into my wounds, the fowle and filthie matter of the venemous contagion and infection once cast awaie, which may refresh and restore me to my former puritie and cleanenesse; that when I haue tasted of the pleasant sweetnes, which is, to abide in thee, it may make me to despise, and vtterlie set naught by the entisements [Page 798] of this world, and to feare for thy sake none aduersities thereof, and that I remembring thine euerlasting nobilitie & excellencie, may alwaies abhor and disdaine the troubles of this transitorie world.
And as thou, O Lord, wast crucified for me, so I beseech thee crucifie me with thee, that I may rise againe with thee to euerlasting life. Thy flesh was crucified for me, crucifie with thee, O Christ, the kingdome of the flesh, which hath dominion in me, that I may put off the old Adam, and by newnesse of life, may be transformed into thee the second Adam, sinne, infidelitie, and the whole tyrannie of sathan being vanquished and ouercome. Bring to passe, O Lord, that by thy crosse and painefull suffering, thy yoke may be to me made light, and thy burthen easie, that willinglie and gladlie following thee, I may come whether thou art gone, that is, to thy father, most blessed and immortall, from whome nothing shall afterwards be able to separate vs,
Amen.
I haue sinned, I haue sinned, my God my God haue mercie vpon me.
God forbid I should reioice in anie thing, but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified vnto me, and I vnto the world.
Another praier to Christ crucified, wherein we deuoutlie call to mind what great things he hath done for vs, and what benefits we reape by the remembrance of his holie wounds.
EXceeding greatlie haue I sinned against thy Maiestie, O Lord, and mine owne conscience findeth mee guiltie of manie offences; and yet doo I not despaire, neither will I in anie thing at all be doubtfull, because that whereas sinne hath abounded, there hath thy grace O [Page 799] God, ouer-abounded. He that despaireth of the forgiuenes of his sinnes, denieth thee O God to be mercifull. Yea great wrong doth he to thee, O God, which distrusteth in thy mercie. For (as much as in him lieth) he denieth thee to be louing, true and mightie, which are the things wherein my whole hope consisteth, that is to weet, in the loue of thy adoption, in the truth of thy promise, and in the power of thy redeeming.
Now let my vnwise imagination murmur as much as it listeth, and saie, Who art thou? how great is thy glorie? and by what deserts hopest thou to obtaine it? and I will answer boldlie; I knowe whome I haue credited, and that thou of thine exceeding great loue, hast adopted me to be thy child; that thou art southfast of promise; that thou art mightie of perseuerance, and that thou maist doo what thee listeth. I can not bee feared with the multitude of my sinnes, if I bethinke me of the death of thee my Lord, because my sinnes are not able to ouercome thee. Thy nailes and thy speare crie vnto me, that I am throughlie reconciled to thee O Christ, if I loue thee. Longius hath opened me thy side deere Iesu with his speare, and I am gone into it, and there doo I rest in safetie. He that is afraid, let him loue, for loue driueth feare out of the dores. There is no remedie so mightie and effectuall against the heate of leacherie, as is the death of thee my redeemer. Thou stretchest out thine armes vpon the crosse, and thou holdest out thy hand in a readines to imbrace vs sinners. Betweene the armes of thee my sauiour mind I to liue and die; there shall I sing safelie; there will I glorifie and exalt thee, O Lord; because thou hast taken me vp, and hast not giuen mine enimies their pleasure ouer me.
Thou, O our Sauiour, hast bowed downe thy head at thy death, to receiue the kisses of thy beloued, and so often doo we kisse thee, O Lord, as we be throughlie [Page 800] touched with the loue of thee, who for loue to mankind, being God, camest to man, camest into man, and becamest man; who for loue, being an inuisible God, becainest like thy seruants, and who for verie loue, wast wounded for our sinnes; and in those wounds of thine O my Sauiour, is the safe and quiet rest of vs weakelings and sinners: there doo I dwell at ease, and by thy wounds haue I a waie in vnto the bowels of thy mercie. Whatsoeuer is wanting of my selfe, that doo I borowe out of the bowels of thee my Lord: for in them is aboundance of mercie, and there want no holes for it to flowe out at.
By the holes of thy blessed bodie are opened vnto me the secrets of thy hart, a great pledge of thy kindlie loue, euen the bowels of the mercie of thee our God, whereby the daie spring hath visited vs from aloft. Thy wounds, O sweet Iesu Christ are full of mercie, full of pitie, full of sweetnesse, and full of loue. They bored thy hands and thy feet, and pierced thy side with a speare. By these holes may I taste how sweet and mild thou art in deed, and how mercifull thou art to all that call vpon thee in truth, to all that seeke thee, and cheeflie to all that loue thee. Plentious redemption is giuen vnto vs in thy wounds O sweet Sauiour Iesu Christ. Great aboundance of sweetnes, great plentie of grace, and great perfection of vertues is giuen vs in thy pretious wounds O sweet Sauiour Iesu Christ.
O most bountifull Iesu, grant therefore I humblie beseech thee, that whensoeuer anie fowle thought assaulteth me, I may forthwith runne to thy wounds O Christ. When my flesh presseth me downe, I may rise vp again by remembring thy wounds O Lord. When the diuell laieth wait for me, I may flee to the bowels of thy mercie O Iesu, so shall he quicklie depart from me. Or if at anie time the heate of lecherie prouoke my members, let it be quenched I praie thee, by calling [Page 801] to mind thy wounds O Sonne of God. Finallie, in all mine aduersities, let me find no remedie so effectuall as thy wounds O Christ. In them, I saie, let me sleepe without care, and rest without feare. Thou, O Christ, hast died for vs, and now is there nothing so bitter to the death, which is not swallowed vp by thy death, O sweet Iesu. All my whole hope therfore is and shall be in thy death O Lord my God. Thy death is my desart and my refuge, my welfare, life, and resurrection; and thy mercifulnesse O Lord is my merit. I am not poore of merit, so long as thou the Lord of all compassions failest not. As long as thou art manifold in mercie, so long am I also manifold of deserts. The mightier thou art to saue, the more am I without care.
Wherefore O most excellent goodnes, withdrawe not thy mercie; O most mightie maker, despise not thy worke; O most prudent redeemer, suffer not to perish the price of thy redemption: O most gentle, ghostlie, and heauenlie hoast and ghest, purifie, saue, dresse, and keepe thy house and dwelling place, the which thou dedicatedst and sanctifiedst to thee in the sacrament of Baptisme. O most blessed, most charitable and sweet Iesu; O most bounteous, excellent and glorious Iesu; O most innocent, mercifull, meeke, louing and deere Iesu, haue mercie vpon me, haue mercie vpon me, and forgiue me all my sinnes. When shall I loue thee? When shall I be sorie for my sinnes? When shall I loath and forsake my sinnes? When shall I detest and abhore my sinfull life, and turne vnto thee by grace? When shall I remember thy benefits, thy meekenes, thy pouertie, and bitter passion, thy patience, thy obedience, thy loue, and thy charitie? When shall I sanctifie, worship, magnifie, and loue hartilie thee in heauen, and thy Saints on earth, and celebrate thy feasts accordinglie; that is to saie, thy incarnation, passion, resurrection, ascension, and such other, with due reuerence, [Page 802] & Christian deuotion. If thou be the most dredfull maister, where is my dread Lord Iesu? If thou be the most loued Father, where is my loue? If thou bee my Lord and my Redeemer, where is my seruice? If thou be mine hoast, and dwell in my soule by thy grace and mercie; where is my chastitie, puritie and cleannesse meet and according to such an hoast? If thou be the life of Saints, the fairenesse and beautie of Angels, where is my thanking? Now therfore good Lord Jesu Christ, wound my hart with thy most holie wounds, moist my mind with thy most pretious bloud, that whither soeuer I turne me, I may behold aboue me thee crucified, and whatsoeuer I see, it may appeare to me ruddie with thy most pretious bloud, that thus be holding, I may fixe my sight in nothing but onlie in thee, which liuest and reignest one God world without end, So be it.
I haue sinned, I haue offended, my God my God haue merceie on me.
A praier, wherein through commemoration of Christes passion, we desire pardon of our sinnes, and continuance in vertue and godlinesse.
BEhold O pitifull Father, thy most pitifull Sonne, which suffered for me being so wicked. Behold O most mercifull King, who suffered; and remember as thou art louing and kind, for whom he suffered. Is not this O my Lord that innocent, whō although he were thy Sonne thou didst deliuer to redeeme and ransome a seruant? Is not this the author and beginner of life, which being led as a sheepe to be killed, and being made obedient to thee, euen vnto death, was not afraid to take vpon him the most cruell and sharp kind of death▪ Call [Page 803] to remembrance, O thou distributer of all health, that this is he, whome although thou didst beget him by thy power, yet notwithstanding thou wouldest haue to be made partaker of thine infirmitie and weakenes. Trulie this same is thy God head, which did take vpon him thy nature, which was hanged vpon the gibbet of torment or crosse, which in the flesh which he had taken vpon him, did suffer sorrowfull punishment.
Turne the eies of thy Maiestie O Lord my God, towards the worke of thine vnspeakable pitie. Looke on thy deere Sonne, whose whole body is stretched foorth. Marke the harmelesse hands and pure, which doo drop and distill downe innocent bloud. And I beseech thee be pacified, and pardon the wicked deeds which my hands haue committed. Consider his bare and naked side, being thrust through cruellie with a speare, and renew and wash me with the holie fountaine or well, which I beleeue did flowe from thence. Marke the vnspotted feet, which haue not stood in the waie of sinners, but alwaies haue walked in thy lawe, how they are pierced through with sharpe nails; and make perfect my steps in thy paths, and make me of thy louing kindnesse to hate all waies of iniquitie. Remoue from me the waies of iniquitie, and make me of thy mercie to choose the waie of truth. I beseech thee, O King of holie men, by this holie one of all holie ones, and by this my redeemer, to make me runne the waie of thy commandements, that I may be vnited and knit vnto him in spirit, which did not disdaine to be clad in my flesh.
Doest thou not looke vpon and marke O pittifull Father, the head of thy most deerelie beloued Sonne, a yong man, how it leaned vpon his shoulders when it was past the most pretious death? Behold O my most gentle creator, the humanitie and gentlenes of thy beloued Sonne, and haue compassion vpon the feeblenes [Page 804] of thy weake and feeble handie-worke. Behold O most glorious parent, the torne and rent members of thy most kind & louing child, and remember gentlie what substance I am of. Behold the paines of him that is God and man, and release and loose man, which is thy creature, out of miserie & bondage of sinne. Behold the punishment of him that did redeeme, and pardon the offences of them that be redeemed. This is he, O Lord, whome thou didst strike for the sinnes of the people, although he be thy welbeloued, in whome was found no guile, and yet neuerthelesse, was he reckoned amongst them that were full of iniquitie. Looke downe therefore, O Lord, thou louer of labouring and laden harts, with the eies of thy pittie, see the altar of the crosse, where thy sonne, thine onlie beloued babe is slaughtered. Behold O father of heauen, this thy bleeding babe, whom for our sakes thou hadst made vnder the lawe a curse therof, in giuing him to the death, euen the acursed & shamefull death of the crosse, that he might thereby redeeme vs wretches that were his enimies from the lawe, and from the curse and condemnation of it. O looke vpon him, I saie, which is the sauiour of the world, and who in his sufferings, and in his life and death hath fulfilled all the prophesies; behold him, that was made a castawaie of the Iewes, and a scorne of the Gentiles, which endured treasonable hate of his friends, and deadlie terrors in his troubled soule, that we might haue peace of conscience, and be reconciled vnto thee. And let his shame and ignominie, I praie thee, be our honour and triumph; his wounds our medicine, his curse our blisse, and his death our life: finallie, so lighten our minds, I beseech thee, with thy holie spirit, that we may be able to conceiue and vnderstand the height and depth, the length & breadth, and by all meanes the infinite measure of this so exceeding loue towards vs, that the sight and knowledge of so [Page 805] great loue, may so inflame vs with the loue of thee againe, that all our thoughts, and deeds may wholie be set vpon thee, shewing our thankfulnesse vnto thee in all obedience vnto thy word, and glorieng in nothing but in thy Christ, and him crucified, that in the end we may inioie the full fruit of all his passions, and of this thine vnspeakable loue towards vs in our euerlasting saluation, through Iesus Christ our onelie Lord and redeemer, to whom with thee O father, and the holie Ghost, be giuen all praise, honour, and glorie, for euer and euer,
Amen.
Another godlie meditation or praier, wherin we declare vnto God the Father, that the passion of his Sonne before rehearsed, was for our reconciliation and attonement with God.
BEhold, O almightie God, Father of my Lord Iesus Christ, I beseech thee of thy benignitie and gentlenesse to haue mercie vpon me, because of the most pretious thing that I could find, the same I haue offered deuoutlie vnto thee; the thing of most estimation that I could imagine, I haue presented humblie vnto thee. I haue left nothing, but I haue declared it vnto thy Maiestie. There is nothing remaining that I may adde more, because I haue committed and betaken my whole hope vnto thee. I haue sent vnto thee mine aduocate and spokes-man, euen thy welbeloued Sonne Iesus. I haue sent thy glorious child to be a mediator betwixt me and thee. I haue sent, I saie, an intercessor, by whome I trust to get pardon and forgiuenes of my sinnes. In a word, I haue sent the word: which word, as I haue said, was sent for my misdeeds.
[Page 806] And behold, I haue rehearsed vnto thee the passion of thy most holie Sonne Iesus Christ, which passion, I beleeue was suffered for me; I beleeue that the God-head which was sent of thee, did take vpon him mine humanitie and nature, in the which he thought not scorne to suffer buffets, bonds, spittings, mocks, yea, he tooke vpon him to suffer the crosse, nailes and dart. I beleeue also that his manhood, being of this my nature, during his infancie, was troubled with creeping and scrallings, and was wrapt in cloathes after the manner of other children; was vexed in his youth with labours; made leane with waking and fastings; wearied with iournieng; afterward whipped and all to torne and rent with diuers kinds of punishments, reckoned among the dead, and when it was endued with the glorie of resurrection, he carried it into the ioies of heauen, and placed it vpon the right hand of thy Maiestie.
This I saie, he is my manhood, waie, and meanes of pacifieng and appeasing thee, & the waie and meanes of hauing mercie vpon mee. Mercifullie looke vpon mee, heare the wretch whom he did redeeme, and the bond-seruant whom he deliuered. Behold him a Creator, and doo not despise a creature. Receiue the shepheard, welcommed with a gentle and louing countenance, and mercifullie looke vpon the sheepe which he hath brought home vpon his owne shoulders. This is that most faithfull shepheard, which by manie and diuers labours and trauels ouer steepe hils, and through head-long and deepe vallies, did search for his owne sheepe that was straied awaie, which also when he had found it faint and almost dead through long wandring, gat himselfe vnder it with great reioicing, and making it fast vnto him with a maruellous bond of charitie, lifted it vp out of the deapth of confusion, and brought it home to the ninetie and nine.
[Page 807] Behold O King, my king and God almightie, behold a good shepheard, which rendereth to thee that which thou committedst to his charge. He tooke vpon him through thine ordinance to saue man, whom he hath deliuered vnto thee cleane and pure from all spots, through the washing in his bloud. Lo thy most dearelie beloued Sonne hath reconciled vnto thee thy handie worke, which was gone astraie far out of the waie. Lo, a gentle shepheard bringeth home againe to thy flocke, hir that the violent pirate and robber had driuen awaie. He hath brought vnto thy sight the seruant, whome hir owne conscience had made to run awaie; that she which by hir selfe had deserued punishment, by thy Sonne being hir solicitor, hath deserued forgiuenes, vnto whome also for hir offences, euerlasting fire was due: neuerthelesse, being a subiect vnder such a prince and captaine, she doth hope to be brought home to hir owne countrie.
I was able, O holie father, by my selfe to offend thee, but I was not able of my selfe to pacifie and appease thee. Thy welbeloued Sonne, O my God, was made my helper, by taking vpon him mine humanitie, to the intent he might cure mine infirmitie, that wherof the first occasion of thy wrath did spring, of the same he might offer vp to thee a sacrifice of praise, and that he might render and make me also well-pleasing to thy goodnes, by that thing, in the which he sitting now at thy right hand, did alwaies shew and declare himselfe to be equall with my substance, and as it were fellowe with the same.
Lo, my hope, behold in whome is all my trust. If thou despise me (as it were meete) for mine iniquities, yet looke vpon me (at leastwise) mercifulle, for the charitie of thy welbeloued Sonne. Giue heed to thy Sonne, whereby thou maiest haue mercie vpon thy bond-seruant. Looke vpon the sacrament of flesh, and [Page 808] pardon the offences of flesh. How often soeuer thou doest remember the wounds of thy blessed Son, so oft, I beséech thee, let mine iniquitie be hid. And bicause flesh hath stirred thee to wrath, let flesh I beseech thee mooue thee to mercie; that like as flesh hath seduced and led me to sinne, so flesh may get and obteine for me remission.
For certainly, it is much that mine iniquitie hath deserued, but much more it is that the goodnes of my Redeemer may euen of right require. Mine vnrighteousnes is great, but his righteousnes is bigger. For looke how much God is superiour vnto man, euen so much is my malice & euill inferiour vnto his goodnes, both in qualitie and quantitie. For what haue I sinned being a man, that the Sonne of God being made man hath not redeemed? What pride could be in me so exceeding high, but such humilitie as was in him should bring it downe? What power of death was there in me so great, but the punishment, which the Sonne of God suffered vpon the crosse, might deface it, and vtterlie destroie it? Trulie my God, if the sinnes of sinfull men or women should be weied in a iust and equall balance, with the loue and fauour that was in our redeemer towards vs, the East is not so far distant from the West, nor the innermost part of the earth so much separated from the vppermost part of the heauen, as they should be vnlike, so much lesse should mine iniquitie be than is his goodnesse.
Now, O most noble Creator of light, now pardon mine offences, for the vnmeasurable trauels & paines that thy beloued Sonne did susteine. Now I beseech thee let his goodnesse be set against my wickednes, his modestie and temperance against mine vngratious frowardnes, and his meekenes against my fierce crueltie. Let his humilitie recompense my pride, his patience mine impatience, his gentlenesse mine vnkind [Page 809] churlishnes, his obedience my disobedience, his quietnesse mine vnquietnes, his pleasant towardnes my bitter frowardnes, his sweet facilitie and gentlenes mine angrie and fretting fumes; to conclude, let his charitie make amends for my heinous and detestable crueltie,
Amen.
I haue sinned, I haue sinned, my God my God haue mercie on me. God forbid that I should reioice in anie thing, but in the crosse of Christ, whereby the world is crucified vnto me, and I vnto the world, So be it.
9. On Easter daie. Of Christ his resurrection, and the Passouer of Christians.
The Preface.
CHrist is risen againe from the dead, and now dieth no more. Halleluiah.
Death from hencefoorth hath no more power of him. Halleluiah.
Christ is risen againe, the first fruits of them that sleepe. Halleluiah.
By Christ, all men that were dead in sinne, are restored to life. Halleluiah.
In thy resurrection, O Christ, both heauen & earth doo reioice and saie. Halleluiah.
Thanks be vnto God which giueth vs victorie thorough our Lord Iesus Christ. Halleluiah.
Who hauing spoiled all principalities and powers, hath made a shew of them, openlie triumphing ouer them in his owne person. Halleluiah.
Awake O my Christ; awake vp my glorie, and sing Halleluiah.
For Christ our passouer is offered vp, and as this daie reuiued, rose again for our iustification. Halleluiah.
[Page 810] Let vs reioice therfore, I saie, O my soule, and keepe it holidaie to the Lord. Halleluiah.
Not with old leauen of maliciousnes and wickednes, but with the vnleauened bread of purenesse and truth. Halleluiah.
That when we awake vp after his likenes, we may be satisfied with his presence in righteousnes and glorie. Halleluiah.
And be blessed and holie with those that haue part in the first resurrection, and on whom the second death hath no power, but sing Halleluiah.
O death where is thy sting? O hell where is thy victorie? Halleluiah.
This is the daie which the Lord hath made, we will reioice and be glad therein, and euermore sing Halleluiah, Halleluiah.
The Praier.
OF thy woonderfull victorie and resurrection from death, and glorious kingdome O Sonne of God, it was said, In that daie the roote of Iesse shall stand to be a signe to the people; vnto him shall the nations flie, and his rest shall be glorie. Thou art that blessed branch of Dauid; thou tookest mans nature vpon thee, and camest of the line of Dauid: but in the time of thy humiliation thou wast but a sprig as it were in a drie ground: a notable and heauenlie plant, but oppressed with miseries. Thy soule dried awaie, being beaten with the mightie tempest of Gods displeasure against our sinnes: notwithstanding, that goodlie roote through the power of thy diuine nature was not vtterlie choaked. Thou art deliuered from the midst of death, and by thy diuine power thou standest victoriouslie ouer thine enimies, and [Page 811] art readie to bring vs thy souldiers from all euils, and make vs partakers of thy most glorious conquest in thy kingdome, which is altogither otherwise than the triumph and glorie of this world. Death endeth all the pride, power and pompe of this world, but thy death and rest is glorious; thy kingdome and glorie beginneth when our life is ended.
O Christ Sonne of God, how woonderfull was thy rest? Man at the first was made to be a noble and holie Temple, wherein a perpetuall Sabboth should be celebrated, and a diuine nature should abide, filling and comforting him with plentie of heauenlie riches. But this rest was turned into vnquietnes, and this ioie into sorowe, through the hatred of sathan thine enimie which prophaned this temple and sabboth, & brought in an horrible misorder and wickednes. Wherefore it pleased thine almightie Father of his goodnes to send thee his onlie Sonne, from his owne bosome, to restore againe this Sabboth. Hence it was, that after a woonderfull manner, in the daie of the great Sabboth according to the lawe of Moses, thine humane nature (through death which separated the soule from the bodie) rested in the sepulchre, and the word (which forsooke not that nature, no not at the graue) reuiued that flesh the third daie, and so thou rosest againe, when the time of our redemption was expired, victoriouslie vnto thy kingdome, and giuest an eternall Sabboth and rest to such as flie vnto thee.
O Sonne of God, call thou sinners, euen vs miserable and vncleane persons, vnto that sacred feast, which in this world through thee the cheefe Priest is begun, and shall be then made perfect, when the elect for euermore shall followe the Lambe whithersoeuer he go. Put on vs the festiuall garment, the garment of thy righteousnes and benediction, that we putting awaie the leauen of malice and wickednes, may celebrate [Page 812] the feast in the sweet bread of sinceritie, & serue thee in purenes of liuing and truth.
This yeare from thine incarnation 1582. are passed 3091 yeares, since the first passouer which the Israelites did celebrate going out of Egypt; so long hast thou preserued thy Church, and we beseech thee preserue it euerlastinglie, notwithstanding the rage of the diuell and his ministers. And as thou defendedst thy people which eate of the Lambe; and moreouer, going through out Egypt, slaiedst in thy righteous iudgements all the first borne in the land; so assist vs, that with a liuelie faith we may feed on thee the true Lamb. Keepe vs among all the miseries of this last age of the world. The carcases remaining, were cast awaie and condemned; but thy oblation is gratefull in the sight of God, it appeaseth the wrath of the eternall Father, and by the eating of thee, which art the Lamb of God taking awaie the sinnes of the world, righteousnes and life is giuen to beleeuers. The word raiseth againe and quickneth the flesh, that vnto vs ingraffed therevnto by faith, the like life may be giuen, and the bodie of sinne mortified in vs, and thou liue and reigne in vs for euermore, wherefore let thy glorious rest be in vs.
We are made of earth, and after sinne, our bodies were appointed to the earth; yea the vngodlie shall abide for euer in the earth, and neuer appeare in thy glorious heauen. But after thou touchedst the death with thy liuelie flesh, thou madest it light, thou tookest awaie the heauinesse thereof. Through the blast of the first serpent manie times, euen mans flesh is turned into verie serpents. And in the graue of the wicked, more horrible is the filth of spirituall dragons and serpents which deuour them euerlastinglie, and keepe them in perpetuall death. But thou, O Sonne of God makest the graues of thy saincts euen pleasant chambers as it were. Thou driuest far awaie from thence [Page 813] all filthinesse of sathan. Thou settest about them the watchmen, euen thy pure Angels, which bring their soules into paradise, commending them into the hands and bosome of thy Father, and keepe also their ashes, which both were and shall be at thy returne the house of the holie ghost.
Beautifie vs in like manner with this thy glorie of true knowledge and calling vpon thee. Be present with vs at the point of death; receiue our soules at their departure into thine hands, shew thou thy comfort & ioie, till at the resurrection of mankind thou crowne thine elect with perfect & endlesse glorie, a taste wherof might be seene in those fortie daies after thy resurrection. Neuer was there so goodlie a world as that was, when thou rosest from death, and broughtest out of their graues a great companie of thy Saincts, as the Scripture plainelie (but breeflie for the vngodlie) doth testifie. Familiarlie did the holie fathers and matrones remaine with thy sweet mother and Apostles. Pleasant speeches and much talke was made, no doubt of the miseries of man, of the vnspeakable benefits gotten by thee, and of the glorie of eternall life.
O Lord, raise thou vp our harts, that with a true desire, we may long to come into this faire companie. Let vs turne our selues in cogitation vnto that holie assemblie. Let vs hearken vnto and learne thy wisedome reuealed in thy word. In this life thy Church is in darkenesse, in miseries; men are occupied in the obseruation of outward ceremonies, as those godlie women; they will annoint thy bodie. Manie times thy Church seemeth to be depriued of thy sweet presence, and vttereth these sorrowfull words: They haue taken awaie my Lord, and I can not tell where they haue laid him. But O Sonne of God, amend the mortall darkenesse within vs; kindle in our soule thine inward seruice which pleaseth thee; manifest thy selfe [Page 814] vnto vs in affliction; speake these comfortable words in our calamitie vnto vs, Weepe not; that euen in death we may thinke with our selues that thou art present, and after death rise againe to the fruition of eternall life, with thy blessed Saincts,
Amen.
Another.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull heauenlie Father, who hast raised vp thy Sonne for our iustification, as thou gauest him to death for our sinnes, grant that thy holie spirit may worke that faith in vs, whereby we may be made partakers of that righteousnes, which hee hath for those that trust in him. And because without the blessed hope of rising againe from the dead, our faith is in vaine, and we are yet in our sinnes, therefore we beseech thee to confirme and strengthen it in vs, that as thou hast alreadie raised vp Christ our head, so we may be assured thou wilt also raise vs vp, that the bodie may be ioined to the head. And furthermore, as thou hast left this holie storie of thy Sonne, that we might beleeue in him, and by faith obtaine euerlasting life; so we beseech thee worke the fruit of it in vs, in constant faith, to the saluation of our soules, and thy euerlasting glorie, to whome with the Sonne and the holie Ghost, be all honor, praise and glorie, now and for euer,
Amen.
Another.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull heauenlie Father, who according to all that had beene written before in ye lawe of Moses, and in the Prophets, that it behooued the Sauiour of the world to suffer death, and to rise againe from the dead the third daie, and [Page 815] that repentance and forgiuenes of sinnes should bee preached amongst all nations in his name, and so from point to point hast fullie accomplished all these things in Christ Iesus thine onlie Sonne, whome thou didst raise from the graue, as this daie, not onlie to liue againe in this world, but euen to sit at thy right hand, and prouiding for our infirmitie, hast giuen vs a great manie of witnesses, both of holie men and women vpon the earth, and of Angels from heauen, to confirme the truth of this matter vnto vs, that we might haue strong assurance of saluation in him through faith. Open our minds to vnderstand the holie Scriptures, and grant vs stedfastlie to beleeue this thy Gospell, that by this faith, being made one with him, we may receiue the forgiuenes of our sinnes, and the estimation of righteous men in thy sight, through him. And furthermore also grant, that by this his mightie conquest, whereby he hath triumphed ouer the last enimie which is Death, in raising himselfe againe vnto life, we may both rise with him from the death of sinnes, to the life of grace, by leading a new conuersation, and sit with him at thy right hand in hope, hauing our life hid in him, that when he shall appeare to come to iudgment, our life also heere being led in the obedience of faith, may then be made manifest, and we receiue that which we now in faith possesse, and in a blessed hope looke and wait for at his comming, which is the saluation of our soules, to the glorie of thy name, to whome, with the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, be all praise and honour now and for euer,
Amen.
A Thanks-giuing.
WE lift vp our harts vnto thee, O Lord; for it is verie meet, right, and our bounden dutie, that we should at all times, and in all places giue thanks vnto thee O Lord, holie Father, [Page 816] almightie euerlasting God: but chieflie we are bound to praise thee for the glorious resurrection of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. For he is the verie paschall Lambe which was offered for vs, and hath taken awaie the sinnes of the world; who by his death hath destroied death, and by his rising to life againe, hath restored to vs euerlasting life. Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the companie of heauen, we laud and magnifie thy glorious name, euermore praising thee, and saieng: Holie holie holie Lord God of hoasts; heauen and earth are full of thy glorie; Glorie be to thee O Lord most high, So be it.
10. On Ascension daie. Of Christ his glorious ascending into the heauens, in the sight of his Apostles.
The Preface.
GOD is gone vp with a merrie noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet, Glorie to God on high. Halleluiah.
He humbled himselfe vnto the death, wherefore God also hath highlie exalted him, and set him on his right hand in heauenlie places, far aboue all powers and dominion. Halleluiah.
God is gone vp on high, and hathled captiuitie captiue, and receiued gifts for men. Halleluiah.
He that descended first into the lowe parts of the earth, is euen the same also that ascended vp, far aboue all heauens, to fulfill all things. Halleluiah.
God is gone vp with a merrie noise; the Lord is ascended in great triumph. Halleluiah.
Lift vp your head O ye gates, and be ye lift vp ye euerlasting dores, that the King of glorie may enter in. Halleluiah.
Yea, be thou exalted Lord in thine owne strength, so [Page 817] will we praise thy power perpetuallie, and euermore sing, Glorie to God on high, Halleluiah.
The praier.
THou, O Christ sonne of God, fortie daies after thy resurrection, continuedst in the world to the vnspeakable comfort of thy Church, which being expired, thou ascendedst gloriouslie in the sight of thy Saints into the heauens. We yeeld thee most hartie thanks for this thy benefit, beseeching thee most humblie to number vs among the saints and souldiers which wait vpon thee triumphieng. The hand-writing dependeth on the testimonie of our giltie conscience, to our condemnation; but by thy death, the sentence of condemnation is abolished, and thy bloud washeth vs from all our sins. The enimies of thine elect, euen the diuell and death, are lead bound, and the whole companie of the saints both in heauen and earth, is filled with ioie, & speake of thy victorie and benefits. Thy Saints in heauen visiblie doo behold thy glorious victorie. Thy Saints in earth are saued by faith, for the ornament and glorie of the kings daughter is glorious within.
In the sight of manie godlie auditors of thine, and of thy holie mother the blessed virgin Marie, thou wast carried visiblie from the earth in the clouds into heauen. Thou gauest a taste of eternall life to thine Apostles wondering at thy departure, and preachedst to them of thy returne into iudgement. Thou hast glorified thine humane nature with vnspeakable glorie, and placed the same on the right hand of thy Father, vpon the throne of triumph and victorie, as hauing for our sakes, vanquished all our enimies. But thine humane nature is not onelie aboue, as be thy [Page 818] Saints, but is exalted also to such a light, as cannot be attained to by anie creature. Thou reignest visible with the Father, replenishing the whole celestiall congregation with righteousnes and diuine glorie. Gouerne thou also in this mortall life, outwardlie in thy ministerie, and inwardlie in our minds. Thou hast ascended on high, and lead captiuitie captiue, to bestowe thy benefits vpon man.
Before thy departure thou renewedst the institution of thy ministerie, thou gauest thy disciples a commandement to preach to all nations; for which thy goodnesse, we giue thee most hartie thanks: for therby thou hast called vs to the societie of thy Saints. Assist vs with thy spirit, that we may beleeue the Gospell, and keepe for euermore the couenant which in our baptisme we haue made with thee. Thou adornedst thine Apostles which were to carrie a new doctrine ouer the face of the whole earth, with singular testimonies of miracles, that the Church might assuredlie knowe they erred not. Continue among vs in like sort thy ministerie, togither with the puritie of thy word. Send among vs Euangelists, pastors and teachers, which may ioine themselues to the doctrine of the Apostles, and diligentlie spread the same abroad, and speake thou which art the head of the ministerie within to our harts, and raise vp godlie motions through thy spirit.
Thou art ascended on high to bee the head of thy Church, filling all things; finish thy worke in vs; ingraffe vs to thy glorified bodie, and powre vpon vs from thy diuine nature a like spirit, which may intermingle it selfe with our soule, and begin while we here liue, in vs an eternall life, which may create in vs a new man, fashioned accordinglie to thy similitude and likenesse. And inspire in vs such a perfection and righteousnesse, as thou shalt thinke meete and conuenient [Page 819] for our weake and fraile nature; and let holie motions agreeing to thine heauenlie will be planted in vs. Driue awaie the darkenesse of our minds, extinguish the wicked affections of our hart, and let the new man dailie prosper and increase in perfection. Defend thy Church by thy mightie right hand, against all the power both of man and diuels. Fill our flitting soules with a tast of a new life, receiue them into thine hands, and grant that at the resurrection and glorification of thy Church, we maie ioifullie behold thee, returning and triumphing gloriouslie, and so be placed in that kingdome, which thou wilt deliuer to thy Father, for their euerlasting happinesse,
Amen.
Halleluiah. Glorie be to God on high.
Anotherverie deuout meditation and praier, wherein the mind is verie much mooued, and plentiouslie stirred to contemplation of heauenlie things, if it be said in quietnesse.
MOst mightie King, my verie good, gentle, & louing Lord Iesu Christ, which of thine inestimable charitie and vnspeakable pitie, taking vpon thee to be the seed of Abraham, not of Angels, didst vouchsafe not onlie willinglie to suffer for our sinnes both bonds, crosse, wounds, yea death and sepulchre, and after three daies (death being ouercome) didst rise againe for our iustification, wast seene of thy disciples, reforming their harts, and establishing them that were almost declining from thee: but also after thou hadst glorified our mortall nature with the stole of holie resurrection and immortalitie, the fortith daie after thou in the sight of thy disciples, didst with the triumph of thy glorie, gloriouslie ascend [Page 820] into heauen, and cariedst it aboue the heauens, and aboue all the melodious companie of Angels, aboue Cherubin and Seraphin, placing it vpon the right hand of God thy Father, where the Angels doo praise that same humane nature of ours, and all the powers of heauen doo euen tremble to see a man to be God ouer them, and where thou O Lord sittest and liuest euerlastinglie now, and reignest throughout all worlds.
Behold, I thy seelie creature, which with the weight of my frailenes am drawne euer downeward, and so not able to liue holilie, vertuouslie, and as I ought to liue, without thy continuall helpe, whervnto I thinke it necessarie for me to sticke and cleaue, most humblie beseech thee to drawe me vpward toward thee, that I may runne after thee in the sweet sauour of thine ointments. Let me runne, and not faint, when thou drawest me and leadest me running. Drawe the mouth of the soule that thirsteth after thee, vnto the high flouds and streames of thine eternall aboundance and satietie: yea drawe me wholie vnto thy selfe, which art the liuing well, to the intent I may, according to my capacitie, drinke of that whervpon I doo liue.
O my God, my life, thou didst saie with thy holie and blessed mouth; If anie man thirst, let him come vnto me, and drinke. O well of life, grant vnto my thirstie soule, alwaie to drinke of thee, that according to thy holie and true promise, waters of life may flowe out of my bellie. O well of life, replenish and fill my mind full of the riuer of thy pleasure. Make my hart to be droonken as it were in thy loue, that after the manner of them that be droonken with wine, which forget all things saue the cup, so I may forget all vaine & earthlie things, and continuallie haue nothing else in my remembrance, but thee onelie, according as it is written; I remembred God and was delighted. Giue me the holie Ghost, whom those waters did signifie, which [Page 821] thou didst promise to giue to them that thirsted after thee.
Grant I beseech thee, that I may assaie to go with my whole desire and all my studie toward that place, vnto the which I beleeue thou didst ascend the fortith daie after thy resurrection, that in this present miserie I may be onlie in bodie, but in thought and desire alwaies with thee, that my hart may be there whereas thou art which art my treasure, worthie to be coueted, and much to be loued, wherewith no treasure is woorthie to be compared.
Bring to passe, O Lord Christ, that through thy gift I may be stirred and carried vpward: for I feruentlie desire to ascend, yea I make certaine ascensions in my hart, lifting it vpward, and sing the song of starres. With the lampe of thy loue, I saie, am I kindled and moued to go with thee thither, whereas thou my portion reignest, and I beleeue to reigne; thither, whereas thou my flesh art glorified, and I beleeue to be glorified; thither, where thou my bloud rulest, and I perceiue me to beare rule, that is, euen vnto the peace of Ierusalem, to Ierusalem I saie which is my countrie; to Ierusalem which is my mother, would I now go vpward. For when I remember Ierusalem, I extend and stretch foorth towards it the senses of my hart, and towards thee, O Christ, which art a King ouer hir; hir light, hir father, hir defender, hir patrone, hir gouernour, hir keeper, hir chast and strong delight, hir onlie and whole pleasure, and of whome all hir goodnes and felicitie commeth, because thou art the cheefe good, and the true good: and I will neuer turne backe, vntill thou bring me home from this pilgrimage, in which I am deformedlie scattered abroad, vnto the place of my deerelie beloued mother, whereas be the first fruits of my spirit; and vntill thou, O God, which art my mercie, fashion me, and confirme me for euer. [Page 822] Whither go we now vpward? to the peace of Ierusalem? Bicause I was glad & reioiced in those things which were spoken vnto me, therfore wil I go into the house of the Lord, there hath he placed vs, there wil he giue vs all good things, therfore will I will & desire nothing else, but to tarie & remaine there before the Lord for euer. But, oh Lord, forasmuch as whilest we be clad in this bodie, we doo as it were go astraie, & are strangers vnto thee; we haue not here an abiding place for euer; but we seeke for one that is to come: our abiding place is in heauen, whither thou art ascended. Therefore thy fauour and grace my guide, I enter into the chamber of my hart, and sing vnto thee songs of loue, my King and my GOD, mourning with maruellous sighings in this place of my peregrination, whereas thy iustices are my songs, and whereas I am tossed with stormes on euerie side. For in this great floud of this life, there is no stedfast standing, or place high inough aboue the waters; no not for the foot of a doue to rest vpon. In this life, I saie, there is no safe or quiet peace; no where anie sure rest; euerie-where battell and strife; euerie-where enimies and fightings without doores, and frights and feares within doores.
And for asmuch as the one part of vs is heauenlie, and the other earthlie; our bodie which is corrupt, doth loden, and is burdenous vnto the soule: therefore my mind, which is my felowe and freend, being wearie with wandering foorth of the waie, is sicke, and lieth all to torne and rent of those things, which it hath passed by. It hungreth and thirsteth greatlie after vanities, and I haue nothing to set afore it, bicause I am poore and a begger. Thou, O Lord my God art rich in all good things, and the most plentious giuer of the deinties of heauenlie satietie. Giue meate vnto the wearie; not such as it thirsteth after, but such as is conuenient for it. Gather togither the dispersed; renew [Page 823] and refresh the torne. Lo, he standeth at the doore and knocketh. I beseech thee, by the bowels of thy mercie, wherwith thou being the daie-spring from an high hast visited vs; open the hand of thy pitie to a wretch that knocketh, and vouchsafe mercifullie to enter into thee; and that I may rest with thee, and be refreshed of thee, which art the liuing & heauenlie bread, wherewith when I am once fed, and that my strength is come to mee againe: I may ascend vnto more high things, and be lifted vp out of this vale of miserie and teares, and with the wings of my godlie desires I may flie vp vnto thee, and the heauenlie kingdome.
Let my spirit, O Lord, I beseech thee, take wings as an Egle, and flie without fainting: let it flie vp, and come to the beautifulnesse of thine holie house, and to the place of heauen, where thy glorie dwelleth; whereas vpon the meate-tables of thy supernall citizens, it may be fed full of thy secrets in the place of thy pasture by the most plentifull riuers sides. Let mine hart rest in thee, my God; my hart, I saie, which is as though it were a great sea swelling with waters. Thou diddest rebuke the winds and the sea, and there was made streightwaies a great calme: O come and wake vpon the fluds of mine hart, that all things which belong vnto me, may be made calme and cleere: that I may imbrace thee, which art mine onelie God, and that I may behold thee, which art the sweet light nf mine eies without anie blind darknesse of troublesome cogitations and thought. Let my mind flie, O Lord, vnder the shadowe of thy wings for meate, that it being couered with the temperatenesse of thy pleasant coolnesse, may sing ioifullie, and saie; I will laie me downe, and rest in peace. Finallie, let my memorie sleepe, O my God, I beseech thee, from all euils; make it to hate iniquitie, and to loue righteousnesse. For what can be better, or more delectable, than in the middes of the darknesse of [Page 824] this life, and among the manifold and bitter miseries of the same, to desire feruentlie heauenlie sweetnesse? To couet euerlasting blessednesse? Or our mind to be held euer there, whereas we may be most sure to haue infallible and true ioies?
Oh Lord, which for thy louing kindnesse art most woorthie to be desired, and coueted of all things: when shall I see thee? When shall I appeere before thy face? When shall I be satisfied of thy glorie? When wilt thou bring me foorth of this darke prison, that I may confesse thy name, so that afterward I bee no more pricked? When shall I passe, and go to that maruellous and beautifull house of thine, whereas the voice of gladnesse and reioicing doth sound in the tabernacles of iust men? Blessed are they that dwell in thine house, O Lord; they shall praise thee euer world without end. Blessed are they, yea blessed indeed, whom thou hast chosen, and taken into that heauenlie inheritance. Behold, O Lord, thy Saints flourish before thee, like vnto lillies. For they are replenished with the plentiousnesse of thine house, and thou dooest giue them to drinke of the flowing riuer of thy pleasure, bicause thou art the well of life, and in thy light and brightnes they doo see light; and that so greatlie, that they themselues, which are a light, and are made bright by thee, O Lord, which doost giue them light, doo shine like vnto the sunne in thy sight.
O how maruellous, how faire and beautifull, how acceptable are the mansions and dwelling places of thine house! O Lord of powers, my sinfull soule dooth couet to enter into them. O Lord, I haue loued the comlinesse of thine house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. I asked one petition of the Lord, and the same will I require; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life. Like as the Hart coueteth to go vnto the water brookes; euen so [Page 825] dooth my soule desire to come vnto thee, O Lord. When shall I come and appeare before the face of my Lord? When shall I see God, after whom my soule longeth verie sore? When shall I see him in the land of the liuing? For in this land of the dead he cannot be seene with mortall eies.
What shall I doo wretch that I am, which am fettered with the heauie gieues of mortalitie? What shall I doo? Whiles we continue in this bodie wee go astraie from the Lord: we haue here no abiding place for euer; but we labour for one that is to come. Our free citie is in heauen. Wo is me; me thinke I dwell among the barbarous nations and infidels, and not amongst the faithfull Israelites. I lead my life in the tents of Cedar. My soule hath dwelt too long with them that hate peace and quietnesse. Who will giue me wings as a dooue, that I may flie awaie, and rest me? There is nothing that I desire, or delight so much in, as to be in my Lords companie. It is good for me to cleaue vnto God. Oh grant me, O Lord, whilest I am in these fraile members, to sticke vnto thee, as it is written; He that cleaueth vnto the Lord, is all one spirit with him. Giue me therefore, I beseech thee, the wings of contemplation, wherewith when I am apparelled, I may flie vpward. And for asmuch as euerie vnluckie and infortunate thing lieth beneath: doo thou, O Lord, hold vp my mind, least it fall headlong into the lowest bottoms of the darke vallie, and least the shadowe of the earth should come betweene and separate it from thee, that art the bright sunne of righteousnes; and least it once hid with the clouds of darknesse, should not haue libertie; but be letted to looke for heauenlie things which be aboue.
Therefore I doo assaie to go vpward vnto the ioies of quietnesse and peace, and vnto the delectable and pleasant state of light. O hold mine hart with thine [Page 826] hand, bicause it cannot be drawne vnto high things without thee. Thither doo I make haste, whereas most chiefe and principall peace reigneth, and continuall quietnesse shineth foorth. Hold and gouerne my spirit, and take it according to thy will, that thou being a guide vnto it, it may ascend into the region and countrie of plentifulnesse, wheras thou feedest Israel euerlastinglie with the food of truth, to the intent, that there at the leastwise with my swift cogitation and thought, I may come nigh thy wisedome, which remaineth aboue all things, ouerpasseth all things, and gouerneth all things.
But alas, there be manie things, which when my soule would flie vnto thee, doo crie out vpon it. Command them all, O Lord, to hold their peace, and speake not vnto me. As for my soule it selfe, let it giue neuer a word to answer. Let it passe by all things. Let it clime aboue althings that be created, & come vnto thee. And that it may fasten the eies of faith vpon thee, which art the onlie Creator of all things. Let it couet vnto thee, and be bent towards thee. Let it thinke vpon thee by meditation and contemplation; let it laie thee before hir eies for it selfe. Let it roll and tosse thee in hir hart; thee, I saie, which art the true and chiefe goodnesse, and the ioie that will remaine without ending.
There are surelie manie contemplations, in the which mans soule is maruellouslie fed of thee; but in none of them is my soule so much delighted, or yet hath so good rest in, as in thee, and when as it thinketh vpon thee, and hath thee onelie in contemplation. Oh how much is thy sweetnesse, O Lord! How maruellouslie dooest thou inspire the harts of them that loue thee? How delectable is thy loue, the fruition whereof they haue that loue nothing but thee; they seeke nothing else; they couet nothing else: happie are they, whose onelie hope thou art; which haue no trust, but in thee [Page 827] onlie, and all their whole worke is praier. Blessed is he that sitteth solitarie alone, and holdeth his peace, and standeth vpon his ward, that he is set to keepe continuallie daie and night, that yet whilest he is in this fraile bodie, he may be able to taste somewhat thy pleasures.
I require thee by those thy wounds, which bring health vnto vs, which wounds thou sufferedst vpon the crosse for our health; out of the which thy pretious bloud (wherewith thou redeemedst vs, did distill and drop downe,) wound this my sinful soule, for the which also thou didst vouchsafe to die: wound it, I saie, with the fire and mightie dart of thy great charitie. For the word of God is liuelie and effectuous, and more pearcing and sharpe than anie two edged sword. Thou, O chosen dart, and most sharpe sword, which art able by thy power to pearce through the hard shield, or buckler of mans hart, fasten and strike the shaft of thy loue in mine hart, that my soule may saie vnto thee; I am wounded with thy charitie, so that foorth of that same wound of thy loue, teares may flowe most plentiouslie both daie and night.
Strike, O Lord, strike I beseech thee this most indurated and hardened hart and mind of mine, with the sharpe dart of thy loue, and pearce it deeper & deeper into the innermost parts thereof, by thy mightie power, and so bring out of my head aboundance of water, and out of mine eies a verie well of teares, continuallie running, through the great affect, and maruellous desire to see thy glorie, that I may moorne daie and night, without taking anie comfort in this life, vntill in thy heauenlie wedding chamber I may see thee my welbeloued and beautifull spouse, my God and my Lord, and that there when I see thy glorious, maruellous, and beautifull face full of all sweetnes, togither with them which thou hast chosen, then I saie, I [Page 828] may worship humblie thy Maiestie, and there at the last being replenished with heauenlie and vnspeakable reioicing of euerlasting gladnesse, I may euer crie out with them that loue thee, saieng: Behold, that which I haue long desired, now I haue obteined, for I am ioined in heauen vnto him, whome when I was in earth, I loued with all my strength, with all my charitie. I embraced him, vnto whome with all my loue I did sticke and cleaue. Him doo I praise, blesse, and woorship, that liueth and reigneth God world without end,
Amen.
Another praier to Christ, ascended and reigning in glorie.
OH good Christ, our first begotten brother, and tender-harted Ioseph! Oh naturall Sonne of that father, to whome we are made children of adoption through thee! Oh our head, reigning on high in glorie, forget not vs thy poore members heere on earth, where-into abasing thy selfe, thou cammest downe, and sufferedst for vs most cruell death! Out of this thy throne of maiestie and glorie thou puttest vs in assured hope and confidence, that we also shall atteine to this blessed place, whither thou art gone before to take possession for vs. Oh our strong tower of defence and succour, what can hurt vs now trusting in thee? Most vnhappie are they which are ignorant of thee, and most happie are they which alwaies behold thee. Blessed are they which haue knowne thee heere in the daies of this mortalitie: but more blessed are they which see thee in the heauens, and shall see thee reigning with thy Father in ioies incomparable.
Oh Lord, the onelie ioie and comfort of our soules, [Page 829] shew vs thy louing countenance, embrace vs with the armes of thy mercie. Receiue vs, O good Ioseph thy yonger brethren, with the kisse of comfort. Powre into our harts thy holie spirit. Plucke vs vp from the earth and earthlie things. Open our eies, and lift them vp vnto thee. Open thy mouth, and call vs vnto thee. Open our eares, that we may heare thee, so that whatsoeuer wee doo speake or thinke, it may be directed vnto thee alone our redeemer, mediator and aduocate,
Amen.
Another.
THou Lord didst put awaie Marie Magdalen from thee kissing of thy feet, because thy flesh was not yet exalted, and she knewe not yet the dignitie of thy clarified bodie, and beautified with the glorie of immortalitie, but was addicted onlie to thy bodilie presence. She yet sought thee liuing among the dead; neither was it knowne to hir that thou wast equall with thy Father: wherefore thou wouldest not suffer hir so much as to kisse thy feet, because it was a thing vnworthie for thy Maiestie.
O thou mightie Lion of the tribe of Iuda; thou conqueror of hell and death, euerliuing and immortall; thou art now risen from death for vs. Thou art now ascended to thy Father and our Father, and sittest at the right hand in glorie: grant that we also in hart and mind may thither ascend, and with thee continuallie dwell. Suffer vs to come neere vnto thee, that we may kisse thee. Yea Lord, thou louer of our soules, come thou rather vnto vs, and kisse vs with the kisse of thy mouth, that we may be glad & reioice in thee. Drawe vs, that we may runne after the sauour of thy sweet ointments, that we may behold thee in righteousnes, [Page 830] and when thy glorie shall appeare, we may be satisfied. For in thy presence there is fulnes of ioie, and on thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore, So be it, Halleluiah.
A Thanks-giuing.
WE lift vp our harts vnto thee, O Lord God: for it is verie meete, right, and our bounden dutie, that we should at all times, and in all places, giue thanks vnto thee O Lord holie Father, almightie euerlasting God, through thy most deere beloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, who after his glorious resurrection, manifestlie appeared to all his Apostles, and in their sight ascended vp into heauen, to prepare a place for vs, that where he is, thither we might also ascend to reigne with him in glorie. Therefore, with Angels, and Archangels, and with all the companie of heauen, we laud and magnifie thy glorious name, euermore praising thee, and saieng, Holie holie holie, Lord God of hoasts, heauen and earth are full of thy glorie, Glorie be to thee O God most high, So be it.
11. On Whitsundaie, or the feast of Pentecost. Of the sending of the Comforter, euen the spirit of truth.
The Preface.
THE spirit of the Lord filleth the round compasse of the world, and vpholdeth all things. Halleluiah.
The spirit of wisedome is louing, and will not absolue him that blasphemeth with his lips. Halleluiah.
The holie spirit of discipline flieth from deceipt, and [Page 831] withdraweth himselfe from thoughts that are without vnderstanding. Halleluiah.
This therefore is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loue darkenesse more than light. Halleluiah.
But O Father, leaue vs not comfortlesse, but come vnto vs, and giue vs the Comforter, euen the holie spirit of truth, which the world can not receiue, that he may abide with vs, and dwell within vs for euer. Halleluiah.
Come holie Ghost, and teach vs in all thy waies, and bring all things to our remembrance whatsoeuer God hath commanded vnto vs, that we may speake with new lips, and magnifie God, according to his will. Halleluiah.
Make me a cleane hart O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Halleluiah.
Cast me not awaie from thy presence, and take not thy holie spirit from me. Halleluiah.
O giue me the comfort of thy help againe, and stablish me with thy free spirit. Halleluiah.
Then shall I teach thy waies vnto the world, and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee. Halleluiah, Halleluiah.
The Praier.
IF ye loue me, keepe my commandements, and I will pray the Father, and he shall giue you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for euer, euen the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receiue, &c. Oh heauenlie speech to be had in perpetuall remembrance! Thou O Christ promisest such as keepe thy commandements, such as in faith and a good conscience obeie thee, to bee loued intirelie of thy Father, and their brests to be the [Page 832] inhabiting place of thy diuinitie. Nothing is more lamentable, than to be cast from God into feare and fire vnquenchable; nothing more comfortable; than to haue thy fauour, and to be loued of God. This so excellent a benefit thou doest promise to thy disciples, wherfore ingraffe vs to the blessed companie which thy Father doth loue, whose sinnes are forgiuen through thy deserts, and they are receiued into mercie, and the inheritance of eternall life through thy death. Neither is it thy will to haue vs present in loue, and by the imputation of thy righteousnes onlie, but also by a naturall participation and reall conformitie with God in deed.
Man deceiued by the diuell, forsooke God his gouernour, & conceiued so highlie of himselfe, that he would rule himselfe without God. Let God defend thy life, the rest seeke from thy selfe, saie the wise men of this world; and they commend that man whose onlie hope dependeth vpon himselfe. But O lamentable darkenesse, how shamefullie doth man fall without God assist! How miserablie doth he perish, whome God forsaketh! Wherefore taking pitie on our wretched state, thou restorest the ancient order, interrupted through sinne, and wilt that the harts of the faithfull shall againe be made ye dwelling place, & temple of diuinitie.
The God-head in deed is euerie where, vpholding as long as hee thinketh good, the whole frame of the world, and the substance of euerie particular thing therein: and againe destroieng all when he thinketh good so to doo; notwithstanding, he abideth onlie in the soule, which receiueth Christ: into it doo the Father and the word breath of their spirit, and link it to themselues in like light, righteousnesse and life. In the Sonne the glorie of the Father doth shine, and filleth that humane substance, which the word, through an eternall couenant, coupleth to himselfe with the same [Page 833] spirit, and powreth it into the harts of beleeuers, to make them like vnto him. For the word, through the same spirit, quickeneth both his owne and our flesh. And this is the beginning of eternall life in this miserable world. This spirit imprinteth the image of God, which the word (present in our minds) doth speake in our soule, kindeling a light and knowledge conformable to the Gospell, turneth vs to the true seruice of GOD, and stirreth vp in our wils so holie motions, agreeing to the lawe of Christ, as shine in that humane nature of Christ now glorified, who cureth our infirmitie.
He commeth from the Father sent by the Sonne to renew vs according to the image of Christ. He returneth to the Sonne and Father to couple vs vnto God; to make intercession for vs with grones vnspeakable, and to mooue the hart of eternall God vnto mercie and compassion towards vs. Such is our nature, that through Gods spirit we reason christianlie, and thinke godlie: then how can it be, but that the spirit must raise godlie cogitations & good motions in our minds, which is by nature a God, and therefore substantiallie doth he mingle himselfe with our spirits, springing in our nature, but regenerated by him to imprint in vs another light and newnesse, than is naturall wisdome and righteousnesse; and therefore manie sighes doo we fetch, euen these deepe sighes.
And thou word dwelling in our minds, be thou present, and kindle our harts by thy blast. Conuert vs, Lord, and we shall be conuerted. Turne vs to the acknowledging of our sinnes; erect vs by the preaching of the Gospell, and grant that through faith we may receiue the promise of the spirit. Strengthen vs, that we may retaine so excellent a gift, and at no time be intangled in the snares of Sathan, neither yet forgo so noble a ghest, for our wickednes, Make vs to walke [Page 834] circumspectlie, not as fooles following our vaine concupiscence; to shun all occasions of falling, & euermore to craue at thine hands, that this pretious gift may from time to time continue with vs, and increase.
And as vpon this daie thou hast taught the harts of thy people, by the sending to them the light of thine holie spirit; so grant vs by the same spirit, to haue a right iudgment in all things, and euermore to reioice in his holie comfort. Let the same spirit bring into our memorie, that which thou hast said; make it firmelie to retaine the foundation of sound doctrine, vttered from the bosome of the Father, and at no time to seeke new reuelations, as doo the Enthusian heretikes, both without and beside the warrant of thy word. Let vs neuer inuent fained gods, and false worshippings; but followe onelie and sincerelie that, which thou hast said and taught.
The world followeth vaine pleasure, seeketh prosperitie, and hunteth after wealth and worship, especiallie the last age of this world doth so: it altogither doteth, and is become secure; but fill thou our harts with true peace, wherewith we may staie our selues in the combate of conscience, fighting before the iudgment of God. And in our agonies, when a separation shall be made both of soule and bodie; then giue vs grace to be mindfull of this thy saieng; Let not your harts be greeued; I go, and come againe vnto you.
Let not thy comfortable presence depart from our soule: thou wilt certainlie come againe, euen to raise vs from the dead, to place vs in thy kingdome. Wherfore we reioice at thy departure vnto thy Father. For the Father is greater than thou. Thou hast prepared a place, and blessed mansion in the house of thy Father, exalted to the right hand of the Father, and hast respect of the person sent euen till the consummation of the world. Cease not to applie the merits of thy sacrifice [Page 835] vnto vs, make continuall intercession for vs. Thou abidest our King and Priest, vntill thou deliuerest the kingdome to thy Father. And therefore as a Mediator thou doost verelie obtaine those good things, which thou hast promised to all beleeuers.
Thou valiantlie didst conquer Sathan, to make vs parteners of thy victorie. Thou willinglie gauest thy life, that it might satisfie for manie. Thou wast obedient to thine eternall Father, in the race of thine humiliation, that by thy death we might liue. Wherefore, seale within vs this faith and righteousnesse; grant that continuallie we may retaine thy saiengs in our minds; that we may enioie thy peace, and keepe a place for thy diuinitie in our harts, while we liue in this world, through our first fruits, and so hereafter in the life to come, we shall attaine the tenths, and be made like vnto thee, beholding God face to face: So be it.
Another meditation and thanks-giuing, for the good effects that the holie Ghost worketh in vs by his comming.
AL possible praise and thanks I yeeld vnto thee, O God heauenlie Father, and vnto thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ my Sauiour, for sending downe thy spirit of truth our comforter, sanctifier, and regenerator, the holie Ghost into this world. The which thing verelie I beleeue thou didst for this onelie end and purpose, that bicause the grape of thy sonne our Sauiour Christs flesh was caried to the wine-presse of the Crosse, and there being pressed, yeelded foorth the sweet wine of his Godhead: it pleased thee therefore of thy great mercie to send the same thy holie Ghost, to make readie the vessels of mens harts, that the new wine might be put into new [Page 836] vessels: first to season their harts from marring of the wine that should be put into them, and afterward to hoope them well for leaking, when the wine was powred into them: that is to saie; to clense them from delighting in sinne, and to bind them from delighting in vanitie. For that which is good, could not come in, till that which is euill, was first rid out.
Oh woonderfull worke! Oh vnspeakable benefit of thy surpassing goodnesse and mercie, most woorthie of all praise, that man on earth, or Angels in heauen may giue or render! The holie name of thy sacred Maiestie be therefore blessed, magnified, and extolled, for euer and euer, Amen. And now, O gratious God, and good Father, I most humblie and intirelie beseech thee, that for as much as delighting in wickednesse (which is to loue sinne) doth defile vs, and make our vessels fowle; yea leadeth to death: and that the delighting in vanitie (which is to be in loue with transitorie things of this world) sheddeth out, and maketh the vessell of our bodies full of crannies and rifts, yea intiseth and deceiueth vs to our destruction; it may please thee therefore of thine ancient and accustomed mercie and goodnesse, to giue me grace to cast out the thing that is euill in me, that I may be fit to take in and receiue the thing that is good in thee, and so to powre out all sowernesse of sinne and wickednesse, that I may be filled with the sweetnesse of all vertue and godlinesse.
Yea, doo thou thy selfe, O gratious Father (euen with the same thy blessed finger, and mightie power, wherewith in times past by thy sonne Christ Jesus thou didst rebuke and throwe the diuels and vncleane spirits foorth of those that were possessed,) vouchsafe also I beseech thee, of the same thy singular loue and pitie, to cast out of me the fowle spirit of the diuell, which worketh delight in wickednesse, and is the occasion of faults: yea so, and in such sort to abandon him, [Page 837] that he, nor anie of his, may euer returne into my vessell anie more to dwell therein. I beseech thee furthermore, to expell foorth of my vessell, the spirit of this world, which worketh delight in vanitie, and is a fault of it selfe; that I be neuer intised, nor deceiued anie more therewith hereafter. Finallie, I humblie praie thee to throwe out of me all other euill and vncleane spirits whatsoeuer, which are noisome enimies to my soule and saluation: and grant that thy spirit, O God, euen the holie Ghost, I meane, with all the fruits, gifts, vertues, and graces thereof, may vouchsafe to come and enter into the tabernacle of mine hart and mind, to worke in me good delights, & good loue, whereby the loue of the world, and the loue of sinne, may bee vtterlie driuen awaie from me for euer: and my mind be continuallie inlightened; my conscience still clensed; mine hart euer gladded; and thou thy selfe, my GOD, my Sanctifier and Sauiour, be more and more shewed, and made manifest vnto me,
Amen.
A Thanks-giuing vnto God for our regeneration and sanctification, not vnproper to be vsed also at publike Baptisme.
O God the holie Ghost, which proceedest from the Father & the Sonne, and with them art woorshipped and glorified in the vnitie of the true and eternall Deitie, and art also the substantiall amitie betweene the Father and the Sonne, we worship thee, we praise and glorifie thee, and with our whole hart we thanke thee for all thy benefits, especiallie for calling vs by the voice of thy Gospell, vnto the Christian congregation, for illuminating vs with thy gifts; for sanctifieng vs with a stedfast faith; and for keeping vs hitherto in the same. For by [Page 838] the fount of the wholesome lauour, that is, by the water of holie Baptisme, being powred into vs, thou dooest continuallie worke in vs regeneration and renewing of the inward man. Harken, we beseech thee, vnto our supplication, and teach vs miserable women, which by the proper strength of our onlie reason, can by no meanes trust in, or approch to Christ our Lord and Sauiour: teach vs, O our God, what thy pleasure is, and leade vs into all truth. For without thine assistance, none can saie that Iesus is the Lord.
O blessed Lampe of light, fill the inward parts of the faithfull with the holie oile of thy manifold heauenlie gifts and graces, without the which nothing is light and pleasant in man, but euerie thing darke, obscure, and hurtfull. Wash thou that is filthie; water that is drie; heale that is wounded; bow the obstinate; cherish the frosen; and reclaime them which wander. Giue to the faithfull trusting in thee, the reward of wel-doing, the entrance into happines and euerlasting comfort. Thou in thy gifts seauen-fold, which art the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding, the spirit of counsell and strength, the spirit of knowledge, and of the feare of the Lord; inspire into vs through the preaching of the Gospell, thine heauenlie wisedome about thine essence and dinine pleasure, which is hid from the world. Grant that we may knowe the Father and the Sonne by thee, and may alwaies beleeue that thou art the spirit of them both, & so worship one God in Trinitie, and the Trinitie in vnitie, whose will is, that not one should perish, but be conuerted & liue; and that as manie as beleeue in the Sonne, should haue euerlasting life. For the Father sent the Sonne, not to condemne the world, but that the world through him might be saued.
O lightener of the mind, powre vpon vs thy new light, and purge the horrible darkenes of our minds, [Page 839] so that we may see & knowe our chiefe Father, whome pure eies onlie doo behold. O thou heauenlie comforter, giue vnto vs a testimonie, and grant vnto our minds a token of the certaintie of our beleefe, so that we doubt not, neither wauer about thy diuine goodnes towards vs. Make our harts quiet and secure, that with a full trust and confidence we may approch to the throne of thy heauenlie grace, receiuing by adoption the right of children; and inflamed with spirituall ioie in all boldnesse and libertie, may crie Abba, Father.
Thou most faithfull aduocate, strengthen vs against all the assaults and temptations of sathan, so that we may neuer doubt of thy diuine prouidence and predestination, whereby we are chosen and called in Christ vnto euerlasting life; and neuer being stroken with a seruile feare, and oppressed with dreadfull doubtings, may in a rage flee and forsake our God. O surpassing comforter, leaue vs not destitute of thine aid and patronage; but vouchsafe euermore to be present with vs in our crosses & troubles, least otherwise we faint: but rather make vs to reioice in tribulations, knowing that a crowne of life is laid vp for such as loue him. O thou teacher of men, instruct vs how, and what we ought to praie for, according to thy will, that we may be heard; and make thou intercession for vs with sighes that can not be expressed.
O thou cleanser of the heart, giue vs the simplicitie of mind without gall and bitternes, which descendedst in Iordan vpon our Lord and Sauiour Christ in the likenes of a dooue, that we may be void of bitter enuie and contention in our harts, and haue no roote among vs, that bringeth foorth gall and woormewood. O thou substantiall flame, proceeding from the breast of the Father, and his eternall Sonne, lighten our harts with the fire of chaste and burning loue. Thou which appearedst as vpon this daie at the feast of Pentecost [Page 840] vnto the Apostles in clouen tongs like fire, see our coldnesse, and comfort vs with thy quickening heate and breathings, that we may receiue thy chrisme and annointment. O thou ghest of the soule, make thee a mansion place within the secret parts of our hearts, that we may be an house for thy diuinitie, which may dwell perpetuallie in our members, and neuer depart from vs, through our Lord & Sauiour Iesus Christ,
Amen.
A thanks-giuing.
WE lift vp our harts vnto thee, O Lord GOD. For it is verie meet, right, and our bounden dutie, that we should at all times, and in all places giue thanks vnto thee, O Lord holie Father, the almightie, euerlasting GOD, through Iesus Christ our Lord; according to whose most true promise, the holie Ghost came downe this daie from heauen, with a sudden great sound, as it had beene a mightie wind; in the likenes of fierie tongues, lighting vpon the Apostles, to teach them, and lead them to all truth, giuing them both the gift of diuers languages, and also boldnesse, with feruent zeale constantlie to preach thy Gospell vnto all nations, whereby we are brought out of darknesse and errour into the cleere light and true knowledge of thee, and of thy Sonne Iesus Christ. Therefore with Angels, and Archangels, & with all the blessed cōpanie of heauen, we laud and magnifie thy glorious name, euermore praising thee, and saieng, Holie holie holie Lord God of hosts: heauen and earth are full of thy glorie. Glorie be to thee, O Lord most high: So be it.
12. On Trinitie Sundaie. An acknowledgement of the almightie Trinitie, and his vndiuided God-head, essence, power and maiestie.
The Preface.
WHen Iesus was baptised in the water; lo, the heauens opened, and the spirit of God descended like a dooue, and lighted vpon him: and behold, there came a voice from heauen, saieng; This is my deerlie beloued Sonne, in whom I am well pleased.
Holie, holie, holie; Lord God almightie. Halleluiah.
There are three, which beare record in heauen; the Father, the Word, and the holie Ghost, and these three are one.
Holie, holie, holie; Lord God of Saboth. Halleluiah.
The Praier.
O Most high Trinitie, one onlie power, and vndefiled maiestie, our God, God almightie, the beholder and searcher of mine hart, I the abiect and hindmost of all thy seruants, confesse and acknowledge thee, and being the least member of thy Church, I woorship thee with a due sacrifice of praise, for so much as I am able and can, according to that which thou hast vouchsafed to endue me withall. And forasmuch as I am destitute of outward gifts to offer vnto thee, those vowes of praise which I haue of the gift of thy mercie, behold willinglie and gladlie I offer them vnto thee, which be an vnfeigned faith, and a pure conscience.
I beleeue therefore with all my hart, O king of heauen, and Lord of the earth, and with my mouth doo I [Page 842] confesse thee, the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, to be three persons, and one in substance; the true and verie God almightie, of one simple, incorporall, and inuisible nature, incomprehensible, and of such a nature, as is not in a place as other natures be, and that thou hast nothing superiour or aboue thy selfe, or lower, or anie thing bigger than thy selfe, but in all manner of meanes perfect, without all spot of deformitie. And that thou art great without quantitie; good without qualitie; euerlasting without time; life without death; strong without infirmitie or weakenesse; true without lieng; present in euerie place without anie situation, or being placed in anie place, to be all euerie where without place; fulfilling all things without stretching foorth thy hand; going euerie where without anie contradiction or gaine-saieng; passing ouer all things without mouing; abiding in all things without anie kind of proportion; making all things, hauing need of nothing; gouerning all things without labour; giuing all things their beginning, hauing no beginning thy selfe; making all things mutable and variable, thy selfe being without all kind of mutabilitie and variablenesse.
I confesse thee to be in greatnesse without measure; in power almightie; in goodnes the cheefe and best; in wisedome inestimable; in counselles, intents, and purposes terrible and fearefull; in iudgements most vpright and iust; in cogitations and thoughts most secret; in words true; in works holie; in mercies aboundant and plentifull; toward offenders most patient; towards the penitent, and those that be hartilie sorie for their sinnes most gentle & louing; alwaies the same, euerlasting, and continuallie continuing, immortall, and incommutable, impossible to be changed or altered.
Whome neither the amplitude or largenes of places [Page 843] doth make bigger, nor the shortnesse or littlenesse of places make lesser, nor anie places or corners can conteine or presse togither. Neither doth thy will or intent varie or alter, nor familiaritie or acquaintance corrupt thee, nor sorrowfull things trouble or amaze thee, nor glad things make thee pleasant or frolike as a man would saie. For from thee can forgetfulnes take nothing, nor mindfulnes or remembrance giue anie thing. Neither are things passed vnto vs, passed also vnto thee; nor things which to vs are to come, to come towards thee. For neither beginning doth giue anie beginning to thee, nor time anie increase, nor yet chance giueth thee anie end; but before all worlds, and in all worlds, and by worlds into euerlasting thou dooest liue, and thou hast continuall praise and perpetuall glorie; most high power, and singular honor; euerlasting kingdome, and rule, and empire without end, through the infinite, and vnwearie, and immortall world of worlds.
Another meditation of the right beleefe in the vnitie of persons and pluralitie in God.
THese, and much mo things haue I learned of the holie mother the Church, whereof through thy grace I am made a member. Of hir haue learned how thou the alone and true God, both hast no bodie, and also art vnsubiect to passions, & how nothing of thy substance or nature is anie waie violable, or changeable, or compounded, or created: and therefore certaine it is, how thou canst neither be perceiued by anie bodilie eies, nor could euer be seene in the proper nature of anie mortall man. For hence it may euidentlie be gathered, that where Angels doo now behold thee, there we also after this [Page 844] life shall see thee, naie, the verie Angels neither are able to see thee as thou art in thy selfe, naïe to conclude, the almightie Trinitie is knowne to none but onlie to thy selfe, O blessed Trinitie.
And thou, an vnitie of the God-head, through the pluralitie of persons manifold, art in number infinite, and therefore measurablie vnmeasurable, and waightily vnwaiable. For we knowledge no beginning of the souereigne goodnesse, the which thou art, of whome, through whome, in whom are all things, but through participation thereof we saie all good things are. For thy diuine essence hath alwaies been, and yet is without matter, although it lacke no forme, to wit, informed, the forme of formes, the most welformed forme, the which while thou imprintest as a seale to euerie particular thing, thou makest them doubtlesse to differ from thy selfe, without any either of your augmenting, or diminishing, but whatsoeuer is in the world it is thy creature.
O simple Trinitie, and triple vnitie, God, whose almightinesse both possesseth, and ruleth, and replenisheth all things which thou hast created. Neither in saieng how thou fillest all things, meane we that they conteine thee, but rather that thou conteinest them; neither by parts fillest thou all things, nor yet may it be thought, that euerie thing, according to the greatnesse of the portion it hath, receiueth thee, that is, the greatest thing more, and the smallest thing lesse, thou rather being in all things, or more trulie, all things in thee, whose omnipotencie includeth all things. Neither can any man find a waie to escape thy power. For whosoeuer hath not thy fauour, can by no meanes auoid thy displesure, as it is written, Neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South, but God is the iudge. And againe, Whither shall I go frō thy spirit? Or whither shall I go from thy presence?
[Page 845] The immensitie of thy diuine greatnesse is this, that we knowe thee to be within all things, not as included; and without all things, yet not as excluded. And therefore thou art within, that thou maist containe all; and therfore without, that all things may be comprehended within the immensitie of thine vncircumscribed greatnesse. So then by that thou art within, thou art knowne to be a Creator; by that thou art without, we perceiue how thou art the gouernour of all things. And least all things, which are created might be without thee, thou art within and without, that all things may be included of thee, not by locall greatnesse, but by thy mightie presence, who art euerie-where present, and all things present before thee: although some vnderstand these things, yet some doo not.
The vnitie then of thine inseparable nature, can not haue separable persons; bicause, as thou art a Trinitie in vnitie, and an vnitie in Trinitie; so can you not haue a separation of persons. Sometimes indeed, those persons are particularlie named; but so thou wouldest, O God the Trinitie, declare thy selfe inseparable in persons; that there is no name in anie one person, but may be referred vnto another, according to the rule of relation: as the Father vnto the Sonne, & the Sonne vnto the Father; so hath the holie Ghost true relation both vnto the Father & the Sonne. Also, those names, which signifie either your substance, O GOD, or person, or power, or essence, or else what, which properlie is called God, doo equalliie agree to all the persons: as great God, almightie, eternall, and generallie all things, which naturalle are spoken of God. So that there is no name of nature, which so maie agree vnto thee, God the Father, but the same also may fitlie be referred vnto the Sonne, and holie Ghost.
[Page 846] We saie how thou the Father art naturallie God; so is the Sonne naturallie God, and the holie Ghost naturallie: and yet not three Gods; but one God naturallie, the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost. And therefore, O God holie Trinitie, in persons thou art inseparable; in sense are they to be vnderstood, though in sound you haue separable names. For you receiue no plurall number in the nature. For hereby it is declared, how the persons in the holie Trinitie, which is one verie God, can not be diuided: for that the name of euerie person, respecteth alwaie another person. If I say the Father, I point vnto the Sonne; if I name the Sonne, I presuppose a Father; if I mention the holie Spirit, I must necessarilie vnderstand of whom he is the Spirit; namelie, of the Father, and of the Sonne. For this is the true faith, proceeding from sound doctrine: this vndoubtedlie is the catholike and right faith, which God of his goodnesse hath taught me in the bosome of the mother Church.
The faith or beleefe of a true Christian, concerning the blessed Trinitie, most notablie described.
O My light, I praise thee for inlightening mee, whereby I knowe thee; but how do I knowe thee? I knowe thee to be God alone, a liuing God, a true God, my Creator. I knowe thee to be the maker both of heauen and earth, of all things visible and inuisible, a verie GOD, almightie, immortall, inuisible, vncompassable, vnlimitable, euerlasting, to whom none can approch vnto, nor comprehend, nor find out; who art vnchangable, vnmeasurable, infinite, the beginning of all creatures, be they visible or inuisible, by whom all things were created; [Page 847] through whom all the elements doo consist: whose maiestie, as it neuer had beginning; so it shall neuer haue end.
I knowe thee to be one God alone, the true God; namelie, the eternall Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost; three persons indeed, but one simple substance, and vnparted nature; the Father made of none; the Sonne of the Father alone; the holie Ghost of the Father and of the Sonne; alwaies without either beginning or end. A Trinitie, yet but one onlie, and verie God, omnipotent; the onelie beginning of all things, maker of all creatures, both visible and inuisible, spirituall and temporall, which by thine almightie power at the beginning diddest of nothing make togither, both creatures, spirituall & corporall, that is to saie, Angelicall and worldlie, and after the humane, as a middle nature consisting of bodie and spirit.
I knowe and confesse thee GOD the Father, to be vnbegotten; thee God the Sonne, to be begotten of the Father; thee God the holie Ghost the comforter, to be neither made, nor begotten. With mine hart I beleeue vnto righteousnesse, and with my mouth I confesse vnto saluation, this holie and single Trinitie, in the three coequall, consubstantiall, and coeternall persons, to be a Trinitie in vnitie, and an vnitie in Trinitie.
I knowe thee Iesus Christ our Lord, to be a true God, the onlie begotten Sonne of God, and the Creator, Sauiour, and Redeemer, not of me onelie, but also of all mankind: whom I acknowledge to be begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of GOD, light of light, verie God of verie God, begotten, not made, being of one substance, and coeternall with the Father and the holie Ghost, by whom all things at the beginning were made: stedfastlie beleeuing, and trulie confessing, that thou Iesus Christ, the onelie begotten [Page 848] Sonne of God, for our saluation, by the consent of the whole Trinitie tookest flesh; and wert conceiued by the holie Ghost, of the virgin Marie, and wert made verie man, of a reasonable soule, and humane flesh subsisting.
Thou, for so much as in respect of thy God-head, being the onlie begotten Sonne of God, thou couldest neither suffer, nor die, through thine exceeding loue, wherewith thou hast loued vs. Thou, the verie same Sonne of God, for all that, becamest subiect to sufferings, and mortalitie, in respect of thy manhood: and, O onlie Sonne of God, for the saluation of mankind didst suffer death vpon the wood of the Crosse, to saue vs from euerlasting death. Thou, the author of light, descendedst into hell, and like a glorious conqueror, rosest againe the third daie, taking to thee againe thy sacred bodie, which for our sinnes had lien in the sepulchre; and quickening it according to the scripture the third daie, that thou mightest place the same at the right hand of the Father.
For thou, the verie Sonne of God, taking againe vnto thy selfe the substance of our flesh, that is to saie, the soule and humane bodie, which thou tookest of the glorious virgin, art ascended vp aboue all the heauens, and mounted aboue the orders of Angels, where thou sittest at the right hand of God the Father, and whereas the fountaine of life is; the light which none can attaine vnto: and the peace of God, which passeth all vnderstanding. There we doo worship thee; there we doo beleeue thee to be the verie God, and verie man; confessing God to be thy Father, and from thence wee looke, that thou wilt come a Iudge in the end of the world, to iudge both the quicke and the dead, and to render to all men, good and bad, according to their deeds, which they haue done in this life, either reward or punishment, according as euerie one is woorthie, [Page 849] rest or torment. For all men, euen as manie as haue receiued soules in their humane flesh, which they had in this world, shall rise at that daie, through the sound of thy power: that whole man may receiue either the glorie of heauen, or the paine of hell, according to his deserts. Thou art our resurrection, and the life it selfe, whom we looke for; euen the Lord Iesus Christ our Sauiour, who shail change our vile bodie, that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie.
I knowe thee the holie Spirit, both of the Father and of the Sonne, to be one God, and a verie GOD, proceeding alike from them both, of one substance, and coeternall with the Father and the Sonne, our comforter, and aduocate: which camest downe in the likenesse of a dooue vpon the same God, and our Lord Iesus Christ, and shewedst thy selfe vpon thine Apostles in fierie tongues: which also euen from the beginning hast instructed, with the gift of thy grace, all the Saints and chosen of God; and opened the mouthes of the Prophets, that they might declare abroad the woonderfull mysteries of the kingdome of God; who also togither with the Father and the Sonne, of all the Saints of God art worshipped and glorified. Among whom I thine handmaid doo glorifie thy name, bicause thou hast inlightened me. For thou art the verie light; the true light; the fire of God; the maister of spirits, which by thine ointment teachest vs all truth, the Spirit of truth, without which it is impossible to please God. For thou thy selfe art God of God, and light of light, vnspeakablie proceeding from the Father of lights, and from his Sonne our Lord Iesu Christ, with whom thou reignest and art glorified most singularlie, being of one substance, coequall, and coeternall with them in the essence of one and the same Trinitie.
I knowe thee Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, to be [Page 850] one, a liuing, and a verie God: three I confesse in persons, yet but one in essence; whom I acknowledge, worship, and glorifie with mine whole hart, being the true God, the onlie God, holie, immortall, inuisible, vnchangable, whom no man can either attaine vnto, or find out. This God I acknowledge to be one light, one sunne, one bread, one life, one happinesse, one beginning, one end, one Creator both of heauen and earth, by whom all things doo liue; by whom all things subsist; by whom all things are gouerned, ruled, and quickened, both the things in heauen, and the things in earth, & things vnder the earth: besides whom there is no God, neither in heauen, nor in earth.
Thus knowe I thee, O blessed Trinitie, my Lord God, who knowest me. Thus knowe I thee, through the faith, which thou hast inspired to me. I knowe thee O my light, the sight of mine eies, O Lord my GOD, the hope of all the ends of the earth: the ioie reioicing my youth, and the good susteining mine age. For in thee, O Lord, all my bones reioice, saieng; O Lord, who is like to thee? Among the gods, who is like to thee? Not that whom the hands of men haue made; but thou who hast made the hands of men. The idols of the nations are siluer and gold, euen the works of mens hands: so is not he which made man. All the gods of the people are idols; but the Lord made the heauens. Let those gods, which made not the heauens, and the earth, perish from the earth, and from vnder these heauens; but let both heauen and earth praise him, which created both earth and heauen,
Amen.
A zealous praier vnto the blessed Trinitie.
WHerefore, O Lord, my faith, which thou hast giuen me to my saluation, calleth vnto thee. For the faithfull soule liueth by faith; he enioieth in hope, which one daie he shall behold [Page 851] in thee. O my God, vnto thee crieth my pure conscience, and the sweet loue of my faith, which the darkenes of ignorance being driuen away, thou hast brought vnto the knowledge of the truth: which also thou hast plucked from the foolish bitternes of this world, and made comfortable and pleasant to me through thy sweet loue.
Unto thee, O blessed Trinitie, doth the cleere voice and sincere loue of my faith call, the which nourishing the same from the cradle, thou hast inlightned alwaie by the light of thy grace, & confirmed mightilie in me through the instructions of our mother the Church. Unto thee doo I call, O happie, blessed, glorious, and single Trinitie, Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost; God, Lord, and Comforter; loue, grace, and communion; the begetter, the begotten, the renewer; the verie light of the verie light, the verie illumination, the spring, the floud, and the watering: of one, all; through one, all; in one, all things: of whome, through whome, and in whome are all things. The liuing life, the life from the liuing, the quickener of such as liue. One of himselfe; one of one; one of two. A being of himselfe; a being of another; a being from both. The Father is true, the Sonne truth, and the holie Ghost truth: so that the Father, the Word, & the Comforter, are one essence, one power, one goodnes, and one blessednes; of whom, through whome, and in whome, all things be blessed, whatsoeuer things are blessed. I beseech thee therefore, that as thou hast giuen me grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glorie of the eternall Trinitie, and in the power of the diuine maiestie, to worship the vnitie: so grant, that through the stedfastnesse of this faith, I may euermore be preserued, comforted & defended in all my troubles & aduersities; which liuest and reignest, three persons and one God, blessed for euer,
Amen.
Another deuout praier to the holie Trinitie.
WIth all my hart and mouth doo I confesse, praise, & blesse thee O God the Father vnbegotten, and thee O God the Sonne onlie begotten, also thee O holie Ghost & Comforter; to thee be glorie in the world of worlds, Amen.
O blessed Trinitie, thou three coequall and coeternall persons, and one verie God, the Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, who dwellest alone in euerlastingnes, and in vnapprochable light, which hast founded the earth by thy mightie power, and rulest the whole world by thy wisedome. Holie holie holie Lord God of hoasts, dreadfull, strong, righteous, mercifull, maruellous, praise-woorthie, to be beloued, one God, three persons, one being, power, wisedome, goodnes, and one vnspeakable Trinitie: I crie vnto thee. Open me the gates of righteousnes, and when I am come in, I will praise thee O Lord. Behold, I poore begger knocke at thy doore; O souereigne housholder, command the gates to be opened at my knocking, according as thou hast said; Knocke yee, and it shall be opened.
For trulie, O most mercifull Father, the desires of my groning hart, and the cries of my weeping eies, doo knocke at thy doore. All my desire is before thee, and my groning is not hid from thee. Lord turne not thy face anie more awaie from me, neither fling thou awaie from thy seruant in a fume. O Father of mercies, heare the howling out of thy Ward, and reach hir thy singular good helping hand, that it may drawe me out of the deepe waters, and out of the lake of miserie, and out of the mire of filthines, that I perish not; thy pitifull eies seeing it, and the bowels of thy mercie beholding [Page 853] it, but that I may wade out vnto thee my Lord God, so as I may see the riches of thy kingdome, and alwaies behold thy face, and sing praises to thy holie name, O Lord, which workest woonders, which cheerest my hart with remembring thee, and which inlightenest my youth: despise not mine old age, but make my bones to reioice, and my hoarie heares to waxe fresh againe as the Eagle.
A Thanks-giuing.
WE lift vp our harts vnto thee O Lord, for it is verie meet, right, and our bounden duties, that we should at all times and in all places giue thanks to thee O God almightie, and euerlasting God, which art one God, one Lord; not one onelie person, but three persons in one substance. For that which we beleeue of the glorie of the Father, the same we beleeue of the Sonne, and of the holie Ghost, without anie difference, or inequalitie. Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the companie of heauen, we laud and magnifie thy glorious name, euermore praising thee, and saieng, Holie holie holie Lord God of hoasts; heauen and earth are full of thy glorie. Glorie be to thee O Lord most high, and in earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we blesse thee, we woorship thee, we glorifie thee, we giue thanks to thee for thy great glorie, O Lord God heauenlie King, God the Father almightie, O Lord the onlie begotten Sonne Iesu Christ. O Lord God, Lambe of God, Sonne of the Father, that takest awaie the sinnes of the world, haue merrie vpon vs. Thou that takest awaie the sinnes of the world, haue mercie vpon vs. Thou that takest awaie the sinnes of the world, receiue our praiers. Thou that [Page 854] sittest at the right hand of God the Father, haue mercie vpon vs. For thou onlie art holie, thou onlie art the Lord, thou onlie O Christ, with the holie Ghost, art most high in the glorie of God the Father; to whome be all kingdome, power, honor and glorie world without end,
Amen.
13. On euerie Sundaie, holidaie, or weekedaie. Of Christ his second and last comming to iudgement.
The Preface.
THE kingdome of heauen is neere at hand, euen at the doores. Take heed, watch and praie.
The sonne of man shall come as a theefe in the night suddenlie and vnwares, at an houre that ye knowe not. Take heed, watch and praie.
Euen Iesus, which was taken vp from vs into heauen, shall so come againe to gather vs vnto him, as he was seene to haue gone into heauen. Come Lord Iesu.
Behold, he commeth with clowdes, and euerie eie shall see him, yea euen they which pierced him through, and all kindreds of the earth shall vaile before him. Come Lord Iesu.
Our God shall come, and shall not keepe silence: there shall go before him a consuming fire, and burne vp his enimies on euerie side: the hilles shall melt like waxe at the presence of the Lord, & a mightie tempest shall be stirred vp round about him. Come Lord Iesu.
He commeth, he commeth to iudge the earth, and with righteousnesse to iudge the world, and the people with equitie and truth. Come Lord Iesu.
Therefore yet a verie little while O my soule, take heed, watch & praie; and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarrie. Come Lord Iesu.
[Page 855] Surelie I come shortlie saith Christ, and my reward is with me, to giue to euerie one according as his works shall be, either good or bad. For I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that watch; and keepe my commandements vnto the end. Come Lord Iesu.
Euen so saith the spirit and the bride. Come Lord Iesu, come quicklie:
Amen, Amen.
Halleluiah.
The praier to haue Christs sudden comming, euen in our remembrance, and that we may be in a readinesse against his most glorious appearing. The Preface, Vt supra Iesus. The Praier.
BEholding, O heauenlie Father, the daie of accompts ouer all flesh to be euen now at hand, namelie the last daie, the daie of iudgement, the great and notable daie of the Lord, wherein the whole generation of mankind, from the beginning of the world, shall rise againe, & shall appeare both in bodie and soule, before the presence of the most iust iudge thine eternall Sonne, and our righteous God, to receiue their owne doome for weale or wo, for life or death, for ioie or paine, and that eternallie with the saincts in heauen, or for euer with the diuels in hell: we beseech thee most humblie, O gratious God, to haue mercie vpon all thine inheritance dispersed in these our euill and dangerous daies, in the midst of this wicked, most sinfull, and vntoward generation, vpon the face of the earth, amongst whome we are most miserablie entangled, contemned, cruellie dealt withall, and stirred to all abhominations.
O heauenlie Father, we acknowledge before thee, in [Page 856] our selues the greatnesse of our owne frailtie, our corrupted lust to lewdnesse, the fulnesse in our selues of our owne iniquitie, and our accustomed inclination at all times to wickednesse. O Father of mercies, tender vs in our weakenes; haue compassion vpon our infirmities, pardon our sinfulnesse, and grant vnto vs thine holie spirit, to worke speedie mortification in vs, to keepe lowe the pride of our flesh, to humble our soules in thy sight, to strengthen vs in righteousnesse, to feare alwaies thy iudgements, to thinke vpon thy wrathfull indignation, and vpon the houre of the vengeance to come, when thou for our wickednesse shalt turne awaie thy face from vs.
Haue mercie vpon vs, O Lord, haue mercie vpon vs, for Christ Iesus thy Sonne sake; and so prepare all our harts, soules, and bodies, to the necessitie of the time, that we may haue therein good regard to our selues, that our harts be not ouercharged with excesse of eating, surfeting, and dronkennesse, or otherwise vexed with the cares of this wretched world, to hinder vs, and to drawe vs backe from our carefull attendance, or diligent waiting for the Lords sudden comming to iudgement; but that we may continuallie attend, wait, watch and praie for the speedie appeerance of his glorious Maiestie, that when he shall at the rising againe of all flesh, by the sound of the last trumpet, come to iudge both the quicke and the dead, we may be then in a readinesse to meet him aboue in the heauens, and there to stand before his presence, to behold the glorie of his most gratious countenance, to see how in mercie he shall separate vs from the wicked, as sheepe from the goates, to set vs also on his right hand, to giue the sentence of blessing vpon vs, and to commend vs vnto the kingdome of thee his heauenlie Father, which he himselfe hath prepared, and so pretiouslie purchased with the price of his own [Page 857] bloud, there with him, with thee, O Father, and with the holie Ghost, to liue in euerlasting ioie and felicitie. Grant this, O heauenlie Father, euen for the onelie merits sake of that thy deere Sonne, and our Sauiour Iesus Christ,
Amen.
Another meditation of the signes, which shall appeare before the end of the world.
IT is thy saieng, O Sonne of God, that in the last and doting age of the world, both greater, and more greeuous miseries and confusions among men should bee, than euer were; and also for all that, that thou which art the defender of thy Church, in the midst of such calamities and crueltie of thine enimies, wilt preserue some remnant of the faithfull, that thy seruice be not vtterlie extinguished before the end of this world. Wherefore being oppressed, through the intollerable burden of miseries, heaped therefore vpon vs, bicause the sins of this withering world, are most greeuous and lamentable: but especiallie for that Sathan thine enimie seeth the daie of iudgement to be verie nigh at hand, wherein his abhomination shall openlie be laid before all thy chosen creatures, and he be cast hedlong into eternall torments; which makes him extreamelie to rage against thy chosen flocke, and to seeke by all meanes that possiblie he can, to withdrawe vs from thee, and to make vs blaspheme thy sacred Maiestie. Wee, as it standeth vs vpon, flie vnto thee with all humblenesse of mind in these our extremities. The whole frame of this world groaneth also with thine elect, and earnestlie desireth to be renewed.
Therefore, according to thy gratious admonition, [Page 858] we call into mind the signes, which shall come before the finall destruction of this world, and thanke thee for thy goodnesse in foretelling vs of them. We lift vp our heads vnto thee, which art aloft on the right hand of the eternall Father, and in faith and praier looke for that ioifull daie, when thou wilt appeare most gloriouslie in the clouds, for the deliuerance of thy people out of these calamities. Gouerne vs by thy word and spirit, O most mightie protector, that wee may bee watchfull, and shun the cares of this transitorie world, which withdrawe the mind from the exercise of godlinesse, and choke all vertuous motions raised by thine holie spirit; and flie from wantonnesse, bellie-cheere, and vnlawfull pleasures, which both cause thy spirit to forsake our minds, and make our bodies the receptacles of vnpure spirits, whereby we are caried, being secure, vnto abhominable wickednes, and from thence vnto euerlasting destruction.
Finallie, purge thou our harts by thy spirit, and let thy knowledge appeare in vs, which may both expell our grosse darknesse, and inflame in vs godlie motions, that all the daies of our life we may continue in the true and sincere confession of thy name. And for so much as thou hast promised to defend vs, and to mitigate our paines, grant that wee may both escape euils to come, and stand ioifullie before thee at thy returne,
Amen.
Another.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull heauenlie Father, as in the destruction of Ierusalem thou hast left a fearefull example of thy horible iudgements against the contempt of the Gospell, and the wickednesse of men; & threatenest such plagues to come for like wickednesse vpon [Page 859] the world, as shall cause men to die for feare of them before they come: grant vs so to read thy truth, and to be obedient vnto it, that when the signes of these things shall come, which shall astonish the wicked, wee may hold vp our heads with comfort, waiting for our redemption so neere at hand; watch with continuall praier, that we may escape all these things which shall come vpon the world in that daie, and that wee may stand before thy Sonne, when he shall come to iudgement, and be receiued of him to euerlasting glorie; to whom with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all honour, glorie, and praise, for euer and euer,
Amen.
A godlie meditation of the comming of Christ to iudgement, and of the reward both of the faithfull and vnfaithfull.
O Lord Iesu Christ, the Sonne of the euerliuing God, by whom althings were made, are ruled, and gouerned; as of thy loue for our redemption thou diddest not disdaine to bee our mediator, and to take vpon thee our nature in the wombe of a virgin, purelie and without sinne, by the operation of the holie Ghost, that both thou mightest in thine owne person woonderfullie beautifie and exalt our nature, and worke the same in vs also: first abolishing the guiltinesse of sinne by remission, then sinne it selfe by death; and last of all death, by raising againe these our bodies, that they may be like vnto thine owne glorious and immortall bodie, according to the power wherewith thou art able to subiect all things vnto thee. As, I saie, of thy loue for our redemption thou becamest man, and that most poore and afflicted vpon earth, by the space of three & thirtie yeeres at the least, in most humilitie, and paiedst the price of [Page 860] our ransome, by thy most bitter death and passion; for the which I most hartilie giue thanks to thee: so of the same thy loue towards vs, in thy good time, thou wilt come againe in the clouds of heauen, with power and great glorie, with flaming fire, with thousands of Saints, with Angels of thy power, with a mightie crie, showt of an Archangell, and blast of a trumpet suddenlie as a lightening, which shineth from the east, &c. When we thinke least, euen as a theefe in the night, when men be a sleepe: thou wilt so come, I saie; thus suddenlie in the twinkeling of an eie; all men that euer haue beene, be, and shall be, with women and children, appearing before thy Tribunall iudgment seate, to render an account of all things, which they haue thought, spoken, and done against thy lawe, openlie, and before all Angels, Saints, and diuels: and so to receiue the iust reward of thy vengeance, if they haue not repented, and obeied thy Gospell, and so depart from thee to the diuell, and his angels: and all the wicked, which euer haue beene, be, or shall be, into hell fire, which is vnquenchable, and of paines intollerable, endlesse, hopelesse; euen from the face of thy glorious Maiestie, and mightie power.
But if they haue repented, and beleeued thy Gospell; if they be found watching like wise virgins, with their lamps and oile in their hands; if they be found readie apparelled with the wedding garment of innocencie; if they haue not hardened their harts, and hourded vp the treasure of thy vengeauce, in the daie of wrath to be reuealed: but haue vsed the time of grace, the acceptable time, the time of saluation; that is, the time of this life, in the which thou stretchest out thy hand, and spreadest thine armes, calling and crieng vnto vs, to come vnto thee, which art meeke in hart, and lowlie. For thou wilt ease all that labour, and are heauie laden. If they haue visited the sicke and prisoners; comforted [Page 861] the comfortlesse; fed the hungrie; cloathed the naked; lodged the harbourlesse: if they haue not loden their harts with gluttonie, and surfetting, and carefulnesse of this life: if they haue not digged, and hid their talent in the ground, dooing no good therewith: but haue been faithfull to occupie thy gifts to thy glorie, and haue washed their garments in thy bloud by hartie repentance; then shall the Angels gather them togither, not as the wicked, which shall be collected as fagots, and cast into the fire; but as the good wheate that is gathered into thy barne.
Then shall they be caught vp to meete thee in the clouds; then shall their corruptible bodie put on incorruption; then shall they be indued with immortalitie and glorie; then shall they be with thee, and go whither thou goest, then shall they heare these ioifull words: Come ye blessed of my Father, possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning, &c. Then shall they be set on seates of Maiestie, iudging the whole world; then shall they reigne with thee for euer; then shall God be all in all with them, and to them; then shall they enter, and inherit heauenlie Ierusalem, and the glorious restfull land of Chanaan, where it is alwaies daie, and neuer night; where is no maner of weeping, teares, infirmitie, hunger, cold, sickenesse, enuie, malice, nor sinne: but alwaies ioie without sorowe, mirth without measure; pleasure without paine; heauenlie harmonie; most pleasant melodie; saieng, and singing; Holie, holie, holie; Lord GOD of hosts, &c. Finallie, the eie hath not seene; the eare hath not heard; neither hath it entered into the hart of man, that they shall then inherit, and most surelie enioie; although heere they bee tormented, prisoned, burned, solicited of Sathan, tempted of the flesh, and intangled with the world, wherethrough they are inforced to crie; Thy kingdome come. Come Lord Iesu &c. [Page 862] How amiable are thy tabernacles? Like as the hart desireth the water brookes, so longeth my soule after thee O God. Now Lord let thy seruant depart in peace. I desire to be dissolued, and to be with Christ. We moorne in our soules, waiting for the deliuerance of our bodies, &c.
Oh gratious Lord, when shall I find such mercie with thee, that I may repent, beleeue, hope, and looke for these things, with the full fruition of those heauenlie ioies, which thou hast promised and prepared for all them that feare and loue thee, and so rest with thee for euermore?
Amen.
The daie of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night, in the which the heauens shall passe awaie with a noise, and the element shall melt with heate, and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp.
Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissolued, what manner persons ought yee to be in holie conuersation and good liues, looking for the hastning vnto the comming of God, by the which the heauens beeing on fire, shall be dissolued, and the elements shall melt with heate!
¶ Other godlie Praiers to be vsed vpon euerie Saincts daie, as they fall orderlie in the yeare; And first,
1. On Saint Andrewes daie. My hart is readie, O God, my hart is readie prepared to séeke thée, and to followe thy Lawe: O let me not go wrong out of thy commandements.
WE thanke thee, O Sonne of God, head, and keeper of thy Church, for gathering to thy selfe out of the vncleane companie of men, an holie Church, which is knit to thee in true confession, righteousnesse, and life. Manie times didst thou repeate thy promise touching the bringing of man fallen, into thy fauour againe, and by the continuall preaching of thy Ministers, hast giuen vs the light thereof. Thou didst in like manner appoint a tower, and ordeine the Commonwealth of Moses in the middest of that part of the world inhabited, from whence it might be heard of all mankinde. At the length, thou appearedst in the flesh, brakest the bands of the old testament, and entredst into a new couenant with vs, and calledst thine holie Apostle Andrew, and the rest, to be the publishers and witnesses of thy truth, and gauest them authoritie to preach, and sufficient testimonie, that they publish the truth. Mainteine among vs this light, that we may giue credit to thy Ministers and their writings, as to a voice sounding from heauen, that we may be citizens of that companie which is builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, in which building thou art [Page 864] the corner stone, bearing the whole house by the word of thy power. Grant that imitating the examples of Saint Andrew, and the rest of the holie Doctors and Apostles, who by thy grace readilie obeied the calling of thy Sonne. Iesus Christ, and followed him without delaie, we also being called by thy holie word, may likewise foorthwith giue ouer our selues obedientlie to followe thee and thy holie commandements. Of them it it is said, They went foorth and sowed their seed with teares, but they shall returne with ioie. Giue also to thy Church in all ages for euermore, faithfull and holie teachers, which may be fishers of men; reteine the forme of sound doctrine; dispense thy mysteries faithfullie, and gather to thy kingdome great companies, till the number of thine elect being filled, the net shall be cast off, and thy whole Church enioie thy visible and blessed sight for euermore,
Amen.
2. On Saint Thomas daie. I beléeue, O Lord, helpe mine vnbeléefe, and increase my faith.
LOthsome is the darkenesse, and horrible the streames of diffidence and mistrust, euen in the elect, as the Apostle Thomas, albeit he had sensiblie heard the voice of the Sonne of God, & seene the miracles which bare testimonie that he taught and preached the truth: yea albeit in mind inwardlie he beheld the presence of his Lord, yet beleeued he not the resurrection of Christ, which is the principall article of our faith, neither gaue he credit to such as had seene the Lord liuing againe: which doubting thou didst suffer in him for the more confirmation of the faith. But confirme thou vs, as thou didst confirme this thy weake disciple Thomas, and grant vs so perfectlie, and without all doubt to beleeue in thy [Page 865] Sonne Iesus Christ, that our faith in thy sight neuer be reproued. Strengthen our frailtie by thy liuelie presence. Appeare to vs in the night, that humane darkenesse doo not extinguish the light in vs. Bring thy gifts into houses shut vp, into our poore cottages, which are in great danger, by reason of thine enimies. Speake thou vnto vs with thy blessed voice, outwardlie by thy word, and inwardlie by thy spirit working thy peace within vs, that filled with the sense of thy presence, we may rest, coupled through thee in the spirit vnto thine eternall Father. Take vs vp being fraile and fallen downe in this life. Shew vs thy woonders, that in the fight of our conscience with the displeasure of thine eternall Father, we may remember thy merits. Laie vs miserable and weake ones in thy side and wounds, that we may be hid and couered from the wrath of God, and sucke from thy bodie the water which washeth all our vncleannesse, and the liuelie nourishment of thy bloud, which may strengthen vs into euerlasting life, that we be not vnbeleeuers, but in the number of the faithfull, and from our hart may imitate that noble confession of this thine Apostle Saint Thomas, and against all the blasphemous spirits, and thine enimies, acknowledge that thou art the Lord, and our God, euen that God, which from the beginning hath beene present with his Church, both externallie by his Ministers, and inwardlie by the secret working of his holie spirit, which may euermore defend his Church against the rage of his enimies, and by a couenant with mankind, knitteth the faithfull to his owne flesh. Grant O Sonne of God, and mightie Iehoua, that firmelie we may beleeue this thy promise, depend vpon thee, hope of thine aid against hope, & begin our saluation from thy word reuealed, that beleeuing in thee our Sauiour, which art Christ our high Priest & King, we may find eternall life in thee,
Amen.
3. On Saint Steeuens daie; VVho was the first that was martyred, and shed his bloud for Christ crucified. They gather themselues togither against the soule of the righteous, and condemne the innocent bloud.
O Christ our Lord and sauiour, which with greefe of hart didst bewaile the ingratitude of the Iewish nation, which both vnkindlie contemned thy benefits, & killed thy Prophets most cruellie; we beseech thee make vs euermore to haue in mind, and acknowledge the greatnesse of thy loue towards mankinde.
Thou art that naturall hen. Thou begettest to thy selfe a congregation by the egge, and singular seed of thy first promise made in Paradise. Thou gatherest such as beleeue and depend thereon vnder thy wings; by thine intercession, against the wrath of God, which is a consuming fire; and by thy liuelie heate thou nonrishest them, powring vpon them thy spirit, which is a substantiall fire flowing from the brest both of thee and thine eternall Father, expelleth the coldnesse of our nature, and quickneth such as are ingraffed in thee vnto a new life. Thou encounterest with Kites, rauening birds, raging spirits, and all the mortall infernall enimies, for the safegard of thy poore chickens. Wherefore keepe vs, we humblie praie thee, among thy chickens, which with a woonderfull and entire affection acknowledge thy voice when thou callest, which couer themselues vnder thy wings, and drawe from thy brest most godlie comfort in their greefe of hart, and strength against all enimies.
And, O comfortable ghest of the soule, leaue not our houses desolate, cease not to fill vs by thy continuall [Page 867] presence, with thy life and righteousnesse: giue vs the true comfort of mind, that before all worldlie things we may prefer the confession of thy truth, euen as that reuerend old man Zacharie father of Iohn Baptist, betweene the temple and the altar with his bloud, as with a pretious burnt sacrifice, did confesse thee to bee the Messias sent frō thine eternall Father. Saue vs from bloud-shedding, O Lord our Sauiour, that we wrap not our selues in paines most intollerable, wherwith thine enimies, which haue defiled themselues with the innocent bloud of thy martyrs, are oppressed.
And as thy glorious martyr and trustie Deacon of thy Church Steeuen, when most heinous faults were laid vpon him, as though he had proclaimed defiance both to God and his Church, did continue constant in thy faith; vsing a most excellent and effectuall forme of praier for his enimies thy persecutors, conteining the summe of true doctrine; sawe the heauens open, and thee, O Sonne of God, standing on the right hand of thy Father, to whom at the point of death he commended his soule: so assist vs with thy grace, that wee by his example may learne both to loue, and praie for our enimies, and that we feare not the peruerse opinions of the wicked world. Be thou with vs in trouble according to thy promise; open to vs the heauens; shew vs thy liuelie countenance by thy good presence; comfort our sorowfull minds; make it knowne vnto vs, that thine eternall Father is pacified through thee. And finallie, when our soules shall depart frō our bodies, receiue them, we hartilie beseech thee, into thine almightie hands. Giue grace, that quietlie we may rest, and fall asleepe, till at the resurrection of mankind, thou bringest thy Church and chosen to thy visible presence in the heauens, where thou remainest, and watching full tenderlie ouer thy flocke, thou placest the same at the right hand of thy Father,
Amen.
4. On Saint Iohn the Euangelists daie: Being the Disciple whom Christ so deerlie loued, and who at the resurrection of Christ was 22. yeeres old, and liued in all eightie nine yeeres. With the bread of life and vnderstanding shall the Lord féed him, and giue him the water of wholsowe wisedome to drinke.
O Sonne of God, full sixtie and seuen yeeres did thy beloued disciple Iohn, among great miseries, & greeuous combats, spread abroad thy Gospell in Asia the lesser, where much idolatrous seruice, curiositie, and Greekish lightnesse was vsed. He rested himselfe not onelie corporallie vpon thy bosome or shoulders, being conuersant with thee in the earth, and loued of thee as thy kinsman; but spirituallie also drue from thy breast the spirit of wisdome, replenishing his mind and hart with heauenlie light, strength of faith, and celestiall vertues. He sawe the wofull destruction of his countrie, and beheld the tragicall ouerthrowe of his nation. He sawe the decaie of that Common-weale, that was ordeined of God; and of that temple, which in all the world was the onelie temple of God. He encountered with Ebion and Cerynthus, most wretched heretikes, which were the trumpets of Sathan to blowe abroad damnable opinions; which as the first Cain, by the prouocation of the diuell, did contumeliously deale with the Sonne of God, & derided his promise. And as afterward the nations by their monsterous multitude of feined gods did reiect Christ, and his benefits: so in a desperate boldnes did they set themselues against heauen, and blasphemouslie detract from the Sonne of God his diuinitie.
But thanks be to thee, O Sonne of God, which art the substantiall image and word of the eternall Father, [Page 869] thou hast by the doctrine and authoritie of this thy blessed Apostle & Euangelist S. Iohn, not onlie inlightned thy Church greatlie with the bright beames of thy heauenlie light of diuine knowledge; but also by the testimonie of thy iudgement, with horrible punishment cut off those blasphemers and heretikes that troubled thy Church, and deliuered the truth of that article vnto vs. O preserue this light among vs henceforward, that we may attaine thereby to thine euerlasting gifts, and suffer vs not to bee wrapped anie more in idolatrous darknesse and superstition, which is contrarie to thy glorie.
Mo enimies also, Lord, hath Sathan stirred vp to deface this thy truth and glorie, euen the horrible power of the Turks, which with brazen faces, both blasphemouslie deale with thee, and persecute thy Church, confessing thy truth: but suffer not, O Sonne of God; suffer not, we beseech thee, the true knowledge of thee, by the power of Sathan, and his ministers, to be blotted out: but keepe for thy selfe an holie seed among vs, which against all the gates of hell may professe thee to be the eternal Sonne of the euerliuing God, to whom the whole societie of Saints with one consent doth ascribe all power, all knowledge, all heauenlie vertues, and willeth all praiers and supplications to bee directed to thee alone, which art God alone. Maintaine also among vs the true sense of the difference betweene humane righteousnesse and thine. Grant that willinglie we may obeie thee, leading vs vnto the exercises of true repentance, vnto the crosse, vnto troubles, and vnto death, where our will is truelie bound, and obeieth altogither. Giue grace likewise, that we mooue not vnnecessarie strife, through pride, ambition and curiositie, as did Samosatenus, Arrius, and manie mo; but may followe thee, and in our vocation both in teaching, and learning, and liuing, may continue [Page 870] in the truth of doctrine; that we may be found in that companie, which thou louest intirelie, and wilt prouide for, vntill thou returne,
Amen.
5. On the holie Innocents daie: VVhich washed their garments in the bloud of the Lambe euen in their infancie, by the crueltie of Herod. The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God, and there shall no torment touch them.
O Sonne of God, in the time of thine humiliation, euen from thy natiuitie and infancie, trulie diddest thou taste the streame of mans miserie. Poorlie thou wast borne; naked and despised in the strawe wast thou laid, and among the beasts diddest thou send foorth thy crie. The seed of Dauid had almost withered awaie. Thy good mother, that blessed virgin Marie, nursed and nourished thee vp as a spring in a drie land, among much troubles; and in thy tender age, what with the tyrannie of Sathan, and the crueltie of Herod, into a farre countrie thou wast exiled. The good old man Ioseph, thy fosterfather, and thy blessed mother Marie, at the commandement of the Angel astonished, through the feare of danger at hand, in the night stole awaie with thee, and tooke a long iournie, euen with greefe of hart. An hundred miles trauelled they through the desolate wildernesse, by the craggie and solitarie places of Arabia, euen through that nation, which alwaie for theft, robberie, theeuerie, and crueltie, hath been most infamous, and at length they brought thee into the prouince of the Emperour of Rome, whom God would should bee thy protectour. The watch of Angels did defend thee [Page 871] with thy blessed mother; they were thy leaders, and companions of thy banishment, and draue awaie the cruell theeues alwaies from thee.
Hereby hast thou, O Sonne of God, put vs in mind both of our miserie, and of thy benefits. For mankind was banished out of paradise, from the state of happinesse and ioie, into the miseries of this life. Yea, thy Church in this world is in banishment, and oppressed with men of might. The most excellent members of thy Church, most commonlie are pursued to the death; but taking compassion on our miseries, of thine owne accord thou becamest an exile for our sakes, and an intercessor for mankind. Thou madest thy selfe of no reputation, thou tookest vpon thee the miserable masse and skin of our nature: thou wast a pilgrime in this world; thou haddest not a place to hide thine head in; thou vsurpedst none authoritie without calling: after a woonderfull maner did the word lurke, thy flesh suffering and dieng, and all to bring vs againe into our natiue countrie indeed, from whence our beginning was, and where our citie is.
Wherefore from the bottome of our hart we beseech thee Sonne of God, instill into vs a true loue of that celestiall countrie; kindle within vs a true desire of thy companie; comfort vs in this our banishment; and send thine holie Angels to protect vs, & to driue awaie the tyrannie of Sathan, and of thine enimies. Finallie, when our soules shall depart out of this vale of miseries, place them, we beseech thee, in the tower of our true countrie. And as thou sauedst thy Church, notwithstanding the raging tyrannie of cruell Herod, when both thou with thy carefull parents tookedst thy flight into Aegypt; and Iohn the Baptist was hid in the desert beyond Iordan: so hence forward defend vs against the furie of diuels and men.
Oh Lord, from the brests and imbracements of their [Page 872] tender mothers, did the cruell and wicked seruants of bloudie Herod the tyrant, as this daie, plucke awaie the yoong infants. And such is the outward state of thy Church manie times, that of hir it may be said; Rachel would not be comforted, bicause hir children were not left aliue vnslaine: yet maintainest thou for all that, some remnant, and castest thine enimies into eternall damnation.
Wherefore, as thy praise was this daie confessed and shewed foorth, not in speaking, but in dieng, by the yoong babes, infants and innocents, who washed their wounds, and tender skins in the bloud of the Lambe, and bare witnesse of thy comming in the flesh by their death; the which are exalted into a farre better life, where thou wipest all teares from their eies: and at the glorifieng of thy Church, wilt place before all thine elect this sweet companie in vnspeakeable glorie; and rebuke to their vtter confusion the diuell and his instruments hired for their wickednesse: so mortifie and kill all vice in vs, that in our conuersation, our life may expresse thy faith, which with our tongues we doo confesse: and keepe vs in the profession of thy truth. Mitigate the troubles of thy Church, that it perish not altogither, and being deliuered from this sorowfull banishment; ioine vs to the citizens of thy kingdome, which folowe the Lambe whither soeuer he goeth, and cheerfullie sing; Glorie be to God on high:
Amen.
6. On the daie of Saint Paules conuersion, from a persecuter, to an Apostle. Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world.
WE yeeld thee most hartie thanks, O Lord Christ, Sonne of the liuing God, for gathering alwaies to thy selfe a Church out of mankind, through the voice of the ministerie, [Page 873] and especiallie at this time, for sending thine elect vessell Paule thine Apostle, to spread foorth the memoriall of thy benefit among the Gentiles and people, whose life at that time was most filthie vnder that monster among men Nero the Emperour. Great was the benefit which came by his preaching, and as great was and is the commoditie which they did in foretime, and we in these last daies of the world doo reape by his godlie and heauenlie writings. We beseech thee euen with deepe sighes, continue oh continue among vs thy light inflamed through the ministerie of this heroicall Doctor. And grant, that as thou hast taught all the world, through the preaching of this thy blessed Apostle; so we which haue his woonderfull conuersion now in remembrance, may followe and fulfill the holie doctrine that he taught. Grant that manie labourers mightilie may be thrust into thy vineyard, and faithfull obseruers of the doctrine of Paule, earnest seekers of the aduancement of thy truth, right diuiders of the word of life, learned in shewing the difference betweene the Lawe and the Gospell; wise in comforting the troubled conscience of the wicked, patternes of the faithfull in word and conuersation; such as may become all in all, to winne manie to the glorieng in afflictions; fearing neither the hatred of men, nor the ingratitude of the world; shewing constancie vnto the death in the confession of the truth.
Blesse also the hearers of Saint Pauls preaching, that they may prooue the true followers of Paule, fighting a good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, casting off the old man, and putting on the new, euen thee Iesus Christ, being renewed by thy spirit, vnto a true light and life, trulie touched with a desire of thee, trulie coueting to be dissolued, and to be with thee, that translated out of this darkenesse into thy woonderfull light, they may see thee face to face, and [Page 874] knowe the causes of secret things, which are hid from vs in this life.
And forasmuch as in this world thou wilt haue the beginning of thy wisedome to be learned, and biddest vs to drawe our water from thee the fountaine, grant that heerein also manie may imitate the faithfulnesse and labour of thine Apostle: make them as diligent in reading and preaching, so in brideling and chastising their bodies, painefull, and constant in thy seruice, till they be brought vnto thy schoole, where all thy Saints in a cleere and perfect light shall behold thee,
Amen.
7. On the feast daie of the purification of Saint Marie the virgin, and mother of Christ. The word became flesh, and dwelt among vs: Halleluiah.
O Eternall Father of thine onelie Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Christ, which in the Common-wealth of Israell (ordeined according to thy wisedome, and adorned with excellent statutes necessarie for the state of mankind, and signifieng secret and heauenlie things) didst make diuers lawes concerning vncleannesse, and the keeping of women with child, and another for the first borne; and that not onlie to put vs in mind of order in this life, and thankefulnesse towards thy ministerie; but also to teach, that this our giltie and polluted nature, like the foule and menstruous cloath of a woman, is washed by the bloud of thy Sonne, which is thy first borne, thy substantiall image, and the word sounding thy will, whome from the heauens thou commandest to be harkened vnto.
Gouerne vs by thy first and onlie begotten Sonne. Giue vs thy holie spirit, that earnestlie we may bewaile [Page 875] our vncleannesse and pollusion; aske helpe at thy mercifull hand, be purified by the bloud of thy Sonne, and be redeemed by him vnto true integritie and cleannesse, which pleaseth thee, that for his sake we may be adopted into thy children, and find fauour in thine eies.
And as that good old man father Simeon, notwithstanding that publikelie little or no talke was vsed of thy benefits, by reason of the manifold sects then sproong vp, and horrible tyrannie of Gouernours; yet was confirmed by thy holie spirit in the truth, and receiued a singular promise, that he should see the Messias: so by the same thy spirit kindle in vs faith, whereby we may escape the palpable and curssed darkenesse of idolatrie, which in the world welnigh is vsed. And grant that we may apprehend thy Sonne, who as this daie was presented in the Temple in substance of our flesh, and in his armes depart in peace, and be presented vnto thee with pure and cleane minds. Assist vs, that from our harts, as did good father Simeon and holie Iacob, we may firmelie keepe him among the feares of conscience, and pangs of death. Grant that he may be our light, inflaming the darkenesse of our feeble minds with the brightnesse of his glorie. Blot out all our doubtings; heale the diseases of our soule; and kindle that benefit and excellent light of true religion, that being made followers in the spirituall societie of thy people Israell, whose glorie is thy Sonne, witnessing, that among that people the promises and reuelations of the essence and will of the true God were made, we may also come to thy glorie, which our nature needeth, and be adorned by thy Sonne, with the heauenlie blessing of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, and receiuing righteousnesse and eternall life,
Amen.
8. On Saint Matthias daie. Thou hast exalted one chosen out of the people, to publish thy lawe: blessed be thy name, O Lord.
ALmightie God, and most mercifull heauenlie Father, who (because the Scripture must needs haue beene fulfilled, which the holie Ghost, through the mouth of Dauid, spake before of the Traitor Iudas, who was guide to the Iewes that tooke Iesus thy deere Sonne our Lord, and who now in reward of his iniquitie, for betraieng thine innocent Sonne his Lord and Maister, went & hoong himselfe in the feeld of bloud called Acheldama, till he burst asunder in the midst, and all his guts and bowels gushed out) didst afterward, at the earnest praiers and petition of the rest of thy disciples, choose thy faithfull seruant Matthias out of all the companie that followed thee, or had their conuersation with thine Apostles, to be of the number of thy twelue Apostles, and ordeinedst him to be a witnesse with them of thy Sonnes resurrection, as it is written in the 109. Psalme, Let his habitation be void, and no man be dwelling therein, and his Bishoprike or charge let another take: grant we beseech thee, that thy Church being alwaie preserued from hirelings, traitors, and false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by godlie, faithfull, and true pastors and ministers.
O Christ Sonne of God, greatlie didst thou reioice at the gathering of the Church; and high thanks didst thou yeeld to thy Father, because he had chosen an holie seed out of mankind, and suffered not their pains to be altogither frustrate. We thanke thee also from our harts, for reioicing at our well-doing, and for repressing the diuell by thy power, that some may be saued. [Page 877] Gather heereafter, we beseech thee, from among vs a righteous people pleasing thee. And although miserable and ouglie be the outward shew of thy Church, and they which seeme to be the light of the world, despise thy wisedome; euen as neither Tiberius the Emperour, with the Senate of Rome, neither the Princes and Priests of the Iews would vouchsafe to heare thee wandering with thy Disciples & Christian auditorie: yet assist vs, that these sinister iudgements of the world doo not dismaie vs, but that we may bring our minds into a godlie captiuitie, acknowledge thee by a true and liuelie faith, to be the Sonne of thine eternall Father, & receiue the words from thee, which from the bosome of thy Father vtterest the counsell concerning the restitution of man, to whom all things both in heauen and earth are giuen for vs, which are thy parteners.
Leade vs by thine hand, by thy word and spirit, before the presence of thy Father: shew vs in a new light inwardlie in our soules the presence of thy Father, which is pleased with vs for thy sake. Abide thou among vs. Powre on vs by thy spirit the beginning of that light and righteousnes, which appeareth in thee, being the light of light, lightning the darkenes of our nature.
Behold O good Samaritane, and Physician of our soules, to thee doo we lift vp our hands: we are wounded: we labour and are heauie laden: thine enimie hath spoiled vs, and wounded vs to the death. We are so burthened with the weight and greeuousnes of sicknesse, that our soule is comfortlesse, readie to faint and fall into death and damnation. Wherfore comfort our miserable soule with thy ioifull wine and oile, with thine heauenlie and quickening balme raise vs from death: vtter thy comfort to our harts, and grant that our soules may find rest and gladnesse in thee.
[Page 878] Put on vs thy sweet yoke: tame our flesh by thy spirit. Raise vp in vs new motions, and holie cogitations agreeable to thy will and word. Thou art meeke in deed, not desirous of reuengement. Thou hast not throwne miserable man into euerlasting damnation, as thou didst the diuels, but hast suffered punishment for vs in thy bodie, and praied for thine enimies. Thou art meeke and lowlie in hart. Thou flangest thy selfe vnder all angels and men; thou tookest our fraile and fowle flesh vpon thee; thou she wedst not the power of thy diuinitie in the time of thy passion, but hidst (if it might be) thy diuinitie, after a woonderfull & vnspeakable maner, that thy humane nature might suffer and die. Quench also in vs by thy spirit mercilesse fires of hatred, and desire of reuenge (which as worldlie men doo saie, is sweeter than life it selfe) with all the flames of pride. Grant that acknowledging our filthines prostrate before thy face in true lowlinesse, we may aske thine helpe, & being healed, may perseuere in the imitating of thy perfect example. Assist vs, that while we liue in euerie trouble and temptation of ours, we may drawe the water of comfort from thee, which art the well of life, and afterward enioie perfect ease, and a ioifull sabboth, and feastfull holidaies in the heauens, at such time as thou wilt shew thy Father to thine elect, where each shall behold the other face to face,
Amen.
9. On the feast daie of the annuntiation of the blessed virgin Marie. Shew vs thy mercie, O Lord, and grant vs thy saluation.
BY thy wisedome, O eternall God, are the times distinguished, whereby we are certified of thy benefits, and euerlasting blisse, which after this life, and destruction of the world, is prepared for thine elect. Now are [Page 879] there passed 5543 yeeres, sith the creation of heauen and earth, of thine Angels, & of all creatures. By thy word thou madest man out of the slime of the earth; thou breathedst on him the breth of life, and inspiredst into him a soule adorned with perfect wisedome and righteousnesse.
Afterward thy Sonne did vtter a secret decree about the restoring of man, fallen through sinne out of thy fauour into euerlasting death. About the same time of the yeere was innocent Abel murdered, which was a figure of the sacrifice to come, whose bloud indeed crieth vnto thee Father in heauen, and beggeth the forgiuenesse of sinnes to all beleeuers. In the like time was Isaac carried to be offered: and thou commandedst the people of Israell to keepe holie these daies, in which thou wouldest haue thy benefits to bee spoken of. Likewise on this solemne and ioifull daie of the Equinoctiall spring time, which sithence is 1582 yeeres, thy Sonne, as the Angel Gabriel signified to Marie the virgin, by the working of the holie Ghost, coupled the humane nature to himselfe, after a woonderfull and vnspeakable maner. The same daie 1549 yeeres sithence, thy Sonne, redeemer of mankind, in his weake and bloudie flesh hoong vpon the Crosse, being the true Silo. And when the sunne going betweene Orion and the Pleiades leeseth his light, he left his life through intollerable sorowe and torments. And an old saieng it hath beene, that about this time of the yeere, our Lord and Sauiour Christ will returne in the clouds, both to vanquish his enimies, and to exalt his Church and chosen most gratiouslie vnto a new and eternall kingdome.
O Sonne of God, stir vs vp vnto the consideration of those so excellent mysteries, and worke thou so in our harts by thy grace, that as we haue knowne thy holie incarnation by the message of an Angel, so by thy [Page 880] crosse and passion, we may be brought vnto the glorie of thy resurrection. Through the protection and watch of thine Angel, the holie families of chaste virgins and matrons remained safe and vnspotted among infinite dangers: by thy spirit the truth was sealed in them, that they could not be subdued by the errours of the Pharisies and Saduces. Preserue likewise in this last age of the world, some holie assemblies, and suffer not the whole world, before thy cōming againe, to become blasphemers. This shall be the wisedome of eternall life, in which thou wilt open the causes why thou wouldest after this maner restore mankind, and how God the word could couple our flesh to himselfe.
Assist vs, that in this life we may learne the elements, and in true faith be ioined through the holie spirit to thy bodie, which thou tookest from the sanctified bodie of the sacred virgin. And as thou cariest, and liuest in the same flesh; so make vs branches of the tree of life, and fruitfull vine, and replenish vs with like light, life, and glorie. Be thou our Sauiour through thy merit and vertue. Thine eternall Father hath placed thee in the throne of Dauid, that thou maist be the head of the Church, working all in all; and the giuer of all good things, and of the blessings promised to Dauid. Thou reignest in this life by thy ministerie, gathering to thy selfe an eternall Church, and repressing thine enimies by thy mightie power. Thou sittest exalted in light, and incomprehensible glorie at the right hand of thy Father, making alwaies intercession for vs, vntill thou bring thy Church vnto thy selfe in glorie at the generail resurrection, and shine in them visiblie, and for euer.
O Sonne of God, we are bone of thy bones, and flesh of thy flesh. Thou broughtest not thy flesh from heauen, neither was the same borne of the substance of thy Father; but truelie thou tookest thy flesh from the [Page 881] seed of Abraham, out of the sanctified wombe of the holie and blessed virgin S. Marie. This nature did the word couple to himselfe by an eternall couenant, and adorneth the same with surpassing glorie, which thou she wedst not in the time of thine humiliation. Therefore in truth did blessed Marie beare God, euen that person, in which two natures, that is to saie, the word and flesh were vnited togither, and that without anie confusion; euen as the soule and bodie are coupled in vs men.
Wherefore we come vnto thee our Mediator, God and man; and respecting thy promise in a liuelie faith, we beseech thee haue mercie vpon vs; wash vs with thy bloud, and make vs members of thy bodie and nature. No man at anie time hath hated his owne flesh: make vs to sticke vnto thee by the same spirit, and to drawe from thee the iuice, which may strengthen vs to eternall life,
Amen.
10. On Saint Marks daie. Thou hast made them princes in all lands, therefore shall they remember thy name, O Lord, from one generation to another.
O Eternall, omnipotent, and euerliuing God, Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which togither with the Sonne and the holie Ghost, hast not onelie created the whole frame of this world, with all things therein conteined; but also appointed thy Sonne the word, to be a Mediator for vs men, and for our saluation: we beseech thee, most humblie from the bottome of our harts, thou which art the good husbandman, ingraffe vs in thy Sonne, which is the true vine: make vs branches of his bodie; purge vs from the horrible corruption of our nature; giue vs grace to continue in the vine, that being [Page 882] deliuered from sinne, we may bring foorth abundance of fruit to thy honour and glorie.
O Christ, thou art the vine, we are the branches, through thy grace, not of our owne goodnesse; gratiouslie behold vs, we beseech thee, that euermore we may cleaue to thee. For (alas) without thee, what can we doo that good is? Abide thou in vs, that we may abide in thee; giue vs of thy vertue; let thy light shine in our harts, to the extinguishing of the fowle darknesse of our filthie flesh: and quicken vs to the bringing out of that fruit, which both may please thee, and profit thy Church: so shall we escape the vnquenchable fire, into which they which depart from thee are cast, and be sure to obtaine whatsoeuer we shall aske at thy mercifull hands in true faith and feare. For thy Father is glorified through our willingnesse, which is also his gift to obeie him. Furthermore, as thou hast instructed thy holie Church with the heauenlie doctrine of thine Euangelist S. Marke: giue vs grace likewise, that we be not, like children, caried awaie with euerie blast of vaine doctrine; but firmelie to be established in the truth of thy holie Gospell.
And thou holie Ghost, come thou incessantlie into our harts: first to instruct our minds with thine heauenlie and eternall will, and being instructed, confirme vs in the feare of thy Maiestie, that at no time we depart from the path of thy commandements. For our continuance in the race of the commandements of God, is a speciall argument, that we loue God vnfeinedlie, whom we see not. And secondlie, that we may find ioie and comfort in all our troubles, crosses, and persecutions whatsoeuer; that in this life we may alwaies abide among the companie of the regenerate, and in the other be made partakers of eternall happinesse ordeined for the elect, before the beginning of the world,
Amen.
11. On Saint Philip and Iames daie. The heauens declare the glorie of God; and the firmament sheweth his handie worke.
O Sonne of GOD, whom truelie to knowe is euerlasting life, and without whom no man commeth vnto the Father: grant vs perfectlie to knowe thee to be (as thou hast said of thy selfe) the waie, the truth, and the life, as thou hast taught Saint Philip, & other the Apostles. Bring vs wandering trauellers into the waie of saluation; shew vnto vs thy truth; quicken vs by thy spirit; lead vs to thy Father, that by thee, and thine humane flesh now exalted and glorified, the light and life of thine heauenlie Father may be spred in vs. Make vs, miserable exiles, citizens of thine euerlasting kingdome; prepare vs places & mansions, where we may drawe from thee, which art the true vine of eternall life, in the house and table of thy Father, the new iuice of heauenlie comfort, and may continuallie be there, where thou art; that trulie thine eternall Father may be glorified in vs,
Amen.
12. On Saint Barnabas daie. Praise the Lord, O my soule, and forget not all his benefits.
O Christ, Sonne of GOD, which art perfect charitie, louing vs to the end, and sufferedst vpon the altar of the Crosse a most shamefull death for our sakes, to deliuer vs from death and damnation, and to allure vs by that thine example vnto mutuall amitie and good-will: we beseech [Page 884] thee, inflame our cold harts with the burning affections of hartie loue. And as thou hast indued thine holie Apostle Barnabas with singular gifts of the holie Ghost: so let vs not be destitute of thy manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to vse them alwaie to thine honour and glorie, as he did. Giue vs grace, I saie, first aboue all things to loue thee the true and onelie God, with the Father and the holie Ghost, with all our harts, with all our soule, and with all our strength, that continuallie we may cleaue vnto thee with full purpose of hart, as this thine holie Apostle exhorteth. Raise vp secondlie a desire of brotherlie good-will towards our neighbours; that we may helpe one another, and as members of one bodie, haue a mutuall compassion ech of other, so that we may loue among our selues vnfeinedlie, and abound in mutuall good-will, that our harts may be vnblameable in holinesse before God.
Inflame our breasts, that by thine example we may loue euen our verie enimies, and blesse them, which curse vs; doo good to them, which hate and hurt vs, leauing reuengement alwaies vnto thee. For he, which loueth not his brother, knoweth not God; but abideth in death, and dooeth vainelie boast against the truth. Wherefore, let not the Sunne go downe vpon our wrath; but make vs quiet, putting on tender mercie, kindnesse, humblenesse of mind, meeknesse, and aboue all, charitie, which is the bond of perfection; the end of the cōmandements, and fulfilling of the lawe: so that by loue our faith may be fruitfull, and we at no time seuered from thee. For thou art loue, and he that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God, and God in him: so that we shall be no more seruants, but friends, in dooing the will of the heauenlie Father, through the gratious good-will of thee his onelie begotten Sonne our Sauiour, which hast chosen vs to bring foorth fruit, [Page 885] whereby we shall so please his and thy sacred Maiestie, that we shall be sure to obteine whatsoeuer we aske at his hands through faith in thy name,
Amen.
13. On Saint Iohn Baptists daie. I giue mine owne selfe the blame, and take repentance in dust and ashes.
O Eternall Father of our Lord Iesu Christ, wee yeeld thee most hartie thanks for gathering to thy selfe, for and through thy Sonne, an holie companie, praising and celebrating thy goodnesse for euermore. Also for sending from time to time teachers adorned with excellent gifts and warrants from heauen, to spread foorth and publish the truth to mankinde, among whome, we knowe right well, that the famous fore-runnner of thy Sonne, euen the holie and reuerent Saint Iohn the Baptist excelled. He by thy prouidence was woonderfullie borne, and sent to prepare the way of thy Sonne our Sauiour, by preaching repentance. He was the first publisher of the new Testament; the first purger of the Gospell from the grosse errours of the superstitious Pharises; the spreader abroade of the articles of our faith, and the imprinter of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God in the harts of men.
We humblie beseech thee, gather from among vs an eternall Church. Teach our harts by thine heauenlie spirit, that vnfeignedlie we may listen to, and loue the doctrine which Iohn soundeth to the world. Make vs so to followe his doctrine and holie life, I saie, that we may trulie repent according to his preaching, and after his example constantlie speake the truth, boldlie rebuke vice, and patientlie suffer for the truth sake, as [Page 886] he did, that being ingraffed into thy flocke, we may become his disciples, and bring foorth fruit woorthie repentance, and behold the diuinitie which he sawe; so shall we be deliuered from the wrath of God, and admitted into the fellowship of eternall life,
Amen.
14. On Saint Peters daie. Their spéech is gone out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world.
O Lord Iesu Christ, Sonne of God, which art the word of the eternall Father, and the Embassador sent frō the beginning vnto thy Church, speake thou inwardlie to our harts thine heauenlie wisedome: lighten our nature & vnderstanding with thy newe light, that being demanded in euerie anguish, we may trulie acknowledge and confesse that thou art the Sonne of the liuing God our King and Sauiour. And for asmuch as great is the rage, and mightie the power of thine enimies, which fight against the truth, mercifullie defend thy Church, sounding foorth this thy wisedome, defend the same we beseech thee against the verie gates of hell.
And as thou hast giuen to the Apostle Saint Peter manie excellent gifts, and commandedst him earnestlie to feed the flocke, wherby at the infancie as it were of thy Church, he was a glorious light of the Gospell, and publisher of the truth: so keepe among vs thy ministerie, and send godlie preachers, which may godlie and rightlie vse the keies in comforting and correcting. Make, we beseech thee, all Bishops and pastors diligentlie to preach thy holie word, and the people obedientlie to followe the same, that in this life we may be, and abide citizens of the blessed fellowship, [Page 887] which thou dooest protect, and receiue the crowne of euerlasting glorie, as heires of thine eternall kingdome,
Amen.
15. On Saint Iames the Apostles daie. When my father and my mother forsake me, thou, O Lord, takest me vp: therefore I made haste, and prolonged not the time to kéepe thy commandements.
O Sonne of God, Lord and Sauiour Christ, which camest into this world to giue thy life for manie, stirre vp our hearts vnto the true cogitation of thy benefits and obedience, which was a sufficient ransome for the sinnes of all mankinde, pacifieng the wrath of God, and giuing euerlasting life to as manie as approch vnto thee in true faith. We besech thee, forsomuch as in vs doth, as in thy disciples did, sticke great vncleannesse; heale our minds by thy spirit. Quench in vs our vaine desires of superioritie, which maruellouslie doo boile within the harts of men. Grant that the ministers may knowe rightlie the difference betweene ciuill policie and religion, that they cast not vnto thee in mockerie, purple; neither pricke thine head with a crowne of thornes: but may serue thy Church in humilitie, as faithfull dispensators of thy mysteries, folowing thine example, in whome perfect humilitie appeared, when thou flangest thy selfe downe vnder Angels & men. Assist vs also, that we may drinke of thy cup, & be baptised with thy Baptisme in true calling vpon thee, and perfect patience in all our aduersities. And grant, that as thine holie Apostle Iames, leauing his father and all that he had without delaie, was obedient vnto thy calling, and most willinglie followed thee: so we forsaking [Page 888] all worldlie and carnall affections, may be euermore readie to followe thy commandements, till thou drawe vs vp vnto the sight of thy visible kingdome, which is ye right hand of thine eternall Father,
Amen.
16. On Saint Bartholomew the Apostles daie. I beleeued, and therefore will I speake, that I may walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing.
O Christ Sonne of God, great was the weakenesse and sluggishnesse of thy disciples, both in thy last supper when they contended about superioritie, and worldlie gouernement, & in thine agonie, when they slept: and as great is the wickednes and securitie of this last age, which making warre for wealth, vnder the cloake of fauoring the Gospell, seeketh after honor and promotion, sleepeth soundlie, and is nothing moued with the blasphemous idolatrie, wherein the whole world is wrapped, to thy great dishonor: yea the greeuous punishments which thou sendest euerie-where, doo nothing terrifie them from their sinne. But, O Sonne of God, breake our deadlie sleepe; teach the hearts of our ministers, that they must not be ambitious, neither striue about excellencie, nor transforme the Gospell into ciuill policie: but assist vs, that we may all thinke of thy commandement, which is, Learne of me, for I am meeke and lowlie in heart. Powre vpon vs such vertues as thou hast in thy selfe most aboundantlie. Thou destroiedst not mankinde, which had offended thee, but flangest thy selfe vnder all Angels and men, and tookest this miserable flesh of ours vpon thee, & that to saue, and serue vs trulie in great humilitie.
Thou, O Sonne of God, which hast giuen grace to [Page 889] thine Apostle Bartholomew, trulie to beleeue, and to preach thy word, grant wee beseech thee vnto thy Church, both to loue that he beleeued, and to preach that he taught. And as thou sittest for euer at the table of the Father, in which all heauenlie wisedome doth abound; so place vs miserable ones in the lowest seates of that thy table, where thine Apostles and teachers, which haue instructed manie vnto righteousnesse, doo shine as the lights of the Church, and differ in woonderfull glorie from other inferiour members: albeit, it sufficeth vs, so we gather crooms from thy table, which filleth such as eate and digest them with euerlasting ioie,
Amen.
17. On Saint Matthewes daie. Incline my hart vnto thy testimonies, and not to couetousnesse.
IT was thy saieng O Christ Sonne of God, that the sicke need the Physician: wherefore we humblie beseech thee, heale vs miserable folkes with thine heauenlie Physicke. Be mercifull vnto vs sinners, and feed vs with the deintie dishes of thy spirituall comfort. Haue mercie on the Church, whose whole bodie is greeuouslie afflicted through manifold diseases and euils. The teachers sit as doo the merchants for gaine: they transforme the Gospell into an outward pompe, and bait for preferment. Wherefore keepe thou some sound part, which may vnfeignedlie acknowledge thee to be the onlie and best Physician, which hast deliuered vs from the cursse of the lawe, and restored vs to life and righteousnesse. And grant O blessed Sonne of God, that as thou didst call Matthew from the receipt of custome to be an Apostle and Euangelist; so giue vs grace to forsake all [Page 890] couetous desires, and inordinate care of riches, and to followe thee in all things thou hast commanded.
Furthermore, thou O Christ hast taught, that the church of the new testament is not tied vnto the Mosaicall gouernement, neither vnto the ceremonies and traditions of man, & hast reprooued also the Pharisaicall error, which in all ages hath shamefullie obscured the light of thy Gospell, that ceremonies are to be preferred before the works of the morall lawe. Continue this light among vs. Grant that we may woorship thee, not in the works and precepts of men, but in obseruation of thy commandements, and woorshipping thee in spirit and truth. Worke, O worke within vs an obedience answering to thy lawes in both tables, that retaining faith and a good conscience, we may sit with thee for euermore in thy celestiall kingdome after our resurrection,
Amen.
18. On Saint Michaels daie, and all Angels. O praise the Lord yée Angels of his, yée that excell in strength, and fulfill his commandement.
O Almightie, euerlasting, and euerliuing God, which before all times didst beget a Sonne in thine owne image, in whome shineth the heauenlie light, which no creature can apprehend, as it is in deede, albeit some taste and sparke thereof thou bestowest vpon men, by lightening them by thy Sonne to vnfeigned repentance, & sorowe for their sinne. Thou commandedst that light should be made, and so not onlie bodies shining with noble light yet vnreasonable were made, but besides also other spirituall natures, as Angels, were brought foorth, into which thou powredst the beames of thy light, of thy [Page 891] wisedome, of thy righteousnesse and life, and appointedst a companie of them, which remained in their innocencie to euerlasting righteousnes and life, that alwaies they might behold the countenance of the eternall Father, being replenished with perfect goodnesse.
Thou hast ordeined and constituted in a woonderfull order, that most excellent nature of all Angels, to serue thy Church, to defend the weake and feeble companie of men, which in this life turne vnto thy Sonne our verie Michael. Thou commandest those heroicall and valiant spirits, to protect thy Church, kingdoms, and godlie schooles, and places where thy Church doth abide, calling vpon thee in feare, and continuing in thy seruice. We thanke thee from our harts for this great and vnspeakable benefit; beseeching thee most humblie mercifullie to grant, that they which alwaie doo thee seruice in heauen, may by thine appointment succour and defend vs here in earth.
Conuert vs, O Lord, and we shall be conuerted, teach vs to confesse this thy goodnesse, and following the example of thine holie Angels, to serue thee and thy congregation in true and sincere humilitie. Compasse our Churches, Common-weales, and houses, with the watch of thine Angels: driue awaie from vs and our houses, diuels thine enimies, lieng, blasphemous, cruell, murdering, and incestuous spirits, which through extreme hatred of thee and thy Sonne, torment man, labouring to bring it about, that all flesh may blaspheme thee. Represse the rage of them in their members, in false teachers, in the enimies of thy truth, in Turks, and other tyrants, which persecute vs. Helpe vs in this world, being ingraffed into that Church, which thou dooest protect, and may continue faithfull vnto the death, and afterward being translated into eternall life be like the Angels, yeelding immortall thanks vnto thee for thine infinite benefits,
Amen.
19. On Saint Luke the Euangelists daie. It is neither herbe nor emplaster that restoreth vs to health; but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things.
O Omnipotent, almightie, and euerliuing God, which calledst Luke the Physician, whose praise is in the Gospell, to be a Physician of the soule; it may please thee by the wholsome medicine of his doctrine, to heale all the diseases of our soules. And as by thy Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Christ, thou hast commanded vs to praie, that labourers may be thrust into thy haruest: so grant vnto vs, for the same thy sonne, Bishops of thine owne instructing, good shepherds, sound preachers, faithfull workmen, and godlie ministers, which may faithfullie ouersee, and by thy word of saluation prosperouslie gouerne thy Church, being deerlie bought with the pretious bloud of thine onelie Sonne. Giue vnto vs such teachers, as are both learned in thy word, and commended for their good liuing: direct them being illuminated with thine heauenlie light, that they may rightlie deliuer, and diuide vnto vs the principles of good doctrine, the word of truth, and the Gospell of life, and open the difference betweene the lawe and the Gospell: teach vs to beware of the leauen of the Pharisies, and the contagious doctrine of mans traditions; informe vs in all spirituall wisedome, and bring vs by the operation of thine holie spirit vnto perfection, both in the eies of God, and sight of the world. Grant that their labours may take good successe, to the increase of thy celestiall haruest. Giue them grace to continue constant in their profession, fearing neither the hatred, nor ingratitude of this world, beleeuing certainlie that such as despise them, are despised of [Page 893] thee, and that thou neither wilt of thine holinesse, nor wilt of thy iustice suffer such blaspemous impietie to go vnpunished,
Amen.
20. On Simon and Iudes daie Apostles. Thou hast made them princes in all lands: therefore shall they remember thy name, O Lord, from one generation to another.
ALmightie God, which hast builded thy congregation vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Iesu Christ himselfe being the head corner stone: grant vs so to be ioined togither in vnitie of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holie temple acceptable to thee. And, O Lord Iesu Christ, which after this maner diddest comfort thine Apostles, whom the world would hate and abhorre, saieng; I haue chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Separate vs, we humblie beseech thee, from the darknesse, idolatrie, and wickednesse of this world, and ioine vs to that companie, among which thy Godhead dooeth dwell. Grant that in true loue we may be ioined vnto thine eternall Father, through thy spirit, which is the bond of peace. Make vs nothing to dread the sinister iudgements of the world, neither yet for anie perils to forsake thy truth: but patientlie suffer the iniuries, from which thy selfe wast not free. Let vs alwaies thinke, that the seruant is not greater than the maister; and so togither with thee and thine Apostles, suffer those troubles and crosses, which of God for our sinnes and amendement shall be laid vpon vs,
Amen.
21. On All Saints daie. Let the righteous be glad, and reioice before God: let them also be merie and ioifull.
WE thanke thee, O almightie God our heauenlie Father, for that of thine infinite mercie, through our Lord and Sauiour, and working [Page 894] of thine holie spirit, thou gatherest out of mankind an euerlasting Church, & hast knit togither thine elect in one communion and felowship in the mysticall bodie of the same thy Sonne Christ our Lord, & defendest the same mightilie against the rage of the diuels, and tyrannie of his members: yea, and hast promised one daie by thy Sonne to raise the same from death, and to adorne it with vnspeakable glorie. We beseech thee haue mercie on vs, for the sake of the same thy Sonne our Mediator and Sauiour; and grant vs grace so to followe thy holie Saints in all vertue and godlie liuing, that we may come to those vnspeakable ioies, which thou hast prepared for them that vnfeinedlie loue thee. And gather from among vs euermore some religious companie, which may serue thee in faith, and a good conscience. Assist, that in this life, that benefit of eternall life may begin, that we may in a contrite hart obeie thee, patientlie suffer the troubles, which accompanie thy Gospell, shew our selues meeke, and mercifull, hungring and thirsting from our hart after thy righteousnesse, and seeking for the food of our soule aboue all things. Make our ioie perfect, and reioice in deed, looking through faith vpon that blessed companie of Angels and men, which enioie thy visible presence, among whom thy Sonne is, whom they see face to face: and filled with vnspeakable delight, here discoursing of thy woonderfull wisedome, both in gathering and preseruing thy Church; bring vs, gratious Lord, vnto the blessed cōpanie of thy Saints in this world, and afterward make vs citizens of thine eternall kingdome, togither with all thine Angels and men. O Lord, blessed are they, which dwell in thine house, foreuer & euer they will praise thee,
Amen.
THE DOLEFVLL DOOVE, Or
Dauids penitentiall Psalmes, verie necessarie to be vsed (as most effectuall praiers) of all godlie and deuout Christians, especiallie when being afflicted and chastised of the Lord for their sinnes, either by sicknes or otherwise, in bodie or mind, they feele Gods heauie hand, and feare his dreadfull threats, whereby they are mooued, not onlie trulie to conuert and turne vnto him by hartie repentance, earnest contrition, and humble confession of their faults and infirmities; but also by earnest and feruent petitions in fasting, weeping, lamentation, & mourning, most desirouslie to craue at Gods hands, as well mercie and forgiuenesse of their sinnes; as also mitigation of their present miseries, and deliuerance from all euils bodilie and ghostlie. There with all inwardlie thirsting and longing in soule, not onelie to be restored to Gods grace and fauour againe; but also to be gouerned by his holie spirit, the better to spend the rest of their life in the true feare and seruice of God, as Dauid that holie man, and his chosen vessell did, to the glorie of God, and our euerlasting comfort.
1. Domine ne in furore. Psal. 6.
O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation: neither chasten me in thy displeasure.
Haue mercie vpon me, O Lord, for I am weake: O Lord heale me. For my bones are vexed.
My soule is also sore troubled: but Lord, how long wilt thou punish me?
Turne thee, O Lord, and deliuer my soule: Oh saue me, for thy mercies sake.
[Page 896] For in death no man remembreth thee: and who will giue thee thanks in the pit?
I am wearie of my groning, euerie night wash I my bed: and water my couch with my teares.
My beautie is gone for verie trouble: and worne awaie bicause of all mine enimies.
Awaie from me all ye that worke vanitie: for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord hath heard my petition: the Lord will receiue my praier.
All mine enimies shall be confounded, and sore vexed: they shall be turned backe, and put to shame suddenlie.
2. Beati quorum. Psal. 32.
BLessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen: and whose sinne is couered.
Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne: and in whose spirit there is no guile.
For while I held my tongue: my bones consumed awaie through my dailie complaining.
For thy hand is heauie vpon me daie and night: and my moisture is like the drought in summer.
I will knowledge my sinne vnto thee: and mine vnrighteousnesse haue I not hid.
I said, I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord: and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne.
For this shall euerie one that is godlie make his praier vnto thee, in a time when thou maiest be found: but in the great water-fluds they shall not come nigh him.
Thou art a place to hide me in; thou shalt preserue me from trouble: thou shalt compasse me about with sons of deliuerance.
I will informe thee, & teach thee in the waie wherein thou shalt go: and I will guide thee with mine eie.
[Page 897] Be ye not like horsse and mule, which haue no vnderstanding: whose mouthes must be holden with bit and bridle, least they fall vpon thee.
Great plagues remaine for the vngodlie: but who so putteth his trust in the Lord, mercie embraceth him on euerie side.
Be glad O ye righteous, and reioice in the Lord: and be ioifull all yee that are true of hart.
3. Domine ne infurore. Psal. 38.
PUt me not to rebuke O Lord in thine anger: neither chasten me in thy heauie displeasure.
For thine arrowes sticke fast in me: and thy hand presseth me sore.
There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure: neither is there anie rest in my bones by reason of my sinne.
For my wickednesses are gone ouer my head: and are like a sore burthen too heauie for me to beare.
My wounds stinke and are corrupt: through my foolishnesse.
I am brought into so great trouble and miserie: that I go moorning all the daie long.
For my loines are filled with a sore disease: and there is no whole part in my bodie.
I am feeble and sore smitten: I haue roared for the verie disquietnesse of my hart.
Lord, thou knowest all my desire: and my groaning is not hid from thee.
My hart panteth, my strength hath failed me: and the sight of mine eies is gone from me.
My louers and my neighbours did stand looking vpon my trouble: and my kinsmen stood a far off.
They also that sought after my life, laid snares for me: and they that went about to doo me euill, talked of wickednesse, and imagined deceipt all the daie long.
[Page 898] As for me, I was like a deafe man and heard not: and as one that is dumbe, which dooth not open his mouth.
I became euen as a man that heareth not: and in whose mouth are no reproofes.
For in thee, O Lord, haue I put my trust: thou shalt answere for me, O Lord my God.
I haue required that they (euen mine enimies) should not triumph ouer me: for when my foote slipt, they reioiced greatlie ouer me.
And I trulie am set in the plague: and my heauinesse is euer in my sight.
For I will confesse my wickednesse: and be sorie for my sinne.
But mine enimies liue, and are mightie: and they that hate me wrongfullie, are manie in number.
They also that reward euill for good, are against me: because I followe the thing that good is.
Forsake me not, O Lord my God: be not thou far from me.
Haste thee to helpe me O Lord God my saluation.
4. Miserere mei Deus. Psal. 51.
HAue mercie vpon me, O God, after thy great goodnesse: according vnto the multitude of thy mercies doo awaie mine offences.
Wash me throughlie from my wickednesse: and cleanse me from my sinne.
For I knowledge my faults: and my sinne is euer before me.
Against thee onlie haue I sinned, and done this euill in thy sight: that thou mightest be iustified in thy saiengs, and cleare when thou art iudged.
Behold, I was shapen in wickednesse: and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me.
But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts: [Page 899] and shalt make me to vnderstand wisedome secretlie.
Thou shalt purge me with hysope, and I shall bee cleane: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snowe.
Thou shalt make me heare of ioie and gladnesse: that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice.
Turne thy face from my sinnes: and put out all my misdeeds.
Make me a cleane hart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not awaie from thy presence: and take not thy holie spirit from me.
O giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe: and stablish me with thy free spirit.
Then shall I teach thy waies vnto the wicked: and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee.
Deliuer me from bloud-giltinesse, O God, thou that art the God of my health: and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse.
Thou shalt open my lips O Lord: and my mouth shall shew thy praise.
For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I giue it thee: but thou delightest not in burnt offerings.
The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and contrite hart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
O be fauourable and gratious to Sion: build thou the walles of Hierusalem.
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousnesse, with the burnt offerings and oblations: then shall they offer yong bullocks vpon thine altar.
5. Domine exaudi. Psal. 102.
HEare my praier, O Lord: and let my crieng come vnto thee.
Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble: incline thine eares vnto me when I [Page 900] call, O heare me, and that right soone.
For my daies are consumed awaie like smoke: and my bones are burnt vp as it were a firebrand.
My hart is smitten downe, and withered like grasse: so that I forget to eate my bread.
For the voice of my groaning: my bones will scarse cleaue to my flesh.
I am become like a Pellicane in the wildernesse: and like an Owle that is in the desert.
I haue watched, & am euen as it were a Sparowe: that sitteth alone vpon the house top.
Mine enimies reuile me all the daie long: and they that are mad vpō me, are sworne togither against me.
For I haue eaten ashes as it were bread: and mingled my drinke with weeping.
And that because of thine indignation and wrath: for thou hast taken me vp, and cast me downe.
My daies are gone like a shadowe: and I am withered like grasse.
But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for euer: and thy remembrance throughout all generations.
Thou shalt arise and haue mercie vpon Sion: for it is time that thou haue mercie vpon hir, yea the time is come.
And why? thy seruants thinke vpon hir stones: and it pitieth them to see hir in the dust.
The heathen shall feare thy name, O Lord: and all the kings of the earth thy Maiestie.
When the Lord shall build vp Sion: and when his glorie shall appeare.
When he turneth him vnto the praier of the poore destitute: and despiseth not their desire.
This shall be written for those that come after: and the people which shall be borne, shall praise the Lord.
For he hath looked downe from his Sanctuarie: out of the heauen did the Lord behold the earth.
[Page 901] That he might heare the mournings of such as bee in captiuitie: and deliuer the children appointed vnto death.
That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his woorship at Hierusalem.
When the people are gathered togither: and the kingdomes also to serue the Lord.
He brought downe my strength in my iournie: and shortened my daies.
But I said, O my God, take me not awaie in the midst of mine age: as for thy yeares they endure thoroughout all generations.
Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth: and the heauens are the worke of thy hands.
They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: they shall all waxe old as doth a garment.
And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy yeares shall not faile.
The children of thy seruants shall continue: and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight.
6. De profundis. Psal. 130.
OUt of the deepe haue I called vnto thee, O Lord: Lord heare my voice.
Oh let thine eares consider well the voice of my complaint.
If thou Lord wilt be extreame to marke what is done amisse: oh Lord, who may abide it?
For there is mercie with thee: therefore shalt thou be feared.
I looked for the Lord, my soule doth wait for him: in his word is my trust.
My soule flieth vnto thee Lord: before the morning watch, I saie before the morning watch.
[Page 902] O Israell trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercie: and with him is plentious redemption.
And he shall redeeme Israell from all his sinnes.
7. Domine exaudi. Psal. 143.
HEare my praier, O Lord, consider my desire: hearken vnto me for thy truth and righteousnesse sake.
And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant: for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified.
For the enimie hath persecuted my soule, he hath smitten my life downe to the ground: he hath laid me in the darkenesse, as the men that haue beene long dead.
Therefore is my spirit vexed within me: and my heart within me is desolate.
Yet doo I remember the time past, I muse vpon all thy works: yea, I exercise my selfe in the works of thy hands.
I stretch foorth my hands vnto thee: my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirstie land.
Heare me, O Lord, and that soone, for my spirit wareth faint: hide not thy face from me, least I be like vnto them that go downe into the pit.
O let me heare thy louing kindnes betimes in the morning, for in thee is my trust: shew thou me the waie that I should walke in, for I lift vp my soule vnto thee.
Deliuer me, O Lord, from mine enimies: for I flee vnto thee to hide me.
Teach me to doo the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God: let thy louing spirit leade me foorth into the land of righteousnesse.
Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name sake: and for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soule out of trouble.
[Page 903] And of thy goodnesse slaie mine enimies: and destroie all them that vexe my soule, for I am thy seruant.
Glorie be to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the holie Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and euer shall be, world without end,
Amen.
Other Psalmes or Praiers, compiled out of holie Scriptures, verie necessarie to be vsed of the afflicted soule, for obteining the remission of sinnes, and mitigation of miseries.
O Lord of lords, GOD almightie, great and dreadfull, which by thy word hast made heauen, earth, the sea, & all things conteined in them.
Nothing is able to resist thy power: thy mercie is ouer all thy works.
All things be vnder thy dominion and rule: both man and beast, and all liuing creatures.
Thou art mercifull to whome thou wilt: and hast compassion on whome it pleaseth thee.
Thy counsell shall stand for euer: and whatsoeuer thou wilt, shall be done.
Power, dominion, and glorie, is thine: which art aboue all things, and in all things, and in vs all.
Thou art Father of mercies, and God of all grace, peace and comfort: which wilt not the death of a sinner, nor delightest in the damnation of soules.
[Page 904] O Lord God, which art rich in mercie, and of thine especiall loue towards vs, euen when we were thine enimies, didst send into the world thine onelie begotten Sonne Iesus Christ; that whosoeuer beleeueth dulie in him shall not perish, but haue euerlasting life.
Haue mercie vpon me, haue mercie vpon me, according to thy great mercie.
And according to the multitude of thy mercies, put awaie mine offences.
O God most holie, wash me from my wickednesse, and make me cleane from mine vncleannesse.
For I acknowledge, O Lord, my heinous sinnes: and accuse my selfe of mine vnrighteous deeds.
I confesse against my selfe the wickednesse of mine hart, which hath beene euer vnfaithfull, and rebelling against thy precepts.
I haue beene an vntrue and froward child to thee, and haue prouoked thee with my vanities.
O holie Father, I haue offended thy diuine Maiestie, and am not woorthie to be called thy child.
Bicause I prouoked thee to anger through the multitude of my sinnes: and haue not exercised my selfe in thy righteous lawes.
I haue turned backe from thy waies, and done euill before thee.
I haue done wickedlie, and vniustlie behaued my selfe, leauing thy commandements, and murmuring against thy correction.
I haue turned my selfe awaie, and not kept my promise made vnto thee: I haue walked in an euill waie after mine owne thoughts and fantasies, choosing the things that thou wouldest not.
O Lord God almightie, I haue not feared thee, nor shewed due reuerence vnto thee: but I haue beene disobedient and stubborne vnto thee.
As a common harlot is without shame, euen so am [Page 905] I without shame of my sinnes: for behold, I speake vnto thee, and yet I sinne more and more.
I haue left that which is good, and gone backe from thee: and I haue not put my trust and hope in thee, my maker; but haue sought for helpe and safegard otherwise.
I haue ploughed wickednesse, and reaped iniquitie, and eaten the fruit of lies: bicause I haue trusted in mine owne waie.
I haue cast thy lawes behind my backe, not regarding thy commandements, nor leauing mine owne lewd customs.
I haue not giuen my hart to returne to thy paths: for I would not knowe thee, but haue fallen through mine iniquitie.
I neuer vnto this daie turned trulie vnto thee with all my hart: but as a woman that breakech hir fidelitie and promise vnto hir husband: euen so, O LORD God, I haue broken my promise vnto thee.
For I haue liued abhominablie, and haue had no remorse, nor repentance for my euill deeds, but haue run from sinne to sinne, following the lewd desires of my hart.
Thou knowest all things, O Lord, how I haue prouoked thee to displeasure by my lewd inuentions: and none of all my sinnes be hid from thee.
I hated thy discipline and correction: and regarded not thy words and saiengs.
I haue not done penance for my malice: but haue increased in much vanitie.
Mine hart hath beene void of truth: and my hands haue wrought vnrighteousnesse.
My tongue hath spoken sinfullie, and I haue laboured with the imaginations of mine hart, to find out lies and deceits, and no truth hath beene in my waies.
I haue accustomed my tongue to speake trifles and [Page 906] vanities, fulfilling my fleshlie desires and thoughts, my purposes and inuentions haue beene contrarie to thy will, whereby I haue offended the eies of thy Maiestie.
Thou hast seene all these things, O Lord, and hast holden thy peace: and yet they were euill in thy sight, and displeased thee.
In thine anger thou hast cast me awaie, and art diuided from me now manie daies.
Thou hast giuen me vp to the desires of my hart: to doo the things, which be not seeming.
Wo I am, that I haue gone from thee: great is my miserie, that I haue led my life in sinne.
Wo is me, that I haue forsaken thee to doo my deuises: not after thy mind, to accomplish my thoughts, which haue not proceeded of thy spirit, but haue heaped vp sinne vpon sinne.
Mine infamie and reproch is dailie before mine eies: and for shame I dare not shew my face.
And now, O Lord God, why forgettest thou mee? Why keepest thou awaie so long thy mercie from me?
Heare now my cause gratiouslie, although thou hast beene displeased with me a great while: for thou art mercifull; be not angrie alwaies, I beseech thee.
Cast not awaie a contrite and penitent person, a wretch, and an abiect, which humblie calleth vpon thy name.
Turne againe a little toward me, O Lord God, and forgiue me my mischieuous deeds.
Order me not according to my sinnes, nor punish me as my wickednesse deserueth.
Shew not foorth thy power against a poore wretch: persecute hir not so sore, which is without all strength.
Turne not thy face awaie from my praiers: but according to thy promise, take me againe vnto thy fauour.
[Page 907] For I am thine, O righteous Father, whom thine onlie deere Sonne hath redeemed with his pretious bloud.
And now my soule abhorreth mine old conuersation: and of thee, which art iudge of all men, I aske mercie.
I doo submit my selfe vnto thy mightie hand: for after thine anger thou shewest mercie, and in the time of tribulation thou dooest forgiue sinnes.
I acknowledge, that I am a sinner, beseeching thee, Lord God almightie, of thy goodnesse to doo with mee according to thy great mercie.
I am confounded, and ashamed to lift vp mine eies vnto thee: for my sinnes are ascended vp vnto thy sight.
Against thee, O Father, against thee haue I sinned, and done euill before thee: thou seest that mine iniquitie is great.
Trulie I haue beene an offender against thee, euen from my cradle: and since I sucked my mothers brests, I haue not ceased to doo euill.
Behold, I was begotten in iniquitie: and my mother brought me into this world defiled with sinne.
For the corne of an euill seed is sowne in mine hart, and how much wickednesse hath sproong thereof vnto this daie, thou knowest, O Lord.
I can not shake off my sinnes and offences; but I carie still with me the infamie of my youth.
Behold Lord, I am sold vnder sinne, and in my flesh I find not that which is good.
For the good that I would, that doo I not; but the euill that I hate, that I doo.
All the thoughts and imaginations of mine hart haue beene set to doo euill, euer since I was yoong.
O why doo I die in my sinnes, Lord God: seeing thy will is not, that a sinner die, but returne from his sin and liue?
For thou art good and mercifull, and according to [Page 908] thy great mercie, sauest them that be vnwoorthie.
For albeit no man is able to beare the punishment, which thou doost threaten against sinners, yet the mercie, which thou hast promised, is great and vnsearchable.
Thou hast shewed mercie a thousand times heretofore: to make the same glorious, as it is euen yet still.
The old fathers in their necessities cried vnto thee, and thou diddest deliuer them: they put their trust in thee, and they were not confounded.
When they were at their wits end, and wist not what to doo: this was their onelie refuge, to lift vp their eies to thee.
Thou didst saue them for thy name sake, to shew in them thy might and strength.
Manie a time they prouoked thee through their iniquities, and stirred vp thy goodnesse to displeasure.
Yet when thou sawest their tribulation, and their lowlie submission vnto thee;
Thou diddest remember thy promise, and by and by hadst pitie and compassion vpon them: according to the multitude of thy mercies.
Haue mercie vpon me, O Lord God omnipotent, haue mercie vpon me: for I am a miserable & a wretched creature. Make me whole, I beseech thee, whom thou hast striken for my sinne and iniquitie.
My soule is troubled greatlie: and how long, O Lord, wilt thou not looke towards me?
How long wilt thou reiect my praier, thus crieng out vnto thee? Wilt thou heare me at no time? How long wilt thou turne awaie thy face from me?
Where be thine old mercies, O Lord, whom thou hast stablished in thy truth?
Wilt thou now, O Lord God, cease to shew mercie? Or wilt thou withdrawe thy goodnesse in displeasure?
Hast thou cast me awaie for euer, that thou wilt neuer [Page 909] hereafter be pleased with me?
Thine hand is not weakened, but it may helpe: and thine eares be not stopped, that they refuse to heare.
How long shall my mind be troubled with painfull and heauie thoughts? How long shall sorowe torment mine hart?
How long shall mine enimie haue the vpper hand of me? Looke towards me, Lord GOD, and heare my praier.
Giue light to mine eies: for I haue slept too long in death, and my sinnes haue preuailed against me.
Turne againe, O Lord, turne againe, and deliuer my soule: and saue me for thy great mercie sake.
Lo, now is the accepted time: now be the daies of health and grace.
In death, who shall remember thee? In hell, who shall laud or praise thee?
He that liueth, he that liueth shall praise thee: and shall make thy mercie knowne.
Lord rebuke me not in thine anger: nor punish me in thy great displeasure.
Cast not thy darts at me: nor laie not thy heauie hand vpon me.
For I haue borne thine anger a long while: & of the cup of thy high displeasure I haue droonke verie deepe.
There is no health in my flesh, for feare of thy displeasure: I haue no peace nor rest, when I behold my sinnes.
Mine iniquities be gone ouer mine head: and like an heauie burden they dailie presse me downe.
The wounds in my soule doo fester and stinke, euen through mine owne follie.
I am a wretch cast awaie from thy fauour and presence, and go moorning all the daie long.
My soule is full of filthinesse, and no part of mee is whole and sound.
[Page 910] Wherfore mine enimies doo persecute me the more, the greatnes of my paine maketh me to rore and crie.
My heart fainteth and trembleth within me, and my strength is gone awaie.
O Lord, thou knowest my desire, and thou seest my necessitie.
Forgiue me all my sinnes, O Lord God almightie, for thine owne sake, and put out of thy sight my hainous offences: for according to thy goodnesse thou hast promised forgiuenesse of sinnes to them that doo pennance.
Haue mercie on me Lord for the glorie and honour of thy name, and be no longer displeased with me, and then thou shalt surelie be knowne to be iust and true in thy words, & shalt ouercome when thou art iudged.
For by this, thy great grace shall be knowne: that thou takest mercie on them, which haue not whereof they may glorie in thy sight.
And all the dwellers on the earth shall learne and knowe thy goodnesse, when thou shalt confer and giue thy benefits to vs for thy great name sake, and not after our euill waies and wicked deeds.
Uerelie Lord God, except thou shew vnto vs thy manifold mercies, the world shall not haue life, nor they that dwell therein.
And if thou helpe vs not with thy goodnesse, how may they which haue offended, be raised vp from their sinnes?
Haue mercie on me, O good Father, haue mercie on me, and for thy glorious name, be no longer angrie with me.
Take me a sinner vnto thy mercie for the name of thy holie Sonne Iesu, whome thou hast sent to be the obteiner of mercie for our sinnes, through faith in his bloud.
Behold holie Father, behold thy child, whome thou [Page 911] hast chosen: behold thy welbeloued Sonne, in whome thy soule delighteth: vpon whome thou hast put thy holie spirit, and sent him to preach the Gospell to the poore; to heale them, which for their sinnes be sorowfull and contrite: to comfort them that mourne, to preach pardon to the prisoners, and sight to the blind.
Behold thy little one, which was borne for vs; behold thy Sonne, which is giuen to vs, whome thou hast not spared, but giuen to death for vs all, to be a sweet offering and sacrifice to thee.
Uerelie he tooke vpon him in his bodie our infirmities, and he bare our paines.
He was made weake for our sinnes: and he was wounded for our offences.
The correction for our peace was laid vpon him, and by ye strokes that he suffered, our wounds were healed.
All we went astraie like sheepe, euerie one followeth his owne waie, and thou, O Lord, puttest on him our iniquitie, striking him for the offences of thy people.
He gaue his bodie to be beaten, and his cheekes to be stricken, he turned not awaie his face from them that scorned him.
Through his loue and mercie, he hath redeemed them that were lost, and by his bloud shead on the crosse, he hath pacified all things in heauen and earth.
He gaue himselfe to death, and made his praiers for them which were offenders.
Looke O mercifull Father, and consider who it is that thus did suffer: and remember, I beseech thee, for whome he hath suffered.
For this is that innocent, whome thou gauest to death for vs, euen then when we were sinners: and shall we not, being now iustified by his bloud, much rather be saued from wrath through him?
If we, when we were yet enimies, were reconciled to thee by the death of thy Sonne, shall we not being [Page 912] reconciled, much rather be saued by his life?
Behold that pure and immaculate Lambe, which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world, by whose pretious bloud we are redeemed from our iniquities.
Looke vpon that most meeke innocent, which like a Lambe was led to his death: and being most cruellie intreated, once opened not his mouth.
Behold thine onlie Sonne, whome although thou begattest of thine almightie power, substance and nature; yet thou wouldest he should be partaker of mine infirmitie.
Which being God in nature, thought it no rauine to be equall with God, but made himselfe lowe, taking vpon him the shape of a seruant, and comming in the similitude of sinfull flesh, condemned sinne in the flesh, submitting himselfe vnto thee, O Father, euen to the death of the crosse, and there put out the hand-writing that was against vs conteined in the lawe written, and taking it out of the waie, fastned it to his crosse, on the which he spoiled potestates and powers, and made a shew of them openlie, and triumphed ouer them in his owne person.
Turne the eies of thy Maiestie, O Lord God, and looke vpon the worke of thine ineffable goodnesse.
Behold thine owne sweet Sonne, how all his bodie was drawne and stretched foorth on the crosse.
Looke vpon all the parts of his bodie, from the crowne of the head, vnto the sole of the foote, and no paine shall be found like vnto his paine.
Behold, O louing Father, the blessed head of thy deere Sonne crowned with sharpe thornes, and the bloud running downe vpon his godlie visage.
Behold his tender bodie, how it is scourged: his naked brest is stricken and beaten: his bloudie side is thrust through: his heart panteth: his sinewes bee stretched foorth: his godlie eies dazell, and leese their [Page 913] sight: his princelie face is wanne and pale: his pleasant tongue is inflamed for paine: his inward parts waxe drie and starke: his armes both blew & wanne, be stiffe: his bones be plucked one from another: his beautifull legs be feeble and weake: and the streames of bloud issuing out of his bodie, ranne downe apace vpon his feet.
Looke, O my Father, vpon the humilitie and gentlenesse of thy deere Sonne: and pitie the infirmitie of thy weake handie-worke.
Behold, O glorious Father, the bodie of thy deere Sonne, all to rent and torne: and remember I beseech thee, of how small substance I am.
Looke vpon the paine of him that is both God and man: and release the miserie of man whome thou hast made.
Behold the greeuous suffering of the Redeemer, and forgiue the sinne of hir that is redeemed.
Keepe me from all euill waies: and teach me by thy holie spirit, to choose the waie of truth.
I beseech thee, O thou king of holinesse, by him that is most holie, by this my Redeemer Christ, that thou bring me againe into the right waie, that I may be vnited, and made one with him in spirit, which abhorred not to be vnited with me in flesh.
Make me to go perfectlie in thy paths, and to hate all wicked waies.
Wash my hart from malice, and clense me from my secret sinnes.
Clense me, O holie Father, with the bloud of the new testament of thy welbeloued Sonne, which hath loued vs, and washed vs with his bloud from our sinnes, and hath redeemed vs from all iniquitie.
Purifie my heart by the sanctification of thy spirit, and the sprinkling of the bloud of thy Sonne, from all filthinesse of sinne, and euill conscience.
[Page 914] O God almightie, be mercifull vnto me a sinner: for thy glorious name sake, and remember my sinnes no longer.
For thou art God, gratious, and mercifull, and patientlie dooest suffer vs: and wouldest that no man should perish, but yt all men should returne to penance.
Make me, O Lord God, to returne from mine euill waies and wicked thoughts.
Remember not the sinnes and abhominations of my youth: according to thy mercie, be mindfull of mee for thy goodnesse sake O Lord.
Looke not vpon me with a grienous countenance: for there is no man that dare speake for me.
Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant: for if thou accuse me, I shall neuer be quit.
For if thou, O Lord, marke my sinnes and iniquitie, who shall not fall before thee?
This is certaine and sure, that then in thy sight no man liuing shall be iustified, seeing thou hast found iniquitie euen in thine Angels.
How much rather in man, which is abhomination and filthinesse, and dwelleth in the earthlie house of his bodie, and drinketh iniquitie as it were water?
Who is cleane from filthinesse, when all be corrupted? trulie not one: no though he haue liued but one daie on the earth, and though his moneths may be easilie numbered.
Of a truth there is no mortall man, which hath not done wickedlie; nor there is anie righteous on earth, which doth good and sinneth not.
Yet because mercie is in thy hand, O Lord, although thou be dreadfull, my hope is in thee, in whome my soule trusteth.
My soule looketh for thee, because mercie and plentifull redemption is with thee.
For this I knowe assuredlie, that thou wilt not cast [Page 915] me awaie for euer: but although thou cast me awaie for my sinnes awhile, yet thou wilt haue mercie vpon me againe, according to the multitude of thy mercies.
For thou, O Lord, art full of pitie and mercie: and wilt not turne thy face awaie from vs, if we will returne to thee.
Thou art our God, full of sweetnesse, veritie, and patience, and disposest all things by mercie.
The fountaines of thy goodnesse be euer full, and flowe ouer: thy grace neuer decaieth.
All thy waies be mercie and truth, to them that seeke out thy couenant and testimonies.
How gentle and louing the father is to his children, so gentle and louing art thou O Lord, to them that feare thee, and for the aboundance of thy mercie thou dooest pardon our infirmities.
Thou knowest thine owne handie-worke, thou remembrest what we are: thou seest we are flesh, and of no strength.
Thou hast not forgotten, that this world is full of vnrighteousnesse and wickednesse: and that it is wholie set and bent on euill.
Yea, neuerthelesse thou art mercifull and full of grace, and like a mercifull Lord, forbearest to punish sinners when they repent themselues, and returne from their sinnes.
Haue mercie vpon me, O Lord God my sauiour, for the glorie of thy name: and deliuer me, and forgiue me my sinnes for thy name sake.
O righteous Father, looke not straitelie vpon the multitude of my sinnes: but looke on the face of Iesus thy holie Sonne, which being without sinne, bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree of the crosse.
Turne awaie thy face from my sinnes: and put out all mine iniquities.
Make a cleane hart in mee, O God, and renew mee [Page 916] with a right spirit.
Cast me not awaie from thy presence, and take not thine holie spirit from me.
Giue me againe the comfort of thy helpe, and stablish me with thy mightie spirit.
Mollifie mine hart, O Lord GOD, that I may returne to thy paths: for I haue wandered ouer long in the waie of errour.
Turne me to thee, and I shall be turned: for thou art my maker, and I am the claie and worke of thine hands.
Turne not thy face awaie from me, nor go not from thy seruant in thine anger.
Be mine helper, and forsake me not: despise me not, O Lord, which art my God, and my health,
Amen.
Another Psalme for the remission of sinnes.
O Most mightie GOD of Angels and of men: whose iudgements be vnsearchable, & whose wisedome is profound and deepe.
Neare the praiers of thy seruants: and cast not awaie the humble suits of thy poore creature and handie worke.
For as long as I shall liue, I will speake vnto thee: and I will not hold my peace, so long as the breth is in my bodie.
I doo turne my soule vnto thee, and I set mine eies directlie vpon thee.
Let thine anger be turned awaie from me, I beseech thee, and grant that I may find grace and fauour in thy sight.
According to the greatnesse of thy mercie, forgiue me all my sinnes.
Plucke me awaie from mine heinous offences: and heale my soule, which hath offended thee; make me free [Page 917] from the guilt of my transgression: for I acknowledge mine iniquitie, and am sorie for my sinnes.
I haue forsaken thy waie; and I, knowing thy commandements, haue done all things contrarie to them.
I haue broken the couenant that I made with thee: and haue despised to keepe thy lawe.
Uerelie I haue sinned against thee, O Lord GOD, and the blemish of my sinne abideth still with me, euen vnto this daie.
I haue forsaken thee, O God my maker, and gone awaie from thee my Sauiour, & haue rebelled against thee, like an oxe that winceth and striueth when hee should be yoked.
I haue hardened my hart against thee: and I haue lifted vp my necke proudlie after my sinne.
I haue trusted in lies, and through deceit would not knowledge thee: but I haue followed the lewdnesse of mine hart.
My pride and arrogancie haue beguiled me: and the foolish boldnesse of mine hart hath brought me into desolate waies.
Mine owne counsels and aduises haue brought me these things: such is the malice and rebellion that possesseth the harts of men.
My soule is put from quietnesse and rest, and I can not thinke of anie good thing.
The yoke of my sinnes is waxed verie heauie: it is lifted vp and fastened about my necke.
Thou hast spoken to me, but I would not heare; thou hast called me, but I would not answere: I beleeued not thy words, nor would abide thy counsell.
I regarded not thine holie word: and I gaue not my mind to thy saiengs.
Thou hast striken me, but I would not knowe the cause thereof: thou hast corrected me, but I would not take thy discipline.
[Page 918] I did not consider in mine hart, that thou wouldest not forget my sinne and malice.
With my mouth and my lips I glorified thee: but mine hart was farre from thee.
I hid my sinne as Adam did: to the intent to haue mine iniquitie vnknowne.
I asked not counsell of thy mouth: and I would not followe thy lawe.
I haue sinned before thine eies, and therefore my soule is made vnstable.
I forsooke thee, which art the fountaine of continuall springing waters: to the intent to dig to my selfe muddie pits, which haue no water.
In all these things I am not returned to thee: nor I haue not praied vnto thee, that I might leaue my wicked waies.
See Lord, and behold how vile I am made, all the beautie of my soule is perished and gone: in so much that now I dare not in anie wise behold and looke vpon thee.
And there was no cause why I should forsake thee, and vainlie followe vaine things.
Lord haue mercie vpon me, and heare my praiers: for thou art my God, and there is no Sauiour besides thee.
Turne awaie from me thy heauie displeasure: and destroie me not for the sinnes of my youth.
I humblie beseech thee, O Lord, forgiue me: forgiue me for thine exceeding mercie.
O Lord God of hosts, if thou be determined to saue, who can let orresist? If thou stretch out thine hand, who shall turne thee awaie?
Thou maist doo to me, as the potter doth to his pot: for behold, I am in thine hand, as the claie is in his.
Amend me, O Lord, but in mercie, not in thine anger, least thou vtterlie consume me: make me to vnderstand [Page 919] and knowe how hurtfull and deadlie a thing it is to forsake thee, my Lord GOD, and to cast awaie from me, the feare of thee.
There is no man that can heale mee, nor cure my plague: no man can deliuer mee, but thou O Lord, which woundest, and makest whole; which strikest, and healest againe.
My destruction commeth of my selfe: my helpe and saluation standeth onelie in thee.
For none is like vnto thee: thou art mightie, and great is the name of thy strength.
Turne me to thee, O Lord, and I shall be turned: take awaie from mee this sinfull hart, that thy lawe may bring foorth fruit in me.
Remember me, Lord, for thy goodnesse sake: and for the great loue thou bearest towards me.
O Lord God, behold, thou hast made both heauen and earth by thy great might: and nothing is hard to thee.
Thou art that puissant and mightie, whose name is the Lord of hosts: great & maruellous in thy counsell.
As soone as thou hast spoken the word, all things be done: as soone as thou hast commanded, things be: and thy word returneth not to thee void, and without effect.
Thou, O Lord GOD, she west mercie vnto all, for thou canst doo all: and thou makest as though thou sawest not the sinnes of men, bicause they should doo penance, and amend their liues.
For thou louest althings that be, and hatest nothing that thou hast made: for nothing thou madest, or hast ordeined of anie hatred.
Thou sparest and tenderest all men: for all things be thine, and thou louest the soules of men.
Thou doost minister mercie, equitie, and iustice in the earth: and therefore in these vertues thou greatlie [Page 920] delightest.
Trulie, O Lord, thou art righteous and gratious, notwithstanding I haue offended thee, transgressing thy couenant, and trespassing against thee.
O Lord, thou hast seene all mine abhominations: looke on my cause, and consider how vile and wretched I am: see and behold my great confusion.
In the time of reconciliation heare me, and in the daie of saluation haue mercie on me.
Be mercifull vnto me, and haue mercie on me, which haue none other helpe but thee: whose will nothing can resist, whensoeuer thou doost purpose to saue.
Heare me, which am a wretch making supplication vnto thee: make me to trust in thy name, and deliuer me by thy power.
Haue regard to me from heauen, O Lord, and looke downe from thine holie habitation, & from the throne of thy glorie.
Destroie me not bicause of mine iniquitie: but remember the sorowe and paine that I suffer.
Be not still angrie with me, O Lord, forget all my sinnes, and remember them no longer.
Let my praier ascend vp vnto thee, saie vnto my soule, Behold I am come to thee, thy helth, and thy saluation,
Amen.
Another Psalme for the remission of sinnes.
O GOD eternall, iust, and holie, which keepest couenant and mercie with them that loue thee, and keepe thy commandements.
Looke at me, and haue mercie vpon me: for I haue trespassed against thee, & done euil in thy sight.
Shew foorth vpon me the tender affections of thy mercie, that thy seruant may haue an hart to praie vnto thee.
[Page 921] I humblie make my praier before thy face, not trusting in mine owne righteousnesse, but in thy great mercies.
For I am vncleane and filthie: and all my righteousnesse is like a foule bloudie clowt.
Unto thee, O Lord, be iustice, mercie, and pitie: but vnto me be confusion and shame for mine iniquities.
Certainlie, euen from my beginning I haue vsed my selfe proudlie against thee, dooing wickedlie, and not ceasing.
O Lord, thou hast redeemed me, and yet I haue not ceased to offend thee, and mine hart hath not beene straight in thy sight.
Thou hast taught and instructed me, and stablished my power, and I haue beene euill affected towards thee, being like a deceitfull bowe.
My pride and presumption accuse me to my face, I am ouerthrowne in mine owne wickednesse: I doo seeke thee, O Lord, I beseech thee that I may find thee: thou art separated from me, for I haue greedilie followed filthinesse.
Yet will I accuse mine owne sinfull waies before thee, O Lord, vntill thou haue mercie vpon me, and receiue me againe into thy fauour.
God forbid, that euer I should depart from thee againe, and not diligentlie seeke for thy promises.
I will neuer hold my peace, nor keepe silence: vntill thou haue established that couenant with me, which thou hast made and ordeined in times past.
That is to saie, like as the iustice of a iust man shall not deliuer or saue him, what time soeuer he shall offend: so the wickednesse of a wicked man shall not hurt him, what time soeuer he shall returne from his wickednesse.
In hope of this, O Lord God, I will tarie thy pleasure: for thou art good to them that trust in thee, and [Page 922] to the soule that seeketh thee.
Thou keepest thy truth for euermore: and the words which issue foorth of thy mouth, shall not be void, and of none effect.
Destroie me not good Lord, for my sinnes: nor reserue not eternall punishment for me.
Open thine eies, and behold the greatnesse of my paine and mine affliction: for mine iniquitie is great in thy sight, and my sinnes haue brought me into this trouble.
Destroie me not vtterlie, nor leaue me in my sinnes: for thou art God of mercie, and verie gratious.
Execute not the punishment vpon me, which thou haddest purposed: doo to me according to thy name, although my defaults and sinnes be manie.
O Lord, thou art my God; and thy name hath beene put vpon me: leaue me not in the deepenesse of my troubles.
Thou hast chastised and reformed manie, and hast strengthned the wearie hands; thy words haue set vp him that staggered, and thou hast made streight the crooked knees.
Wherefore I will seeke thee O Lord God, which hast wrought great things, vnsearchable & innumerable.
Thou hast taken vp the poore out of the dust, and hast exalted them, which were abiects.
For thou dooest deliuer the poore in his miserie out of the straite and bottomlesse pit of tribulation: and out of the wide mouth of anguish and affliction, into rest and quietnesse.
Thou art gratious and mercifull, for that thou shewest mercie to them, which be not yet come into the world: and thou art verie mercifull to them, which diligentlie obserue and keepe thy lawes; and thou dooest patientlie suffer sinners, giuing them time and place, wherby they may be changed from their malice.
[Page 923] Heare me poore wretch making supplication vnto thee, for in thee and thy name I haue put my trust and affiance.
Take me thy seruant vnto thee, and make me good, and let me not be disappointed of that that I looke for.
Come againe O Lord God, and saue my soule: destroie me not, whome thou hast redeemed by thy great might and power.
Looke not vpon the hardnesse of my hart, nor vpon my sinnes; but like as thou hast manie times shewed mercie, so now be mercifull, and forgiue me.
Heare me, O Lord, and be pacified: regard my praier, and doo according to thy great name.
O Lord, I looke to haue helpe and saluation from thee: and this is my dailie meditation and exercise.
For thy mercies be great: and thy goodnesse is inestimable.
Heare me now fauourablie: and with-hold thy mercies no longer from me.
In the waie of thy iudgements I will looke after thee: my soule desireth to magnifie thy name, and to haue thee in memorie.
Incline my hart to doo thy commandements: and direct my waies euermore in thy sight.
Let me neuer heereafter go awaie from thy waies: nor leaue me not now in the deepenesse of my troubles.
Turne not thine eies awaie from me, but teach me, O Lord, to doo those things which are pleasant in thy sight.
Make a perpetuall league and couenant with me, that thou wilt put thy feare into my heart, that I neuer swarue from thee in all my life.
Withdrawe not thy goodnesse from me for euer, but keepe thy promise and fidelitie.
Be good vnto me with beneuolence and fauour: for [Page 924] thou art mercifull, and thy displeasure continueth not for euer.
Remember me with fauour and kindnesse: and visit me with thy saluation.
I knowe, O Lord God, that thou art gratious and mercifull, patient, and of great mercifulnesse.
Thou art good and mercifull, thou keepest couenant and mercie with thy seruants, which walke before thee in their whole heart.
There is none other God but thou, which regardest and carest for all.
For thou hast beene euer verie mercifull to me, deliuering my soule from the deepe hell.
Let thy goodnesse, O Lord, be euer with me, for all my wealth resteth onlie in thee.
In the time of tribulation, I call vpon thee, O Lord, for thou art nigh vnto them, which call vpon thy holie name.
Succour me, O God, and looke merilie vpon me: shew me the light of thy countenance, in thee my soule trusteth, and my hart reioiceth.
Let my praier come vnto thy throne: bow downe thine eare vnto my crie.
Heare me now being penitent, O Lord, whom thou hast hitherto patientlie suffered: to the intent I should repent and amend my life.
O God, I haue opened vnto thee my life: saue mee for thy name sake, for my trust is in thee.
What care I for worldlie things: this one thing onlie I need and desire, that I may find grace and fauour in thy sight.
Wherefore I beseech thee, O Lord, take awaie from me this paine and sorrowe: or at least-wise mitigate and asswage it, either by comfort, or by counsell, or by what meanes soeuer it shall bee seene good to thee.
Another Psalme, or complaint of a penitent sinner, which is sore troubled and ouercome with sinne.
O Lord God mercifull and patient: and of much mercifulnesse and truth.
Which for thine aboundant charitie, and according to thy great mercie, hast taken vs out from the power of darkenesse: and hast saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration and new birth, and the renewing of the holie Ghost: whome thou hast shed vpon vs aboundantlie by Iesu Christ our sauiour.
If I haue found grace and fauour in thy sight, suffer me to speake a word vnto thee, and be not displeased with me.
Why dooest thou euer forget me, and leauest me in the middest of my troubles and euils?
Where is become thy zeale & thy strength? Where is the multitude of thy tender affections, and of thy mercies?
O Lord, may not he which is fallen, rise vp againe? Or may not he which hath gone awaie from thee, returne to thee againe?
Shall my sorrowe euer endure? Shall my wound be incurable and neuer healed?
How commeth it to passe, that I turne still awaie from thee? My sinne dailie increaseth, and of my selfe I can not returne.
In as much as it is not giuen to man to direct his owne waies, neither to make perfect his owne proceedings.
For in thy hand is the life of euerie liuing thing: and the spirit also of euerie man.
Thou shewest thy mercie to whome thou wilt: and thou art gratious to them whome thou fauourest.
Thou dooest kill, and thou dooest quicken: thou leadest [Page 926] downe to hell gate, and bringest vp againe.
Thine eies behold the waies of euerie man: and thou searchest the harts of men.
There is no place so secret or darke, wherein sinners may hide themselues from thee.
Nor anie man may so lurke and hide himselfe in caues, but thou shalt see him, which dooest fulfill both heauen and earth in euerie part.
Why hast thou cast me awaie from thy presence, and takest me for thine enimie?
Why hast thou laid vpon my head the heauie weight of my sinnes, seeing no man is able to beare thy displeasure?
What meaneth it, that thou shewest thy power against a wretch? Why destroiest thou me for the sinnes of my youth?
If I haue sinned, what shall I doo to thee? And if my sinnes be increased, what shall I doo?
If I doo iustlie, what shall I giue to thee? Or what shalt thou receiue at my hand?
My wickednesse shall hurt my selfe: and my righteousnesse shall profit me.
The life of man is a temptation vpon the earth: and if I haue sinned, as all men haue, what may I doo?
Shall anie man be found cleane, and without sinne before thee? Or shall anie man be without default in his deeds?
How may a mortall man be pure from sinne in thy sight? Or how may he, which is borne of a woman, be righteous?
Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me of the earth: and that thou shalt bring me againe into the dust of death.
My daies passe and vanish awaie like smoke: they waste dailie, there is no tarieng.
My life flieth awaie as the winde: and considereth [Page 927] not that which is good.
I was but latelie borne into this world, and shortlie I shall be taken awaie hence by death: I neuer continue still in one state.
The daies of my life be few, and short: thou hast appointed an end, which I shall not passe.
Naked and bare I came out of my mothers wombe: and naked and bare I shall returne againe, trulie all men liuing are vanitie.
Haue pitie, O Lord, on them that are in miserie: and despise not the works of thy hands.
Though we sinne, yet are we vnder thee; for wee knowe thy power and strength: and if we sinne not, then are we sure that thou regardest vs.
Cease thine indignation, O Lord, and turne it from me: and cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe.
Take awaie thy plagues from me, for thy punishment hath made me both feeble and faint.
For when thou chastisest a man for his sinnes, thou causest him by and by to consume and pine awaie.
Whatsoeuer is delectable in him perisheth, like vnto the cloth that is eaten with mothes.
Would God I had one to defend me a while, vntill thine anger were turned awaie: or that thou wouldest set me a time, in the which thou wouldest remember me.
I am cleane cast awaie from thy presence: shall I neuer heereafter see thy face againe?
Behold, I haue opened the griefes of my soule: the daies of my sorrowes haue taken me.
The flouds of tribulation compasse me round about, and the streames of thy furie run ouer me.
And I crie vnto thee, O Lord God, but thou hearest me not: I aske mercie, but thou reiectest my praiers.
Why thrustest thou downe a poore wretch from thy presence? Or why forsakest thou me so long time?
[Page 928] Why takest thou not away mine iniquitie? And why puttest thou not awaie the wickednesse of mine hart?
Arise, and tarie no longer, O Lord: arise, and reiect me not for euer.
Haue me in remembrance, I beseech thee: for I thoroughlie tremble and shake for feare.
Yet I will not hold my tongue, but crie still vnto thee with a moorning and an heauie hart.
Turne awaie the stroke of thy vengeance from me: bring my mind out of troubles into rest.
I am here no long continuer, but a pilgrime, and a stranger, as all other mortall men be.
And what is man, that thou shouldst be angrie with him? Or what is mankind, that thou shouldest be so heauie Lord vnto vs?
What? Wilt thou bring sorowe vpon sorowe? I pant for paine, and find no rest.
My sorowe greeueth me, when I should eate, and sudden sighs ouerwhelme mine hart.
I am as if my bones were all to broken, when I heare mine enimies raile vpon me, and saie to me daie by daie; Where is thy God?
Why turnest thou thy face awaie from these things, O Lord? Why hast thou no regard of my trouble?
I earnestlie make my praiers dailie in thy sight, and the heauinesse of mine hart I doo shew vnto thee.
My spirit is carefull and troubled within me: and desperation hath entered into mine hart.
Is it thy pleasure, O Lord God, to cast awaie thine owne handie worke?
Deliuer my soule from corruption, and my life from euerlasting darknesse.
What auaileth it me that euer I was borne, if thou cast me straight into damnation, seeing that the dead shall not praise thee: nor anie of them that go downe to hell?
[Page 929] I haue sinned, what shall I doo to thee? Why hast thou put me to be contrarie to thee? I am wearie of mine owne selfe.
Why searchest thou out my sinnes so narrowlie: when there is no man that can take out of thine hand.
If I would saie, that I were righteous and without sinne: then thou mightest woorthilie condemne me to the fire, prepared for the diuell and his angels.
But I confesse that I am a sinner, and doo humble mine hart in thy sight.
Surelie, if anie man would stand with thee in iudgment, he shall not be able to answere one word to a thousand things, wherewith thou mightest charge him.
This maketh me to feare all my deeds: knowing that thou sparest not him that offendeth.
If I looke vpon thy power, O how mightie and strong art thou! If I shall call for iudgement, who shall defend my matter, or speake for me?
To thee O Lord, I call and crie: to thee, my God, I make mine humble suite.
Turne awaie thine anger from me: that I may knowe that thou art more mercifull vnto me, than my sinnes deserue.
What is my strength, that I may endure? Or what is the end of my trouble, that my soule may patientlie abide it?
My strength is not a stonie strength, and my flesh is not made of brasse.
There is no helpe in my selfe, and my strength flieth awaie from me.
Although thou hide these things in thine hart: yet I knowe that thou wilt remember me at length.
For thou art true and iust, O Lord God, thou dooest not condemne vniustlie: which rewardest man according to his deserts.
[Page 930] All this is come vpon me, bicause I haue forgotten thee: and not vsed my selfe trulie in thy testament.
Mine hart hath turned backward: and I haue followed the desires of my flesh.
And thou hast surelie knowne this thing: which knowest the secrets of the hart.
Laie not against me, O Lord, the sins of my youth: nor haue in remembrance mine old iniuries done against thee.
Dailie sorowe ouercommeth me: and sadnesse possesseth mine hart.
I looke after peace, but I can not haue it: I looke for a time of health; but my greefe continueth still.
When the time of thine anger is past, let mercie come: yet am I vnhappie more and more.
Wo and alas that euer I sinned! mine hart therefore mourneth and is sad, all mirth and ioie be banished from me.
How am I wasted? How miserablie am I confounded, bicause I haue forsaken and cast awaie thy lawe?
Death hath ascended vp by the windowes; pearcing the inward parts of mine hart.
When I dailie one while muse secretlie with my selfe, another while with lowd voice crie out and complaine, the meane time my life draweth neere to the pit.
Who shall giue me a place to rest in from all my griefes and troubles? And I will forsake all men, and get me awaie from them.
Who shall giue me water to mine head, and a fountaine of teares to mine eies, that I may bewaile my sinnes both night and daie?
And I will looke for him, which may saue me, and deliuer me from the wrath to come.
I haue no trust neither in life nor death: but I feare thy iudgement, O Lord, and the paines prepared for [Page 931] wicked sinners.
The feare of my sinne maketh me carefull: and the burden of my conscience oppresseth me sore.
O GOD, which tenderlie louest mankind, and art a most rightfull iudge: spare me now, I beseech thee, and shew me some fauour while time is.
Forgiue that, which I feare; put awaie that, which I dread: before I depart hence, and shall not returne againe.
My sinnes doo vexe and trouble me sore: they be so great that none can be greater.
Alas my fall! alas my miserie! alas the griefe of my plague and stroke! certainlie my sinne is the cause of all this, and so I will take and suffer it.
A verie deuout and effectuall praier vnto Christ, for mercie and grace, to be hartilie said, and often vsed, especiallie when ye fast, or prepare your selfe to receiue the Communion.
O Lord Iesu Christ, Sonne of the liuing GOD, which being vpon the Crosse, with thine hands spred abroad, for the redemption of all mankind, didst drinke the most bitter cup of thy passion, I beseech thee that thou wouldest vouchsafe to giue me helpe this daie (or night) and euer. Lo, I a poore wretch come vnto thee, which art rich; a sinner vnto thee that art mercifull: let mee not returne home contemned, and despised with nothing; I begin an hungred, let me not leaue off fasting; I come vnto thee, as though I were famished, let me not go awaie vnfed. Although before I eate, I sigh and sorowe: yet after my sorowe, giue me somewhat to eate.
First of all, good Iesu, I acknowledge before thy [Page 932] Maiestie mine vnrighteousnesse towards thee. Behold, O Lord, I was conceiued in sinne, and borne in the same; and thou diddest wash them off from me, and sanctified me; but I afterward defiled my selfe with bigger, and more greeuous sinnes. For I was borne in sinne of necessitie, bicause I could be borne none otherwise: but afterward I rolled my selfe willinglie in sinnes. Neuerthelesse, thou O Lord, being mindfull of thy pitie, diddest take me out of the house of my carnall father, and out of the tents of the vngodlie, and hast inspired me, and put me in mind to followe thee with the generation of them that seeke thy face, of them that walke in the right path of puritie; of them that abide and continue among the lillies of virginitie and chastitie, and of them that sit downe togither with thee at supper of most scarsitie and least excesse.
But I an vnkind wretch, forgetting so manie great benefits, after that I was entered into thy seruice, haue committed manie vnlawfull things. I did offend woonderfull vngratiouslie, dooing manie a foule sinne. And where I should of right haue amended mine euil life, and left my sinnes, I heaped sinnes vpon sinnes. And these be the euils, wherewith I (whom thou didst create after thine owne similitude and likenesse) haue dishonoured thee, O Lord, and haue spotted and defiled my selfe: namelie, with idolatrie, superstition, pride, vaine-glorie, couetousnesse, and other manie euils and foule vices, wherewith mine vnluckie soule is vexed, punished, torne, and destroied.
Behold, O Lord, mine vnrighteousnesse is gone ouer mine head, and is like a sore burden ouer heauie for me to beare: and except thou, whose propertie is euer to haue mercie, and to forgiue, doo laie vnder mee the right hand of thy Maiestie: I shall be constrained miserablie to sinke into the deepe, and be drownd. Giue heed, O Lord God, and behold, bicause thou art holie: [Page 933] looke how mine enimie assaulteth me, saieng; GOD hath forsaken him, I will persecute him, and catch him, bicause there is no man that will deliuer him; but thou, Lord, how long? Turne againe and deliuer my soule, oh saue me for thy mercies sake.
Haue mercie vpon thy daughter, whom thou hast brought foorth with no small sorowe and paine, and bee not so intentiue vnto mine euilnesse, that thou forget thine owne goodnesse. What father is there, but hee will deliuer his child? Yea, and what father is there, that will not correct his child, and chasten it? But with the rod of pitie. Therefore, O Father and Lord, although I be a sinner, yet can I not choose but bee thy daughter, bicause thou hast made me, yea and made me againe when I was mard with sinne. Repaire and amend me now euermore, O Lord; but first of all, I being mended and chastised as thy child, with thy gentle scourge, deliuer me to thy Sonne.
Can a mother forget the child she bare of hir womb? And surelie although she sometime be forgetfull, yet thou, O Father, hast promised not to forget vs. Behold I crie, and thou dooest not heare me; I am vexed with sorowe, and thou comfortest me not. What shall I saie? Or what shall I doo most wretched caitife that I am? I being desolate of so great comfort, am cast out trō the sight of thine eies. Wo be vnto me! From how great goodnesse into how great a mischiefe am I fallen? Whither purposed I to go? And whither am I come? Where am I? And where am I not? Whom did I labour to attaine vnto? And what euils haue I obteined? I sought for good things, and behold I haue found trouble, anguish, & care. Behold now I am in a most miserable case, euen in the state of death and damnation. For Iesus is not with me; my Iesus is departed from me: and surelie it were better for me to haue nothing at all, yea no being at all, than to bee [Page 934] without Iesu. It is better not to liue, than to liue without life.
And thou, O Lord Iesu, where be thine old mercies? Wilt thou absent thy selfe for euer? Wilt thou bee angrie towards me a wretch for euermore? O be pacified I beseech thee, and haue mercie vpon me! Be pacified I saie, and turne not thy face awaie from me, which to the intent thou mightest redeeme me, didst not turne awaie thy face from them that rebuked thee, scorued thee, and spitted vpon thee. I confesse and acknowledge that I haue sinned, and my conscience deserueth damnation, and the penance that I am able to doo, is not sufficient to make amends for mine iniquitie: but sure and certaine I am that thy mercie exceedeth all offences that a man can doo.
Oh doo not I be seech thee, most pitifull Lord, write my heinous sinnes against me, that thou shouldest enter into iudgement with thy seruant; but according to the multitude of thy mercies now haue mercie vpon me, and crosse and blot out all mine iniquities, before I depart hence, and shall be no more seene in this world. For else, wo be vnto me wretch that I am, when the daie of iudgement commeth, and the bookes of consciences shall be laid wide open: when it shall be said of me, Lo, looke vpon this woman and hir works, how wicked she is, and abhominable they are. What shall I doo then, I saie, O Lord my God, when the heauens which I haue offended, shall reueale and shew foorth mine iniquitie; and the earth which I haue polluted, shall arise vp and testifie my manifold misdeeds against me? Behold, I shall be able alas to giue neuer a word to answere, but to stand in thy presence, trembling, quaking, vtterlie confounded, and holding downe my head for shame, as condemned also by the testimonie of mine owne giltie conscience, vnto eternall damnation.
Alas wretch that I am, what shall I saie? I will [Page 935] crie vnto thee O Lord my God. Why am I consumed and fretted with holding my peace? But if I should speake, my greefe would not cease: and if I hold my peace, I shall be most bitterlie vexed within. Go to therefore O my soule, moorne and lament as a widowe for hir husband that she had in hir virginitie. Howle wretch and crie out with weeping, because thy spouse Christ hath forsaken thee. O caitiffe crie alowd in the eares of thy God, and saie, O God almightie, let not thine anger fall vpon me. Deale not with me after my sinnes, neither reward me after mine iniquities, because that if thou laie so much to my charge as is due for my sinnes, it is so much that I cannot receiue it; surelie Lord, my power is not able for to suffer or beare it.
Wherefore, O Lord, haue mercie vpon me, least I despaire: but in despairing I will take hart to me, and be somewhat comforted. For although I haue committed so much, that thou maist condemne me woorthilie, yet thou hast not lost that, wherewith thou wast woont to saue sinners: neither dooest thou reioice at the destruction and losse of them that die. Yea to the intent that dead men might liue, thou thy selfe didst die, and thy death did kill the death of sinne: and if they were reuiued againe, and did liue by thy death, I beseech thee let not me die now that thou liuest. Send downe thy hand and power from high, and deliuer me out of the hands of mine enimies, that they reioice not ouer me and saie, Let vs deuoure him.
Who euer, O good Iesu, needed to mistrust of thy mercie, which when we were thine enimies, didst redeeme vs with thy bloud, and reconciled vs vnto God? Behold therefore, I being hid vnder the shadowe of thy mercie, doo come vnto the throne of thy glorie, requiring: and I doo runne crieng and knocking, vntill thou take pitie vpon me. For if thou didst call vs to [Page 936] pardon and forgiuenesse before we laboured for pardon, how soone shall we obtaine forgiuenesse when wee aske it? Doo not remember, O most bountifull Iesu, thy iustice towards a sinner; but thinke vpon thy liberalitie and gentlenesse toward thy creature. Doo not remember thine anger toward the giltie, but remember thy pitie and mercie toward a wretch. Forget me, in that I proudlie did prouoke and mooue thee vnto wrath, and looke vpon a wretch that calleth vpon thee. For what is Iesus but a Sauiour? Therefore O good Iesu, for thine owne sake, arise and helpe me: and saie vnto my soule, I am thy health and thy safegard.
Thus I presume much, and am verie bold of thy goodnesse, O Lord, because thou dooest teach vs to aske, to seeke, and to knocke: wherfore, I being admonished by thy word, doo aske, seeke, and knocke. And thou O Lord, that commandest vs to aske, make mee able to receiue. Thou that giuest counsell to seeke, grant that I may finde. Thou that teachest vs to knocke, open to me when I knocke, and confirme me which am vnstable and wauering. Restore me that am lost, raise me that am dead: and vouchsafe to direct and gouerne in thy fauour, all my senses, my thoughts, and dooings, that from hencefoorth I may serue thee, I may liue toward thee, and that I may commit my selfe vnto thee. I knowe, O my Lord, that through this that thou hast made me, I owe and am in debt vnto thee euen mine owne selfe: and because thou hast redeemed mee, and wast made man for my sake, for this I owe vnto thee more than my selfe. Lo, I haue no more, neither can I giue that which I haue vnto thee, without thee; but doo thou take me, and drawe me vnto thee, that I may be thine in following and louing thee, like as I am thine in condition and creation, which liuest and reignest one God in blessed Trinitie, worlds without end,
Amen.
The PSALTER, which S. AVGVSTINE composed out of euerie Psalme of Dauid a verse, for the vse of his Mother.
O Lord God almightie, and king of eternall glorie, who dooest acknowledge him to be a blessed man, that abhorreth the waie of sinners, and doth meditate in thy lawe daie and night.
Teach thou me a wretched sinner, faithfullie to serue thee with feare and trembling of the heart.
And seeing with all humilitie of hart I doo call vnto thee with my voice, heare me, haue mercie vpon mee, and so harken vnto my praier, that neither thou for thy part rebuke me in thy wrath, nor that old enimie to mankinde, lieng in wait for his part to deuoure my soule like a Lion, and teare it in peeces while there is none to helpe.
But Lord, whose name is excellent in all the world, turne thou mine enimie backe, that he fall againe, and perish at thy presence.
Let him not intrap my soule with his firie snares, and suffer not brimstone and stormie tempests to torment me.
But for the oppression of the needie, and for the sighings of the poore, now thou dooest arise; behold and heare me, O Lord my God, because thou art the counsell and trust of the poore.
Make me to walke vprightlie, and to worke righteousnesse, that thy fauourable kindnesse may be the portion of mine inheritance.
Keepe me as the apple of thine eie. Hide me vnder [Page 938] the shadowe of thy wings, because thou art my strength, my rocke, and my refuge.
Cleanse me frō my secret faults, and keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes.
Send me helpe from thy sanctuarie, and giue mee mine harts desire.
Saue me from the Lions mouth, and lead me in the paths of righteousnesse, that I may ascend into thy mountaine, and stand in thine holie place, hauing innocent hands, and a pure hart.
Remember not the sinnes of my youth, nor my rebellions.
Gather not my soule with the sinners, neither giue me vnto the lust of mine aduersaries.
But so fauourablie harken thou vnto the voice of my petitions, that calling vpon the glorie of thine holie name, thou doo heare me, and haue mercie vpon me.
And so trusting in thee, let me neuer be confounded: but forgiue the punishment of my sinne.
Let thy mercie, O Lord, be vpon me, as I trust in thee, and deliuering me out of all my feare, saie vnto my soule, I am thy saluation.
And because I trust vnder the shadowe of thy wings, giue me mine harts desire, and haste thee to helpe mee, O my Lord, my saluation.
Lord, let me knowe mine end, and the measure of my daies what it is, let me knowe how long I haue to liue.
Incline vnto me, and heare my crie: bring me out of the lake of miserie, out of the mirie claie, and set my feet vpon the rocke, and order my goings.
Deliuer me in the time of trouble, that I may go into thy glorious house: for thou art the God of my strength.
Let not my steps go out of thy paths, that I may loue righteousnesse, and hate iniquitie.
[Page 939] Be thou mine hope and strength: for thou art a great King ouer all the earth.
Thou which art a God for euer, deliuer my soule out of the power of hell: for it hath receiued thee.
And when thou shalt appeare to iudge vs, haue mercie vpon me, according to the multitude of thy mercies, and take not thine holie spirit from me.
O most gratious GOD, in that houre hide thy face from my sinnes, and put awaie all mine iniquities.
Create in me a cleane hart, O God, renew a right spirit within me, that I may appeare like a greene oliue tree, in the house of my God, and there with Iacob reioice, and euerlastinglie be glad with Israel.
Saue me, O God, by thy name, and by thy power iudge mee.
Hide not thy selfe frō my supplication; but be mercifull vnto me.
Send thou from heauen, and saue me from the reproofe of them that would swalowe me vp.
Breake their teeth, O God, in their mouths: breake the iawes of the yoong lions, O Lord.
Thou art my defence, and my mercifull God.
Helpe me with thy right hand, and vnder the couering of thy wings let me be protected, when thou art to render euerie man according to his works.
While my soule thirsteth for thee, hide me from the conspiracie of the wicked.
Sith all flesh shall come vnto thee, put not backe thy mercie from me.
Neither take from me thine holie spirit; but cause thy face to shine vpon me.
Send me a good passage, O our God, which sauest vs, that the deepe swallowe me not vp, nor the pit shut hir mouth vpon me.
Be thou mine helper and my deliuerer; O Lord, [Page 940] make no tarieng.
Sith in thee, O Lord, I doo trust; let me neuer bee confounded, when thou shalt iudge the people.
Lo, they which withdrawe themselues from thee shall perish. Oh let not me oppressed returne ashamed!
Bicause thou art a righteous iudge, thou makest lowe, and thou exaltest: and who shall stand in thy sight when thou art angrie?
Thou art the God that dooest woonders.
As thou nourishedst thy people with bread in ye wildernesse, and didst not turne them from their lust: so let thy grace refresh me an hungrie soule; make haste, and let thy tender mercies preuent me.
And thou my defender, giue me the bread of teares, and the bitternesse of a troubled mind, in the time of tribulation; and grant withall, that from the honie of the rocke, I may taste the sweetnesse of inward consolation.
O God, who iudgest betweene the innocent and the sinners; who alone art the most high ouer all ye earth, haue mercie vpon me, and giue grace and glorie, who hast ordeined a lawe.
Forgiue the iniquitie of mine hart; couer all my sinnes, and saue thou thy seruant that trusteth in thee.
O God, who laiest the foundations of thy Church vpon the holie mountaines, incline thine eare vnto my crie.
Let thine hand therefore establish me, and turne me not vnto destruction; but deliuer me from the snare of the hunter, from the pestilence, and from the plague that destroieth at noone daie: that being planted in thine house, I may flourish like a palme-tree, & growe like a Cedar in Libanon, bringing out fruit euen in mine old age; bicause holines becommeth thine house, O Lord, for euer.
Be thou my refuge, O my God, the rocke of mine [Page 941] hope: for thou Lord art a great God, & a great King aboue all gods.
When thou wilt iudge the world with righteousnesse, and thy people in truth, I shall enioie light with the righteous, and ioie with the vpright in hart.
Let thy right hand, and thine holie arme preserue mee.
Thou which sittest vpon the Cherubims, make mee to come before thy presence with ioifulnesse, that I may walke in the vprightnesse of mine hart in the midst of mine house.
Let a froward hart depart from me, but cause mine eies to be turned vnto the faithfull, that I may sit with them walking in a perfect waie, when through thy iudgement thou shalt cut off all the workers of wickednesse from the citie.
O Lord heare my praier, and let my crie come vnto thee.
Hide not thy face from me in the time of trouble: incline thine eares vnto me.
Pardon all my sinnes, and redeeme my soule from destruction.
Satisfie my longing with good things, thou which lookest vpon the earth, and it trembleth; and broughtest foorth thy people with ioie, and thy chosen with gladnesse.
Make me to keepe iudgment, and to worke righteousnesse at all times.
Bring me out of darknesse, and out of the shadowe of death, that with a prepared hart I may sing and giue praise.
Saue me, O Lord, according to thy mercie, that in the glorie of Saints, in the assemblie and congregation of the iust, my righteousnesse may endure for euer, and mine horne be exalted with glorie.
That while thou raisest the needie out of the dust, [Page 942] and liftest vp the poore out of the doong, making Iudah thy sanctification, and Israel thy dominion, I may blesse thee, O Lord, from hencefoorth, and for euer: then shall I walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing.
Breake thou my bonds, and confirme thy mercie towards me: when I call vpon thee in my trouble, O Lord, heare me, and set me at large.
Teach me, O Lord, the waie of thy statutes, that I may liue, and keepe it vnto the end.
Giue me vnderstanding both to search thy lawe, and to obserue it also with mine whole hart.
I haue gone astraie like a lost sheepe: O seeke thy seruant, and deliuer my soule!
Preserue my going out, and my comming in, that my feet may stand in the courts of Ierusalem.
I lift vp mine eies vnto thee that dwellest in the heauens.
Deliuer my soule out of the snare of the foulers, least I put foorth mine hands vnto wickednesse.
Fill my mouth with laughter, and my tongue with ioie: replenish my longing with good things, that thy beloued may find rest, and blesse me out of Sion, that I may see the welth of Ierusalem, hauing escaped the cords of wickednesse.
Let thine eares attend vnto the voice of my praiers, O Lord.
Let not mine hart be hautie, nor mine eies loftie; but giue me grace to thinke humblie, vntill I find a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob.
There the Lord hath appointed the blessing, and life for euer. There will I lift vp mine hands to thy sanctuarie, and praise thee, who iudgest thy people, and art pacified towards thy seruants.
O God of gods, and Lord of lords, now weeping and worshipping towards thine holie temple, trie me, and [Page 943] knowe me, marke and consider my paths, and leade me in thy waie for euer.
Deliuer me, O Lord, from the euill man, and preserue me from the cruell man.
Let my praier be directed in thy sight as incense.
Bring my soule out of prison, that I may praise thy name.
Heare my praier, O Lord, in thy righteousnesse, and enter not into iudgement with thy seruant.
Heare me speedilie, O Lord, least my spirit faile me: for thou God art my refuge and my deliuerer.
And forasmuch as thou art great, and most woorthie to be praised, and thy greatnesse is incomprehensible, raise vp the crooked, loose the shackeled, and giue sight to the blind, thou which dooest build vp Ierusalem.
And when thou hast made the barres of thy gates strong, let me be coupled to thy children within.
As the Angels and all the powers in the kingdome of heauen doo praise thee, there let me triumphing gloriouslie in the congregation of the Saints, with the sounding Cimbals of my lips praise and magnifie thy name, the which is holie and glorious, and reigneth now and euerlastinglie,
Amen.
Shus-hanna hir Psalter, conteining verie deuout praiers for remission of sinnes; for the auoiding of all kind of sinne, and for the leading of a godlie life.
O Almightie and euerliuing GOD, thou God of al power, before whose eies all things be naked and bare: O Lord, thou great and terrible God, I saie, that keepest couenant & mercie with them that loue thee, and doo thy commandements; Let thine eares bee open, that thou [Page 944] maist heare the praiers of thy seruant, which I make before thee at this time, and let them ascend vp before thy presence, and be accepted in thy sight, for Iesus Christs sake.
Haue mercie vpon me thy poore creature, and worke of thine hands. For I haue sinned, and done wickedlie, and haue offended thy Maiestie greeuouslie, in that I haue gone backe and departed from all thy precepts and iudgements, and haue not followed thy seruants the Prophets, that spake vnto me in thy name; but haue from daie to daie prouoked thy iust wrath and indignation against me.
O Lord, I acknowledge and confesse vnto thee my manifold sinnes and wickednesse, the which I haue vnrighteouslie & most greeuouslie committed against thee in thought, word, and deed, from my youth vp vntill this daie: for the which I am now taught by thy word and grace to be hartilie sorie, and doo vnfeinedlie repent, purposing euermore, through the assistance of thy grace, to walke in a new life. Desiring thee for the pretious bloud-shedding of Iesus Christ, thy deere Sonne our Lord, to haue mercie vpon me, and forgiue me all those mine offences, according to thy great mercie and promise, which hast said; At what time so euer a sinner dooth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his hart, I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance.
O Lord remember not therefore the multitude of my misdeeds, I beseech thee: but according to thy great mercies thinke vpon me.
Call to remembrance for Christs sake thy louing kindnesse, and thy tender mercie, the which hath euer beene of old.
Hide not thy face from me, nor cast not off thy seruant in thy displeasure.
For thy mercies sake deliuer me from all my sinnes, [Page 945] and make me not a scorne vnto the foolish.
Turne not awaie thy mercie from me, but let thy most louing kindnesse and truth alwaie preserue me.
Helpe me for thy name sake, and deliuer me in thy strength.
Heare my praier, O Lord, and consider the words of my mouth, for my misdeeds preuaile against me: O bee thou mercifull vnto my sinnes.
Let the sorowfull sighing of the prisoner come before thee, O Lord, and comfort the soule of thy seruant, for vnto thee doo I flie for succour.
Satisfie me with thy mercie, and that soone, so shall I reioice and be glad in thee all the daies of my life.
Looke not extreamlie what is done amisse in me, for I haue sinned against heauen and before thee, and am no more woorthie to be called thy child: yet Lord, of thy great goodnesse powre downe some of the crums that fall from thy childrens table, and make me as one of the least of them.
Reward me not according to my deseruings, for then I must needs perish, for vnto me perteineth nothing but open shame, confusion, and damnation, but with thee there is mercie, forgiuenesse, and plentious redemption.
Therefore I come vnto thee, O Lord, thou louer of soules, not hoping in mine owne righteousnesse, but trusting onlie in the multitude of thy great mercies, which thou hast made and laid foorth before the eies of all people, offering saluation to the whole world, and hast promised, that whosoeuer he or she be of the whole generation of man, that will receiue grace, repent and turne vnfeignedlie from his sinnes, shall haue free remission and forgiuenesse, through Iesus Christ our Lord, which is our onelie aduocate and mediator, in whome our saluation lieth, and of whome thou hast said, This is my deere Sonne, in whome I am well [Page 946] pleased and well pacified.
For this thy Sonnes sake (by whome I am bold to come vnto thee, which appeareth now in thy sight, making continuall intercession for vs) haue mercie vpon me, O thou mightie God: cleanse me from all my sinnes, and doo awaie all mine iniquities.
Oh let me feele thy mercies towards me, for I doo confesse my sinnes vnto thee, O Lord, and hide not mine vnrighteousnesse. I doo acknowledge mine offences, and accuse my selfe before thee of all my misdeeds.
Helpe me, O God my sauiour, for the glorie of thy name: O deliuer me, and forgiue me my sinnes for thy rich mercies sake.
Remember not the offences of my youth, O Lord, but thinke vpon thy great mercies and couenant made vnto me in Christ Iesus.
For thy tender mercie sake, laie not my sinnes to my charge, but forgiue that is past, and giue me grace to amend my life, to decline from sinne, and incline to vertue, that I may walke with an vpright hart, a cleane conscience, and single eie before thee this daie (or night) and euermore.
Put me not from thy presence, oh thou God of all comfort, but incline thine eare vnto my calling.
Strengthen thy seruant with the power of thy right hand, and helpe thine handmaiden.
Comfort my soule with thy sweet promises, and let thy mercies couer mine infirmities.
O most mercifull Father, consider mine infirmities, I saie, which are manie and great, & beare with mine imperfection, for thy Sonne my sauiour Iesus Christes sake, which had good experience of our infirmitie, that he might be mercifull vnto all them that are afflicted.
Consider the enimie hath gotten an open waie into my flesh, wherein I confesse that there dwelleth nothing [Page 947] but sinne, wretchednesse, and miserie. Yea O Lord, I acknowledge that I was borne in sinne, and conceiued in wickednesse, and am by nature a child of wrath. For in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, and of my selfe I am not able to thinke a good thought, much lesse doo that thou in thy lawe requirest of me to bee done, which hast said, Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the lawe to doo them. Againe, the lawe is spirituall, but I am carnall, sold vnder sinne.
Therefore O Lord my God, I call vnto thee for grace (which hast said, Aske, and yee shall haue; seeke, and yee shall finde; knocke, and it shall bee opened vnto you) to preuent and drawe my will to all goodnesse: for none can come vnto thee except he be drawne; and except we be borne from aboue, we cannot see the kingdome of God.
Assist me therefore, and guide me with thy holie spirit from time to time. Drawe me, and I shall runne after thee, and giue me strength and ablenesse through Christ our Lord, to accomplish and fulfill thy righteous will, and to stand against all the assaults of the diuell, that they may haue no place in me, but that the old man which I beare about in my bodie, may be crucified, and dailie die in me; that the lusts of sinne may vtterlie be destroied; that I may euermore be renewed in the spirit of my mind; and that the life of Christ may alwaies appeare in me.
Good Lord for thy great mercies sake, deliuer me from all kinds of euill, namelie, from the spirit of pride, boasting, vaine-glorie, hypocrisie, wantonnesse, haughtinesse of mind, presumption, selfe-loue, and make mee poore in spirit, humble, meeke, gentle, and lowe in mine owne sight; that I lift not vp my selfe aboue my brethren and sisters; but esteeme my selfe to be as a seruant and hand-maiden to all men and women, to doo [Page 948] them good, after the example of Christ, who came not to be ministred vnto, but to minister, who also hath said, Blessed are the poore in spirit. Againe, Thou resisteth the proud, but giuest grace to the humble.
Take from me my stonie, vnbeleeuing, blind, doubtfull, vnfaithfull, and vnthankefull hart; and giue me an hart of flesh, to loue and incline to thy will; my carnall, secure, and impenitent hart take awaie from me, and giue me an hart to feare, loue, and obeie thee; write thy lawe in my hart; graue it in my mind, that I may beleeue, trust, and liue in thee for euer.
Take from me the wicked spirit of suspicion, enuie, hatred, variance, strife, sedition, sects, euill gealousie, vaine surmises, murmuring and grudging, backbiting or slandering of anie, especiallie such as be in authoritie, and ministers of thy holie word.
O Lord keepe me from all wrath, malice, and hastinesse, all respect of persons in the faith, all idolatrie, superstition, vanities, lieng, euill words, debate, contention, murther, theft, false-witnesse-bearing, flattering, dissimulation, hypocrisie, blasphemie, and vaine swearing by the name of God, his works or creatures; from all lightnesse, idle words, and all vnstablenesse of hart.
Oh Lord deliuer thou my hart from all surfeting, dronkennesse, gluttonie, and leacherie, and from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit, from all vncleane thoughts, and vnlawfull desires, euill concupiscence, fornication, adulterie, and lusts of the bodie.
Take vtterlie from me also couetousnesse, and inordinate care of riches, all deceipt and guile, or dooing of wrong to anie in my calling and office: all idlenesse, sloth, and beastlie securitie, and giue me not ouer vnto an vnshamefast and obstinate minde; but hold me alwaies vnto thy nourture and correction, and bow my hart alwaies vnto thee, that I may serue thee all the daies of my life, in such holinesse and righteousnes, as [Page 949] is acceptable before thee.
Giue me thy grace, oh Lord, that I may haue thee alwaies before mine eies; that I may also haue a respect vnto thy iudgements, that whatsoeuer I saie, thinke or doo, it may be agreeable to thy holie will and word: that I be not minded, as the vngodlie and wicked men and women are: let me haue no pleasure in such things as please them; and grant, that whensoeuer I be ouertaken with anie kind of sinne and wickednesse, either in thought, word, or deede, or that I feele mine owne infirmitie and weakenesse, I may immediatelie with hartie repentance returne to thee againe, and not to lie still in the securitie of sinne.
Make me able and contented with patience to heare all occasions of offence, when they be offered or giuen me, and not to recompense euill for euill, and suffer me not, good Lord, to giue occasions of euill to anie man, and if I doo, make me willing to confesse my fault, and to amend it.
Giue me grace that I neuer enuie anie good mans loue or womans, because they doo either loue God and his people more than I, or else that they be beloued of him or his more than I. Make me to reioice in other mens gifts, and not to enuie them, because they be better than mine, but rather to giue thanks for them with all my hart, desiring that they may be increased in them and in me.
Increase my faith, O Lord my sauiour, in thee and in thy Christ, & make it strong to beleeue thy promises.
Increase my loue, O my redeemer, to thee and to thy righteous people, and make it perfect, true, and vnfeined to all vertue and godlinesse.
Increase a sure hope in me of my saluation, O my iustifier, without doubt or wauering in aduersitie, and without pride or presumption in prosperitie, so that I may serue thee with reuerence and godlie feare all the [Page 950] daies of my life.
Increase in me strength to resist sinne, and to get the victorie and masterie to stand against all euill temptations and assaults of the flesh, the world, and the diuell, that they may haue no place in me, and that according to thy promise I be neuer further prooued nor tempted than thou wilt giue me strength to ouercome.
Increase in me, O Lord, all other vertues agreeable to a godlie life: for I come vnto thee my God, as vnto the well and euerlasting fountaine of all health and saluation.
Good Lord giue me grace therefore all the daies of this my pilgrimage, to walke with a good conscience and pure mind both before thee, and towards all men in my dooing: that I be not a reader of thy holie word, and a talker onlie, but that it may appeare also in my life and conuersation.
Regenerate my hart with the spirit of grace dailie more and more: giue me an inward taste and feeling of thy fauour and mercie towards me in Christ Iesu our Lord, that I may knowe thee to be my God and Father, and my selfe to be thy child for euermore.
Assist thy seruant against this world, with the vaine pompe, pleasures, and beautie thereof, that it may be vnto me as vile dust, filth and slime; that I may vse it, as though I vsed it not, and that it may serue me, and I not it; that I may take my part thereof vnto my necessitie with thanks-giuing; that I doo not vse thy creatures voluptuouslie, but that I may liue soberlie and godlie in this present life to thy glorie.
Preserue and defend thy seruant from all false opinions, that I be not deceiued and caried awaie in the errour of the wicked, but that I may growe in grace and knowledge of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ.
O Lord giue me wisedome, knowledge, and vnderstanding to perceiue those false, lieng, and flattering [Page 951] spirits, which doo deceiue the harts of innocents, and begile vnstable soules.
Giue me also, O Lord, a right, a reuerent, and a pure iudgement and vnderstanding of thy holie word, and to auoide all rash iudgements, and peruerse interpretations, that I may neuer swarue from the true sense and meaning therof; and grant, that my cheefest felicitie may be in the same thy holie word, in hearing, reading, and talking of it, and in watching, praier, fasting, mortifieng mine owne will and members.
O Lord, plant in me true obedience to thy lawe, and let not the cares of this world choke thy word in me.
Make me to lift vp my hart oftentimes to thee, and if I chance to fall or slip, make me to thinke on thee, and to be sorie with a stedfast purpose of amendment.
Oh Lord, I offer vp my selfe whollie with all my crooked and corrupt nature, so much as it is, in will and works, vnto thy mercie to be corrected, and reformed at thine owne will and pleasure.
O let not the hand of the vngodlie cast me downe, but saue my soule, O my Lord God, whither it bee through prosperitie or aduersitie, losse or gaine, sickenesse or health, life or death.
Aid, strengthen, succour and defend thy seruant in all aduersities, tribulations, and temptations, and suffer me not to be tempted aboue my strength.
Increase my ioie and comfort in thee and thy holie spirit, that I may reioice in all trouble and affliction, and imbrace the same to my consolation and comfort, and thinke my selfe happie, when I am counted woorthie to suffer anie trouble for thy name sake.
Take from mine hart the thoughts of earthlie comforts, onlie set before mine eies the ioie of the crosse of Christ, that I may take comfort therein, and despise the shame, for the great reward that is laid vp in heauen for all those, that with patience suffer in aduersitie, [Page 952] and continue in well-dooing vnto the end.
Oh Lord, take from me, I saie, a carefull hart in all worldlie things: let them be vile vnto me for thy sake, and grant that neither pouertie oppresse me, and driue me to despaire or falshood, neither wealth and prosperitie lift me vp to forget thee, or my selfe, but that in prosperitie I may be thankfull, and in aduersitie patient and humble.
Lord, let me be merie without lightnesse; sad without mistrust; sober without dulnesse; fearing thee without desperation; trusting in thee without presumption: let me not be merie with the ioie that is without thee, and let me desire nothing besides thee.
Good Lord giue me ioifulnesse of hart, and peace of conscience, continuall gladnesse and consolation in thy word and promises, that I may euermore be thankfull vnto thee, and praise thy name for euer.
Let thy kingdome come vnto me, which is righteousnesse, peace, and ioie in the holie Ghost, long suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faithfulnesse, meekenesse, temperance, strength, and patience, with all such like vertues as are prescribed vnto me in thy holie word.
Grant me, O God, a tender, louing, and mercifull hart towards my brethren, long amitie, and perfect patience, to beare all things well that thy prouidence shall see meet to laie vpon me.
Of thy fatherlie mercie, O God, leaue me not to my selfe; but stand thou alwaies by me. For I am too weake of mine owne power to doo anie thing that is good; but my righteousnesse and strength lieth onelie in thee. Therefore, O Lord, I come vnto thee, requiring mercie in thy sight, and the assistance of thy grace, that I may bee strengthened with power in the inward man, and be armed at all assaies with thine holie complet armour, which is the breast-plate of righteousnesse; the sheeld of faith; the hope of saluation for an [Page 953] helmet, and the swoord of the spirit, which is thy holie word: that I may stand perfect in all that is thy will, and bee found woorthie through Christ to receiue a crowne of life, which thou hast promised to all them that loue thee in purenesse of mind.
Now therefore, O Lord, I giue ouer my selfe into thine holie hands, desiring thee for Christs sake, that I thus armed may remaine vnder the protection and strong defence of thy power, and that thine holie Angels may pitch their tents round about me, and compasse me alwaies.
And I beseech thee, O Lord, giue vnto thy seruant the strength of thine holie spirit to subdue this bodie of sinne, with the whole lusts thereof, that it may bee made obedient, both in will, mind, and members, to doo thine holie will: that when thou shalt appeare to reward euerie one according to their deeds, I may reioice, and not be ashamed of thee at thy comming.
Moreouer, O Lord, I beseech thee thinke vpon all thy people, which are straied here and there from the farthest part of the earth, which be entered into couenant with thee, and are minded to walke after thy will. Grant, O Lord, that we may growe togither in loue, through the knowledge of thy word: to keepe the vnitie of the spirit through the bond of peace, to the vtter confounding of errour, and all false opinions, and to keepe vs cleane from all hypocrisie and superstition, and to make vs strong in all trouble and affliction.
O heauenlie Father grant vnto me and all other, I saie, wheresoeuer they be dispersed throughout the vniuersall world, which professe thy holie word, so to liue, that we may die to sinne, and lead a godlie conuersation, walking innocentlie before thee.
Rule and confirme our harts with thy spirit, O Lord; lighten our minds, and guide vs alwaies with the lightsome lampe of thine holie Gospell. Gouerne [Page 954] and preserue thy Church, and defend those Realmes and Cities, that giue succour and harbour to thy people: make vs all diligent and happie in the works of our vocation; take into thy custodie for euer our soules and bodies, our liues, and all that euer we haue.
Be gratious and fauourable, oh Lord, to all men, and euen to our verie enimies, and according to thy good will and purpose, forgiue them their sinnes: conuert vnto thy truth all those, whom thou hast appointed in Iesus Christ to saluation.
Be mercifull, O God, to all our brethren and sisters, that suffer anie kind of persecution or affliction, whether in mind or in bodie, especiallie such as suffer for thy name and Gospell: giue them patience, constancie, and stedfast hope, till thou send them full and good deliuerance of all their troubles.
Be gratious to all those, whom thou hast coupled and linked to vs in loue and friendship, whose harts thou hast mooued to praie for vs, to wish vs good, to succour and helpe vs in our necessities: grant vs all thy blessing and holie spirit, to sanctifie vs in the vnitie of faith, and dwell in vs for euer.
Finallie, oh Lord, haue mercie vpon mine husband, children, and familie, which thou hast giuen vs; make me to be content with him as thy gift, and increase thy feare in our harts, that we may trulie loue thee, and one another of vs in thee: so that we may be pure both in soule and bodie, and may godlie liue togither, according to thine holie ordinance.
Giue him an hart of wisedome and vnderstanding, and set thy feare alwaie before mine eies, that as Ioseph cast off all surmises of the mis-behauiour of Marie his spouse, and obeied the word of thine holie Angel; so he may beare with mine imperfections, and bee obedient in word, deed, and thought, to all that is thy will.
[Page 955] Oh Lord, giue vs the power of thy spirit to gouerne our selues holilie, and to rule and bring vp these our children and familie, in all godlie feare, nurture, information of the Lord, and knowledge of thy holie word, and that we may be alwaies vnto them an example in all godlinesse and vertue, to the praise of thine holie name.
Plant in mine hart all vertues that be necessarie and requisite in a Christian woman, & giue mee grace so to vse them, and all other good gifts, which I haue receiued at thy mercifull hands, as may be most to thy glorie and praise, to my consolation and saluation, and to the profit of thy Church.
Behold Lord, although I am but dust, earth, and ashes; yet I haue taken vpon me, and am bold to come and make these petitions and requests vnto thee, not trusting in mine owne woorthinesse or righteousnesse, which I doo acknowledge with the Prophet to be stained and defiled; but onlie in thy great mercie and promise, and through the merits of Christs death & bloud-shedding, to laie mine humble praiers before thee, requiring mercie, pardon, and forgiuenesse of all my sinnes, and also the assistance of thy grace, to doo thy will all the daies of my life, and to obteine all these my petitions.
O therefore heare me speedilie, good Lord; forgiue me fauourablie, O Lord, and tarie not ouerlong; but for thine owne sake doo it, and for thy deere Sonne Iesus Christs sake, in whom all thy promises are Yea and Amen, which is our onelie Redeemer, Mediator, Sauiour, and Iustifier; to whom with thee, O Father, and the holie Ghost, be all honour, glorie, and praise, now and euer,
Amen.
Another good and godlie praier, to be said at all times of euerie Christian, both man and woman.
O Almightie, and euerlasting GOD, Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost: thou that hast made heauen and earth, and all things in them conteined; haue mercie vpon me poore wretched sinner, dailie assaulted with all kind of miserie and wretchednesse. I beseech thee O Father, for the loue of thy Sonne Iesus Christ, consider my weakenesse, frailtie, and imperfection, and haue mercie vpon me. Increase thy graces in me, my souereigne Sauiour, my deere Redeemer, and mine onelie Iustifier. For I come vnto thee O Lord, according to the words of our Sauiour Christ, who hath said; Come vnto me all ye that labour, and are laden, and I will ease and refresh you. Oh most mercifull Father, ease me of and from the great burden of my sinne, which I haue vnrighteouslie committed against thee, either in thought, word, or deed; and refresh my soule dailie with thy mercies. Sprinkle me with the sweet hysop of thy mercie, and then shall I be cleane: wash me, and then shall I be whiter than snowe. Powre vpon me ioie and gladnesse, and make my bones reioice which thou hast smitten. Turne thy face from my sinnes, and put out all my misdeeds. Make me a cleane heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not awaie from thy presence, and take not thy holie spirit from me. Oh giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe, and stablish me with thy free spirit. Then shall I teach thy waies vnto the wicked, that sinners may be conuerted vnto thee. Deliuer me from bloud guiltinesse, O God, thou that art the God of my health, that my tongue [Page 957] may praise thy righteousnesse. Open my lips, O Lord, then shall my mouth shew foorth thy praise.
Consider mine imperfection, and helpe it with thy mercies. Remember thine old woonted mercies, and faithfull promises made vnto our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, and all other Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and other thy Saints, in our Sauiour Christ Iesus, who being compassed with infirmitie, and weakenesse of the flesh, came vnto thee, O Lord, as vnto the well and euerlasting fountaine of their health and saluation, and thou mercifullie susteinedst them, keepedst them, & deliueredst them in all their temptations and tribulations. If their feet at anie time slipt, or went out of the waie, and committed sinne against thee; yet thy mercie was alwaies readie, so that thou by thine holie spirit diddest procure them to repentance, so that they turned againe vnto thee; which conuersion and turning againe thou mercifullie acceptedst at their hands. For bicause they were desirous to liue perfectlie in thy sight, thou preseruedst them, so that they were found faithfull before thee.
O Lord, thou art the same, and thy yeeres endure for euer. I beseech thee, O Father, beare mine imperfection, and helpe it likewise with thy mercie, if at anie time I happen to fall, and commit sinne against thee, as thou saiedst by thine holie Apostle Paule; Let thy grace at all time be sufficient for me in such wise, that I may immediatelie turne againe by true repentance vnto thee, which conuersion and turning againe, accept alwaies at mine hands for Iesus Christs sake; so shall I be found perfect before thee. For although the spirit bee willing, yet is the flesh vntoward and weake.
Therefore doo I not leaue mine owne righteousnesse before thee. For I knowe and confesse in me, that [Page 958] is to saie, in my flesh is nothing but plaine miserie, wretchednesse and sinne. Therefore doo I come vnto thee, and beseech thee for Christes sake to extend thy mercifull hand towards me, and to doo awaie mine offences. For I knowe, O Lord, that all grace and goodnesse commeth of thee, and therefore art thou praised, loued and feared in the congregation among the Saincts. For thou art onlie he that giuest victorie, O Lord of hosts, and that as thou saiest by thy Prophet, neither through an host of men, nor through strength, but through thy spirit. Therefore, I beseech thee, giue me not onlie strength and knowledge of thee, but also a readie earnest purpose and will to subdue mine imperfections, and grace at all times to liue as thou in thy holie word hast prescribed vnto me.
Moreouer I beseech thee, make me perfect in thy sight, that I may render continuall thanks by Iesus Christ to thee. And where I haue not hitherto indeuored my selfe, according to that power, which thou hast giuen me to liue after thy will, I praie thee forgiue me for Iesus sake. And now I protest before thee, through the helpe of the spirit, to order my life from hence foorth according to thy word, and to walke perfectlie before thee: neuerthelesse I beseech thee for Christes sake, at all times to beare the imperfections that shall or may at anie time be found in me, and deliuer me by thy power and mercie.
Increase my faith O my sauiour; increase my faith O my iustifier; increase my faith O my redeemer; increase faith, hope, and charitie, and all other vertues in me, consonant and agreeable to a godlie life. For I come vnto thee the well and euerlasting fountaine of all health and saluation. O my heauenlie Father, let me and all other men and women liue in thy sight, which seeke thy word, to the intent to forsake sinne and all vngodlie liuing, and to walke in a godlie conuersation [Page 959] innocentlie before thee.
And I thanke thee, O Lord, with all my hart and mind, that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercie and goodnesse to create and forme me of the mould of the earth, and giuen me all my members requisite and needfull to the bodie, and that it hath pleased thee to preserue all that which thou hast created in me, sith the time of the creation vntill now, and that it hath pleased thee to defend me this daie (or night) and all the daies and time of my life hitherto, from all hurt and perils, and deliuered me from the hour of temptation and tribulation, as well when I was asleepe and forgetfull, as when I remembred and called vpon thee. And that it hath pleased thee to minister to my necessitie, meate, drinke, and cloathing, inward reioicing, quietnesse of mind, health of bodie, and such like, and that it hath pleased thee to giue me this man, and my brother in profession T. B. to be my husband, vaile, remedie, consolation, and comfort in my necessities. Grant me grace in him, O Lord, trulie to honor, loue, serue, and obeie thee: for I knowe, whatsoeuer I doo to him, be it good or euill, it shall be rewarded of thee. Lighten vs dailie with thy grace, that we may gouerne our selues, the houshold and children which thou hast giuen vs, in the true faith, feare and knowledge of thee, so that it may be an acceptable sacrifice vnto thee by Iesus Christ our Lord.
And seeing it hath pleased thee O Father, to lighten the inward eies of my mind with thy grace, and to call me from the great blindnesse of ignorance and sinne, wherein all men are borne, to the knowledge of thee; let it now more (as S. Paule saith) please thee to preserue me and all other whome thou hast called, which are dailie oppressed by sinne, which desire to turne, and to come vnto thee, of what tongue or nation soeuer they be through the whole world.
[Page 960] And seeing it hath pleased thee to call me by grace to the knowledge of thy word, & giuen me a will to seeke it, to loue, and beleeue it: let it be thy will to direct my waies, that I erre not. Oh staie my feet with thy holie hand, and preserue me with thine arme, for I am else farre too weake, without thee I can doo nothing.
Oh let me liue in thy sight, O Lord, and put me not from thee, but giue me a new hart, and a new spirit, yea a pure mind, and a cleane conscience make thou in me, then shall I be perfect before thee. Then shall I call vpon thee in time of my trouble, and offer acceptable sacrifice vnto thee by Iesus Christ, euen the fruit of these lips, which confesse thy name, and patientlie receiue the cup of health at thy hand; and call vpon thy name in time of aduersitie.
Oh heare my praier, I beseech thee: let my power and pleasure alwaie be in the tree of life, and in the fruit thereof, which standeth in the midst of the Paradise of God. O accept this voluntarie sacrifice at my hand, as the sweet smell of incense, and let the lifting vp of my hart with my hands be an euening sacrifice, pleasant and acceptable vnto thee, through Iesus Christ our Lord, to whome be euerlasting praise, honor and glorie now and euer,
Amen.
Another Christian praier for grace and remission, to be dailie vsed.
O Most mightie God, mercifull and louing Father, I wretched sinner come vnto thee in the name of thy deerelie beloued sonne Iesus Christ my onlie sauiour and redeemer, and most humblie beseech thee for his sake, to be mercifull vnto me, and to cast all my sinnes out of thy sight and remembrance, through the merits of his bloudie [Page 961] death and passion.
Powre vpon me, O Lord, thy holie spirit of wisedome and grace. Gouerne and leade me by thy holie word, that it may be a lampe vnto my feet, & a light vnto my steps. Shew thy mercie vpon me, & so lighten the naturall blindnesse and darknesse of my hart through thy grace, that I may dailie be renewed by the same spirit & grace: by the which, O Lord, purge the grosenesse of my hearing & vnderstanding, that I may profitablie reade, heare, & vnderstand thy word & heauenlie will, beleeue and practise the same in my life & conuersation, & euermore hold fast yt blessed hope of euerlasting life.
Mortifie and kill all vice in me, that my life may expresse my faith in thee. Mercifullie heare the humble suite of thy seruant, and grant me thy peace all my daies. Gratiouslie pardon mine infirmities, and defend me in all dangers of bodie, goods and name, but most chieflie my soule, against all assaults, temptations, accusations, subtill baites, and sleights of that old enimie of mankind Sathan, that roring Lion, euer seeking whome he may deuoure.
And heere, O Lord, I prostrate with most humble mind craue of thy diuine Maiestie, to be mercifull vnto the vniuersall Church of thy Sonne Christ. And especiallie, according to my bounden dutie, I beseech thee for his sake to blesse, saue, & defend the principall member thereof, thy seruant, our most deere and souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth: increase in hir roiall heart true faith, godlie zeale, and loue of the same, and grant her victorie ouer all hir enimies, a long, prosperous, and honourable life vpon earth, a blessed end, and life euerlasting.
Moreouer, O Lord, grant vnto hir Maiesties most honourable Counsellers, and euerie other member of this thy Church of England, that they & we in our seuerall callings, may trulie and godlie serue thee. Plant [Page 962] in our harts true feare and honor of thy name, obedience to our Prince, and loue to our neighbours. Increase in vs true faith and religion. Replenish our minds with all goodnes, and of thy great mercie keepe vs in the same till the end of our liues. Giue vnto vs a godlie zeale in praier, true humilitie in prosperitie, perfect patience in aduersitie, and continuall ioie in the holie Ghost.
And lastlie, I commend vnto thy fatherlie protection all that thou hast giuen me, as husband, children, and seruants. Aid me, O Lord, that I may gouerne, nourish, and bring them vp in thy feare and seruice. And forasmuch as in this world I must alwaies be at warre and strife, not with one sort of enimies, but with an infinite number; not onelie with flesh and bloud, but with the diuell, which is the prince of darkenesse, and with wicked men executors of his most damnable will: grant me therefore thy grace, that being armed with thy defence, I may stand in this battell with an inuincible constancie against all corruption, which I am compassed with on euerie side, vntill such time as I hauing ended the combate, which during this life I must susteine, in the end I may atteine to thy heauenlie rest, which is prepared for me, and all thine elect, through Christ our Lord and onlie sauiour,
Amen.
Another praier for mortification and holinesse.
O Lord our God, most gratious and most mercifull, I doo acknowledge before thee that I am vnwoorthie to appeare before thy high Maiestie, to offer vp vnto thee a sacrifice of praier, being full of sinne and corruption, naturallie glad of euill, and vnprofitable to good: yea, beeing so [Page 963] miserable, that I see not my miserie, I feele it not, I bewaile it not as I ought to doo, but multiplie mine iniquities, prouoking thy iust iudgement against me. My zeale is cold, my loue feeble, my exercises of religion faint and few, and I take no waie but that which leadeth from euill to worsse, and finallie, would leade me from sinne, to the reward of sinne. All this is true, deere Father, yet my hart is not moued with feare; all this true, yet I doo not sorowe for it, but walke with ioie, where I must (if I continue) reape affliction. Therefore, be mercifull vnto me, and blesse me: be mercifull vnto me, and in Christ Iesus wash awaie all mine iniquities: be mercifull vnto me, and create in me a new hart, and prepare it to praier, and to thy holie seruice. For thou alone, O Lord, art my hope, and the mightie God of my saluation. Thou hast giuen me a desire to serue thee, O teach me that I may doo it! and the good worke which thou hast begun, make it perfect in me, that I may no more loue goodnesse, and yet followe vanitie; but that my good desires in thee may be increased, and all of them accomplished, so shall I praise thee, and magnifie thee for euer. For there is no honour but thy honour; no glorie but thy glorie, O Lord. It is in vaine to trust in princes, but trulie to trust in the Lord, bringeth plentifull saluation. From age to age it hath appeared, that thou O Lord God art mercifull, and that in thy courts there is nothing but truth and holinesse. This world is full of vanitie, full of pride, full of rebellion, and the flesh also. The world hath manie baits to destruction, and the flesh doth delight in them, they are sworne togither to betraie vs to Sathan, yea we betraie our selues. Therfore, deere Father, by the crosse of Christ, mortifie in vs the deeds of the flesh, and crucifie both vs to the world, and the world to vs, that our soules may liue.
In our generall calling make vs obedient to serue [Page 962] [...] [Page 963] [...] [Page 964] thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life: in our particular callings also make vs faithfull, that we may neither put awaie a good conscience, nor make shipwracke of faith. I beleeue; O Lord, helpe mine vnbeleefe. In the daie of peace and prosperitie make vs sober; in the daie of trouble and aduersitie make vs to looke vp, and cheerfullie to wait and trust in thee for our deliuerance, that our enimies mouthes may be stopped by our godlie conuersation, and their harts pricked with zeale to turne vnto thee.
Neither doo I praie, O Lord, for my selfe alone, but for the whole bodie, vnto the which I am ingraffed by Christ Iesus; that is, for thy Church, O God; for thine inheritance, that thou wouldest increase it from one end of the world to another, that all nations may worship before thy footstoole. Especiallie, O Lord, I praie for them that professe thy Gospell: as for this our nation, that thou wouldest be mercifull vnto it, turning our harts to thee; for our gratious Souereigne the Queene, and for all hir Counsell, that thou wouldest powre thy graces vpon them, to the discharge of their dutie, and our peace: for all the holie teachers of thy Church, that thou wouldest blesse them and their labours; for the peace and full beautie of this Church; for the peace and wealth of the Commonwealth. We praie thee also for to blesse the meanes to bring this to passe: also we praie thee for our parents; for all others to whom we owe especiall loue or seruice; but principallie we beseech thee, to shew thy compassion vpon all that are in persecution for thy Gospell: O Lord, increase and renew their strength, giue them victorie, and turne their aduersaries harts, if they apperteine to thine holie election; otherwise, O Lord, bring vpon them the cōfusion, that they would bring vpon others; and into the pit that they haue digged, let them fall, and neuer rise vp againe. O Lord, heare vs in these [Page 965] suits, pardon our dull spirits in praier, and giue vs these and all other graces needfull for vs, and thy Church, to thy glorie, for our Lord Iesus Christs sake, in whose name, as he hath taught vs, so we praie, saieng: Our Father, &c.
Another verie deuout praier for grace and mercie.
O Lord God almightie, three in persons, yet but one GOD, who both art in all, and wast before all, and wilt be in all things, a blessed God for euermore. Now and alwaies into thine hands I doo commend, both my soule, my bodie, my sight, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling, with all my cogitations, affections, actions, outward and inward things, my sense, and vnderstanding, my memorie, my faith and beleefe, and perseuerance, that thou maiest keepe them daie and night, euerie houre and moment.
O sacred Trinitie heare my petition, and saue mee from all euill, from offending, and from sinning anie maner of waie; from all snares and pursuits of Sathan, and of enimies visible and inuisible. Expell farre from me the hautinesse of mind, and increase within me the sorowe of hart; diminish my pride, and establish true humilitie within my breast; fetch teares from mine eies, mollifie mine hard and stonie hart, and saue Lord both me and my soule from all traps of the enimie, and continue me in thy pleasure. Teach mee to doo thy will: for thou art my God. Giue me perfect sense and vnderstanding, O Lord, that I may be able to conceiue the deepnesse of thy mercie. Grant me grace [Page 966] to beg that at thy hands, which may both be ioifull for thee to grant, and behoofull for me to receiue. Make me vnfeinedlie to be waile my sinnes, and manifold offences. Heare O my Lord and my God; heare O light of mine eies; heare my petition, and grant, that what I request, I may obtaine. If thou despisest me, I am vtterly vndone; if thou hearest me I take hart againe; if thou examinest my righteousnesse, lo, I stinke like a dead carion: but if in mercie thou respect me, thou raisest him that stinketh out of the graue. What thou hatest in me, remooue farre from me, and ingraffe the spirit of chastitie, and of a cleane life in my mind, that in asking anie thing at thine hands, I may not offend thee in asking the same. Take from me whatsoeuer is hurtfull to my soule, and giue whatsoeuer is behoofull. O Lord, giue me a salue to heale my greeuous wounds.
Indue me, good Lord, with thy feare, with sorowe of hart, with humilitie of mind, and with a pure conscience. Giue me grace, Lord, to keepe brotherlie concord euermore; to remember my transgressions; not to meddle with the dealing of other men or women. Pardon my soule; pardon my sinnes; my wickednesse pardon; O pardon mine offences: visit me that am weake; cure me that am sicke; heale me that doo languish, and raise me, which am dead. O Lord, giue me both an hart to dread thee; a mind to loue thee; sense to knowe thee, eares to heare thee; eies to see thee. Haue mercie on me, O God, haue mercie on me; looke vpon me from the holie seat of thy Maiestie, and illuminate the darknesse of mine hart with the beames of thy brightnesse. Giue me wisedome, O Lord, to discerne betweene good and euill, and grant me a watchfull vnderstanding. Forgiue all my sinnes, I beseech thee, and in this time of necessitie and trouble, be thou good and gratious to me, I onlie beseech thee. After thy woonted mercie, and [Page 967] most louing kindnesse, O Lord, I beseech thee vouchsafe to giue me the life, which euer shall endure.
O Lord Iesus Christ, giue both to thy ministers vnitie of mind, and to magistrates iudging vprightlie, peace and tranquillitie. Furthermore, O Lord, my request is for the whole catholike and holie Church; for men and women; for religious, and for secular men; for all Christian gouernours and people beleeuing in thy name, which labour for thine holie loue, that they may haue grace to continue in well-dooing. O Lord, eternall King, giue to virgins, chastitie; to the vnmaried, continencie; to the wedded, puritie; to repenters, mercie; to widowes and orphans; comfort; to the poore, protection; to trauellers, a safe returne; to mourners, consolation; to sea-faring men, a ioifull hauen; to the good, zeale to persist, to the well inclined, a mind to prooue better; to the wicked and sinfull, as to me a wretch and chiefe of sinners, grace with speed to repent.
O sooeete Lord, and most mercifull Iesus Christ, Sonne of the liuing God, redeemer of the world: I acknowledge that among all, and aboue all sinners, I am most wretched; but thou most gratious, and high Father, who takest mercie vpon all, canst not suffer me to be vtterlie destitute of thy mercie. O thou Lord, King of kings, who grantest truce of life, stir in mee a mind alwaie, and aboue all things to seeke, to desire, to loue, to feare thee, and to doo thy will, who art euerie-where all whole, a Trinitie, and but one God. Especiallie, O Lord holie Father, who art blessed and glorious for euermore, I beseech thee in most humble sort, vouchsafe to gouerne and keepe them from destruction, who either doo make mention of me in their praiers, or haue commended themselues to mine vnwoorthie supplications, or haue done good, whether it bee vnto my bodie with temporall benefits, or to my soule [Page 968] with profitable instructions; or be linked vnto me either in kindred, friendship, or good-will. Furthermore, both for all Christians, which are aliue, I praie thee stand thou at their elbowe to assist them: and for such also as are dead, and euerlastinglie doo rest from their labours, I yeeld thee immortall praise. Finallie, this one thing more grant me, O Lord, I doo earnestlie beseech thee, who art Alpha and Omega, that when the vttermost daie and end of my life shall come, thou wilt be a mercifull iudge to me, against that malicious accuser the diuell, and that thou wilt continuallie protect me against the snares of the old Serpent; and finallie conduct me into the societie of Angels, and of all Saints in thine holie paradise, who art blessed now and euermore,
Amen.
Another praier for grace and newnesse of life.
O Lord my God, giue me grace from the verie bottome of mine hart to desire thee; in desiring to seeke thee; in seeking to find thee; in finding to loue thee; in louing vtterlie to loath my former wickednesse. O Lord my GOD, giue I beseech thee, to mine hart repentance; to my spirit contrition; to mine eies a fountaine of teares; to mine hands liberalitie vnto the poore. O my King, quench in me the desires of the flesh, and inflame within my breast the fire of thy loue. Driue awaie from me the spirit of pride, O my redeemer, and of thy mercie bestowe vpon me the treasure of thine humilitie. O my Sauiour, remooue from my mind the rage of wrath, and gratiouslie giue me the sheeld of patience. Plucke euen from the verie roote of mine hart the rancor of malice, O my Creator; and make me to enioie the [Page 969] sweetnesse of a quiet mind. Giue me, O most louing Father, a sound faith, a right hope, and a constant loue.
O my gouernour, driue awaie farre from me all vanitie, and suffer me to haue neither an vnconstant, nor a wandering hart; nor a scurrilous mouth; nor a proud looke; nor a greedie bellie; nor a slandering tongue; nor itching eares after curiositie; nor a couetous mind after riches; nor polling hands to abuse my power; nor ambitious motions to get vaine glorie: let both cursed hypocrisie, and poisoned flatterie, and proud contempt of the poore, and violent oppression of the weake; let both burning couetousnesse, and cankered enuie, with damnable blaspheming of thy name be alwaies farre from me thy seruant. O my maker, make a large distance betweene me and rashnesse; betweene me and wickednesse; betweene me and frowardnesse; betweene me and vnquietnesse; betweene me and idlenesse; betweene me and drowsinesse; betweene me and blockishnesse. Grant that mine hart prooue not blind; my senses obstinate; my maners sauage: but let me delight in goodnesse, and followe counsell, and neuer loose the bridle to my tongue; nor cruellie make a praie of the poore; nor violentlie oppresse the weake; nor vniustlie slander the innocent; nor negligentlie regard inferiours committed to my charge. Finallie, let mee vse neither crueltie towards my seruants, nor treacherie towards my friends, nor violence vpon my neighbours.
O my God, my mercifull God, euen through thy beloued Sonne, I beseech thee giue me grace to exercise my selfe in the works of mercie, and in godlie cogitations; namelie, to weepe with them that weepe; to instruct such as go astraie; to helpe the afflicted; to cherish the poore; to comfort the sorowfull; to releeue the oppressed; to nourish the hungrie; to refresh them which mourne; to forgiue my debters, to pardon them [Page 970] which haue hurt me; to loue them which hate me; to render for euill good; to despise none, but to honor all; to imitate the vertuous; to shun the wicked; to embrace vertue; to flee sinne: in aduersitie to be patient, in prosperitie to be continent: to set a watch before my mouth, and a seale of wisedome before my lips: to despise earthlie, and to couet after heauenlie things.
Thus, my maker, I haue asked much, and yet haue deserued naught, I confesse; yet alas I confesse that not onlie I deserue not those blessings which I doo require, but also doo deserue manie & exquisit torments: notwithstanding euen publicans, harlots, & theeues, who in a moment pluckt from out the iawes of the enimie, are taken into the armes of the shepheard, doo embolden me to doo as I doo. Wherefore haue mercie vpon me, O good Lord I beseech thee, and vouchsafe fauourablie to heare me, and grant my requests, So be it.
A praier called, ô bone Iesu: necessarie to be said at all times for mercie and grace.
O Bountifull Lord Iesu Christ, O sweet Sauiour, O Christ the sonne of God, haue pitie vpon me, mercifullie heare me, and despise not my praiers. Thou hast created me of nothing: thou hast redeemed mee from the bondage of sinne, death, and hell, neither with gold nor siluer, but with thy most pretious bodie once offered vpon the crosse, and thine owne bloud shed once for all for my ransome. Therefore cast me not awaie, whome thou by thy great wisedome hast made; despise me not, whome thou hast redeemed with such a pretious treasure, nor let my wickednesse destroie that which thy goodnesse hath builded. Now whilest I liue, O Iesu, haue mercie vpon me. For if I die out of thy fauour, it [Page 971] will be too late afterward to call for thy mercie. Whilest I haue time to repent, looke vpon me with thy mercifull eies, as thou didst vouchsafe to looke vpon Peter thine Apostle, that I may bewaile my sinfull life, and obteine thy fauour to liue and die therein.
I acknowledge, that if thou shouldest deale with me according to thy iustice, I haue deserued euerlasting death: therefore I appeale to thy high throne of mercie, trusting to obteine thy fauour, not for my merits, but for thy merits, O Iesu, who hast giuen thy selfe an acceptable sacrifice to the Father, to appease his wrath, and to bring all sinners trulie repenting and amending their euill life, into his fauour againe. Accept me, O Lord, among the number of them, whome thou hast in Christ elected and chosen to saluation: forgiue my sinnes, giue me grace to leade a godlie and innocent life: grant me the heauenlie wisedome, inspire my hart with faith, hope, and charitie: giue me grace to be humble in prosperitie, patient in aduersitie, obedient to my rulers, faithfull vnto them that trust me, dealing trulie with all men, to liue chastlie in wedlocke (or in this my single life) to abhorre adulterie, fornication, and all vncleannesse: to doo good after my power vnto all men, to hurt no man, that thy name may be glorified in me during this present life, and that I afterward may atteine euerlasting life, through thy mercie, and the merits of thy pretious death and passion,
Amen.
A forme of praier, conteining a paraphrasis of these words of Dauid in his 119. Psalme: Order my steps in thy word, and so shall no wickednesse haue dominion ouer me.
O Eternall God, Father of our Lord Iesu Christ, which with thine onlie begotten Sonne, and the holie Ghost, art the maker, preseruer, and [Page 972] helper of all creatures. Upon thee doo I call, in the name of Christ the Mediator. Helpe and gouerne mee with thy holie spirit, that with a stedfast purpose I may constantlie cleane vnto thy word: that my steps, my thoughts, intents, purposes, actions, and all the course of my life, may be directed & made conformable to thy commandements and promises, and that I may euer haue thy word before mine eies, to followe it as the onlie and most infallible rule of my life, and lightsome lampe to my feet.
Order my steps in thy word, that I may feare in my hart thy great wrath and threatnings against sinne, and quake and tremble at the dreadfull examples of punishments, which therefore from the beginning, thou hast published in the world against all the wicked and vngodlie ones, that haue and doo contemne thy word, and that I may acknowledge those punishments to be forewarnings of thy iudgements to come, in the which this most dreadfull sentence shall be pronounced against all the vngodlie, Go yee cursed into euerlasting fire.
Order my steps in thy word, that in true feare and awe of thy Maiestie, I may tame my mind, bridle my lusts, keepe vnder mine affections, rule mine imaginations, restraine my thoughts, represse and stop all vicious motions, shun all wickednesse, and kill the life of sinne in me.
Order my steps in thy word, that in frights and feares, in terrors and temptations, in all astonishments, troubles, afflictions, distresses and dangers bodilie or ghostlie, with fixed eie and firme faith, I may behold & looke vpon thy grace and mercie, which for thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake is shewed and declared vnto vs in thy Gospell; and neuer seeke thy will anie where else but in thy word, and surelie persuade my selfe that trulie to be thy will, which in thy word and [Page 973] promises is reuealed and set foorth. Helpe me also, O God, I beseech thee, that in all mine agonies & feares, I may cheere and raise vp my selfe with the heauenlie comfort of thy word, and so with a constant faith in thy mercifull promises that I find there, I may repose my trust, and quiet my conscience in Christ my mercifull Mediator, assuring my selfe vndoubtedlie that for his sake I shall be both heard, receiued, helped, deliuered, and saued.
Order my steps in thy word, that in all this short course of my life I may be obedient vnto thee, and serue thee faithfullie and diligentlie in my vocation: that I may keepe my selfe within the limits of my charge, and serue thee trulie in those works which thou requirest of me in my seuerall calling.
Order my steps in thy word, that this knowledge of thy word in me be firme, constant, certaine, immoueable, and vnchangeable, that my mind wauer not, nor wander to and fro, neither be caried hither and thither inconstantlie with euerie blast of opinions.
Order my steps in thy word, that in the race & course of this life, there be no obstacles, lets, or vaine strife and contention betweene flesh and bloud, to burst the bonds of my vocation; but let it be constant, healthfull, happie and prosperous to the end, and helpe me therein, that I may perseuere in a right course, and win the goale; and make me an instrument and vessell of mercie, caring and ministring healthfull and good things both to my selfe and to others, that I may be comforted in this thy promise, which saiedst, Thy labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord, and all that thou dooest shall prosper.
But alas, sinne dwelling and sticking in this our corrupt nature, doth too too much trouble, and hinder our steps. Our vntamed lusts, vncomlie affections, and inordinate desires, euen like furious mad men, doo [Page 974] solicit vs, vexe, disquiet, and torment vs, and quite drawe, driue, and carrie our steps foorth of the true waie, which thy word sheweth, into the by-paths, and strange waies that are most perillous, dangerous, pernicious, and leade to destruction, Yea alas (such is the miserie of our corrupt nature) that sinne, a thing most horrible and detestable, doth smile vpon vs, and is become verie delightfull and pleasant vnto vs, and most willinglie and gladlie we obeie, and are readie to followe the flickering intisements and vaine allurements of all manner of vices. Yea so great and lamentable is the weakenesse and imbecillitie of our nature thus corrupted, that quicklie and easilie we suffer our selues continuallie to be more and more remooued, driuen backe, and distracted from the right waie that leadeth to thee.
Order my steps therefore in thy word, O Lord I beseech thee, and so rule, direct, gouerne & helpe me, that sinne neither dwell in me, nor haue dominion ouer me in action nor to damnation. O let not sinne reigne in mee, I saie, to action, as it did in Dauid, by forcing me to follow the sugred suggestions of Sathan, the delightsome vanities of the world, nor the brittle and short pleasures of the flesh, nor by compelling and driuing my deeds and actions to obeie cleane contrarie to my conscience. Neither let sinne reigne in me to damnation, as it did in Saule, by not regarding thy word, by furie, wrath, malice and contempt of thy commandements: that I be not ouerwhelmed in terrors and woonderfull great furies, nor drowned in eternall damnation; but helpe me, that in temptations I may constantlie stand, and valiantlie resist, and in all dread and distresse be lifted vp, and comforted with the voice of the Gospell, as it is written: Sinne shall not beare rule ouer you, for you are not vnder the lawe, but vnder grace. So shall it come to passe, that though this tyrant sin [Page 975] rob and rage neuer so cruellie, yet I through faith imbracing the sweet comfort of the Gospell, and beleeuing surelie that it is pardoned, and the terrors of the lawe ouercome, by the conquest and triumph of our mediator and Lord Iesus Christ, it shall not ouercome me; but I it in him, through the helpe of his holie spirit, power and grace, which grant vnto me, O Lord I beseech thee, for thy holie name sake,
Amen.
Meditations after praier.
O Lord God heauenlie Father, which to declare thy readines in hearing of sinners, most mercifullie hast said, that before they crie, I will answer, and whilest they are yet in thinking what to speake, I will heare: vouchsafe, we beseech thee, for the same thy great mercies sake, fauourablie to heare our requests, and gratiouslie grant all these our poore petitions, which we haue asked of thee, not trusting in our owne righteousnesse, which we acknowledge with the Prophet to be stained and defiled, but onlie in thy manifold mercies and promises. And grant, that at what time soeuer thy good spirit doth mooue vs to call vpon thee, we may aske such things, and in such sort as thou requirest, to thy honor and glorie, our neighbors profit, and our owne soules health, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Or thus, for a conclusion of the whole praiers.
O My good God, which hast commanded all men to call vpon thee in all their troubles, need and necessitie, and hast promised so to heare them, and deliuer them, that they shall praise thee: and hast promised to be prest and readie at hand to all such as feare thee, and call vpon thee faithfullie, and that thou wilt fulfill their desires, and helpe them: now I haue called vpon thee, not in mine owne woorthinesse, for to me belongeth nothing but wrath, [Page 976] shame and confusion: but in the name and woorthinesse of thy sweet Sonne Iesus Christ mine onlie mediator and aduocate. For vnto thee belongeth mercie and forgiuenesse.
Oh deere God, I beseech thee for his sake forgiue me all my sinnes; increase my faith; purge my corruption; helpe mine infirmitie; confirme mine hope, and grant me all those things that I haue praied for, and all other things, that thou knowest to be most necessarie, profitable, and expedient for me, and thy whole Church, (although mine infirmitie dare not, and my blindnesse can not aske them) so as the same may redound to thy glorie, and profit of thy Church, the reformation of my life, and mine assured saluation and consolation in thy Sonne Iesus Christ mine onelie Lord, Mediator, and Sauiour, in whose name I beseech thee: Our Father which art, &c.
EVENING praiers, and first, At the Sunne setting praie.
O Sunne of righteousnesse, euermore arising, and neuer going downe. O brightnesse of perpetuall charitie, euer shining, and neuer darkened. In this Euening now the Sunne hath run his course, and is going downe; and the daie being farre spent, it draweth towards night. I praie thee de part not thou from vs, neither let the Sunne of thy grace set, or cease to giue light vnto our soules: but that in thee we may abide, and alwaies haue daie light most cleerelie in our minds, to knowe, loue, and praise thee perpetuallie in the vision of that light, where thou the Sunne of all glorie dooest euerlastinglie shine vpon thine elect, making them to shine as the Sunne before [Page 977] thee, & where the Sunne shall not go down by daie, nor the Moone lie hid by night. For there shall be no night, neither light of the Sunne or Moone: but thou, O Lord our God, shalt be our euerlasting light, and inlighten vs with vnspeakable glorie for euer, Amen.
Lord let not the Sunne go downe vpon our wrath: but make vs to feare thee as long as the Sunne and Moone endureth.
Meditation.
THinke now of the brittle state of the world, the glorie whereof, like the Sunne or Moone, is verie vnconstant, variable, and now vp, now downe: but the goodnesse of God onelie is permanent, and endureth for euer.
Thinke also, that as it is no gréefe for vs to sée the Sunne to set, bicause we expect his arising againe in the morning: no more ought we (as men without hope) to be sorie for the death of the bodie, knowing that in the morning light of the resurrection it shall eftsoones arise, & receiue the soule againe to ioie, or paine eternall.
VVhen the candles or lamps be light, praie:
THanks be giuen to thee O Lord, which after daie, when night commeth, hast giuen vs for the remedie of darknesse this artificiall light of the candle or lampe, whereby we see and discerne those things in this night of our bodies, which are expedient for vs to vse. But especiallie we render immortall praise vnto thine holie Maiestie, for the light of thy doctrine, which thy Sonne against the horrour of sinne and ignorance, hath brought vnto vs for a remedie against death eternall. Grant, we beseech thee O Lord of light, and Maister of all truth, that the most thicke and obscure clouds of our minds may be so driuen awaie and expelled by the lampe of thy grace, and candle of knowledge and right vnderstanding, that in bodie corporallie, and [Page 978] in soule spirituallie, wee may euer see by both these lights to glorifie thee, both in our liues and in our deaths.
Thy word, ô Lord, is a lampe to our feete, and a light vnto our paths. O light thou our candle, and make our darknesse to be light, that with our lamps euer burning, we may still watch for thy comming!
Amen.
Meditation.
THinke now, that as without this materiall light of the candle all would be horrour and vncouth darknesse: euen so without the spirituall light of Gods diuine word and wisedome, all our light is darknesse; our knowledge errour; and our life death and vtter confusion.
Thinke also, that as the candle is not put vnder a bushell, but set on a candlesticke to giue light to all in the house: so likewise ought we to let the light of our faith shine bright before men, that other séeing our good works may therefore glorifie God.
Euening praiers for Sundaie to be said kneeling by the bedside, before you make you vnreadie. ¶ Here you may saie one of the confessions for the Sabboth daie, as before, pag. 384, 387.
WE render vnto thee euerlasting praises, most mercifull Father, for that of thy gratious fauour and loue towards vs, thou hast vouchsafed to preserue vs this daie, and the rest of our life hitherto vnder the shadowe of thy most mercifull protection, beseeching thee also to take vs into thy tuition this present night and euer, that we be not tempted with anie suggestion of Sathan; but being thoroughlie armed with the holie Ghost, we may haue power and force to resist his assaults, by a sure faith and confidence in the bloud of thy blessed Sonne our [Page 979] Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus. Giue vs grace to repent vs of our sinnes vnfeinedlie; to craue remission of them vncessantlie; to imbrace thy holie word and commandements sincerelie; and to expresse them in our liuing effectuallie: whereby we may walke vprightlie in our conuersation, with sure and certaine hope of the resurrection to eternall life, by the merits of Christ Iesus, that with the wise virgins we may be found waking and watching for his comming, when he shall come to iudge the world with equitie, and to reward euerie man according to the works of his bodie. Grant vs grace, most mercifull Father, to behaue our selues so vprightlie in this life, that then we may be made partakers of thy kingdome with thine elect, there to liue in eternall ioie and felicitie, world without end,
Amen.
Another Euening praier on the Lords daie.
O Almightie and eternall God, Father of our Lord Iesu Christ, which togither with thy Sonne and the holie Ghost, didst create man after thine owne likenesse, and breath into him the breth of life, the which through thy goodnes continueth at thy pleasure. Thou hast made of one bloud all mankind, and assigned times, and length of our life in this world: thou giuest life to the people on the earth, and breth to the walkers therein, which if thou take awaie, they shall depart, and be turned into dust. We blesse thee heauenlie Father, and with all our harts giue thee thanks, not onelie for sauing vs this daie from dangers: but also from our cradles for defending both our soules and bodies from death. Wherefore magnifie the Lord, O our soules, and our [Page 980] spirits reioice in God our Sauiour. For he hath looked vpon the basenesse and afflictions of his seruants. He that is mightie hath done for vs great things, and holie is his name. Wherefore we will praise the Lord for euermore, bicause his mercie endureth from generation to generation on such as feare him. We will shew foorth his power in the euening, and when we go to bed, we will remember his mercie. Arise now our soules in the night, praise your God. In the beginning of the watches powre out your harts like water before the face of the Lord. For the Saints will be ioifull with glorie, & sing lowd vpon their beds. Wherefore we also will praise thee continuallie, and will confesse thy name for euermore. For thou art the God, which delighteth our harts, and maketh our soules merie. Therefore in the night we will thinke vpon thy benefits, and our spirits shall consider of thy woonderous works. For thou hast commanded that thy mercie be celebrated in the daie time, and thy truth in the night season.
O our Lord, and God of mercie, gentlenesse, patience, pitie, and truth, which she west mercie vnto thousands, and blottest out all our offences: we lift vp our soules vnto thee, and from our harts we praie thee, put not before thine eies the horrible confusion, vncleannesse, and wickednesse of our minds, being replenished with loathsome darknesse and ignorance, full of doubtings and errors. Our harts and will are turned from thee our God, and all the powers and strength both of our soules and bodies are defiled, and filthilie weakened: but Lord, of thy great merice blot out our offences, looke vpon the troubles and dolours of our harts, and forgiue all our sinnes. For lo, our soules are wounded, and can not be holpen, but onelie through mercie. There is no health in our flesh bicause of thine anger, neither is there rest in our bones, bicause of our sins. [Page 981] For our iniquities haue gone ouer our heads, and as an heauie burden haue pressed vs down. Our wounds are putrified and corrupt, bicause of our foolishnesse. Asswage thine anger, and turne from thine indignation. Pardon our faults, remit all punishment, and restore in vs the light of thy goodnesse, which was lost. O Lord heare; O Lord forgiue; harken O our God, for thine owne sake. For thy name is called vpon by vs.
O God of heauen and earth, in this euening tide doo we call vnto thee, that remitting our sinnes, which this daie especiallie we haue committed against thee in breaking thy Saboth, and prophaning this our holie daie with our vnholie deeds, speech and cogitations, thou wouldest receiue vs into thy protection, and keepe vs and all ours this night, that the diuell haue no power ouer vs. Be thou watchfull ouer vs, O eternall Sauiour, least the subtill tempter apprehend vs. For thou art made for vs an euerlasting protector. For behold, whether we sleepe or wake, whether we liue or die, we are thine: thou art our Creator and redeemer. Stand therefore on our behalfe in the watch with the armie of thy celestiall warriers thine Angels, which being filled with perfect goodnesse, and perpetuall integritie, behold thy face alwaies in the heauens. Expell from vs and our houses wicked spirits, which bee our mortall enimies, that they damage vs in no case, and deliuer vs from persecutors, which laie snares for our destruction. Turne not away thy mercie and truth from vs. O God assist vs, that peaceablie we may rest, and sleepe in quiet. We will laie vs downe in peace, and sleepe. For thou Lord alone makest vs to dwell in safetie without danger. Hide vs in thy tabernacle, O Lord, that sitting in thy secret place, and abiding vnder the shadowe of thy wings, we may saie vnto thee; Lord, thou art our keeper, and our refuge. O God, we will trust in thee, and will feare no danger. And although [Page 982] we were in extreame darknesse, yet will wee not feare. Though we should walke in the midst of the shadowe of death, yet will we dread none euill, for thou art with vs; thy rod and thy staffe they doo comfort vs. Let thy mercie, O God, followe vs all the daies of our life, that we may dwell in thy house in longnesse of daies, praising thee euermore with the Sonne & holie Ghost one true God, reigning worlds without end,
Amen.
Another more large Euening praier, with Confession.
O Lord God, Father euerlasting, and full of pitie, we acknowledge and confesse, that we be not woorthie to lift vp our eies to heauen, much lesse to present our selues before thy Maiestie, with confidence that thou wilt heare our praiers, and grant our requests, if we consider our owne deseruings. For our consciences doo accuse vs, and our sinnes beare witnesse against vs; and we knowe that thou art an vpright iudge, which dooest not iustifie the sinners and wicked men, but punishest the faults of all such as transgresse thy commandements. Yet most mercifull Father, since it hath pleased thee to command vs to call on thee in all our troubles and aduersities, promising euen then to helpe vs, when we feele our selues as it were swallowed vp of death & desperation: we vtterlie renounce all worldlie confidence, and flie to thy souereigne bountie, as our onlie staie and refuge, beseeching thee not to call to remembrance our manifold sinnes and wickednesse, whereby we continuallie prouoke thy wrath and indignation against vs: neither our negligence and vnkindnesse, which haue neither woorthilie esteemed, nor in our liues sufficientlie expressed the sweet comfort of thy Gospell reuealed vnto vs, but rather to accept [Page 983] the obedience and death of thy Sonne, who by offering vp his bodie in sacrifice once for all, hath made a sufficient recompense for all our sinnes. Haue mercie therefore vpon vs, O Lord, & forgiue vs our offences. Teach vs by thy holie spirit that we may rightlie way them, and earnestlie repent for the same; and so much the rather, O Lord, because that the reprobate, & such as thou hast forsaken, can not praise thee, nor call vpon thy name, but the repenting hart, the sorowfull mind, the conscience oppressed, hungering and thirsting for thy grace, shall euer set forth thy praise and glorie. And albeit we be but woorms & dust, yet thou art our Creator, and we be the worke of thy hands: yea thou art our Father, and we thy children; thou art our shepheard, and we thy flocke; thou art our redeemer, & we the people whom thou hast bought; thou art our God, and we thine inheritance. Correct vs not therefore in thine anger, O Lord, neither according to our deserts punish vs, but mercifullie chastise vs with a fatherlie affection, that all the world may knowe, that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sins from the bottome of his hart, thou wilt put awaie his wickednesse out of thy remembrance, as thou hast promised by thy holie Prophet.
Finallie, we humblie thanke thee, O mercifull Father, by thy deerelie beloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour, for all thy benefits bestowed vpon vs from the beginning of the world to this time, for our election, our creation, our redemption, our sanctification, & continuall preseruation; and namelie, for that of thy mercie and goodnesse thou hast preserued vs this daie, and all the time of our life hitherto, from all misfortunes, hurts and dangers bodilie & ghostlie. And forsomuch as it hath pleased thee to make the night for man to rest in, as thou hast ordeined him the daie to trauell, and that whither we sleepe or wake, liue or die, we are [Page 984] alwaies thine: grant, O deere Father, that we may so take our bodilie rest this night, that our soules and harts being kindled with the light of thy countenance, may continuallie watch for the time that our Lord Iesus Christ shall appeare for our deliuerance out of this mortall life. And in the meane season, take thou, O God, care and charge of vs and all ours, that we perish not in the works of darkenesse, and that we (not ouercome by anie fantasies, dreames, or other temptations) may fullie set our minds vpon thee, loue thee, feare thee, and rest in thee. Furthermore, that our sleepe be not excessiue or ouermuch, after the insatiable desires of the flesh, but onlie sufficient to content our weake nature, that enioieng sweet sleepe and comfortable rest both in bodie and mind, we may healthfullie and ioifullie rise againe, and be the better disposed to liue in all godlie conuersation and perfect obedience of thy word, to the glorie of thy holie name, and profit of thy Church, through Iesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we furthermore make our humble petitions vnto thee, not onlie for our selues, but for all others, whome thou wouldest we should continuallie praie for, saieng as he in his holie word hath taught vs, Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
O Lord increase our faith, strengthen it in thy manifold sweet promises, and grant vs a perfect continuance therein to our liues end, whereof we humblie make our confession, saieng: I beleeue in God, &c.
Let thy mightie hand, and out-stretched arme, O Lord, be still our defence; thy mercie and louing kindnes in Iesu Christ thy deere Sonne our saluation; thy true & holie word our instruction; thy life & holie actions our imitation; thy grace & holie spirit our comfort & consolatiō vnto the end & in the end: and the blessing of God almightie, Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, be with vs, and remaine with vs now & euer,
Amen.
A forme of generall praier, to be vsed in priuate houses and families euerie Euening. O Lord prepare our harts to praier: for if we praie with our lips onlie, our praiers are abhominable. O teach vs therefore by thy holie spirit to praie rightlie, according to thy will, and giue eare gratiouslie to our calling.
O Gratious Lord & louing Father, according to thy commandement we doo heere present our selues before thy Maiestie, humblie prostrating our selues before thy throne of mercie, acknowledging and confessing from the bottom of our harts, that we be miserable sinners, dailie breaking thy commandements both in thought, word, and deede, wherein we iustlie deserue euerlasting damnation, and to be vtterlie throwne from thy presence. Yet, O Lord, we see thy goodnesse againe towards vs, who not suffering vs thus to perish in our sinnes, hast sent thine owne deere Sonne Iesus Christ, to take vpon him whatsoeuer is due, to reconcile and make vs at one with thee againe. In him therefore, good Lord, and through him doo we come vnto thee, beseeching thee for his sake, that we feeling the greeuousnesse of our sins, and groaning vnder the burthen of them, may feele the release and ease of them, in that we be through thy holie spirit assured, and stedfastlie beleeue, that Christ hath borne the burthen of them euen for vs. Grant O Lord, that we being assured heereof in our conscience, may through thy holie spirit be renewed in the inward man, to hate, detest, and abhorre sinne, and to studie to liue acording to thy blessed will during this whole life.
We doo not onlie praie for our selues, O Lord, but also for all the whole Church, especiallie such as be persecuted for thy word: grant vnto them, that whither it be by death or life, they may glorifie thy name to their liues end. Be mercifull to this Church of England [Page 986] and Ireland we beseech thee good Lord, and preserue euerie part and member of the same, especiallie thy seruant Elizabeth our gratious Queene and Gouernour. Grant hir all such gifts as be needfull for so high a calling, to the aduancement of thy glorie, and the benefit of this Common-wealth: to the establishing of a perfect gouernement of thy Church, according to the prescriptrule of thy blessed word, to the rooting out of all superstition, idolatrie, and relikes of Antichrist, to the gouerning of hir subiects in all peace and tranquillitie. Defend hir, O Lord, from all conspiracies, treasons, and rebellions, and so worke in the harts of all hir subiects, that knowing hir authoritie doth come from thy heauenlie Maiestie, they may with obedient harts humblie obeie hir in thee and for thee. Preserue the whole Counsell & the Magistrates of the Realme, that being lightened by thy holy spirit, they may defend the truth, suppresse wickednesse, and mainteine equitie. Behold all the pastors and preachers of thy word: blesse their labours, increase the number of them; place ouer euerie Church a painefull watchman: remoue all idle lubbers, and confound the power of Antichrist, and turne the harts of the people, that they may be obedient to the truth. Blesse the two Uniuersities, Cambridge and Oxford, and all the students of the same, with all the Schooles of learning. Behold all those that be afflicted with anie kinde of crosse, that they may profit by thy correction in newnesse of life.
Lastlie for our selues heere gathered togither, we render most hartie thanks to thy Maiestie, O Lord, which hast hitherto from our infancie preserued vs by thy mercie, from all perils and dangers both of soule and bodie, wherevnto fraile man is subiect, that thou hast sent vnto vs all things necessarie for this present life, as health, food, apparell, and such like, which manie [Page 987] of thy deere children doo want, being notwithstanding as pretiouslie bought with the pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne as we be, and yet lie in miserie and calamitie, oppressed with pouertie, nakednesse, imprisonment, and banishment; in which case also deere Father, thou mightest haue brought vs, saue onlie that thou dealest heerein more fauourablie with vs than with them. For the which thy louing kindnesse, we giue thee hartie thanks, desiring thee, that as thou hast hitherto thus fauorablie in mercie preserued vs by thy protection, and euen presentlie this daie hast brought vs past all the dangers thereof: so we beseech thee good Lord, in like fauour behold vs this night, that we taking our naturall rest and quietnesse, may through thy protection be so defended, that our bodies resting, our soules may be occupied in beholding thy fauour and mercie towards thy children, still looking for the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ, for our full redemption. Grant that our sleepe be not immoderate, according to the lusts of the flesh, but as much as is sufficient to refresh our weake nature, that being thus refreshed, both the bodie & the mind may be more able to doo their seuerall office and function in that vocation wherein thou hast placed vs. Grant, that wee laieng our bodies downe to rest, may be thereby put in mind of our long rest of death: that as we doo laie downe our bodies in bed, so we may be thereby admonished, that hereafter they shall be laid down in graue, to be consumed to dust, earth, and ashes, from whence they were taken, that we hauing this before our eies, may be stirred vp in minde warilie to walke in this our pilgrimage, not knowing when the time shall be of our departure, but alwaies be found readie with our lamps of pure faith clearelie burning, that we may be accepted to meet the bride groome, when our mortall, earthlie, and corruptible bodies shall be made [Page 988] like to the glorious bodie of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus, there to reigne with him in perpetuall ioie & consolation, togither with all the elect children of GOD, continuallie lauding with all the heauenlie multitude the glorious Maiestie of thee our Lord God and heauenlie Father, in our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ. In whose name for these thy mercies, and whatsoeuer else thou knowest to be needfull for vs, and thy whole Church, we praie vnto thee, as he himselfe hath taught vs, saieng: Our Father, which art in heauen, &c.
The Lord blesse vs and saue vs, the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs, and be mercifull vnto vs: the Lord turne his fauourable countenance towards vs, and grant vs his peace.
The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, the loue of God the Father, and the most comfortable felowship of the holie Ghost be with vs, preserue and keepe vs this night and euermore,
Amen.
VVhen you vncloth yourselfe, and make you vnreadie to bedward, praie:
THis our life and weake knit bodie by reason of sinne, by little and little shall be dissolued, and so shall be restored to the earth, from whence it was taken: then will be an end of this vanitie, which by our foolishnes we haue wrought to our selues. O most meeke Father, so doo thou vntie and loose me (for thou hast knit me togither) that I may perceiue my selfe to be loosed and dissolued, and so may remember both of whom I was made, and also whither I go, least I be had vnprepared vnto thy tribunali and iudgement seate. And as I willinglie now put off my garments, which in the morning I shall put on again: so let me not vnwillinglie put off this my [Page 989] bodie, whensoeuer by death it shall please thee O God, to call me; especiallie for that I knowe that after the night of this world is expired, I shall receiue it on againe in much better light to immortalitie: So be it.
Put off the old man with his lusts and concupiscences, and be content with Ioseph to put off your prison apparell, that you may put on new.
I haue put off my cloaths: how shall I put them on? O Lord, I will confesse my wickednesse, and that of my selfe I haue nothing.
VVhen you wash your feete, praie thus to your selfe.
O Most meeke and louing Iesu, the perfect paterne of all humilitie, who being Lord of heauen and earth, didst not disdaine to wash thy Disciples feet, and wipe them cleane with the towell wherewith thou wast girt, and that for our example to teach vs to loue and serue one another in thee: haue mercie on me a miserable sinner, which from top to toe, both within and without, am altogither polluted and defiled with sinne in thy sight. And with Peter I humblie beseech thee, vouchsafe now to wash me in the sweet bath of thy pretious bloud, from all the filth and pollusions of my sinnes, that I may be whiter than snowe. Wash thou, I saie, not my feet onelie, O Lord, but my hands and head: yea my verie hart, soule, and conscience also. For if thou wash me not, I shall haue no part with thee; but if thou wash me, I shall be cleane euerie whit in all parts, yea cleaner than the glasse. O wash mee therfore cleane from mine vncleannesse, and doo awaie all my sinnes, negligences, and ignorances: yea so purge and scowre all mine affections by thy grace and mercie, that with both my feete, that is to saie, with [Page 990] perfect loue to thee, and true charitie to my neighbor, I may walke in the paths of thy peace by the direction of thy spirit, and at the last come pure and cleane vnto thee my purifier, to the confusion and shame of mine enimies, which in the daie of my death shall most busilie watch to trip and ouerthrowe me: so shall I blesse and praise thee, with thine elect and holie Saints in euerlasting happinesse,
Amen.
Another.
O Most mercifull Iesu, which gentlie sufferedst that sinfull woman Marie Magdalen to approch vnto thy presence, and to wash thy blessed feet with hir teares; to wipe them with hir heare; and to kisse and annoint them with costlie oile, and diddest greatlie commend this hir fact to all posteritie, haue mercie on me a more sinfull woman in thy sight; and grant me grace likewise continuallie to wash thy feete with the teares of true contrition; to wipe them with the heare of mine obedience; to kisse them with the kisses of feruent loue of thee and thy Saints, and to annoint them with the sweet oile of deuout praiers, confessions, and thanks-giuing, that I may obtaine by thy mercie forgiuenesse of all my manifold sinnes, and feele my selfe much bound vnto thee for my saluation. Finallie, let me thine handmaid be a seruant, I praie thee, to wash the feet of the seruants of my Lord: make me I saie, of the number of those holie matrons, that willinglie wash the feet of thy Saints, that minister vnto them that are in aduersitie, that are continuallie giuen to euery good worke, and be well reported of for their vertues, through Iesu Christ our Lord,
Amen.
VVhen you enter into your bed, praie:
I Enter into my bed, and laie mee downe to rest, in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost. The Lord Iesu Christ, which was crucified, dead, and buried for me, blesse, preserue, and keepe me both bodie and soule, and raise me with him, at the last daie by the power of his glorious resurrection to life euerlasting, Amen.
And grant, O God, I beseech thee, that as I am not afraid now to enter into my bed, and to dispose my selfe to sleepe: so I may not be afraid or loth to die; but rather cheerfullie prepare my selfe thervnto, and euermore desire to be dissolued, and to be with Christ my Sauiour,
Amen.
Being new laid in your bed, saie this Psalme.
O Lord, thou hast searched me out, & knowne me, thou knowest my downe lieng, and mine vprising, thou vnderstandest all my thoughts long before.
Thou art about my path, and about my bed, and spiest out all my waies. For lo, there is not a word in my tongue; but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogither.
Thou hast fashioned me behind and before, and laid thine hand vpon me. Such knowledge is too woonderfull and excellent for me, I can not attaine vnto it.
Whither then shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I go from thy presence?
If I clime vp into heauen, thou art there: if I godowne to hell, thou art there also: if I take the wings of the morning, and remaine in the vttermost parts of the sea; euen there also shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
[Page 992] If I saie, Peraduenture the darkenes shall couer me, then shall my night be turned to daie: yea the darknesse is no darkenesse with thee, but the night is as cleere as the daie: the darkenesse and light to thee are both alike.
For my reines are thine: thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe. I will giue thanks vnto thee, for I am fearefullie and woonderfullie made. Maruellous are thy works, and that my soule knoweth right well.
My bones are not hid from thee, though I be made secretlie, and fashioned beneath in the earth. Thine eies did see my substance, yet being vnperfect, and in thy booke are all my members written, which daie by daie were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
How deere are thy counselles vnto me, O God? O how great is the summe of them? If I tell them, they are more in number than the sand, when I wake vp, I am present with thee.
Trie me, O God, and seeke the ground of my hart; prooue me, and examine my thoughts; looke well if there be anie waie of wickednesse in me, and leade me in the waie euerlasting.
Let me neuer imagine mischiefe vpon my bed, as doo the vngodlie that set themselues in no good waie, and can not sleepe before they haue done some harme; but make me to abhorre the thing that is euill, and to commune with mine owne hart, and in my chamber to be still, that with the Saincts I may be ioifull with glorie, and reioice on my bed with them that praise thee daie and night.
Finallie, grant that I may behold thy presence in righteousnesse, and when I awake vp after thy likenesse, bring to passe that I may be satisfied with it, and glorifie thee eternallie,
Amen.
The Praier.
THE daie now ended, men giue themselues to rest in the night, and so this life finished, we shall rest in death. Nothing is more like this life than euerie daie; nothing more like death, than sleepe; nothing more like to our graue, than our bed. O Lord our keeper and defender, grant that I now laieng me downe to rest, being vnable to keepe my selfe, may be preserued from the crafts and assaults of the wicked enimie: and grant furthermore that when I haue tunne the race of this life, thou wouldest of thy mercie call me vnto thee, that I may liue and watch with thee for euermore. And now, O gratious God, giue me to take my rest in thee, & bring to passe that thy goodnesse may be euen in sleepe before mine eies, that sleeping I be not absent from thee, but may haue my dreames to drawe me vnto thee, and so both in soule and bodie may be kept pure and holie for euer,
Amen.
Another praier to be vsed of the husband and wife so soone as they are laid in their bed.
O Lord our GOD, our protector and defender, which diddest gratiouslie preserue and keepe thy seruant holie Tobie, when he laie with his wife Sara, by the gard of thine holie Angel, so that Sathan was bound, and had no power ouer them, keepe vs also, O King of kings, and Lord of lords this night and euermore, that that subtill Serpent by no meanes haue power to vexe or greeue vs; but that we may slepe this night in the remembrance of thee, into whose tuition and keeping we commit vs [Page 994] both bodie and soule, which hast bought & redeemed vs with the pretious bloud of that immaculate Lambe thy deere sonne, and our deere beloued Sauiour Iesus Christ; to whom with the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie,
Amen.
Meditation.
REmember now, that you be néerer your end by one daies iournie than you were in the morning.
Also that this troublesome daie is past, and night come; and ther withall rest, quietnesse, and pleasant sléepe, which maketh most excellent princes and poore wretches all alike for the time: euen so, after the tumults, troubles, temptations, and tempests of this life, if we beléeue in Christ, we haue prepared for vs an hauen and rest most pleasant, ioifull, and perpetuall.
VVhen you put out the candle, saie:
THE light of the vngodlie shall be put out, and the light of his candle shall not shine: the light shall be darke in his dwelling, and his candle shall be put out with him: yea full often shall the candle of the wicked be put out, and their destruction shall suddenlie come vpon them, so that all shall be horror, and full of darknes with them. O Lord, let not our candle be put out, nor the light that is in vs be turned into darknesse: but lighten thou our candle, and make thou our darknesse to be light: yea lighten thou our darknesse, we beseech thee O Lord, that we sleepe not in death, and by thy great mercie defend vs from all perils and dangers of this darke and dredfull night, and lighten & illuminate thou euerie darke corner of our habitation with thy light, that our candle go not out by night: for the loue of thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ: So be it.
A little while after saie.
O God, although we were in extreame darkenesse, yet will we not feare: and though we should walke in the midst of the shadowe of death, yet will we dread none euill. For thou art with vs, thy rod and thy staffe doo comfort vs.
Now therefore that we lie in darknesse, be thou our protector, bring vs to thy light, and saue vs from vtter darkenesse, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth: that we may behold thee in that cleere light of the perpetuall morning, where shall be no darknes, no night, nor need of anie candle or materiall light: but thou, Lord wilt inlighten vs with vnspekable glorie, So be it.
VVhen you feele sleepe to be comming, and dispose your selfe to rest, praie.
O Lord Iesu Christ, my watchman and keeper, take me to thy care, grant that my bodie sleeping, my mind may watch in thee, & be made merie by some sight of that celestiall and heauenlie life, wherein thou art the King and Prince, togither with the Father & the holie Ghost, where thine Angels and holie spirits be most happie citizens. Oh purifie my soule, keepe cleane my bodie, that in both I may please thee sleeping and waking for euer,
Amen.
Another praier to be said last of the husband and wife, before they giue themselues to sleepe.
O Lord assist vs, that peaceablie we may now rest and sleepe in quiet. Let our eies sleepe, but let our harts wake vnto thee. O lighten thou our eies, that we sleepe not in death, [Page 996] that Sathan hurt vs not, and our enimie saie; I haue preuailed against thee: but watch ouer vs, O eternall sauiour, least the subtill tempter ouertake vs, and we sleepe a perpetuall sleepe, and wake no more. For thou art made our euerlasting helper and protector.
Giue vs this night a good sleepe, that quietlie without cares and anguish of mind we may take our rest. Let not troublesome dreams, and vaine fantasies and apparitions of the night nor the diuell disquiet vs. Defend vs this night from vncleane and troublesome spirits, let not their rushings, ragings, and misrule disquiet vs. Keepe vs, good Lord, from sights of Sathan, from snares and illusions of the diuell.
But admonish our soules of miseries to come, euen as thou didst arme the Patriarches and Prophets by dreames and visions in the night, when sleepe came vpon them, from dangers nigh at hand, through thine heauenlie oracles; so gouerne and preserue vs in sleepe, that our soules come not into danger, danger, neither fall vpon the swoord and pit of perils.
Let vs not sleepe in sinne and contempt of saluation, as doo the children of night and darkenesse, but make vs of the number of those which sleepe in Iesus, and whome thou, O Lord, in the resurrection of the iust, & comming of thy Son, shalt not suffer to be preuented with sleepe, but wilt bring with thine elect to meete him in the clouds, that whether we wake or sleepe, we may liue togither with him, and obteine euerlasting saluation, through the merits of his death & passion.
In thy name, O sweet Iesu, will we giue sleepe to our eies, and slumber to our eie lids. O Sauiour of the world: saue vs Lord watching, and keepe vs sleeping, that in peace we may both rest and wake; and let our sleepe be sweet and healthfull to our bodies, that waking in the morning, we may rise in good health, and delight in thee our God.
[Page 997] Grant also, that both being in bed asleepe, and awake, we may alwaies remember our death, which is a passing to an immortall life, and withall our ioifull resurrection to euerlasting glorie.
Finallie, at our last gaspe, when our harts pant, our strength faileth, our sight departeth, our hearing is deafe, our mouth dumbe; when our feet cannot go, nor our hands feele; when all our senses forsake vs, giue vs, O blessed Trinitie, some sense of eternall life, that we may tast in this world the beginning of thine euerlasting ioie, and at our departure out of this world, behold by faith thy diuine presence, and so sleepe quietlie to eternall life, Amen, Amen.
Lord haue mercie vpon vs.
Christ haue mercie vpon vs.
Lord into thy hands we commend our soules, because thou hast redeemed vs.
Lord Iesu receiue our spirits.
At mid-night, if you happen to awake, praie:
HAue mercie vpon me, O God, after thy great goodnesse, according to the multitude of thy mercies doo awaie mine offenses.
Turne thy face from my sinnes, and put out all my misdeeds.
Make me a cleane hart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holie spirit from me.
I will remember thee, O God, in my bed, and thinke vpon thee now that I am waking, because thou hast beene mine helper.
Euen now in the night season, while thou holdest mine eies waking, I saie, will I thinke of thee my creator, and make my praiers vnto thee my redeemer, [Page 998] and God of my life, that my soule may not refuse hir comfort.
In my bed now by night will I seeke thee whom my soule loueth: O let me find thee, and my soule embrace thee.
For with my soule doo I desire thee now in the night season, and with my spirit within me will I seeke thee in the morning.
Yea at mid-night I will arise vp to giue thanks vnto thee, O Lord, because of thy righteous iudgements, and in the night watches I will lift vp my hands towards thy holie place, and blesse thee, and powre out my hart before thee, and saie:
Haue mercie vpon me, O God, haue mercie on me a most miserable sinner.
From the snares of the diuell, O Lord deliuer me: from the mid-night euill defend me, and in the houre of death, helpe me.
Our father which art in heauen, &c.
Meditation.
AT mid-night there was a crie made; Behold the bridegrome commeth, go out to meet him: blessed are those virgins, whom the Lord, when he commeth, shall find waking.
O my soule, let vs therfore take héed, watch and praie, that wée may bée found prepared with our Lamps burning, readie to enter with our spouse and Lord Iesus vnto the wedding.
In the night, when you heare the clocke strike, praie:
THE clocke of our conscience dooth ring euerie minute the houre of death to be at hand. O mercifull God, grant vnto me therefore I beseech thee a happie houre, & blessed departure out of this life, whensoeuer it shall please thee to call me hence, and cause my soule to flie out of this bodie. [Page 999] Be mercifull vnto me, O God, be mercifull vnto me a most miserable sinner, and deliuer me from the houre of temptation, death and damnation, through Iesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Meditation.
HE that hath ears to heare, let him heare. The daie of the Lord will come as a théefe in the night.
Watch therefore; because yée know neither the daie, the time, nor the houre when the sonne of man will come to iudgement.
VVhen you giue your selfe to sleepe againe, and commend your selfe last to God, Praie:
INto the hands of thy vnspeakable mercie, O Lord, I commend my wretched soule and bodie, my senses, speech, counsell, thoughts, works, & all things belonging vnto me, my lieng downe, and rising vp, my faith and conuersation, the whole course and end of my life, the daie and houre of my departure out of this world: finallie, my death, buriall, rest and resurrection; beseeching thee, O Lord, now suffer mine eies to sleepe, & mine eie lids to slumber, & the temples of my head to take some rest, that my bed may comfort me, and my couch giue me some refreshing. Grant that I may so sleepe, gouerne, and end my life, that I may sleepe in peace, and rest in thee. Sticke thou to me, O my God, euen to the end, that sleepe with rest, and rest with quietnesse, & quietnesse with euerlastingnesse, may receiue me. For lo, I giue my selfe once againe to sleepe and rest in the name of thee, O Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, euermore crieng and saieng, Haue mercie on me, O glorious Deitie; Haue mercie on me, O triumphant humanitie; Haue mercy on me, O blessed Trinitie, and receiue my spirit (yea rather thy spirit) into thy holy hands, & send me a ioifull resurrection with all thy Saints, & elect people:
Amen, Amen.
The Conclusion.
NOt vnto vs O Alpha, not vnto vs O Omega; but vnto thy name O Iehoua be giuen all the glorie, for thy louing mercie and for thy truths sake. For thou hast directed the thoughts of our harts, and prospered the works of our hands vpon vs; euen thou I saie, O Lord, hast gouerned all our counsels & enterprises from heauen, & hast gratiouslie wrought all our works for vs. O let our mouthes therfore be filled with thy praise, and make vs continuallie thankefull, that we may giue woorthie honor and glorie to thée for so great graces and manifold benefits bestowed vpon vs.
And now, forsomuch as thou hast giuen euerie one of vs that portion of thy graces that hath pleased thée, and hast commanded vs to occupie and vse them to thy honor, till thou come: grant vs, whether we haue receiued little or much, that we doo not idelie or slothfullie neglect our dutie herein. Suffer vs not I saie, O swéet Christ with the rest of the world; to fall asléep in the pleasant vanities of this life, and to forget the waiting for thy comming: but rather stirre vs vp by thy holie spirit faithfullie to vse thy gifts giuen vnto vs, and in all warie watching, fasting, and earnest praier continuallie to prosper and go forward in our holie calling, prouoking one another by good example to followe thée in true worship, and due obedience: and grant that all ambition, vaine glorie, hypocrisie, and dissimulation being remooued, our chéefe care may be in all our dooings, studies and labours, euer to séeke the increase of thine honor, and the aduancement of thy kingdome; and so with a single eie respecting the praise which is of thée, looke and wait for the reward and recompense of our labours, not of men but of thée; that in that daie of thy second comming, which shall be sudden and fearefull to the wicked, we may with ioie and comfort méet thy sonne in the aire; and when thou shalt heare our accounts, we may also receiue of thée through our redéemer Iesus, not onlie praise and commendation, as thy good and faithfull seruants, whose liues are hid in thée; but also obtaine the finall end of our faith, and all holie exercises of the same, euen the saluation of our soules, to thine euerlasting praise, high glorie, and perpetuall renowme, now and for euer, Amen.
(I saie) To God onlie be giuen all the Glorie.
A Table of all the principall praiers and meditations conteined orderlie in this fourth Lampe of Virginitie, and first
- So soone as ye first awake praie, Page. 363.
- Being well wakened, & before you arise, praie and meditate, page. 364.
- Hearing the clock strike, pray and meditate, 365.
- So soone as ye see the daie breake and light to appeere, praie & meditate, 366, 367.
- At the Sun-rising; praie and meditate, 368, 369.
- Putting off your neerest garment, meditate, 369.
- Beholding your nakednes, meditate, 370.
- Putting on your neerest garment, meditate, 371.
- Being about to rise out of your bed, praie & meditate, 372.
- In your arising praie, 373.
- Being risen, blesse & pray, 374.
- In apparelling your selfe, praie and meditate 375.
- In easing your bodie, meditate, and consider the corruption thereof, 375.
- Washing your hands, praie & meditate, 376, 377
- A premeditation before praier, 378, 379.
- Confessions of sins, & praiers for mercie and grace, 379. 380, 387, 389.
- A Confession of sinnes proper for Sundaies, 382, 384.
- Morning praiers and meditations, &c. 392, 394, 397.
- Sentences of holie scripture, exhorting all to the diligent frequenting of the Church & Gods diuine seruice therin vsed, 401.
- An exhortation to be vsed of maisters and dames to their families euerie sunday morning. 402.
- Praiers and psalmes to be learned by heart, and vsed by the way as ye go to church, 403, 405, 406, 407.
- When you enter into the church, &c. 408, 409, 410.
- As you passe by the people into your pewe, salute the congregation, &c. 410.
- [Page]A salutation or first forme of praier to be vsed at your first kneeling downe in the church, 417.
- Sentences of holie scripture, exhorting to the reuerent behauiour in Gods house, the church, 411.
- Meditations wherin is shewed how we ought to be verie attentiue to the publike praiers and psalmes in the church, 411, 415.
- A praier that God would vouchsafe to heare the praiers of the congregation afflicted, &c. 418.
- A psalme of preparation to publike praier in the morning, 419.
- A psalme of preparation to puplike praier in the euening, 420, 421, 423.
- A psalme of exhortation to the worship of GOD, morning or euening, 424.
- A psalme exhorting all creatures to praise God, 425.
- A psalme of Gods presence in the church, 427.
- A psalme of the beauty of gods house, &c. 427.
- A psalme for the prosperitie of the church, and that all people may praise and blesse the Lord, 429.
- A praier for a pure and cleane soule, &c. 431.
- A praier to serue God sincerelie in the church, 433.
- Meditations exhorting & shewing how the soule should rightlie worship and praise the Lord, &c. 434.
- Another verie forcible praier or meditation to mooue the mind, &c. 439.
- A complaint that we be not mooued or pricked in our contemplations and praiers like as the Angels be which tremble at the sight of God, page. 440.
- A verie deuout praier for grace to praise God, &c. 442.
- A godlie meditatiō of the ioies of the celestial paradise, 448.
- Another diuine meditation of the happinesse of the soules that are departed, &c. 450.
- Other meditatiōs of desires or longings of the soule after the ioies of heauenlie Sion, page. 451, 452.
- A godlie and christian praier for the church and congregation, &c. 455.
- A praier for the church vniuersall, 456.
- Another godlie praier for the preseruation of the vniuersall [Page] church, 458.
- A praier for vnitie in faith and religion, 461.
- Collects and praiers to be vsed after the letanie as occasion serueth for sundrie purposes page. 469, 470.
- For the Queenes maiesty, 470.
- For bishops and curats, 470.
- For raine in time of drought, page. 471.
- For the fruits of the earth, 473.
- For faire weather, 475, 476.
- In time of thunder, lightning, tempest, and vnseasonable weather, 477.
- In the time of dearth & famine page. 480.
- In the time of anie common plague, sickenesse, warre, penurie or scarsnes, 480, 481.
- A godlie and fruitfull forme of praier to be vsed of householders and their families in time of the plague, 482.
- A psalme commonlie vsed in publike praier in time of the plague, 490.
- A praier in time of immortalitie, 498.
- A psalme of thanks-giuing for deliuerance from the plague or anie other kind of sicknesses, 498.
- A praier at the appeering of monsters, or in anie earthquakes, &c. 498.
- In the time of anie generall earthquake, 500, 503.
- At the sight of anie blasing star or other meteors or prodigious signes of Gods iudgements in the heauens, praie to preuent the euils foreshewen thereby, 504.
- In time of warre, 505.
- In time of rebellion or ciuill warre, 505.
- A thankesgiuing for the suppressing of rebellion, 508.
- A thanksgiuing after our deliuerance from the tirranie of strange enimies, with praier for continuance of peace betweene realmes, 511.
- In time of inuasion by the Turke & infidels, &c, 513.
- A thanksgiuing vnto God for the christians victorie had against the Turks, 516.
- Before the first or second lesson, 517.
- After the first or second lesson read, 588.
- Before the sermon or homilie sentences of scripture exorting to ye attentiue hearing of Gods word, 519.
- A praier for the heedfull hearing of Gods word, 521.
- A praier both for the preacher [Page] and auditours, &c. 522▪ 526.
- Another praier to be vsed of anie hearers, &c. 527.
- A praier that God would both feed and defend his church, to be vsed at a sermon before ye communion, 530, 532
- A praier to be said before the sermons at ye court, 533, 534
- A praier against hardnesse of hart, and contempt of the word of God, 535.
- A praier against hipocrits, false teachers, and deriders of the Gospell, 537.
- A praier for vnbeleeuers, and that all men may embrace the Gospell, 539.
- Sentences of scripture exhorting to the diligent keeping and following of the word of God heard, 542.
- A thanksgiuing and praise to be vsed after the sermō, 543 547, 548, 549.
- A thanksgiuing for the knowledge of Gods word, 544.
- A praier for the accomplishment of Gods wil reauealed in his lawe, 549.
- A praier for strength speedilie to accomplish Gods diuine lawe, 550.
- A praier of anie excomunicate person, or notorious sinner, dooing open pennance in the church, &c. 552.
- A thanksgiuing of a reconciled offender, &c. 555.
- A praier of the beholders in the behalfe, and for the conuersion of anie notorious offender, &c. 558, 561.
- A thanks giuing for the conuersion and repentance of anie publike offender, 561.
- Before the administration of the sacrament, &c. 562.
- Anothor praier for the spirituall washing away of sins, 563.
- Another that the benefits of both the holie sacraments may be applied vnto our soules health, 564.
- A praier that we may rightlie & trulie receiue the blessed sacraments, 565.
- After publike baptisme, a thanksgiuing, &c. 565, 838.
- A praier for the fruits of baptisme, 567.
- A praier for the continuance of the true institution of the sacraments, 567.
- At a sermon before the communion, 532.
- Before yee receiue the holie [Page] communion an effectuall meditation, &c. 563.
- Praiers to be vsed of euerie cō municant before they presume vnto the Lords table, 574, 575, 578, 931.
- When you kneele downe at Gods boord, 580, 583, 547.
- A little before you receiue the sacramentall bread, 588.
- When ye are about to receiue the bread, 591, 592.
- When you see the sacramentall wine, 592.
- When you are about to receiue the cup of wine, 595.
- After you haue receiued the holie communion, 596
- Another thanks-giuing after the communion, 597.
- A meditation of ye trust which a christian soule ought to haue, 599.
- Another effectuall thanksgiuing or meditation after the receiuing of the holie communion, 601.
- Another fruitfull meditation of a christian soule, &c, 668
- The praier, &c. 603.
- A godly praier to be vsed of anie christian in the church at the solemnization of matrimonie, 615.
- ¶ See more in the first lampe, 48, 41, 50.
- After a funerall sermon, 450.
- A meditation and praier to be vsed at burials, &c. 615.
- Another deuout praier or meditation of the breuitie and miserie of mans life, 616.
- Another meditation, 618.
- Another sweet meditation of the longing of the soule to be with God, 619.
- Another verie godlie meditation, &c. 621, 622.
- A praier of Christ our high bishop, &c. 634.
- That God would vouchsafe to heare gratiously our praiers, 624.
- When the people arise to depart out of the church, 625.
- So soone as ye be out of the church, &c. 625.
- Going homeward, 625, 626.
- When you enter into your house, 627.
- Being come home, 627.
- Before meate praie, 628.
- Another that daie that you receiue ye communion, 629
- When you begin to eate, 630
- For the sober vsing of your meate and drinke, 630.
- When you take salt, 631.
- [Page] Cautions or remembrances to be said of the child in the meale times, 632.
- A praier to be vsed before a chapter be read at meale times, 622.
- A praier to be vsed after the chapter read, 633.
- A thanksgiuing after our bodilie sustenance and reading some part of Gods word, page. 634.
- Another praier after meat on the Lords daie, 639.
- Another praier after meate that daie you haue receiued the holie communion, 636.
- Another more general thanks giuing for our food and sustenance, 636.
- A praier to be vsed at mid-daie, when the sunne is at the highest, 639, 640.
- A praier for the right keeping of ye Sabboth holie: cleane to the end, 6416, 42.
- Ghostlie meditations meete for all christians once in the daie, or at least once in the weeke, 643.
- A meditation of Gods woonderfull works, &c. 650.
- A thanksgiuing for the creation of the world, 653.
- A meditation of mans creation, 654, 655.
- A meditation of the creatures put in subiection by GOD vnder mans dominion and seruice, 661.
- A meditatiō of gods heauenlie power, excellent beauty, & surpassing goodnes considered, &c. 661, 664.
- In the spring time, 665.
- In summer time, 666.
- In haruest time, 667.
- In winter time, 668.
- At all seasons and times in the yeere, 669.
- The song of the three children in the firie fornace, &c. 669.
- A meditation of the incomprehensible praise due to God for all his works, 671.
- A meditation of Gods manifold benefits, &c. 673.
- Another meditation of Gods great benefits, 676.
- Another forme of thanksgiuing to God for all his benefits, &c. 679.
- Another to ye same effect, 681.
- [Page] On aduent Sunday, 747, 748.
- On Christmas daie. 750, 751, 754, 755, 758, 759.
- On New yeeres daie. 760.
- On twelfe daie, 764, 766.
- On Ashwednesdaie, 768, 769.
- On the first sundaie in Lent, 771, 772, 776, 777.
- On maūdie thursday, 775, 780
- On good friday, 782, 784, 791 795, 798, 802, 805.
- On Easter daie, 809, 810, &c.
- Ascension day, 816, 817, &c.
- On Whitsundaie, 430, 831. 835, 837, 840.
- Trinitie sundaie, 841, 843, 846 850, 852, 853.
- On euerie sunday & holie day, page. 854, 857, 858, 859.
- On S. Andrews daie, 863.
- Saint Thomas daie, 864.
- Saint Steeuens daie, 864.
- S. Iohns Euangelists day, 868.
- The holie Innocents day, 870.
- The daie of S. Paules conuersion, 872,
- The purification of our Ladie, 874.
- Saint Matthias daie, 876.
- The annuntiatiō of our Ladie page, 878.
- Saint Marks daie, 881.
- S. Philip and Iames daie, 883.
- S. Barnabas daie, 883.
- S. Iohn Baptists daie, 885.
- Saint Peters daie, 886.
- Saint Iames daie, 887.
- Saint Bartholomews day, 888.
- Saint Matthews daie, 889.
- S. Michaels day, 890.
- S. Simon and Iudes daie, 893.
- On all Saints daie, 893.
- On the 17. daie of Nouember commonlie called Queene Elizabeths daie, &c. 683. to page, 728.
- For the whole state of Christs church, &c. 729, 745.
- The first, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Psalmes from page, 895, to 902.
- Other psalmes and praiers for the remission of sinnes, &c. page. 903, 916, 920, 925.
- A deuout praier for mercy & grace, &c. 931.
- S. Augustines psalter, &c. 937.
- Susannas psalter, &c. 943.
- Other deuout praiers to be daily vsed, &c, 956, 960, 963
- A praier for mortification, 962
- Another for grace, &c. 968.
- The praier for mercie & grace called, ô bone Iesu, 970.
- A paraphrasticall praier, 971.
- Meditations after praier, 975.
- A conclusion 975.
- At ye sun-setting, &c, 976, 977.
- When the candels or lamps be light, 977.
- Euening praiers for sundaies, [Page] page, 978, 979, 982.
- A forme of praier to be vsed in priuate houses, &c. 985.
- When you vncloath your self page, 988.
- When you wash your feete, page, 989, 990.
- When you enter into your bed, 991.
- Being new laid in your bed, page, 991, 993.
- Another praier to be vsed of the husband and wife, 993.
- When you put out the candle, 994.
- A little while after, 995.
- When you giue your selfe to sleepe, 995.
- Another to be vsed of the husband and wife, 995.
- At midnight if you wake, 997
- Hearing the clocke strike in the night, 998.
- Commending your selfe last to God, 999.
- The conclusion of all, 200.
Faults escaped.
| Page. | Line. | Fault. | Correction. |
| 413. | 20. | Wherein, | Whereby. |
| 415. | 20. | Without, | With. |
| 473. | 31. | Enioieng, | Abiding, |
| 480. | 33. | Repentance, | Resistance. |
| 521. | 24. | Martha, | Marie. |
| 568. | 24. | In the sacrament, | In receiuing the sacrament, |
| 574. | 15. | Sacrifice, | Banket, |
| 597. | 1. | Merit, | Ioie. |
| 623. | 33, 34. | We may deserue, ship and merchādize being saued, to attaine, | We may (ship and merchandize being saued) attaine. |
| 649. | 14 | We may stretch out our hands, | (adde) Through his grace preuenting vs. |
| 662. | 4. | Thou inhonorest, | Thou honourest. |
| 764. | 24. | Wait for me, | Wait for thée. |
| 787. | 35. | Thy sweet, | Our swéet. |
| 827. | 12. | Wound, | Pearse. |
| 833. | 22. | By nature a God, & therfore substantiallie, | By nature God, and therfore effectuallie. |
| 843. | 25. | Of hir haue I learned how thou, | Of hir haue I learned, by thy word, how thou. |
| 954. | 32. | Surmises of the misbehauiour. | Surmises of anie misbehauiour. |