1. A praier for the Morning.

O Mightie maker & pre­seruer of all things, God omnipotent, which like a diligent watchman, alwaies attendest vpon thy faithfull people, so that whether they sléepe or wake, liue or die, thy prouidence neuer forsaketh them: looke fauourablie vpon me, O Lord, thy poore and sin­full seruant, which am not woorthie, but through thy great mercies offered to me in Christ, once to lift vp mine [Page] eies vnto thy mercie seat.

Wherefore in the name of thy déere sonne my Lord and Sauiour, I offer vnto thée, through him, the sacrifice of praise and thanks giuing; that thou hast preserued me both this night, and all the time and daies of my life hitherto, vn­till this present houre. I be­séech thée of thy great mercie to illuminate my vnderstan­ding, that I may lead and frame my life as thou hast taught me in thy holie word, that my light may so shine here on earth, that my heauen­lie father may be glorified in me, through Iesus Christ our Lord and redéemer; for whose sake heare me deare father, [Page 2] and send thy holie Ghost to direct me in all my dooings. To thée O glorious and bles­sed Trinitie, the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, be giuen all honor and praise, now and for euer more, Amen.

2. A praier for remission of sinnes, for victorie against satan, and for the inward light of the soule.

O Mercifull Father that art the sure safegard and de­fense of all that earnestlie trust in thée, and de­sirest not the death of sinners, but their conuersion and a­mendment of life; I acknow­ledge [Page] vnto thy highnesse, all mine offenses by me commit­ted, which if I would hide from thée Lord, I could not. I con­sider the miserable estate, whereto through sinne I am brought: for thereby I haue worthilie lost thy fauour, and am fallen from thy grace, which while thou withdrawest from me, I can doo no good thing, nor thinke one good thought. My sinnes haue caused thée to put me out of thy remembrance, and to for­get me, delaieng to giue me that which is my strength and comfort. But how long wilt thou forget me, Lord? For e­uer? How long wilt thou withdraw thy grace from me?

Thou knowest my hartie contrition and sorrowe; for that I haue vnkindlie forsa­ken thy seruice, and serued thine enimies, the diuell and sinne. But trusting assuredlie in thy promise made to me, and all people, by the mouth of thy prophet Ezechiel, that is; If the sinner will turne a­waie from all his sinnes, that he hath committed, and kéepe all thy commaundements, doubtles he shall liue and not die: as for all his sinnes that he did before, thou wilt not thinke vpon them. I now most entirelie beséech thée, that as my sinnes were the cause, why thou diddest put me out of thy fauour; so let my hartie repen­tance [Page] for them, cause thée to put my sinnes out of thy re­membrance.

Suffer me not long to re­maine in this perplexitie of mind, and to take sorrow in­wardlie in my hart from daie to daie, continuallie fearing the punishment due to my sinne, and looking still for thy comming into my soule by grace to deliuer me. Hope hath caused me long to looke for thée, that art my life and my health; thy long delaie in comming hath much increa­sed my desire; my feruent de­sire at length is now turned to a vehement paine. Where­fore make hast Lord, I beséech thée, to helpe my sicke soule, [Page 4] and tarrie not.

Let not mine enimie the di­uell long triumph ouer me, whose propertie is to tread vn­der his féet, like a cruell prince, all those that be vanquished, euen to the pit of hell. He did long hold in captiuitie all mankind, vntill the comming and passion of Christ for our redemption; and since, through his craftie traines, he hath brought to vtter confusion manie of those that professe thy sonnes religion. Wherfore behold Lord, and consider my miserable estate, heare my humble petition, touching my deliuerance from out of his danger.

Lighten the eie of my hart [Page] and vnderstanding, with the light of thy grace and comfort, thereby expelling the darknes of ignorance. Lighten also one other eie of my soule, which is the eie of the affection. The sight of this eie is so dimme, that it hath no perfect and true iudgement; yea it is so blin­ded with the vanities of this world, that one thing in appea­rance séemeth to be twentie; like the sight of the deceitfull eies of glasse. I beséech thée saue my said eie, that it be not put out by our enimie the di­uell; and send me the light of grace, while I haue here time, & space of repentance, that at my latter end, mine enimies saie not with ioie, that they [Page 5] haue the vpper hand ouer me.

But all my trust is in thy mercie: for though thou hide thy selfe in a cloud, that my praier should not go through it vnto thine eares; yet are not thy mercies cleane gone, nei­ther dooth thy louing kindnes cease. Thou art therefore Lord my portion, and in thy mercie still will I hope, and in none other creature; knowing for certaintie, that as God thou onelie maist helpe me, and as my louing father thou wilt helpe. Wherefore in thée my hart shall be ioifull, and in thy sauing health, which is thy sonne Christ our Sauiour and redéemer.

The Philistines, knowing [Page] the presence of thine arke to be in the campe of the Israe­lits, on the daie of their battell, were sore afraid, saieng; Who shall deliuer vs out of the hand of this mightie God? Much more will I be glad, and take sure trust, hauing the presence and comfort of thy liuelie grace. And in token of the victorie which thou hast giuen me ouer mine enimies, I will not cease (as I haue good cause) to sing the praises of the Lord, that hath so louinglie dealt with me, and magnifie the name of the most high, all the daies of my life, A­men.

3. An other praier for the same.

O God giue me the excellent féeling of thine aboun­dant mercie, for thou art my whole goodnes. Who am I, that I dare be so bold to speake vnto thée? I am thy most poore sinfull ser­uant, a vile worme, and much more poore and miserable, than I either know my selfe, or dare tell vnto thée: for my sinnes sticke so fast to me, that I haue nothing, nor worthie anie thing. Thou onelie art good, thou iust, thou holie, and able to doo all things, and doost [Page] performe all things. Thou ful­fillest all things, leauing the sinfull onelie void and emptie.

My conscience accuseth me so, that I can haue no rest, till I be reconciled vnto thée O God my sauiour. Remember thy mercies, O Lord, and fill my soule with thy fauour: for how may I continue in this life, vnlesse thy mercie and fa­uour doo strengthen me? Giue me grace to put my whole trust in thée, without grudg­ing or doubting: for I haue, and doo dailie waite for thy sa­uing health.

Turne not awaie thy face from me, neither withdraw thy comforts from me, least my soule doo séeme in thy sight [Page 7] like vnto the earth that is void of moisture. Lord teach me to doo thy will, learne me to walke worthilie and humblie before thée: for thou art my wisedome, and knowest me what I am in all respects, and vnderstandest my thoughts long before.

Grant me alwaies to séeke thée in singlenes of heart: for the remembrance of thy fauor is more swéete vnto me, than all the pleasures and deinties of the world. For my chéefest comfort is in thée O Christ, and not in anie worldlie meanes, who hast said; Who so ouercommeth the world, to them will I grant to féed vp­on the trée of life. Which grant [Page] me for thy holie name sake, to whom with the father, and the holie Ghost, be praise now and for euer, Amen.

4. An Euening praier.

O Euerlasting light, whose brightnesse is neuer darkned; looke fauourablie vpon me thy poore and sinfull seruant, who hath not onelie this daie, but all the daies and times of my life hitherto, vn­till this present houre, offen­ded thy diuine Maiestie, in thought, word, and déed; wher­by I haue most iustlie prouo­ked thy wrath and indignati­on against me. And now I how the knées of my hart vn­to [Page 8] thée most mercifull and hea­uenlie father, beséeching thée for Iesus Christ his sake, to forgiue me all my sinnes, neg­ligences and ignorances. For I confesse how wickedlie I haue mispent the talent that thou gauest me, abusing thy gifts of grace manie waies, burieng the same in obscure darknesse, woorse than the ser­uant that hid his maisters treasure, not putting it to anie increase; for he deliuered the principall againe.

But I most miserable crea­ture, can shew vnto thy ma­iestie no part of that which thou gauest me, to vse to thine honor and glorie: for the which I am most hartilie sorie, and [Page] doo vnfeinedlie repent, ha­uing no meane to helpe my selfe, but onelie to lift vp the eies of my faith vnto thy deare sonne Iesus Christ, beséeching him most instantlie to make perfect my wants, and to re­nue whatsoeuer is lacking in me. For I commit my bodie and soule, this night and euer­more, into his most holie hands; hoping, O Christ, thou wilt make me an acceptable sacrifice vnto thy father.

I haue no place to flie vnto, but to shrowd me vnder the wings of thine almightie power, who wast so louing vn­to vs, that thou wast conten­ted to shed thy most pretious bloud, for the sinnes of the [Page 9] whole world; for the which I most humblie and hartilie yéeld vnto thée thanks, honor, praise and glorie.

O lambe of God, sonne of the father, heare thou me, thou that saiedst; I am thy health and saluation, I am thy peace and life; cleaue fast vn­to me, and thou shalt liue. O Lord I am the woonded man, and thou art the good Sama­ritane: powre oile into my wounds, and bind them vp. Lord heale thou me, and I shall be whole: for thou art my God and Sauiour.

Heare thou therefore my supplications from heauen, and haue mercie. Take from me all my sinnes and wicked­nesse, [Page] and giue me thy grace and holie spirit. Lighten mine eies, that I sléepe not in death: so shall I ioiefullie, after this sluggish sléepe of sinne, rise a­gaine, liuing in thy feare all the daies of my life. Which grant me to doo, O Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, thrée persons and one true GOD, world without end, Amen.

5. Against the temptation of the diuell, and for Gods fauour and grace.

O Lord preserue me, that I fall not in­to temptation, nei­ther let me be as one of them that contemne [Page 10] thy word, falling from thée; but arme me with an inuincible strength and constancie: so shall I be sure, that all the powers of the world shall not ouercome me. For there is none in heauen, earth or hell, that can doo anie thing, but as thou giuest them power. Sée­ing that all are thy creatures, thou must néeds gouerne and guide them.

Thy mercie O God almigh­tie is also annexed to thy di­uine nature, for when all man­kind was lost and dead in sinne, then diddest thou, sitting in thy celestiall throne, looke downe to the earth vpon our miserable state, and loosedst vs from the bands of the diuell, [Page] and sendedst downe thine on­lie begotten sonne, that by his death he might deliuer from death, such as worthilie were the children of death: for the which I praise thée, and doo confesse from the bottome of my hart, that our deliuerance commeth onlie of thée O God, and not by mans power.

Wherefore I will not come emptie into thy presence, but with all humilitie I offer vn­to thée my troubled spirit for mine offenses: and this sacri­fice I am sure thou wilt not despise; for I confesse my selfe ignorant, till thou hast taught me, O Lord. My heart is also variable, and separated from thée. Ioine my soule and bodie [Page 11] to thée O God, and confirme me in thine obedience: for I desire not to liue, but to serue thée as I ought, which we can­not doo aright, except thou o­pen our eies. I respect no man, but set thée alwaies be­fore me, as the chéefe helper and iudge of my dooings.

Certeinlie we can doo no­thing of our selues: but when thou O God doost inwardlie instruct vs by thy holie spirit, then féele we thy graces swée­ter than the honie and the ho­nie combe. There is no accep­tion of persons with thée, but all people that feare thée, and worke righteousnesse, thou wilt accept. If we be thine, thou Lord wilt strengthen vs [Page] with all power, and blesse vs with all felicitie. But thy in­dignations are most constant against the wicked, and passe all our vnderstanding: for thou O God neuer forsakest anie that séeke vnto thée. Ther­fore man is cause of his owne destruction.

Giue me thy fauour, and be mercifull vnto me for thine owne sake: grant me thy hea­uenlie wisedome and grace to be gouerned by thy holie word, which if I follow, I shall haue all prosperitie, corporall and spirituall, bringing foorth such fruits as haue life. I ac­knowledge that all my acts, thoughts, or anie part of my life cannot be hid from thée O [Page 12] God, though thou séemest to be farre off; so that they are eui­dentlie knowne to thée: for thou O GOD vnderstandest my meaning, before I speake; and sendest the dewes of thy grace vpon me, which causeth me to bring foorth the fruits of good works, to thine honour, and the helpe of my neighbor: for it is of thy power, strength, and grace, when I doo anie thing that is good, and not of mine owne power.

There is none good, but thou alone; thou killest and giuest life; thou woundest, and ma­kest whole: neither is there a­nie that can speake a word, ex­cept thou giue it him, nor none can saue himselfe by his owne [Page] labour, nor anie worldlie meanes. Wherfore I will rest in thée, as mine onelie God, through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour, Amen.

6. A praier for faith, and for Gods helpe and assistance at his good pleasure.

O Lord GOD al­mightie, which by thy power & wise­dome hast made all the world, and dooest go­uerne the same, and all that therein is: from thy holie hea­uens, wherein thou dwellest, looke fauorablie vpon vs, and grant that in temptation we may haue faith to fight against [Page 13] the diuell, and all his false sug­gestions, and to crie inward­lie vnto thée with groning, al­waies aiding vs with thy holie spirit, to be humble in all af­flictions, with true repen­tance. For when all mans helpe dooth faile, thou O God wilt helpe vs, euen as it were by a miracle; if we call vpon thée with an vpright consci­ence.

Lord grant vs neuer to re­quire more of thée, than is ne­cessarie; neither to séeke to se­parate thy power from thy will, least we should tempt thée: for though thy helpe dooth not presentlie appeare, yet hast thou sowen and laid vp in store for vs. We will therefore be [Page] mindfull of thy benefits, and onelie trust in thy defense: for though the wicked rage a­gainst thée O God, yet those that be thy children shall praise thy name and mightie power. For the more liberallie that thou O God dooest deale with thy people, the more doost thou punish them that abuse thy be­nefits. For thou O God hast care ouer thine, and dooest cha­sten them for their health, that they should not perish for euer with the wicked. For thou wilt restore the gouernement of good things to their vse, and then the godlie shall follow thée chéerefullie.

Grant vs we humblie be­séech thée to know thy waies, [Page 14] and to ascend vp vnto the throne of thy maiestie by faith, giuing thée praise and glorie, for thy fatherlie preseruation and health towards vs conti­nuallie. For thou hast béene a house and defense for vs: thou hast chosen vs to be thy people, before the foundation of the earth was laid. Wherefore we are sure that thou wilt heare vs, whensoeuer we call and crie vnto thée for mercie and grace. Blesse vs now and e­uer with all goodnes, that we may lead our liues according to thy will, liuing in thy feare all the daies of our life, that after this course is ended, we may dwell with thée, world without end, Amen.

7. Another for the same.

I Make my humble petition in thy sight, O GOD most holie, which biddest vs aske, and it shall be giuen; séeke, and we shall find; knocke, and it shall be opened vnto vs; and beléeue onelie, and we shall receiue whatsoe­uer we desire. Lord I beléeue, helpe thou mine vnbeléefe, and giue me that faith which shalbe most acceptable in thy sight. Sowe in my heart, good Lord the graine of stedfast faith, which may aspire and spring vp vnto the mercie seat of [Page 15] thine almightie maiestie: for without true faith and obedi­ence we cannot call vpon thée a right.

Giue me therefore, good Lord, that most pretious iewel of faith, that thou maist there­by heare me. And giue me comfort & saluation through thy mercifull goodnesse, O God, who neuer dooest forsake thy faithfull seruants, that come to thée in humblenesse of heart, looking vpon Iesus Christ thy deare sonne our Lord and Sauiour: for he is the trée of life, which standeth in the middest of paradise, by whom we haue entrance vnto thée O déere father.

Whosoeuer séeketh anie o­ther [Page] waie than this thy déere Sonne, he is a théefe and a robber, and shall neuer be par­taker of the benefits, which he of his mercie hath most lo­uinglie bestowed vpon vs: which grant me Lord Iesu ne­uer to forget, but euermore to shew my selfe thankefull. For it is thou O Lord that art worthie to receiue all glorie, honour, and praise: for thou hast created and redéemed all, and without thée we cannot doo anie thing that is good.

Wherefore Lord Iesus I come vnto thée, crauing at thy mercifull hand an humble and contrite heart, a patient mind, a quiet conscience, the gift of faith, and of the holie [Page 16] Ghost. O thou louer of soules, heare me poore wretch, al­though vnworthie once to thinke, much lesse to speake vnto thy maiestie. But thou art the same Lord, who dooest most louinglie saie; Come to me all ye that are heauie lo­den, and I will ease you.

Which comfortable saieng of thine, O Christ, maketh me bold to come into thy presence, vnloding my sinfull sacke of corruption, before the face of thine almightie power; not doubting but thou wilt merci­fullie heare me, and ease me with thy helpe: for I cast all my burthen on thée, who art the giuer of life and saluation. Wherefore I turne my selfe [Page] vnto thée O Lord Iesus Christ desiring thée by praier to renue whatsoeuer is amisse in me, ei­ther by mine owne frailtie, or malice of the diuell.

For I acknowledge, O Lord, that I am the most wicked, the most fraile of all others, the weakest to resist my ghostlie enimie. But I trust, through thy mercie, to be of the num­ber of them, for whom thou hast ouercome the diuell and the world: which grant me, Lord Iesus, for thy bitter pas­sions sake, that after this life I may enioie the endles blisse and glorie of heauen. To thée, with the liuing Father, and the holie Ghost, be giuen all ho­nour and glorie, all praise [Page 17] and thanks, for euer and euer, Amen, Amen.

8. A praier of the iustice of God, and of his mercie.

O GOD almigh­tie, Lord of hea­uen and earth, from whom no­thing can be hid or kept secret, thou art the searcher of the hart and reines, which knowest the thoughts of all men: when I remember thy iust iudgment, I tremble and quake for feare, considering the burthen, wait, and filthines of sinne to be so great, that for one proud thought, a great number of angels fell from heauen. The [Page] earth was not able to beare the burthen of Corah, Dathan and Abiram; but for the rebel­lion against thée and thy ser­uant Moses, the earth opened, and swallowed them quicke.

For the sinne and pride of Dauid, who mustered his men, putting his trust in the multitude of them, rather than in thée that art the liuing God, thou scourgedst him with the plague of pestilence, so that there died foure score thousand of his people, within the space of thrée daies.

Who would not then feare, séeing we sinne dailie with most gréeuous sinnes? Now haue we no remedie to flie from thy wrath, but to shrowd [Page 18] our selues in the bosome of thy most dearelie beloued sonne, our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, making him our bul­worke and house of defense, betwéene thine anger and vs: most humblie beséeching thée for his sake, and for the bitter paines that he suffered for our redemption, to be mercifull vnto vs, and rebuke vs not in thine anger.

Let not the sentence of euer­lasting death take place, which thou gauest against Adam, and all his posteritie for his disobedience. Thou art méeke, gentle, and long suffering of thy selfe. It is our gréeuous offenses, heaped one vpon an­other, that prouoke thée vnto [Page] anger. Therefore, acknowledg­ing our offenses, we praie thée most mercifull father, to haue compassion vpon vs: for we are not able of our selues to a­rise; it is thou Lord, and thy blessed sonne that must heale our infirmities.

We haue no strength to withstand the temptation of our enimies, thy sonne Christ must reach vs his hand, as he did to Peter, walking on the water, when he was in perill of drowning. His patience is our medicine and health, thy grace and his are sufficient re­medies. We are all carnall, sold vnder sinne; so that the good we would doo, that doo we not; but the euill that we wold [Page 19] not, that we doo. We are all e­uill of our selues. Consider O God our contrite hearts, and penitent minds, and heare, heale, and amend vs.

Hope biddeth vs still to crie and call vpon thée for helpe, as the woman, of Canaan cried still vpon thy sonne Christ for the helpe of hir daughter, and at the last was heard to hir owne contentation: so we, knocking and calling still, doubt not but thou wilt grant, through our importunacie, our desires, as he that gran­ted his neighbour thrée loaues.

We doo now knocke, crie, and will neuer cease, till thou Lord turne towards vs, and deliuer our soules. Turne, we [Page] heartilie beséech thée, from thy wrath, to pittie and mercie; de­liuer vs from the manifold troubles which we haue in our consciences. Oh saue vs for thy mercie sake, for thy blessed Sonne Iesus hath dearelie bought vs. Wherefore Lord, we thy faithfull creatures, be­ing through thy grace, and the battell of thy sonne vpon the crosse restored to thy fauour; and hauing the house of our hearts and soules swept and made cleane from all vices, which were woont to inhabite in vs, we most humblie praie thée to giue vs strength, to kéepe our soules from the in­uasion of the wilie serpent.

Dwell in vs still by thy con­tinuall [Page 20] grace, make vs to be of thy houshold, that we may liue and praise thée in this world, and after this life we may enioie the blessed pre­sence of thine eternall maie­stie, one God in persons thrée, and euerlasting in vnitie, world without end, Amen.

9. A praier for humilitie, and a confession of sinnes, with a petition to haue the same remitted.

LOrd giue me hu­militie, being the beautifull flowre of vertue that gro­weth in the garden of mans soule; one of the most plea­sant, [Page] most necessarie, and most acceptable, whose power was so great, that it drue the sonne of GOD, the second person in deitie, from heauen, into the wombe of the méeke virgine, whom of all other he chose to be his mother, for that she was so humble and vertuous. Thou O Christ our Sauiour, being Lord of all the world, walkedst all the daies of thy life in humilitie, and therein endedst, humbling thy self vn­to the vile death of the crosse.

The wise humilitie of Abi­gael pacified the furie of Da­uid, when he was minded to kill all the men of the house of hir husband. The humble sub­mission of wicked Ahab, as­swaged [Page 21] the wrath of GOD, which was the cause that the almightie preserued him all the daies of his life. The great goodnes of this vertue is made manifest, by opening the hei­nousnes of the vice contrarie thereto, which is pride: which appeared in the proud Pharisie, when he made boast in his praiers of his good déeds, and despised his poore neighbour, which caused his praier not to be hard, when the poore Publi­can, standing a farre off, with humblenesse, durst not lift vp his eies to heauen, but with heartie repentance knocking his breast, said; Lord be merci­full to me a sinner: which har­tie confession of his sinne, was [Page] cause of his iustification, and that he was made righteous.

Wherefore most gratious Lord our heauenlie father, considering the power of hu­militie, and the knowledge of our sinnes, with hartie repen­tance, to be of so great effica­cie; I thy poore creature, vn­worthie to appeare before thy maiestie, doo powre downe here, before thée, my sacke that is full of sinne, which I haue committed euen from my youth, they are great and manie, without number: ne­uerthelesse, trusting of thine accustomed nature and pro­pertie, which is, to be mercifull to all sinners, that be sorie for their offenses from the bottom [Page 22] of their hearts, turning to thée, knowing that thou diddest send thy louing sonne, not to call those that séeme in their owne sight to be iust, but to helpe those that confesse them­selues to be sinners.

I therefore, Lord, willing by the helpe of thy grace, vtterlie to forsake sinne, and to fulfill thy holie will hereafter, desire thée humblie of forgiuenesse, and to admit me among the number of those that are bles­sed, and their vnrighteousnes forgiuen. I will not couer from thée my sinnes, neither yet excuse them; but I praie thée Lord hide them in the bloo­die woonds of thy sonne Christ, where they shall be put in per­petuall [Page] obliuion. Blessed is the man, vnto whom thou doost not impute sinne, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Wherfore from the bottome of my heart, Lord, I am sorie for all my sinnes, and doo aske thée forgiuenesse. I will ac­knowledge all mine offenses, and accuse my selfe vnto thée Lord. So soone as I was de­termined no longer to hide mine euill waies, thou Lord straite forgauest me. Thine eare was in my heart, before my voice was in my mouth. Thy mercies washed awaie my sinnes, or euer my confes­sion was made. Thou art as readie to heare and forgiue, as we to aske.

Wherefore I will saie with the prophet Daniel; It is I that haue offended and sinned against thy maiestie. I hum­blie beséech thée cure my sicke soule, for I haue highlie sinned against thée; yet doubt I not, but thou hast and wilt forgiue the wickednes of my sinne. It is thou Lord that must helpe vs; which thou wilt doo, if we call vpon thée, whilst we are in this life, for after death, no intreatie will be heard. It is then too late.

Wherefore Lord kéepe vs in the right waie, and suffer vs not to swarue on the right hand, nor on the left. Thy eies of protection and mercie are euer firmelie fixed vpon vs; [Page] grant vs to set the eies of our minds vpon thée. Lord call me, plucke me Lord from mine vngodlines, that I may knowe thée, loue thée, & put my hope wholie in thée. O glorious God, my maker, sauiour, & san­ctifier, dwell in me and giue me grace to dwell in thée, Amen.

10. A praier for patience in trouble, and constant expec­tation of Gods goodnes.

O GOD almightie, grant vs neuer to refuse thy chaste­ning. For though thou make a wound, thou gi­uest a plaister; though thou smite, thy hand maketh whole againe. Thou shalt deliuer vs [Page 24] in sixe troubles, and in the sea­uenth there shall none euill come vnto vs. In hunger thou shalt saue vs from death; and when it is war, from the power of the sword; thou shalt kéepe vs from the euill toong; and when trouble commeth, we shall not néed to feare. In de­struction and death we shall be merrie: for the stones of the land shall be confederate with vs, bicause the Lord of hosts is our defense & refuge for euer.

Let vs therefore put our whole trust in him, reioising with melodie of thanksgiuing vnto his maiestie, who onelie is true, and can helpe vs with deliuerance. Let vs lift vp our eies vnto GOD, who hath all [Page] power; and therefore ought to be feared. For whatsoeuer he be that feareth man, more than God, falleth into a snare, and is destroied. As for all our sinnes and transgressions, thou requirest nothing of vs, O Lord GOD, but to turne vnto thée, and to obeie thy holy word, following thy precepts and commandements.

For thou saiest, O Lord, those that honour thée, thou wilt exalt; and whosoeuer de­spiseth thée, shall be despised. For thou preferrest to honour, and puttest downe, according to thy blessed will. The wic­ked when they féele thy heauie hand, grudge at the same: but the godlie humble themselues, [Page 25] and crie for mercie. For thou O Lord wilt not heare hypo­crits, but those that praie vnto thée with an vnfained faith, and true repentance. For the praier of the faithfull is a barre to staie thine anger, that thou consume not all.

Thy mercie is so great to­wards thine, that thou wilt not destroie them for their sinnes, but correct and chasten them, till thou haue purged and par­doned them. Thy fauour O God is cause of all prosperitie, and thine anger of all aduersi­tie. For thy care is so much o­uer thine, that thou wilt cause their verie enimies to pre­serue them. It lieth in thy mightie power, to gouerne [Page] the hearts of all, thou O God preferrest and preseruest them, which are zealous of thy glorie, and haue a care and loue to­wards their brethren: as for them that forget thée in pros­peritie, who art the giuer of all good things, they procure to themselues vtter perdition. For thou dost cast them behind thy backe; but thy louing countenance dooth comfort the troubled, that patientlie wait on thée, constantlie putting their trust in thy mercie.

In this world is continuall trouble and disquietnes: in heauen is perpetuall rest. Yet manie there be, who loue this world, that could content themselues, for lacke of faith, [Page 26] that are loth to loose things certein for things vncertaine. But thy faithfull know, throgh faith, that when in this world the daie passeth awaie, then commeth the night & darknes: but in heauen all is there but one daie eternall, a life euerla­sting, which endureth for euer, which the soule of the righteous shall enioie, through thy mer­cies O GOD, bicause in this world they walked before thée; of which number make me one, for his sake that died for me; to whom with the Fa­ther and the holie Ghost, be giuen all honour and praise, world without end, Amen.

11. A praier wherein the bountifulnes of God is confes­sed and praised.

O God eternall, the giuer of all felici­tie, whose loue is like the euening and morning raine vpon the earth, whose mercies cannot be numbered, whose wisdome and diuine prouidence is such, that it reacheth from one end of the earth vnto an other: most mightilie and louinglie dooest thou order all things. Thy bountifulnesse, Lord, to all mankind, is so manfest, that no reasonable creature can saie, but that he hath tasted [Page 27] thereof: for what good thing hath man that he hath not re­ceiued of thee?

Thou art good to all men, but speciallie to those that haue an vpright conscience, and straight heart, a mind not bowing downe to carnall and temporall things, but aspiring vnto heauenlie and eternall things: for it is not enough, O God almightie, to praise thée with mouth, except our whole hart agrée therevnto, framing our life vnto the same; for who­soeuer dooth otherwise than thou hast commanded, dooth pollute thy name. Wherefore giue vs grace to feare thée, and to obeie thy holie word. Giue vs also a mind to praise [Page] thée for thy benefits past, that thereby our minds may be strengthened against all pe­rils. When I haue grace, O Lord, to take thée for my de­fense & trust, I shall perceiue thy protection to be a most sure safegard vnto me. For though I haue not altogither hither to known thy Maiestie, as I ought to doo; yet I most humblie thanke thée Lord, that I went not from thée; but did cleaue fast to thée by faith.

Though I had almost slipped and fallen from thée, yet I did not forsake thée. And thou full mercifullie knowing my good will towards thée, didst hold me vp by my right hand, as [Page 28] thou didst Peter, when he was in iopardie of drowning; thy goodnesse brought me to the knowledge of mine infirmi­tie, thy grace called me from mine error into the right waie, thou sauest me as thou didst Lot and his house, thou didst lead me with thy counsel, preseruing my weakenesse in this present life. Wherefore my trust is, that thou wilt not take thy spirit from me, but wilt receiue me into glorie: for thy fauor hath béen my guide.

Thy grace dooth direct me in all my dooings, by which I am that I am, and thy grace held me still through faith. Where­fore my trust is, that thou wilt not leaue me, but bring me to [Page] thine euerlasting rest. What wretched foole therefore was I, to desire of thée, temporall, fraile, and deceitfull prosperi­tie and pleasure; knowing by faith, that thou hast prepared for me, and for all faithfull that loue thée, such rewards as nei­ther eie hath séene, eare hath heard, nor hart can imagine?

What is ther then that is or­dained for me? Euen thou thy selfe Lord, and the fruition of thy perfect Godhead, wherein is included all the ioie that may be deuised, a treasure that is immortall, it indureth plea­sant for euer. Shall I then be so mad, to desire of thée most mercifull God, worldlie ho­nor, pleasure, ease, or riches, [Page 29] more than is requisite for this present life? Should I desire of thée that louest me, those gifts, wherewith thou rewar­dest thine enimies?

The most wicked vpon the earth haue these trifles of thy great goodnes and liberalitie, but there is nothing vpon the earth that I desire saue onelie thée. The swéetnes of thy good­nes hath made all euill to cease in me: for thou Lord art becom the strength of my hart, thou art my portion for euer, thou art my reward thine owne selfe, wherwith my hart is sufficed. For thou art the verie life it selfe, in whom who­soeuer beléeueth, shall liue e­uerlastinglie, and shall not [Page] come into damnation.

Wherefore it is good for me, to hold me fast by thée, to draw néere vnto thée by faith, from whence good works doo spring towards my neighbour, and then to put my hope and trust wholie in thée, as in a sure and vnmooueable altar, from whence no blast of winds of temptation shall driue me. Through hope I trust to be de­liuered from a corruptible bo­die, into thy heauenlie glorie: and this by patience I now abide and looke for. Where­fore, whilest I liue, I will not cease to declare and set foorth all thy noble works, which thou hast wrought, to thine honor and praise, and to the profit of [Page 30] them that shall professe the same Christs religion, while the world indureth. As for me, I haue none other refuge but thée, in whom my conscience dooth rest: for thou O God hast humbled me by affliction, that I should crie vnto thée, and re­ceiue the fruit of thy promise: which grant O father, sonne, and holie ghost, to me and all thy church to aspire vnto, A­men.

12. A praier for grace and repentance.

O Lord God, we are ashamed, & dare not lift vp our eies vnto thée our [Page] God; for our wickednesse is gone ouer our head, and our trespasses are waxen so great, that they reach vp vnto the heauens. Since the time of our fathers, we haue sinned & trespassed against thée, euen vnto this daie: and now our God, what shall we saie? Con­tinuallie doo we forsake thy commandements, and harden our harts in misbeléefe: but thou O God open our eies, to behold thée with a stedfast faith; & the eares of our harts, to heare thy words, and to vn­derstand them, that we may know thée the onlie true God, and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent; for whose sake heare vs, O déere Father, and send [Page 31] thy holie Ghost, to confirme this faith in vs euermore. To whom, with thée O Father, & thy son our onlie sauiour, be all honor and glorie, power and dominion, now and for euer, Amen.

13. A praier wherein wee desire the life to come.

O Most high & migh­tie prince of po­wer, Lorde of hosts, GOD and Lord of the heauenly armie of angels, that are thy ministers: when I consider the greatnes of thy mightie Maiestie, I am so rapt with the desire there­of, that my hart and my flesh [Page] reioiceth in nothing but in thée alone, that art the liuing God. All earthlie tabernacles and worldlie goods I nothing estéeme, when I behold thine euerlasting felicitie, which al­though I sée now but darkelie as in a glasse; I hope to sée thée face to face.

Grant me therfore O Lord, whilest I am in this taberna­cle, to build vpon faith, which is the altar of thée that art the Lord most mightie, my King and my God, vpon which we giue vnto thée sacrifice, laud and praise in the vnitie of thy faithfull Church, whereof thy Sonne Christ is the sure rock. The faithfull build on this foundation. Blessed are they [Page 32] Lord therefore, that dwell in thy house, who haue occasion to praise thée. They are repleni­shed with aboundance of all things that they desire, they are made like vnto thée, they sée thée, euen as thou art; of which sight they shall neuer be fullie satisfied: such ioie and loue shall they conceiue of the sight of thy glorious maiestie.

But to this beatitude can we not atteine, mercifull God, of our owne strength and power; but through the helpe of thy gratious assistance. Thou must ingraue in our harts thy lawes, and direct vs in thy waies; and when we are brought to thée by the right waie, we must be continuallie [Page] aided by thy grace, that thou maiest staie and kéepe our féet from slipping. Who so trusteth to his owne strength or pow­er, or to the helpe of man, is much deceiued, and leaneth to a rotten staffe: contrariwise, he that putteth his trust in thy gratious power, wanteth ne­uer succour at néed.

Thou hast put vs into this present world, to fight and to striue with our enimies, who doo continuallie assault vs; but thy grace maketh vs able to repell all their inuasions. Thou sufferest vs not to be tempted aboue our strength, and for our triumph thou rewardest vs with a crowne of glorie and immortalitie.

The vngodlie fall from thée, descending downeward from one vice to an other: but thy faithfull and elect increase dai­lie in godlines. For of thée Lord commeth all our power and strength to doo good, and of thy sonne Christ Iesus, our maister, our teacher and go­uernour, who promiseth, that if we wéepe and morne heare in this vale of miserie for our sinnes; we shall hereafter laugh and be ioifull in eternall glorie.

If we sowe with heauines, we shall reape with gladnes; if we perseuere good & strong champions héere in batell, we shall for our reward behold thy glorious face, in thy heauenlie [Page] mansion; we shall sée also thy sonne Christ, who is thy wise­dome, and thy power, which who so séeth, enioieth all plea­sures: to sée that delectable sight, our hearts doo much de­sire of thée, that art the Lord of hosts.

For this we make humble petition to thée, that art the GOD of Iacob, who wrestled with thine angel, and preuai­led; whose name thou diddest change, and calledst him Isra­el, that is, the feare or beholder of God. Euen so make me a strong wrestler against mine enimies in this world, that I may after this life behold thy incomprehensible deitie, to the full contentation both of my [Page 34] soule and bodie.

We are much vnworthie to obteine anie thing of thée, con­sidering our vnkindnes shew­ed vnto thée, and our wretched estate: wherein we remaine. Neuerthelesse Lord, we praie thée to be our defender and protector, through thy grace; not for our merits, but for the merits of thy most entirelie beloued sonne Christ, thine onelie annointed aboue all o­ther, with the oile of ioie and gladnes. He is our head, we are the members of his bodie: he dwelleth in his faithfull, and they in him. Who so recei­ueth anie of his elect, receiueth him. He was incarnate for vs, suffered death for vs, bare our [Page] iniquities on his backe, and rose againe for our iustifica­tion.

Wherefore we doubt not, but that through the infusion of thy grace, thou wilt looke vp­on him in vs, and shewe vs mercie for his sake; that we may haue aboundance of grace through him, and casting all the vanities of this world behind our backes, we may enter into the court of thy bright heauenlie Ierusalem, where one daies abiding is better than a thousand in this wretched world.

Iohn Baptist (as witnesseth our Sauiour) was the grea­test and most perfect vpon earth: yet (said he) the least in [Page 35] the kingdome of heauen is greater than he. Wherefore most mightie Lord, thy faith­full doubt not, whilst they are here in this vale of miserie, but that thou wilt euer assist them, guide them, and blesse them that put their whole trust in thée, who art the liuing God, and giuest to thine aboun­dantlie all things necessarie to this present life; and after­wards, the fruition of thy Godhead in heauen eternallie, there to dwell with thée euerlasting­lie, A­men.

14. A praier for com­fort in trouble.

THe chiefest com­fort that I receiue in this miserable, wretched, & trou­blesome world, O heauenlie Father, and God almightie, is, when I call to mind the truth of thy great promises, made to me in Iesus Christ, for whose sake onelie I doo ac­knowledge and confesse, that thou art my mercifull and lo­uing Father, and so carest for me through him, that nothing is able to remooue thy grace and fauour from me. Where­fore I come vnto thée in hum­blenes of hart, crauing at thy [Page 36] bountifull hands the assistance of thy holie spirit, to suppresse my wicked affections, that I may with a stedfast faith obeie thy most diuine Maiestie, in thought, word, and déed. For thou disposest all things most wiselie, and preseruest thy chil­dren in their greatest dan­gers. Wherefore thy holie name be praised now and for euermore, through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour, Amen.

15. A praier for the pros­peritie of the Church.

O Most holie, glori­ous, and blessed trinitie, thrée per­sons in one God­head, [Page] by whose goodnesse all creatures haue their being, whose eies behold althings, as well that are past, as that are to come, and are accoumpted as present to thy mightie Ma­iestie: we thy poore faithful sub­iects of the Church here mili­tant vpon earth, shew foorth our lamentable praiers, besée­ching thée pitifullie to behold the miserable estate thereof, which neuer had more néed of thy godlie assistance than at this present it hath.

The nature of man is so cor­rupt and abhominable in wic­kednesse, that none dooth good vpon the earth; for many there be that despise God, & oppresse the poore. Wherefore, Lord, we [Page 37] beséech thée, to arise vp for the trouble sake of the oppressed, and at the complaint of the poore, helpe him, and set him at rest.

Thy Sonne Christ is our sauing health, in whom who so trusteth, resteth in suertie, and cannot be deceiued. Arise vp we praie thée mercifull God, and cast vs not away for euer; comfort thy small flocke, to the confusion of thine enimies; and make vs able, through thy grace, to kéepe thy lawes, which are pure; euen as the siluer, which from the earth is tried and purified seuen times in the fire.

Thou art néere Lord vnto all, that in this life call vpon [Page] thée faithfullie; and thou kée­pest them from all dangers: for in the midst of this world, we are in manie temptations and vices, and in the compa­nie of the proud and wicked people, and in manie tribula­tions. We sée the vanities of this world readie to mooue vs, we suffer persecution; yet thou kéepest vs from despera­tion, and thy grace preserueth vs, that they come not néere vs. Their entisements we e­stéeme not, bicause we hope in thy mightie power, who art our defense in trouble.

Thy sonne Christ is the strong rocke, in the which all birds that build doo rest out of ieopardie; to him all sinners [Page 38] maie slie for succour and com­fort, being holden by him, they may be eased. This rocke the diuell cannot vndermine nor scale: no water of tribulati­on can drowne those that build on this rocke. Pharao king of Aegypt, with a great host pur­sued the children of Israel, but he could not hurt them: thou Lord wast their defense, and diddest destroie all their ad­uersaries. Euen so art thou our defense, our hope, and our comfort.

Thou wilt compasse vs a­bout with ioifull deliuerance. The house of our bodies is en­uironed with enimies, but thy prouidence will defend vs out of all dangers. Thou wilt in­forme [Page] vs, and shewe vs the waie wherin we shall go. This life is a pilgrimage, and a iorneie for vs to trauell in. Thou art the end of our waie, O God. Thou art the marke that we shoote at, when we come to our iornies end, in thée Lord we hope to haue rest. Thou giuest knowledge and instruction by faith, that if we passe well through this world, we shall haue ioie euerla­stinglie: to the which bring vs all, thou Lord that diedst for vs all, A­men.

16. A praier, that we may be heard of God.

THy hand is not shortened, O Lord, that it cannot help; neither is thine eare stopped, that it will not heare: but our misdoings haue separated vs from thée our God, and our sinnes haue cau­sed thy face to be hidden from vs. Our hands are defiled with vnrighteousnesse, our lippes speake leasings, our toongs doo set out wickednesse. No man regardeth righteousnes, and none iudgeth truelie: e­uerie one hopeth in vaine things, and imagineth deceit, [Page] conceiueth wearines, & bring­eth foorth euill. For our offen­ses are manie before thée, and our sinnes doo testifie against vs, and we acknowledge that we haue doone amisse, trans­gressing and dissembling a­gainst thée, Lord, and fallen a­waie from our God, vsing pre­sumptuous imaginations.

Neuerthelesse, thou art our God, and euerlasting father, our nourisher and defender, which wouldest not the death of a sinner, but mercifullie re­ceiuest all those, that with re­pentant harts come vnto thée. And now we set our eies and face towards thée, lifting vp our hearts vnto thy mercie seat, who hast promised to vn­lode [Page 40] vs, whensoeuer we come vnto thée. Heare vs therefore, and forgiue vs all our offen­ses, which we haue committed, from the time of our birth, vn­till this present houre. O blesse vs, and the works also of our hands, that we may liue and praise thée, world without end, through Iesus Christ our Lord and sauiour, Amen.

17. A praier against the enimies of the church.

THe sure ships, O Lord, fléete in the sea vnder their sailes, and passe through the stormie tempests without drowning: so doo thine [Page] elect, O God almightie, passe through the fearefull perils of all their enimies in this world, by the meanes of thy ship the church, and the true faith there­of; of which ship our Sauiour Christ is the sterneman, the guide, and the sure anchor, to be cast in all necessities, who so trusteth in him, shalbe brought to the faire hauen of perfect beatitude.

Who so kéepeth him with­in the boords of his faithfull ship, néedeth not to feare the dreadfull dragon, that sturdie strong Leuiathan, to whose power no power on earth may be compared: for he is so mad, that he feareth nothing: he is king ouer all the children of [Page 41] pride. This is y^t Lucifer, that fell downe from heauen; he is the serpent that deceiued in paradise, and brought death to all mankind.

Neuerthelesse, when thy faithfull people are penitent for their offenses, resist his temptations, and followe thy lawes, putting their whole trust in thée and thy blessed sonne, then doo they mock and deceiue him; as Christ did with his humanitie, which when he thought to deuoure, by tempting the Iewes to put Iesus to death, he was tripped in his owne turne, and taken into bondage by the vertue of Christs diuinitie. And when­soeuer we that be his faithfull, [Page] be caught (as this our enimie thinketh) in his danger, we turne to our head Iesus Christ for refuge, and by his helpe doo vanquish him.

Great, good Lord, is thy mercie and goodnes, that suf­fereth not thy faithfull to be tempted aboue their strength; but in the midst of their temp­tation makest a waie for them to escape out. The enimie hath no power of himselfe, but as thou sufferest him; he, with all other creatures, hang vpon thy will & commandements: all wait on thée, that thou maist giue them meate in due season; when thou giuest it them, they gather it.

Thy works Lord are mercie [Page 42] and forgiuenes; thou art our iustice, whereby thou makest vs iust, which before were most wicked sinners; thou makest vs thine humble creatures, to tremble for feare of thy migh­tie power and iustice: our pride thereby is abated. We account the good déedes, which we haue doone, to be of thy gifts and goodnesse; nothing presuming of our owne fraile power: for we knowe that thy holie spirit resteth vpon those that haue a lowly troubled spi­rit, and dooe stand in awe of thy word.

The proud and stifnecked people dooest thou touch with scorpions and punishments, & then they come to the know­ledge [Page] of thy Maiestie; then will they saie as Nabucado­nosor said, after his punish­ment; Honour and praise be vnto thée O God of heauen, whose power endureth al­wais, and thy kingdome from one generation to another. Then shall they be driuen to praise thy mightie Maiestie, as thou art worthie.

Cruell Saule was touched of thy hand, and became Paule a welbeloued apostle, through the helpe of thy grace, and la­boured more aboundantlie than all other of thine apostles; such is the power of thy grati­ous influence. This thy noble grace send me, most mercifull God, whereby I shall haue a [Page 43] louing desire to honour thée, to praise thée, my God and saui­our, so long as I haue anie being, I will not cease to con­fesse my sinnes to thée, and to lament mine iniquities: then shall my words be plesant and acceptable to thée.

And as I ioie wholie in thée, that art my creator; and in thy sonne, which is my redée­mer: so shalt thou also delight in me that am thy poore crea­ture and handie worke, gran­ting me the fruit of thy sonnes passion, which he suffered for my redemption: to whom, with thée O Father, and the holie Ghost, be all honour and glorie, all power and domini­on, now and for euermore, A­men, [Page] Amen.

18. A praier of the af­flicted person.

O Lord God, thou art iust, and all thy works and waies are mercie & truth and thou iudgest trulie for e­uermore; remember me, and looke on me O Lord God, and punish me not according to my sinnes, or mine ignorance; but deale with me as it sée­meth best vnto thée. And now, O Lord, worke thy will in me, and command my spirit to be receiued in peace, that I may be dissolued of this fowle fleshie masse, thorough the [Page 44] which I doo nothing but offend thée my Lord God.

Yet neuerthelesse, if it be thy blessed will, to giue me lon­ger life in this vale of miserie; forgiue me all my sinnes for Christs sake: for thou art a mercifull God, slowe to con­ceiue wrath, and most readie to forgiue. Wherefore extend thy fauour vpon me, O Lord, which shall confirme the faith of others. Though I deserue destruction, yet let thy mercie pittie my frailtie: for thou art great, O Lord, for euermore, and thy kingdome is world without end.

Thou scourgest and healest, thou leadest vnto hell, and bringest backe againe: and [Page] there is none that may escape thy hand. O giue thanks vn­to the Lord ye children of men, for there is none holie, but he; none almightie, but thou O Lord God. Thou hast chasti­ned vs for our misdéeds, and of thine owne mercie sake thou hast saued vs: wherefore thée will we feare and dread, and magnifie the euerlasting king in his works.

As for me and my soule, whilest I liue will I praise thy Maiestie; as long as I haue anie being. For euer since I was borne, thou hast giuen me great cause to praise thée; for thou hast béene the defense of my iust cause. Heare now my vehement praier, my se­cret [Page 45] complaint, and my sighes which I make before thée this daie, into whose holie hands I commit my bodie and soule: for thou hast redéemed me, O thou God of truth, Amen.

19. A praier of the iustice of God, and for the assistance of Gods spirit, with an in­uocation vpon the Trinitie.

O Lord I confesse thou dooest not pu­nish me without my deserts, & ther­fore I will neuer accuse thée of rigour, as the wicked doo: for I acknowledge that when thou laiest thy hand heauie vp­on [Page] anie, there is iust cause why thou shouldest so entreat them. We are occasion of our owne perdition, and can pretend no ignorance to excuse vs with­all: for thou O God callest vs by thy word and works, to fol­low vertue, and flie vice; which if we bend our selues vnto, de­pending onelie vpon thée, thou hast promised to be our schoole­maister and protectour.

Thy prouidence, O GOD, dooth not onelie watch ouer thy church in generall, but also ouer euerie member thereof: for thy word, O Lord, is easie to find, if we haue a desire therevnto, if we be not blinded by the prince of this world. Thou most mightie hast pow­er [Page 46] both of land and sea, stretch foorth thy mercifull hand to helpe them vp that sinke, to kéepe them vp that stand; for thou art aboue all, and ouer all kingdomes of the earth. Thou hast made the heauen and earth.

Lord bow downe thine eare and heare, Lord open thine eies and behold. Our true re­fuge and succour in all temp­tations and dangers is; to flie vnto thée by most earnest prai­er. Thou wilt not here, O Lord God, for manie words sake, or often repetition, but thou doost consider our faith and feruent mind: for thou doost looke vp­on the heart of man, and not vpon the outward appearance.

It is great gréefe, O Lord, vnto thy children, when they sée not the fruits of their prai­ers, which causeth them to thinke, that thou hearest not: yet doost thou but defer them, to cause them to praie more earnestlie and often. For when there séemeth to mans iudgement to be no recouerie, but all things are brought to despaire, then thou O GOD doost shew thy mightie power, there is nothing doone without thy prouidence and decrée.

Wherefore I will call vpon thée with a stedfast faith, being assured of thy mercies; bicause I haue found thy helpe at néed in my most danger: for thou neuer forsakest them that put [Page 47] their trust in thée, bicause of nature thou art verie merci­full. Therefore the faithfull re­uerence thée, and are bold to approch néere thy mightie Ma­iestie; most humblie beséeching thée, for Iesus Christ his sake, that thou wilt cast all our sinnes behind thy backe; and giue vs thy grace and holie spirit, to lead the rest of our liues in thy feare, dooing al­waies that is righteous in thy sight.

For whosoeuer walketh in his vocation, and hath the light of God for his guide, née­deth to feare no danger: thy rodde and thy staffe shall al­waies hold him vp. Guide me. O Lord, and giue me the most [Page] pretious gift of faith, which is the head spring of all good works. Baptise me inwardlie with the holie Ghost, burne and consume all vice in me, inflame my hart with the loue of thée, and cast thy fauour vp­on me, O Lord and holie fa­ther.

So doo likewise O Christ my Lord and Sauiour, who wast contented to put off all thy glorie, that thou wast in before the beginning of the world, to take our nature vp­on thée, and to suffer most bit­ter passion vpon the crosse for our redemption. Wash me with thy pretious bloud, and make me a chosen vessell to thy selfe: giue me a thankefull [Page 48] hart to praise thy name with continuall thankesgiuing for thy great mercies. Come ho­lie spirit, inspire my hart with the true knowledge of the fa­ther and the sonne, procéeding from them both; one God in Trinitie, and Trinitie in v­nitie, world without end, A­men.

20. A praier for faith and grace.

LOrd giue me faith and grace, that I may be wounded in hart to séeke vn­to thée for mercie: for thou, O God, hast taught vs in thy ho­lie word to looke for aide and [Page] helpe of thee in all perils, and that thou art the onlie giuer of victorie in all temptations of our enimies, bodilie & gostlie. For when thou giuest sentence against the wicked, they must néeds confesse thée to be iust, and themselues sinners. For thou O GOD, which louest purenes of hart, & maiest iust­lie destroie man, who is by na­ture a sinner: much more wilt thou laie thine hand vpon them, whom thou hast instruc­ted in thy heauenlie wisdome. Thy fauour O God, is the fountaine of all prosperitie, for thou O Lord doost still behold vs. Thée will we reuerence, in what place soeuer we be.

Helpe me therefore, O Lord [Page 49] God, in my good purposes, and holie worshipping, or ser­uing of thée; and grant vnto me to make a perfect ente­rance and beginning in thée; for I haue bin an vnprofitable seruant hitherto. O Lord giue me a mind neuer to shew my selfe vnthankful for all thy benefits: for thou art the God, which euer hath béene and shall be; the GOD almightie, by whom all thinges haue their being; full of mercie, mind­full of thy promise. Who so séeketh any other than thée, O Christ, in whom dooth rest onlie the saluation of our soules; that creature shal find nothing but miserie and sorrow. Wher­fore Lord make me rich in thy [Page] fauour and grace, conducting me by thy power. Graft in me a full trust in thy promises for my deliuerance, make me one with thée in euerlasting loue, that when it shall please thée to call me out of this mise­rable world, I may liue with thée and my Sauiour Christ, who died for me and all peo­ple: whose name, with thée O Father, and the holie Ghost, be praised now and for e­uermore, Amen.

21. A praier of the creati­on of mankind, of the true Sa­maritane, & for strength against temptation.

O Father of heauen, of power almigh­tie, which with thine onlie word diddest create and make all the whole world, and all for the profit & seruice of man, whom thou diddest create of all other a most noble and perfect crea­ture, giuing him power vpon earth, the waters, and all the fowles and birds of the aire; thou madest him also after thine own similitude and like­nes, induing him with a [Page] reasonable soule, and all the powers thereof, thou also did­dest put him in the pleasant garden of paradise, excepting nothing from him, but the ea­ting of the onlie trée of know­ledge of good and euill: and further, for his helpe, comfort, and companie, of a ribbe of his side thou madest for him a wo­man, and gauest hir to him to be his wife.

There had they instructions giuen them, and the lawe of life for an heritage. Before them was laid both life and death, good and euill, with a fréewill giuen them to take which liked them best. But their frailtie was such, that they, through a small intise­ment, [Page 51] chose the euill, and left the good: they left life, & chose death. Thus Lord, through sin, & breaking of thy commande­ments, man lost the fréewill that was giuen him in his creation, and purchased death to all his posteritie.

In the waie as he went to Ierusalem and Iericho, he fell in the hands of théeues, who hurting and wounding him sore, departed, leauing him halfe dead; so that he could haue helpe of none, but only of the good Samaritan, who, as he passed by the same waie, powred wine and oile into his wounds, and tooke the cure of him.

This onlie Samaritan was [Page] thy deare Sonne Christ, which tooke vpon him all the iniqui­ties of mankind, and laid them on his backe by his death, pur­ging and clensing him, not on­lie from the originall sin of our father Adam, but also from all our sins which we commit from time to time, by the ver­tue of his passion, and the sa­crament of baptisme vpon our repentance. For as by Adam, death came to man­kind, so by Iesus Christ was mankind restored to life.

For this great and high be­nefit of thy sonnes blessed pas­sion for our redemption, we thy poore creatures praise and thanke thée, most humblie ac­knowledging his inestimable [Page 52] loue towards vs, in that thou vouchsafedst to die for vs, be­ing then sinners, & thy mortall enimies. Neuerthelesse, most mercifull father, we are of our selues not able to do any thing that good is, no not so much as to thinke a good thought, with­out thine aid and assistance. We wander here miserablie, in the lowe parts of the vile earth; our strength will not serue vs to clime to the high of the hilles, where thou dwellest in thy mount Sion, a place prepared for thine elect, a cho­sen inheritance of thy faithfull seruant Abraham, and his séed.

Wherefore since we, being burthened with the affects of [Page] worldlie pleasures, and also with other cares and troubles, can by no meanes ascend to thée, that art on the top of so high a mountaine, (so manie legions of angels attending on thy Maiestie) we haue no remedie, but with the prophet Dauid now to lift the eies of our harts and minds towards thée, & to crie for helpe to come down from thée to vs thy poore and wretched seruants.

We wander here below, as lost shéepe, hauing no shep­heard; we are assailed on eue­rie side with manifold eni­mies; the diuell rauening and hungering, séeketh whom he may deuoure; the world allu­reth vs also to hir deceitfull va­nities; [Page 53] our flesh also, which we carrie about vs, is our enimie readie and prone to drawe vs vnto all vices and pleasures. From this can we by no meanes be defended, but by thée Lord.

Send vs therfore thy helpe and holie angell, to assist and strengthen vs: for of thée most mercifull Father floweth all bountie and goodnes. Thou O Lord God madest heauen and earth for thine honour, and mans commoditie; establish therefore good Lord the chosen works of thy hand with thy e­ternall helpe: from heauen send vs downe the welspring of thy grace, and thy strong angell to aide vs by his helpe, [Page] that no assault of our spirituall enimies doo preuaile against vs: but from all euils by thy word defend vs, Lord, both touching the bodie, and also the soule, that no temptation pre­uaile against vs.

Thou hast béene our protec­tour, euen from our mothers wombe; and our trust is that thou wilt so continue all the daies of our life, and speciallie at the houre of our death, that we may ascend to the heauen­lie Ierusalem, where we shall reast in the bosome of our fa­ther Abraham, the father of all faithfull beléeuers, there to praise thée, and thy louing Sonne, and the holie Ghost, world without end, Amen.

22. A praier and thankes­giuing vnto God, for his manifold gifts, with an acknowledg­ment of our sinne, and pardon for the same.

O Praise the Lord our God for euer, and let vs giue thanks vnto the name of his glorie, which excée­deth all other thankesgiuings and praises: for thou art our God alone, thou hast made the heauen of all heauens, with all the hoste of them; the earth, and all the creatures, which liue by thée; the sea, and all that moue therein: thou pre­seruest them all through thine [Page] omnipotent power. For the which all the host of heauen praiseth thée, and we thy poore children here on earth doo crie vnto thée; Holie, holie, holie, art thou, which euer was, and euer shall be, O Lord God of sabaoth.

Thou hast made good all thy words and promises, for thou art righteous and true, and hast considered the miserie of our forefathers: for they were stubborne against thée, not re­garding thy precepts and commandements, neither were mindfull of thy wonde­rous works that thou diddest for them, whose footesteps we are prone and readie to follow in all vngodlines, in these our [Page 55] daies: but thou O Lord art mercifull, patient, and of great goodnes, and forsakest vs not whensoeuer we returne vnto thée.

Wherefore, O Lord, heare vs from heauen, and forgiue vs all our vnthankfulnes, and giue vs faithfull hearts to fol­lowe thy commandements; which if we doo, we shall liue in them. For it is not in mans power to order his owne waies, nor to rule his owne steps or goings: therefore cha­sten thou vs, O Lord, but with fauor, not in thy wrath. Bring vs not vtterlie to naught, for we haue none other sauiour, neither can we helpe our selues; for by our saluation [Page] thy name shall be praised.

Therefore Lord helpe vs, sée­ing that of thy mercie thou hast made vs a most deare po­session vnto thée, and we through our sinnes are wor­thilie punished. Declare a­gaine thy loue, and finish the worke that thou hast begunne in vs; so shall we liue and praise thy holie name for euer & euer, through Iesus Christ our Lord and re­déemer, A­men.

23. A praier wherein the hart poureth out it selfe before God, with humble submis­sion and christian lowlines in diuers considera­tions.

THe most pleasant thing that I can offer vnto thy ma­iestie, O Lord, is to giue thée a thankfull heart for all thy benefits, and to be inwardlie sorie that euer I did anie thing which should offend thée; then, to mortifie the con­cupiscence of the flesh, to put off the old Adam, and put on Christ; to leaue to be carnall, and to become spirituall. Wherefore I will call on thy [Page] holie name, for thy gratious aid and assistance; to helpe me and strengthen me in these my good purposes, not doub­ting but thou wilt most grati­ouslie heare me.

My heart and my whole bo­die, I offer willinglie vnto thy seruice, which although it be of small value in déed; yet I doo not mistrust but it shall be ac­cepted in thy sight: as was the offring of two mites, which the poore woman threw into the treasurie at Ierusalem, which small summe of hir pouertie thou diddest more estéeme and praise, than all the great gifts of the rich men.

I humblie beséech thy high­nesse to accept this gift of my [Page 57] poore soule & bodie, which is a de­claration of my louing mind towards thée; and vouchsafe Lord so to worke in them by thy grace, that they may will and worke that which may be acceptable in thy sight: so that I may truelie performe my vowes made vnto thée, by kée­ping thy lawes and comman­dements with my whole hart, which I and euerie true christi­an professe to kéepe. For who­soeuer he be that breaketh but one of them, is guiltie of all.

It is not in mans power to turne to thée O God, but thy worke onelie to conuert vs: for we consider thy Maiestie, and the weaknesse of our sin­full flesh. Thy mercie worketh [Page] in vs sorrowe and repentance for our former life. All things are gouerned by thy proui­dence O God; if thou blesse vs, all creatures shall fauour vs. Let thy holie spirit counsell me how to come foorth of this carefull and troublesome life, that I may hide my selfe vn­der the shadowe of thy wings, where I know I shall be de­fended by thy power, which shall be a signe of thy fatherlie care towards me. Wherefore I will resigne my selfe wholie vnto thée, trusting in thy pro­tection.

Thou O God art onelie the true felicitie, to heale me thou art able, and to raise me to life, though I were dead long ago, [Page 58] and turned to dust. For I ac­knowledge thée to be almigh­tie, and that there is nothing done on earth without thy will and ordinance: wherefore I will not trust to anie worldlie helpe. In the daies of my trou­ble thou kéepest couenant and mercie with thy seruants that walke before thée with all their heart; and though thou correc­test from time to time, yet thy helpe will not be farre off, if we returne to thée.

Thy mercie is great to poore sinners; for thou art more rea­die to pardon them with long suffering, rather than to pu­nish them. Thou shewest fauor towards the fatherlesse, which walke after thy commande­ments [Page] as thou art God, and creator of the soule and body, so wouldest thou haue vs serue thée with both, and that thy people be continuallie subiect vnto thée. For the greater gifts that we receiue at thy mercifull hands O Lord God, and the higher that thou dooest preferre vs, the more are we bound to praise thée for the same. And though we be high or lowe in degrée, yet can we not be exempted from dooing our duties.

Thou O God art the giuer of all good things: wherfore I am readie to bestowe all that I haue at thy commandement. Giue me grace, O Lord God, that I neuer prouoke thée to [Page 59] anger by my sinnes, that thou maist mitigate thy punish­ments towards me, & streng­then me with thy holie spirit, that I may leade an vpright life, with true faith and repen­tance, vnto the glorie of thy ho­lie name, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

24. A praier wherein the afflicted person praieth against his enimies, that God would turne vpon them his iudgements.

O Lord God of our fathers, helpe me poore desolate cre­ature, I beséech thée: for thou hast don al things [Page] from the beginning; and looke what thine euerlasting coun­sell hath deuised, it came euer to passe: for all thy waies are prepared, and thy iudgements are doone in thine euerlasting foreknowledge. O looke thou now vpon mine enimies, and bring to passe, O Lord, that the pride of them may be cut downe: for thy power standeth not in the iudgement of men. For there was neuer proud person that pleased thée; but in the praier of the humble and méeke hath thy pleasure béene euermore.

O thou God of the heauens, thou maker and Lord of all creatures, heare and helpe me calling vpon thée, and putting [Page 60] my trust in thy mercie: for I haue none other helper but thée O Lord God. Thinke vp­on me, and shew thy selfe vnto me, in the time of my distres­ses and troubles, strengthen me with patience in all aduer­sities. Thou Lord of all power knowest all things. O thou mightie God aboue all, heare the voice of them that haue none other hope but onlie thée; deliuer me out of the hands of mine enimies, and make me not a scorne vnto the foolish.

Heare thou my God, for I am despised; turne their shame vpon their owne heads: for they are puft vp with pride, as the stomach that is choa­ked with fat. O Lord of hosts, [Page] thou righteous searcher, which knowest the reines and the verie heart; let me sée them punished, if it be thy will: for vnto thée doo I commit my cause. For though they wic­kedlie prouoked me to doo e­uill for euill, yet thy word kept me backe: for I behaued my selfe vprightlie towards mine enimies. Therefore I humblie beséech thée, let them knowe that thou art the defender of my iust cause.

Let my persecutors be con­founded, but not me; thou shalt bring vpon them the time of their plague, and shalt destroie them right soone. Wherefore O Lord my sauiour, let the same shame and confusion light vp­on [Page 61] them, which they intended to haue brought vpon me, and bicause thou hast all things in thy hands and power, thou wilt spéedilie reward them af­ter their deseruings: for the deapth of thy prouidence go­uerneth all things, and dispo­seth them as it pleaseth thée.

Good Lord make me not a mocking stocke vnto the wic­ked, nor wrap me vp with the deceitfull, when they are put to shame: for séeing my trou­bles come of thy appointment, I will with thy helpe indure them with patience, for I put not my trust in anie worldlie thing, but in thée O God my maker and defender. I will serue thée with a pure affectiō, [Page] and with the godlie that wor­ship thée in spirit and truth: which that I may the better fulfil, blesse me with thy grace, now and for euer, Amen.

25. A praier for the in­crease of faith, wherein also the vnmeasurable loue of God the Father is recorded.

O Mercifull GOD, that art so good and louing a Fa­ther, make me heire of thy heauenlie king­dome, with thy blessed sonne Iesus Christ; increase my faith in thée O Lord, that I may most faith fullie beléeue all that thou hast commanded in thy [Page 62] holie word: for whatsoeuer is not of faith, the same is sinne. Faith is the sure and perfect foundation of all christian reli­gion, wherby thy faithfull hope surelie, that all thy promises made vnto them of thy méere goodnes and liberalitie, shall surelie, and vndoubtedlie be fulfilled. Heauen and earth shall perish, rather than thy word and promise shalbe vn­perfourmed.

By faith Abraham was ius­tified, and by faith he was rea­die to make sacrifice of his on­lie begotten sonne Isaac. Vp­on those that were faithfull did our Sauiour worke his mira­cles, in so much that in his countrie of Galilie he did not [Page] manie, bicause of their vnbe­léef. And by this faith, with the helpe of thy grace at this daie, and to the end of the world, are and shall all thy chosen people be saued, and that fréelie, with­out anie deseruing of theirs.

And being fullie persua­ded by thy holie scripture, I beléeue in thée my most migh­tie God, thrée persons in one essence, and in all things con­teined in thy holie word; and the same faith I will not let to confesse before all the world. I will not doo as manie of the Iewes did, which beléeued on thy sonne, yet durst they not boldlie confesse him, neither make their faith known, least they should haue béene expel­led [Page 63] out of the synagog. They more estéemed the glorie of this world, than they did es­téeme the glorie of God.

But through the helpe of thy grace, Lord, I will speake no­thing, but that I firmelie be­léeue, and that which I doo be­léeue; I will by no meanes hide, but speake boldlie: for I know, that who so dooth con­fesse thée before men, him wilt thou confesse before thy father which is in heauen. Faith cau­seth me to loue thée for thine own sake, aboue all creatures. Loue causeth me to confesse thée before all the world, and for thy sake to worke towards my neighbour, as thou haste commanded me. It is thy [Page] grace that maketh man vertu­ous and good, which grace is the nurse of all good things: it leadeth man from one vertue to another; it kéepeth vs from falling, lifting vs vp againe when we are fallen. Thy lo­uing kindnesse hath béen from euerlasting, and endureth for euer.

What shall I giue againe vnto thée O Lord, for thy ma­nifold benefits, that thou hast doone vnto me? Great cause haue I to be thankfull, when I remember thy tender loue, shewed vnto man, in his first creation, next in power, wise­dome, knowledge, and vnder­standing to the nature of an­gels, made also touching the [Page 64] soule like vnto thine owne i­mage; which he through frail­tie did abuse: yet neuertheles, thou of thy mercifull pitie, be­ing willing that this noble worke of thine should not vt­terlie be lost, diddest send thine onelie begotten sonne to be­come man, and wiledst him to suffer death for mans redemp­tion.

What more loue could be shewed than thou hast shewed? what more could be doon to thy vineyard than thou hast doone? thy charitie was feruent to vs when we were all sinners; few men would now die for their righteous fréend, but thou sen­dedst thy sonne to suffer death for thine enimies, that were [Page] sinners: yea, when we dailie now doo fall still from thée, by committing all kind of vices; yet dooest thou mercifullie suf­fer vs, and gentlie receiue vs, so oft as we do returne againe to thée by repentance.

We forgiue our neighbours scarselie one or twise, when they displease vs: but thou Lord forgiuest vs, not seuen times, but seuentie times se­uen, that is, so often as we fal. Euen so willest thou vs to for­giue one another. Wherefore, Lord, reach vnto me thy hel­ping hand, as thou diddest vn­to Peter; and as he was there­by made able to walke vpon the water, so shall I be able thereby to performe thy holie [Page 65] lawe, which my hart is desi­rous to doo in the presence of all the congregation, that o­ther may take example by my dooings, and glorifie thy Ma­iestie for thy noble gifts.

Strengthen me, Lord, with thy holie spirit; giue me an hart and will rather to choose to suffer death, than to breake anie of them: for right deare in thy sight is the death of thy saints. Thy name will I call vpon, and honour it all the daies of my life. I will also, as I haue promised, fulfill my vowes that I haue made vn­to thée. I will giue vp my selfe to thée, as an oblation; and séeing I am thy image, I will declare vnto the holie congre­gation, [Page] how mercifullie thou hast receiued me to thy grace. I will honor thée in thy church, wherof I am partaker, through the meanes of thy sonne Christ Iesus, my onelie Lord and sa­uiour, Amen.

26. A praier vnto God the father, wherein the sinner ope­neth his greefe of con­science.

O GOD I am not worthie of the least of thy mercies and truth, which thou hast shewed vnto me thy ser­uant: for though thou hast, O Lord assaide me with the one hand, thou hast euer holden me [Page 66] vp with the other: for thou art euer present with vs, to succor vs in our troubles. And if thou O God diddest not open our eies, we could neither sée, nor vse the meanes, which thou hast set before vs. As for me, when thou openedst mine eies and heart, I was readie to o­beie thée, being assured, that I was written in the booke of thine elect to this end: for thy prouidence watcheth alwaies to direct thy children, that they slide not.

Wherefore now, O Lord, call to remembrance the cares and gréefes which we haue suffered; consider and sée our confusion. Our inheritance is turned vnto strangers, we [Page] are become carefull and fa­therlesse; our parents, which now are gone, haue sinned, and we must beare their wic­kednesse. Alas that they and we haue sinned so sore! There­fore is our hart full of heaui­nes, but thou O Lord that re­mainest euermore, and thy seat world withou end, doo not forget vs.

Let all the world sée thy iudgements, in that thou art our God, and ruler ouer all: which we will euer confesse, bicause thou art so glorious; and through thy mercifull aid I will remaine stedfast, being vpholden by thy power O GOD. For I haue euer this hope of conscience, that thou [Page 67] wilt not impute vnto me my ignorance. Wherefore grant vnto me from hencefoorth, to liue in thy feare all the daies of my life, and to end this pilgri­mage in faith and truth, to the glorie of thy holie name. Which grant vs, O deare father, for thy deare sonne Iesus Christs sake, who is blessed with thée O father. To whom with thée, and the holie Ghost, be giuen all honour & praise, world without end, A­men.

27. A praier vnto the sonne of God, wherein the soule is com­forted, by the rehearsall of Christs manifold benefits.

O My soule, inforce thée with all thy strength to set foorth the noble praises of the Lord thy GOD and redéemer. Thou hast with­in thée manie goodlie gifts of nature and grace, which giue thée occasion neuer to cease from giuing of thanks. For­get not these beneficiall gifts, which he hath giuen thée: for of forgetfulnesse commeth vn­vnthankefulnesse; which vn­kindnes [Page 68] maketh thée not wor­thie to enioie that is giuen thée. Consider my soule, first, the miserable estate wherein thou wast brought by sinne.

Thou wast the enimie of God, the bond-seruant of the diuell, and subiect to death e­uerlasting. From this hath thy mercifull brother Iesus Christ, being both GOD and man, deliuered thée, making satisfaction for all thy sinnes, through his death and passion. What greater loue could he shewe, than to die for thée, whereby he driueth awaie all thine offenses.

If thou set before thine eies the multitude of thy sinnes, then shalt thou also behold the [Page] benefits and goodnes of thy re­déemer. Giue him therefore the sacrifice of praise, and glorifie him; for therein he delighteth: not for his profit, but for thine; not for that he is anie thing thereby aduanced, but that doo­ing thy dutie by faith, thou maist be made partaker of ioie euerlasting with him.

And though he send thée ma­nie aduersities in this world, thinke that he loueth thée: for if he did not, he would leaue thée to sinke in thine owne sinne, to the vtter losse both of bodie and soule. But he hath saued thy life from euerlasting destruction, he hath redéemed thée with his most pretious blood, he died for thy sinnes, and [Page 69] rose againe for thy iustificati­on. Loue him therefore my soule, and magnifie him all the daies of thy life. Put thy whole affiance in him, and feare no violence of enimies: for al­though they assault thée, yet can they not vanquish thée.

For he, that through his mercie and louing kindnesse, hath giuen thée power by him to vanquish thine enimies; will not faile, after thy fight and victorie, to reward thée with a crowne of glorie and immortalitie. When death thy last enimie shall be ouercome, then shalt thou be admitted to the ioifull companie of angels and saints in heauen, there to haue more ioie and comfort [Page] than hart can wish. When the glorie of the Lord shall appeare then shalt thou be fullie satisfi­ed, to thy contentation. His countenance shall replenish thée with all io [...]e.

Wherfore my soule, whilest thou art in this present life, ioi­ned with thy fraile and heauie carcase, giue thanks louinglie to thy gentle redéemer, for his vnspeakeable kindnesse. His grace is readie at hand at thy call, fight therefore manfullie and mightilie, against all sin­full concupiscence and vice; put off the old man, and leaue all the works of darkenes; put on the new man, & arme thée with the armor of light.

Beginne a new life, and flie [Page 70] vnto Christ the strong tower and sure rocke; leaue all worldlie pleasures and vani­ties, and call for his grace, and doubt not but he will make thée liue a new spirituall life, and giue thée immortallitie both of soule and bodie in hea­uen euerlastinglie, where thou shalt continuallie behold the face of God, to the fulnesse of all thy ioie and contentation.

Stand fast in this hope, and mistrust not the mercies of GOD; call to remembrance the ancient goodnes of thy hea­uenlie father, which is all one with the mercie of his sonne and the holie Ghost. Behold how mercifull and beneficiall he hath euer bin to those that [Page] beléeue and trust in him. For looke how high the heauen is from the earth, so great is his mercie also to them that feare him.

How much are we bound to serue this our God in Christ, by whom we haue receiued re­demption? He is a God of all gods, mightie and terrible, which accepteth no persons, nor taketh rewards. Thou doost right vnto the fatherlesse, and helpest the stranger that is in distresse. Come vnto me most louing God and sauiour, helpe and fight thou for me; let not mine enimies haue the victo­rie ouer me.

Powre foorth thy grace vp­on my corrupt nature, and I [Page 71] shall be purged from all wic­kednesse. I am almost dead in sinne; quicken me, and giue me life againe, sithence thou art God the author of life and health: for none can doo it but thou alone, my God and saui­our; then shall my toong praise thy righteousnesse, O Lord God, without ceasing, Amen.

28. Another praier vnto the sonne, wherein the miseries of this our mortall life are remembred.

O Most louing Lord and Sauiour Ie­sus Christ, that art the verie naturall sonne of the almightie heauen­lie [Page] father, God of God, light of light, a God thou art without beginning, a Lord from euer­lasting, before the mountains were brought foorth, or euer the earth and the world were made, whose kingdome like­wise shall endure world with­out end. Thou Lord (I saie) that art equall with thy father in power and glorie, didest not disdaine to become man a­mong men, to the intent thou wouldest by suffering painfull passion, be the refuge of man­kind, from one generation to another.

The yoong chickens, when the kite striketh at them, haue none other refuge but to run dickering vnder the wings of [Page 72] the hen: no more hath man­kind anie other defense a­gainst his rauening enimies, but onelie the couering of thy grace, and the shadowe of thy most pretious passion; which is vnto vs a strong tower, and sure shield of defense against all inuasions.

This grace, mercifull Lord, we humblie beséech thée to send vs, that by turning thy fauourable countenance vpon vs, we may knowe our owne infirmities; and leauing all pleasure in vile temporall things, we may turne to thée that art our Sauiour, and re­déemer, our God and our bro­ther.

Make vs to knowe in what [Page] miserie, in what trouble, and in how manie kind of displea­sures we lead our liues here continuallie, vntill the time that age or sicknesse commeth vpon vs; at which time thou wilt call vs, saieng; Ye chil­dren of Adam, returne ye now againe into the earth from whence ye came. This is the debt due vnto nature. Of earth we came, in the earth we trauell, of earth we liue, and into earth me must returne a­gaine.

For the life of man is to be likened vnto a night watch­man, that when his houre is past, taketh his rest. Thus fa­reth it by the life of man, who first passeth awaie his child­hood, [Page 73] next in youth, the third in manhood, the fourth in age, which vanisheth awaie like smoke that passeth awaie out of the chimneie. For as soone as men begin to liue, they be­gin to die; as soone as thy plesure is, Lord, to haue them, they fade awaie suddenlie like the grasse, which is in the mor­ning gréene, and growing, and in the euening it is cut downe and withered.

In youth we are pleasant and merrie, lustie and strong, springing vp gréene as dooth the corne: but when haruest commeth, it ripeth, and withe­reth, and is cut downe. When age commeth, the body of man drieth awaie; then death ouer­taketh [Page] vs. All this remembred, who can take anie comfort? who can be merrie, that re­membreth the last end? for we bring our yeares to an end, e­uen as a tale that is tould. Wherefore teach vs, merci­full Christ, to number our daies, that we may applie our harts vnto wisedome.

Giue vs grace to haue in remembrance the short daies of our life, with the dangerous passage of our time in this world: so that hauing no trust or affiance in the vncertaintie thereof, we may wholie applie our selues to the contemplati­on of thy heauenlie wisdome; that we may consider earnest­lie thy goodnesse shewed vnto [Page 74] vs, who art the power and the wisdome of God thy father.

Behold Lord our hartie re­pentance for our sinnes, we beséech thée, turne thy mercie and louing kindnesse vnto vs, be gratious to vs that are thy seruants: for although we fall often times from thée, through frailtie of our nature; yet we forsake thée not vtterlie, but return to thée, as the prodigall sonne returned to his father after long absence, & was re­ceiued & well accepted of. We are thy seruants, redie to serue thée by the helpe of thy grace.

Heare therefore our humble petition, which is, to craue thy mercie and grace: with the same satisfie my soule, most [Page] gratious Lord, for the which all thy faithfull doo sore hunger and thirst, so long as they abide in this life, but they shall be perfectlie and faithfullie most fullie satisfied, when thy glorie shall be manifest vnto them in thy heauenlie habitation.

Then shall we reioise and be glad all the daies of our life. With that ioifull daie comfort vs, good Lord, in recompense of the yeares wherein we haue suffered much aduersitie. Let thy grace shine vpon vs, let it euer assist vs, O mercifull Ie­sus, which art the bright light of God thy father. Then shall we prosper in this world, and after follow thée the lambe, whereso­euer thou goest: which grant [Page 75] for thy mercie sake. To thée, with the Father, and the holie Ghost, be praise and glorie, now and for euer, Amen.

29. A praier vnto the ho­lie Ghost, wherein his glorie is confessed.

O Holie Ghost, thou art my strength, power, and refuge in time of my trouble: thou diddest helpe me in my youth, when I had more strength; helpe me now, good Lord, so much the more in my old age and weakenes, for the depth of thy prouidence gouer­neth all things. Thou art the Lord of life, whose throne is most excellent, with God the [Page] Father and the Sonne, which dwellest in the place of our ho­lie rest. Thou art the comfort of thine elect, and the seuenfold disposer of the works of God. All they that forsake thée shall be confounded, and they that depart from thée shall be writ­ten in earth, bicause they haue forsaken the Lord of life.

Turne ye therefore all ye sinners, and doo righteousnes before God, and be ye sure that his holie spirit will not depart from you. For he did not re­fuse the praier of Abraham, when he was entreated for the wicked Sodomites, if there could haue béene found ten righteous in the citie: how much more wilt thou grant the [Page 76] praiers of the godlie, when they call vpon thée, either for them­selues, or for the preseruation of thy church? Wherefore, bi­cause thou art iust, O Lord, lead me out of the danger of mine enimies: for vnto thée doo I make my praier, O thou most high possesser of heauen and earth. Be not terrible vn­to me, O Lord: for thou art God my comforter, in whom I hope, when I am in perill. O thou finger of GOD, touch my heart, and vnlose the same from all worldlie vanitie.

Inspire me with thy grace, that I may confesse the father and the sonne, with thée O ho­lie Ghost, to be one GOD in persons thrée, and euerlasting [Page] in vnitie; who guidest and go­uernest the world, through thy omnipotencie, whose mercies be praised for all thy benefits, in the world of worlds, now and for euermore, Amen.

30. A praier in the remem­brance of death, wherein the va­nitie of riches is touched, and the reuelation and reward of mens works is promised.

MAke vs, O Lord, to remember our end, wherevnto all men by nature must come: then shall we ne­uer doo amisse. Instruct our harts in thy godlie wisedome, that we may applie our time according to thy holie worde and will. Defend vs from the [Page 77] snares of our wicked enimie the diuell. Let vs not be in­tangled with the wicked mammon of this detestable world, nor boast our selues in the multitude of our riches, for they and we shall fade and fall awaie, as the fresh flower that kéepeth his colour and swéet sauour for a short space, but the heate of the sunne ma­keth it wither, his beautie to perish, and his flower to fall a­waie. Euen so shall it be with all such as put their trust in their riches; they shall perish togither with their aboun­dance; their goods maie serue them here for a short space, but no man can with monie win his brother from death, or [Page] make agréement vnto God for him, for it cost more to re­déeme their soules, so that they must let that alone foreuer.

Onelie thy sonne Iesus Christ was our redemption, which price if it well not serue the wicked, for that they end in sinne, our sauiour will not paie for them a second death to redéeme them withall, but leue them to be tormented for euer. Wherefore giue vs grace Lord, that we may laie vp our riches in the hands of Christ, the sure tresure house, that is, in the hands of the poore; that we may be sure to find it a­gaine, with greater gaine, when we depart out of this wretched world: so shall we lay vp [Page 78] temporall things, and receiue againe eternall.

For if we will be rich in good works, and readie to giue and to distribute, we shall laie vp for vs a good foundation a­gainst the time to come: con­trariewise, the wicked, which are now here in great glorie; whose dwelling is in the night, their works are hid, and ap­péere not; but at the great iudgement, when Christ which is our life shall shew himselfe, then shall the iust appéere with him also in glorie; then shall it be cléere day-light, all mens works shall appéere as they be.

The trée that in the winter sheweth no freshnesse, shall then receiue sap from the root, [Page] & appéere beautifull, where the flower and herbe that was in sight pleasant for a while shall wither awaie and fall. Then shal the strength of the wicked consume, hell shall be their dwelling in perpetuall moor­ning. Thus wilt thou destroie all the vngodlie, yet haue wée a sure hope thou wilt deliuer our soules from the power of hell, and receiue vs to thée by grace, here in this world; and after, when thou shalt come to the last iudgement, to take vs to thy selfe in glorie; that where thou art, there may we be with thée. For we are not gréeued at the vngodlie, nor afraid when they be made rich, and the glorie of their houses [Page 79] increased. We knowe that their honour indureth but a small season, & vanisheth a­waie as dooth the smoke; for thou regardest them not: ther­fore thou giuest them things of small estimation.

Abraham gaue gifts to the sonnes of his concubines, and sent them awaie; but vnto I­saac he gaue his possessions, and all that he had: so Lord, to the wicked thou giuest tempo­rall things, but for thy faithfull thou reseruest thy euerlasting heauenlie inheritance. This is a sure and permanent re­ward, the othee soone slippeth awaie; their time here is but short, and when they die, they shall carrie nothing awaie [Page] with them, neither shall their pompe followe them. For thou O Lord wilt driue them awaie.

As wax melteth at the heat of the fire, so shall the vngodlie perish at thy presence; then shalt thou change their honour into shame: for while they li­ued, they were counted happie men, and so long as they were in prosperitie, men spake good of them; but when they followe their fathers generation, they shall neuer sée light any more. They were the children of Ca­naan, come of a wicked proge­nie, they haue followed their forefathers steps, their déedes were euill, they loued darke­nesse better than light. Where­fore [Page 80] they shall haue euerla­sting darknes with torments, they shall haue fire, but it shall giue them no comfortable heat.

These paines are ordained for them that were in honour, and had riches in aboundance, and did forget their estate, and for lacke of knowledge were led into captiuitie. Wherefore O good God, let vs not be of the number of them; but build vs vpon thy blessed sonne Ie­sus Christ, the head corner stone: in him whosoeuer is builded, groweth vnto an ho­lie temple in the Lord his God. For of our selues we haue hard harts to beléeue, ex­cept thou write thy law in our [Page] harts by thy holie spirit. Now is the acceptable time; Lord let vs find grace and fauour in thy sight, pardon our wic­kednes and sinne, and take vs to thine inheritance, that we may reigne with thée in glo­rie, for euer and euer, Amen, Amen.

31. A praier that we may heare the word of God and keepe it.

I Am thy seruant, Lord, giue me vn­derstanding, that I may learne thy lawe and decrées: incline my soule to the words of thy mouth, bicause thy talke flow­eth [Page 81] like vnto dew. The Israe­lits said vnto Moses; Speake thou vnto vs, and we will heare shée, but let not the Lord speake, least we die. Howbeit, I praie not so, O Lord, but ra­ther with the prophet Samuel I doo humblie and earnestlie beséech thée thus; Speake on Lord, for thy seruant dooth hearken, for thou art the giuer and inspirer of life, who art a­ble without anie to instruct me.

Thy Ministers speake for thée thy secreats, but thou vn­lockest the vnderstanding of the things pronounced; they rehearse to vs thy comman­dements, but it is thy aid and helpe that giueth strength to [Page] walke ouer the same, and gi­uest light vnto the minds. Wherefore, bicause thou art the euerlasting truth, speake thou Lord my God vnto me, least I die, and be made vn­fruitfull: for thou hast the words of euerlasting life. Speake therefore that thing, which may bring both comfort vnto my soule, and amend­ment vnto my life, and also may cause glorie and immor­tall honor vnto thée. For man dooth perish, but thy truth in­dureth, O God, for euer.

Blessed are they therefore, whom thou instructest and gi­uest knowledge vnto O Lord, and doost teach thy lawe, that thou maist helpe them in time [Page 82] of trouble, that they perish not. Looke fauourablie vpon me, O GOD, and grant (I praie thée) that thy truth may teach me, kéepe me, and bring me vnto a happie end. Let the same deliuer me from all wic­ked lusts, and from inordinate loue. Thou hast infinit means, and all creatures are at thy commandement; therefore good Lord shewe some signe, whereby I shall be deliuered, and send thine holie angell be­fore me, to kéepe me in thy waie, and to bring me to the place which thou hast prouided for me, that I may liue with thée euerlastinglie, world with­out end, Amen.

32. A praier wherein the word of God is praised, and what things are thereby to be wrought & accomplished, his mercie and iustice also is heare de­clared.

GRant me, good Lord, to serue thée with a perfect hart and willing mind: for thou Lord serchest the hart, and vnderstandest all our i­maginations and thoughts. If we séeke thée, thou wilt be found; but if we forsake thée, thou wilt cast vs off for euer. If we depend onelie vpon thée O God, we shall not néed to be troubled with these worldlie [Page 83] respects: for thou wilt giue vs at all times that which shall be necessarie for bodie and soule; if we feare thée, and obeie thy holie word, which thou wilt haue found true, and also mag­nified for thine owne honour and glorie, and for our com­moditie.

Vpon thée therefore will I still call, trusting that thou wilt shortlie heare and helpe me; I will also call vpon the mightie name of thy sonne Ie­sus Christ, in whose name the faithfull haue and doo dailie cast out diuels from the posses­sed. They haue spoken and doo speake with new toongs. And though they drinke anie dead­lie thing, it shall not hurt [Page] them. By which also they are procured to leaue their wicked minds, and diuelish works, in the which they before lead their liues.

They speake thy holie word, and also set foorth thy veritie, leauing all lies and deceits. They doo suppresse the old ser­pent sathan, plucking out the sting of his taile, wherewith he was accustomed to wound them. And if at anie time they haue consented to sinne, and receiued his poison, this name of our sauiour shall kéepe them from all hurts; bicause they made inuocation on his holie name, which dooth purge them cleane after their heartie re­pentance. For thou O Christ [Page 84] wilt deliuer thine, though all worldlie meanrs faile. And though we be committed by tyrants vnto temporall death, yet through thée shall we van­quish all our enimies: for the death of thy saints is deare and pretious in thy sight: they néede not feare those that haue power onelie to kill the bodie, but let vs feare thy mightie hand, which hast power to slea both bodie & soule. This world­lie death is a waie to bring vs from much trouble, to the ha­uen of euerlasting health, into the land of liuers.

Neuerthelesse Lord, of thy iustice let the vniust and cruell enimies of the faithfull stand in dread of thy stretched [Page] out arme, wherewith in thine anger thou wilt strike them. Of thine infinite goodnes thou sufferest long, abiding their conuersion; but after long for­bearing thou strikest verie sore, throwing both bodie and soule into the pit of hell, hauing such measure of punishment, as they gaine in this world. For as thy mercies is vnmea­sureable, so is thy iustice vnre­mooueable to those that depart this world in their wicked­nesse.

Make me, O Lord God, of the number of those that be thy faithfull children; let me not wauer nor fall from my hope, but put on me the shield of faith, that I may stronglie [Page 85] fight against my ghostlie eni­mie. Grant me to vanquish and ouercome him, that after triumphant victorie, I may liue and reigne with thée O Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, thrée persons, and one true and euerlasting GOD; through the merits & death of thy Sonne my Lord and Sa­uiour Iesus Christ, to the which most glorious Tri­nitie, be giuen all honor, glorie, and praise, now and for euer, A­men.

33. A praier to be said at all times, wherein our frailties are confessed, and request made to haue them re­dressed.

BLessed art thou O GOD of our fa­thers, and blessed is thy holie name, which is most glorious for e­uer. Let the heauens blesse thée, and all thy creatures, thou art the Lord, strong and mer­cifull, gratious, slow to anger, and abounding in goodnesse and truth, reseruing mercie for thousands, forgiuing ini­quities, transgressions and [Page 86] sinnes, making the wicked in­nocent, if they will repent with all their whole harts, and returne vnto thée.

Thou visitest the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children; vnto the third and fourth ge­neration: for as thou art mer­cifull, euen so goeth iustice from thée. For thou settest so much store by man, that thou hast a regard ouer him, and dailie carest for vs, O Lord God, and makest proofe and triall of him euerie houre, be­holding those with a fatherlie eie that serue thée in faith and truth.

Thou hast vsed correction vnto vs, but we gathered ther­by no repentance; thou hast [Page] corrected vs, to the end we should amend, but we refused thy fatherlie visitation. For those that are thine enimies, thou wilt declare thine hea­uie iudgments against them; but thou wilt shew thy fauou­rable kindnesse towards thy children. For thou hast said; I wil punish them that serue me otherwise than I haue com­manded them, not sparing the chéefe, that the people may feare and praise my iudge­ments. For to the wicked and carnall man thou appéerest as a flaming fire, but vnto them that be drawne with thy holie spirit, thou art like a pleasant saphir to be hold.

Holinesse perteineth vnto [Page 87] thée O Lord GOD, and thou O GOD art most holie, and nothing vnholie may appéere before thée. Therefore whosoeuer commeth vnto thée, must be washed from all sinne and corruption. And séeing thou gouernest all things by thy prouidence, thou wilt put a difference betwéene the godlie and vngodlie. Wherefore we humblie beséech thée O Lord GOD, lighten our hearts with thy holie spirit, that we maie féele thy fauour to­wards vs, as those that be thine elect doo. The right hand of thy maiestie is glorious in power.

Grant vs, O God, continu­allie to depend vpon thy proui­dence, [Page] with patience, from daie to daie, with full trust in thy promises for our deliue­rance. For though we pro­uoke thée iustlie to anger, O God; yet wilt thou neuer for­sake vs. Thou art our Lord almightie, Iehouah is thy name, which declarest that thou art constant, & wilt performe thy promise.

Grant vs grace therefore, that we may worship thée a­right, in the place which thou hast appointed vs: for thou O Lord requirest puritie. We cannot be thine, except our sinnes be purged with the bloud of Iesus Christ, by whose grace we may learne to detest all sinne. Which grant vs all [Page 88] to doo, O Father, for Christes sake, whose figure we repre­sent, on him we laie all our of­fenses, who is able to beare the burthen of them for vs all. We present him to thée O Father, whom we know both can and will make vs cleane and per­fect before thée, whose mercies we dailie praise, with thée O father, and the holie Ghost, now and for euer, Amen.

34. An humblie confessi­on of our sinnes before God, as al­so a petition to haue the same remitted.

O Lord heare my harty repentance, for I am sorrow­full and gréeued [Page] with the burthen of my sins; the remembrance of them is intollerable. Wherefore looke downe vpon me with thy fa­uourable eies of pittie, and be­hold me which lie here prostrat before the sight of thy maiestie: for I confesse that I am wax­en old in sin and wickednesse, wherin I first was conceiued, but now my most hartie de­sire is to be borne anew, and to be graffed in my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

For thus my faith dooth per­suade me, that none can come too late vnto thée, who forga­uest the théefe all his wicked­nesse at his last houre, when he asked mercie of thée. And ma­nie other more examples I [Page 89] find in my most holie word, how mercifull thou hast béene alwaies to those thy seruants, that sought the same of thée. And shall I then despaire, hea­ring dailie thy voice crie out vnto me, saieng; Come all ye that are heauie loden, and I will ease you. Knocke, and it is heard; aske, and it is giuen.

Who can yet thinke that he shall misse of mercie, if he craue it in faith; séeing thou art so true and iust in all thy promises? Thy creatures faile in their words and works, but thou kéepest thy promise and fidelitie, and thy word indureth vnremooueable for euer and e­uer. O thou God almightie, vnto whom all things are kno­wen, [Page] shew on me thy mercie, euen in the sight of the children of men, that they may knowe and sée how gratious and mercifull thou art vnto those, that giue ouer themselues vnto the hands of thy almightie Maiestie.

Thou art the helper of the for­saken and fréendles, and there is none that may be compa­red vnto thée that art so rich in mercie, and louing kindnesse, that diddest not spare thine on­lie begotten Sonne Iesus Christ, to giue him a slaine sa­crifice for my sinnes, and the sinnes of the whole world; but also hast promised, that whoso­euer dooth come vnto thée in his name, with full assurance [Page 90] in his bloud, death, and passi­on, shall not onelie receiue re­mission of all their sinnes and iniquities that euer they haue committed, but also inherit the crowne of euerlasting glo­rie, which thou wilt giue vnto all those that be thine elect in Christ. Of which number, through thy grace, I account my selfe for one, making me most assured thereof, bicause thou hast promised the same.

Which dooth imbolden me at this present, to craue thy most mercifull aid, and assis­stance of thy holie spirit, to strengthen me in faith, to con­firme me in hope, to stablish me in charitie, that I may be knowen by thy cognisance [Page] and badge, to be thy child and faithfull seruant; that I may vse the talent which thou hast giuen me, to thine honor and glorie, and the health of my soule.

That when it shall please thée to take a reckoning, how I haue spent the gifts of grace, which thou hast lent me, I may yéeld a iust account, with much aduantage, so that I may be worthie to heare thy voiee, sai­eng vnto me; Come thou true & good seruant, thou hast béene faithfull in a little, I will make thée ruler ouer much; enter thou into thy maisters ioie.

O blessed and happie are they that shall be so placed of [Page 91] thée; they haue fought a good fight, and thorough Iesus Christ haue ouercome the bat­taile, and prince of this world. Therefore shall they liue and reigne with the same Christ, their grand capteine; bicause they tooke him for their guide, in all their dooings, and fought manfullie vnder his banner. Thy poore soldier I am, Lord, and fight dailie. Lord helpe me for thy mercies sake, to ouer­come all mine enimies.

Giue me, O Lord, a waking mind, an vnderstanding hart, and renue in me a right spirit, which may lead me vnto thée, who art the waie, the truth and the life, whose mercies re­maine for euer, whose truth in­dureth [Page] from generation to ge­neration. Glorie be to the fa­ther, who so mercifullie crea­ted vs; and to the sonne, who louinglie redéemed vs; and to the holie Ghost, who sanctifieth vs, and maketh vs blessed, thrée persons and one GOD, whose name be praised for e­uermore, Amen.

35. A thankesgiuing vnto God for the redemption of the world, wherein is shewed from what graces he fell, and how he was restored.

O Most holie father of heauen, the one­lie liuing God, of power inestima­ble, [Page 92] of wisdome incomprehen­sible: to thée be honour, and glorie, and thanks, for thy no­ble works, in the creation of mankind, and also for our re­demption out of captiuitie, and thraldome of the diuell, by the passion of thy most deare beloued sonne Iesus Christ. For thou madest Adam the first man, and gauest him frée will to obeie thy commande­ments; from the which he fell by the intisement of the diuell, and by his owne stubbornes, whereby he spoiled himselfe and his after commers, of those godlie gifts, which thou of thy mercie haddest bestowed vpon vs.

Howbeit, thou of thy father­lie [Page] goodnesse diddest not vtter­lie leaue him, but gauest him faith to beléeue thy promises made vnto him, and to vs all, in Iesus Christ, with grace and obedience to kéepe thy lawe. By faith we beléeue in thée, by charitie we worke to­wards our neighbour, accor­ding as thou hast comman­ded. No man liueth without sinne, but happie and blessed are they to whom thou giuest thy grace, not to abide and sléepe in sin, but by penitence to come to a godlie conuersa­tion.

Lord giue vs faith, and a willing heart to follow thy ho­lie word, so that we may exer­cise our selues in it all the [Page 93] daies of our life. Make vs, O Lord, like vnto the wise vir­gins, that were prouided of oile in their lampes, against the comming of the bride­groome. Then wilt thou know vs to be thy faithfull children by election, and open the gate to vs, that we may enter in, to our comforts. Which grant vs Lord for thy blessed sonnes sake, who to saue vs suffered bitter passion, whose mercies be praised for his goodnes, with thée O father, and the holie ghost, in the world of worlds, now and for euer, A­men.

36. An other praier of praise and thankesgiuing to the same purpose aforesaid.

WHat liuing crea­ture can giue con­digne thankes, most gratious & heauenlie father, for the mani­fold gifts which thou of thy in­finite mercie and goodnes hast giuen him? First for his no­ble creation, wherein he excel­leth all other earthlie crea­tures; & then for his redemp­tion, through the bitter passion and resurrection of thy most louing sonne. For the which I, as one of thy poore creatures, [Page 94] most humblie giue thée thanks. For had not our re­demption ensued our creati­on, it had béene much better for vs that we had neuer béene made.

Thy loue aboue all other was most feruent, when thou diddest not spare to giue thine onelie begotten sonne for vs, washing awaie all our filthi­nes in the blood of that méeke lambe, thine onelie naturall sonne, who being GOD, was made man, to the intent that we, who naturallie are the sonnes of men, by him (through grace) might be made the sonnes of God.

And not being contented with this kindnesse, thou also [Page] Lord, considering our weake and fraile nature, readie to sinne, dooest with thy grace, guide vs and gouerne vs, as the shéepheard dooth his shéepe, suffering vs not to want anie thing, defending thy poore flocke from the rauening woolues, that would else de­uoure vs. Thy blessed sonne hath put vs to féed in the plea­sant, gréene, and beautifull pasture of his holie church, ma­king vs to rest in the vnitie thereof, by a liuelie faith and hope in him.

Which church is verie plen­tifull, abounding with all spi­rituall meate of the word of God, which nourisheth and gi­ueth life to the soule, as bread [Page 95] and other food féedes the bodie. With this food thou diddest féed the prophet Ezechiel, when thou diddest cause him to eate a booke, wherewith his bowels were filled, and it séemed in his mouth swéeter than honie.

In this pasture runneth al­so a fresh and pleasant riuer of running water of godlie doctrine, wherewith we often doo refresh our soules. In this also is a water of spirituall washing, by baptisme, where­by we were woonderfullie re­freshed in our youth. For our soules being made foule, through the diuell and sinne, by baptisme are repaired and made beautifull, according to the first creation, that is, to [Page] thy likenesse and image: and by this water we are repleni­shed with thy holie spirit.

This water saw the prophet Ezechiel long ago, gushing foorth of the right side of the temple, and grew to a great riuer, that no man could wade ouer; to which water whosoeuer we come, was made whole. Euen so, in the water of our baptisme, we were borne againe, in the wa­ter of godlie doctrine we are nourished, and without these we are but dead in sinne and wickednesse, and at the end shall go to euerlasting death: but these waters are to vs a well springing vp vnto euer­lasting life. And if at anie [Page 96] time by our frailiie we fall in­to sinne; yet is thy mercifull sonne readie to receiue vs to his grace, and quicken our soules; if we be sorowfull and penitent.

By which grace he maketh vs also to knowe how to loue him, and not to estéeme the pleasures of this world, but to haue our eies onelie fixed vp­on him. So that with thine a­postle Paule, we account all things but losse, that we may winne Christ, and be found in him, not hauing our owne righteousnesse, but that which springeth of the faith which is in Iesus Christ. Whose grace if we haue, though we walke in the vallic and shadow of [Page] death, yet we feare none euill; for thou art with vs.

This life is a shadow of death, after which we trust by faith to dwell with thée. Neuer­thelesse, whilest we are here, thou art with vs, and thy sonne hath also promised to be with vs vnto the end of the world; his rod of discipline and cor­rection dooth chasten vs, when we swarue at anie time out of the right waie: by which we iudge that he dooth loue vs; for whosoeuer he be that he loueth, him he dooth chasten. Christs strong shéepheards staffe dooth staie vs, when we are weake, as a sicke man is by his staffe.

In Christ thy sonne is the fulnes of grace, from whom di­stilleth [Page 97] all goodnesse that we haue; through his holie spirit is our cup filled full of pure li­quor: it causeth vs, for ioie of heauenlie contemplation, to forget all the troubles and mi­series of the world, the dregs of worldlie pleasures, and car­nall affections. For as thy mercie hath gone before vs, plentifullie giuing vs aboun­dance of thy great graces: so we trust, and doubt not, but it will followe vs all the daies of our liues, and kéepe vs that we fall not from faith.

Thou Lord must helpe our house, or else we labour in vaine; thou must be our be­ginning and end, and then we be sure to dwell in the house of [Page] the Lord for euer. For we know surelie, that if our earth­lie mansion, wherein we now dwell, were dissolued, we haue a building ordeined of God, an habitation not made with hands, but eternallie in hea­uen, where is perpetuall ioie and beatitude, world without end, Amen.

37. A breefe confession, that we receiue all goodnes from God.

ARise vp O Lord God, and let thine enimies be scatte­red before thée, and let them that hate thée be brought to confusion. Declare [Page 98] O Lord thy might and po­wer, for thou art a consuming fire, and a gelous God, visi­ting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children, vnto the third and fourth generation. For thy gouernement is so iust, constant, and without change or repentance, that thy verie enimies shall be com­pelled to confesse the same.

O God almightie, thou doost punish thine elect by measure, & giuest them grace to beare it; but to the reprobate, it is thy iust vengeance, to driue them headlong to all madnesse. For thy omnipotencie hath all po­wer in it selfe, to execute thy terrible iudgment against ob­stinate sinners: as thou art [Page] rich in mercy to comfort them which obeie thy word and loue thée.

The faithfull, in all their ad­uersities, doo knowe that all shall go well with them: for GOD will be mercifull and iust, and though they want for a time, yet thou wilt send them comfort in due season. For thy Maiestie is so great, that it fil­leth both heauen and earth, and there is no power so high that can let thée, when thou wilt deliuer thine. The wic­ked rise vp suddenlie to ho­nour, and perish as quicklie; but the inheritance of the chil­dren of God continueth for e­uer. For thou O GOD wilt take vengance vpon the wic­ked, [Page 99] and measure them accor­ding to their dealings.

Thus thou O God canst plucke backe the bridle of ty­rants, and deliuer thine owne out of the lions mouth: for though the wicked swell ne­uer so much, yet we feare them not. They cannot vtterlie de­stroie vs, for thou Lord hast promised to abide with thy faithfull people, to the end of the world. Thy grace will not leaue vs, nor anie that loue thée and serue thée with a faith­full heart. Thy fauour O God resteth on thine, for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake, that from him we might receiue thy blessings. For we deserue nothing of our selues, but [Page] thy wrath and indignation.

Wherefore grant vs, good Lord, first to séeke thy glorie, and aboue all things reigne thou ouer vs al, and let vs ren­der to thée perfect obedience, as thine angels doo, whom thou hast commanded to take charge of thy children. For the which if the wicked despise them, thou of thy mercie wilt reuenge their cause: for thou wilt preserue the faithful bran­ches of thy vineyard; but the rotten stocks wilt thou de­stroie, according to their hy­pocrisie. For there is none like vnto thée in heauen a­boue, or in the earth beneath. Thou dooest blesse the labour of the poore, and consumest the [Page 100] goods of them which are negli­gent, bicause they boast and thinke they haue enough.

The wicked wallow in their riches, yet are they but slaues to the godlie that are true pro­fessors of the gift of God. The cup which thou gauest to the wicked to drinke, is much bit­ter than that thou doost bestow on thine own: them thou mea­surest by mercie, the other by iustice. And though thou suffer thy children to liue vnder the crosse, least they should im­brace wickednesse; yet thou wilt not suffer it to rest vpon them, that it should driue them from their hope: for all thy promises are true. Wherefore we are sure of thy helpfull de­liuerance, [Page] séeing the earth and all creatures remaine in that estate, wherein thou hast crea­ted them; much more thy truth indureth constant and vn­changeable. Blessed be thou O God of truth, and blessed be the glorie of thy holie name, world without end, Amen, Amen.

38. A praier wherein is shewed, that there is none omnipotent, but God alone.

O Lord GOD al­mightie, it is not in mans power or counsell to hinder that thou hast determined shall come to passe: for as the [Page 101] insensible heauen is not sub­iect to anie alteration and change, so shall the truth of thy promises be vnchangeable, sith our infirmities cannot in any wise comprehend thée in thy maiestie. There is none like thée, neither is there anie God besides thée: thou killest, and giuest life; thou woundest, and makest whole. Wherefore blessed are they that confesse thée, and obeie thy word: to them thou giuest life and feli­citie.

The ioies that are stedfast and perdurable, are giuen of thy goodnesse, to those that are méeke and humble in spirit. Thou dooest grant to the faith­full of thy goodnesse, both grace [Page] and glorie; so that no good thing shall be withholden from them that liue in thy feare: for thou castest awaie none that will séeke thée in righteousnes. And though thou suffer the world to hate thine elect, it is bicause thy children should forsake the filthines of this world, and cleaue vnto thée. Wherefore grant vs, O Lord, that we may alwaies haue the eies of our faith fixed vpon thée: for whatsoeuer thou O GOD hast promised, shall surelie be performed. For as it was thy frée mercie, O God, that did choose vs: so is it thy frée mercie that must saue vs. Thou doost call vs by thy rod, to consider the shortnes of our [Page 102] life: for our sinnes haue abrid­ged our daies, which be not on­lie short, but miserable, bicause we are so sinfull, that we doo nothing but prouoke thée to wrath; so weake we are, so fraile, and vnable of our selues to doo that good is, inclining alwaies to things forbidden. There is nothing so secreatlie doone on earth, but thou O God doost sée it, who dooest ful­fill both heauen and earth.

Grant vs, O Lord, alwaies thy feare, which shall be a bridle to staie vs from all wicked­nesse. For as thou hast crea­ted all people, euen so dooest thou gouerne the hearts of all, ioining the saluation of thine with thine owne honour, so [Page] that they cannot perish, vn­lesse thy glorie should be dimi­nished. For thou art so merci­full, that a sinner can no sooner humble himselfe, but thou re­ceiuest him to mercie, waiting as it were with patience, to call him to repentance.

Wherefore we crie now vn­to thy maiestie, from the depth of our hearts; most humblie beséeching thée to put all our wickednes out of thy remem­brance, and giue vs grace to put our onelie trust in thée, from whom we looke for our deliuerance, who shalt change our bodies, and make them like to the most glorious bo­die of thy sonne Iesus Christ; to whom, with thée, & the holie [Page 103] Ghost, be giuen all praise, ho­nour, and glorie, now and for euer more, Amen.

39. A praier of lamentati­on, wherein the sinner lamenteth his miserable estate, and crieth for mercie.

MY God, when I do earnestlie behold mine owne state, wherevnto I am brought through sinne, not on­lie being naked and bare of all goodnes, but also to be ouer­whelmed in the depth of all ini­quitie; I cannot but lament, moorne, and crie for helpe, as dooth a woman, whose time draweth néere to be deliuered [Page] of hir child; for she can take no rest, till she be discharged of hir burthen.

No more can I, Lord, as long as I féele my selfe loden with my heauie burthen of sinne, the weight wherof draw­eth me downe to the déepe bot­tome of all miserie; from whence I can by none be deli­uered, but onelie by thée, that art the guide and the eie to those that are blind through ignorance, the succor of the op­pressed, the comfort of the weake, the life of those that are dead; so that they repent and turne vnto thée.

It is not the long distance of vs from thy highnesse, which kéepeth our praiers from thée; [Page 104] thine eares are readie in the hearts of all that are willing to crie for the help of thy grace. Who so is made farre from thée, through sinne, by repen­tance is made néere vnto thée. He that is in the bottom of the sea of miserie, if he be­ginne to call for thy helpe, he shall not be suffered to sinke. From all déepe dangers most mercifull God deliuer me.

I crie and call pitiouslie vn­to thée, which art onelie able to helpe me. Heare therefore, I most hartilie praie thée, my sorowfull praier, and let my poore petition pearse the eares of thy Godhed. And since thy sonne Christ died for to release vs of sinne, let not my sinnes [Page] be a staie, whereby my praiers should not be heard, but wipe them cleane awaie, that they neuer more appéere. For I miserable sinner doo flie to the gentlenes of thy fauourable mercie, whose nature and pro­pertie is to haue pitie & com­passion.

From thée floweth all mer­cie and grace, which was so great vnto vs, that it mooued thée to send thine onlie Sonne to die for our redemption; whereby thy iustice was satis­fied, and thy mercie found that it sought. O how feruent was this thy noble charitie to vs vile wretches! It tooke root & beginning in thy mightie de­itie, & from thence it was deri­ued [Page 105] to mankind; being an ex­ample that we thy christian people should, like louing bre­thren, beare one anothers bur­then.

Wherefore I am most wil­linglie contented, to remit all iniuries doon to me; as it hath pleased thy goodnes to forgiue me much greater offenses committed against thée. And whensoeuer it shall please thée to scourge and punish me, I will gladlie receiue thy cha­stisement, for that I knowe it procéedeth of loue for my wealth and suretie; trusting that after my long abiding & suffering in this life, I shall surelie obteine thy reward, by thy promise, that is; If we suf­fer [Page] with Christ, we shall also reigne with him.

Such sure hope haue I euer had in thée Lord, and by the same hope I trust to haue thy fauour, and liue for euer. For blessed are they that trust in thée, most mercifull Father; and cursed are they that trust in man. Of thy grace and mercie onelie commeth all goodnes; thy mercie forgiueth onelie our sinnes dailie and hourelie, & the painfull death of thy sonne Christ deliuereth vs from all the paines due for our sinnes. Thou boughtest vs not with gold and siluer, but with the pretious bloud of that lambe without spot, thy blessed Sonne, whose death had béene [Page 106] sufficient for thousands of worlds.

The greatnes of thy loue caused the plentifull paiment of the price of our redemption. The charitie of our Lord Iesus Christ hath burnt vp, and con­sumed, by his death, all our iniquities. Wherefore the faithfull, being thus deliuered from all dangers, by thine on­lie goodnesse, may now giue thanks vnto thy mightie Ma­iestie, resting in hope to haue, after this life, euerlasting ioie and felicitie; thorough Iesus Christ our mercifull Lord and redéemer; to whom with thée O deare Father, & the holie Ghost, be giuen all honor, glo­rie, and praise, now and for [Page] euer, Amen.

40. A praier, wherein the fatherlie loue and preseruation of God is set foorth, and a re­quest that we may continue faithfull and constant vn­to the end.

GRant vs, O Lord that we may con­stantlie beléeue in thée; that being certified by thy iustice, taught by thy wisedome, gouerned by thy power, we may stedfastlie perseuere euen vnto the end, in hope of that ioie that is set before our eies, framing our liues continuallie in christian exercises, that we may shew [Page 107] our selues thankful to thée our God, with dutifulnesse to our neighbour. For thy iudge­ments appéere manifest in this world, against those that suppresse thy word, and perse­cute thy seruants. For thou dooest disappoint the lot and expectation of the wicked, tur­ning their ioie into sorrowe, and the teares of the godlie into gladnesse, dwelling in the harts of thy faithfull by thy holie spirit, who are called thy glorie, bicause thy image, and the token of thy grace shineth in them.

Thou art a light to comfort thy people, and a fire to con­sume thine enimies. Thou art he, O Christ, that touchest the [Page] harts of all thy seruants, mor­tifieng their concupiscence: but to the wicked thou art the sauour of death. Wherefore the faithfull desire of thée to be deliuered, that thou by them maist be glorified: for thou hast promised to be true and iust vnto all that trust in thée. Wherefore we will take thée for our defense against all our enimies, what danger soeuer we fall into.

Thy word giueth life vnto man, causing him to sée and trie the secrets of his darke heart. For thou shewest thy selfe most liberall to thine, when they séeme to be most de­stitute, kéeping them vnder thy protection, that they may [Page 108] be safe against all dangers, and frée from the cruelties of their enimies. For as to the elect all things turne to their profit; so to the reprobate, e­uen those things that are good, turne to their damnation.

As for me, I will neuer boast of mine owne vertues, O God; but confesse that thou of thy frée goodnes, hast euer bin mercifull vnto me, and giuen me power against mine eni­mies, as to one of thine house­hold. Wherefore grant me al­waies to make my praier vn­to thée, from the fountaine of my heart, that I offend thée not through hypocrisie.

And though the wicked deale rigorouslie with me, yet I [Page] beséech thée let me find comfort from thée; for hitherto hast thou strengthened me against my outward and inward eni­mies, so that all the world shall confesse, that thou hast won­derfullie preserued me, and performed thy promise. For thou dooest euer guide me with thy hand, that I can turne no waie but where thou appointest me. Thy prouidence doth so fast hold me, that I cannot by anie meanes escape from thée. Thou hast made me in all parts, and therfore must néeds know me. Wherefore, conside­ring thy wonderfull worke in forming me, I cannot but praise thée, and feare thy migh­tie power, who art the creator [Page 109] of all things, the kéeper of iu­stice, the louer of right, the hater of malice; beholding from the high throne of thy Maiestie the children of men.

Bow downe thine eare, O mercifull Father, I humblie beséech thée, and heare me thy seruant, whom thou hast hi­therto brought vp frō my ten­der age, and deliuered me vn­till this daie from the hands of the wicked, whose rage was furious, vntill thou brakest their force. I set my hope in thée O God, and life euerla­sting, knowing that these earthlie things shall perish, hauing a sure hope, that both my soule and bodie shall inioy thy presence, O God of my [Page] saluation, in the last resurrecti­on. Then shall I féele thy mercies, and answere when thou callest me.

Wherefore I set all my feli­citie and ioie in that I am v­nited with thée O God, and shall inioie thy presence; so that I reiect all other things saue that which furthereth me to attaine to thy heauenlie treasures, which is sure, and cannot be found in anie but in thée alone, whose praise shall indure for euer, world without end Amen.

41. A praier, wherein the sinner praieth for grace, that he may make a god­lie end.

BLessed Father of heauen, fountaine of all grace and goodnes, that art rich in mercie, and plentifull in giuing the same to all that doo faithfullie call vpon thy ho­lie name. O good God, thou hauing a sonne no lesse rich in power, wisedome, knowledge, and mercy, than thou art thine owne selfe, diddest not spare to send him from thy heauenlie palace, downe to the earth, into the wombe of a virgine, [Page] for the saluation of mankind, to declare thine aboundant loue towards vs.

Thou diddest for our sakes make him poore, which before was rich; to the intent that we, which before were verie poore, should by his pouertie be made rich; that he which before was all one with thée, in thy diuine substance, might now be made one with vs, that are members of the bodie, whereof he is the head. Hearken good Lord, giue eare vnto my prai­er, let my petition ascend vp before the sight of thy Maie­stie. The comming of thy mer­cifull son did make me thine, but the vilenes of mine owne acts hath cast me downe, and [Page 111] made me verie miserable. The greatnes of mine offenses hath caused thée to turne a­waie thy face from me, with­drawing thy grace, which was the cause of the good works I did.

Thou canst find no good thing in me, worthie of thy fauour; wherfore, Lord, behold the face of Christ thy deare Sonne, my mediator; for his sake giue me that which of my selfe I am much vnworthie to obteine of thée. Looke on me with thy pi­tifull eie, and in the time of my trouble incline thine eare and heare me. My old enimie dai­ly assalteth me and vexeth me. Wherefore I will not cease to call vpon thée dailie: but speci­allie [Page] at the houre of my death Lord heare me & defend me, at which time my cruel enimie will most busilie inuade me. At that instant Lord looke vp­on me with the eie of thy mer­cie, now whilest I am in this wretched world.

I craue not of thée aboun­dance of earthlie goods, but as honest necessitie dooth require, but the aboundance of thy grace in this life. This hast thou of thy méere liberalitie promised to grant, to all that in stedfast faith call vpon thée. This hastie calling vpon thée dooest thou delight in, for thou art as redie to answer me, as I am to call vpon thée. Where­fore make spéed in hearing, [Page 112] as I am bold to call vpon thée for I confesse O Lord I haue left thy holie word and com­mandements, which is as bread vnto the soule, giuing nutriment and moisture by faith and charitie, and haue ea­ten of the trée which thou forba­dest me.

I haue, with our father A­dam, followed the illusions of the serpent, & tasted of sin; but thy blessed sonne my sauiour Iesus Christ hath shed his bloud for vs, whereby we are restored vnto thy grace, mer­cie, and fauour, through the sacrament of baptisme, if we hartilie repent. He quickneth vs, which before were dead in sinne; he slaieth, and can raise [Page] againe; he striketh and hea­leth: as he did Paule in his persecution.

How much therefore are we bound to his grace, that with­out anie deseruing on our parts, willinglie offered him­selfe to the death for our re­demption: and to thy maiestie also, who didst not spare thine onelie begotten sonne, but of thy pure pittie, sentedst him downe to suffer the most vile death of the crosse for our sakes.

Wherefore I am much asha­med to lift vp my eies to hea­uen towards thy highnesse, be­ing so vnkind to thée againe so manie waies. I haue loued the works of darkenes, and there­fore [Page 113] I fled from the light of the bright sunne of iustice: for which cause doo I sigh, sorrowe, and bewaile my wretchednes, in the bitternesse of such thoughts for feare of thine an­ger towards me; knowing that at the time of thy com­ming to the dreadfull generall iudgement, the storme of thine indignation shall go forth, and fall downe vpon the heads of the vngodlie.

Thou liftest me vp of a great hight, in that thou thou ma­dest me like vnto thine image, touching my reasonable soule, and hast giuen me power, by thy grace, to inherit euerla­sting ioies of heauen, both bo­die and soule, if I liued here [Page] after thy rommandements. What greater gift canst thou giue me, Lord, than to haue the fruition of thée? But alas I beare so heauie and erthlie fraile bodie, ioined to my no­ble soule, that my heart and mind is drawne downe from the consideration of thy good­nes, and from well dooing, vn­to all kind of vices.

Wherefore, Lord, grant me, that in the shadow of this life, I may haue grace to sée light, and to know thée, thy waies, and thy holie word, which gi­ueth light and vnderstanding vnto babes: for after this life, there is no place nor time left of repentance. And since my time is here but short, conti­nue [Page 114] thy grace towards me, that I may liue in thy feare all the daies of my life, and end my life in thy fauour, who doost indure for euer, and thy re­membrance through all gene­rations, world without end, Amen, Amen.

42. A praier against the offenses of this world.

MY hart shall praise thée O GOD, for my soule is in loue with thy ma­iestie, for the which I despise all earthlie things, in respect of of thée the euerlasting GOD, without measure, who féedeth all things. Thou art the com­fort [Page] of the soule, and the true ioie of the heart. Wherefore Lord continue thy graces to­wards vs, and helpe our pre­sent necessities: for we are far vnworthie of thy great bene­fits, which thou bestowest vpon vs and all people, who appoin­test the earth to bring foorth to mans vse. Thou art a most nourishing father, prouiding for all creatures their dailie food; for none is able to do anie thing, but as thou appointest them, sith they are but instru­ments to doo thy worke, though intentions be diuers.

Thou O God art the sender of peace and warre, prosperi­tie and aduersitie, punishing whole nations for their sinnes. [Page 115] How can we then so foolishlie persuade our selues, that we shall escape vnpunished for our offenses? Séeing thou hea­rest and séest all things, who hast in all ages plagued all such as maliciouslie and con­temptuouslie depart from thy truth. For who so forsaketh thée O God, shall be punished, and made wearie of his sinnes, wherein he delighteth. As for me, I hate them, O Lord, that presumptuouslie dare attri­bute vnto themselues, that they can guide their owne harts; séeing it lieth in thy om­nipotencie to giue the will, and further the worke. For there is none able to speake a word, except thou giue it him; [Page] neither is anie able to thinke a good thought, without thée: much lesse may anie doo the thing that good is, without the assistance of thy holie spirit.

Wherefore regenerate me, O Lord God, by the same spi­rit, and restore me to thine i­mage, giuing me grace, and an assured faith, to thinke & doo that which is righteous in thy sight. For I desire to liue but onelie to please thée, as thy seruant Moses did, who was brought vp with the daughter of Pharao, and taken as hir sonne; where he might haue liued still in much wealth, if he would. But when he was great through faith, he refused to be called hir sonne, & chose [Page 116] rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God, than to en­ioie the pleasure of sinne for a while; and all for that he had respect to the reward to come in thy heauenlie house.

Which grant me to aspire vnto, for thy mercie sake, what­soeuer vexation or trouble my bodie bide. For what should all the world gaine me, if I lose my soule? Better I were in this world to féed vpon the bread of teares, and to wash my cup with moorning, than to liue in all prosperitie, wal­lowing in worldlie wealth, and forget thée my God, as the rich glutton did. For assuredlie it is thy plague, when the rich man hath not a liberall hart to [Page] vse his riches, to thine honour and glorie. For there is no power so high or mightie, but thou O God canst visit him with thy rod; neither is there anie mountaine or hill so strong or mightie, that it can preserue the wicked from thy wrath, O most mightie, when thou wilt strike; for thine office is to take vengeance on the wicked, and to reward them according to their wickednes and deseruing. Blesse me, O GOD, and make me of that number, which regard not the pleasures of this world, with the temporall commodities thereof: but make me strong against my spirituall enimie, that I may be thy well belo­ued [Page 117] child and seruant: for I haue no other refuge but thée O Lord, in whom my consci­ence is at rest. Thou art named mercifull, gratious, and long suffering: Lord shew thy selfe so vnto me thy poore creature, who is most weake and fraile of all other.

Lord I haue confessed all mine offenses and imperfecti­ons vnto thy Maiestie: and now I depend wholie on thée, resting still on thy most holie word; beséeching thée to streng­then my poore soule, which sigh­eth and groneth vnto thée, with gréefes that cannot be expres­sed, vntill thou haue mercie vpon me. Which grant me for thy deare sonne Iesus Christ [Page] our Lord and sauiour, Amen, So be it.

43. A praier for the good estate of the church and congregation of God.

ARise O LORD GOD, and haue mercie vpon thy church and faith­full congregation. Giue vs that be of the houshold of faith, ioie and consolation. Thou did­est euer shew mercie vnto thy seruants; for euer since the fall of angels, vnto the end of the world, thy mercie hath euer béene, and shall be aboundant­lie shewed to all mankind: [Page 118] but chéefelie it was shewed when thy sonne was sent into this world, to suffer death, whereby the gate of heauen was opened, which before was shut, that no man might en­ter. This time was the begin­ning of grace, and was cer­teinlie appointed, when the ful­nes of time was come, which was before sinne, by the euer­lasting wisdome of thy deitie, whereby thou dooest all things in most perfect order. This time of grace, we trust, shall continue for euer, to those that are penitent.

Wherefore we praie thée without ceasing, to haue mer­cie vpon thy church: for we faithfullie build vpon a sure [Page] rocke, thy sonne Iesus Christ is our foundation. Wherefore most louing father, turne thée vnto the praiers of vs that are poore & destitute of any helpe; but onelie of thy helpe, through thy mercie. Despise not, we humblie beséech thée, our hum­ble desire. Behold our petiti­ons with thy fatherlie eie, wherewith thou didst looke vp­on the oblation of Abel, and receiue it thankfullie, where­with also thou beheldest the the praier of the Israelties, be­ing in bitter bondage in Ae­gypt, and deliueredst them: with those same mercifull eies vouchsafe to looke vpon vs, and our praiers, whereby the noble fame and praise of thy [Page 119] mercie shall be written for those that come after, which shall be borne in faith by bap­tisme, and may praise thée. For those that be thy children, shall haue a power aboue nature, & in their age shall they bring foorth most swéet and pleasant fruit.

Thou wilt euer declare thy selfe the preseruer of the church in destroieng thine enimies, as thou diddest in thy red sea. Thou O God art mercifull, and wilt not forsake vs, nei­ther destroie vs: nor forget the appointment of our Fathers, which thou swarest vnto them. And forsomuch as thou O God hast appointed that thy church in this world shal be vnder the [Page] crosse, both bicause we should learne, not to put our trust in anie worldlie thing, and also féele thy comfort when all o­ther helpe faileth. Therfore we humblie beséech thée O Lord, gather thy church which is dis­persed, and giue vs constan­cie vnder the manifold crosses which we suffer, that we may with one consent all togither praise thée for euer. For thou hast promised, by the mouth of thy swéet sonne Iesus Christ, that thy power, and thine assi­stance shall be with hir vnto the end of the world.

Strengthen vs therefore with thy grace and holy spirit, that we may sowe the séed of good works in this world, that [Page 120] they may declare vs to be thy faithfull seruants, and that they may be acceptable fruit in thy sight: for thou dooest trie our faith, and teachest vs to forget the world, and to depend on thée O father of al goodnes. Thy promise neuer faileth, thou gouernest, by thy holie spirit, as séemeth best to thy godlie wisedome: for thou O God art rich in mercie and truth, which féedest all things, and none can iustlie com­plaine. For as by thy presence all things haue life; so if thou withdraw thy blessing, we all perish.

Thou hast a little flocke, féed them with thy spirituall foode, and gouerne thy church, séeing [Page] thou hast chosen them out of the world: ioine it vnto thy selfe, that thy faithfull may continue for euer. For thou art euerlasting, thou hast euer loued truth, thou art veritie it selfe, all thy promises are vn­remooueable. Thou diddest promise to Abraham to multi­plie his séed, as the stars of hea­uen, and as the sands vpon the sea side; which promise at the last he enioied: euen so did­dest thou promise Isaac and Iacob. When Ezechias was sicke vnto the death, thou did­dest promise him life fiftéene yéeres more, which thou didst performe for thy names sake.

Euen so Lord kéepe thy promise with vs, that are thy [Page 121] poore shéepe, so shall we praise thée, and thy Sonne our saui­our Christ, which is our good shéepeheard; who suffered death for his flocks sake, to make them triumph ouer their enimies. And as he rose againe for our iustification, so grant that we may rise in newnes of life, and aspire vn­to the same place whither our sauiour is gone before; whose name be praised, with thée O déere father, and the holie Ghost, now and fore­uermore, Amen.

44. A praier, wherein is shewed, that the wisedome of God is to be praised; as also how he trieth his seruants is declared.

THou, O most mightie God art the creator & ma­ker of all things, whose power is euerlasting, which shal neuer be put down; whose kingdome indureth in­corrupt for euer, and thy going out hath béene from euerla­sting. Great art thou, high & vnmeasureable; thou onelie knowst the waies of wisdome none other is there that can find hir paths, but thou the [Page 122] mightie God, which hast found hir out with thy foreknow­ledge; & by the same thy godlie wisedome hast created all things, according to thy noble will and pleasure. This thine omnipotent power, Lord, I thy sinfull seruant and subiect doo honour, and thy excéeding wisedome I haue in great re­uerence. By the one thou ma­dest all things, and by the o­ther thou knewest what thou wouldest make, long before they were made; in both these hast thou declared thy selfe to be the liuing God.

And although our acts, which be past, present, and to come, be all open before thine eies, and our thoughts manifest in [Page] the sight of thy diuine pre­sence; yet dooest thou dailie search and prooue thine elect people, sometimes by aduersi­tie, sometimes by prosperitie, to cause vs thereby to be kno­wen to other. After this sort diddest thou prooue Abraham, in the oblation of his sonne, to the intent his obedience might be an example to all that should come after him. Thus also diddest thou prooue thy seruant Iob, and he was found both faithfull, constant, and iust. Thou knowest what men be, before thou triest them. But after the triall, thou hearest them & their praiers, and allowest their good actes and intentions: by such proofe, [Page 123] Lord, hast thou tried me both within and without.

And though through frailtie I haue erred, wandering from thée; yet at length haue I béene found to returne a­gaine to thée, that art the per­fect waie, and to beléeue faith­fullie in thée, as in my verie God, to trust wholie in thée, & to loue thée as my mercifull father: and all through the gift of thy grace, not of mine owne strength or will. For what were I sillie wretch, if I were destitute of thy helpe? I doo consider thy goodnes, and thy godlie prouidence, by which thou wast the cause of my first being; and still am I much bound vnto thy Maiestie, for [Page] the great loue thou barest vn­to me. First for my creation, and also for thy meruellous protection, assistance, inspira­tion, redemption, and recon­ciliation, which the eie of my soule dooth right well consi­der.

Wherefore I most humblie praie thée Lord, to regard what shall redound to thy glorie: for thine honour is more aduan­ced in sauing one poore mise­rable and sinfull creature, through thy mercie, than in the damnation of a thousand, by the rigour of thy iustice. For in hell none can praise thée, but cursse, waile, moorne and la­ment their miserable estate. Now, O my GOD, I most [Page 124] hartilie beséech thée, to giue me grace to flie the companie of all such as speake vntrue­lie of thée, and of thy holie will and word; & also of them that exalt themselues presump­tuouslie, least being conuer­sant in their wickednesse, I might fall from that right way, in the which it hath plea­sed thy gratious goodnes to di­rect me: for whosoeuer is fami­liar with the proud, shal be clo­thed with pride.

He that dooth euill, is wor­thie of death; so are all those that communicate with him that hath pleasure in euill. As for such as decline from thée, I will abhorre: those that doo me anie wrong, I cléerelie for­giue [Page] and forget whatsoeuer they doo vnto me; yea I doo praie vnto thée my most mer­cifull father, euen from the bot­tome of my hart, to forgiue them. But those, Lord, that maliciouslie resist thée, and thy holie word, I hate them, euen as though they were mine e­nimies. Neuerthelesse, I doo praie thée for amendment of their liues, and saluation of their soules.

Consider Lord the frailtie of our nature, none can stand in the right waie, but shall slide and fall, vnlesse thou giue him the staffe of thy grace, to staie himselfe thereby. As for me, I haue wandered from thée, as a shéepe that is straied [Page 125] from the flocke: but thy good­nes hath found me out again, and brought me vnto the fold. Lead me therfore, out of mine owne wicked waie, into thie blessed waie of truth, through the merits of thy déer beloued Sonne Christ, who is the ve­ry true perfect path to all bea­titude, by whose helpe I may so direct my steppes, in the waie of this life, that I may kéepe the waie vnto life euer­lasting, A­men.

45. A praier wherin is she­wed how stranglie preserued, and how blessed they are, that trust in God: the mercie of God also toward sinners is declared.

O Lord almightie, father of mercie, & God of all com­fort, which in the treasure of shine infinit mer­cies, disposest all things, not onlie among vs thy poore cre­atures vpon earth, which is bountifullie replenished there­with; but also among thy holy angels, and blessed spirits in heauen, who are all preserued by thy grace. Lord God, whose nature and propertie is to [Page 126] haue mercie vpon all those that loue thée, and in faith call on thée; thou saiest by thy pro­phet Esaie, that the moun­taines shall remooue, and the hilles shall fall downe, but thy louing kindnesse shall not mooue from those that trust in thée.

Thou Lord, of thy mercie, sauedst Noa frō the generall floud; and Abraham in his voi­age; Lot, from sinking a­mong the sinfull Sodomites; Ioseph, from the danger of his wicked ladie and mistres; the Israelites, from the bon­dage of Pharao; Daniel, from the lions; Ionas, from drow­ning, being thrée daies & thrée nights in the whales bellie; the [Page] thrée yoong men, from bur­ning, that were put into the flaming fornace; with manie thousands more, whom of thy naturall accustomed mercie and goodnesse, thou dooest pre­serue, and euer wilt doo, all those that it pleaseth thée to drawe vnto thée, thorough grace.

I most miserable and wret­ched sinner doo now call vpon thée for mercie and grace, ac­knowledging my selfe grée­uouslie to haue offended the eies of thy deitie, so manie waies, that I am not worthie to beare the name of a christi­an; the burthen of mine offen­ses is so great. Wherefore discharge me of them, Lord, [Page 127] according to thine infinit mer­cie. For small sinnes, thy small mercie sufficeth; but my great sinnes require thy great mercie. And as my of­fenses are manie in number, so is there of thy mercies a great multitude: yea they cannot be numbred. But of one thing I am sure, that it li­eth not in mans power so much to offend, as it is in thy mercifull power to forgiue. My woonds cannot be so great and noisome, but thy medi­cines are most pretious and healthsome: wherefore heale thou me, and I shall be whole from my sinnes.

The children of Israell might not come into thy [Page] sight, being once defiled with anie vncleannesse, till they were sanctified; and the priests also durst not come to thy pre­sence, till they were washed, for feare least they should pe­rish: how much more néed I then to desire thée Lord to wash my vncleane soule? For my soule hath néed of manie dews of thy grace, and manie secret drawings to thée with spirituall violence, or euer it can be made cleane. The lepro­sie of Naaman of Syria could not be clensed, till he had wa­shed himselfe seauen times in the riuer of Iordan: how ma­nie waters haue I néed to be washed with, or I be purged from my vncleannesse? But [Page 128] thy mercie, O Lord, is as great as thy selfe. Thy grace maketh a stonie heart to be a fleshie heart; in a sturdie sto­mach, it bréedeth an humble spirit; of a fierse lion, it maketh a méeke lambe. Whie should I then despaire of thy goodnes, considering that thy iustice willeth me to trust in thée?

Thy promise is to haue mer­cie on all those that be peni­tent for their offenses, so that thou wilt no more remember them. This promise no doubt, shall stand fast and sure, when both heauen and earth shall passe awaie. Wherefore I offer now to thy maiesty a hart con­trite, being sorie for the wic­kednes by it conceiued, with a [Page] bodie subiect to thée with all hu­militie, and sorowfull for all the sinnes by it committed. I acknowledge my faults, and my sinnes is euer before me; I punish my selfe with contriti­on, bicause thou Lord shouldst giue me grace and remission. I haue it euer in remem­brance, and set it vp in my sight, bicause thou shouldst for­get it, and put it out of thy sight. Consider Lord (I praie thée) the fraile metall whereof I am made, receiue me thy poore creature into thy fauour: for before thée I accuse my selfe, to the intent thou should­est shew mercie, as thou hast promised, who hast euer béene found iust in all thy saiengs.

I haue long straied from thée, yet now am returned to thée, with all my whole heart. Make me therefore vpright. and so to aspire to heauenlie things, that neither aduersitie, nor worldlie pleasure plucke it downeward. Cast awaie my sinnes behind thée, but cast not me from thy mercifull counte­nance, as thou diddest king Saule for disobedience. For if I loose thy gratious presence, I am then sure thou wilt also take from me thy holie spirit, as thou diddest from Saule. O how gratious and swéet is thy spirit in all things, it passeth all other swéetenes, it leadeth those that loue thée, into the land of righteousnes.

This thy holie spirit I desire may remaine still with me, to teach me all veritie, to con­firme me in goodnes, to make intercession for me vnto thée in all my necessities and infir­mities. Giue me therefore a­gaine the comfort of thy helpe, and stablish me with thy prin­cipall spirit. For thou onelie art mightie, faithfull, and con­stant, and neuer failest them that call vpon thée in faith and truth. Wherefore I offer vnto thée the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing, for all thy mer­cies and benefits, putting my whole trust in thée, who hast ne­uer failed me; for which cause I am bound to praise thée, now and for euermore, Amen.

46. A praier of the maiestie of God, and of his bountifull liberalitie towards mankind.

O Lord, thou art my GOD, and my King, my hope and my comfort, who hast by so great proui­dence created and ordained all thy creatures, that the beautie & excellencie of them declare thy mightie magnifi­cence, to vs all which are thy reasonable creatures. The power of thy maiestie to vs knowne before, is by the con­templation of them made ma­nifest, causing vs to praise and [Page] magnifie thée with all our powers. We acknowledge thy power, thy wisedome, thy ho­nour also, and thy great glo­rie, wherewith thou art garni­shed. Thou art the euerlasting light, and thy wisedome is the brightnesse thereof, which shall neuer be quenched. Thou art compassed about with bright angels, and with thy saints shining in clearenesse, whose inheritance is to enioie light.

As for vs thy poore crea­tures on earth, great cause haue we to praise thée world without end; bicause thou hast so mercifullie declared thy great goodnes to mankind, in this world, to his most com­fort that could be deuised, gi­uing [Page 131] vnto vs all things to doo vs seruice. All beasts thou ma­dest subiect for his vse; which to nourish and to féed, thou causest the ground naturallie to bring foorth grasse, and all kind of hearbes, replenishing the earth with all kind of fruit, to the comfort of mans heart.

But aboue all things, Lord, féed vs with thy holie word, whereby our soules are made strong and comforted. For in a miserable case doo they liue, from whom thou takest awaie thy holie word, which is the true bread, which came downe from heauen: which whosoeuer eateth of, shall liue for euer. Lord neuer take the same a­waie [Page] from vs againe, but e­uermore féed vs with this bread. Thy word maketh our enimies afraid, they haue no further power to hurt thy faith­full, than thou permittest them. Wherefore, although the wic­ked swell neuer so high, yet we feare them not; they may in­uade thy church, and manie of the elect members of the same, but they shall neuer haue pow­er to destroie them. For thou Lord hast promised to abide with thy faithfull, vnto the end of the world; thy grace will not leaue them that loue and serue thée.

Send vs, good Lord, this grace, that we may feruentlie imbrace the spirituall food of [Page 132] our soules, that it may cause vs to forget our wanton and idle liues, that we haue hither­to lead, and now beginne to frame a new, spirituall, godlie life, building the house of our soules on the sure rocke, which is thy sonne Iesus Christ, rest­ing in him as a sure habitati­on. For it is he, Lord, that thou hast annointed aboue all o­ther, to be our mediatour and mercie seat, who is so gentle, mercifull, and louing, that he is most readie to receiue vs, whensoeuer we come vnto him. O glorious God, how ex­cellent art thou? How noble and manifest be thy works, passing farre the capacitie of all thy creatures to compre­hend?

But thou full wiselie hast wrought all things, by the same wisedome that hath bin with thée before anie thing was created, and before all times, by the which thou hast numbred the sands of the sea, the drops of raine, the daies of time. By it hast thou measu­red the height of heauen, the breadth of the earth, and the déepenesse of the sea. This wise­dome is thy verie sonne, our Lord and Sauiour, the second person in Trinitie, he is the power, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge. By him hast thou wrought the worke of our re­demption, and deliuered vs [Page 133] from eternall damnation.

And although thou be some­times angrie with vs for our wickednes; yet neuerthelesse, if we call vpon thée in thy sons name, thou wilt shew vs mercie: for it is thy nature and his to be mercifull. Lord kéepe our enimie farre from vs, let him not deuoure those, for whose redemption and salua­tion thou vouchsafedst to send thy most entirelie beloued son, to suffer death and passion. Bring them also (we humblie beséech thée) into the true faith of thy holie church, that they may knowe thée, and him whom thou hast sent for the saluation of the world; that there may be on both sorts one [Page] shéepheard, and one flocke. Send vs all, most mercifull father, thy gratious fauor, and open thy liberall hand, and fill vs all with thy goodnes, hide not thy face from vs for our of­fenses.

O send forth, good Lord, thy swéet breath vpon vs, make vs new againe, that we may leaue our old naughtines, and become new creatures. We acknowledge our selues to be dust and ashes, send therefore thine holie spirit to renew our soules, making it conforma­ble to thine image, according as thou diddest first create it; which through sinne we haue made verie fowle and defor­med. Then shall we giue glo­rie [Page 134] vnto thy maiestie, which indureth for euer, and thy kingdome from one generati­on to another, world without end, Amen.

47. A praier, wherein is shewed how blessed they are that feare the Lord.

O Lord Lord, thou art a great God, mightie in power whom no man may ouercome. Let all thy creatures praise thée, for thou spakest the word, and they were made; thou sentest thy spirit, and they were created, and there is none that may withstand thy voice. The [Page] mountaines shall remooue from the foundations, and the waters shall melt like wax; but they that feare thée, shall be great with thée in althings. For thou dooest abhorre the sa­crifice of the vngodlie, but the praier of the righteous is ac­ceptable vnto thée: and whoso­euer followeth righteousnes, him thou dooest loue.

The feare of thée O Lord God, is a well of life, and the right waie to auoid the snares of death: for thou preseruest the welfare of the godlie, and de­fendest them that walke inno­centlie, and kéepest them in the right path, preseruing still the waie of thy saints, and neuer suffering their soules [Page 135] to féele hunger, but giuing them long life. As for the vn­godlie, thou puttest him from his desires, shortening his yeares with gréefe.

Lord grant me therefore to put my trust in thée, with all my hart, that I neuer leane vnto mine owne vnderstan­ding; but in all my waies to haue respect vnto thée: so wilt thou order my goings. For it is thou O Lord, that giuest wisedome, & out of thy mouth commeth knowledge and vn­derstanding. O God my fa­ther, thou art he that hast brought me vp, and lead me from my youth; therefore of thy mercie haue regard vnto me, and kéepe me stedfast in [Page] the feare of thée, in mine age, vntill I depart in peace, accor­ding to thy word. For mine eies doo dailie sée thy saluation which thou hast prepared for all thy people, which is thy deare sonne Iesus Christ.

He is my mercifull media­tor, aduocate, and intercessor, by whom I hope to haue par­don of all my sinnes: in him I liue, mooue, and haue my being; and after I am dissol­ued of this my corruptible bo­die, I beléeue, through his mercie, to rise againe an in­corruptible bodie: for that I knowe my redéemer liueth, by whom I shall liue, and shall sée him face to face, not with o­ther eies, but with the same [Page 136] eies which I doo now, O God my sauiour, lift vp with a sor­rowfull and repentant heart, for my most gréeuous sinnes and iniquities, vnto the seat of thy maiestie.

Beséeching thée, O my most swéet Lord Iesus, to wash me cleane, with thy most pretious blood, and make me one with thée, as thou and thy heauenlie father art one; and as thou ouercamest, so grant me to ouercome all the temptations of the diuell, that I may be a piller in the temple of my God, and sit with thée on thy seat, as thou hast promised to all that ouercome the world, and die in the faith of thée. Thou art the waie, the truth, [Page] and the life. No creature commeth to the father, but by thée; and none can trust in thée, except the father drawe him.

O déere father, which art the good husbandman, graft me in the true vine thy son. O Lord Iesu Christ, nourish me a true branch in thée, that I may a­bide euerlastinglie, and bring forth much fruit. O holy ghost, water me with the dew of thy grace, that I may be gréene, and growe in the loue and fa­uour of my father and redée­mer. O thou, which art the finger of Gods hand, touch my hart, and vnlose the same from all blindnesse and hard­nesse, that I may heare the [Page 137] voice of Gods heauenlie word, and bring foorth much fruit, vntill I be come vnto my full perfection, that I may be worthie to be placed among thy chosen and elect people: through the pretious death and blood shedding of Iesus Christ, my onelie Lord and sauiour; to whom, with thée, and the fa­ther, be all honour and glorie, now and for euer, Amen.

48. A praier, wherein is shewed, that God dwelleth in the harts of the righte­ous, though his seat be in heauen.

THe mightie pow­er of thy diuine maiestie, O Lord of Lords, and God [Page] of all gods, with the plenti­full aboundance of thy good­nesse daily declared vnto man­kind, inforceth me to consider mine owne weakenes, and in­sufficiencie, in yeelding to thée anie recompense. Thou Lord art omnipotent, and madest al things of naught: I am thy simple creature, made with thy hand, and without thy help I am able to doo no good thing. Thou art the GOD eternall, besides whom there is no god; I am a woorme of the vile earth, not worthie to beare the name of a christian, for that through mine own sin, I haue defaced the beautie of the principall part of man, which is my soule, made to thy [Page 138] godlie image.

Neuerthelesse, since thou art the reformer of all our harts, and the inspiror of all grace and goodnesse, I most humblie beséech thée, to correct by thy power, that which through my frailtie is amisse. Redres by thy pitie that which I haue mard through my fol­lie; make me able to yéeld vn­to thée, that which thou requi­rest of me, acknowledging mine owne vnworthines; and to render vnto thée noble prai­ses, and louing thanks for thy manifold gifts of grace, wher­by thou hast, of thy méere libe­ralitie, indued both my soule and bodie. Make me worthie to laud thée, which I cannot doo [Page] vnlesse thou giue me grace, to wipe awaie all mine iniqui­ties. For thy praises be not séemelie in the mouth of a sin­ner.

Yea Lord, I praie thée in­flame my hart with the loue of thée, so that from the bottome thereof, I may speake them, and not to loue anie thing in this world but thée, & for thée. Thou art the true God and sa­uiour, and there is none but thou O Lord. Out of thy mouth commeth the word of righteousnes, which no man may turne. Wherefore, all other gods set I asside, to thée onelie will I sing praises, and confesse thée onelie to be the li­uing GOD, which I will ac­knowledge [Page 139] before the whole congregation of the faithfull.

Thou knowest the inward intent of the heart, for in the hearts of the beléeuing is thy seate, and resting place. The soules of the iust are the tem­ples, wherein thou dooest inha­bit. To this temple, good Lord, will I turne my selfe, by pondering the state of mine owne soule; for strength where­of I call most humblie vnto thée, most mercifull God, that I may be able to vanquish the illusions of the subtill serpent.

Performe in me, that which thou hast promised; for all thy waies are mercie and truth. Thy mercie reacheth vnto the heauens, and thy faithfulnesse [Page] vnto the clouds: & thy righte­ousnes stands like the strong mountaine. When thy good­nes is considered, all the ru­lers of the earth must néeds confes, that great is thy might and thy glorie. Neuerthelesse, although thou dwellest aboue the heauens, yet hast thou a lo­uing respect vnto the lowlie and méeke of spirit, and dooest behold them, as one looketh on his friend, if they trust in thée.

Thou drawest néere vnto them that séeke thée, to heare their praiers; yea thou art their shéeld and protection, in all their necessities: as for the proud workers of iniquitie, thou séest them a far off, thou beholdest them with a fearse [Page 140] looke, to their confusion, to de­stroie and roote out their me­moriall out of the euerlasting beatitude. Who so therfore will haue thy maiestie come néere vnto him, must plucke downe his mind, and become lowe in heart. For the méeke & humble people be those that shall en­ioie the heuenlie countrie. And though they walke in the mid­dest of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh and quicken them.

This world is a place ordei­ned for trouble, and not for rest. Here we are appointed to trauell, in this place is no want of tribulation: but thou euer gratiouslie comfortest the faithfull, thou sufferest them not to be ouercome in any tri­bulation; [Page] for through thée they vanquish all their enimies. Wherefore, Lord, powre out thy mercies (I beséech thée) vp­on thy flocke; deliuer vs from all our enimies, spirituall and temporall; let thy right hand saue vs, and lead vs through thy grace, into eternall felici­tie. As for riches, ease, honor, or any kind of temporall plea­sure, which be thy gifts also, but of thy left hand, we no­thing estéeme.

Manie times thou bestowest these benefits vpon thine eni­mies, the other thou reseruest for thine elect, to receiue after manie tribulations. And the same, Lord, I humblie beséech thée, to kéepe in store for me, [Page 141] thy poore seruant. Regard not the wickednes which I dailie commit, but looke vpon the merits of thy son Iesus Christ, my God and my sauiour: for it is he that hath paied my debt, and thou Lord hast sea­led the acquitance: grant me to honour thée therefore, as I ought to doo, now and for euer, Amen, Amen.

49. A praier, wherein is shewed, that God is alwaies our protection, if we trust in his sonne Iesus Christ.

O Lord, thou art my God; I will praise thée and magnifie thy name, and thy [Page] word aboue all things. Thou bringest maruelous things to passe, according to thy will and pleasure. Thou art the poore mans helpe, & a strength for the néedfull in the time of trouble, defending them a­gainst all weathers, and their shadowe in the time of heate. Likewise to the presumptu­ous, thou art like a strong whirle wind, that casteth downe the boasting of the vn­godlie, bicause they know not thée to be the euerlasting strength: but the righteous Lord, haue a respect vnto the waie of thy iudgements, and thy name and remembrance reioiseth their hearts. As for my soule, it thirsteth after thée, [Page 142] both daie and night; and my mind hasteth fréelie vnto thée, bicause thou art so mercifull vnto all them that séeke thée in singlenesse of heart: for thou wilt be found of them that thirst after thée.

Thou art the well of plea­sant waters, whorewith who­soeuer is filled, they shall neuer be a thirst: for thou O lambe of GOD, that dwellest in the middest of the throne, wilt lead thine vnto the founteine of liuing waters, and giue them euerlasting rest; bicause that in this world they made themselues white in thy blood, bearing thy crosses with wil­ling minds, and confessed thée before men on earth. For this [Page] cause wilt thou acknowledge them before God thy father in heauen, where they shall praise thée and him, world without end. O God most holie, I ac­knowledge that I am none of those that haue deserued halfe such mercie at thy hands: but I hope, through the mercies and merits of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and sa­uiour, to be made as perfect before thée, O heauenlie father, as if I had neuer sinned.

For thus I stedfastlie be­léeue; if I come vnto him, he will not refuse me; and if I praie heartilie, desiring his helpe, he will heare me, and cloath me with his righteous­nes, and take from me all the [Page 143] sinnes that euer I haue com­mitted, from my birth vntill this present houre, as he hath promised in his holie word. Come Lord Iesus, for thou art true and iust in all thy waies, and wash me with thy most pretious blood. Sanctifie me with thy bitter passion, pre­tious death, and glorious re­surrection. Restore me to those ioies, that thine elect doo find in thée, & powre thy holie spirit in­to my heart, that he may draw my mind continuallie vnto thée: for thou art the waie, the truth, and the life. Blessed are they that trust in thée, and with a stedfast faith make thée their onelie staie and refuge; they shall be sure of all happinesse in [Page] this world: and when it shall please thée to call them hence, they shall enioie with thée, the crowne of glorie, who hast all power giuen thée, both in hea­uen and earth: for the father iudgeth no man, but hath com­mitted all vnto thée, who art the verie wisedome of God.

Wherfore, Lord Iesu, make me blessed with thée, like as thou art blessed; for I commit my selfe, both bodie and soule, into thy mercifull hands, who hast redéemed me, O thou God of truth. Thou O Lord, art worthie to receiue all glorie, and honour, and might: for thou hast created all things, and for thy willes sake they were and are created. O most [Page 144] noble creator of light, shine in­to my hart, that it may cléerlie sée the excellencie of thy ma­iestie; and quicken my soule and spirit, that they may conti­nuallie be stirred to honour and glorifie thée, as thou art worthie, which by thy grace I shall not cease to do, with hart soule, mind, and strength, a­mong thy faithfull congrega­tion, which of thy mercie, Lord preserue and kéepe, that we may praise thée, one God in persons thrée, and euerla­sting in vnitie, world without end, Amen.