A morning Prayer for the Sa­baoth day.

MOST mercifull God and eternall father, what may we render vnto thee for all thy louing kindnesse; for the which blessings and thankes-giuings for euermore be heaped vpon thy holy name, in whom the [Page] treasures of mercy and louing kindnesse dwell bodily, who of thine owne good will and plea­sure hast bene pleased to com­municat vnto vs so many of thy fauours, so many seuerall ways without any manner of desert of ours, to the which may it please thee to ad stil to the num­ber, by taking away those ini­quities of ours, that take away thy fauours and blessings from vs, or as a stranger that kno­weth them not passe by our transgressions, retaine not thine anger against vs foreuer, though w [...] retaine our sins, the cause of thine anger, but returne to vs by grace who returne not to thee by repentance, and haue compassion vpon vs who haue not compassion on ouer owne [Page] soules, subdue our raigning and raging vnrighteousnesse and drowne our offences in the bot­tome of the sea, which else will drowne vs in the bottome of destruction, raise vp our soules from the dead sleepe of sinne as thou hast raised vp our bodies from this night of darkenesse, protect vs from all dangers from the which no minute we are secured of our selues, but in thee, brought vs to the begining of this thy blessed sabaoth of rest which good father so sanctifie vnto vs through thy blessed spi­rit that thy name may be hallo­wed, thy power admired, thy mercy magnified, and thy loue manifested to thy glory and our euerlasting comfort, fill thou our hartes with such a desire [Page] and longing after thee (that no earthly felicity the traines and allurements of the flesh where­with this vaine world with her multitudes is tol'd a long) take hold on vs, that see me honey in the mouth but are found worne­wood in the stomacke, that say peace, peace and all is well when destruction and death is bayted ore with them, but let our delight bee in thy law and therein to exercise our selues both day and night our whoole felicity: Let that treasure be our pleasure that is layd vp in heauen, all other ioys are brittle and fadinge and there end is bitternesse, but in this there is neyther bitternesse, nor end, blesse good Lord the seed of thy word that shall this day be so­wen [Page] in our harts, and all faith­full teachers and hearers of the same, that it may fructifie and bring forth fruite to the amēd­ment of our liues and the salua­tion of our soules in that great day of ioy and sorrow, and for the better furtherance there­of, good father inlarge and re­forme our vnderstanding, keepe the watch of our tongues and the doore of our lips in such sort that no ill word be vttered by or through the same, and so rule and gouerne our hartes that they thinke not, our hands that they touch not, our feet that they go not too, our eyes that they see not, our eares that they heare not, our sences that they tast not, our harts that they con­sent not to any thing but that [Page] which is to thy glory and our good, that thereby thy loue may be confirmed in vs and we in it; that so we may walke cherfully in our vocations, wayting for that full redemption and crown of glory that remayneth for all such as perseuer in thy wayes, without wearinesse to the end: which graunt and whatsoeuer besides in thy wisedome thou knowest needfull and necessary for vs (good father) for thy deare sonne Iesus Christ his sake, in whose name we further intreat thy mercy and goodnesse towards vs in that forme of prayer which he himselfe hath both commanded and taught vs saying our father &c.

An euening Prayer for the Sa­baoth day.

O eternall God and most mercifull father which art the Lord of heauen and earth, of Angels and men, principali­ties and powers, light & darke­nesse, day and night, in whose handes is contained that ouer­flow of goodnesse, that filleth all the empty and indigent creatu­res in the world, in the ayre, in the earth, in the sea, and on the land, who ordaynest times and seasons, successions and discen­tes, ould age, and childhood, a beginning and an ending, a rest and a labour, an increase and a decrease, and a perpetuall mo­tion and change ouer all the sub­lunary things in this world▪ the liuely witnesse whereof is [Page] this day which not many how­ers since broke out of darke­nesse and cheard the world with her light, and the sunne arose and came forth as a bridegrome out of his chamber, and reioy­sing as a Gyant to runne his course, and his beames are now steeped in night & darkenes, the true resemblance of all earthly glory, and transitory pleasures, and delights, which haue there increase, there height, and there suddaine decrease againe, and there is no continuance or sta­bility in any thing vnder the sunne, and by this motion and change the time is now come that thou hast apointed for rest, which Lord so blesse vnto vs that as this day thou hast gra­tiously ministred strength vnto [Page] vs to walke in our vocations, & blesse our good indeauours, studies and labours, our hea­ring & meditating on thy word to the comfort of our bodies and soules, so we may be thankefull therefore, hauing alwayes thy hand to sustayne vs, to effect and finish those councels and labours which we vndertake for thy glory; so good Lord blesse this night vnto vs that we may now receiue that comfort and strength which thou hast graun­ted to our weake nature, by the which we are sustayned and daily renued and refreshed to our labours, and further we beseeche thee as the night sha­doweth & darkeneth all things that they are vnseene, so for thy deare Christs sake hide our [Page] sins from thy sight that they ne­uer stand vp to accuse vs vnto thee, beeing buried in eternall obliuion, that as our bodies shall haue the rest of sleepe this night, so our minds by the hope of thy mercy may inioy the rest of a quiet conscience for euer: that so beeing wholy refreshed both in body and in mind we may arise with alacrity & chear­fulnesse vnto thy seruice this day insuing and all the dayes of our life after succeding, that when death, which is the end of all flesh, shall remoue vs from thence into the graue of corrup­tion where our bodies shall dis­solue to the matter they are, though now they seme not, from the which it is as easy for thee to rayse them vp from the [Page] smallest graine of dessolution as from our naturall sléepe, for I beleeue that the time shall come when all that are in the graue shal heare the voyce of the sonne of God, when he shall speake vn­to the earth giue, and to the sea restore my sonnes and daugh­ters, and to all the creatures in the world keepe not backe mine inheritance, and to the prisoners of hope, lodging a while in the chambers of the ground, stand forth and shew your selues and the earth shall disclose her bloud and shal no longer hide her slain▪ and the sea shall find no rest till her drowned be brought forth, nor any creature in the world be able to steale one bone that it hath receiued, but all kinds of death shall be swallowed vp in [Page] generall victory, and in his name that hath wonne the feild for vs, we shall ioyfully sing thanks be to God that hath giuen vs vi­ctory through our Lord Iesus Christ, whence our bodies being awaked to that euerlasting day of light which shall neuer be ob­scured with darkenesse more, where we shall be made perta­kers of that vnspeakable inhe­ritance that thy saints and holy ones enioy, which is honour, & glory, and peace, a garland of righteousnesse, an incorruptible crowne, fruite of the tree of life, sight of the face of God, follo­wing the lamb, fellowship with Angels and Saints, and the con­gregation of the first borne, new names & white garments, plea­sures at the right hand of God [Page] and fulnesse of ioy in his pre­sence for euermore: whither he bring vs that hath made vs, that must raise vs from both these sleepes for the glory of his blessed name.

Amen.

A further Description of this heauenly Ierusalem, and bles­sed happinesse therein, taken out of the Man. Cathol. of W. C.

An Euery-dayes-Sacrifice, or a Morning prayer for any day in the weeke, or euery day in the Weeke.

TO thee the God of Heauen and Earth, that by thy wis­dome [...]ast ordained all things by thy power created all things; and by thy bounty and mercy, as the two breasts of thy neuer dryed goodnesse, preseruest and sustainest all things, all the Creatures in the world, that thy hands haue fashioned, both man and beast, both plant, and flower, whatsoeuer, and where­soeuer. To thee alone, most [Page] mercifull Father, and into thy protection do I render my soule and body, and the whole go­uernement thereof, as an vn­worthy sacrifice, beseeching the [...] that it may bee acceptable vnto thée: preserue me, O Lord, this day without sinne, this weeke following, and all the dayes of my life; and as thou hast renued this day vnto me, and brought me safely to the be­ginning therof, so giue me grace to renue my life from my for­mer sinnes, that I may now a­mend whatsoeuer heretofore hath beene amisse, that I may be more carefull to walke in thy wayes, then euer I was care­lesse to run out of them: I con­fesse, O Lord, that it is thy mer­cy that indureth for euer, and [Page] thy compassion, which neuer failes, that is the cause that I haue not bene long ago consu­med: for with thee, ô Lord, there is mercy, & plenteous redemp­tion, Psal. 130. 4. In the mul­titude therefore of thy mercyes, and confidence in thy merits, I intreat thee that thou wouldest not enter into iudgement with thy seruant; neither be extreme to marke what hitherto I haue done amisse: for if thou doest, then no flesh can be iustified in thy sight, I haue beene borne in sinne, and in iniquity hath my mother conceiued me, and in thought, word, and deed I haue broken all thy Commaunde­ments, and there remaines no­thing for mee but shame and confusion; I haue done more a­gainst [Page] thee this weeke, then I haue done for thee since I was borne, following the desires of mine owne will, and the lusts, and concupiscences of mine owne flesh, not caring to be go­uerned by thy holy word and Spirit: and which is worse, yet haue I not resolued to amend: what father but thou, would suffer this contempt, and bee neglected still? O where is my feare? O where is my loue? yet when I thinke vpon thy Son, all my griefe is turned into ioy, because his righteousnesse for me, is more then my vnrigh­teousnesse against my selfe: set­tle my faith in thy beloued, that I may truly meditate what hee hath done for me, that that sin that launced his side, may also [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] launce my soule, with such ef­fect, that I may neuer againe commit that with delight, that thou hast sustained with such passion and heauinesse. And here, O Lord, from the bottome of mine heart, I render vnto thee thanks for all the blessings and benefites thou hast besto­wed vpon me, both in my soule and body; for my election, redemption, sanctification and preseruation from my youth, vntill this present day & howre, by thy most gratious loue and prouidence: And so good Lord, I further beseech thee, protect me this day, and all the dayes of my life, from all euill that may hurt me, and from falling into any grosse sinne that should of­fend thee: be thou present and [Page] assistant to all my good inde­uours, and blesse thou my pur­poses and intentions; and let thy good spirit so rule my heart, that all that I shall doe, thinke or speake, may be to thy glory, and the good of others, and the peace of mine owne conscience. And for y^e better successe there­in, into thine hands I com­mend my selfe, my soule, and body, my wayes and actions, and all that appertaine vnto me, to thy gratious protection, and direction; bee fauourable vnto me therefore, O Lord, and vnto all them that feare thee, be neere vnto all such as faithfully call vpon thy name, and com­fort all such as be sicke, or com­fortlesse, or by any crosse or af­fliction that thou hast layd vpon [Page] them, either outwardly in body, or inwardly in minde, and by daily and howerly presidences of death and mortality before mine eyes, teach me to be mind­full of mine owne end, to set it alwayes in my view, & to make my preparation by faith and repentance thereafter, that I may be ready whensoeuer thou shalt call me out of this wret­ched life, and that whether I liue or dye, I may rest in thée, to thy eternall glory & my euerlast­ing saluation, through Iesus Christ, my only Sauiour & Re­deemer, in the mediation of whose blessed name I conclude this my vnperfect praier, in that forme & modell of prayer which he that must heare our prayers, & haue mercy vpon vs, or we pe­rish [Page] euerlastingly hath prescri­bed in forme, & sanctified w^t his own lips, saying, Our father, &c.

An Euening prayer for any day in the week, or euery day in the weeke for a priuate person.

O Eternal God & most mer­cifull Father, the faithfull guardian both of our bodies and soules, who art about my bed, & knowest my down-lying, & mine vprising, and art ne [...]e vn­to all such that call vpon thee in truth and sincerity, bee present therefore O Lord, I wretch [...]d sinner do beseech thee, and with thy mercy couer the multitude of my sins, which like a leprosie haue run ouer my whole body, and so defiled both the outward [Page] and inward man, that but for thy word & promise sake, and the examples of thy mercy and for­giuenesse so frequent and vsuall to sinners of so high a degree in offending, such as were Peter, Mary Magdalen, the Publicane, the Prodigall childe, the Thiefe on the Crosse, and others, thy praying for thine enemies, thy torments, thy crucifiers, & ma­ny such examples of my com­fort, & thy compassion, that else with Iudas, in the bitternesse of heart, and desperation of mercy, I should cry out: My sinnes are greater then can be forgiuen, & so bee vtterly discouraged from presuming to come into thy pre­sence, considering the hardnesse of mine heart, and the vnruli­nesse of mine affection, and the [Page] vncleanesse of my conuersation, by meanes whereof I haue transgressed all thy lawes, and broken thy Commandements, and deserued thereby thy heauy displeasure, which in iustice might draw from thy hand some fearefull punishment vpon this wretched body of mine, and my soule to languish the death of sinne, my reputation & name to perish vpon earth, as salt that hath lost his sauour, & my tem­poral estate to be ruind by casu­alties and losse: For why should any thing prosper that I take in hand, being thus ouergrowne in wickednesse, and wherefore shouldst thou giue good successe to that which I attribute not vnto thee, how euer it fall out? bu [...] to the worke of mine owne [Page] hands, and the pollicy of my contriuing, robbing thee of thy honour, and due to whom it belongs: O Lord, as thy mer­cy hath thus long preserued me sound in all these, so let it worke in me, that at last I may [...]ee my errour, and amend it, see my wound, and labour to cure it, my finnes, and re­pent mee of them from the bottome of my heart, that thou mayst forgiue me them. Turne me, O Lord, and I shall be tur­ned, wash me cleane with wa­ter, and I shall be cleansed, re­nue me as the Eagle her dayes, and I shall bee renued, gather thy thosen Flocke from th [...] mountains and desarts where­in they stray, to fulfill thy fold, & I shall be gathered, sweep thy [Page] house and find thy greate and I shall be found, be gratious vnto me heareafter, as thou hast bene good vnto me hereto­fore, let not my vnworthynesse weary out thy goodnesse, but continue it vnto me to the end: & now O Lord I giue thee har­ty thankes and praise for that thou hast this day preserued mée from all harmes and perilles, notwithstanding all my sins and ill deserts, so I beseech thee likewayes defend mee this night from all the dangers and assaults that may accompany this vncomfortable season, and to this end I commend into thine hands my selfe, my soule and body, beseching thee my Lord and God not to suffer sa­than nor any of his ministers to [Page] haue power to doe me any hurt or violence this night, & graunt good Lord▪ that whether I sleep or wake, liue or dye, it may be vnto thee & the saluation of my soule, which grant Lord for thy mercies sake. Thy grace o Lord Iesus Christ, thy loue o hea­uenly father, thy comfort and consolation, o holy and blessed spirit be with me and dwell in mee both in hart and mind, in soule and body this night, and all the nights and dayes of my life.

Amen.

Another mornings Prayer.

MOst gratious God in the name of Christ Iesus our [Page] most mercifull Sauiour and re­deemer we giue thee most hum­ble and harty thankes for the quiet rest and repose, this night thou hast bestowed vpon our weary and tyred bodies to the refreshing and norishing of the same, and for thy gratious pro­uidence and vigilancy ouer vs, all the dayes and nights past e­uer since we were borne and came into the world, for our creation, redemption, for thy most sacred word, a lanshorue to our feet, and a light vnto our steppes, for thy long and vn­wearied patience, so long expe­cting our repentance and tur­ning vnto thee, that day by day haue put thee off, till we haue heaped vp many yeares of ini­quity by greiuous sins in tedi­ous [Page] times ouer and vpon our owne heads, able and waightie enough to pull vs downe to the pit of perdition, where long since we haue deserued to haue layne in endlesse wo and myse­ry, but that thy mercy and lo­uing kindnesse hath preuented vs, o Lord giue vs grace to be mindfull of these mercies that our tongues may speake and harts may meditate theron in exultation and ioy, and Lord giue vs grace to consider and make vse thereof, that as the night is past wherein our spi­rit and vigor is renued, which brought vs into sleepe, the true image of death and layd vs in our beds the representation of our graues, for, vt somnus mor­tis sic lectus imago sepulcri, and [Page] that the day hath taken vs vp againe to begin our toyle with his, which suddainly finds a pe­riod and conclusion and sets it selfe againe in darkenesse which afterwards must giue place to the light, and that these two consumers of the world, the day and night, which with there easy lenghts, there spannes and fa­domes since the commande­ment was first giuen, let there be day and night, haue brought age and maturity, the sithes and sickles that haue reaped downe whole haruestes of flesh and layd the groth of nature in the dust, teach vs o Lord with this remembrance to way the insta­bility & transmutation of time and nature, the incertainty of all worldly things, our vnwar­ranted [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] liues that hange vpon a brittle third, a dials point, that with the sun in the morne with strength and splendor ad­dresse our selues like giantes to runne our course, when many times we are taken vp within few minuts after and caried in­to the bowels of the earth in the begining of our race, becom­ming wormes and not men, guestes for the solitary taber­nacles of silence, and forget­fulnesse, and to frame our liues and actions thereafter, that whensoeuer thy good will and pleasure is to take vs out of this world of misery to bind vp our bones in peace and rest, we may yeild vp our soules and bodi [...]s into thy hands, with full confi­dence and assurance that our [Page] sins and offences are washt a­way in the bloud of that pure and immaculate lambe Christ Iesus, and shall not condemne vs, prosper vs o Lord in all our actions, giue good successe to our true indeauors, and graunt that this day and all the dayes of our life may be so spent, by thy councell fauour and directi­on, that we may so beare our selues through this dale of my­sery, that at the last we may raigne with thee in eternity and glory.

Amen.

An euening Prayer to the same.

MOst gratious God and mercifull father in Christ Iesus we doe heare how downe the knees of our soules and bo­dies [Page] in thy presence, offering vp our prayer and prayse vnto thee with all possible thankes for all thy fauours towards vs, name­ly for electing vs vnto eternall life, for creating vs vnto thine owne image, for redeeming vs by the bloud of thy sonne, for sanctifying [...]s by thy holy spirit, for our health, peace and liberty, and all thy blessings that we re­ioyce in, for the which we can giue no reasō for, but thy mercy: and if thou shouldest withdraw them all backe againe, we can­not accuse thee of iniustice, not deseruing the least, of them by reason of our sins which are so greuous and infinite that we cannot reckon them, able to make a perpetual seperation be­tweene thee and vs but that [Page] thou art a mercifull, patient, long suffering God & thou de­sirest not the confusion of sin­ners but that they should turne from there wickednesse & liue, and to that end thou hast for­borne vs hetherto with a hea­uye and greeued aspect, and hast not raigned downe thy punish­ments vpon vs, therefore now o Lord giue vs a time of grace as thou hast giuen vs time of mercy, that we may take a sur­uaye of our estate, that percei­uing the danger we are in from the which none can deliuer vs but thy out-stretched arme, we rely not vpon our selues, nor continuing therein forsake thee so long, till at last thou forsake vs and we perish vtterly, but Lord (preuenting it) so rend our [Page] harts that they may bleed in sorrow for the same, that thou maist forgiue vs our great vn­thankefullness, end all the rest [...] our sins, our ignorances, will­fullnesse, necligences, presump­tions, and all other our trans­gressions and rebellions, o Lord forgiue them all vnto vs for Ie­sus Christ his sake, wash them all away in his bloud, nayle them fast vnto his Crosse and bury them in his graue, where let them consume to nothing hauing not that resurrection that our bodies shall haue from thence, least thy should come to iudgement with vs, cloath vs we pray thee with his robes, and honour vs with his spirit, worke in vs godly sorrow and remorsfull minds, mortifie our [Page] sinful lusts and adorne vs with­all thy graces, open our eyes that we may see thy will and in­cline our harts to follow it, di­rect vs in thy wayes and keepe vs from declining from thee, teach vs so to frame our liues before thee in this world; that we may liue for euer with thee in the world to come: and to that end we besech thee be mercifull vnto vs at this time, and receiue vs into thy fatherly protection, pardon the weakenesse of our prayers, watch thou ouer vs to our good, and giue vs such rest and sleepe that we may be fitter inabled to serue thée the next day in our exercises, studyes and callings: heare holy father from heauen, and graunt vs all these our requests and what­soeuer [Page] else thou knowest may be for our good for Iesus Christ his sake thine only sonne and our only sauious, to whom with thee and thine holy spirit one most wise glorious and eternall God be rendered all power praise and glory this night and for euermore.

Amen.

A morning Prayer for a priuate famely.

IN peace and safety we layed vs downe and rose againe for thy gratious eye watched ouer vs, that we might take our rest The heauens declare thy [Page] glory, and the earth is full of thy goodnesse: yet thou hast not so respected all nations, and thou hast loued Syon thy little hill, a nooke and corner of the world far seperated from the serpent, and fenced from the wild beast yet who considereth, the euill we haue deserued, is gone in­to other landes, because their Gods be not like vnto our God we haue had much experience of thy goodnesse, & yet we trye thee still, we proue thee still, and yet we see thy workes, thou hast seperated vs from schisme & heresy, that we should be ioy­ned vnto thee euen a new crea­ture come out of darkenesse to light, according to the working of knowledge in vs. O bind our harts with thy feare, that we [Page] part not from thy loue: for our selues and for our brethren, we here prostrate our soules before▪ thee, O Prince most excellent, for the name of thy onely Sonne, one drop of mercy to coole this [...]ire of sinne, nothing, good Lord, [...]o change thy mercy: yet the whel [...]es doe eate the crummes that fall from their maisters Table, first wee yeeld thee harty thankes▪ for all at once: next, wee humbly be­seech thee for the generall quit­tance which thy Sonne hath sealed for our sinnes: then for all graces we pray thee, let vs not want the thing without which wee cannot serue thee, plant in our hearts true feare of thy name, obedience [...]o [...] our Prince, and loue to our neigh­bour, [Page] giue power, good Father to our prayers, that they may be effectual sollicitors for thy grace and fauour in all occasions, and seasons, grant vs true humility in prosperity, perfect patience in aduersity, peace in Christ, and ioy in the holy Ghost. This is our desire to liue godly, righte­ously, and soberly; so blesse vs and keepe vs, good Father, to the end of our liues. Turne vs O God of our saluation, grant that we may grow frō strength to strength, that thy Church militant may be like thy trium­phant in heauenly charity, and al communion of Saints, write thy Lawes on the Table of our hearts, with the finger of thy good Spirit, that by vs they may be often & euidently read & [Page] practised in our liues and con­uersations. Blesse them which blesse vs, looke vpon this realme in thy mercy, preserue our King, let not the eye of Great Brittaine become dim, or loose his sight: be gratious and mer­cifull vnto our friends and pa­rents according to y^e flesh: com­fort thy afflicted Saints and members, confound the power of Antichrist, send thy feare a­mongst them, make their time short, and defend thine owne cause: and as thou art sanctified in vs before them, so bee thou magnified in them before vs, y^• all the world may conuert & say: En Deus Christianorum, Great art thou O God of the Chri­stians, and there is none omni­potent besides thee, iust, and [Page] mercifull, recompensing righ­teousnesse, and reuenging ini­quitie & transgressions, yester­day and to day, and the same for euer, and euery where. Grant these things, O heauenly Fa­ther, with thy blessing vpon this family, O Lord leade them out, and bring them in, bee at the beginning, the middle, and end of all their businesses, that thou maiest see them accompli­shed to their best aduantage; and for because the world is a forrest of briers, & many dan­gers therein, that may intangle vs, so that when wee part and go out▪ wee are not sure to méet and come in againe, vnlesse thou guide vs by thy hand, and protect vs vnder the wings of thy safe-guard. Therefore bee [Page] present and assistant vnto vs, and euery one of vs; then hap­py shall wee be, and all things shall prosper that wee take in hand, which Lord fulfill vnto vs, and whatsoeuer thy good pleasure shall better foresee for our good, euen for his sake who died for sinne, and sinned not: in whose name we further pray vnto thee, as he hath taught vs, saying: Our Father, &c.

God the Father which hath made vs, blesse vs; God the Sonne which hath redeemed vs, preserue vs; God the Holy­ghost which hath sanctified vs, confirme our faith, to the end, and in the end. Oh God, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, saue vs.

AMEN.

An Euening prayer for a pri­uate Family.

O Lord God, our most mer­cifull Father, vnto thy di­uine Maiesty what might wee render as an Oblation accepta­ble vnto thee, which hast made vs when wee were not, moul­ded vs from the dust of the earth, an element so base and contemptible, to so excellent a perfection, to a creature so glo­rious and admirable as man is, not onely the worke of thine owne hands, but the Image of [Page] thine owne Person, from the very iawes of Death and dam­nation deliuered vs, if we wil­fully runne not into it againe, that in continuing thy blessings day by day vpon vs, hast shew­ed thy selfe to bee our most gratious, mercifull, and lo­uing Lord, and hast hitherto preserued vs by thy powerfull prouidence, y^t we haue drawne out y^• thrid of our life vnto this time: these are thy mercies our God, and not our merits, giuen vs freely without any desert of ours: for the rayment of our backes, for the foode of our bellies, for the ayre that wee sucke in and breath out, for the fashion of our bodyes, for the motion of the members thereof, for our capability & reason, the [Page] creation of all thy creatures in the world, to the vse and subie­ction of man, and so many thy benefites that whatsouer wee expresse, the more wee remem­ber: yet for all these thou requi­rest nothing else of vs but that we know and acknowledge thée to be the Lord and giuer there­of: what couldest thou require lesse of vs then to acknowledge thee, to obey thee, to feare thee, loue thee, and to keepe thy com­mandements? and y [...]t doe wee scant thee of that moitye of thy due, that easie taske, but the sound of our lippes, and y^• con­sent of our hearts, that so wee might become thy faithfull chil­dren, and bee made true heires and partakers of thine euerla­sting kingdome, and reigne [Page] with thée for euer. Guilty there­fore, O Lord, in this grosse of­fence wee stand forth to accuse our selues of wonderfull folly, and ingratitude, hauing stroue, as much as in vs lyeth, to stoppe the streame of thy mercies, that land-comfort to our soules in all our extremities, y^• they should not come néere vs: we haue bene carelesse of thy word, neither haue wee taken any delight to fulfill thy lawes and Comman­dements: and therefore if thou hadst long agoe, as a flower be­fore a Sithe-man, mowed vs downe, as many, more worthy of▪ these blessings then we, haue beene, and brought vs to the Barre of thy Iudgement, and from thence cast vs (who are before thy face, but as chaffe be­fore [Page] the winde, or as stubble be­fore the fire) into the laks of per­dition, who is he that could ac­cuse thee of iniustice? nay, our owne consciences would acquit thee, and condemne vs: for seeing thou hast sought vs, and wee would not bee found, it is good reason we should cry vnto thee and finde no mercy. But O Lord, thy mercies are aboue our iniquities, so thou hast spared vs many yeares, and past ouer our manifold transgressions, as one that were ignorant of them, in silence and sorrow, in wit­nesse wherof the heauens, with their apparitions si [...]ke of disa­sters and euents haue bene por­tenders vnto vs, that we might be forewarned, the earth vpon her bases, proppes and founda­tions [Page] so firmely layed hath of late bene shaken at the aspecte of thine anger, and tottered to and fro like a drunken-man, thy waters and the whole courses thereof, that rowle with indig­nation vp and downe there channelles beeing tyed within boundes and limittes (as the lions in there dens) dash them­selues with indignation against there dammes & there shores, stoppes to there fury fixed there by thy word, Hetherto shalt thou passe and no further, haue of late by thy sufferance borne downe there keepers many yeares, and sweld higher then there brinkes and in there mer­cilesse furies prey'd vpon whole countries leauing nothing but desolation behind them, and all [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] for our sins and forwarnings, besides thy threatning vs by drought, famine and pestilence, the fearfull denuntiation of thy word applied vnto our guilty consciences, that so perceyuing thine anger we might feare and be saued: euen so I Lord as thou hast bene gratious in forewar­ning vs by these, so giue vs grace that we may be forewarned by them, that in time we may re­pent and turne from our wicked wayes, and no longer abuse thy patience, but run vnto thee in repentance and humility, that so we may be saued in the day of thy appearance, which so worke in vs that ouercome at length with thy goodnesse & patience, we may no longer delaye to aske councell of thee and thy [Page] holy word what we ought to forbeare, and what we ought to follow, that we be not puf [...] vp with prosperity, nor to much de­iected in sickenesse and aduer­sity, that we may despaire of our selues & the helpe of our owne hādes, but may expect all things from thy goodnesse, that we put not our confidence in transitory things, but wholy relye vpon thee & thy promises. Blesse this famely O Lord and euery mem­ber thereof, blesse also our pa­rentes and frendes according to the flesh and nature, and con­tinue thy blessed word vnto vs and to our posterities after vs, euen vnto the ends of the world for thy dearly beloued sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiours sake into whose handes and protecti­on [Page] we commend our soules and our bodies this euening and the rest of our liues y^e were bought and redeemed with his most deare & pretious bloud: whose acceptance he graunt for his owne deare sake. Amen.

Amen.

A prayer to God for the for­giuenes of sins.

MOst holy, most iust, most mercifull and omnipo­tent God thou alone doest pu­nish and no man can releiue, thou alone doest chastice and no [Page] man can controwle, thou alone doest saue, and no man can con­demne, thou bringest to the graue, and bringest backe againe pardon I beseech thee my sins, more in number then the drops in the sea, then the starres in the firmament, and purge my cor­ruption, beyond bound, without measure, looke not vpon my me­rits, for they are none at all, for the purity of mankind is defi­led in sinne, wherefore to mee O Lord, to me thy poore seruant belongeth nothing but shame and confusion, but to thee is mercy and iudgement and glory inherent, destroy not I hum­bly intreat good father of mer­cy, the creation and frame, and composition of thine owne hāds de [...]ace not the image wherein [Page] thou thy selfe art so liuely por­trayed, but haste to comfort me, make thy corrections my instru­ctions, that in patience awhile I may heare possesse my soule, and in thy promise haue an assu­red hope to liue with thee for euer in the life to come, through Iesus Christ my Lord and only Sauiour.

Amen.

A prayer to be said before the vndertaking of any iourney.

O Eternall, wise and glori­ous God, that foreseest the end of all things before they come to passe, and blessest the indeuours of those that go forth in thy feare, and direction, bee present therefore O Lord, and protecting in this my trauell, [Page] guide thou my course and shor­ten thou my way, by the blessed communication of thy spirit within mee, giue thine holy Angels charge ouer me to keepe me in all my wayes & to guide mee to and fro in this my iour­ney, as thou diddest to Toby the yonger, who by thy Angell Raphael was guyded vnto Ga­baell a Citty of the Medes: our whole life O Lord is as a pil­grimage and the dayes thereof are few and euill, by thy ap­pointment we soiorne vpon the face of the earth for a time and our spirit also within vs, it commeth and returneth as a traueller vpon the way, or bour­deth with vs as an inmate or guest or tenant at will, whom we hold by no lease nor condi­tion [Page] but thy pleasure, which art the owner thereof, a quarter, a yeare, or perhaps many yeares, till thy messinger from heauen to earth knocke at our doores with a Ilinc migrate coloni, slit hence my tenant, and then exit de terra nostra, it departeth from vs and our bodies fall downe to the earth and our pilgrimage is at an end: teach mee to vse this world as in my trauayle I shall vse mine inne, taking vp my rest for a night, and preparing for my passage in the morning, knowing there I am but a strā ­ger and haue no abiding place, for so the world is but mine inne and because it is fayre and beu­tious, full of many goodly roo­mes and spatious walkes, beu­tified with the firmament and [Page] the greater and the lesser lights thereof, the Sunne, the Moone▪ and the starres, yet that I seeke not to make it my habitation for euer, but giue me grace to vse it as if I vsed it not, proui­ding me with such necessaries as may sustayne me in my tra­uayle, not ouerburdening my conscience to clogge mee in my way, euer looking vp to thee the starre of my direction, whither my course is bound, as the ha­uen from this impatient and troublesome sea, where at the last I shall anker at rest, whi­ther Lord conduct me with thy right hand, as in this my tem­porall and present iourney de­fended from all perils and dan­gers of the day, I may happely accomplish my desire with thy [Page] will, and all the dayes of my trauayle & labour assigned, en­ded, I may there arriue where all teares shall be wipt from myne eyes, and drops from my browes, wearynesse from my bones, sighes & sobbes from my soule, all dryed vp in the pre­sence and ioy of thee and thy saintes and Angels for euer­more, which graunt good father for thy mercies sake.

Amen.

Another Prayer or med: to be vsed before the vndertaking of any iourney or businesse eyther by sea or land.

GOod father, the mysery and blindnesse of our na­ture is such, and our ingratitude so great, that we steale thy beni­fites, [Page] and take them absolutely to our selues, and inioy them freely to our owne vse as if they were originally the worke and labour our of our owne handes and we had them without thy know­ledge and assistance, that riches are the succeeders pollicy, that health is eyther recouered or kept by obseruation or diet, & lost by disorder or abuse, that successe or defect in any our pro­ceedings, sute according to our wisedome or industry in contri­uing the same, and so in a setled perswasion, & resolution hearin we goe forward in this blind­fould course asking councell nor crauing successe of any but our selues or creatures of the same f [...]aylty and beeing that wee our­selues are of, whereby often­times [Page] we faile of our purpose, and know not the reason there­of, Lord giue vs grace to cor­rect this errour, and giue vs light in this our blindnesse, teach vs to know that we are a­shamed, wee are ignorant of that, Except thou build▪ the house, they labour in vaine that build it: For it is thou that must cōmand thy blessings to be with vs in our store-houses, & in all that wee set our hands vnto, or our labour dieth betweene our fingers▪ like an vntimely fruit. And as a sparrow falleth not to the ground without thy suffe­rance, so there is nothing that commeth to passe without thy appoyntment and direction: therefore what businesse soeuer we haue, what regard soeuer we [Page] haue thereunto, let vs haue so much regard thereto as to re­gard thee that must regard it, or else all will fall to the ground: let vs go out in thy name, with thy assistance implored on our knees, let vs loose so much time to gaine so great aduantage: for it abridges the way, and cuts off many tedious imperfections in whatsoeuer: in thy protecti­on let vs enter againe, let vs not take our bread, our daily food, our sustenance without thankfulnesse to thee: let vs not couch our selues in the bed of our rest, but close our eyes in thy fauour and blessing: for it is that that must bee vpon the building of our houses, ope­ning of our Shops, and ware­houses, watching of our Cit­ties, [Page] tilling of our ground, in feeding of our bodies, in the education of our children, or whatsoeuer paine, industry, or labour in the securest course we can deuise: for without this ayd and assistance all falleth in­to emptinesse and vastity; Lord giue vs grace to consider it, and blesse this our out-go­ing and our comming in, the fruit of our bodies, and the fruit of our hands, our intents and purposes: Bee regardfull vnto our labours, whatsoeuer wee take in hand; walke by vs on the land, on y^e water, as thou diddest by thy Disciples, & saue vs, or we perish: for neither the land y^e safer, nor the sea y^e more dangerous, can protect vs, nor destroy vs▪ till thou hast sealed [Page] thereunto thy consent, nor any creature nor casualty in y^e world offer either violence or iniury, where thy hand but takes our part; and where that is opposed, though all the creatures in the world, the whole host of heauen and earth should ioyne with vs, we goe to racke and ruine. Giue vs therefore grace to be minde­full hereof, and throughly per­swaded herein, to make our pre­paration therafter, that we may aske, and thou mayst giue thy successe and blessing vpon all that wee take in hand, or enioy, which grant vs Lord in this present occasion, and in all occa­sions and times hereafter, for thine owne deere sake.

Amen.

A prayer for true peace, which is the peace of God in the peace of conscience, and for the external peace of the bo­dy, disquieted often with re­uenge, debate & contentious going to law.

O Lord my God, which art the author of peace, and lo­uer of concord, and the hater of all those y^• are not louers there­of, but delight in contention and strife: therefore I beseech thee, because I would not bee as one out of thy fauour giue vnto me that minde that a peacefull man should haue: and let thy spirit assure my spirit, that my sinnes are washt away in the bloud of thy sonne Christ Iesus, that my conscience within me may haue [Page] peace and rest, without which all ioy will turne into bitter­nesse, and I shall mourne in the middest thereof, as the Pel­lican in the wildernesse; The body will beare the infirmity therof, but an aking and woun­ded Conscience who can su­staine? O Lord settle this assu­rance in me, that I haue peace with thee, and I shal haue peace with all men, with whom to haue peace, and to be at warres with thee: to be at peace with the world, and at enmity with thee, is to make vnto my selfe a dangerous truce, a league of peace against the king of peace, the very breath of whose nostrils is able at once to destroy a thou­sand worlds, and all the Crea­tures therein; and therefore [Page] vaine is the combination that is plotted against thee. Giue mee patience, O Lord, to digest and passe ouer the iniury and malice of those that contentiously and causlessely by the malice and in­stigation of Sathan, séeke to stir vp strife and disturbe my quyet, wherein in the mediation of thee, and thy mercies towards me, I might meditate day and night free from this trouble­some and intangled world, with her thousand snares, & whereby by righting my wrong a little, I wrong my selfe a great deale, and the remembrance whereof, (as my means) with her so ma­ny branches, to the vex [...]tion and expence of my mind and body, & substance endlesly eate me vp, y^• I forget what I liue but to re­member, [Page] & woe to him that goes to law for that which y^• Gospell hath taken order for. Therefore good father, giue me such a pati­ent & disgesting mind, that I de­sire not to iniury others, to mo­lest my selfe, but rather by y^• ex­ample of thee, the true patterne of all imitation, that to thy accu­sers didst not open thy mouth, but wast dumbe like a sheep be­fore y^• shearer, & wast so far from reuenging the iniuries of man, that thou diddest not defend thy selfe. And if at any time I bee forced to vse the meanes to take this sword into my hands, that I do it not with delight, but vn­willingly, and with such mode­ration and clemency, that it bee to defend my selfe, and not of­fend others, that I offend not [Page] in the true vse therof but that I labour to haue peace with thee, & peace w^t all men, which grant thou that art the God of peace, for thy Sonne Christ Iesus sake our Sauiour.

A prayer for seasonable wea­ther, a punishment the Lord hath lately inflicted vpon vs and our whole land for our sinnes.

ETernall, Almighty, and E­uerlasting God, forasmuch as by thy holy word wee are taught that whē thine anger is incensed against vs for our sins, amongst other thy punish­ments, thou doest shut vp the heauens, y^• there may [...]no rain that y^e earth thereby may deny [Page] her fruites vnto vs, and now thou doest iustly manifest this thy displeasure vnto vs, in shut­ting vp the heauen which was wont to drop downe her whol­some showers in due season vp­on the fruits of the earth, harde­ning them as Iron or brasse, in dispersing y^• clouds, so that they drop not vpon the dry and par­ched soyle, burnt vp and withe­ring in the heat of thine indig­nation. O Lord, though wee are sensible of this thy disple [...]sure kindled so heauily aginst vs at this time, yet groaning vnder the weight of our manifold sins and transgressions so great and so innumerable, we are afraid in our selues to approach vnto thy Tribunall, to craue a release of this thy punishment, or to [Page] begge any other mercy at thy hands; yet because such is thy gracious goodnesse towards mankinde, that by thy Prophet Zachary thou hast mercifully promised vs the first and the lat­ter raine, to make white clouds, and giue showers to euery one grasse in the field. Therefore we acknowledging our owne vn­worthinesse, & relying onely vp­on thy mercies, with lowly con­trite & broken harts, do presume to powre out our humble suppli­catiōs before thée, beséeching thee y^• thou wouldst heare our pray­ers, as thou didst sometimes the earnest supplications of Helias, who prayed, & the heauens gaue raine, & the earth brought forth her fruit. And as it hath pleased thee, most gracious God, like­wise [Page] to promise by the mouth of Moses thy seruant vnto Israell. And in another place by thy Prophet Hosea, that if that peo­ple would forsake their sinnes, & turne wholly vnto thee y^e Lord their God, thou wouldst giue raine vnto the land in due time, the first raine and the latter, that they might gather in y^e wheate▪ & the oyle; and y^• thou wouldest send grasse in their fields for cat­tle, that they might eate inough; and y^• if they would turne vnto thee with vnfeyned repentance, thou wouldst heare the heauens, & they shold heare the earth, & the earth shold heare the grasse, the corn, the oyle, & thou woul­dest haue mercy vpon them that were not pittied. Mercifull Fa­ther, w^t an humble confession of [Page] our great ingratitude, a hatred, & loathing of our former trans­gressions committed with a high and presumptuous hand against thy sacred maiesty, and with a serious purpose to walke in the wayes which thou hast commanded: & so in the griefe and agony of spirit for our for­mer sins we turne vnto thee, turne then vnto vs most mer­cifull father, and extend thy great goodnesse and compassion towards vs, that we may tast and see how gratious thou art, in hearing of these our prayers, & answearing them gratiously in the seasonable supply of this our necessity, to the honour of thy great name, and the com­fortable refreshing of thy ser­uantes, for the merits of thy [Page] sonne Iesus Christ our only Lord and Sauiour.

A meditation of Gods loue and mercy towards vs and our vnthankefullnesse▪ towards him alluding to the phrase of S. Augustine.

ETernall, Almighty & most mercifull God vpon the knees of our harts we prostrate our selues, our soules and bo­dies at the throne of thy grace, being altogether wretched and vnworthy sinners, vnworthy of the least of those benefittes, that haue not fallen vnto vs sel­dome, now and than and that [Page] in a weake and restrayned mea­sure▪ but in bundles and shewes of a large allowance dayly and howerly throwne vpon vs from thy royall and plentifull hand, as though we had alwayes per­formed thy will and our delight and been to walke wholy in the pathes of thy commande­ments, which we haue been so far from, witnesse (deare God) our owne consciences that we haue derided them and set them at light, trod them vnder foot, vpon the least aduantage or oc­cation, nay in sport and merri­ment, and to shew vs men of resolutions presumptuously we haue taken them in vaine, and that in so carelesse and high a­measure that it is thy vncom­prehended mercy, that before [Page] this thou hast not abridged our dayes, cut vs off and cast vs in­to the bottomlesse pitte of hell, from whēce there is no redemp­tion or thought of mercy but in vayne: wherefore bouldened by this one mercy of thine, thy patience, and long suffering, (more then all our deserts can euer recompence) we will pre­sume to begge another, which is that thou wilt touch our harts with a godly sorrow for our sinnes, not small but greuious, not a handful but innumerable, not past but present, not secret but exemplary and open in the face of God and man, so that if thou shouldest deale with vs ac­cording to our deserts, Sathan would reioyce, but we should mourne, neuer to see thy face [Page] againe, the sun nor the moone, the day nor the night (although a perpetuall darkenesse) the hea­uen nor the earth, nor any other of the blessed workes of thine hands that of thine infinit good­nes thou hast prepared for man: what shall wée then doe but vn­der the wings of thy mercy séeke our refuge, beseching thee to ex­tend thy goodnesse and compas­sion towards vs, which thy dearly beloued sonne our Sa­uiour and redemer with a loue aboue all loue hath so dearly purchased for vs by his inno­cent and pretious bloud, the least drop whereof is sufficient to heale all our wounds, and to wash away all our iniquities, to releiue all our wantes, and blot out all our transgressions [Page] but without thy grace, a light vnto our feet and a lanthorne vnto our pathes we are able to do nothing but sinne, losing our selues in the thicke mists of ini­quity: Therefore good father as thou hast appointed all the creatures in the world to serue man, and hast ordayned him on­ly to serue thee, so giue vs grace that we, considering the large­nesse of our priuiledge and the honour thou hast indued vs withall, with changed affections our willes and natures regene­rate and purified by thy grati­ous spirit we may serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life, vntill we be renued to the image of thy sonne, in whom thou art well pleased, and in vs wilt be well [Page] pleased if we displease not thee to please our selues, if we be angry with our sinnes, the deuil, our vanities and all that would seperate vs from thee, and with harty repentance for our former misdeedes, and a zealous indig­nation against our selues that euer wee haue fallen into so beastly corruption, taking héed that wee fall not againe into the same relapse▪ vpon paine of thy heauy displeasure, and yet there is no cause O God, most iust, why thou shouldest bee pleased with sinners which art displea­sed with sinne, but for his sake that dearly payd therefore in the heat and burthen thereof, and sinned not, the bosome of whose merry, (in this desert of his) if it be not open with Abra­hams [Page] to receiue vs poore and impotent Lazars, with the rich glutton we goe downe into hell, from the which deliuer vs for thy mercies sake sweet Sa­uiour Christ.

Amen.

A meditation against the feare of death written in french by the learned P. M: s. du Plessis.

THe Crowne and end of all wretchednesse and myse­ry, the key to let vs out of this world of sorrow, the doore and the passage to all eternity, why should we feare, why should we thinke of, with so leaden an ap­petite, why should we feare to find that we liue to seeke, why should we not harken to the summons therof with ioy as the [Page] sicke man harkeneth to the clocke which to the godly brings an end both of sinne and sorrow and all the miseries which are due vnto eyther, being so many and so great that they passe the explication or comprehension of man, for the best of this life what euer was it, but as a bed of flowers ouergrowne with a feild of weedes, but as a calme of the sea disquieted with the breath of euery wind, the tem­per of what mans brest was e­uer so seasoned that it was not subiect to a thousand passions, wrested and wrung with so many discontentes that the waight and burthen thereof hath ouer-borne the patience of suffering. In beauty, honour, ri­ches, wealth, or in any other [Page] sensual pleasure who euer found contentme [...]t that hath wise­dome to way them and esteme them truly as the were, for the first who euer possest it in the greatest desire with the largest extension that found not saciety or discontent in the fruition and possession, that was not tor­mented with enuy or iealousy, the one lancing within, or the other reuelling without, in honour or riches or any other corporall or mentall guift, the fayrest and most admired flo­wers that the earth brings forth to the delight and pleasure of man-kinde, from the which pre­heminence or prayse or plea­sure may be deriued, or nature something soothed vp, which itches after ambition and admi­ration, [Page] that found not vnder these flowers, weedes 'nay ser­pentes to poyson and sting the very life bloud of that felicity, if any there were in them, from the fullest fountaine of worldly ioy floweth some bitternesse, & there was neuer pleasure so ab­solute, were it as short as the flash of lightning, that before a man hath power to say be­hould▪ inlightneth the world & then dies in obscurity, that was not alayed with some abate­ment, and if it were absolute for the time, the time is so short that there is a griefe therein, & what are all pleasures but as a vapor that appeare for a little time and afterwards vanish a­way, sometimes pleasure asswa­geth paine, but most commonly [Page] paine killeth pleasure, and if our dayes were distinguished the good with white and the e­uill with blacke stones, at the end of our liues we should find more blacke then white, the pleasures, in the dayes of Noah, there eating, drinking, marying and giuing in mariage, thy gaue there content for a time, till the flood came and tooke them all away, the yongman hath is pleasure to reioyce in, the dayes of his youth, the chearfullnesse of his hart, and the lustes of his owne eyes, but in all these there lies a bitternesse, the richman hath his pleasure Luke. 16. Pur­ple and fine linnen & delitious fare euery day and he knoweth not what the griefe of Lazarus meaneth, and yet there li [...]s a [Page] worme vnder the root of all these goodly branches, and sur­fets, and sacieties with these creep in vpon him, and if he set his hart therupon let him know with the yongman and all that are caried away with any plea­sure in the world, that there is a heauy re [...]conning to be rende­red for these things, the thought w [...]ereof in the middest of all [...]ol­lities shall be stroken dead ther­with, and to these the thought of death will be greuous. Be not therefore drunke with these sensuall delights and pleasures as with new wines, which are not pleasures absolute but limi­ted, allayed with a thousand dis­contents, and if they were abso­lute yet of no continuance, and therefore greuous, & since there [Page] is nothing else but the inioyng of these, that seme what they are not, as we haue allready exami­ned, that make thee to desire life, that thou mayst reioyce therein the forsaking whereof maketh it death vnto thee to thinke of death, yet know they are all but vanity, & thou must die aut sero aut setius eyther soner or later, for there is no preuention, no resistance can hinder it & therefore that which must be imbrace willingly make a vertue of necessity and though thou mightest escape it yet it were but a madnes, because (if we peruert not the true na­ture of it) it is the end of all mi­sery▪ and sorrow, and labour, and trauayle & the gate that opens the may vnto all true pleasure [Page] & happines, whereof all in this world are but counterfets and shadowes, so resolue thy selfe hereof, & prepare thy selfe hereto that the remembrance of thy passed dayes augment not the bitternes therof at the last ho­wer, and then thy paines shall not dismay, thee because thou trauellest to bring forth eternall life, which for the merry-mad­nesse of one hower take heed that thou lose not for euer. But vse thy pleasures with such mo­deration, euer remembring they are momentary & he that hath most hath not all, and he that least hath some, that for a mo­ments ioy thou reap not eterni­ty of sorrow, that thou loue them not so much y^• you forget God, in whose presence is fullnesse [Page] of ioy & at his right hand plea­sures for euermore psal: 16. and who giueth vs drinke out of a whole riuer of pleasures psal. 36. contemne therefore these transitory pleasures and reserue your selues for plea­sures there eternally compleat, where neyther enuy, nor iealou­sy, nor sickenes, nor taint, shall alter or distast your happinesse where your ioy shall be euer present, & yet you cannot be fil­led, rather you shall be filled but cannot be satisfied, or if not sa­tisfied then there is hunger, or that you may, then there is a loathing, I know not how to expresse it, Deus habet quod ex­hibeat, God hath somthing there to bestow which I know not, but, ibi beata vita in fonte there [Page] is blessednes at the head of the spring, not in cisternes that thou may be sure of, and could you drinke vp the pleasures of the whole world at a draught, as Cleopatra drunke the va­lew of 5. thousand pound, yet remember it is but a draught & quickly downe the throat and there hath an end, and therefore I say againe vse them with mo­deration to sweeten and allay the many anguishes, that if euer perdominant would vntimely waigh vs downe to our graues, and we should faint in the middest of our race, euer looking vp from these to that eternall rest and peace of mind which hereafter wee shall inioy, and then when death shall approach neare vnto thee his aspect shall [Page] not be fearfull which shall end all our miseries, heale all our infirmities, wipe away all dis­contents, & in it we shall there finde an end of sinning▪ an end of all vncleanesse, an end of all wandering thoughts and cogitations, by it we be freed from this wicked and exem­plary world when the soule cannot looke out at the eye as her window, but a whole army of vanity is ready to sease vpon her, nor vse any of her seruants whereby treason is not offered vnto her, by death the soule shall bee deliuered from this thraldome and bon­dage, and as the Apostle spea­keth this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortality, 1. [Page] Cor. 15. 53. O blessed, thrise blessed bee that death that ends in the Lord, which de­liuers vs out of so euill a world, and freeth vs from such corruption and bondage. Why then should we feare that wee would not escape▪ because our chiefest happinesse is be­hinde, where wee cannot come: but we must passe through this doore of death: and if euery houre of our life we should dye a death, were too little to keepe vs from thence. And but that our portion and felicity is be­hinde: and when this our sha­dow of life ends, our true life begins, and the graue shall not euer inclose vs in her wombe▪ which if it should, then woe were man aboue any other crea­ture [Page] liuing, when sencelesse and irrationall creatures, as the Stagge, the Rauen, and the Daw, Rockes and Trees, and such like, haue an ages date be­yond man, for whose vse they were all created and made, but that he hath an euerlasting inhe­ritance in heauen, with that great God that created & made both him and them, when so we shall raine euerlastingly, whil'st they vpon earth in distance of time shall moulder and rot, and drop downe to nothing. O let vs not then dote so much vpon these vnprofitable and fading vanities, vpon our wodden cottages, & our tottering buil­dings of painted clay, such as our bodies are, which are but y^• tents of vngodlinesse, and habi­tation [Page] of sinners, but let vs looke and long after this hea­uenly Citty, whose builder and maker is God, whither that we may the sooner come, let vs with the Apostle, desire to bee dissol­ued, and to be with Christ.

The Sicke-mans Prayer.

O Gracious God, look down from heauen with y^• eyes of mercy vpon me a most mise­rable & wretched sinner, grie­uously afflicted in body and in minde, a worme, & no man: if a man, such a one that neuer any with more need lifted vp eyes, nor heart to the throane of thy mercy, from whence all comfort commeth, looke vpon mee, O Lord, with y^• eyes of thy mercy, giue [Page] me patience to endure this my affliction & tryall, and giue mee grace O Lord, to make such vse thereof that it may bee to thy glory and my good, put into my minde all y^e ▪ precepts, comforts, instructions, I haue heard, or read of al my life before, as strōg meditations to comfort mee in this my extremity. Be not farre from me, O Lord, lest Sathan preuaile ouer me, make thou my bed, and I shall rest in peace: visite me O Lord, as thou did­est visite Peters wiues mother, and the Captaines seruant: for vnto thee belongeth health and saluation, thou bringest to the doore of death, and to the brinke of the graue, and yet if thy good will & pleasure be, thou restorest to health and perfection againe. [Page] And gracious and louing father, seale in my heart by thy holy spirit, the forgiuenesse of all my sins, throughout y^e whole course of my life, that what I haue done or said amisse, may bee bu­ried in the wounds of thy sonne, so that they be neuer layd vnto my charge, nor imputed against me: in his bloud purge my body and soule from all their corrup­tions; and if this my visitation bee not vnto the death, may it please thee to helpe me vpon the bed of my sorrowes, speake but the word, and it shall bee done, renue my former health vnto me, that I may take vp my bed and walk, and by a happy trans­mutation turne my whole heap of sorrow into a bundle of ioy. Heale me, and I shall be whole, [Page] saue me and I shall not bee con­demned: deliuer mee from the pit of corruption, that openeth her mouth, & shutteth vs there­in, and keepeth vs as part of her owne bowels: For the graue will not acknowledge thee, nor the dead confesse thee; but the liuing shall extoll and magnifie thy name world without end. But if to thy vncomprehended wisedome (to ballance against which all the wisedome in the world is but folly) it seeme bet­ter to thee that I dye then liue, then deale with me according to thy good pleasure, giue thine Angels charge ouer my soule, that it may be receiued in peace, which into thine hands I com­mend, that gauest it me: streng­then my faith in thee, and in thy [Page] Law, that I may willingly re­signe that into thy hands that was due vnto thee the first day that I liued, if it had pleased thee to call for it, by a double right; nay so many rights that might claime a thousand liues, if I had them to lay downe for thee, that hast layd downe thine owne Sons, and done so many things for me, and for my sake, and for all mankinde: and teach me, O Lord, to make such true vse of this my sicknesse, that the former miseries of this wret­ched life, ioined with my present griefe & anguish, make me wea­ry of these times of sin, and wil­ling to resigne my soule into thy hands, prepared by this vnwel­come, yet wholsome summoner, that will transport mee out of [Page] this vale of misery, to that euer­lasting kingdome which thou hast purchased for mee; which grant I beseech thée, for Christ Iesus sake, my onely Sauiour and Redéemer.

Amen.

The commendation of the soule to bee said at a sicke mans death, out of the Man. of M. Crashaw.

I Here commend thee to Al­mighty God most deere bro­ther, and I commit thee to him▪ whose creature thou art: Goe forth therefore, O Christian Soule, get thee gone out of this filthy world, goe forth in the name of the Almighty Fa­ther, who created thee, in the name of Iesus Christ, who [Page] dyed for thee; in the name of the Holy-ghost, who hath beene powred out vpon thee: and when thou, happy soule, art de­liuered out of the prison of the body, the glorious quier of hea­uenly Angels meete, and the Company of all holy Saints entertaine thée, the louing coun­tenance, and cheerefull face of Iesus Christ shine vpon thee, a mercifull iudge be he vnto thee, that thou maist haue sentence to sit for euermore amongst his Saints on his right hand: thy dwelling be in peace, and thy ha­bitation in the heauenly Ieru­salem for euermore: farre bee it from thee euer to feele or know how horrible the darknesse, how terrible the flames, how intolle­rable the torments of hell are, [Page] Sathan and all his hellish g [...] be confounded at thy presence; and if he dare set vpon thee, vi­ctory and triumph bee on thy side, shame and trembling fall vpon him from the presence of Gods Angels, and be hee bani­shed into the blacke mists, and confused Chaos of eternall dark­nesse. But let the Lord arise, and his enemies bee scattered: and as the smoake vanisheth, so let them flye away, but let the iust bee exalted, and reioyce in the presence of the Lord: let the infernall legions not dare to touch thee, nor all Sathans Hell-hounds presume to hinder thee; and hee, who disdained not to dye for thee, bee hee thy Sauiour and deliuerer from all spirituall vexation. Bee the [Page] gates of Paradice open vnto thee, and thy Christ giue thee thy place and mansion in the same: and hee that is the true Pastor, and great Sheepheard of the sheepe, acknowledge thée for one of his true sheep, and re­ceiue thee into his fold. Iesus Christ absolue thee from all thy sinnes, and place thee on his right hand, among his elect, that there thou mayst see thy Redee­mer face to face, and in the socie­ty of blessed soules maist enioy the comforts of heauenly con­templation, and the blessed vi­sion of God for euer and euer.

Amen.

Another Meditation against the feare of death, & for strength & patience in that last houre.

THe mettall and substance wherof we are made, being but dust & ashes, slime & corrup­tion, might alone, without▪ fur­ther motiue & reason, perswade vs that we are not euerlasting, nor made for continuance, what is man therefore, O Lord, that he should be proud? or what are our bodies, that we should so re­gard them, the beauty & delicasie whereof so much pampered and adorned, so much accounted & e­steemed of, so curiously & care­fully [Page] preserued & kept, must so suddenly discend to corruption amongst the wormes & creepers of the earth, and to rubble and ashes. This mutation and disso­lution of our bodies, the sepa­ration and seuering of two anti­ent Inne-mate-friends, must needs, as in the act, so in the con­sideratiō therof, strike a strange amazement in a weake and vn­resolued Christian, that truly vnderstands not what death is, which is indeed to the godly, and those that haue made a pre­paration thereunto, the gate and passage to a better life, the end of sorrow, and a rest from labour: yet O Lord, consider the weakensse of our nature, and helpe vs in that, which euen thy blessed Saints, Prophets, [Page] and Apostles, that knew thee in a measure aboue our know­ledge, that haue giuen rules, and motiues, and reasons a­gainst the [...]eare thereof; yet in the tryall and accomplishment thereof, haue found the imbeci­lity of flesh and nature repug­nant against it; and for the ad­ding of a few lingring dayes of further cares and sorrowes, some haue forsworne thee, o­thers haue wept vnto thee, and all haue beene willing to stretch it out to the last minute; and yet it is but a prolonging, not a pre­seruing. Ezechias may turne to the wall and weep, and mourne like a Doue, and pray for life, yet at the last hee must render it vp. O Lord, giue vs there­fore patience to part with it, be­ing [Page] no inheritance to vs, but debt to thee, beeing most cer­taine, and assuredly perswaded, that thou wilt one day restore it to his former, nay fuller per­fection▪ lessen our loue toward the world, and our selues, and increase it towards thee, and thy Kingdome. Make this, good Father, the frequent thought and meditation of our hearts, to thinke that wee must dye, that it may breed in vs humility and godlinesse, as a happy preparation thereun­to: let vs resolue patiently and resolutely to vnder-goe that taske assigned by thee, the dissolution of nature: for the corruption of nature, the sting is gone, and wee neede not feare it, beeing but that which [Page] all the seuerall ages and genera­tions of the world that are past, haue accomplished; and in the [...]r times and seasons descended to corruption, and others haue ta­ken their places, and all that are to come must drinke of the same portion. Mathusalem. though he liue 969 yeares, yet must he not liue euer: the portion neuer so long, the person neuer so emi­nent, his preseruation neuer so great, to this at last hee must surely come, and all mankinde besides, although not all by one meanes, yet all brings to one end, though some by water, some by fire, some by famine, some by pestilence, some by the iawes of wilde beasts, some by the hand of an enemy, some in the bed, others in the field, Ha­man [Page] by the gallowes, Iesabel by dogges, Herod by wormes, the Sonnes and daughters of Iob by the fall of an house, the Mothers and Infants of Ierusalem by fa­mine. One cryeth my head, my head, as the Shunamites sonne, another my bowels, another my feet, feet, as Asa, the Stone, the Gout, the Feuer, and a thou­sand other punishments, not yet equall to our sinnes, thy iust Executioners of that sen­tence: Thou shalt dye the death, pronounced against our first Parents, and in them to the whole race of mankinde: Re­member thy end, saith the wise man, & thou shalt not do amisse. Teach vs, O Lord, to remem­ber it, and make vse thereafter, that will in time remember vs, [Page] if we gorget it, Though we es­cape the pit we shall be taken in the snare, we shall fly from a Lyon and a beare shall meet with vs, or leane our hand vpon a wall and a serpent shal bite vs: we may be deliuered from six troubles and the seauenth shall dispatch vs, for neyther councel nor art, nor meanes can preser­ue vs euer for it is the will of God and the cannon of his own lippes, against the which there is no euasion, no conuenant to be made with death & the graue, let this meditation be vnto vs as the starre that lead the wise­men vnto Bethleem, where Christ then lay in a māger in a [...] inne that now sittes at the right hād of his father in heauen, from whence he shall come to iudge [Page] both the quicke and the dead y^t it may lead vs to the throne of his maiesty where now he raigneth in glory for euermore, sweeten O Lord this remem­brance of death and the graue vnto vs with this cogitation that it was thy bed, that in our strength and youth our veynes full of bloud, and our bones of marrow, in our liuelihood and iollity we may thinke of our dis­solution with a quiet mind, and with S. Paul desire to be disso­lued & to be with Christ, whose presence in such full and ample measure as we shall there inioy it, far exceedeth all the pleasure and delight that this transitory world afford thee: giue vs more wisedome O Lord then to e­steeme the ruinous and rotten [Page] cottages and houses, we liue in fortresses and castles of euer­lasting refuge, not built vpon rockes for continuance, but v­pon tottering heapes of sand & ashes, shaken about our eares with the windes and stormes of infinit casualties and afflictions, gaping still for ruine and confusion, teach vs to know that heare, wee haue no abiding Cit­ty, but we look for one to come, that we passe not our time in this vale of misery day & night, youth and age, in pleasure and delight, that so we make our end, & the remembrance there­of bitter vnto vs, neyther let vs thinke that because we haue fatnesse in our bones and health in our ioynts, that therefore we shall liue many yeares, and se [Page] the succession of our sons and nephewes, if we doe, what will become of this? if we flatter our selues, soule take thy rest and vpon the suddaine are snacht to hell, once more let vs speake like Abraham, one thing, and one thing more we will beg at thy handes, that since thy de­cree is set downe and thy word is past, the accomplishment whereof neuer fayles in the least title, that all shall dye, con­fermed by so many millions of creatures, since the beginning of the world to this present, which shall not cease to runne on whilst there are creatures breathing vpon the circle of the earth to the end of the world & dessolution of all things, since we must all wax ould as doth [Page] a garment, and from one defect to another drawe thereunto, since the sonne of God himselfe vpon the earth was not priui­ledge, that now in this time of preparation we make swéet and hony our passage, by a due and godly preparation thereunto, that when our friends and our children forsake vs with griefe and sorrow on both sides, the Phisition giues vs ouer, (wi­sheth vs well but can doe vs no good) that then when no com­fort, is left vnto vs, besides we haue cōfort in our souls through the forgiuenesse of our sins, and though we haue a graue before our eyes, greedy, inexorable, vnsatisfied, opening her mouh to receiue vs, and hauing recei­ued vs closing hereuerlasting ia­iawes [Page] vpō vs, neuer to returne vs backe againe till the wormes and vermine of the earth haue deuoured vs, we despaire not though the strongest man liuing a hart of marble & iron shall find terror enough in the thought & accōplishment of these things, yea Aristippus feareth death as well as the common people, but if the wrath of God which consumes like a riuer of brimstone for our former transgressions shal accompany them, thrise wo vnto vs, our dull and heauy co­gitations will then exclude all thought of mercy, and our sou­les shall sleepe in death clogged with a burthen of sinnes which were neuer repented of: there­fore O Lord teach vs true and timely repentance for our sins [Page] that the extremity which then outragiously wil assault vs may be lessened, and the sting there­of pulled away before hand that now we may liue the life of the righteous, that then we may die the death of the Godly, that we now gird on our armour be­fore the battayle begine, that we now thinke of repentance and doe it before it be to late, before this wellcome or vnwellcome guest, as we our selues make him, commeth, which brings in his hand, either tydings of great ioy or a message of euerlasting sorrow giuing w^e all such grace, vnto vs to possesse these transi­tory things, that they possesse not vs, that we may so vse this world as if we vsed it not: to passe through this vale of mise­ry, [Page] our few and euill dayes, with such regard to our life, such loue to thy law, such obedience to thy precepts, that wee may inioy the first, and avoyde▪ the later, which graunt Lord for thy mercies sake. Amen.

A Prayer or meditation before the receyuing of the holy communion.

MOst mercifull and most worthely beloued Lord the eternall sonne of the eternal father, thou blessed Iesus Christ what should we render vnto thée for all thy louing kindnesse, for all that thou hast done and suffe­red for vs, thy creatures, of pri­uiledge aboue all the creatures in the world, the sonnes and daughters of men, indued with wisedome, capability, and vn­derstanding, the steps of thy foot the printes of thy hands, fi­xed in a spattous world, and the innumerability of creatures there, of delight and admiration [Page] for vs to contemplate theron, and imploy to our vse a delight more heauenly and truly intire alone, then all the irration all & hud-winked creatures in the world can tast besides, & there­fore all those in subiection vnder our foot, besides fashioned and framed vs to thine owne image with a stature ascendant, shoo­ting vpright into heauen, when all other creatures go groueling & precipitated downe towards the earth, yet O Lord for all these benifits and excellent in­dowments that we should be­haue our selues so vngratefully towards, thee, that it should repent the to haue made man, that our rebellious and vnna­turall sins should vnwillingly on thy party draw thy punish­ments [Page] euen from out thy gras­ped hand: Oceans of waters frō thy cloudes to drowne all the world but eight persons, shall pull fier from heauen to burne whole Citties and townes as Sodome and Gomorroh were, and not ten righteous persons to be found, amongst ten thou­sand vnrighteous, and yet thy loue to be so f [...]r continued, not­withstanding that when all mā ­kind had peruerted their ways, and there was not one that did good, no not one, and wee lay bare and open to the law, and sathan triumphing ouer our in­firmities leading vs captiues vnder the bondage of sinne, that thou shouldest send thy sonne into the world, descending from the throne of his maiesty into [Page] the bowelles of humanity, from thy right hand in heauen, to thy foot-stoole the earth, there to be layed in a manger, persecuted by Herod beeing a child, to pay tribute, to preach, to pray, to fast, to be tempted, to be betra­yed, to be mocked, to be scourged to be crowned, to be crucified, & all by vngratefull man, that would oppose a power against him that gaue them power▪ to take away his life that was the author of life, and breathed the breath of life into there nostrils yet O loue without example, without imitation: that very night that hee was betrayed, when the hower and the power of darkenesse met together, whē the blackest consultation that euer day or night was witnesse [Page] too was held, to darken the sun, to extinguish the light, to vnder­mine the intirest innocency, that euer possest the breath of being: yet O loue aboue all loue, that night and that ho­wer of that night, when these heades were combining against thee wast thou instituting and ordayning this thy blessed Sa­crament, to the saluation of there soules, and all the wret­ched sinners in the world be­sides, as many as by a liuely fayth, shall apply it to there wounded consciences, O gra­tious God open thou our eyes in the largest consideration, that wee may see thy loue and consider what thou hast done for the sonnes of men, that for thy loue vnto vs, more strong [Page] then death, we may returne our loue to thee more weake then our owne life, cold, dull and frosen, which let vs seeke to warme in the hottest zeale of our affection, that in some poore measure we may be worthy to receiue this thy sacrament of thy most blessed body / and bloud then by thee ordayned to our euerlasting saluation & y^e ad­miration of men and Angels, and that we may so doe, pre­pare vs O Lord to this thy hea­uenly banquet with all due and requisite regard, with penitent and bleeding hartes that we come not there without our wedding garment least we turne that blessing into a curse and by eating and drinking our owne damnation, bee guilty [Page] of thy body and bloud which is otherwayes able to saue our soules, and to that end we be­sech thee, set a part in vs what­soeuer thy maiesty is most of­fended with, or maketh vs vn­worthy of this thy blessed sacra­ment, and giue vs new hartes and new desires, purged and swept, and prepared fit for the intertainement of so worthy a guest, and though with the Centurion in the Gospell, we be not worthy that thou shoul­dest come vnder our roofe, yet speake but the word and wee shall be saued, and then hauing so receyued thee, wee may bouldly with Zacheus confesse, Hodie salus Iehouae, this day is saluation come vnto my house, come vnto my soule, [Page] the which cause, and effect, pre­paration and blessing, graunt Lord for thy mercies sake.

Amen.

A meditation or thankes­giuing after the recey­uing of the holy cō ­munion.

HOnour, glory, and praise be giuen to the O God, the euerliuing sonne of the e­uerlasting father, the stay and comfort of all Christian soules, at whose right hand in hea­uen thou sittest and raignest for euermore, what may we render vnto thee as a sacrifice acceptable, that hast giuen thy selfe a bleeding sacrifice for vs [Page] and for our sinnes, A broken and contrite hart O Lord that thou will not dispise, which daily in the meditation of this thy loue and mercy towardes vs, and what thou hast vnder­gone for vs our sakes, shall be rent and torne, that it may be healed in thy wounds, and bound vp in the bundle of thy mercy, that so we may stand spottlesse before thee y^e day of thy appearing, and good Lord so continue thy fauour vnto vs, that this learnest and pledge of thy loue, left as a monument to all after-worldes and ages to come, may be so powerfull and effectuall vnto vs that it may seale in our hartes the for­giuenesse of our sins washt a­way in the streame of thy bloud, [Page] and buried in thy side, neuer to open there mouthes against vs beeing there condemned to euerlasting silence, and if at a­ny time the frayltie of the flesh by the instigation of Sathan shall draw me vnto sinne, for­getting what thou sufferedest therefore, yet let my wande­ring thoughts, bee called home to thy fould, in remembrance of these visible signes, whereby the breaking of thy body and the shedding of thy bloud is so liuely presented vnto me, that I behould it as with my eyes mourning in my selfe, not accu­sing the iewes, the scribes nor pharises, high priestes nor el­ders, Iudas nor Pilate, but my sins that tormented, wounded, crucified the Lord of life to [Page] death, they were the cause, these were but the instruments whereby it was effected, O what is man that thou shoul­dest so regard him, or the sonne of man that thou so kindly vi­sitest him: let euery nayle that was driuen into thy handes and feet, by the hammer of our sinnes, be a thousand dag­gers at our hartes, to launch and let forth that putrified cor­ruption, that returned such muddy chan [...]elles, to thee the fountaine of liuing waters, that but with so a high a price, and deare expence could not be purified, but now beeing thus purged and made cleane let vs be wary we pollute them not againe, hauing receiued so pure a guest, let vs not [Page] harbour with him the vn­cleane, least to our euerlasting losse he take his flight, and for­sake vs, when then our vn­cleane thoughts and cogitati­ons, which his presence ex­pelled and kept a loofe of from vs, retire themselues, euery one accompanied with seauen worse then themselues, and our end be worse then our begin­ning, and so that become vnto vs the sauour of death vnto death, which otherwayes had bene the sauour of life vnto life, wherefore O Lord blesse vs at this time, and this thy holy institution that by our vnworthinesse we turne not that to euill which was orday­ned for our good, make it O Lord the plaster to heale all our [Page] wounds, the garment to couer our nakednes, the spirituall and corporal bread to the stay of our bodies and soules, let it be the cocke to remember our sins, and the rocke to stay our soules vp­pon that we neuer fall from thée againe, & to that end so blesse vs most gratious God, y^• this thy sacrament now receyued, may be to our euerlasting good and wellfare, so conducting vs through this vale of misery with so godly a direction & guide, enuy, contention, and malice layed a side, forgiuing the offen­ces of our bretheren towards vs, as we expect forgiuenesse at thy handes, that so in a godly society in this world we may liue together in peace vntill we shall raigne with thee [Page] in glory, which art the end of peace, where we shall then be­hold thee with our bodily eyes, as wee behold thee now with faith, by the eye of the Spirit, and see that body that was bro­ken and bruised for our sinnes, those hands that haue made vs, and fed vs, that head that was crowned, now all glorified, neuer to bee debaced more. To which blessed vision, & fruition, he bring vs, that hath so ransomed vs, for the glory of his sacred Name.

Amen.

A Prayer for a Woman with childe, or in trauaile, to bee said by those present with her.

O God most wise, most iust, the blessed Father of our [Page] blessed Lord and sauiour Christ Iesus, creator, preseruer, and gouernor of all things, next vn­der thee vnder the subiection of man, so largely intituled by thy loue, extended by thy fauour, created with so goodly and beau­tifull a perfection in the estate of Innocency, that hee was y^e mo­dell, and figure, & liuely Image of thee, the fountaine of all per­fection and happinesse: but through sinne is our image de­faced, our beauty and perfection darkened our whole disposition and purpose altered, the earth made barren, and cursed for our sake, and we cursed in the curse, by the sterility, labour, and ma­nuring thereof, that now denies the increase that before shee brought forth without y^e sweat [Page] and sorrow of the heart and browes of man. And for y^• wo­man, a party in the sinne, a par­ty in the curse: In paine and sor­row shalt thou bring forth. And to the Serpent, vpon thy belly shalt thou creepe, and dust shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy life. Yet to this woman, O Lord! as her present necessity re­quireth, bee propitious, & neere vnto her, let thy birth sweeten her sorrow, that broke the head of the Serpent, that was the cause of the breach of thy Com­mandement, that hath sweete­ned the sorrowes of all man­kinde. Heare her, O Lord, and answere her fauourably, and be not angry with thy seruant for presuming to cry vnto thee, for the vncessant beating thine [Page] eares with her clamou [...]s, for griefe compelleth her to speake, and the misery shee indureth in­forceth her to cry vnto thee: haue mercy vpon her, O foun­taine of mercy, and hearken to her agony, that cryeth for thy helpe. To her, and all women with childe, or in trauaile, bee mercifull, and giue them grace with patience to vndergoe and suffer the decree and pleasure of thy holy will: let them neuer striue against thee through im­patience, but in true faith, and inuocation of thy name, suffer thy crosse contentedly, which their owne originall sinne and wickednesse drew frō thy hands vnwillingly. O Lord, if her hea­uinesse induce for a night, let her comfort come in y^• morning, [Page] for ioy that a child is borne into the world: and to that end, bles­sed God, bee thou present and powerfull in the exigent and straite of her greatest extremi­ty (for as all thy works are won­derfull, and past finding out, as our soules know right well, so are they not manifested in a shal­low measure) in the connexion, creation, and nourishment, and preseruation of the infant in the wombe of the mother, in the birth and bringing forth of their little limbes into the world, all whole and perfect; to the which if thy ayd and hand bee absent, though all helpe beside in the world bee present, they perish vndoubtedly, both the one and the other. Wherfore thou God of wonders, and Father Al­mighty [Page] of heauen and earth, as thou hast by the death of thine onely Sonne, taken away the sinnes of the whole world, and condemned sinne in the flesh, so take away the anguish of Childe-birth, brought forth by sin to all woman-kinde, espe­cially to this woman now in thy hands, that shee may ioy­fully bring forth that which by thy blessing, shee hath happely conceiued, that shee may bee to her Husbands and her owne comfort, as the fruitfull vi [...]e on the walles of his house, and his children like the Oliue bran­ches round about his table. Thy blessing vpon those y^• feare thy name, which blessing for thy blessed name sake grant thou God of al power & goodnes.

Amē

The Prisoners prayer, written by a Gentleman, in passion and penitence, a few dayes before his tryall.

O Euerliuing God, & most mercifull Father, that art present in all places, and neere vnto all such as call vpon thee, haue mercy vpon mee most wretched sinner, odious in the sight of God, hateful in the eyes of man, banished from thy fa­uour, from the lights of the Sunne and firmament, all hu­mane comforts denyed me, fet­tered in body and in soule, with the links and chains of my sins, and euen bound to destruction, vnlesse thou send me succour frō aboue. My life I haue abused [Page] and diuerted my course from the pathes of thy commandements, by the which I haue not onely offended my brethren in y^e flesh, & the law of man, by the which my body is condemned to dye, hauing onely power ouer that: But thee, the great God of hea­uen and earth (that madest me, and induedst mee with many of thy good gifts, and blessings, as health, strength, agility of body, had I had but one blessing more, that was grace, to haue vsed them well) that art able to cast both body and soule into Hell­fire: yet though by my offences against Dauids choyce, I haue fallen into the hands of man, from whom I expect no fauour for my life, yet with thee there is mercy for the forgiuenesse of [Page] my sinnes beyond expectation, which with that happy Thiefe, not in his life, but in his death, I trust in thy goodnesse to finde so, that when the day shall come that shall finish the Sentence that shall end my misery and wretchednesse in this life, That day I shall be with thee in Para­dise, though euill haue bene my life euer since I had power to thinke or execute, so farre for­getting humanity and nature, as if I had sucked the Dragons in the wildernesse, hauing done those things that I ought not to haue done, and left vndone those that I should, neuer remem­bring thy dreadfull name, but in the abuse thereof, neuer hearing thy word, but with contempt, neuer taking admonition, but [Page] with scorne, and quenching the good motions of the spirit with the whole deluge of sinne, dis­honouring my parents, and all good men, delighting in ryot, drunkennesse, whoredome and slouth, yet neuer toutht in con­science for any, nor for all, so far had custome hardened me, and Sathan possest me, that I was sicke, euen to death, and felt not my ill. I was at the brinke of hell, and yet perceiued not my footing. For the which O par­don me, my God, and shew thy mercy vpon mee, and all priso­ners and captiues: teach mee, that by this my restraint, that my liberty and loose life neuer pointed finger vnto, that it is a happy compunction in the bo­dy, that makes a blessed com­punction [Page] in the soule; And it is not thy least fauour vnto mee, that thou hast stopped my head­strong course in the middest of mine iniquities, in the readiest path to destruction, that the Di­uill could prescribe, or flesh and bloud follow, ere I had filled vp the measure to the brimme, are my condemnation was sealed, and thy face for euer turned a­way from me. Giue me grace, O Lord, to make such vse of this little time I haue to liue, that what with many dayes and sins I had lost, with many teares and sobbes I may recouer; and that whether my life bee pro­longed beyond my expectation, or ended according to my ac­count, I may neuer from this time fall from thee, but take [Page] such deepe root by this thy mer­cy, that beeing fully perswaded my sinnes are washed away in the bloud of the lambe, and my transgressions do [...]e away in his satifiying, I may indeauour to liue in such newnesse of life and conuersation amongst men, that whom my euill life corrupted by example, my better may re­store againe by imitation, to the praise of thy name, the good of thy Chiloren, and and the saluation of my soule, and the magni­fying of thy mer­cy world with­out end.

A Thanksgiuing for our redēp­tion, purchased through the bloud of Christ, and for o­ther both corporal and spiri­tuall blessings.

VVHat can man say that hee inioyes amongst the innumerability of all thy be­nefits and mercies, that he hath not receiued from thee, and for the same ought to be thankfull, but especially ought thy glory to be magnified by vs, for our Ele­ction, Creation Iustification, Sanctification, who hast pre­serued vs from day to day, and from a thousand dāgers threat­ning both body and soule to their vtter confusion. O most gratious and louing Father, [Page] which art beloued for thy good­nesse, honoured for thy great­nesse reioyced in for thy happi­nesse, praised for thy merits, and prayed vnto for thy mer­cies, I acknowledge my selfe all too meane & vnperfect to sound forth thy praises in such a key as I ought, or thou deseruest: when I thinke thereof, a debility cei­zeth vpon all my parts, and I want words to expresse & powre out my soule before thee. In­large O Lord, mine vnderstan­ding, that I may the more fully conceiue and apprehend thy be­nefites, that y^• abundance there­of may teach me new language, and phrase of more copious sig­nification and content, and fill my heart with ioy aboue mea­sure in the apprehension therof. [Page] By thy loue I was elected, by thy goodnesse I was created by thy spirit I was called, by thy mer [...]y I was iustified, by thy grace I was sanctified, and by thy power I am preserued, and by thy sufferings I shall bee sa­ued. By thy permission & good­nesse I moue, liue, and haue my being: naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and thou hast cloathed mee; hungry haue I come to thy gates, and thou hast fed me; harborlesse haue I bene exposed, and thou hast taken me in: well therefore may I ad­mire thy mercies in silence, but speake of them as is meet I cā ­not, for there words forsake me, & my tongue becommeth mute. Merciful father for all these thy benefites haue I laid them to [Page] heart, resisted the motions of y^• flesh, the temptations of the di­uell? No, I haue sinned grie­uosly in thy sight, preferred the desires of my flesh before y^e pre­cepts of thy law, choosing rather a short and momentary taste of dayes in iollity and pleasure in this world, which at their fullest height are euer waning, and attended on by sorrow, then the eternall ioyes of thy kingdome in the world to come, nothing dreading y^e displeasure of thy Maiesty, whose breath shaketh the foundations of the earth, and maketh the spirits of darknesse to tremble, & burneth vnquenchably in y^e bottomlesse pit of hell, whose power is so in­finite, y^• in the twinckling of an eye, or more sudden the y^e flash of [Page] the lightning is able to consume what euer his hāds haue made: yet notwithstanding, sinfull & carelesse creature that I am, haue I bin bold to do wickedly, to perseuer in the same, so now touched in conscience by y^e finger of thy good spirit, I am bold to speake, beeing but dust & ashes, prostrated before y^e throne of thy maiesty, hartely to beseech, and humbly intreate thee, that thou wilt not deale with mee accor­ding to my deserts: for then O Lord, where should I stand to plead my case? fire and brim­stone should bee my portion to drinke, that haue drunke downe sinnne as Behemoth drinketh downe water: but thou art gra­cious & compassionate, therfore vnder the shadow of thy wings [Page] will I seeke for refuge, desiring thee to naile all my sinnes to thy crosse, that through thy suf­ferings I may obtaine remission thereof. I am a sinner, yet re­deemed by thy pretious bloud: a sinner I am, remember thou camest into y^e world to saue sin­ners, wherof I am chiefe, lost in a wildernesse of errours, wan­dring from thy presence: helpe me, O Lord, or else who can de­liuer me? saue mee, O Lord, or else I perish, for there is no re­demption no saluation without thee: heare him O Lord that cō ­demneth himselfe, & caleth vpon thee. O Sauiour, whom wilt thou saue, if y^• sinner shall des­cend to perdition that dispai­reth of himselfe, and trusteth in thee? O blessed Sauiour and Re­deemer [Page] of the world, aswage my griefe heale my diseases: thou hast called me when I, like the deafe Adder, would not heare thy voyce: wilt thou then turne away thy face when my cryes come vnto thee? wilt thou suffer that to bee lost which thou pur­chasest at so deere a prise? No Lord, for thy mercies sake, for thine owne sake sweet Iesus.

Of the danger of deferring our repentance, with a praier sud­denly to conceiue it, and soone to practise it.

MErciful God, and most lo­uing father, what may I render vnto thee for all thy be­nefits, more in number then the moaths in the sunne, or y^e sands [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] by the sea-shore, that hast made to be when I was not, predesti­nated mee from y^• beginning of the world, to be in due time and season, protected me in my mothers wombe, carefully taken me out from thence, euer since been my guardian to these years of my youth: & for all these thou requirest nought but thankful­nesse towards thee, and remem­brance of thee in my yonger yeares & capacities, and shall I neglect and deferre then to giue thee the gifts of thine owne gi­uing? shall I giue the first of my life, and best of mine yeares, the strength and marrow of my dayes to the seruice of Sathan, and think that thou wilt receiue me in my hoary age, when sinne leaues me, and I not it? Good [Page] Lord wipe all such ingratitude out of my mind, y^t I may with a present ioy & felicity in thee, im­brace thee in due time in some measure, which hast done & suf­fered so many things for my soule and body: put farre from me, O Lord, the thoughts and imaginations of wicked men, that vpon thy long suffering & patience, passe ouer their daies in mirth and iollity, and thinke their latest yeares, or last gaspes sufficient satisfaction for a lewd and long mis-spended life. Thy father & thy mother in the dayes of thy humanity, loosing thee in the temple went but one dayes Iourney without thee, but sought thee 3. dayes, sorrowing before they found thee. Hee y^• hath lost thee many years, must [Page] haue many yeares to finde thee againe; and late and constrained repentance is seldome true re­pentance: our time is not when wee our selues will, but when God doth call, heare wee must when he speaketh, open we must when he knocketh, else wee shall powre out our petitiōs in vaine: for when wee pray hee will not heare vs, the first and best is his due, & more then we can giue, or he expects; and the last & worst is not sufficient, and hee iustly may and will reiect it. Grant therefore mercifull Father, that thy word may worke in vs so free and voluntary o­bedience to thy will, that thou mayst accept it, which in vs is willing subiection, not by thy iudgements, which is constrai­ned [Page] obedience for feare of distru­ction, which thou litle regardest. O Lord take from me that com­mon and dangerous sin of pre­sumption, presumption of thy mercies, that thou desirest not the damnation of sinners, that our yeares & youth, obseruation of diet, & curiosity of our health, will carry vs to the l [...]st yeares of our expectation; and when we draw neere to our end, that then safely enough we may be­gin to thinke vpon thee, & all in due season And thus make pre­sumption the rocke whereupon we shipwracke our soules, and by y^e which many millions haue perished, it drowned the old world, it threw the rich glutton into hell. Lord make my sence & vnderstanding as a bulwark to [Page] beat back all the policies and as­saults that Sathan can deuise to beat against with that engine: that to day I may heare thy voice lest thou harden my heart. And if I will deferre vpon hope and example, make me that I rather feare the portion of the bad Thiefe, then the successe of the good, and let me not re [...]use thy grace in my health, whē thou of­ferest it, lest when I shall craue it in my sicknesse, thou refuse to giue it mee: Touch mee, O Lord, with a consideration of the danger thereof, that in time I may haue grace to call for thy grace to preuent it, that I may now amend, and not de­ferre till hereafter, to the end, to my death, when there is no remedy, but either I must [Page] to heauen or to hell, to God or to the deuill, and when that comfort is seldome, found which presumptuously was imagined, when the memory presentes fantasies and dreames, the harte akes, the handes trembl [...], the tongue faltereth, the eyes wax dim, checkes pale, lips blacke, feet weake, and the whole body and soule possessed with an­guish, and griefe, and terrour, what repentance shall we then make? when our sinnes are so great they ouer-presse vs, our comfort so small that we haue noe feeling of it, our time so short that we cannot thinke of them, our friends weeping that they put vs out of them, amasement & distracti­on peeping wildly throughout [Page] all our sences, miserable is that man in this case whose end and repentance comes so neare to­gether-therefore Lord: what­soeuer at the time of my death I would wish to haue done, grant that in this time of my health I may doe it, and Lord make me vnderstāding, capable so wise in my generation, so gratious in thy grace that fore­knowing these things I may preuent them, that with the wise virgines I may euer haue the oyle in my lampe, that is bee in readinesse to goe with thee whensoeuer it please thee, that now I heare thy voice when thou speakest vnto me, be acquainted with thee, that thou bee no stranger vnto me; but a friend and a friend indeed, as [Page] at all times, so especially at this exigent & last extremity, which how long it may be I will not presume, nor how short it may be dispaire, but prepare my selfe against it, my readinesse being my resolution that when­soeuer it shall come it shall the lesse affright mee, in that before I haue set my house in order and disposed my selfe thereto which preparation that I may make, and successe that I may find, graunt me Lord (though so ma­ny neclect it) for thy mercies sake.

Amē.

A prayer and meditation for a strong faith and against that dangerous sinne of despe­ration.

THough our sinnes were as red as scarlet, thy bloud O Lord will wash them as white as snow, though in sin we haue bene borne, and in iniquity our mothers haue conceyued vs, yet will we trust in thy louing kindnesse all the dayes of our life, if wee should trust in our owne merits, desperatiō would inuiron vs on euery side, yet Lord when we consider the mul­titude of our sinnes, and that e­uery day of our life we adde to there number, so that all the wa­ter in the Ocean-sea cannot [Page] rince vs from them, for the least of which in thy iustice, thou m [...]yst throw vs downe to the bottomlesse pit of hell, our faith faultereth and we begin to dis­payre, but that we trust in the merits of his suffering who in y^e bundle of his afliction hath gert vp ours, and will eyther nayle them to his crosse or cast them into the bottome of the sea, and hang millstones about there neckes y^• they shal neuer rise vp in iudgement to condemne vs, y^• else would neuer suffer vs to rise vp to be saued. Lord giue vs grace to be wary to our steps, & vigilant to our pathes, to haue an eye to our soules, for Sathan compasseth the earth, watcheth, and roreth and walketh, trans­formeth himselfe into all shapes [Page] that he may win vs in all sins, into an Angell of light being but a fiend of darkenesse, to sift and winnowe vs as wheat, graine after graine, that if it were pos­sible he might surprise vs: good God what need haue we of thy assistance and grace to beare v [...] out, that haue such enemies without, & such enemies with­in, the weakest whereof is stron­ger then we, so that we need the prayers of our owne spirits, and the spirit of God that gro­ [...]eth with gronings not to be expressed, and of the sonne of God himselfe who sitteth at his fathers right hand and maketh intercession for vs that our faith fayle not, and that we fall not into desperation, for alasse what ability haue we of our selues? or [Page] what strength haue wee in our sinn [...]wes? who are not as pillers of brasse or the deafe rockes of the sea (against the which there waues dash them­selues and they are not shaken, being substances so firme & v [...] ­alterable that cannot be remo­ued) but dust and ashes crackt with euery flaw and blast of affliction, and vnlesse thou sup­port vs we are not able to stand and there is no safty but vn­der the winges of thy mercy, we haue sinned against heauen, and against thee, the father of our spirits, the father of our flesh, against him y^• gaue vs his law, and he that gaue our nature, birth, and being, by our mis­deedes and abominations both the tables haue we broken and [Page] done very wickedly in thy sight all the creatures in the world haue in there kind and degree bene more dutifull and serui­ceable vnto thee, then man, so much beloued of thee made ac­cording to thine owne image, indued with reason, directed by thy law and thy preceptes: a­uering thus offended men and bretheren what shall we doe, all the creatures in heauen & earth accusing and condemning vs, & y^e Lord himselfe complayning against vs: I haue norished and brought forth children and they haue rebelled against mee, what shall wee say that our sins are greater then can be forgiuen? no let vs with Dauid, though our faith haue almost failed and our feet slided with his, yet let [Page] vs with him recouer out-selues againe, by laying hold vpon thy promises, support vs O Lord where thy Angels fell, Caine, Iudas, Achitophell, for they dis­payred in thy mercies and there fall was i [...] ▪ recouerable, euen to the bottomlesse pit of hell, from whence there is no deliuery, but we will trust in thy mercies and louing kindnes all the days we liue in, and kisse the son least he be angry, and o turne away the fauour & light of his coun­tenance from vs, and least his wrath be kindled against vs his fierce and furious wrath, which O Lord who is able to abide: the extent and copiousnesse whereof is as his mercies are vnexplicable, and there­in sueth an abundance of misery [Page] with a traine and coniunction of all plagues and punishments out of the ready st [...]re-house of the restrayned inundations of his wrath, that let at liberty range in an open feild and there is none to resist them, we are all by nature the children of wrath borne to the inheritance thereof as to our fathers landes, for no­thing remayneth so hereditary to vs as sinne and confusion, but y^• the bloud of Christ hath purchased fauour for vs, Lord giue vs grace to continue it in keeping a wary conscience to offend, and walking carefully in thy feare, but for such O Lord that are allready condemned, that runne on in an endlesse la­byr [...]nth of sinne, the race to distruction without turning [Page] vnto thee, drawing the vnhappy breath, which if it had neuer ben breathed into there nostrills whereby they were made liuing creatures, (it had bene wel with them) without repenting, hea­ping vp anger against the day of wrath, & not caring to blunt the edge thereof, there end is the end of the sentence and they are sure to perish, not in the life of the body alone, but in the life and eternity of there soules, not for an age and a period of time but whilst God raigneth in hea­uen; able to doe iustice, to auoid which greuious plagues and pu­nishments giue vs grace O Lord suddainly to turne vnto the whilst the time of grace re­mayneth least the graue open her mouth and sh [...]t it againe [Page] vpon vs, and close vs vp in our sinnes, and deliuer vs guilty in­to the hands of perdition, from the which wee shall neuer bee freed. Let vs quench this wrath in time with the bloud of the Lambe, staine from the begin­ning of the world, and through the streame of his mercy, and the riches of his merits, seeke acceptance, acquaintance, and friendship with our God, that wee perish not: let vs not de­spaire in our sins, nor presume on his merits too much, but lay hold theron by faith, so applying the benefite of thy passion and merites to our selues and our soules, that wee may finde fa­uour, and bee acceptable in thy sight. Thy mercy, O Lord, is y^e crowne of all thy workes, and [Page] my sinnes though they were more then I can commit, are not more then thou canst for­giue, the assurance of this pro­mise and the probation of thy goodnes, euermore, shall be the rocke whereupon my faith shall anker, & I will sayle my brittle barke throughout this sea of vn­certainty, temptation and dan­ger thou being the starre of my direction, throughout y^• waues and surges thereof that some­times lift mee vp vnto the clou­des, by the good thoughtes and motions of the spirit, and some­times cast mee downe to the ends of the earth, euen to the bottomlesse pit of hell, by the temptations and allurements of the world and the deuill, till I come vnto the hauen of my rest [Page] to the which Lord bring mee for thy mercies sake.

Amen.

In time of pestilence.

TThe life of man, most glo­rious Lord therof, by whose handes it was made, & in whose hands it is inlightned with such vnderstanding, capacity, so large & ample, thy creatures, & bene­fits so good, so innumerable and all for the delight and seruice of man, which are so powerful and comfortable to him in the ouer­looking thereof in his large dis­course and reason, that he could wish in this world a perpetuity without change, not knowing in his fleshly and blinded indge­mēt, what may be more in hea­uen with thée to content his na­turall [Page] desire, that he inioys, not in this eclipse & glimpse of thy goodnes vpon earth, that lands, possessions, sumptuous buil­ding, gorgeous clothing, the cō ­fort of children, friends, seruāts with many other adiunctes, can­not be equalled or exceeded in y^e world to come: we confesse O thou giuer of all good guiftes y^• we are not worthy of y^e least of these thy benifits, not thy friēds but thine enemies, & such that haue pulled thee frō the crowne to y^e Crosse, nayld thee there vn­to death, and not greeuing our selues that we haue thus gree­ued thée, snacht thy benefits out of thy hands not returning that easy curtesy vnto thee thou re­quirest of vs, which is nothing but gratuity and thankes, being [Page] more vngratefull vnto thee for all we haue, for by thee we liue and moue, and haue our being, inioying nothing but from thy al-filling hands, from that ouer­flowing fountaine of thy good­nes, yet more returning to a mortall man for one single cur­tesy, then to thee for all these, correct O Lord this fault in na­ture, this vniuersal defect in mā ­kind: O Lord if thou hast prepa­red so good things for thy ene­mies and friends together, what hast thou in store for thy elect there seuered: surely such things as y^e eye hath not sene the eare hath not hard, y^e tongue cannot vtter, y^e hart cannot conceiue, w^e thée ò Lord there is fulnes of ioy & at thy right hād pleasures for euermore. Psal. 16. & who giueth [Page] vs drinke out of a whole riuer of pleasure. Psal. 36. where ioy shal be euer present yet we can­not be filled, or rather filled but not satisfied, what it is O Lord thou knowest best, but there is y^e fountaine & spring from whēce all goodnes floweth, take vs in­to thy besome, vnder the wings of thy mercy, into that celestiall habitation where the sight and splendor of y^t heauenly presence, shal more delight then all y^e ob­scured and mixed pleasures the world can afford, on the other side we know as a strong mo­tiue vnto vs, the vnsupportable and heauy iudgement prepa­red against the day of wrath, for those y^• haue drunke downe sinne as the Leuiathan the wa­ters, terrefie O Lord our vn­derstanding [Page] with there horrour & fearfullnes, y^• we neuer come there to feele them, bring vs by one meanes or other to the hea­uen of our happinesse, what thy promises cānot perswade, let thy threatnings performe, by y^• ter­rour of thy punishments, which are impossible to be vttered, and yet must be indured, bound hand and foot, & cast into vtter darkenesse, where thy fauour nor mercy shall neuer-more be extended: where nether the light of the sunne, nor the moone, or starres, much lesse the light of Gods face shal euer shine, where for euer shal be weping and gna­shing of teeth, without deter­minatiō or ceasing. O Lord who is able to indure it: thy Angell y^• walkes in the darkenes, and [Page] striketh at noone dayes, y^e many dangers that accompany our wretched liues, y^e least of which one time or other strikes home, take vs in our pallace, in our gar­dēs, in ourwarehouses, in y^e feild, on y^e sea on y^e earth, in y^e ayre, in our beds, at our tables, whatsoe­uer our bodies do, whatsoeuer our minds thinke, comes thy messēger in one shape or another takes vs by the hand, leades vs from whatsoeuer is dearest vn­to vs, to the tribunall seat of thy iustice and mercy, where we are eyther to be acquitted, or con­demned, eyther to be receiued or thrust out. Lord therfore deale with vs according to thy mercy, that if thou prolong our liues & bring vs safe out of this storme & tempest of mortality, that by [Page] y^• fal & slaughter of others we be brought to such a serious cōside­ration of our owne mortality & estate y^• we make our prepara­tion thereunto, all y^• days of our life, knowing y^• he may fal in his tent, y^• hath escaped y^• feild pe­rish in y^• hauen y^• hath passed y^• Ocean, & y^• it must be surrende­red one time or another, and if it please thée y^e we fall by y^• stroke of this thy deuouring Angel, as y^e corruption & ranlinesse of our nature infectious enough to procure it and bring to passe that thou accept as my deed my will, desire, and purpose to serue thée, my intent for my action that I would, as if I should liue to glo­rifie thée, & make mée out of loue with this wretched world and all the allurements and baytes [Page] therein, and in loue only with thee and thy heauenly kingdom for thy blessed name sake.

Amē.

For humility vpon these con­siderations.

THou mighty Lord of hea­uen and earth, who hol­dest the ball of the world in thy hand, and keepest all times and seasons as in a register, who art all hand, all eye, all foot, for strengthe, for fight, for swift­nesse, to whom the in-most chambers and retired clossets, the tabernacles and habita­tions of mortall men, nay the hartes and bosomes of all the creatures in the world, are vnfoulded and layed o­pen as leuill to thy sight, as [Page] the aire which we looke on with our eyes, what cā we do y^e is hid frō thy sight, ten thousand times brighter then y^• sun, or whether can we go y^• our sins & offences lye not naked before thée, surely no otherway there is, but only to inuolue them in the clowds & mistes of sighes & repentance, repentance the guift of God, the ioy of Angels, the salue of sins, y^e heauen & refuge of sinners: O where remaines the subiect of y^e title, y^e Angels sin not and ther­fore need not repentance, nor y^e spirits of darkenes for the sen­tence is already past & condem­nation sealed, it is only for me most wretched sinner y^• I am, & for my brethren of y^e same inhe­ritance, to vs alone doth it be­long, and we perceiue it not, [Page] we eat and feed delitiously, we are wanton with thy guifts, O God abusing them in surfet and riot, and luxuriouslye, we sinne in drinking, in procuring an ap­petite to exceed therein, we sin in our cloathing, most super­fluously attyred like the rich glutton condemned to hell, as if we would exceed Salomon, and match the lillies of the feild, and we [...]eed not only our selues, but our oxen in our meadowes and stalles to feed our vnprofitable carcasses, & our horses in y^e stable to beare our vnprofitable car­kasses, when the poore in our streetes & at our gates, feed v­pō empty aire for lacke of suste­nance, & we remēber not thē, not Christ in them, y^e hungereth and Christ y^e must feed vs which is [Page] y^e aduocate for y^e poore, & y^• iud­ge of y^e rich, in this obliuion and height of our sins: what is be­come of humility, of repentance, we are all begotten in sin, and to misery are we brought forth: cō ­cupiscence hath bene the nurse whose milke wee haue sucked from time to time, & as we haue growne in yeares so hath cor­ruptiō growne vp w^t vs as part of our owne nature: what re­mayneth thē O Lord for vs but humility & repētāce, to prostrate our selues vpon y^e knees of our harts, and say Lord haue mercy vpō sinners with the poore pub­lican, & not with y^• proud Pha­rise to say I am not like this mā, or other my brethren for I doe thus and so, let vs not be so mad as to forget nature so much, all [Page] our imperfections, the substance and mettall whereof wee are made, and that we must sudden­ly turne to y^e earth, vpon which now we trample with such con­tempt and scorne, and must be­come chamberers and fellowes with wormes and rotlennesse: and what cause haue wee then to be proud? Nay, what cause haue wee not to bee humble? when of all the large possessions and inheritances wee possesse, wee haue no more truely our own then the length and bredth of our Carkasses. And againe, let vs humble our selues, that Christ may exalt vs, and not ex­alt our selues, lest hee throw vs downe, as hee scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts. Let vs learne of [Page] him to bee humble and meeke, which although the King of hea­uen and earth, hauing all power and preheminence, and proud in subiection vnder his feet, yet was not touched with this vice himselfe, that chose poore Fi­sher-men to bee his Disciples, payd tribute to his inferiours, rode vpon an asse, praied for his Persecutors, imbraced yong children, cured the halt, and the lame, and the blinde, and regar­ded the low estate of his Hand­maid, and will regard vs if wee regard this vertue, which hee so regarded, if wee be imitators of his steps, and examples, which hee grant that hath thus led the way, the God, the King, the Prince of humility, for his own deere sake.

Amen.

The liuing words in effect of a dying man, closed vp in this vertue.

I Vnto thy hands, O Lord, I commend my soule and body, prostrate in all humility and o­bedience to thy good will and pleasure, Lord Iesus haue mer­cy vpon thy humble and pro­strate seruant.

The summe of the Prayer of the Lady G. at the time of her execution.

VVIllingly and ioyfully O Lord, come I hi­ther into thy hands to resigne my soule and body, in whose protection I trust they shall bee [Page] safer and better then in this life (although in the best measure) they euer were: giue vnto me, my God, thy poore and weake seruant and vessell, patience, constancy and strength to vn­dergo this my sentence of death, strengthen the frailty of my sex, in the act of this my suffering: and though I dye for that I ne­uer of my selfe desired, yet how­soeuer lest any sinne in the least consent or thought hath defiled my purity therein, for it pardon me my God, and blot it out of the booke of thy remembrance; and not onely that, but y^e whole course thereof, throughout my whole life, that my soule with the wings of faith in thy mercy, may cheerefully ascend to thy blessed kingdome.

And so preparing her selfe to dye with these words rendred her life.

A generall Thankesgiuing to God for all his benefites and mercies to man.

O Eternall God in Christ Iesus, most gracious and mercifull, for all thy blessings both temporall and spirituall, bestowed vpon me, the least of thy seruants, and most vnwor­thy to cast vp mine eyes to thy heauenly Tabernacle, where thou reignest in glory, doe I yeild all possible & hearty thanks vnto thy diuine Maiesty for all thy blessings and mercies be­stowed vpon me, especially for [Page] the singular benefite of my Iu­stification, and the admirable gift of eternall saluation, pur­chased by the righteousnesse and deerest life of thy beloued Son Christ Iesus my Sauiour. My lot is fallen in a pleasant place, well is me, and yet woe is mee, because it is, and I vnderstand it not: hast thou beene fauou­rable vnto all thy creatures in the world, or hast thou neglected others, and beene mindfull of me? Good Lord, why shouldest thou bestow thy health, thy wealth, thy rest, and liberty, ad­uancements, friends, possessi­ons, Children like the Oliue. Oliue branches and their trees for me & them to repose securely vnder? Why shouldest thou, I say, bestow these blessings vp­on [Page] me more then vpon others? I can giue no reason for it, but stand wondring and admiring thy mercy, which is the cause of it: and if thou shouldest take a suruey of my worthinesse to en­ioy all these at thy hands, and finding mee so vnworthy as I am of the least, shouldest with­draw them all backe againe, what could I say, but commend thy iustice? Haue I deserued li­berty, and Ioseph thy seruant deserued bonds? Haue I deser­ued rest, and thy Dauid to bee tost to and fro vpon his watery couch day and night? to haue y^e sonne of his owne loynes, and the loynes of his owne body re­belling against him? Hath thy Lazarus deserued to lye at the gates, afflicted in body & minde, [Page] crauing but crums wherewith­all to be refreshed, and I like the rich man, whose dogges more merciful thē their maister came and licked his sores, sitting at my table furnished with abun­dance, like his? Haue I deserued health, and thy Iob to lye full of botches and biles vpon the dung-hill? Are these thy blessed seruants tried in the furnace of affliction, layd in the throat of hell, and am I wrapt vp into Abrahams bosome? haue I their portion, and do they stand at re­ward, or sent empty? Why my soule is it so well with thee? mercy, aboundance of mercy, and why art thou so ill my soule? O mercy, yet most wret­ched sinner that I am, haue I not in a Christian loue, and [Page] godly nature beene moued to serue thee in a larger measure, considering these thy benefites vpon mee so largely multiply­ed, then the poore and perse­cuted Children that neuer ta­sted thy mercy but in imitati­on of their misery. Continue O Lord this thy goodnesse vnto me, and the more to perswade thee thereunto, lift my heart and spirit out of this dull and earthly Center wherein it mo­ueth, to the meditation of thée, and these thy mercies, with a thankfull retribution of all my thoughts and affections, to thée, from whence they come, that I may euer serue thee from this hower, with those dutyes, which the world, the flesh and the Diuell would haue me deser [Page] vntill the point of death: and good father grant, that I may loue righteousnesse and pitty, with as great good will as euer I loued wickednesse and vani­ty, and that I may go before o­ther in thankfulnesse towards thee, as farre as thou goest in mercy to mee before them. O teach mee to seeke thee in all things, and all things in thee, e­uen for thy name sake, for thy promise sake, for thy Sonnes sake, our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus.

A Thankesgiuing before meate.

TO thee O Lord, the giuer of al good gifts, vpon whose bounty and mercy depend all [Page] the creatures in y^e world, which openest thy hand, and fillest vs with thy blessings, or wee goe empty away, and perish: Thy bounty and goodnesse it is, O Lord, that furnisheth our backs, and feedeth our bellyes, and spreadeth our tables, blesseth, preserueth, and vpholdeth all that we haue, our basket, and our store, the oyle in our cruses, prouision in our presses, the sheep in our foldes, in our sta­bles, the children in the wombe, at our tables, the corne in our fields, in our floores and gar­ners, and all that wee haue, or is in the ayre, in the earth, in the sea, or wheresoeuer else the least of which thy good gifts and bles­sings, let vs not at this time, nor no time else presume to [Page] touch, make vse, or enioy with­out an awfull reuerence and re­spect to thee the author and owner thereof. Sanctifie there­fore we beséech thée at this time, them vnto vs, and vs in them, so that thy name may bee glori­fied, and our bodies comforted, through Iesus Christ.

Amen.

Thanksgiuing after meate.

DEere Father, wee render m [...]st humble and hearty thankes vnto thee as is most meet & requisite, for all thy for­mer benefits & good creatures, ordained & giuen to our vse, sa­crificed & ready to be sacrificed euery day for our pleasures: so now at this time for the large & competent satisfaction thou hast [Page] bestowed vpon vs to the refre­shing of our weake & fainting bodyes. So good Lord, as thou hast beene gracious vnto vs in breaking this thy corporall and materiall bread vnto vs at this time, to the food of our bodies, so likewise giue thy Spirituall bread vnto our soules in that a­bundant measure, that the more they eate and drinke thereof, the more they may hunger & thirst after thee, to fulfill thy precepts, to walke in thy commande­ments, and to do the workes of charity and mercy towards o­thers, to whom thy bounty hath in some measure bene re­strained; which grant most mer­cifull Father, for thy mercies sake.

Amen.

Before Meate.

After Meate.

Amen.