¶ A prayer to be sayd at our first waking.

O God, and father of our Lord Iesus Christ, whom no man knoweth but by thy specyall gift: graunt, that vnto the rest of thine exceéding great benefites towards me, this, which is the grea­test that can be bestowed vpon man­kind,

[Page] may be added also, namely that as thou hast raysed vp my body from fast and sound sleépe, so also thou wilt deliuer my mind from the sleépe of sin, and from the darcknes of this world. and after death restore the same body to life, as well as thou hast called it a­gayne from sleépe. For that which is death to vs, is but sleépe vnto theé. I pray and beseéch theé, that through thy goodnes, this body of mine, may be a fellow, and furtherer of all godlinesse to my soule in this life, so as it may al­so be partner with it of the endles feli­citie in the life to come, through Iesus Christ thy sonne our Lord. For whose sake, and by whom, thou geuest vs all good, and holsome thinges to our wel­fare, Amen.

Another.

MUch better is the light of the soule, and the insight of the

[Page 2] minde, then the light, or eyesight of the body. The eyesight of the body euery silly beast hath: but the sight of minde none hath but men. Yea none haue it but wise men.

Thou therfore O Lord Iesu Christ, which art the greatest of all lights, the only true light, the light from whence springeth the light of the day, and the sonne. Thou light which inlightenest euery man y^• commeth into the world. Thou light, whereon there commeth no night nor euentide: but continuest euer bright, and cleére as at midday. Thou light, wherewithout all things are deépe darcknesse, and whereby all things were made lightsome. Thou mind and wisdom of the heauenly Fa­ther inlighten my minde, that (being blind in all other things) I may seé no­thing but that which belōgeth to theé, and that I may thereby walke in thy wayes, without fantasying, or lyking

[Page] of any other light els. Lord I beseéch theé inlighten mine eyes, that I may neuer slumber in darcknes, least my ghostly enemy say at any time, I haue preuayled against him. Amen.

* A prayer at our vprising.

OUr first father Adam, being tumbled down from most excellent, and glorious highnes, into the dunge­on of shame, and sinck of all sinne, was releéued, & lifted vp again by thy hand, O Sauyour Iesus Christ. And we likewise, should lye wallowing in the same plight for euer, if we were not raysed vp by theé.

Wherfore O most mercifull Redeé­mer of mankinde, like as thou of thy goodnes, hast raysed vp this heauy and burthensome body: euen so vouchsafe to lift vp my minde to the knowledge, and loue of thy highnes, Amen.

[Page 3] I Thanke theé O Lord Iesu Christ, that it hath pleased theé to geue me good rest this night past: And I beseéch theé likewise to prosper me all this day following, to the glory of thy name, and to mine own soules health. And thou which art the true daylight, that neuer knoweth any euentide: And the euerlasting dayson, which quickneth, cherisheth, and cheéreth all thinges, vouchsafe to shine into my minde, that I may not stumble into any sinne, but by thy guyding come to eternall life, Amen.

Another.

I Thank theé O holy Lord, father al­mighty, and euerlasting God, that thou hast vouchsafed to keépe me this night through thy great mercy. And I beseéch theé of thine vnmeasurable cle­mency, to geue me grace so to pas this day now comming, in all lowlynesse,

[Page] meéknes, chastity, charitie, patience, goodnes, feare, and warynesse, as my seruise may please theé, through him which shall come to iudge both y^e quick and the dead, & the world by fire: keépe and preserue me from all euil, from all stumbling and geuing of offence, from all wilfull sinning, and from all the crafts, and assaultes of wicked feénds, and enemies, seéne, or vnseéne, through our Lord Iesus Christ thine onely be­gotten sonne. To whom be prayse and glory with theé for euermore, Amen.

* A Prayer at the putting on of our Clothes.

MOst gracious and merciful sa­uyour Iesus Christ, thou kno­west how we be borne, clothed, & clog­ged with the greéuous, and heauy bur­then of the first man, who fell away vn­to fleshlynesse, through disobedience.

[Page 4] Uouchsafe therefore I beseéch theé, to strip me out of the old corrupt Adam, which being soked in sin, transformeth him self into all incumberances, and diseases of the minde, that may lead a­way from theé.

Rid me also quite and cleane of that his tempter the deceitfull Eue, which turneth vs away from the obedience of thy Father. Clothe me with thy self O my redeémer and sanctifyer, clothe me with thy self, which art the second man, and hast yealded thy self obedient in all things to God thy father, to rid away all lustes of the flesh, and to de­stroy the kingdome thereof, through righteousnes.

Be thou our clothing and apparrell, to keép vs warme from the cold of this world. For if thou be away, by and by all things become noume, weake, and stark dead. Wheras if thou be present they be liuely, sound, strong, and lusty.

[Page] And therfore like as I wrap my body in these clothes, so cloth thou me all o­uer, but specially my soule, with thine own selfe, Amen.

❧ A Prayer to be sayd at our first going abroad.

I Must be fayn to go abroad among the snares which the deuill, and his handseruant the world haue layd for me: and I cary with me besides, the stinges of mine own flesh. Guyde me therfore, O thou most sure guide, be thou my leader, thou God of my wel­fare. Defend me O captayn, from the traynes, and stalles that are layd for me: that whatsoeuer thinges I shall meéte with, I may make no more ac­coūt of them, then they are worthy of: but keép on my way, with mine eyes so fast fixed and setled vpon theé alone, as I may not deal with any thing further

[Page 5] forth then it hath respect vnto theé. Lord shew me thy wayes, and lead me in thy pathes for thy Sonnes sake. Amen.

* A Prayer to be sayd at our returning home.

O How excellent, and ioyfull shall our returning home be into the euerlasting, quyet, and blessed house of heauen, where there is no troble, nor incumberance at al. All the mirth, and gladnes of this world, is but a shadow in comparysō of the pleasures that are there. Nothing O Lord, is liker to thy holy nature, then the minde that is set­led in quietnesse. Thou hast called vs into that quietnes, and peace of thine, frō out of the turmoiles of this world, as it were from out of stormes into a hauen: Which is such a peace as the world cannot geue, and as passeth all capacitie of man.

[Page]Houses are builded for vs to repair into from the anoyance of the wether, from the cruelty of beastes, and from the waues and turmoiles of this trou­blous world.

Graunt now, O most mercifull Fa­ther, that through thy singular good­nes, our bodies may so resort into thē, from our outwarde doinges, as our mindes may yeald them selues obedy­ent vnto theé, without striuing: & that they may the better, and more quyetly exalt them selues into that souerayne rest of thine aboue. Graunt that no­thing may disturb, and disquyet them here beneath: but that all things may be quyet and calme through that peace of thine. The peace of Christ be to this house, and to all that dwell therin. Amen.

* A Prayer to be sayd at the set­ting of the Sunne.

[Page 6]WRetthed are they (O Lord) to whom thy daysun goeth down, I meane that sonne of thine which ne­uer setteth to thy saints, but is always at the noonpoint with thē, euer bright, and euer shining. A droopy night ouer dreépeth the minds of them euen at hie noontide, which depart from theé. But vnto them that are conuersant with theé, it is continually cleére daylight. This daysun that shineth in the skye, goeth and commeth by turnes: But thou (if we loue theé in deéd) doest neuer goe away frō vs. O that thou wouldst remoue away this impediment of sin from vs, that it might alwayes be day light in our harts, Amen.

* A Prayer to be sayd at the ligh­ting vp of Candles.

GReat and thick darcknes ouer­whelmeth our harts (O Lord,)

[Page] vntil thy light do chase it away. Thy Daysun O most wise workmaster, is as the cresset of this bodily world: and vnto the spirituall world, the cresset is thy wisdome, from whence springeth the light both of our bodies, and of our soules. At the comming of the night vpon the day, thou hast geuen vs Can­dles for a remedy of the darknes: and for a remedy of our ignoraunce after sinne, thou hast geuen vs thy doctrine, which thy sonne (who loueth vs moste deérelye) hath brought down vnto vs.

Wherfore thou fountayne and tea­cher of all trueth, make vs through both those lights, to seé such things as may driue away the dimnesse of our minds. The light of thy countenance is sealed vpon vs O Lord, thou hast put lightsomnes into our harts: Thy word is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my pathes.

❧ A Prayer to be sayd in the Euening.

O Lord, my God, my Father, and my sauyour, forasmuch as thou hast graunted me the grace to come to the end of this day, & hast created the night for man to rest in: I, casting my self most humbly down before thy holy maiesty, beseéch theé most hartelye to shew me this goodnes to the residue of thine infinite benefites, that I may so rest this night, to the comfort, and re­freshment of mine infirmitie, as my hart may still be lift vp vnto theé: And my soule haue her spirituall rest aswel as y^e body taketh his. Let not my sleépe be vnmeasurable to please excessiuely the ease of my flesh: but only to suffice the necessity of my nature, that I may be the better disposed to thy seruice to morrow.

[Page]Preserue me also from all vnclean­nes both of body and soule, keéping me from all temtations of the enemy, and from all dangers that may befall me. And because I haue not passed this day without offēding theé after diuers sorts and maners: Like as now in the absence of the sun, thou sendest darck­nes to couer all things: so also vouch­safe to wipe out all mine offences, by thine infinite mercy, so as they may neuer come to reckning before thy iudgement seate.

All which things I aske, and craue of theé, in the name, and for the sake of thine only Sonne, my Lord and Sa­uyour Iesus Christ, according to the rule which he hath geuen vs to pray by saying:

Our Father which art. &c.

* Another.

[Page 8]LOrd Iesu Christ, to whose vnconsumable goodnes we be behol­den for all things: which hast graun­ted the cherefull light of the day, vn­to al men both good and bad to doe their busines in, and mercifully geuē them the sweet stilnes of the night, to refresh the pores of their silly bodies, and to put away the cares of their minds, and to asswage their sorowes. Forasmuch as thou thy selfe perfor­mest al these thinges much more be­neficially to them that loue thee, to whom thou geuest a far greater light by the grace of fayth, to do al deedes of godlines by, then doth the shining of the Sun vnto the world: In so much as the promyses neuer suffer them to faynt, but the comfort of thy Spirite putteth away all cumberaunces of minde, far more effectually then any sleepe of the body. And the wholl

[Page] man resteth not more sweetly, or safely in any thing, then in thy mercy (O deere Redeemer:) I besech thee that if I haue done any thing this day through humayn frailety, and negly­gence, which hath offended thyne eyes, pardon it for thy wonted good­nes sake, and graunt therewithal that this night may be happy to me by thy prospering thereof, pure by thy preseruing of me, and safe from the nightly illusions of wicked feendes, through thy protection, so as this sleep may make both my body and minde, more cherefull, and lusty to serue thee to morrow.

Moreouer, because this life hath not one houre certayne, whensoeuer the e [...]entide therof commeth, & the long sleepe of the body groweth vp­on me, from which we shall not wake till the dead rise agayn at the sound

[Page 9] of thine Angels Trumpet. I beseech thee lighten thou then the eyes of my minde, so as I may not sleepe in euer­lasting death, by the quenching of my faith, but rest in thee, to whom e­uen the dead are aliue: Which lyuest, and raignest with the Father, and the holy Ghost, one God world without end, Amen.

¶A prayer to be sayd when we vnclothe our selues to bedward.

THis body which is become vnhā ­some, and vnwealdy through sin, shalbe consumed by litle and litle, and deliuered agayne to the earth, from whence it was taken. There shall the end be of this vanitie, which we haue purchased to our selues by our owne folly. Now therfore, thou O most lo­uing Father, which hast set me toge­ther:

[Page] dissolue me in such wise as I may feéle my selfe to be dissolued, and remē ­ber of whom I am ouercome, and con­sider whether I must goe. Take me not vnwares and vnprouyded to thy iudgement seat: but like as we be wil­ling to put of our clothes, which we shall put on agayne when the night is past: so let vs not be loth to put of this body, which we shall receiue agayn af­ter that the night of this world hath run out his full race, Amen.

❧ A Prayer to be sayd at our going into bed.

WHen the day is ended, we geue our selues to rest in the night: so when this life is ended, we rest in deth. Nothing resembleth our life more thē the day, nor death more then sleépe, nor the graue, more then the bed. Uouch­safe therfore, O Lord our gouernour,

[Page 10] & defender, both to shield vs now lying vnable to help our selues from the craftines & assaults of our cruell enemy: & also to call vs then vnto theé, when we shalbe yet more vnable at the finishing of the race of this life, not for our own deserts, but for thy own mercy sake: y^t we may liue & walk with theé for euer. And now let vs so fall a sleép in theé, as thou only, & those exceding, great, & incredible good thinges may in such wise be presēt alway before vs by y^e insight of our minds, as we may not be absent from theé, no not euen in sleép: that such dreames may both keép our beds, and bodies pure & vndefiled, and also chere our harts with that blessed ioy of thine In trust wherof, I wil fall on sleép, and take my rest, through our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, Amen.

A Prayer when we be redy to sleep.

[Page]TAke me into thy protection, O Lord Iesu Christ our defender: and graunt that while my body slepeth my soul may wake in thee, and cheére­fully, and ioyfully behold the happy, & gladsome heauenly life, wherein thou art soueraine with the Father and the holy Ghost: and the Angels, and holy soules of men are most blessed fellow Citizens for euer and euer, Amen.

* A preparation, or preface to Publick Prayer.

ALmighty God, and heauenly Fa­ther, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy, and in thy feare, will I worshippe toward thy holy Temple.

I haue loued the habitation of thine house, and willingly am I present in the congregation of thy Saints, praysing and confessing thy holy name.

[Page 11]Come let vs fall and bow down before the Lord who hath made vs, because he is the Lord our God, and we the sheep of his pasture.

Exalt the Lord our God, & fall down before his footstoole, for he is holy.

Lord I make my prayer vnto thee in an acceptable time: euen in the multitude of thy mercies: (O God) heare me in the truth of thy saluation.

I will offer to thee a sacrifice of praise and will call vpon the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord, e­uen now in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the Lords house, euen in the middest of thee, O Ierusalem.

I will run in the way of thy commaun­dementes, when thou shalt inlarge mine hart.

Teach me O Lord the way of thy sta­tutes. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy lawe.

[Page]Then will I take the cup of saluation, and call vpon the name of the Lord.

Lord open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse.

I will sing with the Spirite, and in vn­derstanding, and say, Amen.

*A short speech before the Lords Proyer.

O Heauenly Father, O most mer­ciful God, I most wretched sin­ner am vnworthy to lift vp my hands and eyes vnto thee, or to trouble thee with my prayers.

Neuerthelesse, forasmuch as thou hast commaunded all men to pray, & promised that thou wilt heare vs: And moreouer, prescribed vs a forme of Prayer in expresse wordes, by thy welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ: be­ing dryuen by thy commaundement, and trusting to thy promyses, I pray

[Page 12] vnto thee in the name of my Lotd, with all the godly vpon earth, saying as he hath taught vs. Our Father, which art in heauen. &c.

* A Prayer to God the Father.

MOst louing Father, which be­ing most high, dwellest in the highest places, harken to the prayers of thy seruants, yet wayfaring here on earth, whom thou of thine vnspekable goodnes hast vouchsafed the name of thy childrē, and geuing them the most precious pledge of thy Spirite, hast graunted them leaue to call vpon theé with reuerent boldnes by the name of Father: we pray that thy holy name may be so knowen through the wholl world, that like as in the heauenly Ci­tie, thou alone art the glory of all folk: So on earth, no man may glory of

[Page] him selfe, but all men acknowledge their own vnworthynes, and thy boun­tifulnes, and glory in theé, which is the only true glory.

And because we haue diuers & hard incoūters to indure against the world, the deuill, his ministers, and the flesh which we beare about vs: we beseéch theé euen with sighes, that thy king­dome may come. That like as in hea­uen all thinges submit them selues to thy maiesty with trembling: so also thy Spirite may raign in our harts, ma­king vs to acknowledge theé the king of all kinges, then the which nothing can be either greater, or better.

And as in thy holy palace there is no rebelliō, so let all mortall creatures put away all fleshly lustes, and with all their harts obay thy kingly commaun­dements, both in prosperity, and ad­uersity, life, and death: assuring them selues, that thou canst not will any

[Page 13] thing but that which is singularlye good: and that the same is singularly good euen because it liketh theé. Which will of thine it hath pleased theé, O most deére Father, to expresse vnto vs in the holy Bible, that we might know it. But no man is able to fulfill thy commaundements, vnles thou geue him the grace, and of thine vnspeaka­ble mercy, take our vnability in good part.

And forasmuch as according to thy sonnes doctrin, we taking no [...]hought at all for the time to come, doe hang wholly vpon the prouidence of theé our most bountifull father: geue thou vs dayly at thy pleasure, whatsoeuer the necessity of this life requireth. But a­fore all things, because that according to the saying of thy deére seruant Paul thou art cheéfly the father of Spirits, feéde our soules with spirituall foode, whether it be that we haue neéde of

[Page] milke because we be weaklinges, or that we be able to brooke substancialler meat, because we be growen to further yeares of discretion.

The meat that geueth life in deéde, is the knowledge of theé by thy holy Scriptures, & the grace of thy spirit, whereby we grow vp in theé through dayly increase of vertue in the inner man, vntill we be fully men, growen according to the full measure of thine only begotten sonne Iesus Christ. By thy word thou begatest vs when we were nothing, by the same hast thou be gotten vs agayn, vnhappely borne of Adam, and by the same doest thou feéde and cherish vs now agayn begotten.

For, that is the heauenly bread, that is the new wine, wherwith all the bles­sed spirites are continually and hap­pely fed, which (dwelling in thy house) doe prayse theé for euer and euer.

Wherof if thou vouchsafe to bestow

[Page 14] some portion dayly vpon vs thy chil­dren, the hunger and thirst of worldly things will decrease in vs from day to day. And although thou haue forgeuē vs all our sinnes once already in holy baptisme through faith: yet notwith­standing, because that as long as we carry this mortall flesh about vs, and beare the treasure of thy grace in ear­then vessels, we sinne dayly through naturall infirmity, so as we haue day­ly neéd of thy mercy to forgeue vs our slidings: let vs not fall quite & cleane out of thy fauour, but let vs continue in that peace, wherin we be set at one w^t theé by the bloud of thine only begottē Sonne: and therewithall graunt, that as thou hast mercifully pardoned all our misdeédes, so we for geuing one an other, their dayly trespasses, (which are small or nothing in comparyson of our offences towards theé) may main­tayne mutuall peace, agreément, and

[Page] charity among our selues. For he that beareth any grudge or hartburning toward his neighbour, cannot haue the fauor of theé which art y^e God of peace. But forasmuch while we goe a war­fare in these tents of our bodies, the malicious tempter, from whose tiran­ny thou hast set vs freé by thy sonne Ie­sus Christ, ceaseth not to try al his po­licies to draw vs back agayn into bon­dage: we beseéch theé geue vs not ouer into his hands for want of thy defence for he seéketh the destruction of our soules. But graunt vs such grace, that we (contynuing in the felowship of thy most louing Sonne through faith and charitie) may finally come to the lyfe where there is no offending, nor any danger to be doubted of at Sathans hand.

* Another in Iesus Christ our Redeemer, by S. August.

[Page 15]I Call vpon thee, O God, I cal vpon thee, because thou art nigh to all them, that call vpon thee in truth. Thou art the truth, teach me I besech thee in thy mercy: O holy truth teach me to call vpō thee in truth: For how I should so doe I know not. Teach me therefore I most humbly beseech thee, O most blessed truth. For wis­dome without thee is folishnes, to know thee is perfect knowledge. In­struct me with thy diuine wisdome: & teach me thy Lawes. For I beleeue that he is most happy who is instruc­ted by thee, and taught thy Law. I haue a desire to call vpon thee, which I pray thee that I may doe in verity. What is it to call vpon truth in truth, but to call vpon the Father in the Sonne?

Truly (most holy Father) thy word is the truth, and the beginning of thy

[Page] word is truth: For this is the begin­ning of thy word, that thy word was in the beginning.

In the beginning it selfe I worship thee, O thou principall beginning: in the very word of truth, I cry to thee most perfect truth. In the which, O thou the very same truth, teach and direct me. For what is sweeter then to call vpon the Father in the name of his only begotten? Then to moue the father to compassion by mention of his sonne? Then to pacifie the king by name of his welbeloued child? For by this meanes the offender is relea­sed from pryson: the captiue set at li­berty. By this meanes they that haue receaued the sorrowfull sentence of death, are wont to purchase not only pardon, but vnhoped fauour, if they pleade the loue of the welbeloued Sonne. By this meanes, seruants that

[Page 16] doe trespasse, escape their masters punishment, when his louing Sonne is their Intercessor.

Euen so, O almighty Father, I pray thee for the loue of thy omnipotent Sonne, draw my soul out of pryson, that it may confesse vnto thy name. Deliuer me from the chaynes of sin, I beseech thee, by thy coeternall and only Sonne: and most mercifully re­store me to life, by the mediation of thy most pretious sonne, sitting at thy right hand. For what other Interces­sor I should appoint I know not, but him who is the propitiation for our sinnes, who sitteth at thy right hand pleading for vs. Behold my Aduocat with thee O God the father. Behold the chief Bishop, who nedeth no o­ther bloudy expiatiō, for that he shi­neth imbrued with his own bloud. Behold the holy & welplesing Sacrifice,

[Page] offered vp, and receaued in al sweet­nes. Behold the immaculate Lamb, which lay still before the shearers: who being buffeted, spit at, and op­probriously rayled at, opened not his mouth. Behold, he who sinned not, toke our sinnes vpon him, and with his stripes healed our infirmities.

❧ A Prayer to God the Sonne.

O Lord Iesu Christ, the maker and redemer of mankind, which hast sayd that thou art the way, the truth and the life: the way, by doctrin, precepts, and examples: the truth, in promises: and the life in reward. I be­seéch theé for thine vnspekable loues sake, where through thou hast vouchsa­fed to imploy thy selfe wholy in the sa­uing of vs: Suffer me not at any time to stray from theé which art the way,

[Page 17] nor to distrust thy promyses which art the truth, and performest whatsoeuer thou promysest: nor to rest in any other thing then theé, which art the way, be­yond which there is nothing to be de­sired, neither in heauen nor in earth. By theé we haue learned the sure and redy way to true saluation, to the intēt we should not wander any longer vp and down in the mazes of this world. Thou hast taught vs throughly what to beleue, what to doe, what to hope, and wherin to rest.

We haue learned of theé how vngra­tiously we be borne of the first Adam. We haue learned of theé, that there is no hope of saluation, but by beleéfe in theé: and that thou art the only light which shineth before vs all, as we ior­ney through y^e wildernes of this world & through the night of our own harts, from the darcknes of Egipt, to that blessed land which thou hast promysed

[Page] to the meéke, and to such as follow the footsteps of thy mildnesse. For in vs there was nothing but deép darcknes, in so much that we could nether seé our own wretchednes, nor where to seéke remedy for it. But thou vouchsafing to come down into the earth, & to take our nature vpon theé, of purpose to driue away the mist of our ignoraunce with the light of thy doctrine, and to direct our feéte into the way of peace, by thy precepts: and hast paued vs the way to immortality by thy example, and of abushy and rough way, made vs a playn and smooth way, by treading it out with thine own footsteps.

Thus art thou (which canst no skill of error) become our way, wherein (to the intent we should not faint) thy goodnes hath vouchsafed to stay vs vp with many great and sure promyses. For who can tire, when he remēbreth, that

[Page 18] if he walk in thy footsteps, the inhery­tance of the heauenly life is prepared for him? Therfore it is thy will that hope should be as a sure staffe, to holde vs vp as long as we be in this iorney. And thy goodnesse was not contented with that, but forasmuch as thou kno­est the weaknes of our flesh, thou re­freshest our strength from time to time with the comfort of thy Spirit, to the intent we may come running chereful­ly vnto theé. And as thou being become our way, puttest aside all cause of straying: so being the truth, puttest away al cause of distrust: finally, being become our life thou giuest vs grace to be dead here vnto sin, & to liue through thy spi­rit, wh^c quickneth all things, vntill that in the resurrection when all mortalitie shall be rid quite and clean away, we shall liue with theé, and in theé for euer, at which time God shall be all in all.

[Page] For it is euerlasting life to know the Father, the Sonne, & the holy Ghost to be the one true God: whom we seé now by faith, but as through a glasse, and in a riddle: but as then we shall be­hold his glory at hand, and be transformed into the same Image. And there­fore I beseéch theé ô most mercifull Sauiour, increase thy seruants faith, that I may neuer stagger in thy heauenly doctrine: increase mine obedience, that I may neuer swarue from thy com­maundements: and increase my con­stancy, that (walking in thy steps,) I may neither be intised with Sathans allurementes, nor discouraged with his terriblenes: but hold out to y^e death in theé which art the true way: increase my faith, that (trusting to thy promy­ses) I may neuer faint in the indeuour of godlines, but forget the things that I haue left behind me, and go alwayes

[Page 19] forward to more perfection. Increase thy grace in me, that (being dead eue­ry day more then other in my selfe) I may be aliue, and led by thy Spirite: fearing nothing but theé, then whom, nothing is more amiable: glorying in nothing but only in theé, who art the true glory of all the saints: coueting nothing but theé, who art of all things the best: and finally, desiring nothing but theé, who with the father, and the holy Ghost art the full and perfect fe­licity, for all euer. Amen.

❧ A Prayer to the holy Ghost.

O Holy Spirit, worthy of all worship, which makest vp y^e almigh­ty trinity, which proceédest from the father, and the sonne, and art equall to either of them, differing from them in only propriety of person, which of thy

[Page] goodnes forgeuest the sinnes of them that amend, which with thy holy breth cleansest mennes mindes, comforting them when they be in sorrow, cheéring them vp with pure gladnes when they be in heauynes, leading them into all truth when they be out of the way, kindling in them the fire of charitye when they be a cold, knitting them together with the glew of peace when they be at varyance, and garnishing, and inri­ching them with sundry giftes, which by thy meanes profes the name of the Lord Iesu: by whose working, all things liue, which liue in deéde, whose delight is to dwell in the harts of the simple, which thou hast vouchsafed to consecrate for temples to thy selfe. I beseéch theé maintayne thy giftes in me, & increase the things dayly which thou hast vouchsafed vpon me: that by thy gouernance, the lustes of the flesh

[Page 20] may dye more and more in me, and the desire of the heauenly life more quic­ken and increase.

Let me so passe through the misty desert of this world, by thy light go­ing before me, as I may neither be de­filed with Sathans vices, nor be in­tangled with any errors, disagreéing from thy truth, which the true catho­lick church hath delyuered vs by the instinct of theé, which liuest & raignest euerlastingly with the Father and the Sonne, Amen.

* A Prayer to God for his Spi­rite, and grace to pray effectually.

ETernall and most mercyfull Fa­ther, we know not our selues, nei­ther can easely vnderstand, what, or how we should pray as we ought.

But thou art able to doe exceéding

[Page] aboundantly aboue all that we aske, or thinke.

Geue vs the Spirit ô Lord, to help our infirmytyes, which maketh re­queste for vs vnto theé, with sighes which cannot be expressed.

I lift vp mine eyes to theé that dwel lest in the heauens.

Stir vp my hart and mind ô Lord, come into me ô spirite of God, that I may come vnto theé with hart & soule, not with mouth and lips only.

Geue vs thy grace that we may call vpon theé as true worshippers in spi­rite and truth, with the inward atten­tion, without hipocrisie and ambition.

Graunt that I aske nothing of theé but that which may agreé to thy holy will, to thy prayse and glory, and to the health of my soule.

Inspire me also with an assured hope to obtayn these thinges, when I shall

[Page 21] aske of thy mercifull goodnes with a strong and sure faith.

Neither let my praiers ô Lord, pre­scribe the time when, and how they should be fulfilled.

But let me submit my selfe to thy holy will in all things with hope, pa­tience, and humilitie of hart.

Thy will be done in earth ô Lord, as it is in heauen.

I will wayt patiently ô Lord for theé, that thou mayst incline vnto me, and heare my prayer.

Behold, euen as the eies of seruants looke vnto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a mayd vnto y^e hand of her maistresse: so our eyes will wayt vpon theé ô Lord, vntill thou haue mer­cy vpon vs.

Graunt vs also thy grace, that we present not our supplications before theé for our own righteousnes, but for

[Page] thy great tender mercies, and in the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ.

In his name, through faith, we come to the throne of thy grace, & receiuing the spirite of adoption, we cry Abba Father.

Strengthē vs O Lord, least the vn­worthynes of our life withdraw and intice vs from prayer.

Assist vs therfore O most mercifull father, that we may pray euery where, lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting, with supplications, prayers, intercessions, & geuing of thanks for our selues, and for all men.

Graunt this through Iesus Christ our Lord, who is also at thy right hand and maketh request for vs: To whom with theé, and thy holy Spirit, be all laud, and glory, Amen.

* A Prayer for the whole Realm, and the body of the Church, with the members therof, according to their estates, & degrees.

ALmighty God, heauenly father, thou hast commaunded thy faith full to pray one for another, promising them to heare them, for thy deérely be­loued sonnes sake. Therfore vpō trust of thy promises, and in respect of the great and vrgent necessities that shew themselues on all sides: and specially forasmuch as Sathan strayneth him­selfe to y^e vttermost, to bring this land to confusion, and to stop the course of thy gospell: I thy humble seruāt make sute and supplicatiō vnto theé my good Lord God, in whom is my refuge and hope, beseching theé who art the father of light, to vouchsafe to inlighten the harts and minds of all men, because it is thy will that all men should be saued

[Page] and come to the knowledge of y^e truth.

And forasmuch as thou hast com­maunded vs to pray inespecially for kings and Princes, and for all such as are set in authoritie, that the company of mankind may liue peaceably, and quietly vnder them in all godlines and honesty: considering how burthensome crownes and scepters are, & how hard the wealding of them is, and how diffi­cult a matter it is to discharge them well, whether it be in respect of them­selues, or of their subiects:

I beseéch theé my God with all my hart, as well for our blessed soueraine Lady Queéne Elizabeth, as for all o­ther princes whom thou hast placed in like degreé of preheminence, to geue them the same which Salomon cra­ued of theé long agoe, whose prayer thou didst accept, as hauing put the same into his hart and mouth by thy

[Page 23] holy spirite, which teacheth vs to pray likewise, and helpeth our infirmities.

O Lord our good God, thou hast set her vp to raigne ouer thy people, geue vnto her thy handmaid, and to al other princes thy seruants, geue them wis­dome and vnderstanding to iudge thy people, and to discerne betweéne good and bad, that they may not be vnprofi­table, and much lesse hurtfull in so holy a vocation.

Geue them wise, sage, and vertu­ous Coūsellers: and remoue far from them al ambitious, spiteful, deceitful, and dissembling persons. Geue them such Iudges as are louers of y^e truth, haters of couetousnes, and eschewers of all partialitie: that their people may be gouerned with all equitie and vp­rightnes, the good men maintayned in their right and innocency, and the of­fenders punished according to their deserts.

[Page] Graūt also O Lord, that all they whō thou hast put vnder their charge, may yeald them their due and rightful obedience, so as there may be a good and holy vnion betweéne the head and the members, and thereby it may be knowen to all men, that the states of all kingdomes, and gouernment of all Commonweales depend vpon theé a­lone: that thereupon they may all glo­rifie theé, and sing psalmes of prayse, and thanksgeuing.

Also I pray vnto theé O Sauyour and father of truth, for all those whom thou hast ordayned to be true Shep­heards to thy faithfull, and to whom thou hast cōmitted the charge of mens soules, and the dealing forth of thy ho­ly gospell. Guid them by thy holy spi­rite, that they may be found faithfull and diligent in their holy vocation.

And on the other side, driue away

[Page 24] the false shepheards, which are men of corrupt mind, rauening wolues, vain­glorious, couetous, and such as serue to no purpose but to destroy the chur­ches. And forasmuch as thou requirest that all thy children should haue a zeal to thy house: graunt the Queénes ma­iesty, and all other Princes, grace to purge their people from all sects, he­resies, and superstitions, that y^e church (vnder their charge) may profite, and grow from day to day in the truth of thy gospell, vnto all righteousnes and holines of life.

Let it please theé to make a general deliuerance and restitution of thy churches through the wholl world, by sen­ding forth laborers into thy haruest, able and sufficient men to gather the poore stray sheépe together, vnder the sheéphooke of the great shepherd of our soules thy sonne Iesus Christ.

[Page]As touching their hearers, vnto such as profes thy name already, geue true perseuerance in faith, charitie, and all good works, to the glory of thy name, & to the health of their own soules. And as touching the residue which walk as yet in the vanity of their own mindes, touch thou their harts, and geue them inlightned eyes, that all of them may yeald them selues to serue and please theé. Finally, ô God of all cōfort, I be­seéch theé haue pitie vpon the miseries and afflictions of all thy creatures in generall, of the nations whom thou vi­sitest with pestilence, war, or famine: of the persons whom thou smitest with pouerty, imprisonment, sicknes, ba­nishment, or other thy rods, whether it be in their bodies or in their mindes: and specially of thy chosen, that suffer for the testimony of thy gospell.

And forasmuch as it hath pleased

[Page 25] theé to be so good and gracious to our soueraigne Lady, and to doe her the honor, that wheras other Realmes are in greéuous trobles, thou hast geuen her rest in this her land, and sent hither the bowels of thy sonne Iesus Christ, to haue refuge here in their oppressions. Graunt her the grace to be a true nou­risher and nurce of all such as are thine according to the saying of thy prophet Esay: so as she may haue a true com­passion both of them that are here, and of all others: that at the accomplish­ment of thy promises, when it shall be sayd, come ye blessed of my father, pos­sesse ye the kingdome which was pre­pared for you from the foundations of the world, thou maist vouchsafe ô hea­uenly father, to receiue her among the number of thy children, for the loue of thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ, to whom with theé and the holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, So be it.

*Another prayer for the church, and all the states thereof, by Iohn Foxe.

LOrd Iesus Christ, sonne of the li­uing God, who wast crucified for our sinnes, and didst rise agayn for our iustification, and ascending vp to hea­uen, raignest now at the right hand of the Father, with full power and autho­ritie, ruling and disposing all thinges according to thine own gracious and glorious purpose: we sinful creatures, and yet seruants and members of thy church, doe prostrate our selues & our prayers before thy imperiall maiestie, hauing no other patron nor aduocat to speéde our sutes, or to resort vnto, but theé alone, beseéching theé to be good to thy poore church militant here in this wretched earth: somtime a rich church, a large Church, an vniuersall church,

[Page 26] spread far & wide, through the whole compas of the earth: now driuen into a narrow corner of y^e world, & hath much neéde of thy gratious help.

First the Turke with his sword, what landes, what nations, and coun­treyes, what empires, kingdoms, and prouinces, with cities innumerable, hath he wonne, not from vs, but from theé▪ Where thy name was wont to be inuocated, thy word preached, thy sa­craments administred: there now re­mayneth barbarous Mahumet, with his filthy Alcoran. The florishing churches in Asia, the learned churches of Grecia, the manifold churches in Afri­ca, which were wont to serue theé, now are gone from theé. The seuē churches of Asia with their candlesticks (whom thou didst so well forewarne) are now remoued. All the churches where thy diligent Apostle S.Paul, thy Apostle

[Page] Peter and Iohn, and other Apostles so laboriously trauayled, preaching and wryting to plant thy gospell, are now gone from thy gospell. In all the kingdom of Siria, Palestina, Arabia, Persia, in all Armenia, and the Empire of Capadocia, through the whol compas of Asia, with Egipt, and with Africa also (vnles among the far Ethiopians some old steps of Christianitie perad­uenture doe yet remayn:) either els in all Asia and Africa thy church hath not one foot of freé land, but is al turned ei­ther to infidelitie, or to captiuity, what soeuer pertayneth to theé. And if Asia, and Africa only were decayed, the de­cay were great, but yet the defection were not so vniuersall.

Now of Europa a great part also is shronk from thy church. All Thracia, with the empire of Constantinople, all Grecia, Epyrus, Illiricum, and now

[Page 27] of late all the kingdome almost of Hungaria, with much of Austria, with la­mentable slaughter of christian bloud, is wasted and all become Turks. On­ly a little angle of the west partes yet remayneth in some profession of thy name.

But here (alack) commeth another mischief, as great, or greater then the other. For, y^e Turk with his sword is not so cruell, but the bishop of Rome on the other side is more fierce and bit­ter against vs, stirring vp his bishops to burne vs, his confederates to con­spire our destruction, setting kinges against their subiects, and subiects di­sloyally to rebel against their princes, and all for thy name.

Such dissention and hostility sathan hath sent among vs, that Turks be not more enemies to Christians, thē Chri­stians, to Christians, Papists to Pro­testants:

[Page] yea Protestants with Prote­stants doe not agreé, but fall out for trifles. So that the poore litle flock of thy church distressed on euery side, hath nether rest without, nor peace within, nor place almost in the world where to abide, but may cry now from the earth euē as thine own reuerence cryed once from the cros: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Amongest vs Englishmen here in England, after so great stormes of persecution, and cruell murther of so ma­ny martires, it hath pleased thy grace to geue vs these Alcyon dayes, which yet we inioy, and beseéch thy mercifull goodnes stil they may continue.

But here also (alack) what should we say? So many enemies we haue, y^t enuy vs this rest and tranquility, and doe what they can to disturbe it. They which be frends and louers of the Bi­shop

[Page 28] of Rome, although they eate the fat of the land, and haue the best preferments and offices, & liue most at ease, & ayle nothing: yet are they not there­with content. They grudge, they mut­ter and murmure, they conspire & take on against vs. It fretteth them that we liue by them, or with them, and can not abide that we should draw the bare breathing of the aire, when they haue all the most liberty of the land.

And albeit thy singular goodnesse hath geuen them a Queéne so calme, so patient, so mercifull: more like a na­turall mother then a Princes, to go­uern ouer them, such as neither they, nor their auncesters euer read of in the stories of this land before: yet all this will not calme them, their vnquiet spi­rite is not yet content: they repine and rebell, and neédes would haue with the frogs of Esope, a Ciconia, an Italian

[Page] stranger, the Bishop of Rome to play Rex ouer them, and care not if all the world were set a fire, so that they with their Italian Lord might raign alone. So fond are we Englishmen of strāge and forain things: so vnnaturall to our selues, so greédy of newfangle nouel­ties, neuer contented with any state long to continue, be it neuer so good: and furthermore so cruell one to ano­ther, that we thinke our life not quyet, vnles it be seasoned with the bloud of other. For that is their hope, that is al their gaping and loking, that is their golden day, their day of Iubile, which they thirst for so much. Not to haue the Lord to come in the cloudes, but to haue our bloud and to spill our liues. That, that is it which they wold haue, and long since would haue had their wils vpon vs, had not thy gracious pi­tie and mercy raysed vp to vs this our

[Page 29] mercifull Queéne thy seruant Eliza­beth, somwhat to stay their fury. For whom as we most condignly geue theé thanks: so likewise we beseéch thy hea­uenly Maiesty, that as thou hast geuen her vnto vs, and hast from so many fold dangers preserued her before she was Queéne: so now in her royall estate, she may continually be preserued not only from the hands, but from all malignāt deuises wrought, attempted, or con­ceiued of enemies both ghostly and bo­dely against her.

In this her gouernment be her go­uernour we beseéch theé, so shal her ma­iesty well gouern vs if first she be go­uerned by theé. Multiply her raign w^t many daies, and her yeares with much felicity, with aboundance of peace, and life ghostly: that as she hath now dou­bled the yeares of her sister & brother, so (if it be thy pleasure) she may ouer­grow

[Page] in raigning, the raigne of her Father.

And because no gouernment can long stand without good counsell, nei­ther can any counsell be good except it be prospered by theé: blesse therfore we beseéch theé, both her maiesty, and her honorable Counsaile, that both they rightly vnderstand what is to be done, and she accordingly may accomplish that they doe counsell to thy glory, and furtherance of the gospell, and publick wealth of this Realme.

Furthermore we beseéch theé (Lord Iesu) who with the maiesty of thy generation doest drown all nobilitie, being the only sonne of God, heire and Lord of all things, blesse the nobilitie of this realme, and of other Christiā realmes, so as they (Christianly agreéing amōg them selues) may submit their Nobi­litie to serue theé, or els let them feéle

[Page 30] O Lord, what a friuolous thing is the Nobilitie which is without theé.

Likewise to al magistrates, such as be aduaunced to authority, or placed in office, by what name or title soeuer: geue we beseéch theé a carefull consci­ence vprightly to discharge their due­ty, that as they be publick persons to serue the commō wealth, so they abuse not their office to their priuate gayne, nor priuate reuenge of their own affec­tions: but that iustice being admini­stred without bribery, and equity ba­lanced without cruelty or parciality, thinges y^t be amisse may be reformed, vice abandoned, truth supported, inno­cency releéued, Gods glory maintay­ned, and the Common wealth truely serued.

But especially to thy spirituall Mi­nisters, Bishops, and Pastors of thy church: graunt we beseéch theé (O Lord

[Page] Prince of all pastors) that they follow­ing the steps of theé, of thy Apostles, and holy Martires, may seéke those things which be not their own, but on­ly which be thine, not caring how ma­ny benefices, nor what great Bishop­ricks they haue, but how well they can guid those they haue. Geue them such zeal of thy church as may deuoure thē, and graunt them such salt, wherewith the whole people may be seasoned, and which may neuer be vnsauery, but quicned dayly by thy holy spirite, whereby thy flock by them may be preserued.

In generall geue to all the people, and the whole state of this Realm, such brotherly vnitie in knowledge of thy truth, and such obedience to their supe­riors, as they neither prouoke the scourge of God against them, nor their Princes sword to be drawen against her will out of the scabberd of long suf­ferance,

[Page 31] where it hath bin long hid. Es­pecially geue thy gospel long continu­ance amongst vs. And if our sinnes haue deserued the contrary, graunt vs we beseéch theé with an earnest repen­tance of that which is past, to ioyne a harty purpose of amendment to come.

And forasmuch as the Bishoppe of Rome is wont on euery good Friday to accurse vs damned hereticks, we curse not him, but pray for him, that he with all his partakers, either may be turned to a better truth, or els we pray theé (gracious Lord) that we neuer a­greé with him in doctrine, and that he may so curse vs still, and neuer bles vs more, as he blessed vs in Queéne Ma­ries time. God of thy mercy keép away that blessing from vs.

Finally, in steéde of the Popes bles­sing, geue vs thy blessing Lord we be­seéch theé, and conserue the peace of thy

[Page] Church, and course of thy blessed Gos­pell. Help them that be neédy and afflicted. Comfort them that labour, and be heauy laden. And aboue all things, cō ­tinue and increase our faith.

And forasmuch as thy poore little flock can scarse haue any place or rest in this world, come (Lord) we beseéch theé with thy Factum est, and make an end, that this world may haue no more time nor place here, & that thy Church may haue rest for euer.

For these, and all other necessities requisite to be begged and prayed for, asking in thy Christes name, and as he hath taught vs, we say: Our Father which art in heauen, &c.

Another.

O Singular louer of vs, Christ Ie­su, O Bridegrome to whom thy Church is most deare, and which hast

[Page 32] promised that thou wilt neuer fayle her: increase her, and multiply her with good issue like the father, that is to wit, like thy selfe. Make vs to be all of one minde both in thee, and in the thinges that concern thee, so as we may verely be that body whereof thou art the head, being (as it were) glewed, and fastened together with mutuall charitie, kindeled with that euerlasting fire of thine, which hast so loued vs, that thou hast spent thy bloud and thy life for vs.

O Christ, the author and perswa­der of peace, loue, and good wil: sof­ten our hard and steely harts: warme our ycie and frozen harts, that we may wish well one to another, so as al men may perceue vs to be thy true disciples. And geue vs grace euē now to begin to shew forth that heauenly life, wherin there is no disagreement

[Page] nor hatred, but peace and loue on all hands, one towards another, Amen.

Another.

THe Church is one body, deriued from thee (O Christ) the head therof, into diuers members, knitte to thee, & together among themselues, with the knot of mutual loue, a great mistery of Gods goodnes. Now look how great a benefite, loue, vnitie, and peace are: so great a mischief is dis­sention, the mother of hatred. The author of the former is God, and the author of this other is the deuil. And like as nothing can be deuised more blessed, then to haue the Earthlye church to imitate the concord of the heauenly church: so nothing is more wretched then the contrary, which is the Image of hell.

O head and father of oures, thou

[Page 33] only art of power to performe what thou listest. Therefore gather thou vs together dispersed: & knit vs toge­ther now iarring, & rent asūder with opinions: vnite vs together whom hatred and enmity hath set as far at ods as can be. Graunt that all of vs which are regenerated, & renewed by baptisme in thy name, may cloase toge­ther in one body, meet for such a hed as thou art, thē the which none cā be imagined either better or greater.

Let vs be all of one minde, let vs set our harts all vpō one thing, name­ly vpon thee the only almighty god, and singular louer of vs: which art also a most meek man, and wast nay­led to the crosse for our sinnes, and art the redeemer of mankind, and the setter vp agayn of the whole world. Lord asswage the great number of waues, wherewith this Ship of thine

[Page] is assaulted and shakē. Awake Christ Iesu and saue vs, or els we are like to suffer sore, and horrible shipwrack. No strength, no wisdome, no riches of men can now help vs, there remai­neth no hope of remedy. Only thy mercifull looke can saue vs from this cruell storme, and make it calme a­gayn. Therefore put to thy helping hand, that we being preserued by thy power, may glory in thy name, Amē.

* Another.

O Lord Iesu christ, which through thine almightye power diddest make all creatures both visible and in­uisible, which by thy heauenly wisdom gouernest and disposest all thinges in most beutifull order, which by thine vnspekable goodnes, preseruest, maintay­nest, and quicknest all things, & which, through thine infinite mercy, amēdest

[Page 34] the things that are crazed, buildest vp the things that were fallen down, and quicknest the thinges that were dead: vouchsafe (we beseéch theé) to turne thy countenance at length to thy singular­ly beloued spouse the church, euen that milde and gratious countenaunce of thine wherwith thou cherest all things in heauē, in earth, aboue the heauens, and vnder the earth: vouchsafe to turne those meéke and merciful eyes of thine wherwith when thou beheldest Peter, he repented him by and by: and where­with thou beheldest the scattered peo­ple, and wast moued with pitie because they wandered like stray and scattered sheép for want of a shepheard.

Thou seést O good shepheard, how sundry sorts of wolues are broken into thy sheépfold, of whō euery one crieth this is Christ, insomuch, that euen the perfectest might be drawen into error,

[Page] if it were possible. Thou seést w^t what windes, with what waues, and w^t what stormes, thy litle ship is tossed, out of the which it is not thy will that there shall be any safety. What must follow but that all of vs must neédes perish, if she should be drowned in the waters?

We acknowledge and confes, that our own sinnes haue procured vs this tempest. We acknowledge thy righte­ousnes, and bewalle our own vnrighteousnes: but yet therwithall we appeale to thy mercy, which (according to the psalme of the Prophet) exceédeth al thy works. We haue indured much punishment already, being ouerworn with so many warres, ouerspent with so many exactions, vexed with so many kindes of sicknesses and plagues, ouerflowed with so many flouds, and scared with so many strange wonders threatening vs from the skyes: and yet for al these

[Page 35] mischiefes, following one in anothers neck, there apeareth not any Hauē any where to rest in, but sorer things seéme to hang still ouer our heads.

We complayne not of any rigor on thy behalfe (O most meéke Sauyour,) but we acknowledge thy mercy in that behalfe also, for truely we haue deser­ued far sorer thinges. How be it, O most mercifull Iesu, stand not thou vp­on the due of our deserts, but consider what becommeth thine own merciful­nes, without the which, not euen the Angels were able to stand before theé, and much lesse we that are but earthen vessels. Haue mercy vpon vs O pitiful Redeémer, not for any worthinesse of oures, but geue that glory to thy holy name. Suffer not the Iewes, Turks, and others which ether know theé not, or els enuy thy glory, to brag continu­ally against vs and to say: Where is

[Page] their God? Where is their Redemer? Where is their Sauiour? Where is their Bridegroome whom they boaste of? These reproches light vpon theé, while thy goodnes is measured by our aduersities. Because they perceiue not that this chastising is to our welfare, they deéme vs to be forsaken.

In time past when thou didst sleépe in the ship, and the tempest that arose threatned destruction to all that were in it, thou diddest awake at the crying out of a few of thy disciples, and anone at thy almighty voyce the surges sank down, the winds were whist and still, and the troublesome storme was sodenly turned into a great calme. The dūbe elementes knew the commaundement of their maker. Now in this farre greéuouser tempest, wherby not a few bo­dies, but innumerable soules are in danger: we beseéch theé to awake at the

[Page 36] cry of thy whole church being in peril. Behold how many thousād mē cry out, Lord saue vs or els we perish.

The tempest hath ouercome all cunning of man: nay rather, we seé that the indeuour of such as goe about to helpe it, doth turne to the contrary. There neédeth thy voyce O Lord Iesu, say no more but tempest be still, and by and by the wished calmenes will shew it selfe. The Lord would haue spared the innumerable thousands of wicked people that were in Sodome and Gomorra, if he could haue foū [...] but ten righteous among them all. Now there are many thousands which loue the glory of thy name, and which long to behold the beauty of thy house: and wilt thou not at their intreatance release thine an­ger, and remember thy old mercies? wilt thou not through thy heauenlye cunning, turne our foolishnes to thine

[Page] own glory? wilt thou not turn the wic­ked folkes euill doinges, to the benefit of thy church? for thy mercy is wont to be then redyest at hand, when things are so far past recouery, as no strength or policie of man can help them. Thou being the only author and maintayner of peace, art only he y^t maketh thinges at one, though they be neuer so much at oddes. Thou didst dispose the olde Chaos, wherein the seédes of al things lay confused, and turmoyling among them selues, without any order or comlynesse: and by wonderfull order knit the thinges together in euerlastinge league, which striue together by na­ture. But how much more shamefull a Chaos is it, where ther is no loue, no faith, no keéping of couenants, no reuerence of lawes, no awe of such as are in authoritie, no consent of opinions: but euery man singes his own song as

[Page 37] in a black sanctus? Among the com­passes of the Skyes there is no disa­greément, the Elements doe keép eue­ry one his place, and euery of them ex­ec [...]eth his own office. And wilt thou suffer thy spouse, for whose sake all things are created, to goe to wrack by continuall discord? Wilt thou suffer wicked spirits, the authors of discord, to execute tiranny in thy kingdome vnpunished? Wilt thou suffer that strong fellow whom thou hast once thrust out, to get possession of thy tents agayne? When thou dwelledst as a mortal mā, among men, the deuils fled away at thy voyce. We beseéch theé O Lord, send thy Spirite into the hartes of all them that profes thy honorable name, to driue from them the wicked spirits, which are the scholemasters of ryot, couetousnes, ambition, lechery, ven­geance, and discord: and (that I may

[Page] vse the prophets own wordes) a cleane hart create in vs O God our king, and renue thy holy Spirite in our bowels, take not thy holy spirit from vs. Geue vs againe the gladnes of thy saluatiō, and strengthē thy spouse and thy spou­ses shepheards with a principall spi­rite. By this spirit hast thou set things in heauen and earth at one: by this spi­rite hast thou assembled and knit so many tongues, so many nations, and so many sundry sorts of men into the one body of thy church, which cleaueth vn­to theé her head by the same spirit. If it may please theé to renue him in all mennes harts, these outward calami­ties wil by and by cease, or if they cease not, yet shall they at least wise turne to the behoofe of them that loue theé. Set this confusion in order O Lord, and let thy spirit spread forth it selfe vpon the waters of wauering opinions.

[Page 38]And forasmuch as thy spirit (which according to the saying of the prophet contayneth all thinges) hath also the knowledge of the voyce in him: graunt that as all which dwell in thy house haue but one law, one baptisme, one God, one hope, one spirit: so also there may be but one voyce among all them that professe thy catholick truth. At thy going vp into heauen, thou after the maner of such as triumph, diddest scatter abroad diuers rewards from aboue, geue giftes vnto men, & bestow sundry presents of thy spirite among them. Renue now again thine old boū ­teousnes from aboue: geue the same thinges to the Church now drooping, which thou gauest to her at her first flo­rishing forth. Geue vnto her Princes y^e awe of theé, that they may so gouern the common weale, as though they should shortly yeald an account of eue­ry

[Page] thing to theé the king of all kinges. Geue them of the wisdome which is alwayes about thy throne, that they may seé what is best to be done, and perform it in their deédes. Geue vnto the shep­heards whom thou hast vouchsafed to put in thy roomth, the gift of prophesy, that they may interprete the misti­call scriptures, not by mannes reason, but by thy inspiration. Geue them the threéfold charity which thou diddest demaund of Peter when thou gauest him charge to feéde thy flock. Geue them the loue of sobernes and chastity. Geue thy people willingnesse to obay thy hestes, and forwardnes to serue them by whom it is thy will to haue the af­fayres of this world ordered: so shall it come to passe, that if by thy inspirati­on the Princes commaund things seé­ming theé, and the Shepheards teach things accordingly, and the people o­bay

[Page 39] their good gouernment and godly teaching: the church shall with such good order soon recouer her former dignitye and quietnes to the glory of thy name. Notwithstanding that thou hadst appointed the Niniuites to vtter destruction, yet diddest thou spare thē as soone as they turned to repentance: & wilt thou despise thy spouse casting her selfe down at thy feéte? which vseth sighes in steéde of sackcloth, and teares in steéde of ashes?

Thou hast promised forgeuenes to such as conuert, and yet is it thy gift that a man returneth to theé with all his hart, to the intent that all our good thinges should redound to thy glory. Thou art the maker, repayre thy crea­ture. Thou art the raunsomer, saue y^e cost which thou hast bestowed. Thou art the Sauyour, suffer not them to perish which hang wholly vpō theé. Thou

[Page] art the Lord, maintayn thine own pos­session. Thou art the head, succour thy members. Thou art the king, geue vs reuerence of thy lawes. Thou art the Prince of peace, inspire thy loue into vs. Thou art God, haue mercy vpon thy humble suiters.

According to S. Paules saying, be thou all in all men, that the wholl com­pany of thy church, may with one mind and one voyce in consent yeald thanks for her obtayned mercy, to the father, and the sonne, and the holy Ghost, who being the perfect pattern of concord, are distinct in propriety of persons, and yet in nature but one, to whom be prayse and glory for euer, Amen.

*A Prayer for the Queenes Maiestie.

WOnderful (O most excellent and almighty God) is the depth of

[Page 40] thy iudgements. Thou king of kings. Lord of Lords. Thou which at thy ple­asure doest take away and transpose, roote out and plant, confound and esta­blish kingdomes: Thou of thy singular goodnes, hast deliuered our Queén thy handmayd, when she was almost at deathes dore: yea thou hast deliuered her out of prison, and setled her in her Fathers throne. To theé therfore doe we render thanks: to theé doe we sing laud and prayse: thy name doe we ho­nor day and night.

Thou hast restored again the liber­ty of our countrey, and the sincerity of thy doctrine, with peace and tranqui­litie of thy church. Thine, thine was the benefit: the meanes, the labor, and seruice was hers. A burthen to heauy (alas) for a womans shoulders: yet ea­sie and tollerable by thy helping hand.

Assist her therfore O most merciful

[Page] father, neither respect her offences, or y^e deserts of her parents, or the mani­fold sinnes of vs her people: but think vpon thy wonted compassion, alwayes at hand to thy poore afflicted.

Preserue her kingdome, maintayn religion, defend thy cause, our Queen, vs thy sheépe, and her people. Scatter thine enemies which thirst after war. Let them be ashamed and confounded that worshippe Idols. Let vs not be a pray to the nations that know not theé, neither call vpon thy name.

Strengthē and confirme O Lord, y^e good work w^ch thou hast begū. Inspire our gracious Queéne thy seruant, and vs thy poore flock with thy holy spirite: that with vncorrupt life, we may so ioyn puritie of religion, as we may not yeald and bring forth wild and bastard fruites: but milde and sweéte grapes, and fruites beseéming repentance, and

[Page 41] meéte and conuenyent for thy gospell, to the intent we may enioy this immortall treasure immortally, and that li­uing and dying in theé, we may finally possesse the inheritance of thy heauenly kingdome, through Iesus Christ our Lord. For, thine is the kingdome, the power, and the glory, for euer, Amen.

* Another.

O God most excellent creator and preseruer of all thinges, we cast our selues down before the feéte of thy maiestie: and inwardly feéling how vnworthye we are to haue our prayers heard of theé, we dare not lift vp our eyes to heauen.

Neuertheles, whereas we were cō ­ceiued in sinne, and therefore (as all Adams children) deserued vntimely birth: Yet thy Fatherlye hand hath

[Page] brought vs forth, and caused vs to be borne, yea and graunted vs to liue in this blessed time of thy gospell: to the intēt that dying with Christ, we should rise agayn to eternall life.

But alas (wretches that we are) we haue deserued thy iust indignation by returning to our old vomit. And yet thy grace surmounteth our sinne, con­tinually calling vs to thy sheépfold, by the voyce of thy gospell. Blessed be thy holy name for sending vs that light, when we were in darcknes: that spiry­tuall drinke, when we were in deadly thirst: that heauenly foode, when we were hunger starued. And like honor and prayse be ascribed to theé only (O Lord) for geuing vs such, so wise, so zealous, so godly, and carefull gouer­nors of thy chosen church of England: whom thou hast raysed vp by the light of thy gospell, to guid vs in the same

[Page 42] thy light, and to feéde vs with the same thy heauenly foode.

We magnifie thy name day & night, for that inestimable benefit of thine, bestowed vpon vs thy people of Englād, in cas [...]ing thy chosen creature, y^e nurce of this thy church, our Queéne, and gouernour, from worldly vanities, to the care of thy kingdome, and into the cō ­muniō of thy Saints, by the preching of thy gospell. When she gaue not suf­ficiently attentiue and diligent eare to thy blessed word, albeit thou didst cor­rect her, & other ingratefull creatures of this our nation with thy rod, yet euē in this point also thy clemency surmoū ted our double wickednes. For behold when as thy iustice might haue depry­ued vs of her, thou of thine infinite mercy didst deliuer her out of pryson, set her freé from the Lyons iawes, crow­ned her with a diademe of gold, & put

[Page] the Royal scepter of this Realm in her hand.

Moreouer (O singular, and most precious treasure of al treasures) thou through her meanes and ministery hast brought agayn Christ Iesus, once ba­nished out of England.

These (most mercifull father) be the principall iewels of thine inestimable riches bestowed vpon vs: which, the more excellent they are, the les are we worthy of them, because we haue misbehaued our selues towardes thy maiesty, in dayly sinning more & more against theé: in so much that feéling the same in our consciences, we be driuen wel neére to despaire. But when we call to minde thy sure and sweéte promises in Christes precious bloud, we are therby refreshed: &, recouering strēgth by hope, approach thy throne boldly, not offering any thing for the satisfac­tion

[Page 43] of our sinnes, but only crauing, that the oblation of thine annoynted, which is the iustifier and sanctifier of all that are to be iustified and sāctified, may make vs cleane, and so receiue vs into thy tuicion. And seéing obedience pleaseth theé better then the fat of sheép and the sacrifice of our lips better then the flesh, and bloud of beastes, graunt that we may finish our sinfull race in shewing forth thy prayse, and keéping thy holy will.

And forasmuch as thou hast thought good to set vp thy seruant our Queéne, a woman, and a frayle vessell, ouer vs, to gouern this kingdome, and that she must render an account therof (a hard thing so to doe) before the iudgement seate of thy sonne Christ: send downe (we beseéch theé) O Father, send down such grace from thy high throne, vpon thy daughter our Queéne Elizabeth,

[Page] as thou knowest most necessary for the performance, and executiō of so great a charge.

Thou hast geuen her Counsellers: graunt that she may vse their councell happely. Indue them with godly, righteous, and carefull hartes, that they may be both willing, and able, simply and faithfully to consult, and also pro­uidently to prouide, as well for thy church, as for her, and vs her people.

It is thy grace O Lord, that we her people, renued with thy word, doe suf­fer our selues to be nourished with the same. Send forth therefore faithfull shepheards, godly, and true teachers to feéde vs. And driue away all hire­lings, and rauening wolues, from this flock of thine, and of thy Sonne Iesus Christ.

Besides this, so blesse vs the sheépe of thy pasture, that we may neuer deny

[Page 44] theé the chiefest honor: Our Queén thy Deputy, her obedience: And our neighbors mutuall charitie.

Furthermore, of thy goodnes, maintayne peace and tranquilitie, defend our Queéne, her kingdome, and coun­trey from bloudy warres: and especi­ally protect her and vs from hollow harts, and from ciuill tumults, and cō ­spiracies, which haue shaken the grea­test part of Christendome.

And because the affliction of euery poore creature appertayneth to her, in as much as she is thine, inspire the magistrates vnder her with thy holy spirite, that they may willingly & carefully maintayne iustice, and prouide for the releéfe of Christ his poore mem­bers, whose treasurers both she and we and all others are, whom thou hast blessed with thy earthly benefits.

Heare our prayers we beseéch theé,

[Page] for the sake of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Redeémer. To whom, with theé, and thy holy spirite, be all honor, and glory for euer, Amen.

* Another.

O Almighty God, king of kinges, Lord of Lords, the only God and gouernour of all things: Thou art he, by whom alone kings doe raigne: Thou most high, bearest rule ouer all the kingdomes of men: Thou in Christ thine only Sonne being the most gracious father of thy chosen church, doest for the comfortable nourishing of it, dispose the Royall state a­mong men.

Through this thy grace it is come to passe, that we the English nation, now a portion of the same thy church, doe enioy the gouernmēt of Elizabeth our Queen whom thou hast against all practises of thine aduersaries deliuered out of perils,

[Page 45] and by thy mighty hand brought to raign ouer vs. Mercifully guiding her, thou hast made her to vs a mother, to thine afflicted flock a nurce in that benefite which we haue in liberty of true Religiō, and common peace. Merueilously protec­ting her, thou hast kept her to defend vs, that we might vse and hold this benefite quyetly.

And euen now in thy mighty marueylous mercy, thou hast discouered the practises of such crafty and cruell enemies, as purposed to spoyle her of vs, vs of her, & both her and vs of thy Religion, and of peace, determining to deliuer vs ouer to the tyranny of that shameles sinfull man of Rome, & to the bloudy sword. In which purpose of mischief if thou hadst permit­ted them to preuayle, we had suffered for our sinnes at thy hand, O Lord, most iust­ly, but at their hands most vnkindly, vnnaturally and vniustly. For we doe offend

[Page] thy Maiesty many wayes: we offend not them any wayes. Yet such is their way­wardnes that they do hate vs: Yea such is their wickednes that they will hate vs, onely because we do professe to serue thee in truth. For this cause they cōspire against thee, O GOD, like hypocrites, a­gainst our Queen like traitors, agaynst our commō countrey like spoylers, against vs euen as Cain did agaynst Abell. But thy great goodnes hath deuised better for vs, then they do: Thou hast spared vs whom they would haue spoyled. Thy wis­dom hath vnfolded their wickednes. Thy prouidence hath preuented their purpose. All honor, prayse, with thankes in the congregation, and by euery member therof be geuen to thee, O God of grace, O Lord of pity, O Father of mercy for euer and euer. And now we beseech thee, O mercifull father, be not prouoked with our sinnes to geue vs ouer to the lust of

[Page 46] our enemies, doe not make vs a reproche to these heathen. Let not the Iew, the Turke, the Papist, triumph against thee in our ouerthrow, saying: where is now their God? But of thy rich mercy in Christ forgeue our sinnes, by thy renuing spirite amend vs, and worke out the good worke which thou hast begun among vs. Confound and bring to nought the at­tempts of these and the like enemies, as thou diddest at Babell. Infold them in the folly of their own deuices, as thou diddest Achitophell. By thine angell smite their force, as thou didst to Senacherib. In their desperate attempts let them be drowned, as was Pharao. In their trea­sons ouertake them, as thou didst Abso­lon. If any of them are to be conuerted, turne them as thou didst Manasses. O­therwise let them feele their due punish­ment, as did Dathan with his conspira­tors, that of these also there may be left

[Page] an example of thy iustice to the posterity. We do likewise most humbly beseech thee to continue thy goodnes towards vs, euen of thine olde wonted mercy. Deliuer our Queene Elizabeth from euill. Direct her in the true knowledge of thee, to ac­knowledge thy b [...]nefites towards her, and her duety towards thee. Kindle more and more in her hart a zeale to serue thee her selfe, and to haue thee serued of vs sincerely. Guide her still to gouern vs iustly in godly peace.

Geue vnto vs also which are subiects, thankefull harts to thee, faithfull to her in thee, and charitable towards all men: that all which liue vnder her gouernmēt, Counsellers, Ministers, and euery other in their place and calling, may be throughly sactified in holines to liue before thee.

Thus prolonging her raign ouer vs, plant thou in it thy Religion among vs, and in vs, so that it may with power re­forme

[Page 47] and rule vs, and remayn to our po­sterity after vs, that the prayse of thy name may so continue in the hartes and mouthes of the English nation, as Eng­land may say for euer: The Lord be praysed.

❧ A Prayer for the Ministers of Gods word.

LEt thy Priestes (O Lord) be clo­thed with righteousnes: and let thy Saints reioyce. Poure out thy spirite of wisdome and vnderstanding vpon the Ministers of thy word, that they may know the misteries of thy holye will. Geue them the gift of vtterance, that they may set forth the aboundant riches of thy gospel. Write thy lawes in their hartes, and thy testimonies in their bowels, that they may leade thy people into all truth, & rule thy church with discretion. Make them good work

[Page] men, faithfull shepherds, and wise builders: that they may mende the broken walles of Ierusalem, feéde the flockes of thy sheépe with the bread and water of life, husband thy vineyard, & dresse it in due season, repair thy holy sanctu­ary, and bring in the vessels dedicated to the seruice of the Lord. And finally, shine with such light of holy and pure conuersation before men, as they may edefie no les by example of life, then by instruction of teaching: To the intent that mē beholding their modesty, meéknes, sufferance, patience, and other vertues wherwith thou hast indued them to the benefite of thy Church, may be wonne to thy gospell euen by the holy­nes of their conuersation: and be com­pelled to confesse to the glory of thy name, that thou doubtlesse, liuest, raignest, workest and dwel­lest in them, Amen.

* A Prayer to be sayd for all Magistrates

THey that are in authoritie ouer vs, are as the helme in a ship, as the eye in the body, and as the mind in y^e soule, and therfore thou O Lord hast commaunded vs to further them with our seruis or succor, and our prayers. For great is the profit that we receiue by good princes and magistrates, and great is the harme which they doe be­ing otherwise. Wherefore it is to be wished that they might be good, godly, vertuous and nobleminded.

Besides this, great is the burthen which they beare in gouerning well: forasmuch as they must make an ac­count therof vnto theé, whereas we in the meane while, are freé from that danger. Unto theé therfore (O Lord Iesu Christ) do we make our supplications

[Page] for them, euen vnto theé which art the perfect pattern for all Rulers to fol­low and imitate: as who being most singularly good, and wise, canst neither erre nor doe any thing amisse. Graunt we beseech thee that all those whō thou hast ordayned as Shepheards of thy sheép to rule thy people vnder theé: and specially that our most gracious soueraine Lady Elizabeth, and her most honorable Counsell, together with all her Nobilitie, Clergie, inferior Ma­gistrates, and vnder Officers may be so inlightened with the brightnes of thy light, so guided by the direction of thy spirite, and so inflamed with the loue of theé, and of thy people commit­ted to their charge, as they may in all cases espy the truth, & minister right, equitie, & iustice, with mercy, alwayes hauing their eyes vpon theé, to follow and execute the things which thou hast

[Page 49] commaunded, and not which they thē ­selues list, so as they, drawing all to­gether by one line, according to the pattern which thou hast set before thē, may wel and throughly performe their charge to thy glory: and we obediently yealding our selues to their godly commaundements, may leade a holy and quyet life vnder them likewise, to the glory of thy name, Amen.

❧ A Prayer of Children for their Parents.

LOrd God, whose will it is that next thy self we should yeald most honor to our fathers and mothers: for­asmuch as among the dueties of natu­rall loue, it is not the least to sue vnto thy goodnes for the welfare of our Pa­rents: I beseéch theé preserue my Fa­ther and Mother, with all their house­hold,

[Page] first in the loue of thy Religion, and next in safety from all incumbe­rance and greéfe both of body & minde.

And vnto me, graunt that they may not haue any trouble by my meanes: And finally, that I may inioy the fauor of them, & they the fauor of theé, which art the soueraign father of all, Amen.

❧ A Prayer for charitie, or loue towards our neighbours.

LOrd, inlighten and instruct our mindes, that we may esteéme eue­ry thing as it is worth, & yet not make the lesse reckning of theé, sith nothing can be made better then thou. And se­condly, let vs make account of man, then whom, there is nothing more ex­cellēt among the things of this world. Make vs to loue him next theé, either as likest our selues, or as thy child, and therfore our brother, or as one orday­ned

[Page 50] to be a member of one selfe same Countrey with vs.

And cause vs also euen here, to re­semble the heuenly kingdome through mutuall loue, where all hatred is quite banished, and all is full of loue, and cō ­sequently ful of ioy and gladnes, Amē.

Another.

SOften our harts O Lord, that we may be moued no lesse at the neces­sities and greéfes of our neighboures, then if they concerned our selues, or the cases that touched vs nearest, and let vs think them to befall euen to our dearest frends. Let vs pitie them as our selues, and in their common aduersitie let vs also communicate with thē by compassion, that as we would haue pitied our selues for the like cause, so we may be moued with pitie towardes those whom we seé oppressed with the

[Page] same aduersities. O most milde, and mercifull Christ, we beseéch theé brethe vpon vs the spirit of thy meékenes and goodnes, that like as thy pitying of vs made theé to indure most bitter death, and torments for vs, so our pitying of our neighbors may lead vs to succour them to our power, Amen.

Another.

WHere Charitie and Loue are, there is the congregatiō of the Sayntes. There is neither wrath nor disdayne: but stedfast charitie for e­uer. Therfore graunt vs O Lord God, that we may loue one another vnfaynedly: for where loue is, there art thou: and he that loueth his brother, is born of thee, and dwelleth in thee, and thou in him.

And where brethren doe glorifie

[Page 51] thee with one accord, there doest thou poure out thy blessing vpon them. Loue vs therefore O Lord, and shead thy loue into our hartes, that we may loue thee, and our bretheren in thee, and for thee, as all children to thee, through Iesus Christ, Amen.

❧ A Prayer for the afflicted, and persequuted vnder the tiranny of Antichrist.

O Mercifull Father, who neuer doest forsake such as put their trust in theé: stretch forth thy mighty arme to the defence of our brethren, by the rage of enemies persequuted, and greéuously tormented in sundry places for the true profession of thy holy Gos­pell, who in their extreém necessitie cry for comfort vnto theé.

Let not thy long suffering, O Lord,

[Page] be an occasion either to increase the ty­ranny of thy enemies, or to discourage thy children: but with speéde, O Lord. consider their great miseries and afflictions. Preuent the cruell deuise of Ha­man. Stay the rage of Holophernes. Breake the counsell of Achitophell. Let not the wicked say: Where is now their God?

Let thy afflicted flock feéle present ayde and releéfe from theé O Lord, look down vpon them with thy pitifull eye, from thy holy habitation: send terror and trembling among their enemies: make an end of their outragious tiranny: beate back their boldnes in suppressing thy truth, in destroying thy true seruants, in defacing thy glory, and in setting vp Antichrist. Let them not thus proudly aduaunce themselues a­gainst theé, and thy Christ, but let them vnderstand and feéle that against theé

[Page 52] they fight. Preserue and defend the vine which thy right hand hath plan­ted, and let all nations seé the glory of thine annoynted, Amen.

* A Prayer for our bretheren, that are in aduersitie.

MOst gratious, and merciful sa­uiour, we finde by experience almost euery minute of an houre, that this life of oures is fraughted with aduersities, which grow vnto euery of vs either out of the sinfulnes of the flesh, or of ech mannes own folly, or of other mennes spitefulnes.

Besides this, other mennes misfortunes are both an increase, and an ex­ample of our own. For we seé by them, that the like may befall vs: and brotherly charity compelleth vs to be sory for them. In respect wherof thou also hast commaunded vs to weépe with them

[Page] that weépe, and to mourn with thē that mourn, and to be like minded one to­wards another, as members all of one body. Thou therfore, O mercifull Re­deémer, which hast borne our infirmi­ties, harken to the prayers which we poure out before theé, for the releéfe of our bretherens aduersities: & increase not our sorrowes by the sorrowes of our frends. Rid them out of their mi­series, that they may the more quietly set their minds vpō theé, & we (through thy gratious goodnesse) be discharged of no small peéce of our heauines. Or, if it be not expedient either for them or vs (for thou only knowest what is expedient for euery man:) at least wise giue them power of minde, and strength of b [...]dy, to bear their sore crosses the easi­lyer, so as neither their bodies may be vnable to abide and indure the paines, nor their harts quayle vnder the grief,

[Page 53] wherby they might be dryuen to doe, say, or thinke any thing which thou mightest mislike of, or which might turne to their own hurt through impa­tience or dispayre, Amen.

❧A Prayer for them that be in pouertie.

THey that are snarled and intang­led in y^e extreém penury of things neédfull for the body, cannot set their minds vpō theé O Lord, as they ought to doe: but when they be disapoynted of the thinges which they doe so migh­tely desire, their harts are cast down, and quaile for excesse of grief. Haue pitie vpon them therfore O mercifull fa­ther, and releéue their misery through thine incredible riches, that by thy re­mouing of their vrgent necessitie, they may rise vp vnto theé in minde. Thou O Lord prouidest inough for all men

[Page] with thy most liberall and bountifull hand: but wheras thy gifts are, in re­spect of thy goodnes & freé fauor, made common to all men, we (through our naughtines, nigardship, and distrust,) doe make them priuate and peculiar. Correct thou the thing which our ini­quity hath put out of order: let thy goodnes supply that which our niggardly­nes hath plucked away. Geue thou meate to the hungry, and drinke to the thirsty: Comfort thou the sorrowfull: Cheére thou vp the dismayd: Strēgthen thou the weake: Deliuer thou them that are prisoners: And geue thou hope and courage to them that are out of hart.

O Father of all mercy haue compas­sion of so great misery. O Fountain of all good thinges, and of all blessednes, wash thou away these so sundry, so manifold & so great miseries of oures,

[Page 54] with one drop of the water of thy mer­cy, for thine only Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christes sake, Amen.

* A Prayer to be sayd for our Euilwillers.

MOst mercifull Redeémer, thou hast commaunded vs to pray for them, both which wish vs euill, and (as much as in them lyeth) doe worke vs euill: and that hast thou done, not only in words, but also in dedes, of purpose that we should follow thine exam­ple. We pray theé therfore, to shead in to vs the spirit of thy mildenesse, that we may patiently suffer both the euill will, and the euill speéch, and the euill doings of our enemies, as we hear say thou diddest, and as we dayly perceiue that thou doest still.

Let vs nether requite wrong in deéd, nor take vpō vs to reuenge our selues

[Page] in words, nor wish, or desire any such thing in hart or minde: but let vs be so farre of from all reuenge, as we may euen doe them good, and help them to the vttermost of our power, and with earnest prayer and supplication craue good things of theé for them: namely, that thou vouchsafe to geue thē a good minde, and al other things which thou knowest to be for their welfare, profit, commoditie, and soul health: so as we may be thy children in deéde, which be­stowest thy bounteousnes not only vp­on the good and thankful, but also vpon the wicked and vnthankfull: and also thy kindly disciples, which prayed thy father to forgeue their most vnrighte­ous tormentors, Amen.

* Another.

MOst mercifull, and louing Fa­ther, which hatest not any of the

[Page 55] thinges which thou hast made, but suf­ferest and bearest with mennes misdo­inges, winking at them, to prouoke them to repentance: We beseéch theé most humbly, euen with all our harts, to poure out vpon our enemies with bountifull hand, whatsoeuer thinges thou knowest may doe them good: and cheéfly a sound and vncorrupt minde, wherthrough they may know theé, and seéke theé in true charitie with their wholl hart, and loue vs thy children for thy sake.

Let not their hating of vs turne to their harme, neither let vs in any wise hurt them, seéing y^t we cannot doe them good for want of abilitie. Destroy thē not O father, for their hatred towards vs, but saue them at our intreatance for them. Lord we desire their amend­ment, and not their punishment. Se­parate them not from vs by punishing

[Page] them, but ioyne and knit them to vs by thy fauorable dealing with them. And seéing we be all ordayned to be Citi­zens of the one euerlasting Citie, let vs begin to enter into that way here already by mutuall loue, which may bring vs right forth thether, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

* A confession of our sinnes.

O Lord my God, euerlasting and almighty Father: I acknow­ledge and confesse before thy holy and high Maiestye, that I was bread and borne in sinne and corruption: and that since my birth I haue not ceased, nor doe cease dayly to transgresse thy com­maundements. In respect whereof I cannot escape ruine and destruction according to thy rightfull iustice. Not­withstanding, forasmuch as I am sory that I haue offended theé, and doe con­demne

[Page 56] both my self and my sinne: and forasmuch as it hath plesed theé to loue vs, euen when we were thine enemies, and for assurance therof, to giue vs thy only and welbeloued sonne, our Lord Iesus Christ, to be a mediator, & aduocate betweéne theé and vs, promising vs that we shall obtayn whatsoeuer we aske of theé in his name.

Uouchsafe O most louing God and mercifull Father, to pardon and for­geue me in his name, and for his sake: and not only to cleanse my hart from all vanitie and vncleannes, but also to gouern and guid me by thy holy spirit in all my wayes, that I may liue according to thy holy and heauenly cōmaundements all the dayes of my life, to the glory of thy name, through y^e same thy wel beloued Sonne, So be it.

* A Prayer for remission and forgeuenes of sinnes.

SO huge is the heape of our sinnes, and in so sundry wise haue we offē ­ded (O righteous and holy lawmaker) that vnles we lift vp our mindes to the considering of thy goodnes, we must neédes despaire. Theé we displease, to theé doe we bid battail through our wicked deédes. To theé do we profes enmitie, euen to theé which art almighty, which hast no neéd of any thing, whom nothing can hurt: and yet art thou the party that doth first offer peace and at­tonement.

Because nothing hapneth oftner to vs thē to fall into this disease, we haue neéde of nothing so much as of the me­dicine of thy mercy, and thou doest al­wayes offer it vs redely, and set it be­fore vs.

[Page 57]Wherfore graunt we beseéch theé O most mild and kindharted Father, that we may both discern our diseases, and know the remedies of them, and seéke them (as it becommeth vs) at thine on­ly hand, who art wont to graunt them so easely at our requestes, for the loue of thine only sonne Iesus Christ, Amē.

Another.

MOst mercifull and gratious fa­ther, I beseéch theé let not other mennes naughtines hurt me, but ra­ther let their goodnes further me: thou art the terrible ielious God, which re­uengeth the wickednes of the fathers vpon the children, vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate theé: and againe on the other side, art treatible and mild, insomuch that thou shewest mercy vnto thousands, in them

[Page] that loue theé and keép thy commaundements. Adde this also as an increase­ment of thine exceding great goodnes, that the faults of my forefathers in the flesh light not vpon my head, but that the weldoing of thy sōne Iesus Christ who is our father, may succor me. Be not angry with me for their sakes that begate this body of mine, but let me feéle theé fauourable to me for Iesus Christes sake, who hath begotten my soule new again, Amen.

Another.

WHen we looke vpon our life that is past, Lord, what a dunge on of errors, naughtines, and wicked doinges openeth it selfe sodainly vnto vs, so as there is none of vs all, but he may be ashamed to looke vpon himselfe, and quake for feare of the wickednes of his time to come. For

[Page 58] who can warrant vs that the same shall be any better then that which is past? Nay, who ought not to wonder at thy mercifulnes, and to honor it O dere Father, which hast withheld thy vengeance so long?

We come to thee in exceeding feare, O great iudge, most humbly beseeching thee, that the vengeance of them all heaped together may not light vpō vs, but that the loue which thou bearest to thine only sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, for whose sake thou bearest with vs that haue deser­ued vtter destruction, may hide them out of thy sight, and wipe them out of thy remembrance. For if thou (O Lord) looke narrowly to our sinnes, Lord who shall abide it? In deed we confes that we be more chary in kee­ping mennes lawes then thine, wher­as (notwithstanding) the obaying of

[Page] thine yealdeth greater reward, & the breaking of them yealdeth greater punishment.

Alas, how sore are we nouseled in sinne by custome, in so much that as now we can almost doe nothing els, and yet we perceiue not when we do amisse. O how small an account doe we make of it? We lie wallowing vp on the ground in dirt and dung, and yet we neuer strayne our selues so much as to lift vp our heads, that we might not rot as we lye. What father would forbeare vs so often in brea­king his commaundements? Yet not withstāding, thou O God doest bear with vs, and winkest at our sinnes, and thy goodnes and long sufferance allure vs to amendement.

To thee therefore be glory, and prayse, for euer and euer, Amen.

Another.

O Souerain creator of al things, when I consider what maner of maiestie I haue offended with my sins. I doe euen shudder at mine own rash­nes. When I bethink me how graci­ous and bountifull a father I haue for­sakē, I abhorre mine own vnkindnes, When I perceue from how blessed freédome of minde, into how miserable thraldome I haue cast my selfe: I con­demn mine own madnes, and I vtter­ly mislike of my self, and my conscience is put in such terror, by thine vneschu­able iustice, as I seé nothing before me but helfire and disparre.

But on the contrary part, when I behold that infinite mercy of thine, which (according to the record of the prophet) surmounteth all thy workes, & wherthrough thou art (after a sort),

[Page] greater then thy selfe, whereas (notwithstanding) thou art greatest with­out all comparyson. A certayn chere­fuller breath of hope blazeth out vpon me, and refresheth my minde. For why should I dispaire of forgeuenes of my sinnes at his hand, which in the wry­tings of his prophets doth so often al­lure sinners to repentance, crying out that he desireth not the death of a sin­ner, but rather that he should turne a­gain and liue?

Again, how redy thou art to pardon such as amend, thine own only begottē sonne doth beat into our heads by ma­ny parables, as of the lost groate, and the finding thereof again: of the shep­herds bringing home of his stray sheép vpon his shoulders: but most euidently of the prodigall sonne, whose Image I seé plainly in my selfe.

Unkindly haue I forsaken my most

[Page 60] louing father, lewdly haue I wasted al his substance, and (in following y^• lusts of the flesh, and in putting of thy com­mandements out of my minde) I haue tumbled my selfe into most shamefull slauery of sinne, and am brought to ex­treéme beggery, and I seé not whether I may flie for succor, but to him, from whom I am runne away.

O let thy mercy receiue him now submitting himself, whom thou hast he therto borne withall so gentely in his straying from theé. I am vnworthy to lift vp mine eyes to theé, or to call theé by the name of father. Neuerthelesse vouchsafe I beseéch theé, to cast thine eye vpon me: For thy loking towardes the sinner, maketh him to reuiue when he is dead, and to returne home again when he is lost.

Uerely I am beholden to thy looke for this mislyking of my selfe at this

[Page] present. Assoon as thou didst vouchsafe to looke vpon me as I wandered farre from theé, by and by thou didst restore me mine eyes, that I might seé in how great misery I was. And thou me [...]st me by the way, inspiring me with a mindfull desire and longing for the in­nocency which I had forgone.

Slaue that I am, and worthy of all maner of punishment, I seeke not that thou shouldst imbrace me and kisse me: I craue not the long robe and the ring, which are the badges of the former dignity that I did hold scorne of. I sue not to be receiued to the honor of thy children: It shall be a benefite great i­nough for me, if thou admit me but in­to the number of thy basest seruantes, euen of such as are bronded, & brought again from roging, that I may at least wise be some hanger on vnto theé, for in thy house there are many roumthes.

[Page 61]It shall not greéue me to be counted among the abiects in this life, and to be racked with repentance, and to be sullied with mourning, so I may not be separated from theé for euer.

I pray theé, and I beseéch theé by the death of thy dearly beloued, and only begotten sonne, impart thy spirit vnto me to cleanse my hart, and to strengthen it with his grace, that I slide not thether again through ouer­sight, from whence I was called back by thy mercy, Amen.

* Another.

I Haue gone astray like a lost sheep, seeke out thy seruant O Lord, for I haue not been vnmindfull of thy cō maundements. The offences & ouer­sightes of my youth remember not O Lord. Be mindfull on me according to thy mercy. For thy goodnes sake,

[Page] O Lord, keepe my soule, and deliuer me: so shall I not be ashamed of put­ting my trust in thee. Turne my mourning into ioy. Rend my sackcloth a­sunder, and compasse me about with gladnes, that my tongue may sing to thee without prick or sting of con­science, Amen.

* Another.

IF thou looke straitly to our sinnes (O Lord) Lord who shall abide it? But forasmuch as there is mercy with thee, I haue waited vpon thee for thy lawes sake O Lord. My soule hath held out in thy word, my soule hath trusted in thee O Lord. For with thee there is mercy and plenteous redemption, and thou redemest Israell from all his iniquities, Amen.

Another.

[Page 62]THou hast chastised me O Lord, & I am brokē as an vntamed yoūg bullock. Turne me & I shalbe turned, for thou art the Lord my God: for whē thou hadst once turned me, I amended and when thou hadst shewed me my faults, I strake my thigh. I was asha­med and blushed, because I abode the reproch of my youth.

Another.

O Good Iesu, O sweét Iesu y^• sōne of the virgine Mary, full of mercie and truth, O sweét Iesu haue pitie vpō me according to thy great mercy. O louing Iesu, I beseéch theé by that precious bloud of thine, which thou didst vouchsafe to shed for vs wretched sinners vpon the altar of the crosse, put away all my sinnes and despise me not in myne humble sute calling vpon this thy most holy name of Iesus. This

[Page] name Iesus is a swet name, this name Iesus is a healthfull name. For what els is Iesus but Sauior? O good Iesu which hast created me & redeémed me with thine own bloud, suffer me not to be damned whom thou hast created. O good Iesu let not my wickednesse de­stroy me, whom thy almighty goodnes hath made. O good Iesu consider what is thyne in me, & whatsoeuer is other­wise wipe it away. O good Iesu haue mercy vpon me while the tyme serues to haue mercy least thou destroy me in the tyme of thy dreadful doome. O good Iesu, although I myserable sinner haue iustly deserued euerlasting pu­nishment for my most greéuous sinnes by thy rightful iustice: yet do I appeal from thy rightfull iustice to thyne vn­speakable mercie, & therfore pity thou me as a louing Father and mercifull Lord. O good Iesu, what profit is ther

[Page 63] in my bloud, that I should go down in­to euerlasting corruptiō? For the dead shall not prayse theé O Lord, nor yet they that goe downe into hell. O most mercifull Iesu, haue mercy vpon me. O most sweét Iesu, set me at liberty. O louing Iesu, be fauorable to me sinner O Iesu admit me wretched sinner into the number of thy chosen. O Iesu the health of thē that trust in theé. O Iesu the welfare of them that beleue in theé, haue pity vpon me. O Iesu the sweéte remission of all my sinnes, O Iesu the sonne of the virgine Mary, poure thy grace, wisedome, louingnes, charity, and humility into me: and in all mine aduersityes geue me holy patience, y^t I may be able to beare thy crosse with theé, to loue theé, & to glory & delight in theé for euer and euer. Amen.

Another.

[Page]MOst righteous and mercifull god, remember that thou art pitiful, and that thou art my redeemer. As thou art a iudge to condemne offenders: so art thou also God to acquite thy seruantes, and a creator to saue thine own worke, and a Sauyour to saue him that beleueth in thee, and is baptized.

Wherfore O Lord, mind not thy iu­stice only as agaynst a sinner, but be mind­full of thy goodnesse as towards thy crea­ture: minde not thy wrath as agaynst an offender, but be mindfull of thy compassi­on as towards a poore wretch of thine. Spare me O Lord which art my saluati­on, and desirest not the death of a sinner. Spare my sinfull soul. My God, in thee doe I trust, and vnto thee doe I commit my soule. O merciful God haue pitie vp­on me, haue pitie vpon thy humble crea­ture. Deale with me according to thy mercy, O thou that art blessed for euer. Amen.

Another.

O Most mercifull Lord, how can I be good which haue bin euil euen in the good? I sinned, & thou winkedst at it. I continued long time in my wic­kednes, and thou continuedst as long in thy louing kindnesse, of purpose to bring me to repentance, and to shew me fauor. Thou therfore that hast born so long with my offences, geue mercy to me miserable wretch. For I beleue that whatsoeuer thou determinest to forgeue me, it shal be as if it had neuer beéne done.

My whole life O my God, maketh me afrayd, because that when I sift it thorowly, there appeareth welnere no­thing but sinne, or barrainnesse in it: and if there be any fruit in it, it is ether so thin and slender, or so vnperfect, and corrupted by some mean or other, that

[Page] it may well, either vtterly displease theé, or at least wise not like theé. Ther­fore being abashed at the multitude of my sinnes, but yet trusting to thy gra­cious goodnes, I acknowledge and cō ­fesse to theé my maker and Redeémer, which hast promised forgeuenes to of­fenders, that in sinne I was conceued, in sinne haue I beén brought vp, and in sinne haue I liued all the time of my life vnto this day. I find not any sinne, wherewith I am not defited by some meanes or other. Thus is my soule filled with misery according to the de­sert of my sinnes. Thus is my soule brought euen to the gate of hell. O my God if thou deliuer me I haue cause to thanke theé: if thou deliuer me not, yet haue I no cause to blame theé, for thou art righteous.

Alas, how haue I liued? what a nū ­ber of euill things haue I sayd & done?

[Page 65] I am ashamed that I haue liued so: my conscience telleth me I haue deserued damnation: but I am sure that thy mercy wipeth away all offence. Wipe a­way mine iniquities therfore O Lord, with the multitude of thy mercies, and by the desert of thy most bitter passion, and death, Amen.

Another.

WOe is me wretch that I am, how often haue I fallen in rising, and lien still when I was fallen? I haue heaped sinne vpon sinne, often promising amende­ment, but neuer perfourming it. I haue alwayes returned agayn to my vomit: and to my former offences I haue added new, and worse. Behold O most mercifull God, I hide not my sinnes, but I bewray them: I doe not excuse, but accuse my selfe, for I know mine iniquitie well inough. Sure­ly I might well inough despayre in respect

[Page] of my outragious sinnes, vices, and infinit ouersights which I haue committed, and dayly doe committe without ceasing, in thought, word, and deede, and by all other meanes wherin mans frailty may offend, were it not that thy word O Lord, is be­come flesh and dwelleth among vs. But now I dare not dispayre, because that he, submitting himselfe vnto thee, to the ve­ry death, yea euen to the death of the crosse, hath taken away the handwriting of our sinnes, and nayled it to his crosse, crucifiyng the same and death both at once. Therfore I beseech thee for thine only begotten sonnes death sake, wipe a­way all my iniquities, and be mercifull to me the miserablest of all sinners: to the intent that being set free from sinne, and iustified before thee through the righte­ousnes of thy sonne, I may sing prayse to thy name, and glorifie thee, together with

[Page 66] the same thy sonne, and the holy Ghost, from this time forth for euermore, Amē.

Another.

MY soul is weary of her life: I will speake in the bitternes of my hart: I am sick, my life is brought weake with misery, my bones are bru­zed as in a mortar, and therfore I flie to thee (Lord) as to my phisition. Heal me O Lord and I shall be wholl: saue thou me and I shalbe safe. And because I trust in theé, I shall not be put to shame. But who am I O gracious God, that dare speak thus boldly vnto theé? I am a sinner, wholy bred, born, and brought vp in sinne, a rotten cary­on, a filthy vessel, wormes meat. Woe is me. Spare me O Lord. What vic­tory were it if thou shouldest fight with me and ouercome me, which am lesse then the stubble before the wind? Par­don

[Page] me all my sinnes, and lift me poore soule out of the mire. Surely Lord (if thou wilt geue me leaue) thou shouldst not shun him that commeth running to theé. For thou (O Lord Iesu) art my God, and yet art thou flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bones, ioyning thy self to my humain nature without leauing the right hand of thy father: and being both God and man in one person, and yet contynuing still that which thou wast before. And to what end hast thou done this so high and vnconceiuable thing, but that I should come running boldly vnto theé as to my brother: and thou mercifully impart thy Godhead vnto me?

Wherfore vp Lord and help me, vp I say, and put me not back for euer. Like as the hart seéketh after the foun­taines of water: so doth my thirsty soul long after theé the liuing spring, to

[Page 67] draw water of comfort out of the Sa­uiours welles, that it may no more be a thirst when it commeth to appeare before thy face.

Come the ioy of my hart, that I may take pleasure of theé. Shew thy mercy to me to glad my hart with all. Let me find theé for whom I long. Let my sute enter into thy presence O Lord, and let thy hand saue me. Loe here the man that was caught of theéues, wounded, and left half for dead, as he was going towards Iericho. Thou kinde harted Samaritane take me vp. I haue sin­ned to to much in my life, and done euil in thy sight. From the sole of my foote, to the crown of my hed there is no soūd peéce in me. Hadst not thou helped me by thy dying vpon the crosse, my soule should haue gone to hell as it hath de­serued. But I, O mercifull Iesu, am a peéce of thy so deare raunsome. Thou

[Page] hast shed thy precious bloud for me, re­fuse me not. I am the sheép that is gon astray, O good shepheard seéke me out, and bring me home to thy fold agayne, that thou mayst be iustyfied in thy say­inges. For thou hast promised me that in what houre soeuer a sinner doth figh for his sinnes, he shal be safe. I am so­ry, I acknowledge mine iniquities, and mine offences are alwayes in my sight. Of a truth I am not worthy to be called thy sonne, because I haue sin­ned against heauen, and against theé. Make me to heare of ioy and gladnes. Turne thy face away from my sinnes, and blot out all mine offences. For thy singular mercies sake cast me not a­way from thy sight. Deal not with me according to my sins, neither reward me according to mine iniquities: but help me O God of my welfare, and for the honor of thy name delyuer me: deal

[Page 68] fauourably with me according to thy good pleasure, that I may dwell in thy house all the dayes of my life, & prayse theé for euer and euer with them that are there, Amen.

Another.

MOst gentle master Iesu christ, how oft haue I transgressed the rule of thy doctrin? How oft haue I despised thy commaundements (O holy Lord?) When thou badst me re­turne, I returned not▪ Whē thou didst threaten, I was not afrayd: When thou didst deale mildly and gently with me, I becam the curster: Aboue seuenty times seuen times haue I sin­ned against heauen, and in thy sight: who shall wash away so great filth? who shall scrape of this daubaken dung? Whatsoeuer Peter say, thou

[Page] [...] [Page 68] [...] [Page] must be fayn to wash vs thy selfe, for we be not able to wash our selues, but in al things that we doe, we haue neede of thy mercifull washing. The traytor Iudas was admitted to eate with thee at thy table, but he was shut out from this healthful washing, and in the end could not be washed for defacing the honor of his apostle­ship with cursed couetousnes.

Howbeit forasmuch as with thee is the well of life, and the bottomles poole of all compassions that euer haue been: vouchsafe that we, whom thou hast washed in baptisme, whom thou hast washed with thine own bloud, and whom thou washest still from time to time, by forgeuing our dayly sinnes, may be remoued from the puddles of this world, and from the mire of this present life, to the most pleasant kingdom of thy glory,

[Page 69] where there is neither scab, nor sore­nesse of eyes, neither issue of bloud, nor vncleanes of body, nor any need of more washing, because the sub­stance of thy brightnes shall be fully incorporate into our bodies, accor­ding to thy promyses, which thou must needes fulfill. And therfore goe through with the good worke which thou hast begun, and bring it to per­fection according to thy good plea­sure, Amen.

* Another.

BOw downe thine eares to my words O Lord, and harken to my cry. Harken to the voyce of my prayer my king and my God, haue mercy vpō me and heare my prayer. Upon the multitude of thy compassions will I enter into thy house, and worship to­wards thy holy temple. Lord rebuke

[Page] me not in thy rage, neither chastise me in thine anger. For thine arowes stick fast in me, and thy hand lyeth heauy vpon me. There is no health in my flesh at the sight of thy displeasure. There is no ease in my bones at the sight of my sinnes. For mine iniquities are gone ouer my head, and lye heauy vp­on me like a sore burthen.

Haue pity vpon me according to thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of thy compassions wipe away my sinnes. Wash me more and more from mine vnrighteousnes, and clense me from my sinne. For I acknowledge mine vnrighteousnes, and my sinne is alwayes in my sight. Greatly haue I sinned against theé, and done euil in thy sight, that thou mightest be iustified in thy sayings, and ouercome when thou art iudged. Behold I was conceiued in wickednes, and my mother bred me

[Page 70] in sinne. Turn thy face away from my sinnes, and wipe out all my iniquities. A clean hart create in me O God, and renue a right spirit in my bowels.

Thrust me not out of thy presence, neither take thou thy holy spirite from me. Geue me the comfort of thy sauing health agayn, and strengthen me with a principall spirit. For thou, Lord, art good and pitifull, and of much mercy to them that call vpon theé. Thou, O lord God, artful of mercy and compassion, flow to wrath, but full of pitie & truth. Therefore shall the righteous prayse theé, and sinners shall be conuerted vn­to theé, Amen.

Another.

I Am gone astray like a lost sheep, seek thy seruant O Lord, for I am not vn­mindfull of thy commaundements. En­ter not into iudgement with thy seruant

[Page] O Lord, for no man liuing shall be iustifi­ed in thy sight. Who knoweth all his sins? Cleanse me from my secret sinnes, and for other mennes sinnes beare with thy ser­uant. Call to minde thy compassions (O Lord) and thy mercies which haue been from euerlasting. Remember not (Lord) the misdeedes and offences of my youth. Be mindfull of me according to thy mer­cy for thy goodnes sake (O Lord) for it is exceeding great. Make thy mercies yet more wonderfull, O thou that sauest thē which trust in thee. Turne not thy face away from me, neither shake of thy ser­uant in thine anger. For in death no man is mindfull of thee, and in hell who will prayse thee?

What profit is there in my bloud, that I should goe down into corruption? Shall dust geue thee thanks, or vtter forth thy truth? Looke back vpon me, and hear me O my God: Inlighten mine eyes that I

[Page 71] sleepe not in death. Withhold not thy compassions aloofe from me, but let thy mercy and truth alwayes preserue me, Amen.

A comfort after crauing of mercy gathered out of the psalmes.

IN theé O Lord doe I trust, therfore shall I not be confounded for euer: Deliuer me in thy righteousnes I be­seéch theé my God. Cast a chereful coū ­tenance vpon thy seruant, and saue me for thy mercies sake. Lord let me not be put to shame, for I haue called vpon theé. For sake me not O Lord my God, depart not from me. Make hast to help me O God of my welfare. Why art thou heauy O my soul, and why doest thou trouble me? Put thy trust in God for yet will I praise him, because there is helpe in his countenance.

Pitifull and mercifull is the Lord,

[Page] slow to wrath, and of much compassiō. He will not be alwayes at variance, nor be angry for euer. But looke how high the heauen is aboue the earth, so highly hath he made his mercy to pre­uaile vpon them that feare him. Looke how farre the East is from the Weast, so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. And as the father pityeth his own children, so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him. For he knoweth wherof we be made, and he considereth that we be but dust.

Therfore wil I tary the Lords lay­sure: my soule wayteth vpon the Lord: in his word is my trust: my soule way­teth for the Lord, from one morning watch to another. Let Israell trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and plenteous redemption: and he will redeéme Israell from all his iniquities. Yea the Lord is good vnto all

[Page 72] men, and his mercy is aboue all his works. Praysed be the Lord, Amen.

❧A Prayer in commendation of Gods mercy receiued, made by S. Augustine.

BEhold (O my Creator,) many things haue I craued, but not de­serued the least. I confesse, alas I con­fesse that these thy benefits are not due vnto me, but rather many and most strange scourges. Yet for that Publi­cans, sinners, and theéues (in a momēt deliuered out of their enemies iawes) are mercifully receiued into the shep­heards fold, I am so much the more imboldned. For thou, O thou maker of all things, albeit in all thy works thou art maruelous, yet in thy works of mercy thou art surpassing marueilous: wher­of thou thy self hast spokē by one of thy seruants, saying: His mercy is aboue all

[Page] his workes. And that which thou spa­kest in generall of all thy people, we trust thou hast verefied vpon euery one seuerally, saying: My mercy will I not take from him. For thou despisest none, reiectest none, thou terrifiest none but such as most horibly are afrayd of theé. When thou art angry, yet doest thou not reuenge, but doest blesse with thy riches such as haue kindled thy wrath, if they shal cease.

O my God the horn of my saluatiō, and my defēder (miserable wretch that I am) I haue prouoked theé, I haue wrought wickednesse in thy sight, I haue kindled thy wrath, and deserued thine indignation. I haue sinned, but thou hast spared me. I haue greéuously offēded, and as yet thou doest forbear. If I repent, thou forgeuest me. If I returne, thou receiuest me. Yea, if I prolong to come, most patiently thou

[Page 73] doest tary my comming. Thou callest him back that wandereth: thou allurest him that resisteth: thou taryest for him that is slow: and imbracest him that returneth.

The ignorant is instructed by theé: the mourner comforted: they that fall, raysed agayn, and deliuered from de­struction: to him that asketh, thou doest geue: he that seéketh theé, findeth theé: and to him that knocketh, thou doest open.

O Lord God of my health, behold, what should I obiect? what should I answere? no refuge without theé: no corner is hid from theé: thou hast shew­ed me the way to liue well: thou hast geuen me the knowledge to walke a­right: thou hast threatned hell fire: and promised the glory of thy paradise.

And now O thou father of mercies, and God of all consolation, so strike

[Page] me with the feare of theé, that (stan­ding in awe) I may escape thy threate­ning: so restore me to the ioy of thy sa­uing health, that (louing theé) I may enioy thy promises.

O Lord my strength, and might, my God, my refuge and deliuerer, in­spire my minde what to thinke of theé. Put into my mouth how to call vpon theé. Geue me such workes as may please theé. With theé a sorrowfull spi­rite is a sacrifice: also thou doest accept an humble and contrite hart.

My God, my helper, inrich me with these blessinges, strengthen me with this armore against mine enemies, performe in me this coldnes, to quaile the fiery flames of my sinne. Geue me O God this stay, for the troubled pas­sions of my desires. Let me not be of their number (O Lord the strength of my health) who beleéue for a time, and

[Page 74] shrinke away in the houre of temptati­on. Ouershadow me in the day of bat­taile, my hope in affliction, my help in tribulation, Amen.

* A complaint of a sinner, in that he sinneth againe after repen­tance, by S. August.

BEhold O Lord my light, and life, I haue craued such thinges as I want: I haue set down such thinges as I dreade, but my conscience biteth me: the secrets of my hart accuse me: and that comfort which loue doth minister, dread expelleth: which zeal doth moue, feare doth withdraw: my deédes geue cause of dreade, but thy mercy cause of trust. I am animated by thy clemency, but drawen back by reason of my wic­kednes: And to confesse the truth, the shame of my sinnes is alwaies in mine

[Page] eyes, which driueth away all confi­dence of mind.

With what face shall he intreat for mercy, who is worthy of hatred? and he that meriteth punishmēt, with what boldnes can he demaund prayse? He prouoketh y^e iudge, who seéketh to haue a recompence, but neglecteth his pur­gation. He insolently, and worthy of death, tryumpheth ouer the king, who (albeit a traitor) sueth for an vndeser­ued reward. He exasperateth the lo­uing affectiō of his father, who before due time, vsurpeth the prerogatiue of inheritance.

O my father, why doe I renue the memory of my deédes? Death is my due, yet life is my request. I haue mo­ued my king to indignation, whose safegard I call vpon vnshamefastly. I haue despised the iudge, whose ayd I craue ouer boldly. Proudly haue I disdayned

[Page 75] to goe to him as to a Father, whom now I presume to take my pro­tector. O how late doe I come? Alas, alas I hasten very slowly: Alas that I runne to theé whē I am wounded, who in my safety neglected thy rod: I cared not for to auoyd thy punishment, who am now greéuously disquieted because of present death: I haue geuen my self wound vpon wound, for that I feared not to heap sinne vpon sinne: My greén scarres haue I galled agayn, for that my former sinnes are renued by reasō of my late iniquitie: And what thy heauenly medicine had perfectly cured, my wickednes hath festred: And that skinne which did ouerlay, and couer my sore, breaketh out into corruption, because my misdeédes newly commit­ted, frustrate thy mercy which thou be­fore hadst graunted: For I know the sentence, that in what houre the iust

[Page] shall offend, all his righteousnesse shall be forgotten. If the righteousnes of the iust be abolished, how much more the repentance of a sinner, running to his accustomed wickednesse? How often haue I returned as a dog to his vomit? and as swine to their wallowing mire?

And seéing that it is impossible for me to recken vp all, I confesse that I haue instructed the simple how to sin: the vnwilling I haue perswaded: I haue inforced them that refused: and I haue geuen consent to them that of thē selues were willing.

How many snares haue I layd for them that walked aright? to them that sought the way, I haue shewed, and o­pened the pit. So that bould I was to sinne, & to forget it I feared not. But thou iust iudge, wryting vp my sinnes (as in a sachell) hast kept my pathes, and hast numbred al my footsteps: thou

[Page 76] heldst thy tongue, & didst keépe silence: thou hast beéne long suffering. Woe is me, thou speakest at length as one in trauaile.

A Prayer against dispayre.

MAny say to my soule there is no help for him in his God. But thou Lord art my maintayner, my glory, and the holder vp of my head. De­parte not from me in the time of my neéd, but defend thou me till this storm be ouerpast, Amen.

❧ A Prayer vpon the min­ding of Christes passion.

WHat man is this whom I behold all bloudy, with skin all to torn, with knubs and wales of stripes, han­ging down his head for weakenes to­wards his shoulder, crowned with a

[Page] garland of thornes pricking through his skull to the hard brayne, and nay­led to a crosse? What so haynous fault could he do to deserue it? What iudge could be so cruell as to put him to it? What hangmen could haue so butcherly mindes, as to deale so outragiously with him? Now I bethink my selfe, I know him: it is Christ.

Art thou he that excellest all y^e chil­dren of men in beauty? in whose lippes grace was shed most plentifully, yea, euen with Gods own hand? where thē is that beauty of thine? Where is that grace of thy lippes? I finde it not, I see it not, fleshly eyes conceiue not so great a mistery. Open thou the eyes of my minde. Bring thy diuine light nea­rer vnto me, and giue me power to look more wistly vpon thee.

I seé it is Iesus the sonne of God, the vnspotted lambe, without sinne,

[Page 77] without fault, without offence, which tooke my wickednesse vpon him, to the intent that I (being set freé from sinne) might be brought again into Gods fa­uour: rise again from my fall: returne home agayn from banishment: and at­tayn to the end for which I was crea­ted. That which I deserued, he suffe­red: and that which I could neuer haue attayned vnto, he geueth.

O my Redeémer, deliuerer, and sa­uiour draw me to theé, that (being al­wayes mindful of thy death, trusting alwayes in thy goodnes, and being al­wayes thankfull for thine vnspekable benefites) I may be made partaker of so great reward, and not be separated from thy body through mine own vn­thankfulnes, so as thou shouldest haue beén born in vayn as in respect of me, & in vayne haue suffered so many tor­ments, yea and euen most bitter death

[Page] of thine own accord for my sake, Amē.

* Another.

MY minde beholdeth thy body crucified for my soul: O that thou wouldest also crucifie me with thee, so as I might liue, or rather not I, but thou my Lord Christ in me. Who will geue me to die with thee, that I might rise againe with thee to life euerlasting? Thou dyedst for me, that I might liue through thee. Thy flesh is crucified, O Christ: crucifie thou the power of sin that raigneth in me: that being stripped out of the old Adam, I may be transformed into the second Adam: to lead a new life by shaking down, and dispatching a­way of all wickednes, vnbeleefe, and tiranny of Sathan.

Let thy yoke become sweete, and thy burthen lightsom to me through

[Page 78] thy crosse: that I (following thee wil­lingly and cherefully) may come to the same place where thou art: that is to wit, to thy most blessed, and immortall father, from whom nothing may euer separate vs hereafter, Amen.

Another.

O Most high and singular obediēce, wherthrough thou didst submitte thy selfe to innumerable torments, yea, and euen to most bitter, and reprochfull death, because it lyked thy father to haue it so. O noontide of feruent loue, and sū ­shine neuer drawing towards euentide, shew vs where thou feedest in the midst of the day, and where thou shroudest thy sheep from cold. O would to god we might be transformed into that crosse of thine, that thou mightest dwell in our harts by fayth, rooted and grounded in charitie, so

[Page] as we might with all thy holy ones, comprehend the length, breadth, heigth, & depth of thy cros, which exceed all the strength and wisdome of the world, Amen.

Another.

I Seé a wonderfull kinde of loue. Thy highnes boweth down y^e head, to y^t intent we should hope to be heard, and be heard in deéde. Thou offerest the kisse of peace and attonement, yea and that of thine own accord, being the party greéued and wronged, vnto vs that haue done the wrong.

Thou reachest out thine armes to imbrace vs: thou stretchest out thy bo­red hands to geue vs al things aboun­dātly without holding any thing back: Thy side is open vnto thy hart, to re­ceiue vs in thether, if we will enter in at the open dore: Thy feéte are fast nay led, to y^e intent that we may know that

[Page 79] thou wilt neuer depart from vs, if we depart not from theé.

O father and Lord of oures, thou seést the hardnes of our hart, and much rather y^• dulnes of it. It is not inough for vs to be allured and called so gent­ly, so sweétly, and so louingly: but thou must be fayn euen to draw vs, pull vs, hale vs, & drag vs. Create a new, and obedient hart in vs: for this olde one that we haue already is stony, it feéleth no gentlenes, it is not moued with any hope of the great good thinges that are promysed, Amen.

Another.

O Lord Iesu Christ, y^e euerlasting sweétnesse and triumph of them that loue theé, exceéding all ioy, and all longing, thou sauer and louer of repentant sinners, which auowest that thy delight is to be among the children of

[Page] men: and therfore in the end of times, becamest man for mennes sakes: re­member all the foretast and greéfe of sorrow, which thou didst indure euen from the instant of thy conception in the humain nature, forth on: but most of all when the time of thy most health­full passion was at hand, according to the eternall ordinance which God had purposd in his mind before al worlds. Remember the greéfe and bitternesse which thou feltst in thy hart, euen by thine own record, when thou saydst: my soule is heauy euen vnto the death. And at such time as thou gauest thy body and bloud to thy disciples at thy last supper, didst wash their feéte, and com­forting them sweétly, toldst them of thy passion that was at hand.

Remember the sorrow, anguish and greéfe which thou didst suffer through­out thy whole tender body, before thy

[Page 80] suffering vpon the crosse, at such time as after thrice praying, thou diddest sweat water like to bloud, wast betray­ed by one of thine own disciples, apprehended by thine own chosen people, ac­cused by false witnesses, condemned wrongfully by threé iudges in thy cho­sen citie, at the time of the passouer, in the florishing youth of thy body: and being vtterly giltlesse, wast deliuered to the Gentils, bespitted, stript out of thy own garment, clothed with another bodies apparrail, buffeted, blinfolded, bobbed with fistes, tied to a poste, whipped, and crowned with thornes.

O most sweéte Iesu, I beseéch theé make me mindfull of these thy paynes and sufferings which thou abodest for my s [...]nnes, that I might be discharged and set freé from them, and mine atto­nement be made w^t thy father, through thy chastisement. Make me to abhorre

[Page] my so detestable cursednesse, which could not be put away but by thy so greéuous punishments. Make me to be hartely sory for my sinfulnesse, and to eschue my offences, which draw theé to the suffering of so great tormentes. Make me mindfull of thy great loue to me, and to all mankind, and let the in­finitenes thereof, kindle an vnfayned loue in me towards theé and my neigh­bor. Let this thy vnmeasurable good­nes breéde in me a willing minde, and desire to abide all things patiently for thy sake, and for the truth of thy gos­pell: And let it ingender in me a despi­sing of all worldly and earthly things, and an earnest lōging and indeuour to attayn to the heauenly herytage, for the purchasing wherof vnto me, & for the bringing of me therunto, thou hast endured these, and all other thy most bitter and intollerable torments.

[Page 81]Wherfore I beseéch theé graunt me true repentance, amendment of life, perseuerance in all goodnes, a stedfast fayth, and a happy death, through the merites of thy sufferings, that I may also be made partaker of thy blessed resurrection, Amen.

Another.

O Lord Iesu, the very freedome of the Angels, and the pleasure of paradise, remember the terror and greefe which thou didst indure at such time as all thine enemies stoode about thee like a sort of Lyons, vexing thee with buffe­tings, spittings, scratchings, and other in­tollerable dealings: and martyring thee with reprochfull words, greeuous stripes, and most greeuous torments. I beseech thee O Lord for thine own sake, and for thine exceding great mercies sake, which caused thee to abide these things for our

[Page] redemption, delyuer me from all mine enemies visible & inuisible, and graunt that I may finde both protection in this life, and endlesse felicitie in the life to come, vnder the shadow af thy wings, Amen.

Another.

O Iesu, the framer and creator of the world, whom no measure can comprehend within bounds, and which holdest the earth in thy hand, call to minde thy most bitter payn which thou didst indure when they nayled thy most holy hands to the crosse, & likewise strake through thy most tender feet, making thy woūds still more and more paynfull, because thou wast not agreeable to their fan­cy: and so drawing and retching out thy body to the length and bredth of the crosse, that they loosened all the sinewes of thy members.

[Page 82]I beseech thee graunt that my con­tinuall minding of this thy most holy and bitter paynes vpon the crosse, may cause me to stand in awe of thee, and also to loue thee, Amen.

Another.

O Iesu the heauenly phisition, re­member the anguish, payn, and greéfe, which thou diddest suffer by the rending and tearing of all thy mem­bers, whē thou wast hoysed vp, & nay­led to the crosse: insomuch as ther was not any one of them that remayned whole and sound, so that there was ne­uer any payn found like vnto thine: for there was not any place of theé left whole from the sole of the foote, to the crown of the head, and yet euen then (vnmindefull of all thy paynes) thou prayedst meékly to thy father for thine

[Page] enemies, saying: Father forgeue them, for they wote not what they doe.

I beseéch theé by thy louing kinde­nes and mercy, which caused theé to suffer these paynes for my sake, let thy passion be the full pardon of all my sinnes, Amen.

Another.

O Iesu the mirror of eternall brightnes, and fountayn of vnconsume­able goodnes, which hanging vpon the crosse, didst thirst for the saluation of mā mankind. I beseech thee kindle in vs the desire of all good works, and quench in vs the thirst of all fleshly lustes, and both coole and kill in vs the loue of all worldly delighte, Amen.

* Another.

O Princely Iesu, the strength and triumph of our mindes, which for

[Page 83] our sakes diddest suffer such anguish of hart, that the bitternes of thy death, and the exclamation of the Iewes vpbraiding and reuyling thee, made thee to cry out with a loud voyce: O God my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

I beseech thee forsake me not in my distresse, but be at hand to comfort me, and delyuer me, specially in the time of death, Amen,

Another.

O Iesu the bottomles sea of all mer­cye, I beseech thee by thy deepe wounds: which pearced through thy flesh, into the marow of thy bones, and into the very bowels of thee, pull me out of the gulfe of my sins, and hide me in the holes of thy wounds, from the sight of thy Fa­thers iust wrath, vntill his displeasure be ouerpast, Amen.

[Page] O Iesu the mirror of truth, the stā ­dard of vnitie, and the bond of charitie, remember thine innumerable wounds wherwith thou wast torne frō top to toe by the wicked Iewes, so that thou wast all on a gore bloud: Which torment thou didst suffer in that chast body of thine for our sakes, O most meéke Iesus, leauing nothing vndone on thy behalf, that might be for our be­nefite. I beseéche theé write all thy woundes in my hart with thy most precious bloud, that in them I may reade thy great loue towards me.

Let the remembraunce of them be layd vp continually in the closet of my hart, that the sight of the paynes and greéf which thou sufferedst for my sake in thy passion, may make me to loue theé more and more, and neuer to giue ouer vntil I be come vnto the treasure of all goodnes & ioyes, which I besech

[Page 84] theé to graūt me for thine owne sake O most sweét Iesu, Amen.

Another.

O Iesu, the only begotten Sonne of the heauenly Father, & the brightnes and Image of his substāce, remember the harty commending of thy spirite into thy Fathers handes, when (hauing thy body all to torne, and thy hart full of anguish, and ha­uing earst vttered the bowels of thy mercy) thou gauest vp the Ghost. I beseeche thee for this thy precious deaths sake O king of Saincts, giue me strength, to withstand the diuel, the world, and the flesh, that being dead vnto the world, I may liue to thee onely. And whensoeuer this ba­nished, and wayfaring soule of myne shall depart hence, I beseech thee re­ceiue it home into the hands of thy mercy, Amen.

Another.

O Iesu the true and fruitful vine, remember the aboundant flow­ing out & sheading of thy bloud, which thou didst send out of thy body most plentifully, as out of grapes pressed at the wine presse, at such time as thou didst tread the winefat alone, and be­gannest to vs of the cup of water and wine, by the soldyars thrusting of theé into the side with his spear, so as there remayned not one drop more in thy bo­dy: But finally thou wast as a bundle of mirhe hanged vp aloft, thy tender flesh shrunke, the moysture of thy bow­els dried vp, & the marow of thy bones wasted away.

I beseéch theé O most sweéte Iesu, by this most bitter death of thine, and by the sheading of thy most precious bloud, wound my hart with such repentance

[Page 85] of my sinnes, and ioy of thy loue, as my teares may be my foode day and night. Turne thou me wholy vnto theé, that my hart may dwell with theé con­tinually, and my conuersation be acceptable vnto theé. And let my life be such, through thy goodnes, as I may prayse theé for euer with al thy Saints in the life to come, Amen.

Another.

O Lord Iesu Christ the sonne of the liuing God, who for the saluation of the world drankest eyzell and Gall vp­on the cros, like as at the geuing vp of the Ghost when thou hadst finished all things, didst commit thy soule into thy Fathers hāds: so do I betake my soul into thy mer­cifull hands, beseeching thee both to pre­serue it here frō all sinne, and in the end to receaue it in peace into the company of thy chosen that are departed, that I may

[Page] with thē prayse thee euerlastingly, which liuest & raignest &c. Amen.

* A prayer vpon the minding of Christes resurrection and ascention.

O Lord Iesu, O good Iesu, which diddest vouchsafe to die for my sinnnes, and rosest agayn for my iusti­fication: I beseéch theé by thy glorious resurrection, raise me vp from y^e graue of al my vices and sinnes, and geue me part daily in the first resurrection, that I may be made partaker of the second resurrection also.

O most sweét Iesu, which art gone vp into heauē with glorious triumph, and sittest at the right hand of thy Fa­ther like a most mighty king, draw me vp to theé: make me to runne after theé for the sweét sent of thine oyntmentes:

[Page 86] make me to run without tyring, by thy drawing and pulling of me forward. Draw the soul that thirsteth after theé to the riuers of euerlasting suffifanze which are aboue: yea verely draw me to thy selfe which art the liuing foun­tayn, that I may so drink of theé, accor­ding to my capacitie, as I may liue for euer. My God, my life, thou welspring of life, fill my minde with the streames of thy pleasures▪ & make my hart loue­sick with the sober drunkennes of thy loue, that I may forget the things that are vain and earthly, and haue theé on­ly in my mind continually. Geue me thy holy spirite, which is betokened by those waters, which thou hast promy­sed to geue to them that are a thirst.

Graunt (I beseéch theé) that I may long with all my hart, and labour with all my indeuor, to attayne to the place whether we beleéue that thou didst as­cend

[Page] the fortith day after thy resurrec­tion, so as I may be conuersant in this vale of misery but with my body, and alwayes in heauen with my hart, so as my minde may be where thou art, euen where thou my incomparable and deér beloued treasure art, that I may sing prayses to thy name, from this time forth for euermore, Amen.

Another.

O Brother of oures, O naturall sonne of that father whose sōnes thou makest vs by adoption, O head of our body, we seé that thou art king of heauē, forget not thou thy earth, wher­into thine inestimable loue of vs did bring theé down. Thou frō out of that place geuest hope to vs thy members, that we may come thether as thou art exalted already. O gard and defence of vs, what can now hurt vs so long as

[Page 87] we trust in theé? Most wretched are they that know theé not, and most hap­py are they that doe euer behold theé. Blessed are they that knew theé here in the dayes of the mortalitie of thy flesh: But more blessed are they that seé theé in heauen, and shall seé theé raigning in the chief goods of thy father.

O loue and delight of mankind, O only hope of vs, imbrace vs with thy fauour, kisse vs, shead thy spirite into our harts, and make our minds to run continually vpon theé, to our exceéding great comfort. Lift vs vp, lying flatte vpon the ground, open our eyes, and lift them vp vnto theé. Open thy mouth to call vs, and open our eares to heare theé: that we (setting theé alone before vs for our marck to direct our life by) may square out all our doe­ings, words, & thoughts by theé, Amen.

❧ A Prayer to Christ ascending, and raigning in glory.

OH good Christ, our first begotten brother, and tender harted Io­seph. Oh natural sonne of that Father, to whom we are made children of adoption through theé. Oh our head, raig­ning on high in glory, forget not vs thy poore members here on earth, wher into abasing thy selfe, thou camst down and sufferedst for vs most cruell death. Out of this thy throne of maiesty and glory, thou putst vs in assured hope and confidence, that we also shall attayn to that blessed place whether thou art gon before to take possessiō for vs. Oh our strong tower of defence & succor, what can hurt vs now trusting in theé? Most vnhappy are they which are ignorāt of theé. Most happy are they which al­wayes behold theé.

[Page 88]Blessed are they which haue known theé here in the dayes of their mortali­tie, but more blessed are they which seé theé in the heauens, and shall seé theé raigning with thy Father in ioyes in­comparable.

Oh Lord, the only ioy and comfort of our soules, shew vs thy louing coun­tenance: imbrace vs with the armes of thy mercy: receiue vs (O good Ioseph) thy younger bretheren, with the kisse of comfort: pour into our harts thy ho­ly spirite: pluck vs vp from the earth & earthly things: open our eyes and lift them vp vnto theé: open thy mouth and call vs vnto theé: open our eares, that we may heare theé, so that whatsoeuer we doe speak or thinke, it may be di­rected vnto theé alone, our Re­deémer, Mediator, & Ad­uocate, Amen

❧ A Prayer at our going to a Sermon.

MAny and sundry wayes O lord, doest thou vtter and shew forth thy light vnto vs in this great darck­nes of oures: But no way more effec­tually and plenteously then by thine A­postles, and by them that haue succeé­ded in their charge. Great and plenty­full is the haruest, as thou thy selfe hast told vs, but few are the haruestfolkes. For the most part they be all ignorant, and ouercast with the cloud of darck­nes. And as for true preachers that teach as they ought to doe, the number of them is very small.

Therefore we beseéch theé (O thou Lord of the haruest) send workfolks in­to thy haruest. Send vs teachers of thine own teaching, furnished with the spirite of thine own wisdome and goodnes,

[Page 89] that (being good) they may be wil­ling, and being wise, they may be able to preach, not thēselues and their own deuices, but theé only.

And vnto this man also graunt the treasure of thy wisedome, that he may poure it out vpon vs to our saluation.

And in vs open thou the windowes and dores of our harts, that we may so receiue into vs the wholesome light of thy most holy word, as that y^e good seéde which shall fall into vs, be neither cho­ked with bryars, thornes, and bram­bles, nor burnt vp with drought, nor deu [...]ured by the birds of the ayre: but battle as in good ground, & bring forth plentifull fruit to the prayse & honor of thy name, Amen.

A Prayer for knowledge, and vnderstanding.

HEare my prayers O Lord Iesu, the euerlasting wisedome of the

[Page] Father, which geuest vnto childhoode, the commoditie of aptnes to learne, I pray theé adde the furtherance of thy grace to y^e forwardnes of nature: that I may the sooner and more perfectly learn knowledge and the liberall sciences: Howbeit in such wise as they may serue to thy glory: so as my minde be­ing furthered by the help of them, may attayn to the fuller knowing of theé, which is the highest poynt of mans fe­licitie. And also, that (according to the example of thy most holy childhoode) I may dayly prosper more and more in age, wisdome, and fauor, both before God and man, to the glory of thy name which liuest and raignest &c. Amen.

A Prayer to be sayd before rece­uing of the Communion.

O Father of mercy, and God of al consolation, seéing all creatures

[Page 90] do acknowledge and confesse theé to be their gouernour and Lord, it becom­eth vs the workmanship of thine own hands, to reuerence and magnifie thy godly maiestie.

First, for that thou hast created vs to thine own Image and similitude: but cheéfly because thou hast deliuered vs from that euerlasting death & dam­nation, into the which Sathan drew mankind by the meanes of sinne, from the bondage wherof, neither man nor angell was able to make vs freé. But thou (O Lord) rich in mercy, and infi­nite in goodnes, hast prouyded our re­demptiō to stand in thine only and wel beloued sonne, whom of very loue thou didst geue to be made man like vnto vs in all things, sinne excepted: that in his body he might receaue the punishment of our transgression, by his death to make satisfaction to thy iustice, and by

[Page] his resurrection, to destroy him that was author of death, and so to bring a­gayn life to the world, from which the whole ofspring of Adam was most iustly exiled.

O Lord, we acknowledge that no creature was able to comprehend the length and breadth, the deépenes and height, of that thy most excellent loue which moued theé to shew mercy where none was deserued: to promise & geue life, where death had gotten victory: to receaue vs into thy grace, when we could doe nothing but rebell against thy maiesty. O Lord, the blind dulnes of our corrupt nature will not suffer vs sufficiently to weigh these thy most ample benefites: Yet neuerthelesse at the commaundement of Iesus Christ our Lord, we present our selues to this his table (which he hath left to be vsed in remembrance of his death vntil his com­ming

[Page 91] again) to declare and witnes be­fore the world, that by him alone we haue receaued liberty and life: that by him alone thou doest acknowledge vs to be thy children and heires: that by him alone we haue entrāce to y^e throne of thy grace: that by him alone we are possessed in our spiritual kingdome, to eate and drinke at his table: with whō we haue our conuersation presently in heauen: and by whom our bodies shall be raysed vp agayn from the dust, and shall be placed with him in that endles ioy, which thou (O Father of mercy) hast prepared for thine elect before the foundation of the world was layd.

And these most inestimable benefits we acknowledge and confesse to haue receaued of thy freé mercy and grace, by thine onely beloued sonne Iesus Christ. For the which therfore we thy congregation, moued by thy holy spi­rite,

[Page] render to theé all thanks, prayse, and glory, for euer, and euer, Amen.

Another.

WHat tongue, or what hart can worthely geue theé thankes (O Lord Iesu) for thine vnspekable loue towards vs? Who, to the intent to re­deéme mankind forlorn, diddest vouch­safe to become man, and to take all the miseries of our state vpon theé: in so much that in the end, thou being a pure and vnspotted lamb, wast contented to be made a sacrifice for vs vpon the al­tar of the cros, and to abide the punish­ment due for our sins, that thou migh­test reconcile vs to thy Father: yea and both in life and death, thou didst spend, geue, and bestow thy selfe wholy vpon vs, and for vs.

And thy gracious goodnes was not so contented, but also (least we might at any

[Page 92] time perchance forget so great lo­uingnesse, or at least our trust in theé might at any time quaile) euen now raigning in heauen, thou refreshest our soules from time to time with the foode of thy body, and cheérest them vp with the holy cup of thy bloud.

Wherfore I beseéch theé let thy spi­rite cleanse my hart, that I may not come vnworthely to that heauēly feast, and to the table whereat euen the very Angels doe tremble: But that by thy sheading of thy selfe into my bowels, I may grow manly in theé, and become the lustyer by spirituall increasements so as I may continue to the end in the blessed fellowship of thy misticall bo­dy, whom it is thy will to haue all one with theé, in such wise as thou art all one with the Father, by the knitting of the holy Ghost. To whom be prayse, & thanks for euermore, Amen.

Another.

I yelde thee harty thanks (O Lord Iesu Christ,) for thine vnutterable loue in vouchsafing to redeeme man kind by thine own death: and I be­seech thee suffer not thy most holy bloud to haue been shed in vaine for me, that I (growing vp in thee by cō tynual increase of heauenly strength) may be [...]ome a fit member of thy mi­sticall body, which is the church, and neuer swarue from that most holy co­uenant which thou madest with thy chosen discyples in thy last supper, by distributing the bread vnto them, & by reaching them the cup: and by thē with all those that are graffed into thy company by faith in Baptisme, Amen.

* Another.

[Page 93]MY Lord Iesu Christ, who am I that thou shouldest vouchsafe to come vnder my roofe? Can a sinfull man deserue such grace? Certes (Lord) I am not worthy. Am I better then all my Fathers were? Thou wouldest not shew thy selfe to Moyses one twinckling of an eye: and how hapneth that thou humblest thy selfe so much, as to come down to a man that is a publican and sinner? And thou vouchsafest not only to eate with him, but also to geue thy self to be eaten of him. Hayl O bred of life which camest down from heauen, & which giuest life to as many as receiue thee worthely. Surely who so receiueth thee worthely, although his soule be seuered from his body by temporall death, yet shall he not dye for euer, because that that separatiō is not a deth, but a passing from death to life: by reason wherof, he that eateth thee worthely, be­ginneth to liue with thee for euer, when

[Page] he dyeth in this world. Thou art the bread of the angels, the very sight of thee refresheth and gloryfieth the Angels. Thou art foode for the soule, and not for the body. Thou nourishest the minde, and not the maw.

He that eateth thee, is turned into thee, that by partaking of thee, he may be­come God, and yet art thou not changed into his substance as other bodily meates be. But woe be to them that receaue thee vnworthely (O most holy food) by the ea­ting whereof aright, a man becommeth God, is set free from all euil, is filled with all goodnes, and is vndoubtedly made im­mortall. O sacred pittance of our pilgri­mage, wherby we passe out of this naugh­ty world, to the company of heauen.

Goe to therfore thou beleeuing soule, be mery and make good cheare, for thou shalt not dye. Feede vpon these daintyes and stick not. Take thy fill of this feaste,

[Page 94] wherin the body of thy Sauyour is set be­fore thee, to feede on. Man fell from God by eating the foode of the forbidden tree: But by this foode he is releeued a­gayn to endles glory.

* A Thankesgeuing after the receauing of the holy Com­munyon.

MOst mercyfull Father, we ren­der vnto thee al praise, thanks, honor, and glory, for that it hath plesed theé of thy great mercies, to graunt vs miserable sinners, so excellent a gifte and treasure, as to receaue vs into the fellowship and company of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, whom thou hast delyuered to death for vs, and hast geuen him vnto vs as a necessary food and nourishment vnto euerlasting life. And now we beseéch theé also (O

[Page] heauenly father) to graunt vs this re­quest, that thou neuer suffer vs to be­come so vnkind, as to forget so worthy benefites, but rather imprint and fastē them sure in our hartes, that we may grow and increase dayly more & more in true fayth, which continually is ex­ercised in all manner of good workes: & so much the rather (O Lord) confirme vs in these perilous dayes and rages of Sathā, that we may constantly stād and continue in the confession of the same, to the aduauncement of thy glo­ry, which art God ouer all things, blessed for euer, So be it.

A prayer for Gods grace.

It is sorrowful to be sayd, how great a wound our nature which is frayle and weak of it selfe, hath receiued by sinne, and how much ability & strength

[Page 95] it hath forgone. It is not able to lift vp it selfe, nor to stand, nor to go, without thy help and ayd. Whatsoeuer y^• mind of man thinketh or deuiseth, it is vtterly vneffectuall, and to no purpose if it be not grounded vpon thy fauor. No­thing is strong except it be vphild by thy goodnesse, all things without that do fall by and by to the ground. That is it which cleanseth and scoureth vs from our filthines, that is it y^• streng­theneth our weaknes, that is it that maketh vs cunning workmen in al vertues. Graunt we besech theé O Lord, that this grace of thine may alwayes accompany vs, then the which ther can no greater gyft be deuised, neither is there any thing which thou bestowest more readily and willingly, & therfore also more often. Let the same so worke in vs, as we acknowledging how much neéd we haue thereof, may both applye

[Page] our selues continually to craue it, and earnestly endeuer by wel doing to keép it. Amen.

* A Prayer for fayth.

EAsily, yea to easely O Lord do we beleue man which is euill, vntrue and ignorant: but hardly▪ and slowly do we beleue theé which art God, exceé­ding good, most sothfast, and most wise. We beleue men in the things that can do vs no good, but we beleue not theé in the care of our saluation. Man is able to do nothing, but thou art able to do al things. We can find in our harts to follow our sē [...]es which are so oft deceiued and yet we doubt of theé O God which canst neither deceiue, nor be decei­ued. O how great is our vnthākfulnes and ignorance. Alas how is man blin­ded of his own sin? But thou O Christ through the pitifulnes and compassiō

[Page 96] of thy Father, art appoynted as a guid in this our blindnes, and as a schoole­master to our rudenes: yet notwithstanding, the greuousest inconuenience in this blindnes and ignorance is, that trembling and staggaring still from time to time, eyther we conceaue not y^e excellent and most wholsome precepts of our good scholemaister, or els we stand wauering and doubting of the truth of thē. Blind wretch, how wilt thou scape the vengeāce that is prepa­red for theé: if thou shrinke away from him, seéing thou neither knowest the way thy selfe, nor beleéuest him that sheweth it theé?

O Christ which art the pure & euer­lasting truth, vouchsafe to shead thy selfe so into our harts, that as thou and all thy sayinges are most true, so we may take them for more certayne then the things which we seé with our eyes,

[Page] or handle with our hands, which are but sences of the body, that may and do deceiue vs, notwithstanding that the foolish & beastly flesh do trust so much to them. Asswage and settle these moti­ons of the flesh, which driue vs from time to time, to the altering of y^e thing that ought to be alwayes most firme, & fast setled in our minds.

Faith is a gift of thy inlightening (O Christ,) therfore shead it merciful­ly and boūtifully, in such wise into our harts, as these faulty eyes of oures may be inforced to behold it, euen loth, and vnwilling though they be. Lord, I beleéue, but yet help thou mine vnbe­leéfe. Lord increase our faith, Amen.

A Prayer for trust in God,

THe ground of mans decay was his trusting of himselfe: and the beginning of his rysing agayne, was

[Page 97] his distrusting of him selfe, and his trusting to God.

O most excellent and singular wise guid, which leadest all them the righ­test and nearest way to euerlasting blessednes, which trust theé truely and vn­faynedly. Graunt that as we be blind, and weak in very deéd, so we may take our selues so to be, that we take not vp on vs to shift for our selues: but let our looking be to seé theé alone: and let our inabling of our selues be no further, but to desire to follow theé going afore vs: to come to theé whē thou callest vs: to obay theé as thou guydest vs: and to betake our selues wholy vnto theé, that thou who only knowest what way to goe, mayst lead vs to the attaynement of our desires that way which we wold neuer haue set foote into of our own ac­cord, Amen.

* A Prayer to be sayd for the feare of God.

GRaunt Lord, that being taught by thy commaūdements, I may serue theé with feare, and reioyce be­fore theé with trembling, in all things standing in awe of theé, least thou hap­pen to be angry, and I perish out of the right way. For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome.

❧ A Prayer for loue towards Christ.

THe ground of all happines, is to loue thee which art most excellēt­ly good: and the perfection of happi­nes, is to be knit vnto thee which art most excellently good, as we may be­come all one with thee, for that is the very end of loue. Therfore do we begin our blessednes here by louing thee, and

[Page 98] we finish it in heauen by being knit vn­to thee. O most louing Christ, would God we were so far in loue with thee, that beyng swallowed vp, and altoge­ther consumed in thee, we were one w^t thee, euen as thou and thy Father art one, so as we were no more our selues, but thou: nor any more men, but after a sort Gods, as we beyng oll one thing with God, which is the highest, and most perfect blessednes.

Now therfore I am aliue, or rather not I, But Christ in me. To him ther­fore be all thanks and prayse for euer, Amen.

A Prayer to be sayd for cleanes of hart.

MOst merciful Iesu Christ, who being made in the likenes of sinfull flesh, hast born our sinnes in thy

[Page] body, to wipe away all our naughtines by thy death, and to make vs clean, and new creatures acceptable vnto God. Scoure vs from the spots which we by our sinnes doe dayly cast vpon the whitenes that we haue gotten by theé: And when thou hast so cleansed vs, let thy grace maintayn vs still in the same cleanes, that we may be worthy to be called thine, both in profession & name. Lord cleanse me from my secret sinnes and beare with thy seruant in his other sinnes, Amen.

Another.

A Clean hart create in me O god, and renue a right spirite within my bowels. Let my hart be made vndefiled through thy inrighteousing, that I may not be put to shame, Amen.

* A Prayer for the obtayning of a sound minde.

O Lord Iesu Christ, the light of al them that put their trust in theé, and the only Phisition of our soules, the light of mind which thou hadst put into vs by creation, is dimmed, defa­ced, and in maner extinguished by the fall of our first Father Adam: and a horrible maime and disorder is fallen vpō all the powers & sences of our soules.

Our wit, reason, iudgement, discre­tion, vnderstanding and will are vtter­ly corrupted, so as of our selues we can not seé nor discern any thing aright.

And when (through thine inlighte­ning of vs) we attayn to the sight of a­ny truth, yet doth the stubbornes of our will rebell still against it, in so much that we may say with thy prophet, that from the crown of our head to the sole

[Page] of our foote, there is not one sound part in vs. Wherefore make hast to help vs O Lord, least we fal into a wilful lewd minde, and be cast into vtter darcknes.

Create thou a pure hart in vs, and renue a right spirite in vs. Binde thou vp the sores of our soules, wash them with the wine of thy precyous bloud, and annoynt them with the oyle of thy holynes. Repair that heauenly Image which is defaced in vs through sinne, and adorne it agayne with thine own righteousnes. That we (being set in perfect state by thy meanes) may sing acceptable prayses euerlastinglye to theé in thy holy church, Amen.

¶ A Prayer to be sayd for new­nesse of life.

VNto theé O Lord, doe I lift vp my hart: In theé my God doe I trust, let me not be put to shame.

[Page 100]Shew me thy wayes, and teach me thy pathes, lead me forth in thy righteousnes, and guide me: for thou art my sauyour, in theé is my trust all the day long.

Teach me thy way O Lord, & guide me in the right path for feare of mine enemies.

A cleane hart create in me O God: and a right Spirite renue within my bowels.

Thrust me not out of thy sight O Lord: neither take thy spirit frō me.

Geue me agayne the comfort of thy help: and strengthen me with a princi­pall Spirite.

Teach me thy way O Lord: and I will walke in thy truth.

Knit my hart vnto theé that it may fear thy name: geue thy seruāt strēgth, and saue the sonne of thy handmayd.

Graunt me thy seruant life: and I

[Page] will keép all thy sayings.

Make me to vnderstand the wayes of thy commaundements: and I will talke of thy wonders.

Remoue from me the way of lying: and geue me thy law.

Set thy law (O Lord) and the way of thy statutes before me: that I may euer keép them.

Geue me vnderstanding that I may obserue thy law, & keép it continually.

Leade me forth in the pathes of thy commaundements: for in them is my delight.

Incline my hart vnto thy testimo­nies: and not vnto couetousnes.

Let not the foote of pride come neare me: nor the hand of sinne touch me.

Turne away mine eyes from vani­tie: and quicken me in thy way.

Strengthē thy seruant in thy word: that I may feare theé.

[Page 101]Behold I haue lusted for thy com­maundements: quicken me in thy righteousnes.

Let thy mercy come vpon me (O Lord) let thy sauing health light vpon me according to thy word.

A Prayer for true mortification.

HE that will be ready in weighty matters to deny his own will, & to be obedient to the will of God, the same had neéd to accustome himself to denye his desires in matters of lesse waight, and to exercise y^e mortification of his owne will in trifles. For if that our affections by this daily custome be not (as it were) half slayn, surely, sure­ly, when the plunge shall come, we shal finde the more to do. If we cānot watch with Christ one houre, as he sayth to Peter, we vndoubtedly can much lesse go to death with him. Wherfore, that

[Page] in great temptations we may be ready to say with Christ: Not my wil but thine be done, (in that this commonly com­meth not to passe, but where the rootes of our lustes, by thy grace deare father are almost rotten and rooted out by a dayly denyall of that they desire) I hū ­bly beseéch theé for Christs sake to help me herein. First pardon me my cheri­shing and as it were, watering of mine affections, obeying them in their deui­ses & superfluous desirs: wherthrough in that they haue taken deép roote, and are to liuely in me, I secondly doe be­sech theé to pull them vp by the rootes out of my hart, and so henceforth to or­der me, that I may continually accu­stome my self to weaken the principall roote, that they by rootes and branches may lose all their power.

Graunt me (I beseéch theé) that thy grace may daily mortify my concupis­cence

[Page 102] of pleasure in things, that is, of wealth, riches, glory, liberty, fauor of men, meats, drinks, apparel, ease, yea and life it selfe, that the horror and im­paciēcy of more greuous things, may be weakened, and I made more paciēt in aduersitie. Wherunto I further de­sire & pray thy goodnes (deére father) that thou wilt adde this: namely, that I may for euer, become obedient and & ready to do thy good wil in al things, hartely and willingly to serue theé and do whatsoeuer may please theé. For doubtles, although we accustome our selues in the pleasaunt things of this life, to a mortification and deniall of our selues, yet we shall find enough to do when more bitter and weighty cros­ses come.

For if thy sonne our sauiour (euer wont to obay thy good will) prayed so hartely and often: Not my will, but thy will be

[Page] done, wherby he declareth himself to be very man: how can it be but we, whose nature is corrupt not only in natiuity, but in the rest of our whol life also, shall finde both our hands full in great and greéuous temptations, wholy to resine our selues vnto theé.

Graunt therfore deére Father, for thy Christes sake, I most hartely be­seéch theé, thy grace and holy spirite, to be effectual in me, that dayly I may ac­custome my selfe to deny my will in more easie and pleasant things of this life, that when neéde shall be, I may come vnto theé with a resined will, al­wayes stedfastly expecting thy mercy, and in the meane season, continually o­baying theé with readines and willingnes, doing whatsoeuer may most plese theé, through Christ our Lord, which li­ueth and raigneth with theé and the holy Ghost, world without end, Amen.

A prayer for cōtinuance in se­king after Christ. by S. Augustine.

O How great is the multitude of thy mercies, which thou hast layd vp for them that feare theé. Thou hast layd them vp but as to keépe them: not to take thē quite away, but to mul­tiply the same. Such thinges as are hiddē, commonly are searched diligēt­ly, and once found are loued ardently. Our duetye toward theé is not dimini­shed, but increaseth more & more. Thy loue is not transitory but perpetuall. They that loue theé waxe not colde, but hoate in their loue. Thy loue is not dis­solute. The memory of theé is sweéter then hony, to think of theé is more de­lectable then pleasant meat. To speak of theé is all fulnes, to know theé is perfect consolation, to cleaue vnto theé is

[Page] eternall life, to be seperate from theé is euerlasting death. Thou art a liuing fountayne to thē that know theé, a per­petuall food to them that hunger after theé, thou art glory to them that seéke theé, ioy to thē that find theé. The smell of theé raiseth the dead, thy care heleth the sick, thy light disperseth all mist, thy louing visitation expelleth all sor­row. No mourning is with theé, all grief is farre from theé, there is no heauines with theé, no pouertie where as thou art, there is no necessity, no diffi­culty in obtayning that good is. Dark­nes, terror, or hel fire, is neuer there so much asnamed. No blindnes of night, outrage of tumults, no hūger or thirst, cold, heat or penury abideth with theé. No sicknes of body, no corruption of mind, no emulation or contention, all ambition departeth from theé. There is no pensiuenes for the end, or fear of

[Page 104] death, no trauaile of old age, no languishing disease. The motions or affecti­ons of the ayre and diuersity of times is not there known, for such is the multitude of the mercyes which thou hast laid vp for them that fear theé, but doost accomplish them in such as hope in theé O what a blessed laying vp is that w^ch bringeth perfection: for this laying vp is not losing, but a preseruation which tendeth to perfection.

O glorious king how true are thy iudgements iustified in them selues, truely to be desired aboue gold and precious stone, sweéter then the hony and the hony combe. O my life, my God, I beseéch theé in the name of our Redeé­mer thy only begotten sonne, most mercifully graunt that I may obserue and keépe the same. For I know that in keéping thē there is great reward. Oh my God, my glory, thou layest vp thy trea­sure,

[Page] to make me more desirous of it: thou hidest the precious stone, to in­crease the loue of it: thou doest prolong to geue it, that I might seéke it: thou makest as if thou heardst not my re­quest, that I might perseuere in reque­sting: to conclude, thou doest promise thy sauing health to them that intend to seéke it: and performest it in them that continue in seéking, which is ma­nifest by Mary which sought thy sonne Christ in y^e sepulchre, or rather sought theé in Christ, she being as yet in darcknes. Thou didst inlighten her that she might seéke theé, and in seéking, thou didst expel darcknes, that she might be constant in seéking.

She contynued in hope, and hoped in contynuance. And for that she con­tinued in hope, she inioyed the benefite of seéing theé. O happy and exceéding sight, O perfect ioy, and fulfilled, O

[Page 105] beutifull face & cherefull countenance, O blessed hope, and fortunate perseue­rance: except she had hoped she had not continued, and except she had continu­ed, she had not receiued the benefite of her hope.

In such sort therefore (O my God) thou art layde vp for them that feare theé, as thou mayst be found of them that hope in theé. So thou doest pro­long to be found of them that seéke theé, the sooner to approch to them that per­seuere in seéking.

They that defer to come vnto theé shall perish, but they that wayt vpon theé shal not be confounded. They that feare theé hope in theé: because thou art their helper and defender, for by feare we haue accesse to thy loue. Thou art to be feared as a Lord, and loued as a Father. Thy holy feare endureth, be­cause it keépeth them holy whō it doth

[Page] possesse. Nothing is wanting to them that feare theé, because thine eyes are ouer them, and thy eares are redy prest to their prayers.

O my mercy and my refuge, my de­liuerer and defender, so geue me feare, as also I may loue: so put me in feare, as thou increase also the desire of theé: and so make me one of those that feare and keépe thy commaundements, that by the obedience of thy feare, I may enioy the feare of thy loue, Amen.

A Prayer for spirituall ioy.

LOrd Iesu, the redeémer and com­forter of mankind, which hast by thy holy Spirite prepared far greater pleasures then the world knoweth of, for such as refuse the false pleasures of this world for thy sake, tempering the troubles of this life, with inward and

[Page 106] secret solaces, and after a sort renuing from tyme to tyme a certayne forecast of the blessednes to come, to the intent that being cheéred and refreshed, we should come running to theé with glad­der hartes.

I beseéch theé graunt that the anoynting of thy holy spirit may often driue from me all irksomnes of aduersities, and cheére vp my minde with healthful gladnes, euen as he anoynted theé with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes, in respect of thy humayn nature when thou wast here vpon earth, which liuest and raignest with the father and the same holy Spirite for euer, and euer, Amen.

A Prayer to be sayd in the time of sicknes.

MOst mercifull Redeémer, thou art alwayes mercifull, who art

[Page] alwayes the sauiour, whether thou do­est send health or sicknes, wealth or ad­uersitie, ioy or sorow. For it is of great mercy when by outward afflictions, as it were by bitter, but yet wholesom medicines, thou doest heale the inward diseases of the soule: and by temporary troubles which doe last but for a short time, doest prepare vs to eternal ioyes which indure for euer.

And thy selfe (O gracious sauiour) passing into thy glory through the gretest afflictiōs of this world hast troden out to vs by thy steps, y^t way to true & perfect felicity in the which no humble and true seruant ought eyther to dis­dayne or to shrinke to follow after his Lord and master so going before him.

But for so much as without theé we can doe nothing that good is, I beseéch theé to indue me with thy heauenlye grace, that I may take vp willingly &

[Page 107] obediently this crosse which thou hast appointed vnto me, and follow after theé: and that I may drinke of, as it were this medicinable cup, though bitter vnto the flesh, which thou, the hea­uenly phisition doest offer vnto me, pa­ciently without grudging or murmu­ring against theé: And that I may with thy faithfull seruant Iob, and with vn­fayned lips and hart, say: The Lord hath geuen, the Lord hath taken a­way, as it hath pleased the Lord, so is it come to passe, blessed be the name of the Lord.

For if I haue receaued gladly youth, health, riches, honor, and ioy at thy hands (O Lord:) why should I refuse paciently to take age, sicknes, aduersi­ty & sorrow at thy hands also? These things be in deéd very greuous vnto frayle nature and flesh: but thou my Lord: though most perfectly innocent,

[Page] infinitely hast suffered more greéuous things for me, who haue so oft deser­ued hel. But yet thou knowest the frailty of our humane condition & nature: wherfore I besech theé, as thou pourest sharp wine into our wounds to bite a­way the corruption of our sinnes, so af­ter the example of the mercifull Sa­maritane, set forth in thy holy gospell, to resemble thy selfe, & vnto the sharpe wine of thy correction, the supplying oyle of thy merciful comfort, whereby I may be able to suffer things which o­therwise are intollerable vnto me.

And if it be thy pleasure to increase sorow vpon me, increase also thy grace and gift of patience in me, and turne these worldly and bodely afflictions to the profite of my soule, by my acknow­ledging of thy iustice in punishyng me worthely: and thy mercy in correcting me gratiously, euen like as a Father

[Page 108] hath pitie vpon his children when he beateth them, and by my submitting of my own will vnto thy holy will, and patiently taking of this thy proouing and trying of me whether I loue theé or no, may offer that sacrifice of obedience which is acceptable vnto theé.

And when thy Fatherly pitie shall be contented with thy meéke chastising of me, then I beseéch theé send calme after this tempest: quietnes after this trouble: and ioy after this sorrow: that I may render thanks vnto theé for double causes, both that thou hast first cor­rected and amended me an vnprofita­ble seruant, and afterward hast taken away the bitternes of affliction with the softnes of thy comfort. In the one, hauing regard of necessitie, in the o­ther, not forgetting my infirmitie, and in both, as in all things, alwayes re­membring thy mercy, vnto the which

[Page] I doe commende and betake my selfe both body and soule, now and for euer. Unto theé, with the father and the holy Ghost, one God of most excellent ma­iesty, be all praise, honor, and thanks­geuing, for euer and euer, Amen.

Another.

LOrd Iesu the onely health of thē that liue, & the only life of them that dye: I yeald and geue ouer my self wholy to thy most holy will, whi­ther it please thee that this silly soule shall abide any longer in the lodge of my body to serue the, or that thou wilt haue it to depart out of this world. For inasmuch as I am sure that the thing wich is committed to thy mercy cannot perish, I will willingly put of this fraile and wretched flesh of mine, verely in hope of the resur­rection,

[Page 109] which shall render it to mee in farre better plight. I beseech thee strengthen my soule with thy grace agaynst all temptations, and agaynst all Sathans assaults, gard me with the shield of thy mercy, whereby thou madest all thy martires inuincible in old tyme, agaynst all horrible tor­ments and cruell kinds of death. I see there is no defence in my self: all my trust is in thy vnspeakable goodnes. I haue no desert nor good workes at all to alleadge before thee: But as for euill workes, I haue alas to many of them. Neuertheles my hope is that I shalbe reckned in the number of the righteous by meanes of thy righte­teousnes.

For my sake wast thou borne, for my sake didst thou thirst, for my sake wast thou hūgry, for my sake diddest thou teach, for my sake diddest thou

[Page] pray, for my sake didst thou fast, for my sake didst thou perfourme the great number of good works in this life, for my sake didst thou suffer so many bitter panges, & for my sake didst thou geue ouer thy precious life to the death.

Let the things profite me which thou hast geuē me of thine own free will, thou (I say) which hast geuen thy self wholy for me. Let thy bloud wash away the spots of my sinnes. Let thy righteousnes hide mine vn­righteousnes. Let thy deseruings commend me to the soueraign Iudge. As my greef and disease increase, so in­crease thou thy grace. Let not my faith wauer. Let not my hope stag­gar. Let not my charity waxe colde. Let not my humain infirmitie be cast down with the dread of death. But euen when death shall haue cloased

[Page 110] the eyes of my body, let the eyes of my minde looke still vpon thee with out wauering aside. And when it shal haue bereft me of the vse of my tung let my hart cry stedfastly still vnto thee, Into thy hands I commit my spirite O Lord, to whom be honor & prayse world without end, Amen.

❧ A Prayer to be sayd in the Plague time.

IT is no maruail O most righteous Father, that the elementes of this world are fearce against vs, sometime with earthquakes, sometime with tempestes and lightnings, sometime with ouerflowing of seas and Riuers, some­time with pestilent concourses of the heauenly lights, and sometime with corruption of the infected ayre, for we doe commonly abuse thy gifts.

[Page]We acknowledge that euen in this case also the creatures serue and obay their Creator, whose cōmaundements we neglect so oftentimes. Also we ac­knowledge thy fatherly nurturing of vs, wherby thou callest vs back from the trust of this world with gentle cor­rection, and drawest vs to the desire of the euerlasting life.

We humbly beseéch theé to remem­ber thy mercy euen in thy wrath, and fauorably to withdraw the afflictions which thou hast layd vpon vs in thy displeasure. The infection of the plague shall doe vs no great harme, if we with draw our selues from the infection of sinne. But both those things are of thy gift (O Father of mercy) namely, as well to haue our mindes freé from the poyson of sinne, as to haue our bodyes safe from the infection of the plague. Such as haue fastened the Anchor of

[Page 111] their hope in this life, are wont in their perils to fleé for remedy to such shiftes as these: namely some to certain saints as to S. Rooke, or S. Anthony. And some to the superstitious arts of witchcraft. But we, who are fully perswa­ded that no man can escape thy hand, beleéue there is no such safety as to re­sort to thy selfe, and to flie from thy iu­stice to thy mercy, as to the surest and safest sanctuary that can be, forasmuch as thou neuer forsakest them that put their trust in thy goodnes: vnder whose protection euen they that die are safe.

A Prayer for health both of body and minde.

DOubtles the only true health is to be found in that part which is cheéfest in vs, and lykest vnto theé (O Lord) that is to say, to haue the soul al­lyed

[Page] and knit vnto theé as neare as is possible, by louing and worshipping of theé which art our only welfare.

But forasmuch as the same is an­nexed to the body, it feéleth the affecti­ons therof, and is moued by them. As for salues and medicines they doe good when thou listest: but they be superflu­ous and to no purpose, if thou list not to worke by them. Thou (I say) which art the founder of them, and of al natu­rall things.

Thine only will is the cause of life and death, and of health and sicknes, which thou layest vpon vs most com­monly to chastise and bridle this body of oures, which rusheth forth into vnruly losenes in all things, like an vnwel­dy & vnbrideled beast, ouerwhelming vs with forgetfulnes of the true health when it groweth to strong and ouerlu­sty. But thou (O Father) graunt vs so

[Page 112] to be hole in body, as our minds may also be hole and sound. Or if it be not for our benefite to haue health of body, at least wise geue vs a healthy minde, and lend vs power & strength to beare our sicknes, that the greéfe and weake­nes of the body, appaire not the soule, Amen.

A Prayer in affliction, or aduersitie.

MOst mercifull Redeémer which art alwayes full of compassion, thou art alwayes our preseruer, whe­ther thou send vs aduersitie or prospe­ritie. For great is thy mercy, & com­passion, in that thou healest the inward man by outward afflictions as it were by bitter medicines, and preparest vs to euerlasting ioyes by temporal trou­bles. And for as much as thou thy selfe hast traced vs out this true way to felicitie

[Page] by thine own footesteps: graunt that I may paciently and obediently drinke this cup, which thou reachest vnto me.

Greéuous in deéde are these thinges vnto my nature, but yet hast thou suffe­red greéuouser things for me: and I haue deserued far greéuouser things, for I haue deserued hel fire. Notwith­standing thou knowest the frailety of mans state, and therfore like the mer­cifull Samaritane, thou pourest wine into our wounds, which maketh our vices to smart, but yet thou alayest it with the oyle of thy comfort, to the end we should indure the things which also would be intollerable. If thou thinke meéte to increase our greéfes, increase thou also the gift of pacience, & graunt that these afflictions may turne me to the amendement of my misdeédes. Or if thy Fatherly louing kindnes thinke

[Page 113] this thy chastising of me to be suffici­ent, let this storme passe into calme wether, that I may thanke theé in both respects, as well for that thou hast a­mended thine vnprofitable seruant by gentlenes, as also for that thou hast put away the bitternes of the affliction by the sweétnes of thy comfort: hauing in the one case, respect of necessity, and in the other, being mindfull of our in­firmities. To theé therfore be prayse and thanks for euer, Amen.

❧A Prayer vpon the minding of death.

WHat doe we dayly all our life long but heape sinne vpon sinne? and lode wickednes vpon wickednes? so as euery day becomes worse then o­ther, by increasing the number of our offences, and the wrath that is due for

[Page] them. But be we once escaped out of y^e prison of this body, and receiued into thy company O Lord God, we shalbe quite out of doubt of the immortality of our Saluation. Sicknes, penury, and payne shall not come at vs: no nor yet the vices of the minde, for all those things are farre of from heauen.

O Father, giue vs the light of faith that we may not stumble in the things that are most true. Geue vs the loue of theé wherthrough we come thither: sta­blish our fayth with charity, & increase our charity with hope w^ch vnderprop­peth, strengtheneth, and holdeth vs vp in doing the workes of godlines. And forasmuch as our watching and war­ding here, and our warfare which is ordained for great reward, are finished by death, and we cannot tell when that shall come: thou w^ch knowest all things

[Page 114] call me hence at such tyme, as may be most for my behoof to depart out of this life, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer in danger of death.

MOst mercifull Sauyor, inligh­ten mine eies that I may neuer fall a sleép in death, least mine enemie say, I haue preuayled agaynst him. They that persecute me wil be glad if I fall: but I haue fastened my hope in thy mercy. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for no man liuing shalbe iustified in thy sight. I will looke before me at the Lord who is alwayes in my sight, for he is at my right hand, to keép me y^t I be not moued. My hart is glad, & my tongue reioiceth, & more ouer my flesh, shall rest in hope.

A prayer for good successe, and for the direction of Christ in all our doyngs.

[Page] O God, and Lord Iesus Christ, thou knowest, yea and thou hast taught vs, how great mannes weake­nes is, or rather how vnable he is to doe any thing without theé. If he trust to himselfe he must neédes fall hedlong into a thousand mischiefes. O deére fa­ther, pitie thy childes infirmitie, be merciful and fouourable vnto me, that I may seé the true good things through thine inlightning, haue a longing to them through thine incouraging, and attayn to them through thy guyding, vtterly distrusting my selfe, I geue o­uer, and betake me all wholy vnto theé alone.

Thou hast made me a man, of body earthly, transitory, and mortall: but of soule, heauenly, firme, and immortall. Thou hast indued me with a minde, that is to say, with vnderstanding, rea­son, and iudgement, whereby to con­ceiue

[Page 115] the soueraine goodnes, which is euen thou thy selfe O God. And vpon the knowing of it, to be in loue with it. And by louing of it, to be knit vnto it, and to be made all one with it, and so consequently, to become immortall, and blessed.

But I (wretch that I am,) neglec­ting so great a benefite, doe incline to the lustes of the flesh, and spend all the powers of my mind about things that are most vile. I ouerwhelme my selfe with earth, wherthrough, of heauenly, I become earthly, and of Godlike, beastlike. Yet doest thou not fayle me, nor forsake me O my God. For thou hast called me to the partnership of thy kingdome. Thou of thy freé goodnesse, hast washed me with water through faith in the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ, to whom be prayse and thanks with theé, for that so great and vnspe­kable

[Page] benefite. Neither stayest thou there: but thou doost also offer me thy light almost euery minite to the intent I should seé theé: & thou settest my hart on fire, to the intent I should loue theé. But I vnhappy wight do fayl my self, I feéle and perceiue no more then if I wer deaf, blind, or a stone. Like a thāk­les wretch, I vse not these so great be­nefits, but despyse them. I like better of the base things that shall perish: in th [...] am I busy, about thē am I whol­ly occupyed. Thou leadest me one way and I shrink asyde another way. Thou reachest me thy hand, and I refuse it. Thou drawest me, and I drag backe. Now and then I enter into the way & by and by I look back again, and either cease quite and cleane, or els fall to loytering and lingring. O my God, wa­ken me, quicken me vp, suffer me not to lye wallowing still in the myre, streng­then

[Page 116] me agaynst naughty custome, in­bolden me to despise things that are to be despised, giue me power to tread vi [...]e things vnder my feét, and cause me to set my mind vpon the highest, excel­lētest, and best things.

Geue me grace O God to harken to thy calling and to follow thy guyding. For thou leadest vs to store of all good things: thou offerest thy self and all thy goods: giue vs grace to receiue them. Thou shewest vs the way to most sin­gular benefites, suffer vs not to turne head vntill we haue taken possession of them.

Giue vs constancy and stedines of purpose, that our thoughtes may not be fleéting, fond, and vneffectual, but that we may performe all things with an vnmouable minde, to y^e glory of thy holy name through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer to be sayd agaynst temptation.

This weak & feéble fortres of ours is assaulted cōtinually with innumerable enemies and engines: But yet if it please theé O sauior Christ to fortifie it but with thy onely strength, it shall abide inuincible.

Thou thy self hast bene tempted, to the intent thou shouldest haue skill to pity and relieue such as are tempted. Thou hast had experience of the darts that are thrown at vs and though thou wast not touched with y^e frailty of our sinfulnes, yet art thou not ignorant of it. Wherfore (if it may please theé) suffer vs not to be assayled: Because the daunger is very great that we shall be ouerthrowen. Or if it seéme good to thy most rightfull wil, that we shall neédes come to the incounter, strengthen thou

[Page 117] vs from aboue, arme thou vs with thy holy spirite, incourage thou vs with thy presence, and let euery of vs feéle the effectuall working of that help w^ch thou diddest warrant to thine Apostle, when thou toldst him that thy grace sufficed him, and that the mightines of thy power vttereth it selfe in our weaknes. We haue no strēgth of our selues, and therfore we would fayne shun that battail as much as we can, but yet in such wise, as we submitte our willes to thy will, looking to be defended alo [...]ly by thy power and prouidence.

Wherfore we beseéch theé goe not from the helme of this brittle ship, that is tossed in the waues of the manifolde temptations, and afflictions of this world, vntill thou haue brought it to the quyet and safe hauen of thine eter­nall and blessed kingdome in heauen, Amen.

* A Prayer to be sayd agaynst the world,

OH with what sleights this iug­ling world beguileth our feéble and dim eyes? O how gay glitterings of things it sheweth a far of, that they might seéme great and worth the ha­uing, wheras in deéde they be but smal, empty, & to be despised: that y^e thinges might seéme terrible which are but tri­fles: that the things might seéme meéte to be shunned, which are conuenyent to be sought and attayned to.

It calleth, allureth, inticeth, and fla­tereth: And if that will not serue, it scareth, threateneth, and vexeth. O most bright light of Gods truth, scatter and rid away these misty cloudes at once, and therwithall inlighten our wittes, y^t we may not eschue any other things, then such as are against theé. For (to

[Page 118] speake flatly) these only are the things that are noysome and hurtfull vnto vs: Nor insue, or seéke after any other things, then such as are substanciall, great, and beautifull in deéde. Name­ly euen theé the only, contynuall, and euerlasting fountain of al goodnes and blessednes.

All flesh is grasse, and all the glory therof is as the flower of the field. The grasse withereth away, and the flower fadeth, because the breath of the Lord hath blowen vpon it. O how swiftly do all things fly away, and leaue no print of them behind them, but werynes and greéfe: they yeald no fruit at all. Looke how litle they haue profited them that were before vs: as litle will they profit vs that are present, or them that are to come. Such as that part of our life hath beén which is forespent, such will the residue be, or rather much worse

[Page] through default of age. Not that God created it such, but we (through our own folly) doe conuert it to euill vses.

Deliuer vs therfore from vanity, O Lord God, and geue vs stedfastnes in seéking thy truth, and in sticking to it, so as we may set our whole minds vp­on thy righteousnes, & ioy in nothing but in theé, & in thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

* A Prayer against the flesh.

O Sauyour of mankind, we feéle (alas to our great greéfe we feéle) that our spirite is clogged w^t the flesh, a reasonable thing, with a brutish and filthy thing. While man was in innocency, reason made the spirit a soue­raign: but now the sinfulnes that we haue receaued by inheritance from our first Parents, hath matched the rebel­lious flesh against her superior and ru­ler

[Page 119] the mind. And the more gentlenes that is vsed towards this most vnkind and leud bondseruāt the body: so much the worse and more wicked doth it be­come. If we follow it, it caryeth vs in­to destruction, turning vs away from God, to it own earthlines and rotten­nes. O how vnseémly an incounter is this, wherin the flesh being matched a­gainst the Spirite, (that is to say, the bondslaue against his Lord) striueth with him for victory and preheminēce? sometime getting the vpper hand, so as his master is not able erewhiles to represse his boldnes, malapertnes, and lustines: because he bare with him to long, and to often.

But thou O Lord Christ, to whom all power is geuen both in heauen and earth, which camest to vndo the works of the deuill, which onlye art able to make the thing cleane which is concei­ued

[Page] of vncleane seéde. Reforme our vn­derstanding, and will: Cleanse our harts: Circumcise our mindes: Wash our soules: Stablish thy freé and mighty spirite in vs: Subdue vs wholy to thy good pleasure: And restore vs the state by thy goodnes, which we haue lost through our own naughtines, so as our flesh may be in subiection to the spirite, and our affections be made obedient to right and vncorrupted reason. Or at least wise, that although the flesh rebell, and fight against the spirit, yet the power of y^• minde may be so strong▪ and the strength of our reason so mighty through thy grace, as they may get the vpper hand in all incounters, and finally ouercome all assaultes, to the praise of the working of thy holy spirit Amen.

❧ A Prayer to be sayd against the deuill.

[Page 120]IEsus Christ, our Lord God, our shield, our fortres, our strong rock, our only defence, thou knowest, and it greeueth vs to feel, with how great force, and perilous pollicie, that olde enemy of oures the wily serpent, that beguiled our first parents in paradise, the roaring Lyon that goeth about night and day, seeking whom he may deuoure. That destroyer, waster, and accuser of the saynts, the deuill, com­meth vpon vs to assayl vs, thou knowest how small, or rather no power at al we haue of our selues to withstand him, so that vnlesse thou succour vs, he will easely deceaue vs by his craf­tynes, ouerthrow vs by his mighty­nes, and rend vs in peeces by his cru­elty. But we know that if thou doe but shew thy selfe to him aloof, thou shalt driue him away with thine on­ly looke. For thou hast ouercome

[Page] him by thy death, thou hast bound him, disarmed him, and spoyled his house, thou hast bereft him of all lordship and power, thou hast crushed his head, thou hast cast down hys throne, and dispossessed him of hys kingdome, thou hast led away capti­uity captiue, thou hast cancelled the obligation that he had of oures, and nayled it to thy crosse: and finally, thou hast tryumphed ouer him in our nature, to our benefite and behoofe.

We therfore, being weake, feeble, naked, vnarmed, vnskilfull, ignorant, and of no forecast, (but yet thy members through thy grace) beseech thee which art strong, almighty, only wise, and prudent, vouchsafe to defend, maintayn, & preserue vs continually from that merciles dragon. Be thou our eye, our eare, our hand, our loads man, guide, and captayn. Set thy selfe

[Page 121] in our defence against this our vnap­peasable aduersary: disappoynt his practises, confound his deuices, break his bow, knap asunder his speare, o­uerthrow his holds, quench his fiery darts, put his armies to flight, and geue thy seruants the vpper hand of him and his, or rather ouercome thou him and his, in vs, and by vs.

Doe but aduaunce the standard of thy crosse in our harts, and thou dry­uest him out of the field. Vnder this bāner dare we march boldly against him, assuring our selues that by the power thereof thou wilt delyuer vs from the hands of our enemies, and of all that hate vs, so as we may serue thee in holynes and righteousnes all the dayes of our life. Which we be­seech thee to graunt vs for thy mer­cies sake, to the euerlasting honor of thy most holy name, Amen.

❧A Prayer to be sayd of a wo­man with Child.

THy wisedome and power shine forth in all thy workes O Lord, but yet much more greater, more ma­nifest, and more wonderfull are they in the shaping of man. Of how small be­ginning doest thou make so maruei­lous a liuing thing? sheading a soule into it whose originall is from heauen, to the intent he should long to returne thether as into his countrey.

And now, that thou hast vouchsafed to make me (as it were) thy workhouse wherin to fashion so singular a worke, I most humbly and hartely thank theé, beseéching theé, that as thou hast geuen me abilitie to conceiue, so thou wilt geue me strength to the perfecting of the thing that is in breéding, that I may safely both beare it, and bring it

[Page 122] forth. Truely thou O merciful father, hadst of thine own goodnes made this worke of childbearing easie, but our sinne hath made it sorrowfull, and full of danger.

O most gracious workman, let thy pitifulnes amend the thing which our sinfulnes hath marred, and eyther a­bate my payne, that I may not haue neéde of so great strength, tendance, & cunning: or els increase my strength, power, and courage, that I may be a­ble to ouercome all the payn of my tra­uell, Amen.

* A Prayer to be sayd of such as be vnder the Crosse.

HOw long wilt thou forget me O Lord, for euer? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

How long shall I seéke comfort in

[Page] my soule, and finde sorrow in my hart day by day? mine eyes dazell for greéf.

Unto theé O Lord haue I cryed: all the day long haue I stretched out my hands vnto theé.

Wilt thou worke wonders among the dead, or shal the dead arise & praise theé? shall any man shew thy mercy in the graue, or thy truth in destruction?

Shall thy wonders be knowen in the darck, or thy righteousnes in the land of forgetfulnes?

Why doest thou thrust back my soul O Lord, and hide thy face from me, no man is mindful of theé in death, and who will prayse theé in the graue?

Be stil before God, O my soule, for my hope is in him: because he is my rock and my sauiour, and I shall not be remoued.

In God is my welfare & my glory: the rock of my strength and my hope is in God.

[Page 123]Quicken me O Lord, for thy names sake: and for thy righteousnesse sake rid my soule out of trouble.

For I O Lord am thy seruaunt: I am thy seruaunt, and the sonne of thy handmayd.

I will offer vnto theé the sacrifice of prayse: and pay my vowes vnto theé in the sight of all the people, Amen.

¶A Prayer for Gods goodnes, and for continuance of the same.

I Yeald theé thanks and prayse (O Lord my God) for creating me af­ter thine own Image and likenes. For redeming me with thy precious bloud. For admitting me into the number of thy children by adoption, through the washing of holy baptisme, and for feé­ding me with the sacrament of thy bo­dy and bloud.

[Page]Also I geue theé prayse and thanks, for that thou of thine infinite gracious goodnes, hast paciently wayted for my amendement, euen from the time of mine ignorant childhoode vnto this houre, notwithstanding that I ran losely into innumerable vices.

I glorifie theé, and praise theé for thy often ridding of me from a number of troubles, distresses, calamities, and miseries: and for sauing me hetherto frō the often deserued euerlasting punish­ments and torments both of body and soule. I prayse theé and glorifie theé for thy mercifull geuing of me health of body, soundnes of limmes, quyetnes of times, and working of good things, with many other vertues.

My Lord God, I beseéch theé of thy vnspekable goodnes, to make perfect the benefites, and good giftes which thou hast begun in me. And whatsoe­uer

[Page 124] mislyketh theé in me, put it away and delyuer me from all the troubles that are yet to come, and from all the iniquitie and naughtynes that I am wrapped in.

Dispose, and order thou all my thoughts, words and deédes according to thy will. Keépe me at all times, and in all places wheresoeuer I goe, whe­ther it be in prosperitie or aduersitie. And in the end bring me to the desired ioyes of the present beholding of theé, Amen.

A generall thanksgeuing.

O God which excellest in all good­nes and wisdome. O heauenly Father, which art full of mercy and clemency, when I cal to minde the works of thy hands, I cannot but wonder at thy great wisdome, and infinite good­nes, which thou hast shewed towards

[Page] all thy creatures, especially towards me: Not only in that thou hast geuen me, being, mouing, and life: but also in that (besides thine other infinite bene­fites which thou hast distributed in ge­neral to all men in the world) thou hast bestowed so many particular benefites vpon me, as it is vnpossible for me to rehearce them, yea or to conceiue thē.

Thou hast vouchsafed to deliuer me by the light of thy gospel, from y^e darcknes of error, and ignorance: or rather, to draw me out of the horrible dunge­ons of death and damnation, wherto I was condemned, in respect of the cor­ruptnes of my nature, and so conueyed me into the kingdome of thy welbelo­ued sonne, who hath geuen him self for my sinnes, according to thy good plea­sure and euerlasting ordinance. Also thou hast receaued me into thy Church among the number of thy childrē: thou

[Page 125] hast elected and chosen me through thy wonderfull prouidence, to be to the glory of thy mercy. And thou hast inhono­red me with the copartnership of the e­uerlasting inheritance of thy deér belo­ued sonne, to beé of that royall priest­hoode, which shall offer the sacrifices of eternall prayse and thanksgeuing to thy holy name in thy heauenly tem­ple: now therfore according to dauids saying, what shall I rēder to y^e Lord for all his benefites towardes me? I know that al my life ought to be consecrated to continuall thankes geuing, to shew forth (with his holy people and purchased possession) the mighty workes of him that hath called vs out of darcke­nes to his wonderfull light. The cup of deliuerāce ought not to depart out of my handes, nor the new songs therof out of my mouth.

But Lord, graunt me the grace wh^c

[Page] thou didst shew heretofore to Dauid, a mā according to thine own hart. Who treating of the same matter, and rehersing the recordes of thy goodnes, sayd, of a truth Lord, I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy hādmaid, thou hast broken my bōds a sunder. I will offer vn­to theé the sacrifice of thankesgeuing & call vpon thy name. Euen so say I lord of my selfe, and that by thy grace: I am thy seruaunt, I am thy seruant.

Thou hast broken my bonds, and preserued me, and set me in safety. Unto theé O king of eternitie, immortall, and inuisible, euen vnto theé (O God) who only art good and onely wise, be honor and glory for euer through Ie­sus Christ thy sonne our Lord, and only Sauiour, So be it.

❧ A Prayer for the Queenes Maiestie,

O Lord our heauenly father, high, and mighty king of kings, Lord of Lords, the only Ruler of Princes, which doest from thy throane behold al the dwellers vpon the earth, most har­tely we beseech theé with thy fauour to

[Page 132] behold our most graci [...]us us souerain Lady Queéne Elizabeth, and so replenish her with the grace of thy holy Spirit, that she may alway incline to thy will, and walke in thy way. Indue her plen­tifully with heauenly gifts. Graunt her in health, and wealth long to liue. Strength her, that she may vanquish, and ouercome all her enemies. And fi­nally after this life, she may attayne e­uerlasting ioy and felicitie, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

❧ In the time of any common plague, or sicknes.

O Almightye God, which in thy wrath in the time of king Da­uid, didst slea with the plague of pesti­lence threéscore and ten thousand, and yet remembring thy mercy didst saue the rest: Haue pitie vpon vs miserable

[Page] sinners, y^t now are visited with greate sicknes & mortalitie, that like as thou didst then commaund thine Angell to cease from punishing: so it may please theé to withdraw from vs this plague, and greéuous sicknes, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

*A Prayer of Chrisostome.

ALmighty God which hast geuen vs grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplica­tions vnto theé, and doest promise that whē two or threé be gathered together in thy name, thou wilt graunt their re­questes. Fulfill now (O Lord) the de­sires, and petitions of thy seruants, as may be most expedient for them, graū ­ting vs in this world, knowledge of thy truth, & in the world to come, life euerlasting Amen.

* A Prayer to be sayd at the visi­tation of the sick.

O Almighty and eternal God, the God of al mercy: many & diuers are thy chastisements, by which thou callest vs vnto theé & thy sonne Christ. Especially it is thy wonted clemency, to tame our flesh by sundry and sore diseases: to awake, and shake of our sleépe by dangerous infirmities: to admonish vs of our former wicked life, frayl of it selfe, by greéuous anguishes and tor­ments, the messengers of death. Also by this thy crosse, thou puttest vs in minde of thy Sonne Christ his crosse: of his bloudy sweate, and passion: of the great, and last day of thy iudge­ment: ioyfull to thine elect, to the re­probate, a iudgement day most horri­ble, O Lord, most horrible.

[Page]Forasmuch therfore (O Lord God) as we find this our poore brother, wea­kened with sicknes, imprisoned here in his bed, sustayning the rigor of thy pu­nishment, & sharpnes of thy rod, whose conscience also, the feéling of his sins, and feare of death doth terrifie: We wretched sinners, yet thy creatures, & members of thy church, being flesh and bloud of corruptible flesh as well as he, most humbly, and most hartely pray, & beseéch thy goodnes, that thou wilt not shew thy rigorous iudgement vpon him as he hath deserued: But rather cast thy eyes of mercy vpon him: Looke on him, as on one whom thou hast redeémed: Geue him grace, and constancy of courage, that he may peaceably, and patiently take this thy fatherly correc­tion, submitting himselfe with all his hart, to thy good pleasure and will, who hast visited him.

[Page 134]Assist him in this his present danger, especially if his conscience discouered before his inward sight, accuseth him of any inward and secret sinne. O our God, our good God, God of al comfort and consolation, set against the same his wounded conscience, the greéuous torments, and voluntary sacrifice of thy welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ, who bare our infirmities, and indured the payn which we had deserued, being made sinne for vs, whē he suffred death for our sinnes and offences, which he washed away with his bloud, and ri­sing agayn from the dead, is made our iustice and present redemption.

Inspire this sick person with thy holy spirit, that now in his great anguish and agonie, he doe feéle the fruite and vertue of these benefites, receiuing at thy hands that great treasure of bles­sednes, y^e remissiō of sinnes through thy

[Page] Sonne Iesus Christ. Strengthen his faith in this last battail, that he may mightely repulse all feare of the law, sinne, and death, and couragiously pas the way to eternal life in Iesus Christ.

O Father of heauen, receiue him body and soul into thy bosome. O thou mercifull Samaritane, poure oyl into his wounds, and refresh his withered, and dry hart, with that precious wa­ter of life, thy most sweéte hart bloud. For thou only art that good Samari­tane, thou only art he that doest rayse them vp that fall, heale them that are diseased, strengthen them y^t are weak, and thou only art he that geuest life, & sendest death. Therefore receaue this our brother to theé, for into thy hands he hath committed him selfe body and soule. Pardon him all his sinnes, all his secret sinnes and offences, which haue most greéuously prouoked thine

[Page 135] anger, and thy rigorous iudgement a­gainst him. In stead of death, geue him life in thy glory. But if yet thou hast some further profitable worke for him to doe in thy vineard, increase thy gra­cious will in him, that with greater care and diligence then heretofore, he conforming him self to the example of Iesus Christ, may liue with vs, and la­bour in thy Church according to his vocation, and talent. Yet thy will be done in all, and by all, which art all in all. Blesse vs also with these thy gra­ces, as well as this thy sick creature: and graunt that we may geue feare vnto theé, faith vnto Iesus Christ, & mor­tification of Adam to the holy Ghost. Geue vs these thy graces through Ie­sus Christ, the only salue, and sauiour of sinners: who to the great comfort and consolation of all sinners, tooke with him into Paradise the theéfe that

[Page] was crucified by him. The which Lord Iesus Christ liueth and raigneth with theé in the vnitie of thy holy Spirite, one true and euerlasting God, Amen.

* A Prayer in desire of the life to come.

IN the life to come, we must not thinke to inioy any one benefite a­lone as we do here, but al good things and all at once, euen as many as are possible to be thought, or not thought. For we shall inioy theé, O God, who a­lone art all in all things: And loue shal make vs one with theé, and so we shall be (as it were) certayn Gods. O when shall we haue an end of this misery, and a beginning of that ioy? when shal I cease to liue among such as are euil, spitefull, cumbersome, and enemilike, and begin to liue with Christ, who is

[Page 136] curteous, good, frendly, and loueth me most deérely? This body of mine is but a pryson to my soule. Yea and that a most darck, and lothsome one. This world is but a banishmēt, and this life but sorow & wretchednes. But where as thou art, there is our home, our freé­dome, and our endles blisse. Twitch our mindes from time to time to the remembraunce of so great happynesse. Sheade into our harts the desire of so great good things, and therfore cheéfly to be coueted. Settle our mindes, and geue them (euen here) some tast of thy ioyes, wherby we may lothe and abhor these things, wherinto we runne with such headinesse, imbracing them fast betweéne our armes, and laying hold on thē with both our hands: that we may shun, and hold scorne of these so harsh, and bitter things, & couet nothing so much as the sweétnes of thy company,

[Page] whereunder al good thinges are con­tayned, Amen.

* The feare of the Iudge, and Iudgement day.

O Lord, and God of Gods, reuen­ger of wickednes, I know that thy comming will be manifest. I am certayn thou wilt not alwayes keépe si­lence, when fire shall burne before thy face, and a mighty tempest shall rage in thy sight, when thou shalt cal the heauen from aboue, and the earth from be­neath, to seuere thy people. Behold in the presence of so many thousands of people, mine iniquitie shall be discoue­red, my sinnes shal be opened in y^e sight of so many Angels, and not my mis­deédes only, but thoughts and words. Before so many Iudges shall I stand helplesse, as haue excelled me in good workes. By so many euidences shall I

[Page 137] be cast, as haue geuen me example of good life. With so many witnesses shal I be cōuinced as haue admonished me with holesome counsell, and by their vertuous deédes haue bene paterns for me to imitate.

O my Lord I haue not what to al­leage: I finde nothing what I should aunswere. And being now in this gre­uous danger, my cōscience vexeth me: the secrets of my hart wound me: coue­tousnes hēmeth me in: pride accuseth: enuy consumeth: concupiscence enfla­meth: exces corrupteth me: rauine de­fameth me: drunkennes dryeth me vp: slaunder renteth me in peéces: ambiti­on supplanteth: rapine sharpely rebu­keth: dissention cutteth a sunder: anger disturbeth: lightnes maketh me disso­lute: faintnes weakneth me: hipocrisie deceueth: flattery breaketh me: fauour lifteth me vp: but malice doth goare.

[Page] Behold, O my deliuerer frō this wrath full generation, behold with whom I haue liued euer since my birth day, af­ter whom I sought, with whom I kept fayth and promise. The life which I loued condemneth me: which I commen­ded disdaineth me. These be my frends in whom I did repose my selfe, the go­uerners whom I obayed: masters whō I serued: counsellers whom I did cre­dite: Citizens with whom I dwelled: domistical fellowes with whom I was familiar. Alas my king and my God that I haue so long soiorned among thē. Woe is my light that I haue dwelled with the inhabitāts of Cedar. And seéing that holy Dauid sayd long, how much more miserable wretch that I am may I say to long hath my soule dwelt among them. O God my strēgth no fleshe shall be iustified in thy sight. My help is not in the children of men.

[Page 137] Set thy mercy aside, whom shalt thou finde iust when thou iudgest? And ex­cept thou iustifie the sinner in thy mer­cy, who shall be found pure whom thou mayest glorifie? For I beleue O my sauing health that which I haue heard: which of thy mercy to bryng me to re­pentance the sweét lippes of thy mouth hath spoken, that no man can come to me except my father who sent me draw him. For truly thou hast instructed me, and most fauorably with thy instructiō hast reformed me. I besech theé almighty father in thy beloued sonne with all the strength of my hart and minde: I besech theé O welbeloued sonne of god: I beseéch theé O most holy and most cō ­fortable spirite of God, so leade me that I may hasten to the sweéte smelling fauoure of thy precious balmes. Amen.