Prayers for the morning, necessary to be vsed of all housholders in their families.

O moste mighty God our heauenly and mercifull father, we most wretched sinners, hum­blye confesse vnto thy maiesty, that all good thinges wee haue, doe come from thy onelye mercy, that we are most vnworthy of them, and yet altogether vnable heartily to pray for the [Page 8]continuaunce thereof, yet seeing thy dear son Iesus Christe, hathe commaunded vs in his name, to pray, and that with assurance to speed and to be heard: wee beseeche thee for his sake, to prepare oure heartes by thy holye spirite, to put oute of our mindes all world­lye thinges and vayne fantasies, and to stir vs vp earnestly to cōsider what greate neede wee haue of thy continuall help both in our soules and bodies. O Lord we haue through our ma­nifold [Page 9]sinns, deserued thy wrath, and eternall damnation of body & soul, yet by the vertue of the great sufferinges of Iesus Christ, and the shedding of his preci­ous bloud, forgiue and wash away al our offen­ces: wee are vnworthy of thy fauour, either in this life or in the life to come, yet thorough his holines, receiue vs vnto mercy, & make vs heirs of thy blessed kingdom and so increase in oure hearts euery day, vnfai­ned repentaunce for our former wickednes, [Page 10]in that we haue neither worshipped thy maie­sty, nor liued towardes others, accordinge to thy worde. Strengthen our faith (O Lord) in Ie­sus Christe, for the for­giuenesse of our sinnes, and for thy tender mer­cy sake, powre into our hearts the grace of thy holy spirite, which may stirre vp in vs a more hearty loue vnto thee and thy blessed worde, that by it we may learn to worship thee aright, and to liue faithfullye, & truelye towardes all men in our callings, stri­uing [Page 11]cōtinually against all sinne, chiefly in our selues, and then also in others, so that whenso­euer it shall please thee to call any of vs out of this short & sinfull life, we may willingly deli­uer vp our soules into thy blessed kingdome, and may come with ioy (as louing children) to thee our heauenly and merciful Father. O lord make vs thankful for all thy corrections, giuing vs grace by them to fear thee more carefully, & to sorow for our sinnes more heartily. Make vs [Page 12]also thankfull for all thy benefites, namely, for the sweete sleepe and quiet rest, wherby thou haste this nighte refre­shed vs, wee beseeche thee now in like manner (O gratious God) for Christs sake, to receiue vs this day into thy blessed keeping, preserue vs frō al perils & dangers, frō sinn, frō the wicked cares of this life, and the vaine desires of the flesh, shinning into our hearts by the grace of thy holy spirit, and the true knowledge of Ie­sus Christ, the true light [Page 13]of the worlde, that wee may guid al ourthoghts words, & deeds, accor­ding to the same, and walk painfully and tru­ly in our callings, to the glorye of thy blessed name, the good exam­ple of al others, and the great assuraunce of our own saluation, through thy deare Sonne Iesus Christe our onely saui­our, in whose name we pary for these, and al o­ther graces, as hee hath taught vs saying, Our father &c.

Another Prayer for the Morning.

ALmighty God, and moste mercifull Fa­ther,Dan. 9 we do not * presēt our selues heere before thy maiesty, trusting in oure owne merites or worthinesse, but in thy manifolde mercies, which hast promised to heare our prayers and * graunt oure requests,Iohn. 16. which we shall make to thee in the name of thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde, who hath also commanded [Page 15]vs to assēble our selues together in his * name,Math. 18. with full assurance that he will not onely bee a­mōg vs, but also be our mediator, & * aduocate towardes thy maiestie,1. Tim. 2. that we may obtain * all things which shall seem expedient to thy bles­sed will for our necessi­ties.1. Ioh. 3. Therefore wee be­seech thee, most merci­full father, to turne thy louing countenāce to­wards vs,Psal. 32. and * impute not vnto vs our mani­folde sins & offences, whereby wee iustly de­serue thy wrath & sharp [Page 16]punishment: but rather receiue vs to thy mercy for Iesus Christes sake, accepting his death and passion as a iust recom­pence for all our offen­ces, in whom only thou art pleased, & through whome thou canst not bee offended with vs. And seeing that of thy great mercies wee haue quietli passed this night grant, o heauēly father, that wee may bestowe this day wholly in thy seruice, so that all oure thoughtes, wordes and deeds may redound to the glory of thy name, [Page 17]and good example to al men: who seeing our good works, may glori­fy thee our heauēly fa­ther. And forasmuch as of thy mere fauour and loue thou hast not only created vs to thine own similitude & likenesse, but also haste chosen vs to bee heires with thy dear sonne Iesus Christ of that immortall king­dom, which thou prepa redst for vs before the begining of the world, wee beseech thee to in­creas our faith & know ledge, & to lighten our heartes with thine ho­ly [Page 18]spirit, that we may in the meane time liue in godly conuersation & integrity of life, know­ing that * idolaters,Gal. 5 adul terers, couetous men, contentious personnes, drunkardes, gluttons & such like, shall not inhe­rite the kingdome of God.

And because thou haste commaunded vs to pray one for another we doe not onely make request, O Lord, for our selues, and them that thou hast already called to thee true vnderstan­ding of thine heauenly [Page 19]will, but for all people & * natiōs of the world,Actes. 10. 1. tim. 2. who as they knowe by thy wonderful workes, that thou art God ouer all, so they may be in­structed by thine holie spirite, to beleue in thee their onely sauiour and Redeemer. But foras­much as they can not beleeue except they * hear,Rom. 10. nor cānot hear but by preaching, and none can preach except they be sent, therfore, O lord raise vp faythfull distri­buters of thy misteries, who setting aparte all worldly respectes, may [Page 20]both in their life and doctrine only seeke thy glory. Contrarily con­founde * Sathan,Rom. 16. Anti­christ with all hirelings and papistes, whō thou hast already cast of into a reprobate sense, that they may not by sects, schismes, heresies and errours disquiet thy lit­tle flocke. And because, O Lorde, wee be fallen into the latter dayes,2. tim. 3. and daungerous times wherin ignorance hath gotten the vpper hand, and Satan with his mi­nysters seeke by all meanes to quench the [Page 21]light of thy Gospell, we beseeche thee to main­taine thy cause against those * rauenous wol­ues,Mat. 7 and strengthen all thy seruauntes, whome they keepe in prison & bondage. Let not thy long suffering bee an occasion eyther to in­crease their tyranny, or to discourage thy chil­dren, neyther yet let oure sinnes and wic­kednesse bee an hyn­deraunce to thy mer­cyes, but with speede, O Lord, consider the greate myseries, and afflictions of thy poore [Page 22]Church, which in sun­dry places by the rage of enimies is greeuous­ly tormented: and this we confesse, O Lord, to come moste iustlye for our sinnes which (not­withstanding thy mani­fold benefites, whereby thou doest dayly allure vs to loue thee: and thy sharp thretnings, wher­by we haue occasion to feare thee, and speedily to repent) yet continue in our owne wickednes and feel not our hearts so touched with the dis­pleasure of our sinnes as we ought to do. There­fore, [Page 23]O Lorde, create in vs newe heartes, that with feruent minds we may bewaile our mani­folde sinnes, & earnest­ly repent vs for our for­mer wickednesse and vngodly behauiour to­wardes thee: and wher­as wee can not of oure selues purchase thy par­don, yet wee humblye beseeche thee for Iesus Christes sake, to shewe thy mercies vppon vs, and receiue vs again to thy fauour. Graunt vs, deare father, these oure requestes, and all other thinges necessary for vs [Page 24]and thy whole Church according to thy pro­mise in Iesus Christ our Lord: in whose name we beseech thee, as hee hath taught vs, saying, Our Father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name. &c.

A GODLY PRAIER to be sayde at all times.

HOnour and prayse bee giuen to thee, O Lord God almighty, moste deare Father of [Page 25]heauen, for all thy mer­cies & louing kindnesse shewed vnto vs, in that it hath plesed thy gratious goodnesse and freely of thine own accord, to e­lect & chuse vs to salua­tiō before the begining of the world: & euē like cōtinual thanks be giuē to thee for creating vs after thine own image, for redeeming vs with the precious bloude of thy deare sonne, when we were vtterlye loste, for sanctifying vs with thine holye Spirite in the Reuelation and knowledge of thyne [Page 26]holy word, for helping and succouring vs in all our needes and necessi­ties, for sauing vs from all daungers of bodye and soule, for comfor­ting vs so fatherly in all our tribulations & per­secutions, for sparing vs so long, and giuing vs so large a time of repen­taunce. These benefits, O most merciful father, like as wee knowledge to haue receiued them of thine onely good­nesse, euen so wee be­seech thee, for thy dear son Iesus Christes sake to grant vs alwais thine [Page 27]holy spirit, whereby we may continually growe in thankfulnes towards thee, to bee led into all truethe, and comfor­ted in all oure aduersi­ties. O Lord, strengthen our faith: kindle it more in feruentnes and loue towardes thee and our neighbors for thy sake. Suffer vs not, most dear Father, to receiue thy word any more in vain, but graunt vs alwayes the assistaunce of thy grace and holy spirite, that in heart, word, and deede we may sanctify and doe worship to thy [Page 28]name, helpe to amplify and increase thy king­dome, that whatsoeuer thou sendest, we maye be hartely well content with thy good pleasure and wil. Let vs not lack the thing, o father, with out the which we can­not serue thee, but bless thou so all the workes of our handes, that we may haue sufficient, and not to bee chargeable, but rather helpfull vnto others. Be mercifull, O Lorde, to our offences: and seeing our debt is great, which thou haste forgiuen vs in Iesus [Page 29]Christ, make vs to loue thee and our neighbors so much the more. Be thou oure Father, oure captaine and defender, in all tentations: holde thou vs by thy merci­full hand, that we maye bee deliuered from all inconueniences, & end our liues in the sanctifi­ing & honor of thy ho­ly name through Iesus christ our Lord, & only Sauioure, so be it. Let thy mighty hande and out-stretched arme, O Lorde, bee still our de­fence, thy mercye and louing kindenesse [Page 30]in Iesus Christ thy dear Sonne, oure saluation, thy true and holy word oure instruction, thy grace and holy spirite, our comfort and con­solation, vnto the ende and in the end, so be it.

O Lord, increase our fayth.

A PRAIER TO BE sayde of the childe before he study his lesson.

LOrde, which art the fountain of all wis­dome and knowledge, seeing it hath pleased thee to giue mee the meane to bee taught in my youth for to learne to guide me godly and honestly all the course of my life, it maye also please thee to lighten myne vnderstandinge, the which of it selfe is blind, that it may com­prehende [Page 32]and receiue that doctrine and lear­ning which shall bee taught me: it may please thee to strengthen my memory to keep it wel: it maye please thee also to dispose my hart wil­lingly to receiue it with such desire as appertay­neth: so that by my in­gratitude the occasion which thou giuest me, be not lost. That I may thus do, it maye please thee to powre vpon me thine holy spirit, the spirite I say, of al vnderstā ­ding, truth, iudgement, wisdom & learning, the [Page 33]which maye make mee able so to profite, that the paines that shall be taken in teaching me, be not in vaine. And to what study soeuer I ap­plye my selfe, make me, O lord, to addres it vn­to the right end: that is to know thee in oure Lord Iesus Christ, that I may haue full trust of saluation in thy grace, and to serue thee vp­rightly according to thy pleasure, so that whatso euer I learne, it may be vnto me as an instrumēt to helpe me therevnto. and seing thou dost promise [Page 34]to giue wisdom to the little and humble ones, and to confound the proude in the vani­ty of their wits, & like­wise to make thy selfe knowne to them that be of an vpright heart, and also to blinde the vngodly and wicked, I beseech thee to fashion me vnto true humility, so that I may be taught first to be obedient vn­to thee, and next vnto my superiors, that thou haste appoynted ouer me. Further that it may please thee to dispose mine heart vnfaynedly [Page 35]to seek thee and to for­sake all euill and filthye lusts of the flesh: & that in this sort I may nowe prepare my self to serue thee once in that estate which it shalplease thee to appoint for me whē I shall come to age.

A PRAIER TO BE sayde before a man begin his worke.

O Lorde God moste mercifull Father & [Page 36]sauiour, seeing it hath pleased thee, to com­maunde vs to trauaile, that we may relieue our neede, we beseech thee of thy grace so to blesse our labor that thy bles­sing may extende vnto vs, without the which we are not able to con­tinue: & that this great fauour may be a witnes vnto vs of thy boūtiful­nes & assistance, so that thereby we may know the fatherlye care that thou hast ouer vs.

Moreouer, O Lorde wee beseech thee that thou wouldest streng­then [Page 37]vs with thy holye spirit, that we may faith fullye trauaile in our e­state & vocation with­out fraud or deceit: and that we maye indeuour oure selues to followe thine holy ordināce, ra­ther thē to seek to satis­fy our greedy affections or desire to gaine. And if it please our labour, giue vs a minde also to help thē that haue need according to that abili­ty that thou of thy mer­cye shalt giue vs: and knowing that all good thinges come of thee, [Page 38]graunt that wee maye humble oure selues to our neighbours, & not by any meanes lift our selues vp aboue them, which haue not recei­ued so liberal a portion as of thy mercye thou hast giuē vnto vs. And if it please thee to trye & exercise vs by greter pouerty, and need then our flesh would desire, that thou wouldst: yet O Lorde, grant vs grace to know that thou wilt nourish vs continually through thy bountifull liberality, that wee bee not so tempted that we [Page 39]fall not into distrust: but that wee may pati­ently waite till thou fill vs, not onely with cor­porall graces and bene­fites, but cheefely with thine heauenly & spiri­tuall treasures, to the intent that wee may al­wayes haue more am­ple occasiō to giue thee thankes, and so wholly to rest vppon thy mer­cyes. Heare vs, O Lorde of mercy, through Iesus Christe thy sonne our Lorde. Amen.

APR AIER FOR the Morning.

O Gratious God, and louing Father, ac­cording to thy cōman­dement, we do here present our selues before thy maiestye, humblye prostrating our selues before the throne of mercy, acknowledging and confessing from the bottome of our heartes that wee bee miserable sinners, dayly breaking thy commandementes, both in thought, word, and deede, wherein we [Page 41]iustlye deserue euerla­sting damnatiō, & to be vtterly throwne frō thy presence, yet O lord, we see thy goodnes againe towardes vs, who not suffering vs thus to pe­rish in our sins, hast sent thine owne deare Son Iesus Christ, to take vp­pon him whatsoeuer is due to reconcile and make vs at one with thee again: in him ther­fore, good Lorde, and throgh him do we com vnto thee, beseeching thee for his sake, that we feeling the greeuos­nes of our sins, and gro­ning [Page 42]vnder the burden of them, may feele the release & ease of them, in that we be thorough thy holy spirit assured, and stedfastly beleeue, that Christ hath borne the burden of them, e­uen for vs. Graunt, O Lorde, that wee being assured hereof in oure consciences, may tho­rough thy holye spirite be renued in the inner man, to hate, detest and abhorre sinne, and to study to liue according to thy blessed will du­ring our whole life.

We do not only pray [Page 43]for our selues, but also for all thy whol church, especially such as bee persecuted for thi word graunt vnto them, that whether it be by death or life, they may glori­fye thy name to theire liues end. Bee mercifull to this Church of Eng­land and Irelande, wee besech thee good lord, and preserue euery part & member of the same, especially thy seruaunt ELIZABETH oure Queene: graunt her all such giftes as be neede­ful for so high a calling, to the aduancement of [Page 44]thy glory, and benefite of this commō wealth, to the establishing of a perfect gouernment of thy Church, according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word, to the rooting out of al super­stition and reliques of Antichrist, to the gouerning of her subiectes in all peace and traquilli­tie. Defend her, O lord, from all conspiracies, treasons, & rebellions, and so woorke in the harts of all her subiects, that knowing her au­thorise doth come frō thy heauenly maiestie, [Page 45]they may with obediēt harts humbly obey her in thee & for thee. Pre­serue the whol counsell & the. Magistrats of the realme, that being ligh­tened through thy ho­ly spirite, they maye de­fend thy truth, suppresse wickednes, & maintain equity. Beholde all the Pastors & Preachers of the worde, blesse their labours, increase the number of them, place ouer euerye Church a painfull watch man, re­mooue all idle lubbers, & confound the power of Antichrist, & tourne [Page 46]the heartes of the peo­ple that they may be o­bedient to thy trueth. Blesse the two Vniuer­sities, Cambridge and Oxenforde, and all the Studentes of the same, with all Schooles of learning. Beholde all those that bee afflicted with any kind of crosse, that they may profit by thy correction in new­nesse of life.

Lastly, for our selues heere gathered toge­ther, wee heartily craue at thy handes, that it woulde please thee to make vs thankfull vnto [Page 47]thy maiestie, for all thy louing kindnes shewed vnto vs euen from our infancy: especially, that thou haste this present night deliuered vs frō all dangers both of bo­dy and soule, wherinto many haue fallen, as we in like maner shoulde haue doone, if wee had not beene stayed with thy merciful hand: that thou hast also graunted vnto vs so sweet & comfortable reste, and haste now presently brought vs to the beginning of this daye. For these thinges, good Lord, we [Page 48]yeelde vnto thee moste harty thanks, besehcing thee to make vs more & more daylye thankfull vnto thy maiestye for thē, & pardon oure vn­thākfulnes. And as thou hast safely preserued vs vnto this presenthowre frō all the daungers of this life: so we beseech thee continue thy fauor towardes vs this day, & the whole course of our life. Defend vs, O lord, that we now entring in­to the affayres of this daye, bee not drawne a­way with the vayne al­luremēts [Page 49]of this world, to sinn and wickednes: that we walk not in the shadowes of death, that we be not intangled in the snares of sinne, that wee stumble not at the blockes of iniqnity, that we finallye fall not into the pit of death, and de­structiō: but being sha­dowed vnderthy wings we may cheerfully and constantlye goe on for­ward to the end of our course. Graunt vnto vs, O Lorde our God, that this good time which thou grantest vnto vs in this life, bee not idly, or [Page 50]vainly of vs consumed, but that euerye one of vs maye bee diligentlye exercised in his calling this day, and all our life long, being assured that thou wilt once call vs to yeelde an account of our stewardship. Indue vs we besech thee, with those giftes and graces, which bee needfull for vs in our calling, & that with a pure and sincere conscience we may vse them to the benefite of our brethren, and dis­charge of our own con­sciences, before thy ma­iesty. We beseech thee, [Page 51]O Lord, that in all oure confultations, words & works this day, and the whole course of oure life, wee maye alwayes haue thee present be­fore our eyes, knowing that thou seest euen the very deepe thoughts of our harts, which alwais maye bee as a brydle to pull vs backe, that wee neither do, nor yet con­sent vnto anye sinne or wickednes, but that al­wayes we may be so ex­ercised in the affayres of this life, that we loke still to the ende of our course, when it shall [Page 52]please thee to bring vs through the pilgrimage of this life to our euer­lasting reste with thy deare Sonne IESVS CHRIST oure Saui­our. In whole name for these mercies and what soeuer thou knowest to be needefull for vs, and for the whole Church, we pray vnto thee, as he him selfe hath taught vs in his holye worde, say­ing: Our father. &c.

The Lorde blesse vs and saue vs, the Lorde make his face to shyne vppon vs, and be merci­full vnto vs, the Lorde [Page 53]tourne his fauourable countenaunce towards vs, & grant vs his peace. The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ, the loue of God the Father, & the moste comfortable fel­lowshippe of the holye Ghoste, be with vs, pre­serue and keepe vs this day and euermore. A­men.

A CONFESSION of sinnes with faith and repentance.

O Merciful and Hea­uenlye Father, wee [Page 54]thy seruaunts do hum­bly prostrate our selues before thy maiestye, ac­knowledging heere in thy sight our hainous offences committed a­gainst thy maiestye, see­ing and beholding thy heauye wrath againste them: wee feele oure selues laden (O Lorde our God) with a huge companye of horrible sinnes, wherof euen the verye leaste, beeing but conceiued in thought, is sufficient in iudge­ment to throw vs down to the euerlasting bur­ning lake. Our owne [Page 55]consciences, O Lorde, do beare witnes against vs, of oure manyfolde transgressions of thy blessed law, of our secu­rity & sencelesse blind­nes running head-long to destruction, commit­ting sinne after sinne, al­though not notorious to the world, yet horri­ble before thine eye. The thoughtes of oure hartes rise vp in iudge­ment against vs: the va­nity of our talke before thy maiestye condem­neth vs: the wickednes of our deedes from thy sight reiecteth vs: al our [Page 56]wicked thoghts, words and deeds, with the in­ward corruption of our nature, do altogeather as it were a whole lump and loade of sinne, lye heauie vppon vs, and with their intollerable weight do euen presse vs down to hell. Wee do daylye grone vnder the burthen of them in­wardly lamenting our owne folly so greedily running into them. In Heauen, Earth, or Hel, wee see none able to sustaine the weight of them, but euē the dear­lye beloued Sonne Ie­sus [Page 57]Chrst, who in mer­cy infinite, and compas­sion endlesse, hath sus­tained and ouer come that endlesse punnishe­ment due vnto them: in him therefore in him, most meeifull father & through him wee come to thee, being fully as­sured according to thy promise, that thou wilt accept and take that ful recompence which hee thy deere Sonne hath made for vs, as a iust raunsome for all the sinnes of all those who with a true faith take houlde on him.

In him therefore we see thine anger towards vs appeased, thy wrath satisfied, and our debts payde.

Increase in vs, good Lord, we beseech thee, this liuely and feeling faith, for wee feele it of­tentymes in vs verye weake, & troubled with many doubtes: increase it in vs (O Lorde) that wee may through thy holy spirite bee assured that the punnishement of our sinnes is fully in thy sonne discharged. Make vs, O Lorde our God, to feele this same [Page 59]in our soules and con­sciences, that IESVS CHRIST is ours, and all that hee hath done: that we are graffed in­to his body, and made one with him, and ther­fore fellow heires with him of euerlasting life. Let vs not onely haue these wordes in our mouthes (good Lord) but through thy holye spirite lette vs feele the comfort of them in our heartes fully sealed and setled in vs: that we fe­ling our selues inward­ly before thy iudgment seat, discharged and our [Page 60]consciences towardes thee appeased, may bee swallowed vp with an vnfained loue towarde thy heauenly Maiestie, and towardes thy bre­thren for thy sake. Make sin to dye in vs dayly more & more, that we may hate, detest, & vt­terly abhor all sin and wickednesse in all men, but especiallye in oure selues: that wee maye strongly thorough thy holye spirite sette our selues in open warre & defiance against all sinn and wickednesse: that we please not ourselues [Page 61]in our sinnes, but strait­lye examining sin by the iust rule of thy ho­ly Lawes, wee maye vt­terly from the bottom of our hearts condemn euen the leaste sinne in our selues, hauinge our whole ioy, comfort and consolation vppon those thinges whiche bee agreeable to thy blessed will, alwayes beeing afrayde to doe any thing contrarye to the same: that we may euen from the bottom of our hearts examine and try our thoughtes, before thy presence, [Page 62]that they be vpright & vnfayned, not hipocri­ticall in outwarde shew onely and appearance, but that euen all cor­ners of our harts being opened and disclosed before thee, we maye e­uen as though it were openly before the face of the whole worlde bring them in shewe, knowing that a dubble hart is detestable in thin eyes: and that we may walke alwaies as before thine eyes, not only be­fore the eyes of man, beeing more careful to walke circumspectlye, [Page 63]in this respect, that wee haue thee to be a vewer of our doinges, a thou­sande folde more then the eyes of man: that thus we maye walke as becommeth thy chil­dren, not onely in out­warde shew, but also in sincerity of hart, abhor­ring euen the least sinn in our selues, stryuing, resisting and fighting a­gainst sinne, not deligh­ting our selues in sinne, nor norishing the same in our brest, but earnest lye embracing, and stu­diouslye seeking after those thinges which be [Page 64]pleasant in thine eyes: that neither the feare of man, nor losse of goods life, landes, possessions, or friends draw vs away from thee, to doe anye least thing contrarye to thy will and pleasure: neither the fauoure or friendship of man, nor yet the flattering entice mentes of this worlde, nor the vaine promoti­ons of the same doe moue vs any whit from the true and endles ioy, delighte and pleasure which we ought to haue in those thinges which be agreeable to thy wil, [Page 65]and the constaunt per­formance of the same: but that alwayes to the end of our lyfe we may continue in thy pathes, growing and increasing from faith to faith, from strength to strength, till at length we shall come to thy euerlasting rest.

A FORME OF MOR­ning praier necessarye for this present time for godly chri­stians, to vse in their houses and fa­milies.

WE most humblye thank thee O hea­uenlye [Page 66]Father) for the sweete & quiet rest that we haue had this night, for the louing and fa­uourable deliueraunce out of all dangers both of bodye and Soule, which we iustly deserue to be throwne into for our manyfolde sinnes: for that thou haste ray­sed vs vp this morning, we pray thee to goe be­fore vs: and for as much as thou seest our slug­gishnes and drowsines, it woulde please thee (good Lord) to pull vs after thee, and to shewe vs those wayes, which [Page 67]thou hast appoynted vs to walk in. And as thou renuest this morning, so renue thy mercies: and as thou causest the Sun comfortablye to shine to our bodilye eyes, so vouchsafe (wee praye thee) to be Sunne vnto our bodyes and to our soules, by the beames of thy holy Spirite, and Starre of thy blessed Word, shining into the middest of our harts, to driue away all the night and darknes of all pro­phanenesse: to chase a­waye all want of true feare of thy good Ma­iesty: [Page 68]and in place ther­of, bring in loue to­wardes thy glory, zeale of thy house, loue also towardes our brethren: especiallye those that thou aboue the rest cō ­mendest vnto vs, that we may loue them with that loue, wherewithall thou hast first loued vs: which is pure, vncor­rupt, vehement, and e­uerlasting: and therfore we praye thee to ridde our hartes of all naugh­tye and corrupt loue, and whatsoeuer is vn­meete to bee in those vessels that are to serue [Page 69]such a mightye Prince as thou arte: and in those houses wherein it pleaseth thy maiestye by thy holye Spirite to dwell: and therefore on the other side (good Lord) chace away from vs all▪ rancor and ma­lice, all pride, enuious­nesse, disdaynefulnesse, vncharitablenesse, vn­naturalnesse, vnkinde­nesse, and whatsoeuer is contrarye to that loue, wherof thou hast giuen vs a liuelye example in our saniour Iesus christ: vnto the which exam­ple, grant (good Lord) [Page 70]that wee may alwayes haue oure eyes lifted vp, and therein holden, and caused thereby to profit, vntill such time as we come to that per­fection, wherunto thou hast appointed we shall come. Vouchsafe more ouer by the comming of the selfe same Spirit, to scatter in vs all the night and darknesse of ignoraunce, and forget­fulnesse, and of all those things which pertaine to the clearer and fuller knowledge of thy truth Take from vs all negli­gence, all want of iudg­ment [Page 71]and discretion, & deliuer vs from al those thinges, which thou knowest to bee hinde­raunces to vs, either to walke in that great cal­linge of Christianitye whervnto thou hast cal­led vs, or in those seue­rall and particular cal­linges wherin thou hast placed euery one of vs: that we maye walke so (good Lorde) both in the one & in the other, that thy name maye be glorified in both.

We praye not onely for our selues (O moste merciful Father) but for [Page 72]all those that thou hast appointed to eternall life: beseechinge thee to gather the number of those that are to bee gathered; those that thou haste alreadye cal­led, thou wouldest al­wayes keepe: and to this end (good Lorde) rayse vp faithfull mini­sters both of thy church and common weale, whose heartes thou wouldest fyll with all graces of thy holy spi­rit meete for their cal­linges, meete also for these dangerous times: roote out from among [Page 73]thy church, al rauening and deuouring beasts, which to fyll their own bellies, distroy thy flok, ease thy selfe of all hire­lings & idle shepherds, which haue no care nor skil to feed thi flok with the holsom food of thy blessed worde, nor to rule them with that e­quitye, wherewithall thou wilte haue thy people to bee ruled: those Pastoures that thou haste giuen, it woulde please thee to increase the number of thē: those that are falne a sleepe & caried away [Page 74]with the corruptions of these times, that thou wouldest awake, letting them vnderstande the charge that thou haste mitted vnto them, the trust that thou hast put them in, and the accōpt that thou wilt take at their handes. Be grati­ous (O Lord) vnto this land of ours, and enter not into iudgemēt with the horrible sinnes of it, namelye, the contempt and light esteeming of thy holy word, so many yeares offered vnto vs, and wee beeing trusted withall, so manye Nati­ons [Page 75]better then we be­ing passed by, whiche woulde haue brought foorth the fruite therof more then weehaue done: and we not one­ly haue brought foorth no good fruite, but rot­ten and vnsauourye, to prouoke thy Maiestye withall: notwithstāding all these our sinnes, it woulde please thee in that loue, wherewithall thou hast first loued vs, when we hated thee, & in that long patience wherein thou haste hi­therto borne with vs, and doest yet beare and [Page 76]tarriest for ourrepen­tance: to grant vs hear­tie and earnestrepen­taunce, our heartes be­ing effectually touched with thy holye Spirite, strikinge theserockye hearts of ours, that thei maye bee resolued into riuers of teares for oure synnes, making them soft and meeke to re­ceiue the print of thy holy word, and seale of thy blessed spirire, wri­ting with thy fynger thine own laws in thē, so, that thou maist read thine owne hande, ac­knowledge thine owne [Page 77]seale, & so passe by vs, when thou shalt bring thy iudgement vppon the face of the earth, for the iniquities thereof: whereof thou haste gi­uen, and still giuest, frō time to time diuers to­kens, which we beseech thee may be profitable vnto vs, whilste first of al we acknowledge thy hande striking vs, and thy counsayle callinge vs thereby torepen­taunce, that thy hea­uier iudgementes doe not fall vpon vs, to our vtter destruction.

Moreouer, we thank thee (O Lorde) for that it hath pleased thee to be the watch-mā, and as it were the spie of this Church and common wealth, and haste fore­seene all the stormes, & treasons comming a­gainste it, and againste thine annoynted oure Souaraigne, whōe thou in mercye hast appoyn­ted to rule ouer it, and hast scattered them and brought thē to naught, and haste pursued cer­taine of thine enemyes and ours vnto death, be seeching thee to conti­nue [Page 79]this watchfull and carefull eye ouer vs, still to doe vs good, and to pursue the rest of thine enemies and ours vnto the graue: giuing not­withstanding repentāce vnto them, vnto whom thou haste left place of repentaunce. And to this ende, raise vp the harts of our most grati­ous QVEENE & her honourable Counsell thy Magistrates, that as they sit in thy seate, and are called by thy name, so they maye execute thy iustice, which thou so well approouest of, [Page 80]whereof also thou wilt require a straighte ac­compt at their hands. Wee desire thee also to shewe these thy graces to all other Churches of thine, namely, thy Church of Englande, that it may enioye that peace that thou hast gi­uen it: and graunt that the same be referred to that end wherfore thou hast giuen it: namelye, to the ful establishment of the throne of thy dear sonn our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST, & to the building of his Kingdome there. Wee [Page 81]besech thee also, for the churches which thi hād hath plāted long since, especiallye those, from whō we haue receiued knowledge in time of our ignorāce, places of refuge in time of perse­cution: that it woulde please thee to continue thy louing kindnes to­wards them, and there­fore cause them to con­tinue their faith toward thee, & obedience to­wards thy holy worde. And whensoeuer it shal bee thy pleasure, to try them with any kinde of affliction, it woulde [Page 82]please thee to graunt vnto them, that they maye put their truste in thee, hauing regarde to the truth of thy promi­ses, and to the good ex­perience that they haue of thy helpe in times past, and thereby con­ceiue comfort & hope, (O Lorde) euen of life in death, and of salua­tion in destruction. We praye thee also (good lord) that we may haue the feeling of the mise­ries of our brethren, as members of the same body, & those that liue by the same spirite. And [Page 83]therefore we pray thee, that according to the manyfold troubles that thou shalt visite them with, it woulde bee thy good pleasure, to mea­sure out rhy grace in such plentifull maner, that thy children maye patiently beare, and ioy fullye attende, for the good howre wherein thou wilt pul them out of all their troubles. And especially we pray thy maiesty for our bre­thren that are afflicted for thy Gospell sake: namelye, those that suf­fer imprisonment or o­therwise [Page 84]in any nation, for the clearer testimo­ny of it: that it woulde please thee to giue thē patience in all theire troubles, wisedom and mouthes to defend thy cause, against all those that rise vp againste it: that thou woldst blesse their trauels and suffe­rings, for that for which they are taken: which is, to giue a freer course of thy gospel into al places. And therewithall wee beeseeche thee for the churches of France and Flaunders, which are so miserably racked [Page 85]and torn in sunder, and which are almost con­sumed with these fierie trials: that it wold plese thee to looke vpon the sighings and gronings, the teares that fall from their eies continually, the bloud that is shed in all the partes of the Lande, the bodies that lye vnburied, to bee meate to the foules of the ayre, and Fishes of the Sea, the lonenes of wiues lacking ther hus­bāds, children their fa­thers, & euery frend his freind. And for asmuch as those thynges are [Page 86]come vppon them for thy names sake, let it be thy good pleasure to helpe them considering that they are forsaken of all their friends roūd about: and therefore praye thee that thou wouldest not looke vp­pon our sinnes, nor the sins of our forefathers, wherby we deserue not onelye this correction, but vtter destruction, as Sodom & Gomorrha: but rather to looke vp­thy mercies which were before them: whereby thou hast sayde, that al­though we doe offend, [Page 87]and thou doest correct vs, yet thou wilt not take awaye thy mercies from vs, but wilt leaue a remnant which thou wilt multiply, and make as the starres of the hea­uen, and as the sandes of the sea. Looke also (O lord) vpon the out­ragiousnes and cruelty, vnfaithfulnes, and blas­phemy of the enemies, wherewithal they blas­pheme thee, and pro­uoke thee to thy face, and therefore in thine owne cause, and for thine own sake, take the matter into thine owne [Page 88]handes, and pay into the Bosomes of thine enymies double and treble of that they haue giuen to thee. Not­withstanding, those a­mongest them, that be­long to thine holy ele­ction, hasten their cal­ling, that afterward thy iudgement may hasten vpon the earth, and the inhabitants therof may learn to knowe thee by thy iudgementes; that would not vnderstand and come to thee, by the louing callinge of thy Gospell. Wee pray thee (O Lorde) for our [Page 89]brethren that are vp in arms in both those coū ­tries: that thou wouldst goe before them, and come behinde them, and on euerye syde of them: couer their heads in the daye of battell, teache their handes to fyght, & their fingers to war: giue them wisdom & valiantnes, and good succes in al their enter­prises: strike a dizinesse & maze of spirite into the enimies hearts, and take away from them al force, and disappoint all their counsels. And vpō our brethren in Flāders [Page 90]we beseeche thee that thou wouldest comfort them ouer all thy trou­bles that they haue re­ceiued, and breaches that haue beene made in vpon them: & where there are new forces e­uery day gathered, new sleights inuented to de­stroy thē, it maye please thee, to scatter their forces, and bring their sleights to nothing. Yea grant also (O lord) that that which they haue deuised against thy children, may come vppon their own heades. And for oure Brethren in [Page 91]Fraunce wee beseeche thee (O Lorde) what straights so euer thei be in, thou wouldest deli­uer them: and althogh they be forsaken in the iudgement of all the world, and in their own iudgementes, notwith­danding thou that hast the issues of death in thine owne handes, de­liuer those that are ap­poynted to death. And finally we most humbly thanke thee, for that it hath pleased thee to keepe vs this daye, and all the dayes and times of our liues, beseeching [Page 92]thee, that thou wouldst receiue vs this night in to thy holye keeping, that we may haue qui­et rest, not of bodies a­lone, but of our soules also, restinge from all those thinges that are contrarye to thy most holy wil, atēding while thou raisest vs vp in the morning, to do al those thinges that thou hast appointed vs. These thinges wee desire of thee, & all other things (which thou knowest to bee more needfull for vs, and thy whole Church, better then we [Page 93]ourselues do know) for Iesus Christes sake: sai­ing the same praier, that hee hym selfe hath taught vs. Our father. &c.

A forme of euening prayer, necessary to be vsed of all chri­stians in their houses and families.

VVE mostehum­blye beseeche thee, O gratious God and heauenlye Father, [Page 94]euen for thy sonne Ie­sus Christes sake, to par­don and forgiue vs all our sinnes, in thought, worde and deede com­mitted against thy holy lawes and commande­mentes, to tourne away from vs gratiouslye all those plagues which we most iustlye haue deser­ued for them, both in this lyfe and in the lyfe to come, working in our harts euery day by the holye spirite more true and vnfayned sor­row for thē, with grea­ter care euer hereafter to know thy blessed wil [Page 95]reuealed in thy worde, and to order all our o­pinions and doings ac­cording to the same, & so much the rather, O Lorde, because of thy manyfolde blessinges, wherby thou dost day­ly mooue vs herevnto, for the which (O hea­uenlye father) make vs more hartely thankfull, specially for our recrea­tion at the firste after thine owne holinesse & righteousnesse, for our redemption by IESVS CHRIST, when wee were vtterly loste, for that knowledge of our [Page 120]Sauiour, which by the preaching of thy bles­sed Gospell thorough thy holye Spirite thou haste wrought in oure heartes, for true repen­taunce, for fayth, hope, and loue, for watchful­nesse in oure dooinges, and all other gyftes of thy grace pertayninge to oure saluation, all which graces (O Lord) are verye weake in vs, because of the greate wickednesse of oure heartes striuing against thy holy spirite, so as in thy wrath thou migh­test [Page 121]iustlye forsake vs vtterly: (yet O Lorde) let it bee thy grations pleasure to increase them in oure heartes euerye daye, euen so long as we lyue in this worlde, as of thy good­nesse thou haste begun, that thereby the assu­raunce of oure saluati­on maye be more cer­taynelye sealed vppe vnto oure owne con­sciences, that so wee maye also learne to bee more truelye thankfull vnto thy MAIESTIE for the benefites of this lyfe: Namelye, [Page 98]that thou hast hitherto euer since wee were borne, giuen vs those thinges that were need­full for oure bodies, as health, foode apparrell, and such like, that thou hast kept vs from many daungers, comfort vs in all our troubles, and strengthen vs in all our weaknesse, and giuing vs grace this daye to la­bour faithfully & true­lye in our callinges, ha­uing brought vs safelye paste all the daungers thereof, vnto this pre­sent howre. O Lorde forgiue vs the sinnes of [Page 99]this daye, and of oure whole life, and special­lye our great vnthank­fulnesse for these thy manifold blessings, and in IESVS CHRIST thy deare sonne, continue them towardes vs euer hereafter both in soules and bodies, and speci­allye this night receiue vs into thy blessed kee­ping, preserue vs from all daungers, from sin, frō al vngodly dreames and fansies, graunting vnto vs cōfortable rest, so as wee maye bee the better strengthened to serue thee faithfully in [Page 124]our calling, and giuing vs grace alwayes both sleeping and waking, to bee readye when thou shalt call vs out of this miserable worlde. Last of all, because thou hast commanded vs to pray for others also, wee be­seech thee good Lorde be mercifull to all Na­tions, specially to those Churches where thy Gospell is truely prea­ched, continue thy mercy towards this realme, preserue oure Queene, blesse her Counsell, and all in aucthoritye with necessarye graces, [Page 225]increase the number of faythfull Preachers, strengthen the Godly, lighten the ignoraunt, conuert the wicked, be merciful vnto al scholes and places of learning, to all our friendes and kinsfolkes, and others, afflicted in bodye or in soule, graunting to eue­rye one of them, as to oure selues, those ne­cessarye graces whiche thou knoweste to bee needfull for euery one of vs in oure seuerall estates and callinges, to the glorye of thy name, and the better [Page 102]assurance of our salua­tion through CHRIST IESVS, in whose name we aske of thy maiesty as hee hath taught vs. Our Father. &c.

Euening prayer for priuate houses and families.

O Gratious God, and louing Father, ac­cording to thy cōman­dement, wee doe heere presente our selues be­fore thy maiesty, hum­bly prostrating our sel­ues before the throne of mercy, acknowledg­ing [Page 103]and confessing frō the bottome of oure heartes that we be mi­serable sinners, daylye breaking thy comman­dementes, bothe in thought, word, & deed, wherein wee iustly de­serue euerlasting dam­nation, and to be vtter­ly thrown from thy presence: yet, O Lorde, we see thy goodnes again towardes vs, who not suffering vs thus to pe­rish in our sinnes, haste sent thine owne deare son Iesus Christ, to take vppon him whatsoeuer is due, to reconcile and [Page 128]make vs at owne with thee agayne: In hym therefore, good Lorde, & through him do wee come vnto the, besech­ing the for his sake, that wee feeling the gree­uousnesse of our sinnes and groning vnder the burthen of them, maye feele the release & ease of them, in that wee be through thy holy spirit assured, and steadfastly beleeue, that Christe hath born the burthen of them, eaueu for vs. Graunte O Lorde, that we beeing assured here­of, in our consciences, [Page 129]maye through thy holy Spirit bee renuee in the inner man, to hate, de­test and abhorre sinne, and to studie to liue ac­cordinge to thy blessed will duringe our whole life.

Wee do not onelye pray for our selues, but also for all thy whole Churche, especiallye such as bee persecuted for thy worde: graunt vnto them, that whe­ther it bee thy death or life, they may glorify thy name to their liues end. Be merciful to this [Page 106]Church of England & Irelande, wee beseeche thee good Lorde, to preserue euery part and member of the same, e­specially thy seruant E­LIZABETH our queen: graunt her all such gifts as bee needefull for so high a calling, to the aduauncement of thy glory, and benefite of this common wealth, to the establishishing of a perfect gouerment of thy Church, according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word, to the rooting out of al super­stition and reliques of [Page 107]Antichriste, to the go­uerning of her subiects in al peace and tranqui­lity. Defende her, O Lorde, from all conspi­racies, treasons, and re­bellions, and so worke in the heartes of all her subiectes, that knowing her authoritye dothe come from thy heauē ­ly maiestye, they may with obedient heartes humblye obey her in thee and for thee. Pre­serue the whole Coun­sayle, and all the magi­strates of the realm, that being lightned through thy holye spirite, they [Page 132]maye defend thy truth, suppresse wickednesse, and maintaine equitie. Beholde all the Pastors and Preachers of the worde, blesse their la­bors, increase the num­ber of them, place ouer euery Churche a paineful watchman, re­moue all idle Lubbers & confound the pow­er of Antichriste, and turne the heartes of the people that they maye be obediēt to thy truth Blesse the two Vniuer­sities, Cambridge and Oxenforde, and all the Studentes of the same, [Page 133]with al Schooles of ler­ning. Beholde all those that bee afflicted with any kinde of crosse, that they may profit by thy correction in newnesse of lyfe.

Lastly, for our selues here gathered, wee ren­der most hearty thanks to thy maiestie, O Lord which hast hitherto frō our infancye, preserued vs by thy mercie from all perils and daungers both of soule and body whervnto fraile man is subiect, that thou haste sent vno vs all thinges necessary for this presēt [Page 110]life, as health, foode, ap­parell, and suche like, which manye of thy dear children do want, being notwithstanding as preciousely boughte with the precious blod of thy deare Sonne, as we be, & yet lye in my­sery and calamity, op­pressed with pouertye, nakednesse, imprison­ment and banishment, in which case also, dear Father, thou mightest haue brought vs, saue onelye that thou dea­lest heerein more fa­uourably with vs, then with them. For the [Page 111]which thy louing kind­nesse, we giue thee har­ty thanks, desiring thee, that as thou hast hither­to thus fauourablye in mercy preserued vs by thy protection, and e­uen presently this daye haste brought vs past al the dangers thereof: so we beseeche thee good Lord, in like fauour be­hold vs this night, that we taking our naturall rest and quietnesse, may thorough thy protecti­on bee defended, that our bodyes resting, our souls may be occupied in beholding thy fauor [Page 136]and mercy toward thy children, stil looking for the comming of Lorde and Sauioure hs IESYS CHRIST for oure full redemption. Grant that our sleepe bee not immoderate, according to the lust of our fleshe, but as much as is suffi­cient to refreshe oure weake nature: that be­ing thus refreshed both the body and the mind maye bee more able to do their seuerall office and function, in that vocation wherein thou hast placed vs.

Graunt that we lay­ing [Page 137]our bodies downe to rest, maye bee there­by put in mind of oure long rest of death: that as we do now lai down our bodies in bedde, so wee maye bee thereby admonished, that here­after they shall bee laid downe in graue, to bee consumed to Duste, Earth, and Ashes, from whence they were ta­ken. That wee hauing this before oure eyes, maye bee styrred vpp in minde warelye to walke in this our pil­grymage, not knowe­ing [Page 114]when the time shal be of our departure, but alwayes to bee founde ready with our lampes of our pure faith cleare­ly burning, that we may bee accepted to meete the Bridegrome, when our mortal, earthly, and corruptible bodies shal be made like to the glo­rious body of our lord and sauiour Christ Iesu, there to raigne with him in perpetuall ioye and consolation togea­ther with all the elect children of God, conti­nually lauding with all the heauenly multitude [Page 115]the glorious maiesty of thee our Lord God & heauenly Father, in our Lorde and sauiour Iesu Christ. For these and whatsoeuer else thou knowest to be needfull for vs and thy whole Church, we praye vnto thee, as he him self hath taught vs, saying: Our Father. &c.

The Lorde blesse vs and saue vs, the Lorde make his face to shine vpon vs, and be merci­full vnto vs: the Lord tourne his fauourable countenaunce vnto vs, and grant vs his peace. [Page 140]The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ, the loue of God the Father, & the moste comfortable fel­lowshippe of the holye Ghoste, be with vs, pre­serue and keepe vs this day and euermore. A­men.

A forme of euening prayer, necessary to be vsed of all chri­stians in their houses and families.

O Lorde prepare our hartes to pray, bow down thine eares (deare Father) and heare vs, o­pen thine eyes & looke vppon vs for thy deare [Page 141]Son Iesus Christes sake, and receiue our humble confessiō that we make to thee againste our sel­ues, which haue broken all thy lawes, and there­fore deserue to hauethy heauy iudgments pow­red vpon our heades to our vtter destruction, if thou shouldest enter in­to iudgement with the leaste of oure sinnes, whereof wee haue so great and infinite thou­sands: notwithstanding we praye thee to turne away thy face from our sinnes, and for IESVS CHRISTES sake to [Page 118]forgiue vs all that is past, and graunt that we may haue the assurance of the forgiuenes of our sinnes, sealed vp by thy holy spirite in our con­sciences, whereby we knowing that we are at one with thee, maye haue our harts kindled with thy loue so fer­uently, as it maye waste in vs all that is againste thy holy will. And for this cause we beseech thee, good Lord, to go forward with the work of our new byrth, that thou haste begunne in vs, and neuer take away [Page 119]thy hande, vntill such time as thou hast made an end of it: and to this end, we beseech thee to slaye in vs euerye daye, more and more the old man with his concupis­cences, nailing them to the crosse of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ: and causing vs to feele the power of his passion in our bodies and in oure soules, that we beeing partakers thereof, maye come also to the felow­ship of thy holye resur­rection: not onelye in that we shall once ap­peare before thee, ha­uing [Page 120]these our base bo­dies chaunged, and made like vnto his glo­rious bodye, but also that wee maye in the mean time rise from the death of sin to all new­nesse of life, and that our good works may so shine before men, that they seeing them may glorify thee our heauē ­ly father: not only they that are of the self same Religion with vs, but but those also that are enimies vnto thy truth, may rather in the time of their calling by the voyce of thy Gospell, [Page 121]yeeld themselues to be one sheepfold with vs. And we moste humbly thank thee (O Heauen­ly father) for all thy lo­uing kyndenesses be­stowed vppon vs from time to time, and espe­cially for that olde and ancient Loue, where­withall thou hast loued vs before the beginng of the worlde: for that also that thou calling vs by the voyce of thy Holye Gospell in that good tyme that thou appoyntedst for vs, hast giuen vs faith, hope, and loue, and all other [Page 122]graces which thou kno­west to bee needfull for vs: which we beseeche thee to increase in vs with mighty increases, according to that thou seest we haue neede of, hauing regarde to oure manifold enemies, that wee haue to wrestle with: and that we haue not to striue with fleshe and bloud, but againste the Diuels themselues. And therefore conside­ring their strength, and our weakenesse, their craft and oure simplici­tye, their watchfulnesse and oure sluggishnesse, [Page 123]their long experience and our rawnesse, their preparation & our na­kednesse, and that wee haue not only nothing to helpe vs, but also to carry about vs our own concupiscences, readye to betraye vs into the handes of our enemies, it maye please thee to furnish vs from aboue, giuing vs the strength of thy holy spirit, in the inner man, reaching vn­to vs the compleat har­nes of thy grace, where­with we beeing armed on both sides, maye be prepared at all assaies a­gainst [Page 124]all assaults of our enemies. And foras­much as in this weake­nesse wee oftentimes giue backe, and some­times runne away, wee pray thee (O Lord) that with the hand of faith, wee may lay holde on the victory of our Sa­uiour Iesus Christ: that albeit we be not able to ouercome in our owne persons, yet notwithstā ding we may ouercom in his, who hath ouer­commed for vs all, & so bee partakers of those promises that thou hast knit vnto that glorious [Page 125]victory. And we most humblye thanke thee also for those graces both of the bodye and soule, which pertaine to this present life: desi­ring thee to increase them vppon vs, and in vs, so farre foorth as thou seest wee haue neede of to thy glory, the commodity of o­thers, and our owne comforts: therfore we beseech thee, Lord, to teach vs with thy holy Spirite the lawfull vse of thē: that thou woul­dest not suffer our harts to bee rooted in them, [Page 126]but that at all times we maye be willing to part from them. And when­soeuer it shall please thee to call for vs, wee may willingly goe vnto thee, as childrē to their deare Fathers, strangers vnto their own Coun­try, and members of the body vnto their Head: and so much the glad­der, by how much thou Lord art better then all the men in the worlde, and the kingdome that thou hast prepared, bet­ter then all the king­domes thereof.

We pray not only for [Page 127]our selues (O most mer­cifull Father) but for all those that thou hast appointed to eternall life: beseechinge thee to gather the number of those that are to bee gathered; those that thou haste alreadye cal­led, thou wouldest al­wayes keepe: and to this end (good Lorde) rayse vp faithfull mini­sters both of thy church and common weale, whose heartes thou wouldest fyll with the graces of thy holy spi­rit meete for their cal­linges, meete also for [Page 138]these dangerous times: roote out from among thy church, al rauening and deuouring beasts, which to fyll their own bellies, distroy thy flok, ease thy selfe of all hire­lings & idle shepherds, which haue no care nor skil to feed thi flok with the holsom food of thy blessed worde, nor to rule them with that e­quitye, wherewithall thou wilte haue thy people to bee ruled: those Pastoures that thou haste giuen, it woulde please thee to increase the number of [Page 129]them, those that are fal­len asleepe and carried awaye with the corrup­tions of these tymes, that thou wouldest a­wake, letting them vn­derstande the charge that thou haste com­mitted vnto them, the trust that thou hast put them in, and the ac­cōpt that thou wilt take at their handes. Be gra­tious (O Lorde) vnto this lande of ours, and enter not into iudge­ment with the horrible sins of it, namely, the cō tempt & light esteming of thy holye worde, so [Page 130]many yeares offred vn­to vs, and we being tru­sted withall, so manye nations better then we being passed by, which woulde haue brought foorth the fruit thereof more thē we haue don: and we not onely haue brought forth no good fruit, but rotten vn­sauory, to prouoke rhy Maiestye withall: not­withstanding all these our sins, it would please thee in that loue, wher­withall thou haste firste loued vs, when we ha­ted thee, & in that long patience wherein thou [Page 131]hast hitherto born with vs, and dost yet beare, & tarriest for our repen­tance: to grant vs hear­tie and earnest repen­taunce, our heartes be­ing effectually touched with thy holye Spirite, strikinge these rockye hearts of ours, that thei maye bee resolued into riuers of teares for oure synnes, making them soft and meeke to re­ceiue the print of thy holy word, and seale of thy blessed spirite, wri­ting with thy fynger thine own laws in thē, so, that thou maist read [Page 132]thine owne hande, ac­knowledge thine owne seale, & so passe by vs, when thou shalt bring thy iudgement vppon the face of the earth, for the iniquities thereof: whereof thou haste gi­uen, and still giuest, frō time to time diuers to­kens, which we beseech thee may be profitable vnto vs, whilste first of al we acknowledge thy hande striking vs, and thy counsayle callinge vs thereby to repen­taunce, that thy hea­uier iudgementes doe not fall vpon vs, to our [Page 133]vtter destruction.

Moreouer, we thank thee (O Lorde) for that it hath pleased thee to be the watch-man, and as it were the spie of this Church and com­mon wealth, and haste foreseen al the stormes, and treasons comming againste it, and againste [...]hine annoynted oure SOVERAIGNE, whome thou in mercye hast ap­poynted to rule ouer it, and haste scattered them and broughte them to naught, and haste pursued certayne of thyne Ennemyes, [Page 134]and ours vnto death, be seeching thee to conti­nue this watchfull and carefull eye ouer vs, still to doe vs good, and to pursue the rest of thine enemies and ours vnto the graue: giuing not­withstanding repentāce vnto them, vnto whom thou haste left place of repentaunce. And to this ende, raise vp the harts of our most grati­ous QVEENE, & her honourable Counsell thy Magistrates, that as they sit in thy seate, and are called by thy name, so they maye execute [Page 135]thy iustice, which thou so well approouest of, whereof also thou wilt require a straighte ac­compt at their hands. Wee desire thee also, to shewe these thy graces to all other Churches of thine, namely, thy Church of Englande, that it may enioye that peace that thou hast gi­uen it: and graunt that the same be referred to that end wherfore thou hast giuen it: namelye, to the ful establishment of the throne of thy dear sonn our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST, & [Page 136]to the building of his Kingdome there. Wee besech thee also, for the churches which thi hād hath plāted long since, especiallye those, from whō we haue receiued knowledge in time of our ignorāce, places of refuge in time of perse­cution : that it woulde please thee to continue thy louing kindnes to­wards them, and there­fore cause them to con­tinue their faith toward thee, & obedience to­wards thy holy worde. And whensoeuer it shal bee thy pleasure, to try [Page 137]them with any kinde of affliction , it woulde please thee to graunt vnto them , that they maye put their truste in thee, hauing regarde to the truth of thy promi­ses, and to the good ex­perience that they haue of thy helpe in tymes paste, and thereby con­ceiue comfort & hope, (O Lorde) euen of life in death, and of salua­tion in destruction. We praye thee also (good lord) that we may haue the feeling of the mise­ries of our brerhren, as members of the same [Page 138]body, & those that liue by the same spirite. And therefore we pray thee, that according to the manifold troubles that thou shalt visite them with, it woulde be thy good pleasure, to mea­sure out thy grace in such plentifull maner, that thy children maye patiently beare, & ioy­fullye attende, for the good howre wherein thou wilt pul them out of all their troubles. And specially we pray thy maiesty for our bre­thren, that are afflicted for thy Gospell sake: [Page 139]namely, those that suf­fer imprisonment or o­therwise in any nation, for the clearer testimo­ny of it: that it woulde please thee to giue thē patience in all theire troubles, wisedom and mouthes to defend thy cause, against all those that rise vp againste it: that thou woldst blesse their trauels and suffe­rings, for that for which they are taken: which is, to giue a freer course of thy gospel into al places And therewithall wee beeseeche thee for the churches of France [Page 140]and Flaunders, which are so miserably racked and torn in sunder, and which are almost con­sumed with these fierie trials: that it wold plese thee to locke vpon the sighings and gronings, the teares that fall from their eies continually, the bloud that is shed in all partes of the Lande, the bodies that lye vnburied, to bee meate to the foules of the ayre, and Fishes of the Sea, the lonenes of wiues lacking ther hus­bāds, children their fa­thers, & euery frend his [Page 141]freind. And for asmuch as those thynges are come vppon them for thy names sake, let it be thy good pleasure to hepe them considering that they are forsaken of al their friends roūde about: and therefore praye thee that thou wouldest not looke vp­pon our sinnes, nor the sins of our forefathers, wherby we deserue not onelye this correction, but vtter destruction, as Sodom & Gomorrha: but rather to look vpō thi mercies which were before them: whereby [Page 142]thou hast sayde, that al­though we do offende, and thou doest correct vs, yet thou wilt not take away thy mercyes from vs, but wilt leaue a remnant which thou wilt multiply, and make as the starres of the hea­uen, and as the sandes of the Sea. Looke also (O Lord) vpon the out­ragiousnes and cruelty, vnfaithfulnes, and blas­phemy of the enemies, wherewithall they blas­pheme thee, and pro­uoke thee to thy face, and therefore in thine owne cause, and for [Page 143]thine own sake, take the matter into thine owne handes, and pay vnto the Bosomes of thine enymies double and treble of that they haue giuen to thee. Not­withstanding, those a­mongest them, that be­long to thine holy ele­ction, hasten their cal­ling, that afterward thy iudgement may hasten vpon the earth, and the inhabitants therof may learn to knowe thee by thy iudgementes; that would not vnderstand and come to thee, by the louing callinge of [Page 144]thy Gospell. Wee pray thee (O Lorde) for our brethren that are vp in arms in both those coū ­tries: that thou wouldst goe before them, and come behinde them, and on euerye syde of them: couer their heads in the daye of battell, teache their handes to fyght, & their fingers to war: giue them wisdom & valiantnes, and good succes in al their enter­prises: strike a dizinesse & maze of spirite into the enimies hearts, and take away from them al force, and disappointall [Page 145]their counsels. And vpō our brethren in Flāders wee beseeche thee that thou wouldest comfort them ouer al their trou­bles, that they haue re­ceiued, and breaches that haue beene made in vpon them: & where there are new forces e­uery day gathered, new sleights inuented to de­stroy thē, it maye please thee, to scatter their forces, and bring their sleights to nothing. Yea grant also (O lord) that that whiche they haue deuised against thy children, may come vppon [Page 146]their own heades. And for oure Brethren in Fraunce wee beseeche thee (O Lorde) what straights soeuer they be in, thou wouldest deli­uer them: and althogh they be forsaken in the iudgement of all the world, and in their own iudgementes, notwith­standing thou that hast the issues of death in thine owne handes, de­liuer those that are ap­poynted to death. And finally we most humbly thanke thee, for that it hath pleased thee to keepe vs this daye, and [Page 147]all the dayes and times of our liues, beseeching thee, that thou wouldst receiue vs this night in­to thy holye keeping, that we may haue quiet rest, not of bodyes a­lone, but of our soules also, restinge from all those thinges that are cōtrary to thy most ho­ly will, attending while thou raisest vs vp in the morning, to do al those thinges that thou haste appoynted vs. These thinges wee desire of thee, & all other things (which thou knowest to be more needfull for [Page 148]vs, & thy whol church, better then we our sel­ues do know) for Iesus Christs sake: saying the same praier, that he him self hath taught vs. Our father. &c.

A PRAYER FOR the Euening.

O Lorde God, Father euerlasting and full of pitty, we acknowlege and confesse that we be not worthye to lift vp oure eyes to heauen, muche lesse to pre­sent oure selues before [Page 149]thy maiesty, with confi­dence that thou wilt heare our prayers and graunt our requestes, if we consider our owne deseruinges, for our cō ­sciences do accuse vs, & our sinnes do witnes a­gainst vs, and we know that thou art an vpright Iudge, which dost not iustifie the sinners and wicked men, but punni shest the falts of al such as transgresse thy com­mandements: yet most mercifull Father, since it hath pleased thee, to Commaunde vs to call vpon thee in all [Page 150]our troubles & aduersi­tyes promising euen then to helpe vs when we feel our selues (as it were) swallowed vp of death and desperation. We vtterly renounce al worldlye confidence, & flye to thy Soueraigne bounty, as our only stae and refuge: beseeching thee not to call to re­membraunce our mani­fold sinnes and wicked­nes : whereby we con­tinuallye prouoke thy wrath and indignation against vs: neither our negligence and vnkind­nes, which haue neither [Page 151]worthely esteemed, nor in our liues sufficiently expressed the sweet cō ­fort of thy Gospell re­uealed vnto vs: but ra­ther to accept the obe­dience, & death of thy sonne Iesus Christ, who by offering vp his body in sacrifice once for all, hath made a sufficient recompence for all our sinnes. Haue mercye therefore vppon vs (O Lorde) and forgiue vs our offences. Teach vs by thy holye spirte, that we maye rightly weigh them, and earnestly re­pent for the same. And [Page 152]so much the rather (O Lord) because that the reprobate and suche as thou hast forsaken can­not praise thee nor call vpon thy name: but the repenting hart, the sor­rowfull mind, the con­science oppressed, hun­gring and thirsting for thy grace, shall euer set foorth thy praise & glo­ry. And albeit we be but wormes and duste, yet thou art our Creator, & we be the worke of thy hands: yea thou art our Father, and we thy chil­dren: thou art our she p-heard, and we thy flock: [Page 153]thou art our redeemer, and we thy people whō thou hast bought: thou art our God, & we thine inhertiance. Correct vs not therfore in thine an­ger (O lord) neither ac­cording to oure deserts punish vs, but merciful­lye chastice vs with a fa­therly affection, that all the worlde may know, that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repēt him of his sinn frō the bottō of his hart, thou wilt put away his wickednes out of thy remembrance.

Finally for as much as it hath pleased thee to [Page 154]make the night for man to reste in, as thou haste ordayned him the daye to trauaile, graunt O deare Father that wee may so take our bodely rest, that our soules may continuallly watch for the time that our Lord Iesus Christ shal appear for our deliuerance out of this mortall life, and in the mean season that we not ouercome by a­ny fantasies, dreames or other temptations, may fully set our mindes vp­pon thee, loue thee, fear thee, & rest in thee. Fur­thermore that our sleep [Page 155]be not excessiue or ouer much after the vnsatia­ble desires of the fleshe, but only sufficiēt to cō ­tent oure weake nature, that we may be the bet­ter disposed in all godly cōuersation, to the glo­ry of thy holy name, & profite of our brethren. So be it.

¶ A Prayer for all times.

O Lord God, Father of mercy and God of al consolation, with­out whome wee haue [Page 156]neither hope nor com­fort, we pore wretches & miserable sinners, be­seech thee of thy fatherly goodnes to look vpō vs, and so make vs par­takers of thy gratious goodnes, that we may stil increase in all good­nesse, so that euermore we may set forth thine honor & glory: let our conuersation bee such, that a great mani beholding our good workes, may glorify thee oure heauenly father: & so direct our ways, that we may hold forth the professiō of thy gospel, as a [Page 157]lanthorn to lighten the steps of a greate many that they may turne to thee, & praise thy name in their visitation. Thus (O Lord) we beseeche thee to deale with vs, that in deed we may be vessels of honour vnto thee, now to set foorth the praise of thy name, and after this transitory life, to behold thy glo­ry, who haste immorta­lity alone, and dwellest in lighte, that no man hath approched vnto: remoue far from vs our sinns & iniquities, that they may not seperate [Page 158]betweene vs and thee: blot out all our offen­ces, and make our pray­ers righteous, that thou mayst fauourably grant our requests: looke vpō vs with thy fauourable mercie, that thou mayst haue pitty vpon vs, and beholde in the righte­ousnesse of thy beloued Sonne Christ Iesu, and that wee may bee pre­sented faultlesse in thy sight: and thou accep­ting vs as only, we may finde the Grace euer­more to set foorth thy honour and glory, and to speake of thy prayses [Page 159]in the middes of all thy people. Let vs loue (O Lord) the thinges that thee good, and hate the things that are euill: let vs delight in all things that may please thee, & let vs bee greeued with whatsoeuer is displea­sant in thy sight. And to the intent wee may haue true vnderstāding and be able to discerne betweene things, what is good or euill, we be­seech thee let thy word dwell plentifully in vs, which may guide oure vnderstandings so, that we may abound in all [Page 160]knowledge, and do ac­cording to that which is righteous. And in this estate of the true Christianity, being in­structed in minde, and ready in body to all ho­ly obedience, wee be­seeche thee make vs to growe and encrease frō grace to grace, frō fayth to fayth, vntill we come vnto the fulnesse of age to be perfect members of the body of Christe, waiting for the blessed hope of thine elect, and sighing in spirite vntill that thy children shalbe reuealed. In the meane [Page 161]season, let vs sigh withal those that haue receiued the first fruits of thi spirit, that these days of sinne may cease, that sa­tan be trodē down vn­der feet, that Antichrist may be reuealed, yet to many thousandes that be in ignoraunce, that the number of thine e­lect may be full, the bo­dy of thy saintes made perfect, all teares wiped from oure eyes, euen then when thy sonne shal appear again the se­cond time, to iudge the quicke and the deade, which time (O Lorde) [Page 162]send quickly, according to thy good will, and teache vs to pray with all thy Sayntes, Come Lord Iesu, come quick­ly: graunt this (O Fa­ther) for thy Sonnes sake, in whose name we pray vnto thee. And al­though wee bee but Earth and Ashes, yet are we bolde to say vn­to thee, (the GOD of all glory) euen as hee hath taught vs. Our Father whiche art in Heauen, hallowed bee thy name. &c.

A Prayer for the estate of the whole church.

O Lorde our God & heauenlye Father, forasmuche as by thy holy word we are commaunded in our pray­prayers, not only to be mindfull of our selues, but also of al others thy children, yea, euen of our enimies: wee com­mend vnto thy Maiesty all thy whole true and Catholique Church, & euery member thereof: that as it hath pleased [Page 164]thy goodnesse by the bright beams of thy holy worde, to shine ouer the whol world, wherbi thou hast expelled, dri­uen away, & caused to vanish, the dark & misty clouds of ignorance & superstitiō, so thou wol­dest vouchesafe by thy holy spirit to touch the hearts of men, that thei may ioyfullye embrace that, thine so high trea­sure sent amongest vs, that thorough our vn­thākfulnes we prouoke not thy maiesty in an­ger to take it from vs. Crush, bruse, & destroy [Page 165]with the breath of thy mouth, the mighty po­wer of that man of sin, which so proudly exal­teth him selfe aboue all that is called God. Let not thy simple flocke (deare father) in whose consciences he of long time hath, and yet doth sit as God, be any lon­ger poisoned with his sweet enticing poisons: but so lightē their harts that they may perceiue his iuglinges, and em­brace the sweet & com­fortable doctrine of life euerlasting, reuealed in thy glorious Gospell.

And for asmuch as it hath pleased thee in mercy aboue all natiōs in the earth, to powre down the sweet show­ers of thy Heauenlye Graces, vppon this our English nation aboun­dantlie, in more plenti­full wise watering the same with the giftes of the holy spirite, in pro­moting thy Gospell, & ouerthrowing Idolatri, we besech thee cōtinue thy fauour toward the same, & vtterly root out al remnants, reliques, & Monumentes of Ido­latry, that thy glorious [Page 167]name may be through­lye exalted, in sincere, pure, and holy worship. And as thou haste in mercy from amongst vs in this thy Church, vt­terly banished all false, venemous and poyson­full doctrine, wherwith the soules of thy Chil­dren heeretofore haue bene woūded to death, and in place therof, hast placed the true & com­fortable doctrine of life euerlasting, wherewith the soules of thy Chil­dren be fedde and nou­rished to euerlastinge ioy: so in like mercy & [Page 168]fauour we beseech thee deere father, establishe in the same thy church, a true, perfect, and sin­cere regiment thereof, according to the pre­script rule of thy bles­sed worde, all fantasies of mans brayne, and Dreames of humane policy vtterlye aboli­shed: that thy glori­ous Maiestye onelye maye bee exalted in the light of thy glo­rious gospell: and that thy Churche flourishe and increase, beeing thorough thy protecti­on ayded, supported, [Page 169]maintayned and defen­ded: we beseeche thee by thy holy Spirit, guid and rule euerye parte and member thereof, especially thy seruaunt ELIZABETH our Queene, whome thy gratious fauoure and prouidēce hath appointed a cheefe member in the same: vnder whose winges next vnto thy protection it hathe a cheefe succour and sup­port. Graunt vnto her, O LORDE, a pure and perfecte zeale a­boue all thynges to promote thy Glorye: [Page 170]first and chiefly in labo­ring and endeuoring of her self earnestly, in wi­ping away and purging out of thy Church all blots and deformityes, to reduce the same to a pure & sincere forme of worship, agreing to thy blessed word, vtterly to mooue all stumblinge blockes, which stay and hinder the course of thy gospell: giue her in like maner O Lord, the spi­rite of wisdome, discre­tion, and gouernment, that with equitye and iustice she maye see this whole Realme, which [Page 171]thou hast committed to her charge, peaceablye and quietly gouerned: that she may studiously labour, that as wel tho­rough the whole realm vertue be exalted, and vice abandoned: as spe­cially in her own house and Court, that all wic­ked vanityes of this world, all licentious & inordinate life, all flatte­ring and dissimulation being vtterly banished, the feare of thy glori­ous Maiestye maye so raigne in the heartes of all within her pallace & Court, that their liues [Page 172]and conuersation may be agreable to thy bles­sed wil, in sincerity and true holines and inte­grity of life, that from them, as from the head, maye shine puretye of life and conuersation, as an example and pat­terne of true Godlines to the whole Realme. Preserue her, wee be­seech thee good Lord, from all conspyracies and treasons, that if it be thy good will, shee may haue a long & qui­et raigne ouer vs, to the benefit of thy Church, & the aduancement of [Page 173]thy glory. Indue the whol coūsel, good lord with the true & perfect wisdom, that in all their consultatiōs & coūsels, hauing thee present be­fore their eies, thy mai consult of those things, which principally and cheefely may be for the aduauncement of thy glory, & the cōmodity of thy church, and next for the quiet peace and gracious gouernmente of this realm. So lightē al inferior magistrats of this realm, good Lord, with the brightnesse of thy holy Spirite, that [Page 174]vnderstanding thy will, they may zealously de­fend, maintain & further the course of the Gos­pell with the swoord of iustice, cut off the wic­ked, & cherish the god­ly. Defend and gouern by the holye spirite, the Pastours of thy church, & labourers in thy vine yarde, that they maye zealously, earnestly and diligētly feed thy flock committed vnto them, with the foode of lyfe thy blessed word, wher­with their soules maye bee nourished to life e­uerlasting. Increase the [Page 175]number of them, deare Father, place ouer eue­rye flocke a godly, lear­ned and painful Pastor, who may painfully and carefully trauail, euery one in his charge, to bring thy people (which now alas in most partes doe wander and goe a­stray like lost sheepe) to the true knowledge of thee their lord & God, and of their deare Son Christe Iesu their Saui­our. And for thy mercy we beseech thee, to take pity vpon thy poore & and simple flocke, roote out al rauening wolues, [Page 176]whiche haue craftilye crept into thy sheepe­folde and do make ha­uocke of the soules of thy simple flocke. Cast out all hirelinges, time­seruers, and dumbe Dogges, whiche to fill theire bellyes onelye, haue thrust them selues among the sheep, & do pitifully suffer the flock of Christ thy sonne, to bee deuoured and scat­tered of the wolfe. Stir vp, good Lord, & place in their rooms faithfull shepheards, which dili­gently, paynfully, care­fully and earnestly may [Page 177]labour in thy vineyard, seek to win the souls of thy people, out of the tyranny and power of Satan, to the freedome of thy deere son Christ Iesu our Lord.

And that thy Church may be furnished with Godly learned pastors, we beseeche thee pros­per and encrease in all Godly knowledge, all Schooles of learning, especiallye the two v­nyuersities, CAM­BRIDGE and OX­FORD: grant deer father vnto all the students of the same, that the cheef [Page 178]end of all their studyes maye be to the furthe­raunce of thy Church, and maintenance of the common wealth. Blesse their studies, deare Fa­ther, that all vaine stu­dies set a side, they may so fructify and profit in all profitable and godly sciences, that heereafter they may become pro­fitable members in thy Church, and godly vp­holders of the common wealth.

Graunt, good Lord, to all the whole Com­mons of this realm, that their hartes beeing tou­ched [Page 179]with a sincere fear and reuerence of thy heauenlye maiestye, ac­knowledging thy mer­cy in placing ouer them a godly Princesse, they may euery one in their callinges, walke in all true and humble obe­dience vnto her, in thee & for thee, without re­sistaunce, tumultes, in­surrections, conspira­cies, or rebellions: kno­wing that to resiste the higher powers, is to re­bell against thy maiesty. Finally we beseech thy goodnesse, so guid and gouerne the harts of all [Page 180]the whole realme of e­uery degree, that euery one in his calling, being by thy grace supported, may so occupy his Ta­lent, that thy glory in al thinges may be aduan­ced, thy Church enlar­ged, & this whole realm into sincere godlinesse vertuously reduced.

Moreouer we beseech the (O Lord our God) in mercye beholde all those which suffer per­secution for thy glori­ous wordes sake, whe­ther it be imprisonmēt, death, or banishment, or whatsoeuer els: streng­then [Page 181]then them good Lord, that they hauing thee alwais before their eies, and the glorye layde vp for them in the lyfe to come, may cōtinue constaunt in defending thy truth, with out feare of man or vain alluremēts of the world, that whe­ther it come by lyfe or death, they may glorify thy holye name in con­tinuing in the truth to the ende. Preserue in like maner wee beseech thee, all others thy chil­dren, whome it hath pleased thee with anye other kinde of Crosse [Page 182]to chasten for their a­mendment, whether by pestilence, famine, war, pouerty, imprisonment, sicknes or banishment, trouble of conscience, vexation of spirite, dis­quietnes of mind, want of spirituall comfort, or what soeuer kind of af­fliction of bodye or minds, thou doest try them with: that by thy holy spirite beeing fully assured, that thou by this thy correction mindest to call them backe to a feeling of their sin, and due consideration of their life and conuer­sation, [Page 183]that they maye patiently abide thy Fa­therly triall, looking for aide, helpe and comfort from thee, when it see­meth most conuenient to thy godly wisdome: and beeing by thy mer­cyfull hande once deli­uered, may acknowlege thy singular power and worke, giuing all laude and praise to thy glori­ous Name: and after­wardes, all the dayes of their life, studye to liue before thee in sincerity and perfect holinesse, e­uen to their liues ende. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR all estates.

O Lorde God Father of light, with whōe is no chaunge, neither yet shadow of chaunge, but haste established thine appoynted coun­sels, which shall not bee changed for euer: thou (O God) haste made a­mong vs this diuersitie of estates and degrees, according as euerye cō ­mon wealth requyreth, keepe vs all, we beseech thee, that we may walke obedientlye in our cal­ling, [Page 185]and followe the steppes that thou haste set before vs, euen from the highest to the low­est, let vs accomplishe that duety vnto which thou hast appointed vs, and with a faithfull re­membrance of thy pro­mise made of old to our father ABRAHAM, that thou art his exceeding great rewarde, we maye likewyse depend on thy prouidence, and seeke not any shameful waies to get our liuing, wan­dringe from the righ­teousnesse of our voca­tion, into the manifold [Page 186]errors of sinne and ini­quity: looke vppon vs (O Lord) and inrich vs with thy grace, make vs obedient to our inferi­ours, meeke towardes our enemies, faithfull to our friendes, true & iust towardes all men, that we may dwell stedfast­ly rooted in the hope of thine elect, vntill thou shalt make an end of all our labors: looke vpon oure moste Excellent Queene, and her hono­rable Counsell, and as thou haste called them to the highest roome, so giue vnto thē the grea­test [Page 187]measures of grace, that they faithfully dis­pence the talents com­mitted vnto them: lead them with the good King DAVID into thy sanctuary, that they may see thy louing kindnes which is better thē life, and saye with the Pro­phet: All flesh is grasse, and the glory of man is as the flower of the field, and so consecrate them selues to doe thy will, offer vp their bo­dies to be holy, liuely & reasonable sacrifices vn­to thee, that they maye be Nurses and nurs-fa­thers [Page 188]vnto the Church: looke also wee beseech thee vpon thy ministers whome thou haste ap­poynted to the prea­ching of thy Gospell, make thē (O God) faithful dispensers of thy mi­steries, without respect of persons to doe the worke vnto the which thou haste appointed them, that they maye conuert Sinners, and haue their glorye per­fect in the day of christ: and knitte vs togeather in peace and loue, that wee maye bee full of cōpassion one towards [Page 189]an other, to reioyce with them that reioyce, and mourne with them that mourne, especial­lye to instruct one an o­ther in the wayes of righteousnesse, that by our mutuall helpe wee maye the better with­stande our enemye, and dwell, safe in hope of thine electe, till oure dayes shall be full, and wee shall walke the wayes of all the world, which time we beseech thee bring vs happelye vnto, euen for thy Sons sake wee beseeche thee, to whome with thee [Page 190]and the holye Ghoste, three persons and one God, be all honour and glory now and for euer­more. Amen, Amen.

A PRAYER FOR the Queene.

O Gratious Lorde, & most mercifull Fa­ther, wee acknowledge thee the Lord of lords, and the King of Kings, creating at the begin­ning, & ruling al things euermore in heauen & in earth, according to thy wonderfull wisdom [Page 191]and power: and our sel­ues to be thy poore ser­uauntes, the worke of thy hands, & the sheepe of thy pasture, subiected to thy high maiesty, and depending vpon thy fa­therly prouidence for al thinges. Neuertheles, seeing thou in thy wise­dome annoyntest kings and Queenes, appoyn­ting them to rule ouer thy people, to sitte as Lieuetenauntes in thy seat, to minister iustice, and moste of all, as Fa­thers and Nurses to maintaine and cherishe thy Church: comman­ding [Page 192]vs not onely to o­bey and honour them, but moreouer to praie for them, as watching ouer vs for our good: wee therefore beseeche thee for thy gret names sake, and for IESVS CHRISTS sake, to shew thy mercy to all Kinges and Princes, that mayn­taine thy glorious gos­pell: but especiallye we praye thee to blesse our gratious Queene, in all spirituall blessinges in Christe Iesus, and in all tēporal blessings, accor­ding to thy good plea­sure, that in the great [Page 193]measures of thy effectu­al loue, shee may more and more find great in­creases of verttue, and wisdom, and strength in Christ Iesus to the faithful & happye discharge of her duty: that her ho­lines, & ioy, and zeal of thy house may be mul­tiplied and enerlasting. And, seeing it hath pleased thee of thy singular mercy, to giue her this especiall honour, first to suffer for thy glorious truth, and afterwarde miraculousli deliuering her out of the hands of all Her ennemyes, and [Page 194]to set vp a crowne vpon her heade, and to make her the instrumente to aduaunce thy glory and gospell for which shee suffered, and to bring it out of darknesse into light, out of persecution into this great and long peace: as we giue thee most harty thankes for this singular benefit, so we besech thee to make her & vs euermore thāk full for it, & in thy good pleasure still to preserue her, for the continuāce of these blessinges to­wardes vs, with all in­crease frō time to time, [Page 195]to thy glory, the benefit of thy Church, and her infinite peace in Christ Iesus, the Prince of peace. And furthermore we pray thee for her, & the estate, that such as be enemies of the Gos­pell, and her enemies al­so, for the defence ther­of, may not despise the peace offered them to repentaunce, but that they maye account thy long suffering, and her peaceable & vnbloud­dy gouernement an oc­casion of saluation to their soules, and vnfay­ned loue to the truth, & [Page 196]their merciful souerain. Otherwise if they still remaine disobedient to the truth, disobedient to her hihgnesse, and dangerous to the state, then (O God of our sal­uation) as thou hast dis­couered them, so disco­uer them still, as thou hast preuented them, so preuent them still, and let their eies waxe wea­ry with looking, & their harts faint with waiting for the comminge of that, which yet com­meth not, neither let it come (O Lorde) wee beseeche thee, but a [Page 197]blessed, and a longe raigne to her, and peace to SION for euermore.

Also (deare Father) so blesse, so loue, so in thy spirite sanctify and keepe her, that shee maye in the spirite of counsel and fortitude, so rule that other Si­ster also, namelye, this her common wealth, that they maye flou­rishe togeather, and growe vp togeather as Palme trees, in beautie, and in strength, giuing ayde and helpe one to an other, that in the [Page 198]Church the glorye of God maye appeare, as the sunne in his bright­nesse, and that the land may flow with milke & hony, and true peace a­bound therin, as in the tryumphant raigne of DEBORA.

These graces (O lord) are great, and we mise­rable sinners, vnworthy of the leaste of them: therfore looke not to vs but to thy selfe, not to oure iniquityes but to thy great mercies, accepting the death and pas­sion of thy sonne, as a full ransome for all our [Page 199]offences: throwing thē into the bottome of the sea, & making his crosse and resurrection effec­tuall in vs to all obedi­ence and godlinesse, as becommeth thy saints, that to all other thy good blessings towards our gratious soueraign, this may be added, that she gouerneth blessed­lye, ouer a blessed peo­ple, a people blassed of the Lorde, and beloued of the Lorde, and that thy graces may abound as the waters of the sea, in the Prince and in the people, in the Church [Page 200]and in the Common wealth, from day to day till the day of our trans­lation into the kingdō, where iustice inhabi­teth, where we also shal inhabite and raign with thee, according to thy promise, for euer. Grant vs these things (O mer­cifull Father) for thy deare sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ his sake, in whose name we craue them at thy mercifull hande, praying further­more for them, as hee hath taught vs to pray. Our father which art in heauen. &c.

A PRAYER TO be sayd in visiting of the sicke.

O Our good GOD, Lord & Father, the Creator and conseruer of all thinges, the foun­taine of all goodnes & benignitye, like as (a­mong other thine infi­nite benefites, whiche thou of thy great good­nesse and grace doest distribute ordinarilye vnto all men (thou gi­uest them health of bo­dy, to the end that they should the better know [Page 202]thy great liberalitye, so that they might be the more readye to serue & glorifye thee with the same: so contrarywise, when we haue ill beha­ued our selues in offen­ding thy maiestye, thou hast accustomed to ad­monishe vs, and call vs vnto thee by diuers and sundry chastisementes, thorough the which it hath pleased thy good­nes, to subdue and tame our fraile flesh, but espe­ciallye by thy grieuous plagues of sicknesse and diseases, vsing the same, as a meane, to awake & [Page 203]stir vp the great dulnes and negligence that is in vs all, and aduertising vs of oure euill life by such infirmities & dan­gers, especially when as they threaten the verye death, which (as assured messengers of the same) are all to the flesh full of extreame anguishe and torments, althogh they be notwithstanding to the spirit of the elect as medicines both good & wholsom. For by thē thou dost mooue vs to retourne vnto thee for our saluation, and to cal vpon thee in our afflic­tions [Page 204]to haue thine helpe, which art oure dear and louing father. In consideration wher­of wee most earnestlye praye vnto thee oure good God, that it wold please thine infinite goodnes to haue pitty on this thy poore crea­ture whome thou hast, as it were, bounde and tied to the bed by most grieuous sicknesse, and brought to great extre­mitie by the heauinesse of thine hand.

O Lorde, enter not into a count with him, to render the rewarde [Page 205]due vnto his workes, but through thine infi­nite mercye remitte all his faults, for the which thou hast chastised him so gently, and beholde rather the obedience which thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde hath rendred vnto thee, to witte, the sacrifice which it hath pleased thee to accept as a full recompence for all the iniquities of thē that re­ceiue him for their iu­stice & sanctificatiō, yea for their onely sauiour.

Let it please thee, O GOD, to gyue him [Page 206]a true zeale and affecti­on to receiue and ac­knowledge him for his onely redeemer: to the end also, that thou maist receiue this sicke per­son to thy mercy, quali­fiyng all the troubles, which his sins, the hor­ror of death, and dread­full feare of the same may bring to his weake conscience: neither suf­fer thou, O Lord, the as­saults of the mighty ad­uersary to preuaile, or to take from him the com­fortable hope of salua­tion, which thou giuest to thy dearely beloued [Page 207]children.

And for as much as we are all subiect to the like state & condition, and to bee visited with like battel, when it shal please thee to call vs vn to the same: we beseech thee moste humblye, O Lorde, with this thy poore Creature, whom thou now presently chastisest, that thou wilt not extende thy rigo­rous iudgement against him, but that thou wouldest vouchsafe to shew him thy mercye for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde, [Page 208]who, hauing suffered the most shamefull, and extreame death of the Crosse, bare willinglye the fault of this poore patient to the end that thou mightest acknow­ledge him, as one rede­med with his precious bloud, and receiued in­to the communion of his body, to be partici­pant of eternall felicity in the companye of thy blessed Aungels: wher­fore, O Lord, dispose, & moue his hart to recieu by thy grace with all meekenesse this gentle and fatherly correction, [Page 209]which thou haste layde vpon him, that he maye indure it patientlye and with willing obediēce, submitting himself with heart and minde to thy blessed will and fauou­rable mercye, wherein thou now visitest him after this sort for his profit and saluation. It may please thy goodnesse, O Lord, to assist him in all his anguishes and trou­bles. And although the tongue and voyce bee not able to execute their office in this be­half to set forth thy glo­rye, that yet at the least [Page 210]thou wilt stirre vp his hart to aspire vnto thee only, which art the on­lye fountaine of good­nesse, & thou wilt roote and settle in his hart the sweet promises which thou hast made vnto vs in Christe Iesus thy sonne our Sauiour, to the intent he may re­maine constant against all the assaultes and tu­mult, which the enemy of our saluation maye raise vp to trouble his conscience.

And seeyng it hath pleased thee, that by the death of thy dear Son, [Page 211]life eternall shoulde be cōmunicated vnto vs: and by the shedding of his bloud, the washing of our sinnes should be declared, and that by his resurrediō also, both iustice and immortality shoulde bee giuen vs, it may please thee to ap­ply this holy and whol­some medicine to this thy poore Creature in such extremitie, taking from him all trembling & dreadfull feare, & to giue him a stout cou­rage in the middes of all his present aduersi­tyes.

And for as much as all thinges, O heauenly father, be knowne vnto thee, and thou canst ac­cording to thy good pleasure, minister vnto him all such thinges as shall be necessarye and expedient, let it please thee, O Lord, so to satis­fie him by thy grace, as may seeme most meete vnto thy diuine maiesty

Receiue him, Lorde, into thy protection: for he hath his recourse & accesse to thee alone, & make him constant and firme in thy commaun­dements and promises, [Page 213]and also pardon all his sinnes both secreat, and those which are many­fest: by the which hee hath moste grieuouslye prouoked thy wrath & seuere iudgementes a­gainst him, so as in place of death (the whiche both he and al we haue iustlye merited) thou wilt graunt vnto him that blessed life, whiche we also attend & looke for, by thy grace and mercy.

Neuerthelesse, O heauenlye Father, if thy good pleasure bee that hee shall yet lyue [Page 214]longer in this worlde, it may then please thee to augment in him thy graces, so as the same maye serue vnto thy glorye: yea, Lord, to the intent he may conforme him­selfe the more diligent­lye and with more care­fulnes, to the example of thy sonne Christ Ie­sus: and that in renoun­cing him selfe he maye cleaue fullye vnto him, who, to gyue consolati­on and hope vnto all sinners, to obtaine re­mission of all their sins and offences, hath car­ryed with him into the [Page 215]Heauens, the Theefe whiche was crucified with him vppon the crosse.

But if the tyme by thee appoynted bee come, that hee shall de­part from vs vnto thee, make him to feele in his conscience, O Lord, the fruite and strength of thy grace, that thereby he may haue a new tast of thy Fatherly care, o­uer him from the be­ginning of his lyfe, vn­to the end of the same, for the loue of thy dear sonne Iesus Christ our Lord.

Giue him thy grace, that with a good heart, and full assuraunce of faith he maye receiue to his consolation so great & excellent a trea­sure, to wit, the remis­sion of his sinnes in CHRIST IESVS thy Sonne, who now pre­senteth him to this pore personne in distresse, by the vertue of thy promises reuealed vnto him by thy woorde, which he hath exerci­sed with vs in thy Church and congrega­tion, and also in vsing [Page 217]the sacramentes, which thou hast established for confirmation of al their faith that truste in thee vnfaynedly.

Let true faith, O lord, be vnto him as a moste sure buckler thereby to auoyde the assaultes of death and more boldly walke for the aduance­ment of eternall life, to the end that he hauing a most liuely apprehen­sion therof, may reioyce with thee in the hea­uens eternally.

Let him be vnder thy protection and gouer­nāce, O heauēly father, [Page 218]and althogh he be sick, yet canst thou heale him: he is cast downe, but thou canst lift him vp: he is sore troubled, but thou canst sende redres: he is weak, thou canst sende strength: he acknowledgeth his vn­cleanes, his spots, his fil­thines & iniquityes, but thou canst wash him, & make him cleane: he is woūded, but thou canst minister moste souerain salues: he is fearefull & trembling, but thou canst gyue him good courage and boldnesse. To be short, hee is, as it [Page 219]were vtterly lost, and as a strayed sheepe, but thou canste call him hoame to thee againe. Wherfore, O Lord, see­ing that this poore cre­ature (thine own work­manship) resigneth him wholly into thine hāds, receiue him into thy merciful protection. Al­so we poore miserable creatures, which are, as it were, in the field rea­dy to fight til thou with draw vs from the same, vouchsafe so to streng­then vs by thine holye spirite, that we maye obtayne the victory in [Page 220]thy name, against oure deadly and mortal ene­mye. And furthermore, that the affliction and combat of this thy pore creature in moste gree­uous tormentes, maye moue vs to humble our selues with all reuerent feare and trembling vn­der thy mighty hande, knowing that we muste appear before thy iuge­ment seat, when it shal please thee to appoint. But O lord, the corupti­on of our fraile nature is such that wee are vt­terlye destitute of anye mean to appeare before [Page 221]thee, except it pease the to make vs such as thou thy selfe requirest vs to be: & further, that thou gyue vs the spirite of meeknesse and humili­ty, to rest and stay who­lye on those thinges which thou only com­maundest.

But for as much as we be all togeather vn­worthy, to inioye such benefites, wee beseech thee to receiue vs in the name of thy deare Son our Lorde, & maister, in whose death & sanctifi­cation standeth wholly the hope of our saluatiō [Page 222]It may also please thee, O Father of comfort & consolation, to streng­then with thy grace, those which imploye theire trauell and dili­gence to the ayding of this sick persō, that they faint not by ouermuch and continuall labour, but rather to go hearti­ly and cheerefully for­ward in doing their in­deuours towards him: & if thou take him frō them, thē of thy good­nesse to comfort them so, as they may pacient­ly bear such departing, and prayse thy name in [Page 223]all things. Also, O hea­uenly father, vouchsafe to haue pition al other sick persons, and such as bee by anye wayes or meanes afflicted, & also on those who as yet are ignorant of thy trueth, & appertaine neuerthe­les vnto thy kingdom.

In like manner on those that suffer perse­cution, tormented in prisons, or otherwise troubled by the ene­mies of thy veritye, for bearing Testimonye to the same: finally, on all the necessityes of thy people, and vpon al the [Page 224]ruins or decayes, which satan hath brought vpō thy church. O father of mercy, spread forth thy goodnes vpon all those that bee thine, that we forsaking oure selues, may be the more infla­med and confirmed to rest onely vpon thee a­lone. Graunt these our requestes, O our deare Father, for the loue of thy deare sonne our Sa­uiour Iesus Christ, who liueth & raigneth with thee in vnity of the ho­ly Ghost, true God, for euermore,

PRAYERS AND thankesgiuinges to be said before and after meat.

A GODLY PRAYER FOR the Morning.
And may be sung to the tune of the third Psalme.

A GODLY PRAYER FOR the Euening.
And may be sung to the tune of the third Psalme.