THE Path-way to please GOD.

Which way whomsoeuer walketh, especially in the time of anie worldly af­fliction, shalbe defended against all temp­tations.

Thy Word O Lord, is a lan­terne to my feet, & a light vnto my pathes.

Printed by W. Iaggard.

The Path-way to please God.

A godly Prayer.

O Almightie God, and Heauenly father, direct our steps in thy word, and leade vs into the Path of thy commandements, for thou art the GOD of our saluation: so, wee loue the habitation of thy house, & greatly do wee delight in the Companie of such as feare thee: therefore will [Page] we worship and fall down and kneele before thee, O Lord our [...]aker, for wee are the people of thy Pa­sture, and the sheepe of thy handes: O God heare vs in the truth of thy saluati­on, Amen.

Godly prayers to be saide at all times.

For the morning.

O Heauenly▪ Father, I giue thee most heartie [Page] thankes, land, and praise, for a number of thy bles­sings bestowed vpon mee: and amongst the rest, this is not the least, that thou hast not only preserud me from my youth vp hither­to from mine enimies and aduersaries in this world but for that also thou hast defended and kept me this night past, from all perils and dangers of the same, and hast giuen mee q [...]et rest and sleepe, and hast [Page] safely brought mee to the beginning of this day. I beseech thee of thy abun­dant mercy and kindnes, so to direct and gouern me in this day, and euer with thy holy spirit, that all my thoughts, words, & deeds may only be in thy seruice faith, feare, & loue, to the glory of thy holye Name, Amen

For mercy and grace.

HAue mercy on mee, O Lord, remember not my faultes which deserue no fauor at thy hands, nor any part of these thy benefits: but mitigate thy an­ger, which I haue deser­ued. Bestow thy grace on me, & let thy holy Spirite euermore abide with mee, & so serue thee in holinesse and righteousnes of Life, [Page] to the honor and glorie of thy holy name, amen.

From all perils and dangers.

ONely in thee, O mer­cifull Lorde, lyeth all power and might, to de­fend me from all perrilles & dangers of this worlde, and in my selfe is all disa­bilitie to doe any thinge which may please thee, so that I am altogether subiect to the Worlde by the [Page] flesh, wherin I was crea­ted, & to all other thinges else, which may draw mee from thee, if thou in mercy doe not defend mee, that neither sathan, sinne, hel, nor death haue the domi­nion & vpper hand of mee. Endue my heart, O Lord with the true vnderstan­ding of thy holye worde, that I may be redy man­fully to fight vnder the standart of thy deare son Iesus Christ, to whome [Page] with thee & the holy ghost be praise now and for e­uer, Amen.

To withstand all temp­tations.

MAke mee able O hea­uenly father, through thy power, to with stand all temptations, whereby I may bee drawne from thee, and ouer-throwe all those thine enemies, who are too strong for me, and [Page] to whom through sin and flesh, I am become thral. So shall I O Lord be a­ble to liue in the world, & yeelde thee praise, worlde without end.

At our vp-rising.

O Lord GOD and hea­uenly Father. I hum­bly beseech thee, that this my vp-rising, thou wilt vouchsafe to looke vppon me, and blesse me so bountifuly with thy grace that [Page] I may spend this day, & the rest of my life in thy Seruice, that all my tra­uailes and endeuors may please thee, and that I do not in anie thing swarue or fall from thee, we most humblie beseech thee that thine eyes may attend vp­pon vs, daily defend vs in sorrow▪ succour vs, cher­rish, comfort, and gouern all our Counsels, studies and labours, in such wise, that we may so spend this [Page] day, according to thy most blessed will, without hur­ting of our neighbor, that wee may diligently & wa­rily auoide all things that should displease thee, vnto the praise of thy most holy name, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

To the glorious and bles­sed Trinity.

Saue mee, O Father, my Creator, through thy [Page] power, O God the sonne haue pity vpon mee, and bee thou mine aduocate to intreate for mee. O holie Ghost, I humbly beseech thee to remaine with me, and gouerne me. O blessed and glorious trinity, three persons, and one GOD, strengthen mee, & comfort me, and defend me for euer more, amen.

Prouerbs chap. 21

WOnderfull are thy works O Lord God [Page] thine Omnipotency most meruailous, thy wisdome most in searchable, thy po­wer more then any Crea­ture can cōprehend. Ther is (O Lord) no power in earth that may contend or striue against thee, or is able to abide the lest stroke of thy mighty hand. If in thy power thou Correcte our Iust deseruings: no wisedome, no Counsaile, nor policie may preuayle against thee, O Lord. [Page] Therefore, O God, I am affraide of thy displeasure and my soule doeth trem­ble to think vpon my ma­nifolde sinnes and iniqui­ties: and contrarywise, mine assured hope, trust, and confidence in thee▪ do thoroughly perswade mee of thy goodnesse and mer­cie, and doe (as it were) conuert that feare, which I haue of thy displeasure, in respect of my sinnes, in­to loue, honor, and obedi­ence [Page] of thee, in respect of all thy manifold beneuo­lences, which I haue re­ceiued at thy most bounti­full hands, thorough thy deere sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

That we may forsake the worlde, and the vani­ties thereof.

LEt mee not (O merci­full Lord and heauen­ly Father) fall from thee to fal vnto the world, and [Page] the vanities thereof.

Let not thy Grace nor feare fall from mee, least mine enemies catch me in theyr snares. Let mee not through the alurement of the world be drawn from thee, and from the care of thee, lest I forget to loue, honor and obey thee as I ought. To the glory of thy most holy name, through thy deere son Iesus christ our Lord, Amen.

A prayer to God for forgiuenesse of sinnes and of­fences.

O Lorde, of thine infinite Mercy, haue compas­sion vpon me. Lay not to my charge, my former of­fences, but to graunt (as thou hast hitherto vouch­safed) to defend and pro­serue me through thy po­wer, so likewise I hum­bly beseech thee (my Lord [Page] and Redeemer) euermore hereafter to keepe me safe in thy protection, against all perils and daungers of this world.

For in thee (O louing father) is all my hope▪ in thee is my sure trust and confidence, in thee alone resteth all my comfort ioy blisse, happinesse, and feli­city of the world to come. So be it.

¶ A prayer declaring the Omnipotent power of God, and the miserable e­state of man.

O God, whose mercy is most manifold, whose goodnes is most excellent: whose power is omnipo­tent, and whose fauour is more then any Creature can deserue: and contrari­wise, man a manifold sin­ner, excelling al creatures [Page] in naughtines, most weak and yet striuing agaynst thy power, most sinneful, and yet insteed of crauing thy fauour, for pardon of our sins, a thousād wayes deseruing thy heauie dis­pleasure

These thinges conside­red with my selfe (my louing sauiour) make me (ah vile wretched sinner) almost in despaire, & de­sperate of Mercy, but thy sweete and louing promi­ses [Page] do encourage me with assured hope and vndoub­ted Faith, that at what time soeuer I, euen I, a most wretched and abho­minable sinner, shall from my heart heartily, and not with Wordes alone out­wardly, crie vnto thee for mercie, remission of my sinnes, and Fauour: that then euen at that instant, thou wilt haue compassi­on vppon mee, and par­don and release mee of all [Page] my sinnes and iniquities. To thee therfore O Lord God, with most humble and harty Repentance I cry for mercy for my sins past, and beseech thee of thy grace and holy Spirit to gouerne me euer heere­after, and truely to guide mee in all truth and righ­teousnesse, and in the per­fect knowledge of thee, & thy holy lawes, so long as I shall heere continue in this vale of misery, euē for [Page] thy deerely beloued sonne Christ his sake: So in most assured hope & faith­full trust to thy mercies, cleauing vnto thy promi­ses laying my heauie bur­den vpon thy most migh­tie shoulders, and prostra­ting my selfe before thy heauenly throne, from the very bottome of my hart, I cry vnto thee, saying: O our Father which arte in heauen.

A praier for grace, wher­in is declared the weake­nesse of man.

ALmighty, eternall, and euerlasting God, grant that thy holy Spirit may alwaies remaine in our hearts, and that through the inspiration of thy most Heauenly grace, we may euer-more performe the effects of thy holy Lawes, and liue according to thy [Page] blessed commandements. And although man is al­wayes more prone & rea­die to transgresse agaynst all thy precepts generally then any thing at all able to performe the least iotte of thy Diuine pleasure: yet O most mercifull lord GOD, of thy great and tender Mercie, grant vs grace and willing mindes and obedient hearts, dili­gently to reade thy Holye Scriptures for our lear­ning▪ [Page] and so to follow thē in our liuing that fruites thereof may spring out to thy glory, and to the pro­fit of our Neighbors. Al­wayes confessing and af­firming with the holy A­postle, that when we haue done al that wee can doe, yet then wee are vnprofi­table seruants:

Graunt vs thus thy grace, O louing GOD, that wee may liue in thy [Page] feare, and leaue this transitory life in thy fauour: and after this life remaine with thee in thy heauenly habitation, amongest thy blessed Angelles, singing to thee with heauenly me­lody: O holy, holy▪ holye, Lord God of Sabbath.

To whom be all laude, praise and thankes, for e­uermore, Amen.

A prayer to our Sauiour Christ, for remission of sins.

O Christ my Redeemer, & only sauiour, vouch­safe of thy great clemency to haue regarde vnto mee whom thou hast redeemd, who am nowe most mise­rably wrapt in so vnmea­surable a number of gree­uous sins as nothing may ridde me from the heauie wrath of my heauenly fa­ther, due for my deserts, vnlesse thou bee mine ad­uocate and Peace-maker [Page] for me. And I doe knowe assuredly, that the Holie Spirite, sent from my heauenly father thorough thy mediation, and being thorough his bountifull goodnesse poured into my sinfull heart, is the onelie and cheefe medicine salue and precious Oile, which cureth and comforteth my wounded Conscience and wretched soule.

Haue mercie vppoa me O Christ, and now be­holde [Page] with thy Glorious eyes, the Sorrowes and hearty greefes wherewith I am oppressed: and as I am of a vile peece of earth made and constituted, to the likenesse and shape of thine owne image, & thou hast also breathed life in­to me, & endued mee with reason. So likewise, I humbly beseech thee, to shewe thy louing counte­nance vnto mee, to grant that thy grace may euer­more [Page] remaine with me, to pardon and release me of al my sins and iniquities, and whē thy good wil and pleasure is to dissolue this flesh in me, and to take me out of this miserable life to thy mercie. And in the meane time, graunt vnto mee the perfect gift of pa­tience and humblenesse of heart meekly to hear and suffer all those thy crosses and afflictions of bodye & mind, where-with it hath [Page] pleased thee in mercy thus loungly to visit me.

Strengthen me O my Sauiour, that I despaire not, and weaken the force of my ghostly enemie that hee haue no power to sub­due my soule by any man­ner of temptation so shall my tongue, hart and soule with full consent, yeelde lawde and prayses to the high and glorious maiesty of thy heauenly father and to thee mine only sauiour [Page] with the holy Ghost, with full assured trust, by thine onely merites and bloud­shedding O christ, to haue full remission of my sins: and so finally to obtaine a resting place in thy heauē ­ly habitation, for euer and euer, world without end. So be it.

Other prayers for remis­sin of sinnes, and remedie against temptations.

TO thee, O heauenly fa­ther, king of all kings, and most mighty Creator & Gouernour of all thin­ges: I thy most wretched creature, presume with al humblenesse of heart, to make my complaints vn­to thee.

Hearken, O God, to the [Page] prayers which my sinfull soule doeth poure out be­fore thy Diuine maiestie, with assured confidence to be releeued at thy merciful hands. Out of thine hea­uenly throne, and Glori­ous habitation, vouchsafe to behold the greeuous affliction of mee thy poore & wretched seruant.

Make me strong by thy mightie Power, to with­stand al temptations and assaults of all mine Ene­mies [Page] both bodily & ghost­ly, least they preuaile a­gainst mee, and ouercome mee.

Assist me alwaies with thy grace, and renue in me an humble spirit and wil­ling mind, to performe my duty towards thee and my neighbour. Increase in me true contrition of hart, to confesse, bewail, & lament my sinnes past, and grant me grace to amend my life hereafter, and persist onlie [Page] in those thinges which may please thee and be ac­ceptable before thee.

Strengthen mee good Lord with thy power and grant perfect patience and meeknes vnto mee, hum­bly and wilingly without grudging, to suffer and o­bey thy louing corrections sith with my heare I doe acknowledge my selfe to haue deserued much grea­ter punishments, if thou shouldest deale with mee [Page] according to mine offen­ces: wherein (O Lorde) vouchsafe to spare mee, & grant vnto me thy fauour and louing countenaunce for thy deere sonne Iesus Christ his sake. In whom with thee, and the holye Ghost, resteth my true, perfect, and onely salua­on, which from my hart I confesse, saying, I beleeue in God, &c.

Waken mee, O my lo­uing father, from my slug­gish [Page] sleeping in sin, ligh­ten my hart with thy heauenlie grace and shew thy bountiful mercie toward mee. Asswage the rigour of thy heauie displeasure whiche I haue deserued. Giue me diligence to hear and receiue thy holy word and let the same take such deepe root in my hart that I may truely learne to know thee, and be diligent and carefull in dooing my dutie towards thee daily [Page] endeauouring my selfe to leade this my mortall life according to thy Godlye & holy precepts.

Lorde, let not any vile temptation, worldlie de­sire, or fleshly lust preuaile against me, nor be of force to draw my mind, hart, or Soule from thee. Let not my sinnes further increase which are alreadie so in­numerable, that I feare thy wrath and heauy dis­pleasure. Neuerthelesse, [Page] with the holy prophet, I trust and confesse, saying: In thee O Lorde GOD doe I put my trust let me not be confounded. Saue thou my soule which put­teth her trust in thee. Re­ceiue the same, O Lorde, into thy merciful tuition.

Bee thou, O God, my readie helpe and comfort, whē any temptation doth assayle mee, and suffer me not to be tempted beyond my power, but shewe thy [Page] louing countenance vnto me, now and euer: Amen.

A praier declaring the vn­thankfulnesse of man, for the manifolde benefites of our heauenly Fa­ther.

O Eternall and omnipo­tent GOD, who doth rule and gouern al things by thy power, to whome all creatures in the world as wel man in what state [Page] or degree soeuer thou of thy goodnes hast constitu­ted or placed him, or also all Beasts of thr field, Fi­shes of the sea, and fowles of the ayre are subiect.

Which creatures thou by thy diutne wisedome, hast not onely created in his kind but also hast limited and appointed vnto euerie one of them, a certaine knowledge & order, wher­by each Creature in his kind doth obey thee. Sa­uing [Page] man, to whom thou hast beene most beneficiall whome thou hast endued with Reason, discretion, & Wisedome, besides a num­ber of thy heauenly bles­sings, and hast also placed him in this world as chief aboue al other creatures, and hast ordained and ap­pointed all Fowles of the Ayre, fishes of the sea, and fruites, and beastes of the earth, for his sustenance & necessity.

Notwithstanding, O most gracious and louing Father, we are altogether vnthankfull for thy great and manifolde giftes, so largely, plentifully, and a­bundantly bestowed vpon vs and careles of our du­ties towards thee not re­garding thy goodnesse and Louing fauour, as wee ought, but abusing & mis­vsing those good Vertues and gifts which thou hast bestowed vpon vs, nether [Page] vsing Wisedome Reason, nor Discretion, or any o­ther endeauor to such pur­pose, as may tende to the performance of thy godlye pleasure, but contrariwise in all our doings, actions trade of life, and vngodly thoughtes, wee dailie and howrly commit most ab­hominable and heynous offences, & transgressions against thy diuine Maie­stie, whereby we prouoke thy Wrath and greeuous [Page] displeasure against vs, for our iust punnishmentes, which woorthily shoulde fall vppon vs: were not thy manifolde mercies a­bout our infinit offences: and thy great loue toward vs, more then our deser­uing according to thy lo­uing and fauorable kind­nes, manifested vnto vs by those most comfortable declarations of thy fauor towardes vs, affirming that thou wilte not the [Page] death of a sinner, but ra­ther that hee may returne from his wickednesse and liue. Neuerthelesse (O most comfortable. Saui­our) such is the frowarde mind and vile condition of Man, that he is alwayes more readie to transgresse and rebel against thee and thy helye Lawes, then at any time shewing his due Obedience, rather stub­bornely striuing agaynst thy mightie power, that [Page] reasonable submitting of himselfe vnto thy fatherly and louing corrections, knowing in our conscien­ces how many wayes we daily doe offend thee, and how iustly we do deserue thy heauie wrath. Lorde God of thy louing mercie and accustomed clemency, and bountifull grace, take thy greeuous wrath from vs, correct vs not in thy heauy displesure, deal not with vs according to our [Page] iniquittes: spare vs good Lord, yea spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed Bee gracious and fauou­rable vnto vs.

Pull out of our hearts, minds and thoghts [...]hose Subtile slights, iniuring Duties, and vaine affecti­ons, which eyther the world through vanity, the deuiil through policie, or the flesh through filthy de­sire haue rooted in vs, to the end, to draw vs away [Page] from thee.

Receiue vs (O Lorde GOD) into thy fauour againe, renue the right spirite of grace in our hearts purge & cleanse our soules from the most filthie and foule spots of pride, glut­tony, enuy, fornication, drunkennes, and al other abhominable sins, where­in we haue long wallow­ed, to the vtter confusion and damnation of our owne soules (if that thou [Page] O Lord be not mercifull. Plant and ingraffe in vs all lowlinesse, meekenesse, Obedience, loue, charitie, pati [...]nce and al other gif [...]s of vertue which may sub­due and ouer-come vice in vs. This O lord, we be seech thee in mercie graunt­vnto vs, for the Loue of our Lord and onely Sa­uiour Iesus Christ. To whome with thee and the holy Ghost, be all praise▪ honour, and glory, amen.

An humble confession of sins.

I Most humblie beseeche thee, O Christ, the true and onely son of our hea­uenly Father, that for thy mercy sake thou wilt haue pitty and compassion vp­pon mee, that thou wilte with thy fauourable eyes behold the great affliction of minde, and harty greefe of me thy poore Seruant, [Page] whom thou hast redeemd. Vnto thee are all my sins and offences knowne, and I humblie confesse that it is not in the power of anie creture on earth or worke of anie mans hande, that the intercession nor praier of anie S. Apostle, or an­gell in heauen, that may releeue mee or helpe mee: But onelie thou, who by thy precious blood-shed­ding, hast purchased ful redemption, and perfect saluation [Page] for so many as do trust in thee and withvn­faigned heart, do confesse their sins vnto thee, & doe call vpon thee to intreate for mercy thee to intreate for mercy to our heauenly and almightie father.

Euen nowe therefore, O Christ my Redeemer, I doe confesse vnto thee my manifolde sinnes, and with my heart I am in­wardly sorry that I haue beene so vnthankefull for the sundrie & inumerable [Page] benefits which thorough thee I haue receyued of my Heauenly father. And it doeth greeue my wret­ched Soule, that I haue bene so negligent a Labo­rer in the Lords vineyard where is much plenty and great aboundance of all good things, and so great store of pleasant and most sweet mirth: whereof we vnthankfull and disobedi­ent creatures of al others most wretched, receiue the [Page] whole increase and profit to the releeuing of our ne­cessities.

All which notwithstanding, so subiect vnto our weake and frayle flesh, so led by the desires and af­fections of the world, and so blinded with the subtle sleights of our aduersarie the deuill, that we do alto­gether fall from thee, and doe not in any wise seeke the Honour and Glorie of our Heauenly father: but [Page] do rather purchase to our selues, Death, and vtter Damnation, if thou, O Christ, of thy continuall Mercie, didst not intreat for the mittigation of the iust punnishment due for our offences.

Refuse not, O most gentle and louing Aduo­cate, mine humble suite which nowe I make vn­to thee, for that I haue beene so longe a sluggish loyterer carelesse seruant, [Page] and negligent workeman in the seruice of my Lorde God.

The remembrance wher­of my louing sauiour, and the horrible feare of his heauy displesure do make mee to consume my daies in sorrow, and to abhorre this wretched life, wherin man so many waies doth fall from thee. But euen for thine owne agony and passion sake, I beseeche thee to intreate my Hea­uenly [Page] father for me, to re­lease and pardon my for­mer negligence and wret­ched, & carelesse vnthank­fulnes, and to forgiue my great transgressions and offences. Through which I haue spent so long a time without calling for Grace receiue my, hum­ble Petitions, and heartie submission accept my re­pentance which my hart, mind, and soule doe yeelde vnto thee, and with per­fect [Page] consent & agreement do earnestly sue vnto thee for thy fauour and louing countenaunce, with assu­red hope that thou wilte intreat for me, and streng­then me, and that thorow thee I may obtaine grace frō aboue, wherby I may euer hereafter truly serue my Lord God, and neuer fall from him againe.

Suffer thou not my mercifull Redeemer, that sathan and his wily Mi­nisters [Page] and subtile spirits who according vnto theyr kinde, can craftily change themselues into Angelles of light, bearing, or rather counterfeting the counte­nance of truth, & by their practises and sundry tem­tations, are able to ouer­throw and deeeiue so ma­nie, ouer whome thou gi­uest them power to pre­uaile, and generably ouer all creatures, whose force is ouer-weake, if thy [Page] grace and holy Spirit be not assistaunt, or rather a defendant) in the behalfe of vs miserable wretches against the assaultes and allu [...]ements of so great & mighty aduersaries.

Wherefore, O Christ, in thy might defende vs, keepe vs vnder thy prote­ction, bee thou our conti­nuall mediatour vnto our Heauenlie Father, for vs his prodigall children, the straying sheepe from his [Page] folde, and the widdowes lost groat: Bee thou our aduocate, that he may re­ceiue vs againe as obedi­ent and penitent children, confessing our Sinnes a­gainst him, with most harty repentance. Our onelie hope and trust of saluati­on, O Christ, resteth in thee, and our vtter and euerlasting Damnation, commeth thorough our own manifold transgres­sions, & nothing can helpe [Page] vs, nor other remedie wee haue none but this, that it pleased our heauenly father to send thee to be our redeemer and Sauiour, e­uen so many as doe faith­fully beleeue, through thy Death for vs to haue re­ceiued full & free redemp­tion and remission of sins. Such (O Christ) haue euerlasting life and shall not come vnto damnation but are escapt from death vnto life.

Bee thou therefore con­tinually with vs i [...] grace, faith, and hope: comforte vs in all distresse, afflicti­on, and troubles: accept and receiue our lamenta­ble and greeuous com­plaints for our sins past. Mollifie these our stome hearts, that we may tru­ly, hartily, and sincerelie cry vnto our heauenly fa­ther for mercy, & that we may serue him, with all our hearts, mindes, and [Page] strength, and diligentlie search the holy scriptures for in them we haue eter­nall life, and they are the Testimonie and witnesse bearers of our Heauenly Father.

Deny not O most deere Christe, thy mercie to vs penitent and sorrowfull sinners. Let vs that seeke thy fauour, and heartily repent vs of our wicked liues find release and for­giuenesse at thy pittifull [Page] hand. Open vnto vs, O Christ, euen vnto vs that do earnestly knocke, with the heauie Teares of our hearts at the still & gentle gates of thy tender mercy those gracious gates frō which all Mercie doth a­bound, according to that heauenly and gladde pro­clamation, commanding vs to aske, and wee shall obtain mercy, to seek and wee shall finde fauour, to knock and it shall be ope­ned [Page] vnto vs: what, euen all aboundance of Grace, plentie of mercy & fauour free remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes: yea, and all ioy, blisse, and life euerla­sting: If we return from this worlde vnto thee, if wee leaue following the desires thereof, and cleaue vnto thee thou art the only peacemaker betwixt vs and our Heauenly fa­ther. To whome with thee & the holy Ghost, bee [Page] all praise, honor, and glo­rie, for euer. Amen.

A praier to bee said going to bed.

Thankes be giuen to thee O Lord God, for all thy mercies. Hallowed be thy name, for all thy wonder­full workes Vouchsafe this night to preserue me in thy safe custody as thou hast this day past defen­ded me. Make me strong [Page] thorough thee to vnder­stand all maner of temp­tations, illusions, dreams and fantastes of the night through the deceits wher­of, a number of wretched souls haue faln from thee. Ah my Lorde God, I do heartily beseech thee that I may not onely receyue quiet rest of body but that my mind may also be qui­et, and my soul safely pre­serued from all perils and dangers. Saue mee for [Page] Christe his sake, in thy blessed tuition and lightē in me the bright flames of thy grace. Wee miserable sinners, O Lord God, e­uen all the nūber of earthly creatures, haue no po­wer of our selues to with­stand the assaults & temp­tations of our bodilie and Ghostly aduersaries, but through thee.

Againe, such are the fierce temptations subtil baits, and craft [...] fl [...]ights [Page] of our Enemies, that if thou bee not our defender our soules cannot escape the snares which day and night are laide to catch vs and bring our soules vnto confusion. Louing father, all this thou knowst, and doost not wish the death of a sinner, remember vs how weake wee are, and defend vs, sithe in thee is all our trust.

Let not our enemies by night or day preuayle a­gainst [Page] vs, for if thou bee our keeper, no euill can subdue and ouercome vs, vnlesse thou O Lord God doest permit and suffer it. Into thy hands commend I my Soule, beseeching thee to receiue the same into thy blessed tuition.

Shew vnto me thy lo­uing Countenance, and make me thy true seruant strengthen me in all good things that may make me able to serue thee. Let thy [Page] peace and grace remayne with me at all times: and that the loue of thy blessed sonne Christ, shewed to­wardes all creatures, in redeeming vs, may euer­more continue towards vs, to the comfort of our souls: and let the comfor­table fellowshippe of thy holy spirite, direct all my thoughtes and workes, assuring my Life in this vale of wretchednes, that in my life I may serue [Page] thee, and at my death glo­rify thee. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

A prayer to be said in the time of sicknes.

Through the extremity of this thy gentle & louing correction, O Lord I am put in remembrāce of my greeuous sinnes, through which I haue falne from thee, & I acknowledge to haue deserued more shar­per [Page] scourge: But such is thy mercie to chastice me so gently for which I hartily thank thee, & am har­tily sorrie that I haue so much displeased thee. Lord haue mercy vpon me and regard mine humble sub­mission and reiect me not because I haue bene stub­borne heretofore. In thee alone resteth al my hope, comfort & consolation, & I trust through our Lord Iesus Christ, thy deere [Page] son to haue remission and free pardon of all my sins and offences which are in numerable, and which do deserue great punnish­ment, if thou shouldest re­uenge in thy wrath, or deale with me according to my worldly actes: but I do firmely beleeue, that through the onely merits of christ, al my faults shalbee vtterly blotted out of thy sight at the day of thy general iudgment, & that [Page] my name shalbe registred [...]n the booke of euerlasting [...]fe. Mittigate, O Lord GOD thy heauie wrath which I haue deserued: [...]elease me of those punishments, where-with thou [...] mercy hast prooued me. Euen as thy will is, (O Lord) solet it be with me vnto the end of this tran­sitory life.

This thy gentle chastise­ment which we cal a gen­tle correctiō, by the which [Page] we whom it hath pleased thee to visite, are touched with grief of the stomack, ache of the bones & paine of the head, and generally in all other partes of the Bodye, is not a sufficient correction for vs.

I know O lord God that in my selfe is not one good thought, or deed and that thereby▪ I thy miserable & wretched creature, haue iustly deserued death and damnation, both of bodie [Page] and soule, were not thy Mercies aboue my innu­merable iniquities: wher­fore I do humblie sue vn­to thee for reliefe and com­fort, in whome resteth all health of Bodye in this worlde, and the saluation of the soul in the world to come: nothing doubting, but that it wil please thee to haue pity and compas­sion vpon me, & to restore vnto me my health again in this world and that al­wayes [Page] I may heereafter liue in thy feare, or that it wil please thee to dissolue this flesh in me, and when thy good pleasure is, take me out of this life, & giue mee a place with thee a­mong thy holy Angels.

A prayer for Grace and Wisedome.

MOst mighty God, and mercifull father, pour into my hart thy heauenly [Page] grace & Wisedome. Com­fort my sinfull soule with thy heauenly manna, mollifie my hard heart, with the sweete and pleasant Oyle of thy most holye word. Suffer mee not, O mercifull Lord to swerue or slide from the wayes of trueth, but grant that by helpe of thy holie Spirit I may walke in the same vnto my liues end, and let not thy heauenly wisdom depart frō me at any time [Page] during this life.

According to the mul­titude of thy mercies, doe away mine offence. Pre­serue mee from this my youth and infancy, vnder thy fauourable protectiō. Giue mee, O Lorde, that grace that I may euen to the graue continue a faithfull & manly soldier in de­fence of thy trueth & that I may in al my life, daily grow to the ripe perfecti­on of godly wisedom, and [Page] truely and iustly acknowledge thee my onelyl God that I may only fear and honour thee. That I may cleaue fast vnto thee: that I may trust only to thee. That I do not after the abhomination of any ido­latrous people, worship stocks or stones. Neither let me, O Lord, hearken to any false Prophets, that reach their own ima­ginations, and not the word of God.

Now vouchsafe O Lord God to heare mee, and let thy holy wisedom gouern mee, I know, O GOD that no creature can truly say, I haue done my duty in the seruice of the Lord: neither is it in the power of Man, who is so deeply subiect to sinne, to escape al these stumbling blocks which haue made our waies so dangerous and perillous, thorough those innumerable slightes and [Page] practises, where-with sathan our great enemie, through his malice & craft hath deuised to intrap our sinfull soules, to our vtter destruction.

Lord of thy great mercy roote and pull out of my hart all the workes of sa­than, namely, fornication Adulterie, vncleannesse, Wantonnesse pride, enuy, vnnaturall desires, vn­pure thoughts, lewde be­hauiour, ydlenesse, and al [Page] other vicious and naugh­tie actions, which beeing followed according to the pleasures and delig [...]ts of the Worlde in this Life, bring with them euerlast­ing Damnation of bodye and soule in the worlde to come.

Encrease in mee (O Lorde) such aboundance of thy Grace, Wisedome, and Heauenly Blessing, that thorough the opera­tion of the same in mee, I [Page] may prooue a true work­man in thy haruest, such a seruant as occupyeth his Maisters Tallent vnto gaine, a witnes that bea­reth testimonie of Christ, to all People, and at all times, and in euerie place continue constant in thy trueth, during the whole course of this my mortal life.

In thy truth, O God doe I delight, therefore make mee perfect in that [Page] same. In thee alone do I repose my whole trust and confidence saue me O god of all m [...]rcie, and defend me against my enemies.

Establish and confirme mee. O Lord, in faith to­wardes thee Keepe thou my lips, and gouerne my tongue. Suffer not my hart to purpose any thing that may displease thee: nor my tongue or lippes at any time to speak oght whereby I should pur­chase [Page] thy wrath.

Whosoeuer doth trust in thee, O God, shall vn­derstand thy truth, & the faithfull shall haue rest in thy fauor, but the vngod­ly according to their own wicked thoughts shal find corruption. The soules of the iust are in the hāds of God and the force of deth shall not touch them.

All wisedom commeth from the Lorde, and hath beene with him alwayes, [Page] and is with him from the beginning The feare of the Lord doth expell sin, Lord of thy great mercie graunt me thy Heauenly wisedom, wherby I may truly learne to know thee rightly, and be diligent to performe all thy precepts effectually.

Lord leaue mee not in my yong daies, but let thy heauenly wisedome enter into my hart, & make thy habitation in my soule, so [Page] shall I liue in thy fauour, and perseuer in thy lawes through thy grace.

Let not them that trust in thee, O Lord GOD of hoastes bee ashamed: let not those that seek thee be confounded. O God heare me in the truth of thy sal­uation.

In thee alone, O hea­uenly Father, are all good things generally & what is not of thee is altogither nought.

Replenth & ofesse me, O Lord, with all good gifts: shewe thy louing counte­nance towardes mee, go­uerne me by thy grace, cō ­tinue me in the fauor, and protect and defēd me now and euermore, vnder the winges of thy manifolde mercies, so shall no vile temptation haue power to preuaile against me.

Such is the force of thy Heauenly Wisedome, O God, that whosoeuer ob­taineth [Page] the same, and di­recteth his life according­ly, shall prosper & see good dayes. O Lord GOD, vouchsafe to graunt these things vnto mee for thy sons Christ his sake, our onely Lord and sauiour. Amen.

A godly praier for the pre­seruation of the Kings Maiesty.

GRant O lord God vn­to this little Realme of England, that our royall King Iames, may long liue raigne, and rule ouer vs: poure the rich & plen­tifull gifts of thy heauenly wisedome and grace into his godly heart by the con­tinuall operation whereof, [Page] he may euermore frō hence foorth as heeretofore his grace hath done, ordaine & establish good & wholesome laws, both for the increase maintenance and preserua­tion of the free passage of thy holy worde, and sure and perfect establishing of the same in all parts of his Realmes and dominions, according to his Highnesse godly will, great care and zealous endeuour, so many yeares already spent, and [Page] that most earnestly toward the setting forth of thy glorie. Lengt he nand prolong his happy daies, graunt vnto him, a long quyet, and prosperous raign, ma­ny yeares to indure & con­tinue, eu [...]n for thy trueths sake.

Blesse his Grace with the heauenly influences of thy Grace and holy spirit, and euermore preserue and keepe him from all his eni­mies.

This (O Lord) wee be­seech thee graunt, for the loue of thy son Christ Ie­sus, Amen.

A godly Prayer for By­shops and ministers of the word of God.

INflame and enure the hearts, mindes and liues of all Byshops, Pastors, Ministers, and professors of thy holye worde, with perfect Loue, and feruent [Page] zeale and affection toward the setting forth of thy glo­rious Gospell.

Giue them O Lorde, a­boundance of learning ef­fectually to serch and finde out the hidden secrets and mysteries contained in the Scriptures and Letters, containing and compre­hending thy holye Worde, Gospell, and trueth, writ­ten by the blessed Apostles Euangelists & Prophets, and left to them by Christ him­selfe, [Page] declaring his old and new Testament, first writ­ten bythe finger of Gods owne hande, as true and certaine testimonies of his great loue and Fauour to­wards vs and of his wonderfull workes and myra­cles wrought in the crea­tion, redemption, and sal­uation of all vs wretched and sinfull People: Lorde giue vs grace to be thank­full.

Let thy heauenly grace [Page] O Lord God cast out her bright beames of godlines into their harts, and grant them true vnderstanding, and perfect knowledge, so that they may rightlie in­terpret, set foorth and de­clare thy holy Scriptures, to the edifying of weake, simple, and vnlearned peo­ple, and that each one in his degree and calling, may bee painfull Pastors and dili­gent shepheardes ouer the flocke committed to them. [Page] Lord let their Doctrine & liues agree in all vertuous and godly conuersation.

Grant that the dilligent trauels and carefull ouer­sights of all Byshops and cheefe Pastors bee exam­ples to interior Ministers, whereby they may bee ap­proued faithfull members of thy glorious and most precious word, and that of all parts the people may be truly taught: sin abolished, Idolatry rooted out, Anti­christ [Page] ouerthrown, sathan trodden downe hel may be conquered, the gospel may flourish and righteousnes may shine: that God may haue due praise, Thankes and glorie, for euermore, Amen.

A Godly Prayer for loue and obedience.

ALmightie God, of thy manifold great mercies, vouchsafe to poure into the hearts of all thy People, earnest loue and true affec­tion towards thy most ho­ly Gospell, make them dil­ligent and wiling hearers of thy worde, and obedient followers and performers of thy heauenly will and pleasure [Page] in all their liues to the setting forth of thy glorye, and the attainment of the onely true Saluation of their soules.

Establish also in theyr hearts, true subiection vnto our most vertuous King, faithfull obedience toward his lawes, and iust dealing one with another, that so all the whol nation of this English Flocke or Coun­tr [...]y, may agree and consēt to and in one vnity and a­greement [Page] of one perfect re­ligion and doctrine, vtterly reiecting all sects, schismes, and erroneous Opinions whatfoeuer.

Lord thou hast promi­sed by the holie Prophets, that thou wilt giue to thy people a New heart, that thou wilt deliuer to them a new Spirite, that thou wilt take away their stony hearts, and giue vnto them hearts of flesh, that so they may walke in thy precepts [Page] that they may keepe thy iudgements and performe them: that they shal be thy people, and thou wilte bee their God, O Lord let it so come to passe for thine only names sake, to whom bee all honor and Glory, both now and for euermore, A­men.

A Prayer for the Church, for daily encrease of Gods holy word.

LEt thy holye Worde, O Lord daily increase: let thy true church triumphe, and thyne infallible trueth florish: let vs forsake our old blindnes and ignorāce and cleaue onely vnto thee▪ In thee, O Sauiour, rest­eth our hope and confidēce Giue vs grace therefore to [Page] reioice onely in thy trueth and holy worde, which te­stifieth thy great mercy to­wards vs. Giue vnto vs one heart, one mouth, and one spirite and that of one truth, by and through the which wee may rightly a­gree in all things that may please thee Lord let vs per­seuer in the same, and we shallbe saued Confirm and strengthen our heartes in faith. Grant likewise, that we being iustified by faith [Page] may haue peace with God, thorough our Lord Iesus Christ, to whom with the father and the holy Ghost, be all praise, honour, and glorie, both now and euer­more, Amen.

A fruit [...]full Prayer, that God of his mercie woules stop the mouthes of all the wicked that rise vp against his trueth.

STop and shut vp O lord the mouths of al papists Anabaptists, sectaries, and scismatickes, thorough whose erroneous and su­perstitous Doctrines, thy people haue beene, and yet are daily blinded in igno­rance, [Page] and the Glorious light of thy holye Gospell dimmed, and almost vtter­ly extinguished, if of thy mercy thou haddest not in time turned thy wrath a­way from vs, restoring vs to thy louing and fauoura­ble countenance againe, sent vs a most godlye and gracious prince by whom thy vndoubted true church hath bene [...]dified, and thy true and sincere Doctrine restored amongst vs: God [Page] make vs to shew our selues thankfull therefore.

Plant in thy Church godly ministers, and pain­full preachers, which are able by true and sound do­ctrine to stir vp thy people to the loue of thee, and thy most holy word: Such as are the true salt of the erth Mat. 5, 13. And such as are the light of the world, who hold forth the true Gospel of Christ to all the worlde. Let them O Lord bee true [Page] fishers of men, by whome we may be won vnto thee & broght to thy folde. By whom we may be careful­ly and truly taught our duties towardes thee in this worlde, that after this life we may remaine and dwel with thee in thy heauenly Kingdome, thorough our Lorde and onely Sauiour Iesus Christ, Amen.

Godly prafers to our hea­uenly father for continu­all grace and assistance, to auoide the temptations of the world, the deuil and flesh our monstrous enemies.

GRant vs, O heauenlie father, our humble pe­titions, which we thy sin­full creatures destre of thee and vouchsafe of thy great mercie to send thy holy spi­rit [Page] into our hartes, which may gouerne, direct & lead vs into al good things, and defend vs from al manner of temptations

Lord for thy manifolde mercies, let thy Heauenlie grace alwaies remain with vs. Let thy truth be euer­more with vs, and make vs constant in the same, yt we n [...]uer be affraid of any thing that lieth in man o­uer our bodies, confessing that if thou be with vs in [Page] grace and truth man can­not preuaile against thee. Encrease faith loue, cha­rity, and fear of thee in the hearts of all people. Let not the desires of the world draw vs from thee throgh the frailty of the Flesh, which causeth our daylie fall from thee, whereby sa­than doth ouerthrow and triumph ouer vs, who by all meanes seeks our vtter confusion both of body and soule.

Defend vs from all temp­tations of the Worlde, the flesh, and the deuill, least we fall into them: for to such as follow the world, and flie from thee, followe their owne destruction in this mortall life, and euer­lasting damnation in the world to come.

O mercifull God of thy goodnes and louing kind­nesse strengthen vs: be fa­uourable vnto vs, and also blesse vs. Let thy holy spi­rite [Page] bee with vs for euer­more, and that by the ope­ration of thy grace in vs, wee may serue thee in all humblenesse and obediēce due to thy glorious maie­sty and that we may with all our harts acknowledge thee to bee the true Messi­as, the offered Lamb, euen our Sauiour and Redee­mer Christ Iesus, through whose death and merits a [...] people shall receiue salua­tion, and thorough whose [Page] mediation, the wrathe of our heauenly Father, for our iniquities is appeased Before whō as our chiefe and high iudge, wee shall rise to iudgement: who as the most high steward wil call vs to account of our trauels in this our pilgri­mage, & render euery one their iust reward, eyther with punishment or mer­cy. Receiue vs, O Lorde, into thy mercifull tuition and protection, and be our [Page] continuall Gouernour in the whole race of this our life. Be thou also our de­fender and grant vnto vs thy countenance, make vs strong against all tempta­tions.

Weaken the strength of our great enemy Sathan. Let not him and his mi­nisters haue power ouer vs, for that hee is but thy bondslaue, whose power cannot preuail against vs without thy sufferance: & [Page] whose snares can take no hold vpon vs if thou direct our steps wherefore euen for thy mercie sake, vouch­safe to consider our weakenes, and grant that wee may do al things to please thee, and finde fauour at thy hands, who alone art our defender against Sa­than and a [...]l his sleightes. To whom be al praise, ho­nor, and glory for euer and euer, Amen.

FINIS.

London imprinted by W. Iaggard, and are to bee folde by Iohn Hammon, dwelling in Angell-alley in Al­dersgate street. 1617.

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