The Flour of godly praiers, most worthy to be vsed in these our daies for the sauegard, health, and comforte of all degrees, and estates. Newlie made by Thomas Becon.
¶A prayer for the mornynge.
O Heauenly Father, Psal. xxxi. Psal. xxvii Psal. xii. whiche lyke a dyligent watchmā attendest alwayes vpō thy faythful people, wheither they wake or [...]lepe, & mightely defendest theim not onely from Sathan that old enemy of mākind, but also from all other their aduersaryes, so that throughe thy godly power, they bee harmlesse preserued, I moost hartely thancke the, that it hathe pleased thy fatherly goodnesse, soe toe take care of me, thyne vnprofytable seruaunt, thys nyghte p [...]ste, that [Page] thou hast bothe safelye kepte me frome all myne enemyes, & also giuē me swet slepe vnto y e great comforte of my bodye. I most entireli besech the, o most merciful father, to shew y e like kindnes toward me this day in preseruing my body & soule, that as my enemies may haue no power ouer me, so I likewyse maye neyther thincke, breath, or speake or doo anye thynge that maye bee dipleasaunt to thy fatherly goodnes, daungerous to my selfe, or hurtful to my neighboure, but y t all my enterprises may be agreable to thy moost blessed wil, whiche is alway good and godly, doinge that, Leuiti, xix, Mat. xxii, Roma. xiii Galla. v, Luk. ii. that may auaunce thy glory, aunswer to my vocacion, and profyt my neyghboure, whō I ought to loue as my self: that whensoeuer thou callest me frō y e vale of misery, I may be foūd [Page ii] the chylde not of darknes but of light, and so for euer reigne with the in glory, which art the true & euerlastyng light, Iho. i.vii▪ xi, and, xii [...] i, Iohn, i, to whom with thy dearely beloued sonne Iesu Christ our alone sauiour and the holy ghost that most swete comforter, be al honour & glory. Amē
A prayer for the nighte.
O Lorde God and my heauenly father, forasmuch as by thy dyuyne ordynaūce the nyght approcheth, and darcknesse begynneth to ouerwhelme the earthe, and time requireth that we gyue our selues to bodely rest and quietnes, I rē der vnto the most harty thanks for thy louinge kindenes, which hast vouchedsafe to preserue me this day, frō the daūger of mine enemies, to geue me my helth, to fede me, & so to sēd me al things necessary for the cōforte of thys [Page] my pore & neady lyfe, I most hū bly besech the for Christes sake, y t thou wilte mercifully forgeue me, al that I haue this day committed against thy fatherli goodnes, eyther in woorde, deede, or thought, & that thou wilt vouchsafe to shadow me this night vnder the cōfortable winges of thy almyghty power, and defend me from Sathan, & frō al hys crafty assautes, that neither he, nor any of hys ministers haue power ouer eyther my body, or my soul, but that although my bodye thorow thy benefite enioyeth swete and pleasaūt sleepe, yet my soul may cōtinually watch vnto the, thinke of the, delight in the, & euermore praise the, that whē the ioyful light of the day returneth according to thy godly appoinctment, I maye ryse agayne wyth a faythfull soule, and vndefyled [Page iii] body, and so afterwarde behaue my selfe al the time of my life accordynge to thy blessed wyl and comaundemente, Rom. xiii. by castynge away the works of darcknes, and putting on the armours of light, Math. v. that men seing my good works, may therby be prouoked to gloryfie the my heauēly father, which wyth thy only begotten sōne Iesu Christ our alone sauiour, and the holye goste that moste swete comfortoure, liuest, and reignest one true and euerlastynge God, world without end. Amen.
The confession of our sinnes vnto God the Father.
I Am not able to expres (oh wretched sinner y t I am) how greuously the burden of my sins oppresse me, whyther soeuer I turn me, whatsoeuer I do speke or thinke, I perceiue such corruption [Page] and wickednes, such abhominacion & vnclennes to raign in me, Gen. vi. Psal▪ l [...]v. Iohn, iii.▪ Genesi, i [...]i, Eccl, vii.x, Gene, viii, Prouer, x. Iere. xvii. Tobi, ix, Esay. lxiiii Genesi. iii, Roma. v. Ephesi, ii▪ Collos. iii, that it vtterly confoūdeth my conscience, and in a manner fettereth me with the cheyne of desperaciō. No maruell. For my outward manne is flesh, earthe, ashes, duste, donge, and all that moost vile is. My thought & disposicion is altogether nought euē frō my very cradels, my harte is vnclean, defiled w t most filthy synne, leude, & vnable to be searched, for y e manifolde wickednes thereof, but of God alone. My works are abominable and lothsome in the syght of y e most highest, yea my very ryghtousnesses, if any I haue, are euen as a defyled cloth. Againe my inward mā hath lost his former beautye. In steade of the Image of god he is miserabli deformed with the wicked visare of wily Satā. In the [Page iiii] place of innocencye, fayth, loue, hope▪ pacience, mercy, obedience goodnes, gentilnesse, liberality, ioy, and suche other frutes of the holi gost: wickednes, vnfaithfulnes▪ hatred, desperacion, vengeaunce, couetousnes, rebelliō, maliciousnes, churlishnes, vnmercifulnes, pensiuenes of minde & such other dampnable works of the fleshe are ētred into me, and holy posses me, so that whether I consider my outwarde or inward mā, I fynde my self y e bōd slaue of Sathan, Roma. vi. Deu. xxvii. Mat. xviii Gala, iii▪ Ephesi▪ ii▪ Luke xv▪ Luke, x▪ Esaye▪ ix▪ the vile dōghil of sīne, the miserable debtour of the law, the fyre brond of hel, the childe of wrath, the vessel of vengaunce the sonne of perdicion, y e wandring shepe, the woūded mā an hipocrite, an vnprofitable seruant, enheritour of euerlasting payne & al that euer noughte is. To ryd my selfe of al these most [Page] detestable enormities, I am not able. To seeke remedy at any other mans hand, to bie their merit [...]s, praiers, watchings, fastīgs & their other workes oh, it is but vayne. Luk. x. Moses can not heale my diseases, neither the Leuite, nor the priest can binde vp my woundes, and make them whole. For vayne is the health that is loked for at mannes hand. Psal lix, Roma. iii. Mat. xviii Ps [...]. xii, Al haue sinned, all haue gone astray, al owe to that heauenly king ten thousand talentes. Al are become abhominable, there is not one that dothe good, no not one. Ah who then can be made cleane of thē y t are vncleane? Ah, who beynge sycke, Iob. xiiii. Ecc, xxxiiii wyl seke to be made whole of them that are altogether diseased? Ah, who beyng weake, wyll wish to be stayed vp by him, whiche for feablenes is not able too [Page v] stande? Canne the man of Inde chaunge his skinne? Ierem. xiii. or the catte of the mountaine her spots? No more canne they make me good, whych are them selues naught. Ah whither then shal I f [...]e? vnto mi self, and vnto mine own righteousnes? Psa. xciiii ii. Cor. iii. I am a moste damnable sīner, and of my self not able to thinke a good thought? Unto the lawe? it woundeth, kylleth, & condēneth me: It is a yoke, Roma. iii [...]. ii. Cor. iii, Ga, iii, [...]iii Actes. xv. Math, xxv that neyther we, neyther our fathers wereuer able to bear. Unto creatures? thei haue not oyle inough for them selues. Ah wretche that I am, destitute and voyde of all mortall helpe, shal I dispayre? Farre be that from me. But wer ther not a nother maner of doctrine, thē the doctrine of y e lawe, whych maketh no man perfecte, Heb, x▪ were ther not another maner of [Page] righteousnes then is foūd in my selfe, [...]. Cor, i, Roma, iii, [...]ii, and, v, Gala. ii.iii [...]iii, and▪ v, or in any other sinful creature I se none other but playne desperacion, death, damnatyon. But thākes be vnto the (O heauēly father) which tēderinge the health of thy creatures, although sinful, so oft as they repente, beleue, and study to amende their life, hath set forth in [...]hi hol [...] scriptures another doctrine, euen the doctrine of the gospell, that most sweete, pleasaunt, and ioyful tidings of our saluacion, which cō forteth, chereth, & maketh merye weake consciences, & sorowfull herts andanother righteousnes euē the righteousnes of thy welbeloued sonne Iesu Christe, Rom▪ v. i, Cori, i. Math. iii. and, xvii. ii Peter. i. Iohn, iii. [...]om. viii. [...]say. liii, for whose sake art thou wel pleased with mā, and for whose innocē cy and righteousnes, thou frelye of thy bountifull goodnes forgeuest the synnes of so manye as [Page vi] wyth herty repentaūce flee vnto thy mercye. I therefore (O most merciful father) staying, and cō fortyng my weake cōsciēce with the swete promises that I finde in the holi gospel of thy derely beued sonne, made vnto al that be faythfully penitent withoute respect of persons, in the precyous bloud of thine aforesaid sōne Iesu Christ, am bold (notwithstanding the multitude of my sinnes at this presente) to come vnto the throne of thy mercy, moste humbly besechyng the not to weighe my deserts, Psal, [...] nor to deale with me accordinge to my merites (for if thou shuldest narowly mark our iniquities, oh Lord, who shall abyde it?) whych deserue nothing but wrath and dānacion, but for the innocēcy and righteousnes of thy only begotten sonne Iesu Christ, Esay. i [...]. [...] Rom. vi. whome thou haste geuen [Page] me to be myne owne, & with him all his merites & good dedes, to be thorow fayth so trulye myne, as though I my self hadde done and wrought thē, to forgyue me, my synnes accordynge to thy promise, to renue thi fatherli loue towarde me, to receiue me into thy fauoure, to make me a vessell of mercy, to number me in the company of thy chosen people, and to endue me with thy blessed spirit, which may mortify mi carnal affects, s [...]ea old Adam in me, work new and those spiritual and heauenly mocions in my harte, & w t his holy breath make me a new & perfect mā according vnto thy blessed ymage. Psa▪ lxxix, O moost louynge father weyghe not my synnes, but remember thy moste gentell promises. Consider not my euel works, but haue respecte vnto y e vndefyled deedes of thy sonne [Page vii] Iesu Christ, Esaye. xii▪ xliii.xliiii. and, xlix. Mathew, i Luke. ii. i, Cor, i, i, Timo, ii, i. Iohn. ii. Hebre▪ ix▪ x, Psalm▪ li▪ Psa, cxviii whom thou hast geuē to be my redemer, my sauiour my ryghteousnes, my atonemēt maker, my satisfaction, & the alone and al wholely sufficient sacrifice for all my synnes. For hys sake, for his innocency, and righteousenes haue mercy on me (O God) according to thy great mercye, and put a way al my vnrightuousenesses for thy tender compassion. I haue gone a stray like a shepe that was lost, Luke, xv, yet O lord for thy mercies sake, seke me vp, lay me vppon thy shoulders, and brynge me home agayne to thy shepe foulde. I haue bene a loste sonne. I haue ryotously spent away my goodes wyth y e wicked, yet for thy goodnesse sake (O father) receyue me, and take me home againe, if not as thy sonne yet as one of thy seruauntes. I am greuously wounded, & can [Page] be holp neyther by priest nor Leuite, [...]uke. [...]. yet cast me not away good lord for thi tēder merces sak [...], but pour wine & oile into my woūds. bynde them vp, & neuer leue me tyl thou haste made me perfectly whole. So shal I after this be y e more circūspect in trayninge my lyfe accordyng to thy godly wyll, and euermore synge continuall prayses to thy most blessed name thorow Iesu Christ our Lord, to whome with the & the holy goste be al glory and honour worldes wythout end. Amen.
A confessiō of our synnes vnto the Lord Iesu Christe.
THe tirrānye of satā mine old enemy, [...]. Peter. v, which ceaseth not daylye to assayle me with his subtile temtacions, and to woūd me with his cruel darts compelleth me at this present (O blessed redemer & mine alone sauiour Iesu Christ, the son of the [Page viii] true and liuing god) to f [...]e for succoure vnto the pitiful bowels of thy tēder mercy, lest I be for euer swalowed vp as a praye of that dreadful Dragon. Iohn, xii, [...]iiiii. [...]v ii. Cor. iiii Ephesi, vi. O Lord I am feble and weake, but Satan is strong and mightye, the Prynce of darknes & God of this world, hauing at his commaundmēt an infinite multitude bothe of wicked spirites, and of vngodly mē, which both dayly and diligently, trauayle to sat [...]sfy his cruel tirā ny, and to worke my destrucciō, whome to resist I am not hable. Luke, x [...]. Notwithstandyng lord, thou art more valeaunt then he, stronger then all hys armye, more able to saue thē he to condēne. Io [...]. i.ii. Yea he is thy bond slaue. Thou rulest hym as thy good pleasure is▪ He can rage agaynst thyne elect no further▪ thē thy most godly wyl is to suffer him. Thou therfore (o lord [Page] my God) arte able to delyuer me from hys rauenynge teethe, and to kepe me safe from hys bloude thyrsty ministers. Gen. iii. For thou art y e blessed sede of the wo [...]ā, that tredeth down the head, [...], xiii. destroieth y e power of that old serpent. Thou art that Lord, i, Cor, xv. Hebre, ii, which hathe swalowed vp hel. Thou art the king of glorye, whych by thy death destroiest him that had the power of deathe, that is y e deuil. Thou art that Michael, Apoc [...], xii▪ which hast fought with the Dragon and ouercome him. Apoc, v, Yea thou art that Lion of y e trybe of Iuda, which haste vanquished al our enemies.
Moreouer not onlye Satan and his angels, but also y e world and the fleshe mooste greuously assaile me, yea and lead me away captiue as theyr pray. The world w t his vaine pleasures, deceitful riches, & transitory possessiōs, so [Page ix] blindeth the iyes of my harte, that I cā not loue the (o most swete sauiour) with such purenes of mind as I oughte. Iohn. x [...]. Notwythstandynge this comforteth me▪ wel that thou haste ouercome the worlde, & that when soeuer it pleaseth the to endue me wyth thy holye spyryte, I may thorow thy grace subdue the worlde, and make it a bond slaue vnto me, Roma. vii. which now so mightely reigneth, ruleth and triumpheth ouer me. The fleshe also with her subtile entisementes so wholelye occupieth me, y • I am all together fleshe, and al that nought is, and by thys meanes wholely without thy holye spyryte. Esaye. vii. Mathew. i. Luke. iiii, Iohn. i. Yet haste thou by the purenes of thy blessed flesh which thou haste vnfainedlye taken of the vndefiled mayde Mary thy mother by the wounderfull operacion of the holye ghooste, so slaine the raging lustes of our sinfull [Page] fleshe, that whēsoeuer we lamēt our cause vnto the, confessīg our miserye and weakenes, Rom. i.i [...]. Gala. iii [...]. i. Timo. ii. Hebre i [...]. i. Ioh. iiii. Apoc. v. thou bothe arte able and also wylt thorow thy holy spirit quenche those ragynge lusts, mortifye those carnal affectes that so inordynatelye boil in oure inwarde mēbers, and make vs truly spiritual. Thus seest thou (O mooste mercyful redemer) with how greate a multitude of enemeies I am beseiged & sete rownd about, which without ceassing seke my destruccyon, & haue all readye mooste tirantelye, spoyled me of al my garments, & most greuouslye wounded me, leauing me half dead, Luke. x. so that without thy helpe I must nedes perishe. Helpe therfore (O most swete sauiour) & delyuer me from these mine ennemies. Heale thou me O Lord & I shalbe heled. Saue thou me, and I shalbe saued, Iere. xvii. Ah good Iesu, my [Page x] sins are great and infinite. I confes, but thy mercys ar much greater and more infinit. Mi wounds are many and greuous, Psal. ii. but thou art that most louing Samaritan full of pytye and compassyon, whiche by pourynge wine and oile into my wounds are suffycyentelye able to heale them, Luke. x. although they were tenne. M. mo. I am asinner but thou art a sauiour. Math. i. I am sycke but thou arte a Phisycyon. I am blynde, Math. i [...]. but thou arte the lyghte of the worlde. I am Satans prisonner, but thou art a redemer. Ioh i.viii I am dead in sinne, but thou art the resurreccion and lyfe. Gala. iii. I am hongry but thou arte the lyuynge breade. Ihon. xi. I am thyrstye, but thou arte the well of lyfe. I am poore, Iohn vi. Io [...]n. vii. Esa [...]. [...]v. Rom. x. Psa. xxiiii Iohn. xv. Iohn. x. but thou art the lord of al wealthe. I am a barren tree, but thou art that true and frutfull vine. I am the looste shepe, but y u art that good sheperd [Page] I am that ryotous sōne, but thou art that [...]entle father. Luke. xv. Eyhe. [...]i. Math. xvi i. Pet. ii. i. Timo ii. i. Iohn. ii. Roma. vi. Roma. vii. Ose xiii. and .xiii. i. Pet. [...]i. I am by nature the childe of wrathe, but thou arte by nature the sonne of the lyuyng God. I am by nature sinful man, but thou arte by nature man rightuous & innocēt. I am a daili offēder, but y u art a cōtinual mediator. I am a breker of y e lawe, but thou arte a fulfiller of the same. I haue lost the heauēly enheritaūce thorow sin, but thou haste recouered it bi [...]hi death, I haue wrought mine own dis [...]ruccion, but thou bi thy precyous bloud haste wrought vnto me saluacion. Thus all be it (O most merciful sauiour) I find in my self nothinge but sin▪ death and damnacion, yet in the finde I grace, merci, fauour, reconciliaciō forgiuenes of synnes and euerlasting life. Take awai therfore y t is mine, which is al noughte, & gyue me that is thine, which is all good [Page xi] Thou art called Christ, annoynte me therefore wyth thy holye spyryte. Thou art called a Phisicion, Luke. ii. accordynge therefore to thy name heale me. Mat. ix. Thou art called the son of the liuing God, Math. xvi accordyng therfore to thy power deliuer me from the deuil, the world and the fleshe. Thou art called the resurreccion, Iohn. xi. lift me vp therfore from the damnable state, wherin I most miserablye lye. Thou art called the lyfe, quicken me vp therefore oute of thys deathe, Iohn. xv. wherewyth thorowe synne I am most greuouslye detayned. Thou arte called the day, lede me therfore from the vanites of this world▪ and from the filthye pleasures of the flesh vnto heauē lye and spirituall thynges. Thou art called the truth, suffer me not therefore to walcke in the waye of erroure, Iohn. i. but to treade the pathe of truth in al my doynges. Thou art [Page] called the lyght▪ put awaye therefore from me the workes of darknes, [...]phe. v. that I may walk as the child of light in al goodnes, ryghteousnes, and truth. Thou art called a Sauiour, saue me therfore from my sinnes according to thy name. Thou art Called Alpha, Math. i. and Omega, y t is, both the beginninge & ende of al goodnes, [...]poc. xxii. beginne thou therfore a good life in me, & finish the same vnto the glory of thi blessed name, So shall I receyuyng these benfits at thy merciful hand prayse the, and magnify thy blessed name For euermore. Amen,
A Confession of oure sinnes vnto the holye ghooste.
O Moost blessed And holye spirite, Equall God wyth God the Father, Iohn. xiiii xv, [...] xvi. i. Iohn. v and God the Sonne, I myserable sinner cōfoūded in my consciēce, & almost fallen thorow [Page xii] the multytude of my synnes, into the hellike pit of desperacyon, am come at thys preasente before thy deuyne maiestye, moste humbly to confesse, and from the boto [...]e of my hearte to lamente all those my sinnes, and wickednesses whiche from my youthe hytherto I haue vniustly cōmitted, in word, deade, or thoughte against thy goodnes: most entirely besechynge the mercyefullye to forgeue me all those myne offences, Psal. ii. and abhominacions, and to make in me a cleane hearte, endued wyth a newe and ryghte spirite, whiche maye from hencefourth thorowe thy godlye gouernaunce so derecte me in all my doynges, that I may onlye attēpt such enterprises, as be agreable to thy blessed wyll, profytable to my neyghboure, ii. Cor. iii. and pleasaunt to my soule, O lord my God wher thou art, there is lybertye. [Page] But I thorow the craftes of Satan the lustes of the flesh, and the plesures of the world, am in most miserable captiuity, slauery, bondage and thraldome, wherby I euidently perceiue that thou dwellest not in me, neyther y e I am thy temple, nor yet haue that ghostlye fredome wherwyth all be endued that haue the dwellyng in them. O Lorde haue mercye on me, and take awaye from me that heauye bondage of the flesh, wherwith I am most gre uously enclo [...]ed, & geue me y t swete & free liberty of the spirite, which bithe is wrought in the hartes of the faithfull, that I being deliuered from y e power of mine enemies mai serue y e in holines and righteousnes al the dais of my life: Luke. i. again that thou makīg me a new creature by mortifying old Adam in me, and by geuīg me a good spirite, mayeste delyght in [Page xiii] me as a father in hys sonne, and continually dwell in me as in thy holy temple. O blessed spirite forgiue me my synnes, puryfye my mynde wyth thy holy inspiracion, comfort my weake hert w t thy ioiful presence, make mery my troubled cōcience with true & spiritual myrth, lede me, Iohn. xvi. which haue so lōg erred into all godlye truthe, geue me the knowledge of al heauenly and spiritual things, euē so much as is necessary for my saluacyon, put on me the shield of faithe, Ephe. vi. that I maye be able to quenche the fyrye dartes of the deuyl, kyndle my hart with the fire of Christē loue, make me a frutful oliue tre in the congregaciō of the my Lord God geue me pacience in trybulation, Psal. iii. take away from me vayne glorye in prosperytie, engraf in my heart continual humilitie, make be bold to confesse the truthe of thy Gospell [Page] before the tyrauntes of thys worlde, and gyue me grace to perseuer in y e same, vnto the end. Replenysh my brest with thy heauenlye gyfts and spirituall treasures that the deuyll, the worlde, & the flesh, wyth al their worckes, pompes and vanities from me vtterli secluded and put a part, thou maiest continuallye dwelle in me by thy godlye inspiracio ns. and I in the thorowe true and vndoubted faith, doing that alway, y t is good & plesant in thy sight vnto the glory of thi blessed name, which liuest & reignest with god the father and God the sonne in one Maiestye, power and glory, very god worlds wythout ende. Amen.
¶A prayer to be sayed afore Dynner.
O Lorde our heauenlye father, whyche by thy dearelye beloued sonne Iesu Christe haste commāded vs to take no thought [Page xiiii] thought for our mete, Math. vi. Luke xii. P [...]al▪ [...].v drinke and cloth, but hast promised to giue vs all thyngs necessary for thys our pore and nedy life, if we first seke thi kingdome and the righteousnes therof: we most harteli thāk y •, that it hath pleased thi fatherly goodnes accordinge to thi promise to send vs meat at this present for the cōfort of our miserable and hōgri bodis, desiring the to blesse these thy giftes & to geue vs grace so to tast of thē, that we may euer remember the, [...]phe. vi. and neuer forgette our neadi brethren: but euē as thou art merciful and liberall to vs by geuyng vs these thy benefits, so likwise we again may shew merci & kindnes to our pore neighbours by distrybuting to thē part of these thy gifts, that both thei & we being refreshed w t thi giftes of thy liberality, may w t one mouth glorifi, & w t one mynd praise thi holi name for euer & euer
A thank [...]sgeuing after Dinner
FOr thys thy bountyefull goodnesse in feadynge vs at thys tyme, we hartelye thancke the moost mercyful father: desirynge the to fede oure soules lykewyse with that meate, Ioh [...]. vi whiche perisheth not, but abideth into euerlastinge lyfe, that we beynge fedde both bodye and soule, at thy mercyefull hande, may do that alway, whiche is pleasant in thy godly sight: thorow Iesu Christ our lord, Amen.
¶A prayer to be sayde before supper.
O Heauenly father and mercyfull God, whyche opennynge thy hand, replenysheste all lyuynge cretures with thy blessyng, [...]al. [...]l [...]v Psal. clxvi. [...]i.ii.xxxiii. and geueste meate to the hōgry in due seasō, we knoledge our meat and drincke to be thy giftes prepared by thy fatherly prouydence to be receyued of vs for the comfort of our bodyes, wyth thanckes geuinge: [Page] we moost humblye beseche the to blesse vs and our fode, and to geue vs [...]race so tovse these thi benifites, that we may be thankeful to the, and liberall to oure pore neighbours thorow Iesu Christe oure Lord▪ Amen.
A thankesgeuyng after supper.
VUe render vnto the (mooste mercifull father) most hartye thanckes for these thy giftes which thou so liberally haste geuē vs in this our supper, most entirely besechyng the to fyl our minds also wyth thy heauenly and spiritual benefits, that we maye truly knowe the, beleue in the loue the, serue the, and leade a lyfe worthy of this thy kindnes, that thou finding vs not vnthanckful, mayste go forthe dailye more and more to encrease thy giftes in vs, and at y e last take vs vnto the, Iacob. [...] whiche arte the fountayne of all goodnes and [Page] heade sprynge of all wealthe, and place vs in thy ioyfull kingedome among the holy aungels & blessed saints, wher thou with thy onelye begotten sonne and the holy gost liuest & reignest onetrue and euer lasting God in al honour and glorye worldes without ende. Amen.
A prayer for the kynge.
O Almyghtye God kyng of kinges and Lord of Lords, i. Timo vi A [...]oc. xvii. and xix. Deu xvii. Iosu. i. i. Timo. ii Tit iii. i. Pet ii. Sapi. vi. Sapi. ix. whiche by thy deuyne ordynance hast appoynted temporall rulers to gouerne thy people accordyng to equitie and iustice, and to lyue amonge theym as a louynge father among hys naturall children vnto the auancement of the good and punyshemente of the euyll, we most hūbli besech y e fauorably to behold Edward thi seruāt oure king & gouernor, & to breath into his hert thorow thi holi spirit, that wisdō, that is euer aboute y e trone [Page xvi] thy Maiestye, wherby he maye be prouoked, moued and styrred, too loue-fear and serue the, to seke thy glory, to banysh Idolatrye, supersticion and hipocrisye oute of this hys realme, and vnfaynedlye to auaunce thy holye and pure relygyon amonge vs his subiectes vnto the example of other forren nacyons. O Lord defend him, fromhis enemis, sēd him lōg & prosperous life amōg vs, & giue him grace not only in his own persō godly & iustlie to rule, but also to appoint such magistrats, vnder him, as may be likewise affected both toward thy holye word & toward the common wele y t we his subiects liuīg vnder his dominiō in al godlynes, peace & wealth, may pas the time of this our short pilgrimage in thy fear, & seruice, vnto y e glori of thy blessed name, whyche alone is worthy all honour for euer and euer. Amen.
A prayer for the Kynges Councell.
Prouer. ii.IT is written (o most mighti and euerlastyng king) that wher manye are that giue good councell, there goeth it well wyth the common people, there are all thinges conserued in a goodly and semely order, ther doth the publike weale floryshe with the aboundaunce of al good thinges: it may please the therefore, Proue. xii. O Lorde, whiche haste the hartes of al rulers in thi hand and directest their councels vnto what ende it is thy good pleasure, mercyfully to assist all those whiche are of the kinges councel, and to geue them thy holy spiryte to be theyr presydente, ruler and gouernoure, that in all theyr assembles, they maye euer sette before theyr eyes thy mooste hyghe and Pryncelyke Maiestye, the feare of thy name, the accomplyshment [Page xvii] of thy commaūdment, and alway remēber that they are seruaunts appoynted for the welth and comodity of thy people, that what so euer they attempt priuatlye or openly, may turne vnto the glory of thy blessed name vnto y e setting forthe of thy holy worde, vnto the auauncement of y • kynges honour, vnto the profytte of the Comons, vnto the destrucciō of vice, and vnto the commendacion of vertue. Geue thē grace (o mooste mercyful father) so wyth one minde to consent in al godly and righteous thinges, that they rulyng righteously, and we liuīg obediently, may al together with quiet harts & fre consents praise and magnify the our Lord God for euer and euer. Amen.
¶A prayer for the iudges.
O God thou mooste righteous iudge, whych commaundest [Page] by thy holy worde such to be chosen iudges ouer thy people as be of approued cōuersacion, Deut. i. Exo. xviii. wyse, & learned in thi holy lawes, & feare the their lorde God, and suche as bothe are true them selfes, & also loue truth, and hate couetousnes we besech y • to send vs such Iudges as thy sacred scriptures doo paint, and set forthe vnto vs, & so to rule theyr harts wyth thy holy spirite, that in theyr iudgements they admit no false accusacions, haue no respect of personnes, nether to be desirus of gifts, Exod. xxiii. Deut. xvi. Ecc [...]. x. Psal. xv. which make wise mē blynd and corrupt the causes of the ryghteouse, nor yet geue sentēce with y e vngodly for bribes, and so condemne y e innocēt and shed righteous bloud, but y t they hauing thy fere alway before theyr iyes, and knoweyng that they execute y e iudgment not of man, ii. par. xvi. but of the theyr lord God [Page xviii] may here īdifferētly all matters, iudge according vnto equity and iustice, deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent, Esay. i. Ier. xxi. and .xxii. zacha. vii. Psa. cxxxi. Sapi. i.vi. Psalm, ii▪ be fauorabli to the straunger, defend the fatherles & widow, plead y e cause of the righteous, helpe the pore, auaunce vertue, suppres vice, and in al both theyr wordes & workes so behaue them selfs, as though they shuld streightwayes appere before y e righteous throne of thy maiesty, and render accompts of theyr doings. Graūt this o moste merciful father for thy deare sōs sake Iesu Christ our lord. Amen
¶A general praier for all Magistrates.
O Lord, whych art that most high power, & of whom all power vnto this end is ordeined euen that y e publique weale shuld be conserued, Idolatrye banyshed, true religyon mainteyned, good order kept, vertue auaūced, [Page] & vice punyshed, giue, we besech the, vnto all ciuile Magistrates, head rulers and commō officers thy holy spirit, which may so rule them in al their doings, that euery one of them according to their vocacion: may trulye and faythfullye do that, whyche appertayneth vnto their office. Psal. i. Deut, xvii. Iosue. i. P [...]a [...]m. i [...]. Sapi. i.vi.iiii. re. xxii. and .xxiii. Kyndle in theyr mindes a feruent desyre of redynge thy holye lawe both day and nyghte, that they maye do al thynges accordynge vnto that. Graue in theyr heartes the true knowledge of the and of thi sōne Iesu christ, and an whole entent too honoure and serue the accordynge to thy blessed worde al the dayes of theyr lyfe. Make thē vnfained fauorers of thy holye gospel, Esay. x [...]ix. and louing nurses of thi true prechers. Geue them grace to banyshe out of theyr Realmes and countryes all Idolatrye, Deut. xiii. supersticion, [Page xix] hipocrisy, iii. re. xv.iiii. Regu. xviii. ii. pa. xvii. fayned religion fals worshipping, with al the preceptes, ordinaunces and inuencions of menne that fight with thi blessed word. Make them not only fauourers, louers and promoters of thy holye Gospel, but also folowers, lyuers & practisers of the same vnto the example of all theyr subiectes. Worcke in their herts, o Lord, such a loue toward the commōweale, that their own pryuate commodity sette aparte, they maye employ all their endeuours to auaunce, beautyfye, enrych & make wealthy their realm and country. Make them gentle frendly, louinge and beneficiall to their inferiours. Make them pytyfull vnto the myserable, Deu. xvii. Prouer. xx. and liberal vnto the pore. Geue them that affeccion toward other, that they haue towarde them selfes. Ecc. xxiiii. Endue them with such louing fauoure [Page] vnto their subiectes, that they oppres thē not with to much and vniust exaccions. Expel al tirannye oute of theyr hertes, Esaye i. I [...]e [...]. xxi. [...]nd .xxii. [...]acha. vii. Psal. lxxxi. and make them righteous and mercifull. Graunt that they maye rule iustly, seke iudgment, deliuer the oppressed, defende the fatherles▪ comfort the widow, fauour good letters, maynteyne scoles, norish learned menne, promote such as be godly and vertuous, and with oute anye vngodlye auauncinge of them selfes, Ecle. xxxii. Deut, xvii. lyue among theyr people, as a louyng father amōg his natural children, seking their quiet and wealth. Fynallye gyue them grace so to behaue thē selfs all the tyme of theyr rule and gouernement, that thei may appere bothe before the and in the l yght of all good menne worthy Offycers in a common weale, and ministers mete to occupye the place [Page xx] in temporal regiment of the our Lord God that moste hyghe and worthy Magistrate, which lyuest and reignest wyth thy only begotten sonne and the holy ghost one true and euerlastynge God, in al honoure and glorye worlds with out ende. Amen.
¶A prayer for bishoppes and ministers of goddes word
O Lord Iesu Christe that true Psal. ci. and euerlastynge Bishoppe the Myrrour and lyuely exemplare Hebr. v.vii of all faythfull pastours and herdmē both in life and doctryne, Esay [...]. lxi. whiche camest down from God thy father not onelye to bee oure redeamer, Luke. iiii. but also oure teacher, Iohn. iii. to open and declare vnto vs the mysteryes of the holye scryptures afore hydde, Mat. xxii. and corrupte thorowe the leauen and false docrine of the Scribes, Math. xvi. Mat. viii. Luke. xii. Pharyseis, Saduces, and suche other deceiuers of the people.
[Page]We most humbly besech y •, mercyfullye to beholde thy poore and scattered flocke, whom thou hast purchased wyth thy mooste precyous blud▪ [...]. xx. and to send them such shepherdes as maye diligentlye seke vp the loste shepe, Luke. xv. louinglye lay thē on their shulders, & faythfully bryng them home again vnto the shepefolde. Ah Lord, thou seest how greate the haruest is, Math. ix. Luke. x. & how few y e workmē be. Thou art lord of y • heruest, vouchsafe therfore we most hūbly prai the to sēd laborers into thi haruest. Iere. xxiii. Eze. xxxiii. Take a way these idle lubbers, which do nothīg but deuour thishepe, cloth thē selfes w t the finest of the wol and eat of the fattest of the flock Theues and robbers are they, Iohn. x. & not pastores & preachers. For the weake they holde not vp, the sick they heale not, Ez [...]. xxxiii. the broken they binde not to gether, the out c asts [Page xxi] they brynge not agayne, the lost they seke not, but churlishly, and cruellye do they rule thy flocke. A good shepehearde geueth his life for the shepe, but the hyrelinge, Iohn. x. y e he y t is not the sheperde, nor owner of the shepe, seeth the wolf cō minge, and forsaketh the shepe, y e flieth, and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the shepe. Such hyrelynges, O good Lorde, Actes. xx. Roma. xvi. Philip. iii. ii. Peter. ii. take away from vs, which seke nothīg but idelly to lyue of the swete of our browes, & of y e labour of our handes, and notwythstandynge suffer vs to be miserabli torne of antichrist and of his Ministers, Iohn. x. both by their tirannye, and false doctrine. A thief cometh not but to steale, to sley, and to destroy. Take away frō vs, O good Iesu those theues whych steale awaye the liuynges of y e tru shepherds, whyche sley our soules for want of thy holye worde, and destroye [Page] vs wyth theyr corrupte maners, wicked liuinge, and most detestable cōuersacion. Take away frō vs those heardemen, [...]. xi. yea rather those Idols as thy Prophet calleth thē, which are not residēt vpon their benefices, nor geue attē daūce vpō their cure, but forsake their flock, & yet rob frō them all that they may catch, and geue vs such pastors as wyll watch vpon their flock, abide amōg thē, teach them thy blessed word, feede thē with hospitality, lead a godli life, bring vp their youth vertuously, and be at all tymes readye, if thy glori, & the health of their parishioners requireth to bestowe their life. Take away from vs al those curates, [...] ▪ lvi. whyche are blynde, with out knowledge, dumme dogges not able to barke, which haue plesure to behold vain thīgs, & loue to ly snortyng & dreaming. Most [Page xxii] vnshamefaced dogges are they, they haue neuer inough, althoughe they heape benefice vpon benefice, prebende vpon prebende, deanerye vpon deanery neuer so muche. Iere [...]y. vi▪ For al are wholy bent vnto couetousnesse, euen frome the hyghest vnto the lowest, and the thinges that they get, spend they in banketting, and in vaine plesures. Take away from vs those false prophetes, Math. vi [...]. which come vnto vs in shepes clothes, but inwardly are rauening wolues. Take a way those false anoynted, & fals preachers, whyche by theyr subtile doctrin go about to bring vs into errour, Mat. xxiii. and teache vs not to seke the with true faith in heauē, where thou sytteste on the ryght hande of God thy father, but in the cloister, andin the pixe. Mark. xvi. Luk xxiiii. Actes. i, Heb [...]u. i. Take away frō vs those greuous wolues, whyche are entred in amōg [Page] vs, & spare not y e flock but speke peruerse thynges, that they may leade awaye the faythefull after them. [...]ctes▪ xx. Take away frō vs al those men pleasers, which by their fair speche, and flatterynge wordes, deceyue the hertes of the symple, Rom [...]. xvi. by this meanes seruing their bellye and not the, O Lorde Iesu Christe. [...]la. v. Take away frō vs those iusticiaries, whych teach that we are iustified by the workes of the lawe, and not by faythe alone in our Lord God. Ah Lorde, if oure iustifi [...]acion commeth of works, then diddest thou dye in vayne. But whosoeuer seketh to be iustified by works, is vtterly fallē frō the grace and fauour of god. For we know that a mā is not iustified by the works of the lawe, but by the fayth of the oure lord Iesu Christ: G [...]l [...] ii. & we haue beleued in y e, o Lord, that we mighte be iustified [Page xxiii] bi the faith that we haue in the, & not by the workes of th [...] law, because no mā shalbe instified by y • workes of the lawe. Philip. iii. Take away from vs those dogges, those euil workemenne, those shauelings, whiche teache, Hebru. ix. [...] y • thou by the one onlye oblacion of thy bodye haste not made perfect for euer them y • are sanctified. Enemies are they of the crosse of Christ, Phili. iii. whose end is destruccyon whose God theyr belly is. Take away frō vs these fals doctors which priuely bring in damnable sectes and deny the the Lorde, ii. Peter. ii. whiche hathe bought them, thorowe whome the waye of truthe is euell spoken of, & thorow couetousnes w t their disceit full woordes make marchandise of vs, whose iudgemente is not far of, and whose dampnaciō slepeth not. Take awai frō vs those false prophets and spirits of Antichrist, i. Ihon. iiii [Page] which teache that thou y e Lord Iesu Christ tokest no flesh of that blessed and vndefyled virgyn Marye thy mother. Take awaye from vs y e proud whore of Babylon, [...]poc. xvii. that great and blasphemous baude of al the whordoms and abhominacions of the earth with whom euen the very kings of the earth haue plaid the whore mongers, and they that dwelt on the earth wer made d [...]ōckē wyth the wine of her whoredō. Down o Lorde with that purpled & rose coloured whore, decked w t golde, pearle & precious stones, hauyng a goldē cuppe in her hand, ful of the abhomynacions & fylthynes of her wantonnes. Down, o lord wyth that gorgyous strōpet, whiche is dronke wyth the bloude of saynctes, and with the bloude of thy Martirs, O Iesu. Let that [Page xxiiii] whore behated of al menne, lette her be desolate, Apo. xviii. comfortlesse and naked, yea let the verye fleshe of her be gnawen of, & she cōsumed wyth fyre. Let that greate Babilon be made a dwellynge place of deuils, and an hold of al vnclene spirites, and a cage of all fylthye, and hatefull byrdes. For of the wine of her pestilent whordome haue al nacions dronken, yea the very kings of the earth haue committed whoredom wyth her, and the Marchauntes of the earthe haue waxen ryche thorowe her wantonne pleasures.
O Lorde take awai from vs these Marchaunts, that geue attendaūce vpon that filthy whore, & deceyue the whole world wyth theyr peltyng pedlary, thieuyshe trashe and masking marchaundyse. Lette theyre wares bee soulde no more, but boothe they [Page] and theyr bloudy whoryshe Mastresse taken away from vs, so y t we be no more deceiued by them nor the truthe of thi glorious gospel condēpned for heresy, nor yet the bloude of the saynctes anye more shedde. O Lord take away from vs al these aforesayed monstures euē so many as deface thi glory, corrupt thy blessed woorde despyse thy flock, and takyng vp on them to be feders, fede thē selues and not thy shepe: [...]. xxxiii. & in theyr steade place good Byshops, learned prechers, christen ministers, faythful teachers, true spirituall fathers, euen such as bren wyth a feruēt & vnfayned zele toward the setting forth of thy glory and the healthe of thy people. Indue them wyth thy holye spirite, that they maye be faythfull and wyse seruaunts, geuing thy houshold meate in due season, Mat. xxiii. Luke▪ xii. Geue them [Page xxv] that thy wysdom, which no man is able to resyst, wherwyth also they maye be able both to exhort with wholsome doctrine, Lu [...]e. xxi. & also to conuince and ouercome thē y t speake agaynst it. Let repētance and remissiō of sins be preached of thē in thy name among al naciōs. Luke. xxii. Geue thē grace to perseuer in thy truth vnto the end. Mat. x. [...] xxiiii. Graūt also, O Lord, that they may truly and reuerently minister vnto vs thy blessed misteries, baptisme, & thy holye supper, that oure faythe maybe confirmed, stablyshed, Math. xvii & strengthened by the worthy receiuyng of thē, and we wel comforted & made strōg agaynst y e gates of hel, y e deuil, the world, the flesh, the curse of the law, Eccles. iiii sin death, desperacion, and al that is enemi vnto vs. Let not their hād be stretched out to receiue, & slow to geue, but graue in thē (O blessed [Page] sauiour) a minde contēt with that is inough one shepherde to haue one f [...]ock and what so euer they receiue of theyr parishners, wyllyngelye to spend it amonge them in maintening ho [...]pitality for the relief of the pore, Hospitali [...]. that they may be found feders of the f [...]ock both in word and dede. Mala. iii. For thou (O Lord) commaundest by y e prophet in the olde law, that al tythe shuld be brought into thy barne, that there might be meate in thy house. Thou callest y e preachers barne▪ No [...]. thy barne, & his house thy house▪ And vnto thys end woldst thou haue temporal thinges prouided for thy preachers, that they myght haue wherof to liue them selfes, to fede theyr family, & also to comfort the pore of the parish. To fede w t word & not w t worcke profiteth litel To fil y e eare w t the soūd of words, & to suffer y e body [Page xxvi] starue for honger, is not the part of a good shepperde. He is not a good herdeman that standeth, al day whystlynge and callynge at his shepe, but he that driueth thē vnto sweete & pleasaūt pastures where they may eat their bellyes ful. i. Timo. ii. Titu, i. Thy holy Apostle cōmaūdeth a Byshop or spiritual minister to maintein hospitality. Thou also which art y e mirroure of al goodnes & liueli exāplare of al true pastors, being in this world conuersaūt amōg mē, and a preacher of thy heauēly fathers blessed wyll, Mat. xiiii. and .xv, Marke. vi. Luke. ix. Iohn, vi, feddest y e people not only w t thy godly doctrine, but also w t corporal food, geuing an exāple vnto al spiritual pastours, y t they shuld do so likewise. Thou cōmaūdest also thy blessed apostle Peter. iii. to fede thy flocke, Ihon. xxi. y t is fyrst w t the pure doctrin of thy heauēly gospel, wher vnto thi holi sacramēts [Page] sure seales are annexed for y e cō firmaciō of thy truth. Secondly with godly conuersacion & a lyfe agreable to the doctrine, that the parishioners may the soner be allured vnto manners worthy of y e gospel. Thirdly with hospitality. And this commaūdemēt gauest thou not onli vnto Peter, but vnto al other thy Apostels, yea and to al spiritual pastours that haue or shal succed thē vnto the end of y e world, Actes, vi. that thy pore people may be fed both body and soule. Roma. xv. This commaundement (O swete Iesu (was diligētly executed of the holy Apostels, ii. Cor i▪ ix. and of the faithful ministers that succeded thē, Actes, xx. whiche al were moued wyth so great and so tēder compassion toward thi pore mēbers, ii. Cor. xi. that they did not onli feede them with such goods as thei receiued of y e christē cōgregacion, i. Thessa. ii. i. Thess. iiii but also to satisfye theyr [Page xxvii] lacke, they wrought w t their hāds But o Lord this louinge pitie toward the pore in these our dayes is greatlye abated, & waxeth vtterly colde in many of the Ministers of thy church, which notw t standynge are them selfes verye wealthy, and lyue all in pleasure of the churche goodes, so that by this meanes they are not residēt vpon theyr benifices, they mayntayne no hospitalyty, the parisheners are robbed of theyr dutyes, & the pore are not fed wyth meat as thou haste commaunded, but they rather miserably sterue for honger. Unto such shepherds as fede them selfes and not y e flock, Ez [...]c. xxxiii as eate the mylke, are clad wyth the wolle, and eate of y e fattest of the flock, & yet fede not y e shepe, y u threatnest dampnacyon by the prophet, promising that thou thy self wylt vpon the shepherdes, & [Page] require thi shepe frō theyr hands & make them cease from fedinge of thy shepe. Yea y u sayest moreouer that the shepperdes shal fede them selfs no more, for thou wilt delyuer thy sheepe oute of theyr mouthes, so that they shal not deuoure them after this. Thou promisest also to set faythfull shepperdes ouer thy flock, and quietly to place thy shepe in grene, fat and pleasaunte pastures so that the beastes of the fyelde shall deuour them no more, but they shal dwel safely without anye feare, neyther shal they any more be famished with hōger, nor yet beare the spyteful words of the heathē For thou theyr Lorde God wilte take care of thē. Deale wyth thy flocke (O mooste faytheful sheppeard) accordyng to thy promise. i. Cori. xi. Dryue away from amonge vs al rauenynge wolfes and deceitful [Page xxviii] hypocrites whyche are the Ministers of Sathan▪ chaunging thē selfes into aungelles of lyghte, and appoynte faythefull and dylygent heardmen ouer thy flock, whych may feede them wyth thy lyuely worde, leade a good lyfe▪ & maynetaine hospitalyty among them for the comfort of th [...] pore, and in al thyngs so behaue them them selfes according to thy blessed wyl and com [...]aundemente, that when thou the moost hyghe Byshoppe and chyefe shepparde shalte appeare, i, Peter. v. they may receiue the vncorruptible crowne of glorye. Amen
¶A prayer for Gentlemenne.
AL be it what soeuer is borne of flesh is flesh, Ihon. iii. and all that we receiue of our natural parents is earthe, dust, ashes & corruptiō, Genesi. iii, [Page] so that no childe of Adam hath any cause to boste hym self of hys birth and bloud, [...]ccle. vii.x seing we haue al one flesh & one bloud, begottē in sinne, Psal. ii. conceiued in vnclennes, & borne by nature the chyldren of wrathe, Ephesi. ii, yet for asmuche as some for theyr wysdom, godlynes, vertue, valeaūce, strength, eloquēce, learnynge and pollicy be auaunced aboue the commō sort of people vnto dignities and temporal promocyons, as men worthye to haue superiorite in a christē comū weale, & by this meanes haue obtayned among the people a more noble & worthy name: Iohn, i, We moste entyrely besech the, from whom alone cōmeth the true nobility to so many as are born of y e, Galath, iii, & made thy sons thorowe faith, whether they be rich or poore, noble or vnnoble, to geue a good spirit to our superiours, that as they be called [Page xxix] gentlemen in name, so they may shewe them selues in al their doynges, gentle, curteus, louing, pitiful, and liberal vnto their inferiores, liuing amōg them as natural fathers amonge their chyldren, not polling, pillyng, and oppressing them, but fauoryng, helpynge, and cheryshing them, not destroyers, but fathers of the cō trey, not enemies to the pore, but ayders, helpers, and cōforters of them, that when thou shalte call them from this vale of wretchednes, thei afore shewing gētlenes to the comon people, may receiue gentelnes agayn at thy merciful hād, euē euerlasting life thorowe Iesu Christ oure Lorde. Amen.
A prayer for Landelordes.
THe earth is thine, o lord, & all that is conteined therin, Psal▪ xxiiii Psal. cxv, notwithstāding thou haste geuē the possessyon thereof vnto the [Page] children of men, to passe ouer the time of theyr short pilgrimage in this vale of misery: We hartelye pray y • to send thy holy spirit into the harts of them that posses the groūds▪ pastures & dwelling places of y e earth, that thei remēbrīg thēselues to be thy tenaūts, may not rack and s [...]retch out the rēts of theyr houses and lāds, nor yet take vnreasonable fines & incōs after y e māner of couetous worldlings, but so let them out to other y t the inhabitauntes therof may both be able truly to pay y e rētes, & also honestly to liue, to nour [...]sh their familye, & to relief the pore. Geue them grace also to cōsider that thei are but straungers and pilgrimes in this world, Psa. xxxix, i. Peter, ii. hauing here no dwelling place, but sekīg one to come, y t they remēbring y e short continuaūce of theyr lyfe, may be content, with y t is sufficiente, & not ioyne house to house, nor couple lād to lād to y e empouerishment [Page xxx] of other, but so behaue thē selues in lettyng out their tenemēts, lands and pasturs, y t after this life thei may be receiued in euerlasting dwellinge places thorow Iesu Christ our Lord.
¶ A prayer for Marchaunts.
O Almightye god maker & disposer of all thynges, whiche hast placed thy creatures necessary for y e vse of mē in diuers lāds & sundry countries, yea and that vnto this end y t al kindes of men shuld be knit together in vnity & loue, seinge we al haue nede one of a nothers help, one country of another coūtryes cōmodity, one realm of a nother realms gifts & frutes: we besech y • to preserue & kepe al such as trauel ether bi lād or by sea, for the gettyng of thynges that be necessary for y e welth of the realmes or coūtries where thei dwel, & to giue thē saf passage both in their going & comming, y t [Page] they hauynge prosperous iourenyes may shew them selfes thākful to the, and beneficyal to their neighbour, & so occupy their marchaundyse wythout fraude, gile, or deceite, that the commō weale may prospere & floryshe wyth y e abūdaūce of worldli thīgs thorow their godly & ryghteous trauaile vnto the glory of thy name. Amē
¶A Prayer for Lawyers.
[...], vii. i. Timot. i. WE know, o Lord, that the lawe is good, if a manne vse it lawfully, geuen of the as a singuler gyft vnto y e children of men for mayntenance of godly orders, for puttynge away of iniquities and wrongs, for restoryng of men vnto their right, for the auauncement of vertue & punishmēt of vice: we most hertely pray the, which art y e lawe geuer, Iacob. iiii. which alone is able to saue & to destroy, [...]ccles [...] ▪ i, from whom also commeth [Page xxxi] al wysdome, prudence, and knowledge, so to rule thorow the gouernaūce of thy holy spirit the harts of al lawyers, that they hering mēs causes, being in cōtrouersy, w t discreciō, & indifferēcy, and weying thē iustly and trulye accordyng to the tenore & equity of the lawe, may without parciality both faithfully geue counsel, and also indifferentlye pronoūce of al such causes as be broughte vnto thē, & by no meanes suffer them selfes to be corrupted w t bribes and gyftes, Ecclesi. xx. Deut, xvii. which blinde the eyes of the wyse, and subuert tru iudgmēt, but walke so vprightly in al mēs matters, y t they seking w t godli trauels a quietnes amōg mē in this world, may after their departure from this troubelouse vale of misery enioy euerlastyng rest & quietnes in y e heauēly mā siō, thorow Iesu Christ our lord.
☞A praier for Laborers, and men of occupaciōs
AS the bird is borne to fly so is manne borne to laboure. [...] For thou, [...]. iii. O lord, haste commaū ded by thy holy word, y e man shall eat his bread in the labour of his hāds, [...], [...]xviii and in y e sweat of hys face, yea thou hast geuen cōmaundement, ii. The [...]. iii y t if any mā wyl not labour y e same shuld not eat, i. Thes. iiii. y u requirest of vs also that we withdraw our selfes frō euery brother that walketh inordinatly, and geueth not his minde vnto laboure: so y e thy [...]odly pleasure is y t no mā be idle but euery man labour according to his vocaciō & callīg: We most humbly beseche the to graue in y e herts of al laborers & workemen a willing disposiciō to trauail for th [...]ir lyuing accordīg to th [...] word and to blesse the labours, payns, and trauayls of al such as either til y e earth or exercise ani other hā dy [Page xxxii] occupacion, that thei studying to be quiet, i. Thess. iiii ii. Thess. iii & to meddle with their owne busines and to work with their own hands, and thorow thi blessīg, enioying y e frutes of their laboures, may knowledge, the y e geuer of al good things, Iacob. i. and glorify thy holy name. Amen.
A Praier for Richemen.
AL beit, O Lord, thou art the geuer of al good thinges, and thorow thy blessyng, Prouerb, [...]. mē become rich y t are godly and iustly rich, yet are we taught in thy diuine scriptures, y e riches, and the cares of worldly thyngs smother vp thy holy word, Math. xiii. Mark. iiii. & that it is more easy for a gable rope to go thorow y e eye of a nedle, Luke. viii. then a rich mā to enter y e kingdō of heauē: again, Math. xix. Mar [...]ke x. y t thei which wil be rich fal into tēptacion & snares, Luke. xviii i, Tim. vi. Ecclesi, x. & into many folish & noysome lustes which whelme mē into perdyciō [Page] and destruccion (for couetousnes is y e rote of al euiles) we therfore perceiuing by thy blessed word so many incōmodities, yea pestilē ces of mans saluacion to accōpany ryches, most entirely besech y • to blesse such as y u hast made rich with a good, Luke. xvi. humble louing & fre mind, that they remembring thē selfs to be thy dispēsatours & stewerds, may not set their mindes vpon y e deceitful tresures of this world, which are more brytle thē glasse, & more vaine thē smoke, nor yet heape vp thick clay agaīst thē selfs, [...]. ii. but liberalli & cherefulli bestow part of such goodes as y u hast cōmitted vnto thē vpō their pore neighbors, make thē frēdes of wicked Māmō, Luke. xvi. be merciful to y • nedy, Math. v. be rich in good workes, & redy to geue & distribut to y e necessity of y e saints, i. Timo. vi. Roma. xii, i. Tim. vi. laying vp in store for them selfes a good foūdacyō [Page xxxiii] agaynste the tyme to come, that they maye obteine euerlastynge life thorow Iesu Christ thy sōne and our Lorde. Amen. i. Timo. [...].
A Prayer for poore people.
AS riches, so likewise pouerty is thy gifte, o Lorde. Ecclesi [...]. x. And as thou hast made some rich to dispose the worldly goodes: so haste thou appointed some to bee poore that they might receiue thi benefites at the rich mens hāds. And as the godly rich are welbeloued of the, Math. [...]. [...]o in like maner ar y • pore, if they beare the crosse of pouerty pacyently and thankfully. Ecclesi. [...] ▪ For good and euil, life and death, pouertye and ryches are of the, O Lord. We therfore most humblye pray the, to geue a good spirite, to al such as it hath pleased y • to burden wyth the yock [...] of pouertye, that they may with apacie nt and thankful hert walk in their state [Page] lyke vnto that poore Lazare, of whō we reade in the gospel of thi welbeloued son, which chosed rather paciētly, and godly to die, thē vniustly or by force to gette anye mans goodes, and bi no meanes enui, murmur, or grudge against such as it hath pleased the to endue wyth more aboundaunce of worldly substaūs, but knowynge their state, although neuer so hū ble and base to be of the their lord God, and that thou wilte not forsake them in this their nede, but send them thinges necessary for theyr pore lyfe, may contynuallye praise the, and hope for better thī ges in the world to come, thorow thy sonne Iesu Christ our lorde. AMEN.
A prayer for the Commons.
Roma. xiii.THou hast cōmaunded, O lord in thy holy scriptures, that all subiectes shuld be obediēt to the [Page xxxiiii] higher powers, not only for fere▪ but also for conseyence sake, i. Peter. ii. Titum. iii. for ther is no power but of the. The powers that be, are ordeyned of the: whosoeuer therfore resisteth the power, resisteth thy ordināce, and they that resyste, shall get to thē selfs damnacion. Wherfore we knowynge this thy commaū demente and notwithstandinge not ignoraunt of the works, and subtilties of the Deuil, whych laboreth to y e vttermost of his power to driue out of mēs herts true and faithful obedyence towarde their superiours, and in the stede therof to plant disobedience, rebellion, sedicion, tumult, cōmociō insurreccion, & whatsoeuer may trouble a christē cōmō weal, and breke thy holy ordinance, most hū bly and from the very hert besech the to graue in the hertes of the comō people faithful, tru & vnfained [Page] obedience both toward oure kynge; and toward the other rulers that are sente of hym for the punyshment of euil doers, i. Pet. ii. but for the praise of thē that do wel: grāt them also O most mercyefull father (a wyllyng minde to geue to euery man hys duety▪ Rom. xiii. trybute to whom tribute belōgeth, costume to whom custome is due, feare to whom feare belōgeth, honour to whom honour perteineth, and aboue al thinges to praye without ceassing for al them that be in authoritie, i. Timo ii. that we may lyue a peaceable and quiet life in al godlines and honestye vnto the glorye of thy bles [...]ed name. AMEN.
A prayer for the vnmaryed,
ALbeit most mercifull father, mariage is honorable amōg all personnes and the bed vndefiled, Hebr. xiii. yet for as muche as some tho [...]owe [Page xxxv] thyne exceadynge & aboue natural gift (for no man can hue chast, Sapi. viii. except y • geue hī y e gift) lyue free fro [...] the swete yocke of m [...] trimony, some agayne for the tē dernes of age are not apt for holy wedlock: we most hertely p [...]aie the, that they whyche haue receyued of the, the gift of continency, may so traine theyr lyfe in godlie exercises, that thou mayeste goo forthe to contynue and encrease that thy gyfte in theym, i. Cor. vii. that they may the more frely and quyetlye serue the, and care for those thinges that perteine vnto thy glory: Again, that the other passynge ouer the tyme of theyr yong age in thy feare, in godly trauailes, and vertuous labours, may exchue al euyl, wycked, riotous, and wāton companye, that when they shall take on them the holie and honorable order of blessed wedlocke, [Page] they may brynge with them [...] and vndefyled bodyes, & so lyue in that godly state of matrimony auoydinge al fornicacion, whoredome, and vnclennes all distenciō, strife & debate that thou maiest blesse them, [...]sa. cxviii. & their mariage▪ prosper theyr godly trauels, send them good successe in al their doynges, and make them ioyful parentes in seynge theyr chylde as chyldren accordynge to thy holye promyse, whiche liuest & reigne [...] very God worlde wythoute ende. AMEN.
A prayer for them that be maried.
AMonge other thy creatures (O euerlastinge God) when thou hadst made man accordynge to thine owne similytude, Gene. i.v. lykenes & image, Gene. ii. thou saydest: it is not good that mā be alone: let vs make hym a healper like vnto him selfe, and shortlye after thou [Page xxxvi] formedst a woman of the mans rib, and broughtest her vnto Adam, whych saide: Thys nowe is bone of my bones, and fleshe of my fleshe. She shall be called a woman, for she is taken of man. [...] Wherfore mā shal forsake father and mother, and cleaue vnto hys wyfe, and they shall be, ii, in one flesh, And thou blessing them gauest them commaundement, Gene. ii. saying: En [...]rese & multiply, & fulfyll the earth. Here learne we (o heauenly father) that thou art the author of mariage, and that so many as mary in thy feare, are coupled together of the, Math. xix. blessed and defended, and that thou hast ioyned them together to thys ende, that thei should encrese the earth and bryng forth sōs & daughters vnto the glorie of thy name. Thy holy apostle also commaūdeth, i, Cor. vii. y t to auoyde fornicacion euery man [Page] shuld haue his owne wife & euery woman her owne husband, so that if they cā not liue single they shuld mary, for it is better to mary then to burne. Here learne we againe (O heauenly father) that thou hast ordeyned matrimonye to be as alue vnto the infirmytye and weakenes of oure flesh and haste geuen it as a present remedy vnto vs agaynste the raginge lustes of olde Adam, that we takynge vpon vs the holye order of Matrimony, and by this means exchuing whoredome and al vnclennes, [...]uke▪ [...]. might serue the in holynes and purenes all the dayes of our life. We therfore considering how greuous an offence it is before thy diuine Maiesty for suche as be maryed dissolutely to lyue, and contrary vnto theyr professyon to abuse them selfs, most hertelye praye the, fauourably to beholde [Page xxxvii] all such as haue taken vpon them the yocke of honorable wedlocke, & to geue thē grace to order theyr lyfe accordinge to thy holy word. Graunt (O mercyfull Lord) that the maried men be not bitter, that is, Colos. ii [...]. churlishe and vnkynde vnto their wiues but loue them as thy dearly beloued sōne Christ loued the faythfull congregacion, Eph [...]. [...]. prouyde for them, defend them, and cherishe them euen as they cherysh theyr owne bodyes, i. Pete. iii. agayne, dwell wyth theim according to knowledge, geuynge honoure vnto the wyfe as vnto the weaker vessel, and as vnto them that are heyres also of the grace of lyfe, that euery one of them auoydyng fornicacion and knowing howe to kepe his vessel in holynesse and honoure, i. Tess. iiii. and not in the lust of concupilence, as do the heathen that know not God, mai [Page] by theyr godly conuersaciō shew thē selues to haue taken vpō thē the holi order of Matrimony not at the prouocacion of y e flesh, bu [...] thorow the mocion of thy holy spirite. Graunte also y t the wiues b [...] obedient and submit them selfs vnto their own husbandes, Ephe. v. in all honest & godly thinges, L [...]k [...]. iii, that they which beleue not the worde, may wythout the word be won by the conuersaciō of their wiues while thei behold their pure conuersacion coupled with ferae. 1. Peter. iii [...]. Timo. ii. Giue thē grace also to aray them s [...]lfes i [...] comely apparel, i. Peter. iii with shamefastenes and descrete behaue ou [...], not with broyded hea [...]e, other gold, or pearles or costly araye, but wyth such as becommeth weme [...] that professe the worshippinge of God thorow good workes▪ that the hid mā of the hert be vncorrupt, with a meke & quiet spirit, which spir [...]t [Page xxxviii] is before God a thynge much set by. Againe, graunt, O Lord, that both the husbandes and the wyues may so walk in thy feare and in thy holy lawe, that thou maiste haue a plesure in them, blesse thē prospere theyr enterpryses, make them frutfull & ioyful parentes. Finally, the children that thou sē dest thē, giue thē grace so to bring vpin thy nourter & doctryne, Ephe. vi, that they liuing together many years doth ioyfully & quietly maye with one voice & with one mind gloryfy thi blessed name for euer. amē.
A prayer for women with childe.
THou, O Lord, art wonderful in al thy workes, and whatso euer thy good plesure is that doest thou easly bryng to pas, Psa. cxv. nether is ani thing impossible with the, that thou wylte haue done. Mathe. xix. Mark. x. And albeit thys thine almyghty-power sheweth it self abundantlye [Page] in al thi workes, Luke. xviii yet in the cō ce [...]nyng forming and bryngyng forthe of m [...]n, it shineth no [...]te e [...]ydentlye. At the begynnynge o heauenly father, when thou m [...] deste manne and woman, thou co [...]maundest them to encrease, multiply and replenish the earth. If thorow y e subt [...]le entisemēte [...] of Satā, Ge [...]. i.ix. they had not trāsgressed thy cōmaūdement by eatyng the forbyddē fruite, the woman, whom thou haste appoyncted the organ, [...]. iii. i. Tim. ii. instrument, & vessel to cō ceiue, norishe & bringe forth man thorow thy wond [...]rful workmā shippe, had without any la [...]oure, paine or trauayle brought forthe her fruite. But that whych [...] thy goodnesse made easye, syn & disobedience hath made hard, painful, daūgerous, & if thy helpe wer not, impossible to be broughte to passe: Gen. iii. so that now al womē bring [Page xxxix] forth their children in great sorowes, paines & troubles. Psa. xlviii. Notwithstanding y • shewest thi selfe vnto thi creatures a father of mercy, Ecl. xlvii [...] ▪ & God of all consolacion. For that which thorow their own inperfeccion & fiblenesse thei are not able of them selfes to bringe to passe, [...]saye xiii. Ier. vi.xxx. E [...]ech. [...]xx. thou thorow thyne vnspeakable power makest easye in thē, Ose. xiii. & bringeste vnto a fortunate ende. We therfore beinge fully perswaded of thy bente and redy goodnesse, Miche. i ii. Iohn. xvi. of thy present helpe, of thy swete co [...]fort in al miseryes and necessities, knowyng also by the testimonies of thy holy woorde howe greatand intollerable the paines of women are y e trauail of childe, if thorow thy tēder mercies they be not mitigated and eased, most humbly pray y • for Iesu Christes sake thy sonne and our lord, that thy louyng kyndne [...]se may make that easye & tollerable, which sin [Page] hath made hard and paynefull. Ease▪ o lord y u paines, which thou moste ryghteouslye haste put vpon al women for the syn and dysobedience of our graund mother Eue, Genesi. iii. in whom al we haue sinned, and geue vnto al such as haue cō ceiued & be wyth chylde, strength to brynge forth that, whiche thou wōderfully hast wrought in thē. Be present with thē in their trouble, helpe them and deliuer thē. Let thy power be shewed no lesse in the safe bringing forth, thē in the wonderful fashioning of the child, y e that whiche y e haste begun in them, mai come vnto good successe. Make them glad & ioyfull mothers, y t they thorow thy goodnesse being safely delyuered, and restored to theyr old strenghthes, maye lyue and prayse thy blessed name for euer. Amen.
¶ A thankesgeuynge vnto God for theyr delyueraunce.
[Page xl]AMong other thy benefytes, yea and those innumerable, which thou dayly bestowest vpō vs thi nedy & pore creatures, this is not the least, o most merciful father, that thou of thi tender goodnes doest vouchsafe for the conseruacion of mākynde to preserue the women that are wyth child, and to geue thē safe deliueraunce of theyr burden, by thys meanes makyng them glad and wyfull mothers. For this thy benefyt and good wyl towarde vs, we so hartely thanke the, as hert canne thynke, besechinge the to worke suche thākefulnesse in the harte [...] of al mothers by thy holy spyryte, that they beynge not vnmindeful of this high benefyt of theyr safe deliueraunce, wrought only by the the sauiour of al man kynde, maye shewe them selfes thankefull vnto the for this thy [Page] goodnesse▪ and neuer forget that thy presēt helpe and moste swete comforte which thou mercyfully shewedst vpon thē in theyr great trauayles, Psalme, l. Pro. xviii. labours and paynes whē thei fled vnto thy holy name for succour, as vnto a strōge bulwarke and holy defēce. Go forth, o Lorde, Psa. cxiiii. to make them the ioyful mothers of many childrē. Endue them with lōge life, Ps. cxxviii that thei may se then childres children. And the chyldren that thou geueste vnto thē, Luke. i, ii. make thou as in age, so likewise in wisedome & in the abundaunce of thy holye spirite to encrease, that they may haue fauor bothe with the, and with all good men, vnto the glorye of thy moste blessed name. Amen.
A prayer for Fathers and Mothers.
FOR asmuche O heauenlye father, Ps [...]. xviii. as thou haste dealte wyth the chyldren of menne [Page xli] more nobly then with brute beastes and with other thi creatures by geuing them not only, an amiable body▪ but also a mynde, whiche is immortall and neuer shall dy, Gene. i. Sapi. ii. and for the garnyshyng of the same, that it mai be made like vnto the similitude, like nes and Image of the, hast in thy holy law commaūded all fathers and mothers, Deu. iiii.xi Eccle vii. [...] xxx.xl.ii. Ephe. vi. Tit▪ ii. whome thou haste blessed with the gifte of chyldren to take diligēt care for the vertuous bringyng vp of theyr sōnes & doughters, that they maye learne euen from theyr very cradels to know the theyr Lorde God, to beleue in the, to feare and loue thee, to call vpon thi blessed name, to be thākfull vnto the, and to walke in thy holye commaundementes al the daies of their life: We knowing how frowarde euil disposed▪ and vntoward the harte, Gene. viii. wyt and disposicion [Page] of manne is euen frome his very youth, if it be not restrained with the byt of thy most blessed lawe, hertely pray the to geue al fathers and mothers grace after the example of Abraham, Gene. xviii. ii. Reg. ii. Tob. i. [...]iii. i. Math. ii. Dani. [...]iii. Actes. xxi. ii. Tim iii. Dauid, Tobi, Mathathias, the parē tes of Susan, Philip the Euāgelist, and suche other, to brynge vp theyr chyldren, euen frō theyr very infāci, in thi feare, in thi nourture, and in the knowledge of thy most healthful word, that they sekyng no lesse the garnishinge of their childrēs myndes with learning & vertue, thē the preseruīg of their bodies with fode and raiment, may shew them selues profitable members of the chrysten publique weale, and faythful seruauntes to the their Lorde God, whyche alone art worthye all honoure, and glorye. Amen.
A prayer for children.
[Page xlii]AS thou (O mercyful father) hast geuen commaundemēt vnto al fathers▪ & mothers to br [...]nge vp theyr children in thy feare, nourtour and doctryne▪ so likewyse thy good pleasure is, y t children shuld honor & reuerence their parentes, E [...]odu. ix. Deute. v. Mathe. xix. Mar x. E [...]he. [...]i. Collo. iii. Eccl iii.vi [...] Tobi. iiii. Eccle. iii. Proue. xix. Proue. xxx. Deu. xxvii. diligentlye geue ear vnto their v [...]rtuous enstruccions, and faythfully obey them. And as thou hast promised helth, honour, glory, rych [...]s, long life, & all that good is vnto thē that honour, reuerence, and hūbly obeye their fathers & mothers, so haste thou threatned vnt o dysobedyēt chyldren, ignominie, euyll fame, contēpt, shame, dishonour pouertie, sickenes, short life, and suche other plagues. Yea in thy holye lawe thou doest not onelye pronounce them accurssed that dyshonor theyr fathers & mothers, but thou also commaundest, that [Page] if anye chylde be stubberne & disobediēt and wil not heare, but rather despise the commaundemēt of his father and mother▪ Deute. xxi. y e same shuld be stoned vnto death without mercy, so greatly doste thou abhorre disobediēce and rebelliō agaynst all persons, but specially agaynst parentes. Deute. iiii. Heb. xiii. We therefore hartely wishyng, that the plages of thy fearce wrathe (for thou O God art a consum [...]ng fyre) maye be far from vs▪ most hūbly besech the to graue in y e harts of all children of what [...]oeuer age kynd, estat or degre thei be true honour, harti reuerēce▪ and vnfained obedyence toward theyr p [...]rentes. Giue them grace, o good Lorde, that as they profes thi son Christ in name, so they may truly represent his maners in their life and conuersacion, Luke. ii. whiche willinglye was obediēt vnto his mother mary [Page xliii] and vnto her husband Ioseph geuyng example to al children of the like subieccion and obedyēce tow [...]rd theyr parents. Engraffe in them such a loue toward theyr fathers & mothers, that they mai both reuerēce thē with outwarde honour, and also for their power helpe them, socoure thē, prouyde for them, comfort anb cherish thē in their nede, euē as their parēts nourished and comforted thē in their infancy & tender age. Esay. xliii. But aboue all thynges geue thē grace truly to honour the, whyche art y e heauenly father, yea oure father & our redemer, whiche hast made vs, & dayly cherishest vs euen as a father or mother cherishe their mooste deare and naturall chyldren. So shall [...]t come to passe, Esaye. xlix. that they faythfully honourynge the, shal also in order, hartely honour and vnfainedly obey theyr [Page] carnal parētes in thi feare, vnto y • glory of thy most blessed name, which is most worthi to be honored worldes without ende. Amē.
A prayer for Masters.
ALthoughe (O Christe thou most hyghest Lorde) al power both in heuen and in erth, M [...]t xxviii be geuē vnto the of thy heauenly father, and albeit thou hast geuē vs a commaundement, that wee shuld not desire to be called master, Mat. xxiii. for we haue but one mayster, whyche y u art, & al we are brethren hauing one father which is in heauen, yet forasmuch as thou accordyng to thy blessed will hast appoīted some superiours, some inferioures, some masters, some seruaunts, some to commaunde some to obey, some to rule, some to searue, and by thys meanes suche as be in superiorytye haue obteyned by thy holye worde, the [Page xliiii] name of maisters, or Lordes, because they haue seruauntes vnder them, and rule vnder the accordynge to thy good pleasure, & godlie appointment, whyche art the mooste supreame power, and mooste excellente maiesty Kinge of kinges, and Lord of Lordes, i. Timo. vi. Apoc. [...]vii. and .xix. to whom all thinges both in heauen, and in earth, and vnder the earthe do bowe their knees, and geue reuerēce, & honoure, Philip. ii. whose praise also euery nacion and language doth auance and set forth, cōfessing that thou art the Lorde Iesu Christe, vnto the glorye of God the father: We moste humblye praye thee, whyche arte the greatest master, and moste hyghest Lorde, to sende thy holye spiryte vppon all suche as are called masters here in earthe, and haue superioritie ouer other, that they remembrynge them selues [Page] to be thy seruaunts, Ephesi. vi. Collo. iiii. and that thei also haue a master in heauē, with whō ther is no respect of persons may put awaye all threatninges, al cruelty, al vnrightousnes, and do that vnto their seruaūts, whiche is iust & equall. Eccle. vii. Graunte that they entreate not euyll theyr seruauntes whiche worke truly, nor the hyreling that is faithful vnto thē. Eccle. iiii. Eccle. vii. Graūt that they be not as lions in theyr houses, destroyinge their houshold folks, and oppressing such as are vnder them, but rather that they cherysh and loue their faithfull & discrete seruaū tes, euen as their owne soul, and by no meanes suffer thē to be vnrewarded for their paines takīg, nor yet at the laste to be driuen to beggary for their true seruice doyng, but that they liberally rewarding them according to their desertes, may shew thē selues to be [Page xlv] thy true seruaūtes, which leauest no mā vnrewarded, Math. xvi. but geuest to eueri mā according to his dedes, Roma. ii. to them that do wel, and continue in wel doing, glory, honour, peace immortality, and euerlastīg life, to them that do euill, and cōtinue in the same, indignacion, wrath, displesure, trouble, sorow, and eternal damnaciō. Graūt therfore (O Lorde) that all temporall masters may in all their doyngs resemble the, which art the heauēly and euerlasting master, and so be haue thē selfs both toward theyr seruaūts and all other accordnig to thy blessed wyl, that at the laste daye they maye be founde in the nūber of thē to whom thou shalt say: Come ye blessed of mi father possesse the kingdom which was prepared for you from the beginninge of the world: Math. xxv. Lord let it so come to passe. Amen.
A prayer for seruauntes.
O Christ my lord and sauiour, which being the son of the liuing God, yea God him self from euerlastynge, didst not disdaine at the wil of thine heuenly father to make thy selfe of no reputation, to become man, to take vpon the the shape of a seruaunt, & to obey thi fathers commaūdement to the deathe, Philip. ii. yea euen the death of y e crosse for our saluaciō, refusīg no seruice, no trauail, no labour, no payne, y t mighte make vnto the comforte of mankynde: we mooste humbly beseche the to geue al seruaūts grace to practise thy humility and obedyence, that as thou moost wyllyngly diddest serue, and obey thy heauenly fathers good plesure, so they in like manner may wyth moste hartye affecciō serue & obey their bodely masters in al thynges, Ephesi. vi. that fight [Page] not wyth thy blessed word, not w t eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenes of hearte, fearynge God, that what so euer they doo, Coloss. iiii. they may do it hartely euē as vnto the lord & not vnto men, forasmuche as they are sure, that they shal receiue the reward of the heuenly enherytaunc [...] of the o lord Christ, whō also they serue, while trulye and faithfullye they serue theyr bodely masters. Graūt that so manye as are vnder the yoke, may count theyr masters worthy of all honoure, that the name of god & his doctrine be not euil spokē of, and obey thē with all feare, Tit ii. not onli if they be good and courteous, i. Peter. ii. but also though thei be froward, & please thē in al thīgs, not answering thē again, Tit. ii. nor pickīg ought from thē, but shew al good faythfulnesse, that in all thynges they maye do worshyppe vnto the [Page] doctrine of the our god and saueout, to whome with the holy gost be al honoure▪ prayse and glorye, for euer. Amen.
A prayer for them that are sicke.
O Iesu the sauiour of y e world, and the true Phisicion both of the body and of the soule, Math. ix. we are not altogether ignorante howe detestable a thing sinne is in thi sight and how greatli thou abhorrest them that commyt i [...] quitye and shake of the yoke of thy lawe, Psalme. v. geuing their mindes to the filthy lustes of the fleshe, and the vaine pleasures of the world, Som that thus vngodly behaue them selfes, thou sufferest to go forthe stil in theyr be as [...]like manners wythoute correccion or punyshment to liue in pleasure and wantonnes vpō the earth, Iacob. v. Philip. iii. to noryshe their heartes as in a day of [Page xlvii] slaughter, to serue theyr belly as theyr God, and voluptuouslye to spende theyr dayes wythoute all feare of the, that at the laste, they beinge altogether nousled in voluptuousnes and dying wythout repentaūce (for the sorowes, Psa. cxiiii. plages and punyshments of the wicked begynne at theyr death) may wyth that riche and beastlike gloton be tormented for euer in the flames of hel fyre. For conueniēt it is that thei which in this world liue, all in pleasure, Luke, xvi. do in another worlde receyue theyr paynes, euen as thou haste promised in thy holye Gospel sayinge. Wo bee to you that are full, for ye shall hongre, Wo be to you y • now laughe, for ye shall wayl and wepe. Again some that walke inordinatli▪ Luke. vi. and contrary to the rules of thy holye lawe, thou tendryng theyr saluacion visitest them with syckenes their [Page] & punishest their bodies wyth the louing rod of thi correctiō ▪ y t they maye no lenger be proude, cruell and fearce againste the spyryte, whose seruaunte and bond slaue the bodye of ryghte oughte to be, but rather be obediēt and seruice able, that it may from h [...]nsforthe not so much as once lust against the spirite, and by thys meanes thou mercifulli callest them (whiche as wanderyng sh [...]pe, Luke, [...]v. haue so long strayed abrode) home again vnto thy shepefold [...]. For thys. O Lord, is an euident tokē of thine exceadynge goodnes and tender mercy towarde vs, when thou seing vs moost greuously thorowe our wicked and synneful conuersacion to offend thy deuine Maiesty, to forsake thy lawe, not too walk in thy ordinan̄ces, to breake thy statutes, not to kepe thy commaundements, Ps. [...]xxxix. doest not take away [Page xlviii] from vs thy louing kindnes but vysytest our iniquityes wyth thy gentyl rodde, and punysheste our synnes wyth thy correccions swete to the spirite, i. Cor. xi. but bitter to to the flesh (for whyle we are punished we are corrected of y e lorde least we shuld wyth thys worlde be cōdēpned) and by this meanes thou prouokeste vs to leaue oure ryotous and vngodly manners, and to seke after the oure moste louynge sauiour, leadynge a lyfe from henseforthe, accordynge to thy mooste blessed wyll and commaundemente. Some also thou throweste into aduersity, and punyshest wyth syckenesse to proue and try theyr fayth, whether they be constante in confessynge, callinge vpon, and praisinge thy holye name, lyke vnto that pacyent man and faythefull warryoure, whyche sayed.
[Page]If we haue receiued good & prosperous thinges at the lords hād, Iob. i. why shulde we not be content to suffer euill & troublous things? The Lord gaue them, the Lorde hath taken them away, as it pleased the lord, so is it come to passe, blessed be the name of the Lord. So manye, O Lorde, as thou louest, thou sometime visitest wyth thy louinge rod of correcciō, least that they cōtinually enioyenge y • to muche felicitie and wealthe of worldely thynges, shuld forgette the theyr Lord God, and walke in the vanities of a lewde minde. Heb. xii. For if we endure chastenīge, thou offerest thy selfe vnto vs as vnto sonnes. Prouer. iii Apoca. iii. For whō thou louest, him thou chastnest, yea and thouscourgest euery sonne that thou receyuest? Hebru. xii. what sonne is that whō the father chastneth not, if we be not vnder correccion, whereof all are [Page xlix] partakers then a [...]e we bastard [...] and not s [...]ns. And albeit no maner chastising for the presēt time semeth to be ioious but greuous, neuerthelesse afterward it bryngeth the quiet frute of righteousnesse vnto them, which are exer [...]ised therin. Forasmuch (therfore O most merciful sauiour) as sicknesse and aduersyty is sent from the vnto the chyldren of men for theyr greate profyt and singuler commoditie, euen that the bodye with the workes thereof shuld be subiect to the spirit, and as a witnesse, and zele of thy louing kindnesse and harty good wyl toward them, we most hartelye praye th [...] mercyefullye to beholde all suche as are sycke, and as that pytyfull Samaritane, to poure wine and oyle into theyr woundes, Luke. [...]. and to bynd them vp, that is, to comfort them, geuing them grace paciently [Page] to bere the crosse that thou hast laied vpō them, to shew thē selfs conformable to thy blessed will, & in the myds of theyr trouble and syckenesse to prayse thy gloryous name, and wyth stronge fayth to say: Ose. vi. come and let vs retourne vnto the lord for he hath begun and he wil heale vs, he hath strikē vs, and he wil sureli make vs whole. For it is the Lorde that bryngeth downe to the graue & fetcheth vp again. Deu. xxxii. i. Reg. ii. It is the Lorde that punysheth with pouertye, Tobi. xiii. and maketh welthy again. Sapi. xvi. It is the lord that [...]ringeth lowe, & lifteth vp again, yea it is the lord that killeth, and maketh aliue again. It is for our greate profit, Psal. cxix. that the Lorde hath thus plaged vs, euē that we shuld learn to forsake our owne fleshly wil, & to walk in his holi ordinaū ces: Therfore as it is gods good plesure, Mat. xxvi. so let it come to pas. His [Page l] wil be done, & not oures. Psal. [...]c [...]. We are his people, and the shepe of his pasture, let him deale with vs, as semeth best in his godly syght. Rom. xiiii. For whether we liue or die, we are the Lords. Geue thē grace O swete Iesu, thus to be perswaded of thy good wyl euen in the middes of the shadow of death, that they faīt not vnder the crosse, and become of a desperat mind▪ but valeantly abide thy good pleasure, and al the time of their trouble & sicknes paciently & thākfully t [...] cal vpon thy blessed name, which is a stronge tower for al thē that f [...]ee vnto it, Pro. xviii. and euersette before theyr eyes thy louinge kyndnes, beleuīg stedfastly, that although their crosse be paīful to the flesh, yet is it swete to the spirite, and al be it the outwarde manne be made weake thorow it, yet is the inwarde manne made stronge; [Page] whych wysheth to be losoned frō thys wretched body, Philip. i. & to be wyth the in glorye. For so longe as we are at home in the bodi, we are absente from the fruicion & syghte of thy deuine maiesty. ii. Corin. i. O Lord it is not thi property alwai to chide, Psa. iiii. alwai to be angri, nether to deale with vs according to our sinnes, nor yet to reward vs after our in inquities: but as a tender father pitieth his natural sonne, so arte thou merciful to sinners, if they repēt, Mach. x. beleue, & amend. For thou cāmest into this world not to call the ryghteous, but sinners to repentance. Neither art thou a phisicion for the whole, but for the sicke. Be thou therfore, O moste merciful Sauiour, a phisicion to such as ar diseased [...]ther body or some, & after this thy louyng correcciō, restore vnto thē y e benefit of health, both corporally and spirituallye. [Page li] Make whole so manye as knowledg their miseris, repēt them of their sinful maners, flee vnto the for succour, beleuing to enioy all good things at thy merciful hād. And as thou hast made them heauy with laying thy cros vpō them, so make thou them ioiful by restoryng vnto thē the gift of healthe, that they may liue and glorify thy blessed name for euer. Amen.
¶ A prayer for Souldioures.
IN the whole bodye of the holye scripture (O Iesu▪ thou son of the liuyng God (there is nothīg more commended and setforthe vnto vs then peace, vnity, quietnes and concord. Unto this Moses and the Prophetes, thou and thyne Apostels do diligentlye exhorte, Gene. lxiii. Iob. xxii. Iere. xxix. [...]achar ix. Math. v. and contraryewyse vehemently disswade from discord, ē mitie, malice, war &c. For what is [Page] more semely for man, then to embrace amyable peace, Luke. ii. Marke. ix. Iohn. xvi. ii. Cor. xiii. Hebru. xii. frendly concorde, and quiet amyty? The creacion, the shape, y e byrthe of man proueth euidently, man to be formed and made vnto peace. [...]. Peter. v. But Satan that olde enemy of mankinde, which goth about like a roring lion, seking whome he may deuour, sweateth & with al main laboureth to banyshe peace from the chyldren of menne, and in the stead therof violently to thrust in discord, tumults, sedicions, wars bloud sheding, manslaughter, destrucciō of realmes & coūtries, by this meanes entending to make hauock of altogether, so y • he furiously raging in his mēbers, prouoketh mani times thi seruaūts, for the defence of their country & the safegarde of theyr people, to wage battel with their enemies. We therfore most humbly besech [Page lii] the to assist al such as iustly attēpt any warres againste their ennemies, and mightelye to defende them against theyr aduersaryes, that they may receiue thorow thy puissance a gloriouse victory and noble tryumphe. Gene. xxxii.iiii. Re. vi. and .vi [...]. P. [...]. xxxiii [...] Send thy holy aungell vnto them that he maye pitch his tent amonge them and ouerthrow their ennemies. Giue all souldiours grace so to behaue them selfs in the warres wyth al godlines, & honesty, y t thou mayst haue a pleasure to be presente amonge them, to be theyr captaine and valeant defendour. Suffer them not to be discouraged for y e multitude of theyr enemies, but with strong faith let them whole lye depend on the, y e most mighty cōquerer, with whom it is al one to help in fewe or in manye, ii. par. xiiii. and with y e prīcelike warriour bouldlye [Page] say the Lord is my light & my healthe, whome shall I feare? The Lord is the defender of my lyfe of whom shal I be a frayed? Psa. xxvii. If mine ennemies pitche pauilyons against me, my hart shal not feare. If men of war rise against me, I wil truste in the Lorde my God. Psal. xx. Psa. xxxiii. [...]. xxi. And when thou hast geuen them the victory ouer theyr ennemyes, g [...]e them also a thankful harte, that they maye confesse to haue gotten the victory not by theyr horses, bowes or guns, nor ye [...] by their own strength and polli [...]y but by thine almighty power and so be encouraged for euer after to magnifi thi holi name. amē
A prayer for Mariners.
THi power, o Lord, wonderful both vpon the lande & sea, & whatsoeuer thy good pleasure is, Psa. l [...]xxix. Dani. iii. that worckest thou in thē boothe. Sometime thou makest [Page liii] the earth fruteful, [...]achary. ix. somtyme barrē. The sea also somtim is calme and pleasaunte, Psa. cxiiii. sometime rough & boisterous. So that whether they bringe troublous or prosperous thynges vnto vs, Deu. xxvii. Eccle. xi. Proue. xvi. all come from the our Lorde God, that thy power and glory maye be shewed in thy creatures vnto the prayse of thi name. Seing that thou art ruler bothe of the earthe and sea, we mooste hartely beseche the to preserue al such as laboure either by land or by sea, but namely thē, whiche forgettinge and maintenaunce of their liuinge are compelled to trauaile the seas, and to commite them selfes to the daungers therof. Psal. cxiii. O Lord thoughe the scourges of y e sea be maruelous yet art thou, whiche sittest on hye more maruelous. Though y • windes be boisterous, stronge & vehemente, yet doest thou excell them [Page] in power. Psa cxlviii. For thou haste geuen a commaundment to thy creaturs and none shal go beyond it. Fire, hail, snow, ise, and vapours, stormie windes accomplish the word. Thou hast limited y e waters their bounds, Psal. [...]iiii. which they may not pas. Thou also with a word, when the ship wherein thou & thy disciples wer, was greuously tossed with y e waues, Mat. viii. Mark. iiii. Luke. v. and at the poynt of drownyng thorow the wynd and tempest y t arose, causedst at the desire of thy disciples the wynd to cese, the sea to be quiete, and a greate calme to be made, in so much that they which were in the ship marueyled, and sayed: What man is this, that both winds, and the sea obey him? Graūt therfore (o most gentle sauiour that whēsoeuer anye troubleouse tēpest ariseth in the sea, so that thorowe it such as ar vpon the sea be indanger, they [Page liiii] callyng on thy blessed name with stronge fayth for helpe, may fynd fauoure at thy mercifull hand, be deliuered out of feare, escape all daungers, and trauayle a fortunate iourney. So shal it come to passe, that they thorowe thyne almyghty power beyng safely deliuered from all perylles, shal continuallye praise, and gloryfye thy blessed name. .Amen.
A praier for trauelers by lande.
O LORDE, whyche arte the waye, the truthe, and lyfe, thou haste promysed in the holye scripture, Iohn. xiiii. that they whyche put theyr truste in thee, looke for healpe at thy hande, and take the for theyr myghtye defender and stronge castell, shall be preserued harmelesse, and walcke in all theyr iourneys safelye, and withoute daunger. P [...]alm. xci.
For thou thy self wilt take charge [Page] of them and shadowe thē vnder thy merciful wings, so that none euill shal chance vnto them, [...]. xii.xv.xviii xix xxiiii.xxv [...]. and .xxviii. [...]obi v. [...]ctes. xii. yea as thou diddest send thy holy angel with Abraham and Tobye, & with other thy faithful seruants to be their guide and defender, & to make their iourni prosperous, so wilt thou send thy blessed aungels with them that wholy depēd on the, and with strong faith cō mit them selfs to thy most godly tuicion: P [...]alm. xii. M [...]h. iiii. Mark. i. Luke. iiii. whiche shal safelye kepe them in fal their wais, yea and soner hold them vp with theirhāds then they shal dash theyr foote agaynst a stone. This thy accustomed gentlenesse toward thy seruants, and these thy louinge promyses encourage vs greatlye at this presēt to come vnto thy Maiesty moost humblye besechynge the, to send thy holy aungel vnto all such as trauaile by the way in [Page lv] thy feare, to take care of them, to defend tham frō al misfortunes, and so to guyd them thorowoute al theyr iournye, that they maye both prosperously and ioyfully finish their purposed trauail, euer praising thi blessed name. Amen.
A praier for a faithful manne beynge in trouble or enduraunce.
O Lorde, ii. Co [...]. i. father of mercis and God of all consolacyon, whiche ruleste and disposeste all thynges after thyne vnsearcheable wisdome, Sapi. viii.ix.xii. and workest in thi creatures accordīg to thy blessed wyll, whyche is alwaye good and godlye, howsoeuer blynde & frail flesh iudgeth of it, we know and vnfaynedly cōfesse thyne omnypotencye and almyghtye power. We know that thou artable to do whatsoeuer thi good pleasure is. Psa. [...]xiiii. Math xix. Mark. x. Luk. x.viii We knowe that thou bryngeste downe to the graue, and fetchest [Page] vp againe. Thou punishest with pouerty, Deu. xxxii. i. regum. ii. Tobi. xiii. Sapie. xvi. and makest wealthye agayne. Thou bryngest lowe, and liftest vp again. Yea thou, o lord, killest and makest alyue agayne. Oh wōderfully doest thou worke in al thi creatures, specialli in thē whome thou hast appointed to be vessels of merci and enheritours of thine eternal glory. If they at anytime greuously offēd thy deuine maiesty, [...]sal. xiiii. [...]nd .lii. Roma. iii. Iacob. iii. i. Iohn. i. psal. lxxxix. (as we be al siners and redy at euery moment to fal) thou dost neither long wincke at theyr wickednes, nor yet for euer cast them frō thy fauour, but like a louynge Phisicion wyth some emplasture, or salue, although bitter to the fleshe, yet wholesome to the soule, thou healest thē, and like a tender or gentle father correctest them with some temporal punishemente, [...] Cor. xi. Exo. x [...]xii. [...]osu [...]. vii. that by thys meanes they escapyng euerlastynge punishmēt, mai repēt thē of their [Page lvi] vngodly behauour, confes theyr wickednes, fl [...]e vnto thy mercy, & for euer after be the more circumspect in treadyng y • pathes of thy holy lawe. Iud. i.ii.iii vi.vii.viii. and .ix.iii. r [...]g. xxv.ii. pa. xxxvi ii. regu. xii.xiii.xv.xvi.xxiiii. On this manner didst thou handle the Israelits, when they offended thy fatherly goodnes. On this manner didst thou deale with king Dauid, Ion. i.ii.iii Iudi. viii.xiii.xv.xvi. Heste xiiii.xv, and .xvi. & prophet Ionas for their disobediēce, with many other, whome not withstā dinge for thy mercyes sake after they had knowledged theyr offē ces, & called vpō thy holy name, y u wonderfully deliuerest, & broughtest them again as it were into y e hauē of quietnes. We therfor thy poore & sorowfull creatures perceiuinge in thy holy scriptures so large fountaynes of thy greate mercies plenteously issuing oute toward all thē that be of a cōtrite and broken hearte, are boulde at this present for thy promyse sake to come vnto the, moost humblye [Page] besechinge the, that as y • delyuerest Ionas out of y e whales bely, Dani. vi and .xiiii. Actes, xii.i. [...]egu. xix.xxi.xxiii. Dani. xiii. Daniel from pryson, Peter thine Apostle out of warde, Dauid frō the handes of his enemies, Susāna frō the power of her aduersaries, with other, so in like mā ner thou wilte deliuer and set at lybertye thy seruaunte and oure faithful brother. Yea and that on such sort that it may be to thi glory, to his healthe, and to the comfort of so manye as vnfaynedlye loue thy blessed woorde. And although we for oure inperfeccion be not worthy to craue and enioy so great and confortable benefit at thy merciful hand, yet we dout not, but for thy derely beloued sō Iesu Christes sake, y u wilt moste fauourablye heare vs, mooste fatherlye pitie vs, and moste bounteously graunt vs this our humble requeste. And we again receiuing [Page lvii] this benefit of oure dere brothers deliueraunce at thy hande shall not be vnthankeful, but continually magnifye thy holye and glorious name, which dealest so fauourably with thi seruaunts whē they cal vpō the in the name of Iesu Christ thy onlye begotten sōne, and our alone mediatour and aduocate, to whom wyth the and the holy goste be al prayse and honour for euer and euer. Amen. i. Timo. ii. i. Iohn. ii.
A thankesgeuinge for theyr deliueraunce.
SO often as we consider thy wō derfull worckes (O blessed and heauenlye father) whyche thou workest of thyne owne good wyll for so many as in their troble and aduersitye fle for refuge vnto thy holy name as vnto a strong hold, and mighty fortres, we cā not but confesse and acknowledge thy singuler kindenes and vnspeakable [Page] good wil, which y u continually thorow thy fatherly goodnes bearest towardes thyseruauntes, and for thesame not merited of any man but frely of thy mere mercy geuē, we render vnto the accordinge to our most bounden dueti most herty praises and entiere thanks. In consideracyon wherof the childrē of Israel being in miserable captiuity, Exodus. ii. lamentably lamenting before the their to muche sorowfull state by heartye praiers, after that thou hadst deliuered them frō that land of seruitud, brast out into exceading great praises, glorifyinge thi most holi and blessed name, for their swete and confortable delyueraunce. Exodu. xv. The citizens of Bethu [...]a likwise being in great dystres called vppon thy glorious name, Iudit. iiii. and .xvi. & thou most mercifullye deliueredst them, and they agayne with mery voyces, and more ioyfull heart [...] [Page lviii] song vnto the most harty thanks▪ In like maner thou didist deliue [...] Ioseph, Danyell Peter, Gene xli. Dani, vi. and .xiiii. Actes. iii. and many other thy seruaunts from their sorowes and calamities: Oh, who is able to expres with how readye and glad myndes they magnified the and thy holy name? We therfore synfull wretches excyted and stirred vp with the godlye exāples of these thi seruants, knowīg how greatlye thou delightest in the sacryfyc [...] of prayse, Psalme. l. Psal. [...]xvi. Hebru. xiii. confessynge also (suche is oure beggary) that we haue none other thyng worthy to offer vnto thy diuine maiesty, are at this present gathered together to celebrate thy great mercyes, t [...] magnify thy blessed name, and [...] render vnto the mooste humble ble thanks and immortal praises, that it hath pleased the of thine excedinge goodnes the rather at the contempl [...]cion of oure prayers, to [Page] shew thy fauorable mercye in the deliueraunce of thy seruaunt and our dere brother. N. vnto oure singuler ioye, and greate comfort. For this thy benefite, most beneficiall father, we so hertely thancke the, as herte can thyncke, most entirely beseching the that thou wilt geue vs al grace, euen so many as loue thy blessed worde▪ neuer to be vnmyndefull of this thy benefyte, nor to cōmit any thinge hereafter y • should offend thy fatherly goodnesse, or prouoke thi wrath against vs, Iohn. v. leaste thorowe oure disobedyence we after this, feele more bitter tokēs of thy heaui displeasure, then hitherto we haue done, but in all oure enterprises so too behaue oure selues accordyng to thy blessed wyl, that thou mayst delyghte in vs as a father in hys chyldren, and vouchesafe to blesse vs wyth [Page lix] all spirituall blessynge, to enryche vs wyth the knowledge of thy heauenly worde, i. Cor. i. and to worke in vs a life conformable to the same, that other seinge oure Godly maners, and christian conuersacyon, maye be encouraged to imbrace thi blessed worde, to magnyfye thy holye name, and in all poyntes to frame theyr life according to y • rule of thi holy commaundementes, thorow the inspiraciō of thy blessed spirite to whom wyth the, and thy dearelye beloued sonne Iesu Christe be all honoure, prayse and glorye for euer and euer. Amen.
☞ A generalle prayer that all Men may walke in their vo [...]acion and callynge.
FOrasmuche, O heauenlye father, as bothe thy honoure and dishonoure after a certein maner dependeth in thys worlde, Math. v. eyther of oure godlye or wycked lyfe (if we lyue well, thy very aduersasaries [Page] shal be cōpelled to gloryfye the, but if our [...] life be vngodlye, Esay. iii. Ezec. xxxvi. Rom [...]. ii. so shalt y u be dishonored amonge the wicked & euell spoken of thorowe our sinful liuing) and because we shuld not walke inordinatlye & so prouoke the enemies of thy truthe to rayle on the, and to blas [...]heme thy holye name, thou hast appoynted in thy blessed law certayne honest & godly states and d [...]grees, wherein thy people shoulde lyue, and haste streyghtelye commaunded that so manye as professe the and thy holye worde, shoulde continue in the same, i. Cor. vi. Ephe. iiii. eueri one accordyng to hys vocacion and calling, and by no means leade a dis [...]olute life after the maner of the heathē, which know not God, that by well doing [...] the professours of thy holie religiō may not only stop the mouthes of folish, [...] and ignorant people but also prouoke them to glorify y e, our Lord in the day of visitacion: [Page lx] we knowing our infirmiti & weaknes, whych is so great and vnable to be remedied of our natural strē gthes and frewill, ii. Cori. iii. that we are not able to thīk a good thought, Psalm. [...]xix much lesse to fulfil thy cōmaundements which thou haste straightlye commaunded to be kept and wyshing y • glory of thy most glorious name and the accomplishmēt of thy heauenly will most humbly and from the very heart besech the for Iesu Christes sake to endue vs, wyth thy holy spirit, which maye fulfyll that lacketh in vs, make vs newe creatures, trade vs in y e pathes of thy holye lawe, and geue vs grace to walke accordinge to our vocacion in thy feare, & in the obedience of thy godly wyll, that we attempt nothynge that in anye poynt may hīder thi glory, obscure thi honour, deface thy name & cause y • to be euil spoken of among the vngodly. [Page] And that thys may come to passe, graunt O moste mercyfull father that euery one of vs euē from the higheste to the lowest, may vnfaynedly answer to our callīg, & train oure life accordynge to thy blessed wyll, vnto the glorye of thy name▪ that whatsoeuer we do in word, Collos. iii. or dede, we may do al thynges in the name of the Lorde Iesu, geuynge thāckes to the God the father thorow him. Graūt that al tēporal rulers maye vse theyr offyce iustelye and godly, seke not only to be feared but also to beloued, Magystrates. maintaine the good, punysh the euill, accepte no person in iudgement, allow no fals accusacion, Iere. xxi. and .xxii. zacka. vii.ii. para. xix. Eccle. iii. Deut. xvii. Eccle. xx. sheede no innocēt bloud, heare the smal so wel as the greate, receyue no bribes, set forth thy glory auaunce thy holy worde, promote thy faythfull preachers, and in all theyr doynges seeke the profyte of the comm [...]n weale, and [Page lxi] so behaue them selfs that thei mai be founde worthy offycers in thy syght. Subiect [...]. Roma xiii. i. Peter. ii. Graunte that the subiectes may shewe all reuerent submission to theyr rulers, obey theym in all thynges, bee faythful and true to them, yea and that not onlye for feare of punyshmente but also for conscyence sake. Spiritu [...]ll Ministers. Graunt that the Byshoppes, the preachers of thy word & al other spiritual ministers may take hede to them selfes and to al the flock, Acte [...]. [...]. in the which the holy gost hath appointed them ouerseers to fede thy holy congregaciō which thy dereli beloued sōne purchased with hys bloude, i. Peter. v. and take the ouersight of thē, not as though they were compelled, but wyllinglye, not for the desyre of fylthy lucre, but of a good mind, not as lordes, ouer the Paryshes, but that they be an example vnto the flock. Graunte that they maye lay asyde [Page] al tiranny and hautines of mind▪ and walke with al gentel softnes and tēder compassion toward the shepe of Christ committed to thei [...] cure and charge. Let theim be as moost louinge fathers to Christes flocke, & if any of the shepe chance to run astrai & to go out of the wai let them not therfore vngētly entreate them, but as it is the offyce of a good shepherd, by fayr means cal thē home againe vnto y • shepe folde [...], sekyng rather theyr saluacion then destrucciō. Luke. xv. Let them remember the history of y • lost shepe, & cōsider how tēderly the hedshepperd Christ thy sōne and our Lord fetched it home againe euen vpon his shoulders. ii. Timo. ii. For the seruaunt of the Lorde maye not fighte, but be peaceable & gentel toward all, and redy to tech, sufferīg the euil wyth meknes, enforming thē that re [...]ist if at any time thou, O God maiest [Page lxii] geue them repentaunce to knowe the truth. i. Tim. ii [...] ▪ Let them cast away vngodly old wiuish fables, teachinge thy heauenly word purely & truly, & be vnto thē that beleue an example in the word, in conuersaciō, in loue, in spirit, in faith, in purenes. Let them geue attendaunce vnto reading, to exhortaciō, to doctrine, let thē studi to shew thē selfs in thi sight workmē worthi of praise euē suche as nede not to be ashamed. As in prechinge thy holy worde, ii. Timo. i [...] Iohn. xxi. i. Tim. iii. Titus. i. [...]sa. lviii. E [...]om. xii. so likewise in mainteining hospitaliti in distributing to the necessiti of the saints, in feding the hungri, in clothing the naked, in lodging the harbourles, in nourishing godly & learned men, make them diligent heardemen, that they maye be pastores and feders bothe in worde & deede. Graunte agayne, that the parishners may reuerence the byshops & other spirituall ministers, Pary [...]oner [...]. [Page] geuing them no lesse honour then the childe geueth the father, Malach ii [...]. iiii. Math. v. [...] Cor iiii. Iohn xxi. [...]. Peter. v. [...]. xxxiii. Esay. lviii. [...]bru. xiii. remē bring that they be the aungels of God, the messengers of Christ the lyghte of the world, the salt of the earth, the dispēsatours of y e misteryes of God, the feaders of theyr soules, the cōfortours of the weke the Phisicions of the sicke, the vpholders of the whole, y e exhorters vnto vertue, the fraiers away frō vice. &c. which watch continuallye for y e health of their soules. Worke in the hertes of al them that ar instructed with the word, such a tender loue and good wil toward the Ministers y t teche thē, G [...]la. vi. y t they may giue vnto them abūdantly al good things wherby the preachers may be the more able not onli to norish their familibut also maintain hospitality for the reliefe & comfort of the pore. For who goth a warfar any time at his own cost? i. Cor. ix. who planteth [Page lxiii] a vineyarde and eateth not of the fruit? who fedeth a [...]ocke, and eateth not of the milke. Yf y e preachers sowe vnto their parishners spiritual thīgs, is it a great thyng if thei reape their carnal thinges? Math. [...]. Thy ordynance is, o lord, that thei which preach the gospel shuld liue of y e gospel. Moreouer grant that the husbāds mai loue there wiues as their owne bodies, Husbādes. & not be bitter, Ephe. vi. Colos. iii. i. Peter. ii. churlish or vnkynd vnto them but geue honor vnto them, as vnto the weker vessels, and as vnto them that are felowe heyres wyth th [...]m of the grace of life. Likewise graūt that the wiues be in subiection to theyr owne husbandes as vnto the Lorde in al thinges, Wyues. and so behaue them selfs as becōmeth womenne of an honest and godly conuersacyon. Gyue them grace to aray them selfes in comelye apparell, with shamefastenesse and [Page] discrete behaueour, not with broided here, or gold, or perle, or costlye arai▪ but with such as it becōmeth women that profes godlines thorow good works. Let the inward mā of the hert be vncorrupte wyth a meke and quiet spirit, whych before the (O God) is much fette by. For after this maner in y e old time did the holy women which trusted in God tyre thē selfes▪ y t wer obedient to their own husbāds, euen as Sara obeied Abrahā, and called him Lorde, Gen [...] xvi. whose doughters y e maried women are, so longe as thei do wel. Grant y t fathers maye not rate their children, Fathers. Collos iii. Ephesi. vi. lest they be of a desperat minde, but bryng thē vp in the nurture & informaciō of our Lord god. Chyldren. Ephesi. vi. Graūt also that the childrē obei their parēts in al thinges, and honour thē. Master [...]. Colos. i ii. Ephe. vi. Graunt that al masters may do vnto their seruauntes that which is iust & equal [Page lxiiii] putty nge away threatnings, and know y t thei haue also a master in heauen, Seruauntes. Ephe. vi. wyth whom ther is▪ no respect of persons. Graunt againe, that the seruants be obedient vnto theyr bodely masters in al thinges, with feare and tremblyng, Collos. iii. Titus. ii. i. Peter. ii. in singlenes of hert as vnto Christ, not with eie seruice only in y • eyesight as mē plesers, but as the seruaūts of Christ, doyng thy wyll, O god, euē frō y e hext with good wyl. Gyue them grace also to consider that they serue the Lord & not mē and therfore thei mai be sure, that whatsoeuer good a man dothe, he shal receyue it agayne of the Lord whether he be bōd or fre. Further more graunt, Elders. Titus. ii. O most mercyful father, that the elder men mai be sober, honest, discrete, soūd in faith, in loue, and in pacyence.
The elder wemen likewise grant that they be in suche raymente as [Page] becommeth holynes, not false accusers, not geuen to much drynckyng, but teachers of honest thinges, to make the yong women sobre minded, to loue their husbāds to loue their childrē, to be discrete, chaste, housewifely, good and obediente vnto theyr owne husbands that the worde of God be not euyl spoken of. Yongemen. Graunte also, that the yonge men be sobre minded and of honeste conuersacyon. To conclude graunte that euery one that professe thy gloryous name, maye so lyue and behaue him selfe both in thoughte, worde and dede, that nothing mai procede & come from them that shoulde offende thy deuyne and mooste excellent Maiesty. Graunt also (O mooste gentle and tender father) that our lyghte may so shine before men, that they seing our good workes, Math. v. maye gloryfye the oure heauenlye father, [Page lxv] with thi welbeloued sonne Iesu Christ our sauiour, and the holye gost that most swete comfortour, to whom be al honour and glory for euer and euer. Amen.
A prayer for oure ennemyes.
THe poisōful corrupciō of our nature, whiche we haue sucked out of our fyrst parentes Adam and Eue, worketh so strōgly in vs, O Lord and so myghtely striueth againste the mocyons of thy holy spirit, Galathi. v. Roma. vii. that we can not do that we wold, nor accomplysh that y • requirest of vs. Thou hast cōmaunded vs to loue, not onlye our frends, but also our very enemyes to forgeue them y • offēd vs to blesse thē that cursse vs, Math v. Luke. vi. to do good to them that hate vs, to prai for theim that do vs wronge and persecute vs, if oure enemy honger to feede him▪ if he thyrste, Pro. xxv. Roma. xii. to geue him drinke, but our corrupt [Page] nature, Exodu. xxi. Math. v. which euer striueth agaīst thy blessed wyl, seketh al meanes possible to be reuēged, to requite toothe for toothe, and eye for eye, to render euyl for euyl, when vē gaunce is thyne, Deu. xxxii. Hebru. x. Roma. xii. and thou wylte reward and by thys meanes we greuously offende the and breke the order of charity, & the bond of peace, which seketh not to be reuē ged, i. Cor. xiii. Colloss. iii, but to forgeue one another, euen as Christ forgaue vs. It mai p [...]ese the therfore (O most merciful Lord) of thy bountyful goodnes to forgiue our enemyes, and not to laye to their charge those thynges, that they haue vniustly committed against vs, & so to sle in vs oure old corrupte and cankard nature, by takyng away frō vs oure stonye hearte, and by geuynge vs a fleshye heart, E [...]chi. xi. an [...] .xxxvi. that we thorow the opperacyon of thy holye spirite maye bee contente according [Page lxvi] to thy blessed wyl & commaūdement, Mathe vi. and .xviii. Marke. xi. uke. vi. Luke xxiii. Acte [...]. vii. and after the exāple of thy son Iesu Christ our Lord, & of that blessed martyr. S. Stephan, frely, and euen frō the veri hert to forgeue our ennemyes, to speake wel of them, to loue them, and to do for thē what so euer lyeth in oure power, & by this meanes vnfainedli shew our selfs to be thy sōnes, Mathe. [...]. which causest y e sun to aryse on the euyl, & on y e good, and sendest the rain on the rightous & on the vnrightous, geuīg vs example, that we, if we wyl be thy true sonnes, shuld do likwise & shew our selfes beneficial, not only to the good and godlye, but also to the wicked and vngodli, y t by thys meanes we may allure euen the very aduersaryes of thy truth to speake wel of the professours of thy blessed name, and to glorify the oure heauenly father, [Page] which fashionest vs according to thy maners thorow the myghtye workinge of thy holye spirite, to whō with the, and thy onli begotten sonne, be al glori and honour AMEN.
A prayer for the aduersaries of gods truth & that al men may come to the true knowledge of goddes blessed woord.
IT is trulye sayde of thyne holy Apostle. O mooste mercifull sauiour, that the naturall manne perceyueth not the thynges that parteyne vnto the spirite of God. i Corin▪ ii. For they are but folishenes vnto hym, neyther canne hee perceyue them, because they are spiritually examined. Thus to be true in the most part of men, specially in the wyse and prudent of thys worlde (from whom the heauenly father is wonte too hyde hys heauenlye mysteries, Mathe. xi. Luke. x. i. Corin. i. and to shewe them to the humble, and lowely) dayly experience [Page lxvii] teacheth vs. For whyle the wyse worldlinges seke praise one of another, Iohn. v, xii they can not loue the glory of god. While they cleue to theyr owne fleshelye wisdome they cā not abide the wisdome of God, which is counted folishnes in their sighte. Whyle they go about to mayntain olde croked costumes, supersticious ceremonis the trifling tradiciōs of mē, they cannot away wyth the lyghte of thyne heauēly truth. While thei magnify them selfs, shame to be taught, and bi no menes wil confesse theyr ignorance, and errour but perswade thē selfs, that they are in the truthe, Iohn. viii. whan in deede they are vnder the father of lyes, and that they walke in the lyght, when they are moost of all wrapped about, yea & ouerwhealmed wyth the mystye clouds of mens inuencyons, whyle also they abhorre [Page] to heare the prechers of thy word, and iudge whatsoeuer thei speak, new, erroneous & fals doctrine, it cometh to pas y • thei hate, persecute, banysh and cōdempne both thy blessed worde and al the fauourers therof▪ thynckyng thē selfs to do the high seruice, Iohn. xv. when thei [...]lea suche as vnfainedly professe thy Gospel. And forasmuch as thys hath conceyued agaynste thy holye word, and thys cruelty againste thy seruantes commeth from the wyse of thys worlde, the symple and ignoraunt people also for lack of knowledge yeldeth them selfs vnto the fancys of the wily worldlings and the dreams of the bellyed Hypocrites, approuing what they approue, condemning what they condempne, and beleuynge what they beleue. By thys meanes is it come to passe, that y e aduersaries of thy blessed [Page lxviii] word are wonderful mani in nū ber, and very few are they which syncerelye, purelye, and euē with the heart embrace and folow thy heauenlye doctryne. No maruel: Luke. x [...]. For lytell is thy flocke. O Lorde, to whō it hath pleased thy father to geue the kingdome of heauen, and although many be made, yet fewe shalbe saued. For many are called, but few are chosen, iiii. Es. vi. Mathe. xx. so that y e true louers of thy word are few but the enemies therof are many But O Lord this comforteth vs well, that althoughe the aduersarys of thy truth be innumerable, and albeit y e powers of this world stād vp and come together hurlye burly neuer so much agaynst the Lord & his annointed, Psalme. ii. and by no means wil submitte them selfes to the yocke of thy blessed lawe, but seeke all meanes possyble to breake it, and to caste it awaye [Page] from theim, yet shall they not preuayle, theyr imaginacions their counsels and deuises shall come to noughte. Proue. xxi. For there is no wisedome▪ no forecast no counsel that can preuayle agaynst the Lorde. Thou that dwellest in heuē, Psalme. ii. mockeste theyr vayn entreprises, and laughest both theym and all theyr mooste subtyle deuises to scorne. Math. xvi. For thou art that rocke, agaynste whom the gates of hell shall not preuayle. Math. xxi. Thou arte that stonne, vpon whome whosoeuer falleth, he shall be crushed in peaces, but vpon whome so euer it falleth, it shal grynd hym all to poulder. Thou arte that prycke, agaynste whom it is hard to spurne. Actes. ix. Apoc. v. Thou art that mooste vyctoryous, and tryumphaunte Lyon of the tribe of Iuda, against whom no fleshe canne preuayle. Thou arte that Lord, which bryngest to noughte [Page lxix] the councels of the vngodly, and reprouest the thoughts of the people, Psa. xxxiii. yea thou makest of no force al the counsels, deuises and imaginacions of Princes, establishing thyne owne coūcel, Esay. xlvi. and makinge the thoughtes of thyne own hert to abide certain and sure for euer and euer. And as thou art a Lord of moste stronge puisaunce, so is thy blessed word of mooste mightye force. For it is a twybelle that cleaueth the hard stonnye rocke a sunder. Iere. xxiii. It is a consumynge fyre deuouring al y e aduersaries therof. Seing thē that as the deuises of wyse worldlinges are wicked: so are they vaine and of no force, and shall surelye be broughte to noughte at the tyme of the to fore appoyncted (for euerye plante that thy heauenlye father hathe not planted, Math. xv. shall be plucked vp by the rootes) it maye please the, [Page] which madest Saule of a wolfe, Actes. ix. a lambe, of a persecutoure a preacher, of a tyraunte an Apostle to brīg these aduersaris of thi truth vnto the knoweledge of theyr erroure, that they maye repente, beleue and amende, O Lorde they are thy creatures, & thou haste no pleasure in the deathe of a sinner but rather that he shoulde turne and liue, Ezech. xvii Ezech. xi. haue merci on them▪ suffer them not to perish, make them of the vesselles of wrathe, the vessels of merci, of the enemis of thi truth, louers and imbraces of thy truth. Take away from thē their harde and stony hearte, and geue theym a fteshye, softe, and gentle hearte. Replenysh them with thy holye spirite, and with the graces thereof, that as they are thy creatures wyth vs, so they maye be saued wyth vs. For we are taughte that thou hateste none of al those [Page lxx] thinges that thou hast made, and that thou dissemblest the synnes of menne for repentaunce sake, Sapi. xi. and art readye to haue mercye on all menne, that repente, beleue, and amende. Iohn. vi. Agayn, seyng y e nomanne can come vnto the except thy father draweth hym, we most heartelye beseche the, i. Timo. ii. i. Iohn. ii. whyche alone arte oure onelye medyatour and aduocate, to praye vnto thy heauenlye father, that he maye haue mercye vpon the ennemies of thy worde, tourne awaye hys wrathe from them, lyghten hys louynge countenance vpō them, Psa. lxvii. geue thē a good spirite, and make them thy true and vnfayned dysciples, Graunt also (O swete Sauyoure) which willeste all men to be saued, i. Timo. ii, and to come to the knoledge of the truthe, that all suche as walke in ignorance, blyndnes and erroure for lacke of doctryne [Page] maye haue faythfull Preachers sente vnto them, whyche maye instructe them wyth thy heauenlye word, brynge them out of darckenes into lyght, delyuer them frō the bondage of mans tradicions and place them in the swete lybertye of the spirite. So shal it come to passe, that they whych now are not thy people, shall be thy people and they which now abhorre and deface the glorye of thy woorde, shall bee the valeaunte promoutours and defenders of the same and all suche as heretofore haue walked thorow ignoraunce in all kynde of supersticion and vngodlynesse, shall from hencefourthe walke in the gloryous light of thi Gospel, prayse the, and magnyfye the, obey the, and serue the in holynes and ryghteousnesse all the days of theyr lyfe, Luke. i. vnto the glory of thy blessed name. Amen.
A prayer for an vniforme and perfect agremente in matters of Christen religion.
IN thy laste and mooste sweete sermon, whyche thou madest a litle before thy passion (o Christ thou sonne of the lyuynge God) thou gaueste thy peace vnto thy disciples, Iohn. xiiiii and willedst them diligently to kepe and maintain the same among them vnto the [...]nd. This peace is the quietnes of cō science, the reast of the mind, and the perfect consent and whole agrement among the faithfull in matters of thy holy religion. In the praier also made vnto thy heuēly father thou desirest, Iohn. xv [...]. that as thou and thy father ar one, so thy disciples mai be one, that is to sai knytte together in one mynde, in one iudgmente, in one meaning concernyng matters of Christen faythe, i. Co [...]. [...]. that they maye all speake one thynge, preach and wryt one [Page] thyng, and by no meanes dissent one frome another. Thys peace, thys vnyty, thys perfect consent in faith and religion is almost banyshed from amonge vs in these oure dayes, Ierem xvi. whyle euery manne laboureth to establysh the inuencyons and dreames of hys owne hert, whyle euery man sweateth to imagine a newe kinde of religion and to maintaine the same, whyle euery man seketh to worshyp the, not after the rule of thy blessed worde, but after his own fleshlye fansy and idle imaginacyon. Thy holy Apostle, O Lord, coulde not abyde, that ther shuld be sectes amonge the Corinthyans, nor that one should holde of Apollo, i. Cori. iii. another of Paule, the thyrd of Cephas, but that thei only shuld embrace the, which alone by thy blessed passion broughtest vnto theim euerlastinge lyfe, forasmuche [Page lxxii] as thou and none other were crucified for them. If y t thy blessed Apostle had liued in thys oure tyme, oh Lorde howe heuelye wolde he haue taken the sects that are now among the chyldrē of menne, spronge out of hel and thrust in by Satan, yea and that is moost to be lamented, among them that professe thi holy name. Insteade of Apollo, Paule, and Cephas, we haue Benette, Barnarde, Fraunces, Augustine, Sectary [...]. Anthonye, Dominycke, Rufus, Honofrius, Iacob, Ioseph, Gylbert, Gregorye, Brygyde, Clare, Helene, Sophye, Pope, Cardynall. &c. besydes the dysordered orders of the Camaldulenses, the Cistertienses, the Basilyenses, y e Hieronimites, the Tertiaris, the seruauntes of sayncte Mary, the Lazarytes, the Magdalenytes, the Whylhelmites, the Ambrosians, [Page] the Specularis, the Chalomerians, the Iohannites, y e Scelistines, the brothers of purgatorye, the brothers of the holy cros, the brothers of the vale of Iosophat, the Carmelites, the Chartusians, the Hierosolimites, the Indians the Niniu [...]ts, the Constātinopolitans with an innumerable rable of Hypocrites mo, papistes, Heretikes, Scismatikes, Anabaptistes, Sacramentaries Libertines, & such other dongehylles of Satan, whych to much wretchedly haue deuided, rent & torne in peces the quiet vniti and frendelye concorde of thi holy religion, while thei haue imagined and taken vpon them new sects, and newe orders, and by thee tryfelinge obseruances of them, seeke iustificacion, remission of synnes, and euerlastynge lyfe, forsaking the, which art the foū taine [Page lxxiii] of liuely water, & digginge them myrye and durtye puddles that are able to hold no water. Ieremye. i [...] ▪ O Lord, as thys deuysion norisheth continuall discorde and enmity a mōg the professours of thi name: so do they that vnfaynedly cleue to thy blessed word, sorowfully lament, that thy glorye, thy truthe, thy worde, thy passion, thy bloud, thy deathe, is thorow these idolatrous imaginacions defaced, obscured, and almoost vtterly quenched, in so much that if thou haddest not reserued vnto the a remnaunte, iii. re [...]. xii. Roma. xi. Romay. ix. Esaye. i. whyche haue not bowed their knees to Baal, we al hadde ben as Sodom, and might iustly haue bene lykened to Gomorre. O blessed Lorde, lette very pytye moue the to haue compassion vpon thy poore troubled flocke. Let the zeale of thy glory prouoke the to treade vnder thy foote al these [Page] Sectaries, and Antichrists, that thou alone mayest be knowen amonge all nacions to be the onlie true and lyuynge God. Ah moste gentle sauioure, [...] Mat. [...]xiii. there is but one lord one faith one baptisme, one God, one father▪ one maister, one bodye, one spirit [...], one hope, one truth, one gospel▪ how vnsemelie thē is it for vs y t professe this vnitye to be deuid [...]d in religion▪ one to be of thys order, another to be of y t, one to mainetayne thys doctrine, another the contrarie. Destroy therfore, O lord, this worke of Satan, euen the bryngyng in of these damnable sects, & diuersities of opinions, and restore vnto vs that moost sweete and comfortable vnytye of thy holye and pure religion, that as we professe one God one baptysme, Ex. xxxiiii. Esaye. lxii. so wee may maintain one truth, & one religion. Thou callest thy selfe a gelous [Page lxxiiii] God, and a Lord that wylte not geue thi glory to another, suffer then thy honoure and glorie, Psa. [...]xiiii▪ thy praise and worship no longer to be geuē vnto creatures. Thou art that God of peace which haste promysed to treade Sathan the sower of discorde vnder our fete shortelye. Roma. xvi▪ Fulfill thy promise, O Lord, for it is time, seing that not onlye the wilie Hipocrites, Mat. xiiii. Luk [...]. xi▪ those p [...]inted sepulchres outwardli appearing beutifull, and ful of holynes, but inwardlie ful of dead bones, and of al filthinesse, of rauening and wickednesse, of bribri & excesse, take part against thi holye word, maintaining false opiniōs agaynst thy heauēly doctrin, but also many of the tēporal rulers & wise worldlīgs agre vnto thē, defending w t great violēce both the beastly hipocrites, & al their deuelish tradiciōs, croked ceremonis, [Page] false religiōs, although manifestlye contrarye to the truthe of thy blessed lawe. Notwythstandinge remember thy olde mercyes, and for the glorye of thy name, be fauourablye vnto them, gyue them grace to repent and to know the truth, i. Timo. ii. that they maye escape out of the snares of the deuill, and become the children of libertye and euerlasting saluacion. Gather together al such as are dispersed, & make of them with vs one flock. Cal home agayne theym that are runne astray after strang gods, Iohn. x. that they may gloryfye the alone. Deliuer thy people out of Egypte that lande of seruitude and bondage, and bring thē into the land that floweth wyth mylke and honye. Lette the babling Babilonians kepe thy seruauntes no longer in captiuity but restore theim home agayne vnto that Ierusalem, [Page lxxv] wher thy holy name is called vpon, thanked and praysed, wher thy heauenly doctrine is purelye taughte, where thy blessed sacramentes are truelye and faithfully ministred, where the works of Christen charitie are continually exercysed, that wyth one mouthe and one herte we may praise and glorify thy blessed name. Take away from vs all heresies, and diuersities of opinions, & worke in oure hertes an vnfained concord in matters of religiō, euen such a concord as is in al poynts agreable to thy blessed worde. Graunte also mooste louyng sauyour, that thys godlye concord may remain continuallye in thy churche. So shal it come to passe, that al sects and heresies, al diuisions & Sismes, beinge roted oute of thy holy congregacion, and a perfect agrement established amonge vs [Page] according to thy blessed word, we shal frō the very hert both knowledge the, Ia [...]o [...]. i. the worker therof, whiche alone art y e author of al goodnes, and also sing continual praises to the our Lorde God, whiche with God thy father and God the holy gost liuest and reignest true & euerlasting God worldes without ende. Amen.
A praier for the common peace and quietnesse of al Realmes.
HOwe necessarye, O Lorde peace and quietnes is for the conuersacion of realms and al publique weales, the holy scripture declareth in diuers places: the psalmograph exhorteth al the faithefull Israelites to praye for those things that make vnto the quietnes of Ierusalem, Psal. [...]xxii. that ther maye be peace, wealthe and abū daunce both in it and all the coastes rounde aboute.
[Page lxxvi]When the Iewes for theyr syns and disobedience against thy diuine maiesty were led away captiue, by kīg Nabuchodonozor frō Ierusalem vnto Babylon, and ther cōpelled to lyue vnder y e vngodly, and vncircūcy [...]ed gentils, the prophet Ieremy wrote an Epistle vnto them, wherin among other things he exhorted them to praye for the publyque weale of Babilō, and for the Magi [...]trates thereof, sayinge: Iere. xxi [...]. Seeke the peace of the citye, wherein ye bee prisoners, and praye for it vnto the Lorde. For in the peace thereof, shall youre peace be.
Thy seruant Baruch also wrot a boke vnto thi people in their captiuite, Baruche. [...]. commāding them to praye for y e prosperiti of Nabuchodonozor king of Babilō, & for y e welfar [Page] of Baltaser hys sonne, that their dayes may be vpon earthe as the dayes of heauen. &c. Agayne thy holy Apostle warneth, that aboue al thynges praiers, supplicacions intercessions, [...]. Tim. iii. and geuing of thā kes be had for kynges, and for all that are in authoriti, that we mai liue a quiet & peaceable life wyth al godlines and honestie. Hereof lerne we, O most mercifull sauyour, how necessarye peace, quietnes, & cōcord is for al relms & cō mō welths. For y t bering rule, thi glory is sought, thy holye word is preached, the Magistrates are obeyed, thy prechers ar reuerēced, good letters florysh, charitye resteth in mēs herts, good worcks are exercised, euery mā liueth accordynge to hys callyng, vertu is auaunced, vice is expelled, welth and aboundaunce of all thynges dwelleth amonge vs, battel with [Page lxxvi] al the pestilences thereof is banished, a fygure of that heauenlye Ierusalem is here found among the children of menne, when contrariwyse if battel or discorde occupyeth kyngdomes or cityes, all goeth to hauock, nothing but cruel barbarie & lyonlyke fearcenes beareth rule. How blessed a thing christē charity, godly peace, frindly quietnes, and brotherly cōcord is in a comon weale: thy seruant Dauid king and prophet hauing in his own relme experience ther of, declareth in thys hys Psalme. Beholde, sayth de, Pt. cxxxiii. how good and ioyfull a thinge it is, brethrene to dwel together in vnitie. It is like a precious oyntement vppon the head that rā down vnto the berd euen vnto Aarons beard, & went downe vnto the skyrts of his clothyng. Lyke the dewe of Hermō, which fel vpon the hyll of Syon. [Page] For ther y u lord promised his blessing & life for euer. Seinge (o almighty & euerlasting God) it is a good plesāt & ioiful thing, brethrē to dwel together in vnity, vouchsafe to geue vnto al relmes, specially vnto such as y e inhabitaunts wherof profes thi holi name, this tresure & iewel this plesure & ioy y t they may liue together in vnity quietnes & cōcord o lord so many of vs as beleue in y e, are brethrē, & haue one father, euē thy heauēly father, & by hym wee haue y • also our brother, & bi y • we be his sons & heires yea & fellow heirs w t the of eternal glory, [...]om. viii. grant therfore y t we al may be of one heart of one mind, seing that nothing garnisheth & becometh the name of brethrē better thē brotherli loue, tru peace, frēdly quietnes, & amiable co [...]cord. This Christē vnity and brotherly concorde muste nedes be an excellent tresure in a common [Page lxxvii] weale, seinge thy holy Prophet compareth it to a moost preous ointment & to y e most plesaūt dew, y e swet smels wher of cānot be expressed. Lorde geue vs thys precious ointmēt of mutual loue whatsoeuer we attempt amonge y t vs may haue a swete smellyng sauour both before the & all good men. Giue vs also y t the most plesaunt dew, euē y e dew of thy heuē lye grace, which may cause vs thorow thi holi spirit to florish w t the abundaunce of al good works, & prouoke euery one of vs quietlye and peaceably to do our own besines, & to liue according to oure calling, ii. Tim. ii. y e magistrate godly to gouern, the subiect humbly to obey, Romay. xi. the preachers of thy word diligētly to attend vpon hys offyce. ps [...]. cxxxiii. So shall it come to passe, that wee as brethren quietly dwellyng together in this vnitie and concorde, [Page] shal haue that thou haste promysed, euen thy blessinge, that is in this world abūdaunce of all good things pertaining ether to the body or to the soul, and after our departure from thys vale of misery euerlasting life. Lord let it so cōe to passe. Amen.
¶ A praier to be preserued from the plage and orher dyseases.
AH Lorde, as thou haste sette forthe in thy holy scriptures plenty of blessinges to them that feare the, Leuit. xxvi. De. xxviii▪ Esaye. c. v. xxiii.xxx xi. Ier. ix.xvi. and .xxix. Ezechi. vii.xiiii.xvii [...].xxxiii.xxxviii. and wyth al diligēt obedience & obediente dylygence walke in thy holy statutes & ordynaunces, so lykewise in the same haste thou set [...]orth innumerable curses & plages to such as liue w t oute all feare of the, & transgres thy blessed commandements. Among other thy greuous punishmēts, y u hast thretned y e vngodlye [Page lxxviii] to sende the plage and such other mortal diseases vpō them, and so to roote them oute from the face of the earth, because of theyr disobedyence and rebellyon agaynst the theyr Lorde God. ii. Re. xxiii i, Par. xxi. Examples herof we haue manye in thy holy worde. Ah good Lorde, who can be fre from these and such other thy plagues, Psa. cxxix. if thou shouldeste dele with vs according to oure iniquites? We are al synnefull. Roma. iii. The best of vs all are vnprofitable seruantes, Luke. xvii. so that we cā fynd nothynge in ourselfs wherwith we maye worthelye eyther pacify thy wrathe styrred vp agaynst vs for our manifold wickednesse, or turne awaye from vs those thy plages, whyche we most iustelye haue deserued. Notwythstāding there are, whyche supersticiously for the appeasyng of thy anger, & for y e dipsatch of corporal puni [...]hmentes [Page] cal vpon dead creatures and flee vnto domme Idolls, as thoughe most present helpe wer to bee looked for of theym, when in dede they canne do nothyng at all vnto our health, neither concerning the bodi nor y e soul. With suche Idolatours. O good Lord haue we nothing to do, although neuer so greuous synners. For we are taughte by thy holy word, nether to truste in Roche nor in Apoline, neither in Agasse, nor in Annes, nether in Erkēwald nor in Grimbald, nor yet in ani other creature, eyther in heauen or in earth, but in thy greate mercyes set forth in the precyous bloud of thy most dear sonne Iesu Christ, for whose sake alone, for whose merytes and good deedes alone, y u art wel pleased w t mā, fauorest him, & delighteste in hym as a louing father in his dereli beloued sonne. [Page lxxx] O mooste merciful God, we fyndynge in our selfes a iust deserte of al those thy plages, which thou art wonte to caste vpon the chyldren of men for theyr wyckednes (so great and manifold is the nū ber of our synnes) and nothynge at all, wherew [...]th we may in any parte be able to tourne aw [...]y thy heauye dyspleasure fro [...] vs, are co [...]e at thys presente vnto the throne of thy mercie, moost humblie beseching the in the name of Iesu Christe thy sonne and oure alone Mediatour and aduocate not to weyghe our sinnes, & wyckednesses▪ but to cōsider thy gret mercyes and louynge promyses, and for Christes sake to putte away frome vs al such plages, [...]. iii. and▪ [...]vii. Mark [...]ii. Luke iii.i [...] ii. Peter. [...] as we moost iustelye haue deserued and to preserue vs in suche state of bodelye healthe, that we maye liue and glorify thi blessed name. [Page] Ah Lorde, Psal. xxx. Es xxxviii. may dust giue thanks vnto the? or shall that declare thy faithfulnes? The graue praiseth not the, death doth not magnifye the. They that go down into the graue prayse not thy truthe, but the lyuynge, yea the the lyuynge knowledge prayse, and magnify the. Defende vs therefore, O Lorde, from the terrible plagues of thy fearful dyspleasure, but aboue al thinges remoue from vs y • dyseases of our mynde, that we beynge whole in soule, maye beholde the wyth a pure faythe, and serue the with a clean hert. Giue vs also the health of our body vnto our laste dayes, that we enioyinge the healthe bothe of bodye and soule, thorowe thy syngular benefite, maye leade a quyet and healtheful life vnto thy honoure and glorye. Amen.
A prayer to preserue the frutes of the earthe▪
[Page lxxxi]AT the beginning thou commaundest the earth. O Lord to bringe forthe grene gras, herbs, Gene. i. and trees with their sedes and frutes▪ that they myghte be meate to thy creatures lyuynge on the earthe both to manne and beaste. After that depe and great floud, wherin all liuing creaturs perished excepte Nohe and suche as were with him in the arck▪ Gene. vii. ii. Peter. ii. not onelye herbes, sedes and fruites gauest thou vnto man for to eat, Gen. ix. but also all other thy creatures that moue or lyue on the earthe, whether it be fysh or foul, Acte [...]. [...]. Titus. i. Rom xiiii. i. Corin. x. i. Tim. iiii. so that al thynges are pure to them that are pure, nether can ani thing be comon or vnclene, that thou hast made pure and cleane. For al thy creatures, O Lord god, are good and none of them are to be refused, if they be taken wyth thanckes geuynge.
[Page]For they are sāctified by thi word and by prayer, and were ordeined of the to be receiued with thanks geuynge of the faythfull, & of thē that knowe the truth. Seing thē that thou alone art the creatoure and maker of al thyngs, and hast prepared hearbes, seedes, fruits, fyshe, and fleshe to be meate for manne, seynge also that without thy blessīg al these thy creatures prospere not, nor yet come vnto a fortunate ende, but growe out of kynde, wyther awaye, perysh, dye and come to nought, wee mooste humbly besech the to blesse vs & al the frutes of the earth wyth al other thy creatures whych thou hast made for mans vse and profit. i. Cori. iii. And forasmuch as neither he that plāteth, nor he that watreth is anye thynge, but thou, O God, which geuest the encrease, graūt we pray the, psal. lxvii. that the earthe maye [Page lxxxii] geue forth her fruit prosperously and plenteously, that we may enioy the same in due and conueniente tyme, vnto oure greate ioye and comfort. Let not the labors of our handes, which we haue taken in thy name, and accordinge to thy worde, be found vaine and frustrate, but accordynge to thy promyse blesse our laboures, and bring thē vnto a fortunate ende. For we, O Lorde, Psal. xcv. feede not oure selues, but we are the shepe of thi pasture, Thou feedest vs. Thou geuest meat to the hungry. Psa. cxlvi. Thou prepareste manne hys corne, and prouydeste for the earthe. Thou watrest her forrowes, Psal. lxv. thou breakest the harde clods thereof, thou makeste it softe with the droppes of raine, and blesseste the encrese of it. Thou crowneste the yeare wyth thy bountifulnesse, and thy footesteps drop fatnesse.
[Page]Thou also makest the dwellyng of the wildernesse fatte, that they droppe wythall, and the litle hilles makest thou pleasāte on euerye side. Yea thou makest y e valleies to stand so thick with corne, that they laugh and synge. Psal. ciiii. Thou causeste the wels to springe vp among the valies, and the waters to runne amonge the hylles, that all the beastes of the fylde maye haue dryncke, and that the wylde Asses, may quenche their thryste. Thou waterest y e hyls frō aboue, the earth is filled with y e fruts of thy workes. Thou bringest forth gras for the cattel, & grene herbs for y e seruice of mē. Thou brīgest foode oute of the earthe, wyne to make gladde the hearte of man, oyl to make hym a chereful countenaunce, and breade to strength mannes hearte, O Lorde, howe manifolde are thy works, ryghte [Page lxxxiii] wyselye hast thou made them al, yea, the earth is ful of thy riches. It is thy blessynge, Pla. cxiiii [...] that our garners are full and plentous wyth al manner of store, that our shepe brynge forth thousandes, & hundred thousandes in our vyllages and fyeldes, that oure oxen be [...]ustye and fatte, that we haue all thynges plenteouslye for the sustentacyon of oure bodyes. Psalm [...]. v. For whē thou openest thy hand, thou fylleste euerye lyuynge creature wyth thy blessing, but when thou hydest thy face, thei are sorowfull mourne, and dye for honger. Forasmuch then, O moost mercyfull father, as we receiue of the alone all good thynges, Psal. l [...]. vouchesafe we moost hertely besech the, to shew vs thy face, to lyghten thy continuance vppon vs, to blesse vs, to make the erth frutful, and to preserue the fruits of the same, that [Page] we▪ thi creatures receiuing at thy merciful hād al things necessary for this our nedy & beggerli lyfe, may liue and magnifi thy blessed name, both in this world, and in the worlde to come, thorow Iesu Christ thy sōne & our lord, Amen.
A prayer that we maye haue the feare of God before our eyes in all our doings.
O Almighty and euerlastynge God, Mala i. thi holi worde teacheth vs, that thou arte not onlie a father, but also a Lorde, not onlye a forgeuer, but also a reuenger, not onlye a sauioure, but also a Iudge. And as thou beeinge a father, a forgiuer a sauiour dost pardon & shew mercye, so thou beinge a Lord a reuenger, a Iudge punysheste and condempneste. Neyther dothe thy holye scripture onelye set fourth vnto vs a gospelle, whyche comforteth vs, quyckenethe vs, sheweth vs mery tidings, forgiueth our sinnes [Page lxxxiiii] quyeteth our conscience, and brī geth vnto vs euerlastynge lyfe, but also a lawe, whych reproueth accuseth, condemneth vs, ii. Cor. iii. woundeth and sleath oure conscyence, yea and throweth vs down headlonge into the deepe dongeon of helle. And as the Gospell lyfteth vs vp, and maketh vs merie with the hope of remissiō and forgiuenes of our sīnes: so doth the law plucke vs down and almost driue vs vnto desperacyon, for feare of the plages and euerlastynge punishementes, whyche thou haste prepared for them that despise thi holy ordynances, so that we may not onelye loue the as a father, a forgeuer a sauioure, but also fere the as a Lord, a reuēger a iudge. Forasmuche therefore (O moost gentel sauyoure and moost righteous iudge) as nothynge doeth so myghtelye put awaye, synne, [Page] and maketh vs to walke in y e wai of thy cōmaundements, [...]ccle. i. as reuerentelye to feare the to stande in awe of thy iudgement and heuye displeasure, we most entirly pray the to geue vs that feare, whyche thou requireste of vs in thy holye scriptures, [...]. xxxiiii. [...]ii.cxxviii and whereunto thou haste promysed so manye large & boūteous benefites that we may not only loue the as a sauiour, honor the as a father, but also reuerence the as a Lord, fear the as a iudge. O Lord all thynges are open vnto thy eyes, neyther is any thynge hid from the which seeste the verie secretes & most inward thoughtes of oure heartes, geue vs therfore grace that in all oure enterprises, Hebru. iiii. Ieri. xvii. we euer set thy feare before our eies, & so stand in awe of the and of thy righteous iudgements, that we attempt nothing wherby we shuld prouoke thi heauie [Page lxxxv] displeasure against vs, but so walke in thy feare and in thy holie ordinances, that we may at all tymes loue the as a sauioure, honour the as a father, reuerence y • as a Lorde, feare the as a iudge. So shal it come to passe: that we reuerentelye fearynge the as the chylde dothe his father, shall not onlye auoide all suche euilles as might make the oure heauy Lord and ferce iudge, but also embrace those vertues, whyche shall both euidentelie declare oure faithfull loue, true honour, vnfained reuerence, and humble feare towarde the, and also make the our louing father and moost mercyfull sauioure thorowe Iesu Christe oure Lord. Amen.
A prayer for ffayth.
VUe are taughte by thy holye Apostle (O mooste louynge Rom. xiiii. sauioure) that what soeuer [Page] is not of faith, is synne, and that, it is impossible to please the with oute fayth, [...]. xi. and therfore they that come vnto the, must beleue, that thou art God, yea and such a God as is both able and also wil abundauntelye rewarde all them, that with true faieth seke the. Ieremy. v. For thy eyes O Lorde, looke vpon faythe and thou doest appere and shewthi selfvnto them, Sapien. i. that haue faith in the, Ose. iii. yea thorowe fayeth thou beinge the kinge of glory art maryed to the souls of the faithful, and makest them partakers of thy deuine nature thorow the wonderful working of thy blessed spirite, Thorow faith so many as beleue ar iustified, Roma. iii.iiii. and .v. Gal. ii.iii.iiii. and .v. Ephe. ii. Marke, xi. made the sonnes and heirs of God, & haue euerlasting lyfe. By faith we obtein of god al good thīgs, euen whatsoeuer we axe ī thy name. Seīg y • faith is so precyous a iewel in the sight, y t w t out [Page lxxxvi] it nothing is acceptable vnto thy deuyne maiestye, and we of oure owne nature can not haue thys moost synguler treasure excepte thou geuest it vnto vs frō aboue, and doest breath it into our herts by thy holie spirite (for we of oure selfs are blynd, ignorant, folysh, i. Corin. [...]. & by no meanes can perceiue the thinges y t perteine to the spirit of God) we moost hertely besech the to take awai frō vs al infideliti & vnfaythfulnes, whiche we receyued of old Adam, & to plant in vs true faith and vndoubted belefe y t we may be thorowli perswaded that thou arte the sonne of the lyuynge God, Math. xvi. Ephe. v. verye God and verie manne, our alone swete smelling sacryfyce, our alone Medyatour, i. Timo. ii. aduocate and intercessoure, oure alone wysdome, ryghteousnesse, i. Iohn. ii. Hebru. vii. i. Corin. i. sanctificacyon and redempcyon, by whome alone and for whose [Page] sake only thy heauenly father is well pleased wyth vs, our sinnes are remytted, grace and euerlastyng lyfe are frely geuen vnto vs. O Lord God, suffer vs not to lene to our own wisdō, nor to beleue, as blynd flesh fansyeth, nor to seke saluaciō wher supersticiō dreameth, but lette our fayth onlye be groūded on thy worde, and geue vs grace trulye to beleue in the, with all our hert to putte our trust in thee, to looke for all good thynges of thee, Prouer. iii. to call vpon thy blessed name in aduersity, and w t ioyfull voyces and more merye hertes to praise and magnify it in prosperity. Suffer vs not to dout neyther of God thy heauenlye father, nor of the god his sonne, nor of God the holye ghoste, but earnes [...]elye to beleue, that you being three dys [...]yncte persons in the de [...]ye, are not withstanding one verye [Page lxxxvii] God, besides whome there is no God neither in heauen nor in earth. i. Cor. viii. Graunt also that we may assuredli beleue whatsoeuer is cō tained in the holi scriptures, and by no meanes suffer our selfs to be plucked from the verity thereof, but maynely and stedfastly abyde in the same [...]uē vnto death, rage worlde, rore deuyl. And this fayth (O sweete Iesu) encrese y u dayly in vs more and more, Luke. xvii. that at y e last thorow thy goodnes we may be made perfect & strōg mē in thi holi religion, and shew our selfs both before the & the world truly faithful, by bringinge forth plenty of good worckes vnto the glory and honoure of thy name, whiche with God the father and God the holye ghoste lyueste and reignest true God worlds wythout ende. Amen.
A praier for Charitie▪
[Page]THy holye Apostle wryteth (O mooste gentle sauioure) that the ende of the commaundemente is loue, i. Timot. i. that commeth of a pure heart and of a good conscyence and of faithe vnfained. For he that loueth the his Lord God with al hys heart, Deut. vi. Mat. xxiii. [...]euit. [...]i [...]. Rom. xiii. Mark. xii. Luke. xx. w tal hys soule, w t al his minde, w tal his strēgth, and his neighboure as hymself fulfilleth the whole law. For al y e law and the prophets requyre no more of vs but loue, euē to loue y • our Lord God aboue al thynges. and our neyghbour as our selfe. Without this loue all that we do semeth it neuer so muche prayse worthy in y e sight of men is abhominable before y •. Yea as thi blessed Apostle saith: though I spake wyth the tonges of men and aū gels, and yet had no loue, I were euen as a soundynge bras, i. Cor. xiii. or as a tynklyng cymbal.
[Page lxxxviii]And thoughe I coulde prophecye and vnderstand al secrets and al knowledge, yea if I had al fayth so that I coulde moue moūtains oute of theyr places, & yet had no loue. I wer nothīg. And though I bestowed al mi goods to fede y e pore, and thoughe I gaue my bodye euen that I burned, & yet had no loue: it profiteth me nothyng. For by loue are we knowen to be thy dysciples, Iohn. xiii. euen as the deuyls impes ar knowē by hatred & maliciousnes. And the loue, O lord, y t thou requirest of vs is no worldli nor fleshly loue (for if any mā loueth y e world, i, Iohn. ii. y e loue of the father is not in him. And whosoeuer wil be a frēd of the worlde, Iacob. iiii. is made y e ennemy of God) but godly, spiritual, sincere, tru & pure loue: euē such loue, as suffreth lōg, is courteous, enuieth not, doth not frowardli, swelleth not, i. Cori. xiii dealeth not [Page] disonestlye, seketh not her owne, is not prouoked to anger, thīketh not euyl, reioyseth not in iniquiti▪ but reioiseth in the truth, suffereth al things, beleueth all thynges, endureth all thynges. Thys godly loue, this Christē charytie, gyue thou vnto vs, o good Lord that we maye vnfaynedly & with al our hearte, loue the our Lorde God, whiche so dearlye louest vs, that thou gauest thi self for vs an offering & a sacrifice of a sweete sauour to God. Ephev. v. Take away from vs the loue of worldely thynges, whych though they appere neuer so plesaunt and beutiful, are not withstanding mere vanitie, and giue vs grace so to vse this world as thoughe we vse it not. For the fas [...]ō of this world passeth awai. Make vs also to abhor the filthy & beastlyke pleasures of the stinckyng flesh, i. Cori. v [...]i. and by no meanes to [Page lxxxix] be entāgled with the loue of thē, the ende wherof is dyshonoure, shame, corrupcyō, destrucciō, dā nacyon, and kyndle our herts so feruentlye wyth thy loue▪ that no thynge maye delyght and please vs, but only thou▪ and whatsoeuer maye make vnto thy glorye, & is agreable to thy blessed commaundement, so that thou only mayest be oure loue, our delyght our ioy, oure myrthe, oure solace, and whatsoeuer is without the, and estranged from thy loue, let it be counted of vs more vayne then vanitie it selfe, and more fil thye then the very dōge, Graunt also that from this oure loue towarde the, there may issue oute a vehemēt and brenninge loue to ward our neighburs, yea toward our very enemyes, that we maye loue them from the very hearte, yea, euen as our selues, praye for [Page] them▪ geue thē good coūsel, helpe them, defend them, socour them, prouyde for their necessities, Luke. vi. and deale with them in al thinges, as we wyshe to be dealte wyth all. O Lord God, thou arte loue, and he that dwelleh in loue, [...]. I [...]on. iiii dwelleth in the, and thou in him. Graunt y t in this world we may so dwel together thorow loue, y u in vs by thi holy spirit, and we in the by faith that after our departure frō this vale of miseri, we may be placed w t the in thy heauēly mancion, & so continewe wyth the in glorye for euer and euer. Amen,
A prayer for a godlye lyfe.
IT greatly greueth vs (O merciful father and euer lastynge God) that wee thorowe the greuous & continual assaultes of our ennemies are not able to pas ouer our yeres of thys world wyth such purytye of [Page xc] lyfe, as we ought, and as thou requirest of vs. Uerely we are on euery part so beseged and compas, sed round about of our aduersaries, that scarcely at any time we can be fre from their pestiferous and deadly darts, nor yet haue so muche respyte as once to breath towarde true godlynesse. Oh mooste louinge Lorde, thou arte oure father, and we thy chyldren, conuenient therfore is it that we thy children represent and openli declare in our conuersacyon the māners of the our father. Thou arte good, gentel, louynge, charitable, mercyfull, pacyente, longe sufferyng, holy, righteous, faithfull. &c. It therefore becommeth vs thy chyldren in oure lyuing to practyse goodnesse, gentlenesse, loue, charytye, mercye, pacyence longesufferyng, holynes, ryghteousenes, fayeth. et ce.
[Page]Thou hast geuen vs an example that euē as thou hast done, Iohn. xiii. so we lyke wyse shuld do. If we say we dwel in the, we ought to walke, as thou haste walcked. i. Ioh. iii. For thou hast called vs▪ not to vnclennes, but vnto holynesse. i▪ Thess. iiii Thou haste deliuered vs from thee power of our ennemyes, Luke. i. that wee beynge wythout feare, shuld serue the in holynes and ryghteousnesse al y e dayes of oure life. The bloude of thy sonne Iesus Christ hathe clē sed vs from al sinne, not that we shuld continue in darcknes, i. Iohn. i. but rather walke in the light as thou art in the light. Thy louing kindnes hath appeared vnto al men, Titu. ii. not that wee shoulde folowe vngodlines, and worldly lustes but that we shulde lyue soberly, righteouslye, and godlye in thys presente world. Thou dyddest chose vs in Christe, Ephesi. i. before the foūdacions [Page xci] of the worlde were layd, that we shulde be holye and wythout blame before y e thorow hym. Ephe ii. We are thy workmanship created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes, whych thou ordeynest afore, that we shoulde walke in them, Foras much thē as al the benefits whiche y • hast bestowed vpon vs, are geuen vs vnto thys end, that we shuld walk worthy of thy kyndenes, represēt thy maners in our conuersacion, mortifi the flesh, & the lustes therof, haue nothīg to do with sathā, nor the world, but lead a good lyfe, garnished ful of good workes, and in al poyntes fashioned after y e rule of thi blessed word, we most hertely pray y • to indue vs wyth thy holy spirit, Ezechie. xi. and .xxxvi. which may take away our stonye hert, & geue vs a new fleshy, and soft herte, Ephes. iiii. kyl that old man in vs which is corrupt thorow deceyuable [Page] lustes, & fassion in vs y e newe man, whiche is made after thy Image & likenes in righteousnes & true holines Suffer vs not to giue ouer our selfes agayn vnto our old lusts and cōcupiscences, wherw t we wer led whē we knew not the nor thy sō Christ, [...] but euē as thou which hast called vs arte holy, so likewise graunt that we may be holy in al oure conuersacion. O merciful God, not the herers of thi law but y e fulfillers of it shalbe iustified before the. Romay. ii. Iacob. i. Neither shal euery one y t saithe vnto the: Math. vii. Lord lord: enter into y e kingdō of heauen, but thei that do the wyl of thee our father, Titu. i. which art in heauen. To confes thee wyth our mouth, and to deny the with oure dedes, worketh rather oure damnacion then saluaciō. For y e true knowledg of y e cōsisteth not in talking, i. Cori. iiii. but in working, not in [Page xcii] fauoring, but in folowing, not in louing, but in liuing. Math. xxi. To promise the bi mouth, y t we wil work in thi vineyard, & yet work nothing at al, declare not vs to be thy sōnes, but rather bastards▪ to brag of y e iustificatiō of faith, & not to bring forth y e fruts therof, to glory in y e merits of thi sonne Christ, in his blud, death & passion, & not to liue worthy of his kindnes, Romai, vi, to profes thy holy gospel, & not to walk accordīg to the doctrin therof, to be baptised in thi name & not to mortifi our mēbers which ar of y e erth nor to walk in a new life to be per takers of thy deuine misteries, Ihon. x [...]. & not to be made one spirit w t the, what auaileth it? we ar thy frēds if we do those thing that y u cōmā dest vs. We ar thi seruaūts, Romai. vi. if we be obediente to thy wyll. We are thy sonnes, if we honoure and reuerēce the according to thi word. [Page] We seke thy glory if we attempt nothīg, wherof thou shouldest be dishonored. i. Peter. ii, Leding alife conformable to thy blessed wil we shall prouoke the very enemies or thy truth to praise the, but contrarye wyse, thou shalt be euyl spokē of. Graunt therfore we beseche the, that our lyfe may answer to our profession, Math. v. and that the lyghte of our good works may so shine be fore menne, that they seing oure godly conuersacion may glorifie the oure heauenly father. Amen.
A prayer agaynst the temptacions of the deuil, the world & the fleshe.
ALbeit (O most myghtye captayne, moste valeant warryour and most tryumphante Lorde Christe Iesu) thou by thy death hast put doune him, H [...]bru. ii. i. Cori. xv. Osee. xiii. that hadde Lordshippe ouer death, that is to saithe deuil, that thou mightest deliuer thē, whych [Page xciii] thorow fere of death, wer al their lyfe tyme in danger of bondage, and albeit thou haste spoiled rule and power, and made a shewe of them openly, and hast triumphed ouer them in thine own parson, & by thys meanes delyuered vs from the hands of our enemyes, Colloss. ii. Ephesi. iii. Luke. i. that we myghte serue the all the dayes of oure lyfe in suche holynesse and ryghteousnesse, as are accept before the, yet the deuil for the olde malyce, whyche he hathe borne against mā from his firste creaciō (for thorowe enuye of the deuil deth entred into y e worlde) gothe forthe styll to rage against vs, [...]enesi. iii. Sapien. ii▪ i. Pete [...]. v. and walketh aboute like a rorynge Lyon, seking whō he may deuour. And if he wer not restrained bi thy godli puissāce he wold surely swalowe vs vp, Iob. i. Psa cxxiiii so greate is his tiranye, so myghty is hys power. He preuailed against our [Page] fyrste parentes, yea and that in y e state of theyr innocency and immortality. He afterward attempted other & preuailed, wherof sōe notwithstandyng wer the chosē vessels of mercy. G [...]nesi. iii. ii, Regū. xi. Mat. xxvi. Math. iiii Mark. i. Lu [...]e. iiii. Here of getting a courag vnto hym self, he feared not to assail y t w t his suttel tēptaciōs. Oh is it thē to be thought, y t he willer vs alone so feble, so weke & redy at euery momēt to be ouer throwē. Thou thy self callest him the prince of this world, Iohn. [...]ii. [...]iiii. [...].xvi. [...]. Cor. iiii. and thy holy Apostle nameth hym the god of this world. Strong must he nedes be, & of no smal myght whom thy holy word so termeth, stronge in dede in comparison of vs, but weake and of no forse beinge compared wyth the. Thys Prince, this god of y e world doest y u suffer cōtinually to war agaīst thine elect and chosen people (as for the reprobate and wycked, Iob. i. he hath thē al redy in his court at cō mādemēt, [Page xciiii] not to destroi thē whiche he moste of al wisheth, but to exercise & try their faith, to proue their cōstaci & in this their cōstict to occasion thē bi herti praiers to [...] vnto thi holi name, Pro. xvi [...]i▪ which is a strōg tower, & mighty fortres, for so many as repayre vnto it, y e thei getting ayde at thy hande, maye not onli enter battel w t this their great & immortal enemy, but also by the power of thy myghte ouer come hi [...] and put him to flyght. And as thou hast geuē satā thys liberti to tempt, to exercise, Iob. i. proue and try vs, whether we be costāt in thy faythe and word, or not, so dooth he take thy profer. And althoughe y u sufferest hym thus to do for our great profit & singuler commodity, for we know that all thyngs worke for the beste vnto theym that loue God, Rom. v [...]. euen that we of oure selfes beynge weake [Page] shuld haue a gloryous triumphe and noble vyctory ouer hym thorowe the myghty puissaunce of y e our grande captain, yet herof taketh he an occasiō, to seke our destruccion. And that he may bring this to passe, besides y e innumerable companye of hellishe spyrites he taketh vnto hym .ii. other our moost cruel ennemies, i. Ihon. ii. [...]lath. v. Ps [...]. cxxiiii the world & y e flesh. The one with his vain pleasures, the other with her carnal, lustes so compasse vs round about, that if thy presēt help wer not, we must nedes perish. O louyng Lorde and most gentle sauyoure, thou seest our weaknes, myserye, i, Re xxvii. [...]ccl. xlvii. and no strength. Thou knoweste againe the valeaunte, myght and power of oure aduersaries. Our strēgth is no more to be compared wyth theyr mighte, then the strength of lytle Dauid with the mightye power of great [Page xcv] Goliah: oure speare, oure swerd, oure shielde wyll do nothynge in thys behalfe. Notwythstandyng Lord, we do not despayre. For al thoughe there bee not so greate strengthe in vs, ii. P [...]. xiiii that we may be able to resyst this greate company y t cōmeth against vs, yet haue we this one refuge and succour euen to lift vp our eyes, Psal. cx [...]. vnto the & to saye, our help commeth frō the lord our god whych made heuen and earth. If God be on our syde, who canne be againste vs? Rom. viii. i. Reg. vii. The battel, O lord God is thine, oure faythe therfore is, that thou wylte geue oure ennemyes into our handes. Math. [...]. Thou taughtest vs to pray that we maie not be ledde into temptacion, and hast promised vs, that thou wilte not suffer vs too bee tempted aboue oure strengthe, i. Cor, [...] but wylte in the middes of the temptacyon make aaway [Page] for vs to escape. Thou art fayt [...]ful: Psal. [...]lv. Ti [...] i▪ [...] [...]ii. [...]. Tim. ii, fulfyl therefore thy promise. And forasmuch as thi good pleasu [...]e is: that we shal manfully fyght with these our enemies (for what is the lyfe of manne in this world▪ but a continual warfarre?) and no man is crowned, excepte he stryue lawefullye, we wyth our very heart dyspairinge of oure owne strengthe & corage, moost humblye beseche the to be our captayne, and valeauntelye to defende vs agaynst oure enemyes▪ that they may not preuaile agaynste vs. Make vs strong in the, O Lord, and in the power of thy mighte. Putte on thy holy armour vpon vs, that we may stād stedfast against y e crafty as [...]autes of the deuyl. Ephe [...]. vi. For wee wrastle not against the flesh and bloud, but agaynst rule, agaynste power, and against worldly rulers of y e darknes [Page xcvi] of thys world, agaynste spyrytual wyckednes in heauenlye things. For this cause, O mooste sweete sauiour, put vpon vs thy holy armour, that we mai be able to resist in the euil day, and stand perfect in all thynges. Gyue vs grace therfore to stand, & to gird our loynes aboute wyth veritye, hauyng on the brestplate of righteousnes, and shoed with shooes prepared by the Gospell of peace. But aboue al, graūt that we may take vnto vs the shilde of faithe. wherw t we may be able to quēch al the fyry dartes of the wycked, & to put on the helmete of saluacion and the swearde of the spirite which is thy blessed word. Graūt also, that we being thus godly en armed, may thorow thy puissāce, might and strength, not onely enter battel with our enemyes, but also valeauntly fyght with them [Page] coragiously put them to flyght, & tryumphantly cary away a glorious vyctory ouer them. So shall it come to passe, that we being valeaunt conquerours thorow thy help, shal receiue at thy hānd accordyng to thi promyse, Manna to eat that is hyd, Ap [...]c [...]. ii, & a white stone & in the stone a new name wrytten which no man knoweth, sauyng he y t receiueth it. Lorde for thy mercies sake, grant vs these our peticions. So shal we praise and magnyfye thy blessed name for euer & euer. Amen.
A prayer for remission of synnes.
IF we wretched synners, O Lord God, hadde not louīg promises of thy tē der mercy in the holye scriptures for the comfort of our weake conscyences and sorowful herts, we se none other reamedy, so great & infinit are our sinnes, but that [Page xcix] we must nedes despayre. But for asmuch as what soeuer thynges are wrytten, Roma. x [...]. are wrytten for oure learninge, that thorowe pacience and the comfort of scriptures, we mai haue hope, our sis although neuer so mani & abhominable do not so muche make vs sadde, as thy louynge kindenes and tēder mercyes make vs gladde. Oure syns, we confesse, are innumerable, but thi mercies are also infynyte. Ezec. xviii. Thou art that most gentle Lord, whych wylt not the deathe of a sīner, Say [...]e. xi. but rather that he turn and lyue. Mathe. i. Thou for repentaunce sake dissemblest and wylt not se the sinnes of men. Luke. ii. Thou confessest, that thou cammest into thys world to saue sīners, i. Timo. ii. to cal not y e righteous, Mathe. ix. Luke. xvi. but sinners vnto repē taūce, and to seke vp that, which was lost. Mathe. xi. Thou callest vnto thee al them that ar diseased and ladē [Page] wyth the heauy burden of synne, Luke. xix. Math. xi. and promysest that thou wilt ease them. E [...]aye. i. Yea by thi prophet thou saiest▪ if we will washe & make clene our selfs, put awai our euil thoughts out of thi sight, cese frō doīg of euil, & violēce, learn to do right apply our selfs to equitie, deliuer the oppressed, help y e fatherles to his right, & heare the widows cō plaint, though our sis wer as red as scarlet, yet shal they be made whiter thē snow. And thogh they wer like purple, yet shall they bee made like white wolle. Yea y u saiest more ouer, y t for thy own sake, euē for thy mercie & name sake y u wilt be good vnto vs, fauour vs, & so cast away al our sins behind thy back, Esay. xliii. y t thou wilt neuer remē ber thē more. O lord, y u arte y e god, which cā not lie, Titus. i. Iohn▪ xv. y u art y e self truth, y u art faithful in thy words & holy in al thy works. Psal▪ cxlv. For accordyng to [Page xcx] these thy louinge promises haste thou euer dealt with the children of men, whensoeuer they repented & turned vnto the. Whē they forsaked their sinful liuing & called vpō thi holi name, y u forgauest al theyr sīnes and he alest al theyr infyrmytyes. Psal. cxx [...] ▪ Thou sauedst their life from destrucciō and crowned them w t merci & louing kindnes. For thou, O Lord God, art ful of compassion & mercy, lōg sufferīg and of great goodnes. Thou wilt not alwaye be chydynge, neither wilt thou kepe thi anger for euer. Neyther wylt thou deale with vs after our synnes, nor yet reward vs accordyng to our wyckednes. For loke how hye the heauē is in cōparysō of the earth, so great is thy mercy toward them that fere the. Loke howe wyde the East is from the West, so far doest thou sette our synnes from vs.
[Page]Yea like as a father pytyeth hys own children, euen so art y e mercyfull vnto them that feare thee. For thou knowest whereof we be made, thou remembrest that wee are but duste. Esaye. lx. Eccle. xiiii. Iacob. i. [...]. Pet [...]. i. That a man in hys tyme is but as a grasse and florisheth as a flour of the field. For as soone as the wynd goeth ouer it▪ it is gone, and the place therof knoweth it no more. But thi merciful goodnes, o lord ēdureth for euer and euer vpon thē that fear the. Of this thy louynge kyndenes & tender mercy, who at anye time hath not tasted, if he sought it w t al his hert? Forgauest y u not Dauid both hys whoredome and manslaughter whē he repēted & confessed hys syn? Psa lxxxiii ii. Reg. xii. How oft didst thou call backe the plages of thy vengeaunce, Iudi. x. ii. Par. xii. Iudi [...]. iiii. when the chyldrē of Israel lamented theyr syns and turned vnto the? How mercyful [Page xcxi] dyddest thou shew thy self to the Niniuites, Ionas. iii. when they repented & humbled them selfs in thy sight? Howe louynglye spakest thou to that synneful woman in thy gospel, Luke. vii. and forgauest her al her sins, because she repēted and beleued, Peter thy disciple although most cowardly denying the, Mat. xx [...]i. after that he had bytterly wept and lamented his sins, thou dyddest behold with thy merciful eye, and fauorably receiuedst him again into the number of thi holi Apostles. Luke. xxiii. One of thē that died w t the, beīg both a theif & a murtherer, after he had called vnto the for grace, y u placest in Paradise, and makest him partaker of thine eternall felicitye. Mani other notable examples of thy greate mercyes fynde wee in the holy scriptures, whyche wyll not suffer vs to despair of thi clemency and goodnes, be our syns [Page] & wickednesses neuer so manye, but they rather do encourage vs boldely to come vnto y e throne of thy grace, [...]bru. iiii. that wee maye receyue mercy and find grace to helpe in time of nede. O most gentle sauiour, thou art that moost louynge shepperd, which diligētly soughtest vp the wandering sheepe, louyngely laydest it vpon thy shulders, and tenderlye broughtest it home agayne. Luke. xv. Seke vs vp which haue so long runne astraye, laye vs vpon thy merciful shoulders, and bryng vs home agayne vnto the companye of thy faythefull. Thou arte that mooste mercyful Samaritan, Luke. x. which beholdīg the miserable state of y e woūded mā with thy pitifull eie, cāmest vnto him, madest clene his woūds pouredst in wine & oil, boūdedst them vp, laydst the sick Samaritā vpō thi beast, & caridst him into y e inne [Page xcxii] and neuer leaftest him til he was perfectly whole. O most louynge sauyour, vouchsafe also with thy merciful eie to loke vpō our wretched state, whiche wythoute thy helpe muste nedes peryshe. Oure woundes are deadly woundes, & not able to be healed of anye, eyther in heauen or in earth, but of the alone, which art the true Phisicion and alone healest thē that are contryte in herte. Mathe. Esaye. Luke. [...] Esaye. i. Oure hole head is syck, and the heart is veri heauy. Frō the sole of y e foote vnto the head, ther is no hole part in al our bodi, but al are woūds, botches, sores and stripes, which can neither be helped, bounde vp, molified, nor eased with any ointmē except thou puttest to thy helpyng hand. Let it therfore please the of thy great goodnes to make clene our wounds, to poure in the wine and oyl of spirituall gladnesse, to [Page] binde them vp, and neuer to leue vs, til thou hast made vs perfectlye whole, and broughte vs into thy heauenly kyngedome. Heale thou vs, o Lorde, and we shall be healed, [...]. xvii. saue thou vs, and we shal be saued. [...]. [...]v. Thou arte that mooste tender father, whyche receiuedst home agayne wyth embracynge armes that lost sonne, which had wasted all hys goodes wyth ryotous liuyng. So soone as he returned vnto the, repented him of hys dysorder, confessed hys sinne and hūbled himselfe in thi sight, thou haddest compassion on him, and ranne, and fel on hys necke, and kyssed hym. Thou commaundedst thy seruaunts also to bryng forth that beste garment and put it on thy sonne, and to put a ryng on hys hande, and shooes on hys feete. Thou gauest cōmaūdemēt agayne to fetche a fatte calfe and [Page xcxiii] to kyll it, and sayedst: let vs eate and be meri, for this mi sōne was dead, and is a liue againe, he was lost, and now is founde. Shewe thys thy fauour (O most gētle father) to vs thy chyldrē also which haue vngodly bestowed the godly and vertuous gifts, which thou both frendly, and liberally gauest vnto vs. Thys our prodigall and licencious lyuīg sore greueth vs and we be hertely sory y t we hau [...] so greuously offended thy fatherly goodnes. Notwythstandynge acccordynge to thy old wonte, we moste humbly besech the, for thy names sake to haue merci on vs, Psal. xxv. to forgeue vs our synnes, & to receiue vs againe into thi fauoure. Take awai frō vs al oure old begerly ragges, & put on vs y e newe garmēt of innocēcy, y t precius rīg of fayth, wherwith we ar maried vnto y e, Ose. ii. & those most godly shooes [Page] of the euangelike peace, that wee maye walke from henceforthe in the wayes of thy holy commaundemēts, Ephe. vi. & do that, which is plesāt in thy sight. Gyue vs grace so vnfaynedlye to repēt and to amend our lyfe, Luke. xv. that the aungels of heauen maye reioyse at oure conuersion. Psalms. li. And so washe vs from oure syns more and more, that at the laste we maye be cleane and appeare beautyfull in thy heauenlie fathers syght, thorow the our onlye sauiour, which wyth the same thy father and the holy ghoste, lyuest and reignest one true & euer lastynge God, worldes wythoute ende. Amen.
A prayer for a conpetente and necessarye lyuynge.
Mathe. vi.THy sonne and oure LORD (O heauenlye father) taught vs to axe our bodyelye foode of the, Luke. xi. and all other thynges that [Page xcxiiii] be necessary for the preseruatyon of this oure mortall and corruptible body. Ps. cxlvii. Psa. cx [...]. For thou art the Lord y t geuest meat to the hongry. Thou fedest al thi cretures in due time. Thou openest thy hande, and replenysheste all lyuynge thynges with thy blessynge. Ps. xxxiiii. Thy eyes are vpon them that feare the, and vpon suche as truste in thy mercye that thou mayest delyuer their liues frō death, and nourishe them in the tyme of honger. They that fear the shal haue no scarsnes, nether shal thei wāt ani good thing that seke y •. Neuer was it sene▪ y t y e rightous mā, y t is, he y t liueth according to thy word, ps. xxxvii. was forsakē nether hathe his children begged their bread on y e erth. How wōderfully dydst y u fede thy seruant Helias the prophet, whē y u sent hym meat twise on a dai bi the Rauēs. iii. [...], xvii. How maruelously dydest thou encrease [Page] the oyle and meale of y e widow of Saxepta, Helias Ostesse▪ How diddest thou prouide for thy seruant Daniell when he was in prison for setting forth thy glory? [...]. xiiii. How wonderfully fedst y u the childrē of Israel, Deut. viii. Exodu. xvi. [...]. xi. S [...]pi. xvi. by sēding thē meat doune frō heuē by the space of .xl. yeres in y e wildernes? The fouls of the aire dost y e feede, which nether sow nor reape, nor yet carye into the barnes. Psa. lxxvii Thy son also (y t we may hāge on thy fatherly prouidēce, Math. vi. & not dispayre of a cōpetēt liuīg) fed many thousāds wyth a few loues of bread, Mat. xiiii. & a litle nūber of smal fyshes. Marke. vi. He also at a mariage tourned water into wyne, Luke. ix. to shew, y t those which liue accordīg to thy blessed word, Iohn. vi. euerie one in his vocaciō, shall wante no good thing, Iohn. ii. Thou art the very liuynge God whych geueth vs abundantly al thinges to enioy them. 1. Timo. vi. [Page xcxv] Thou art our father, thou therefore wilt not suffer vs thi childrē to perish for hūger. Mathe. vi. Luke. xii. Thou art our Lorde, thou therefore wylte not suffer vs thy seruantes to dye for want of clothes? Psalm. [...]v. Ps. cxlvii. Thou fedest the hethen and the brute beasts, is it then to be thought, that thou wilt leaue vs socourles, which beleue in the, cal on thy holye name, and hang on thy fatherli prouidence? We therfore being thorowli parswaded, Iacob. i. i. Cori. iiii. that al good things pertaining ether to the bodi or to the soule, come from the alone, doubting also nothīg of thy boūteous liberality and liberal bountye toward them, that with strong faith depende on thy fatherlye prouydence, are boulde at this presente to come vnto thy deuyne Maiestye, mooste humblye besechynge the to worke in vs thorow thy holye spirite, a mynd contente wyth [Page] that is sufficiente, Luke. xii. seyng that no mans life stādeth in the abūdāce of the things which he possesseth, seinge also that we be strangers & pilgrymes in this world & haue here no cōtinuing cytye, but seke one to come, Hebr. xiiii. [...]. Timo. vi. agayne, seynge we brought nothing into the world, neyther shal we cary anye thinge oute of it. Iob. i. For naked came we out of oure mothers wombe, and naked shal we turne thither againe Take awai frō vs al superfluous worldelye cares, and teache vs to be cōtēt with food & raimēt. Mathe. vi. Luke▪ xii. Suffer vs not after the maner of the hethē to be careful for wordly thī ges, as though thou hadst no care for vs, but teache vs fyrst of all to seke thy kīgdom & the rightuousnes thereof, and so to loke for all wordly and temporall thynges at thy mercyful hand. Proue. xxx. O Lord, geue vs neyther pouertye nor richesse, [Page xcxvi] onlye grant thou vs a necessarye liuing, lest if we be to ful, we deni the, and saye: what fellowe is the Lord? And lest we being constrained thorow pouertie fal vnto stealing, and forswere the name of y e Lorde our God. Lorde, lette it so come to passe for thy dear sonnes sake Jesu Christ oure Lord, & sauyoure. Amē.
¶ A prayer to be sayd before the Sermon.
THy worde, psa. [...]xix. O Lorde, is a lantarne vnto oure feete, and a lyghte to oure pathewayes. For it sheweth vnto vs euidētly, Deut. v. and .xvii. how we ought to walk, and turn neyther on the ryghte hande, nor on the left, but euē that way that thou hast appointed, that we may lyue & plese the. Esay [...]. xxx. Thi law also is a perfecte & vndefyled lawe, it turneth souls and geueth wisdō euē vnto babes. Thy statuts ar right &reioice the hert, Psalm. xix. thi cōmaūdemēt [Page] is pure, & geueth light vnto y • eis. It is nether emplaster nor salue that healeth vs, but thy worde. O Lord, Sapi. xvi. which heleth al thīgs. Thorow thy word, which y • hast leafte here amōg vs, Iohn. xv. ar we made clene. For it is thy power vnto saluaciō for euerye one that beleueth. Romay. i. To heare this thi word, which is sweter then the hony or honi combe, & more precious then golde, pearle or preycous stone, Psal. xix. we are come hither at this presente (O mooste mercyful father) desyrynge the to send bothe to thy preacher and to vs thy holi spirite, Psal. xxix. y t he mai teache no thing but thy pure worde & the glorious Gospel of thi most deare sonne, agayn, y t we may diligētly note and repose in oure memorye whatsoeuer shall be godly & truly spoken of him. And for asmuche as nether he that planteth nor he that watereth is anye thyng, i. Cori. iii. but [Page xv] thou, O god, which geue [...] the encrease, we most entirely pray the that the sede of thy blessed word, which shal now be sown among vs, may faul into our heartes as into a good grounde, and by no meanes be choked vp of thornes nor dried vp for wāt of moisture, Math. xiii. Mark. iiii. Luke. viii. nor yet carryed away of y • byrdes of the ayer, but thorowe the working of the holy gost, so take rote in our hertes▪ that it may brynge forthe plenty of good frute vnto the glory and the healthe of oure soules. Amen.
A thankesgeuing after the Sermon.
WE render vnto the (o heauenly father) moost hertye thanckes for this spiritual and heauenly nourishmēt of thi blessed word, Ihon. vi. wherwith our souls are not only wel refreshed at this presēt, but also our faithis strēghthened, our loue is kīdled, [Page] and our conscience quieted. We most humbly beseche the to geue vs grace, not only to be hearers of thy word▪ Iac. i. but doers also of the same, not only to loue, but also to lyue thy Gospell, not onlye to fauour but also to folow thy godly doctryne, not only to professe but also to practise thy blessed cōmā demente, y t whatsoeuer wee outwardly heare and inwardely beleue, we mai shew forth the same in our conuersatiō & liuing vnto y e honour of thi holy name, the cō fort of our christen brethren & the health of our soules. Amen.
A prayer to be said before the receiuinge of the holy Communion.
THy loue toward vs (O most Gentell Sauyoure) is so greate and vume asurable, y t it rāne by no meanes bee expressed by mouthe, nor sufficyentlye conceyued in herte, For our loue [Page xvi] withoute any desertes on ourbehalfe, euen frely and willingli at thy heauēly fathers cōmaundemēt y u cāmest down frō the glorious seate of thy deuine maiestie, [...]sa [...]e vii. [...]. i. Luke. i. Iohn i. [...] [...]x. Math. ii.i. tokest veri flesh, & becā [...]est perfect man of the substaūce of that pure and vndefiled virgin Mari thorow the operacion of the holy gost, taughtest the wil of thy heauenly father, confirming y e same with wōderfull miracles vnto y e great comfort of many which thē liued, & vnto the perfect establishment of our fayth whych lyue at thys presēt. After thou hadst trauayled in thys worlde certayne yeres, the tyme to fore appointed frō euerlasting of thi heauēly father drawing nie▪ that thou shuldest geue thy self an oblacyō and sweete smellyng sacrifice to god the father for the sins of y e whole worlde, Ephe v. euen so many as repent, [Page] beleue and amēd, willing that so noble & worthy benefit of our redempcion shuld not be forgottē, nor fal out of remēbraūce, Galath. vi. which is the alone authore of our saluacion, & the onli comfort of weake conscyences. Whē thou haddest [...]atē the Pascal lābe wyth thy disciples according to the appointemēt of the law, thou tokest bread into thy hand, gauest thancks to thy heauenly father, Mat. xxvi. Mat. xiiii. brakest it, & delyuerest it to thy disciples, saying. Take ye, eat ye, this is mi body, which is betraied for you. Do this in the remembraunce of me. Luke. xxii. i. Cor. xi Because the singuler & inestimable benefyte of our redempcyon, brought to passe by the one & onlye oblacion of thy blessed bodye, brokē on the aulter of the crosse, Hebru. ix.x. shuld not be forgotten, thou brakest the breade in the syght of thy discyples, and gauest it vnto thē, commaundynge them to eat it in [Page cvii] the remēbrance of the breakyng of thi bodi, which thē was betraied by thy traiterous disciple Iudas that sōne of perdicyon, Iohn. xvii. & the day folowynge was vnfaynedly broken on the crosse for our raū some, delyueraunce & saluacion. Here didst thou appoint the breakīg of the breade amōg the faithfull gathered to gether for y • purpose, a worthy and blessed memorial of thi bodi breaking. And because the breakinge of thy bodye shuld be y e better remēbred, thou dyddest ennoble the breade wyth the name of thy body, Note. when notwithstādīg it was only y e figure, sign, token and memorial of thy holy body. In like manner when supper was done thou tokest the cup into thy hands, gauest thāks to thy heuēly father, and delyuerest it to thy Discyples, sayinge, drinck of this al ye. For this is mi bloud of the new testamēt, couenaunt [Page] or bargaine, which shalbe shed for many into the remission of sinnes▪ Thys do as oftē as ye drīcke it in the remēbraūce of me As by the breakyng of thy blessed body our raunsome is perfectlye paied: so bi the sheding of thy precious bloud are al our synnes euen vnto the vttermoste washed away. [...]. Iohn. i. Therfore as by y e breaking of the breade thou wouldest the breakyng of thy body & the benefites gotten bi it, to be rem [...] ̄bred among the faythful, so to the end that the sheddyng of thy bloud, & the merytes therof should not be forgottē, thou gauest thē the cup of wine to drink, commaundyng them, that so oft as they or any of y e faythful gathered together for that purpose, do drink of the cup, thei shuld remēber thi death and the sheding of thy precious blud, as thy holy Apostle sayeth: i. Cor. xi. as oft as ye shal eat this bread & drinck [Page cviii] of the cup▪ ye shal shew the lor [...]s deathe tyll he come. ☜ And asthou dyddest ennoble the bread with y e name of thy body▪ being but y e figure of thy body, because the breking of thi body, shuld y e better be remēbred: so likewise, here doest thou garnish and nobly set forth the wine, naminge it thy bloude, when notwythstandynge it only representeth and preacheth vnto vs y e sheding of thi bloud, because it shuld be the more depely grauē & the better retained in our mindes. O most mercifull redemer & gentel sauioure, we are come together at this presēt to celebrate the memoryall of thy blessed and gloryous passyon, and to eat and drinke this breade and wine in y e remēbraunce of thy blessed body breaking, and thy precious bloud sheddyng, moost humbly and frō y e very hert beseching the to gyue [Page] vs grace, worthelye to eate thys breade and drinke of thys cuppe, least by the vnworthy receiuing of them, [...]. Cori. xi. we be gylty of thy bodye and bloud▪ and so eate and drink our own dampnacion. And that we may come the more worthely vnto thys thy table, graunte we mooste entyrely pray the, that we may so earnestly be at defiaunce wyth al synnes, and so inwardly be ashamed, that we at any tyme haue so greuously offēded thi deuine maiesty by attemptynge anye thing, that is not agreable to thy good pleasure, that from hēsforth we may not only lothe, detest and abhor, whatsoeuer is displeasaunt vnto the, but also embrace and lay hand on that, whiche is good and acceptable in thy sight. Math. v. Roma. xii. Forgeue vs al our sīnes & giue vs grace euen w t our whole hert to loue al men, yea our very [Page cix] enemies, and not onli to forgiue al suche as haue offēded vs, but also to be ready at all times to do for them what soeuer good or plesure we be able. And y t we maye be the more welco [...]e vnto the, & be found mete and worthy gests to sitte at this thy table, & to eate of these thi bless [...]d gifts that our soule may be wel comforted, norished, fedde and made mery by y e worthy receiuing of them, clothe vs, we pray the, Math. xx [...] wyth y t weddyng garment, euē true & liuely faith, wherwith our herts are purified, wherwith we are maryed vnto y e & made one flesh one bloud with the, Act [...]s, [...]vi Osee. ii. wherwyth also we are iustified and counted righteous in thy sight, and graūt that thorowe the same faith we ernestly set y e eies of oure minde on these thy moste swete and louing promyses. Ephe v. Rom. iii.v My bodye shall be broken [Page] for you. Mat. xxvi. Ma [...]. ii [...]ii. Luke xxii. [...]. Cori. [...]. My bloude shalbe shedde for you. And wythoute anye doubtyng loke for remissiō of all our synnes at thy heauenly fathers hande, accordynge to thy mooste gentle promyses, yea and that not for our good dedes and merites, Titu. iii, which in this behalf are none, but for y e worthynes of thy blessed passion, for the dignity of thy precious bloude, and for that only and alone sacrifice of thy holye body. For that O Lord, is the salue, y e healeth our souls. That is the medecine, that comforteth our weake and troubled consciē ces. Iohn, vi, That is the liuinge breade: whosoeuer eateth of y e bread shal neuer honger, but lyue for euer. That is y e Iewel of ioy, that maketh our sorowfull hertes mery. That is the mighty bulwark the stronge defēce, the sure fortres, y e [Page cx] preserueth and kepeth vs harmlesse against Satā, synne, death, hel, desperacion, and al the infernal power. To come to the table, to be presēt at the supper, ☜ to here and se what is there don, yea & to receiue y e holy mistiries of thy body & bloud ther setforth vnto vs, profiteth vs nothyng at all▪ if we faithfully beleue not, that thy bodi was brokē & thy bloud shed for our sinnes, and that by the alone oblacion therof done once for al, our syns are forgeuen vs, Hebru. vii▪ ix.x. thy heuenly father is recōciled vnto vs his wrath stored vp thorow sin against vs, is pacified, quietnes of consciēce and euerlasting lyfe is geuen vs, but rather turneth vnto our dāpnacion, because we eat of thys breade and drinck of this cuppe vnworthely: and shal with that Hipocrite, whyche presumed to come vnto the mariage, not hauing [Page] y e wedding garmēt, be boūd hād and fote, [...]ath. xxii and caste into vtter darcknes, wher weping and gnashīg of teeth shalbe. Therfor we most hūbly besech the, to geue vs grace according to thy holy Apostles councel, diligently to proue, try & examin our selfes, whether such repentance, such faith, such loue, i. Cori. [...]i. suche disposition toward al godlines be foūd in vs, or not as thou dost require in them, whych come worthely & with frute vnto thy table. And forasmuch as it is thy gift to repēt hertely, to beleue truly, to loue vnfaynedly, & to be disposed earnestly, to ēbrace true godlynes, and to go forward in y e same from vertueto vertue vnto the end, graunt, we most entirely pray the, Math. iii. we may so repent, that y e frutes of repentāce may be foūd in vs, so beleue, that we may knoledge y • our alone sauiour, so loue [Page cxi] that al oure affeccion may be set on the alone, and so embrace true godlynes, that our h [...]le lyfe may be a cleare Myrrour of vertue & goodnesse. So shall we thorowe thi merci, be foūd worthi gests of this thy table, Phil lp. ii. & receiue these holy misteries vnto y e saluacyon of our soules, yea so shal we be wel assured of the remission and forgeuenes of all our synnes by the breaking of thy blessed body and the sheding of thi precious bloud our consciences shalbe quiet, our hertes shalbe filled wyth all true and spirituall ioye, wee shall tryumph ouer Satan, sinne, death, hell, and desperacyon, we shal be partakers of all the fruites and merytes of thy blessed passyon, and bee made one bo [...]ye wyth the, and fellowe heyres of euerlastynge glorye. O Lord God, lette it so come to passe for the honour of thy name. Amen.
A thankesgeuinge after the receiuynge of the Communion.
IE thanck the (O heauēly father) for the blessed passion and gloryous death of thy derelye beloued sonne our Lorde and sauiour Iesu Christ, Ephe. ii. [...]olloss. ii. by whō & by whose holy woūdes we faythfully beleue and are assuredly perswaded, y t thy wrathe is not onlye pacified toward vs, but that thou also art now becōe oure moost mercyful father, and haste frelye forgeuen vs all oure synnes, restored vs to thy heuēly grace, and made vs sonnes & heiers of thyne eternall glorye. And because we shuld not dout of thi fatherly goodnes toward vs set forthe in the deathe of thi sonne, the same thy sonne Christ Iesu our Lorde hathe leafte vnto vs not onlye his holy word, Ma [...]. x [...]vi. Mat. xiiii. Luke xxii. [...]. Cor. xi. but also a blessed memoryal of hys death, [Page cxii] and passyon, set forth in the holy breade and holy wine, whych we at this presēt haue receiued both for a remembraūce of y e brekyng of hys blessed body, and the shedding of his most precious bloud, and also for the quietnes of oure conscience, and for the assurance of the remission of our syns thorow fayth. We besech the (O heauēli father) that we be neuer vnmyndeful of this thy exceadinge greate kindenes, nor vnthanckful, for thy manyfold & vnspekeable mercys declared vnto vs in the gloryous death of thy welbeloued sōne, but so worcke y • in vs thorowe thy holy spirite, that we maybe made worthye members of that bodye, whereof thy sōne and oure sauyoure Christe Iesu is the heade, Eph. i.iiii. Colloss. i. and that we may so faythfullye beleue in the, and so feruentlye loue one another, alwaye [Page] liuinge in thy feare, and in the obediēce of thy holy law and blessed wyl, that we being fruteful in al godly and chryst [...]n workes, may traine our life accordig to thy good pleasure in this transitory world, and after this fraile and shorte lyfe obtaine that true and immortall lyfe, wher thou w t thy derely beloued sōne our lord and sauiour Iesu Christ, and the holy gost that most sweete cōfortour, liuest and reignest one true God in all honor & glory worldes without ende. Amen.
¶ A shorte prayer to bee sayed at the receiuynge of the mysterye of Chrystes body in the holy Communion.
O Heauenly and blessed father, I render vnto thee mooste heartie thanckes for al thy benefytes, whiche thou hast shewed vnto me most wret [...]hed synner, but speciallye for [Page cxiii] that moost swete smelling sacrifyce, whyche thy onely begotten sōne offred vnto y e on y t aulter of the crosse, Ephe. v. by giuīg his most pure & vndefyled body vnto the death for the redempcion of mākind, Philip. ii▪ in remembraūce wherof according to thy welbeloued sōns ordināce I nowe receyue this holy breade moost entirely beseching, that I may both be partaker of y e merites of thi dere sōnes bodi brekīg and also lead a lyfe worthy of so greate a benefite, vnto the glory of thy name. Amen.
A prayer to be sayed at the receiuynge of the misteryes of Christes bloude in the holy Communion.
O Blessed & mercifull father, thy loue towarde me sinneful creature is so exceadyng greate and vnspeakable, Roma. v. that I can not but geue vnto the, moost humble thanckes, Ephe▪ ii. namely for the shedding [Page] of the moost precious bloud of thy deare sonne Iesu Christe, by the vertue where of thy wrath styrred vp againste me wretched synner, is pacyfyed my raunsōe is payed, the law is fulfylled, my enemyes are ouercome and put to flyghte. In remembraunce of this so noble a victorye and of so great a benefit I am come vnto this thy table, O merciful father to drinke of this cup, desiring the that as my outward man is comforted by the drynkekyng of thys wyne: so lykewyse my inwarde man mai be comforted and made stronge by true faythe in the precious bloud of thy mooste dearly sonne. O Lord and my heauenli father, geue me thy holye spirite, whych may so rule and gouerne my hert, y t I neuer be vnthanckful nor forgetful of this thine excedinge, greate kindenes; but so [Page cxiiii] trayne my lyfe accordynge to thy blessed will, y t whatsoeuer▪ I do speke, or thinke, may be vnto the glorye of thy blessed name & the health of my soule▪ thorow Iesu Christ our Lord, Amen.
A Prayer againste Idolatry.
THou, O Lord art God alone, and besydes the, Esay. lxvi. there is no God nether in heauen nor in earth. As for the gods of the heathen, thei are deuils and the images, Malach. ii i. Cor. xviii which the ignoraunt people worshyppe as gods, by knelynge praying and offering vnto them are no gods, but stocks & stones, Ephe. iiii. Idols and Mamets. They haue mouthes & speake not, i. Timo. ii. eies haue they but theyse not They haue eares, and heare not, Psal. xl [...]i. noses haue thei but thei smel not. Psal. c [...]ii. Thei haue hands and handle not, fete haue they, but they can not go, neyther canne they speake thorowe theyr [Page] [...]hrotes. O how vayne thē are all they, that put their trust in suche mad fan [...]ies, as can doo them no good? Psalm▪ ii. Al health and saluation, al ioye, and comfort come frome the alone, Esaye xlv ii. Cor. i. Ieremy. li. Psam. xlv▪ Ps. [...]xlv. Iere, xvii▪ O Lord, Thou art the god of al consolacion, and father of al mercyes. Thou arte the lyuynge fountayne, from who [...]e alone [...]loweth whatsoeuer good or godlye is. Thou arte the refuge and succour of thy people. Thou hearest thy seruāts, whēsoeuer they cal on the. Who euer trusted in y e and was not holpen. Blessed are they which put their trust in the, and cursed are they that forsake the and folow the Idols of their owne heart. Psal▪ cxiii▪ Esaye. lxv. Deu. xxviii For as the faithfull in thy presēce shall fynde fauour and merci: so shal al Idolatours receiue before the shame of face and confusion of conscience, yea terrible iudgement and euerla [...]ting [Page cxv] dampnacion, Esaye, i, [...]euit. [...]xvi. I [...]remy. ix. besides those temporal punishmentes, whiche thou threatnest in thy holy lawe. We beseche the therfore, O thou alone true and liuing god, to endue vs with thy holi spirit which may clense vs from al blynde erroures, al folysh fansyes, I [...]o [...]. xvi. Ioh. xvii. al vain supersticions, and frō the whole lumpe of Idolatry, and leade vs vnto thy godlye truthe, that wee maye knowe the to bee the alone true, euerlasting and immortall God, beleue in the, feare & loue, cal on thy blessed name, seke thy honoure and glory, and craue at thy merciful hande alone, alone, whatsoeuer good thing we haue nede of, concerning the bodye or the soule, that we in th [...]s worlde, glorifi [...]ng the our lord god, alone alone, accordynge to thy blessed woorde, maye after this present life be glorified of the in thy heauenly [Page] kingdom, wher thou wyth thy dearelye beloued sonne & the holy gost liuest and reygnest one true and euerlasting god foreuer and euer. Amen.
A prayer against Swearynge
O Almighty and euerlastinge God, Exod. xxi. how greatly they that abuse thy holy name bi vain and vnlawful othes shall be plaged, Deute. i. it is euident inoughe in the sacred scripturs. For thou thi self saiest, that whosoeuer taketh thi name in vain shal not escape vn punished. [...]a [...]ha. v. And thy prophet sawe flying in the ayre a great & large boke, euen twēty cubyts in lēgth and ten cubits in breadth, wherin were contayned the cursses & plages that are prepared for thē, which vainly or falsly sweare by thy holy name. It is wrytten also that whosoeuer vseth muche to sweare, shalbe fylled with iniquity, [Page cxvi] and the plage, y t is the vengeaunce of thy wrath shal not depart from his house. Ecle. xxxii. Seing that so many, yea & those terrible punishments, and moost greuous plages are threatned, prepared & setforth to all idle swearers and wycked blasphemers of the & of thy blessed name, we most hertely pray the, so to order our tunge, that it vtter no vngodlye nor file thy communication, that it abuse not the nor thy name, nor any of thy cre [...] tures eyther in heauē or in earth, by vnlawful and vayne othes, but that with all diligence we obserue the cōmaundemēt of thy only begotten sonne, whiche streightly chargeth vs, Math. v. that wee sweare not at al, Iacob, v. nether bi heauē for it is godds seat, nor yet by the earthe, for it is his footestole, nether by Ierusalē, for it is the city of the greate kyng, neither saith [Page] he, shalte thou swere by thy head because thou canst not make one whyte here or black. But thy cō munication shalbe yea, yea, naye nay. For whatsoeuer is more thē that commeth of euyll. Gyue vs grace therfore (O moost louinge God) to auoyde all vngodlye and wicked othes, to reuerēce thy holy name, to ste vnto it as a strong castell by herty prayer in aduersitie, and at al tymes to prayse, and magnifi it. Graunt also that our communicacion be yea, yea, nay naye that is, yea in herte, & yea in mouthe, nay in herte, and nay in mouth, that ther be foūde no dissi [...]ulaciō in vs, but such symplicitie and truthe in our talke, and such sīcerity & purenes in al our conuersaciō and lyuynge, as becōmeth them that profes thy holi name, which alone is worthy all honour and glory. Amen.
A prayer against Pride.
O Most louing and gentle sauiour the only begotten son of the eternall and lyuynge god thou commaundest al them, Math. x [...]. that wyll come vnto the and bee thy scolers to learne of the to be meke, humble and lowly in hert, Math. [...]. to be pore in spirit, not to be puffed vp with arrogancy, pride, ambicion, and vayn glory. For thou scatterest thē that ar proud in the Imaginacion of theyr heartes. Luke. [...]. Thou puttest downe the mighty from theyr seats and exaltest thē of lowe degre. Thou resistest the proud, i. Peter. [...] & geuest grace to the humble. Thou throwest down y e hauty minded, and exaltest the meke spirited. Thou so greatly abborrest Pride, Eccle. x. that thbou ryngest also the proude to nought and makest the memoryall of theym to ceasse from out of the earth.
[Page]For pryde is the orygynall of al synne, whoso taketh hold therof, shalbe fylled wyth cursings, [...]. x. and at the last it shal ouerthrow hym. O Lord, what is to be foūd in vs being our owne, that may make vs to glory in our selfs and to be proud? [...] ▪ iii. As concerning our body what is it, but earthe, ashes, dust & donge? [...] As for the beauty & fauour of it. Oh how disceitful and vayn it is. [...]. x [...]xi. And as for the strēgth therof, howe shortelye dothe a litle feuer make the most myghty, the most weake. [...]. iii. Who thā wil be proud of so vyle a carcas & sacke of donge? [...]. ii. [...] ▪ v. As touching our soule if it be regenerat by thy holy spirit what other thing is it, thē the bonde slaue of satan and sinne. If any thing we haue, that good is (for all naughtines cōmeth of oure selues) it is thy gyft. Os [...]. xiii. If we haue receiued it, why do we glory in our felfs, as though we had [Page cxviii] [...]ot receiued it? It may plese the therefore whiche arte the Myrrour of true, humility and geuer of al vertu, to graue in our herts the true knowledge of our selfes that we maye bothe willyngelye and vnfainedly confes, whatsoeuer goodnes we haue, to be thy gyfte and so not to glory in oure selfes, but to geue vnto the most humble and herty thanks for all thy giftes, euer walkynge before y e with al submissiō & lowlines of mind, that thou maiest exalte vs whē the tyme commeth. Suffer vs not to be hye mynded, but to make our selfs equall to thē of y e lower sort, & gyue vs that humiliti & lowlines of hert, that mortifieth & killeth in vs al loue of o ur selfs al pride & arrogācy, that our whole glory & reioising may only be in the our Lord and sauioure to whō be al honor for euermore. Amen.
A prayer agaynste whoredome.
[...]. xlvii.HOwe greatly thou doste abhorre whoredom, fornicaciō and all vnclennes O Lord, [...]. xix. y e drownyng of the whole world, the destruccion of Sodome and Gomorre with water, Exod, xx. fire & brimstone, Deute. v. from heuen, and such other like plages mencioned in the holy scriptures▪ do euidētly declare and shew. Deu. xxiii. Thy cōmaundement is that we shulde cōmit none adultry. Leuit. [...]x. And in the common▪ weale of the Israelits thou cōmaūdest, Deut. xxii that there shuld neither be whormonger nor whore. If any suche wer found, y e thei shuld be stoned vnto deathe. Prou [...]r. v. For althoughe the l [...]ppes of an harlotte are to the folyshe a droppynge hony come, and her necke softer then oyl: yet at y e last is she as bitter as wormwod, and as sharp as a swearde. Her feete go down vnto death, & [Page cxix] her steppes haste them into hell, and he y e accompanieth him selfe with an whore, Prouer. ix. shal go doun vnto hel but he that goeth away frō her, shalbe saued. Proue. x [...]x. Yea he y • mainteineth an whore, shal come vnto beggery in this world, and after this life shal haue his part in the lake that burneth wyth fire and brymstone. O Lorde, Apoca. xx i. Tess. iii [...]. thou haste called vs not vnto vnclēnes, but vnto holynes & purenes of lyfe, i. Corin. vi thou hast made vs one body and one spirit with the: how vnsemely thē is it to take the mēbers of Christ, Psalm. li. & to make thē the mēbers of an harlot? We therfore moste humbly besech the to make in vs a clene hert to renue a right spirite within vs, & to turn away al voluptuousnesse from vs. Ecle. xxiii. Take from vs the lusts of the body, let not the desires of vnclēnes take hold vpon vs, and geue vs not oouer [Page] into an vnshamefaste and obstinate minde. Ephesi. v. Let not fornicaciō, adultery, nor any kind of vnclēnes be once named amōg vs. Let no fylthye communicaciōn procede out of your mouthes, Ephe. iiii. but that which is good to edifie with al when nede is, i. Cor. vi. that it may haue fauour with the hearers. And for asmuch as nether fornicatours, neyther whoremongers, Ephesi. v. nether weaklīgs, nether abusers of thē selfs with the mankinde, shal enherit the kingdome of God: grāt we hertely pray the that suche as be vnmaried, may kepe thē selfs pure and vndefiled after the exā ple of that godly yong man Ioseph and bring with thē vnto honorable wedlocke both their bodyes and myndes chast & honest. Graunte also y t the maryed men may beware and kepe thē selfes from all whoredome, Gen. xxxix. and vse the [Page cxx] companye of no woman besides theyr wife. Again, Tobi. iiii. Iob. [...]iii. graunt that al maried women may practyse the maners of that vertuous womā Susāna, & nether for flattering nor manacing words at anytime consent vnto vnclennes, but so kepe the bed vndefiled, that their mariage may be honorable, that God may blesse thē & theyr godly trauels, and make theym ioyfull Mothers of manye children. Fynally graūt (O most merciful father) y t we may so auoid al vnclē nes, y t we being pure both in bodye & soule may deserue to se thy glorious face in thi heuēly kīgdō thorow Iesu christ our lord. Amē
A prayer agaynste couetousnes.
THy sonne and oure Lord (O heauenly father, byddeth vs take hede and beware of couetousnes, for no mannes lyfe, sayeth he, standeth in the aboundaūce [Page] of thyngs which he posesseth. Thy holy Apostle also affirmeth couetousnes to be the rote of al euilles, i. Tim. vi. and that they which study to be riche, fal into temptacion and snares, & into many folyshe and noysome lustes, which drowne men in temptacion and destrucciō. And in a nother place he calleth couetousnes the worshyppyng of Idolles. Ephes [...]. v. Thus, in euery place of the holye scrypture thys most damnable synne of couetousnes is cōdēpned and forbiddē ▪ Notwithstanding. O lord thorow the suttel working of the Deuill, we se how this most vyle monsture hath preuailed, and almost ouercome the whole world and brought into his subieccyon not onli the wicked and vnfaithful, but thē also that professe thy blessed name and holy religion. For frome the fyrste to the laste, [Page cxxi] frō the hiest to the lowest, al gyue theyr mynde to couetousnesse. Iere. vi. Phil. ii. Al seke their own & not Iesu Christes. They renounce the world in word but in dede no mā ēbraceth it more desirousli. Thei bi mouth professe couetousnes to be a line but in worke they magnifi it, not onelye as a vertue, but also as a God. In word they confes y t to be theyr Lord, Esay [...]. v. but in dede they serue Māmō. Thei make no end of ioynīg house to house, land to land, Lordshyp to Lordshyp, ferme to ferme, pastur to pasture. i. Peter. v. Another sorte which ought to be an exāple to thy flocke, cheyneth, coupleth, lynck [...]the, and ioyneth lykewyse dignyty to dignity, promocyon to promocion, benefice to benefyce, prebend to prebende, deanry to deanry, office ro office, & office for a vauntage, vnto the greate dishonoure of thy holy name, the hyndrance [Page] of thy blessed Gospell and the confusion of theyr cōsciēce, if they had any. Esay [...]. lvi. They be shamlesse dogges that haue neuer inoughe nor be neuer fatysfyed. Abacuc. ii. They go forth daili more and more, to hepe vp thicke clay against them selfs. Their couetousnes knoweth nether ende nor mesure, so y t if thou dost not shortly reforme this outragious desyre of hauīg, it is like to come to passe, that Mammon shal be honored for a God, & thou vtterly dispised, few shal possesse the whole fruites ofthe earth, the other shal miserably sterue for hū ger. For ther is no mercye on the earthe, Os [...]. iiii. as thy Prophete complayneth. All seke theyr own and not Iesu Christes. Philip. ii▪ They be louers of themselfs and haters of other. O good lord it may plese y t therfore for thy mercyes sake, to redresse these pestylences wher wyth the [Page cxxii] moost parte of the worlde at thys present be infected. Open y e eies of the couetous worldlyngs, that they may clearely se how vile an Idole they serue, Psal. xxxix. how vncertain possessions they gather together, not knowing to whom they shall leaue them. Take awai frō them inordinate and vnsaciable desire of hauīg. Psal. cxix. Encline their herts vnto thi testimonis, & not vnto couetousnesse. i. Peter. ii. Teach thē that in this world they are but straūgers and Pylgrimes, Hebr. xiii. and haue here no abidig citie, but seke for one to come, and that therfore thei ought to be contente wyth that is sufficient. For nothinge broughte they into this world, nether shal they carye any thyng out of it. i. Tim [...]. vi. Teach them not to put theyr trust in vncerten rychesse, but in y e, the liuing god: which geuest vs al thyngs abundantelye to enioye them. Teache [Page] them to do good and to be rich in good workes, and readye to geue & to distribute, layinge vp in store for them selfs a good foūdacyon agaynste the time to come, y t they may obtayne eternal life. Teach them to learne & practise this thy commaundement geuē bi the prophet: breake thy bread to the hungri, Esa. lviii. & lede into thi house the pore & harbourles. When y u seest a naked mā, couer him, and thou shalt not despise thy flesh. Teache thē to loue theyr neighbour as them selfes, Leui [...] xix. Math. xiii. and to seke the commodite of theyr Christē brethren no lesse then theyr owne. Mark. xii. Yea teach them euer to set befor their eies this cō maundement of thy holi Apostle, let no man seke his owne profyt, but the cōodite of other. Luke x. Roma. [...]iii. In fine, grant that the conuersaciō of so manye as professe thy name, Iacob. ii. may be so far stranged from the most [Page cxxiii] detestable sinne of couetousnes, that it be not once named amōge them: Hebr. xiii. agayne that they make thē bagges which waxe not old, Ephe. v. and gather treasure in heauē that faileth not, Luke. xii. where no thief commeth nor moth corrupteth that they being rich in good workes, Mathe. vi. may obtain that blessed life, which y u hast promised to so mani as be louing and merciful thorow Iesu Christ our Lorde. Amen.
A prayer agaynste Glotonye and Dronkennesse.
VUe are warned by thi deare son (O most merciful father) to take heede y t our hearts be not ouerwhelmed with feasting and dronkennes. Luke. xix. Eze. xxxvii. For thorow festynge manye haue died, Ose. iiii. and thorow drōkēns innumerable haue peryshed. If oure fyrste parentes hadde not obeyed theyr appetyte, Gene. ii. they had not transgressed thy cō commaundement [Page] by eatinge the forbiddē frute, nor haue gottē so great an euil both to them selfes and to al their posterity. If Lotte had not ben ouercome with wine he had neuer so filthely committed inceste with his owne doughters. Genesis. ii. Ex [...] xxxii▪ If the people of Israell had not geuē them selfs vnto bāckettinge, i. Cor x. they had not neuer so wyckedly fallē into Idolatry, nether had so mani thousands of mē ben slain. Math. xiii, If king Herod had not ben ouercome wyth banckettyng, he wold not so sone haue consented to the death of the godly preacher S. Iohn. Luke. xvi. If that rich gloton had not bene so greatly geuen to the pampring of his belly, he woulde neuer haue ben so vnmerciful to pore Lazarus. If the Sodomits had not vsed bancketting and riotous liuinge, Ezechi. xvi. they had not peryshed w t so horrible punyshments [Page cxxiiii] For thou▪ O lord canst not abide thy creatures to bee abused. Gene. xix. For besydes euerlastynge dampnacion, which abydeth all glotones & dronckerds, thou punishest these voluptuous Epicures & beastlye belli slaues with corporal plages, with sicknes and pouerty, as thy seruaunt Salomon testifieth. Where is wo, sayeth he? Prou. xxiii. wher is sorowe? where is stryfe? wher is brawling? wher are woūds withoute a cause. Where be red eyes? Euen among those that be euer at the wine, & seke out where the best is. Agayne he saieth, kepe no company with wine bibbers and riotous eaters of fleshe, for suche as be dronckerdes and ryotous persōnes shal come to pouerti. Another of thy seruaunts also declareth, that excesse of meats brī geth sicknesse, and glotony commeth at the last vnto an vnmesurable [Page] heat. Yea he sayeth▪ that an vnsaciable eater slepeth vnquietly, Eccle. xxxi. and hathe ache and pain of the body. Seing these foule and fylthy monstures of glottonye and drōkennes bring vnto vs the destruccion both of body and soule, we besech the, O heauenli father, to geue vs grace, that from hensforth we may be from these beastly vices as from mooste presente pestilēces, and vse thy good creatures soberly, temperatelye and thāckfully, Roma. xiii. & by no meanes make prouision for the fleshe to fulfil y e lusts therof, but be sober & watch y t we fal not into y e snares of oure gostly enemie the Dyuel, whiche walketh about like a roringe Lion seking whom he may deuour and labour for that meate, i. Peter. v. which perysheth not but abydeth into euerlasting life: Iohn. x.vi. that we liuing soberly, watching warely, prayinge [Page cxxv] continually, and loking diligently for the comming of thy dearlye beloued sōne, Luke. xvii. may be found redy whensoeuer he commeth & enter with him into the glory of heauē for euer and euer. Amen. i. Te [...]so. vi. Mat. xxiiii
A prayer agaynst Idlenes.
IMmediatly after thou haddest created man (O maker of heauen and earth) and placed him in the garden of Eden, Gene. ii. thou conmaundedst him to dresse, & keepe it, because he shoulde not be idle. For idlenes is y e occasiō of much euil. Eccl. xxxiii In lyke manner after man had transgressed thy holy cōmandement, thou expulsing hym out of paradice for his disobediēce, Gene. iii. & sending him abrode into the face of the earth, commandedst him to eate his bread in the swete of his face, & in the labour of his hāds, Psal. cxix. so that thy good pleasure is, that no man shulde be idle. Thys thy [Page] commaundement was diligentli obserued of the godly auncyente fathers. [...]ene▪ iiii. Adam tilled the earth. Abel was a shepparde. Iubal exercised Musick. Tubalcain was a worker in metal, and a grauer in brasse and yron. Gene. ix. Nohe planted a vyneyarde. Abraham, Lot, Isaac and Iacob were shepherdes and plowemenne, G [...]ne. xiii. and .xxvi.xxix.xii. Exodu. iii. i. Re [...]. xvi. [...]. i. Ioseph was a Magistrate. Moises, Dauid, Amos w t diuers, other, kept shepe before they wer called vnto office. Thy dearly beloued sōne, before y u appoyntedst hym to be a preacher of thy blessed wil vnto y e world was a Carpenture, Mark. xiii and so got his lyuinge. Hys Apostles were fysher mē. Math. iiii. Blessed Paul laboured with hys own hands, and got both his own liuing & others y t were wyth him. [...]. xx. Thabita is cōmended in the holy scripture, because she made garments, and gaue them to the [Page cxxvi] pore people. So manye, O Lord, as had any sparcke of godlynesse or pretēce of honesti in them, i. Tesso. ii. euen from the begīning vnto this day euer abhorred idlenes, ii. Tes. iii. and practised one thing or other, Actes. ix. so y t they wer neuer ydle, but earnestly trauailed eueri one accordīg to their vocacion. For as the bird is born to flie, so is man borne to labour. Yea thi holi apostle hath charged vs in thi name, Iohn v. i. Tes. iii. that if ani wil not l [...]bour, he shuld not eat. He cōmā deth also, y t we shulde withdrawe our selfs frō eueri one y t walketh inordinatly, & wil not laboure for his own liuīg? And the wise mā sēdeth vs vnto y e Emmet as vnto a mastres & exāplar of labour, Proue. vi. & willeth vs to consider her property, that we may be wise which although she hath nether gide, techer nor heade, yet prouideth she her meat in sōmer, & gathereth together [Page] her fode in haruest, we besech y • therfore O Lord, to dryue away frō vs, al idlenes and sluggish behaueoure, and to geue vs grace y t eueri one of vs euē so manye as professe thy blessed name, may be earnest in folowing their vocacion, & delighte in godly trauails & vertuous exercises▪ y e magistrate in rightously gouerning y e common welth, the spiritual minister in truli preachīg thi blessed word, the comon people in diligētly folowing their occupatiōs, sciences & mistiries, y t none be foūd idle in the christen publique weal. So shal it come to passe, that all beīg vertuousli occupiedaccordīg to thi holi commandemēt, y u shalt delighte in vs as a father in hys childrē, & sēd vs the frutes of our labours, that is, aboundaunce of al temporal thinges in this presēt worlde, and after oure departure [Page cxxvii] euerlastinge glorye, thorowe Iesu Christ our Lorde. Amen.
A prayer agaynst slaunderynge and backebytynge.
THe tonge (O Lorde) is a member, which thou hast geuen almoste generally to al liuing creatures, but speche haste thou researued onelye for man, yea and that vnto this ende that he shuld sette forth thi praise & glori, magnifi thi blessed name, auance thy holy religion, be euer tellynge of thy wonderus works and alway speaking, that whiche may make vnto thy glory▪ and vnto the profyt of our Christen brethrē. The tong rightli vsed, Prouer. x. is the organ of the holy ghost. Prouer. xv. An innocent and righteous tong, is a noble treasure, a tre of lyfe, Proue. xvi. an hony combe, a refreshyng of the mīd, & healthe of the bones. Prouer. xx. A mouth of vnderstāding is more worthe thē [Page] gold then many precious stones and costlye Iewels. But this gift of speach, O blessed Lord is now a daies greatlye abused both vnto thy dyshonoure and the vnquietnes of thy people. For wher as thou by thi dearly beloued sonne gauest a general commaūdemēt, y t we shuld bles thē that curse vs, it is now come to passe, that they whome we bles, Mathe. v. [...]uke. vi. curse vs, whom we speake well of they backebyte vs, whom we [...]xhort, monish and teache good thyngs, they deface, slaūder and blaspheme vs, whose wealth and health we seke, they contrariwyse seke our destrucciō O Lorde, theyr mouthe is full of cursed speaking, [...] ▪ i. and theyr tonge paynteth forth deceyte. They syt and speake agaynst theyr brethrē and slaūder euen theyr very well willers. Their tōgimagineth wickednesse, and with lies it cutteth [Page cxxviii] like a sharpe rasour, Thei loue to speak al words that may do hurt Wyth theyr tonge they blesse y e, psalme. iii▪ and with the same tōg thei curse vs, which ar made after thi similitude, image & lykenes, so that oute of one mouth ther procedeth curssyng and blessing. Iacob. iii. But with such blessinges, O Lord, arte not thou delighted. But what maruel is it, O heauenly father, thoughe bacbitynge & slaunderynge be vsed in these oure dayes? In what age hath the slanderous & backebityng tonge ceased frō her slaū derynge and backbitīg? Who of al thy welbeloued seruants escaped fre from her poysonfull and venomous dartes? Was not thy hertye beloued seruaunt Dauyd that kynge and Prophete slaundered of that wycked and blasphemous Traytoure Semei, iii. [...].xvii. & called a bloude shedder, and a mā of [Page] Belial? [...] xviii Was not the holi prophet Helias reported to be a sedicious personne and a disquieter of y e cō mon wel of Israel? Was not thi only begotten sonne called a teacher of newe learning, Marke▪ i. a gloton, a wyne bybber, a frēde of whores and Publicans, a Samaritan a deceiuer of the people, Mathe. xi. Iohn. v [...]ii. a madman and one po [...]sessed with a deuyll? Wer not thy blessed Apostles also called dronckards, Iohn. vii. Iohn. x. sedicyous, persons, vayne pratlers, tidyngs bryngers of new deuils, and teachers of strange doctryne? Actes. ii. and .xvii. Wer not both Ioseph and Susanna reported to be dishonest persons of liuing, Gene. xx [...]ix. and yet notwithstāding none more honest▪ nor more godli. Dani▪ xiii. Who beīg godli bent and vertuoussy disposed, hath at ani time escaped slanderous and backebytynge tonges? O Lord that mē ber, whiche thou madest to be an [Page cxxix] an instrument of the holy ghoste is now become in mani peoplean instrumente of the Deuyll, a fyre and a worlde of wyckednes. For it is so set amonge our members that it defileth the whol bodi and setteth a fyre al y t we haue of nature, Iacob. [...]. & is it selfe sette a fyre euen of hel. It is an vnrulye euyll, full of deadly poyson. We beseche the therefore for thy mercyes sake (o mooste mercyfull God) to deliuer vs from vnrightuous lippes and from deceitefull tounges, Psa. xxxi [...]. and to giue vs grace so to walk in al our conuersaciō and liuing, that oure aduersaryes maye be ashamed to slaūder and to speake euill of vs. Graunt also that they whych hytherto haue abused theyr tonges by backbiting, slaundrynge, Acte [...]. [...] ▪ and defamynge, may from hensforth speake with new tonges, praise y t and thy blessed name, talke of th [...] [Page] holy scriptures, meditate in them day & night, blesse theyr Christen brethrē, & speke wel of all mē, yea of theyr very ennemies, y t so many of vs as profes thi holi name, Roma. xv. may w t one mind & w t one mouth glorify the our heuēly father thorow Iesu christ our Lord. Amen.
A generall prayer for the auoidinge of all kynde of synne.
AH lord that most puisāt god, we in baptisme geuing ouer our selfs vnto the, and vnto thy holi religion, protested openly in the face of thy holy congregacion, to forsake Satan with al his pompes and worckes, to renoūce the world and all the vayne pleasures therof, to mortyfy the flesh and al the lustes of it, Roma vi. and frome hēsforth to dye vnto sinne, to liue vnto righteousnes, Gala. iii. and to lead a new lyfe. Thys our couenaunt & bargayne made with the, O Lord god, we keepe not, but to muche [Page cxxx] wretchedly we breke it & trāsgres thy holye commaundemente. In stead of our seruyce due vnto the we serue Satan. Leuing the fulfyllyng of thi commaundements we obey our own wil. The world and the flesh so rage and raignin vs, that we can scarcely breath toward any godlynes. Titus. i. By mouthe we profes the, but with our deds we denithe. We promyse to work in thy vyneyarde, but we loytour and worke not. Mathe. xx [...] In name we are Christians, but in dede we are satans bondmē, the worlds slaues and the fleshes most vile seruāts and drudges. Ah Lorde, to muche wretched is our state, and excepte thou shortlye helpest, we are lyke vtterly to perysh, so greatly haue the ragyng floudes of al kinde of synne brast in, preuayled & almost ouerwhelmed vs, o most gētle sauior, we haue a wil such as it is, Rom [...] vi [...]. to [Page] do good, but we find no power no strēgth in our selfs to perform it. That good thīg, which we wolde, we do not, but y e euil do we, which we wold not, for we know y t in vs y t is, Rome. vii. in our flesh, dwelleth no god thīg. No maruel. For we ar bi nature y e childrē of wrath, Ephesia ii. we are begottē, cōceiued & borne in sī. Our sēces, Psalm. ii. wits & deuises ar euil, euē frō our yong age vpwarde. Oure hert is vnclene, Gene. viii. wicked, froward, lewd, & vnserchable. We ar not able to thīk a good thought of our selfs, Prou. xxii. we ar vnprofitable seruantes, Iere. xvii. [...]i. Cor. iiii. hipocrites, flesh, & al y e nought is, yea, we ar the very bōd slaues of sin. Luke. [...]vii. Esay [...]. [...]x. For euery one y e cōmitteth sin, is the seruaūt of syn. O most swete sau [...]or▪ help vs, for y e glori of thy name. Ioh. iii vii Luke. xix. Thou cāmest doun, frō y e righthād of thi father into thys vale of misery, to saue that which was lost. Saue vs therfore good [Page cxxxi] lord which wander abroade lyke shepe destitute of a shepherd, Mathe. ix. psalm. cxix. suffer not thi blessed bodi to be brokē & thy precious blud to be shed for vs in vain. Hebrus. ii. i. Cori. xv. Thou bi thi deth most valeātly conquerest him that had power of death. Ose. xiii. Deliuer vs therfore frō his raging tirranye, and make vs thy faythfull & obedyent seruantes. Iohn. ii. Suffer vs not to loue the world, nether the things that ar in the world, seing that al that is in the worlde (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eies, the pryde of life) is not of y e o father, but of y e world. And the world vanisheth away, and the lust thereof, but he that fulfilleth the wil of god abydeath for euer. Suffer vs not to be ouercome wyth the boylynge concupiscēcis of the flesh, whych euer lusteth agaynst the spirite, Rom. viii. & is not obedient to the law of god nether can be, but geue vs grace [Page] to crucifye and to kyll the fleshe wyth the appetites & lustes therof, Galath. v. that we may lyue and walk in the spirite, and become new creatures. Let not sinne reign in our mortal bodies, that we shuld ther vnto obey in y e lusts of it. Neither suffer thou vs to geue oure members as instruments of vnrighteousnes vnto syn, Roma. vi. but to gyue our selues vnto God, as thei that are a liue from death, and to giue our mēbers as instruments of ryghteousnes vnto god. And as heretofore we gaue oure mēbers seruaunts to vnclennes, and to iniquyti, from iniquiti to iniquiti: so let vs now from hensforth gyue our mēbers seruaūts vnto righteousnes, that we may be sātyfyed. Kil in vs the deds of the fleshe whyche are these: Gala. v. aduoutrye, fornicacion, vncleannes, wātonnes Idolatrye, wytchcrafte, hatred, varyaunce, [...]ele, wrathe, stryfe, sesedicion, [Page cxxxii] sects, enuying, murther dronkennesse, glottōny, and such lyke, and plante in vs the fruites of the spirit, loue, ioy, peace, longe sufferinge, gentlenes, goodnesse faythfulnes, mekenesse, temperā cye. Ephe. iiii. As concerning the conuersacyon in times past, geue vs grace to laye awaye from vs that olde man, which is corrupt thorow the deceiuable lustes, and to be renued in the spirit of our mynds, and to put on that new man, whyche after the image of god is shapen in ryghteousnes & true holynes. Suffer vs not to lye, but speake euery man truth vnto his neighbour, for asmuch as we are members one of another. Suffer vs not so to be angry that we sinne. Let not y • sun go doune vpō oure wrathe, neyther let vs giue place vnto the backbiter. Graunte that he which afore hath stollen maye [Page] from henceforth steale no more, but rather labour with his hands some good thīg: that he mai haue to geue vnto hī that nedeth. Let no fylthy cōmunycacyon procede out of our mouths, but that whyche is good to edifye withal, whē nede is, that it may haue fauoure with the hearers. Let all bytternes, fearsnes, and wrath, roryng and cursed speking be put awaye from vs, wyth al maliciousnesse. Make vs courteous one to another and merciful, forgeuing one another, euen as god for thy sake forgaue vs. Ephesi. v. As for fornicaciō & al vnclēnes or couetusnes let it not be once named amōg vs, as it be cōmeth saints nether filthi thīgs neither folish talking, nether iesting, which are not comly, but rather geuing of thākes. Put vpon vs tender mercy, kindnes, humblenes of mynd, mekenes longe. [Page cxxxiii] sufferīg, for bearing one another & forgeuing one another. Collos. iii. But aboue al these things, put vpō vs loue which is the bond of perfeccion & graūt that the peace of god may euer more rule in our herts, & that we be thākful for al thy benefits. Finalli whatsoeuer thīgs are true whatsoeuer thinges are honeste, whatsoeuer thinges are iust, whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer thynges pertayne to loue, whatsoeuer thinges are of honest reporte, if ther be any vertuous thing, Pp [...]il. iiii. if ther be any laudable thing, grāt that we may haue those same in our mind, and practise thē in our conuersacion and liuing, that whatsoeuer we breth thyncke, speake, or do, all thyngs may be done, vnto y e honour, glorie and prayse of thy name, whyche lyueste and raygneste wyth God the father, and GOD the [Page] holy gost, the true, liuinge & euerlastynge God, worldes wythoute ende. Amen.
A prayer vnto God in prosperity.
Iacob. i.VUe are taughte in thy holye worde (O moste merciful father) that euerye good & perfecte gifte commeth from aboue, euē from the, y e father of lyght, & that wee haue nothynge in thys worlde pertayninge eyther vnto the body or vnto the soule, 1. C [...]ri. iiii. that is prayse worthy, but we haue it altogether of the: forasmuch therefore as it hathe pleased the to opē thy lyberal hande and plenteously to blesse me a wretched sinner, [...]sal. cxlv. aboue many other the creatures wyth large and diuers benefites bothe bodely and ghostly. I most hūbly beseche the, geue me grace not to be proude of these thi gifts nor licenciouslye to abuse them, but alwayes mekely to acknoweledge [Page cxxxiiii] the thalone geuer of them, continually to be thanckeful vnto the for them, and so to vse thē all the dayes of my lyfe vnto the glorye of thy holye name and the profyt of the Christen congregacyon, that when so euer I shal departe from thys vale of miserye, & come before the glorious throne of thy diuine Maiesty, I maye be founde a faythfull stewarde, and heare these swete and comfortable wordes of the, well, thou good and faythful seruaunt, thou hast bene faythful ouer fewe thyngs, I wyll make the Ruler ouer manye thynges. Math. xx [...] ▪ Enter thou into the ioye of thy Lorde. Graunt thys (o mooste louing father) for thi dere sonnes sake Iesus Christe oure Lorde and sauyoure. Amen.
A Prayer vnto God in aduersitie.
[Page]THou alone (O blessed Lorde) by thi godly wisdome and heuenlye prouidence gouernest all thynges, [...]ap. xiiii. and sendest vnto vs thy creatures as semeth good to thi godli maiesti, i. Reg [...]. ii. somtime welth, somtime pouerti, somtime health sometime sicknes, somtyme prospe [...]ie, sometime aduersitie, as thou dost appoint, so doth it chās vnto vs. It hathe pleased the at thys present for my deserts worthely to lay the crosse of aduersity vpon my shulders, whych, I freli confesse, I haue moste iustlye deserued, and yet not withstanding I am perfectly perswaded, that it is thy mooste gentle and louinge visitacion, Prouer. iii. yea and an euident token not of thyne anger and heauy displeasure, Hebru. xii. Apoca. iii. but of thy fatherly loue and harty good wyll toward me, i. Corin. xi. whyle on this manner thou correctest me in thys worlde, that [Page cxxxv] I maye not bee condemned wyth thys wycked worlde. My synnes I graunte, O heauenlye father, haue deserued a more greuous & bytter crosse, whych in dede haue ful oft deserued veri hel, but thou consyderyng my frayle and weke nature dealest not wyth me after my deseruynges, but accordynge vnto thy greatst mercyes: Uouchsafe therefore (o moste louing sauyour) to geue me thy holy spirit, which may worke in mi hart such thankefull pacyence and pacyent thākefulnes, that euer I grudge nor murmure agaynst thy blessed wyll, Eccles [...]. ii. but continuallye call on thy holye name wyth hartye prayers, and euen from the very botom of the heart prayse and magnify the my heuenly father, Psalm [...]. i. beyng wel cō tented to suffer what so euer thy good pleasure shall be to laye vpō me, nothyng doubtynge but that [Page] thou wylt here after mercifullye looke vpon me, and restore vnto me the fruic [...]on and enioyinge of thy former benefites, that I seyng again good and prosperous dayes on the earth, may lyue and synge vnto thy godlye Maiestye contynuall praises and most harty thanckes thorow Iesus Christ oure Lorde, to whome wyth the and the holye Ghoste be all glory and honoure for euer and euer. Amen.
☞ A thanksgeuyng vnto God for sendynge his sonne into this world to die for our sins.
VUither soeuer we tourn our eyes (O mooste louynge and heauenlye father) the bottō lesse seas of thyne vnspeakeable goodnesse towarde mankynde, plenteouslye stowe in, and lyuely offer thē selfs vnto vs to beholde and to wonder at. Esay. xxiiii After thee fall of the sinnefull angels, what an [Page cxxxvi] exceadynge greate kyndenesse was thys, Iob. iiii. to make man after thy similitude, image & liknesse, ii. Peter. ii. that he and hys posteritye myght furnyshe and occupy those places in thy gloryous kyngedome, Gene. ii. whych the proude and dysobedient aungels loste for theyr proude dysobedyēce & disobediēt pride. Not only to place man in earthe, but also to prouyde aforehande all things necessary for hym yea to make hī Lorde and ruler of al thyngs contayned in the earth vnder y •, hys Lorde GOD? Psalm [...]. [...]. O what a wōderfull louynge kyndenes was thys Again to preserue, kepe & defend man, to watch continually vppon hym whether he wake or slepe, as the deligēt and carefull shepherd watcheth ouer his flock, that no euyl chance to man, & to dyrrecte hys thoughtes, counsells & deuyses vnto the best, neuer leauinge [Page] hym, til thou haste broughte hym into thy heuenly kyngedome. O who is able with tong to expresse or wyth herte to thyncke thys thy hertye good wil towarde manne. These benefites (O most merciful father) are exceadynge greate tokens of thy deare loue toward mankind, but the gyft of thi onelye begotten sonne Iesu Christe our Lorde, Mathe. i. ii. Timo. ii Ephesi. ii▪ whom thou gauest vnto vs to be our sauyoure, oure redemer, i. Cor. i. our peacemaker, our wysdome, our santificacion, and our ryghteousnesse, is the most excellent gift & most precius treasure? A chylde to be born for our sakes The sonne of the most hiest God to be geuen vs for a newe yeares gifte, Esaye. [...]x. to be our owne for euer? O loue passynge all loue. O kyndenes rather to be merueled at, thē able by mouth to be vttered. Iohn. iii. God y e father so derely to loue y e world [Page cxxxvii] that he wold geue his only begotten sonne, that euery one that beleueth in him, maye not pearishe, but haue euerlastyng life? God y e father to sende hys sōne into the worlde, not to condēne the world but that the worlde thorowe hym shuld be saued? God y e father not to spare his own sonne, but to delyuer hym euē vnto death for vs al, yea & w t him euē to geue vs al thinges? O most gentle kīdnesse excellyng al loue & kindnes. Roma [...]. v. Wō derfully (O moost louing father) doth this thing set forth thy herti loue toward vs y t whē we wer yet vngodly & wycked sinners y u gauest thi sonne to dye for our sins. Esaye. [...]iii. Math v [...]i [...]. i. Peter. ii. He was wounded for oure offences, and smitten for our wyckednes. The paine of our punishmēt laiedst thou vpon him, & with hys stripes were we healed. Thorow him, O lord, dyddest thou pardon [Page] all our sins. It was thy good plesure to smyte hym with infyrmity, Esaye. liii▪ y t when he had made hys soule an offering for synne, he myghte se longe lasting seede. For he is y t thy righteous seruāt, which with his wisdome doth iustify and deliuer the multytude, for he hathe born awai our sins. In his name & in none other vnder he auē doth our saluacion consist. A [...]t [...]s. iiii. By him are we at peace w t the our Lord God. Romay. v. Bi him haue we redempc [...]on thorow hys bloud, euen remission of our sinnes. Ephe. i. By him are we deliuered frō the power of darken [...]s and translated into thy heauenlye kingdome. Collosso. i. By hym hast thou recōciled all things vnto thi self. By hym haste thou sette at peace thorowe the bloude of hys crosse, both thyngs in heauen and thinges on earthe. By him haste thou quickned vs, and forgenen vs al [Page cxxxviii] oure trespasses. He hath put oute the hande wryghtyng that was agaynste vs contayned in the law written. Ephe. ii. Yea he heath taken that hande wryghtyng out of the way and hath fastened it to hys crosse and hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of them openlye, Collos. [...]. and hath triumphed ouer theym in his owne parson. Gene. iii. He is that seede of the woman, that tredeth downe Satans head. Gene. He is that seede, in whom al nacions of y e world shalbe blessed. Esay [...]. He is that Lorde, whiche alone hath troden doun the wynepresse, nether was ther any at al that helped him. Mathe. [...]. He is that sauiour, which saueth his people from theyr sins, Mat▪ xvii. He is that they welbeloued sōne, for whose sake y u art well pleased with man He is that breade of lyfe, whyche came down frō heuē. Iohn. vi. If any eate of y t bread he shall lyue for euer. [Page] He is that good shepherd, which gaue his life for his shepe. Iohn. x. He is y e resurrection & life. Who so beleueth on hym, Iohn. xi. althoughe he were dead, shal liue, & euery one that liueth & beleueth in hym, shall neuer die. Iohn. xvi. He is that mighty Prince that hath ouercome the world. He is the perfect fulfillinge of y e law to iustify all that beleue. Romay. x. Gala. iii. He hathe deliuered vs frō the cursse of the lawe, whē he was made accursed for vs. He in his own person hath purged oure synnes. Hebrues. ii. He thorowe death hath putte down hym that had rule ouer death, that is to sai the deuyll, and hath made vs free from the daunger of bondage. He with one offering of his blessed bodye hath made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified. Hebru [...]s, x. He now in the end of the world hath app [...]ared once for all to put synne to flyghte, by the offerynge vp of [Page cxxxix] hym selfe. He hath loued vs, and washed vs from our syns in hys owne bloud, Apoca. i. and made vs kyngs and priestes vnto the God his father. Inestimable ar the tresurs & infinite are y e pleasures whych we receiue of the thorow this thy sonne Iesu Christ our Lord and sauyoure. Rom. viii. And thys thy welbeloued & onli begotten son w t al hys, hast thou geuen vnto vs, so that booth he and all that he hathe is oures, and we maye thorowe thy gyft iustly, chalenge it to be oure owne. For thys thy fatherlie loue and vnspekable kyndenes in geuynge thy sonne vnto the deathe for oure sake, and for al thy other benefits, which we haue receued at thy merciful hand thorow him, we geue the most herty thankes, desyryng the, that we neuer commit any thinge in thought, word, or dede, that maye offende thy deuyne [Page] Maiestie: but callyng to remembrance that we are not redemed with corruptyble syluer and golde from our vayne conuersacion, i. Peter. i. but with the precyous bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and wythoute spot, we may lyue worthi of this thy kidnes, & shew oure selfs obedyente chyldr [...]n to the, oure heauenly father, not fashyonynge oure selfes any more after this vnto our olde lustes of ignorancye, but as thou, whyche hast called vs arte holye, euen so in lyke manner we maye be holie in all oure conuersacyon and lyuyng vnto the glori of thy blessed name. Amen.
¶ A thankesgeuynge vnto God, that he hathe brought vs out of the darkenesse of mens tradicions▪ into the gloryous lyghte of his holy gospell.
O Lorde GOD and oure heauenlie father, Esaye. v. thou by thy holye Prophete declareste that [Page cxl] thy people were ledde captyue because thei had no knowledge nor vnderstandynge in thy blessed word. No maruel, for as thy dearly beloued sonne sayethe, he that walketh in y e darcknes, Ihon. xii. knoweth not whither he goeth. Yea, Sapi. xiii. vaine ar al they in whom the knowlege of y t oure lord god is not. Iohn. xvii. For this is euerlasting life, euen to knowe the to be the true God, and whō thou hast sent, Iesu Christ. Prou. xxix. Whē y • preaching of thy word faileth, y e people perysh and go to hauocke. For man liueth not with bread alone, Math. iiii. but wyth euerye worde that commeth out of thy mouth, Proue. xix. wher no knowlege of y e & of thi blessed worde is, there is no goodnes for the soule. Yea there doth y e soule pine awaye, as the body for wāte of corporall foode, Hebru xiii. and is moued and led away wyth euerye winde of doctrine, be it true or false. Math. vii▪ xvii. Nether [Page] is it to be wōdred at. For the ignoraunt and vntaughte bylde not theyr faythe vppon the rocke, that is, vpon thy sōne Christ, and vpon hys holye Gospel, agaynste the whych the verye gates of hell canne not preuail, Math. vii. nether can the raging flouds, Luke. vi. nor the boistrous windes moue them that so bilde, but vppon the sands, therfore are they throwne downe wyth euery blast, and myserably ledde whych waye their teachers luste. Thys was euidently perceiued in vs (o blessed father) whyche so manye yeares for want of knowledge of thi blessed word wer to much wrechedlyled captyue of Satan and of his ministers, whiche chaūged them selfes into angels of lyght, when in dede they wer the bond slaues of Antichriste, & beleued & did whatsoeuer thei commanded vs to beleue or to do. [...]. Cori. xi. The man of [Page cxli] synne that son of perdicion, so sat in our consciences, that we fered him more then the our Lord god. His trifling tradiciōs, his croked cōstitucions, & diuelishe decrees, ii. [...] wer more earnestli regarded beleued & obeyed thē thy blessed word wherof we wer altogether ignorāt. His ceremonies, we thought to be thi seruice. His dreames we estemed true godlines. We worshypped the not after thy worde, but after Antichristes tradyciōs. As for thy holy Gospell, we knew no parte of it a ryghte. Yea Antichrist and hys impes condemned thy holy Byble for heresy, & brent it as most abhomynable doctrine vnto the greate grife of al godly personnes. Many other notable workes also cōpiled by thy faythfull seruauntes for the auauncement of thy glorye and for bryngyng of the simple people vnto the [Page] knowledge of thy truth, they cru [...]llye burnte and destroyed after the exāples of the wycked kyngs, Ioachim and Antiochus. [...]. xxxvi. And as for the authors of thē, some those bloudy Edomits brent, i. [...]ath. i. some thei murthered preuely some thei emprisoned, flocked, cheyned & putte to shame, al, euen so mani as thei could get, they cruelly and moost tirantlike entreated after the exā ple of their predecessors the high priests of Iewry, [...]. [...]xvii. which sought al meanes possible both wyth tyrany and brybes, to kepe downe thy sonne Christe and hys gloryous gospel, y t thei alone might reygn: O most gētle god, whē these belly [...]d hipocrites & chaplens of Baal, had brent thy holye Bible, so y t we the simple people might not read the word of oure soule healthe, in our owne mother tonge, agayne whē these false annointed shauelinges [Page cxlii] had killed & put to flyghte thy true ministers and godly prechers, mat. xxiiii. thē made they vs to beleue as they woulde, to walke, to do, to speke as they lusted, to honoure & worshippe the, Math. xv. not after thy holye law, but after the tradycions and doctrins of men, to do works not commaunded of the, but suche as their idle braines fāsied wythout authority of thy worde. O Lorde thou longe sufferynge God, with how greate blyndenesse were we ouerwhelmed of these antichristian monstures when they taught to run a Pilgrimage to thys and that Idol, to paynt thys tabernacle, and to gyld that Maumet, to pray to this he Saint and to that she Sainte, to bie other mennes merites, and to seke saluacion in them, to put our truste in water, salte, breade, palmes, ashes, wax, oile, creme, bels, pardons, rotten [Page] reliques & such other peltīg pedlarye, to beleue that our souls after this present life shuld be boiled & perboiled in antichristes fornace, ther to lie piteously yellīg, puling & crying til they were redemed w t Diriges, Masses, trētals, ladyes Psalters▪ &c. to beleue y t our sins could not be forgeuen tyl we had whyspered oure synnes into the Priests eare, and to receiue absolucion at his hand: to beleue that after the wordes of cōsecracion, as they cal them, ther remain no more breade nor nomore wine in the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloude, but that the breade is changed into the natural flesh of thy deare sonne Christ Iesu, and the wyne into his moste precious bloude, ☞ that was shedde for oure sins vpon the aulter of the crosse when notwithstandinge the Papistes them selfs do many tymes [Page cxliii] keepe the breade so longe, that it both mouldeth, stynketh and bredeth ful of worms, and afterward they burne it accordynge to theyr owne law. Ah Lord, thus wer we to much wretchedly mocked and led captiue of antichriste and hys disciples. The darknesses wherin we walked wer so gret, that they mighte be felte. i. Pet [...]r. i, But thanckes be vnto the (o most merciful father) which haste called vs oute of the darcknes of mennes tradycyons into the glorious light of thy gospell. We haue nowe learned, that Antichriste and his mēbers haue longe deceyued vs, & taughte vs theyr owne drowesye dreames in stede of thi blessed word. We now know, that thou requireste not of vs, that we shuld runne gadding to stocks and stones, Math. xx [...]. but that we shuld visit suche as are sicke and in prysonne and comfort thē. We [Page] nowe knowe, that thy wyll is not that we shuld paynt tabernacles and gyld ymages, but rather that we shuld cloth the pore and helpe the nedi. [...] lviii. We now know that it is vaine to pray to this or to y e saynt seyng they nether here vs nor yet canne helpe vs. We haue lerned of thy blessed word, [...] [...]iii. [...] vii. that Christ the son is our alone intercessour mediatour and aduocate. We nowe knowe, [...] ii. y t no saluacion is to be loked for in any ceremonys, but only in thy great mercies set forthe frely to al penitente sinners thorow faith in Christs bloude. We now know that, Christes bloude is the alone Purgatorye of oure soules, [...] Iohn. i. whiche purgeth & maketh vs clene from all sinne. We now know, that whē soeuer we repent confesse our sinnes vnto the, and beleue to haue remission of al our synnes, Iohn. i. Ephe i. Collos. i. thorow Christes bloude, [Page cxliiii] we shall surely be forgeuen. Yet despise we not but rather hertely de [...]yre the counsell of godlye and learned preachers, ☞ whiche with y e comfortable words of the gospel may raise vp, strengthen and confirme our weke cōscience against Satan, sinne, death, hel and desperacion. We now knowe that y e Masse mongers haue without al shame lyed vnto vs, when they taught vs to beleue, that y e Mas, which they mumbled, was a propiciatorye sacrifice, & of as greate vertue, strengthe & power, as the gloryous passion of our sauioure Iesu Christe, and that it was necessarye bothe for the quycke and dead. Ad salutem. We nowe knowe also, that y e sacrament of Christs bodye and bloude is not the very selfe real and naturall bodye and bloude of Christe, but an holye signe, Note. figure and tokē of his blessed [Page] bodye and precyouse bloude. For thys worde sacramente is as muche to say as a signe of an holye thynge. Nowe that whyche is the signe of a thyng, cānot be the thynge it selfe. And thoughe thy sonne called the bread hys bodie, and the wine his bloude, because the disciples should the better remēber the breaking of hys bodye and the sheddynge of hys bloude (as he likewise called him selfe a vine a dore, Iohn. xv. a rock, whē not with standing he was nether naturall vine, Iohn. [...]. Math. vii. [...]nd .xvii. material dore or stony rock, but onlye lykened vnto them for certain properties, which he hath with the vine, dore▪ and rocke) yet is neyther the bread hys naturall bodye, nor the wyne hys naturall bloud, as diuers of the aunciente Doctours doe declare and proue but onelye a fygure of hys bodye and bloude. ☞ The breade is called [Page cxlv] Christes body, because it visibly [...] preacheth & bryngeth to oure remēbrance the brekīg of Christes bodye. The wyne also is called Christes bloud, because it putteth vs in remēbrance of the sheddīg of Christes bloude. Of such phrases and manners of speakynge thy holye scriptures are full. But as in many other thyngs so lykewise ī this blessed sacramēt haue the Papistes for the mayntenāce of their Idle and beastli life most foulye deceyued vs, makynge vs to worshyppe a wafer cake and a sponeful of wyne myngled wyth water, in stead of our sauiour Iesu Christe God and manne. And thys Idolatrus erroure is yet so rustered and cākered in y e hertes of many bothe learned & vnlearned (whose myndes, ii. Cor. i [...]ii. iudgements senses and wyts the God of thys world, euē the deuil, hath blinded) [Page] that the light of y e glorius gospell of christ shuld not shine vnto thē, y t they cast away thys doctryne as heresye, & go forth stil of an obstynate and froward minde to worshyp y e bread & wine as god, & condēne al other for heretikes, whyche hold y e contrarie. O lord, these bread christians may wel be resē bled to the men of Babilō, which would not be perswaded by anye meanes but that Bell & the great Dragon, whō they dayly worshipped and offred vnto, Dan. x [...]iii. were liuyng godds, and therefore sought they al meanes possible to destroy both Daniel and the king, because thei taughte the contrarye, and braste tho [...]e Idols, geuing commandement that the liuyng God alone, which thou art, shuld be honored & worshipped of al nacions in the worlde. But we, O Lord, to whō thou haste reueled the misteris of [Page cxlvi] thy godlye truthe; and delyuered out of the kyngedome of darckenesse, confes our selfs to be great lye bounden vnto the for thy mercyful benefyte. We therefore beseche the to gyue vs grace, so to walk in this glorious light of thy holye Gospel, as it becommeth y e chyldren of light in al goodnesse, Ephe. v. ryghteousnesse and truth. Thou haste deliuered vs from stinking Sodome, suffer vs no more to loke backe toward it. Gene. xi. Thou hast brought vs home againe frō Babylō, y • land of bondage, vnto the newe Ierusalē. Grant y t we beīg delyuered oute of the handes of our enemis may serue the in holines & righteousnes al the dais of our lyfe. Luke. i. Mathe. ii. We haue sene Christ thy sonne and oure kynge, suffer vs no more to returne vnto wycked Kyng Herode. Luke. ix. We haue put oure hande to the ploughe, grante that [Page] we neuer loke backe agayne, but perseuer contynew & go forward vnto the end. Let it be neuer sayed to vs, as thy sonne sayde vnto the Iewes: Math. xxi. the kyngdom of God shal be taken frō you, & shalbe geuen to a people, which shal bringe forthe the fruites of it. Make vs fruteful fig trees. Giue vs grace, to be ryche and plenteouse in all good workes, As we confesse the with oure words: so let vs expres the w t our workes. As we fauour and loue thy Gospell, so lette vs folowe and loue thy gospel. For that seruant whiche knoweeth hys masters wyll and doeth it not, shalbe beatē w t mani stripes. If after we haue escaped frō the filthynesse of the worlde thorowe the knowledge of the, Luke. xii. and of our sauiour Iesu Christ, we are tangled again therin and ouercome, [...]ii. [...]. ii. then is the latter ende worse w t [Page cxlvii] vs then the beginning. For it had ben better for vs not to haue knowen the wai of righteousnes, thē after we haue knowē it, to turne from the holy cōmaundement geuē vnto vs. So might it be sayde of vs accordynge to the true prouerbe. Pro. xxvi. The dog is turned to hys [...]omit agayne, Pr [...]. [...]xvi. and the sowe that was washed, to her walowīg in y e myre. Graunte therfore we moste humbly pray the, that accordynge to oure knowledge we may leade an honest conuersaciō among all menne, i. Peter. ii. that they which backbyte vs as euyll doers, maye see oure good worckes, and glorifie the our heauenly father in the day of visitacion. Amen.
A thankesgeuinge vnto God for al his benefites.
VE mooste heartelye thancke the (O LORDE God oure heauenly father) for thy mamanyfolde [Page] and inestimable benefites, whiche thou haste geuen vnto vs bothe for oure body and soule, yea and freely euē of thine owne goodnesse wythoute oure desearte. We thancke the that it hathe pleased thee of thy greate mercie fyrste to create & make vs accordynge to thyne own image and lykenes, Gene. i. & to place vs in ioyful paradyse, Sapi ii. wher we shuld continually haue remained in a blessed & quiet state, if thorow y e subtil and deceitefull suggestions of of Satan our old enemy, Gene. iii. we had not transgressed thy holy cōmandement. We thancke the also (O most gentle father) for thy louing kindnes, whiche thou shewedst vnto vs, when we all were perished & lost thorow the sinne of oure firste father Adam. For whē thou mightest iustly haue condemned vs and cast vs into perpetuall dā naciō, [Page cxlviii] thou like a father of singuler great loue haddest pity on vs, and sauedst vs by the deathe and passyon of thy welbeloued sonne our Lord & sauiour Iesu Christe, ii. Tim. ii. which gaue him self a raunsome for all oure synnes, and payed a sufficiente price by hys precious bloud, for all the wyckednes that we at anye tyme heretofore haue commytted, i. Iohn. i. Hebru▪ x [...] or hereafter shall cō mit thorow our frailtye & weakenesse, so that we repente, beleue & amende. Neither wast thou thus contented, that he only shuld dye for our sinnes, but thou also didst raise him vp again for our iustificacion, Roma iiii. and to make vs ryghtous in thy sight. Moreouer after that he had shewed him self vnfained lye alyue to hys Apostles by manifest and euident tokēs, certain dayes after his resurreccion, Mat. xxvii [...] thorow the power of his godhead, he [Page] ascended vp into heauē, perfecte God and perfecte man, Luk. xxiiii. where he nowe sitteth on the ryghte hande and maketh intercessiō for vs, Actes. i. being our alone mediatour and aduocate. i. Timo. ii. From thēce we looke for hym to come again at the daie of iudgement, Iohn. ii. A [...]t [...]s. i. not as a cruell iudge to condemne and caste vs away, but as a moste louinge Lord and gentle sauioure, Math. xxv. to cary vs wyth hym vnto euerlastyng glory, i. Tes. iiii. ther worldes without end to remaine in such ioyes as eie haue not sene nor eare hathe hearde, Esay. liiii. i. Cor. iii. nor yet is any hert able to thinke. For those thy moost bounteous gyftes and for al other thy benefites, whiche thou dayly geuest vnto vs of thy great mercy both for oure bodye and soule, we most hūbly thanke the, mooste gentle and mercyfull father, besechynge the that thou wilt giue vs grace thorow thi holie [Page cxlix] spyrit not to be vnthākful, but to walke worthy of this thi kindnes and so to behaue ourselfs all our life time in this wretched worlde according to thy holye wyll, that at the last day we may be foūd in y e number of them, to whō thy only begotten sonne, shal say: Mat. xxvi. come ye blessed of my father, po [...]ses the kyngdome, whiche was prepared for you from the beginninge of y e world. Lord let it so come to passe
¶ A prayer for the sycke to be sayde of the congregacyon▪
O Iesu the alone sauyoure of the world, and the onely true Phisicion bothe of body and soul, we ar come together at this presente before the thorne of thy godly Maiestie to offer our humble prayers vnto the for our sicke and weake brother whome thou haste visited wyth thy louing rod of correcciō, wherby thou offerest [Page] thyself vnto hym as a most gētle father to his deare sonne, and by temporall punyshment [...]uttest away eternall paynes, whych both he and all we thorow our synfull liuing haue most ryghtouslye deserued and by makyng the outeward man weke, thou comfortest and makest strōg the inward mā, which is made like to thi glorious image. We most entirely besech the, mercifully to behold this our weke brother, and as that piteful Samaritane to poure wine and oyle into his woundes & to bynde them vp, that is, to relieue hym, & to cōfort hym, and to cherysh him wyth thy holy spirit, to make him stronge in his inwarde man that in the middes of his syckenes, he may not only [...]ere the crosse, that thou haste layed on hym pacyently, and so shewe hym self conformable to thy blessed wyll, but also [Page cl] thanckfully praise thy holy name for thy fatherly correccion, & with vnfayned and stronge fayth, say: The lord gaue me my health, the Lord hath taken it away agayne. As it hath pleased the lord, so it is come to passe, now blessed be the the name of the Lord. Oh it is for my great profyt, that the lord hath thus visited me, euen y t I shulde learne to forsake myne own wyl, and to walcke in hys holye ordynaunces. I am his creature, & a shepe of his pasture, let him deale wyth me, as semeth good in hys godly syghte. For whyther I liue or dye, I am the Lordes. Hys wil therfore be done and not myne. Gyue hym grace (O swete Iesu) thus to be perswaded of thy good wyll towarde hym euen in the myddes of hys moost bytter agonyes, that he faynt not vnder the crosse, but paciently and thanckefully [Page] abyde thy good plesure, and wyth earnest fayth cal on thy blessed name, which is a strong tower for all them that fle vnto it.
Moreouer forasmuch, O Lord as it is not thy property alway, to chyde, alway to be angry alwaye to punyshe, neither to deale wyth vs accordyng to oure sinnes, nor yet to reward vs after our iniquities, but as thou takest awaye, so geuest thou againe, as thou bryngest downe to the graue, so liftest thou vp agayne, as thou makest weake, so makest thou stronge agayne: We most humbly beseche the, if it be thy godly pleasure the rather at the contēplaciō of these oure prayers to restore vnto oure weake brother after this his long sicknes the confortable benefyte of ioyfull healthe. And as thou haste broughte him low wyth la [...] ing thy heauye crosse on hym, so [Page cii] we moste hartely beseche the, if it be thy godly wyll, rayse hym vp agayne by restoryng vnto hym his former healthe, that he may lyue and contynue here among vs vnto the glorye of thy name and the comfort of vs hys neyghbours.
But if thy godly pleasure haue otherwyse determyned, that by thys hys sycknes thou wylte call hym from this vale of miseri and place hym in thy gloryous kyngdome, which alone is the true, ioyful and greatly longed for contre of al thy chosen and faythful people: we most entierly pray the in y e meane whyle to geue hym grace paciently and thankfully to beare hys crosse, diligently to cal on thy holy name, valeauntly to fight agaynst al the tentacions of the deuyll, the flesh and the worlde, and faithfullye to beleue, that the merits of thi blessed passiō & precious [Page] bloud are the full satisfaccion for all hys synnes, and haue made a perfect atonement and frendlye reconciliaciō betwene god the father and hym. Graunt O mooste merciful sauioure, that his whole hart and mynde may so be set vpon the, that at what soeuer houre thou callest hym out of this wretched world, he mai be willing and glad to depart from it, and to cōe vnto the. O let the remembraūce of the ioyes of heauen bee so feruent in hys brest, that all wordlye thynges may waxe vyle in hym, and a perfect desyre found in him to be losoned out of this bodi, and to be with y • in glory. And when y e time commeth, that he shall gyue ouer to nature, and depart out of thys miserable world, though the paynes of deathe take awaye the vse of hys tonge and speache, yet graūt that his heart may cry vnto [Page ciii] the and saye: O Lorde, I commende my soule into thy hādes. Lorde Iesu take my spirite vnto thee. Graunt also most louyng Lord that when death hath shut vp the eyes of his bodye, he maye wyth the eyes of hys soule, beholde and looke vpon thy gloryous maiestye in thy heauenlye kyngdome, where thou wyth the father and the holy Ghoste lyuest and reignest one true and euerlasting God in al honour and glory worldes wythout ende.
Amen.
A prayer to be sayed for all suche as lye at the poynt of deathe.
O Moste louynge Sauioure and gentle redemer, whyche cammest into this world to call synners vnto repentance, & to seke vp y t was loste, thou seest in what case thys oure brother lyeth here: visited with thy mercyful [Page] hand al weake, feble, sick and ready to yeld vp his soule into thi holi hands. O loke vpō him (most gentle sauiour) with thy merciful eie, pitie him and be fauorable vnto him. He is thy workmanshippe, despise not therefore the work of thine owne handes. Thou sufferedst thy blessed body & thy precyous bloud to be shed for his sins, and to bring hym vnto the glory of thy heauenlye father, let it not therefore come to passe, that thou shuldest suffer so great pains for him in vaine. He was baptised in thi name, and gaue himself wholy to be thy seruaunt, forsakynge the deuyl, the world and the flesh, confesse hym therefore before thy heauenlye father and hys blessed aungels to be thy seruaunt. Prou. xvi. Hys synnes, we confesse, ar great (for who is able to sai, mi hert is clene and I am fre from synne) but thy [Page cli] mercyes, o Lord, are much greater. Ma [...]h. ix. And thou cāmest not to cal y • ryghteous, but synners vnto repentance. M [...]th [...]. xi, To them that are disesed and ouerladen wyth the burdē of sin doste thou promyse ease. Thou art that god, Ezec. xviii. which willest not the death of a synner, but rather that he shoulde turne & lyue. Thou art the sauioure which wishest all men to be saued, i. Timo. ii. and to come to the knoledge of thy truth Withdraw not therfore thy merci frō him because of his sins, but rather lay vpon hym thy sauynge health, that thou maist shewe thy self toward hym to be a sauioure. What greter praise cā ther be to a phisiciō, thē to hele y e sick? Nether cā th [...]r be a gr [...]ter glori, to the being a [...]auiour then to saue siners saue hī therfore, o lord for thi nāe sake Agaī let y e law b [...] [...]o [...]orsiffe to his consciēce but rather giue hī [Page] grace euen in this extreme agoni & cōflict of deth to be fully persuaded that thou by thy death hast takē away al his sīs, Ro [...] ▪ i. fulfilled y e law for him & bi this means deliuered hym from the cursse of the lawe, Galath. iii and paied his ransome: y t he thus being fully perswaded may haue a quiet herte, a fre conscience, & a glad wil to forsake this wretched world: and to go vnto y e his lorde god. Moreouer thou hast conquered him that hadde rule of death, euē satā, Hebru, ii. suffer him not therfore to exercise hys tirranny vpō this our sycke brother, nor to disquiet his cōsciēce with y e errours of sin and pains of hell. Gse [...]. xiii. i. Cori. xv. Lette not Satan nor his infernall army tempt him further thē he is able to bear but euermore gyue hym grace euen vnto his last breath valeantly to fight against the deuil witha a stronge fayeth in thy precyouse [Page clii] bloud y t he may fyght a good fight and finish his course with ioy vn the to glorye of thi name, and the health of his soul. O lord so work in him by thy holy spirite, that he wyth al his hert may contempne & dispise al worldly thyng [...]s, and set his minde who [...]ly vpon heauē ly thynges, hopyng for thē with a strong & vndouted fayth. Agayn let it not greue him o swet sauior to be lo [...]oned frō this vile & wretched carcase, which is now so full of sorowe, trouble, anguysh sickenes, and paine: but rather let h [...]m haue abent and readye wyll, thorowe thy goodnesse to putte it of, yea and that wyth this faith▪ that he. at the last daye, shall receyue it agayn in a much better state then it is now or euer was frō the daie of hys byrthe, Phil. iii. euen a bodye vncorruptible, immortal and like to thy glorious body. Let hys whol hert [Page] and mynde be set only vppon the· Let the remēbraunce of the ioies of heauē be so feruent in his brest that he may bothe pacientlye and thanckfully take his deathe, ii. Cori. xv. and euer wish to be with the in glory. And when the time cōmeth, that he shall gyue ouer to nature and depart from this miserable world vouchesafe we most humblye beseche the, O Lorde Iesu to take his soule into thy handes, and to place it among the glorious company of thy holy angels and blessed Saynctes, and to kepe it vnto that mooste ioyfull daye of the general resurrecciō, that both his bodye and soule thorow thyne almyghty power being knit againe togither at that daye, he maye for euer and euer enioy thy glorious kindom and sing perpetuall praises to thy blessed name. Amen.
☞A thankesgeuynge vnto God for the departure of the faythful out of thys world.
[Page cliii] O How can we (most louing father) render vnto the sufficient thanks for thine in estimable goodnes toward thi faithful seruauntes, whome thou calling out of this wretched worlde, vouchestsafe to place in thy heauenly kingdō amonge the gloryous company of thy holy aūgels and blessed saintes. Psal. cxv. O full precyous is the death of the faithful in thy sighte. Blessed are the deade that dye in the, O Lord: Apoc. xiiii. For they are at reast frō their paynful trauails and labours. The souls of the righteous are in thy hand, Sapi. iii. O God, and the payne of death shall not touch them. In the syghte of the vnwise thei appere to die, but they are in peace. They shine as the sparckes, that runne thorowe the reed bushe. Danie. xii. They glyster as y e shining of heauen. Thei are as y e stars, world wythout ende. They [Page] ar as y e angels of God. Math. xx [...]i. Apoc. iiii They are clad w t white garmentes, & haue goldē crownes vpon their heads They do seruice day & nyght before the glorious throne of thi diuine Maiesty. Apoca vii. They nether honger nor thirst anye, more neyther doth the sun or any heat fal vpon them for the lambe which is in y e mids of the thron, gouerneth thē, and ledeth them vnto the lyuing foūtains of waters. They folow the lābe whithersoeuer he goeth. They haue such ioies▪ E [...]ay lxiii. i. [...]or. iii. as eie hath not sene, nor eare hath herd neyther is th [...]r any hert able to thīck them. Infinite and vnspeakable are the tresures, O Lord, whych thou haste layed vp for them, that depart in thy fayth. For these thy fatherly benefyts toward y e souls of the fayethful, & for that it hath pleased the to cal our Christē brethren and sisterne from this vale [Page cliiii] of misery vnto thy heuenly kingdome, we geue vnto the most herty thanks, humbly beseching the that thou wylte take lyke care for vs, and so gouern vs wyth thy holye spirite both in sycknes and in health, that we maye lyue a good and godlye lyfe in thys preas [...]nte world, and whensoeuer it shalbe thy good plesure to call vs hence, we may with strong faith in the, and in thy sōne Christe Iesu our Lord, commēd both our bodies & soules into thy mercifull handes and thorowe thy goodnes be placed in thy gloryous kyngdome, among thy faythfull chosē people, and so for euer and euer praise & magnify the our heauenli father, to whome with thi derely beloued son Iesu Christ our Lord and sauior, and the holy gost that moste swete comfortour be al glory and honor worlds without end. Amē.