1. A Prayer for a childe before he goeth to his study, or to schoole.

O GOD, that art the fountaine of all wisedome, & founder of all learning: breathe into my soule the spirit of vnder­standing, that in my child­hood I may learne, and (as I grow farther into yeres) may practise the study on­ly of thee and of thy lawes. Feed me (O Lord) as babes [Page 5] are fed, with the milke of thy holy word, that I may grow strōg in setting forth thy praises. Make me (O Ie­sus thou Son of God) one of those of whom thou speakekest thus, Suffer lit­tle children to come vnto mee, and forbid them not. And as thou hast promised that thy wonders shold be soū ­ded foorth by the tongues of infants & sucking babes; so powre into my lips the waters of the well of life, that whatsoeuer I learne may bee to proclaime thy glorie. Polish thou my mind (O God) that it may shine bright in goodnesse: and that I may not defile or deface this weake tem­ple of my body by corrup­ted [Page 6] manners or leaud spee­ches; but so season my tongue that all the lessons which I take foorth, may seeme to be read to mee in thine owne schoole. Bee thou my Schoole-master to instruct mee, so shall I re­peate the rules of true wise­dome: keepe thou mee in feare of the rod of thy dis­pleasure, so shall I bee sure to haue my name set in the booke of life. Make mee obedient to my Parents: dutiful to my Teachers: lo­uing to my Schoole-fel­lowes: humble to my su­periours; full of reuerence to old men: proud towards no man; & that I may win the loue of all men. Blesse mee, O Lord, this day: [Page 7] guide my feete, direct my mind, sanctifie my studies, gouerne al my actions, pre­serue my body in health, my soule from vnclean­nesse. Graunt this, O my God, for thy Sonnes sake (Iesus Christ:) or if it bee thy pleasure to cut me off before night, and that this flower of my youth shall fade in all the beauty of it, yet make me (O my grati­ous Sheepheard) for one of thy Lambs, to whom thou wilt say, Come you blessed, & clothe mee in a white robe (of righteousnes) that I may be one of those singers, who shall cry to thee Allelluia. Amen.

2. A Prayer for a prentice going to his labour.

O The builder of this world! (whose workemanship is to bee seene excellent euen in the frames of the least and basest creatures which thou hast set toge­ther:) Cast a gratious eye vpon mee, and lend me thy directing hand that the labours which this day I am to vndertake may pros­per. Let me not (O God) goe about my busines with eye-seruice; but sithence thou hast ordained that (like poore Ioseph) I must enter into the state of a ser­uant, so humble my mind, [Page 9] that I may perform with a cheereful willingnes what­soeuer my master com­mands mee, and that all his commandements may be agreeable to the seruing of thee. Bestow vpon me thy grace that I may deale vp­rightly with all men, and that I may shew my selfe to him, who is set ouer mee (a Ruler) as I another day would desire to haue others behaue themselues to mee. Take away from him (that is, my master) all thoughts of crueltie, that like the children of Israel vnder the subiection of Pharaohs ser­uants, I may not be set to a taske aboue my strength: of if I be; stretch thou out my sinewes (O God) that I [Page 10] may with vn-wearied limbs accomplish it. Fill my veynes with blood, that that I may goe thorow the hardest labours: sithence it is a law set downe by thy selfe, that I must earne my bread with the sweat of my owne browes. Giue mee courage to beginne: pati­ence to goe forward: and abilitie to finish them. Cleanse my heart (O thou that art the fountaine of purity) from all falsehood, from all swearing, from all abuse of thy sacred Name, from all foule, loose and vnreuerend languages. Let my thoughts when I am a­lone bee of thee: let my mirth in company bee to sing Psalmes, and the ar­guments [Page 11] of my talke onely touching the works of thy hand. Take sloth from my fingers, and drowsinesse from the lids of mine eye; whether I rise early, or lie downe late, so gladly let me doe it, as if my prenti­ship were to bee consumed in thy seruice. The glasse of my yeares shal thereby run out in pleasure, & I in the end shall be made free of that citie of thine, The hea­uenly Ierusalem; into whose fellowship, I beseech thee, to enfranchise & enrol me, and that after I haue faith­fully laboured six dayes of my life here vpon earth, I may vpon the seuenth rest in thy euerlasting Sabbath. Amen.

3. A Prayer for him that buyes and sels.

O Good God, what is our life but a com­mon Mart, wherein we sel away our bo­dies to shame for the price of momentarie pleasure, & barter away our soules to sinne, which were bought at the dearest rate (euen thy Sonnes blood?) What are all our labours, but despe­rate voiages, made to pur­chase wealth? And what are the riches of a worldly man when they are gotten, but (as thy Prophet sin­geth) The weauing of a spi­ders webbe? Esay 59. The spider makes fine nets to catch [Page 13] flyes; and the worldling wasteth his nights, & wea­reth out his dayes in tying his conscience full of knots to pull vp riches. Sithence then the heaping vp of wealth is for the most part, the heaping vp of wicked­nesse; and that all the tra­uailes of our life, are but like buying and selling in a fayre, which wee beginne to day and end to morrow: so direct my steps (deare Lord) that I may neither wāder to get goods by vn­lawfull courses, nor that I may fal in loue with riches, how well soeuer they bee gotten. Let me not be one of those buyers and sellers, whom thy Sonne Iesus thrust out of the Temple: [Page 14] But rather one of those Merchants that sell all to follow thee. And since to loue our neighbour is the fulfilling of the Law, giue mee grace that I may bee counted no breaker of that Law, but a keeper of it sound, dealing iustly with all men. And for that pur­pose, let not mine eye look vpon false waights, nor my hand be held out to take vp an vneuen ballance. Hee loseth a piece of his soule, (euery time) that robbeth his chapmā of his measure: & he that vniustly gaineth but thirtie pence, selleth (like Iudas) euen his master Christ. As thou (O Father of vs all) hast giuen mee two hands, so appoint [Page 15] those seruants of my bo­die to execute none but good and holy offices: Let the one hand buy honestly, and the other sell iustly. Let the left bee to lay vp wealth to maintain my bo­die, and the right to distri­bute thy blessings to those whose bodies are in mise­rie. Seale vp my lips from lying and forswearing (the two poisons that ouerflow euery citie.) Purge my bo­some from corruption: pull out of my heart the stings of enuy, and let me reioyce to see others prosper in the world, & not to murmure if I my selfe wither like trees in Autumne, though I lose the goldē leaues of wealth, and be left naked with po­uertie. [Page 16] Keep the Wolf from my doore, & the Fox out of my bed-chāber, that other men may neither lye in waite to robbe mee of my goods, nor I sit vp late in the counsell of the wicked, how to deceiue other men of theirs. Be thou (O Lord) at my elbow in all my pro­ceedings, so shall I feare to doe amisse in any. And so mortifie my affections, that euery day casting behinde my backe the comfort, the cares, the vanities, the vile­nesse, the pleasures and the sorowes of this bewitching world, I may continually haue this cry aloude in my mouth, I desire to be dissolued and to be with thee. Amen.

4. A Prayer for a mayd-seruant.

STop not thine eares (O Lord) to the requests of thy poore and humble handmaid, but as thou hast laid vpon her the conditi­on of a seruant, so let her mind be subiected to the state to which thou hast called her. And for that thou didst ordaine in that great worke of the Creation of mankinde, that woman should bee the weaker ves­sell, both in the labours of the body, and endeuours of mind: strengthen mee therefore (O God) with thy assistance, & enlighten my soule with thy diuine in­spiration. [Page 18] Bestow vpon my youth a prosperous flouri­shing, but let it be in good­nes. As I grow vp in yeres, let me grow vp in grace: & write my name (O thou e­ternal Register) in that ge­neral pardon wherein thou forgiuest the follies of our youth. Crown my Virgin­state with chaste & religi­ous thoughts: & so temper my desires, that the wanton pleasures of the flesh may not drown in mee the heauēly treasures of the Spirit. Take from me (O God) the health of my bodie, rather then by the possession of it, I shold grow proud of beautie. So thou accountest me faire, I care not how vgly I appeare to the world. And [Page 19] for that I am but poore, so blesse mee, that I may pre­serue my fame: for an ho­nest reputatiō is to a maidē an ample dowry. Defēd me frō the poisō of euil tōgues, which are more deadly thē the stings of scorpions De­fend me frō violating those lawes written downe by thine owne finger: defend me frō shame, whose spots disfigure the liuing, & dis­grace the dead. Defend me from sinne, for the wages thereof are death and hell. Make mee a faithfull stew­ard in ordering the goods of my M. & M ^ris. so shal I be a more carefull disposer of my own. At my going to rest, take thou charge of my soule, for it is thy iewel; [Page 20] at my vprising guard thou my body, for thy Son hath bought it: so shall I at the Sunnes rising pray to thee; when hee is at his height, I shall praise thee; and at his going downe, shall I sing Hymnes of thankes to thy Name. To which bee all honour, for it is due; All glorie, for it is proper; all feare, reuerence and adora­tion, for they are onely thine.

5. A Prayer for a ser­uingman.

NO seruice (O God) is like vnto that of thine: It is the high­way to the highest honour; It is a preferment [Page 21] to eternitie, a promotion beyond that which is be­stowed by Kings. Admit me therfore into thy hous­hold of Faith: clothe me in the liuery of a true Christi­an, so shall I euer waite vp­on thee (O my Lord:) lead me out of the company of swearers, quarrellers, drun­kards, boasters, adulterers, & all those that blaspheme thee. Arme mee with thy grace, assist mee with thy Spirit, blesse me with thy hand, fill me with thy bles­sings, looke downe vpon my weakenesse; lift me vp in strength: beare with my frailtie: suffer not my heart to swell with pride, mine eye to burne in lust, my tongue to sting with slaun­der, [Page 22] my hand to be dipt in blood. But succour me (O my maker) and saue mee, (O saue me) now and euer, (O my Redeemer,) So bee it. Amen.

6. A Prayer for an hus­band man.

THe earth (O Lord) is thy garden in which thou hast appointed man to be a labourer. Of that stuffe in which hee daily diggeth and delueth was Man made; so that in trim­ming the earth, Man doeth but dresse himselfe. But al­beit Paul planteth and A­pollo watereth, no herb or flowre can come vp or tree prosper vnlesse thy hand be at the graffing: send thou therfore forth a whol­some [Page 23] breath from thy no­strils vpon those fruits of the earth which out of the boūty of thy loue thou hast bestowed vpon me thy ser­uant. Let not the leafe of my labors wither, but pros­per it till it grow vp like a Cedar on the top of Liba­nus, or like a tree planted by the waters side, brin­ging forth fruite in due sea­son. Checke (O my God) the Northren wind, that it beate not downe the hus­bandmans hopes, but that the sicke mayl in fit time send in a ripe and plentiful haruest. Strike not the oxe at the plough with death, nor the horse in the pasture with diseases: yet I con­fesse, that my sinnes de­serue [Page 24] to haue the plagues of Egypt fall on mee and my cattell. But the wings of thy mercie (O gracious God) spread fur­ther then those of thy Iu­stice. Shed therefore those comfortable beames vpon mee that am a creeping worme vpon earth. And not onely do I begge these worldly and fading bles­sings at thy hand, but those rather that are heauen­ly, & which laste for euer: powre thy abundant grace on my soule, that it may be fruitfull in good workes, and euer bringing foorth seedes of holinesse. Open my heart, that it may not bee barren of vnderstan­ding thee; cleare thou mine [Page 25] eyes, that they may behold the face of ignorāce & lothe her, and that they may look vpon the beautie of thy sa­cred wisedome, and be en­amored of it. For these and whatsoeuer else thou thinkest fit for the health of my bodie or happinesse of my soule: I most hum­bly beseech thee in the Name of that blessed Son of thine, Iesus Christ.

7. A Prayer for a Marri­ner going to Sea.

O Thou that ridest vpon the Cherubins and fliest vpon the wings of the winds: Thou, at the brightnesse of whose presence the [Page 26] clouds remoue, & at whose chiding hailestones and coales of fire fall vpon the world, whose arrowes are swiftest lighting, & whose bow at the going off, shoo­teth forth thunder. Be mer­cifull vnto me (O my God) that am to venture into the horrors of the deep. There shall I see thy wonders, but let mee not see thy wrath: there shall I looke into hel, but let me not fall into the iawes of feare & desperati­on. Preserue mee (O Lord) in the wombe of the ship, though the waters climbe round about the ribbes to swallow mee vp, as thou didst saue Ionas in the belly of the Whale. And when with thy seruant Peter I cry [Page 27] out (to thy Sonne) Helpe Lord, or we perish: let his hād be stretched forth, to com­mand the waters to bee quiet. Fill our sayles with gentle & prosperous windes; let not the sunne bee couered in stormes by day, nor the Moone and starres conspire with darkenesse by night, to spoile vs by ship-wracke. But set thou an Angel at our helme, when wee hoist sailes to go forth, & charge the same Angel to guide vs through that wildernes of waters, till wee safely ariue on shore. Or if for our sins it bee thy pleasure that our bodies in this voiage shall perish, yet (O our merci­full Pilot) saue our soules [Page 28] from the great Leuiathan, whose iawes are euer open to deuoure: vpon what rocks soeuer the vessel that beares vs bee split, yet wee (most wretched sinners) beg at thy hands, that our heauenly vessels may arriue at the euerlasting land of promise. Graunt this (O Father) for his sake, that swum thorow a red Sea of pretious blood on the crosse, to bee mans Re­deemer.

8. A Prayer for a Marri­ner at Sea in a storme.

SAue vs (O saue vs mise­rable wretches.) who haue no hope in the helpe of man, but only (O Lord Almightie) in thee. Heare [Page 29] the cryes of thy seruants, and let them pierce into thine eare, thorow this bat­tell of the clouds & the wa­ters. Wee perish (O Saui­our) we perish in this pri­son of the deepe, vnlesse by thy miraculous power thou deliuer vs from death. Cast a bridle therefore about the stubburne neckes of the windes, for they are thy ser­uants: and beate backe this furious armie of the waters, for they are thy slaues. Send (O Lord) a Moses vnto vs, to cōduct vs thorow this Sea of death: send but a warrant vnder thy dreadful & commaun­ding voyce, & the tempest shall obey thee. Thou holdest the windes in thy [Page 30] right hand, & the waues in the left; the heauens are thy throne, and earth thy foot­stoole: All is thine, & thou art all; to thee therefore do we fly for succour, because there is no succour but vn­der thy wings. The sor­rowes of death doe round encompasse vs, the paines of hell are felt in our bones; gather thou therefore the seas into an heape, and lay these stormes of wrath vp in thy treasure house of vē ­geance, to confound thy professed enemies. Wee (silly wretches) call vpon thy Name, O heare vs: we are the worke of thine own hands, O deface not thine owne buildings: it was a part of thy glorie to make [Page 31] vs, let it be a greater part of thy glorie to saue vs, now that we are vpon the point to perish. Saue vs, O saue vs, for thine owne sake, for thy Sonnes Sake, for thy glories sake, and wee shall sing Psalmes in thy praises vpon the lute, and vpon an instrument of ten strings.

9. A Thankesgiuing for Mariner being safe­ly landed.

EVerlasting thankes doe we pay vnto thee (O thou that art mer­cie it selfe) in that when our feete were step­ping into the graue, thou diddest raise vs (with [Page 32] poore Lazarus) from the dead. Blessed bee the God of hostes, that thus hath redeemed vs from dā ­ger. Wee were in the lions denne▪ and yet did he deli­uer vs: Wee were in the fornace, yet not a haire hath perished: Wee were at the gates of hell, yet did hee fetch vs backe; the bit­ter cup of death did hee re­moue from our lippes, and out of the pit of despera­tion hath hee pulled vs vp aliue. He did but say the word, and the winds stood still; hee did but frowne, & the waters shrunke in their heads; hee did but beccon, and his Angel came and brought vs comfort. Wee wil sing therefore vnto our [Page 33] good God a song of thāks: Wee will sound foorth his Name euē amongst Turks and Saracens: and send a­broad the miracle of our deliuerance to the furthest corners of the earth. All glorie, honour and praise bee thine, O Lord: for thou art iust without corrupti­on, mercifull beyond our deseruings, and mightie a­boue our apprehension. All glorie, honour and praise bee thine for euer and euer. Amen.

10. A Prayer for a Soul­dier going to a Battell.

ARme mee (O thou God of Battels) with courage this day, that I may not fall before my enemies: The quarrell is thine, let the vi­ctorie bee thine; tie to my sinewes the strength of Da­uid, that I may with a peeble stone strike to the earth these Giants that fight a­gainst thy trueth. The weaker meanes I vse, the greater shall bee thy glory, if I come from the fielde crowned with conquest. I put no cōfidence (O Lord) [Page 35] either in the strong horse, or the iron-headed speare: the armor that must defend mee, is thy right arme. Bee thou therefore this day my Captaine to conduct mee: let thy word bee the trum­pet to incourage mee; the banner of the Church, the colours which I follow; the weapōs which I fight with fayth and hope; and the cause for which I fight, The aduancement of true Religion. Keepe my handes (O my God) from playing the bloody executioners; let pitie sit vpon mine ey­lids, euen in the heate of battell, and mercie on the point of my sword when it is most readie to kill. So let mee fight, that whether [Page 36] I come off, lame or sound, dead or aliue, I may liue or dye thy Souldier. Amen. Blesse me, strengthen mee, guide me, guard mee, saue me, O thou Lord of hosts. Amen.

11. A Prayer, or Thanks­giuing for a Souldier af­ter victorie.

VEngeance is thine, O Lord: and the fall of thy enemies is thy glorie. Immortal honour (like the beames of the sunne) shine about thy Temples, be­cause thou hast this day stood by thy poore seruant. When death trampled vp­on heapes of mangled car­cases, thou (O Lord) plan­tedst [Page 37] a guard of Angels a­bout mine. Thou hast cir­cled my browes with Bay­tree, in signe of conquest, and with the Palme-tree, in token of peace. All that I can giue to thee for these blessings, is but a giuing Thanks. Accept it (O my God) accept this sacrifice of my heart: and so hold in the reines of my passions, that I bee not swolne vp with arrogance and pride, for that which is no worke of mine; but that I may humbly acknowledge thee for the Author both of my owne safety, and my foes deseature. And so instruct me in the heauenly disci­pline of other wars which I am to fight in, in this [Page 38] world, that I may defie sa­than and his troupes, beate downe sin and his damned regiment, & triumph ouer the assaults of the world, that in the ende I may march vnder the banner which Christ shall spread in Heauen. Amen.

12. A Prayer for a woman great with childe.

LOoke downe from Heauen (O Lord) vp­on me thy handmaid, look downe from thy throne of mercie. A curse hast thou laid vpon all wo­men, (for their Grand mo­ther Eues sake) which is, that the fruites of their wombes shal fill them with paine and torments: Iust [Page 39] art thou in thy sentence, for all women in that battel of life and death, doe feele the rigour of thy doome. The horrors of the graue doe in that houre stand before them, the terrors of hell, do in that conflict houer-roūd about them; yet (O God) one drop of thy mercy hath souereigne power to cure all the woūds of those sorrowes. Shed it therefore (O Father) shed that drop of grace vpon me (most mi­serable woman) in that mi­nute when I am to encoun­ter with so sterne an ene­mie. What weight of thy wrath soeuer thou layest vppon mee (for my sinnes,) strengthen mee with patience to beare it, [Page 40] that I may not in that fear­full agony bee vnruly, or vnforgetfull of that mo­destie fitting a woman be­set with such dangers; but rather, that in those throws of child birth, (to which no pangs in the world are comparable) I may verily belieue I see thy blessed Sonne (my Redeemer) torn vpon the crosse: suffering paines insufferable, tor­tures inexpresseable, and sorrowes of soule in-vtte­reble, onely for me, onely to pay for my sins, & only to free mee from the shame of death and hell. Let his immensurable & incōpre­hensible agonies on the crosse, put me in mind how much he ventured for mee [Page 41] (a wretch) and that hee can not plague mee with too many miseries, that haue (for all this loue bestowed) euery day, and euery houre in a day, and euery minute of an houre, playd the wā ­ton with his fauour, and haue abused his mercies. Forget my sinnes notwith­standing (O my God) but forget not thy seruant. For­giue me: and so forgiue me, that the childe in my bodie bee not punished for the mothers offēces Blesse this fruit of my wombe, which thou hast grafted with thine own hand: giue it growth, giue it florishing, giue it forme. And when the time is come that thou wilt cal it out of this close house [Page 42] of flesh, (wher now it in­habiteth) to dwell in the o­pen world. Sanctifie thy creature, and on the fore­head of it, set that sacred seale of Baptisme, that it may be known to be a Lāb of thy own flocke. Graunt this, O maker of mankind, grant this (O Redeemer of mankind) at the request of thy seruant and handmaid. Amen.

13. A Praier for a midwife

WIth handes lifted vppe to Heauen, knees prostrated on the earth, & with a soule hum­bled at thy feete (O Lord) do I beg, that thou wouldst prosper this worke which I am to vndertake. Suf­fer mee not to bee feareful [Page 43] in my office, fainting in my spirits, or too violent in my duetie: but that I may dis­charge it to thy honor, this thy handmaids comfort (who is full of paine) and to my owne credit. Blesse me (O God) with skil, sithence thou hast placed me as thy deputie in this great and wonderfull businesse: giue vnto thy seruant an easie & speedy deliuerance. Giue vnto me a quick, a constant & a gentle hand. Giue vn­to this new vnborne crea­ture (into whom thou hast breathed a soule) a faire & wel-shapē body; that thou mayst haue glorie by thy works, & the mother glad­nesse in beholding her in­fant, after all her sorrowes. [Page 44] Graunt this, O Father, for thy Sons sake Iesus Christ. Amen.

14. A Prayer, or Thanks­giuing, after a womans deliuerie.

GLorified bee thy Name (O God) for this mercy extended to thy seruant: It lay in thy power to strike death into her wombe, but thou hast giuen her a dou­ble life: and to heape sor­rowes vpon her sorrowes, but her anguishes hast thou sweetened with gladnesse. Praised bee thy blessed Name: Praised be thy wō ­drous workes. Continue (O Lord) these thy fauours [Page 45] to thy weake hand-maide: put strēgth into her blood, blood into her veines, and courage into her heart, that her lips may render thee a thanksgiuing. Looke (O God) vpon this babe with an eye of loue; preserue it in health, quicken it with thy grace, and crowne it with long life, that it may growe vp to bee a seruant in thy houshold. Vnty the strings of his vtterance (when thou thinkest it meete) and giue vnto it a tongue that may without stammering or any other imperfect sound speake clearely. Let all other or­gans of his bodie execute their offices, as in thy mer­cie thou hast appointed. [Page 46] Sanctifie O Lord, the brests that must giue it sucke, and feed the soule of it (when it shall please thee to fill it with vnderstanding) with the milk of thy word. Blesse vs (O Lord) that are heere met together to behold the glorie of our creation, and the wonders of our creator in this little infant. Thāks, honour, & praise be giuen vnto thee for euer and euer. Amen.

15. A Prayer for a sicke man, to be sayd by himself.

SIcknesse (O Lord) is, I know, thy herald, and summoneth vs to death: It is thy messenger, and thou hast sent it into my body: Welcome it is, because it [Page 47] commeth from thee; yet (O my God) if it bee thy plea­sure, let thy anger cease, & cast thou that rod into the fire which hath beaten mee thus long with affliction. My soule is brought lowe, (euen to the dust) hide not therefore thy beames from mee, but shed the light of them vpon my face, that I may lift vp my head and be cōforted. Mercifully hast thou dealt with mee I con­fesse, for I deserue, and it lies in thy strength vtterly and in an instant to con­found mee in the heate of thy indignation: But thou hast laid a gentle pu­nishment vpon mee, and the blowes are such as fa­thers giue to children, [Page 48] not to kill them, but to cor­rect them. Thou hast not yet calde me to the barre of death, yet hast thou cald mee to a triall. My sinnes cry out as witnesses against my soule, & my soule plea­deth guiltie of treason a­gainst thy Maiestie. Re­store mee (O God) by thy pardon vnder that great seale of thy promise, To forgiue a sinner at what time soeuer hee heartily powres out his teares of re­pentance. Or if it bee set down in thy booke of irre­uocable decrees, that my flesh must with this sicknes bee turned into dust, so strengthen mee (O my Re­deemer) that to the last houre and latest gaspe, I [Page 49] may hold thy Name be­tweene my lippes, and die with that musicke onely sounding in my voyce. Grant this request O Lord to me thy seruant; that whensoeuer or howsoeuer the glasse of my mortalitie shall runne out, my soule at her departure may runne and be receiued into Abra­hams bosome, which is the sanctuarie for all the faith­full: at which blessed ha­uen that I may arriue, prai­er shal for euer be the sailes that shall carrie vp my heart; and aboue all, that, praier which the best prea­cher of the world hath taught me; saying, Our fa­ther, &c.

16. A Prayer to be sayd by them that visit the sicke.

O Thou (O Lord) that art the Physi­tian both of soule and bodie, stretch foorth, wee beseech thee, thine arme toward this thy seruant: poure out the oile of thy mercy and com­passion, and with it balme his temples, that his memo­rie may not be taken from him, but that hee may call vpon thy glorious Name. Speake vnto him, as thou didst speake to thy seruant, when thou saidst, Arise, take vp thy bedde and walke: [Page 51] for health is thy subiect and obeyes no command but thine. Arme him (O fa­ther of vs all) arme this thy sonne with patience to in­dure this triall, and with constancy to wait thy plea­sure: giue him the fortitude of Iob, to beare the burden of all tribulations, of all crosses, and of al calamities, sithence the waight of them is not to beare him downe, but to lift him vp to blessed­nes. Settle O Lord his spi­rits, that they may not wander and flie out into any vnruly motions. Lay thy finger vpon his lippes, that they may not fall into cur­sing or blaspheming thy de­ity, or into any vaine lan­guage. Take frō his eye al [Page 52] delight of this fraile world, and let his soule make rea­die onely for a voyage to heauen: heare vs O Lord that beg this at thy hands: heare him O Lord, that lifteth vp his hands vnto thee, and begges a pardon for his sinnes: open the gates of mercy: open the doors of thy sauing health: open thine armes, to receiue him into thy fauour, or into the celestiall freedome: a­dopt him for thine owne: adopt him in the blood of thy Sonne; or if it be thy will, to adde more daies to his life, turne then speedily his weakenes into strength, and his sickenesse into health; so shall he confesse that thou art mighty, that [Page 53] thou art mercifull, and that thou alone art the God of saluation. To thee there­fore that art One in Three, and Three in One, and in all things incomprehen­sible, bee all honour. A­men.

17. A Prayer for a Prisoner.

MY feete (O my Saui­our) are in the snares of the hunter, and like a beast in the Wildernesse haue my enemies pursued mee: I am now entang­led in the chaines of cap­tiuitie; yet (O my God) bestow thou vpon mee the freedome of my soule: Soften thou the flintie [Page 54] hearts of those men, that haue cast me into this house of mourning and heaui­nesse: and as thou didst to Daniel in the Lions denne, defend and keepe mee from the iawes of mi­serie, that are stretched wide open to swallow mee vp aliue. It is for my sinne that I am thus round beset with pouerty, shame, and dishonour. Receiue thou therefore these sacri­fices of my contrition, and turne not away thine eare, when my prayers are fly­ing towards thee. The sighes of a sinner repen­ting is a sweete breath in thy nostrils, his teares are pretious, and like those teares that washed the feet [Page 55] of Christ. Accept there­fore this offring from the altar of an humble, contrite, and wounded heart.

Put into my bosome Good and Charitable thoughts, that I may pray for them that perse­cute and trouble mee; and that I may vndergoe and passe ouer all their op­pressions and bearings of mee downe, with a set­led, constant, and suffe­ring spirit. Let this im­prisonment (O LORD) bee alwaies vnto mee a Booke wherein I may reade, first, the knowledge of thee (which hitherto I haue not studied) and se­condly, the knowledge of my selfe. Let it be a glasse [Page 56] wherein I may see all the blemishes of my youth; as riots, whoredomes, drun­kennesse, pride, and such like foule and vlcerous spottes, that haue disfigu­red my soule. Change (O mercifull God) if it bee thy will, my wants into plentie, my thraledome in­to liberty, my mourning into gladnesse, for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake, who was a prisoner vpon the Crosse, onely to set all mankind free: Worke pitie O my Saui­our, in the brests of my aduersaries, that I may sing with the Prophet: Blessed is hee that conside­reth the poore and needy: the Lord shall deliuer him in the [Page 57] time of trouble. But if it be thy will and pleasure that I must grone vnder this trouble and affliction; arme mee (O God) with a constant patience to beare all. Amen.

A Prayer for a Gal­ly-slaue.

O THOV that thorow the redde Sea diddest guide the children of Is­rael, thrust forth the selfe same arme, and pull mee thy seruant, out of the hands of a Tyrant, whose heart is hardened worse then Pharoahs. Hee that [Page 58] hates thy glorious Name (O Lord) and persecu­teth thy beloued Sonne in the bodies of Christians; doeth with an iron rodde bruise my bones: O Lord be thou my deliuerer. In penury and woe doe I toyle out my dayes: In cold and hunger doe I passe ouer and waste out my nights: my labours are at the Oare, and my tortures at the will of a barbarous infidell; in whose eye, stripes to a wretched and poore Gal­ly-slaue are but a mer­riment; and the gushing out of a Christians blood but a mockerie. For the honour of thy beloued Sonne (who laid downe his [Page 59] owne life for my ransome) suffer not these enemies of thy glory to insult ouer one of thy children. For the ho­nor of thy Church (of which I am a member) suffer not thy Religion to be trodden to dust (in mee) by the tyranny and crueltie of a blaspheming Pagan: or if it bee in thy Diuine pur­pose, to haue me longer to grone vnder this heauie yoake of seruitude and slauerie for the triall of my faith; thy will bee done: yet O LORD, stand thou by my side: shrink not from me, lest thou forsaking mee I fall away from thee, & so vtterly perish in Tur­kish ignorance: confirm me in my religiō, infuse into me [Page 60] thy grace, teach my tongue to speake of thee boldly, my thoughts to meditate vpon thee sincerely, and strengthen thou my bodie to maintaine thy cause euen to the death. Amen.

19. A Praier for men that worke in dangerous workes▪ as Cole­pits▪ mines, &c.

OVT of my Bedde (the image of my Graue) hast thou raised mee (O Lord) thy Angels sat vpon mine eye-liddes, like Centinels to guard me all the while I [Page 61] lay asleepe: O suffer thou the same watchmen to pro­tect me now I am awake. I need thy help alwayes, (for what is man without thee?) but so neere the house of danger must I this day dwell, that on my knees I entreate thee to keepe side by side with mee in my go­ings. Saue my bodie, O Lord: for death is (at euery turning about) at my elbow. Saue my soule, what­soeuer fals vpon my bodie. Which diuine part of me, that it may come into thy heauenly treasure-house, inspire mee with that wisedome which descendeth from aboue. Purifie my thoughts, & let them with spotles wings bee continu­ally [Page 62] flying about thy throne. Purge my heart, that it may come before thee like a bride-groome, full of chaste loue. Refine my soule, that like siluer se­uentimes tried in the fire, it may beare the bright figure of Saluation. In vaine doeth the builder lay his foundation, vnlesse thy hand bee at the setting vp. Set therefore thy hand to this worke of mine; en­courage mee to vndertake it, embolden mee to goe forward, and enable me to finish it. Amen.

20. A Prayer for a poore man.

O Thou King both of Heauen and earth, whose blessings fall vpon man like sho­wers of raine: open that rich fountain of thy grace, and let the drops of it re­liue me that am the misera­blest of thy creatures. Thou hast clothed mee in the ha­bits of basenesse; but, O LORD, furnish thou my minde with the riches of thy mercie. I am content (O FATHER) with this poore estate, and com­fort my selfe with it, knowing that thy blessed [Page 64] Sonne had at his birth but a māger in stead of a cradle to ly in, & being the Lord of the whole world, not so much as a dwelling house of his his owne to lodge in. The Sparrow lighteth not vppon the ground without thy pro­uidence, nor doeth the meanest of thy children breath, but thou prouidest for him. Sithence I came naked into the world, this nakednesse of mine is but the badge of my natiuitie: bestow therefore thy grace vpon mee, that I may not enuy those that swim in the abundance of wealth. Feed me, O Lord, with the bread of life: that I may growe strōg in health euerlasting; [Page 65] let me drinke of the benefit of my Redeemers blood: Clothe mee (O God) with righteousnesse: and albeit thou hast in thy iudgement and to expresse thy glorie, appointed mee to bee an out-cast amongst men, and to be the scum of the world, yet, O Lord, cast mee not out of thy presence, but for thy deare Sons sake, whose blood bought the begger as well as the Prince, make mee a free-denizen in the citie of Hea­uen. So be it.

1. A Prayer for the Morning.

WHen I rise from my bed (O my Redeemer) it puts mee in mind of my rising from the graue, when the last trumpet shall sound, & summon vs to the generalll resurrection: and as then I hope to behold thee comming in thy ful­nesse of glorie, and thy Fa­ther sitting in the brightnes [Page 14] of his maiestie, and that I shall haue a place amongst those that are written in thy booke of life: so (O thou my mediator) make inter­cession for mee, that all the sinnes of my former dayes and nights being freely pardoned, I may this day be intertained againe into thy seruice. Receiue there­fore (O Lord) this earely sacrifice both of my soule and bodie: I offer them vp into thy hands to be dispo­sed at thy pleasure, and with them vnfained sighes for offending thee: & with those sighes my zealous Prayers, for thy pardon: and with those Prayers an assured hope, that (in thy mercie) and in the blood of [Page 15] that louing Pellican (Christ Iesus) that died for mee, I shall be forgiuen. Blessed bee thy Name for blessing me this night from danger. I read in the booke which was written by thine owne finger, that thou didst cast Adam into a sleepe, when thou madest (of his rib) a woman; by which I note, that man of himselfe hath no power to binde slūbers to his temples, vnlesse thou giue it him. All thankes therefore be thine, that this night hast couered me with the soft wings of quietnes, and so graciously dost now suffer mee to behold the light of the day. Goe on (O God) with thy fauours to­wards me thy humble ser­uant: [Page 16] goe on along by me, and with mee, all this day, and all the dayes of my life; that I may not step into the path of sinne. Grant this, I beseech thee, giue me thy grace, and forgiue mee my debts which I owe to sinne and death. So be it. Amen.

2. A Prayer against pride.

O THOV Son of the euerliuing God, who euen in thy birth thou vouch­safedst to call Ioseph thy Father, and in thy cradle, which was but a poore manger, and who in the height of all thy [Page 17] passions and sorowes vpon the crosse; wert the true pa­tern of true humilitie; teach me, O Lord, to tread that path in all my tribulations: make me thy scholler, and leaue me not till I haue that lesson perfectly by heart. God (thy father) is ouer all the world, the highest; but it is to expresse his Maie­stie. Thou (that art God the sonne) of all those that are of thy fold, art the low­liest-minded; but that is to instruct vs (thy children) in obedience. For alack, whereof should I bee proud? Am I not dust and ashes? Am I not made of the clay of the earth? And must I not (in the end) like a potters earthen vessell be [Page 18] broken all into pieces? Thy Prophet Amos told the people, that thou didst hate the pride euen of Iacob, and didst abhorre his palaces: And can I haue any hope (being nothing so deere vnto thee as Iacob) that thou canst loue to behold that Serpent (of pride) with se­uen heads, sleeping in my bosome? Now thy hand is armed against the hand of the proud man, and he can­not escape confusion. Pride was the first sin that crept into the world; but so vgly a sinne it was, that it could not be suffered to stay in heauen: for Lucifer (the fa­ther of it) from the glory of an Angel, was throwne headlong (for his inso­lence) [Page 19] into the pitte of hell. Pharaoh was proud, but Pharaoh and his host fell in their pride. Senacherib was proud, but Senacherib was trod vpon by the feete of his owne children. Ham­mon was proud, but his end was the gallow-tree, which hee set vp for another. Yea so odious a monster in thine eye (O God) is a proud man: that proud Nabuchodonozer being a king, was by thee turned into a beast and eat the grasse, till hee confessed himselfe to be but a man; and that thou onely (O God) wert the God of heauen and earth. And on the contrary side, so pretious a iewell is humili­tie [Page 20] in thy sight, that none could bee Christs disci­ples, but such as wore the Garment of Lowlinesse. Pull therefore downe (O LORD) nay pull vp by the very roote, this tree of Pride, if thou perceiue it growing within me. Suf­fer (O GOD) none of the branches of this sinne to spread in the world, but lop them off euen in their budding forth: and for the purpose let not vaine glory (one of the pa­ges of Pride) follow lear­ning: let not disdaine sit in the eye of Greatnes, to cast terrifying looks vpō the di­stressed: let not presūptiō of thy mercies make vs tempt thee to destroy vs in our [Page 21] security; nor let thy long suffering and winking at our sinnes, stirre our soules vp to disobedience and re­bellion. But turne thou all our affections in such concord, that we may count our glories but shadowes, our strength weakenesse, our riches but temptations, & snars to catch our souls, our wisedome but folly, our life but a bubble in water, and our death our euerla­sting iourney to the land of sorrow, vnles at our set­ting forth thou vndertakest to be the Pilot. Be there­fore so our merciful God, & in despite of all the rockes which sinne and her dread­full Sea-monsters set in the way for our destruction, [Page 22] safely set vs, we beseech thee, vpon the shore of e­ternall felicity: Amen, O Lord, Amen, So be it, now, and for euer. Amen.

3. A Prayer against Enuie.

IT is a branch in thy hea­uenly statute (O King of heauen) that wee should loue our enemies, and blesse them that curse vs, and doe good to them that hate vs, and to pray for them that lay plots for our liues: these are the strings (O God) whose musicke is pleasing to thine eare; these are the staires by which we climbe vp to charity, and holding her by the hand, [Page 23] we are led vp into heauen. Purge thou therefore (O Lord) our veines, and suffer not the stincking poison of enuy to infect our blood. But following the steps of Samuel, let vs euen pray for king Saul, albeit king Saul be an enemy to thy seruants: and with Moses, let vs not repine at the stubborne Iewes, though they rebell and threaten to kill vs with death. Enuy (O God) is the destroier of him that nouri­sheth it in his bosome: it is the tormentor of a mans owne selfe: thou hast com­manded vs to loue our neighbours as our selues. But how can wee shew loue to them, when if enuy lie sucking of our [Page 24] owne blood, wee sucke e­uen the ruine of our owne bodies? As the rust ea­teth the iron, so doeth this vulture gnawe the soule.

Enuie turnes man into a Diuell; yea into the worser shape of a Diuell, doeth it turne him. The Iewes perished, because they chose rather to en­uie Christ and his miracles, then to beleeue him.

Other sinnes haue their limits, but the streame of enuie keepeth within no bounds. If pride were barren, enuie would neuer haue beene borne: but that sinne is the mother to this, and this sin the fountaine of tenne [Page 25] thousand more. By meanes of this sinne the world was drowned, and by meanes of this sinne was thy Sonne betraid to death: cut it therefore off (O Lord) and suffer not the seede of it to grow in mens hearts. How dare we, O God, aske for­giuenes at thy hands, when we are out of charity, and wish the downefall of our neighbour? Poure there­fore into our soules thy di­uine grace, that wee may striue to be like thee; that is, to be al loue, and all mer­cy: so shall we liue with thee for euer; so shall wee die thy seruants, and being raised vp againe, shall be thy children. Amen.

4. A Prayer against Wrath.

WRath is a short madnesse: mad­nesse is the murderer of rea­son; so that anger trans­formes a man into a brute beast. Giue vs therefore courage (O Lord) to fight against this strong enemy, and not to fight onely, but to ouercome him: sithence the conquest is harder, to triumph ouer our raging affections, then to subdue a Citie. All vengeance is thine (O God) and if wee offer to take it out of thy hand, it is high treason, for we doe as much as if wee went about to pull thee [Page 27] from thy throne: Inspire vs therefore with patience, that we may beare iniuries as thy Son did vpon earth, and may endure afflictions (as thy seruant Iob did) when it shall please thee to send them on thy message; and that we may not at any time either murmure a­gainst thy prouidence, or bee angry with thee for whatsoeuer thou sendest, be it health or sicknes, life or death; nor in the bitter­nes of our soules, powre downe curses (which are some of the droppes of wrath) vpon whatsoeuer Rulers or Teachers thou settest ouer vs; lest thy hea­uenly vengeance smite vs, (with Mirian, who murmu­red [Page 28] against Moses.): But cast (O Lord) such a bridle vp­pon our stiffe-necked affe­ctions, that all contention, quarrels, blood-shed, war, and murder (who are the sonnes of wrath) may bee curbed, and not suffered to doe violence to thy Church, to offer dishonour to thy Saints, or disturbance to the Common-wealth. Sign (O Lord) to this humble petition of thy seruants, that they may liue here like Doues one to another, without gall; and at their departure hence, they may mutually embrace and hold hands together, to meete thee in glory.

5. A Prayer against Sloth.

HOw hatefull the sinne of Sloth is in thine eyes (O Lord) we may ga­ther by the life of our first father Adam; who albeit he had a whole world to himself, and al things made ready to his hand; yet to shew that he was not borne to liue idlely, thou placedst him in the garden of Eden, and there appointedst him to labour. And euen from the beginning hast thou enacted, that man should liue by the sweate of his brow; that he should earne his bread, ere hee tasted [Page 30] bread; and that hee who would not worke should not feede, for as a bird is created to flie in the ayre, as fishes are to swim in the waters, so is man made to take paines vpon earth. What were the sinnes of Sodom but pride, fulnesse of meate, wealth and idle­nesse? Keepe these sinnes therefore O Lord, from the gates of our cities, lest they bring vpon vs the like con­fusion. Haue wee not ex­amples (euen of those that were tender to thy loue) that wee should not nou­rish this disease in our blood, but that wee should spend our liues as the clouds execute their offices to be still in motion? were [Page 31] not Abraham, Lor, Isac, and Iacob ploughmen and shep­heards? Did not thy seruant Moses keepe the sheepe of Iethro his father in law, the Priest of Midia? Was not Dauid, before he was an an­nointed king, a shepheard likewise? Yea, did not thine owne Sonne take paines continually, whilest hee liued amonst men? Were not his Apostles fisher­men, and did not Luke (thy blessed Euangelist, and one of thy Sonnes Chroniclers) practise physicke & pain­ting? In these men (O LORD) and in their liues hast thou set downe rules for vs to follow. Put therefore strength into our armes, that we may en­dure [Page 32] labour: kindle our mindes with courage, and liuely-hood, that in winter wee may not bee loath to take holde of the plough for feare of the colde, lest when summer commeth, we fall into beggerie. And aboue all things, so encou­rage vs with thy grace, and so quicken our vnderstan­dings with thy spirit, that we may not be dulled and so neglect the knowledge of thy lawes, nor by lasines be besotted with ignorāce, and so lose the remem­brance of our duties. Suffer not (O Lord) this vnprofi­table weede (of sloth) to grow vp amongst the Mi­nisters of thy word: let no standing waters be in thy [Page 33] Church, but giue swiftnesse to them, that they may all bee running streames, so shall thy pastures bee wa­tered and bring foorth en­crease: so shall thy flockes bee well tended, when the sheepheards bee watchfull; so shall we all set ourhands to the raising vp of thy heauenly tabernacle, & so in the end shall we be lifted vp to sit with thee, and thy Sonne in Heauen. Amen.

6. A Prayer against coue­tousnesse.

O Father of heauen▪ and giuer of all blessings open thy hand, but so open it, that the powring downe of thy benefits, may not [Page 34] make vs swell into a desire to hoord vp more then is fit for vs to receiue. The loue of worldly honours, maketh vs onely in loue with the world, and to for­get thee; the loue of gold & siluer, maketh vs to for­sake heauen, and to lose thee. O let not therefore the griping talants of couetousnesse seize vpon our soules. It is a golden diuell that tempteth vs into hell. It is a Mar-maid, whose songs are sweet▪ but full of sorcerie. It is a sinne that turneth courtiers into beggers, and yet maketh them weare monopolies on their backes, when the common-wealth shiuereth through cold. It is a sinne, [Page 35] that sels thy Church (by simonie) and sends soules away at an easie rate. It is a sinne, that blindeth the eye of iustice; It is a bell, whose sound so deafes the poore mans voice, that his wrongs cannot bee heard. Driue therefore this plague out of our land (O Lord) and make vs couetous of nothing but of thy glorie, & of the riches of thy Go­spel: let vs bee couetous of doing well one to another, so shall we be sure to stand in fan our with thee. A co­uetous man is like hell, euer deuouring, neuer satisfied; hee is an insatiable drun­kard of gold. Quench, O Lord, this thirst of money in vs: keepe our hands [Page 36] clean from touching riches vnlawfully, lest with A­chab and Iezabel wee com­mit murder, and shed Na­boths blood, to wring from him his vineyard: or with Achan bee stoned to death fos taking goods that are to vs forbidden. Grant these blessings (O FA­THER Almightie) and with them, giue vs grace to bee content with such e­state (how meane soeuer) as thou shalt lay vpon vs: let the wealth we desire be thy kingdome, and the gold we thirst after, be our Saluation. Amen.

7. A Prayer against gluttonie.

HOw manie woes (O Lord) are thundred out by thy Prophets a­gainst this bestiall and de­uouring sinne of gluttony? Where is woe (crieth out that proclaimer of all wise­dome king Salomon) where is wailing? Where is strife? Where are snares laid? Where are wounds taken? Where are bloody eyes? but where the drunkard filleth out his wine, and the epicure feeds on his varie­tie of dishes? Preserue vs therefore, O God, from falling into this bottomles gulfe. All creatures hast [Page 38] thou giuen to man, to serue his vse, but let not man turne that to his destructi­on, which was ordained for his comfort. This sinne of intemperance, was the sin of our first parents: it was a lickorish sin, but it was so­werly & seuerely punished: the eating of one apple lost Paradise frō thē, & brought thy heauie curse vpon vs. This sinne of inordinate eating and drinking, kin­dled vnnaturall lust in the Sodomites, which afterwards in flakes of burning brim­stone fell from heauen, and destroyed their cities. This sinne in Lot, made him fall into incest: and this in the people of Israel, turned thē into idolatrie. Strengthen [Page 39] therefore our hearts (O God) with thy grace, and not with the fulnesse of meates: giue vs the waters of life to taste, & not strong wines to ouercome vs: si­thence drunkards shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen: and lastly, set still before our eyes the pictures of the rich glutton, and of poore Lazarus; the one fa­red deliciously euery day, and drunke of the purest grape, but afterwards hee lay howling in hel & could not get a drop of cold wa­ter to quench his burning thirst. The other fed vpon crummes, and he was caried into Abrahams bosome. To vs: that place, O Lord, send & grant that we may sit at [Page 40] that table of thy Saints, where neither hunger nor thirst shal afflict, but where is all fulnesse, all gladnesse, all riches, all rest, all happi­nesse. Amen.

8. A Prayer against lust.

MY bodie (O Lord) is a temple conse­crated to thee, keep it then, I beseech thee, cleane and free from the pollution of sinne, and amongst all that lay siege to destroy it, defend it from vnbrideled flames of lust: with which poison, who so are infected, haue their part in the lake that [Page 41] burneth with fire and brim­stone, which is the second death. Close vp my lippes (O God) from speaking vnchast language; sanctifie my thoughts, that no wanton desires may burne in my bosome: be thou pre­sent in all my actions, that no temptations of the flesh may lead my soule into wickednesse. The sinne of lust (O Lord) is a couetous sinne, and not content with the spoile of one bodie, but worketh the euerlasting perdition of two at once. It is a sinne so foule, that by a strait law thou hast for­bidden it in thy tables: yea, and hast vowed that the offender therein shall goe downe into hell, whereas [Page 64] hee that goeth from it shall be saued. Place modesty therefore in mine eye, that lasciuious glances may not there haue entrance: let mee with Ioseph rather suf­fer imprisonment, then to make any body a slaue to intemperate lust. It is written vpon those Re­cords of thine which can­not lie, that foure & twen­tie thousand Iewes were slaine for the whoredomes by them committed; yea the deflowring of a Leuites wife, cost the liues of an hundred thousand people. And so hatefull vnto thee (O God) was Dauids a­dultery with the wife of Vrias; that albeit he were thy chosen seruant, hee [Page 65] could not scape thy punish­ment. Forgiue therefore the follies of my youth and let my body hereafter be a vessell of purity, that at the last day when all creatures must stand before thee, I may appeare in whitenes, and receiue that crowne of glory, prepared for the blessed. Amen.

9. A Prayer against the temptation of the Diuel.

OVr life (O Lord) pas­sing thorow so dan­gerous a wildernes, cannot chuse but meete with many sins: euery sin is a tempta­tion; to ouercome euerie temptation is a glorious vi­ctory; and the reward of [Page 23] that victory, is an euerla­sting crowne of starres: for there can be no conquest without a combat; & there can be no combat without an enemy to encoūter with; and no enemy is more rea­dy to set vpon vs, and more subtil in his fight, nor more cruell where he subdues, then that arch-traytor to thy kingdome, and old ene­my to mankind, the Diuell. Giue him therfore (O Lord) no power ouer me: or if it be thy pleasure that I must enter into the lists with him, let my trials bee like those of Iob, to exercise my faith, and not to con­found my soule: to which battel when I must be sum­moned, stand thou (O my [Page 67] Sauiour) in my sight to inspire mee with courage, and plant a guard of An­gels on either side of mee, to take my part if I shrink; that in the end I may bee ledde away in triumph. Breake (O my God) all the snares which daily and howerly this politick hun­ter pitcheth to intrap me, in the lustines of my health and youth. But aboue all, suffer mee not to fall into those, which he spreadeth at the houre of my death, to catch my soule at her departure. O Lord driue away despaire, that it may not en­ter at that time (nor any o­ther) into my bosome; nei­ther let mee be afraid that I knock at the gates of thy [Page 68] mercy too late, or distrust thy grace, because so many thousands of sins do muster themselues before me: but comfort me with the sweet physicke of thy promises, and with the examples of thy holiest seruants, who all sinned grieuously; yet didst thou seale them a pardon. In my meditations stand, O Lord, at my elbow, that my soule may not wander and so bee lost. Defend mee from the arrow of death e­ternall: saue mee from the iawes of the redde Dragon: keepe me from entring in­to the gates of hell. Amen.

10. A Prayer for the Euening.

THus (O God) am I neerer to old age then I was in the morning, but (I feare) not neerer to good­nes: for he that striues to do best, comes short of his duety. The night now stea­leth vpon me (like a thiefe.) O defend me from the hor­rors of it. When I am to lie downe in my bedde, let me imagine I am to lie in my winding sheete: and suffer me not to close mine eyes, til my soule & I haue recko­ned and made euen, for all the offences which not only this day, but all the former minuts of my life, [Page 70] I haue committed against thy diuine Maiestie. Par­don them, O LORD, for­giue mee my sinnes, which are more infinite then the starres, and more heauie then if mountaines lay vpon my bosome; but thy mercy, and the merits of my Redeemer do I trust in. In his Name doe I sue for a pardon. Suffer, O LORD, no vn­cleane thoughts this night to pollute my body and soule: but keep my cogita­tions chaste, and let my dreames be like those of innocēts & sucking babes. Grāt, O Lord, that the Sun may not go down vpō my wrath. But if any man this day hath done me wrong, [Page 71] that I may freely and hear­tily forgiue him, as I desire at thy hands to bee forgi­uen. Whether I sleepe or wake, giue thy Angels charge ouer mee, that at what houre soeuer thou callest mee, I may like a faithfull souldier be found ready to encounter death, and to follow the Lambe wheresoe­uer he goeth. Amen.