THE POMAUNDER of Prayer, Newly made by Thomas Becon. ECCLE. 24. ¶ Pleasantly do I smell, even as it were Cynamome, and sweet Balm, THOMAS BECONUS SACROSANCTAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR. AETATIS SVAE .41 ANº DNI .1553. portrait of Thomas Becon Ora expressa vides, vivos imitantia vultus. Quod potuit calamo pictor & arte videt Mentis quam nullus potuit tibi reddere pict● Effigiem scriptis, praebuit ipse suis. To the most honourable and virtuous Lady Anne of Cleve, her grace, sister to the high and mighty Prince William Duke of Cleve. etc. Thomas Becon wisheth the favour of God, long life and continual health. AMong many other godly and noble virtues, which God by his holy spirit hath graffed in your grace's breast (most honourable Lady) the fervent affection and continual desire of praying unto the Lord our God, hath neither the last nor the jest place in you. And as God hath wrought in you by the holy Ghost this godly mind to call upon his holy name with diligent prayer, so likewise doth your grace stur up and confirm that spiritual motion with the exercise of daily prayer, lest that godly affection should be quenched, which the holy Ghost hath kindled in your heart. For your grace doth rightwell consider, that God delighteth in nothing more than in the invocation of his blessed name, and in the sacrifice of thanks giving for his benefits. Where the name of God is diligently called upon, & most humble and hearty thanks given unto him for his fatherly and friendly gifts, there is his blessing grace and favour plenteous, there is the holy Ghost present, there is a merry conscience, there all things prospero, there wanteth no good thing. Continue therefore (most honourable Lady) as you have godly begun, both you and all your faithful family to call on the glorious name of the Lord our God with fervent prayer, and forget not to be thankful unto him for his benefits, wherewith above many other he hath richly endued your grace. So shall he be your loving Lord & gracious God, your favourable father and strong shield. So shall he make your grace to prospero in all your doings, & bless you both with longlyfe and much honour. And that your grace may have at hand convement prayers to pray unto the Lord our God I thought it good, considering your graces manifold virtues, to give unto you this my Pommaunder of prayer, wherein are breeflye contained such godly prayers as are most meet in this our age to be used of all degrees and estates, most humbly beseeching your grace to take in good part this my rude and bold enterprise according to your accustomed gentleness. God, whose glory you heartily love, whose word you ioifulli embrace, whose name you earnestly call upon: might vouchsafe to preserve your grace in continual health and increase of honour. Amen. Your Grace's most humble and faithful orator Thomas Becon. ¶ The Pomaunder of Prayer. ¶ A Prayer for the morning. I Tender unto thee (O heavenly father) most hearty thanks, by thy dear son jesus Christ, that this night passed thou hast vouchsafe of thy fatherly goodness to preserve me from all evil, & to give my body rest and sleep: I now most entirely beseech thee that as thou hast raised up this my body from sleep, so likewise thou wilt deliver my mind from the sleep of sin, and from the darkness of this world, that I walking in the light of thy blessed word, may only do that is pleasant in thy sight, profitable to my neighbour, and healthful to my soul. Amen. ¶ A prayer for the Evening. I Most humbly thank thee (O merciful Father) for preserving me this day from all misfortunes, and for thy other benefits wherewith thou hast plenteously blessed me. I beseech the forgive me all my sins, wherewith I have offended thy fatherly goodness from the very beginning of my life unto this present hour, and take me this night into thy tuition, ytmyne enemies may have no power over me, but that my body enjoying a sweet sleep, my mind may continually watch unto thee, and through faith behold thy blessed majesty with a perfect hope after this frail & transitory life, to possess ytimmortal and heavenly life, where thou gloriously livest and reignest with thy only begotten son and the holy Ghost one true and everlasting God, worlds without end. Amen. A prayer for the forgiveness of sin. O My Lord and only saviour jesus Christ, which camest into this world to take away the heavy burdens of them that were laden, to seek that was lost, to call sinners unto repentance, to give everlasting life to the faithful, and to be a mediator between God the father and us: I poor & wretched sinner from the very heart lament, and inwardly bewail my sinful and wretched, life, desiring the for thy promise sake according to thy merciful wont, to be my mediator and advocate unto God the father, that he may forgive me all mine old sins, & so wholly possess my heart by his blessed spirit, that he may defend me, against all perils to come, which the devil, the world or the flesh imagineth against me, and so change me into a new man, that mine old sins being wiped away in thy precious blood, I may walk from virtue to virtue unto the glory and praise of his blessed name. Amen. A prayer unto God the father. THy dearly beloved son (O most loving father) taught us in his holy Gospel, that to know the to be the alone true God, is everlasting life. Grant therefore we beseech thee, that we may truly know thee, even as we are taught by thy holy word, believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth, that thou alone art the true living and immortal God our heavenvly father, our maker, our preserver, and our defender, that we thus believing and confessing may through thy son Christ be come heirs of everlasting life. And as we thus believe and confess of thee▪ so give us grace to show forth this our faith by godly conversation and virtuous living, ytmē seeing our good works, may glorify thee our heavenly father, to whom be praise for ever. Amen. ¶ A prayer unto God the son. O Lord jesus christ the son of the living God, yea, very God himself begotten of god the father from everlasting & continuing true & immortal God worlds without end by thee all things were made both inheaven and in earth, by thee also they be conserved & kept in a order, thou art the brightness of thy father's glory thou art the very image of his substance, in thee are hide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in the dwelleth all fullness, by thee are we reconciled to God the father, by thee are we set at peace with him, through the blood of the cross, by thee have we free access unto the glorious throne of God's majesty, & by thee are we brought in through faith unto his grace, wherein we stand and rejoice, in hope of the glory of God: we thank thee for all thy benefits, & most humbly beseech thee to give us grace faithfully to believe in thee, steadfastly to confess thee true God and true man, earnestly to acknowledge thee our alone redeemer, saviour, Satisfier, Reconciler, Intercessor, Mediator and Advocate that we altogether depending on thee and thy merits, on thy blessed passion, precious death and glorious resurrection, may study through thy grace, so to order our life in true holiness and innocency, that at the day of judgement thou mayst present us both body and soul unto thy heavenly father, and so for ever and ever placeus in thy glorious kingdom. Amen. ¶ Unto God the holy ghost. O Holy and blessed spirit, which being true and everlasting God, with God the father and God the son procedest from them both full of majesty and power, which also with thy heavenvly breath quycknest the mides of them that afore were dead through sin, makest merry the hearts of the faithful penitent, bringest into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived, settest at one such as were at debate, comfortest fortest the souls of them ythūger and thirst after righteousness and plenteously enrichest them with divers gifts, which pray unto thee in the name of jesus Christ: purify our hearts we beseech thee with the fire of thy love, mortify in us what soever is not thy, renew & garnish our minds with thy heavenly benefits and spiritual gifts, that they may be made thy temples, lead us into all necessary truth, suffer us not to be carried about with divers & strange doctrine, but always to remain in that doctrine, whereof thou alone art the author, enarme our souls against the crafty assaults of suttil Satan, against the vain pleasures of the wicked world, and against the lewd lusts of filthy flesh, that we being replenished with thy holy breath, may do ytoneli, which is acceptable in thy godly sight. Amen. ¶ Particular prayers to be said of the Magistrates. FOrasmuch as it is thy godly pleasure (O king of kings, and Lord of Lords) to appoint me among other a ruler of thy people, give me grace I beseech thee, so to minister the common weal, and so to execute my office, that I may please thee, and hurt no man in all my doings, but judge equally and iustli, rule according to thy will, show myself a father unto thy people, and so behave myself in all mine enterprises, that I seeking thy glory, the furtherance of thy blessed gospel, & the weal of ytsubiectes, may (when thou shalt tender to every man according to his deeds) be found blameless in thy sight, through jesus Christ our Lord Amen. ¶ Of the ministers of God's word. Thou high Priest and O everlasting bishop jesus Christ, the alone teacher of all godly truth, and the only Curate of our souls, which by thy holy word hast appointed some of thy congregation to be Ministers and Preachers of thy blessed law and Glorious gospel, that by this means, the holy ghost also working, they may call sinners unto repentance, preach remission of sins in thy name, persuade unto virtue, and dissuade from vice: forasmuch as it hath pleased thee to call me an unprofitable servant unto that holy office of ministration, and to make me a preacher of thy word: I most humbly beseech thee, to give me thy holy spirit, which may lead me in to all truth, instruct me with the knowledge of thy holimisteries, and through his heavenly inspiration so prepare my heart, and order my tongue, that I may neither think, breath, nor speak any thing, but that may turn unto thy glory and the edifying of thy flock. Grant also that what soever I preach in word, I may fulfil the same in work unto the example of that thy flock, which thou hast purchased with thy precious blood, that when thou the chief shepherd shalt appear I being found faithful in my office, may through thy goodness receive the incorruptible crown of glory. Amen. ¶ Of Subjects or Commons'. AS it is thy godly appointment (O Lord God) ytsum should bear rule in this world to see thy glory set forth, and the common peace kept, so it is thy pleasure again, that some should be subjects and inferiors to other in their vocation, although before thee there is no respect of people. And forasmuch as it is thy good will to appoint me in the number of subjects, I beseech thee to give me a faithful & an obedient heart unto the high powers, that there may be found in me no disobedience, no un faithfulness no reason, no falsehood, no dissimulation, no iusurrection, no commotion, no conspiracy, nor any kind of rebellion in word or in deed against the civil magistrates but all faithfulness, obedience, quietness, subjection, humility, and whatsoever else becometh a subject, that I living here in all lowliness of mind may at the last day through thy favour be lifted up unto everlasting glory, where thou with the father and the holy ghost liveste & reignest very God for ever. Amen. ¶ Of Father's and Mothers. THe fruit of the womb & the multitude of children is thy gift and blessing (O Lord) given to this end that they may live to thy glory & the commodity of their neighbour. For asmuch therefore as thou of thy goodness hast given me children, I beseech thee give me also grace to train them up even from their Cradles' in thy nurture & doctrine, in thy holy laws & blessed ordinances, that from their very young age they may know thee, believe in thee, fear & love thee, and diligently walk in thy commandments, unto the praise of thy glorious name. Amen. ¶ Of Children. THou haste given a commandment in thy law, O heavenvly father, that children should honour their fathers and mothers, I most humbly beseech thee, therefore to breathe thy holy spirit into my breast, that I may reverence and honour my father & mother not only with outward gestures of my body, but also with the unfeigned affection of the heart, love them, obey them, pray for them, help them, and do for them, both in word and deed, whatsoever lieth in my power, that thou seeing mine unfeigned hearty good will toward my Parents mayst become my loving heavenly father, & number me among those thy children, whom thou hast appointed (from everlasting) heirs of thy glorious kingdom, through thy well-beloved son jesus Christ our Lord Amen. ¶ Of Masters. THy commandment is by thy holy Apostle (O most merciful Lord Christ, the masters should entreat their servants gently, putting away threatenings, & doing that unto them, which is just and equal, forasmuch as we also have a master in heaven with whom there is no respect of persons. Grant I most heartily pray thee, I may so order my servants that I attempt none unrighteousness against them, but so use my rule and authority over them, that I may always remember that thou art the common Lord of all, and we all thy servants, again that I may not forget that we be all brothers having one father which is in heaven, and look for one glorious kingdom, where thou with the father and the holy Ghost livest and design'st true and everlasting God for ever. Amen. ¶ Of Servants. O Lord we are commanded by thy blessed Apostles, that we should honour & obey our bodily masters with fear and trembling not only if they be good & courteous, but also though they be froward, and serve them not unto the eye as men pleasers, but with singleness of heart, not churlishly answering them again, nor picking, stealing, or conveying away any part of their goods uniustli, but showing all good faithfulness unto our masters, as though we served God and not men. Grant me grace, I most humbly beseech thee, so to serve my master and my superiors, that there may be found no fault in me but that I behaving myself uprightly, justly, faithfully and truly in my vocation, may do worship to the doctrine of thee my God and Saviour in all things. Amen. ¶ Of maids. THere is nothing that becometh a maid better than silence, shame fastness & chastity of both body and mind. For these things being once lost, she is no more a maid but a strumpet in the sight of God: howsoever she disgiseth herself & dissembleth with the world I therefore most humbly beseech thee (O merciful Father) from whom cometh every good and perfect gift, and without whom we are able to do nothing, that thou will't so order my tongue, and dispose my talk that I speak nothing but that become mi state, age and person, neither that I delight to hear any talk, that might in any point move me to lewdness, seeing that evil words corrupt good manners. give me also such shaine fastness as may pluck me away from the delectation either of thinking speaking, hearing, seeing, or doing evil, that my whole delight may be in virtue, in godliness in exchewing idleness, in giving myself continually to some godly exercise, but above all things in thinking and speaking of thee in reading thy blessed word and heavenly law, which is a lantern to my feet and a light to mi paths. Moreover suffer neither my mind to be defiled with evil thoughts nor my body to be corrupted with any kind of uncleanness, but give me grace so to order myself in exchewing idleness and wanton wicked company, ytmy mind being free from evil affects, and my body clear from all uncleanness, I may be found a meet temple for the holy Ghost to inhabit and if it be thy good pleasure hereafter to call me unto the honourable state of Matrimony, that I may bring also unto my husband a pure and undefiled body, and so live with him in thy fear unto the praise and glori of thy blessed name. Amen. ¶ Of Singlemen. LOrd thou hast commanded by thy holy Apostle, that we should abstain from fornication, and that every one of us should know how to keep his vessel, that is to say his body in holiness and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence: as do the heathen which know not God: I beseech thee give me grace to behave myself according to this thy holy commandment▪ that in this time of my single life I defile not my body with who redom or with any other uncleanness: but so order myself with all honesty: and pureness of life, that I may glorify thee my Lord God both in body and spirit. Amen. ¶ Of husbands. Forasmuch (O heavenly father, as thou hast called me from the single life unto the holy state of honourable wedlock, which is thy good and blessed ordinance for all them to live in, that have not the gift of continency, and hast given me a woman to wife, that I living with her in thy fear may avoid all uncleanness, I most heartily pray thee give me grace to live with her according to thy godly pleasure. Kill in me all filthy & fleshly lusts. Suffer me not to delight in any strange flesh, but to content myself only with her love, to love her as Christ loved the congregation, to cherish her as I would cherish mine own body, so provide for her according to my ability, to instruct her with the knowledge of thy blessed word, quietly and peaceably to live with her, and to agreed together in such perfect concord and unity, as is found among many members in one body▪ seeing now that we also are no more two, but one flesh, that other seeing our godly and quiet conversation, may her by be provoked to forsake their filthy living, & so embrace the holy state of honourable wedlock unto the glori & praise of thy holy name. Amen. ¶ Of wives. Lord forasmuch as thou Oof thy Fatherly goodness hast vouchsafe to keep me from my tender age unto this present and haste, now called me from mi single life unto the holy state of honourable wedlock, that I living therein, might according to thy ordinance bring forth children unto thy glori: give me grace I most entrely beseech thee to walk, worthy of mi vocation, to know ledge my husband to be my head, to be subject unto him, to learn thy blessed word of him, to reverence him, to obey him, to please him, to be ruled by him, peaceably and quietly to live with him, to wear such apparel as is meet for midegree, and by no means to delight in costly jewels and proud galant vestures, but always to use such clothing as become a sober Christian woman, circumspectly & warily to look unto my household, that nothing perish through my negligence, and always have a diligent eye, that no dishonesty, no wickedness, no ungodliness be committed in my house, but that in it all things be ordained according to thy holy will, which art worthy all honour, glory and praise for ever and ever. Amen. ¶ Of Householders. TO have children and servants, is thy blessing (O Lord) but not to order them according to thy word, deserveth thy dreadful curse. Grant therefore, that as thou hast blessed me with an household, so I may diligently watch that nothing becommitted of the same that might offend thy fatherli goodness, and be an occasion of turning thy blessing into cursing but that so manias thou hast committed to my charge, may eschew all vice, embrace all virtue, live in thy fear, call upon thy holy name, learn thy blessed commandments, hear thy holy word, and avoiding idleness diligently execute themselves every one in his office according to their vocation and calling unto the glory of thy most honourable name. Amen. ¶ Of all Christians. Albeit (O heavenly Father) all we that unfeignedly profess thy holy religion, and faithfully call on thy blessed name, are thy sons and heirs of everlasting glory, yet as all the members of a body have not one office, so likewise we being many & making one body (whereof thy dearly beloved Son is the head) have not all one gift, neither are we all called to one office, but as it hath pleased the to distribute, so receive we. We therefore most humbly pray thee, to sand the spirit of love & concord among us, that without any disorder or debate, every one of us may be content with our calling, quietly live in the same, study to do good unto all men by the true and diligent exercise thereof without to much seeking of our own private gain, & so order our life in all points according to thy godly will, that by well doing we may stop the mouths of such foolish and ignorant people, as report us to be evil doers, & 'cause them through our good works to glorify thee our Lord god in that day of visitation. Amen. ¶ For the Grace & favour of God. Whosoever liveth with out thy grace & fa vour (O most gracious and favourable Lord) although for a time he waloweth in all kind of fleshly pleasures, and abound with to much worldly riches, yet is he nothing else but the wretched bond slave of sathan, & the vile dunghill of sin. Albina his pleasure is extreme poison, all his wealth is nothing but plain beggeri. For what felicity can there be, where thy grace and favour wanteth▪ But where thy grace and favour is present (though the devil roar, the world rage, the flesh swell) there is true blissedness, unfeigned pleasure & continual wealth. Pour down therefore thy heavenvly grace & fatherly favour upon us, that we being assured of thy favourable goodness towards us may rejoice and glory in thee, and have merry hearts when so ever we be most assailed with any kind of adversity, be it poverty or sickness, loss of friends, or persecution for thy name's sake, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. ¶ For the gift of the holy Ghost. SO frail is our nature, so vile is our flesh, so lewd is our heart, so corrupt are our affects, so wicked are all our thoughts even from our childhood upward, that of ourselves we can neither think, breath, speak or do any thing that is praise worthy in thy sight (O heavenly father) yea, except thou dost assist us with thy merciful goodness all things are so far out of frame in us, that we see nothing present in ourselves but thy heavy displeasure and eternal damnation. Uouche safe therefore (O sweet father, to sand thy holy spirit unto us, which may make us new creatures, put away from us all fleshly lusts, fill our heart's with new affects & spiritual motions, & so altogether renew us both in body & soul through his godly in spiration, ytwe may die unto old Adam, & live unto thee in newness of life serving thee our Lord God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Amen. ¶ For the true knowledge of ourselves. IT is written in thy holy Gospel, most loving Saviour that thou cammest into this world not to call the righteous, that is such as justify themselves, but sinners unto repentance. Suffer me not therefore (oh lord) to be in the number of those iusticiaris, which boasting their own righteousness, their own wurks, and merits, despise that righteousness that cometh by faith, which alone is allowable before thee. Give me grace to know & to knowledge myself as I am even the son of wrath by nature, a wretched sinner, and an un profitable servant, & wholly to depend on thy merciful goodness with strong and unshaken faith, that in this world, thou mayest continually call me unto true repentance, seeing I continually sin, and in the world to come bring me unto everlasting glory. Amen. ¶ For a pure and clean Hart. THe heart of man naturally is lewd and unsearchable through the multitude of sins, which as in a stinking dunghill lieth buried in it, in so much that no man is able to say: mi heart is clean and I am clean from sin. Remove from me therefore (O heavenvly Father) my lewd, stony, stuburn, stinking and unfaithful heart. Create in me a clean heart free from all noisome and ungodly thoughts. Breath into my heart by thy holy spirit, godly and spiritual motions, that out of the good treasure of the heart, I may bring forth good things unto the praise and glory of thy name. Amen. ¶ For a quiet conscience. THe wicked is like a raging sea which is never in quiet, neither is there any peace to the ungodly, but such as love thy law (O Lord) they have plenty of peace, they have quiet minds and contented consciences, which is the greatest treasure under the Sun given of thee to so many as seek it at thy hand with true faith & continual prayer. give me (O Lord) that joyful jewel, even a quiet mind and a free merry conscience ytI being free from the damnable accusations of Satan, from the crafty persuasions of the world, from the subtle entysements of the flesh, from the heavy curs of the law, and fully persuaded of thy merciful goodness toward me through faith in thy Son Christ jesus, may quietly serve thee both bodily and ghostly in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life. Amen. ¶ For Faith. Forasmuch as nothing pleaseth thee, that is done with out faith, appereit before the blind world never so beautiful and commendable, but is counted in thy sight sinful and damnable, yea, the self sin and damnation, this is most humbly to desire thee (O father) for Christ's sake, to breath into my heart by thy Spirit, this most precious and singular gift of faith, which worketh by Charity, whereby also we are justified and received into thy favour, that I truly believing in thee, and fully persuaded of the truth of thy holy word, may be made thy son and inheritor of everlasting glory, through jesus christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ For Charity. THy cognisance & badge, whereby thy Disciples are known (O Lord & saviour jesus Christ) is charity or love, which cometh out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. I pray thee therefore give me this Christian love, and perfect charity, that I may love thee my Lord God with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, and with all my strengths, doing always of very love that only, which is pleasant in thy sight: again that I may love my neighbour and Christian Brother as myself, wishing as well to him as to myself, & ready at all times to do for him, what so ever lieth in my power, that when we all shall stand before thy dreadful judging place, I being known by thy badge, may be numbered among thy disciples, and so through thy mercy receive the reward of eternal glory. Amen. ¶ For Patience. WHen thou livedst in this world (O Lord) Christ, thou showedst thyself a mere mirror of perfect patience suffering quietly not the spiteful words, but also the cruel deeds of thy most cruel enemies forgiving them & praying for them, which most tyranlike handled thee. Give me grace (O thou most meek and loving lamb of God) to follow this thy patience, quietly to bear the slanderous words of mine adversaries, patiently to suffer the cruel deeds of mine enemies, to forgive them, to pray for them, yea, to do good for them, & by no means to go about once to avenge myself, but rather give place unto wrath, seeing that vengeance is thy, and thou will't reward, seeing also that thou helpest them to their right that suffer wrong, that I thus patiently suffering all evils, may after ward reign with thee in glory. Amen. ❧ For Humility. WHat have we, O heavenvly Father, that we have not received▪ Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from thee, which art the father of lights. Seeing then all that we have is thy whether it pertain to the body or to the soul, how can we be proud, and boast ourselves of that which is none of our own seeing also ytas to give, so to take away again thou art able and will't, whensoever thy gifts be abused, and thou not knowledged to be the giver of them. Take therefore away from me all pride & haughtiness of mind and graff in me true humility, that I may knowledge thee the giver of all good things, be thank full unto thee for them, & use them unto thy glory and the profit of my neighbour. Grant also, that all my glory and rejoicing may be in no earthly creatures, but in thee alone which dost mercy, equity, and righteousness upon earth. To thee alone be all glory. Amen. ❧ For mercifulness. THy dearly beloved son in his holy Gospel exhorted us to be merciful even as thou our heavenly Father art merciful and promisest that if we be merciful to other, we shall obtain merci of thee, which art the father of mercies, and God of all consolation. Grant therefore that for as much as thou art our Father, and we thy children, we may resemble thee in all our life and conversation, and that as thou art beneficial & liberal, not only to the good, but also to the evil: so we likewise may show ourselves merciful gentle and liberal to so many as have need of our help, ytat the dreadful day of doom we may be found in the number of those merciful, whom thou shalt appoint by thy only begotten son to go into everlasting life, to whom with thee and the holy ghost be all honour and praise. Amen. For true godliness. IN thy law (O thou maker of heaven and earth) thou hast appointed us a way to walk in, and hast commanded that we should turn neither on the right hand, nor on the left, but do according to thy good will and pleasure, with out adding of our own good intents and fleshly imaginations. As thou hast commanded, so give me grace good Lord, to do. Let me neither follow mine own will, nor the fancies of other men, neither let me be beguiled with the visar of old customs, long usages, fathers, decres, ancient laws, nor any other thing that ffghteth with thy holy ordinances & blessed commandment, but faithfully believe & steadfastly confess that, to be the true godliness, which is learned in thy holy Bible, & according unto that to order my life unto the praise of thy holy name. Amen. ❧ For the true understanding of God's word. O Lord as thou alone art the Author of the holy scriptures, so likewise can no man, although never so wise, politic and learned, understand them, except he be taught by thy holy spirit, which alone is the Schoolmaster to lead the faithful into all truth. Uouchesafe therefore I most humbly beseech thee to breath into my heart thy blessed Spirit, which may renew the senses of my mind, open my wits, reveal unto me the true understanding of thy holy mysteries▪ and plant in me such a certain and infailyble knowledge of thy truth, that no subtle persuasion of man's wisdom may pluck me from thy truth, but that as I have learned the true understanding of thy blessed will, so I may remain in the same continually, come life, come death, unto the glory of thy blessed name. Amen. ❧ For a life agreeable to our knowledge. AS I have prayed unto thee (O heavenly Father) to be taught the true understanding of thy blessed word by thy holy spirit, so I most entirely beseech thee to give me grace to lead a life agreeable to my knowledge. Suffer me not, to be of the number of them which profess that they know God with their mouth, but deny him with their deeds. Let me not be like unto that son which said unto his father, that he would labour in his vineyard, and yet laboured nothing at all, but went abroad lottering idly. Make me rather like unto that good and fruitful land which yieldeth again her seed with great increase, that men seeing my good works, may glorify thee my heavenly father Amen. ❧ For the health of the body I Feel in myself (O merciful Saviour) how grievous a prison this my body is unto my Soul, which continually wisheth to be loosoned out of this bile carcase and to come unto thee, seeing it hath here no rest, but is at every hour vexed with the filthy lusts of the flesh, with the wicked assaults of the devil and the world, and is never at quiet but always in danger to be overcome of her enemies, were it not preserved of thy goodness by the ministry and service doing of thy holy Angels. notwithstanding (O most loving lord) forasmuch as it is thy good pleasure that my body and soul shall still remain here together as yet in this vale of misery: I beseech thee to preserve my soul from all vice, and my body from all sickness that I enjoying through thy benefit the health both of body and soul, may be the more able to serve thee & my neighbour in such works as are acceptable in thy sight. Amen ❧ For a good name. NOthing becometh the professor of thy name better (O heavenly Father) than so to behave himself according to his profession, that he may be well reported of them, that be of the household of Faith, yea such sincerity and pureness of life aught to be in them which profess thy holy name, that the very adversaries of thy truth should be ashamed once to mutter a 'gainst them. Give me grace therefore I most entirely desire thee so to frame my life according to the rule of thy blessed word, that I may give no man occasion to speak evil of me, but rather so live in my vocation, that I may be an example to other, to live Godly and virtuously unto the honour and praise of thy glorious name. Amen. ❧ For a compitent living. ALthough I doubt not of thy fatherly provision for this my poor & needy life, yet for as much as thou haste both commanded and taught me by thy dear Son to pray unto thee for things necessary for this my life. I am bold at this present to come unto thy divine majesty most humbly beseeching thee that as thou hast given me life, so thou wilt give me meat and drink to sustain the same. Again as thou hast given me a body, so thou will't give me clotheses to cover it, that I having sufficient for my living, may the more free lie & with the quieter mind apply myself unto thy service and honour. Amen, ¶ For a patient and thankful heart in sickness. Whom thou lovest (O lord) him dost thou chasten, yea every son that thou receivest, thou scourgest, & in so doing: thou offerest thyself unto him, as a father un to his Son. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Grant therefore I most heartily pray thee, that whensoever thou layest thy cross on me, and visitest me with thy loving scourge of sickness. I may by no means strive against thy fatherly pleasure, but patiently & thankfully abide thy chastisement, ever being persuaded, that it is for the health both of my body and soul, & that by this means thou wurkest my salvation, subduest the flesh unto the spirit, & makest me a new creature, that I may hereafter serve thee the more freely, & continued in thy fear unto my lives end. Amen. ¶ For strength against the devil, the world, and the flesh. O Lord God, the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour. The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit. The world persuadeth unto vanities, that we may forget thee our Lord God, & so for ever be damned. Thus are we miserably on every side besieged of cruel & unrestful enemies, & like at eve ri moment to perish, if webe not defended with thy godly power against their tyranny. I therefore poor & wretched sinner despairing of mine own strengths, which in deed are none, most heartily pray thee to endue me with strength from above, that I may be able through thy help with strong faith to resist Satan, with servant prayer to mortify the raging lusts of the Flesh, with continual meditation of thy holy law, to avoid the foolish vanities & transitory pleasures of this wicked world, that I through thy grace being set at liberty from the power of mine enemies, may live and serve thee in holiness & righteousness all the days of my life. Amen. ¶ For the help of God's holy Angels. AN infinite number of wicked Angels are there, (O Lord Christ) which without ceasing seek my destruction, Against this exceeding great multitude of evil spirits, sand thou me thy blessed and heavenly angels, which may pitch their tents round about me, & so deliver me from their tyranny. Thou (oh lord) hast devoured hell, & overcome the Prince of darkness with all his ministers, yea and that not for thyself, but for them that be leave in thee. Suffer men of therefore to be overcome of Satan, & of his servants, but rather let me triumph over them (that I through strong faith & the help of the blessed angel having the victory of the hellish armi) may with a ioisul heart say: Death where is thy sting? hell where is thy victory? & so for ever & ever magnify thy holy name. ¶ A prayer to our Lord jesus Christ, called Conditor celi et terrae. O maker of heaven and earth, king of kings, & Lord of Lords, which of nothing didst ma●e me to thy image and likeness, & didst redeem me with thy own precious blood, whom I a sinner am not worthy to name, neither to call upon, neither with my heart to think upon, humbli I desire thee, and meekly pray thee, that gentli thou do behold me thy wicked servant, & have merci on me, which haddest merry on the woman of Camnane, and of Mari Magdalen, which didst forgive the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & the thief hanging on the cros. Unto the I confess, O most holy father, my sins which if I would, I cannot hide from thee. Have mercy on me Christ, for I a wretch have sore of fended thee, in pride, in covetousness, in gluttony, in lechery, in vainglory, in hatred, in envy, inadultry, in theft, in lying in backbiting, in sporting, in dissolute and wanton laughing, in idle wurds, in hearing, in tasting, in touching, in thinking, in sleeping, in wurking, & in all ways, in which I a frail man, & most wretched sinner might sin. Mi default, my most grievous default. Therefore I most humbly pray & beseech thy gentleness, which (for my health) descended from heaven, which didst hold up king David, that he should not fall into sin. Have mercy on me, o Lord have merci on me (O Christ) the which didst for give Peter, that did forsake thee. Thou art my creator and my helper, my maker, & my redeemer, mi governor, my father, my lord, my god, and my king. Thou art my hope, my trust, my governor, my help, my comfort, my strength, my defence, my redemption, my life, my health and my resurrection. Thou art my steadfastness, my refuge or succour, my light & my help, I most humbly & heartily desire and pray thee help me, defend me, make me strong and comfort me, make me steadfast, make me merry, give me light and visit me, revive me again, which am dead. For I am thy making & thy work (o Lord) despise me not, I am thy servant thy bondman, although evil, although unworthy, & a sinner. But whatsoever I am, whether I be either good or bad, I am ever thy. Therefore to whom shall I flee, except I flee unto the if thou cast me of, who shall or will receive me? If thou despise me, & turn thy face from me, who shall look upon me? recognize & knowledge me? (although unworthy (coming to thee, although I be vile & unclean, for if I be vile and unclean, thou canst make me clean, If I be sick, thou canst heal me. If I be dead & buried, thou canst revive me. For thy merci is much more, than mine iniquity, thou canst forgive me more than I can offend. Therefore, O lord, do not consider nor have respect to the number of my sins, but according to the greatness of thy merci forgive me, and have mercy on me most wretched sinner. Say unto my soul, I am thy health, which saidst: I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he live and be converted, & turn to thee. O lord be not angry with me, I pray thee most meek father for thy great mercy, I most humbely secheech thee, that thou bring me to the bliss, that never shall cease. Amen. ¶ For the glory of heaven. THe joys (oh lord) which thou hast prepared for them that love thee, no eye hath seen, no ear hath herded neither is any heart able to think But as the joys are great & unspeakable, so are there few that do enjoy them. For strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that found it. Notwithstanding, O heavenly father, thou hast a little flock, to whom it is thy pleasure to give the glorious kingdom of heaven. There is a certain number of sheep, that hear thy voice, whom no man is able to pluck out of thy hand, which shall never perish to whom also thou shalt give eternal life. Make me therefore: O lord of that number, whom thou from everlasting haste predestinate to be saved, whose names also are written in the book of life. Pluck me out of the company of the stinkking goats, which shall stand on thy left hand & be damned, & place me among those thy sheep, which shall stand on thy right hand and be saved. Grant me this, oh mer cifull Father, for thy dear sons sake jesus Christ our Lord. So shall I enjoying this singular benefit at thy hand, & being placed in thy glorious kingdom, sing per petual praises to thy godly majesty, which livest and reignest with thy dearly beloved son, and the holy ghost one true and everlasting God. etc. ¶ A thanks giving unto God for all his benefits. THy benefits, toward me O most loving Father, are so great & infinite whether I have respect untomy body or unto my soul, that I find not in myself how to recompense any part of thy unspeakable goodness toward me. But thou which needest none of my goods, knowing our beggary, yea ournothing, requirest of us for a recompense of thy kindness only the sacrifice of praise and thanks giving, oh lord and merciful father, what wurthi thanks am I poor & wretched sinner able to give thee? notwithstanding trusting on thy merci & favourable kindness, I offer unto thee in the name of Christ the sacrifice of praise, ever thanking the most heartily for all thy benefits, which thou hast be stowed upon me thy unprofitable servant from the beginning of my life unto this present hour, most humbly beseeching the to continue thy loving kindness to ward me, and to give me grace to walk worthy of this thy fatherly goodness, that when thou shalt call me out of this careful life, I may enjoy that thy most singular last benefit, which is everlasting glori through jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the holy ghost be all honour & praise for ever and ever. Amen. ¶ A prayer to be said at the hour of death. O Lord jesus, which art the only health of all men living & the everlasting life of them which die in thy faith. I wretched sinner give and submit myself wholly unto thy most blessed wil And I being sure that the thing can not perish which is committed unto thy merci. O lord, give me grace that willingly I may leave this frail & wicked flesh in hope of the resurrection, which in better wise shall restore it to me again, I beseech thee, most merciful lord (jesus christ) that thou will't by thy grace make strong my soul against all temptations. And that thou will't cover and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against all the assaults of the devil. I see & knowledge the there is in myself no help of salvation. But all my confidence, hope, & trust is in thy most merciful goodness, I have no merits nor good wurks, which I may allege before thee. Of my sins & evil wurks (alas) I see a great heap, but thorough thy mercy I trust to be in the number of them to whom thou will't not impute their sins: but take & accept me for rightuos and just & to be the inheritor of everlasting life. Thou merciful Lord wast born for my sake, thou didst suffer both hunger & thirst, for my sake thou didst preach & teach, thou didst pray and fast for my sake, thou didst all good wurks & deeds for my sake. Thou suffered'st most grievous pains and torments for my sake. And finally, thou gavest thy most precious body to die, & thy blood to be shed on the cross for my sake. Now most merciful saviour, let all these things profit me, which thou freely hast given me, that hast given thyself for me. Let thy blood cleanse and wash away the spots and foulness of my sins. Let thy right ousnes hide & cover my unrighteousness. Let the merits of thy passion & blood be satisfaction for my sins give me Lord thy grace that my faith and salvation in thy blood, waver not in me, but ever be firm & constant, that the hope of thy mercy and life everlasting never decay in me, that charity wax not cold in me, finally, that the weakness of my flesh be not overcome with fear of death. Grant me (merciful saviour) that when death hath shut up the eyes of my body, yet that the eyes of my soul may still behold and look upon thee, that when death hath taken away the use of my tongue & speech, yet that my heart may cry & say unto thee. In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum, that is to say (O Lord, into thy hands I give and commit my soul. Domine jesu accipe spiritum meum. Lord jesus receive my soul unto thee. Amen. ¶ Certain Godly Meditations made in the form of prayers. by S. Augustine which if thou will't read them quietly with a fervent spirit, they will stir thee much to devotion. ¶ A prayer wherein, through commemoration of Christ's passion, we desire pardon of our sins and continuance in virtue and godliness. Behold (O pitiful father) thy most pitiful son, which suffered for me being so wicked. Be hold (oh most merciful king) who suffereth, and remember (as thou art loving and kind) for whom he suffered. Is not this (O my Lord) that innocent whom although he were thy son, thou didst deliver to redeem & ransom a servant? Is not this the author and beginner of life, which being led as a sheep to be killed, & being made obedient to thee, even unto death, was not afraid to take upon him the most cruel and sharp kind of death? Cal to remembrance (O thou distributor of all health) that this is he whom (although thou didst beget him by thy power, yet not withstanding) thou wouldst have to be made partaker of mine infirmity and weakness. Truly this same is thy Godhead which did take upon him my nature, which was hanged upon the gibbet of torment or cross, which in the flesh which he had taken upon him, did suffer sorrowful punishment. Turn the eyes of thy majesty (O Lord my God) toward the work of thy unspeakable pity. Look upon thy dear son, whose whole body is stretched forth. Mark the harmless and pure hands which do drop and distill down innocent blood. And I beseech thee, be pacified and pardon the wicked deeds which my hands have committed. Consider his bore & naked side, being thrust thorough cruelly with a spear, and renew and wash me with the holy fountain or well which I believe did flow from thence. Mark the unspotted feet which have not stand in the way of sinners, but always have walked in thy law, how they are pierced thorough with sharp nails, & make perfect my steps in thy paths, and make me (of thy loving kindness) to hate all ways of iniquity. Remove from me the way of iniquity, and make me (of thy mercy) to choose the way of truth. I beseech thee (oh king of holy men) by this holy one of all holy one's, & by this my redeemer: to make me run the way of thy commandments, that I may be united & knit unto him in spirit, which did not disdain to be clad in my flesh. Dost thou not look upon and mark (oh pitiful father) the head of thy most dearly beloved son, a yungman, how it leaned upon his shoulder when he was past the most precious death? Behold (oh my most gentle creator) the humanity & gentleness of thy beloved son, and have compassion upon the feebleness of me thy weak & feeble handy work. Behold O most glorious parent) the torn & rent membres of thy most kind & loving child, & remember gently what substance I am of. Behold the pains of God and man, and release and louse man (which is thy creature) out of misery and bondage of sin. Behold the punishment of him that did redeem and pardon the offence of them that be redeemed. This is he (O Lord) whom thou didst strike for the sins of thy people although he be thy well-beloved, in whom was found no guile, & yet nevertheless was he reckoned amongst them that were full of iniquity. ¶ A prayer wherein man confesseth himself to be the cause of Christ's passion. WHat hast thou committed (O Lord) that thou shouldst be so judged? What hast thou offeded that thou shouldst be so cru eli handled and ordered? What was thy fault? what was thy offence? what was the cause of thy death? what was thoccasion of thy condemnation? I (Lord) I am the cause of thy sorrow, the fault is in me that thou wast kill led for. I have deserved thy death I committed the offences that were avenged upon thee. O marvelous kind of judgement, and unspeakable disposition or ordering of mysteries. The un just man offendeth: and the rightwise is punished. The gilti doth evil and the innocent is beaten. The evil doth trespass and the good is condemned. That which the evil man deserveth: the same doth the just suffer. That which the servant doth amiss the master maketh amendss. That which man trespasseth: God suffereth it. O (thou which art the son of god) how low did thy humility des cend? How greatly did thy charity (even as it were) wax hot & burn toward us. How far did thy pity proceed? Wither did thy beningnitie, and gentleness grow & extend? How far did thy love stretch? How far came thy compassion? for I did wrongfully: and thou wast punished. I committed the mischievous deeds: and they were avenged upon thee. I did the fault: and thou submitted thyself to the torments. I was proud, and thou wast humble & meek, I was swelled and puffed up, thou wast extenuated and appaired. I was disobedient, nevertheless thou being obedient, bore the pains and punishments of disobedience. I obeyed and was, as it were a servant to all excess and gluttony, and thou wast punished with scarcity and lack of food. The tree did draw me violentli unto unlawful concupiscence & desires, but perfect charity led thee unto punishment. I presumed being forbidden: but thou didst smart therefore. I took my pleasure, with delicateness: thou wast vexed with the cros. I abound and have plenty of all pleasures: thou art all to torn with naites. I do fast the pleasant sweetness of the apple: & thou the bitterness of gall. Behold (O king of glory) mine iniquity and ungodliness: and thy pity & goodness is manifest. Behold mine unrightwisnes: and thy justice is plainly declared. What thing (O my king & my God) shall I render unto thee, for all those things which thou hast bestowed upon me? for nothing can be found in the heart of man, that may wurthely recompense such rewards. Can man's wit excogitate or imagine any thing that is worthy to be compared unto thy divine mercy▪ Neither is it the office of a creature to go about to recompense fully and justly the aid and help of a creator. There is truly (O son of God in this thy marvelous dispensation and appointments) somewhat in which my frailness may help a little, if so be that my mind once pricked and stirred by thy visitation do punish the flesh, with the vices also and evil concupiscences thereof: and this thing, if thou will't grant & give me grace to do, then shall it begin as it were to suffer and sustain sorrows and griefs, because ytthou also didst vouchsafe to die for my sin. And so by the victori of the inward man, it shallbe armed (thou being a captain) for th'external & outward victory, forasmuch as (the spiritual persecution once overcome) it shall not be afraid, for thy sake to be obedient unto the material sword and cross of this world. And so the slenderness of my state & condition (if it please thy goodness) shallbe able according to the little power thereof, to answer unto the greatness & excellency of my creator. And this is the heavenly medicine (O good jesus) this is (as it were a preservative of thy love. This I beseech thee, by thy accustomed & ancient mercies, to pour into my wounds, (the foul & filthy matter of the venomous contagion & infection once cast away, which may refresh & restore me to my former purity and cleanness, that when I have fasted of the pleasant sweetness which is to abide in thee) it may make me to despise & utterly set naught by the enticements of this world, and to fear (for thy sake) none adversities thereof, and that I (remembering thy everlasting nobility and excellency) may always abhor and disdain the troubles of this transitory world. Let no thing (I beseech thee) be delectable unto me, nor please me without thee. Let no precious nor beautiful thing be acceptable unto me but thee. Let all things (I beseech thee) be counted as vile, & of no estimation unto me, without the. That which is against thy nature: let it be irksome and grievous also unto me, and that which pleaseth thee, let it be continually desired of me. Let it irk me to rejoice without thee, and let it delight me to be sad for thy sake Let thy name be an heartening unto me, and the remembrance of thee, a consolation and comfort. Let my tears be made unto me as bread both day & night, searching thy justifications. Let the law of thy mouth be better unto me, than thousands of gold and silver. give me an ardent desire and love to obey thee & an extreme hatred to resist thee. I require thee (O my hope) for all thy pity and goodnesses sake to have mercy upon mine impitie & wickedness. Make open mine ears to thy commandments, & let not mine heart be inclined (I beseech thee by thy holy name) to any evil thing, to be minded as the ungodly or wicked men. I require the also by thy marvelous humility, that I be not moved with pride, nor yet with sinners. ☞ Here doth man declare unto God the father, that the Passion of his son, was for his reconciliation and atonement with God. BEhold (O almighty God, father of my Lord I beseech thee of thy beningnitie and gentleness to have mercy upon me, because of the most precious thing that I could find, the same I have offered devoutly unto thee, the thing of most estimation, ytI could imagine, I have presented it humbly unto thee. I have left nothing, but I have declared it to thy majesty. There is nothing remaining that I may add more, because I have committed and be taken my whole hope unto thee. I have sent unto thee my advocate and spokes man, even thy well beloved son. I have sent thy glorious child to be a mediator betwixt me & thee. I have set (I say) an intercessor by whom I trust to get pardon and forgiveness of my sins. I have sent wurd unto word (that is) God unto God, according to that which saint John hath in the beginning of his gospel, where he calleth God the word, saying in the beginning, was the wurd and the word was with God, & God was the wurd. etc. which wurd (as I have said) was sent for my misdeeds. And I have rehearsed unto thee the passion of thy most holy son, which passion I believe was suffered for me. I believe that the godhead which was sent of thee did take upon him, mine humanity & nature, in the which he thought not scorn to suffer buffets, bends, spittings, mocks, yea, he too upon him to suffer the cross, nails and dart. I believe also that his manhood being in this my nature during his infancy was troubled with creeping and scrauling, & was wrapped in clotheses after the manner of other children, was vexed in his youth, with labours made lean, with waking & fastings, wearied with journeying, afterward whipped & all to torn and rend with divers kinds of punishments, reckoned amongst the dead, and when it was endued with the glory of resurrection, he carried it into the joys of heaven, & placed it upon the right-hand of thy majesty. (This I say) he is my manhood, wai & means of pacifying and appeasing thee and thy way and means of having mercy upon me. Mercifully look upon, hear the son which thou didst beget & the bond servant which he redeemed. Behold here a creator, and do not despise a creature. Receive the shepherd welcomed with a gentle & loving countenance, and mercifully look upon the sheep which he hath brought home upon his own shoulders. This is that most faithful shepherd which by many and divers labours and travails over steep hills and thorough headlong and deep valies did search for his own sheep that was strayed away, which also when he had found it faint and almost dead thorough long wandering, got himself under it with great rejoicing, and making it fast unto him with a marvelous bond of charity, lifted it up out of the depth of confusion and brought it home to the ninety and nine. Behold (O Lord) my king and God almighty, behold a good shepherd, which rendereth to thee, that which thou committed to his charge. He took upon him thorough thy ordinance to save man, whom he hath delivered unto the clean and pure from all spots thorough the washing in his blood. Lo thy most dearly beloved son hath reconciled unto thee thy handy work, which was gone astray far out of the way. Lo a gentle shepherd bringeth again to thy flock, him that the violent pirate & robber had driven away. He hath brought unto thy sight, the servant whom his own conscience had made to run away, that he which by himself had deserved punishment, by thy son being his solicitor hath deserved forgiveness, unto whom also for his offences everlasting fire was due: nevertheless being a soldier under such a captain, he doth hope to be brought home to his own country. I was able (O holy Father) by myself to offend thee, but I was not able of myself to pacify and appeses thee. Thy well-beloved son (O my God) was made my helper, by taking upon him mine humanity, to the intent he might cure mine infirmity, that whereof the first occasion of thy wrath did spring: of the same, he might offer up to thee a Sacrifice of praise. And that he might render & make me also well pleasing to to thy goodness by that thing, in the which he sitting now on thy right hand, did always show & declare himself to be equal with my substance, & as it were fellow with the same. Lo my hope, behold, in whom is all my trust. If thou despise me (as it were right) for mine iniquity: yet look upon me (at the lest wise) mercifully for the charity of thy beloved son. give heed to thy son, whereby thou mayst have mercy upon thy bond servant. Look upon the sacrament of flesh: & pardon the offences of flesh. How often so ever thou dost remember the wounds of thy blessed son: so often (I beseech thee) let mine in iquities be hide. And because flesh hath stirred thee to anger: let flesh (I beseech thee) move thee to mercy, that like as flesh hath seduced & led me to sin: so flesh may get & obtain for me remission For certainly it is much ytmine iniquity hath deserved, but much more is it, that the goodness of my redeemer may even of right require. Mine unrighteousness is great, but his righteousness is bigger. For look how much god is superior unto man: even so much is my malice and evil inferior unto his goodness both in quality and quantity. For what have I sinned being a man: that the son of God being made man hath not redeemed? what pride could be in me so exceeding high: but such humility as was in him, should bring it down? what power of death was there in me so great, but the punishment which the Son of God suffered upon the cross migght deface it & utterly destroy it? Truly my God, if the sins of sinful man should be weighed in a just & equal balance with the love & favour that was in our redeemer toward us: the East is not so far distant from the West, nor the innermost part of the earth so much separated from the upper most part of the heaven: as they should be unlike, so much less should mine iniquity be, then is his goodness. Now (O most noble creator of light) now parden mine offences for the unmeasurable travails and pains that thy beloved son did sustain. Now (I beseech thee) let his goodness be set against my wickedness, his modesty and temperance: against mine ungracious frowardness, and his meekness against my fierce cruelty. Let his humility: recompense my pride, his patience: mine impatience, his gentleness: mine unkind churlishness, his obedience: my disobedience, his quietness: mine unquietness, his pleasant towardness: my bitter frowardness, his sweet facility and gentleness: mine anger and freating fumes, to conclude let his charity: make amendss for my hemous and dedetestable cruelty. Amen. ¶ A devout Prayer to the holy Ghost. NOw (O almighty and holy Ghost) which art the love of the divine power, the holy participator & partner with the almighty father, and his most blessed son, the most merciful comforter of the sorrowful, I beseech thee to slide by thy mighty power into thinward parts of mine heart, that thou dwelling there, mayst make glad, and as it were lighten every dark corner of the neglect and forletten contage, with the bright shining of thy light, & that in visiting the same, thou wouldst ornate & deck with the plenteousness of thy dew the loathsome places thereof, which be corrupted with filthiness. Kin deal the privy wounded parts of the inner man, with thy wholesome flames and with piercing the in ward parts of my soul entrails with the dart of thy love. Feed all the inner parts both of my mind & body by the illuminating and lightening with the fire of thy holy & fervent love. give me to drink of thy most pleasant river, to th'intent I may have no lust to taste any worldly things which be mixed with poison. give sentence with me (oh lord) and defend my cause against the ungodly nation. Teach me to do thy will because thou art my God. For I believe that in whom so ever thou dost devil: thou buildest an house in him for the Father also & the Son. Blessed is that man that getteth such a gest, because that by thee, the father and the son also will dwell and abide with him. Come now (O most loving comforter of my sorrowful soul) which art a pro tector in all necessities and an help in troubles and adversities Como purger of sins, healer and curer of wounds. Come the strength of the frail and feeble, the releever and raiser up of them that slide. Come the instructor & reacher of the humble and meek, the destroyer and plucker down of the proud and stubborn. Come the good and kind father of the fatherless, the gentle judge of widows. Come thou which art a guide unto them that are tossed in the waves of this tempestuous world, like as a bright and notable star is to them that sail on the sea, an haven unto them that are afraid of shipwrak. Come the worship & honour of all them that live, the only health of the dead. Come most holy ghost, come and have mercy on me, make me meet for thee, and mercifully grant unto me according to the multitude of thy great mercies ytmy baseness may please thy majesty, and my weakness thy almighty power, for jesus Christ my saviours sake, which with the fathers and thy unity liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen. ☞ A prayer to the holy Trinity. WIth all my heart and mouth do I confess, praise & bless thee, O God the father unbegot ten, and thee, O God the son only begotten, also thee, O holy ghost and comforter, to thee be glory in the world of worlds. Amen. An acknowledging of almighty God and his Majesty. O Most high Trinity one only power and undivided Majesty's iesty, our God; God almighty I the abject and hin most of all thy servants, confess and acknowledge thee, and being the lest member of thy church, I worship thee with a due sacrifice of praise, for as much as I am able & can, according to that which thou hast vouchsafed to endue me withal. And for as much as I am destitute of outward gifts to offer unto the. Those vows of praise which I have of the gift of thy mercy: behold, willingly & gladly I offer them to thee, which be an unfeigned faith and a pure consciece. I believe therefore with all my heart (O king of heaven) and Lord of the earth, and with my mouth do I confess thee, the father, the son and holy ghost, to be three in people, and one in substance, the true and very God almighty, of one simple, in corporal and invincible nature, incomprehensible and of such a nature as is not in a place, as other natures be, and that thou hast nothing superior or above thyself. or lower, or any thing bigger than thyself. But in all manner of means perfect with out all spot of deformity, & that thou art great without quantity, good without quality, ever lasting without time, life without death, strong without infirmity or weakness, true without lying, present in every place with out any situation or being placed in any place, to be all every where without place, fulfilling all things without stretching forth thy hand: going every where without any contradiction or gain saying, passing over all things without moving, abiding win all things without any kind of proportion, making all things, having need of nothing, governing all things without labour, giving all things their beginning, having no beginning thyself. Making all things mutable and variable, thyself being without all kind of mutability, in greatness with out measure in power almighty, in goodness the chief & best, in wisdom inestimable, in counsels, intentes & purposes: terrible and fearful. In judgements most upright & just, in cogitations & thoughts most secret, in wurdes true, in wurkes holy, in mercies abundant & plentiful, toward offenders most patiented, to ward the penitent and those that be sorry for their sins most gentle & loving. Always the same everlasting and continually continuing immortal, and in commutable impossible to be changed or altered, whom neither the amplitude or largeness of places doth make bigger, nor the shortness or littleness of places lesser, nor any places or corners, can con teine or pres together, neither doth thy will or intent vary or altar, nor familiarity or acquaintance corrupt thee, nor sorrowful things trouble or amaze thee: nor glad things make thee pleasant or frolic (as a man would say) from thee can forgetfulness take nothing, nor mindfulness, or remembrance give any thing, neither are things passed unto us passed also unto thee, nor things which to us are to come, come toward thee, for neither beeginning doth give any beginning to thee, nor time any increase, nor yet chance giveth thee any end. But before all worlds and in worlds and by worlds into everlasting, thou dost live and thou hast continual praise & perpetual glory, most high power & singular honour, everlasting kingdom and rule and empery without end, thorough the infinite and unwery and immortal world of worlds. ¶ After what sort God the father vouchsafe to help mankind, and of the incarnation of the word, which is Christ, and of the giving of thanks. HItherto (O almighty God the beholder and searcher of mine heart) have I acknowledged thal mightifulnes of thy majesty, & majesty of thy almightifulnes. But now, like as with heart I believe (which is counted righteousness unto me) so with mouth do I confess before thee (which is to my salvation) after what sort and manner thou didst vouchsafe in the end of the world, to secure and aid mankind. Thou (in deed) only (O God the father) art not read at any time, or in any place to be sent. But of thy son: the Apostle writeth. When that the time was fulfilled: God sent his son. In that he says (he sent) he doth sufficiently declare that he, being sent, came into this world, when as he (being born a very & perfect man of blessed Mary a pure Virgin) did apeer and show himself in the flesh. But what is that, which he that is the chief of the Evangelists doth say? He was in the world and the world was made my him. Thither, truly, was he sent by his humanity, where he alway is and always hath been by his divinity. The which sending or embassage, I believe withal my heart and confess with my mouth to be the consent and work of all the whole Trinity. O holy & good father, how didst thou love us? How great favour didst thou bear toward us most merciful creator? which hast not spared thy own son, but for us wretched sinners hast delivered him. He was obedient unto thee until death, yea death upon a cross, taking the obligation or hand writing of our sins, which was his flesh & fastening it unto the cross, he crucified sin and killed death. He alone, is amongst the dead, free from death, having power to put his soul for us, & to take it again for us. Therefore was he both a vanquisher and a sacrifice, and therefore was he an overcomer, because he was a sacrifice for us. He was both the priest & sacrifice, unto thee, and therefore was he apreest, because he was a sacrifice. Not without a cause have I great hope in him. Forasmuch as thou will't make whole all my diseases, for his sake that sitteth on thy right hand and doth continually make intercession for us. For my diseases (O Lord) are great and many: o they are many in number & great. For the Prince of this world (as I very well know & confess) hath many things in me. But I beseech thee deliver me, through our redeemer which sitteth on thy right-hand, in whom the said Prince of this world could find none evil, that was his, of his own committing. By him do thou justify me whom his self did not sin, neither was there any deceit or guile found in his mouth. By him which is our head, in whom there is not one spot of evil, deliver me, which am one of his members, though I be but a little member and feeble and weak. Deliver me (I be sech thee) from my sins, offences, faults, & ignoraunces. Fulfil me with thy holy virtues & make me to shine in good manners, make me (I beseech thee) for thy holy names sake, to continued in holy wurks until th'end, according to thy will and pleasure. ¶ Of the trust which a soul aught to have in our Lord jesus and in his Passion. I Might despair verily because of my manifold sins & negli gences without number, if it were not that thy word (O God) was made flesh, and dwelled amongst us. But I can not now despair because that seeing (when we were enemies) we were reconciled by the death of thy son: how much more, are we (now reconciled) saved by him. For all the hope and the certitude & sureness of all my trust, is in his precius blood which was shed for us & for our salvation. In him do I take heartening: and trusting in him: I have a desire to come unto thee, not having mine own righteousness, but that which I have through thy son our lord jesus Christ. For the which (O most merciful God and most gentle lover of mankind) we give thee thanks, which through jesus Christ thy son our lord, when we were not, didst might lie make us, and when we were lost through our sins: most merucilously didst deliver & recover us again. To thy goodness (I say) do I give thanks, & manifold praises do I show for the to the withal my heart & mind, which (through the unspeakable love) wherewith thou hast vouchesafed of thy marvelous goodness to love us wretches & (unworthy to be loved) didst sand that same thy only begotten son from thy bosom unto our common weal, to save us sinners which were at that time the children of perdition and damnation. I render unto thee thanks for his holy incarnation and nativity and for his blessed mother upon whom he did vouchsafe to take flesh for us and for our salvation, to th'intent that like as he is very God of God: so he might be very man of man. I give thee thanks for his passion and cross, for his death and resurrection, for his ascension into heaven & his seat of his majesty on thy right hand. For he the forty day after his resurrection, ascending above all the heavens (his disciples seeing it) and sitting on thy right hand, did pour out his holy spirit abundantly according to his promise, upon them whom he had choose to be his children. I give thee thanks for that most sacred shedding forth of his precious blood, wherewith we are redeemed, & also for the most holy and quickening sacrifice of his body and blood, which daily in thy church we feed of & drink of, wherewith we are washed & sanctified, and are made partakers of the only high divinity. I give thee thanks for thy marvelous & unspeakable charity & love wherewith thou didst love us unwurthi persons, and didst save us by thy only and be loved son, for so thou didst love the world, that thou gavest thy only begotten son to th'intent that none which believed in him should perish, but have everlasting life. This thing truly is everlasting life, to know thee & also jesus Christ, whom thou sent to be very God, by an upright faith and wurkes worthy for faith. ¶ Of thexceeding love of the ever lasting father toward mankind. O unmeasurable pity and fatherly love, o inestimable charity, that thou shouldst deliver thy son to suffer death to th'intent thou mightest redeem and ransom a servant. God was made man, to the intent that man, being lost, mightbe plucked out of the power of devils. How gentle and kind a lover of man was thy son our God who thought it not enough to humble himself to be made man of the very virgin Mary: but also too upon him the pains of the cross in shedding his blood for us and for our salvation. He came a pitiful God, he came for his pity & goodnesses sake, he came to search and to save that which was lost. He sought the strayed sheep, he sought and found, and he being a good Lord and truly a very good & pitiful shepherd, brought him home upon his shoulders unto the folds of the flock. O charity, o pity, who hath herded any such things? who is not astonished to consider the bowels of so great mercy? who would not marvel? who would not honor & worship thee for thy great charity wherewith thou lovedst us? Thou didst sand thy son into the similitude of flesh, subject to sin, that he might condemn sin for sin, that we might be made thy righteousness in him. For he was the very lamb with out spot, which too away the sins of the world, which destroyed our death by dying himself. But what may we tender, unto thee (our God) for so great benefits of thy mercy? What praises or what thancks? verily, if we should have that same knowledge and power that blessed Angels have: yet should we not be able to requited thy so great pity and goodness with any thing of valour. Not if all our members were turned into tongues to repay unto thee due praises: yet were not our slenderness sufficient. There is one thing that exceedeth all knowledge, even thy inestimable charity, which thou didst show unto us unwurthi people for thy goodness & pity's sake. Thy son (O our God) did take upon him to be the seed of Abraham not of Angels, yea and he was made like unto us in all things sin onli excepted. He therefore taking manned nature not angels, and glorifying it with the stolen of holy resur rection and immortality: carried it above the he avens and above all the melodious companies of Angels, above Cherubin & Seraphin, placing it upon thy right hand. This human nature do Angels praise, all the powers of heaven do tremble, to see a man, to be God over them. This truly is all my hope, all my trust. And this same human nature is in jesus Christ our Lord, who is the portion of every one of us, the flesh & blood. Therefore whereas my portion reigneth: there do I believe to reign. Whereas my flesh is glorified: there do I believe to be glorified. Where my blood ruleth: there do I perceiue me to bear rule. Although I be a sinner, yet I do not mistrust nor despair of the communion and partaking of favour. Although my sins do hinder me & in a manner forbidden me: nevertheless my substance requireth it. And all be it that mine offences do exclude me: yet the companion manion of our nature doth not expel me. For God is not so ungentle as to forget man, and not to remember that thing which himself beareth, & that which for my sake he too upon him, & that which for my sake he requireth. But truly the Lord our God is lowly and meek, & wonderful gentle, and loveth his flesh, his membres and his bow else. In the very same God our lord jesus Christ, who is most gentle, loving and merciful, in whom we are risen from death, (that is to say) from the state of perdition and eternal damnation, & even now by him we ascend into the heavens, & now sit in the heavens (in him I say) our flesh loveth us. For we have in him, & by him a prerogative and as it were a preferment of our blood. For we are his members & his flesh. And he is our head, of the which dependeth the whole body (as it is written) a bone of my bones & flesh of my flesh & they shallbe two, in one flesh, & no man at any time hateth his own flesh but rather cherisheth and loveth it. This is a great mystery, I speak in Christ, & in the church says the apostle. Of the double nature of Christ, which hath mercy upon us, and maketh intercession for us. Wherefore with my lips & heart, and with all the might that I may, I render thanks unto thy infinite mercy. oh Lord our god) for all thy mercy, wherewith marvelously thou vouchsafed to help & secure us that were lost, by the same thy son our saviour and recoverer, which died for our sins, & rose again for our justification, and living, without end sitteth on thy right hand and entreateth for us, and together with thee, taketh pity and mercy upon us, because he is God thorough thee (O father) everlasting and of one substance with thee in all things. Whereby always he may save us, but for as much as he is man in whichething he is les and inferior unto thee, all power both in heaven and in earth, was given unto him, that in the name of jesus every knee should bow both of celestial, earthly creatures, and also of infernal, that all tongues may confess that our lord jesus Christ is in thy glory (O father almighty He verily was constituted of thee and ordained to be adjudge of the quick and dead, for thou truly judgest no man, but all thy judgement hast given to thy son, in whose breast all treasures of wisdom & knowledge are hide. He truly is both a witness and a judge, a judge & a witness, whom no sinful conscience can flee or avoid for all things be they never so secret, are open and even naked and uncovered unto him. He verily which was unrighteously judged himself: shall judge the whole world in equity, and the people in righteousness, and according to justice. Therefore do I bless thy name e verlasting and glorify the same with all my heart (O almighty & merciful Lord) for ytvnspeakable and marvelous conjunction of godhead and manhood together in the unity of a person, & not after this sort, that th'one should be God, and tother man: but one and the same was both God & man, man and God. Nevertheless although by thy marvelous will, the word was made flesh, yet neither of both the natures was changed into others substance. In the mystery of the Trinity, there is not afourth person added. For the substance of the wurd of god and of man was united and knit together, but not confused & mixed, that that thing which was taken of us: should be turned into god, & that which never had been before that time, that is his flesh & manhood should be the same that had been ever without any beginning, that is, his godhead. O marvelous mystery. O unspeakable fellowship. O marvelous meekness of the heavenly mercifulness, which is ever worthy marveling and ever to be loved. We were but vile servants & behold we are made the sons of god. Yea, and heirs of god together with christ. From whence came this goodness? and who brought us unto this state? But I require thee (O most merciful father (by thy inestimable pity, goodness & charity: to make us worthy of these many and great promises of the same, thy Son our Lord jesus Christ. Sand forth thy strength (O God) and establish the thing that thou hast wrought in us. Make perfect that which thou hast begun, that we may be able to come unto the fullness and per fectnes of thy pity. Make us though row the holy ghost to understand and thorough thy son to deserve, and with due honour alway to worship this great mystery of thy pity, which is manifest in our flesh. justified in the spirit, did appear unto Angels, was preached unto nations, was believed to be in the world, was taken up into heaven. Amen. ¶ Of the thanks which man aught to give unto God for the benefit of his redemption. LOok how much (O Lord our God) we are in debt unto thee even for so great a price were we redeemed, with such a great gift were we saved, and with so great abenefit helped. How much aught we wretches to love, dread, bless, praise, honour and glorify thee which hast so loved us, after such fashion saved us, after such a sort sanctified us, so set us on high. To the truly do we own, & are bond, in as much as we are able, even our life and all our study or endeavour. But who hath any thing that is not thy? But do thou (O Lord our God) from whom all goodness proceedeth, even for thy holy names sake) give us of thy goodness, that we may serve thee of thy own goods and gifts & that we may please thee in truth, & repay unto the daily due praises for so great benefits of thy mercy. For by none other means can we serve or please thee, but by thy own gifts, ytthou hast lent us, while we be in this world. For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, & cometh down from the father of light, with whom there is none alteration or variableness neither yet is he changed unto darkness. O Lord our God, & a pitiful God, a good God, and almighty God, an unspeakable God, and incomprehensible, of such a nature that can not be contained as in a place, oh god which art the beginner of all things & the father of our Lord jesus Christ, which didst sand the same thy beloved son our lord, forth of thy bosom to our common profit, to take upon him our life, to th'intent he might give us his life, & that he might be perfect and very God of thee his father, and very and perfect man of his mother, a whole and a perfect God, and a whole and perfect man: and yet but one on lie Christ, both everlasting: & enduring but for a space, both immortal and mortal, both a creator: and a creature, strong: & week, an overcomer: and one overcomed, a nurs: and one that was nurced himself, a shepherd: and a sheep, dead for a time: and living with the everlasting, pro mising to them that loved him the freedom of life. Who said to his disciples, what thing so ever you ask the father in my name: he will give it unto you. For that high priests sake, which was all so a bishop in deed, & a god shepherd, that offered himself in a sacrifice to thee, putting his life in ieoperdi for his flock: for his sake I say (I beseech thee) which sitteth on thy right hand & maketh intercession for us, being our redeemer & our advocate, that thou wouldest grant unto me that together with thy son & the holy ghost I may in all things bless and glorify thee with much contrition of heart, and a fountain of tears, with much reverence & fear: For the gift of them that be all of one substance: is all one. But because abody that is corrupted doth aggravate & burden the soul: stir up and awake I be seche thee) my sluggishness, with thy pricks and provoking, and make me boldly to persever and continued in thy commandments and laws day and night Grant me that my heart may wax warm within me, and that in my meditation and prayer I may be fervent. And for as much as thy only son said. No man can come to me except my Father that sent me, shall draw him: & again no man cometh to the father but by me, I require and humbly beseech thee, draw me always unto him, that he at the length may bring me to thee: thither (I mean) whereas he is sitting on thyrighthand, where as is everlasting life, and continu all blessedness, whereas is perfect love, without all kind of fear, where as is one day everlasting, and one spirit of all men, where as is most sure security & safety, secure quietness, and quiet plesantness, pleasant felicity and happiness, happy eternity, continual and eternal seeing and praising of thee without end, where as thou with him, and he with thee in the communion and unity of the holy ghost everlastingly and continually livest & reignest thorough out all worlds of worlds. Amen. ¶ A devout prayer unto Christ O Christ and God, which art my hope, and the true & gentle lover of mankind, the light, the way, the life, the health, the honour and worship of them that be thy: I beseech thee call to thy remembrance all things that thou willingly didst suffer for them, both bonds, cross, wounds, death and sepulchre, which after three days, death being over comed, didst rise, wast seen of thy Disciples, reforming their hearts and establishing them that were almost inclining from thee: the forty day after didst ascend up to heaven, which livest everlasting lie now, and reignest thorough out worlds, thou art my God both living and true, my father, & my God both holy and pitiful, my mighty king, my good shepherd, mine only Master, my best helper, one, whom I am most bond to love, my living bread, mine everlasting priest, my guide unto my country, my true light, my holy sweetness, my right & straight way. Mine excellent wisdom, my pure and unfeigned simplicity, my peaceable concord, my safe garrison, my good portion, mine everlasting health, my great mercy, my strongest patience, mine unspotted sacrifice, my holy redemption, my sure & steadfast hope, my perfect charity, my very and true resurrection, mine everlasting life, my joy and most blessed vision, & continual without end: I humbly beseech thee, I desire and pray thee, that I may walk by thee, that I may come to thee, that I may rest in thee, which art the way, the truth & the life without the which no man can come unto the father. Thee do I desire & covet (O good Lord) which art the brightness of thy fathers glori, which sittest above the Angel called Cherubin, and dost behold, the low and deep places, which art the true light the light the lighteneth all things, the light that never faileth nor goeth out, which the Angels have desire to behold. Lo my heart is before thee in thy sight, put away the darkness from it, that it may fully be replenished with the clearness of thy love. give unto me Lord thyself, behold I do love thee, & if that be but a thing of small valour: make me to love the more strongly and earnestly. I can not measure to know how much I lack of thy love, neither can I tell, how much should be sufficient for me, that my life may fulfil his course in thy love, and not turn back until it be hide in the secrets of thy countenance. Nevertheless, this I know that it were evil with me, if it were not for thee (O Lord) and that not only with thoutward things that belong unto me, but also with the inward things. For all my riches (God except) is but mere poverty: but thou only art a treasure & a parcel of riches that canst neither be changed into better nor wurs. Thou art he, to whom it is not one thing to live, and an other thing to live happily, because thou art thy blessedness, thy happiness, and thou art all one. But I which am thy creature, to whom it is not one thing to live, and an other to live blessedly and happily: all, both in that I live, and in that I live happily, I aught not to at tribute nor refer it to be received of any body, but of thy favour. And therefore have we need of thee but not thou of us, because if we were not at all, yet shouldst thou lack nothing of thy goodness. Therefore (O lord) it is necessary for us to stick and cleave unto thee, that by thy continual help we may be able to live holily, virtuously, and as we aught to live For with the weight of our frailness we are drawn ever downward, but by thy gift we are stir read & carried upward: we fervent lie desire to ascend, we make certain ascensions in our hearts, lifting them upward, & sing the songs of stars, with the fire of thy love (I say) are we kindled & moved to go with thee. Whether go we now upward, unto the peace of jerusalem? because I was glad & did rejoice in those things whice were spoken unto me: we will go into the house of our Lord: there hath he placed us, we will have good things, ytwe may will or dsire no thing else, but to tari and remain there for ever. But for as much as while we be clad with this bo, die, we do as it were go a stray & are strangers unto thee: we have not here an abiding place for ever but we seek for one that is to come. Our abiding place is in heaven. Therefore thy favour and grace being my guide, I enter in to the chamber of my heart, and sing unto thee songs of love (my king & my God) mourning with marvelous sighings in this place of my peregrination, whereas thy justices are made my songs. And when I remember jerusalem, I extend and stretch forth toward it the senses of my heart: jerusalem (I say which is my country jerusalem which is my mother: and toward thee which art a king over her, her light, her father, her defender, her patron, her governor, her keeper, her chaste and strong delight, her only and whole pleasure, & all her goodness comes of thee, because thou art the chief good & the true good, & I will never turn back, until thou bring me home from this Pilgrimage (in which I am deformedlt scattered abroad) unto the peace of my dearly beloved mother, whereas be the first fruits of my spirit, and until thou (O God which art my mer cy) fashion me and confirm me for ever ¶ A prayer declaring with how great miseries this life is replenished. I Am wonderful weary (O lord) of this life and of this careful & painful pilgrimage. This life is a wretched life, a life that will soon fade away, an uncertain life a painful life, an unclean life, a life that wurthely may be called the masters of all evils, the queen of pride, full of miseries and errors which is not worthy to be called a life, but rather a death, in the which everihoure, we die by divers defects & failing of nature, by mutabilities, alterations & divers kinds of deaths. How can we therefore, call this that we live in this world, a life which is puffed up and swollen often with humours, made lean and feeble with sorrows, dried with angres and hot hasty furies of the mind, the air filleth it full of diseases, metes do infect it, fasting do extenuat and make it lean, pastimes maketh it to dissolute and reckless, pensiveness doth consume and waste it, trouble and vexation doth shorten and lessen it, security and to much ease: maketh it dull and nothing lusty, riches setteth it a float and puffeth it up into pride, poverty dismayeth and discourageth it, youth doth extol it, age lameth it. Infirmity breaketh it, sorrow oppresseth it. And immediately after these evils as though it were by succession, cometh death, and maketh an end of all the joys of this miserable life, after such a sort that a man would not think (when he leaveth this life) to have lived at all. This living death, & dying life, although it be sprinkled and mixed with these and other so rows & miseries: yet (O good Lord) how many men doth it catch and entangle with her en tising snares? & how many doth she deceive with her deceitful & false promises? And for all that she of herself is so falls & bitter, that her blind lovers can not be kept long secret nor close unknown: yet doth she daily cause an infinite numbered of fools to drink of the golden cup, which she beareth in her hand, yea and maketh them utterly drunken with the love of her. Happy are they, but very few of them is there that refuse her acquaintance and familiarity or that despise to use her joys, or that neglect her friendship and fellowship, lest when their deceiver perisheth, that they should perish also. ¶ Of the blessedness of that life which God hath prepared for them that love him. BUt thou heavenly life, thou art she whom God hath ordained & prepared for them that love him, thou art the heavenly life, the blessed life, the sure life, the quiet life, the fair life, the clean life, the chastelife, the holy life, the life that knowest no death, knowest no sadness or pen sivens, a life without spot, with out dolour, without vexation, with out corruption, without trouble without variety or mutability, a life most full of pleasure & dignity, where as is none adversary to strive against a man, no entice ments of sins, where as is perfect love without all manner of fear, where as is day continually an done spirit of all men. Whereas God is seen face to face and the mind is fed with this meat of life without end, I have a very good mind and desire to mark and give heed to thy clearness, with thy goods, the desire and appetite of my heart is delighted. Look how much I am able to consider with myself, in musing and thinking of thy come modities: even so much am I ravished and rapt with thy love with the ardent desire of thee, and with the sweet and comfortable remembrace of thee, am I wunderfully delighted. I have a pleasure therefore, surely to lift up the eyes of my heart unto thee, to erect the state of my mind, and conform or fashion the affects of my mind unto thee: It pleaseth me to talk of thee, to hear of thee, to writ of thee, to confer & meditate of thee, to read every day of thy blessedness and glory, and to muse often times in my mind of the things I have read concerning thee, that at the lest by such means, I being under the sweet refreshing and comfort thing of thy lively air, may pass from the vexations, jeopardies, labours, & travails of this mortal life that will soon perish, & ytin passing I may lay my weary head in thy bosom to sleep or to rest a little, for this cause do I enter into the pleasant meadow of the holy scriptures, & in plowing, I pluck the goodliest green herbs of sentences, and in reading I do eat them, and in frequenting I do meditate, and as it were cud them, and in gathering them together, at the last I lay them up in my memory, that by such means when I have tasted of thy sweetness, I may somewhat less feel the bitterness of this most wretched life. O thou most happy life, o kingdom which art blessed in deed, which lackest death, which art without end, no time doth successifly pass at any time to thee. Whereas continual day without night knoweth no time, whereas that captain and conqueror is accompanied with those queres of angels, singing of hymns & songs, they sing unto God with out ceasing, the balet of Balets of Zion. O most noble head which art compassed about with a perpetual crown, o that par doen and forgiveness of my sins were granted unto me, and then immediately, this burden of my flesh laid away, that I might enter into thy joys to have true rest, and that I might get within the goodly & beautiful walls of thy city to receive a crown of life at the hand of our Lord, that I might be amongst those most holy queres, that I might stand with the most blessed Spirits of the creator of glory, that I might see presently the countenance of Christ, that I might behold always the most his & unspeakable light, incomprehensible which can not be contained as in a place. And so I should not only be out of all fear of death: but also I might rejoice always at the gift of everlasting incorruption. Amen. ¶ Hear do we complain that we be not moved nor pricked in our contem plation and prayer like as the angels be which tremble at the sight of God. PArdon me (O Lord) pardon me, mercifully forgive me & have mercyupon me, spare mine ignorance and my great unper fectnes, do not reprove me as a rash fellow, because I dare be so bold which am but thy servant but would to God I were either a good servant, or none unprofitable nor evil servant. And therefore am I an evil man because I praise, bless & worship thee which art our God almighty, terrible and very much to be feared, I worship thee (I say) without contrition of heart and without a well of tears. For if so be that the angels when they worship and praise thee, do treble being fulfilled with marvelous gladness: I which am a sin ner, while I stand before thee saying praises and offering sacrifice, why am I not afraid in my heart? why am I not pale in my countenance? why do not my lips quake and tremble? why is not all my body afraid? and why do I not mourn and bewail before thee after such▪ a sort that tears might springe out of mine eyes: I would fain but I am not able, because I can not do that which I desire to do. This maketh me truly, wonderfully to marvel, that I am no more moved when I see with the eyes of my faith, thee which art so fearful But who can do any thing without the help of thy Grace? Except thou make our stony hearts to relent: we of ourselves are not able to mollify them, but all our health dependeth upon thy great mercy. O wretch that I am, how is my soul made without any feeling or perseverance? that it is not afraid with over much fear while it standeth before God & singeth to him his own praises? Alas how is my heart so hardened, that mine eyes do not gush out great floods of tears without ceasing, when I which am but a servant or bondman, do common and talk in my Lord and masters presence? Yea a man, with God, a creature with a creator. I that am made of the slime of the earth, do speak with him that made all things of nothing? Put me before thee▪ (O Lord) and what so ever I perceive of myself in the secrets of my heart, I do not keep it close from thy brotherly ears. Thou art rich in mercy & liberal in rewards, give mè of thy goods, that with them I may serve the. For with nothing else can we serve or please thee, but with thin own gifts which thou hast vouchsafed to bestow upon us. Fasten I beseech thee thy fear in myfleshe. Let my heart rejoice and be glad to fear thy name. Would God my sinful soul feared thee so much, as that holy man the which said, I always: feared God as though it were great swelling floods should come and tumble upon me. O God the giver of all good things, give me amongst thy praises, a well of tears, with the pureness of heart and rejoicing of mind, that I loving thee perfetly and wurthily praising thee may feel, taste and savour, in the palace of myhart, how sweat and pleasant thou art (O Lord) as it is written. Do you taste and see how sweet & delectable the Lord is. Blessed is the man that putteth his trustin him. Blessed is that people which knoweth glad and joyful praising. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are thy ways, which going thorough the vale of misery, use it for a well. Blessed are the clean in heart because they shall see God. Blessed are they that devil in the house of the Lord, they shall praise thee world without end. ¶ A veri devout prayer for the giving of thanks. O Lord Christ which art the wurd of the father, which came into this world to save sin ners. I beseech thee by the most loving bowels of thy mercy, to amend & repair my life, make better my deeds, take thou thordering of my manners, take from me that which noyeth and hurteth me, and displeaseth thee: and give me that which thou knowest will please thee & profit me. Who can make clean that which is conceived of an unclean seed but thou alone? Thou art the god almighty, of infinite piety, which dost justify and make righteous even those that were wicked men and raisest again to life them that were dead in sin, thou changest sinners and they are no sinners. Take away therefore from me, what so ever is in me that pleaseth not thee, for thy eyes do see much unperfectness in me. Lay thy hand I beseech the of thy pity on me, & whatsoever offendeth the eyes of thy pity, remove it from me. In thy sight is both my health and my disease. The one I beseech thee to preserve the other to cure: do thou heal me (O Lord) and I shall be healed: do thou make me safe & I shall be saved. Thou I mean which dost make hole them that be diseased, & dost preserve them that be cured, which only with a beck dost restore and repair things that be decayed & fallen into ruin. For if thou will't vouch safe to sow any good seed in the field of my heart, of necessity thou must pluck up first with the hand of thy pity, the thorns a fvices which be in it. Put in my heart I beseech thee, so great plenty of delectation in thee, that I may desire no earthly or carnal thing nor yet think upon them, but that I may love thee alone, that I may have thee only in my heart and in my mouth. Writ with thy fingar in my breast, the delectable remembrance of thy sweet name & so that it may be blotted out with no forgetfulness. Writ thy will in the tables of mine heart, and also thy justifications, that I may always & in every place have thee (O Lord) before mine eyes in my sight. Inflame my mind with that fire, which thou didst sand into the earth, and willedst it to be kindled, that I might offer unto the daily with tears, a sacrifice of a troubled spirit and a repentant heart. O sweet Christ, O good jesus, even according unto my desire and even as I heartily require thee with my whole mind, give me thy holy and chaste love, which may replenish and keep me & also fully possess me. give me an evident sign and token of thy love, a flowing well of tears which will continually run, that those tears may somewhat testify thy love in me, that they may show forth, that they may declare how much my soul loveth thee, while for the great delectation it hath in the sweetness of thy love: it may not refreine from tears. I call to my remembrance from times good lord, that virtuous woman Ann, which came to the tabernacle to pray the thou wouldest sand her a son, of whom the scripture maketh mention yther countenance (after her tears and prayers) was not again changed or altered. But when I think upon so great virtue, constancy & steadfastness: I am vexed with sorrow and confounded with shame, because I a wretchedoo perceive myself to be fallen over much from thee. For if a woman did weep after such a sort and continued so in weeping, which did search for nothing else but a son: how aught my soul to mourn and to persist and abide in weeping, that seeketh & loveth God, and hath a desire to cum unto him? how aught such a soul to mourn & weep, which seeketh God day & night, which will love nothing but Christ? My tears now truly should be made unto me, meat day & night Look upon me therefore (oh lord) and take pity on me because the dolours and sorrows of my heart are many in numbered. give me thy heavenly consolation & do not despise nor cast away a sinful soul for the which thou didst die. give me inward tears I beseech thee from the bottom of mine heart, which may wash away the spots of my sins. Replenish my soul always with heavenli delectation and heavily mirth, that I may obtain some little portion or part in thy kingdom, although not amongst the perfect men whose steps I cannot follow: yet at the lest wise amongst the inferior sorry. The marvelous devotion of an other woman cumeth now unto my mind, which with a virtuous love did seek thee lying in the sepulchre, which when thy discipies went away and departed from thee, did remain with thee herself, which sat there sad and sorrowful weeping long and very much, and when she did arise she searched with a diligent eye and with many tears the corners of the sepulchre which was left empty, if the might espy thee out in any place, whom she with a fervent desire sought. Yea and more over she went again and again to the sepulchre, but that was not enough unto her, neither did it satisfy her desire. For the grace of a good work is to persever and continued in the same. And because she did love more than other, and that in loving she wept and in weeping she searched, & in searching she continued, therefore was it thy pleasure that she should first find thee, see thee, and talk with thee before all other. And not only this, but also she was a tidings berer of thy glorious resurrection unto thy disciples, when thou didst command her and bid her, go and tell my brethren that they go unto Galilee, there they shall see me. etc. Seeing therefore that a woman did weep after such a sort and continued in weeping, which did seek him that was alive among the dead: which touched thee with the hand of her faith: how aught a soul to mourn and to continued in mourning, which believeth in thee, and with his mouth doth acknowledge thee to be his redeemer that sittest now in heaven & reignest every where? How much therefore aught such a soul to mourn & weep, which loveth thee with all his heart, and with his whole desire doth covet to see thee? O only refuge, the only hope of wretches, unto whom no man needeth at any time to pray with out hope of mercy, grant unto me this grace for thy sake, and for thy holy names sake, that as often as I think upon thee as often as I speak of thee, writ of thee, read of thee, confer of thee, as often as ever I remember thee, stand before thee, offer up praises, prayers and sacrifice unto thee: so often I may weep abundantly with tears in thy sight, so that my tears may be to me in stead of bread day and night. Thou true lie king of Glory and master of all virtue, hast taught us with thy word and with thin example to mourn and weep, where as thou sayst. Blessed be they ytmourne, for they shallbe comforted. Thou didst weep for thy friend that was dead, and didst let tears fall down plenteously for the city which should perish. I beseech thee (O good jesus) by those most precious tears and by all thy mercies and pieties, wherewith thou didst vouch safe marvelously to help & secure us that were lost: give me the grace to weep and to be earnestli repentant for my sins, which grace my soul desireth and coveteth very much, and except it come of thy gift: I can not have it, but by the holy ghost which doth mollify the hard hearts of sinners, and provoketh them to weeping. give me the grace of tears, like as thou gavest to our forefathers, whose examples we aught to follow, that I may bewail myself in all my life, like as they did bewail themselves day and night. give me the dew of thy grace from above, and also a dew of tears beneath, that my tears may be unto me in stead of bread day and night: and that I may be made in thy sight (O Lord my God) by the fire of thy provocation, a fat and acceptable sacrifice. Make me to be more tified & killed upon thaltar of mine heart, & that I may be received of thee as a fat and a sweet smelling sacrifice. give unto me (O good Lord) a plentiful flowing and clear well of tears, in the which I may wash continu ally this foul and spotted sacrifice. For although I have offered up myself, wholly unto thee, by the help of thy grace. Yet nevertheless in many things I offend thee dailly, because of my great fragility and weakness. Eeve me therefore the grace of tears (O blessed God) and most especially thorough the great sweetness of thy love & the remembrance of thy mercies, prepare this table for thy servant in thy sight, and give me power that as often as I list I may be satisfied of it. Grant unto me for thy goodness and pity, that this thy cup replenished and filled full, may satisfy my thirst, that my spirit may covet thee, & that my mind may burn in thy love, forgetting all vanity and misery. Hear (my God) hear, thou that art the stirrer up, and quickener of my dull ears, hear what I desire & ask: and give me grace to ask that which thou hearest. O pitiful Lord, which art want to be easily entreated, be not hard to be entreated of me because of my sins, but for thy goodness receive the prayers of thy servant: and grant me theffect of my petition & desire. ¶ In this prayer man's mind is very much and plenteously stirred & moved, if it be said in quietness. O Lord jesus, oh gentle and loving jesus, oh good jesus which didst vouchsafe to die for our sins, & didst rise again for our justification, I beseech thee by thy glorious resurrection, to raise me up out of the sepulchre of vices and all my sins, & give me daily part in thy first resurrection to thintent I may receive some part in the latter resurrection. O most mighty king which didst ascend into heaven, with the triumph of thy glory, and sittest on the right hand of thy father, draw me upward towards thee, that I may run after thee in the sweet savour of thy anoyntments. Let me run & not faint when thou drawest me and leadest me running: draw the mouth of the soul that thirsteth after thee, unto the high floods and streams of thy eternal abundaunce & satiety, yea draw me holly unto thyself which art the living well, to th'intent I may according to my capacity, drink of that whereupon I do live. O my God my life, thou didst say with thy holy & blessed mouth, If any man thirst, let him cum unto me and drink. O well of life, grant unto my thirsty soul always to drink of thee, that according to thy holy and true pro mice, waters of life may flow out of my belly. O well of life replenish and fill my mind full of the river of thy pleasure. Make my heart to be drunken as it were in thy love, that after the manner of the that be drunken with wine, which forget all things save the cup: so I may forget all vain and earthly things, and continually have nothing else in my remembrance but the only, according as it is written, I remembered God and was delighted. give me the holy Ghost whom those waters did signify, which thou didst promise' to give to them that thirsted after thee. Grant I beseech thee) that I may assay to go with my hole desire and all my study toward that place unto the which, we believe thou didst ascend the forty day after thy resurrection, that in this present misery I may be only in body: but in thought and desire, always with thee: ytmy heart may be there where as thou art which art my treasure worthy to be coveted, and much to be loved, wherewith no treasure is worthy to be compared. In this great flood of this life, where as we are tossed with storms on every side, there is no steadfast standing or place high enough above the waters, not not for the foot of a dove to rest upon in this (I say) there is no safe or quiet peace: nowhere any sure rest: every where battle and strife: every where enemies and fightings without doors, & fear at home within doors. And for as much as the one part of us is heavenly, and the other earthly: our body which is corrupted, doth laden and is burdenous un to the soul. Therefore my mind which is my fellow and friend, being weris with wandering forth of the way, is sick and lieth all to torn andrent of those things which it hath passed by. It hongreth and thirsteth greatly after vanities, & I have nothing to set afore it, because I am poor and a beggar. Thou (O Lord) my God, art rich in all good things, and the most plenteous giver of the dainties of heavenly satiety: give meat unto the weary, not such as it lusteth after, but such as is convenient for it: gather together the disper sed: renew and refresh the corn, Loo he standeth at the door and knocketh. I beseech thee by the bowels of thy mercy, wherewith thou being the day spring from an high hast visited us, open the hand of thy pity to a wretch that knocketh, & vouchsafe mercifully to bid him enter in to thee, and that he may rest with thee, & be refreshed of thee, which art the living and heanenly bread, wherewith when he is once fed, and that his strength is cummed to him again: he may ascend unto more high things. And being lifted up out of this vale of misery & tears, with the wings of his godly desire, he may fly unto the heavenly kingdom. Let my spirit (O Lord I beseech thee) take wings as an Eagle, & fly without fainting, let it fly and come to beautifulness of thy house and to the place where thy glory dwelleth, where as upon the meat tables of thy supernal citizens, it may be fed of thy secrets, in the place of thy pasture, by the most plentiful rivers sides. Let my heart rest in thee my God, my heart I say, which is as though it were a great sea swelling with waves. Thou which didst rebuke the winds and the sea, and there was made straight way a great calm: cum and walk upon the floods of mine heart, that all things which belong unto me may be made calm & clear, that I may embrace thee which art mine onli God, and that I may behold thee which art the sweet light of mine eyes, without any blind darkness of troublesome cogitations & thoughts. Let my mind fly (O Lord) under the shadow of thy wings from heat that it being covered with the tamperatnes of thy pleasant colenes, may sing joyfully and say. I will lay me down and rest in peace. Let my memory sleep (O my God I beseech thee) from all evils, make it to hate iniquity & to love righteousness. For what can be better or more delectable, then in the midst of the darkness of this life, and amongst the manifold and bitter miseries of the same, to desire feruentli heavenly sweetness? to covet everlasting blessedness? a man's mind to be hold ever there, where as he may be most sure to have infallible and true joys. O Lord which for thy loving kindness art most worthy to be desired and coveted of all things: when shall I see thee? When shall I appear before thy face? when shall I be satisfied of thy glory? when will't thou bring me forth of this dark prison, that I may confess thy name, so that afterward I be no more pricked? when shall I pass & go to that marvelous and beautiful house of thy, whereas the voice of gladness and rejoicing doth sound in the tabernacles of just men? Blessed are they that devil in thy house (O Lord) they shall praise thee ever world without end. Blessed are they, yea blessed in deed, whom thou hast choose, and taken into that heavenly in heritance. Behold (O Lord thy saints flourish before thee like unto lilies, for they are replenished with the plenteousness of thy house, and thou dost give them to drink of the flowing river of thy pleasure, because thou art the well of life, and in thy light and brightness they do see light, so greatly that they themselves, which are a light, which was made bright by thee, oh god which dost give them light, do shine like unto the son in thy sight. O how marvelous how fair & beautiful, how acceptable are thy mansions & dwelling places of thy house, O Lord of powers. My sinful soul doth covit to en tree into them. O Lord I have loved the comeliness of thy house and the place where thy glory dwelleth I asked one petition of the Lord, and the same will I require: that I may devil in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Like as the heart coveteth to go unto the water brooks even so doth my soul desire to come unto thee. O God. When shall I come and appear before the face of my Lord? When shall I see God after whom my soul longeth very sore? when shall I see him in the land of the living? For in this land of the dead, he can not be seen with mortal eyes: what shall I do wretch that I am, which am fettered with the heavi gives of mortality? What shall I do? while we continued in this body, we go astray from the lordé, we have here no abiding place for ever but we labour for one that is to come. Our free city is in heaven. Woe is me, me think I dwell amongst the barbarous nations & infidels, & not amongst the faithful Israelites, I led my life in the tents of Cedar. My soul hath dwelled too long with them that hate peace and quietness. Who will give me wings as a dove that I may fly & rest me. There is nothing that I desire or delight so much in, as to be in my Lord's company, it is good for me to cleave unto God. O grant me, (O lord) while I am in this fratle membres, to stick unto thee, as it is written, he that cleaveth unto the Lord is all one spirit with him. give me therefore I beseech thee, the wings of contemplation, wherewith when I am apparelled, I may fly upward, and for asmuch as every unlucky & infortunate thing lieth beneath: do thou, O Lord, hold up my mind, jest it fall headlong, into the lowest botomes of the dark valley, and jest the shadow of the earth should come between and separate it from thee, that art the bright son of rightwiseness: & jest it, once hide with the clouds of darkness: should not have liberty, but be letted to look for heavenly things which be above. Therefore I do assay to go upward unto the joys of quietness and peace, and unto the delectable and pleasant state of light. O hold my heart with thy hand, because it can not be draw en unto high things without thee. Thither do I make haste where as most chief and principal peace reigneth and continu all quietness shines forth. Hold and govern my spirit, and take it according to thy will, that thou being a guide unto it: it may ascend into the region and country of plentifulness, whereas thou feedest Israel everlastingly, with the food of truth, to th'intent that there, at the lest wise with my swift cogitation & thought, I may come nigh thy wisdom, which remains above all things: over passeth all things and governeth all things. But alas there be many things, which when my soul would fly unto thee, do cry out upon it. Command them all, O lord to hold their peace, & speak not unto me As for my soul itself, let it give never a wurd to answer. Let it pass by all things. Let it climb above all things that be created and come unto thee, and that it may fasten the eyes of faith upon thee, which art the only creator of all things. Let it covit unto thee, and be bend towards thee, Let it think upon thee by meditation and contemplation. Let it lay thee before his eyes for itself, let it roll and toss thee in his heart: thee I say which art the true and chief goodness, and the joy that will remain ever without ending. There is surely many contemplations, in the which man's soul is marvelously fed of thee. But in none of them is my soul so much delighted, nor yet ha' the so good rest in, as in thee: and when as it thinketh upon thee, and hath thee only in contemplation. O how much is thy sweetness, O Lord, how meruei lousli dost thou inspire the hearts of them that love thee? How delectable is thy love, the fruition whereof they have that love nothing but thee: they seek for no thing else, they covet to think of nothing else. Happy are they whose only hope thou art, which have no trust but in thee only & all their whole work is prayer. Blessed is he that sitteth solitarili alone and holdeth his peace, & standeth upon his ward that he is set to keep, continually day and night, that yet while he is in this fratle body, he may be able to taste somewhat thy pleasantness. I require thee by those thy wounds which bring health unto us, which wounds thou suffered'st upon the cross for our health, out of the which thy precious blood wherewith thou redeemed us, did distill and drop down: wound this my sinful soul, for the which also thou didst vouchsafe to dye. Wound it (I say) with the fiery and mighty dart of thy great charity. For the word of God is lively and effectuous: & more piercing & sharp than any two edged sword. Thou, O choose dart & most sharp sword, which art able by thy power to pierce thorough the hard shield or buckler of man's heart, fasten & stick the shaft of thy love in my heart, that my soul may say unto thee, I am wounded with thy charity, so that forth of that same wound of thy love, tears may flow most plenteously both day and night. Strike O Lord, strike I beseech thee, this most indurated and hardened mind of mine with the sharp dart of thy love, & pierce it deeper & deeper into the inermost parts thereof by thy mighty power, & so bring out of my head, abundance of water, and out of mine eyes a very well of tears continually running thorough the great affect & marvelous desire to see thy glory, ytI may mourn day & night without taking any comfort in this life, until in thy heavenly wedding chamber, I may see thee my well-beloved and beautiful spouse, my god & my Lord And that there when I see thy glorious, marvelous and beautiful face, full of all sweetness, together with them which thou haste choose: then I say, I may worship humbly thy majesty: & there at the last being replenished with heavenly and unspeekable rejoicing of everlasting gladness I may even cry out with them that love thee (saying) Behold that which I have long desired now I have obtained. For I am joined in heaven unto him, whom when I was in earth, I loved with all my strength, with all my charity I embraced him, unto whom with all my love I did stick & cleave. Him do I praise, bless and worship that liveth & reigneth God world without end. Amen. A prayer in time of tribulation. Have mercy on me (oh Lord) have mercy on me a most wretched sinner, which do commit wickedli, and do suffer therefore worthily, which do sin con tinualli, & suffer thy scourge there fore daily. If thou take my daily tribulation as a recompense for the evils which I have committed: than it is not somuch that I suffer. For it is a great deal more grievous which I have tres passed, than that which I do suffer. Thou art just, O Lord, & thy judgement is according to right. Yea all thy judgements are just & true, and thou, O lord our god, art just and righteous: for there is none iniquity in thee. Thou dost not uniustli, nor yet cruelly scourge and punish sinners, O all mighty and merciful God, which when we had no being at all didst mightily created and make us. And when we were lost by our own fault, thou by thy pity and goodness, marvelously didst recover us. I know and am very certain & sure, that our life is not led by so den motions, but it is disposed and governed of thee, O Lord our god. Whereby I know thou takest care for all men, and most chief for thy servants, which have put their whole hope in thy oneli merci. Therefore do I beseech & humbli require thee, that thou wouldst not deal with me according to my sins, wherewith I have deserved thy anger: but according to thy great mercifulness, which exceadeth, yeathe sins of the hole world. Thou, O Lord which outward lie dost punish & scourge, grant me in wardli a patience that will never fail, so that thy praise ne ver departed away from my mouth. Have merci on me, oh lord, have mercy on me & help me, as thou thinkest best to be most necessary for my body and soul. Thou knowest all things: thou canst do all things, which livest for ever and ever. ¶ A very devout prayer to the son. O Lord jesus Christ son of the living God, which being upon the cross with thy hands spread abroad for the redemption of all mankind didst drink the most bitter cup of thy passion I beseech thee that thou wouldest vouchsafe to give me help this day & ever. Lo, I a poor wretch cum unto thee, which art rich, a sinner unto thee that art merciful. Let me not return home contemned and despised with no thing. I begin a hungered, let me not leave of fasting I come unto thee as though. I were famished, let me not go away unfed. Although before I eat, I sigh & sorrow: yet after my sorrow, give me somewhat to eat. First of all good jesus, I acknowledge before thy majesty mine unrighteousness towards thee. Behold, O Lord, I was conceived in sin & born in the same: & thou didst wash them of from me, & sanctified me: but I afterward defiled myself with bigger and more grievous sins. For I was born in sin of necessity, because I could be born none otherwise. But afterward I rolled myself willingly in sins. Nevertheless thou, O Lord being mindful of thy pity, didst take me out of the house of my carnal father & out of the tents of the ungodli and hast inspired me & put me in mind to follow thee, with the generation of them that seek thy face, of them that walk in the right path, of them that abide & continue amongst the lilies of chastity: & of them that sit down together with the at supper of most scarcity & lest excess. But I an unkind person, forgetting so many great benefits, after that I was entered into religion & holiness did commit many unlawful things. I did offend wonderful ungraciously: & where I should of right, have amended mine evil life, and jest my sins: I heaped sins upon sins, & these be the evils, oh Lord wherewith I have dishonoured thee, & have spotted & defiled myself (whom thou didst create after the similitude and like likeness of thy own self) with pride vain glory and other many evils wherewith mine unlucky soul is vexed, punished, torn & destroyed. Behold, oh lord mine unrighteousness is gone over my head and are like a sore burden, over heavy for me to bear. And except thou, whose property is ever to have mercy & to forgive, do lay under me the right hand of thy majesty: I shallbe constrained miserably to sink in to the deep and be drowned. give heed, oh Lord god & behold, because thou art holy, Look how mine enemy assaulteth me saying, God hath forsaken him, I will persecute him and catch him, because there is no man that will deliver him. But thou lord how long? Turn again & deliver my soul, save me for thy mercy's sake. Have mercy upon thy son, whom thou hast brought forth with no small sorrow and pain: & be not so ententife unto mine evilness, that thou forget thy own goodness: what father is there but he will deliver his son? yea & what fathers is there that will not correct his son and chasten him? but with the rod of pity. Therefore, O father and Lord, although I be a sinner yet can I not choose but be thy son, because thou hast made me, and made me again when I was marred with sin. Repair & amend me now, oh Lord, but first of all, I being mended & chastised with thy scourge, deliver me to thy son. Can a mother forget the child she bore of her womb and sureli, although she sometimes be forgetful: yet thou (O father, hast promised not to forget us. Behold I cry and thou dost not hear me▪ I am vexed with sorrow and thou confortest me not. What shall I say? or what shall I do, most wretched caitiff that I am? I being desolate of so great comfort, am cast out from the sight of thy eyes. Woe be unto me: from how great goodness, into how great a mischief am I fallen? whether purposed I to go, and whether am I comen? Where am I? and where am I not? whom did I study to attain▪ unto? and what evils have I obtained? I sought for good things, and behold I have found trouble & care. Behold now I am in the state of death, and jesus is not with me. And surely it were better for me to have nothing at all, yea no being at all: them to be without jesu. It is better not to live then to live without life. And thou O Lord jesus, where be thy old mercies? will't thou be angry towards me for ever? Be pacified I beseech thee, and have mercy upon me, and turn not thy face away from me, which to thintent thou mightest redeem me, didst not turn a way thy face from them that rebuked thee and spitted upon thee. I confess and acknowledge that I have sinned and my conscience deserveth damnation and the penance that I am able to do is not sufficient to make amendss for mine iniquities. But sure & certain I am that thy mercy exceadeth all offences that a man can do. O do not (I beseech thee most pitiful Lord) writ my heinous sins against me, that thou shouldest entre into judgement with thy servant. But ac 'cording to the multitude of thy mercies, cross & blot out mine in iquities. Woe be unto me wretch that I am, when the day of judge meant cometh, and the books of consciences shallbe laid wide open: when it shallbe said of me Lo, look upon this fellow & his wurkes: What shall I do then, O Lord my God, when the heavens shall reveal and show forth mine iniquity, & the earth shall arise up and testify mine iniquity, against me? Behold I shallbe able to give never one wurd to answer. but to stand in thy presence trembling, quaking, utterly confounded and holding down my head for shame. Alas wretch that I am, what shall I say? I will cry unto thee, oh lord my God. Why am I consumed & fretted with holding my peace? But if I should speak: my grief would not cease. And if I hold my peace: I shallbe most bitterly vexed within me. Mourn oh my soul, & lament as a widow for her first husband, that she had in her young age. howl wretch & cry out with weeping because thy spouse Christ hath forsaken thee, O God almighty let not thy anger fall upon me: because that if thou lay so much to my charge as is dew for my sins: it is so much that I can not receive it. Sureli my power is not able for to suffer or bear it. Have merci upon me lest I despair. But in despeiring I will take heart to me and be somewhat comforted. For all though I have committed so much that thou mayst condemn me wurthely: yet thou hast not lost that wherewith thou wast wont to save sin ners, neither dost thou rejoice at the destruction & los of them that die, yea to th'intent that dead men might live, thou thy self didst die: and thy death did kill the death of sins. And if they were revived again and did live by thy death: I beseech thee, let not me die, now ytthou livest Sand down thy hand & power from high, and deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies, that they rejoice not over me and say, let us devour him. Who ever (O good je su) needed to mistrust of thimerci? which when we were thy enemies didstredeme us with thy blood, and reconciled us unto God? Behold, I being hide under the shadow of thy mer cy, do come unto the throne of thy glory requiring, & I do run crying and knocking until thou take pity upon me. For if thou didst call us to pardon & forgiveness before we laboured for pardon: how soon shall we obtain forgiveness when we ask it? Do not remember, omost bountefull jesus, thy justice toward a sinner? but think upon thy liberality & gentleness toward thy creature. Do not remember thy anger toward the guilty, but remember thy pity and mercy toward a wretch. Forget me in that I proudly did provoke & move thee to wrath: and look upon a wretch that calleth upon thee. For what is jesus but a saviour? Therefore, good jesus, for thy own sake, arise and help me: and say unto my soul. I am thy health and thy safeguard. I presume much and am very bold of thy goodness (O Lord) because thou dost teach us to ask, to seek and to knock, wherefore I being admonished by thy word do ask, seek and knock. And thou, O Lord that commandest us to ask, make me able to receive. Thou that givest council to seek, grant that I may find. Thou that teachest us to knock, open to me when I knock, and confirm me which am unstable and wavering, restore me that am lost, raise me that am dead: and vouchsafe to direct & govern in thy favour all my senses, my thoughts and doings, that from hensfoorth I may serve thee, I may live toward thee and that I may commit myself unto thee I know (O my Lord) that thorough this that thou hast made me, I own and am in debt unto thee even mine own self: & because thou hast redeemed me and wast made man for my sake: for this (I say I own unto thee more than myself. Lo I have no more: neither can I give that which I have unto thee, without thee. But do thou take me and draw me unto thee, that I may be thy in following & loving thee: like as I am thy in condition &, creation, which livest and reignest world without end. Amen. FINIS. O God the Father of heaven: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the father of heaven. etc O God the son redeemer of the world: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the son, redeemer of. etc. O God the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father & the son: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the holy Ghost proceeding etc O holy, blessed, & glorious Trinity, three people & one god: have merci upon us miserable sinners. O holy blessed and glorious. etc. Remember not Lord our offences, nor the offences, of our forefathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins. Spare us good lord, spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever. Spare. us good Lord. From all evil & mischief, from sin, from the crafts & assaults of the devil, from thy wrath, & from everlasting damnation. Good Lord deliver us. From all blindness of heart, from pride vain glory and hypocrisy, from envy hatred and malice, & all uncharitableness. Good Lord deliver us. From fornication and all deadly sin, & from all the deceits of the world, the flesh & the Devil. Good Lord deliver us. From lighteninges and tempests, from plague, pestilence & famine, from battle and murder, and from sudden death. Good Lord deliver us. From all sedition and privi conspiracy, from all false doctrine & heresy, from all hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word and Commandment. Good Lord deliver us. By the mystery of thy holy incarnation, by thy holy nativity and and circumcision, by thy baptism fasting and temptation. Good Lord deliver us. By thy agony & bloody sweat, by thy cross and passion, by thy precious death & burial, by thy glorious Resurrection and ascension, and by the coming of the holy Ghost. Good Lord deliver us. In all time of our tribulation, in all time of our wealth, in the hour of death & in the day of judgement. Good Lord deliver us. We sinners do beseech thee, to hear us O Lord God, and that it may please thee to rule and go vern thy holy Church universally in the right way. We beseech thee to hear us good lord. That it may please thee to keep and strengthen in the true wurshipping of thee, in righteousness and holiness of life, thy servant Elizabeth our most gracious Queen & governor. We beseech thee to hear us good lord. That it may please thee, to rule her heart in thy faith, fear, and love and that she may evermore have affiance in thee, and ever seek thy honour and glory. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please the to be her defender and keeper, giving her the victori over all her enemies. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops, pastors and Ministers of the Church, with true knowledge and understanding of thy word: and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth and show it accordingly. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to endu the Lords of the counsel, & all the Nobility, with grace wisdom, and understanding. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to bless and keep the magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice and to maintain truth. We beseech thee to hear us etc. That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and dread thee, and diligently to live after thy Commandments. We beseech thee to hear us. That it may please thee to give all thy people increase of grace, to hear meekly thy word, and to receive it with pure affection, & to bring forth the fruits of the spirit We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth, all such as have erred and are deceived. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand, and comfort and help the weak hearted & to raise up them that fall, and finally to beaten down Satan under our feet. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to secure, help and comfort all that be in danger, necessity and tribulation. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by land or by water, all women labouring of child, all sick people & young children, and to show thy pity up on all prisoners and captives. We beseech thee to hear us etc. That it may please thee to defend and provide for the fatherless children, and widows, and all that be desolate and oppressed. We beseech thee to hear us etc. That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors & slanderers, & to turn their hearts. We beseech thee to hear us. etc That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use, the kind lie fruits of the earth, so as in due time we may enjoy them. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. That it may please thee to give us true repentance, to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignoraunces, and to endue us with the grace of thy holy spirit, to amend our lives according to thy holy word. We beseech thee to hear us. etc. ¶ Son of God: we beseech thee to hear us. Son of God we beseech thee to. etc. O Lamb of God that takest a way the sins of the world: Grant us thy peace O Lamb of God that takest a way the sins of the world. Have mercy upon us. O Christ hear us. O Christ hear us. Lord have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us. Christ have mercy upon us. Christ have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us. ¶ Our father which art in heaven. etc. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. ¶ The versicle. O Lord deal not with us after our sins. ¶ Answer. Neither reward us after our iniquities. O God merciful father, that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as be sorrowful, mercifully assist our prayers, that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us. And graciously hear us, that those evils, which the craft and subtlety of the devil or man wurketh against us be brought to naught and by the providence of thy goodness, they may be dispersed, that we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church, through je sus Christ our Lord. ¶ O Lord arise help, and deliver us for thy name's sake. O God we have herded with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us the noble wurcks that thou didst in their days, and in the old time before them. ¶ O Lord arise, help us, and deliver us for thy honour. Glory to the father, the son, & to the holy ghost. Asit was in the beginning, is now. etc. Amen. From our enemies defend us, O Christ. Graciously look upon our afflictions. Pitifully behold the sorrows of our heart. Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people. Favourably with mercy hear our prayers. O son of David, have mercy upon us. Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us, O Christ. Graciously hear us, O Christ, graciously hear us O Lord Christ. O Lord, let thy mercy be showed upon us. As we do put our trust in thee. ¶ Let us pray. WE humbly beseech chee, O father, mercifulli to look upon our infirmities, and for the glory of thy names sake, turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved: And grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy, & evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living to thy honour & glory, through our only mediator and advocate jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ A prayer for the Queen's Majesty▪. O Lord our heavenly Father high & mighty, king of kings, Lord of Lords, the only ruler of Princes, which dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon the earth: most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth, and so replenish her with the grace of thy holy spirit that she may always incline to thy will and walk in thy way. Endue her plentifully with heavenly gifts. Grant her in health and wealth long to live, strength her that she may vanquish and overcome all her enemies. And finally after this life, she may attain everlasting ioi and felicitte. Thorough jesus Christ our Lord Amen. ¶ For rain if the time require. O God heavenly father which by thy son jesus Christ, hast promised to all them that seek thy kingdom and the righteousness thereof, all things necessary to their bodily sustenance: sed us we beseech thee in this our necessity such moderate rain & showers that we may receive the fruits of the earth to our comfort, and to thy honour, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ For fair wether. O Lord God, which for the sin of man didst once drown all the world except eight people, and afterward of thy great mercy didst promise never to destroy it so again, we humbly beseech thee, that although we for our iniquities have wurthely deserved this Plague of rain and waters: yet upon our true repentance, thou will't send us such weather, whereby we may receive the fruits of the earth in due season, and learn both by thy punishment to amend our lives, and for thy clemency to give the praise & glory, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ A prayer of Chrisostome. ALl mighty God which hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee, & dost promise': that when. two. or iii be gathered in thy name, thou will't grant their requests: fulfil now (O Lord) the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them: granting us in this world know ledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen. ¶ In the time of dearth & famine. O God heavenly father, whose gift it is that the rain doth fall, the earth is fruitful, beasts increase, and fish do multiply. Behold we beseech thee, the afflictions of thy people, & grant that the scarcity & dearth (which we do now most iustli suffer for our iniquity) may through thy goodness be mercifully turned into cheapness and plenti, for the love of jesus Christ our Lord: to whom with thee and the holy ghost. etc. ¶ Or thus. O God merciful father, which in the time of Heliseus the Prophet, didst suddenly turn in Samaria, great scarcity and dearth into plenty and cheapness, and extreme famine into abundance of victual: have pity upon us, ytnow be punished for our sins with like adversity, increase the fruits of the earth by thy heavenvly Benediction: And grant that we receiving thy bountiful liberality, may use the same to thy glory, our comfort, and relief of our nedi neighbours, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ In the time of war. O Almighty God, King of all kings, and governor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it belongeth iustli to punish sinners & to be merciful unto them that truly repent: save & deliver us (we humbly beseech thee) from the hands of our enemies, abate their Pride, assuage their malice, & confounded their devices, that we being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore from all perils to glorify thee, which art the only giver of all victory: through the merits of thy only son jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ In the time of any common plague or sickness. O Almighty God: which in thy wrath in the time of king Da vid didst slay with the plague of pestilence three score & ten thousand, & yet remembering thy mercy, didst save the rest: have pity upon us miserable sinners, that now are visited with great sickness & mortality, that like as thou didst then command thy▪ angel to cease from punishing: So it may now please the to withdraw from us this plague and grievous sickness, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The end of the litany. A Table of the prayers contained in this book. A Prayer for the morning Folio. 3 A prayer for the Evening Folio. 4 A prayer for the forgiveness of. Folio. 5 A prayer unto God the Father Folio. 6 A prayer unto God the son Folio. 7 A prayer unto God the holy Folio. 8 A prayer to be said of Magist▪ Folio. 10 A prayer of the ministers of gods wurd. Folio. 11 Of Subjects or Eomons. Folio. 12 Of Fathers and Mothers. Folio. 13 Of the Children. Folio. 14 Of Masters. Folio. 15 Of Servants. Folio. 16 Of maids. Folio. 17 Of Single men. Folio. 19 Of Husbands▪ Folio. 20 Of wives. Folio. 21 Of householders. Folio. 22 Of all Christians. Folio. 23 For the grace and favour of God. Folio. 24 For the gift of the holy Ghost Folio. 25 For the true knowledge of ourselves. Folio. 26 For a pure and a clean heart Folio. 27 For a quiet conscience. Folio. 28 For faith. Folio. 29 For Charity. Folio. 30 For patience. Folio. 31 For humility. Folio. 32 For mercifulness. Folio. 33 For true Godliness. Folio. 34 For the true understanding of Gods wurd. Folio. 35 For a life agreeable to our know ledge. Folio. 36 For the health of the body. Folio. 37 For a good name. Folio. 38 For a compitent living. Folio. 39 For a patient & thankful heart in sickness. Folio. 40 For strength against the devil, the world and the Flesh. Folio. 41 For the help of God's holy Angels. Folio. 42 A prayer to our lord jesus Christ called Conditor celi & terrae. Folio. 43 For the glory of heaven. Folio. 47 A thanks giving unto God for all his benefits. Folio. 48 A prayer to be said at the hour of death. Folio. 50 A prayer wherein, through commemoration of Christ's passion: we desire pardon of our sins and continuance in virtue and godliness. Folio. 53 A Prayer wherein Man confesseth himself to be the cause of Christ's passion. Folio. 56 Heer doth man declare unto God the Father, that the passion of his son was for his reconciliation & attomment with God. Folio. 61 A devout Prayer to the holy Ghost. Folio. 67 A Prayer to the holy Trinity. Folio. 69 An acknowledging of Almighty God and his majesty. eodem. After what sort God the Father vouched safe to help mankind, & of th incarnation of the word which is Christ, & of the giving of thanks. Folio. 72 Of the trust which a soul aught to have in our Lord jesus and in his passion. Folio. 75 Of thexceeding love of th'everlasting Father toward mankind. Folio. 77 Of the double nature of Christ which hath mercy upon, us and maketh intercession for us. Folio. 81 Of the thanks which man aught to give unto God for the benefit of his redemption. Folio. 84 A devout prayer unto Christ. Folio. 88 A prayer declaring with how great miseries this life is replenished. Folio. 92 Of the blessedness of that life which God hath prepared for them that love him Folio. 94 A complaint that we be not moved nor pricked in our contemplation and prayer like as the Angels be, which tremble at the sight of God. Folio. 96 A very devout prayer for the giving of thanks. Folio. 99 A prayer wherein man's mind is very much and plenteously stirred and moved, If it be said in quietness. Folio. 107 A prayer in time of tribulation. Folio. 118 A very devout prayer unto the Son. Folio. 120 The Litany. Folio. 128 The end of the. Table. ¶ Imprinted at London over Aldersgate beneath. S. Martins, by john Day. 1561. ¶ Cum gratia & privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.