¶ The perfect path to Paradise: Containing divers most ghostly and wholesome Prayers, fruitful and Christian Meditations, for the comfort of every afflicted conscience: Published in these dangerous days of wickedness, and delivered to all those that fear God, and hope for salvation in Christ jesus, as a spiritual weapon to beat down sin, sathan, and all the power of hell, etc. By john Phillips.  Matthew 3. 
Repent and amend your lines for the kingdom of God is at hand.  
¶ Imprinted at London in Fleetstreet by H. jackson. 1588.   

To the Right Honourable Lord, Robert Devorax Earl of Essex and Ewe, Visecounte of Herrifard and Bourchire, L. Ferres of Chartley, Bourchire and Louvain: Master of the Queen's majesties horse, Knight of the most noble order of the Garter john Philips his humble well-willer, wisheth the fear of God, continual health of body and mind, peace and quietness of conscience with all other the gifts of grace prrceeding from God the Father through the intercession of Christ jesus etc.  
RIght honourable, when I call to memory how apt and ready we are of ourselves to fall into the filthy quagmire of the old Adam's corruption, wherein we are most monstrously soiled with all kinds of wickednesses, which make us detested in the eyes of our heavenly father, whose love we by the exercise of our notorious evils, daily committed against his divine majesty, we most wilfully convert to hatred, I am driven into no small admiration. But truly as these are the dangerous days of wickedness wherein sin aboundeth and iniquity hath obtained the pre-eminence and upper hand, so it is expedient for all those that have the feeling of GOD'S grace in their consciences, to arm themselves in this worldly Labyrinth of uncleanness with a lively faith and earnest repentance, and to continue in prayer and supplication to the almighty, to abridge these days of wickedness, and to hasten his coming. For unless this perilous season as Christ himself hath foretold us, should be shortened, wherein sin is exalted to the subversion of virtue, there should no flesh be saved. It shall be necessary for us therefore, that seek daily and hourly, by the usual practice of our innumerable evils, to offend the Lord our gracious God, whose heavy indignation we have worthily heaped up unto ourselves, and whose vengeance we have justly deserved. Now even now and henceforth for ever to return with David from our impieties, to mourn with Magdalin for our iniquities, to weep with Peter for our offences, and to cry out with the prodigal child, for the misspending of our portions riotously. Yea and then the Lord our God whose wrath we have kindled up against us, like consuming coals of fire, beholding the sorrows of our contrite hearts, the grievous groanings of our sinful souls, and our wet and blubbered eyes, weeping for our wickednesses, will repent him of these plagues that he had prepared to pour forth upon us for our destructions. Yea he will cast aside the vioals of his wrath, yea he will in his mercy quench the burning coals of his fury. Yea he will unbend the bow of his anger and break asunder the arrows of his displeasure, wherewith he had in his divine justice prepared to wound us: For faithful prayer and hearty repentance are acceptable to God. The which weapons if we will take upon to use, undoubtedly in steed of cursings we shall obtain blessings, in steed of penury, we shall reap plenty: in steed of battle we shall have peace: in steed of sickness we shall find health, yea and at the last of unclean vessels, we shallbe made vessels of honour and heirs of his heavenly kingdom. God for his son Christ his sake give us the grace therefore whilst mercy as yet keepeth his indignation at a bay, to continue in prayer, and to show us hearty repentant for our sins, for the day of our visitation draweth nigh. Thus ceasing right honourable, I leave you to the merciful protection of the almighty beseeching him in this life to bless and defend you from all peril and danger, to continue your health to his good guiding will & provident pleasure, to give you victory over all the enemies of God and her royal majesty, and in the world to come to crown your head with honour and glory.  
Your honours in all humility and reverence. JOHN PHILIPS.   

¶ When that thou preparest thyself to pray, look that thou with all humbleness of mind kneelest downe, and lifting up thy heart, thy hands, and thine eyes unto heaven, to God the Father almighty, pray on this manner.  
O Lord open thou my lips, that my mouth may speak and show forth that, which is to thy glory and praise.   

A prayer for the Morning.  
O Omnipotent Father, and everliving GOD, the Fountain of all felicity, from whom only proceedeth all good gifts, most humbly I beseech thee of thine aboundante mercy and exceeding kindness, so to direct and govern me this day and ever, with thy good guiding spirit, that all my thoughts, words and deeds, may only be occupied in thy service, faith, fear and love, and so assist & strengthen me with thy grace, O most merciful and loving father, for thy son jesus Christ his sake, that neither sin, death, hell, nor Satan, have the dominion & upper hand of me, Endue my heart with the true understanding of thy true and lively word, that I may be ready & prone manfully to fight under the standard of my glorious captain jesus Christ, against the world, the flesh, & that cruel Serpent the old Leviathan, which hunteth continually like a roaring lion, seeking the utter destruction of my soul. Make me constant in time of temptation, the when or at what time my rebelling and sinful flesh, shall entice me to lust after the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, I may by a strong, lively, and unshakeable faith, thorough the bitter torments that my saviour Christ jesus suffered for me, and all that faithfully believe and call upon him, so mortify and subdue the old Adam, that I may be dead and buried from sin and all iniquity, & the new man Christ jesus may continually dwell and reign in me, by whose means, I shall be garnished & decked by the means of a fruitful faith, with immortality & heavenly blessedness, vouchsafe (O Lord) I beseech thee, according to the multitude of thy mercies to look upon me, and by thy celestial providence so illuminate the eyes of my soul, that I may continually watch for the glorious coming of thy anointed son jesus Christ. Root out (O Lord) in and from me the wild and corrupt branches of rapine, deceit, avarice, luxury, concupiscence, and all ungodliness, let the motions of my mind altogether depend upon thee, prepare my tongue to publish thy praise, let my lips be locked up from all scurillitic & uncomely talk, let mine ears loath and abhor to hear thy glorious and blessed name blasphemed, & thy truth to be by any Sectarian ill spoken of, and slandered, keep and defend me under the wings of thy comfortable protection, from all errors, schisms, and detestable heresies, make me with out feigning, firmly, & constantly to build upon the truth, wherein is perfectly set forth thy great mercy & divine justice. Let the zeal of thy promises in all distress be my chiefest joy and consolation, and give me grace from above, that as I make my boast of thy mercies and loving kindness, by virtue whereof, I am by my Saviour Christ jesus quickened from death to life, & in his dearest death, and precious bloudsheding, regenerated & borne a new, not of water but of the spirit by faith, so Lord, I may with thy abundant love shown to me ward, & the whole posterity of Adam, I may be afraid, wilfully, or of a set purpose, to transgress thy commandments, and so incur thereby thy displeasure, that the effects of thy justice, in the day of thy coming to judgement, be pronounced against me, to the utter destruction of body & soul, make me always willing good Lord to hear thy word, by the power whereof my faith is increased, and therewithal plant in me perfit love and obedience, and so direct my footsteps in this vale of misery, that I may tread the path that leadeth to thee, with whom my soul thirsteth to rest, even as vehemently as the Hart longeth after the water brooks. Grant this O merciful God, for the honour and glory of thy names sake. Amen▪   

¶ A fruitful Prayer to be said at the g●yng to bed of every Christian.  
Most merciful Father, I most wretched and unworthy sinner, prostrate myself before the Throne of thy heavenly grace, yielding unto thee most humble and hearty thanks, that hast of thy exceeding love and favour, preserved me this day from all peril and danger, humbly beseeching thy divine majesty, this night to preserve me, for the love of thy only son, & my sweetest Saviour jesus Christ, my Mediator & advocate, who continually pleadeth and maketh intercession to thee for me, & all the rest of thy chosen children, presenting his bloody wounds, and his glorious body all to be scourged in thy divine presence, who thereby doth mitigate thy wrath & indignation, justly conceived against me, a miserable and wretched creature, and all mankind. Make me Lord still to confess mine unworthiness, and weakness to be such, and so great, that of myself I am not worthy to lift up mine eyes to heaven, much less to be called thy son, such and so great is the burden of my sin and iniquity, so that by the means of my corruption & filthiness, I acknowledge myself to be the child of death, and destruction, yet build I still on thy promises good Lord, and in this great danger, I come unto thee with tears, saying.  
O father, I have sinned against heaven, and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: of myself I have nothing, but by thee I have all things: of myself I acknowledge I have justly deserved the heavy sentence of thine ire, but by grace of thee, O mighty Emanuel, I am regenerate and borne again from death to life: from danger to joy: from peril to peace: from bondage to liberty, & so in fine, from Hell & damnation, to bliss & salvation. Such is the effect of thy mercy, so abundant is thy love towards me, and all those that with contrite hearts present themselves unto thee. Increase my faith lord that it may abound in good and fruitful works, so fortify me, that I never swerver from thy verity, give me thy grace from above, O merciful jesus, that I may never shrink from thy sacred testimonies. And more over, I with all humility, and reverence of heart and mind, beseech thee this night, which thou hast ordained for man to rest in, thou wilt guard and protect me with thy good guiding spirit, and albeit, my sinful flesh shall sleep & slumber, yet grant good Lord, that my soul may continually keep watch and ward, let not the enemy find me slumbering and sleeping as careless in the cradle of sinful Security, least that whilst I am unarmed, that is naked & destitute of thy grace and favour, he enter in and break up the house of my sinful body, and make such havoc & spoil, that my infected and leaporous soul, deformed by means of mine iniquity, and wounded with the dangeruos Darts of transgression, be thrown with the body of sin to the Lake of destruction, wherein is continual wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Make me still (O good Lord) to consider that the bed is a plain pattern and similitude of the Grave, which continually calleth for me and all other thy Creatures, make me to understand that when I am laid (of myself) without thy heavenly providence, I can not be able to rise again: make me to acknowledge, that sleep is the very figure of death, to whose stroke, at thy appointed pleasure, I must submit myself. Endue me with love & charity to all men, let my Lamp (O Lord) be garnished with Oil, that whensoever, or at what time soever thy messenger death shall drawnie, and knock at the gates of my house, I may at his summons, in the day of the resurrection of the dead, be ready to attend on thee and thy bride, with my burning Lamp, that is, with a steadfast faith, when as by thee I shallbe clothed a new, for my mortal body shall then be covered with immortality, the corruption of my sinful & rebelling flesh, shall be changed to incorruption and perfit purity, thy righteousness shallbe mine, thy merits shall make me perfit & holy, by virtue whereof hell shall lose his victory, death shall lose his sting, my faith and hope shall have end and reward, & I with thy Saints, continually dwell in love and charity with thee, the heavenly Bridegroom Christ jesus. To whom with the father and the holy ghost, be ascribed all lawd, glory, power, praise, and dominion, for ever. Amen.   

A Prayer for the remission of sin, and to obtain a virtuous life.  
FOr as much as (O Bountiful Lord) it is most meet, right, and just, that all flesh should praise, magnify, and worship thee, and should without ceasing give thanks unto thee, who only art the Creator and maker of all things, as well visible as invisible, who only art the Treasure of all goodness, the Well of life, only God and Lord, whom the Heavens, and Heavens of Heavens, the Sun, the Moon the Stars, the earth, the Sea, with all that move therein: yea, the heavenly company of martyrs, the souls of the Prophets, and Apostles, Angels, Arckeaungels, together with the souls of all just & righteous persons, do lawd & glorify. It is most requisite, that each mortal creature, living in this world, should also acknowledge thy magnificence, wherefore (most merciful Father) I with my heart and mouth do acknowledge thee to be my king & Lord, the giver of all goodness, I confess thee to be omnipotent, reverent, merciful, long suffering, God of all consolation, comfort, mercy and pity.  
I know that of thine infinite goodness only, thou didst make man after thy similitude & likeness, placing him in the most delectable place of Paradise, and although he did transgress thy commandment, and thereby deserve eternal death & damnation, yet thou like a most loving & pitiful Father, didst not utterly reject him, but gently correct him, & after that thou hast sent him into the earth, commanding him there to increase and multiply, thou didst instruct his posterity with thy law, thou didst teach them by the Propehtes, and after that, sentest down thine only begotten son, to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death for our sins, thereby to make a recompense for the offence which man had committed against thee, and all this thou didst of thy exceeding great mercy and kindness, without any desert of mankind, not being so much as by any one prayer, or yet entreaty, thereunto incited.  
Therefore, I being boldened with such inestimable benefits, so freely given and bestowed, do without any fear at this time, appear before thy divine majesty, prostrating myself before the seat of thy mercy, and with all humbleness of heart, and mind, do make this my prayer unto thee.  
Despise me not (O Lord God) being defiled with sin and iniquity, for behold I present myself before thee, not presuming upon mine own worthiness, but trusting in thy goodness.  
Be merciful unto me a sinner, light thou the dull sighted eyes of my mind, open thou the stopped ears of mine heart, the I may both see, hear and perceive & understand that which thou teachest, & always do that which thou commandest, make me not only a hearer of thy heavenly doctrine, but also a perfect follower of the same: direct sanctify & govern my life, be thou always present & ready, both to hear and to help me. Save & defend me from all shame and reproach, be thou my shield and buckler against all temptations, cleanse my mind & thought from all uncleanness, keep and preserve me from all danger both of body & soul. This frail life is nothing else but a continual warfare in this world, our sins most like to cruel enemies assault us on every side, again our days are but few in number.  
Guide me therefore with thy grace, so to spend my small, short, and transitory time in this world, the very Fountain, wellspring, & vale of all misery, that I may be made a member of Christ, & a partaker of thine eternal felicity. To the which, seeing that thorough mine own desert, I shall never be able to aspire, (for sin truly so aboundeth in me, that each deed and act of mine, is not only infected, but altogether polluted therewith) none other remedy have I to ease myself, none other salve to ease my sore, but only to take hold of that promise of thine, whereas thou sayest: Come unto me all ye that labour, & be overladen, & I will refresh you, this is my holdfast, this is mine Anchor, and sure stay, for verily (sweet Saviour) when I look upon mine own frailness, & behold how ready I am to offend thee, than I quake for fear, than I am almost in utter despair, but assoon as I call to mind thy great love and kindness, and how that thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and live, and that in what day soever he doth heartily repent, and call unto thee, thou wilt hear him, than I am relieved, than I am not a little comforted, knowing surely that thou wilt perform that which thou hast promised. In faithful assurance whereof, I now say unto thee.  
Turn thou me (O my God) and I shallbe turned, from all my wickedness deliver me. heal my soul which is wounded with sin for I do acknowledge my iniquity, & am heartily sorry for mine offences. correct me, O Lord, but yet not in thy fury, look not upon my weakness, but think upon thine own worthiness, remember thy loving kindness, and in the abundance and multitude of thy mercies wipe clean away, pardon, and forget all my sins, throw which I have either in word, or deed, thought, or any other kind of way offended thee, blot them out of thy remembrance, & let the blood of that Immaculate Lamb jesus Christ wash them away, let mine old offences so decay & die in me, that I never commit them any more, or by any means renew them in thy sight.  
And in the mean time do not withdraw thy grace from me, but cause me to do all that which good is. O Father remove thy wrath away from me, and restore unto me thy favour. Turn thou thy loving countenance unto me, and plentifully pour forth thy mercy upon me. Incline my heart to do that only which is acceptable in thy sight. Guide thou my footsteps in thy paths, & suffer me not at any time to stray from thy ways, let me always have the fear of thee in my heart, and the remembrance of thy benefits fresh in my memory, & if at any time thorough weakness and frailty I do transgress thy commandments, yet do not therefore reject & cast me out of thy sight, but be thou that good Samaritane, & pour the Oil and wine of mercy & forgiveness, into those wounds which sin shall make in me. Disdain me not for my revolting, but have mercy upon me according to thy great goodness, & according to the multitude of thy mercies, wipe away mine iniquity, hide me under the shadow of thy wings and protection, lighten me with thy holy spirit. Make me thy servant, & so endue me with thy grace, that I may unfeignedly, with heart and voice, serve, honour, and praise thee, all the days of my life. Amen.   

A Prayer for patience in trouble, and meekly to suffer adversity.  
O Gracious Lord, Omnipotent, whose mercy is everlasting & infinite, bow down thine ear and hearken unto this my prayer, which I make before thy divine Majesty, most humbly beseeching thee of thine accustomed goodness to endue me with the works of mercy, & deeds of charity, and above all things to give me patience in adversity, meekly to suffer, and patiently to take whatsoever it shall please thee to lay upon me, and never to murmur, or to grudge thereat, but always to think thy loving & gentle correction to be much less than the deserts of my great & manifold offences.  
Again, if I be not under correction, then am I not thy child, for what father is he who correcteth not his Children, whom he most entirely beloveth. This then is an evident token that thou lovest us, when as thou correctest us, for as the scripture saith: Whom God loveth, him he chasteneth. Thou seest all things, thou understandest & knowest all things, so that not so much as one little Sparrow lighteth upon the ground, without thy knowledge: yea, our very thoughts are foreknown unto thee, thou disposest & orderest all things as seemeth best to thy holy will and pleasure, by thy help I may do all things, without thee I can do nothing. When thou pourest upon us thy creatures, thy good gifts and benefits: When thou bestowest upon us prosperity, health, wealth, and such like, thou dost it to this intent, that we acknowledging the same, should thereby be encouraged to serve, honour, and humbly obey thee, and always praise and magnify thy glorious name, contrariwise, when thou strikest us with thy rod of correction, as plaguing us with great mortality, suffering our enemies to invade us: robbers for to spoil us: poverty to oppress us: or fire to consume those things, which thou hast lent us, for the maintenance of our bodies in this mortal life. Thou dost it to put us in mind that we have transgressed thy Commandments, that we have not hearkened unto thee, neither done that which is acceptable in thy sight, but willingly falling into the puddle of sin, and following our own appetites, have provoked thy just wrath and indignation against us. Thus thou dealest with us, O Lord, to the intent that we suffering bodily punishment, & feeling the smart of the same may thereby be admonished of our duty, and with true compunction of heart, desire to be released from thy scourges which we have deserved, and worthily receive, and then acknowledge ourselves to be lost children, & straying sheep, may both see and be ashamed of our unbridled affections, & wilfulness, which have brought us to calamity & misery, & with the true penitent to say.  
We are not worthy, most merciful father, to lift up our eyes or voice unto thee for our manifold sins and wickedness: nevertheless, presuming upon thine abundant mercy (who refusest none that do call upon thee) most lamentably we do cry, have mercy upon us▪ O Lord, have mercy upon us miserable sinners, being now grievously afflicted with the burden of punishment and affliction, which thou hast laid upon us, put thou therefore away all displeasure conceived against us, thy poor creatures, and grant us, that being warned by this, we may ever hereafter serve thee in newness of life, and never commit any thing which shall displease or offend thee.  
This O heavenly father, I acknowledge to be our duty, but although I for my part, have not performed the same as I ought to do, yet I beseech thine inestimable goodness not to execute the rigour of thy justice upon me, but to stay thine hand, and before thou give me any greater wound, to behold my humility and repentance, which being not able to recompense and satisfy the trespasses which I against thee have committed, do offer unto thee according as the poor Widow did, all that which I am able to give, that is a sorrowful contrition of heart, for my former offences done and passed. Thy justice as it is right, so is it rigorous to sinners, thou art so jealous & so much dost detest sin, that thou sparest not to punish thy very elect and chosen servants, when as they fall into it.  
Who was more acceptable in thy sight, than that holy Prophet king David? of whom thou thyself didst say, I have found a man according to mine own heart, even David my servant: yet nevertheless, divers & sundry ways didst thou punish him, when that he had swerved from thy testimonies. Thou suffered'st him to be molested with the insurrection of his own son, thou didst send the Prophet unto him, to offer him the choice of plagues, which thou wouldst send upon him for his wicked living, but when he with sorrowful sighs, & trickling tears, turned unto thee, confessing his fault, craving pardon, and promising amendment of life, thou forgatest thine anger, and forgavest his offence.  
Other of thy chosen Uessels thou hast permitted to be grievously tormented, and vexed by sundry troubles and adversities, only to try their faith and steadfastness towards thee, as thou didst suffer that patient man Jobe, for to be most cruelly entreated by that enemy of all mankind, to have his houses burned and spoiled, his cattle taken away, his servants driven into bondage, his Children to be slain, his own body to be afflicted with most loathsome diseases, plagues, and sores, and all this thou didst not for any evil deed of his, but to show thine Omnipotency and power, for when thou hadst tried him to the utmost, and found that his enemy the Devil could not prevail against him, or by any 〈◊〉 and grief, 〈◊〉 him to blaspheme and speak evil of thee, thou didst reduce him to health, thou didst enrich him again, thou didst restore unto him again his children, friends, family, and all his goods, with much more than ever he before possessed, showing most manifestly, that thou wilt▪ reward them most plenteously, which do love thee, follow and observe thy commandements.  
Wherefore I beseech thee to give me grace, that what soever way it shall please thee, to visit me with thy punishment, I may take it patiently and say: Naked came I into this world, and naked shall I return to the earth again, the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, even as it pleaseth the Lord, so be it. Suffer me not to despair, or to think that thou dealest unjustly with me, but to say. Shall I receive prosperity at the lords hand, and not to be content with adversity: & always to think upon this. Happy are they whom thou dost punish, for though thou make a wound, thou also givest a plaster, though thou smitest, thy hand maketh whole again, my iniquity is great, but be thou merciful unto my wickedness. O deliver me from thine anger, and press me not farther than I shall be able to bear, but now that I acknowledge, that what soever trouble thou haste sent me, or wilt lay upon me, is either for the punishment of mine iniquity, or for the trial of my constancy, I may with repentant David, find remission of my sins, and with patiented Jobe release of my adversity, and obtain such favour in thy sight, that thou never again so grievously punish me, but that I may so pass this life, that I may afterward live with thee, to whom be honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.   

A prayer against the fear of worldly casualties.  
O Most bountiful and loving Father, mine only guider and comforter, the Well of mercy, the true light of the world, take away the darkness of my mind, lighten my heart and senses, endue me with thy grace, arm me so strongly with sure hope, confidence & trust in thee, that I never be driven into fear, either by the subtle invasions of our ghostly enemy Satan, or by the crafty wiliness of the world, neither yet by loss, damage, hurt, or hindrance of any of those vain and transitory things, which we in this world do possess. But always whatsoever shall become of them, to think that they are but things lent, and not our own, & that we shall make a straight account for the use, or abuse of them.  
Whereby the more we possess thereof, the greater shall be our pain, if we abuse them. Wherefore take from me all inward heaviness, thought and care, for any loss and discommodity received by worldly goods, and always to think that as well poverty, as riches: neediness, as abundance: sickness as health: adversity, as prosperity: come from thee, and that it is known to thine unsearchable judgement only, why and wherefore thou sendest either of these upon us, and therefore let not my mind be troubled with any fear of things to chance, saving only to fear to displease thee, but always to be merry in thee with soberness, and to cast all my care of worldly affairs upon thee. For as much as thou hast commanded, that we should not be careful what to eat or what to drink, or with what raiment we should be clothed, for thou wilt not see the righteous forsaken or their children begging their bread, and that thou turnest all things to the best, to them that serve thee, and fly unto thee for secure in the time of their distress.  
Let this (O Lord) be ever more fresh in my memory, graven in my heart, and ready in my mouth, so that I leaving all needless fear, may always give thanks unto thee, and praise thy holy name. Amen.   

The prayer unto God the Father.  
Almighty God, the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, whom no desert, merit, or worthiness of ours, but thine own great clemency, mercy, and pity, caused to send down thine only begotten son into this world, to bear the burden of our sins, with the which, we most miserable sinners were overladen, & that he should suffer most cruel torments, yea, and also most bitter and shameful death, and sanctify the reproachful name of the Cross, with the renting of his blessed body, and shedding his most precious blood thereon. Thereby to make atonement between thee & us: thereby to pay the ransom for our souls: thereby to consummate and finish the perfection of our redemption and salvation. Which thing it was thy good will, that he should do, not only to assuage thy wrath and indignation, but also to bring us again into thy grace and favour, & that we being delivered out of the bondage of sin & hell, might serve thee in righteousness and holiness all the days of our life, and by thy free gift and benefit of his death and passion, be made partakers of his resurrection, and of thine endless & unspeakable glory.  
Wherefore my God, my maker, my Lord, my king, seeing thou hast so abundantly bestowed thy Heavenly gifts upon me, & all mankind, and hast so plentifully poured out thy grace and favour on us, that for our sakes, thou wouldst not spare thy own son. How shall we escape thine indignation, which for this care and kindness of thine, are most careless and unkind, and among all other, which way shall I poor creature turn me? how shall I, who have been most unthankful for his benefits, and most unmindful of them, be so bold as to lift up my heart, or hands unto the heavens, and to call upon thee? thou of thy singular goodness didst so provide, that the wickedness of old Adam should be purged and washed away with the blood of jesus Christ, but I have wilfully fallen into sin again: Thou madest me the child of light, but I have made myself an inheritor of darkness: thou madest me thine by creation: I have made myself the child of perdition.  
What shall I now therefore do? shall I doubt of any further mercy and forgiveness? No, no (sweet Lord) so great is thy mercy which surmounteth all thy works: so large are thy promises, so sure is the performance of them, to all such as take hold thereof (so dear in thy sight are the merits of thy son jesus) so acceptable unto thee is the hearty repentance of a sinner, that with the remembrance thereof, I am provoked to cry unto thee, saying: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and against thee, I am no more worthy to be called thy child: Nevertheless, behold thou me not as I am, a grievous offender, but as thy creature, have now no respect to mine offences, but behold my repentance, think not upon my wickedness, but upon the wounds of my saviour jesus, look not upon my false heart, which hath wavered from thy laws, but behold the bleeding heart of thy son jesus christ, which was pierced to release me and set me free, my sins I cast upon his back, beseeching thee that his merits may bear them, and thy mercy pardon them.  
Hear me, O Lord, my God, hear me, for I know the more earnestly that I seek for, & desire thine aid, the readier thou art to stretch forth thine hand to help me. Hear me therefore, O Lord, bow down and incline thy ear unto my prayer, inspire me so with thy holy spirit, that I may love thee above all things, and that I never fail to put my hope & trust of salvation in him, whom thou wouldst to be my Redeemer and saviour.  
Make me by the forsaking of all wickedness, so to rise from falling into sin, that I may obtain the true serving of thee with innocency and pureness of life. Grant this, O Lord, for jesus Christ's sake, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all honour and glory. Amen.   

A Prayer unto God the Son.  
O Most sweet Saviour, O most merciful Redeemer: O bountiful jesus, the son of God, who although thou art high, yet thou art most humble, although thou art Omnipotent, thou art also most meek, and as thou art most mighty, so art thou most merciful. To thee O Christ, the guide of all felicity, the Father of heaven hath given all power, both in heaven and in earth.  
Thou art the true Pastor of our souls, thou art our Messiah, thou castest off none that sue unto thee, but as thou hast taken away the hand writing that was against us, and hast fastened it to thy Cross, so art thou ready to impart the merits of thy Passion, unto all such as with true repentance of their sins call upon thee faithfully. Wherefore, my sweet jesus, I most faithfully and unfeignedly acknowledge the benefits that thou hast bestowed upon me, and steadfastly believe, that thou being an Immaculate Lamb, in whose mouth was never found guile, didst suffer most cruel torments at the hands of sinners, for the love of us most wretched sinners, for the which cause I most heartily beseech thee, and most humbly pray thee, to accept me into the number of them, whom thou wilt make Coinheritours of thy bitter pains, and although I of myself, be most unworthy thereof, yet thy merits can make me worthy: to them do I fly, craving that I may be so armed, and defened by them, that I may subdue the world, the flesh, and the Devil, even as thou hast gloriously conquered sin, death, and Hell. Thou seest, O my Saviour, how I am daily and hourly beset, with these three enemies, and so hardly besieged of them, that without thy help, I can by no means escape, but that I must needs be a pray unto one of them. Strengthen me therefore, O Lord, that neither the one with carnal lusts, neither the other with delectable pleasures, nor sathan himself with all his crafty and subtle devices, get the dominion over me. Thou haste bought me, thou haste paid for me, take thou me, save, keep, and defend me, be always ready at the voice of my crying, pour into me thy grace patiently to abide thy divine will & pleasure in all things, make me both at this present, and all the days of my life, to have in mind and profoundly to root in my heart, the mysteries of thy painful passion, and so to be filled with the remembrance thereof, that sin may no more enter into me and that Satan mine old enemy, may well perceive, that he hath neither part nor fellowship in me. But that I am both body & soul altogether thine. To whom be all praises world without end. Amen.   

A Prayer unto God the holy Ghost.  
O Holy Ghost, O blessed and Holy Spirit, comforter of them that be afflicted. Thou proceeding from the Father and the Son, art the true instructor and teacher of the divine and heavenly verity. Wherefore I with all humility, pray thee to renew and make in me a clean heart, to graft a right spirit in me, Guide and govern me, that I may think nothing, speak nothing, do nothing, but that only which shall please thee.  
And whereas I have not ceased to offend my Lord God and Maker, and most grievously to transgress against jesus my redeemer and saviour, I pray thee that I may have inward sorrow, repentance and shame thereof, and that ever hereafter, I may perform my duty as I ought to do, and so bring forth the fruits of repentance, that the passion of jesus Christ may defend me from all sin and wickedness, and bring me to the joys of Paradise. So be it.   

A devout Prayer.  
REmember not, O Lord GOD, thine anger against me an offender, but be mindful of thy mercy towards me a true penitent, forget that through pride, I have provoked thee to ire, and favourably hearken unto my prayer. What is jesus, but a saviour? therefore O bountiful jesus be thou my Saviour, rise up in thine own strength to help me, say unto my soul, I am thy safeguard. In thy goodness do I trust, in thee is my hope, and for as much as thou hast willed that we should without ceasing seek and sue unto thee, behold I being counseled and foretold by thy commandements, do now both ask, seek, and knock. But thou which commandest me to ask, grant that I may receive, thou bidst me seek, make me to find. Thou hast taught me to knock: open unto me that stand knocking: strengthen me that am weak: restore me that am lost: revive me that am dead by sin: make me to serve thee: to live to thee: to give myself wholly to thee.  
I know my God, that because thou madest me, I own myself unto thee, & for that thou hast redeemed me, I should owe thee more than myself. But behold, I have no more to give, neither can I give myself unto thee, unless thou make me willing thereunto. Take thou me, draw me unto thee, that as I am thine by creation, so I may be thine by following of thee, which livest & reignest for ever & ever. Amen.   

another Prayer.  
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy upon me, most miserable Creature, which do that which I ought not, and fear that which I have most justly deserved, if I weigh with myself the wickedness that I have done, the punishment thereby deserved, is not half so great as the sin that I have committed, but thou art a merciful God, & thy judgements are right, neither dost thou at any time punish us unjustly. Thou almighty god madest us, when as we were not, and when as we were lost and damned, thou didst miraculously restore us. I know and am sure, that our life is not led by sudden and uncertain motions, but is disposed and directed by thee, thou hast a fatherly care of us all, but specially of all such as do put their whole trust and confidence in thy mercy.  
Therefore I humbly pray and beseech thee, that thou wouldst not deal with me after my deservings, but according to thy great mercy, which doth exceed the sin of the whole world.  
And as often as thou dost punish me outwardly, give me grace inwardly with patience, to bear the same and that thy praise never departed out of my mouth. Order my doings, even as shall be most necessary both for my body and soul.  
Thou only hast power over all things, thou knowest all things, to thee be all honour for ever. Amen.   

A Prayer for the obtaining of mercy.  
Behold, out from the bottom of my heart, do I cry unto thee (O lord) beseeching thee, that thou wouldst save me from the bottomless pit of Hell. I know that there is mercy with thee. Do not therefore mark what I have done amiss. Enter not into judgement with thy servant, for than can I by no means be justified in thy sight.  
The remembrance of mine offences is grievous unto me, & therefore I right humbly crave pardon thereof. My heart is troubled, my soul is vexed, there is no health in my flesh. Forsake me not mine only stay and comfort. Despise not my contrite heart, open the bosom of thy mercy, take clean away mine iniquity, bring my soul out of tribulation, turn the extremity of thy justice into thy tender mercy, and when thou shalt come to judge the quick and the dead, be not revenged on me by eternal damnation, but to take me amongst thine elect, into the blessed state of Salvation. Grant this O Father, for Christ's sake, our Mediator, and Advocate. Amen.   

another Prayer.  
O Lord my GOD, although I have committed that, whereby I am an offender, can I make myself not to be thy creature? though through sin I have lost my cleanness & purity, have I also taken away thy goodness, and mercy? though I have committed that, wherefore thou mayest condemn me, hast thou not done that, whereby thou mayest save me? True it is (O Lord) that my conscience doth show me, that I have deserved damnation, but thy mercy exceedeth all offensyon. Spare me (O God) because it is not unpossible for thy power: it is not unmeet for thy mercy: it is not unaccustomed, or yet contrary to thine infinite goodness.  
Wherefore thou which hast created me, do not destroy me. Thou (O jesus) which hast redeemed me, do not condemn me, thou which hast made me, let not thy work be cast away by my wickedness. Wipe away all that is mine, and draweth me from thee, and knowledge all that is thine in me, and may bring me unto thee. Which livest and reignest one God in people three, to whom be all honour, now and ever. Amen.   

A necessary prayer in Meeter.  
O Lord my God, make thou my heart,  
repentant for to be:  
The spirit of contrition,  
do thou ingraft in me.  
Unto mine eyes let there be given,  
abundance of weeping:  
And let my hands be occupied,  
With often alms giving.  
O thou my king quench out of me,  
all foul fleshly desire:  
And with the love of thee alone,  
set thou my heart on fire.  
O my Redeemer drive away,  
the spirit of pride from me,  
And grant to me that great treasure,  
of meek humility.  
Take from me, O my Saviour,  
the furious rage of ire;  
The shield of patience give to me,  
the which I do desire.  
O Creator root out of me,  
all spitefulness of mind:  
And grant in steed thereof again  
meekness that I may find.  
O Bountiful father give me,  
a faith that shall endure:  
With hope agreeing thereunto,  
and charity most sure.  
O thou my guide, keep from my lips,  
all lying vanity:  
And from my mind, drive far away,  
all vain unconstancy.  
All wavering tak● from my heart,  
and from my mouth scoffing:  
With all proud looks & gluttony  
backbiting, slandering.  
Covetousness wipe clean away,  
with curiosity:  
The fond desire of vain glory,  
with all hypocrisy.  
Let me never the poor despise,  
nor yet the weak oppress:  
And let me not blaspheme, for than  
I die remediless.  
O thou which didst me form and make  
take all rashness from me:  
And leave me not such a mind as  
will not with peace agree.  
Take from me idleness and sloth,  
with heavy lumpishness:  
Take from me disobedience,  
and also stubbornness.  
O my God, for thy dear sons sake,  
I humbly beseech thee,  
To grant me the works of mercy,  
abundance of pity.  
That I may thee both love & fear,  
and eke pity the poor:  
Make me good men always to love,  
and wicked to abhor.  
Make me so little to esteem,  
those things that worldly be:  
With heart and voice that I may crave  
in Heaven to be with thee,  
amen.   

¶ Being tempted by the ghostly enemy (as all that fear God are) to doubt in any article of the Catholic Faith, to despair in God's mercy, to yield to melancholy fantasies, to be vexed with unkindness of friends or the malice of enemies, to be troubled with sickness, or any other ways oppressed with grief of body and mind, say devoutly as followeth.  
I Humbly accept most merciful jesus, this heavy temptation, which now I suffer at the hands of thy divine providence, and would a greater if thou please to lay it on me for thy sake. Who hath ordained this from the beginning, for the tender love thou bearest to the health of my sinful soul, and I most heartily thank thee for it, I confess I have deserved worse for my sin and unkindness towards thee, and I am not worthy to receive any comfort or consolation at thy hands, therefore to the honour of the passion and death, which thou willingly suffered'st on the Cross, I offer myself to sustain this, or any other adversity with all my heart, not seeking other ways ease or relief, then in and by thee (O Lord) and as thy good will and pleasure shall appoint, yet this one thing I crave and beseech thee, for the tender love thou bearest to me, and all mankind, (for in me is no virtue, or aught that is good) to help and assist me with thy holy spirit, (as my trust is thou wilt) who promiseth that no man shall be tempted more than he shallbe able to bear and give me all what ever shallbe necessary to sustain with patience this painful Cross & temptation, which thy divine wisdom hath appointed for me, to the intent that I bearing the same willingly with thee here in this world, may conceive assured hope to be partaker of thy glory in the world to come: grant me my request most merciful saviour, not for my merit or deserving, but only for the merits of thy death and bitter passion, I humbly beseech thee. Amen.   

A Prayer for the obtaining of grace and mercy.  
O Most merciful Lord God, whose Majesty is incomprehensible, and power infinite, whose magnificence is exalted above the heavens, vouchsafe I beseech thee, from thy high Throne, to behold the work of thy hands. Have pity on the unhappy & desolate condition of thy creature. I am a sinner conceived in sin, & of myself I have no good thing: wherefore (O Lord) I cleave to the Altar of thy mercy. Thou art my Anchor, my hope, my refuge, & stay. Therefore O Lord, have mercy upon me, for no flesh can be justified in thy sight. Thou knowest the frailty & weakness of men, we are taught by the fall of Peter, that we can do nothing without thee. Grant us therefore good lord thy grace, without which in this world, we are like by the waves of temptations, to be swallowed in the gulf & whirlpool of sins, to be drowned as the ship without Anchor & pilate, in every Tempest to run on the Rock and perish: Guide us therefore by thy grace (good Lord) thorough the floods of this careful world, that we may rest for ever in the pleasant port, and happy haven of everlasting joy, with thine elected, through our blessed Saviour jesus Chryst. To whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, in all worlds. Amen.   

A Prayer for the Penitent.  
O Lord, I am a sinner, my sins are heavy upon me, the burden of them is intolerable, refresh me with thy grace, wash away mine offences, & I shall be whiter than the snow, let the cheerful beams of thy countenance shine upon me, and give light to the darkness of my life. We can look for nothing as deserved, but punishment due to our offences. Wherefore good lord▪ not according to thy justice, but in the multitude of thy mercies deal with thy servant. Remember not the sins of my forefathers, think not on the misdemeanour of my youth passed, have pity on thy creature, which according to the likeness of thyself, thou hast made & shaped of earth. How long wilt thou turn thy face away from me? forsake me not, O my God, but renew in me thy holy spirit. Pluck away from me all that withdraweth me from thee. Graft in my heart thy grace, that I may love thee, and fear thee, and so finally rejoice in thy goodness with thy elected, and praise thee in thy wondrous works for ever. Grant this most mighty God, for our Saviour jesus Christ his sake. To whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.   

A Prayer for Faith.  
O Blessed saviour jesus, son of the everliving God, the unspeakable joy of thy servants, most present comfort to sinners, which camest into the world to save offenders, which so lovest the world that thou sparedst not thy most pecious blood, to redeem the loss of our first father Adam, & to make us coheirs of the forfeited inheritance with thyself, that all which believe in thee might be saved, good Lord which hast promised to them that knock, it shall be opened, & that they which seek shall find, grant I beseech thee, that I may search thy holy laws, and find the truth of thy holy word, that I may always constantly confess & show thee & thy goodness, as well in my words as living. Inspire me with thy holy spirit, that I may know thee, steadfastly trust in thee, and serve thee in prayers & well doing, all the time of my life. O most merciful Lord and saviour of the world, for the glory of thy names sake I beseech thee to hear my prayers. My soul rejoice in God thy saving health, for he hath been good to thee, he hath kept thee from the snare of the hunter, & blessed thee. The lord is a merciful God, let all the earth fear him, let the mouths of all men sound praises unto him. God is a good Lord, & daily increaseth his good gifts to his servants, the Lord will increase my faith in him, and I shallbe saved, Amen.   

A Prayer for righteous judgement.  
O Lord God of all justice, which in equal Balance dost weigh the cause of the Prince and of the poorest man, which despisest not the suits of the simple, which deliverest the Captive, and comfortest the desolate and careful. O Lord which hast blessed them that are poor in spirit, relieve thy servant oppressed with grief, remove from me the clouds of my sorrows. O Lord stretch forth thy mighty hand and help me, let me not sink in the Seas of slander and shame. Thou knowest the secrets of my heart, defend me in mine innocency. Plead thou my cause against the ungodly, which have laid their nets for me. O God, thou which hast delivered joseph, Danyell, Mardocheus, and Susanna, from captivity and instant death, and didst clothe them with honour, good Lord strengthen me, and be my defender against all evils, and let not the poisoned arrows of malicious tongues do me any harm. Grant these my prayers (good Lord,) I bseeche thee, for our saviour jesus christ his sake. Amen.   

A Prayer against lying and evil imaginations.  
O Lord cleanse my heart I beseech thee, from all impure and wicked cogitations, and thoughts, and give me a clear conscience, shamefast eyes, innocent hands, and a tongue to tell the truth. Seeing that there is nothing hid that shall not be discovered, good lord I beseech thee to search my thoughts, and renew in me thy holy spirit, direct my feet in thy ways, that walking after thee, in the path of the righteous, I may pass thorough this vale of misery, bearing thy banner stoutly in my warfare, and obtain everlasting joy the promised hire to such as here have patiently borne thy cross, and valiantly fought with the armour of faith, against temptations and all evils, vouchsafe (O Lord) to grant my petitions, I most humbly beseech thee, for thy only begotten son, our Saviour jesus Christ his sake Amen.   

A thanksgiving for the goodness of God to us.  
O Almighty God, and ever ruling King, whose infinite power & majesty our wits cannot comprehend: whose glorious brightness with our mortal eyes we cannot behold: whose wondrous works & manifold mercies, the tongues of men cannot sufficiently declare: Good Lord I yield thee most humble thanks, for thy singular great gifts and benefits, bestowed upon me a sinner. Good Lord thou hast blessed me with knowledge with increase and plenty of all things, thou hast given me friends, health, and rest. That I should eat my meat with joy, and praise thee in all thy gifts & works: I know that I have no good thing, but it cometh from thee, and only for thy mercy's sake, thou hast so regarded me thy servant, wherefore (good lord) I beseech thee to grant me thy grace withal, that I may use these thy gifts to thy honour and glory, & the comfort of them that need, that using the talon which thou hast lente me, I may become a good servant, and obtain eternal bliss, the promised hire to such as do well. Vouchsafe good Lord, for thy son our Saviour jesus Christ his sake to hear my prayers.  
Almighty God, refresh me with thy grace, I beseech thee, comfort me with thy mercy, and bless me, that safe from all evils, free from fear of all dangers, in peace and quietness, I may sing praises to thy holy name, and rejoice in thee, with thine elected for ever and ever. Amen.   

A Prayer to live well.  
GOod Lord so rule the eyes of my heart, that they being kept simple and pure, my body may be a clear and shining temple of thy holy spirit, so kindle in us the love of thy glorious son, that we following his steps, may do that which is good, and decline from the evil, so that our light shining before men, we may glorify thee by our good works, with thy blessed son our Saviour and the holy Ghost. To whose infinite majesty, in trinity and unity, be all honour and glory, for ever. Amen.   

A confession for the penitent.  
O Most merciful Lord God, I have offended against the Throne of thy Majesty, my sins are ever before mine eyes, I am not worthy to live or enjoy the fruits wherewith thou hast blessed the earth, my own conscience is my tormenter, bringing testimony and witness against me. The Sun doth hide his light against me, and the place is the worse wherein I become. O Lord, what shall I do, shall I despair? No, thou art merciful, and more ready to forgive, than we to ask, I will confess my sins to thee. I am weary of my sinful life, I am sorry in my soul for mine offences, wherefore good Lord thou which dost case them that are laden, and refresh them that travail, thou which hast promised mercy to the penitent, look on thy servant with thy cheerful countenance, behold me with those pitying eyes, with which thou didst Mary Magdalen, and the woman taken in Adultery, thou which hast shed thy blood on the Altar of the Cross, offering thy most precious body, an eternal Sacrifice for our sins, despise not that which thou hast redeemed: Thou which camest into the world to call sinners to repentance, and to save the lost sheep of Israel, have mercy upon me, & lead me by thy grace to the Fold, among thy Sheep, for they go in sweet Pasture, & are not in danger of Wolves, for thou art their shepherd, and keepest good account of every one of them, though I have gone astray wandering from thy flock, and borne the marks of the world, yet good Lord disclaim not thy right, I beseech thee, but take me unto thee, that I may be safe under the shadow of thy wings. He may sleep sound, whom thou dost keep, thou art the watchman of Israel. All honour and glory be unto thee for ever.   

A Prayer for humility.  
O Lord I am a sinner, & sorry for mine offences, I cannot make satisfaction for my defaults, if I have any good thing it cometh of thee. The most acceptable sacrifice to thee, is a contrite and humble heart. O God let me not be oppressed with the waves of sin, let me not sink into the whirlpool and gulf of despair: thou which liftest up the fallen, and raisest the humble and meek, clothing them with purple, & setteth them up with Princes in the seats of honour: thou which despisest the imaginations of the proud, and resistest their enterprises, bless me in all my doings, send me happy success in all my affairs, that I may rejoice in thy goodness, with thine elected for ever & ever. Accept my humble suit good Lord, I beseech thee, for the glory of thy names sake. Amen.   

A Prayer to be delivered from enemies and dangers.  
O Most mighty Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and jacob, which didst lead the children of Israel thorough the red Sea, and made the streams of jordane run back into their springs again, that thy people might pass through the midst thereof: good Lord whose hests the floods obey, at whose voice the hills do leap, and the earth doth tremble, O most mighty Lord, which canst destroy the proudest kings with very Flies and Aunts, which made little david to triumph on the Giant goliath, which deliveredst his enemy King Saul into his hands, gavest Gedeon thy servant with his few soldiers, victory of so many legions of strong men: Thou which hast subdued so many mighty kings and sundry Nations unto thy people Israel. O God, which workest all in all things, which givest victory always as seemeth best to thy unsearchable wisdom: defend me always I beseech thee, against mine enemies & all evils, that my ship tossed and beaten in the waves of this world, may rest in thy happy Haven of everlasting joy.  
My soul cleaveth unto thy mercy, as to an holy Sanctuary. O God, if thou shouldest not be merciful, who could abide the heat of thy displeasure? but thou (O Lord) art good to thy servants, and I hope to see thy goodness in the land of the living. All glory be to thee most high and merciful God, for ever & ever. Amen.   

The Penitent longeth for comfort.  
How long (O Lord) wilt thou turn away thy face from me? How long wilt thou be angry with thy servants? How long shall I abide mourning & solitary, as the bird that hath lost her young? O Lord think on me in thy mercies, and do not correct me in thy wrath, for than shall I become as the dust and smoke in the wind. O Lord forsake not thy servant Israel, whom thou hast chosen, my heart comforted in thy mercies, shall rejoice, and I will sing unto thee, and praise thee in thy good works and Miracles, which thou hast done in our forefather's time.   

A godly Meditation.  
I Altogether unhappy, and comfortless, have grievously offended my Lord God, what shall I do? whether shall I go? I cannot hide me from his sight: how oft have I trespassed against him? how oft have I deserved his displeasure? and yet how seldom hath he punished me? how oft hath he been good and merciful unto me? how oft have I promised & vowed amendment, and how little and seldom have I performed it: this is a woeful case. Who will have pity on me, I dare not lift up mine eyes toward Heaven, because I have sinned against it, and in earth I can look for no refuge, because I have been a slander and shame to it. What then: should I despair? No, God is a merciful, and a good saviour, he doth visit them that live in darkness, and is a cheerful light to them that sit in the shadow of death. He willeth us to forgive our brother, though he offend seventy times, yea, infinitely. And God is more merciful than any man can be, and he must be the only refuge and comfort, he will not despise his creature, the image of himself, return thee to thy Lord God, pray to him humbly on thy knees for grace, and continue to bewail thy sins past, because that he which loveth thee, provoketh thee daily with his gracious gifts, and blessings to love him, & will not leave until he have made perfit his work begun, & brought his mercy to full effect in thee. What natural cause beginneth his work, and leaveth it in the half way imperfect: the virtue of the seed doth not cease, till the fruit be brought to perfection, yet that nature worketh not at once, but first prepareth the matter, and then disposeth, and makes it fit to receive the shape, which is the perfection and end thereof, and as by natural order, and right course, things do proceed, and increase by little and little, from the less to the more, even so doth God first dispose us to his mercy, and then increasing his goodness daily, bestoweth on us in the end, the treasure of his grace, the inheritance of everlasting joys. What bird forsaketh her young, till they be able to live of themselves? and yet no avail for their pain cometh to them, very love worketh in natural causes, to bring forth their affects to perfection, if it be so in creatures, what will the Creator do, which is love itself, and infinite goodness? He will withdraw thee from thy sins, make thee clean and pure, and finally bless thee with eternal life, which he hath prepared for thee. O Lord I come to thee sad and mourning, I sit at thy feet, humbly waiting for thy mercy, thou art my hope and helper, according to thy great mercies, have mercy upon me. Amen.   

A Prayer against covetousness, or too much care of the world.  
GOod Lord, seeing that it is thy pleasure that we shall not be careful for worldly things, if a Sparrow falleth not on the ground without thy foresight, how much more care dost thou take of us thy children, good Lord, thou feedest the birds of the air, and cloathest the Lilies of the Field, which take no care. Wherefore good Lord, so provide for our necessity & sickness, we beseech thee▪ that we casting all our care upon thee, may chiefly study to please thee, and serve thee, and not to be so wrapped & entangled in the desires of worldly things, like little children, who for light trifles of no valour, will forsake the most ample inheritance that is. So in like manner, those whom the Scripture calleth the children of this world, are so addicted to trifles, are so given to transitory & moment things, that for them they despise the inheritance to come, and in comparison of them, they contemn everlasting felicity of heavenly things: Grant us therefore good Lord, that we be not so overcome with the desire of worldly & transitory things that thereby we lose the rich inheritance of everlasting life. Grant this good Lord which livest and reignest King of all Kings, for ever and ever. Amen.   

A Prayer that we may live uprightly.  
O Lord, seeing that the righteous shall dwell in thy tabernacle, grant me I beseech thee a pure and undefiled soul. O what is the shape of the earth, wherein God's enemies have abiding? in comparison of the wonderful beauty of Heaven, wherein righteousness doth dwell: in comparison of that place, wherein Angels Arckaungels, all good men, yea, and God himself is abiding. What are the pleasures of the world, wealth honour, company of our parents and friends, wherein all our pleasure & sweetness, is mixed with sourness and sorrow, wherein every perfection hath his imperfection. What is all this to the unspeakable joy in the kingdom of GOD, what is the company of friends etc. here, in comparison to the company of Abraham, Isaac & jacob, the patriarchs & Prophets, and all the Saints of God. O the infelicity of everlasting life, which is without all discommodities, perpetual without all peril and molestation: Oh the glorious majesty, the singular mirth and passing joys of the life to come, the eye hath not seen, nor the heart of man is able to conceive in any part the happy estate of the blessed souls in heaven. Oh how amiable are thy Tabernacles? my soul hath a desire to enter into the (Courts of the Lord,) my heart and my soul rejoice in the living god, blessed be they that dwell in thy house, they may be always praising thee. One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand else where, I had rather to be a door keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the Tents of ungodliness. The Lord God is a light and defence. My soul is a thirst for God, even for the living God. When shall I come before the presence of my God. My flesh longeth after thee in a barren and dry land, where no water is. Good Lord remember me, and grant that I may wear the white Garments of innocency, with thine elected, in thy everlasting kingdom. Amen.   

A thanksgiving for benefits received at God's hand.  
O Most merciful father, I yield thee most humble thanks, for thy great benefits bestowed upon me a sinner, of thy free mercy, only thou haste of thy fatherly love, brought me up tenderly, and instructed me in thy holy law, thou hast given me knowledge, and understanding, thou hast preserved me from many dangers & evils, which divers men have felt: thou hast blessed me with health, quietness, joy, plenty, and wealth, which a number do want, thou hast taken care of me, and done all things for me. O Lord though I can deserve nothing but punishment, by thy just displeasure, yet good Lord, I trust to thy goodness, I ask thy mercy, and not justice, and for thy mercy's sake, I beseech thee to continue thy grace, and to increase thy good gifts towards me, and have me in thy protection, till my lives end: good Lord bless me, that I may enjoy the fruits of the earth, and use them to thy honour and glory: good Lord be thou my aid and guide me in all my doings, my buckler and defence in all dangers, that I may freely and joyfully sing praises to thee, which livest and design'st, one God almighty, and incomprehensible, world without end. Amen.   

A Godly Prayer.  
MOst mighty God which by thy word hast made all things, whose voice the floods and hills do know, whose hest both quick and dead, heaven and hell obey, at whose displeasure, the Devils in hell do tremble, let thy word so lighten our hearts, that by our good works, we may testify our profession, seeing that the Tree which beareth not fruit, shall be cut down and thrown into the fire. Grant that I may not only be a hearer, but also a doer of thy holy word, that so finally I may be partaker of thy everlasting joy and bliss. O Lord grant me wisdom to know thee, and grace to follow thee in true humility, that as thou didst suffer to be spitted at, and smitten of thine enemies: so we may bear the displeasures of the world, and rage of our enemies with patience: thou hast blessed the little ones, & revealed unto them the things hidden from the wise, for thou wilt have mercy where it pleaseth thee. O set thy fear always before mine eyes, and graft thy faith so in my heart, that I may love thee, and glorify thy holy name, for ever. Amen.   

A godly Prayer to be said of every christian.  
GOod Lord, which with thy hands dost stay the frame and engine of the earth, and rulest the course of the swift heavens, disposing, and ordering all things by thy divine providence, which hast appointed bounds to our life, which we cannot pass, I beseech thee, that by my living, I learning to die, mortifying by thy spirit, the affections of the flesh, though not expelling them, yet subduing the rage of them, I may at the last by the Haven of Death, land in the most glorious City of everlasting life, where our bodies, which are now dark, miserable, and corruptible, shall be most bright, glorious, and incorruptible, like to the immortal shining body of our Lord jesus christ, we shall be like to Christ our saviour, even as he is, so shall we be, as we have borne the Image of the earthly, so shall we bear the Image of the heavenly, and shine like to the sun, as the face of Christ did in his transfiguration, Oh Lord jesus, blessed Saviour, which by thy death haste triumphed over sin and death. Thou hast trodden on the sting of the monster, our hideous enemy, the Gates of Hell have not prevailed against thee, grant to me true and lively faith, by which men pass from earth to heaven, from death to eternal life. This can we not do without thee, thou must be our Mediator, for a child of a night's birth, is not pure in thy sight. In sin were we borne, and by nature we are the children of perdition, and firebrands of Hell, but thou O blessed Saviour, art the perfection of the Law, to them that believe. As death came by sins, so by thy death and precious bloodeshedding, is death conquered and exiled, and we that believe, washed and cleansed of our sins, all the prophets bear witness, that they which believe in thy name, shall receive remission of their sins. If we confess our sins, thou art righteous to forgive us our iniquities. Whosoever calleth on thy name, shall be saved, thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather desirest that they should live & be converted, thou hast so loved the world, that thou not only didst become man and took our nature upon thee, but were content also to suffer most cruel death on the Cross, to purge our nature from mortal sin and corruption, & adorn it with immortality & eternal glory, not only in thine own person, but in us also, to satisfy the justice of the father for our sins. O blessed shepherd, thou doubtest not to spend thy most precious blood, to save thy beloved sheep from ravin & spoil, Good Lord so increase thy grace in me, that thy holy word may take root & flourish in me, that the good seed may not be choked with thorns, so order my living, that when by course of nature, I shallbe dissolved from the prison of my body, I may come to thee, that when thou more brighter than the sun shall come in the midst of the Legions of Angels, in the shining glory and Majesty, to judge the quick & the dead, I may be in the number of the blessed ones, whom thou shalt call to possess thy kingdom prepared for them, by thy father, saying: Come ye blessed children of my father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Thou which didst die and rise again, wilt raise and bring to life all those that are dead, believing in thy faith.   

Comfortable Exhortations against the manifold assaults of Satan.  
IF thou perceive that the storm of temptation doth very often and grievously assault thee, dismay not therefore thyself, neither be displeased with thyself, as though almighty God nothing regarded thee, but rather thank him that he instructeth and teacheth thee, as one to be his heir, that he punisheth & correcteth thee as his most dear son, that he proveth & assayeth thee as his well-beloved friend. It is a manifest and great token that man is reject from the mercy and favour God, when he is troubled with no temptation. In thy temptation remember the holy Apostle S. Paul, which being wrapped to the mysteries of the third heaven, was v●xed with the angel of sathan: remember the temptation of the holy man job, & other which were grievously troubled with their offences. O happy & fortunate man in whom this earthly Adam is so mortified and subdued, that it in no wise resisteth the spirit, but whether this perfect quietness may be in any, I will not affirm, peradventure it is not necessary to be. For Paul in this life, notwithstanding his high perfection and grace, had a motion of the flesh to vex & trouble him. And when he thrice desired God to be delivered from the said motion. He only had this answer. Paul my grace is sufficient, for virtue is made perfect by vexation. Paul was vexed by pride that he should not be proud, to be perfit & strong in God, he was caused to be weak & feeble. For he carried the treasure of heavenvly revelation in a frail & brittle vessel, that the honour & victory should only be in God, not in himself: this one example of Paul is erudition & learning in many things when that we be enticed & moved to sin, that we diligently call to almighty god by prayer. Remember that David the Prophet, King Solomon & Peter the Apostle, notwithstanding they were great lights & examples of holiness, yet they fell into grievous and great sins, whom almighty God peradventure suffered to fall for this cause, specially that thou shouldest not despair. life up thyself therefore upon thy feet, and with high courage & bold stomach return again into battle against thy enemies, not only more fierce and bold, but also more aware & diligent, and think with thyself what intolerable and invincible temptations Christ suffered for thee, wherein there appeared no help, comfort, aid, nor defence any where, wherein God and the whole world seemed to be his most cruel and malicious enemies, when that he cried aloud: My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Truly this was a most grievous, painful, and bitter temptation, which Christ suffered for us, that he might make the way of the cross easy for us. Therefore prepare thou thy ●elf patiently to drink of that Cup, which Christ jesus thy head, hath so willingly drunk on, for the salvation of all mankind. And seeing therefore that Christ so willingly put himself in subjection and dipped himself in those so horrible and intolerable sorrows and calamities (our most loving and heavenly Father willing the same out of doubt) he also understandeth and knoweth our infirmity, out of doubt he taking compassion on us, will not extremely deal with us, but will rather bear with our imbecility and weakness. Doth not he himself, calling all men unto him, say: Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you: what more greater comfort I pray you can be given us. How could Christ speak more merciful unto us. There be many things that grievously vex & trouble man, but what thing can more cruelly vex & torment his conscience, overwhelmed with sin, then when he doubte●h of the mercy of God, when he dreadeth lest God be his adversary and will reject him, when he is not able to conceive this faith of his mercy, & doth imagine himself to be cast away, as a dry member that is cut of. Be present here, O jesus Christ with thine aid & help, here we have need of thy comfort, let not this black, violent & horrible tempest of troubles overthrow & drown wretched man: but there is no cause why we should doubt. Christ is true, he will make his promises to appear, he will help us & refresh us. Therefore where as thy faith is not strong enough, whereas thou feelest thyself to doubt of God's mercy, and haste well near no faith at all, straight ways call upon God, bewail though misery & lack of belief before him, seek for his aid & secure by fervent prayer, & he will both help & refresh thee he hath taken upon him thus to do, & he will bring it to pass: but take heed thou cease not to call upon god beseech thou without all ceasing, the Father of all consolation & comfort, with sighs from the bottom of thine heart, that he turn not his face from thee, lay thy weakness upon him, & pour out into his bosom all things which trouble & torment thee. Cry out with his disciples, O Lord increase my faith. Likewise say thou with the Father of the lunatic child: lord I bele●ue, help thou mine unbelief. Make haste O lord to help me, before that I oppressed with this weight be drowned. O most loving & most merciful Father, lord God of my health, our only help and refuge: Enter not into judgement with thy servants. Christ is my righteousness, redemption and innocency, which suffered most bitter and cruel death for my sake. Let those things move thee, O Father of all compassion, have mercy upon me for thy son's sake, confirm and strengthen my heart by Faith in Christ: Comfort me with the consolations of the holy ghost, that I may enjoy the true joys of everlasting life, through the merits of my Lord and saviour jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy ghost be all praise and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.   

A Psalm to be said at all times.  
Rejoice in GOD my soul, for he is my light and my defence, my help the lantern to my feet, he hath heard my prayer, when I called on him, he hath helped me in my need, he hath delivered me in my dangers. The Lord is the keeper of my life, from whom shall I shrink, whom shall I fear, lying prostrate at the feet of my Lord, I bewailed my case, and he heard my complaint, he forsaketh not his servants. Wherefore, if armies of men stood up against me, I should not fear, for if God be on my side, who can prevail against me? He is happy and safe, whom God the mighty God of Israel keepeth, the sun shall not burn him by day, nor the Moon by night. Thrice blessed is he that feareth the Lord, for he shall see happy days. As the Hart thirsteth after the water springs, so my soul hath longed for my Lord the living God. When shall I come to appear before thy presence, to see thee in thy glorious Majesty, face to face? O Lord let thy kingdom come. Come Lord jesus, that I may see the day of my redemption. Good Lord make haste to help me. All glory, majesty, and Empire, be unto God the Creator, God the redeemer, and God the holy comforter, for ever and ever. Amen.   

A Prayer to be said of the sinful soul.  
MY sinful life increasing, and my sins still abounding (good Lord) to whom shall I fly, or to whom shall I resort for succour? from offending thee I cannot cease, neither day nor night, & my sins are heavy upon me, pressing me down even unto Hell, such is the weight thereof. Moreover, when I prepare myself to amendment of life, and think steadfastly to serve & please thee, even soon after doth my corrupt and infected nature, offend and displease thy divine majesty, so that I am prone & ready to run headlong into all kind of wickedness & sin, such is my strength, such is my force, or rather weakness in performing those things which thou requirest at my hands. So that good Lord, I am ready utterly to despair, and forsake thee, unless thou of thy great mercy and pity, send thine aid from above, and pour into me thy most healthful grace, that I may make haste to fly unto thee with most bitter tears, a sorrowful heart and bowing knees, lamenting my sinful life, and grievous offences committed against thee, trusting most assuredly, and faithfully in the merits of my saviour jesus Christ, that by his most bitter death and bloodshedding, which is of far greater force, virtue & effect, in preserving me, than all my sins and offences are, in condemning and casting me away, for whose sake I most assuredly believe all my sins and offences are clearly forgiven, and shall never be laid to my charge, but that I shall enter with thee in the last day into thy everlasting kingdom, there to be with thee for evermore, to whom be all honour praise and glory, for ever and ever.   

A Prayer for the obtaining of God's grace.  
Shine we beseech thee, O almighty and merciful God, through the power of our Lord jesus Christ, and the comfortable working of thy sacred Spirit, the heavenly comforter, upon our minds and hearts with the glorious beams of thy heavenly grace, give us such plenty of wisdom and understanding from above, that thorough the knowledge of thee, the man of unn, that is, our frail & feeble flesh, with the wicked lusts, and desire of concupiscence, may lie dead and buried in us, give us good Lord the feeling of thy grace, that by the virtue and divine operation of thy word, the eyes of our souls may be illumined, and made so light, that the Prince of Darkness, with all his unrighteous ministers may be expulsed and banished from our memories, and so establish us in thy truth, that our hearts, minds and thoughts, may continually be occupied in thy testimonies, that thereby thou good Lord effectually shining in our hearts, by the virtue of thy good spirit, we may learn to know and understand, what is the fullness of of our calling, and how rich thou art in the glory of the celestial and heavenly heritage of thy Saints, and that excellent greatness of thy power and loving kindness towards us, which believe without feigning thy holy Gospel, according to the might and force of thy strength, which thou showedst in christ jesus, when thou didst raise him from the dead, and didst set him on thy right hand, far above all Empire, power, authority, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in the world to come, by whose precious death, & dearest bloodshedding, we are assured, that sin, Death, and hell, are vanquished, overcome, and utterly destroyed, and if we believe without wavering, we shall in him be able to resist all the power of Hell, and in Christ as Conquerors, to triumph with victory over sin, Death, and Satan, and at the last, to have and enjoy the fruition of his rich and glorious kingdom, which he by most painful agony, bloody stripes, grievous and bloody wounds and lastly by his most painful death purchased for his chosen and elect. To whom for our sanctification, justification, redemption, and our salvation, be rendered with his Celestial Father, and the holy Ghost, all lawd, glory, power, honour, and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.   

A Prayer for a woman that is great with child, to be repeated by her heartily, before her travel, which will be marvelous comfort unto her.  
Thy wisdom Lord in all thy ways,  
and power great to perform it:  
We cease to search, and only praise,  
they pass so far the reach of wit.  
And thus we muse, and marvel much,  
of all thy works, and yet we find:  
No marvel, nor no wonder such,  
as daily forming of mankind.  
Of such beginning, such an end,  
and of such seed, such frune to grow:  
With David well we may contend,  
to mase, to muse, and nothing know.  
The matter earth, the shape from Heaven,  
doth knit both soul and flesh in one,  
Whereof such strife is them between,  
from whence they came, they would be gone.  
And yet in all thy wonders great,  
thy mercy Lord doth far pass all:  
Which dost vouchsafe to work this feat,  
in me poor wretch; thy bond and thrall.  
And as good Lord then dost me make,  
thy shop to shape the work therein:  
Thy handwork so do not forsake,  
but end the thing thou dost begin.  
Thy goodness Lord did once make light,  
this burden now which sore doth grieve,  
Until which woe did wrap each wight,  
the wilful work of woeful Eue.  
That Eve hath lost, let Christ restore,  
that guilt hath made, let grace amend:  
Why should the fault of Eve do more,  
than grace in Christ, God it defend.  
Oh Lord the time approacheth near,  
that throws of Eve I must sustain:  
And that I may the same well bear,  
increase my strength, or less my pain.  
Thy will this burden on me laid,  
thy goodness eke will ease the same:  
Where Christ hath once the ransom paid,  
why should the deed of Eve bring blame?  
Thus (O Lord) I me in thy will,  
do put eke wholly in thy hand,  
I will not once serve from thy skill,  
to die, or live, to fall, or stand.   

A Godly and earnest Prayer in time of travail or childbirth, of every Christian & faithful woman.  
ALmighty GOD, my heavenly and most merciful Father, I feel thy promised punishment at this present to take effect on me, which for the guilt and transgression of my progenitors, hath been by thy divine majesty, justly pronounced against me, and the whole generation of Adam, great and intolerable are these bitter pang and piercing pains that in this my travail of Childebyrth, I endure and abide. Now feel I as it were, a cruel and sharp conflict betwixt death and life, now feel I (O Lord) the rod of thy correction, according to thy justice, laid heavy upon me, for the use and exercise of sin and iniquity, yet when it shall please thee (good Lord) look upon me with the eyes of fatherly compassion and pity, and according to the multitude of thy manifold mercies, be thou now present with me, arm me with perfit patience, joyfully to bear thy correction, and in the midst of these my sharp and bitter brunts of grief, give me grace still to call upon thee, strengthen me a poor wretched woman, give me comfort and heavenly consolation from above, & when thou shalt think it meet & convenient, send me safe deliverance, that I may enjoy the fruit of my womb, the sight whereof shall adorn & deck me anew with joy and gladness: Otherwise good Lord, if in this season thou determine to take me hence unto thyself, by thy messenger Death, to whose stroke all Creatures (when thou thinkest it meet and expedient) shall bow, make me constant & faithful in thee, whose I am, whether I die or live, forget my sins and offences committed by me, against thee, let the blood of the Lamb jesus, wash away my deformity, let the spots of my corruption, be purged and taken away, let my infected soul that is putrefied therein, be purified therein: Give me grace always, whether I live or die, to call upon thee continually: give me power to pitch ny confidence only and alone in the bloody wounds of Christ jesus, to whom in this my distress I fly and appeal for remedy and comfort. Grant this, O gracious God, which livest and reignest world without end. Amen.   

A Prayer to be said of every woman, after the time of deliverance.  
HOw much, and how greatly am I bound to laud, praise, and extol thee (O my Lord God) even now was I assailed in my body, being a wretched and sinful woman, with sundry and divers dolours, and grievous gripes of perilous pains, in such sort, that my agonies abounding, Death himself, seemed to me, to knock at the gates of my body, thy rod of justice lay so heavy upon me, so that I judged myself a creature more meet for the grave, whose clamour I thought still sounded in my ears, then to reap the benefit of life. By my pains Lord God, in this my travail, I am forced to confess & acknowledge that thou art just in thy promises, and art ready to punish sin and iniquity: by this my safe and sure deliverance, I am bound to acknowledge, that with thy justice, thou always frequentest pity, commixing thy mercy & justice together, in such sort, that I must needs confess thee to be most righteous & merciful. I cannot (O my God) but protest that thou hast dealt favourably with me, and those pains which I abode were laid upon me for my sin and wickedness, and yet haste thou not dealt severely with me, neither given sentence against me in thy fury, which have justly deserved the same, for hadst thou, O Lord, respected my deserts, I had porished everlastingly, and been utterly confounded, my grievous groans thrown forth unto thee, pierced the very Bowels of thy anointed son jesus Christ, who beholding my agonies and bitter pains, became an intercessor to thee for me, thorough whose earnest entreaty, and loving meditation, thou convertedst thy displeasure to mercy, and for his sake alone, that died upon the cross for my offences, thou hast assuaged my torments▪ and in t●e fullness of thy b●●nty & loving kindness, thou hast given me a living soul to glad my heart, for the which I am bound of right, to give thee hearty and humble thanks, humbly be séeching thee, being now faint and feeble in body, to strengthen me in soul, mind, and heart, that my tongue may be the Organ that may continually publish forth thy everlasting praise. Grant this (O gracious God) for the love of thy only begotten son jesus Christ. To whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be given all laud, power & dominion, for ever and ever. A●●●.   

A godly prayer for the true worshipping of God.  
establish our hearts & minds, O most gracious God, in the true worshipping of thy divine Majesty, make us to believe thy holy and sacred Gospel, wherein we are daily and hourly instructed to love, fear, honour, and obey thee, to hate sin and iniquity, to renounce all superstitious ceremonies whereby thy worship is defaced, thy glory profaned, and thine honour greatly diminished: Give us thy grace to hate sin and iniquity, to renounce and forsake the vanities and wanton pleasure of this wicked and sinful world, arm us we beseech thee to mortify and bring under, the rebellious appetites, and strange lusts of the flesh, and finally give us power from above, to withstand Satan the prince of darkness, and all his damnable ministers, who by divers temptations, provoke and allure us from godly purity, and perfit integrity (which passeth only from christ jesus to us, who is the fullness of our perfection and holiness) to all kind of evil, impiety, & uncleanness, by means whereof, thy worship is greatly profaned, and of a set purpose contemned. Make us constant to skirmish against the world, sin, death, and hell, and by the power of a fruitfull faith, give us grace to resist and bridle the concupiscence of our flesh, in such sort, that our souls may triumph with victory, & continue constant in worshipping thee, from whom passeth the fullness of our joy, prepare our hearts and minds (good Lord) to spread forth the glory of thy name, keep our tongues from all filthy talk, and uncomely gesture, lest by the exercise of such sin, we contemn thy worship, and provoke thee to displeasure and indignation, set thou a watch before the gates of my mouth, that my lips may by thy grace, be always made open to sound forth thy praise and everlasting glory, be merciful to our offences, think thou not on our unrighteousness, but upon thy clemency, forgive thou freely, and pardon graciously our sins, make us faithful in Christ jesus, shorten the dangerous days of iniquity, increase the number of thy chosen & peculiar saints, hasten thy coming, O saviour Christ, that we with the fellowship of thy saints, heavenly Angels, and the blessed company of Martyrs may celebrate thy praise, and worship thee in thy glorious kingdom, before thy father our God, and the holy Ghost, to whom be praise for ever. Amen.   

A Prayer against the fellowship of the ungodly.  
PRotect & defend me (O heavenly and most merciful father) from the fellowship of the ungodly men which daily imagine mischief in their hearts, to harm the innocent: keep me from the counsels of the foolish and ungodly, which speak proud things against the glory of thy blessed name, defend me from faithless and deceitful ones, whose guilty stomachs are gorged with grudge, envy, malice, hatred, disdain, and all uncharitableness, for their throats are like unto an open sepulchre, or swallowing grave, their tongues are given to slander, and backbite their neighbours, the poison of Adders lieth hidden under their lips, and in fine, they as thine enemies blaspheme thy holy and blessed name, and contemn thy testimonies, O Lord give me thy grace to be conversant with good & godly men, such as favour thy glorious Gospel, & do their endeavour to practise thy precepts to the glory of thy holy & blessed name: make me by their example to exercise myself in the heavenly verity, that thereby I may be instructed in the lively knowledge of thy commandments, & obtain such wisdom from above, that by saith I may cleave to thee, & the fellowship of those that fear thy holy name, and so avoid the company of the wicked, and ungodly worldlings, which have laid snares to entrap me. Grant this, O most merciful Father, for thy son jesus Christ his sake, who ever liveth & reigneth with thee, and the holy Ghost, to whom be all lawd, glory, power, and praise, for ever and ever. Amen.   

A Prayer to be purged from sin and uncleanness.  
TAke away from me (O Lord) the burden of my corruption, which by the continual exercise of my sin and wickedness, hath wounded my soul wofullye, with the dangerous darts of transgression, so that I feel my putrefaction abounding, and my festered conscience overladen with uncleanness, so that I have no other mean or remedy, but to prostrate myself before the Throne of thy glorious Majesty, beseeching thee entirely, of thy gracious goodness, to salve my sores with the comfortable Oil of thy mercy▪ thou only (O jesus) art the sweet physician of my soul: sprinkle upon me Isope, and I shall be made whiter than snow, if thou of thy exceeding bounty and favour, good Lord, wilt vouchsafe to wash away the spots of my sin and wickedness, that heapeth thy indignation and fury against me, I shall then excel the Gold that hath been purified in the Furnace seven fold: let it therefore good Lord and merciful Father, seem pleasant unto thy divine Majesty, to touch my corrupted & unclean heart, with the heavenly finger of thy grace, that I may bring forth the fruits of true repentance, which are more acceptable to thy glorious and divine presence, than the offering of Calves, Bullocks, sheep, Goats, or any other burnt offering, or sacrifice of peace, a contrite and sorrowful soul, is the thing that thou dost most delight, an humble and a lowly spirit, is the oblation that thou dost desire: A clean and pure heart, O Lord my God, I know thou dost love and favour, wherefore I beseech thee, to purge me from my sin and iniquity, of thy great mercy, let the bitter deploration of mine offences & hearty contrition, through thy glorious merits and painful passion: (O jesus) be that only mean and way, to set me free from the powers of hell, death, & damnation, and sith I am by thy goodness, begotten and borne anew, strengthen me good Lord, that I never slide nor fall from thee, but that I may continually bear in my remembrance, the state whereto I am called by thee, thorough thy abundant love and kindness, wipe away good lord all my sins out of thy remembrance, cleanse me in the blood of thy spotless Lamb jesus christ, and I shall be made clean, pure and safe. Grant this most merciful God, for the honour and glory of thy name sake, thorough the bitter death of thy son jesus Christ, my mediator and Advocate, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be given lawd, glory, power, & praise, for ever and ever. Amen.   

A Prayer to be said in time of peace and prosperity.  
Give us good Lord the comfortable and healthful spirit of thy grace, and abundant favour, that we may without ceasing make our continual boast of thy praise, we know and from the bottoms of our heart confess, that thou hast dealt more lovingly with us, than thou hast done with our next neighbours, whose painful miseries and bloody broils, may be a sufficient warning unto us to hate our sin & iniquity, lest the like calamity or ever we be aware, do compass & hedge us round about, give us grace therefore in time of peace, and happy prosperity, so to walk, that thy fatherly blessing be not withdrawn nor taken from us, and the rod of thy sharp correction be laid upon our necks, even in such sort, as thou hast visited our brethren in other Countries, whose bodies by the means of civil dissension, have been made a pray to the sword, we hear and understand, that not far off, but even hard at the gates of our borders, the father is ready in arms, to seek the destruction of his son, the son is as greedy to gape for the blood of his father, we hear how vyolentlye the brother thirsteth after the blood of his brother: friend is against friend: neighbour against neighbour: young men are murdered: old men are suddenly slain: many a wife is husbandless: many a child is desolate and fatherless: the cruel hearted enemy spareth none: he maketh havoc: no tears can stay him from his affectioned Tyranny, the tender infants are haled from the earnfull paps of their weeping mothers, and torn to piecemeal before the sorrowful eyes of their careful parents: Old age is contemned: godly Matrons are abused: Uirgines are deflowered, and ravished by violence, a spectacle or extreme cruelty for us to behold, and a glass of great carefulness for us to look upon, that have worthily deserved like or far greater punishments, yet withholdeste thou from us thy scourge, although our offences are so great and divers, that might heap up the sentence of thy exceeding justice against us, in place of war and bloody battle, thou hast given unto us prosperity and perfect peace: in place of penury, dearth, & scarcity, thou hast given us increase, fullness, and great plenty: in stead of discord and dissension, thou hast sent us unity and concord, and by thy celestial providence, we are defended from the cruel enemy, and from the domestical and civil war, and besides these thy gracious gifts, to heap up our consolation & joy, thou hast given us thy true and lively word, as a Lantern to direct and guide our footsteps: from vanity to virtue: from wickedness, to godly wisdom: from licentious liberty, to newness of life, and godly conversation, besides all these thine inestimable graces, freely bestowed upon us, thou haste given us godly & zealous Preachers, which plenteously break unto us out of thy eternal testament, the bread of life, whereon (good Lord) give our souls such power to feed by faith, that they may be nourished to eternal joy, and we by the diligent observing and obeying of thy commandements, may be preserved from all kind of dissension, and peaceably enjoy the fruits of pure peace, & trusty tranquillity. Grant this (O merciful father) for thy Son Christ's sake, our only saviour and Redeemer, Christ jesus.   

A godly and fruitful prayer to be said in time of bloody Battle.  
O Lord, our heavenly father, and everliving God, we thy wretched and most miserable Creatures, confess and acknowledge, we have worthily deserved the rod of thy correction and punishment, and do merit many sharp and bitter stripes, that knowing thy blessed & glorious will, have of set purpose contemned thy divine and heavenly precepts, for which cause the sentence of thy wrath is sharply kindled against us, even as it hath been against thy chosen people Israel, in the days of our forefathers, who glorying in their wickedness, were plagued in the fullness of thy indignation, the sword of their enemies beset them round about, and hemmed them in on every side, the Jebusites, the Amonits, the Philistines, and the Amorites oppressed them diversly, their strong holds were razed, their Cities were besieged, their houses were ransacked, their goods and their riches were carried away, by force of the blood-thirsty enemy, their young men were led away captive, their virgins were woefully deflowered, but in fine, when thou Lord God, didst behold their hearty and earnest contrition, thou didst withdraw thy frowning countenance, and sent them speedy and safe deliverance, one while thou Lord sentest them Moses to bring them out of the servitude of Pharaoh, the stony and stubborn hearted king of the Egyptians, another while jepthah set them free from the sword of the Amonites, wherewith they were grievously afflicted, and to make thy power & excellent glory fully known, thou gavest Samson such fortitude to bridle the proud Philistians: Over and beside these, thou of thy love and miraculous goodness, hast made feeble women, mighty and victorious conquerors, Deborah was a shield to thy people, judith comforted the distressed Bethulians, and cut off the head of proud Holophernus, that thyself good Lord, when thou beheldest their tears, and hearty sorrow for their offences, did prepare thyself to go forth with their hosts, thou thyself with the breath of thy Nostrils, didst confound and overthrow their enemies, so good Lord, be thou now present with us, in the fullness of thy divine power, look upon us with the eyes of thy favourable pity, forget our corrupt and most filthy offences, let our contrite and sorrowful hearts be a mean to vanquish thy displeasure conceived against us, be thou present with us in this time of necessity and trouble, set thy hand to help and assist us against the enemy, be thou present with us, in this time of peril & danger, go thou forth with our hosts, then shall we be assured to prevail, let not the multitude of furious foes dismay us, for victory we do know consisteth not in the power nor strength of many men, the strength of horses, armour nor weapons: but it is thou O merciful father, that givest the conquest, where, and to whom thou pleasest. To thee therefore in this great extremity we fly and appeal, beseeching thee of thine inestimable love and kindness, for the love of our saviour Christ jesus, to look upon our true repentant hearts, and in the fullness of thy misseration and pytties, to set us free from the power of the raging enemy, and to pardon our sins and grievous offences, that henceforth we vow and dedicate our hearts and minds wholly to walk in integrity, and newness of life. Which grant good Lord, to whom with thy son Christ jesus, and the holy Ghost, be praise and glory attributed for ever and ever, world without end. Amen.   

A Prayer against presumptuous pride, and vain glory.  
WE hear (O Heavenly father) and are daily taught and instructed out of thy eternal word, how greatly the grievous sin of presumption, pride, and vain glory, displeaseth thy divine Majesty, we are learned that for the practice of this pestilent and heinous evil, thou haste not spared the very Angels, but haste thrown them in thy displeasure, for their pride, vainglory, and presumption, from beatitude, to misery, from joy without end, to perdurable pain: from brightness of thy glorious presence, to utter extreme and palpable darkness, from the glorious fruition and participation of thy everlasting kingdom, to the bottomless pit of hell, Death, damnation, and endless flames of fire, besides this, we are taught that by the transgression of Adam, whose haughty presuming, thorough the intisement of the subtle and perilous allurement of the Serpent, thought to be as thyself, but in fine, thy justice condemned him and all his posterity, this pestiferous sin of pride drowned him in the floods of all dangerous evils, as gluttony, luxury, and such other perils, that had not thy mercy taken effect, to keep and hold Plea for his and our safeguard, and thy son christ embraced the glory & power of his divine Essence, & taken upon him our flesh and frail nature, sin only excepted, who freely offered his innocent body to the death of the Cross, we had perished everlastingly, and been utterly confounded. Print therefore good Lord, and write these examples in my memory, that I fall not from thy favour, by the exercise of this detestable sin, make me still to consider that the proud and disdainful are always abhorred in thy sight, and sith it is thy good will and gracious pleasure, to regard the humble and lowly man, give me such meekness from above, that I may continually present thee with the Sacrifice of a gentle, meek, and contrite spirit, that I may avoid the plagues and punishments which thou hast prepared for the proud and haughty minded. Grant this (good Lord) for jesus Christ his sake, my only Mediator and Advocate, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy ghost in glory permanent and majesty everlasting.   

A Prayer to be said in time of affliction and trouble.  
O Eternal and ever living god the father of all consolation, and comfort, vouchsafe of thine infinite love & kindness, to strengthen me with thy heavenly grace, patiently to bear, and with meekness to suffer this Cross of affliction and trouble, which thou hast laid upon me, for the use of sin and iniquity, I know (O gracious and loving father) that my deserts are such, as worthily have provoked thee to displeasure the burden of my sins are intolerable, for the which I must acknowledge, and earnestly from the bottom of my heart confess, that justly thou haste corrected and visited me, yet not in the fullness of thy fury, but according to thy fatherly love and kindness, and albeit, thy rod lie heavy upon my shoulders, yet in this time of thy correction, I am comforted greatly, knowing assuredly that thou correctest and smitest where thou lovest, thou woundest and healest again, thou throwest down to Hell, and thou liftest up to Heaven, such and so great is thy omnipotency, that thou rulest above the Firmament, in earth, floods, and the lowermost parts of hell, in Heaven the Angels, Arckaungels, the souls of thy saints, the blessed company of martyrs give thee praise, glory, and veneration, the Sun, the Moon, and glistering stars, each one of them in their course and quality, show themselves obedient to thy will, in earth the beasts of the field, and the seely feathered fowls of the Air, in their order seem to set forth thy glory and praise, in the deep waters the fishes of the Seas are ready to observe thy will, and in their manner, they as thy creatures, give thee due honour and reverence, but amongst these, man whom thou by thy divine will and pleasure haste endued with reason and in his creation, concerning the inward man, hast fashioned him to thy similitude and likeness, is now most prone and willing to be by thy ministers of darkness, seduced and carried away from virtue to vice: from godliness to all impiety: from obedience to wilful breach and contempt of thy precepts, so that diligence is banished by negligence, and such is the power of our flesh, that our eyes which should have their chiefest contemplation and delight in perusing and reading thy glorious and sacred Gospel, wherein we may behold thee crucified and slain: O sweetest Saviour Christ jesus, perfit God and perfit man, by whose innocent death and bloody passion, the atonement betwixt thy Father and us, are so dazzled with the dimmy and dark mists of Satan, that they are occupied in the beholding of mundane and transitory pleasures, all which in effect vanish & wear away, even as the Flower that either is parched by the force of Phoebus' radiant beams, or by Winter storms and hoary frosts consumed, our ears which thou haste given unto us to hear, and understand the sacred and divine mysteries contained in thy holy law, are made deaf of purpose, so that they glory more in fables & loathsome leasings, than they conceive delight in the zealous predication of thy evangelical and heavenly doctrine, our hearts are hardened like the Adamant, so that for the greatest part, they cannot brook thy testimonies, they continually lust and desire to be satisfied with worldly wealth, honour and dignity, and who beholdeth not in these days, what cruel conflict and bloody fight, there is betwixt good conscience and filthy avarice, the root of all mischief and evil: Nay who seethe not in this age, plain dealing murdered by deceit, and faithless fraud: Who now beholdeth not true meaning strangled by forged flattery & loathsome leasings? the bowels of compassion and pity are shut up by violent oppression & tyranny, our feet are willing to tread the paths of pride, fornication and uncleanness, our hands are ready to offer wrong & injury to the innocent: yea, and in fine, whatsoever thou hast given unto us, to spread and set forth thy glory and honour, is by sin so corrupted, that we make the members of our bodies, which by grace and of pure love are engrafted in the body of Christ, the rich and great shepherd of our souls the very members of Satan, so that of set purpose our transgression abounding, we fly from christ the rock and strong pillar of our salvation, and run headlong to death, and utter destruction of body and soul, yet like a loving God and merciful Father, thou callest us home again by thy word, wherein not only thy mercies, but also thy terrible threats are thundered forth against us for our impenitency, but when neither thy manifold mercies freely of thy abundant goodness offered unto us in jesus Christ, can move nor stir us to handfast contrition, neither yet thy terrible comminations and threatenings can exclaim, nor call us back from the dangerous puddle of our sins, then thou sendest forth thy plagues and punishments, as pestilence, famine, and bloody sword, intending thereby to drive us to amendment of life, and to acknowledge thy omnipotency, but when thou beholdest our true repentant hearts, our sobs and sighing tears powered forth, before the Throne of thy divine Majesty, thou withdrawest from us the terror of thine indignation, and vengeance, the Rod of thy correction is laid aside, thy displeasure justly conceived against us, for the continual exercise of sin, is utterly forgotten, and by the intercession of thy son jesus christ, that sitteth on thy right hand in glory permanent and everlasting, like a loving Father, and most merciful GOD, thy silvered Sceptre of peace is offered unto us, with all other thy gracious benefits, that thy anger is converted to clemency, thy displeasure is turned to loving kindness, and in fine, thy indignation is so calmed by thine abundant grace and mercy, that like a loving and gentle father, thine arms are stretched forth joyfully to embrace and receive us to thy favour again, all this I know to be most certain and true, for when, or at what time soever, we shall appear before the gates of thy mercy, & by the virtue and power of a constant and lively faith knock thereat, thou art ready to open unto us, not for any of our deserts, but for the merits of jesus Christ, the fullness of thy divine misseration, compassion and pity, and whensoever we shall call upon thee, with lowliness and meekness of our hearts and minds, bewailing woefully our heinous offences committed against thee, thine ears are most attentive to hear, and willingly dost grant us our petitions, wherefore (O most gracious and loving father) we come unto thee with sorrowful and contrite hearts, beseeching thee for the love of thine anointed son jesus Christ our Messiah, saviour and redeemer, beseeching thee to behold & look upon us with the eyes of compassion and pity, & albeit we have worthily deserved this thy plague and punishment, yet respect thou not our deservings, lest in thy fury & indignation, we be confounded and perish, have an eye rather to thy son jesus Christ, behold his bloody wounds, which yet are fresh & green, and never stint bleeding, think upon the bitter and painful torments that he suffered for us upon the Cross, in whose name we beseech thee favourably to look upon our infirmities, mercifully to hear our prayers and petitions offered unto thee, and graciously for the glory of thy names sake, to take and withdraw from us this thy heavy rod of correction, which our sinful lives and contempt of thy precepts hath heaped heavily in our necks: give us patience to suffer whatsoever it shall please thee to lay upon us: give us grace always to call and cry upon thy holy & blessed name, and faithfully with tears to say unto thee continually. Spare us good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood, neither yet good Lord be thou angry with us for ever. Grant this (O merciful father) for the love of thy only son jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all honour, glory and praise ascribed, for ever. Amen.   

A prayer to be said before the receiving of the Lords supper.  
OMnipotent God, and father everlasting, whose mercy is infinite and whose kingdom hath no end, vouchsafe I beseech thee of thine exceeding goodness to increase our faith, that as thy Guests repair to the Table of thy son jesus Christ, who hath left unto us before he gave his body to be crucified, and his blood to be shed largely on the Cross for our redemption, as a pledge of his great love and abundant kindness, the celebration of his glorious Supper, wherein as it were in a looking Glass, the death of our great master, the high shepherd of our Souls jesus christ, is most lively set forth unto us, give us grace therefore from above, rightly to understand the divine mysteries offered unto us thereby, and not to wrest or wring the same contrary to thy will. Let it be far from our thoughts, (good Lord) to leave thy eternal verity, and to build on the doctrine of men, who following their own imaginations, run headlong to the gaping Gulf of danger and destruction, pluck the Scales of ignorance from our eyes, that we may clearly disearne and behold, by the light of thy glorious Gospel, how we may truly Communicate and participate the fruits of thy grace, represented unto us in this comfortable Sacrament, endue us plentifully with such pure knowledge, that we may not once think or say after any gross form or carnal manner, we feed upon, or eat thy flesh really, or carnally, make us always constantly to believe that thy glorious body is ascended up into heaven, & sitteth on the right hand of thy father, concerning thy humanity, and cannot be thence removed, till the time that thou shalt come with Legions of Angels, to judge the quick and the dead, before whose presence, shall run a consuming fire, and moreover, we do most humbly beseech thee, so to confirm us in the truth of thy blessed Testament, that we may confess thy divine nature to be equal with the father and the holy Ghost, and to believe that thy power is not a power particular, but a power general, and such as doth and shall govern in Heaven and Earth, in the deep and low waters: yea, and in the neathermoste parts of Hell, strengthen us therefore good Lord that stand, lest that in falling from the true knowledge of thee, we perish everlastingly, and sith thou hast called us by thy word, as thy Guests, to this blessed banquet, wherein the mouths of our carnal bodies are fostered and fed with bread and Wine, so Lord confirm our faith in thee, that the mouths of our souls may feed spiritually upon thy sweetest flesh, and drink thy dearest blood, and so be nourished to everlasting life and heavenly blessedness, which reward as a dowry due, thou haste promised to all those that faithfully build upon thee, which art the Rock and strong Pillar of our Salvation, and as these must set forth unto us most lively thy death & passion, so make us thankful to thee for the same, & thereby give us grace to print in our hearts thy great love and exceeding clemency, that sparedst not to give thy body to the most vild, shameful, and slanderous death of the Cross, and thy blood to be shed for our offences, endue us with love and charity to all men, make us ready to forgive, love, and pardon our enemies, persecutors and slandoers, turn our hearts and minds from all impiety, covetousness, blasphemy, pride, gluttony, fornication, and all other detestable evils, and if at any time we have defeated the fatherless of his right, the widow of her dowry, or gathered together our goods wrongfully, by violence, oppression, fraud, by collusion, or deceit, give us grace to make restitution, and to ask with sorrowful plaint & floods of tears, from the bottom of our hearts, pardon and free forgiveness of thee, for such and all other our offences, whatsoever we have done, or committed, in thought word, will, and deed, against thy divine Majesty, or any other our brethren. Take away from us all bitterness, cursed speaking, and backbiting, give us grace to come worthily by the virtue of a true & fruitful faith, to this holy and blessed Supper, that our soul's feeding faithfully on thy sweetest flesh, and drinking thy dearest blood, we may both in body and soul be nourished by thee to everlasting and endless glory in Heaven, where with thee and the fellowship of thy chosen saints, we shall enjoy the fruition of thy everlasting kingdom, which thou haste ordained for all those that only and alone without wavering, do build upon thee, sanctify and make clean our hearts and minds by the power of the holy Ghost, the very comforter of thy chosen, purge thou our cankered consciences infected with sin, by the working of thy good grace, lest that by the presuming to this thy table (O Lord) we incur thy displeasure, and being unrepentant for our offences, we be found unmeet Guests, to come to thy holy banquet, and so we eat and drink to the utter confusion of our souls and bodies, give us grace therefore (good Lord) to convert us wholly unto thee, and we shall be turned from all our sin and iniquity: give us grace to rest only upon thee, and we shall be made safe: give us thine aid from above, we beseech thee, by faith to strive with the man of sin, and so to vanquish him, that he may die in us, & we may live to thee, which art the giver of life. Grant this, O most gracious God, for jesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be given all praise, honour, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.   

A Prayer or thanksgiving to be said after the receiving of the Communion.  
WE give thee most hearty thanks, O heavenly father, that hast at this present fed & refreshed our hungry Souls with the flesh & blood of our saviour Christ, not carnally, but spiritually, give us grace therefore continually by the means of an increasing and fruitful faith, to believe that thy flesh is meat in deed, and thy blood is drink in deed, and that unneaths we eat thy flesh & drink thy blood, we cannot enter into thy kingdom, nor be saved in the day of thy coming. (Give us grace therefore, being unprofitable servants and unworthily called, by the reason of the multitude of our sins, to banquet at thy table, whereas the celebration of thy Supper hath been used, and thy death by the visible Elements of bread & Wine represented unto us, to offer up unto thee continually the fruits of true repentant and sorrowful hearts, that thy name may be glorified, we by thy grace comforted, thy displeasure be turned to love: thy wrath to compassion: our sins pardoned, and forgotten, & our names written in the book of life. And as it hath pleased thee at this present to account us for thy guests, & not only to feed us with visible creatures, namely bread and wine, but also in soul which is thine own similitude, to cherish us with thy flesh & blood, whereon by the virtue of a lively faith, we have to our great comforts, most plentifully fed. So now (O Lord) we beseech thee of thine abundant goodness, to increase our faith, that it may wax strong in thee, and fruitfully, to exercise the works of Charity and love to all men, that thereby as we have now been at the celebration of thy glorious and blessed Supper, so we may, whensoever it shall please thee to call us to thy heavenly banquet, be found furnished, not empty, not naked, but armed & covered with fruitful faith and truth, and so as thy guests, or vessels of honour, enjoy the participation of thy heavenly and rich palace, whereas joys never fade, but continually endure, take from us the burden of our corruption, set us free from the cursed clog of sin, deliver us from the snares of death and destruction, give us willing minds to obey & hear thy commandements, cleanse thou our hearts from all iniquity, and give us grace henceforth to walk in newness of life and godly conversation, that thy name may be glorified, and we saved in the day of thy coming to judgement. Grant this for jesus christ his sake, our Mediator and advocate. Amen.   

A Godly Meditation often to be remembered.  
O GOD (my Lord) my heart's delight, with whom my soul longeth to dwell, in that heavenly jerusalem wherein is continual health, eternal felicity, happy liberty, and perfit blessedness, where men shall be like unto the Angels of God, and just men shall shine as the Sun, in the everlasting kingdom, wherein is no heaviness, no sorrow, no grief, no fear, no labour, no death, no disease, no lack no hunger, no thirst, no cold nor heat, no weariness of fasting, nor temptation of the enemy, no will to sin, nor power to do evil, no old age, no lame or deformed person, no fear of poverty, or weakness by disease, but a quiet harbour of all joy, and everlasting happiness, where men in the society of Angels, shall continually dwell, without any infirmity of the flesh. For there is infinite joy, and eternal bliss, from whence none shall be removed, that once by thy providence shall enter therein. There is rest from labours, peace from the enemy, a new kind of joy & delight, such as no heart can conceive, save only by taking a marvelous delight, and exceeding pleasure in the beholding of thee my Lord God, my glorious redeemer, and the heavenly comforter, which proceedeth from the Father and the Son. O heavenly jerusalem, thou art sweet and beautiful in all thy joys and delights, there are no such miseries in thee as we feel and suffer in this poor and miserable life. There is in thee no darkness nor change of time the shining of the Moon, the twinkling brightness of the stars giveth not light in thee, but only the God of all power, glory & majesty, the light of lights, for in thee the son of justice giveth light, to those that are adopted in his blood to ever-during blessedness. The bright & immaculate Lamb, a most beautiful light, is thy light, that doth illuminate his chosen Children. The king of kings is in the midst of thee, environed on each side with his beloved Saints, and ready to crown them with everlasting glory: In thee are Legions of Angels, singing of sweet Hymns and songs, that set forth thy praise and honour of thy name: In thee are the fellowship of heavenly citizens: In thee resteth the sweet solemnity of all such as return from this miserable pilgrimage unto thy glory, the company of the prophets, Apostles, & victorious army of Martyrs, holy men & women, which have vanquished the pleasures of the world, have their abiding with thee: There are young children & maidens, which have passed over their days in holiness of life publishing thy praise. Every one rejoiceth in his degree, though not equal in glory, yet like in joys & gladness, for there reigneth perfect charity, & God is all in all, whose majesty without end they see continually, and still in beholding him their love increaseth. Of this eternal blessedness, the holy Apostle Peter had as it were a shadow or a taste upon the Mount Thabor, at the transfiguration of Christ from whence he desired he, might not departed. Paul also had a proof of it, when he was rapt or taken up into the third Heaven, where he heard words and saw things so marvelous & secret, so far passing all man's understanding, & such as were not to be told or revealed untomen. Moses' his face became so bright, through the conversation that he had with the divine glory upon Mount Sina, that the Israelites could not abide it: what then shall become of us, when perpetually with thee, which art the Lord of all glory, we shall be conversant after the manner of thy children and familiar friends? Who is he then, that will not seek and desire by all means possible to be a dweller there, both for the desire of peace, joy, and eternity, and for the perfect sight of God.  
Contrariwise, who is able to express the torments appointed for the ungodly, and unrepentant livers, in that deadly place, called Hell, which Satan himself abhorreth: what other thing can be there, but continual pains, eternal tribulation, & infinite calamity, replete with all evils. There dwelleth wicked & ugly Angels, whose horrible looks bringeth sudden fear, grievous pains, and fearful death, with continual clouds of ever during darkness: There is nothing but howling, wailing, lamentation and mourning without all end, fearful ●criches, and confused cries are there in all places suddenly raised: There the worm of conscience never dieth. In that damnable dungeon there is fire unquenchable, and perpetual gnashing of tooth: The miserable soul findeth there no rest, but is afflicted with all kind of torments, and such as can never be expressed, all which endure for ever. Alas little avail it those that are subjecteth as fire brands of bell to cry unto the Lord, for he will not hear them, then shall they know, that all things which they had in this life, are vain, and such things as they thought to be pleasant, to be found more bitter than Gall or poison. Then where is the pleasure of the flesh so termed falsely? for there is none other pleasure, but to fear the Lord. Then shall they confess, and say, that the judgement of God is true, and righteous, saying: did we not hear of this, & yet would not be converted from the wicked deeds, but then shall nothing prevail: No sorrow can find comfort, no complaints, no remorse, no torments, nor painful passions an end, such and so increasing are the vexations of the second death, wherewithal the bodies and souls of the unrighteous shall for ever be environed. Sith therefore (O heavenly father, & most gracious God) it seemeth good to thy eternal wisdom by the knowledge of thy everlasting truth, to give me knowledge of thine inestimable mercy offered freely unto me in jesus Christ my merciful saviour, in whose bloody death & painful passion I am assured of eternal life & blessedness. Give me grace to print in my remembrance thy manifold mercies, that feeding in soul by faith in thee, I may attain unto those end less joys, that thou haste. prepared for thy adopted sons and chosen children, in thy kingdom of everlasting righteousness. And so escape those everlasting torments, which thou hast prepared for the Devil and his Angels, from the which place of woeful vexation and endless misery, deliver me, O heavenly father, for the love of jesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all laud and praise, for ever. Amen.   

A prayer to be said at the hour of death.  
MOst mighty art thou O Lord, in all thy deeds, and most holy in all thy ways, blessed be the name of my father, my God and glorious creator, who by his divine power, and celestial providence, of nothing made all things, fish, flesh, fowls, fruits, trees, herbs, & all other things, whatsoever are contained both in Heaven, earth▪ Seas, and the nethermost parts thereof. Man concerning the outward parts, thou by thy celestial providence, and fatherly bounty, framedst and createdst of clay, but concerning the inward substance of thy creature man, thou didst fashion & make even according to thine own similitude and likeness. Moreover, such and so great was thy love and good will towards him, that all the Creatures, or works of thy creation served to his use. In earth thou haste made him Lord & king over the fruits thereof, the beasts of the Field, the Fowls of the air, and the fishes of the little floods and great waters. In the Firmament, thou hast placed the glistering Sun with his orient beams to give him light by day, and therewith thou hast given him the Moon & the stars to govern him by night, for the which cause, above all other, the works of thy creation, man should and ought of right to give thee that glory that to thee belongeth. But alas, such and so great is the corruption of our frail and sinful flesh that for all these thy graces, we are carried away from thee, and enter into contempt of thy precepts, for which cause thou oftentimes dost correct and punish us, to the intent we might thereby feeling thy rod of correction be driven to embrace hearty and true repentance, but when thy threats and the stripes of thy displeasure laid upon us, cannot take place amongst us, thou oftentimes givest us up to follow our lusts and affections, but at last when thou dost behold our enormities, thou in a moment, by the power of thy divine justice, restrained the rope of our disordered liberty, and cuttest in sunder the Bridle of our voluptuousness, either by sudden death, sword, fire, famine, or other thy divine sentences of thy conceived ire, to the intent, that other thy creatures might by the terror of thy justice, avoid sin, and learn to amend their lives, lest they fall into the like calamity or danger. True, and most true it is, good Lord, that by the exercise of sin, we are the children of death & destruction, but by grace of the almighty and victorious conqueror, sweet jesus Christ, we are the adopted sons of thy father, and made fellow heirs with thee our perfect Emanuel, in whose name with all humility & lowliness of heart & mind, I come unto thee in this great extremity and danger of death, beseeching thee to be present with me, to forget mine offences, to think upon thy mercies, and although I have not deserved so much as the least drop of thy favour, by means of the great burden of my sins, which are in the presence of thy divine majesty, most ugly and loathsome to behold, yet respect thou not (O Father) mine iniquity, but have an eye, I beseech thee to the merits of my saviour Christ jesus, to whom as my mediator, saviour & Redeemer, I appeal, who hath promised comfort and sweet consolation to all those that in thy name fly unto thee for relief, I confess th●e worthily thou hast visited me, and yet not according to the multitude of my sins but in the fullness of miseration and fatherly pity, give me grace therefore in these bitter brunts of death, who vehemently at this present, beginneth to combat with fainting & feeble life, constantly to cleave unto thee, let not the pleasures of this wicked world be a let or impediment for me to come unto thee, let not my frail & feeble flesh, subject to sin, which hath thorough my transgression made me a bondman to death, move me to despair in thy great mercy, neither yet let that cavilling adversary, the enemy of mankind, at my last end triumph over me, give me patience to suffer and gladly to bear & abide this thy scourge and visitation, and so fortify me in soul and body, that so long as life shall endure in me, I may never cease to call upon thy holy and blessed name, yea, and when death is most busiest, make thou me most constant, yea, when he seeketh most strongly to assail my feeble body, give me thy grace, good Lord, that I may in spirit, heart, mind, and all the powers of my soul, give praises unto thee, that of thy grace & inestimable kindness, hast sent thy son Christ jesus to ransom me by his bloody death and passion from the power of hell: Give me grace therefore now that thou hast appointed thy messenger death, to finish the days of my pilgrimage, and to call me by his summons from out this vale of misery & wretchedness, to build steadfastly upon him, & faithfully to hope for life & salvation, in and alone thorough him, let the remembrance of my 〈◊〉 wickedness, be 〈…〉 upon, 〈…〉 thy glorious ●ight, b●h●●de my sorrowful & true repentant heart, which come unto thee with tears, not building on my merits, but upon thy mercies, though I be sinful, thy son my saviour is righteous: though I be wicked, yet he is most holy: though I be full of iniquity, yet he full of all goodness: though I have grievously offended thee, yet he hath fully contented thee: though I have transgressed thy law, yet he hath fulfilled the same, & hath promised in his blood, to wash away their sins, that by faith continue in him constant to the end I therefore in 〈…〉 g●●at and ●aynefull ●●onie, beholding Death 〈◊〉 heat at the gates of my body, come unto thee by the virtue of a fruitful faith, beseeching thee, when thou shalt see it meet and convenient, that he shall dissolve the bands of this fading life, which endureth but a while, for a thousand years are as yesterday in thy sight to take my soul into thy glorious and blessed hands, and so to confirm me thy truth, that at the last when it shall please thee, by the sound of a trump, to raise my body from the grave, when and in which time, body and soul shall unite, & come before thy presence, I may by faith in thee, pass over the mount of my corruption, shake off the bands of sin be set free from death, and destruction, and being by the virtue of thy righteousness made holy, I may triumph with happy victory over sin, death, and all the powers of hell, and enter with thee, & the fellowship of thy chosen Saints into everlasting rest, grant this most loving father for Christ jesus sake, to whom with thee and the holy ghost be rendered all laud, glory, honour, and praise, for ever. Amen.  
THe Lord God be merciful unto me, pardon & forgive me my sins, look upon me with thy gracious and blessed countenance, preserve me from the second death, and everlasting destruction of body & soul. The Lord God justify me in his death & blood, cloth me with his everlasting righteousness, and register my name in the book of life. The Lord God comfort my guilty conscience with the everlasting light of his bountiful favour, & lot my place among his saints in his heavenly kingdom. The Lord God for his mercy's sake, after this my bodily death, give me the fruition of his presence, in his right palace of endless glory, to whose merciful protection I commend with all humility and reverence my soul, Lord jesus preserve me, Lord jesus comfort me, Lord jesus refresh me, Lord jesus pray for me, for only into thy hands that hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth, I commend my soul. Amen.   

A prayer unto the holy Ghost, against the temptations of Satan, the malicious and wicked spirit.  
AH Lord, the everlasting and heavenly spirit which sanctifiest and quicken'st the hearts of the faithful. For as much as there is an other spirit which contrary to thy heavenly motions, moveth and provoketh unto infidelity malice, lying, pride, wrath, whoredom, fornication, gluttony, dronkeship, envy, covetousness, contention, error, deceit, hypocrisy, strange religion, feigned holiness, impiety, desperation. etc. which is called the Prince of the world, the great dragon of Hell, the authority of all evils the father of lying and a murderer from the beginning, to whom it is evident that we are poor wretched and miserable, fallen away from God, walk in th● lusts of the flesh, live after the trade of the world, and do that that is pleasant to the corrupt affections, and are far away estranged from the city of righteous Israel, & as strangers pertain nothing unto the covenant and promises of grace. Wherefore while we thus consider this our damnation and the word of thy promise and commandment, we are earnestly moved to fly unto thee, humbly to desire and beseech thee, trusting that we shall obtain. For thou promisest and also commandest to trust an look for this, that through the good will of thy spirit, thou wilt gather & receive us into thy people, that we may be made a spiritual Israel, & renew us, that is to say beget us a new unto repentance & godly living turn us & with an earnest zeal of our heart draw us unto thee, that from henceforth we may abstain from the works of darkness & death. Destroy in us the kingdom of sin that is to say exclude from us not only evil words & deeds but also pluck out of our minds all evil thoughts, noisome counsels furious effects and the stinking course of this flesh. Turn us from evil ways unto the right path of repentance. Let our members be so addict to righteousness and sanctification, that they may be made fit to serve thee. Let us increase and be plenteous in all such works as be pleasant unto thee. Forsake us not in tentation, but rather strengthen us with that thy secret virtue & inward power. Bring to pass that we give no ear to his flattering deceits, nor yet to his beautiful & glistering falaces, lest he corrupt our minds and abuse our flesh unto our destruction, which at the beginning full craftily he brought to pass by his subtile and sweet suggestions but rather throw down and tread under our feet this our cruel enemy, that we being free from his deceitful tyranny may through thy ghostly inspiration obtain such peace and quietness in our hearts, that we may serve thee with a clean body and pure mind, through jesus Christ, unto the laud praise and glory of God the heavenly father. So be it.   

A prayer for true repentance and for the coming of the kingdom of Christ.  
O Lord and our God jesus Christ the scripture testifieth of thee that when thou wast in the world thou didst preach repentance and the coming of the kingdom of heaven, and after thou wast risen again thou saidst, that it behoved thee so to suffer, & on the third day to rise again from the dead, and that both repentance and remission of sins should be preached to every creature in thy name. And that whosoever believed & were baptized should be saved. Again, than full lovingly didst bid them that labour and are laden to come unto thee, and promised that thou wouldst unlade & refresh them. verily it is no small company of wicked spirits cleaveth, which, is also a roaring Lion, and earnest accuser of the sons of God, yea and such an enemy of God and of them that pertain unto him, as by no means neither will nor may be reconciled. Therefore we & all of us, which thorough thy grace are bound and given over to serve God most humbly beseech thee O holy spirit, that thou wilt defend us against all the wicked temptations and pernicious breathings of the most wicked spirit, that all vice excluded all virtue and godliness may spring grow & increase in us until we be made perfect & ancient in Christ jesus our Lord & in his holy law. Take away infidelity, and engraft in our breast a true and unfeigned faith. Take away pride, wrath, envy, debate, whoredom, gluttony, dronkeshippe, covetousness error, hypocrisy with all kind of ungodliness, and print in our heart's humility, love, chastity, and concord, purity of life, temperance, sobriety, mercy, liberality toward the poor, truth, pure holiness, with all kind of virtue. Take away from us all that ever is of Satan, the flesh and the world, and give us that which only cometh from the heavenly father, and from his only begotten son and from thee that holy spirit, Teach us all truth, enarme us with the shield of true faith that we may so quench the fiery darts of Satan. Grant that we may so watch and show such diligence, that we may perceive his crafty assaults and dangerous unto thee, that we live not hear after in the flesh, but rather that we abhor from all filthiness and impurity thereof, and that we being brought into the kingdom through thy precious blood may obtain daily more & more perfect remission of our sins. So be it.   

A prayer for the knowledge of God's will.  
O Lord God our heavenly father, give us grace that we may never cease diligently to call upon thee, & with most humble minds to desire thee, that through thy great mercies we may be fulfilled with plenteous and rich knowledge of thy divine will, and that we may increase daily more & more in us by the virtue of the word of God by the use of preaching and ministration of the Sacraments, which knowledge of thy will is a spiritual knowledge and an heavenly science whereby we being also endued, do those things that are right and pleasant before thee, yea wherewith we have such knowledge, that we take nothing in hand, but that only which thou most of all dost approve. Grant that we being fruitful in good works, may increase in the same knowledge, that we may be made strong in all virtue and godly power according to the exceeding abundant glory of thy Majesty & that we may be enarmed with patience, long suffering, cheerful perseverance so well in adversity and peril as in sorrow & death. Thorough jesus Christ our Lord. So be it.   

A prayer for true christian love.  
O God the almighty Lord which art the very love itself, & he that abideth in love, abideth in thee, & thou in him thorough jesus Christ we miserable Creatures cry this day unto thee with a bitter and sorrowful heart, and for our little strength we earnestly desire, that thou wilt power out into our hearts the true christian and unfeigned charity through the holy ghost whereby we may love one another, not only in words but also in works, that we may abundantly declare our faith, as newly borne from above of the immortal seed by the word of the living God, Help us O God and give us so much light that we may know perfectly all feigned love wherewith we beheld ourselves, & our false boasting, which cometh not from a pure heart, lest under the pretence of love we do against faith, & against the godly truth, and by this means fall away from the true love which is gotten by the same cross & blood of Christ. Through the same our Lord jesus Christ. So be it.   

A prayer to obtain godly learning.  
THy servant am I, give me understanding, O Lord, that I may learn thy commandments. For thy law is pure and undefiled, it turneth souls, it giveth wisdom to babes: Thy ordinances are right making hearts cheerful Thy commandements are bright lightening eyes. The declaration and preaching of thy words maketh them to see that are blind, and giveth understanding to the little ones. Lighten therefore my eyes, O Lord, and give me knowledge and understanding in thy holy law. For thou O Lord alone givest wisdom, and out of thy mouth cometh prudence and knowledge. So shall I with a glad heart search thy law, and sing perpetual praises to thy most blessed name.   

A prayer for the faithful ministers of God's word and for the fruit of the Gospel.  
O Lord jesus Christ, let very mercy move thee to have pity and compassion on us, which being destitute of all other help, wander abroad and are dispersed like sheep that are without a shepherd. And for as much as there is much harvest and few work men, send forth thou which art Lord of the harvest, many faithful workmen, to finish it. And those that thou shalt send, endue and replenish them with thy grace, yea, to guide them, that they may bring forth much fruit that great heaps of them that believe may plenteously be gathered into thy barn, that there may be plenty of that pure spiritual wheat unto thy praise which livest and reignest with God the father in the unity of the holy Ghost very God for evermore. So be it.   

A prayer for the Magistrates and head officers.  
O Almighty everlasting God, of whom all power is ordained we commend unto thee all them, which by thine ordinance are our superiors, as Emperors, King's Princes and other Magistrates to whom thou hast committed the sword and given power to govern the subjects. We beseech thee, that thou wilt make them to be feared of the unrighteous and transgressors, and that through thy gift they may overcome the enemies of thy name maintain public peace and tranquillity look upon and defend widows and them that be succurlesse.  
Moreover grant to the subjects an obedient mind that they do not resist thine ordinance unto their great hindrance, but that they diligently obey their Magistrates in all lawful things not only for the fear of pain but also for conscience. Thorough jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   

A prayer for the common people.  
O Merciful everlasting, God thou knowest right well how earnestly our most cruel adversary Satan as a roaring Lion wandereth about the congregation of the faithful, and through the weakness of our flesh bringeth in among us manifold incommodities, diseases and sundry temptations.  
In consideration whereof we are provoked according to the commandment of thy son our Lord jesus Christ continually to watch that is to say, to use fervent prayer.  
Wherefore we desire O most merciful father that thou wilt help and comfort them that are afflicted lighten them that are blind teach the ignorant, grant to the weak strength, to them that begin to go show the paths of thy way, to them that are going already, send daily the increase of grace, and give them that have obtained some perfection of godliness constancy and steadfastness that every one of us according to the measure of the gift of his faith may be made perfect. Through jesus Christ our Lord.   

A prayer to be said in affliction, trouble, or sickness.  
O Most gentle redeemer, which art always merciful, alway a Saviour, whether thou sendest us prosperity or adversity, this is a token of great mercy and of loving kindness, while by afflictions as by bitter plastures or salves thou dost heal the inward man, and by temporal pains preparest unto us everlasting joys. And for as much as thou hast before declared unto us even by thine own steps that this is the way, unto the true felicity, grant I beseech thee, that I may patiently & obediently drink out this cup, which thou hast reached unto me. verily these things are unto frail nature very grievous, but yet thou suffered more grievous things for me and I have deserved far more grievous things which have so oft deserved hell. notwithstanding thou knowest the frailty of man's condition, and therefore even as that merciful Samaritane dost thou pour into our wounds wine which fretteth and sharply biteth our vices, but thou puttest to it also the oil of thy consolation, thorough the which we may suffer those things, that are intolerable to us. If it be thy pleasure to increase my pains, give me also the gift of patience and grant that these afflictions of the body may turn unto the remission of my sins. O if thy fatherly pity be contented with this gentle chastisement where-wyth thou didst now nurture me, then let me receive at thy hand my health again, that I may give thee thanks for both, that is, because thou hast mercifully chastened me thine unprofitable servant and also taken away the bitterness of my affliction with the sweetness of thy comfort. So shall I remember thy benefits, & sing praise & glory to thee for ever and ever worlds with out end. Amen.   

A prayer against the counsels of the enemies of God and of his divine verity.  
AH Lord thou puissant strong & mighty God which destroyest the counsels of the ungodly, & riddest away the tyrants of this world out of the earth at thy pleasure, so that no council or strength at all can resist thine eternal wisdom and everlasting determination, which thou hast tofore appointed by thine unsearchable wisdom from the beginning. We thy poor creatures, simple wretches and unprofitable servants, do most instantly and heartily desire thee, for the love that thou haste to thy well-beloved, and only begotten son, our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, that thou wilt look upon thy cause, for it is time O Lord, and bring to nought all those things that are or shall be appointed, determined and fully agreed upon among the wicked against thee, and thy holy word. Let not the enemies of thy truth so miserably oppress thy servants which seek thy glory, tender the advancement of thy pure religion, and above all things wish in their hearts that thy most holy name may only be glorified among all nations.  
Whatsoever the ungodly go about contrary to thy glory and thy word, let it not take effect, O sweet father, yea rather destroy it & utterly bring it to nought, that all men may know that thou alone art that almighty and everlasting God, which rulest and subduest all inhabiters of the earth, from the highest to the lowest, after thy most holy will and pleasure. But to them that walk not in the council of the ungodly, nor tread not the way of sinners, give thou good luck & prosperous success in thy name, that their holy travails and virtuous enterprises may come unto a godly end. Defend them, that they sit not in the chair of the pestilent scorners, which spitefully railing on thy truth, do defend with high tyranny both their wicked doctrine and living. Grant to thy servants the mouth of thy wisdom which no man may resist, whereby they may know that thou alone art the Lord, & that none is to be compared unto thee, all the enemies of thy Godly truth with their wicked counsels destroyed and put out of the way, we may with fervent minds receive the truth of thy most holy word, order our life according to the same, & sing perpetual praises to thy most blessed name world without end, through jesus Christ thy son our Lord. So be it.   

A prayer for the unity concord and perfect agreement in things concerning Christian religion.  
O Everlasting and merciful God which art the God of peace, love, unity and concord, & not of strife, debate, discord and confusion, thou seest how miserably thy holy congregation is rend, torn, and divided into divers sects, while fleshly men leaving the wholesome instruction of thy most blessed word, which is the alone truth and righteousness, set forth and maintain every man as his fancy leadeth, things of their own brain, invented by carnal wisdom, without the authority of thine undefiled law. And hereof cometh it to pass that so great dissension reign now a days in the world, and that so many and divers sects, schisms and heresies, spring up in every place, unto the great perturbation of the christian public weal. For so long as men set aside the rules and ordinances of thy holy Scripture, and appoint things of their own imagination, and stiffly defend them, it cannot come to pass that christian peace and unity of spirit, with hearty concord can have place among us. Therefore we wretched sinners, to whom knowledge of these things thorough thy grace, have chanced, do pray and most fervently desire thy great mercy, that for as much as there is but one everlasting God, and one heavenly father, which thou art, and one faith, and one baptism, which we all profess the call on thy name, thou wilt thorough thy only spirit, gather together such as are dispersed into divers sects, into the unity of true & pure understanding of thy word by faith, & bring them again, whose minds are dissevered, into one body, that there may be no dissension among them. But specially O most merciful father, grant, that we which do breath, and for our little power labour unto the true unity in Christ, may lay aside all dissension, and seek that thine only everlasting truth, which is contained in thy word, that we together may grow into one judgement, sentence, and mind, yea and that which floweth and cometh forth from the intelligence and understanding of our Lord jesus Christ, and evermore guide and lead us again unto him that we with one perfect agreement of mind and with one mouth may praise, & magnify thee, the celestial father of our Lord jesus Christ, through the same jesus Christ thy son & the holy ghost. So be it.   

A prayer for spiritual joy.  
O Lord jesus the redeemer and comforter of mankind, which hast prepared for them that forsake the vain pleasures of this world for thy love, far better delectations & pleasures, through the holy ghost that most sweet comforter which the world knoweth not, measuring the griefs of this life with inward and secret comforts, and renew to us as a certain gage or pledge of the glory that hereafter shall come, wherewith we being refreshed & comforted, may run unto thee with the more cheerful minds. I beseech thee that the anointing of thy spirit may continually beat out of me the tediousness of evils, and make my mind merry with healthful joy, and be anointed thorough thy abundant mercy, with the oil of gladness and ghostly comfort, which livest and reignest with the father and the same spirit, very GOD world without end. Amen.   

A prayer unto Christ our saviour for the glory of heaven.  
O Lord jesus Christ, which art the only and everlasting son of God the father, which also becamest man for our sake, that thou shouldest bring us unto God the father, and therefore thou going unto the father occupiest his right hand, grant that we may be conversant now with thee, thorough faith in the holy Ghost after an heavenly manner, and that after this exile and banishment we being illumined with thy brightness, may remain with thee for ever, which livest and reignest with God the father & the holy ghost, very God world without end. Amen.   

Thanks giving to God for his benefits.  
O Lord God our heavenly father, we right heartily thank thee for thy manifold and inestimable benefits, which thou hast given to us, deserving nothing less than to receive of thy bounty so great kindness. We thank thee that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercy first to create and make us according to thy likeness, and to place us in joyful Paradise there perpetually to have remained, if through the subtle and deceitful suggestions of Satan our adversary we had not transgressed thy most holy commandment. We thank thee also, O most bounteous father, for thy loving kindness which thou showest unto us, when we were all perished and lost, through the sin of Adam. For when thou mightest justly have condemned us, & cast us into perpetual damnation thou like a father of singular great love hadst pity on us, and savedst us by the death & passion of thy well-beloved son our Lord and saviour jesus Christ, which gave himself a ransom for all our sins, and paid sufficient price by his precious blood for all the wickedness that we ever committed in times past, or hereafter shall commit thorough our frailty and weakness, so that we repent and believe. Neither waist thou thus contented he should only die for our sins, but thou didst raise him also again for our justification, to make us righteous in thy sight. Moreover after that he had showed himself unfeignedly alive to his apostles by manifest and evident tokens, certain days after his resurrection, thorough the power of his Godhead, ascended up into heaven, perfect God and perfect man, where he sitteth now on the right hand and maketh intercession for us, being our only Mediator and alone Advocate.  
From thence we look for him to come again at the day of judgement, not as a cruel judge to condemn and cast us away into perpetual damnation, but as a most loving Lord and gentle Saviour to carry us with him into perpetual glory, there always to remain in everlasting joy, praising thee world with out end. For these thy most bounteous gifts and for other innumerable, which daily thou givest unto us of thy great mercy, we thank thee most gentle & merciful father, desiring thee with all humbleness of mind that thou wilt give us grace through thy holy spirit not to be unthankful but to walk worthy this thy kindness, and so to behave ourselves in this wretched world according to thy word, that at the last day we may be found in the number of them to whom thy only begotten Son our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ shall say, come ye blessed of my father possess that kingdom, which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Lord let it so come to pass, Amen.   

another confession of our sins to our Lord jesus Christ.  
O Lord jesus Christ, which art the only and alone Physician of the wounded conscience, we poor & miserable sinners, trusting on thy goodness and grace, do here briefly declare unto thee the evil tree of our heart, with the roots, branches, leaves, & fruits of the same, which all we unfeignedly confess to be evil and wicked. For thou dost no less consider, weigh, and ponder the inward lusts of our heart, which is froward and unsearchable, than these outward gross sins, that we wickedly commit either in word or deed. Therefore we beseech thee & pray thee, even so hearty as our weakness will suffer, although we be very unapt to pray, that thou wilt mercifully circumcise & cut away our stony heart, yea for this old heart, create in us another new heart, replenish it with thy spirit, water it and make it moist with the juice or humour of heavenly grace, and with the fountains of Spiritual waters, that the inward poison and the noisome juice of the flesh may be dried up, the custom of the old man abolished, & our heart after this no more bring forth thorns and cockle, fit stuff ●or the fire, but spiritual fruits in righteousness and holiness unto everlasting life. So be it.   

Grace before meat.  
Give thanks to God  
the Lor● o● might,  
as it becometh  
Christians right.  
And ever when  
thou 〈◊〉 thy meat,  
Remember God  
before thou eat,  
And then God will  
remember thee,  
An● wi●h his food  
will nourish thee,  
And after thi● life  
ended is,  
We shall remain  
with him in bliss.  
God save his universal Church,  
Our noble Queen defend:  
G●aunt that thy people may enjoy,  
thy peace unto the end.   

Grace after meat.  
OF dives and Lazarus  
the scripture telleth plain▪  
How Dives lived in wealth, & ease  
and Lazarus in great pain.  
The rich man he was clothed well,  
and 〈◊〉 of the best:  
But Lazarus for hunger great,  
could have but 〈◊〉 rest.  
But full of sores lay crying still,  
for some man to re●●eue him:  
With 〈◊〉 that fell from Di●es 〈◊〉  
whereof no man did give him.  
Thus perished poor Lazarus,  
and that for lack of food:  
And also the rich glutton died,  
for all his worldly good.  
Therefore all ye that present be.  
remember this thing well,  
That how this man unmerciful,  
is buried now in hell.  
From the which torments great,  
the Lord us all deliver,  
And grant we may be merciful,  
while we live here together.  
Then sha● we reign with Lazarus  
with joys that be indinab●e.  
Even by the blood of jesus Christ  
for our hea●th most profitable.  
Now therefore lord we thee beseech,  
to make us all consent,   

Grace before meat.  
To pity those that have most need  
and the our sins repent.   

Grace before meat.  
ALl that is and shall be,  
set upon this ●ord,  
Be the 〈…〉,  
by the Lord's word.  
So be it.   

Grace after meat.  
HE that is king,  
and Lord over all,  
Bring us to the table,  
of life eternal.   

Grace before meat.  
THanks be given unto our lord jesus Christ, both now and always for these and all other his benefits, so mercifully, lovingly, and abundantly powered upon us. Amen.   

Grace after meat.  
THe God of all glory and peace, who hath created, redeemed, and presently fed us, be blessed for ever an● ever. Amen.  
FINIS.