An exercise for a Christian FAMILY; Containing a short sum of certain points of Christian religion, with certain godly Prayers, psalms, & than●●giuings, both before and after meals. ¶ Very necessary to be used in every Christian Family. By R. M. AT LONDON ¶ Printed by Robert Walde-graue. 1585. ¶ A short SUM OF THE chief grounds of christian religion, set down in five special points. Sanctify the lord God in your hearts, 1. Pet. 3.15. & be ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of your faith, & that with meekness and reverence. Keep the true pattern of the wholesome words which thou haste heard of me in faith and love, 2. Tim. 1.13. which is, jesus Christ. I Believe and confess first, Rom. 10.10. that there is * one God only, who * is a spiritual nature, joh. 45.5 without any bodily or visible sharp, joh. 4.24 1. Tim. 6 16. Exo. 34.6 Psa. 95.4 * of infinite power, wisdom, * goodness and glory, creator and governor of heaven and earth, & that this one god, is distinct into * three persons, the father, john. 5.7 the son, and the holy ghost. Secondly, that the same God did in the beginning * make mankind in an excellent state of all perfection & happiness, Gen. 1.26 even according to his own * holiness & righteousness. Eph 4.24. Thirdly, that we fell afterwards through the disobedience of Adam, into a cursed kind of all misery, Rom. 5.12 even * into the wrath of God and eternal damnation of body and soul. Fourthly, that the deliverance and redemption from this misery, is fully wrought by * jesus Acts. 4.12. Christ only, both God & man, who hath * suffered all the punishments of our sins, Rom. 13 4 that we might not be damned for them, 1. joh. 1 7 1. Pet. 2 24. * & hath perfectly kept the * ten commandments for us, which we could not do, to bring us again to the * love of God, Rom. 5.19 21 and to eternal life. Fiftly, that they only are partakers of jesus Christ and * this great work of our redemption, Math. 7.7 which do earnestly and faithfully pray for the grace of his holy * Spirit, Rom. 10 11 that through the * preaching of the word, john. 3.36. there may be wrought in their hearts a * steadfast faith, jam. 2.18 21. to be saved by his sufferings and holiness only, and that their faith may be showed and justified by continual repentance, and a Godly life, that is, Deu. 12 12. by * shunning those things which he forbiddeth, and doing those things which he commandeth. This is life eternal, john. 17.3. to know thee to be the only true God, and him whom thou haste sent, jesus Christ. joh. 17.3 jesus said, take heed and beware of the leaven of the pharisees & saducees, Mat. 16.6 12. which is their doctrine. Cast away profane and old wives fables, 1. Tim. 4.7 & exercise thyself unto godliness. I will pray unto God, Psal. 55.16. and the Lord shall save me, evening and morning, and at noon day will I pray, and he will hear my voice. Prayers for the morning, necessary to be used of all householders in their families. MATH. 26.41. Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. O most mighty God our heavenly and merciful father, we most wretched sinners, humbly confess unto thy majesty, that all good things we have, do come from thy only mercy, that we are most unworthy of them, and yet altogether unable hearty to pray for the continuance thereof, yet seeing thy dear son jesus Christ, hath commanded us in his name, to pray, and that with assurance to speed and to be heard: we beseech thee for his sake, to prepare our hearts by thy holy spirit, to put out of our minds all worldly things and vain fantasies, and to stir us up earnestly to consider what great need we have of thy continual help both in our souls and bodies. O Lord we have through our manifold sins, deserved thy wrath, and eternal damnation of body & soul, yet by the virtue of the great sufferings of jesus Christ, and the shedding of his precious blood, forgive and wash away all our offences: we are unworthy of thy favour, either in this life or in the life to come, yet through his holiness, receive us unto mercy, & make us heirs of thy blessed kingdom and so increase in our hearts every day, unfeigned repentance for our former wickedness, in that we have neither worshipped thy majesty, nor lived towards others, according to thy word. Strengthen our faith (O Lord) in jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, and for thy tender mercy sake, power into our hearts the grace of thy holy spirit, which may stir up in us a more hearty love unto thee and thy blessed word, that by it we may learn to worship thee aright, and to live faithfully, & truly towards all men in our callings, striving continually against all sin, chief in ourselves, and then also in others, so that whensoever it shall please thee to call any of us out of this short & sinful life, we may willingly deliver up our souls into thy blessed kingdom, and may come with joy (as loving children) to thee our heavenly and merciful Father. O lord make us thankful for all thy corrections, giving us grace by them to fear thee more carefully, & to sorrow for our sins more hearty. Make us also thankful for all thy benefits, namely, for the sweet sleep and quiet rest, whereby thou haste this night refreshed us, we beseech thee now in like manner (O gracious God) for Christ's sake, to receive us this day into thy blessed keeping, preserve us from all perils & dangers, from sin, from the wicked cares of this life, and the vain desires of the flesh, shining into our hearts by the grace of thy holy spirit, and the true knowledge of jesus Christ, the true light of the world, that we may guide all ourthoghts words, & deeds, according to the same, and walk painfully and truly in our callings, to the glory of thy blessed name, the good example of all others, and the great assurance of our own salvation, through thy dear Son jesus Christ our only saviour, in whose name we pray for these, and all other graces, as he hath taught us saying, Our father etc. Another Prayer for the Morning. ALmighty God, and most merciful Father, Dan. 9 we do not * present ourselves here before thy majesty, trusting in our own merits or worthiness, but in thy manifold mercies, which hast promised to hear our prayers and * grant our requests, john. 16. which we shall make to thee in the name of thy beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord, who hath also commanded us to assemble ourselves together in his * name, Math. 18. with full assurance that he will not only be among us, but also be our mediator, & * advocate towards thy majesty, 1. Tim. 2. that we may obtain * all things which shall seem expedient to thy blessed will for our necessities. 1. joh. 3. Therefore we beseech thee, most merciful father, to turn thy loving countenance towards us, Psal. 32. and * impute not unto us our manifold sins & offences, whereby we justly deserve thy wrath & sharp punishment: but rather receive us to thy mercy for jesus Christ's sake, accepting his death and passion as a just recompense for all our offences, in whom only thou art pleased, & through whom thou canst not be offended with us. And seeing that of thy great mercies we have quietli passed this night grant, o heavenvly father, that we may bestow this day wholly in thy service, so that all our thoughts, words and deeds may redound to the glory of thy name, and good example to all men: who seeing our good works, may glorify thee our heavenvly father. And forasmuch as of thy mere favour and love thou hast not only created us to thine own similitude & likeness, but also haste chosen us to be heirs with thy dear son jesus Christ of that immortal kingdom, which thou preparedst for us before the beginning of the world, we beseech thee to increase our faith & know ledge, & to lighten our hearts with thine holy spirit, that we may in the mean time live in godly conversation & integrity of life, knowing that * idolaters, Gal. 5 adulterers, covetous men, contentious persons, drunkards, gluttons & such like, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And because thou haste commanded us to pray one for another we do not only make request, O Lord, for ourselves, and them that thou hast already called to thee true understanding of thine heavenly will, but for all people & * nations of the world, Acts. 10. 1. tim. 2. who as they know by thy wonderful works, that thou art God over all, so they may be instructed by thine holy spirit, to believe in thee their only saviour and Redeemer. But forasmuch as they can not believe except they * hear, Rom. 10. nor cannot hear but by preaching, and none can preach except they be sent, therefore, O lord raise up faithful distributers of thy mysteries, who setting apart all worldly respects, may both in their life and doctrine only seek thy glory. Contrarily confound * Satan, Rom. 16. Antichrist with all hirelings and papists, whom thou hast already cast of into a reprobate sense, that they may not by sects, schisms, heresies and errors disquiet thy little flock. And because, O Lord, we be fallen into the latter days, 2. tim. 3. and dangerous times wherein ignorance hath gotten the upper hand, and Satan with his ministers seek by all means to quench the light of thy Gospel, we beseech thee to maintain thy cause against those * ravenous wolves, Mat. 7 and strengthen all thy servants, whom they keep in prison & bondage. Let not thy long suffering be an occasion either to increase their tyranny, or to discourage thy children, neither yet let our sins and wickedness be an hindrance to thy mercies, but with speed, O Lord, consider the great miseries, and afflictions of thy poor Church, which in sundry places by the rage of enemies is grievously tormented: and this we confess, O Lord, to come most justly for our sins which (notwithstanding thy manifold benefits, whereby thou dost daily allure us to love thee: and thy sharp threatenings, whereby we have occasion to fear thee, and speedily to repent) yet continue in our own wickedness and feel not our hearts so touched with the displeasure of our sins as we ought to do. Therefore, O Lord, create in us new hearts, that with fervent minds we may bewail our manifold sins, & earnestly repent us for our former wickedness and ungodly behaviour towards thee: and whereas we can not of ourselves purchase thy pardon, yet we humbly beseech thee for jesus Christ's sake, to show thy mercies upon us, and receive us again to thy favour. Grant us, dear father, these our requests, and all other things necessary for us and thy whole Church according to thy promise in jesus Christ our Lord: in whose name we beseech thee, as he hath taught us, saying, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. etc. A GODLY PRAYER to be said at all times. HOnour and praise be given to thee, O Lord God almighty, most dear Father of heaven, for all thy mercies & loving kindness showed unto us, in that it hath pleased thy gracious goodness and freely of thine own accord, to elect & choose us to salvation before the beginning of the world: & even like continual thanks be given to thee for creating us after thine own image, for redeeming us with the precious blood of thy dear son, when we were utterly lost, for sanctifying us with thine holy Spirit in the Revelation and knowledge of thine holy word, for helping and succouring us in all our needs and necessities, for saving us from all dangers of body and soul, for comforting us so fatherly in all our tribulations & persecutions, for sparing us so long, and giving us so large a time of repentance. These benefits, O most merciful father, like as we knowledge to have received them of thine only goodness, even so we beseech thee, for thy dear son jesus Christ's sake to grant us always thine holy spirit, whereby we may continually grow in thankfulness towards thee, to be led into all truth, and comforted in all our adversities. O Lord, strengthen our faith: kindle it more in ferventness and love towards thee and our neighbours for thy sake. Suffer us not, most dear Father, to receive thy word any more in vain, but grant us always the assistance of thy grace and holy spirit, that in heart, word, and deed we may sanctify and do worship to thy name, help to amplify and increase thy kingdom, that whatsoever thou sendest, we may be heartily well content with thy good pleasure and wil Let us not lack the thing, o father, with out the which we cannot serve thee, but bless thou so all the works of our hands, that we may have sufficient, and not to be chargeable, but rather helpful unto others. Be merciful, O Lord, to our offences: and seeing our debt is great, which thou hast forgiven us in jesus Christ, make us to love thee and our neighbours so much the more. Be thou our Father, our captain and defender, in all temptations: hold thou us by thy merciful hand, that we may be delivered from all inconveniences, & end our lives in the sanctifiing & honour of thy holy name through jesus christ our Lord, & only saviour, so be it. Let thy mighty hand and outstretched arm, O Lord, be still our defence, thy mercy and loving kindness in jesus Christ thy dear Son, our salvation, thy true and holy word our instruction, thy grace and holy spirit, our comfort and consolation, unto the end and in the end, so be it. O Lord, increase our faith. A PRAYER TO BE said of the child before he study his lesson. PSALM. 119. Wherein shall the child address his way? In guiding himself according to thy word. Open mine eyes & I shall know the marvels of thy Law. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy Law, yea, I shall keep it with mine whole heart. Lord, which art the fountain of all wisdom and knowledge, seeing it hath pleased thee to give me the mean to be taught in my youth for to learn to guide me godly and honestly all the course of my life, it may also please thee to lighten mine understanding, the which of itself is blind, that it may comprehend and receive that doctrine and learning which shall be taught me: it may please thee to strengthen my memory to keep it well: it may please thee also to dispose my heart willingly to receive it with such desire as appertaineth: so that by my ingratitude the occasion which thou givest me, be not lost. That I may thus do, it may please thee to power upon me thine holy spirit, the spirit I say, of all understanding, truth, judgement, wisdom & learning, the which may make me able so to profit, that the pains that shall be taken in teaching me, be not in vain. And to what study soever I apply myself, make me, O lord, to address it unto the right end: that is to know thee in our Lord jesus Christ, that I may have full trust of salvation in thy grace, and to serve thee uprightly according to thy pleasure, so that whatso ever I learn, it may be unto me as an instrument to help me thereunto. and seeing thou dost promise to give wisdom to the little and humble ones, and to confound the proud in the vanity of their wits, & likewise to make thyself known to them that be of an upright heart, and also to blind the ungodly and wicked, I beseech thee to fashion me unto true humility, so that I may be taught first to be obedient unto thee, and next unto my superiors, that thou haste appointed over me. Further that it may please thee to dispose mine heart unfeignedly to seek thee and to forsake all evil and filthy lusts of the flesh: & that in this sort I may now prepare myself to serve thee once in that estate which it shall please thee to appoint for me when I shall come to age. A PRAYER TO BE said before a man begin his work. PSALM. 25. The Lord revealeth his secrets unto them that fear him, and maketh them to know his alliance. O Lord God most merciful Father & saviour, seeing it hath pleased thee, to command us to travail, that we may relieve our need, we beseech thee of thy grace so to bless our labour that thy blessing may extend unto us, without the which we are not able to continue: & that this great favour may be a witness unto us of thy bountifulness & assistance, so that thereby we may know the fatherly care that thou hast over us. Moreover, O Lord we beseech thee that thou wouldst strengthen us with thy holy spirit, that we may faith fully travail in our estate & vocation without fraud or deceit: and that we may endeavour ourselves to follow thine holy ordinance, rather than to seek to satisfy our greedy affections or desire to gain. And if it please our labour, give us a mind also to help them that have need according to that ability that thou of thy mercy shalt give us: and knowing that all good things come of thee, grant that we may humble ourselves to our neighbours, & not by any means lift ourselves up above them, which have not received so liberal a portion as of thy mercy thou hast given unto us. And if it please thee to try & exercise us by greater poverty, and need then our flesh would desire, that thou wouldst: yet O Lord, grant us grace to know that thou wilt nourish us continually through thy bountiful liberality, that we be not so tempted that we fall not into distrust: but that we may patiently wait till thou fill us, not only with corporal graces and benefits, but chiefly with thine heavenly & spiritual treasures, to the intent that we may always have more ample occasion to give thee thanks, and so wholly to rest upon thy mercies. Hear us, O Lord of mercy, through jesus Christ thy son our Lord. Amen. APR AIR FOR the Morning. O Gracious God, and loving Father, according to thy commandment, we do here present ourselves before thy majesty, humbly prostrating ourselves before the throne of mercy, acknowledging and confessing from the bottom of our hearts that we be miserable sinners, daily breaking thy commandements, both in thought, word, and deed, wherein we justly deserve everlasting damnation, & to be utterly thrown from thy presence, yet O lord, we see thy goodness again towards us, who not suffering us thus to perish in our sins, hast sent thine own dear Son jesus Christ, to take upon him whatsoever is due to reconcile and make us at one with thee again: in him therefore, good Lord, and through him do we come unto thee, beseeching thee for his sake, that we feeling the greevosnes of our sins, and groaning under the burden of them, may feel the release & ease of them, in that we be through thy holy spirit assured, and steadfastly believe, that Christ hath borne the burden of them, even for us. Grant, O Lord, that we being assured hereof in our consciences, may through thy holy spirit be renewed in the inner man, to hate, detest and abhor sin, and to study to live according to thy blessed will during our whole life. We do not only pray for ourselves, but also for all thy whole church, especially such as be persecuted for thy word grant unto them, that whether it be by death or life, they may glorify thy name to their lives end. Be merciful to this Church of England and Ireland, we beseech thee good lord, and preserve every part & member of the same, especially thy servant ELIZABETH our Queen: grant her all such gifts as be needful for so high a calling, to the advancement of thy glory, and benefit of this common wealth, to the establishing of a perfect government of thy Church, according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word, to the rooting out of all superstition and relics of Antichrist, to the governing of her subjects in all peace and traquillitie. Defend her, O lord, from all conspiracies, treasons, & rebellions, and so work in the hearts of all her subjects, that knowing her authorize doth come from thy heavenly majesty, they may with obedient hearts humbly obey her in thee & for thee. Preserve the whole counsel & the. Magistrates of the realm, that being lightened through thy holy spirit, they may defend thy truth, suppress wickedness, & maintain equity. Behold all the Pastors & Preachers of the word, bless their labours, increase the number of them, place over every Church a painful watch man, remove all idle lubbers, & confound the power of Antichrist, & turn the hearts of the people that they may be obedient to thy truth. Bless the two Universities, Cambridge and Oxenford, and all the Students of the same, with all Schools of learning. Behold all those that be afflicted with any kind of cross, that they may profit by thy correction in newness of life. Lastly, for ourselves here gathered together, we hearty crave at thy hands, that it would please thee to make us thankful unto thy majesty, for all thy loving kindness showed unto us even from our infancy: especially, that thou haste this present night delivered us from all dangers both of body and soul, wherinto many have fallen, as we in like manner should have done, if we had not been stayed with thy merciful hand: that thou hast also granted unto us so sweet & comfortable rest, and haste now presently brought us to the beginning of this day. For these things, good Lord, we yield unto thee most hearty thanks, besehcing thee to make us more & more daily thankful unto thy majesty for than, & pardon our unthankfulness. And as thou hast safely preserved us unto this presenthowre from all the dangers of this life: so we beseech thee continue thy favour towards us this day, & the whole course of our life. Defend us, O lord, that we now entering into the affairs of this day, be not drawn away with the vain allurements of this world, to sin and wickedness: that we walk not in the shadows of death, that we be not entangled in the snares of sin, that we stumble not at the blocks of iniqnity, that we finally fall not into the pit of death, and destruction: but being shadowed underthy wings we may cheerfully and constantly go on forward to the end of our course. Grant unto us, O Lord our God, that this good time which thou grantest unto us in this life, be not idly, or vainly of us consumed, but that every one of us may be diligently exercised in his calling this day, and all our life long, being assured that thou wilt once call us to yield an account of our stewardship. Endue us we beseech thee, with those gifts and graces, which be needful for us in our calling, & that with a pure and sincere conscience we may use them to the benefit of our brethren, and discharge of our own consciences, before thy majesty. We beseech thee, O Lord, that in all our confultations, words & works this day, and the whole course of our life, we may always have thee present before our eyes, knowing that thou seest even the very deep thoughts of our hearts, which always may be as a bridle to pull us back, that we neither do, nor yet consent unto any sin or wickedness, but that always we may be so exercised in the affairs of this life, that we look still to the end of our course, when it shall please thee to bring us through the pilgrimage of this life to our everlasting rest with thy dear Son JESUS CHRIST our Saviour. In whole name for these mercies and what soever thou knowest to be needful for us, and for the whole Church, we pray unto thee, as he himself hath taught us in his holy word, saying: Our father. etc. The Lord bless us and save us, the Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be merciful unto us, the Lord turn his favourable countenance towards us, & grant us his peace. The grace of our Lord jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, & the most comfortable fellowship of the holy Ghost, be with us, preserve and keep us this day and evermore. Amen. A CONFESSION of sins with faith and repentance. O Merciful and heavenly Father, we thy servants do humbly prostrate ourselves before thy majesty, acknowledging here in thy sight our heinous offences committed against thy majesty, seeing and beholding thy heavy wrath against them: we feel ourselves laden (O Lord our God) with a huge company of horrible sins, whereof even the very least, being but conceived in thought, is sufficient in judgement to throw us down to the everlasting burning lake. Our own consciences, O Lord, do bear witness against us, of our manifold transgressions of thy blessed law, of our security & senseless blindness running headlong to destruction, committing sin after sin, although not notorious to the world, yet horrible before thine eye. The thoughts of our hearts rise up in judgement against us: the vanity of our talk before thy majesty condemneth us: the wickedness of our deeds from thy sight rejecteth us: all our wicked thoughts, words and deeds, with the inward corruption of our nature, do altogether as it were a whole lump and load of sin, lie heavy upon us, and with their intolerable weight do even press us down to hell. We do daily groan under the burden of them inwardly lamenting our own folly so greedily running into them. In Heaven, Earth, or Hell, we see none able to sustain the weight of them, but even the dearly beloved Son jesus christ, who in mercy infinite, and compassion endless, hath sustained and over come that endless punishment due unto them: in him therefore in him, most meeifull father & through him we come to thee, being fully assured according to thy promise, that thou wilt accept and take that full recompense which he thy dear Son hath made for us, as a just ransom for all the sins of all those who with a true faith take hold on him. In him therefore we see thine anger towards us appeased, thy wrath satisfied, and our debts paid. Increase in us, good Lord, we beseech thee, this lively and feeling faith, for we feel it oftentimes in us very weak, & troubled with many doubts: increase it in us (O Lord) that we may through thy holy spirit be assured that the punishment of our sins is fully in thy son discharged. Make us, O Lord our God, to feel this same in our souls and consciences, that JESUS CHRIST is ours, and all that he hath done: that we are graffed into his body, and made one with him, and therefore fellow heirs with him of everlasting life. Let us not only have these words in our mouths (good Lord) but through thy holy spirit let us feel the comfort of them in our hearts fully sealed and settled in us: that we feeling ourselves inwardly before thy judgement seat, discharged and our consciences towards thee appeased, may be swallowed up with an unfeigned love toward thy heavenly Majesty, and towards thy brethren for thy sake. Make sin to die in us daily more & more, that we may hate, detest, & utterly abhor all sin and wickedness in all men, but especially in ourselves: that we may strongly through thy holy spirit set ourselves in open war & defiance against all sin and wickedness: that we please not ourselves in our sins, but straitly examining sin by the just rule of thy holy Laws, we may utterly from the bottom of our hearts condemn even the least sin in ourselves, having our whole joy, comfort and consolation upon those things which be agreeable to thy blessed will, always being afraid to do any thing contrary to the same: that we may even from the bottom of our hearts examine and try our thoughts, before thy presence, that they be upright & unfeigned, not hypocritical in outward show only and appearance, but that even all corners of our hearts being opened and disclosed before thee, we may even as though it were openly before the face of the whole world bring them in show, knowing that a double heart is detestable in thin eyes: and that we may walk always as before thine eyes, not only before the eyes of man, being more careful to walk circumspectly, in this respect, that we have thee to be a viewer of our doings, a thousand fold more than the eyes of man: that thus we may walk as becometh thy children, not only in outward show, but also in sincerity of heart, abhorring even the least sin in ourselves, striving, resisting and fight against sin, not delighting ourselves in sin, nor nourishing the same in our breast, but earnest lie embracing, and studiously seeking after those things which be pleasant in thine eyes: that neither the fear of man, nor loss of goods life, lands, possessions, or friends draw us away from thee, to do any least thing contrary to thy will and pleasure: neither the favour or friendship of man, nor yet the flattering entice mentes of this world, nor the vain promotions of the same do move us any whit from the true and endless joy, delight and pleasure which we ought to have in those things which be agreeable to thy will, and the constant performance of the same: but that always to the end of our life we may continue in thy paths, growing and increasing from faith to faith, from strength to strength, till at length we shall come to thy everlasting rest. A FORM OF MORning prayer necessary for this present time for godly christians, to use in their houses and families. WE most humbly thank thee O heavenly Father) for the sweet & quiet rest that we have had this night, for the loving and favourable deliverance out of all dangers both of body and Soul, which we justly deserve to be thrown into for our manifold sins: for that thou haste raised us up this morning, we pray thee to go before us: and for as much as thou seest our sluggishness and drowsiness, it would please thee (good Lord) to pull us after thee, and to show us those ways, which thou hast appointed us to walk in. And as thou renewest this morning, so renew thy mercies: and as thou causest the Sun comfortably to shine to our bodily eyes, so vouchsafe (we pray thee) to be Sun unto our bodies and to our souls, by the beams of thy holy Spirit, and Star of thy blessed Word, shining into the midst of our hearts, to drive away all the night and darkness of all profaneness: to chase away all want of true fear of thy good Majesty: and in place thereof, bring in love towards thy glory, zeal of thy house, love also towards our brethren: especially those that thou above the rest commendest unto us, that we may love them with that love, wherewithal thou hast first loved us: which is pure, uncorrupt, vehement, and everlasting: and therefore we pray thee to rid our hearts of all naughty and corrupt love, and whatsoever is unmeet to be in those vessels that are to serve such a mighty Prince as thou art: and in those houses wherein it pleaseth thy majesty by thy holy Spirit to dwell: and therefore on the other side (good Lord) chase away from us all▪ rancour and malice, all pride, enviousness, disdaynefulnesse, uncharitableness, unnaturalness, unkindness, and whatsoever is contrary to that love, whereof thou hast given us a lively example in our saviour jesus christ: unto the which example, grant (good Lord) that we may always have our eyes lifted up, and therein holden, and caused thereby to profit, until such time as we come to that perfection, whereunto thou hast appointed we shall come. Vouchsafe more over by the coming of the self same Spirit, to scatter in us all the night and darkness of ignorance, and forgetfulness, and of all those things which pertain to the clearer and fuller knowledge of thy truth Take from us all negligence, all want of judgement and discretion, & deliver us from all those things, which thou knowest to be hinderances to us, either to walk in that great calling of Christianity whereunto thou hast called us, or in those several and particular callings wherein thou hast placed every one of us: that we may walk so (good Lord) both in the one & in the other, that thy name may be glorified in both. We pray not only for ourselves (O most merciful Father) but for all those that thou hast appointed to eternal life: beseeching thee to gather the number of those that are to be gathered; those that thou haste already called, thou wouldst always keep: and to this end (good Lord) raise up faithful ministers both of thy church and common weal, whose hearts thou wouldst fill with all graces of thy holy spirit meet for their callings, meet also for these dangerous times: root out from among thy church, all ravening and devouring beasts, which to fill their own bellies, destroy thy flock, ease thyself of all hirelings & idle shepherds, which have no care nor skill to feed thy flock with the wholesome food of thy blessed word, nor to rule them with that equity, wherewithal thou wilt have thy people to be ruled: those pastors that thou haste given, it would please thee to increase the number of them: those that are fallen a sleep & carried away with the corruptions of these times, that thou wouldst awake, letting them understand the charge that thou haste mitted unto them, the trust that thou hast put them in, and the account that thou wilt take at their hands. Be gracious (O Lord) unto this land of ours, and enter not into judgement with the horrible sins of it, namely, the contempt and light esteeming of thy holy word, so many years offered unto us, and we being trusted withal, so many Nations better than we being passed by, which would have brought forth the fruit thereof more than weehave done: and we not only have brought forth no good fruit, but rotten and unsavoury, to provoke thy Majesty withal: notwithstanding all these our sins, it would please thee in that love, wherewithal thou hast first loved us, when we hated thee, & in that long patience wherein thou haste hitherto borne with us, and dost yet bear and tarriest for ourrepentance: to grant us hearty and earnestrepentaunce, our hearts being effectually touched with thy holy Spirit, striking theserockye hearts of ours, that they may be resolved into rivers of tears for our sins, making them soft and meek to receive the print of thy holy word, and seal of thy blessed spirire, writing with thy finger thine own laws in them, so, that thou mayst read thine own hand, acknowledge thine own seal, & so pass by us, when thou shalt bring thy judgement upon the face of the earth, for the iniquities thereof: whereof thou hast given, and still givest, from time to time divers tokens, which we beseech thee may be profitable unto us, whilst first of all we acknowledge thy hand striking us, and thy counsel calling us thereby torepentaunce, that thy heavier judgements do not fall upon us, to our utter destruction. Moreover, we thank thee (O Lord) for that it hath pleased thee to be the watchman, and as it were the spy of this Church and common wealth, and haste foreseen all the storms, & treasons coming against it, and against thine anointed our Sovaraigne, whom thou in mercy hast appointed to rule over it, and hast scattered them and brought them to nought, and haste pursued certain of thine enemies and ours unto death, beseeching thee to continue this watchful and careful eye over us, still to do us good, and to pursue the rest of thine enemies and ours unto the grave: giving notwithstanding repentance unto them, unto whom thou haste left place of repentance. And to this end, raise up the hearts of our most gracious QUEEN & her honourable Counsel thy Magistrates, that as they sit in thy seat, and are called by thy name, so they may execute thy justice, which thou so well approvest of, whereof also thou wilt require a straight account at their hands. We desire thee also to show these thy graces to all other Churches of thine, namely, thy Church of England, that it may enjoy that peace that thou hast given it: and grant that the same be referred to that end wherefore thou hast given it: namely, to the full establishment of the throne of thy dear son our Saviour JESUS CHRIST, & to the building of his Kingdom there. We beseech thee also, for the churches which thy hand hath planted long since, especially those, from whom we have received knowledge in time of our ignorance, places of refuge in time of persecution: that it would please thee to continue thy loving kindness towards them, and therefore cause them to continue their faith toward thee, & obedience towards thy holy word. And whensoever it shall be thy pleasure, to try them with any kind of affliction, it would please thee to grant unto them, that they may put their trust in thee, having regard to the truth of thy promises, and to the good experience that they have of thy help in times past, and thereby conceive comfort & hope, (O Lord) even of life in death, and of salvation in destruction. We pray thee also (good lord) that we may have the feeling of the miseries of our brethren, as members of the same body, & those that live by the same spirit. And therefore we pray thee, that according to the manifold troubles that thou shalt visit them with, it would be thy good pleasure, to measure out rhy grace in such plentiful manner, that thy children may patiently bear, and joy fully attend, for the good hour wherein thou wilt pull them out of all their troubles. And especially we pray thy majesty for our brethren that are afflicted for thy gospel sake: namely, those that suffer imprisonment or otherwise in any nation, for the clearer testimony of it: that it would please thee to give them patience in all their troubles, wisdom and mouths to defend thy cause, against all those that rise up against it: that thou wouldst bless their travels and sufferings, for that for which they are taken: which is, to give a freer course of thy gospel into all places. And therewithal we beseech thee for the churches of France and Flaunders, which are so miserably racked and torn in sunder, and which are almost consumed with these fiery trials: that it would please thee to look upon the sighings and groanings, the tears that fall from their eyes continually, the blood that is shed in all the parts of the Land, the bodies that lie unburied, to be meat to the fowls of the air, and Fishes of the Sea, the lonenes of wives lacking their husbands, children their fathers, & every friend his friend. And for as much as those things are come upon them for thy name's sake, let it be thy good pleasure to help them considering that they are forsaken of all their friends round about: and therefore pray thee that thou wouldst not look upon our sins, nor the sins of our forefathers, whereby we deserve not only this correction, but utter destruction, as Sodom & Gomorrha: but rather to look upthy mercies which were before them: whereby thou hast said, that although we do offend, and thou dost correct us, yet thou wilt not take away thy mercies from us, but wilt leave a remnant which thou wilt multiply, and make as the stars of the heaven, and as the sands of the sea. Look also (O lord) upon the outrageousness and cruelty, unfaithfulness, and blasphemy of the enemies, wherewithal they blaspheme thee, and provoke thee to thy face, and therefore in thine own cause, and for thine own sake, take the matter into thine own hands, and pay into the Bosoms of thine enemies double and triple of that they have given to thee. Notwithstanding, those amongst them, that belong to thine holy election, hasten their calling, that afterward thy judgement may hasten upon the earth, and the inhabitants thereof may learn to know thee by thy judgements; that would not understand and come to thee, by the loving calling of thy Gospel. We pray thee (O Lord) for our brethren that are up in arms in both those countries: that thou wouldst go before them, and come behind them, and on every side of them: cover their heads in the day of battle, teach their hands to fight, & their fingers to war: give them wisdom & valiantness, and good success in all their enterprises: strike a dizziness & maze of spirit into the enemies hearts, and take away from them all force, and disappoint all their counsels. And upon our brethren in Flanders we beseech thee that thou wouldst comfort them over all thy troubles that they have received, and breaches that have been made in upon them: & where there are new forces every day gathered, new sleights invented to destroy them, it may please thee, to scatter their forces, and bring their sleights to nothing. Yea grant also (O lord) that that which they have devised against thy children, may come upon their own heads. And for our Brethren in France we beseech thee (O Lord) what straits so ever they be in, thou wouldst deliver them: and although they be forsaken in the judgement of all the world, and in their own judgements, notwithdanding thou that hast the issues of death in thine own hands, deliver those that are appointed to death. And finally we most humbly thank thee, for that it hath pleased thee to keep us this day, and all the days and times of our lives, beseeching thee, that thou wouldst receive us this night in to thy holy keeping, that we may have quiet rest, not of bodies alone, but of our souls also, resting from all those things that are contrary to thy most holy will, attending while thou raisest us up in the morning, to do all those things that thou hast appointed us. These things we desire of thee, & all other things (which thou knowest to be more needful for us, and thy whole Church, better than we ourselves do know) for jesus Christ's sake: saying the same prayer, that he himself hath taught us. Our father. etc. A form of evening prayer, necessary to be used of all christians in their houses and families. Psal. 55. vers. 16. I will call unto GOD, and the Lord will save me: Evening & Morning, and at noon will I pray & make a noise, and he will he are my voice. WE mostehumblye beseech thee, O gracious God and heavenly Father, even for thy son jesus Christ's sake, to pardon and forgive us all our sins, in thought, word and deed committed against thy holy laws and commandements, to turn away from us graciously all those plagues which we most justly have deserved for them, both in this life and in the life to come, working in our hearts every day by the holy spirit more true and unfeigned sorrow for than, with greater care ever hereafter to know thy blessed will revealed in thy word, and to order all our opinions and doings according to the same, & so much the rather, O Lord, because of thy manifold blessings, whereby thou dost daily move us hereunto, for the which (O heavenly father) make us more heartily thankful, specially for our recreation at the first after thine own holiness & righteousness, for our redemption by JESUS CHRIST, when we were utterly lost, for that knowledge of our Saviour, which by the preaching of thy blessed Gospel through thy holy Spirit thou haste wrought in our hearts, for true repentance, for faith, hope, and love, for watchfulness in our doings, and all other gifts of thy grace pertaining to our salvation, all which graces (O Lord) are very weak in us, because of the great wickedness of our hearts striving against thy holy spirit, so as in thy wrath thou mightest justly forsake us utterly: (yet O Lord) let it be thy gracious pleasure to increase them in our hearts every day, even so long as we live in this world, as of thy goodness thou haste begun, that thereby the assurance of our salvation may be more certainly sealed up unto our own consciences, that so we may also learn to be more truly thankful unto thy MAJESTY for the benefits of this life: namely, that thou hast hitherto ever since we were borne, given us those things that were needful for our bodies, as health, food apparel, and such like, that thou hast kept us from many dangers, comfort us in all our troubles, and strengthen us in all our weakness, and giving us grace this day to labour faithfully & truly in our callings, having brought us safely passed all the dangers thereof, unto this present hour. O Lord forgive us the sins of this day, and of our whole life, and specially our great unthankfulness for these thy manifold blessings, and in JESUS CHRIST thy dear son, continue them towards us ever hereafter both in souls and bodies, and specially this night receive us into thy blessed keeping, preserve us from all dangers, from sin, from all ungodly dreams and fancies, granting unto us comfortable rest, so as we may be the better strengthened to serve thee faithfully in our calling, and giving us grace always both sleeping and waking, to be ready when thou shalt call us out of this miserable world. Last of all, because thou hast commanded us to pray for others also, we beseech thee good Lord be merciful to all Nations, specially to those Churches where thy Gospel is truly preached, continue thy mercy towards this realm, preserve our Queen, bless her Counsel, and all in authority with necessary graces, increase the number of faithful Preachers, strengthen the Godly, lighten the ignorant, convert the wicked, be merciful unto all schools and places of learning, to all our friends and kinsfolks, and others, afflicted in body or in soul, granting to every one of them, as to ourselves, those necessary graces which thou knowest to be needful for every one of us in our several estates and callings, to the glory of thy name, and the better assurance of our salvation through CHRIST JESUS, in whose name we ask of thy majesty as he hath taught us. Our Father. etc. Evening prayer for private houses and families. O Gracious God, and loving Father, according to thy commandment, we do here present ourselves before thy majesty, humbly prostrating our selves before the throne of mercy, acknowledging and confessing from the bottom of our hearts that we be miserable sinners, daily breaking thy commandements, both in thought, word, & deed, wherein we justly deserve everlasting damnation, and to be utterly thrown from thy presence: yet, O Lord, we see thy goodness again towards us, who not suffering us thus to perish in our sins, haste sent thine own dear son jesus Christ, to take upon him whatsoever is due, to reconcile and make us at own with thee again: In him therefore, good Lord, & through him do we come unto the, beseeching the for his sake, that we feeling the grievousness of our sins and groaning under the burden of them, may feel the release & ease of them, in that we be through thy holy spirit assured, and steadfastly believe, that Christ hath born the burden of them, eaveu for us. Grant O Lord, that we being assured hereof, in our consciences, may through thy holy Spirit be renuee in the inner man, to hate, detest and abhor sin, and to study to live according to thy blessed will during our whole life. We do not only pray for ourselves, but also for all thy whole Church, especially such as be persecuted for thy word: grant unto them, that whether it be thy death or life, they may glorify thy name to their lives end. Be merciful to this Church of England & Ireland, we beseech thee good Lord, to preserve every part and member of the same, especially thy servant ELIZABETH our queen: grant her all such gifts as be needful for so high a calling, to the advancement of thy glory, and benefit of this common wealth, to the establishishing of a perfect government of thy Church, according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word, to the rooting out of all superstition and relics of antichrist, to the governing of her subjects in all peace and tranquillity. Defend her, O Lord, from all conspiracies, treasons, and rebellions, and so work in the hearts of all her subjects, that knowing her authority doth come from thy heavenvly majesty, they may with obedient hearts humbly obey her in thee and for thee. Preserve the whole Counsel, and all the magistrates of the realm, that being lightened through thy holy spirit, they may defend thy truth, suppress wickedness, and maintain equity. Behold all the Pastors and Preachers of the word, bless their labours, increase the number of them, place over every Church a painful watchman, remove all idle Lubbers & confound the power of antichrist, and turn the hearts of the people that they may be obedient to thy truth Bless the two Universities, Cambridge and Oxenford, and all the Students of the same, with all Schools of learning. Behold all those that be afflicted with any kind of cross, that they may profit by thy correction in newness of life. Lastly, for ourselves here gathered, we render most hearty thanks to thy majesty, O Lord which hast hitherto from our infancy, preserved us by thy mercy from all perils and dangers both of soul and body whereunto frail man is subject, that thou haste sent uno us all things necessary for this present life, as health, food, apparel, and such like, which many of thy dear children do want, being notwithstanding as preciousely bought with the precious blood of thy dear Son, as we be, & yet lie in misery and calamity, oppressed with poverty, nakedness, imprisonment and banishment, in which case also, dear Father, thou mightest have brought us, save only that thou dealest herein more favourably with us, then with them. For the which thy loving kindness, we give thee hearty thanks, desiring thee, that as thou hast hitherto thus favourably in mercy preserved us by thy protection, and even presently this day haste brought us past all the dangers thereof: so we beseech thee good Lord, in like favour behold us this night, that we taking our natural rest and quietness, may through thy protection be defended, that our bodies resting, our souls may be occupied in beholding thy favour and mercy toward thy children, still looking for the coming of Lord and saviour his JESYS CHRIST for our full redemption. Grant that our sleep be not immoderate, according to the lust of our flesh, but as much as is sufficient to refresh our weak nature: that being thus refreshed both the body and the mind may be more able to do their several office and function, in that vocation wherein thou hast placed us. Grant that we laying our bodies down to rest, may be thereby put in mind of our long rest of death: that as we do now lai down our bodies in bed, so we may be thereby admonished, that hereafter they shall be laid down in grave, to be consumed to Dust, Earth, and Ashes, from whence they were taken. That we having this before our eyes, may be stirred up in mind warily to walk in this our pilgrimage, not knowing when the time shall be of our departure, but always to be found ready with our lamps of our pure faith clearly burning, that we may be accepted to meet the Bridegroom, when our mortal, earthly, and corruptible bodies shall be made like to the glorious body of our lord and saviour Christ jesus, there to reign with him in perpetual joy and consolation together with all the elect children of God, continually lauding with all the heavenly multitude the glorious majesty of thee our Lord God & heavenly Father, in our Lord and saviour jesus Christ. For these and whatsoever else thou knowest to be needful for us and thy whole Church, we pray unto thee, as he himself hath taught us, saying: Our Father. etc. The Lord bless us and save us, the Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be merciful unto us: the Lord turn his favourable countenance unto us, and grant us his peace. The grace of our Lord jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, & the most comfortable fellowship of the holy Ghost, be with us, preserve and keep us this day and evermore. Amen. A form of evening prayer, necessary to be used of all christians in their houses and families. O Lord prepare our hearts to pray, bow down thine ears (dear Father) and hear us, open thine eyes & look upon us for thy dear Son jesus Christ's sake, and receive our humble confession that we make to thee against our selves, which have broken all thy laws, and therefore deserve to havethy heavy judgements powered upon our heads to our utter destruction, if thou shouldest enter into judgement with the least of our sins, whereof we have so great and infinite thousands: notwithstanding we pray thee to turn away thy face from our sins, and for JESUS CHRIST'S sake to forgive us all that is past, and grant that we may have the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins, sealed up by thy holy spirit in our consciences, whereby we knowing that we are at one with thee, may have our hearts kindled with thy love so fervently, as it may waste in us all that is against thy holy will. And for this cause we beseech thee, good Lord, to go forward with the work of our new birth, that thou haste begun in us, and never take away thy hand, until such time as thou hast made an end of it: and to this end, we beseech thee to slay in us every day, more and more the old man with his concupiscences, nailing them to the cross of thy dear son jesus Christ: and causing us to feel the power of his passion in our bodies and in our souls, that we being partakers thereof, may come also to the fellowship of thy holy resurrection: not only in that we shall once appear before thee, having these our base bodies changed, and made like unto his glorious body, but also that we may in the mean time rise from the death of sin to all newness of life, and that our good works may so shine before men, that they seeing them may glorify thee our heavenvly father: not only they that are of the self same Religion with us, but but those also that are enemies unto thy truth, may rather in the time of their calling by the voice of thy Gospel, yield themselves to be one sheepfold with us. And we most humbly thank thee (O Heavenly father) for all thy loving kyndenesses bestowed upon us from time to time, and especially for that old and ancient Love, wherewithal thou hast loved us before the beginng of the world: for that also that thou calling us by the voice of thy Holy Gospel in that good time that thou appoyntedst for us, hast given us faith, hope, and love, and all other graces which thou knowest to be needful for us: which we beseech thee to increase in us with mighty increases, according to that thou seest we have need of, having regard to our manifold enemies, that we have to wrestle with: and that we have not to strive with flesh and blood, but against the Devils themselves. And therefore considering their strength, and our weakness, their craft and our simplicity, their watchfulness and our sluggishness, their long experience and our rawness, their preparation & our nakedness, and that we have not only nothing to help us, but also to carry about us our own concupiscences, ready to betray us into the hands of our enemies, it may please thee to furnish us from above, giving us the strength of thy holy spirit, in the inner man, reaching unto us the complete harness of thy grace, wherewith we being armed on both sides, may be prepared at all assays against all assaults of our enemies. And forasmuch as in this weakness we oftentimes give back, and sometimes run away, we pray thee (O Lord) that with the hand of faith, we may lay hold on the victory of our Saviour jesus Christ: that albeit we be not able to overcome in our own persons, yet notwithstanding we may overcome in his, who hath overcomed for us all, & so be partakers of those promises that thou hast knit unto that glorious victory. And we most humbly thank thee also for those graces both of the body and soul, which pertain to this present life: desiring thee to increase them upon us, and in us, so far forth as thou seest we have need of to thy glory, the commodity of others, and our own comforts: therefore we beseech thee, Lord, to teach us with thy holy Spirit the lawful use of them: that thou wouldst not suffer our hearts to be rooted in them, but that at all times we may be willing to part from them. And whensoever it shall please thee to call for us, we may willingly go unto thee, as children to their dear Fathers, strangers unto their own Country, and members of the body unto their Head: and so much the gladder, by how much thou Lord art better than all the men in the world, and the kingdom that thou hast prepared, better than all the kingdoms thereof. We pray not only for ourselves (O most merciful Father) but for all those that thou hast appointed to eternal life: beseeching thee to gather the number of those that are to be gathered; those that thou haste already called, thou wouldst always keep: and to this end (good Lord) raise up faithful ministers both of thy church and common weal, whose hearts thou wouldst fill with the graces of thy holy spirit meet for their callings, meet also for these dangerous times: root out from among thy church, all ravening and devouring beasts, which to fill their own bellies, destroy thy flock, ease thyself of all hirelings & idle shepherds, which have no care nor skill to feed thy flock with the wholesome food of thy blessed word, nor to rule them with that equity, wherewithal thou wilt have thy people to be ruled: those pastors that thou haste given, it would please thee to increase the number of them, those that are fallen asleep and carried away with the corruptions of these times, that thou wouldst awake, letting them understand the charge that thou haste committed unto them, the trust that thou hast put them in, and the account that thou wilt take at their hands. Be gracious (O Lord) unto this land of ours, and enter not into judgement with the horrible sins of it, namely, the contempt & light esteeming of thy holy word, so many years offered unto us, and we being trusted withal, so many nations better than we being passed by, which would have brought forth the fruit thereof more than we have done: and we not only have brought forth no good fruit, but rotten unsavoury, to provoke rhy Majesty withal: notwithstanding all these our sins, it would please thee in that love, wherewithal thou haste first loved us, when we hated thee, & in that long patience wherein thou hast hitherto born with us, and dost yet bear, & tarriest for our repentance: to grant us hearty and earnest repentance, our hearts being effectually touched with thy holy Spirit, striking these rocky hearts of ours, that they may be resolved into rivers of tears for our sins, making them soft and meek to receive the print of thy holy word, and seal of thy blessed spirit, writing with thy finger thine own laws in them, so, that thou mayst read thine own hand, acknowledge thine own seal, & so pass by us, when thou shalt bring thy judgement upon the face of the earth, for the iniquities thereof: whereof thou hast given, and still givest, from time to time divers tokens, which we beseech thee may be profitable unto us, whilst first of all we acknowledge thy hand striking us, and thy counsel calling us thereby to repentance, that thy heavier judgements do not fall upon us, to our utter destruction. Moreover, we thank thee (O Lord) for that it hath pleased thee to be the watchman, and as it were the spy of this Church and common wealth, and haste foreseen all the storms, and treasons coming against it, and against ●hine anointed our SOVEREIGN, whom thou in mercy hast appointed to rule over it, and haste scattered them and brought them to nought, and haste pursued certain of thine Enemies, and ours unto death, beseeching thee to continue this watchful and careful eye over us, still to do us good, and to pursue the rest of thine enemies and ours unto the grave: giving notwithstanding repentance unto them, unto whom thou haste left place of repentance. And to this end, raise up the hearts of our most gracious QUEEN, & her honourable Counsel thy Magistrates, that as they sit in thy seat, and are called by thy name, so they may execute thy justice, which thou so well approvest of, whereof also thou wilt require a straight account at their hands. We desire thee also, to show these thy graces to all other Churches of thine, namely, thy Church of England, that it may enjoy that peace that thou hast given it: and grant that the same be referred to that end wherefore thou hast given it: namely, to the full establishment of the throne of thy dear son our Saviour JESUS CHRIST, & to the building of his Kingdom there. We beseech thee also, for the churches which thy hand hath planted long since, especially those, from whom we have received knowledge in time of our ignorance, places of refuge in time of persecution: that it would please thee to continue thy loving kindness towards them, and therefore cause them to continue their faith toward thee, & obedience towards thy holy word. And whensoever it shall be thy pleasure, to try them with any kind of affliction, it would please thee to grant unto them, that they may put their trust in thee, having regard to the truth of thy promises, and to the good experience that they have of thy help in times passed, and thereby conceive comfort & hope, (O Lord) even of life in death, and of salvation in destruction. We pray thee also (good lord) that we may have the feeling of the miseries of our brerhrens, as members of the same body, & those that live by the same spirit. And therefore we pray thee, that according to the manifold troubles that thou shalt visit them with, it would be thy good pleasure, to measure out thy grace in such plentiful manner, that thy children may patiently bear, & joyfully attend, for the good hour wherein thou wilt pull them out of all their troubles. And specially we pray thy majesty for our brethren, that are afflicted for thy gospel sake: namely, those that suffer imprisonment or otherwise in any nation, for the clearer testimony of it: that it would please thee to give them patience in all their troubles, wisdom and mouths to defend thy cause, against all those that rise up against it: that thou wouldst bless their travels and sufferings, for that for which they are taken: which is, to give a freer course of thy gospel into all places And therewithal we beseech thee for the churches of France and Flaunders, which are so miserably racked and torn in sunder, and which are almost consumed with these fiery trials: that it would please thee to lock upon the sighings and groanings, the tears that fall from their eyes continually, the blood that is shed in all parts of the Land, the bodies that lie unburied, to be meat to the fowls of the air, and Fishes of the Sea, the lonenes of wives lacking their husbands, children their fathers, & every friend his friend. And for as much as those things are come upon them for thy name's sake, let it be thy good pleasure to heap them considering that they are forsaken of all their friends round about: and therefore pray thee that thou wouldst not look upon our sins, nor the sins of our forefathers, whereby we deserve not only this correction, but utter destruction, as Sodom & Gomorrha: but rather to look upon thy mercies which were before them: whereby thou hast said, that although we do offend, and thou dost correct us, yet thou wilt not take away thy mercies from us, but wilt leave a remnant which thou wilt multiply, and make as the stars of the heaven, and as the sands of the Sea. Look also (O Lord) upon the outrageousness and cruelty, unfaithfulness, and blasphemy of the enemies, wherewithal they blaspheme thee, and provoke thee to thy face, and therefore in thine own cause, and for thine own sake, take the matter into thine own hands, and pay unto the Bosoms of thine enemies double and triple of that they have given to thee. Notwithstanding, those amongst them, that belong to thine holy election, hasten their calling, that afterward thy judgement may hasten upon the earth, and the inhabitants thereof may learn to know thee by thy judgements; that would not understand and come to thee, by the loving calling of thy Gospel. We pray thee (O Lord) for our brethren that are up in arms in both those countries: that thou wouldst go before them, and come behind them, and on every side of them: cover their heads in the day of battle, teach their hands to fight, & their fingers to war: give them wisdom & valiantness, and good success in all their enterprises: strike a dizziness & maze of spirit into the enemies hearts, and take away from them all force, and disappointall their counsels. And upon our brethren in Flanders we beseech thee that thou wouldst comfort them over all their troubles, that they have received, and breaches that have been made in upon them: & where there are new forces every day gathered, new sleights invented to destroy them, it may please thee, to scatter their forces, and bring their sleights to nothing. Yea grant also (O lord) that that which they have devised against thy children, may come upon their own heads. And for our Brethren in France we beseech thee (O Lord) what straits soever they be in, thou wouldst deliver them: and although they be forsaken in the judgement of all the world, and in their own judgements, notwithstanding thou that hast the issues of death in thine own hands, deliver those that are appointed to death. And finally we most humbly thank thee, for that it hath pleased thee to keep us this day, and all the days and times of our lives, beseeching thee, that thou wouldst receive us this night into thy holy keeping, that we may have quiet rest, not of bodies alone, but of our souls also, resting from all those things that are contrary to thy most holy will, attending while thou raisest us up in the morning, to do all those things that thou haste appointed us. These things we desire of thee, & all other things (which thou knowest to be more needful for us, & thy whole church, better than we our selves do know) for jesus Christ's sake: saying the same prayer, that he himself hath taught us. Our father. etc. A PRAYER FOR the Evening. O Lord God, Father everlasting and full of pity, we acknowledge and confess that we be not worthy to lift up our eyes to heaven, much less to present ourselves before thy majesty, with confidence that thou wilt hear our prayers and grant our requests, if we consider our own deservings, for our consciences do accuse us, & our sins do witness against us, and we know that thou art an upright judge, which dost not justify the sinners and wicked men, but punishest the faults of all such as transgress thy commandments: yet most merciful Father, since it hath pleased thee, to Command us to call upon thee in all our troubles & adversities promising even then to help us when we feel ourselves (as it were) swallowed up of death and desperation. We utterly renounce all worldly confidence, & fly to thy Sovereign bounty, as our only stae and refuge: beseeching thee not to call to remembrance our manifold sins and wickedness: whereby we continually provoke thy wrath and indignation against us: neither our negligence and unkindness, which have neither worthily esteemed, nor in our lives sufficiently expressed the sweet comfort of thy Gospel revealed unto us: but rather to accept the obedience, & death of thy son jesus Christ, who by offering up his body in sacrifice once for all, hath made a sufficient recompense for all our sins. Have mercy therefore upon us (O Lord) and forgive us our offences. Teach us by thy holy spirte, that we may rightly weigh them, and earnestly repent for the same. And so much the rather (O Lord) because that the reprobate and such as thou hast forsaken cannot praise thee nor call upon thy name: but the repenting heart, the sorrowful mind, the conscience oppressed, hungering and thirsting for thy grace, shall ever set forth thy praise & glory. And albeit we be but worms and dust, yet thou art our Creator, & we be the work of thy hands: yea thou art our Father, and we thy children: thou art our she p-heard, and we thy flock: thou art our redeemer, and we thy people whom thou hast bought: thou art our God, & we thine inhertiance. Correct us not therefore in thine anger (O lord) neither according to our deserts punish us, but mercifully chastise us with a fatherly affection, that all the world may know, that at what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sin from the bottom of his heart, thou wilt put away his wickedness out of thy remembrance. Finally for as much as it hath pleased thee to make the night for man to rest in, as thou haste ordained him the day to travail, grant O dear Father that we may so take our bodily rest, that our souls may continuallly watch for the time that our Lord jesus Christ shall appear for our deliverance out of this mortal life, and in the mean season that we not overcome by any fantasies, dreams or other temptations, may fully set our minds upon thee, love thee, fear thee, & rest in thee. Furthermore that our sleep be not excessive or over much after the unsatiable desires of the flesh, but only sufficient to content our weak nature, that we may be the better disposed in all godly conversation, to the glory of thy holy name, & profit of our brethren. So be it. ¶ A Prayer for all times. O Lord God, Father of mercy and God of all consolation, without whom we have neither hope nor comfort, we poor wretches & miserable sinners, beseech thee of thy fatherly goodness to look upon us, and so make us partakers of thy gracious goodness, that we may still increase in all goodness, so that evermore we may set forth thine honour & glory: let our conversation be such, that a great many beholding our good works, may glorify thee our heavenly father: & so direct our ways, that we may hold forth the profession of thy gospel, as a lantern to lighten the steps of a great many that they may turn to thee, & praise thy name in their visitation. Thus (O Lord) we beseech thee to deal with us, that in deed we may be vessels of honour unto thee, now to set forth the praise of thy name, and after this transitory life, to behold thy glory, who haste immortality alone, and dwellest in light, that no man hath approached unto: remove far from us our sins & iniquities, that they may not separate between us and thee: blot out all our offences, and make our prayers righteous, that thou mayst favourably grant our requests: look upon us with thy favourable mercy, that thou mayst have pity upon us, and behold in the righteousness of thy beloved Son Christ jesus, and that we may be presented faultless in thy sight: and thou accepting us as only, we may find the Grace evermore to set forth thy honour and glory, and to speak of thy praises in the mids of all thy people. Let us love (O Lord) the things that thee good, and hate the things that are evil: let us delight in all things that may please thee, & let us be grieved with whatsoever is displeasant in thy sight. And to the intent we may have true understanding and be able to discern between things, what is good or evil, we beseech thee let thy word dwell plentifully in us, which may guide our understandings so, that we may abound in all knowledge, and do according to that which is righteous. And in this estate of the true Christianity, being instructed in mind, and ready in body to all holy obedience, we beseech thee make us to grow and increase from grace to grace, from faith to faith, until we come unto the fullness of age to be perfect members of the body of Christ, waiting for the blessed hope of thine elect, and sighing in spirit until that thy children shallbe revealed. In the mean season, let us sigh withal those that have received the first fruits of thy spirit, that these days of sin may cease, that satan be trodden down under feet, that Antichrist may be revealed, yet to many thousands that be in ignorance, that the number of thine elect may be full, the body of thy saints made perfect, all tears wiped from our eyes, even then when thy son shall appear again the second time, to judge the quick and the dead, which time (O Lord) send quickly, according to thy good will, and teach us to pray with all thy Saints, Come Lord jesus, come quickly: grant this (O Father) for thy sons sake, in whose name we pray unto thee. And although we be but Earth and Ashes, yet are we bold to say unto thee, (the GOD of all glory) even as he hath taught us. Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. etc. A Prayer for the estate of the whole church. O Lord our God & heavenly Father, forasmuch as by thy holy word we are commanded in our prayprayers, not only to be mindful of ourselves, but also of all others thy children, yea, even of our enemies: we commend unto thy Majesty all thy whole true and Catholic Church, & every member thereof: that as it hath pleased thy goodness by the bright beams of thy holy word, to shine over the whole world, wherbi thou hast expelled, driven away, & caused to vanish, the dark & misty clouds of ignorance & superstition, so thou wouldest vouchsafe by thy holy spirit to touch the hearts of men, that they may joyfully embrace that, thine so high treasure sent amongst us, that through our unthankfulness we provoke not thy majesty in anger to take it from us. Crush, bruise, & destroy with the breath of thy mouth, the mighty power of that man of sin, which so proudly exalteth himself above all that is called God. Let not thy simple flock (dear father) in whose consciences he of long time hath, and yet doth sit as God, be any longer poisoned with his sweet enticing poisons: but so lighten their hearts that they may perceive his jugglings, and embrace the sweet & comfortable doctrine of life everlasting, revealed in thy glorious Gospel. And for as much as it hath pleased thee in mercy above all nations in the earth, to power down the sweet showers of thy heavenly Graces, upon this our English nation abundantly, in more plentiful wise watering the same with the gifts of the holy spirit, in promoting thy Gospel, & overthrowing Idolatri, we beseech thee continued thy favour toward the same, & utterly root out all remnants, relics, & Monuments of Idolatry, that thy glorious name may be throughly exalted, in sincere, pure, and holy worship. And as thou haste in mercy from amongst us in this thy Church, utterly banished all false, venomous and poisonful doctrine, wherewith the souls of thy Children heretofore have been wounded to death, and in place thereof, hast placed the true & comfortable doctrine of life everlasting, wherewith the souls of thy Children be fed and nourished to everlasting joy: so in like mercy & favour we beseech thee dear father, establish in the same thy church, a true, perfect, and sincere regiment thereof, according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word, all fantasies of man's brain, and Dreams of human policy utterly abolished: that thy glorious Majesty only may be exalted in the light of thy glorious gospel: and that thy Church flourish and increase, being through thy protection aided, supported, maintained and defended: we beseech thee by thy holy Spirit, guide and rule every part and member thereof, especially thy servant ELIZABETH our Queen, whom thy gracious favour and providence hath appointed a chief member in the same: under whose wings next unto thy protection it hath a chief succour and support. Grant unto her, O LORD, a pure and perfect zeal above all things to promote thy Glory: first and chief in labouring and endeavouring of herself earnestly, in wiping away and purging out of thy Church all blots and deformities, to reduce the same to a pure & sincere form of worship, agreeing to thy blessed word, utterly to move all stumbling blocks, which stay and hinder the course of thy gospel: give her in like manner O Lord, the spirit of wisdom, discretion, and government, that with equity and justice she may see this whole Realm, which thou hast committed to her charge, peaceably and quietly governed: that she may studiously labour, that as well through the whole realm virtue be exalted, and vice abandoned: as specially in her own house and Court, that all wicked vanities of this world, all licentious & inordinate life, all flattering and dissimulation being utterly banished, the fear of thy glorious Majesty may so reign in the hearts of all within her palace & Court, that their lives and conversation may be agreeable to thy blessed will, in sincerity and true holiness and integrity of life, that from them, as from the head, may shine puretye of life and conversation, as an example and pattern of true Godliness to the whole Realm. Preserve her, we beseech thee good Lord, from all conspiracies and treasons, that if it be thy good will, she may have a long & quiet reign over us, to the benefit of thy Church, & the advancement of thy glory. Endue the whole counsel, good lord with the true & perfect wisdom, that in all their consultations & counsels, having thee present before their eyes, thy may consult of those things, which principally and chiefly may be for the advancement of thy glory, & the commodity of thy church, and next for the quiet peace and gracious government of this realm. So lighten all inferior magistrates of this realm, good Lord, with the brightness of thy holy Spirit, that understanding thy will, they may zealously defend, maintain & further the course of the Gospel with the sword of justice, cut off the wicked, & cherish the godly. Defend and govern by the holy spirit, the Pastors of thy church, & labourers in thy vine yard, that they may zealously, earnestly and diligently feed thy flock committed unto them, with the food of life thy blessed word, wherewith their souls may be nourished to life everlasting. Increase the number of them, dear Father, place over every flock a godly, learned and painful Pastor, who may painfully and carefully travail, every one in his charge, to bring thy people (which now alas in most parts do wander and go astray like lost sheep) to the true knowledge of thee their lord & God, and of their dear Son Christ jesus their Saviour. And for thy mercy we beseech thee, to take pity upon thy poor & and simple flock, root out all ravening wolves, which have craftily crept into thy sheepfold and do make havoc of the souls of thy simple flock. Cast out all hirelings, time-servers, and dumb Dogs, which to fill their bellies only, have thrust themselves among the sheep, & do pitifully suffer the flock of Christ thy son, to be devoured and scattered of the wolf. Stir up, good Lord, & place in their rooms faithful shepherds, which diligently, painfully, carefully and earnestly may labour in thy vineyard, seek to win the souls of thy people, out of the tyranny and power of Satan, to the freedom of thy dear son Christ jesus our Lord. And that thy Church may be furnished with Godly learned pastors, we beseech thee prosper and increase in all Godly knowledge, all Schools of learning, especially the two universities, CAMBRIDGE and OXFORD: grant dear father unto all the students of the same, that the chief end of all their studies may be to the furtherance of thy Church, and maintenance of the common wealth. Bless their studies, dear Father, that all vain studies set a side, they may so fructify and profit in all profitable and godly sciences, that hereafter they may become profitable members in thy Church, and godly upholders of the common wealth. Grant, good Lord, to all the whole Commons of this realm, that their hearts being touched with a sincere fear and reverence of thy heavenly majesty, acknowledging thy mercy in placing over them a godly Princess, they may every one in their callings, walk in all true and humble obedience unto her, in thee & for thee, without resistance, tumults, insurrections, conspiracies, or rebellions: knowing that to resist the higher powers, is to rebel against thy majesty. Finally we beseech thy goodness, so guide and govern the hearts of all the whole realm of every degree, that every one in his calling, being by thy grace supported, may so occupy his Talon, that thy glory in all things may be advanced, thy Church enlarged, & this whole realm into sincere godliness virtuously reduced. Moreover we beseech the (O Lord our God) in mercy behold all those which suffer persecution for thy glorious words sake, whether it be imprisonment, death, or banishment, or whatsoever else: strengthen then them good Lord, that they having thee always before their eyes, and the glory laid up for them in the life to come, may continued constant in defending thy truth, with out fear of man or vain allurements of the world, that whether it come by life or death, they may glorify thy holy name in continuing in the truth to the end. Preserve in like manner we beseech thee, all others thy children, whom it hath pleased thee with any other kind of Cross to chasten for their amendment, whether by pestilence, famine, war, poverty, imprisonment, sickness or banishment, trouble of conscience, vexation of spirit, disquietness of mind, want of spiritual comfort, or what soever kind of affliction of body or minds, thou dost try them with: that by thy holy spirit being fully assured, that thou by this thy correction mindest to call them back to a feeling of their sin, and due consideration of their life and conversation, that they may patiently abide thy Fatherly trial, looking for aid, help and comfort from thee, when it seemeth most convenient to thy godly wisdom: and being by thy merciful hand once delivered, may acknowledge thy singular power and work, giving all laud and praise to thy glorious Name: and afterwards, all the days of their life, study to live before thee in sincerity and perfect holiness, even to their lives end. Amen. A PRAYER FOR all estates. O Lord God Father of light, with whom is no change, neither yet shadow of change, but haste established thine appointed counsels, which shall not be changed for ever: thou (O God) haste made among us this diversity of estates and degrees, according as every common wealth requireth, keep us all, we beseech thee, that we may walk obediently in our calling, and follow the steps that thou haste set before us, even from the highest to the lowest, let us accomplish that duty unto which thou hast appointed us, and with a faithful remembrance of thy promise made of old to our father ABRAHAM, that thou art his exceeding great reward, we may likewise depend on thy providence, and seek not any shameful ways to get our living, wandering from the righteousness of our vocation, into the manifold errors of sin and iniquity: look upon us (O Lord) and enrich us with thy grace, make us obedient to our inferiors, meek towards our enemies, faithful to our friends, true & just towards all men, that we may dwell steadfastly rooted in the hope of thine elect, until thou shalt make an end of all our labours: look upon our most Excellent Queen, and her honourable Counsel, and as thou haste called them to the highest room, so give unto them the greatest measures of grace, that they faithfully dispense the talents committed unto them: lead them with the good King DAVID into thy sanctuary, that they may see thy loving kindness which is better than life, and say with the Prophet: All flesh is grass, and the glory of man is as the flower of the field, and so consecrate themselves to do thy will, offer up their bodies to be holy, lively & reasonable sacrifices unto thee, that they may be Nurses and nurs-fathers' unto the Church: look also we beseech thee upon thy ministers whom thou haste appointed to the preaching of thy Gospel, make them (O God) faithful dispensers of thy mysteries, without respect of persons to do the work unto the which thou haste appointed them, that they may convert Sinners, and have their glory perfect in the day of christ: and knit us together in peace and love, that we may be full of compassion one towards an other, to rejoice with them that rejoice, and mourn with them that mourn, especially to instruct one an other in the ways of righteousness, that by our mutual help we may the better withstand our enemy, and dwell, safe in hope of thine elect, till our days shall be full, and we shall walk the ways of all the world, which time we beseech thee bring us happily unto, even for thy Son's sake we beseech thee, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, three persons and one God, be all honour and glory now and for evermore. Amen, Amen. A PRAYER FOR the Queen. O Gracious Lord, & most merciful Father, we acknowledge thee the Lord of lords, and the King of Kings, creating at the beginning, & ruling all things evermore in heaven & in earth, according to thy wonderful wisdom and power: and our selves to be thy poor servants, the work of thy hands, & the sheep of thy pasture, subjecteth to thy high majesty, and depending upon thy fatherly providence for all things. Nevertheless, seeing thou in thy wisdom annoyntest kings and Queens, appointing them to rule over thy people, to sit as lieutenants in thy seat, to minister justice, and most of all, as Fathers and Nurses to maintain and cherish thy Church: commanding us not only to obey and honour them, but moreover to pray for them, as watching over us for our good: we therefore beseech thee for thy great names sake, and for JESUS CHRIST'S sake, to show thy mercy to all Kings and Princes, that maintain thy glorious gospel: but especially we pray thee to bless our gracious Queen, in all spiritual blessings in Christ jesus, and in all temporal blessings, according to thy good pleasure, that in the great measures of thy effectual love, she may more and more find great increases of verttue, and wisdom, and strength in Christ jesus to the faithful & happy discharge of her duty: that her holiness, & joy, and zeal of thy house may be multiplied and everlasting. And, seeing it hath pleased thee of thy singular mercy, to give her this especial honour, first to suffer for thy glorious truth, and afterward miraculousli delivering her out of the hands of all Her enemies, and to set up a crown upon her head, and to make her the instrument to advance thy glory and gospel for which she suffered, and to bring it out of darkness into light, out of persecution into this great and long peace: as we give thee most hearty thanks for this singular benefit, so we beseech thee to make her & us evermore thank full for it, & in thy good pleasure still to preserve her, for the continuance of these blessings towards us, with all increase from time to time, to thy glory, the benefit of thy Church, and her infinite peace in Christ jesus, the Prince of peace. And furthermore we pray thee for her, & the estate, that such as be enemies of the Gospel, and her enemies also, for the defence thereof, may not despise the peace offered them to repentance, but that they may account thy long suffering, and her peaceable & unbloody government an occasion of salvation to their souls, and unfeigned love to the truth, & their merciful sovereign. Otherwise if they still remain disobedient to the truth, disobedient to her hihgnesse, and dangerous to the state, then (O God of our salvation) as thou hast discovered them, so discover them still, as thou hast prevented them, so prevent them still, and let their eyes wax weary with looking, & their hearts faint with waiting for the coming of that, which yet cometh not, neither let it come (O Lord) we beseech thee, but a blessed, and a long reign to her, and peace to ZION for evermore. Also (dear Father) so bless, so love, so in thy spirit sanctify and keep her, that she may in the spirit of counsel and fortitude, so rule that other Sister also, namely, this her common wealth, that they may flourish together, and grow up together as Palm trees, in beauty, and in strength, giving aid and help one to an other, that in the Church the glory of God may appear, as the sun in his brightness, and that the land may flow with milk & honey, and true peace abound therein, as in the triumphant reign of DEBORAH. These graces (O lord) are great, and we miserable sinners, unworthy of the least of them: therefore look not to us but to thyself, not to our iniquities but to thy great mercies, accepting the death and passion of thy son, as a full ransom for all our offences: throwing them into the bottom of the sea, & making his cross and resurrection effectual in us to all obedience and godliness, as becometh thy saints, that to all other thy good blessings towards our gracious sovereign, this may be added, that she governeth blessedly, over a blessed people, a people blassed of the Lord, and beloved of the Lord, and that thy graces may abound as the waters of the sea, in the Prince and in the people, in the Church and in the Common wealth, from day to day till the day of our translation into the kingdom, where justice inhabiteth, where we also shall inhabit and reign with thee, according to thy promise, for ever. Grant us these things (O merciful Father) for thy dear son our Lord jesus Christ his sake, in whose name we crave them at thy merciful hand, praying furthermore for them, as he hath taught us to pray. Our father which art in heaven. etc. A PRAYER TO be said in visiting of the sick. O Our good GOD, Lord & Father, the Creator and conserver of all things, the fountain of all goodness & benignity, like as (among other thine infinite benefits, which thou of thy great goodness and grace dost distribute ordinarily unto all men (thou givest them health of body, to the end that they should the better know thy great liberality, so that they might be the more ready to serve & glorify thee with the same: so contrariwise, when we have ill behaved ourselves in offending thy majesty, thou hast accustomed to admonish us, and call us unto thee by divers and sundry chastisements, through the which it hath pleased thy goodness, to subdue and tame our frail flesh, but especially by thy grievous plagues of sickness and diseases, using the same, as a mean, to awake & stir up the great dullness and negligence that is in us all, and advertising us of our evil life by such infirmities & dangers, especially when as they threaten the very death, which (as assured messengers of the same) are all to the flesh full of extreme anguish and torments, although they be notwithstanding to the spirit of the elect as medicines both good & wholesome. For by them thou dost move us to return unto thee for our salvation, and to call upon thee in our afflictions to have thine help, which art our dear and loving father. In consideration whereof we most earnestly pray unto thee our good God, that it would please thine infinite goodness to have pity on this thy poor creature whom thou hast, as it were, bound and tied to the bed by most grievous sickness, and brought to great extremity by the heaviness of thine hand. O Lord, enter not into a count with him, to render the reward due unto his works, but through thine infinite mercy remit all his faults, for the which thou hast chastised him so gently, and behold rather the obedience which thy dear Son jesus Christ our Lord hath rendered unto thee, to wit, the sacrifice which it hath pleased thee to accept as a full recompense for all the iniquities of them that receive him for their justice & sanctification, yea for their only saviour. Let it please thee, O GOD, to give him a true zeal and affection to receive and acknowledge him for his only redeemer: to the end also, that thou mayst receive this sick person to thy mercy, qualifying all the troubles, which his sins, the horror of death, and dreadful fear of the same may bring to his weak conscience: neither suffer thou, O Lord, the assaults of the mighty adversary to prevail, or to take from him the comfortable hope of salvation, which thou givest to thy dearly beloved children. And for as much as we are all subject to the like state & condition, and to be visited with like battle, when it shall please thee to call us unto the same: we beseech thee most humbly, O Lord, with this thy poor Creature, whom thou now presently chastisest, that thou wilt not extend thy rigorous judgement against him, but that thou wouldst vouchsafe to show him thy mercy for the love of thy dear son jesus Christ our Lord, who, having suffered the most shameful, and extreme death of the Cross, bore willingly the fault of this poor patient to the end that thou mightest acknowledge him, as one redeemed with his precious blood, and received into the communion of his body, to be participant of eternal felicity in the company of thy blessed Angels: wherefore, O Lord, dispose, & move his heart to recieu by thy grace with all meekness this gentle and fatherly correction, which thou hast laid upon him, that he may endure it patiently and with willing obedience, submitting himself with heart and mind to thy blessed will and favourable mercy, wherein thou now visitest him after this sort for his profit and salvation. It may please thy goodness, O Lord, to assist him in all his anguishes and troubles. And although the tongue and voice be not able to execute their office in this behalf to set forth thy glory, that yet at the least thou wilt stir up his heart to aspire unto thee only, which art the only fountain of goodness, & thou wilt root and settle in his heart the sweet promises which thou hast made unto us in Christ jesus thy son our Saviour, to the intent he may remain constant against all the assaults and tumult, which the enemy of our salvation may raise up to trouble his conscience. And seeing it hath pleased thee, that by the death of thy dear Son, life eternal should be communicated unto us: and by the shedding of his blood, the washing of our sins should be declared, and that by his resurredion also, both justice and immortality should be given us, it may please thee to apply this holy and wholesome medicine to this thy poor Creature in such extremity, taking from him all trembling & dreadful fear, & to give him a stout courage in the mids of all his present adversities. And for as much as all things, O heavenly father, be known unto thee, and thou canst according to thy good pleasure, minister unto him all such things as shall be necessary and expedient, let it please thee, O Lord, so to satisfy him by thy grace, as may seem most meet unto thy divine majesty Receive him, Lord, into thy protection: for he hath his recourse & access to thee alone, & make him constant and firm in thy commandments and promises, and also pardon all his sins both secret, and those which are manifest: by the which he hath most grievously provoked thy wrath & severe judgements against him, so as in place of death (the which both he and all we have justly merited) thou wilt grant unto him that blessed life, which we also attend & look for, by thy grace and mercy. Nevertheless, O heavenly Father, if thy good pleasure be that he shall yet live longer in this world, it may then please thee to augment in him thy graces, so as the same may serve unto thy glory: yea, Lord, to the intent he may conform himself the more diligently and with more carefulness, to the example of thy son Christ jesus: and that in renouncing himself he may cleave fully unto him, who, to give consolation and hope unto all sinners, to obtain remission of all their sins and offences, hath carried with him into the Heavens, the Thief which was crucified with him upon the cross. But if the time by thee appointed be come, that he shall departed from us unto thee, make him to feel in his conscience, O Lord, the fruit and strength of thy grace, that thereby he may have a new taste of thy Fatherly care, over him from the beginning of his life, unto the end of the same, for the love of thy dear son jesus Christ our Lord. Give him thy grace, that with a good heart, and full assurance of faith he may receive to his consolation so great & excellent a treasure, to wit, the remission of his sins in CHRIST JESUS thy Son, who now presenteth him to this poor person in distress, by the virtue of thy promises revealed unto him by thy word, which he hath exercised with us in thy Church and congregation, and also in using the sacraments, which thou hast established for confirmation of all their faith that trust in thee unfeignedly. Let true faith, O lord, be unto him as a most sure buckler thereby to avoid the assaults of death and more boldly walk for the advancement of eternal life, to the end that he having a most lively apprehension thereof, may rejoice with thee in the heavens eternally. Let him be under thy protection and governance, O heavenvly father, and although he be sick, yet canst thou heal him: he is cast down, but thou canst lift him up: he is sore troubled, but thou canst send redress: he is weak, thou canst send strength: he acknowledgeth his uncleanness, his spots, his filthiness & iniquities, but thou canst wash him, & make him clean: he is wounded, but thou canst minister most sovereign salves: he is fearful & trembling, but thou canst give him good courage and boldness. To be short, he is, as it were utterly lost, and as a strayed sheep, but thou canst call him home to thee again. Wherefore, O Lord, seeing that this poor creature (thine own workmanship) resigneth him wholly into thine hands, receive him into thy merciful protection. Also we poor miserable creatures, which are, as it were, in the field ready to fight till thou with draw us from the same, vouchsafe so to strengthen us by thine holy spirit, that we may obtain the victory in thy name, against our deadly and mortal enemy. And furthermore, that the affliction and combat of this thy poor creature in most grievous torments, may move us to humble ourselves with all reverent fear and trembling under thy mighty hand, knowing that we must appear before thy judgement seat, when it shall please thee to appoint. But O lord, the corruption of our frail nature is such that we are utterly destitute of any mean to appear before thee, except it pease the to make us such as thou thyself requirest us to be: & further, that thou give us the spirit of meekness and humility, to rest and stay wholly on those things which thou only commandest. But for as much as we be all together unworthy, to enjoy such benefits, we beseech thee to receive us in the name of thy dear Son our Lord, & master, in whose death & sanctification standeth wholly the hope of our salvation It may also please thee, O Father of comfort & consolation, to strengthen with thy grace, those which employ their travel and diligence to the aiding of this sick person, that they faint not by overmuch and continual labour, but rather to go hearty and cheerfully forward in doing their endeavours towards him: & if thou take him from them, them of thy goodness to comfort them so, as they may patiently bear such departing, and praise thy name in all things. Also, O heavenly father, vouchsafe to have pition all other sick persons, and such as be by any ways or means afflicted, & also on those who as yet are ignorant of thy truth, & appertain nevertheless unto thy kingdom. In like manner on those that suffer persecution, tormented in prisons, or otherwise troubled by the enemies of thy verity, for bearing Testimony to the same: finally, on all the necessities of thy people, and upon all the ruins or decays, which satan hath brought upon thy church. O father of mercy, spread forth thy goodness upon all those that be thine, that we forsaking ourselves, may be the more inflamed and confirmed to rest only upon thee alone. Grant these our requests, O our dear Father, for the love of thy dear son our Saviour jesus Christ, who liveth & reigneth with thee in unity of the holy Ghost, true God, for evermore, PRAYERS AND thanksgivings to be said before and after meat. A Prayer before meat. O Lord our God and heavenly Father, in thy beloved son jesus Christ, work in our hearts true repentance, with increase of a true and lively faith: make us thankful unto thy Majesty for all thy benefits which we continually do receive at thy merciful hand: Grant us the grace, that we may at this present with thankful hearts as from thy hands receive meat and drink for the sustenance of our bodies, with moderation use them to thy glory, and through thy blessing, receive by them perfect nourishment: & above all, we crave at thy hands, good Lord, the heavenly food of our souls, which never perisheth: that through thy gracious goodness, we may be nourished and strengthened both in soul and body to eternal life, through jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. A THANKSGIVING after meat. Eternal God, and merciful father, we yield unto thee most hearty thanks, for all thy benefits so plentifully bestowed upon us: especially that thou hast at this present, fed and nourished our mortal bodies with meat and drink: we beseech thee in like manner let our souls feel the sweet taste of thy heavenly food, that we being fed and nourished at thy hands, both in soul & body, may in this life walk as it becometh thy children, and in the life to come, be received to thine eternal kingdom of glory, through jesus Christ our Lord and saviour. Amen. A PRAYER BEfore meat. O Merciful and heavenly Father, who givest food to every living creature, and with out whom nothing can live, bless and sanctify our meats & drinks, which we are now about to receive, that they may turn to the nourishment of our bodies, whereunto thou hast appointed them: that we acknowledging thy gracious goodness in providing so liberally for our bodies, may with cheerful hearts be lifted up earnestly to long after the food of our souls whereby we may be fed eternally, through jesus Christ our saviour. Amen. A THANKSGIVING after meat. O Heavenly Father, for these thy benefits wherewith thou haste now sufficiently fed our bodies, we beseech thee make us thankful: & as we feel the sweetness of them pleasant to our bodies: so we beseech thee, good Lord, that the food of our souls, may be as pleasant & comfortable unto our souls, & that we may with as careful hearts, provide for the nourishment of our souls, as we are care full for the nourishment of our bodies, till it shall shall please thy majesty to bring us to the place where we shall never hunger nor thirst more, but live eternally, through Christ our Saviour. Amen. A PRAYER BEFORE meat. O Lord our God and heavenly Father, which haste provided meat and drink for the nourishment of our bodies, give us grace to use them reverently, as from thine hands with thankful hearts. And as we do greatly hunger and thirst for this food of our bodies, so we beseech thee good Lord, that our souls may earnestly hunger after the like food and nourishment, that with earnest minds we may seek to have our souls fed and refreshed eternally, through our only Lord and saviour jesus christ. So be it. A THANKSGIVING after meat. is thy providence, O Lord, in preserving all living creatures. Grant us grace we beseech thee that with thankful hearts we may acknowledge thy bountiful goodness, so liberally giving unto us all things needful: especially feedingus so plentifully at this present with thy manifold blessings, whereof a great many of our brethren are destitute, as in like manner we should be, if thou didst not deal more liberality with us: grant us therefore, gracious Lord, that we may be thankful for this thy goodness, and to be mindful of them, which have not such abundance to relieve them: that being all members of one body, we may at length reign with our head Christ, to whom be all honour and glory, world with out end. Amen. A GODLY PRAYER FOR the Morning. And may be sung to the tune of the third Psalm. O God which art my part & lot, my comfort & my stay: I have decreed and promised, thy law to keep always. Mine earnest heart did humbly sue, in presence of thy face: As thou therefore hast promised, Lord grant me of thy grace, My life I have examined, and tried my secret heart: Which to thy statutes caused me, my feet strait to convert. I did not stay nor linger long, as they that slothful are: But hastily thy laws to keep, I did myself prepare. The cruel hands of wicked men, have made of me their prey: Yet would I not thy law forget, not from thee go astray. Thy righteous judgement showed toward me, so great is and so high: That even at midnight will I rise, thy name to magnify. Companion am I to all them, which fear thee in their heart: And neither will for love not dread, from thy commandment start. Thy mercies (lord) most plenteously, do all the world fulfil: Oh teach me how I may obey, thy statutes and thy will. All laud and praise be to the Lord, Oh that of might art most: To God the father and the son, and to the holy ghost. As it in the beginning was, for ever heretofore: And is now at this present time, And shall be evermore. A GODLY PRAYER FOR the Evening. And may be sung to the tune of the third Psalm. ACcording to thy promise Lord, so hast thou with me dealt: For of thy grace in sundry sorts, have I thy servant felt. Teach me to judge always aright, and give me knowledge sure: For certainly believe I do, that thy precepts are pure. Yet thou didst touch me with thy rod I erred and went astray: But I will keep thy holy word, and make it all my stay. Thou art both good and gracious, and givest most liberally: Thy ordinauces how to keep, therefore (O Lord) teach me. The proud and wicked men have forged, against me many a lie: Yet thy commandments still observe, with all my heart will I. Their hearts are swollen with worldly wealth, as grease so are they fat: But in thy la do I delight, and nothing seek but that. Who so with reverence doth thee sear, to me let them retire: And such as do they couenats knew and them alone desire. My heart without all wavering, let on thy laws be bend: That no confusion come to me, wherein I should be shent. All laud and praise be to the Lord, Oh that of might art most: To God the father and the son, and to the holy ghost. As it in the beginning was, for ever heretofore: And is now at this present time, And shall be evermore. FINIS.