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:132p. lix

Forasmuch, O heavenly father, as both thy honour and dishonour after a certain manner dependeth in this world,¹ either of our godly or wicked life (if we live well, thy very adversaries ⟨image 75⟩shall be compelled to glorify thee, but if our• life be ungodly,² so shalt thou be dishonoured among the wicked & evil spoken of through our sinful living) and because we should not walk inordinately & so provoke the enemies of thy truth to rail on thee, and to blaspheme thy holy name, thou hast appointed in thy blessed law certain honest & godly states and degrees, wherein thy people should live, and haste straitly commanded that so many as profess thee and thy holy word, should continue in the same,³ every one according to his vocation and calling, and by no means lead a dissolute life after the manner of the heathen, which know not God, that by well doing• the professors of thy holy religion may not only stop the mouths of foolish,⁴ and ignorant people but also provoke them to glorify thee, our Lord in the day of visitation: ⟨p. lx⟩we knowing our infirmity & weakness, which is so great and unable to be remedied of our natural strengths and freewill,⁵ that we are not able to think a good thought,⁶ much less to fulfil thy commandments which thou haste straitly commanded to be kept and wishing y• glory of thy most glorious name and the accomplishment of thy heavenly will most humbly and from the very heart beseech thee for Jesus Christs sake to endue us, with thy holy spirit, which may fulfil that lacketh in us, make us new creatures, trade us in the paths of thy holy law, and give us grace to walk according to our vocation in thy fear, & in the obedience of thy godly will, that we attempt nothing that in any point may hinder thy glory, obscure thy honour, deface thy name & cause y• to be evil spoken of among the ungodly. ⟨image 76⟩And that this may come to pass, grant O most merciful father that every one of us even from the highest to the lowest, may unfeignedly answer to our calling, & train our life according to thy blessed will, unto the glory of thy name▪ that whatsoever we do in word,⁷ or deed, we may do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the God the father through him.

FOrasmuche, O heauenlye father, as bothe thy honoure and dishonoure after a certein maner dependeth in thys worlde,¹ eyther of oure godlye or wycked lyfe (if we lyue well, thy very aduersasaries ⟨image 75⟩shal be cōpelled to gloryfye the, but if our• life be vngodlye,² so shalt yu be dishonored amonge the wicked & euell spoken of thorowe our sinful liuing) and because we shuld not walke inordinatlye & so prouoke the enemies of thy truthe to rayle on the, and to blas•heme thy holye name, thou hast appoynted in thy blessed law certayne honest & godly states and d•grees, wherein thy people shoulde lyue, and haste streyghtelye commaunded that so manye as professe the and thy holye worde, shoulde continue in the same,³ eueri one accordyng to hys vocacion and calling, and by no means leade a dis•olute life after the maner of the heathē, which know not God, that by well doing• the professours of thy holie religiō may not only stop the mouthes of folish,⁴ and ignorant people but also prouoke them to glorify ye, our Lord in the day of visitacion: ⟨p. lx⟩we knowing our infirmiti & weaknes, whych is so great and vnable to be remedied of our natural strē gthes and frewill,⁵ that we are not able to thīk a good thought,⁶ much lesse to fulfil thy cōmaundements which thou haste straightlye commaunded to be kept and wyshing y• glory of thy most glorious name and the accomplishmēt of thy heauenly will most humbly and from the very heart besech the for Iesu Christes sake to endue vs, wyth thy holy spirit, which maye fulfyll that lacketh in vs, make vs newe creatures, trade vs in ye pathes of thy holye lawe, and geue vs grace to walke accordinge to our vocacion in thy feare, & in the obedience of thy godly wyll, that we attempt nothynge that in anye poynt may hīder thi glory, obscure thi honour, deface thy name & cause y to be euil spoken of among the vngodly.

1Math. v.
2Isaiah. iii. Ezec. xxxvi. Rom•. ii.Esay. iii. Ezec. xxxvi. Rom•. ii.
3i. Cor. vi. Ephe. iiii.
4[…]〈…〉
5ii. Cori. iii.
6Psalm. •xix
7Collos. iii.

:133p. lxii

Grant that all temporal rulers may use their office justly and godly, seek not only to be feared but also to beloved,¹ maintain the good, punish the evil, accept no person in judgement, allow no false accusation,² shed no innocent blood, hear the small so well as the great, receive no bribes, set forth thy glory advance thy holy word, promote thy faithful preachers, and in all their doings seek the profit of the comm•n weal, and ⟨p. lxi⟩so behave them selves that they may be found worthy officers in thy sight.³ Grant that the subjects may show all reverent submission to their rulers, obey them in all things, be faithful and true to them, yea and that not only for fear of punishment but also for conscience sake.⁴ Grant that the Bishops, the preachers of thy word & all other spiritual ministers may take heed to them selves and to all the flock,⁵ in the which the holy ghost hath appointed them overseers to feed thy holy congregation which thy dearly beloved son purchased with his blood,⁶ and take the oversight of them, not as though they were compelled, but willingly, not for the desire of filthy lucre, but of a good mind, not as lords, over the Parishes, but that they be an example unto the flock. Grant that they may lay aside ⟨image 77⟩all tyranny and haughtiness of mind▪ and walk with all gentle softness and tender compassion toward the sheep of Christ committed to thei• cure and charge. Let them be as most loving fathers to Christs flock, & if any of the sheep chance to run astray & to go out of the way let them not therefore ungently entreat them, but as it is the office of a good shepherd, by fair means call them home again unto y sheep folde, seeking rather their salvation then destruction.

:134p. lxii

Let them give attendance unto reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, let them study to show them selves in thy sight workmen worthy of praise even such as need not to be ashamed. As in preaching thy holy word,¹ so likewise in maintaining hospitality in distributing to the necessity of the saints, in feeding the hungry, in clothing the naked, in lodging the harbourless, in nourishing godly & learned men, make them diligent herdmen, that they may be pastors and feeders both in word & deed. Grant again, that the parishioners may reverence the bishops & other spiritual ministers,² ⟨image 78⟩giving them no less honour then the child giveth the father,³ remē bring that they be the angels of God, the messengers of Christ the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the dispensators of the mysteries of God, the feeders of their souls, the comforters of the weak the Physicians of the sick, the upholders of the whole, the exhorters unto virtue, the fraiers away from vice. &c. which watch continually for the health of their souls. Work in the hearts of all them that are instructed with the word, such a tender love and good will toward the Ministers that teach them,⁴ that they may give unto them abundantly all good things whereby the preachers may be the more able not only to nourish their family but also maintain hospitality for the relief & comfort of the pore. For who goeth a warfare any time at his own cost?⁵ who planteth ⟨p. lxiii⟩a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit? who fedeth a ••ocke, and eateth not of the milk. If the preachers sow unto their parishioners spiritual things, is it a great thing if they reap their carnal things?⁶ Thy ordinance is, o lord, that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Moreover grant that the husbands may love there wives as their own bodies,

:135p. lxiiii

Let the inward man of the heart be uncorrupt with a meek and quiet spirit, which before the (O God) is much feet by. For after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God tyre them selves▪ that were obedient to their own husbands, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, and called him Lord,¹ whose daughters ye married women are, so long as they do well. Grant that fathers may not rate their children,² lest they be of a desperate mind, but bring them up in the nurture & information of our Lord god.³ Grant also that the children obey their parents in all things, and honour them.⁴ Grant that all masters may do unto their servants that which is just & equal ⟨p. lxiiii⟩putty nge away threatenings, and know that they have also a master in heaven,⁵ with whom there is▪ no respect of persons. Grant again, that the servants be obedient unto their bodily masters in all things, with fear and trembling,⁶ in singleness of heart as unto Christ, not with eye service only in y• eyesight as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing thy will, O god, even from the hext with good will. Give them grace also to consider that they serve the Lord & not men and therefore they may be sure, that whatsoever good a man doth, he shall receive it again of the Lord whether he be bond or free. Further more grant,

:136p. lxiiii–lxv

The elder women likewise grant that they be in such raiment as ⟨image 80⟩becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much drinking, but teachers of honest things, to make the young women sober minded, to love their husbands to love their children, to be discrete, chaste, housewifely, good and obedient unto their own husbands that the word of God be not evil spoken of.¹ Grant also, that the young men be sober minded and of honest conversation. To conclude grant that every one that profess thy glorious name, may so live and behave him self both in thought, word and deed, that nothing may proceed & come from them that should offend thy divine and most excellent Majesty. Grant also (O most gentle and tender father) that our light may so shine before men, that they seeing our good works,² may glorify the our heavenly father, ⟨p. lxv⟩with thy well-beloved son Jesus Christ our saviour, and the holy ghost that most sweet comforter, to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The elder wemen likewise grant that they be in suche raymente as ⟨image 80⟩becommeth holynes, not false accusers, not geuen to much drynckyng, but teachers of honest thinges, to make the yong women sobre minded, to loue their husbāds to loue their childrē, to be discrete, chaste, housewifely, good and obediente vnto theyr owne husbands that the worde of God be not euyl spoken of.¹ Graunte also, that the yonge men be sobre minded and of honeste conuersacyon. To conclude graunte that euery one that professe thy gloryous name, maye so lyue and behaue him selfe both in thoughte, worde and dede, that nothing mai procede & come from them that shoulde offende thy deuyne and mooste excellent Maiesty. Graunt also (O mooste gentle and tender father) that our lyghte may so shine before men, that they seing our good workes,²

:137p. lxv

A prayer for our enemies.

A prayer for oure ennemyes.

:138p. lxv

The poisonful corruption of our nature, which we have sucked out of our first parents Adam and Eve, worketh so strongly in us, O Lord and so mightily striveth against the motions of thy holy spirit,¹ that we can not do that we would, nor accomplish that y• requirest of us. Thou hast commanded us to love, not only our friends, but also our very enemies to forgive them y• offend us to bless them that curse us,² to do good to them that hate us, to pray for them that do us wrong and persecute us, if our enemy hunger to feed him▪ if he thirst,³ to give him drink, but our corrupt ⟨image 81⟩nature,⁴ which ever striveth against thy blessed will, seeketh all means possible to be revenged, to requite tooth for tooth, and eye for eye, to render evil for evil, when vengeance is thine,⁵ and thou wilt reward and by this means we grievously offend thee and break the order of charity, & the bond of peace, which seeketh not to be revenged,⁶ but to forgive one another, even as Christ forgave us. It may p•ese the therefore (O most merciful Lord) of thy bountiful goodness to forgive our enemies, and not to lay to their charge those things, that they have unjustly committed against us, & so to slay in us our old corrupt and cankered nature, by taking away from us our stony heart, and by giving us a fleshy heart,⁷ that we through the operation of thy holy spirit may be content according ⟨p. lxvi⟩

:139img 82

A prayer for the adversaries of gods truth & that all men may come to the true knowledge of God's blessed word.

A prayer for the aduersaries of gods truth & that al men may come to the true knowledge of goddes blessed woord.

:140p. lxviii

IT is truly said of thine holy Apostle. O most merciful saviour, that the natural man perceiveth not the things that pertain unto the spirit of God.¹ For they are but foolishness unto him, neither can he perceive them, because they are spiritually examined. Thus to be true in the most part of men, specially in the wise and prudent of this world (from whom the heavenly father is wont too hide his heavenly mysteries,² and to show them to the humble, and lowly) daily experience ⟨p. lxvii⟩teacheth us. For while the wise worldlings seek praise one of another,³ they can not love the glory of god. While they cleave to their own fleshly wisdom they can not abide the wisdom of God, which is counted foolishness in their sight. While they go about to maintain old crooked costumes, superstitious ceremonies the trifling traditions of men, they cannot away with the light of thine heavenly truth. While they magnify them selves, shame to be taught, and by no means will confess their ignorance, and error but persuade them selves, that they are in the truth,⁴ when in deed they are under the father of lies, and that they walk in the light, when they are most of all wrapped about, yea & overwhelmed with the misty clouds of mens inventions, while also they abhor ⟨image 83⟩to hear the preachers of thy word, and judge whatsoever they speak, new, erroneous & false doctrine, it cometh to pas y• they hate, persecute, banish and condemn both thy blessed word and all the favourers thereof▪ thinking them selves to do the high service,⁵ when they •lea such as unfeignedly profess thy Gospel. And forasmuch as this hath conceived against thy holy word, and this cruelty against thy servants cometh from the wise of this world, the simple and ignorant people also for lack of knowledge yieldeth them selves unto the fancies of the wily worldlings and the dreams of the bellied Hypocrites, approving what they approve, condemning what they condemn, and believing what they believe. By this means is it come to pass, that the adversaries of thy blessed

:141p. lxviii–lxix

For many are called, but few are chosen,¹ so that the true lovers of thy word are few but the enemies thereof are many But O Lord this comforteth us well, that although the adversaries of thy truth be innumerable, and albeit the powers of this world stand up and come together hurly burly never so much against the Lord & his anointed,² and by no means will submit them selves to the yoke of thy blessed law, but seek all means possible to break it, and to caste it away ⟨image 84⟩from them, yet shall they not prevail, their imaginations their counsels and devises shall come to nought.³ For there is no wisdom▪ no forecast no counsel that can prevail against the Lord. Thou that dwellest in heaven,⁴ mockest their vain enterprises, and laughest both them and all their most subtle devises to scorn.⁵ For thou art that rock, against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail.⁶ Thou art that stone, upon whom whosoever falleth, he shall be crushed in peaces, but upon whom so ever it falleth, it shall grind him all to powder. Thou art that prick, against whom it is hard to spurn.⁷ Thou art that most victorious, and triumphant Lyon of the tribe of Judah, against whom no flesh can prevail. Thou art that Lord, which bringest to nought ⟨p. lxix⟩the counsels of the ungodly, and reprovest the thoughts of the people,⁸ yea thou makest of no force all the counsels, devises and imaginations of Princes, establishing thine own counsel,

:142p. lxix

so are they vain and of no force, and shall surely be brought to nought at the time of the to fore appointed (for every plant that thy heavenly father hath not planted,¹ shall be plucked up by the roots) it may please thee, ⟨image 85⟩which madest Saul of a wolf,² a lamb, of a persecutor a preacher, of a tyrant an Apostle to bring these adversaries of thy truth unto the knowledge of their error, that they may repent, believe and amend, O Lord they are thy creatures, & thou haste no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and live,³ have mercy on them▪ suffer them not to perish, make them of the vessels of wrath, the vessels of mercy, of the enemies of thy truth, lovers and embraces of thy truth. Take away from them their hard and stony heart, and give them a fleshy, soft, and gentle heart. Replenish them with thy holy spirit, and with the graces thereof, that as they are thy creatures with us, so they may be saved with us. For we are taught that thou hatest none of all those ⟨p. lxx⟩things that thou hast made, and that thou dissemblest the since of men for repentance sake,⁴ and art ready to have mercy on all men, that repent, believe, and amend.⁵ Again, seeing the no man can come unto the except thy father draweth him, we most heartily beseech thee,⁶ which alone art our only mediator and advocate, to pray unto thy heavenly father, that he may have mercy upon the enemies of thy word, turn away his wrath from them, lighten his loving countenance upon them,⁷ give them a good spirit, and make them thy true and unfeigned disciples, Grant also (O sweet Saviour) which willest all men to be saved,

:143img 86

So shall it come to pass, that they which now are not thy people, shall be thy people and they which now abhor and deface the glory of thy word, shall be the valiant promoters and defenders of the same and all such as heretofore have walked through ignorance in all kind of superstition and ungodliness, shall from henceforth walk in the glorious light of thy Gospel, praise thee, and magnify thee, obey thee, and serve the in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life,¹ unto the glory of thy blessed name. Amen.

So shal it come to passe, that they whych now are not thy people, shall be thy people and they which now abhorre and deface the glorye of thy woorde, shall bee the valeaunte promoutours and defenders of the same and all suche as heretofore haue walked thorow ignoraunce in all kynde of supersticion and vngodlynesse, shall from hencefourthe walke in the gloryous light of thi Gospel, prayse the, and magnyfye the, obey the, and serue the in holynes and ryghteousnesse all the days of theyr lyfe,¹ vnto the glory of thy blessed name. Amen.

1Luke. i.

:144p. lxxi

A prayer for an uniform and perfect agreement in matters of Christen religion.

A prayer for an vniforme and perfect agremente in matters of Christen religion.

:145p. lxxi–lxxii

IN thy last and most sweet sermon, which thou madest a little before thy passion (o Christ thou son of the living God) thou gavest thy peace unto thy disciples,¹ and willedst them diligently to keep and maintain the same among them unto the •nd. This peace is the quietness of con science, the rest of the mind, and the perfect consent and whole agreement among the faithful in matters of thy holy religion. In the prayer also made unto thy heavenly father thou desirest,² that as thou and thy father are one, so thy disciples may be one, that is to say knit together in one mind, in one judgment, in one meaning concerning matters of Christen faith,³ that they may all speak one thing, preach and writ one ⟨image 87⟩thing, and by no means dissent one from another. This peace, this unity, this perfect consent in faith and religion is almost banished from among us in these our days,⁴ while every man laboureth to establish the inventions and dreams of his own heart, while every man sweateth to imagine a new kind of religion and to maintain the same, while every man seeketh to worship thee, not after the rule of thy blessed word, but after his own fleshly fancy and idle imagination. Thy holy Apostle, O Lord, could not abide, that there should be sects among the Corinthians, nor that one should hold of Apollo,⁵ another of Paul, the third of Cephas, but that they only should embrace thee, which alone by thy blessed passion broughtest unto them everlasting life, forasmuch ⟨p. lxxii⟩as thou and none other were crucified for them. If that thy blessed Apostle had lived in this our time, oh Lord how heavily would he have taken the sects that are now among the children of men, sprung out of hell and thrust in by Satan, yea and that is most to be lamented, among them that profess thy holy name. Instead of Apollo, Paul, and Cephas, we have Benet, Bernard, Francis, Augustine,

:146p. lxxii

besides the disordered orders of the Camaldulenses, the Cistertienses, the Basilyenses, the Hieronimites, the Tertiaris, the servants of saint Mary, the Lazarytes, the Magdalenytes, the Whylhelmites, the Ambrosians, ⟨image 88⟩the Specularis, the Chalomerians, the Johannites, the Celestines, the brothers of purgatory, the brothers of the holy cross, the brothers of the vale of Josophat, the Carmelites, the Carthusians, the Hierosolimites, the Indians the Ninevites, the Constantinopolitans with an innumerable rabble of Hypocrites more, papists, Heretics, Schismatics, Anabaptists, Sacramentaries Libertines, & such other dunghills of Satan, which to much wretchedly have divided, rent & torn in pieces the quiet unity and friendly concord of thy holy religion, while they have imagined and taken upon them new sects, and new orders, and by thee trifling observances of them, seek justification, remission of since, and everlasting life, forsaking thee, which art the fountain ⟨p. lxxiii⟩of lively water, & digging them miry and dirty puddles that are able to hold no water.¹ O Lord, as this division nourisheth continual discord and enmity among the professors of thy name: so do they that unfeignedly cleave to thy blessed word, sorrowfully lament, that thy glory, thy truth, thy word, thy passion, thy blood, thy death, is through these idolatrous imaginations defaced, obscured, and almost utterly quenched, in so much that if thou haddest not reserved unto the a remnant,² which have not bowed their knees to Baal, we all had ben as Sodom, and might justly have been likened to Gomorrah. O blessed Lord, let very pity move the to have compassion upon thy poor troubled flock. Let the zeal of thy glory provoke the to tread under thy foot all these ⟨image 89⟩Sectaries, and Antichrists, that thou alone mayest be known among all nations to be the only true and living God. Ah most gentle saviour,³ there is but one lord one faith one baptism, one God, one father▪ one master, one body, one spirit, one hope, one truth, one gospel how unseemly then is it for us that profess this unity to be divided in religion one to be of this order, another to be of that, one to maintain this doctrine, another the contrary.

:147p. lxxv

Destroy therefore, O lord, this work of Satan, even the bringing in of these damnable sects, & diversities of opinions, and restore unto us that most sweet and comfortable unity of thy holy and pure religion, that as we profess one God one baptism,¹ so we may maintain one truth, & one religion. Thou callest thy self a jealous ⟨p. lxxiiii⟩God, and a Lord that wilt not give thy glory to another, suffer then thy honour and glory,² thy praise and worship no longer to be given unto creatures. Thou art that God of peace which haste promised to tread Satan the sower of discord under our feet shortly.³ Fulfil thy promise, O Lord, for it is time, seeing that not only the wily Hypocrites,⁴ those p•inted sepulchres outwardly appearing beautiful, and full of holiness, but inwardly full of dead bones, and of all filthiness, of ravening and wickedness, of bribri & excess, take part against thy holy word, maintaining false opinions against thy heavenly doctrine, but also many of the temporal rulers & wise worldlings agree unto them, defending with great violence both the beastly hypocrites, & all their devilish traditions, crooked ceremonies, ⟨image 90⟩false religions, although manifestly contrary to the truth of thy blessed law. Notwithstanding remember thy old mercies, and for the glory of thy name, be favourably unto them, give them grace to repent and to know the truth,⁵ that they may escape out of the snares of the devil, and become the children of liberty and everlasting salvation. Gather together all such as are dispersed, & make of them with us one flock. Call home again them that are run astray after strange gods,⁶ that they may glorify the alone. Deliver thy people out of Egypt that land of servitude and bondage, and bring them into the land that floweth with milk and honey. Let the babbling Babylonians keep thy servants no longer in captivity but restore them home again unto that Jerusalem,

Graūt that al tēporal rulers maye vse theyr offyce iustelye and godly, seke not only to be feared but also to beloued,¹ maintaine the good, punysh the euill, accepte no person in iudgement, allow no fals accusacion,² sheede no innocēt bloud, heare the smal so wel as the greate, receyue no bribes, set forth thy glory auaunce thy holy worde, promote thy faythfull preachers, and in all theyr doynges seeke the profyte of the comm•n weale, and ⟨p. lxi⟩so behaue them selfs that thei mai be founde worthy offycers in thy syght.³ Graunte that the subiectes may shewe all reuerent submission to theyr rulers, obey theym in all thynges, bee faythful and true to them, yea and that not onlye for feare of punyshmente but also for conscyence sake.⁴ Graunt that the Byshoppes, the preachers of thy word & al other spiritual ministers may take hede to them selfes and to al the flock,⁵ in the which the holy gost hath appointed them ouerseers to fede thy holy congregaciō which thy dereli beloued sōne purchased with hys bloude,⁶ and take the ouersight of thē, not as though they were compelled, but wyllinglye, not for the desyre of fylthy lucre, but of a good mind, not as lordes, ouer the Paryshes, but that they be an example vnto the flock. Graunte that they maye lay asyde ⟨image 77⟩al tiranny and hautines of mind▪ and walke with al gentel softnes and tēder compassion toward the shepe of Christ committed to thei• cure and charge. Let theim be as moost louinge fathers to Christes flocke, & if any of the shepe chance to run astrai & to go out of the wai let them not therfore vngētly entreate them, but as it is the offyce of a good shepherd, by fayr means cal thē home againe vnto y• shepe folde•, sekyng rather theyr saluacion then destrucciō.⁷ Let them remember the history of y• lost shepe, & cōsider how tēderly the hedshepperd Christ thy sōne and our Lord fetched it home againe euen vpon his shoulders.⁸ For the seruaunt of the Lorde maye not fighte, but be peaceable & gentel toward all, and redy to tech, sufferīg the euil wyth meknes, enforming thē that re•ist if at any time thou, O God maiest ⟨p. lxii⟩geue them repentaunce to knowe the truth.⁹ Let them cast away vngodly old wiuish fables, teachinge thy heauenly word purely & truly, & be vnto thē that beleue an example in the word, in conuersaciō, in loue, in spirit, in faith, in purenes.

Let them geue attendaunce vnto reading, to exhortaciō, to doctrine, let thē studi to shew thē selfs in thi sight workmē worthi of praise euē suche as nede not to be ashamed. As in prechinge thy holy worde,¹ so likewise in mainteining hospitaliti in distributing to the necessiti of the saints, in feding the hungri, in clothing the naked, in lodging the harbourles, in nourishing godly & learned men, make them diligent heardemen, that they maye be pastores and feders bothe in worde & deede. Graunte agayne, that the parishners may reuerence the byshops & other spirituall ministers,² ⟨image 78⟩geuing them no lesse honour then the childe geueth the father,³ remē bring that they be the aungels of God, the messengers of Christ the lyghte of the world, the salt of the earth, the dispēsatours of ye misteryes of God, the feaders of theyr soules, the cōfortours of the weke the Phisicions of the sicke, the vpholders of the whole, ye exhorters vnto vertue, the fraiers away frō vice. &c. which watch continuallye for ye health of their soules. Worke in the hertes of al them that ar instructed with the word, such a tender loue and good wil toward the Ministers yt teche thē,⁴ yt they may giue vnto them abūdantly al good things wherby the preachers may be the more able not onli to norish their familibut also maintain hospitality for the reliefe & comfort of the pore. For who goth a warfar any time at his own cost?⁵ who planteth ⟨p. lxiii⟩a vineyarde and eateth not of the fruit? who fedeth a ••ocke, and eateth not of the milke. Yf ye preachers sowe vnto their parishners spiritual thīgs, is it a great thyng if thei reape their carnal thinges?⁶ Thy ordynance is, o lord, that thei which preach the gospel shuld liue of ye gospel. Moreouer grant that the husbāds mai loue there wiues as their owne bodies,⁷ & not be bitter,⁸ churlish or vnkynd vnto them but geue honor vnto them, as vnto the weker vessels, and as vnto them that are felowe heyres wyth th•m of the grace of life. Likewise graūt that the wiues be in subiection to theyr owne husbandes as vnto the Lorde in al thinges,⁹ and so behaue them selfs as becōmeth womenne of an honest and godly conuersacyon. Gyue them grace to aray them selfes in comelye apparell, with shamefastenesse and ⟨image 79⟩discrete behaueour, not with broided here, or gold, or perle, or costlye arai▪ but with such as it becōmeth women that profes godlines thorow good works.

THe poisōful corrupciō of our nature, whiche we haue sucked out of our fyrst parentes Adam and Eue, worketh so strōgly in vs, O Lord and so myghtely striueth againste the mocyons of thy holy spirit,¹ that we can not do that we wold, nor accomplysh that y• requirest of vs. Thou hast cōmaunded vs to loue, not onlye our frends, but also our very enemyes to forgeue them y• offēd vs to blesse thē that cursse vs,² to do good to them that hate vs, to prai for theim that do vs wronge and persecute vs, if oure enemy honger to feede him▪ if he thyrste,³ to geue him drinke, but our corrupt ⟨image 81⟩nature,⁴ which euer striueth agaīst thy blessed wyl, seketh al meanes possible to be reuēged, to requite toothe for toothe, and eye for eye, to render euyl for euyl, when vē gaunce is thyne,⁵ and thou wylte reward and by thys meanes we greuously offende the and breke the order of charity, & the bond of peace, which seketh not to be reuē ged,⁶ but to forgeue one another, euen as Christ forgaue vs. It mai p•ese the therfore (O most merciful Lord) of thy bountyful goodnes to forgiue our enemyes, and not to laye to their charge those thynges, that they haue vniustly committed against vs, & so to sle in vs oure old corrupte and cankard nature, by takyng away frō vs oure stonye hearte, and by geuynge vs a fleshye heart,⁷ that we thorow the opperacyon of thy holye spirite maye bee contente according ⟨p. lxvi⟩to thy blessed wyl & commaūdement,⁸ and after the exāple of thy son Iesu Christ our Lord, & of that blessed martyr. S. Stephan, frely, and euen frō the veri hert to forgeue our ennemyes, to speake wel of them, to loue them, and to do for thē what so euer lyeth in oure power, & by this meanes vnfainedli shew our selfs to be thy sōnes,⁹ which causest ye sun to aryse on the euyl, & on ye good, and sendest the rain on the rightous & on the vnrightous, geuīg vs example, that we, if we wyl be thy true sonnes, shuld do likwise & shew our selfes beneficial, not only to the good and godlye, but also to the wicked and vngodli, yt by thys meanes we may allure euen the very aduersaryes of thy truth to speake wel of the professours of thy blessed name, and to glorify the oure heauenly father, ⟨image 82⟩which fashionest vs according to thy maners thorow the myghtye workinge of thy holye spirite, to whō with the, and thy onli begotten sonne, be al glori and honour AMEN.

IT is trulye sayde of thyne holy Apostle. O mooste mercifull sauiour, that the naturall manne perceyueth not the thynges that parteyne vnto the spirite of God.¹ For they are but folishenes vnto hym, neyther canne hee perceyue them, because they are spiritually examined. Thus to be true in the most part of men, specially in the wyse and prudent of thys worlde (from whom the heauenly father is wonte too hyde hys heauenlye mysteries,² and to shewe them to the humble, and lowely) dayly experience ⟨p. lxvii⟩teacheth vs. For whyle the wyse worldlinges seke praise one of another,³ they can not loue the glory of god. While they cleue to theyr owne fleshelye wisdome they cā not abide the wisdome of God, which is counted folishnes in their sighte. Whyle they go about to mayntain olde croked costumes, supersticious ceremonis the trifling tradiciōs of mē, they cannot away wyth the lyghte of thyne heauēly truth. While thei magnify them selfs, shame to be taught, and bi no menes wil confesse theyr ignorance, and errour but perswade thē selfs, that they are in the truthe,⁴ whan in deede they are vnder the father of lyes, and that they walke in the lyght, when they are moost of all wrapped about, yea & ouerwhealmed wyth the mystye clouds of mens inuencyons, whyle also they abhorre ⟨image 83⟩to heare the prechers of thy word, and iudge whatsoeuer thei speak, new, erroneous & fals doctrine, it cometh to pas y• thei hate, persecute, banysh and cōdempne both thy blessed worde and al the fauourers therof▪ thynckyng thē selfs to do the high seruice,⁵ when thei •lea suche as vnfainedly professe thy Gospel. And forasmuch as thys hath conceyued agaynste thy holye word, and thys cruelty againste thy seruantes commeth from the wyse of thys worlde, the symple and ignoraunt people also for lack of knowledge yeldeth them selfs vnto the fancys of the wily worldlings and the dreams of the bellyed Hypocrites, approuing what they approue, condemning what they condempne, and beleuynge what they beleue. By thys meanes is it come to passe, that ye aduersaries of thy blessed ⟨p. lxviii⟩word are wonderful mani in nū ber, and very few are they which syncerelye, purelye, and euē with the heart embrace and folow thy heauenlye doctryne. No maruel:⁶ For lytell is thy flocke. O Lorde, to whō it hath pleased thy father to geue the kingdome of heauen, and although many be made, yet fewe shalbe saued.

so are they vaine and of no force, and shall surelye be broughte to noughte at the tyme of the to fore appoyncted (for euerye plante that thy heauenlye father hathe not planted,¹ shall be plucked vp by the rootes) it maye please the, ⟨image 85⟩which madest Saule of a wolfe,² a lambe, of a persecutoure a preacher, of a tyraunte an Apostle to brīg these aduersaris of thi truth vnto the knoweledge of theyr erroure, that they maye repente, beleue and amende, O Lorde they are thy creatures, & thou haste no pleasure in the deathe of a sinner but rather that he shoulde turne and liue,³ haue merci on them▪ suffer them not to perish, make them of the vesselles of wrathe, the vessels of merci, of the enemis of thi truth, louers and imbraces of thy truth. Take away from thē their harde and stony hearte, and geue theym a fteshye, softe, and gentle hearte. Replenysh them with thy holye spirite, and with the graces thereof, that as they are thy creatures wyth vs, so they maye be saued wyth vs. For we are taughte that thou hateste none of al those ⟨p. lxx⟩thinges that thou hast made, and that thou dissemblest the synnes of menne for repentaunce sake,⁴ and art readye to haue mercye on all menne, that repente, beleue, and amende.⁵ Agayn, seyng ye nomanne can come vnto the except thy father draweth hym, we most heartelye beseche the,⁶ whyche alone arte oure onelye medyatour and aduocate, to praye vnto thy heauenlye father, that he maye haue mercye vpon the ennemies of thy worde, tourne awaye hys wrathe from them, lyghten hys louynge countenance vpō them,⁷ geue thē a good spirite, and make them thy true and vnfayned dysciples, Graunt also (O swete Sauyoure) which willeste all men to be saued,⁸ and to come to the knoledge of the truthe, that all suche as walke in ignorance, blyndnes and erroure for lacke of doctryne ⟨image 86⟩maye haue faythfull Preachers sente vnto them, whyche maye instructe them wyth thy heauenlye word, brynge them out of darckenes into lyght, delyuer them frō the bondage of mans tradicions and place them in the swete lybertye of the spirite.

IN thy laste and mooste sweete sermon, whyche thou madest a litle before thy passion (o Christ thou sonne of the lyuynge God) thou gaueste thy peace vnto thy disciples,¹ and willedst them diligently to kepe and maintain the same among them vnto the •nd. This peace is the quietnes of cō science, the reast of the mind, and the perfect consent and whole agrement among the faithfull in matters of thy holy religion. In the praier also made vnto thy heuēly father thou desirest,² that as thou and thy father ar one, so thy disciples mai be one, that is to sai knytte together in one mynde, in one iudgmente, in one meaning concernyng matters of Christen faythe,³ that they maye all speake one thynge, preach and wryt one ⟨image 87⟩thyng, and by no meanes dissent one frome another. Thys peace, thys vnyty, thys perfect consent in faith and religion is almost banyshed from amonge vs in these oure dayes,⁴ whyle euery manne laboureth to establysh the inuencyons and dreames of hys owne hert, whyle euery man sweateth to imagine a newe kinde of religion and to maintaine the same, whyle euery man seketh to worshyp the, not after the rule of thy blessed worde, but after his own fleshlye fansy and idle imaginacyon. Thy holy Apostle, O Lord, coulde not abyde, that ther shuld be sectes amonge the Corinthyans, nor that one should holde of Apollo,⁵ another of Paule, the thyrd of Cephas, but that thei only shuld embrace the, which alone by thy blessed passion broughtest vnto theim euerlastinge lyfe, forasmuche ⟨p. lxxii⟩as thou and none other were crucified for them. If yt thy blessed Apostle had liued in thys oure tyme, oh Lorde howe heuelye wolde he haue taken the sects that are now among the chyldrē of menne, spronge out of hel and thrust in by Satan, yea and that is moost to be lamented, among them that professe thi holy name. Insteade of Apollo, Paule, and Cephas, we haue Benette, Barnarde, Fraunces, Augustine,⁶ Anthonye, Dominycke, Rufus, Honofrius, Iacob, Ioseph, Gylbert, Gregorye, Brygyde, Clare, Helene, Sophye, Pope, Cardynall. &c.

besydes the dysordered orders of the Camaldulenses, the Cistertienses, the Basilyenses, ye Hieronimites, the Tertiaris, the seruauntes of sayncte Mary, the Lazarytes, the Magdalenytes, the Whylhelmites, the Ambrosians, ⟨image 88⟩the Specularis, the Chalomerians, the Iohannites, ye Scelistines, the brothers of purgatorye, the brothers of the holy cros, the brothers of the vale of Iosophat, the Carmelites, the Chartusians, the Hierosolimites, the Indians the Niniu•ts, the Constātinopolitans with an innumerable rable of Hypocrites mo, papistes, Heretikes, Scismatikes, Anabaptistes, Sacramentaries Libertines, & such other dongehylles of Satan, whych to much wretchedly haue deuided, rent & torne in peces the quiet vniti and frendelye concorde of thi holy religion, while thei haue imagined and taken vpon them new sects, and newe orders, and by thee tryfelinge obseruances of them, seeke iustificacion, remission of synnes, and euerlastynge lyfe, forsaking the, which art the foū taine ⟨p. lxxiii⟩of liuely water, & digginge them myrye and durtye puddles that are able to hold no water.¹ O Lord, as thys deuysion norisheth continuall discorde and enmity a mōg the professours of thi name: so do they that vnfaynedly cleue to thy blessed word, sorowfully lament, that thy glorye, thy truthe, thy worde, thy passion, thy bloud, thy deathe, is thorow these idolatrous imaginacions defaced, obscured, and almoost vtterly quenched, in so much that if thou haddest not reserued vnto the a remnaunte,² whyche haue not bowed their knees to Baal, we al hadde ben as Sodom, and might iustly haue bene lykened to Gomorre. O blessed Lorde, lette very pytye moue the to haue compassion vpon thy poore troubled flocke. Let the zeale of thy glory prouoke the to treade vnder thy foote al these ⟨image 89⟩Sectaries, and Antichrists, that thou alone mayest be knowen amonge all nacions to be the onlie true and lyuynge God. Ah moste gentle sauioure,³ there is but one lord one faith one baptisme, one God, one father▪ one maister, one bodye, one spirit•, one hope, one truth, one gospel▪ how vnsemelie thē is it for vs yt professe this vnitye to be deuid•d in religion▪ one to be of thys order, another to be of yt, one to mainetayne thys doctrine, another the contrarie.

Destroy therfore, O lord, this worke of Satan, euen the bryngyng in of these damnable sects, & diuersities of opinions, and restore vnto vs that moost sweete and comfortable vnytye of thy holye and pure religion, that as we professe one God one baptysme,¹ so wee may maintain one truth, & one religion. Thou callest thy selfe a gelous ⟨p. lxxiiii⟩God, and a Lord that wylte not geue thi glory to another, suffer then thy honoure and glorie,² thy praise and worship no longer to be geuē vnto creatures. Thou art that God of peace which haste promysed to treade Sathan the sower of discorde vnder our fete shortelye.³ Fulfill thy promise, O Lord, for it is time, seing that not onlye the wilie Hipocrites,⁴ those p•inted sepulchres outwardli appearing beutifull, and ful of holynes, but inwardlie ful of dead bones, and of al filthinesse, of rauening and wickednesse, of bribri & excesse, take part against thi holye word, maintaining false opiniōs agaynst thy heauēly doctrin, but also many of the tēporal rulers & wise worldlīgs agre vnto thē, defending wt great violēce both the beastly hipocrites, & al their deuelish tradiciōs, croked ceremonis, ⟨image 90⟩false religiōs, although manifestlye contrarye to the truthe of thy blessed lawe. Notwythstandinge remember thy olde mercyes, and for the glorye of thy name, be fauourablye vnto them, gyue them grace to repent and to know the truth,⁵ that they maye escape out of the snares of the deuill, and become the children of libertye and euerlasting saluacion. Gather together al such as are dispersed, & make of them with vs one flock. Cal home agayne theym that are runne astray after strang gods,⁶ that they may gloryfye the alone. Deliuer thy people out of Egypte that lande of seruitude and bondage, and bring thē into the land that floweth wyth mylke and honye. Lette the babling Babilonians kepe thy seruauntes no longer in captiuity but restore theim home agayne vnto that Ierusalem, ⟨p. lxxv⟩wher thy holy name is called vpon, thanked and praysed, wher thy heauenly doctrine is purelye taughte, where thy blessed sacramentes are truelye and faithfully ministred, where the works of Christen charitie are continually exercysed, that wyth one mouthe and one herte we may praise and glorify thy blessed name.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

[The flour of godly prayers] [most worthy to be used in these our days…[The flour of godly praiers] [most worthy to be vsed in these our daies…