The True Catholic, Tract · Prayers 1
Certaine Prayers, fit for euerie true Catholique dayly to vſe, both for himſelfe and his family, taken out of the ſcriptures, Granatenſis, and others.
Matt. 7, 7.Aske, and it ſhal be giuen you: ſeeke and ye ſhall find: knocke and it ſhall be opened vntounto you.
Luk. 18.1.And he ſpake a parable vntounto them, to the end that they ought alwayes to pray, and not to waxe faint, and not to giuegive ouer: ſaying, There was a iudge, &c.
Reioyce euermore. Pray continually: & in all things giuegive thanks. For this is the will of God in Ieſus Chriſt towards you:1. Theſſ. 5.16.17. Ioh. 16.24.24. Epheſ. 5.20. Col. 3.17. Iames 4.2. that is, theſe are the things that God would hauehave you doe: theſe are the things that hee delightes in: ſo that they bee done in the name of Ieſus Chriſt.
Ye hauehave not: becauſe ye aske not.
A Thankſgiuing vntounto Ieſus Chriſt for the benefites he hath beſtowed on vsus, taken out of Granatenſis, which may be called the true Catholikes Graces.
Gen. 1.26.I GiueGive thée heartie thankes (moſt ſwéete Ieſu) for that thou haſt created me according to thine owne image and likeneſſe; Pſal. 104.30. & 139.15.for this bodie which thou haſt giuen me with all the ſenſes thereof; & for this my ſoule, with all the powers of it, that with them I might both knowe thée,Col. 3.5. and louelove thee. GiueGive me grace, O Lord, ſo to ſerue thée my creator and heauenly Father, that all my ſinfull paſſions & vaine affections being mortified & killed in me, 1. Cor. 3.17.thy image maie be renued in me againe, vntounto the which I was created, and that I may be made like thee in the innocencie of life.
Pſal. 22.10.I thanke thée, O my ſwéete Sauiour, for the benefite of my preſeruation: for euen thou the ſame, who haſt created me, doeſt euer preſerue and kéepe me in this eſſence and being, which thou haſt giuen me. Moreouer I giuegive thée moſt humble thankes, becauſe alſo for this ſame preſeruation of mine, thou haſt created all things whatſoeuer are in the world,Pſal 115.16. 1. Cor. 3.22. as the heauen, the earth, the ſea, the ſunne, the moone, the ſtarres, beaſtes, fiſhes, birds, trees, and in a word, all creatures els: whereof thou haſt made ſome to ſuſtaine and féede me, ſome to heale me, ſome to refreſh and delight me, ſome to teach me, and other ſome to correct me: I beſéech thée, O Lord, giuegive me grace that I may ſo vſe all theſe in this world, as I ought to do, and according to that right vſe, whereunto thou haſt made them, that is,Rom. 1.20. that I may by thē come vntounto the knowledge of thée my onlie true God and Lord, and that by them there may be ſtirred vp and kinled in my heart an admiration and wonderfull louelove of thy holy name.
O Lord Ieſu,1. Pet. 1.19. I thanke ſhée for the benefit of my redemption, that is, for that incomprehenſible goodneſſe, and for that exceeding great merciemercy which thou haſt ſhewed towards me.
Alſo for that moſt feruent louelove,Phil. 2.7. wherewith thou haſt redéemed me, deſcending downe into the earth, that thou mighteſt lift me vp to heauen; being made man,Rom. 15.7 that thou mighteſt make me God; and ſuffering moſt cruell death, that I might hauehave true life.Ioh. 14.6. Luke 2.7.21. Matth. 1.14. & 4.2. Luke 6.12. & 9, 58. I thanke thée for the humilitie of thy incarnation, for the pouertie of thy birth, for the bloud of thy circumciſion, for thy flight into Egypt, for thy faſting in the wildernes, for thy watching all night in prayer: & laſtly, for the pouertie, humilitie and miſerie of all thy whole moſt holy life. I giuegive thée thanks for the labours, paines, reproches, mockes,Luk. 22 64.23 33.22.44.54.64. Matth. 26.67. Matt. 26.21. Luk. 22.64, Ioh 19.2. Mark. 15.32.26. Ioh. 20.25.19.24.30. Mat. 11.35.16, 17. Act. 12.28. and taunts, which thou enduredſt for me, in thy moſt ſorrowfull and ſhamefull death. I thanke thée for thy prayer in the garden, for thy bloudie ſweat, for thy attachment, for thy buffettings, for thy ſpittings vponupon, for thy ſlaunders, for thy ſtripes, for thy crowne of thornes, for thy purple robe, for thy railings vponupon, for the gall & vineger thou drankeſt: for the nailes, for ye ſpeare for the croſſe, and for thy death, which for me and my ſaluation thou enduredſt. I giuegive thee thanks, O ſwéete Ieſu, that euen from my cradle thou haſt receiued me into the lap and boſome of thy Church, that thou haſt inſtructed and taught me in the Catholike faith, that thou haſt made me a Chriſtian, and that thou haſt ſuſtained and preſerued me both in bodie and ſoule, euen till now: I deſire thy gratious goodneſſe; graunt me thy grace, that thou onlie maiſt be the moſt pleaſant and ſweete meat of my heart,Ioh. 6.27. Ioh. 7.37. and that my ſoule may alwaies thirſt for thée, the verie fountaine of the water of life, that when the courſe of this my pilgrimage is ended, I may then reioyce in thy moſt bleſſed happineſſe and felicitie,2. Tim. 4.7. Pſal. 17.15. Reu. 22.1. and taſte of that plentifull and euerflowing floud of delights, which comes from the well of life, and of all good things els.
I giuegive thée thanks, moſt louing Ieſu, who haſt deliuered me from manie and verie great perils and daungers, both of ſoule and bodie,Pſal. 68.20. euen vntounto this preſent day, without all my forecaſt or wiſedome, when as I in the meane time, was worthie to be neglected and reiected of thée.
I giuegive thée thankes, that when as I lay ſnorting, and as it were buried in the filthineſſe of my ſinnes, that thou haſt waited for my repentance ſo long,Rom. 12.11.2.4. and with ſuch great patience, notwithſtanding that I hauehave offended thee ſo often, and hauehave reſiſted thy holy inſpirations.Act. 7.51. Graunt vntounto me, O Lord, that hereafter I may follow thée with an humble affection, and that with all readineſſe and obedience I may obey and embrace thy heauenlie inſpirations and good motions,Pſal. 119.122. and that I may driue out of my heart the louelove of all viſible things,1. Ioh. 2.15. that ſo being wholie occupied and employed in thy ſeruice, I may neuer be ſeparated from thée hereafter.
I giuegive thée hartie thankes, O Lord, that (beſides all theſe benefites thou haſt done and … vponupon me) thou haſt inſtituted and ordained ſuch moſt excellent and wonderfull ſacraments for my ſaluation,1. Cor. 11.25. Epheſ. 4.5. and for a remedy to cure and heale my wounds, & that thou haſt viſited me with ſo manie good & holie thoughts, and inſpirations. Alſo for the bleſſedneſſe of eternall glorie,Pſal. 40.5. which thou haſt prepared for me, if I make not my ſelfe vnworthie thereof, through my manifolde ſinnes and wickedneſſe.2 Pet. 2.22. Theſe, O Lord, are but thy common benefites, which I hauehave remembred. There are manie other, which I neither remember nor knowe; for the which I giuegive thée no leſſe thanks, then for theſe I hauehave now reckoned vp: yea ſo much the greater thanks I giuegive thée for them, as the greatnes of thy goodneſſe appeares in them more manifeſtlie. For at what time I ſlept, thou didſt wake to defend me from a thouſand dangers,Pſal. 121.4. and euen as it were to loade me with many graces: for all which (as it is méete that I ſhould craue pardon at thy hands,Pſal. 19.12. not only for the forgiueneſſe of theſe ſins which I know, but alſo of thoſe which I know not) ſo it is méete that I ſhould in like ſort giuegive thee as great and bounden thankes as poſſiblie I can, not onlie for the benefites I know, but alſo for thoſe I know not.
And therefore I worſhip thee, I praiſe thee, I giuegive thanks to thee, in them, and for them all. GiueGive me grace, O my Redéemer, that I may ſo learne to vſe all theſe thy benefits hereafter,Mat. 25.24. that they be not occaſions of pride and ſlouthfulneſſe in me, but of greater humilitie and thankfulneſſe, and that they may kindle in me a greater deſire and zeale of thy ſeruice. To thee therefore, who liueſt and raigneſt with the Father and the holy Ghoſt, be all honor and glorie both now and for euer and euer. Amen.
A Forme of Morning Prayer taken out of Granatenſis, for Chriſtian families.
O Lord God of Iſrael, which dwelleſt betweene the Cherubins,2. King. 19.15. thou art the verie God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth: thou haſt made heauen and earth, thou haſt made winter and ſommer,Pſal 74.16. Gen. 1.1. the day is thine, and the night alſo is thine. O Lord God our moſt bountifull, moſt mercifull, and moſt louing Father, wee moſt wretched ſinners, here gathered together in thy moſt holie name, humblie proſtrate our ſelues before thy throne of merciemercy, crauing pardon and forgiuenes for al our ſins. And although we be vnworthie through our manifolde iniquities,Luke 18.13. to preſent our ſelues before thy glorious Maieſtie, much leſſe to offer to thée any oblation of praiſe, & thākſgiuing, conſidering our owne baſeneſſe & demerits: yet we know that thou art a Lord moſt bountifull, a God moſt merciful, a Father moſt louing, and a ſauior moſt ſwéet & comfortable,Luk. 15.20. whoſe propertie is euer to ſaue and hauehave merciemercy on the humble, ſorowfull, & penitent perſons, that come to thee in the name of thy beloued ſon Ieſus Chriſt. We confeſſe, O Lord, our wretchedneſſe:Pſal. 32.5. wee acknowledge, O Father, our vnworthineſſe, wee are hartilie ſorie for our ſinnes, we moſt humbly craue pardon for them, euen for Ieſus Chriſts ſake:Eſay 59.2. we know that our ſinnes ſtand before vsus as great huge heaps, like walles of iron, and gates of braſſe, which hinder our petitions, ſo that they cannot come before thee:Eſa. 1.18. we do account our ſinnes as red as ſcarlet in thy ſight; wee feele our burthen is ſo heauie and intolerable, that we are not able to beare it:Pſal. 40.12. we ſée in our ſelues to be no frée ſpot from the crowne of the heade to the ſole of the foote, but all is ſpotted and corrupted with ſores and vlcers:Eſa. 1.6. whoſe great vengeance (which they worthily deſerued) would hauehave fallen vponupon vsus long agoe,Lam. 3.22. but that it was ſtayed and kept backe by thy mercifull hand. Wee giuegive thee, O moſt gratious God and louing Father, humble and heartie thankes for this thy fatherlie louelove in the name of thy dearely beloued Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, beſéeching thee for his ſake to continue this thy louelove and mercy towards vsus all the daies of our liues.
Pſal. 84.9.O moſt louing Father, looke not vponupon vsus, but looke vponupon the face of this thy annointed Ieſus Chriſt, and for his ſake hauehave merciemercy vponupon vsus: Remoue, O Lord, our ſinnes as farre from vsus as the Eaſt is from the Weſt:Pſal. 103.12. that they bee neither hinderances to let thy merciemercy for falling on vsus; or our prayers,Pſal. 51.7. for comming vp into thy ſight. Purge vsus with Iſop, dipped, not in the bloud of the lambe, but in the bloud of thy Son Ieſus Chriſt, and we ſhall be as white as ſnowe. O good Lord, ſprinckle not only the vppermoſt poſte,Exod. 12.7. Rom. 10.9. and the two ſide poſtes of the doores of our houſes, but the whole houſes of our hearts and ſoules, with that moſt precious bloud, with the Iſop of thy Goſpell now preached: and wée doe beleeue verily that the deſtroyer ſhall paſſe ouer vsus, he ſhall in no wiſe hurt vsus. Eaſe, we beſéech thée, O ſwéete Sauiour, our burthens, as thou haſt promiſed:Matt. 11.28. who calleſt all to thée, that are heauie loaden and burthened. We confeſſe, O Sauiour, euerie one of vsus, that we carie on our backes the greateſt burthens that euer were borne.1. Tim. 1.25. Heb. 13.20. Rom. 8.33. Epheſ. 5.16, And graunt to vsus, we beſéech thee, O mercifull Father, that by the bloud of the euerlaſting teſtament ſprinkled in our harts by a liuely faith, all the inditements and accuſations of Satan againſt vsus maie be quite blotted out, and all his fir is darts quenched. Make this couenant with vsus, O ſweete Sauiour, that ſo long as we ſerue thée, that thou wilt be our God,1. Sam. 2.30 Pſal. 119 32. our guide, and protectour. And graunt vsus euer therefore thy grace, that we may be able to do thée ſeruice, and willing minds to do it with chéerefulneſſe.2. Cor. 5.25.
And becauſe, O Lord,Epheſ. 1.6. the whole courſe and end of our life ſhould be no other thing, but to delight to do thy will and pleaſure,Pſal. 5.3. giuegive vsus grace to begin to praiſe and ſerue thée the firſt thing we do in the morning, and let vsus account and make it the principall ground-worke of all other, whereon we ſhould laie all other buſineſſes and affaires whatſoeuer.
And that we may do it more effectuallie, giuegive vsus the holie Ghoſt the ſeale of our ſaluation,2. Cor. 1.22. to ſeale and ſhut vp the doores of our hearts and minds, from all earthly thoughts and worldly cogitations. And cloſe, O good Lord,Ier. 9.21. the windowes of al our ſenſes, frō the vaine appetites of the world, the concupiſcence of the fleſh, and the baites of the diuell, firſt of all in the morning when we awake: ſo that all theſe being excluded and ſhut out of doores, our hearts and minds may be open onlie to thee, and to receiue and admit thy Son our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt into them, before all things elſe.1. Theſſ. 2.13. Reu. 14.4. That ſo wee may offer vntounto thee the firſtlings of this day, and of all the dayes of our liues.
And here we giuegive thee, deare Father,Pſal. 137.2. moſt humble and heartie thankes for the quiet reſt and ſwéete ſléepe, that thou haſt giuen vsus this night; and for that thou haſt deliuered vsus from all vaine dreames, and fooliſh fantaſies, and from all the ſubtill ſnares, and illuſions of our enemy the diuell,Pſal. 91.3. and for all other the benefits of our creation, our redemption,1. Cor. 1.30 our election, our iuſtification, our ſanctification, that thou haſt called vsus vntounto the knowledge of thy truth, and faith in thée,Rom. 8.30. that thou haſt poured into vsus good inſpirations, and good thoughts, that thou haſt deliuered vsus from that euill one,Matt. 6.13. and preſerued vsus from all perils and dangers, from ſodaine death, burning with fire, robbing with théeues, and ſuch like caſualties,Iob. 1 19 Luk. 13.4. wherewith manie are ſodainlie taken in the night vnawares: that thou haſt with ſuch greate patience and merciemercy ſtaied thy wrath ſo long frō vsus,Rom. 2, 4. & giuen vsus ſo large a time of repentance & amendment or life. For theſe and all other thy benefites, which thou haſt beſtowed vponupon vsus, from the firſt day of our birth vntill now,Pſal. 105.2. which are mo in number then the haires of our heads: we giuegive thee, as we are moſt bound (O moſt mercifull Father) in the name of thy Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, continual and moſt humble and heartie thanks.
And we offer vntounto thee, O Lord, all that we go about to do or ſuffer to be done,Pſal. 37.5. all our labours, all our ſtudies, all our exerciſes; in a word, all that we are to doe, or wherein we ſhall bee employed or occupied this daie. And we beſéech thée poure downe thy bleſſing vponupon them, and proſper and giuegive good ſucceſſe vntounto them.Pſal. 90.17. & 118.25.
To thee alſo we offer euē our ſelues, our ſoules and bodies, with all ours,Pſal. 150.6. that both we and all things els maie ſhewe thy praiſes, ſet forth thy honour, and declare thy glorie. Into thy hands we commit all our affaires, ſo that thou maieſt do and worke in all things, and diſpoſe of all things whatſoeuer, as ſhall pleaſe thy moſt holy and ſacred will, euen as though they were thine owne buſineſſes and affaires, and none of ours. Moreouer,Matt. 26.39. for as much as of our ſelues we are not able to doe thee anie ſeruice, giuegive vsus (O Lord) thy grace, that we maie be ſo ſtrengthened therwith,Ephe. 3.16. that we may think, ſaie, or do nothing, which is not agréeable to thy moſt bleſſed will. O Lord, make our wils alwaies agrée with thy wil.Pſal. 19.14. 1. Cor. 3.5. And we moſt humblie beſéech thée euer to aſſiſt vsus with thy grace, and to giuegive vsus power and ſtrength againſt all kind of ſinnes, eſpeciallie againſt thoſe, whereunto we are inclined of our owne natures, as pride, couetouſneſſe, enuie, maliciouſneſſe, gluttonie, vncleanneſſe, vaine glorie, idle words, & ſuch like; ſo that through the power of thy might,Epheſ. 6.10. we maie get victorie againſt theſe and all ſinnes whatſoeuer.
Furthermore, for as much as man is borne to labour and trauell, as the birds to flie, and thou haſt ordained him the day to labour in,Iob. 5.7. Pſal. 104.25. thou wouldſt not hauehave him liue idly, or ſpend his time vainlie, endue vsus all (O Lord) with thy grace, that wee maie euerie one labour and ſtudie to ſerue thée faithfullie in our callings.Ephe. 4.1 2. Teſſ. 1.11. And that labouring for the bodie, and ſuſtentation of this preſent life, we maie yet caſt awaie the great blindneſſe of our minds, and carefulneſſe of worldly thinges, and maie alwaies labour without all care ioyfully,Matt. 6.33. 1. Pet. 5.7. euen as the birds flie, putting our whole truſt in thée, being moſt aſſuredlie perſwaded that thou careſt for vsus: and therfore, O good Father, giuegive vsus grace to caſt all our worldly cares vponupon thée. And giuegive vsus alwaies onlie this care, that we maie put our whole ſtudie and care in kéeping of thy commandements. O good Lord,2. Pet. 1.5. Iam. 1.23. make vsus not only hearers, but doers of thy word. O Lord, let vsus not hauehave only a ſhew of thy religion, but let the force and power thereof ſhine in our liues and conuerſations,2. Tim. 3.5. Matt. 18.7. that we be not offences and ſtumbling blockes, but lights and good examples to others. And that wee may dayly do this,Matt. 5.16. O good Lord, as it hath pleaſed thée to make the Sunne to ſhine vponupon the earth, to giuegive our bodies light; ſo we moſt humbly beſéech thée, inlighten our mindes and hearts by thy holy Spirit,2. Pet 1.19. that we may bee euermore directed in the way of righteouſneſſe.Pſal. 90.2. And as this day addeth ſomwhat to our age, ſo let thy holy ſpirit adde therein ſomewhat to our knowledge and faith, that ſo growing in the meaſure of thy grace daily,Epheſ. 4 15. Luk. 1.71. till we come to our perfection which is in Chriſt Ieſus, we maie ſerue thée in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, not onlie this daie, but all the dayes of our life. Graunt vsus theſe our petitions, deare Father, and all other neceſſarie graces for vsus and thy whole Church, for thy deare Sonne Ieſus Chriſt his ſake, our moſt bleſſed Sauiour; to whom with thee and the holie Ghoſt, be all honour and glory now and for euer. Amen. Amen.
A Forme of Euening Prayer for Chriſtian Families.
O Almightie God, our heauenlie Father,Pſal. 47.7. & 73.24. & 139.1. which art the great king ouer all the world, which gouerneſt and preſerueſt all things, which ſearcheſt vsus out, & knoweſt vsus, which knoweſt our ſitting downe, and our vpriſing, and vnderſtandeſt our thoughts long before; which art about our path, and about our bed, and ſpieſt out al our waies: We thanke thée through our onelyonly Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, for bleſſing vsus this daie paſt, in all the ſtudies, buſineſſes, and affaires, that we hauehave gone about. We confeſſe what ſoeuer we hauehave brought well to paſſe, to hauehave beene thy great mercies towards vsus.Pſal. 108.13. Wée thanke thée for ſauing vsus from all dangers of bodie and ſoule: we confeſſe, our life, our ſtrength, all the good things we hauehave,Iam. 1.17. wholie and onlie to depend of thée. And now as the day which thou haſt made for labour, is paſt, and the night is come,Gen. 1.25. which thou haſt in like manner created for the refreſhing of our wearie bodies and minds; graunt vsus therefore, ſo to take our bodilie reſt therein, that our ſoules maie continuallie watch for thée, and our heartes be lifted vp to louelove thée.Cant. 5.2. Grant that our ſléepe be not exceſſiue, but onelie ſufficient to comfort our weake natures. GiueGive euerie one of vsus (good Lord) we beſeech thée thy grace,Pro. 6.9. that before we ſuffer our eies to ſléepe, or our eie lids to ſlumber, or the temples of our heads to take anie reſt, to examine our conſciences, and to iudge our ſelues, and to call to remembrance all our actions, that wée hauehave done this daie, whether all our thoughts, words, and works, hauehave béene agréeable to thy holie will and commandements,Pſal. 145.2. or no. And if we hauehave done anie thing well, to giuegive thée in the name of Ieſus Chriſt, heartie and humble thanks for it:Matt. 6.12. and if we hauehave omitted anie good worke, which we might hauehave done, to condemne our negligence, ſlacknes, and wearineſſe in thy ſeruice, and to craue thy grace, that we maie be more zealous hereafter in all good works.1. Theſſ. 4.1 2. Pet. 3.8. And if wee hauehave done anie thing amiſſe, to be heartilie ſorie for it.
Pſal. 25.7.And now (O Father) we moſt humblie beſéech thée to pardon and forgiue vsus all the ſinnes and frailties of our youth, all the offences of this daie, and of our whole life, which we hauehave committed againſt thy diuine Maieſtie. And giuegive vsus grace to amend our former liues,2. Cor. 5.17. and to become newe creatures. And we now humblie beſéech thee, that as the night darkeneth and ſhadoweth all things; ſo that thou wouldeſt for thy deare Son Ieſus Chriſts ſake, couer all theſe our ſinnes, remouing them quite from thy ſight,Pſal. 32.1. Micah. 7.19. & aſſure our conſciences of thy frée pardon and forgiueneſſe of them all, that as our bodies ſhall hauehave the reſt of ſléep: ſo alſo our mindes euer through hope of thy merciemercy maie enioy the reſt of a quiet conſcience.Eſa. 57.19.20. And ſo being wholie refreſhed, we maie awake and riſe vp to thy ſeruice, the next day and all the daies of our liues.
Graunt that wee laying our bodies downe in bed to take our naturall ſléepe, maie be thereby put in mind of that our long ſléepe of death, and that as we do now laie downe our bodies in bed:1. Theſ. 4.13 ſo we maie thereby be admoniſhed that hereafter we ſhall be laid in our graue to be conſumed to duſt and earth,Gen. 18.2.7 from whence we were firſt taken: and giuegive vsus grace to conſider the ſtreight and narrowe roome, the hard and colde lodging, the low and vnpleaſant ſituation of that our parlor, and home, and the loathſome faſhion, vglie ſhape,Eccleſ. 7.40. and horrible ſauour our bodies then ſhall hauehave, that we hauing theſe before our eies, maie bee ſtirred vp in our minds to be humble and not to paſſe for the pompe, ſtate,Epheſ. 5.15. 1. Pet. 1.17. pleaſures and vanities of this world, but to walke warilie in this our pilgrimage, not knowing when the time ſhall be of our departure.
And (O good Lord) giuegive vsus victorie againſt death,2. Cor. 5.1. Phil. 1.23. ſo that when death it ſelfe ſhall come, we be not diſmaied or diſcouraged at it: …om the which it is as eaſie for thée to raiſe vsus,Ioh. 11.43. as from our bodilie ſléepe: but yt we maie euer reſt in hope of that moſt ioifull reſurrection, wherein our bodies ſhall awake,Phil. 3.20. Reu. 21.23. Pſal. 119.62. into that euerlaſting daie, which neuer ſhall hauehave anie night. And as often as we ſhall awake in the night (O Lord) giuegive vsus grace to praiſe thée for thy benefits. O Lord, ſhake off all fleſhly drowſineſſe in vsus, and giuegive vsus grace,Epheſ. 6.18. Col. 4.4. euen to watch in prayer, as thou haſt commanded vsus.
And (O good Lord) neuer forget vsus: Guide vsus with ſhine eye all the dayes of our liues. In the houre of death helpe vsus,Iam. 2.13 Iud. ep. ver. 21. Pſal. 39.5. Pſal. 99.12. Rom. 12.11 Epheſ. 5.16. and in the day of iudgement be mercifull vntounto vsus. We knowe (O Lord) our life is but ſhort, not a ſpanne long: O giuegive vsus grace to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts vntounto wiſedome, to redéeme the time, to omit no opportunitie or occaſion of doing good. Oh Lord vnleſſe thou giuegive vsus thy grace; how manie opportunities of doing good will ouerſlip vsus?
And grant vsus now thy grace we beſéech thée, that although our ſenſes be bound this night with the chaines of naturall ſléepe, yet our mindes maie watch continuallie,Luke 16.37. 1. Theſſ. 5.6. and looke for the comming of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, that whether he come at midnight, or at the cockcrowing,Marke. 13.35. or in the dawning of the daie, he maie alwaies find vsus waking, readie, and prepared with our lampes of a pure faith,Matt. 25 8. clearely burning in our hands, through the light of good works, that we maie be wiſe and not fooliſh virgins,Luke 12.35. and that the loines of our minds maie be girded vp; and that as good ſeruants, that ſtand with their torches in their hands, ſtill waiting when their maiſter will returne from the mariage, we maie be commended and praiſed of him when he commeth. O Lord giuegive vsus all grace ſo to lead our liues, as at that daie we maie heare that comfortable ſentence ſpoken vntounto vsus:Matt. 25.34. Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit yee the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world. And that there we maie raigne with thée in perpetuall ioie together with all thy ſaints, and elect children, in that moſt bleſſed citie,Reu. 21.23. the heauenly Ieruſalem, where ſhall bee no néede of candle, neither of the Sunne, nor of the Moone to lighten it: for the glorie of the Lord ſhall lighten it, and the Lambe is the light of it: where our workes ſhall bee nothing els then with all the heauenlie multitude continually to ſing praiſe, and to laud the glorious Maieſtie of thée, O Lord God, and heauenlie Father through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt in the holy Ghoſt. VntoUnto the which moſt glorious kingdome, wee beſéech thée to bring vsus, euen for Ieſus Chriſts ſake, our onelyonly Sauiour and redéemer: to whom with thee and the holy Ghoſt, one God immortall, inuiſible, and onelyonly wiſe, be all praiſe, ſaluation, power and glory now and for euer more. Amen, Amen.