fully revile thee. Look upon thy poor wretch's cause, and rid me out of these daily grievances; then shall I with a upright' heart and pleasant countenance extol and magnify thy holy name. Amen.

A prayer for patience in trouble.

How hast thou, O Lord, humbled and plucked me down! I dare now unnethes3 make my prayers unto thee, for thou art angry with me, but not without my deserving. Certainly I have sinned, Lord, I confess it, I will not deny it. But, O my God, pardon my trespasses, release my debts, render now thy grace again unto me, stop my wounds, for I am all4 to plagued and beaten: yet, Lord, this notwithstanding I abide patiently, and give mine attendance on thee, continually waiting for relief at thy hand, and that not without skill; for I have received a token of thy favour and grace towards me, I mean thy word of promise concerning Christ, who for me was offered on the cross for a ransom, a sacrifice and price for my sins wherefore, according to that thy promise, defend me, Lord, by thy right hand, and give a gracious ear to my requests, for all man's stays are but vain. Beat down therefore mine enemies thine own self with thy power, which art mine only aider and protector, O Lord God Almighty. Amen.

A prayer to be said at night going to bed.

O MERCIFUL Lord God, heavenly Father, whether we sleep or wake, live or die, we are always thine. Wherefore I beseech thee heartily, that thou wilt vouchsafe to take care and charge of me, and not to suffer me to perish in the works of darkness, but to kindle the light of thy countenance in my heart, that thy godly knowledge may daily increase in me, through a right and pure faith, and that I may always be found to walk and live after thy will and pleasure, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

¶ 2A prayer to be said at the hour of death.

O LORD Jesu, which art the only health of all men living, and the everlasting life of them which die in faith: I wretched sinner give and submit my self wholly unto thy most blessed

['a right up, 1552.]

[3 Unnethes: scarcely, hardly.]

[In the Primer of 1545.] [All to: completely.]

will. And I being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed unto thy mercy, willingly now I leave this frail and wicked flesh, in hope of the resurrection, which in better wise shall restore it to me again. I beseech thee, most merciful Lord Jesus Christ, that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soul against all temptations, and that thou wilt cover and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against all the assaults of the devil. I see and knowledge, that there is in myself no help of salvation, but all my confidence, hope, and trust, is in thy most merciful goodness. I have no merits, nor good works, which I may allege before thee. Of sins and evil works (alas!) I see a great heap; but through thy mercy, I trust to be in the number of them, to whom thou wilt not impute their sins, but take and accept me for righteous and just, and to be the inheritor of everlasting life. Thou, merciful Lord, wert born for my sake, thou didst suffer both hunger and thirst for my sake, thou didst preach and teach, thou didst pray and fast for my sake, thou didst all good works and deeds for my sake, thou sufferedst most grievous pains and torments for my sake; and finally, thou gavest thy most precious body to die, and thy blood to be shed on the cross for my sake. Now, most merciful Saviour, let all these things profit me, which thou freely hast given me, that hast given thy self for me. Let thy blood cleanse and wash away the spots and foulness of my sins. Let thy righteousness hide and cover my unrighteousness. Let the merits of thy passion and blood be the satisfaction for my sins. Give me, Lord, thy grace, that my faith and salvation in thy blood waver not in me, but ever be firm and constant, that the hope of thy mercy and life everlasting never decay in me, that charity wax not cold in me: finally, that the weakness of my flesh be not overcome with the fear of death. Grant me, merciful Saviour, that when death hath shut up the eyes of my body, yet that the eyes of my soul may still behold and look upon thee: that when death hath taken away the use of my tongue and speech, yet that my heart may cry and say unto thee, In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum; that is to say, O Lord, into thy hands I give and commit my soul. Domine Jesu, accipe spiritum meum. Lord Jesu, receive my soul unto thee. Amen.

[LITURG. QU. ELIZ.]

17

258

Prayers'.

A form of prayer to be used in private houses every morning and

evening.

Morning prayer.

ALMIGHTY God and most merciful Father, we do not present our selves here before thy majesty, trusting in our own merits and worthiness, but in thy manifold mercies, which hast promised to hear our prayers, and grant our requests, which we shall make to thee in the name of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord: who hath also commanded us to assemble our selves together in his name with full assurance that he will not only be among us, but also be our mediator and advocate towards thy majesty, that we may obtain all things which shall seem expedient to thy blessed will for our necessities therefore we beseech thee, most merciful Father, to turn thy loving countenance towards us, and impute not unto us our manifold sins and offences, whereby we justly deserve thy wrath and sharp punishment, but rather receive us to thy mercy for Jesus Christ's sake, accepting his death and passion as a just recompence for all our offences, in whom only thou art pleased, and through whom thou canst not be offended with us. And seeing that of thy great mercies we have quietly passed this night, grant, O heavenly 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 ensample to all men, who, seeing our good works, may glorify thee our heavenly Father. And forasmuch as of thy mere favour and love thou hast not only created us to thine own similitude and likeness, but also hast 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 and knowledge, and to lighten our hearts with thy holy Spirit, that we may in the mean time live in godly conversation and integrity of life, knowing that idolaters, adulterers, covetous men, con

[These Prayers were taken from the end of an edition of Sternhold and Hopkins's Psalms by John Day, 1566, in the Library of the Rev. T. Lathbury, Bath.]

tentious persons, drunkards, gluttons, and such like, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

And because thou hast commanded us to pray one for another, we do not only make request (O Lord) for our selves, and them that thou hast already called to the true understanding of thy heavenly will; but for all people and nations of the world, who as they know by thy wonderful works, that thou art God over all, so they may be instructed by thy holy Spirit, to believe in thee their only Saviour and Redeemer. But forasmuch as they cannot believe except they hear, nor cannot hear but by preaching: and none can preach except they be sent: Therefore (O Lord) raise up faithful distributors of thy mysteries, who, setting apart all worldly respects, may both in their life and doctrine only seek thy glory. Contrarily confound Sathan, Antichrist, with all hirelings, whom thou hast already cast off 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 and dangerous times, wherein ignorance hath gotten the upper hand, and Sathan by his ministers seek by all means to quench the light of thy Gospel; we beseech thee to maintain thy cause against those ravening wolves, and strengthen all thy servants, whom they keep in prison and 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 a hindrance to thy mercies, but with speed (O Lord) consider these great miseries. For thy people Israel many times by their sins provoked thine anger, and thou punishedst them by thy just judgment; yet though their sins were never so grievous, if they once returned from their iniquity, thou receivedst them to mercy. therefore, most wretched sinners, bewail our manifold sins, and earnestly repent us for our former wickedness and ungodly behaviour towards thee; and whereas we cannot of our selves purchase thy pardon, yet we humbly beseech thee for Jesus Christ's sake, to shew 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. &c.

We

A prayer to be said before meals.

ALL things depend upon thy providence (O Lord) to receive at thy hands due sustenance in time convenient. Thou givest to them and they gather it; thou openest thy hand, and they are satisfied with all good things: O heavenly Father, which art the fountain and full treasure of all goodness, we beseech thee to shew thy mercies upon us thy children, and sanctify these gifts which we receive of thy merciful liberality grant us grace to use them soberly and purely according to thy blessed will, so that hereby we may acknowledge thee to be the author and giver of all good things, and above all, that we may remember continually to seek the spiritual food of thy word, wherewith our souls may be nourished everlastingly, through our Saviour Christ; who is the true bread of life, which came down from heaven, of whom whosoever eateth shall live for ever, and reign with him in glory, world without end. So be it.

A thanksgiving after meals.

LET all nations magnify the Lord, let all people rejoice in praising and extolling his great mercies. For his fatherly kindness is plentifully shewed forth upon us, and the truth of his promise endureth for ever.

We render thanks unto thee (O Lord God) for the manifold benefits which we continually receive at thy bountiful hand, not only for that it hath pleased thee to feed us in this present life, giving unto us all things necessary for the same, but especially because thou hast of thy free mercies fashioned us anew into an assured hope of a far better life, the which thou hast declared unto us by thy holy gospel. Therefore we humbly beseech thee (O heavenly Father) that thou wilt not suffer our affections to be so entangled, or rooted in these earthly and corruptible things; but that we may always have our minds directed to thee on high, continually watching for the coming of our Lord and Saviour Christ, what time he shall appear for our full redemption. To whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, for ever and ever. So be it.

Another thanksgiving before meat.

ETERNAL and everliving God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of thy most singular love, which thou bearest to