A praier vpon the historie of Christ his comming vnto the house of Mary and Martha , to raise Lazerus from death . Iohn . 11. The fruict thereof : The life of the dead , the glorie of God .

MOst mercifull Lord , my louing king & euerliuing god , sweet Iesu Christ , my heauenly maister , redeemer , and Sauiour , vouchsafe mee leaue poore and vnworthy vessell of thy mercy , on the knees of my soule in the humilitie of my hart , to trouble thy patience with the lowly petition of my afflicted spirit : Lord when to make knowen thy glory to the world y● camest to Bethania , vnto the house of Mary & Martha , to raise vp thy beloued lazarus from death , what was the speech of the poore women , thy poore creatures vnto thy gratious & holy Glorious maiestie ? but onely this : Lord , if thou hadst ben heere , my brother Lazarus had not ben dead : but now whatsoeuer thou askest of God he will giue it thee : so my deere Lord let mee , I besech thee , saie vnto thee ? now that by the gratious , mercifull , & comfortable operation of thy holy Spirit , I feele , & see thee comming to the vnworthie house of my wounded soule , LORD if thou hadst beene heere , not my brother , but my self had not so long beene dead , dead I say in my sinnes , though onely liue in thy mercy : but oh Lord thy father hath giuen all power into thy hands , & therefore , if it please thee , thou canst raise me from this sorrowfull death , of iniquity , vnto the ioyfull life of thy grace : but as Martha saide , by hir brother Lazarus , he had ben dead foure daies , & therefore did so stinck that he was vnfit to bee taken vp , so Lord , let mee saie of my selfe , I haue beene dead not foure daies , but many yeeres , yea , all the daies of my life , and therefore feele my self so vnsauory , and vnfit to presume beefore thy presence , that I can rather say with Peter , come not neere mee Lord , for I am a polluted creature , then thincke that euer thou didst loue mee , and therefore art come to raise mee from this death : yet sweet lord when I remember withall , thy blessed aunswere , and kinde chiding of the vnbeleeuing soule , in these wordes : said I not vnto thee if thou didst beleeue thou shouldst see the glorie of God : it giueth me comfort in my feare to come humbly to thy mercy ; beseching thee so to strengthen my faith in thy incomprehencible power , that I may rather reioice in feeling thy goodnes and seeing thy glorie , then distrust in thy power , or dispaire in thy mercie : that by the vertue of thy power , from the death of sinne , being reuiued vnto grace , in the true fruicts of repentaunce , I may glorifie thy holy name .

Amen .

An other praier vpon the same historie Chapter and place : the fruict therof : Christ his commendation of the hearers of his word .

ALmightie God and most mercifull Lord , my best maister and onely sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ , when it pleased thee of thy mercy , to enter into the house of Martha and Mary , thy beloued vnworthy seruants , whiles Mary , by the blessed inspiration of thy holy spirit , was happely called , and wholy enclined to the attentiue hearing & ioyfull receiuing of thy comfortable preaching ; MARTHA , not so filled in hart or rather rauished in soule with the vnspeakable sweetnes of thy holy spitit , rather troubling hir head with an earnest care of worldly busines , then bending hir hart with any zealous desire , to the inward seeking of thy heauenly treasure , complained to thee of hir sisters mistaken & mistermed idlenes , that sitting still at thy feete she had no more care to helpe her in hir work , to prouide for thy welcom , nor to attend thy presence : but , my sweet Lord how sweetly didst thou reproue hir folly , and reueale hir fault in these few words : Martha Martha thou carest , & art troubled about many things , but one thing is needfull , Mary hath chosen the good part , which shal neuer be taken awaie from hir : oh deere Maister now that by the secret light of thy gratious loue , I behold thy entrance into the hart of my soule , though I am not worthie thou shouldst come vnder the roofe of my house , yet , since , it hath pleased thy holie maiestie in the infinit goodnesse of thy incomparable kindnesse , to comfort my hart with the gratious hearing of thy glorius mercy ; giue me leaue not with Martha , to complaine of a sister , but to accuse my selfe of to much euill in so long combring my hart with the wretched cares of this wicked world , that I haue had almost no care to humble my soule to the happie hearing of thy holie word : let mee therfore beeseech thee of the abundant grace of thy glorious goodnes , by the mighty power of thy eternall mercy , to draw mee to thee by the heauenly vertue of thy hollie Spirit , that casting of all the combersome cares of this vncomfortable worlde , I maie not onelie serue thee in bodie , on the knees of my heart , worshipping thy diuine will , but in the humilitie of my soule , sit with MARY on the ground with the tears of true repentaunce to wash the feete of thy mercie : that being both vnable & vnworthie to behold the glory of thy presence , I maie yet ioye in my soule to heare the sweetnes of thy preching , that beeing cleerely healed of the euill part of sinne , I maie receiue that good part of thy grace , that maie neuer bee taken from mee : but one thing is needfull , and that one thing art thou : it is thee sweet LORD that I haue need of : needful is thy grace , & vngratious that I am , full of need am I of thy mercie : mercy my sweet Iesu , Oh let my pensiue hart heere the preaching of thy mercie , that beeing with LAZARVS reuiued , and with MARTHA rebuked , with Mary I may bee so comforted , that with the teares of my hart washing the feete of thy pittie , I may reioice in my soule to bee admitted into thy presence ; wherein the obedience of my Loue , shewing the Ioye of my life , I may feede of thy mercy and singe to thy glory : Blessed is the house that dooth receiue thee , happy the hart , that dooth attend thee , but most ioyfull the Soule , that leauing the cares of the world hath all hir comfort but in thee : in thee I say sweet LORD , the lyght of the eternall wisdome , the lyfe of the dead , & the only comfort of the liuing ; whose preaching most gratious , and whose presence most glorious , happye are they that heare , but most blessed that enioy : emong whome , alas , of the world most vnworthy , so blesse the sicke Soule of thy sinfull wounded seruant , that ouercome with the comfort of thy vnspeakable kindenes , in the swounding traunce of the treasure of thy Loue , I may rather dye at thy feete , then part a foote from thy fauoure : where with the teares of faithes thanckfulnesse , I may encrease the Glorie of thy Mercie .

Amen .

An other vppon the same History , chapter and place , the fruite therof : The blessing of humilitie .

REmember sweet Lord Iesu thy Mercies that haue been euer of old , forgiue and forget the sinnes of thy humble repentaunt , though vnworthie seruants , think on thy poore Mary with the teares of hir heart humbling hir soule at thy feete , thincke I saye my sweet lord , a little vpon my great misery , that confesse my selfe vnworthie of the least looke of thy Mercie : Lord , it pleased thee to saie , Marie Magdaline loued much , but surelie thou louedst more , that so great and vnmeasurable a sinner , woldst vouchsafe so great a measure of thy Grace , beeing vnworthie , thy thought , to presume into thy presence : sweet IESVS , art not thou the same CHRIST ? who camest not to iustifie the righteous , but to call sinners to repentaunce ? is thy mercie anye thing diminished , or shall not thy Glorie euer encrease ? it cannot bee , but thou art thy selfe , the Sunne of GOD , the Redeemer of the worlde , the Lambe of God , that takest away the sinnes of the world , and God alone , that hast the gouernement of the whole worlde : what thou hast bought then , who can take from thee ? wher thou hast Mercie , who canne diswade thee ? and hauing all thinges vnder thy feete , who can resist thee ? Thou Createdst man for thy selfe , thou Redeemedst him by thy selfe , & dost comfort him , but with thy selfe ; wilt thou then forget the worke of thine owne hands ? wilt thou loose that thou hast bought with thine owne blood ? or suffer it to be blasted that y● hast blessed with thine owne Spirit ? no , sweet God , thy goodnesse is to great to loose any parte of thy Glorie : though wee forget thy loue , thou canst not forget thy Mercie , though wee loose our selues in this wildernesse , thou wilt bring vs home to thy folde , & though sinne seeke to driue vs to despaire , yet doth thy Grace assure vs of comfort ; for thou art kinde , though wee are vnthanckfull , thou art mercifull , though wee are vnfaithful , yea thou art comfortable , when wee are most miserable : and why is all this ? beecause thou art God , whose goodnesse hath no limit , whose mercies are infinit , and whose glorie shall haue no ende : why then oh Lord is my Soule so full of heauinesse , and my heart so disquieted within mee ? can the world so werie mee , that Heauen cannot reuiue mee ? or can sinne so infect mee , that thy mercie can not heale mee ? or the diuell so terifie mee , that thou my God canst not comfort mee ? no , my deere god , thou art able to forgiue more then I am able to offend , one drop of thy mercie , will heale all the woundes of my sinne , and where thou entrest with thy holly spirit , there is no place for the wicked fiende : what then can hurt mee if thou help mee ? can sinne set a wal beetwixt thy mercie and my comfort : when thou hast troden downe the diuell , with all the power of his malice , can death afright mee that see my life in thy loue ? or can sorrow dismaie mee that haue thee for my comfort ? no , my sweet sauioure , let not my teares be onely witnesse of my sorrow for my sinnes , but of my ioie in thy mercie , that from the greatnesse of sin , hast called mee to thy grace , and liuing long from the shadow of thy blessing , hast admitted mee into the Ioie of thy presence : Oh blessed Lord how admirable dooe I feele thy goodnesse in the inward works of thy grace ? faith a fruict of thy mercy , repentaunce a fruict of faith , teares a fruict of repentance , Ioie a fruict of teares , & thou only the fruict of all ; thou art oh Lord the summe of all sweetnesse , the substaunce of all goodnesse , & in thy selfe to thy selfe the only height of all glorie : Thou art the ioie of the heart , the comfort of the minde , & the life of the soule : Thou art the portion of mine inheritance , the longing of my hearts loue , and the onely heauen that I hope for : who can know thee and not loue thee ? or know what loue is , & is not rauished with the thought of thee ? O my sweet Sauiour , since it hath pleased thee to call mee vnto thee , I humbly beeseech thee , let mee neuer goe from thee , but let mee liue and die with thee , that I maie die to liue with thee : for thou onely art the life , & the onely life of them that come vnto thee : and to thee onely doe I come with sorowfull MARY beeseeching thy comfort , in the greatnesse of thy goodnesse , so to inspire my hart with the grace of thy holie spirit , that with the teares of my soul mingled with one drop of thy pretious blood , I maie wash awaie the filth of my vnsauerie sinne , and in the comfort of thy kindenesse , I may kisse the feete of thy mercie , till out of the wretched vale of this worldly miserie , thou wilt bring mee to the ioies of the elected in thy loue , that there beeing preserued , by the hande of thy mercie , with the Angells of thy traine I maie sing to thy Glorie .

Amen .

A prayer vppon Elizabethes meeting with hir cosen Mary the blessed virgin : Luke i. Chap. 4. i. verse : The fruict therof : The ioies of the elected that by the loue of grace are allied vnto Christ .

YF all the treasures of the world were layde together , were they any better then trash , compared ( oh LORD ) to the least thought of thy Loue ? are not the Heauens them selues the workes of thy singers ? and is not the earth with all hir glory , most glorious in beeing thy footestoole ? what then are wee but drossie creatures of slimy clay ? but wherin thou hast made vs gratious , to encrease the greatnesse of thy glory : shall we then attribute vnto our selues that is due only vnto thee ? or thinck our selues to bee any thing , that haue our being but in thee ? wilful were such a blindenesse , and wofull were such a sight , as taking night for the day , would seeke paradise in hell : LORD keepe vs from such a folly , cleere vs from such a blindenesse , & saue vs from falling into such an errour : be thou the light of our loue , the sence of our vnderstanding , the wisedome of our knowledge , the meditation of our hearts , and the ioy of our Soules : but sweet LORD , I reede that when ELIZABETH met with hir cosen MARY the blessed Virgin thy blessed mother , the babe sprang in hir wombe , which after he came into the world , did preach of thy kingdome aboue the world : and now mee thincks , I feele thy holy Spirit making entraunce into my Soule , there rise vp thoughts in my heart to honour thee in the highest Heauens ; but the thought is yet yong , & cannot prosper without thy blessing , it is conceiued in my Soule by the blessing of thy grace , LORD preserue it with thy mercy , that I may bring ir foorth to thy glorie : though when it is at the best , as it is from me it is vnworthy to loose the least latchet of thy shoe , yet as it is from thee a guift of thy Goodnesse , at the Feete of thy mercie , let it speake of thy glorie : thy grace hath begot it , let thy good spirit breed it , & thy holy hande so preserue it , that being fed in this infancy with the sweet milk of thy Mercy , it mai gather such force , in the faith of thy holy word , that delighting in thy law , & liuing but in thy Loue , it may loath the whole world to be the lest in thy kingdom : oh sweet Lord let my hart reioyce to heere of thee , my sences to serue thee , & my soule to praise thee , bee thou the childe of my loue , the Lord of my life , & the life of my soul , let my soule euer conceiue thee & neuer part from thee : that hauing thee for my comfort , I may feare no crosse , nor care for any calamity , be thou swet Iesu my father , & my child , my husband , & my brother , my loue my life , my Lord & my god ; in whom my spirit may reioyce when I but thinck of thy blessing : that beeing wholy rauished with the vertue of thy loue , in harmony of thy graces , I may Glorify thy holly name .

Amen .

A praier vpon the talke of Christ with the woman of Samaria . Ihon. 4. The fruict therof : the comfort of mercy .

PEereles loue , and purest life of thy beloued , pardon I beeseech thee the presumption of thy poore wounded creature , wounded with sinne , and cureles of hir sore , but onely in the merite of thy MERCY , in the oile of thy grace , & wounds of thy loue : oh sweet IESV , thou didst vouchsafe at Iacobs well of the woman of Samaria , to aske a little water ; thou talkedst with hir , & reueledst thy selfe vnto hir , who vnworthy of thy comfort could not conceiue the greatnes of thy kindenes : but alas Lord , heere is another woman that commeth with another thirst , & to drinck of another fountaine : which fountaine onely art thou alone , thou art the well of life , of which who drinketh shall neuer dye : long hath my soule thirsted after thee , yea in a barraine and drie land where no water is : oh that I might , so drinck of thy vertue , that beeing dronck with thy loue , I might bee so moistened with thy grace , that I might neuer thurst more after sinne : oh sweet Iesu how sweet is thy sweetnes , no hart can Imagine nor tung can expresse ; a fountaine neuer dri , of the abundance of whose streams all the blessed come to drincke , all that drinck are in loue , and all that loue doe liue for euer : such a spring neuer drying , such a loue euer liueing , & such a life euer ioying , wher is it but in thee ? & where art thou but it is ? oh fountaine of all blessednes , oh blessing of all happines , oh felicity of all ioyfulnes , quench the fire of my thirst with one droppe of thy grace , let fall the dew of thy blessing vpon the drie hart of my soule ; that being refreshed with thy loue , I maie deuote my life to thy seruice : for , sweet LORD , though the woman of Samaria would not offer thee drinck , beecause the Samaritans would not meddle with the iewes , yet sweet Lord I am sure thou wilt not denie me thy mercy , because I am a sinner : for thou hast mercy in store for all them that come vnto thee , Iacob their father gaue that well as it seemed , to an vncourteous people , that would not giue thee a cuppe of their water : but God thy father hath giuen thee to all people a fountaine of life to all that in true faith thirst to drinck of thy loue : & how incomparable is thy kindnes , that with the blood of thy hart didst seale the bond of thy loue : doest thou denie any one comfort , that callest all vnto thy mercy : or doest thou suffer any to perish that put their trust in thy word ? doest thou not offer thy selfe freely ? & shall I not beg thee with teares ? yes sweet Lord I humbly thanck thee , I feele the sweetnes of thy loue , though I can not beeholde thy presence , I tast of thy goodnes though I see not thy person , & drinck of thy vertue though I know not thine essence ; for had not the medicine of thy mercy cured my soul of hir sorow , I had died in my sinne , ere I had tasted of thy grace , but sweet-LORD , the woman of Samaria had many husbands , & my soule desireth but thy loue , be thou I say the husband , of my loue , the loue of my life , and life of my soule , the fountaine of my faithes comfort , the water of my hopes life , & the sweet of my eternall felicitie : let me thirst only for thy grace , drinck onely of thy mercie , & liue onely to thy Glorie : that from the puddles of the worlde , deliuered by thy mercy , in the ioies of paradise , I may sing Halaluiah to thy holly Maiestie :

Amen .

A prayer vpon the woman of Canaan , hir suite vnto Christ : Math: xv . verse 22. The fruict thereof : The blessing of faith .

ETernall , Almighty , euerliuing , and euerloueing God , my deerest master , sweetest Lord , & onely Sauiour IESVS CHRIST , the comfort of the sorrowfull , the hope of the faithful , and the life of the ioyfull , the Surgion of the heart , the Phisition of the minde , & the medicine of the soule , the power of vertue the wisdome of grace , & the glory of mercy , who liuing in the heauens beholdest all the dwellers vpon the earth , hearest the cries of the afflicted , asswagest the pains of the tormented , & comfortest the harts of the distressed , that in true faith of thy woord , fly to the mercy of thy will ; emong those miserable sinners , that haue no hope of reliefe , but in the heauenly eye of thy mercy , vouchsafe sweet Christ , to cast one looke of pitty vppon the wounded heart of my vnworthy soule ; when the woman of syrophenissa came to thee , for the cure of hir daughter , possessed with a diuel , though at the first , thou gauest hir a kinde of denying answere , in that it was not meete to giue the Childrens meate vnto dogges , yet to hir humble replie , that the dogs might eate of the crummes that fall from their masters table , to the glory of thy mercy thou madest a gratious Conclusion ; wherein the humility of hir faith , had effected hir ioy in thy fauour : hir daughter was made whole , and shee departed away : but now oh Lord was she onely blessed in this abundant measure of thy mercy ? or can sin haue such power in the world , as to bar thy seruants thy blessing ? or shal any dispaire of thy comfort , when thou callest all vnto mercy ? no , sweet Lord , I know thou art not partial in thy loue , that lookest onely into thy selfe , thou art not sparing of thy blessing , that art bountifull to the whole world , nor wouldest the death of a sinner , & therfore wilt surely haue mecry on thy seruants : to thee therefore sweet Iesu I humbly come , not for my diseased daughter , but thy distressed daughter , vnworthy of so good a father , yet praying thee , good father help me , & thi vnworthy seruant , beseeching thee sweet maister comfort mee , and thy vnworthy creature , crying vnto thee oh God of all mercy haue mercy vpon mee , in the multitude of thy compassions do away all my offences , in the oyle of the grace heale my soule of hir sinne , & in the power of thy mercy deliuer me from euill , I know not with how many diuells I am daily & hourely tempted , by a world of illusions , to bee drawen from thy loue , but , were ther neuer so many , thou canst deliuer me from them all ; for , thy power is inuincible , thy mercy is Almightie , and thy loue hath no limits ; sinne is but an infection , the diuells are but ministers of thy wrath , & thou wilt haue mercy on thy seruants ; heale therefore my disease , commaund away my tormentors , and bee glorious in thy goodnesse : where thy good spirit entereth , no euill spirit will bide , where thy grace toucheth , no sinne tarrieth , and whom thou inspirest with thy loue , they are allready in heauen : but alas sweet IESVS mee thincks I heere thee accuse mee of so dogged a nature , that I am not worthy to feede of the fruict of thy fauour , Lord I confesse it that while dogs waite one their masters trenchers , I haue not attended on the table of thy merry ; & therfore am vnworthy of the least crum of thy comforte : yet sweet Lord , since thy mercy is ouer all thy workes , put mee not out of the booke of thy remembraunce : thou hast called mee though I come late , giue mee a penny of thy charity though I deseure nothing of thy mercy : I am sick , & thou canst heale mee , bee thou gratious though I be sinfull , the diuell is a tirant , but thou art the god of mercy , who with one looke of thine eie canst make him flye from thy presence , with one woord of thy mouth canst banish hi● from thy beloued , & with one blessing of thy hand canst make me liue euer : but , oh sweet LORD since I haue by ●ine absence from attending on thy table , de●erued not onely to bee famished , with lack of thy comfort , & not to receiue the least crum of thy mercy , yet in the least looke of thy loue since thy glorie is ●n thy mercy , loose no part of thy right : let me come behinde thee emong them throng , of sinners , to touch the hem of thy garment , that by the vertue of my faith , I maie finde grace in thy fauour , & being cured of my sinne , & comforted by thy mercy by the grace of thy holly spirite , I may Glorifiy thy holly name : & not with the Siroph●n●ssiā , depart away with thy blessing , but with the ioy of thy mercy , folow thy shadow with my seruice , till being wholely deliuered , from the temptation of sin , in the saluation of thy mercy , with the elected of thy loue , by the good spirit of thy grace , I may euer sing to thy glory .

Amen

A prayer vpon the widdowes two Mites : xii . of Marke 41 verse . The fruict thereof the praise of Charity .

NOthing is more comfortable to my soule then the Meditation of thy mercy , sweet Iesu , thou alone art hee whom my soule loueth , and iust cause , for by thy onely loue , my soule liueth : when I beholde thee in my hart , I haue enough for my comfort , & wanting thy grace , I comsume away with calamitie : oh vnspeakable sorrow , to misse the ioy of thy mercy , and how great is their heauen , that haue a feeling of thy loue , oh sweet Lord , how greatly wilt thou commend a little loue in thy seruant ? but how infinitly art thou to bee glorified , that giuest thy selfe vnto sinners : oh imcomparable kinde loue to lay downe the life of thy beeloued : thou didst commend the poore widdow , for casting two mites into the treasury , & thou hast giuen vs thy selfe to bring vs into thy treasury : bee thou therefore commended aboue all commendation : shee gaue but a little , though all shee had ; thou gauest thy selfe , without whom all things are nothing ; let hir then bee commended of thee , who sawest hir hart , & for thy bounty to the whol world , be thou glorified aboue the world : shee was called a poore widdow , beecause shee wanted both the wealth of the world and the comfort of hir kind husband , but how much might shee bee comforted , to be commended by thy mercy ? all comforts faile wher thou art wanting , and all ioies abound wher thy comfott is comming : O comfort of comforts , when wilt thou come vnto mee ? LORD , thou art the husband of my soule , the onely comfort of my hart , & whole substance of my felicity : a poore widow am I , that wanting the comfort of thy loue , haue no ioy in my life : I haue not a mite to present vnto thy mercy : had I a whole world , I would giue it for thy grace : but , alas , I am poore , and hast thou any nede of welth ? that hast the whole world at commaundement : doest thou care for drosse , that art the LORD of heuen & earth ? no , LORD , thou wantest nothing , & therefore what though I haue nothing ? thou hast giuen mee thy selfe , and can any thing take thee from mee ? no sweet LORD , thou hast saide thou wilt haue mercy , & not Sacrifice : a burnt offering I know thou wouldest not accept , if I should giue it thee : but , if any Sacrifice will please thee , a contrite hart , and a troubled spirit is that which thou wilt not despise : with this sacrifice therefore sweet Iesu I come to thee , beseeching thee , into the treasury of thy mercy , with the teares of my hart , to receiue me body & soule , which though lesse worth then one mite is all that I haue to giue thee : and well is mee , if thou wilt take them , to cure them of sin , to ease them of sorrow , & to bring them to ioie : but alas , I giue thee but thine owne , which thou hast bought with thy selfe , & therefore I beeseech thee refuse not thine owne , that belongeth to none but thy sel●e , & therefore since I haue nothing to giue thee , take thine owne vnto thee , commend whom it pleaseth thee , and be thou commended of all : of all I say , for all & aboue all , since that for all in all , thou deseruest all commendation ; to thee sweet Iesus Christ the husband of my soule , the substance of my wealth , the ioy of my life , and assured hope of my saluation , that by the bitter death of thy body , & precious bloud of thy hart , hast deerely bought the loue of thy seruants , who by thy onely merit being redeemed from hell , by the sauing faith of thy mercy , are assured of heauen , to thee I saie , deere CHRIST , my deere loue , my best husband , my heauenly father my gratious LORD & onely glorious King , with thy heauenly father & thy holy spirit , he eternal trinity in vnity , one onely almighrie and incomprehensible good god , for the infinit comforts of thy infinit mercies , bee all infinit glory , honor , & Praise world without end .

Amen .

A prayer vpon the request that the mother of Iames & Iohn , made vnto Chrïst : Math: Chap: 20 ▪ The fruict thereof : Knowledge what to aske of God .

BLessed LORD , and Lord of all blessing , bountiful GOD , and GOD of all bounty , King of heauen and earth , to whom all the worlde are but beggers ; emong the infinit number of thy incessaunt sutors , that neuer leaue to importunate thy mercy , vouchsafe sweet IESV I beseech thee , to heere an humble petition of thy poore wretched and vnworthy creature ; The Mother of Iames , and Iohn , made a suite vnto thee for hir two sonnes , that the one might sit at thy right hand , and the other at thy left : little was hir discretion to moue so presumptuous a petition , little I say shee considered thy greatnesse , or lookt into hir owne smalnesse , that , deseruing nothing but thy Wrath , woulde craue such a blessing of thy Grace : who beeing aunswered with deniall , escaped wel without thy further displeasure : oh my GOD , I come not to thee with a spirit of such boldnesse ; but in the humility of fayth , with the teares of sorrow , my wounded hart , beecommeth a sutor to thy mercy ; an humble sutor I am oh heauenly King to thy holy Maiesty , not for my two sonnes , but the two parts of my selfe , my soule , & my body , that it will please thy gratious goodnesse , so farre to take them to thy mercy , as not to set them either at thy right hand , or thy left , but in one looke of thy comfort , to make them but cushins for thy feet : where more ioyfull shall bee my teares , to wash , the feete of thy fauoure , then all the plesures of the world , to bee away from thy mercy : this , oh LORD , is all my sute , which in thy gratious pitty I beeseech thee to graunt me , that from this vale of misery , thou wilt take mee to thy mercy , that in the ioye of thy loue , I may euer sing or thy glory :

Amen .

A prayer vpon the deuotion of Anna , Luke 2. Chap. The fruict thereof : The comfort of prayer .

RIghteous LORD , holy KING , and euerliuing GOD , who hast not to doe with the stoole of iniquitie , but , with thy Countenaunce doest beehold the iust , forgiuest the sinnes of the Repentaunt , and takest the faithfull vnto mercy . Enter not , I beeseech thee into iudgement with thy sinfull and vnworthy seruant ; for , no flesh is righteous in thy sight : & I most vnrighteous , am ashamed to appeere beefore thy presence , with hope of comfort , or almost without despaire of mercy , but that in the greatnesse or thy goodnesse , seeing thee offer thy selfe vnto mee with all thy Graces , with a blushing feare , I fall at the feete of thy mercy , beeseeching thee , so to blesse mee with thy grace , that my wickednes may not destroy , that which thy goodnesse hath builded : Oh deere LORD , thy seruaunt ANNA , putting of the world and putting on thee , shaking of all vanities , and clothing hir self with thy comfort , leauing the world , beetooke hir selfe to thy Temple , where continuing manye yeeres in fasting and praier , shee receiued at last the ioyefull fruict of hir hope , in the gratious beeholding of thy Glorious comming : but , oh Lord , wo is me , that haue so long looked after the world , that I haue so little looked after thee , that I haue rather lost my selfe in a wildernesse , then once set a steppe into thy Temple : I haue feasted my flesh with the pleasures of the world , & almost famished my soule with the lack of thy holy word , & haue beene rather lost many yeeres in vanity , then employed almost any houre in deuout prayer , as one rather fearing thy wrath , then wishing thy presence : but , sweet Lord , thou art the God of Eternity , who hauing all time at thy commaundement , dost appoynt euery houre at thy plesure , to call thy seruants , vnto mercy , and to comfort them in thy blessing ; to thee therefore my deere Lord , though long first , yet at last , & I hope neuer to late , on the knees of my heart with the tears of my loue I come vnto thy mercy , beseeching thee most humbly , in the spirit of thy grace , so to instruct mee to pray , and continue mee in praier vnto the presence of thy pitty , that putting of the delights of the vanitie of this world , I may put on the ioy of the vertue of thy loue , beetaking my selfe to the Temple of thy Truth , and only long in my soule to beehold the blessing of thy comming : come I say , sweet Iesu , come downe into my heart , heale my wounded soule , quiet my troubled spirit , deliuer mee from this sinfull prison , lighten my darckned eies , take me out of this deadly sorrow into the ioy of thy eternall mercy , where feeding on the fruict of my faith in the fauour of thy grace , at the feet of thy presence , I may see the paradise of my soule : & in a new song of thanckes giuing , I may glorify thy holy name :

Amen .

A prayer vpon the queene of sheba hir comming to Solomon : The fruict thereof : The treasure of true wisedome which is onely in the word of GOD .

O Infinitte and eternall God , the ground of all vertue , and giuer of all goodnesse , the fountayn of vnsearchable deepe wisedome of the incomprehensyble Deity ; looke , I humblye beeseech thee vpon the simple soule of thy silly creature : The Queene of Sheba came to thy seruaunt Solomon , to heere the wonder of his wit , which compared to thy wisedome , is as nothing , and shall not I come to thee for the knowledge of my consort ? yes my deere LORD , let thy mercy be my tutor , thy wisdome , my lesson , thy comfort , my lyfe : Teach me euer how to pray , what to hope for in my prayer , and how to bee thanckfull or thy blessings : teach me wisdome to know thee , knowledge to serue thee , & Grace so to loue thee , that I may neuer liue to leaue thee : bee thou the contemplation of my study , the letters of my reading , & the woord of my continuall remembrance ; the note of my Comfort the white of my loue , and ●he light of my lyfe : Inspire my hart with thy holy spirit , leade mee in the way of thy truth , and blesse mee with the ioy of thy peace : that leauing this desart , where fooles loose their wittes , emong the followers of thy will , I may heere the wonders of thy wisdome : where the saith of the s●mple , finde the summe of their felycity : that beeing pardoned my faults , & healed of my folly , in the seruice of my faith I mai glorify thy holy Maiestie : but oh Lord shee brought gifts of great value , which she presented vnto thy seruaunt , & I haue nothing to giue thee but my selfe , vnworthy present for thy presence : but sweet Lord , I beeseech thee refuse not thy seruant , though vnworthy thy fauour , and instruct me in thy law , though vnworthy thy loue , that hauing thy lesson in my heart , I may teach thy wil vnto the world : graunt this oh deere God , for thy deere beloued Sonne IESVS CHRIST his onely sake , to whome with thee , and the holy Ghost , three persons , but one GOD , bee all Honour , and Glory , humbly ascribed of mee , and all thy poore vnworthy seruants , in all things , for all things , and aboue all things , world without ende :

Amen .