A Prayer vsed after Catechizing in the Euening.

WE heartily thanke thee, O mercifull father, for that thou hast bestowed the inestimable treasure of thy holy woorde vppon vs most vile and sinfull wretches. And sith it is not in him that plāteth, nor in him that watereth, but in thy mercifull hand to mortifie our sinfull lustes, and to create new hearts in vs, we beseech thee so to order and direct vs, that we proue not like the greene figge tree flourishing without fruite, nor be of the number of those hypocrits, which with tongue can say Lorde Lorde, in thy name can prophesie, cast out diuelles, and do many great woorkes, and yet are condempned for wicked because their heartes are not right: nor like to them, which are swept and garnished, but emptie, wherevnto the vncleane spirit returnes with seuen worse than himselfe, and so our ende be worse than our beginning. But gouerne vs with thy spirit, that in hart we may loue & seeke thee, and in body and soule obey and serue thee in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life. And here we offer vp vnto thee our selues, our soules, our bodies, our liues, and all that we haue, in assurance, that that cannot perishe whiche is committed to thee. Take vs into thy hande, and keepe vs this night, that Page  [unnumbered] our bodies may sleep, & our soules may watche for the comming of thy sonne Christ, that so both our bodies and soules may be the more apt and the better able to serue thee, in that estate and calling, wherein it shall please thee to place vs. As we pray for our selues, so we beseech thee to looke with fauoure vppon thy whole Churche, increase the number of thy children, graunt thy Gospell a free passage, comfort the comfortlesse, raise vp them that are fallen, and strengthen them that stande, that they fal not: haue mercie vppon this Realme, long continue thy bles∣singes of peace and quietnesse towardes vs, and remoue farre from vs al let•es and hinderan∣ces of the same. Gouerne the heartes and the swordes of all Magistrates, that they may not lift vp themselues in vaine glorie to please them selues, but that they may applie the authoritie which thou hast geuē them, to the aduancement of thy glorie, for the comforte of thy Children, and the terrour of thine enimies. And sith the continuance of our peace (in these our dayes) next vnder thee, consisteth in the preseruation of our Queene, blesse vs with her, and blesse her with all giftes fitte for so high a calling, and whosoeuer shall attēp, deuise, or conspire ought against her maiesties person, crowne, dignitie, and royall estate, we beseeche thee in mercie to