Another praier for the fruits of the earth.
O Lord God almightie, King of hea∣uen and earth, which of thine a∣bundant goodnesse doost adorne and replenish the earth with all kind of fruit and graine, whereby the life both of man and beast is susteined: we beseech thee, euen for thy free mercie, that thou wouldest vouch∣safe to blesse our feelds, and ground, and to make them prosperouslie to yeeld their corne and increase. For without thy blessing and fauour, neither can the earth of it selfe bring foorth anie whit, nor we by our paines make the same to prosper. Wherefore, grant to all things, springing from the earth, a meet temperature of aire; that luckilie they may take and increase. Keepe our fruit vpon the face of the earth from all infection of the aire; from thunder, haile, from vntimelie show∣ers, from too great drinesse, and ouermuch heate, from woormes hurtfull, and beasts deuouring it before their prime, and from all other corruption; that our land in thine anger be not desolate, and denie vs fruit, enioi∣eng hir wofull Sabboth.
Shut not vp the heauens in thine indignation for our sinnes, that it be not as iron, nor the earth as brasse, wherby it can not be tilled, ploughed, nor sowne, and so come to a verie plaine and vtter wildernesse: Page 474 but of thy goodnesse giue vs both the earlie and latter raine, that we may haue abundance of all fruit, and a ioifull haruest with a plentifull vintage. O God, send a gratious raine vpon thine inheritance, and giue thy blessing, that our ground may bring foorth hir fruit. Cause thy raine to powre downe in due season, that it may be raine of blessing; whereby both trees may giue their fruit, & the ground yeeld foorth hir graine. Grant also that the aire be pure from infection, our bodies free from sicknesse, to our whole Realme peace and quietnesse, that safelie without trouble we may enioie thy gifts. Driue awaie and repell from vs maledicti∣on, and the destroier. Giue vs not in stead of raine, dust and ashes; but open thy good treasures, and visit the land with thy blessing, make it drunken, and enrich it abundantlie.
Thy riuer, O Lord, is full of water; prepare our corne, and dispose our earth to prosper; water abun∣dantlie the furrowes of the same, and cause the raine to descend into the vallies thereof; make the same soft with showers, and blesse our buds. Crowne the yeere with thy goodnesse, and let thy clouds drop fatnesse; let them drop vpon the pastures of the wildernesse, and make the little hils reioice on euerie side. Let the plaines be replenished with sheepe, and the vallies with corne, that the inhabitants of the earth may re∣ioice and be merie.
O Lord, thou causest grasse to growe for cattell, and herbs for ye vse of man; thou bringest foorth bread out of the earth, & wine to make glad the hart of man; oile to make the countenance cheerfull, & bread for to streng∣then the hart. Haue therefore a care, O heauenlie Fa∣ther, of the seed, and other things springing from the earth: keepe them both in cold, raine, ice, and snowe, from the beating of winds, and iniurie of weather. Preserue them in extreame heat, drinesse, moistnesse, Page 475 and such like; that they perish not afore their time. Roote out the destroier, that there be neither blasting, mildew, nor grashopper, neither caterpiller hurting the fruits of the earth.
Keepe vs, O Lord, in the time of dearth; that we pe∣rish not for hunger, nor be confounded in the perilous time. For thou art our God and Creator, which satis∣fiest the thirstie soule, and fillest the hungrie with good∣nesse, which hast said; I will not faile, neither forsake thee; whereby being faithfull, we may saie; The Lord is with vs, therefore we will not feare what man can doo vnto vs. Behold, we miserable & great sinners doo confesse our wickednes, with groning & griefe of hart, crieng vnto thee which art in heauen. Heare our prai∣ers in thy dwelling place, & be mercifull to thy people, which haue sinned against thee; and forgiue vs all our iniquities, wherein we haue transgressed against thee. By our sinnes wee haue brought all these miseries, which hang ouer our heads; but blot out all our of∣fences, O God, after thy manifold mercies; and take awaie from vs the curse of our ground, that the peo∣ple may praise thee, O God; yea that all the people may praise thee, and the earth bring foorth hir increase; through our Lord Iesus Christ, thine onelie sonne, which liueth and reigneth with thee, in the vnitie of the holie spirit, a God for euermore,
