Occasional Prayers

O LORD Jesus Christ, the only stay and fence of our mortall state, our onely hope, our onely salvation, our glorie, and our triumph, who in the flesh (which thou hadst for our only cause taken upon thee) diddest suffer thy selfe to be tempted of Sathan, and who onely and alone of all men diddest utterly overcome and vanquish sinne, death, the world, the divell, and all the kingdome of hell: and whatsoever thou hast so overcommed, for our behoofe it is that thou hast overcommed it: neither hath it been thy will to have any of thy servants to keepe battel or fight with any of the foresaid evils, but of purpose to rewarde us with a crowne of the more glorie for it. And to the intent that thou mightest likewise overthrow Sathan in thy members, as thou haddest afore done in thine owne person, give thou (wee beseech thee) unto us thy souldiers (O Lion most victorious of the tribe of Juda) strength against the roring Lion, which continually wandreth to and fro, seeking whom he may devoure. Thou being that same Serpent, the true giver of health and life, that were nailed on high upon a tree, give unto us, thy little seelie ones, wilinesse against the deceitfull awayting of the most subtile serpent. Thou being a Lambe as white as snow, the vanquisher of Satans tyranie, give unto us thy little sheep the strength and vertue of thy spirit, that being in our owne selves weake and feeble, and in thee strong and valiant, wee may withstand and overcome all assaults of the divell, so that our ghostly enemie may not glorie on us, but being conquered through thee, we may give thankes to thy mercie, which never leaveth them destitute that put their trust in thee: who livest and reignest God for ever without end. Amen.