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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	great_a	time_n	5,928	5	3.4202	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17154	Christian praiers and holie meditations as wel for priuate as publique exercise: gathered out of the most godly learned in our time, by Henrie Bull. Whereunto are added the praiers, commonly called Lidleys praiers.; Christian praiers and holy meditations	Bull, Henry, d. 1575?; Ledley, John.; Bradford, John, 1510?-1555. Godlie instruction, conteining the summe of all the divinitie necessary for a Christian conscience. aut	1596 (1596)	STC 4032; ESTC S120490	133,439	444

lying with many other euils whereto tentations will intice a man that is left to himselfe whereas to one that is guided with Gods spirit temptations are but trials to the glorie of GOD comfort of the tempted and edyf●ing of thy Church But as I saide if a man bee left alone tentations entice euen to the diuel himselfe and therefore thy children praye to bee deliuered from euill vnderstanding thereby Sathan himselfe the sower of and supporter of all euill And this thy children do as well for others as for themselues So that I may learne heereby many good thinges First to remember often our infirmitie and weakenesse the daungerous estate wee stand in in respect of our fleshe of the worlde which is full of euil of Sathan which seeketh to sift vs and as a roaring Lion to destroy vs and of our sinnes which deserue al kinde of punishments and correction that I might with thy children feare thee watch pray and desire the daye of redemption and deliueraunce from all euils Againe I may learne heere that to auoide all daungers and euils is not in the power of man but onelie thy worke By reason whereof I shoulde consider thy great goodnesse which hitherto hast kept me from so many euils both of soule and bodie yea of name goods c. as thou hast doone in my infancie childhood youth middle age c. Thirdly I may learne heere that I should bee careful for others both that they might bee deliuered from their euils and that they might bee preserued from temptation and from being ouercome in the same and th●rfore thou teachest me not to pray Deliuer me from euil simplie but Deliuer vs from euiil Last of all I am taught thereby to see thy goodnes towards me which will deliuer mee from euill and from being ouercome in tentations for thou wouldest not haue mee aske for that which I should not certainly looke for at thy handes By reason whereof thou wouldest haue mee to bee in a certainety of my saluation for euer For else I cannot beleeue my prayer to bee heard if that finally I shoulde not bee deliuered from euill and therefore thou ioynest hereto a giuing of thanks which with thy Church I should say For thine is the kingdome thine is the power thine is the glorie for euer By reason whereof I haue great cause to lament and to reioyce To lament because of my corruption infirmitie weakenesse obliu● on and carelesnesse for thy people ingratitude c. because of Sathans power vigilancie and prudencie which hat● ouercome most graue wise and hol● men whereof some neuer recouerc● as Cain Cam Achitophel Saul Iuda 〈◊〉 To reioyce because of thy goodnesse which teacheth me this a● shewest mee the remedie commaundest all thy church to pray for mee and wilt at length deliuer mee from all euill and giue me glorie But alas I am altogether carelesse and miserable Oh be merciful vnto mee deare father and for Christs sake for giue me all my sinnes grant me thy holy spirit to reueale to me mine infirmities weakenes perils dangers c. in such sort that as I may heartily lament my miseries so I may aske and obtaine thy grace to guide me from all euill for euermore Againe grant mee the same thy holy spirite to reueale to me thy loue and kindnesse towards me and that in eternitie in such sort that I may be throughly perswaded of the same become thankeful vnto the a dailie expect and look for the reuelation of thy kingdom power and glorie as one that for euer shall haue the fruition of the same through thine own goodnes and mercie in Christ prepared for mee before the beginnings foundation of the world was laide Heere call to minde our securitie sathans vigilancie our negligence his diligence our infirmitie his abilitie our ignorance his craft and subtiltie c. Againe call to minde howe that he hath ouerthrowne for a time many of the deare saintes of God to whom we are to be compared in nothing as Adá Eue Lot Iudas Thamar Moses Aaron Myrian Samson Gedeon Ely Dauid Solomon Ezechias Iosias Peter Thomas and innumerable moe Also call to minde the goodnesse of God and of our sheepehearde Christ which hath kept vs hitherto keepeth vs still and teacheth vs heere to know that hee will keepe vs for euer for hee woulde not haue vs aske for deliuerance from euil if that hee would not wee shoulde certainely looke for the same If thou doubt of small perseuerance thou dishonourest God Bee certaine therefore rest in hope bee still in his worde See also how he hath commmaunded his whole church and euery member thereof to pray for thee all well as for themselues in these and all other thinges Nowe and then goe about to recken how many and diuerse kindes of euils there bee and thereby as you may know you are deliuered from none but by Gods greate goodnesse so may you see that the number of euils that you haue are nothing to bee compared to the multitude of euils wherewith if your Christ were not the diuel would all to beray you infect and corrupt you But what are all the miseries and euils that can bee to be compared to ●he least ioy prepared for vs in heauen Oh thinke of those ioyes and pray that when the tide of death commeth we may hale forth of the haueh of this flesh and this world ioyfully In praying this petition call to minde the euils you haue beene in the euil you are in and the euils you may fall into if God shoulde not preserue you that you might be stirred vp the more to thankefulnesse to prayer to trust in God For thine is the kingdom thine is the power thine is the glory for euer AS in the beginning of this prayer by these wordes Our father which art in heauen thy children an excited stirred vp to a ful confidens of obtaining the petitions following all things necessarie so in the latter end thou hast added for the same p●●●pose these wordes For thine is the kingdom thineis c. Wherin I 〈◊〉 taught these many things First that i● prayer I should haue such consideration of thy kyngdom power glorie eternitie that my minde should be striken with an admiration of the same Secondly that I should so consider thē especially in prayer that I should not doubt but that thou workest rulest gouernest all things euery where in all persons and creatures most wisely iustly and mercifully Thirdly that in praier al my petitions should tend to the setting footh of the power of thy kingdom and of thy glorie Last of all that in prayer I should in no wise doubt of being heard but be assured that thou which hast commaunded me to pray and hast promised to heare mee doest most gratious●e for thy mercies sake and truthes sake heare my petitions according to thy good wil through Iesus Christ thy deare sonne our Lords and only Sauiour By reason whereof I haue greate cause

our tentations giue vs truce so that we shall not need to hasten vnto God for helpe Finallie the desire of the kingdom and glory of God ought to drawe vs whollie vnto it not by fits but continuallie that all times should be fit and conuenient for vs to pray Wherefore not without cause wee are so often commaunded to pray continuallie And though we be not driuen with like necessitie at all times to praie yet in this case S Iames teacheth vs what we ought to doe If anie man be heauy or afflicted saith he let him praie that is let him craue Gods helpe and comfort and vvho so is merrie let him sing that is let him praise God Moreouer the benefites and blessinges of God are large and plentifull towardes vs which way soeuer we turne vs that wee can neuer want matter and occasion of praise and thanksgiuing And seeing wee ought to acknowledge God to be the author and giuer of all good things we should alway receiue the same at his hande with thanksgiuing for to that end God continually bestoweth his good blessinges and benefits vpon vs that we should continuallie shew foorth his praise and be thankful vnto him for the same and so we render vnto him his due honour And S. Paul when he saith that they are sanctified by the word and praier signifieth that to vs they are not holy and cleane without the word and prayer and therefore Dauid saith when he had felt the liberalitie of the Lorde that there was put into his mouth a newe song that is a new occasion of praise and thanksgiuing Whereby he signifieth that it is a wicked silence if we passe ouer anie of Gods benefits without praise seeing that as often as he doth good vnto vs so often he giueth vs occasion to speake good of him We should therefore continually that is as much as is possible at all times in all places and in things as occasions are continually offred vnto vs lift vp our prayer vnto God in crauing helpe at his hande and confessing his praise whereby we may both obtaine of him all good thinges and also praise and magnifie his name for all Howe this perseuerance in prayer is required of vs Christ himselfe teacheth vs by the parable of the three loaues and of the widdowe and wicked Iudge VVherby wee are taught to continue in peaier with all earnestnes and feruent supplication and neuer to faint or giue ouer vntill we be assured in our spirit that our praiers be heard The prayer of the humble saith the Sonne of Sirach goeth through the clouds it ceaseth not vntill it come neare and it vvill not depart vntill God the most high God haue respect thereto Beholde saith Dauid as the eyes of the seruants looke vnto the hand of their maisters and as the eies of a maiden vnto the hand of her mistresse of our eyes vvaite vpon the Lorde our God vntill he haue mercie vpon vs. And thus muste wee not cease to doe vntill wee may boldlie say also with Dauid The Lord hath heard the voyce of my vveeping the lorde hath hearde my humble petition the lorde hath receiued my praier Now concerning the forme and manner of praying least wee shoulde followe our owne fantasie being of our selues so blinde that wee knowe not howe to praye or what is meet and expedient for vs The Lord him selfe hath sufficientlie instructed vs who as he hath taught vs throughout the whole Scripture howe and for what thinges wee ought to pray so hath he set foorth one maner of prayer in the which he hath brieflie comprehended all such thinges as we ought yea or in anie wise may aske of God VVherein hee hath expressed what is due pleasing and acceptable to him what is necessarie for vs and what he will grant so that there is nothing heerein omitted that might be thought vpon to the praise glory of God or come into the mind of man for his profite and commoditie And this is that praier that our Lord Iesus Christ taught his Disciples when they asked of him how they should praie VVhosoeuer therefore shall ask any thing that is not contained in this praier they presume to adde some thing of their owne to the wisedome of God they are not obedient to his will and they pray without faith hauing no word of God to warrant them and therefore they shall obtaine nothing This praier saith Tertullian is the doctrine of the wisedome of God wherein he hath taught whatsoeuer hee willed and willed whatsoeuer was needfull Albeit wee are not so bounde to this forme of praier that wee should not vse anie other kinde of wordes then the Lord himselfe heerein hath vsed For there are elswhere set forth in the scriptures manie prayers farre differing from this in words and yet written by the same spirit and verie profitably to be vsed of vs. And many prayers also are continuallie vttred of the faithful by the same spirit which vary from the same in wordes But this is required of vs that none shuld look for seek or ask anie other thing at all then that which is brieflie cōprehended in this praier which though it differ in words yet differeth not in sense substance like as it is certaine that all the praiers which are found in the scriptures which do continually proceed from the hart of the faithful are referred by the direction of Gods spirite vnto this praier howsoeuer they differ in the varietie of words Manie good and godlie men euen in our daies well exercised in praier haue left vnto vs most worthy examples and testimonies hereof furnished with ample and large matter to forme holie and true praiers and full of power to inflame the heart to a feruent inuocation of Gods holy name whereof wee haue giuen here some taste to the Godly and specially to the simple not yet wel exercised Read them meditate and praie and ye shal find comfort in your soules A Meditation concerning prayer THe mind of men hath so large roomth to receiue good things that not king in deede can fully sit it but onely God whome thou the mind fully possesseth when it fullie knoweth him fullie loueth him and in all things in framed after his mill They therefore deare Lord God that are thy children and haue taken somewhat of thy goodnesse doe perpetually sigh that is doe may vntill they come thereto in that they loue thee also aboue all things it wonderfully woundeth them that other men doe not so that is loue thee and 〈◊〉 for thee with them Whereof it commeth to 〈◊〉 that they are inflamed with continuall praiers and desires that thy kingdome might come euerie where and thy goodnesse might bee both knowen and in life expressed of euerie man And because there are innumerable many thinges which as well in themselues as in others bee against thy glory they are kindled with continuall prayer and desire sighing vnspeakably in thy sight for

to resist to whom it belongeth iustly to punish sinners and to be mercifull vnto them that truly repent we confesse thou doest most iustly punish vs for vnto haue u●●ously finned against thee and wee acknowledge that in punishing vs thou doest declare thy selfe to be our most merciful father aswell because thou doest not punish vs in any thing as we haue deserued as also because by punishing vs thou doestcal vs and as it were drawe vs to increase in repentance it fayth in prayer in contem●ing of the world and in heartie d●●●ing for euerlasting life thy bless●● presence 〈…〉 therefore gracious 〈…〉 Lorde thankefully to acknowledge thy great mercy which hast thus fauourablie dealt with vs in punishing vs not to our confusion but to our amendement And seeing thou hast sworne that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but that hee turne and liue haue mercie vpon vs and turne vs vnto thee for thy dearelie be oued Sonne Iesus Christs sake whom thou wouldest should be made a slayne sacrifice for our sins thereby declaring thy great and vnspeakable anger against sinne and thyne infinite mercy towardes vs sinnefull wretches And for asmuch as the dulnesse blindnes corruption of our hearts is such that we are not able to arise vp vnto thee by faithful and heartie prayer according to our great necessitie without thy singular grace and assistaunce graunt vnto vs gracious Lord thy holy and sanctifying spirite to worke in vs this good work with grace to weigh and cons●●r the neede and greatnesse of that we doe desire and with an assured faith trust that thou wilt graunt vs our requestes because thou are good and pracious ●uē to young Raunes calling vpon thee much more then to before whō thou hast made al things yea and hast not spared also thyne than deare Sonne because thou hast commaunded vs to call vppon thee because thy throne wherto we come is a throne of grace and mercie because thou hast giuen vs a mediator Christ to bring vs vnto thee beeing the way by whome we come being the doore by whom we enter and being our head on whom we hang and hope y t our poore petitions shall not be in vayne through him and for his names sake Wee beseech thee therefore of thy rich mercie wherein thau art plētifull to al them that call vpon thee is forgiue vs our sinnes namely our vnthankefulnesse vnbeleef self loue neglect of thy worde security hypocrisie cōtempt of thy long suffering omission of prayers doubting of thy power presence mercy and good 〈◊〉 towardes vs vnsensible of thy grace ●●●patience ●c to this thy benefit ofim correcting vs adde thy gracious gift of repentance sayth the spirit of prayer e the contempt of this worlde and heartie desiring● for euerlasting life In due vs with thy holy spirit according to thy couenant and mercy a●●el to assure vs of pardon and that thou 〈◊〉 accept vs in thy fauour as thy 〈◊〉 children in Christ for his sake as to write thy same in our hearts 〈◊〉 to worke in vs that wee may nowe begin and go forwarde in beleeuing ●uing fearing obeying praying hoping a seruing thee as thou doest require most fatherly most iustire of vs accepting vs as perfect in thy light through Iesus Christ our lord ●men A Praier of the afflicted for the profession of Gods worde O Gracious God which seekest almeanes possible how to bring ●y children into the feeling and ●re sence of thy mercie and therfore then prosperity wil not serue then ●ndest thou aduersity graciously cor●ting them heere whom thou wilt 〈◊〉 elsewhere to liue with thee for●er we poore wretches giue hūble ●aises thanks to thee y t thou hast ●●ched vs worthy of thy correctiō at 〈◊〉 presēt hereby to worke y t which 〈◊〉 in prosperity liberty did neglect For the which neglecting and many other our greeuous sinnes whereof we now accuse our selues before thee Most mercifull Lorde thou oughtest most iustly haue giuen vs ouer and destroied vs both in soule body But such is thy goodnes towards vs in Christ that thou seekest to forget all our offences and as though we were far otherwise than we bee indeed thou wilt that we should suffer this crosse now layd vppon vs for thy trueth and Gospels sake and so be thy witnesses with thy Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Confessors yea with thy dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ to whome thou doest now heere beginne to fashiō vs like that in his glorie we may be like to him also O good God what are we on wh● thou shouldest shew this great mercie Oh louing Lord forgiue vs our vnthankefulnesse and sinnes Oh faithfull Father giue vs thine holie spirite nowe to crie in our heartes Abba deare father to assure vs of our eternall election in Christ to reueale more and more thy truth vnto vs to confirme strengthen and stablish vs in the same that wee may liue die in it as vessels of thy mercy to the glorie and to the commoditie of thy Church Indue vs with the spirite of thy wisedom that with good conscience we may alwaies so aunswere the enimies in thy cause as may turn to their conuersion or confusion and our vnspeakable consolatiō in Christ Iesus for whose sake wee bes●●che thee hence foorth to keepe vs to giue vs patience and to will no otherwise for deliuerance or mitigation of our misery than may stand alwaies with thy good pleasure and mercifull will towards vs. Graunt this deare father not onely to vs in this place but also to all others elsewhere afflicted for thy names sake through the death and merites of Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen I. B. A praier to God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost O Almighty and euerliuing God the eternall Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which of thy vnmeasurable goodnes hast opened thy self vnto vs and with a loude voyce hast saide of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde Heare him O maker and pr●seruer of all thinges with thy coeternall sonne our Lorde Iesus christ which raigneth with thee and was manifested in Ierusalem with thy holie spirit which was powred vpon the Apostles O wise God mercifull Iudge and mightie Lorde which hast saide As truelie as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and amēd which also haste saide Call vppon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee haue mercie vpon vs for Iesus Christes sake whome thou wouldest of thy meruailous incomprehensible counsai●e shoulde be made for vs a staine sacrifice mediatour reconciler and peacemaker to the ende that thou mightest sh●we ●hine exceeding great wrath against 〈◊〉 and thine in estimable mercy towards mankind Sanctifie illuminate our hearts and soules with thy holy spirit that wee may trulie ●eleeue in thee call vpon thee bee thankeful vnto thee and obedient 〈◊〉 thy holy will Defende gouerne ●nd cherish thy church as thou hast

to lament and reioyce To lament because I consider not these thinges in prayer in such sorte as should moue mee to admiration and gratitude because I consider not thy power and wisedome generally in all things because I am so carelesse for thy kingdome and because I am so full of dubitation and doubting of thy goodnesse To reioyce I haue great cause because thou reuealest these things vnto me on this sorte because of thy power kingdome and glorie which maketh to the hearing of my prayers and helping of mee because thou wilt vse me as thine instrument to set forth thy kingdome power and glorie and because i● pleaseth thee to heare my prayer and assuredly wilt saue mee for euer But alas howe farre am I from these lamentings and reioycinges By reason whereof I deserue damnation O bee mercifull vnto mee and forgiue me and of thy goodnesse grant me thy holy spirite to reueale to mee my blindnes obliuion contempt of thy kingdome power and glore with the greatnes of my doubtings that as I may heartily lamēt them so haue them pardoned taken from mee through the merites of Iesus Christ thy sonne Againe giue me thy holy spirit to reueale to me in such sort thy kingdome power glorie eternitie that I may alwaies haue the same before mine eies be moued with the admiration thereof labour effectually to set forth the same finally as to haue the fruition thereof after this life so to increase in an assured certaine and liuelie expectation of the same that I may alwaies and in all thinges reioyce in thee through Christ and giue laudes thanks and praises perpetually vnto thy most holie name Oh blessed Father Sonne and holie Ghost three persons and one God to whome bee all honour and glorie world without ende H●ere thinke that if the kingdome power glorie and eternitie bee Gods which is our Father what our dignity is which be his children If the power bee our fathers of whome should wee bee afraide Let the diuell bee subiect to the Lordes power and kingdom as he is how can the subiect haue power ouer vs which be sonnes and heirs in that he hath not power ouer po●kets without the proudence and permissiō of God Therefore ful well should wee pray 〈…〉 power is the Lords and the Diuel hath none but that he hath of Gods gift No he were not able to receiue power if God did not make him able although the execution of it is rather of Gods permission Giue al thanks praise and glorie to God our Father through Christ our Lord and Sauiour So be it Iohn Bradford PRIVATE PRAIERS for the Morning and Euening and for other times of the day When you awake out of your sleepe pray thus MOst mercifull God and Father of our Sauiour Iesus Christ I most humbly thanke thee for the sweete sleepe and comfortable rest which thou hast giuen mee this night past beseeching thee that like as thou hast nowe awaked my bodie from sleepe so thou wouldest awake my soule from the sleepe of sinne and darkenesse of this worlde and that which thou hast new awaked out of sleepe thou wouldest after death whereof this sleepe is but an image restore and rayle againe to life euerlasting O gratious God make my body I heartilie pray thee such a cōpanion or rather a minister of godlinesse to my soule this day all the time of this presēt life that in the life to come it may be partaker with the same of euerlasting happines through Christ Iesus our Lord. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead Christ shal shew light vnto thee Ephes 5. Occasions to med●tate Here call to minde the great mirth blessednesse of the euerlasting resurrection Also remember to muse vpon that most cleare light that bright morning and new clearenesse of our bodies after the lōg darknes which they haue bin in All then shall be ful of vnspeakable ioy and felicitie When you beholde the dailight pray O Lorde God thou most glorious and true light from whence this light of the day sunne doth spring and shine vnto vs O light which lightenest euery man that commeth into this world O light which knowest no night nor euening but art al way a midday most cleare and faire without whom all is most horrible darkenesse and by whome al thinges are most cleare and bright O thou wisedome of the eternall father of mercies lighten my minde that I may see those thinges onely which pleasethee and may be blinded to all other thinges Grant me so to walk in thy wa●●s by the light of thy holie word that nothing else may bee light and pleasant vnto me Lighten mine eies Oh Lord that I sleepe not in death least mine enemies say I haue preuailed against him Psal 30. Occasions to meditate Muse a while howe much the light and eie of the mind and soule is better than of the bodie Also howe much more we ought to care for the soule that it may see well than of the bodie Moreouer that beasts haue bodily eies as wel as men but men onely haue eies of the mind and that such as are godly wise When you arise pray OVR first parentes cast downe themselues from a most excellent high and honorable state into shame miserie and into the deepe sea of all wickednesse and mischiefe but oh Christ thou putting forth thy hande didst raise them vp againe Euen so wee except we be raised vp by thee shal ly still for euer O good Christ our most gracious Redeemer as thou doest mercifully raise vp now this my bodie euen so I beseech thee raise vp my minde heart to the true knowledge loue of thee that my conuersation may be in heauen where thou art If thou be risen with Christ thinke vpon those things that be aboue Col. 3 Occasions to meditate Thinke howe foule the fall of Adam was by reason of sinne and so euerie one of vs frō the hight of Gods grace Againe thinke vpon the inestimable benefite of Christ by whose helpe wee daily rise againe from our fallings When you apparrell your selfe pray O Christ cloath mee with thine owne selfe that I may be so far from making prouision for the flesh to fulfill the Iustes thereof that I may cleane put off all desires and crucifie the kingdome of the flesh in mee Be thou vnto me a garment to keepe me warme and to defend me from the cold of this world If thou be absent deare Lorde all thinges are colde weake and dead but if thou be with me all thinges are warme fresh and cheerefull c. Graunt therefore that as I cōpasse this my body with this garment so thou wouldest cloath me wholy but specially my soule with thine owne selfe Put vpon you as the elect of God bowels of mercie meekenesse loue peace c. Col. 3. Occasions to meditate Call to minde a little howe we are incorporate into Christ Againe howe he doth cloath vs