art in heauen that is to say in a place deuoyde of labour and trouble We do not cal vpon the dead saintes or vppon such as are not able to helpe themselues when they stand in néed Wee runne not vnto those which either for their care and office in the common wealth or for their age are called fathers We make not our petition to Iupiter to Neptune to Mars or to other vaine gods which Sathan the enimie of thy diuine maiestie hath set vp in the worlde whome once almoste to name is great wickednes being false gods opposed agaynst the greatnesse of thy goodnesse and wisdom Some thinke their riches in their chest or bestowed vpon possessions to bee their father which are subiect to a thousand chances perils Some think their power and might which standeth on the loue and fauour of their subiects to be their father then the which thing nothing is more instable Other some thinke the grace and fauor of the prince being a man and by nature mortall in power weake and in will mutable to bee their father Thus euerie one maketh that vanitie wherein he foolishlie trusteth to be his father But we vppon whome through thy rich liberalitie thou hast vouchedsafe the dignitie of sonnes lifting vppe our eies vnto heauen doo call thee our Father and doo beg and craue of thee which arte in heauen whose presence notwithstanding dooth fulfill the whole world But the seat of thy kingdome for the excellencie of the place is saide to bee fixed and sette in heauen This heauen for the forme and beautie thereof and also for the appointed order which keepeth continually a certaine course dooth shewe foorth the highnesse of thine essence the greatnes of thy power and the immortalitie of thy nature O miserable men which hauing gotten so great a Father doo runne as yet to other Fathers of whom they may bee ashamed and from whom we receiue nothing but infirmitie euill and miserie But from thée the true father commeth power goodnesse and felicitie I am able sayth thy Apostle to doe all things through the helpe of Christe which strengtheneth me And in another place complaning of his weaknes thou spakest to him from heauen saieng My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weakenesse Thou art in heauen for vs that wee may know there to find thee our Father and that there a refuge is prepared for vs of the which we can not be disappoynted neither by deceipt nor by the force of enimyes All thinges are there secure safe because thou art there Thou art a moste mightie king and omnipotent God And yet to manie héere on earth thou art neither a king nor a God For euerie one maketh a king and a god to himselfe after his owne fantasie O Father which art in heuen the maker of all things and moste mightie Lorde hear vs we beséech thee which are héere troubled and turmoiled in earth which are trauellers and pilgrimes therein not onelie for a time but for the most part for a small moment of time Our Father is in heauen therefore our inheritance and happinesse is there why then doo wee seeke it on earth where there is nothing to be found but the naturall fruits of the earth as sickenesses cares troubles sorrowes greefes and vexations Make vs O Lorde to séeke thée in the heauens of sempiternall rest where thou hast prepared for vs all blessedfulnes Lift vp our hearts O heauenlie Father wee beséech thee vnto those heauens and inflame our mindes with the loue and desire of those good thinges which thou hast there prepared for vs the greatnes excellencie where of surmounteth the vnderstanding capacitie of man For the which blessed bee thy name for euermore Amen 1 Hallowed be thy Name THat is the true proper name belonging to euerie thing by which name the vertue and inclination of the same thing is declared but who shall giue vnto thee O Lord a conuenient and proper name the greatnes of whose essence neither the mindes of men nor of angels is able to comprehende Yet wee vnderstande that to be thy name by which wee may best comprehende thee As when in thy worde thou art called Schaddai that is to saie All sufficient Iehouah that is to saie Of thy selfe euerlasting Thou art also called immortall the king the Lorde and the maker of all things Thou art called most righteous moste wise and the most mercifull Sauiour And therefore wee saie with the Prophet in the Psalme O God according vnto thy name so is thy praise vnto the worldes end Hallowed bee this thy name in vs O Father that wee maye thinke nothinge more sacred more holie and blessed than the same that we may worship thée and submit our selues onelie to thy name Sende downe wee beséech thee into our hearts thy heauenlie light of true knoledge that we may call vppon thee alone that wee may looke to be holpen by thy helpe and aid alone and that wee put not our trust in other momentanie temporall transitorie and deceyueable helpes but that we may haue our whole confidence onlie in thee which alone canst and wilt and art wont to helpe Glorifie thy name O Father in vs by the Gospell of thy sonne Christ and by the same also finishe the woorke which thou hast begun in vs that we may perseuere in the way of godlinesse to the ende of our life that so abiding in thy name wee may also bee sanctified by thée Sanctifie thy name so in vs O heauenly Father that we may be able to teach others not onelie in worde but also in example of godlie life that thy holie name bee not euill spoken of among the gentils who séeing our corrupte life maie take occasion thereby to condemne thy holy gospel because we which are the professors thereof are not hallowed in our conuersation But make our light so shine before men that they seeing our good works may glorifie thee our heauenlie Father And to the ende thy name may be magnified thoroughout the whole worlde make O Lord all those whom thou hast chosen partakers with vs of this felicitie Spread forth the bright beames of thy light vpon mankind illumine their mindes inflame their affections that all as it is méet and right may sanctifie thy name not in profession onely but also in the true loue of godlinesse For then shall thy name bee hallowed when thy sonne Iesus Christ our onelie Sauiour which is thy glorie is thus knowne To whome with thée and the holie ghost be all honour and glorie world without end Amen 2 Thy kingdome come RAigne thou O lord in vs rule and gouerne vs wee beséech thee for our subiection to thee is a moste happie fréedome By the fall of our first parents wee are made thrall to sinne death and the deuill the power of whose kingdome wee doo too often féele in vs. But thou hast ordained and appoynted thy beloued Sonne to treade down the
The Poore Mans Pater noster with a preparatiue to praier Wherto are annexed diuers godly Psalmes and Meditations Collected out of the sacred Scriptures by Thomas Timme Minister Newly Imprinted the second time by Peter Short dwelling on Bredstreet hill at the signe of the Starre 1598. The life of a Christian man 1 Remember thy maker 2 Be thankful alwaies to God for his benefits 3 Loue the Lord thy God with al thy soul and all thy strength 4 Beleeue that he is thy heauenly father for his sonne Iesus Christs sake 5 Serue him with feare worship him and call vpon his holy name 6 As thou louest God so loue thy brother also 7 Let the loue of God in thee restraine the concupiscence of the flesh and prouoke thee to good works Let the loue of thy brother hold thee backe from dooing iniurie and pricke thee forward to doo good And remember alwaies that thou art borne to die A Preparatiue to praier PRaier is a talking not of the toong but of a faithfull mind with God by when wee aske of him some good thing either for our selues or for some others or else doe giue him thankes for his benefites 2 When thou commest to pray first prepare thy minde that it may bee free from all worldlie cares and that the affections of thy minde may bee quiet for the place of the Lorde is not in commotions but in quiet and rest Reuerence 3 Remember the maiestie of him beefore whome thou standest whoe as hee is the maker of heauen and earth so also is he the mightie soueraigne ouer the whole world 4 Remember that his eye seeth all things yea euen the actions the secret thoughts of thy heart Deuotion 5 If thou praye with thy mouth not with thy minde thy praier shal be but a tempting of the Lorde and a sacrifice of fooles Humilitie 6 Praye in humilitie of minde shaking off all confidence of thine owne worthynes and say thus O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and to vs open shame We do not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies I haue begun to speake vnto my Lord I am but dust and ashes Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee and am no more worthie to bee called thy son O God be mercifull vnto mee a sinner 7 Pray not hypocriticallie to seeme deuout in the eyes of men but secretly and thy father which seeth in secret will reward thee openly Contrition 8 Pray with a contrite hart and sorrowfull minde when thou crauest of God remission of sinnes Fasting 9 When thou praiest fast and abstaine from carnall delightes for thereby thou shalt bee made more apte and feruent in praier Faith 10 Pray in faith and with a sure trust and confidence in God without the which thou shalt not obtaine For euerie one that commeth vnto God must beleeue that God is and that hee is a rewarder of them that seeke him 11 Lette him that asketh aske in fayth and wauer not for hee that wauereth is like a waue of the Sea tossed with the winde and let not that man thinke that hee shall receyue anie thinge from the Lord. 12 Faith is the gift of God Therefore praye daylie with the disciples of Christ which said Lord increase our faith Lord helpe my vnbeleefe 13 The true knowledge of God learned out of his word will greatlye confirme thy fayth As when thou shalte knowe that he is louing kind mercifull gratious long suffering iust c. Also that hee is most readie to heare vs and to grant our petitions 14 God is omnipotent therefore hee is able to giue whatsoeuer thou askest God is mercifull and therefore hee will giue that which is profitable for thee 15 God giueth liberallie to those that aske of him For Salomon craued but wisdom and had both it and riches and honor in wonderfull measure And Iehosaphat which desired onelye water in his extreame thirst for him and his hoast had both the same granted and victorie also ouer the Moabites 16 God seeth and knoweth thy neede before thou askest yet to shewe thy obedience by this seruice which hee hath commaunded and also to exercise thy fayth thou muste receyue those thinges whereof thou hast neede by inuocating and calling vppon his name New obedience 17 As thou doest professe thy selfe to bee the son of God by praying vnto him and by calling him thy Father so shewe thy selfe an obedient sonne in deed by walking in his commandements 18 Let thy whole cōuersation be agreeing with thy prayers for thy continuall walking in sin will make thy praiers abhominable 19 Pray for nothing contrarie to the will of God reuealed in his holie worde For if thou praye to this ende to haue the desires of thy fleshe fulfilled thou shalte not receyue 20 That thy principal mark may be the glorifieng of God Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all other thinges shall be giuen vnto thee Perseuerance in praier 21 Perseuere in prayer and bee not discouraged though at the first thy petition bee not graunted For the Lord dooth sometimes deferre and delaie vs not that hee is vnmindfull of his promises but to trie our faith either els the more to stir vp our godly affections or to make his giftes more sweete and precious vnto vs as appeareth by the woman of Canaan and by Paule himselfe 22 When our Sauior Christ forbiddeth much babling hee meaneth not long prayers but long babling withoute faith and the spirit For length of wordes ioyned with length of earnest affection dooth not displease God 23 Christ himselfe praied all the night vppon the mountaine and before his death hee made long praiers he commandeth vs to pray cōtinually The force of true praier 24 Great is the force of faithfull praier for therby Abraham obteined life for Ismael Lot that Zoar might not be burnt in the destruction of Sodome Moyses victorye agaynste the Amalachites Eliah both drouth and raine Ezechias the prolonging of his life fifteene yeeres and such like 25 Let prayer be thy refuge in all trouble and distresse Call vppon mee in the time of trouble saith the Lord so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me 26 Hannah beeing contumeliously handled by Penninnah betaketh hir selfe to praier Sara the daughter of Raguel beeing reproched entereth into her Chamber and there maketh hir praier Dauid being persecuted saith thus For my friendship they were mine aduersaries but I gaue my selfe to praier 27 Praier thus prepared and practised will bee a gard for children an ornament for yoong men a solace and consolation for olde men and a surpassing beautie for women It will driue away diuels It will procure Angelles of defence from heauen and it will bee a sacrifice of a good sauour vnto God pearcing the heauens and will not returne againe emptie The praier of a penitent sinner O Father of heuen O sonne of God Redéemer
of the worlde O holie ghost the sweet comforter O the diuine essence thrée persons and one God haue mercie vpon me most vile caitife and miserable sinner I haue offended both against heauen earth more than my toong can expresse Whither then may I go or whither should I flie To heauen I may be ashamed to lift vp mine eies and in earth I finde no place of refuge or succour To thée therfore O Lord do I come to thée doo I humble my selfe saieng O Lord my God my sinnes be great but yet haue mercy vpon me for thy great mercie The great mysterie that God became man was not wrought for little or few offences Thou diddest not giue thy sonne O heauenlie Father vnto death for small sinnes onelie but for all the greatest sinnes of the world so that the sinner returne to thee with his whole heart as by grace first receyued from thée I doo héer at this present Wherefore haue mercie vpon me O God whose propertie is alwaies to haue mercy haue mercie vppon mee O Lorde for thy great mercie I craue nothing O Lord for my owne merits but for thy names sake that it may be hallowed thereby and for thy déere son Iesu Christes sake And therfore I continue forth my crie vnto thee from the bottom of my heart saieng Our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name c. Our Father TO none doth this name Father more truelie belong then vnto thée O God our father For both they which haue begotten vs fostered vs do bring vs vp and also our spirituall pastors which do instruct vs are called fathers But thou O Lord art the father of all creatures which are vpon the earth whome thou hast made of somewhat as thou madest man but of nothing which none else coulde do These thou dooest féede and preserue which else shoulde returne to their nothing againe These thou dooest gouerne teach and stirre vp to do their seuerall and proper offices Thou hast made all things therefore thou art the father of all but more speciallie man whom thou hast formed after thine owne similitude and image Thou dooest rule and gouerne all thinges as thy seruants but man as thy sonne To other liuing creatures thou hast giuen out of thy plentifull storehouse good giftes but vppon man thou hast powred them forth with full hande and hast adorned him with a liuing soule of all giftes one of greatest excellencie Thou doost driue forward al other creatuers as it were with a certain secret spurre but thou gently teachest and instructest vs. Other creatures thou dooest violentlie draw but vs thou doost fatherly teach and direct In al these fatherlie properties we wonder at thy power and adore and worship thy wisedome But amongst al thy fatherly mercies there is one which with great delectation wee consider as more profitable for vs namely our adoption by which thou hast made vs thy sonnes thorough Iesus Christ the sonne of the omnipotent essence and diuine nature Wonderfull is this goodnes of Christ and most swéet is his loue toward vs who wil not haue vs to be terrified with seruile feare and therefore hath not taught vs to cal thee his father Our lord which is a name of power but Our father which is a name of loue He concealeth thy greatnes and setteth forth thy goodnes the sooner to allure vs. What man considering rightlie his vile nature and corrupt will dare cal thee father except thou command him What vngratious and inferiour seruaunt will presume to call his king father except he be beside himselfe But how much greater difference is there betweene thée and vs then betweene a mortal king and a seruant which do not differ in condition of nature but onely in state of fortune We compared with thee in nature are most far different Thou art the essence and the incompresensible fulnes of all things which art all in all and wee are vtterlie nothing And in condition of worthinesse and excellencie wee being with thée compared are vnhappie and most miserable bondslaues of sin and the diuell which is the most vile and execrable state but thou art the most blessed lord of al. We are ignorance and darknesse but thou art wisedome and light Thy excellencie is infinit our shame and reproch more than can be expressed mans mind is not able to comprehend the difference betwéene thée and vs. But thy onlie sonne hath giuen vs boldnes to call thee Our father that we by adoption might be made partakers of that excellent dignitie to be called sonnes through his fauour and grace which he alone in right of his diuine nature possesseth Nowe howe more néerelie and trulie art thou the father of all those that are baptised in thy name and that are purged and clensed by the bloud of thy sonne Christ to whome beeing reconciled with thee and receiued into thy fauour thou hast giuen the earnest of Euerlasting blisse the loue of thee and an assured faith and confidence in thee and thereby perfect peace and rest of conscience Oh howe often do we féele to our great comfort thy fatherlie goodnesse Thou dooest giue vs light in darkenesse thou holdest vs vp when we stumble and are readie to fall thou turnest from vs manie wicked euils which hang ouer our heades and changest them into good and in all goodnes thou doost establish and preserue vs. What dooe our fathers helpe vs which are onelie fathers in name by whom wee haue nothing but that which hirelings and seruants haue that is to say the necessaries of this present life But this is the true fatherhood wherof we may rightlie reioyce by which we haue an euerlasting inheritance Oh woonderfull clemencie of thy son Christ which vouchsafed on vs the dignitie of his proper inheritance What wilt thou not giue O father vnto thy sons now which thou shalt thinke profitable for them We haue attained the greatest gifte that thou shouldest bee called and be indéed our father how then can we misse and bee destitute of thy fatherlie affection and liberalitie towardes vs And forasmuch as wee all which truelie are called Christians are knit togither in one knot of loue and are therfore members of one bodie and so one thing therefore that which wee aske for our selues wee craue of thee O Father for our brethren also And for this cause wee call thee iointlie togither Our father Beséeching thée that as thou vouchestsafe to be called of vs Our father so thou wilt make vs thy obedient children that not with mouth alone but with heart and mind wee may truelie feare thée serue thee loue thee and call thee our father to the honour and glorie of thy holie name Amen Which art in heauen THou art alone O Lord and we are not That being which we haue is heere in Earth that is to saie in the middest of manie tempestes and floudes of all manner of calamities wherewith we are continuallie turmoiled But thou both art and also
Forgiue vs our sinnes Wash vs thorowly from our iniquities and clense vs from all our sins in such wise that they may no waie preuaile agaynst vs. Cast them into the bottome of the sea that they may neuer arise before thee in the daie of iudgement Let thy wrath and anger and heauie displeasure bee turned from vs which we haue deserued and take vs into thy fatherly fauour againe that we may be thy sonnes Shewe vs thy mercie O Lorde and graunt vs thy saluation for thy names sake It is thou O god alone that canst pardon and forgiue vs our sinnes it is thou alone that doost make vs happie and blessed by couering our iniquities and not imputing our sinnes vnto vs. It is thou alone that canst put awaie our transgressions like to a cloud and our sins as a mist None but thou O God alone can remit so great a debt as that ten thousand talents we owe vnto thee Forgiue vs therefore wee beseech thee O most liberall father which art rich in mercies al our sinnes not for our merits but for thy mercies sake and remooue them so farre from vs as the east is from the west Pardon vs we humbly beséech thee for our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake who hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes who was wounded broken for our iniquities on whom thou hast layd the chastisement of our peace that we might bee healed with his stripes Purge vs with his bloud from all our sins cancel the hand writing which is against vs which thy sonne fastened to his crosse for the full satisfaction of thy iustice Him O Lord wee oppose with his innocencie with his holinesse with his righteousnesse and with all the merits of his sufferings in the flesh agaynst thy iustice as our onlie sufficient mediatour our peacemaker and our reconciler to thy heauenly fauour who by thy will was made sinne for vs that wee might be thy righteousnes through him and also accursed for vs that wee might be blessed for euer Wherefore vpon sure trust and confidence of these thy great mercies offered to vs in thy son Iesus being bolde and ioyfull and also sorrowfull that euer wee offended thee so louing a Father wee doo with deepe sighes of heart crie vnto thee Forgiue vs our sinnes Remit our offences and couer our nakednes with the holines and righteousnes of our eternall Sauiour thy sonne Iesus Christ and from hence forth kéep vs from presumptuous sins and restore in vs the decayed image of thy heauenlie light that we maie hereafter serue thee in feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life through our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen As we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. A praier for brotherlie charitie AS thou art our heauenlie Father so O Lord it is necessarie that wee should be like thee in mercie in kindnes in loue shewing mercie kindnesse and loue vnto our enimies as thou hast loued vs when wee were thine enimies And herein wee shall shew our selues to bee led by thy spirit as thy déere sons whome thou hast adopted and therefore assured of remission of sinnes It hath pleased thy sonne our sauiour Christ therfore to adde this condition As wee forgiue them that trespasse agaynst vs that wee might bee ascertained of forgiuenesse to forgiue our brethren which trespasse against vs. What greater thing O Father can we aske of thee then forgiuenesse of our sins whereupon our euerlasting saluation dependeth For the which thou requirest neither gold nor siluer nor anie laborious worke of the bodie at our hands but onelie this that as thou of thy méere grace and fauour hast pardoned vs so we in like maner shoulde forgiue them which haue offended vs. Expresse in vs good Father wee humblie beseech thee this similitude of thy good wil and transforme vs into thy likenesse that our soules by the illumination of thy holie spirite may bee ioyned to thee and that the image of thy fatherlie kindnes mercie and loue may shine in vs. Stirre vp in vs a desire of brotherlie good will and Christian charitie that wee may haue care to helpe one another as members of one bodie Grant vs grace that our loue may bee perfect not fayned false or hypocriticall not in word and toong but in deed and truth That we may be patient curteous long suffering gentle méeke not suspitious not disdainefull nor easilie mooued to anger but forbearing and forgiuing one another through loue O heauenlie Father take from vs all bitternesse and anger and wrath and crying and euill speaking with all maliciousnes and inflame our mindes that after thy example wee may vnfeynedlie loue euen our verie enemies and blesse them that cursse vs doe good to them that hate vs and hurt vs leauing reuengement alwayes vnto thee That thus retayning mercie loue the bonde of all perfection and the fulfilling of the lawe we may declare our selues to dwell in thee and thou in vs to the honour and glorie of thy holie name Amen 6 And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill A prayer agaynst temptation O Heauenlie father and euerlasting God wee most humblie beseech thee protect and strengthen vs weake and feeble men agaynst all euill temptations of sathan the sworne and mortall enimie of mans saluation a lyer and our accuser that great Dragon the olde Serpent which is called the diuell a wicked spirite a deceyuer which goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom hee may deuoure But especially in this latter age of the worlde he knowing his time of raging to be but short and perceiuing the day of iudgement to be verie nie at hand rangeth in a deadlie hatred against thy children and by all meanes séeketh the destruction of all mankinde and sundrie wayes by diuers subtleties hee layeth snares to entrap our soules bending his whole power against vs and prieng for anie occasion to break thy commandements and so at length to plunge vs horriblie into desperation And because wee of our selues are naturallie prone to all wickednesse hauing in vs the seede of sinne which is concupiscence hee taketh an aduantage héereof to tempt vs to wounde vs or at the least to hurt vs with one pricke or other hee prepareth baites to take vs and intrap vs in wealth in pouertie in pleasure and in the inticements of the flesh in griefe of minde in ambition and desire of glorie hee maketh vs euill contented with our vocation to grudge in our inferiour condition hee troubleth vs with excéeding cares of this life and maketh vs couetous malicious seeking reuenge he prouoketh to pride and presumption and woulde feine bring vs to doubt of thy diuine will and prouidence he taketh great paines to lull vs asléepe in the cradle of securitie Night and daie sléeping and waking eating or drinking hee is about vs seeking with open mouth to deuoure vs. O Lord our God who is able to stand agaynst the manifold assaultes and