Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	father_n	lord_n	redeemer_n	2,002	5	9.8210	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B11418	The complaint or dialogue, betvvixt the soule and the bodie of a damned man Each laying the fault vpon the other. Supposed to be written by S. Bernard from a nightly vision of his, and now published out of an ancient manuscript copie. By William Crashaw.; Noctis sub silentio tempore brumali. English and Latin.	Crashaw, William, 1572-1626.; Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 91-1153, attributed name.; Fulbert, Saint, Bishop of Chartres, ca. 960-1028, attributed name.; Crashaw, William, 1572-1626. Manuale Catholicorum. aut	1622 (1622)	STC 1909.3; ESTC S105114	31,120	195

fall againe 7 Doest thou forgiue from thy whole heart any that haue done thee any wrong in word or deede for the loue of Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour and as thou hopest for pardon from him and doest thou heartily desire to bee forgiuen of all men whom thou hast any way offended 8 Wilt thou that there bee full restitution made according to thy power yea though it should extend to thy whole estate if otherwise there cannot be satisfaction made 9 Doest thou beleeue that Christ dyed for thee and that thou canst be saued no otherwise but by the merits of Iesus Christ and doest thou giue God thankes for this from thy whole heart as much as thou art able And whosoeuer can giue true answer to these questions affirmatiuely out of a good conscience and faith not fained It is an euident and sufficient testimonie of saluation and let him not doubt but if he so depart hee is one of them that shall bee saued Behold heere good Reader our Religion practised in the most misty times of Popery behold here the true holy Catholike and ancient way to heauen Namely by Christ and his merits alone Here is no trusting on mans merits either our owne or others Here is no mention of Agnus dei or woodden Crucifixes Hee is not bid to trust in the prayers suffrages requiems dirges Masses Trentalls or other obsequies that shall bee said for him after his departure Hee is sent to no Angell no nor to the Virgin Mary for matter of Saluation Nay all are excluded and Christs death alone euen it alone is made the meanes of his Saluation And the makers hereof were so resolute and zealous in this point that they vsed such variety of words as though they could not sufficiently expresse the excellencie and the necessity of cleauing to Christ alone in the matter of Saluation And if any man suspect that this is but deuised by vs and falsly fathered vpon Antiquity let him know that not onely we haue the ancient Copies whose age will speake for themselues but Gasper Vlēbergius in lib. de Causis Causa 14 pag 462. editionis Colon. 1589. euen the better sort of Papists that be learned doe know this well enough A learned Papist of this age writeth that in a Church in Colaine this very booke is extant Manuscript and that he hath seene it and that this manner of comforting the sicke was vsed in former ages and confesseth that it containes the very treasure and kernell of Christian religion And saith further that this manner was vsed not in Germany onely but ouer all the Christian world Indeede to the Iesuites I confesse this is held a ridiculous manner of comforting the sicke such a spirit possesseth them Thus doth Gretzer their Champion flout vs Lutherans as he cals vs for thus doing The Lutherans saith he do Iac. Gretz in resut Leyseri de hist Ord. Iesuit thus comfort their sicke Relickes Crucifixes Agnus deis and such matters are but dead things nothing worth the Scripture hath not a word of them it is therefore very vngodly to trust in them but God is our hope and God is our strength trust in him c. On this wise fashion doe these godly comforters comfort their sicke persons Thus in the Iesuites iudgement it is but a silly course to trust in Gods mercy and Christs merits in point of saluation hereby it may bee discerned of what spirit they are But let them mock vs as long as with vs they mocke the Scriptures Antiquitie and the better sort of their owne side for we appeale to this that hath beene said whether this manner of comforting the sicke were not in vse long before Luther was borne Now if any obiect that in the same bookes there is mention of the Crucifixe and that it is appointed to be in the presence of the sicke person I answer it is true but not that he should worship it as now the Iesuites teach and Greg. de Valent. Gretzer Vasquez Chrys à visit c. all the approued Romish writers but that it may put him in minde of Christ which though it bee a needlesse superstition yet it is not that impietie and Idolatrie which now at this day is practised and maintained in the Romish Church and my purpose is not to discharge those times nor our forefathers in those times of errours and superstitions but of the idolatry impietie and blasphemie of the present Church of Rome And the same answer is also to be giuen to another obiection That in the same book there are prayers to the Saints and Angels It is so and from that errour those ages cannot be cleared but withall let vs still obserue that those praiers are not to help them in matters of saluation as are many blasphemous prayers now vsuall in Popery and that sinne in those misty times being a sin of ignorance no doubt was pardoned vnto them in the mercy of God seeing that for their reconciliation with God and eternall saluation they beleeued to attaine it onely by the merits and passion of Iesus Christ But let not vs feede on their infirmities but louingly passe by them and let this content and comfort vs that their meanes of saluation which they vsed and trusted vnto is the same with ours at this day For better testimony whereof let vs set downe some of their prayers being such as the best Christians may vse at this day with much comfort Certaine Prayers vsed by our forefathers in the darkest times of Poperie in the time of a mans sicknesse some to bee made for the sicke and some by the sicke person gathered out of the same Ancient Bookes When the sicke person feeles his strength to faile then let him commend his soule to God in this prayer O Most high and Soueraigne GOD whose goodnesse and mercy is infinite O most glorious Trinitie which art loue and mercie and goodnesse it selfe haue mercy vpon mee most miserable sinner for vnto thee and vnto thy hands I commend my spirit O Lord my most louing God and Father of mercies shew thy mercie on me thy poore creature and forsake me not in my last need but stand with me and helpe my succourlesse soule saue my poore and desolate soule that it be not deuoured of the infernall dogs O most louing Lord and sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing God I beseech thee for thy honor and by the vertue of thy most blessed passion command that I may bee receiued into the number of thy Saints and seruants O my Sauiour and my Redeemer I here yeeld vp my selfe wholly vnto thee O graunt me thy grace and thy glory vouchsafe mee pardon of my sinne and giue mee a portion of thy glory But ô my deare Lord I challenge not a place in heauen for any worthinesse of mine owne merits for I am but dust and ashes and a most wretched sinner but for the vertue of thy most blessed passion by

cum friuolis suis condemnaui Aurum gemmas pradia nihil reputaui Rebus transitorijs abrenunciaui Et me Christi manibus totum commendaui 75 Ecce mundus moritur vitio sepultus Ordo rerum vertitur sapiens fit stultus Exulat iustitia cessat Christicultus Et in mundo iugiter labor tumultus 76 Mundus ad interitùm pergit his diebus Dij facti sunt iterum Iupiter Phoebus Nam qui mundum possidet abundat rebus Hic vt Deus collitur sceptris aciebus 77 Et quae theologicae virtutes vocantur Fides spes charitas ferè suffocantur Fraus auaritia quae deriuantur Ex his iam in seculo toto dominantur 78 Si sis ortu nobilis si vultu serenus Si benignus humilis moribusque plenus Haec nil tibi proderunt si tu sis egenus Sola nam pecunia formam dat genus 79 Dūmodo sim splendidis vestibus ornatus Et multa familia sim circumuallatus Prudens sim sapiens morigeratus Ego tuus nepos sum tu meus cognatus 80 Ista cum defic●rint statim euanescit Nostra consanguinitas morte refrigescit Cessatque notitia ita quod me nescit Qui dum diues fueram surgens mihi cessit 81 O miranda vanitas ô diuitiarum Amor lamentabilis ô virus amarum Cur tot viros inficis faciendo carum Hoc quod tranfit cit●●● quam flamma stuparum 82 Si mundus diuitibus tria posset dare Iuuentutem floridam mortem vitare Pulchram durabilem prolem procreare Benè possent diuites nummos congregare 83. Homo miser cogita mors ista compescit Quis est ab initio qui morti non cessit Hic si viuit hodie cras forte putrescit Cuique prorsus hominum parcere iam nescit 84. Quando genus hominum morti deputatur Quò post mortem transeat quisquam ignoratur Vnde quidem sapiens ita de se fatur Contremisco iugiter dum mens meditatur Quid sum quò propero quid mihi paratur 85 De morte dum cogito contristor ploro Vnum est quòd moriar tempus ignoro Tertium quòd nescio quorum iungar choro Sed vt suis valeam iungi Deum oro FINIS THE COMPLAINT OR DIALOGVE BETVVIXT The Soule and the Bodie of a damned man Each laying the fault vpon the other Supposed to be written by S. BERNARD from a nightly vision of his and now published out of an ancient Manuscript Copie By WILLIAM CRASHAW LONDON Printed by G. E. for Leonard Becket and are to be sold at his shop in the Temple neere the Church 1622. To the VVorshipful my worthy beloued friends Hugh Hare Richard Brownlow George Crok and Iohn Walter Esquires Benchers of the honourable society of the inner TEMPLE Mercy Grace and Peace THe end and highest happinesse of a Christian man is to honour God in this life and to dye well the way to die well is to liue well and no better prouocation to good life nor preparatiue to a good death then a continuall and serious meditation of the mortality of this life the certainty of our end the vncertainty when and how the terriblenesse of the last iudgement and the account that each one must make then who haue not made it here before crossed the debt-book of their sins by the Lambe of God This made an ancient Father crye out When I thinke of that day I feare and tremble for whether I eate or drinke or what euer I doe I thinke I heare that terrible Trumpet sounding in mine eares Arise yee dead and come to iudgement And to this end the holy men of elder times willingly entertained all occasions that might helpe them in these holy cogitations One euidence thereof is this short and sweet Dialogue which as a fore-runner of others that may follow being diuulged and desired by many to bee englished I am therefore induced to make it common This being an age that needs all helps to holinesse and inticements to deuotion And this the rather in as much as though it was made in the mist of Popery euen not long after the Diuell was let loose yet is it not tainted with Popish corruption nor scarce smels of any superstition whereas it is stuft with godly truthes and wholsome instructions My thoughts intended and dedicated it to your selues and that worthy vertuous and religious Gentleman now with God the brother to one of you in nature and to you all in faithfull Christian loue But seeing he needs it not God hauing prouided better things for him and his soule now feeding on finer foode in Gods glorious presence and blessed vision of the Deity take you it therefore and that part of profite that might heereby haue falne to him and that part of my loue which heerein I shewed him diuide among you and as hee hath left behinde him to this Society and all that knew him the sweete smell of a good name for his many religious and morall vertues so let me leaue behinde me this little Monument of the much loue my heart owes you and shall bee willing to testifie by my best seruice as to this whole and honorable Society in generall so to your selues in particular To whom without wrong to any other I speake it I haue beene peculiarly beholden and by whom my studies haue beene much aduanced Now the God of Grace and Mercy so guide you in the wayes of holinesse and good workes that at your ends your body may not blame your soule nor the soule the body but both soule and body may haue cause to glorifie God their Creatour Redeemer and Sanctifier in whose loue I leaue you and rest yours in all Christian duety THE SPEAKERS 1. The Author 2. A Soule departed 3. A dead Carcasse 4. The Diuels THE AVTHOR IN silence of a Winters night A sleeping yet a waking spirit A liuelesse body to my sight Me thought appeared thus addight 2. In that my sleepe I did descry A Soule departed but lately From that foule body which lay by Wailing with sighes and loud did cry 3. Fast by the body thus she mones And questions it with sighes and grones O wretched flesh thus low who makes thee lye Whom yesterday the world had seene so high 4. Wast not but yesterday the world was thine And all the Country stood at thy deuotion Thy traine that followed thee when thy Sunne did shine Haue now forsaken thee O dolefull alteration 5. Those Turrets gay of costly Masonry And larger Palaces are not now thy roome But in a Coffin of small quantity Thou lyest interred in a little tombe 6. Thy Palaces what helpe they thee or buildings Thy graue vneth's of largenesse for thy feet Henceforth thou canst hurt none with thy false iudgings For thy misdeeds in hell we both must meete 7. I I poore soule oh I a noble creature Formed and made in likenesse of my God Adorn'd with graces of

non deformes Omnes Christo sunt conformes Vrbs coelestis vrbs beata Supra petram collocata Vrbs in portu satis tuto De longinquo te saluto Te saluto te suspiro Te affecto te requiro Quantum tui gratulentur Quam festiue conuiuentur Quis affectus eos stringat Aut quae gemma muros pingat Quis Chalcedon quis Iacincthus Norunt illi qui sunt intus In plateis huius vrbis Sociatus pijs turbis Cum Iob Mosedech Elia Pium cantem Alleluiah Amen Meditatio piissima de hominis miseria Dei misericordia vna cum deuota precatione VTiucundas Ceruus vndas Estuans defiderat Sic ad Deum Fontem verum Mens fidelis properat Sicut riui Fontis viui Prabent refrigerium Ita menti Sitienti Deus est remedium Quantis bonis super bonis Seruos tuos Domine Lesel aedit Qui recedit A superno lumine Vitam laetam quietam Qui te quaerit reperit Sed laborem dolorem Metit qui te deserit Sipacem donas coronas His qui tecum militant Cuncta lata sine meta His qui tecum habitant Heu quam vana mens humana Lusione falleris Cum te curis Nocituris Imprudenter ingeris Cur non caues Lapsus graues Quos persuadit proditor Noc affectas Vias rectas Quas ostendit Conditor Resipiscas Atque discas Cuius sis originis Vbi degis Cuius legis Cuius sis ordinis Ne te spernes Sed discernes Homo gemma regia Te perpende Et attende Qua sis factus gratia Recordare Quis quare Sis à Deo conditus Cuius haeres Nunc maneres Si fuisses subditus O mortalis Quantis malis Meruisti affici Cum Auctori Et doctori Noluisti subijci Sed maiores Sunt dolores Infernalis carceris Quo mittendus Et torquendus Es si male vixeris Cui mundus Est iucundus Suam perdit animam Pro re leui Atque breui Vitam perdit optimam Ergo caue Ne tam suaue Iugum spernens Domini Et abiecta Lege recta Seruias libidini Si sint plagae Curam age Vt curentur citius Ne si crescant Et putrescant Pergas in deterius Ne desperes Nam cohaeres Christi esse poteris Si carnales Quantum vales Affectus excluseris Si formidas Ne diffidas Sed medelam postula Noxam plange Corpus ange Dilue piacula Si viuorum Et functorum Christum times Iudicem Debes scire Quod perire Non vult suum supplicem Preces funde Pectus tunde Flendo cor humilia Poenitenti Et gementi Non negatur venia Exorando Et laudando Iesum Christum memora Nam delere Potest vere Quaecunque facinora Et si quando Te temptando Durus serpens laeserit Suspiranti Et oranti Iesus Christus aderit Quod si forte Mortis portae Tu vicinum senseris Crede tamen Quod inuamen Per cum receperis Hunc require Qui lenire Solet corda tristium Certus esto Quod est presto Votis se precantium Ipse multos Iam sepultos Fecit reuiuiscere Hic auersos Et subuersos Potest Deo iungere Ipsum ama Ad hunc clama Mentem tuam eleua Vt sustentet Et praesentet Te ad coeli gaudia Ipsum cole Vt de mole Criminum te liberet Hunc appella Ne processa Vitiorum superet Ipsum posco Quem cognosco Posse prorsus omnia Vt euellat Et repellat Cūcta qua sunt noxia Ipse donet Vt quod monet Eius verbum faciam Vt finita Carnis vita Latus hunc aspiciam Pater Deus Fili Deus Deus alma charitas Per aeterna Nos guberna Secla Deus Trinitas Amen A MANVALL for true Catholicks OR A HANDFVLL OR Rather a heartfull of holy meditations and prayers GATHERED Out of certaine ancient Manuscripts written 300. yeares agoe or more By WILLIAM CRASHAW LONDON Printed by G. E. for Leonard Becket and are to be sold at his shop in the Temple neere the Church 1622. The Contents 1. A Holy and orthodoxall confession of the Trinitie The Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost 2. A godly confession of sins and prayer for pardon and for eternall life 3. A godly meditation of mans miserie and Gods mercy together with a deuout prayer 4. The manner of preparing sicke persons to death in the ancient times euen in Popery An Orthodoxall Confession of God the Father FIrst and last one God diuine All mens God as well as mine In thy vertue all things framing In thy knowledge all containing In thine essence chiefest good Working all that is of good All supporting all excelling Without all yet in all dwelling All supporting vndeiected All excelling vnaffected Without all yet not excluded In all neuer yet included Ouer all in Domination Vnder all in sustentation Comprehending all without thee Filling all things round about thee Nothing vnder thee can raise thee Nought aboue thee can debase thee Nought without giues thee dimension Noght within giues thee extension Mouing all thy selfe abiding Placed without circumscribing Changing time thy self most stable Varying all inuariable Force necessity nor art Alter thee in any part Time past present and to come Are one with thee both all some All the glory now thou hast Vndiminisht aye must last Onely thou art all fore seeing Onely giuing all their being As thy wisdome did foreshow Thou fram'dst the elements below A holy and orthodoxall Confession of God the Sonne Iesus Christ the Sauiour of Mankind SOnne thy Fathers peere in all With him consubstantiall His figure and his splendor pure Creator made a creature Thou our humane flesh putst on Thou our cause hast vndergone Temporall yet time defying Euer liuing yet once dying God and Man without illusion Both in one without confusion Thy Father like in Deity But not in fleshly verity God humanity assuming The same preseruing not consuming The God-head in this vnion yet Of his Godhead lost no whit God to God and not toth'other Was Father but Mary to both was Mother Thus both natures kept their statiō In this wondrous Combination Preseruing in the essence true What was and thence producing new This our Mediator is Our leader to the Land of blisse Circumciz'd baptiz'd by Iohn Suffered buried and vpon The third day whence he had descended He rose and so to heauen ascended Whence he shall come when time doth call Tho iudgd himself to iudge vs al. Of Christ againe HE whō Gods power for mankind would haue borne Whom borne his miracles proclaimed haue Who thus proclaim'd vpon a Crosse was torne To whom thus torne the godly buriall gaue This borne proclaimed torne entombed King Gods power againe to heauenly blisse did bring A True and Orthodoxall Confession of the Holy Ghost SPirit vncreated euer Neuer made begotten neuer From the Persons two proceeding Full their equall not exceeding Not preferring them in Deity Nor seuerall from them in

which thou diddest vouchsafe to redeeme me miserable man and to purchase heauen for mee euen with the price of thy precious bloud I beseech thee therefore by the most blessed and bitter passion which thou sustainedst on the Crosse for mee especially in that houre when thy blessed soule did leaue thy body that thou wouldest haue mercy on my poore soule at the time of my departure Then let him lift vp his heart with ioy and thankesgiuing and say Lord thou hast broken my bonds therfore I will offer to thee the sacrifice of praise After if his weakenesse grow so that he lose the vse of his speech let some of the by-standers say these Prayers following ouer him or more if he l●ue so long MErcifull God and Father we beseech thee for the multitude of thy mercies looke fauourably vpon this thy seruant our deare brother who with true and hearty confession seekes pardon for all his sinnes at the hand of thy mercies O Lord heare vs for him and wee beseech thee for him most holy Father to renue in his heart whatsoeuer is corrupted by the frailty of his flesh and restore that grace which the wily and malicious enemie the Diuell hath stolne out of his soule O Lord recall him to the vnity of thy Church ingraft him into the body of thy Sonne O Lord take pittie of the sighes and sobs of his soule and grones of his heart O Lord look vpon his teares gather them into thy bottle and be good to him who hath no hope com●ort nor confidence but in ●hy mercy seale vp the assu●ance of his recōciliation with ●hee O most holy father we humbly commend the soule of this thy seruant and our brother into the hands of thy vnmeasurable mercies humbly beseeching thee according to the greatnesse of that loue in which the blessed soule of thy Sonne did commend it selfe into thy hands that for the worthinesse of that infinit loue of thine in which thou diddest receiue that holy soule vnto thy selfe thou wouldest vouchsafe in this our brothers last houre to receiue his poore soule also and make it partaker of the same loue And thou most sweete Sauiour and most merciful Lord Iesus thou that dying on the Crosse wast so pressed with anguish and torments for vs as made thee sound out that pitiful voyce vnto thy Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee we beseech thee estrange not thy selfe and turne not away thy face from thy seruant our brother now in the houre of his soules affliction when his strength faileth and his spirits are so spent that he cannot cal vpon thee heare vs ô Lord heare vs for him and for that thy glorious victory in which thou diddest triumph on the Crosse and for thy precious passion and bitter death think of him the thoughts of mercy and not of iustice shed thy mercies in his soule and speak comfortably to his conscience deliuer his soule out of all spirituall diseases saue him from the torments due vnto his deseruings and bring him for thine owne merits sake to eternall rest O Lord Iesus Christ which didst redeeme vs with thy precious blood write with thine owne blood in the soule and ingraue thy wounds in the heart of this thy seruant that in them hee may see and reade thy dolefull sufferings and thy sweete loue thy sufferings that they may be effectuall to ransome him from those sorrowes and torments which he hath merited by his sin thy loue that it may vnite his heart to thee in indiuisible and inseperable bonds so as he may neuer bee separated from thee nor thy Saints for euer and euer And Lord Iesus Christ we beseech thee make his soule partaker of all the merits of thy most sacred incarnation passion resurrection and ascension make him partaker of the vertue of thy most blessed Sacraments and all thy holy mysteries make him partaker of all the prayers and good deeds done in thy whole Church make him partaker of all thy blessings graces and comforts of all thy elect and grant that with them all hee may liue in thy presence for euermore O Lord which powredst out thy prayers for vs on the Mount Oliuer and sweatst water and blood wee beseech thee let that precious bloud of thine which thou diddest so aboundantly powre out for our saluation let it be presented and offered to thy Father to stand against the multitude of the sinnes of this thy seruant our brother Lord be with him at his last houre and then deliuer him from the anguish and torments which for his sinnes hee may iustly feare Graciously receiue his soule in the houre of his departure open the gate of heauen vnto him and giue him a portion with thy Saints in glory for thy owne most glorious merit O Lord Iesus Christ who with God the Father and the holy Ghost liuest and raignest one God for euermore Amen And when the sicke mans strength begins to faile and the soule is ready to depart then let the soule be commended to God by one of the by standers on this manner The commendation of the Soule to be said at a mans death I Here commend thee to Almighty God most deare Brother and I doe commit thee to him whose creature thou art goe forth therefore O Christian soule get thee gone out of this filthy world goe forth in the name of the Almighty Father who created thee In the name of Iesus Christ who dyed for thee In the name of the holy Ghost who hath beene powred out vpon thee And when thou happy soule art deliuered out of the prison of the body the glorious Quire of heauenly Angels meete thee and the company of all holy Saints entertaine thee the louing countenance and cheerefull grace of Iesus Christ shine vpon thee a mercifull Iudge be he vnto thee that thou maist haue sentence to sit for euer amongst his Saints on his right hand thy dwelling bee in peace and thy habitation in the heauenly Ierusalem for euermore farre be it from thee euer to feele or know how horrible the darkenesse how terrible the flame and how intolerable the torments of hell are Sathan and all his hellish guard bee they confounded at thy presence and if he dare set vpon thee victory triumph be on thy side shame and trembling fall vpon him from the presence of Gods Angels be he banished into the blacke mists and confused Chaos of eternall darkenesse But let the Lord arise and let his enemies bee scattered as the smoake vanisheth so let them flye away But let the iust be exalted and reioyce in the presence of the Lord let the infernall legions not dare to touch thee nor presume to hinder thee and hee who disdained not to dye for thee be hee thy Sauiour and deliuerer from all spirituall vexation Be the gates of Paradise open vnto thee and thy Christ giue thee thy place and mansion in the same And he that is the true Pastor and great Shepherd of the

sheepe acknowledge thee for one of his true sheepe and receiue thee into his folde IESVS Christ absolue thee from all thy sinnes and place thee on his right hand amongst his elect that there thou maiest see thy Redeemer face to face and in the societie of blessed soules maiest enioy the comforts of heauenly contemplation and the blessed vision of God for euer and euer Amen A Meditation of Saint Bernard sweete and comfortable to fore-run a happy end DVlcissime Iesu Christe sit vltimum verbum tuum in cruce vltimum verbum meum in hac luce amplius fari non possum exaudi finale cordis desyderium In English SWeete Iesus Christ let thy last wordes vpon thy Crosse bee my last vpon my Couch and when I can speake no more Lord heare the vtmost desire of my heart To the Reader SEe Christian brother how in the worst times they were prepared to die commended to God if the Ancient Books did not proclaime this truth some would not beleeue but that they had beene made in this latter time But seeing the truth cannot be denyed I desire thee with me to obserue these few collections arising out of due consideration of the premisses 1 Here is answer to that great question how our forefathers were saued euen by the same faith as we are at this day 2 How truly Christ performed his promise namely that the gates of hell should not preuaile against the true faith for so we see that in the vilest times this faith hath beene preserued 3 Obserue how here is no touch nor once mention of Purgatory nor of any thing to be done for their good after this life 4 Here is no relation to any pardons or indulgences from the Pope 5 Here is no necessity laid downe of sending for a Priest to bring his hoste and his Pix and his Holy-Water and his Taper These matters it seemes are rather commanded pressed vpon the people by the Romish Cleargy then much regarded by the wiser and god her sort of our forefathers neyther are they commanded to stay till the Priest come but saith the booke let these prayers bee said and the commendation of his soule by one of the by-standers Lastly let it bee obserued that in all these prayers and commendations and questions and these saith the booke are all that be of necessity to be said here is not one smack of Popish Idolatry or superstition In these respects I haue thought it no needlesse labour to communicate these to thee deare brother I know there be store of godly Prayers and meditations already extant But these are of a speciall vse more then others and are venerable for their antiquity and are to be the more welcome because God preserued them in the hands of our very enemies And though they were mingled with other things not so good yet let vs know as S. Hierome tels vs that it is no small point of wisedome to seeke out gold out of mire and clay Make vse of these and helpe mee with thy prayers and thou shalt shortly if God permit be partaker of more Hereafter followeth an addition of some new and late formes and models of Prayer for sundry occasions and purposes At thy vprising thus or in like manner commend thy selfe to God saying GRant O good Father that of thy mercy hast brought me to the beginning of this day that in this same I may rise and so walke in my calling that thy name may be glorified my conscience discharged thy seruant comforted and all good men incouraged by my example for thy deare Sonnes sake Amen Before thy going out thus meditate Morning Meditation 1 THat many haue gone out of their houses abl● and well that haue neuer returned backe aliue as fo● ought thou knowest may befall thee 2 Remember that thy conscience shall bee the quiet●● in the night when thou sh●● call to minde thou hast beg●● in the Lord and so careful● discharged thy duty in t●● day 3 That to goe forth in ● the world is to encounter with many troubles to passe some dangers and to performe many duties and therefore rush not forth into such an vndertaking before thou hast thus or in like manner prayed to God to assist thee without whose blessings and fauour towards thee thou vndertakest in vaine for thy labour will not prosper That done thou maist thus further call vpon God in thy Morning Prayer MOst gracious God mercifull Father wee render vnto thee most humble and hearty thankes for all thy benefits thou hast from time to time bestowed vpon vs as for the quiet rest and repose thou hast this night giuen vs to the refreshing strengthning of our wearied bodies mindes so wee beseech thee likewise being thus renewed and taken vp from that image of death that laid vs in our beds the representation of our graues to consider the waste of time our owne liues and decay of all sublunarie things how with their easie lengths their spannes and fadomes since the commandement was first giuen Let there bee day and night and times and seasons they haue brought age and maturity the sithes sickles that haue reaped downe whole haruests of flesh and laid generations in the dust Teach vs O Lord with this remembrance to weigh our mortalitie and so to frame our liues and actions thereafter that whensoeuer thy good will and pleasure is to binde vp our bones in peace and rest wee may yeelde vp our soules and bodies into thy hands with full confidence and assurance that our sinnes are washed away in the bloud of that pure and immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus and shall not condemne vs. And to that end prosper vs wee pray thee in all our actions and giue good successe to our true endeuours and then wee shall not attempt in vaine and grant that this day and all the daies of our life hereafter may bee so accomplished by thy counsell fauour and direction that we may so beare our selues throughout this vale of misery that at the last we may raigne with thee in glory Amen Euening Meditations before thy going to bed 1 REmember that many goe to bed and neuer rise againe till they bee awaked by the sound of the last Trumpet and therefore presume not to close thine eyes till thou hast committed thy selfe into the hands of God by Prayer 2 At the putting off of thy cloathes thinke that the day is comming when thou must be as barely vnstript of al thou hast as thou dost now thy selfe of thy cloathes 3 Fixing thine eyes vpon thy bed let it put thee in mind of thy graue thy bed-clothes of the mold of the earth that must couer thee the sheetes of thy winding sheete thy sleepe thy death thy waking thy resurrection Then at thy lying downe thou maist thus addresse thy selfe vp to God saying Into thy hands most mercifull Father I commend my soule and body this night and euermore be mercifull gracious and good vnto

me bless● me saue me preserue and keepe me for thy deare mercy sake Amen Or thus further with Dauid thou maist pray I Will lay mee downe and rest in peace in thy mercy for it is thou Lord onely that makest me dwell in safety Euening Prayer to be said either before or after thy going into bed O Eternall God and omnipotent Father which art the Lord of heauen and earth of Angels and men principalities and powers light and darknesse day and night in whose hands i● contained that ouerflow o● goodnesse that filleth al● the empty and indigent creatures in the world who ordainest times and seasons successions and descents old age and childhood a beginning and an ending a rest and labour a perpetuall motion and change ouer all things in the world the liuely witnesse whereof is this day which not many houres since broke out of darknesse and cleared the world with her light and the Sunne arose as a Bridegrome out of his Chamber and reioycing as a Gyant to runne his course whose beames are now steeped in darknesse the true resemblance of all earthly glory and transitorie pleasures and delights which haue their increase their height and sudden decrease againe being no continuance in any thing vnder the Sunne and by this motion and change the time is now come that thou hast appointed for rest which O Lord so giue vnto vs wee pray thee that thereby we may bee inabled to walke more carefully in those duties and callings thou hast appointed vs. And further we beseech thee that as the night darkneth and shadoweth al things that they are vnseene so for thy deare Christs sake thou wilt hide all our sinnes from thy sight that they neuer be brought to iudgement with vs euer so remembring vs that we neuer forget that fearfull and finall account that must bee rendered vnto thee at the day of thy appearing that as our bodies hauing the rest of sleepe this night so our mindes through thy mercy in Iesus Christ may inioy the rest of a quiet conscience for euer and to that end let thy mercy and prouidence so watch ouer vs that as our actions in the day so our thoughts nor our imaginations neither watching nor sleeping this night may be such as may displease thee but that all may tend to the good of our soules and bodies and the honour and glory of thy great name and that for Christ Iesus sake Amen In whose most blessed name we conclude this our imperfect Prayer in that absolute forme of Prayer that thy blessed Son hath taught vs to honour thee saying Our Father c. A godly Prayer to bee said at all times O Lord my God what may I render vnto thee as an acceptable sacrifice for all the benefits thou hast bestowed vpon mee for my Election Redemption Sanctification and Preseruation from my youth vnto this present day and houre that thou hast indued mee with health strength knowledge continency when so many more worthy then I in mine owne eyes are denied of these thy good fauours for all which I can giue no reason for but thy good pleasure and if thou shouldest take all backe againe I haue nothing to say but that thou art iust yet O Lord to these many I entreate thee adde this more that I may keepe a heart that may truly acknowledge them and a tongue that may thankfully praise thee for them all the dayes of my life and to that end I beseech thee protect mee from all euill that may hurt mee from all sinne that may offend thee be thou assistant to all my good in deuors purposes intentions and let thy good Spirit so rule my heart that all that I shall doe thinke or speake may be to thy glory and the good of all men giue me O Lord a charitable heart to relieue thee in thy members a compassionate heart to make other mens infirmities mine owne a beleeuing heart that thy promises are yea and Amen And so blinde me not O Lord with the carnall man that though I beleeue thou wilt one day raise my body from the bed of darknesse when thou shalt say to the sea Giue and to the earth Restore my sons and daughters when no creature shall bee able to keepe backe one bone that it hath receiued that I should despaire in thee for a crust of bread in temporall maintenance and endeuour Bee neere O Lord vnto all such as faithfully call vpon thy name comfort all such as be sicke or comfortlesse and by daily and hourely presidents of death and mortalitie before mine eyes teach mee to bee mindfull of mine owne end and to make my preparation by faith and repentance thereafter that whether I liue or die I may rest with thee in thy eternall glory through Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour and Redeemer Amen Agurs prayer for content O Lord giue mee neither ●●●erty nor riches feed me with food conuenient lest I be too full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poore and steale and so take the name of my God in vaine and if I aske any thing which is euill deny my ignorance if I aske any thing which is good remember thy promise S. Augustines Prayer Miserere mei Domine indigna facientis digna patientis English BE mercifull vnto me O God doing vnworthily vnto thee and yet receiuing that from thee that more worthy then I are denied at thy hands O Lord continue this mercy and let not my ilnesse weary out thy goodnesse for thy tender patient mercies sake Amen A Thanksgiuing vnto God the Father LEt all true Christians say and acknowledge with one heart and mouth say also with them O my soule say in this mortall body without this mortall body Glory honour and praise bee vnto thee most mercifull God throughout all ages and generations of the world which hast not spared thine onelie Sonne but offered him vp a bleeding sacrifice for the sins of thy people giuen him to death euen to the death of the Crosse for most wretched mankinde to that end that through him we might bee saued and deliuered from destruction and brought into the liberty of euerlasting life grant vnto vs by thy Spirit that we may perfect and continue in this thy grace and fauour for euer and euer Amen Another short eiaculatory praier English and Latine ODeus omnium miserationum Pater te praecor vt abissus misericordiae tuae absorbeat abissum peccatorū meorum O Father of goodnesse and mercy I humbly intreat thee that the depth of thy mercy may swallow vp the depth of my sinnes Martin Luthers Prayer COnfirme in vs O God that which thou hast wrought and finish the worke thou hast begun in vs to the glory of thy name and the sauing of our soules at the dreadfull day of thy visitation for thy deare mercies sake Amen A few short remembrances or most materiall rules of good life for the practice of euery true Christian here