THE POMAVNDER of Prayer Newly made by Thomas Becon ECCLE 24. ¶ Pleasauntly do I smell euē as it wer Cynamome and svvete Balme THOMAS BECONVS SACROSĀCTAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR AETATIS SVAE .41 AN o DN̄I .1553 Ora expressa vides viuos imitantia vultus Quod potuit calamo pictor arte videt Mentis quā nullus potuit tibi reddere pict◠Effigiem scriptis praebuit ipse suis. To the moste honorable and vertuous Lady Anne of Cleue her grace syster to the hye and myghtye Prynce Wylliam Duke of Cleue c. Thomas Becon wysheth the fauor of God long lyfe and continuall health AMong many other godly and noble vertues whiche God by his holy spirit hath graffed in your graces breast most honorable Lady the feruent affection and continuall desyre of prayinge vnto the Lord our God hath neither the last nor the lest place in you And as God hath wrought in you by y e holy Ghost thys godly mind to call vpon his holy name with diligent prayer so lykewise doth your grace stur vp and confyrme that spirituall mocion w t the exercise of daily praier least that godly affecciō shuld be quēched which the holy Ghost hath kindled in your heart For your grace doth rightwell consider y t God deliteth in nothynge more then in y e inuocacion of his blessed name and in the sacrifice of thankes geuing for his benefits Where the name of God is diligently called vpon most humble and harty thāks geuen vnto him for his fatherly and frendly giftes there is hys blessing grace and fauoure plenteous there is the holy Ghost present there is a mery conscience ther al thīgs prosper there wanteth no good thing Contynue therfore most honorable Lady as ye haue godly begun both you and all your faithful family to call on the glorious name of the Lord our God with feruent prayer and forget not to be thankfull vnto hym for hys benefites wherwith aboue many other he hath richly endued your grace So shal he be your louing Lord gracious God your fauorable father and strōg shilde So shall he make your grace to prosper in al your doings blesse you both with longlyfe and much honor And that your grace may haue at hand conuement prayers to pray vnto the Lord our God I thought it good consyderyng your graces manifold vertues to geue vnto you this my Pommaunder of prayer wherein are breeflye contayned suche godlye prayers as are most mete in this our age to be vsed of all degrees and estates most humbly beseching your grace to take in good part this my rude and bolde enterprise according to your accustomed gentlenesse God whose glory you hartely loue whose word you ioifulli embrace whose name you earnestly call vppon mought vouchesafe to preserue your grace in continuall health and encrease of honoure Amen Your Graces most humble and faithfull Oratoure Thomas Becon ¶ The Pomaūder of Prayer ¶ A Prayer for the morning I Render vnto thee O heauenly father most hartye thankes by thy deare sonne Iesus Christ that this night past thou hast vouchedsafe of thy fatherlye goodnes to preserue me from all euill to geue my bodye rest and slepe I now most entierly beseche thee y t as thou hast raised vp this my body frō slepe so likewise thou wylt delyuer my mynde from the slepe of synne and from the darknesse of this world that I walking in the lyght of thy blessed worde maye onely doo that is pleasaunt in thy sight profitable to my neighbour and healthfull to my soule Amen ¶ A prayer for y e Euening I Most humbly thanke the O mercifull Father for preseruinge me this day frō all misfortunes and for thy other benefites wherewyth thou hast plēteously blessed me I beseche y e forgeue me al my sinnes wherwyth I haue offended thy fatherlye goodnes from the very beginnīg of my lyfe vnto this present houre and take me this night into thy tuicion y tmyne enemies maye haue no power ouer me but that my body enioyinge a sweet slepe my minde may continually watch vnto thee and through fayth beholde thy blessed maiesty with a perfect hope after this frayle transitory lyfe to possesse y timmortal and heauenly lyfe where thou gloriously lyuest and reignest with thy onlye begotten sonne and y e holye Ghost one true and euerlastyng God worldes without ende Amen A prayer for the forgeuenes of synne O My Lord and onely sauior Iesu Christ which camest into thys worlde to take away the heuy burdēs of them that were loden to seke that was lost to call synners vnto repentaunce to geue euerlastynge lyfe to the faithfull and to be a mediator betwene God the father and vs I poore wretched sinner from the verye hart lament and inwardly bewayle my synnefull and wretched lyfe desiryng the for thy promyse sake according to thy mercyfull wont to be my mediatour and aduocate vnto God the father that he maye forgeue me all mine olde sinnes so wholy possesse my hart by his blessed spirite that he mai defēde me against al perils to come which the diuel the world or the flesh imagineth against me and so chaunge me into a new man that mine olde sinnes being wyped awaye in thi precious bloud I may walke frō vertue to vertue vnto the glory and praise of his blessed name Amen A prayer vnto God the father THy dearly beloued sōne O most louing father taught vs in hys holy Gospel that to know the to be y e alone true God is euerlasting lyfe Graunt therfore we beseche thee y t we may truly knowe thee euen as we are taught by thy holye word beleue with the hart and cōfesse with the mouth that thou alone art the true liuing and immortall God our heauēly father our maker our preseruer and our defender that we thus beleuing and confessing maye through thy sonne Christ be come heires of euerlastyng lyfe And as we thus beleue and confesse of thee ▪ so geue vs grace to shew forth thys our faith by godly conuersacion and vertuous liuing y tmē seeing our good workes may glorify thee our heuēly father to whom be prayse for euer Amen ¶ A prayer vnto God the sonne O Lord Iesu christ y e sōne of y e liuing God yea very God himself begottē of god y e father frō euerlasting continuing true immortal God worlds w tout end by thee al thīgs wer made both inheauen and in earth by thee also they be cōserued kept in a order thou art the bryghtnesse of thy fathers glorye thou art the verye image of hys substāce in thee are hid al y e treasures of wysedome and knowledge in y e dwelleth al fulnes by thee ar we reconcyled to God y e father by thee ar we sette at peace with him through y e bloud of the crosse bi thee haue we free accesse vnto y e glorious throne of Gods maiestye by thee are we brought in
through faith vnto his grace wherin we stāde and reioyce in hope of the glory of God we thanke thee for all thy benefytes moste humbly beseeche thee to geue vs grace faithfully to beleue in thee stedfastly to confesse thee true God and true mā earnestlye to acknowledge thee our alone redemer sauiour Satisfier Recōciler Intercessor Mediator and Aduocate that we altogether depending on thee and thy merites on thy blessed passion precious death and glorious resurrection maye study through thy grace so to order our lyfe in true holines and innocency that at the day of iudgement thou mayst present vs both body and soule vnto thy heauenly father and so for euer and euer placevs in thi glorious kingdome Amen ¶ Unto God the holy ghost O Holy and blessed spirit which being true and euerlasting God with God the father and God y e sonne procedest from them bothe full of maiestie and power which also with thy heauēly breath quycknest y e mides of thē that afore were dead through sinne makest mery the hartes of y e faithful penitent bringest into y e waye of truth al suche as haue erred and are deceyued settest at one such as wer at debate cō fortest the soules of them y thūger and thirst after righteousnes and plenteouslye enrichest them w t diuers giftes whyche pray vnto thee in the name of Iesu Christ Purifye our hartes we beseeche thee with the fyre of thy loue mortify in vs what soeuer is not thine renue garnishe our mindes with thy heauenly benefites and spirituall giftes that they may be made thy temples leade vs into all necessary trueth suffer vs not to be caried about with diuers straunge doctryne but alway to remaine in that doctryne wherof thou alone art y e author enarme our soules against the crafty assaultes of suttil Satan against the vain pleasures of the wicked world and against the leude lustes of filthy fleshe that we beeing replenished with thy holy breath may doo y toneli whiche is acceptable in thy godly sight Amen ¶ Particular prayers to be sayed of the Magistrates FOrasmuch as it is thi godli pleasure O king of kinges and Lorde of Lordes to appoint me among other a ruler of thy people geue me grace I beseeche thee so to minister the commō weale and so to execute my office y t I may please thee and hurt no man in all my doinges but iudge equally and iustli rule according to thy wyll shewe my self a father vnto thy people and so behaue my self in all myne enterprises y t I seking thy glory y e furtheraunce of thy blessed gospel the weale of y tsubiectes may when thou shalt render to euery man according to hys deeds be found blameles in thy sight through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Of the ministers of Gods word Thou hygh Priest and O euerlasting bishop Iesus Christ the alone teacher of all godly trueth and the onely Curate of oure soules whyche by thy holye worde hast appointed some of thy congregacion to be Ministers and Preachers of thy blessed lawe and Gloryous gospell y t by this meanes the holy ghost also working they may call synners vnto repentaunce preache remission of synnes in thy name perswade vnto vertue and disswade frō vice forasmuch as it hath pleased thee to cal me an vnprofitable seruaūt vnto that holy office of ministracion and to make me a preacher of thy worde I moste humbly beseeche thee to geue me thy holy spirite whiche may lead me in to all trueth instruct me with the knowledge of thy holimisteries and through his heauenly inspiracion so prepare my harte and order my tūg that I may neyther thinke breath nor speak any thyng but that may turne vnto thy glory and the edifying of thy flock Graunt also that what soeuer I preache in word I may fulfil the same in work vnto the example of that thy flock which thou haste purchased w t thi precious bloud y t when thou the cheef shepeheard shalt appeare I beyng found faithfull in my office mai through thi goodnes re ceiue y e incorruptible crown of glory Amen ¶ Of Subiectes or Commens AS it is thy godly appoītment O Lorde God y tsum should bear rule in this worlde to see thy glorye set forth and the commō peace kepte so it is thy pleasure againe that some should be subiectes and inferiours to other in theyr vocation although before thee there is no respecte of persons And forasmuch as it is thy good wil to appoint me in the nūber of subiectes I beseeche thee to geue me a faithfull an obediēt hart vnto the hye powers y t there may be foūd in me no disobedience no vn faithfulnes no reasō no falshod no dissimulacion no iusurrectiō no cōmociō no cōspiracy nor ani kind of rebelliō in word or in dede agaīst the ciuil magistrates but all faithfulnes obediēce quietnes subiectiō humility and whatsoeuer els becommeth a subiecte that I liuīg here in all lowlinesse of mynde may at the last day through thy fauoure be lifted vp vnto euerlasting glory where thou with the father and y e holy ghost liueste raignest very God for euer Amen ¶ Of Fathers and Mothers THe frute of the wombe the multitude of childrē is thy gifte and blessing O Lorde geuen to this ende y t they may liue to thy glory the cōmodity of their neighbour For asmuche therfore as thou of thy goodnes hast geuen me children I beseeche thee geue me also grace to traine them vp euen from theyr Cradels in thy nourtoure doctrine in thy holy lawes blessed ordinaūces that from theyr very yonge age they may know thee beleue in thee feare loue thee and diligently walke in thy commaundements vnto the praise of thy glorious name Amen ¶ Of Children THou haste geuen a commaundemēt in thy law O heauēly father that children should honour theyr fathers and mothers I moste humbly beseeche thee therfore to breath thy holy spirit into my brest that I maye reuerence and honoure my father mother not oneli w t outward gestures of mi body but also with the vnfayned affecciō of the hart loue them obey them pray for them help them and doo for thē both in worde and dede whatsoeuer lyeth in my power that thou seeing myne vnfayned harty good wil toward my Parentes mayst become my louing heauenly father number me among those thy children whō thou hast appointed from euerlasting heires of thy glorious kyngdom through thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Of Masters THy commaundement is by thine holy Apostle O most merciful Lord Christ y e masters should entreat their seruauntes gently puttyng away threatninges doing that vnto thē whiche is iust and equal forasmuch as we also haue a maister in heauē with whom there is no respect of persones Graūt I most hartely pray thee I may so order my seruauntes that I attēpt none vnrighteousnes against them but
haue not one office so likewyse we being many making one body whereof thy dearely beloued Sonne is the head haue not all one gifte neyther are we all called to one office but as it hath pleased y e to distribute so receyue we We therfore moste humbly pray thee to send the spirit of loue concord amōg vs that without any disorder or debate eueri one of vs may be content w e our calling quietly lyue in y e same study to doo good vnto all men by the true and diligēt exercise therof without to muche seking of our owne priuat gain so order our lyfe in all points according to thy godly will that by wel doing we mai stop y e mouthes of such foolish and ignoraunt people as report vs to be euill dooers cause thē through our good works to glorify thēe our Lord god in y t dai of visitacion Amen ¶ For the Grace fauour of God WHosoeuer liueth w t out thy grace fa uour O moste gracious and fauorable Lorde although for a time he waloweth in all kinde of fleshely pleasures and abound with to muche wordly ryches yet is he nothing els but y e wretched bond slaue of sathan the vile dūghil of syn Al his pleasure is extreme poison all his welth is nothing but plain beggeri For what felicitie can ther be where thy grace and fauour wanteth ▪ But where thi grace and fauour is present though the Deuel roar the world rage y e flesh swel ther is true blissednes vnfained pleasure cōtinual welth Pour down therfore thi heauēly grace fatherly fauour vpō vs that we beeynge assured of thy fauorable goodnes towards vs may reioyce and glory in thee and haue mery hartes when so euer we be most assailed with any kinde of aduersitie be it pouerty or sicknes losse of freends or persecution for thy names sake to whom be glorye for euer Amen ¶ For the gift of the holy Ghost SO frayl is our nature so vile is our flesh so lewd is our hart so corrupt are our affects so wicked are al our thoughts euen frō our child hod vpward y t of our selues we can nether thinck breath speak or doo any thing y t is praise worthy in thy sight O heauenly father yea except thou doost assist vs with thy mercifull goodnes all things are so far out of frame in vs that we se nothing present in our selues but thy heauy displeasure and eternal damnacion Uouche safe therfore O swete father to send thy holy spirite vnto vs whiche may make vs new creatures put away frō vs al fleshly lustes fil our harts w t new affects spiritual mociōs so altogether renew vs bothe in body soule through his godly in spiracion y twe may dye vnto olde Adam lyue vnto thee in newnes of lyfe seruynge thee our Lorde God in holines and righteousnes all y e daies of our lyfe Amen ¶ For the true knowledge of our selues IT is written in thy holye Gospel moste louing Sauiour y t thou cammest into this world not to call y e righteous that is such as iustifie thē selues but sinners vnto repentaunce Suffer me not therfore o lord to be in y e nūber of those iusticiaris which boasting their owne righteousnes theyr owne wurks and merits despise that righteousnes that commeth by faith whiche alone is alowable before thee Giue me grace to knowe to knowledge my selfe as I am euen y e sonne of wrath by nature a wretched synner and an vn profitable seruaunt wholy to depend on thy mercifull goodnes with strōg and vnshaken faith y t in this world thou mayest continually call me vnto true repentaunce seeyng I continually sinne and in y e worlde to come brīg me vnto euerlasting glorye Amen ¶ For a pure and clene Hart. THe hart of man naturalli is lewd and vnsearcheable through the multitude of sinns which as in a stinking dūghil lyeth buried in it in so much that no man is able to say mi hart is clene and I am cleane from syn Remoue from me therfore O heauēly Father my leud stony stuburn stincking and vnfaithfull hart Creat in me a clene hart free from al noisom and vngodly thoughts Breath into my hart by thy holy spirit godly and spirituall mocions that out of the good treasure of the hart I maye bring foorth good things vn to the praise and glory of thy name Amen ¶ For a quiet conscience THe wicked is like a ragīg sea whyche is neuer in quiet neither is ther ani peace to the vngodly but such as loue thy law O Lorde they haue plenty of peace they haue quiet mindes and contented consciences whiche is the greatest treasure vnder y e Sun geuē of thee to so mani as seek it at thy hand wyth true faith cōtinuall praier Gyue me O Lord that ioyfull Iewell euen a quyet mynde and a free mery conscience y tI beeing free from the damnable accusacions of Sathā from the crafty perswacions of the worlde from the subtil entysements of the flesh from the heauy curs of the law and fully perswaded of thy merciful goodnes toward me through faith in thy Sonne Christe Iesu may quietly serue thee both bodyly and ghostly in holines and rightuousnes al the dayes of my lyfe Amen ¶ For Faith FOrasmuche as nothīg pleaseth thee that is doon w t out faith appereit before the blinde world neuer so beautyful and commendable but is counted in thy sight sinfull and damnable yea the selfe syn and damnacion this is moste humbly to desyre thee O father for Christes sake to breathe into my hart bi thi Spirit this moste precious and singular gifte of faith which worketh by Charity whereby also we ar iustified and receiued into thy fauor y t I truly beleeuing in thee and fully perswaded of the trueth of thy holy word may be made thy sonne and inheritour of euerlasting glorye throughe Iesu Chryste our Lorde Amen ¶ For Charitie THy cognisaunce badge whereby thy Disciples are knowen O Lorde sauiour Iesu Christe is charitie or loue which cometh out of a pure hart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfayned I pray thee therfore gyue me this Christen loue and perfect charitie that I may loue thee my Lord God with all my hart with al my minde with all my soule and with all my strēgths dooing alway of very loue y t onely whiche is pleasaunte in thy sight again that I may loue my neighbour and Christen Brother as my self wishing as well to him as to my self redy at al tymes to doo for him what so euer lieth in my power that when we al shal stād before thy dreadful iudgyng place I beeing knowē by thy badge may be nūbred among thy disciples and so through thy mercye receyue the reward of eternall glory Amen ¶ For Pacience WHen thou liuedst in thys world O Lorde Christe thou shewedst thy self a mere mirrour
of perfect pacience sufferīg quietly not y e spiteful words but also y e cruel dedes of thi most cruel enemies forgeuing thē praying for thē whiche moste tyranlike hādled thee Giue me grace O thou moste meek and louing lamb of God to folow this thy pacience quietly to bear the slaunderous wordes of mine aduersaries paciently to suffer the cruel dedes of mine enemies to forgiue thē to pray for them yea to doo good for thē by no meanes to go about once to auenge my selfe but rather giue place vnto wrath seeing y t vengeaunce is thine and y u wilt reward seing also that thou helpest them to theyr ryght that suffer wronge that I thus paciently suffering all euils may after ward raign with thee in glory Amen ⧠For Humilitie WHat haue we O heauēly Father that we haue not receyued ▪ Euery good gyfte and euery perfect gift is frō aboue and cometh downe from thee which art the father of lightes Seyng then all y t we haue is thine whether it pertaine to the body or to the soule how can we be proud and boast our selues of that whiche is none of our own seing also y t as to geue so to take away againe thou art able and wilt whēsoeuer thy gifts be abused and thou not knowledged to be the giuer of them Take therfore away from me all pride hautynesse of mynd and graffe in me true humilitie that I may knowledge thee the giuer of al good things be thāk full vnto thee for them vse them vnto thy glorye and the profyte of my neyghboure Graunt also that all my glorye and reioysynge maye bee in no earthly creatures but in thee alone whiche doost mercy equitie and ryghtuousnes vpon earth To thee alone be all glory Amen ⧠For Mercifulnes THy deerelye beloued sōne in his holy Gospell exhorted vs to be mercyfull euē as thou our heauenly Father art merciful and promisest that if we be merciful to other we shall obtaine merci of thee which art the father of mercies and God of al consolacion Graunt therfore that for asmuch as thou art oure Father and we thy children we may resemble thee in all our life and conuersaciō and that as thou art beneficial liberal not onli to y e good but also to the euil so we likewise mai shew our selues merciful gentil and liberall to so many as haue nede of our healp y tat the dredful day of dome we may be found in the number of those merciful whom thou shalt appoint by thy onely begotten sonne to go into euerlasting lyfe to whō with thee and the holy ghost be all honour and praise Amen For true godlynes IN thy law O thou maker of heauen and earth thou hast appoynted vs a waye to walke in and hast commanded that we shuld tourn neither on the right hand nor on the left but doo according to thy good will and pleasure with out adding of our own good entents and fleshly imaginacions As thou hast cōmaunded so giue me grace good Lorde to doo Let me neither folowe mine owne will nor the fancies of other men neither let me be begiled with the visar of olde customes long vsages fathers decres auncient lawes nor any other thing that ffghteth with thy holy ordinaunces blessed commaundemēt but faithfully beleue stedfastly confes y t to be the true godlines which is learned in thy holy Bible according vnto that to order my life vnto the praise of thy holy name Amē ⧠For the true vnderstanding of Gods word O Lorde as thou alone art the Authour of the holy scriptures so lykewyse can no manne althoughe neuer so wise politike and learned vnderstand them except he be taught by thy holy spiryt which alone is the Scholemaster to lead the faithfull into all truth Uouchesafe therfore I moste humbly beseeche thee to breath into my hart thy blessed Spirit whiche may renew the senses of my minde open my wits reuele vnto me the true vnderstāding of thy holy misteries ▪ and plant in me such a certaine and infailyble knowledge of thy truthe that no subtyll perswasyon of mans wysdom may pluck me from thy truth but that as I haue lerned the true vnderstāding of thy blessed wyll so I may remayne in the same continually come lyfe come death vnto the glory of thy blessed name Amen ⧠For a lyfe agreable to our knowledge AS I haue prayd vnto thee O heauenly Father to be taught the true vnderstāding of thi blessed word by thi holy spirit so I moste entierly beseech thee to giue me grace to lead a lyfe agreable to my knowledge Suffer me not to be of the number of them which profes that they know God with theyr mouth but deny hym with theyr dedes Let me not be lyke vnto that sonne which sayd vnto hys father that he would labour in his vineyeard and yet labored nothing at al but went abrode lottering idely Make me rather lyke vnto that good and fruteful land which yeldeth agayne her sede with great increase that men seing my good workes maye glorify thee my heauenly father Amen ⧠For the health of the body I Fele in my selfe O mercifull Sauiour how greuous a pryson thys my body is vnto my Soule which contynually wysheth to be loosoned oute of thys byle carcasse and to come vnto thee seeing it hath heere no reste but is at euery houre vexed wyth the filthy lustes of the flesh wyth the wicked assaultes of the deuyll and the worlde and is neuer at quiet but alway in daunger to be ouercome of her ennemyes were it not preserued of thy goodnes by the mynistery and seruice doing of thy holy Angels Notwythstāding O most louing lord forasmuch as it is thy good pleasure that my bodye and soule shall styl remain heere together as yet in this vale of mysery I beseche thee to preserue my soule from all vyce and my body from al sycknes that I enioying through thy benefyte the helth bothe of body and soule maye be the more able to serue thee my neighbour in such works as are acceptable in thy sighte Amen ⧠For a good name NOthing becometh y e professour of thy name better O heauenly Father thē so to behaue him selfe accordyng to hys professyon that he maye be well reported of them that be of the houshold of Faith yea such synceritie and purenes of lyfe ought to be in them which profes thy holy name that the very aduersaryes of thy truth should be ashamed once to mutter a gaynst them Giue me grace therfore I moste intierly desyre thee soo to frame my lyfe accordinge to the rule of thy blessed word that I may giue no man occasyō to speak euill of me but rather so lyue in my vocacion that I may be an exsample to other to liue Godly and vertuously vnto the honour and praise of thy glorious name Amen ⧠For a compitent liuing ALthough I doubt not of thy fatherly prouision
minde vnto thee It pleaseth me to talke of thee to hear of thee to write of thee to confer meditate of thee to rede euery day of thy blessednes and glory and to muse often times in my minde of the things I haue red concerning thee that at the least by suche meanes I being vnder the sweet refreshing and comfor ting of thy liuely air may pas from the vexations ieoperdies labours traueils of this mortall life that will soon perish y tin passing I may lay my weary head in thy bosom to slepe or to rest a little for this cause doo I enter into the plesaūt medow of the holy scriptures in plow ing I pluck the goodliest green herbes of sentences and in reading I doo eat them and in frequenting I doo meditate and as it were cud them and in gathering them together at the last I lay them vp in my memory that by suche meanes when I haue tasted of thy sweetnes I may sumwhat les feel the bitternes of this moste wretched life O thou moste happy life oh kingdom whiche art blessed in deed whiche lackest death whiche art without ende no time doth successifly pas at any time to thee Wheras continual day without night knoweth no time wheras that capitain and conquerour is accōpanied with those queres of angels singing of himnes songs they sing vnto God with out ceassing the balet of Balets of Sion Oh moste noble head which art compassed about with a perpetuall crown oh that par dō and forgeuenes of my sinnes were graunted vnto me and thē immediatly this burden of my flesh laid awai that I might enter into thy ioyes to haue true rest and that I might get within the goodly beutifull walles of thy citie to receiue a crown of life at the hand of our Lord that I might be amongst those moste holy queres that I might stand with the moste blessed Spirites of the creator of glory that I might see presently the countenaunce of Christe that I might behold alwaies y e moste his vnspekeable light incōprehensible which cā not be cōteined as in a place And so I should not onli be out of al feare of death but also I might reioyse alwayes at the gifte of euerlastyng incorruption Amen ¶ Heare doo wee complain that we be not moued nor pricked in our contem plation and prayer like as the angels be which tremble at the sight of God PArdon me O Lorde pardon me mercifully forgeue me haue mercyvpō me spare mine ignoraunce and my great vnper fectnes doo not reproue me as a rash felow because I dare be so bolde which am but thy seruaūt but would to God I were ether a good seruaunt or none vnprofitable nor euill seruaunte And therfore am I an euill man because I prayse blesse wurship thee which art our God almighty terrible and very much to be feared I wurship thee I saye without contricion of hart and without a well of teares For if so be that the angels when they wurship and praise thee doo trē ble being fulfilled with marueilous gladnes I whiche am a sin ner whiles I stande before thee saying praises and offeringe sacrifice why am I not afraid in my harte why am I not pale in my countenaunce why doo not my lippes quake and tremble why is not all my body afraide and why doo I not mourne and bewaile before thee after suche ▪ a sorte that teares might springe out of mine eyes I wolde fayne but I am not able because I can not doo that whiche I desire to doo This maketh me truly wōderfully to maruell that I am no more moued when I see with the eyes of my faith thee which art so fearfull But who can doo any thing without the helpe of thy Grace Except thou make our stony hartes to relent we of oure selfs ar not able to mollifie them but all our healthe dependeth vpon thy great mercye O wretche that I am how is my soule made without any feeling or perseueraunce that it is not afrayde with ouer muche feare whiles it standeth before God sīgeth to him his owne praises Alas how is my hart so hardned that myn eyes doo not gush out great fluddes of teares without ceassing when I whiche am but a seruaunte or bondman doo cō mon and talke in my Lorde and masters presēce Yea a mā with God a creature with a creatour I that am made of the slime of the earthe doo speake with him that made al things of nothing Put me before thee ▪ O Lorde and what so euer I perceyue of my self in the secrets of my hart I doo not keep it close from thy brotherly eares Thou art riche in mercy liberall in rewards geue mè of thy goods that with them I may serue the. For with nothīg els cā we serue or please thee but with thin owne giftes whiche thou hast vouchsaued to bestow vpon vs. Fasten I beseche thee thy feare in myfleshe Let my hart reioice and be glad to feare thy name Would God my sinfull soule feared thee so muche as that holy man the whiche saide I alwayes feared God as though it were greate swellīg fluddes should come and tumble vpon me O God the geuer of all good thinges geue me emongst thy praises a well of teares with the purenes of hart and reioising of mind that I loving thee perfetly and wurthily praising thee may feel taste and sauour in the palace of myhart how swet and pleasaūt thou art O Lorde as it is written Doo ye tast and see how sweet delectable the Lorde is Blessed is the man that putteth his trustin him Blessed is y t people whiche knoweth glad and ioifull praising Blessed is the man whose stregth is in thee in whose hart ar thy wayes which going thorow the vale of misery vse it for a well Blessed ar the cleane in hart because they shall see God Blessed are thay that dwell in the house of the Lorde they shal praise thee worlde without end ¶ A veri deuoute prayer for the geuing of thankes O Lorde Christe which art the wurd of the father whiche came into this world to saue sin ners I beseche thee by the most louing bowels of thy mercy to amend repaire my lyfe make better my dedes take thou thorderyng of my maners take from me that whiche noyeth and hurteth me and displeaseth the and geue me that which thou knowest will please thee proffit me Who can make clean y t which is cōceiued of an vncleane sead but thou alone Thou art the god almighty of infinite pietie which dost iustifie and make righteous euen those that were wicked mē and raisest again to life thē that were dead in sin thou chaungest sinners and they are no sinners Take away therfore from me what so euer is in me that pleaseth not thee for thine eyes doo see muche vnperfectnes in me Lay thy hand I besech the of thy pitie on me
Geue me the dew of thy grace from aboue and also a dew of teares benethe that my teares may be vnto me in stead of bread day and night and that I may be made in thy sight O Lorde my God by the fier of thy prouocation a fat and acceptable sacrifice Make me to be mor tified killed vpō thaltar of min hart that I may be receiued of thee as a fat and a swete smel ling sacrifice Geue vnto me O good Lorde a plentefull flowing and cleare well of teares in the whiche I may wash continu ally this foule and spotted sacrifice For although I haue offred vp my selfe wholy vnto thee by the help of thy grace Yet neuertheles in many thinges I offend thee dailly because of my great fragilitie and weaknesse Eeue me therfore the grace of teares O blessed God and most especially thorow the great swetnes of thy loue the remembraunce of thy mercies prepare this table for thy seruaunt in thy sight and geue me power that as oft as I list I may be satisfied of it Graunt vnto me for thy goodnes and pitie that this thy cup replenished and filled full may satisfie my thirst that my spirit may couet thee that my mind may burne in thy loue forgetting all vanitie and misery Heare my God heare thou that art the sturrer vp and quickner of my dull eares heare what I desire aske and geue me grace to ask that which thou hearest O pitifull Lorde which art wōt to be easyly entreated be not hard to be entreated of me because of my sinnes but for thy goodnes receiue the prayers of thy seruaunt and graunt me theffect of my peticion desire ¶ In this prayer mans minde is very muche and plenteously stirred moued if it be said in quietnes O Lord Iesu o gentle and louīg Iesu o good Iesu which didst vouchsafe to dye for oure sinnes didst rise again for our iustificacion I beseche thee by thy glorious resurrectiō to raise me vp oute of the sepulchre of vices and all my sinnes geue me dayly parte in thy first resurreccion to thintēt I may receiue some part in the latter resurreccion O most mighty king which didst ascend into heauē with the triumphe of thy glory and sittest on the right hand of thy father draw me vpward towards thee that I may run after thee in the swete sauour of thine anoyntments Let me run not faint when thou drawest me and leadest me running draw the mouth of the soule that thirsteth after thee vnto the high fluddes and streames of thine eternall a bundaunce sacietie yea draw me holly vnto thy self which art the liuing well to thintent I may according to my capacitie drinck of that wherupon I doo liue O my God my life thou didst say w t thy holy blessed mouth If any man thirst let him cum vnto me and drincke O well of life graūt vnto my thirstie soule alway to drink of thee that according to thy holy and true pro mise waters of life mai flow out of my belly O well of life replenish and fill my minde full of the riuer of thy pleasure Make my hart to be drunken as it were in thy loue that after the maner of the that be drunken with wine whiche forget all thinges saue y e cup so I may forget al vain and earthly things and continually haue nothing els in my remembraūce but the only according as it is written I remembred God and was delited Geue me the holy Ghost whom those waters did signifie whiche y u didst promise to geue to thē that thirsted after thee Graunt I beseche thee that I may assay to goo w t my hole desire and all my study toward y t place vnto the whiche we beleue thon didst ascend the forty day after thy resurreccion that in this presēt misery I may be onely in body but in thought and desire alwayes with thee y tmy hart may be there where as thou art whiche art my treasure wurthy to be coueted and much to be loued wherwith no treasure is wurthy to be compared In this greate flud of this life where as wee are tossed with stormes on euery side there is no stedfast standing or place high inough aboue the waters no not for the foote of a doue to rest vpon in this I say there is no safe or quiet peace nowhere any sure rest euery wher battail and strife euery where enemies and fightings without dores feare at home within dores And for asmuch as the one part of vs is heauenly and the other earthly our bodi whiche is corrupted doth loden and is burdenous vn to the soule Therfore my mind whiche is my felow and frend being weri with wādering forth of the way is sick and lieth all to torne andrent of those things whiche it hathe passed by It hongreth and thirsteth greatly after vanities I haue nothing to set afore it because I am poor and a begger Thou O Lorde my God art riche in all good thinges and the most plenteous geuer of the dainties of heauenly sacietie geue meat vnto the wery not suche as it lusteth after but suche as is conuenient for it gather together the disper sed renew and refresh the corne Loo he standeth at the dore and knocketh I beseche thee by the bowels of thy mercy wherwith thou being the day spring from an high hast visited vs open the hande of thy pitie to a wretche that knocketh vouchsafe mercifully to bid him entre in to the and that he may rest with thee be refreshed of thee whiche art the liuing and heanenly breade wherwith when he is once fed and that his strength is cummed to him again he may ascend vnto more high thinges And being lifted vp out of this vale of misery teares with the wings of his godly desire he may flye vnto the heauenly kingdome Let my spirit O Lord I beseche thee take winges as an Egle fly without fainting let it flye and come to beautifulnes of thy house and to the place where thy glory dwelleth wher as vpon y e meat tables of thy supernal citizens it may be fed of thy secrets in the place of thy pasture by the most plentifull riuers sides Let my hart rest in thee my God my hart I say whiche is as thoughe it were a great sea swellīg with waues Thou which didst rebuke the winds and the sea and there was made streight way a great calme cum and walke vpon the fluddes of min hart y t all things whiche belonge vnto me may be made calme clere that I may embrace thee whiche art mine onli God and that I may behold thee whiche art the swete light of mine eyes without any blind darknes of troublesom cogitacions thoughtes Let my minde flie O Lorde vndre the shadow of thy wings from heat that it being couered with the tamperatnes of thy pleasaunt colenes may sing