mercie vpon me and giue me thy grace not onelie to be thankefull for this thy gratious gift but also dutifull to vse it after thy good will and pleasure It is thy wil O father of Heauen that chyldren shoulde come vnto thee yea that all men shoulde be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Fil the cup of thy mercie O Lorde and let mee drinke of it and my children pledge me that we may together bee wrapped in the garment of Grace and at length be married vnto thee into the kingdome of glorie Take my tender babes O Lord into thy familie that as children of thy house together with me they may sit with father Abraham Isaac and Iacob at the table of ioy in ioy vnspeakeable and in pleasure inconceiueable Giue them the spirite of thy fauour that they may crie truelie vnto thee Abba Father assured in their consciences that they are thy children and coheires with our Sauiour Iesus of life eternall O father shew thy mercy for thy mercies sake Amen The Childs praier IAm borne a naturall child O father of Heauen weake in bodie blinde in soule in all parts maimed and as it were lapt in bands of myserie O Lord renew mee wholie make me a babe of thy familie that I may suck the paps of thy word which is of power to saue bodie and soule Lop the tree of nature O gratious God and restraine me within the banks of thy wil by the bri dle of thy spirite that I neuer passing the limites of thy good pleasure may of thy mercie be taken as worthy to sit with father Abraham in the restefull lande of Canaan Regenerate me O Lorde and make mee a new creature that hauing put off the olde manne I may bee transformed into thee the second Adam in newnes of life and be freed from albruntes of storming nature blowes of tyrannous Satan that I maie sleepe in the lap of thy Church in safetie for euer O sweet Iesu let no tempest of sinne or thunderboult of Satan or hys mynisters ouerturne mee thy poore Creature sayling vpon the foming seas beset and bea ten with the surges of this present worlde but gard me with thine hand and let thine holie Angels pitch their tents about me least the brickle barke of my bodie being broozed with the waues of wickednesse and the shippe of my soule shaken with the tempests of iniquitie I vtterlie come to naught and become a castaway In al dangers therefore giue me grace to crie vnto thee with a lowde voice Helpe mee thou that canst stil the roughnesse of the sea or else I perish Amen The Husbandmans praier IA pore husbandman O lord GOD doo come vnto thee for succour Iesus thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie vppon mee Thou art the true vine and GOD thy father the husbandman and a braunche ingraffed in thee by grace and nourished by the iuice of mercie O Lord when the pock of my corrupt nature breaketh out and the wild Oliue sheweth it selfe then of thy fauour lop and crop mee purge mee that I may budde in thee and beare fruite worthie repentance Giue me thy grace that I tie not my hart to this world nor locke my thoughts in the chaine of vanitie but free me from the slauerie of the diuell and vnlose the desperate knot of my sinneful conscience that sinne beeing disiointed by remission and my conscience vn linked from sinne I may serue thee in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of my life Aide mee O father of heauen when the branch of sinne will ouerwantonlie flourish old Adam passe the limits of thy holie will Doo this O father and onely good husbandman for thine owne sake Amen The Maydseruants praier AL estates O Lorde depend vpon thee Kinge and begger Magistrate Clergieman maister and scholler al come of thee And me thou hast made a poore handmaid which I do not only willinglie beare as knowing thou haste allotted mee this calling but also very many waies I haue to thank thee for it For thou hast not onely deliuered me from the slauish seruice of Satan but also dooest by this my yoke restraine the wanton reliques of stained nature preserued me from the pampering of the old man in pleasure and idlenesse Secondlie that I am not seruaunt to any Heathen Turke or Saracen but vnto a Christian in suche a place where thy Gospel is preached freely and fullie Thirdlie and speciallie because thou hast called me vnto such an estate of life as wherein I knowe I doo well please thee For who liueth after thy Gospell if not I whoe get my liuing with the sweate of my browes I doo not glory heere in vaine but to thee bee the glorie who hast turned the cursse into such a blessing O Lord giue me grace to consider this that I may bee more diligent in my calling more earnest in seruing thee than euer I haue beene heeretofore Forgiue me al that is past and guide me in thinges to come that I may neuer haulte in my vocation Giue mee a sounde and perfect faith in thy sonnes blood O father wherin he hath washed of his great mercie my poore soule that notwithstanding I serue a mortal man yet aboue him in all thinges I may serue thee to whome be all glorie both nowe and for euer Amen A praier for a woman with child IN the beginning of the world O father of heauen after thou hadst formed man of the slime of the earth and yet prince ouer all creatures it pleased thee of thy goodnes to create a woman of his side as well for his solace as for the continuance of his seede It was thy worde vnto them Increase and multiply This increase was easie but mother Eue hath made it hard by passing the bounds of thy wil to al her posteritie so that the woman conceiueth and bringeth foorth in great paine and dangerous trauel the fruit of her wombe in so greate paine O Lord in such extreme pangs that vnles thou quench the flame of her sorrowes with the water of comfort it is impossible for her to beare that into this vale of miserie which thou of thy goodnesse hast fra med she conceiued Wherfore thou GOD of woonders and Father almightie of Heauen as thou hast by the slaugh ter of thine only lambe taken awaie the sinnes of the whole worlde and condemned sinne in the fleshe so take awaie the pangs of childbirth the fruit of sinne from all womankind especially this woman that bearing ioy fullie that which shee hath conceiued fruitfullie and thou hast fashioned gratiously shee maye glorifie thee most carefully and praise thee most thankefully the onely staie of hir estate in al extremitie both now at this present and hereafter euerlastingly Amen A praier for a woman in trauell LOrde saue mee or else I perish Lord haue mercie vpon me a sinner Pitiful Iesu shew thy mercy vnto me and let the light of thy countenance shine vppon me that I be
death for the losse of a shadow shal wee by sighs and sobs storme againste the Lord for the losse of a vapour nay shall we not rather be glad to forgo the shadowe and by death desire to be knit more fullye to our bodie Iesus whereof wee are members in faith and hope O ye of lyttle faith crie vnto the God of hea uen Lord increase our faith Be content to leaue this vaporous life and welcome death and cry in a ful beleefe Come Lord lesu come shorten these latter daies for thine elect sake and saue vs. Saue vs O Lord saue vs haue mercie vpon vs and helpe vs helpe Lord and by a blessed death cite vs to appeare before thee For one daie in thy court is better than a thousand elsewhere Amen Secondly consider that thy life is vncerteine For death is like a theefe that commeth at vncertaine houres he is like a thundercracke that soundeth on a sudden yea this life is so vncerteine that death may ask his due in the swathcloth and none be able to resist him He is alwaies a prince hee ruleth not only in the haruest but also in the spring time and summer Yoong menne and babes olde men and maydes greene and ripe al are one death excepteth no persons hee neuer regardeth our yeares but with his sharpe syth on a sudden he cutteth al downe So y â— our life is like a ruinous house alwaies readie to fal like a thin thred alwaies readie to rotte like a running cloud wherof we are vncerteine where and when it falleth This cloud sometimes melteth in the cradle somtims in the chaire Death is like the sunne whensoeuer it shineth it melteth our cloudie life bee the cloud thereof neuer so thin or thicke in yeres Our life nowe being as vncerteine as the weathercocke which turneth at euery blast or like the waue which mounteth at euery storme or lyke the reede which boweth at euery whisteling winde whye shoulde we loue it and not rather loath it in comparison of the euerduring life of the heauenlie citizens wherevnto by death we passe in mercie Oh that al Christians woulde ingraue in their harts the wauering dayes of this vncerteine life and consider and looke for in a ful faith the certaintie of that ioyfull life wherevnto death dooth bring vs For then woulde wee that sayle as pilgrimes on the waters of this world and are tossed dangerouslie by diuers pyrates the flesh sinne and the diuell desire with hartie praier craue of the Lorde that in the barke of a liuely faith by his mariner death he woulde carrie vs to the certeine and blessed life of his saints If we were thus godly wise to consider the vncerteintie of this momentanie life or so happie as to ponder the eternall felicitie of Ierusalem and restful Cannaan we would rather ioy and be merrie when sicknes and death shal visit vs than mourne and sorrowe for it For they are the Lords ambassadours which are sent to bring vs tidinges that dynner and supper is readye and the banket of glorie to bee minystred and that we must come without tarrieng to marrie him and to enioy him face to face euen as he is and 〈…〉 fore with willing mind tâ—â—aie our debted bodies to mother earth whereof wee borrowed them and to him our soules that hee may marrie them in the couenant of his Eternall mercies We are borne into this world naked our heritage is sin and myserie our life is labour and sorrowe we our selues are but tenaunts vnder mother earth concerning our bodies and vnder GOD concerning our soules which God our God of ioy and father of comforte by his owne sonne hath bought vs an inheritance immortall and vndefiled for euer vnto the which by sicknes death as the messengers of his wil he calleth vs. Is all this so and shall wee feare death no for shame let vs bid adieu to this shorte and vncertaine lyfe and receyue death in ioy of spirite as an accomplishment of the obligation of his couenant wherewith he bound himselfe of his meere mercie beyond any merite of ours that wee shoulde neuer see death but haue euerlasting life Vnlesse therefore you will mourne against death bicause by it you passe from an vncerteine to a certeine life from these sorrowing and wauering daies to an euerlasting and incorruptible inheritance and so shew your selues rather willing to haue the fleshepots 〈◊〉 Aegypt for euer than to passe to heauen and to eate of comfortable manna not in the wildernes but in new Ierusalem see that ye feare not death but loue it and welcome it whensoeuer the Lorde will sende it vnto you Thirdlye consider thy life is miserable It is not only short but also miserable yea I may well tearme it a kingdome of miserie New borne babes do what they can to persuade vs of the truth of this matter For they beginne not this life with smiling countenance but with weeping eies By their crie what else dooth nature sing or signifie vnto vs but that thorough our sinnes our life is become a continual warfare and the world our enimie euen 〈◊〉 vale of miserie besette with thornes to pricke vs on euerie side Righteous Abell founde in his life time a thorn of his own blood to trouble molest him euen Caine his own brother to bache his blade in his bloud villanouslie to murther him Iohn Baptist the bright dayestar and forerunner of Christ the sunne of righteousnesse he found a thornie Herode to behead him and holie Stephan stonie Iewes to dispatche him Yea what is this life but a fardle of miserie wherein Christ our blessed sauior tasted of nothinge but of the sower grape of persecution For no sooner was this lambe of God come into the world but Herod by the decree of his hellishe conuocation was ready to deuo 〈…〉 him this was a miserie to mother Marie And maruelouslie doth it paint out the mysery of this life that the hony babe Iesus the very lambe of God and light of this world is so welcomen into the world which intended mischiefe And where hee by the prouidence of his heauenly father escaped the snare of the rauenous fowler yet for his sake doo the children and sucklings of Bethleem and the coastes thereof as many as were twoe yeeres old and vnder preache vnto vs the miserie of this our life The voice that was heard in Ramah moorning weping and great lamentation Rachell 〈…〉 eeping for hir children with out all comforte because they were not teacheth vs and crieth out vpon the miserable life of man If al careles Epicures would aske the iudgement of Father Iob in this case he would expounde the mysticall cries of tender sucklinges that man which is borne of a woman hath not onely a short time to liue but also a miserable life to lead that his life is a warfare continual labour and sorrow This iudgement of Iob without all doubte was rooted in him and his brother Ieremie And
his outstretched arme to saue and defend vs from the myserable seruitude of so tyrannous a ruler Againe al the spirits in hell may cursse the filthie bondage of sinne by seruice whereof they are in torments and shall continue in paines vnspeakeable for euermore The saintes and holie ones of God are in blisse in ioy yea in such ioye as neyther eie hath seene nor eare heard nor hart euer conceiued And whie euen because they repented forsooke s 〈…〉 ne and did the will of God in heauen For they onlie haue entred and shall enter into the kingdome of heauen that doo the wil of our heauenly father Therefore sith his wil is our sanctification innocencie of life puritie in conuersation vprightnes of hart abstinence from the lustes of the fleshe if that wee hope to enioye the giue eare vnto his voice conforming of our selues vnto his steps as neere as we could Let not the loue of riches the desire of any worldly promotion or anye thinge vnder the sunne bee it neuer so glorious since the preacher cryeth out saith that al is vanitie blind the eies of your vnderstandings withdraw your affections or restraine and pul packe your harts from thinking vpon the torments in hell or the triumphes in heauen the one ap pointed as punishmente for wickednes and iniquitie the other assigned as rewardes for righteousnes and innocencie The Lord of his mercie so moisten our harts that al hardnes beeing taken awaie wee may with moste willinge consents ioyne handes with Iesus Christe our Capteine against Satan sinne the fleshe and the world which enimies doo bitterlie and also continuallye war against vs and far exceed our strength to resist them vnlesse that we forsake them and shrowd our selues vnder Iesus Christ to whom be al glorie both now and for euer Amen A praier vnto almightie God wherein we beseech his diuine maiestie so to blesse vs with his grace that the vse of the praiers conteined in this booke and the wholesome lessons comprised in the same may take Christian effect in vs to our great comfort euen at all assaies and espâ—icially in time of necessitie Made by A. F. O Father of endles mercy the fountayne and welspring of all perfect happines the giuer of grace the bestower of true blessednes felicity heere vs ô heare vs for thy bottomlesse compassion sake and grant vnto vs we hum bly beseech thee whatsoeuer wanteth in vs towardes the acomplishment of our calling and duty And because thy holye word the trumpet of truth treasure of great riches hathe in expresse speeche threatened manye stripes to that negligent seruaunt whiche knoweth thy will and yet doth it not vouchsafe vs and as manye of vs as are instructed taught and thereby perceiue and vnderstand thy heauenlye pleasure endeuouringe to walke thereafter maye auoid that penalty of negligence which is denounced against the idle seruant thy grace preuenting vs in all our actions and intents We can not denie but that the sayeng of thy welbeloued son the substance of truth and liuelye image of thine owne maiestie is vndoubted certaine and infallible namely that not euerye one whyche crieth Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he which fulfilleth thy wil forsaking the world and all worldly pompe betaketh himselfe wholy vnto the seruice of thee and submitteth himself a scholler in thy schoole where learning sounde substantial knowledge he may be the more in loue with the riches of thy kingedome and bid al earthlie vanityes auant Now most mercifull Father for that the helpes to holines of life are infinite some and those singular consisting in thy Gospell preached some and those notable in sinceritie of conuersation and examples of godlines expressed some and those speciall in exhortations tending vnto Christianitie declared some and those heauenlie in praiers and supplications conteyned maye it please thee of thine vnspeakable goodnes ô mercifull Father to gyue vs grace so to imprinte them in our memories and to haue them sealed in our heartes that the course of our whole life may testifie to the world that thy gifts in vs are not voyd and frustrate barren and fruiteles vaine and vnused Least being otherwise it chaunce vnto vs as vnto him that knitting vpp his talent in a napkin hiding the same in the ground had not onlye the same taken from him but was also cast into vtter darknesse for his ydle nes vnprofitable seruice Among al which helps ô eternal God and faithfull ouerseer of our soules for that this whych wee haue in hande is not of least account since thereout wee sucke the sweet sap of com forte the assistance of thy spirite beeyng present with vs wee beseech thee with al submission to direct our vnderstandings to increase our faith to confirme our hope to kindle our zeale to guide all our affections and to gouerne the whole course of our life that exercisinge our selues in this or anye other godlye volume published for the edification of thy Church wee may vse it and them with integritie vprightnes of iudgement with deuotion voyd of hypocrisie with faithfull inuocation with humilitie and submission that inâ—ring our selues to praier vnfainedlie wee may obteine that whiche we pray for effectualy and for the same ministred vnto vs in time of necessitye with hart and voice extoll thy most dreadful maiesty to whome bee all honour glorie power and dominion euerlastinglie To this let all people say Amen most ioyfullie Amen FINIS ¶ A Catalog conteyning the seueral titles of euery praier and treatise comprised in this booke easie to be found by the true number of the page 1 THe first Morning praier pag. 1 2 Second morning praier 3 3 Third morning praier 6 4 Fourth morning praier 8 5 First euening praier 10 6 Second euening praier 13 7 Third euening praier 15 8 Fourth euening praier 17 9 A praier for all times against the power of Satan 19 10 Another 21 11 A praier for all afflicted Christians 23 12 Another 25 13 A generall Confession of sinnes 31 14 Another 33 15 A praier for humilitie 35 16 Another for charitie 37 17 A praier for the mortification of the flesh 40 18 Another 42 19 A praier for the obteining of grace 44 20 Another 46 21 A praier for patience in affliction 48 22 Another 50 23 A praier in time of persecution 52 24 Another 55 25 A praier againste the enymies of the truth 57 26 Another 59 27 A praier for the sicke 61 28 Another 64 29 A Confession for the sicke pag. 66 30 Another 68 31 A praier against desperation 70 32 Another 75 33 Another 78 34 A Praier for the auoidance of Gods wrath 80 35 A praier for remission of sinnes 82 36 Another 85 37 Another 87 38 A praier for increase of faith 89 39 A praier to bee sayde at the houre of death 123 40 A prayer for the truth pag. 125 41 A praier for peace 131 42 A praier in time of warre pag. 133 43 A praier in time of dearth pag. 139 44 A praier againste the feare of death 141 45 Another 146 46 Another 147 47 Another in forme of a confession 149 Peculiar Praiers appliable to particular persons of sundrie states and degrees 1 A Praier for the Queene pag. 27 2 A praier for all Maiestrates pag. 29 3 A praier for preachers 94 4 A praier for the increase of preachers 96 5 A praier for the Schoolmaister 98 6 Another 101 7 A praier for Schollers 103 8 The mothers praier for the good education of her youth 105 9 The fathers praier 107 10 The childes praier 109 11 The Husbandmans praier pag. 111 12 The maydseruants praier pag. 113 13 A praier for a woman with child 116 14 A praier for a Woman in trauel 118 15 A praier for the Prysoners pag. 121 16 A praier for the Ploughman 127 17 A praier for the blessing of his labour 129 18 A praier for the Captaine pag. 135 19 A praier for the Souldiour pag. 137 20 A praier for the Rich man pag. 158 21 Another 160 22 The beggers praier 162 23 Another 164 24 The widowes praier 166 25 The Tenants praier 168 26 The fatherles childs praier pag. 170 ⧠Fiue notable treatises and one deuout praier orderlie placed as they follow in the leafe 1 A Sword against the feare of death deuided into three weapons 173 The first weapon ibid. The Second weapon â—84 The Third weapon 203 2 A battell betweene the Dyuell and the Conscience pag. 213 The cal of Conscience in conflict for succour againste present danger 223 3 The deade mans School 225 4 A lodge for Lazarus 243 5 A retrait from sinne 285 6 A praier vnto Almightie God that the vse of this booke may be for our edification made by A. F. pag. 329 Glorie to God AMEN FINIS 1593. Imprinted at London by Richard Yardley and Peter Short for the assignes of W. Seres Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis