The Poore Mans Pater noster with a preparatiue to praier Wherto are annexed diuers godly Psalmes and Meditations Collected out of the sacred Scriptures by Thomas Timme Minister Newly Imprinted the second time by Peter Short dwelling on Bredstreet hill at the signe of the Starre 1598. The life of a Christian man 1 Remember thy maker 2 Be thankful alwaies to God for his benefits 3 Loue the Lord thy God with al thy soul and all thy strength 4 Beleeue that he is thy heauenly father for his sonne Iesus Christs sake 5 Serue him with feare worship him and call vpon his holy name 6 As thou louest God so loue thy brother also 7 Let the loue of God in thee restraine the concupiscence of the flesh and prouoke thee to good works Let the loue of thy brother hold thee backe from dooing iniurie and pricke thee forward to doo good And remember alwaies that thou art borne to die A Preparatiue to praier PRaier is a talking not of the toong but of a faithfull mind with God by when wee aske of him some good thing either for our selues or for some others or else doe giue him thankes for his benefites 2 When thou commest to pray first prepare thy minde that it may bee free from all worldlie cares and that the affections of thy minde may bee quiet for the place of the Lorde is not in commotions but in quiet and rest Reuerence 3 Remember the maiestie of him beefore whome thou standest whoe as hee is the maker of heauen and earth so also is he the mightie soueraigne ouer the whole world 4 Remember that his eye seeth all things yea euen the actions the secret thoughts of thy heart Deuotion 5 If thou praye with thy mouth not with thy minde thy praier shal be but a tempting of the Lorde and a sacrifice of fooles Humilitie 6 Praye in humilitie of minde shaking off all confidence of thine owne worthynes and say thus O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and to vs open shame We do not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies I haue begun to speake vnto my Lord I am but dust and ashes Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee and am no more worthie to bee called thy son O God be mercifull vnto mee a sinner 7 Pray not hypocriticallie to seeme deuout in the eyes of men but secretly and thy father which seeth in secret will reward thee openly Contrition 8 Pray with a contrite hart and sorrowfull minde when thou crauest of God remission of sinnes Fasting 9 When thou praiest fast and abstaine from carnall delightes for thereby thou shalt bee made more apte and feruent in praier Faith 10 Pray in faith and with a sure trust and confidence in God without the which thou shalt not obtaine For euerie one that commeth vnto God must beleeue that God is and that hee is a rewarder of them that seeke him 11 Lette him that asketh aske in fayth and wauer not for hee that wauereth is like a waue of the Sea tossed with the winde and let not that man thinke that hee shall receyue anie thinge from the Lord. 12 Faith is the gift of God Therefore praye daylie with the disciples of Christ which said Lord increase our faith Lord helpe my vnbeleefe 13 The true knowledge of God learned out of his word will greatlye confirme thy fayth As when thou shalte knowe that he is louing kind mercifull gratious long suffering iust c. Also that hee is most readie to heare vs and to grant our petitions 14 God is omnipotent therefore hee is able to giue whatsoeuer thou askest God is mercifull and therefore hee will giue that which is profitable for thee 15 God giueth liberallie to those that aske of him For Salomon craued but wisdom and had both it and riches and honor in wonderfull measure And Iehosaphat which desired onelye water in his extreame thirst for him and his hoast had both the same granted and victorie also ouer the Moabites 16 God seeth and knoweth thy neede before thou askest yet to shewe thy obedience by this seruice which hee hath commaunded and also to exercise thy fayth thou muste receyue those thinges whereof thou hast neede by inuocating and calling vppon his name New obedience 17 As thou doest professe thy selfe to bee the son of God by praying vnto him and by calling him thy Father so shewe thy selfe an obedient sonne in deed by walking in his commandements 18 Let thy whole cōuersation be agreeing with thy prayers for thy continuall walking in sin will make thy praiers abhominable 19 Pray for nothing contrarie to the will of God reuealed in his holie worde For if thou praye to this ende to haue the desires of thy fleshe fulfilled thou shalte not receyue 20 That thy principal mark may be the glorifieng of God Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all other thinges shall be giuen vnto thee Perseuerance in praier 21 Perseuere in prayer and bee not discouraged though at the first thy petition bee not graunted For the Lord dooth sometimes deferre and delaie vs not that hee is vnmindfull of his promises but to trie our faith either els the more to stir vp our godly affections or to make his giftes more sweete and precious vnto vs as appeareth by the woman of Canaan and by Paule himselfe 22 When our Sauior Christ forbiddeth much babling hee meaneth not long prayers but long babling withoute faith and the spirit For length of wordes ioyned with length of earnest affection dooth not displease God 23 Christ himselfe praied all the night vppon the mountaine and before his death hee made long praiers he commandeth vs to pray cōtinually The force of true praier 24 Great is the force of faithfull praier for therby Abraham obteined life for Ismael Lot that Zoar might not be burnt in the destruction of Sodome Moyses victorye agaynste the Amalachites Eliah both drouth and raine Ezechias the prolonging of his life fifteene yeeres and such like 25 Let prayer be thy refuge in all trouble and distresse Call vppon mee in the time of trouble saith the Lord so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me 26 Hannah beeing contumeliously handled by Penninnah betaketh hir selfe to praier Sara the daughter of Raguel beeing reproched entereth into her Chamber and there maketh hir praier Dauid being persecuted saith thus For my friendship they were mine aduersaries but I gaue my selfe to praier 27 Praier thus prepared and practised will bee a gard for children an ornament for yoong men a solace and consolation for olde men and a surpassing beautie for women It will driue away diuels It will procure Angelles of defence from heauen and it will bee a sacrifice of a good sauour vnto God pearcing the heauens and will not returne againe emptie The praier of a penitent sinner O Father of heuen O sonne of God Redéemer
of the worlde O holie ghost the sweet comforter O the diuine essence thrée persons and one God haue mercie vpon me most vile caitife and miserable sinner I haue offended both against heauen earth more than my toong can expresse Whither then may I go or whither should I flie To heauen I may be ashamed to lift vp mine eies and in earth I finde no place of refuge or succour To thée therfore O Lord do I come to thée doo I humble my selfe saieng O Lord my God my sinnes be great but yet haue mercy vpon me for thy great mercie The great mysterie that God became man was not wrought for little or few offences Thou diddest not giue thy sonne O heauenlie Father vnto death for small sinnes onelie but for all the greatest sinnes of the world so that the sinner returne to thee with his whole heart as by grace first receyued from thée I doo héer at this present Wherefore haue mercie vpon me O God whose propertie is alwaies to haue mercy haue mercie vppon mee O Lorde for thy great mercie I craue nothing O Lord for my owne merits but for thy names sake that it may be hallowed thereby and for thy déere son Iesu Christes sake And therfore I continue forth my crie vnto thee from the bottom of my heart saieng Our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name c. Our Father TO none doth this name Father more truelie belong then vnto thée O God our father For both they which haue begotten vs fostered vs do bring vs vp and also our spirituall pastors which do instruct vs are called fathers But thou O Lord art the father of all creatures which are vpon the earth whome thou hast made of somewhat as thou madest man but of nothing which none else coulde do These thou dooest féede and preserue which else shoulde returne to their nothing againe These thou dooest gouerne teach and stirre vp to do their seuerall and proper offices Thou hast made all things therefore thou art the father of all but more speciallie man whom thou hast formed after thine owne similitude and image Thou dooest rule and gouerne all thinges as thy seruants but man as thy sonne To other liuing creatures thou hast giuen out of thy plentifull storehouse good giftes but vppon man thou hast powred them forth with full hande and hast adorned him with a liuing soule of all giftes one of greatest excellencie Thou doost driue forward al other creatuers as it were with a certain secret spurre but thou gently teachest and instructest vs. Other creatures thou dooest violentlie draw but vs thou doost fatherly teach and direct In al these fatherlie properties we wonder at thy power and adore and worship thy wisedome But amongst al thy fatherly mercies there is one which with great delectation wee consider as more profitable for vs namely our adoption by which thou hast made vs thy sonnes thorough Iesus Christ the sonne of the omnipotent essence and diuine nature Wonderfull is this goodnes of Christ and most swéet is his loue toward vs who wil not haue vs to be terrified with seruile feare and therefore hath not taught vs to cal thee his father Our lord which is a name of power but Our father which is a name of loue He concealeth thy greatnes and setteth forth thy goodnes the sooner to allure vs. What man considering rightlie his vile nature and corrupt will dare cal thee father except thou command him What vngratious and inferiour seruaunt will presume to call his king father except he be beside himselfe But how much greater difference is there betweene thée and vs then betweene a mortal king and a seruant which do not differ in condition of nature but onely in state of fortune We compared with thee in nature are most far different Thou art the essence and the incompresensible fulnes of all things which art all in all and wee are vtterlie nothing And in condition of worthinesse and excellencie wee being with thée compared are vnhappie and most miserable bondslaues of sin and the diuell which is the most vile and execrable state but thou art the most blessed lord of al. We are ignorance and darknesse but thou art wisedome and light Thy excellencie is infinit our shame and reproch more than can be expressed mans mind is not able to comprehend the difference betwéene thée and vs. But thy onlie sonne hath giuen vs boldnes to call thee Our father that we by adoption might be made partakers of that excellent dignitie to be called sonnes through his fauour and grace which he alone in right of his diuine nature possesseth Nowe howe more néerelie and trulie art thou the father of all those that are baptised in thy name and that are purged and clensed by the bloud of thy sonne Christ to whome beeing reconciled with thee and receiued into thy fauour thou hast giuen the earnest of Euerlasting blisse the loue of thee and an assured faith and confidence in thee and thereby perfect peace and rest of conscience Oh howe often do we féele to our great comfort thy fatherlie goodnesse Thou dooest giue vs light in darkenesse thou holdest vs vp when we stumble and are readie to fall thou turnest from vs manie wicked euils which hang ouer our heades and changest them into good and in all goodnes thou doost establish and preserue vs. What dooe our fathers helpe vs which are onelie fathers in name by whom wee haue nothing but that which hirelings and seruants haue that is to say the necessaries of this present life But this is the true fatherhood wherof we may rightlie reioyce by which we haue an euerlasting inheritance Oh woonderfull clemencie of thy son Christ which vouchsafed on vs the dignitie of his proper inheritance What wilt thou not giue O father vnto thy sons now which thou shalt thinke profitable for them We haue attained the greatest gifte that thou shouldest bee called and be indéed our father how then can we misse and bee destitute of thy fatherlie affection and liberalitie towardes vs And forasmuch as wee all which truelie are called Christians are knit togither in one knot of loue and are therfore members of one bodie and so one thing therefore that which wee aske for our selues wee craue of thee O Father for our brethren also And for this cause wee call thee iointlie togither Our father Beséeching thée that as thou vouchestsafe to be called of vs Our father so thou wilt make vs thy obedient children that not with mouth alone but with heart and mind wee may truelie feare thée serue thee loue thee and call thee our father to the honour and glorie of thy holie name Amen Which art in heauen THou art alone O Lord and we are not That being which we haue is heere in Earth that is to saie in the middest of manie tempestes and floudes of all manner of calamities wherewith we are continuallie turmoiled But thou both art and also
chéerfull countenance Wee that plant and water are nothing Thou art all in all that giuest the increase Therefore we stand like poore beggers at thy doore crauing thy dailie almes and saying Giue vs this day our daylye bread And also we praie thee O Father that as thou makest these creatures of thine ours by thy frée gift so also they may bee ours by our labour and studie in that vocation whervnto we are called Giue vs thy grace wee beséech thee that wee eate not our breade with idlenesse that wee take not from our brethren theyr bread by rapine theft oppression vsurie briberie extortion and by such other vnlawfull meanes but that wee may receiue from thy liberal and most merciful hands our owne bread in the sweate of our owne browes that wee may bee blessed in the labour of our owne hands And as thou hast from daie to daie all the daies of our life hither to fed vs most liberally and preserued vs so wee beseech thee good lord that forsomuch as this daie wee doo hunger and thirst and shall daylie so long as wee are in this flesh stand in need of thy goodnesse thou wilt vouchsafe to giue vs this day our daylie bread And when thou hast satisfied our mouth with good things giue vs O Father contented mindes that wee followe not the insatiable lusts of our flesh which beeing neuer contented with thy good gifts abuse them intemperatly and deuise and desire new daintie dishes for lust and cause vs to say with the wanton Israelites Can God prepare a table in the wildernes Can he giue bread also prepare flesh for his people Represse in vs these carnall delights giue vs temperance that we maie liue not to eat but eat to liue For thy kingdome O God is not meate drinke but a reioysing in the holie ghost And as for the bellie and the meate thou shalt destroy them both If therefore it shall please thy goodnesse to giue vs our daylie bread in abundance giue vs also aboundance of thy grace that we be not proude intemperate or luxurious but that wee maie vse thy gifts to the relieuing of our faint and weake bodyes to the comfort and helpe of our brethren and also to the honour and prayse of thy holie name Make vs mindfull thankfull O heauenlie Father for thy great goodnesse that wee doo not sit downe at thy table as thy ghestes to eate thy bread and drinke thy drinke and then to rise vp to plaie and so to forget thee the author giuer of all good gifts Far be this grosse vnthankefulnesse from vs. For the oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his maisters crib and shall wee forget thee The horse loueth his keeper and the dog will fight for his maister The brute beare and the fierce Lion are thankefull to them that féede them And the earth yeeldeth fruite to him that tilleth it and shall wée so far degenerate that we shall bee more vnreasonable then brute beastes Farre be this O Lorde from thy children Make vs therefore O father to receiue our daylie breade with thankesgiuing that hauing thee alwaies before our eies which art the giuer of all good thinges and refreshest the hungrie soule with goodnes and considering also our owne néede and necessitie we may continuallie for our daily bread ascribe vnto thée our father with thy sonne our sauiour and the holie ghost our comforter all honour praise and glorie for euer and euer Amen 5 And forgiue vs our trespasses A praier for remission of sinnes WHen wee present our selues O father before thy diuine Maiestie sathan our aduersarie our continuall accuser and sworne enimie dooth trouble vs and striketh our consciences with the sting of our sinnes which aforetime wee haue committed agaynst thée Howe darest thou saith hee miserable man presume to come into the presence of God with thy praiers with what face canst thou call him thy father when as thou at no time hast shewed thy selfe an obedient son Art thou not ashamed to pray that he will sanctifie and glorifie his name when as thou dooest daylie prophane and dishonour the same what reason hast thou to desire him to come vnto thee with his kingdome which hitherto hast not submitted thy selfe vnto him and hast not suffered him to raigne in thee Also why doest thou praie that the will of God maie bee doone in thee when as thou hatest his will and willinglie runnest into disobedience Is it not impudent temeritie that thou askest thy daylie bread of God when as thou hast so ledde thy life hitherto that thou rather deseruest to bee called a dog then a sonne hast thou forgotten that the Lord hath said It is not meete to take the childrens bread and to giue it vnto dogges These such like heauie cogitations O Lord our enemie dooth assayle our mindes to discourage vs and to drawe vs away from calling vppon thy name But we being here taught by thy son Christ our sauior to make our petitions to thee and also he hauing giuen vs boldnesse to haue accesse vnto thee and hauing also giuen vs the earnest of his holie spirit whereby we crie Abba Father doo repell these gréeuous temptations and fierie darts of the diuell crieng vnto thee with true repentance Forgiue O father our trespasses and sinnes for wee haue sinned in déede agaynst heauen and agaynst thee and are no more worthie to bee called thy sonnes but haue in our selues deserued the wages of sinne eternall death For wee haue all sinned wee haue all gone out of the waie and are become vnprofitable Wee are Lorde conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquitie all the thoughts of our hearts are euill euen from our natiuitie we haue not beene so thankefull vnto thée for the benefits bestowed on vs as becommeth vs we haue manie waies abused thy gifts wee haue not receiued thy worde with that reuerend regarde that appertained to the same neither haue wee obeyed thy will therein reuealed yea in manie things wee offend all And although wee be renewed by the immortall seede of thy worde yet the corruption of our nature and the dregs of sinne remaine still in vs and the lawe of sinne in our members which holdeth vs captiue against the will of the spirit hath place in vs which is the cause that wee breake thy holie commandements We are therefore O father in respect of our guiltines inforced to crie vnto thée Forgiue vs our sinnes and thou in respect of the punishment which wee thereby haue deserued must forgiue vs for thy sonnes Christs sake or els wee shall for euer perish For if thou Lord doe in extremitie and iustice looke vppon our sinnes whoe shall abide it If thou enter into iudgement with thy seruant what flesh shall bee iustified in thy sight Wherefore we appeale to the high throne of thy mercie humblie beseeching thee O most louing God and mercifull Father according to thy great mercie and according to the multitude of thy compassions
towardes thee wherewith I may come to as great merit in heauen as though I had spent all my life in remembrance of thy blessed passion and gratiouslie deliuer me from all tribulation of bodie and soule captiuitie anguish and perils and all Christian people Amen A Psalme for remission of sinnes HAue mercie vpon me O God after thy great goodnes according to the multitude of thy mercies doo awaie mine offences Wash mee throughly from my wickednesse and cleanse me from my sinne For I acknowledge my faults and my sinne is euer before me Against thee onely haue I sinned and doone this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying and cléere when thou art iudged Beholde I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me Who can vnderstande his faultes cleanse me O Lord from secret sinnes For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and are as a weightie burthen too heauie for me to beare My sinnes haue taken such hold vpon me that I am not able to looke vp yea they are mo in number than the hairs of my head therfore my hart hath failed me Therefore I say Lord haue mercie vppon mee heale my soul for I haue sinned against thee Returne O Lord deliuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake Wilt thou Lord absent thy selfe for euer and wilt thou be no more intreated Is thy mercie cleane gone for euer and is thy promise come vtterlie to an ende for euermore Hast thou God forgotten to be gratious and wilt thou shut vp thy louing kindnesse in displeasure O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger nor chastise me in thy heauie displeasure I faint in my mourning euerie night I wash my bed and water my couch with my teares Haue mercie vpon me O Lord for I am weake O lord heale mee for my bones are vexed Lord I power my whole desire before thée and my sighing is not hid from thée Remember not the sins of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke thou vpon me O Lord for thy goodnes For thy names sake bee mercifull vnto mine iniquitie for it is great Turne thy face from my sinnes and put out all my misdeeds Looke vpon my affliction and trouble and forgiue mee all my sinnes Though I haue gone astray like a shéepe that is lost yet séeke thy seruant for I do not forget thy commandements Kéepe my soule and deliuer mee let mee not bee confounded for I do put my trust in thee A Psalme wherein thou desirest god to heare thy praier HEare mee when I call O God of my righteousnes haue mercie vpon mee and hearken vnto my praier Heare my woordes O Lorde vnsterstande my meditation Hearken vnto the voice of my crie my king my God for vnto thee doo I pray My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and art so far from my health and from the words of my complaint O my God I crie by day but thou hearest not and by night but I haue no audience Our father 's trusted in thee and thou didst deliuer them They called vpon thee and were not confounded But I am a worme and not a man a shame of men and the outcast of the people Be not far from me because trouble is néere for there is none to helpe me Hide not thy face from me nor cast awaie thy seruant in displeasure thou hast beene my succor leaue mee not neither forsake mee O God of my saluation Let my praier be directed in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be an euening sacrifice I stretch forth my hands vnto thée my foule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Heare me O Lord and that soone for my spirite waxeth faint hide not thy face from me least I bee like vnto them that goe downe into the pit O let mee heare thy louing kindnesse betimes in the morning for in thee is my trust shew thou me the way that I should walke in for I lift vp my soule vnto thee Comfort the soule of thy seruant for vnto thee doo I lift vp my soule For my soule is full of trouble and my life draweth nigh vnto hell My sight fayleth for verie trouble Lord I haue called daylie vpon thee I haue stretched out my hands vnto thée I am wearie of crying my throat is drie whiles I waite for my God My heart trembleth within me and the terrors of death are fallen vpon me Heare me O Lord for thy louing kindnes is comfortable turne thee vnto me according to the multitude of thy mercies And hide not thy face from thy seruant for I am in trouble oh hast thée and heare me Draw nigh vnto my soule and saue it oh deliuer me because I trust in thée A Psalme for Gods grace TEache mee thy waie O God and I will walke in thy truth O knit my heart vnto thée that I may feare thy name Turne vnto mee and haue mercie vppon mee giue thy strength to thy seruant and saue the sonne of thy handemaid O that my waies were directed to kéepe thy statutes Staie my steps in thy paths that my féet do not slide Be gratious vnto thy seruant that I may liue keepe thy worde With my whole heart haue I sought thee let me not wander fro thy commandements Take from me the way of lieng and cause thou mee to make much of thy lawe Incline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not to couetousnesse O turne away mine eies least they behold vanitie and quicken thou me in thy way Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes that I bee not ashamed Direct my steppes in thy word let no iniquitie haue dominion ouer me Kéepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes let them not raigne ouer me so shall I be vpright and made cleane from much wickednes Forsake mee not O Lord be not thou farre from me O my God Create in me a clean hart and renue a right spirit within me Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holie spirit from me Giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe and stablish mee with thy free spirit Send thy light thy truth let them leade mee and bring mee to thy holie mountaine and to thy tabernacle Teach me to doo thy will for thou art my God let thy good spirit leade mee into the land of righteousnesse Bowe downe thine care to me make haste to helpe mee bee vnto mee a strong rocke and a house of defence to saue me So shall I bee glad and reioyce in thee and I will sing praise vnto thy name O most high A Psalme wherein we pray God to deliuer vs from our enemies DEliuer me O Lord from the euill man and preserue mee from the wicked man Which imagineth mischief in their hearts and stirre vppe strife all the day long They haue sharpened their toongs like a serpent adders poison is vnder their lips This thou hast seene O lord holde not thy tongue then