beeing altogether goodnesse it selfe giue good thinges to them that aske in thy Sonnes name And that although a mother should forsake her children yet wilt thou not forsake vs thy children whome thou haste before the bginning of the worlde in thy deere Sonne Iesu Christe chosen to be thy children and heires with him of thine immortall Kingdome Whereof that we in our selues mighte be sure and certaine and out of all doubte that wee are the children and heires of euerlasting life thou haste giuen into our heartes thy holy Spirite as a true pledge and earneste of our inheritaunce whiche Spirite doth assure our spirites that we are thy children and therefore crieth in our harts Abba Father Wee therefore as thy deere children raunsomed and boughte by thy deere sonne flee to thee our moste louing and mercifull Father who in goodnesse art infinite in mercy aboundant in substance incomprehensible in immortalitie euerlasting who by thy mightie power and singular prouidence rulest all thinges according to thy heauenly wisedome beseeching thee for thy deere sone Christ Iesus his sake that as thou hast sufficieÌ„tly sette forth thy glorious Name in making the whole worlde heauen earth and al things therein contained so we may in beholding and viewing thy creatures the works of thine handes be lifted vp to thee our Lord God the Creatour and Maker and in them glorifie thy holy name acknowledgeing in them thy singular goodnesse and loue towardes man for whose vse thou haste created all thinges both in Heauen and earth and that we may for the same euen from the bottom of our harts yeeld due honour praise and thankesgiuing to thee deere Father all the dayes of our life Graunte moste mercifull Father that wee may in hart and minde be fully assured that thou by thy heauenly prouidence rulest and guidest all things in heauen and earth so that nothing in the whole world commeth to passe but according to thine appoyntmente that thou guidest and framest the affaires and doings of men that thou haste euen their harts and all their powers in thy mercifull hande to turne them whiche way soeuer it seemeth best to thy godly wisedome so that whither wee be in prosperitie or aduersitie we may acknowledge both of them to be thy woorke in vs and therefore be no lesse thankful for sicknesse then for health for sorrowe then for comforte for a troubled mind then for a quiet for imprisonment and banishmente then for libertie especially seeing we know that y turnest them all seeme they neuer so sharp to the comforte and coÌ„modity of thy children which feare thee and that in al things whiche shall befal vnto vs whither they be greuous or ioyous prosperitie or aduersitie life or death thy holy Name may be sanctified in vs by yeelding due and continuall praise and thankesgiuing to thy eternall Maiestie that wee neuer cease to put our ful truste and confidence in thy merâ—y who haste promised to be our defender buckler and shielde to keepe vs as the apple of thine eye to deliuer vs when we call vppon thee to open when we knock to giue when wee aske that we knowing our owne weakenesse that of our selues we haue no power or strength to do no not so muche as to will that whiche is good wee may acknowledge all our strength comforte ioy faith loue hope and confidence to be thine only gifte and woorke in vs And for the same and the increase of the same and for all thy benefites in vs whereof we feele our selues destitute we may constantly flee vnto thee by harty prayer requiring the same at thy mercifull hande And hauing felt thy mercifull dealing towardes vs we may alway to the end of our life continue thankfull to thy blessed Name that wee neuer speake or thinke of thee O Lord God without high reuerence and an obedieÌ„t feare vnto thy Glorious Name And that thy kingdome O Lorde may more gloriously shine amongest men subdue the hearts of the people to be obedient to thy woorde Lighten all nations with thy glorious Gospell raise vp faithful ministers of thy woord aboundantly in euery place who with pure and perfect zeale in true knowledge may feede the hungrie soules with the foode of life Lighten the harts of thy children whome yet thou haste not called to the feeling of thy mercies in thy sonne reuealed Beate downe the furie and rage of the kingdome of satan and antichrist with all tyrants who shewe their vtter malice and furie against thy deare and faithfull flock Confounde their deuises suppresse their pride and so strengthen all thy true and faithfull seruauntes againste their rage that they may haue true wisedome to confound their enimies and steadfast constancie to professe the truth of thy glorious gospell euen to the death And that euery one of vs may feele the force of this thy kingdome particularly in our selues wee beseeche thee kill in vs by thy holy spirite all wicked delightes of sinne and vanities of this worlde Mortifie in vs our earthly and carnall affections and graunte that wee may haue our full delighte and pleasure in thee our Heauenly Father and in thy sonne Christe Iesu our Lorde and Sauiour and reuerently embrace thy holy Woord that our soules may be comforted therein and our faith thereby confirmed Lighten our vnderstanding that we may in thy holy woord learne and in heart be fully assured that thou art our most merciful Father and thy deere Sonne our Lorde and Sauiour Beate downe in vs all sinnefull motions of the aduersarie whiche do rebell againste thy holy spirite and settle and frame our mindes by thy holy spirite in vs that all rebellion in our fleshe being killed wee may quietly with stayed mindes and consciences sette our full ioy comforte and consolation in heauenly thinges walking before thee in sinceritie of mind put our ful trust and confideÌ„ce in thee rest and quiet our selues wholy in thy mighty protection and prouidence And forasmuche O Lord God as of our selues wee be nothing but stubbernesse and rebellion wee beseeche thee deere Father that as thine Angels in heauen doe willingly obey thy Will without resistance so wee thy children in earth all stubbernesse and peruersnesse by thy holy spirite in vs being vtterly extinguished and quenched wee may willingly submit our selues resigne and yeelde our whole affections to thee O Lord to be gouerned after thy blessed and heauenly Will. That we may feele in our selues no other motion or desire then a meete consente to thy holy Will that whatsoeuer affections in vs fighte against thy holy Will thou wilt vtterly make them voyde That wee neuer will any thinge of our selues but that thy holy Spâ—rite in vs may gouerne our heartes by whome inwardly being taughte wee may learne to love embrace and take comforte in those thinges that please thee and to hate those thinges that displease thee That our heartes mindes and willes beeing wholy subdued to thy moste blessed Will wee may willingly bee
¶ Maister D. his councell to all that are his as also a briefe lesson for all estates KEepe counsell Vse not manye wordes Tell the truth Be slow to speake Brydle thine anger Appease debate Hinder no mans good name Take heede of drinke Remember thy ende Be mercifull Trie before thou trust Repose no confidence in a reconciled aduersarie Sorowe not for that which can not be got agayne Reioyce not in thy neyghbours crosse Striue not with thy ouer match Reueale not thy secretes to thy wife nor to thy children for women and children say all they know Three things vndid the Romanes reigne priuie grudge yong heaves and priuate gayne Beare with others as thou would haue others heare with thee Be not to rashe hasty bolde nor wyse in thine owne conceyte Doe not speake all thou knowest Doe not beleeue all thou hearest Doe not doe all thou canst Doe not say all thou seest Beholde the ende ere thou beginne Haue mynde on death and feare to sinne For death shall reape that lyfe hath sovvne And lyfe shall spring vvhere death hath movvne If thou by God arte set on hie Remember yet that thou shalt die Abstinence is good for the health and vvealth of the Soule Abstinence is good for the health and vvealth of the Mynde Abstinence is good for the health and vvealth of the and bodie If thou flie ydlenesse Cupid hath no might His Bowe lyeth broken his fire hath no light FEARE GOD And keepe his Commaundements GODLY priuate prayers for housholders to meditate vpon and to say in their families MARK 11.24 ¶ What so euer ye desire when ye praye beleeue that ye shall haue it and it shall bee done vnto you ROM 10.13 ¶ Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shall bee saued Psal. 55. verse 16. ¶ I will call vnto God and the Lorde will saue me Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and make a noise and he wil heare my voyce ¶ Godly priuate prayers for housholders to be saide in their Families A prayer conteyning the effect of the Housholders Catechisme ALmightie God and most mercifull Father I see in thy blessed lawes and commaundementes the greatnesse of my sinnes and wickednesse yea I see O Lord my god the whole course of my life to be almost nothing els but a continuall breaking of thy holy lawes and commaūdements The thoughts of my harte either in vanitie or els open wickednesse are in number infinite daily in the aboundance of them causing my mouth to speake my body to execute and do contrary to thy holy will. And againe O Lord I see thy heauie wrath vengeāce and iudgment against sinne to be intollerable that euen the least wicked thought and most secreat cogitation of my harte procureth thy heauy wrath and euerlasting curse the tormente of hell and euerlasting fire euen although I had but once in all my life broke any of thy commaundements so much as once in thought And I know O Lord God that thou art true and iust canst not abide sinne and wickednesse but wilt iustly punish euerie sinne euen with the selfe same tormentes of hell whiche thy iustice hath appointed euen for euery sinne This O Lord my God throweth me downe and euen amaseth me so that I knowe not what to do I looke into my selfe vewing mine owne power whither I am able to ouercome this punishment of my sinne or no and I see that al euē the most exquisite punishment which I can deuise to my selfe in whipping of my body as long as I liue wearing haire cloth pineing my selfe with fasting or any other paine I see I see O Lorde that all this punishmēt is not sufficient for one of my least sinnes because it deserueth euen the euerlasting paines of hell I looke to Heauen I see there is no Sainte nor Angel able to abide and ouercome this punishment of sinne I looke to men in this worlde euen to the Popes treasure that wicked man of sinne and I see that neither his masse nor purgatory pilgrimage pardons penance satisfactions nor any of suche like wicked stuffe alas I see they are nothing for the satisfying for one of my least wicked thoughts seeing the punishmente is by thy iuste decree and sentence thine euerlasting cursse Wherefore I am driuen out from my selfe and all that I can do to seeke this punishmente discharged other where or else to quall vnder the burthen I see there is no healpe for me in Angels Saintes nor mortall men but onelie in that perfecte man Christe Iesus thy deere sonne in whome I see the full punishment of my sinne wholy payd satisfied discharged and ouercome death vanquished the paines of hel in victorie swalowed vp the curse satisfied and the eternitie of the punishmente through his euerlasting power ouerreachead This I see O Lord by the eyes of faith being through thy holy spirite wholy assured that all the whole punishment of sinne payd by my Sauiour Christ is not onely payd for other men but euen also for me and my sinne This assurance of my faith being thine onely woork in me I beseech thee in mercy to strengthen increase for I feele it often ful of wauering doubting Graunt that I may daily more and more in my soule and conscience feele my selfe knit and grafted into the body of thy sonne whereby I may be assured that whatsoeuer He hath done pertaineth to mee and is fully wholy mine that I may through the power of his death feele daily sinne die in me and thorough the power of his resurrection feele my selfe risen from sinne to haue my full ioy and comforte in those things which be agreeable to thy holy wil vtterly detesting hating and abhorring from my hearte althinges which be contrarie to thy will and pleasure that euen in this life I may still looke for this endlesse ioy and felicitie vsing the thinges of this worlde as though I vsed them not till that good time that it shall please thee to call mee to thine euerlasting Kingdome of Glorie there to reigne with my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for euer and euer Amen A prayer vppon the Lordes prayer O Moste mighty Lorde and eternall God who hast by thy deere sonne Christe Iesu our Lord and Sauiour reconciled vnto thy selfe all things in heauen and earth and in him haste made an euerlasting bond and couenaunte with vs thy faithfull children that thou wilt not onely be our God but also our moste louing and mercifull Father whereof as a pledge thou hast giuen vs thy holy Spirite of adoption whereby wee may with boldenesse and ful trust and cōfidence come to thee by harty praier as vnto our moste louing and mercifull Father being assured that thou wilt not deny vs any thing which thou knowest shal be expediēt for vs graunt we beseech thee deare Father that wee being fully persuaded in our harts of this thy fatherly loue and affection towards vs may be sturred
vp to make our petitions with suche an affection ardent desire loue and reuerence to thy maiesty that our mindes be not carried away with bythoughts creeping in but without all wandering may be fully bente and attentiue to the thing we aske and fully staide vppon thy merciful and iuste protection We then beseech thee deare Father that thou wilte strengthen our heartes with thy holy Spirite that considering thou hast made all thinges for the glory of thy Name so wee may in al our dooings enterprises counsels and purposes chiefly aboue all things seeke thy Glorie that wee may fully acknowledge thee not onely the Authour of all thinges but the ruler guider and gouernour of all thinges both in Heauen and earth that we neuer diminishe thine incomprehensible Glory by attributing vnto our selues any power strength or abilitie to do wil or think that which is good but from our harts we may acknowledge all our goodnesse to come from thee yelding for the same continually prayse and thankesgiuing to thy glorious Name that we neuer by distrusting thy mercifull prouidence dishonour thy Name but that euen in our greatest distresse we may put our ful confidence in thee not looking vppon our weaknesse but staying vpon thy power and promises by harty prayer fleeing vnto thee our onely refuge that our whole life may be so framed according to thy holy wil in al points that thy glorious Name in vs may be sactified and that we be not an occasion that thy holy Name be blasphemed through our wicked life and conuersation Let thy Kingdome most mercifull Father appeare and manifestly be declared in all the worlde but especially amongst thy Churche and faithfull flocke declare thy selfe Lord and King oue◠them ruling them by the scepter of thy holy woorde and force of thy holy Spirite Increase the number of faithful Pastors and Preachers amongst the people blesse their labours to the increase of this Kingdome of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ and to the destruction of the kingdome of satan and antichrist Suppresse the rage of the enimies that they may knowe that thou O Lorde doest reigne in all ages to the behoofe of thy Church and terour of thine enimies Grāt these mercies good lord not onely to the whole Churche in generall but especially to euery one of vs thy Children particularly Graunte that we may effectually feele the force of this thy Kingedome in our heartes Beate downe in vs our olde corrupt Adam with all sinfull delightes thoughtes motions and desires and renew in vs day by day our spiritual and inwarde man that we may be wholy bente to delight thinke desire and do those thinges whiche be acceptable in thy sighte Frame our heartes good Lorde with suche humble obedience to thy holy will that we may be heartily wel content with whatsoeuer it pleaseth thy goodnes to lay vppon vs that wee neuer cease in our miseries but continually call vppon thee by hearty prayers although wee feele no release at all yet that still patiently we may abide and quietly waite for thy good leysure and appointed time of deliueraunce when thou knowest it shall be moste expedient for vs. Graunte vs deere Father that al our counsels studies labours and endeuours being by thy holy spirite guided and framed wee may euery one in that vocation in whiche thou haste placed him so faithfully trauaile to the discharging of our consciences and edifying of thy Churche that our accompt may be founde acceptable before thy throne and Iudgement seate So blesse our labours and trauels that we may haue sufficient for the preseruing of this present life and be content with those benefites whiche thou shalt bestowe vpon vs whether they be many or fewe acknowledging them to be receiued of thee not greedily to care for them or vainely to delight in them but thākfully esteeme of them as thy benefites bestowed vppon vs and as faithful Stewards moderately to vse them to the reliefe of our brethren and the discharge of our consciences Increase in vs good Lorde the gifte of faith that wee may daily more and more in our soules and consciences bee assured that our sinnes be defaced cleane blotted out and couered with the full perfecte and sufficient sacrifice of thy deare Sonne Christ Iesu our Lorde and Sauiour once made for vs ▪ that we are vnited knit and made one bodie with him partakers of his righteousnesse iustification and holinesse and euen fellow heires with him of euerlasting life that wee may vnfainedly from the bottome of our hearts loue thee for this thine vnspeakeable goodnesse and mercie forgiueing from our hearts our brethren which doe offend vs pray for them loue cherishe and comforte them as fellowe members all of one body with perfecte naturall loue and compassion linked together to our head Christe Iesu. Strengthen vs good Lorde with thy holy spirite that we be not ouercome with the subtile suggestions and sinneful motions of satan the diuell holde vs vp with thy mercyfull hand that we sleepe not in sinne that we be not drawen away with the wicked worlde nor the enticementes of the flesh to delighte in wickednesse but so arme vs with thy mightie power that we may strongly abyde all the assaultes and subtile sleightes of our ghostly enimy and sincerely to walke before thy face both in prosperitie and aduersitie to thy honour and glory the health of our soules profit of thy Church through Iesus Christe our onely Lorde and Sauiour Amen ¶ The Lordes prayer more at large O Moste mightie and eternall God who of thine infinite loue to mankinde haste giuen vs thine owne eternall sonne Christe Iesu our Lorde to be made man for vs in the similitude of sinnefull flesh to become flesh of our flesh bone of our bones in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted who being thy true and naturall sonne hath made vs with him sonnes children and heires to thee our moste mercifull Father giuing vnto vs by grace that which is his by nature And by his due alone once offered sufficient sacrifice hath payd the raunsome of our sinnes before thy diuine Maiestie to satisfie thy iustice vpon sinnful flesh Whiche debt being payde for vs he hath broughte vs in fauour with thee so that wee may now with boldnesse and truste come to thee as vnto our moste merciful and louing Father with full assuraunce that as thy loue is so much greater and more excellent towardes vs then all loue of earthly Parentes towardes their children as thou passest all men in goodnesse and mercy so thou wilte denie vs nothing which shall be expedient for vs So that although all the fathers which are in earth hauing shaken off all feeling of fatherly naturalnesse woulde forsake their children yet thou wouldest neuer forsake vs because thou canste not denie thy selfe who promisest that if earthly fathers being euill can giue good giftes to their children how much more wilt thou our heauenly Father
contente with that estate of life which it pleaseth thy goodnesse to excercise vs withal in this world whither it be in aduersitie or prosperitie in sicknesse or health in ignominie or glorie in quietnesse or trouble in sorrow or gladnesse Graūt vs deere Father this willing and patiente minde that euen in our greatest distresse wee may be content with thy good will and not to murmur or grudge againste thy Maiestie knowing that thou wilte lay nothing vppon vs but that whiche shall turne to our goodnesse or profite And that wee may patiently abide whatsoeuer it shall please thee to lay vppon vs that we be assured in our heartes that thou wilt not lay more vnto vs then thou wilte giue vs strength to beare and euen in our greatest afflictions wilte finde a way for our deliuerance and that thy power and strength is more fully declared when wee feele our selues vtterly voyde of all strength and see no way of deliueraunce that we may in our most grieuous assaults conflicts and anguishe of minde submitte our selues wholy to thy blessed will and looke for our deliueraunce at thy hand when thou knowest it shal be moste expedient for vs and most for thy glorie leauing the time and meane of deliueraunce to thy good Will and pleasure and that in the meane time wee neuer cease but call vppon thee by hearty prayers continually as thou haste commanded vntill suche time as thou shalt heare our petitions And although after many and sundry callinges vppon thee thou seeme not to regarde vs but rather deale more extreamely with vs yet notwithstāding strengthen vs so with perseuerance in prayer that we faint not but stil continue in praier being assured that although we feele our selues nothing released yet wee may quiet our selues herein that wee as thy children haue layd our complaints griefes and sorrowes in the bosome of thee our heauenly Father who wilt as a louing Father whē he seeth it moste conuenient healpe vs And that although thou seeme nothing to graunte our requestes yet wee honour thee in calling vppon thy Name seeing thou doeste accepte it as a moste chiefe honour to bee called vppon in the day of trouble And forasmuche deere Father as thou doeste by thy mighty power nourish feede sustaine preserue and maintaine all liuing creatures yea euen the verie yong fowles and beastes wee beseech thee to sende vnto vs thy children ouer whome thou haste a more speciall care all thinges necessarie for this our present life that wee hauing sufficient may walke euery one in our calling in sinceritie pure holinesse before thy face acknowledging all our benefits of richesse wealth health meate drink apparell and all our substance to bee thy mere gifts bestowed vppon vs and deliuered vnto vs from thy handes that wee bee not drawen from thee through setting our mindes to muche vppon them but so moderately vse them as thy benefites for a time bestowed vppon vs knowing that thou wilte at our handes require an accompte howe wee haue vsed them That wee do not carefully gape or seeke after them but discretely to thy glorie vse them acknowledging in them thy goodnesse liberalitie towardes vs And seeing moste mercifull Father that it is not our trauaile labour paines studie or endeuour whiche is able to gette vs our liuing but onely in so muche as it pleaseth thy goodnesse to blesse and prosper them wee beseeche thee that if through our greate trauailes and paines we be yet still in poore and meane estate that thou wilte giue vs a contented hearte knowing that thereby thou letteste vs vnderstande that it is thy good will and pleasure so to keepe vs vnder that wee more effectually may giue our selues to serue thee Or if it bee thy wil and pleasure more aboundantly to blesse vs and our trauaile to sende vs aboundaunce of all thinges wee beseech thee deere Father giue vs a thankefull hearte to acknowledge them to bee thy good gifts and frame our hearts with such liberalitie that we may be contented to distribute them according to the necessitie of thy children beeing assured that thou haste to that end made vs Stewards ouer them that thou mayest at his handes require muche on whome thou haste bestowed muche so that wee hauing the due estimation of thy benefites whiche wee oughte to haue may both reuerence thy goodnesse in thy benefites and supply the want of our brethren to the reliefe of their necessitie and furtheraunce of thy Glory And whereas moste mercifull Father thy Sonne our Lorde and Sauiour Christe Iesus hath in our nature payed the raunsome and debte of all our sinnes whiche wee haue from the beginning of our life committed and do daily committe we beseeche thy gratious goodnesse that thou wilte by thy holy Spirite in our hearts assure our soules and consciences with a liuely faith that by that same one alone sufficient sacrifice the punishment of our sinnes is payed thy wrath appeased and thy iustice satisfied whereby our consciences may be quieted and set at peace with thee our mercifull Father and god Let vs deere father feele in our soules and consciences that wee are vnited and knitte to thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ and made one body with him and heires with him of euerlasting glorie so coupled and ioyned with him that wee are members of his body so that what so euer he hath done in his body we may be assured that it is ours that his righteousnesse is our righteousnesse his sanctification and holinesse is ours the cursse condemnation and death which he suffered is the same cursse condemnation and death due for our sinnes that wee knowing that our sinnes bee done away and cleane forgotten and forgiuen by thy mercifull loue goodnesse declared in offering vp thy sonne to death for vs wee may be driuen to loue thee vnfaynedly from the bottome of our heartes for this thine vnspeakable loue And considering that thou haste in mercy pardoned so many our hainous offences wee may gladly be moued to forgiue one another their offences and put out of our hart al rancour malice and hatred towarde our brethren knowing that wee are all members of one body Christe our Sauiour that so surely as wee haue forgiuen al them that offend against vs wee may be so certainely assured that thou our mercifull Father haste forgiuen vs like as we haue forgiuen our brethren And forasmuche moste heauenly Father as wee of our selues be feeble fraile and weake and haue a strong and subtile aduersarie satan the diuel who goeth aboute continually like a roaring Lion seeking whome he may deuour wee beseeche thee strengthen vs by thy holy spirit that we may withstande his subtile suggestions and motions holde thou vs by thy mercifull hand and keepe vs alwaies in thy safegarde and protection that wee bee not ouercome in the mighty assaultes of our aduersarie And forasmuche as he often vseth euen our owne fleshe armed againste vs to conquer vs wee beseech thee