the ende and in the end so be it O Lord increase our fayth A PRAIER TO BE sayde of the childe before he study his lesson PSALME 119. Wherein shall the childe addresse his way In guiding him selfe according to thy Worde Open myne eyes I shall knowe the maruails of thy Lawe Giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Lawe yea I shall keepe it with mine whole heart LOrde which art the fountain of all wisdome and knowledge seeing it hath pleased thee to giue mee the meane to bee taught in my youth for to learne to guide me godly and honestly all the course of my life it maye also please thee to lighten myne vnderstandinge the which of it selfe is blind that it may comprehende and receiue that doctrine and learning which shall bee taught me it may please thee to strengthen my memory to keep it wel it maye please thee also to dispose my hart willingly to receiue it with such desire as appertayneth so that by my ingratitude the occasion which thou giuest me be not lost That I may thus do it maye please thee to powre vpon me thine holy spirit the spirite I say of al vnderstāding truth iudgement wisdom learning the which maye make mee able so to profite that the paines that shall be taken in teaching me be not in vaine And to what study soeuer I applye my selfe make me O lord to addres it vnto the right end that is to know thee in oure Lord Iesus Christ that I may haue full trust of saluation in thy grace and to serue thee vprightly according to thy pleasure so that whatso euer I learne it may be vnto me as an instrumēt to helpe me therevnto and seing thou dost promise to giue wisdom to the little and humble ones and to confound the proude in the vanity of their wits likewise to make thy selfe knowne to them that be of an vpright heart and also to blinde the vngodly and wicked I beseech thee to fashion me vnto true humility so that I may be taught first to be obedient vnto thee and next vnto my superiors that thou haste appoynted ouer me Further that it may please thee to dispose mine heart vnfaynedly to seek thee and to forsake all euill and filthye lusts of the flesh that in this sort I may nowe prepare my self to serue thee once in that estate which it shalplease thee to appoint for me whē I shall come to age A PRAIER TO BE sayde before a man begin his worke PSALME 25. The Lorde reuealeth his secretes vnto them that fear him and maketh them to knowe his alliance O Lorde God moste mercifull Father sauiour seeing it hath pleased thee to commaunde vs to trauaile that we may relieue our neede we beseech thee of thy grace so to blesse our labor that thy blessing may extende vnto vs without the which we are not able to continue that this great fauour may be a witnes vnto vs of thy boūtifulnes assistance so that thereby we may know the fatherlye care that thou hast ouer vs. Moreouer O Lorde wee beseech thee that thou wouldest strengthen vs with thy holye spirit that we may faith fullye trauaile in our estate vocation without fraud or deceit and that we maye indeuour oure selues to followe thine holy ordināce rather thē to seek to satisfy our greedy affections or desire to gaine And if it please our labour giue vs a minde also to help thē that haue need according to that ability that thou of thy mercye shalt giue vs and knowing that all good thinges come of thee graunt that wee maye humble oure selues to our neighbours not by any meanes lift our selues vp aboue them which haue not receiued so liberal a portion as of thy mercye thou hast giuē vnto vs. And if it please thee to trye exercise vs by greter pouerty and need then our flesh would desire that thou wouldst yet O Lorde grant vs grace to know that thou wilt nourish vs continually through thy bountifull liberality that wee bee not so tempted that we fall not into distrust but that wee may patiently waite till thou fill vs not onely with corporall graces and benefites but cheefely with thine heauenly spirituall treasures to the intent that wee may alwayes haue more ample occasiō to giue thee thankes and so wholly to rest vppon thy mercyes Heare vs O Lorde of mercy through Iesus Christe thy sonne our Lorde Amen APR AIER FOR the Morning O Gratious God and louing Father according to thy cōmandement we do here present our selues before thy maiestye humblye prostrating our selues before the throne of mercy acknowledging and confessing from the bottome of our heartes that wee bee miserable sinners dayly breaking thy commandementes both in thought word and deede wherein we iustlye deserue euerlasting damnatiō to be vtterly throwne frō thy presence yet O lord we see thy goodnes againe towardes vs who not suffering vs thus to perish in our sins hast sent thine owne deare Son Iesus Christ to take vppon him whatsoeuer is due to reconcile and make vs at one with thee again in him therfore good Lorde and throgh him do we com vnto thee beseeching thee for his sake that we feeling the greeuosnes of our sins and groning vnder the burden of them may feele the release ease of them in that we be thorough thy holy spirit assured and stedfastly beleeue that Christ hath borne the burden of them euen for vs. Graunt O Lorde that wee being assured hereof in oure consciences may thorough thy holye spirite be renued in the inner man to hate detest and abhorre sinne and to study to liue according to thy blessed will during our whole life We do not only pray for our selues but also for all thy whol church especially such as bee persecuted for thi word graunt vnto them that whether it be by death or life they may glorifye thy name to theire liues end Bee mercifull to this Church of England and Irelande wee besech thee good lord and preserue euery part member of the same especially thy seruaunt ELIZABETH oure Queene graunt her all such giftes as be needeful for so high a calling to the aduancement of thy glory and benefite of this commō wealth to the establishing of a perfect gouernment of thy Church according to the prescript rule of thy blessed word to the rooting out of al superstition and reliques of Antichrist to the gouerning of her subiectes in all peace and traquillitie Defend her O lord from all conspiracies treasons rebellions and so woorke in the harts of all her subiects that knowing her authorise doth come frō thy heauenly maiestie they may with obediēt harts humbly obey her in thee for thee Preserue the whol counsell the. Magistrats of the realme that being lightened through thy holy spirite they maye defend thy truth suppresse wickednes maintain equity Beholde all the Pastors Preachers of the worde blesse their labours
An exercise for a Christian FAMILIE Contayning a short sum of certayne poyntes of Christian religion with certaine godly Prayers psalmes thanâ—â—giuings both before and after meales ¶ Very necessary to be vsed in euery Christian Familie By R. M. AT LONDON ¶ Printed by Robert Walde-graue 1585. ¶ A short SVMME OF THE cheefe groundes of christian religion set down in fiue speciall points Sanctify the lord God in your hearts 1. Pet. 3.15 be ready alwayes to giue an answere to euery one that asketh you a reason of your fayth that with meekenesse and reuerence Keepe the true patern of the wholsome words which thou haste heard of me in faith and loue 2. Tim. 1.13 which is Iesus Christe I Beleeue and confesse first Rom. 10.10 that there is * one God onelye who * is a spirituall nature Ioh. 45.5 without any bodily or visible sharpe Ioh. 4.24 1. Tim. 6 16. Exo. 34.6 Psa 95.4 * of infinite power wisedome * goodnesse and glory creator and gouernour of heauen and earth that this one god is distinct into * three persons the father Iohn 5.7 the son and the holy ghost Secondly that the same God did in the beginning * make mankinde in an excellent state of all perfection happines Gen. 1.26 euen according to his owne * holinesse righteousnesse Eph 4.24 Thirdly that we fell afterwards through the disobedience of Adam into a cursed kind of al misery Rom. 5.12 euen * into the wrath of God and eternal damnation of body and soule Fourthly that the deliuerance and redemption from this misery is fully wrought by * Iesus Actes 4.12 Christ onely both God man who hath * suffered all the punishments of our sinns Rom. 13 4 that we might not bee damned for them 1. Ioh. 1 7 1. Pet. 2 24. * hath perfectly kept the * ten commaundements for vs which we could not do to bring vs again to the * loue of God Rom. 5.19 21 and to eternal life Fiftly that they onely are partakers of Iesus Christe and * this great worke of our redemption Math. 7.7 which do earnestly and faithfully praye for the grace of his holy * Spirite Rom. 10 11 that thorough the * preaching of the Worde Iohn 3.36 there maye bee wroughte in their heartes a * stedfast fayth Iam. 2.18 21. to be saued by his sufferings and holinesse onely and that their fayth may be shewed and iustyfied by continuall repentance and a Godly life that is Deu. 12 12. by * shunning those thinges which hee forbiddeth and dooing those thinges which he commaundeth This is lyfe eternall Iohn 17.3 to knowe thee to bee the onelye true God and him whome thou haste sente Iesus Christe Ioh. 17.3 Iesus sayd take heede and beware of the leauen of the pharisees saduces Mat. 16.6 12. which is their doctrine Cast away prophane and old wiues fables 1. Tim. 4.7 exercise thy selfe vnto godlinesse I will pray vnto God Psal 55.16 and the Lord shall saue mee euening and morning and at noone day will I pray and he will heare my voyce Prayers for the morning necessary to be vsed of all housholders in their families MATH 26.41 VVatch and pray least ye enter into temptation O moste mighty God our heauenly and mercifull father we most wretched sinners humblye confesse vnto thy maiesty that all good thinges wee haue doe come from thy onelye mercy that we are most vnworthy of them and yet altogether vnable heartily to pray for the continuaunce thereof yet seeing thy dear son Iesus Christe hathe commaunded vs in his name to pray and that with assurance to speed and to be heard wee beseeche thee for his sake to prepare oure heartes by thy holye spirite to put oute of our mindes all worldlye thinges and vayne fantasies and to stir vs vp earnestly to coÌ„sider what greate neede wee haue of thy continuall help both in our soules and bodies O Lord we haue through our manifold sinns deserued thy wrath and eternall damnation of body soul yet by the vertue of the great sufferinges of Iesus Christ and the shedding of his precious bloud forgiue and wash away al our offences wee are vnworthy of thy fauour either in this life or in the life to come yet thorough his holines receiue vs vnto mercy make vs heirs of thy blessed kingdom and so increase in oure hearts euery day vnfained repentaunce for our former wickednes in that we haue neither worshipped thy maiesty nor liued towardes others accordinge to thy worde Strengthen our faith O Lord in Iesus Christe for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and for thy tender mercy sake powre into our hearts the grace of thy holy spirite which may stirre vp in vs a more hearty loue vnto thee and thy blessed worde that by it we may learn to worship thee aright and to liue faithfullye truelye towardes all men in our callings striuing coÌ„tinually against all sinne chiefly in our selues and then also in others so that whensoeuer it shall please thee to call any of vs out of this short sinfull life we may willingly deliuer vp our soules into thy blessed kingdome and may come with ioy as louing children to thee our heauenly and merciful Father O lord make vs thankful for all thy corrections giuing vs grace by them to fear thee more carefully to sorow for our sinnes more heartily Make vs also thankfull for all thy benefites namely for the sweete sleepe and quiet rest wherby thou haste this nighte refreshed vs wee beseeche thee now in like manner O gratious God for Christs sake to receiue vs this day into thy blessed keeping preserue vs froÌ„ al perils dangers froÌ„ sinn froÌ„ the wicked cares of this life and the vaine desires of the flesh shinning into our hearts by the grace of thy holy spirit and the true knowledge of Iesus Christ the true light of the worlde that wee may guid al ourthoghts words deeds according to the same and walk painfully and truly in our callings to the glorye of thy blessed name the good example of al others and the great assuraunce of our own saluation through thy deare Sonne Iesus Christe our onely sauiour in whose name we pary for these and al other graces as hee hath taught vs saying Our father c. Another Prayer for the Morning ALmighty God and moste mercifull Father Dan. 9 we do not * preseÌ„t our selues heere before thy maiesty trusting in oure owne merites or worthinesse but in thy manifolde mercies which hast promised to heare our prayers and * graunt oure requests Iohn 16. which we shall make to thee in the name of thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde who hath also commanded vs to asseÌ„ble our selues together in his * name Math. 18. with full assurance that he will not onely bee amoÌ„g vs but also be our mediator
* aduocate towardes thy maiestie 1. Tim. 2. that we may obtain * all things which shall seem expedient to thy blessed will for our necessities 1. Ioh. 3. Therefore wee beseech thee most mercifull father to turne thy louing countenāce towards vs Psal 32. and * impute not vnto vs our manifolde sins offences whereby wee iustly deserue thy wrath sharp punishment but rather receiue vs to thy mercy for Iesus Christes sake accepting his death and passion as a iust recompence for all our offences in whom only thou art pleased through whome thou canst not bee offended with vs. And seeing that of thy great mercies wee haue quietli passed this night grant o heauēly father that wee may bestowe this day wholly in thy seruice so that all oure thoughtes wordes and deeds may redound to the glory of thy name and good example to al men who seeing our good works may glorify thee our heauēly father And forasmuch as of thy mere fauour and loue thou hast not only created vs to thine own similitude likenesse but also haste chosen vs to bee heires with thy dear sonne Iesus Christ of that immortall kingdom which thou prepa redst for vs before the begining of the world wee beseech thee to increas our faith know ledge to lighten our heartes with thine holy spirit that we may in the meane time liue in godly conuersation integrity of life knowing that * idolaters Gal. 5 adul terers couetous men contentious personnes drunkardes gluttons such like shall not inherite the kingdome of God And because thou haste commaunded vs to pray one for another we doe not onely make request O Lord for our selues and them that thou hast already called to thee true vnderstanding of thine heauenly will but for all people * natiōs of the world Actes 10. 1. tim 2. who as they knowe by thy wonderful workes that thou art God ouer all so they may be instructed by thine holie spirite to beleue in thee their onely sauiour and Redeemer But forasmuch as they can not beleeue except they * hear Rom. 10. nor cānot hear but by preaching and none can preach except they be sent therfore O lord raise vp faythfull distributers of thy misteries who setting aparte all worldly respectes may both in their life and doctrine only seeke thy glory Contrarily confounde * Sathan Rom. 16. Antichrist with all hirelings and papistes whō thou hast already cast of into a reprobate sense that they may not by sects schismes heresies and errours disquiet thy little flocke And because O Lorde wee be fallen into the latter dayes 2. tim 3. and daungerous times wherin ignorance hath gotten the vpper hand and Satan with his minysters seeke by all meanes to quench the light of thy Gospell we beseeche thee to maintaine thy cause against those * rauenous wolues Mat. 7 and strengthen all thy seruauntes whome they keepe in prison bondage Let not thy long suffering bee an occasion eyther to increase their tyranny or to discourage thy children neyther yet let oure sinnes and wickednesse bee an hynderaunce to thy mercyes but with speede O Lord consider the greate myseries and afflictions of thy poore Church which in sundry places by the rage of enimies is greeuously tormented and this we confesse O Lord to come moste iustlye for our sinnes which notwithstanding thy manifold benefites whereby thou doest dayly allure vs to loue thee and thy sharp thretnings wherby we haue occasion to feare thee and speedily to repent yet continue in our owne wickednes and feel not our hearts so touched with the displeasure of our sinnes as we ought to do Therefore O Lorde create in vs newe heartes that with feruent minds we may bewaile our manifolde sinnes earnestly repent vs for our former wickednesse and vngodly behauiour towardes thee and wheras wee can not of oure selues purchase thy pardon yet wee humblye beseeche thee for Iesus Christes sake to shewe thy mercies vppon vs and receiue vs again to thy fauour Graunt vs deare father these oure requestes and all other thinges necessary for vs and thy whole Church according to thy promise in Iesus Christ our Lord in whose name we beseech thee as hee hath taught vs saying Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name c. A GODLY PRAIER to be sayde at all times HOnour and prayse bee giuen to thee O Lord God almighty moste deare Father of heauen for all thy mercies louing kindnesse shewed vnto vs in that it hath plesed thy gratious goodnesse and freely of thine own accord to elect chuse vs to saluatiō before the begining of the world euē like cōtinual thanks be giuē to thee for creating vs after thine own image for redeeming vs with the precious bloude of thy deare sonne when we were vtterlye loste for sanctifying vs with thine holye Spirite in the Reuelation and knowledge of thyne holy word for helping and succouring vs in all our needes and necessities for sauing vs from all daungers of bodye and soule for comforting vs so fatherly in all our tribulations persecutions for sparing vs so long and giuing vs so large a time of repentaunce These benefits O most merciful father like as wee knowledge to haue receiued them of thine onely goodnesse euen so wee beseech thee for thy dear son Iesus Christes sake to grant vs alwais thine holy spirit whereby we may continually growe in thankfulnes towards thee to bee led into all truethe and comforted in all oure aduersities O Lord strengthen our faith kindle it more in feruentnes and loue towardes thee and our neighbors for thy sake Suffer vs not most dear Father to receiue thy word any more in vain but graunt vs alwayes the assistaunce of thy grace and holy spirite that in heart word and deede we may sanctify and doe worship to thy name helpe to amplify and increase thy kingdome that whatsoeuer thou sendest we maye be hartely well content with thy good pleasure and wil. Let vs not lack the thing o father with out the which we cannot serue thee but bless thou so all the workes of our handes that we may haue sufficient and not to bee chargeable but rather helpfull vnto others Be mercifull O Lorde to our offences and seeing our debt is great which thou haste forgiuen vs in Iesus Christ make vs to loue thee and our neighbors so much the more Be thou oure Father oure captaine and defender in all tentations holde thou vs by thy mercifull hand that we maye bee deliuered from all inconueniences end our liues in the sanctifiing honor of thy holy name through Iesus christ our Lord only Sauioure so be it Let thy mighty hande and out-stretched arme O Lorde bee still our defence thy mercye and louing kindenesse in Iesus Christ thy dear Sonne oure saluation thy true and holy word oure instruction thy grace and holy spirite our comfort and consolation vnto
beloued of the Lorde and that thy graces may abound as the waters of the sea in the Prince and in the people in the Church and in the Common wealth from day to day till the day of our translation into the kingdō where iustice inhabiteth where we also shal inhabite and raign with thee according to thy promise for euer Grant vs these things O mercifull Father for thy deare sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ his sake in whose name we craue them at thy mercifull hande praying furthermore for them as hee hath taught vs to pray Our father which art in heauen c. A PRAYER TO be sayd in visiting of the sicke O Our good GOD Lord Father the Creator and conseruer of all thinges the fountaine of all goodnes benignitye like as among other thine infinite benefites whiche thou of thy great goodnesse and grace doest distribute ordinarilye vnto all men thou giuest them health of body to the end that they should the better know thy great liberalitye so that they might be the more readye to serue glorifye thee with the same so contrarywise when we haue ill behaued our selues in offending thy maiestye thou hast accustomed to admonishe vs and call vs vnto thee by diuers and sundry chastisementes thorough the which it hath pleased thy goodnes to subdue and tame our fraile flesh but especiallye by thy grieuous plagues of sicknesse and diseases vsing the same as a meane to awake stir vp the great dulnes and negligence that is in vs all and aduertising vs of oure euill life by such infirmities dangers especially when as they threaten the verye death which as assured messengers of the same are all to the flesh full of extreame anguishe and torments althogh they be notwithstanding to the spirit of the elect as medicines both good wholsom For by thē thou dost mooue vs to retourne vnto thee for our saluation and to cal vpon thee in our afflictions to haue thine helpe which art oure dear and louing father In consideration wherof wee most earnestlye praye vnto thee oure good God that it wold please thine infinite goodnes to haue pitty on this thy poore creature whome thou hast as it were bounde and tied to the bed by most grieuous sicknesse and brought to great extremitie by the heauinesse of thine hand O Lorde enter not into a count with him to render the rewarde due vnto his workes but through thine infinite mercye remitte all his faults for the which thou hast chastised him so gently and beholde rather the obedience which thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde hath rendred vnto thee to witte the sacrifice which it hath pleased thee to accept as a full recompence for all the iniquities of thē that receiue him for their iustice sanctificatiō yea for their onely sauiour Let it please thee O GOD to gyue him a true zeale and affection to receiue and acknowledge him for his onely redeemer to the end also that thou maist receiue this sicke person to thy mercy qualifiyng all the troubles which his sins the horror of death and dreadfull feare of the same may bring to his weake conscience neither suffer thou O Lord the assaults of the mighty aduersary to preuaile or to take from him the comfortable hope of saluation which thou giuest to thy dearely beloued children And for as much as we are all subiect to the like state condition and to bee visited with like battel when it shal please thee to call vs vn to the same we beseech thee moste humblye O Lorde with this thy poore Creature whom thou now presently chastisest that thou wilt not extende thy rigorous iudgement against him but that thou wouldest vouchsafe to shew him thy mercye for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde who hauing suffered the most shamefull and extreame death of the Crosse bare willinglye the fault of this poore patient to the end that thou mightest acknowledge him as one redemed with his precious bloud and receiued into the communion of his body to be participant of eternall felicity in the companye of thy blessed Aungels wherfore O Lord dispose moue his hart to recieu by thy grace with all meekenesse this gentle and fatherly correction which thou haste layde vpon him that he maye indure it patientlye and with willing obediēce submitting himself with heart and minde to thy blessed will and fauourable mercye wherein thou now visitest him after this sort for his profit and saluation It may please thy goodnesse O Lord to assist him in all his anguishes and troubles And although the tongue and voyce bee not able to execute their office in this behalf to set forth thy glorye that yet at the least thou wilt stirre vp his hart to aspire vnto thee only which art the onlye fountaine of goodnesse thou wilt roote and settle in his hart the sweet promises which thou hast made vnto vs in Christe Iesus thy sonne our Sauiour to the intent he may remaine constant against all the assaultes and tumult which the enemy of our saluation maye raise vp to trouble his conscience And seeyng it hath pleased thee that by the death of thy dear Son life eternall shoulde be cōmunicated vnto vs and by the shedding of his bloud the washing of our sinnes should be declared and that by his resurrediō also both iustice and immortality shoulde bee giuen vs it may please thee to apply this holy and wholsome medicine to this thy poore Creature in such extremitie taking from him all trembling dreadfull feare to giue him a stout courage in the middes of all his present aduersityes And for as much as all thinges O heauenly father be knowne vnto thee and thou canst according to thy good pleasure minister vnto him all such thinges as shall be necessarye and expedient let it please thee O Lord so to satisfie him by thy grace as may seeme most meete vnto thy diuine maiesty Receiue him Lorde into thy protection for he hath his recourse accesse to thee alone make him constant and firme in thy commaundements and promises and also pardon all his sinnes both secreat and those which are manyfest by the which hee hath moste grieuouslye prouoked thy wrath seuere iudgementes against him so as in place of death the whiche both he and al we haue iustlye merited thou wilt graunt vnto him that blessed life whiche we also attend looke for by thy grace and mercy Neuerthelesse O heauenlye Father if thy good pleasure bee that hee shall yet lyue longer in this worlde it may then please thee to augment in him thy graces so as the same maye serue vnto thy glorye yea Lord to the intent he may conforme himselfe the more diligentlye and with more carefulnes to the example of thy sonne Christ Iesus and that in renouncing him selfe he maye cleaue fullye vnto him who to gyue consolation and hope vnto all sinners to obtaine remission of all their sins