Saviour. And this thy well-beloved and only begotten Son, with all his, hast thou given unto us, so that he and all that he hath is ours, and we may through thy gift justly claim it to be our own. For this thy fatherly love and unspeakable kindness in giving thy Son unto death for our sake, and for all thy other benefits which we have received at thy merciful hand through him, we give thee most hearty thanks, desiring thee that we never commit any thing, in thought, word, or deed, that may offend thy divine Majesty; but, calling to remembrance, that we are not redeemed with corruptible silver and gold from our conversation, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb undefiled and without spot, we may live worthy of this thy kindness, and show ourselves obedient children to thee, our heavenly Father; not fashioning ourselves any more unto our old lusts of ignorance; but as thou, who hast called us, art holy, even so in like manner may we be holy in all our conversation and living, unto the glory of thy blessed Amen.

name.

A Thanksgiving unto God for all his Benefits.

We most heartily thank thee, O Lord God our heavenly Father, for thy manifold and inestimable benefits which thou hast given unto us, both for our body and soul, yea, and freely, even of thine own goodness without our desert. We thank thee, that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercy, first to create and make us according to thine own image and likeness, and to place us in joyful paradise, where we should have continually remained in a blessed and quiet state, if, through the subtle and deceitful suggestions of Satan our old enemy, we had not transgressed thy holy commandments. We thank thee also, O most gentle Father, for thy loving kindness, which thou showedst unto us, when we all were perished and lost through the sin of our first Father, Adam. For when thou mightest justly have condemned us, and cast us into perpetual damnation, thou, like a father of singular great love, hadst pity on us, and savedst us by the death and passion of thy wellbeloved Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself a ransom for all our sins, and paid a sufficient price by his precious blood for all the wickedness that we at any time heretofore have committed, or hereafter shall commit, through our frailty or weakness, so that we repent, believe, and amend. Neither wast thou thus contented

that he should only die for our sins, but thou also didst raise him up again for our justification, and to make us righteous in thy sight. Moreover, after that he had showed himself unfeignedly alive to his apostles, by manifest and evident tokens, certain days after his resurrection, through the power of his Godhead, he ascended up into heaven, perfect God, and perfect man; where he now sitteth on thy right hand, and maketh intercession for us, being our only Mediator and Advocate. From thence we look for him to come again at the day of judgment, not as a cruel judge to condemn and cast us away, but as a most loving Lord and gentle Saviour, to carry us with him into everlasting glory; there, world without end, to remain in such joys as eye hath not seen nor hath ear heard, nor yet is any heart able to think. For these thy most bounteous gifts, and for all thy other benefits, which thou daily givest unto us of thy great mercy, both for our body and soul, we most humbly thank thee, most gentle and merciful Father, beseeching thee that thou wilt give us grace through thy Holy Spirit not to be unthankful, but to walk worthy of this thy kindness, and so to behave ourselves all our life time in this wretched world, according to thy holy will, that at the last day we may be found in the number of them to whom the only begotten Son shall say, Come ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Lord let it so

come to pass.

A Prayer to be said for all such as lie at the point of Death.

O most loving Saviour and gentle Redeemer, who camest into this world to call sinners unto repentance, and to seek that which was lost, thou seest in what case this our brother lieth here, visited with thy merciful hand; altogether weak, feeble, sick, and ready to yield up his soul into thy holy hands. O look upon him, most gentle Saviour, with thy merciful eye, pity him, and be favourable unto him. He is thy workmanship, despise not therefore the work of thine own hands. Thou sufferedst thy blessed body and thy precious blood to be shed for his sins, and to bring him unto the glory of thy heavenly Father, let it not therefore come to pass that thou shouldest suffer so great pains for him in vain. He was baptized in thy name, and gave himself

wholly to be thy servant, forsaking the devil, the world, and the flesh; confess him therefore before thy heavenly Father, and his blessed angels, to be thy servant. His sins, we confess are great, for who is able to say, My house is clean, and I am free from sin; but thy mercies, O Lord, are much greater: and thou camest not to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance. To them that are diseased and overladen with the burden of sin, dost thou promise ease. Thou art that God who willest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and live. Thou art the Saviour who wishest all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of thy truth. Withdraw not therefore thy mercy from him because of his sins, but rather lay upon him thy saving health, that thou mayest show thyself towards him a Saviour. What greater praise can there be to a physician, than to heal the sick? Neither can there be a greater glory to thee, being a Saviour, than to save sinners. Save him therefore, O Lord, for thy name's sake. Again, let the law be no corrosive to his conscience, but rather give him grace, even in this extreme agony and conflict of death, to be fully persuaded that thou by thy death hast taken away all his sins, fulfilled the law for him, and by this means delivered him from the curse of the law, and paid his ransom; that he, thus being fully persuaded, may have a quiet heart, a free conscience, and a glad will to forsake this wretched world, and to go unto his Lord God. Moreover, thou hast conquered him that had rule of death, even Satan; suffer him not therefore to exercise his tyranny upon this our sick brother, nor to disquiet his conscience with the terrors of sin and pains of hell. Let not Satan or his infernal army tempt him further than he is able to bear, but evermore give him grace, even unto his last breath, valiantly to fight against the devil with a strong faith in thy precious blood, that he may fight a good fight, and finish his course with joy, unto the glory of thy name, and the health of his soul. O Lord, so work in him by thy Holy Spirit, that he, with all his heart, may contemn and despise all worldly things, and set his mind wholly upon heavenly things, hoping for them with a strong and undoubted faith. Again, let it not grieve him, O sweet Saviour, to be loosened from this vile and wretched carcase, which is now so full of sorrow, trouble, anguish, sickness, and pain, but rather let him have a bent and ready will, through thy goodness, to put it off. Yea, and

that with this faith, that he, at the last day, shall receive it again in a much better state than it is now, or ever was from the day of his birth; even a body incorruptible, immortal, and like to thy glorious body. Let his whole heart and mind be set only upon thee. Let the remembrance of the joys of heaven be so fervent in his breast, that he may both patiently and thankfully take his death, and ever wish to be with thee in glory. And when the time cometh that he shall give over to nature, and depart from this miserable world, vouchsafe, we most humbly beseech thee, O Lord Jesus, to take his soul into thy hands, and to place it among the glorious company of thy holy angels and blessed saints, and to keep it unto that most joyful day of the general resurrection, that both his body and soul, through thine almighty power, being knit again together at that day, he may for ever and ever enjoy thy glorious kingdom, and sing perpetual praises to thy blessed name. Amen.

A Thanksgiving unto God for the departure of the Faithful out of this World.

O most loving Father, how can we render unto thee sufficient thanks for thine inestimable goodness toward thy faithful servants, whom thou, calling out of this wretched world, vouchsafest to place in thy heavenly kingdom among the glorious company of thy holy angels and blessed saints? Oh full precious is the death of the faithful in thy sight! Blessed are the dead who die in thee, O Lord! For they are at rest from their painful travails and labours. The souls of the righteous are in thy hand, O God, and the pain of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they appear to die, but they are in peace. They shine as the sparks that run through the dry reed bush. They glister as the shining of heaven. They are as the stars, world without end. They are as angels of God. They are clad with white garments, and have golden crowns upon their heads. They do service day and night before the glorious throne of thy divine majesty. They neither hunger nor thirst any more; neither doth the sun or any heat fall upon them, for the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, governeth them, and leadeth them unto the living fountains of waters. They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. They have such joys, as eye hath not seen, nor hath ear heard, neither is there any

heart able to think them. Infinite and unspeakable are the treasures, O Lord, which thou hast laid up for them who die in the faith. For these thy fatherly benefits towards the souls of the faithful; and for that it hath pleased thee to call our Christian brethren and sisters from this vale of misery unto thy heavenly kingdom, we give unto thee most hearty thanks; humbly beseeching thee that thou wilt take like care of us, and so govern us with thy Holy Spirit, both in sickness and in health, that we may live a good and godly life in this present world, and whensoever it shall be thy good pleasure to call us hence, we may with strong faith in thee, and in thy Son Christ Jesus our Lord, commend both our bodies and souls into thy merciful hands, and through thy goodness be placed in thy glorious kingdom, among thy faithful chosen people, and so for ever and ever praise and magnify thee our heavenly Father; to whom, with thy dearly-beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Ghost, the most sweet Comforter, be all glory and honour, world without end. Amen.

THE POMANDER OF PRAYER.

Another of Becon's tracts is entitled "The Pomander of Prayer," (a pomander was a ball made up of several sorts of perfumes.) It contains forty short prayers suitable for different stations and circumstances of life. A specimen may be given.

For the true Knowledge of Ourselves.

It is written in thy holy gospel, most loving Saviour, that thou camest into this world, not to call the righteous, that is, such as justify themselves, but sinners, unto repentance. Suffer me not therefore, O Lord, to be of the number of those who thus justify themselves, who, boasting their own righteousness, their own works and merits, despise the righteousness that cometh by faith, which alone is allowable before thee. Give me grace to know and to acknowledge myself, as I am, even the son of wrath by nature, a wretched sinner, and an unprofitable servant, and wholly to depend on thy merciful goodness with strong and unshaken faith, that in this world thou mayest continually call me unto true repentance, seeing I continually sin, and in the world to come bring me unto everlasting glory. Amen.