Thine in all the offices of his holy Calling W. S. THE First Forme Thy child having been baptized and thereby made a member of Christ as soon as thou perceivest the eye of its reason to open direct it to that Kingdom of Christ to which its name was given up by Baptisme Begin to instruct it in the lesser Catechisme and as it maketh progresse in it morning and evening let it use such little services to God as this A Morning PRAYER for a Childe Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name c. ALmighty God and merciful Father who hast kept me this night in all safety preserve me likewise this day from all sad accidents Keep my mind from evill thoughts my tongue from swearing lying and all evill speakiug and let all my actions be such as please thee And as I grow in age let me enerease in grace and goodnesse through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen An Evening PRAYER Our Father which c. LOrd I Blesse thee that thou hast defended me this day from all evills and dangers I beseech thee forgive me wherein I have offended thee in thought word or deed Keep me this night in safety let me rest in the armes of thy providence that no evill spirits do violence to me nor any sad accident befall me through Jesus Christ my Saviour Amen As thou perceivest an improvement in capacity so adde this short intercession to both these Prayers O Lord protect thy Church be mercifull to this nation comfort all afflicted spirits return my Parents cares and love into their bosomes Blesse my brothers and sisters my friends and all thy people with grace and salvation for Jesus sake Amen THE Second Form When thou observest the former office to be too little for thy childes capacity be carefull according to its increase in knowledge that it may be obliged to larger services For that purpose I have prepared these following prayers Now supposing by this time that thy childe is made perfect in the lesser Catechisme I desire that first it rehearseth the Articles of its Christian Faith that so they may be accustomed upon its spirit and by prayer fastened upon the soul that it may never depart from that faith upon any temptation I beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth c. After which let it be taught to say this short PRAYER O Lord preserve my soul in this faith let me not depart from it through any temptation but give me grace to continue in the profession of it to my lives end for thy mercies sake in Christ my Saviour Amen After which it will be expedient that thy childe should recite all or some of the Commandments by several periods that it may understand that it is necessary Christ should be obeyed as well as beleeved After which whole or part rehearsed let it be taught this short PETITION O Lord which hast made known thy will and pointed out thy wayes unto me wherein I should walk O let thy holy Spirit incline my affections to love them and strengthen my soule to keep them through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Morning PRAYER Our Father which art c. Confession of sin and Prayer for Pardon and Grace O Lord God dreadful in thy justice and power Gracious in thy mercies and loving kindnesse I that am thy poor and sinful creature do present my self my soul and body to thy divine Majesty trusting in thy tender mercies and acknowledging my unworthinesse to appear before so holy a presence For Lord I am thine enemy by nature the imaginations of my heart are evill continnally and as thou hast added years to my life so have my corruptions increased My sins do multiply every day my own lusts and the worlds temptations do more and more prevaile upon me O Lord be merciful unto me forgive me what is past and for the time to come prevent me with thy grace restrain my lusts suffer me not to be ingaged in the sinful courses of the world nor be betrayed to any gross sins by the ill examples of men Lord make me to love and to submit to the holy Religion of Christ and in the strength of thy grace to lead a godly righteous and sober life through Jesus Christ my Saviour Amen The thanksgiving Lord I blesse thee for all the expressions of thy love and sweet providence to me Praised and for ever praised be thy Name for the Redemption of Mankind by Iesus Christ and for the particular work of thy grace upon my soul for all thy temporal blessings my health peace plenty friends and safety for that thou hast kept me this night from every evill due in justice to my sins O Lord preserve me this day under the protection of thy providence keep me that I may not offend thee in thought word or deed nor fall into any danger of soul or body through the might of Iesus Christ my Saviour Amen The intercession Lord be mercifull unto all men preserve thy universal Church from the enemies of the Gospel Be gracious to thy Churches planted in these nations in all these present dangers and departures from the faith Blesse all Christian Magistrates and preserve the Ministers of the Gospel that thy people may lead a godly and quiet life Blesse my Parents and near relations Releeve all in affliction hear their cry and help them Forgive mine enemies and give thy Grace to all people through Iesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour Amen Evening PRAYER Our Father c. Confession of sin and Petition for Grace and Pardon O Lord I that am but dust and ashes a finful and therefore miserable creature do again in confidence of thy goodness and my Iesus address my poor soul unto thee and lay my selfe at the foot of thy grace and mercy I confess I may justly be ashamed to appear before that holy presence which I have so often and so heinously offended this day in thought word and deed had I not a blessed Advocate that sitteth at thy right hand to make intercession for me O my dear Iesus have mercy upon me have mercy upon me receive me into the armes of thy compassion who like a lost sheep have this day ssrayed from thee into many errors and vanities Lord lay them not to my charge but put them upon the account of thy sufferings that I may never suffer thy vengeance for them in this world nor the world to come And now I commit my self to the protection of thy mercy this night defend me from all those miseries my sins have deserved and so hereafter direct me with thy Grace that I may live to thy glory all the dayes of my life through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen Thanksgiving O Lord the heavens declare thy glory and all the creatures blesse thee O my soul do thou also praise the Lord and let all that is within me blesse his holy Name For thou only O Lord art the light of
my countenance and my God Thou hast created me by thy power redeemed me by thy Christ sanctified me by thy Spirit and preserved me by thy watchful providence through the whole course of my life Lord I praise thee for the safety of my soul and body this day that thy grace hath kept me from grosse sins and thy protection from sad accidents O keep me this night by the covert of the same fatherly goodness through Jesus Christ my Lord Amen Let the intercession be the same that was used for the morning Service Now I commend this office as the fittest to be taught to servants in families and to be used by children before they come to mens and womens estate THE Third Form This third office I have here inserted for the benefit of those who usually accustoming themselves to the next and largest formes shall sometime be necessitated to shorten their service and may be ordinarily used by those who are not yet come up to so great designs of zeal for longer formes Morning PRAYER Our Father which art in c. Confession of sin O Lord God Almighty the God of all Glory Majesty and Power and the fountain of mercies I confesse I am unworthy to appear before thy holy presence having sinned against heaven and before thee and in thought word and deed continually rebelled against thee I have too much followed my lusts and desires and have not endeavoured to bring under my affections to the yoak of Christ I have loved the vanities of the world but too much undervalued thy Kingdom and promises I have not been so sincere and frequent in thy services so diligent in my calling so just and merciful in my carriage to others nor so sober and temperate in the use of my mind body and thy blessings as the strict holinesse of the Gospel hath required of me here make confession of particulars For which I stand here guilty of the breach of thy righteous commandments and lie lyable to the effects of thy wrath and displeasure Prayer for Pardon and Grace But O thou preserver of men for thine own compassion sake and for thy Iesus sake pity the troubles of a burthened soul and pardon all those sins I have committed against thee Let the blood of Christ satisfy thy justice and his intercession obtain thy mercy for a peace and reconciliation with thee that my sins may not separate from thy grace here nor thy glory hereafter And O Lord strenthen my weak soul with the graces of thy Spirit that I may hereafter overcome all the temptations of the devil the world and the flesh and may lead a new and holy life before thee Turn the stream of my affections to thee and take possession of my soul that all my thoughts words and actions may be subject to the law of Christ And having kept the faith and finished my conversation in holines I may at last through thy mercies in Christ obtain the crown of eternal glory Amen The Thanksgiving O merciful and Gracious Lord as I acknowledge my dependence upon thee for every part of my being so I desire to bless thy holy Name for all thy mercies to me especially for the redemption of my soul by the blood of thy Son and for the portion of thy grace that thou hast given me I praise thee O Lord for all temporall blessings as my health provision of food and rayment friends understanding senses and limbs and that I enjoy any thing that I have seen any others to want Blessed be thy Name for the safety of my soul and body this night past O keep me under the shadow of thy wings this day that I may fall into no sad accidents nor dangers and so defend me with thy grace that I may do nothing that may displease thee or that may occasion sin in others or give offence to the holy profession of Christ for his merits sake who is my blessed Jesus Amen Intercession Lord defend thy universall Church from all enemies persecutions and factions Preserve thy Churches in these nations restore them to their former peace and keep them from the dangers of their own divisions and enmities Grant that Magistrates and Ministers may concurre to the upholding thy truth and worship in this needful time Blesse my Parents children and all my near relationss with all spiritual blessings in Christ and all temporall comforts Relieve and comfort all that are in distresse all prisoners captives sick and poor persons distressed widowes and friendless children with every oppressed and sorrowful soul Convert the impenitent confirm the weak turn into the way of truth all that have erred and forgive and bless all mine enemies Lord hear these my prayers and grant me my requests for the mediation of Jesus Christ my Saviour to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be given all Glory Honour and Praise this day and for evermore Amen Evening PRAYER Our Father which c. O Most infinite Majesty and gracious Father in mercy thou hast added another day to my age O wretch that I am I have added many sins to my former score How often O Lord have I this day forgotten my obedience to thee How many vain thoughts hath my mind harboured How many vain and impertinent words hath my mouth uttered With how many passions have I been transported beyond the bounds of Religion How many sinful acts have I committed How many opportunities of doing good have I omitted wherein I might have glorified thy Name And whereas thou hast given it me as another day of grace to be getting oyle for my lamp and to be working out my salvation O unhappy Creature I have rather gone back upon the accounts of the Spirit Trifling away that precious time in my indulgencies to my carnal affections or pursuits of worldly advantages neglecting the great prize of Christ and treasures of eternity So that had I but the sins of this day to answer for at the barre of thy divine justice O Lord I might justly suffer thy wrath to all eternity O what hath my soul to plead for the sins of my whole life if the sins of this one day may confound me For Pardon and Grace And now Lord where is my hope truly my hope is even in thee who though thou art justly displeased with me for my sins yet hath thy Iesus fully satisfied thy justice for them and by the dear price of his blood purchased at thy hand forgiveness of them O my dear Lord I beseech thee therefore shut not up the bowels of thy compassion from me nor deny me the benefit of the death and passion of my Saviour Lord let his wounds heal me his blood cleanse me his death reconcile me to thy divine Majesty for ever And grant that in the residue of my dayes I may wholly conforme to the Kingdom of Christ that I may have peace of conscience here a comfortable death and a blessed eternitie through the merits of Iesus Christ my Saviour Amen
is thy goodnesse that I can still sing a song of praise for mercies when I might justly at this instant have been in sackcloth and ashes breaking my soule with sorrow for some great infelicity Especially my soul blesse the thee that my Redeemer liveth and that I still live capable of that redemption and have had another opportunity to sorrow for my sins in an hour of acceptance and am not desperately howling for them in a remediless eternity I praise thee for every portion of preventing and assisting grace for everie good thought desire and work I have done by the help of grace and for every comfort I have this day enjoyed They are thine O Lord thy Name be praised And now to the same protection that hath this day and all the dayes of my life preserved me I commit my soule and body and all that I have this night Lord cover me with the wings of thy power and fatherly mercies keep my soul in my integritie to thee and let me enjoy my natural rest as thy blessing free from all sad accidents and trouble through Iesus Christ my Saviour Amen Intercessions to be used both morning and evening which the supplicant may shorten by using an intercession of the lesser forms For the universal Church O Lord defend the borders and peace of thy whole Church from the invasion of the Turk and all other enemies abroad and from the great increases of Atheisme and ruining factions in its own bosom Direct all Christian Kings Princes and Magistrates to lay aside the interests of the world and to concurre sincerely to uphold the Kingdom of Christ Enlarge the borders of the Gospel that the nations that sit in darkness may see the great light of Christ and that the Iewes may be convinced to an acknowledgement of him Reduce all those to Christ that are departed from the faith bring into the way of truth all that have erred and are deceived and let all that profess the Name of Iesus agree in truth unitie and concord through Iesus Christ my Saviour Amen For the Churches of CRIST in these Nations O merciful Father bless the Churches planted in these Nations let them be precious in the eye of thy mercie and defend them with an especial protection Let them not have the reward of this peoples crying sins nor feel the effects of thy just deserved vengeance O disapppoint the designs of the enemies of their peace preserve a never-failing Ministerie to uphold thy wotship keep thine ordinances from contempt and though thine enemies have disturbed their peace and dishonoured their profession yet let them not have power totally to waste thy holy vineyard Let this poor people see their seducements that they may return from their follies and factions to serve thee with peace unitie and holy lives through the might of Iesus Christ Amen For the afflicted O most dear and gracious Lord who delightest in the exercises of mercie and art a strong tower for the distressed to flie unto I humbly beseech thee to give the comforts of thy countenance and ready help to all that are in distress and miserie Have mercie O Lord upon all that are now a dying assist their spirits in the difficulties of that hour Appear with comfort and peace to the soules that are oppressed with the heavie sense of their sins Raise up friends and supports for the desolate fatherless and diseonsolate widowes Pitie and help all prisoners captives and all that suffer banishment povertie and oppression hear their cries and help them Let these and all others that are in misery and heaviness find peace patience and contentmen in thee And grant that their light afflictions here through thy infinite mercies in Christ may be exchanged for an exceeding weight of glorie eternally hereafter for Iesus Christ his sake my Saviour Amen For Parents Look down O Lord with thy especial mercies upon my Parents and make them thy children by adoption and grace Accept of their repentance receive their prayers and assist them to do the will of Christ Comfort them in their ages and afflictions Teach them to number their daies and everie day to be providing for their departure in the peace of Christ Lord pardon all my acts of disobedience to them and give me an heart alwayes ready to honour obey and comfort them all their dayes through Iesus Christ my ever blessed Saviour Amen For Children O merciful Father as thou hast given me the blessing to have children born to me in the flesh so give them grace to be born to thee in the Spirit Make them true lovers of Thee and Religion and tender in the preservation of every circumstance of it Keep them in these common departures from the faith that they may not be seduced to errour and faction nor be betrayed by ill examples to prophaneness and Atheisme Let their estate in the world be neither too prosperous lest they forget thee nor too adverse lest they be discouraged let their educations and callings be honest and not subject to great temptations Lord make them just merciful sober and true followers of Christ in this world and partakers of his glories in the world to come through Iesus Christ my blessed Lord Amen Occasional PRAYERS A prayer to be used before the receiving the blessed Sacrament O Merciful Lord I being invited at this time to receive the blessed Sacrament to the performance of which I stand bound by my obedience to the Gospel and those many excellent ends for which it was ordained do humbly beseech thee to create in me a value esteem and desire of it proportionable to so great a blessing O make my soul hunger and thirst after my blessed Iesus and the excellent purposes of his death and passion which are communicated to me in that Sacrament Lord make me as willing to shew forth his death by this part of my Christian dutie as I would be to partake of the comfort of the same death to the salvation of my soul And then fit me with thy grace that I may be a worthy receiver of it Give me a beleeving penitent and charitable heart such as befits the entertainment of so great a guest especiallie give me grace to come with that reverence of soul and body that may signifie a discerning the Lords body And grant O Lord that the bread and wine that shall be blessed for me may spiritually become the communion of the Body and blood of Christ to the salvation of my soul through the same Iesus my blessed Saviour Amen In time of sicknesse Most merciful Father who hast pleased to visit me with sickness and to lay thine hand upon me make me to acknowledge my visitation to be an effect of thy particular and fatherly providence upon me that my soul may say thou of very faithfulness hast afflicted me Lord sanctifie it unto me and make me capable through thy grace of all those blessed ends which thou propoundest to thy self when thou correctest thy children
Confession O Lord our God who art infinite in thy glories and perfections incomprehensible in thy power and Majesty before the brightnesse of whose holy presence the Angels vail their faces and at the foot of whose Majesty the gloâ—ified Spirits cast their crownes How much more unworthy are we poor sinful dust and ashes to appear in the presence of so holy a God whom we have so heinously offended in thought word and deed through the whole course of our lives For O Lord we confess that though thou hast declared how displeasing all sin is in thy sight and hast manifested thy displeasure by the fearful punishments of wicked men yet miserable wretches that we are what little regard have we had to fulfill thy will or to depart from the ways of sin We have still suffered our base lusts too much to prevail upon us and the pleasures profits of the world to surprize and carry away our hearts And when we have found our selves industrious and exact in the pursuit of worldly things how faint and imperfect have we been in doing the work of Christ So that shouldest thou O Lord condemn us for these our sins and for the breach of all thy holy laws in our loose and vain thoughts in our sinful words uttered in passions merriments and other impertinent discourses and in all our actions against piety justice charity and sobriety how justly mightest thou execute thy displeasure against us and make this day a day of vengeance to us to deprive us of all present comforts and to scal us up to everlasting torments Petition for pardon of sins and grace But O must gracious preserver of men who hast not appointed us for wrath nor wouldest that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance Create in us O Lord by thy holy Spirit a true and sincere repentance speedily and faithfully to turn from all our evill wayes And do thou fully forgive us the sins we have committed even for thy fatherly mercies sake even for thy Jesus sake who hath satisfied thy justice for them O Lord we beseech thee to deliver us from the burthen and guilt of them from thy vengeance and the sad effects of them in temporal and eternal punishments And now O Lord we humbly acknowledge that we are unable to do any thing of our selves that may please thee without the assistance of thy grace and thy Christ strengthening us O blessed Lord give us thy grace O dear Jesus afford us thy strength that we may be able to perform to thee all our duties as thy disciples and yeeld obedience to all thy Commandments Raise up our thoughts desires and designes unto thee secure our affections to heavenly things and let our souls stand alwayes ingaged to do the will of Christ Lord help us to watch over our selves that neither the lust of the flesh the love of the world nor the temptation of the devil may take us off from our love to thee desire of thee nor faithful obedience to thee and that we may ever hereafter live a podly righteous and sober life to the Glory of thy Name the present and eternal peace of our soules through the precious merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour Here I desire that the Master of the family or who is concerned in the performance of the service for the family would here interpose some of Davids Psalmes and if he think fit a Chapter also in a judicious order And after either or both let the whole company joyn in one profession of the faith sayng I beleeve in God the Father Almighty c. After which let this short Petition be used as was taught in the former private Form O Lord preserve our soules in this faith let us not depart from it through any temptations Give us grace constantly to continue in the profession of it all the days of our life Through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen But when the employments of the Family be such as there is not time for these interpositions then go on directly to the Thanksgiving O Blessed Lord God the giver of all goodnesse and the fountain of Comfort who art pleased to engage a particular providence to the governing and disposing of every creature we humbly acknowledge our necessary dependence upon thee and that every comfort we enjoy is but what we have received from thee O what shall we render unto the Lord for those innumerable mercies we have received in all parts of our lives We blesse thee for the summe of all metcies the redemption of our soules by the blood of Christ and for the particular work of thy grace upon us We praise thee for all thy temporal blessings our health plenty peace that thou hast kept us this night past from all troubles and sad accidents and that we are here together in a condition to blesse thee in an universal safety this morning when justly for out sins we might have set down in ashes bewayling some great infelicity And since O Lord thou hast put our soules and bodies and all that we have in thine own hand to dispose of as it pleaseth thee O keep them gracious God according to thy tender mercies from every evil to which sin and a miserable nature have exposed them every moment O keep our soules that we may not be surprised nor overpowered by any temptation to sin against thee this day Lord give us wisdom to balance every action by its concernment to us at our dying hour and enable us to be doing something that may make out account comfortable at the great day of Christ Draw our affections nearer to heavenly things and increase in us a greater care diligence and earnestnesse in doing the will of Christ that we may this day live acceptably to thee and after a constant perseverance in well-doing to our lives end we may obtain a portion in thy eternall glories through thy free grace and undeserved mercy in Iesus Christ Amen The intercession O most merciful Father thou hast tyed us by the charity of the Gospel to pray for all men O be merciful to the Nations that sit in darkness and to thy ancient people the Iewes let the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings rise upon them that they may see acknowledge the things of their peace in Christ Preserve thy universal Church from all the enemies of the faith of Christ and from the sad effects of its own differencies and distractions Protect these Churches from their present dangers and great distempers every where Bless O Lord our Parents children friendr and relations Comfort all in affliction and trouble Bring them into the way of truth that are in errour forgive and bless all our enemies Gather us altogether to the resting place of thy Glory through the merits of Iesus Christ our Saviour Amen THe Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen
reading of many days And this discouragement became an insuperable difficulty to young persons poor servants labourers and many others whose callings required continual attendance And though some of them were short yet being pend above the reach of ordinary capacities they became altogether uselesse to such young and vulgar intellects To avoyd therefore the inconveniences of both I have truly troden in the paths of this Church as to the first and I have endeavoured plainnesse and brevity as to the second Now to contract my argument to the force of a satisfaction There being none of the former sort that I have seen which are not in some measure chargeable with those mentioned defects nor any of the latter which have not been either prolix or too sublime I presume I may beg the kindnesse to be beleeved that I have done a thing both necessary and seasonable 2. In the next place let not the learned eye despise me that I appear not with the embroydery of large quotations or Chymistry of School-distinctions or that I have not conjured the plain principles of Christ into a circle of sciences Such dresses suits them that pretend to the chayre and aspire to be inserted in the Catalogue of the Learned or them whose design is to court great and generous minds to the love of Christ and his Religion My businesse is of another nature I come to treat the lowest of Christs School and such whom you may as soon nourish with stones as edify with learned discourses with whom I labour to make Christ to be understood not to shew my self understanding And if after this tender of satisfaction to such Readers I must yet purchase their contempt my compensation shall be that I account it as much more blessed to enlighten one poor ignorant disciple of Christ then to please the learned of all ages as to feed one hungry soul hath more charity in it then to feast all the Nobles in the world This intimation then of my design I make my only plea against the such allegations of the learned Reader to whose ingenuity I appeal 3. Lastly as to my Reader that differs from me in judgement I beseech him upon his christian charity to beleeve me that I intend not controversie but have made it my chief business concurrent with the mayn drift and scope of our Saviours Sermons the Epistles of the Apostles indeed of the whole Gospel it self to encourage men in and to direct men to holy lives and just peaceable and mercifull conversations And when I have been necessitated to meet any doubtfull and disputable doctrines as of irrespective and absolute or conditional decrees of election and reprobation of universal or particular redemption and such like tho decision of which have administred nothing but endlesse disceptations to the learned and terrours to the weak I have not at all dogmatized but only used them as they have served the interest of holy living Alwayes giving this rule to my self in those intricate controversies that they are then concluded and beleeved with most safety and likelihood to truth as their determinations give the best reason and encouragement of living well In order to which if I have unavoydably declared a difference from thy judgement in any such poynt have but so much christian civility to beleeve my former profession and that the argument that led me to it was not to differ from thee but according to my perswasion to advance the doctrines of piety in thee and all men and thou canst not but count me worthy of christian peace from thee I beg of thee not to censure me hastily nor litigiously least thou over-reach a disadvantage to piety it self which hath never suffered more then when the fiery combats and unnecessary quarrels of Christians and of Church-men especially have run them into heats and actions beneath gravity and against charity and upon such occasions disgracing and undervaluing each other have taught the people to scorn and contemn them all and in the end religion it self with which they trifled in needlesse argumentations For it is sadly notorious since one Clergy have bitterly inveighed against and heavily oppressed another about differences in Government and Service which every thing might have reconciled but passion and self-interest they have purchased a slite and contempt not only to them to whom they designed it but to themselves also in the greatest portion and to Ministery in general and by necessary consequence they have shaken the very foundations of this once renowned National profession Which they may soon beleeve when they behold so universal a defection from it and that their congregations are thin carelesse and irregular the Sacraments unfrequented and other Ordinances disregarded their callings disputed their persons hated their demeans tottering and a progeny of illiterate men ready to possesse their places and which is most sadly to be lamented Religion it self made an amazement and a scruple Let sad experience therefore and pitty to a poor languishing Church move us to lay aside all personal and passionate dissentions and animosities which have produced such miserable effects and draw our contentions to this one period that we strive together who shall be most forward in the work of the Lord All the satisfaction then that I tender to this kind of Readers is That they are obliged to think me charitable and that whatsoever point I have determined contrary to their perswasions was because I made it an argument of more comfort and diligence in the profession of Christ And I thank God I look upon them and aell men that differ from me with no other eye then as St. Austin did his Manachees Vivat homo moriatur error let their errors dye but let themselves be happy Having thus dis-ingaged my self from all these exceptions It remaines only to shew the use of these ensuing exercises which will best appear by discovering the gradual progresse of my intentions about them as they became productive one of another by necessary inferences For I first propounded to my self only the Catechisme for the rules of life but then I found that through the severity of Gospel-obedience many scruples might invade pious minds concerning Gods grace to help to perform them concerning his acceptance of their infirm obedience to them which occasioned the following treatise concerning satisfactions of doubts about the doctrines of Grace After that I considered that many good minds ready to ingage in a religious life were sadly perplexed about the diversities of professions all strongly pretending to be for Christ and especially about the Ministery decryed every where as unlawful and Anttchristian which as it became necessary occasioned the third part Satisfying doubts concerning the profession of this Church and Ministery Then finding that a principal part of holy life consisted in uncessant exercise of prayers to God I thought it not enough to invite men to the duty but also to direct them to the right performance of it which produced the
fourth part A Manual of Forms of Prayers And lastly considering of what consequence it is to Religion to have children rightly seasoned with pious principles I subjoyned for that end A short Catechisme to be taught to them In all which if I may be instrumental to any persons obtaining the ends designed if I may bring any soul to a right christian life by the first to a judicious and lively hope in Gods mercy by the second to the peace and communion of the Church by the third to frequent addresses to the throne of grace by the fourth and any little ones to be disciples of Christ by the fifth I shall not repent my self of my adventure nor want incouragement to subscribe my self A poor Workman in Gods Vineyard W. SMYTH A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and sold by Edw. Dod at the Gun in Ivie-Lane AN entire Commentary upon the whole Old Testament in 4. Vol. in Fol. wherein the diverse Translations and Expositions literal and mystical of all the most famous Commentators both Ancient and Modern are propounded examined and judged of for the more full satisfaction of the studious Reader in all things which compleateth the Authours Comment on the whole Bible a Work the like to which hath never yet been published in English by any man written by John Mayer Doctor in Divinity The Expiation of a Sinner in a Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrewes Fol. by T. L. D. D. a learnded and Reverend Divine The Justification of a sinner being the main argument of S. Pauls Epistle to the Galathians Fol. Written by the Authour of the Expiation of a sinner Thomae Lushingtonii Logica analytica de principiis Regulis usu Rationis Rectae 8o The Angell-Guardian proved by the light of Nature beames of Scripture and consent of many Ancient and Modern Writers untainted with Popery by Robert Dingley Master of Arts laâ—e Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford 8o America or an exact description of the West-Indies especially of those Provinces under the dominion of Spain in which not only the Nature and Climate of the place with the Commodities it affordeth is fully described but also plain and full directâ—ons given for the right ordering of the same so as to fit them for the use of the Inhabitantâ— and also for transportation the like never yet published in English faithfully related by N. N. Gent. in 8o Natures Paradox or the Innocent Impostor a pleasant Polonian History translated out of French into English by Major John Wright 4o Poems Songs and Sonets written by Richard Lovelace Esq 8o The Life and death of Mr. Carter with other Tracts written by his son Mr. John Carter Minister of Gods Word in the City of Norwich 8o Directions for writing of true English by Richard Hodges in 8o The Reign of King Charles faithfully and impartially delivered and disposed into Annals by H. L. Esq Fol. Judgement and Mercy or the plague of Frogs Inflicted removed delivered in nine Sermons by that late Reverend and Learned Divine Mr. Josias Shute 4o A CATECHISM Containing the CONDITIONS OF THE GOSPEL AND DIRECTIONS to a HOLY LIFE In all Parts of GOSPEL-OBEDIENCE The particulars contained in the several Exercises In the larger Catechisme THe Conditions of the Gospel 3 Of Faith 4 Of Repentance 11 Of Obedience 18 Publick worship 20 Sacraments Baptisme 21 Lords Supper 23 Sins against publick worship 29 Private worship 32 Sanctified affections 33 Private prayer 35 Private fasting 38 Recreations 40 Charity and Almes 41 Duelling 46 Christian justice 48 Duties of Magistrates and Subjects 49 Ministers and People 51 Duties of Family relations 52 Justice in dealâ—ng 54 Restitution 55 Vsury 57 Christian sobriety 58 of the mind 59 of the tongue 60 Chastity 61 Temperance 62 Drunkennesse 63 Satisfactions of doubts about the doctrine of Grace 65. ASsurance of grace and means to it 68 Whence rejection and reprobation 71 About Gods decrees 75 Comfort against infirmities 77 What Christ hath merited for us 79 Satisfactions about our Profession and Ministery 90. PRofession by new light of the Spirit examined 92 Profession by Scripture upon private interpretation examined 103 Profession from a plea of outward holinesse examined 110 The exceptions against the Ministery answered 114 The Calling of our Ministery proved to be lawfull 125 The present sufferings no argument against the truth of our Profession 132 Forms of Prayers 142 FIrst Form for a child 147 Second Form for a child of growth and for servants 150 Third Form for an ordinary shorter exercise 158 The largest form for private exercise 168 For the universal Church 185 For the Churches in these nations 186 For the afflicted 187 For Parents 189 For children 189 Before the Sacrament 191 In time of sicknesse 193 For a sick neighbour 196 For a woman with child 197 Before a Journey 198 At first entrance into the Church 199 An exercise for a great humiliation for sins 200 A Form for the Family offices morning and evening 211 The Lesser Catechisme for Children 229 THe Belief 232 Ten Commandements 234 Lords Prayer 239 The Reader is humbly desired before he reads these exercises with his pen to put out and interline according to this direction lest he loseth the sence of those places ERRATA PAge 3. line 3. read desertion p. 13. l. 25. r. deliberate p. 37. l. 9. r. guide p. 69. l. 21. put out by p. 78. l. 12. r. conscience p. 95. l. 5. r. profession p. 96. l. 19. r. great p. 98. l. 23. r. profession p. 104. l. 14. r. could l. 15. r. envious ends l. 25. r it is for but p. 106. l. 13. r. Jâ—gling p. 108. l. 21. r. grave p. 111. l. 3. r. smooth l. 15. r. ruining p. 113. l. 1. r. appeal l. 26. r. accidental p. 122. l. 1. r. condemn p. 123. l. 13. after of interline our p. 124. l. 3. r. Christian p. 126. l. 6. r. seal p. 128. l. 5. after profession interline without a Ministery p. 203. l. 8. r. duty l. 22. r. amendment p. 214. l. 8. r. godly p. 173. l. 15. after merits of interline thee p. 227. l. 21. after day past interline that THE CATECHISME For Direction of LIFE CAP. I. QUESTION VVHat is that most considerable thing thou canst propound to thy desires and about which thou shouldest chiefly exercise thy self all the days of thy life ANSWER How I may obtain eternal life Quest But forasmuch as no man can do any thing that may merit so great an happinesse Whence doest thou expect it to be obtained Ans. From no other cause but the free gift of God through his undeserved mercies in Jesus Christ for whose sake alone I am accepted to justification and salvation Quest What ground hast thou that God will vouchsafe so great a mercy to mankind Ans. His sure and infallible promises made to them every where in the Gospel and an honourable opinion of his goodness that as he hath
inspirations of the Spirit to guide men to and in it For such a profession must be very unsafe and dangerous for these reasons First because there hath been no succession of any such immediate light or revelations since the Apostles age when they were necessary that the whole way of Christs first planting his Church might in all circumstances be purely miraculous Since which time no Church of Christ in any place or at any time have made profession upon that ground till the late Enthusiasts in Germany and England For certainly if that had been the ground of professing Christ that Church which is a City on a hill and that Gospel which is the Mountaine of the Lord would not have left us without all evidence and president in such a long space of time But if they please to conclude the whole Christian world in darknesse from the Apostles times to this period though they think it nothing to condemn so many ages to uphold their own phantasmes yet I ask them how the promise to the Church was effected when Christ engaged to send the Spirit of truth to guide them into all truth if fourteen or fifteen hundred years together the whole Church so foully erred by a false unlawful and Antichristian profession But because they lay clayme to such immediate gifts of the Spirit without the subministration of learning education in Sciences and Tongues and such like preparations of the understanding for spirituall knowledge from the examples of the Apostles I further require of them why they pretend to some of those miraculous gifts and not to all as gifts of tongues healing and the like which were the significations and proofs that the other gifts and themselves were of God When therefore their ordinary discourses pretended raptures prayings and preachings are delivered by them owned to be the inspirations of the Spirit which may proceed from other naturall dexterities and acquired helps and having no other miraculous gifts as of tongues and healing and the like as the Apostles had to prove them to be so their own assertions are very fallible and the profession dangerous and unsafe Secondly such a professinn is unsafe because upon that ground the devill hath the most certain advantage of deceiving men indiscoverably when they shall once be perswaded to follow the voyce and dictate of an indemonstrable spirit in themselves or others Whence is that seasonable inhibition of the Apostle Beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world From which Scripture I inferre these observations to strengthen the argument against such a profession First Beleeve not every spirit because there be several sorts of spirits all false but one There is a lying spirit and a perverse spirit or the spirit of errour as the Septuagint renders it A mans own spirit which is his opinion and fancy there is also the spirit of the world which is the common humour and bent of every present time These and many of this sort will be pretenders to guide as the Spirit of God Therefore when I am tempted to beleeve any thing upon the bare pretence of the Spirit in what great danger am I in to be guided by a false spiitit there being many to one true Spirit of God Secondly But try the spirits that is those false spirits shall be so likened to the true Spirit of God in so great an assimulation that they are not to be distinguished without trial and examination And this is no wonder when Satau himself can transform himself into an Angel of light and his deceitful agents to be like the true Apostles of Christ Now as the difficulty of discerning and consequently the danger of such a profession of the true Spirit from the false ariseth from their similitude so also much more in respect of what reason I have to suspect my self as unable to try and examine them aright First because when I consider how easily my judgement is deceived in things obvious to sense as in civil differences and outward affaires how much more fallible must that my judgement be in discriminating secret and invisible spirits lying under the cunning artificies of devils and evil men who by them attempt to seduce weak soules Secondly when I consider how easily I may be prejudicated and if fo how soon and certainly deceived When a prejudgement hath once passed upon the mind in the worst cause that ever was how doth every likelyhood make an argument every fallacious argument growes into a demonstration and every mans discourse of the same judgement shall have an indulgence and a beleefe But every argument and advising person to the contrary shall be sufficiently answered with nothing but a suspicion and a contempt Therefore when I am tempted to a religion or profession upon the pretence of the Spirit to what dangers do I expose my self lest I should not through the want of or a prejudicated judgement distinguish the true Spirit from the false when they are both made as like as light to light Thirdly because many false Prophets c. which inferres that false Prophets when they come because their â—ofession is against the ground of all visible evidences must pretend a Spirit It being the common artifice of seducers to muffle up the understandings of their followers by alledging something that is high and undiscernable like some Astronomers who betray their disciples to a ditch or a cheat by causing them to look up with wonder to some imaginary Scheme of nothing So that still fuch a profession must needs be unsafe because it is forewarned and prophesied that false Prophets when they come shall have this mark upon them they shall pretend a Spirit Lastly if the pretended ground of being directed by an immediate light of the Spirit were true and consequently safe there could be no profession more regular and certain the same Spirit will alwayes dictate the same thing But we see that the pretenders to the Spirit are divided into Legions of factions Anabaptists Catabaptists Antitrinitarians Antiscripturists Ranters Quakers and many such of like sort among which not one Sect agrees with another nor two Congregations of the same Sect among themselves nor scarcely the members of the same Congregation one with another and very seldome the same member at any one time with what he was himself a little before And yet all pretend the Spirit of God for their guide from whence their several opinions are as unlikely to proceed as that the two Poles should center in one point or that contradictions might be reconciled How then canst thou be safe with what Sect wilt thou joyn profession with what Congregation of that Sect with what part of that Congregation and then in what opinions wilt thou joyn such as they maintained last year or those they now hold or such as they are like to take up the next Now to