of heaven and earth and in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontins Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into hell The third day he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead I beleeve in the holy Ghost The holy Catholick Church The Communion of Saints The forgivenesse of sins The Resurrection of the body and the life everlasting Amen Quest What doest thou chiefly learn in these Artieles Ans. First I learn to beleeve in God who made me and all the world Secondly in God the Son who redeemed me and all Mankind Thirdly in God the holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the elect people of God Quest What else art thou bound to beleeve Ans. All other holy truths as they shall be administred to me especially all the promises of the Gospel to be relyed upon the commands to be obeyed Quest The second condition of the Gospel is to repent and what is that repentance Ans. After a hearty sorrow for and an humble acknowledgement of my sins a total departure from them Quest But are there no sinnes which may consist with this state of Gospel-repentance Ans. Yes Sins committed in ignorance through infirmity or by supprise in a sudden temptation if we be truly humbled for them and constantly strive against them Quest What sinnes are not consistent with that estate Ans. All wilfull and deliberate courses of sinning and a customary continuing in any known wickedness Quest The third condition of the Gospel of Christ being to obey his Commandments among which are accounted the Ten Commandments and what are they 1. THou shalt have no other Gods but me 2 Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my Commandments 3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain 4. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the sea all that in them is and rested the seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt do no murther 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his servant nor his maid nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is his Quest Are there not other Commandments of Christ besides these which are properly the precepts of the Gospel Ans. Yes many which may be observed by diligent hearing the Gospel preached and reading the books of the New Testament which together with the former Commandments are reduced to these three principal heads Quest What are they Ans. To live Godly Righteously and Soberly The first respects my duties to God The second to men The third to my self Quest what is it to live godly in such duties as respect God Ans. To perform to him all that worship and service that is due unto him publickly and privately Quest What duties art thou bound to perform to him publickly Ans. To joyn with the Congregation in the frequent receiving the holy Sacrament in the publick prayers and in hearing the Word of God read and preached And in all these behaving my self with such reverence of body and mind as befits the presence of so great a Majesty Quest What is that private worship which thou art bound as a Christian to perform to God Ans. To offer up unto him the daily sacrifice of prayer and praise giving him the exercise of the affections of my heart and all other parts and faculties of my soul and body to honour him with my substance in the maintenance of his worship and relieving the poor and to serve him truly all the dayes of my life Quest What is it to live righteously in respect of our duties to men Ans. To yeeld all honour and obedience to the civil Magistrate to submit my self to all my teachers spiritual Pastors and Masters to love honour and succour my Father Mother to be civil and respective to all my betters To invade no mans rights or dues nor to advantage my self by anothers losse and in all things both in word and deed to do to all men as I would they should do unto me Quest What is it to live soberly as to thy self Ans. Not to minde high things above my degree but to behave my self contentedly in my present condition to be temperate in eating and drinking to be chaste in all my desires and actions and to keep my soul and body undefiled members of Christ and as becomes the temple of the holy Ghost Quest For asmuch as no man can do any thing without the grace of God which he must continually call for by diligent prayer What therefore are the words of the Lords Prayer Ans. Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Quest But is God to be sought by no prayers but this Ans. Yes Here let the Master enquire into the childes progresse in the preceding Forms or some other of that kinde according to its capacity 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. 3. 5. Eph. 2. 5. 8. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 18 Rom. 3. 24. Iohn 10. 28. 1 Ioh. 2. 25 Tit. 1. 2. 1 Thes. 5. 9 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Ezâ—. 18. 31. John 3. 15. Luke 13. 3. 1 Iohn 1. 9. Heb. 5. 9. 1 Thes. 2. 8. Ioh. 5. 47. Acts 8. 37. Ioâ—. 8. 31. 1 Cor. 8. 4.
the Gospel as to such an holy obedience Ans. Where it is said that the Gospel teacheth us to live godly righteously and soberly in this present world Quest What obligation to holiness do these three expressions signify Ans. All that is required of a soul in this condition that is to lâ—ve godly to God justly to our neighbour and soberly to our selves Quest Forasmuch then that in them is contained the third great condition of salvation It concerns thee to be well informed what they oblige thee to And first what is it to live godly to God Ans. It binds me to perform to him all that holy worship and service which he hath required of me Quest Now because God hath appointed both publick and private worship for his faithful servants to perform To what duties do the publick worship of God oblige thee Ans. To worship him in all the publick exercises of the Church that is First in the administration of the Sacraments Secondly in the hearing the word preached and thirdly in adjoyning my self to the publick prayers of the Congregation Quest Conceiving thy readiness to entertain a clear understanding of thy duty in all these parts of his service First what and how many Sacraments hath Christ ordained to be observed Ans. Two Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord both instituted by himself to become outward and visible signs of inward and spirituall grace arguments of his love to us and actions of our service and obedience to him Quest What is Gospel-Baptisme Ans. A dipping or sprinkling with water in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Quest With what spirituall benefits doth Christ bless the baptized Ans. With grace to die unto sin and to be borne again to a life of righteousness thereby to put on Christ and to be received into the Covenant of Grace Quest To what respective duties do the baptized stand obliged by that Sacrament Ans. An engagement to give up themselves to the Kingdome of Christ by faith and holy living with whom they then entered covenant to forsake whatsoever is contrary to that his Kingdom that is the devil and all his works the Pomps and vanites of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh Quest Are not christian parents bound in duty to Christ to present their infants to Baptisme Ans. Yes for Parents must consider that the promises were not made to themselves onely but to their children also to which promises they having a right as well as themselves are not to be debarred from nor deprived of the seal consignation of them in that blessed Sacrament Further as to the right of baptizing infants as it is proved by many necessary deductions from so as to the matter of fact it is collected by many probable instances in Scripture In either of which if the scruples of an unbeleeving and quarrelling age have raised doubts and questions the universal practice of the Churches of Christ in all ages and places hath determined it from which to depart in this or any other service of God that is grounded especially upon such binding consequences of Scripture gives a just reason for any man to be charged with private presumption and dangerous singularity Quest What is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Ans. The receiving of bread and wine in remembrance of the death and passion of our Saviour which bread and wine being blessed by the Minister are the communion of the body and blood of Christ to the prepared receiver Quest What spiritual benefit doth God communicate to such a receiver Ans. The strengthening and refreshing his soul with all spiritual graces and the participation of Christ in all the effects of his death and passion Quest What preparation is required of them that come faithfull receivers to that Sacrament Ans. To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sinnes stedfastly purposing to lead a new life To have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men Quest What other consideration may be added in order to the service of God in that Sacrament Ans. To make conscience of entertaining all possible opportunities to receive the same as my love to God will make it necessary to serve him as often as I can Omitting no present occasion lest it be the last that shall be offered to me and to decline which there can be no plea allowable before God either in respect of sins or enemies unless I can think it safe for me to dye which I may the next moment without repentance or charity Quest But may not the sinfull and scandalous conversation of some that are admitted to the same Sacrament with thee give thee a just cauâ—e to decline it Ans. No For had any detriment accrewed to the other Apostles by Judas his receiving with them Christ who knew his unpreparednesse by his desperate designe against him and other gross wickednesse and which was not likely to be unknown to the rest of the Apostles would certainly for presidents sake have debarred him the Sacrament And Saint Paul who punctually treated his Corinâ—hians about the holy communion and so fully described sharply reproved those scandalous persons who mixed themselves in the society of the faithful receivers would not certainly have passed over so necessary a reproof to the Ministers of Corinth for admitting them and to the faithfull for receiving with them had an unworthy receiver eat damnation or sin to any other besides himself Quest The second part of publick worship being hearing of the Word preached How mayest thou serve God acceptably in that Ans. To hear the Sermon attentively as a religious exercise and instrumentall to the work of Grace To treasure up the promises to my comfort the reproofs for my amendment and the directions for the rule of my life Not taking offence at Religion in general nor at that service in particular by the weakness or infirmities of him that ministers those holy things unto me Quest The third part of publick worship being to adjoyn thy self to the publick prayers of the congregation How mayest thou discharge thy duty to God therein Ans. To oblige my self conscioâ—ably to be present at them as at the hearing of the Sermon or the performing any other holy duties to come timely and with a pious mind to honour God and with a charitable spirit that the whole Church of Christ and the present congregation may receive the benefit of my prayers Quest What other directions may be propounded for the more pious performance of thy duty to God in all the publick worship Ans. That I be present with an humble and awfull mind a lowly and reverent comportment of my body
God is not only pleased to entertain them as acceptable sacrifices but as actually done unto himself And that he hath engaged his promises for as certain an increase in this life as any temporal blessing can be hoped for at his hand and for an infallible reward in the life to come Quest But are not thine enemies and such as hate injure and offend thee excepted from such acts of thy mercy and charity or how far is the command of the Gospel in these cases obliging as to them Ans. To forgive them whatsoever they have done against me from my very soul even as I would be forgiven at the hand of God To chuse to suffer ten thousand evils from them then to return one evill to them After the highest provocations from them to blesse them pray for them and to do good to them in all my capacities Quest Is not a justification of our right by duelling after injuries received consistent with this part of Christian holiness and what is your judgement therein Ans. That duelling is directly against the doctrine of Christ an unhappy custome grounded upon the mistake of true honour and valour and the duel iâ— self either voluntarily accepted or offered is a sinne against this duty of charity on either part both in him that exposeth his own and in him that seâ—keth anothers blood and the fall of either miserable Quest But suppose he hath injured thine honour mayest thou not endeavour thy reparation Answer By any lawfull means I may where neither passion nor revenge hath interest and if I cannot otherwise obtain it then it is an argument of the clearest noblenesse and magnanimity to trust God with the defence of my honour and to forgive the offender Quest Suppose thou hast injured a person and offered all just satisfaction to him and yet he pursues thy life upon refusall of a duell What is in that case safest to be done Answ. To prevent it as much as possibly I can tenderly regarding his sinne as much as mine own suffering after which being unavoidably assaulted if in my pure defence he or I fall my soul is safe as to his or mine own blood CHAP. VI Quest THe rules of the first part of obeying the Gospel of Christ by all immediate services to God being discovered the Gospel as you sayd requires further holinesse of them that will live up to the institution of Christ which is to live justly to men What is then the obligation of the Gospel as to that part of holy life Answ To do to all men as I would they should do unto me Quest Now because this Doctrine of Christ obligeth to a duty which consists of infinite particulars of divers kinds First mention how many sorts of Iustice a Christian is bond to observe Answ. These two the first is called distributive justice which respects the allowance of all just duties from inferiours to Superiours and back again from Superiours to inferiours The seâ—ond is commutative justice which respects honest proceedings in civill contracts and dealings Quest The duties of the Gospel-distributive justice being further various according as men have publick or private relations First what duties of justice are required of Christians as to their publick relations Answ. Such as the people ought to perform to the civil Magistrate and Spirituall Pastor and such as they ought to return to their people back again Quest What duties are required of a Christian by the Law of the Gospel to the Civil Magistrate Answ. To give to Caesar the things that are Caesars To yield obedience for Conscience sake To submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake and not to resist their power upon peril of damnation By all which a Christian stands obliged not to do nor consent to any act that may impair the honour safety estate or power of them that God hath set over him in Government Quest How may a Christian Magistrate live justly as to his Subjects Answ. By interesting his power in the maintenance of an holy Religion against all its opponents by a tender regard to their peace quiet enjoyment of their proprieties by taking care that Iustice be impartially distributed and that their Subjects be securely protected from enemies abroad and from the insolencies of unquiet spirits at home Quest What are the duties which justice requires to be paid to the spirituall Pastors of the Church Answ. To obey them in their spirituall guidances as having rule over us justly to pay to them their allowed carnalls from whom we have received spiritualls and to have them in esteem for their work and office sake Quest What is in this holy justice required of them to their cures Answ. Faithfully to feed the flock of Christ by life and Doctrine and in all parts of their offices to be ready to do and administer every thing that may conduce to their salvation alwayes expressing a greater care of their peoples souls then of their own advantages in their places Quest Thus if thou livest thou hast kept a good conscience and obeyed Christ as to thy publick relations What are now the duties that concern private relations where further distribitive justice is required of Christs disciples Answ. Such concern the Family that is the reciprocal duties of Husband and Wife Parent and Child Master and Servant Quest How do the Servants of Christ fulfill the righteousnesse of the Gospel as to the first relation Answ. When the Husband expresseth love respect tendernesse and sweet carriage to the wife living with her and providing for her when the wife gives meek submission reverence and tender love to him both together bearing with one anothers infirmities do live like good yoke-fellows in all religious exercises and imployments of their callings Quest How do Christians perform Gods will in just living as to the second relation Ans. When children honour and obey their Parents supporting their decayes and protecting them in their helplesse ages when Parents govern them by the rules of piety not discouraging nor provoking them by caustlesse anger and providing for them honest educations and callings and means of livelihood Quest How is the Gospel obeyed in the third relation Answ. When Servants conscionably perform their offices and labours as in the sight of God preserving their Masters interests and honour and when Masters endevour to keep them in Gods fear using them mercifully in their labours and restraints respecting their burthens and rewarding their faithfulnesse and toyls Quest O blessed State where Religion and Christian justice guids all interests and happy family where Christ rules But you said the Gospel also requires commutative justice in all bargains commerces and dealings whatsoever and what is that justice Answ. Not to make use of any mans
Evening PRAYER for a Family Our Father c. Confession O Most infinite and Glorious Majesty Lord God of heaven and earth who hast granted us poor creatures and wretched sinners the mercy to appeal unto thee as unto a merciful and Gracious Father who might justly for our sins stand now confounded at thy presence as before the face of an angry Judge For Lord who have ever provoked thee to anger if we have not who were ever justly accounted sinful if we are not For if thou accountest our sins by our time what moment is it in which we have not offended thee if by the instruments of action what faculty of the mind affections of the heart what sense or member of the body have not been employed to sin against thee if thou numbrest our sins by thy holy lawes which of them that concern either our duties to thee our God our righteous carriage to others or the sober use of our selves or thy blessings have we not transgressed So that there appears a numberless number of sins before us such as become an heavie burthen too heavie for us to bear And yet O Lord as if it had not been enough to have thus offended thee in the former part of our lives we have this day added to the sad account by many sinful imaginations which we have given our mindes leave to multiply by many offensive sinful words by many omissions of serving thee and doing good to others and by many acts that cannot but displease thee That shouldst thou deal with us accordingly thou mightest justly cast us off from thy protection deprive us of our present comforts and sweet enjoyments and make us miserable by the effects of thy wrath here and eternally Petition for Pardon and grace But O Lord of mercy though thou hatest sin in it self and wicked men that continue in it yet are thy armes alwayes open to accept and thy mercies ready to pardon all them that acknowledge and forsake their sins We beseech thee therefore O Lord enable us truly to repent us of all our sins that we may sorrow for them and sincerely abhorre them that we may have real purposes against them and faithfully forsake them all the dayes of our lives And then O Lord be graciously pleased to forgive all those our sins unto us acquit us of the guilt unload us of the burthen of them and do thou accept of the blood of Christ in full satisfaction for them O Lord impute them not unto us either to punish us for them in this world with miseries and sad accidents or in the world to come with eternal torments And Lord do thou help us for the time to come with thy grace or we yet perish O enlighten our understandings and judgements with all spiritual wisdom that we may know and approve the things that are excellent incline our wills to pursue them and ingage all our affections to them Wean us from the love of the world and let our soules hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Grant that we employ our selves in all our worldly labor cares for the things of this life with affections so subordinate to spiritual things that we may first seek the Kingdom of God and its righteusnesse and use the world as if we used it not Lord keep us intire in our obedience to Christ that we may upon no temptation depart from the strict holiness of the Gospel Lord make us humble meek peaceable just and charitable make us zealous for thy glory and truth careful of doing good to others and of keeping our selves undefiled members of Christ to our last end Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen Here I also desire the supplicant may interpose the reading of Psalmes a Chapter and the Beleef as in the Morning Service The Thanksgiving O most blessed Lord God who art the fountain of blessing and Father of mercies who by thy providence orderest all our particular conditions for us in which we every where observe great evidences of thy love and goodnesse to us We humbly acknowledge our necessary dependence upon thee and do confess to thy Glory that every comfort we enjoy is of thy free gift and bounty We desire therefore according to our bounden duty to offer up unto thee this evening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for all thy mercies and sweet providences to us Especially our souls magnify thy divine love that thou hast given us thy Son our Iesus to pay the price of his blood to satisfy thy justice for all our sins That thou hast engaged us by being born and living under the meanes of Grace to make profession of the faith of Christ and that thou hast not set us in the region and shadow of death We bless thee O Lord that thou hast given us power in any measure to love or fear thee to desire and intend heavenly things and that thou hast not given us up to a reprobate mind nor to be led away with the errour of the wicked to fall from our stedfastness We praise thy Name for the blessings of this life for the present estate and condition in which thou hast placed us and therein for our portion of health peace friends and provisions to live all which before this time thou mightest have justly taken from us for our manifold provocations Blessed be thy providence for the mercies of this day past thou hast given us hearts in any measure to serve thee and hast sweetened our affaires and enjoyments with any proportion of peace and contentment That we have been delivered from all fearful accidents such as might have made us to sit down in wo and filled our souls with amazement and sorrow Lord place us this night also under thy divine protection and providence Free us from all terrors and affrightments and the sudden surprise of any danger or accident and when we awake and rise grant O Lord that we may proceed in the way of good living and so persevere in it all the dayes of our lives that when we come to our last sleep and period of our time we may rest in and with thee to all eternity through thy infinite mercies in Iesus Chhrist our Saviour Amen Let the intercession be the same that is used in the morning Service The lesser CATECHISM FOR CHILDREN BY VV. SMYTH THE Lesser CATECHISME for Children QUESTION VVHat is the best thing to be desired and laboured for ANSWER To be saved Quest How is it to be obtained Ans. By the free gift of God in Christ Quest To whom will he give so great an happinesse Ans. To all them that perform the conditions of the Gospel-Covenant Quest What are those conditions Ans. These three to Beleeve Repent and Obey the Commandments of Christ Qu. Thousaidst thou must believe And what are the Articles of thy Christian faith as they are contracted into one summe called the Apostles Creed Ans. I beleeve in God the Father Almighty Maker
such as may signify decency and order alwayes considering the infinite majesty of that God with whom I have to do in those holy actions Quest But is not the pious regard of the circumstance of time conducing to the discharge of thy duty to God in the publick worship Ans. Yes I am bound in conscience to keep holy to the Lord his day in all religious exercises and not to prophane it either with secular or sinful employments to observe publick fasts for such reasons as Authority shall order them and all other dayes set apart for the service of God propounding such religious ends to my self for which they were first instituted and commanded Q. What sins are committed against the publick worshâ—p of God which thou oughtest to beware of besides the ordinary breaches of the duties you have mentioned Ans. Many dangerous enterprises that tend necessarily to the impairing eradicating the same as first all attempting by power or seducement to hinder the peaceable assembling of Gods servants together in those holy services Secondly all defacing despising or especially destroying the publick places of Gods worship the preservation of which were alwayes accounted great significations of Religion in a Nation Thirdly all acts that tend to the destruction of the publick ministery it being essentially necessary to the execution of the offices of the publick worship and without which no national profession was ever yet preserved Now the acts that will certainly ruine a publick ministery and by necessary consequence the publick worship are these First the disgracing oppressing and ejecting their persons from their places in any present period of time Secondly the cutting off all possibility of having such a publick Ministry for the future and that will be effected by these attempts 1. By disallowing or prohibiting all means of succession by which an outward designation to ministeriall offices is to be continued and by which a Ministry hath to this day been preserved 2. By taking away all means of education to the knowledge of the tongues arts and sciences by which understandings are prepared by labour and industry to acquire gifts for finding out the mysteries of Religion and to be able to instruct exhort and convince extraordinâ—ry gifts being ceased after the first planting of the Church Lastly by laying hold upon and taking away the demeans by which a present Ministry is maintained and a future perpetuated the most infallible and certain method of destroying them In these two last lay the project of Julian the subtillest enemy of the Church of Christ when he attempted the overthrow of Christian Religion which acts of his were accounted most dangerous persecutions of the Church I oblige my self therefore not to do any act by my self nor to adhere to the act of any other that shall in any of these things impair the publick worship of my gracious God CHAP. V. Quest NOw because it s not enough to a godly life to yeeld conformity to the publick worshâ—p but thou art bound to enlarge thy obedience to the Gospel by thy private performances of holy services to God What doth the Gospel require of thee respectively in order thereto Answ. A giving up the exercises of all the parts and faculties of my soul and body to the obedience of Christ especially the affections of my heart which being rightly ordered by the law of the Gospel will infallibly carry the whole man to the service of God 2. Constantly serving God with private prayers and fasting 3. Honouring him and obeying the Gospel by the use of my particular talent to the good of others Quest Now because the offices of the whole man as you said are guided by the disposition of the heart and its affections It is expedient you know what those affections are and their duties to God What therefore are they Answ. These four especially Love Hope Fear and Joy Quest It is well ordered that thou hast put love to God in the first place which is so necessarily and eminently requisite to a soul in a true Gospel-state that all other services without it are nothing and under its larger notion they are all comprehended What is the command of Christ and thy duty as to that affection Answ. To love God with all my heart Soul mind and strength to love nothing that is unlawfull and so inconsistent with him and to love all other things that are lawfull in subordinatioâ— to him Quest How may I best serv God with my affection of hope Answ. Clearly to resign my self to a confidence in Gods promises living in them above all prosperous enjoyments and possessing my soul with patience in all dangers and adversities hoping that as God hath fore-ordained and called me to them he will also justifie me in them and glorify me after them Quest How may the Gospel be obeyed and God served by the exercise of thy affection of fear Answ. When in all inward motions and outward temptations to sin I represent the divine presence to my thoughts before which I stand and against which I must offend if I consent Quest Lastly when is the passion of joy made serviceable to God Answ. When I rejoyce in the Lord and in all spirituall comforts abandoning all pleasure in sin and removing a too much delight and over value of any present lawfull enjoyment whatsoever Quest Having thus done thou hast presented to God the best sacrifice thou hast which is thy heart and by that thy self yet is not that enough for in the next place as thou saidest God must be served with private prayers And how hath the Gospel obliged thee to that duty Answ. By absolute and indispensable commands and by most gratious promises of Gods acceptance of them and answering them unto me Quest It s true nor hath he for any other service given clearer injunctions or directions havâ—ng made a pattern of words himself and intimated severall kinds of prayers for our Christian exercâ—ses And what are they Answ. These four as S Paul enumerates them Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks Quest What holy offices do those four sorts direct thee to Answ. The first signifies the acknowledgement of my sins and an humble suit for the pardon of them The second petitioning for all spirituall and temporal supplies especially for the assistancies of Gods grace and spirit The third an interceding for Gods mercy and blessing upon all mankind the Church in generall all governours relatives enemies and persons whatsoever The last signifies an expressing my thankfulnesse to God for all his blessings to my self and others Quest The Gospel being very severe and importunate in requiring the frequency of this duty even to uncessancy How mayest thou best discharge thy duty to God as to that obligation Answ. To