Thanksgiving O merciful Father after all thy mecies to me in the whole course of my life my soul hath this day further seen and tasted how good the Lord is in many significations of mercie and loving kindness to me I bless thee O Lord for the great work of mercie in Iesus Christ For that I have a time to repent me of those sins for which I might even now have been suffering in an eternal punishment I praise thee that I am not roating in a torment languishing in a disease pining in a prison nor a poor vagrant nor a disconsolate captive But on the contrary O my Lord thou hast given me a residence a protâ—ction a plenty a sound mind an healthful body and liberty But most especially that thou hast offered me sweet testimonies of thy present grace and a blessed hope of future glory Now O my Lord for every of these and for all other the blessed evidences of thy love and goodness to me I do from my soul acknowledg thy mercie and bless praise and magnity thy great and glorious Name for ever and ever And O Lord keep me this night under the same protection and let the mercy of my God so preserve me that neither sin nor danger may make me miserable through the might of Iesus Christ my ever blessed Saviour Amen Vse the same intercession that is set for the Morning Service THE Largest Forme FOR Private Exercise Morning PRAYER When thou addressest thy self to thy morning service first frame thy mind to meditate of the glorious excellencies and presence of God and worship him in this or the like manner Our Father which art c. O Most glorious and incomprehensible Lord God of heaven and earth whose immense essence and infinite perfections no tongue can express nor heart conceive Before whose Dreadful Majesty the holy Angels vaile their faces and the glorified Spirits cast their crowns Thou O Lord art only worthy to receive Glory Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Therefore being sensible of my miserable nothing poverty and dependency and admiring thy absolute and infinite excellencies do throw my self my soul and body at the foot of thy Majesty and do adore and worship thy divine presence acknowledging that blessing honour and power is due unto thee for ever and ever Amen A Confession O Lord my God who art a God of purity and holiness and hatest the wayes of iniquity Though thou hast sentenced sin to a wages of death and an eternal punishment and hast declared a dislike of all wicked persons and their performances yet O Lord wretch that I am I have not ceased to do evill in thy sight and to depart from all thy holy wayes For I have yeelded my self too much to satisfy the vanity of my corrupt mind and my unholy lusts not considering their inconsistencie with the Kingdom of Christ I have inclined my affections desires and designes too much to present enjoyments and suffered my heart to be betrayed by them to a forgetfulness or thee and departure from thee O Lord I have either altogether omitted the duties of thy service and worship or performed them too loosely and subordinately or with too much hypocrisie or confidence in them I confesse I have every way lived unanswerably to the infinite mercies and strict commandments of the Gospel too much neglecting the great salvation and the excellencies of the peace of Christ O Lord my God when I consider the iniquities I have committed in my mind with evill thoughts in my tongue in sinfull words and how much all parts and faculties have concurred as instruments of sin how I have offended against the motions of thy Spirit and my own purposes against all thy lawes and all thy providences in all my actions and employments and in every part of my life my sins become an heavy burthen too heavy for me to bear Here open thy soul to God in particulars so that for them and all other my sins I have justly deserved thy wrath and indignation to afflict me in this life with signal punishments and in the life to come with eternall torments Petition for Pardon But O Lord my God give me a true and sincere repentance such as thou shalt please to accept in Christ O teach mine eyes to weep my heart to break my soul to mourn for all my sins O let my understanding alwayes perceive and be convinced of their filthinesse and deadliness even as when thou beholdest sinnes to punish them or as when thou requiredst the blood of my Saviour to satisfie thy justice for them Lord help me to purpose against them and truly to depart from them as if the shame and unprofitablenesse the curse and the hell of them were alwayes before me And O Lord I beseech thee for thy tender mercies and bowels of compassion sake who canst not delight in the death of a sinner to pitty my poor soul lying under the burthen of my sins O my dear Iesus let these wounds of my soul be healed by thy stripes and the divine justice that I have offended be satisfied by thy dear sufferings And since thou hast paid a price for my sins and still intercedest for the pardon of them O deliver me from the guilt and burthen of them an unpeaceable conscience and a miserable eternity the just wages of them Through the merits of my dear Iesus my Lord and Saviour Amen Petition for Grace O my most gracious God I being sensible of my spiritual poverty and inabilitie to understand desire or think of the things of my peace without thy assistance do beseech thee in thy tender mercies not to leave my soule to the guidance of my sinful nature nor to give me over to my own vile affections but rather grant me power through thy holy Spirit to crucify my lusts and to deny my self in all things that are inconsistent with thee O strengthen me to encounter with the temptations of the world and let not the seeming satisfactions of any outward enjoyment betray my soul to forget thee or to decline my obedience to thee Lord grant me the compleat armour of thy grace that I may alwayes prevent the wiles of the devil and overcome the powers and rulers of darkness in their temptations Give me a disposedness in all parts and faculties of soul and body to exercise their offices in obedience to Christ Enlighten my understanding to mind heavenly things draw my will after thee and command all my affections to thee Fill me O Lord with every grace of the Gospel whose exercise thou requirest of me as a disciple of Christ O make me able to live godly to thee in all parts of thy worship righteously to men by the strict rules of justice and soberly to my self in all temperance and chastity Lord make me humble sincere meek patient and peaceable and give me strength to obey the whole will of Christ in all his
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
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
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
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
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
have made himself blessed even in this life What is the third Ans. That though the conditions be thus pleasant in their exercise approveable in their own nature and so successefull in their end yet such is naturally the infelicity of man that his whole frame being corrupted and depraved and having in all parts and faculties such a general ineptitude and aversenesse to his owne principall good and so proclive a disposition to all evill to love and pursue it that I say how excellent soever those conditions be yet he is altogether unable to perform them by any power in himself as to accomplish an impossibility Therefore in the third place Christ hath merited that there should be given to man a new principle of life that is by Gods grace an ability to perform those conditions acceptably to God having the mercy to receive of his fulnesse Grace for Grace To cure therefore the erringnesse of our nature the Holy Spirit is sent a Guide to direct into all truth When the darknesse of our depraved understanding impedes the work it is then a spirit of wisdome to enlighten When our infirmities render us unable for the duties of the Gospel then it is a Spirit of might to strengthen us with power in the inner man When our naturall aversenesse to good hinders our comming to Christ the work of mercy is to draw us in unto him And that which summes up all the comforts of this kind in one is this that these and all other spiritual assistances shall not be denied us in our wants when by prayer we seek for Grace to help in time of need especially when our addresses in such cases to God are made by Him who ceaseth not to make intercession for us Quest Is there now after all this a further necessity of another degree of Christs merits and mediation Ans. Yes For though as you even now said the Commandments are not grievous and the spiritual assistance powerful to enable the soule to performe them yet still such is the corruption of nature and the direct opposition of our carnal part to Christ and his government that no man can perform the conditions without innumerable and intolerable imperfections as was also even now intimated Therefore in the fourth place see the exceeding riches of Grace and persuancy of mercy he hath merited that though our obedience be defective yet if it be sincere upon our humiliation for those failings and endeavours to withstand them in future it should be accepted the sins pardoned and the soul delivered from the hell that was the due and proper wages of every one of those sins Quest Though the mercies you have already mentioned reach unto the clouds and by a just acknowledgement of their greatnesse have out stript wonder and silenced even hope it self yet because you mentioned a fifth effect of the merits and mediation of Christ where is the the necessity and blessednesse of that to be discovered Ans. That forasmuch as whatsoever degree of holinesse a soul by Gods grace may arrive unto and how acceptable soever the performancies of a sincere heart may be to that God who will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax upon termes of mercy yet cannot that soul by any such holinesse or obedience deserve or merit the least of mercies for its future well-being Woe to the holiest person that ever served Christ if he should have no more comfort to come then what he himself hath merited or could challenge in justice at the hands of God In the last last place therefore Christ hath merited and mediated that so many as shall truly persevere in such faithful and sincere performance of all the conditions and continue their ingagement to him to obey him in all his commands unto their lives ends shall not only be delivered from hell and destruction but shall also O unsearchable treasures of Grace and stupendous love inherit a portion of the greatest felicity which is to see God as he is and to possesse a mansion of immutable rest of his own preparing that mansion to be a Kingdom and that a Kingdom of glory that glory of an exceeding weight where every subject having been here an heir and co-heir with Christ shall be a spirituall King his reign and honour immortal and crown eternall By this discourse I finde my self fully satisfied in all my scruples about the particulars contained in the questions and all my discouragements removed that might hinder the undertaking a life according to those strict rules of holinesse And now as I cannot but glorify God for a work of so infinite a mercy in his servants having made the promises rules and arguments to be religious and consequently blessed as evident as the light and as certain as a demonstration so I cannot but justify him in the condemnation of the wicked That he should make the Gospel to become a milstone to fall upon and grinde them to powder because they despised it and that the case of Sodom and Gomorrah should be more tolerable at the day of judgement then theirs For how shall they escape that have neglected so great salvation Let every evil man therefore that despiseth the grace of God offered in Christ and that chuseth rather to satisfy his vain lusts then to give up his soul to his dominion I say let every such person know that there is no true peace for him in this life nothing but horrour at his dying houre a curse at the great judgment and after that an hell to all eternity And all this justly because he despised so tender a love of a merciful God so dear a suffering of a gracious Jesus so importunate swasions of the holy Spirit and with all these rejected such sweet precepts upon promises of infinite rewards Satisfactions OF DOUBTS About the Visible Profession OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND And its MINISTERY Satisfactions of Doubts about the visible Profession of the Church of England and its MINISTERY FOrasmuch as there be many outward differing professions of Christianity in the world and as many if not more in this nation as in all the world besides so that many pious spirits may stand amazed and doubtfull which way to take in such various and inconsistent tracts and by that amazement are discouraged to adjoyn themselves to any and unconfident in that way they have assumed I have thought it necessary thou shouldst account some short directions proportionable to the businesse in hand that may best establish and quiet the revolutions and doubts of thy mind the more cheerfully to undertake a religious life and to confirme thee in the profession in which thou standest What therefore are such directions Ans. First to beware of such a Profession and Religion that hath no other ground but the pretence of the light and immediate gifts and
and wretched creature made so by my great rebellions against thee and departures from thee having all the daies of my life multiplied my transgressions before thee I humbly confess I have too much inclined my will to the bent of my sinful nature and corrupt desires too often satisfying my sensual appetite in forbidden enoyments And when the inward voice of thy Spirit hath checkt me and thy grace impowered me to contend with my unlawful desires I have suffered my carnal part to prevail against thy Grace and my duto to Christ here call thy self to particular observations of thy actions So that Lord thou mightest in justice have left me upon the account of a carnall estate which is death and enmitie against thee and cannot please thee But O Lord be merciful unto me and pittie my soul for thy blessed Iesus sake And let that degree of spiritualitie that is in me though very weak and imperfect upon my present sorrow and promise of future amendmen be reckoned for a state of Grace Son-ship and peace with thee for my blessed Saviours sake Amen II. Lord I am miserable and wretched for I have too much embraced this present world the love of which is inconsistent with all love to and from thee I have ingaged too many thoughts and cares and too strong designes for temporall things I have had too great a fondness for the honours pleasures profits and friends of this world here bewaile thy miscarriages herein So that in justice thou mayest cast me off as having too much of the world in me for Christs Kingdome But Lord be merciful unto me and accept of my weak and imperfect attempts to despise the world and to lay it aside and my present sorrowes for my present miscarriages that I may through thy mercies in Christ be accounted one though of the least and lowest of Christs Kingdom of Grace here and may have my portion of his Kingdome of Glory hereafter Amen III. Lord I am miserable and wretched for I have in some part of my life contracted and lived in many habits of sin as of c. here account before God the remembrance of them whereby I have been sold under sin and in a state of death and enmity to thee subject to every lust and prostitute to every temptation But Lord be merciful unto me and through thy infinite mercy let me stand in the account of a New man and under a free pardon of such sinful habits as if they had never been and that I may now appear washed sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of my God Amen IV. Lord I am miserable and wretched for besides my sad state of habitual wickednesse I have multiplied an innumerable number of actuall transgressions which surpasse the number of the starres and are an heavy burthen too heavie for me to bear If I measure my sins by my time here mention the years of thy pilgrimage Lord I confesse that in every day that I have lived I have heaped sin upon sin iniquity upon iniquity If by thy laws Lord I acknowledg there is no one precept of Christ that I have not transgressed having sinned against all the Commandments that concern my living godly to God justly to men and soberly to my self here account by the rules of life in the preceding larger Catechisme If I measure my sins by the exercises of all the faculties and parts of my soul and body I confesse O Lord that all of them in their several offices have been made instruments of unrighteousnesse here account the miscarriage of every faculty sense and member For all which O Lord I have deserved thou shouldest blot me out of the book of life and deliver me up to a state of death and reprobation But Lord be merciful unto me and accept of my hearty sorrow for these my sins my purpose against them and sincere endeavour to forsake them that I may be accounted capable of the grace of the Gospel and pardon in Christ Amen V. Lord I am miserable and wretched for thou hast required an uncessant course of service to thy self both publick and private in constant prayer praises and worship and a pure intention to glorifie thy Name in all of them But I have either altogether omitted them or have bin very slight and imperfect in the perrformance of them or have corrupted them with the mixture of many mean ends and designes acconnt thy failings herein Lord thou hast obliged me to abound in righteousness and every good work and to do good to all men to my highest capacity But I have neglected the opportunities and have often changed them into pleasures and worldly satisfactions confesse thy particular omissions Lord thou hast required of me diligence in my calling and a just peaceable and charitable conversation with all men But I have not been so watchful as I should have been in the use of my time nor so careful in my words and actions of doing to all men as I would they should do to me here charge thy soul with thy failings herein And now O Lord my God if none shall enter into thy Kingdom but those that keep thy Commandements where shall I appear that am justly chargeable with all these omissions But O Lord be merciful unto me and for Jesus sake pardon to my soul these great neglects of my duty to thee and graciously accept of my former weak and imperfect endeavours to perform them my present sorrow and future amendment to the comfort and peace of my soul Amen VI For O Lord my God I have no hope but in thy mercy and in my blessed Jesus in whom thou hast promised pardon to all sincere penitents and entered Covenant with us to be merciful to our unrighteousnesse and our sins to remember our iniquities no more O Lord make good this thy gracious promise to my sinful soul for my dear Jesus sake forgive unto me all these sins of which I have pleaded guilty before thee and all other my secret and unremembred transgressions And O merciful Father furnish my soul with thy divine Spirit which may according to thy promise write thy holy lawes in my mind and in my heart Strengthen me in the inner Man that I may crucifie all my lusts and overcome all the deceits and temptations of the world and the devill Lord turn the stream of my affections to things above and make mee diligently pursue them Give me grace to hate and forsake every sin as death and hell that in the whole course of my remaining life I may deny ungodlinesse and all worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godly in this present world through Jesus Christ my onely Saviour and Redeemer Amen Lord have mercy upon me Christ have mercy upon me Lord have mercy upon me Our Father which art in heaven c. A Form for the Services of God in a FAMILY Morning PRAYER Our Father which art c.