in the same which doth in any wise concerne us And we thus honouring the Church our spirituall Mother God our heavenly Father will give us his blessing Hee will send us light in our understanding readinesse and obedience in our will discretion in our words and actions true serious and loyall indeavours As wee are taught to pray for in the latter part of the Prayet next after the Letany in the late Fast Booke for the peace and prosperity of Ierusalem the unity and glory of this Church State That so we may love it and prosper in it full of grace in this life and be filled with glorie in the life to come through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An Advertisement SInce the a 2 Tim. 3.1.2.3.4 time that b Isa 5.21 Wisedome in ones owne eyes and prudence in ones owne sight hath so much abounded it is familiar with very many when they see or heare any thing delivered concerning religion if it be a matter which they affect not presently to passe an hard censure thereon though the deliverie be the very established doctrine or discipline of the Apostolicall Church of England by Law established under the Kings Majesty The c Rom. 3.13.14 Ps 140.3 poyson of aspes is under the lips of many Who say with our d Ps 14.4.3 tongue will we prevaile our lips are our owne who is Lord over us The holy Prophet saith The Lord shall cut off the tongue that speaketh proud things The holy Apostle saith e 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the mysterie of godlinesse And though the men of God have signified that the Holy Scriptures divinity is partly f Heb. 5.12 milke for babes or little children in g 1 Cor. 1.3 Christ partly h Heb. 5.14 strong meate for the i 1 Ioh. 2.13.14 young men and partly hidden k Rev. 2.17 Manna for the fathers in God also that naturall ones l 1 Cor. 2.14 cannot know the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned yet notwithstanding so outragious is the pride and arrogancie of many who since they came to the yeares of discretion have made no progresse in regeneration or the new birth unto the m Rom. 2.2 renewing of their mind and the amendment of their n Philip. 1.27 1 Pet. 2.12 1 Pet. 1.15 Eph. 4.22 conversation according to Gods Holy word that rashly they o 2 Pet. 2.12 will speake evill of the things which they understand not and as the Apostle saith p 1 Tim. 1.7 desire to be teachers understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirme Moreover how contrary minded soever each is to other yea how greatly different they are from the minde and life prescribed in the Divine Service of the Church whom some of them sometimes will acknowledge to be their Mother Yet each one taketh for granted that the grounds in his q Prov. 21.2 Prov. 12.15 owne minde are the right and that the grounds in all r Philip. 2.3 others mindes in any manner differing from his are the wrong and withall every one for the most part of the aforesaid unhumbled heart by his owne imagined-right groundes without any feare of the Eternall Almighty God and without any reverence unto the Supreame divine Wisedome of Christs holy Church contained in the bookes of her publike worship will s 2 Pet 2.10 presume to be able to judge of yea will assume confidence and boldnesse or rather most damnable audaciousnesse to condemne deliveries in the aforesaid bookes which the Soveraigne Majesty hath ratified and the most reverend Fathers the Archbishops and all the right reverend fathers the Bishops and the rest of the whole Clergie not any one excepted Quod medicorâ—m est promittunt â—ediâ—â— tractant Faâ—â—ilia fabri Sola Scripturarum ars est quam siâ—i passâ—â— omnes vendicant Hanc garrula anus hanc delirus seneâ— have Sophisia verâ—â—sus haâ— universi praesumant laceraâ—â— docent antequam discant Hierâ—nymus in epissola aâ—â— Pauâ—aum presbyterum de omâ—bus divine hâ—storia libris which hath entred into holy orders according to such manner and sort as by the Ecclesiasticall Law it is appointed have allowed and by subscription have witnessed the same But let the unpartiall reader of this treatise following where doubt about any matter may arise throughly consider the Holy Scriptures which either are expressed or in the margent but quoted for the confirmation of the point mentioned And let none except here against because the deliveries are in no Philosophicall method but in the most vulgar plainnes for all hereof is written for the furtherance of the laity and aswell in termes as in forme and manner accommodated unto the meanest capacity All teachers which study to edifie their auditory doe well know that it is farre easier to expresse their mindes in divine matters so as the learned may comprehend than as the unlearned may but a litle apprehend It is written concerning Christ for our example that t Mark 4.33 hee spake the word unto the people as they were able to heare it There are now extant in English sundry bookes very profitable which few of the common people doe make use of for that their style and words for the most or a great part are for Schollers reading onely Great was the divine Wisedome of the Church in setting forth her Homilies in so familiar a manner And by those most sacred Sermons all Pastours and teachers should take u 2 Tim. 1.13 example how to frame their meditations unto their auditories easiest and speediest edification Furthermore let none expect to finde any common place of divinity here fully handled but let this worke be accounted only an introduction into the bookes of the divine Service where as in an Ocean of divine truth there may bee had a great abundance of information both touching he matters ensuing and also concerning many more This book may be used as a finger of one that pointeth us unto such places as we have not throughly taken notice of afore Also the godly reader shall perceive that every one which w Mat. 5.6 hungreth and thristeth after righteousnesse to have within him more and more the x Phil. 2.5 1 Cor. 2.16 minde of Christ and to have the life of Iesus more and more made y 2 Cor. 4.10 11. manifest in his body may forth of every Chapter following receive some light unto the apprehending of everlasting truth in the matter there treated on Lastly Seeing that in the bookes of divine Service there are such heavenly sentences and speeches even as the learned are delighted in reciting the sayings of the Fathers of the Greeke Latine Churches so should wee unto z Exod. 20.12 1 Cor. 4.15 Ecclus. or Ecclesiasticus 8.8.9 due honouring of the Fathers of our owne English Church enable our selves to say on every point of divinity that which they have with one
from the priesthood That they shoud not eate of the most holy things till there stood up a priest with d Ezra 2.63 Vrim and * In the service of Consecration of Bishops in the Prayer after the Letanie then road the true signification of the words Vrim and Thummim is delivered namely truth of Doctrine and innocencie of life See 1 Esdras 5.40 Thummim Saint Peter saith e 1 Pet. 2.13.14 Submit your selves unto every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it bee to the King as Supreme or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him c. Samuel told Saul that God had made him the f 1 Sam. 15.17 See the 37. Article of Religion Head of the Tribes of Israel Therefore our King is Head of the Tribe of Levi the supreme governour over all degrees and orders of the Clergie in his Majesties Realmes Dominions aswell as over all other persons Concerning bearing faith and true allegiance to the Kings Highnesse his heirs and successors according as it is prescribed in the oath of allegiance it may first bee considered that in the whole Bible there is no mention of any of Gods people at any time to have done contrary unto such allegiance but ever to have borne faith and true allegiance unto to their Soveraigne the supreme Magistrate over them The Lord Iesus Christ both by g Mat. 12.20.21 precept and also by example taught loyalty to bee performed unto Caesar by all professed Christians all others The Apostle Paul enjoyned Titus to put all professours of Christianity in minde to be h Tit. 3.1.2 subject to Principalities and powers to obey magistrates to bee ready unto every good worke to speake evill of no man to bee no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekenesse unto all men Almost the whole 13. chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes is a declaration how subject and faithfull every soule not excepting any Ecclesiastical person ought to bee unto his Prince which beareth the sword which receiveth tribute and custome The higher powers unto whom Saint Paul commanded Christians to bee subject for Conscience sake and to render all their dues to owe nothing but love and honour and hee for to exclude universall ill attempts against ones Soveraigne saith Loveworketh no ill to ones neighbour were not defenders of the Christian faith neither were they favorers of the Gospell the highest powers over i 1. Pet. 1.1 Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia unto whom Saint Peter required those to whom hee wrote for to bee loyally subject If people were not in Conscience bound to bee universally faithfull unto their Soveraigne the society of mankinde could not consist together but the whole world would in short time bee turned into a wildernesse To release any from their duty to their superiours was the k ◠Marke 7.7.8 9 10 11 12 13. Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises the mortall enemies to Christianity who taught that one having offered a certaine gift though hee honoured not his father or his mother should bee free making thereby the fifth Commandement of God of non effect by that their damnable traditiō And are not Kings l Isa 49.23 fathers Queenes mothers according to the language of the Holy Scriptures Saint Peter saith Feare God and m 1 Pet. 2.17 honour the King Salomon also saith n Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought How zealous was David that hee would neither do nor o 1 Sam. 24.6.7 and 26.9 suffer to bee done any manner of annoyance towards the Lords annoynted though he were disobedient unto the Law of the Lord Let any search the whole Scripture and more especially all the new Testament and let him observe what manner of innocent life the life of the Christian Religion is prescribed for to bee or is described there and he shall plainely see that it is contrary to the universall Christian p Mat. 20.16 Rom. 16.19 Rom. 13.10 1 Thes 5.15 1 Cor. 13.4.5.6.7 nature for any people not to beare such faith and such true allegiance unto their Soveraigne as is expressed in the oath of allegiance and expounded or delivered in the Booke intituled God and the King What it is to be defective in duty towards ones Soveraigne the Church hath also most divinely declared in the Homily an Exhortation cōcerning good order obedience to Rulers and Magistrates and amply in the Homily against disobedience and wilfull Rebellion the which deliverie of holy Church all persons should often read or heare read unto them CHAP. 71. Of submission to all Powers inferiour to the Kings Majesty IN the first part of the * T. 1. p. 69.70 Homily of obedience it is said Take away Kings Princes Rulers Magistrates Iudges and such estates of Gods order no man shall ride or goe by the high way unrobbed no man shall sleepe in his owne house or bed unkilled no man shall keepe his wife children and possession in quietnesse all things shall be common and there must needs follow all mischiefe and utter destruction both of soules bodies goods and Common wealths But blessed be God that we in this Realme of England feele not the horrible calamities miseries and wretchednesse which all they undoubtedly feele and suffer that lacke this godly order and praised be God that we know the great excellent benefit of God shewed towards us in this behalfe God hath sent us his high gift our most deare Soveraigne Lord king Charles with a godly wise and honourable Counsell with other superiours and inferiours in a beautifull order and godly Wherefore let us subjects doe our bounden duties giving hearty thankes to God and praying for the preservation of this godly order Let us all obey even from the bottome of our hearts all their godly proceedings Lawes Statutes Proclamations and Injunctions with all other godly orders Let us consider the Scriptures of the Holy Ghost which perswade and command us all obediently to be subject first and chiefly to the King Majestie Supreme Governour over all and the next to his Honourable Counsell and to all other Noblemen Magistrates and Officers which by Gods goodnesse be placed and ordered In the second part of the * T. 2. p. Homily of fasting but it is said Positive lawes made by Princes for conservation of their Policie not repugnant unto Gods Law ought of all Christian subjects with reverence of the Magistrate to bee obeyed not onely for feare of punishment but also as the Apostle saith for q Rom. 13.5 Conscience sake Conscience I say not of the thing which of it owne nature is indifferent but of our obedience which by the Law of God we owe unto the Magistrate as unto Gods minister That saying of the holy Ghost by Saint Peter confirmeth all Submit your selves to ever ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it bee to the King as supreme or unto r 1 Pet.
THE CHRISTIAN DIVINITIE Contained in the Divine Service of The Church of ENGLAND Summarily and for the most part inâ—â—â—â—â—â— according as point on point dependeth conâ—â—â—ded and with the holy Scriptures plainly and plentifully confirmed Written for the furtherance of the Peoples understanding in the true Religion established by publike Authoritie And for the increase of Vnitie in that godly truth eternall BY EDMVND REEVE Bachelour in Divinitie and Vicar of the Parish of Hayes in Middlesex IER 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand yee in the wayes and see and aske for the old paths where is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde rest for your soules AVGVSTINVS Vtile est de iisdem quaestionibus plures à pluribus fieri libros diverso style non diversa fide LONDON Printed for Nicolas Fussell and Humphrey Mosley at the signe of the Ball in Pauls Church-yard 1631. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE CHARLES By the Grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. MOST dread Soveraigne The holy Fathers of the Church out of their due consideration of the defects of these times having in the liturgie for the late Fast taught to pray O Eternall God and most gratious Father wee confesse that by our manifold transgressions we have deserved whatsoever thy Law hath threatned against sinners Our contempt of thy Divine Service is great and wee heare thy word but obey it not Our charity to our neighbour is cold and our devotion to thee is frozen ReligioÌ„ is with us as in too many places besides made but a pretence for other ends then thy Service and there hath beene little or no care among us to keepe truth and peace together for the preserving of our Church and State Forgive us O Lord forgive as these and all other our grievous sinnes c. Have thereby signified to all Pastours and Ministers of the Church that they should doe their part towards the repairing of those decayes in many peoples mindes conversations The which most necessary signification beeing proceeded from them who in the Clergie are endued with the amplest understanding in all matters of Religion hath incited me though the most unworthy amoÌ„g the labourers in the Lords harvest unto greater accuration in my function and therto through helpe of the Divine grace for to compile this worke The which now with all humility I present unto your most sacred Majestie And although it is for the most part but as it were a collection of sentences out of the Divine Service Bookes of the Church for to put the common people in more remembrance and consideration of what therein is delivered concerning the principall points of Christian Divinity and a quotation of Scriptures witnessing the same yet unto all which unfainedly endeavour to know the will of God for to live obediently unto it and will unpartially read through and seriously consider every delivery therein it will appeare to be a worke profitable for to make more knowne unto the laity the established Doctrine of the Church to further them in learning their duty towards God your Highnesse and their neighbours Yea it will awake many out of their sleepe of ignorance and cause all such as are upright of heart to say Surely the Lord is in this place and we knew it not The everlasting truth of the Eternall God is abundantly delivered in the publike prayers exhortations and Homilies of the Church of England and we tooke none or but little notice of it Notwithstanding there will not be wanting spirits of disobedience which will calumniate the work and me by reason of the same Wherefore I humbly crave of your most sacred Majesty that since things of this quality are subject to the censures of persons ill-meaning and wise in their owne eyes it may receive patronage from your most gracious Highnesse Your Majesties father a Prince of most worthy ever blessed memory all the time of his happy Reigne over us shewed most pious zeale towards maintaining the Divine Service of the Church and for confirmation thereof caused the Proclamation made for the authorizing and uniformitie of the Booke of CoÌ„mon Prayer to be used throughout the Realme to bee printed with the said booke and also the booke of Homilies to be reprinted The like most godly care to conserve maintaine the Church in the unity of true religion your Highnesse in that most divine and ever most memorable declaration afore the Articles of the Church of England hath unto the great comfort of all your Majesties loyall religious people manifested testified The Lord of heaven and earth blesse your Highnes with many happy yeares That as his heavenly hand hath enriched your Majesty with many singular extraordinary graces So your Highnes may be the mirrour of the world in this latter age as most truly it already is for the prudent and zealous defending of the true Catholike and Apostolike faith unto the honour of that great God and the good of his Church through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour Your Majesties most humble and devoted subject EDMVND REEVE To the Reader HAving composed a summe of Divinitie out of the bookes of the Divine Service of the Church of England Whereas â—n tius work thore is often mention maâ—e of the Church therby wheresoever it is used for to signfiâ— those unto whom all people owe most faithfull obediencâ— is to be understood the Church representative where of the 139. Canon faith â—hosoever shall hereafter â—â—fâ—iâ— me that the sacred Synode of this Nation in the name of Châ—â—â—â— and by the Kings Authority assembâ—ed is not the true Church of England by representation let him bee excommunicated and not restored untill her repent and publikely revoke his wicked errour And Canon 140. saith Whosoever shall affirme that no manner of person either of the Clergy or Laity not being themselves particularly assembled in the said sacred synode are to be subject to the deâ—rces thereof in causes Ecclesiasticall made and ratified by the Kings Majesties Supreme Authority as not having given their voyces unto them let him be excommunicated and not restored untill hee repent and publikely revoke that his wicked errour it is necess for mee in some wise to declare their Authoritie that they with whom the said bookes are not in due account may have no just cause either of undervaluing the deliveries taken forth of them or of light esteeming this worke a collection of the same If all the authorized writings of a godly and learned Divine are much to be regarded then how much more are those writings to bee esteemed which are set forth by publike Authority as of the Royall Majesty of the Archbishops Bishops and the rest of the representative Church of England are assented unto by all the rest of the Clergy and are confirmed by Act of Parliament That the booke of Common prayer is thus established the Act for
wherefore David having experience of Gods goodnesse in his deliverance from the hand of Saul said I will love thee O Lord my strength The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will e Ps 18.1.2.3 trust my Buckler and the horne of my salvation and my high tower I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to bee praised so shall I bee saved from mine enimies It proceedeth also from beliefe in God and in his word which beliefe God graciously giveth unto those that feare him and diligently pray for the same as Saint Paul signifieth to the Ephesians saying In whom wee have boldnesse and accesse with f Eph. 3.12 confidence by the faith of him Ieremiah saith Cursed bee the man that g Ier. 17.5.6.7.8 trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord. But blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is The seventh duty is to call upon God The seventh duty to call upon God And that is to pray unto him David saith offer unto God thankesgiving and pay thy vowes unto the most High and h Ps 50.14.15 call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me It proceedeth also out of beliefe as it is written How shall they i Rom. 10.14 call on him in whom they have not beleeved People obedient to Christ and his k Mat. 18.17 Church which humble themselves and faithfully endeavour to observe all the ordinances of Christs Church have the promise to be heard when they call on the Lord and doe in the name and mediation of Iesus Christ aske such things as bee agreeable to his will as Saint Iohn saith Whatsoever we l 1 Ioh. 3.22 aske wee receive of him because wee keepe his Commandement and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight The eight duty is to honour Gods Holy name The eight duty To honour Gods holy name And for the performance thereof wee pray when we say Hallowed be thy name They that make conscience of breaking the third Commandement of m Exod 20.7 taking his name in vaine are such as have a regard to honour his n Mal. 3.16.17.18 name By the Name of the Lord is not onely meant a word or words proper to the Creator whereby he is distinguished from all creatures in speaking of him or unto him but also sundry other things whereby the Lord becommeth knowne unto us The name of the Lord is observed sometimes to signifie God himselfe his holy being which is infinite almighty c as where it is said The o Prov. 18.10 Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe Where name may signifie also power and protection So in Moses where it is said If thou wilt not observe to doe all the words of this Law that are written in this Booke that thou maist feare his glorious and fearefull p Deut. 28.58 Name The Lord thy God then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull c. It signifieth also the will and Commandement of God as where it is said whosoever will not hearken unto my words which my Prophet shall speake in my q Deut. 18.19 Name I will require it of him Officers under the Royall Majestie use the word name in the like sense when they say I charge thee in the Kings name c. It also signifieth the religion or worship of God as where it is said in Micah All people will walke every one in the name of his god and wee will walke in the r Micah 4.5 name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Other significations it is observed to have It is our duty to honour to reverence both with soule and body with heart and mouth and with due respect for to esteem whatsoever Name God is called by or knowne The Lord said by Samuel unto Eli Them that s 1 Sam. 2.30 honour me I will honour And his Omnipotencie looketh for honour to be performed by us unto him signifying it by his Prophet Malachie saying A sonne honoureth his Father and a servant his Master If then I bee a Father where mine t Mal. 1.6 honour And if I be a Master where is my feare The ninth duty To honour Gods holy word saith the Lord of Hosts unto you O priests that despise my name and yet yee say wherein have we despised thy name The ninth duty is to honour Gods holy word David saith I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name for thy loving kindnesse for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy u Ps 138.2 word above all thy name Christ saith to his Father Sanctifie them through the truth thy w Ioh. 17.17 word is truth And David saith unto the Lord Thy x Ps 119.142 Law is the truth Now for to make mention of any sentence in any deliverie by the Kings Majestie or by the Parliament or by the Convocation without due reverence thereto is justly a lightnesse or rather a lewdnesse Likewise for to mention any sentence of holy Scripture Gods holy word without due reverence thereto both with heart and voice honouring it as a word that y 1 Pet. 1.23.24 25. endureth for ever and as that whereby we shall every one without respect of persons bee z Iob. 12 48. judged in the last day lightly to alleage any divine deliverie is by all that truely feare God judged to proceed from a heart full of impiety and iniquity Isaiah signifieth that wee are to a Isa 66.5 tremble at Gods word and in no wise to make jests with any of it or rashly to utter any part of it but when wee speake any portion of holy Scripture to have a most serious care that it may tend directly to the glory of God and as much as may bee to the b Eph 4 2â— edification of the hearers Also we are not onely at all times with feare and honourable respect to recite holy Scripture when wee have occasion thereto but also to bee obedient or obediently enclined unto every document thereof which wee mention Else our honouring of Gods word is but a c Mat. 15.8.7 lip honour whereof Christ saith This people draw nigh to mee with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Which doing Christ in the verse afore signifieth to be but a kind of hypocrisie Herein saith Christ is my Father glorified or his word honoured that yee beare d Ioh. 13.8.16 much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples He is not accounted a true honourer of the Lawes of a Realme which meerely with due regard doth rehearse them but hee that also conscionably endeavoureth to live according to every of them The tenth duty to serve God truly all the dayes of
the fire and they are burned Caiaphas prophesied that Christ should dye for that Nation and not for that nation only but that also he should gather together in h Iohn 11.52 one the Children of God that were scattered abroad The Lord by Ieremiah complaineth saying My people hath beene lost sheepe their shepheards have caused them to goe astray they have turned them away on the Mountaines they have gone from Mountaine to hill they have forgotten their i Ier. 50.6 resting * In Ps 26.13 the words His soule shall longe at ease are in the Hebrew His soule shall lodge in goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is rendred in the Margent place which is in the holy faith and godly life prescribed plentifully in the Divine Service of the Church of England Solomon saith k Pro. 13.10 Luke 1.51 1 Pet. 5.5 Onely by pride commeth contention God l A cause of the differences betweene many people scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts They never come into unity the life of Christianity which will not bow their understandings under the Doctrine of the Church and their lives under her lawes and prescriptions As all that despise to bee in minde and life conformed to the deliveries in the bookes of Divine Service doe live for the most part as a wilde people in many respects so such persevering in such wilfull disobedience unto holy Church doe commonly perish in the l Iude 11. Num. 16. gainsaying of Core Ever most memorable hereto is Christs prayer unto his Father that all his Disciples might here on earth live in unity and draw all m Iam. 4.8 nearer and nearer together into some likenesse of the unity of the holy blessed and glorious God the Father and God the Sonne saying Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word That they may all be n Ioh. 17.20 21 21 23. one as thou Father art in mee and I in thee that they also may be one in us The most Sacred Majesty and the holy Fathers of the Church for the increase of Christian unity peace and concord in our Nation declare most godly care and that the Gospels Ordinance of Catechizing the laying of the foundation of the true Christian faith and life the unity of the holy Spirit is injoyned to bee more and more used according to the Sacred Constitution concerning the same that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest mee I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in mee that they may be made perfect in one c. Memorable also are the sacred words in His Majesties Declaration afore the Articles of Religion viz. Wee hold it is most agreeable to this Our Kingly Office and Our owne religious Zeale to conserve and maintaine the Church committed to Our charge in the unity of true Religion and in the bond of peace And therefore His Highnesse in that Divine declaration requireth all his loving subjects to continue in the uniforme profession of the said Articles and prohibiteth the least difference from them It is also the requiry of His Most Sacred Majesty that all his loving Subjects for a ground of uniforme profession of Christian faith and of Christian life should conforme to the universall prescription in the Bookes of the Divine Service according as they concerne every one in his place either in Clergy or in Laity CHAP. 92. Of Growing in the Christian faith and in the Christian life IN the generall Confession we are taught to pray Grant O most mercifull father for Iesus Christ his sake that wee may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life to the glory of thy Holy name In the Absolution following it is said And that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy so that at the last wee may come to his eternall joy through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the Sacred Letanie it is said That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to heare meekely thy word and to receive it with pure affection and to o Mat. 3.10 Gal. 5.22.23 bring forth the fruits of the spirit Wee are taught in the end of the Service of Baptisme to be p 1 Cor. 15.58 Rom. 8.13 continually mortifying q 2 Cor. 5.17 Gal. 5.24 all our evill and corrupt affections and r 2 Cor. 4.16 daily proceeding in s Eph. 5.9,10 all vertue and godlinesse of living In the Collect for the foureteenth Sunday after Trinity it is said Almighty and everlasting God give unto us the increase of faith hope and charity and that wee may obtaine that which thou doest promise make us to love that which thou dost command through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the prayer to be said immediately afore the ordering of Priests it is said Grant unto us all that wee may daily encrease and goe forwards in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Sonne by thy Holy Spirit In the third part of the * T. 1. p. 29. Homily of faith it is said As you professe the Name of Christ good Christian people let no phantasie and imagination of faith at any time beguile you but be sure of your faith t 2. Cor. 13.5 try it by your living looke upon the fruits that commeth of it marke the increase of u Gal. 5.6 Iam. 2.17.18.26 love and charity by it towards God and your neighbour and so shall you perceive it to bee a true lively faith If you feele and perceive such a faith in you rejoyce in it and bee diligent to maintaine it and keepe it still in you let it bee daily increasing and more more by well working so shall you be sure that you shall please God by this faith c. In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 3. Homily an exhortation to the reading of of Holy Scripture it is said * A delivery to be continually remembred in reading the holy Scripturer declareing unto what end they should be read In reading of Gods Holy word hee most profiteth not alwayes that is most ready in turning of the Booke or in saying of it without the Booke but he that is most turned into it that is most inspired with the Holy Ghost most in his heart and life altered and changed into that thing which he readeth He that is daily lesse and lesse proud lesse wrathfull lesse covetous and lesse desirous of worldly and vaine pleasures hee that daily forsaking his old vicious life increaseth in vertue more and more In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 144. Homily an Information of certaine places of Scripture it is said If some man will say I would have a true patterne and a perfect description of an upright life approved in the sight of God can wee finde thinke