be left altogether to his own will and made his owne onely keeper To dreame of attaining to a perfect keeping of Gods law here on earth without a great power in mans will were to set a man quite beyond the Cape of all good hope It is not then an unnecessary labour to play the midwife and to cut this navell-string of free-will and send these Arminian impes abroad into the wide world to cry for foode Vndermining was ever held a more sure and lesse dangerous way to overthrow cities then the tempest of Canons If the foundation of Arminianisme berased by the plaine doctrine of our Church the walles of it must with Dagon fall downe before the Arke The proofes are all upon record The words are therefore set downe least the Adversary should complaine of forgery or the reader be to negligent to search them out himselfe The Lord guide us all to the knowledge of his truth dispell the mists of errors confirme his servants in love and peace on earth and bring us to glory in heaven Thine in Christ Iesus FRANCIS TAYLER Clapham The faith of the Church of England concerning Gods worke on mans will The Preface IN all disputations the first thing to be done is to set out the right state of the question Which if it be misunderstood men fight with their owne shadowes We agree often in words when we differ in the sence Our conclusion that we must drive at throughout the whole worke must be this that God works alwayes powerfully and effectually upon the will of man in the regeneration of a sinnner Nothing is difficult but the terme of effectuall working whereby we doe not understand onely in a generall sence that some effect or other follows upon Gods work nor yet that regeneration follows after Gods worke oftentimes for so it may though it be not an effect of it Neither do we intend that God so takes advantage of the time place affection and disposition of a man that he offers grace to him in such a point of time as he knowes that mans will is inclined to receive it for this were to commend Gods wisdome in regenerating of us but to deny any worke of his power in it and to make regeneration not Gods worke but the worke of mans will Our meaning plainely is that in the worke or regeneration God works so powerfully upon mans will that regeneration infallably followes as an effect of it and that this kind of working powerfully is onely found in such as are elected before and all in whom God works thus are by that powerfull work of his regenerated So that the cause of their regeneration is not any way their own will but Gods powerfull working in them by his spirit Neither doth God work thus in any other but such as prove converts for if he did work so powerfully in others they would have been regenerated also In a word there is a particular powerfull work of Gods Spirit in his elect only whereby they all and onely they are truly regenerate In others there may be illumination and some weak motions to goodnesse in their wills but alwayes in effectuall because they are left to mans will and God doth not so work in them as he doth in his elect Where God powerfully works there regeneration necessarily follows where he doth not there it cannot follow We will reduce all to fourteen heads all which confirme the former conclusion against the power of mans will and demonstrate Gods powerfull work The proofe of each is the words of the records Sometimes we shall make use of the title in some prayers given to God because we doubt not but the wisdome of the Church in her prayers would give such titles to God as were most answerable to the things in those prayers desired of God The conclusion is let the Reader well weigh the heads themselves and the arguments brought to prove them and conclude in his own soule which is the doctrin of the Church of England CHAP. I. Of our own insufficiency WE will begin with our own insufficiency to any good and shew what matter the books allow us to set it out so farre forth as arguments may be taken from thence to prove an effectuall work of God upon the will of man in the work of regeneration Where in generall I observe that the books put no difference in unregenerate men but make all their wills alike dead in sins and trespasses unable to beleeve untill they be quickened by God Which takes away the new Arminian conceit that where the Gospel is preached there is a power given to all that heare it even before regeneration to beleeve if they please by the use of which power some do beleeve others that have as much power will not use it to beleeve in Christ The books that make all alike dead in sins auke to goodnes till they be actually regenerate acknowledge no such difference This is but a trick to avoyd the odious names of naturall power in the will and Pelagianisme It is a monstrous opinion in nature that a thing should have a naturall inbred motion wrought in it before any life be wrought in it so is it in grace that their should be a power wrought in mans will whereby of it own free inclination it should be able to live spiritually or not to live as it list yea which is more absurd be able to move it self in the highest spirituall action that can be before it be actually regenerate or have in it any true spirituall life Now let the words of the book declare mans insufficiency and let every one collect from thence Gods-powerfull operation in mans conversion FAith giveth life to the soule Sermon of good works Part. 1. and they be as much dead to God that lack faith as they be to the world whose bodies lack souls Sinne is come into the world Sermon two of the Passion and so come that it cannot be avoided It cannot be chosen but we must needs fall often That which is born of the Spirit Hom. for Whitsunday Part. 3. is spirit as who should say Man of his own nature is fleshly and carnall corrupt and naught sinfull and disobedient to God without any spark of goodnesse in him without any vertuous or godly motion onely given to wicked thoughts Sermon for Rogat week Part. 1. 2 Cor. 3.5 Sermon of Repentance Part. 1. and evill deeds Paul brings in his beliefe we be not saith he sufficient of our selves as of our selves once to think any thing but all our ablenesse is of Gods goodnesse We must beware and take heed that we do in no wise think in our hearts imagine or beleeve that we are able to repent aright or to turn effectually unto the Lord by our own might and strength Ioh. 15.5 For this must be verified in all men without me ye can do nothing 2 Cor. 3.5 Again of our selves we are not able as much
evill affections God is present in his chosen all whole in Majestie together with all his power In the same place wisdome and goodnes From God as from a giver In the same place Hom. for Whitsunday come these graces and gifts kindnesse meeknesse patience Some men will say How shall I know that the Holy Ghost is within me As the tree is knowne by the fruit so is also the Holy Ghost The fruits of the Holy Ghost are love Part. 1. joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faithfulnesse meeknesse temperance Of our selves we be crabbe-trees Hom. of mans misery Part. 2. that can bring forth no apples We be of our selves of such earth as can but bring forth weeds nettles brambles bryers cockle and darnell Our fruits be declared Gal. 5. We have neither faith charity hope patience chastity nor any thing else that good is but of God and therefore these vertues be called there the fruits of the Holy Ghost and not the fruits of man We ought first to crave things that properly belong to the salvation of the soule Hom. of prayer Part. 3. as the gift of repentance the gift of faith the gift of charity and good works patience lowlinesse hope joy love peace which things God requireth of all those that professe themselves his children This holy company of Saints in heaven confesseth constantly Rogat serm Part. 1. that all the goods and graces wherewith with they were endued in soule came of the goodnes of God onely It is meet therefore to thinke that all spirituall goodnesse cometh from God above onely We must needs agree In the same place that whatsoever good thing is in us of grace nature or fortune is of God onely as the onely author and worker Let us confesse that of our selves cometh all evill and damnation Hom. of mans misery Part. 2. Rogat serm Part. 2. and of God all goodnesse and salvation If we confesse that all grace of the soule is of God and is his gift onely it will teach us to thank God for them it will abate our pride when we perceive that nothing comes of our selves but sinne and vice it will keepe us from despising such as have fewer gifts it will make us to have recourse to God for all grace CHAP. VI. Of the receiving of grace IF by another speciall grace of God we doe receive the grace and favour that God offers us in his holy word then there is no question but God doth worke effectually where he doth regenerate Let us therefore heare what the Church teacheth us in that behalfe ALmighty God give us the grace Coll. Sund. 2. after Easter Coll. S. Andrews day that we may alwayes most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit to wit of the death of Christ Almighty God which didst give such grace unto thy holy Apostle S. Andrew that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Sonne Jesus Christ and followed him without delay grant unto us all that we being called by thy holy word may forthwith give over our selves obediently to follow thy holy commandements through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow thy sonne Jesus Christ Coll. S. Matthews day Prayer for Church militant Prayer 3. in Confirm To all thy people give thy heavenly grace and specially to this congregation here present that with meek heart and due reverence they may heare and receive thy holy word Let thy fatherly hand we beseech thee ever be over these children let thy holy Spirit ever be with them and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word that in the end they may obtaine the everlasting life Send thy heavenly blessing so upon these thy ministers Prayer last in ord of Priests that thy word spoken by their mouthes may have such successe that it may never be spoken in vaine Grant also that we may have grace to heare and receive the same as thy most holy word By faith given us of God we imbrace the promise of Gods mercy Serm. of Salvation Part. 3. Hom. for Whitsunday Part. 1. and of the remission of our sinnes Let us humbly beseech God so to worke in our hearts by the power of his holy Spirit that we being regenerate and newly borne againe in all goodnesse righteousnesse sobriety and truth may in the end obtaine eternall life God of his great mercy so work in all mens hearts by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost Part. 2. that the Gospell may be truely preached truely received and truely followed in all places By the worke of the Holy Ghost we receive this grace of God whereunto we are restored Now. Cat. quest 149. CHAP. VII Of the internall effect of grace THE books attribute the internall effects of grace to God also For howsoever that grace that is given us in regeneration have some power to produce spirituall thoughts yet because our spirituall life is not so compleat as our naturall life and is much hindred from good inclinations by the corruptions of our flesh remaining so that it cannot do that good it would without a fresh supply of Gods assisting grace therefore the help of God is still implored and the praise of the effect given to him Now if in a man regenerate there be need of more grace to help that act which he hath already then certainly the first work of grace whereby a dead man is made alive spiritually must needs be the only effectuall work of Gods Spirit For if he cannot thinke what he would now he hath grace at all times without further help then certainly before he had grace he could do nothing pleasing to God This head of the internall effects of grace is the largest of all the rest We will therefore divide it into two parts First we will treat of the internall effect of Gods grace in generall in the regenerate Secondly of the particular effects of it For the First The effect of grace in generall is set down in these places O God from whom all holy desires Collect. 2. Even Pray all good counsels and all just works do proceed That it may please thee to endue the Lords of the Counsell Letany and all the Nobilitie with grace That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace Letany to heare meekly thy word and to receive it with pure affection and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit O God from whom all good things do proceed Coll. Sund. 5. after Easter Sund. 7. after Trin. Sunday 13. after Trin. Coll. Sund. 23. after Trin. Prayer 1. in Matrim Veni Creator O God the Authour and giver of all good things Almightie and mercifull God of whose onely gift it cometh that thy faithfull people do unto thee true and laudable service God our refuge and strength which art the authour of all godlinesse O eternall God giver of all spirituall grace the authour of
everlasting life Thou in thy gifts art manifold whereby Christs Church doth stand In faithfull hearts writing the law the finger of Gods hand Thine holy Ghost into us poure Lords pray by D. Coxe with all his gifts most plenteously Whatsoever is good proceedeth from God as from the principall fountain Rogat Ser. Part. 1. and the only authour All good things come down to us from above from the Father of light The Title of the Sermon is That all good things cometh from God In Christ God the Father doth blesse us with all spirituall and heavenly gifts Part. 3. God is the giver of all good things Now. Cat. quest 249. The particular effects of grace are seene either in mortifying of vice or exercising of vertue in the heart I will begin with those places that speake of mortifying of vice Almightie God mortifie and kill all vices in us Coll. Innoc. day Cat. in the Common Prayer book quest 15.18 Complaint of a sinner A Sacrament is an externall and visible sign of an internall and spirituall grace given unto us This grace in Baptisme is a dying unto sinne and living unto righteousnesse Now let those drops most sweet So moist my heart most dry That I with finne replete May live and sinne may dye That being mortifide This sinne of mine in mee I may be sanctifide By grace of thine in thee So that I never fall Into such mortall sinne That my foes infernall Rejoyce my death therein But vouchsafe me to keep From those infernall foes And from that lake so deep Whereas no mercy growes Make us to follow the doctrin of Iohn the Baptist Coll. on S. Iohn Bapt. day Prayer 1. added to Set. Fast 1625. Prayer 4. Thanksg for ceasing plague 1604. that we may truly repent according to his preaching Give us thy heavenly grace that we may truly and earnestly repent As thou gavest the Ninivites repentance through thy grace so now visit the hearts of thy people in this land with thine heavenly grace and holy Spirit that they may speedily and soundly return unto thee from all their wicked wayes in true repentance and a living faith in Jesus Christ See the like in the Evening prayers set forth in the rainy weather 1613. Homily of falling from God Part. 2. Homily against wilfull rebellion Part. 1. Collect. 1. in Thanksgiving Novemb. 5. and the next prayer there Grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit Collect. on Circumcis of Christ that our hearts and all our members being mortified from all worldly and carnall lusts may in all things obey thy blessed will Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickednesse Coll. on Easter tuesday that we may alwayes serve thee in purenesse of living and truth Grant that we forsaking all worldly and carnall affections Coll. on S. Iames day may be evermore ready to follow thy commandments To withstand Satans invasion Give power and strength to every age Lords Pr. by D. Cox Prayer to the holy Ghost before the Serm. Coll. before Epis Fast 1625. Thanksgiving following Coll. 1. Prayer 2. There after the Gospel Prayer against rebel in the Hom. Cain Com. Pray book quest 24. O holy Ghost visit our coast Defend us with thy shield Against all sinne and wickednesse Lord help us win the field Create and make new hearts within us O Lord. Give unto us such effectuall grace that every one of us beholding the plague of his own heart we may abhorre our corruptions and turn our selves away from our evill wayes Give us grace that we may not any more provoke thine indignation against us by our transgressions Make soft and tender the stony hearts of all those that exalt themselves against thy truth Our soules are strengthened and refreshed with the body and bloud of Christ as our bodies are with bread and wine By the strength of the holy Ghost sinfull flesh is subdued and tamed Now. Cat. quest 144. and corrupt desires are brideled and restrained We pray that God will with the moving of his holy Spirit Quest 208. so change and fashion all the wils of us all to the will of his Majestie that we may will or wish nothing that his divine will misliketh Thus much for the effects of grace in mortifying of vice now follow those that belong to the executing vertue in the soul That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and dread thee Letany and diligently to live after thy commandments By thy speciall grace preventing us Collect. on Easter day Sund. 4. after Easter thou dost put into our hearts good desires Almightie God which dost make the minds of all faithfull men to be of one will grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest and desire that which thou dost promise Grant us thy humble servants Coll. Sund. 5. after Easter Sund. 3. after Trinity Sund. 6. after Trinity that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good Lord to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray O God poure into our hearts such love toward thee that we loving thee in all things may obtaine thy promises That thy servants may obtaine their petitions Sund. 10. after Trinity make them to aske such things as shall please thee Grant we beseech thee Sunday 13. that we may so run to thy heavenly promises that we raile not finally to attain the same That we may obtaine that which thou dost promise Sunday 14. make us to love that which thou dost command Grant thy people grace with pure heart and minde to follow thee the onely God Sund. 18. Grant we beseech thee unto thy Church to love that he beleeved Coll. on S. Barthol day Coll. on Sim and Iudes day Prayer at begin of Commandements Prayer after each command After the last commandement Prayer of the Priest in the name of the communicants Prayer 2. after receiving the communion Prayer 2. in the short ones after the communion Prayer 3. Grant us so to be joyned together in unity of Spirit by their doctrine that we may be an holy Temple acceptable to thee Cleanse our hearts that we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnify thy holy name Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keepe this law Lord write all these thy lawes in our hearts we beseech thee Grant us therefore gracious Lord so to eate the flesh of thy deare Sonne Jesus Christ and to drinke his bloud that our sinfull bodies may be made clean by his body and our soules washed through his most precious bloud We most humbly besech thee O heavenly Father so to assist us with thy grace that we may continue in that holy fellowship O Almighty Lord and everliving God vouchsafe we beseech thee to direct sanctifie and govern both our hearts and bodies in the wayes of thy lawes and in the works of thy
Commandements Grant we beseech thee Almighty God that the words which we have heard this day with our outward eares may through thy grace be so graffed inwardly in our hearts that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living Sanctify and wash these children with the Holy Ghost Prayer 1. in Baptisme that they being delivered from thy wrath may be received into the Arke of Christs Church being stedfast in faith joyfull through hope and rooted in charity may so passe the waves of this troublesome world that finally they may come to the land of everlasting life I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father Cat in common prayer booke quest 13. who is the giver of all goodnes to send his grace unto me and to all people that we may worship him serve him and obey him as we ought to doe Daily increase in these thy servants Prayer 1. in confirm thy manifold gifts of grace the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsaile and ghostly strength the spirit of knowledge and true godlinesse and fulfill them O Lord with the spirit of thy holy feare Almighty and everliving God Prayer 3. which makest us both to will and to doe those things that be good and acceptable unto thy Majesty The Lord so fill you with all spirituall benediction and grace that you may so live together in this life The Blessing in marriage that in the world to come you may have life everlasting Send thy blessing upon these thy servants Prayer 2. in Matrim that they obeying thy will and alwayes being in safety under thy protection may abide in thy love to their lives end Grant that this man may love his wife according to thy word Prayer 4. and also that this woman may be a follower of holy and godly Matrons Almighty God poure upon you the riches of his grace sanctifie and blesse you Prayer 5. in Matrim that ye may please him both in body and soule and live together in holy love unto your lives end Give this thy servant grace so to take thy visitation Prayer 2. in visita of the sicke Prayer 3. that after this painfull life ended he may dwell with thee in life everlasting Renew in this thy servant most loving Father whatsoever hath been decayed by the fraud and malice of the Devill or by his owne carnall will and frailenesse Thou most worthy Judge eternall Sentence 4. in the buriall Last prayer in buriall suffer us not at our last houre for any paines of death to fall from thee We meekly beseech thee O Father to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousnesse O Holy Ghost Visit our mindes and unto us Veni Creator Spiritus thy heavenly grace inspire That in all truth and godlinesse we may have true desire To us such plenty of thy grace In the same bymne good Lord grant we thee pray That thou mayst be our comforter at the last dreadfull day Grant we pray not with lips alone Lords pray by D. Coxe Prayer last in order Deacons But with the hearts deepe sigh and grove Make these Deacons to be modest humble and constant in their ministration to have a ready will to observe all spirituall discipline that they continuing ever stable and strong in thy Sonne Christ may well use themselves in this office Almighty God our heavenly Father Prayer 2. in Consecr of Bishops who hath given you a good-will to doe all these things c. Governe us by thy holy Spirit to frame in us a newnesse of life therein to laud and magnifie thy blessed name for ever Prayers in the fast 1625. Coll. 1. and to live every one of us according to the severall state of life whereunto thou Lord hast ordained us in godly feare and trembling before thee Grant us grace and true repentance stedfast faith Prayers in the fast 1625. Coll. 1. and constant patience that whither we live or die we may alwayes continue thine and ever praise thy holy name and by thy great mercy be pertakers of grace in this life eternall glory in the life to come Grant us a due care and conscience in our selves to use all good meanes of recovery Prayer 6. added to the Letany that neither we tempt thy Majesty by presumption in contemning of the contagion or neglecting of the meanes of avoiding removing and repressing the same neither despaire of thy goodnesse or murmure against the providence if we be not so soone eased and delivered as we desire but that we may submitting our selves in all things to thy good will and pleasure seeke thy mercifull favour for our release and succour by true faith and repentance use the meanes for ease which thou givest us with care and diligence helpe the afflicted and preserve the whole with compassionate pitty and charity and finally depend upon thy providence and waite for thy gracious deliverance with constant hope and patience Send us light in our understanding Prayers in the fast 1626. Pray 1. added to Letany Art 10. readinesse and obedience in our will We can doe nothing pleasing to God without Gods grace through Christ preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have a good will In the man that is born again the understanding is inlightned Rogers on that Art Prop. 3. and the minde wholly changed and the body is made able to produce good works They that are predestinated are both justified by faith Prop. 7. on Art 17. and sanctified by the Spirit and shall be glorified in the life to come Grant that the King may through thy grace in all honour Prayer for March 27.1 Pr. added to Letany Last prayer save one vertue and godlinesse continue his glorious reigne over us many yeers Blesse the Kings royall allyance with the dew of thy heavenly Spirit that they ever trusting in thy goodnesse and protected by thy power may after death obtain eternall glory The Scriptures have power to turn through Gods promise Hom. of exhort to read Script Part. 1. In the same place Part. 2. and be effectuall through Gods assistance In reading Gods word he profits most that is most turned into it that is most inspired with the holy Ghost Read not the Scriptures without daily praying to God that he would direct your reading to good effect In the same place Ser. of Salu. Part. 1. In the same place Serm. of Truth Part. 1. Sermon against adultery In the same place Let us pray to God that we may speak think beleeve live and depart hence according to the wholsome doctrin of the Scriptures True faith is not ours but by Gods working in us A true and lively faith is the gift of God God gave the Fathers then grace to be his children as he doth us now We are sanctified and made holy by the blood of Christ through
the holy Ghost God grant that these words against adultery may not be spoken in vain God by his holy word indueth his people assembled in his Church Hom. of right use of Church with the effectuous presence of his heavenly grace God doth indue his people assembled in his Church Hom. against perill of idol Part. 1. with the effectuall presence of his grace by his word and promises to the attainment of worldly commodities and all heavenly gifts and life everlasting God vouchsafe to purifie our minds through faith in Christ Hom. of inform of such as take offence at some places of Script Part. 2. to instill the heavenly drops of his grace into our hard-stony hearts to supple the same that we be not contemners and deriders of his word but that with all humblenesse of minde and Christian reverence we may indeavour our selves to heare and to read his sacred Scriptures and inwardly so to digest them as shall be to the comfort of our soules and sanctification of his holy Name Man is first made good by the Spirit and grace of God that effectually worketh in him Hom. of Almsdeeds Part. 2. Hom. of Almsdeeds Part. 2. In the same place In the same place and afterwards bringeth forth good fruits The grace of God worketh all in all Whatsoever can be named good and profitable for body or soule comes only of Gods mercy and meere favour and not of our selves God attributes that unto us and to our doings that he by his Spirit worketh in us and through his grace procureth for us God grant that we may alwayes shew our selves thankfull for Christs death Passion Sermon 2. abhorring all kinde of wickednesse and applying our minds wholly to the service of God and the diligent keeping of his commandments It is Gods Spirit which ingendreth a burning zeale towards Gods word Hom. for Whitsunday Part. 1. In the same place In the same place Nicodemus knew not the power of the holy Ghost in this behalfe that it is he which inwardly worketh the Regeneration and new birth of mankinde It is the holy Ghost and no other thing that doth quicken the minds of men stirring up good and godly motions in their hearts which otherwise of their own crooked and perverse nature they should never have The fruits of faith In the same place charitable and godly motions if man have any at all in him they proceed onely of the holy Ghost who is the only worker of our sanctification and maketh us new men in Christ Jesus The Spirit of Jesus is a good Spirit Part. 2. an holy Spirit a lowly Spirit a mercifull Spirit If any man live uprightly he hath the holy Ghost within him If the Saints in heaven were asked Serm. for Rogat week Part. 1. who should be thanked for their regeneration justification and salvation they would answer with David Not to us Lord but to thy Name give all the thanks If they be asked In the same place whence came all their glorious works they would say with Esay O Lord it is thou of thy goodnesse that hast wrought all our works in us not we our selves They be justitiaries and hypocrites In the same place which rob Almightie God of this honour and ascribe it to themselves Let us confesse Serm. for Rogat week Part. 2. that all spirituall graces behoveable for our soule come from God without whose goodnesse no man is called to faith or stayed therein God grant us all grace so to heare his word that we may fulfill it In the same place God give us grace to know those things Part. 3. and to feele them in our hearts This knowledge and feeling is not in our selfe by our selfe it is not possible to come by it Let us therefore meekly call upon the Holy Ghost that he would assist us and inspire us with his presence that in him we may be able to heare our salvation For without his lively and secret inspiration we cannot so much as name Christ Much lesse should we be able to beleeve In Gods Spirit shall we be meet vessels to receive the grace of Almighty God In the same place for it is he that purgeth and purifieth the minde by his secret working He sitteth in the tongue of man to stirre him to speake his honour He onely ministreth spirituall strength to the powers of our soule and body It is Gods Spirit that maketh us to hold the way which God hath prepared for us and to pray boldly to God If any gift we have whereby we may worke to the glory of God and profit of our neighbour all is wrought by this Spirit The holy Spirit will confirme us in all things In the same place Hom. of Matrim Married persons must crave continually of God the helpe of his holy Spirit so to rule their hearts and to knit their minds together that they be not dissevered by any division of discord It is God that worketh in us both the will Serm. of Repen Part. 1. and the deed Phil. 2. For this cause although Ieremy had said before If thou returne O Israel returne unto me saith the Lord yet afterwards he saith Turne thou me O Lord I shall be turned for thou art the Lord try God Ier. 6. And therefore that holy writer and ancient Father Ambrose doth plainely affirme that the turning of the heart to God is of God Ambros de vocat gent. lib. 8. cap. 9. As the Lord himselfe doth testifie by his Prophet saying And I will give thee an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shall returne unto me with their whole heart God vouchsafe by his holy Spirit to worke a true and unfained repentance in us In the same place If we repent Hom. against wilfull rebell Part. 1. Next pray after Coll. Nove. 5. Now. Cat. quest 43. quest 128. God will either take away evill Princes or of evill make them good Make us now and alwayes truly thankfull in heart word and deed for all thy gracious mercies and this our speciall deliverance We must on the Sabbath rest from our own works and yeeld our selves wholly to Gods governance that he may doe his workes in us From Christs resurrection cometh unto us an endeavour vertue and strength to live well and holily Christ indueth us with strength by the vertue and power of his resurrection to rise from the deadly workes of sinne quest 129. and live to righteousnesse The Spirit of God is called holy quest 142. for that by him the elect of God and the members of Christ are made holy for which cause the scriptures have called him the spirit of sanctification It is onely God which strengthneth man and by whose grace the sinner conceiveth this hope quest 164. minde and will Christ with the inspiration and vertue of the Holy
thy honour and glory Make us so follow the doctrine Coll. on S. Iohn Bapt. and holy life of Saint Iohn Baptist that we may truly repent and constantly speak the truth boldly rebuke vice and patiently suffer for the truths sake Make we beseech thee all Bishops and Pastours diligently to preach thy holy word Coll. on S. Peter and the people obediently to follow the same Grant that we forsaking all worldly and carnall affections Coll. on S. Iames. may be evermore ready to follow thy commandements Grant us grace to follow thy holy Saints in all vertuous and godly living Collect. on All Saints Prayer after every command Ser. against perill of idol 2. Part. Serm concerning Pr. 1. Part. 1. Part. of Serm. for Rog. week In the same place Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this law Let us beseech God that we may flee from all idolatry God for his great mercy sake so work in our hearts by his holy Spirit that we may alwayes make our humble prayers unto him as we ought to do Let us call upon the father of mercy that we may be assisted with the presence of his holy Spirit and demeane our selves in speaking and hearing to the salvation of our souls If we should aske the Saints in heaven whence came their glorious works which they wrought in their lives Esay saith O Lord it is thou of thy goodnesse that hast wrought all works in us Grant that this thy rod Prayers for the Fast 1625. 2. Prayer added in the Letany Thanksgiving 1625. Collect. 1. In the same book 3. Prayer after the Gospel may by thy heavenly grace speedily work in us the fruit and effect of true repentance unfainedly turning and converting unto thee and perfect amendment of our whole lives Give us such effectuall grace that we looking every one of us into the plague of his own heart may abhorre our own corruptions and turn from our evill wayes We most humbly beseech thee to poure thy heavenly grace into our hearts that we may learn to turn unto thee from our wicked wayes CHAP. X. Of Gods governing us SEeing after we are regenerated and have spirituall life wrought in us we still need Gods help to govern us it must needs follow that being spiritually dead by nature we could not be made alive by a morall swasion but by a powerfull work of God That we still need Gods governing grace appeares by authorised books GRant that our doings may be ordered by thy governance Morning Prayer Coll. 3. to do alwayes that is righteous in thy sight We beseech thee Coll. on 5. Sunday in Lent that by thy great goodnesse thy people may be governed and preserved evermore both in body and soul Lord from whom all good things do come Coll. on 5. Sund. after Easter grant us thy humble servants that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good and by thy mercifull guiding may performe the same Lord make us to have a perpetuall feare and love of thy holy name Coll. on 2. Sund. after Trinity for thou never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast love Grant that the course of this world may be so ordered by thy governance Coll. on 5. Sund. after Trinity that thy congregation may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietnesse O Almightie Lord everliving God vouchsafe Short Pray after Com. Prayer 2. we beseech thee to direct sanctifie and govern both our hearts and bodies in the wayes of thy laws and in the works of thy commandements Defend O Lord Prayer in Confirm Hom. of Matrim this child with thy heavenly grace that he may continue thine for ever Married persons must crave the help of Gods Spirit so to rule their hearts that their minds be not desevered Use oft prayer to God In the same Hom. that he would be present by you that he would continue concord and charitie betwixt you We pray that God by his holy Spirit would illuminate and govern the hearts of all such Now. Cat. quest 206. as be of his Cuurch wherein he reigneth specially as in his kingdome As thou hast by Gods guiding quest 251. first conceived this minde and will so shalt thou by his grace attain to a happy end of this thy godly study and indeavour CHAP. XI Of Gods preserving us in godlinesse and from sinne AS the power of God manifests it selfe at first in regenerating us so may it evidently be discerned afterwards in resisting Satans temptations and keeping us in the wayes of piety If an effectuall worke of God be sometimes needfull to keepe us from grosse idolatry in heavy temptations then is it much more needfull to keepe us from evill thoughts and in pious meditations with delight Our flesh is quickly weary of good wayes and easily inclining to evill after we are regenerate If now besides the strength of that working grace which God put into us at first there be need of an effectuall helpe of grace still then was there at first when we were able to doe nothing need not of a stocke that we might use well or ill but of an effectuall work of grace to worke faith and repentance in us Now what need we have of Gods preserving helpe let the bookes speake VOuchsafe Te Deum O Lord to keepe us this day without sinne From all evill and mischiefe Letany from sinne from the crafts and assaults of the devill from thy wrath and from everlasting damnation Good Lord deliver us From all blindnesse of heart from pride vaine-glory and hypocrisie from envy hatred and malice and all uncharitablenesse Good Lord deliver us From fornication and all other deadly sinne and from all the deceits of the world the flesh and the devill Good Lord deliver us That it may please thee to keepe and strengthen in the true worshipping of thee in righteousnesse and holinesse of life thy servant Letany Charles our most gracious King and Governour Lord make us to have a perpetuall feare and love of thy holy name Coll. Sund. 2. after Trin. Sund. 7. Nourish us with all goodnesse and of thy great mercy keepe us in the same Lord we beseech thee grant thy people grace to avoid the infections of the devill Sund. 18. Lord we beseech thee to keepe thy houshold the Church in continuall godlinesse Sund. 22. Almighty God confirme and strengthen you in all goodnesse Absolv at the Communion Cat in book of Com. Pr. quest 13. Pr. 3. in vis of the sicke Veni Creator I pray unto God that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily and that he will keepe us from all sinne and wickednesse Preserve and continue this sicke member in the unity of thy Church Strength and stablish all our weaknesse so feeble and so fraile That neither flesh the world