fourth part A Manual of Forms of Prayers And lastly considering of what consequence it is to Religion to have children rightly seasoned with pious principles I subjoyned for that end A short Catechisme to be taught to them In all which if I may be instrumental to any persons obtaining the ends designed if I may bring any soul to a right christian life by the first to a judicious and lively hope in Gods mercy by the second to the peace and communion of the Church by the third to frequent addresses to the throne of grace by the fourth and any little ones to be disciples of Christ by the fifth I shall not repent my self of my adventure nor want incouragement to subscribe my self A poor Workman in Gods Vineyard W. SMYTH A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and sold by Edw. Dod at the Gun in Ivie-Lane AN entire Commentary upon the whole Old Testament in 4. Vol. in Fol. wherein the diverse Translations and Expositions literal and mystical of all the most famous Commentators both Ancient and Modern are propounded examined and judged of for the more full satisfaction of the studious Reader in all things which compleateth the Authours Comment on the whole Bible a Work the like to which hath never yet been published in English by any man written by John Mayer Doctor in Divinity The Expiation of a Sinner in a Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrewes Fol. by T. L. D. D. a learnded and Reverend Divine The Justification of a sinner being the main argument of S. Pauls Epistle to the Galathians Fol. Written by the Authour of the Expiation of a sinner Thomae Lushingtonii Logica analytica de principiis Regulis usu Rationis Rectae 8o The Angell-Guardian proved by the light of Nature beames of Scripture and consent of many Ancient and Modern Writers untainted with Popery by Robert Dingley Master of Arts laâ—e Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford 8o America or an exact description of the West-Indies especially of those Provinces under the dominion of Spain in which not only the Nature and Climate of the place with the Commodities it affordeth is fully described but also plain and full directâ—ons given for the right ordering of the same so as to fit them for the use of the Inhabitantâ— and also for transportation the like never yet published in English faithfully related by N. N. Gent. in 8o Natures Paradox or the Innocent Impostor a pleasant Polonian History translated out of French into English by Major John Wright 4o Poems Songs and Sonets written by Richard Lovelace Esq 8o The Life and death of Mr. Carter with other Tracts written by his son Mr. John Carter Minister of Gods Word in the City of Norwich 8o Directions for writing of true English by Richard Hodges in 8o The Reign of King Charles faithfully and impartially delivered and disposed into Annals by H. L. Esq Fol. Judgement and Mercy or the plague of Frogs Inflicted removed delivered in nine Sermons by that late Reverend and Learned Divine Mr. Josias Shute 4o A CATECHISM Containing the CONDITIONS OF THE GOSPEL AND DIRECTIONS to a HOLY LIFE In all Parts of GOSPEL-OBEDIENCE The particulars contained in the several Exercises In the larger Catechisme THe Conditions of the Gospel 3 Of Faith 4 Of Repentance 11 Of Obedience 18 Publick worship 20 Sacraments Baptisme 21 Lords Supper 23 Sins against publick worship 29 Private worship 32 Sanctified affections 33 Private prayer 35 Private fasting 38 Recreations 40 Charity and Almes 41 Duelling 46 Christian justice 48 Duties of Magistrates and Subjects 49 Ministers and People 51 Duties of Family relations 52 Justice in dealâ—ng 54 Restitution 55 Vsury 57 Christian sobriety 58 of the mind 59 of the tongue 60 Chastity 61 Temperance 62 Drunkennesse 63 Satisfactions of doubts about the doctrine of Grace 65. ASsurance of grace and means to it 68 Whence rejection and reprobation 71 About Gods decrees 75 Comfort against infirmities 77 What Christ hath merited for us 79 Satisfactions about our Profession and Ministery 90. PRofession by new light of the Spirit examined 92 Profession by Scripture upon private interpretation examined 103 Profession from a plea of outward holinesse examined 110 The exceptions against the Ministery answered 114 The Calling of our Ministery proved to be lawfull 125 The present sufferings no argument against the truth of our Profession 132 Forms of Prayers 142 FIrst Form for a child 147 Second Form for a child of growth and for servants 150 Third Form for an ordinary shorter exercise 158 The largest form for private exercise 168 For the universal Church 185 For the Churches in these nations 186 For the afflicted 187 For Parents 189 For children 189 Before the Sacrament 191 In time of sicknesse 193 For a sick neighbour 196 For a woman with child 197 Before a Journey 198 At first entrance into the Church 199 An exercise for a great humiliation for sins 200 A Form for the Family offices morning and evening 211 The Lesser Catechisme for Children 229 THe Belief 232 Ten Commandements 234 Lords Prayer 239 The Reader is humbly desired before he reads these exercises with his pen to put out and interline according to this direction lest he loseth the sence of those places ERRATA PAge 3. line 3. read desertion p. 13. l. 25. r. deliberate p. 37. l. 9. r. guide p. 69. l. 21. put out by p. 78. l. 12. r. conscience p. 95. l. 5. r. profession p. 96. l. 19. r. great p. 98. l. 23. r. profession p. 104. l. 14. r. could l. 15. r. envious ends l. 25. r it is for but p. 106. l. 13. r. Jâ—gling p. 108. l. 21. r. grave p. 111. l. 3. r. smooth l. 15. r. ruining p. 113. l. 1. r. appeal l. 26. r. accidental p. 122. l. 1. r. condemn p. 123. l. 13. after of interline our p. 124. l. 3. r. Christian p. 126. l. 6. r. seal p. 128. l. 5. after profession interline without a Ministery p. 203. l. 8. r. duty l. 22. r. amendment p. 214. l. 8. r. godly p. 173. l. 15. after merits of interline thee p. 227. l. 21. after day past interline that THE CATECHISME For Direction of LIFE CAP. I. QUESTION VVHat is that most considerable thing thou canst propound to thy desires and about which thou shouldest chiefly exercise thy self all the days of thy life ANSWER How I may obtain eternal life Quest But forasmuch as no man can do any thing that may merit so great an happinesse Whence doest thou expect it to be obtained Ans. From no other cause but the free gift of God through his undeserved mercies in Jesus Christ for whose sake alone I am accepted to justification and salvation Quest What ground hast thou that God will vouchsafe so great a mercy to mankind Ans. His sure and infallible promises made to them every where in the Gospel and an honourable opinion of his goodness that as he hath
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
Let my bodily distemper cure my soules infirmities and that I may learn thereby to hate sin and fear thee to see the vanity of worldly dependencies and to flie unto thee as the only refuge Lord let not the vanities of my health and prosperity be now laid to my charge but accept of my repentance and sorrow for them and grant me a peace and reconciliation with thee through the blood of Christ In my straits let me look up to thee with comfort as to a gracious Father O do not appear to me in terrour as a dreadful Iudge Lord I am thy servant do with me as it pleaseth thee yet for thy mercies sake lay no more upon me then what thou seest necessarily to conduce to the salvation of my soul If it pleaseth thee that I survive this affliction O let me live answerably to thy gracious intention in chastising me and to all those my holy purposes and promises made unto thee in this my visitation that these light afflictions may be advantages to me to the obtaining the exceeding weight of Glory Through my dear Saviour and Mediatour Iesus Christ Amen If the sicknesse appear dangerous then adde this Prayer O Lord my God in whom alone is the power of life and death and who precisely knowest the number of my daies be pleased to go along with me in mercie to my last hour And if it be thy pleasure to order this sickness to end in my death Lord make that the entrance to a blessed life Help me in all my natural and spiritual distresses let neither my paines nor my sins make me impatient or unconfident Lord let not my faith in Christ nor hope of thy mercie faile in the bitter hour O let the light of thy countenance break through the terrours of death to comfort me and let thy Spirit assist me when my strength faileth me Grant O Lord that my death be neither very tormenting nor uncomelie and when my soul shall depart O receive me into the resting place of thy glorie for Iesus sake my only Saviour and Redeemer When thou hearest any of thy neighbours to be very weak in sickness Pray for him in this manner O blessed Lord and fountain of mercies I humbly beseech thee to look with thy tender compassions upon thy servant A. B. Give him faith to depend upon thee patience to submit unto thee and thy Spirit to comfort him in whatsoever afflictions thou shalt lay upon him Accept of his repentance and final preparation for the peace of his soul in Christ accept of his addresses to the throne of Grace hear and help when he calls upon thee Make his bed in the time of his sickness and provide for him all things needful in his distress both for soul and body If it be thy will raise him up to his former health but with an ingagement upon his Spirit to live answerable to thy mercies and deliverances and if it be thy will to take him out of this life O assist his Spirit in the terrours of a dying hour and receive his soul into the armes of thy mercy through Iesus Christ my blessed Saviour Amen A Prayer to be used by a woman great with child O Lord God who hast blest my womb with conception for which I praise thy providence and with that conception hast made me a partaker of the sorrow common to my sex for the sin of my first mother grant me a part in the promised seed of a woman my Lord Iesus who came to bruise the head of the Serpent And though he hath not delivered me from the trouble and miseries of my body yet O Lord give me deliverance by him from the sin of my soul Lord keep me from sad accidents and from an untimely birth Give my childe a perfect shape and fitted for right senses and a good understanding Grant it a naturall birth and me patience for the pain and a prepared soul for the perill of it when it shall be borne grant me a safe recovery my childe a timely Baptisme that it may afterward make profession of the faith of Christ and through thy grace may lead an holy life Through the same Iesus Christ my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer to be used before and in a journey Almighty and merciful Father who with thine eye of Providence that runneth through the world beholdest me wheresoever I am in all my wayes and actions who leddest thy people through the wildernesse by a marvelous guidance and didst direct with safety the Wise men by a Starre to our blessed Saviour Defend me in this my journey from all kinds of dangers from all temptations to sin and forgetfulness of thee from the hands of evill men and all sad accidents whatsoever Blesse my design and all my relations that I have left behinde me grant that I may go in safety and return in peace through the might and mediation of Christ my Saviour Amen A short Prayer to be used by all at their entrance into the Congregation And I desire it may be taught to children as a means to oblige them to a mindfulnesse of Gods service MOst dreadful Majesty who hast promised thy presence with them that are most met in thy Name give me grace to serve thee reverently as in thy presence and to perform my duty in thy worship acceptably to thy Glory Through Jesus Christ Amen An Exercise of Humiliation to assist humble penitents upon days of their private fasting and for a due examination of themselves before the receiving of the blessed SACRAMENT A PSALM O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure For thou art a God that hast no pleasure in wickedness neither shall any evill dwell with thee Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that work vanity Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sins For I acknowledg my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee only have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying and clear when thou judgest My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful unto my sinnes I will therefore confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sinne Turn thy face away from my sins and put out all my misdeeds For thy Names sake O Lord be merciful to my sin for it is great For my wickednesses are gone over my head and are like a fore burthen too heavy for me to bear Withdraw not thou thy mercie from me let thy loving kindness and thy truth alwayes preserve me O Lord let it be thy pleasure to deliver me make haste O Lord to help me Haste thee to help me O Lord God of my salvation The confession of sins I. O Lord God Judge of all men and actions I am a miserable
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.
such as were first disobedient to him And this way of God is most conspicuous in his dealing with his people the Jewes to whom those places in the question chiefly referre For his severity upon them was only unto such that first fell from him They had a day of mercy which they despised after which it was just with God to make it a time of hardening and excluding them from mercy Which when God shall so do what art thou O man that thou shouldst question his justice or reply against him who hath power as a Potter over his clay to make some vessells to honour and some to dishonour when some accept others reject and despise his grace Therefore Gods wayes are â—â—equal That this truth may yet be fully signified we argue that the stony and other unprofitable grounds wanted not their seed the unfruitful tree had its husbandry manuring and long forbearance before it was sentenced to be cut down The refusing guests at the great Supper had their invitation To conclude Ierusalem had a day of visitation in which they neglected the things of their peace before the fearful sentence was past that they should be hid from their eyes From all which it followes that to want grace to be hardened to be a vessel of dishonour can be no arguments to suspect God will deny such grace and sufficient spiritual assistancies but rather motives to beware of the abuse and neglect of grace when it is offered lest we forfeit our peace by neglecting the day of mercy Quest But further may I not fear to be shut out from grace and all hopes of salvation by a fatal and irrevocable reprobation from eternity the necessary consequence of an irrespective decree for the salvation of some Ans. I know some places of Scripture have administred occasion of endless dispute wherein men have waded as in the dark into an abyss of doubts of unfathomed depth and by their passionate disceptations even to uncharitablenesse about that which I am confident is no further revealed then what may make it necessary to be acknowledged a mystery and to put reason to a trial to submit to that which it could never comprehend by any enquiries have made conclusions about the point which in naturâ rei will have and must hinder and put a barre against a lively undertaking the purposes of strict Gospel-obediencence and weaken the applications of Gods grace in pressing endeavours to work out salvation by the performance of the conditions of the holy Covenant Therefore passing by the enumerations of the differing opinions of the divines both of the Romish and Protestant faith laying aside all examination of such secluse secrecies of God and all unnecessary disputes about them I set up my rest in this one thing that I am comfortably confident that whatsoever Gods election and predestination is it doth not contradict his promises of mercy nor his end of giving Christ unto the world both which by the universal scope of the Gospel are general and conditional And it is the doctrine of the Church of England in the end of the seventeenth Article that we must receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture and in our doings that will of God is to be followed whiâ—h we have expressely declared unto us in the Word of God Quest Another scruple yet occurres that if salvation through Christ shall be given to them only that perform the conditions when I consider the weakness of my faith the defects of my repentance and my innumerable failings in every part of the performancies of holy living I find nothing but arguments of discouragement and little hopes of being accepted to salvation How may I satisfy my soul in such a discomfort Ans. Though as it is evident that the faith repentance and holinesse of Gods best servants have ever been and shall ever be defective and imperfect they being unable through their corruptions perfectly to perform those Gospel-conditions yet is God pleased to accept of their faithfull and sincere endeavour to fulfill them For the state of Grace doth not necessarily suppose a soule exempt from all sin but from the reigning power rule and dominion of it and a safe condition towards God is not to be accounted by a freedome from all sinning who then could appeare before God and the reflections of his own concience with comfort but is to be collected by observation that the spiritual part hath the greatest predominancy in the thoughts affections designes and actions and that the lusts and carnall part are lesse and every day lessening by the power of the predominant grace In which estate the failings and defects being suddenly retracted and the soule humbled for them are unquestionably pardoned through the blessed plea and advocation of Christs precious merits and his never ceasing intercession Quest Now because you have mentioned such an hope of pardon by the merits of Christ I conceive it will tend much to thy satisfaction in the first attempt and in the whole course of obeying the Gospel rightly to understand what Christ hath merited for thee that thy soul may know what comforts to rejoyce in for what mercies to blesse God and what duties stand on thy account to be performed What therefore hath Christ as a Mediatour and Redeemer merited for thee Ans. A new Covenant of Grace whereby man being at present enmity with God might be reconciled to him and being in a lost estate might be recovered and redeemed to life and salvation Now the whole work of Redemption may be represented in these five effects of his death and mediation Quest What is the first Ans. Christ hath by his universal passion especially by his death and price of his blood satisfied and attoned the justice of God for the sins of the world to become effectual to the justification and salvation of as many as shall by faith accept of him upon his own terms receive his grace and sincerely perform the conditions of the Covenant Quest What is the second Ans. Christ hath merited that those conditions should not be like the lawes imposed upon the Iewes numerous troublesome full of business and attendance to shadowie rites and ceremonies but should become a light burden an easie and pleasant yoke and that his Commandements should not be grievous but should become approveable to right reason and acts in themselves of the greatest prudence and most conducible to the peace and felicity of all societies and persons Quest You see here a most blessed progresse of mercy to mankind first a dreadful justice satisfied which the sacrifice of worlds could never have done by the suffering of him that was both God and Man then secondly a condition propounded in a law which man could not but have given himself had God allowed him a capacity to have chosen one whereby to
commaudments That having run the race that is set before me I may obtain through thy undeserved mercie in Christ the perfect peace of thy presence for evermore Amen The Thanksgiving O Lord of Glory and Power whose eye of providence runneth through the world to guide govern and provide for all things in whom alone I live move and have my being and from whom I have received whatsoever comfort I enjoy O Lord my soul acknowledgeth thou hast done gracious things for me and hast given me a large portion of thy fatherly mercies every way I blesse thee that when thou formedst me in my mothers womb I received no signal defect in body or mind and that thou hast since kept them both from all fearful changes and deformities And that when the sentence of death was upon me in the common fall of Mankinde Lord thou gavest me thy dear Son to redeem my soul to a possibility of life I thank thee for every grace and good work that may evidence thy Spirit in me and for that I have not committed every grosse wickednesse to which nature and temptation have made me subject I praise thy Name O Lord for all the comforts I enjoy that concern this life my health peace liberty friends and livelihood and for the safety of my soul and body this night under the protection of thy sweet providence Keep me this day by the same fatherly goodnesse secure me from all sad accidents that attend upon my frail estate and most especially keep me from all offences to thy divine Majesty O let no temptation prevaile upon me nor let my soul give way to any occasion of evill Give me grace to perform to thee all that thou hast commanded me and all the good thou hast put in my power O let me so live this day as if this night following were to be my last sleep and to morrow the last judgement Through the might of Jesus Christ my Saviour Amen The intercâ—ssions are put after the evening prayer being to be used both after morning and evening exercises Evening PRAYER The addresse to God by way of worship in the morning Prayer the supplicant if he please may now use also Our Father which art in heaven c. The Confession MOst glorious Lord God that inhabitest eternity and art cloathed with Majesty and power I that am but dust and ashes and thy poor creature desire to fall low at the footstool of thy Glories magnifying thine excellencies and acknowledging my unworthiness to lift up mine eyes to heaven against which I have sinned or to appeal to those mercies which I have so much neglected and abused For Lord when I consider my self I am nothing but a masse of corruption and sin to which I have made all the faculties of my soul and members of my body which were created for good works and thy glory to become instrumental And all those excellent lawes which thou hast set before me to be the rule of my obedience I have both lightly regarded and wilfully transgressed in the whole course of my life Such O Lord as concern thy self and thy immediate worship I have either altogether omitted or carelesly perform'd in my dealings with men I have not so strictly as I should observed that rule of Christ to do to all men as I would they should do unto me neither have I been so carefull to observe the holy lawes of Christ concerning my self as I should in a temperate chaste and sober conversation And as I have contracted a heavie burthen upon my soul by the sinfulnesse of my whole life so have I this day in particular added much to my former wretched account For I have not restrained my thoughts from vain imaginations nor set a strict watch before the door of my lips to prevent sinful and impertinent discourses Lord I have been too dull remiss in thy service too negligent in the duties of my calling too carelesse of the opportunities of doing good to others And though thou hast given me this day as another day of grace yet I have made in it little ot no progress in the way of my salvation that shouldest thou deal with me according to the carriage of my soul this day before thee thou mightest justly deny me another day of mercie and leave me to my selfe and to the said wages of my sins for evermore For Pardon But O Lord my God whose mercies are over all thy works and hast graciously promised to forgive and to accept a poor penitent soul returning to thee in sorrow and true repentance have mercie upon me have mercie upon me O hide not thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in thy displeasure Remember not my sins and offences but think thou upon me according to thy great goodnesse And though I come to thee with a weak faith and an imperfect sorrow even with such a repentance as ought to be repented of yet Lord accept of me for I come in the plea of my Saviours blood that satisfied thy justice for all my sins Deny me not therefore O Lord the benefits of his blessed death and passion let my soul have a portion in the rich price of that blood by which I may have peace and reconciliation with thee my God for evermore Amen For Grace O merciful Father in the humble sense of my own insufficiencie not only not to do but not to think of any thing in concernment to my salvation without thy grace I do humbly beseech thee in thy tender compassions to help me with thy divine assistance that I may be able to live conformably to the example of Christ and the strict holinesse of the Gospel O convince my judgement that there is no peace nor profit in the wayes of sin and incline my will and ingage all my affections to the pursuit of spirituall things as the chiefest good Let not O Lord my carnal lusts and affections nor any thing that is desirable in the vaine world nor the policie of the devil deceive my soul to neglect my dutie to Christ or the things of my eternal peace Lord make me sincere and exemplarie in thy worship and service diligent in my calling and just in all my actions make me charitable to my power to all that want me and strictly sober chaste and temperate in my self and in the use of all thy creatures Lord help me to be such as I may please thee in all thy wayes and as I may comfortably appeare before thee when I come to death or judgement Through the might of Iesus Christ my blessed Saviour Amen Thanksgiving O Glorious Lord who art my good God and gracious Father thou hast from time to time given me large expressions of thy love and goodnesse even when for my rebellions against thee and forgetfulnes of thee I might before this time have been cast off from thy protection and made a spectacle of thy justice to others in some signal punishments O Lord how great