fruits thereof Matth. 3.11 which will burst forth as a flame of fire Q. Which be those fruites A. They be these First loue a Math. 22.37 Mark 12.29 Exod. 20.2 Deut. 6.2 to the Lord and his worde worshipping him in soule and bodye and b Iob 13.15 Iohn 14.15 depending vpon his prouidence both in prosperitie and aduersitie Secondly a full c Rom. 8.10 Luke 1.75 10.4.2 alteration in my self that I am dead to sinne and the maners of the world and that I am now giuen to delight in Gods word and the hearing of it d Heb. 3.12 1. Thes 5.14 Coloss 3.16 Iam. 5.20 to exhorte others vnto well doing especially e Iosh 20.15 Psalm 101. Ephes 6 4. those that are vnder my charge being f Psal 8.8 116.12 Rom. 12.1 Psal 50.14.15 1. Thes 5.16 thankefull to God for all his mercies in Christ Iesus vsing all exercises of Christianitie which tend to a godly and new life g Math 6.2 1. Cor 13.3 hauing charitie towardes all men and expressing the same by some signes of my loue and to conclude holding fast the holy h Heb. 25. Ephes 2.20.11.22 communion with the rest of the members whereof Christ is the head Q. How are these graces of the spirit obtained A. Euen by the same meanes that the spirit it selfe is obtained which is by faithfull prayer vnto God only that he will not harden our heartes cause vs to erre but giue the pledge of his spirit vnto vs the graces therof vide Psal 51.10 11. Isai 63.17 Psal 50.25 Q. Must wee praye for nothing but for our faith and the spirit A. Yes Act. a. 24.29 Ephes 6.18.19 1. Tim. 2.12 we must praye not onely for our selues but also for the whole Church especiallye hauing a care to aske those thinges at Gods handes which may most set foorth his glory as we are taught in the Lords prayer Q. Rehearse the Lordes prayer A. Our father which art in c. Q. How way we be assured that God will giue an aunswere to our prayer Iohn 16.23 1. Iohn 2.1 1. Pet. 25. Mark 11.24 Luke 11.9 A. First if we aske the thinges we néede in and for Christs sake Secondly if we aske in faith Q. What say you then to the prayer of the wicked A. They are vndoubtedly abhominable to the Lorde Prou. 1.28.29.30 28.9 not onely in respect that they want faith but also because they perfourme not obedience to the Lordes voyce when hee calleth but turne their eares from it Q. Rehearse now the summe of all that thou hast learned A. The summe of all is this 1 That I finde my selfe to be most miserable in respect of Gods lawe which condemneth me in my sinne In that it requireth I should loue God aboue all and my neighbour as my selfe and yet I violate the same both in thought worde and déede 2. That through Gods vnspeakeable fauour I finde remedy for my sin that although the Lorde hath giuen such a lawe as I cannot performe and kéep because no other lawe then such a perfect rule of righteousnesse would agrée with his nature therefore not by my owne deseruing but by the mercie of our Lord God in the death of his Son and our Sauiour the guiltines of my sinnes taken away and I am discharged 3 And lastly that I rest thankefull all my life long for this exceeding benefite and shewe foorth the fruites of my redemption by a righteous and holy conuersation springing from a liuely and true faith which is begotten by his worde and sealed by his Spirite This is the summe FINIS A Carde for Communicants to looke vpon before they presume to come to the Lordes Table fit to be learned of all that will not receiue vnworthelye Question HOw many thinges are to be regarded and learned of them that approche to the Lordes Table to receiue the holye misterie of his holye Supper Answere Principally one thing which is to examine themselues before they eate least not discerning the Lordes bodye they eate and drinke vnworthely and so the bread and wine be vnto them of no greater force then the supper was to Judas euen a seale of their condemnation Q. What meane you by discerning the Lordes Supper A. I meane that we must not come to the Lordes Table as to a common feast or banquet regarding onely the outward elements as though bread and wine were become our spirituall nourishment but that by the outward signes wee be ledde as it were by the hand to that which they signifie namely that Christ Jesus hath suffered the death of the crosse to take away my sinnes which are the cause of my condemnation and to bring me vnto euerlasting life through that fulnes of grace which resteth in him Q. You say the principall thing to be regarded is to examine our selues wherein dooth this examination consiste A. In these foure pointes especially which are not lightly to be considered off Q. Which be they tell me briefely A. 1. That I haue some knowledge to discerne the Lords body as is aforesaide and be able by a liuely and true saith to apply Christ and all his merites to my soule for my consolation comfort least otherwise by hauing no féeling of Gods mercie loue towards me the Sacrament doe appeare to be but a dead letter vnto me 2. That I finde my selfe inwardly and truely grieued for all my sinnes both lesser and greater yea for all my idle wordes and vnprofitable workes and for all sinnes whatsoeuer whether actuall or originall and that I purpose not to sinne againe for any pleasure or prosite whatsoeuer but to behaue my selfe before him all the dayes of my life in performance of all holy duties according to his worde 2. That as I sée by the breaking or cutting of the bread and powring out the wine that Christs bodie and bloud was deuided broken and powred out for my sinne so to finde my heart lyfted vp vnto God and prepared to giue humble and heauenly thankes vnto him as for all his mercies so especially for those present benefites which we sée before our eyes and pertake at his holy Table And to conclude to bee as ready to be broken slaine for Christs sake as he was for mine by taking vp his crosse and following him 4. And lastly as I finde by the vewe of all these mercies that God loueth me vndeseruedly so that I finde and féele my selfe readie to loue all men in like sorte though they deserue it not yea my very enemies Q. Are these sufficient rules to examine our selues by A. These being conceaued in our heads imprinted in our heartes and expressed in our lyues will further our worthie receiuing to our euerlasting comforte Certaine formes of Thankesgiuing Grace before meate O Gracious and blessed Lorde God who giuest al things abound antly to thy seruants and féedest them in due season we humbly beséeche thée to sanctifie these thy good creatures prouided for vs forgiuing our sinnes which haue deserued the contrary Vouchsafing for Christs sake to giue vs a sober and moderate vse of thy creatures so that whatsoeuer strength wée receiue from them we may bestowe the same in thy seruice to the setting foorth of thy glory in thy onely Sonne our Lord and blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus Grace after meate WE thanke thy Maiestie most mercifull and heauenly Father for these and all thy mercies vpon our selues and all thy people beseeching thée of thy Fatherlye goodnesse to continue thy fauour vppon vs and vpon thy whole Church To send thy word into all places and to graunt a continuall increase of the faithfull disposers thereof To blesse our Prince and countrey to be mercifull to all our sinnes Comforte all the afflicted members of Christ arme vs against the day of tryall Shorten these dayes of sinne and increase our faith euermore Graunt these and all good graces euen for Christ Iesus sake to whome with thée and the holy spirite be al honour praise and glory for euer Amen A thankesgiuing to be vsed after Cathechising WE magnifie thy name O Lorde our God for thy patience and vse of thy word at this and al other times beséeching thy Maiestie to pardon our vnreuerent handling of the same and to write in our heartes the thinges which wee haue learned and giue vs the practise thereof in our liues Lorde continue thy fauour still towardes vs by giuing a long prosperous reigne to our gratious Soueraigne that vnder her godly and peaceable gouernement we may still enioye this libertie to thy glory and our comfortes both now and for euer Amen FINIS
6.16.1◠Rom. 5.14 15 ad 20. in eating of the forbidden trée they themselues became not onelye sinfull and accursed Gal. 3 22. Psal 14.1 3. but haue left vnto vs who doe succéede them the inheritance of their sinne which wee call originall sinne Q. What then shall wee thinke of our selues that are thus corrupted A. Surely that by nature we are the children of disobedience wrath Ephes 2.1 ◠3. Ro. 7.19.20 23 prone to that which is euill and vntoward to that which is good for this originall sinne hath so infected both soule and bodie that we can doe nothing but transgresse Gods lawes Que. What call you transgression Ans Transgression is the breathe of the Lawe Rom. 7.7 Deut. 5.21 which the Apostle calleth sinne Q. Doth God allow of this sinne or may we think our selues not to be any whit the worse or lesse blessed because we are sinfull A. God forbid we should so thinke for as we sinne and breake Gods laws dayly in thought Psal 19.12 Gen. 6.5 Eccles 7.22 1. Iohn 1.8 Math. 5.19.22 Rom. 6.23 Gal. 3.10 Iam. 2.10 word and déede so by the iustice of God we deserue eternall death bothe of soule and bodye for the least of our sinnes though it bee but in thought and in all our life as the due and deserued stipend thereof Q. This being so that wee by nature can doe nothing and sinne deseruing death what are wee to doe for remedie in this case A. We are herein principally to obserue foure things without the which our estate is but miserable Q. I pray you rehearse them vnto me that I maye discerne whether you know them or no. A. First Rom. 7.7.9.10.11 I am to praye to God to open my eyes that I may beholde my selfe and sée how I am conuicted of my sinne by his lawe and haue incurred his wrath against me for the same 2 I am to repent and to forsake this my sinne 2. Act. 3.19 Ioell 2.12.13 Ier. 3.14.15.22 which hath brought vppon me this condemnation and misery 3 I must vppon this repentance séeke onely for remedy in Christ Iesus 3. Iohn 3.16 Math. 11.28 1. Iohn 2.1 Ephes 2.9 Act. 4.12 Gall. 2.21 and not trust to any good workes or deseruings of my owne 4 And lastly I must haue assurance of faith be stedfastly perswaded that Iesus Christe by his holy sufsufferinges 4. Heb. 11.6 Iam. 1.6 Gall. 3.13 Iohn 14.18.26.27 Rom. 8.15 Heb. 4.16 hath appeased the wrath of his father hath eased me of the burthen of my sinnes and will not onely quicken me by his comforting spirit but restore me hereby from death vnto life Q. How hath Iesus Christ thus effected our peace and deliuerance frō so great punishment A. Because as hee was man Ephes 5.30 1. Tim. 1.15 Esay 53.5 1. Pet. 2.24 Rom. 4.25 Colloss 1.19.20 2.15 hee suffred for sinne in that nature in the which it was committed vz. in mens nature and so satisfied Gods iustice by that one oblation of his owne body and blood for our attonement secondly being God he was able to ouercome and breake the bonds of death and so wholy and fully to effect my saluation Q. Hauing thus escaped the terror and cursse of death tell me more plainely howe thou attainest euerlasting life A. Christe Iesus hauing accomplished perfect righteousnes Psal 32.2 Iohn 14.16 17. Iohn 17.13 21 22 23 24. it is mine by imputation and being sanctified by the fulnes of his spirite which hee hath receiued hee doth offer and present vs to the father crauing that wee may be partakers of euerlasting life and glorie with him Q. Shall all be pertakers of this life and glorie A. Iohn 1.12 3.18 Iohn 20.8 Gal. 3.11 Habak 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Heb. 10.10.38 Noe not anye but the true and faithfull belieuers who can applye Christs death to themselues by a liuely faith the summe of which faith is contained in the Apostles Créede Q. Rehearse the Creede A. I belieue in God c. Q. What call you Faith A. It is the gifte of God Iohn 6.29 1. Iohn 3.23 1. Iohn 5.12 13 and as the hand of the soule to laye holde on Christ and his merites and all good things which are offered and promised in him Q. How may we attaine to this Faith A. First 1. Iohn 2.20 3.24 4.13 by the inwarde meanes which God hath appoynted to worke the same in vs secondly by the outward ordained for that purpose Q. Which is the outward meanes ordained A. The preaching of the word and ministration of the gospell Rom. 10.14 Gal 4.19 Ephes 4.11 1. Thes 5.19.20 which if we neglect to receiue and practise we shall be void of all saith and so consequently of all saluation Q. Hath GOD appointed anie meanes to confirme this faith A. Yes the blessed Sacramentes 1. Cor. 11.17 of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus Q. How many Sacramentes be there A. Two Baptisme and the Lordes Supper as appeareth Rom. 4.11 1. Cor. 10.2 3. Act. 2.26 Math. 21.25 28.19 26.26 Q. What is a Sacrament A. An outward and holy signe ordeined by God himselfe and by the confirmatiō of the word applyed therevnto representeth spirituall and inuisible graces vnto vs to manifest Gods fauour towards vs and to confirme our Faith Q. What call you Baptisme and what benefite haue you by it A. Baptisme is the seale of my regeneration vniting to Christ Rom. 4.6 Acts 22.16 1. Pet. 3.21 Colloss 2 11. Tit. 3.5 whereas before I was a bond-slaue to fathan And it assureth me that as my bodie is wached with water so by the death of Christ my soule is washed frō sinne in his bloud and from the guilte and punishment of sinne And to conclude it teacheth me that by Christes death I should learne to dye vnto sinne and by his resurrection arise to holynes oflife which is the newe birth Q. What are you to obserue in the Lordes Supper and what dooth it represent vnto vs A. It assureth me by the operation of the spirit Luke 22.19.22 Iohn 6.53.54.55.56 58. that nowe being receaued by Baptisme into Gods family I shall be nourished with the liuing bread and water of the bodye and bloud of Christe as my bodye is refreshed with the outwarde vse of bread and wine and that as surely as the bread is broken and the wine is powred out so assuredly the body of Christ was broken and his bloud shed for my sinne Q. How may a man knowe whether he haue this faith which is begotten by the worde and confirmed by the Sacraments A. The principall and chiefest signe thereof is the spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9.10.11.14.15.16 which is the seale and pledge of our adoption and the earnest penny of our Saluation and this spirit is in none effectually but in Gods elect Q. How shall wee decerne whether this spirit be in vs or no A. By the
truely call vppon him but perish in his ignorance Iam. 10.23 and bee numbred amongst the enemes of God Therefore as thou louest the Lord thy owne soule and the soules of thy family delay not deferre not but procure prouide a Bible aboue all thinges else whatsoeuer God giue thée this grace 3 The Scriptures of God contained in the holy Byble being thus prouided It is next to bee obserued that the word and prayer bee alwaies ioyned together viz. At al times before we humble our selues to praier to read one chapter for the better stirring vs vp to that holy dutie that is to say Before morning prayer one Chapter out of the olde Testament beginning at Genesis and at night also before euening prayer a Chapter out of the newe Testament And if any place as wee reade séemeth hard vnto vs it is good rather with reuerence to let it passe then with rashnesse to enterpret the same wayting with patience till that either by some learned expositor godly preacher or some other place of scripture we can attain to find out the sence of the place alwaies hauing a care to obserue those places that séeme hard vnto vs till wee haue learned the true vnderstanding of them ¶ Before the reading of the worde and Cathechising vse this short Prayer O Lord open our eyes that we may sée the wonderfull things and excellent doctrines which are written in thy word and may receiue comfort by thy gracious promises contained in the same Let vs learne hereby more perfitly to hate sinne and loue righteousnesse and graunt that wee may so vnderstand the things which wee heareâ— and so beléeue the things which we vnderstand and praysing that which wee beléeue that we may bee more more able to glorifie thy name in this world and be fully confirmed in assured hope of that glorie prepared for the faithfull in the world to come Amen 4 The word being thus read with reuerence and care then let the Gouernours Here obâ—erue that 〈◊〉 that wil perswade vs that all 〈◊〉 sport 〈◊〉 Gods 〈◊〉 is too much and so will breed tediousnes in vs. together with their whole family humbly fall downe on their knees and the Master himselfe or one in his absence whome hee shall appoint to be the mouth for all and with a true heart inuocate vpon God as followeth Morning Prayer O Most glorious and blessed Lorde God who art the Father of mercie and fountaine of all grace and goodnes Thou Lord who hast commaunded vs that in all our distresses wee should come vnto thée and offring our prayers vnto thée with a right hart and true faith in the name of Christ hast promised to heare vs behold Lord euen before thée who hast thus commaunded and promised we sinfull and vnrighteous creatures doe humble our selues at this time both in our soules and bodies beséeching thy excellent Maiestie to looke from heauen with thy mercifull fauour vppon vs accepting our praiers which we shall powre out before thée and directing vs so to prefer the same vnto thy holinesse that thou mayest accept them in Christ Iesus We confesse O Lord God of heauen that we are most vnworthie to appeare before thee and more vnworthie to obtaine any fauour at thy gratious hands in regarde of the infinite hainous offences which we haue committed against the puritie and excellent vertue of thy lawes which condemne vs in our sinnes and reuealed vnto vs our rebellion and vnthankfulnes For O Lord wee haue a lawe in our members resisting and fighting against the law of our mindes whereby through the infirmitie and vanitie of the fleshe we finde in our selues no pronenes to that which is good nor any courage to resist the thinges which are euill and this our vntowardnesse is so much the greater by howe much the more wee violate thy will and transgresse thy holy precepts not onely in ignorance but also in knowledge and many times against knowledge both gréeuously and fearefully so that thy authoritie on the one side nor thy mercies on the other haue neither moued nor allured vs to obey or serue thée as we ought to haue doone and these our sinnes which are sufficient to condemne vs go not alone but haue too many companions for O Lord our infidelitie impaciencie hardnes of heart abuse of thy patience contempt of thy worde and little profiting by it are erdinarie sins into the which we fal daily wee being such by nature as estéeme more of our owne pleasures and profites then of thy glorious blessed seruice our harts as corrupt fountaines yéelding foorth nothing but distrust of thy prouidence hypocrisie couetousnes carnall and worldly concupiscences and neglect of all good duties towwards thée and all men the flesh continually rebelling against the spirite so that O Lorde if thou shouldest haue dealt with vs according to iustice wée had all perished in these our sinnes and ignorances before this present therefore obteining this fauour to come before thée we vnfeignedly confesse that against thée O Lord euen against thée alone we haue committed these sinnes and wickednesses beséeching thy Maiestie to pardon our ignorance blindnes that we cannot see them more fully and confesse them more penitentlye then now we doe wherein wee must néedes acknowledge our sinnes to bee the greater by how much the lesse our repentaunce appeareth to bee at this houre Yet forasmuch as that O Lorde God thou hast reuealed thy selfe in thy word to be God of infinite mercy and goodnes to them that truely repent come vnto thée in the name of Christ Iesus Wee are hereby imbouldned to humble our selues before thy Maiestie beseeching thee for Christ his sake to touch our harts with vnfained sorrow and true contricion for all these all other our sinnes graunt we may both so sée and abhorre our guiltines and filthines that wee may obtaine mercie forgiuenes through his precious death and passion which we beséeche thee to accept as a ful satisfaction for the same wiping them all out of thy booke of remembraunce that they may neuer be laid to our charge nor rise vp in iudgement against vs. Giue vs a lyuelie and true faith to lay holde on these thy mercies promises vnto vs in him that wée may be able to resist all the fierie darts of the deuill And as wee craue this grace for that which is past so let it please thée of thy Fatherly mercie to assist strengthen vs in the residue of our life to performe and accomplish all that obedience which thy Maiestie requireth of vs and as thou art our Father so regarde vs as thy children and send down the power of thy Spirit into our hearts that wée considering how thou sittest in the heauens and searchest the secrets of all mens hearts may haue continuall care to set our affections on thinges which are aboue and not on thinges which are beneath but if that thy wisdome power goodnes mercie and trueth or