now and for ever Amen An Evening Prayer for a Family Let our Prayer be set before God as Incense and the lifting up of our hands as the Evening sacrifice O Eternall most glorious and most gracious Lord God thou who art rich in mercy and abundant in goodnesse and truth We thine unworthy Servants here prostrate before the footstool of thy sacred Majesty doe humbly confesse and acknowledge our many and manifold sinnes and transgressions As how shapen in wickednesse and conceived in sin when Children bred up altogether in childishnesse when growing strong strengthning our selves in wickednesse giving up our whole selves as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sin our hearts hardned to ill workes our understandings dulled our wils refractory and our whole affections crooked and perverse our heads set to plotand contrive mischiefe our hands to handle iniquity our tongues to cursing swearing lying filthy and corrupt communication our eyes to looke upon and behold vanity our feet ready and swift to stand in the way of sinners and to walke in the counsell of the ungodly So as both within and without from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot there is no whole part in us but we are altogether full of putrified sores sores of abominable sin and wickednesse As to the things of thy service and the advancement of thy glory how have we neglected and omitted our almost every pious duty As to our Neighbours good how intemperate have we beene in pride and envy in willfullnesse and uncharitablenesse to break all the Christian and godly bands of unity How have our words actions and intentions perverted the better practices both of our selves and others O Lord I what have we not done but might justly draw downe thy vengeance on us Yet O Lord there is mercy with thee As consequent to this our humble confession let us implore that mercy and desire thine all fatherly goodnesse to remove from us thy judgements and to prevent all further evils that might justly come on us for our sins Yea and the better to prevent those evils prevent our sins and let us cast away from us those our beloved those our darling sins to which our perverse nature is too much prone and inclined Let no temptation of Satan deceive us let no allurements of the world or flesh pervert us Soften our hearts enlighten our understandings rectifie our wils strenthen our affections reise up and revive our dead and benumned Consciences Let no wandring imaginations seduce us and in thy mercies washed let us not relapse into our old mire of sin Let not heresie schisme infidelity or Apostacy blemish the truth of our Religion Let not Wars Famine Plague or scarsity blain the happinesse of our healthfull prosperity No O Lord let not any evill whither of sin or punishment impaire or thy glory or our good Nor is it onely sin that thus brings us on our knees or the evill of sin that requires from us deprecations of evils but our parts also it is to supplicate thy farther mercies that thoâ— wouldst be pleased to grant a continuance of the happinesse we have and to supply us with the good blessings we want and have not Give us O Lord understanding hearts and cleer judgements to see our sins Give us O Lord humble wils and holy affections to hate and abandon those our sins And Lord give us true repentance to bewaile those our sins And for the furthering of all those graces further us and furnish us with the assistance of thy good spirit of grace supply that we want strengthen increase the grace we have O Lord so blesse every one of us in our severall places and callings as that we may truly become Instruments of thy glory to doe the will of thee our loving Lord and Master here that hereafter we may receive the Crowne of righteousnesse which thou haste prepared for all those that doe it When to conclude our Prayers give us leave to praise thee and give thee humble thankes for all thy mercies that for our sins thou hast not totally consumed us But to further thy glory and our good hast elected us before the foundation of the World created us in time after thine own Image redeemed us from the power of Satan by the more powerfull passion of thy Christ and our Jesus We thanke thee our Lord for our Christian calling and vocation wrought in us by the inward operation of thy spirit and the outward preaching and ministery of thy Word for our justification in Christ our measure of sanctification here and our hopefull â—ssurance of glorification hereafter yea for all thy blessings and benefits we now and ever yeeld thee a thankefull acknowledgement Nor for our selves are we onely thus suppliant but O Lord let our prayers extend also to the good both of our selves and others Be ever therefore gracious to thy Spouse the Church c. Here againe goe on as occasion seemes as in the generall Prayer When as reflecting upon the Church pray that God would purge her from Schisine and Heresie and as to all the Members of both Church and Common-wealth that he would reconcile all the differences of Opinions among us that in his good time we may not onely obtaine but keepe the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace When you may conclude thus BLesse us all O Lord pardon our sinnes this day passed and let us have quiet rest this Night to come that the day following and so all the dayes of our lives we may still study and strive the advancement of thy glory our own and our Neighbours good And this and whatever else necessary for us grant us O Lord even for thy Sons sake Christ Jesus In whose Name and Words concluding these our imperfect Prayers come we unto thee in that his most perfect saying as he hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven c. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the sweet and comfortable fellowship of God the Holy Ghost be with us blesse preserve and keepe us this Night following and for ever Amen The End
the Scriptures being silent let us not press the knowledge of the place but rather duly prepare our selves wherever and whensoever it be that also being uncertaine I meane so as to us uncertaine but certainly knowne to God t Mat 24 26 Act 17 30 that Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead which is our fourth note in this Article The quick they that u 1 Cor 15 51 then shall be found alive and the dead all them sleeping in their dust from the first man Adam to the last that ever shall dye all others whoever w Rom 14 10 all the world x Act 17 31 2 Cor 5 10 And all in this manner shall then appeare in Judgement where shall be Christ the Judge sitting on his throne of glory with his Assessors the twelve Apostles y Mat 19 28 on theirs assenting to his glory and judgement Then the Parties to appear at this judgement all Natitions z Mat 25 31 32 When this shall be the proceeding of it The cause shall be pleaded the good and the bad severed one from another a vers 33 When they that have done good shall go into life everlasting b vers 34 they that have done evill into everlasting fire c vers 41 Applic. That first there shall be a Judgement a general Judgement of all at the last day may teach us all carefullnesse in faith and holinesse to prepare for it to repâ—nt us of our sins done to others d â—uk 12. 58. not to repine at injuries done unto us by others e 1 Cor. 4. 4. as knowing there is a righteous Judge shall take due cognizance of both which is Christ When secondly that he is the Judge labour should we to be found in him as without whom all is but as losse f Phâ— 3. 78 and but in him no life at all g Rom. 8. 1. To avoid whose severer sentence and happily to hand his milder one see we that we displease not this Judge but labour we in all we may to please him h 2 Cor. 5. 10. That thirdly Christ shall certainly come from heaven though uncertaine it be where he shall judge may prompt us to prepare for him when and wherever he comes From that uncertainty of his coming gathering that this is our certaine duty at all times to looke for his coming patiently to waite for that his coming i Hab. 2. 3. Then fourthly that come he shall to judge quicke and dead may hint us the impartiall proceeding at this Tribunall when now there will be no excuse of appearance no shifting off this appearance but that all shall appeare Let then all duly prepare for it Labour to be of the number of the godly who then shall be called to glory and be carefull not to be of the number of the ungodly shall then go into condemnation which may teach us by well living to love the presence of Christ who then shall present us to this glory and not by ill living to incur that condemnation but as of fire the tormenting Agent to be as much affraid of doing or committing sinne the cause of this torment as of running headily into the fire the tormentor Come we now next to expound the third part of the Creed which some make all the Articles following othersome onely that one that next followes which is the VIII Eighth Article I beleeve in the holy Ghost where is to be considered these two particulars as first what or who the holy Ghost is and then secondly what we must beleeve as touching the holy Ghost As to the first The holy Ghost is a Spirit as God is and is even the same or that very God that is a Spirit k Jo. 4 24 is the third Person in the Trinity distinct from the other two also distinct persons Father and Son a reall subsistence though one be the substance of all three and that God l Act. 5 3 4. 1 Jo. 5 7 He is called Spirit because of his spirituall being not that more a Spirit he is then or Father or Son but that spired or breathed he is by them both and breathes in the hearts of Gods chosen And holy he is called not that properly he is more holy then any of the rest of the Persons for they also have this like Title or attribute of holy both the Father m Jo 17 11 and the Son n Act 4 30 are termed holy yea men o 2 Pet 1 21 women p 1 Pet 3 5 Angels q Mark 8 38 have sometimes this Epithet of holy but that his proper office it is to sanctifie and make holy r 1 Cor 12 3 11 by him to acknowledg Christ of him to receive what ever gift or grace he hath he rules s Act 2 4 he leades t Rom. 8 14 he regenerats u Mat 3 11 he teacheth w Jo 16 13 he comforts x Act 5 41 he confirmes y Jo 14 16. And as he is this all so 2. this all must we beleeve this ought to be every particular mans Creed as of Father and of Son so also of the holy Ghost I beleeve must be every ones Profession of every one of them of this third Person the holy Ghost as well as of the first or second Father or Son to beleeve as we have said a distinct person a true God equall to both Father and Son though a distinct subsistence another person yet for substance the same God though proceeding from Father Son all three one God from whom all good cometh z Jam 1 17 yet as holy Ghost the third Person the distributer dispenser of that good as of knowledge a 1 Cor 2 12. utterance b Act 2 4. love c Cal. 5 22. joy peace d and the whatever like gifts and graces holy men are endued with Applic. That first the holy Ghost is thus God as God let us love and honour him by faith and obedience make our selves fit Temples for him d 1 Cor. 6 19. by sin not to grieve or reject him e 1 Cor. 3. 16. Eph. 4. 30. And then secondly that he is the Author of holâ—nesse may teach us faithfully to acknowledge that Author not to any power of our own but to him to ascribe the working of it by the energy of his word and working to accost still our Christianity to come to Christ by him f 1 Cor. 12 3. by them both to God g 1 Jo. 4. 12 13 14 15. And thus much of the third part the fourth and last followes in the following Articles of which next Or otherwise we may consider this Creed being as saith a Father the Rule how to order our faith concerning God and the Church of God as divided into these two Parts first of God secondly of the Church of God 1. Of God that as already explained there are three
any the over-sollicitous cares of earth or earthly things put over any our care of heaven or the things of heaven but with our owne estate what ere it be let 's learne therewith to be content if prosperous to praise thee our God for that prosperity if in adversity or under the Crosse that patiently we may beare it Turne O turn away those whatever wofull punishments our sins have justly deserved and the better to turne away those punishments for sin turn us away from those our sins that so from both them we turne unto thee our God And that thou wilt be thus propitious we beg not only for our selves here assembled but became also Petitioners both in our Prayers and Praises for In our Prayers that thou wilt blesse and be favourable to thy holy Catholike Church wheresoever dispersed or howsoever distressed defend all and every the members of it let not any the little Lambs there of be by Sin Satan or the World made to stray from out of that little flock thou hast reserved the Kingdome for But them already called to thy fold keep Lord and blesse them in it and them as yet without the Pale thereof bring in in thy good time that at last we may become one fold under one Shepherd And to the furthering thereof as thy Sons Coat was without seame so make and keepe the garment of that thy spouse the Church to be without schism that by any our divided opinions the Enemy what ever that is vigilant to sow sedition among us may not at any time so get the advantage over us as to breake our unity from thee our God or our amity unto goodnesse and so instead of being knit unto thee by it we be severed by the Babel of his lewd confusion Here now next as occasion serves are we to pray for the Common-wealth in generall wherever we live in that God will blesse it with peace and plenty and for the happy support thereof for the supreme Magistrates of State whatever for the Ministry Soldiery and whole People of God in generall that they all in their severall places and callings may make God and godlinesse their aime Then as need shall require for any one in speciall for the obtaining any blessing wanting for the turning away any emergent evill â—present or to come As for a sick person sick whither in body or mind or boâ—h or under whatever crosse or calamity that God will gratiously looke down upon him visite him with his mercy and relieve him in that what ever his exigencie That if so be it may stand with his good pleasure he may againe recover the strength of both mind and body be freed and exempted from any whatever crosses or afflictions he may so groan under comfortably to walk in his holy and Christian vocation Or if by it he be to be brought to his grave that while waiting for that he may have in that Gods mercy favour grace and comfort to that with patience he may attend till his change come whatever Gods good will and pleasure whither living or dying be so united unto God that in the end he may obtaine Salvation For a woman intravell of Child-birth that God will be gracious to her though by the fate of sin at that present destinated to great pain that he will yet favourably deliver her out of it and by a blessed issue mitigate the sorrow of hers it must be born with that both in God and it she may have after much joy and comfort that she as a faithfull Hannah may with her young Samuel intend most and eâ—er Gods service Thus and the like may be the Prayers The Prayes thus as For one delivered from any such like sickness crosse or calamity either the party himselfe by himselfe to pray or others for and with him that God will accept the Generall acknowledgment of his Grace and favour to the whatever person so delivered As For one recovered from sicknes of body or minde that after in the strength of both he may grow in strength of grace and goodnesse or freed from other crosses or calamities in that freedome then and ever by his thankfullnesse that he acknowledg that Gods especial favour to him that more then the skil of Chyrâ—rgians or Phyâ—itians means ordained of God for the ease and reliefe of sick people more then of friends favours to expedit also out of miseries that yet Gods grace and mercy is the supreame meane of health and happinesse that though by them brought onwards sometimes unto it yet that that must be it must Crowne the happinesse For a woman delivered that God be acknowledged as in travel her only support so after her chiefe comfort that for therein his especiall favour he have therefore an especiall gratitude praise for that whatever his goodnes And that as he was thus propitious to her that she may be sedulous to magnifie and ever to praise him for it that by a safe deliverance granting her desire her still after-desires may be to maintaine his glory That by his blessing on the fruite of her wombe there may stil be an increase of blessings to the setting forth of that his glory an addition still to the number of Christs faithfull ones For any whoever departed in the faith and feare of God If notwithstanding any the former prayers God saw it best and had decreed it otherwise to take him to himselfe that he have our praise also for that goodnesse that hath not onely by life and health and peace prosperity here a comfortable assistance for his people but even in and after death a more glorious life an health without any danger of impaire peace without perturbation prosperity without end or diminution So as not only comfortable is the life of the godly but pretious in Gods sight their death also So as even for Gods favours to the thus departed our praise is also due unto him And then aefter thus to proceed to a Conclusion with thankes for whatever blessing Let O Lord these our both prayers and Prayses as allwayes acceptable so alwayes be seasonable in thy sight And for that our allways both acceptable and seasonable offerture of them keep in us humble and prepared hearts that in nothing we be wanting for the whatever and whenever due accomplishment of them And then O Lord when ever and whatever this according to thy Will we pray for or praise thee for be with us still auspitious to both And in both and for both and whatever else requisite for us grant us Lord we beseech thâ—e for thine owne sake and for the sake of thy Son Christ our Saviour In whose name and words the name onely by which we are saved and the Words the most exact and perfect patterne of prayer we conclude these our imperfect Prayers saying as he hath taught us to pray unto thee saying Our Father which art c. Blessing and glory honour and might and majesty be
to our God who dwelleth in inaccessible light whose love blessings and comfort love of God as our deare and loving father blessing of Christ as his dear son and our Saviour comfort of the Holy ghost that proceedeth from them both to comfort and establish us in the truth 3 persons and one God be with us and be by us and all the Church of God ever called upon and blessed to the blessing and preserving of our soules from whatever siâ— our bodies from whatever sicknesses or calamities our estates from whatever ruine and destruction Now and for ever Amen A Morning Prayer for a Familie O come let us worship and bow down and kneele before the Lord our maker O eternall everliving and everloving Lord God and saviour thou that art most powerfull yet gratious most just yet merciful too rich in graces and superabundant in goodnes give us O give us both of that thy grace goodnesse that in this humble offerture of our morning Exercise we be duly prepared for it And that in the first place in the due acknowledgment of our many and manifold sins and transgressions that though we thus come nigh thee in this weighty busines of prayers praises yet shouldest thou come nigh us and weigh us in the ballances of thy justice we might be found lighter then vanity so horrid so hideous have been our sins so many so infinite our transgressions So as whilest looking on them alas what can we look for but a fearefull downefall to death and damnation Ouâ— pride our covetousnes our drunkennes our deboyshery or deceit our hypocriasic our neglect of thy word our disobedience to thee our God despite to our neighbours an aggravation of that desobedience with whatever other breach of thy blessed commandments have so far broken in upon us that when but seriously laying it to heart we may not have heart to hope our aÌ„y wise evading that downfal Yea so besotted are we with sin that notwithstanding our daily both hearing and handling thy blessed word we heare but heede it not yea we know what 's good but practise it not A sort of arrand hypocrites we are that mock thine house of prayer thy word thy sacraments and whatever other seemly ducies of Religion and devotion bâ—t stales to our lewdersin cloaths to cover our licenciousness Yea and too too oft the very practise of prayer but a practise also to bolster up our carnall desires not therein heeding the due Method end of it thy endlesse praise and our eternall Salvation No though covertly so contemne thy word we do by our careless unconscionable regard of doing thereafter so grieve thy good spirit by our sin so abuse thy mercy by our presumption so forget thy judgments cauteriz'd as t' were and hardned in that sin presumption that looking upon us so many sinkes of sin so many presumptuous vassalls of indignation what can we expect but our portion with the wicked and with them that forget God but to be turned into hell the place appointed for the Devill and his Angels Bâ—t yet O Lord there is mercy with thee weigh us in the ballanees of that when then our hopes may be it may poize down the scale of thy justice and being turned from our sins by thy mercy we may so evade the fury of thy justice and by true faith timely repentance happy sanctification of life knowledge of thy will love of thy name zeale of thy glory sincerity for thy truth boldnesse in the profession of thy word perseverance in godlinesse and goodnesse patience under whatsoever crosse or calamity contentment with our whatever estate so arme us against the evill of sinne the evill of punishment may not fray us so order our steps to God by good that no step be made to either of those evils When to further our dayly morning exercise yea our alwayes excecises in these like duties what especial obligations have we as thy continual mercies which should stir up our continual thankfulnesse for those thy mercies our own miseries which should also force our prayers for the continuance of those thy mercies thy mercies that we are not confounded our miseries that they become not that our confusion Let us O let us in a due acknowledgement of those thy mercies both to free us from and prevent our those whatever miseries let us make conscience of all our doings not to do any thing contrary to the law of good conscience but as directing to that good Conscience to go by the rule and directions of thy good word in the Scriptures and be guided by the dictates of thy good spitit in that Word Try we thereby and prove we all our thoughts examine we thereby and therein all our words and works that so we may seek thee our good God in all and find thy good grace in the execution of our goodnesse Nor for our selves O Lord let 's onely become thus suppliant to thee but let our prayers also extend to the good both of our selves and others and be now next extended for a blessing upon thine holy Catholike Church c. Here go on as occasion serves as in the genenerall Prayer till you come thus to conclude And now O Lord having thus made a tender of our bounden duty in this our first offerture of this morning worke of thine in thus calling upon thee be favourable now next to us in the workes of our owne callings that by effecting them to our comfort we may effect them also to thy glory That even every one of us in our severall places and callings may as not onely thus opening the day thy glory by this thy worke bâ—t by thy goodnesse may goe through with it to our comfort in our own workes When now to conclude these our imperfect requests we have thus made to thee both for our selves and others imperfect in as much as many things are omitted we should pray for for our selves many things omitted we should praise thee for to supply that imperfection of both our prayers and praises let us now at last make our addresse unto thee for them in that most absolute forme that perfectly compriseth them all saying as our Saviour himselfe hath taught us to say unto thee Our Father which art in Heaven c. The peace of God which passeth all understanding preserve us in peace and keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and understanding of him our God and Father that his out-stretched arme be our defence stretched out in the mercifull exhibition of his Sonne Christ our Saviour Whose salvation let be our auspicious aid and that made good to us by the grace of that good spitit of grace the holy Ghost the Comforter he hath sent to be with us To which Father of peace Son of mercy holy Spirit of comfort and consolation three Persons and one God be by us and all the faithfull ascribed all honour and glory praise power might Majesty and Dominion