perswade his brethren to iustice and loue Act. 10. Remember how Cornelius and his houshold feared God Nowe then beloued as you loue the Lorde as you tender your owne soules and your charges as you beare naturall affection to your common safetie and happines I beseeche you in the bowels of Iesus Christ indeuour to these thinges both small and great that you may profite in the worke of your saluation so shall you be famous in the church of God common weale you shal glad the soules of vs that labor amongst you in the word you shal bring glory to God eternal happines to your selus in the day of Christ Iesus Let Gods boke be orderlie read with reuerēce daily in your families let prayer be exercised in your housholdes and vouchsafe to helpe them in this small Catechisme that they may be fitte for further instruction Giue dilligence to harken to the word of lyfe and to put in vre these fewe prayers in this little booke or other with humilitie reuerence a liuelie sence and feeling of your miserie faith thankfulnes hope and with vnfained desire of profiting in all dueties of fayth and loue towards God your brethren For I liue if you stande in the fayth and sith God hath vouchsafed the blessed tidinges of saluation vppon you in the ministrie of hys word embrace it with thankfulnes and studie for all christian peace and vnitie among your selues fearing God furthering his holye religion and all dueties of loue among men that so our Towne may flourishe and prosper in all thinges otherwise wee can hope of no blessing at the hand of God There is great cause why care should bee hadde heerein Your Towne bordering vppon the sea is in perrill to forraine inuasions and to be steyned with the corrupt manners of other Countries to drinke in iniquitie euen as water therefore the more care to be hadde ouer it Christ sawe such Townes bordering on the Seas to be in most daunger sundrie wayes and therefore frequēted them most vouchsafed his presence doctrine chiefliest amongst them This is my sute to your worshippes this is my sute to the whole company to the whole congregation yea to euery soule amongst you Phil 2 1 If ye euer receiued comfort in Christ if euer you had loue to the brethren if euer any felowship of the spirit if any compassion mercy that you fulfyll my ioy Euen in this to be of one minde in doctrine of one consent in a godly and christian life to apply all dueties of Gods worship to haue care of your families instructing teaching and calling vpon them to be catechised to reade heare the word bee your selues forward therein exercisyng prayer reading and hearing of the word in faith good conscience that so by christian exercises your faith and obedience may be increased your families reformed your Towne happily gouerned that others may take example by you God may be glorified all spirituall blessings may be heaped vpon you and continued to your posterity after you vnto many generations your selues may in the ende receiue the possession of euerlasting life with Christ Iesus in the kingdome of God to whose blessed tuition I commend you and yours praying the Lorde to multiplye all hys graces and mercies vppon you and the whole people to keepe you in safetie from the daunger of enemies to sanctify you in his trueth to blesse you in your gouernment the people in obeying and to make you perfitte in all good workes to doo his wyll working in you that which is pleasant in his sight thorough Iesus Christe To whome with the Father and the holy spirit be all prayse and honor for euer and euer Amen Your worships to vse in in the Lord hartely desirous of your good and saluation in Christ Iesus B. Andrewes An order of prayer or a preparation to the reading of the word in your families Let vs prepare and stirre vppe our mindes by prayer that we may reade the word of God with profite O Lord our God who in thy wisedome and mercy hast appointed thy holie worde as the wholesome nourishment of our soules that by reading hearing and musing thereon we might growe vppe vnto saluation Wee beseeche thee to pardon all our sinnes for Iesus Christe his sake take away the corruption of our nature purge and sanctify our harts that we may read thy word at all times with reuerent mindes so as we may daily be borne againe confyrmed in faith reformed in our manners furthered in knowledge and obedience strengthened against all temptations furnished with patience against all tryals and fynally be made fruitfull in al good workes resembling thy Image and growing vppe into full holines righteousnes in thy sight til we are perfited in the heauens with Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen Let vs harken with reuerence to the holie word of the Lord our God written in such or such a Chapiter and Booke c. A breefe and short Catechisme made for the vse of housholdes and to be learned of all those that vvill be admitted to the Lords Supper By B. A. Minister TO what ende did God make you Aunswere That I might serue him according to his worde Lu 1 74 Eph 4 24 by dooing his wil in righteousnes and true holines all my life Minister VVhere shall you learne what is thys wyll of God Answere In his word and Lawe Minister Rehearse that Law of God Aunswere God spake and said Exo. 20 I am the Lord thy God c. Aunswere VVhat cheefely doth thys lawe require of you Answere First that I shoulde acknowledge (a) Deut 6 4 one onely God serue him in all purenes (b) De. 6.5 et 10 12 Luk 10 27 Ma 22 37 with all my hart soule minde strength will and thoughts in all thinges according to his worde Secondlie that I shoulde walke in (c) Mat 22 39 Ro. 13 8 7 10 loue faithfulnes and trueth with all men dooing dueties of conscience in my calling and (d) Le. 19 8 louing my neighbour as my selfe Minister Are you able of your selfe to doo hys wyll and keepe this his Lawe Aunswer Nothing lesse Minister VVhy so Aunswere Because of my corrupt nature which (a) Ro. 5 18 with Adam is fallen from the state of innocencie (b) Ro 8 7 and so is not obedient to the law of GOD. Minister VVhat are you by nature then Aunswer The (a) Eph 2 3 childe of wrath and (b) Ro 6 20 a sinner Minister VVhat is sinne Answere Euerie (a) 1 Ioh. 3 4 breaking or (b) Neh 9 34 Heb 2 3 neglecting of anie commandement of God and (c) Neh 1 7 Gal 3.10 the not dooing of euerie duetie commanded is sin Minister VVhat is the rewarde of sinne Answere The (a) Gal. 3 10 curse of God (b) Ro. 6 23 death with (c) Mar 9 48 Mat 25 46 2 Thes 1 9 Eze 18 20 euerlasting woe
bodies in life 1 Cor 11 24 25 so must wee often receiue the Lordes supper to confirme our faith and to testify our thankfull remembraunce of Christes death Minister It seemeth then that you must needes haue your hart touched for your sinnes when you come to the communion repenting your former life and you must come with hope of forgiuenes Aunswer It is very true els can I haue no comfort or benefite by it therfore I pray God to touch my hart aright for my sinnes and to pardon them that I may come worthelie therevnto Minister Doo you take this Sacrament then as a pledge of Gods loue in forgiuing your sinnes doo you purpose and professe vnfeynedly amendment of life and to liue with your brethren in christian loue Aunswere Yea indeede and I make thys an vtter renouncing of my former life that by Gods grace I maye heereafter lead a new life which grace God grant me Amen Minister So doing I as the minister of God receiue you to the comunity of the saints of God and seale vnto you the mercies of God by the authority of his worde to your euerlasting comfort in Christe Iesus Aunswere The Lord giue me grace to walk woorthy of his calling in his feare all my life that I may bee acceptable to him in Iesus Christ Amen Minister vvyll you exercise your fayth in praying for these things daily Aunswer Yea by Gods grace Minister vvhat is prayer Aunswer It is to aske all good thinges at the hand of God and to giue him thanks for all things receiued Minister To whom wyll you make your prayers Aunswere To God alone Minister vvho directeth your affections in prayer Aunswer Rom 8 27 The spirite of God which maketh a request according to the wyll of God in his Saints Minister Howe are your prayers acceptable Heb 15 15 1 Pet 2 5. Aunswer By Iesus Christ Minister By what rule wyll you frame your prayers Aunswere By that order of Christ Mat. 6 9. set down to his Disciples which wee call the Lords prayer Minister Repeate it Aunswer Our Father which art in heauen c. Minister vvhat is the summe of this prayer Aunswere Firste wee pray heere for all thinges that may make to the glory of God and aduauncing of hys name for the enlarging of his kingdome and the performance of his wyl in all thinges Secondly we pray for al thinges needefull for our selues bothe for our bodies and soules that so by the direction of his grace and spirite we beeing freed from sinne may serue him freelie in righteousnes and holines all our lyfe which grace God graunt me and all hys people Amen Finis quod B. Andrewes ⧠A forme of confessyon O Lord our God moste louing gracious and mercifull Father to whom belongeth righteousnes and mercie compassyon and forgiuenes to vs belongeth shame and confusion of faces because we haue transgressed in not obeying thy voice and in breaking all thy holy commaundementes for wee acknowledge O Lord that euen in our conception we were enfolden in the gylt of condemnation beeing conceiued in sin and borne the children of wrath and from thencefoorth haue wandred in vngodly pathes and in the wayes of destruction sin hauing entred vppon all the partes of our whole man hath wholie corrupted both our wyll and vnderstanding our thoughtes are prophane our imaginations worldlie our desyres carnall and vncleane our iudgments corrupt whereby wee haue beene disobedient to thy heauenlye wyll ignoraunt stubborne malicious impacient enuious full of selfe-loue full of hypocrisie finallye fraught with all euill concupiscences and voyde of grace till thou dyddest touch our hartes by thy Spyrite and worde and calledst vs to sanctification Yea and since thou haste called vs by the preaching of thy Gospell O Lorde what sinnes and corruptions haue clouen vnto vs stil so as the workes of thy grace begunne in vs doo so scarcelie appeare as that thou mayst iustlie withdrawe from vs those graces which thou hast trusted vs with For we confesse we haue abused thy grace receiued neglecting the meanes of our saluation Our zeale is colde our fayth is weake our hope languisheth our repentaunce is maymed and barren not yeelding such fruite as may plainely approue our sanctification VVee are forgetful of thy goodnes and vnthankfull for thy mercies Alas LORD all the coste that thou haste bestowed and charge that thou haste beene at in gyuinge thy sonne Christe Iesus to shed hys deere heart bloode for our synnes hath not gaged our bowelles wyth godlie sorrowe vnto repentaunce nor affected vs wyth loue of thee againe Euen thys Lorde is enough to condemne vs if wee hadde nothinge els to wytnesse againste vs that we so slenderlie account of the death of thy Sonne and so retchleslye and forgetfullye thinke of it Yf thou shouldest forget all our sinnes past the vanities of our former daies and frailtie of our youth that none of these shold be thought vppon yet our present sinnes and slippings sithens our calling would condemne vs downe to hell Yea if our present sinnes should bee passed ouer yet our readines to slide and transgresse in time to come would argue vs guilty of death Yea and more then this Lorde in that wee haue not rightlie sorrowed nor repented vs vnfeynedlie of these euils we stand guiltie before thee as also in that the sinnes of our forefathers wherevnto wee stand intiteled remaine vnsorrowed for by vs the staine whereof hath set a purple â—â—e vpon vs so deepe as wee can neuer wash off except thy free pardoÌ„ all these things call for iudgements not onelie vppon vs but also vppon our posterity Oh how haue we despised thy Lawes howe haue wee neglected the preachinge of thy worde the instrument of our saluation how haue we wayted on our owne lustes seruing as apprentices vnto sinne Howe haue we refused thy counsell and sette instruction at naught we haue set more by the world then by thy word wee haue spent as prodigall children the strength of our young yeeres in vanitie and haue drunke in iniquitie as water our cares haue beene for the world and our owne pleasures and profits not for thy glorie vvee haue murmured grudged when thou hast crossed vs with any affliction or trouble we haue forgotten thee in our prosperitie and growen wanton and vnthankfull Our conscience in trayning vp our families and children in thy feare O Lorde how small hath it beene our selues haue beene ill presidents to them in loosenes of behauiour in idle talkes and iestes that are not comelie VVe haue beene impacient and vnequall in our gouernment to austere in smaller offences against our selues and sometime to remisse in slender passyng ouer of greater offences concerning thy glorie wee haue sought our selues our own commodities not thee wee haue disobeyed our parents and betters so haue left our selues small hope of obedience at the handes of those that are vnder vs. And as for our brethren and neighbours
fatherlye clemencie for pardon and forgiuenes of all our sinnes whatsoeuer for the remoouing keeping backe of all thy iudgements frō vs which we by our sins haue iustlie deserued and accept of vs and our prayers wherewith we present thy maiestie in the name and mediation of thy sonne Christe Iesus preparing our harts with reuerence faith to call vpon thee And whereas wee were borne in sinne and iniquitie whereby we are altogether corrupt are more rightlie intituled to death and condemnation then to life we pray thee most merciful father to renue vs by thy holie spirite and to roote out of vs all those euil rootes of our concupiscence clensing vs from all that which sauoureth of our selues and of vncleanenes Purge our euyl thoughtes our prophane imaginations and carnall lustes Yea Lorde wee humblye pray thee scoure our harts from all hypocrisie from all contempt of thee and of thy holye word from all ignoraunce of thee false worship incredulity distrust of thy fatherlie prouidence from murmuring at thy hand in afflictiō Let vs not prophane thy most holy name eyther in worde deede or thought nor dishallow thy Sabbaothes but cleaue to al thy ordināces Throwe out of vs O Lorde all selfe-loue contempt against others pride wrath impaciencie vncharitablenes all vnnaturall affections vnmercifulnes desire of reuenge hatred and enuie all fornications vnorderly and wanton lustes intemperancie and vnchaste behauiour al worldlie mindednes couetousnes deceite and iniurie all slaunderous wordes and surmises against our brethren All these thinges wee pray thee to remooue out of vs and to sanctifie our harts to the obedience of all thy holie commaundements that we may dailie be reformed to thy Image in true holines and righteousnes expressing dueties to thee our brethren with a carefull conscience Take vppe our thoughtes and affections O lord that they may affect and long after thee day and night and that the counsels of our harts may muse on thee and thy holie wyll and dwell thou wholie in our soules and bodies directing our wyls our iudgments and vnderstanding our speeches and all our actions that in our whole manne wee may serue thee Good Lord plant in vs wee praye thee the true loue and feare of thy name increase the knowledg of thy word in vs with faith zeale and iudgment that we may reuerence obey it in our soules studying to shewe the fruite therof in our liues VVorke and increase a true liuelie faith in vs whereby wee may cleaue to thee and thine euerlasting promises in Christ Iesus and may depend vpon thy prouidence in all estates of thys mortall lyfe without murmuring or repyning at thy hand in sicknes pouerty imprisonment persecution or in any affliction eyther of bodie or minde patientlie bearing all crosses knowing that thereby thou correctest our sinnes as a father seeking our amēdment On the otherside let vs not be remisse carelesse and forgetful in our prosperitye but may in wealth woe acknowledge thy hand with thankfulnes and reuerence reioycing that howsoeuer thou dealest with vs in outward things yet thou art so our father in Christe that thou canst not deny vs anie thing that may bee to the benefite of our soules or to our safetie in the life to come sith that we haue interest euen vnto thy self in Christ our sauiour And sith thou hast trusted vs wyth thine owne name and glorie which in thy gospell shineth vnto vs. O giue vs grace to seeke the enlarging of thy kingdome by furthering thy Gospell in the ministrie thereof to our power being ielious ouer thy name that our speeches thoughtes or dooings may not sauour of contempt against thee nor suffer thee to be dishonoured of others if wee may anie way hinder it neyther let our life be so loose as occasion should be taken there from by men to blaspheme thy name But Lorde guyde vs so by thy grace that our godlie and sober life amongste men may be a comelines a glorie and an honour vnto thee to bring credite to our professyon For alas Lord heerein we haue beene traitors vnto thee to betray thy glorie into the reprochefull tongues of godlesse men for want of watchfulnes and guidaunce in our wayes Direct vs therefore O Lorde in thy whole worshyppe in spirite and trueth and stirre vs vp that we may approue our fayth by carefull and continuall hearing reading and musing of thy worde by exercising prayer both publiquelie with the assemblie of people and priuatelie by our selues and with our families that we may acknowledge thee to be our God in seeking vnto thee for all thinges and returning thankes vnto thee as from whom commeth euery good thing Gyue vs fayth and repentaunce in the vse of thy Sacramentes that we rightlie frequenting all holie exercises of thy worshippe may sanctifie thy Sabbaothes and increase our faith feare and loue towardes thee Furthermore we pray thee O LORD teach vs to put on al affections of loue towards our brethren being indued with meeknes humblenes of minde patience forbearing and forgiuing one another when there are quarrels euen as Christ hath forgiuen vs so as we may liue in all christian manner amongst men without warres contentions in all courteous true and iust dealing in our affayres and busines not vsing any vnlawfull artes or practises for the increase of our commodities pleasures but faith fully labouring in our callings may depende vpon thy promises approuing our faith Let the name and credite of our brethren neighbors be precious vnto vs that by no mutteringes surmisings reports or light credence wee impayre their good name and when we meete with slāders or reproches giue vs grace to beare our selues lowly hūble seeking redresse without bitternes of spirit knowing howe Christ in the like cases hath suffered And because wee can not alwaies enioye peace and libertye vnder the profession of thy Gospell O Lorde our God wee pray thee let vs not onelie nowe in these dayes of our safetye allowe and cleaue vnto thy trueth whilest others doo accompanye vs in professyon whilst Princes beare vs out freendes doo countenaunce vs whilst our wiues children landes and possessyon abide by vs and all thinges smyle vpon vs but O deere Father if euer our sinnes should procure persecution for thy trueth so as companions shoulde leaue vs freendes fayle vs the cruel lookes of Princes and their bloodye handes should be turned vppon vs when mercilesse imprisonment the glittering sword the shaking speare or fierie flame should with terror threaten death when banishment exile shal be for natiue soile when our deere wiues and tender babes with woeful cryes wringing of hands on the one side shall mooue the bowels of pittie the raging fire or other fearefull tortures of death on the otherside shall mooue terror dyscouragement Oh euen then Lord we poore wretches and wormes vnable of our selues to abide the heeresaie of death doo beseeche thee to fortifie our faith giuing vs
patience confidence and hope vnto the ende that as thou haste giuen vs a desire to holde out which is a pledge of our continuaunce so thou maist stil vphold vs with the tast of the ioyes to come that in Christ we may abide vnto the ende so as nothing may seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christe Iesus our Lord. O Lorde therefore giue vs grace in our prosperitie to mortifie our affections bothe from sinne and the world that it make vs not vnfitt for the yoke and vnrulie Thou knowest Lord the desire of our soules O performe these thinges vnto vs for Iesus Christ his sake VVe further pray thee O Lorde to be president and gouernour of vs and our families directing vs sincerelie in all thy wayes that we giue not euill example either in worde or deede not raging in our affections ruling by them but moderate thou our affections and speeches in all our domesticall gouernment that wee may rule ouer them in thy name beeing neyther too seuere nor too remisse that so man and wife with theyr families may liue togeather religiously soberlie and peaceably wyth freer vse of prayer and other holy exercises O LORDE blesse our Seruauntes chyldren wyth obedient and duetifull hearts to thy maiestie and vnto vs for thee beeing without murmuring vnfaithfulnes replying or stubborne answeres but peaceable lowlie and tractable Bannish from them all swearing lying pryde cursed speaking slaundering ryot and all intemperancie And though by our sinnes thou mightest take aduauntage to throwe out our children to thy curse and to with holde thy grace froÌ„ them yet pardon thou our sinnes for thy mercies sake and continue thy graces to vs and to our posterity after vs to many generations O Lorde because also nothing can prosper without thy blessinge though wee care and toyle blesse thou therefore and prosper all the affayres of our lawfull callinges this day and euer heereafter that we may see daylie a comfortable issue of our labours for we resigne vp all our affayres and the successe thereof vnto thee labouring in them vnder thy prouidence And now Lorde we praye thee for our neighbours rounde about vs and for the congregation where we enioy the felowshippe of this life with other ritch graces of thine O Lord blesse them all and eache familie and person both olde and young husbands and wyues parents and chyldren masters and seruauntes gouernors and people that eache of these in their callinges being furnished with meete graces from thee may discharge a good conscience therin in thy feare Blesse O LORDE the Magistrates of our towne endue them with wisedom courage faithfulnes the feare of thy name and all graces necessarie that they executing iudgment and iustice thy glorie may bee aduaunced the people may of conscience obey sinne may bee supplanted and godlines with trueth may happilye flourish among vs. Blesse O lord wee pray thee our ministers of thy word that they may abound with al necessary graces fitte for that waighty calling let vs imbrace them in our hartes as messengers sent by thee for our saluation Gyue vnto them strength faithfulnes grauitie wisedome iudgment patience and courage in dooing thy wyll that they may wade comfortablie and with a good conscience through all daungers make their labours fruitfull in the hearts of the people conuert or confounde all that rise vp against wholesome doctrine reforme the disobedient keepe them in thy trueth that are called increasinge their faith and obedience and gather home daielie some soules into thy folde that the people being turned vnto thee thou maiest haue praise Preserue O Lorde this our Towne from inward perrills of the soule and outward of the body bee thou our watchman and tower of defence froÌ„ al enimies that our sins betray not our peace kepe vs by sea by land in blessed safety let vs not forget to praise thee for it coÌ„tinue thine holy ordinance of teaching ô Lord among vs euermore let vs neuer want that blessed soueraine meanes of our saluation and giue vs grace hartily reuerently faithfully to regarde thy seruants thy heaueÌ„ly doctrin brought by theÌ„ so as both they we may in our lyues expres the fruit of thy word feeling effectually the power therof coÌ„uerted into our soules to the thorow reforming of the whole maÌ„ that we may stand assured of thy mercy pardon of our sins through faith may be multiplied with al spiritual graces directed kept coÌ„tinued to the ende in al happy waies so as our own soules may reape perfit coÌ„fort others may be edified turned vnto thee thy self maist receiue glory honor eternal praise in Christ Iesus and now lord we most earnestly intreate thee for our whole lande principallye for our moste gracious Queene Elizabeth ô lord giue her a long a prosperous a godly a happy raign ouer vs coÌ„founding all her enemies safegarding her royall person enritching her soule with all heauenlye graces vnto saluation that she gouerning happilie on earth may raigne euerlastingly in heauen with thee Blesse her right honourable Counsellers and all inferiour Magistrates directing their counsels consultations and gouernments to the aduauncing of thy glory and the good of thy Church Blesse all the Ministers of thy holie worde that they may sincerely discharg a good conscience in their places to the edifying of thy church through loue Yea we pray thee for all our whole land and people of all degrees pardon their sinnes leade them in thy trueth that they may in peace and godlines serue thee all their lyfe Finallie Lord we pray thee for all nations kindreds and tongues where thy name is professed for all christian Magistrates and Rulers that thou wylt blesse and defende them and keepe them in thy trueth from all their ennimies cause the light of thy holie Gospell to shyne to all nations that they being turned to thee thou mayst haue praise comfort the comfortles helpe the helples bee a father to the fatherles and a husbande to the wyddowes ende the miserie of the afflicted confound al enimies of thy church and giue to thy people euerlastyng peace in Christ Iesus These graces with all other els necessarie for vs and thy whole Church we humbly craue at thy maiesties hand in such manner as hee hath taught vs saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. A forme of thanks-giuinge WE render most humble and hartie thankes in Iesus Christ vnto thy diuine maiestie ô lord our God for thy great mercies and auncient louing kindnes towards vs thy whole church alwayes expressed namely lord for thy inestimable euerlasting loue whereby thou hast chosen vs freelie in Christ Iesus vnto saluation before the foundations of the worlde wâ—â—e layde as also for thy goodnes whereby thou hast created vs to the likenes of thine owne Image and whereas wee and the whole race of mankind through sinne and transgression were fallen from thee into a desperate and hellish condition of