of offending Thee and more solicitous to please Thee then ever we have yet been being more wisely zealous and active for thy Glory and more reverent in the use of all things that relate unto Thee That thou wouldest give us an universal Good Will towards others in the World that we may love our Neighbours as our Selves and love even our Enemies for thy sake and be more carefull that we do hurt unto none but deal justly and mercifully towards all as we would that they should do unto us That thou wouldest help us to perform more and better then ever those Duties which we owe unto our selves that we may live yet more in the exercise of Meekness of Humility of Temperance and Contentedness of Mind Thus O Lord that thou wouldest help us to serve Thee all our days in the Uptightness of our Hearts improving all opportunities of doing and receiving Good preparing for our great Change from time to Eternity and in every respect by a constant watchfulness over all our Thoughts Words and Actions so behaving our selves as those that know and stedfastly believe that we have Thee an everliving God to serve that we have precious and Immortal Souls to save that we have endless Woes to avoid and Everlasting Happiness to seek after And O God with us we beseech Thee likewise to bless all those that desire or stand in need of our Prayers and to communicate of thy Grace and Mercy according to their and our severall wants and necessities Oh do Thou enlarge the Church and Kingdom of Christ weaken and destroy the Power of Sin and Antichrist be favourable in particular to these Nations wherein we live vouchsafing to us those Mercies we stand in need of and turning from us those Judgements which our sins may cry for Bless our Magistrates and Ministers bless those that are near unto us by the bonds of Nature with all such as suffer sickness or any other affliction or misery Bless this Place and grant that real Godliness Saving Knowledge Peace and Truth may flourish here more and more Accept of Praise for all thy Mercies hitherto vouchsafed unto us Continue we pray Thee thy mercifull Protection over us this night keep us from sin and the dangers that a Night may bring forth let us be refreshed and raised the next Day more able and willing to serve Thee in the Duties of it These and all other needfull Mercies we humbly beg for the sake of Christ continuing further to pray unto Thee as he himself hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. Concerning the Lords-Day LEt it always be remembred before it comes to prepare for it and when it is come to keep it Holy It hath been honoured 1 by God the Father forming thereupon the Elements of the World 2 by God the Son rising from the Dead and appearing several times after his Resurrection 3 by God the Holy Ghost descending with his miraculous Gifts and Graces upon the Apostles and Others 4 by the Christian Church making it the time of her Solemn Assemblies Let us not therefore profane any part of it but be now as carefull for the Welfare of our Souls as we are upon other days for our bodily Sustenance Excepting such time as is for works of absolute Necessity which cannot be done the Day before or the Day following let us with Chearfulness spend it wholly in hearing the Word of God read and taught in private Devotion and publick Prayers which are both for the Morning and After-noon in acknowledgment of our offences to God and amendment of the same in reconciling our selves charitably to our Neighbours where displeasure hath been in often Receiving the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ in Visiting of the Poor and Sick and using all good and sober Conversation Thus we shall please the Will of God and conscientiously obey our Civil and Ecclesiastical Governours who strictly enjoyn the same by their Power derived from God Thus we shall have a more deep and lasting sense of God and Religion imprest upon our Hearts and so live more holily the Week following Besides prudent and good Men have observed their outward worldly Affairs most prospered that Week which they began with a diligent and religious Observation of the Lords-Day But However that is most certainly if we duly sanctifie this Day of Rest here we shall celebrate an Everlasting Rest and Sabbath hereafter If now we sincerely and willingly joyn with the Congregations of Gods People to worship him as we ought to do we shall in due time joyn with the Blessed Company of Saints and Angels above to sing his Praises for evermore Psal 118. 24. This is the Day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it V. 20. This is the Gate of the Lord the Righteous shall enter into it Psal 122. 1. I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the House of the Lord. Revel 1. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lords-Day Acts 20. 7. And upon the First Day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preached unto them 1 Cor. 16. 2. Upon the First Day of the Week let every one of you lay by him in Store as God hath prospered him A Morning Prayer for the Lords-Day which may be used by more together or by one alone for the reason mentioned page 4 PRaised be thy holy Name O God for all thy favours and benefits bestowed upon us from time to time concerning this or a better Life Blessed be thy Goodness for the Mercies of the last Night and this Morning that thou hast brought us to the beginning of another Christian Sabbath Oh let not our former unfruitfulness hinder thy present Blessing and Assistance in what we have to do but do thou we pray Thee in Christ Jesus pardon and mend us both at once And help us now so to remember and esteem this thy Day as to lay aside all secular businesses and diversions and to apply our selves to all those private and publick Duties which concern the Sanctification thereof not doint after our own ways nor finding our own Pleasures nor speaking our own words but consecrating our own selves and services to thy more especial Worship spending the whole Day in works of Religion Necessity and Mercy Be graciously present with all those Assemblies of thy Saints which do on this Day meet together for thy Worship and Service More especially be pleased to direct and assist the Minister to whose charge we belong that he may speak to the Consciences and Conditions of this People And do thou remove from us all irreverence distraction dulness prejudice and unbelief in hearing of thy Word that having the same accompanied by the Power of thy Spirit it may be effectual for the further enlightning of our Minds the quickening of our Affections the bettering of our Hearts and the amendment of our Lives And let
me c. S. Mat. 26. 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that have not known thee and upon the Families that call not on thy Name S. Mat. 6. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly 1 Cor. 11. 26 27 28. For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But let a Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. S. Luke 22. 19 20. And he took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying this is my Body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me Likewise also the Cup after Supper saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you We may sometime begin our Closet Prayers admiring with S. Augustine Gods glorious Perfections WHAT art thou O my God what art thou I beseech thee but the Lord my God for who is Lord besides our Lord or who is God besides our God O thou Supreme most powerfull most mercifull most just most secret most present most beautifull most incomprehensible most constant and yet changing all things immutable never new and never old and yet renewing all things ever in Action yet ever at rest heaping up yet needing nothing creating upholding filling protecting nourishing and perfecting all things Thou lovest and yet thou art not transported thou art angry yet never art unquiet thou art jealous yet void of fear thou dost repent yet art thou free from sorrow Thou requirest profit at our hands yet who hath any thing but of thy Gift Thou payest debts when thou owest nothing Thou forgivest debts and yet thou loosest nothing And what shall I say O my God my life my joy my holy dear delight or what can any Man say when he speaketh of Thee and wo be to them that speak not of Thee but are silent in thy Praise for even they who speak most of Thee may be accounted to be but dumb Have mercy upon me O Lord that I may speak unto thee and praise thy Name Amen A Prayer for all Conditions of Men. Note that one alone may say We and Our and Us as usually in the Lords Prayer because of the Communion of Saints O God the Creator and Preserver of all Mankind we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of Men that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them thy Saving Health unto all Nations More especially we pray for the good estate of the Catholick Church that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of Truth and hold the Faith in unity of Spirit in the bond of Peace and in Righteousness of life And we also commend unto thy Fatherly Goodness all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed in Mind Body or Estate that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them according to their severall necessities giving them Patience under their Sufferings and an happy Issue out of all their Afflictions and this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for the King and Kingdom ANd that in one Blessing we may all of us be blest I beseech thee O thou who art the Maker and Saviour of all Kings and Nations of the earth to bless our dread Soveraign Lord King CHARLES with the richest Blessings of thy Grace Strengthen him with the faith of Abraham endue him with the mildness of Moses arm him with the magnanimity of Joshua exalt him with the humility of David assist him with the counsel of Hushai beautifie him with the wisdom of Solomon and replenish him with the Goodness and Holiness of them all that so he may be a powerfull Protector of his People a religious Defender of thy sacred Faith a bountifull comforter of thy Holy Church a glorious Triumpher over all his enemies a gracious Governour of all his Subjects and a happy Father of children to rule this Nation by Succession in all ages O let his Reign be prosperous and his Days many let Peace and Plenty Love and Piety Justice and Truth and all Christian vertues flourish in his time Let his People serve him with honour and obedience and let him so love and serve Thee here on Earth that he may hereafter everlastingly reign with Thee in Heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord. Here may be added the Prayers or Thanks-givings in the Book of Common Prayer upon their severall Occasions Sometimes also the Creed may be repeated with that pithy Ejaculation said before it Lord I believe help my unbelief And the Ten Commandments with that short Prayer after them Lord have mercy upon us and write all these thy Laws in our Hearts we beseech thee Here also may be said the Morning or Evening Collect respectively on our own and the behalf of those that belong to us O Lord our Heavenly Father Almighty and Everlasting God who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this Day defend us in the same with thy Mighty Power and grant that this Day we fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy Governance to do alwaies that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord and by thy great Mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this Night for the love of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen A general Thanksgiving O Most gracious God I give thee humble and hearty Thanks for all thy Goodness and Loving kindness to me and to all men I bless thee for my Creation Preservation and all the Blessings of this life but above all for thine inestimable love in the Redemption of the World by our Lord Jesus Christ for the means of Grace and for the hope of Glory And I beseech thee give me that due sense of all thy Mercies that my heart may be unfeignedly thankfull and that I may set forth thy Praise not only with my lips but in my life by giving up my self to thy Service and by walking before thee in Holiness and Righteousness all my days through Jesus Christ my Lord to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen A devout Prayer which may be used at any time by one alone GRant me O gracious Lord in what lawfull undertaking soever a pure intention of Heart and a stedfast regard of thy Glory let Christ be my pattern thy Word my rule
and thy Spirit my guide in all that I do Possess I beseech thee and ravish my mind continually with thy Love and let my delight always be to be embraced in the Arms of thy protection Be thou O holy God light unto mine eyes musick to mine ears sweetness to my tast and a full contentment to my heart Be thou my Sunshine in the day my food at the table my repose in the night my Cloathing in nakedness and my succour in all necessities O Lord Jesus I give thee my body my Soul my substance my fame my friends my liberty and my life Dispose of me and all that is mine as it seemeth best to Thee and to the glory of thy blessed Name I am not now mine but thine therefore claim me as thy right and love me as thy Child and keep me as thy charge and defend me against those that would deal injuriously with me My Lord my God I beseech thee to give me patience in troubles humility in comforts constancy in temptation and Victory over all my ghostly enemies Grant me sorrow for my Sins thankfulness for thy Benefits fear of thy Judgements love of thy Mercies and mindfulness of thy Presence for evermore Make me observant of my Superiours courteous to my Inferiours friendly to my Equals loving to my Friends and charitable to my Enemies Make me ready to pleasure all and loth to offend any Give me Chastness in my Affections modesty in my countenance gravity in my behaviour deliberation in my speech Holiness in my thoughts and Righteousness in all my ways Let thy Mercy through Christ cleanse me from the guilt of my transgressions and let thy Grace bring forth in me the fruits of Everlasting Life Lord let me be obedient without arguing humble without feigning patient without grudging pure without corruption merry without lightness sad without mistrust sober without dulness true without doubleness fearing Thee without desperation and trusting in Thee without presumption Let me be joyfull for nothing but that which pleaseth Thee nor sorrowfull for any thing but that which doth displease Thee Let my labour be my delight which is for Thee and let all rest weary me which is not in Thee Give me an awaking Spirit and a diligent Soul that I may seek to know thy Will and when I know it truly may perform it faithfully to the honour and glory of thy ever Blessed Name for these and for all other needfull Mercies which thou O God wouldst have me to pray or to praise Thee I continue to say as Christ our Lord hath taught us Our Father which art c. The Blessing LEt thy Peace O God which passeth all understanding let the Blessing of the holy undivided Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost let the vertue of Christs blessed Cross and Passion be with me and remain with me and mine now and at the hour of Death and to eternall Ages Amen Amen They that have more Leasure may oftner use the foregoing devotions alone Morning or Evening or at any time of the Day when they best can Such also may make use of this following Morning Prayer for a Family on the Week-days as many as can well be spared being present A Family-Prayer for the Morning on work-Work-days O Most holy and ever blessed Lord God we thine unworthy Servants do here acknowledge that as we were born in sin so we have lived in iniquity and broken thy righteous Laws in thought word and deed following too much the desires of our own will and not caring as we ought to be governed by thy Holy Word and Spirit but O gracious Father we beseech thee for the merits of thy Dear Son to forgive us all our sins and not to inflict upon us those Punishments which are due unto us for them And do thou we pray Thee sanctifie us throughout in Body Soul and Spirit and lead us in the ways of Truth and Holiness and make us in every respect such as thou wouldest have us to be And here O Lord from the bottom of our hearts we praise thy Name for all thy Blessings bestowed upon us concerning this or a better Life Particularly we praise Thee for the Mercies of the last Night and this Morning that thou hast preserved us from such dangers as might have fallen upon any of us and for our Refreshment by moderate rest and sleep Oh that this Day we may be kept from the evil of Sin and so if it may be thy Will from the evil of Punishment Enable us to watch over our Thoughts that good Meditations only may enter into our minds and Holy desires and purposes into our Hearts Help us to set a watch before our Mouths and to keep the door of our Lips that we offend not with our Tongues Help us also to watch over all our Actions that we may do hurt to none but all the good we can to all as we would have others deal with us That in all we do thy Word may be our Rule thy Spirit our Guide our Saviour our pattern and thy Glory our end That we may be wise and modest in our Carriage temperate and sober in our Diet diligent and chearfull in our Business that we may abide with Thee in our particular Places and Callings by a conscientious performance of the Duties thereof that we may undertake nothing upon which we may not desire thy Blessing and wherein we may not expect thy Direction and Assistance That we may be crucified to the World and the World unto us by the Cross of Christ that we may be content with such things as we have and not use any unlawfull means for our own relief knowing Thou hast promised never to leave us nor forsake us That we may so pass through the things of this Life that finally we loose not Everlasting Life and Happiness in the enjoyment of thy Self And all we beg upon the account of Christ in whose Name we continue to pray unto Thee saying Our Father c. But because the busie Countrey Life usually on the Week-Days calls and disperses most in Families early in the Morning to their several Works and Imployments it is very needfull especially when Morning Family-Prayers cannot be had conveniently that each one grown to years of Understanding before they go out of their Chambers or before they begin their Work should kneel down by themselves and in short beg Gods Blessing and Presence with them the following Day which they may do by the Collect for the Morning It is set down gotten by Heart saying after it the page the 6. the Lords-Prayer understandingly devoutly and deliberately Or this PRevent us O Lord in all our Doings by thy most gracious Favour and further us with thy continual Help that in all our works begun continued and ended in Thee we may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy mercy obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father which art in Heaven c. Or in the
Secret and Family PRAYERS With brief Helps for the more Devout RECEIVING OF THE Lords-Supper And better Observation of the LORDS-DAY as also to further the needfull Duties of Catechizing Visiting the Sick and Personal Instruction Fitted for the Use and Benefit of the Inhabitants of Cartmel in Lancashire If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them S. John 13. 17. CAMBRIDGE Printed by J. Hayes for the Author 1677. June 15. 1677. Imprimatur Tho. Page Procan Ri. Minshull Theoph. Dillingham Rad. Cudworth THE PREFACE AND EPISTLE To my loving Neighbours and Pastoral Charge HAving now for a long time observed not only your frugal charitable and industrious way of Living as to the World but moreover in reference to many of you your more pious Care for the good Education of your Children and your own Spiritual Welfare as also your maintaining Order and Unity above many others in the Worship of God this hath been unto me and I hope shall continue to be the cause of no little joy and contentment of heart Yet having withall seen some among us hitherto not so diligent as they ought to be either in keeping holy the Lords Day or in receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper or in sending for the Minister to visit them when sick or in improving when in health the duty of Catechising and Personal Instruction that both themselves and those who live with or under them might be better informed in the Ways of God I have in the ensuing Book as to each of these respects hinted those things which if duely considered may prove a sutable and seasonable Remedy And particularly because as to the promoting of Religion in each Houshold there is a more general want of Family-Prayers too easie to be taken notice of I have herein especially endeavoured to make provision for the performance of that part of your Duty There are I hope but few so negligent of their own Welfare as not to consider how natural and necessary it is for all reasonable creatures by Prayer and Thanksgiving to acknowledge God in alâ— their ways and to give him the Glory duâ— unto his Name for all the benefits they receive from him and to seek his Blessing upon what ever they undertake and daily to recommend themselves and all their concerns to his continued Grace and good Providence There may be more who having helps put into their hands for this purpose will not so much as find leasure to make use of them as if this would not indeed rather further then hinder their lawfull Affairs or as if they could have any greater and weightier business then thus to seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Or as if when the most in a Family will both find time and get together twice a day for set meals for their Bodies they should not much rather strive to do so once at the least for set and solemn Prayer in order to their Souls eternal Happiness If your estate be more plentifull you may spare the more time if your condition be meaner on Earth you have more need to seek by Christ a Treasure in Heaven Say not therefore you are to provide for Wife and Family and so have no time to regard your Soul by a solemn and serious performance of Duties but remember that the same God who commands you to follow your particular Callings as Men injoins you likewise to follow your general Callings as Christians and that in the first place Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness ousness thereof and all other things shall be added unto you And also with the greatest labour S. John 6. 27. Labour not i. e. not only for the food that perisheth but chiefly for the food that endureth to Everlasting Life Should we pray to God every day in the week not once or twice but many times for eternall Blessedness and continue to do so with greatest earnestness while our life and breath is continued if but once this Petition at last be granted us will it not be richly worth our pains and fully requite all that we have done Or having every Work-day in the week 23 hours and an half to eat and drink and work and sleep in is it any great matter to redeem half an hour or a quarter of an hours time wherein to work out our Salvation to prepare our Souls for Death Judgement and Eternity to read some portion of Gods Word and to praise him for the Mercies we have received and to Pray unto him for such as we have need of If a mans house were in a flame he would not let it burn and say I have no time to quench it If a Neighbour call us to sit at our doors to talk or dine with them we can find leasure for it When therefore the Blessed God calls upon us to be diligent this way among others to make our Calling and Election sure should we foolishly say that we have no time for this though indeed one of the main Works which we were sent into the World about Oh let not such vain excuses keep us from our Duty lest the Righteous God for our pretending now want of time to serve him in be provoked at last to give us an Eternity to suffer in Others I fear will be ready to make light of these Helps because of their groundless prejudices against all Book-Prayers not rightly understanding either their benefit or lawfulness but I beseech you let it be well considered how many Christian Duties and Vertues we may be daily put in mind of by these Prayers which if we strive to follow with answerable Practices as we ought to do and as we hereby beg of God to enable us to do surely this course must in all reason be allowed to have a very considerable influence into our more Holy and Circumspect Walking Besides you know how natural it is to all Mankind when they have any petitions or thanks to prefer but to an earthly King to take good advice beforehand that they may be delivered in as decent and grave form of words and as reverent a manner as may be certainly then Christians in this respect should be much more carefull if possible how they present the desires of their Hearts to the most High God the Eternal Majesty of Heaven and Earth But alas with many such have been the licentious Rambles of their fancy in suddain Prayer so bold and rude have their descriptions been of Almighty God so rash their Sayings concerning him or concerning themselves and so many untrue or doubtfull things have they uttered that they have not only shamed that way of address to God but dishonoured and hindered true Christian Devotion which hath suffered extremely in the thoughts of many by such extravagance And some as experience hath shewn finding that they could not pray in their Families ex tempore or on the sudden as they have been urged
Morning on the Week-Days you may pray by your self thus O Most gracious God and mercifull Father I thine unworthy servant do here acknowledge that as I was born in sin so I have lived in iniquity and broken thy Righteous Laws in thought word and deed following too much the desires of my own Will and not caring as I ought to be governed by thy holy Word and Spirit and am therefore liable to all shame and misery both in this Life and that which is to come But O Heavenly Father I beseech Thee for the Merits of thy dear Son to forgive me all my sins and not to inflict that punishment which is due unto me for them And send thy Holy Spirit into my heart which may assure me that thou art my reconciled Father and that thou lovest me with an unchangeable Love And let the same thy good Spirit lead me in the ways of Truth and Righteousness and crucifie in me more and more all worldly and carnall lusts And here O Lord from the bottom of my heart I thank Thee for all thy Blessings bestowed upon my Soul or Body Particularly for any measure of Refreshment given unto me the Night past and that thou hast brought me safe to the light of another Day O Lord I pray Thee continue to be gracious unto me let thy Fear be always before my eyes and thy Grace so rule in my heart that whatever I shall think speak or do may tend to thy Glory the Good of others and the peace of my own Conscience I now recommend my self and all my concerns together with all near Relations and those that belong unto me to thy mercifull Direction and Protection intreating Thee to keep us from all evil and to give a Blessing to all our honest and lawfull Endeavours and to make all thy Providences towards us to work together for our good Bless O Lord the Kings Majesty and all the Royal Family with all inferiour Magistrates under Him Bless the Bishops and Pastors of the Church Comfort all that are sick and comfortless And O Lord keep me in a continual readiness by Faith and Repentance for my last end that whether I live or die I may be thine accepted of Thee through Christ Jesus my only Saviour in whose prevailing Name I sue for these and all other needfull Graces and Mercies continue to pray unto Thee as he himself hath taught me saying Our Father c. Praying alone unless removed out of the hearing of others speak with a whispering rather then a loud Voice as Hannah did 1 Sam. 1. 13. She spake in her heart onely her lips moved but her voice was not heard Thus not being heard of others they cannot suspect you to affect any vain glory in what you do Yet you will find this way usefull both to stir up your Affections and to help your Attention of Mind by keeping you from many wandring and distracting thoughts which you would otherwise be liable unto Note further that when alone in Secret you may sometimes makeless use of a set Form of Prayer and take more freedom in opening your Heart and particular Condition unto God as he shall enable you He knows and will graciously answer your humble and sincere desires Greater heed is to be taken for Method and Expression when we pray with others that they may joyn with us to their Edification At Evening on the Week-Days when the Family is come together at the fittest time before they go to their Rest let the Governours themselves or some Child or Servant whom they shall appoint reading first some portion of Scripture if they have time distinctly and leasurely read one of the two following Prayers A Family-Prayer for the Evening on the Week-Days O Lord the Creator of the World and the Redeemer of Mankind who knowest all things and canst do what thou pleasest and hast done us very much Good already and promised to do more for us if we be obedient then we can ask or think we here fall down before Thee in the lowest manner to express our fear and reverence to thy Almighty Power our admiration of and submission to thy unsearchable Wisdom our hearty love and thankfull acknowledgment of thy wondrous Goodness our trust and confidence in thy Faithfull Promises with our ready and sincere purposes to perform all Obedience to thy holy Commands There is nothing O Lord so afflictive to us as the remembrance that we have at any time offended thy Sovereign Authority We are heartily sorry for the breaking any of thy Righteous and Good Laws and therefore beseech Thee for the sake of Christ to pardon the same unto us and that we may abhor the thoughts of doing so again ever resolving by thy Assistance to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live Righteously Soberly and Godly in this present World and to strive to be like our Saviour Christ in meekness and lowliness of Spirit in Purity and Zeal for thy Worship and Glory and in being ready as we have opportunity to take the more pains that we may do the more good in the World Oh do thou we pray thee strengthen in us these resolutions which thou hast inspired us withall and ever further them by thy continued Grace that no sudden desires ineffectual purposes or partial performances may deceive or lead us into a false Opinion of our selves but that we may bring forth actually and with a constant Spirit all the fruits of Righteousness which are by Christ Jesus to the Praise and Glory of thee our God O let us be so sensible of thy great kindness to us of our many engagements unto Thee that we may love thee our God and Saviour with all our heart soul and strength that we may strive to credit our Religion and glorifie thy Name all the ways we are able with all that we are have or can do that not only by the special Duties of thy Worship but also by the right management of our outward Affairs and our moderate use of the good things of this Life we may serve Thee and be brought nearer unto Thee Thus we pray Thee let Religion be the very business of our lives and let our greatest pleasure be to please Thee in every thing and our highest design to attain that Blessed Immortality which Christ Jesus hath promised Lift up our affections we intreat Thee more and more to those things above where He is that Heaven may have our hearts while this World hath our bodies and we may have perfect Contentment of mind in Well-doing and patient suffering and the good hope we have of being eternally beloved of Thee the Lord of Heaven and Earth may make us rejoyce evermore Free us O Lord from all inordinate cares for the things of this Life from all distrust of thy good Providence from all repining at any thing that befalls us and enable us in every thing to give Thanks believing that all things
are ordered by the greatest Wisdom and shall work together for the good of those that love Thee We doubt not of thy Fatherly Affection to those that study in all sincerity to approve themselves unto Thee and therefore still resolve to leave our selves entirely to thy wise Counsels that thou mayst dispose us into such a condition as thou seest best in this World Oh remember us but of our Duty quicken and excite us to it strengthen us in the doing of it support us under all discouragements advise us in all difficult cases and comfort us with a stedfast Belief of thy holy Word and we shall ever be giving thanks and praise unto Thee who dealest so bountifully with us Moreover with our selves we desire O Lord the good of all Mankind especially that thou wouldest be mercifull to thy whole Church and particularly that thou wouldest bless that part of it which is planted in these Nations wherein we live inclining the hearts of all Ranks and Degrees of Men amongst us to follow after things which make for Peace Unity and Godliness But O gracious God as we are in duty bound in a more peculiar manner we do most earnestly beseech Thee on the behalf of this place of our Abode that our Minister being directed and assisted by Thee may be made a Blessing and a Comfort unto us and that we likewise having our Conversation as becomes the Gospel of Christ may be a Blessing and an Encouragement unto him Give we pray Thee repentance unto Sinners and increase of Grace and Strength to all thy faithfull Servants Reduce those among us that wander out of the way raise up those that are fallen confirm and settle those that stand and grant them a stedfast Resolution to persevere in Faith Love and Obedience Relieve and comfort all those that are in any Distress make the Earth to bring forth her increase in due season and let all honest and industrious People be succeeded and blessed in their Labours Remember all those who are nearly related to us or to whom we are indebted for our Birth Education Instruction or Promotion Thou who art rich in Mercy reward and recompence their care and love Grant Forgiveness and Charity to all our Enemies Continue good will among all our kind Neighbours Assist those that are Dying and leaving this World and fit their Souls for a better Place and let us also with them after our own last sickness in due time through Christ obtain a glorious Resurrection and Eternal Life And here O Lord we do from our very Souls render unto Thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy Blessings and Benefits bestowed upon us concerning this Life and that which is to come but more especially we praise Thee for the mercies of this day for any measure of success thou hast given us in our lawfull Endeavours that thou hast defended us from such dangers as might have fallen upon us We beseech Thee likewise of thine infinite Goodness and Mercy to defend and protect us and all that belong unto us this Night and let us be refreshed with moderate rest and sleep and so raised the next Day more able and willing to set forth thy Glory in the conscionable Duties of our Places and Callings These and all other needfull Mercies we ask of Thee for the alone merits of Jesus Christ in whose Name we continue to pray unto Thee as he himself hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven give us this day our daily Bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy love O Heavenly Father thy comfort and consolation O holy and blessed Spirit be with us and remain with us this night and for evermore Amen Another Family-Prayer for the Evening on the Week-Days Saturday especially O Most blessed and eternall God thou alone art the fountain of our Happiness and the rest and satisfaction of our Souls Thou art infinitely more great and glorious in thy Wisdom Power and Goodness then either our words can declare or our hearts can conceive We therefore thine unworthy Servants do here most humbly adore and worship thine incomprehensible Majesty acknowledging that we were not only born in sin but in the course of our Lives have violated thy Sacred Laws and many ways transgressed our Duty as to Thee our Neighbours and our Selves so that if Thou shouldest deal with us according to the strictness of thy Justice and our own deservings we could expect nothing but shame and misery both in this life and that which is to come But O God we beseech Thee do thou help us penitently and believingly to cast our selves upon thy Mercy and the Merits of Jesus Christ and for his sake graciously forgive unto us the sinfulness of all our thoughts words and ways and let thy Spirit witness with ours the comfortable assurance of that Forgiveness And for the future let us not be tempted by the allurements or discouragements of the World wilfully to allow our selves in the omission of any the least known Duty or in the Commission of any the least known Sin And because this is thy Will even our sanctification we beseech Thee O Lord that thou wouldest sanctifie our Understandings that being renewed in the Spirit of our Minds we may have a Spiritual Discerning of the things of Thee our God that we may know what it is that Thou requirest of us in those several Places Conditions and Relations Thou art pleased to set us in That Thou wouldest likewise enable us to submit our wills to thy Blessed Will in all things and to make it our daily care and exercise to keep our Consciences clear and unreproveable in thy sight That Thou wouldest help us to set our Affections upon things above that we may love thee the Lord our God with all our Heart and with all our Soul and with all our Strength and that Christ may be the Chiefest of ten thousands unto us Him whom our Soul loves That we may present our Bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto Thee which is but our reasonable Service That so being sanctified throughout we may be whatsoever Thou wouldest have us to be that we may leave whatsoever thou wouldest have us to forsake that we may patiently suffer whatsoever Thou layest upon us to endure that we may freely cheerfully and readily do whatsoever thy Command obligeth us to do And because Thou requirest that we should grow in Grace by all those means of Grace and Salvation which Thou art pleased so plentifully to vouchsafe unto us Oh that Thou wouldest help us to walk yet more holily in respect of Thee our God then ever that we may be more fearfull
us think we have done nothing in Hearing Reading Praying Receiving Singing of Psalms Confering Meditating till in all we have glorified Thee our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier till our Souls be brought something nearer unto Heaven unto thy Self And all we beg upon the account of Christ saying further as he hath taught us Our Father c. A Family Prayer for the Evening on the Lords-Day OEternal God and most Gracious Father we thine unworthy servants do here cast down our selves at the Footstool of thy Grace acknowledging that we were conceived in sin and have actually in thought word and deed transgressed thy Holy and Righteous Precepts so that if thou shouldest look upon us as in our selves we could not expect any thing but thy Wrath and our own Condemnation But O holy Father for Jesus Christ thy dear Sons sake for the Merits of his Obedience and Bloodshed we beseech Thee to have Mercy upon us pardoning to us all our sins and freeing us from the Shame and Confusion which is due unto us for them And we pray Thee inspire thy Holy Spirit into our Hearts that by his Illumination and effectual Working we may have the inward sight and feeling of our sins and natural corruptions and not through Custom be blinded or hardened in them That we may more and more loath them and be heartily grieved for them endeavouring by the use of all good means to overcome and to get out of them Oh let us feel the Power of Christs death killing sin in our mortal Bodies and the vertue of his Resurrection raising up our Souls unto Newness of Life that living in thy Fear unto thy Glory we may die in thy Favour and in thine Appointed time attain unto the Blessed Resurrection of the Just unto Eternal Life In the mean while O Lord increase our Faith in the sweet promises of the Gospel and our Repentance from dead works the assurance of our hope and our love unto thy self and thy children especially those whom we shall see to stand in need of our help and comfort that so by the fruits of Piety and a Righteous Life we may be assured that thy holy Spirit doth dwell in us and that we are thy Children by Grace and Adoption And grant us Good Father the continuance of Health Peace Maintenance and all other outward things so far forth as thy Divine Wisdome shall think meet and necessary for us And we beseech thee O Lord to be mercifull likewise to thy whole Church and particularly to these Kingdoms wherein we live vouchsafing to us those Mercies we stand in need of and turning from us those Judgements which our sins may cry for Preserve the Kings Majesty bless all the Royal Family bless our Magistrates and Ministers this place those that are near unto us by Kindred or Neighbourhood be graciously present with all our Christian Brethren that suffer sickness or any other affliction or misery grant them patience to bear thy Cross and Deliverance when and which way it shall seem best unto Thee And O Lord let us not forget our last End and those accounts which then we must render unto Thee In Health and Prosperity make us mindfull of Sickness and the evil Day that is behind that these things may not overtake us as a snare but that we may in good measure like wise Virgins be found prepared for the Coming of Christ to call us by Death unto Judgement And here O Lord we do from our very Souls render unto Thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy Blessings bestowed upon us concerning this Life and that which is to come We praise Thee especially for Christ the Fountain and Foundation of all thy Mercies we ever yet received or hope hereafter to receive from Thee In him we praise Thee for the Mercies thou hast this day bestowed upon us or given us occasion to remember whether concerning the Creation of the World or the Redemption of Mankind We praise thee for thy holy Word and Sacraments and seasons of Grace yet vouchsafed unto us We praise Thee that by thy good Providence we have been preserved and provided for to this very moment intreating Thee likewise to continue thy Mercifull Protection over us this night And O Lord we beseech Thee let those saving Truths which have been delivered unto us sink down into our Hearts and spring up in our Conversations Let us keep up such holy Purposes and heavenly Affections as may have been wrought in any of us whilst attending upon Thee Let our lives be in some measure answerable to the means we enjoy Let the fruit of this Day appear in us the Week following and all the days of our Lives following Henceforth let our resolution of pleasing Thee and doing good in our Generation be more confirmed let the felicities of Heaven be more esteemed let our desires of Earthly things be more abated let the Breathings of our Souls after a fuller enjoyment of thy Self be more enlarged Let our sins those of our holy things be pardodoned our persons and performances accepted and our Souls eternally saved And al upon the alone account of Jesus Christ it whose prevailing Name we continue to pray unto Thee saying Our Father c. As for those who are furnished with Bibles and the Book of Common Prayer I shall direct them if they desire it how to use part of the Morning and Evening Service according to the Liturgy by themselves or with their Families But because many Pious Divines are of opinion that the Reverence due to the Book of Common Prayer is best preserved by imploying it only in the Publick Divine Service or in Private where there is one in Holy Orders to officiate And because we should always strive to be present at the Publick Service of the Church on any Holy Day especially on the Lords-Day and such Festivals as are in Remembrance of our Saviour Christ You have to the former here added one Prayer more which you may use on any such Festival in Remembrance of our Blessed Saviour that is to say On the Days of his Incarnation Birth Circumcision Epiphanie Presenting in the Temple Passion Resurrection Ascension and Mission of the Holy Ghost A Prayer upon any of the foresaid Festivals in Remembrance of our Blessed Lord and Saviour O Most glorious God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect Gift it is our bounden Duty and our great Priviledge constantly to acknowledge Thee with joy and exaltation of Spirit in remembrance of thy infinite Bounty to us and to all the World Every day tells us how good Thou art and every one of thy Creatures calls upon us to magnifie love and serve Thee who hast made so many of them to serve us But this Day gives us occasion to remember thy more special and extraordinary kindness to us the Children of Men which calls for our highest Praises to be joyned with those of the
of our Purposes of better Obedience with inward Fervency and Devotion in some such manner as may be pleasing unto Thee honourable unto Christ and comfortable to our selves Let us so shew forth the precious Death of our dearest Redeemer that in remembring the same we may be unfeignedly thankfull and sincerely praise Thee the blessed Trinity in Unity unto whom be ascribed and given all Honour and Obedience now and for ever Amen Another Prayer which may be used in secret some time before the Sacrament O Eternal and blessed God I prostrate my self with humble Reverence before Thee the Searcher of hearts not to excuse but aggravate my faults for I confess I have not given Thee that Honour Worship and Service which I owe to my Almighty Creator Nor laid to heart as I ought thine infinite Love in Christ my Redeemer Nor duly followed the godly Motions of thy Holy Spirit which thou hast sent to renew and sanctifie my Affections and draw me to thine Obedience I have not lived up to the Faith which I profess but behaved my self too often as if I neither dreaded the threatned Punishments nor duly valued the promised glorious rewards of my Lord Christ who will judge the World in Righteousness and render to every one according to their Works O Lord I have done so much Evil and so little Good been so eager in the pursuit of the things of this World and so cold and unconcerned many times about those of Eternity so unmindfull of my promises unthankfull for thy Benefits and unfruitfull in the Knowledge of Christ that it is a wonder of thy Patience and Goodness that I am still alive and not cut down like a barren Tree that cumbers the ground that I am not lamenting these follies in weeping and gnashing of teeth which I now mention with so little sorrow and bitterness of Spirit For ever adored be thy forbearing Mercy which hath so long spared me an unprofitable servant who have so many ways in thought word and deed offended thy Divine Majesty Oh continue I beseech thee to be gracious unto me and for Jesus his sake give me a truly penitent and believing Heart and by the vertue of that Sacrifice of himself which he offered once for the sins of the World let all my sins be done away and remembred no more And for this and all other thy great Mercies I resolve to offer unto Thee by Christ the Sacrifice of continual Praise and Thanksgiving and I present my body a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto Thee which is my reasonable Service And I dedicate my self absolutely to thy Obedience Oh therefore give me Grace ever to fear Thee and to walk humbly with Thee and to preserve a tender sense of my Duty towards Thee O Lord I purpose by thy Assistance that hereafter I will never willingly depart from thy Precepts oh do thou strengthen me to perform what I have purposed that I may never be so unreasonable as to return to those sins which are the burden of my Heart and grieve thy Holy Spirit which rent the Flesh and shed the Blood of the Lord Jesus and which I have so often and so solemnly protested against And now that I am going to thy Holy Table to commemorate the Sacrifice of my Saviour to remember his love in Dying for me to give thee further testimonies of my love to Thee and receive new tokens of thy Love to me O Lord vouchsafe to make thy self powerfully present to my Mind Represent thy self and thy Son Jesus so lively to my thoughts in all Wisdom Power Goodness Holiness and Truth that I may never forget Thee any more but more seriously reverence thee and love thee and rejoyce in thee and trust thee and obey thee all the days of my life Imprint the very image of thy Son upon me that I may carry him ever in my Heart and have his life and death continually before mine Eyes and in all things conform my self to his Will and fashion my self after his Holy Example Come Lord Jesus and possess thy self of my whole Man Purifie me from all remaining filthiness either of the Flesh or Spirit Bring in all thy Heavenly Graces along with thee into my Soul And be my perpetual Defence by giving me a fuller communication of thy Holy Spirit and more mighty aides to do my duty towards Thee and towards all Men. And for that end compose my unsetled thoughts before I approach to receive the holy Mysteries that I may attend Thee with a full and clear conception of their meaning with an actual Belief of thy whole Gospel with most sensible love to thee and desire to be more like thee with thy high Praises in my mouth and joy unspeakable in my heart May I presume most gracious Father to ask such tasts and relishes of thy wondrous Love in Christ Jesus that I may never be able to delight in any thing so much as in the remembrance of it But mine eyes may be ever towards the Lord and I may hunger and thirst perpetually after thy Righteousness 'till I am rendred meet to be translated to that High and Holy place where I shall see Thee not as now in mysterious Representations but openly and as it were Face to Face Amen Lord Jesus who art able to save to the uttermost all them that come to God by Thee In thy most blessed name and words I continue my humble Prayers Our Father c. I would intreat those who have never yet received or but seldom to read at their leasure and with good Deliberation the Doctrine of the Sacrament in the Church Catechism as also the whole Order of the Administration thereof set down in the Book of Common Prayer by which together with what is contained in the two foregoing Prayers may be learnt in good measure what is needfull both in our Preparing for and Partaking of that Holy Ordinance And yet to further your more profitable and comfortable Receivimg you may use these following Helps Some brief helps to Meditation in Receiving the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper FIrst When the Sermon is ended and thou art adressing thy self to the Banquet of the Lords Supper meditate how lovingly thou art invited to be a guest at this Holy Table Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters Come buy Wine and Milk without money and without price Eat ye that which is Good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness Take Eat this is my Body which is broken for you Drink ye all of this for this is my Blood which was shed for the Remission of Sins Secondly As Abraham when he went up to the Mount to sacrifice Isaac his Son left his servants beneath in the Valley So when thou comest to the spiritual commemorative Sacrifice of the Lords-Supper lay aside all earthly thoughts and cogitations that thou mayest wholly contemplate of Christ and offer up thy Soul to him who Sacrificed both his Soul and Body for
be meditate on Christs Hanging and Bleeding upon the Cross giving him hearly thanks for his love in Dying for us And having poured the Sacramental Wine into thy stomach say with thy self As verily as I have received this Wine so certainly Christs Blood was shed for the sins of the World and if I sincerely believe in him as I now desire to do unfeignedly devoting my self unto Him relying upon Gods Mercies and his Merits and being willing to be guided by his Laws and sanctified by his Spirit and resolving to continue in his Love and Service to the end so certainly are my sins forgiven by the vertue of his Obedience and Bloodshed And now having received the Sacrament of Christs blessed Body and Blood out of a conscientious respect to his Command with a desire thankfully to remember his precious Death consider that he who hath given thee his Son will with him give thee all things else so far as will be for thy true Good Therefore now thou mayest here further represent unto God through Christ all thy needs and the needs of thy Relations signifie to him the condition of thy Soul complain of thy infirmities Pray for help against the enemies of thy Salvation tell him of thy griefs represent thy fears thy hopes and thy Desires look up to God to make the Blood of Christ unto thee a quickening comforting strengthening justifying sanctifying Blood And as thou feelest the Sacramental Wine which thou hast drunk warming thy cold stomach so endeavour to feel the Holy Ghost cherishing thy Soul with the joyfull assurance of thy being reconciled to God and accepted unto eternal Life Furthermore because it is said 1 Cor. 16. 17. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread It must be remembred by thee that though all the faithfull are many yet they are all but one Mystical Body whereof Christ is Head And therefore thou must love every Christian especially those Receiving with thee as thy self and a member of that Body When the Minister hath given the Bread and Wine to all the Communicants be ready to joyn with him again in the remaining Prayers and Praises And after you have given Thanks and finished your private and publick Devotions go home but do not presently forget what you have been doing in this solemn Ordinance They that as soon as the Office is performed part with Christ and carry their mind away presently to worldly Interests or to sensual Merriments these may be suspected to be too indifferent as to the things of God They have as one says brought their Lord into the house and themselves slip out at the back-door Otherwise doth the Spouse entertain her beloved Lord. Cant. 3. 4. I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go Spend therefore the remaining part of the Day partly in the entertainment of thy Lord with acts of love and delight with thanks and praise unto Him for his Favours partly in after-examination in reflecting upon thy Behaviour when thou wert before the Lord and partly in strengthening of thy purposes and confirming thy Resolutions of better Obedience that so there may be some fruit seen of this day in many other days that follow till the Solemnity shall return again Remember thy promises renewed unto God bind thee to watch against sin and unto Holiness all thy life as much as upon the Sacrament Day Moses coming from the Mount where he had been conversing with God his face did shine Exod. 34. 30. When thou goest from the Table where thou hast had sweet Communion with thy God the face of thy conversation must shine so with holiness that others may take notice of it It is said of the High Priest and Elders that observing the language and carriage of the Apostles Peter and John they marvelled and took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Acts 4. 13. So thy words should be so gracious and thy works so exemplary after a Sacrament that all those who behold thee may take knowledge that thou hast been with Jesus that at his Table thou didst sup with Christ and Christ with thee A Prayer after the Sacrament BLess the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his Holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities and satisfieth thy Soul with good things Who redeemeth thy life from Destruction who crowneth thee with loving Kindness and tender Mercies O mercifull Lord I humbly thank thee for Christ the Fountain and Foundation of all thy Mercies vouchsafed unto me from day to day O gracious Redeemer I yield thee all possible Thanks that thou hast this day refreshed my Soul with the Sacrament of thy precious Body and Blood Seeing O God that thou hast so loved me as to give thy Son and that thou O Saviour hast so loved me as to give thy self to die for me help me I pray thee to pledge thy Love with love henceforth hating and forbearing what thou forbiddest loving and practising what thou commandest Oh that my prevailing love to Thee may quench and kill in me all inordinate love of the World and the Vanities thereof Oh that walking in the strength of that Heavenly Food which I have now received I may overcome the difficulties of this Life and perform better the Duties of my Place and Calling and withstand more constantly the temptations which I am most liable unto O God seeing thou hast not withholden thy only Son how shalt thou not with him as I humbly desire freely give all needfull Blessings to me and all that I am especially bound to pray for And whereas I have this day renewed my Covenant with thee and my purposes of better Obedience strengthen me I beseech thee that I may pay the Vows which I have made and do as I have purposed Oh that whatever is in me vicious and contrary to thy Holy Will may by vertue of this Sacrament be rooted out of me so that my Heart may become thereby a fit habitation for thy Spirit Let it be to me a seal of the Pardon of my sins the confirmation of my Faith the provision of my Pilgrimage and the joy of my Soul let it be my peace and support in the time of Affliction and my comfort and strength in the day of my Dissolution Let me hereafter walk more evenly and closely with Thee in the performance of my Duty with a contented Mind whatever trials or troubles befal me before another Sacrament come about Grant that I may still hunger and thirst after this Bread of Life and Cup of Salvation and that I may with a pure mind and chaste affection receive it often so as to grow in Grace
and Godliness and be preserved in Body and Soul to everlasting Life through Jesus Christ in whose name and words I further continue to pray unto thee Our Father c. An Expedient to further Peoples often and orderly receiving the Holy Communion in the Parish of Cartmel IN the Order for the Administration of the Holy Communion we have among others this Rule both pious and reasonable viz. That every Parishioner that is all above sixteen years old shall communicate or receive the Sacrament at least three times in the Year of which Easter is to be one for the better observation whereof let it be remembred 1. That by Gods assistance if no great inconvenience hinder it there will be a Sacrament at the Church upon the first Lords Days of December April August especially for the Inhabitants of Stavely Division or the West of Broughton and part of Allithwait that is the Inhabitants of Stavely Farigge Hasslerigge Field-End Over-Carke Wood-Broughton Ainsome and part of the Church-Town to Headless-Cross or of any other place in that part of the Parish And that the Sunday before each of these three sacrament-Sacrament-Days there will be a Sermon at Stavely Chappel in the After noon 2. That there will likewise be a Sacrament upon the first Lords Days of January May September especially for the Inhabitants of Cartmelfell or the East of Broughton Division that is to say the Inhabitants of Cartmel-fell Ayside the Greaves Barbar-Green Field-Broughton Hampsfield and the Grange or of any other place in that part of the Parish And that the Sunday before each of these three Sacrament Days there will be a Sermon at Cartmelfell-Chappel in the After noon 3. That there will be a Sacrament on the three first Lords-Days of February June October especially for the Inhabitants of Allithwait Division that is to say the Inhabitants of Birkby Allithwait Templand Kentsbank Kirket End Lindal and both the Newtons or of any other place in that part of the Parish And that the Sunday before each of these three Sacrament Days there will be a Sermon at Lindal-Chappel in the After-noon 4. That there will be a Sacrament on the first Lords Days of November March July especially for the Inhabitants of Holker or Walton Division that is to say the Inhabitants of Browedge Backbarrow Speel-bank Origge Beckside Burnses Walton Part of the Church-Town Holker Carke Flookborough or any other place in that Division And that the Sunday before each of these three Sacrament Days there will be a Sermon at Flookborough-Chappel in the After-noon Concerning Catechising That we may believe and live as we ought to do and that the Lords Table may be furnished with more knowing and worthy Communicants Parents Family-governours and Teachers of publick or private Schools are intreated as the Laws of God and the Constitutions of the Church require to be carefull to instruct those under their Tuition and Charge and particularly in the Church Catechism that they may be able to give an account of the same when thereunto called The Church Catechism Question WHat is your Name Answer N. or M. Quest Who gave you this Name Ans My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism wherein I was made a Member of Christ the Child of God and an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven Quest What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you Ans They did promise and vow three things in my name First that I should renounce the devil and all his works the pomps and vanity of this wicked World and all the sinfull lusts of the Flesh Secondly that I should believe all the articles of the Christian Faith And thirdly that I should keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my life Quest Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe and to do as they have promised for thee Ans Yes verily and by Gods help so I will And I heartily thank our heavenly Father that he hath called me to this State of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour And I pray unto God to give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my lives end Cat. Rehearse the Articles of thy Belief Ans I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into hell the third day he rose again from the Dead He ascended into Heaven And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Amen Quest What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy Belief Ans First I learn to believe in God the Father who hath made me and all the world Secondly in God the Son who hath redeemed me and all Mankind Thirdly in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the elect People of God Quest You said that your Godfathers and Godmothers did promise for you that you should keep Gods Commandments Tell me now how many there be Ans Ten. Quest Which be they Ans The same which God spake in the twentieth Chapter of Exodus saying I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage I. Thou shalt have none other gods but Me. II. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath or in the Water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my Commandments III. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain IV. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day Six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no manner of Work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant thy cattel and the stranger that is within thy gates For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it V. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy Days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee VI. Thou shalt do no murder VII Thou shalt not commit adultery VIII Thou shalt not steal IX Thou shalt
not bear false witness against thy Neighbour X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours House thou shalt not covet thy neighbours Wife nor his Servant nor his Maid nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is his Quest What dost thou chiefly learn by these Commandments Ans I learn two things my duty towards God and my duty towards my Neighbour Quest What is thy duty towards God Ans My duty towards God is to believe in him to fear him and love him with all my Heart with all my Mind with all my Soul and with all my strength to worship him to give him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call upon him to honour his holy Name and his Word and to serve him truly all the days of my life Quest What is thy duty towards thy Neighbour Ans My duty towards my Neighbour is to love him as my self and to do to all Men as I would they should do to me To love honour and succour my Father and Mother To honour and obey the King and all that are put in Authority under him To submit my self to all my Governours Teachers Spiritual Pastours and Masters To order my self lowly and reverently to all my Betters To hurt no body by word or deed To be true and just in all my Dealings To bear no malice nor hatred in my Heart To keep my hands from picking and stealing and my tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering To keep my body in temperance soberness and chastity Not to covet nor desire other mens goods but to learn and labour truly to get mine own living and to do my duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call me Cat. My good Child know this that thou art not able to do these things of thy self nor to walk in the Commandments of God and to serve him without his special Grace which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent Prayer Let me hear therefore if thou canst say the Lords Prayer Ans Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Amen Quest What desirest thou of God in this Prayer Ans I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father who is the giver of all goodness to send his Grace unto me and to all People that we may worship him serve him and obey him as we ought to do And I pray unto God that he will send us all things that be needfull both for our Souls and Bodies and that he will be mercifull unto us and forgive us our sins and that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness and from our ghostly enemy and from everlasting death And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodness through our Lord Jesus Christ And therefore I say Amen So be it Quest How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church Ans Two only as generally necessary to Salvation that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Quest What meanest thou by this word Sacrament Ans I mean an outward visible Sign of an inward and spiritual Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof Quest How many parts are there in a Sacrament Ans Two the outward visible Sign and the inward spiritual Grace Quest What is the outward visible sign or form in Baptism Ans Water wherein the person is baptized In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Quest What is the inward and spiritual Grace Ans A death unto sin and a new birth unto Righteousness for being by nature born in sin and the children of wrath we are hereby made the children of Grace Quest What is required of persons to be baptized Ans Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament Quest Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them Ans Because they promise them both by their sureties which promise when they come to age themselves are bound to perform Quest Why was the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper ordained Ans For the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ and of the benefits which we receive thereby Quest What is the outward part or sign of the Lords-Supper Ans Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded to be received Quest What is the inward part or thing signified Ans The Body and Blood of Christ which are indeed taken and received by the faithfull in the Lords Supper Quest What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby Ans The strengthning and refreshing of our Souls by the Body and Blood of Christ as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine Quest What is required of them who come to the Lords Supper Ans To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankfull remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men When the Sacrament comes every fourth moneth to be administred for any of the Divisions above mentioned the respective Church and Chappel-Wardens thereof are desired to give timely notice unto a fitting number of Servants and Children within the same to be catechised on the Sacrament Day for the said Division or on some other day of that Moneth Thus the care of this needfull exercise will be more equally shared among them and the duty it self more constantly performed And the better to observe an Order in thus calling the Youth to Catechizing in the said Divisions it may be convenient to begin in the Higher End of each of them and so to go by House-rows as much as may be through the whole taking a convenient number of Families at a time Concerning Personal Instruction THe like course so far as it shall be found convenient may be used concerning Personal Instruction whereby as the younger sort in several Families come to the Church to be catechized so the elder People in the same or the like number of Families may come to the Ministers house or he go to theirs to discourse with him in a plain familiar way of the most necessary Gospel Truths and Christian duties which most nearly concern Gods honour and worship and our eternal Salvation To this purpose we may improve the Church Catechism or the following Profession of Faith and Catechism consisting but of 12 Questions and Answers endeavouring fully to understand and to practice the things therein
with his own Blood By the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one both night and day with tears S. Luke 12. 42. Who then is that faithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord shall make Ruler over his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season Col. 1. 28. Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all Wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Mal. 2. 7. For the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts S. Mark 4. 34. And when they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples Hebr. 5. 12. Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of Milk and not of strong Meat 1 Cor. 4 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Hebr. 13. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you 1 Thess 5. 12 13. We beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and be at peace among your selves A brief Explication or Profession of our Faith taken out of Scripture for the better understanding and improvement of the Apostles Creed I Believe that there is one only true God who is a Spirit infinitely glorious and being One in Nature is yet Three in Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which are three and one after a wonderfull and mysterious manner The Father God the Son God and the Holy Ghost God and yet not three Gods but one God infinite in Being Wisdom Power and Goodness the Maker Preserver and Disposer of all things the must just and most mercifull Lord of all I believe that Mankind being fallen by sin from God and Happiness under the wrath of God the curse of his Law and the power of the Devil God so loved the World that he gave his only Son to be their Redeemer who being God and one with the Father became Man also in the same Person by taking to him our Nature as to which he was conceived by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and born of her without sin and named Jesus Christ and having lived on earth without sin and wrought many miracles for a witness of his Truth he gave up himself a Sacrifice for our sins and a Ransom for us in suffering death on the Cross and being buried he rose again the third day and afterward ascended into Heaven where he is Lord of all in Glory with the Father And having ordained and appointed that all that truly repent and believe in Him and love him above all things and sincerely obey him and that to the death shall be saved and that they that will not shall be damned and commanded his Ministers to publish thus much and to preach the Gospel to the World he will come again and raise the bodies of all Men from death and will judge all men according to what they have done in the Body I believe that God the Holy Ghost the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son was sent by them to inspire and guide the Prophets and Apostles that they might fully reveal the Doctrine of Christ and by multitudes of evident Miracles to be the great witness of Christ and of the Truth of his holy Word and also to dwell and work in all that are drawn to believe that being first joyned unto Christ their Head and into one Church which is his Body and so pardoned and made the Sons of God they may be a peculiar People sanctified to Christ and may overcome the world the flesh and the devil and being zealous of good Works may serve God in Holiness and Righteousness and may live in the special love and Communion of the Saints and in hope of Christs appearing and of everlasting life I do heartily take this One God in the Trinity of Persons for my only God and my chief good And this Jesus Christ for my only Lord-Redeemer and Saviour And this Holy Ghost for my Sanctifier and Comforter and the Doctrine by him revealed and witnessed by his Miracles and now contained in the Holy Scriptures I do take for the Law of God and the rule of my Faith and Life And repenting unfeignedly of my sins I do resolve through the grace of God sincerely to obey him both in Holiness to God Righteousness to Men and in special love to the Saints and in Communion with them against all the temptations of the devil flesh or world and this to death The Catechism or Christian Doctrine and Practice Note that the first eight Questions and Answers contain the foregoing Profession and the four last do express the Particulars contained in the two words Holiness and Righteousness and in the Ten Commandments Question 1. What do you believe concerning God THere is one only God in three Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost who is Infinite in Being Power Wisdom and Goodness the Maker Preserver and Disposer of all things and the most just and mercifull Lord of all 1 Cor. 8. 4 6 1 John 5. 7. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Psal 139. 7 8 9 Isa 40. 17. Revel 4. 8. Psal 147. 5. Nehem 9. 6. Psal 135. 6. Revel 15. 3. Exod. 34. 6. Quest 2. How did God make man and who Law did he give him God made Man for himself after his own image in Righteousness and true Holiness and gave him a righteous Law requiring perfect obedience upon pain of death Prov. 16. 4. Gen. 1. 26 27. 2. 16 17. Rom. 6. 23. Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. Quest 3. Did man keep or break this Law Man being tempted by Satan did wilfully sin and so fall from God and Happiness under the wrath of God the curse of the Law and the power of the Devil so that we are by Nature dead in sin and prone to do more evil continually and to grow worse and to depart yet further from God Gen. 3. Rom. 5. 12 18. 3. 23. 6. 23. Eph. 2. 12. Hos 14. 1. Eph. 2. 2 3 5. Gal. 3. 10 13. Acts 26. 18. Gen. 6. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 13. Hos 13. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 16. Quest 4. How was Man redeemed God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son to be their Redeemer who being God and One with the Father did take to him our Nature and became Man being conceived by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and born of her and called Jesus Christ and having lived on earth without sin and wrought many Miracles
for a witness of his Truth he gave up himself a Sacrifice for our sins in suffering death on the Cross and being buried he rose again the third day and afterward ascended into Heaven where he is Lord of all in Glory with the Father John 3. 16 17. 1 John 2. 2. John 4. 42. Rom. 9. 5. John 10. 30. 17. 11. Heb. 2. 3 4. 4. 15. â— 14. 6. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Luke 1. 27 31 35. Mat. 1. 18 20 23. Heb. 4. 15. 7. 26. Acts 2. 22. 7. 36. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Mat. 27. 31 35 60. Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 9. 26. 1 Cor. 15. 3 4 5 6 7 12. Acts 1 9 11. Eph. 4. 8 9 10 11. Acts 10. 36. 2. 36. Rom. 14. 9. Mat. 28. 18. Eph. 1. 20 21 22. Quest 5. How and on what terms is Salvation offered in the Gospel Our Lord Jesus Christ hath ordained in his Testament that all they that receive him by a true effectual Faith and that by Repentance forsake the devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of the world and the sinfull lusts of the flesh and heartily turn from them unto God shall freely receive the pardon of their sins and become the Sons of God and Heirs of everlasting Life And that if they sincerely love and obey him unto death they shall be glorified And that they that will not do all this shall be damned And this he hath commanded his Ministers to preach to all the World 1. Cor. 9. 14. Heb. 9. 15. Col. 2. 6. John 1. 12. Mark 16. 15 16. Gal. 5. 6. Jam. 2. 24. Acts 26. 18. Luke 24. 47. Acts 5. 31. 11. 18. 20. 21. 3. 19. 2. 28. 8. 22. 26. 20. Luke 13. 3. Mark 4. 12. Isa 55. 7. 1. 16. Ezek. 18. 21 to 32. 33. 11. to 20. Mat. 19. 27 29. 10. 37. Luke 14. 26 27 33. Tit. 3. 5 7. Heb. 3. 14. Col. 1. 23. John 15. 1. to 12. 8. 31. Rom. 11. 22. Heb. 10. 26 38. Rev. 3. 12. 2 Thes 2. 12. Mark 16. 15 16. Mat. 28. 19 20 21. Quest 6. How did Christ reveal and prove his Doctrine The Holy Ghost was sent by the Father and the Son to inspire and guide the Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists that they might truly and fully reveal the Doctrine of Christ and deliver it in Scripture to the Church as the rule of our Faith and Life And by multitudes of evident uncontrolled Miracles to be the great Witness of Christ and of the Truth of his Holy Word Joh. 14. 26. 15. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 10 11 12. 2 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 16. Joh. 16. 13. Eph. 3. 3 5. 2. 20. 4. 11 12 13. Mat. 28. 20. 1 Tim. 6. 14. Isa 8. 20. Rev. 22. 18 19. Heb. 3. 2 3. 2. 3 4. Acts 2. 22 19. 11. to 19. Gal. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. John 14. 12. 3. 2. 10. 25 37 38. 1 Cor. 14. Quest 7. How are men brought to partake of Christ and Life The same Holy Spirit doth by the Word enlighten mens Understandings and soften and open their Hearts and turn them from the power of Satan unto God by Faith in Christ that being joyned to Christ the Head and into one Church which is his Body and freely justified and made the Children of God they may be a peculiar People unto him zealous of good Works serving God in Holiness and Righteousness and living in special love and Communion of the Saints and in hope of Christs coming and of everlasting Life Acts 26. 18. Joh. 6. 44. Rom. 8. 9 10 11. Acts 16. 14. Ezek. 36. 26. Acts 15. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 11 19. Col. 1. 18. 2. 19. Eph. 5. 30 31 32. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 12. 13 27. Rom. 3 24. Gal. 4. 6. Joh. 1. 12. Gal. 3. 26. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Rom. 8. 1. to 14. Gal. 5. 17 24. 1 Joh. 2. 15. Gal. 6. 14. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Luke 1. 74 75. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Joh. 12. 34 35. Eph. 2. 19. Heb. 10. 25. 1 Cor. 1. 7. 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. Tit. 1. 2. 3. 7. Quest 8. What shall be the end of the Righteous and of the Wicked The Lord Jesus Christ will come again at the end of this World and will raise the Bodies of all Men from the dead and judge all men according to their works And the Righteous shall go into everlasting Life and the rest into everlasting Punishment Acts 1. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. 16 17 18. Joh. 5. 22 27. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rom. 2. 6 7. Mat. 25. 2 Thes 1. 8 9 10. 2. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 8 18. Luke 10. 11. Joh. 17. 24. 12. 26. Mat. 13. 40. to 43. Quest 9. What are the publick means which Christ hath appointed to Salvation Christ hath appointed that fit Men shall be ordained Bishops and Pastors in his Church to disciple the uncalled and baptize all that are Disciples in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to congregate his Disciples and to oversee and guide the several Congregations and each Member thereof Particularly to teach them the Word of God to pray and praise God with them and for them to administer the Lords Supper in remembrance of him and to bless them in the Name of the Lord Especially on the Lords-Day which he hath appointed for Holy Communion in such works Also to rebuke with authority the scandalous and unruly and to reject those that are obstinately impenitent and unreformed It is therefore the Peoples duty to joyn with such Churches in the foresaid worship of God and to know hear submit to and obey these their Guides that are over them in the Lord and to avoid Discord and Division and to live in Unity Love and Peace Mat. 28. 19 20. Mark 16. 15. Rom. 10. 7 8 14 15. 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Acts 14. 23. Acts 2. 42. 20. 7 28. Eph. 4. 11 12 14. Ezek. 3. 17 18 21. Mal. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 12. 17 28 29. Col. 1. 28. Acts 26. 18. Jam. 5. 14. Neh. 11. 17. 9. 5. 8. 4 5 6 8. 1 Cor. 10. 16. 9. 13 14. 11. 24. Num. 6. 23 24. Deut. 10. 8. 1 Chr. 23. 13. Heb. 7. 7 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 9. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 1 Tim. 4 13 14 15. Rev. 1. 10. Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Mark 1â— 2 9. Joh. 20 1 19. Tit. 2. 15. 1 9 11. 1 Tim. 5. 1 19 20. 3. 5. Tit. 3. 10. 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 11 13. Acts 2. 42. Heb. 13. 7 17 24. 1 Thes 5. 17. 1 Cor. 16. 16. Luke 12. 42. 10. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 3. 3. Rom. 16. 17. Eph. 4. 2 15 16. Col. 2. 2. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Quest 10. What are the secret Holy Duties which every one must use The secret Duties of Holiness are frequent and serious Meditation of God and his
Word and Works of our own sin and danger of our Redemption of our Duty of our Death Judgement and the endless Joy or Torment after it The diligent examination of our own hearts and watching over our thoughts affections words and actions The mortifying of our sins especially unbelief error hardness of Heart pride worldliness sensuality and hypocrisie The exercise of all Graces watching against temptations and resolute resisting them And secret Prayer unto God Psal 104. 34. 119. 97 99. 1. 2. 63. 6. 77. 12. 143. 5. 119. 59. Hag. 1. 5. Deut. 32. 29. Psal 50. 22. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Psal 4. 4. Prov. 4. 23. Mat. 5. 28. 12. 34 15. 18 19. Psal 119. 113. 39. 1. Mar. 13. 33. Luke 21. 8 34. 1 Cor. 10. 12. Col. 3. 5. Heb. 3. 12 13 14. Mat. 24. 4. Luke 12. 15. Rom. 13. 13 14. Mat. 6. 6 16. 1 Cor. 3. 18. Jer. 17. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2 Tim. 1. 6. 4. 7. Acts 24. 16 Mat. 26. 41. 1 Cor. 16. 13. Eph. 6. 11. to 19. 1 Thes 5. 17. Acts 10. 9. Luke 6. 12. Quest 11. What private duties of Holiness must be performed with others The private duties of Holiness to be performed with others are these Parents and Masters must teach their children and servants the Word and fear of God and pray with them and for them and hinder them from sin Children and Servants must willingly learn and obey Husbands and Wives must be loving faithfull and helpfull to each other especially in the best things which concern their eternal Welfare We must seek advice in the matters of Salvation especially of our Teachers we must friendly prudently and faithfully admonish and exhort one another using gracious and edifying Conference and a winning Conversation Eph. 6. 4. Deut. 6. 7. 11. 18. Josh 24. 15. Psal 101. 2 3. Acts 10. 30. Gen. 18. 19. Prov. 22. 6 15. 25. 13. 1 Sam. 2. 23 29. Col. 3. Eph. 6. 1 5 6 7 8. Deut. 21. 18 20. Mal. 2. 7. Jer. 6. 16. 50. 5. 1 Cor. 14. 35. Acts 2. 37. 16. 30. Rom. 15. 14. Heb. 3. 13. Eph. 4. 29. 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. Jam. 3. 13. Acts 12. 5 12. Col. 1. 3. 4. 3. 1 Thess 3. 10. Quest 12. What are the necessary duties of Righteousness and Mercy towards Men The necessary duties of Righteousness and Mercy towards Men are such as these Superiours must rule for God and the Common-good with justice and mercy Inferiours must willingly obey them in the Lord. We must deal truly and be diligent in our Places and Callings We must love our Neighbours as our selves and do as we would be done by behaving our selves to all Men in meekness harmlesness sobriety and truth not wronging any in their Bodies Chastity Estates or Names no not in desire but forbearing and forgiving one another loving our very Enemies and doing good to all according to our Power Deut. 1. 17. 2 Chr. 19. 6 7. Deut. 17. 18 19. Josh 1. 8. Isa 56. 1. Zach. 7. 9. Rom. 13. 1 2 3. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Eph. 6. 1 5. 1 Cor. 7. 20 21. Col. 3. 20 22 23 24. Mat. 19. 19. 22. 39. 7. 12. Eph. 4. 2. Phil. 2. 3 15. Mat. 10. 16. Eph. 4. 25. Tit. 2. 12. Col. 3. 25. 1 Cor. 6. 7 8. Mat. 5. 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 39 44 45. Eph. 4. 28. Exod. 20. 16. Psal 15. 3. Col. 3. 13. Eph. 4. 2. Mat. 5. 44. Gal. 6. 10. Heb. 13. 16. Mat. 25. Phil. 2. 4 20 21. 2 Cor. 8. 11 12. Concerning the Sick FIrst When thou findest thy self visited with sickness thou art presently to remember that it is God who with rebukes doth chasten Man for sin and therefore let thy first care be to find out what it is that provokes him to smite thee and to that purpose examine diligently thine own heart and ways and confess thy sins humbly and penitently unto God begging most earnestly his Mercy and Pardon in Christ Jesus and putting on sincere and zealous Resolutions of forsaking every evil way for the rest of that time which God shall spare thee Secondly That your own Heart deceive you not in this so weighty a business which is for Eternity it will be your Wisdom before your Disease prevail too much upon you to send for some godly Divine your own Minister especially under whose care you live and who may be best acquainted with your Condition using his help to settle your Conscience aright and to make your Peace with God And to that end open your heart so freely unto him that he may be able to judge whether your Repentance be such as may give you Confidence to appear before Gods dreadfull Tribunal and if it be not that he may help you what he can towards the making of it so Thirdly Let it be remembred that there is also a Private Communion of the Sick which People generally are so far from seeking after that though we often and earnestly desire them they are but few comparatively who as S. James enjoyns Ch. 5. 14. Call or send for the Elders of the Church or Ministers of Religion to pray with or over them and to perform such other Duties belonging to the Visitation of the Sick as may fit them if they recover for a more holy Life or if they die for a more happy Death Lastly Take notice that I have not here set down any Prayers for the Sick as is usually done in such Books of Devotion because I would have Neighbours oftner to acquaint me with their sickness in order to my Visiting of them And then as occasion shall require I shall be ready to help them to such Prayers and Meditations as may be sutable to their Condition which they may make use of in my absence Grace before Meat O God be mercifull unto us and bless us and injoying of these thy Gifts give them strength to nourish us and us Grace to serve and please Thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen After Meat Gods holy Name be blessed and praised for these and all other his Benefits vouchsafed unto us he save his Church our King Queen and these Realms comfort the afflicted and send us Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A short Grace before Meat O God bless these thy good Creatures unto our use and us unto thy service through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen After Meat We praise thee O God for these and all other thy Mercies bestowed upon us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or this Enable us O God with thankfull hearts to live in the strength of these thy Mercies to thy Praise and Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Children or Servants may be taught to say the larger or at least the shorter of these Graces when Parents or Family-Guides please not to do it themselves It is a duty of daily Practice to own and praise God as being the Authour and Giver of all our outward Enjoyments and to crave his Blessing upon them It is very unseemly for Christians to go to their Meals like brute creatures we are taught better by the Holy Scriptures S. Mat. 14. 19. S. John 6. 9 10 11. Acts 27. 35. 1 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. FINIS S. Mat. 6. 33. Ph. 2. 12. S. Luke 24. 47. 2 Cor. 6. 8. Acts 20. 30. 1 Cor. 11. 19. 2 Pet. 3. 16. Eph. 4. 12 14. Heb. 13. 9. Heb. 10. 23. Conf. l. 1 c. 4. If in the Morning If in the Evening Here thou mayst confess to God those sins thou art most guilty of * Here beg strength against those sins thou are especially in danger of * Here praise God for special Blessings concerning thy self or others * Leaving out the three last Lines and saying Particularly for the Mercies of the Day past it will also be a Prayer for the Evening * Here thou mayst pray for special Mercies for thy self or others See the Lords Prayer and Blessing page 23. Canon 13. of those 103. Vide late Act for the Lords-Day * Here reckon up those particular sins which thou art conscious of Psal 103. * Here make thy special Requests for thy self and others * Page 62 63.