A help to Communicants Ingredere ut Proficias A BOOK FOR BEGINNERS Or a Help to Young Communicants THAT They may be fitted for the Holy Communion and receive it with profit By S. Patrick D. P. Printed for R. Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred Majesty 1680. To the READER THere is no Advice more wholesome or more necessary then that of Solomon in the conclusion of his Meditations upon the Vanity of all things under the Sun Remember thy CREATOR in the days of thy youth Which may serve in stead of a Preface to this little Book especially if I change one word and make it run thus Remember thy SAVIOUR in the days of thy youth Be sensible that is how much thou art indebted to Him and do not forget it but carry this always in thy mind that as thou didst receive thy being from Him so thou art bought with a great price and therefore ought'st to glorify God with Body and Soul which are His. 1 Cor. VI. 20. And doe this betime in thy best days before thou art tainted and corrupted by Vice and wickedness Into which dangerous ways if thou art so unhappy as to have entred be advised and leave them presently Betake thy self without any delay to the service of God and let no buisiness much less any vain pleasure hinder thee from acquainting thy self with the Duty thou owest Him or from performing it seriously Particularly that duty which He hath commanded thee to doe in Remembrance of Him The Nature the Necessity and the Ends of which together with the manner of doing it I lay before thee in the following pages Wherein I shall treat onely of such things as are most easy and obvious to every capacity hoping by God's blessing they will be usefull to such as will set themselves to consider them They that would have larger Instructions and Helps may find them in the Christian Sacrifice CHAP. I. Of the Duty WHEN God's Minister declares as he is required to do that he intends on such a day to administer the most comfortable Sacrament of Christ's Body and Bloud and invites you to it beseeching you to dispose your selves religiously and devoutly for it you must consider that it is your duty to prepare your selves to come and partake of so great a Blessing and not to think it enough that you have been present at Divine Service and heard the Sermon and then may turn your back on the Table of the Lord. Which is a very great disrespect to Him and forgetfulness of Him and cannot be excused so easily as mens naughty hearts incline them to believe For though God's Goodness is such that He prefers works of Mercy to your Neighbours before Sacrifice to Himself when one of them must be omitted yet He doth not make the same allowance for your Worldly buisiness which well may be let alone till another time much less for your vain Pleasures or Recreations which never ought to hinder or put by this or any other holy Duty in the season proper for it Come therefore as oft as you are invited and when God's Minister after Sermon ended goes up to the Holy Table to prepare this Heavenly food for you that is to consecrate Bread broken and Wine poured out that it may represent the Death of Christ to you and to give it you saying Take eat and drink this in remembrance of Christ do you stay in God's House and draw near unto his Table and thankfully receive it from him for that end for which he gives it in commemoration of Christ's Death and Passion upon the Cross for your sake It is the duty of God's Minister to set the Bread and Wine apart to present them unto God to break the one and pour out the other to bless them and to give them unto you And then it is your duty to look upon this Bread and Wine thus blessed as representing Christ unto you and accordingly to receive them not as mere Bread and Wine but as things deputed by Christ to be in stead of His Body and Bloud and to communicate them to worthy Receivers CHAP. II. Of the Necessity of this Duty TO doe thus you are ingaged First by the express Commandment of our Lord Christ which you find four times recorded in the New Testament by the three first Evangelists Saint Matthew XXVI 26 27. Saint Mark XIV 22 23. Saint Luke XXII 19 20 and by Saint Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians XI 23 24 25. All which places especially the last you will doe well to reade seriously And then consider Secondly that there is the greater regard to be had to this Commandment Doe this in remembrance of me which Saint Paul saith he received of the Lord because it was his last and dying Commandment in the night when He was betrayed just before the day of his Passion We are wont in other cases to be inclined to remember and carefully perform the last desire of a dying Friend and therefore what other account can we give of it if we live in a neglect of this Duty so solemnly enjoyned but that we are strangers or at best very cold in our love to Him which you had need to quicken because Thirdly your care in this Duty will be a means to make you observe the rest of his Commandments better which now alas are little regarded because little or no regard is had to this last Commandment which our Lord seems to have added when He left the world for the security of all the other that He had delivered before For the doing this hath a mighty power in it to stir up the love of Christ in our hearts And the love of Christ constraineth us as S. Paul teaches 2 Cor. V. 14 15. because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead And that He died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto Him that died for them and rose again Doe this therefore in remembrance of Him which is such an efficacious means to make you always doe well Yea more then this Lastly it will be a means to make you observe his Commandments with love and delight which if they be wanting your Obedience will be little worth For without Love all that you doe will not be acceptable to Christ and unless you delight in what you doe it will not be acceptable to your selves But neither of these will be wanting if you religiously frequent this Holy Sacrament where He is represented to you as desirous to save you though it were by dying for you saying when this was first propounded to Him Lo I come I delight to doe thy will O God How can you then refrain when you think of this from expressing the same affection and the same joy when it is so much easier for you to doe God's will then it was for Him to suffer such things as he did in obedience to it CHAP. III. Of the Ends
Answer when you think of the Third thing your Fidelity to him saying I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous Judgments I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always even unto the end CXIX Psal 106.112 It is reasonable that whatsoever I doe in word or deed I should doe all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by Him III. Coloss 17. IV. And when you think lastly of having Communion with Him say What greater Happiness can I wish then to be one with Christ and to be made partaker with Him in the Merits of his Death whereby I am sure that I shall partake with Him in the glory of his Resurrection By this I know that I dwell in Him and He in me because He hath given me of his Spirit O make me Blessed Lord more and more one with Thee by making me more perfectly of the same mind spirit and disposition with Thee A Prayer at home on that day If you be by such means as these duly affected with our Saviour's Love towards you the remembrance of it will not presently slip out of your mind nor will you be willing to part with it And while it continues there it will make all your Christian Duty easy and delightfull and it will be a hard matter to persuade you to offend Him Do not fail therefore to endeavour to preserve it by affecting your heart again with such thoughts as these repeating some time or other on that day the foregoing Meditations and adding this Prayer I can never thank Thee enough O Father of mercies and God of all comfort for the innumerable benefits I have received from thy bounty And therefore ought to take all opportunities to bless Thee and to speak good of thy Name especially now that I have newly tasted how gracious Thou art in giving thy onely Son our Saviour Jesus Christ not onely to die for us but also to be our spiritual food and sustenance in that Sacrament which I have this day received When I think onely what a kindness it is that I have my daily bread and never want things convenient for the support and comfort of this present life I find that I am indebted to Thee upon that account exceedingly above all that I can express But that Thou art pleased to admit me to thy own Table and there entertain me with the blessed hope of being with my Saviour where He is and rejoycing with Him for ever Lord how much doth it surpass the highest of my thoughts and with what delight and satisfaction ought it to fill my heart Possess me I beseech Thee most mercifull Father with such a lively sense of this Love that I may never forget how happy I am in being so nearly related to Christ Jesus But always account it such an honour to be one of his Servants that I may constantly and chearfully obey Him and delight in this and all other Duties of a Christian life It is a great favour I ought to be sensible that I may have the liberty alway to resort unto Him as my most gracious Lord and Master and enjoy Him not onely in the publick Offices of Religion but here at home in these private addresses unto Him 0 that by all such means I may grow more like Him and carry away such a resemblance of his Holiness Goodness Humility Meekness and Patience that every body may see I have been with Jesus O that there may be such a pious sense of his Love and such devout affections towards Him left in my heart that I may not content my self merely with my daily Prayers much less with these present expressions of Love to Him but it may he my constant care every day to approve my self unto Him so faithfully in all well-doing that I may not be afraid to appear again before Him at the next invitation I have to his Table And let the hearts of all those who have this day devoutly attended on thy service be joyfull and glad in Thee Help us all to keep our selves pure and undefiled and to walk so steddily in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost that others seeing our good conversation in Christ may be in love with Religion and glorify Thee our heavenly Father Have mercy also as we have this day most humbly prayed upon the whole Church And so rule the heart of thy chosen Servant CHARLES our King and Governour that in all his thoughts words and works he may ever seek thy honour and glory and study to preserve thy people committed to his charge in wealth peace and godliness And grant also unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's Religion that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their Profession and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen If this seem too long here follows a shorter I prostrate my self here again before Thee O Lord of Heaven and Earth to bless and praise Thee for all thy Mercies towards me especially for those which Thou hast this day bestowed on me I would not be so ungratefull as presently to forget such a wonderfull Grace as Thou hast vouchsafed me but desire most earnestly to have a lasting remembrance of it in my heart provoking me to love and to good works And for that end I now renew my humble supplications unto Thee that Thou wilt constantly excite and assist me by thy Holy Spirit to walk worthy of my high and heavenly calling in Christ Jesus by such a sober righteous and godly life adorning his Doctrine in all things that He may own me for his good and faithfull Servant at that great Day when we shall see Him not in these shadows and figures of Him but face to face And have mercy upon thy whole Church Whose Prayers I beseech Thee to hear for every Member of the same more especially for our Sovereign and all that are in authority under him that by their pious care and watchfulness thy Church may joyfully serve Thee in all godly quietness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen CHAP. VIII Directions for a godly Life sutable to this holy Communion I. TAKE some time every day to call to mind how much you stand engaged to our Saviour Christ first by your Baptismal Vow secondly by your solemn Ratification of it at your Confirmation and thirdly by your renewing it lately at the Holy Communion when you professed how much you were indebted to Him both upon the account of his offering Himself upon the Cross for you and of his giving Himself there again to you II. If these three come into your mind as soon as you awake in the morning it will be a great security to you And to make your self more sensible of your obligation you may begin the day with this Reflection I am not my own but the Lord
be the Lord for his Ministers the Stewards of the Mysteries of God especially for those faithfull and wise Stewards whom the Lord hath made Rulers over his houshold to give them meat in due season XXIV Matth. 45. 1 Cor. IV. I. When he begins the Offertory say Let every one of our Prayers together with our Alms and Oblations come up for a memorial before the Lord whose holy Angels I believe are present at these Solemnities A poor Servant may adde The Lord accept of my poor Mite who have little to offer but my self and all that I can doe which I dedicate to his service Then awaken your self to accompany the Minister in the Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church c. and attend diligently to the following Exhortation which begins with these words Dearly beloved in the Lord which the Minister ought to speak and you hear with much affection Then joyn as heartily and earnestly as you are able in the General Confession and receive the Absolution with the comfortable words of Christ and his Apostles that follow after as you would do the most joyfull news in the world stirring up your selves as the Minister exhorts you when he saith Lift up your hearts to bless and praise the Lord together with all the Heavenly host for such everlasting consolation and good hope as He hath given us through his grace in Christ Jesus For those precious Promises ought to be sweeter to you as the Psalmist speaks then the honey and the honey-comb far dearer then thousands of gold and silver And now you may be assured though unworthy to gather the crums under his Table that receiving the Creatures of Bread and Wine according to Christ's institution in remembrance of his Death and Passion you shall be partakers of his most blessed Body and Bloud Unto to which words in the Prayer of Consecration say secretly to your self Amen Amen When the Minister himself Communicates say The Lord hear thee The Lord remember all thy Offerings and accept thy Sacrifice Grant thee thy heart's desire and fulfill all thy mind The Lord fulfill all thy Petitions both for thy self and for us and for all his people When you are going to approach to the Lord's Table Propound to your self by way of Question the Invitation which the Minister hath given you saying Do I truly and earnestly repent me of my Sins and am I in love and charity with my Neighbours and intend to lead a new life following the Commandments of God and walking from henceforth in his holy ways And finding your self able to return the Answer of a good Conscience resolve as it there follows Then I will draw near with Faith and take this Holy Sacrament to my comfort When you are placed there say Lord what am I that Thou shouldst be thus gracious to me What an honour is it that I am invited hither to feast at Thy Table upon the Body and Bloud of my Blessed Saviour To receive the pledges of his Love and to engage my Love to Him which I desire may abound more and more towards Him and towards my Christian Brethren and towards all men When the Minister hath delivered thee the Bread concluding in these words Feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving say I do believe O Lord that Thou art the Bread of life which came down from Heaven by whom we are nourished to eternal Life And I thank Thee with all my Soul that Thou hast both taught us the way of God in truth and also died for our Sins and rose again to give us hope of that immortal Life Blessed be thy Name I have now by thy own appointment received the sacred pledge and earned of it Wherefore my Soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Whose Grace I trust will be with my spirit that I may rejoyce in the Lord alway and ever delight in all well-doing Amen Or this I believe O Blessed Jesus that Thou art the Lord of all and give Thee most humble and hearty thanks for calling me to the knowledge of thy Grace and to Faith in Thee beseeching Thee that as I have now received this new token of thy Love blessed be thy Goodness so Thou wilt ever be my God and by continuance in well-doing bring me to everlasting Life Amen A shorter after the Bread I thank Thee O Lord for calling me into this state of Salvation and for giving me this new pledge of thy continued Love Assist me with thy Grace to doe my duty to Thee and to my Neighbour so faithfully that I may abide in thy love for ever through Jesus Christ c. After you have received the Cup when the Minister concludes with those words and be thankfull say I thank Thee O Lord of Heaven and Earth that Thou wouldst condescend to take our Nature upon Thee and therein suffer for our Sins yea shed thy precious Bloud upon the Cross for our Redemption Glory honour blessing and praise be unto Thee O Lord to whom in all reason I ought henceforth to live and not unto my self And therefore here I devote my self to thy faithfull service and resolve if need be even to take up my Cross and follow Thee Assist me good Lord and make me partaker of all the Benefits of thy Death and Passion according as Thou seest me sincerely resolved in all things for ever to obey Thee Amen Or this 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 thy Sin and hath now filled thy mouth with good things and who giveth thee hope of better in eternal Life Sanctify me wholly O Lord that I may not fall short of it but my whole Spirit and Soul and Body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Amen A shorter after the Cup. I thank Thee again O Lord for thy wonderfull Love in sending thy Son to lay down his Life and in making me partaker of the Benefits of his precious Bloud shedding for us Preserve in me for ever a sense of thy Love and thereby preserve me holy and without blemish to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Amen After you are gone from the Lord's Table to your seat say Blessed be the Lord for his exceeding great grace and mercy to us in Christ Jesus Blessed be the Lord who hath called me into fellowship with Himself and with his Son Christ Jesus Blessed be his Name that I have now received the tokens of his endless Love in which I ought to rejoyce without ceasing as more valuable then all the goods of this world It is my joy O Lord my highest satisfaction I have in this world that I am beloved of Thee who art able to make me more happy then I can conceive O preserve me for ever in thy Love and for that end preserve in me the same thoughts
resolutions and devout affections which I now feel in my heart Keep them alive by the powerfull assistences of thy Holy Spirit of which Thou hast given me an assurance in thy precious Promises and in these sacred Pledges of thy Loving-kindness For which I again most humbly thank Thee and desire I may never forget how much I am indebted to Thee but be still praising Thee and saying I will extoll Thee my God O King of Heaven and I will bless thy Name for ever and ever Every day will I bless Thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever While I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises to my God while I have any being My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh bless his holy Name for ever and ever Amen While others are Communicating you may say Preserve us all O Lord pure and acceptable Sacrifices unto Thee that we may be all presented spotless before the presence of thy glory with exceeding joy Or this As we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one Bread and have drunk of the same Cup so help us to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and to love one another with a pure heart fervently Or this Rom. 5 6. Now the God of patience and consolation grant us to be like-minded one towards another after the example of Christ Jesus That we may with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ This may be added Let all the people praise Thee O God let all the people praise Thee From the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same let the Name of our Lord be praised Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore Vpon Christmas day and seven days after you may adde this to your other Devotions More particularly I now remember O Lord thy stupendious Love in sending thy Son so unexpectedly to visit us when the World thought not of Thee but were Strangers or rather Enemies unto Thee Blessed be the Lord who hath so highly honoured our Nature as to dwell among us and to appear in the likeness of sinfull Flesh Preserve in me such a remembrance of it that I may never dishonour Him nor my self by consenting to any filthiness either of the flesh or spirit but alway behave my self sutably to the relation I have unto Him in righteousness and holiness before Him all the days of my life Amen V pon Easter day and seven days after I bless Thee O Lord who hast fulfilled thy promise unto our Saviour that Thou wouldst not leave his Soul in hell nor suffer thy Holy one to see Corruption Blessed be God who hath thereby confirmed our Faith in the Promises He hath made to us This is the day or time the Lord hath made I will rejoyce and be glad in it This is the day when my Saviour was begotten again from the dead and thereby hath begotten us again unto a lively hope of immortal Life This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes The Lord hath shewed us light even the light of Life I will offer to Him therefore perpetually the Sacrifice of righteousness together with these Sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving for his Mercy towards us which I see by this endureth for ever Vpon Ascention day and seven days after Blessed be God that I see Jesus who was humbled a while and made lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned now with glory and honour Lift up my heart O Blessed Jesus to that high and holy place where Thou art exalted and keep it fixed there That setting my affections on things above where Thou art at God's right hand I may never doe any thing that is unworthy of my Christian Profession but have my Conversation in Heaven from whence I expect Thee O Blessed Jesus who hast told us Thou art onely gone before to prepare a place for us Where Thou art O Blessed Lord there let me be also And at last change this vile body that it may be fashioned like unto thy glorious Body according to the working whereby Thou art able even to subdue all things unto thy self Vpon Whitsunday and six days after I rejoyce in the comfort Thou hast brought us O Holy Spirit of Grace I rejoyce to hear as Thou hast testified by the wonderfull Gifts bestowed on the Apostles that my Dearest Saviour is alive and that He lives for evermore and will never cease his Love to us till we be there where He is O inspire me more and more with thy heavenly Grace that being stedfast in this Faith I may bring forth all the fruits of the Spirit and not onely resist but overcome all Temptations in my way to Heaven Guide me by thy Counsel strengthen me with thy Might support me with thy Comforts in all necessities streights and dangers that I may at last safely arrive at eternal glory Amen Vpon the Feast of Trinity onely Adored be the incomprehensible Majesty of the Eternal undivided Trinity in whose Name I was baptized and whom I humbly worship with praises and thanksgivings saying Blessed be thy Name O God the Father Almighty the Creatour of Heaven and Earth in whom we all live and move and have our being And blessed be the Eternal Son of the Father our Saviour and Redeemer the Prince of Peace who hath purchased an eternal Redemption for us And blessed be the Holy Ghost the Comforter who inspires me with good thoughts pious desires and godly resolutions and will conduct me I hope unto everlasting Life Amen CHAP. VII Meditations and Prayers afterward IF there be more time left before all have communicated as there is generally on these great Festivals and where many receive upon other days you may spend it in Meditating as well as you are able upon the Ends for which this Sacrament was ordained Turn to the Third Chapter of this Book and there reade them in order I. Saying to your self when you think that you have now solemnly owned your self to be a Christian c. O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant I am sensible that I am not my own for I am bought with a great price and therefore ought to glorify God in my body and in my spirit which are God's And Good Lord assist me as becomes one who names the Name of Christ to depart from all iniquity II. And when you think of the next thing how thankfull you ought to be to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost you may easily turn those words you reade there into a Thanksgiving or have some such short Ejaculation as this What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me especially for this that He hath not spared his own Son but delivered him up for us all III. To which you may give an
up the principal things they observe carefully in their hearts that they may find them there upon occasion VIII For which end Masters and Mistresses should take care their Servants may have time to go to Church or rather they should see them go and bring them thither saying with the holy men of God I and my house will serve the Lord. IX And if they would help them to learn some short Prayer by heart besides the Lord's Prayer it would be a means to possess them with a sense of their Duty and to make them more confident of God's gracious assistence in the doing of it Instruct them at least after you have read to them their Duty to God and their Duty to their Neighbour to say Lord have mercy upon me and write all these thy Laws in my heart I beseech Thee and this Collect O God whose Blessed Son was manifested that He might destroy the works of the Devil and make us the sons of God and heirs of eternal life Grant me I beseech Thee that having this hope I may purify my self even as He is pure that when He shall appear again with power and great glory I may be made like unto Him in his eternal and glorious Kingdom where with Thee O Father and Thee O Holy Ghost He liveth and reigneth ever one God world without end Amen X. There is reason Masters and Mistresses should be at this pains with their Servants who cannot reade if they consider how much better Servants they will be to them when they are become the Servants of God and that they themselves have a Master in Heaven who expects they should not merely use their Bodies well but look also after their Souls so far at least as to help them to the means of Christian Instruction This is a thing indeed much neglected and if their work be but well done some Masters and Mistresses concern themselves no farther But such persons plainly declare that they love themselves better then God else they would not be satisfied till God's work was done also and carried on together with their own CHAP. XV. Directions to those that can reade I. AS for those who are able to reade I need not sure advise them to use that ability but onely to use it well avoiding vain and idle especially all filthy Books and being conversant in those that are good and profitable such as will improve their minds in usefull knowledg or excite in them devout affections towards God or direct them in the practice of Justice and Mercy of Temperance and Chastity and of all other Christian Vertues II. But above all other Books acquaint your selves with the Holy Scriptures which Timothy S. Paul says had known from a child and were able to make him wise unto Salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. III. 15. Which is a high commendation of the Old Scriptures and a great incouragement to study those Holy Books from whence we may reap the greater benefit now that we have the New Scriptures added to them which contain the Faith in Christ Jesus which the Apostle speaks of You do but pretend to love God which you acknowledge is a part of the Duty you owe Him if you do not seek after his mind and will which is onely to be found in the Holy Scriptures III. And of all other parts of the Scripture I have observed young people delight as it is natural to doe in reading the Historical Books of the Old Testament Which truly are writ with such a spirit of Piety as is to be found in no other History designing visibly these two things First to instill into the people a belief of Divine Providence which governs all things and presides not onely over Nations but particular Persons who therefore ought to have God in all their thoughts to whom all events are ascribed by the holy History And secondly to nurse them up in a sense of the difference of Good and Evil the former of which always received remarkable testimonies of God's Favour and the other was ever attended with the effects of his severe Displeasure IV. Do not think therefore that you have profitably read these Books unless you come away from the reading of them more sensible of these two things and more affected with them Possessed that is with a more lively apprehension of God's overruling Power and Providence whereby all things are disposed and therefore resolved to commit your selves unto Him in well-doing and to make that difference between Good and Evil that He doth resting satisfied with what He is pleased to order when you have taken care to order your selves so as to avoid what He hates and to follow that which He loves V. But above all other Books of the Old Testament the Psalms are of most general use and therefore ordered by our Church to be read over publickly once every month Some of which you would doe well to get by heart that you may say them upon all occasions as anciently they were wont to doe nothing being more ordinary then to hear the Husbandman chanting them as he followed the Plow the Seaman as he sate at the Helm the Waterman at his Oar the Weaver at his Loom the good Houswife at her Spindle or her Wheel nay the poor Ditcher sang them at his Spade and the very Children in the streets In short they suckt these in with their Mothers milk and from their very infancy as soon as they could learn any thing were taught a smattering of them before they could speak perfectly such a love they had to the sweet Musick of these Holy Songs VI. The very first of which will put you in mind of your Duty and of the Happiness it will bring you if you doe it faithfully Let that therefore and the rest that are of most general use and relate not merely to David's present condition or to some publick calamity be read most frequently and pondered most seriously Such are the VIII XV. XIX XXXIII XXXIV CIII CIV CXIX CXXXIX CXLV with many other which every one may observe for his own use particularly the VII Penitential Psalms which are most proper when you are in a sad afflicted condition or bewail any Sin you have committed to which they may be also applied They are the VI. XXXII XXXVIII LI. CII CXXX CXLIII VII But when all this is done you must chiefly reade the Books of the New Testament or Covenant made with us in Jesus Christ to which the Books of the Old Testament refer you as the perfection of that Knowledg which was but obscurely delivered by them And first the Holy Gospels which mostly contain the History of our Saviour's Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascention in all which principally observe the mighty power of God giving Testimony unto Him and declaring Him to be the Son of God Whom therefore you are bound to obey and in order thereunto study what his Will is which is most fully delivered in the
Lesson therefore as He advises of becoming like little Children throughly be planted in the hearts of Children and then Knowledg in other parts of Scripture will grow up with them and Faith thus planted in humility while their hearts are tender and easy to be wrought on by this plain and familiar Precept will take deep root and increase more and more as they do in strength and stature For though at the first their Faith be but as a grain of Mustard-seed yet having in the Spring time got the start of Pride and desire of worldly wealth or greatness it will afterward flourish in all heavenly knowledge and fructify in every good word and work VI. And above all other pieces of Humility it is absolutely necessary that Children be brought up to a great reverence of God's Ministers and a high opinion of their Calling Place and Persons If Parents or Guardians would teach them to honour them as their spiritual Fathers and to look upon them as men appointed by God to take care of their best part their immortal Souls and to bring Divine blessings to them If they would tell them Children these are the men by whom you are baptized and made Christians by these you must therefore be instructed and confirmed also in Religion and assured more and more of God's blessing it would have a mighty effect upon them and dispose them for all the good they may hereafter reape by them Whereas those words of reproach or undervaluing which they now daily hear must needs have the quite contrary effect or at least for want of such Admonitions and frequent inculcating the respect honour and esteem which is due to God's Ministers they mind so little what they say that when they become capable of it they receive no benefit by them A short Prayer tor the Morning ALmighty God and most mercifull Father I most humbly bow down my self before Thee to worship thy Divine Majesty by whom I was brought into the world and have been preserved and provided for all my life long and now this last night blessed be thy Goodness protected from all Dangers and raised up in health and safety to see the light of another day I thank Thee O Lord for these and all the rest of thy Mercies especially for thy singular Love in Christ Jesus beseeching Thee to awaken and preserve in me such a lively sense thereof that I may never prove ungratefull to Him but constantly doe Him all faithfull service Particularly this day I earnestly implore the assistence of his Holy Spirit to inable me to keep those Vows that are upon me not to follow nor be led by worldly and carnal Lusts but to obey thy holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of my life Help me Good Lord in my place and condition to perform my Duty towards Thee and towards my Neighbour with such care fidelity and chearfulness that I may with some confidence present my self again before Thee in the Evening and comfortably hope for thy continued good Providence over me To which I humbly recommend thy Church and Houshold beseeching Thee to keep it in thy true Religion and to defend it evermore by thy mighty Power through Jesus Christ our Lord. In whose most blessed Name and words I still beseech Thee to be mercifull to me and to all thy people saying Our Father c. A short Prayer for the Evening I Thank Thee O Lord of Heaven and Earth that by thy mercifull Providence I am here prostrate again before Thee not onely in health and safety of body but in integrity of heart I hope and with sincere purposes to continue always thy faithfull Servant Pardon O most mercifull Father whatsoever I have done or omitted this day contrary to my resolutions and obligations Pitty my great weaknesses and accept of my honest endeavours to keep a good Conscience void of offence towards Thee and towards Man Which that I may doe every day better and better vouchsafe me the assistence of thy special Grace to strengthen me in the performance of all my Duty That where I have been wont to slip I may be more watchfull and where I have been negligent I may use the greater diligence and so continue thy Child a lively Member of Christ and an Inheritour of thy heavenly Kingdom And hear the Prayers of thy whole Church which have been made this day for every member of the same especially for our Sovereign Lord the KING for all that minister under him in holy or civil things for all that are distressed in mind body or estate beseeching Thee to dispense thy Graces and Blessings to every one of them sutable to their several necessities And be my mercifull Protectour all this night and after a refreshing Rest raise me up again in the morning with a thankfull heart to Thee for thy care over me fully resolved continually to mortify all my evil and corrupt Affections and daily to proceed in all Vertue and Godliness of living through Jesus Christ our Saviour In whose Name and words I commend my self to thy mercy saying Our Father c. A Prayer for one of riper years before the receiving of Baptism O Lord the Creatour of the World and Redeemer of Mankind I fall down before Thee to acknowledge that I am thine and to beseech Thee though I have offended Thee to receive me into thy service again Pardon good Lord all the Follies of my Childhood with all the Sins Negligences and Ignorances of my riper years Let them all be done away in that Fountaïn which Thou hast set open for us to wash in and be clean I desire to be admitted thither and intend there to devote my self intirely to Thee renouncing the Devil the World and the Flesh and resolving obediently to keep thy holy will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of my life Vouchsafe me O Lord the assistence of thy Holy Spirit that I may both seriously make and faithfully keep those holy Vows and Promises Preserve in me a perpetual remembrance of them that I may never by any Sin lose so great a Grace as Thou intendest to bestow upon me but always continue a lively Member of Christ and an Heir of his heavenly Kingdom To which I beseech Thee at last to bring me through the Merits of Christ Jesus Amen A Prayer for one that intends to be Confirmed O Most Blessed God by whose grace I was called into a state of Salvation when I was Baptized and from whom cometh every good thought desire and purpose which I have since felt in my heart Assist me I beseech Thee in the new dedication which I am going to make of my self unto Thee whose I am and resolve to be to the end of my days Fill me O Lord with such a lively sense of the honour Thou doest me in admitting me into thy Service that I may give up my self not onely with the full but with the most chearfull consent of my heart to believe and doe whatsoever Thou wouldst have me And then be pleased to confirm me in thy Grace and to strengthen me with might by thy Holy Spirit in the inner man that I may ever discern and chuse and follow those things which are acceptable in thy sight Arm me good Lord against all the Temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil with a will stedfastly resolved never to yield to any of them but to persist faithfully in the performance of my Vow which was made in my name when I was baptized and which I now intend with my own mouth to ratify openly before 〈◊〉 Church Whose devout Prayers I beseech Thee to hear for me through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer after Confirmation ALmighty and everliving God who hast vouchsafed to regenerate me by Water and the Holy Ghost and also 〈◊〉 farther certified me 〈…〉 the hands of thy Minister lately laid on me of thy Favour and gracious Goodness towards me Accept I most humbly beseech Thee of my hearty thanks for such great and undeserved Benefits and continue in me those good thoughts desires and purposes which I found then in my heart to persist in faithfull Obedience to Thee for ever For which end be pleased daily to impart unto me more and more of the Holy Spirit to preserve me in thy fear and love and to inable me to doe all the rest of my Duty not onely towards Thee but towards my Neighbour Especially to those by whom as thy Stewards thy heavenly Mysteries are conveyed to us that reverently attending to their Instructions and receiving their godly Admonitions and obediently following their Guidance and direction I may be finally owned for one of thy good and faithfull Servants at that Day when the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls shall appear again to our Salvation To Him with Thee O Father and the Holy Ghost be eternal praises Amen They that need Prayers for other particular occasions may be furnished in a Book called the Devout Christian c. THE END The Contents Chap. I. Of the Duty pag. 1. Chap. II. Of the Necessity of this Duty p. 7. Chap. III. Of the Ends for which it was instituted p. 14. Chap. IV. Of Preparation for it p. 23. Chap. V. A Prayer for that morning when you intend to receive Which may be used any time before p. 39. Chap. VI. The manner of Receiving p. 46. Chap. VII Meditations and Prayers afterward p. 81. Chap. VIII Directions for a godly Life sutable to this holy Communion p. 99. Chap. IX Touching Doubts and Scruples p. 114. Chap. X. Directions in case of frequent Relapses into Sin p. 127. Chap. XI The Duties of Children p. 138. Chap. XII The Dutier of Servants p. 147. Chap. XIII Advices to all Young persons p. 158. Chap. XIV Directions about them that cannot reade p. 168. Chap. XV. Directions to those that can reade p. 179. Chap. XVI A necessary qualification to receive benefit by all this p. 203. A short Prayer for the Morning p. 213. A short Prayer for the Evening p. 216. A Prayer for one of riper years before the receiving of Baptism p. 221. A Prayer for one that intends to be Confirmed p. 224. A Prayer after Confirmation p. 227. The End
reverently to all my betters to hurt no body by word or deed to be true and just in all my dealing 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 doe my duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call me All these things you promised with your own mouth before God and his People when you was confirmed that you would be carefull to observe and must therefore make this the constant Rule of your life and call upon God by diligent Prayer for his speciall Graces without which you will not be able to serve Him Which if you doe sincerely then III. I would advise you every evening before you go to sleep to take some time to think how well you have kept your Resolution and observed this Rule And where you find you have faln short of it or done contrary to it to make a new Resolution to be more carefull the next day And if you be able to set down in writing those Negligences or breaches of your Covenant with God when you take notice of them you will have the less to doe when the opportunity of communicating approacheth For then IV. Lastly you can with much ease examine your selves before the Communion and have a full account of your life and conversation ready at hand About which you will be lamentably puzzled and long in drawing it up if you do not constantly make some observation how things go with you but in this Method shall be able presently and without any perplexity to understand certainly and clearly in what case you are And so you have nothing farther to doe by way of Preparation to the Sacrament but onely first sorrowfully to bewail your Sinfulness and to confess your selves to Almighty God and that secondly with a full purpose of Amendment of life and of greater diligence and watchfulness hereafter especially in those particulars wherein you have miscarried For sorrowfull Confession and Affliction of spirit for your Sins is not sufficient but must end in this unfeigned Resolution And if you find thirdly that your Offences are not onely against God but also against your Neighbours then as you are directed in the Communion-Service to reconcile your selves unto them Being ready to make restitution and satisfaction according to the utmost of your powers for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other and being ready likewise to forgive others that have offended you as ye would have forgiveness of your offences at God's hand When all this is done then you ought not to discourage your selves with a fancy of your Unworthiness to partake of that Holy Table to which you are invited For you will always be unworthy in the strictest sense of the word but are really worthy in God's account when you are thus disposed and sensible at the best of your unworthiness of such great Blessings as God of his goodness is desirous to bestow upon you CHAP. V. A Prayer for that morning when you intend to receive Which may be used any time before BEsides those usuall Prayers wherein you constantly recommend your self to God and give him thanks for his daily benefits it will be fit to make a particular application of your self to Him for his gracious assistence and his blessing upon you in that holy Duty after this manner O Lord I most humbly abase my self before Thee confessing that I am unworthy of any of those mercies which I enjoy in common with the rest of thy Creatures For I have too much forgotten Thee my Creatour and Jesus Christ my Redeemer whom I have many ways offended either through ignorance or negligence or wilfull sins Here mention the particulars out of your daily observations And yet so great is thy Goodness Thou art pleased to give me an opportunity to partake of thy extraordinary love and kindness in thy dear Son the Lord Jesus For I am invited by his Minister to come and feast with Him at his Table by a thankfull Commemoration of the offering He made of his own Body and Bloud upon the Cross for us And I am very desirous to go if Thou wilt but be pleased graciously to pardon all my past offences either against Thee or against my Neighbour and to accept of my hearty sorrow for them and unfeigned resolution to doe my endeavour to amend them O be mercifull unto me be mercifull unto me I most humbly beseech Thee for the sake of Jesus Christ who died for me And though I am unworthy so much as at any time to approach into thy presence yet do not reject me now but permit me to come even unto thy holy Table For which if I am in any measure prepared it is to be ascribed to thy grace which hath wrought such good dispositions in me and therefore will I hope still so assist me that I may not be an unwelcome guest unto Thee but be filled with such a lively sense of thy Love to me and with such a sincere and ardent Love to Thee and with such satisfaction of heart in being one of thy Servants that I may be more sorrowfull then ever that I have offended Thee and more stedfastly resolved to be strictly obedient to Thee And O most gracious God let me find I beseech Thee all such godly Resolutions in me more confirmed and strengthned by the heavenly Food Thou hast prepared for me O that as I stand already engaged by former Vows which I have upon me so I may faithfully and chearfully obey thy holy will in all things and daily increase in thy holy Spirit more and more untill I come to thy everlasting Kingdom Hear me O Lord and help me so to perform my Duty in every part of that holy action which I am going to doe in remembrance of my Saviour that I may not onely at present rejoyce in his Love to me but be excited thereby to doe the rest of my Duty better and with more delight all the days of my life Which I humbly beg through his Merits and Mediation to whom with Thee O Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour glory and praise both now and for evermore Amen CHAP. VI. The manner of Receiving THUS I have led you to the Holy Communion and now you will expect I should instruct your behaviour there I know no plainer or more natural method then to direct you what to doe in every part of that Divine Service When the Sermon therefore is done and you are conveniently placed that you may lose no time while the Minister is making himself ready and the Congregation that doth not receive is dismissing repeat the Prayer above written or some part of it When you see the Minister going up to officiate say Blessed
's He hath bought me with a price and I have devoted my self again and again unto Him Therefore I will glorify Him with body and Soul which are his Or to affect your heart the more you may put it thus O how happy am I in being ingaged to serve such a gracious Lord and Master as Christ Jesus I will never lose this Happiness by being unfaithfull to Him and unmindfull of his Love III. To keep your self stedfast in this Resolution reade seriously every day your Duty to God and your Duty to your Neighbour as they are plainly set down in the Church-CATECHISM See p 29. of this Book And say at the end of it This I have promised this I have vowed when I became a Christian this I have again confirmed and this by God's grace I will faithfully perform IV. And resolve at the same time to be watchfull all that day especially in those things wherein you observed at your last examination of your self you have been most defective and most apt to be surprised Excite your self therein to use greater diligence and set a stricter guard upon your heart carefully avoiding such places company and occasions as have been wont to indanger you And call your self to an account at night according to the Advice p. 33. of this Book V. There is no body sure so imployed but may find time for such short Exercises as these In which if they would be serious and not slubber them over too fast they would find the happy fruit of them in their hearts and lives And to make them the more effectual adde this short Prayer as oft as you can every day Almighty God who hast given thine onely Son to be unto us both a Sacrifice for Sin and also an Ensample of godly Life give me grace that I may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable Benefit and also daily endeavour my self to follow the blessed steps of his most holy Life through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen VI. If your buisiness be such that you cannot every day reade over your Duty to God and your Duty to your Neighbour do not fail to doe it once or twice a week And pause a while at the end of every particular saying This is my Duty this I will doe by God's grace And at the end of all to make your reading the more effectual say I heartily thank our Heavenly Father that He hath called me upon these terms into the state of Salvation and I beseech Him to give me his grace that I may continue in the same unto my life's end VII Resolve also by this means to fit your self to receive the Holy Communion as often as you can remembring that as by Baptism you are made a Member of Christ and enter into the state of Salvation so by this Communion with Him you continue in that blessed state Which they cannot justly pretend unto who constantly neglect to doe this in remembrance of Christ They give no sufficient testimony that they are of the Christian Society nor have any reason to look upon themselves as living Members of Christ and in a state of Salvation VIII And if you do not come up to your Resolution in every thing but find rather you have severall ways failed in the performance of your Duty to God and your Neighbour let not that hinder you from going to the Communion when you have opportunity But onely humble your self the more before God by unfeigned Repentance and go to strengthen your Christian Resolution by receiving the spiritual Food which Christ hath prepared for you and beseech Him to impart more spiritual strength unto you IX And if you still start back again let not that discourage you nor make you think you shall never grow better But hope in God rather that by the constant and frequent use of this and all other holy means you shall at last be stedfast and unmovable in well-doing You will never be so if you leave off to communicate but you will grow more and more careless in other things and therefore continue to doe this as Christ bids you and doe it for this end that you may tie your self faster to Him and increase in power and strength to have victory and to triumph over the Devil the World and the Flesh X. And lastly be not hindred by Doubts and Scruples wherewith many are wont to perplex and dishearten themselves from receiving the benefit of frequent Communion I have not room to consider them all in this little Book but if any person cannot in this way which I have directed satisfy his Conscience let him not fail to follow the Counsel which is given him in the Communion-Service which is to goe to his Guide or some other discreet and learned Minister of God's Word and open his grief to him that by the Ministry of God's Holy Word he may receive the benefit of Absolution together with ghostly counsel and advice to the quieting of his Conscience and avoiding of all Scruple and Doubtfulness CHAP. IX Touching Doubts and Scruples IT will doe some service perhaps to well-disposed Souls if I shew how easily some of their most common Scruples may be satisfied if they will but advise with God's Ministers about them though I cannot insist upon all the causes of their Doubtfulness I will bestow this Chapter therefore upon that buisiness I. We ordinarily hear this objected to us when we tell men of their neglect of this Duty I do not delight in that nor in other holy Duties and therefore to what purpose is it to doe them The plain Answer is this If you prefer the doing of your Duty before your Pleasure or your Gain then you cannot but take a rational satisfaction if you understand your self in what you have done Nay if you consider it well you will have a high Satisfaction proportionable to the greatness of the Pleasure or the worldly Advantage which you denied for God's sake Who you must remember is satisfied in your doing what you can especially when you are tempted another way and therefore so should you be too Hoping that by constant practice of Vertue He will give you that Delight in it which you desire I am sure this is the way to get it if it be to be had II. Others complain of a great Dulness that is upon them in holy Duties which makes them have no list to them This doth not differ much from the former and therefore I shall onely adde that when you have taken all the pains with your self which I have directed in the foregoing Chapter you ought not to be troubled at your Dulness but ascribe it either to your natural Constitution or to some present Indisposition of body Neither of which is in your power to remedy but onely to submit unto and endure with patience In short let not this afflict you much less hinder your Communicating if by your receiving the Holy Communion you find that you are made more
continual danger of falling into the fire or water or other mischief Make this your own case for your frequent falling into Sin notwithstanding your resolutions and ingagements is far more dreadfull and dangerous and no means ought to be refused for a cure of so great an evil CHAP. XI The Duties of Children THIS Book being intended for Beginners and such as may be supposed to have least knowledge of their Duty I shall conclude it with a few Advices to Children to poor Servants and to all sorts of Young people The Duty of Children is comprehended in two words to honour and to obey their Parents Therefore remember I. First It is your Duty to Honour your Parents which is the first of all the Commandments of the Second Table And consists 1. In an Esteem of them as your Superiours and greatest Benefactours because under God they were the Authours of your Being and took care of your Education when you could not look after your selves 2. In a reverent Behaviour towards them even when they do not perform their Duty but provoke you to wrath by their peevish crosness 3. In requiting their Love by supplying their necessities if they fall into a low condition and you be able to support them Reade I Tim. V. 4. XV. Matt. 5 6. 4. In bearing with their Infirmities either of body or mind especially in their old age or declining years II. Secondly Obey your Parents VI. Ephes 1. so as to be subject to them II. Luk. 51. That is 1. Be subject to their good Instructions and Admonitions to which you ought to listen diligently 2. To their Commands when they bid you doe any thing that is not contrary to the Divine Commandments 3. To their Corrections also for your faults to which you ought reverently to submit XII Hebr. 9. 4. And to their Directions also about the choice of your Calling if you have not a natural aversation to it 5. But especially in the buisiness of Marriage in which Parents have always had a right to dispose of their Children Not indeed to force them to marry one whom they cannot love but to oblige them to endeavour to love those whom they recommend to their choice And when you cannot bring your self to a compliance with their desires in that point you must with due reverence and respect dissent from them and humbly beseech them to press you no farther If they will not harken to your repeated requests you are not bound or rather you are bound not to follow their directions in such a case But on the other side do not marry any body else without their consent unless they be so unreasonable that they will let you marry none at all and you find a necessity of it to prevent your being led away contrary to your Vow in Baptism by fleshly Lusts In that case repair to the Magistrate or your Minister who are common Parents and let them deal with them and if they cannot prevail I have no more to say about your Obedience in this particular use your liberty prudently and with good advice of Friends and due respect to your Parents But as the Common-Prayer-Book exhorts you in the Office of Matrimony do not enterprise nor take in hand such a weighty thing as Marriage unadvisedly lightly or wantonly meerly to satisfy carnal lusts and appetites like brute Beasts that have no understanding but reverently discreetly advisedly and in the fear of God duly considering for what ends it was ordained and then you cannot doe amiss Be carefull in the performance of these Duties and God before whom such things are good and acceptable will give you his Blessing Reade III. Ecclesiasticus beginning unto v. 17. CHAP. XII The Duties of Servants THough Servants be not now mere Slaves and Bondmen as they were in the Apostles days yet they are in a state of subjection and are tied to such Obedience as we find enjoyned in the Apostolical Writings even for this reason because they are now in a far better condition Harken therefore to your Duty as it is plainly set forth in the Holy Scripture And remember I. First of all that you are bound to study to please your Masters and Mistresses by doing as they bid you in their buisiness wherein they imploy you II. Titus 9. A branch of which is as you will find in that place not to contradict them and stand disputing with them Much less ought you to I be saucy and irreverent in your Answers or in your Behaviour towards them 1 Tim. VI. 1. II. Remember also to be Faithfull in your trust and never to deceive them in the smallest matter but be sure to shew all good fidelity as the Apostle there teaches you II. Tit. 10. III. Part of which Fidelity is to be diligent in your buisiness and to dispatch it as soon as you can and to be solicitous also to doe your work well which S. Peter and S. Paul seem to mean when they bid you serve them with all fear 1 Pet. II. 18. and with fear and trembling VI. Ephes 5. IV. And both this Diligence and Solicitude and Trustiness must be performed not onely when they have their eye upon you but when their back is turned and they are absent from you VI. Ephes 6. III. Coloss 22. If you gad abroad or slacken your labour and care when they are not at home or do not see you you do not serve them as Christians that study to please God but as vile Slaves and Men-pleasers that mind nothing but to avoid their anger V. Be content also with your Allowance and submit to such Restraints as they lay upon you which seems to be included in the Apostolical Precept before mentioned II. Tit. 10. For more then this you ought to take their hard Words nay and Corrections patiently I cannot say but you may seek a remedy from your Governours and theirs if they abuse you but a Blow that does no hurt much more an angry Chiding should not seem any great matter to you But you had better bear it saying nothing or meekly praying them to spare you then increase their wrath by answering again angrily Howsoever all ill words are utterly unlawfull Reade 1 Pet. II. 18. VI. The Apostles also would have you to serve them with good will VI. Ephes 7. and whatsoever you doe to doe it heartily III. Coloss 23. One note of which is when you go about your buisiness chearfully and do not grumble at your work much less grumble at this that you are Servants and not as good as those whom you serve It is very uncomfortable to your Masters as well as your selves when you go about your work with a discontented spirit and a sour heart lowring and pouting as we speak which proceeds from hence that you forget you are serving the Lord when you are diligent in their buisiness and look upon your selves onely as Servants of Men. This the Apostles correct when they bid you be obedient to your Masters
as unto Christ Not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart With good will doing service as unto the Lord and not unto men VI. Ephes 5 6 7. Where he four times within the compass of 3 verses puts you in mind of this that you are doing God's will and serving the Lord Christ when you are doing their buisiness which they enjoyn you If you think of this you will not goe about it heavily and discontentedly especially if you consider the motive whereby the Apostle incourages you knowing that whatsoever good thing a man doeth though in the meanest place the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free VI. Ephes 8. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ III. Coloss 24. CHAP. XIII Advices to all Young persons I. IT is of the greatest consequence to begin well And therefore at your first setting out into the World take a special care lest you contract any evil habit especially of Idleness the bane of Youth and lest you entertain any prejudices against things before you be able to judge as we see too many have done against the Common Prayers of the Church which they abhorr they know not why merely from an early disgust they took to them before they could distinguish between good and evil II. And check your desire of Pleasure which now above all other times will intice you and of Novelty also which is comprehended in the youthfull Lusts as we render the words spoken of in 2 Tim. II. 22. unto which mankind is strangely prone in their inconsiderate age loathing ancient forms and craving new entertainment for their fancies III. Avoid Harlots as you would the Plague remembring the repeated cautions and admonitions which the Wise man gives to his Son about this matter Reade them seriously II. Prov. 18 19. V. Prov. 3 4 5. VII the whole Chapter and follow his counsels lest thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed saying How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined my ear to them that instructed me IV. In order to Chastity be exactly temperate in meat and drink Drink no wine which will adde fire to fire study hard or use your selves to labour and watchings avoid all provocations to your carnal appetite V. Take heed what Friendships you contract for Youth is prone to familiarity and thereby drawn easily into ill company VI. Reverence your Elders XIX Levit. 32. 1 Pet. V. 5 6. particularly your Tutors and Guardians who are in stead of Parents Which Reverence is to be expressed not merely by your outward Behaviour and in your Language but in desiring their Advice harkening to their Counsels enterprising nothing without their Direction and submitting to their Reprehension VII In order to which be sober-minded as S. Paul exhorts you II. Tit. 6. Whereby he means either Seriousness and the study of Discretion or Humility and Modesty Which Modesty is an exceeding great ornament of Youth an indication also of a good Mind and a hopefull blossom of excellent fruit as one of the Ancients speaks But it doth not consist merely in your Looks but in your low opinion of your selves sense of your imprudence and weakness and in a humble attention to the opinions and counsels of your Elders VIII Finally remember that Youth is like the Spring-time which will soon be over and if you onely play in it and take no care to sow good seeds of Wisedom and Piety you will lose the opportunity of making provision for a happy life Of this you are in great danger because there is nothing to which young men are more prone then to squander away their time Be serious therefore and considerate that you may not be undone by the folly of Youth which as Solomon notes inclines men so eagerly to follow their own humour in every thing that they do not love to have any check in their mirth and jollity That which will check them most is the thoughts of the future especially the remembrance as he there observes XI Eccles. 9. of the account they must make And therefore I conclude with that advice Rejoyce O young man in thy youth c. But know that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment CHAP. XIV Directions about them that cannot reade I. AS for those who cannot reade themselves which in our days are but few blessed be God in comparison with former Ages their Masters or their Mistresses or their Fellow-servants or some good Neighbour or Relation are desired to be so charitable as to reade to them their duty about this matter shewing them the necessity and the ends of it and praying them to mark and observe what is read II. Or if their Memories be very weak tell them in short that they are bound by their Vow in Baptism to doe God's will and keep his Commandments and that this is one of his Commandments that they should commemorate his Love by coming unto the Holy Communion which will help them to doe the rest of his will better III. Reade to them also their Baptismal Vow together with their Duty to God and their Duty to their Neighbour as it is laid down in the Catechism and ask them if they intend to doe all this by God's gracious assistence IV. If they consent to it tell them they ought to go and receive Confirmation as was said before and then go to the Holy Communion to thank God for calling them into this state of Salvation by Jesus Christ and for working such a good will in them and to promise Him that they will continue his faithfull Servants to their lives end V. And let them know that if they can doe no more at the Holy Communion but onely give God thanks heartily for sending his Son to die for them and devote themselves unto Him in resolution of sincere Obedience it will be acceptable to Him and in time they will understand more and doe this Duty better VI. Therefore teach them that the thoughts of their imperfections and ignorance ought not to discourage them from coming to the Communion for the very doing of that which Christ commands I mean the Minister's taking Bread and Wine blessing them breaking the one and pouring out the other giving them to his people and their receiving these in remembrance of his Death and Passion is a thing in it self gratefull to Him And if they know thus much and with honest hearts give thanks to God and promise Him to be his faithfull Servants He will take it kindly and increase his Graces in their hearts VII And that He may tell them that since they cannot reade they must be the more diligent in attending to what is read in the Church or in private and to the Sermons they hear preached laying