perswade his brethren to iustice and loue Act. 10. Remember how Cornelius and his houshold feared God Nowe then beloued as you loue the Lorde as you tender your owne soules and your charges as you beare naturall affection to your common safetie and happines I beseeche you in the bowels of Iesus Christ indeuour to these thinges both small and great that you may profite in the worke of your saluation so shall you be famous in the church of God common weale you shal glad the soules of vs that labor amongst you in the word you shal bring glory to God eternal happines to your selus in the day of Christ Iesus Let Gods boke be orderlie read with reuerēce daily in your families let prayer be exercised in your housholdes and vouchsafe to helpe them in this small Catechisme that they may be fitte for further instruction Giue dilligence to harken to the word of lyfe and to put in vre these fewe prayers in this little booke or other with humilitie reuerence a liuelie sence and feeling of your miserie faith thankfulnes hope and with vnfained desire of profiting in all dueties of fayth and loue towards God your brethren For I liue if you stande in the fayth and sith God hath vouchsafed the blessed tidinges of saluation vppon you in the ministrie of hys word embrace it with thankfulnes and studie for all christian peace and vnitie among your selues fearing God furthering his holye religion and all dueties of loue among men that so our Towne may flourishe and prosper in all thinges otherwise wee can hope of no blessing at the hand of God There is great cause why care should bee hadde heerein Your Towne bordering vppon the sea is in perrill to forraine inuasions and to be steyned with the corrupt manners of other Countries to drinke in iniquitie euen as water therefore the more care to be hadde ouer it Christ sawe such Townes bordering on the Seas to be in most daunger sundrie wayes and therefore frequēted them most vouchsafed his presence doctrine chiefliest amongst them This is my sute to your worshippes this is my sute to the whole company to the whole congregation yea to euery soule amongst you Phil 2 1 If ye euer receiued comfort in Christ if euer you had loue to the brethren if euer any felowship of the spirit if any compassion mercy that you fulfyll my ioy Euen in this to be of one minde in doctrine of one consent in a godly and christian life to apply all dueties of Gods worship to haue care of your families instructing teaching and calling vpon them to be catechised to reade heare the word bee your selues forward therein exercisyng prayer reading and hearing of the word in faith good conscience that so by christian exercises your faith and obedience may be increased your families reformed your Towne happily gouerned that others may take example by you God may be glorified all spirituall blessings may be heaped vpon you and continued to your posterity after you vnto many generations your selues may in the ende receiue the possession of euerlasting life with Christ Iesus in the kingdome of God to whose blessed tuition I commend you and yours praying the Lorde to multiplye all hys graces and mercies vppon you and the whole people to keepe you in safetie from the daunger of enemies to sanctify you in his trueth to blesse you in your gouernment the people in obeying and to make you perfitte in all good workes to doo his wyll working in you that which is pleasant in his sight thorough Iesus Christe To whome with the Father and the holy spirit be all prayse and honor for euer and euer Amen Your worships to vse in in the Lord hartely desirous of your good and saluation in Christ Iesus B. Andrewes An order of prayer or a preparation to the reading of the word in your families Let vs prepare and stirre vppe our mindes by prayer that we may reade the word of God with profite O Lord our God who in thy wisedome and mercy hast appointed thy holie worde as the wholesome nourishment of our soules that by reading hearing and musing thereon we might growe vppe vnto saluation Wee beseeche thee to pardon all our sinnes for Iesus Christe his sake take away the corruption of our nature purge and sanctify our harts that we may read thy word at all times with reuerent mindes so as we may daily be borne againe confyrmed in faith reformed in our manners furthered in knowledge and obedience strengthened against all temptations furnished with patience against all tryals and fynally be made fruitfull in al good workes resembling thy Image and growing vppe into full holines righteousnes in thy sight til we are perfited in the heauens with Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen Let vs harken with reuerence to the holie word of the Lord our God written in such or such a Chapiter and Booke c. A breefe and short Catechisme made for the vse of housholdes and to be learned of all those that vvill be admitted to the Lords Supper By B. A. Minister TO what ende did God make you Aunswere That I might serue him according to his worde Lu 1 74 Eph 4 24 by dooing his wil in righteousnes and true holines all my life Minister VVhere shall you learne what is thys wyll of God Answere In his word and Lawe Minister Rehearse that Law of God Aunswere God spake and said Exo. 20 I am the Lord thy God c. Aunswere VVhat cheefely doth thys lawe require of you Answere First that I shoulde acknowledge (a) Deut 6 4 one onely God serue him in all purenes (b) De. 6.5 et 10 12 Luk 10 27 Ma 22 37 with all my hart soule minde strength will and thoughts in all thinges according to his worde Secondlie that I shoulde walke in (c) Mat 22 39 Ro. 13 8 7 10 loue faithfulnes and trueth with all men dooing dueties of conscience in my calling and (d) Le. 19 8 louing my neighbour as my selfe Minister Are you able of your selfe to doo hys wyll and keepe this his Lawe Aunswer Nothing lesse Minister VVhy so Aunswere Because of my corrupt nature which (a) Ro. 5 18 with Adam is fallen from the state of innocencie (b) Ro 8 7 and so is not obedient to the law of GOD. Minister VVhat are you by nature then Aunswer The (a) Eph 2 3 childe of wrath and (b) Ro 6 20 a sinner Minister VVhat is sinne Answere Euerie (a) 1 Ioh. 3 4 breaking or (b) Neh 9 34 Heb 2 3 neglecting of anie commandement of God and (c) Neh 1 7 Gal 3.10 the not dooing of euerie duetie commanded is sin Minister VVhat is the rewarde of sinne Answere The (a) Gal. 3 10 curse of God (b) Ro. 6 23 death with (c) Mar 9 48 Mat 25 46 2 Thes 1 9 Eze 18 20 euerlasting woe
to whom we should approoue our loue by all christian dueties heere Lorde wee stand deepely charged of much guiltines howe vnduetifull to our parents Princes Gouernours Teachers pastors and all our betters not carefullie praying for them nor procuring them what honour and good that wee can in our callinges nor carrying humble mindes toward our equalles or inferiors We haue beene impacient full of vnnaturall affections malicious contentious yea howe vncharitable haue we beene in iudging others in taking vnkindnes at euery occasion not forgiuing nor forbearing when quarrels haue rysen but are too readie to gyue occasion and to prouoke to displeasure we haue not laboured for peace as it became vs. Howe vnstayed vnchaste and intemperate haue our words affections been how vniust haue wee beene in our thoughtes and meaninges not studying for trueth and equity in loue but through couetous affections haue sometimes intruded into the commodities of others How haue we not spared the name of our brethren not touched with the tender regarde of their credite sometime hearing beleeuing and publyshing of slaunders and vntruethes against our neyghboures or els by reuealing the vttermost agaynste them haue russhed agaynst theyr good name Yea Lorde we haue hurte manie by our example and haue not doone that good which we myght haue doone to our brethren nor made conscience of offences against them All these thinges O deere Father argue vs guiltie and presse vs by increasing the euidence of our accusation but if we should O lord stand to rippe vpp our wants in thy seruice we should not know where to beginne nor where to ende they are so infinite In a word Lord we haue broken the holie league of our obedience neglected thy worship not fearing louing nor trusting in thee as we ought wee haue not soughte to thee in our needes nor harkened to thy word in the ministrie therof we haue dishallowed thy name transgressed al thy lawes and made hauocke of thy heauenly statuts all our life hath beene a dishonour vnto thee and nowe O Lord euen our God what remayneth for vs in thy iustice if thou shouldest measure vs by our selues but euen thy fearefull curse and banishment from thy presence so as thou mightest throwe vs downe to hell and shewe the power of thy wrath vpon vs by heaping on vs all thy fearefull plagues and curses writtē in the law against transgressors If wee shoulde looke to the heauens they can not helpe vs yf wee looked downe to the earth no comfort can be founde if we seeke for men to be our aduocates they all stand condemned with the sons of Adam if wee sue to Angels it booteth not for thou hast founde follie in them if we shoulde pleade Lawe with thee loe the sentence of death alreadie is passed against vs if wee resort to thy diuine maiestie there terror dismayeth vs thou art iust and canst not away with iniquitie and we Lorde what are wee to stand in thy sight whether then shal we flie from thy presence and wher shal we be reskued from the terrour and guilt of our sinnes and the feare of thy iudgments Beholde Lorde thy deere sonne Christe Iesus that immaculate Lambe he is our redeemer and sauiour our iustifier our aduocate who as a louing Samaritane hath salued our woundes satisfyed thy Lawe borne thy curse for vs and stepping out betweene vs thee hath payd the raunsome of all our trespasses in him wee knowe thou canst not bee displeased with vs. O Lord heauenlie father wee therefore most humblie pray thee for his sake to be mercifull vnto vs in pardoning all our sinnes and turning all these iudgements from vs which we confesse wee haue deserued to be executed vpon our soules and bodies for wee acknowledge thou mightest iustlie plague vs for that we haue not vsed the faculties and powers of our soules mindes to thy glory our wits and wisedome haue warred against thee and wee haue spent our counsels in vayne thinges so as thou mightest depriue vs of our wittes and possesse vs with follie and madnes or throw vs vppe to errors and stronge illusions because wee haue not beleeued thy trueth thou mightest also with drawe from vs the vse of our members which wee haue too long lette out to Satan and vncleanenes and haue not serued thee in our sences and members as wee ought And whereas thou hast heaped benefites infinitelie vpon vs haste trusted vs with life health wealth prosperitie and peace wee haue beene vnthankfull for them abused them so as thou mightest Lord turne our life into death our wealth into woe our health into dangerous sicknes and diseases our prosperitie into aduersitie our peace into warre our plenty into scarcitie dearth so punish the earth for our sins as thou hast by some pettie iudgements begun oft to call vs to repentance but we haue not regarded neither bene fittes nor scourges can mooue vs to humble and tame vs except thou O Lord put to thine hand O deere Father suffer vs not to sinne in hardnesse of hart and in vnkindnes towards thy maiestie or against the meanes offers of grace but touch vs we pray thee with a true remorse of conscience for our sinnes which we heere vnfaynedlie cōfesse before thee frame our harts to true repentaunce accept this Sacrifice of our confessyon sorrow for our iniquities pardon all our sinnes burie them in the graue of thy Sonne forget and forgiue them and cause vs to turne vnto thee for we are ashamed of our selues and abhorre our selues repenting vs of all our sinnes from our harts wherfore Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and shew mercy receiue vs vnto fauour for wyth thee onelie is mercy and compassyon thou onelie forgiuest sinnes we renounce our selues wholie and all our owne worthines wee appeale from all others to thee alone therfore accept of vs in thy beloued son Christ Iesus renue vs by thy spirit guyde vs in thy wayes sanctifie vs in thy trueth keepe vs in awe that we may spende all our time in thy seruice doing dueties to thee our brethren in our callings all our life that so we feeling of thy grace working in vs vnto sanctification and a newe life may gather assuraunce of the full forgiuenes of all our sinnes and so with comfort and ioy finish our christian course giuing good example to our brethren and glorifying thy name vppon the earth and finallie may praise thee in the heauens without all corruption in perfect holines and so be glorified with all thy saintes through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen A forme of prayer O Lorde our moste gracious good and mercifull Father we thy seruants the work manshyp of thy handes fall downe before thy high maiestie humblye acknowledging our manifolde and heynous sinnes whereby wee haue broken thy holie Lawes and iustly deserued euen eternall death condemnation at thy handes VVe doo heere most instantly vpon the knees of our harts sue vnto thy
fatherlye clemencie for pardon and forgiuenes of all our sinnes whatsoeuer for the remoouing keeping backe of all thy iudgements frō vs which we by our sins haue iustlie deserued and accept of vs and our prayers wherewith we present thy maiestie in the name and mediation of thy sonne Christe Iesus preparing our harts with reuerence faith to call vpon thee And whereas wee were borne in sinne and iniquitie whereby we are altogether corrupt are more rightlie intituled to death and condemnation then to life we pray thee most merciful father to renue vs by thy holie spirite and to roote out of vs all those euil rootes of our concupiscence clensing vs from all that which sauoureth of our selues and of vncleanenes Purge our euyl thoughtes our prophane imaginations and carnall lustes Yea Lorde wee humblye pray thee scoure our harts from all hypocrisie from all contempt of thee and of thy holye word from all ignoraunce of thee false worship incredulity distrust of thy fatherlie prouidence from murmuring at thy hand in afflictiō Let vs not prophane thy most holy name eyther in worde deede or thought nor dishallow thy Sabbaothes but cleaue to al thy ordināces Throwe out of vs O Lorde all selfe-loue contempt against others pride wrath impaciencie vncharitablenes all vnnaturall affections vnmercifulnes desire of reuenge hatred and enuie all fornications vnorderly and wanton lustes intemperancie and vnchaste behauiour al worldlie mindednes couetousnes deceite and iniurie all slaunderous wordes and surmises against our brethren All these thinges wee pray thee to remooue out of vs and to sanctifie our harts to the obedience of all thy holie commaundements that we may dailie be reformed to thy Image in true holines and righteousnes expressing dueties to thee our brethren with a carefull conscience Take vppe our thoughtes and affections O lord that they may affect and long after thee day and night and that the counsels of our harts may muse on thee and thy holie wyll and dwell thou wholie in our soules and bodies directing our wyls our iudgments and vnderstanding our speeches and all our actions that in our whole manne wee may serue thee Good Lord plant in vs wee praye thee the true loue and feare of thy name increase the knowledg of thy word in vs with faith zeale and iudgment that we may reuerence obey it in our soules studying to shewe the fruite therof in our liues VVorke and increase a true liuelie faith in vs whereby wee may cleaue to thee and thine euerlasting promises in Christ Iesus and may depend vpon thy prouidence in all estates of thys mortall lyfe without murmuring or repyning at thy hand in sicknes pouerty imprisonment persecution or in any affliction eyther of bodie or minde patientlie bearing all crosses knowing that thereby thou correctest our sinnes as a father seeking our amēdment On the otherside let vs not be remisse carelesse and forgetful in our prosperitye but may in wealth woe acknowledge thy hand with thankfulnes and reuerence reioycing that howsoeuer thou dealest with vs in outward things yet thou art so our father in Christe that thou canst not deny vs anie thing that may bee to the benefite of our soules or to our safetie in the life to come sith that we haue interest euen vnto thy self in Christ our sauiour And sith thou hast trusted vs wyth thine owne name and glorie which in thy gospell shineth vnto vs. O giue vs grace to seeke the enlarging of thy kingdome by furthering thy Gospell in the ministrie thereof to our power being ielious ouer thy name that our speeches thoughtes or dooings may not sauour of contempt against thee nor suffer thee to be dishonoured of others if wee may anie way hinder it neyther let our life be so loose as occasion should be taken there from by men to blaspheme thy name But Lorde guyde vs so by thy grace that our godlie and sober life amongste men may be a comelines a glorie and an honour vnto thee to bring credite to our professyon For alas Lord heerein we haue beene traitors vnto thee to betray thy glorie into the reprochefull tongues of godlesse men for want of watchfulnes and guidaunce in our wayes Direct vs therefore O Lorde in thy whole worshyppe in spirite and trueth and stirre vs vp that we may approue our fayth by carefull and continuall hearing reading and musing of thy worde by exercising prayer both publiquelie with the assemblie of people and priuatelie by our selues and with our families that we may acknowledge thee to be our God in seeking vnto thee for all thinges and returning thankes vnto thee as from whom commeth euery good thing Gyue vs fayth and repentaunce in the vse of thy Sacramentes that we rightlie frequenting all holie exercises of thy worshippe may sanctifie thy Sabbaothes and increase our faith feare and loue towardes thee Furthermore we pray thee O LORD teach vs to put on al affections of loue towards our brethren being indued with meeknes humblenes of minde patience forbearing and forgiuing one another when there are quarrels euen as Christ hath forgiuen vs so as we may liue in all christian manner amongst men without warres contentions in all courteous true and iust dealing in our affayres and busines not vsing any vnlawfull artes or practises for the increase of our commodities pleasures but faith fully labouring in our callings may depende vpon thy promises approuing our faith Let the name and credite of our brethren neighbors be precious vnto vs that by no mutteringes surmisings reports or light credence wee impayre their good name and when we meete with slāders or reproches giue vs grace to beare our selues lowly hūble seeking redresse without bitternes of spirit knowing howe Christ in the like cases hath suffered And because wee can not alwaies enioye peace and libertye vnder the profession of thy Gospell O Lorde our God wee pray thee let vs not onelie nowe in these dayes of our safetye allowe and cleaue vnto thy trueth whilest others doo accompanye vs in professyon whilst Princes beare vs out freendes doo countenaunce vs whilst our wiues children landes and possessyon abide by vs and all thinges smyle vpon vs but O deere Father if euer our sinnes should procure persecution for thy trueth so as companions shoulde leaue vs freendes fayle vs the cruel lookes of Princes and their bloodye handes should be turned vppon vs when mercilesse imprisonment the glittering sword the shaking speare or fierie flame should with terror threaten death when banishment exile shal be for natiue soile when our deere wiues and tender babes with woeful cryes wringing of hands on the one side shall mooue the bowels of pittie the raging fire or other fearefull tortures of death on the otherside shall mooue terror dyscouragement Oh euen then Lord we poore wretches and wormes vnable of our selues to abide the heeresaie of death doo beseeche thee to fortifie our faith giuing vs
Lord thou most mightie God of all power soueraigntie who hast made the heauens and the earth the sea all deepe places we thy poore seruants doo humbly throwe downe our selues before thy high maiesty acknowledging all our manifolde and heynous sins crauing entirely pardon and forgiuenes of them all for thy sonne Christe Iesus his sake namelie our vnpreparednesse to thys so holie a duetye of Prayer intreating thy good Maiesty to behold vs in thy fauour and to receiue vs into thy blessed protection that sith wee are by thee assigned our labours in the mightie deepes that in the sweat of our browes with danger of our liues we should therin trauell for our lawfull maintenaunce it may please thy good maiestie to prosper the worke of our handes to guide vs in all our actions to defende vs from all dangers eyther of ennemies seeking our life or goods or of the merciles songs and swallowing sandes or of stormie wyndes and raging tempestes or of any other distresse whatsoeuer that betydeth such as trauell therein Thou mightest ô Lord we confesse take aduauntage to make our voyages fishings vnprosperous to spoile our goods to betray vs vnto enemies to swallow vs vppe in the bottomlesse Gulfe of the Seas because wee haue not feared thee with reuerence haue not obeyed thy worde haue beene carelesse of thy seruice vnthankfull for our former deliueraunces successe distrustfull of thy prouidence repyning at thy hand in our losses forgetfull of thy great and maruailous workes we haue gathered iniquity and haue beene stayned with the corrupt manners of other natyons haue blasphemed thy name passed our daies in ryotte forgotten thee vpon the shoare though lately come out of feareful daungers wee haue beene wanton stubborne and vnruly so as we haue freighted our Vessels more with sinne vanity vngodlines then with goods or lading so as it is maruaile wee haue not suncken in the rolling seas and descended down to hel but that thy mercie hath kept vs. But ô Lorde euen our God thou that tamest Leuiathan and smitest the heads of the dragons of the deepe smite our stony hearts with the liuely sense of our sinnes humble vs vnto repentaunce turne thy displeasure from vs deal not with vs according to our transgressions but according to thy mercies we appeale to the throne of thy grace wash vs in the bloode of thy sonne from all our sinnes renue our harts dailie to thy will to the obedience of thy word that we may make conscience to heare it with reuerence when we may for ó Lorde in this one thing thou hast abridged those that farre trauaile on the Seas into diuers countries of the dailie vse of the ministrye of thy word and sacraments which other enioye tarrying at home which is some pettie iudgmēt of thine to hūble vs make vs more carefull O lord stir vs vp therefore to the reading of thy word in our trauelling to such other exercises carefullie and faithfullie that we may be zealous of thy glorie thankfull for thy mercies daily benefits confident to trust in thy prouidence in all estates patient in troubles without murmuring watchful ouer our selus that we be not defiled with the corruptions of other places yea Lord teach vs to auoid all swearing dronkennes ryot exces fornication idolatry contēpt iniury deceit lying quarrelling and all vncleanes that both when we are on the seas on the shoare we may feare glorifie praise thy most holy name gouerne vs ó lord in our deedes words in our gouernment as also our cōpany that they may obey be subiect to al christian discipline that so thou mightest prosper vs in al our affairs increasing the fruit of our labors defending vs frō our enemies frō robberies losses al daūgers finally bring vs safely to the port Hauen of our desire ó lord make vs truely thankfull vnto thee for our former deliuerances benefits and if euer thou shalt crosse vs by any los hindrance or afflictiō for our sins hūble vs therin let vs acknowledg thy hād therin with thankfulnes patience that we may therby be spurred forward to the reforming of our liues Bee thou with vs on the boystrous ô Lord in thy name wee hoyse our sayles and launche foorth into the depe be present with vs in our troubles and dangers heare vs deliuer vs when we call vpon thee for great are the daungers that we sayle in euerie way but thou art our God we trust in thee oh saue vs guide vs protect vs deliuer vs that wee may still liue to prayse thee VVe commit Lord our selues our shyps our goods and liues into thy hand both this day or night and euer heereafter to bee preserued at thy pleasure and let vs neuer forget all thy maruailous works O Lord wee praye thee blesse all our freendes and kyndred on the land our wyues parents children masters families or whomsoeuer that are tyed to vs by anye band of freendship or nature in the Lord. Finally Lord wee pray thee frame our soules to all duties of holines towards thy maiesty increasing all true fayth feare and loue in vs towardes thee inflaming our hartes with all christian loue to our brethren for thy sake These things if thou shalt performe vnto vs O Lord our God wee shall neuer forget to praise and magnifie thy holy name therefore These things ô lord with all other graces necessarye for vs for thy whole church for all nations people and for all our brethrē and for all degrees wee hūbly craue the same at thy maiesties hande in the name mediation of thy son Christe Iesus saying as hee hath taught vs. Our father which art in heauen hallowed he thy name c. O Lord increase our fayth and obedience toward thee and thy worde Amen