as to think a good thought We are all by originall corruption of our nature Now. Cat. quest 69. of such blindnesse wickednesse and frowardnesse that we can neither understand nor are able or willing to do our dutie required by the law We by nature are so unwary to foresee Now. Cat. quest 224. and so weak to resist temptations that we cannot but be overcome unlesse God do assist us with his grace and arme us with his strength The corrupt inclination of man was so much given to follow his own fantasie Sermon of good works Part. 2. that all the admonitions exhortations benefits and threatnings of God could not keep him from his inventions Neither could the notablenesse of the place being the beginning of Gods law make us to marke it Hom. against perill of idolatry Part. 1. nor the plain declaration by recounting of all kinde of similitudes cause us to understand it nor the oft repeating and reporting of it in divers and sundry places the oft reading and hearing of it could cause us to remember it nor the dread of the horrible penaltie to our selves our children and posteritie after us feare us from transgressing of it nor the greatnesse of the reward to us and our children after us move us any thing to obedience and the observing of the Lords great Law against idolatry So that if either the multitude or plainnesse of the places might make us to understand In the same Hom. or Gods earnest charge that God giveth in them move us to regard or the horrible plagues threatned to idolaters might ingender any feare in our hearts we would forsake this wickednesse When God leaveth us to our own wit will Sermon of falling from God Part. 1. Part. 2. and strength then he begins to forsake us When God gives us over he suffers us to bring forth such fruits as we will all naughtinesse and vice and that so abundantly that they shall cleane overgrow us choke strangle and utterly destroy us They that live not after God perceive not this great wrath of God towards them Part. 2. that he doth let them alone to themselves When thou art called to repentance Hom. of Repentance Part. 3. neglect not the good occasion that is ministred to thee least when thou wouldst repent thou hast not the grace to do it Sermon for Rogat week Part. 1. Hom. of information of them that take offence at some places of Script Part. 2. For to repent is a good gift of God In the power and vertue of the holy Ghost we are made meet and able to receive Gods gifts and graces Godly men when they fall into sin through Gods great grace and infinite mercy rise again and fight against sinne CHAP. II. Of Gods Omnipotency shewed in our Conversion THis Argument is one of the strongest for if God use his omnipotency in converting of a sinner then there is no question but God doth more then perswade and that the work must needs be effectuall unlesse any mans will can resist Gods omnipotency Let us therefore heare the books pronounce sentence and agree to it God which declarest thy Almightie power most chiefly in shewing mercy and pitie Collect. 11. Sunday after Trinity give unto us abundantly thy grace that we returning to thy promises may be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure through Jesus Christ our Lord. From Satans rage and filthy band Lords prayer By D. Coxe Serm. of Sacrament Part. 1. Hom. for Whitsunday Part. 1. In the same place Defend us with thy mightie hand We are marvellously incorporated into Christ by the operation of the holy Ghost It is the office of the holy Ghost to sanctifie and regenerate Which work the more it is hid from our understanding the more it ought to move all men to wonder at the secret and mighty working of Gods holy Spirit which is within us Did not Gods Spirit miraculously work in David Matthew Peter and Paul Such is the power of the holy Ghost to regenerate men and as it were to bring them forth a new so that they shall be nothing like the men that they were before The Apostles rejoyced In the same place that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ This was the mighty worke of the Holy Ghost who because he giveth patience and joyfulnesse of heart in temptation and affliction hath therefore worthily obtained this name in holy Scripture to be called a Comforter Let us humbly beseech God so to worke in our hearts by the power of his holy Spirit In the same place that we being regenerate and newly borne againe in all goodnes righteousnesse sobriety and truth may in the end obtaine eternall life To new create a man from a wicked person to a righteous man is a greater act saith S. Augustin then to make such a new Heaven and Earth Serm. for Rogat week Part. 1. as is already made God is able to doe abundantly beyond our desires and thoughts according to the power working in us Part. 3. Almighty God give us grace that we may cast away the works of darknesse Coll. 1. Sunday in Advent and put upon us the armour of light Lord of all power and might graffe in our hearts the love of thy name Coll. 7. Sunday after Trin. Coll. on All Saints day Song before Even prayer Almighty God which hast knit together thy elect in one communion and fellowship in the mysticall body of thy Sonne Christ our Lord. Praise yee the Lord which gives all grace for he is a Lord of great might CHAP. III. Of Gods speciall grace THe doctrine of Gods speciall grace overthroweth the foolish conceit of some common grace wrought in all those that heare the Gospel whereby they may beleeve if they will yet often doe not It is a speciall and effectuall grace that workes in our regeneration that workes not in others that are not regenerate Heare therefore the words of the bookes BY thy speciall grace preventing us thou dost put into our hearts good desires Coll. on Easterday Exhort to such as come negligently to the Communion Article 10. These things if ye earnestly consider ye shall by Gods grace return to a better minde for the obtaining whereof we shall make our humble petitions while we shall receive the holy Communion The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good works to faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to doe good works pleasant acceptable to God without the grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will Adversaries unto this truth Mr. Rogers commentary on it Prop. 2. ere such as hold that men beleeve not but of their owne free-will and that it is in a mans free-will to beleeve or not to beleeve to obey or
disobey the Gospel of truth preached They which be indued with so excellent a benefit of God that is predestination be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season Artic. 17. they though grace obey the calling they be made like the image of Christ In Christ Jesus of the meere will and purpose of God some are elected Mr. Rogers comment Prop. 5. and not others unto salvation Adversaries unto this truth Hereby is discovered the impiety of those men Mr. Rogers in the same place which think that God beheld in every man whither he would use his grace well and beleeve the Gospel or no and as he saw a man affected so did predestinate chuse or refuse him Such as be ordained to everlasting life Expos of Prop. 6. if they live long in this world they one time or other be called unto the knowledge of salvation by the preaching of Gods word they obey that calling through the operation of the Holy Ghost working within them The predestinate are both justified by faith Prop. 7. sanctified by the Spirit and shall be glorified in the life to come Divers be the effects of mans predestination Expos of Prop. 7. but chiefely it bringeth to the elect justification by faith in this life and in the life to come glorification c. as testify all the Churches in their confessions The word of God is the savour of life unto eternall life unto all those Hom. of inform of such as take offence at some places of Script Part. 2. Hom. of almes deeds Part. 2. whose hearts God hath purified by true faith God of his speciall favour toward them whom he hath appointed to salvation hath so offered his grace especially and they have so received it fruitfully that the spirit of God mightily working in them now unto obedience to Gods will they declare by their life and good deeds which cannot come but of the Spirit of God and his especiall grace that they are the undoubted children of God appointed to everlasting life All spirituall gifts and graces come specially from God Sermon for Rogat week Part. 3. Faith is the gift of God and by his power we are kept through faith unto salvation We shall never be able to avoyd sinne without the speciall grace of him Sermon of Repentance Part. 2. Ioh. 15. Now. Cat. quest 150. that doth say without me ye can do nothing All those whom God hath chosen he hath restored unto holinesse of life and innocency CHAP. IIII. Of Gods work in infants IT is evident out of the first Chapter that men are as dead to God by nature as infants and as unable to repent and beleeve Now children are not spiritually quickned by power of any morall swasion but by an effectuall divine operation as the books in sundry places affirme SAnctifie these children and wash them with the holy Ghost Publike Baptisme Prayer 1. We call upon thee for these infants that they coming to thy holy Baptisme Prayer 2. may receive remission of their sins by spirituall regeneration O mercifull God grant The short prayers after the promise made by the sureties that the old man in these children may be so buryed that the new man may be raised up in them Grant that all carnall affections may die in them and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in them Grant that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our office and ministry may also be endued with heavenly vertues CHAP. V. Of the giving of internall grace to men THose places that affirme that God gives grace as faith and repentance and the like prove that God doth more then perswade externally or give some power that men may beleeve or repent because they say that God gives the things themselves God is not the giver of that which we attain to only by his perswasion nor chiefly to be commended for it but he that attains to it as on the contrary the devill was not the authour of Adams sinne nor chiefly to be condemned for it because he did but perswade him to it Adams own will did it and himself was most to be blamed for it So in all Logick and Law the actour is the principall the Counsellers are instruments and accessaries And Kings were ever held above their Councell and more praise worthy for doing well then they for advising Now that God gives us those graces let us heare out of the Records Lord from whom all good things doe come Collect. 5. Sunday af-Easter Collect. 7. Sunday after Trinity Sunday 23. Prayer 1. in Matrim Lords prayer by D. Cox Lord which art the author and giver of all good things God the author of all godlinesse O eternall God giver of all spirituall grace the author of everlasting life Thine Holy Ghost into us poure with all his gifts most plenteously See more to the same purpose in the Homily for Rogation weeke Part. 1.2.3 Now. Cat. quest 249. O God from whom all holy desires Even pray Coll. 2. all good counsailes and all just works doe proceed That it may please thee to endue the Lords of the Councell and all the Nobility with grace The Letany The Letany Also Coll. 13. after Trin. That it may please thee to give to all thy people encrease of grace to heare meekely thy word and to receive it with pure affection and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit Thou in thy gifts art manifold Come holy Ghost eternall God whereby Christs Church doth stand In faithfull hearts writing thy law the finger of Gods hand Wee beseech him to grant us true repentance Absolution Short prayafter the Creede Coll. Quin. sunday Coll. 7. sun after Trin. Prayer for Church mil. Reason 2. of Confirm Indue thy Ministers with righteousnesse Send thy Holy Ghost and poure into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity Graffe in our hearts the love of thy name Inspire continually the universall Church with the Spirit of truth unity and concord Confirmation is ministred to them that be baptised that by imposition of hands and prayer they may receive strength and defence against all temptations to sinne and the assaults of the world and the devill Arme and make strong thy feeble hoast Lords pray by D. Coxe with faith and with the Holy Ghost Every good and heavenly gift as faith hope Hom. of fast Part. 2. charity cometh onely and solely of God God give us grace to follow Christs example in peace and charity in patience and sufferance Pass Ser. 1. Thou hast received Christs body to have within Resur serm thee the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to streng then thee against thine enemies By the assistance of Gods holy Spirit we be replenished with all righteousnesse In the same place by his power we are able to subdue all our
everlasting life Thou in thy gifts art manifold whereby Christs Church doth stand In faithfull hearts writing the law the finger of Gods hand Thine holy Ghost into us poure Lords pray by D. Coxe with all his gifts most plenteously Whatsoever is good proceedeth from God as from the principall fountain Rogat Ser. Part. 1. and the only authour All good things come down to us from above from the Father of light The Title of the Sermon is That all good things cometh from God In Christ God the Father doth blesse us with all spirituall and heavenly gifts Part. 3. God is the giver of all good things Now. Cat. quest 249. The particular effects of grace are seene either in mortifying of vice or exercising of vertue in the heart I will begin with those places that speake of mortifying of vice Almightie God mortifie and kill all vices in us Coll. Innoc. day Cat. in the Common Prayer book quest 15.18 Complaint of a sinner A Sacrament is an externall and visible sign of an internall and spirituall grace given unto us This grace in Baptisme is a dying unto sinne and living unto righteousnesse Now let those drops most sweet So moist my heart most dry That I with finne replete May live and sinne may dye That being mortifide This sinne of mine in mee I may be sanctifide By grace of thine in thee So that I never fall Into such mortall sinne That my foes infernall Rejoyce my death therein But vouchsafe me to keep From those infernall foes And from that lake so deep Whereas no mercy growes Make us to follow the doctrin of Iohn the Baptist Coll. on S. Iohn Bapt. day Prayer 1. added to Set. Fast 1625. Prayer 4. Thanksg for ceasing plague 1604. that we may truly repent according to his preaching Give us thy heavenly grace that we may truly and earnestly repent As thou gavest the Ninivites repentance through thy grace so now visit the hearts of thy people in this land with thine heavenly grace and holy Spirit that they may speedily and soundly return unto thee from all their wicked wayes in true repentance and a living faith in Jesus Christ See the like in the Evening prayers set forth in the rainy weather 1613. Homily of falling from God Part. 2. Homily against wilfull rebellion Part. 1. Collect. 1. in Thanksgiving Novemb. 5. and the next prayer there Grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit Collect. on Circumcis of Christ that our hearts and all our members being mortified from all worldly and carnall lusts may in all things obey thy blessed will Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickednesse Coll. on Easter tuesday that we may alwayes serve thee in purenesse of living and truth Grant that we forsaking all worldly and carnall affections Coll. on S. Iames day may be evermore ready to follow thy commandments To withstand Satans invasion Give power and strength to every age Lords Pr. by D. Cox Prayer to the holy Ghost before the Serm. Coll. before Epis Fast 1625. Thanksgiving following Coll. 1. Prayer 2. There after the Gospel Prayer against rebel in the Hom. Cain Com. Pray book quest 24. O holy Ghost visit our coast Defend us with thy shield Against all sinne and wickednesse Lord help us win the field Create and make new hearts within us O Lord. Give unto us such effectuall grace that every one of us beholding the plague of his own heart we may abhorre our corruptions and turn our selves away from our evill wayes Give us grace that we may not any more provoke thine indignation against us by our transgressions Make soft and tender the stony hearts of all those that exalt themselves against thy truth Our soules are strengthened and refreshed with the body and bloud of Christ as our bodies are with bread and wine By the strength of the holy Ghost sinfull flesh is subdued and tamed Now. Cat. quest 144. and corrupt desires are brideled and restrained We pray that God will with the moving of his holy Spirit Quest 208. so change and fashion all the wils of us all to the will of his Majestie that we may will or wish nothing that his divine will misliketh Thus much for the effects of grace in mortifying of vice now follow those that belong to the executing vertue in the soul That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and dread thee Letany and diligently to live after thy commandments By thy speciall grace preventing us Collect. on Easter day Sund. 4. after Easter thou dost put into our hearts good desires Almightie God which dost make the minds of all faithfull men to be of one will grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest and desire that which thou dost promise Grant us thy humble servants Coll. Sund. 5. after Easter Sund. 3. after Trinity Sund. 6. after Trinity that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good Lord to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray O God poure into our hearts such love toward thee that we loving thee in all things may obtaine thy promises That thy servants may obtaine their petitions Sund. 10. after Trinity make them to aske such things as shall please thee Grant we beseech thee Sunday 13. that we may so run to thy heavenly promises that we raile not finally to attain the same That we may obtaine that which thou dost promise Sunday 14. make us to love that which thou dost command Grant thy people grace with pure heart and minde to follow thee the onely God Sund. 18. Grant we beseech thee unto thy Church to love that he beleeved Coll. on S. Barthol day Coll. on Sim and Iudes day Prayer at begin of Commandements Prayer after each command After the last commandement Prayer of the Priest in the name of the communicants Prayer 2. after receiving the communion Prayer 2. in the short ones after the communion Prayer 3. Grant us so to be joyned together in unity of Spirit by their doctrine that we may be an holy Temple acceptable to thee Cleanse our hearts that we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnify thy holy name Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keepe this law Lord write all these thy lawes in our hearts we beseech thee Grant us therefore gracious Lord so to eate the flesh of thy deare Sonne Jesus Christ and to drinke his bloud that our sinfull bodies may be made clean by his body and our soules washed through his most precious bloud We most humbly besech thee O heavenly Father so to assist us with thy grace that we may continue in that holy fellowship O Almighty Lord and everliving God vouchsafe we beseech thee to direct sanctifie and govern both our hearts and bodies in the wayes of thy lawes and in the works of thy
the holy Ghost God grant that these words against adultery may not be spoken in vain God by his holy word indueth his people assembled in his Church Hom. of right use of Church with the effectuous presence of his heavenly grace God doth indue his people assembled in his Church Hom. against perill of idol Part. 1. with the effectuall presence of his grace by his word and promises to the attainment of worldly commodities and all heavenly gifts and life everlasting God vouchsafe to purifie our minds through faith in Christ Hom. of inform of such as take offence at some places of Script Part. 2. to instill the heavenly drops of his grace into our hard-stony hearts to supple the same that we be not contemners and deriders of his word but that with all humblenesse of minde and Christian reverence we may indeavour our selves to heare and to read his sacred Scriptures and inwardly so to digest them as shall be to the comfort of our soules and sanctification of his holy Name Man is first made good by the Spirit and grace of God that effectually worketh in him Hom. of Almsdeeds Part. 2. Hom. of Almsdeeds Part. 2. In the same place In the same place and afterwards bringeth forth good fruits The grace of God worketh all in all Whatsoever can be named good and profitable for body or soule comes only of Gods mercy and meere favour and not of our selves God attributes that unto us and to our doings that he by his Spirit worketh in us and through his grace procureth for us God grant that we may alwayes shew our selves thankfull for Christs death Passion Sermon 2. abhorring all kinde of wickednesse and applying our minds wholly to the service of God and the diligent keeping of his commandments It is Gods Spirit which ingendreth a burning zeale towards Gods word Hom. for Whitsunday Part. 1. In the same place In the same place Nicodemus knew not the power of the holy Ghost in this behalfe that it is he which inwardly worketh the Regeneration and new birth of mankinde It is the holy Ghost and no other thing that doth quicken the minds of men stirring up good and godly motions in their hearts which otherwise of their own crooked and perverse nature they should never have The fruits of faith In the same place charitable and godly motions if man have any at all in him they proceed onely of the holy Ghost who is the only worker of our sanctification and maketh us new men in Christ Jesus The Spirit of Jesus is a good Spirit Part. 2. an holy Spirit a lowly Spirit a mercifull Spirit If any man live uprightly he hath the holy Ghost within him If the Saints in heaven were asked Serm. for Rogat week Part. 1. who should be thanked for their regeneration justification and salvation they would answer with David Not to us Lord but to thy Name give all the thanks If they be asked In the same place whence came all their glorious works they would say with Esay O Lord it is thou of thy goodnesse that hast wrought all our works in us not we our selves They be justitiaries and hypocrites In the same place which rob Almightie God of this honour and ascribe it to themselves Let us confesse Serm. for Rogat week Part. 2. that all spirituall graces behoveable for our soule come from God without whose goodnesse no man is called to faith or stayed therein God grant us all grace so to heare his word that we may fulfill it In the same place God give us grace to know those things Part. 3. and to feele them in our hearts This knowledge and feeling is not in our selfe by our selfe it is not possible to come by it Let us therefore meekly call upon the Holy Ghost that he would assist us and inspire us with his presence that in him we may be able to heare our salvation For without his lively and secret inspiration we cannot so much as name Christ Much lesse should we be able to beleeve In Gods Spirit shall we be meet vessels to receive the grace of Almighty God In the same place for it is he that purgeth and purifieth the minde by his secret working He sitteth in the tongue of man to stirre him to speake his honour He onely ministreth spirituall strength to the powers of our soule and body It is Gods Spirit that maketh us to hold the way which God hath prepared for us and to pray boldly to God If any gift we have whereby we may worke to the glory of God and profit of our neighbour all is wrought by this Spirit The holy Spirit will confirme us in all things In the same place Hom. of Matrim Married persons must crave continually of God the helpe of his holy Spirit so to rule their hearts and to knit their minds together that they be not dissevered by any division of discord It is God that worketh in us both the will Serm. of Repen Part. 1. and the deed Phil. 2. For this cause although Ieremy had said before If thou returne O Israel returne unto me saith the Lord yet afterwards he saith Turne thou me O Lord I shall be turned for thou art the Lord try God Ier. 6. And therefore that holy writer and ancient Father Ambrose doth plainely affirme that the turning of the heart to God is of God Ambros de vocat gent. lib. 8. cap. 9. As the Lord himselfe doth testifie by his Prophet saying And I will give thee an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shall returne unto me with their whole heart God vouchsafe by his holy Spirit to worke a true and unfained repentance in us In the same place If we repent Hom. against wilfull rebell Part. 1. Next pray after Coll. Nove. 5. Now. Cat. quest 43. quest 128. God will either take away evill Princes or of evill make them good Make us now and alwayes truly thankfull in heart word and deed for all thy gracious mercies and this our speciall deliverance We must on the Sabbath rest from our own works and yeeld our selves wholly to Gods governance that he may doe his workes in us From Christs resurrection cometh unto us an endeavour vertue and strength to live well and holily Christ indueth us with strength by the vertue and power of his resurrection to rise from the deadly workes of sinne quest 129. and live to righteousnesse The Spirit of God is called holy quest 142. for that by him the elect of God and the members of Christ are made holy for which cause the scriptures have called him the spirit of sanctification It is onely God which strengthneth man and by whose grace the sinner conceiveth this hope quest 164. minde and will Christ with the inspiration and vertue of the Holy
Ghost doth regenerate and newly forme us to the endeavour of innocency and holinesse quest 173. which we call newnesse of life Faith is the gift of God quest 180. and a singular and excellent gift The Holy Ghost hath wrought faith in my heart by the preaching of the Gospel quest 249. CHAP. VIII Of the purification of the heart MOrall perswasion goes before any intent in man to purifie his owne heart If then this latter act of purifying the heart which must necessarily follow the intention of purging be attributed to God then must he needs doc more in the cenversion of a sinner then morally to perswade him to purge his owne heart Now that this act is ascribed to God the bookes can witnesse O God make cleane our hearts within us Short prayers after the Creed Letany From all blindnesse of heart from pride vaine-glory and hypocrisy from envy hatred and malice Good Lord deliver us Grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit Coll. on circumcision of Christ that our hearts being mortified from all worldly and carnall lusts c. Create and make in us new and contrite hearts Coll. 1. day of Lent Coll. 3. on good Friday Coll. on Tuesday in Easter Have mercy upon all Jews Turkes Infidels and Hereticks and take from them all ignorance hardnesse of heart and contempt of thy word Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickednesse that we may c. Grant that we may be presented to thee with pure and cleane mindes Collect. on the Purif of the virgin S. Mary Coll. on S. Matthews day Coll. on S. Lukes day Hom. of Inform of them which take offence c. Part. 2. end Serm. for Rogat week Part. 3. Grant us grace to forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love of riches May it please thee by the wholesome medicines of Lukes doctrine to heale all the diseases of our soules God therefore for his mercies sake vouchsafe to purifie our mindes through faith in his Sonne Jesus Christ and to instill the heavenly drops of his grace into our hard stony hearts to supple the same that we be not contemners and deriders of his infallible word In Gods Spirit shall we be meet vessels to receive the grace of Almighty God For it is he that purgeth and purifieth the minde by his secret working CHAP. IX Of the externall effect of grace IF the externall effects of grace come not altogether from the spirituall power put into us at the first nor from the perswasions of the Ministers but God is said to worke in us the deed as well as the will to doe well and we taught to pray to God for such effectuall grace as may produce good effects outwardly then it follows that the grace it self cannot be wrought in us onely by morall perswasion but must be wrought in us by divine operation Now whither the outward effects of grace be wrought by Gods assisting spirit or no let the authentick records of our Church speak O Lord open thou our lips Short prayers after the Lords Pr. Letany and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise That all Bishops Pastours and Ministers of the Church may both by their preaching and living set forth and shew true knowledge and understanding That it may please thee to give the Magistrates grace to execute Justice and to maintain truth Letany That it may please thee to give us an heart diligently to live after thy commandements Letany That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to heare meekly thy word Letany and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit That it may please thee to endue us with the grace of thy holy Spirit Letany to amend our lives according to thy holy word Grant that we evermore serve thee in holinesse and purenesse of living Prayer in the Letany before the prayer for the King Prayer for the King Prayer for the Bishops Coll. on 1. Sund. after Epiph. Coll. on 5. Sund. after Epiph. Coll. on 1. Sunday in Lent Coll. on Sun before East So replenish the King with the grace of thy holy Spirit that he may alway walk in thy way That Bishops and Curats and all Congregations committed to their charge may truly please thee poure upon them the continuall dew of thy blessing Grant that thy people which call upon thee may have grace and power faithfully to fulfill what they know they ought to do Lord we beseech thee to keep thy Church continually in the true Religion Give us grace to use such abstinence that our flesh being subdued to the spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions Mercifully grant that we both follow the example of Christs patience Receive our prayers 2. Coll. on good Friday that every member of thy holy Congregation in his vocation and ministry may truly and godly serve thee As by thy speciall grace preventing us Collect. on Easter day thou didst put in our minde good desires So we beseech that by thy continuall help we may bring the same to good effect Grant that we may daily endeavour our selves Coll. on 2. Sund. after Easter Coll. on 3. Sund. after Easter Coll. on 1. Sunday after Trinity to follow the blessed steps of Christs most holy life Grant unto all them that be admitted into the fellowship of Christs religion that they may follow all such things as be agreeable to their profession Because the weaknes of our mortall nature can do no good thing without thee grant us the help of thy grace that in keeping of thy commandments we may please thee both in will and deed Grant us Lord we beseech thee Coll. on 9. Sund. after Trinity the Spirit to think and do alwayes such things as be rightfull that we which cannot be without thee may by thee be able to live according to thy will Almightie and mercifull God of whose onely gift it cometh Coll. on 13. Sund. after Trinitie that thy faithfull people do unto thee true and laudable service Because the frailtie of man without thee cannot but fall Coll. on 15. Sund. after Trinity Coll. on 17. Sund. after Trinity lead us to all things profitable to our salvation Lord we pray thee that thy grace may alwayes prevent and follow us and make us continually to be given to all goods works Lord we beseech thee to keep the Church in continuall godlinesse Coll. on 22. Sund. after Trinity that it may be devoutly given to serve thee in good works Grant unto us all Coll. on S. Andr. day that we being called by thy holy word may forthwith give over our selves obediently to fulfill thy holy commandements Grant that we may follow thy holy doctrin that Saint Paul taught Coll. on Convers of S. Paul Coll. on S. Barn Let us not be destitute of thy manifold gifts nor yet of grace to use them alway to
nor devill against us doe prevaile In the same hymne And grant O Lord that thou being our leader and our guide We may eschew the snares of sinne and from thee never slide Onely thy grace must be my stay Humble suit of sin least that I fall downe flat And being downe then of my selfe cannot recover that Lord keepe our King and his councell Prayer to the Holy Ghost before Serm. Hom. of faith Part. 3. Hom. of Inform of them which take offence c. Part. 1. In the same place and give them will and might To persevere in thy Gospel which can put sinne to flight It is God that must be our defence and protection against all temptation of wickednesse and sinne Noah and Lot godly men which otherwise felt inwardly Gods holy Spirit inflaming them in their hearts with the feare and love of God could not by their owne strength keepe themselves from committing horrible sinnes We must therefore acknowledge our owne infirmity and weaknesse and pray more earnestly to God incessantly for his grace to strengthen us and to defend us from all evill It is of the goodnesse of God Serm. for Rogat week Part. 3. that we faint not in our hope unto him It is verily Gods worke in us the charity wherewith we love our brethren If after our fall we repent it is by him that we repent which reacheth forth his mercifull hand to raise us up If any will we have to rise it is he that preventeth our will and disposeth us thereto Pray God to defend and maintaine you in marriage Hom. of Matrim Now. Cat. quest 206. that ye be not overcome with any temptations We pray that God would strengthen the members of his Church with his aide and power as his souldiers that they may earnestly fight against and subdue the devill the world and the lusts of the flesh We pray God not to suffer us to be overcome with any wicked temptation but that he will deliver us quest 224. and save us from all evill Direct our steps in thy word Psal for Even and so shall our feet be kept from falling and no wickednesse shall have dominion over us Deliver us from the power of wicked spirits Even prayer there and from all sinne the workes of darknesse and from all other perils bodily and ghostly CHAP. XII Of the progresse of the Regenerate THe servants of God that are regenerate though they be able to doe spirtuall actions by vertue of that grace they have received yet so unperfectly that they cannot make any great progresse in godlinesse without further helpe of Gods grace they acknowledge that they have of Gods assistance to bring into action their good cogitations so violently are they opposed by the remainders of fleshly corruption Now if the regenerate have need of Gods grace to make a progresse how much more have they need of his effectuall grace that have no power to regenerate themselves as we say or at least not so much as the regenerate have to proceed as our adversaries must say unlesse they will put no difference betwixt spirituall death and spirituall life Let us now heare the testimony of the bookes in this particular Grant that we being regenerate Collect. on Christmas day and made thy children by adoption and grace may daily be renued by thy holy Spirit Nourish us with all goodnesse Sund. 7. after Trinity Sunday 14. after Trin. Prayer 3. in Baptisme Prayer in priv Bapt. Almightie and everlasting God give unto us the encrease of faith hope and charitie Encrease this knowledge and confirme this faith in us evermore Give thy holy Spirit to this infant that he being born again and being made heire of everlasting salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ may continue thy servant and attain thy promise Daily increase in these thy servants Prayer 1. in Confirm thy manifold gifts of grace the spirit of ghostly strength and true godlinesse and fulfill them O Lord with the spirit of thy holy feare Defend O Lord Prayer 2. there this childe with thy heavenly grace that he may continue thine for ever and daily increase in thy holy Spirit more and more untill he come unto thy everlasting kingdome O Lord increase our faith in us Prayer to holy Ghost before Ser. Prayer 3. in order of Priests and love so to abound c. We humbly beseech thee by the same thy Sonne to grant unto all us which either here or else where call upon thy name that we may shew our selves thankfull to thee for these and all other thy benefits and that we may daily encrease and go forwards in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Sonne by thy holy Spirit Almightie God accomplish in you the good work Prayer 2. in Consecr of Bishops which he hath begun that ye may be found perfect and irreprehensible at the latter day Regard not the horrour of our sinnes Prayer in fast 1625. Coll. 1. but our unfained repentance Perfect that worke which thou hast begun in us Give unto us every day more earnest and unfeignned repentance Prayer 6. added to Letany there plant in our hearts by the grace of thy holy Spirit a setled feare of thy name and full resolution to lead the rest of our life in the carefull obedience of thy holy will in our callings and faithfull hope of a better life to come Lord we beleeve but do thou encrease our faith Prayer for season weather there our devotion our repentance and all Christian vertues Thou didst most graciously accept our undeserved repentance before thee Prayer against pestil in the fast 1626. we beseech thee to give us the grace of greater humiliation and to shew as yet further mercy Neither doth the holy Ghost think it sufficient Hom. for Whitsunday Part. 1. inwardly to work the spirituall and new birth of man unlesse he do also dwell and abide in him Whether the Prince be good or evill Hom. against wilfull rebel Part. 1. Thanksgiv Nov. 5. Pr. after 1. Coll. let us pray for him for his continuance and increase in goodnesse if he be good and for his amendment if he be evill Increase in us more and more a lively faith and fruitfull love in all obedience CHAP. XIII Of the prayers of holy men SVch as are indued with true grace already yet pray to God still for grace By which grace they do not entend a power to do well if they please for this they have already yea they had it before they did actually beleeve and by vertue of this power did beleeve as our adversaries say The grace then that Gods servants pray for that they may obey God is an actuall inclination of their will already regenerate to the effecting of those good desires that are in their souls Neither must we suppose that their prayers aime only at an indefinit power of doing well but at a
evill affections God is present in his chosen all whole in Majestie together with all his power In the same place wisdome and goodnes From God as from a giver In the same place Hom. for Whitsunday come these graces and gifts kindnesse meeknesse patience Some men will say How shall I know that the Holy Ghost is within me As the tree is knowne by the fruit so is also the Holy Ghost The fruits of the Holy Ghost are love Part. 1. joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faithfulnesse meeknesse temperance Of our selves we be crabbe-trees Hom. of mans misery Part. 2. that can bring forth no apples We be of our selves of such earth as can but bring forth weeds nettles brambles bryers cockle and darnell Our fruits be declared Gal. 5. We have neither faith charity hope patience chastity nor any thing else that good is but of God and therefore these vertues be called there the fruits of the Holy Ghost and not the fruits of man We ought first to crave things that properly belong to the salvation of the soule Hom. of prayer Part. 3. as the gift of repentance the gift of faith the gift of charity and good works patience lowlinesse hope joy love peace which things God requireth of all those that professe themselves his children This holy company of Saints in heaven confesseth constantly Rogat serm Part. 1. that all the goods and graces wherewith with they were endued in soule came of the goodnes of God onely It is meet therefore to thinke that all spirituall goodnesse cometh from God above onely We must needs agree In the same place that whatsoever good thing is in us of grace nature or fortune is of God onely as the onely author and worker Let us confesse that of our selves cometh all evill and damnation Hom. of mans misery Part. 2. Rogat serm Part. 2. and of God all goodnesse and salvation If we confesse that all grace of the soule is of God and is his gift onely it will teach us to thank God for them it will abate our pride when we perceive that nothing comes of our selves but sinne and vice it will keepe us from despising such as have fewer gifts it will make us to have recourse to God for all grace CHAP. VI. Of the receiving of grace IF by another speciall grace of God we doe receive the grace and favour that God offers us in his holy word then there is no question but God doth worke effectually where he doth regenerate Let us therefore heare what the Church teacheth us in that behalfe ALmighty God give us the grace Coll. Sund. 2. after Easter Coll. S. Andrews day that we may alwayes most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit to wit of the death of Christ Almighty God which didst give such grace unto thy holy Apostle S. Andrew that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Sonne Jesus Christ and followed him without delay grant unto us all that we being called by thy holy word may forthwith give over our selves obediently to follow thy holy commandements through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow thy sonne Jesus Christ Coll. S. Matthews day Prayer for Church militant Prayer 3. in Confirm To all thy people give thy heavenly grace and specially to this congregation here present that with meek heart and due reverence they may heare and receive thy holy word Let thy fatherly hand we beseech thee ever be over these children let thy holy Spirit ever be with them and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word that in the end they may obtaine the everlasting life Send thy heavenly blessing so upon these thy ministers Prayer last in ord of Priests that thy word spoken by their mouthes may have such successe that it may never be spoken in vaine Grant also that we may have grace to heare and receive the same as thy most holy word By faith given us of God we imbrace the promise of Gods mercy Serm. of Salvation Part. 3. Hom. for Whitsunday Part. 1. and of the remission of our sinnes Let us humbly beseech God so to worke in our hearts by the power of his holy Spirit that we being regenerate and newly borne againe in all goodnesse righteousnesse sobriety and truth may in the end obtaine eternall life God of his great mercy so work in all mens hearts by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost Part. 2. that the Gospell may be truely preached truely received and truely followed in all places By the worke of the Holy Ghost we receive this grace of God whereunto we are restored Now. Cat. quest 149. CHAP. VII Of the internall effect of grace THE books attribute the internall effects of grace to God also For howsoever that grace that is given us in regeneration have some power to produce spirituall thoughts yet because our spirituall life is not so compleat as our naturall life and is much hindred from good inclinations by the corruptions of our flesh remaining so that it cannot do that good it would without a fresh supply of Gods assisting grace therefore the help of God is still implored and the praise of the effect given to him Now if in a man regenerate there be need of more grace to help that act which he hath already then certainly the first work of grace whereby a dead man is made alive spiritually must needs be the only effectuall work of Gods Spirit For if he cannot thinke what he would now he hath grace at all times without further help then certainly before he had grace he could do nothing pleasing to God This head of the internall effects of grace is the largest of all the rest We will therefore divide it into two parts First we will treat of the internall effect of Gods grace in generall in the regenerate Secondly of the particular effects of it For the First The effect of grace in generall is set down in these places O God from whom all holy desires Collect. 2. Even Pray all good counsels and all just works do proceed That it may please thee to endue the Lords of the Counsell Letany and all the Nobilitie with grace That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace Letany to heare meekly thy word and to receive it with pure affection and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit O God from whom all good things do proceed Coll. Sund. 5. after Easter Sund. 7. after Trin. Sunday 13. after Trin. Coll. Sund. 23. after Trin. Prayer 1. in Matrim Veni Creator O God the Authour and giver of all good things Almightie and mercifull God of whose onely gift it cometh that thy faithfull people do unto thee true and laudable service God our refuge and strength which art the authour of all godlinesse O eternall God giver of all spirituall grace the authour of