he that hath given the following Assistances to thee desires to be even a door-keeper in Gods House and to be a servant of the meanest of Gods servants and thinks it a worthy imployment to teach the most ignorant and make them to know Christâ—… though but in the first rudiments of a holy Institution This onely he affirms That there is more solid comfort and material support to a Christian spirit in one Article of Faith in one period of the Lords Prayer in one holy Lesson then in all the disputes of impertinent people who take more pains to prove there is a Purgatory then to perswade men to avoid Hell And that a plain Catechism can more instruct a soul then the whole dayes prate which some daily spit forth to bid men get Christ and persecute his Servants Christian Religion is admirable for its wisdome for its simplicity and he that presents the following papers to thee designs to teach thee as the Church was taught in the early dayes of the Apostles To believe the Christian Faith and to understand it to represent plain Rules of Good Life to describe easie Formes of Prayer to bring into your Assemblies Hymnes of Glorification and Thanksgiving and Psalms of Prayer By these easie paths they lead Christs little ones into the Fold of their great Bishop and if by this any service be done to God any ministery to the Soul of a Childe or an ignorant Woman it is hoped that God will accept it and it is reward enough if by my Ministery GOD will bring it to passe that any Soul shall be instructed and brought into that state of good things that it shall rejoyce for ever But do thou pray for him that desires this to thee and endevours it ERRATA Page 87. 1.2 for me r. us ibid. f. me r. us ibid. 1.3 f. me r. us ib. 1.5 f. me r. us ibid. f. me r. us ibid 1.6 f. my r. our CREDENDA OR What is to be Believed O {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Plato de legibus Let this Truth be confessed and remain for ever That they who are well instructed easily become good men A. SHORT CATECHISM FOR The institution of young persons IN THE Christian Religion QUESTION IN what does true Religion consist ANSWER In the knowledge of the one true â—…od and whom he hath sent Jesus â—…hrist and in the worshipping and â—…rving them Quest What dost thou believe conâ—…rning God Answ. That there is a God 〈◊〉 That he is one 3. Eternal 4. Alâ—…ighty 5. That he hath made all â—…he world 6. That he knows all things 7. That he is a Spirit not of any shape or figure or parts or body 8. That he is present is all places 9. That his seat is in Heaven and he governs all the world so that nothing happens without his order and leave 10. That he is the Fountain of Justice 11. of Mercy 12. of Bounty or Goodness 13. That he is unalterably happy and infinitely perfect 14. That no evil can come near him 15. And he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Quest What other Mystery is revealed concerning God Ans. That God being one in nature is also three in Person expressed in Scripture by the names of Father Son and Holy Spirit The first Person being known to us by the name of The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ The second Person is called The Son and the Word of the Father The third is The Spirit and Promise of the Father and these are Three and One after a secret manner which we must believe but cannot understand Quest What is this God to us Ans. He is our Creator and Father and therefore he is our Lord and we are his Creatures his Sons and his Servants Quest Wherefore did God create and make us Ans. That we might do him honour and service and receive from him infinite felicities Quest How did God make man Ans. By the power of his Word out of the slime of the earth and he breathed into him the breath of life Quest Was man good or bad when God made him Ans. Man was made pure and innocent Quest How then did man become sinful and miserable Ans. By listening to the whispers of a tempting spirit and breaking an easie Commandment which God gave him as the first tryal of his obedience Quest What evils and change followed this sin Ans. Adam who was the first man and the first sinner did both for himself and his posterity fall into the state of death of sickness and misfortunes disorder both of body and soul we were thrown out of Paradise and lost our Immortality Quest Was man left in these evill without remedy Ans. No But God pitying his creature promised That of the seed of the woman he would raise up a Saviour and Redeemer who should restore us to Gods favour and to the felicity which we lost Quest How did God perform the promise Ans. By sending Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature to dye for our sins to become our Lord and the Author of holiness and life and salvation to mankinde Quest Who is Jesus Christ Ans. He is the Son of God the second Person of the holy Trinity equal with the Father true God without beginning of life or end of days Quest How then could he be our Redeemer and the promised seed of the woman Ans. The Son of God in the fulness of time by the miracles of his Mercy took upon him humane Nature and united it after a wonderful manner to his Godhead so that he was both God and Man He was born of a Virgin who conceived him not by any natural means but by the power of the Holy Ghost and was called Jesus Christ and his Mothers name was Mary of the seed of Abraham of the family of King David and all these things came to passe when Augustus Caesar was Lord of the Roman Empire Quest How did Jesus Christ work this promised Redemption for us Ans. By his holy and humble life and his obedient dying a painful death for us upon the Cross Quest What benefits do we receive by the life and death of Jesus Christ Ans. We are instructed by his Doctrine encouraged by his excellent Example we are reconciled to God by his Death He hath given us an excellent Law and glorious Promises and himself hath received power to make good all those Promises to his servants and fearfully to destroy them that will not have him to reign over them Quest What Promises hath Jesus Christ made us in the Gospel Ans. He hath promised to give us all that we need in this life That every thing shall work together for our good That he will be with us in tribulation and persecution He hath promised his Graces and his holy Spirit to enable us to do our duty and if we make use of these
when we present our selves to God having received Christs body within us we are sure to be accepted and all the good prayers we make to God for our selves others are sure to be heard Quest Who are fit to receive this Sacrament Ans. None but baptized Christians and such as repent of their sins and heartily purpose to lead a good life Quest What other Ministeries hath Christ ordained in his Church to help us and to bring so many great purposes to pass Ans. Jesus Christ hath appointed Ministers and Embassadors of his own to preach his Word to us to pray for us to exhort and to reprove to comfort and instruct to restore and reconcile us if we be overtaken in a fault to visit the sick to separate the vile from the precious to administer the Sacraments and to watch for the good of our souls Quest What are we tied to perform towards them Ans. To pay them honour and maintenance to obey them in all things according to the Gospel and to order our selves so that they may give account of our souls with chearfulness and joy Quest Which are the Commandments and Laws of Jesus Christ Ans. They are many but easie holy but very pleasant to all good â—…indes to such as desire to live well 〈◊〉 this world and in the world to â—…ome and they are set down in â—…he Sermons of our blessed Lord â—…nd of his Apostles but especially â—…n the 5. 6. 7. Chapters of S. Matâ—…hew AN EXPOSITION OF The Apostles CREED I believe in God I Believe that there is a God who is one true supreme and alone infinitely wise just good free eternal immense and blessed and in him alone we are to put our trust The Father Almighty I believe that he is 1. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and 2. of all that believe in him whom he hath begotten by his Word and adopted to the inheritance of Sons and because he is our Father he will do us all that good to which we are created and designed by grace and because he is Almighty he is able to perform it all and therefore we may safely believe in him and relie upon him Maker of Heaven and Earth He made the Sun and the Moon the Stars and all the regions of glory he made the Air the Earth and the Water and all that live in them he made Angels and Men and he who made them does and he onely can preserve them in the same beeing and thrust them forwards to a better he that preserves them does also govern them and intends they should minister to his glory and therefore we are to do worship and obedience to him in all that we can and that he hath commanded And in Jesus Christ I also believe in Jesus Christ who is and is called a Saviour and the Anointed Anointed of the Lord promised to the Patriarchs whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power to become the Great Propheâ—… and declarer of his Fathers Will to all the world telling us how God will be worshipped and served he is anointed to be the Mediator of the New Covenant and our High-Priest reconciling us to his Father by the Sacrifice of himself and to be the Great King of all the world and by this Article we are Christians who serve and worship God the Father through Jesus Christ His onely Son Jesus Christ is the Son of God he alone of him alone for God by his holy Spirit caused him to be born of a Virgin by his power he â—…ised him from the Dead and gave â—…im a new birth or beeing in the boâ—…y he gave him all power and all â—…xcellency and beyond all this he 〈◊〉 the express Image of his person â—…he brightness of his glory equal to God beloved before the beginning of â—…he world of a nature perfectly Diâ—…ine very God by essence and very Man by assumption as God all one â—…n nature with the Father and as Man one Person in Himself Our Lord Jesus Christ Gods onely Son is the Heir of all things and persons in his Fathers house All Angels and Men are his servants and all the Creatures obey him we are to believe in him and by Faith in him onely and in his Name we shall be saved Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost I believe that Jesus Christ was not begotten of a Man nor born by natural means but that a Divine Power from God Gods Holy Spirit did overshadow the Virgin-Mother of Christ and made her in a wonderful manner to conceive Jesus in her womb and by this his admirable manner of being conceived he was the Son of God alone and no man was his Father Born of the Virgin Mary Though God was his Father and he begat him by the power of the Holy Ghost and caused him miraculously to begin in the womb of his Mother yet from her he also derived his humane Nature and by his Mother he was of the Family of King David and called the Son of Man his Mother being a holy person not chosen to this great honour for her wealth or beauty but by the good will of God and because she was of a rare exemplar modesty and humility and she received the honour of being a Mother to the Son of God and ever a Virgin and all generations shall call her blessed Suffered under Pontius Pilate After that Jesus passed through â—…he state of Infancy and Childhood â—…eing subject to his Parents and working in an humble Trade to serve â—…is own and his Mothers needs he â—…rew to the state of a man he began to preach at the age of Thirty years and having for about three years and a half preached the â—…pel and taught us his Fathers will having spoken the Gospel of his Kingdome and revealed to us the secrets of Eternal life and Resurrection of the Dead Regeneration and Renewing by the Holy Spirit Perfect Remission of sins and Eternal Judgement at last that he might â—…cile the world to his Father he became a Sacrifice for all our sins and suffered himself to be taken by the malicious Jews and put to a painful and shameful death they being envious at him for the number of his Disciples and the reputation of his person the innocence of his life the mightiness of his Miracles and the power of his Doctrine and this death he suffered when Pontius Pilate was Governour of Judea Was Crucified Jesus Christ being taken by the Rulers of the Jews bound and derided buffeted and spit upon accused weakly and persecuted violently at last wanting matter and pretences to condemn him they asked him of his Person and Office and because he affirmed that great Truth which all the world of good men long'd for that he was the Messias and designed to sit at the right hand of the Majesty on high they resolved to call it Blasphemy
Throne and the Angels having gathered together Gods Elect from the four Corners of the world and all the kindreds of the earth being brought before the Judgement-feat shall have the Records of their Conscience laid open that is all that ever they thought or spake or did shall be brought to their memory to convince the wicked of the Justice of the Judge in passing the fearful Sentence upon them and to glorifie the mercies of God towards his Redeemed ones and then the righteous Judge shall condemn the wicked to the portion of Devils for ever to a state of torments the second and eternal and intolerable death and the godly being placed on his right hand shall hear the blessed Sentence of Absolution and shall be led by Christ to the participation of the glories of his Fathers Kingdome for ever and ever Amen I believe in the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit Who is the third person of the holy â—…ndivided everblessed Trinity which 〈◊〉 worship and adore and admire â—…ut look upon with wonder and am â—…ot in a capacity to understand I â—…elieve that the Holy Spirit into whose name as of the Father and the â—…on I was baptized is the heavenly Author the Captain the Teacher and the Witness of all the Truths of the Gospel That as the Father sent the Son so the Son from heaven sent the Holy Spirit to lead the Church into all Truth to assist us in all Temptations and to help us in the purchase of all Vertue This Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and our Lord Jesus received him from his Father and sent him into the world who receiving the things of Christ and declaring the same excellent doctrines speaks whatsoever he hath heard from him and instructed the Apostles and builds the Church and produces Faith and confirms our Hope and increases Charity and this Holy Spirit our blessed Lord hath left with his Church for ever by which all the servants of God are enabled to do all things necessary tâ—… Salvation which by the force of Nature they cannot do and we speaâ—… by the Spirit and work by the Spirit when by his assistances any waâ—… imparted to us we speak or do anâ—… thing of our duty He it is whâ—… inlightens our Understandings 〈◊〉 our Will orders and commands our Affections he comfoâ—… our sorrows supports our spirits iâ—… trouble and enables us by Promisâ—… and Confidences and Gifts to â—…suff for the Lord Jesus and the Gospelâ—… and all these things God the Fathâ—… does for us by his Son and the Soâ—… by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit by all means within and without which are operative upon and proportionable to the nature of reasonable creatures This is he whâ—… works Miracles gives the gifts ofâ—… Prophesie and of interpretation that teaches us what and how tâ—… pray that gives us Zeal and holy Desires who sanctifies children iâ—… Baptism and confirms them with his grace in Confirmation and reproves the world and consecrates Bishops and all the Ministers of the Gospel and absolves the penitent blesses â—…he obedient and comforts the sick and excommunicates the refractary and makes intercession for the Saints that is the Church and those whom he hath blessed appointed and sanctified to these purposes do all these Ministeries by his Authority and his Commandment and his Aids This is he that testifies to our Spirits that we are the sons of God and that makes us to cry Abba Father that is who inspires into us such humble confidences of our being accepted in our hearty and constant endevours to please God that we can with chearfulness and joy call God our Father and expect and hope for the portion of sons both here and hereafter and in the certainty of this hope to work out our salvation with fear and reverence with trembling and joy with distrust of our selves and mighty confidence in God By this holy and ever-blessed Spirit several persons in the Church and every man in his proportion receives the gifts of Wisdome and utterance and Knowledge and Interpretation and Prophecy and Healing and Government and discerning of Spirits and Faith and Tongues and whatsoever can be necessary for the Church in several ages and periods for her beginning for her continuance for her in prosperity and for her in persecution This is the great Promise of the Father and it is the gift of God which he will give to all them that ask him and who live piously and chastely and are persons fit to entertain so Divine a Grace This Holy Spirit God gives to some more to some less according as they are capable They who obey his Motions and love his Presence and improve his Gifts shall have him yet more abundantly but they that grieve the holy Spirit shall lose that which they have and they that extinguish him belong not to Christ but are in the state of reprobation and they that blaspheme this holy Spirit and call him the Spirit of the Devil or the Spirit of Error or folly or do malicious despites to him that is they who on purpose considering and choosing do him hurt by word or by deed so far as iesâ—… in them shall for ever be separated from the presence of God and of Christ and shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Lastly this holy Spirit seals us to the day of Redemption that is God gives us his Holy Spirit as a testimony that he will raise us again at the last day and give us a portion in the glories of his Kingdome in the inheritance of our Lord Jesus The holy Catholick Church I believe that there is and ought to be a visible Company of men professing the service and discipline that is the Religion of the Gospel who agree together in the belief of all the Truths of God revealed by Jesus Christ and in confession of the Articles of this Creed and agree together in praying and praising God through Jesus Christ to reade and hear the Scriptures read and expounded to provoke each other to love and to good works to advance the honour of Christ and to propagate his Faith and Worship I believe this to be a Holy Church Spirituall and not Civill and Secular but sanctified by their Profession and the solemn Rites of it professing holiness and separating from the evil manners of heathens and wicked persons by their Laws and Institutions And this Church is Catholick that is it is not confin'd to the Nation of the Jews as was the old Religion but it is gathered out of all Nations and is not of a differing Faith in differing places but alwayes did doth and ever shall profess the Faith which the Apostles preached and which is contained in this Creed which whosoever believes is a Catholick and a Christian and he that believes not is
neither This Catholick Church I believe that is I believe whatsoever all good Christians in all ages and in all places did confess to be the Catholick and Apostolick Faith The Communion of Saints That is the Communion of all Christians because by reason of their holy Faith they are called Saints in Scripture as being begotten by God into a lively Faith and cleansed by Believing and by this Faith and the profession of a holy life in obedience to Jesus Christ they are separated from the world called to the knowledge of the truth justified before God and indued with the holy Spirit of Grace foreknown from the beginning of the world and predestinated by God to be made conformable to the image of his Son here in holiness of life hereafter in a life of glory and they who are Saints in their belief and profession must be so also in their practise and conversation that so they may make their calling and election sure lest they be Saints onely in name and title in their profession and institution and not in manners holiness of living that is lest they be so before men and not before God I believe that all people who desire the benefit of the Gospel are bound to have a fellowship and society with these Saints and communicate with them in their holy things in their Faith and in their Hope and in their Sacraments and in their Prayers and in their publick Assemblies and in their Government and must do to them all the acts of Charity and mutuall help which they can and are required to and without this Communion of Saints and a conjunction with them who believe in God through Jesus Christ there is no salvation to be expected which Communion must be kept in inward things alwayes and by all persons and testified by outward acts alwayes when it is possible and may be done upon just and holy conditions The forgiveness of sins I believe that all the sins I committed before I came to the knowledge of the Truth and all the slips of humane infirmity against which we heartily pray and watch and labour and all the evil habits of which we repent so timely and effectually that we obtain their contrary graces and live in them are fully remitted by the blood of Christ which forgiveness we obtain by Faith and Repentance and therefore are not justified by the Righteousness of Works â—…d by the Righteousness of Faith â—…d we are preserved in the state of â—…rgivenest or justification by the â—…utis of a lively Faith and a timely active Repentance The Resurrection of the body I believe that at the last day all â—…hey whose sins are forgiven and who â—…ived and dyed in the Communion of Saints and in whom the holy Spirit did dwell shall rise from their graves their dead bones shall live and be clothed with flesh and skin and their bodies together with their souls shall enter into the portion of a new life and that this body shall no more see corruption but shall rise to an excellent condition it shall be Spiritual Powerful Immortal and Glorious like unto his glorious body who shall then be our Judge is now our Advocate our Saviour and our Lord And the life Everlasting I believe that they who have their part in this Resurrection shall mâ—… the Lord in the Air and when thâ—… blessed Sentence is pronounc'd upoâ—… them they shall for ever be with thâ—… Lord in joyes unspeakable and fuâ—… of glory God shall wipe all teaâ—… from their eyes there shall be 〈◊〉 fear or sorrow no mourning oâ—… death a friend shall never go away from thence and an enemy shall never enter there shall be fulneâ—… without want light eternal brighteâ—… then the Sun day and no night joy and no weeping difference iâ—… degree and yet all full there is loâ—… without dissimulation excellency without envy multitudes without confusion musick without discord there the Understandings are rich the Will is satisfied the Affections are all love and all joy and they shall reign with God and Christ for ever and ever Amen This is the Catholick Faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved Tertull. de velandis Virgin Regula quidem fidei una omnino est sola immobilis irreformabilis credendi scil. in unicum Deum Omnipotentem c. Hac lege fidei manente caetera jam disciplinae conversationis admittunt novitatem correctionis operante scil. proficiente usque in finem Gratiâ Dei The Rule of Faith is wholly one unalterable never to be mended never changed to wit I believe in God c. This Law of Faith remaining in other things you may encrease and grow S. Aug. de Fide Symb. Haec est fides quae paucis verbis tenenda in symbolo Novellis datur Quae pauca verba fidelibus nota sunt ut credendo subjugentur Deo subjugati rectè vivant â—…ecte vivendo cor mundent corde mundo quod credunt intelligant This is the Faith which in few words is given to Novices These few words are known to all the faithful that by believing they may bâ—… subject to God by this subjectioâ—… they may live well by living wâ—… they may purifie their hearts anâ—… with pure hearts they may reliâ—… and understand what they do believe Max. Taurin de Tradit Symb. Symbolum tessera est 〈◊〉 quo inter Fideles Perfidosâ—… secernitur This Creed is the Badge or Cognisance by which the Faithful are discerned from Unbelievers Hujus Catholici Symboli breviâ—… perfecta Confessio quae duodecim Apostolorum totidem est signata sententiis tam instructa sit in munitione coelesti ut omnes Haereticorum â—…pinionoes solo possint gladio detrunâ—…ri Leo M. ad Pulcheriam Aug. This short and perfect Confession of this Catholick Creed which was consigned by the Sentences of twelve Apostles is so perfect a celestial Armour that all the Opinions of Hereticks may by this alone as with a sword be cut in pieces AGENDA OR Things to be done Inscripta Christo pagina immortalis est Nec obsolescit ullus in coelis apex Prudent {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hymn 10. THE DIARY OR RULE to spend each Day religiously §. 1. â—… SUppose every day to be a day of business for your whole life is a race â—…nd a battel a merchandise and a jourâ—…ey Every day propound to your self 〈◊〉 Rosary or a Chaplet of good Works to â—…resent to God at night 2. Rise as soon as your health and other occasions shall permit but it is good to be as regular as you can and as early Remember he that rises first to Prayer hath a more early title to a blessing But he that changes night into day labour into idleness watchfulness to sleep changes his hopes of blessing into a dream 3. Never let any
perfeâ—… knowledge my weaknesses and disâ—… 〈◊〉 the strength and beauties of the Sons â—…f God V. â—…N the mean time use what means thou 〈◊〉 pleasest to conform me to the image of â—…hy holy Son that I may be gentle to â—…thers and severe to my self that I may â—…t down in the lowest place striving to â—…o before my brother in nothing but in â—…oing him and thee honour staying for â—…ny glory till thou shalt please in the day â—…f recompences to reflect light from thy â—…ace and admit me to behold thy glories Grant this for Jesus Christs sake who â—…umbled himself to the death and shame of the Cross and is now exalted unto glory Unto him with thee O Father be glory and praise for ever and ever Amen For MUNDAY A Prayer against Covetousness I. O Almighty God eternal Treasure of all good things thou fillest all things with plenteousness Thou clothest the lillies of the field and feedest the young ravens that call upon thee Thou art all-sufficient in thy self and all-sufficient to us let thy Providence be my store-house thy dispensation of temporal things the limit of my labour my own necessity the measures of my desire but never let my desires of this world be greedy nor my labourimmoderate nor my care vexatious and distracting but prudent moderate holy subordinae to thy Will the measure thou hast appointed for me II. TEach me O God to despise the world to labour for the true riches â—…o seek the Kingdome of heaven and its â—…ighteousness to be content with what â—…hou providest to be in this world like a â—…tranger with affections set upon heaven â—…abouring for and longing after the posâ—…estions of thy Kingdomes but never â—…uffer my affectious to dwell below but â—…ive me a heart compassionate to the â—…oor liberal to the needy open and free â—…n all my communications without base â—…nds or greedy designes or unworthy â—…rts of gain but let my strife be to gain â—…hy favour to obtain the blessedness of doâ—…ng good to others and giving to them â—…hat want and the blessedness of receivingâ—…rom thee pardon and support grace and â—…oliness perseverance and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord For TUESDAY A Prayer against Lust I. O Eternal Purity thou art brighter then the Sun purer then the Angels and the Heavens are not clean in thy sight with mercy behold thy servant apt to be tempted with every object and to be overcome by every enemy I cannot O God stand in the day of battel and danger unless thou coverest me with thy shield and hidest me under thy wings The fiery darts of the Devil are ready to consume me unless the dew of thy grace for ever descend upon me Thou didst make me after thy image be pleased to preserve me so pure and spotless chaste and clean that my body may be a holy Temple and my soul a sanctuary to entertain thy divinest Spirit the Spirit of love and holiness the Prince of Purities II. REprove in me the spirit of Fornication and Uncleanness and fill my soul with holy fires that no strange fire may come into the Temple of my body where thou hast chosen to dwell O cast out all those unclean spirits which have unhallowed the place where thy holy feet have trod Pardon all my hurtfull thoughts all my impurities that I who am a member of Christ may not become the member of a harlot nor the slave of 〈◊〉 Devil nor a servant of lust and 〈◊〉 desires But do thou purifie my 〈◊〉 and let me seek the things that are 〈◊〉 hating the garments spotted with the 〈◊〉 never any more grieving thy holy 〈◊〉 by filthy inclinations with impure 〈◊〉 phantastick thoughts but let my 〈◊〉 be holy my soul pure my body 〈◊〉 and healthful my spirit severe 〈◊〉 and religious every day more and more that at the day of our appearing 〈◊〉 may be presented to God washed and cleansed pure and spotless by the blood of the holy Lamb through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For WEDNESDAY A Prayer against Gluttony and Drunkenness I. O Almighty Father of Men and Angels who hast of thy great bounty provided plentifully for all mankinde to support his state to relieve his necessities to refresh his sorrows to recreate his labours that he may praise thee and rejoyce in thy mercies and bounty Be thou gracious unto thy servant yet more and suffer me not by my folly to change thy bounty into sin thy grace into wantonness Give me the spirit of temperance and sobriety that I may use thy creatures in the same measures and to the same purposes which thou hast designed so as may best enable me to serve thee but not to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Let me not as Esau prefer meat before a blessing but subdue my appetite subjecting it to reason and the grace of God being content with what is moderate and useful and easie to be obtained taking it in due time receiving it thankfully making it to minister to my body that my body may be a good instrument of the soul and the soul a servant of thy Divine Majesty for ever and ever 11. PArdon O God in whatsoever I have offended thee by meat and drink and pleasures and never let my body any more be oppressed with loads of sloth and delicacies or my soul drowned in seas of â—…ine or strong drink but let my appeâ—…ites be changed into spiritual desires that 〈◊〉 may hunger after the food of Angels and thirst for the wine of elect souls and may account it meat and drink and pleasure to do thy will O God Lord let me â—…eat and drink so that my food may not become a temptation or a sin or a â—…ease but grant that with so much caution and prudence I may watch over my apâ—…petite that I may in the strength of thy â—…mercies and refreshmnets in the light of thy countenance and in the paths of thy Commandments walk before thee all the dayes of my life acceptable to thee in Jesus Christ ever advancing his honour and being filled with his Spirit that I may at last partake of his glory through the same Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For THURSDAY A Prayer against Envy I. O Most gracious Father thou Spring of an Eternal Charity who hast so loved mankinde that thou didst open thy bosome and send thy holy Son to convey thy mercies to us and thou didst create Angels and Men that thou mightest have objects to whom thou mightest communicate thy goodness Give me grace to follow so glorious a precedent that I may never envy the prosperity of any one but rejoyce to honour him whom thou honourest to love him whom thou lovest to commend the vertuous to discern the precious from the vile giving honour to whom honour belongs that I may go to heaven in the noblest way of rejoycing in the good of others II. O Dear God never suffer the Devil to rub his vilest Leprosie of Envy
enemy nor that all is well because every thing is according to his minde nor that he is a holy person because he prayes with great sweetness and comfort But he is at peace who is reconciled to God and God loves him â—…hen he hath overcome himself and â—…ll is well when nothing pleases him but God being thankful in the midst of his â—…fflictions and he is holy who when â—…e hath lost his comfort loses nothing of his duty but is still the same when God changes his face towards him POSTVLANDA OR Things to be prayed for Jubet Deus ut petus si non petis displicet non negabit quod petis tu non Petes S. August A FORM of PRAYER By way of Paraphrase Expounding The Lords Prayer Our Father MErciful and Gracious thou gavest me beeing raising me from nothing to be an excellent creation efforming me after thy own Image tenderly feeding me and conducting and strengthning me all my dayes Thou art our Father by a more excellent Mercy adopting us in a new birth to become partakers of the inheritance of Jesus Thou hast given us the portion and the food of Sons O make us to do the duty of Sons that we may never lose our title to so glorious an inheritance Let this excellent Name and Title by which thou hast vouchsafed to relate to us be our Glory and our Confidence our Defence and Guard our Ornament and Strength our Dignity and the endearment of Obedience the Principle of a holy Fear to thee our Father and of Love to thee and to our Brethren partakers of the same Hope and Dignity Unite every member of the Church to thee in holy bands Let there be no more names of Division nor Titles and Ensigns of Error and Partiality Let not us who are Brethren contend but in giving honour to each other and glory to thee contending earnestly for the Faith but not to the breach of Charity nor the denying each others Hope but grant that we may all joyn in the promotion of the honour of thee our Father in celebrating the Name and spreading the Family and propagating the Laws and Institutions the Promises and Dignities of our Elder Brother that despising the transitory entertainments of this world we may labour for and long after the inheritance to which thou hast given us title by adopting us into the dignity of Sons For ever â—…et thy Spirit witness to our Spirit that we â—…re thy children and enable us to cry Abba Father Which art in Heaven Heaven is thy Throne the Earth is thy Footstool From thy Throne thou beholdest all the dwellers upon earth and triest out the hearts of men and nothing is hid from thy sight And as thy Knowledge is infinite so is thy Power uncircumscribed as the utmost Orb of Heaven and thou sittest in thy own Essential Happiness and Tranquillity immoveable and eternal That is our Countrey and thither thy Servants are travelling there is our Father and that is our inheritance there our hearts are for there our treasure is laid up till the day of Recompence Hallowed be thy Name Thy Name O God is glorious and in thy Name is our hope and confidence According to thy Name so is thy praise unto the worlds end They that love thy Name shall be joyfull in thee for thy Name which thou madest to be proclaimed unto thy people is The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty In this glorious Name we worship thee O Lord and all they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee The desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Thou art worthy O Lord of honour and praise and glory for ever and ever we confess thy glories we rejoyce in thy mercies we hope in thy Name and thy Saints like it well for thy Name is praised unto the ends of the world it is believed by Faith relied upon by a holy Hope and loved by a great Charity All thy Church celebrates thee with praises and offers to thy Name the Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving Thou O God didst frame our Nature by thy own Image and now thou hast imprinted thy Name upon us we are thy Servants the relatives and domesticks of thy family and thou hast honoured us with the gracious appellative of Christians O let us never dishonour so excellent a Title nor by unworthy usages profane thy holy Name but for ever glorifie it Let our life be answerable to our dignity that our body may be chaste our thoughts clean our words gracious our manners holy and our life useful and iunocent that men seeing our good works may glorifie thee our Father which art in Heaven Thy Kingdome come Thou reignest in Heaven and Earth O do thou rule also in our hearts advance the interest of Religion let thy Gospel be placed in all the regions of the earth and let all Nations come and worship thee laying their proud wills at thy feet submitting their understandings to the obedience of Jesus conforming their affections to thy holy Laws Let thy Kingdome be set up gloriously over us and do thou reign in our spirits by thy Spirit of Grace subdue every lust and inordinate appetite trample upon our pride mortifie all rebellion within us and let all thine and our enemies be brought into captivity that sin may never reign in our mortal bodies but that Christ may reign in our Understanding by Faith in the Will by Charity in the Passions by Mortification in all the members by a right and a chaste use of them And when thy Kingdome that is within us hath flourished and is advanced to that height whither thou hast designed it grant thy Kingdome of Glory may speedily succeed and we thy Servants be admitted to the peace and purity the holiness and glories of that state where thou reignest alone and art all in all Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Thy will O God is the measure of holiness and peace thy Providence the great disposer of all things tying all events together in order to thy glory and the good of thy Servants by a wonderful mysterious Chain of Wisdome Let thy Will also be the measure of our desires for we know that whatsoever thou sayest is true and whatsoever thou doest is good Grant we may submit our wills to thine being patient of evils which thou inflictest lovers of the good which thou commandest haters of all evil which thou forbiddest pleased with all the accidents thou sendest that though our nature is weaker then Angels yet our obedience may be as humble our conformity to thy will may arise up to the degrees of Unity and theirs cannot be more that as they in Heaven so we in Earth may obey thy will promptly chearfully zealously and with
all our faculties and grant that as they there so all the world here may serve thee with peace and concord purity and love unfeigned with one heart and one voice glorifying thee our heavenly Father Grant that we may quit all our own affections and suspect our reasonings and go out of our selves and all our own confidences that thou being to us all things disposing all events and guiding all our actions and directing our intentions and over-ruling all things in us and about us we may be Servants of the Divine Will for ever Give us this day our daily Bread Thou O God which takest care of our Souls do not despise our bodies which thou hast made and sanctified and designed to be glorious But now we are exposed to hunger and thirst nakedness and weariness want and inconvenience Give unto us neither poverty nor riches but feed us with food convenient for us and clothe us with fitting provisions according to that state and condition where thou hast placed thy Servants that we may not be tempted with want nor made contemptible by beggery nor wanton or proud by riches nor in love with any thing in this world but that we may use it as strangers and pilgrims as the relief of our needs the support of our infirmities and the oyle of our lamps feeding us till we are quite spent in thy service Lord take from thy Servants sad carefulness and all distrust and give us onely such a proportion of temporal things as may enable us with comfort to do our duty Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us O dear God unless thou art pleased to pardon us in vain it is that we should live here and what good will our life do us O look upon us with much mercy for we have sinned grievously against thee Pardon the adherent imperfections of our life the weaknesses of our duty the carelesness of our spirit our affected ignoâ—…nce our indiligence our rashness and â—…ant of observation our malice and Preâ—…mptions Turn thine eyes from our imâ—…urities and behold the brightness and â—…urest innocence of the Holy Jesus and â—…nder his cover we plead our cause not â—…hat thou shouldest judge our sins but â—…ive us pardon and blot out all our iniâ—…uities that we may never enter into the â—…orrible regions where there are torments without ceasing a Prison without ransome â—…eproaches without comfort anguish without patience darkness without light 〈◊〉 worm that never dies and the fire that â—…ever goeth out But be pleased also to give us great Chaâ—…ity that we may truly forgive all that â—…rouble or injure us that by that Charaâ—…ter thou mayest discern us to be thy â—…ons and Servants Disciples of the Holy â—…esus lest our Prayer be turned into sin â—…nd thy grace be recalled and thou enter â—…nto a final anger against thy Servants Lead us not into Temptation Gracious Father we are weak and ignorant our affections betray us and make us willing to die our adversary the Devil goeth up and down seeking whom he may devour he is busie and crafty malicious and powerful watchful and envious and we tempt our selves running out to mischief delighting in the approaches of sin and love to have necessities put upon us that sin may be unavoidable Pity us in the midst of these disorders and give us spirituall Strength holy Resolutions a watchful Spirit the whole Armour of God and thy protection the guard of Angels and the conduct of thy holy Spirit to be our security in the day of danger Give us thy grace to flie from all occasions to sin that we may never tempt our selves nor delight to be tempted and let thy blessed Providence so order the accidents of our lives that we may not dwell near an enemy and when thou shalt try us and suffer us to enter into combat let us alwayes be on thy side and fight valiantly resist the Devil and endure patiently and persevere constantly unto the end that thou mayest crown thy own work in us But deliver us from evil From sin and shame from the malice and fraud of the Devil and from the falseness and greediness of men from all â—…hy wrath and from all our impurities â—…ood Lord deliver thy servants Do not reserve any thing of thy wrath 〈◊〉 store for us but let our sins be Parâ—…oned so fully that thou mayest not puâ—…ist our inventions And yet if thou â—…ilt not be intreated but that it be neâ—…essary that we suffer thy will be done â—…mite us here with a Fathers rod that â—…hou mayest spare us hereafter let the â—…ad accidents of our life be for good to â—…s not for evil for our amendment not â—…o exasperate or weary us not to harden â—…r confound us and what evil soever it â—…e that shall happen let us not sin against â—…hee For ever deliver us from that evil â—…nd for ever deliver us from the power of â—…he evil one the great enemy of Manâ—…inde and never let our portion be in â—…hat region of Darkness in that everâ—…asting burning which thou hast prepared â—…or the Devil and his Angels for ever For thine is the Kingdome the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen So shall we thy servants advance the Mightiness of thy Kingdome the Power of thy Majesty and the Glory of thy Mercy from generation to generation for ever Amen LETANIES FOR All Things and Persons O God the Father of Mercies the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ have â—…ercy upon thy servants and hear the â—…rayers of us miserable sinners O blessed Jesus the Fountain of Peace â—…nd Pardon our Wisdome and our Righâ—…ousness our Sanctification and Redemâ—…tion have mercy upon thy servants reâ—…se not to hear the prayers of us miseraâ—…e sorrowful and returning sinners O holy and divinest Spirit of the Faâ—…er help our infirmities for of our selves â—…e know not what to ask nor how to â—…ray but do thou assist and be preâ—…nt in the desires of us miserable sinâ—…ers 1. For Pardon of Sins REmember not Lord the follies of our childehood nor the lusts of our youth the wildness of our head nor the wandrings of our heart the infinite sins of our tongue and the inexcusable errors of the dayes of vanity Lord have mercy upon us poor miserable sinners Remember not O Lord the growing iniquities of our elder age the pride of our spirit the abuse of our members the greediness of our appetite the inconstancy of our purposes the peevishness and violence of all our pafsions and affections Lord have mercy c. Remember not O Lord how we have been full of envy and malice anger anâ—… revenge fierce and earnest in the purchases and vanities of the world and lazy anâ—… dull slow and soon weary in the things of God and of Religion Lord have mercy c. Remember not O Lord our uncharitaâ—…le behaviour towards those with whom â—…e have conversed our jealousies and suâ—…icions our evil surmisings and evil reâ—…ortings the
breach of our promises to â—…en and the breach of all our holy vows â—…ade to thee our God Lord have mercy c. Remember not O Lord how often we â—…ave omitted the several parts and actions â—…f our duty for our sins of Omission â—…re infinite and we have not sought after â—…he righteousness of God but have rested 〈◊〉 carelesness and forgetfulness in a false â—…eace and a silent Conscience Lord have mercy c. O most gracious Lord enter not into â—…udgement with thy servants lest we be â—…onsumed in thy wrath and just displeaâ—…ure from which Good Lord deliver us and preserve thy servants for ever 11. For deliverance from evils FRom gross ignorance and stupid negligence from a wandring head and a trifling spirit from the violence and rule of passion from a servile will and a commanding lust from all intemperance inordination and irregularity whatsoever Good Lord deliver and preserve thy servants for ever From a covetous minde and greedy desires from lustful thoughts and a wanton eye from rebellious members and the pride and vanity of spirit from false opinions and ignorant confidences Good Lord deliver c. From improvidence and prodigality from envy and the spirit of ssander from idleness and sensuality from presumption and despair from sinful action and all vicious habits Good Lord deliver c. From fierceness of rage and hastiness â—…f spirit from clamorous and reproachful â—…nguage from peevish anger and inhuâ—…ane malice from the spirit of contenâ—…on and hasty and indiscreet zeal Good Lord deliver c. From a schismatical and heretical spirit â—…om tyranny and tumults from sedition â—…nd factions from envying the grace of God in our Brotber from impenitence and â—…ardness of heart from obstinacy and apoâ—…asie from delighting in sin and hating God and good men Good Lord deliver c. From fornication and adultery from annatural desires and unnatural hatreds from gluttony drunkenness from loving and believing lies and taking pleasure in the remembrances of evil things from deâ—…ighting in our Neighbours misery and â—…rocuring it from upbraiding others and â—…ating reproof of our selves Good Lord deliver c. From impudence and shame from contempt and scorn from oppression and cruelty from a pitiless and unrelenting spirit from a churlish behaviour and undecent usages of our selves or others Good Lord deliver c. From famine and pestilence from noisome and infectious diseases from sharp and intolerable pains from impatience and tediousness of spirit from a state of temptation and hardned spirits Good Lord deliver c. From banishments and prison from widowhood and want from violence of pains and passions from tempests and earthquakes from the rage of fire and water from Rebellion and Treason from fretfulness and inordinate cares from murmuring against God and disobedience to the divine Commandment Good Lord deliver c. From delaying our repentance and persevering in sin from false principles and prejudices from unthankfulness and irreligion from seducing others and being â—…bused our selves from the malice and â—…raftiness of the Devil and the deceit and â—…yings of the World Good Lord deliver c. From wounds and Murther from preâ—…cipices and falls from fracture of bones and dislocation of joynts from dismembring our bodies and all infatuation of â—…our souls from folly and madness from uncertainty of minde and state and from a certainty of sinning Good Lord deliver c. From thunder and lightning from phantasms spectres and illusions of the night from sudden and great Changes from the snares of wealth and the contempt of beggery and extreme poverty from being made an example and a warning to others by suffering sad judgements our selves Good Lord deliver c. From condemning others and justifying our selves from mispending our time and abusing thy grace from calling good evil and evil good from consenting tofolly and tempting others Good Lord deliver c. From excess in speaking and peevish silence from looser laughing and immoderate weeping from giving evil example to others or following any our selves from giving or receiving scandal from the horrible sentence of endless death and damnation Good Lord deliver c. From cursing and swearing from uncharitable chiding and easiness to believe evil from the evil spirit that walketh at noon and the arrow that flieth in darkness from the Angel of wrath and perishing in popular diseases Good Lord deliver c. From the want of a Spiritual Guide from a famine of the Word and Sacraments from hurtful persecution and from taking part with persecutors Good Lord deliver c. From drowning or being burnt alive from sleepless nights and contentious dayes from a melancholy and a confused spirit from violent fears and the loss of reason from a vicious life and a sudden and unprovided death Good Lord deliver c. From relying upon vain fancies and false foundations from an evil and an amazed Conscience from sinning near the end of our life and from despairing in the day of our death Good Lord deliver c. From hypocrisie and wilfulness from self-love and vain ambition from curiosity and carelesness from being tempted in the dayes of our weakness from the prevailing of the flesh and grieving the Spirit from all thy wrath and from all our sins Good Lord deliver c. III. For Gifts and Graces HEar our Prayer O Lord and consider our desire hearken unto us for thy truth and righteousness sake O hide not thy face from us neither cast away thy servants in displeasure Give unto us the spirit of Prayer frequent and fervent holy and persevering an unreprovable Faith a just and a humble Hope and a never-failing Charity Hear our prayers O Lord and consider our desire Give unto us true humility a meek and a quiet spirit a loving and a friendly a holy and a useful conversation bearing the burthens of our Neighbours denying our selves and studying to benefit others and to please thee in all things Hear our prayers c. Give us a prudent and a sober a just â—…nd a sincere a temperate and a religious â—…pirit a great contempt of the world a â—…ove of holy things and a longing after â—…eaven and the instruments and paths that â—…ead thither Hear our prayers c. Grant us to be thankful to our Benefaâ—…ctors righteous in performing promises â—…oving to our relatives careful of our â—…harges to be gentle and easie to be inâ—…reated slow to anger and fully instructed and readily prepared for every good work Hear our prayers c. Give us a peaceable spirit and a peaceable free from debt and deadly sin grace to abstain from all appearances of evil and to do nothing but what is of good report to confess Christ and his holy Religion by a holy and obedient life and a minde ready to die for him when he shall call us and assist us Hear our prayers c. Give to thy servants a watchful and an observing spirit diligent in doing our duty inflexible to evil obedient to thy word
inquisitive after thy will pure and holy thoughts strong and religious purposes and thy grace to perform faithfully what we have promised in the day of our duty or in the day of our calamity Hear our prayers c. O teach us to despise all vanity to fight the battles of the Lord manfully against the Flesh the World and the Devil to spend our time religiously and usefully to speak gracious words to walk alwayes as in thy presence to preserve our souls and bodies in holiness fit for the habitation of the holy Spirit of God Hear our prayers c. Give us a holy and a perfect repentance a well instructed understanding regular affections a constant and a wise heart a good name a fear of thy Majesty and a love of all thy glories above all the things in the world for ever Hear our prayers c. Give us a healthful body and a clear â—…nderstanding the love of our neighbors â—…nd the peace of the Church the publick â—…fe and comfort of thy holy Word and â—…acraments a great love to all Christians â—…nd obedience to our Superiors Eccleâ—…astical and Civil all the dayes of our â—…ife Hear our prayers c. Give us spiritual wisdome that we may â—…iscern what is pleasing to thee and folâ—…ow what belongs unto our peace and let the knowledge and love of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord be our guide and our portion all our dayes Hear our prayers c. Give unto us holy dispositions and an active industry in thy service to redeem the time mispent in vanity for thy pity sake take not vengeance of us for our sins but sanctifie our souls and bodies in this life and glorifie them hereafter Hear our prayers c. Our Father c. IV. To be added to the former Letanies according as our Devotions and time will suffer For all states of men and women especially in the Christian Church OBlessed God in mercy remember thine inheritance and forget not the congregation of the poor for ever pity poor mankinde whose portion is misery and folly shame and death But thou art our Redeemer and the lifter up of our head and under the shadow of thy wings shall be our help untill this Tyranny be overpast Have mercy upon us O God and hide not thy self from our petition Preserve O God the Catholick Church in holiness and truth in unity and peace free from persecution or glorious under it that she may for ever advance the honour our of her Lord Jesus for ever represent is Sacrifice and glorifie his Person and â—…dvance his Religion and be accepted of â—…hee in her blessed Lord that being filled with his Spirit she may partake of his â—…lory Have mercy upon us c. Give the spirit of Government and hoâ—…iness to all Christian Kings Princes and Governours grant that their people may obey them and they may obey thee and â—…ive in honesty and peace justice and holy Religion being Nursing Fathers to the Church Advocates for the oppressed Paâ—…rons for the widows and a Sanctuary for the miserable and the fatherless that they may reign with thee for ever in the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Have mercy upon us c. Give to thy servants the Bishops and all the Clergy the spirit of holiness and courage of patience and humility of prudence and diligence to preach and declare thy will by a holy life and wise discourses that they may minister to the good of souls and finde a glorious reward in the day of the Lord Jesus Have mercy upon us c. Give to our Relatives our Wives and Children our Friends and Benefactors our Charges our Family c. pardon and support comfort in all their sorrows strength in all their temptations the guard of Angels to preserve them from evil and the conduct of thy holy Spirit to lead them into all good that they doing their duty may feel thy mercies here and partake of thy glories hereafter Have mercy upon us c. Give to all Christian Kingdomes and Common-wealths peace and plenty health and holy Religion to all families of Religion and Nurseries of piety zeal and holiness prudence and unity peace and contentedness To all Schools of Learning quietness and industry freedome from wars and violence factions and envy Have mercy upon us c. Give to all married pairs faith and love charitable and wise compliances sweetness of society and innocence of conversation To all Virgins and Widows great love of Religion a sober and a contented spirit an unwearied attendance to devotion and â—…he offices of holiness protection to the fatherless comfort to the disconsolate paâ—…tience and submission health and spiritual advantages to the sick that they may feel thy comforts for the dayes wherein they have suffered adversity Have mercy upon us c. Be thou a star and a guide to them that travel by land or sea the confidence and comfort of them that are in storms and shipwracks the strength of them that toil in the Mynes and row in the Gallies an instructer to the ignorant to them that are condemn'd to die be thou a guide unto death give chearfulness to every sad heart spiritual strength and proportionable comfort to them that are afflicted by evil spirits pity the â—…unaticks give life and salvation to all to whom thou hast given no understanding accept the stupid and the fools to mercy give liberty to prisoners redemption to captives maintenance to the poor patronage and defence to the oppressed and put a period to the iniquity and to the miseries of all mankinde Have mercy upon us c. Give unto our enemies grace and pardon charity to us and love to thee take away all anger from them and all mistakes from us all misinterpretations and jealousies bring all sinners to repentance and holiness and to all thy Saints and Servants give an increasing love and a persevering duty bring all Turks Jews and Infidels to the knowledge and confession of the Lord Jesus and a participation of all the Promises of the Gospel all the benefits of his Passion to all Hereticks give humility and ingenuity repentance of their errors and grace and power to make amends to the Church and Truth and a publick acknowledgement of a holy faith to the glory of the Lord Jesus Have mercy upon us c. Give to all Merchants faithfulness and truth to the labouring husbandman health and fair seasons of the year and reward his toil with the dew of heaven and the blessings of the earth To all Artizans give diligence in their Callings and a blessing on their labours and on their families To old men piety and perfect repentance a liberal heart and an open hand great religion and desires after heaven To young men give sobriety and chastity health and usefulness an early â—…iety and a persevering duty To all families visited with the rod of God give consclation and a holy use of the affliction and a speedy deliverance To us
all pardon and holiness and life eternal through Jesus Christ Amen The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communication of the Holy Spirit be with us all for ever Amen A SHORT PRAYER To be said every Morning O Almighty God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the God of mercy and comfort with reverence and fear with humble confidence and strong desires I approach to the Throne of Grace begging of thee mercy and protection pardon and salvation O my God I am a sinner but sorrowful and repenting Thou art justly offended at me but yet thou art my Lord and my Father merciful and gracious Be pleased to blot all my sins out of thy remembrance and heal my soul that I may never any more sin against thee Lord open my eyes that I may see my own infirmities and watch against them and my own follies that I may amend them and be pleased to give me perfect understanding in the way of godliness that I may walk in it all the dayes of my pilgrimage Give me a spirit diligent in the works of my Calling chearful and zeaâ—…us in Religion fervent and frequent in â—…y Prayers charitable and useful in my â—…onversation Give me a healthful and a â—…aste body a pure and a holy soul a â—…nctified and an humble spirit and let â—…y body and soul and spirit be preserved â—…nblameable to the coming of the Lord â—…esus Amen II. BLessed be thy Name O God and blessed be thy Mercies who hast preserved â—…e this night from sin and sorrow from â—…ad chances and a violent death from the â—…alice of the Devil and the evil effects of â—…y own corrupted nature and infirmity The out-goings of the Morning and Evening shall praise thee and thy servants â—…hall rejoyce in giving thee praise for the operation of thy hands Let thy providence and care watch over me this day and all my whole life that I may never sin against thee by idleness or folly by evil company or private sins by word or deed by thought or desire and let the imployment of my day leave no sorrow or the remembrance of an evil conscience at night but let it be holy and profitable blessed and alwayes innocent that when the dayes of my short abode are done and the shadow is departed I may die in thy fear and favour and rest in a holy hope and at last return to the joyes of a blessed Resurrection through Jesus Christ In whose Name and in whose words in behalf of my self and all my friends and all thy servants I humbly and heartily pray Our Faether c. A Prayer for the Evening ETernall God Almighty Father of Men and Angels by whose care and providence I am preserved and blessed comforted and assisted I humbly beg of thee to pardon the sins and follies of this day the weaknesses of my services and the strength of my passions the rashness of my words and the vanity and evil of my actions O just and dear God how long shall I confess my sins and pray against them and yet fall under them O let it be so no more let me never return to the follies of which I am ashamed which bring sorrow and death and thy displeasure worse then death Give me 〈◊〉 command over my evil inclinations and 〈◊〉 â—…erfect hatred of sin and a love to thee â—…ove all the desires of this world Be â—…leased to bless and preserve me this night â—…rom all sin and all violence of Chance â—…nd the malice of the Spirits of darkness â—…atch over me in my sleep and whether sleep or wake let me be thy servant â—…e thou first and last in all my thoughts â—…nd the guide and continual assistance of â—…ll my actions Preserve my body pardon â—…he sin of my soul and sanctifie my â—…oul let me alwayes live holily and justly â—…nd soberly and when I die receive my â—…oul into thy hands O holy and everâ—…lessed Jesus that I may lie in thy boâ—…ome and long for thy coming and hear â—…hy blessed Sentence at Doomsday and â—…hold thy face and live in thy Kingâ—…lome singing praises to God for ever and â—…ver Amen Our Father c. For SUNDAY A Prayer against Pride I. O Eternal God merciful and glorious thou art exalted far above all heavens thy Throne O God is glory and thy Scepter is righteousness thy Will is holiness and thy Wisdome the great foundation of Empire and Government I adore thy Majesty and rejoyce in thy Mercy and revere thy Power anâ—… confess all glory and dignity and honour to be thine alone and theirs to whom thou shalt impart any ray of thy Majesty or reflexion of thy honour but as foâ—… me I am a worm and no man vile dust and ashes the son of corruption and the heir of rottenness seized upon by folly a lump of ignorance and sin and shame and death What art thou O Lord the great God of Heaven and Earth the fountain of Holiness and Perfection inâ—…te But what am I so ignorant that â—…now not what so poor that I have noâ—…ng of my own so miserable that I am â—…e heir of sorrow and death and so sinâ—… that I am encompassed with shame â—…d grief II. ANd yet O my God I am proud proud of my shame glorying in my 〈◊〉 boasting my infirmities for this is all â—…t I have of my own save onely that I â—…ve multiplied my miseries by vile actiâ—…s every day dishonouring the work of â—…y hands my understanding is too conâ—…ent my affections rebellious my will â—…ractory and disobedient and yet I â—…ow thou resistest the proud and didst â—…t the Morning Stars the Angels from â—…aven into chains of darkness when they â—…w giddy and proud walking upon the â—…tlements of heaven beholding the gloâ—…us Regions that were above them III. THou O God who givest grace to the 〈◊〉 humble do something also for the â—…oud man make me humble and obedient Take from me the spirit of pridâ—… and haughtiness ambition and self-flaâ—…tery confidence and gayety teach metâ—… think well and to expound all things faiâ—…ly of my brother to love his worthiness to delight in his praises to excuse his erâ—…rors to give thee thanks for his gracâ—… to rejoyce in all the good that he receiveâ—… and ever to believe and speak better thingâ—… of him then of my self IV. O Teach me to love to be concealeâ—… and little esteemed let me be truâ—… humbled and heartily ashamed of mâ—… sin and folly teach me to bear reproachâ—… evenly for I have deserved them to râ—…fuse all honours done unto me because have not deserved them to return all tâ—… thee for it is thine alone to suffer râ—… proof thankfully to amend all my fauâ—… speedily and do thou invest my soâ—… with the humble robe of my meek Mastâ—… and Saviour Jesus and when I have hunâ—… patiently charitably and diligentâ—… served thee change this robe into tâ—… shining garment of immortality my coâ—… into glory my folly to
upon me never let me have the affections of â—…he desperate and damned let it not be â—…ll with me when it is well with others â—…ut let thy holy Spirit so over-rule me for ever that I may pity the afflicted and be compassionate and have a fellow-feeling of my brothers sorrows and that I may as much as I can promote his good and give thee thanks for it and rejoyce with them that do rejoyce never censuring his actions curstly nor detracting from his praises spitefully nor upbraiding his infelicities maliciously but pleased in all things which thou doest or givest that I may then triumph in spirit when thy Kingdome is advanced when thy Spirit rules when thy Church is profited when thy Saints rejoyce when the devils interest is destroyed truly lovieg thee and truly loving my brother that we may all together joyn in the holy Communion of Saints both here and hereafter in the measures of grace and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For FRIDAY A Prayer against Wrath and inordinate Anger I. O Almighty Judge of Men and Angels whose anger is alwayes the minister of Justice slow but severe not lightly arising but falling heavily when it comes Give to thy servant a meek and a gentle spirit that I also may be slow to anger and easie to mercy and forgiveness Give me a wise and a constant heart that I may not be moved with every trifling mistake and inconsiderable accident in the conversation and entercourse of others never be moved to an intemperate anger for any injury that is done or offered let my anger ever be upon a just cause measured with moderation and reason expressed with charity and prudence lasting but till it hath done some good either upon my self or others II. LOrd let me be ever courteous and easie to be intreated never let me fall into a peevish or contentious spirit but follow peace with all men offering forgiveness inviting them by courtesies ready to confess my own errors apt to make amends and desirous to be reconciled Let no sickness or cross accident no imployment or weariness make me angry or ungentle and discontent or unthankful or uneasie to them that minister to me but in all things make me like unto the holy Jesus Give me the spirit of a Christian charitable humble merciful and meek useful and liberal complying with every chance angry at nothing but my own sins and grieving for the sins of others that while my passion obeys my reason and my reason is religious and my religion is pure and undefiled managed with humility and adorned with charity I may escape thy anger which I have deserved and may dwell in thy love and be thy Son and Servant for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For SATURDAY A Prayer against weaâ—…ness in well-doing I. O My God merciful and gracious my soul groans under the loads of its own infirmity when my spirit is willing my flesh is weak my understanding foolish and imperfect my will peevish and listless my affections wandring after strange objects my fancy wilde and unfixed all my senses minister to folly and vanity and though they were all made for Religion yet they least of all delight in that O my God pity me and hear me when I pray and make that I may pray acceptably Give me a love to Religion an unwearied spirit in the things of God Let me not relish or delight in the things of the world in sensual objects and transitory possessions but make my eyes look up to thee my soul be filled with thee my spirit ravished with thy love my understanding imployed in the meditation of thy Law all my powers and faculties â—…f soul and body wholly serving thee â—…nd delighting in such holy ministeries II. O Most gracious God what greater favour is there then that I may and what easier imployment can there be then to pray thee to be admitted into thy presence and to represent our needs and that we have our needs supplied onely for asking and desiring passionately and humbly But we rather quit our hopes of heaven then buy it at the cheapest rate of humble prayer This O God is the greatest infirmity and infelicity of man and hath an intolerable cause and is an unsufferable evil III. O Relieve my spirit with thy graciousness take from me all tediousness of spirit and give me a laboriousness that will not be tired a hope that shall never fail a desire of holiness not to be satisfied till it possesses a charity that will alwayes increase that I making Religion the business of my whole life may turn all things into Religion doing all to thy glory and by the measures of thy Word and of thy Spirit that when thou shalt call me from this deliciousness of imployment and the holy ministeries of grace I may pass into the imployment of Saints and Angels whose work it is with eternal joy and thanksgiving to sing praises to the mercies of the great Redeemer of Men and Saviour of Men and Angels Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and worship all service and thanks all Glory and Dominon for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to be said by a Maiden before she enters into the state of Marriage I. O Most glorious God and my most indulgent Lord and gracious Father who doest bless us by thy bounty pardon us by thy mercy support and guide us by thy grace and govern us sweetly by thy providence I give thee most humble and hearty thanks that â—…hou hast hitherto preserved me in my Virgin state with innocence and chastity â—…n a good name and a modest report It â—…s thy goodness alone and the blessed â—…manation of thy holy Spirit by which 〈◊〉 have been preserved and to thee I reâ—…urn all praise and thanks and adore and â—…ove thy goodness infinite II. ANd now O Lord since by thy dispensation and over-ruling providence I am to change my condition and enter into the holy state of Marriage which â—…hou hast sanctified by thy Institution and â—…lessed by thy Word and Promises and â—…raised up to an excellent mystery that it might represent the Union of Christ and his Church Be pleased to go along with â—…thy servant in my entring into and passing through this state that it may not be a state of temptation or sorrow by occasion of my sins or infirmities but of holiness and comfort as thou hast intended it to all that love and fear thy holy Name III. LOrd bless and preserve that dear person whom thou hast chosen to be my Husband Let his life be long and blessed comfortable and holy and let me also become a great blessing and comfort unto him a sharer in all his joyes a refreshment in all his sorrows a meet helper for him in all accidents and chances of the world Make me amiable for ever in his eyes and very dear to him Unite his heart to me in the
dearest union of love and holiness and mine to him in all sweetness and charity and compliance Keep from me all morosity and ungentleness all sullenness and harshness of disposition all pride and vanity all discontentedness and unreasonableness of passion and humour and make me humble and obedient charitable and loving patient and contented useful and observant that we may delight in each other according to thy blessed Word and Ordinance and both of us may rejoyce in thee having our portion in the love and service of God for ever and ever IV. OBlessed Father never suffer any mistakes or discontent any distrustfulness or sorrow any trifling arrests of fancy or unhandsome accident to cause any unkindness between us but let us so dearly love so affectionately observe so religiously attend to each others good and content that we may alwayes please thee and by this learn and practise our duty and greatest love to thee and become mutual helps to each other in the way of godliness that when we have received the blessings of a married life the comforts of society the endearments of a holy and great affection and the dowry of blessed children we may for ever dwell together in the embraces of thy love and glories feasting in the Marriage-supper of the Lamb to eternal ages through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Amen A Prayer for a holy and happy Death Oeternal and holy Jesus who by death hast overcome death and by thy Passion hast taken out its sting and made it to become one of the gates of heaven and an entrance to felicity have mercy upon me now and at the hour of my death let thy grace accompany me all the dayes of my life that I may by a holy conversation and an habitual performance of my duty wait for the coming of our Lord and be ready to enter with thee at whatsoever hour thou shalt come Lord let not my death be in any sense unprovided nor untimely nor hasty but after the manner of men having in it nothing extraordinary but an extraordinary piety and the manifestation of a great and miraculous mercy Let my senses and my understanding be preserved intire till the last of my dayes and grant that I may die the death of the righteous free from debt and deadly sin having first discharged all my obligations of Justice leaving none miserable and unprovided in my departure but be thou the portion of all my friends and relatives and let thy blessing descend upon their heads and abide there till they shall meet me in the bosome of our Lord Preserve me ever in the communion and peace of the Church and bless my Death-bed with the opportunity of a holy and a spiritual Guide with the assistance and guard of Angels with the reception of the holy Sacrament with patience and dereliction of my own desires with a strong faith and a firm and humbled hope with just measures of repentance and great treasures of charity to thee my God and to all the world that my soul in the arms of the holy Jesus may be deposited with safety and joy there to expect the revelation of thy day and then to partake the glories of thy Kingdome O eternal and holy Jesus Amen FESTIVAL HYMNES I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also HYMNS Celebrating the Mysteries and chief Festivals of the Year according to the manner of the Ancient Church fitted to the fancy and devotion of the younger and pious persons Apt for memory and to be joyned to their other PRAYERS Hymns for Advent or the weeks immediately before the Birth of our blessed Saviour I. WHen Lord O when shall we Our dear Salvation see Arise arise Our fainting eyes Have long'd all night and 't was a long one too Man never yet could say He saw more then one day One day of Edens seven The guilty hours there blasted with the breath Of sin and death Have ever since worn a nocturnal hue But thou hast given us hopes that we At length another day shall see Wherein each vile neglected place Gilt with the aspect of thy face Shall be like that the porch and gate of Heaven How long dear God how long See how the Nations throng All humane kinde Knit and combin'd Into one body look for thee their Head Pity our multitude Lord we are vile and rude Headless and sensless without thee Of all things but the want of thy blest face O haste apace And thy bright self to this our body wed That through the influx of thy power Each part that er'st confusion wore May put on order and appear Spruce as the childhood of the year When thou to it shalt so united be Amen The second Hymn for Advent or Christs coming to Jerusalem in triumph LOrd come away Why dost thou stay Thy rode is ready and thy paths made strait With longing expectation wait The Consecration of thy beauteous feet Ride on triumphantly behold we lay Our lusts and proud wills in thy way Hosanna welcome to our hearts Lord here Thou hast a Temple too and full as dear As that of Sion and as full of sin Nothing but Thieves and Robbers dwell therein Enter and chase them forth cleanse the floore Crucifie them that they may never more Profane that holy place Where thou hast chose to set thy face And then if our stiff tongues shall be Mute in the praises of thy Deity The stones out of the Temple wall Shall cry aloud and call Hosanna and thy glorious footsteps greet Amen Hymns for Christmas-day I. MY sterious truth that the self same should be A Lamb a Shepherd and a Lion too Yet such was he Whom first the shepherds knew When they themselves became Sheep to the Shepherd Lambe Shepherd of Men and Angels Lamb of God Lion of Judah by these Titles keep The Wolf from thy indangered Sheep Bring all the world unto thy Fold Let Jews and Gentiles hither come In numbers great that can't be told And call thy Lambs that wander home Glory be to God on high All glories be to th' glorious Deity The second Hymn being a Dialogue between three Shepherds 1. WHere is this blessed Babe That hath made All the world so full of joy And expectation That glorious boy That crowns each Nation With a triumphant wreath of blessedness 2. Where should he be but in the throng And among His Angel Ministers that sing And take wing Just as may Echo to his Voyce And rejoyce When wing and tongue and all May so procure their happiness 3. But he hath other Waiters now A poor Cow An Ox and Mule stand and behold And wonder That a stable should enfold Him that can thunder Chorus O what a gracious God have we How good how great even as our misery The third Hymn Of Christs birth in an Inne THe blessed Virgin travail'd without pain And lodged in an Inne A glorious Star the signe But of a greater guest then ever
pressure O let thy mercy be the measure For if thou keepest wrath in store We all shall die And none be left to glorifie Thy Name and tell How thou hast sav'd our souls from Hell Mercy On the Conversion of S. Paul FUll of wrath his threatning breath Belching nought but chains and death Saul was arrested in his way By a voice and a light That if a thousand dayes Should joyn rayes To beautifie one day It would not shew so glorious and so bright On his amazed eyes it night did fling That day might break within And by those beams of Faith Make him of a childe of wrath Become a vessel full of glory Lord curb us in our dark and sinful way We humbly pray When we down horrid precipices run With feet that thirst to be undone That this may be our story Allelujah On the Purification of the blessed Virgin PUre and spotless was the Maid That to the Temple came A pair of Turtle-doves she paid Although she brought the Lamb Pure and spotless though she were Her body chaste and her soul faire She to the Temple went To be purifi'd And try'd That she was spotless and obedient O make us to follow so blest Precedent And purifie our souls for we Are cloth'd with sin and misery From our conception One imperfection And a continued state of sin Hath sullied all our faculties within We present our souls to thee Full of need and misery And for Redemption a Lamb The purest whitest that e're came A Sacrifice to thee Even he that bled upon the Tree On Good-Friday THe Lamb is eaten and is yet again Preparing to be slain The Cup is full and mixt And must be drunk Wormwood and gall To this are draughts to beguile care withall Yet the Decree is fixt Doubled knees and groans and cries Prayers and sighs and flowing eyes Could not intreat His sad Soul sunk Under the heavy pressure of our sin The pains of Death and Hell About him dwell His Fathers burning wrath did make His very heart like melting wax to sweat Rivers of blood Through the pure strainer of his skin His boiling body stood Bubling all o're As if the wretched whole were but one dore To let in pain and grief And turn out all relief O thou who for our sake Didst drink up This bitter Cup Remember us we pray In thy day When down The strugling throats of wicked men The dregs of thy just fury shall be thrown Oh then Let thy unbounded mercy think On us for whom Thou underwent'st this heavy doom And give us of the well of life to drink Amen On the Annunciation to the blessed Virgin A Winged harbinger from bright heav'n flown Bespeaks a lodging room For the mighty King of Love The spotless structure of a Virgin womb O'reshadow'd with the wings of the blest Dove For he was travelling to earth But did desire to lay By the way That he might shift his clothes and be A perfect Man as well as we How good a God have we who for our sake To save us from the burning lake Did change the order of Creation At first he made Man like himself in his own Image now In the more blessed reparation The Heavens bow Eternity took the measure of a span And said Let us make our self like Man And not from Man the Woman take But from the Woman Man Allelujah we adore His Name whose goodness hath no store Allelujah Easter day WHat glorious light How bright a Sun after so sad a night Does now begin to dawn Bless'd were those eyes That did behold This Sun when he did first unfold His glorious beams and now begin to rise It was the holy tender Sex That saw the first ray Saint Peter and the other had the reflex The second glimpse o'th'day Innocence had the first and he That fled and then did penance next did see The glorious Sun of Righteousness In his new dress Of triumph immortality and bliss O dearest God preserve our souls In holy innocence Or if we do amiss Make us to rise again to th' life of Grace That we may live with thee and see thy glorious face The crown of holy Penitence Allelujah On the day of Ascension HE is risen higher not set Indeed a cloud Did with his leave make bold to shroud The Sun of Glory from Mount Olivet At Pentecost hee 'll shew himself again When every ray shall be a tongue To speak all comforts and inspire Our Souls with their celestial fire That we the Saints among May sing and love and reign Amen On the Feast of Pentecost or Whitsunday TOngues of fire from heaven descend With a mighty rushing wind To blow it up and make A living fire Of heavenly Charity and pure desire Where they their residence should take On the Apostles sacred heads they sit Who now like Beacons do proclaim and tell Th' invasion of the host of Hell And give men warning to defend Themselves from the inraged brunt of it Lord let the flames of holy Charity And all her gifts and graces slide Into our hearts and there abide That thus refined we may soar above With it unto the element of Love Even unto thee dear Spirit And there eternal peace and rest inherit Amen Penitentiall Hymns I. LOrd I have sinn'd the black number swells To such a dismal sum That should my stony heart and eyes And this whole sinful trunk a flood become And run to tears their drops could not suffice To count my score Much less to pay But thou my God hast blood in store And art the Patron of the poore Yet since the Balsam of thy Blood Although it can will do no good Unless the wounds be cleans'd with tears before Thou in whose sweet but pensive face Laughter could never steal a place Teach but my heart and eyes To melt away And then one drop of Balsam will suffice Amen II. GReat God and just how canst thou fee Dear God our miserie And not in mercy set us free Poor miserable man how wert thou born Weak as the dewy jewels of the Morn Rapt up in tender dust Guarded with sins and lust Who like Court flatterers waite To serve themselves in thy unhappy fate Wealth is a snare and poverty brings in Inlets for theft paving the way for sin Each perfum'd vanity doth gently breath Sin in thy Soul and whispers it to Death Our faults like ulcerated sores do go O're the sound flesh and do corrupt that too Lord we are sick spotted with sin Thick as a crusty Lepers skin Like Nuaman bid us wash yet let it be In streams of blood that flow from thee Then will we sing Touch'd by the heavenly Doves bright wing Hallelujahs Psalms and Praise To God the Lord of night and dayes Ever good and ever just Ever high who ever must Thus be sung is still the same Eternal praises crown his Name Amen A Prayer for Charity FUll of Mercy full of Love Look upon us