what heavenly members of Christs Kingdome have shined in every part of this nation no way inferiour to the most renowned Saints of ancient times but that the frequency of professors and as it were familiarity of piety have eclipsed their own excellencies And without doubt weighing those extenuating expressions of Christs Kingdom as the little Flock few that find it and the like we might with facility observe in this nation plentiful additions of souls to the Church above any nation in the world proportion of places considered Whence then these effects and demonstrations of religion but from Gods pleasure to preserve a never-failing succession of Ministery who disserninated in every part of the nation have laboured in Word and Doctrine among us for it canuot be supposed that this Church have received these grapes of thornes or figges of thistles or that a corrupt tree that is a false or Anti-christian Ministery should bring forth such good fruit as our Saviour argues in this very case And after all this lest these eminent graces and blessed effects should still be attributed to any other either immediate or mediate proceediug of God I desire any of our adversaries to shew that ever any nation was converted to or continued in a Christian profession or that ever the Religion of a Nation hath not verged to a Period with the fall of its Ministery and then I may be induced to suspect this Church received such graces from some other instrument then the Ministery And for further confirmation it is no hard matter to observe how much the interest of Religion is concerned in this Ministeries preservation by considering how piety peace charity reverence to Gods worship and the whole frame of religion have declined and the contrary evils of prophanenesse sacriledge blasphemy Atheisme oppression violence and injustice have generally improved by their fall Now the force of the argument is this There being these effects of piety and salvation as unparalel'd consequences of the work of the Ministery of this National Church and there being no other ordinary means the mehod of grace under the Gospel from whence otherwise they should proceed we therefore cunclude them lawful instruments of Gods work and a blest and truly Christian Ministery to this Church The fecond argument for brevity sake I make as general and comprehensive as I can and thus it is If the Ministers of the Churches of Christ in all ages and places through the whole succession of Christian Religion had the same separation to their offices that we of this Church of England have then by necessary consequence either the universal Ministery of Christ were alwayes Antichristian which would be next to blasphemy to assert as well as we or we Christian and lawful as well as they Now let our enemies shew that in any age of that great space of time or in any place where Christs Name was ever professed that the received Ministery thereof were otherwise in substance ordained whereby to raise any plea to their new or rather no call we will acknowledge the lawfulnesse of our calling to be justly questioned This argument hath its foundation upon a promise of Christ to his universal Church in the name of his Apostles Howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth Which promise had apparently in a considerable point been unaccomplished had the universal Church of Christ so many hundred years successively erred by an Antichristian and unlawful Ministery and by consequence all the Christian world all that great while had been deprived of lawfull ordinances the outward means of grace which depend upon the lawful Mission of the Ministery How shall they hear to a success of beleefe but by their preaching who are lawfully sent Quest These arguments are convincing and now as it seems to me a man may as soon and upon as good ground question a great part of his Christian Religion as the lawfulnesse of the Ministery of this Church being inferred from those premisses which conclude and prove one as well as the other I desire therefore rather to venture my soule with all the Churches of Christ and under a Ministery that have been received as lawful by them and of whom we have had experience in this national Church in excellent effects of all spirituall blessings then to embrace the judgement of a few who study new things such as the Churches of Christ never knew before and to submit to such a Ministery as descend in no succession and without any character either extraordinary or ordinary to demonstrate their mission and of which in a short time we have had sad experiences as appears by the divisions blasphemies fond opinions and great impieties that have prospered under them There remaines one scruple more What canst thou say to satisfy them that urge the present fall of this Church and sufferings and contempt of its Ministery as an argument against the truth of the profession and Religion Ans. It is true I cannot deny there be a great many that follow the disingenuous practice of that sort of people of which the holy Psalmist complaines that love to persecute him whom God hath smitten and to talk how to vex him whom he hath wounded Crying out against us like another untoward generation God hath forsaken them persecute and take them for there is none to deliver them But it is a wonder to me that persons pretending light in Religion and an understanding in the Scriptures should make outward providences the guidance of their judgement in determining the justice or unjustice of Causes Conclusions by events prove nothing but the folly of a vulgar judgement that is byassed by them When most frequent it is that the wicked prosper in their way and they are happy that deale very treacherously yea God plants them till they take root God suffers oft-times evill men to flourish like a green bay-tree in worldly successes when he permits them to blast the honour and safety of the just If prosperous providence gives the sentence of justice The Turk that sets up his trophies in the most renowned parts of Christendome already and if he should poure in his forces to the overthrow of all the Christian nations that remain could never want an argument to justify his usurpations and Tyrannies Nor doth the Churches unsuccesseful attempts for its preservation disprove its truth and being But rather if it were lawful or indeed possible to determine from exteriour providences the frequent tragedies of its continual snfferings might induce us to a beleef that Truth and persecution have gone hand in hand Hence the worthy observers of the Churches instability in worldly safety have found out a reason of its happinesse from its miseries The Church hath increased with persecutions and is crowned with martyrdomes saith St. Hierome Then it conquers when it is oppressed and obtaines when forsaken saith St. Hilary For if its
Faith being the gift of God attainable by means appointed by him through our endeavour and application What are those means that conduce to the obtaining and increasing of the same Ans. A diligent reading and hearing his word constant prayer frequent receiving the blessed Sacrament religious use of such times in which the memory of the things of faith are celebrated and accompanying our selves with the faithfull disciples of Christ CHAP. III. Quest HAving thus passed over a direction and an account of the first condition of the Gospel proceed with Gods blesing to the second before mentioned And what is Repentance Ans. It is a totall turn and change of the whole man from a state of sin and a departure from all iniquity Quest Are not the single acts of sence of sin and confession of it the sorrow for it and present purpose against it to be accounted the very repentance of the Gospel Ans. No they are blessed preparatives to and necessary companions of repentance in which the penitent must be continually exercised But that especially in which the life of Gospel-repentance consists is the forsaking of sinne and throwing off the dominion of it Quest But are not those exercises requisite for the obtaining of pardâ—n and acceptable services to God Ans. Yes as they conduce to that great turn and change of life otherwise they are upon the same account with God that his state is who may be likened to a dog returning to his vomit and a sow to her wallowing in the mire Quest If repentance consists in such a total forsaking of sinne it must follow then that you make the state of repentance like the new birth in St. Iohn that as he that is born of God so he that is truly penitent cannot any more commit sin And are there no sins consistent with the state of Repentance and a new birth Ans. Yes Sinnes of invincible ignorance frailty infirmity and the single acts of greater sins by sudden surprise into which the true penitent may fall and by the grace of God rise again Quest May a man yeeld and be-come indulgent to any sins under those notions and give the reines to a lust or temptation to any sin upon such an account Ans. No they may then become wilful and deliverate sins and dangerous to the state of repentance Quest What is to be done upon the consideration of such sins when we have commited them in order to repentance Ans. A sudden recalling our selves to a serious sense of them sorrow for them and holy purpose against them using all holy and prudential means to prevent them Quest What sins are destructive to the Gospel repentance and cannot consist with it which he that is truly penitent cannot commit without ceasing to be so Ans. A falling into an habitual and customary course of sinning with a wilful and deliberate allowance of any known wickednesse to live in it and into such a course of life as may notify a total departure from God Quest What may be said of his estate who having been once enlightened and made a partaker of the Holy Ghost shall fall from his repentance to such a course of sinning and by resisting Gods grace and quenching his spirit shall depart to his former unregenerate estate Ans. His state is very sad and dangerous seeing God may justly give him over by withdrawing his Grace never to be renewed by another repentance or that there should remain for him no more sacrifice for sin whereby it may be better for that man never to have known the way of truth then being once known to fall from it or that having once escaped the pollutions of the world to be again entangled therein and overcome His latter end is worse then the beginning Quest It is true the sentence of the Gospel is very severe in that case What therefore doth this consideration obligemen to Ans. A severe watchfulnesse over all their wayes and in all temptations lest they fall a careful employing the talent of Grace lest it be taken away and a diligent working out their salvation with feare and trembling Quest What may be said of them who after an ungodly life dye with the single acts of sorrow for sin acknowledgment of it and a resolution of change Ans. Their repentance is very unsafe First because the promises of mercy in the Gospel are very insecurely applyed but upon the terms of a durable repentance that shall arrive at great performances of Gospel-obedience constant services of God and a copious fruitfulnesse in a course of holinesse And secondly because the sincerity of such a repentance is very doubtful there being no opportunity remaining for the experience and triall of it by bringing forth fruits to evidence it Yet this hope may pâ—ssesse a charitable mind that if God sees such a late repentance to be truly sincere and such as if there were time allowed would proceed to a reall turne and change it might through Gods infinite mercy be accepted and the Will and Resolution of the penitent for the following acts of holy living But such a repentance as is made after presumptions of mercy in an ungodly course and many despites done unto the spirit of Grace administers little hopes of acceptance Quest What considerations do best provoke an impenitent soul through Gods grace to a timely undertaking this state of repentance Ans. The ignoble use of Gods goodness that invites him to it of the blood of Christ that hath purchased for him a capacity to be accepted by it and the continual despite that is done to the spirit of God that stands and knocks at the door of his heart for his return Quest What other motives may be superadded to those Ans. That a state of sin is against the very dictate of right reason and contrary to all morall prudence it is rewarded with shame unpeaceablenesse and discontent in this life a fearful judgement ult. and a miserable eternity in the life to come CHAP. IV. Quest THe third condition of Gospel-salvation you said was obedience to an holy life and keeping the Commandments of God How doth it appear that the Gospel doth necessarily require such a condition Ans. Because as our Saviour saith none shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of his father which is in heaven and St. Paul saith that a deliverance from condemnation shall only appertain to them who live according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh in whose fruits whosoever is exercised whatsoever hopes of mercy may be pretended is sentenced not to inherit the Kingdom of heaven and lastly because without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Quest What comprehensive Text can you name that most summarily containes the doctrines and Commandments of
inspirations of the Spirit to guide men to and in it For such a profession must be very unsafe and dangerous for these reasons First because there hath been no succession of any such immediate light or revelations since the Apostles age when they were necessary that the whole way of Christs first planting his Church might in all circumstances be purely miraculous Since which time no Church of Christ in any place or at any time have made profession upon that ground till the late Enthusiasts in Germany and England For certainly if that had been the ground of professing Christ that Church which is a City on a hill and that Gospel which is the Mountaine of the Lord would not have left us without all evidence and president in such a long space of time But if they please to conclude the whole Christian world in darknesse from the Apostles times to this period though they think it nothing to condemn so many ages to uphold their own phantasmes yet I ask them how the promise to the Church was effected when Christ engaged to send the Spirit of truth to guide them into all truth if fourteen or fifteen hundred years together the whole Church so foully erred by a false unlawful and Antichristian profession But because they lay clayme to such immediate gifts of the Spirit without the subministration of learning education in Sciences and Tongues and such like preparations of the understanding for spirituall knowledge from the examples of the Apostles I further require of them why they pretend to some of those miraculous gifts and not to all as gifts of tongues healing and the like which were the significations and proofs that the other gifts and themselves were of God When therefore their ordinary discourses pretended raptures prayings and preachings are delivered by them owned to be the inspirations of the Spirit which may proceed from other naturall dexterities and acquired helps and having no other miraculous gifts as of tongues and healing and the like as the Apostles had to prove them to be so their own assertions are very fallible and the profession dangerous and unsafe Secondly such a professinn is unsafe because upon that ground the devill hath the most certain advantage of deceiving men indiscoverably when they shall once be perswaded to follow the voyce and dictate of an indemonstrable spirit in themselves or others Whence is that seasonable inhibition of the Apostle Beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world From which Scripture I inferre these observations to strengthen the argument against such a profession First Beleeve not every spirit because there be several sorts of spirits all false but one There is a lying spirit and a perverse spirit or the spirit of errour as the Septuagint renders it A mans own spirit which is his opinion and fancy there is also the spirit of the world which is the common humour and bent of every present time These and many of this sort will be pretenders to guide as the Spirit of God Therefore when I am tempted to beleeve any thing upon the bare pretence of the Spirit in what great danger am I in to be guided by a false spiitit there being many to one true Spirit of God Secondly But try the spirits that is those false spirits shall be so likened to the true Spirit of God in so great an assimulation that they are not to be distinguished without trial and examination And this is no wonder when Satau himself can transform himself into an Angel of light and his deceitful agents to be like the true Apostles of Christ Now as the difficulty of discerning and consequently the danger of such a profession of the true Spirit from the false ariseth from their similitude so also much more in respect of what reason I have to suspect my self as unable to try and examine them aright First because when I consider how easily my judgement is deceived in things obvious to sense as in civil differences and outward affaires how much more fallible must that my judgement be in discriminating secret and invisible spirits lying under the cunning artificies of devils and evil men who by them attempt to seduce weak soules Secondly when I consider how easily I may be prejudicated and if fo how soon and certainly deceived When a prejudgement hath once passed upon the mind in the worst cause that ever was how doth every likelyhood make an argument every fallacious argument growes into a demonstration and every mans discourse of the same judgement shall have an indulgence and a beleefe But every argument and advising person to the contrary shall be sufficiently answered with nothing but a suspicion and a contempt Therefore when I am tempted to a religion or profession upon the pretence of the Spirit to what dangers do I expose my self lest I should not through the want of or a prejudicated judgement distinguish the true Spirit from the false when they are both made as like as light to light Thirdly because many false Prophets c. which inferres that false Prophets when they come because their â—ofession is against the ground of all visible evidences must pretend a Spirit It being the common artifice of seducers to muffle up the understandings of their followers by alledging something that is high and undiscernable like some Astronomers who betray their disciples to a ditch or a cheat by causing them to look up with wonder to some imaginary Scheme of nothing So that still fuch a profession must needs be unsafe because it is forewarned and prophesied that false Prophets when they come shall have this mark upon them they shall pretend a Spirit Lastly if the pretended ground of being directed by an immediate light of the Spirit were true and consequently safe there could be no profession more regular and certain the same Spirit will alwayes dictate the same thing But we see that the pretenders to the Spirit are divided into Legions of factions Anabaptists Catabaptists Antitrinitarians Antiscripturists Ranters Quakers and many such of like sort among which not one Sect agrees with another nor two Congregations of the same Sect among themselves nor scarcely the members of the same Congregation one with another and very seldome the same member at any one time with what he was himself a little before And yet all pretend the Spirit of God for their guide from whence their several opinions are as unlikely to proceed as that the two Poles should center in one point or that contradictions might be reconciled How then canst thou be safe with what Sect wilt thou joyn profession with what Congregation of that Sect with what part of that Congregation and then in what opinions wilt thou joyn such as they maintained last year or those they now hold or such as they are like to take up the next Now to
strengthen the argument it is observed that such divisions and subdivisions among those that fall from the Churches unity are significant marks of their falsity and that they are not of the true Spirit of God Irenaeus reports of the Valentinians that when they were very numerous scarce two or three agreed in the same opinions And S. Austin of the Donatists that in his time they were cut asunder and divided into very many small pieces factions and the same may be observed by almost all the ancient remarkable heresies And how much of this observation falls upon such as have departed from us I leave to the impartial Reader to judge Qu. But do you follow no directions of the Spirit in your profession Ans. Yes in these foure wayes or respects First I follow the guidance of the holy Scriptures as they were given by inspiration of the holy Spirit Secondly I follow the examples pattern and Doctrines of the first Churches which were planted by the Apostles and Apostolick men of the first age who were directed by the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit as of prophesying tongues and miraculous healing as was then expedient for the conviction of the world that they were from God Thirdly I follow that light of truth which the universall Church of Christ have kept and preserved as to all times and places which I beleeve to be the effect of Christs promise of sending his Spirit of truth to guide into all truth Fourthly I follow the direction of the holy Spirit whereby I am taught of God that is instructed and inabled by his preventing and assisting grace to lead a holy life and to have my judgement spiritualized that I may mind desire discern and design spiritual things Now whatsoever new light is pretended inconsistent with the holy Scriptures so interpreted by the common judgement of the first planters and the Churches nearest them or that shall destroy the all-All-truth of the Spirit in fundamentals maintained and confirmed by universal profession or that consists not with godlines and the Gospel-rules of a holy life mercy charity peaceablenesse justice and the like I dare not embrace any new light upon the grounds forementioned Quest What is your second direction or caveat Ans. To beware of such a profession that hath no other ground then a plea from Sripture upon private interpretation which ground though it hath not produced such monstrous effects of errour as the former yet hath been more dangerous and destructive to the Churches peace and unity Now the unsafetinesse of such a profession in the first place appeares because the most absurd hereticks of the ancient Church in bringing in their then novel errours as plainly and undeniably appeares by the practices and histories of the Manichees Arians Sabellians Pelagians Donatists and others when they would no otherwise accomplish their enviousnesse against the then present Church departed from its communion upon new principles of dangerous consequence and cried up Scripture for their cause A testimony or two I may instance in from the Ancients instead of many Tertullian speaking of hereticks saith That when they perswade of matters of faith but out of the writings of faith they pretend the Scriptures and by such boldnesse move many to them To the same purpose Athanasius Endure not those that perswade you to new things contrary to the faith received although they anthorize them from the holy Scriptures In the next place I shall further adde as a reason to suspect the unsafetinesse of such a profession the fatall infelicities and irreconcileable differencies that have alwayes befallen the Church but especially in these last ages upon the presumption of private interpretation whereby every man as he hath been indulgent to his own opinion which either education prejudice advantage or ignorance hath inclined his spirit to so hath he decided and determined the controversies of the Church or made new ones worse then the former And I am confident were there a thousand cells and so many of our private Interpreters in them obliged to passe their judgements to determine the controverted doctrines to make a confession of faith to marshall a Church-government to form a service and worship of God from the Scriptures by their private interpretations and they all supposed to lay aside those few principles which they have continued from the received doctrines and practices of the Church and no singling of principles one to another we should soon and certainly find a progeny of a thousand several religions and professions Now the main reason is this though the holy Scriptures be in themselves most perspicuous and plain as to the direction of life and manners for which cause David calls them a light to his feet and lanthorn to his paths yet as to the deep mysteries of faith and the determination of many considerable emergent controversies of doctrine and government God hath pleased to deliver his truths in so dark and abstruse a manner that they that want humility to hear the common judgement of the Churches of Christ and their received interpretations may easily be delivered over by God to find arguments enough in Scripture to captivate and satisfy a private and prejudicate spirit in any errour of religion wresting the Scripture to their own destruction Quest In what manner do you hold the direction of the Scriptures and their interpretation as to your profession Ans. First I acknowledge the Blessed Scriptures to be the rule of faith the end and decision of all controversies and where they are clear and evident I submit my soul to them as to the final end of all my enquâ—ries and doubts Secondly in the things that God hath pleased should be doubtfully delivered which is occasioned either from some difficulty in the Idiome or from seeming difference with other places requiring curious distinctions or when the expressions are clad and darkened with tropes and figures which are frequent in Scriptures or Lastly when the Scriptures are occasionall and a due consideration of the time when and the persons to whom they were spoken or written is necessary to the understanding of them I say in things so doubtfully delivered as to doctrine or government I submit my private reason and opinion to the grand interpretation and common consent of the first Churches for these reasons First because they were uninterested in our present controversies so without danger of being byassed by passion and they ordinarily lying under persecutions were not likely to gratify an errour for any private or worldly regards Secondly because they had most reason to know what were the practices of the Apostles and Apostolical men most certain guides to follow in controverted and doubtful points of Government and the circumstantial parts of religion Their footsteps which had so lately planted the Churches of Christ could not be so soon worn out but that they left discernable tracts for their immedate successors to walk in Thirdly they
my countenance and my God Thou hast created me by thy power redeemed me by thy Christ sanctified me by thy Spirit and preserved me by thy watchful providence through the whole course of my life Lord I praise thee for the safety of my soul and body this day that thy grace hath kept me from grosse sins and thy protection from sad accidents O keep me this night by the covert of the same fatherly goodness through Jesus Christ my Lord Amen Let the intercession be the same that was used for the morning Service Now I commend this office as the fittest to be taught to servants in families and to be used by children before they come to mens and womens estate THE Third Form This third office I have here inserted for the benefit of those who usually accustoming themselves to the next and largest formes shall sometime be necessitated to shorten their service and may be ordinarily used by those who are not yet come up to so great designs of zeal for longer formes Morning PRAYER Our Father which art in c. Confession of sin O Lord God Almighty the God of all Glory Majesty and Power and the fountain of mercies I confesse I am unworthy to appear before thy holy presence having sinned against heaven and before thee and in thought word and deed continually rebelled against thee I have too much followed my lusts and desires and have not endeavoured to bring under my affections to the yoak of Christ I have loved the vanities of the world but too much undervalued thy Kingdom and promises I have not been so sincere and frequent in thy services so diligent in my calling so just and merciful in my carriage to others nor so sober and temperate in the use of my mind body and thy blessings as the strict holinesse of the Gospel hath required of me here make confession of particulars For which I stand here guilty of the breach of thy righteous commandments and lie lyable to the effects of thy wrath and displeasure Prayer for Pardon and Grace But O thou preserver of men for thine own compassion sake and for thy Iesus sake pity the troubles of a burthened soul and pardon all those sins I have committed against thee Let the blood of Christ satisfy thy justice and his intercession obtain thy mercy for a peace and reconciliation with thee that my sins may not separate from thy grace here nor thy glory hereafter And O Lord strenthen my weak soul with the graces of thy Spirit that I may hereafter overcome all the temptations of the devil the world and the flesh and may lead a new and holy life before thee Turn the stream of my affections to thee and take possession of my soul that all my thoughts words and actions may be subject to the law of Christ And having kept the faith and finished my conversation in holines I may at last through thy mercies in Christ obtain the crown of eternal glory Amen The Thanksgiving O merciful and Gracious Lord as I acknowledge my dependence upon thee for every part of my being so I desire to bless thy holy Name for all thy mercies to me especially for the redemption of my soul by the blood of thy Son and for the portion of thy grace that thou hast given me I praise thee O Lord for all temporall blessings as my health provision of food and rayment friends understanding senses and limbs and that I enjoy any thing that I have seen any others to want Blessed be thy Name for the safety of my soul and body this night past O keep me under the shadow of thy wings this day that I may fall into no sad accidents nor dangers and so defend me with thy grace that I may do nothing that may displease thee or that may occasion sin in others or give offence to the holy profession of Christ for his merits sake who is my blessed Jesus Amen Intercession Lord defend thy universall Church from all enemies persecutions and factions Preserve thy Churches in these nations restore them to their former peace and keep them from the dangers of their own divisions and enmities Grant that Magistrates and Ministers may concurre to the upholding thy truth and worship in this needful time Blesse my Parents children and all my near relationss with all spiritual blessings in Christ and all temporall comforts Relieve and comfort all that are in distresse all prisoners captives sick and poor persons distressed widowes and friendless children with every oppressed and sorrowful soul Convert the impenitent confirm the weak turn into the way of truth all that have erred and forgive and bless all mine enemies Lord hear these my prayers and grant me my requests for the mediation of Jesus Christ my Saviour to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be given all Glory Honour and Praise this day and for evermore Amen Evening PRAYER Our Father which c. O Most infinite Majesty and gracious Father in mercy thou hast added another day to my age O wretch that I am I have added many sins to my former score How often O Lord have I this day forgotten my obedience to thee How many vain thoughts hath my mind harboured How many vain and impertinent words hath my mouth uttered With how many passions have I been transported beyond the bounds of Religion How many sinful acts have I committed How many opportunities of doing good have I omitted wherein I might have glorified thy Name And whereas thou hast given it me as another day of grace to be getting oyle for my lamp and to be working out my salvation O unhappy Creature I have rather gone back upon the accounts of the Spirit Trifling away that precious time in my indulgencies to my carnal affections or pursuits of worldly advantages neglecting the great prize of Christ and treasures of eternity So that had I but the sins of this day to answer for at the barre of thy divine justice O Lord I might justly suffer thy wrath to all eternity O what hath my soul to plead for the sins of my whole life if the sins of this one day may confound me For Pardon and Grace And now Lord where is my hope truly my hope is even in thee who though thou art justly displeased with me for my sins yet hath thy Iesus fully satisfied thy justice for them and by the dear price of his blood purchased at thy hand forgiveness of them O my dear Lord I beseech thee therefore shut not up the bowels of thy compassion from me nor deny me the benefit of the death and passion of my Saviour Lord let his wounds heal me his blood cleanse me his death reconcile me to thy divine Majesty for ever And grant that in the residue of my dayes I may wholly conforme to the Kingdom of Christ that I may have peace of conscience here a comfortable death and a blessed eternitie through the merits of Iesus Christ my Saviour Amen
Confession O Lord our God who art infinite in thy glories and perfections incomprehensible in thy power and Majesty before the brightnesse of whose holy presence the Angels vail their faces and at the foot of whose Majesty the gloâ—ified Spirits cast their crownes How much more unworthy are we poor sinful dust and ashes to appear in the presence of so holy a God whom we have so heinously offended in thought word and deed through the whole course of our lives For O Lord we confess that though thou hast declared how displeasing all sin is in thy sight and hast manifested thy displeasure by the fearful punishments of wicked men yet miserable wretches that we are what little regard have we had to fulfill thy will or to depart from the ways of sin We have still suffered our base lusts too much to prevail upon us and the pleasures profits of the world to surprize and carry away our hearts And when we have found our selves industrious and exact in the pursuit of worldly things how faint and imperfect have we been in doing the work of Christ So that shouldest thou O Lord condemn us for these our sins and for the breach of all thy holy laws in our loose and vain thoughts in our sinful words uttered in passions merriments and other impertinent discourses and in all our actions against piety justice charity and sobriety how justly mightest thou execute thy displeasure against us and make this day a day of vengeance to us to deprive us of all present comforts and to scal us up to everlasting torments Petition for pardon of sins and grace But O must gracious preserver of men who hast not appointed us for wrath nor wouldest that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance Create in us O Lord by thy holy Spirit a true and sincere repentance speedily and faithfully to turn from all our evill wayes And do thou fully forgive us the sins we have committed even for thy fatherly mercies sake even for thy Jesus sake who hath satisfied thy justice for them O Lord we beseech thee to deliver us from the burthen and guilt of them from thy vengeance and the sad effects of them in temporal and eternal punishments And now O Lord we humbly acknowledge that we are unable to do any thing of our selves that may please thee without the assistance of thy grace and thy Christ strengthening us O blessed Lord give us thy grace O dear Jesus afford us thy strength that we may be able to perform to thee all our duties as thy disciples and yeeld obedience to all thy Commandments Raise up our thoughts desires and designes unto thee secure our affections to heavenly things and let our souls stand alwayes ingaged to do the will of Christ Lord help us to watch over our selves that neither the lust of the flesh the love of the world nor the temptation of the devil may take us off from our love to thee desire of thee nor faithful obedience to thee and that we may ever hereafter live a podly righteous and sober life to the Glory of thy Name the present and eternal peace of our soules through the precious merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour Here I desire that the Master of the family or who is concerned in the performance of the service for the family would here interpose some of Davids Psalmes and if he think fit a Chapter also in a judicious order And after either or both let the whole company joyn in one profession of the faith sayng I beleeve in God the Father Almighty c. After which let this short Petition be used as was taught in the former private Form O Lord preserve our soules in this faith let us not depart from it through any temptations Give us grace constantly to continue in the profession of it all the days of our life Through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen But when the employments of the Family be such as there is not time for these interpositions then go on directly to the Thanksgiving O Blessed Lord God the giver of all goodnesse and the fountain of Comfort who art pleased to engage a particular providence to the governing and disposing of every creature we humbly acknowledge our necessary dependence upon thee and that every comfort we enjoy is but what we have received from thee O what shall we render unto the Lord for those innumerable mercies we have received in all parts of our lives We blesse thee for the summe of all metcies the redemption of our soules by the blood of Christ and for the particular work of thy grace upon us We praise thee for all thy temporal blessings our health plenty peace that thou hast kept us this night past from all troubles and sad accidents and that we are here together in a condition to blesse thee in an universal safety this morning when justly for out sins we might have set down in ashes bewayling some great infelicity And since O Lord thou hast put our soules and bodies and all that we have in thine own hand to dispose of as it pleaseth thee O keep them gracious God according to thy tender mercies from every evil to which sin and a miserable nature have exposed them every moment O keep our soules that we may not be surprised nor overpowered by any temptation to sin against thee this day Lord give us wisdom to balance every action by its concernment to us at our dying hour and enable us to be doing something that may make out account comfortable at the great day of Christ Draw our affections nearer to heavenly things and increase in us a greater care diligence and earnestnesse in doing the will of Christ that we may this day live acceptably to thee and after a constant perseverance in well-doing to our lives end we may obtain a portion in thy eternall glories through thy free grace and undeserved mercy in Iesus Christ Amen The intercession O most merciful Father thou hast tyed us by the charity of the Gospel to pray for all men O be merciful to the Nations that sit in darkness and to thy ancient people the Iewes let the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings rise upon them that they may see acknowledge the things of their peace in Christ Preserve thy universal Church from all the enemies of the faith of Christ and from the sad effects of its own differencies and distractions Protect these Churches from their present dangers and great distempers every where Bless O Lord our Parents children friendr and relations Comfort all in affliction and trouble Bring them into the way of truth that are in errour forgive and bless all our enemies Gather us altogether to the resting place of thy Glory through the merits of Iesus Christ our Saviour Amen THe Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen
truth should have depended upon worldly successes and prosperity what advantages should its enemies have had and with what poor comforts should its members have been supported when it lay so long under the bloody persecutions of the Roman Emperours Nero Domitian Trajan c Now if any just cause that is oppressed if any part of Christs Church that is afflicted may plead no disadvantage to them by Gods permitting them to bee outwardly miserable much more the Ministery whose of all just causes and who of all parties in the Church have been ever exposed to the saddest providences as to the worlds eye We shall find therefore as if the cross had been the Label of the Apostles Commission Our Saviour tells them when he sends them forth it should be as sheep in the midst of Wolves From whom what entertainment they were likely to receive he expresseth more fully in a sollowing passage They should be hated of all men for his Names sake And as if they had received with their commissions a commonpasse of trouble they must be persecuted from one City to another All which as they were infallibly to become true in our Saviours prediction so were they as evidently accomplished in the following tragedies of the Churches miseries when the Apostles were set forth as men appointed to death when they were made a theatre a common spectacle a people shewen forth for mockery and misery to Angels and to men For they hungred and thirsted and were naked and buffeted and had no certain dwelling place Afterward followed the violent deaths of all the Apostles under the hands of their Persecutors St. John onely excepted and of the first renownned Fathers os the Church Ignatius Polycarp Irenaeus Justin c. which paid their lives to the prevailing enemies of the Gospel of Christ all which to relate would rather require some large Martyrolygy then a digression in a small Tractate But were all these forsaken of God because they had not prosperity and present successes What providence should then have been followed the prosperous or the adverse If their scornes troubles and oppressions under the hands of their prosperous enemies had disproved the truth of their calling or cause the very Gospel it self might as justly upon the same argument have been called in question By all which it appeares that the charge against this Church for its adversities and miseries is most unjust especially by them who have themselves been instrumental to them It is a hard case first to be made miserable and forlorne and then to be quarrel'd with and disputed against for being so But I leave this to their own consciences and timely repentance only I desire to mind them of a notable prediction by learned Hooker of them and of the ruines of this Church by them even at a determinate period of time which is directly this present age Which becauso it fell from so grave and deliberate a pen I will set down in his own words By these or the like suggestions meaning our adversaries endeavours to overthrow the Ministery in their maintenance and otherwise received with all joy and with like sedulity practised in certain parts of the Christiag world they have brought to passe that as David doth say of a man so it is in hazard to be verified concerning the whole Religion ond Service of God The time thereof may peradventure fall out to be threescore and ten years or if strength do serve unto fourscore what followeth is likely to be small joy for them whatsoever they be that behold it By these considerations I find all my scruples answered and doubts satisfied that I can with all clearnesse of judgement assert the truth of the visible Church of England Now I desire to recline my soul in her bosome and most cheerfully undertake and exercise the whole course of those forementioned Rules of Christian living in its profession as the safest in the world FORMES OF PRAYER For private PERSONS AND FAMILIES To the READER WHosoever thou art I beseech thee but if thy soule stands upon my account to God I mean if thou beest one of my care and charge then I earnestly beg of thee that when thou readest and ownest these plaein directions for Devotion thou obligest thy self upon as strong purposes to follow them or at least the duties intended by them as the interest of saving a soule requires That thou take care by making it a part of thy duty to Christ to season thy children as with the first elements of religious knowledge so with suitable practices of prayer as soon as they shall be capable of these little formes And that thou thy self accont no busines so necessary which should betray thee to forget to sanctify at least the morning and evening of every day in thy privacy and family with prayers and praises considering that the houres spent in this or other religious exercises will be of more concernment and eomfort to thee at thy dying hour then all the pleasures profits and present advantages whatsoever thou canst obtain by the engagement of the rest of thy time I desire thee that before thou enterest upon these exercises or in the midst of them where I have directed thee thou readest part of holy Davids Psalmes by certain periods that thou mayest imitate Davids spirit in thy addresses to God And do not read them as an history meerly to affect thy understanding but as acts of service with affection reverence and piety befitting such communions with God as most of the Psalmes perport Do thou also before thou departest from serving God in any of these offices read some part of she holy Scriptures in such order as thy prudence shall direct thee and digest the same by meditation to particular application to thy self that thou mayest live in the strength of it in all thy actions to God and man I have divided as thou shalt observe the prayers into several parts according to the most considerable periods of the duty First because they will be the more fit and methodical to be taught to children servants and such as cannot read Secondly that after the end of any one part of the devotion the supplicant may stay and collect his spirit to a frame fit for the next considering as to instance that confession and thanksgiving and so the rest do require different carriages of the Spirit Thirdly because the pious soule may more fitly stay in any part and poure out it self to God as spiritual necessity will be administred and yet not break the order of the devotion Lastly because such a partition will alleviate the weariness that is apt to be contracted by one long continued form Now having rigg'd this little ship ef devotion The Lord give thee an heart to venture thy soul in its bottome and grant thee a prosperous gale of his Spirit to drive thee forward to the port of rest which is desired designed and sincerely endeavoured by