for a troubled and wounded Conscience 464 The END of the Table A briefe and necessarie Catechisme Very meet to be knowne of euery one before they bee admitted vnto the Supper of the Lord. Question WHat is the cheefest thing which euery one ought to bee most carefull of as long as they liue An. Euery one ought to be most careful of these two points First and chiefely â—ow we can be saued in the day of iudgement before Gods iudgement seate and so come to life euerlasting Secondly how to liue according to Gods holie will during our life In which two points wholly standeth the glory of God so much as of man ought to bee sought for Que. How can we know this how wee are discharged before Gods iudgement seate An. We can neuer know how we bee discharged before the iudgement seate of God vntill such time as we know our owne miserable estate by reason of the greatnesse of our sinnes and the horrible punishment which we deserue for them Que. How doest thou know the greatnesse of thy sinne and the horrible punishment due to the same An. The greatnes of my sinne and the horrible punnishment thereof I knowe â—y the Law of God rightly vnderstood the sum whereof is contained in the tenne Commandements Quest Rehearse the tenne Commandements An. God spake all these wordes and saide I am the Lord thy God which brought â—hee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of â—ondage 1 THou shalt haue none other but Gods me 2 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that â—s in Heauen aboue nor in the â—arth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a iealous God and visit the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercie vnto thousands in them that loue mee and keepe my Commandements 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy GOD in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4 Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day six daies shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to do But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no manner of worke thou thy sonne and thy daughter thy manseruant and thy maidseruant try cattle and the stranger that is within thy gates For in sixe dayes the LORD made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherfore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it 5 Honor thy Father thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee 6 Thou shalt do no murder 7 Thou shalt not committe Adultery 8 Thou shalt not steale 9 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbor 10 Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours wife nor his manseruant nor his maide nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Qu. What is the first Commandement An. Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Que. What is the meaning of this Commandement A. The Lord God straitly chargeth vs in this first commandement that wee worship God alone which worshippe standeth in three points First that wee loue God aboue all SecoÌ„dly that we make our praiers to none but to God Thirdly that we acknowledge God alone to be the guider and gouernour of all things of whom wee receiue all the benefites we haue and therefore that we trust and stay vpon him alone Que. What is the second Commandement An. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image or the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue c. Qu. What is the meaning of this Commandement An. In this second Commandement bee contained three things First that wee should not think God to be like either man or woman or any other thing therefore that we make no image of God in any case Secondly that we make no image of any other thing either to worship the image it selfe either God Saint or Angell by the image neyther yet to this end to bee the better put in minde of God by the Image Thirdly that we worship not God in any other outward worship according to our owne fantasies but as God commandeth vs in his word Que. What is the 3. Commandement An. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine Que. What is the meaning of this Commandement Ans God chargeth vs in this third Commandement these three things First that we vse with a most high reuerence the name of GOD whensoeuer we either speak or thinke vpon him Secondly that wee neuer blaspheme the name of God in our common talke although the matter bee neuer so true but only where the glory of God is sought or the saluation of our Bretheren or else before a Magistrate in witnessing the truth when we are thereunto lawfully called In which causes we must onely sweare by the name of God But as for Saints Angels Rood Book Crosse Masse or any other thing wee ought in no case by them to sweare Que. What is the 4 Commandement An. Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Que. What is the meaning of this Commandement An. The hallowing of the Sabbath day is to rest from our labours in our Calling and in one place to assemble our selues together and with feare and reuerence to hear marke and lay vppe in our hearts the word of GOD preached vnto vs to pray all together that which we vnderstand with one consent And at the times appointed to vse the Sacraments in Faith and Repentance and all our life long to rest from wickednesse that the Lord by his holy Spirit may work in vs his good worke and so begin in this life the euerlasting rest Que. What is the fift Commandement An. Honor thy Father thy Mother Que. What is the meaning of this Commandement An. The meaning of the fift Commandement is that we should honour that is to say loue feare obey and releeue our Parents or any other that are vnto vs in their stead As our Princes Rulers and Magistrates our Pastours and Teachers our Masters and all other which are aboue vs in any calling placed by God the Aged and â—ray headed and that all Superiors do shew themselues indeed Parents in defending and guiding their Inferiours Qu. What is the sixt Commandement Ans Thou shalt doe no murther Que. What is the meaning of this Commandement An. First the Lord God forbiddeth vs in this Commandement all killing fighting and quarrelling all reproaches mocks and taunts Secondly he forbiddeth all killing in heart that is al anger and malice all desire of reuenge Thirdly on the other side he commandeth vs to preserue life by exercising the workes of
therefore in thine infinit wisdome thou hast now restrained vs from bodyly labours that wee might bee there by freed from all encombrances of care and worldly mindednesse and so might wholy apply our selues both to the publicke and priuate meanes and practice of thy worship therein euen all the day and that wee may so doe O grant vs wee humbly pray thee to call thy Sabbath a delight to consecrate it glorious vnto thee eschewing our owne waies and renouncing our owne will forsaking all vaine and ordinary words giuing no way to any loose or worldly thoughts but we may bind our selues to an entire and constant following thee in all the wayes of thy worship as may any way seeme to the saÌ„ctifying of this day And because I am like to meete with many hinderances herein both within and without mine owne heart within repining hereat as an heauy yoake and pleading for vnseasonable and carnall liberty The world without alluring by cunning pretences and contrary example and scorning my strictnes and scrupulousnesse herein O arme mee strongly gratious God against all these enchantments and foolish scarcrowes That I may not leane to mine owne wisdome but to thy sacred word studying the more carefully to please thee in all things that I may stop the mouthes of gainsayers or gloâ—ie herein the more that they are still opened against weldoing shall prouoake thee iustly to stoppe their mouthes in due time with confusion O perswade my heart as thou hast taught mee that thy yoake is easie thine ordinances not greeuous and grant mee to try mine ease by the diseasing of my flesh and to prepare for coÌ„fort therin by greefe for my fayllings which may still prouoake mee to continue therein and the subduing of my flesh may better fit mee to the cheerfull vndergoing thereof and the more I feele mine owne wants and greeue therein the more I may hunger after and value thy sweete ordinance whereby my wants may bee supplyed and sorrowes râ—freshed that so in the deniall of my selfe I may bee still found of thee in Christ and by his power may bee still enabled to goe through the spirituall occasions of the day and norished with hope of the acceptance of my weake endeauours therein So grant mee louing Father when I speake vnto thee to speake euen from thee From the sence of thy Maiesty to abase mee humbly before thee from the light of thy Truth to discerne my speciall wants by the light of faith to apprehend thy speciall fauour in Christ to cast me out of my selfe and cast mee boldly vppon thee and by remembrance of thy former mercies and faithfull promises to assure mee good successe in presence with thee and so from the sence of thy loue to offer a sacrifice of praise vnto thee that I may still receiue from thee by emptying my soule in compassion to others may bee more replenished by thee O grant mee Blessed Lord that when thou speakest to mee I may heare thee onely and alone by thee Let thy key open my heart that it may receiue thee inwardly Let it shut my heart againe that by meditation I may retaine thee constantly Let it open my heart againe by applying thine ordinance to my present and speciall wants and so breake the stony rocke againe that the teares of hearty Repentance may gush out plentifully O then let it shut my heart fast by confidence in thee that I sincke not in dispaire And then let it open and enlarge my heart againe with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious in the sence of thy rich mercies And now let it shut vp my heart againe against selfe loue spirituall pride that so it may be opened by speciall grace to all gratious and constant duties to thee my selfe and my neighbour And when we are to meet thee together in that holie communion O prepare the roome for thy selfe that thou mayest delight to feast with me and giue me an heauenly appetite that I may desire to feed on thee Humble my soule before thee that thou mayest stoope vnto me and ease my soule of its heauie burthen that it may ascend vnto thee and so knit my heart hereby vnto thee in an euerlasting fellowship When I obserue thy church enlarged by the admission of new members the breach of mine owne Vow to consider my decay and backe-slydings from thee and in the sense thereof to pray more earnestly for thy Blessings vpon thine owne Ordinance reioycing for the encrease of thy Church heereby and yet preparing vnto the bloodie Baptisme and so hungering afâ—er the full consummation of thy Chosen When I ioyne with the Congregation either in giuing thee praise or in prayer â—o receiue from thee O grant me to ioyne of conscience not custome to the satisfying of the flesh to humble each other that we may haue mutuall comfort to labour with one mind end that our paines may not be tedious or fruitlesse Giue mee so to praise thee that I bee more humbled in my selfe so to giue thee thankes that I part not stakes with thee so to sing vnto thee that I may sorrow for my sinnes so to reioyce before thee as that I may still hunger after thee and long for thy euerlasting presence So enlarge mee from thy bounty to all occasions for thy sake to fill the emptie to emptie the gorged stomacke to raise the humbled recall the wandring confirme the weakâ— informe the ignorant conuince the obstinate comfort the abiect and reconcile the auerse in all these giue mee good Lord a cheerfull heart rather choosing to preuent then bee preuented herein rather striuing with the last then giuing ouer with the first And so what I haue found a broad O grant me to communicate at home with my God in prayer to blesse it vnto mee with my selfe in priuate application to be bettered therby with my family in conference and instruction to increase the kingdome of Christ still raising my soule higher from the world by meditation of the wisedome and goodnes of my God in his wonderfull workes so still more abasing my flesh in the view and sence of mine owne vnprofitablenesse in the best I haue done yet comforting my soule in the promise of my God that hee will require no more then hee giues and shew his power in my weaknesse that though I find no more in my rekconing but a dearer and more deepe sence of my corruption as this day to discerne detest the same so this deepe sense of corruption may enable me to prepare more conscionably against the more publike occasions and prouoke mee more earnestly to hunger after the euerlasting Sabbath And euen so grant mee Gracious God thus to end the day with thee as I haue endeauoured to begin and continue the same in thee O pardon I humbly pray thee whaesoeuer hath bene mine and accept graciously and crowne thine owne worke in mee who am thy seruant and the Son of thy handmaide And so do heartily commend
send the Spirit of thy Sonne into my dead heart whereby thou hast quickned mee by faith in the merits of my Sauiour enabled mee with boldnesse to draw neere vnto thee and to crie with confidence Abba Father O how hast thou shed thy loue abroad in my heart by the holy Ghost which thou hast giuen me whereby though I haue beene in great heauines through many temptations especially with the sense and horror of my sins yet hast thou wonderfully refreshed my fainting spirit and caused mee to reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious O how haue these holy rauishments taken me vp into the third heauens How hath my soule now longed to put off this corruption and to be taken vp for euer to enioy thy glorious presence How gladly would I now haue obtained the marke before I had run my race How willingly would I haue the crowne before I had finished my course O the vnspeakable riches of the wisedome and mercy of my God toward me Didst thou not put this precious treasure of faith into an earthen vessel that the glorie might bee of God and not of man didst thou not Redeeme mee out of the hands of our enemies that so I might passe the time of my pilgrimage in feare and magnifie thy power daily in mine infirmities daily denying mine owne righteousnesse that still I may be found of thee in Christ that still I might liue by faith in the Sonne of God and grow vp in him to perfect holinesse Surely blessed Lord when I consider mine owne corruption daily more and more appearing in me and rebelling against thy righteous will and casting vp daily mists to dimme the eie of my Faith that I cannot so clearly discerne the light of thy countenance yea somtimes so leading me captiue into sinne that I am many times to seeke of the sence of thy Loue I am many times put to question the truth of my faith and to distrust my selfe whether I haue any faith or no. For alas Lord I must needs confesse to thy glory that although thou commandest mee to beleeue perfectly in thy Sonne and to be strong in faith yet I find on the other side such strength of corruption preuailing ouer mee and commanding mee forcibly to giue way thereunto and so not onely interrupting the sense of thy loue vnto me but also challenging my loue vnto thee that I am forced many times to feare whether I am led by the Spirit truly of faith or no whether euer thy loue were shed abroad in my heart if euer I loued thee in truth seeing it seemes vnto me that my loue vnto sinne is not altogether quenched nay I feele the power of corruption carrying mee so violently after the lusts of my heart that as I find my selfe lesse cheerfull and constant in thy seruice so on the other side I sometimes find my selfe lesse able to resist temptations more apt and inclinable to such lusts which heretofore I haue subdued yea often more fouly ouercome and foiled by them What shall I say vnto thee O thou searcher of my heart and preseruer of my soule dost thou not see how cold somtimes I am in prayer How dull in the hearing of the word How carelesse of thy Sabbaths How vnconscionable and negligent in my calling How rebellious and inordinate in my affections O how often haue I greeued thine holy Spirit by neglecting the good motions thereof yea many times willingly crossing the same and entertaining contrary suggestions of my cruell enemie How carelesse haue I beene to examaine my heart and renew my couenant with thee How deceitfull or carelesse in breaking often my vowes which I haue made vnto thee against speciall corruptions for renuwing of decayed graces O How often haue I beene ready to giue way to such curssed thoughts of blasphemie and fearefull impietie which might euen quench thy Spirit lead to the dispighting thereof How haue I sometimes bin readie to violate my Conscience by rushing on desperate euils yea how fearfully haue I wounded the same by committing grosse sinnes and to make vp the measure of my misery How haue I hardned my heart by sleeping in sinne and neglecting the sauing meanes of deepe humiliation to awaken me to repentance Alas Lord thou knowest ful wel that though thou hast followed mee with many secret and open afflictions to rouse me out of this sleepe of Security yet either it hath proued but a dreame and so I haue falne asleepe againe or if my heart hath bin awake yet it hath not bin vnto thee to make my sound peace but rather vnto my Enemie to cease his violence yea somtimes to the World to procure some temporary lenity rather to ease my present paine then to heale me thoroughly And surely righteous Lord euen thus it hath befalne that such as I haue sown I haue often reaped euen more hardnesse of heart lesse sense and remorse for sinne more boldnesse thereto and more ease therin lesse delight in holy duties lesse life in prayer lesse coÌ„science in the word more slights in my calling more distraction in my recknings and more confusion in my Spirit Yet still O Lord I heare a voice behinde me saying This is the way walke in it Yet still I finde thy hand ouer me to stay me from sinking still my better aduised heart tels me it was better with mee formerly then now when I had comfort in thy presence and conscience in thine Ordinances Still thy Spirit is readie to reuiue me with hope that I may recouer againe and my hope is confirmed heereby that the meanes are still offered me and I am capeable of them But alas Lord insted of comfort by them I reape nothing but further confusion because as I am vnable to apply them to my selfe so indeed I am not now fit for that comfort which I seeke for in thee For what peace can there be to mee while my corruptions stink before thee Or how can I look for comfort bâ—fore I be soundly healed O the vnspeakeable Riches of the wisedom and mercie of my God! how insearchable are thy Councels and thy waies past finding out As thou diddest bring light out of darkenesse in calling mee from darknes vnto light so doest thou cause thy light to shine in darkenesse that thy glorie may bee perfected in my infirmities And therefore though I am now thy Creature renewed after thine owne image yet seeing thou wilt haue the onely glory of thy worke therefore as the light of the righteous must shine more and more vnto the perfect day so the darknesse of corruptions must not bee dispelled vtterly at once but daily be banished more and more vnto the coming of Christ Therefore is it blessed Lord that though thou hast cancelled the guilt of my sin at once by faith in Christ yet hast thou wisely left the corruption of sinne to be abolished by degrees that so I might still liue by Faith in the death of Christ for the mortifying thereof that I