A Short and Pithy Catechism Regarding the Lords Supper
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A19432.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A very short and pithy Catechism: very profitable for all that will come prepared to the Supper of the Lord: With a form of confession, prayer and thanks giving, Very necessary and comfortable for all Christian Families.
Made by Bartimaeus Andrew's, Preacher of the word of God at great Yarmouth: Published at the request of the worshipful and godly Magistrates there.
Deute. 6.6.7.8.
6 And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart.
7 Thou shalt rehearse them continually unto thy Children, and shalt talk of them when thou tarriest in thy house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, & when thou rysest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. &c.
1. Peter. 3.15.
15
But sanctify the Lord God in your harts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and reverence.
AT LONDON, Printed by I. Charlewood. 1586.
To the right worshipful and my deerelye beloved in the Lord, M. Baileifes of great Yarmouth, with the residue of the worshipful Brethren, & the whole congregation there, B. A. wisheth increase of all true joy, and peace, with the multiplying of all spiritual graces upon your souls, to the fulfilling of your salvation in Christ Jesus. Amen.
HAuing drawn a very brief and small Catechism (worshipful M. Baileifes, and the residue of my deer Brethren) for the private instruction of the petites and families of this great congregation, for the better preparing of them to the reverent use of the holy Supper of the Lord, and being required by your godly Pastor, and diverse other, to have it published for the more easy help of the simple and ignorant. I, your unworthy Teacher, being ready to do what duty I can, for the furtherance of your salvation generally, which I wish and long for, from my very heart root in Christ Jesus: have thought good to prefix these few words in way of dedication of this small thing, to your worship, and the residue: presuming upon your Christian allowance of my well meaning, having added hereunto a certain form of confession, prayer, & thanksgiving, though plain, yet I hope necessary, and comfortable for the use of the Christian Families of your congregation. And since God hath by his own hand, set your worships in the place of civil government, in this your corporation, granted by the noble progenitors of her Majesty, and continued still, and upholden by her gracious bounty. Let me be so bold with you, as in a word to put you in mind, and the residue of your worshipful company eligible to that office, what things are most necessary for you to look unto in that charge. God hath given you a benefit and privilege of liberty, not common to all her Majesty's people, that you might the better be fortified with means to further God's glory in your charge: and because I persuade myself of the readiness of you, and the residue of your Brethren, to set your hands and help to each lawful thing, tending to God's glory, agreeable to his word, which you all solemnly promised at my first entry amongst you, and have somewhat approved the same, by your electing both of faithful & helpful ministers of the word, as also of so wise and godly a Steward among you, I resolve myself of the good success of my labors, & of your willing obeisance to the Lord's will propounded in his word. You must know that the burden of this people lieth upon your shoulders, and that their eyes look at you, as those by whose example the people either perish and fall, or are preserved and stayed up, for the fall and vprysing of many dependeth upon public persons. Therefore in a Magistrate, first is required a religious mind, acquainted with God's counsel in his word, that he exercising himself therein day and night, might grow wise in the Lord's causes: for this charge is laid upon you from the Lord, to apply yourselves to the word of God, for so it is said of the Magistrate, Deu. 17. The word shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and to keep all the words of this Law to do them. &c. Also Joshua is straightly charged: Let not this book of the Law depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therein day and night, that thou mayst do according to all that is written therein, then shalt thou make thy way prosperous &c. So Jethro commandeth Moses, to choose men fearing God. Exo. 18. Prouide you among all the people men of good courage, fearing God, men dealing truly, hating covetousness, and appoint them to be Rulers, &c. So as you see that Magistrates must be religious, and also men of courage, to execute justice in all causes, not corrupt with gifts, nor accepting the faces of men, without foolish pity, or faint-hearted fear, and without cruelty or revenging affections, but of all meekness & lenity. They must perform all faythfulnes and truth with equity, as those that are members of the same body, appointed to see distributive and equal justice to be administered to eache man accordingly, for so Moses requireth, that they shall be men dealing truly, so as they must not look to men, but to the causes, taking heed of that caveat that Moses giveth. Exo. 23. Thou shalt not receive a false tale, thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, neither agree in a controversy to decline after many, and overthrow the truth, &c. Neither must such neglect the execution of justice against the offenders, either for fear of reproach or rebuke, least they countenance sin thereby, and bear the guylt of other men's falls. For because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the Chyldren of men is fully set in them to do evil. In all these things Covetousness must be shunned, the stepmother and ouerthrower of all justice and truth, which throweth out the harts even of the wise to many noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition: very dangerous to men of wealth or authority, and ever weighting vpō that degree of men. Wherefore I beseech you, good my worshipful Brethren, vouchsafe the accepting of these instructions written in hast, with a mind vnfeynedlie wishing you all good. Be you presidents in godly & sober example to this great people, oversee your own households first, that they may be patterns & lights of godly discipline to others. Remember Joshua his protestation, I and my household will serve the Lord. Remember Nehemiah, who enforced his own example and his servants, to persuade his brethren to justice and love. Remember how Cornelius and his household feared God. Now then beloved, as you love the Lord, as you tender your own souls, and your charges, as you bear natural affection to your common safety, and happiness, I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ, endeavor to these things, both small and great, that you may profit in the work of your salvation, so shall you be famous in the church of God & common weal, you shall glad the souls of us, that labor amongst you in the word, you shall bring glory to God, & eternal happiness to yourselves in the day of Christ Jesus. Let God's boke be orderlie read with reverence, daily in your families, let prayer be exercised in your households and vouchsafe to help them in this small Catechism, that they may be fit for further instruction. Give diligence to hearken to the word of life, and to put in ure these few prayers in this little book or other, with humility, reverence, a lively sense and feeling of your misery, faith, thankfulness, hope, and with unfeigned desire of profiting in all duties, of faith and love towards God & your brethren. For I live if you stand in the faith: and since God hath vouchsafed the blessed tidings of salvation upon you in the ministry of his word, embrace it with thankfulness, and study for all Christian peace and unity among yourselves, fearing God, furthering his holy religion, and all duties of love among men, that so our Town may flourishe and prosper in all things, otherwise we can hope of no blessing at the hand of God. There is great cause why care should be had herein. Your Town bordering upon the sea, is in peril to foreign invasions, and to be steyned with the corrupt manners of other Countries, to drink in iniquity even as water, therefore the more care to be had over it. Christ saw such Towns bordering on the Seas to be in most danger sundry ways, and therefore frequēted them most, & vouchsafed his presence & doctrine chiefliest amongst them. This is my suit to your worshippes, this is my suit to the whole company, to the whole congregation, yea to every soul amongst you, If ye ever received comfort in Christ, if ever you had love to the brethren, if ever any fellowship of the spirit, if any compassion & mercy, that you fulfill my joy, Even in this, to be of one mind in doctrine, of one consent in a godly and Christian life, to apply all duties of God's worship, to have care of your families, instructing, teaching, and calling upon them to be catechised, to read & hear the word, be your selves forward therein, exercisyng prayer, reading and hearing of the word, in faith & good conscience, that so by Christian exercises, your faith and obedience may be increased, your families reformed, your Town happily governed, that others may take example by you, God may be glorified, all spiritual blessings may be heaped upon you, and continued to your posterity after you, unto many generations, yourselves may in the ende receive the possession of everlasting life, with Christ Jesus in the kingdom of God: to whose blessed tuition I commend you, and yours, praying the Lord to multiplye all his graces, and mercies upon you, and the whole people, to keep you in safety from the danger of enemies, to sanctify you in his truth, to bless you in your government, the people in obeying, and to make you perfitte in all good works, to do his will, working in you that which is pleasant in his sight, thorough Jesus Christ. To whom with the Father and the holy spirit be all praise and honor forever and ever. Amen.
Your worships to use in in the Lord, heartily desirous of your good and salvation in Christ Jesus. B. Andrew's.
An order of prayer, or a preparation to the reading of the word in your families. Let us prepare and stir up our minds by prayer, that we may read the word of God with profit.
O Lord our God, who in thy wisdom and mercy hast appointed thy holy word as the wholesome nourishment of our souls, that by reading, hearing, and musing thereon, we might grow up unto salvation: We beseech thee to pardon all our sins, for Jesus Christ his sake, take away the corruption of our nature, purge and sanctify our harts, that we may read thy word at all times with reverent minds, so as we may daily be borne again, confyrmed in faith, reformed in our manners, furthered in knowledge and obedience, strengthened against all temptations, furnished with patience against all trials, and finally be made fruitful in all good works, resembling thy Image, and growing up into full holiness & righteousness in thy sight, til we are perfected in the heavens with Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us hearken with reverence to the holy word of the Lord our God written in such or such a Chapiter and Book. &c.
A brief and short Catechism, made for the use of households, and to be learned of all those that will be admitted to the Lord's Supper. By B. A.
Minister.
TO what ende did God make you?
Aunswere.
That I might serve him according to his word, by doing his will, in righteousness and true holiness all my life.
Minister.
Where shall you learn what is this will of God?
Answer.
In his word and Law.
Minister.
Rehearse that Law of God.
Aunswere.
God spake and said, I am the Lord thy God. &c.
Aunswere.
What chiefly doth this law require of you?
Answer.
First, that I should acknowledge one only God, & serve him in all pureness, with all my heart, soul, mind, strength, will, and thoughts, in all things according to his word. Secondly, that I should walk in love, faithfulness, and truth with all men, doing duties of conscience in my calling, and loving my neighbor as myself.
Minister.
Are you able of yourself to do his will, and keep this his Law?
Answer.
Nothing less.
Minister.
Why so.
Aunswere.
Because of my corrupt nature, which with Adam is fallen from the state of innocence, and so is not obedient to the law of GOD.
Minister.
What are you by nature then?
Answer.
The child of wrath and a sinner.
Minister.
What is sin.
Answer.
Every breaking or neglecting of any commandment of God, and the not doing of every duty commanded is sin.
Minister.
What is the reward of sin.
Answer.
The curse of God, & death with everlasting woe and perdition, of soul and body.
Minister.
Then by every breaking of the Law, you daily deserve death, and procure God's curse.
Answer.
It is very true.
Minister.
How shall you be freed from this curse
Aunswere.
By Jesus Christ my Savior and redeemer.
Minister.
What did he for you.
Answer.
He was both perfect God that he might be able to overcome death for me, and also he was perfect man, that he might suffer death and God's wrath for my sins, and so in both these natures together, he fully satisfied the justice of God for me, and purchased my salvation.
Minister
What moved God thus to save you.
Answer.
His own mere love, favor and mercy, without any respect of my worthiness.
Minister.
How are you assured of this mercy of GOD.
Aunswere.
By a true faith in Christ.
Minister
Rehearse the sum of your faith.
Answer.
I believe in God the father almighty. &c.
Minister.
What briefly do you gather out of these articles.
Answer.
My faith is assured herein, that God the father of his own good will, gave his son Jesus Christ, very God and man to redeem me from sin by his death and passion, & sending out his holy spirit into me, to cause Christ his death & life to be effectual to renew me into a new life, he hath made me of his Church and company of believers, sanctified to do his will here, & to glorify him in everlasting life in the world to come.
Minister.
Wherefore did Christ thus suffer and die.
Answer.
Minister.
what profit have you by his death.
Answer.
I have forgiveness of sins, the mortification of my flesh, and the appeasing of God's wrath.
Minister.
what mean you by his descending into hell.
Answer.
Not that Christ went into the place of torments with his soul or body, but that for a time he felt his Fathers wrath, and the dolers of eternal death in his soul and conscience here on earth for us, that he might be a redeemer as well of the soul as of the body.
Minister.
what profit have you by his resurrection?
Answer.
I have righteousness a gage of my immortality, and newness of life.
Minister.
what use make you of the article concerning the holy Ghost.
Answer.
I learn therein, y t it is God the holy ghost only which maketh Christ his death and life profitable to me by renewing my heart to the obedience of God's will, and working faith in me to apply the merits of Christ to myself, and by the same spirit, God gathereth a Church to himself in all the world by his word.
Minister.
How doth God's spirit work faith in you?
Answer.
Minister.
what are the means to increase, nourish, and uphold your faith.
Answer.
The hearing of the word of God preached, the use of the Sacraments and of prayer.
Minister.
will you then be diligent to hear the word, to use the Sacraments, and to frequent prayer, that your faith may be increased.
Answer.
Yea by God's grace.
Minister.
what is a Sacrament?
Answer.
A Sacrament is an outward seal joined unto y e word, which visibly representeth unto us spiritual things, and assureth our faith of God's promises declared in his word.
Minister.
Howe many Sacraments hath God ordained?
Answer.
Two, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.
Minister.
How doth Baptism profit your faith?
Answer.
Fyrst, by assuring me that I am one with Christ, Secondly, that I am begotten again, from sin into a new life. Thirdly, by being a pledge of (d) the forgiveness of my sins, for as the water cleanseth the body, so our souls by the blood of Christ are purged from sin.
Minister.
what profit hath your faith by the Lord's Supper.
Answer.
Even this: that as outwardly I receive the bread and wine to nourish my body, so inwardly I receive Christ by faith, even as mine own, whose body and blood cleanseth me from sin, and nourisheth me to eternal life.
Minister.
Doo you receive the very body & blood of Christ really in the bread?
Answer.
Nothinglesse, but only spiritually by faith.
Minister.
Howe shall you come worthily to the Lord's supper?
Answer.
When I come with faith and repentance.
Minister.
How shall you know when you come to the communion with faith?
Answer.
First, if I acknowledge mine own poverty and wants, confess the mercies of God with thanksgiving, Secondly, when I assure myself of the forgiveness of my sins, by the death and sacrifice of Christ only.
Minister.
How shall you know when you come with repentance.
Answer.
First, if I examine and prove my heart, and am truly grieved for my sins, confessing them before God, and forsaking them, Secondly, if I vnfainedlie purpose to walk in a new life, that is, in holiness to GOD, and true love to my neighbor, reconciling myself to them that I offend, and forgiving others that I may be forgiven.
Minister.
what doth the bread broken signify.
Answer.
It signifieth the body of Christ broken for my sins.
Minister.
what doth the wine signify.
Answer.
The blood of Christ shed for my sins.
Minister.
what differeth baptism from the Lord's supper, since they both betoken the remyssion of sins.
Answer.
Baptism, grafteth us into Christ by regeneration in hope of remission of sins. The Supper nourisheth us being grafted to feel the power of death, and resurrectiō of Christ, daily strengthening our Faith into a new life.
Minister.
why receive you Baptism but once in all your life, and the supper of the Lord often times.
Answer.
Because that as we need but once to be borne, so we need but once to be baptized, but as we need often to be fed to nourish our bodies in life, so must we often receive the Lord's supper, to confirm our faith, and to testify our thankful remembrance of Christ's death.
Minister.
It seemeth then that you must needs have your heart touched for your sins when you come to the communion & repenting your former life, and you must come with hope of forgiveness.
Answer.
It is very true, else can I have no comfort or benefit by it, therefore I pray God to touch my heart aright for my sins, and to pardon them, that I may come worthily thereunto.
Minister.
Doo you take this Sacrament then as a pledge of God's love in forgiving your sins, & do you purpose and profess vnfeynedly amendment of life, and to live with your brethren in Christian love?
Aunswere.
Yea indeed, and I make this an utter renouncing of my former life, that by God's grace I may hereafter lead a new life, which grace God grant me. Amen.
Minister.
So doing I (as the minister of God) receive you to the comunity of the saints of God, and seal unto you the mercies of God by the authority of his word, to your everlasting comfort in Christ Jesus.
Aunswere
The Lord give me grace to walk worthy of his calling in his fear all my life, y t I may be acceptable to him in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Minister
will you exercise your faith in praying for these things daily.
Answer.
Yea by God's grace.
Minister.
what is prayer.
Answer.
It is to ask all good things at the hand of God, and to give him thanks for all things received.
Minister.
To whom will you make your prayers?
Aunswere.
To God alone.
Minister.
who directeth your affections in prayer?
Answer.
The spirit of God, which maketh (a) request according to the will of God in his Saints.
Minister.
Howe are your prayers acceptable.
Answer.
By Jesus Christ.
Minister.
By what rule will you frame your prayers?
Aunswere.
By that order of Christ, set down to his Disciples, which we call the Lord's prayer.
Minister
Repeate it.
Answer.
Our Father which art in heaven. &c.
Minister.
what is the sum of this prayer?
Aunswere.
Firste, we pray here for all things that may make to the glory of God, and advancing of his name, for the enlarging of his kingdom, and the performance of his will in all things. Secondly, we pray for all things needful for our selves, both for our bodies and souls, that so by the direction of his grace and spirit, we being freed from sin, may serve him freely, in righteousness and holiness all our life, which grace, God grant me and all his people. Amen.
Finis quod B. Andrew's.
A form of confession.
O Lord our God, moste loving, gracious, and merciful Father, to whom belongeth righteousness, and mercy, compassyon and forgiveness, to us belongeth shame and confusion of faces, because we have transgressed, in not obeying thy voice, and in breaking all thy holy commandments: for we acknowledge (O Lord) that even in our conception we were enfolden in the gylt of condemnation, being conceived in sin, and borne the children of wrath, and from thencefoorth have wandered in ungodly paths, and in the ways of destruction: sin having entered upon all the partes of our whole man, hath wholly corrupted both our will and understanding: our thoughts are profane, our imaginations wordly, our desires carnal and unclean, our judgments corrupt, whereby we have been disobedient to thy heavenly will, ignorant, stubborn, malicious, impacient, envious, full of self-love, full of hypocrisy, finallye, fraught with all evil concupiscences, and void of grace, till thou dyddest touch our hearts by thy Spyrite and word, and calledst us to sanctification. Yea, and since thou haste called us by the preaching of thy Gospel, O Lord what sins and corruptions have cloven unto us still, so as the works of thy grace begun in us, do so scarcelie appear, as that thou mayst justly withdraw from us those graces which thou hast trusted us with For we confess we have abused thy grace received, neglecting the means of our salvation: Our zeal is cold, our faith is weak, our hope languisheth, our repentance is maimed and barren, not yielding such fruit as may plainly approve our sanctification: We are forgetful of thy goodness, and unthankful for thy mercies.
Alas LORD all the cost that thou haste bestowed, and charge that thou haste been at, in gyuinge thy son Christ Jesus to shed his deer heart blood for our sins, hath not gaged our bowels with godly sorrow unto repentance, nor affected us with love of thee again. Even this (Lord) is enough to condemn us, if we had nothing else to witness against us, that we so slenderlie account of the death of thy Son, and so retchleslye and forgetfullye think of it.
If thou shouldest forget all our sins past, the vanities of our former days, and frailty of our youth, that none of these should be thought upon, yet our present sins and slippings sithens our calling, would condemn us down to hell. Yea, if our present sins should be passed over, yet our readiness to slide, and transgress in time to come, would argue us guilty of death. Yea, and more then this (Lord) in that we have not rightly sorrowed, nor repented us vnfeynedlie of these evils, we stand guilty before thee, as also in that the sins of our forefathers, whereunto we stand intiteled, remain unsorrowed for by us, the stain whereof, hath set a purple •• e upon us, so deep as we can never wash off, except thy free pardō: all these things call for judgments not only upon us, but also upon our posterity. Oh how have we despised thy Laws? howe have we neglected the preaching of thy word, the instrument of our salvation? how have we waited on our own lusts, serving as apprentices unto sin? Howe have we refused thy counsel, and set instruction at naught: we have set more by the world then by thy word, we have spent as prodigal children, the strength of our young years in vanity, and have drunk in iniquity as water: our cares have been for the world, and our own pleasures and profits, not for thy glory, we have murmured & grudged when thou hast crossed us with any affliction or trouble, we have forgotten thee in our prosperity, and grown wanton and unthankful. Our conscience in training up our families and children in thy fear, O Lord how small hath it been, our selves have been ill presidents to them, in looseness of behavior, in idle talks and iestes that are not comely. We have been impacient and unequal in our government, to austere in smaller offenses against our selves, and sometime to remiss, in slender passyng over of greater offenses concerning thy glory, we have sought our selves & our own commodities, & not thee, we have disobeyed our parents and betters, & so have left our selves small hope of obedience at the hands of those that are under us. And as for our brethren and neighbors, to whom we should approve our love by all Christian duties, here Lord we stand deeply charged of much guiltiness, howe vnduetifull to our parents, Princes, Governors, Teachers, pastors, and all our betters, not carefully praying for them, nor procuring them what honor and good that we can in our callings, nor carrying humble minds toward our equalles or inferiors. We have been impacient, full of unnatural affections, malicious, contentious, yea, howe uncharitable have we been in judging others, in taking unkindness at every occasion, not forgiving nor forbearing when quarrels have risen, but are too ready to give occasion and to provoke to displeasure: we have not labored for peace as it became us. Howe unstaid, unchaste, and intemperate have our words & affections been, how unjust have we been in our thoughts and meaninges, not studying for truth and equity in love, but through covetous affections have sometimes intruded into the commodities of others. How have we not spared the name of our brethren, not touched with the tender regard of their credit, sometime hearing, believing, and publyshing of slanders, and vntruethes against our neyghboures, or else by revealing the uttermost against them, have russhed against their good name. Yea (Lord) we have hurt many by our example, and have not done that good which we might have done to our brethren, nor made conscience of offenses against them.
All these things (O deer Father) argue us guilty, and press us, by increasing the evidence of our accusation: but if we should (O lord) stand to rip up our wants in thy service, we should not know where to begin, nor where to ende, they are so infinite. In a word (Lord) we have broken the holy league of our obedience, neglected thy worship, not fearing, loving, nor trusting in thee as we ought: we have not sought to thee in our needs, nor harkened to thy word in the ministry thereof, we have dishallowed thy name, transgressed all thy laws, and made havoc of thy heavenly statutes, all our life hath been a dishonor unto thee: and now O Lord even our God, what remaineth for us in thy justice, if thou shouldest measure us by our selves, but even thy fearful curse, and banishment from thy presence, so as thou mightest throw us down to hell, and show the power of thy wrath upon us, by heaping on us all thy fearful plagues and curses, writ̄ in the law against transgressors. If we should look to the heavens, they cannot help us, if we looked down to the earth, no comfort can be found: if we seek for men to be our advocates, they all stand condemned with the sons of Adam: if we sue to Angels, it booteth not, for thou hast found folly in them: if we should plead Law with thee, loe, the sentence of death already is passed against us, if we resort to thy divine majesty, there terror dismayeth us, thou art just and canst not away with iniquity, and we Lord, what are we to stand in thy sight, whether then shall we fly from thy presence, and where shall we be reskued from the terror and guilt of our sins, and the fear of thy judgments: Behold Lord thy deer son Christ Jesus, that immaculate Lamb, he is our redeemer and savior, our justifier, our advocate, who as a loving Samaritan hath salued our wounds, satisfied thy Law, borne thy curse for us, and stepping out between us & thee, hath paid the ransom of all our trespasses: in him we know thou canst not be displeased with us. O Lord heavenly father, we therefore most humbly pray thee for his sake to be merciful unto us, in pardoning all our sins, and turning all these judgments from us, which we confess we have deserved to be executed upon our souls and bodies, for we acknowledge thou mightest justly plague us, for that we have not used the faculties and powers of our souls & minds to thy glory, our wits and wisdom have warred against thee, and we have spent our counsels in vain things, so as thou mightest deprive us of our wits, and possess us with folly and madness, or throw us up to errors and strong illusions, because we have not believed thy truth, thou mightest also with draw from us the use of our members, which we have too long let out to Satan and uncleanness, and have not served thee in our senses and members as we ought. And whereas thou hast heaped benefits infinitely upon us, haste trusted us with life, health, wealth, prosperity and peace, we have been unthankful for them, & abused them, so as thou mightest Lord turn our life into death, our wealth into woe, our health into dangerous sickness, and diseases, our prosperity into adversity, our peace into war, our plenty into scarcity & dearth, & so punish the earth for our sins as thou hast by some petty judgments begun oft to call us to repentance, but we have not regarded, neither been fits nor scourges can move us to humble and tame us, except thou O Lord put to thine hand.
O deer Father, suffer us not to sin in hardness of heart, and in unkindness towards thy majesty, or against the means & offers of grace but touch us, we pray thee with a true remorse of conscience for our sins, which we here vnfaynedlie confess before thee, frame our harts to true repentance, accept this Sacrifice of our confession & sorrow for our iniquities, pardon all our sins, bury them in the grave of thy Son, forget and forgive them and cause us to turn unto thee, for we are ashamed of our selves, and abhor our selves, repenting us of all our sins from our harts: wherefor (Lord) hear, O Lord forgive, O Lord consider and show mercy, & receive us unto favor, for with thee only is mercy and compassyon: thou only forgiuest sins, we renounce our selves wholly, and all our own worthiness, we appeal from all others to thee alone, therefore accept of us in thy beloved son Christ Jesus, renew us by thy spirit, guide us in thy ways, sanctify us in thy truth, keep us in awe, that we may spend all our time in thy service, doing duties to thee & our brethren in our callings, all our life, that so we feeling of thy grace, working in us unto sanctification, and a new life, may gather assurance of the full forgiveness of all our sins, and so with comfort and joy, finish our Christian course, giving good example to our brethren, and glorifying thy name upon the earth, and finally may praise thee in the heavens, without all corruption, in perfect holiness, and so be glorified with all thy saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A form of prayer.
O Lord our moste gracious, good, and merciful Father, we thy servants, & the work manshyp of thy hands, fall down before thy high majesty, humbly acknowledging our manifold and heinous sins, whereby we have broken thy holy Laws, and justly deserved even eternal death & condemnation at thy hands. We do here most instantly upon the knees of our harts, sue unto thy fatherlye clemency, for pardon and forgiveness of all our sins whatsoever, & for the removing & keeping back of all thy judgments frō us, which we by our sins have justly deserved and accept of us and our prayers, wherewith we present thy majesty, in the name and mediation of thy son Christ Jesus, preparing our harts with reverence & faith to call upon thee. And whereas we were borne in sin and iniquity, whereby we are altogether corrupt, & are more rightly entitled to death and condemnation then to life, we pray thee (most merciful father) to renew us by thy holy spirit, and to root out of us all those evil roots of our concupiscence, cleansing us from all that which savoreth of our selves, and of uncleanness. Purge our evil thoughts, our profane imaginations, and carnal lusts. Yea Lord, we humbly pray thee, scour our harts from all hypocrisy, from all contempt of thee and of thy holy word, from all ignorance of thee, false worship, incredulity & distrust of thy fatherly providence, & from murmuring at thy hand in afflictiō. Let us not profane thy most holy name, either in word, deed, or thought, nor dishallow thy Sabbaothes, but cleave to all thy ordinances
Throwe out of us (O Lord) all self-love, contempt against others, pride, wrath, impaciencie, uncharitableness, all unnatural affections, unmercifulness, desire of revenge, hatred and envy, all fornications, unorderly and wanton lusts, intemperance and unchaste behavior, all wordly mindedness, covetousness, deceit and injury, all slanderous words and surmises against our brethren. All these things we pray thee to remove out of us, and to sanctify our harts, to the obedience of all thy holy commandments, that we may daily be reformed to thy Image, in true holiness and righteousness, expressing duties to thee & our brethren, with a careful conscience. Take up our thoughts and affections (O lord) that they may affect and long after thee day and night, and that the counsels of our harts may muse on thee and thy holy will: and dwell thou wholly in our souls and bodies, directing our wyls, our judgments and understanding, our speeches and all our actions, that in our whole man we may serve thee. Good Lord plant in us, we pray thee, the true love and fear of thy name, increase the knowledge of thy word in us, with faith, zeal, and judgment, that we may reverence & obey it in our souls, studying to show the fruit thereof in our lives. Work and increase a true & lively faith in us, whereby we may cleave to thee, and thine everlasting promises in Christ Jesus, and may depend upon thy providence in all estates of this mortal life, without murmuring or repyning at thy hand, in sickness, poverty, imprisonment, persecution, or in any affliction either of body or mind, patiently bearing all crosses, knowing that thereby thou correctest our sins, as a father, seeking our amendment. On the other side, let us not be remiss, careless and forgetful in our prosperity, but may in wealth & woe acknowledge thy hand with thankfulness and reverence, rejoicing that howsoever thou dealest with us in outward things, yet thou art so our father in Christ, that thou canst not deny us anything, that may be to the benefit of our souls, or to our safety in the life to come, since that we have interest even unto thyself in Christ our savior. And since thou hast trusted us with thine own name and glory, which in thy gospel shineth unto us. O give us grace to seek the enlarging of thy kingdom, by furthering thy Gospel in the ministry thereof, to our power, being ielious over thy name, that our speeches, thoughts, or doings, may not savor of contempt against thee, nor suffer thee to be dishonored of others, if we may any way hinder it: neither let our life be so loose, as occasion should be taken there from by men to blaspheme thy name. But Lord guide us so by thy grace, that our godly and sober life amongst men, may be a comeliness, a glory, and an honor unto thee, to bring credit to our professyon.
(For alas Lord) herein we have been traitors unto thee, to betray thy glory into the reprochefull tongues of godless men for want of watchfulness and guidaunce in our ways. Direct us therefore O Lord, in thy whole worship, in spirit and truth, and stir us up, that we may approve our faith by careful and continual hearing, reading, and musing of thy word, by exercising prayer, both publiquelie with the assembly of people, and privately by our selves and with our families, that we may acknowledge thee to be our God, in seeking unto thee for all things, and returning thanks unto thee, as from whom cometh every good thing.
Gyue us faith and repentance in the use of thy Sacraments, that we rightly frequenting all holy exercises of thy worship, may sanctify thy Sabbaothes, and increase our faith, fear, and love towards thee. Furthermore we pray thee O LORD, teach us to put on all affections of love towards our brethren, being endued with meekness, humbleness of mind, patience, forbearing and forgiving one another, when there are quarrels, even as Christ hath forgiven us, so as we may live in all Christian manner amongst men, without wars, & contentions, in all courteous, true, and just dealing, in our affairs and business, not using any unlawful arts or practices, for the increase of our commodities & pleasures, but faith fully laboring in our callings, may depend upon thy promises, approving our faith. Let the name and credit of our brethren & neighbors be precious unto us, that by no mutteringes, surmisings, reports, or light credence, we impayre their good name, and when we meet with slāders or reproaches, give us grace to bear our selves lowly & humble, seeking redress without bitterness of spirit, knowing howe Christ in the like cases hath suffered. And because we cannot always enjoy peace and liberty, under the profession of thy Gospel. O Lord our God, we pray thee let us not only now in these days of our safety, allow and cleave unto thy truth, whilst others do accompanye us in professyon, whilst Princes bear us out, friends do countenance us, whilst our wives, children, lands and possessyon abide by us, and all things smyle upon us: but O deer Father, if ever our sins should procure persecution for thy truth, so as companions should leave us, friends fail us, the cruel looks of Princes, and their bloodye hands should be turned upon us, when merciless imprisonment, the glittering sword, the shaking spear, or fiery flame should with terror threaten death, when banishment & exile shall be for native soil, when our deer wives and tender babes, with woeful cries & wringing of hands, on the one side shall move the bowels of pity, the raging fire or other fearful tortures of death on the other side, shall move terror & dyscouragement, Oh, even then Lord, we poor wretches and worms unable of our selves to abide the heeresaie of death, do beseech thee to fortify our faith, giving us patience, confidence and hope unto the ende, that as thou haste given us a desire to hold out, which is a pledge of our continuance, so thou mayest still uphold us with the taste of the joys to come, that in Christ we may abide unto the ende, so as nothing may separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
O Lord therefore give us grace in our prosperity, to mortify our affections both from sin and the world, that it make us not vnfitt for the yoke, and unruly. Thou knowest Lord the desire of our souls, O perform these things unto us for Jesus Christ his sake. We further pray thee (O Lord) to be president and governor of us and our families, directing us sincerely in all thy ways, that we give not evil example either in word or deed, not raging in our affections, ruling by them; but moderate thou our affections and speeches in all our domestical government, that we may rule over them in thy name, being neither too severe nor too remiss, that so man and wife, with their families, may live together religiously, soberlie, and peaceably, with freer use of prayer, and other holy exercises.
O LORDE, bless our Seruauntes & children with obedient and dutiful hearts to thy majesty, and unto us for thee, being without murmuring, unfaithfulness, replying or stubborn answers, but peaceable, lowly, and tractable, Bannish from them all swearing, lying, pride, cursed speaking, slandering, riot, and all intemperance. And though by our sins thou mightest take advantage to throw out our children to thy curse, and to with hold thy grace frō them, yet pardon thou our sins for thy mercies sake, and continue thy graces to us, and to our posterity after us, to many generations. O Lord, because also nothing can prosper without thy blessing (though we care and toil) bless thou therefore and prosper all the affairs of our lawful callings, this day and ever hereafter, that we may see daily a comfortable issue of our labors, for we resign up all our affairs, and the success thereof unto thee, laboring in them under thy providence. And now Lord, we pray thee for our neighbors round about us, and for the congregation, where we enjoy the felowshippe of this life, with other rich graces of thine, O Lord bless them all, and eache family and person, both old and young, husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, governors and people, that eache of these in their callings being furnished with meet graces from thee, may discharge a good conscience therein in thy fear. Bless O LORDE the Magistrates of our town, endue them with wisdom, courage, faithfulness, & the fear of thy name, and all graces necessary, that they executing judgment and justice, thy glory may be advanced, the people may of conscience obey, sin may be supplanted, and godliness with truth may happilye flourish among us. Bless (O lord) we pray thee, our ministers of thy word, that they may abound with all necessary graces, fit for that weighty calling: let us embrace them in our hearts, as messengers sent by thee for our salvation. Gyue unto them strength, faithfulness, gravity, wisdom, judgment, patience, and courage in doing thy will, that they may wade comfortably, and with a good conscience, through all dangers: make their labors fruitful, in the hearts of the people, convert or confound all that rise up against wholesome doctrine, reform the disobedient, keep them in thy truth that are called, increasinge their faith and obedience, and gather home daielie some souls into thy fold, that the people being turned unto thee, thou mayest have praise. Preserue O Lord, this our Town from inward perrills of the soul, and outward of the body, be thou our watchman, and tower of defense frō all enemies, that our sins betray not our peace: keep us by sea & by land in blessed safety, & let us not forget to praise thee for it: continue thine holy ordinance of teaching ô Lord among us evermore, let us never want that blessed & sovereign means of our salvation, and give us grace heartily, reverently, & faithfully to regard thy servants & thy heavenly doctrine brought by thē so as both they & we may in our lives express the fruit of thy word, feeling effectually the power thereof converted into our souls, to the thorough reforming of the whole mā that we may stand assured of thy mercy & pardon of our sins through faith, may be multiplied with all spiritual graces, directed, kept & continued to the ende in all happy ways, so as our own souls may reap perfect comfort, others may be edified, & turned unto thee, thyself mayest receive glory, honor & eternal praise in Christ Jesus: and now lord, we most earnestly entreat thee for our whole lande, & principallye, for our moste gracious Queen Elizabeth, ô lord give her a long, a prosperous, a godly, & a happy reign over us, cōfounding all her enemies, safegarding her royal person, enritching her soul with all heavenly graces unto salvation, that she governing happily on earth, may reign everlastingly in heaven with thee. Bless her right honorable Counsellers, and all inferior Magistrates, directing their counsels, consultations and governments, to the advancing of thy glory, and the good of thy Church. Bless all the Ministers of thy holy word, that they may sincerely discharg a good conscience in their places, to the edifying of thy church through love. Yea we pray thee for all our whole land, and people of all degrees, pardon their sins, lead them in thy truth, that they may in peace and godliness serve thee all their life. Finallie, Lord we pray thee for all nations, kindreds, and tongues, where thy name is professed, for all Christian Magistrates and Rulers, that thou wilt bless and defend them, and keep them in thy truth from all their ennimies, cause the light of thy holy Gospel to shine to all nations, that they being turned to thee, thou mayst have praise, comfort the comfortless, help the helpless, be a father to the fatherless, and a husband to the wyddowes, ende the misery of the afflicted, confound all enemies of thy church, and give to thy people everlasting peace in Christ Jesus. These graces with all other else necessary for us, and thy whole Church, we humbly crave at thy majesties hand, in such manner as he hath taught us, saying: Our Father which art in Heaven. &c.
A form of thanksgiuinge.
WE render most humble and hearty thanks in Jesus Christ unto thy divine majesty, ô lord our God, for thy great mercies and ancient loving kindness towards us & thy whole church always expressed, namely lord for thy inestimable & everlasting love, whereby thou hast chosen us freely in Christ Jesus unto salvation, before the foundations of the world w •• e laid, as also for thy goodness whereby thou hast created us to the likeness of thine own Image, and whereas we and the whole race of mankind, through sin and transgression were fallen from thee, into a desperate and hellish condition of condemnation, thou hast again redeemed us by the precious death and bloodshedding of thy Son, freed us from bondage, pardoned all our sins, and restored us into favor, even with thyself, invested us into all thy riches, and heavenly treasures, hast called us by the ministry of thy word into a new life, justified us freely through faith, sanctified us by thy grace and holy spirit, and so made us of vile and miserable cayteifes and bondmen of Satan, chayned unto everlasting darkness and judgment, the freemen of Christ Jesus, set at liberty unto everlasting life, & hast given us the earnest of our salvation & thy spirit, whereby thou hast in some measure furnished us with faith, knowledge and zeal, working in us unto repentance and a new life.
O Lord, thou mightest have left us in darkness, and in the shadow of death, in error & ignorance with other nations that know the not, thou myghtest have detained thy grace from us, & given us up to our own hearts lust, into a reprobate mind, with the ungodly of the world, that shall never taste of thy goodness, that we might fill up the cup of thy wrath, thou mightest have broken in upon us with thy plagues and punishments, as thou hast done upon some who have not exeeded the measure of our iniquities, and mightest have executed fearful judgments against us, in the midst of the days of our ignorance and contempt against thee, when we ever without remorse of conscience, not knowing like poor wretches our desperate estate, but yet Lord blessed be thy name, who hath spared us hitherto, and touched our hearts unto some measure of repentance, hast opened our eyes to see thy truth, hast freed us from darkness and death, caused us to taste of thy word, made sin loathsome unto us, joyed our hearts with the tidings of our salvation, renewed our harts, given us hope of a better life, and framed our hearts to some love of thy children, and to some measure of holiness in thy sight.
O Lord, what moved thee to all this but thine own free mercy? for which we render all praise unto thee, grant us grace to walk worthy of these thy mercies, with thankful harts all our life. We bless thy name ô Lord our God, for thy fatherly care and divine providence, whereby thou haste always watched over us, and protected us graciously from our cradle, delivering us from many plagues, punishments, and dangers, which our sins had justly deserved to have brought upon us, and heaping many undeserved benefits upon us, thou haste trusted us with health, wealth, liberty, prosperity, freendship and peace, which all we have abused, yet haste thou spared us. Thou hast set us in a calling amongst men, haste blessed our affairs, prospered the works of our hands, nothing hath wanted unto us that might express thy love, either appartayning to our souls or our bodies, the graces of thy spirit thou haste in some measure shed upon us, the sovereign means of our salvation, thy word, and Sacraments, thou hast ritchly offered unto us, hast given us interest into all thy riches & treasures, yea, even into thyself, so as we may with boldness resort unto thee in all necessities in the name of thy son. O lord this is a happy benefitt, that we may confer with thy majesty by prayer, in all our distresses and affairs, and may pour out our complaints into thy bosom & be regarded, oh stir up our faith Lord, to put in ure this comfortable exercise of our faith, even prayer in all pure manner.
We praise thy high majesty O Lord for all means of our salvation, for the comfortable ministry of thy servants the Preachers, and for thy graces upon them, praying thee to increase both the number of them, and thy graces & gifts in them, that their labors being blessed, thy Church may flourish.
Like thanks, praise, and honor be given unto thee for all Christian Princes & Magistrates, whom thou hast stirred up in any place, to have a care of thy church & Gospel, and for thy mercy, to all countries that have embraced thy word, that blessed messuage of health and salvation, and in this above all other, we think our selves beholding to thee ô Lord, that thou haste been gracious to our Land, to place us there where thy Gospel flourisheth, and for that thou hast suffered us to live in this age, & in such a place wherein we see thy goodness & truth in thy word, when other nations, yea some other places of this our own land perish in ignorance. We cannot forget O lord thy loving kindness shown to us, in bestowing upon us so gracious a Princesse as our sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth, as also such Christian, wise, grave and honorable counselors, nobles and magistrates, loving thy truth & gospel, for preserving & protecting so miraculouslie her royal person, our country and all estates watching over us, revealing & confounding the conspiracies and treasons both of foreign and domestical ennimies from time to time, having heretofore delivered us from the captivity and thralldom of the man of sin, even the Pope, restored to us, peace, liberty, true religion, Christian government, the preaching of thy gospel, the safety of our life, finally all blessings, necessary for soul & body, thou hast richlie bestowed upon us, for which we can never sufficiently praise thee. We thank thee O Lord for the safety of this our town and corporation where we dwell, in preserving us from all foreign invasion, and incursion of enemies, as also for our selves, our families, and charges in providing for us, who hast continually been merciful unto us, haste preserved us in the day time, and watched over us in the night season, for all these things O God, and whatsoever else that we have received at thy hands, either for our souls or bodies, and for all thy graces, upon thy whole Church, and upon all nations, we offer up unto thee this our poor Sacrifice of thanksgiving & praise, most humbly praying the, in the name and mediation of thy son Christ Jesus, to pardon all our sins, & the imperfections of our prayers and thanksgivings, & to accept of them for his sake, in whose name only we are bold to present thy majesty with our suites. Lastly, we most entirelie beseech thee to stir us up effectually unto all thankfulness & obedience in the whole course of our life, quickening our faith, inflaming our love, that we may with all cheerfulness do duties to thee & our brethren in our callings, that we & all thy servants whatsoever, being furthered & holden out by thy grace, may grow up unto full holiness in thy fear, till we all are fully perfected in the heavens, to receive the full measure of our salvation, in that blessed inheritance of the Saints with Christ Jesus, in the day of his glorious appearance, to whō with thee and the holy spirit, be all praise, honor, glory, power, might and dominion, forever-more. Amen.
A prayer for the Mariners, to be used at the Sea.
O Lord, thou most mighty God of all power & sovereignty, who hast made the heavens and the earth, the sea & all deep places, we thy poor servants do humbly throw down our selves before thy high majesty, acknowledging all our manifold and heinous sins, craving entirely pardon and forgiveness of them all for thy son Christ Jesus his sake, & namely, our vnpreparednesse to this so holy a duty of Prayer: entreating thy good Majesty to behold us in thy favor, and to receive us into thy blessed protection, that since we are by thee assigned our labors in the mighty deeps, that in the sweat of our brows, with danger of our lives, we should therein travel for our lawful maintenance, it may please thy good majesty to prosper the work of our hands, & to guide us in all our actions, to defend us from all dangers, either of enemies seeking our life or goods, or of the merciless songs and swallowing sandes, or of stormy winds, and raging tempests, or of any other distress whatsoever, that betydeth such as travel therein. Thou mightest ô Lord we confess, take advantage to make our voyages & fishings unprosperous, to spoil our goods, to betray us unto enemies, to swallow us up in the bottomless Gulf of the Seas, because we have not feared thee with reverence, have not obeyed thy word, have been careless of thy service, unthankful for our former deliueraunces & success, distrustful of thy providence, repyning at thy hand in our losses, forgetful of thy great and marvelous works, we have gathered iniquity, and have been stained with the corrupt manners of other natyons, have blasphemed thy name, passed our days in ryotte, forgotten thee upon the shore, though lately come out of fearful dangers, we have been wanton, stubborn, and unruly, so as we have freighted our Vessels more with sin, vanity, & ungodliness, then with goods or lading, so as it is marvel we have not suncken in the rolling seas, and descended down to hell, but that thy mercy hath kept us. But ô Lord even our God, thou that tamest Leviathan, and smitest the heads of the dragons of the deep, smite our stony hearts with the lively sense of our sins, humble us unto repentance, turn thy displeasure from us, deal not with us according to our transgressions, but according to thy mercies, we appeal to the throne of thy grace, wash us in the blood of thy son from all our sins, renew our harts daily to thy will, & to the obedience of thy word, that we may make conscience to hear it with reverence when we may, for ó Lord in this one thing, thou hast abridged those that far travail on the Seas, & into diverse countries, of the daily use of the ministrye of thy word and sacraments, which other enjoy tarrying at home, which is some petty judgment of thine, to humble us, & make us more careful. O lord stir us up therefore to the reading of thy word in our traveling, & to such other exercises carefully and faithfully, that we may be zealous of thy glory, thankful for thy mercies & daily benefits, confident to trust in thy providence in all estates, patient in troubles, without murmuring, watchful over our selves that we be not defiled with the corruptions of other places, yea Lord, teach us to avoid all swearing, drunkenness, riot, exces, fornication idolatry, contempt, injury, deceit, lying, quarrelling, and all uncleanness, that both when we are on the seas & on the shore we may fear, glorify, & praise thy most holy name, govern us ó lord in our deeds, words & in our government, as also our company that they may obey & be subject to all Christian discipline, that so thou mightest prosper us in all our affairs increasing the fruit of our labors, defending us frō our enemies, frō robberies, losses & all dangers, & finally bring us safely to the port & Haven of our desire: ó lord make us truly thankful unto thee for our former deliverances & benefits, and if ever thou shalt cross us by any loss, hindrance or afflictiō for our sins, humble us therein, let us acknowledge thy hand therein with thankfulness & patience, that we may thereby be spurred forward to the reforming of our lives. Be thou with us on the boisterous ô Lord in thy name we hoise our sails, and launche forth into the depe, be present with us in our troubles and dangers, hear us & deliver us when we call upon thee, for great are the dangers that we sail in every way, but thou art our God, we trust in thee, oh save us, guide us, protect us, deliver us, that we may still live to praise thee. We commit Lord our selves, our shyps, our goods and lives into thy hand, both this day or night, and ever hereafter to be preserved at thy pleasure, and let us never forget all thy marvelous works. O Lord we pray thee bless all our friends and kyndred on the land, our wives, parents children, masters, families, or whomsoever, that are tied to us by any band of freendship or nature in the Lord. Finally, Lord we pray thee frame our souls to all duties of holiness towards thy majesty, increasing all true faith, fear and love in us towards thee, inflaming our hearts with all Christian love to our brethren for thy sake. These things if thou shalt perform unto us O Lord our God, we shall never forget to praise and magnify thy holy name therefore. These things ô lord with all other graces necessary for us, for thy whole church, for all nations, people, and for all our brethrē, and for all degrees, we humbly crave the same at thy majesties hand, in the name & mediation of thy son Christ Jesus, saying as he hath taught us. Our father which art in heaven, hallowed he thy name. &c.