A Short and Pithy Catechism Regarding the Lords Supper, Prayer 3
A forme of thanksgiuinge.
WE render moſt humble and hartie thankes in Ieſus Chriſt vntounto thy diuine maieſtie, ô lord our God, for thy great mercies and auncient louing kindnes towards vsus & thy whole church alwayes expreſſed, namely lord for thy ineſtimable & euerlaſting louelove, whereby thou haſt choſen vsus freelie in Chriſt Ieſus vntounto ſaluation, before the foundations of the worlde w…e layde, as alſo for thy goodnes whereby thou haſt created vsus to the likenes of thine owne Image, and whereas wee and the whole race of mankind, through ſinne and tranſgreſſion were fallen from thee, into a deſperate and helliſh condition of condemnation, thou haſt againe redeemed vsus by the precious death and bloodſhedding of thy Sonne, freed vsus from bondage, pardoned all our ſinnes, and reſtored vsus into fauour, euen with thy ſelfe, inueſted vsus into all thy ritches, and heauenly treaſures, haſt called vsus by the miniſtrie of thy worde into a newe life, iuſtified vsus freelie through fayth, ſanctifyed vsus by thy grace and holie ſpirit, and ſo made vsus of vile and myſerable cayteifes and bondmen of Satan, chayned vntounto euerlaſting darknes and iudgment, the freemen of Chriſt Ieſus, ſette at liberty vntounto euerlaſting life, & haſt giuen vsus the earneſt of our ſaluation & thy ſpirite, whereby thou haſt in ſome meaſure furniſhed vsus with fayth, knowledge and zeale, working in vsus vntounto repentaunce and a nevve life.
O Lord, thou mighteſt hauehave left vsus in darknes, and in the ſhadowe of death, in error & ignorance with other natiōs that know the not, thou myghteſt hauehave deteyned thy grace from vsus, & giuen vsus vp to our own hartes luſt, into a reprobate mynde, with the vngodly of the world, that ſhall neuer taſte of thy goodnes, that we might fill vppe the cuppe of thy wrath, thou mighteſt hauehave broken in vppon vsus with thy plagues and puniſhmentes, as thou haſt doone vppon ſome who hauehave not exeeded the meaſure of our iniquities, and mighteſt hauehave executed fearefull iudgments againſt vsus, in the mideſt of the dayes of our ignoraunce and contempt againſt thee, when wee euer without remorſe of conſcience, not knowing like poore wretches our deſperate eſtate, but yet Lorde bleſſed be thy name, who hath ſpared vsus hetherto, and touched our hartes vntounto ſome meaſure of repentaunce, haſt opened our eyes to ſee thy trueth, haſt freed vsus from darknes and death, cauſed vsus to taſte of thy word, made ſinne lothſome vntounto vsus, ioyed our hearts with the tydinges of our ſaluation, renued our harts, giuen vsus hope of a better life, and framed our hearts to ſome louelove of thy children, and to ſome meaſure of holines in thy ſight.
O Lord, what mooued thee to al this but thine owne free merciemercy? for which we rēder all praiſe vntounto thee, graunt vsus grace to walke worthy of theſe thy mercies, with thankfull harts all our life. VVee bleſſe thy name ô Lord our God, for thy fatherlie care and diuine prouidence, whereby thou haſte alwayes watched ouer vsus, and protected vsus graciouſly from our cradle, deliuering vsus from manie plagues, puniſhments, and daungers, which our ſins had iuſtly deſerued to hauehave brought vponupon vsus, and heaping many vndeſerued benefites vponupon vsus, thou haſte truſted vsus with health, wealth, liberty, proſperity, freendſhip and peace, which all we hauehave abuſed, yet haſte thou ſpared vsus. Thou haſt ſet vsus in a calling amongſt men, haſte bleſſed our affayres, proſpered the workes of our hands, nothing hath wanted vntounto vsus that might expreſſe thy louelove, eyther appartayning to our ſoules or our bodies, the graces of thy ſpirite thou haſte in ſome meaſure ſhed vppon vsus, the ſoueraigne meanes of our ſaluation, thy word, and Sacraments, thou haſt ritchly offred vntounto vsus, haſt giuen vsus intereſt into al thy riches & treaſures, yea, euen into thy ſelf, ſo as we may with boldnes reſort vntounto thee in al neceſſities in the name of thy ſon. O lord this is a happy benefitt, that we may confer with thy maieſtie by prayer, in all our diſtreſſes and affaires, and may powre out our cōplaints into thy boſome & be regarded, oh ſtirre vp our faith Lord, to put in vre thys comfortable exerciſe of our fayth, euen prayer in all pure manner.
VVe praiſe thy high maieſty O Lorde for all meanes of our ſaluation, for the comfortable miniſtry of thy ſeruauntes the Preachers, and for thy graces vppon them, praying thee to encreaſe bothe the number of them, and thy graces & gyftes in them, that theyr labours beeing bleſſed, thy Church may flouriſh.
Like thankes, praiſe, and honour be giuen vntounto thee for all Chriſtian Princes & Magiſtrates, whom thou haſt ſtirred vp in any place, to hauehave a care of thy church & Goſpell, and for thy merciemercy, to all countries that hauehave imbraced thy word, that bleſſed meſſuage of health and ſaluation, and in this aboue all other, wee thinke our ſelues beholding to thee ô Lorde, that thou haſte beene gratious to our Land, to place vsus there where thy Goſpell flouriſheth, and for that thou haſt ſuffred vsus to lyue in this age, & in ſuch a place wherin we ſee thy goodnes & trueth in thy word, when other nations, yea ſome other places of this our owne land perriſh in ignoraunce. We can not forget O lorde thy louing kindnes ſhewed to vsus, in beſtowing vponupon vsus ſo gracious a Princeſſe as our ſoueraigne Ladie, Queene Elizabeth, as alſo ſuch chriſtian, wiſe, graue and honorable counſellers, nobles and magiſtrates, louing thy trueth & goſpel, for preſeruing & protecting ſo miraculouſlie her royall perſonne, our countrie and all eſtates watching ouer vsus, reuealing & confounding the conſpiracies and treaſons bothe of forraine and domeſticall ennimies from time to time, hauing heeretofore deliuered vsus from the captiuity and thraldome of the man of ſinne, euen the Pope, reſtored to vsus, peace, liberty, true religion, chriſtian gouernment, the preaching of thy goſpell, the ſafetie of our life, finally all bleſſings, neceſſarie for ſoule & body, thou haſt richlie beſtowed vponupon vsus, for which we can neuer ſufficientlie praiſe thee. VVe thank thee O Lord for the ſafety of thys our towne and corporation where vvee dwell, in preſeruing vsus from all forraine inuaſion, and incurſion of enemies, as alſo for our ſelues, our families, and charges in prouiding for vsus, who haſt continuallie beene mercifull vntounto vsus, haſte preſerued vsus in the day time, and watched ouer vsus in the night ſeaſon, for all theſe thinges O God, and whatſoeuer els that we hauehave receiued at thy hands, eyther for our ſoules or bodies, and for all thy graces, vppon thy whole Church, and vppon all nations, wee offer vppe vntounto thee thys our poore Sacrifice of thankſgiuing & praiſe, moſt hūbly praying the, in the name and mediation of thy ſonne Chriſt Ieſus, to pardon al our ſinnes, & the imperfections of our prayers and thankſgiuings, & to accept of them for his ſake, in whoſe name onelyonly we are bold to preſent thy maieſtye with our ſuites. Laſtly, wee moſt entirelie beſeech thee to ſtirre vsus vp effectuallie vntounto all thankfulnes & obedience in the whole courſe of our life, quickning our faith, inflaming our louelove, that we may with al cheerefulnes doo dueties to thee & our brethren in our callinges, that we & all thy ſeruāts whatſoeuer, being furthered & holden out by thy grace, may growe vp vntounto full holines in thy feare, tyll we all are fully perfited in the heauens, to receiue the full meaſure of our ſaluation, in that bleſſed inheritaunce of the Saints with Chriſt Ieſus, in the day of his glorious appearaunce, to whō with thee and the holie ſpirit, be all praiſe, honour, glorye, power, might and dominion, for euer-more. Amen.