The Faith of the Church of England, Chapter 11 – Chapter 12
CHAP. XI. Of Gods preſerving us in godlineſſe, and from ſinne.
AS the power of God manifeſts it ſelfe at firſt in regenerating us, ſo may it evidently be diſcerned afterwards in reſiſting Satans temptations and keeping us in the wayes of piety. If an effectuall worke of God be ſometimes needfull to keepe us from groſſe idolatry in heavy temptations, then is it much more needfull to keepe us from evill thoughts, and in pious meditations with delight. Our fleſh is quickly weary of good wayes and eaſily inclining to evill after we are regenerate. If now beſides the ſtrength of that working grace, which God put into us at firſt there be need of an effectuall helpe of grace ſtill: then was there at firſt, when we were able to doe nothing, need not of a ſtocke, that we might uſe well or ill, but of an effectuall work of grace, to worke faith and repentance in us. Now what need we have of Gods preſerving helpe let the bookes ſpeake.
VOuchſafe, Te Deum.O Lord, to keepe us this day without ſinne.
From all evill and miſchiefe, Letany.from ſinne, from the crafts and aſſaults of the devill, from thy wrath and from everlaſting damnation.
Good Lord deliver us.
From all blindneſſe of heart, from pride, vaineglory, and hypocriſie, from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableneſſe.
Good Lord deliver us.
From fornication, and all other deadly ſinne, and from all the deceits of the world, the fleſh, and the devill.
Good Lord deliver us.
That it may pleaſe thee to keepe and ſtrengthen in the true worſhipping of thee in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe of life thy ſervant, Letany.Charles our moſt gracious King and Governour.
Lord make us to have a perpetuall feare and love of thy holy name.Coll. Sund. 2. after Trin. Sund. 7.
Nouriſh us with all goodneſſe, and of thy great mercy keepe us in the ſame.
Lord we beſeech thee grant thy people grace to avoid the infections of the devill.Sund. 18.
Lord we beſeech thee to keepe thy houſhold the Church in continuall godlineſſe.Sund. 22.
Almighty God confirme and ſtrengthen you in all goodneſſe.Abſolv. at the Communion. Cat in book of Com. Pr. queſt. 13. Pr. 3. in viſ. of the ſicke. Veni Creator.
I pray unto God, that it will pleaſe him to ſave and defend us in all dangers ghoſtly and bodily, and that he will keepe us from all ſinne and wickedneſſe.
Preſerve and continue this ſicke member in the unity of thy Church.
Strength and ſtabliſh all our weakneſſe
ſo feeble and ſo fraile,
That neither fleſh the world nor devill
againſt us doe prevaile.In the ſame hymne.
And grant, O Lord, that thou being
our leader and our guide:
We may eſchew the ſnares of ſinne,
and from thee never ſlide.
OnelyOnly thy grace muſt be my ſtayHumble ſuit of ſin.
leaſt that I fall downe flat,
And being downe, then of my ſelfe
cannot recover that.
Lord keepe our King and his councell,Prayer to the Holy Ghoſt before Serm. Hom. of faith. Part. 3. Hom. of Inform. of them which take offence &c. Part. 1. In the ſame place.
and give them will and might
To perſevere in thy Goſpel,
which can put ſinne to flight.
It is God that muſt be our defence and protection againſt all temptation of wickedneſſe and ſinne.
Noah and Lot godly men, which otherwiſe felt inwardly Gods holy Spirit inflaming them in their hearts with the feare and love of God, could not by their owne ſtrength keepe themſelves from committing horrible ſinnes.
We muſt therefore acknowledge our owne infirmity and weakneſſe, and pray more earneſtly to God inceſſantly for his grace to ſtrengthen us and to defend us from all evill.
It is of the goodneſſe of God, Serm. for Rogat. week Part. 3.that we faint not in our hope unto him. It is verily Gods worke in us, the charity wherewith we love our brethren. If after our fall we repent, it is by him that we repent, which reacheth forth his mercifull hand to raiſe us up. If any will we have to riſe, it is he that preventeth our will, and diſpoſeth us thereto.
Pray God to defend and maintaine you in marriage, Hom. of Matrim. Now. Cat. queſt. 206.that ye be not overcome with any temptations.
We pray that God would ſtrengthen the members of his Church with his aide and power, as his ſouldiers, that they may earneſtly fight againſt and ſubdue the devill, the world, and the luſts of the fleſh.
We pray God not to ſuffer us to be overcome with any wicked temptation, but that he will deliver us, queſt. 224.and ſave us from all evill.
Direct our ſteps in thy word, Pſal. for Even.and ſo ſhall our feet be kept from falling, and no wickedneſſe ſhall have dominion over us.
Deliver us from the power of wicked ſpirits, Even. prayer there.and from all ſinne, the workes of darkneſſe, and from all other perils bodily and ghoſtly.
CHAP. XII. Of the progreſſe of the Regenerate.
THe ſervants of God that are regenerate though they be able to doe ſpirtuall actions by vertue of that grace they have received, yet ſo unperfectly, that they cannot make any great progreſſe in godlineſſe without further helpe of Gods grace, they acknowledge that they have of Gods aſsiſtance to bring into action their good cogitations, ſo violently are they oppoſed by the remainders of fleſhly corruption. Now if the regenerate have need of Gods grace to make a progreſſe, how much more have they need of his effectuall grace, that have no power to regenerate themſelves, as we ſay, or at leaſt not ſo much as the regenerate have to proceed, as our adverſaries muſt ſay, unleſſe they will put no difference betwixt ſpirituall death and ſpirituall life. Let us now heare the teſtimony of the bookes in this particular.
Grant that we being regenerate, Collect. on Chriſtmas day.and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renued by thy holy Spirit.
Nouriſh us with all goodneſſe.Sund. 7. after Trinity. Sunday 14. after Trin. Prayer 3. in Baptiſme. Prayer in priv. Bapt.
Almightie and everlaſting God, give unto us the encreaſe of faith, hope, and charitie.
Encreaſe this knowledge, and confirme this faith in us evermore.
Give thy holy Spirit to this infant, that he being born again, and being made heire of everlaſting ſalvation through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, may continue thy ſervant, and attain thy promiſe.
Daily increaſe in theſe thy ſervants, Prayer 1. in Confirm.thy manifold gifts of grace, the ſpirit of ghoſtly ſtrength, and true godlineſſe, and fulfill them, O Lord, with the ſpirit of thy holy feare.
Defend O Lord, Prayer 2. there.this childe with thy heavenly grace, that he may continue thine for ever, and daily increaſe in thy holy Spirit more and more, untill he come unto thy everlaſting kingdome.
O Lord increaſe our faith in us,Prayer to holy Ghoſt before Ser. Prayer 3. in order of Prieſts,
and love ſo to abound, &c.
We humbly beſeech thee, by the ſame thy Sonne to grant unto all us which either here, or elſe where call upon thy name, that we may ſhew our ſelves thankfull to thee for theſe and all other thy benefits, and that we may daily encreaſe and go forwards in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Sonne by thy holy Spirit.
Almightie God accompliſh in you the good work, Prayer. 2. in Conſecr. of Biſhops.which he hath begun, that ye may be found perfect, and irreprehenſible at the latter day.
Regard not the horrour of our ſinnes, Prayer in faſt. 1625. Coll. 1.but our unfained repentance. Perfect that worke which thou haſt begun in us.
Give unto us every day more earneſt and unfeignned repentance: Prayer 6. added to Letany there.plant in our hearts by the grace of thy holy Spirit a ſetled feare of thy name, and full reſolution to lead the reſt of our life in the carefull obedience of thy holy will in our callings, and faithfull hope of a better life to come.
Lord we beleeve, but do thou encreaſe our faith, Prayer for ſeaſon. weather there.our devotion, our repentance, and all Chriſtian vertues.
Thou didſt moſt graciouſly accept our undeſerved repentance before thee: Prayer againſt peſtil. in the faſt. 1626.we beſeech thee to give us the grace of greater humiliation, and to ſhew as yet further mercy.
Neither doth the holy Ghoſt think it ſufficient, Hom. for Whitſunday Part. 1.inwardly to work the ſpirituall and new birth of man, unleſſe he do alſo dwell, and abide in him.
Whether the Prince be good or evill, Hom. againſt wilfull rebel. Part. 1. Thanksgiv. Nov. 5. Pr. after 1. Coll.let us pray for him, for his continuance and increaſe in goodneſſe, if he be good; and for his amendment, if he be evill.
Increaſe in us more and more a lively faith, and fruitfull love in all obedience.