A short catechisme wherein are briefely laid downe the fundamentall principles of Christian religion. Needfull to be knowne of all such as come to the Lords Table. Whereunto is added morning and euening prayer for a family.

Morning Praier for a Familie.

O Eternall God, wee thy poore seruants acknow∣ledge that from thee wee first re∣ceiued our being, and euery good thing we inioy▪ and that by thee the same is continued and pre∣serued vnto vs, by thy good pro∣uidence is this day renewed vn∣to vs, and wee kept safe vnto it: wherefore, desirous to per∣forme our dutie vnto thee, and to receiue a blessing from thee, (without which we cannot pros∣per in any thing that we take in hand) we doe humble our selues before the glorious throne of thy grace, to offer vp vnto thee our morning sacrifice of prayer. We know that our sinnes haue made vs odious in thy sight, vnwor∣thy of all thy blessings, and lya∣ble to al the iudgements denoun∣ced

in thy Word: they are for number innumerable, for wee haue committed more sinnes then we haue liued moments; all our thoughts, words, and acti∣ons haue beene sinfull, euen the best things which we doe are de∣filed with that sinck of naturall corruption which is in vs, and by our carelesse manner of perfor∣ming them. Euery sinne is in the nature of it infinitely hei∣nous, because it is commit∣ted against thee, a God of infi∣nite Maiestie: but our sinnes are so much the more heinous, because they haue been commit∣ted against our knowledge and conscience, yea and against those manifold meanes, which thou in mercie hast affoorded to kéepe vs from sinne: we haue long inioied the Ministrie of thy Word, but haue little profited thereby: thou hast accompanied the same with many sweet blessings, all which

wee haue abused: like a care∣full Father thou hast tender∣ly corrected vs; yet wee haue not been bettered thereby, but carried our selues stubbornely a∣gainst thee. We are very prone to yeeld to all the corrupt sugge∣stions of our flesh, and to the euill temptations of the Diuell: and wee are too much delighted with the wicked customes and fashi∣ons of this world: but exceeding dull and vntoward wee are to all holie exercises, and to euerie good thing. When we enter into an examination of our spirituall e∣state, wee can finde in our selues nothing but matter of horror, and of despaire: wee doe there∣fore, as we haue iust cause, vtter∣ly denie our selues, and renounce all confidence in our selues, we flie to thy mercie-seate for mer∣cie and pardon, and that in the name of thy deare sonne Christ Iesus, who came to saue sinners,

and who by the sacrifice of him∣selfe hath made a perfect satisfac∣tion vnto thine infinite iustice for all our sins Enter not there∣fore into iudgement with thy seruants (O Lord) but accept of that alsufficiēt sacrifice of Christ for vs; and be pleased wee most humbly beseech thee, to remoue the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes, that they may neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs, to depriue vs of thy fauour and blessing, or to prouoke thy wrath and vengeance against vs in this world or in the world to come. And we doe also earnestly intreat thee for Christs sake to subdue in vs all our corruptions, that they may not beare such sway in vs as they haue done heretofore: make vs wise and watchfull o∣uer our selues, that wee may a∣uoide as all sinnes, so all occasi∣ons and prouocations, whereby we may be lead into euill: and

make vs conscionable in practi∣sing all good duties which wee are bound to doe, and in vsing all good meanes whereby wee may be kept in compasse of our dutie. O Lord let thy good spi∣rit alwaies abide in vs, to assure vs of thy loue to vs, and to re∣new vs daily more and more ac∣cording to thine owne most glo∣rious image. Wee beséech thee to inlighten our dark vnderstan∣dings, to rectifie our peruerse wils, to mollifie our hard hearts, to quicken our dul affections, and to reform all our outward parts, so as wee may serue thee in true holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life.

Make vs iust, faithfull, and true in al our actious and words: make vs pitifull and mercifull to such as stand in need of our help, and that according to their ne∣cessitie & our abilitie: and grant that by our humble, modest, gen∣tle

carriage of our selues to∣wards all men, wee may adorne out Christian profession.

And now, heauenly Father, we commend our selues, soules, and bodies to thy blessing. Blesse vs we beseech thée in our callings, direct thou the worke of our hands, and prosper them vnto vs. Sanctifie also all thy good creatures which thou affourdest vnto our vse.

We humbly beseeth thee to blesse also thy whole Church: and particularly the whole Na∣tion wherein we liue: continue in it the light of thy Gospell, and giue a free passage thereunto. Vouchsafe vnto it all needefull prosperity. Wee heartily pray thee to blesse our royall Soue∣raigne King Iames and his go∣uernement: long preserue his life, & health, and raigne. Blesse all our Magistrates and Mini∣sters of thy holy word. Succour all the aflicted members of Christ

Iesus. Doe good to all our kin∣dred, aliance, friends, acquain∣tance, neighbours. Linke all of vs together by the bond of thy holy spirit, who are knit by any outward bond; that thus wee may haue iust cause to reioyce one in another, and to blesse thée one for another. Let thy blessing remaine on all Christian families which call vpon thy name, and particularly vpon this our familie: grant that we may make our house to be thy Church by performing an holy worship vnto thee, that so thy gratious presence may bee euer among vs: and because thy promi∣ses do belong to vs, and our chil∣dren, we pray thée to blesse our is∣sue with all néedefull blessings. Work in vs a religious care wel to traine them vp, and giue thou a blessing to all the meanes that are vsed for their good educati∣on, that they being taught by vs to feare thée, may teach their chil∣dren

also so to doe, and thus thy feare bee continued among our posterity from generation to ge∣neration. O Lord our God, we know that the good things wee want, and the dangers whereun∣to we are subiect, are many more then wee can thinke of, yet are they all well knowne vnto thee; wee doe therefore intreate thee to bestow vpon vs what good things soeuer thou seest to bee needfull vnto vs, and to preserue vs from al those euils which thou seest vs subiect vnto.

According to our bounden du∣tie we doe also offer vp our sa∣crifice of praise vnto thy diuine Maiesty, in the mediation of Christ: blessing thee first of all, and aboue all, for those blessings which are proper to thine elect: as are our redemption by Christ, our reconciliation with thée, our adoption to be thy children, our iustification & sanctification, and hope of eternall life, together

with all the good graces which by thy good Spirit thou hast wrought in vs. We thank thée also for all the meanes of our sal∣uation, and for all the meanes of preseruing our temporall life. In particular, we thanke thee for the last nights quiet rest, and for bringing vs safely to the begin∣ning of this day. Neither are we vnmindefull of thy generall bles∣sings vpon thy whole Church, vpon this Land and Kingdome, vpon our house and familie, and vpon all that any way belong vnto vs. We acknowledge thée (O Lord) to bee the Author and giuer of all things; & accordingly we giue the praise of al vnto thée.

Accept (we beseech thee) this our bounden dutie, pardon all the defects & imperfections there∣of, for thy Sonne, and our Saui∣our Iesus Christs sake: in whose name we conclude our praiers with that perfect forme of praier which he hath taught vs, saying▪ Our Father, &c.