To all
PERSONS that have any Sense of the Reality of
VERTUE, In the pursuit of my Design to demonstrate, that the People called
QƲAKERS, Deserve more Favour from the
Church of England, Than any other sort of
Dissenters.
I shall here Recite some Passages in the Book of
Common-Prayer, to which they Acknowledge, that it is their Duty, and that In CHRIST they have a Power, to
Conform themselves in the whole Course of
[...]eir Lives.
GRant, O Most Merciful Father—That we may hereafter live a Godly, Righteous, and Sober Life, to the Glory of thy Holy Name. Amen.
On which words John And. has this Reflection:
By the Grace of GOD that bringeth Salvation, which hath appeared unto all Men, are we taught and enabled to deny Ungodliness, and Worldly Lusts, and to live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly in this present World.
Why should any Mock God to Pray so to live, and yet live quite contrary, and reject the Grace of God?
Wherefore we Beseech him to grant us true Repentance, and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this present, and that the rest of our Life hereafter may be pure, and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to Keep us this Day without Sin.
O God, who art the Author of Peace, and Lover of Concord—whose Service is Perfect Freedom.
Lighten our Darkness we Beseech thee, O LORD.
From all Evil, and Mischief, from the Crafts and Assaults of the Devil, from all Blindness of Heart, from Pride, Vain Glory, and Hypocrisie, from Envy, Hatred, and Malice, and all Uncharitableness: From Fornication, and all other Deadly Sin, and from all the Deceits of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, Good Lord De [...]er us.
That it may please thee to bring into the Way of Truth all such as have Erred.
That it may please thee, O LORD, to endue us with thy Holy Spirit to Amend our Lives.
Almighty GOD, give us Grace, That we may cast [Page 3] away the Works of Darkness, and put upon us the Armour of Light, now in the Time of this Mortal Life.
Grant, O Lord, that in all our Sufferings here upon Earth for the Testimony of thy Truth, we may stedfastly look up to Heaven, and by Faith behold the Glory that shall be revealed, and being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to Love, and Bless our Persecutors by the Ensample of this first Martyr St. Stephen, who prayed for his Murderers.
Mortifie, and Kill all Vices in us, and so strengthen us by thy Grace, that by the Innocency of our Lives, &c. we may Glorifie thy Holy Name.
Grant us the true Circumcision of the Spirit, that our Hearts, and all our Members being Mortified from all Worldly, and Carnal Lusts, we may in all things Obey thy blessed Will.
Create and make in us new and contrite Hearts.
Lord Grant that by thy Holy Inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same.
Send to us thy Holy GHOST to Comfort us.
GOD, which didst Teach the Hearts of thy faithful People, by sending them the Light of the Holy Ghost, Grant us by the same Spirit to have a Right Judgment in All things.
Here (says J. A.) the Light is the Teacher, which we Own, and bear Witness to.
Almighty GOD, Grant unto us all, that we being called by thy Holy WORD, may forthwith give up our selves Obediently to fulfil thy Holy Commandments.
Almighty GOD, make us constantly speak the Truth, boldly rebuke Vice, and patiently suffer for the Truth's sake.
I Desire it may be Known to all Persons that Know Me, or shall ever Hear of Me, that the People called QUAKERS Concurr with Me in these Sentiments of CHRISTIAN Purity, which ATHENAGORAS Testifies to have been the Sentiments of the Primitive CHRISTIANS.
Summâ Cautione communicandum est Osculum, ut non aliter quàm Pia Salutatio, vel potiùs Adoratio quaedam habeatur: Quaesi vel parum impurâ Cogitatione inquinata fuerit, à Vitâ Aeternâ nos alienet.
We Ought to have the greatest Care, and Circumspection, how we impart a Kiss to any one, that it may be no other than a Pious Salutation, or an Act of Religion. If it excites our Thoughts to the least Impurity, it excludes us from Eternal Life.
COME LORD JESƲS.